A New Start

Chapters

Prologue: The Past
Chapter 1: A Change for the Better
Chapter 2: You're Not Allowed to be Sad
Chapter 3: After Dark
Chapter 4: This is Home
Chapter 6: The Friend Everypony Should Have
Chapter 7: Knowing LuvenhÃ«gen
Chapter 5: The City and its Ponies

Prologue: The Past

New Start

Story 4

Prologue : The Past

By: FluttersIsAwesome

I flew out of my cave that morning to meet Nova Dash, Rainbow Dash’s older brother, at Fluttershy’s cottage. He was a rather famous racer from Canterlot that had come to stay in Ponyville until racing season started again. Back in flight camp, I had an extreme disdain for him, but in the weeks I had been with him I began to develop a deep respect for him that overpowered my dislike. He saved both my life and Ponyville from the anger of my father, but landed himself in the hospital in the process of the latter. I promised him we’d talk about each other’s past after he recovered. I agreed hoping it would make me feel better.

When I got there, he was lying back in a tree waiting for me.

“What took ya?” He grinned that happy, no-worries grin that we all had become accustomed to. “I thought you would be here sooner.”

I smiled at him. “I woke up late, alright? You can’t expect everyone to comply with your schedule.”

He jumped down and hugged me. I returned the gesture, though I was careful not to end up kissing him like I did a while ago; he was Fluttershy’s colt now.

“So, um... would you mind going first?” I drew back a bit. I didn’t like talking about my past, even to someone as close to me as Nova. I was even withdrawn with his sister, who was my only friend in Junior Speedsters Flight Camp.

He nodded. “Sure. Walk with me.” He turned and walked away, motioning for me to follow. “I don’t remember too much from my really young days, but I’ll start with what I can.” He paused. “Well... the most important and far back thing I can remember is how our parents died.” He sat down by a lake.

I sat down by him, putting my head on his shoulder laxly. “Listening.”

He began again:

“Our family was full of love. Despite my odd powers, both my parents and Bow loved me, and I never left that love unrequited. Our family was, quite literally, inseparable except through death.” He looked up towards the sun. “What a twisted sense of humor fate has.” He turned to me, looking almost angry. “Our father, Thunder Dash, was killed in a fight with a griffin. The griffin found Bow and I in the woods after father had taken us to Farrington to see what earth ponies and unicorns were like. We wandered off, and the next thing we knew, the griffin had found us.”

I assumed it was one from my tribe. It was totally like one of them to attack a young filly with absolutely no premise.

“He attacked us for no reason. Luckily, father heard us screaming and came to our aid. He told us to run while he held him off, but after waiting for six hours in Farrington with mother, he never came back.”

I hung my head. I had nothing to do with it, but I still felt bad that Nova and Dash lost their dad because of my race’s intolerance. “What about your-“

“Spectra Flare. Mom was lost in a bad thunderstorm. Bow and I got separated from her when we were returning home from a Wonderbolts show. The only thing we found when the storm calmed was the large hat she always liked to wear. Later her body was found floating in a rainbow river some three miles away from home.” He paused again. He sounded like he was getting choked up, so I patted his back.

“At least you had parents that loved you. I know it’s terrible to say, but never in my life was I happier than when I saw you take my father’s life.”

He smiled sadly. “I guess you’re right.” He looked back at me. “Our extended family wasn’t so welcoming. Our aunts and uncles refused to take us in because they were afraid of me. I felt extremely sad that I was the reason Bow had to live with nopony else but me to love her. It was hard, let me tell you.”

“Sounds like it would be.”

He nodded. “Not only did we have to fend for ourselves, but we also found it very difficult to even find any help at all. It was all my fault. The pegasi of Cloudsdale saw me as a monster, and they hated me for it. They refused to have anything to do with me, and as a result, they refused to have anything to do with Bow as well. We were lucky when we had doors shut in our faces. Often times we had things thrown at us, and once somepony even attacked us with a bat. Thankfully, we had flying practice to take our mind off of how hard our lives really were.”

I listened intently. Nova’s past broke my heart, but at the same time warmed it. It was nice to know there was someone out there who truly could sympathize with my life.

“Eventually we became old enough to enroll in Junior Speedsters. Since I was a year older than her, I went in before her, but they let her stay with me since we had nowhere else to go. You know the rest, right? Bow met you, you two became friends. I met Flutters, and we became friends. Now you and I are friends, and Flutters and I are in love.” He stopped. “There is more, but honestly, I’d rather not talk about the rest. I hope you don’t mind, but it’s not something I like talking out loud about. If it’s any consolation, I’ll write to you.”

I nodded, smiling. “That’s fine.” I patted his back again. “Before I start, I just want to say thanks. You’ve shared more than you needed to with me, and I appreciate it.”

He grinned. “Least I could do, Gilda.”

I took a deep breath. “I’ll just cut to the meat and potatoes.”

He nodded. “No prob.”

I hung my head a little again. “The Sharptalon tribe... well, griffins in general are a dying breed. I was the last of twelve kids. I had six brothers and five sisters. I was incredibly close with my sisters, but my father and brothers were extremely sexist and hated females. However, that didn’t affect how he beat us. Both females and males received equal abuse in our household, except for me. I was never a strong flier, so my father always made sure my beatings were worse than any of my siblings’ were.” I moved a few of my chest feathers out of the way to show him the scars that my father he had given me. “Just one of his ‘punishments’ for living.”

Nova slammed his hoof into a rock, cracking it. “That burns my ass!” he said through clenched teeth. “I did Equestria a favor by getting rid of that piece of shit, judgmental bigot.”

I somehow managed a sympathetic smile. “He never loved me. He never loved any of us. The best you could get from him was absolute apathy. If he didn’t care, then he had no reason to beat you. With me, though, he either found or made reasons to abuse me.” I sighed. “Eventually the bastard found out about my friendship with Dash and sent me into exile. If I returned without fulfilling the requirements, I was to be executed on the spot.”

Nova looked at me. “What were the requirements?”

I closed my eyes and took another deep breath. “I had to kill my best friend and bring their head back to the settlement. My father wanted Dash’s head.”

He hit the rock again, and I heard it break. He muttered something, but all I made out was “Fucking bag of shit.”

I went on. “I’m sure you were told about my first visit to Ponyville. It didn’t go over very well.”

He nodded. “Bow told me.”

“Eventually I just stopped caring about my exile. Being alone was tolerable, but having nothing to do wasn’t. I left what little area I loosely called home behind, in search of some kind of purpose. That’s how I ended up in Wellsprings working with Noir, the head of security in the town. It wasn’t very exciting, but it was better than what I had.” I shrugged. “I’m just glad I can do whatever I want again.”

He smiled and handed me a folded up piece of parchment.

When I opened it up, it was a map with another note in it:

this map will take you from Ponyville to Luvenhëgen. Once you get there, find any guard and ask for an appointment to see Captain Edge. Once you get to see him, either play this song on a woodwind instrument, or write the notes on a new sheet:

╓ ╝ ╬ ╤ ╓ ╝ ╬ ╤

Edge will know I sent you.

P.S. If you meet a Raishi named Soul Ragnarok, stay close to him. He’s a great friend to have.

