Author Notes: This Chapter only has two scenes. I will use bold for the thoughts of a different character. Just as a heads up. Also I had tryed to work hard through a writer block. I am sorry if it is not my best chapter but I think it does its job.
[At Sugarcube Corner]
As we approached the corner we saw two mares waiting for us. One was a lavender coated pony with a purple mane with a pink strip through it. Her eyes were also purple and beamed with intelligence.
The other was a mare with a blue coat and rainbow mane. She had violet eyes that burned with intensity. I definitely do not want to make her mad. I wonder what ever happened to that manticore? Best not to think about that.
"Hey Twilight," Shadic greeted the two mares.
"Oh, hello Shadic," Twilight said with a smile. She and Rainbow dash must've been talking before we arrived.
"So, how you been?" Shadic said with a knowing grin.
"Shadic, you owe me a race!" Rainbow Dash interrupted before Twilight could answer.
"Aw don't be that way Dash. Besides I can beat you in a race 'after' our mission," Shadic said daring Rainbow Dash. Dude! Do you want to die? She will neuter you on the spot. Think about the mares Shadic. Think of the mares and just back up slowly and make yourself look bigger.
Rainbow put herself eye to eye with Shadic. I guess they will have the ultimate stare off. [Five dollars on Rainbow Dash. Come on I won't cheat I promise... Fine! Suit yourself! What do I care what you think anyway!]
"Enough you two," Adven said getting between them both. Adven for the save!
"Yeah we have no time to waste on fighting Rainbow," Twilight said helping Adven separate the two. [Tag team match. Rainbow Dash and Twilight against Adven and Shadic. Next WrestieManeia!]
"Fine," Rainbow huffed angrily. Shadic simply nodded his head and started lieing down again. Rainbow spotted a cloud and flew to nap there. [Wow talk about lazy. Am I right? Hey don't point that hoof at me! I did not make them go to sleep. Okay I did but you can not prove a thing! Mwhhahah!]
"Thank you both. This would have been a very unpleasant trip if you two didn't intervene."
"Why didn't you get between them? You could have helped us," Adven said with an air of annoyance.
"Maybe but I prefer not to be torn from limb to limb by two pissed off pegasi. Well one pissed off mare pegasus and one indifferent male one. Besides you wanted to bring Shadic along." Adven started to narrow his eyes.
"Anyway," I said trying to change the subject," so how are we going to get the gauntlet, Twilight?"
"Well the princess said she would be sending some chariots until then, we can wait here," Twilight explained. A minute later a sudden roaring gust of wind came to us.
I looked up to find two big pegasi with white coats and armor bringing down a chariot.
"I guess this is our ride," I said beginning to examine the chariot. "I think it could do with a paint job myself. Too bland."
"Adven could you please go get Rainbow Dash and Shadic?" Twilight asked.
"Why don't I just put them in the chariot. So we don't have to wake them, you know? I think they will be awfully cranky when they wake up and I would rather not have to stop them from killing one another on the trip," Adven said thinking about our companions.
"I could only get one chariot from the princess. She said she could not spare any more supplies. And the chariot only fits three but seeing how big your friend is," she gestured to me," he take up two spots." Great. Wait was that a fat joke?
"So we pegasi have to fly ourselves?"
Twilight nodded with a sheepish grin. Adven sighed.
"Well this adventure is off to a great start," I said to myself.
[Meanwhile]
In a cave in the griffin territory there are three beings around a fire. There was a female griffin with sharp talons fiddling with her teeth. To her left was a teenage dragon with dark gold scales and wide slightly torn green wings. The last of the three was a pegasus with a dark green coat and black short mane.
"Talk about a good hall," the dragon said as he began to eat small critters.
"Yeah tell me about it. You would think today would have been like the others. It is hardly a clear day," the griffin replied taking a talon full of the petit creatures.
"Ugh. I will never understand how you guys can eat those things," the green pegasus said with a disgusted face.
"Ugh. Gilda, why did we ever let him join us?" the dragon said clearly irritated.
"Because Blaze he had proven himself with his little test," Gilda answered tiredly.
Blaze smiled reminsicing that day,"Stealing your own town's treasury must have been hard on your family Velocity."
"I hope it was,"he growled. And I hope he knows it. "Too bad it was not enough to keep us fed."
"Just suck it up and eat these insects already," Gilda complained.
"If only we could get a new job. Probably then we could live and not just survive," Velocity said thinking to himself, ignoring the griffin's complaint.
"Hmph it is still early probably we could go find that job today," Blaze said growing impatient for their days of leisure already.
"Yeah maybe if we are lucky we can..." Velocity began as a black thing appeared with a bright flash of light. When his eyes readjusted he saw a black alicorn with dragon eyes and a red mane.
"I understand you want a job," the alicorn said abruptly. Was he listening in on our conversation?
"Depends," Gilda said crossing her arms and narrowing her eyes.
The alicorn smiled. Something about this guy rubs me the wrong way. I can't place it but something is just not right. I mean how he looks and the mere fact he showed up like this is too convenient. However he may be worth listening to.
"What is the job and more importantly," Blaze said emphasizing the next point," what do we get if we do it?"
"I require you to retrieve an artifact for me and your reward will make Princess Celestia herself kneel before you."
The three rose smilutaneous brows.
Enough wealth to make the Princess bow before us? Tempting but we still need some more information.They are not doing it so I guess I will have to ask the elephant in the room... or cave."Why do you need us for that? Sounds like a simple retrieval job."
Now the alicorn frowned. It's fake. I don't know how I know it but I do. "I would but several ponies have stolen it already."
"Oh I get it so you want us," Velocity said making the respective gestures," to track these ponys down and take back your precious artifact. What is the artifact's name anyway?"
"A most powerful one and that is all you need to know. Also for you I am an alicorn so I obviously have the power to help you out of your current situation. But if you would rather stay homeless and die slowly then who am I to stop.."
"Wait!" Gilda said interrupting,"We will take the job. But we need to know how it looks like at least."
Again Velocity felt the Alicorn smile and turn around with a crazed look in his eyes."I was hoping you would say that."
Damn it Gilda. What have you gotten us into?!
The alicorn's laughter reached a high note as he opened a scroll before the three beings.