Chapter 66: One nation, Two species pt.5
*Ronin POV*
As the griffons rested and were finishing preparations for what was to come, I had one train of thought going through my head.
Life has a weird way of working out.
About two months ago back on earth, if someone would've told me I would end up being the king of a bunch of life-sized bug horses and would be dating three different girls, I would've knocked them out in hopes of restoring their sanity.
However, all that DID happen. I was dumped in this world after Nicholas wished for a better life with that silly necklace Grandfather gave him and found myself in league with the changelings. Then I, alongside my brothers helped save Equestria several times from several threats like Dadiolus and his followers. Hell, I've even begun to settle down with the girls of my life in hopes of simply living!
But, as I stood at the hulking metal doors blocking the entrance of the castle, ready to lead the charge against Grimbeak, I couldn't help but let my mind wander about the king.
He had a feather that fit in my wings...even though they are made of metal and the feather wasn't it still fit. He also seemed to be waiting for me to arrive in Canterlot from the start, but how could he had known? Who told him about me? I thought as I heard the sound of clopping hooves approach me.
"Ronin?" I heard Twilight call out. I turned around to find her face laced with worry.
"I'm fine, Bookworm. Just wondering about some things before we start the assault." I said before noticing that Twilights mane was pulled back into a bun near the back of her head, keeping it from hanging low.
Twilight noticed my staring and looked away sheepishly, a blush present on her face.
"Do you like it?" She said as she suddenly stiffened, shaking her head rapidly. "O-Opal did it for me, saying it would be harder for any bad guys to grab my hair if it wasn't hanging low. It's for combat reasons only, and definitely not for cosmetic reasons!" She added hastily, her blush encompassing her face as I shook my head with a smile, trying to ignore my own blush at the sight of her while deciding to mess with her a bit.
"Hell of a time to decide to be sexy, Twilight." I said as I walked past her and towards the group of ragtag warriors waiting at the ready to attack.
"S-SEXY?!?" I heard Twilight screech in shock as I continued walking until I made it to Opal, Grazier, and their two goons.
Opal, who had been watching the scene unfold, was holding in a laugh as Grazier sighed.
"Boy, I know we're trying to get fired up for this and all, but did you really need to do that to the young mare?" He said as Twilight proceeded to mutter to herself incomprehensibly while she paced back and forth by the gate.
"Yeah, I did. She'll get over it though." I said as I noticed Gilda walk up to us, and turned to face her. "What's up?"
She looked at me, then at Grazier, then back to me before sighing. "There's someone in the castle I want to find..." She said, trailing off slightly as I recalled what she had said earlier about her family.
"Your cousin, right?" I said as she nodded.
"You really think the poor thing is ok in there, and not one of those Meckon?" Glascow said, getting a hoof in the ribs by Opal.
"Shut up, birdbrain!" She hissed, Gilda glared at the griffon for a second before she returned her gaze to me.
"If...if he is changed, then I need to set him free. No living thing deserves life as one of those abominations, especially not him." Gilda stated, making me smile.
"Then let's get the show on the road then!" I said, turning to Grazier. "Are the griffons ready?"
Grazier did a clawed thumbs up. "We've been ready for years, boy."
I nodded and walked over Twilight as Grazier commanded the griffons to prepare themselves, making them grab any strewn about weapons or armour placed down during our preparations.
"But sexy?! When has anypony ever called me sexy? Was he serious, or was he being himself and messing with me?" I heard Twilight muttering as I rolled my eyes.
Never change, Twi. I thought as I booped her snoot as she paced past me, causing her to do a kitten sneeze before looking up at me with a pout.
"What was that for?" She asked as I pointed at the doors.
"We're ready to go in, and I want you to blow down the doors with your magic." I said, causing her eyes to widen.
"What? Why?!" She asked as I gave her a toothy grin.
"Griffons have a knack of being tough guys, right?" I asked, causing her to nod. "So, if they see the new pony blast down those huge doors that lead into the castle, then they might end up respecting your power, and the less arguing we have involving you and a griffon the better." I said as she sighed and walked closer to the doors.
"Fine, but don't blame me if somepony gets hurt." She said she she began charging her horn while I stepped away from her and went over to Opal and Grazier, who were now just waiting for us to do something.
"What is Twilight doing?" Opal asked.
"She's gonna blow the doors down." I said casually as I heard several griffons behind them begin to mutter to themselves or snickered loudly.
Noticing this, Grazier chuckled. "Ah, your letting her make the first move, hoping it gets the morale pumping! Clever boy!" He chortled as Twilight sent a large beam at the doors.
BOOM!
"Holy shit that was loud!" I yelled, suffering from a slight case of hearing loss as the doors went flying inside the castle and many of the griffons around us screeched or yelled in shock. Some even took to the air and flew backwards several yards out just to get away from the blast.
After the ringing left my ears, I looked ahead to see Twilight panting heavily as she turned back to us.
"How*pant*did I do?" She asked before slumping over onto the ground.
"Twilight!" I called out, running straight to her and getting down on my knees while picking her up, causing her to look up at me with a smile as her face went deep red as she made eye contact. "You alright, Bookworm?"
She smiled weakly as she pointed at the doors with a hoof. "I...broke the doors, but I'm going to need a bit of time before I can use a spell again, Those doors were made of a powerful metal." She said as Grazier and Opal ran up, the former had his bow drawn with a arrow lodged in it.
"Boy, I think your friend's little act of strength invited some unfriendly faces!" He said as what looked like animal shadows began to come out of the castle.
That was...until the sunlight shined on them and allowed us to see what they really were, causing me to stand quickly and put Twilight down gently on the ground behind me.
"What the hell?" I said aloud as what had to be the Meckon came out of the castle. There were about eleven of them, each one looked like it was supposed to represent some sort of animal or something, but it was hard to tell with all the bloody gears and metal parts attached to them.
But what stuck out the most was the fact that I could see several NON-metal parts sticking out of them. Hell, each one seemed to have some sort of griffon head, talons, or in one scorpion-like Meckons case, a literal beating heart in sight.
"The Meckon..." Grazier said with a trace of fear as I turned to Opal.
"Twilight needs time to recover from blowing the doors down, so we need to hold our own until then." I said as Opal smiled and turned to the griffons behind us.
