Chapter 100: The Surprise, Plan and Trap
Griffon of Canterlot
Chapter 100: The Surprise, Plan and Trap
Celestia stood in front of the mirror, adjusting her red top with a gold outline plants with inner black to them stitched into it. The top folded over and was held by buttons with a black border line of the collar down the overlapping front which was held with a belt around the waist. The sleeves started close to the end of the foreleg and widened at the end loosely with black lining at the end of it, a flower with a stem on each sleeve.
“Captain Armor, are you sure that this would be best suited to me?” she called out through the closed door to the private mares room on the upper floor of the convention centre which was reserved for special guests to use.
Shining Armor was standing by the door in the corridor with guards on either end, keeping a watchful eye. “It's very similar to the traditional warriors of hand to hand combat would wear. Kung Fu, as Alpha calls it. Your combat skills against Shal-Quz made him think this would be best suited for you and bring a smile to Prince Gale.”
Celestia using her talons to tug on it slightly, flexing her wings to keep her stance standing on the paws only, her tail shifting back and forwards adding to the adjustment. “You are aware that that wasn't me; that was Daybreaker.”
“Yes, but you do remember everything she did.” Shining's voice rang out true for Celestia. Daybreaker did use the skills she once learned a long time ago against Shal-Quz on the mountain top plateau.
Celestia turned away from the mirror, clenching her talons into fists. She thrusted a punch outwards, followed by a low, mid, and high thrust kick with the hind leg forwards. She adjusted her body for each rapid shift of movement, placing the paw back down on the ground taking a deep breath. “It feels natural to perform those moves with this body compared to my alicorn one.”
“Most likely due to the fact griffons are biologically half-leonine – the advantage of being part cat, Princess,” Shining responded.
Celestia took a stance she had seen Alpha take while training – left paw back, right paw forward, with one talon clenched back a bit, with the other in front, wings and tail working in tangent. “And part bird.”
“That also,” Shining agreed.
Celestia threw a set of rapid punches and did a few spin kicks, doing a backflip followed by a right paw kick towards the mirror. Unexpectedly, her paw connected with the muzzle of a green stallion, the force sending him flying back at the mirror, disappearing through it with a flash of light and ripple of magic. “Wh-what the buck?!”
Shining Armor used his magic to open the door and rushed into the room. “Princess! What's wrong?!”
Celestia lowered her hind leg down, walking on the paws to the mirror. She poked it with a talon and the ripple and glow responded to the touch. “A magical dimensional portal mirror. I thought there was only one!” Celestia gasped in shock.
“Princess?” Shining stepped up beside her.
“I kicked a stallion that was coming through it!” Celestia said. “I hope he doesn't think I was being hostile!”
Shining's horn glowed. “Get behind me, Princess.” She did and he created a barrier between them and the mirror portal. “If they do, we've got a chance to react and maybe talk it out.”
Celestia looked down at him. “I hope your right—”
The mirror shimmered and cautiously stepping through were a green alicorn with a batpony and a familiar griffon.
“That's going to leave a nasty mark,” complained the alicorn. He opened and closed his muzzle a few times, wiggling the nostril tip of it.
Glacier laughed and addressed Celestia. “Hello, sweetie. Looks like you really hit the prince square on his muzzle. I wish I had seen that after witnessing him flying back into the Rune Gate chamber.”
“As do I," Penumbra said with a chuckle. "We were about to walk in and wham – he came flying back and said that the griffon princess Celestia had kung-fued him.”
Mark shook his head. “I poked my head and neck through and, before I knew it, I had a large white paw smashing into my muzzle. There was no chance to react to that!”
"I gather you're not seriously hurt?"
"No – just a very bruised ego," Mark responded.
Celestia sighed in relief.
Shining Armor didn't say anything as he lowered the shield barrier between them, but he was taking close note of what was going on. "If Glacier is back with these strangers and they're from another reality, that means Shal-Quz must be here," Shining Armor thought to himself as he put the pieces together.
"The others should be coming through in a second," Glacier said, glancing back at the mirror.
Celestia and Shining Armor watched as others arrived through the mirror portal.