I smiled again and kissed his cheek. “Thanks Nova. I won’t forget you.” I was eager to leave for Luvenhëgen, so I took off as fast as I could. I turned back to see Nova waving back at me, and I set off for my new life.

Chapter 1: A Change for the Better

A New Start

Story 4

Chapter 1: A Change for the Better

By: FluttersIsAwesome

I looked at the map. Luvenhëgen was prety far from Ponyville, about a six-hour flight. I also looked at the flute Nova had thrown at me so I could play that song in his note.

╓ ╝ ╬ ╤ ╓ ╝ ╬ ╤

I somewhat knew the notes, so I took it upon myself to try my hand at playing it.* It sounded decent, but I was never really good with woodwind instruments anyway. I put the flute back in the pouch I had brought with me and looked forward. The route the map showed took me over a Raishi settlement, so I landed and approached the gates.

The Raishi got along with all races. They were a tribe of supernatural wolves that were one of the most feared and respected races in Equestria. The two sentries at the gates were typical: huge fangs, sharp claws, dark fur, and red eyes. Despite their ferocious appearance, they were quite nice and greeted me warmly.

"Ohayoo gozaimasu." The sentry on the left bowed to me.

His friend did the same. "Uerukamu"

I looked at them blankly. I didn't understand what they were saying, but I hoped they would be able to recognize my own native tongue. "Vielen Dank"

They both looked at each other, and the one on the right spoke. "Heh. Forgive us, friend. We thought you would be familiar with our language given the fact that you are a griffin. Welcome to our settlement. You may stay as long as you like and may partake of all our luxuries."

I smiled. They really were a friendly bunch. Sadly, I was in a hurry. "I appreciate it, but I'm in a hurry. I'm heading to Luvenhëgen and-"

The one on the left grabbed me. "Aha! Great, the king received word that a griffin traveling to Luvenhëgen would be arriving. Please, come with me."

I drew back a bit. Nova never told me that there was a Raishi waiting on me too. I hesitated to give me time to think. A name popped into my head and I looked at the sentry inquisitively. "Is your king's name Soul Ragnarok?"

He nodded. "Please, come with me. Hopefully he's at home."

His stress of the word hopefully made me uneasy, but I went with him anyway. As we walked through the settlement, I saw various shops lining the streets. Each of them had a wooden sign hanging over it to tell what the shop did, and each place was busy. There was a constant clashing of metal from the smithies, the pleasing aroma of sweets from the various bakeries permeated the air, and there were gorgeous displays of different flowers from botany stores. We stopped in front of a large building that looked more like a town hall than a house.

The sentry turned to me. "Please wait here."

I nodded and sat down as he went in. The cobblestone wasn't the most comfortable thing for my butt nor my claws and paws, but I figured he wouldn't be too long.

"Psssssst, hey."

I looked above me and saw a peculiar sight: a Raishi in a tree. His fur was black with red designs and he had a large lion-esque mane the same shade of red.

"I've been waiting on you. Follow me, but keep quiet."

I nodded, assuming this was Soul. He jumped down from the tree and landed without a sound. He turned to me and nodded, walking past his house and motioning for me to follow.

I did so, and he led me down a winding forest path to a large cliff overlooking Luvenhëgen.

"There it is, friend. The city you've been looking for." He motioned to my map. "That map does show the entire way from Ponyville to Luvenhëgen, but it was meant to take you here for a shortcut." He turned to me and smiled. "Any friend of Nova's is a friend of ours." He held out his paw to me. "Soul Ragnarok, king of the Raishi."

I shook his paw slowly. This guy was more random than Pinkie Pie. "Nice to meet you... name's Gilda." I barely knew this guy, but I kinda liked him. He seemed easygoing and nice enough. "You're alright."

He stared at me for a minute and began to laugh. "Were you expecting a bunch of monsters? We may be scary looking, but we are friendly fighters." He grinned, but to me it looked more frightening than friendly. "I visit Luvenhëgen from time to time. Look for me when you make it there, alright?"

I nodded. I guess he could tell I was in a hurry, because he put his paw on my back and pushed me off the cliff.

"I believe in you! Fly away!"

That pissed me off. He didn't know that I was a weak flier, but I assumed it was common sense not to push others off of cliffs. "HAHA, VERY FUNNY!" Luckily I was able to break my fall and gain enough altitude to stay airborne. I shook my head in disbelief. "That was not a joke. I could've died!" I was still peeved a little bit, but I had to thank him for showing me this shortcut. Judging from the map, I had cut out about an hour and a half of flying out just by walking through that settlement.

I landed down in front of Luvenhëgen's western gate, but when I approached, I was blocked by a wing. I looked to my right and saw the armored guard sitting in a box by the gate.

"Halt! All visitors must submit to a search. Hand over that bag, sir."

Ugh, just like fucking Farrington. I was reminded of the mail clerk that continually called me sir until I exposed myself to her one day. I giggled inwardly and handed him my bag.

He opened it and searched through its contents, handing it back to me. "You're all set. I read your note too. You'll find the captain if you go down this straight road and take the second right. You'll come to a large building. Walk around to the back and you should hear shouting. That will be the captain." He took out a pen and a clipboard. "Now, may I ask your name?"

I had no last name, so I just stuck with my first, hoping it would be enough. "Gilda."

He wrote it down and looked back at me. "Oh... I apologize ma'am. I'm a new recruit, see. I've never actually seen a griffin before now."

I sighed. "At least you figured it out. I had to show off certain 'areas' to get the message through to the last pony that thought I was male."

He let out a hardy laugh. "Very nice! I like your attitude, Gilda." He smiled and waved his hoof out through the window, and the two sentries in the tower above him raised the gate.

I walked through the arch eagerly. I couldn't wait to start my new life in Luvenhëgen if everybody were like that guard. I did as he said and walked down the road, and surprisingly nobody stared at me. I followed the road until the second right. I had to curl my toes, though; the hard stone was murder on my claws. The gauntlets I had worn back in Farrington spoiled me, and now I was paying for it. It wasn't too long before I reach a monster of a tower, and like the guard said, I could hear shouting. I began the walk around the tower and, much to my comfort, the back area was all grass. I looked in front of me and saw a tall, dark-brown colt in helmetless golden armor barking out words at a group of what I assumed were rookies.

"And from that day forward, any large gathering of animals has been called a zoo!" He stared at his audience. "Unless it's a farm!"

One of the guys raised his hoof. "Uh, Captain, what does that have to do with our first day of training?"

He laughed. "Absolutely nothing! I just never liked being bland and dry. Since you guys are stuck with me, I can at least try and make things less boring, right?"

The recruits turned to each other, nodding and muttering until the captain called them to attention again.

"Alright guys, DISMISSED!"

They all saluted him and left. As he turned to watch them he spotted me and motioned for me to come over.

I did and he held a hoof out to me. "Captain Edge of Luvenhëgen City Guard. How can I help you?"

I shook his hoof kindly, and then took out the flute that Nova gave me. Edge at once gave me his full attention.

"Play."

I nodded and played the song Nova wrote down.

╓ ╝ ╬ ╤ ╓ ╝ ╬ ╤

The captain, after hearing me play, took out an ocarina and finished the song.

╓ ╝ ╬ ╤ ╓ ╓ ╬ ╝ ╤ ╤

"This is a sort of 'password' Nova Dash and I agreed to use. Only those within our quote unquote 'inner circle' know it, so I assume you're Gilda?"