"Alright you blowhards! It's time to give your fallen brethen the peace they deserve! Today, we free them from their puppetmaster and cut Griffonia from his clutches forever!" She yelled, receiving cheers from the little army that was ready for freedom from Grimbeak. I smiled at the sight as Gilda walked up to me holding something behind her back.
"Here, your gonna need this." She said as she showed me what looked to be a really long Katana.
"Whoa...where did you get this?" I asked her as she smirked.
"Like it? I managed to...persuade one of the other griffons to trade it for a battle axe. I saw the one you own in Canterlot, and I figured that this would be a good apology for selling you out to Grimbeak." She said as I looked at the beauty in my hands.
It was an Odachi, a very sharp katana that was standing at about six feet! My old blade was a kodachi and was only three feet, so this was a definite improvement! Even the black handle had a cool silver griffon symbol etched into it.
Swinging the blade around a bit and getting use to the size, I looked to Gilda and smiled.
"Thanks! Now, you ready to throw down with some metal?" I said as the Meckon began to charge at us, some with claws and buzz saws, others with rusted weapons in mechanized talons.
Gilda nodded and grabbed a mace out from under her wing. "Only if you think you can keep up." She said as I laughed and ran forward with a war cry, weilding my new blade in my right hand.
"FOR GRIFFONSTONE! FOR GRIFFONIA! FOR GRIFFONKIND!!!" Grazier yelled as he, Opal, and the griffons charged straight into the fray alongside me as a scorpion-like Meckon rushed straight at me.
https://m.
CLASH!
I was able to swing my blade up just in time to block a metal scorpion tail, though the end was a talon, not the pointy bit that's usually there. As I pushed the tail off me with my blade, I almost lost my balance as swung too hard.
Crap, probably need to two hand this bad boy. I thought as I tightened my grip around the blade and ducked underneath a metal claw and was able to swing the blade through the joints that connected the arms to the body, severing the limbs from the scorpion.
"Aim for the joints! We can dimsantle them instead of killing them!" I yelled out to Grazier, who nodded and took the sky and pulled a arrow out of his quiver that had some sort of stuff attached to the end of it. He pulled back and fired the arrow straight into the leg of a cougar-like Meckon before the arrow exploded, turning the leg to cinders.
"You heard the boy, show them what's for!" Opal yelled as she put a shield around her and Twilight as Glascow and Bob took up defending the two from any attacking enemies.
"Watch out, kid!" Grazier called out as I rolled out of the way of a griffon being sent flying by a bear-like Meckon before seeing it get overwhelmed by several griffons at once, each of its limbs being severed until it was left with a head and torso.
Thank goodness for the number advantage. I thought as I heard what sounded like an eagles cry before a shadow loomed over me, though when I turned around I was met with an iron club to the face, swatting me back several feet as my sword fell by my side.
Landing on my back, I felt the wind get pushed out of me as I looked ahead to see what did that to me before my eyes widened in suprise.
It looked very much like a griffon, but most of its body was metal and only what looked like a kids sized blue head with yellow feathers tips on top was flesh. The Meckon stood at about 6 feet in height on its rear legs and seemed to be made of stronger metal than the others and even had an actual weapon instead of the rustic tools the others used.
The weird thing was, unlike the other heads, this one seemed to be more...alive. It turned its gaze to me and licked its lips ominiously.
"Target acquired: Human, set for elimination." The sound of a young male ringed out in a robotic way, shocking me out of my spunk as I found I could breathe again.
I stood up as quickly as I could and grabbed my weapon as he rushed forward before he suddenly vanished from sight.
"What the heck? Where did he-OOF!" I was cut off as something slammed into my stomach. Even with the armour, the blow hit hard as I fell to one knee. I swung out with my blade in a three-sixty circle, but didn't connect with anything as the same shadow appeared above me.
"Watch out!!!" I heard Gilda yell before she slammed her mace into the Meckon and knocking him backwards into the air.
She grabbed my right arm and hoisted me up before looking to the Meckon before her beak dropped in shock.
"G-Gallus? But...how?!" She exclaimed in a pained squawk as 'Gallus' stepped forward.
"Name is not applicable. I am Unit #G&11U$, Royal executioner for the king." He said in that same robotic tone as Gilda clenched her talons in rage.
"No! Your name is Gallus, you idiot!" She roared as she flew forward and swung her mace at the Meckon. He brought up his club and blocked the hit before grabbing Gilda by the head with his free talon and smashing her into the ground. He went to bring his club down but Gilda rolled out of the way and slammed her mace into his left leg.
Gallus cawed in pain before taking to the sky as Gilda got up from the ground. Two more Meckon attempted to attack her as she began to fly after Gallus, but Grazier sniped a bear looking one while I intercepted a crab looking one.
"Go! That's the cousin you were talking about, right?! Go after him! We'll take care of these lightweights!" I yelled at her as she flew off after the mechanized bird before turning my head back to the crab Meckon in front of me.
"Alright, you. let's dance" I said as I pushed it off of me and swung my sword.
Hopefully, she manages to free that kid. I thought as I dodged a spinning saw that shot out of the right claw of the crab Griffon.
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Gilda POV
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After this, I am going to tear that so called king apart!
I took to the air after Gallus after leaving Ronin to handle things on the ground. Not that I couldn't do the same, but I had more pressing matters to deal with than some random birds that were mechanized.
OK, perhaps both are important to stop, but Gallus means more to me, alright!
I finally caught up to him as he seemed to be waiting for me well above cloud level. Looking down, I noticed that I could barely even see the skirmish down below.
Thank goodness for all that training during flight school back in cloudsdale. I thought as I looked over at Gallus, who seemed to be giving me a confused stare.
"Query: Why does the griffon persist in combat with Unit#G&11U$?" He asked me as I growled.
"Because that's not who you are! Don't you remember me, Gallus?" I pleaded, thankful that no one else was up here to see me acting all emotional like this. "I don't know what that old coot did to you, but I'm going to fix it." I gripped the mace in my hand, ready for anything. "One way or another."
Gallus, or G&11U$ as he calls himself, actually snorted as it gave me one of those "Oh really?" stares.
"Query Invalid: Flawed reasoning will only result in termination." He chirped as he chucked his club right at me, causing me to laugh.
"Really? that's all?" I said as I caught the club as it came close, only to look and see he had vanished.
