//------------------------------//
// Fighting Griffons (Edited) 
// Story: A Man and an Army 
// by Saffron 
//------------------------------//

----------------------------------Canterlot Throne Room----------------------------------
    “I would like to personally spend a day and night here to get to know you.” I said. My proposal seemed to surprise them. As well as the few guards present. 

    “What?” Both Celestia and Luna asked in shock.

    “Well, i'm new around here and don't really know anybody… anypony, so I thought it would be great to get to know you two, and become friends.” I said with a smile. It wasn’t a lie. I did want to be their friend, but I also needed to do some recon.

    “Well I am fairly busy. I have day court to attend to.” Celestia said.

    “I am busy as well, I must attend night court.” Luna said with a hint of resentment in her tone.

    “Doesn’t matter to me, I can still learn a little bit about you two, and if you wish for me to leave at anytime I will go.” I said.

    I waited a few moments for them to think about my offer, but soon they reached a verdict.

    “We would be more than happy to have you stay for the day.” Celestia said.

    “Wonderful, I can’t wait.” I said happily. “So while i’m here, do you know where I could get some food and a place to stay?” I asked.

    “You could stay in the castle.” Luna suggested. “We could have a room prepared for you in a few hours.” 

    “Well, where I am from it is customary for the hostess to sleep with the guest.” I said with a straight face.

    After I said that everything went quiet. The looks on the guards faces were priceless, jaws to the floor, and Luna’s face had a strong red tint through her fur, which doesn't seem physically possible. I think Celestia could tell I was joking, because she had a small smirk on her muzzle, almost unnoticeable. 

    “Very well, Luna will accompany you. After all, she is the one who invited you to stay.” Celestia said.

    The look on Luna’s face was priceless. Complete and utter shock. Hell, the guards faces were the same. Luna struggled to formulate a response but couldn’t.

    I couldn’t hold back any longer. I began to laugh. I could hardly breathe I was laughing so hard. It took me a few seconds to recover. Celestia only chuckled softly. 

    “That is not funny!” Luna huffed.

    “Yes, yes it is.” I said.

    “I agree.” Jane said.

    The guards in the room tensed up upon hearing the new voice. 

    “Who is there?” Celestia asked.

    “That's just Jane, she is an A.I. and my assistant.” I said.

    “What is this A.I.?” Celestia asked.

    “I am a program that was created to manage ship systems and assist the captain of a ship that was found by the commander.” Jane said.

    “Basically what she is, is an artificial intelligence, she is not a living thing, but a creation from science.” I said. 

    “Impossible.” Luna said.

    “I have to agree with my sister on this. Unless… This ‘A.I.’ was created with dark magic.” Celestia said.

    “There is so much I need to teach you two, of course it's understandable.” I said.

    “What are you implying?” Celestia asked.

    “I am not implying anything.” I said defensively.

    “It does not matter.” Jane said.

    “You're right. It doesn't matter.” Celestia said.

    “Now, before we get off track any further, I would like to offer you two a gesture of goodwill.” I said.

    “What would that be?” Celestia asked curiously.

    “Better armor for your guards, as well as medical supplies.” I said. “This is all I can offer at this time.” 

    “Like the armor that you wear?” Luna asked.

    “No, that armor was forged with gernitre and herinoium as well as other elements far too rare to spare. The armor I am giving you is slightly outdated to me, but for you it should be a great help.” I said.

    “What can this armor do?” Celestia asked.

    “Well, it should be able to resist dragon fire and probably most anything you two could throw at it, but I am not completely sure. Magic is a subject the NLR does not really study or have much knowledge of.” I said.

    “You must know more than us, about magic, you have traveled through space.” Luna said.

    “Well, how we got here was using a wormhole. It was with science not magic is what I am trying to say.” I said.

    “Hmm, so you didn’t use magic?” Celestia asked curiously.

    “No, in fact, there are only five ‘magical’ races we know of, including yours. As well as a few grimoires, spell tomes, and artifacts that have been found that are ‘magical’.” I said. “I, however have actually studied magic thoroughly.”

    “If what you’re saying is true… and all of what you have told me so far was done without magic. You have disproved many theories and millennia old conflicts.” Celestia said.

    “That doesn't surprise me.” I said. 

    “Commander, there is a situation at the ship.” Jane said interrupting the conversation.

    “What is it?” I asked.

    “From the report it sounds like a small military group of… Large birds, has been detained for trying to forcefully ‘pass through’ our occupied zone.” Jane said.

    “Where did they say they were headed?” I asked.

    “Canterlot?” Celestia asked looking very nervous.

    “Correct, were you expecting them?” Jane asked.

    “They were the advanced guard for the griffon emperor.” Celestia said.

    I thought quickly trying to think of a way to fix this, or at least not make it worse. 

    “Jane, send them here… The express route.” I said.

    After a few seconds they appeared in the middle of the throne room in a bright flash of blue light.

    “AND IF YOU DON'T! Wait…” 

    The griffon yelling was wearing a more heavy set of armor with some gold brandishings. 

    “Well, hello there. You were trying to pass through a restricted area.” Jane said.

    “Jane, shut up.” I said a little forcefully. “I am sorry you were detained by my soldiers…”

    “Your soldiers!” The griffon interrupted. “Your damned soldiers broke my lieutenants wing! You freaky monkey.”

    “Did you just call me a monkey?” I asked a little insulted.

    “Did I stutter, you freak!” He yelled at me.

    “Enough!” Celestia said with the royal canterlot voice.

    “Yeah, you don't want to start a fight you could never win.” I said.

    “Is that a challenge?” The griffon said in a dangerous tone.

    “If you want it to be.” I casually said.

    The griffon lunged at me trying to catch me off guard. I quickly ducked and swept his claws out from under him, making him trip. The other three griffon tried to join in and out number me. I quickly griped them all in a telekinetic grip and smashed their heads together knocking them out. 

    “I’m so sorry Celestia, but no one can insult me like that come out unscathed.” I said.

    I turned around just in time to take a talon scratch to the face. 

    “Take that you… Damned… Monkey.” The griffon said.

    My face was on fire with pain, and I already felt the muscle and skin reforming. It took a few seconds for the pain to dull into a slight throbbing sting. 

    “Congrats you hit me, now it's my turn.” I said.

    Before my fist met the bastard of a griffons face, something grabbed my arm in magic and held me back. When the griffon noticed the golden aura around my arm he quickly went in for a final attack. He grabbed a dagger from his belt and ran into me with it. The dagger went through my chest barely missing my heart. I remember hearing yelling, from Luna I think. I screamed from the searing pain of the blade tearing my flesh. I grabbed the dagger, wincing from the agony, and pulled it out. I threw the dagger at the griffon, managing to bury the blade in his leg. I heard his scream. How did that dagger go through my armor? That was my last thought before I passed out from the pain.