The Trouble with Gryphons

by Broniesrponies2

Precautions

The teleportation was instantaneous. I dropped into space on top of a carriage in an area that looked like a traditional Japanese dojo. There were gryphons everywhere, almost all of them holding or wearing some kind of weapon. I felt the other straining to escape, but held him in check, much to his fury.The doors of the carriage opened and two gryphons jerked out, looking onto the roof of their vehicle. Both were familiar. One from the memories of the version of myself presumably lying in the carriage below me. The other was familiar from a very different source.

"Wait." I said, aware that almost every single one of the gryphons around me were drawing their various implements of death. I saw Kriea doing double-takes into the carriage. Gilda never let her gaze wander.

"If you attack me, I will be forced to fight. Believe me, I have a few advantages. As it happens, I would prefer to resolve this peacefully. I feel sure that if you wanted me dead, he" I kicked the carriage, " would be dead already. He is alive. I won't kill if you don't."

"And why should we believe you?" asked GIlda, her eyes burning.

"Because I haven't drawn a weapon myself. You are intelligent, if a little belligerent. I trust that you could see what the unarmed version of me could do. Look at me. I am in better condition, stronger, faster, and I have some...other bonuses. If I was planning to kill you all, you would be dead already."

"Kriea is not among our best. The other you was her first assignment. What makes you think that you could best us all."

"Shall I demonstrate my strength? What should be my target?" I looked at the top of one of the tiered buildings standing thirty yards away.

One strike. If you do anything else, you are going to be locked away instantly.

That's it? You ungrateful bastard!

Save it. We are going to need all the strength that we can get.

What for?

We have to kill the instigator.

When?

Very, very soon.

He drew the longsword from my back and focused. He drew the power from the planet below, this time almost instantly now that we were used to the feeling, and channeled it into my blade. He held it low at my waist and then moved it in a long diagonal cut, There was an instant when the sword seemed to lengthen, then as it passed, the top of the highest tier collapsed, its pillars cut cleanly. He withdrew the power from the sword and resheathed it.

All yours.

There were varying reactions among the gryphons. Some reacted in shock, dropping their weapons. Others were incensed at the destruction of their building. Gilda just looked up at me coolly.

"Interesting. I wonder why you can do that."

"You don't want to find out."

"I saw your face when you did that strike."

"Then you know why you shouldn't get on my bad side. He enjoys killing. I don't"

"An inner mercenary then. Interesting."

"You wouldn't think so if he was inside you."

Fuck you!

Shut up.

"Now, why don't you tell me why the other me is here?"

"I wanted to find out what happened to Kriea. I had agents watching the front while I watched the back. That's where he came from so that's why I found him. I needed to get Kriea away before she was lynched as a traitor. It seemed to her that he was trying to do the same thing. He is kind and forgiving. I decided not to leave him when I took her."

"Good. I didn't suppose that you thought about the other two then."

"Other two?"

"His bodyguards. They should be here any minute now. Take him out and wake him up if you want to avoid a fight.

"Fine."

A figure appeared on the horizon just as Gilda and Kriea started to pull the other me from the carriage. It was probably Night Raven. That meant that Midnight would be here as soon as communication between the two were- There was another flash of light and the unicorn appeared, sword in hand. The other me was sat against the side of the carriage and kriea was patting the sides of his face as another gryphon ran up with a bucket of water. Midnight's eyes alighted on the young gryphon girl as she tried desperately to wake the other me up, then he started to run, sword raised. It started to come down.

Well then.

My arm moved, pulling the longsword from its sheath on my back. The voice was controlling it, a feeling of power surged within me as my own sword rose, the power was released into the blade to form a second, glowing blade. It extended, blocking Midnight's down-stroke. Midnight looked up in shock. His eyes followed the glaring length of the sword and up to me. He stood, staring. He looked down, past the two swords and at the version of me that was sitting by the carriage, the gryphon with the bucket now arriving and pouring it over his head, then back to me standing on the carriage. He froze, then recoiled, his blade coming up again. Then he teleported.

I spun, blocking the attack with my vambraced arm, then turned, extending a leg and tripping him up. He teleported again before hitting the roof of the carriage. My sword arm came up, blocking the attack from above. His sword bounced off of mine and there was a thud as his boots landed on top of the carriage and then a upwards strike came towards my stomach. My other arm spun, slapping the sword aside with the vambrace again, then caught Midnight's wrist. An object hit the outer perimeter of the enchantment placed on me by Celestia. My sword arm moved, blocking the incoming knife. Night Raven dropped in from above, sword out.

He landed, an overhead strike aimed at bisecting me thwarted by my longsword. My other arm flicked to my waist, drawing a shortsword. Midnight recovered from his parried attack only to have his next stab stopped in a similar manner. Night Raven and Midnight finished their recoveries simultaneously, then pressed their attacks.
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I opened my eyes, my head pounding and a ringing in my ears. I could see Kriea's face in front of me, which wasn't an unpleasant sight. The water soaking my head and torso was less welcome. The ringing wasn't dying down, even though it seemed that it should. Kriea's face seemed concerned, but also scared. I pushed myself up and turned, realizing where the ringing was coming from. There were three figures engaged in a pitched battle on the roof of a carriage that I presumably was sat against. I recognized Midnight and Night Raven, then I realized who the third figure was.

"STOP!" I shouted, startling two of the figures out of their duel. The third simply walked to the edge of the carriage and dropped down, walking towards me.

"So, you are me." he said.

"And you are me." I said.

"Interesting, You are exactly the same as I was."

"And you are on the verge of insanity."

"Indeed. I call you lucky,"

"Would that I could feel that way, you are what I wish I could be."

"I know. I did a bit of remodeling."

"Ah, I would like to know how."

"No, trust me, you wouldn't."

Author's Note:

Ok, well there is this. Kinda feeling a little (A lot really) depressed. It might not be as good as some other chapters. Not including the part until Midnight actually shows up. That was written before. Anyway, I hope that you all enjoy it.