A Dream of Sunny Days

by Roranicus


XXXII Shining Armor

"Say 'Pinkie Pie'," Pinkie said, her face brushing again the albino parrot's cage.

Shining Armor chuckled from his seat in front of the Captain's desk. Seaswirl had been kind enough to allow them to use his cabin. They often took advantage of it to either get out of the sailors' way or plan their next move.

"I don't think the bird can talk." Gabrielle said from the couch opposite the desk as she rolled her eyes. "And you'll get your nose bitten if you stand that close."

"That's boring," Pinkie said with a pout. "Parrots are supposed to repeat."

Shining shook his head. He rose and walked to one of the small windows in the back of the cabin. "I imagine the sun will be up soon. Coral Drifter told me we should be in High Roost come morning."

"Now I remember why I never went back home," Gabrielle said with a groan. "I hate spending so much time on ships."

"It could be worse," Shining said with a shrug. "At least the captain and the first mate are friendly enough. Plus, they let us use this cabin."

The griffon sighed. "The two of you might be too quick to trust Seaswirl. There's something about him that rubs me the wrong way."

Pinkie gave up on the parrot and walked to Gabrielle. "Trust me. Seaswirl is on our side. I can tell if a smile is genuine." She winked knowingly.

"Is that why you trusted him with delivering a letter to your friend in Canterlot?" Gabrielle said. "Because you like his smile?"

Shining sighed. This was an argument they'd had multiple times. After Pinkie figured out that Ambassador Antoine was responsible for Princess Celestia's murder, she naturally wanted to warn Rarity. Seaswirl offered to send a messenger, claiming he had the means to get the letter safely in Rarity's hooves. While Shining and Gabrielle had their doubts, Pinkie accepted without hesitation.

"Let's not go over this again," Shining said before Pinkie could reply. He walked to the door. "I'm going outside to see what's going on. I feel like the sun should have been up by now."

Pinkie frowned and accompanied him. "I don't like it either. I hope it's not something bad."

It was easy to forget who controlled the sun and moon. Could this be a message from Luna? Equestria was already facing famine, and the Cloudsdale troops had shown willingness to burn civilian food stores. This could very well be her newest attack — create eternal night and force Blueblood to capitulate. No doubt Cadance would be asked to try and raise the sun. I wish I were there with you, my love.

Shining, Pinkie, and Gabrielle found the deck eerily silent. A series of bright flames were visible off the starboard bow. Shining's eyes took a minute to adjust before he realized they were braziers illuminating a city. One particularly bright source of light appeared to be a lighthouse. He made sure his companions were still following him before finding Seaswirl, who silently observed the scene.

"What's going on, Captain?" Shining asked as he approached the captain.

Seaswirl smirked. "We've arrived. Welcome to High Roost."

"And it's still night," Shining said.

The captain nodded. "It was bound to happen. I'm surprised Luna didn't do it sooner, to be frank."

Gabrielle's brow furrowed. "It only means we need to hurry up."

"For starters, we need to dock the ship," Seaswirl said as he stared at the city in the distance. "It seems we're not the only ship who needs direction through this darkness. We're expecting guards to come by and give us directions."

"Will this be a problem?" Shining asked. "I'd rather avoid attention."

"We'll be fine," Seaswirl said with a dismissive gesture. "Just hide below deck if you're scared. Trust me, they don't have time to inspect us."

"The darkness could play to our advantage," Pinkie said with her usual enthusiastic smile. "Easier to hide, and the soldiers will be too busy with all the coming ships to search ours."

"I like the way you think," the captain said with a grin.

Shining turned his attention back to the city. Like the stories said, it was built into a mountain. Various buildings were carved directly into the rock, although the details were hard to make out. Most of the illumination came from a large city at the foot of the tall peak.

"It's more impressive in the daylight," Gabrielle said.

Shining nodded absentmindedly. "So how much will we get noticed in there, being ponies?"

"Actually, not that much," Gabrielle said. "The lower city houses a large donkey population, and quite a few unicorns, too. Unicorn magic is high in demand. You could pass yourself as a spellcaster for hire."

Shining's brow furrowed. "I just hope they don't ask me to demonstrate. Outside of magical shields, I'm not all that skilled. Nothing like my wife or my sister."

"We'll be fine," Pinkie said with a wink. "With Gabrielle's family and Captain Seaswirl's knowledge of the city, we'll get by."

"I think the captain will be plenty busy with his ship, Pinkie," Gabrielle said.

Seaswirl stepped forward. "Actually, Coral Drifter can manage things without me. I figure it's not every day I get to help rescue a princess. I'd like to come with." He smiled widely, displaying his golden tooth.

"The more the merrier!" Pinkie cheered before anyone had a chance to object.

"Flyers incoming!" A voice from the vigil at the top of the mast yelled.

"That would be the dock guards," Seaswirl said. "You folks better hide below deck. I'll have somepony get you once it's safe."

Shining nodded. "Thank you."


