Contest In Equestria

Scootaloo and I left Canterlot Castle by ourselves. The masses of troops were still gathering in squads here and there, orders being barked out by the ones who must be leaders or in charge somehow while other orderly grids left in various modes of transportation. I didn't know anything about the military from my world, much less how it worked here in this one. It wasn't until we were airborne with the Castle fading into the distance that it occurred to me Scootaloo hadn't spoken a word or even looked me in the eye since we left the Citadel.

As we flew along, the tension between us became almost a physical presence. She wasn't doing her normal superman pose, she wasn't laughing... Scoots was just hanging limply beneath me as we traveled. I'd left the wingblades on to get used to them and remarkably I had already forgotten they were there. The sword was tucked beneath the straps of the flight harness securely and with my free hands, I reached down to rub her neck.

"Scoots? You alright?" I asked tentatively.

She didn't answer, or even register I'd spoken.

"Hey... Puffball... what's up? You sick or something?"

A brief pause came before her voice floated up to me, carried by the wind passing over us as I flew slow enough to hear. "I... I didn't think you were like that."

"Like what?" I asked, confused.

"It's like you like fighting. I... I've never seen you do that before. You were like somepony else back there."

I realized what she was talking about immediately and I fought the sense of rising frustration. Just what the hell was I supposed to do? Let griffons just kill us all? Celestia had charged me with the defense of Sweet Apple Acres.

"Scoots... I... I don't like it. But I have to do it. What would we do if griffons came to Sweet Apple Acres and wanted to hurt us? Somepony has to protect us!"

"But why does it have to be you!?" her voice rose in anger now, "Why can't we just go away?! Why do you have to be the one in danger? What about our foal, Mason! I can't... I can't do it by myself if... if something happens..." she couldn't go any further than that. And I didn't want her to.

"Scoots... come on. You saw the army at Canterlot. You think the griffons are even going to get to Sweet Apple Acres? Come on, I bet they'll never even get to Ponyville, if even Equestria at all!"

Scootaloo remained quiet for a while. Just when I thought the conversation was over, she asked the question that I wasn't expecting.

"You'd kill somepony? Like for real kill them in a fight?"

"If they wanted to hurt you or our friends... I guess I would."

For the first time she turned her head and looked up at me. Her purple eyes were streaked with windblown tears. It was a look of worry, fear and a little bit of judgement that told me this wasn't probably the last conversation we'd have about it. But then her gaze softened a bit.

"I'm sorry, Mason. It's just I never thought of you as somepony who could do that. You're always so.. so nice and gentle."

"Even with your father... your brother... Sugarcube corner?" I reminded her, "Of course I'm going to fight if somepony is after you. You're the most important thing in the world to me, Scoots. You and our foal."

"Just... just be careful, alight? I don't wanna lose you because of some stupid griffons."

"Nah, I'm sure this will all end before..." I trailed off as something caught my eye ahead of us.

We'd been flying pretty much directly west and below the clouds that still hung thickly over the land like a gray blanket. Now a pegasus had appeared, flying incredibly fast towards us and within seconds it had come close enough for me to see that it was a mailmare. The coloring was wrong for it to be Derpy Hooves, so I figured it was from some other town.

She turned and made a beeline for us, each of us coming up short when she was a few feet away. She was gray in color like Derpy, but very much different in appearance and mannerisms.

"Griffons! They're right behind me!" she gasped, looking over her shoulder as she hovered in exhaustion, "You've got to get out of here!"

"What?!" my eyes peered over the horizon. Three black dots had appeared on the horizon, still to far away to make out clearly.

"I don't have time to explain! Snowlock was invaded last night and I have to warn the Princess! Get out of here before they see you!" she flattened out and took off again to the east, leaving Scootaloo and I alone in the breeze with the three dots ahead growing larger by the second.

"Mason..." Scootaloo's trembling voice came from below me.

I dove towards the ground, hoping to gain the treetops below and get out of sight before we were noticed. About half way down, I craned my head up and saw something that made my stomach drop.

