Part 8
“Then you challenge my claim to her!”
“She sure does!”
Why? Why would he want them?
This one’s too old
“So you’re her?” Gisa asked, wide-eyed.
Escargot looked curiously at the little griffin beside him. “Who?”
Gisa tilted her head, eyes growing even bigger, “The one who used her magic to protect the little filly? The one who saved the princesses?”
“I didn’t do any of that- I just froze.” Escargot protested weakly.
“If you weren’t there, then Sombra might have won, right? That means you did do it!”
He studied the little griffin; how was she supposed to be an assistant?
“Then you can protect me too!” The little griffin said, scooching closer to Escargot.
“Wait, what? Protect you? From whom? From what?”
“My wings don’t work well. I’m not that good of a flyer, so my protector gave her life to bring me here- to keep me from the griffins that would hurt me. The ponies here are nice and all, but you could be my real protector!”
Escargot looked down at her. “But…”
The grifflet’s eyes were huge and glassy with tears. “You’ll protect me, right? You wouldn’t let anything bad happen to me, would you?”
“I- I-” Escargot felt totally trapped. What could he say, what could he do? “I’ll protect you.”
“YAY!!!!” Gisa cheered, “And I’ll be the best scribe and helper you could ask for! I’ll even protect your honor!”
Protect my honor? What does that mean? Did I have any honor left to protect?
Escargot stood and surveyed the room, “Do you need help packing?”
The little griffin looked around for a moment and hummed. She picked up a cup and gave it a cursory look before tossing it over her shoulder. With a smile, she looked up at Escargot. “Ok ready.”
“Don’t you have anything?”
“Only my locket.” From under her feathers, she pulled out a small, silver pendant, inlaid with gold. It depicted a stylized chalice with a flaming wing curling off the top. Embedded in the chalice was a cloudy red dawnstone. “I don’t know what it means though.”
She returned the locket to its place in her feathers and looked up expectantly, then promptly leapt onto Escargot’s back and sat down.
With a resigned sigh, Escargot turned and headed back to the meeting hall.
As she watched the two, Cadence smiled softly. “Escargot, could you come here please?”
Blinking Escargot trotted forward and bowed.
“Please, Escargot, there’s no need; we’re just friends. How are you enjoying your stay?” The princess asked, lounging on a pile of pillows.
“It’s been exciting, terrifying, and confusing.” Escargot lay down with a sigh.
Gisa jumped off Escargot’s back and lay down beside her, watching Cadence with wide eyes.
“And hello, Gisa.”
“Hi, Princess.”
Looking back to the little filly, Princess Cadance laughed softly, “Twilight’s visits are always eventful: if it isn’t the forces of evil, it’s book-hungry ghosts, or kingdom-shattering accidents.”
“Oh, so kind of like Ponyville?” Escargot asked innocently.
“Not quite- here, disasters only happen once or twice a season, rather than on a weekly basis.” Cadence said with a knowing smile.
“Oh. Maybe it’s because Ponyville is so close to the Everfree.”
“Escargot, may I ask you something? Why do you always look so forlorn? So sad?” The Princess of love had a good sense of ponies’ emotional states, but Escargot was downright confusing.
Escargot blinked in confusion- he wasn’t always down, was he? “What do you mean?”
“I can see it in your eyes, in your ears, in the way you act when ponies are happy around you- at first, you are happy, then you start looking sad again.”
“It’s because it’s not me- it’s not who I am. I don’t try and do these things, they just happen.”
“Do you think Twilight ever wanted to be a princess? She never tried to be an alicorn; she never sought that kind of power, but now she’s the Princess of Magic.”
“Oh, Celestia! Please tell me I’m not going to become an alicorn!” Escargot panicked.
Giggling softly, Cadence shook her head. “I don’t know how it works, but I speak from the heart when I say this: don’t dwell on this- you’ve got many ponies looking after you.”
“But would they look after me if they knew the real me?”
“It’s based on what’s in your heart. That’s the real you that matters.” she smiled, “Just think of what the Crystal Heart showed you, that should help.”
He could only shudder at the thought; the image of a beautiful, graceful mare, with legs and a body like Princess Luna, standing proud and true. His dad would expect him to commit suicide for the shame it would bring to his family! Not only would it end his father’s dreams of a stallion to carry on the family line, but it was done through magic. A good outcome was impossible!
As he opened his eyes, he realized he just couldn’t do it: he had to tell Cadence the truth, “Princess Cadence I can’t, I’m really a-”
The doors to the throne room burst open with two crystal guards arguing with three griffins. All three were in griffin armor, two wearing the royal black of Griffonstone, one wearing green and brown.
“I demand to see the Princess IMMEDIATELY!” The griffin wearing the green armor stated.
Cadence stood and spread her wings firmly, “What is the meaning of this intrusion?”
