The Griffonstone Infestation

by Brass Polish

5 Half-Hearted Clean-Up

Fluttershy carried on towards Griffonstone, slower now that she had a delicate passenger; that and the temperature was going up as the day went on. She carried on checking trees, bushes, stones, and weed clusters in case any breezie ponies were stuck there. As the mountain got larger, Fluttershy had found no others.

“With any luck, the others are up in Griffonstone,” said Rarity optimistically. “We’ll be able to get your nose and wings seen to, and Twilight will be able to restore us all.”

“And maybe we can help Griffonstone rebuild,” added Fluttershy, beginning to climb the slope.

It wasn’t easy waking up the steep mountainside; Fluttershy knew that if she slipped and fell, not only would she be unable to fly to safety, but Rarity would most certainly sustain nasty injuries. She walked carefully, pausing periodically when the rock looked unstable, judging her movements, and keeping herself balanced.

“Fluttershy,” said Rarity when they’d stopped halfway up the mountain, “what does Bluster want with Applejack?”

“I have a guess,” said Fluttershy with a grimace, “and I hope I’m wrong.”

She didn’t say anything else, even though Rarity tried to press the issue a few times. Fluttershy wanted to concentrate on the climb. When they were nearly at the top, the mountainside began to level out, and they spotted some debris lying around.

“How much damage do you think the town took?” asked Rarity.

“We’ll just have to see for ourselves,” shrugged Fluttershy. “Oh, I hope none of our friends are trapped under all this wreckage.”

Their journey was slowed even more when Fluttershy decided to check under every roof tile, sign post, trash, bin, and flower pot for a sign of a breezie pony. Every piece of litter she picked up revealed nothing.

At last, Griffonstone loomed into view.

“We made it!” exclaimed Rarity.

Fluttershy looked up. “The weather factory building site’s all gone.”

Indeed, the sky above Griffonstone only had a few small clouds hovering over it. And strangely, a few clouds were lingering close to the ground. It seemed no one was bothered about them.

“Look!” squeaked Rarity. “There are griffons about!”

As they suspected, a clean-up operation was underway. Greta was the first griffon to spot Fluttershy and Rarity approaching the town.

“Hey, are you some of George’s friends?” she asked, setting aside her rake.

“Yes. Have you seen him?” asked Fluttershy.

Greta nodded. “He’s at his farm. Gabby’s with him. She whacked her whole left side during that storm last night. Her left legs and wing are totally wrecked… they look a lot like your nose and wings.”

“What about our breezie pony friends?” asked Rarity. “Are any of them here?”

Greta nodded again. “Three of them. I forget their names. One’s got a head injury. The other two aren’t too bad.”

“Thank you,” smiled Fluttershy, and carried Rarity to George’s farmhouse.

When they arrived, it was Gilda who answered the door. She still had some soot on her face.

“Hey! Fluttershy and Rarity are here!” she called into the living room.

George ran up, arms outstretched.

“Careful, George!” exclaimed Fluttershy before he could hug her. “I’m carrying Rarity.”

George slowed down. “Oh, good. You’ve got Rarity with you.”

He gently hugged Fluttershy, making sure not to squash Rarity.

“Now there’s only one breezie pony missing,” he said.

Fluttershy gulped. “It’s not Applejack, is it?”

“Fraid so,” frowned George. “The rest are here, though. Twilight got the worst of it. She’s got a pounding headache. Fortunately, my guidebook on breezie care gave us plenty of information on how to cure that within the week.”

Rarity groaned. “That means she can’t change us back to ponies for a while.”

“And I can’t get a message to Discord,” said Fluttershy glumly. “Just look at my nose.”

Both George and Gilda had heard enough about Discord not to question Fluttershy’s odd statement.

“George, I need to ask you about Bluster,” Fluttershy went on.

“Oh, you know about him,” said George.

“We certainly do,” said Rarity crossly. “Look what he’s done to Fluttershy’s wings.”

“Oh, no. He wasn’t torturing you for information or anything like that, was he?” groaned George.

“He demanded to know who my strongest friend was,” answered Fluttershy.

“That stupid, big-headed egotist!” growled George. “He’s gonna hypnotise Applejack into being his mate!”

Rarity gasped. Fluttershy moaned. Gilda raised an eyebrow.