Just as promised, getting into High Roost proved simple and straightforward. Soldiers escorted the Siren's Madness to the docks, then left the crew to their own devices. Once the ship was safely moored, the crew was allowed to unload their cargo. Shining, Pinkie, Gabrielle, and Seaswirl easily sneaked away from the docks and into the lower city.

High Roost's docks led into a labyrinth of stone and clay houses tightly packed together. Soldiers were a common occurrence, but unlike in Equestria, they didn't go out of their way to make patrols as visible as possible. The deeper they went into the city, the quieter the streets got. Shining couldn't blame the citizens for staying inside when facing the prospect of eternal night.

The mountain towered over them all the way to Gabrielle's family home. If the buildings in the lower city were small and modest, the impressive stone structures jutting out of the mountain were anything but. "That's where the wealthiest citizens live," Gabrielle quietly explained. "The mountain city is only accessible through flight. Griffons like to remind the donkeys and ponies that they own the city."

Shining nodded. "I imagine that King Aurélien lives up there?"

"His palace is at the very top," Gabrielle said. "I've never been there, but I heard there's an area surrounding it where dignitaries from other nations can move around without wings."

"So if we want to get the Equestrian embassy to help us, we have to go up there?" Pinkie asked.

Shining shook his head. "The ambassador is a friend of Blueblood's. He might well be in on the entire conspiracy."

"Pfft," the captain said. "Who needs nobles and ambassadors when we have friendship, right?" He grinned at Pinkie, who answered with a smile. Shining frowned, but remained silent.

"We're here," Gabrielle said as they neared a nondescript block of clay with a small window and a wooden door. It was nearly identical to all the other homes in the area. Gabrielle knocked twice. "I trust my family, and I think they'll be on our side. Let me do the talking though."

Shining nodded just as the door opened, revealing a gray-feathered griffon with thick red fur and piercing dark brown eyes. His expression lightened up the moment he saw who was at the door. "Gabrielle! I didn't know you were coming."

"Hello Basil," Gabrielle said with a warm smile. "I brought some friends from Equestria. We could use your help with something. Is Grace home?"

"She's in the back, brooding our egg," Basil said as he motioned for the group to enter. "Please, come in."

"Thank you," Shining said as they all stepped inside. As expected, the house was small, but warm. A few knickknacks were lying around, with a well-polished golden set of armor left on a central table. A stove and a pantry were at the back of the room. Apparently, it served as a kitchen as well as a dining room.

Basil walked to an open passage at the end of the room, followed by Gabrielle. Shining led the rest of the group behind the two griffons. They arrived in another small room with a mattress in the middle and a straw cot onto which a female griffon with the same auburn feathers as Gabrielle lay. Unlike her sister's brown fur, hers was blond. "Gabrielle! I was so worried about you when I heard soldiers were going to Equestria!"

"I'm fine, Grace" Gabrielle said as she walked forward and nuzzled her sister. Her expression quickly changed to a frown. "Things aren't well in Equestria though. The only reason I'm still alive is these ponies here. This is Shining Armor, and this is Pinkie Pie. This other stallion here is Captain Seaswirl. He granted us passage on his ship."

Grace smiled at them. "Thank you all for helping my sister. I'm Grace, and you already met my husband Basil. I'd rise, but..." She slightly turned her body to show the egg under her belly.

"Ohhh!" Pinkie said as she rushed forward. "Hi there little eggy."

"Congratulations," Gabrielle said with a weak smile. "I know you've been wanting a kid for a while."

"Thank you," Grace said. "And what about you? Where's Carter?"

Tears welled up in Gabrielle's eyes, and Pinkie walked forward, placing a hoof on the griffon's shoulder. Gabrielle shook her head.

Grace gasped. "Oh no! What happened?"

Shining spoke up while Gabrielle accepted Pinkie's embrace. "Riots in Gale. After the initial battle between Luna's forces and the griffons at Ponyville, many ponies blamed all griffons for the deaths of their friends and family members."

"I wish I could find these cowards and make them pay," Basil snapped.

Shining sighed. "Most of them probably did. The Cloudsdale army conscripted the entire village soon after, and a lot of those ponies died in battle."

Gabrielle gently pushed Pinkie aside. "Shining is right. The Equestrians were never ready for war. They're scared and confused, and Centurion Bouvier's forces are taking advantage of that."

Basil frowned. "I know you don't like the military, Gabrielle, but I hope you're not saying what I think you're saying."

"I am," Gabrielle firmly replied. "And it's not just about me not wanting to serve in the Griffingard legions. Crimes have been committed against Equestria, and I'd like your help in making sure that the guilty parties are brought to justice."

Grace took a deep breath. "We should hear them out, Basil. We can decide if we want to help them after."

"Fine," Basil said with a sigh.

Shining nodded. "Thank you. Whatever happens, I don't want to put your family in danger. Now, we're here because we believe Equestrian national heroes are being kept in a place known as King's End tower."

