//------------------------------// // Chapter 14: The Invention Aerie // Story: Unmarked // by Croswynd //------------------------------// Chapter 14: The Invention Aerie With the griffon’s dire pronouncement heavy on their minds, the captain invited Novell and his party to her quarters. A single window set in the far wall illuminated the sparse, almost spartan accommodations - a cloud hammock under the window and a desk set directly in the center of the room.  Rell padded in behind them, her eyes flitting from one face to another in perpetual motion. Swirley shrunk into his shell at the first sight of their leonine escort, while his owner had just glared right back at the griffon, impetuous as ever. Pensive and the Professor nodded politely but otherwise did not react to their guest. The captain was standing behind her desk, one hoof on the table and staring sourly at the griffon. “You realize that divertin’ toward the Invention Aerie will cost us more fuel than my stipend covers, I hope?” “I cannot promise reimbursement, if that is what you are asking, Captain Crash,” Rell said. Her tail lashed with irritation and her claws dug into the soft wood.“But I understand the annoyance you feel. Were it up to me, I would have let you continue on your way. Unfortunately, it isn’t. The Matriarch and her consorts are nervous about bringing in anything to their Aerie, fearing a Hippogryph ploy.”         Quills snorted at that and gently shook her head. “Hippogryphs are not nearly so intelligent as to come up with a plan like that. They’re little more than animals, from what I’ve read.”         “They are more dangerous than you realize, little pony,” the griffon replied. She waved a claw at the captain. “Your friend here seems to know this first hand. Don’t underestimate them or you’ll end up with more than a mangled wing. Hippogryphs usually go for the throat.”         “She’s right,” Captain Crash confirmed reluctantly. The mare sighed and rubbed her skull with both hooves. “But even I have to partly agree with Quills. They aren’t clever enough to come up with that kind of plan by ‘emselves.”         Rell’s beak clicked together, her eyes glancing toward Novell for a moment before closing. The young pegasus traded glances with Pensive, raising an eyebrow in a silent question. His friend shook his head. No clues to what she’s thinking, I suppose. That would be too easy.         After a moment of inner deliberation, the griffon opened her eyes. “Had you told me that several years ago, I might agree. But now, no one can be sure, because that’s exactly what happened two days ago.”         Everypony in the cabin bristled, shock heavy in the air. Scrolls was the first to recover, gulping and raising a hoof. “Wait, do you mean they actually tried to attack the Matriarch?”         “Yes and no,” Rell admitted. “It is true that a few hippogryphs infiltrated the Aerie through some magical means, but they weren’t there for her. They stole an artifact we’ve safeguarded ever since your Princesses wrested rule of Equestria from Discord - a peace offering between ponies and griffons when we came close to war.”         “The Scepter of Will,” Professor Search spoke up, drawing everypony’s confused eyes toward him. The unicorn looked apologetic, elaborating further. “The item I mentioned before we were attacked.”         The griffon’s tail ceased its flailing. “You know of it then?”         Novell winced, feeling the air in the room chill at her words. “We do, but the Professor is a researcher. He’s even spent time in the griffon kingdoms before. Right, Professor?”         “Yes, yes, I have. Perhaps you’ve heard of me? Professor Ronaldo Eduardo Search, at your service, my dear.” The unicorn bowed, catching onto the warning in the pegasus’ voice. “I deal with the various flora and fauna in the world and I simply heard the name of your artifact in passing with an acquaintance of mine. A Kalyn... oh what was his last name? Swiftfeather? Featherfall?”         Rell stared at the Professor in surprise. “You know Kalyn Pinfeather?”         The unicorn brightened up at the mention of the other griffon’s name. “Ah, yes, that’s the one, Pinfeather it is! Last I saw him, he was just a lad, but inventive and brilliant as any of your finest machinists. In fact, I believe he built my first pair of glasses.” Professor Search smiled fondly. “Dreadful things, they were, but it was the thought that counts. I still have them on a shelf back at the university.”         Novell let out a soft breath as the atmosphere returned to normal. The griffon’s tail was no longer still and she seemed marginally happier than she had been a few moments before. A polite cough from behind them brought the griffon’s attention back toward the captain.         “Well, I s’pose I can’t complain about being shunted toward the Invention Aerie, but I do have some paperwork to do.” She grimaced, glaring balefully at the quill on her desk. “Hopefully the Princesses’ banker understands the situation as well as you and I.”         Rell nodded and clicked her beak again, the matter closed. “Then I will fly beside your ship and keep watch for any threats. Thank you for your cooperation, Captain. With your permission?”         Captain Crash sighed again and waved her hoof dismissively. “I doubt I could stop you if I wanted to. Quills, you stay with me for a moment. The rest of you, return to your cabins for the rest of the flight. I don’t wanna risk another ponynapping.”         Everypony filed out of the room, the griffon to her escorting duties and his friends to their shared quarters. Novell stayed behind, wondering what the captain could be talking to Quills about. The mare had seemed more disturbed than she let on. Thankfully, he didn’t have to wait long.         The door creaked open behind him, the filly starting slightly when she saw him. “Waiting for me?”         Novell nodded. “I was just wondering what the captain was talking with you about. She seemed worried.”         “You’re too perceptive for your own good, you know that?” she said with a hint of humor. “The captain is just shaken at having one of her crew taken away as easily as what happened. It reminded her of losing her wing, in a way. She just needed some comfort from an old friend.”         “You don’t seem shaken by it,” Novell pointed out.         Quills smiled weakly up at him, betraying a bit of unease. “I just hide it better than most ponies. It’s... well, I don’t really feel comfortable talking about it.”         The pegasus took the hint. “That’s fine. You know I’m here if you ever do want to talk about it, though.”         “Yes, you are,” the filly murmured to herself. “What about you? How are you feeling?”         Novell chuckled, mildly pleased at her concern. “Nervous. A little frightened of Rell and what we’re going to find when we reach this Invention Aerie. There’s so much hitting me all at once, I’m kind of just trying to hang on and wait for the squall to pass.”         “All natural reactions,” Quills replied clinically.         “On the other hoof, I feel like I’ve finally found what I’m supposed to do. Seeing potential and all that like I told you before.”         The filly snorted. “But you still don’t have your cutie mark. Are you sure that’s the right way to think?”         Novell paused and thought about it for a moment. Was he sure? It felt right, especially during the moment he’d mentioned it. He’d been able to see things most ponies didn’t and that was a skill - his talent. Isn’t it? No, I can’t let myself think otherwise. I have to be right. Just the thought of him being mistaken would be even worse than not having an idea in the first place. “I’m sorry,” Quills apologized suddenly. The pegasus to look at her in surprised confusion. “I shouldn’t say things like that, to you especially. If you think that’s the way your talent lies, then I believe you.”         “No, you’re right to be skeptical. That’s who you are,” Novell said. “I need that candor when I do something especially stupid.”         The earth pony smirked. “Like take on a Sasquatch all by yourself?”         “Well, yes.” He chuckled lightly before sobering up with a sigh. “Things are going to get harder from now on, it feels like. On all of us.”         “Another perception or just a fear?” Quills asked.         Novell stopped in front of the door to his bunk with Pensive and the Professor. “I don’t know... and that’s what I’m afraid of.” ******         Though they were confined to their quarters, time passed quickly with the Professor gathering all six of them to give a run-down on griffon history, politics, and behavior. Novell and Pensive listened intently to every detail the old unicorn gave them, interesting despite the subject’s dryness. The pegasus had to admit it was mostly due to Professor Search’s oratory mastery than his own wish for information that he paid attention to it all.         Despite that, or perhaps because of that in Quills’ case, the two females were only half listening. Instead, the small filly was attempting to teach Whisper how to play chess, with Swirley and Scrolls wearing matching expressions of disinterest in everything. Novell spared a moment to wonder at the mare’s interest in the game - she didn’t seem the patient type. He was proven right ten minutes later when the orange pegasus growled and left the room in a huff of annoyance.         Scrolls yawned and sent a pointed glance toward his sister. She just waved a hoof and sighed, prompting the other earth pony to follow Whisper out. Novell wondered at the action - his female counterpart and Scrolls didn’t seem to have much in common. They had never really talked to one another, aside from Whisper’s usual admonishments, either. Maybe he’s just trying to be friends with her, he thought. Now that I realize it, these ponies are mostly friends with me than each other.  Novell filed that thought away for a later date, the Professor’s voice drawing him from his short reverie. “Griffons are more militant than ponies, with a strict caste system, but I’ll get to that in a moment,” the Professor started. “As a chick, griffons are arranged by ‘clutches’, based on who they shared their nests with during their birth, watched over by Nestmaids until they are old enough to fly. After they gain flight, they are subjected to several tests and evaluated by the Matriarch and her consort. Some of these tests include setting a mouse loose in the chicks’ vicinity while also exposed to an invention of some kind. Depending on which object the chick’s attention focuses on, they are given appropriate ‘points’. Eventually, the points form a pattern of interest and the chicks are then separated based on their behavior.” Pensive raised a hoof. “So these things are told what they are to do? Assigned, as you say, to their talents?” Professor Search nodded. “Quite right. As they have no ability to gain cutie marks like we do, they are instead put where they are most useful. The sharpest minds to the Invention Aerie, the fiercest to the Aerie of War, and so on and so forth as the tests display.” “So you’re saying this Matriarch meets every single griffon that’s ever born?” Novell asked skeptically. Another nod. “It is true. Griffons communities are not as numerous as our own and they are brought in clutches of five or six ‘nestmates’ before the Matriarch. Aside from that, the Matriarch does not have many other duties, as griffons see their children to be of the utmost importance. Day to day affairs are handled by her consort and the Council.” “The Council is made up of a spokesgriffon from each aerie, before you ask,” Quills added before Novell could form his question. “The Aerie of War, the Invention Aerie, the Scholar’s Aerie, and the Nesting Aerie.” “Quite right, my dear, quite right,” Professor Search smiled approvingly, pushing his glasses back up his nose. Quills scowled. “I’m not ‘your dear’, Research.” The Professor glared at the earth pony. “Now listen, young mare, whatever our problems, there’s no call for name calling. You’re more mature than that.” “Why do you fight?” Everypony in the room turned at Pensive’s words, uttered in a soft voice. The unicorn looked unhappy, but resolutely stared back at them and set his jaw. His horn glowed, a wisp of light blue the color of his coat floating into the air before them. It grew as it elongated, forming a window through which images began appearing. A flower was the first distinct shape that Novell could pick out in the mystical window, large and dancing. The tone of a bell tinkling flitted through his mind and the smell of the Everfree forest permeated the room. The pegasus’ eyes, as well as everypony else’s, were glued to the screen, as an image of Quills not quite smiling at the moving sunlyre appeared. A smile tugged at the corner of the apparition’s mouth and her eyes flicked to the side where the Professor was talking heartily with Whisper and Novell. A sense of happiness emanated from the image, fading momentarily with a swirl of teal mist. Replacing it was the Professor at an earlier date, his glasses reflecting the light of a fire as he stared at a sleeping form with guilt and self recrimination both in his eyes and hints of it threading through Novell’s chest. The pegasus recognized that they weren’t his feelings, but they were still very real. The form turned over, mumbling something in her sleep as Quills’ face was illuminated by the flame. A start of intense bittersweet emotion rocked everypony in the room, happiness and melancholy twisting together until they became inseparable. Then, with another swirling cloud, the magic faded, leaving the room silent. Novell held his breath, expecting an outburst from either the Professor or Quills at any moment. When no such outburst came, he sneaked glances at the two ponies. Professor Search was staring at the spot the images had occupied, his jaw clenched and his eyes squinted. The pegasus wondered what was going through the unicorn’s mind, but remained quiet. “Family shouldn’t fight,” Pensive whispered to break the silence. “Even if you’re not related by blood, you’re related by emotion. Severing such a bond...it is...not good. Not good at all.” Quills got quietly to her hooves and left the room, not speaking or looking at the rest of them. The Professor sighed when the door shut and finally looked down at his hooves. “You’re right, my boy, we shouldn’t fight,” the old unicorn said after at time. “Then what is the reason that you do?” Pensive asked. Professor Search looked up at the other unicorn with a thoughtful expression. “Because of the past. Mistakes were made and the consequences were dire.” “You should tell her about her mom,” Novell interrupted. The grey unicorn looked at him and shook his head. “And give her false hope? No, lad, I can’t do that. Even if I believe the clues might have been true, there’s still the very good possibility that she’s not actually in a place I can reach, let alone rescue her from. It’s best not to mention anything.” Novell frowned. “But she’s just going to be blaming you and constantly arguing with you this whole time. We can’t be fighting, especially if we’re going after something as powerful as Havoc. That’s what he wants, after all.” “Be that as it may, the problem cannot be corrected now,” the Professor said mildly. “Once we reach the Invention Aerie, I plan to ask around for the griffon I mentioned earlier, Kalyn. He lives there, after all, and should be more than apt to guide me to my destination.” The pegasus rustled his wings uncomfortably. “I