“How’s that, now?” she asked.

“I’ve mentioned how vulnerable normal breezies are,” George said. “If they see any swaying object…”

He snapped his talons.

“Their minds are ripe for control.”

“I can attest to that,” chimed in Rarity. “That cyclone scrambled my brains something dreadful. It took the sight of a horrible great spider to snap me back to my senses.”

“Over and over again, I told him he and everyone else would be better off if he went back home,” said George through gritted teeth. “But no, he’s bent on having an above-average mate.”

“So Bluster wanted to become stronger than every other breezie,” said Fluttershy. “I’m sorry, George. I thought, since you were being so secretive, that you were guilty of animal cruelty.”

“I will be if I ever get my talons on him,” snarled George.

“Get in line,” seethed Gilda. “That thing could’ve fried us up in the weather factory.”

“Were you two up there looking for him when he created that cyclone?” asked Fluttershy.

Gilda and George nodded crossly.

“We opened the door to the factory floor and a jet of hot air from one of the machines blasted in our faces,” said George.

“And since all that machinery was so shoddily built,” added Gilda, “the whole factory fell apart. And the way things are going right now, no one’s gonna want to try again.”

“Morale is pretty low now,” said George glumly. “After what happened last night, everyone would rather let the weather just happen.”

“Even though that’s what caused the trouble in the first place,” Gilda frowned. “If Griffonstone’s weather had been griffon controlled from the start, that bolt of lightning would never have knocked Arimaspi into the Abysmal Abyss, and we might still have the Idol of Boreas. But no one will care now. We’ve got too much too clean up now.”

She picked up a tool box and began to leave.

“Wait, did you say Bluster’s gonna try and hypnotise Applejack?”

George nodded.

“But how can he make her do what he wants when they don’t speak the same language?”

George went to check to see if he still had his breezie phrasebook, and Fluttershy followed, still ferrying Rarity. In the living room, Grabby was lying on her right side sleeping on the sofa. Her left legs and wing were in bandages. Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie were lounging about on a throw pillow sitting on the rocking chair, with Twilight curled up in a ball further back. She was holding an ice cube to her forehead. She perked up when she saw Fluttershy enter the room with Rarity.

“You’re okay!” she cried.

She immediately groaned in pain, but still smiled as Fluttershy and Rarity approached.

“What happened to you?” asked Pinkie Pie. “You both look even worse than us.”

“Fluttershy’s nose and wings are broken,” said Rarity as Fluttershy set her down on the throw pillow. “But she still managed to save me from a spider’s web.”

“How are you all?” asked Fluttershy.

Rainbow Dash grunted as she stood up. “I haven’t felt this awful since that time I thought I was gonna fail my Wonderbolts history test.”

“I’ll bet you don’t feel anywhere near as awful as Twilight, though,” said Pinkie Pie. “Gabby was trying to angle herself when we were about to hit the ground so that she wouldn’t crush any of us. Dashie and me weren’t too bad, but Twilight’s head got caught between Gabby’s elbow.”

“And Gabby didn’t come out of the crash well herself,” said Rainbow, pointing to the napping mail griffon.

Fluttershy and Rarity gazed with pity at the half-bandaged Gabby.

“Good thing she’s got those sharp talons and claws,” said Pinkie Pie. “Or she wouldn’t have gotten us back here.”

“What about Applejack?” asked Twilight groggily.

George interrupted. “My breezie phrasebook’s still here.”

Fluttershy looked at the open book on the coffee table, and realised it was still on the page she’s seen it on last night.

“It had to have been Bluster who wrote that note,” she muttered. “He used that phrase book so everyone would think it was from me.”

George chuckled. “Well, if he wants to hypnotise Applejack, he’ll need this book.”

He closed the phrasebook and clutched it in his talons.

“What?! What does that bodybuilder-breezie friend of yours want with Applejack?” demanded Rainbow Dash.

“It doesn’t matter,” said George. “Gilda was right. He can’t do it if she can’t understand him, and he’ll never get through to her without this book. And I’m gonna guard this book with my life. Ha! I’ve won!”

Twilight held her head. “Please, George. Not so loud.”

“Oh, sorry,” said George. “Need another ice cube?”

