Journey to the center of Equestria

by Rarity Belle

Chapter XLII

All three of the anthronies had their eyes peeled upon the one griffon that had stepped forwards. The one was looking a whole lot less bulky than the other soldiers and their initial thought was that it actually was a female griffon who happened to be the commander of the group. Perhaps a little bit farfetched, but it was a possible thing.

Worry was the emotion that filled the anthronies. Applejack’s eyes went from left to right. She wanted to charge back in just so much, to settle the debt between her and the griffons that in the long run had cost her her very leg. In one way of the word, the griffons were responsible for the events as they had been going down within her personal history.

Furious she also happened to be, her eyes fell back upon the griffon with a glare of pure thunder and hatred. Calm in- and exhales were released through her nostrils while those were the only things that prevented her from losing her mind. That, and the glares within the eyes of Twilight also would be having something to do with them.

The eyes of the unicorn soothsayer had many different emotions at once. She was sad that they had lost both a friend and the battle. She was furious to see the griffons upon the top of the mountain as well. Yet there also was a shimmer of hope that could be found within them. A shimmer of hope that spoke of the fact that Fluttershy hadn’t been found yet and Rainbow could still be alive.

But Rarity was having the most problems. With her blouse only becoming redder from the blood underneath it. She kept on wincing in shocks of pain while she pressed her other hand upon the wounds. Hopes were spoken through her mind that it would eventually stop, even though she knew she was flat out lying to herself.

Silence, nothing else but complete and utter silence was the thing that came from the platform of the mountain. Only the gusts of wind that travelled past their ears caused something to happen within their very souls. The tension on which the threads hang were almost cut. Time was running out, but for which party?

Seconds did the griffon just stand there. As if it intended to spread even more fear within the hearts of the anthronies. Fluttershy was still hidden behind some rocks though. The good doctor watched all of it happen from her position. She was terrified to say the least, yet knew she had to keep as quiet as possible. Silence was her greatest ally in the moment. The question just remained for how long it would have been.

Eventually did the griffon remove its helmet from its face and another shock was given off to each of the mares. Their thoughts were more than right. Beneath the helmet laid a face that was a lot sleeker looking and a lot more feminine in their eyes.

Its sharp, amber colored irises glanced over each of the anthronies. All they could do in response was to give off a gulp. None could tell whether or not the light purplish gray around the eyes was actually some kind of war paint or actual colored feathers that could be found all around the white head.

There wasn’t any doubt within their minds anymore. For they were in some deep trouble that was being led by the female griffon commander. There wasn’t any way in Equestria that a griffon with those kind of looks actually would have been of the other sex. Pray and hope were the only two things that could be done for the company in the moment.

Her beak curled up to give them all a sick smile before the mouth got opened. Yet instead of words there simply was a near deafening screech of pure power. The wings even began to spread themselves to strike an even more imposing figure and sent more fear into their hearts.

It was a tactic used by the griffons all over the world. Done to invoke fear in the hearts of their enemies so that they would become a lot less noisy during capture times or transport.

Though the roar was having one little side effect. The doctor of the company released a loud yelp from behind her rock. The sounds were caught within the ears of the commander. Both of her wings were tucked behind her back once again. Without a word said she turned around and peeled her eyes over the place.

What followed was that one of the hands pointed to the rocks where the mare was behind. Just huffs were released through the nostrils of the beast as another soldier nodded. He then marched over to the rocks and before anypony could be doing anything, it had happened.

The griffon had picked up Fluttershy by her hair and hoisted her up with a quick motion. No action was done to her outside of being brought in front of the commander. There she was let go of again as the amber eyes glazed deep upon her.

The doctor looked back into those very same eyes before she quickly scurried back to the rest of the team. She needed the protection of the others whether she wanted it or not. Fluttershy was the most terrified out of all of them. Her heart was racing in her throat, while the glance of the griffon had been burned on her retina. It almost seemed as if all hope had been abandoned by her.

A hope which the other beings still carried inside of them. Yet they were waiting, waiting for the right moment to either strike or talk.