don’t know if we should go looking for her when we have bigger problems, Professor.” Professor Search sighed. “In my mind, I know you’re correct, but my heart is another matter entirely, my boy. I can’t let Amber stay where she is, trapped or frightened, and I will look for her whether or not you come along. I asked you before if you would join me, but I will understand if our paths diverge. Stopping Havoc is no small thing, but right now I have something even more important I need to take care of.” “And if you find her? What then?” Novell questioned sadly. “Then I will rejoin you once I make sure she is safe.” Pensive had remained silent since they had begun talking, but now he spoke. “Novell, we do not know where this artifact is. Perhaps once we talk to these ambassadors about the thing Rell spoke of, we can make a decision? They could look for the scepter while we save the friendship between two ponies we care about.” Novell glanced over at his friend in consternation. What Pensive said made sense, but even sidetracking for a small amount of time gnawed at his sense of responsibility like a dog on a bone. He frowned, closed his eyes and sighed, wondering if the decisions he made were all going to be this difficult. Both of them seemed like they were the right way to follow and he was split on the issue. Abandoning one of his friends to a quest all on his own wasn’t what he wanted to do at all. Finally, the pegasus reluctantly nodded. “We will decide once we meet the ambassadors, but if they have the information we need, we have to go after it. I’m sorry, Professor.” Professor Search adopted a kind face. “It is a hard choice, I know. I feel the same way, lad, but Amber is like a daughter to me. I would never forgive myself if I did not do something to save her.” “I get it,” Novell replied somberly. “But that doesn’t make it any easier.” ***** They arrived at the Invention Aerie an hour later, the clunk of their ship against something hard announcing their destination. Novell leaned out of the doorway and looked both ways before stepping out. The creak of a door to his left drew his attention, Quills peeking out before walking toward him. Her brother and Whisper followed a moment later, the two unicorns behind Novell making the small corridor even more claustrophobic than it already was.         “Looks like we’re here,” Scrolls said happily, squeezing in between the Professor and Whisper. “Lead us to the deck, if you please, dear sister.”         Quills grunted in agreement, stepping in front of Novell and marching down the hall. The rest of them followed, Novell attempting not to shudder with how close everyone was to him. His wings ruffled until they were all puffed up in nervousness, a fact that cause a flush to creep down his neck. The Professor was learned enough to understand what puffed wings meant, but he wouldn’t say anything to draw attention to it. Unfortunately, there was another with them without such tact.         “Scared there, puffball?” Whisper prodded Novell’s wings with a taunt. He gritted his teeth, trying to ignore her. Thankfully, she didn’t add another comment, but her snicker followed him as he sped up to turn a corner Quills had just gone down.         Eventually they made it out onto the deck, sunlight managing to weakly penetrate the clouds above them. The shadow from the balloon that had carried them all this way covered the mountain’s side, leading Novell to believe it was late afternoon. Clank and Rigs were already on the smooth surface of a rock formation that jutted out of the Aerie’s side, a cavernous maw leading into the mountain’s interior drawing the pegasus’ immediate attention.         He gulped. Why does it always have to be caves and enclosed spaces, he complained inwardly. A brush of cool reassurance from Pensive touched his mind, soothing him enough that his feathers no longer looked like a hatchling’s. With a nod to the teal unicorn, Novell followed Quills and Scrolls to the side of the ship where the railing had opened up like a door for them to step down on solid rock.         “Welcome to the most interesting part of the Griffon Kingdoms, kid,” Captain Skycrasher’s voice called out from near the cave entrance. She winked at him and trotted over. “I hope the ride wasn’t too bad that you won’t come back for a repeat performance?”         The Professor chuckled behind him. “I believe we will return, though I would rather skip the excitement we enjoyed on this trip. How is the damage, at any rate?”         The mare shrugged in reply. “Better than I feared, worse than I hoped, as they say. Still, I think we can fix her up with what bits we have.” A gleam appeared in her eye then. “Of course, we are taking donations, especially if you plan on leaving anytime soon.” “When will the repairs be completed?” Quills interrupted. Captain Crash eyed her speculatively. “We’ll be dropping off the cargo we brought with us and loading up some trinkets and other miscellaneous items to bring back to Canterlot. Should take a couple of days, but after that, we’ll be ready to fly, hole or no hole, little missy.”         Quills nodded appreciatively. “Thank you, Captain. You’re just as punctual as ever.”         “Aw, don’t be so formal, Quillsy,” the mare replied, draping a foreleg around her shoulder and grinning mischievously. “I’m sure there’s a few things you and I can get up to in the Aerie. Girl’s night out?         The filly snorted with amusement. “I’m sixteen, Captain.”         Captain Crash grinned even wider and pressed her cheek against Quills’. “We’re in the griffon kingdoms, girl. Live a little. Ages are like...like...what are ages like, Clank?”         The mechanic pony looked up from tying the airship to the dock and shifted slightly, releasing a puff of steam. “Ah, ages are like...uh, I’m not sure, ma’am. Rigs?”         “Ages are just a number, Cap’n!” the slim pony replied from halfway inside one of the turbines, his voice echoing.         “Ya see, Quillsy? Ages are just a number. No? How about you, Scrollsy? Strapping lad like you could probably take a few ciders.” She swiveled to face Novell. “You game?”         Novell shook his head. “We’ve got to meet with those ambassadors Rell was talking about. Where did she go, anyway?”         The captain released her diminutive filly friend and shrugged. “She left a few minutes before we pulled in to port. Something about ‘going back to patrol’. Poor griffon could probably use a drink as much as I do. Ah, well, more for me. I’ll be in the bar if anypony needs me, having a good time.”         “We’ll be along shortly, Cap’n,” Clank called after her. The captain swished her white tail in acknowledgement but otherwise didn’t respond.         Novell took in a deep breath of the evening mountain air and nodded, readying himself for entering another enclosed space. “Alright, everypony, let’s see what we can dig up on the scroll. We also need to talk to the ambassadors, so we’ll split up to save time. I’ll head to the ambassadors and I’m sure the Professor can find something out when he meets his friend here in the Aerie.”         Pensive raised a hoof. “I will go with you, Novell.”         “Me, too,” Quills said with a small yawn. “I’m sure it’ll be better if I’m there with you, since they probably know me.”         “Scrolls will come with me,” the Professor rumbled. “He said he was interested in what kind of gadgets Kalyn makes, so I said I’d take him when I met with him.”         Quills’ eyebrows knitted in worry. “Are you sure you want to go off without me, Scrolls?”         The suave, young colt nodded and gave her a wink. “Sure as sugarcubes, Quillsy. Besides, I can’t very well chat with any nice mares or griffons we meet with my sister hovering over me all the time.”         