Chapter 33 – To the War
33
Equus
Mount Aris
Hippogriffia Castle, War Room
6:59 p.m.
Tempest Shadow and Queen Novo held uncertain stares with one another throughout the entire debrief. Queen Novo brought her guards, her generals, and her guests into Hippogriffia Castle’s War Room beneath the peak of the mountain. Tempest and Captain Celaeno stood side by side on their edge of the round table, a large map displayed in front of them.
And in front of them, besides the war map, stood Queen Novo, Princess Skystar, General Seaspray, Stratus Skyranger, Sky Beak, and several other high-ranking Hippogriffs. It appeared even Sky Beak’s family was with him, what with the two children named Silverstream and Terramar close by his side, under his wings, and standing by their mother and father. Surrounding the War Room were some of Tempest’s Storm Guards, spears pressed to the solid floor, gripping their shields as they glared and growled at the Hippogriff guards surrounding the room, as well. They kept their temper in check, knowing the consequences with Tempest standing right in front of them.
Grubber and the pirates retreated into the mess hall of Hippogriffia Castle, more than earning their reward in desserts and rum for helping to save Hippogriffia. The Queen allowed it. Tempest ignored it. Celaeno wished she could be a part of it, but knew greater matters lied ahead of them.
One could cut the tension with a knife. Both Tempest and Novo sent uneasy stares back to each other every now and again. To say it was awkward was an understatement. Letting General Seaspray babble on about the battle, the casualties, and the reports that came with it, Novo just kept thinking back to when Hippogriffia was invaded for the first time a year ago. At the claws of the Storm King, he ransacked their beautiful city, searching for the inhabitants… and what they held.
Thankfully, they never found them. Never found the Pearl. They made sure to leave Hippogriffia a smoldering husk of what it once was before they left the fallen empire. And leading the attack, slaughtering Hippogriffs left and right, all to get to the Queen and the Pearl, was her.
Tempest Shadow.
Novo never forgot the Hippogriffs she killed. Those names were burned in her mind as her blank stare slowly grew into a glare the longer she stared at the unicorn with a shattered horn. Even then, even with the unicorn’s past, Novo knew she couldn’t hold the grudge forever. Especially since Tempest and her allies helped save Hippogriffia from certain destruction. Without their help, Mount Aris would be nothing but rock lost to the sea.
Knowing that, even with knowing what she did, Novo closed her eyes and breathed in, steadily releasing her anger. Tempest caught every last hint of her emotions, relieved to see that anger fade away and a simple stare had returned her way. That was more than enough that she could ask for, especially considering the horrible things she had done to the Hippogriffs while in service to the Storm King. She didn’t expect to be forgiven from them anytime soon, but just knowing that the anger wasn’t there any longer was all she could ask for.
With the tension slowly ceasing, the two alpha characters slowly brought their gazes down to the war map, where General Seaspray pointed to the ocean directly ahead of Mount Aris’ location. He said, “Here is where the alien spacecraft landed. The seaponies have searched the vessel inside and out, confirming that nothing survived in the crash.”
“And when we brought down that ship,” Stratus Skyranger picked up for him, turning to the Queen, “the army fell with it.”
“Instantly,” Sky Beak continued, his family looking to him, as well as the rest of the table. “It’s like the mothership is the heart… and the army is the body. We take out the heart and everything else fails.”
“Which means we know how to beat these things,” Tempest Shadow said, the table turning to her and her chilling tone. “Take out the ship and they die.”
She didn’t see the sneer that General Seaspray sent her way. She only turned her head his way when he cleared his throat. “Very well,” Seaspray muttered, shifting his gaze to Novo on his left. “My Queen, what is our next course of action?”
“My Queen!”
Before she could even reply, the voice from behind caught everyone’s attention. A lone Hippogriff guard broke through the doors to the War Room, flying to the Queen and offering her a scroll. He said, “My Queen, the letter from Princess Celestia has arrived at last.”