Finally had the commander shifted her attention back to the group of mares in general and once again did the smile return to her beak. “Well, well, well, it looks like our catch of the day is something worthy for the emperor, don’t you agree boys?” the commander spoke towards them in an enjoyed tone. She was glad that so many prisoners were taken at once.

The rest of the griffons released a simple but loud ‘yeah’ from their throats. Then the silence returned for a moment. The eyes of the griffon looked at both Rarity and Applejack, who on their own turn looked back. A moment of familiarity flowed through the three of them. Almost as if they had stood against one another in times gone by. Yet that, was something impossible.

“Whatever the emperor has planned for you, I don’t know nor do I care. But I do remember two of the four faces of you dweebs,” the commander said while she stepped more forward. She came closer to both Applejack and Rarity. Her attention constantly shifted between the two mares. “I remember you the both of you, not fondly mind you. But I do, remember.”

“The memory slips me for the moment, I’m afraid,” commented the pirate captain almost right away in return. Just before she gave off another winch in pain. Though before she could react there was a massive slap in the face from the griffon’s talons and she was smacked down to the ground. The others gasped for air as Rarity remained motionless.

“You killed her!” Twilight spoke up in a raised voice before she was almost at her boiling point. “You just murdered an innocent being!”

“Quiet you!” the commander snarled in return. The griffon snapped her beak loudly at the end, revealing it were no idle threats. “Or you’re next.”

A loud groan of pain came from the body of Rarity. A body that was raised up with one arm. “Oh… Stronger, stronger than I remember…” she muttered to herself inaudible to the rest of them. The doctor hurried herself over to the mare where she would be looking at both of the wounds.

“Killed her? Hmpf, there wasn’t any sport in killing her. No, physician that you are. Patch her up again,” the griffon commanded towards Fluttershy. Then she was thrown a bag with both medical instruments and bandages.

Somehow did the pegasus manage to catch it as it was in flight and she began to do her work in silence. She was literally ordered to patch Rarity up to the best of her ability. Which was a relief for the pirate herself. But Applejack still wasn’t done with the commander by a long shot.

“Ah thought we had defeated y’all during the conflict. Yet here y’all happen to be, at the top of a celestial forsaken mountain. And did ya say, we would be gifts for yar emperor. Hmpf, hopes he likes his anthronies with extra spice,” commented Applejack with a sober tone.

The beak of the griffon once again curled up into a smile as she nodded with her head. “Oh believe me, he does love his spice upon them. So you, should be right at home with him. You may have won that battle, dweebs, but the war was never won,” the commander explained before perhaps the worst possible question was being returned, “our purpose on this mountain is a known for you. But what are you four doing here?”

The things only seemed to have become worse and worse for the mares. Not only would they have become dinner for the emperor of the griffons, but they also had to tell the commander exactly why they were there to begin with.

Things weren’t easy for the group of mares and Twilight was actually speaking of luck that she still didn’t have the talons of the griffon stuck around her throat. Fluttershy was too busy bandaging the shoulder of Rarity to comment on it and Applejack didn’t even wanted to speak to the griffon anymore.

Of course there still was the matter of Rainbow Dash surging through their minds. A matter of which they all just hoped she wouldn’t be getting back on. For none of them had an idea where she could be. But the time to spill the words was there. Even if they had to reshape the truth a little.

Twilight released a deep sigh through her nostrils as her eyes were closed a little bit. “The reason why we’re here, is quite simple actually,” she began. In an instant was the attention shifted from Applejack to Twilight. The talons were tapping against one another. Almost as if they were hesitant to fly to her throat.

That very hesitation was noticed by the unicorn as she opened her eyes again. “Please don’t set your talons in my neck. I have been grabbed there, a lot more than I would have liked these past could of weeks alone.”

“And if I do, end up grabbing your throat?” the commander asked. She was testing how far Twilight could remain civil against them, against her. Her hand had already raised itself up and only had to just wrap its sharp claws around the soft neck of the unicorn to cause the damage.