"Horsefeathers! That's the tricked he used on Ronin!" I exclaimed as I looked around rapidly before remembering what happened to Ronin before and looking straight up, but was too late as he brought down a mechanized elbow on my head, sending us both downwards as he wrapped his wings around my waist.
"New mission acquired: Destroy winged nuisance." He said as he began to deliver blow after blow to my stomach as we kept falling lower and lower.
"Get...the BUCK OFF OF ME!" I screamed as I swung his club into his side, swatting him away and throwing his club downwards, relieving him of his weapon before charging at him with my own.
"Target seems to not possess brainpower." He said as he vanished once more just as I swung my mace, hitting nothing but air.
"STOP DISAPPEARING COWARD!!!" I yelled as I shot upwards, hoping to get a better vantage point. Looking around, I was able to notice some of the clouds were being spread apart randomly...
...or was it?
Got you now, kid. I thought as the holes in the clouds started getting closer before it stopped just below me. I waited a second or two before flapping my wings hard to the right, feeling a brush of air as I felt something fly up right past me.
"Target moved?" Gallus said in suprise as he became visible just in time for me to swing my mace right at his wings.
"GAAAAH!" He screamed out in a way that almost seemed...non-roboticy before he began to plummet.
"Oh no you dont!" I yelled as I shot forward and latched onto him the way he had with me. He swung a left hook in a desperate attempt to knock me off him, but I blocked it at used my mace to chip off his arms as well, leaving him with just a leg, his head and his body.
"Query...." He stated slowly, as if he was actually feeling the pain. "Is target...G&11U$'s family?"
I gasped in shock, yet noticing we were getting closer to the fight below. "Y-Yeah. I'm your cousin, birdbrain."
He chuckled. Yes! He actually laughed!
"Then...G&11U$ was told a lie by the king. The king said...G&11U$....was...alone." He said slower than before as the life left his eyes.
"Gallus?" I said quietly, shaking him slightly. "WAKE UP, DAMMIT!" My sight started to get blurry, but I didn't care who saw me and pulled him into a hug as we hit the ground at a speed that would blow Rainbow dash away.
"Thank you...Gilda." Was all I heard before all went dark.
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Chrysalis POV
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Last night, I had every changeling not currently with my son check with me or Redheart both personally and mentally. For the most part, everyling were accounted for...except for the one named Roxas.
Considering he was one of Taks friends, and one of original four drones to be hatched, I had doubts he was our traitor. But listening to doubts had caused Monsoon to use me back at the wedding in Canterlot, and I was not keen on making that mistake twice.
Which was why Redheart and I were now sitting in the living room above the hive trying to figure out where said changeling was.
"And your sure you can't sense him?" Redheart asked as I shook my head as I checked through the hivemind for the millionth time while sprawled out on a fancy couch that was definitely stolen from the castle in Canterlot back when the party was thrown there.
"No. For some reason, the Drone has disconnected himself from the hive since his return to Ponyville. Why he did so is unclear, but until we find him or he reconnects that question will remain unanswered." I said as I felt a familiar weight drop onto on my back and nuzzle the back of my neck.
"Oh Oh! I know where he is!" Pinkie exclaimed in my ear excitedly, causing me to suffer whiplash from the speed my neck turned to face her.
"PINKIE?!" Redheart and I yelled in tandem as the party mare hopped off my back and hopped over to redheart to give her a nuzzle on the cheek.
"How are you even up right now?" Redheart exclaimed as Pinkie grinned from ear to ear.
"That's easy, silly. I'm Ponyvilles top party planner and baker! I can't even count how many times I've recovered from a sugar crash or from a after-party passing out!" She said as she turned to me, her smile suddenly gone. "But before we find Roxy-woxy we need to help Ronin!"
I jumped up from the couch immediately. "Ronins in trouble?!"
Redheart frowned. "Wait, how do you know that? And how would we help him anyway?" She asked as Pinkie ran over to the entrance to the caverns below.
"C'mon! I'll explain on the way!" She said before rolling herself into a ball and started to spin in place suprisingly fast before shooting off at a breakneck speed, though I swore I heard what sounded like a spring sound effect echo from the cave seconds later.
"Redheart...in later events we decide to do anything that sounds like a party, keep Pinkie Pie away from the achohol." I said as we began to gallop after her into the caverns.
"As if she needs any to act out." She said with a smile as we passed by the main room where most of the changelings still were herded into as I realized I couldn't see Pinkie Pie.
Pausing mid-gallop, I looked around before groaning, knowing we had lost her.
"Where did she go?" Redheart questioned as one of the drones walked up, this one being one of the "Party" drones as Redheart called them due to them being replicas of earth ponies and being made from Pinkies love.
"Your majesties, Queen Pie went towards the portal room." The drone said in a masculine tone as he pointed to the tunnel on the southeast side of the room.
I smiled and petted the drones head, getting a coo of happiness in return. "Thank you, little one." I turned to Redheart and nodded. "Let's go."
"Right." She said as we went into the tunnel, though I didn't remember ordering a portal room to be made at all.
As we made it to the end of the tunnel, we entered what seemed to be a room with a massive hole in the floor, which Pinkie seemed all to excited to be near.
"Oooooh! I'm so excited! I can't believe they actually finished it!" She exclaimed as we walked up to her and looked into the cavern below.
"Pinkie...what is this?" Redheart asked as my jaw dropped.
"This is a level nine teleport space!" I exclaimed, actually getting excited about this marvel of magic. "The only other type of teleporter I have seen of this magnitude was some mirror in Celestias office, and I saw that while I was drunk!" I said before snapping out of my state of shock and glaring at Pinkie. "How did you make this, let alone know about it."
She smiled and poked my head. "I'm connected to your head, silly. I can see just about everything you know in terms of magic, so I got some of our changeling friends to make this in case we would need to send changelings long-distances!" She said as she turned back to the darkened hole. "Like right now!"
Redheart blinked in suprise. "Ignoring the fact you apparently pulled off something only high level unicorns can do or create using only drones, what is happening with Ronin that requires changelings?" She asked as Pinkie shrugged.
"Beats me! But my Pinkiling senses are telling me that he's in trouble!" She said as I frowned.
"Pinkiling?" I deadpanned as Pinkie giggled.
"My Pinkie senses mixed with my new changeling hivemind senses! I have double the power now!" She said as she pointed to the hole. "But I need you to turn it on with your magic!"
