> Forbidden love > by RustyKat > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Cupid's arrows > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- It was a dark sunrise in Ponyville. Clouds lounged lazily in the sky, a purplish-pink color as the sun slowly rose. The ponies in the town milled to and fro with the things they were doing. A small sigh came from one of the royal guards, as he shifted his weight from one hoof to another. I wish I could do something other than stand guard everyday at this castle. Nothing ever fun goes on around here..... The white Pegasus resumed guarding, as he pushed some of his blue mane out of his face. Suddenly, there was a flash of brown, followed by a crash. "I wonder what that was." So he set out to investigate. As he followed the path of wreckage, through a few new downed trees and churned up soil, there was something sitting in a crater. He drew closer, cautious, and spear ready.... but the brown pile of apparently all feathers didn't move. Curious, he crept closer, until when he caught the cracked hurt feathered-beak face of the downed broken creature, he gave an astonished gasp. I..I... I must help them! They could be hurt... He got closer, and found out it was a Griffion, the armor she wore a twisted dented mess of sculpted metal. The feathers were damaged, and there were some nasty looking wounds. One of the claws was broken, still grasping her weapon, a silver sword. The sword was stained with something that looked an awful lot like blood. StormFlash saw this, and gave a small shudder. I.... It's a griffon! What's a griffon doing anyway in ponyville? But none less, he decided that she needed a safe place to rest, until she woke up, and got better. I better take her to my house... in case somepony did this to her. Taking the surprisingly heavy griffion on his back, he headed home. I hope the princesses don't mind i skipped work today.... if I explained, they'd probably understand. Hell, if I got fired, I wouldn't care. There's always other jobs I can take.... and here are plenty guards in ponyville. He flared his wings and gained altitude in the air. His wings worked much harder with his heavy load, and he began to doubt the decision. His mind swam with unanswered questions as he flew through gentle warm currents of air. But one stuck out from the rest. What is she doing in ponyville? The answer that would soon come would change his life forever as a royal guard of Ponyville. > The awakening > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Stormflash was glad when he reached his house in Cloudsdale. His wings were tired from the extra weight they carried. He closed the door behind him as he walked in, and put the injured griffon on a red couch in the living room. The carpet was soft to his tired hooves, and he sat down to remove his armor. Afterwards, he put it away carefully, and sat down to take a closer look at his griffon guest. "Gee, you took one hard hit, huh?" He said out loud as he carefully began to take off the twisted damaged armor of hers. He couldn't help but flinch as he took the last bit off. Three deep claw marks ran through the feathers on her chest, like a huge beast had gotten her good. But what beast's claws go through armor this thick!? He imagined the incident, and shuddered. But there was a soft almost inaudible groan as the griffon began to slowly come back to consciousness. The yellow eyes opened a little, as her sluggish mind worked to clear itself in a haze of pain and fog. Oh good... she's alive... but badly hurt. He quickly worked with the bandages to wrap her wounds, wondering what he would say when she fully woke up. She stirred a bit, and faintly twitched her tail. "W...Where...where am I..." The voice was barely louder than a whisper and a bit weak. "Shh... You're safe now." Said Stormflash casually as he sat next to her. The flame-yellow eyes caught the faint image of Stormflash, as her vision slowly came into focus, becoming sharper with time. "Y...you... You're a pony...." she said in a note of shock. She tried not to wince as the faint sensations of pain caught up with her. "And you're a griffon." StormFlash said sarcastically. You had one nasty fall. You'd be lucky I was there...." His mind paused as he went back over her figure again with his eyes to make sure he hadn't missed a wound. Hmm... Let's see.... And those socks as well. His own thoughts surprised him. Wait... no. I'm not going there. He flattened his ears. "Gee, like what you see?" She replied sarcastically, and watched amused as StormFlash flinched in surprise. Um... change the subject.... "So... how do you feel? I'm StormFlash of the Royal guard." Gee, rescued by a guard of the opposite species. I must be the most unlucky griffon on the planet. "I'm Gemstone, Griffon guard of Griftonia. Home of the Griffon race." She winced as the pain hit her full force. "I'm sorry... I'll get you a painkiller." StormFlash went out of the room to get his new guest a painkiller, and his mind once worked over the questions it had.Grifftonia! I've only heard of this place in fairytales...... He came back with the painkiller and a glass of water. "Here you go Miss Gemstone. I am sorry to see someone in such a state. Are you able to drink your beak is awfully cracked...." Gemstone was silent for some time, as she took the painkiller. "I'm sorry, but do I look like someone who cares? I thank you for your charity, but I must be off." As she rose to get to her paws and claws, she cringed as a dim line of pain lanced through her. "I'm afraid not Gemstone. You're too hurt to travel, let alone fight." > History Lesson > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- It was some time before Gemstone could accept the fact she was living with a Pegasus from a town she'd never been in before. Aside from the odd looks he sometimes gave her, he was pretty tolerable.... at least to Gemstone. I swear, that stallion looks as though he's never seen socks before... aside from anything not a pony...... Her pain was subsiding with every day, but she never complained. "So... feeling better?" Asked Storm as he sat near