Nodding to him, Novo picked the scroll from his talons and bid him away. Once the doors closed and the room remained as it once was—with the rising silence slowly plaguing the War Room—Novo unraveled the scroll and silently read it to herself. The longer she stared at the single piece of parchment, her frown thickened. Skystar leaned her head over to try and read herself.
Novo sighed, dropping the letter on the table. Skystar leaned forward, frowning when Seaspray picked it up, his own face falling after reading the first few lines. “Just as I feared,” Novo said. “This attack wasn’t just focused on Panthera and Hippogriffia. It’s everywhere. Celestia just informed us that their dragon allies in the east are in desperate need of assistance, although they don’t want to admit it.”
“Neither do the griffons,” Seaspray sighed, his tone slightly annoyed, handing the letter to Skyranger and Sky Beak. He ignored the children, Skystar and Silverstream holding their bemused expressions to one another.
“Panthera has already fallen, so there’s no hope in heading there without getting outnumbered and outgunned. Our next course of action…” Novo paused, her talon hovering over the map and landing on a piece of land to the northeast, “… is here. The Dragon Lands. There’s still a fighting chance, and if we can gain some much-needed allies in the process, it would be more than worth it.”
“My Queen, the dragons made it clear that they do not require—” Seaspray began.
“We’re going to the Dragons Lands,” Novo declared, her voice sending shivers down her general’s spine, as well as many other army leaders. She glared only at him. “That’s an order, General.”
Seaspray knew better than to continue the argument with his Queen. So, he shrugged his wings, sighing, “Very well.”
While the Hippogriffs were lost in their conversation and Novo’s current plan, Tempest was lost in her own thoughts, specifically with one of Novo’s previous points made. That point being that Panthera had fallen. Panthera. One of the first cities attacked and invaded by the Storm King and his forces, as well as one of the first to be liberated by Tempest. Now… it was just one of the first to fall. Tempest closed her eyes, knowing full well that if they didn’t act soon, so many more cities, nations even, would face the same fate as Panthera.
Cities that the Storm King devastated. Cities she swore she would save once the Storm King fell.
“Tempest…”
She opened her eyes, turning her attention back to the group surrounding the table. Queen Novo, as well as the rest of her Hippogriffs, stared at her with expectant gazes. Novo pressured further, nodding her head to Tempest and asking, “What say you?”
Tempest Shadow was almost at a loss for words, her throat unnaturally dry. She resumed her thoughts to their previous point made, how Novo wished to send her armies to the Dragon Lands. She went with that. “The dragons are strong,” Tempest began. “The Storm King never wished to attack them for that very reason. They can hold out for some time, but not forever. Afterwards, I believe we should travel to Griffonstone to—”
“Griffonstone?” Seaspray gasped. Tempest turned towards the Hippogriff’s way, her brow furrowing and her expression shifting from confusion to irritation with what he said next. “Ms. Shadow, while you may relish in victory even with the loss of your own people, the Hippogriffs value all life! Would we really risk even more of our people for some selfish, self-centered griffons?”
Novo tried to interrupt, but Tempest beat her to the punch.
“They need our help!” Tempest shouted, slamming her hooves on the war map and standing taller, presumably to appear more intimidating to Seaspray. The Hippogriff guards tightened their grips on their spears. The sparks from her horn only added to the intensity of her voice. “I don’t give a damn if they don’t want it! They’ll die if they don’t know how to take out those motherships or have the allies to do so!”
Tempest almost backed down after seeing Novo’s shocked expression. She barred her teeth, feeling the pressure from the room center on her. She always tended to lose her cool, something Tempest was working on correcting. To everyone’s surprise, though, Seaspray slammed his claws on the table in retaliation, standing up and flaring his wings. The Storm Guards surrounding the room growled, jutting out their spears. The Hippogriffs replied with just the same, glaring down the Storm Creatures, awaiting their superiors’ orders.
