As Luna's silver moon rose over Raptania, it lit up the forest town of Martha with a white glow. The town was clearly in turmoil. There wasn’t a single building without a scrap of unrepairable damage on it. Every citizen was a troodontid or oviraptorosaur, every other type were gone. And all the citizens were wearing black steel armour. A small Sinornithoides rushed through the town and ran up to a large silver Alaskan Troodon wearing a black cloak.
"M'lord." he announced as he handed the Troodon the letter, "A letter." The Troodon snatched the letter and read it quickly.
When he finished reading it, he scrunched it up and threw it as far as he could.
"Damn it!" he exclaimed.
"What would you like to do, Lord Forsuthion?" the Sinornithoides asked.
"Bring me the Sickles." Lord Forsuthion ordered. The Sinornithoides nodded and ran off to fetch them. Lord Forsuthion placed his long clawed hands on the railing overlooking his town.
"Those ponies think they can disrupt my perfect ecosystem? Well they've got another thing coming!" he chuckled.
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The next morning Twilight woke up early. She hobbled down the castle stairs when she found alvarezsaur after alvarezsaur rushing around cleaning and organizing the place. Ostrom was orchestrating it all, directing each alvarezsaur to its specific task. He was doing so with deadly efficiency.
"Ostrom? What's going on?" Twilight asked.
"I'm making sure the entire castle is spotless for my dad, mum and brothers arriving." Ostrom replied as he directed a Shuvuuia to clean under the benches.
"Who's your dad?" Twilight inquired.
"Lord Achilles, the only Achillobator to rule Varez without any of the citizens trying to stick their claw up his throat." Ostrom replied.
"Oh." Twilight said, "He must be a great guy.". Ostrom rolled his eyes.
"Only if you're with him for two days. Try being with him for seventeen years." he remarked.
"I'm sure he'll be alright now." Twilight chuckled.
Ostrom rolled his eyes and sighed, “Doubt it. I can move as far away as I want, he’s still my father.”
Twilight looked at the panicky Utahraptor with confusion. She never knew the feeling of hating her family. Sure she got mad at Shining Armour a few times, but she still loved him. Ostrom was showing almost pure hatred for all of his family, even his own father.
“Why are you so upset about them coming over?” she asked innocently.
“Because I’m the youngest yet largest of my siblings. There was a lot expected of me for my being a Utahraptor. But since I’m the youngest, I became the King’s Claw.” Ostrom answered.
“Oh. Well I’m guessing your brothers are also annoying?” Twilight said with a small smile.
“They are the Xiaoxford Dictionary definition of annoying,” Ostrom joked, “Drom is desperate for love, and Zapsal is pedantic.”
“That must suck.” Twilight said sympathetically. Ostrom nodded softly.
“Yeah. It really does suck.” he added. He was happy that the Princess of Friendship was being so kind to him, since his family was pretty much a group of jerks to him, excluding his mother.
“Well I’m going to go wake the others up. It was nice talking to you, Ostrom.” Twilight remarked as she walked up the ivory stairs to the living quarters. Spike and Reed walked downstairs as she went up them.
Spike and Reed managed to get a full two minutes of conversation out of Ostrom before the rest of the group wandered downstairs. Reed walked up to Twilight with a small smile on his face.
“Hello there Reed.” she said as a weak yet warm smile formed on her face.
“Good morning m’lady.” Reed replied formally.
Twilight responded to this with a small, pastel red blush on her cheeks. “Now now Reed, there’s no need to be so formal. After all, I’m not your princess.” she remarked.
Reed smiled again and commented, “Not yet, but me and Velox are thinking of becoming your guards if this treaty goes accordingly.”
“Really? My own guards?” Twilight asked herself, then answered to Reed, “It would be nice to have my own guards, but I don’t want there to be any form of relationship growing from it. I know that feeling, and it wasn’t a very good feeling.”
“I see. I’m guessing this guy returned the affection” Reed asked kindly.
Twilight replied with a nod. “He did, but I can’t return them now. He is just not my type.”
“I understand, m’lady. Now come along, and we’ll have breakfast.” Reed stated as he walked with her and Spike to the dining hall.
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After the group had a delicious breakfast, Spike and Reed wandered out of the castle and down the cobbled path. Spike had decided to visit Fall again and chat with his new friends. He almost admired her charisma and alacrity to everything.
Reed chuckled at the quips the purple dragon was making as they walked down to the pier. Fall was there letting the warm summer breeze flow through her beige feathers, her turquoise eyes blinking twice. Spike blushed at the Falcarius’ beauty, it was even more dazzling than the white unicorn he had loved for years.
