Lost in the Storm

by PonyPixel

The Portals

The young six were hanging out the Treehouse of Harmony, talking about what they learned. "So, am I the only one confused on why they didn't listen to their sisters?" Smolder asked.

"I'm more curious about why they don't use those carts as normal transportation," Ocellus said.

"Well, the cities don't have many paths for carts," Sandbar said. "Or a power source."

"But I saw Professor Rainbow Dash's pet tortoise has a propeller, allowing him to fly."

"Most ponies can fly," Gallus said, "And some unicorn can teleport. Plus, think about the train. I'm pretty sure they're not going to get rid of that."

"Yona don't want to get into cart," Yona said. "Too fast."

"I wonder if we could enter that contest one day," Silverstream cooed.

"Probably not," Ocellus said. "We're too old." This made her friend's excitement dissipated.

"Why would you want to ride a cart when you can fly?" Gallus asked.

"Yeah," Smolder said. "Plus, you can turn into a fish creature."

"I don't know," Sandbar said. "Having some wheels would be helpful." He looked up to see the sun setting. "Like when we have to get back to the school before dark." The students started heading back, with Smolder and Gallus carrying Yona, and Ocellus carrying Sandbar.

"Why didn't we just hang out in the lounge?" Silverstream asked.

"The treehouse is our place," Gallus said. "It's nice to have some piece. Right?"

"That's true," Ocellus said.

"Lounge have snacks," Yona said just as her stomach started to growl.

"Okay, you have a point there," Gallus agreed.

It didn't take the students long to get back to school. By then, the moon was high in the sky. Yona raced inside to get something to eat. Gallus walked into his dorm, catching Sandbar's attention. "Hey, Gallus," he said, "Don't you want a snack?"

"I'll be there in a minute," Gallus replied. "I've just got to finish my schoolwork."

"I finished mine before we headed to the treehouse," Ocellus said. "Why didn't you do it earlier?"

"I needed some time to cool down."

"You can't procrastinate like that. This is the third time you've done this."

"Look, I'll handle this." The Changeling groaned as the earth pony pulled her away.

"Just ignore him," Sandbar said. "Let's get some food."

"Fine." Ocellus walked away from the dorms until they were out of Gallus's earshot. "I don't know what he's thinking. He'll screw up and flunk his lesson."

"Just let him learn. I think he can figure out the consequences himself." Many other students were hanging out in the cafeteria, Sandbar was interested in the sweets that Pinkie Pie had left out for him and the others.

"At least there's one professor that gives us gifts for paying attention," Smolder said picking up one of the deserts.

"Pink pony great chef and professor," Yona cheered.

"She is," Ocellus said.

"Why friend sound mad?"

"Gallus left his homework to the last minute again," Sandbar explained.

"So, that's why he was lying on his bed after class," Silverstream said.

"He's asking to fail the class," Ocellus complained.

"Just let it go," Smolder said as she ate her cupcake. "It's his problem."

"Not the way I would've said it," Sandbar said, "But I guess that's true." The students enjoyed their snacks as Spike flew in, he seemed to be looking for something.

"What you looking for?" Yona asked.

"A book," Spike said looking under the table. "Ah, here it is. I wonder it got here."

"EUP sicknesses," Silverstream said reading the cover of the book. "Why do you need this?"

"Well, Starlight's gotten sick, so I'm trying to help Twilight find a cure." All of sudden, Starlight teleported into the room with her nose stuffed up and red.

"Hey... Students," she said a little lightheaded.

"Starlight, I told you to stay in bed."

"Look, Twilight wants me to help out with the school. Even if that means I just stay in an office."

"Hey, I know a way you can help. Just follow me to the castle."

"Okay." The sick unicorn walked behind Spike as the headed home.

"Hey, don't you guys have any strange illnesses?" Sandbar asked.

"Well, we have a problem around dragon sneeze trees," Smolder said.

"Why are we talking about sneezing tree?" Gallus asked not entirely know what was going on.

