Griffon of Canterlot
Chapter 105.66: Consequential Actions
Fluttershy holding the tea pot with her right wing tip it to pour tea into a cup held by a armoured claw hand with purple pulsing steam of magic flowing through it. A bird sitting on the armour shoulder pad of the Death Dragon Anubis, he glanced at the bird chirping and ruffling it wings and adjusting itself on the armour plate.
“Thank you Fluttershy.” He took a sip and sighed in content. “As always you out do yourself with this amazing cup of tea.”
Fluttershy giggled. “Your very much welcomed Anubis, I enjoy these Wednesday teas we been having.” Fluttershy sat down on the sofa couch pour some tea for herself. “How are your children doing?” She drunk a bit of the tea.
Anubis held the cup with both hands. “They doing fine, the little adventure and getting to hang out for a little with their dad outside of the Dragonlands was what they needed.” Anubis said with a soft smile. “I still can't confront my wife and tell her they helped play a part in saving not only our multiverse but anothers too, I be grilled to no tomorrow...”
“It be best to tell her sooner than later Anubis, or will be far worse.”
“I know... my life isn't the rosiest one Fluttershy.” He sighed a little. “We all almost lost it all to Shal-Quz... I couldn't believe she go that fair and yet she did... now all left of her is a former shell living out the rest of the days in a house off the coast near Flaputa-on-Sea...”
Fluttershy could see the pain in his purple glowing eyes. “She was your sister who did very bad things, Shal-Quz is gone but you have Leela still.”
Anubis smiled a little. “That very true, thank you for listening to this 22,000 plus old dragon. It feels good to talk to someone about it and glad you listened.”
“What are friends for Anubis.”
“Indeed, a month ago our first encounter was between your door.” He chuckled a little looking over to it.
Fluttershy laughed too. “I was so scared of you that I thought my heart would jump out of my throat, now thinking back to it there was nothing to be scared of about you.” Fluttershy said warmly to Anubis. “Too many more Wednesday teas.” She raise her cup.
“Here here.” Anubis raise his and drinks a bit of his tea. “Be the way, where is that bloody little demon of a bunny of yours?”
Fluttershy giggled. “Oh Anubis, he just out and about today.”
“Your not worried since your near the Everfree Forest?”
“Not at all Anubis, I know the forest is really scary but for some reason all the creatures keep their distance from my cottage, so Angel is perfectly safe and know not to go inside.” Fluttershy said calmly to Anubis.
Anubis shrugged. “Fair enough, at least he not trying to kick me this time, he gets a bit testy.”
Fluttershy couldn't disagree. “True, he will just have to get use to our Wednesday afternoon tea.”
The door suddenly swing open, they both turn to see a three foot white bunny with help from sentinels drag a fox in. “Fluttershy, I did something really bad...”
Anubis saw the blood dripping from Keeper's nose onto the wooden surface, it wasn't turning to clay and that when the Death Dragon dropped his cup with shock... Fluttershy was very startled and shocked seeing this was Angel Bunny just from the eyes. “I-is that you Angel?”
“Y-yes it me... please help the fox...” Anubis snap out of shock getting up picking up Keeper and taking him to the sofa couch laying him down on it, he used magic to scan around the muzzle.
“Is he going to be okay?” Fluttershy asked.
Anubis finished using his magic to exam the area of the muzzle. “His got a fracture around the upper jaw around his nose, I can heal with my magic.” He looked to the blood on his claws and at Keeper. “How is this possible?” He whispered.
“Wh-what happened to you and what did you do?” Fluttershy now turn her attention to Angel.
Angel Bunny sat in front of Fluttershy on a stall finishing explaining what happened to her as well about his ability to shift from cute small feral bunny to a bunny that just stood a little shorter to Fluttershy. “-that when I brought the fox here with help from these sentinels.” He gestured to the flying machines hovering around near the ceiling. “I really messed up...”
