Griffon of Canterlot

by Electuroo

Chapter 100.50: Rewards to the Victor

Author's Note:

Victory came and now for the rewards or the cost.

Sixth part of the Collaboration with Goldfur - https://www.fimfiction.net/user/84240/Goldfur

Always welcoming those comments!

Stay safe and healthy all!

-Electuroo

Griffon of Canterlot

Chapter 100.50: Rewards to the Victor

“Captain, there’s a hall not being used at this time, correct?” Celestia asked Shining.

“Yes. Princess. It’s W3-4 hall.” Shining Armor pointed his hoof in that direction.

“Clear a path for us, then get the pegasus and earth pony guards to aid carrying the unicorn guards there,” Celestia ordered.

Celestia picked up Shal-Quz. Pegasi guards move the crowds back, allowing the victors to carry Shal-Quz away. While this happened, Greystorm picked up Octicovix, carrying her to follow them through the back of the crowds. Chrysalis and the changelings aided the guards in getting the unicorn guards carried to safety. Penumbra carried Gale while the others followed.

Soon they were in the hallway. The remaining guards along with some changelings took position on the sky-bridge entrance of the joining halls, and into the hall they entered. Medical guard personnel went to get stretcher beds and set them up for the unicorn guards to be tended to by the medics. Shal-Quz was tied up to a main support pillar, her muzzle bound by Celestia.

Octicovix was placed on one of the spare beds. She was having an explosive release of emotional energy, now saying random words. All Greystorm could do was sit by her bedside, holding her hoof with his talons.

“MY DAD IS WHAT?!” Octicovix screamed, follow by crying. “Mum why did you never tell me!” Then laughter. “Hahaha, dad wasn't a betrayer – mum took all his hahaha emotions hahaha.”

“Oh, Octicovix...” Greystorm’s tears fell, unable to do anything to help her. He was not sure what to do and Chrysalis had never seen this level of mental emotional breakdown from a changeling. The raw confusing release of emotions was even getting to her.

The queen sighed heavily. “I am at a loss. What Shal-Quz did to my counterpart, what she did to her child, and the hive?” She shook her head. “I can sense immense release from the emotional centres of her mind. They are shattered and I am barely holding back her emotional outbursts through the hive-mind.”

Greystorm gently put the hoof down and reached over to a bowl of warm water. Swishing a cloth in it before wringing it out, he placed it on Octicovix’s forehead. “It’s not only that, she affected both types of griffons as well the changeling hive. In a strange way, she did cause something good to come out of it. Octicovix came into my life. But that’s only a small glimmer of light in the overshadowing fact that her father had all his emotions sucked out of him, and to know he was never a betrayer...”

“Shal-Quz struck low even for my own taste,” Chrysalis said. “I never wished to get involved in other Equis’s changeling hive matters, but this one went too far even for me to sit back.” Chrysalis turned to the tied-up rabbit. She showed a grin, muffling it with laughter. “I can tell right now that she wants me to react and do something harsh towards her.”

“How do you even find justice for what she did?” Greystorm asked.

Chrysalis looked over to Mark who was going over to Gale's stretcher bed. “One thing my husband is good at is figuring out the right kind of justice for monsters like Shal-Quz.”

Mark approached Penumbra who was tending to Gale. Celestia hugged the teenage griffon, and he hugged back. “Listen to the nice batpony, Gale. I am going to talk to your dad and sister, okay?” Gale nodded a little hugging the Mark Wells plush now. She kissed the top of his head. “If you need me, holler, okay?”

“Yes, mum.”

Celestia walked over to Grover and Nightingale as Mark arrived.

Gilda looked over to him. “Hey, Sparky.” Mark gave her a questioning look as she called him that name. “What kind of justice do you purpose for a rodent like her?” Gilda inclined her head toward the tied-up rabbit.

Mark replied, “Gilda, I've been going over it with Starlight and Twilight alongside Anubis. From what Silvite told my daughter about his abilities, they’re going through everything Shal-Quz has done. So far it been very grim.”

“Enough to make a death-dragon cry,” Gilda said glancing over to them. “That’s some messed-up stuff that rabbit has done.”

“I'm going to check up on Prince Gale.”

“Penny has been doing a good job on the cub, dweeb. He gave her the trust test and he really likes the care she’s been giving him.” Gilda smiled.

Mark flicked an ear. “Better not say that name in front of Penumbra – she only allows me to call her that.”

Gilda shrugged. “Yeah, she said the same thing. I told her I call most people by nicknames – told her tough luck and move along. I’m not gonna change the way I do things. Princess Celestia knows I call her Trollestia and even if it bothers her, she knows that it’s just how I am,” Gilda responded. “Go see the cub, Sparky.”

Mark rolled his eyes walking over to the stretcher bed. “Hey Penny, how’s he doing?”

Penumbra had given Gale a cup of water which he was drinking slowly. “Still recovering from that use of pure magic. Princess Celestia left me in his care for now, even though you’ve got a wolf and a griffon that are intently watching everything I am doing around Prince Gale.” Penumbra hinted to Alpha and Gilda, then her gaze turned to the blue teen griffon. “And there’s Gallus over there reading a comic, but he also looks very worried for his uncle and aunt, gathering from the glances he does every so often over in Octicovix's direction.”