Two of the three black dots had veered in my direction while the remaining one continued on after the mailmare. They were descending rapidly and were close enough that I could see their wings flapping. They were griffons, alright.

"Scoots, they're coming." I shouted down to her.

Her orange head whipped up, her mane flapping crazily in the chilling wind as her eyes scanned the sky quickly. "Wha.. what are we going to do?!"

My head swam with indecision and adrenaline kicked in, slowing time down seemingly for me in a way I couldn't perceive until much later. I couldn't fly or move very fast with Scootaloo strapped to me. I couldn't get away with speed, and I couldn't fight with her hanging from me either. I had to drop her on the ground somewhere.

Through the trees I spied a narrow opening in the treetops that signaled a road or path below. Folding my wings, I dove sharply down and felt the barest flicks of the branches scrape my arms as I passed the upper most layer.

In the shaded, grey blotched dappled path below stood an old barn beside the dirt track. Moss grew along it's sagging roof and the red paint that once might have been bright and cheery was now peeling, dirty and dull. It's large door that faced the path was ajar and hanging, revealing an inky blackness inside that beckoned with large cobwebs.

"I'm going to unhook you in here, Scoots... try and find a place to hide." I whispered to her as I drifted into the barn's interior. The heavy smell of pine, moldering hay and dank moss greeted my nose.

"No.. Mason you ca-" she started to protest but I cut her off.

"Scoots, I can't get us away fast enough or fight with you hooked to me. Now quick, hide!" I whispered sharply as I heard the flapping of wings and branches being disturbed above us. She gave me a scorning look that withered me before she quickly vanished towards the back room that was built in the deep recesses of the barn's interior. When she was out of sight, I turned, drawing my blade from the sheath on my back and stepped to the door's edge, peering out cautiously. My heart was pounding in my chest and I felt like I was going to pass out any moment. The grip on my sword felt weak and trembling and I could visibly see the tip shaking.

The two griffons had landed up the path about half of a football field's length away. I could see that one of them had a red feathered head and the other's was green. Metallic light glinted off of the chest plates they wore and I could see the distinct outline of their own wingblades as they folded them up on their backs. They were both looking at the barn and while I had no idea if they saw me or not, it was clear they were heading in this direction.

I couldn't let them get to Scootaloo. I had to try and draw them away from her.

Sucking up every ounce of courage I could muster... and it didn't feel like a lot, I ran outside and bolted quickly down the path in the opposite direction. A screeching sound came from behind me that gave me a shock with it's savage sound. I turned and saw redhead streaking towards me, cruising inches above the ground like a missile while greenie was still moving towards the barn.

"No!" I cried out, spinning and flaring my wings, holding my blade out in challenge to the approaching bird-lion. It banked sharply just before colliding with me in an attempt to slash cruelly with it's wingblade. My sword connected with a teeth rattling clang, the length of the griffon's blade dragged along the edge of my sword with tremendous force that spun me sideways, the very tip of his weapon nicked my left bicep on it's way past and drew a shallow but stinging trace of blood.

I ran towards the barn that was ahead and to my left, trying to keep my eye on both opponents as I went. My only thoughts were to get between them and Scootaloo now that my diversion had completely failed. The green headed griffon squared off with me just in front of the door and I hacked quickly at him with a downward swing of my blade, spinning as I did with my wings extended.

Metal on metal sounded twice and I recovered on the far side, the door now on my right with both griffons in front of me. They rallied, chirping to each other in a bird like language I couldn't understand. I realized then just how bad this was getting.

They were both on me in a flash. I don't know exactly how I parried their blows. My wingblades and sword worked in some unplanned union with fluid, instinctive motions. Rapid sounds of metal on metal contact came as first one lashed a wing out at me, then the other. Five, six, seven rapid parries came as I backed away from them, each one sending a shuddering impact from either my arms or my wing.