Fluttershy sitting at the single seater couch looked disappointed, near by on his knees Anubis was using his magic to heal the injuries caused by Angel Bunny to Keeper. The fox laid on the sofa couch still unconscious. “Oh Angel Bunny... you really did mess up, but I am glad you came forward and told us... you could of told me about this anthropomorphic form of yours...”
Angel lower his gaze to the twiddling fingers and thumbs. “I know, the day you found me burned and bruised I felt happy being with you.” Anubis listen to the white rabbit. “I found out a few months later about my ability to change into this... an-”
“And you would of never told her about it if you didn't punch Keeper Sentinel in front of his sentinels, you knew the game was up the moment they and Keeper realised what you were.” Anubis interrupted Angel as he continue to heal Keeper's muzzle. “You either tell Fluttershy yourself or Keeper and the sentinels would; your mess up is being caught out by the wrong individual and you have a heart that why you didn't leave him and the sentinels in the Everfree Forest.”
Fluttershy had to ask. “Is that true Angel Bunny? You only telling me because there was no third path?” She said so softly to Angel.
Angel felt even more guilty now, the sickening feeling in his gut doubled. “Y-yes... Anubis is correct I would of kept this from you still, I was left in a impossible position and choose to reveal it myself, also I was afraid to show and tell you because of the connection we created, the bound we share...”
Fluttershy could see the deep guilty look upon his face, Angel looked very ashamed at the truth presented to her. “Animals spoke of a white blur that fought off many Everfree creatures, please tell me it wasn't you...” Fluttershy suddenly recalled what animals said and felt slightly horrified if it was Angel, her Angel Bunny fighting dangerous creatures of the Everfree Forest.
“I have... it been my second life behind the cute little bunny... the creatures I kept at bay from your home, protecting you and the other animals. I care about you all...” Angel admitted he did and explained why he did it.
Fluttershy got up from the chair taking a deep breath. “Anubis can you clean up Mr Sentinel, I am taking Angel up for a much needed bath and talk privately if that okay.”
Anubis nod. “Yes it fine Fluttershy, the bunny is covered in fox blood after all...” He shivered a little. “It feels a bit unsightly and the fact it Keeper's even confuses the bloody heck out of me... it shouldn't be possible yet here we are...” Anubis got up. “May I use some cloths in the kitchen with a warm bowl of water?”
“You may.” Fluttershy said softly back to Anubis. “Now Angel upstairs.” She point up to them.
Angel jump off the stall walking by her up the stairs. “Sh-”
“No your staying as you are mister!”
The look she was giving Angel said Fluttershy wasn't going to budge. “Yes Fluttershy...” He walked up the stairs followed by Fluttershy as Anubis walk into the kitchen to start cleaning up the blood from Keeper's fur and paw pads.
Angel sat in the bath with Fluttershy holding the shower head with a wing rising it over his body, the bunny was heavily turning red in colour around his face feeling very embarrassed being washed in this manner while in this form and not his feral one. “After I finish cleaning you I expect you do this all your own next time around, got me?”
“Y-yes Fluttershy...” He covered his lower part of the body with his hand paws. “I feel humiliated...”
Fluttershy rubbing the soap into his fur to get rid of the blood. “Good, this will teach you a very valuable lesson Angel Bunny.”
Angel couldn't make eye contact with her as the pale yellow Pegasus continue giving him a good clean. “Received loud and clear...” Angel swallowed hard. “What happens now?”
“Things will change between us Angel Bunny, but you can still live here if you want to and you will make up for your mistakes too; specially after what you did to poor Mr Sentinel...”
“I should of just screamed at him first... shouldn't of I?”
“Indeed you should have, but you didn't and used your fist first. We have to deal with your actions now Angel.” Fluttershy said softly to him as she continue to clean him. “Angel you act very different to the way you are since I known you, are you really Angel Bunny?”
Angel lift his left hand up waving her to get close and than whispers into her ear, she instantly turn bright red in the face backing up a bit with a loud 'EPP' almost dropping the shower. “Proof enough?” Angel glance at her with a frown.