Chrysalis, Starlight, Twilight, Silvite, Octicovix and the changelings soon emerged through the mirror, crowding the small room.
“Why do I get the feeling Shal-Quz is here in the city and this convention centre?” Shining asked, briefly boggling over seeing an alicorn version of his sister.
Chrysalis grinned. “I like this Shining Armor – he's already figuring it out.”
“Not hard to... erm... ma'am.” Shining looked at the Queen dubiously. She was a changeling but as tall as Celestia would be if she was an alicorn still. Not that the griffon made her any taller but it did make her a bit more intimidating. “Glacier and her team were sent to hunt her down. The last report had her crossing into a different reality. So, if Glacier is here and brought friends along, it means Shal-Quz not only got away, the threat level is far greater than it was before,” Shining Armor stated.
Twilight was amazed by what this version of her brother said, but she figured that he'd had quite a lot of odd experiences recently, to the point it seemed normal. "That's correct, Shiny, She did and failed. We are here to put a end to that once and for all."
“He's definitely a thinker.” Chrysalis kept her fanged grin.
"We put together a plan to take her magic away from her," Starlight added.
Celestia looked at each of them noticing another came through. “Grover...”
“Celestia, it's erm... been quite some time, hasn't it?”
“It has, I would enjoy this moment seeing you again, but personal matters need to be put to the side while we attend to Shal-Quz.” He nodded, understanding what she meant. Celestia turned her head to Mark. “I gather that you have a plan.”
Mark stepped up to griffon princess, looking up at her. “I do. Let—”
“If you think for one second that I will allow you all to walk in on my Equestria and deal with this while I just sit back, you got another think coming. So...” Celestia lowered her head to him, beak near his muzzle. “Tell me the bucking plan and how we can take care of that rodent before she does something to my son. No bucking buts! Do I make myself clear!?”
“Crystal.”
A hour ago...
The morning sun had risen and there was activity within the changeling units as they prepared for orders from their queen. She, Mark and many others had their breakfast as they went over the new information and the battle plan in the Grim Bar Restaurant.
Starlight used her duplication spell on the newspaper to give each and every one of them a copy of it. They were going through what Twilight discovered after Glacier returned with the Manehatten Times newspaper showing mostly griffons holding up their winning tickets for the shot. “I'm a fictional comic-book character?” Mark said with disbelief. “Out of all the worlds we visited, we end up connecting to one that I am this Alicorn of Justice superhero larger than life character...”
“For all you know, Prince Gale could be a story book character in another, like I am to you and the former Earth of our home reality. The fact we all could be something of fiction in another isn't all that surprising,” Glacier said calmly in response to the prince. “I wouldn't worry about it too much; it just gives you more of a headache trying to understand the dimensional complexity of the multiverse or three.”
Smolder moved her claw hand over the picture of Gallus. “He look so much younger, even younger than when we first met at the School of Friendship, Could this be around three or so years before that?” she asked.
Spike confirms that question with his answer. “That Spike had no wings, so he hadn't been through the molt yet. That doesn't change the fact that Shal-Quz needs to be stopped.”
Octicovix tossed a rolled up piece of paper onto the middle of the table. “That is the layout of the comic-con. I had a leaflet about it before we left to go after Shal-Quz. Luckily, anything I see I remember. It's annoying at times but has mostly benefited me.”
Twilight took it with her magic, looked at it, and then projected the comic-con map for all of them to see while the others continued to eat and listen. “The main stage is in the middle of the comic-con. You have halls for vendors and cosplayers, for stars and panel events, and this one is a food court from the look of it.” Twilight pointed out each with a magic purple marker shifting to each point.
“Also, there's an upper level for private use only. As well as staff members that run the convention centre and the comic-con, there will be high profile individuals up there too. That is where the mirror sits too,” Glacier said.
Penumbra took a good look at the floor plan. “If this is like the Manehatten Bay Convention Centre in our Equestria, this will be a pretty big place and most likely packed close to about 10,000 creatures, mostly ponies,” Penumbra stated.
Mark looked over to her. “We have a Manehatten comic-con here too?”
“Yes. We also have the Daring Do, Wonderbolt and Buckball cons that go on there as well,” Penumbra replied. “I attended a few in the past, not as much lately though.”
