Contest In Equestria

by saltybedspackle

Rating: mature
Tags: Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Cutie Mark Crusaders, Romance, Scootaloo, Adventure, Sex, Human, Main 6
Length: 23037

Mason and his friends find themselves thrown into the struggle for power in Equestria.

As summer fades into fall, Mason and his friends learn of the plot to upset the balance of harmony in Equestria and plunge the land into war. But what can a teenage human do? A human with a foal on the way and friends he loves and cares for?

This is part three of the "In Equestria" series. You should read parts one and two before reading this one.

Part One Waking Up in Equestria

Part Two Living In Equestria

Contains some Foalcon with slightly aged up CMC's.

Cover Art by JackAnarchy.

Published 2015-04-25 19:50:01 UTC
Last updated 2015-06-12 23:21:39 UTC

Preface

This is the third installment of the "In Equestria" series that has consumed my imagination for the better part of six months now. Since I don't consider myself a writer, having never put my imagination to words before, I was astounded when not only the idea for a short, bad clop fic quickly became something much larger... seemingly on its own, but people started telling me they liked it. And wanted more.

So over seventy chapters later and a word count that I'd rather not think of the amount of time it took to create, I've finally reached the home stretch with a very large task ahead of me. It was my intention since about a quarter of the way through book two to introduce a major struggle in Equestria. I've made my bed... now I must find a way to lay in it and do the one thing that needs to be done.

Make it all work.

I hope I can. I'll try my best.

________________________________________________

What follows is a brief summary of the story as it stands at the start of book three. It is not complete, and much more takes place than what is summarized here.

The story so far...

We meet Mason, the main protagonist, just before he finds himself in Equestria where he's nearly killed by the overwhelming effects of the magic that is in everything around him, causing intense euphoria and setting him on the path to fall in love with Scootaloo. Once Twilight Sparkle infuses his soul with magic to acclimate him to the effects, he begins a relationship with the orange filly and takes up residence at Sweet Apple Acres.

Scootaloo's father, a disgraced ex Wonderbolt turned psychotic ideologist, learns of his daughter's activities and takes her to Cloudsdale where a battle takes place, ending with her father in custody for his crimes and with Mason severely wounded from a bite to his arm that causes pegasus blood to mix with his own. As time passes, he heals with the help of Celestia and the Apple Family. But the magic in the pegasus blood begins to change his body, causing him to grow wings and later on, fur on his legs and changing his reproductive organs. Scootaloo's brother, Quickfire, is soon discovered to have found The Element of Hate and book one finishes with a battle in the long lost Fortress of Denholm with the help of Discord.

Soon after Mason and Scootaloo join together intimately, they learn of the special herding magic that bonds mares and fillies together in a relationship with a stallion. It's purpose was to help ward off the effects of Estrus in a world where females out number males significantly and is intended to provide an outlet for a mare's urges without the need for fighting and jealousy. We also learn that several of the ponies in The Elements of Harmony have experienced hardships before coming together as a group. Mason discovers these in turn through a series of events as his friendship grows with the mane six.

Scootaloo becomes pregnant with Mason's foal and in a snap decision, she decides to not learn the sex of their child until it is born, much to the chagrin of her two friends and fellow herd mates Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. During the Mid Summer festival, after Sweetie Belle is prodded to go onstage and sing with Mason as her magically enhanced backup singer, she finally receives her cutie mark. This prompts Apple Bloom to visit Zecora's tent to take her fortune telling potion in an effort to find out when she will get her own cutie mark. But not all the visions are welcoming... Apple Bloom does receive her mark however, discovering that she is a Life Giver to all apple trees, gifted with the ability to talk to and care for them beyond any skill known at the time.

Meanwhile, trouble is brewing in Cloudsdale. Scootaloo's father was a member of an ancient ideological organization named "The Flock" that is bent on having the pegasi race in control of Equestria rather than the harmonious relationship shared by all three species. A corrupt judge takes over his case and sends a blackmailed troupe of guards to arrest Mason, Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Rarity as well as take Scootaloo into custody for return to her parents. A fight breaks out in Sugarcube corner and Scootaloo is injured severely. During her recovery, we meet Kaiden, the commander of the blackmailed troupe who was stripped of his badge for his actions and he reconciles with his former foes, promising to come to their aid should they ever need a skilled fighter on their side.