Fluttershy nod rapidly. “Y-y-yes... you will never tell that to anypony!” She point a hoof at him.
“I wouldn't dream of it, that would further damage the bound of friendship I hold deal even I never acted or really shown it...” Angel turn back to looking down at his feet paws placing his hand paw over the other again over the lower part of his torso.
“Now I think of it I do act like a jerk, self-centred and arrogant... in this form, I don't know how I really act because the time I spend like this when dealing with the Everfree creatures kicking their sorry butts and making sure they don't come near you, the cottage or the animals.”
Fluttershy was a bit curious on how he dealt with them being still a head shorter than her standing on all fours. “I don't like the idea of knowing my Angel Bunny been living a double life by fighting those creatures, but I do wonder how you did it being so small compared to most.”
Angel lift the right hand allowing Fluttershy to was the blood off it. “I use your therapy pressure point techniques you use on Harry, with my nimbleness I am able to do non-lethal combat that leads them to retreating and becoming fearful of me.” Angel explained to Fluttershy.
Fluttershy stopped scrubbing upon hearing Angel used her own techniques on Timberwolves and other creatures. “Y-you have empathy for life... even I don't like my techniques being used for fighting, I am glad you used it to not seriously harm them.”
“Not in my feral form, I am more like a-”
“Demon bunny as Anubis calls you?”
“Yeah that...” He smiled a little.
Fluttershy thought about it more now, she recalling how he explained turning from feral small to this form punching Keeper in the muzzle hard in fit of rage. “Wh-what if when you are in your feral form it compresses your mind where thoughts, emotions are causing a heavy mental headache because it all squished and overly processing in such a small state?”
Angel frown a bit thinking of the transformation process of feral and anthropomorphic. “I am not sure that how it works, but I never have tested that Mistress Fluttershy... that a interesting theory.”
“Than we do a test, you don't turn back for a few weeks, you will stay as you are to see how it works out.”
“I can work with that Fluttershy-”
“Good to hear.” Fluttershy said and wash off the soap from his body, he nod and she turn off the shower. “Your done Angel Bunny.” She put the shower head down and pick up the tower giving it to him.
Angel took it to dry himself off, as he did Angel eyes a spot under the sink. “Fluttershy, could you lift the tile directly below the sink, there a small hole under it where I keep something I wear when in this form.”
Fluttershy walked up to it and lift the tile up to see a red sleeveless jacket, blackish grey shorts with a tail hole for Angel's fluffy tail, fingerless red gloves, blackish grey footwear with open fronts and red goggles neatly piled together. “This explains where small pieces of my stuff been going over a few years ago, you took them to make these didn't you?”
Angel finish drying himself off being a bit fluffed up, he put the towel around the waist and got out of the bath tub to take a brush to brush-out the puffiness. “I did... sorry.”
Fluttershy shook her head. “It's okay, I am really impressed and once you get dressed your going to say sorry for what you did to Keeper when he wakes, okay?”
“Okay...” He stared at his reflection to Fluttershy behind him. “I should of told you about this a long time ago... shouldn't of kept this from you... sorry...”
“I accept it Angel Bunny, and there is always consequential actions to mistakes we all make. This will take time to mend things between us, but this is a good first step Angel.”
“Yes they are...” Angel knew this bathing Fluttershy did give him was a kindness in the mean actions she took upon herself on him to show she still care deeply about her Angel Bunny, he had a lot to make up for...
Fluttershy gave the pile of clothing to Angel. “I'll be downstairs making you a cup of tea, and Angel...” She softly smiled putting her hoof softly against Angel's face. “Prince Gale also from Earth, so you have that in common with someone else.” She move the hoof away and leave.
Angel put clothing down on the closed toilet seat picking up the the jacket looking at it and putting on the jacket leaving it open taking a look at himself in the mirror. “Earth... wasn't that blown up a lo...ng... time... ago...”
His ears droop feeling another guilty punch into his stomach making it twist in knots, Angel just came to realise that Keeper really did save his cotton tail butt and he now regrets punching him in the muzzle even more. “I really want to just go small... but I can't run away from this...” He sighed heavily picking up the shorts. “Time to face the music...”