Basil frowned. "Good luck getting in there. The place is a fortress. Only the most dangerous prisoners are held in there. Rumor says that it was built by the Lodge specifically to hold dangerous magical creatures."

"The Lodge?" Pinkie asked. "That's new."

"The Lodge is the worst-kept secret in High Roost," Grace said. "It's a group of high-ranking nobles who plot to bring Griffingard back to glory. A lot of talk of the old wars with Zebrica, the conquest of Brayzil, that kind of thing. Old, wealthy names like the Claybornes, the Garciens, the Bouviers—"

"Wait, Bouvier?" Shining said. "That's the name of the centurion in charge of the forces in Equestria. And isn't his wife part of the king's entourage?"

"Alicia," Gabrielle said with a nod. "And yes, she is."

"Both of them are prominent members," Grace said.

Pinkie and Shining shared a knowing nod. "It all makes sense," Shining said. "A griffon secret society who wants to bring their nation back to the old days plots against Equestria. They murder one princess, capture another, force another one into exile."

Pinkie gasped. "Oh no! Does it mean that Cadance—"

"We have to stop this for her sake as well as everyone else's," Shining said, cutting off Pinkie. "How do we get inside King's End?"

"Very few are even allowed in," Basil said. "Specific guards are assigned to it, and only members of the nobility and their escorts can go there. It's located on the other side of the mountain, and is fairly well isolated. Stories say that it was built there because that location is resistant to magic."

"It's the crossing of magical paths," Seaswirl said. "It apparently makes most forms of magic difficult, and there're stories of some form of changeling artifact at play, making most magic impossible," When every eyes turned in his direction, he shrugged. "I read about it once."

"Well, we need to get in," Pinkie said. "Grace, Basil, can we count on your help?"

"You said they're holding an Equestrian princess captive?" Grace asked as she shifted her body on the straw cot.

"Princess Twilight," Pinkie said, looking down at her hooves. "One of my best friends, and Shining's sister. They're also holding Rainbow Dash, another one of our friends."

Basil and Grace shared a look. They whispered in each other's ears as Shining's group politely stepped away. After a minute, Basil stepped forward. "You can stay here for a while, but you have to leave before you make your move. As far as getting inside the tower, you'll need the help of someone who has access. I'm just a city guard — I can't help you there."

"Do you know of anyone?" Gabrielle asked. "Even if it's just a rumor, anything will help."

Basil scratched his chin. "Maybe. There's a guard who often drinks in a donkey bar nearby. Jenny's Trough, I believe it's called. I don't know her name, only that she's been hitting the bottle pretty hard. Some patrons have been complaining, but she's a decurion, so she pretty much gets a free pass."

"Hmm, it's better than nothing," Shining said. "It's worth checking out. Pinkie, Gabrielle, Captain, you want to come with me?"

"I'll stay here with my family," Gabrielle said. "I haven't seen them in a long time."

"Understandable," Shining said with a nod.

"I think it's a splendid idea," the captain said. "While you do this, I'll go talk to a few acquaintances. I can make a few subtle inquiries. I have a few friends in this city."

Shining frowned. "We should stay together."

"Come now," the captain said with a mock feinting expression. "You wound me. If I wanted to betray you to the guards, I would have done it already."

"We can trust him," Pinkie said with a firm nod. "I know I'm right on this, Shiny."

Shining shared a concerned look with Gabrielle but nodded. "Alright, let's see what we can learn and meet back here."


Jenny's Trough was as depressing a watering hole as Shining ever saw. Around thirty patrons quietly drank themselves into oblivion. At least three donkeys were already passed out drunk in their own vomit. Each table sported one or more burnt out candles next to a still lit one. I suppose the prospect of eternal night is affecting drunks as much as anyone else, Shining thought as he observed the scene.

"This place could use some cheering up," Pinkie whispered.

"Not now, Pinkie," Shining said, his tone harsher than he intended. Pinkie's ears flattened, but she didn't argue.

The crowd was split between griffons and donkeys, with a small group of unicorns sitting at the bar. None of the griffons wore military uniforms, so finding their target wouldn't be as simple as hoped. Shining turned again to Pinkie, who was studying the room with her eyes. Suddenly, she jumped and her tail flickered excitedly. "Oh! I know her."

Shining tried to say something, but Pinkie had already rushed to a griffon's side in front of the bar. "Hi Gilda!" she called in the cheerful tone one would use when addressing a close friend.

The white-feathered griffon, presumably Gilda, rose and stared at Pinkie with what could only be described as panic. "You... you shouldn't be here," the griffon said.

Shining stepped forward. "Hold on. We mean you no harm."

Gilda's eyes quickly traveled between the two ponies. "What are you even doing in High Roost, Pinkie Pie? Who's your friend?"

Shining held back as Pinkie smiled. "We're here looking for a friend. Maybe you can help us?"

"I can't," Gilda snapped. She took a deep breath and sat back at her table. "Now get out of here and let me enjoy my drink." She returned her attention to a lone glass of gryppa.