General Seaspray stood his ground, meeting Tempest’s electrifying glare with his burning one. Very slowly, as clear as could be, he said, “I will not sacrifice the Queen’s navy, or our Hippogriffs… for those griffons!”
Tempest didn’t unleash the fury building in her heart. Instead, she replied with wit, smirking towards Seaspray. What she said made his expression almost make her laugh. And what she said was, “I thought you valued all life?”
“That’s enough!”
Both Tempest and Seaspray shifted their heads towards the center of the pack of Hippogriffs, and in that center stood Queen Novo. Her infuriated eyes were focused only on Seaspray, ignoring Tempest. “General, sit down and stay quiet. Do not speak unless spoken to,” she ordered him. Tempest smirked. Seaspray dropped his beak and raised his talon to object, but saw the look in her eye, heard the heated breath escaping her, and sat down.
Offering her claw, Novo held it out to Tempest Shadow and her companion, Captain Celaeno. When she spoke, the two could only smile appropriately. “Tempest and Captain Celaeno risked their lives to save our very own. They are fine pilots, fine warriors, and great pirates,” Novo addressed them, smiling and winking to Celaeno. “We deserve to hear them out.”
Ignoring Seaspray’s continuous sneer, Captain Celaeno smiled and tipped her hat to the Queen of the Hippogriffs. “You can thank my crew. They did most of the work. All I did was lead them in the right direction,” she said.
“And what a fine leader we have,” Novo complimented her, their smiles meeting each other. Novo’s fell apart quickly, the graveness in her expression replacing it. She addressed the table when she spoke, not just Tempest and Celaeno. “Tempest is right. We cannot stand idly by as our fellow creatures suffer at the hands of these aliens.”
She slid her talon across the map, everyone’s eyes following her.
“We take back the Dragon Lands, then head to Griffonstone. We gain allies along the way, build up our forces into a single army these invaders can’t hope to stand against. From nation to nation, we will free our world from this plague!”
Novo’s speech was met with resounding applause from her fellow Hippogriffs. Even Seaspray, eventually giving in and clapping begrudgingly. He forced himself to throw away his sour attitude when Novo offered her wing to him, saying, “General, the floor is yours.”
He smiled appreciatively at that, standing fully upwards and clearing his throat.
“I will ready our remaining forces,” Seaspray began, pushing the small replicas of Novo’s navy across the map. “We will sail tonight and strike tomorrow morning on the beaches of the Dragon Lands with Queen Novo leading. Skyranger, Sky Beak, round up as many Hippogriffs from our army as possible. The Royal Guard will remain here to defend the princess and our kingdom. I will prepare Queen Novo’s navy in the meantime. All is well, then?”
The response he was given were several nods in confirmation, from Tempest, to Celaeno, to the Queen and the Hippogriffs by her side. The only ones who didn’t nod, who didn’t agree, were the children. Silverstream and Terramar turned their gazes skyward, to their father, fear filling their eyes when they realized what was coming. That their father had to leave them.
Princess Skystar fared no better, still frozen solid after Seaspray mentioned the part about her mother leading their forces directly into the war. Directly on the frontlines. Unfortunately, the children were too shocked to speak, yelping only once Seaspray smacked his claw over the Dragon Lands.
“Dismissed!”
Mount Aris
Hippogriffia Outskirts
7:13 p.m.
Novo had to try and convince Princess Skystar that what she meant was for the best, that leaving Hippogriffia and leading her people into battle was for the best for all of Equus. The young princess just couldn’t seem to wrap her head around the larger picture, fighting her mother every step she took away from the castle and closer to the war.
“But whyyyy?” Skystar whined, flying forward to catch up with her mother. “You can’t leave, Mom! I don’t know the first thing about running a kingdom! All I know is how to run parties! Please, you have to stay! Let Seaspray lead the Hippogriffs!”
