As the minutes passed by, everypony saw that they were coming up to the town of the Griffons, and they could tell, because many of houses were in bad shape, or were already falling apart. As everypony came into town, they saw around them, that every Griffon that saw them, were giving them glares. Some went into their homes, and shut their doors, while others that were walking by, simply ignored them, and they kept going along, and then everypony saw ahead of them, the central part of town, and what looked like a palace, or what was left of it anyways. Everypony then proceeded to the town square where they stopped to exchange thoughts on how the Griffons were going receive them, and on the state of the town. Rarity spoke first, as she said, "This place is a dump!"
Twilight said, "Shhh! Quiet! They might hear you! The last thing we need to do, is upset them even more than they already are."
Rarity said, "Oh, right, sorry."
Pinkie Pie said, "Honestly, I would've thought, when I was sent here to fix the friendship problems around here, I was really hoping things would be better around here."
Fluttershy said, "She's right, although....I feel like something's not right here..."
Twilight said, "Yeah, something is quite not right. Although, I wonder, what has caused them all to continue to be like towards each other, and even visitors?"
Rainbow Dash pointed towards the crumbling palace, and said, "Perhaps we should ask the leader of this place."
Rarity said with a scowl, "Anything else you want to point out, captain annoying?"
Rainbow Dash began to charge at Rarity, and stopped in front of her, as she said, "Why you! You take that back!"
Everypony else got in-between Rarity and Rainbow Dash, as the two were trying very hard to get at each other, and Twilight said, "That's enough! Both of you! You are both acting like a bunch of fillies! You are mares now, get a hold of yourselves! There are much more pressing matters at hand right now, than some petty squabble! If we fight amongst each other now, we will have no hope defeating Arrovak, or his armies for that matter, and us asking for help from these races, will be a massive waste of time! Put your ridiculous differences aside, and see past this foolishness!"
Everypony backed away from the two, and they walked in front of each other, and they just looked at each other in the eyes for a while, and then they hugged each other, and began sobbing in each other's hooves.
Rarity said, "I'm sorry Rainbow Dash! I-I-I just feel so stressed out from what's been going on...and...'sniffle'...and I'm so afraid that we will all fail at this undertaking, and we will be the ones responsible for a whole planet's and universe's destruction! I am so sorry Rainbow Dash! I'm just so afraid!"
Rainbow Dash said through her sobs, "We all feel afraid, heck, even I do a bit, and I'm sorry too, Rarity, you're a great friend of mine."
Rarity looked up at Rainbow Dash, and said, "Really?" She then looked at everypony else, and said, "You all feel this way? I was trying so hard to stay strong and not show it..."
Twilight said, "Yeah, we all feel a little afraid, there is a lot at stake here, it's only natural for us all to feel like this every now and then."
Rainbow Dash and Rarity backed away from each other, wiped their tears, and they turned to the others, nodded in approval that they were ready to keep moving forward as Rarity said, "I think I feel better now, knowing that I'm not the only one that feels afraid from all this, and what will happened if we fail."
Silver Sky spoke, who usually stayed out of situations like this, but he said, "We won't fail, although I know I haven't been around you all that long, but I've seen the strength that you have in each other, it's there, even I can see it, you all just need to get past your fears that you're going to fail, and fully regain your self-confidence in yourselves, and you all, will probably feel like you all used to before Darkness ever showed up, whenever that was, I'm guessing a long time ago."
Rainbow Dash said, "Silver Sky's completely right, and yeah, after hearing everything what Twilight and Silver Sky said, I feel a whole lot better knowing we are all on the same page, to different degrees, probably, but we are all still on the same page nevertheless, and thank you Twilight....all of you. Well, I'm ready to move on, how about you all?"
Everypony nodded in approval, and Twilight said, "Well, let's go see the Griffon ruler, and see what we can do to convince them to join the oncoming fight."