George kept his breezie phrasebook tucked under his wing as he went about tending to his wounded friends.

“We don’t exactly have good doctors or nurses in Griffonstone,” he said grimly as he bandaged Fluttershy’s wings. “Gilda’s been complaining that no griffons will accept outside help.”

Fluttershy washed her nose, but still couldn’t breathe through it.

“I’ll have to go to the nearest Equestrian town,” she said. “Whether Griffonstone will accept our help or not makes no difference. They need it, and I know plenty of Equestrians who will offer it. Is the train still running?”

“I don’t know,” said George. “I haven’t checked. I hope Bluster hasn’t sabotaged the rail line.”

“Then it’s settled,” said Fluttershy. “I’m off to Rainbow Falls.”

“Shouldn’t you rest first?”

“There isn’t time,” insisted Fluttershy. “The sooner we get professional help for everyone, the better. And for all we know, Bluster could have found Applejack and tried to hypnotise her hours ago.”

George brandished the breezie phrasebook. “He’ll be coming for this either way, and I’ll catch him when he does. I swear it.”

He shook Fluttershy’s hoof, and off she went.

The griffons Fluttershy saw outside were looking dejected as they went about with their half-hearted clean-up operation. Along the way to the city limits, Fluttershy saw Gilda mending a fence, and decided to fill her in on everything.

“Gilda, I’m going to Rainbow Falls to get help,” she said.

“Good,” said Gilda huffily. “We need it, whether anyone around here will admit it or not. What are you smiling about?”

Fluttershy did indeed have a grin on her face.

“Oh. Well, it’s just… it feels good to be important. I’m off to the station now.”

“You want my advice? Don’t wait for a train there,” said Gilda. “The train from Equestria only comes to Griffonstone Halt when there are passengers who want to go there. You can’t be sure one will come.”

“You mean I’ll have to walk along the tracks all the way to Rainbow Falls?” gaped Fluttershy.

She looked up at the sky. The sun was beating down, and the small number of clouds in the sky did nothing to shade the ground below. Even the clouds that were hovering near the ground barely had any shadows beneath them. Gilda grabbed a full water bottle from next to one of the broken fence posts.

“Here.”

She held it out to Fluttershy without looking at her.

“Thank you, Gilda,” said Fluttershy, taking it.

She was tempted to say she would consider this a gesture of apology for scaring her in Ponyville, but thought better of it.

Fluttershy took a run at the gap between ledges to make sure she wouldn’t fall into the Abysmal Abyss; she knew if she did, it was all over. A hop, a skip, and a jump later, she was on the other side. She got a good few feet from the edge, and she hadn’t dropped her water bottle. Her confidence mounted as she carried on down the mountain towards the station halt. Even though the journey was downhill, she still took it slow and steady. It wasn’t long before she reached the deserted station. She stopped to rest and have a few sips of water. Minutes later, she went to the booking office. It appeared deserted.

“Hello?”

No sound came from the building. Fluttershy went inside. No one was there.

“Either this station is always deserted,” said Fluttershy to herself, “or the staff didn’t feel like coming to work today.”

For a moment, she wondered if Bluster might be hiding in here, given how desolate it was. She grabbed a nearby waiting room chair and started to search every nook and cranny of the station building. Before long, she came to discover that it was well and truly empty. She stepped out onto the platform and looked along the line. There was no sign of an approaching train. She sighed as she stepped down onto the tracks and began making her way along the line to Rainbow Falls.

Gilda had gone back to George’s farmhouse.

“Hi, Gilda!” exclaimed Gabby. “Oops. Sorry, Twilight.”

Twilight moaned, but waved to Gilda as she entered the living room.

“I see you’re up and about now,” observed Gilda as Gabby limped around the room.

“She’s still in a bad state,” said George.

“I can still help you take care of Twilight and the others,” Gabby grinned as she replaced Twilight’s ice cube.

“Just don’t overwork yourself,” warned George.

“So Fluttershy went off back home to get help,” said Gilda.

George nodded as Gilda returned his toolbox.

“Gilda,” squeaked Rainbow Dash, “could you go after her? Make sure she’s alright? You know her wings are busted, right?”

“You think Bluster’s gonna attack her again?” sniffed Gilda. “Relax. Bluster’ll be trying to get here to steal George’s translator book.”