I nodded.

He smiled at me. "Pleasure to meet ya, Gilda. Welcome to Luvenhëgen."

*It's Zelda's Lullaby from Ocarina of Time

Chapter 2: You're Not Allowed to be Sad

A New Start

Story 4

Chapter 2: You're Not Allowed To Be Sad

By: FluttersIsAwesome

I stared for a moment at the pony smiling back at me. We had only met three minutes ago, but he didn't seem to care in the least that I was a griffin. I couldn't help but smile back at him. "Thank you Captain Edge-"

He held up his hoof to my beak. "Nope. Just nope. All of my friends call me Cobalt, and so will you."

I nodded. He was much more laid back than Iron was back in Farrington. I remembered how he told me to refer to him as "Captain" while on duty, and to only call him by first name when off-duty. Then again, I was a civilian in this city. Well shit, that reminds me. If I want to actually live here, I will need to get a job. I figured the Captain of the Guard would be the best one to ask about the subject. "Hey... since I'm thinking about it, you know any place that needs work?"

He grinned happily. "Now that's something I'm not used to."

I tilted my head. "Did I... say something wrong?"

He laughed and shook his head. "No no no, I just haven't met anypony in a while that had employment as the first thing on their agenda. Bravo, Gilda."

I smiled again. Maybe finding an actual place to live should've come first. I decided to worry about that later. If I needed to, I could just sleep in the woods that night.

Cobalt, however, didn't know that. I opened my beak to say something, but I guess he didn't notice and began talking himself.

"Well, before you actually try to find a job here, why don't we try to find a place for you to live?"

I held in a small chuckle. "That works, too."

He took my claw. "Come with me."

I nodded and followed him, though I politely took my hand back. Walking on that uncomfortable stone was bad enough, having to do it without all four legs would just plain suck.

He turned to me and looked at my feet. I assumed he noticed the way I had to curl my toes to protect my talons, because he looked up at me and mentioned my gauntlets. "Don't worry, Gilda. Nova went through your cave and brought some things to the post office he thought you might find useful. He returned your armor to Farrington and brought your gauntlets and leather bag here."

I breathed a sigh of relief. "He thought of everything..."

Cobalt laughed again. "He's not one to leave a friend hanging." He led me into the huge tower and took me up a flight of stairs. We went down the hallway and through a side door. There was a filly sitting at the desk reading through some papers when we walked in.

She seemed surprise by our entrance, but tried to tidy herself. "Good evening, Captain Edge."

He hit his face with his hoof and dragged it down the length of his face. "Evening, Jade. I need your help with something."

She immediately straightened her back. "Yes, what is it?"

He pulled me to his side. "This is Gilda. She just arrived in Luvenhëgen today, and she plans on staying. Are there any home available for rent or purchase right now?"

She opened up a drawer and pulled out a rather large file folder filled with papers. She started flipping through them, and then took a look at the computer monitor beside her. "Sorry, Captain, there aren't any available homes right now."

He grunted. "Is that so? Alright then." He sat down and thought for a minute. "Alright then, Gilda. If you don't mind, you can stay at my place tonight."

I sighed. "I guess since you're offering."

The smile returned to his face. He patted my back and led me out of the building. "Okay, Gilda. Let's go to the post office and pick up your things. For now, I'll let you fly low so you don't have to break your hands walking."

That was some very welcome news. I lifted myself off the ground and floated above it.

He laughed at my impatience. "Don't go too high, or you will be netted. Follow me."

I followed him and he took me around a few turns and past some buildings. Eventually we came to a large brown building that had a large sign with an envelope on it. Common sense told me this was the place. We walked in and my jaw dropped. The place was huge. It looked as if there was always a pony moving behind the large counter. It was bright and clean, a very nice pleasant sight as opposed to the drab, bland appearance of ordinary post offices.

Cobalt walked over to the front counter. "A red and orange pegasus delivered a package addressed to "Gilda" today, do you still have it?"

The filly behind the desk nodded. "Of course. It's right," she bent down behind the counter and picked up a box, setting it on the counter, "here for you." She grinned happily. It confused me, everyone was happy in Luvenhëgen. I wasn't opposed to it, but I certainly wasn't used to it. Cobalt handed me the box and I tore it open immediately. Inside were my gauntlets, which I was more than eager to put on. The fake metal claws still irked me, but at least I could walk normally again. I also grabbed my leather pouch out of it.

What was underneath nearly drove me to tears.

It was a drawing of Nova, Fluttershy, Dash, Rarity, Twilight, Applejack, and even Pinkie Pie together. They were all smiling, and some even looked like they were laughing. They had all fallen over in a group hug on top of a smiling griffin: me. I looked the picture over again, and I did start crying when I read the short letter that came with it:

Dear Gilda,

I know your past must haunt you, but I want you to know that if you ever need anything, your friends in Ponyville are just that: your friends. Feel free to write to any one of us, and visits are always welcome. We all miss you.

Your friends:

Fluttershy, Nova and Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rarity, and Twilight Sparkle

We love you, and we'll miss you.

I saw this and couldn't hold back the tears. I sat right there and cried my heart out in front of Cobalt and the mail clerk. Despite my gauntlets being on, I put my hands over my face. I began feeling warm, but also constricted. I opened my eyes to see both Cobalt and the filly had wrapped me in a hug.

The mail clerk spoke. "In this town, nopony, griffin, Raishi, or actual pony, is allowed to be sad by themselves."

Cobalt nodded. "Most citizens here are the sort who will drop everything to help a stranger in need. You're no exception."

I smiled even as the tears fell. It felt so strange, I barely knew one of these ponies, and I didn't know the other, but they felt more like family to me than my blood relatives ever had.

Chapter 3: After Dark

A New Start

Story 4

Chapter 3: After Dark

By: FluttersIsAwesome

Cobalt patted my back. “Gilda, this is my sister Cyan. She runs the post office here, so if you need anything mail related and you’re given a hard time, just let her know.”

She nodded. “You’re welcome in my home any time as well.” She then turned to Cobalt. “Speaking of which, where is she staying?”

He backed away just slightly. “I said it was ok for her to stay with me.”

She shook her head. “Whatever.” She looked back at me with a smile. “Cobalt’s a good guy, but be nice. Don’t take advantage of his good will, kay hun?”

I grinned. “No problem, I’m good at living modestly. I don’t need much.”

Cobalt laughed and slapped my back. I know he didn’t mean it, but his hoof hurt. I cleared my throat to indicated that I didn’t like it, and he withdrew his hoof.

“Heh, sorry Gilda.”

I closed my eyes and smiled at him as I got up. “No worries.” I wiped my eyes dry and went to put the picture in my bag when Cyan stopped me.

“Oh no, Gilda, here. This came in the package too.” She handed me a frame with a wire. The frame fit the picture perfectly as I slipped it into the glass.

Cobalt patted my back again. “You ready, Gilda? It’s getting late and, despite the cheer in the town, Luvenhëgen is not a good place to take a late-night walk.”

I looked at the clock and saw that it was 10:05 P.M. I slipped my pouch over my head and grabbed the picture. “Yeah, let’s go.”