Nopony had noticed till now, but many of the Griffons were all around them, some were tearing up, others were crying, but they all were applauding Twilight and the others, as one of the Griffons came up to them, and said, "Wow, geez, you guys have quite a strong friendship with each other, even in the worse of times, your friendship holds through, and you all make amends in the end. I got to say, we all could learn a thing or two from you all, we tried, after Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash tried to restore our long-lost idol, and our kindness towards each other. It worked for a while, but we were so used to treating each other so horribly, we've done it for so long.... So we eventually gave up..... Perhaps what we all need, is to go somewhere outside of our homes for awhile, and maybe that would cheer us up, and perhaps clear our minds too.."
Rainbow Dash said, "You know, were just going to talk to your ruler, about that very thing."
The Griffon ushered them towards the palace, and said, "You are? We would be grateful! Our ruler doesn't let us leave our town, and we all think, that maybe it's time we go out, and learn more about how to make and keep good friendships."
Twilight replied, "We will see what we can do to convince your ruler, to let you all leave this place for a while."
The Griffon said nothing more, and backed away, to let them through, and as everypony came up to the gates, the guards opened the shoddy wooden doors, and everypony walked inside, as the Griffons looked on in hope, that the conversation with their ruler would turn out well, and as everypony passed through the doors, the guards closed the doors behind everypony, and turned to face Twilight and the others, they said, "You'll find our ruler, just up ahead, he shouldn't be too hard to miss, and good luck, that old coot, doesn't listen to much these days."
Applejack said, "Thanks for heads-up."
Everypony then continued to walk along the small hallway, that clearly lead to the throne room, and they noticed in the distance, a small, half-broken throne, with a small figure sitting in it.
Applejack said, "That must be him."
Nopony said anything, they just kept walking along, until they entered the throne room, and as they entered, they looked around: they saw the the ceiling had several large holes all over the place, the walls on either side, had holes and cracks in them as well, and there were four pillars on either side of the throne chair, which some had crumbled to the floor, and the ones that still stood, also had cracks in it all over the place. As everypony got done looking around, they all approached the throne, and as they were walking, Rainbow Dash whispered, "Geez, this place looks as bad as that ruined castle in the Everfree Forest."
Everypony gave Rainbow Dash the look to be quiet, in case any of the Griffons spread throughout the room, might've heard, and Rainbow Dash said, "Oh right, yeah, I'll be quiet now.." And with that, nopony said anything else, and as they came within about ten steps from the ruler of the Griffons, The Griffon ruler said, "Stop, that is close enough, I can see you all clearly now, and I have to say, I am rather surprised to see who has come to visit our humble palace..." The Griffon Ruler took a breath, and then said with a smirk, Well, well, if it isn't the Princess Of Friendship, and her friends, and even Darkness's sister, and somepony else I've never seen before....coming to our humble town..... But I trust he is a friend of yours, so I won't ask about that. Although, I am curious...what brings you here? You are welcome, of course, but why come before me, as you do now?"
Everypony kneeled, except for Snowshy, and Silver Sky, and Twilight saw the two not kneeling, and she said, "What are you two doing? Show some respect!"
Silver Sky kneeled, and said, "Sorry, I got nervous there for a minute."
Snowshy still did not kneel, and Twilight said in a nervous tone, "Snowshy, please, show respect to our host..Before we upset him."
The Griffon Ruler put up a talon, shook his head, and said, "That won't be necessary, for I know who she is, and she has that right, she does not need to bow before any of us, for she is the sister, of the legendary stallion, whose name I will not say, because I have not earned such an honor, the same stallion, who sacrificed everything, including his life, to save all of ours." He then addressed Snowshy directly, and he said, "I have much respect for your brother, and all he did for all us, all those years ago, and for that, a few days after his passing, we have made a monument, in his honor, and with our most prized gemstone, we built it on our best overlook cliff we have here, you are more than welcome to visit the monument, at no charge."
Snowshy said, "Thank you, and thank you for understanding that."
The Griffon Ruler said, "No need to thank me, it should be I who should doing all the thanking." He then turned to the others, and said, "Rise, and again, welcome. So what brings you all here? Surely you all can't be here, just for the scenery!"