“Fair enough.” Mark took a good look. “So when we do find her, how do we direct her to an empty space?”
Spike point to the main stage. “Why not the stage? It's circular, and timing it when there's no event on it will give you the chance to direct her to it. Also, if she freaks out, it could also force her to grandstand on it too.”
Silvite grinned. “It would sound like her, a pattern to the way she behaves. Shal-Quz would want others to know who she is before going out with a bang.” Silvite pulled out a crystal of a kitsune from her bag tossing it over to Spike who caught it. “I claw-carved that myself. That's my sister Pom-Pom, the twelve tail kitsune.”
“Why are you giving it to me?”
“Because you just came up with the start of a plan we can work with, and I give gifts to those I like.” Silvite pulled out another of an winged kitsune with eight tails, pink in colour, and tossed it over to Smolder. “That's Skip, Pom-Pom's son. It's a gift for yesterday and I think we could become good friends, kiddo.”
Smolder looked at it and back at her. “No biggy. Just doing what a dragon does.”
“I doubt many would stop one from sulking,” Silvite chuckled.
“Nah they wouldn't.” Smolder laughed back a little before suddenly a idea came to mind.
“This Celestia looks very impressive.” Chrysalis spoke, looking at the impressive form of the griffon Celestia. “Hmm... I can see a true predator in those motherly eyes of Celestia,” she said with a lick of her muzzle. “I bet angering her would be a bad day for anyone.”
Grover had a recollection of that, and he shuddered. “You don't know the half of it.”
Smolder hadn't said anything as she was moving a claw finger from one point to another on the table, recalling everything they had been told.
Starlight said, “So we cause her to panic, then direct her to the stage where I cast the spell and Twilight reinforces it with her own magic. Question is – how we do that?”
“And make sure the con-goers are not harmed either,” Mark added.
Smolder spoke up. “Divide and conquer.”
They all turned to her.
“How do we do that, Smolder?” Mark asked.
“Simple, father – Grogar, Zerra and Alicorn Celestia.” She grinned.
Chrysalis saw the plan. “Ooooh, that is so simple and wonderful. We know enough about how that Grogar would react. I could easily pull off a Grogar impression, Octicovix—”
“I can pull of a Zerra, and Mark—” Octicovix added.
Mark continued, “I go Celestial and Shal-Quz would think her spell on Celestia that got her stuck in the form a griffon would be undermined! Seeing all three, Shal-Quz would retreat to the stage if we time it right.”
“And I can cast the spell over the stage with you in it, Prince Wells!” Starlight finished.
Twilight used her magic to show the possible markers of each of them plus the rabbit with the idea in mind. “Mark will have to make sure to keep her busy for the spell to fully take effect – drag it on long enough to lock her magic within.
“I can manage one bunny,” Mark flatly said.
Glacier crossed her forelegs. “She has moves like something out of kung-fu. Shal-Quz is shifty and able to use her magic with that same effect. We caught her out because she never saw the flame Silvite unleashed coming onto the submarine.”
Grant, who had been listening to all this standing away from the table, spoke up. “I would like to be part of this because of what she did to me and almost did to my father, and the crew. However, they are still recovering and I wish to stay and watch over them.”
“That's highly respectful,” Grover responded. “Let Gillian and Trail Blazer know if you need anything for them. They pretty much know how to run this town when I am not around.”
“Thank you, Lord Grover.”
Grover turned his attention to Mark. “I know I won't be able to do much to help, but I've got a feeling that if she sees me, I bet she'll freak out even more.”
Mark looked confused. “Why?”
“Because, now I have seen what she look like thanks to Glacier's device. I saw her once before on the Gritterclaw Mountains over 750 years ago, not long after losing Nightingale. That was the day I found the Voyage-2 Archives and caused a cultural revolution for Griffina. For a brief moment, we met. She seemed rather angry about something and stormed off, muttering about her maker and how much she really hated griffons most out of all creatures.”
Mark now grew somewhat curious. “Voyage-2 Archives?”
