Oh look! If it isn't the brother who left our family never to be heard from again, standing right next to the pony who dragged my face in the dirt before throwing me into a dirty old carriage!

Fitting gave a look to Silver, who responded like he’d expected:

What? He was resisting arrest and harassing fellow guards, so I did what was necessary. Silver said as he unlocked the chains across Greg’s wrists

Fitting knew that Silver wouldn't do... too much… Out of the rule book when it came to his job. But he also knew that Silver was everything but fond of griffins.

What was necessary my rump! Seriously, does no one know how to treat royalty in this dreadful land?
Hello, Greg. Fitting finally spoke almost cutting of his brother in his speech.

Look brother, this isn’t the Griffin Kingdoms, so your titles are not active here.

On that note, last time I checked; the von Quills were not of regal blood, especially considering that the Griffin Kingdoms, despite its name is a democracy.

Democracy! Pfff! We pretty much own the entire Kingdom! Well, not on paper, but we have so much influence that if we want something done our way; we simply make the politicians do so!
And by “we” I presume you mean father makes it so?

Oh… The griffin’s face went in an instant from his pompous expression to a look of sadness.
Right, the reason I’m here…

The gray pony just stood there waiting for his brother to continue his reasoning.

Well Finnith, our father… has passed.

That sentence shook Fitting to the core, he was almost shaking.

What… How can that be!? Father is not any way near that age! And even if he were his body had to be in top shape!

Assassination. The griffin answered with a clear tone.

Assa..-

Oh come on Finnith! You know very well that us von Quill’s have been targeted by almost every cult of money hungry barbarians the kingdom has to offer!!!

Let’s see we have “The Shadow Dancers”, the “Silent Wings”, “Blood sky night” Ohh and let’s not forget the ones who actually got him: The “Red Ravens”!

Fitting stood in silence. Taking in all this new information was hard.

H.. How did…
How they got him?
Well this time they tried poison…
But... Didn’t he have…
Tasters? Yes he did… The one who tested his tea was killed as well.
… So why..-

These assassins are not unintelligent Finnith.

They must have had their chemists in high gear making that toxin… Odorless, colorless, and the reason it was so effective; it didn’t have any effect until 3 days after consumption…

Ohh…
Indeed…

There was a long pause between the two.

After the silence Fitting took a few deep breaths, and continued.

I’m sorry about father…
Huh! The griffin snarked.

Fitting gave him a serious look.

Look my condolences aside, you’re not here just to tell me that father has passed. Correct?
… Straight to the point huh, you’re just like him.

Greg had barely enough time to end his sentence before his older brother had charged him straight on. Seeing Fitting tackle Greg like that was one of the most unexpected things anypony could think of. Fitting was a kind pony, who hated violence. For him to do something like that, it would have dropped the jaw of anyone watching.

Fitting’s eyes were illuminated with pure rage as he had his brother pinned against the wall.

I am NOTHING like him!!! Fitting’s shout was near deafening.

Silver had been standing still and quiet for some time now, as a matter of fact, he was almost paralyzed.

When Fitting finally calmed himself he let go off the griffins neck.

Greg was chipping for air as he started to use his lungs again.

Wo… *cough* Wow there.. Heh a move like that, father would be proud to see you right now.

Fitting dropped his head again.

Just… Just get to the point Greg…

Well then. Greg collected himself, raised his chest and held his head high as he recited.

Finnith Starlight Spark von Quill. You are the firstborn son of Unique Spark von Quill and Hilda Miranda von Quill. Therefor you are the rightful heir to the von Quill military defenses as well as the Spark’s Empire of tradable goods.

You have been called to the Griffin Kingdoms, to the Spark von Quill estate.
There you will have to sign the documents required in in order for you to claim your heritage.

There was another pause before anyone spoke again. Then some sound started to come from Fitting. A very mute laugh. Which then grew louder, and louder.

Fitting could not believe what he had heard, which he didn't. After some time of laughter he looked at the griffin who only had a serious look in his eyes.

Oh come on Greg that can’t be right! I might have been the first child, but seriously! Surely father arranged some documents or whatever to change who’d become heir!

He thought he did. Greg responded.
Though when he knew his time was nearing, he had a message from the government saying that you still stood as the rightful heir to all of fathers and mothers legacy. Something about not all the right documents being filled in properly.
And he didn’t get them done in time before his untimely demise.

But… What about the rest of the family? Haven’t you fixed it despite father being gone?