“Hey there Spike!” Fall said happily as she waved at the dragon, who waved back awkwardly.
“H-hey Fall……” he murmured as he and Reed walked closer to the Falcarius.
Zhao, Yuan and Apsara were also walking along the pier, and Zhao was noting that Microraptors, Zhenyuanlongs and Apsaravises would be better off flying and that the author was restricting them just to let them interact with the other characters. Yuan’s reply to this was to simply slap the back of Zhao’s head. Yuan saw Spike, Reed and Fall and smiled softly.
“Hello there Reed! Hey Fall!” she yelled.
“Hello there Yuan. This is Spike.” Fall introduced, very slightly blushing.
“Why are you blushing?” Reed asked nicely, which caused Fall to blush a much deeper scarlet.
“It’s the heat, I swear!” she blurted out. Apsara giggled as she leaned on Yuan’s shoulder.
“Well it’s nice to meet you, Spike. I’m Yuan, and this is Zhao and Apsara.” Yuan introduced in her nicest tone of voice.
“It’s nice to meet you guys too. Rainbow Dash and Rarity have told me a lot about you guys.” Spike replied.
“Well I hope they’ve said nice things about us all.” Apsara said calmly.
“Well the Lord’s Trains should be arriving in a minute. Wanna go to the train and meet them now?” Reed asked.
“All of us? You sure?” Yuan questioned.
“Of course. I know that ‘commoners’ shouldn’t be among the first to view the lords, but you’re with me. You guys should be fine.” Reed said with a soft and slightly cheeky smile. Apsara and Yuan squealed with girlish joy as they flapped above the others, hugging.
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The 6 new friends all began their journey up the streets towards the beautiful train station as steam locomotives with whitewall wheels and white roofs hauling royal carriages came to a halt in the station.
The first hold’s lord and lady to arrive was of Feinberg, which was no surprise seeing as the hold capital of Sullivan was closest to Maniraptora. A tall orange and black male Saurornitholestes sullivani accompanied by his wife, the much more slender white and blue female Saurornitholestes langstoni exited the train with their two sons, a black Atrociraptor and a scarlet Saurornitholestes sullivani. Lord Livan, the orange sullivani, saw Reed and smiled regally.
“It’s good to see the Maniraptora Guard at work, especially you Reed.” he noted as his eyes fixated on the maroon Kinnareemimus, who today was wearing his more regal silver armour. Reed bowed to Livan and Lady Rinth, and the others did too.
“It’s good to see you again m’lord,” Reed replied softly, “How is the child, m’lady?”
“Our housekeep Boldia is taking good care of the egg,” Lady Rinth answered monotonously, “I would assume that Lord Achilles and Lady Ada will be arriving shortly?”
“I have no idea m’lady, but I would assume so.” Reed responded as he and the others rose from their stance to greet Lord Livan and his sons
As they did so, another royal train entered the station and a tall beautiful silver female Velociraptor wearing a white cloak that wrapped around her slim shoulders and was fixed by her husband, a shorter stockier orange Tsaagan who also helped the Dark Forest representative, a very slender blue Alxasaurus named Xas, out of the train.
Xas smiled softly and nervously at the proper lords and ladies, then at Lord Sagan. “Thank you Sagan. It’s good to be in a proper city.” he said with another nervous smile as he shook Spike and Reed’s hands firmly , “Xas. Nice to meet you all.”
“What hold do you control?” Spike asked kindly, to which Xas’ reply was vague yet clear.
“Oh I wouldn’t call the Dark Forest my hold. I just control the town of Beipi. I’m no Lord, and do not consider my hold of much importance. But nevertheless, I must be present for the treaty signing, as Beipi is part of Raptania.” he replied.
Xas sighed as he and the other lords were led towards the castle.
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Cabazi was normally panicky. It was part of his personality. But today he was approximately six times more panicky than normal. This was due to him having to meet all the lords, and at the same time he had to hide all of his feelings for Fluttershy. He had to be calm and content, and right now he was being the polar opposite of that. He took a deep breath or three and stood up straight as a Mononykus fixed his cloak and he walked into the main hall.
King Unen fixed his own cloak and ambled weakly to his copper throne and sat upon it, overlooking all of the work being done, and his Utahraptor friend Ostrom co-ordinating it all; sending alvarezsaurs with every nameable cleaning tool in the world all around the castle. Rarity, surprisingly, was helping with the curtains and carpets and making sure that Princess Buitre and Prince Quinn were sharply dressed to meet the lords. Quinn of course was complaining, but Buit was complimenting the Equestrian and her work with fabrics.