Pinkie turned to Shining and raised an eyebrow. Shining gestured back toward Gilda with his head, opting to trust his companion's judgment. Whoever this griffon was, she was obviously afraid of something.

"Gilda," Pinkie said as she sat next to her. "Do you have any idea what happened to Rainbow Dash?"

"She's dead," the griffon said flatly, staring at her glass. "You might die too if you don't leave this city right now. There's nopony for you to save here." She picked up her glass and sipped its contents.

Pinkie shook her head. "She's not. She's alive, and somewhere in this city." She placed her hoof on Gilda's claw. "Do you have any idea where she might be?"

"You're insane," Gilda said as she pulled her claw away from Pinkie's hoof. "I saw Rainbow die at the battle of Ponyville. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to forget about this stupid war. Your being here is not helping. Just go spread friendship to the donkeys or something."

Shining sighed and took a step forward. It seemed like this griffon would need an extra push. "King's End tower," he said as he sat next to the griffon. "Name ring a bell?"

"It's a prison," Gilda said. "It's just where we drop magical creatures. There's nothing interesting there." She kept glancing at the exit, as if looking for an excuse to run away.

"We were told one of the guards from King's End often drinks here," Shining pressed on. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about this?"

"I don't know if you noticed," Gilda said as she rolled her eyes. "But this isn't the kind of bar where we go to chat and make friends. I don't care what these others do with their lives, and they don't care about mine."

"But we care," Pinkie said with a smile. "We care about you, and we care about Rainbow Dash. Whatever has you down, we know you could use some help."

Gilda sighed. "I'm not having your death on my conscience. Last warning. Get out and don't come back."

Shining rolled his eyes and slammed his hoof on the table. "Enough with the self-pity. We can make our own choices, and we're not leaving without answers. Now, your insistence that we leave only makes you look suspicious. If Rainbow Dash really was your friend, don't you think you should do everything you can to help her?"

"Shining's right," Pinkie said, placing a hoof on Shining's shoulder. Her gentle tone contrasted with Shining's harsher demeanor. "I don't know what happened to you. To be fair, everypony back in Equestria looks just as sad. We can't forget our friendship though."

"I forgot how annoying you could be," Gilda said with a groan. "Fine, I'll tell you what you want, but not here. Do you have a safe spot where we can talk?"

Pinkie and Shining shared a grin. "We do," Shining said.

Gilda quickly looked around the room. "Alright, let's go. I just hope we're not being watched."

They left and made their way through the dark streets back toward Grace's house. High Roost was eerily silent, the only signs of life being the candlelight flickers escaping some of the windows they passed. Shining trusted Pinkie's natural sense of direction to guide them through the small alleys. He still had a hard time recognizing one street from the other.

He was tempted on a few occasions to start questioning Gilda. Just who was this griffon? She was obviously an acquaintance of both Pinkie and Rainbow. Once again, Pinkie was quick to trust her. The earth pony's judgment hadn't led them astray so far, but their luck couldn't hold out forever.

They turned a corner Shining recognized. They would arrive soon, and he would finally get his answers. A sharp whistling sound made them all stop in their tracks. Shining turned his head to the right, only to find an equine silhouette in an alley motioning for them to follow. Shining shared confused looks with Pinkie and Gilda.

"Quick, follow me," a familiar voice said. The silhouette stepped forward and was revealed as Captain Seaswirl.

Shining's brow furrowed as he followed the captain through a dark and dirty alley. The group was led through pitch blackness in a zigzag of confusing back streets. "I wonder how many ship captains know the ins and outs of High Roost's slums," Shining whispered.

"I'm full of surprises," Seaswirl said, a hint of pride in his voice.

"Shhh," Gilda's voice admonished as they neared a source of light.

The captain hid behind a large pile of garbage, and Shining followed close behind. He swore under his breath as he saw two guards standing in front of Grace's home. How much do they know? Has Gabrielle been captured? He turned his head back and shared a concerned look with Pinkie, who studied the situation with a deep frown.

Hints of movement grabbed Shining's attention toward the house's small window. More guards were probably inside, either searching or questioning the family, probably both. The two soldiers at the entrance were deep in conversation, but Shining couldn't make out the words. After a few minutes, the door opened and two more soldiers left. One said a few words to Basil, and the four flew away. Basil sighed deeply and looked around the streets before frowning and closing the door.

"I am not going with you in that house," Gilda whispered.

"It's safe to say our safehouse isn't safe anymore," Shining said, straining to keep the anger out of his voice.

"I hope they're alright," Pinkie quietly added. "I don't want Grace and Basil to get in trouble because of us."

"Or Gabrielle," Shining said. "They haven't left with prisoners though, so that's good news."

"Let's wait here for a few minutes, in case the guards are still around," Seaswirl said. "Once it's safe, I might have a warehouse where we can hide."

"Why didn't you mention it sooner?" Shining said with a frown. Seaswirl was definitely hiding something.

The captain shrugged. "Gabrielle seemed to have it covered."