Mark had a very strange feeling inside in regards to the aunt and uncle. The fact that his adopted son’s counterpart in this Equis had family was one of those new surprises. This very young version of Gallus sitting there, pretending his hardest to look tough in face of hiding his feelings, was very worried for Octicovix. “Octicovix will pull through, and my wife is with Greystorm,” he finally responded to Penumbra.

Mark knelt down to the bedside of Gale. “Hey there, cub! How are you doing?”

“Tired, but happy,” Gale said warmly to the green alicorn. “We have fun after Shal-Quz punished?”

“Yeah, we will.” Mark rubbed his hoof over the feathered head of the teenage griffon. “I want to personally thank you for what you did. If it wasn't for that energy boost to Starlight, Twilight and Anubis, who knows what would have happened.”

Gale put the cup down. “Red dragon gave note from his dad, Anubis.”

Penumbra instantly looked sharply at Gale. “What... did... you... say?”

“Red dragon called Garble – he said note from their dad. It say how I help.”

“Holy buck! That means this world’s Smolder is the daughter of a god.” Penumbra looked right over to Anubis talking with Starlight and Twilight. “Mark?”

Mark had frozen, staring right at Anubis. A look of shock was written on his face. Finding out that his daughter-in-law's counterpart was the daughter of the dragons’ god of the dead was one thing he very much hadn’t been expecting. “Mark... Different worlds different lives.”

“I get it,” Mark managed to say with a hard swallow. “How the heck do I tell my daughter about this? Seriously... How do you even tell her that kind of thing?”

“Not a clue. It’s a whole new one on me coming to an Equis different from any we’ve been to,” Penumbra responded, still trying to work that out herself. “He was created by Grogar's bell right?” Mark nodded. “So how does that work with having—”

Alpha bolted from his spot, landing his hand paw over the muzzle of Penumbra. She was startled by the sudden movement and being gagged. “Do! Not! Finish! That! Sentence!” Alpha snarled with a rumbling growl in his throat, the one eye looking dead into hers.

Mark’s horn lit up but Gilda put her talon on his withers. “Best not – I know exactly what she was about to say and Alpha did what he needed to do as guardian to the cub and protect him from that word.”

Mark cancelled out his magic. “Alright...”

Gale tilted his head. “I confused – what she gonna say?”

“Nothing that concern you, dweeb,” Gilda said to Gale.

“Erm... okay? Is it bad word?”

“Yes, it is,” Alpha said. “Not one for you, Lord Gale, to hear. Not yet.” Alpha said as he released his paw from Penumbra's muzzle. Gallus glanced over to them, snickering, as he knew exactly what she was going to say and seeing Alpha stopped it. “Now I'll tell you two once and only once as a warning – be mindful of what you say around Lord Gale. He doesn't understand certain words and will easily mistake them for something else in meaning. If you don't, I'll have to use some extra force, Prince, guard, or whatever you are.”

Mark felt the energy coming off the wolf. It was very calm and yet had a deadly element to it. “Crystal,” Mark and Penumbra said together.

Alpha gave a humph. “Good.”

Gale noticed something behind Gilda. “Gilda, weird black cube with swishing patterns behind you,” Gale pointed.

Gilda looked behind her to see nothing but crates against the wall. “There nothing there Gale – just a bunch of crates full of props.

Gallus raised his head from the comic book, looking at the crates. “I saw it when we came in. It does give a weird vibe or something from it. I thought it was part of the rest of those props.”

“It does look rather ominous,” Alpha agreed.

Penumbra couldn't see anything there. “I see no cube.”

“Nor do I,” Mark confirmed.

Gale got up from the bed, picking up his bag and putting the plush in it. “It there. It weird looking cube with shifting patterns over surface of it.”

Gilda knew she couldn't see it, but also knew that Gale never lied ever. Alpha, once being part of him, most likely had that connection, and Gallus had that feather from Avatar as one of his primes. This summed up to Gilda that there was cube there, invisible to her, Penumbra and Mark's eyes. “Dweebs, even if we can't see it, Gale has no concept of lying. So, if he says it’s there, it’s there,” Gilda said.

Mark looked at the two teens and Alpha, trying to understand why they saw something that he, Penumbra and Gilda couldn't. “Why can't we see it then?”

“Gale has pure magic. Alpha is from Gale and Gallus has got a prime feather from Avatar of the Tree of Elysium. So I say that’s why they can see something we can't,” Gilda replied, trying her hardest to see it and walk up to the spot.

Gale tilted his head. “You standing through it.”

Gallus gave a very strange look at the sight before him. “Yeah, that just looks weird.”

Alpha frowned. “More like half of her head melded with it.”

“So the thing’s there but it untouchable.” Gilda returned to them.

Gallus put the comic book down and walked up to the object. He looked at the shifting patterns across its surface before placing a talon on it. “Well, it seems solid to me.” He closed his talons into a fist and knocked it a few times.

Mark heard the tapping sound from it. “So, you three can interact with this cube as well as see it?”

“How does that even work?” Penumbra asked, then suddenly came up with a strange idea. “Prince Gale.”