The filly rolled her eyes. “Fine, do what you want.”         “I plan to, sister of mine.”         Novell looked over at Whisper, who was talking softly to Swirley and staring out across the mountainscape near the edge of the cliff. “How about you, Whisper? Wanna come with me?”         The pegasus mare twisted around, staring at him in surprise and a flush appearing on her cheeks. “Uh, what? Go with you where?”         “To see the ambassadors. Find out if they know anything about Havoc,” Novell answered.         “Oh, that. Right,” Whisper replied lamely. “Uh, no, I wanna...eat. Food. Yeah, Swirley’s hungry, too, so you know...gotta feed him.”         The pale pegasus raised an eyebrow doubtfully. “Okay, well, I’m sure the Professor and Scrolls will stop by somewhere to eat with Kalyn.”         Professor Search nodded enthusiastically. “I know a place that serves ponies who live in the Aerie. Some of the best poinsettia and broccoli souffle around the Kingdoms. Kalyn always enjoyed it as a youngling, as an appetizer to his real meal.”         “Sounds perfect,” Whisper replied quickly, muttering something under her breath a second later.         Deciding it best to ignore that for his own good, Novell nodded and gestured to the two companions who offered to go along with him. “Off we go, then. We’ll meet at the restaurant, if it doesn’t take too long with the...” He trailed off as a thought occurred to him, but was stopped from voicing it by Pensive.         “I can find them,” the teal unicorn said softly.         The pegasus glanced at Pensive. “I don’t know what’s weirder, the fact that you did that or that I’m used to it.”         “Your mind is malleable and open to new ideas. My ability is... stranger,” the unicorn replied seriously. “May we depart? I am interested in how these griffon things make their homes.”         “The restaurant it is,” the Professor said sagely, pawing at the ground with a note of finality. “Come along, Scrolls, Whisper. I am simply famished after those dry rations aboard the airship.”         Novell followed in their wake, Quills and Pensive behind him as they entered the Invention Aerie’s halls. Torches hung at even spaces along the walls, their flickering flames casting everything in an orange tint the further they moved down the stone corridor. They hissed and sputtered as the ponies passed, a pair of griffon guards standing sentry on either side of the hall.         They eyed the party suspiciously, but made no move to block their entrance. Quills sniffed at them as she walked by, holding her head up as imperiously as if she were in Canterlot. Pensive simply stared back at the griffons before looking away to glance at the decorative brazier up ahead.         Novell felt the heat increase as they grew closer to the metal bowl of glowing embers, the barest flickers of fire rising from the depths. Sweat began to appear on his brow, but a sudden gust of wind whistling through the passageway cooled his temperature resistant skin. He glanced back at his two companions, wondering how they were dealing with it.         Pensive’s horn was shining dully in the flame brightened darkness, a shimmering incandescent shield barely visible around his body. Novell felt a grin tug on the corner of his mouth, wondering if the unicorn even knew he had casted the spell. When no response came to his mind from his friend, he realized Pensive was mesmerized by the etchings above and around them.         Novell followed his friend’s gaze, his eyes flicking from one carving to another with curiosity driving him to see as much of it as possible in a short amount of time. He felt his stride begin to slow until Quills bumped into him from behind.         “Hey, move it, pegasus. You can look at all the pretty carvings when we’re not trying to save Equestria from an insane, old embodiment of chaos,” the filly grumped.         “Sorry,” Novell replied sheepishly, continuing forward. Pensive followed without a word, still engrossed in the carvings, but ambulatory all the same.         Eventually they reached a point where two other passageways converged on their larger one, their angle and the strengthening of the wind letting Novell know they were also connected to the outside of the mountain. He opened his wings a few inches, letting the air flow through the feathers, and sighed contentedly. Even though he was so deep inside the mountain, the fact that there was air was enough to keep his fears at bay.         They walked for another few minutes before sounds began to echo through the tunnel, strange squeaks and roars issuing from further along. More passages began to connect with theirs until they arrived at an even larger corridor with traffic both griffon and other denizens of Equestria.         Unicorns and earth ponies walked together with camels and even a few buffalo while pegasi flitted above with the leonine griffons. Novell noticed immediately that the ceiling was far higher than he thought possible inside of a mountain, but the presence of large, solid columns holding silver arches reassured him that the sheer weight of the rock wouldn’t collapse on him. The engineering that went into this must have taken forever, he thought in silent awe.         The sound of a hundred voices speaking to one another bounced off of the walls and resounded in Novell’s chest, turning into a hum of life and civilization. It is as if we are the lifeblood of this mountain, Pensive’s mental voice interrupted his thoughts. It is very different from the cold, dark reaches of my birthplace. I feel overwhelmed but at the same time welcome. I wonder... Novell wasn’t able to ask what the unicorn was wondering, because his attention was captivated by the sight in front of him. If the tunnels that crisscrossed through the mountain were the veins that life flowed through, then the enormous space in front of him was its heart. The pegasus’ jaw dropped as he stood dumbstruck by the sheer size of the city that sprawled in front of him, the crowd drifting around him and his two friends. From the terrace they stood on, Novell could see the entire Invention Aerie, suddenly feeling incredibly small. Liquid rock oozed in the center of the city, gigantic buckets of thick iron held by equally massive chains dipping into the lava to scoop it up to be used elsewhere. Griffons, pegasi, and what Novell thought were large eagles flapped through the airspace of the hollowed out mountain, little more than dots next to the city’s immensity. Lit as it was by the orange glow of the molten pit in the center, even more impressive was the number of lanterns and other sources of light that littered the mountain’s heart. Homes and buildings were carved out of the sides of the rock, seeming at once separate and one with the walls. Giant statues of Griffons stood on what Novell realized was the cardinal directions of north, south, east, and west, holding braziers that put the one they had seen earlier to shame with their size. Even with the large variety of heat sources, the inside of the mountain remained a steady, moderate temperature as the fires warred with the cold outside. Clanking from chains and whistles from pipes echoed back and forth with the physical tremble of conversation being carried out in the Aerie. A hundred conflicting smells filled the air, from the aroma of cooked meat to the freshness of summer grass. Large avenues and streets formed neat angles through the tiered structure of the city while stairs and mechanical lifts provided for the ground-bound folk. All of it was raised from the center pit of lava, which was ringed with more than a dozen different forges tinkling with the sound of metalwork. Large bellows serving to cool the metal and stoke the furnaces almost seemed to Novell to be the