I sighed and ingnited my horn. "Very well. If it will help Ronin, then we have no choice." With that, I fired pure love magic into the hole. causing the corners to erupt in green flames.
Pinkie started to hop in place. "Splenderiffic! Now we just need to send the changelings through!"
I nodded in confirmation and faced the way we had came in, preparing to mentally call for the drones when Redheart tapped my shoulder, causing me to look down at her.
She gave me a sheepish smile. "Could...I call them this time? I've watched you use the hivemind several times and I kind of want to try it out."
Hearing that made that weird fluttering sensation reappaer in my heart. "Of course. You ARE a queen to be, after all." I happily said, it felt good to hear her want to try it out for the first time.
Redheart smiled big before her eyes widened and she gulped nervously. "Ok, but how do I do it?"
I chuckled lightly. "Simply call out to them as a thought. They should come right after they hear it." I instructed as Redheart nodded and faced the entranceway while closing her eyes.
For a moment, I sensed nothing new in the hivemind. I was about to say something when I heard it at last.
Can...can anypony hear me?
I felt a mounting presence mentally as multitudes of changelings responded to her with different greetings.
Oh my...this feels so different than talking normally. But in a weirdly good sense. This is so cool! I rolled my eyes, realizing she was getting off topic. Oh! But thats not why I am doing this. Ronin is in trouble, and needs your help! Please come straight to the portal room if you can! She finished as she opened her eyes and turned to me.
"How'd I do?" She asked me as I bent down and gave her a quick nuzzle.
"Good for a first attempt. We can work on your queenliness later though." I said as Redheart looked to the portal and frowned.
"How are they going to be sent to Ronin? Don't they need a powerful magic source to get to where he is?" She asked as I shook my head.
"That only applied to Ronin because he had never been there. The changelings will latch onto the mental beacon that is Ronins presence, and will be warped nearby him on contact with the portal." I heard the sound of buzzing slowly getting louder and smiled, turning to Pinkie.
"Pinkie Pie, after this it is imperative we find Roxas. Tak believes that a traitor is among us and I am not taking chances." I said sternly as Pinkie saluted.
"Your the boss, Queenie!" She said as we prepared to filter the oncoming changelings into the portal before she suddenly frowned and turned back to me.
"Chryssie...could you do me a favor?" She asked in a way that made me suddenly VERY worried about what she was planning.
"...What?" I asked, wondering what she could be asking for now.
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Ronin POV
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Remember how I had said I was glad we had the numbers advantage? Well at this point it barely mattered.
No sooner had Gilda flew off after that Gallus Meckon did the robots on the ground suddenly started getting the upper hand against our units. Unless we destroyed their body parts, they simply reattached to their original bodies, meanwhile if one of our griffons died they just stayed dead.
Yeah, we were screwed.
"Damn!" I grunted, cutting off the claw of that same scorpion Meckon for the millionth time today before punting it into the air for Grazier to blow up with one of his bomb arrows. "How many guys do we have left?"
Opal, who was standing near me as we protected the still recovering Twilight, did a fast number count as she threw up another shield. "Including us five? About twenty to their six."
Shit. It took about three of us to wreck one of these things permanently. And it didn't help that a quarter of our units cut their losses and fled as soon as things got hairy either.
"Boss! I don't know how much more we can take!" Glascow stated as he and Bob were barely holding off what looked like a dragon Meckon with griffon talons before it swung its tail around, knocking both of them off their feet before it spun back around and slammed its talons straight through Glascow.
"BROTHER!!!" Bob yelled out in a deep voice as I watched in shock as Glascow was picked up and thrown off the edge of the giant tree.
"Sweet Celestia...Ronin, what do we do?" Twilight said as that scorpion Meckon spun it's tail around and prepared to strike...
...just as a very fast object landed right on top of it with a loud crash.
"What the hell?!" I yelled as the dust cleared from the crash, showing that it had been that Gallus bot and Gilda who had crashed. One was without most of his limbs while the other was out cold.
"Gilda!" I yelled, but before I could run over to help her the dragon Meckon swung down his talons at the shield around Twilight, the impact nearly sending Opal to the ground.
"Twilight...you better have your stamina back soon...I can't make another shield." She said before passing out just as the went to strike again, though this time Bob blocked it with his axe.
"Hey!" I yelled at it, actually getting to look at me. "Leave them alone!"
I ran up and swung my blade at the arm connected to the talons, only to be suprised when it bounced off.
"Crap! He's just like Gallus!" I looked over at Grazier, who had just wiped out another Meckon alongside two other griffons. "Hey, We need some backup over here!"
He looked our way before squawking in shock.
"Opal! Hang on boy, I'm coming." He said as he shot another explosive arrow at the dragon Meckon while the two Griffons rushed forward with spears.
The dragon recovered from the shots quickly though, and turned to the oncoming assault as its midsection began to grow and glow orange, making me gasp as I realized what it was doing and ran over to Twilight.
"Put up a shield now!" I yelled as I slid over next to her just as she put up a small barrier around herself, me and the unconscious Opal.
The dragon released its build-up straight down as big flames shot out in all directions. Grazier saw it coming and flew out of the way in time, but the grounded Griffons were holding their spears with their wings, and couldn't react in time to avoid the flames.
"AHHHHHHHHH!!! IT BURRNS!!!" I heard one scream out while the other just screeched in an ungodly way as his feathers and the tissue beneath charred to a black crisp. I instinctively put my left hand over Twilights eyes as I felt her press into my side at the sound of their pained yells. If Twilight hadn't put that barrier up we would've been the same way, and that thought alone put a chill in my back.
After the flames were finished the dragon seemed to pause in all of its actions as it simply stood there unmoving. Grazier, who had just finished looping around to avoid the flames turned his head towards me.
"NOW! We need to strike while it cools down!" He said as Twilight released her bubble shield, allowing me to get up and rush forward alongside Grazier, who drew several bomb arrows at once and was ready to fire.
Just as I got close though, it came back to life in an instant and swiped its talons towards me. I was able to block one but was grabbed by the other and was caught in its vice grip.
"Release the boy, fiend!" Grazier yelled, but before he could shot the arrows at it the Meckon swung me around and made me face the Griffon.
Shit, it knows he has explosive arrows. As long as he has me Grazier can't fire them without hurting me. I realized as the thing began to start squeezing me like a grape.
"FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!!!" I roared in pain as Grazier cursed under his breath, unable to do anything due to his weapon choice. Bob was standing by Opal and Twilight to block any more incoming attacks, and Twilight was staring at the scene in terror, not having enough magical stamina yet to fight back or free me.
BANG!
A massive hole the size of a truck appeared in the body of the Meckon, causing it to release me before it tipped over on its side.
"Grazier, now!" I yelled hoarsely as the griffon released his arrows while I dove to safety just as they ignited the dragon in a righteous fury of flames.
"Yeah!!! Now who the hell put a hole in..." I trailed off as I turned towards the source of the blast. "PINKIE?!"
Twilights neck should've snapped from how fast it swiveled in the direction I was facing. "Pinkie?! What is she doing here?"
It shouldn't have been possible, but lo and behold it was! Pinkie Pie herself was standing nearby the castle gates nearby a big ass cannon...and at least half the hive was there as well as they came out of some huge black hole.
And boy did my people look PISSED!
Pinkie was all smiles though as she waved at me. "Hiya Ronin! Sorry about the loud bang, but when I saw that dragon handling my hubby like that I just HAD to use Big Bertha!" She exclaimed with a laugh as she bounced around the cannon.
Man, I love that mare.
However, all the mechanized bits in between her and us began to shake as it began to put itself back together.
"Crap, they're up for another round!" Grazier growled, landing by Opal and Twilight and picking up the former in his arms.
"Don't sweat it! Me and the hive will handle these metal meanies while Ronin and Twilight deal with the big meanie!" Pinkie said as a lot of the hive that didn't have horns to fight with began to take various forms and charged the Meckon.
I nodded to Pinkie, really glad to have my girls by my side, even though only Pinkie was here Chrysalis and Redheart must have had some hand in sending her and the hive here.
"Thanks, Babe!" I yelled as I ran over to Twilight, who finally looked to be at at least eighty percent.
"Twilight, you up for this?" I asked her as she nodded.
"I'm ready! Let's go and stop Grimbeak!" She said as we began to run across the field, though some of the Meckon had managed to spot us and came straight for us.
"Protect the KIIIIIIING!" I heard a yell as a changeling disguised as what looked like some sort of yak headbutted the Meckon closest to us.
"Father, this way!" Another changeling, this one a pegasus, said as he pointed in an opening in the fighting.
"Thanks!" Twilight called out as we followed the way he pointed out, making it all the way to the doors just as we heard a loud roar behind us.
Turning back, I saw the dragon Meckon getting back up, its hole in its chest already healing as a lot of parts swarmed into its gaping hole.
"Ronin, Focus!" Twilight said, gaining my attention. "If we can defeat Grimbeak, then the robots should stop, right?"
Looking in between her and the fight, torn between stopping Grimbeak and leaving both my marefriend and what was pretty much my children to fend for themselve, I sighed.
"Fine." I said as two changelings landed near us. Although both had blue eyes, one had a horn while another had no horns or a wing but was decently more muscular.
"Sir, we're coming with you!" The horned one said in a neutral voice.
"We've been tasked with protecting you by the queen!" The second one said in a deeper voice as I frowned, but before I could object Twilight smiled.
"Great! We need all the help we can get! Let's go!!!" She said as she pushed me along. "Ronin, don't even attempt to try get them to leave. Who knows how tough Grimbeak will be, WE NEED THEM." She whispered as I rolled my eyes.
"Alright, I can walk you know!" I stated as she stopped pushing me and I turned to the two guards changelings. "Ok, you two. Your getting names before we go any farther. What are yalls suggestions?"
Twilight face-hooves while the Changelings jaws dropped. "Ronin, we don't have time for-" She was cut off by a squeal from the smaller changeling.
"THE NAMING CEREMONY!!! It's only happened to so few of our people so far!" He began to prance in place as the big guy sighed, though he seemed to be just as excited behind the mask of neutrality he had. "My king, I've only been alive for a short while, but I know exactly what I want to be named!" He smiled big as he spread his front hooves apart in the air as he said his idea for a name.
"Anal." He said, completely serious and completely straight faced, causing three reactions.
Twilight Jaw dropped as her whole face went red while she crossed her back legs as her tail started swishing back and forth.
The bigger changeling just stood there. He was only born a couple weeks ago and thought in his personal opinion Anal sounded like a completely noble name.
I, on the other hand, had to nearly shit myself while holding in the onslaught of laughter and tears from hearing that come from him as I answered his plea.
"Uh, where did you here such a...interesting name from?" I asked as the changeling grinned ear from ear.
"I heard it from Queen Chrysalis a couple days ago. She said it was her favorite thing you had introduced her to, so I knew it must be a great title!" The changeling proclaimed, making Twilight look at me in shock.
"What?! You...with her?" She said as I groaned.
"Ok, first off don't knock it until you've tried it, it feels great for both parties." I told Twilight, making her stammer a bunch in a adorable way as I turned to the changelings. "And second off, I think that's a wonderful idea." I said as the bigger changeling spoke up while...Anal hopped in glee.
"If your majesty permits it, I wish to be called something simple, such as Shifter." He said as I nodded, though Twilight seemed done with the conversation.
"Alright Alright! You have names, now let's go!" She said as she walked ahead, mumbling to herself, though I could've swore I could not only smell something like lavender as she walked past, but I also felt a flux of emotions from her as well.
Was that...Nah. That couldn't be. She couldn't be feeling those emotions about me, right? I shook my head as we followed her through through suprisingly small castle. She just was embarrassed about the name, that's all!
"Sir...what awaits us deeper into this palace?" Shifter asked as he stepped over some machinery that had some sort of old brown stains on them. In fact, the whole place was littered with small machine parts and rubble, as if someone hadn't cleaned the castle in years!
"This place is horrible! This castle is eons old Who! Who would let such a historic sight fall to disrepair like this?" Twilight exclaimed as she looked at some broken windows that seemed like they once had stained glass on them.
"Even the hive back in the forest was better than this, and that mess was underground." I said as we found ourselves at another door, though this time it looked much less reinforced than the ones Twilight had to bust down.
I turned to the two changelings. "Stay out here and make sure we aren't flanked by those metalheads outside." I ordered as they saluted. While they took positions at the edges of the doorframe, I looked over at Twilight.
