Part 20 - ... Into the Cold
Griffon the Heave-ho
by CrowMagnon
Earlier...
Cadance and Gunther stepped back out into the open, the griffon's concerns weighing heavily on both of their thoughts. Neither were granted much time to dwell any further on Gunther's worries, however, because the distant sound of angry shouting and growling reached their ears. His reflexes honed by years of training, Gunther immediately responded by taking wing, leaving Cadance behind to catch up while he summoned his ice armor and spear.
A short flight was all it took for them to see the source of the unrest. At least half of the Snowheart clan's knights stood in a line with their wings outstretched to form a barricade between their clansmen and a single all too familar griffoness.
With Cadance right behind him, Gunther dropped down to land in front of his people and caught the Snowheart griffons by surprise enough that they backed away and gave him several seconds to take in the scene. "What is going on here?" He then turned toward the griffoness at the center of the unrest and asked her, "Senator Snaketail, what are you doing down here? I was under the impression that you weren't very fond of us."
"I'm surprised you didn't come with an escort," Cadance added, noticing the absence of any other griffons beside the senator.
Snaketail let out a short, derisive laugh at the princess's concern. "Why? Is there somegriffon here that I need to protect myself from?" With a haughty look, she gestured toward the crowd who were, out of a reluctant sense of duty, being held back by the Snowheart knights. "I was trying to spare them the uncertainty you left them with and let them know the truth. That they followed their mad queen for nothing."
If Gunther and the knights under his command weren't in full armor, Senator Snaketal would have easily seen their feathers ruffle at the suggestion. As it was, she succeeded in agitating the crowd into jeering and shouting at her again. Between clenched teeth, he told the smug griffoness, "Mind your tongue, Senator. You have no idea what we've been through, or what my grandmother has endured!"
"I know that your cultish devotion has blinded you," Snaketail replied, callously disregarding the anger in the mob, or even in the griffons who had taken it upon themselves to shield her despite her venomous words. Looking Gunther in the eye, she asked him, "You think the way she betrayed you twelve hundred years ago was the end of it? And don't even try to blame it on some mythical 'intelligent Windigo', either. We've seen her kind crop up every now and then over the last twelve centuries. Griffons who use that... that freakish power are just fundamentally different from those of us in the Empire. They just come out of the egg wrong, and always end up as criminals, hermits or lunatics!"
Cadance reminded the surrounding griffons of her presence by stomping her hoof and pointedly interrupting, "And heroes! Two hundred years ago, one of those 'freaks' helped save aunt Celestia, along with all of Equestria!"
Senator Snaketail scoffed. "Who? Glacier? The bipolar coward who talked to fruit bats? Thank you for helping me make my point, Princess," she said with a mocking smirk.
"Were they born mad?" Gunther practically snarled beneath his helmet, allowing it to melt away so that he could lock eyes with the politician. "Or were they driven mad by griffons like you? Whatever flaws you may see in my grandmother, if it were not for her, you would not be here to look down upon us today! Your entire Empire should strive to be one tenth as worthy of our pride and devotion as Gertrude Snowheart!"
This drew a rousing cheer from the other griffons, from the knights to the bakers. Despite this, Snaketail remained unimpressed as she waited for the din to fade before asking, "And where is her pride and devotion? For that matter... where is she at all? Because our soldiers saw her fly away with her tail between her legs after our meeting, and nogriffon's seen fur or feather of her since."
This time, Gunther had no response to the senator's accusations. She saw his hesitation and pounced, asking him, "Well? Where is your beloved cult leader?"
Gunther growled and began to seriously consider telling the clan to make the senator regret ever taking a step into their camp, but before he could say another word, a thunderous explosion of noise overshadowed everything else.
-----
Presently...
"... And once that died down... well, even if I did not know where you were, I knew that you would follow the noise to ensure the safety of our pony friends. Princess Cadenza offered to ensure that the senator returned to her guest quarters, so I told our clan to let her leave without further harassment, then flew here. By the time I got here, I saw the Imperials collecting their Emperor and..." Seeing one of the nearby mares react strangely, Gunther asked, "Grandmother... why is the purple one hiding her face behind her hooves?"
While Twilight groaned in utter humiliation, Gertrude also sighed. "I am sorry, Gunther. I shouldn't have made you or any of the griffons in our clan worry." She reached out toward her grandson and wrapped her forelegs and wings around him. "I wish that I were truly worthy of the love you all have for me... but the senator's words, poisonous as they are, only caused unrest among our people because there was enough truth in them to cause you distress. Gunther... the world has changed, and you were right, what you said to Princess Cadenza."
She took a deep breath and released Gunther from her wings, holding him at arm's length so that she could look him in the eye and admit, "Gunther, I... I only ever took the throne because the clans needed a leader to unify them. Now, the Empire is that unifying force. Celestia told me all about their history and achievements, and despite today, it's mostly been a good thing for griffonkind. With the Emperor's offer, I finally have a chance to step down."