To her continued dismay, Novo just shook her head. She carried with her a golden helmet, armor to match and a spear resting on her backside. Her eyes were stone, focused on the skies ahead and what filled them. Her naval ships hung in the air, all twelve that survived the initial invasion. Hippogriffs pockmarked the air, several seaponies arising from the ocean and transforming into Hippogriffs and joining the army above.
“It’s not that simple, Princess Skystar,” Queen Novo began, not even looking onto her daughter or her tearful expression. “My people need me to lead them. If they see me on the frontlines, they’ll follow. Through Tartarus and back if need be. And if we don’t come back… I’ll need you to lead the Hippogriffs.”
When she brought her gaze down, that’s when she saw her daughter. Saw her shattered expression, the tears leaking down her cheeks. And it nearly broke the queen, Novo sighing and raising her wing to bring her daughter in closer.
“I don’t want you to go…” Skystar whimpered, shuffling closer to her mother and leaning into her for comfort. She sniffled, drying her eyes on her mother’s feathers. “I don’t wanna be alone.”
Novo kissed her daughter’s forehead, pressing her own to Skystar’s. Their eyes met, the tear-filled and the warming stone. “You’re never alone, baby. Know that. Use that,” Novo’s calming voice told her, the two falling into a close hug shortly afterwards. “I’m going to miss you so much. Be brave… I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
Skystar tightened her beak, fresh tears leaking through her closed eyelids despite how hard she tried to keep them in. She gripped her mother’s feathers, stammering but managing to say, “I love you, Mom.”
“Love you too, baby,” Novo finished, holding her only daughter for several more seconds before finally breaking away. And when she did, she immediately shot her head over to her right, towards the edge of Mount Aris. “Ocean Flow, come here please.”
Replying instantly, Ocean Flow chose instead to walk over to the queen, still trying to get back into flying after spending so long in Seaquestria. Novo leaned forward, close to her ear. “I’m going to need you to watch over Skystar while I’m away,” she said, meeting Ocean Flow’s eyes. “Can I trust you with that, sis?”
“Anything,” Ocean Flow said with a reassuring smile. The siblings hugged, offering no tears. When they broke away, the two turned to see Terramar and Silverstream hugging their father in a tearful goodbye. Ocean Flow sighed. “I’m already watching over my kids… I’d be more than welcome to keep an eye on my niece.”
“Thank you, sis,” Novo said with a grateful smile on her beak. They fell into a hug once more. “This is goodbye for now.”
Ocean Flow smiled, eyes closed as she broke away from her older sibling. Once their eyes met, Ocean nodded to her, gave her that assurance of her child’s safety. “Go save the world, sis,” Ocean told her. All the confidence in the world just by Ocean’s voice, all of which Novo tried to embrace. The Queen smiled to her younger sister, placing her helmet over her head and taking flight.
Ocean Flow watched as her sister took to the skies, shielding herself from the onslaught of wind Novo picked up once she kicked off the ground. Slowly, Ocean turned her attention back to the edge of the mountain, where the army flew beyond her family. She approached her husband. Breaking away from his children, he turned his eyes onto Ocean Flow, smiling softly her way. He almost broke to see the rising tears in her eyes.
And Sky Beak held that smile, saying, “So…”
Ocean Flow silenced him with a kiss. It had been so long since he felt his wife’s beak to his, but it was just welcoming as it had ever been before. When she broke away, her eyes held that love, that hope, and that strength that made Sky Beak love her all the more. “Please… just be safe… for us,” she told him.
Sky Beak nodded, still holding his slick, warm, half-smile. The two pressed their foreheads together, closing their eyes. The setting sun on the edge of the ocean, the alien world joining it, cast a warm glow on their faces. A resounding screech broke out through the air, from General Seaspray no less. Sky Beak lifted his gaze, meeting his wife’s and nodding to her. He placed his golden helmet over his head, stepped back several feet, and fell from the peak of Mount Aris.