Her emotions were less hectic than they were earlier, but there was still traces of what was there before alongside nervousness and a hint of fear of what could be behind the door.
Realizing I couldn't let her be worried, I stroked the back of her neck, getting a soft squee from her as she looked up at me.
"Relax. Whatever Grimbeak has in his arsenal, we can handle it." I told her as she blinked in suprise.
"How did you know I was...oh right, changeling." She said with a sigh. "It's just, Those machines we fought outside, They had griffon parts attached to them. If Grimbeak was willing to dismember and torture his own people...what can he do to us if we fail?"
I frowned, not liking the idea of a metalized Twilight bot. I took back my hand and placed it on the door.
"I don't know...but whatever it is, we'll face it, Together." I said as Twilight smiled and nodded, placing a hoof on the door as well.
"Right. Let's do this!" She said as we opened the doors and walked into the deepest part of the castle. The place in was very small, much smaller than the castle in Canterlot. Though perhaps it used to be bigger once apon a time?
Entering the room, it was obvious this was the throne room. There was an old blue carpet that went from the entranceway to the other side of the moderately sized room. The end of the room had what looked like a metallic that had several wires attached to its back that went through the walls and hung from the ceilings. To the left and right of the throne were two pillars with claws on the bottoms of them while a big sphere with an orange gem hung above the throne with even more wiring in it.
And sitting on the throne with a sadistic smile would be none other than the source of all this in the first place himself.
King Grimbeak, industrial birdbrain and murderer of his own people.
"Well well. Look what we have here. It seems you managed to get past the guards." He said with a painfully jolly tone. "What do the people call them nowadays...Meckon?"
Twilight stamped her hoof. "How can you be in such a good mood right now?! Your people are KILLING each other outside!"
Grimbeak stood quickly, spreading gis wings as he glared at Twilight. "They are only doing so because YOU attacked first! I never told you brats to follow me!" He said before coughing violently and sitting back down in his chair as what I guess were his lungs hissed.
I gripped the sword in my hand as I stepped forward. "Look at you! Your barely even alive! Why even torture those other Griffons? One was a child for Christ's sake!"
The king squawked in anger. "Why else?! For eternal life! If I could make the perfect robotic soldier, I could have the process done on myself, then I could never worry about age anymore!" He exclaimed as he cackled madly.
Twilight shook her head. "there are more important things than living forever, such as friendship and love!" She glared at Grimbeak. "Why can't you see that!" She exclaimed angrily as the smile left his face and he looked to one of the windows to our right.
Unlike the other ones, this one was a glass mural that wasn't broken. It depicted a griffon standing alongside a dragon and what looked like two humans, each one holding a staff.
"I used to know what love was, pony." He said, suprisingly somber considering his earlier mood. "I was a part of something special...then thanks to that foolish prophets actions we were split apart!" He turned to us, this time he looked pissed. "And don't think I haven't seen the signs, boy! The fact that you've returned here is one alone!"
I frowned. "What signs are you on about, you old coot?"
He smiled. "You've felt an urge to find me ever since you've seen me, right? Well my boy, that's because you and I are blood." He said, causing my eyes to widen as I took a step back.
"No...you don't mean?" I stated as Grimbeak chuckled and press something on his throne as a bunch of whirring sounds started up around the room.
"Indeed. Your my own son from a thousand years ago. I had ya with that smoking hot human that attacked Canterlot earlier. You were supposed to be griffon with human intelligence and thought processing, but due to Lunas...interference and murder of my wife thanks to that no good uncle of yours, you were presumed dead...until now that is. I managed to track you down thanks to a gift from that old David, though I don't know how he got a feather from you when you were never born." He said as the throne began to lift upwards.
"What's going on?" Twilight asked as my mind was reeling in shock from the news.
Him...my father? Does that explain my violent nature? It was passed down from a madman?! And what does this mean for Nicholad and Raiden? Who are their parents?! I thought before getting shaken out of my spunk by Twilight, who looked worried.
"Ronin, somethings happening!" She exclaimed as Grimbeak went into the sphere above while the wires began to glow red.
Then I began to hear the sound I had been told to fear at all costs by that old man in Griffonstone.
"If you hear the sound of running water and your in the throne room...run. That's what he had said, right? Well, I wasn't running, that's for sure.
Suddenly, the whole room began to shake, causing me and Twikight to stumble slightly as the pillars next to the throne began to move.
That is, I THOUGHT they were pillars. The second they started moving, I began to realize what was happening as the sphere grew a big spike out of the middle of its front.
Shit...the secret weapon is a fucking MECH!
The arms grabbed onto the roof and tore it off, pushing it off the big tree and out of sight as it fell off Griffonia, leaving the whole mech in sight.
The thing was a giant Griffon! The pillars were really arms with talons and the sphere was its head! The body was hidden in the wall and it seemed to be made of some sort of metal, but from what I could tell it didn't have any legs and just stayed in the air thanks to what seemed like jet engines on the wings on his back.
How did he make all of this?! The dude may be a maniac, but he's a genius at the same time!
The griffon bot looked down at us as two black pupils appeared in the spheres face, making eyes.
"How do you like the toy, Ronin? It took me years to make this, but it's finally ready!" He proclaimed from some sort of loudspeaker. "I call it the Griffon X-4!"
Looking at the big mech, I couldn't help but start to doubt our chances. I mean, Seriously! The damn thing was huge!!!
However, I felt a hoof enter my open hand as I looked down at Twilight, who gave me a weak smile.
"Ronin...if we can't beat him, I want to say thanks...for being here for me while we've been here." She said as I smiled back, squeezing her hoof.
"No problem, Bookworm. Your pretty ok after all. You stood up for me at the trial, and now your here by my side as well, so thank you." I said as I released my hand and wrapped in around the handle of my katana, now holding it with both hands. "Now, let's kick some butt."
She nodded, her horn beginning to glow as we faced Grimbeak and his mech. "Right, let's do this!"
https://m.
The right arm swung out at us in a sweeping fashion immediately. Twilight teleported out of the way while I hopped backwards, barely being missed by the talons on the end of it. The other arm reared back and shot forward at where Twilight had teleported, its talons clenched up in a fist.
Twilight saw it coming, though, and managed to teleport above the arm, landing on top of it. She began to run up the arm, shooting what looked like a small lazer through it as she ran before she jumped off and flashed her horn.
