Eighteen – Support Your Local Alicorn
“Okay,” Spike said. He held the scroll up to his mouth and looked around the room. “I’m gonna send it now.”
They were all gathered in the living room: Twilight, Spike, and their five closest friends. Time Turner stood at the periphery, fiddling with his circadian hourglass. He looked over at Spike and nodded.
The dragon took a deep breath and exhaled a long spout of green fire. The letter in his hand dissolved into a cascade of sparks.
Everypony held their breath as they looked at Twilight.
She gave them all a smile. “It’ll work, guys. Trust me.”
Time Turner bent low as he examined his hourglass. “Hmm. No reaction yet.”
“I guess the Princess is just busy,” Applejack suggested and shrugged. “Don’t mean it won’t work, though.”
Rainbow Dash stamped her hooves impatiently. “I can’t stand this! Twilight, do you have a Daring Do novel handy? I gotta do something besides wait!”
Twilight smirked. “You’re gonna read a whole book while we wait?”
“I’ve already read all of them! I’ll speed-read this one! Five minutes flat!”
Before she could respond, Spike felt a rumble in his stomach. A green fireball worked its way out of his throat and a new scroll appeared in the air.
Pinkie Pie bounced around him anxiously. “C’mon! What’s it say? What’s it say?”
Spike unrolled the letter and held it over to Twilight. She grabbed it in her hooves and read.
The room was silent except for a soft hiss in the background.
That was the sound of the sand flow changing inside the circadian hourglass, returning to its normal speed.
Dear Twilight Sparkle,
I am pleased with your decision to sponsor a public works project in Ponyville. As Princess, it shows that you are ready to be responsible for your fellow citizens and consider their interests.
While a free-range zoo is not unheard of in Equestria, there has never been a combination zoo-and-library before. I look forward to seeing how you and Fluttershy will bring this project forward, and I am pleased that you wish to enlist the help of our new griffin friends in its construction.
Sincerely,
Princess Celestia
P.S. I hope that you have fully recovered from your age spell and that you’ll consult with me first before attempting one again.
“Really, Twilight?” Rainbow Dash crossed her forelegs. “Does Ponyville need another library?”
“It’s more than just a library.” Twilight looked around at her friends. “I got to thinking about our weekly Pony Pet Playdates. We all have a cuddly friend we like to spend time with and I wanted to share that love with all of Ponyville. And imagine if we could get exotic animals to show up at the zoo! Then we could lend a book about them to anypony who wanted one!”
“Er, it sounds… lovely!” Rarity answered. She glanced nervously at Applejack, then muttered, “Though somepony would have preferred a school for modeling…”
“You do realize,” Applejack commented, “that a whole bunch of griffins in town means we both get a lotta new customers?”
Rarity’s jaw dropped. “I… oh, my. Oh, Twilight, this is the best idea you’ve ever had!”
Twilight clapped her hooves together with glee. “I knew you guys would like it. Especially you, Flutter—” She paused and looked around. “Fluttershy? Where’d you go—?”
She was suddenly tackled from the side as Fluttershy swooped down and threw her forelegs around Twilight. They executed an awkward barrel roll and landed hard on the couch.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Fluttershy cheered. “This is going to be wonderful!”
“Hnngh, you’re…” Twilight gasped for air in her friend’s grip. “You’re welcome, dear…!”
The joy in the room died when somepony knocked hard on the front door. Spike went out to answer it, leaving the others in the room to shuffle around and exchanged worried looks.
When Spike came back in, three griffins were following him. The first Twilight recognized as Prince Gregory, still wearing his royal attire. Behind him was his old retainer Geoffrey. The last to enter was a fairly large griffin, the biggest Twilight had ever seen. He seemed as tall as Princess Celestia and broad-chested like a stallion. But instead of fine clothing, this griffin wore a dark gray breastplate and a red-plumed helm.
“Your Highness,” Geoffrey announced in a low, subservient tone, “m-may I present His Royal Highness Prince Gregory a-and His Majesty King Gareth Basileus of Chimaera.”
Twilight quickly waved at her friends to line up behind her. Then she led them in a courtly bow. “Your Graces, we’re honored by your visit—”
“Egads, look at them!” Gareth bellowed. He leaned onto his son’s shoulder. “They’re like walking pieces of candy! Hard to believe Celestia came outta their stock!”
“Father, please.” Gregory turned and smiled at Twilight. “Forgive me, Princess. We’ve just been informed about the new arrangements between your people and mine. The Ponyville Menagerie is quite a remarkable concept.” He demurely tapped his breast with a talon. “I’d be happy to donate a griffin-born beehive once it’s finished.”
