The Tales of Prince Onyx

by Stanislas

45- Season 2-The Council

“Shall we go now, Your Highness?” asked the golden-armored Pegasus guard in charge of the royal chariot. He, his wing-pony, and Princess Celestia were waiting for Onyx in the solar princess’s chariot in the cold of the night. The lunar chariot, carrying Luna and Shining Armor, had set off for the council summit fifteen minutes earlier.

Typically, the guards would not have minded the wait, but harsh winds brought with them a sense of fear and a storm looming on the horizon. They were anxious to depart as soon possible to avoid the risk of getting stuck in the incoming storm, even if it meant leaving Prince Onyx behind.

“We are not leaving without my son even if it takes all night,” answered Celestia in a hard tone; her son was once again not where he should have been. “I hope you have a good reason to be late, Onyx,” the princess thought as she looked over the doors to the tower in hope that he would soon open them.

Onyx was in his room, turning over every chest and scouring his room for the green dual-sword he received while at the Ponyville library with Twilight some time ago. It felt like a little voice in his head kept telling him he’d need it more than anything else. He tried to ignore the voice—why would he bring a weapon to a place where they are forbidden—but the feeling grew stronger and stronger. It was unnerving, but Onyx trusted his instincts; and so, he tore through the mess that had became his room. After ten frantic minutes of searching, he found his precious sword in the bathroom, wrapped with towel. He sprinted outside the castle tower where his mother was waiting for him.

It had been two hours—two hours of a rough flight through a storm and Celestia scolding him over breaking his promise regarding Luna—but the chariot finally arrived at the castle of the Council’s summit. Onyx was amazed at its sized and design: The council place was build to represent each civilisation and for do so it was build like a giant hexagon Each was made with brick to the color of each nation and placed to rebuild each flag. then they was the five enormous, ornate doors, and at the side of them was a huge statue representing the first leaders of the nations that made up the Council of Five (dragon, gryphon, minotaur, pony, and zebra). Strangely, for the statue representing the Equestria stood Celestia and Luna even if it was build some millenium ago.

“Those statues make me realise just how much older you and auntie Luna both are.” Celestia face-hoofed at her son’s tactlessness on the subject of a mare’s age.

The chariot landed, allowing Onyx and Celestia to step in front of the huge ornamental gate dating from the time that the nation still was in wars with each other where Luna and Shining Armor awaited them.

“Finally, we were starting to worry, was everything alright?” questioned Luna.

“Sorry, Sister, but my son seems to think he can do anything he wants without thinking of the consequence,” answered Celestia in a harsh, motherly tone. Onyx stood and only looked down at his feet, ashamed.

“So, Luna, how does everything look?” Celestia asked in a more sober tone, walking off alongside her sister so that Onyx and Shining Armor would not overhear. Although she was upset with her son, she would not let herself be distracted. That night the Emperor would pay for his crimes; he would regret the day he kidnaped her son over a decade ago.

It could just as easily be the night Celestia lost Onyx forever. It would not surprise her if the Emperor had thought up a defence plan. Celestia couldn’t bring herself to tell Onyx, but depending on how the votes played out, the Gryphon Emperor could have Onyx returned to the Gryphon kingdom or worse, publicly executed.

“Things do not look so good, Sister,” answered Luna. “While Shining and I waited for you, I took the liberty of checking on the Emperor. He seemed strangely confident while discussing with the Minotaur Champion.”

Celestia nodded—she wasn’t surprised that Emperor Griffin would forge an alliance with the minotaur. She still had the Zebra Shaman, who always supported his sister nation, in her corner. It would almost certainly be down to the the Dragon Grandmaster for the decisive tie-breaker vote; although, he would hopefully favor Celestia’s side, having known her for so many centuries and having bitterness towards his former enemies, the gryphons and minotaurs.

“So, what are we doing now, Mother?” questioned Onyx, having caught up with her and Luna.

“First of all, young man, you will go put that sword back in the chariot. You shouldn’t need it—it’s supposed to be a peace conference—and I’ve already told you that I don’t like you playing with that weapon. You don’t even know where it came from, and that oily-black and green are not the family’s colors. I see no reason why you even keep it—”

“Mother, I do not intend to play with—”

“Enough, Onyx! Leave the sword in the chariot! We will be in the mwaiting room.” Luna and Shining were both surprised by how angrily Celestia reacted. Onyx was stunned by his mother being so upset only a small thing, but he knew better, so he turned back towards the chariot.