The Griffon Ruler, and the other Griffons in the room, chuckled at this remark, and then they went quiet a few seconds later. Everypony then looked at each other, not really knowing how to go about asking the question, so Snowshy steeped forward, and said, "Wise Griffon Ruler, perhaps it would be best to explain what's going on, and how it will affect, and kill us all, if we don't do something."
The Griffon Ruler leaned forward, with his chin resting on his right talon, as he said, "Alright then, you have my full attention, by the way, what is your name? Even though I know who you are, I never knew your name, either that, or I'm getting forgetful, I am, as you can see, that my youth was spent long ago. And then, please explain."
Snowshy introduced herself, and then began explaining the arrival of Arrovak, the threat he poses, and what he will do to every race, pony or not, villain or not, and she also explained where Arrovak is getting his power, and where he is drawing it from, and what will happen if he is not stopped. She then also explained, of the oncoming war, that could break out at any moment, and how every single living being, that could fight back, needs to work together, put their differences aside, and save their planet and the universe together.
As Snowshy finished explaining everything, The Griffon Ruler leaned back, and was thinking over everything he had just been told, and then he said, "I see how this affects my kind and my kingdom, but why should, we help ponies, and other races, like dragons, for example? Dragons have always looked down on us, and so have ponies, for many generations, well...maybe not anymore, but my kind haven't forgotten, I haven't forgotten what my father told me, and what his father before him. So, I ask you, why should we fight alongside ponies?"
Twilight was going to say something, but Snowshy motioned for her to stay out of it, and Snowshy said, "You know of my brother's great deeds, yes? Well, before he became the stuff of legends and lore, he was just like you, he just another everyday pony. He was a sorcerer pony, yes. But in that society, in those times, where his kind were only ever seen as evil beings, and although there was a time when that was absolutely true, it was not so with my brother, he was such a kind, generous soul, it is that very hatred from everypony, that he had to deal with by himself, all those years alone, after him and I lost our mother, at a very young age, and I was sent away, for what my mother feared would come to pass, and it did, and it's because nopony was ever there for him, nopony was ever there to help him, to share his sadness with him, it was then that he succumbed to the greatest evil of them all, and I'm sure it's a name you all fear, a being you all hope will never return, or ever see again, and it was on that day, that my brother, succumbed to the evil of Darkness Night, the greatest evil there is. So what we are asking you, is to prevent that kind of hatred against ponies like him and myself to never get to the point it did: the near-extinction of an entire race, by coming together, fighting alongside one another, shoulder to shoulder, throwing aside their differences, as all races band together against a common enemy. So I ask: do you want to wipe each other out, over some ridiculous age-old grudge, or will you all let it go, realizing that what is past is past, there's nothing you or any of us can do about it now. Also, I can tell you from experience, that many ponies of today, are welcoming to those who come to and even dwell within their communities, so they would be happy to interact and get to know you and your kind better, and dragons of today, well, they too, are not like they used to be, although most are still very stubborn, there are still quite a few, here and there, that are willing to try and make friendships, so I ask you, Griffon Ruler, what are you going to do? Are you going to stay here, and watch as you and your kind gets annihilated? Or will you take the fight to Arrovak, and show him that the Griffons will not be pushovers?"
As Snowshy finished speaking, she stepped back, as everypony else was in shock, as to what Snowshy just said.
The room was silent for quite a while, as The Griffon Ruler, was stunned by all of this, and after a while, he got up, and began issuing out orders to the guards to ring the bells, and to blow the horns, and he went over to Snowshy, put a talon on her shoulder, looked her straight in the eye, and said, "You're right, for far too long, have we Griffons, let our petty grudges get the best of us. So here is my answer: the Griffons will take the fight to that Arrovak bastard, we will show him, who rules the skies, we were once the greatest aerial fighters there ever was, and we still are! So when the war breaks out, you can count on us to fight alongside you all." The Griffon Ruler then backed away from Snowshy a bit, and everypony celebrated, at the Griffon Ruler's answer, and then The Griffon ruler ushered a guard over, and told him, "I want any and all guards we can spare to keep a constant watch on all our borders, and keep a keen eye out for any signs of the breakout of the war, got it? Also, begin any all preparations immediately. Now get going, and tell every Griffon in town, the Griffons are going to war!!!"