Cyan waved to us as we left. “Bye you two! I have to close up the office, but I’ll come see you, ok?”

Cobalt nodded back. “Just be careful!”

I turned to him. “Is it really that dangerous at night?”

Cobalt’s expression became so serious it was scary. “Yeah. It’s the Raishi settlement. We get a lot of... monster visits here in Luvenhëgen because of them. And these are the smart ones that crave power; Dragyarks, Kirdens, Ymirs, you name it. Any monster that really is one, that is, a creature with an evil heart, hates a Raishi.” He stopped walking and looked up in the direction of the settlement.

“From what I understand, the Raishi used to be totally different. They walked upright on two legs and had no tails. The only place where they had a lot of hair was on the tops of their heads, and some males grew it on their chins and upper lips. They had the ability to switch between those forms and the forms they now take permanently. They still kept their sharp teeth and red eyes, they just transitioned from whatever they were to the wolves they are now. They hunt monsters in an attempt to purify Equestria.”

I tilted my head. “But doesn’t that make them murderers?”

He shook his head. “If that were the case, what do you call the executioner of a criminal that killed twelve foals?”

I looked away. I honestly didn’t know how to answer that.

“They do Equestria a favor. They get rid of evil that tries to destroy, but as a result, that same evil focuses on destroying them, and often times the city gets caught in the crossfire. That’s why I have to give my guards special training designed for fighting monsters.”

I looked at him pensively for a minute. There is no way this can be true. Their leader is such a... total goof. “I apologize if I offend you by questioning your honesty-“

“The behavior of the king you witnessed was the way he acts when he’s laid-back. He is very serious when it comes to protecting both his people and us.”

He began walking again, and I followed close behind. “So, do you two live together?”

He shook his head, and his smile returned. “Nah, she’s got a husband and a foal at home. My house is empty except for me, so there’s plenty of room for you.”

I blushed a little bit. I knew he didn’t intend to try and get me to sleep with him, but just the idea of being alone with only one other pony in a house was a bit embarrassing. “I appreciate it, Cobalt.”

He looked back at me happily. “Think nothing of it, friend.”

The change of mood seemed so sudden.

Cobalt’s eyes became fierce, and his expression became serious again.

“Cobalt? Is something wro-“

He grabbed me and jumped to the side as an ugly beast jumped forward. It had the head of a dog, but its body look like a twisted mess of flesh. It was hideous, and I could see faces in its body. I became horrified: It was made from the bodies of dead ponies that were twisted and contorted into the shape of a bipedal dog with arms and hands. It was carrying a double sided axe and sniffing around.

Cobalt held me back. “Careful, Hell Hound.”

It was too late, the monster had caught a whiff of our scent and charged at us.

“Gilda, stay back!” Cobalt jumped onto his back legs and slipped his hooves behind him. He fit them into two bracers that were attached to the lower back of his armor. He turned his hooves and that released the lock on the bracers, as well as the ones on the blades. They weren’t bracers, they were swords.

“These were made just for me, stand back.” I did as he send and he ran under the Hound’s legs. He jumped up behind it and slashed at its back, causing it to scream in pain. He jumped up on the Hound’s neck and attempted to stab it in the head, but it grabbed him and threw him against a wall.

The Hound rush at him while he was trying to recover, so I flew in. I jumped in front of him, ready to take the hit or counter with my own.

“Gilda, MOVE!” Cobalt struggled to get up as the Hound swung at me.

We both closed our eyes, but opened them as we heard the sound of tearing flesh.

The beast lay there in front of us with a giant hole in its abdomen, and Soul was on top of its body. “I told you, Cobalt. You have to kill a Hell Hound in one move. You don’t get a second chance with them.

He nodded slowly at the wolf. “Yeah... right... got it.”

Soul picked up the monster onto his back. “Get home, now.”

No matter how embarrassing it was for him and for myself, I put my arms around Cobalt without thinking and flew up. “Will do, Soul, thanks!” I took off holding Cobalt, but when I looked at him, he was smiling at me.

“Thanks, friend. Let me tell you where to go from here.”

Chapter 4: This is Home

A New Start

Story 4

Chapter 4: This is Home

By: FluttersIsAwesome

Cobalt's house wasn't too far away, and we touched down right in front of the door. I let him go and he unlocked it, opening the door.

"Ladies first."

When I walked in, the place was so... cozy. The decoration and painting was smart: it was all neutrals like grays, beige, and some whites. The door opened to a living room kitchen combo separated by a counter with a swinging door. I looked around and took in the smell, too. It was very clean, and I caught the scent of pine.

Cobalt walked in beside me and took off his armor, setting it on the rack next to the door. He was a dark brown that made the scar on his side stand out. His mane was oddly white like his sister's, but she had a lime green coloring. I shrugged it off when I noticed his cutie mark: two crossed jousting lances behind a shield. I looked him over again; he kind of reminded me of Iron if Iron had more hair. Cobalt's tail and mane were much longer than Iron's were. He also looked younger, so I got curious.

"Hey Cobalt... mind if I ask how old you are?"

He shot me a proud look. "Just turned nineteen a week ago." When he saw my surprised expression, he laughed. "Well, being Guard Captain is in the family. For six generations, there's been an Edge commanding the guards. My father trained me himself, so I was able to climb through the ranks easily." He shot me another proud look and I grinned back.

I decided to change the subject to the house. "I like this place. Normally I don't go for the bright colors... but the neutrality makes it bearable."

He patted my shoulder happily. "I made all the decisions myself. I was already thinking about resale when I got the place, actually. I didn't plan on staying in this house for long, until I realized how much I liked it." He led me to what would be my room. "Nova told me you liked the dark. Not really my thing, but to each their own."

I did like things dark. Not nearly as much as I used to, but I still wasn't bright and cheery like Pinkie Pie. My room was apparently a recent add-on with some darker blues and a dark grey floor; it reminded me of my cave. I set my bag beside the bed, my gauntlets on a pair of coat racks on the wall, and Fluttershy's drawing on the nightstand.

"Do you like it?"

I looked at Cobalt with a pleased expression. "Even if I didn't, I wouldn't have said so. That's just rude."

That got a chuckle from him. "Well, at least you've got some manners. I like you, Gilda. I'm very glad that you chose our fair town as your new home."

His smile warmed my heart. He was only two years older than me, but he acted like Iron in a lot of ways. He was mature, kind, and most of all: relaxed. I looked forward to getting to know him; he seemed like the kind of guy I could get along with. As I looked around again, I noticed an odd painting on the wall. I walked over to it and examined it.

Two alicorns stood on either side of a wolf that was howling at the sun and the moon. The moon sat over the dark alicorn and the sun over the white one. Above everything there was a large black monster with an arrow through its head. It was surrounded by twelve symbols:

A star, a lightning bolt, an apple, a balloon, a diamond, and a butterfly occupied the lower half of the circle, and a comet, shield, horseshoe, what looked like a microphone, crescent moon, and a shuriken made up the upper half. Cobalt put his hoof on my shoulder.

" 'Eight thousand years after it was sealed, the fearsome spirit of Vailishin shall awaken. When the Elements of Harmony and the Elements of Valor come together, they shall summon the Protector and vanquish this evil.' It's an old tale from Princess Celestia and Luna's early days. It was said that while the Princesses created the Elements of Harmony, a Raishi created a force equal in power, just as a precaution if the Elements were ever overpowered: The Elements of Valor."