rush of the mountain’s lungs. “Celestia’s Mane, this is...huge,” the pale pegasus said reverently. Quills affected an air of nonchalance. “Canterlot Library is better.” “I do not see how this was made possible,” Pensive admitted, scratching his head with a hoof. “It must have taken decades or centuries to make all this,” Novell replied, ignoring the filly’s comment. “Two centuries and three decades, to be exact,” the earth pony put in. “Almost all of the Aeries were built at the same time, so it took longer than if they had worked on just one.” Novell blanched at the amount of effort that must have gone into it all. “Griffons did all this by themselves?” Quills shook her head. “No. Ponies and camels served as contractors and architects for the Invention, War, Scholar, and Matriarch Aerie. The Nesting Aerie was the only one the griffons did themselves and, as a result, is much smaller than the other four. There was also another Aerie, but it was a failed attempt. I don’t remember exactly what they had planned to name it or what it was even for.” “You, not remembering something?” Novell asked skeptically. “I thought you had a photographic memory.” She glared at him. “I do. What I meant was nopony knows what it was for. It was never recorded, so I never got to read it. So I don’t know.” “Okay,” Novell acknowledged, blowing out a pent in breath. “Where’s the Equestrian embassy?” Quills opened her mouth to answer, then furrowed her brows. Again, she opened her mouth, holding a hoof up, and close it again. A blush appeared on her cheeks. “I... don’t know.” “No one ever told you, did they?” the pegasus asked quietly. The filly looked away, the blush increasing. “No.” “Perfect.” ***** The next several minutes swept by in a whirl to Novell, bombarded on all sides by all sorts of interesting and incredible sights. After they had descended from the main entrance terrace, the three ponies had entered the city proper. The streets were obsidian, covered in claw and scuff marks from years of use, but still shining resolutely in the ruddy orange light of the fires. All manner of the mountain’s denizens filled the street, filled with exotic tongues - screeches, clicks, brays, and whistles lit the smoky air. A pair of donkeys pulled a wagon filled with cabbages, the cart’s wheels rattling above the caucus. Griffons and ponies dressed in heavy brown and black aprons worked together on outdoor forges while tables filled with brews of every kind were watched over by garishly decorated zebras. One of the latter wore a bewitching smile, gesturing over to anypony who passed by his small stall. His ears were filled with all sorts of piercings, jade and obsidian jewelry littering his throat and forehooves. Instead of the mohawk hairstyle Zecora wore was a series of jeweled tufts extending from his head, as if he had cut blocks off of the original hairstyle and bound the rest with golden bands. “Come to my stall and be amazed!” the zebra’s warm voice called out in a familiar accent. “I have trinkets and potables upon which none have gazed!” “Ominous,” Quills commented quietly, just enough for Novell and Pensive to hear. “But I doubt he knows where to find the ambassador’s residents.” The pegasus was about to agree when the zebra’s voice came again. “Do my ears deceive me or is there doubt? Come, little pony, and see if there’s knowledge I am without.”         Quills stopped in her tracks and turned toward the voice, surprise on her face. “How did you hear me?”         The zebra grinned and raised a hoof to his ear. “I am sorry, you must come nearer, for from where you are, I fear your words could be clearer.”         Huffing with annoyance, the filly strode confidently in front of the stall. “How did you hear me?”         “Practice and patience are all is required for a good watcher to find what is desired,” the stall owner replied cryptically, waving a hoof through some smoke issuing from one of his flasks.         Quills’ eyes faded to slits. “You just read my lips.”         The zebra nodded in respect. “Intelligent as you are beautiful, madamoiselle.”         “You didn’t rhyme that time,” Pensive pointed out in his usual monotone, though Novell could hear a bit of interest in the words.         The zebra nodded again and raised his hooves to encompass the city around them. “An act among thousands of actors and actresses, some even more convincing than I. It is simply a way to grab attention - easy for an oddity such as myself, as there are few of my kind who treat with the griffons.” He smiled his brilliant smile again. “And attention invites opportunity.”         “What kind of opportunity?” Novell asked carefully, not entirely sure he could trust the zebra. With Zecora, there was an air of ease about her, that of a healer looking to mend that which was broken. But this zebra was different. The pegasus felt uneasy around the exotic stall owner, like he was being appraised by the eye of a predator.         The zebra shifted his attention toward Novell, the smile on his face glitteringly mischievously in his gaze. “Information and the profit of ideas, for words are more powerful than claw or beak, as the griffons say.”         Novell felt a shift in his saddlebags when the zebra finished speaking, turning around and catching sight of a griffon youth scurrying away with something clutched in one claw. “Wha-”         Suddenly, a surprised squawk came from the crowd, followed by the griffon he had seen running away being lifted in a miasma of teal-tinted energy. Novell glanced over at Pensive to see the unicorn’s horn lit up and his friend’s face a thundercloud of anger. The pegasus recoiled from that look, surprised and somewhat dismayed that the normally emotionless unicorn could come up with such an expression.         A moment later, the griffon was deposited in front of them, squirming and growling in the grip of magic. “Hey, let me go, willya?”         Surprise filled the pegasus as he realized the voice was younger than he thought, the last word falling into a squeak. Before he had an opportunity to speak, warm laughter spilled from behind him. He craned his neck to look at the zebra, who was wearing a broad grin.         “Intelligent beauty and a quick-thinking magi as well. You interest me with the company you keep, pegasus.”         “Release the object you hold, little thing,” Pensive growled at the griffon in his telekinetic hold. Novell turned back just in time to see a miniature figurine of a pegasus tumble to the obsidian floor. His heart leapt at the sight, instantly scooping it up in his hoof and staring wide-eyed at the young griffon in front of him.         She avoided his gaze and clicked her beak together. “I let it go. So let me go, horn-head.”         Pensive dropped the youth none too gently, but she still landed perfectly, twisting around in mid-air to all fours. Her piercing green eye glared at the unicorn before swiftly facing the pegasus. “Keep it. It’s probably useless anyway.” With that, the griffon departed, instantly swept up by the crowd. Pensive snorted dismissively before adopting his normal expression. “This one is disliking this place thus far.”         “Yet you would fit in well here, young unicorn. Ah, but where are my manners? I am Akun’la’tunad, but you may call me Akun,” the zebra replied modestly. “And yourselves?” Quills held up a hoof to stop Pensive from speaking. “Pretty free with that information, aren’t you, broker? Names are power in the right places, you know.”         Akun held a hoof to his chest in mock agony. “Ah, you wound me, fair filly. Very well, very well, I will not ask any more of you, young Quills.”         The earth pony didn’t skip a beat. “Where’s the Equestrian embassy?”         