“Sh-should I follow him?” asked Shining Armor. Celestia ignored him continue her way to the waiting room, soon followed by Luna and Shining.

In the changeling hive, while Onyx was on his way to bring back his weapon to the chariot, Chrysalis her was angrily yelling atrocity to Celestia even if she could not heard her. Since Fillia was returned from her escapade at Canterlot, Chrysalis was now in possession of two items that will help her for conquering Canterlot and take make Celestia paid. One of these item was the secret diary of Cadance which will help her to know more the past of the love princess and by the same way will make the task of taking her place much more easier. The second one was the phoenix plushie of Onyx, this plush was so love by the prince that not only it will help to nourish the more weak Changeling but it will too reinforce her link which was why she could now be connected to Onyx with hive mind without using the same amount of magic which allow her to follow the prince without being caught by Celestia. But even with that plus she still need to be careful now that the sun princess have forced her son to bring back her little gift to the chariot. All her hard work for forced Onyx to bring the sword with him have been crushed in a mere second.

“Profit of your little victory princess because in less than three month everything you love, everything you have will be mine I will make you pay for the death of- wait a second...what do that gryphon want to Onyx…” Said Chrysalis while she feel someone approaching Onyx by behind.

“Greeting Prince of Equestria, may I have a little talk with you?” Asked a old looking Gryphon while Onyx was busy putting back his sword in the chariot. The voice of the intruder surprised him and when he return himself for saw who was there, flashback of the horror The Emperor have made him go through defile in his head as he recognize the Emperor’s advisor. He remember how the advisor was alway with the emperor a cruel smile on his face, enjoying every cry and scream of pain of Onyx and his desperate attempt to fight back .

But he rapidly gain back his calm, not wanting to act like if he was scared by him as he addressed to the advisor.

“What do you want gryphon?” Asked the prince as he spat the last word with disdain and disgust.

“Oh my, are you still angry after us? Did not your mother teaches you how to forgive everypony because that how friendship work?” Mocked the old gryphon.

“I have not time to spare with someone who take joy in seeing other suffering!” Said Onyx, turning back the way he came, not wanting to spend another minute with a member of the specie he hated the more.

“Fine, run away like the coward you are! All your life you have tried to run away from us when you could have instead accept your new life or fight back like a true male, return hide yourself in the protecting arms of your mom like a young colt..or if you have the guts, you could stay here and listen to the deal I wanted to make with you…”

As he heard the few last word of the gryphon, Onyx stopped and return himself, intriguing by what the gryphon could offer him.

“A deal?”

“Yes yes a deal, or a proposition, a fair trade, a exchange. call that that way you want it does not matter. What really matter is what we could prevent, interested?”

“Go on.” Answered Onyx, the gryphon him was happy of that answer, he did not think that the prince would listen to him so easily, now if only he could bring him where he wanted…

“ You see, we are not forced to talk about what happened to you when the council will start, we could just talk about the same thing these leader are alway talking about like the food resource, the economy etc.. and we could leave the incident behind us..So if you could convince your mother to not bring that subject to the council, i will do the same with my Emperor.”

“And why would you want me to do that…?” Asked suspiciously Onyx.

“Well..I don’t know if I should say that to you but...Our Emperor is sick, he can’t control himself on the matter of life and death, killing our own subject like if they were growing on a tree and I fear a revolt, so if the subject of your vacation to our country is bring up at the council and if we won the vote, because we will won, it would not surprise me that Celestia do everything in her power to take you back from the empire, even starting a wars and unfortunately our civilian will not take too well that…So..want to make peace?” Asked the advisor as he show up his talon waiting for an answer.

Onyx did not react at first, then he only turn away, ignoring the gryphon, on his way to rejoin his mother.

“What!” Exclaimed the gryphon. “I offer you an easy way to get out of all this and you refuse it!”

“You know what gryphon, if you come here without your emperor is because you are scared, you know that we will won because our version of the fact are the true one. Justice will be bring on what happened years ago so return to your master and tell him that tonight will be the last night of freedom.” Answered Onyx before he return in the hallway of the council.

“Be careful young prince!” Yelled the gryphon from the outside. “You have no idea what waiting for you at that council.” Before he return to his EMperor, waiting the council to start.