Ocean Flow, Terramar, Silverstream, and Princess Skystar—as well as several Hippogriff friends and family—ran and halted at the edge of the mountain, staring onto their armies taking to the skies. Sky Beak was a part of them, spreading his wings and taking flight. General Seaspray took to the air, leading the twelve remaining naval ships as they soared slowly through the skies, towards the northeast. Alongside Queen Novo, Stratus Skyranger, and her Hippogriff army. Alongside Tempest Shadow, Captain Celaeno, and their warriors and pirates upon their airship. Towards the northeast. To the Dragon Lands.
To the war.
Ocean Flow reared back, shot her beak forward, and screeched out into the air. Her children joined her. Soon enough, their screeching reverberated across all of Mount Aris, until every Hippogriff—big and small, rich and poor, Royal Guard and civilian—that remained in Hippogriffia joined her. They screeched to their friends and family that flew to the war, to save their world from the invasion. They screeched for their people. They screeched their battle cry.
All except for Princess Skystar, the current ruler of Mount Aris and Hippogriffia, who just couldn’t seem to find the strength needed to join her people.
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Damn!!
Also please tell you'll have this conversation in your story⬇️
Or similar. It was just a great scene to see the villain and one of the heroes having something like banter. And just exploring the two points of view. Just like Tony and Loki in the first Avengers and then Vision and Ultron.
Stuff like that I think adds to stories.
But if you don't oh well, keep doing what ya doing
This is a chapter that we can all relate to; ordinary creatures leaving the comfort of their home to defend the greater good. The great equestrian Army is about to take shape! Great chapter and can't wait to see what's next!
Poor Skystar.
It may be the last time they'll get to see each other. Hope they get to know the mastermind behind all of these invasions soon enough.
Yeeeah, Novo may as well stick a sign on her back saying "DEAD".
Man the Outriders will soon be on ground to a mauling. Hurry up Aris! Oh and when the Avengers arrive, Banner will tell you who's behind everything!
I don't think any Hippogriffs were killed before the movie. Also, is there a chance Silverstream will reunite with the other members of the Young Six?
By the way, the rest of Season 8 has been leaked, including the season finale. You won't believe your ass.
9161539
Sooner before the Outriders or some of the Black Order, especially Cull Obsidian, or the Titan himself, takes the carpet.
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Oddly it wasn't leaked it was released by other countries i wouldnt' care that a leak.
When the squad wanna play but you tired af.
What the hell, Seaspray?! He sounded a lot like Chancellor Neighsay!
I'm surprised that Silverstream didn't say something, given her friendship with Gallus.
So, after tear-filled good-byes, Queen Novo and the Hippogriffs join Team Tempest to help the other creatures across Equestria, and forge an army of allies to fight against the invasion. They're going to need all the help they can get.
United they all must stand regardless of what species they are, or else divided they will all fall.
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Yeah, I saw em, very last episode.
Oh, you don't know how far advanced these invaders are, it's gonna take more than a massive army to take down such an invasion, especially if the Mad Titan will personally take care of half of all of you if given the chance. He, will put you in your place. They don't hope to stand against you, they hope to "save" you, from overpopulation plaguing your world, whom is called: Mercy. You'll need all the help you can get, the help that comes, whom they know everything the most than you, from a group, of remarkable people.
Question: Was Thanos appearing in his full armor and helmet in this story, or was he bald and sleeveless like in the movie?
Question 2: Is Seaspray on OC?
Question 3: Can you please have either Thor or Banner, or maybe Loki, mostly Loki, with Obedience Disks in their pockets? Just in case someone or a certain somepony tries to surprise the crap outta them.
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Well, like a certain X-Wing pilot Captain said:
We are the Spark, that'll light the Fire, to burn the First Order (Thanos) down.
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he will melt in the onslaught.
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I sure wish to want one of those Sakaarian Obedience Disks, cuz if somebody tries to set me off, one button push, Zap!
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whatever that means.
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Your thoughts?
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Kirins, Rockhoof being Steve Rogers, much more.