“It look like a twisted pile of metal, gold and other things, but one touch from any living thing, you get hit by a wealth of knowledge. No one knew its age, just that nothing could damage it anymore than it is already, and that it was ageless. But also if a pony touched it, they Become extremely smart for a few hours and then they become so dumb, they wouldn't even remember what the day is. They will never retain any new long or short term memories again.”
“Shal-Quz knew this would benefit griffons in a big way and allowed you to just take it?” Glacier said with confusion. “That doesn't make any sense.”
Grover shrugged. “I cannot say why she allowed me to have it. At the time, I thought she never knew about it and just hated griffons. That was before I knew she was really a mad rabbit that would want to wipe out so many to get back at Grogar.”
Twilight stopped her magic projection. “Well, we have a plan, and we can figure out about these Voyager-2 Archives afterwards. Knowing Shal-Quz would recognise you is an added bonus we can use in this plan.”
Silvite added a punchline. “And all it took was us dragons to start the ball rolling.”
Glacier countered. “We brainiacs did make the mirror work and I did step through to get the newspaper, so... Who thinks it was mostly Twilight and her one time only special guest assistant that got the ball rolling?”
Mark rolled his eyes, seeing the egos were growing. “Let's say we all did our part and end it there, shall we? Before our egos get too big?”
Chrysalis then sniped, “So says the Alicorn of Justice who rains down lightning on his foes!”
This got the whole table to burst out laughing in response. Mark turned a light shade of red in the face. Chrysalis had the last word and won.
Celestia laughed a little at seeing Mark's blush. “You could have left that part out, but thank you for sharing that with me. I am interested in seeing this Celestial form.”
Mark used his magic to change into Marklestia. “Impressed?” She asked with a smile.
“Indeed. It feels odd looking at myself without it being me. I would be lying if I said I was disturbed by it though. I already had that experience with Daybreaker.”
“That's understandable to-” Mark froze. “Di-did you just say Daybreaker!?”
Twilight and the others looked alarmed.
Celestia hastened to reassure them. “Don't worry – she has no magic to use and my twin only has one true desire – to protect Gale no matter the cost. That's why I cannot return to being an alicorn. My body is in a state of flux that even the most experienced transfiguration mages wouldn't dare touch me with it. Now, I have an idea in mind. We can talk more about Daybreaker afterwards, okay?”
“That's one heck of a tale I've got to hear,” Mark responded. “What your idea?”
Celestia turned to Shining Armor. “You have the spare with you, do you not?”
Shining Armor used his magic to pop a bag out from his pocket dimension. “Right here, Princess. What do you have in mind?”
Celestia take the bag from Shining and levitated it over to Mark who caught it with her magic. “Do you ever dress up in that form?”
“Yes?” Mark answered opening the bag to look inside it. “You want me to wear this?”
Celestia flatly responded, “Yes I do. If you want to fool her, you've got to wear it.” Celestia turned to Chrysalis. “Queen Chrysalis, could you send one of your changelings to go find Alpha and tell him that Shal-Quz will be forced onto the main stage.”
The queen narrowed her gaze on the griffon princess. “I could, but why should I?”
“Simply put it, he's a wolf with close combat skills and can easily dodge and deflect magical blasts with the mallet he carries,” Celestia responded. “Also he shouldn't really exist and yet he does.”
Chrysalis grinned. “You've got me intrigued, Celestia. Okay, I'll send one of my changelings to inform him.”
“Thank you. He will be a wolf-like diamond dog with one eye open, with a narrow snout, thick black narrow nose and a bushy semi-long tail, and wearing leather to metal armour over most of his body. He will be somewhere near my son, Gale. Last time I heard, they were in the Vendor Hall.”
Chrysalis turned to one of her changelings. “Change your form into a pony and find that wolf.”
“Yes, Your Highness!” The changeling left with Shining Armor telling the guards that it was okay. They let the changeling pass as he changed his form into a stallion.
“By any chance is this the Alpha who I think it is?” Glacier asked.
“Yes,” Celestia said.
“How is that even possible?” Octicovix asked.
Celestia smiled. “Spoilers to be revealed after we have dealt with the matter.”
Glacier groaned and Silvite chuckled. “She got you with your own medicine, Glacier.”
