Rainbow over Griffany: RotE Episode 7

by Dream Volt

Griswald and Celestia

"Well?"

I had tried to hold it in, but couldn't. I fell backwards laughing. The king was wearing a gigantic pink dress with yellow and blue highlights. The Jester's cap was much the same, but with more yellow and blue. Pinkie was still wearing his cape and most of the crown. She left him the necklace I still hadn't seen. Gilda had been laughing for the last ten minutes. Pinkie had somehow managed not to, though she did have a big smile on her face.

"Okie doki loki. That looks just perfect."

"Is your goal to humiliate me?"

Pinkie nodded vigorously. "Duh. I mean I told you I'd make you suffer and I heard you'd say you'd rather die, but that's just silly talk, but don't worry mostly it's just your super lame defeat, so I'll let you take off the dress eventually my vizier. You know I was going to call you my evil vizier, but Twilight was totally right, and adding evil to an official position is silly, especially since you're not really evil, just really mean."

"And you think I'm kidding?" he then sighed. "So what horrible order comes next my queen? Another festival to add to the calendar? Something else to make the city look even more ridiculous?"

Pinkie laughed. "Oh silly, that's all just temporary. I mean maybe some of the stuff in the palace will stay, but the rest is just for the coronation."

"Oh joy of joys."

Pinkie raised an eyebrow, but a flash of light interrupted anyone actually planning to say anything. Celestia stood stock still gently shaking for a full minute before she broke into laughter. It was a strange booming softness that filled the room. Then it was gone and there was nothing but a wide smirk on her face. Pinkie giggled.

"I'm sorry Griswald, I’m sure we can have this all undone with little problem and…"

"No."

Gilda and I stopped laughing.

"What do you mean no?" asked Celestia

"Aww, but I don't want to." Said Pinkie

"She is our queen. She challenged me as a griffin, and won. That is the end of it. To do anything else is to ignore eons of tradition. That would be a far greater insult than anything our mad queen could do."

"First off I think that's underestimating her." Said Gilda "Also it isn't eons."

Celestia nodded. "Then I will leave you with your queen Grand Vizier Griswald, now come Rainbow Dash, we have much to talk about."

I blinked. "Me? Shouldn’t you talk to Twilight, or Rarity, even AJ and Fluttershy probably get all this political stuff more than me."

"Though you do not see it, that is completely wrong. I have already calmed Twilight, though I may have left her somewhat confused. Are you ready?"

"I guess but…"

Then we were on the roof of Lion's Aerie palace. It was a great view, the sun still rising. I guess the letter must have arrived when she was asleep. I blinked Celestia let out a great sigh.

"So did you really know Pinkie would do this since you aren't remotely freaking out?"

She nodded. "Know is a strong word, but it seemed extremely likely she would somehow stumble upon the idea and use it. The exact details turned out to be more disturbing that I would have liked, but acceptable."

"What about the carrot thing? Twi was still so tweaked Fluttershy didn't really get a chance to explain since she slipped into huggy mode to calm Twi down."

Celestia smiled brightly. "I now have another debt to you I cannot repay. I will explain it fully later. I'm sure she would prefer it that way."

"Okay, but why do you want me alone?"

"Because the first thing you asked me was whether I knew."

"It's kinda obvious you know just about everything. Who cares if it's mostly spies or mostly magic, all that matters is you do."

"I do not know the future, only possibilities. You did something truly amazing I did not immediately notice. You inspired loyalty in another."

"Uh, you mean Gilda? So what? It's no big deal."

Celestia laughed. "You say that, but while griffins value honor greatly, as well as various other things, they find most of the elements a weakness. Truth is the only one they give much respect in fact. Though even it can at times be cast aside."

"G is the best liar I've ever met."

"Yet since your reunion she has told you a hard truth, has shown kindness and generosity, laughed, and most of all has a true understanding of loyalty. Loyalty must both be earned and freely given. It is without a doubt a weakness, a great vulnerability."

"But it's worth it. If my friends need me. I'm there."

"Spoken like a true queen."

I of course lost my balance and tumbled to the ground. I was glad we were on a flat section of the roof or I'm sure I would have went sliding down the side. That always hurts, though just slipping might hurt less than a low speed crash.

"Wait, that's what you were getting at earlier?"

"Politics is many things, but most of all loyalty. The hardest part is keeping the loyalty of those around you, and determining if they are truly loyal at all, but…"

"It's loyalty. You wanted me to be queen here somehow, didn't you?"

"Ideally. But Twilight's research into transformation spells while more thorough than she seems to think hasn't quite made it into her plans yet."

"So right now if I asked her to turn me into a griffin…"

"She should be able to manage it. She would also most likely refuse, unsure of her own abilities. Pinkie may be able to do the same."

I nearly fell again, my wings refusing to keep still. "She can change other ponies?"

"Most likely not against their will, but yes. At least eventually she will. It is certainly within the abilities of a talented mer-pony. Right now I am sure she doesn't know how."

"But it's Pinkie so that may not stop her. Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I feel I should."

I blinked. "What?"

"In time you'll see, or not."

"Seriously?"

Celestia snickered. "Okay, I will be a little more clear. I am telling you because I want you to think on it. To think of what loyalty means, and what it can do."

"I guess it really helped Gilda but…"

"And she in turn helped you. In simple ways, but ultimately Pinkie now rules the griffins because of her."

"You're not really going to let her stay in charge, are you?"

"Actually it's quite clear that she plans to delegate most of the responsibility and power to Griswald. I hope such an arrangement may be good for him."

I nodded. Pinkie sure as hay took him down a few pegs. Right now it just seemed like it was going to add bitter to his list of faults, but I've been listening to Gilda badmouth him for so long I know I'm biased and so is she. Then I thought of something.

"You've always known, haven't you? About all of us and the elements and you got us in the same town and…" I stopped when Celstia shook her head.

"No. I did know there were two very special ponies in the world who got their cutie mark on the same day. The first a unicorn filly who had a magical surge of an unprecedented level. The second the pegasus filly that caused it."

"I am really awesome, aren't I?"

"Yes. Six cutie marks triggered by a single act I had thought long slipped into the annals of history alone. You truly are."

"But really it's Twilight and Fluttershy's show, isn't it? The rest of us are awesome, but they're the real alicorns."

"Possibly, but the truth is not yet clear. Now, despite my relative calm this is in no way a stable situation and…" She sighed. "…now the real work begins."

Then she was gone. Up this high the sun took a bit longer to make it over the horizon, but that just made the sunrise more awesome. In fact it seemed better than the last few days somehow. I wonder if she put a little extra work in on purpose. I then blinked. I always used to wake up for the sunrise every few days, then get in a little practice and go back to sleep, but I don't think I've missed one in months and I know I haven't been taking half as many naps.

Comments

[BenRG]

Yeah, I thought that Celestia had guessed something was up with the Six. Even she doesn't know exactly what is going to happen yet, of course. However, I think that this is only the first step in their ascension. Not just Twilight and Fluttershy either; all of them have great potential, if they allow themselves to see it.

It's interesting, the more I think about it. Rainbow not only personifies loyalty, she inspires it in others, and the others also inspire their elements in others too, at least those in whom there is the potential to feel them. That implies something very, very powerful underlying the Elements of Harmony, something that might even be more powerful than the Celestial Sisters.

[musicluvr1974]

2167726

That implies something very, very powerful underlying the Elements of Harmony, something that might even be more powerful than the Celestial Sisters.

Sure it does. The Elements are practically what all of Equestria (Equus?) is based on, after all...