Heh believe me Finnith, we’ve tried. But the political system of the Griffin Kingdoms is incredibly conservative. Had father signed his new will and testament with the right documents with it they would have agreed, but since he couldn’t, you are next in line for the heritage… Despite our best efforts.

Fitting just looked at his brother, he really just couldn’t believe anything he had just heard.
After a bit of processing, he began to grasp the reality of the situation at hand.

But… I… I can’t lead a trading empire! Much less a freaking army!!! You were there when father held his lectures! You know how mad he got every time because I couldn’t learn anything right about what I “had” to learn!

Oh yes I remember. The griffin responded with a tone of nostalgia in his voice.

Weren’t those the days!

Whatever…

Look Greg, my answer is no. I’m not going back to the Griffin Kingdom to sign anything. I would never put a hoof back in that land!

I actually expected nothing else…

Okay Finnith, let’s just make a deal then shall we?

You come back to the Griffin Kingdoms with me, you then sign the documents, after that we simply go to our legal attorney and you can sign the heritage over to me.

I’ll take care of the Spark von Quill emporium and you will never have to be bothered by us ever again.

Fitting stood in silence yet again. You could almost hear his thoughts rushing through his brain.
He took a deep breath and used it to form an equally large sigh.

Ahh look Greg, this is just… Way too much to take in in one day… I’m going to need some time to sort all of this out…
Huh you think you need some time out!? I have flown around this damned continent for 2 weeks trying to find you!!!
You have really made yourself hard to find!

Ok, so we both need some time to rest. Fitting said bluntly.

Do you have anywhere to stay when you’re here?

Huh, I guess I might as well check in to a hotel if you’re going to take long.

You there! Ruthless guard! Where can I find the nearest 5 stars?

Silver just kept his silence. He looked a bit as if he had seen a ghost.

Well hello??? You know I’m talking to..-

There are no 5 star hotels in Ponyville Greg, there’s a bed and breakfast run by… Berry Punch and Caramel… Look it’s not much but it’s what you can choose from.

Seriously? A bed and breakfast?...That’s the best this place has to offer… How you have been able to bare this place is beyond me Finnith…

Well then, guard, since the issue has been resolved now, I suspect there will be no further need to keep me locked in here.

Silver finally had a reaction to something. Fitting was starting to worry he had hit his head.

Oh… Ehh… Well, we still need you to pay for the damages you’ve caused… Silvers voice was incredibly weak and shaky.

And I’ve told you already! You will receive a check with the appropriate amount of bits as soon as I get back to the kingdom and have access to my account!

Yes… Then we don’t have to keep you here any longer…

Finally some reason! Oh and I have yet not remembered from where I have seen your face. But as I said when we first met, I know your face from somewhere.

Silver opened the door and awaited the two brothers to exit the room.

Hey Silver, are you alright? Fitting had waited to ask that question since Silver had started acting distant.

Silver cleared his throat.
Uhum, yes I’m.. Fine, never better…

Fitting watched him with a concerned look.

... You’re a horrid liar sometimes…

Silver did not respond.

Hey, you know you can tell me anything. We can talk when I get home, I’ll just show Greg where to go to get to Berry’s place.

Ehh.. Sure, maybe. Eh… Yeah I’ll see you there.

Fitting had a bad feeling about leaving Silver like that, but he had to show Greg the way. He didn’t want to just tell him where to fly and have him get to the wrong destination. He’d probably just cause more trouble if that happened. He hadn’t changed much in personality since they last met.

After Fitting had left his brother at the bed and breakfast, he decided to go back to the station again and see if Silver had gone home already. Which he hadn’t, though he caught him right in time as he was walking out the door.

Hey Silver!

Silver noticed Fitting and pulled himself back a bit but realized he couldn’t really run away from him.
Uhm.. Hi… Weren’t you going to lead that griffin to Berry’s place?
Ehh I already did, you do know it’s hardly 2 km from here, right?
Oh, right…
Silver, tell me what’s on your mind! I have enough drama going on right now to deal with your stubbornness!

Eh, no look Fittting, let’s just… Get to the apartment, ok?...

Fitting let out a small sigh.

Fine.

The walk back home had an awkward silence so unbearable other ponies got quiet when they walked past them.
Silver just had to start a conversation on something.

Soo… Finnith?

Hmm? Ah yeah, well… I decided to change it when I moved to Equestria. Was hoping I could leave that name and everything else from that time behind me… It was actually working… Until today…

Oh, yes… Sorry about that.
It’s not your fault…

More silence, actually felt worse than the first one.