Twilight was wearing her ‘Princess dress’, the only one in existence nowadays seeing as Rarity burned the others, and she looked through the royal library with Pinkie Pie when they heard a knock on the door. Pinkie as usual bounced to the door and opened it, revealing the knocker to be Key.
“Key? What are you doing here, silly?” she asked as a wide smile began to plaster her face.
“Well I’ve got no work to do today at all, so I thought I’d come up here and hang out with you and your friends.” Key answered mildly as he saw Twilight and waved nervously.
“So this must be this Key you were talking about, Pinkie. It’s nice to meet you. I’m Twilight Sparkle.” the purple alicorn said with a smile
“I see. So you are the Princess of Friendship that will sign the peace treaty between our two nations?” Key asked softly
Twilight answered with a nervous chuckle, “Yeah. That’s me.”
“Well it’s nice of you to come. I know Raptania and Equestria have been attempting to get a treaty, but with Tirek, Discord and Princess Luna being banished, Princess Celestia must have had her hooves full.” Key remarked.
Suddenly the three heard the giant castle doors open along with fanfare as the lady and lord of Ore Rock entered the castle, followed closely by Lord Livan and Lady Rinth. Xas quickly followed, but his entrance was not met with fanfare like the others. Instead, a blue Alnashetri declared him as “the Dark Forest representative” and backed off.
Spike and Reed followed the lords and Ostrom ran up to them worriedly. “Where’s my dad?” he asked the Kinnareemimus.
“Relax Ostrom. His train will arrive shortly. You have to be patient.” Reed answered. Ostrom made a growl of annoyance and returned to his station beside Cabazi, who had finally composed himself.
As the lords and ladies entered the hall, Fluttershy and the other ponies came in wearing their beautiful Gala dresses. Cabazi tried to not look at Fluttershy. He tried to ignore her and get on with the day, but love can destroy any male’s will. He saw her and his jaw nearly dropped open. To him she looked stunning. He stopped looking to shake the lords’ hands and he finally snapped out of a cheesy romantic state of mind.
Rainbow Dash walked past Kin and the Hagryphus guard and walked up to Xas, surprising the Alxasurus. He jumped back slightly but recomposed himself to shake the pegasus’ hoof.
“I didn’t know that The Dark Forest’s lord would be here.” Rainbow exclaimed, “You are so awesome!”
Xas’ soft blue cheeks grew a softer red blush as he chuckled, “Oh I’m no lord. I’m more of a mayor, barely even that. I’m that raptor that keeps the rest in check, but has no authority over them”
Spike walked past the two to talk to Lord Saagan, who had finished showing Veloci affection. The Tsaagan turned to face the dragon and smiled softly.
“Hello there. I remember you from the train station. You were with Reed.” he noted.
“Well yeah. I’m Spike.” the dragon replied as he lifted his chest up to seem more impressive.
“Well it’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance Spike.” Saagan said with a soft smile; which is rather difficult to do when you have jaws of sharp, serrated teeth. But Saagan, somehow, managed it; as if he had been doing all his life.
“Say, you seem like a very affectionate raptor. Do you have any relationship advice?” Spike asked as casually as he could manage, which was not very casually as he had not been taught to speak casually.
“Nope,” Saagan answered bluntly, then leaned in closer to Spike, “I didn’t marry Lady Veloci the way the other lords married their wives. Lady Veloci was to wed a Linheraptor, but she rejected him; she ran out into the streets of Chelonis and found me. She dragged me into the altar and just like that, we were wed. But I can give you this bit of advice: the woman is always right. Even when she’s wrong, she’s right.”
Spike stared at the lord with a blank expressionless face that could kill the mood of even a Pinkie party as he comprehended everything the Tsaagan had said. “I see. So, you wouldn’t be able to give me advice on confessing feelings?” he asked; slowly, quietly. He didn’t want this to be a conversation that everypony and raptor could hear.
“Why of course not. The most I could say when me and Veloci were getting married was a ‘hello’!” Saagan replied.
Spike nodded slowly as he then left the Tsaagan lord and in a flurry of fanfare and applause; finally, the lord and lady of Venator had arrived. A tall silver male Achillobator and a small beige female Adasaurus; both with a long green cloak draping over their shoulders; entered the castle followed by the two brothers; Ostrom’s brothers. The older, more red Dromaeosaurus was the first to hug his younger, yet larger, brother. He was followed by a smaller, black Zapsalis who joined the brotherly embrace. Ostrom’s face couldn’t look more exhausted if he tried. He wasn’t hugging his older brothers back; he never did; he only allowed them to embrace him and rub his head with their arms; if they could reach.
