//------------------------------// // Book 3 - Chapter LVI // Story: The Sunset Trilogy // by ocalhoun //------------------------------// Book 3: Equestria Abides Chapter 22 Sunny Daze rushed to the stern, eager to see the incoming griffons. She peered out into the setting sun – another perk of being tuned into the sun, she seemed to be able to look directly into it without hurting her eyes at all; sometimes she liked to just stare at it... it truly was magnificent! She was a little disappointed when all she could see was some large bird-looking things approaching though. “Turn around and face them!” Apollo shouted out from behind her on the deck, “Everypony to battle stations!” “What?” Sunny said, turning around and giving him her best confused and disapproving look. “We don't even have battle stations!” “Oh... right... heh.” Apollo looked a bit sheepish at that, “Well, everypony just be ready then!” Already the ship was turning, thanks to Albatross's quick hooves at the helm, and as the ship maneuvered, Sunny turned to look at the approaching griffons again. They weren't approaching directly... they seemed to be making for some point inland... but then they seemed to notice the airship moving around and changed their course, heading directly for it. “They're turning this way!” She shouted to everypony, quickly echoed by Trigger up in the lookout post as he noticed the same thing. * * * On Apollo's cue, Twilight activated the ship's propulsion spell. It was a truly ingenious little thing, since it only used passive magic and thus didn't need constant energy to power it. Far back in the old days, a unicorn named Cloudy Sky had made a place for himself in the history books by inventing it – a simple ratcheting spell modified to operate on air; it would allow air to flow past the hull in one direction, but not the other. The beauty of it was that the tiny random motions of the air would then propel the ship. Apollo had wanted to meet the griffons head-on, and now they would have the speed to do so, to whatever end he had in mind. She just hoped this would go well... she wasn't sure Apollo understood the seriousness of the situation – this was a new first contact between ponies and griffons... it could end in a peaceful and prosperous trade negotiation... or it might end up with a new round of pony-griffon wars, and weakened as the ponies were right now, they just might lose this time! “They're almost here!” Trigger shouted from up above as Twilight made her way over to Apollo, slightly more difficult now that the ship was in motion. “You do realize how important this is, right?” Twilight asked him as she approached. “I mean this could affect the relationship between all ponies and all griffons, not just us!” “Of course,” he replied simply, mollifying Twilight's doubts somewhat. “And I'm glad you're here... you've dealt with griffons before, right?” “Well, yeah, a couple...” she replied, “but didn't you go all the way into the griffon kingdoms once on a mission? You must know a lot more about them than me!” He glanced to the side a little nervously. “Well... it was kind of a covert mission... we didn't exactly stop to chat with the locals...” he took a deep breath, “I just hope this group isn't from the White Claw kingdom... if those particular griffons recognized me...” “I don't even want to know,” Twilight said. “But I have studied griffons a little, so maybe I can help.” Apollo looked like he was about to reply, but he never did, given the distraction of the first of the griffons swooping past their airship, followed by another, and another... soon they were circling all around it, at least a dozen of them. Twilight tried very hard to keep the analogy of sharks circling a sinking ship out of her head. * * * Apollo watched the circling griffons, trying hard not to let his nervousness show. Thankfully, this group seemed to be from the Red Wing islands, not White Claw... but still, he was less than enthused about the idea of meeting griffons. They could still be angry about certain invasions of territory and certain 'thefts' of valuable antiques... but really, how was he supposed to tell the difference between a temple that was abandoned and one that nobody was holy enough to set foot in? ... That had been one of the closer escapes they had ever made... and if White Claw hadn't been at war with Strong Beak at the time, they probably wouldn't have been able to get away at all... His reminiscing thoughts were cut off as a large, very dark grey griffon suddenly landed on the deck. His wingtips were dyed red, showing which of the many constantly-warring griffon kingdoms he hailed from... but thankfully, he also carried a little white flag, showing that he came in peace, to negotiate. Taking another deep breath to calm his nerves, Apollo stepped forward, Twilight following along just a step behind him. “Greetings!” The griffon boomed out in a powerful, but not overwhelming voice. “I am Gozwin, ambassador from the Red Wing kingdom,” he flared the tips of his wings out at that, proudly displaying the red-dyed tips, “now the dominant kingdom once again!” He then folded his wings, seeming to settle in a bit, and continued in a still strong, but quieter voice. “We wish have an audience with the leader of the ponies, so that we can negotiate a new alliance.” Apollo wasn't as worried anymore that this would end badly... they either didn't know or didn't care about his earlier trip to the griffon kingdoms, and they didn't seem interested in starting a new war with ponies... those were the two major things he had been worried about. “Welcome,” he responded, “I'd love to talk to you... but I have to ask, what happened to the Strong Beak kingdom?” “Ah,” The griffon responded with a twinkle in his eye, thankfully not seeming offended by the question. “Strong Beak depended on their alliance with the ponies too much in maintaining their dominance... When the ponies got sick, the trade stopped, and they weakened. The battle was glorious, and Red Wing came out victorious! Now Red Wing seeks their own alliance with the ponies.” he leaned down a little conspiratorially, “but we won't depend on it so much that we grow weak!” He straightened up again. “Now, to business; we have heard that the old leaders of the ponies fell... who now leads the ponies?” “Ah... well...” Apollo paused, not sure, actually, “I guess that's more or less... me.” “You are leader of all the ponies?” The griffon asked, leaning down again and looking just the slightest bit incredulous. “Well, no, not all. The biggest group remaining, maybe.” Apollo looked around, feeling a little bashful at his earlier hubris. “There's another pretty big group led by Black Diamond pretty close in Trottingham, but you don't want to deal with him... they're slavers... very nasty...” The griffon ambassador looked a little disappointed and just the slightest bit confused... he seemed to have really been expecting to find one singular ruler. “But the sun has begun to rise normally again... there must be a new ruler...” * * * Suddenly, Twilight understood what they needed in order to get the negotiations moving... Quickly glancing back down at the lower deck, she spotted Sunny Daze, sitting and watching with the others. She used her magic to discreetly pick up the end of a rope and poke the bright yellow alicorn with it. Sunny looked at the rope, a little startled, and then irritably up at Twilight when she saw the violet aura around it... but once Twilight caught her eyes, she made a quick jerk of her head, trying to get the point of 'get up here' across... and she used her magic to lift up Sunny's wings a bit, trying to nudge her into making the grand entrance they would need. Thankfully, Sunny seemed to get the hint, and came walking up to the upper deck where she and Apollo were still talking with the griffon. “I do not know what to do now... I am not sure...” The griffon was saying, “If there is no single leader, we can't be sure that–” He stopped suddenly as Sunny Daze appeared on the upper deck, spreading her wings dramatically as she stepped in place behind Twilight and Apollo. She didn't say anything, but the effect on the griffon was dramatic. “Oh...” He said, stopping his earlier conversation cold and blatantly staring for a moment before returning his attention to Apollo. He definitely seemed to understand the significance of seeing a pony who had both wings and a horn. “Ah... so maybe we can talk with you after all...” he glanced at the spectacularly bright alicorn on the deck again. “Yes... maybe you don't speak for all the ponies, but we will like to make an alliance with you anyway.” * * *