I looked at him blankly. "Say wha?"

He chuckled again. "The Elements of Harmony are powerful artifacts created by Equestria's royal family. Magic, Honesty, Loyalty, Laughter, Kindness, and Generosity. Now they are in the possession of your friends from Ponyville. When combined, they form one of the strongest powers in Equestria."

I nodded. I didn't really understand, I but I thought it best to at least humor him. "Alright."

He began again, "So, as a counterbalance and backup power, the first Soul Ragnarok created the Elements of Valor: Resolve, Wisdom, Courage, Honor, Pride, and Patience. It's uncertain if these Elements are in the possession of other ponies, but we do know that all twelve of them combined create the most powerful force in Equestria."

I turned to Gilda, and she looked like she had fallen asleep. I gave her a gentle nudge and she came back down to Earth.

"Huh?! I wasn't sleeping, I swear!"

I grinned at her. "Sure you weren't." I patted the bed. "Lie down, I'm sure you've had a long day."

She scoffed at me. "Please don't treat me like a child. You may be older than me, but remember it's only by two years."

I nodded as I left the room. "Will do. Good night, Gilda."

I turned back when she stopped me. "Wait, Cobalt."

The look on her face looked so cute. Like a little foal that broke something and was trying to fess up to it. "What is it?"

"Thanks. I owe you."

I shook my head. "Gilda, seeing you live a happy life here is all I'll require of you as payment."

She grinned as she lay down. "You have no idea how corny you sounded just now."

I smiled again. "I'm pretty sure I do. Good night Gilda."

She mumbled something that sounded like "Good night", so I closed the door and walked down the hall toward the bathroom. I smelled like crap thanks to my armor. I went in an washed up, walking to my own room and closing the door. "Sorry Cyan, but I'm way too tired for a visit..." I flopped down on my bed and quickly fell asleep.

Chapter 6: The Friend Everypony Should Have

A New Start

Story 4

Chapter 6: The Friend Everypony Should Have

By: FluttersIsAwesome

It was about noon when I touched down by the clock tower. Searching for Cobalt among the crowd in the square proved far too irritating, so I found a bench instead. The already familiar scent of the colt was easy for me to pick out, but I couldn't figure out where it was coming from.

The sudden cup that was thrust into my face was a pleasant surprise. "Sorry, did I keep the lady waiting?"

"Not really, I just got here myself."

His now iconic smile was a welcome sight as he sat down beside me and handed me my cup. "So my timing is still perfect after 20 years, then?"

I couldn't help but giggle as I took a sip of what tasted like.... "Is this coffee?"

A pop came from his neck before he answered. "Don't like it?"

"Nah, it's not that. I just find coffee more of a pick-me-up than an average drink." Despite this, I decided it would've been rude to give it back.

"Right then, you ready to actually take a tour of the city?"

Standing up quickly, I nodded. "As long as you don't bore me to tears."

By now, I would have been surprised if he hadn't laughed. Cobalt's sense of humor was definitely one of the top ten on my list of his attributes that I liked. He rose and tossed his cup in the trash can next to the bench.

"Uh..."

Another chuckle. "Ask anypony that knows me and they'll tell you. Gilda, I don't drink coffee, I inhale it. I love the stuff."

Patting his back, I began giggling. "Nice." Startled by the sudden arm that wrapped itself around my shoulders, I looked back at Cobalt with a smile. "Keep that up and you may just make me fall in love." By now I was wanting to hear him laugh, and I always enjoyed getting what I wanted.

"I'll keep that in mind, friend. Who knows, I may be courting a princess from some far away kingdom right now."

I gave into his sarcasm and hugged him. "Really now? How do I know I'm not secretly falling for the prince of this fair city?"

Cobalt was full of surprises. As his lips met the hand that he raised, I felt my face getting very red. "Oh my, I've been discovered, now the only way to keep my secret is to marry this fair princess. What do you say, my dear, will you have me?"

After a decent pause, we both burst into laughter.

"Gilda, we're idiots!"

I only realized what I did after my arms were around him, but right now I was having so much fun that I didn't care. "Despite only knowing you for a day, I'm confident in saying that you have that effect on everyone."

"I guess so. Gilda, if you don't want it, you can give it to me."

I looked down and realized that I was still holding my cup of coffee. Just as Cobalt had done with his own, he wolfed down my cup with a smile, causing me to laugh again. "Cobalt, I won't lie, this is probably the most I've laughed in my entire life.

I had expected a humorous or witty remark. "Really? Wow. No offense, but you must've had a crappy life."

Staring at him for a moment, I realized that what he said was true. If our little joke really was the most fun I'd ever had, than that really was kind of sad.

"Hey, don't be upset, things will only get better from here on out."

I looked to the sky for a moment. "Yeah... yeah, you're right."

"You ready to take the tour?"

I enjoyed having fun with Cobalt, but I did have limits, and being picked up by anyone was one of them. "Once you put me down, I will be."

He set me down with a chuckle. "Sorry, it's just that I noticed you didn't have your gloves on."

After a quick glance downward, I looked back up at him. "That's fine, I'll just go get them." As I turned to walks back, I was stopped by a hoof pressing against my chest.

"No, I'll go get them. You stay here, alright?"

There was no point in trying to argue, so I nodded begrudgingly and sat down on the bench.

(Keep in mind, these following events are all happening at the same time, they are merely from both Cobalt and Gilda's perspective)

I knew when I left that Cerulean was still probably at my place. However, I had no problem telling her off again if need be. Honestly, I didn't expect Gilda to just sit there, so I was prepared to look for her after my return.

"Looking for these?"

The smack from the gauntlets colliding with my head was loud, causing everypony near me to turn their heads.

Cerulean glared at me. "Cobalt, I'm here for my apology."

It was my turn to glare. "I think you're the one that owes the apology, sister. You, on an assumption, began spreading a rumor that is not only false, but could be extremely embarrassing for Gilda. Not only that, but it could ruin everypony's opinion of her before they even meet her!"

A sly grin crossed my little sister's face. "You mean you were lying when you kissed her hand and asked to marry her? When you called her 'princess?' That's terrible, brother."

"Did you follow me?!"

Her glass-shattering cackle was never one of my favorite sounds. "I had to make sure you two did do anything... naughty too soon.

"Um, excuse me, Miss Griffin!"

I was already getting bored without Cobalt, so the three fillies that called out to me were a welcome sight. Even if they weren't friendly, at least I now had something to help pass the time.

The pegasus on the left looked to be the oldest, maybe a year or two younger than Nova. She made me imagine Pinkie Pie fused with Dash: her coat was maybe a shade darker than Dash's, but her mane and tail were a bright pink. On her flank was a tornado in the shape of a lightning bolt, so that only reminded me more of Dash.

"Hello, Miss Griffin. My name is Peppermint... it's very nice to meet you."

I shook the outstretched hoof with a smile. "Nice to meet you, too. And by the way, name's Gilda."

The middle one was much younger, looking to be about Applejack's sister's age. Her curly, golden mane and tail matched well with her tan coat. She jumped excitedly after hearing my name. "So cool, a real griffin! My name's Suzy Q, but everypony calls me Goldilocks!"