Angel open the door with the clothing on, he adjusted the fingerless gloves a little and lean down to adjust the feet paw wears, his ears twitch and turn to the direction of speaking coming from down stairs. “-easy does it Mr Sentinel, nice and slow okay?”
Angel walked up to the banisters grabbing it and leaning over to see Fluttershy helping Keeper to sit up on the sofa couch. “You have no arguments from...” He groans in pain a little. “me... Miss Shy.” He lean back a bit on the sofa couch. “How does getting hit in my nose... cause my... muscles to feel so sore?”
Fluttershy shift a pillow behind him. “Call me Fluttershy and Angel's punch caused a nerval overload throughout your body, it what also caused you to go a bit loopy too before passing out.”
Anubis walked into view from the kitchen carrying a tray of cups and a tea pot. “Loopy is one way of saying it.” Keeper said as Anubis put the tray down on the table. “Not how I pictured also meeting Anubis... for the first time too.”
“Same here Keeper... seeing your blood on Angel and you was disturbing, surprising, scary and confusing...” Anubis pull some tea into a cup and give it to Keeper.
As Anubis pours a cup for Fluttershy Keeper responds. “It something that will take time to process... understand... and find out how it happened...” He drunk a bit of the tea shifting his body slightly against the pillow to get comfortable. “For now... this very sore Created just... going to enjoy this lovely much needed cupper...”
Anubis would like to press on how something that should be a magical clay construct powered by a Life Crystal to what he was now, but one thing he could press on that came to mind. “Couldn't disagree with you there Keeper Sentinel.” He poured his own tea and sat down on the single seater couch. “Have you even been hurt to this level in any time of your life?”
“One time when the Reality Wave hit the tower... I was really badly banged up as many parts of Grimormia Tower was blowing up around me as I worked through that pain to save those from Project Angel.” Keeper thought back to that day. “62.19% of the tower was seriously damaged, I used up almost everything I had in power wise to make sure those lives I saved wouldn't end up in the void between realities.”
“You redirected them to a Equis, but till today you never knew they were here on our own Equis.” Fluttershy said getting a somewhat idea what Keeper did. “You was willing to give up your tower, your life to save them.”
Keeper slightly smiled. “Yes... I would do it all over again to protect lives... over mine... and when I was last hurt... where I bleed out it... turn to clay and I... healed quickly... this is different... I am healing and feel it this time... feel the Life Crystal in me at work...”
Fluttershy was a little lost. “You can self heal? Then Anubis didn't need to heal you with his magic?”
“It helped speed the process up... this time it different... I haven't been this painful since than... keeping the maintenance up and upgrading the tower... tending to a world I created... helps avoid unnecessary pain like this...” Keeper still in pain feeling it a bit troubling to speak without showing the pain in his voice.
Anubis saw in the corner of his eye Angel standing on top of the stairs at the banisters listening and watching. “Interesting outfit the white demon bunny is wearing, it really suits him.” Anubis drunk a bit of his tea before speaking to Keeper. “Your not as Leela described you as. Keeper you are a very confusing fox...”
“You shouldn't speak anymore, drink you tea and rest some more...” Fluttershy strongly suggested.
Angel decided to come down the stairs moving his left hand paw along the banisters as he took each step down. “You wouldn't be in this level of pain if it wasn't for me punching you in the muzzle, I hit you right in the perfect spot to spend a shockwave of nerve pain throughout your body. At the time I did it to cause you the most suffering possible for what I believe you did to me as some crawl experiment, but now I see I was very much mistaken...”
Fluttershy gave him a glare that made Angel stumble backwards to land on his backside on the stairs steps looking fearful of that look she gave. “Those nerve techniques are not for this kind of level of abuse! This will take hours to clear from his system!”