Escargot stood up, somehow finding himself between the adult griffin and Gisa. Gisa had curled into a small ball behind Escargot’s legs.
Waving off a pony guard with a wing, he stood his ground against the princess. “I am Kunibert of Griffinstone. My scouts have informed me that a maid brought a fledgling here.”
From beneath Escargot, Gisa called out, “You can’t have me! I’m under the protection of Princess Escargot! She promised to protect me!”
Escargot went wide-eyed. He looked between Gisa and Kunibert in alarm.
Drawing his sword, but leaving it sheathed, he pointed it accusingly at Escargot. “Then you challenge my claim to her!”
“She sure does!” Gisa called out.
Escargot looked between his legs in shock.
“Enough! There will be no challenges in my court!” Princess Cadence cried out.
“You! What is your name?!” Kunibert turned on Escargot.
“Escargot.”
“Escargot... the name given to a crystal goddess of beauty. A princess of Equestria as well.” Turning, he shouldered his sword. “If I wed her, I could lay claim to Griffonstone as a protectorate of Equestria. Celestia would back such a claim, and not challenge me.”
Turning once more, he looked to his guards. “But Giselle... A wedding with her would have me a sole leader, I would not have to share my rule; I would be the next great king.”
Looking back to the two, “Oh how to decide? Escargot or Giselle? Both could serve me well as a wife! Why can I not have both? To choose is like having to choose between night and day, both are equal in all things.”
Princess Cadence had her hoof over her face, shaking her head.
Escargot looked over to Gisa. With a sigh, he looked up at Kunibert, “You do realize we can hear you, right?”
“Escargot, take Gisa up to my private quarters and get some sleep. I have something to discuss with this griffin regarding his ideas of love.” Princess Cadence was the Princess of Love, afterall.
“Yes, Princess.” Gisa said and hopped up onto Escargot’s back.
Escargot turned for one last look over her shoulder. Why? Why would he want them? Seriously, this one’s too old. Why would he want to marry foals?
Ohai, Blue Thunder!
Heh. All Snails needs now is the unwanted engagements for his colt side.... :D
And Cadance for (temporary) Best Princess. She's said all the right things.... just poor Snails has the worst luck.
Poor, poor Snails he cannot seem to catch a break here can he? After this intrusion is dealt with I hope he can tell Cadance about his curse so he can get some helpful advice instead of what Celestia did. I still want Twilight brought in on the secret so he can get some professional magical help but can he get a bone here please?
Loved the new update and look forward to more updates on it and your five score story too!
6500239 It's not Cadences fault she just trolled him. Big time... like Celestia level of trolling... Its not her fault she didn't have 1 tiny little fact that might have changed the way she said things.
6500325
I know Cadance did not mean to do it, but it kinda feels like Celestia is using Snails curse as a form entertainment. I just can take only so much having a character used as a chew toy that is not Waspinator.
Party 8: This One's To Old
She returned the locket to it’s place
His dad would expect him to commit suicide for the shame it would bring to her family
1. Part, Too.
2. Its.
3. Umm... Wouldn't it be His instead? Genderbending is so confusing a term, that's why I use neutral ones when possible
Oh great. Kuno's here.
I hope Gisa has a nice hammer or mallet to use to try and knock some sense into Kunibert. Hopefully one she wouldn't mind breaking on his hard head.
So.... that griffon at the end..... at first, I was just thinking: "Oh, there's a random griffon who wants to steal Escargot as his Waifu" then the name... the SWORD..... THE LOVE OF 2 DIFFERENT FEMALE CHARACTERS. Oh.... he's that guy. Too bad this story's "Ranma" is not awesome.
6500384
I think that first one was intentional.
6500463 don't think so, it's the chapter title.
LOLICON ALERT!
*GASP!* A Tatewaki Kuno analog...
Finally the glorious descendant of the Griffinstone nobility graces us with his glorious presence!
Strangely enough, unlike certain scion of House Kuno, this one have the right general ideas.
If only could he keep those to himself...
6500239 Sunbutt had assigned her best student on the case, what more support you might want?
6500397 She's a griffin. She's armed from birth.
6500427 Escargot had just defeated the ancient evil spirit with an analog of a flashlight. You don't get more awesome than that.
6500617
It has to be analog, Equestria hasn't entered the digital age yet.
hum ware is this going?
this is going to get heated ferly fast if Cadance is not carful.
and to think Escargot does not even have her tattoo yet.
Harts Fire
6501101 Good thing that Cadence has enough grounds to execute Kunibert right there.
Bad thing is she's too nice to use sensible solutions.
6500728
How about telling said student about the issue instead of setting back with a tub of popcorn. Poor Twilight she is still getting trolled by her mentor.
6501344
6501385 Genma SOLD Ranma for some food, ate all the food, then snuck back and stole Ranma, kidnapping him and running off.