“I hope that you have a good undertaker. For I’m not going to be happy if it happen once again,” the soothsayer replied to her with a dead serious tone. One which caused the hand to actually be lowered as the griffon took a step forward.

“I hope the same, for you,” the commander then returned before a growl was released by her throat. She then retracted herself a little bit while the hands were placed upon her back. “But you still haven’t told me, why exactly you happen to be here.”

“I was coming to that part, if you just allow me to explain,” added Twilight just before she took a deep inhale. The time was there to start lying about the fact why they were for all of them. A lie that just had to be sold as the truth, or they would all be dinner for something unpleasant.

Applejack looked over the griffons that were standing behind the commander when her steam powered leg released a gentle puff of smoke. It readied itself for a battle to come or to hold her very ground if needed.

Fluttershy was done with the bandages around Rarity’s shoulder and she stood back up. Yet the pirate remained sitting on the ground, almost as if she wanted to make a griffon bow before her. Which could have been seen as nothing else but a pure mockery for the commander and her troops.

That also happened to be the little reason of just why they didn’t pay much attention towards the pirate. But there were always watchful eyes looking at the mares, eyes in the back of the group. Eyes that didn’t have to bow before them.

“Our reason for being on top of this mountain is to investigate the anomaly that has been detected. The magic that makes the top just disappear like that, it has gotten a word within the walls of Canterlot. From which they sent this group to find out what it was.”

The griffon’s eyes narrowed themselves as she watched over just how Twilight was saying her words. She was watching for any trace that could be leading her down to the flat out lie that was being told. “It explains the doctor and the admiral. But why the pirate?”

Suddenly did all of their faces just turn as pale as snow. Almost as if they had seen ghosts of their past. Even Rarity looked up shocked. She knew her reputation was running far and wide, but that it even had reached the Griffon Empire? That was a new one for her as well.

Only one word could be followed up by the events as they had happened so far. And that very word was being spoken by the commander in a low tone. “Lair.”

“Get a hold of each of them and carry them away! Bring their weapons with you and return to the ship! We’re going to make the emperor happy,” the griffon spoke to the rest of the troops. All of the beasts jumped in the air and got airborne by flapping their wings. Then the task would be done by them.

Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy and Twilight couldn’t be doing anything anymore. If they would have resisted their arrest they could have been killed. Or possibly even worse. Yet the beasts took their time with the capturing of the mares. Which gave them –as well as the commander– the time to feel the heat under their hooves and paws.

For right underneath them did the face of the mountain began to shake. Not all too violent, but more than enough to be noticed by all of them. Rarity’s eyes went from left to right as she hoped that the vibrations within the rocks wouldn’t erupt into something that was downright terrible. Or worse, making the mountain collapse upon itself.

“This again?” the commander muttered just loud enough for Twilight to hear it.

“So it’s not the first time it happened here?” the unicorn mumbled up with her lips. Straight away were the gears inside of her mind set to think again. Though the time to think wasn’t given to her. The griffons managed to get a hold of her. Before Twilight could struggle against it, was she once again in the air and carried around by two of the beasts.

Each of the anthronies was carried in that way as their weapons were separated over two other griffons. The commander was the only griffon who still stood on the platform as her paws were touching the soils in a manner previously unseen. It almost seemed like she wanted to test whether or not the shaking of earth would be getting more and more uncomfortable.

After a couple of seconds was the signal given to the other griffons that they had to return to their base. They all turned themselves around like that and began to fly away. Only to be followed by the commander who soared past them.

The winds caused by the commander made the mulberry skinned unicorn look away for a moment. Her eyes caught the mountain in its full glory as she noticed to be seeing something. Something she hadn’t seen before. Nor was it reported by either Fluttershy or Rainbow Dash.

Her eyes were looking at an ancient doorway. One that was engraved with the symbols of old languages. Languages that were both ancient and long since dead. They had found it, they had found the entranceway towards the deepest cavern system of Equestria. The only problem was the fact that they were carried up, instead of being dragged down.