Keeper grinned giving the white rabbit a odd sense of feeling about the look he got with the sly grinning smile, Fluttershy saw it and her glare to Angel soften to a confused one. “Using timing... and transfiguration magic from our own maker... it was the only way I could prevent a...” He growls in pain holding his chest with the free hand almost dropping the cup with the other, Fluttershy quickly took the cup but got a look to not say anything, she really wanted to but saw the look in his blue eyes to flash purple for a second.
“What was that look he gave me, it felt as if for a second I knew what he wanted to do...” Fluttershy thought with surprise and concern in her facial expression.
Keeper continue to speak. “A repeat of Prince Gale... it took years to put it together... the Reality Wave... I didn't see coming... no warning... just hit... so I did all I had to... to... save you and the others in transit, even you... you and the others hate me for what... what I did... to you all...”
Anubis knew exactly what he meant. “Before Prince Gale became who he is now... the homosapien pure magical held form between life and death. You used Grogar's own spell he used on the cub using your own tower as the artefact, you cleaver sly fox...”
Fluttershy raise her hoof, they turn to her. “What a Reality Wave?”
“I am curious about it too Fluttershy... it is the reason I now know that brought me here.” Angel said as he got up walking up to the table and pick up the tea pot to pour himself his own tea into a cup.
Keeper took a moment to collect himself from the pain wreaking through his muscles. “The Reality Wave came from both ours... and Mark Well's multiverses destruction... yet it didn't happen but did too.”
“Huh?” Fluttershy and Angel gave Keeper a confused look.
Anubis decided to clarify what Keeper said. “Where Grimormia Tower sits in a micro universe between the two multiverses of this one and the one next door, it sits as a relay point for dimensional travel between the two and where time isn't really a concept there, even it has a flow of time to those that are there you see past, present and future all at once.”
Anubis use his magic to pull his staff over, taking it and shows the destruction to them in a formatted display. “Shal-Quz plan would of lead to this, but it didn't thanks to Keeper and Grover. But also because of the concept of time doesn't apply to that micro-universe the destruction did happen even it didn't.” They still looked lost. “Think of it as a bloody preview to a movie and then they change it when it comes out, is that more bloody simple enough to you!?” He growls in frustration.
Fluttershy nod. “It does, so even the movie had something different to the preview, it still exist right?”
“Correct and that same applied to the Reality Wave that hit Grimormia Tower almost 18,000 year ago.” Anubis finally glad it got across to them.
“There was no warning of it coming... when I was proceeding with Project Angel... it hit...”
Angel sat down on the sofa beside Keeper. “Thank you for telling me this and sorry for what I did to you...” He stared down at his reflection in the tea.
Keeper put his hand paw on Angel's arm. “All is forgiven... the pain and knowing my blood is blood is an... an discovery I wasn't expecting... this will be something interesting to look into...”
Angel didn't know what to say to this fox, he was willing to forgive just like that. “I-wh-why?”
“Because I don't care if... if I am hated, I care about what I did to save... you and the other creatures...”
“The big question how many?”
Keeper took a moment to think of it. “I don't know... it could be ten or... or way more in the millions, there... there no way of knowing... Every system was critically damaged in the Reality wave... took over 82 years to repair the tower... by than any data would be lost...” Keeper sighed knowing it wasn't what they liked to hear, that why he did the search in the first place.
Anubis knew this next part none wanted to hear. “Knowing this, you will have to inform Princess Celestia of this discovery, there no way around this. But there is silver lining.” He looked over to Angel. “Prince Gale would be very happy to get to know there is another former Earthling is here.”
Angel felt strange even thinking about that. “That will wait till the effects of what Angel caused Keeper wears off, they can wait.” Fluttershy said sternly to them. “For now let's enjoy our tea, let Keeper listen to us talk and he can try to relax.”
Keeper gave a thumbs up to that idea. “As for you Angel Bunny, after all this. We going to have a very long chat about you using my nerve muscle massage techniques responsibly. Your actions had serious consequences!”
Fluttershy stared right at him, this gave him a very cold chill down his spine. “Y-yes Fluttershy...”