“Yes?” Gale turned to the bat pony.

“Could you use that pure magic, a little of it on us?”

Gale’s eyes lit up. “Oooooooh! Then you maybe see!”

“Exactly!”

Gale put the plush into his bag, leaped up onto his paws, rubbing his talons together. “I try!” Gale focused on the pure magic within and the talons started to glow bluish-white.

Mark looked at the glowing magic forming around the talons. “I don't think I'll get used to seeing a griffon using magic – even Celestia.” Gale poked the tip of Mark’s muzzle with his claw tip. Suddenly, a strange feeling of magic wash over the alicorn. The cube suddenly emerged in his visual range. “Wow, that’s some weird cube.”

Penumbra and Gilda were given the same treatment and saw it too. “Well, dweebs, will you look at that.” Gilda walked up to it, placing a talon against the surface. “It feels solid yet weird.”

Penumbra placed her hoof against it too. “It does, yet the question is why was it hidden from touch and sight from us apart from them?”

“That’s a good question, Penny.” Mark walked around it. “It’s solid all the w—” Mark saw the patterns shift suddenly and move around the sides to one point. “…way around?” Mark saw Gale had gotten close and talon pressing on the surface, the strange white patterns had formed together around it. “It’s reacting to Prince Gale.”

“No buck, Grimlock.” Gilda retorted.

They watched the patterns fully merge around his talon to form a shape of it. Gale moved the talon away to watch the talon print expand till it was about seven feet high. Hinges appeared on one side of the talon print, a doorknob and a latch appeared on the other side.

“A door?” Gallus was as dumbfounded as were the others.

Gale reached to the latch and twisted it to unlock the door. He then put the talon on the doorknob, twisting it to pull the door towards him. It swung open to show them a stone-cobbled path with a red painted wooden arch over it. In the distance, they could see a massive mountain, and far into the sky what look like corners of a wall. “It’s Leela's home,” Gale whispered.

Gilda squawked in surprise. “No bucking way! It’s Leela's prison! This thing is Leela's bucking prison!”

Penumbra and Mark was surprised to hear that. “How did it get here?” Mark asked.

Penumbra walked inside, looking around and up. “This place is huge!” She stepped out and looked on the outside. “I know we’ve used trans-dimensional magic before, but this is a whole new level!”

“It is, but it doesn't answer the question on how it ended up here,” Mark pointed out.

“Well, Leelee can answer that. Hey, Dollface – long time, no see!” They saw a raccoon with a black suit and tie, white shirt, and sunglasses emerging from behind the pillar. He did a click in his muzzle while giving Gilda a finger point with his paws hands.

Gilda growled, moving her talons over her face. “It had to be you, Trash Panda.”

“Hey, Rocky! Is Leela waiting for us?” Gale asked.

“Yep. Got the bullet train all warmed up and ready to go.” Rocky walked up to them, stepping outside of the cube to look around. “Wow! So that’s how small our home is?” He now turned to the dumbfounded ponies. “Hey there! Rocky’s the name! And who is this lovely dark knight?” He raised Penumbra's hoof and kissed it.

Penumbra quickly moved her hoof away. “Penumbra – personal guard to Prince Mark Wells, and if you try to kiss my hoof again, you’ll be bucked.”

“Ooooh, I’d love to see ya try, Penny.”

She threw a punch which hit thin air because he was now sitting on Mark's back.

“Nice try, but ya won't catch me.” He chuckled. “Trust me – many tried.”

Mark tried to use his magic to pull the raccoon off his back only to find the it not grabbing anything. Suddenly, the raccoon was sitting on top of the cube looking down at him. “How did you move so fast?”

“Why should I ruin the magic, Wells?” He leaped down to land in front of the door. “Come now – time’s wasting.” He waved for them to follow, walking in. “Oh!” He turned to Alpha. “It’s good to meet ya, Alpha. I hear good things about how ya doin' a top of a job to keep Gale safe.”

Alpha smirked. “I do what I must.”

“Yep, you do!” He walked down the cobble path.

Penumbra glared at Rocky. “If that raccoon call me that one more time I am going to—”

“Catch air?” Gilda interjected. “Dweeb, he calls me dollface! I hate it a lot but he’s uncatchable. You’re just going to have to put up with the Trash Panda.” Gilda walked into the cube.

“Mark...”

“We’re dealing with something way out of our play book. Best to roll with it for now.”

“What about the others?” Penumbra looked around. “Shouldn't we tell them where we’ve gone?”

Mark looked at each group. “Chrysalis, can you see me?”

Chrysalis looked around. “No, but I sense you across the hall near the crates.”

“We’re at an invisible cube. I doubt Gale will be able to use his magic on all of you to see the cube which seem to be Leela's prison.”

“One of the Prime Created? How?”

“That’s what we’re going inside to find out. Keep an eye on things out here, okay? The only way this cube got here is most likely by Grogar himself.”

“Should we be prepared for trouble?”

“Be on your guard, but I got a feeling he’s not here to fight.”

“You seem sure that is the case.”

“Well he did bring Leela's prison out from wherever it was to the convention centre. Remember that he’s not the one we dealt with in our universe, so his motivations may be different. From what we know about this Grogar, he is the only living thing left to know where the cube was before now and I highly doubt it’s been sitting in this hall all this time.”