Gunther grimaced. "Don't say that! After everything we've been through... everything we've lost, it can't have been for nothing! Grandmother--"
Gertrude interrupted her grandson by placing a talon on his beak to hush him. "It's past time for me to step aside, child. You and the generations to come deserve the chance to forge your own futures instead of fussing over an old lady's past glory. That said..." With a small smile, Gertrude looked down at her grandson, but the sense of defeat that he got from her words was countered by the fierce glint he saw in her soft pink eyes. When she spoke again, the tone behind Gertrude's words was one of solid conviction. "If anygriffon thinks that I'll just roll over and let them decide what is or isn't right for my family, then I'll personally show them a fight that should remind them what a 'real' griffon actually is!"
Gunther felt a smile spread across his face upon seeing his grandmother get fired up. When she turned gesture toward the light blue pegasus with the broken wing, she continued, "I just watched two friends fight with all their hearts for each other. And before that, a young mare brave enough to stand up for her friend, even if it meant starting a fight with a griffoness that she knew to be related to the Emperor himself." Gunther saw the pegasus grin at that and put her good wing over the shoulders of her mortified unicorn friend. Gertrude smiled as well at the sight and told him, "If I did any less for my own people, it would be an insult to everything we've ever stood for! Tomorrow, we will meet with the Imperials again, and I will make it clear just how hard I will fight for the pride and dignity of our clan."
Gunther put a talon over his grandmother's foreleg. "And that is why we would follow you into the deepest pits of Tartaros all the way through to the other side," he said with a proud smile. "As soon as we return, we can plan our approach for tomorrow!"
Gertrude gave a resolute nod. "And if we make our case well, I believe we can sway the Emperor to our side. As many masks as he seems to wear, I think that I may understand him a little better, now." A small, confused frown crossed her beak as she tilted her head in thought. "Though I still have no idea what he meant by 'required reading'. I felt as though he was trying to give me some clue, but I have no idea what he was referring to."
After a moment of silence, one of the mares spoke up. "Oh, I think I do," the dour pink earth pony replied, tilting her beret up slightly so that she could reach up and produce a book from underneath it. Gunther looked at the book, then did a double-take when he realized that it shouldn't have been able to physically fit under that hat without showing signs of being there before. Pinkamena ignored his sputtering attempts to ask how it was possible, though, and flipped through the pages until she reached a particular section, which she held out for Gertrude to read. "We met at the coffee shop while I was reading this. Maybe it'll help you?"
The griffon demigoddess carefully took the book in her talons and glanced at the title before glancing over the pertinent section. "Creatures in Conflict: A Comparison of Cultures... Hmmm... This is... oh my. Oh my!" Looking up toward Pinkamena, Gertrude asked, "And they still do this in the modern era?" When Pinkamena nodded, Gertrude couldn't help but laugh. "I see. I suppose some things never change. I don't suppose you would be willing to help me prepare?"
Pinkamena looked up at Gertrude in return and shook her head. "Sorry, but I have to work tomorrow. Mr. Joe only gives me so many 'saving the world' days off, but Rainbow Dash would be great help."
Hearing her name, the pegasus raised an eyebrow. "Well, I guess so, if that's what Pinkamena believes. Might even get a chance to see Gilda again before she leaves. But I don't know squat about diplomacy, so what help could I possibly be?"
Gertrude just grinned at her and said, "Perfect. Let's get back to the camp as soon as possible, and we can start our preparations right away."
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Good
rap battle....
I found this the funniest part of the chapter. I'm now also curious what those conversations might be like.
5360762 I think she just doesn't want to burn them needlessly.
5361097
5360762
Pretty much what Whiteeyes said, though I imagine there are a few occasions where there's been some bartering.
Pinkamena: Mr. Joe, there's a monster rampaging toward Ponyville. Maybe I should go help.
Mugga Joe: What's the threat-level? Rainbow?
Pinkamena: Hmmm... more of a strong Purple.
Mugga Joe: Then let the Rangers handle it until the morning rush is over! That's what the mayor pays 'em for!
5361178
Sounds like it would make a good one-shot or bonus chapter. A day in the life of Pinkamena as she tries to balance her writing, job at the coffee shop, and saving Equestria.... Actually... sounds like it would be perfect for the Parasprites to show up...
Senator Snaketail is a little brazen. I wouldn't have thought that in Equestria diplomatic status doubles as a license to incite public unrest.
5361178 I want that threat list...for reasons.
5361346 Crow is looking for people to write for this universe. Maybe you could write that fic? You'd have to talk to Crow, but it sounds like a good fic idea.
5366308
Who says her actions were sanctioned?
5361346
5366363
If Hopeful were to do that, I would be ecstatic.
5366360
Ponyville Threat-level chart:
Pink: All clear.
White: Unknown. Remain vigilant.
Yellow: Low threat, but pony-power is needed to resolve the issue.
Orange: Economic threat. Ponyville's finances or businesses are in danger.
Blue: Medical Emergency. Somepony could need immediate urgent care, or a disease could be spreading.
Purple: Clear and present danger imminent. Take shelter and leave it to the professionals.
Rainbow: FIRE THE ORBITAL FRIENDSHIP CANNON!!
Another excellent chapter, even if on the sorry side.
Glad to see Gertrude being over her funk. I feel an Epic Battle of the Rapping type incoming.
Now I'm wondering... Griffon magic is elemental lightning/storm normally, yes? Then Gertrude's ice powers are a mutation... Then is it possible for other mutations to occur? Like fire, water, earth, etc? And no, no captain planet. Still, I really like how griffon magic differs from pony magic.
Cya
Raziel-chan