//------------------------------// // Meeting with the enemy // Story: NightFury: Wings of Vengeance // by DeadpoolMLP //------------------------------// Chapter 4 I stood atop the Lunar Apartment complex hiding in the shadows as I awaited my enemy until suddenly "Alright Nightfury come out! I know yer here so why don't you just show yourself already" proclaimed a large griffin "Indeed I am here Iron Claw so why don't we get down to business." I said stepping out of the shadows "I see your goon delivered the message. A good thing, now I won't have to deliver it myself" "We both know what would have happened to Gilbert if he withheld information such as that" said Iron Claw in a thick Manehatten accent Iron Claw was a large griffin as in larger than usual weighing in at 281 pounds and while he did look a bit heavy set he was actually mostly muscle. He was a northern mountain griffin unlike most of his henchgriffins who were regular Griffin Kingdom griffins. His color scheme was also different from normal griffins him having black feathers instead of brown and his lion half was white instead of the usual golden. Even his wingtips were unusual being lined with grey feathers him being a particularly older griffin at the age of 47 but his most distinguishing feature is probably the one that he's named after: His claws. His claws were in fact made of enchanted pieces of iron that are specially designed to never rust, bend, break, or dull as I've experienced through my years of defending this city despite this being the first time I've ever actually met Iron Claw face to face. How and why he got the claws is a mystery even to me stories about it ranging from him losing his original claws during one of the Griffin Kingdom's many wars to him losing them during a fight with a dragon, both of which I know not to be true. "So what is it you so urgently needed to see me for boy?" asked Iron Claw "A few things actually." I said "First off there's somepony I want you to promise to keep out of this" "And what do you mean by this?" asked the mob boss "I mean our struggle." I said "Alright then. Name your pony." Iron Claw replied "Detective Cold Case. I want you to promise to leave him out of this" "Ole' Nut Case? Fine. I'll leave him be." said the mobster "Promise?" I asked "I swear on the family's honor that that nutty detective won't be harmed" swore the griffin of course with his digits crossed behind his back "Good." I said before flying up to the mobster "And if you dare breaking your promise I will find you and I will hurt you" "Is that a threat?" asked Iron Claw "No. It's a guarantee." I replied darkly Iron Claw then pulled out a cigar and lit it before asking "Why do you care about some dumb detective?" I paused for a moment before answering "Let's just say he's an old friend" "Alright now let me ask you something boy. Why are you doing this?" asked Iron Claw taking another puff of his cigar "What do you mean?" I asked " I mean why are you flying around this city dressed up like somepony on Nightmare Night risking yer life for no reason" said the mobster "Oh I have my reasons besides what do you think I should be doing instead? " I asked "With your skills I'd probably have you working for me as a hitpony" said Iron Claw "I would never work for you Iron Claw" I said Iron Claw turned to leave before I yelled "Hey! I'm not done here!" "You may not be boy but I am" proclaimed the griffin "Fine but one more question before you leave" I said "Fine but make it quick boy" said the mobster "Who do you work for?" I asked "Who do I work for? What kind of question is that?! I don't work for nobody. I mean sure I got my pals in the mob like Blackbeak and Garret but other than that I.... oh you little!" He flew off as he realized what had happened and I just smirked under my mask knowing I had gotten all the info I needed. I was about to fly off back to HQ when I heard a howl come from an alley. I flew down to see a couple of dogs surrounding what I could only make out as an injured animal. I chased away the dogs only to reveal a small wolf that appeared to have a broken front limb. I approached the poor thing and it jumped back whimpering in pain I took off my mask and tried again to approach it "Hey there little guy don't worry I'm not going to hurt you" The wolf just looked at me before all of sudden it howled at the moon and for some strange reason I was compelled to do the same The wolf then looked at me and finally allowed me to approach it. The moment I reached it it of coarse began licking my face "Alright alright stop it. Hey, would you like to come home with me?" I asked the wolf's ears perking up at this and it's tail beginning to wag back and forth signifying that it obviously wanted to "Alright then get on my back and we'll get you home" I said a little exited having never had a pet before The wolf hopped on my back and we took off my flying extra carefully in order to keep the little guy on my back I finally arrived back at the mansion and the moment I enter the main room everyone gave me a weird look "Ummm Fret why the tartarus do you have a wolf on your back?" asked Violet speaking up first " I found the poor thing in an alley being attacked by some other dogs. The little guy really seems to like me so I decided screw it I'm taking it home" I explained "So basically we have a pet wolf now....Yeah I can get down with that" said Drumroll "What are you gonna name it kid?" asked Power Chord "Well from what I