The zebra seemed caught off guard at not provoking any reaction toward his reveal, but smoothly deflected the question. “What knowledge can you offer in return?”         “Nothing you don’t already know,” Quills sighed in frustration. “I’ll just ask somepony else. Thank you, oh so much for your time, ‘Akun’la’tunad’.”         They turned to leave when the zebra raised a reluctant hoof. “Wait.”         “Just tell us what you want,” Novell blurted out, irritated at all the twists and turns both physical and conversational.         Quills sighed, but the pegasus ignored it and waited for the zebra to respond. He didn’t have to wait long. “You came with another pegasus who wears a strange snail-like creature upon her head. I would very much like to know what kind of animal it is, as well as where it can be found.”         “It’s a Refferentus snail,” the pale pegasus replied, wondering why the information would be even remotely useful. “I don’t know where she found it.”         Akun’s eyes tightened at the last, quickly covered up with a nod. Even so, Novell spotted it. Obviously that information was valuable and he wondered if he hadn’t just made a mistake by offering what little he did know.         “Very well, I will point you toward the embassy in return for your kind explanation,” the stall owner said with a twinkle returning to his eye. “Twist right and twist left, walk two blocks to the south, and you will find the place you wish for at The Mouth.”         “‘The Mouth?” Quills echoed. “The Mouth of what?”         Akun grinned at her and pointed one of his hooves behind them. The three ponies followed the motion, instantly spotting one of the gigantic statues protruding from the walls of the mountain. Novell squinted his eyes and picked out an almost invisible stairwell leading up from the highest terrace, along with a lift hanging from one of the sculpture’s massive wings just above the head.         “Oh, that Mouth,” the earth pony continued in the same tone. “Thanks.”         The zebra gave them a wink and flashed another smile. “Until next time, my little ponies, whether information or fate brings us together.”         “Thank you,” Pensive said seriously, bowing his head toward Akun.         After delivering his own goodbye, Novell lead the rest in the statue’s general direction. The party wound its way through the bustle of the late afternoon rush, trotting steadily. For his part, the pegasus felt constricted being on the ground. His eyes were constantly drawn to the messenger griffons and pegasi that flew from one end of the massive cavern to another, his own wings ruffling impatiently on his side.         Quills’ voice drew him out of his reverie. “I wish I had wings, sometimes.”         “I do not know if I would enjoy being so high,” Pensive admitted softly to the earth pony, “though I wonder why you would wish to be other than you were.”         The filly’s voice grew exasperated. “There’s nothing special about being just a regular old pony. I can’t fly and I can’t do magic. I don’t like feeling powerless.” Pensive’s face softened. “I understand how you feel, Quills. Havoc used me for his own ends for my entire existence. I oftentimes wonder how I dealt with having no say in my actions. I...constantly fear that my freedom will be taken away, to be chained to another’s will...”         “That’s the first time, you know,” the earth pony replied after awhile, not looking at the other pony.         Novell watched confusion work its way into the unicorn’s expression. “What do you mean?”         Quills finally looked into Pensive’s eyes, a warmness visible that hadn’t been there before. “That’s the first time you’ve said my name. Or any name other than Novell’s, now that I think about it.”                  “Ah, I see,” the unicorn nodded seriously. “I will refrain from it if you wish.”         The filly shook her head and gave him a smile. “No, I like it. It makes you seem more pony.”         “Am I not already a pony?” Pensive asked innocently - a little too innocently in Novell’s opinion. The pegasus hid his snicker behind a fake cough. Unfortunately, Quills didn’t notice anything amiss. “Well, I mean, you are a pony, but you’re always so...” she trailed off and looked suspiciously at the unicorn. “Wait, you’re pulling my leg, aren’t you?”         “I am not pulling anything, Miss Intelligent and Beautiful,” Pensive murmured smoothly, imitating the zebra’s sulky tones.         Novell finally burst out laughing, drawing strange looks from the crowd. Flushing slightly with embarrassment, he continued in a quiet chuckle. “You’re definitely getting a sense of humor, Pensive.”         Quills sniffed and looked away, her back stiffening. “I didn’t think it was funny at all.” *****         They arrived at the foot of the great griffon statue in short order, having navigated toward the object with little difficulty. I suppose it helps that you can see it from everywhere in the city, Novell thought, staring up toward the top. It was a long way up, so they had eschewed the stairs in favor of the lift, its metal chains clinking against one another in a rhythmic metronome. Somewhere above, a mechanical device was pulling the lift up a few meters before pausing and then raising once more, steam belching in an audible hiss at each slow halt.         Quills sat in the center of the metal contraption, trying not to stare down through the detailed, metal grating, shivering with both terror and her motion sickness. Novell felt for the filly, but he knew any attempt to console her would result in an irritable growl. Instead, he settled for asking her a question.         “So how come you didn’t get sick when we were on the airship?”         The earth pony glared at him through slitted eyes. “Because it doesn’t move in fits and shakes or constantly clatter underneath you. Plus, I know nopony on the ship would have let me come to harm. On trains and this dumb lift, I don’t have such confidence.”         “You don’t think I’d come save you?” Novell asked in a hurt tone.         She closed her eyes and huddled closer to herself. “Please be quiet before I barf all over your white coat.”         The pegasus shuffled slightly further away from her, trading a glance with Pensive. Amusement rippled through his mind, but the unicorn kept up his neutral facade, staring out over the city. Novell joined him at admiring the view, a light, floating feeling overcoming him.         The general hubbub of many hundreds of voices that had followed them throughout the Aerie’s streets was little more than a faint whisper at their height. The acrid smoke was strong enough to cause the pegasus to wrinkle his nose but was so far tolerable. He glanced up at the massive brazier they were just about to pass, the massive coals glowing a soft orange. It crackled at them when they passed, shifting like a slumbering dragon - Novell wouldn’t have been surprised if there had actually been one inside, but he didn’t see one.         They spent the rest of the ride in quiet solitude, interrupted by Quills’ gagging every now and then. Novell yawned, blinking sleepily up to the top of the dome to look for the sun before catching himself. Oh, wait, inside a mountain. Can’t see the sun. He shivered, thinking of the sheer amount of weight crouching over his head, supported only by the four griffon statues and a handful of columns arranged between them.         The creak of the lift coming to a halt startled the pegasus out of his reverie. He glanced back and followed Quills to the landing carved next to the Equestrian Embassy. Ignoring the earth pony’s frantic, thankful prayers, Novell looked the embassy over.         