Ehh, your br, right.. Ehh this Greg, was he always this…
Arrogant? Nonchalant? Irritating? Yes, yes and yes… As he so delicately put it, the von Quill family is the closest thing to royalty in the Kingdom… And he knew it from the moment he was born…

I see… Sounds like the exact opposite of you.
Hmm, thanks. Fitting said hinting a smile.

No chance I can get you to tell me about your attitude switch huh?

… It’s just… a lot to process in a day…

Hmm, yeah… I know what you mean.

The two of them had made it a bit more than half way to their destination when a peculiar shadow appeared on the ground near them
They barely had time to react to it when it had doubled in size. And as the two lifted their heads to the sky, Greg had already smashed onto the ground with such force it shook the ground they were standing on.

AHA! Now I remember!
Silver Shore! Infamous and one of the deadliest assassins in the Griffon Kingdoms! How could I forget?! Your face is all over the Capital!

Fitting had never seen Silver like he was at that moment, his eyes flipped wide open with an emotion Fitting didn’t even think Silver had, fear.
Silver had taken on manticores, bandit’s, he had even told him about meeting a timberwolf. Yet he had never had that fear about anything.

No that.. That can’t be right! No one there knew who I was!

Heh, some of them do. But you already knew that huh?

And by all the posters and bounty notes on your head, I’d say your group’s leaders weren’t too keen on you leaving.
Oh and not just any group at that! My dear Finnith did you know that the one standing next to you is the most renowned assassin in the group who’s name I bet you remember.

The Red Ravens themselves!!!

Everything then became clear to Fitting. The Red Ravens were one of the biggest assassin groups of the Kingdom. He knew that a lot of “high value” targets would be assigned to the Red Ravens.

Fitting, I…

Yes Greg.

Both Greg and Silver looked at him with a surprised look.

Did I know it was the Red Ravens, no. But Silver told me long ago that he had a background he wasn’t proud of.
And if you remember our own up-growing, I couldn’t really say anything different.

Oh come ON Finnith!!! You can’t be telling me you’re actually OK with being around somepony who’s been targeting your own family for years!

Then your hearing must be getting bad, Greg.

Look, as I said to you before, we both need some rest. So get back and get some sleep. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.

Do you seriously think I’m just going to go back and let a Red Raven continue to breathe while I’m here and can fix that problem?!

You’re not touching Silver.

Oh you idiot, now I remember why father hated you… But I won’t leave this place before that silver haired freak’s heart has stopped beating!

And with the same speed Greg had flew himself into the two ponies, he was now aiming at Silver.
Luckily for him he had regained his mind more than moments ago. He prepared himself in a blocking pose while closing his eyes.

Though when he only heard a scream and a crash, he opened them again to reveal Fitting standing right in front of him.

He was standing on three of his legs with his left foreleg bent up, his shoulder was bruised and bloody.
Greg had landed on the ground to Silvers right side and he didn't look too good.

Fitting wha..-

Fitting was just limping towards the half way unconscious griffin lying on the ground.

When he was standing over him he said, with a dead look in his eyes:

You have already taken all you could from me, I’m not letting you touch the second pony who has ever cared about me.

He then turned around, still not able to use the shoulder he had blocked the griffin with he limped on back on track to the apartment.

You coming Silver? He said with his usual sun bright smile.

Silver was in too much of a chock trying to understand what had happened to say anything, he just followed.

As the two had just entered the apartment, Fitting let out a huge sigh.
Ahhh why did such a day have to come?!
I’m sorry for causing you all this trouble Silver…

Silver was once more quiet.

Silver? Hello? Are your there?

He’s right…

Fitting was a little surprised at the weird response.

What do you mean?
Your brother… He’s right…
I asked you not to call him tha..-
I’ve killed them…
Wha…
I’ve killed them, the von Quills… That’s why the name was so familiar… I remembered it from when I still worked in the kingdoms…
Silver…
I KILLED THEM!!! The corporal, the major, the freaking general!!!
I’ve your family members!!!
HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO LIVE WITH MYSELF KNOWING I KILLED MY BEST FRIENDS FAMILY?!!

Silver was shouting out of his tears.

Now Fitting finally understood why he had been acting so weird all this time.

Silver… You..
No! I can't! All this time!!! 2 years! 2 freaking years I've lived with you not knowing what I did to your family!!!

Silver’s screaming was silenced when he felt a familiar hoof on his shoulder.
He looked up at Fitting who was standing in front of him with his bruised arm on his shoulder, and with a friendly smile and tears in his eyes said:

Silver, I think it’s about time you hear my story.

Author's Note

Fanart provided by the wonderful iMarieU!