“Alright, husband, I will inform the rest.” Chrysalis glared at him. “Keep safe!” she commanded.

“I will.” Mark turned to Penumbra. “I've told Sally where we going. I would like others to be able to see this cube, but I don't want to strain Prince Gale with what magic reserves he has left.”

Penumbra nodded. “Understood.”

Gale grabbed a hoof each, flapping his wings to pull them in. “Come already! We behind!” Gale, to their surprise, pulled them easily through the door. He had strength that they weren't expecting.

Gallus followed them in, leaving the door open. Shal-Quz's eyes bulged at the sight of the cube and it being opened. She kicked her legs around thrusting her body to try to break free of her bindings, and screamed through the muzzle in fear.

Shining Armor, who had been tending to a guard with the help of a changeling, looked at the rabbit. “What the buck has got her so freaked out?”

“No idea,” the changeling answered, “but it’s intense. It feels like your worst nightmare come true type of fear.”

Shining smiled. “Sounds like just what that vermin deserves.”

“Aye.” The changeling smiled back and they went back to tending to Blue Star's cracked horn.

Mark, Gale, Gallus, Penumbra, Gilda and Alpha followed Rocky down the cobble path away from the door. The large wall behind them mimicked a sky and field which partly blended with the landscape against the walls. To the right and left of them was a sea of red and yellow flowers swaying in the gentle breeze of a summer sun day.

Hills and rocky formations could be seen around. In the distance to the right, it looked like it turned into a massive desert. To the left, it led up to a cliff face with a beach below it with waves crashing against it. In front of them was the sight of the massive tall mountain with a thick forest partly up it, sloping out of their view. They even saw a river and lake ahead.

“Seems this pocket world has a little bit of everything in it,” Mark observed. “Quite a pretty prison.”

Rocky led them to a fork of the path. It diverted around a platform to get a better view of the plains and lake ahead before leading to the forest. In front of them was a train station with a sleek narrow tube-like train floating over three thick metal rails. “Mag-lift train,” Mark said with whistle of total surprise at seeing something this technologically advanced inside this cubic land of beauty. Its tracks led right over the plains and lake towards the mountain, hardly impacting the view.

Gilda decided to break the ice and spoke up. “I gather that all of your dweebs know how Leela's prison cube ended up at the convention centre?”

“Grogar, of course,” Gallus bluntly said. “And Rocky.”

“Hmm?” He turned around on the steps to the armoured cosplay blue griffon.

“Is Grogar with Leela?”

“Yep, and naked.”

“I–What?” Mark tried to process what Rocky just said. “Naked?”

Rocky turned to continue walking down the steps to the train platform. “Yep. No harness, no magic orbs, just the big blue guy, hooves, fur, beard and horns.” He pressed a button by one of the doors which door slid forwards and split in two, opening up. “Grogar, believe or not, has been trying to figure out a big speech to finally meet Gale in person. He’s been at it for two days now.”

Penumbra put her hoof in front of Mark to halt him. “Are we seriously going to get on this train and go face Grogar?”

“Yes. The fact that he’s here unarmed means this Grogar is here to talk only. We could get answers and maybe a way to deal a suitable punishment for Shal-Quz.” Mark pushed down the hoof. “Also, it explains why the runes might have lost their magic – the magical phase shift of the cube to hide it from Shal-Quz.”

Gilda tapped the tip of her beak. “Wells, that weirdly make sense.”

Alpha spoke up. “After the talk, we will have to let him go.”

“Why?” Penumbra asked.

“Lord Gale knows why. Since before the events of the mountain and my existence in the physical plain, I have many of Lord Gale's memories. One of them is the moment his future self and Grogar used up the last of their magic and life force. First, it seemed to be a waste but then I noticed something from Gale's point of view that he didn't.”

“And that is?” Gilda asked.

“She held an orb of the moment Past and Future collide. She stopped it from happening by sealing it away, they cracked it open,” Alpha answered. “That future wasn't erased, it was destroyed.”

Mark looked very confused. “How about you explain this on the train ride over to Leela's home? Your lord is already on board the train.” Mark nodded in the direction of the train. They all looked to see Gale waving from one of the windows.

They all walked down and entered the train, the door closing behind them. The train had very nice comfortable red seats, with clear glass barriers between the backs of the seats. There was even a raised level for people to stand on and look out of the clear top above. “Mark, I still think I should have gone back and brought some help.”

“How exactly do we do that? Prince Gale has already used up a lot of his magic as it is. He needs time to recharge. Pushing him too far will cause more than simple magic exhaustion and I won't do that to a child.”

“That a fair point, I wouldn't either. Sorry.”

Mark put a hoof on her side. “It’s okay, Penny – we know how serious it could get with Grogar, but this time I have a hunch that he won’t be a problem for us.”

“I'll go along with it, but I’m not comfortable with it.” Penumbra took a seat.

“If you ever get complacent about such things, then that’s when I’ll truly start worrying,” Mark replied with a smile.