Banners hung from the open beak with Celestia’s colors on them, ragged with age, while newer looking ones with a moon’s sigil on them hung in between them. Novell was somewhat surprised by how quickly even the embassy in another country responded to the return of Princess Luna. Hopefully that means they’ll be receptive of the ‘mission’ she gave us. With their goal in sight, the three ponies broke into a swift canter toward the entrance. A couple of dour pony guards stood on either side of the massive iron door. One was a stout pegasus with leering eyes, while the other was an earth pony with a friendly, if bored looking face. The latter’s face lit up as they approached while the former likewise grew even more dour.         “Evening there, ponies,” the earth pony guard said politely, standing straighter and removing his rump from the wall where it had been resting. “What brings you to the embassy at this late hour?”         “We’re here to see the ambassadors the Princesses recently sent here,” Novell said confidently.         The guard almost deflated, but before he could speak, the short pegasus interrupted. “They’re busy. Come back again tomorrow. Or better yet, never.”         “Oh, come on Windshear, don’t be like that,” the other guard admonished. “I’m sorry about my friend here. He’s just tired. We’re at the end of our shift and-”         “Quiet, you foal,” the one called Windshear hissed. “I’ve told you more than once not to give away our shift change times to anypony or griffon that happens to walk by. And stop telling them my name, too.”         Quills barged passed Novell, impatience written across her face. “Look, you two bumbling oafs, we’re on charge by the Princess Luna herself. We were asked to report here when we arrived.”         The pegasus guard eyed the filly with a glare, his companion even allowing a little doubt to creep into his own eyes. “Oh, yeah? Got any proof of that? Can’t tell you the amount of times some griffon scamp has tried the same line on me.”         “Yeah, I do, bub,” Quills returned scathingly, walking behind Novell and rummaging around in his saddlebags.         “Hey!” the white pegasus objected.         “Shut it and hold still. The paper is in here somewhere,” the filly told him, finally pulling out a neat scroll tied with a deep blue ribbon. Novell blinked at it in confusion, wondering when that had found its way in there.         Despite that, he held his silence as Quills presented the paper to the suspicious guard, who glanced over it carefully. After a few moments of looking between the scroll and their party, the armored pegasus growled and returned the parchment.         “Fine, you can go in.”         “Don’t sound so pleased by it,” the filly snarked as the two guards opened the heavy door. The short one bristled and shot a glare at her, but otherwise remained silent, to the delight of his comrade.         With the door open and the interior invitingly lit, the three ponies made their way in. Immediately afterward, the door clanged shut, the guards’ muttering barely audible behind the heavy metal. Novell investigated his surroundings, interested in what kind of furniture an embassy would employ.         He was disappointed to note that nothing exotic stood out to him - instead, there was simply regular old chairs and a toasty-looking fire blazing in the fireplace. The scene could have been transported from anywhere in Equestria, but Novell guessed it made the ponies staying in the Aerie feel at home, however boring it was to him.         A door to their left led to a tidy little kitchen while a staircase on the far wall looked to be chiseled directly out of the rock. They moved toward it, hearing raised voices and hoofbeats from the level above them. Anger tinged one of the voices, while the other seemed calm and reasoning. The pegasus ruffled his wings nervously, hoping the reasoned voice would keep the other in check.         “We do not have time for this waiting around, Darkmoon! Let us find this ‘Havoc’ and put an end to it before it has a chance to stir up another war. Equestria cannot weather what would happen should the griffons fall or become this entity’s sinister pet.”         “As ever, I preach patience as the key to unraveling the location. You are too eager to vanquish this threat, my friend. You know as well as I that overconfidence leads to defeat.” The calmer voice was barely audible through the door in front of them.         The other in the room stopped pacing, his hooves no longer drumming against the floorboards. There came a sigh. “Perhaps you are right, as ever. I just do not wish to wait around for this chaotic being to grow in power. You saw what happened to Ponyville when Discord was released. From what little you’ve uncovered about this Havoc, its presence will be vastly more destructive. I do not know if the Elements would even be enough to destroy it if it regains its full power.”         “They imprisoned Discord. This Havoc may be the physically stronger, but he is no more immune to the power the Elements hold than the other. Have faith, Steelfeather.”         “Faith? I do have faith, it is ju- wait, we have visitors.”         “In the hall? I sensed them as soon as they entered the embassy,” the one called Darkmoon uttered amusedly. “I imagine they are tired from their long journey. Come in, will you three?”         Novell sheepishly opened the door and entered the room with his two friends splayed out behind them. A couple of chairs stood at the opposite wall while a large table took up the center of the room. The large pegasus in stylized guard armor, minus the helmet, looked up from his pacing near the table. As soon as they entered, Quills rushed passed him and into the hooves of the old, bearded unicorn sitting across a chair.         “Darkmoon! I didn’t know you became an ambassador!” the filly said once she had released herself from the other’s forelegs.         The unicorn chuckled. “It was a recent promotion, if you can call it that. Lady Luna teleported right into my tower to ask for my help, if you can believe it. I’ve never been so startled in my life.” Darkmoon sighed and raised his glance to Novell and Pensive. “Welcome, Novell Light, Pensive Coalescence. As glad as I am to see Quills, I know you are here not for the pleasure of my company. Have you any news?”         “You really believe these ponies can find Havoc when we cannot? This pegasus is nearly as scrawny as you, magi,” Steelfeather scoffed, eyeing Novell up and down.         The white pegasus ruffled his wings uncomfortably at the description, despite its accuracy. “We have no news of Havoc, though we do have a suspicion he is here in the Griffon Kingdoms. Our ship was attacked on the way in by a hippogryph. While that may have been coincidence, I don’t exactly want to take anything for granted with chaos.”         Darkmoon nodded sagely and extended a hoof to get his companion’s attention. “You see, Steelfeather? Patience rewards us with its gifts.”         The other ambassador snorted and began to pace again. “I do not see how their words help us. We already know Havoc is here.”         “Our information was based on a guess, my friend,” Darkmoon chided gently. “That they were attacked and that they came to the same conclusion merely reinforces our choice to come here.”         “You think the attack is connected? Why would a hippogryph attack be anything but coincidence, with how stirred up they are these past few days?”         The bearded unicorn looked directly into his friend’s eyes. “Because chaos is the source of coincidence. The random chance of meeting somepony else, defying the odds despite their overwhelming numbers against you, as you’ve experienced. All of this is because of chaos - chance. But where chaos is directed, you can see the hoof of a higher being in it, such as this attack on their transport.”         