The whole area she had beamed before erupted in a purple explosion, causing Grimbeak to roar out in pain as he swung out his arm again, this time forcing Twilight to put up a shield to block it from hitting us.
I pointed up at the sphere. "Twilight, can you teleport me up there?" I asked as she nodded and I found myself on the bot in a flash of lavender light.
"Wanna hide in a bunch of metal? Go ahead! It makes this sooo much easier!" I yelled as I plunged my sword into the sphere and jumped off the head, bringing the sword with me as I went and causing a large vertical cut to damage the head and split it apart.
Grimbeak, now visible and vulnerable to attack, growled as the talons came off the arms of the bot.
"Destroy them!" He yelled as the talons turned to Me and Twilight, allowing us to see the singular eyeballs on the palms of the talons.
"Ew! They have eyes?!" Twilight stated in disgust as I found myself getting more pissed off by the minute.
"Yeah, and they're most likely real eyes too." I said as one talon clenched up into a fist and shot forward at me, causing me to block it.
It was counting on that though, and it quickly released itself and grabbed me in a vice grip before chucking me into a wall.
"Ronin!" Twilight yelled as she proceeded to teleport over to me before getting caught by the other talon, though this time instead of being thrown Grimbeak brought her up to face him.
"I get why Ronin is here. He has the whole 'I'll defeat my father' Stick going on, but what do you get from being here?" He asked her as I pried myself off the wall, aching in the back but otherwise fine.
"I-I came by accident, but what you've been doing is wrong! Hurting others for your own personal gain isn't right, and I can't let that happen anymore!" She yelled as she charged her horn to attack Grimbeak...
...before he twisted the talon holding her upside down and slammed her head first into the ground at almost Mach speed.
"TWILIGHT!" I yelled as I felt my heart skip a beat and my vision get clouded. I ran forward to get to her just as the talon that chucked me before went to grab me again.
"STAY OUT OF MY WAY!" I roared as I swung my katana, effectively cutting through the talon as I reached Twilight and looked her over.
She was out like a light, and there was definitely some blood coming from her horn as-
No...oh hell no.
Her horn was snapped off, and only a stub remained on her head as the horn bit sat on the ground next to her. Grimbeak had effectively snapped her horn hin half when he slammed her into the ground.
I stood up, dropping the katana as I turned to face him as my clouded vision went red as the image of Twilights crumpled body stayed strong in my mind.
"She didn't have to get hurt, boy. You could have just left her outside with your friends, and she would be fine right now. But due to your idiocy, she may never recover from that injury." Grimbeak stated as the remaining hand flew at me with its talons stretched out to impale me.
With a black flash and a squawk of suorise from Grimbeak, I caught the talon head on as several tentacles wrapped around the metal claws.
"You hurt her...you hurt my friend! I WILL KILL YOU!" I roared as I ran forward at a breakneck speed, startling the old bird.
"Pulling out new moves, huh kid?" He taunted, though I could taste the fear on him as he unmatched himself from his bot and flew at me as his wings extended several buzz saws out at me. "YOUR NOT THE ONLY MONSTER YA KNOW!"
Grinning internally, I formed sharp edges from the tentacles and swung them around to parry the buzz saws while I began to push him back with each blow.
"I AM SICK OF ALL THE DEATH AND PAIN I HAVE BEEN SEEING SINCE IVE GOT HERE! LEAVE ME ALONE! LET ME LIVE IN PEACE!!!" I screamed as I snapped the saws off his body and wrapped my tentacles around his wings, turning his body towards the opening in the wall as I dangled him over the vast drop below.
"Heh...Hehehehe...HAHAHAHAHA!" Grimbeak chuckled, before laughing at full volume as he placed his talons on my jet black arm and looked up at my face.
"Well...done my boy. You've somehow managed to obtain a power far stronger than mine without half the bloodshed." He coughed violently before continuing. "Kid...I never wanted to kill you, your my own blood and whats left of my wife Christine. However, I didn't want you to be a piece in that cursed prophets game." He shuddered slightly as he gave me a weak smile. "Buts it's clear now your strong enough to handle yourself and your friends well...Perhaps you can cut your strings the way I never could."
He sighed as I heard several hisses come from his back and what sounded like something unlatching. "But now, it's obvious my time is up, but let me give you some...fatherly advice."
He leaned in really close to my face.
"Don't. Listen. To. Callobrim." He said before his wings snapped off him and he pushed off me, allowing himself to fall out of the hole and into the depths below.
FATHER!!! I yelled despite myself, but found I couldn't bring myself to save him. After all he did to attempt to be immortal, he wanted to die...and it would be wrong to allow him that rest.
Besides, the fucker deserved it.
Feeling my vision return to normal, I turned around and ran over to Twilight and picked her up in my arms as I laid by her side on my knees.
"Twilight...wake up." I said as I softly rocked her. "I beat Grimbeak, so we can go home now."
Silence.
"Twilight, wake up dammit!" I said louder as my vision was slowly getting blurry again, though this time it wasn't red. "Stop messing around!"
Silence.
My breath hitched as everything from the past two to three days came crashing down on me, causing me to hug Twilight close to me as tears left my eyes.
"No..No No No No! Damn it, you can't be dead Bookworm!" I yelled as I rocked her back and forth, burying my face into her now free falling mane as the tears came faster now. "Please wake up, Twilight. I...I...I love you, damn it!"
A weak chuckle sounded out from Twilight, causing me to pull her back and look into her slowly opening eyes that held their own tears.
"You...did you mean that?" She asked me as I nodded.
"Every single word, you silly ner-mph!" I said, but was cut off as Twilight pushed me over and kissed me deeply, wrapping her hooves around my neck. I went with it, returning the favor by hugging her tightly to me.
After a minute or two, she released me from the kiss as her eye twitched slightly.
"Ronin, I'm in heat." She said plainly as I blinked in suprise.
"Ok." I said as she narrowed her eyes at my lackluster reaction. "What? How do you think I got Pinkie pregnant? Besides, I felt your emotions earlier, changeling remember."
She rolled her eyes before giving me a predatory grin. "So you know exactly what you've been putting me through since we got here then...and how to rectify that mistake?" She said, surprisingly stern.
"Twilight...but your horn. It's broken." I said, temporarily breaking her mood before she shook her head.