Rocky spoke over the intercom. “Thank you for riding Mag-lift One. Today, your journey time will be three minutes and seventeen seconds. Enjoy your short ride to Mt.Gale Station where it’s only a five minute walk to Leelee's home.” The train hums to life and pulls away from the station, rapidly picking up speed, zooming along the rail.

Mark took the seat beside Penumbra, looking over to Alpha. “Now what is this about the Past and Future collision?”

“It’s a prophecy of events to come. We know roughly what they are, and that Lord Gale and a few others will be there on Flaputa. That’s one of them. The second is the Gates of Elysium and they will strike the floating island in the micro-universe it sits in,” Alpha informed them. “Also, before that day, we have something called “A Day of Chaos’.”

“Why is Grogar so important to it?” Penumbra asked.

Gilda answered that. “Because he already set up shop there. Somehow, that goat ended up finding a way onto it. He’s part of the whole thing. Gale had nightmares about being on it, chased by Grogar's shadow creatures and him towering over the cub to take his magic.”

“That was before the Grogar Echo attacked at the random dream event at the Island of Berk, the home of Vikings and dragons,” Alpha stated.

Mark blinked. “Berk? As in the one with a night-fury called Toothless and his rider Hiccup?”

Gallus frowned. “Yeah, exactly that. How the buck do you know that?”

“It’s in a movie called How to Train your Dragon. Well , movies and a few TV series, but how do you have random dream adventures in a pl—”

Alpha narrowed his gaze at Mark. “I am from one such random adventure. I later discovered my world is a work of fiction and I should have died on that boat by the blades of Shen. Yet I didn't and I lived, as Toothless and Hiccup ended up in Dream Cavern, the home of Lord Gale's subconscious first.”

Gale grinned as he listened to them talk. He had an idea come to mind. “I show!” He jumped down from the seat he was on and came over to Mark and Penumbra. He grabbed one of their hooves in his talons which glowed and then stopped. He let go. “Cool right?”

Penumbra blinked a few times. “Wh-what the buck just happened? I was here, then I was in some underground oasis.”

“Don't forget that L-” Gale coughed. “Diamond dog hybrid called Blue that spoke in our heads,” Mark corrected himself fast.

“Well, good thing you snapped out of it – we’re here,” Rocky said, standing before them wearing a train driver hat. He took it off and tossed it onto a seat.

“How long were we—”

“Daydreaming? I’d say a good five or so minutes,” Gilda said. “The train pulled up and had to wait for Gale to snap you all out of it.”

Mark rubbed his head. “I am so confused right now. That place felt as real as here.”

“It felt more real to me and I miss it,” Alpha grumbled walking out of the train.

“Alpha miss being there, sad he no can return. Aunt Luna say things can come out of dream realms, but things cannot go back to dream realms.” Gale sighed. “We go see Leela, erm... Meet Grogar again? I think... I no remember time when weird pure magic energy from. Know was but no remember, so this first? Or again? I confused...”

Gilda put a wing over Gale. “Don't sweat it, cub. If the goat tries anything, he’s got me to go through first.”

“Okay.” They left the train with Gallus. Mark stepped off with Penumbra looking up at the mountain, seeing the artificial sun.

“Getting to know the young Prince just seems to just keep getting weirder, doesn't it, Penny?”

“It does, but best to keep our guards up though.” They followed the others up a path to the river toward the mountain.

---

Twilight scanned the spot the cube was located. “Urg! I can't find that blasted cube! All we’ve found is some rune magic that is active and none of our magic can affect it!”

Starlight felt feedback from a rune. “It’s got nullcrystals engraved into it. There’s no way our magic is getting near to them.” Starlight rubbed her horn.

Anubis phased back into existence before them. “It’s definitely Leela's prison cube. I also found a train platform not too far inside. It seems to have just arrived at Mt. Gale according to the station display,” Anubis informed them. “But I do bloody hate these runes though. I can't use my magic to pull you through with me.”

“So the cube is interphasic at the moment and the only ones who can enter are you and…” Twilight looked over to the still panic-stricken rabbit. “…her.”

Anubis turned to the cube. “She’s afraid of our sister, Leela. The little avian isn't violent, so I do not know why she’s so bloody scared of her.”

Chrysalis stepped up to them. “Whatever it is, it’s amusing to see her squirm.” She looked at the empty spot. “Still no luck with getting into the cube?”

“None,” Twilight answered. “The only ones that are able are Anubis and Shal-Quz. Mark and Penumbra are inside and we’re stuck here unable to help if Grogar is in there.”

Anubis tapped his staff on the ground a little. “Erm... Yes about that...” They all turned to him.

---

The group led by Rocky approached the cottage right against part of the mountain. “We’re here!” Rocky pulled out a key from his pocket, putting it into the lock and turning it. “Welcome to Leelee's home. Follow me to the communication chamber – Leelee and Grogar are in there.” Rocky led them through the hallway to the back of the house where he opened the door for them to enter the room.

For Mark and Penumbra, the chamber looked exactly like the one in Fort Grimfeather. Down at the centre stage was Leela sitting on a seat, drinking a cup of tea, with her book on a seat beside her. In front of her was a large blue goat with two long large curved blue horns on top of his head, white mane, eye brows and tail. Sharp teeth poked upward out of his lower muzzle while his red eyes were focused on a sheet of paper.