Steelfeather glanced between Novell’s party and shook his head. “Whatever you say, magi. This is all too complicated for a simple soldier like me.”         “You underestimate your own intelligence, my friend.” Darkmoon chuckled before sobering up and looking at Quills. “Tell me, Quills, of what other knowledge you can share, for I see more than what has been said lies behind your eyes.”         The filly looked away momentarily. “We think Havoc is behind the stealing of the scepter.” A sharp intake of breath from the armored pegasus drew their attention. “How do you know about this?”         “A griffon told us when she escorted us in. She saved one of the crew from being ponynapped by a hippogryph,” Quills replied.         Steelfeather stared at her in silence, a thoughtful expression stealing across his face. “This scepter...I remember being told of it. That it cannot be...stolen?”         “It cannot be given except through the exertion of free will,” Darkmoon corrected. “Such is the nature of the Scepter of ‘Will’. Yes, I remember the rumors. But that would mean the Matriarch gave it away, rather than had it taken from her. I have suspected it, but I do not like the implications. I would rather think the powers the scepter holds have weakened.”         “Then she is working for Havoc!” Steelfeather cried, rushing to his helmet and donning it. “We must confront her.”         “Patience!” Darkmoon’s voice cracked like a whip. “Think before you fly, my friend. We cannot simply rush to the Matriarch’s Aerie and demand anything of her. This is a political matter, not a martial one. It must be solved with words rather than conflict. Besides, we have little more than a guess to back our suspicions. Would you go to her with anything less than certainty?”         The pegasus ambassador paused and gritted his teeth. “No. You are wise in your counsel, as ever.”         “So what can we do?” Novell asked, his mind whirling at the thought of a head of state betraying her country. The idea was so foreign to him that he could hardly wrap his mind around it.         Darkmoon looked up. “For now, we do nothing. We sit and we wait for Havoc to make a mistake or for more information to come to us. There is little else to do.”         “I can’t just sit here while Havoc is out there,” the white pegasus replied, looking down. “I made a promise.”         “I agree,” Steelfeather said, “though I also know Darkmoon’s decision is the correct one. Go into the city and see if there is anything you can find, but do not leave the Aerie. Right now, as my colleague implies, the Kingdoms are in uproar. Your presence anywhere else but where it was requested to stay will become a diplomatic incident. One which I would have to mediate.” He paused and glared at the floor. “And I do dislike to mediate without sword in mouth.”         Quills sighed and returned to Novell’s side. “Well, if that’s all, we should return to the rest of our merry little band. It was nice to see you again, Darkmoon. I miss your stories.”         The unicorn grinned widely. “And I appreciated your company. It is rare to find anypony your age willing to listen to an old pony’s tales. Farewell, until we meet once more.”         Steelfeather just bowed stiffly. “Return if you find anything, but otherwise do not interfere with our own investigations.” *****         Novell stepped off the lift once it reached the bottom of the statue, Quills hurriedly rushing past him to get off the contraption. He yawned, glancing at the city and wondered where the Professor and the others would be. Hopefully somewhere with food, he thought as his stomach grumbled.         “They are to the east.” Pensive nodded toward the right before Novell could ask him where to go. “The Elder is telling stories, I believe, so his mind is easier to find than usual.”         Novell nodded and started off. “Stories from the Professor are always interesting. Let’s see if we can get to wherever he is before he finishes for the night.”         They passed through the nearly deserted streets quickly, a sharp contrast to the hustle and bustle of the earlier crowds. Novell figured everybody had found their way home, though there still were a few of the city’s denizens wandering through the streets. They seemed friendly enough, smiling or waving as they walked by. All in all, it felt like being back in Hoofington, though with more than just ponies milling about.         Pensive lead the way and the pegasus followed, wondering at all the changes the unicorn had gone through since he had freed him. At first, his friend had been confused and frightened of the world, though he did not show his feelings except in private conversations. Now, he was confidently striding through a city full of all kinds of creatures without much nervousness. In fact, lately he had even seemed to be showing more than his normal facade of neutrality. A feeling of pride swept through Novell’s breast at how far the unicorn had come.         “I am actually very nervous,” Pensive said aloud, though subdued so only his companions could hear him. “I wish for the open roads and skies we have previously travelled through, with less things around me. It is still uncomfortable.”         Novell smiled at his friend. “But you’re not hiding yourself, even so. That takes more courage than I have, to be honest.”         The unicorn gave him a perplexed expression. “I have noticed displays of courage from you, despite some of our more dire circumstances. Even if they exceed your ability to handle, you still attempt actions that I would not think ordinary ponies would perform.”         “I’ve always been scared stiff whenever something like that happens,” Novell admitted. “I just know that if I distract something for long enough, at least one of my friends will be able to help, too. I’m just the sidekick here.”         “Selling yourself short, as usual,” Quills entered the conversation. “You’re always the one saving us. I mean, think of how you met all of us. You said that the goofball Professor was trapped in some ice and being refrigerated for a Yeti’s dinner, but you pulled him out of there.”         Novell shook his head. “Search did all the work. I nearly got both of us killed.”         The filly stared into his eyes with a sudden intensity. “What about Whisper?”         “What about her?” the pegasus asked.         “She told me that you caught her in mid-air, despite having a sprained wing.”         He shuffled nervously at that, but before he could respond, Pensive interrupted. “The twins owe their lives to you. As do I.”         “But you teleported them out,” the pegasus argued halfheartedly, already knowing how the other two would respond.         “And that wouldn’t have been able to happen if you hadn’t broken Havoc’s control over Pensive,” Quills said flatly.         Novell sighed heavily. “Well, we’re even. You’ve all saved my life a dozen times over. Each. I’m just somepony without a cuti-”         “Can’t use that excuse anymore, Novell,” the filly taunted him. “You said potential is what your talent is and explained why your flank is blank.”         The pegasus rustled his wings, exasperated at their arguments. “Are we almost there?”         Pensive flashed him a quick grin and nodded toward a building across the street, situated on a corner. It was built from the same obsidian that the streets were made of, shaped into a two story building with a wooden sign hanging above the entryway. A griffon holding a steak on a fork was painted on the sign, an image that caused Novell to shudder involuntarily. Even though he knew some species needed meat to survive, it didn’t make him happy to be reminded of it.         Before he could begin to cross the street, an explosion rocked the building, the door falling open with a rush of smoke and fire.