If the griffons would have been there as long as Twilight had assumed, why hadn’t they discovered the entrance either? Or perhaps they did discover it, but couldn’t enter it and just left it. Griffons were a race of war thirsty creatures, not the kind that would be raiding any kind of tomb. In the mind of Twilight was that just about the biggest bonus that she would be having from it all.

But the entrance way wasn’t the only the only thing she saw. She also noticed how the whole of the mountain was shaking on its foundation. She gestured to the rest of the mares to look at the hunk of compressed rock and they all saw just what was going on with it.

Terror was striking the remaining mares once again. Who could be telling them what would have happened if they were inside, while the quake was happening? Perhaps it was just one quake? But that was impossible as the commander had spilled it wasn’t the first one. So perhaps it was a hotspot or the place or origin?

Twilight couldn’t tell herself just what happened to be the truth and what was a lie. She was certain of only two things in the moment. The first was the fact she had discovered the entranceway they were looking for so long. The second was that they had to get out of the hold of the creatures.

The latter one was something a whole lot easier said than done. Which resulted in a sigh being released through her nostrils. They were just so close, yet so far away. Her eyes looked over to Rarity, Applejack and finally to Fluttershy. All three of them had the same glance in their eyes. That gaze of losing hope and thinking that everything was lost.

After that went her eyes over to the pair of griffons that were carrying their very weapons. Her eyes landed by her staff and the feeling of empowerment surged through her body for a little moment. She could of course just take it and whack the creatures out of the sky, which in and of itself brought a whole lot more trouble with them.

The mare turned her head away from the mountain and closed her eyes in the hope to catch glimpses of the conversations that were going on between all of the griffons. Conversations which hopefully would have been getting her somewhere useful. She had, or wanted, to know things about the previous quakes and not how they could best be preparing an anthrony for dinner.

Both of the mare her ears were perked as the commander was flying next to another griffon. They both formed the fore guard after which Twilight was the first captive to be held. “Come on, come on, speak the words,” she whispered almost without sound to herself. With the ears perked would it only have a matter of time itself before the right ones were spoken.

Which happened almost right after she had set them open. Her wish was granted as the conversation was caught between the commander and the soldier. “Another tremor has hit the mountain today, I have not a single clue what causes them but it will jeopardize the entire project of the emperor. He just picked the wrong mountain for the plans he has. Nothing, and I mean nothing will be left standing of the magnitude of those quakes will increase. Which they are doing.”

The soldier on the other end just kept his eyes straight in front of him before the reply was given to her. “Perhaps you should chart the matter to the emperor, commander. He’s a reasonable one when he’s in the right mood. You know that just as well as we all do.”

The female griffon then gave a nod towards the soldier before her arms crossed over each other. “No argument there, but it worries me I have him at the wrong moment. And I don’t want to end like the previous one of this squadron.”

“Ha, tell me about that. It was a good hunt though, served the traitor right in my eyes. If may have been so free to say it,” the soldier replied. Then he finally turned his head towards the other griffon and opened the lid that was on his helmet. The two of them were granted actual eye to eye contact for a change.

The commander released a deep sigh through her nostrils as she looked into his eyes for a couple of seconds. After that was the stare just broken and the female griffon turned her attention forward with a couple of last words. “We’ll see dweeb, we’ll see whether or not you were so free to speak about it, and when I shall tell the emperor. First, this lot.”