The guard saluted him, and bolted out the doors, as bells and horns could be heard all around them, with warcries, and cheering. Twilight then turned to Applejack, and asked, "So now that we can count the Griffons to help us, where does the sword point us towards now?"
Applejack dug out the sword, and it began to glow, as the blue light pointed to the west, and as everypony saw where it lead, Applejack put away the sword.
Rainbow Dash said, "To the west, huh? The only thing that could possibly be beyond here would be...."
Rarity finished Rainbow Dash's sentence, and said, "The home of The Shipbuilder Ponies."
The Griffon Ruler heard this, and he said, "You all need to go there? We trade with them quite often now, but as to why we trade with them.... because well, we don't consider them like the ones, on the mainland, and well....., they're not, they're different, but they were really kind to us, so we established a air travel route to and from, in fact, we have some of our air traders about to go out there, in a few minutes, I could always send word, for them to wait until you get to them, you'll find them, in the hangar trade hub, do you want me to make the arrangements?"
Pinkie Pie spoke this time, and said, "Of course! We would be very grateful!"
The Griffon Ruler said, "Don't mention it, it's the least we can do for now, until we are fully geared up, and ready for war."
The Griffon Ruler then ushered another guard over, and asked him to bring some parchment and ink, and moments later, the guard came back some parchment and a bottle of ink, and The Griffon Ruler, took it, and then wrote down Twilight and the others names, with orders saying for the air traders getting ready to leave, to stay put until Twilight and the others arrive.
The Griffon Ruler then gave back the ink, and rolled up the parchment, and gave it to the guard, who put away the ink, and flew off in the direction of the trade hangar hub, and then The Griffon Ruler, said to everypony, " As you leave here, take the path to the left, and you will see a large wooden building with holes in it. Trust me, it's the one building around here that was designed like that, on purpose, for easier air travel. Anyways, the building will have a big sign that says, 'Trade Hangar Hub', go in that building, When you all get inside the trade hangar hub, look for a sign to the right that has the number, 'trade hangar number 4' , in there, you will find your ride, to get to the home of the Shipbuilder Ponies, I wish you all the best of luck, and when see each other again, may it be in battle, kicking Arrovak's armies into dust!"
Everypony thanked him, and left the palace, turned to left, and followed the path down, and sure enough: they saw the big sign, put onto a large building, that said, 'Trade Hangar Hub', and they continued down the path a little more, when they came upon the entrance, as the guard asked, "Your names please."
Twilight replied, and said everypony's names, and the guards let them all pass, and they entered the building, and they immediately began looking for the sign as they went down the path to the right, and a few moments later, Rainbow Dash pointed upwards, and said, "There!"
Everypony looked to where Rainbow Dash was pointed, and saw the sign that said, 'Trade Hangar 4', and Twilight said, "That's where we need to go, come on everypony!"
Everypony continued along, until they came upon 12 Griffons, strapped in gear, and were carrying goods of all sorts, while 8 of them, were carrying a structure that looked like it could carry passengers, and when the leader saw them, he came up to them, and he asked, "Are you Twilight and her friends?"
Twilight said, "Yes."
The leader said, "Then hop aboard the ones that can carry you all, and we'll be off, and the cool thing about this is, is air travel is very quick, so we'll be at the home of the Shipbuilder Ponies, at most, in about approximately 20 minutes."
Twilight and the others gave their thanks, and got aboard the ones that could carry passengers, and as everypony was ready, and the Griffons had everything they needed, a horn blew nearby, and the Griffons went to the edge of the platform, jumped off, spread their wings and took flight, heading towards the island of the Shipbuilder Ponies.