The filly on the right was the middle one, looking to be about Pinkie Pie's age. She was odd; she had an orange coat, a red mane, but a black tail. A pony with a tail with a completely different color from his or her mane was something I had never seen before. Her cutiemark appeared to be a yellow mesh of spikes with a red outline. If I had to draw a conclusion, I would say it looked like a comic book explosion.

"Hi, friend. I'm Alkali, and it's nice to meet you."

As I went to shake her hoof, Peppermint leaned toward me.

"Careful, she might blow up in your face."

"Figuratively, right?"

"In any sense of the phrase 'blowing up' aside from the sexual meaning."

Alkali put on a pouting face. "That's not funny! Burst Boom keeps me in line..."

Suzy Q was now looking her in the face from atop Peppermint's back. "If by that you mean blowing stuff up with you!"

After a bit of giggling, they all turned to me again and Peppermint spoke. "We couldn't help but notice you with Cobalt just now, and we..."

I raised a brow. "You...?"

"Peppermint's got a crush on him! Hehe, sometimes she even follows him around like a creeper!"

"S-Suzy Q! Don't say things like that!"

"Hehe, somepony's jealous!"

"We were just joking around. Neither one of us was serious, Cerulean."

Whipping her tail, she began to circle around me. "She seemed to enjoy it."

"You're supposed to enjoy jokes, half-wit." I began tapping my hoof impatiently.

"Whatever. Have fun with your sick fetishes, Feather Fucker."

I wanted to retort as she left, but decided against it as I headed back to Gilda.

Chapter 7: Knowing LuvenhÃ«gen

A New Start

Story 4

Chapter 7: Knowing Luvenhëgen

By: FluttersIsAwesome

When he approached, Cobalt’s expression was almost an exact opposite of what he left with: his lips were bent into a frown and his brows were arched downward like somebody just insulted his mother.

I opened my mouth to speak, but had to keep myself from laughing as Peppermint’s voice spoke the words I had planned.

“Uh, Captain Edge... are you okay?”

He eased a bit, but still wasn’t completely cheerful as he bowed to the girls. “Yes, Peppermint. Just another run-in with my little sister. You three have met her, you know how she is.”

All three backed up at hearing Cobalt mention his sister. I heard a loud gulp from Alkali as she searched for words. “I-Is she still here?”

Cobalt merely shrugged. “I just left to get something, and that’s when I ran into her. She said some rather... nasty things about my new friend here, which in turn made me mad. However, there’s no use arguing with such a bigoted filly, so I just walked away. Who the hell knows where she is?”

Peppermint, I noticed, had begun tapping her hooves rapidly, and her lip was quivering. “Uh, girls, can we go somewhere else? I’m starting to cramp up from not walking.”

They all nodded in agreement and took off, leaving Cobalt and I alone again. Admittedly I wasn’t too upset at that, but it would have been nice to get a chance to talk to my new friends a bit more. Turning back to Cobalt, I saw that at least his face was normal again. “So you got bitchy siblings, too?”

He merely nodded before handing me my gauntlets. “Yeah, her name’s Cerulean. She was the product of a spoiled rotten childhood. Heh, Cyan and I always joked about how Cerulean was the reason our parents didn’t have any more foals. They were afraid they would turn out like her.”

That’s what told me Cobalt was back to normal. If he really was still as angry as he looked before, he probably wouldn’t have even thought about making jokes. “Is she really that bad?” Without realizing that he would probably respond immediately, I turned my attention to putting on my metal gloves. I felt a quick sting in both hands after putting them on, but shrugged it off.

“Believe it or not, yes. She always got her way as a foal, so now she has a breakdown whenever somepony disagrees with her or does something she doesn’t like.” After a quick shake of his head, his grin returned and he looked to me. “Ready to go?”

Standing up made me cringe; I felt another sharp pain in my hands, so I made a mental note to check on my hands when I had the chance. If anything was sprained or cut, I needed to take care of it, but I was more eager to see the city with my friend. As we walked, he took a deep breath and explained the layout of the city, pointing out each district as we passed through it.

Luvenhëgen was divided into 7 main District: Defense, Business, Residential, Aristocratic, Market, Artisan, and Recreational. When we sat in the town square, we were on the border of the Residential and the Aristocratic, so Cobalt led me through the Aristocratic first. We approached a large gate with a booth beside it, and in the booth sat a rather drowsy looking colt. When we came up to the booth, Cobalt gave it a little tap. After waiting a moment, he gave the booth a little more love.

The loud ‘thump’ must’ve been enough, because a mix of curses and slurred speech came from the booth. “Hey! I’m trying to get a nap in, here.”

Cobalt turned to me with a smirk as he cleared his throat. “Nap? Officer, I believe we’ll need to have a discussion about your reliability.” His warning was immediately followed by a loud thump and another string of curses.

Walking over to the front of the booth, I noticed the colt pushing himself back up, rubbing the back of his head. “C-Captain Edge, forgive my incompetence!” He snapped a salute, and Cobalt nodded him off.

“Don’t worry about it; I was just getting your attention. Just make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

He saluted again nervously. “Of course, Captain. I’ll raise the gate right awa-“ I guess he noticed that his Captain was not the only one present. “Um, a friend of yours, Sir?”

He joyfully put his foreleg around my shoulders. “Yep. This here’s Gilda, and I’m killing two birds with one sto-“

An elbow to the ribs solves everything. I never did like that phrase, and I assumed Cobalt used it without even thinking about who was around. “He’s showing me around the city.”

After a short chuckle, my friend rose from his cringing position. “Pretty much. I’m doing my duty as both a guard and friend.”

The gatekeeper stared at us blankly for a moment, but it felt more like his gaze was focused on me. Finally, he nodded and turned around to the back of the booth. “Alright, both of you please stand in front of the gate.”

A loud, metallic ‘clang’ preceded the gates’ opening. The two sides slowly moved back to give Cobalt and I enough space to walk through, and once we were on the other side, he turned back to the operator with a bow. “Good day, Officer.”

He seemed stricken by his commander’s relaxed attitude, but did not hesitate to salute one final time. “The same to you and your friend, Sir.”

* * *

The Aristocratic District, at least in Cobalt’s words, was where Luvenhëgen’s most well-designed and ambitious architecture was found. I started to think he was right as we passed by tall, whitewashed stone buildings that looked more like temples than living quarters, but my guide assured me they were.

“Luvenhëgen is governed by seven Counselors, and this district is meant to be their housing and meeting area. They rarely leave the area, so it’s not likely you’ll see any of them out in the open.” As he led me down the street, it felt like we were going nowhere due to the fact that each of the Counselor’s homes looked nearly identical.

However, when we approached the large, gold-plated dome, I realized that Cobalt had not exaggerated when he spoke of the architecture. Looking upon the shining gold structure, sizing up the scarlet, gold-trimmed pillars supporting the roof, and staring into the faces of various silver gargoyles surrounding the roof and the two marble lion statues standing guard in front of the marble staircase left me speechless. It was a struggle merely to find strong enough words to express my amazement. In the end, all I could manage was a quiet mutter. “How is this even possible?”

I was answered by a moderate pressure on my head. “This is what happens when the able-minded and the able-bodied work together. This is Trenniholm, the building where the Counselors meet. Quite a sight, isn’t it?”