Marklestia lifted the red top out of the bag with her magic. “Why do you have a spare?”
“It was buy one, get one free, and Alpha was the one that picked it out for me to surprise the others that even I can dress up in a costume for a comic-con,” Celestia calmly stated that caused a chill in the air from the words that escaped her beak. “So be a nice pony and put it on, please.”
Mark looked around to see Starlight, Twilight, Chrysalis and Penumbra all just step away from her, leaving the Celestial Alicorn alone to the fate of Celestia's demand.
Gale stood upright on his paws at the vendor table, wearing blue and white chest-plate vest-like armour with a piece strapped around his head, a visor over one eye, and wearing white gloves over his talons. He held up a green alicorn plush. “How much Alicorn of Justice plush?” Gale asked the light blue stallion.
“Twenty bits, young prince.” Gale gave the money to the merchant who smiled and said, “I hope you enjoy the rest of the convention this weekend!”
Gale hugged the plush. “I will! Thank you!” He dropped down on one foreleg and walked over to Gilda. She was wearing a steampunk pirate outfit with a long black trench coat and a tricorn hat. On the belt around her waist were two flintlock foam pistols in holsters. “Look Gilda, new plush!”
She rolled her eyes at the sight of the plush. “As one more added to your collection isn't enough, cub,” Gilda said. She looked over to Gallus who was wearing a silver chest plate with a red cape attached to it, with a silver helmet on his head. He held a foam silver hammer with wavy markings on it with one set of talons. A colt took a photo of him before thanking him and rushing off. “Hey Bluebird, how you doing?” she asked with a smirk.
Gallus turn to her, pushing the helmet up a little with the hammer. “Pretty good. I never thought I'd be having so much fun, even it is crowded.”
“Different type of crowd. These are all enjoying the same thing and minding their own business,” Gilda responded.
Nightingale came over to them, wearing a gold and greyish black chest piece with a foam sword strapped on her back. A foam silver disc was attached to her belt, and she was wearing braces on the upper and lower part of the forelegs. “Looks like your uncle is getting all the attention with that cyberpunk cosplay of his,” She hinted to the grey griffon.
Greystorm was wearing a foam fake metal arm and metal wing attachment. He was also wearing a black trench-coat. Many fillies and colts, but also including several older ponies, were getting their photos taken with him, saying how awesome his cosplay was. Greystorm finally got a moment to join the others. “What do you think?” He gestured to the costume.
“Pretty awesome, uncle. Where did you get that from?” Gallus asked.
“Short notice and a fair number of bits to a friend that make cosplay outfits. It took him working three days straight to get this made in time,” Greystorm replied. “Well worth the bits though.” He wiggled the claw fingers in the foam metal talons at Gallus.
Gabby joined them with a big Spitfire plushy held in both talons. Her outfit was a blue top with a red cape attached to it, with a triangle with a big G on the shirt and cape. “Look what I won, guys! How awesome is the massive plushy! I got the bullseye with every throw!” she giggled.
Gilda shook her head. “Only you could win a plush that big, Gabby!”
“YEP, that I can!” She giggled again.
Shal-Quz walked along with the crowds that neared the group of griffons. She passed them and reached down to the ground to snatch up a blackish-grey feather. She quickly took cover behind a vendor's stall. “Got what I needed.” She held up the feather with a grin. “Pure Griffon feather – no tainted defects like you find in griffons today.”
A slight growl among the loud roaring talk among creatures caught her attention. She slowly shifted her gaze to see the one-eyed wolf looking right at her. The black rabbit quickly moved to mix with the crowds as she tried to lose Alpha.
Suddenly, Shal-Quz found herself face to face with a large ram. “Gro-Grogar?!”
“Shal-Quz – I heard you tried to blow up two multiverses just to get at me. Now I'm here t—”
Shal-Quz's heart started to race as she turned and ran from him. A fearful glance over her shoulder saw the blue goat casually following. The rabbit soon came to a stumbling stop as she now was confronted by Zerra.
“Where do you think you're going, Shal-Quz? You've got no where to run.” He grinned.