can tell from the way here the little guy's a boy so.....Balto?" I said "Balto sounds about right. heh it's about time we got ourselves a mascot." said Violet It was just then that Vinyl and her marefriend Octavia walked in Octavia knowing full well of my secret Identity "Hey everypony!" Yelled Vinyl obviously having just got back from some sort of concert "Vinyl just because you just got back from a rock concert doesn't mean you have to be obnoxious" quipped Octavia "Oh don't worry sis we're used to it by now" said Violet "Hold on SIS?! as in SISTER?" yelled both me and Vinyl "Yeah Octy is my sister. Haven't I ever told you that?" asked Violet "Umm no. In the seventeen years that I've known you you have never mentioned fact that you have a sister" I stated "Yeah what the tartarus Octy! In the fifteen years that I've known you we've been friends, besties, marefriends, lovers, and even co-workers yet you never mention you have a sister!" yelled Vinyl The two sisters shrugged before Octavia noticed Balto on Fret's back "Oh my gosh isn't he just adorable!" "His name is Balto and he's our new pet wolf" I said "Pet wolf?! Awesome!" yelled Vinyl I put Balto down and immediately the rest of the gang noticed his limp "Aww he's hurt!" said Violet "Luckily I know somepony who know how to take care of animals" she said looking at her sister "Who? Me? Hey just because I used to help that cream pegasus doesn't mean I'm qualified to help any animal" quipped Octavia "Aww come on Octy the little guy;s hurt and he needs your help. can't you find it in your heart to help such a poor poor creature pwetty pwease?" asked Vinyl with the biggest pleading eyes I've ever seen complete with a quivering lower lip "Well...I don't know" Octavia then looked at Balto and.....Oh my faust. Balto...well let's put it this way. You know those pictures animal shelters send out that make you feel like shit....yeah they ain't got nothing on Balto Octavia immediately caved in yelling "Fine!" before tending to Balto who then proceeded to lick her repeatedly "Man I need a pet wolf of my own. It'd make getting Octypus into bed with me a heck of a lot easier" "VINYL!!!!" the girls all yelled "Vinyl nopony wants to hear about your sex life!" yelled Violet "And stop calling me that!" Yelled Octavia "Whatever Octy." said Vinyl The guys on the other hoof....were dying of laughter "Ow! ow ow ow My side hurts ha ha ha ha ha ow ha ha ow" said Drumroll "I ha ha ha can't ha ha ha breath!" I said "And this is why you had us on the Vinyl Scratch" said Power Chord "Didn't we end up just making fun of other ponies instead of you making fun of us?" I asked after regaining my composed "Yes and I still can't believe you made fun of my mother on live radio" said Octavia "Well Mom was always a bit of a bitch" said Violet "VIOLET! She's our mother!" yelled Octavia "But she is right isn't she?" asked Vinyl "Well yes but that isn't the point. The point is that she should show some respect to her elders" stated Octavia "Sis you know as well as I do that respect is earned and I don't believe that mom ever earned our respect. She was cold, distant and practically sucked all the individuality out of us. If you hadn't stood up to her like you did back during your university days I probably would have never stood up to her myself and she would probably still be dictating our every move in life like the pawns she thought we were to her." said Violet Octavia looked dumbstruck at her younger sister and nodded "You're right. Still did you really have to insult her on live radio?" "I guess we did go a bit overboard" I said "Yeah" said Drumroll and Power Chord We all looked at Vinyl "Hey that witch took away my marefriend's childhood and insulted me! She deserves what she got!" yelled Vinyl "Vinyl...."said Octavia tapping her hoof impatiently "FINE! I'm sorry I insulted your mom on live radio! Happy now?!" yelled Vinyl "Very. now come and help me by holding this wolf's leg still" said Octavia "Alright now that that's over with what did get off Iron Claw kid?" asked Power Chord " Two names, Garret and Blackbeak" I stated Violet quickly pulled up the names on the computer and read them off "Alvin 'BlackBeak' Blackfeather Species: Northern Mountain Griffin Height 5 hoof Weight 189 pounds Age 45 bio: younger brother of Iron Claw, he moved here from the griffin kingdom 5 years ago and quickly joined up with his brother. He usually is associated with the business end of the mafia. Taking him down would probably put an end to any of the mafia's business ventures but would most likely piss off Iron Claw" explained Violet "And the other?" I asked "I'm getting there. Hold on. Ah here we go Garret 'Golden Eye' Grimwing Species: Southern Valley Griffin Height: 4 hoof 11 Weight: 158 pounds Age: 39 Bio: Old friend of Iron Claw's, Garret has been in the mob for just as long as Iron Claw has and is his right hand griffin. He's also known for being the one who issues the orders to the hitgriffins and recruits. Taking him down will cause disorder in the mob's ranks and will most likely do the most damage. Oh and he also has a daughter as well" "Alright kid it's your choice. Who do we take down first?" asked Power Chord "Taking down BlackBeak does sound promising but the last thing we need right now is to anger the boss so I think Garret's our best bet" I decided "Good choice. Now let's get to work everypony! We've got a lot of planning to do before we can pull this off!" Ordered Power Chord