6501385 something tells me you re enjoying this story
Oh, poor Snails, so close and yet so fair.
I see your drawing from some old fairy tails.
Man I hope it will all work out.
Thanks for the update.
6501400 yeah but still...it definitely feels like Snails dad should somehow be worse than genma, but due to not doing the sheer level and douchey things genma did, he isn't. its a paradox.
and don't worry, I do like the story :3
6501529 Genma did bad things yes, but he didn't hate his son..... Snails dad does not like his son at all..... I would take the one who did stupid stuff but still cares over the guy who could care less...
6501400
...several times.
At least 50 times confirmed in the manga. They've practically lived off selling Ranma for quite some time.
6501514 We all know that Twilight can be a bit... enthusiastic about Celestia-related tasks, with her attention to finer details going right out of the window when the name of Sunbutt is mentioned.
As for the name - Snails' talent are snails. Of course he knows how snails will be in Fancy.
Probably, the only word of it he knows.
6501529 But he is! Genma is a bad person, yes, but he wasn't ever shown ready to throw Ranma away for some trait of his he didn't like. Long Haul don't like the trait of his son that is for a unicorn what counts as hands for a healthy human.
6500473
Ah, you're right. Sorry, my 2 AM brain apparently decided that it was logical for that to somehow be a mario party 8 joke, despite how it has nothing to do with anything.
6501529 Worse? you want snails dad to be worse? OMG Come on, hasn't the poor colt had enough LOL
6502303 XD I don't want him to be worse, I'm just rambling.
6501617 exactly
6501617 Actually its more complex then just hating his son.
Picture the football coach/Drill Sergent/ tough guy dad... who was popular in school, captain of the football/basketball team, strong sports buff... Raising a son who's less then perfect. Why can't Snails haul a wagon like Big Mac? Showing emotions? thats for mares and fillies... a stallion bares it all in silence... its unfortunately a fairly common situation... heck consider how to train your dragon, Hickup and His fathers relationship. that was down right toxic till the end of the movie.
6505103 I know the stereotype......
6505135 i wouldn't stay stereotype id say archetype. A friend of mine is a psychologist. She deals with this kind of father all the time.
Just wait till the griffons sister shows up.
I started laughing when I read his talking about both girls. I immediately went and double checked the name, then laughed harder. GG
6505103 Funny thing is that Genma, in fact, is a parody of the exactly that archetype. As well as Nodoka.
Editor's chat log excerpt:
I feel so sorry for Snails at this point. nopony, absolutely NOpony, values him-- and they'd dump him in the trash the instant they knew who he really was. Not even his own father. Come ON, give him at least ONE confidant besides Trollestia.
And make his dad eat crow. Have Snails face him down and tell him if he wants to have an Earth pony son so bad, then he should go jump in the gender-flipping pool and F@$K himself.
6880346 It'd be nice if he was intelligent enough to extrapolate that, given Celestia's apparent acceptance, a moon banishment is probably not in the cards. He's right insofar as getting kicked out though.
“YAY!!!!” Gisa cheered, “And I’ll be the best scribe and helper you could ask for! I’ll even protect your honor!”
I want her to do this...well reference this.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yyse-BB-u9o
Another Taterwacky!!!!
AHA! So there are some traditional male roles in this version of Equestria, including an implied preference for basing family lines on stallions (which I guess makes sense if there are more mares than stallions). You also call his mother 'Mrs. Hall' (which should have been Haul... but I'll assume a typo). Good to know males are not completely socially neutered in this 'verse. I was a bit concerned after that bit with Opal.
With a mentality like that, he should be trying to woo Princess Luna.
Kunibert, you mean kuno.
Tatewaki Kuno
Right, so, I can guess immediately that there will, at one point, be an altercation/fight between Gisa and Snails. Snails has expressed displeasure towards Escargot out loud before, and is most likely going to eventually say something like it in front of Gisa when he doesn't know she's there. Then, she's going to come out and try to defend Escargot's honour. Of course, I guessed it based off of the principal of Chekov's Gun. If Gisa does eventually fight Snails over something like that, it's good story writing, as Chekov's Gun is usually explained like this: If you hang a gun on the wall in the first act of a play, it should go off by the third act. Basically, if you set something up early or at an introduction to someone, than that should be used at some point later. The Guns, in this case, are Snail's past words near Escargot's friends and Gisa saying she'll protect her honour. Now that I've said that, I can finally succumb to my blurring vision and fall asleep.
Ugh. I should have saved my previous comment for this chapter. The whole "Ranma could use an ego-deflating" vs. "kicking Snails when he's down" problem applies even more strongly when you introduce someone who looks like he's going to be a nod to Tatewaki Kuno.
6500363
Ah Waspinator...good times.
8081901
Age 19
Also Known as BlueThunder