"I know, the stub aches like Tartarus, but I'm aching worse right now, and your little confession just put it on overdrive." She said as I sighed, realizing I wasn't getting out of this.
"Fine, but you have to explain to Chrysalis why your with me now. The girls have a interview thing going on now to where they have to accept the newest herdmates before allowing me to." I said as Twilight grinned big, though the half-lidded eyes kind of made the grin seem more...sinister.
"Well then, I guess we'll be busy when we get back. Now shut up and make me yours, Ronin. I've waited far too long for this!" She said as I grinned big and proceeded to do just that.
I don't know about anyone else, but making love on the ruins of a giant robot is just plain hot.
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11023764
I mean, as long as you get better eventually, right?
11023811
Oh yeah. After about 15 chapters I show immediate improvement in my writing with more details. And yeah, it's a newbies struggle to get better, but that's half the fun.
Besides, it gives commenters something to comment on as well lol
Wow, this chapter was a grinning cliche and I loved it!
I hope Ronin can make it out of this match against Twilight without any broken bones. That mare has been building up to this moment for years!
11025968
Hehe, glad you liked this chapter. I had to take several breaks to maintain focus when I got to certain scenes (Such as the changeling naming scene), but in the end this chapter is easily one of my favorites...even if it is a tad cliche in the romance lol.
Greetings my friend and here is my commentary on your favorite chapter:
Ronin POV.
Hah! You finally started writing open flirting ... and I love it! You learn to be more emotional and disposed towards these beauties. And in the end it looks good in text!
And when did Gilda appear in this group? I may not remember something ...
However, I still read and see a good story... This time you showed the POV in more detail and tangible.
Brother. You have surpassed yourself this time! It was a very exciting and emotional POV. (And you already know that I am a fan of writing fight scenes and I know how to do it beautifully) So when I read this part, I really began to feel Ronin in this fight.
But the next POV was unexpected. But it's good!
Gilda POV.
I will immediately say my word of honor:
The first paragraph caused me exactly the right emotions. My heart was pounding faster. I felt this character! I was able to see this world through the eyes of Gilda and from this tears appeared in my eyes (and this is what I had to do, because there is a battle going on where someone can die). I'm not kidding ... I love this POV from the very first paragraph!
One of the best POVs I've read in your story. There was a lot here, and it was easy to see it when I read it.
Only for this POV I'm ready to give you a high mark.
Chrysalis POV.
Once again, I have a clearer sense of the character on whose behalf the plot is being written! This is the lovely part, my friend. I love how you were able to describe Pinkie Pie this time. Surprises + her character.
Chrissy POV left the intrigue.
Ronin POV 2.
All the griffins you're describing the story about, did they magically teleport? To the place of the battle.
Everything was great and I love it ... but when Pinkie Pie Mentioned Big Bertha, I got a little killed as a lover of history. Big Bertha is one of the 8 guns in Germany that was used in the First World War. But how does Pinkie Pie know about this??????
Man, I love that mare.
Wow, finally I see recognition!
I nodded to Pinkie, really glad to have my girls by my side, even though only Pinkie was here Chrysalis and Redheart must have had some hand in sending her and the hive here.
They have no hands! Hooves.
Ponies ... Where did they come from in this area? I may not be reading your story very carefully.
The battle is well described for its effects. But there is no consistency. Where did the pegasi come from in the storyline? (pony)
When you see Twilight in the description of a fight, there is always a feeling of uneasiness. I want to hug her and feel sorry for her.
🤣"I heard it from Queen Chrysalis a couple days ago. She said it was her favorite thing you had introduced her to, so I knew it must be a great title!" The changeling proclaimed, making Twilight look at me in shock.
P.S
11029233
Thanks for the read, friend! Now, time to field some answers.
First, I'm glad you liked the Gilda scene. It was easily one of my favorite ones to write and it seemed to work far better than I hoped.
Alright, so the griffons and Gilda were gathered last chapter at the front of the castle. During the Chrysalis chapter, Pinkie and the changelings are brought to Griffonia via the portal in the cavern hive. The "Pegasi" In the fight were merely changelings that changed form, though I wonder if the translation skipped over that part. Other than Pinkie, Opal, and Twilight there are no other ponies there.
Big Bertha is the name of her huge party cannon that is mentioned in the episode of MLP where Celestia is the star of that play...and sucks at doing so. But it's cool there are other references.
Yeah, I'm definitely trying to add onto the romance more, and obviously it's working well!
"Must have had some hand" Is a line being told by Ronin, and it's a metaphor. It simply means they had a part in it.
And that Changeling scene with the guard named Anal? Yeah, that's staying there forever.
11029436
I have read to the end of this chapter.
On the one hand, the scene (Twilight and Ronin) is cute and I even notice how you learn to write about the closeness between characters (kiss, hug) is definitely good and detailed.
BUT ... Twilight has a broken HORN! Unfortunately, I don't really like it in your plot. Because you made Twilight an invalid. And besides, it must be very painful for her at this moment, for a unicorn this is a real problem. She must be in pain, both physically and mentally. But you described her as if the problem with heat was much more important. She craves sex and doesn't care because her horn is broken.
Do you understand my point?
11030052
I see the worry about Twilights horn, and I can assure you that while it is broken it is not going to be so permanently.
As for why the heat was more important? The only way I can explain it is her pain and the heat kinda sorta just blended together. She was in pain, but she had also been suffering from the heat as well, so it kinda nullified that pain, if only for a minute.
11030109
All right!
Heh ... Maybe you should change the rating of the story to mature and then write the appropriate scene? It would be cool!
By the way, in the new chapter, which I am now writing, such a scene will be present. At the same time, Heart Path will deal with three mares at once ... I swear it will be a funny reading!
11030139
Nice try, but Era of Harmony is staying teen. Even if it did become mature, I can't rewrite that kind of stuff.
11030148
The question needs to be posed more clearly: Would you like to write such a scene?
11030167
...Eh, probably not. But if I could find someone to write such a scene then that works.
11030238
You should yourself learn to experience the necessary emotions and desire to describe such a scene beautifully and put your soul into it.
11030262
Yeah, I haven't been in those type of...sensual situations yet, so I cant describe them that well.
You have 2 chapters labeled Chapter 63. Just thought you should know.
11031984
How the heck did I miss that?! Thanks for the point out!