"Hold on," Pinkie said. "Look, someone's coming out of the house." The door opened to reveal Gabrielle, wearing a thick cloak.

"Good, she's okay," Shining said, hearing the relief in his own voice. He stepped forward and motioned for her to follow them in the alley.

Gabrielle looked left, then right, before running to them. "That was too close," she said. "Good thing Basil is well-liked within the guard. He managed to talk them out of searching the house."

"What was that all about?" Pinkie asked as she hugged Gabrielle.

"We were spotted," Gabrielle said. "They're looking for you two. I managed to hide in the basement, but we can't rely on my family anymore."

"That's fine. Captain Seaswirl says he might be able to find us another hiding spot," Shining said. "Now, let's get out of here. We stick to the shadows, and try to avoid any more attention." I just hope I'm not making a mistake by trusting Seaswirl. There's something fishy about him.


The group made its way to a district neighboring the docks, filled with buildings crammed together. Like many parts of the city, the entire area looked abandoned — another side effect of the unnaturally long night. Seaswirl led them to a large warehouse located between two almost identical nondescript stone buildings. He opened the door, revealing a dusty interior filled with barrels and crates.

"Voilà!" Seaswirl said as he extended his hoof toward the poorly lit interior.

Shining sat on a small crate. "Alright, this'll do. Before we begin, how safe are we here, Captain?"

"We should be able to use this place for a few days. Let's just say the owner owes me a favor." Seaswirl grinned as he opened a barrel with his magic and picked a pear from it. "Anypony hungry?"

Pinkie ignored the captain and turned to Gilda. "Alright. Now can you tell us what you know about Rainbow?"

Gilda sighed. "It won't change anything. You lot can't help her."

"Try me," Pinkie said with a determined glare. Shining had rarely seen her this intense.

"Fine," Gilda said with a sigh. "I suppose you deserve the truth. Rainbow Dash is being held in King's End, like you thought. I volunteered to be one of her jailers so I could make sure she was well treated. Not that I managed to do much. Either way, everything that happened is my fault." She gazed downward as her tail whipped the air.

"What do you mean?" Shining asked.

Gilda took a deep breath. "During the battle of Ponyville, Rainbow got caught in a hailstorm and collided with some debris. I caught her and brought her to safety. I thought that no one would find us, considering the chaos of the battle. I was wrong."

"Other griffon soldiers found you?" Gabrielle asked as she grabbed a pear from Seaswirl's barrel.

"My commanding officer," Gilda said with a nod. "I was congratulated for capturing one of Twilight Sparkle's companions and tasked with taking her back to High Roost. We had a supply ship coming to our camp in the badlands. I took Rainbow there and she was loaded onto the ship."

"And you never thought about running away with her?" Pinkie asked with another hard, accusatory stare.

"I still have some loyalty for my people," Gilda snapped. She took a deep breath and averted her eyes. "Maybe if I had known what was in store for Rainbow, I'd have tried something. Still, she was taken back to High Roost by ship, and immediately brought to the tower. I was offered a posting of my choice as a reward, and I asked to remain with her."

"That makes no sense," Shining said. "You're a griffon officer. You had to know what happens to prisoners. Actually, why even take pony prisoners back to High Roost instead of Canterlot? Didn't you ever stop to ask?"

Gilda met Shining's glare. "Question my superiors? Is that something you do in Equestria? It was a battlefield, and I did what I was told. Maybe they needed hostages, maybe they wanted to interrogate her, I had no idea." She lowered her head and sighed. "Look, I regret it, alright. If I could have done things differently, I would have. It's too late for that."

Shining grunted. "Fair enough, what's done is done. Hopefully you'll be able to redeem yourself." He took a deep breath. "You're still a guard in King's End?"

"Yeah," Gilda said.

"So you can get us in the tower?"

Gilda threw her claws in the air. "Are you insane? This is one of the most well-guarded prisons in all of Griffingard. Almost no magic works in there, and only known soldiers are allowed inside."

"And members of the Lodge," Gabrielle completed.

"Good luck impersonating either," Gilda said. "The only way ponies like yourselves are going in there is as prisoners. There's actually a bounty on your head, Pinkie Pie. Not that you'd want to experience what they'd have in store for you."

"Wait," Pinkie asked. "Why me?"

Gilda sighed. "Because you're one of Twilight Sparkle's associates. This is the same reason they wanted Rainbow Dash. They almost got your friend Fluttershy, too. The supply boat coming in late is the only thing that saved her." She raised her claw as Pinkie was about to say something. "Before you freak out, I had no idea what they wanted with Fluttershy at the time. We found her in the desert, kept her in the camp, and then I was called to battle. I only heard about the plan to take her back once I got back to High Roost."

"So Fluttershy is safe?" Pinkie asked.

"As far as I know," Gilda said. "We were just keeping her from going back and warning Equestria of our presence."

"She better be," Pinkie said with a severe glare.

"Right now, I'm more concerned about Twilight," Shining said. "We heard rumors that she's also being held in King's End." His heartbeat raced at the possibility of finally finding his sister.

