Chapter 1: Politics in the griffon kingdom
Ho! There be dragons.

The general paced inside of the machine shop waiting for Clockwerk to reveal his designs. The general as a stately griffon standing a head taller than most griffons and with an impressive wingspan to boot, the shop he was pacing in rather small at least given its growing importance in the ever expanding frontier town of Edinburgh. As with most buildings in the cloud town the shop itself was molded out of clouds super compressed to hold enough weight to allow clockwork to place his smaller machines in there, several tools lined the walls the walls as well as several prototypes that clockwork was particularly proud of including a self-sufficient oven that ran off of rainbow juice. Finally the general’s wait was over as Clockwerk emerged from downstairs his new device mounted on his back. Clockwork was an average pegasus colt if not a bit on the small side with a dark red coat and scruffy blond mane both of which were constantly grease stained often hiding his cutie mark two grinding gears representing his talent with machines.
“Well?” asked the general impatiently. “How did it turn out?” Clockwerk moved closer to the general keeping the device covered waiting for his big reveal.

“I think you’re going to like, this new design takes care of almost all of the problems of the original.” He removed the cloak dramatically revealing the device what can only be described as mounted cannons complete with complex wiring and tubes running across the whole thing with two large tanks attached near the rear of the device with several tubes running from that to the hidden parts of the machine. “I present to you the flight cannon mark two as you can see we switched to a six-cylinder cannon design with free rotation after each shot allowing the user to fire twelve times six out of each barrel before coming in for a reload. We are also now using rear mounted instead of top mounted tanks for better weight distribution and we’ve moved the trigger to the front hoof or claw instead of the mouth.”

“Clockwerk this is great we might finally stand a chance against these dragons now.”

“I still wouldn’t recommend direct combat with them. The fact is our flyers cannot fly fast enough to out maneuver the dragons with the added weight of the harness.”

“Well how much does it weigh?”

“This model only weighs twenty pound a full 5 pound lighter than the mark ones, but still it’ too much weight your flyers will be too slow they’ll get roasted alive. They are more suited for defense, attacking from cloud cover would allow the user to keep speed.”

“The griffon military will take your advice into consideration. Now on to expenses. How much are we talking?”

“Well the units will cost five hundred individually as for the power supply it’ll use potions like the mark one's and those will be 50 per refill.”

“That’s doable. Good job clockwork you've done the griffon kingdom proud. How soon can we expect the first five hundred units?”

“I can get you two-fifty in two months, but I’ll need to wait for more materials if you want more.”

“Listen son I need five hundred in two months, the griffon king is coming to tour our town and I want to give him dinner on top of the dragon’s mountain.”

“Sir I’ll question the validity of you plan later but it will be simply impossible for me to give you five hundred units in two months’ time I would have to get the supplies I need from equestria and that in itself is almost a two week journey on foot, not to mention the fact that I don’t agree with sending griffons out to die in a foolish attempt to take dragon mountain.” The general’s face turned from contentment to his usual mood of rage.

“Listen, I’m not asking your opinion nor am I asking for a time table. I want five hundred units in two months, either you deliver or you can just stay in equestria where you belong. The griffon kingdom has no place for you peace loving song singing pony types. You will either help us cast out the dragon menace, or be cast out with them am I understood?”

“Yes sir.” Clockwerk grudgingly said with a sigh
.
“Good,” said the general regaining his positive demeanor again. “I will see you in two months good day to you.” He slammed the door on his way out. Clocwerk waited for a minute to make sure he was out of earshot and the he screamed in anger.

“Argh the fool will get us all killed hopefully he’ll do himself in in the process!” a voice emanated from downstairs in response to his outburst.

“Are we threatened with deportation again?”

“Yes we are bubbles we need five hundred of the new units in two months.”

“I guess we’re going to equestria then?”

“Unfortunately.” Double bubble emerged from the lower floor carrying some of his potions in his saddlebags. Double Bubble was a small earth pony with a white coat and black mane. His coat was filled with black spots results of misfired potions none of which covered his cutie mark an ancient runic symbol for magic representing his talent for potion brewing and enchanting. Being an earth pony he was also outfitted with two devices to help him exist among the clouds. The first of these were a pair of mechanical wings designed by Clockwerk directly controlled through bubble’s mind with the use of magical crystals embedded in the wings themselves. The other were two pairs of bracelets enchanted by him personally on his legs that allowed him to stand on clouds without falling. His normally flat mane was frizzy due to magical lightning emanating from one of the many potions he used to power Clockwerk’s machines. “Oh come on cwerck equestria isn't that bad they have like five or six matriarchs at this point so you know it’s a stable government.”

“Hardly, a whole society based off of unstable unicorn magic, I hate to see the day when their magic runs out.”

“What makes you say that it will?”

“It might its unpredictable anything can happen especially when they don’t understand the control mechanism.”

“Oh how ironic the colt whose machines are powered by magic is cared of its instability.”

“Your magic is more stable it comes from known elements and it’s consistent. It's direct, predictable, and safe just the way magic should be.
”
“I would beg to differ.” Double Bubble commented putting out an ember in his mane.

“Look can we debate this later, you need to pack up your things I’m going to need you to make the power potion while we’re moving if we want to get it done in time.”

“Right what is it for again?”

“The mark two harnessed guns.”

“Oh right the zap apple fruit bat mixture I know just the place we can steal them from.”

“Borrow them Bubbles borrow. Remember we’re only guilty if we admit it.” Double Bubble came hovering up from the basement supplies in tow with his suitcase on his back.

“Are you going to pack anything?”

“Why would I we don’t normally wear clothes Bubbles. What would I bring?”

“That’s a good point I didn't think about that.”

“Yeah you didn't bubbles that’s because unlike me you aren't a genius.” As Clockwerk stepped outside his shop he was immediately doused in rain and subsequently struck with lightning as a weather griffon came flying by in a hurry.
“Sorry sir that cloud got away from me for a bit you aren't hurt are you?” Clockwerk simply stood there shocked as Double Bubble emerged from the shop carrying two suitcases and an umbrella which he stuck between his soaked friends wing.
“He’s fine you just hit his pride.”

Author's Note

Like I said in the description the characters you know and love will make appearances later as the two actually cross into equestria, for example I'll give you two guesses who they plan on borrowing those zap apples from. Also that's not a typo that's how Clockwerk's name is spelled. Any grammar mistakes you find please make a note in the comments and I'll be happy to change it. One last note you may notice this story lacks a cover. That's mostly because I can't draw so if any of you artists out there have any free time feel free to draw one and send it to me. I specifically left the characters description a little vague so people could envision them however they wanted so really you can knock yourselves out.