“Hello, child, it’s been over four thousand years. I know the last time we were face to face, I was forcing you into the form you are today to st—” He used his cloven forehooves to screw up the paper and throw it behind him. “No, that’s too dramatic and harsh! Come on you, stupid old goat – this is your grand appearance. I can get this right!”

Leela noticed Mark, Gale and the others. She put her hand claw to the tip of her beak and waved them to quietly come over to join her. Oblivious to their presence, Grogar began writing on another sheet of paper using his magic hoof grip to hold a pen.

“Ahem... Child...” he began.

“Gale.”

“Right, G—” Grogar’s head shot up. He dropped the pen on the paper and slowly turned his body around to catch sight on all of them. “Well, this is awkward. My grand approach has just been dashed.” He stood strong. “I gather you are wondering why I brought Leela the Book Keeper's prison out and to the city that doesn't sleep?”

Mark stepped up to him. “I heard what you've done and what you created – something like Shal-Quz that we had to deal with. I gather that’s why you brought it to Manehatten and freed her?”

Leela put the cup down. “That is pretty much the case. Maker Grogar doesn't like owing others that saved his life, especially twice and dealing a crippling blow to Shal-Quz once and for all.” Leela jumped onto her book, floating up to Grogar. “I’ve had him as my guest for the last two days. All he could do was try to think of a grand way to greet you, Master Wayne.”

Grogar glared at Leela. “I could easily put your cube back where it was.”

“Yet you won't because of the realisation of your own mortality at the paws of Shal-Quz,” Leela poked his muzzle.

Grogar wriggled it a little. “Well, yes, that is the case. Meeting the blind future version of myself showed how mistaken I was making that vile rodent. Without my bewitching bell, my magic has been weak ever since. My desire for the pure magic has left me questioning even my own objectives of late.” Grogar looked down at Gale. “It is strange to see you so small, so…”

Gale smiled warmly at him.

“…pure.” Grogar felt uneasy. “I liked you when you were the humaniod pure magical form. This is rather awkward. I wasn't expecting to feel conflicted by staring into those golden brown eyes of yours.” Grogar raised his head. “Two days of preparing and I feel like a fool.” He stepped back a few feet from them. “I am Grogar, father of monsters. This is just but of a truce, I was close to getting your magic Ch—” Gale gave him a stink face. “Gale... I prefer the name Wayne. But this is what happens when you are on the verge of defeat and rushing a spell to transfigure you.”

Gallus frowned. “You are weird. Why go through so much trouble for pure magic?”

“Why? Because it’s a form of magic like no others, you little brat! I will get it one way or the other! Not today, but when the moment comes at the day the Past and Future collides! Today, I free Leela from her prison to repay a debt. She and Anubis will know how to bring judgement to Shal-Quz, since it’s a prime creation matter after all.” Grogar put his hoof down on a rune symbol near him.

Penumbra saw many around him. “Are we going to stop him from leaving?”

“No, let the dork go. We saved his sorry rump and he knows it,” Gilda said with a sly smile on her beak.

Grogar growled a little. “Two days of planning for a short five minute talk. Why did I even do this?” He scratched his hoof against the rune to complete it.

“Grogar – I heard that your future version was able to change. So can you,” Mark said seriously to him. “It isn't too late.”

Grogar snorted. “I know. That’s the thing that scares me the most, Alicorn of Lightning. The child, Gale, managed to pull it off in the other timeline, and I fear he could do it again to me. He saved my life when his future self and mine managed to change events on that mountain and showed me what a vile creation Shal-Quz is. Even those that were made by me, created through the imagination of Gale, saved me. Twice he did and still he could easily forgive me for all the actions I have done. He would willingly give me a clean slate and allow me to be more than I am right now.” Grogar stomped hard on the ground.

The runes became active, glowing around Grogar. The others watched as he was about to be teleported away.
Mark frowned. “That’s more than I would do, especially after what happened to the Inverse Reality. The suffering Shal-Quz caused since was because she was made from your personality, yet you’re still after Prince Gale’s pure magic after all this! Can't you even think about it?”

Grogar looked away from Mark. “You make a good point pony.”

His eyes met Gale's and the teen waved his talon. “After Past and Future thing, forgive and move on, okay?” He smiled warmly to the goat.

Grogar swallowed hard. “Maybe...” And he was gone.

“That was brief and weird,” Mark said, staring at the spot once Grogar stood at.

“You can say that again,” Penumbra muttered.

They all looked at the empty spot as the runes faded away completely. “So... Who’s up for some tea to celebrate my freedom?” Leela raised up a teapot to them and Rocky had cups and saucers held in stacks on each hand paw.

Mark turned to her, focusing on immediate problems, planning to deal with what happened with Grogar later. “Maybe later. First, we need your help with a changeling, Octicovix. She recently learned about her father thanks to Shal-Quz mentioning him and telling it was all her doing. Her mother drained him of all his emotions as punishment from what we know about Guto.”