"We're just talking about sniffle shuffle," Ocellus said, confusing her friends a bit. "It's a changeling's sneeze makes it lose control of what the form they take."

"Sounds annoying." The griffon took out his paper and pencil and kept writing on his homework.

"Okay, why do you always..."

"Ocellus," Sandbar said trying to calm his friend down.

"No, I have to get this off my chest. Gallus, stop procrastinating."

"Come on, I need some time to cool off," Gallus said.

"I can agree to that," Smolder said.

"Well, I can see that, but the test is tomorrow," Ocellus said.

"Yeah, I know that," Gallus said. "Could you just let me do it my way?"

"I'm saying that you can't leave things to the last second." The griffon and changeling kept arguing even with their friends trying to stop them.

"You know what, I'll just head back to my dorm."

"No," Yona cried. "Yona don't like when friends argue. Maybe Ocellus help Gallus."

Gallus groaned. "Okay, fine. It's frustrating me." He tossed his pencil on the table in anger. "I thought I try to take a break and work on it later, but now I know I'm screwed."

"...You could've just asked me," Ocellus said. "I'd be happy to help." Gallus showed his friend what problems he was stuck on. "Oh, here's the problem. You forgot the zero. Just add it to the end and you'll get your answer."

He did as she said, and the answer was right. "Ah, thanks, Ocellus."

"That didn't seem too hard," Silverstream said.

"When you live in a place that isn't the most... Let's say 'happy' as Griffonstone, you're lucky to even know basic math. I think I'm pretty lucky to be at this school with you guys."

"So, what do you think would happen if this school didn't exist?" Smolder questioned.

"I wouldn't want to think that," Silverstream said. "I wouldn't be able to get to know you guys."

"Yeah, I wouldn't like that either," Sandbar said.

"Yona like friends," Yona said. "Yona also like getting out of snow."

"Don't you have your fur?" Ocellus asked.

"Only helps so much."

Silverstream looked over to Gallus, who didn't seem that happy about that idea. "Something wrong," she asked.

"It's nothing," Gallus replied. "I was just thinking instead of being I'd just be stuck in Griffonstone. Trust me, it's not a place you want to live in."

"I lived in the Dragon Lands," Smolder said. "I think I could take Griffonstone."

"You're hard as steel, and you can swim in lava. Dragons are built tough. Griffons, not so much. The only thing we've got in our con artist skills and deception."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, for example, I just took your second cupcake without you even knowing." The dragon was surprised as her friend wasn't wrong.

"Wow, you are good."

"You've gotta if you want to survive there." Gallus bit off the cupcake with a smug look on his face.

Meanwhile, Spike was struggling to get Starlight into her room. "Starlight, it's for your own good," Spike groaned pulling the unicorn's tail.

"No, Spike," the sick pony groaned. "Twilight said I needed to help."

"I understand, but you're not thinking straight, so just..." Spike couldn't finish as Starlight sneezed and teleported away. He flew around the castle until he found the lightheaded unicorn next to the map. "Starlight!"

"I'm sorry, I can't help it. My horn is itching." Spike tried to take his friend back to her room, when sneezed again and a beam shot from her horn and hit the map, much their worry. "Oops."

They waited for a minute as they didn't know if the map was effected or not. "I think it's fine." Spike had spoken too soon as the map started shaking. It showed a map of Equestria, but it looked a little different. The pony and dragon made a run for it as portals started opening up in the castle.

Twilight Sparkle was in her office when she heard a roar of thunder. She looked out the window to see some portals opening up. She then heard some screaming from outside, so she quickly teleported into the halls to find students running away from opening portals.

"What's going on?" The alicorn questioned.

"Twilight!" Spike cried flying up to her. "Starlight accidentally hit the map with a time spell. I think."

The princess/principle was going to ask something else, but she could the portals were starting to suck up some furniture. "Spike, get all the students out of here." Twilight levitated some students towards her and they teleported out of the school.