Celestia takes Scootaloo's father into custody herself in the Canterlot dungeons and interrogates him. She learns that The Flock has risen again, this time under a shadowy new leadership that she still cannot identify. She begins to investigate and unknown to her, Scootaloo's mother, who was given to Cadence for recovery from a drug addition, is set on by two assassins from The Flock in Cloudsdale in an attempt to silence her. Kaiden happens to discover them and rescues her, in the process learns of The Flock himself.

It's around this time that an issue with Spike that has been brewing for a while comes to a head. He's reached the age of Feracity for male dragons. A time when their bodies change and sexual prowess comes into play. Twilight Sparkle is completely unable to deal with it and despite Discord's offering to help, she chooses to ignore his advice, causing Spike to become worse and worse with his behavior.

She decides to lock him, insensitively, in a cage while her and Mason travel to Dodge City where they hope to find a female dragoness to alleviate Spike's condition. It's there that they meet Ashley, a young girl dragon about Spike's age who lives on the streets of the hard-edged city. She tries to steal Twilight's bit purse, only to be caught at the last second by Mason who manages to get it back before letting her go, giving her a bit out of sympathy.

After searching in vain for a dragoness, Mason and Twilight leave for Ponyville again on the train, only to discover that Ashley has followed them as a stowaway. Twilight convinces Ashley to take a look at Spike, although Ashley doesn't understand why her help is needed in the first place. Once she sees how Spike is being treated, she cures his Feracity by pulling on his tail, causing the bones in his lower body to move out of the way to allow his new organs to function properly. Spike comes around and is furious at how he's been treated, shoving Twilight to the ground and storming off with Ashley following close behind. They all learn that Discord knew the answer on how to cure Spike all along, but was bitter at Twilight's refusal to acknowledge his offer for aid.

Ashley has it in her head that the ponies here are bad for Spike and tries to convince him to leave with her. When Spike chooses to stay, taking the urgent scrolls sent by Celestia to Twilight instead, she runs off into Ponyville crying. It's there that she meets Wilson, a stallion who is soon to be a lover to Rarity, and he brings her to Rarity's house. Along the way he sheds light on Spike's status in Ponyville and turns Ashley's opinion around of them.

At the end of book 2, Rainbow Dash is attacked by two griffons after a night of drinking in Cloudsdale. She manages to elude them with the sudden and unexpected help of Kaiden who was tipped off to the attack by a griffon spy, Rainbow Dash's old friend Gilda. It's there that we learn that The Flock has enlisted the help of The Griffon Empire to help overthrow the balance of harmony and create a war.

And now book 3, Contest in Equestria begins.

Thank you all for your support, comments, likes and reads. You are the main reason I keep going.

~Saltybedspackle.

Chapter 1

Shoehorn Village was the northern most settlement of land ponies under the rule of Canterlot just outside of Equestria. It was built on the northern slopes of the Drakenridge mountains that formed the northen border of Equestria between The Griffon Empire. While technically on griffon land, it had never been contested or even noticed in the few hundred years that the tiny village had existed.

The ponies there were simple. Earning a rough and honest living working the cold, dense earth to scratch out an existence in the hilly land of the surrounding area. There were few trees nearby, the closest were at the edge of the Draken Forrest about a half day's trot away, but the rolling landscape was covered in a thick carpet of green grass under a usually overcast and cloud laden sky. The wind was free to blow across the rolling hills and often brought a bitter, biting cold with it. It was a damp and cool existence. Even during the summer months, the smell of wood fires heating homes hung thickly over the cluster of wooden structures and barns that perched on the top of the largest rise of land surrounded by well worked fields that stretched over valley and hilltop. The fragrant clouds of smoke never seemed to rise very high, rather they would hang low in the damp, gray air to be filtered by the occasional drizzle as the tendrils wound their way around the homes of the ponies who lived here.

Mayor Trotrow had just started his day when the first sign of trouble began. There really wasn't much to do as a mayor in Shoehorn and he was hardly more than a citizen himself. The village folk got along very well and the only disputes or decisions needed to be made usually involved who was responsible for repairing a section of fence or a tool borrowed but not returned on time. They were a simple community, but very happy with their lives all the same. By day, they worked hard to tend to their village and crops. By night, the inn was filled with almost everypony in the village for the communal meal and cider, complete with music and dancing.

It had been this way since their memories began.

Trotrow was well liked by everypony and when the last mayor had retired, there wasn't even an election held. Everypony naturally looked to Trotrow for leadership and there was not one pony who felt otherwise. He was quick to smile, and even quicker to laugh. A trait that had helped him settle even the most contentious disputes with good-natured humor and the ability to get others to see both sides of an issue. He lived alone, never taking a special somepony even though there were many a mare in the village that fancied him. He would... when the time was right.