Leela put the teapot down. “Hmm...” Leela picked up her book, using her magic to flip through the pages. “Ah, here it is.” She poked the page with a claw tip. “A royal changeling suffering with emotional trauma. This requires getting her mother... I am going to need Anubis's help for this.” She closed the book up, jumping on it and floating up to the door. “Well, are you lot coming?”

---

“So... Let me get this straight,” Twilight said. “This Grogar seems conflicted? And he freed Leela…”She looked over to the avian talking to Anubis. “…to repay a debt for saving his life twice and taking care of Shal-Quz?”

“That sums it up, Sparkles. It was brief, but I could tell this one looked scared about being forgiven and knew Prince Gale would.” Mark looked over to Gale who was talking to Celestia, Grover and Nightingale about what happened, with Alpha helping out with the words.

Starlight was about to take a good look at the cube and scan it with her magic which had returned to them. “It’s an impressive magical object. The cube was made to keep things in not out, and I can't even begin to think of the power it must of taken to create that dimensionally transcendental interior.”

“That’s grand and all, but have they come up with anything to help Octicovix and deal with that bloody rabbit?” Glacier joined the conversation. “I sent everything to Maple; she’s on the way here with Sunflower.”

Mark looked at all the entrances. “I wonder how a griffon that big is going to get past a crowd that huge outside of this hall.”

“Good question! How did I do it?” Mark instantly froze with the voice directly behind him. He slowly turned around for his eyes to meet a large foreleg. He slowly looked up to a large griffon looking back down. “Hey, dude! Like I asked, how did I do it?”

Mark tried to say something but only the muttering of an unconnected jumble of words escaped. “Well, it seems someone impressed Sunflower.” Maple emerged from on top of her granddaughter's head. “My name is Maple Clawhowler. I gather your Prince Mark Wells is from the parallel Equestria?” She jumped off Sunflower's head, gliding down to land in front of him.

Mark managed to snap himself out of the shock with a lightning jolt to himself. He regarded the finch griffon standing before him. “Yes... I am, sorry... But how did she get past all that outside?” Mark pointed a hoof to the door.

“One of many of life’s mysteries that you have to solve, Your Highness,” Maple said to him as she flew up to his eye level. “Now, with pleasantries out of the way, it's time.” Maple whistled, getting all their attentions. “Right! This is going to sound really strange and maybe out of line, but this has to happen because, for me, it already has.” She landed back down on the ground.

Glacier knew where this was going. “We’re in a temporal loop event, aren't we?”

“Yes, we are,” Maple responded. She pulled out a piece of paper, looking at it. “Now, Anubis, if you can, temporally shift everyone about two hours ahead apart from me, Sunflower, yourself, Leela, Greystorm, and Octicovix please.”

Anubis looked up to the sky bridge. “See you two in a few hours.” His staff’s purple crystal started to glow brightly, the flaming magic around it intensifying.

Mark raised a hoof. “Wait a—” Suddenly there was a flash and then Anubis, Maple, and those the finch griffon called out seemed to be missing. “—minute?” Mark looked around. “What the buck just happened?”

An orange and a red dragon jumped off the sky bridge, flapping their wings to land on the ground. “Our dad sent us all an hour ahead! That’s what happened, pony.”

Mark looked at the much younger version of Smolder standing before him with her arms crossed, looking rather angry and snorting out some flames. “Your dad is Anubis?” Penumbra asked.

Smolder rolled her eyes. “Yeah, he is. We are the dragonets of the God of Death to all dragons, blah, blah, blah.” She waved a claw hand in a dismissive way.

“So we just time-travelled by a whole hour?” Starlight tried to confirm what just happened.

Garble shrugged. “Yeah. Dad's temporal shift spell moving things an hour or two ahead is way easier for massive numbers than a temporal teleport.”

Chrysalis looked around. “Then where are they?”

Exactly as she said that, Octicovix walks in with Gale, talking with each other. “That fun. I enjoy watching Anubis panel,” the young griffon said.

“Yeah, it was definitely interesting to listen about the Alicorn of Justice. I can't wait to see what…” Octicovix noticed that the room wasn't so empty. “Hey! You’re all back!” She waved a hoof happily at them.

Silvite smirked with her arms crossed. “Good to see you up and about again, Octicovix. I guess whatever happened in the last two hours helped?”

“It sure did!” Gale spoke. “Her mum brought here! She all mean and anger at Anubis—” Octicovix nudged him a little. “Oh, you want say?”

“If you don't mind.” Octicovix smiled. Gale nodded and sat down. “Alright... Long story short – mum was brought here but not the right time one, but she pretty much dealt with Shal-Quz and then helped me out with her magic to snap me right out of the emotional breakdown I was having. As a gift from Anubis, we were given the chance to spend a day with my dad, Guto. His final day and mum found herself fallen in love with him once again. After he passed away, knowing how to feel once again for that last day of his life, we gave him a burial deserved as the king he was known to be before Shal-Quz.”

Octicovix reach into her bag she was carrying and pulled out a framed picture. She passed it to them and they took a look at it to see a very old Guto with Chrysalis and Octicovix in front of a massive tree in the background, with a massive greenhouse dome behind it.

“After we returned, mum was returned to her rightful time and place,” Octicovix said, adjusting her bag a little. “As for Shal-Quz, she’s no longer a threat. Maple had her loaded up on an airship about an hour and a half ago. She’s been taken back to Flaputa-on-Sea where she will live out her days, completely harmless to anyone.”