The alicorn and dragon did their best to rescue the students. The young six were in panic racing towards any exit, but a portal appeared and blocked their way.

"What's happening?" Silverstream questioned as she and her friends raced down the hall.

"I don't know," Sandbar said, "But we need to get out of here."

"Open the windows," Ocellus cried. Smolder and Yona did so, both bashing at the windows until one broke. They started climbing out of the school, but before they could get out, another portal opened up with a powerful vacuum.

The six tried to get away, but Gallus was getting sucked in. Smolder grabbed his claw and she and the others tried to pull him back, but the portal was getting stronger.

"I can't hold on," Gallus cried as he started losing his grip.

"Don't let go," Ocellus said as she turned into yak to help boost her strength.

The group did their best, but their friend couldn't hold on any longer. Gallus lost his grip and fell into the portal. "GALLUS!" was the last thing the griffon heard before the portal closed, leaving the remaining five in shock.

The rest of the portals began to close as Twilight and Spike found the young five. "There you are," Twilight said with a sigh of relief.

Spike noticed someone was missing. "Where's Gallus?" he asked. None of the creatures replied as they didn't know what to say. Spike had seen the portals closing and with a student missing he quickly put two and two together. "Did he... Get sucked up?"

The five nodded being very worried about their friend. "Don't worry," Twilight said, "We're going to find him. We just need to know the spell that Starlight used. Now, I just wonder where Gallus is now."

Gallus was screaming at the top of his lungs as he tumbled through the mysterious tunnel. He could see his principle as well as his teachers, but they looked different. Some of them were working for Sombra, others were drained thanks to Cozy Glow, and one where there darker versions of the mane six with Queen Chrysalis.

The griffon couldn't control himself as he tumbled through the air. He finally stopped floating and crash landed face first into the ground. After spitting out his beak full of dirt, he looked around to see Ponyville was abandoned. Some buildings were broken, bordered up, or just a pile of rubble.

"Where is every creature?" Gallus questioned, a little scared since he seemed to be the only one around. Taking a deep breath, the griffon decided to take a look around. There wasn't a soul in sight, making his situation even worse. Things were going to get even worse when a station walked up behind him.

"General, what are you doing here?" the stallion asked making Gallus confused.

"General? What are you talking about?"

The pony was just as confused as the griffon. "I swear if this is one of the changelings playing a prank..."

"I'm not a changeling."

"Then where's your uniform?"

"I've never met you before." The station's expression changed to anger and changed its form to familiar blue and red changeling. "Wait, Ocel..." Gallus couldn't say anything before the changeling tackled him to the ground.

"I don't know who you are, but the king will find out," she said.

Before anything could come out of the griffon's mouth, the familiar stranger made her horn glow and with that, all Gallus could see was black.

---

<sup><sub>"Where did you find him?"

"He was just wandering around Ponyville."

"That doesn't explain why he looks like the general."

"I tried the spell to change a changeling back, but he's still a griffon."</sub></sup>

Gallus still couldn't see anything, but he could hear voices that were very familiar. He could feel a slight breeze as if he was moving. He heard some doors opening as his vision finally returned. He was in grey, white, and blue throne room.

Though he couldn't see it, his head had a really bad bruise. What he could see was he was tied up and Ocellus was carrying him with an orange and purple dragon and a pink hippogriff walking beside her. What made the griffon speechless was he saw what seemed to be his friends wearing black informs with an icy blue symbol on it.

"So, we have an imposter," said a voice that made Gallus shiver. Standing in front of him was the Storm King. He wore a dark blue robe and his crown looked grander.

"We checked him," Ocellus said, "He's actually a griffon."

The king walked closer to Gallus to get a better look. "What do you want to do with him?" Smolder asked.

"Give a minute," the king said picking up the griffon.

"Put me down," Gallus demanded.

"Ooh, he speaks."