Gilda nodded. "She's behind some crystal shield. I haven't seen anything like it before, and no attempt at breaking it succeeded."

Pinkie's ears perked up. "Oh! Twilight's always been smart. That's good."

Gilda blinked a few times. "You know what it is? How to open it?"

"Of course, silly," Pinkie said with an innocent smile.

"Keep that information to yourself," Shining warned. "I'd rather no one knows before we get to Twilight."

Pinkie nodded. "Good idea. We'll free her soon anyways."

Shining returned his attention to Gilda. "So what's going on exactly in that place?"

"You won't like it," Gilda said. "King's End is a prison for ponies. Every single prisoner has either been captured during the war or is a unicorn criminal from High Roost. It's run by a centaur called Valerak. She experiments on the prisoners. I'm not sure what she's trying to accomplish, but I still have nightmares when I think of the remains I had to pick up after some of her experiments."

"Are you serious?" Shining barked as he grabbed hold of Gilda and pushed her against a pile of crates. "Not only do they torture Equestrian ponies, they've been planning this? They built a prison just to experiment on us?"

Pinkie's weak voice barely reached Shining's ears. "Why would they do something like that?"

"Don't ask me," Gilda said, pushing Shining away and wiping his spittle off her face. "It's Valerak's experiments. That centaur's insane, if you ask me."

"Wait, wasn't Tirek a centaur?" Gabrielle asked. She directed a severe glare at Shining as she moved between him and Gilda.

"That's a name Valerak mentions a lot," Gilda said with a wince. "I think she idolizes him. Always mentions how she wants to recreate his magic."

Shining took a deep breath to calm himself. "Tirek got his power by stealing pony magic," he said. "He almost took over Equestria that way."

"Is this what they're up to?" Gabrielle asked. "They want to steal pony magic?"

Gilda shrugged. "I don't know, and I didn't ask. All I know is that they want Rainbow Dash to tell them how to get rid of the crystal protecting your princess. I don't know what Valerak wants with Twilight, but I'm pretty sure it won't be good for her or any of you."

"We need to get in there," Pinkie said firmly. "You said any member of the Lodge can visit?"

"One of them comes once in a while to get progress reports from Valerak," Gilda said. "Duchess Alicia Bouvier."

"I know who she is," Shining said. "Pinkie, what are you up to?"

"It's simple," she said. "I want us to impersonate griffon guards and escort one of these Lodge members in the tower. We can free Twilight and Dashie once we're in."

Gilda blinked. "That's ridiculous. Maybe, if by some miracle all of Duchess Bouvier's guards got sick or reassigned, I could pass off other griffon guards as her escort. In case you forgot, you're all ponies, except for Gabrielle here who might have been seen by the guards already."

Pinkie nodded. "I understand. I think it should be doable."

Shining sighed. "This isn't a game, Pinkie. You don't have that kind of magic. None of us do."

"Really, none of you?" Pinkie asked incredulously. She took a deep breath and turned to Captain Seaswirl, who was still silently eating his pear in a corner. "This game was fun for a while, but we really need your help now."

"Why, I don't know what you're talking about," Seaswirl said as he nervously looked around the room.

Pinkie smiled. "Come on, you can't trick me."

The captain rolled his eyes. "Oh fine. I always knew you were the smart one, Pinkie Pie." His horn lit up and a bright light blinded Shining. A second later, the captain was no more, and in his place stood a creature Shining never expected to see in this place. He erected a protective shield by reflex while both Gilda and Gabrielle took a defensive posture.

"You got me!" Discord said as he threw his paw and his claw in the air. "You actually figured me out faster than expected. I should give you a prize."

"What are you doing here, Discord?" Shining asked, an offensive spell at the ready.

"Why, helping my friends, what else?" the spirit of chaos replied. "Although I'm not sure what Pinkie here expects of me."

"Well, can you just teleport Twilight and Dashie out of there?" Pinkie asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Tsk tsk," Discord admonished, waving one of his fingers. "What kind of friend would I be if I just solved all your problems for you? There's also the part where little magic works inside that dreadful tower of theirs. I'm afraid they wouldn't even make an exception for little old me."

"Somehow, I have a hard time believing this thing blocks your magic," Shining sardonically said.

"I don't care if you believe it or not," Discord said with a shrug. "Either way. I can give you two a griffon makeover if you want. I have no idea how long it'll last. That's the fun part about chaos: the surprise."

"You better not be playing games with us, Discord," Shining said, directing a hardened glare at the spirit of chaos.

"Come now, Shining Armor. Didn't Twily tell you how much of a good friend I am to her now?" He slithered to Shining's side and placed his arm around his neck.

"It's our only chance," Pinkie said. "I trust you, Discord."

"So, we can turn you two into griffons," Gilda said. "That doesn't solve the issue of getting you in. Bouvier already has her regular guards."