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oh.
Well, if you put it that way Novo, it's all easier said than done. You will know the feared Outriders, worse, Thanos facing the army alone.
Damn, you'll be lucky if any Avenger would try and come join your battle. Way better if Thor gets interested in helping Celestia once more.
9161491 I'll have a similar conversation in my story.
9161505 The great army of Equus is rising.
9161539 Oh, they'll find out.
9161620 Just like Discord?
9161650 Some members of the Young Six will reunite, but not all of them may.
9162014 #facts
9162090 Some old prejudices. They're still learning about friendship.
9162614 One united species. Either they stand together, or they lose everything.
9162649 In chapter 5, I showed Thanos removing his helmet and armor right before he crushed the Tesseract, so he'll have his appearance from Infinity War. Also, Seaspray is not an OC. He's Novo's naval general first seen in the season 8 premiere alongside Silverstream.
9162933 I think Tempest and her allies will be on their own for a while. They'll join the Avengers later on down the road.
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With that in mind, that'll be fun to see. Maybe that Bucky and Rocket combo?
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Sweet!
9162938
Okay, never yet I watched a few Season 8 episodes, I watched most but not all. And thanks for that Thanos info.
P.S. I have a memory problem so I easily forget stuff.
And can't wait till the Mane 7 tell Tempest about the Ultron soiree about 4 years ago.
Wish one of those three had those paralysis disks from Sakaar.
I like how this chapter came together. Things on Tempest Shadow's side of things are perfectly executed.
9163964 Let's see if her plan can be just as well executed.
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Hello, today is the, trepidating to say it, the anniversary of that terrible travesty on the World Trade Center in the 11th of September. So happy anniversary, or, gulp, terrible.
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I was only year old when that happened. I was born in 2000.
Also, *makes an X with arms*WAKANDA FOREVER!*breaks X*
Another video that I think is appropriate
Oh great Seaspray is racist against griffins.
Shadow Tempest and the Griffins have a plan let’s see if they make it on time.
Really liked the scene with Novo and Skystar.
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Ironically, Spider-Man and the Avengers happen to live there, so such an event could happen, but in a different style (i.e. Bin Laden allies with the Mandarin)
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Question: When are the main cast gonna appear again?
2: When are the Defenders gonna take the carpet?
3: Is those three ponies gonna meet the biggest galactic douchebags again?
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Or HYDRA
9166264 Every group has their racist.
9166605 We won't see the main cast again until chapter 50. Before then, I gotta introduce the Defenders (each one), Spider-Man, Punisher, Capper, Black Panther and Wakanda, bring back other characters, and add smaller reunions between characters. The build up until then will be exciting. And yes, the Guardians will reunite with their three pony friends.
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The Three Spacemares: Derpy, Trixie, Maud? Are they gonna play major roles?
Another video I just found today
Isn't that kinda hypocritical? The griffons are alive.
See? Tempest gets it.
9167588 Not super big roles, but roles nonetheless.
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Well, being a racist is one thing, but only if you shove those petty grudges on the alleyway will you stand against the chaos, and I wouldn't even compare that to the great malarkey with the Avengers that caused 'em to chop, because they've been through a spontaneous enough amount of chaos all their years, and you wouldn't wanna end up in a similar disastrous deadlock there, are you?
Another video! Because I literally have no life
I'm wondering if we'll get to see Thanos' dream of Equus he mentioned earlier on in the story.
9170503 Maybe...
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Another question: Once the finest reunion is realized, will they, the Avengers, Guardians, and Mane 7 share each other stories of their own thresholds and misadventures along the way (e.g. Stygian, Storm King, Ragnarok, Killmonger)?
2: Can you make special interactions between Rainbow Dash and a certain yo-yo superfast Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D?
9171433 Thor will definitely share the tragic tale of Ragnarok with the ponies. Not sure about the others though.
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Yo-yo and Rainbow Dash?
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How about Tempest and T'Challa?