“Aye.”

~~~~

Silence then returned once more towards the group as they were carried high over Equestria. Of course they wanted to plan their escape and just be free mares once again, weren’t it for the fact that they would actually fall to their very deaths if they managed to get out of the griffon’s talons. Even Twilight had set her eyes on finding a manner of escaping after the conversation had died by the griffons in front of her.

Teleportation was the only spell that came to her mind which could be used to a quick and easy way out. Though they were still ascending into the very skies and her teleport required precision. Especially with three other mares that were all on different locations. The danger and risk it carried with it was something perhaps a little bit too much.

Rarity would have probably tried it as she was a lot less reckless with her arcane powers. But Twilight doubted if the mare had any possession of the teleportation spell. The pirate captain was more a mare to fight it out with blade and flintlock. So not much use could be found within the other unicorn of the group.

The soothsayer released a deep sigh through her nostrils as waiting seemed like it was the only thing that they could be doing. If they would undertake any form of action, the griffons would be tearing them apart as if they were nothing. It was truly an easy pea for Twilight to just summon her staff and create an arcane platform big enough to hold all of them and descend down. It was the fight that would be coming next, that worried her the most.

They had difficulty fighting off two griffons, let alone an entire squadron of a dozen something of bloodthirsty of those creatures. “No Twilight, you have to sit this one out. No amount of fighting can be used to lighten the mood. Besides, Rarity is still recovering from her injuries and so are you,” she mumbled to herself in a low tone.

Her head then turned over to Rarity and gazed upon the bandages that were placed around her shoulder. The blouse was torn apart by Fluttershy for easy access and missed even one of its sleeve. Even though it did have a savage look to it, that was the only thing it had. But the eyes of Rarity looked back into those of Twilight with the wonder they all had.

Rarity nodded with calm to Twilight. Like she wanted to say that everything was going to be alright for her. Or that everything already was alright with her. “No need to worry about old me, I’ve had worse,” said the pirate with the motions of her lips, before a small smile came to them.

It could be seen as a relief within the mind of Twilight that everything seemed to be good. Though it never took away that she was still worrying herself sick to everything. Nothing was certain within her eyes as she took her head away from the other unicorn. Everything just was one massive blur inside of her skull. A blur that was caused by a fog that perhaps not even the goddesses themselves were able to lift.

They had to sit it out, they had to wait until they were dropped before the paws of the emperor before they could be doing anything else on the matter. The clock was still ticking dangerously and they were all captured. They were losing ground as zero only came closer. Things had to change, that much was certain and just about the only certainty they had.

They all were carried through clouds that had appeared before them as they could only wonder what laid behind those dark clouds of thunder. Their initial thought was of course that there was actual thunder behind it. Yet that didn’t happen to be the case as they came closer. For the silence and the lack of static electricity gave that little fact away.

It still did a massively good job at making sure not a single pegasus wanted to actually enter the clouds to investigate with laid behind them. Death by lightning was one of the biggest causes for pegasi to fall to their doom anywhere in Equestria. Fluttershy even began to fear for her dear life as soon as she noticed how black or deep gray the things actually were. But nothing could have prepared them for that what laid behind the clouds. The thing that laid right in the middle of it all.

Twilight kept her eyes peeled forward to see where they would be brought as the flight had taken them a couple of minutes already. For a couple of minutes were they suspended high above the ground of Equestria. Their altitude might have been a lot higher than the actual top of the mountain they had scaled already.

Yet the unicorn couldn’t calculate anything. The lack of oxygen that was in the air to fuel her body was simply becoming too much. She could move any part of her body if she liked, but thinking would have become far too much for her.

Then it finally dawned before them all. The very thing that the clouds were hiding from the rest of Equestria. Twilight’s eyes rose themselves up to see it just laid there in all of its wonders. It just hovered there in all of its calm. Almost as if it waited for the wind to toy with.

Within all of their eyes there was a massive airship that was hidden within the clouds. A massive airship that both Rarity and Applejack classified as a war frigate. But the frigate they had in their eyes was a lot bigger than the ones they had seen in the war itself. Only one explanation could be given to solve that mystery.