"Yes, I can also do this." Without warning, Gallus head budded the Storm King, making the king drop him to the ground. Before the griffon could get his bearings, Smolder running up behind him and started strangling him with a rope. Gallus gagged for air as the Storm King stood over him.

"Let him breathe." Smolder let go so Gallus could breathe. The king looked him the eye. "Who are you?"

"Why should I tell you anything?"

"He has different ways of making you speak," Smolder said making a violent jester.

"Smolder, why are you following this idiot?"

"He's not... Wait, how do you know my name?"

"Kid," the king said, "We need him alive for answers." Smolder just growled as Gallus looked at Ocellus and Silverstream.

"Why are you taking orders from him?"

"Hey, look at me when you're talking." The king grabbed Gallus by his head and forced the griffon to look at him. "Tell me, where did you come from?"

"Griffonstone. Why do you even want to know?"

"Because I have something to say to you," said a voice. They look and saw a blue griffon that looked just like Gallus walk through the doors. "Care to explain what's going on here?"

"We're still trying to figure that out," Ocellus said. "I don't think very straight when I'm hungry. Could I..."

"Not until you figure out who that is." The second Gallus walked over to his doubleganger. "You got sixty seconds to explain."

"Okay, look," the first Gallus said, "Portals started opening up at my school. Principle Twilight was helping..."

"You mean Twilight Sparkle?"

"Well, yes."

"That's impossible," the Storm King scoffed. "I finished her a long time ago."

The original Gallus tried to stay calm. "What did you do with her?" he asked.

"What do you think?" Smolder asked. "She's dead." The griffon's blood went cold.

"She's right," the king said. "No one will be more powerful than me." He held his staff which had a shiny blue crystal at the end of it.

"How did you see her? She's nothing but ashes?" the second Gallus asked.

"I... I don't know," the first Gallus replied only to thrown across the room by the Storm King.

"Lies!" the king cried. He turned his attention to Smolder. "Have fun, kid."

Smolder cracked her knuckles and walked over the injured griffon. "Please, Smolder, don't," Gallus begged, but his 'friend' wasn't listening.

Suddenly, out of the blue, a yak was launched into the room, flying into Smolder. Several ponies ran into the room, catching the Storm King by surprise, he even dropped his wand. Gallus recognized a couple of these ponies, especially a blue pegasus with a rainbow mane.

The pegasus knocked the changeling and hippogriff off their feet, but the griffon general grabbed the Kings staff and returned it to its owner. The Storm King used the magic in the staff to smack the pegasus into the wall.

Gallus was going to question what was going on until an orange earth pony picked him up and made a break for it. As they ran down the hall, Gallus could see ponies battling with various different species, dragons, yaks, griffons, changelings, and even hippogriffs.

The pony leaped onto an airship that quickly took off by the pony's order. "But what about Rainbow Dash?" asked a mare. They got their answer when there was a sonic rainboom, breaking apart the castle which they just left. The airship's speed double as Rainbow Dash landed on the deck along with a white unicorn stallion.

"That was insane," the stallion cried. "We could've died."

"But it worked," Rainbow scoffed.

"Shining's not wrong," the earth pony said. "In the attack, we did to rescue five ponies, you nearly got us captured and/or killed."

"It was self-defense."

The earth pony just rolled her eyes as she set Gallus down and untied him. "You okay?" She got her answer as the griffon hugged her.

"Thank you," he cried.

"Hang on," the unicorn said. "You look a lot like the general."

"I know," the earth pony said, "But I saw the king's general giving him his staff."

Rainbow let out an angry groan. "If I could only get my hooves on that thing we could've..."

"Rainbow Dash, just check on the crew," the stallion ordered. Dash just walked away as the earth pony and unicorn looked at the rescue griffon.

"Sorry about that," the earth pony said. "I'm Applejack, and this is our group leader, Shining Armor." Gallus shook the leader's hoof, but he was still quite nervous.

"Follow me to below the deck," Shining said. The griffon did so, wanting to forget what just happened.