"Mayor!" a young stallion galloped to him as he left his home, the hoe on his back sharpened and ready for the field of corn that needed tending to. The stallion's name was Cobalt, a dark blue pony with a brilliant green mane and sparkling pale blue eyes. His family had the fields next to Trotrow's. "Mayor! Did you hear? There are griffons camped over the far ridge on the north! A whole lot of them!"

"What? That's absurd, Cobalt. Have you and your friends been out pretending to be adventurers again?" the mayor said with a smile. Cobalt and his two friends, Bale and Ringright, had always had their heads in the clouds. When they were younger, the three colts had wandered off into the mountains pretending they were on some quest, only to be lost for days until the village formed a search party and found them. They were all dressed like adventurers complete with cloaks and wooden swords.

"No! Jeeze... can't you see?" Cobalt said, pointing off to the mayor's right towards the north.

He looked and then squinted into the grey sky. Camp fires were burning there. A great deal of them too given the number of thin white lines of smoke he could see. Something felt very ominous about that sight.

"Cobalt, go tend to your fields." the mayor said flatly, the smile falling from his face.

"But..."

"Go!"

The young male moved off, his ears flattened and his tail low as he did, looking back at the mayor with a hurt expression. Trotrow dropped his hoe and began to move towards the north, intent to see what was going on just outside his village fields.

It was a decent walk but he soon crested the northern ridge that marked the end of the fertile lands that the village had been founded on and the flat wastelands of the Feathered Flats began. The flats stretched to the north for a long distance and nopony from his village had ever ventured into them save to harvest the scented grass that grew in rough thatches used for incense.

As the orange coated mayor climbed to the top of the ridge, what he saw only confused him even more.

There were at least five hundred griffons camped here, more than twice the number of poines in his village. Makeshift tents had been set up and dotted the large encampment burning breakfast fires that trailed the lazy lines of smoke into the sky. Here and there a flag flew. A black banner with a white pegasus rearing up that he'd never seen before. He could also see several griffons moving about sluggishly near the edge of the camp, each of them working through the morning haze that slowed their bodies just after waking. Unlike ponies, griffons could not hop out of bed and get moving. Their bodies simply didn't work that way and they had to move around for a while to get their blood flowing. The camp's southern edge was only a few hundred feet away, close enough that he was seen almost immediately.

Trotrow was not immediately afraid. He had no reason to be. But the sheer number of griffons gathered and the hardened look on the faces of those who turned their beaks to him gave him an unwelcome feeling none the less. Remembering his position, he sucked in a breath and moved down the ridge into the camp below.

"Hello there!" he said warmly to the first griffons he encountered, waving a hoof and smiling at them. When they didn't return the smile, or the greeting, he let his hoof fall back to the hard earth under him. "Hey... I... What brings you all this far south?" he tried again.

No answer.

But now other griffons were moving, circling around him in a tight ring with hard, piercing stares. Trotrow hadn't really been this close to a griffon before and their size and makeup were suddenly unnerving. Their feathered heads, taken from an eagle, with sharp beaks and beady, slanted eyes contrasted sharply with the lions half of their lower body. The powerful talons of their front legs dug into the dirt and the claws of their back legs looked as if they could shred a tree in seconds.

"Uhh... I think I'll go now. Sorry to bother you..." he started with his ears falling flat and took a step back, only to have his flank bump into a griffon who had moved directly behind him. When the sudden blow to his head came from the flat end of a rock, he only felt the momentary sting before he lost consciousness and collapsed in a heap.

Several hours later, when he awoke, it was all over. Thankfully he'd been spared watching the events unfold in his village and found himself chained and housed in the Foalfield's massive barn along with everypony else. The first thing his eyes registered was the sight of Winny Wheels, a young filly barely out of diapers laying miserably in her mother's lap. The heavy chain on her small pink leg had already rubbed an angry looking raw patch through her tender fur and she wept silently.

"Wh... What in Equestria..." he groaned sitting up, putting a hoof to the throbbing part of his head that was obviously swollen.

"Mayor! You're alright! Oh thank Celestia, we were so worried!" came the anxious voice of Bragin Foalfield, the largest land owner in the village who was sitting next to him.

"What.. what happened? What is the meaning of this!" his voice began to grow loud as he tugged in the chain securing his own rear leg to one of the barn's support beams, just like everypony else in here.

"The griffons... Mayor! They've taken over the village!"