A break came when the redhead lashed out with his taloned claw suddenly and misjudged. My sword was already on it's way up and the blade bit deeply into the thin, scaly leg that connected it to it's tan, fur covered body. It howled with a loud, cat like sound and pulled back, a strange looking pink tongue coming from it's beak to lick the wound.

But it was enough of a change for greenie to land with his own talon slash on my thigh. My own scream rang out in the stillness as three deep gashes lit my world on fire. My leg went numb, I suddenly could barely move it. Hobbling back another step, I held my sword out with one hand while the other slapped over the wound to stanch the rapid bleeding. Fear and pain clouded my vision.

My wings held me up as the strength in my leg gave out and I rose in the air. The two followed me up as I climbed slowly towards the trees. Redhead and I both dripping blood now as the fight took to aerobatics. Greenie shot above me with lightening speed and suddenly dived straight down with a wing extended, meaning to slice me in half. I barely reversed in time and felt the wind of the blade pass my nose by mere inches. Too late I saw Redhead coming straight on and before I could recover, he collided with me, his chest plate smashing me square on the face.

I fell towards the ground, dazed and confused. Up became down and I couldn't get my bearings to recover. Somehow my wings slowed my descent enough that the impact didn't shatter anything but instead knocked the wind out of me, leaving me helpless as the two landed nearby with redhead holding his wounded leg up like and injured dog as he walked.

I didn't know where my sword was. I was laying on my wings. My leg wasn't working....

I was fucked.

I soon also discovered that laying on your outstretched wings made it impossible to push yourself backwards without tearing your feathers out.

I lay helplessly gasping for breath as the two advanced, Redhead extending his wings out to deliver the final blow.

"S.. Stop... Wait..." I gasped, holding my arm up in a futile attempt to ward off the intense pain I knew must be coming. All I could think about was Scootaloo.

And suddenly, there she was.

"Hey you stupid bird beaks! Think you can catch me?" her mocking voice called out.

The griffons whirled and I rolled to the side to get her in my sight, my sword glinted a few feet away in the grass. She was standing on a crude looking scooter. The visible swell of her belly protruded out as her hooves rested on the T-handle. Greenie took off after her and with an "Eep!" of surprise, she kicked off and engaged her wings. Scootaloo shot down the path at a blinding speed and the griffon gave chase.

My breath had come back and I'd managed to slide my wings up under me again. Moving as quickly as I could while redhead was distracted, I reached out with agonizing slowness for the pommel of my sword. My fingers grazed the end of it and with a squawk of realization, Redhead turned. It was all over in five seconds.

Five - My hand closed over the handle of the sword.

Four - The griffon extended his wingblade.

Three - It lunged towards me, the blade swung down in an arc towards my body

Two - I brought the sword up and around, knocking the wing to the side

One - I stabbed up at the griffon's head.

A sickening, tearing sound that I felt more than heard, filled my senses. The sharp point pierced the red feathers just above the griffon's chest plate and sank into it's neck. It's large purple eyes went wide with shock, it's beak opened with a single "gluck" as the blade passed though, driven by it's own momentum.

Time stood still for an agonizing moment. It's eyes locked to my own and as it's wings flailed weakly, I watched the life fade from the purple irises. Nothing in my entire life had prepared me for watching his eyes go from focused, living intensity to soulless, empty mirrors that only reflected my grimacing face back at me.

____________________________________________________

Scootaloo knew she screwed up almost the moment she'd opened her muzzle. This wasn't the Mark V and she had no idea where she was. It was one thing for her to challenge somepony to a friendly race in the comfortable surroundings of Ponyville and the area beyond she knew well. But a death race with a flying griffon on a derelict and rusty wheeled plank in the middle of nowhere was dumb. Even for her.

She pushed as hard as she could, her wings beating at an intense speed against the air behind her to propel her along at speeds that were probably unsafe for this board. She felt the three wooden planks under her back hooves shift and rub against each other loosely, threatening to come apart at any moment from the vibration of the smooth dirt under the wheels.