her lying on the couch. Gem was surprised... this was the first time she had seen this stallion without his armor on. His mane was longer than it looked with the helmet on, and she sensed actual compassion in his soft voice. "Uh... yeah. almost fully healed." She replied, as she preened her wing. "I should thank you..... not all your kind are total jerks." "Yeah.... wait what?" He replied, a bit confused. "Everyone here is nice and kind." "But you don't come from where I do. Pegasi and unicorns live segregated. Earth ponies live under cover to avoid being seen. My kind defend these cities with a fierce loyalty, often paying their lives.... with little reward." She relaxed a bit on the couch, as she continued her tale. "The cities are much different... one is in the clouds, and the other one hides in thick mist..... both ruled by a figure in a cloak by the name of Sunscale, and King Roxas.... a powerful T-rex with expert swordsmanship. The little cities Seaside... and Lavastone.... they constantly fight. Lavastone is one of the few last places where at least two races live in harmony.... Earth ponies... and the unicorns. The little town is surrounded by three active volcanoes that keep the little town warm, and provide an energy source.... but unfortunately, attract dragons as well. The volcanoes are rich in Obsidian, a mineral these dragons use for their magic..... Seaside lies near the Emerald sea. The city is rich in precious gems, and boasts it's protection in the air. Unfortunately, dragons can fly. The guards fight valiantly, but sometimes are overpowered. That's where we come in. The griffons of Grifftonia fight to protect all races, and are hated because of it....... but thus is the price for valor." Storm sat, pondering what he had just heard. "Wow..... must be awful...." He gave a soft chuckle. "But alas, you'd be glad I'm not choosy. You can guard me any time." The stare he got as a response to what he said made him realize he had made a mistake. "Guard you!?" She replied with a laugh. She cringed, the stinging sensation coming faintly to her wound, but laughed anyway. It was worth it with how ridiculous this seemed. A royal guard actually thinking of someone to guard him. > Lavastone > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Listen...." Began Gem, as she stretched a bit. "I appreciate your kindness and all, but I can't stay cooped up here. I have places to be, and dragons to slay." "Oh, but you mustn't leave..." His own words surprised him. Gemstone gave a small amused chuckle. "Shouldn't leave? Art though getting a bit... attached?" "N no.. " Began StormFlash quickly, "I...I just enjoyed your company." That was a close call.. "I bet." she replied amused. "To thank thee, would thou like to see Lavastone?" Storm Flash's eyes widened. "I would love to." "Then come with me." Gem spread out her entire wingspan, and took to the air. "Keep up if you can!" Storm took to the air right after her. For a long while, it was only the soft sound of the wings beating the air, in the awkward silence. Finally, Gem broke the silence. "Look down, and tell me what you see..." StormFlash did, and his eyes widened. The landscape was much different, so unfamiliar and segregated. He could see the magma flowing softly from a nearby volcano... the quite old town he had only heard of in legends. Pegasi sat in silver armor, a lot alike his but much different in style. Scattered houses were here and there, and Storm understood after a while how hard it must to be separate from everyone else. He caught a small group of Giffons and pegasi fighting off a huge red dragon, intent on getting his talons on some of the embers from the Volcano. "Back fowl beast! Thoust embers are ours!!" Shouted a brown figure with a black mane, as he narrowly dodged a swipe from the beast's claws. "Feras! Attack from behind." Commanded a griffon as he landed a nasty swipe of his claws across the scaly skin. StormFlash finally caught the figure's face. It was a Pegasus.... but again, not exactly. The square-ish muzzle and the paws.... the longer fur... He realized this was a Lycan, half pony, half wolf. There was a roar of anger as the team fended off the dragon, and the dragon decided this was too much effort, as it took to the air, and fled. "It is done." Feras simply stated. "Nice work." Said Gemstone as she landed. "Perhaps one day, Sunstone might actually let you live in her city." "Gemstone!" Said the other Griffon in shock. "You're alive!? Thank heavens... we thought we'd have to replace our commander." "Who did you bring with you?" Feras asked with his odd wolf accent. "This is StormFlash, of Ponyville." "Ponyville?" Feras and the griffon said both at the same time in a confused tone. "The southern Kingdom." Replied Gemstone casually. "Ohhhh..." Said Feras with understanding. "That place with the unicorn Pegasus roaming around." "Still..... I've never seen a stallion quite like him." Said the griffon intrigued. "He might actually fit in here." > City of Segregation. > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Wait... fit in?" Asked Storm confused. "I like living in Ponyville." "If you say so." Replied the griffon with sarcasm. "As long as you keep away from everyone else." "Feathershaft!" Reprimanded Gemstone. "Be nicer with our guest. It's not everyday a pegasi approves of our 'feathery trash'." Feras flattened his ears. "So the unicorns think they are better than you too?" "Why would they think that?" Asked Storm. "We are all the same, weather we be changeling, pegasi, unicorn, or griffon." "Well said" Said Feras. "I wish Sunscale felt the same way." "We all feel that way." said Feathershaft. "We can't help but hope she'll change. She's a dictator in scaly skin. Someone should drive a hot sword through her scaly stone heart..." "You'd become a hero, or a wanted criminal..." Added Feras. "Even if you run, you'd be hunted for the rest of your life." Storm thought hard. Could everyone live in harmony if she was gone? "I have to stay hidden." said Feras, ears flattened. "I'm an 'Unpure' race and have 'Contaminated the pure bloodlines with outside genetics.' "