King Unen rose shakily from his copper throne and feebly ambled towards the Achillobator. “Lord Achilles,” he began as his wrinkled lips began to move, “It has been a long time since you have been in Maniraptora.”
Lord Achilles’ reaction to the elderly king’s words was rather typical of such a large raptor that was speaking to one much smaller than him. “Well indeed it has been. After all, I do have my own hold to rule,” he noted in a sharp tone, “How is my son? I hope he’s doing a good job for you?”
“He is. I am certain that he is the best Hand of the King this country’s ever had.” Cabazi answered for his father. He was doing so; not as a way to prove he was next in line; but rather as a way to save his father’s breath. King Unen turned to his son and smiled weakly.
Achilles laughed at this comment as Drom and Zapsal dragged Ostrom towards this convoy of raptors. A golden Aurornis flapped his wings towards a perch and sat atop of it, looking down on Ostrom and his brothers. He let out a chirping chuckle from his toothed beak as he flapped down beside Ostrom. “Good to see you again, Ostrom.” he said with a small smile made from small smooth teeth.
“It’s good to see you too, Auro.” Ostrom replied to the Aurornis messenger.
“A lot has changed since you left Ostrom. The buildings have been repainted; the alleyways have been cleaned and crime is at an all time low.” Auro told his old friend.
“All because I left? So you’re saying that because I left, Dad decided to fix up the city?” Ostrom asked glumly.
Auro replied with a laugh. “No way, mate. Achilles just got a firm talking to by Ada. It’s like what Saagan keeps saying; you can do you what you want, until the lady says no.”
Ostrom laughed nervously as every pony, raptor and the dragon went into the hall to have the feast.
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Twilight felt so tiny in the hall; and it was not because the hall was massive. It was the sheer quantity of dinosaurs in the hall; and the variety of them. She was only half the size of most of them; and she was supposed to be a Princess. “Mind you,” she thought, “King Unen, Lord Livan and Lady Veloci are about my size too. But even then, why are these raptors so big? It’s like they’re either my size or smaller.”
As she thought about the size difference in the hall, Vic wandered by her, grumbling. Twilight might have felt tiny in the hall, but at least she is of good size; unlike Vic, who is dwarfed by ponies and raptors alike. He levitated platter after platter, grumbling at each one that entered his aura. His small stubby arms would have made a middle finger if his hand wasn’t one big thumb claw.
Velox, meanwhile was enjoying standing rather than sitting at the massive table that wrapped around the hall as a marble scarf that kept the gargantuan fireplace alight. He liked looking around the hall; he liked seeing the lords pleased; he was most certainly liking the view of Rainbow Dash. But every time he looked at her, he shook his head, thinking; “She’ll never feel the same way.”. Vic budged Velox multiple times as he went back and forth; but Velox simply didn't give a penny of interest.
After engaging Lord Achilles in a grand conversation about Raptania and its citizens, Twilight decided to chat with Velox to find out if what Reed had said was indeed true. Crawling between tall chairs with thin space between them; through Shuuvias, Kol, Mononykuses and Parvicursors carrying platters and plates and bottles and glasses; the purple alicorn finally reached the blue Ornithomimus. Her voice was small, but Velox could easily hear it.
“Hello there Velox.” Twilight began; although it took thirty seconds to form the full sentence; Twilight’s nerves getting the better of her.
Velox’s reply to the nervous alicorn seemed almost rehearsed. He knew she wanted to speak with him, and as such he had a reply prepared. Sharply but friendly, he responded, “Good evening, Twilight. Are you enjoying the feast?”
Once again, through a slur of ums and ehms, Twilight noted, “It’s going well, I guess. So Velox… I heard that you and Reed are planning on becoming my royal guards after the treaty is signed………”
“Why of course,” Velox responded, “I've always dreamed of going to Equestria; ever since I was a hatchling. The culture, the scenery, the citizens, the adventures; what more could an ornithomimid want?”
“I see. So, is it just you and Reed; or are others planning on going to Equestria?” Twilight asked, now very curious. How would the ponies react to there suddenly being dinosaurs in Equestria? Would there be peace? Would there be segregation? She didn’t want to find out the answer to those questions.