She had found this old thing propped up against the back corner of the barn as she looked for a place to hide, tears threatening to spill over her eye lids from fear and anger at being left by Mason. But it was something familiar, something comforting for her when she needed it most and so she went to the scooter instead of hiding like she'd been asked.

When the first sounds of the fight came from outside, she stood frozen in the gloom at the back of the barn. The open door was a bright square and she saw the green headed griffon as it appeared, looking in with intense curiosity. She grabbed the scooter, intending to zip past it when it came in and hopefully get away but Mason's cry cause them both to jump and she watched as he suddenly appeared, slashing at the green head before whirling away, wingblades flashing to the left and out of sight.

Testing the wheels, she found that they still rolled pretty easily, but not as well as her old board and definitely not as good as her Mark V. Wheeling it near the door, she watched with a hoof clamped over her mouth as the battle unfolded, the sound of Mason hitting the ground masking her whimper of dismay. As the two advanced on him her fear suddenly melted away. She had to help him. If he were gone her own life might as well be over as well.

Now here she was, barreling along a strange dirt path heading downhill into an unknown gully with a green headed griffon hot on her tail. She snapped her head back and gave a small smile of satisfaction at the massive cloud of dust behind her kicked up by the wheels and her wings. She couldn't even see the griffon and she knew it must be hard for him to see her.

"Good..." she smiled to herself and poured on the speed again as the gentle downhill slope aided her momentum.

So when the screech came a moment later from what sounded like right behind her, she about jumped out of her fur and lost control. Looking back she found she was staring right at the dust covered, feathered head of her pursuer who's wings beat away her dust trail. With a quick gulp, she turned forward again just in time to scream at the tree log that now barred the path.

It must have fallen recently as the branches were still green. Scootaloo had just enough time to give a great heave on the T-handle and kick her weight back, causing the board to leap sluggishly into the air, helped along by the sudden change of her wing's force.

Up and over the log she sailed, clearing it by a few inches at least before slamming back onto the hard, dusty path on the far side. The scooter didn't fare so well though. With a crunching sound, Scootaloo suddenly found herself holding the T-handle in her hooves, it's other end having snapped from the wooden planks as she barreled towards a sharp right turn.

"Oh horsefeathers..." she groaned.

Wobbling and fighting her own balance she steadied herself, she stood sideways now on the board, too focused on staying upright to notice the griffon had caught a wing on one of the branches as it went past, clipping it painfully and sending it into the dirt momentarily.

She hit the turn and leaned into it, causing the wheels to dig on the inner side of the curve and turn smoothly with the pitch just as the griffon began to catch up with her again. As she straitened out, she felt something tug at her back. Looking around she saw the griffon had managed to get the metal loop that normally connected her and Mason in flight into one of it's talons. It's beak smirked in triumph below two large orange irises. She looked at the T-Handle still in her hooves and did the only thing she could thing of.

Scootaloo swung the handle hard by the broken end and caught the griffon right between the eyes with the hoof grip. The impact ripped it out of her grasp, but the damage was done. A squawk of pain came and it released the loop, falling back into the dust trail and out of site momentarily. Being the pony she was, she couldn't stop herself from opening her muzzle.

"Yeah! Take that you stupid bird brain!" her shrill, fear tainted maniacal voice rang out above the rumble of the board under her.

The path was getting rough now. No longer was it the smooth, even dirt up on the flat she had started out in. Now it was rutted and crossed with grooves where water had run during the rains. Sticks and branches littered the way and keeping upright was getting more and more difficult.

Her wings pushed her as she kicked the board in the air several times, clearing a wash, swerving around a large rock, and leaping up again to clear another heavy branch. She had just about thought she was through it all when another very large wash cut the path in a diagonal brown lightening bolt far ahead. Judging the distance as best she could, she began kicking with her hoof again, more comfortable now with this new way of riding and trying to gain speed for the jump.

"I've got you now!" came the gruff voice of the griffon right behind her just as she reached the point of no return on the jump. Closing her eyes, she summoned every last ounce of strength she had and gave a massive kick on the board.