"Who will all be terribly indisposed after a certain someone slips poison joke in the guards' food," Discord said as he summoned one of the blue flowers in his claw. "Stay away from the barracks' cafeteria for a few days, my dear," he told Gilda as he floated to her and scratched her underneath the beak.

Gilda pushed Discord's paw away. "Alright, so assuming Alicia wants to go to King's End during this time, I might be able to pass you two off as her escort."

"Actually," Shining said as the corners of his mouth perked up. "I imagine she'll be making regular trips there."

"Why is that?" Gabrielle said.

"The sun," Shining continued. "Think about it. She has a mad centaur studying pony magic, desperate to get a hold of an alicorn. She'll want her to find some way of controlling the sun, assuming that's not the goal of the whole project to begin with."

"A lot of 'ifs' in that plan," Gabrielle said.

"Don't worry, Gabrielle, you're not coming with," Shining said. "I don't know if you were seen or not at your family house, but I'm not risking it. Get back to the ship, and try not to be seen. Make sure they're ready to depart should we return. We might have to make a run for it."

"I hope not," Gilda said. "Escaping one of the most powerful military ports in existence while under fire would be suicide."

"We'll be fine," Pinkie said with a smile and dismissive gesture. "Worst case, we escape on hoof and get back to Equestria through the northern pass. Maybe we can find another ship, too."

"I wish I shared your optimism," Shining said with a sigh. "It's the only plan we have though. Gilda, can I count on you to teach us griffon military protocol? We need to be able to play the part. Hopefully we can learn to fly in time, too."

"It'll be just like wiggling your ears," Discord said as he snapped his finger. Shining shielded his eyes as a flash of light again overpowered his vision. When he opened them, he found himself staring at the leg he used to cover his eyes, still covered in white fur, but now ending in a sharpened claw.


Just as Discord had promised, flying came relatively easily. Pinkie picked it up instantly and flew circles around the warehouse seconds after her transformation. Shining required a bit of adaptation, but eventually got the hang of it. Most of their time was spent learning military lingo and protocol. Shining and Pinkie had to learn how to fly in formation, stand at attention, properly salute, and how to address both members of the nobility and superior officers. This, Shining picked up easily. Pinkie had a harder time keeping herself from giggling through the exercises.

Gilda left shortly after, as she was due to report for duty. Discord had already gone to execute whatever crazy plan his deranged mind had hatched up. As for Gabrielle, she left for the boat soon after their transformation. This left Shining and Pinkie by themselves in the warehouse, free to get accustomed to their still unfamiliar bodies.

While Pinkie retained her bright blue eyes, her pink fur had been replaced by white feathers, although the ones around her head sported pink tips. The fur on her lower body was bright red. As for Shining, his fur remained as white as when he was a pony, although his head was now covered in well-groomed black feathers.

Shining sat down in a corner, struggling with finding a comfortable way to place his tail. "This is just strange. I wonder if this is how Twilight felt when she got her wings?"

"Cadance never told you how she got hers?" Pinkie asked as she unfolded her wings and looked them over.

"She was a teenager when it happened," Shining said. "She was also born a pegasus, not a unicorn. She said it took her a few years to get a grasp of magic. A lot of unicorns barely use their magic. It must have been the same for her at first."

"It comes with living around earth ponies," Pinkie said as she attempted to eat a piece of candy, struggling to move it around her beak. "A lot of unicorns and pegasi feel bad for us. It's silly, but I guess they're just trying to be nice."

"Hmm, I never thought about it that way," Shining said as he scratched his head. He stared dumbfounded at his claw. "These are amazing for relieving an itch."

"I know! I wish I'd packed some itching powder," Pinkie said. She giggled, but her expression soon turned more serious. She averted her eyes for a moment before facing Shining again. "I'm worried about Dashie; she's been in there so long. I don't know what the griffons did to her."

"We'll get her out," Shining said. "But I'm not gonna lie. The stories I heard about griffon prisons aren't pleasant. We might not like what we see."

Pinkie turned away and hugged her tail. "Dashie's strong. I know she'll be alright." Her voice was flat, lacking its usual enthusiasm.

Shining sighed, trying to think of something comforting or profound to say. Nothing would come. "I suppose we should get some rest," he finally said. "I don't know how long it'll take for Gilda to come back."

Pinkie nodded. "Goodnight, Shiny."


"Wake up." Shining was shaken vigorously. He slowly opened his eyes and found Gilda's claw on his shoulder.

"I'm up, I'm up," Shining said, his voice groggy and somehow unfamiliar. He panicked for a moment before remembering Discord had transformed him into a griffon. He brought his claw to his beak. "How do you get used to these things?"

"The claws or the beak?" Gilda asked with a light chuckle.

"Both," Shining said as he rose. Pinkie was already bouncing up and down with her armor on. "So what's the plan?"

"Discord did it," Gilda said. "I don't know how he managed it, but most of the prison guards got sick from bad rations. I volunteered to take over as Duchess Bouvier's escort and spent a few hours escorting her around. Just as expected, she wants to visit Valerak. I conveniently expressed concern for her security, and suggested I bring some promising new recruits who know how to keep their mouth shut."