“The most I know of; a few raptors are thinking of moving,” Velox answered, then leaned closer to the alicorn and whispered, “But I do hear that every single raptor in Mottisfort, excluding those in employ of Forsuthion, are seriously considering relocation.”
“I see. Well, I gotta get back to my seat. It was great talking to you.” Twilight said as she backed away through the maze of chairs and alvarezsaurs; all while thinking, “I hope that Forsuthion isn’t going to do something horrible while we’re here. I don’t want my friends to be in the middle of a full-on war.”
The rest of the ponies were enjoying the many dinosaurs they had for company: Applejack might have struggled with Manehattan life, but she felt rather comfortable speaking to the lords; but only because Rarity was speaking on her behalf; Fluttershy felt at home speaking with the lone Patagonykus that sat next to her, as he looked rather like a cross between an ostrich, a chicken and a lizard; Pinkie Pie was as usual being hyperactive and buzzy around the raptors; Rainbow Dash was trying the best she could to be civil, although she would on occasion glance at Velox, and blush ever so slightly if he looked back; and Rarity was being very chatty, questioning, among other things: culture, clothing, tourist attractions, how certain things worked; she just wouldn’t shut her mouth. It was only the short instances she ate some food that she stopped, then after she swallowed she continued chatting.
While ponies and raptors alike were enjoying themselves, Ostrom was bored and slightly irritated. It was only the fact that he was located next to the King that kept him content. The sheer noise level, the clatter of cutlery, plates, bowls and wine glasses, the occasional cheer from the male raptors; it was too much for the Utahraptor to bear. Eventually, Unen rose from his large chair and the whole room went silent. Even the alvarezsaurs who had been moving constantly froze to ice.
“My dear friends,” the Unenlagia began, “Tomorrow, the most important document in Raptanian history will be signed, and we shall be united. We have come a long way since this great city was once a humble little settlement. We have seen war after war, treaty after treaty, king after king after queen. But now, we shall soon become one with Equestria. Soon we shall become an ally. Soon we shall become a friend!”
The entire hall filled with cheers, as the many voices formed one large wave of sound that flooded Ostrom’s poor little ears; and the hall once again resumed its normal activity. But Vic was no longer carrying plates or platters. He was walking towards the giant door that contained the excitement within the hall. But he only got a few feet before he was trapped behind the chair of the purple dragon.
Spike turned to face the grey Parvicursor and smiled in a friendly manner. “Hello there,” he said with the smile still on his face. Vic’s only answer was a snarl; which is rather difficult to do for an alvarezsaur, but Vic could manage it very well. Spike tried again, “I’m Spike. What’s your name?”
This time Vic replied with words, but in a growling voice he murmured silently, “Why is it any of your business? My name is Vic and I have no time to chat with others.”
“Why not?” Spike asked, “After all, it is a banquet.”
Vic rolled his eyes. “For you lot maybe,” he snarled, “But we parvicursorines get no banquets; or parties; or feasts; or holidays. It’s just work until your feathers fall out. I’m telling you now, things would be a lot different if the power was in…... different claws.”
Spike didn’t know what to say or do anymore. Clearly this Parvicursor was not to be talked to, so he pulled his chair in; or rather Vic used his magic to pull it in for him, and Vic walked out silently. “What is wrong with him? He seems creepy….” Spike thought, then shook off the thought as he was served another plate by a kind Ceratonykus.
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Back in Martha; as the section of silver moon shone through the ruined town, Forsuthion was getting impatient. He was expecting every Sickle here by now, but one still hadn’t shown up. There was a definite space between the cream Linhevenator and the brown Segnosaurus. Forsuthion growled in impatience as eventually a grey Parvicursor wandered into the town.
“Apologies for being late, my lord,” the Parvicursor said with a bow, “But I couldn’t get out of that bloody banquet fast enough. That Equestrian dragon got in my way.”
Forsuthion looked shocked as he let the Parvicursor rise. “They have a DRAGON?!” he snapped, and the Parvicursor nodded.
“But only a little one, my lord. Harmless thing. Couldn’t kill a fly.” he replied.
“That no longer matters,” Forsuthion barked, “What matters is that tonight, the assassination is made. You know the drill; kill all witnesses and do the assassination as brutal as possible.”
The raptors all nodded in agreement, but the Parvicursor went up to Forsuthion in confusion. “What shall I do, m’lord?” he asked.
Forsuthion turned to him and said, “You get to do the killing blow, Vic.”. Forsuthion left the area, and allowed the Sickles to plan the attack…………………...