Up into the air she flew, grabbing the board under her with her front hooves and twisting her body around. The board came up in her grasp like a paddle, smacking across the griffon's face just as it's claw scraped her chest. It smashed against it's beak, the metal of the wheels shattering the pale colored mouth like hammer against teeth so great was the force of her blow. She watched in almost slow motion as the griffon fell with it's outstretched claws slapping to it's damaged face at the apex of her jump. Giving her just enough time to get the board under her hooves again before landing.

But it was no use. The board had taken more abuse than it could handle. It shattered apart when she landed on the far side. As she was sent flying forward, her only thought was No! I landed that... it's not fair!

She hit the ground on her side, her front right shoulder digging painfully into the rough dirt and knocking the wind out of her body as she skidded to a dusty halt. Silence filled the air. Scootaloo heaved in breath after breath until she recovered, sitting up and looking back at the wash she'd jumped over for the griffon. Nothing moved back there except the fading dust trail left behind from her mad flight through the air.

She sat, wide eyed and breathing heavy at what had just happened, still expecting the griffon to rise out of the wash at any moment for her like some monster. She saw what had happened to it's beak... she was sure she'd hurt it badly. Just when she was about to get up and start running down the path, a sight caused her to cry out with relief.

It was Mason.

"Mason!" she screamed.

"Scoots?! You alright?!"

"Yeah! Look out, there's a griffon in that ditch!"

She saw Mason draw his sword again. Even from this distance she could see the red smear on it's tip and felt her blood run cold. She also saw the bright red cloth tied around his leg where he was obviously hurt. Her soulmate, herd stallion and father of her foal cautiously flew to the edge of the ditch before dropping quickly down. She heard a thump and then a choking gasp.

"Why did you attack us?" came Mason's voice full of anger, hatred and rage drifted up from the wash. Scootaloo slid to the edge and looked down where she saw Mason on top of the griffon, his hands digging into the feathered neck. "What did we do to you!?"

"Y... you're.. the .. human." it choked, bloody pieces of it's beak still falling away, "Or...ders to ki.. kill on sight."

"Kill me!? What the fuck!? What do I have to do with this? Tell me!" he shouted, his hands tightening their grip.

The griffon could no longer speak, only choking gasps came from the bloody maw where it's beak once was. Mason's face was bright red, his long black hair done in a tight braid had come partially undone and stuck to his face in a wild mat. To Scootaloo's eyes... he looked like a wild creature.

"Mason...?" she said with scared, shaky softness, more frightened of him and this new rage now than of the griffon.

Her words were like water on a flame to him. He relaxed his grip, slumped his shoulders and used his wings to pull himself off of the griffon suddenly, taking his sword with him as he did. He came to her then, gathering her up in his arms tightly and burying his face in her mane.

"Scoots... I'm so sorry." came his muffled voice.

A rustling sound came from the ditch and the griffon rose from it slowly. Mason turned, holding is sword up defensively while pushing Scootaloo behind his legs. The green headed bird-lion regarded them with pain spiked orange eyes, one claw over it's mangled beak before speeding off the way it had come, leaving them alone.

"Lets go, Scoots... I need a unicorn." Mason said, looking down at the tight wrap around his leg that was soaked through with blood. She saw now that his shirt was cut off, exposing his stomach.

"Is.. is it bad?" she asked, looking up at him with worried eyes.

"I'll be O.K. I just need to get it healed up as soon as possible..." he rose in the air above her, fishing the hook for the harness as she got to her hooves.

She stared blankly at the forest in front of her, waiting for the familiar cinching and tightening feeling to lift her from the ground. When a long moment passed and nothing happened, she looked behind her.

Mason had landed, his watering eyes fixed on her flank. At first she was irritated for him thinking about that right here, right now but then a flash of color in her fur from her flank caught her attention. With disbelief, she twisted her hips around and got a good look at what was now there.

"Oh, Scoots..." Mason whispered and swept her up in a massive hug. They both cried happy, bittersweet tears.