"Well done," Shining said with a nod.

"Put on your armor," Gilda said, throwing Shining a griffon breastplate. He tried to use magic he no longer possessed to levitate it, and ended up with the piece of armor hitting him in the face. Gilda smirked at his attempt. "You two are now under my command. Follow me, do what I tell you to, and don't speak unless spoken to." She turned to face Pinkie. "And no smiling. You're a soldier in the fourth legion, remember."

Pinkie gulped. Shining could see the corners of her beak rising up as he finished putting on his armor. "We'll be good. Remember Pinkie, wait for the signal."

Pinkie nodded. "Okidokey."

They left the warehouse and flew upward to the upper city. Flying felt strangely liberating. If High Roost felt cramped and oppressive from the ground, the opposite was true in the air. Even in the dark, the various towers and ornate stone houses proved to be a magnificent display. This was a civilization that took pride in its ability to fly. While Cloudsdale required its citizens to walk on clouds, the upper district of High Roost forbade any mode of transportation besides flying. Doors lead to balconies where griffons could take to the skies.

It took most of Shining's concentration to fly in formation with Gilda. Flying in the open sky proved more challenging than the controlled environment of the warehouse, with multiple distractions in every direction. If anything, Shining gained a new appreciation for stunt flyers like Rainbow Dash and what they trained for every day. Luckily, Gilda either took notice of his struggles or chose to slow down out of concern for the poor visibility. Either way, Shining silently thanked her.

Gilda guided them further and further up in altitude. Shining found himself running out of breath as he had to flap harder and harder just to keep up. After a few moments, Gilda reoriented herself toward a particularly large stone and marble mansion deeply embedded into the mountain. They landed on a large balcony surrounded by tall white columns. Gilda saluted as two griffons walked forward. Shining and Pinkie mirrored the gesture.

"Ah, here's my escort," a tall and lithe female griffon said in a distinguished voice. She wore a light pink dress over auburn fur and white feathers. "Remember, Centurion Garcien," she told the muscular gray-feathered officer with her. "I want your legion ready for the next phase of the Equestrian plan. We cannot afford delays."

And that settles her involvement, Shining thought. If the griffons were willing to send more troops to Equestria, it meant they expected a quick resolution to the conflict. Otherwise, they would leave their border vulnerable to Zebra attacks for an extended period of time. I have to hurry and get Twilight back on her throne.

The noble turned toward Gilda. "This is the best you could get for an escort, Decurion?"

Gilda bowed deeply. "I can vouch for these two, Duchess. They are some of the most loyal soldiers to come out of training in recent weeks."

"They'll have to do," Alicia said with a sigh. "Hitch them to my carriage and take me to the tower."

"Yes Duchess," Gilda said before turning her attention to Shining and Pinkie. "You heard Her Ladyship. Don't make me regret trusting you two."

They flew down a level and found a gold-plated carriage. Shining raised an eyebrow as he observed the contraption. "So, um, how do I pull this? We didn't train for it."

"I imagine it's just like pulling a cart," Pinkie said as she hitched herself.

"Pretty much," Gilda said. "Now hurry up. The Duchess isn't known for her patience."

Shining fastened the leather strap around his body and tested its tightness before nodding at Gilda. They took flight and left the hangar. Just as Gilda said, it felt a lot like pulling a cart. Shining opted to follow Pinkie's lead as they landed the carriage on Alicia's balcony.

"Don't worry, mommy will be right back," the duchess said. Shining's curiosity got the better of him and he turned his head, finding Alicia nuzzling a young female griffon's golden feathers.

"I'm scared, mom," the little girl said. "When's the sun coming back?"

Alicia smiled. "This is what your daddy and I are working on. Everything we do, we do to keep you safe."

Shining straightened his head back before the duchess could notice him eavesdropping. Your mother is a murderer, he wanted to say. He kept his expression rigid and unflinching. He felt Alicia's added weight on the carriage as she stepped on.

Gilda flew up. "Let's go," she ordered.

Gilda led the way around the mountain, passing yet more buildings built within the rock. Eventually, they reached the other side, where the rocky falls made way to grassy slopes. A tall, circular tower stood by itself, only illuminated by torches on the roof. As they got closer, Shining saw that it had no windows or entrances of any kind, at least none that he could see. Gilda directed them to the roof. The air seemed heavier as they flew closer. The feeling was reminiscent of the magic inhibiting fields found in prisons where unicorn criminals were held, only multiplied tenfold. Shining gulped as they passed a patrol. They landed on a floor of gray stones that were strangely cold to the touch. A lone trap door was guarded by two soldiers, who saluted the duchess.

"Wait here," Alicia said as she disembarked.

Gilda shook her head. "With all due respect, Milady, I must request you be escorted. The tower is understaffed due to bad rations, and your safety is my main concern."

"If you must," the duchess said with a sigh. "Take me to Valerak."