A few moments later, they landed in the Everfree Forest and every creature got off. Shining Armor cast a spell that made the ship invisible, and they walked off. They kept on going until the came across a small hill. Shining cast another spell that opened a door and they ran in before it closed.

Gallus was shocked to find that the hill was a cover-up for a hidden base. He was taken to a soup kitchen area were he as well as the other rescue ponies had bowls of soup waiting for them.

"Glad you made it back," Fluttershy said walking up to Applejack.

Gallus finally noticed that the two ponies had their manes much shorter. He saw a pony who he thought was Pinkie Pie walk past with who looked to be Starlight. The reason why Gallus couldn't believe that was who they were was because of Pinkie's shaved mane and Starlight's broken horn.

"The expansion is going slower than usual," Starlight said to Shining Armor.

"Look, I don't care how long it takes," Shining replied, "Just make sure that there are no openings so we don't get caught."

"Understood," Pinkie replied. "We'll make sure the new bedrooms are fully secured." Pinkie and Starlight walked away, with unicorn's broken horn shooting out some sparks. This appeared to cause her some pain. Pinkie comforted her as they carried on with the expansion.

"Your new rooms will take a while," Shining said, "So you're going to have to share with the others." The newcomers agreed, but Gallus was still left in the dark.

After having the soup, which tasted kind of bland to the griffon, Gallus was shown to his temporary room with green earth pony that was very familiar to him. "Sandbar," he cheered.

"Get away from me," the colt cried mistaking him for the other Gallus. "H... How do you know my name?"

"Calm down," Applejack said. "This isn't the general. This is just a kid that looks like him." The colt walked closer to the griffon, who waved.

"Okay, he's not a changeling either, is he?"

"We double-checked. Now, you two along well, ya hear?" Both of them nodded as the mare went to help the others.

"How do you know my name?"

"You look like someone I know," Gallus explained. He gasped after he saw the colt's other eye had an eyepatch. "Sandbar, what happened to your eye?"

"...It was the Storm King. It was something I lost when I join the Clears." Gallus was confused by this. "It's the name of the rebellion."

"Rebel... Can you please tell me what the heck is going on?"

"What rock have you been living under?"

"Tell me!"

"Alright, sit down. This will take a while."

About a year ago, the Storm King attacked Canterlot. Princess Twilight's friends and the other creatures fought their hardest, but they weren't able to get her in time before the king disintegrated her. Tempest Shadow had disappeared, so many assumed she was dead as well.

With the power of four alicorns, the storm king overpowered the changeling hive, Dragon Lands, Yakyakistan, and even Griffonstone, which was the first to fall. Some of the hippogriffs managed to escape, but a whole third of Seaquestria was captured.

Now that he has a wide variety of soldiers on his side, he's unstoppable. Even the Starswirl couldn't take him down. Before he could team up with the pillars, he was taken by surprise. Soon he and the rest of the pillars were wiped out. Still, the Clears try their best and get a little bit of Equestria at a time.

"Kind of wish we didn't have to hide in fear."

"Well, why don't we fight?" Gallus asked.

"Didn't you hear? The Storm King has the magic of four alicorns. No pony can stand up to him. Without Princess Twilight, all we can do it hide." Sandbar's ears drooped as Gallus was a bit nervous about asking more questions.

"Your parents are okay, are they?"

"Yeah, they help fight. Can we just go to sleep? I don't want to think about this anymore." Sandbar just climbed into his bed as Gallus lied down on his.

His friends were on the team of a king who wanted him dead, he didn't know how to get home, and the only known resistance he knew could only hide in fear. He had a hard time getting to sleep, not knowing what would be waiting for him tomorrow. All he hoped was that the friends he actually knew would find out where he was.

Comments

[Yoshifan30]

Boy gallus Is gonna have a hack of a time to get home and man this au is very dark

[Mlpzootopia19]

Whoa The story is pretty intense and gallus is in the alternate universe where the storm king wins very interesting