Chrysalis asked the question on everyone's minds. “What did your mother do?”

“She dumped 210 souls of emotional suffering that Shal-Quz had caused onto the rabbit in one hit. It pretty much destroyed her mentally. Mum was very harsh on punishing her... Even we thought it was a bit extreme, but to mum, this was justice well deserved for all the pain Shal-Quz personally caused her, the agony caused by millisecond of cries of pain she felt from 209 changelings when Flaputa was ripped out of existence.”

“Hmm... Thank you for telling us.”

Octicovix nodded.

Shining Armor came over to them. “All the unicorn guards’ injuries are healed. They’re just suffering exhaustion from overuse of magic now.”

“How is that possible?” Celestia asked.

“Time-released spell Leela set up before she and Anubis left to spend sibling time together,” Gale answered.

Nightingale looked around. “What about Sunflower and Greystorm?”

Octicovix looked back to the way they came in. “Over across the way at E1 hall. They’re at the VIP lounge overlooking the contest stage. Maple managed to book it for all of us to use to watch the Transfiguration contest there.” She turned to Smolder and Garble. “Oh, and you two, Anubis put Prince Mark Wells in charge of both of you, so if you act up around him, your mum will be notified of this little trip.”

Smolder huffed. “Of course dad would pull that on us.”

“We’ve got no choice but to follow around a pony? Seriously?” Garble groaned.

Silvite spoke up. “At least you get to hang out with me.”

Smolder's eyes lit up. “Hanging out with the Lord of Dragons? Oh, that I can live with!”

“Same!”

Mark could easily see the traits of the pre School of Friendship dragon before his Smolder’s life took a different turn. “There’s more to just being a pony, you know?”

“Yeah, whatever you say,” Smolder shrugged.

“The Smolder of my universe is my daughter-in-law,” the alicorn pointed out slyly.

The young dragoness jerked and stared at Mark. “You’re shitting me!”

The prince merely smiled and left her wondering.

Grover rubbed the underside of his beak. “I am curious about that contest.”

Octicovix gasped. “Oh, there was a really bombastic unicorn there, a real show mare.” This got Mark's attention. “Let me show you.” She changed her form into a blue unicorn wearing a cape and hat. She stood up on the hind legs and spoke up. “The Great and Powerful Trixie will display her grand abilities with transfiguration! Behold on stage when Trixie comes up and shows you all how truly powerful Trixie is!” Octicovix turned back to herself standing on all fours.

Gale laughed. “That haha exactly right! Hahah! She funny and grand! I like to watch!” Gale said between fits of laughter.

“I am curious about it too.” Celestia said.

Penumbra looked over to Mark. “I gather you want to see this?”

He grinned. “I wouldn’t miss it, Penny.”

Silvite recalled her sister speaking about a contest. “By any chance is my sister Pom-Pom going to be there?”

Octicovix nodded. “Yes. She arrived not long ago before the panel Anubis held. After that, he and Leela wondered off somewhere in the convention centre to have some brother- sister bonding time.”

“Well, I'm in.” Silvite was going to support her sister. “Pom-Pom, even with or without my support, most likely will win.”

“I say Trixie will!”

“Oh really, Prince Wells?” Silvite looked over to the prince.

“Yes, really!” Mark said back.

Gilda shook her head. “Well, looks like we’re tagging along.”

“Do we have to?” Gallus grumbled.

“If it’s a VIP lounge, there will be free food.”

“When do we go?” Gallus instantly changed his tune, getting a laugh from Gilda.

Smolder whispered to Garble, “They’re so weird.”

“Yeah, they are, Smolder,” Garble agreed. “Do you think dad got us those awards?”

Smolder rolled her eyes. “What do you take dad for? Of course he would have picked up our awards.”

Gabby spoke up. “Where is Spike? I haven't seen him since we got to the comic-con.”

Octivocix answered that for her. “Spike’s with Pom-Pom. He’s assisting her in the contest.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Exactly how is he assisting her?”

“By allowing her to use her magic on him. Duh!” Smolder answered. “How about we stop with all the stupid talking and go already? I bet it’s about to start any minute!”

Gale nod. “Yep! In ten minutes!”

Celestia looked at Chrysalis and she looked back. “We can't abuse the use of the guards to get across the convention centre to see the contest in time, can we?” Celestia asked.

“Getting there quickly is just a bonus, Princess Celestia. They are assigned to keep you safe, are they not?”

“True...”

Shining just spoke up. “For Tartarus’s sake! I'll get the guards to clear the way!”

Smolder chuckled. “Told ya they were weird, Gra-Gra.”

Garble could only groan as Gale repeated, “Gra-Gra?”

Comments

[Melody Song]

Great chapter! Very long, but worth it!

[animorph11]

So I really liked this story up until around the wish dimension stuff started happening, after that then another dream adventure happening right after with very little time to catch my breath. I'm gonna try my best to finish this story as I'm already about 3/4th of the way through and I really like the character of Gale and how innocent he is but it's been a bit of a slog these past few chapters. Here's hopping I like the rest more