That very airship must have been of Imperial class. The theory was in fact backed up by the golden, or gold plated griffon head that acted as the bow figurine. To each side of the head were two arms that stuck out and reached almost to the distance as the head. Meaning that the bow of the ship could be used as some kind of battering ram when needed. No doubt that the beak could also be opened up to spread the hellish fire the griffons loved so much.

Applejack and Rarity already knew more than enough, though Twilight continued to gaze over the vessel. She hadn’t had the opportunity to see an actual airship in her life and to start with such a massive one was just a downright treat for her.

Until she realized herself just why they possible would be placed there again. Suddenly did the gleamed expression fade away from her face as her eyes watched over the massive amount of cannon hatches.

One could be waging a war against that vessel alone and still lose. It must have been the pride of the griffon army and they, they were heading right towards it.

Twilight still couldn’t come to terms with the fact of why the griffons had chosen that very mountain to settle themselves within the borders of Equestria. She just couldn’t come to a reasonable conclusion that gave herself some peace on the matter. Whether it was the lack of oxygen or the sheer fact that it was a literal mountain among thousands remained undecided.

The next thing Twilight knew was that she and the rest of the company were just dumped on the deck of the massive ship. Next were their weapons dropped somewhere else. None of them could be doing anything as another series of griffons managed to get a hold of them.

With force were they all commanded in silence to stand up again and to follow the one at front. For a change did Twilight form the rearguard while Fluttershy was walking up front. The unicorn could only take a guess of where they would be bringing the lot of them, but she was having two possible outcomes.

They marched to the deck beneath and each of them felt like they were walking through a shield of some kind. Whatever it was, it caused them to be breathing normally. All the extra oxygen within their blood caused the anthronies to function normally once again as the mulberry skinned unicorn shook her head a couple of times.

Yet while she shook her head, she caught some faint and strange lights within the corner of her eyes. Her attention quickly shifted over to the lights as they continued to march. They saw the many wonders that the world was still rich of.

Within her eyes she noticed how two griffon shamans were performing rituals in the fashion that the zebra’s did. One group must have taken it over from the other during the conflict. But who looked at who for it, that was another question which would be answered by time.

A faint smile came on the face of the unicorn before they were brought yet another deck lower. A deck that only housed the massive cannons and near countless hammocks for the soldiers and the crew.

It became pretty apparent for Twilight that the first thought she was having wasn’t the right one. They wouldn’t be treated on an audience with the emperor just yet. So there was only one other possible place where the group of mares could have been dropped down. And that place was no other than…

“The brig, Ah should’ve known it. Bastards will drive us crazy before dining from us!” Applejack growled when she sat down in her cell. Deep within the belly of the ship, there where the difference between wood and air was at its thinnest, laid the brigs of the massive ship. The one place where each of the mares could be held captive and not cause too much commotion.

The eyes of the admiral turned over to the other three cells were the other three mares were dropped in and released a deep exhale. “Ya can kinda see why we’re hatin’ the griffon kind, don’t ya, Twilight?” she then asked as if she wanted to kill time itself with some small talk.

But the soothsayer made perhaps the smartest decision to not say a word against the admiral. Instead she leaned against the back wall of her cell. Ideas were flowing through her about how to break out, but breaking out meant she wouldn’t be having any kind of information.

“Oh be quiet for a change, Jackie!” snarled Rarity in return towards the admiral before her tone changed. “Twilight, can’t you call upon your magic to blast a hole through these doors?”

Then it was the soothsayer who was having enough of the near constant bickering of the other two. She walked to the door of the brig and laid both of her arms through the gaps and just leaned against it. Her head then shook itself from side to side as she denied Rarity’s words.

“No Rarity, I am not going to call upon my magic. We’re in the unique position to talk with the griffon emperor. And from the sounds I have heard, he might be in just as much trouble as we happen to be. So I suggest we wait, wait for an audience with the creature the both of you despise to the bone,” said Twilight in a calm and collected tone while she stared out in front of her.

Those words were enough to make both Applejack and Rarity shut their mouths firm. Only to let them boil within their own anger for the moment.

Comments

[Starlight Nova]

Will Rainbow Dash be beating anybody up in this story? Will she be reaching Unstoppable Rage levels of anger? Will she be giving out any No Holds Barred Beatdowns?

[Rarity Belle]

7040220 Even though she's a hothead, I don't believe that she ever went that far. On the other end, I wrote this story over a year ago by now, which means details have slipped my mind. In other words: the chance might be there.