His hoof finally left my head, allowing me to nod. “It is to me, I’ve never seen anything even remotely close to this before.”

He winked, and that coupled with his trademark grin made him look way too relaxed; if I didn’t know better I’d have thought he was a normal pony. My friend just seemed way too laid back to be in any sort of stressful position, and I was sure being captain of a city’s guard force was stressful. “And this isn’t all, either. You’ve yet to see what’s on the way back, too.”

If he didn’t have my full attention before, he had it now. Just thinking about what else he had left to show me put me a little on edge as the street turned right and Cobalt led me further. More of the stone houses lined the street, but these all had on marble column on the right side of the door, each with a different symbol carved into it.

“These houses are for the Board of Twelve. The court here is run by twelve jurors that preside over hearings and cases. The final decision is made by the judge, but they have tremendous influence. Hell, I think the only reason we even have a judge is so he can serve as a tie breaker. I can't think of even one case where the judge disagreed with the Board." He remained silent for the rest of the walk, but probably for good reason, as there were a few well-dressed ponies roaming the street.

When one happened to turn our way, my friend bowed his head before we contiued. He advised me to do the same, which told me it was a sign of respect rather than a gesture of rank. "How can you tell the difference between a Counselor and a Board member?"

His response was expected. "You can tell by what they call you when they speak. A Counselor will call you a 'worker' and Board member will either call you 'innocent or 'guilty."

I didn't actually care either way, I was just glad to hear him break his silence. "Meaning they only speak to you... when?"

He chuckled before responding. "Only when they're in their respective building. If you ever see one out in public, don't expect a warm greeting. These guys are far too 'busy to waste their time talking to simpletons like us."

I wanted to say something, but I decided to wait as our pace slowed to a stop. We stood before a marvelous white pantheon of carved marble. Four large pillars supported the extended roof in front of the courtroom, and standing guard in front of this building were two black hawks. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that they were made of obsidian, which even I knew must've costed a ton. "You weren't kidding, this is pretty impressive."

"Told ya. Luvenhëgen is well known for its architectural achievements. Not only that, but we also have a not-so-good reputation as number three on the list of cities with high federal spending." He turned back to me with closed eyes. "If there's one thing these high-horse ponies love more than anything, it's money. I wouldn't go so far as to say they were corrupt, though they are quite greedy." He opened his eyes again and turned to his right, pausing for a moment. "You coming?"

It took a moment to realize he was actually telling me rather than asking, but we were soon off again, passing through a gate similar to the one we came through. The line between the fine, white stone streets of the Aristocratic District and the weathered, grey cobblestone of the Artisan District was so exact that it looked like a drawn border. Looking ahead, I saw that we were headed towards a long street lined with what looked like different workshops on both sides. The air was filled with the smell of smoke and sweat, and the sounds of clashing metal, breaking wood, and enthusiastic workers permeated my thoughts and kept me from being able to focus on anything but the noise. As the the distance between us and a large, stone shop with an open front window for customers came started to shorten, Cobalt quickened his pace.

"This is Ironhoof's forge; he's one of, if not the most skilled blacksmith in this side of Equestria. If there's anything made of metal you need created, repaired, or improved, he's the colt to go to. Isn't that right, Ironhoof?"

The grey coated, red maned Earth pony turned away from whatever he had been hammering on his anvil and turned to us. As he did so, I noticed Alkali run up behind him and take over. "You know I prefer my goods to speak for me, Captain. Besides, even if I were to truly earn the right to be called 'the most skilled, there will always be a smith greater than I."

Cobalt stood and leaned against the counter with a smirk. "Really? And who might that be? Keep in mind, I know how to read bluffs, Ironhoof."

The colt merely shrugged. "No telling. I just know that no matter how good I get, there will always be somepony else whose level I must rise to match. So, do you need anything?"

When I turned to find somewhere to sit, I felt another sharp pain in my hand. "Hey, Cobalt, can you help me?"

He nodded to Ironhoof, who nodded in return, then turned to me. "What is it?"

Either I took him by surprise, or I was just heavy, but he fell back slightly as he became my leaning support. "I'm gonna check my wrists... I think I pulled something." I soon realized that I had a different problem then what I initially thought when I saw the smeared blood on my hand. I looked at my gloves for a moment, trying to figure out what exactly happened.

"I'll bet money saying that they broke when my sister hit me in the head with 'em. Dad always said I was hardheaded enough to break steel... sorry, Gilda." He picked up the gauntlets, then turned to me. "I can't tell exactly what's wrong, but the moving pieces in the joints are probably loose and protruding out."

"That would explain your cuts. Mind if I take a look at them?" Had he not said that, I probably would have forgotten that Ironhoof was even there.

I set my gloves in his outstretched hoof and watch his foreleg recede behind the counter. "Thanks..." was all I could really think to say.

After a few minutes of silence, the blacksmith turned back to me with a gleam in his eye. "My friend, where did you get these?"

His enthusiasm for his job was... admirable, I guess. With as shrug, I decided to answer simply. “I used to live in a city called Wellsprings. There the-ironically enough- captain of their city guard actually had them made for me to help with my discomfort when I walked on stone.”

The colt raised his brow with a smile. "Wellsprings, eh? A lot of quality metal work comes out of that city. How long have you had them?"

I couldn't remember the exact amount of time, though I didn't think he expected me to anyway. "I can count the months on two hands; I'd guess about eight. It could be more, could be less, I'm just giving you what I know."

He nodded quickly. “That’s all I ask. I should be able to repair them, and if I can’t, making a new pair will be a cinch. Come back tomorrow, around the same time, alright?”

I opened my beak to respond, but was beaten to the punch.

“We’ll be here, but we can’t stay any longer. I’ve still got the rest of the city to show to Gilda.” Cobalt nodded assuredly, then turned to me.

After some futile kicking and protests, I decided just to let him do what he wanted, which apparently meant being my chauffeur. I wasn't thrilled about it, but I did think it was more comfortable than walking without my gloves.

He had to turn his head awkwardly to face me, but was still smiling. "Shall we go, then?"

Chapter 5: The City and its Ponies

A New Start

Story 4

Chapter 5: The City and its Ponies

By: FluttersIsAwesome

I awoke the next morning to the sound of faint grunts. It was coming from my window, so I lifted the blinds and saw Cobalt outside. He was under a large oak tree branch. He had a number of wooden logs surrounding him, each tied to the branch with a rope. As I watched, he kicked one, setting off a chain reaction. One by one, the logs met one another and flew back. Physics took effect and each log came rushing towards Cobalt.

Awestruck, I watched as he dodged each log with fluid motion. Each maneuver led into the next, and none of the logs even touched him. Eager to see how he did it, I left the room and found the door entering into his back yard. When I stepped out, the morning dew cooled my paws as I walked through his well-kept, lusciously green lawn. I began clapping to let him know I was there.

He stopped moving to look at me and waved. "Morning, Gilda. You have a nice nap?"

I nodded happily. "First time sleeping on a bed. It felt nice." It really did. As I cracked my neck, I noticed that not even one joint in my body felt the least bit stiff; I was used to waking up in my cave feeling like a wooden plank.

"Really? They didn't have beds back home?" He shot me a puzzled look, so I shook my head.