Twilight grinned. “That would be wonderful, Your Grace.”
“‘That would be wonderful!’” Gareth replied mockingly. “What do you ponies know about hard work, eh? What do you know about labor? About sacrifice?” He jabbed a talon at his breastplate. “I’ve led my people through more winters than all the books in your library! I’d never let any proud griffin soil himself with the likes of you soft-hearts!”
“Excuse me, Your Worshipfulness!” Before Twilight could stop her, Rainbow Dash had flown up into the griffin king’s face. “We’re a lot tougher than we look! How many dragons and changelings have you faced lately?”
Gareth stared at her. Then he laughed and threw an arm around her shoulders. “Now that’s the spirit! I like this one just fine!”
Rainbow Dash looked back at her friends, pleading with her eyes. “Okay…”
“Your Grace,” said Twilight, “we are just as strong as the griffins, I assure you. By getting ponies and griffins to build this menagerie together, we’ll strengthen the ties between our countries for the better.”
When Gareth didn’t answer, Gregory puffed out his chest. “Father, need I remind you that these ponies you see here are the same heroes who vanquished Discord and Queen Chrysalis? Their valor is accounted for, and so is the strength of their fellow ponies.”
“Hah! There’s not a pony alive that can match the speed and strength of a true griffin!”
Gregory smiled. “Prove it, then. Put griffins side-by-side with ponies. If they’re as weak as you say, then surely all of Ponyville will bow down in awe of our clan’s might.”
“Are you doubting your own flock, my boy?”
“Only its resolve. What’s one summer building a menagerie compared to the entire nation of Equestria paying homage to our race?” Gregory spread his wings and reared up. “For Chimaera!”
“For Chimaera!” Gareth echoed, mirroring the gesture. He smiled. “Aye, that’ll do it. But don’t go thinking your fancy words will get you out of every stitch of trouble.”
“I’m sure they won’t, Father.” Gregory cocked his head and covertly winked at Twilight.
Gareth looked Twilight over with a critical eye. Then he reached up and removed his helm. “And I suppose you’ll need us to do all the heavy lifting, Your Highness?”
Twilight decided to take a cue from Gregory. She looked over at her hoof with a bored expression. “Well, only if your griffins are up for the job of flying with pegasi…”
“That they will!” Gareth declared and held out his claw. Twilight shook it and smiled back.
This was going to be an interesting summer.
Six Months Later
“Fillies and colts, I declare the Ponyville Menagerie open!”
Ponies stamped their hooves and griffins screeched as the ribbon over the entrance was cut. Twilight quickly flew to the side as the crowd surged forward.
It really was quite a sight. Beneath the dome was an elaborate network of pastures, artificial ponds, and towering trees. Birds and bees, bears and manticores, sea serpents and hippos—all living together under the same roof. And courtesy of Twilight’s library, there were pamphlets and books arranged on shelves outside each collection, all cross-indexed according to genus and phylum.
Twilight flew around the menagerie on her own, savoring everything. She felt very proud whenever she saw a young filly pick up a pamphlet and start reading.
A whisper of flapping wings caught her attention. Twilight looked up and smiled when she saw Fluttershy approaching with a hoof-full of acorns.
“Almost all the animals are fed,” the pegasus announced. “I just have to give the squirrels their lunch.” She gave a tiny squeal of delight. “Oh, I can’t believe this is finally happening! It’s like a dream come true, Twilight!”
“Well, I couldn’t have done it without you.” Twilight looked out at the excited ponies and griffins below. “And I don’t suppose it would have ever happened if I hadn’t tried an age spell on myself. But I remembered what I liked as a filly and that’s really why I wanted to build this place as Princess.” She put her hoof around Fluttershy’s shoulder. “For ponies like me and you.”
Fluttershy nodded. “Well, I should go.”
“Wait. Will you come over to the library for dinner tonight?”
“Are you sure?” Fluttershy looked around, terrified of who might be watching. “I-I thought you’d be busy.”
“I’ve been busy for six months straight.” Twilight leaned into her and sighed. “Now I just want one night with my special somepony.”
Fluttershy blushed. “I’ll be there.”
Twilight gave her a quick peck on the cheek. “See you then.”
As her beloved flew off, Twilight soared down toward the giraffe exhibit, where a pair of the creatures were munching on leaves. She landed beside a group of wide-eyed fillies, who looked up at her in awe.
“Hi, guys! Did you know that giraffes can grow up to twenty feet tall?” Twilight waved her hoof at the majestic creatures. “I remember when I was your age when I first learned about them. Although it seems like only a few weeks that I was your age, but that’s a story for another time…”