Shal-Quz quickly turned to her right to see the blue goat on approach, then turned to her left and boggled. Her yellow eyes couldn't believe what was in their sights; before the black rabbit was Celestia back as an alicorn. “No! No! No! No! This can't be happening! I didn't plan for this! How can she b—” She quickly looked at Grogar again. “Damn it! That goat restored her! Of course he'd be working with her! Enemy of my enemy is my friend!” Shal-Quz snarled. “That does it! Time to take centre stage and show them who's the boss!” She turned and jumped over the zebra, colliding with an orange and red dragon, both falling to the ground. Shal-Quz pushed herself off them as they shouted at her. She didn't care what they said; she was making a run out of the hall, straight for the main stage.
With a big leap, she landed right on the stage. As many ponies and other creatures saw her there, they stopped to look at their leaflets to see if anything was supposed to be scheduled for this time.
The rabbit stood tall to see before her. “Celestia?! You're a griffon!”
“Of course, this is the form you had me stuck in since that fight on the mountain.” Celestia stood at one end of the stage staring at the rabbit. “Your time is up, Shal-Quz.”
“Really now? You're going to fight me here? Get your little ponies hurt?”
“Not just me. I brought a few friends along,” Celestia casually said.
Shal-Quz's gaze caught sight of a green alicorn stallion pulling off a red top and tossing it off stage to Silvite. “A pony cosplaying as the Alicorn of Justice. Really?”
Mark flexed his wings, his horn sparking with magic. “No, I'm the real deal and looking forward to knocking you down for attacking my reality, rabbit.”
Shal-Quz smirked. “Ah, I see. The reality the sub went to was your reality. Fancy that.”
The crowds were gathering and talking among each other. Changelings mixed in with them started saying it was a special promotional surprise event for the release of the new comic-book series of the Alicorn of Justice.
“They're not the only thing you have to deal with, Shal-Quz.”
She quickly turned to see the wolf on the stage with his hammer resting over one shoulder. “You have threatened Lord Gale more than a few times. I shall not let you harm him again.”
“Three on one huh?” She chuckled. “Well how about we get messy.” Shal-Quz aimed a magical energy ball and let it go at the crowd to come in contact with a energy shield that lit up all around the stage. “What the—?”
Celestia smiled. “As you can see, we came prepared for you. Now we can fight without harm coming to others.”
Starlight stood at one side of the stage as Twilight stood at the other. “Only two spell-casters, huh? Well, I hate to break your bubble but you need at least—”
“Three to hold it up.”
The voice that rang out cast a deep chill down Shal-Quz's back. She and the others turned to see Anubis the Death Dragon holding up his staff, glowing with dark-purple magic from the flaming jewel between it. “Hello, Shal-Quz. How has it been?”
Shal-Quz couldn't believe it. She was trapped inside a dome on a massive stage surrounded by a griffon, wolf and an alicorn who all stood ready to fight. “What are you doing here, Anubis!?”
The death dragon casually smiled. “Oh, you're just looking at the author of the Mark Wells: Alicorn of Justice comic-book series, promoting it here at the comic con.” He gave the rabbit a really dark smile.
Silvite facepalmed. “I should have seen it. Sibuna, the author, Anubis spelt backwards!”
“What does that mean for us?” Starlight asked.
“That bloody plan still in effect, child," Anubis said bluntly. "Let them fight without fear of harming others. Together, we three powerful magic casters will be enough to do what is needed.”
Shal-Quz got into a battle stance, shifting one foot paw forwards, the other back a little, magic forming around her hand paws. The stage started to warp around her. “Shall we dance?”
The battle had begun...
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Congratulations for chapter 100
11176852
Thank you ^^ it been a long journey and it will continue as the story of Gale the Griffon of Canterlot continues beyond this four parter
Woo-hoo fight time also yay 100 chapters
I see Vegeta, Superman and probably Thor and Edward Elric there. Don't know who the steampunk pirate is, but Comic Con sounds cool.
Clever trick played by Anubis there! Now let's see...Gallus is obviously Thor (Get Help!) and Gabby is Supergirl/man. I wanna say Greystorm is Bucky (Winter Soldier/White Wolf) because of the metal leg and wing, but that's probably not right...no clue who Night, Gilda, and Gale are though