"We had 'nests', piles of twigs and leaves that were hardly comfortable to sleep on."

A hearty laugh escaped his lungs as he patted my back. "Being a griffin isn't easy, is it?"

His sarcasm was a welcome change in typical pony attitude. Shaking my head again, I looked up at the clear morning sky. "Sometimes I wonder. Being a pony has its advantages, but so does being a griffin." I flexed my fingers a bit. "For example: a griffin can hold objects without using their mouth."

Putting his hoof into my open hand, he smiled. "And we don't need special gloves to walk on stone."

I don't know whether it was from how oddly nervous having his hoof in my hand made me, or if it was because I was offended, but my feathers puffed out slightly. Seeing this, Cobalt grinned and patted my back.

"You hungry?"

Before I could answer, my stomach began to growl loudly. A nervous grin crept across my face as I looked up at Cobalt. I began to think that trying to force his lips out of that smile would take nothing short of an army.

He put his arm around me and we walked toward his house together. "Griffins are predators, right? Well, if it means anything, most Luvenhëgen residents keep various meats in their homes. Do you have a preference?"

I thought for a moment and decided to answer his ever present humor with a little of my own. "Got anything that's not already dead?"

His laugh was quickly becoming one of my favorite sounds to ever come out of a pony. He leaned in close to me and pointed in the direction of the Raishi settlement. "The Raishi have about 1,200 acres of open hunting grounds. Just tell them I have you permission to hunt there, and they should be pretty lax with you." Before opening the door, he patted my back. "They've got a wide variety of wild game in those woods, so feast. When you're done, meet me in the city square. I took the day off today, so I can take you on the grand tour, sound good?"

I nodded in spite of the fact that I had absolutely no clue where the square was. After seeing my perplexed look, Cobalt spoke again.

"From the settlement, you'll be able to see the big clock tower down here. Just keep going in the direction of the tower, and you'll arrive into a large, open area with various shops lining the walkways. You'll see me there, alright?"

Without thinking, I gave him a quick wink and a grin before taking off toward the large forest behind the settlement.

After Gilda was out of sight, I yawned and entered my house. Maybe early an early morning workout after a night like last night wasn't such a good idea. I made my way to the fridge, dragging my hooves across the hardwood floor of my living room and onto the tile of the kitchen, all without noticing the pink-maned, light-brown filly on my couch.

"Hey there, Romeo."

I swiveled around quickly to see my youngest sister, Cerulean, lying on her back, cozy as can be on my couch. When she looked at me, she waved her hoof with short, lazy rises and falls.

"That's cute, Cobalt. You've got yourself a griffin girlfriend~" She puckered her lips and made rather obnoxious kissing noises as I opened the fridge door and grabbed a granny smith.

Shooting her a cold glare, I bit into the apple. "It's not like that, Cerulean. She's new here, so it would be rude of me not to welcome her."

Any time my little sister scoffed, I always imagined a self-proclaimed know-it-all about to school somepony about a subject they truly know nothing about. "Cobalt, listen here. I may be seventeen, but I know a few things about these kinds of situations."

Turning to her with a smirk, I decided to humor her. "Really? Well then, enlighten me, love-guru."

I got along with most ponies, but my sister was always an exception to most rules of decency and conduct. Seeing her scowl at my remark helped return the smile to my own face. "You instantly take a liking to her, hug her without hesitation, invite her into your home despite not even knowing her for a full day, and now you're offering her access to your food. Don't think I can't tell what this-"

Loud noises, such as the slamming of hooves onto marble, never failed to shut her up. "I know it's a difficult concept for you to understand, but it's only natural for me to be friendly to newcomers. Just because I'm nice to someone doesn't mean I'm in love with them, that concept only applies to compulsive bitches like you."

My sister had never admitted defeat in an argument, but most of the time it was because arguments ended the way this one did. If Cerulean took more than five seconds to respond to a comment, you automatically won the dispute.

I left the house with a smug grin and headed toward the square when I was stopped by a yellow unicorn mare. Her soft blue mane was tied into a ponytail and her tail was in a loose braid: my lieutenant, Seabreeze.

She waved at me energetically and ran to meet me. "Hey there, Cobalt!"

She knew how I was, so my response was no surprise. "I'm gonna have to penalize you for not referring to me as "Sir", young filly." It was a double whammy; I was off-duty, and she was much older than me.

Most ponies in this city had at least a decent sense of humor, but Seabreeze had my favorite kind: the "laugh at any good joke" sense. She laughed at everything just about, and my sarcasm was no exception. Putting a hoof on my shoulder, she grinned at me. "Nice of you to take that griffin in."

Never before had I ever shown Seabreeze a straight face. However, when she brought up Gilda, my smile couldn't help but retreat. "You too?"

Yet another giggle. "Almost everypony knows. Cobalt, you know how fast word gets around in this city. If even one pony saw you with her excluding Cyan, you should've expected everypony else to have found out about it by now."

I could do nothing but sigh. She was completely right, so I was left with no way to fight back.

She however, kept her smile. "You've got such a good heart, Cobalt." Tapping my chest with a hoof, she turned to leave. "If I hear that she has treated you badly, or if you have treated her badly, I'll gut the one at fault."

My grin returned, and I made my way to the square to wait.

* * *

"Oh lord... I'm so damn-" a loud burp finished my sentence for me. I struggled to remember the last time I had eaten that well. "Guess it's time to see Cobalt."

Under normal circumstances I just brushed off something that tapped my shoulder before a take off, but I was in foreign territory, so I turned to see Soul looking straight at me.

"You may want to clean up, sweetheart. Lord knows the ponies down in the city will just love seeing their friendly neighborhood griffin covered in leftovers."

I hadn't even noticed until he pointed it out, so I let him lead me to a secluded lake. The clear, shimmering water looked gorgeous as it reflected the sunlight shining down onto it.

The friendly wolf patted my back. "Go ahead and take a dip, it's a cinch to clean."

I did so. Diving into the cool water definitely refreshed me, and after I swam through the lake and resurfaced, my feathers and fur were spotless. Literally ever bit of dirt, dead skin, and leftovers from my meal were gone. In exchange, however, the lake had become disgustingly black and murky. I shot Soul an apologetic look as I touched down. "Sorry about the water..."

He held his hoof to my face. "Did I not say that the water was easy to clean? Watch this, my fine feathered friend." He placed his left paw on the surface of the water, then followed with his right and his two hind paws.

I watched in awe as he walked across the lake's surface like it was solid ground, cleaning the water with each step. "H-how are you-"

By now I had learned to stop speaking when Soul interrupted me. "We are gifted beings. It's difficult to explain, so I'll put it simply: I am the most powerful of all Raishi, and Celestia herself considers me an equal. I have almost no limits, therefore next to nothing is out of my reach."

I couldn't help but laugh as I pointed toward the sky. "I'm pretty sure that is out of your reach."

I don't recall ever regretting something I said before, aside from the time my words got me kicked in the face by Nova. Before my very eyes, large, burgundy-scaled wings sprouted from Soul's back and pushed him up off the ground.

"Any more feats you would like to see?"

I began to shake a bit; his presence was slightly frightening now. Shaking my head, I took off toward Luvenhëgen at full speed, eager to see what Cobalt had in store for me.