“Which,” smirked George, “I’ve burned.”

“Hm. Good idea,” nodded Gilda.

“Gilda,” said Rainbow Dash imploringly, “Fluttershy’s my best friend. And you’re my griffon friend. Please?”

Gilda looked away from Rainbow Dash. “She’s not in danger, Dash. And neither is Applejack as long as Bluster can’t speak her language. Come on, George. Since Gabby’s fit enough to take care of our little breezies here, can you come help me move those clouds that’re hanging around the ground?”

“Well, I’ll clear away the ones that are close to the farm,” agreed George. “I don’t want to be too far away in case Bluster does show up.”

Rainbow Dash watched dejectedly as Gilda left the house with George right behind her.

Twilight moaned. “Fluttershy… still… danger…”

Greta was returning home for a rest, carrying a loaded trash bag over her shoulder. She saw Gilda and George leaving the farm house. Right outside George’s front door were two clouds hovering near the ground. Gilda and George both beat their wings and jumped forward to grab one each.

“Don’t touch those!” shouted Greta.

It was too late. Gilda grabbed one cloud, George grabbed the other, and they both got electrocuted. The lightning blackened their legs; they were completely limp.

“I tried to warn you,” groaned Greta as Gilda and George slid off the clouds. “Those clouds came from the weather factory during the storm.”

“You mean a by-product?” grunted George, trying to move his talons.

“Just before the whole thing fell apart,” nodded Greta. “That shopkeeper down the road had the same thing happen to her. She wasn’t able to move her talons or claws for hours. If we want to get rid of those clouds, we need…”

Greta stopped talking and began to walk away.

“Hey, wait a minute!” barked Gilda, flapping her wings after her. “Why would you just leave us like this?! We’re friends, aren’t we?”

“You’ll be fine in a few hours, like I said,” sniffed Greta.

“And what were you gonna say?” demanded Gilda.

Greta heaved an annoyed sigh. “We’d need unicorn magic to move these clouds without anyone getting zapped. But with Princess Twilight out of action, that’s just not gonna happen.”

Gilda scoffed. “Yeah, it will. Because Fluttershy’s on her way to Equestria to bring help.”

Greta began to walk away again.

“What’s wrong with you?!” demanded Gilda, still beating her wings to keep herself upright. “You weren’t like this when I asked you to help defend southern Equestria.”

“That’s different,” said Greta over her shoulder. “That was us helping them for a change.”

And off she went.

Gabby waddled through the front door.

“Twilight says Fluttershy could still be in danger,” she said. “Bluster might not bother with George’s phrasebook and just try and make Fluttershy do the translating.”

“She’d refuse,” insisted Gilda. “She would. She’s tougher than she lets on.”

George snorted. “Now who’s avoiding being helpful?”

“Well what do you expect?! I just fried my arms and legs!” snapped Gilda. “Are you gonna go after Fluttershy in this condition?”

“What happened to you two?” asked Gabby, noticing with alarm that Gilda and George were both mostly limp.

“Let’s just say we can’t clear away these clouds without magic,” said George. “And to answer your question, Gilda…”

He flew onto the cloud that had zapped him, which had of course used up all its electricity.

“I am going after Fluttershy.”

Gilda and Gabby looked at him as if he had a snot bubble oozing from his beak.

“Hey, between my gimpy arms and legs and her gimpy wings, we should be fine,” shrugged George.

Gilda looked at the cloud that had electrocuted her. “Hmm… we might be able to hide from Bluster if we use these clouds.”

“So you’ll come with me?” asked George.

“If Gabby’s okay being left along with the breezie ponies,” said Gilda.

Gabby nodded. “I’m sure Twilight’s right about Fluttershy being in more danger than any of us.”

“Thanks, Gilda,” came the squeaky voice of Rainbow Dash.

Gilda jumped when she spotted the tiny blue breezie standing on Gabby’s back.

“I’m only going because Gabby can’t and, besides George, no other griffon will,” snorted Gilda, mounting her cloud. “Come on, George.”

She and George beat their wings and off they went atop their respective clouds.

Author's Note:

Not sure if things get too contrived at this point.

Comments

[Yoshifan30]

I know Gilda has a heart Despite trying to be a tough girl