"What! Nonsense, don't be..." his retort was cut off by a loud bark from the far side of the barn.

"Silence your muzzles, ponies or I'll silence them for you!" said a large black colored griffon who was brandishing a nasty looking whip.

Trotrow was having none of it. This had gotten ridiculous! He didn't know who had put these griffons up to it but he was going to make sure they payed. Never in all his knowledge had the griffons attacked ponies before. It was unprecedented. Once Celestia hears about this... he thought.

"I will not be silenced when my village had been attacked! What is the meaning of this?! Why would you do something like this? I demand to see whoever is in charge!"

The ponies around him cringed, backing away from him with fear and lowered heads. The griffon at the end of the barn snarled, moving forward with lightening quick speed and lashed the whip out with expert skill. A large cut appeared on Trotrow's chest just below his neck at the same time a loud snapping crack rang out. Trotrow howled with pain, falling to his side and clutching his torn fur as red blood stained his orange coat. Another lash came and caught him on the side just above his flank, doing an equal amount of damage.

"You don't need to know anything other than this land is now the rightful property of The Griffon Empire, land slug! The sooner you accept it, the better off you'll be!" the griffon snarled and coiled his whip again. "Any other questions?"

Terrified silence greeted his question and the griffon's eyes surveyed the subdued lot with a cruel stare. Slowly, he retreated back to the far side where he sat again, his eyes fixed on the large group of chained ponies with a menacing grin. The only sound that could be heard was the stifled weeping of Mayor Trotrow, a sound that made the griffon only smile more.

No pony had escaped, and nopony was coming. Shoehorn Village rarely received visitors.

Chapter 2

The morning of Whipwind's sentencing in Canterlot dawned cool and overcast. It was the first such day I remember that had started like this since my arrival in Equestria so many months ago. Heavy, grey clouds were drifting in from the north like a blanket that filtered the morning sunlight into a stone colored glow that lit up the yard of the farmhouse at Sweet Apple Acres. A stiff breeze tugged at my long black hair that was tied in a braid, hanging below the center of my back where my dusty colored wings sprouted out of the holes in the brown shirt I wore, flexing in anticipation for the flight ahead of us. My legs, naked from the knee down, were protected from the cool breeze by a pony like covering of soft fur that matched the color of my wings.

My left arm where Whipwind had bit me, causing this transformation to something between human and pegasus to happen in the first place, was aching now that the weather was cooling off. It had long since healed, but was choosing to reminded me of it's presence with a dull throb that was just enough to irritate me as I worked to secure the harness Rarity had made Scootaloo and I for flight. The wings, furry legs, an enhanced member tucked inside the shorts I wore... all were all "gifts" that the bite had bestowed on me through some mixing of Whipwind's blood and my own. I also suspected it was responsible for my hair growing to mid-back length in just a few months as well as my ability to get Scootaloo pregnant. All things considered though, having her bearing my child was worth every bit of it.

She gave me a tender, sleepy lick on the cheek before nuzzling me as I worked the straps around her chest. Stopping my efforts, I pulled her into a tight hug, breathing in her earthy smell that was so unlike anything I'd ever experienced in the human world. Two days had passed since Twilight and I had returned from Dodge City with Ashley in tow to help Spike and yesterday, after waking up with Scootaloo, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle in bed with me in a sweaty warm pile of fur, manes and tails, Twilight and Spike had come to Sweet Apple Acres with a note from Celestia. Whipwind had requested Scootaloo be at his final sentencing hearing for his crimes of assault and abuse. While she wasn't required to go, she said that she would anyways.

I didn't think it was a good idea, but Scootaloo wanted to see him one last time now that she was free of his control. Twilight was going with us as she was required to be a part of the hearing in a royal capacity and now we were getting ready to take off for the long flight to Canterlot. My wings felt strong and ready for the journey today and I actually looked forward to the trip, having never seen the royal castle before. The harness Rarity had made us so that I could fly Scootaloo was finally secured and we were ready to go.

"You'll love it Mason!" Twilight said as she checked her straps on the flank packs she wore, "The castle is so much better than my own!"

"I thought Spike was coming?" I said, standing next to Scootaloo and putting my hand gently on her purple mane.

"No, he wanted to help Ashley get settled in. I still think Sugarcube Corner was an odd place for her to choose..." she said, shaking her purple head slightly with a bemused look, "But Ashley really wanted to learn how to make gem cakes and glitter muffins. Spike told me she'd never had a gem until a couple of days ago, and now she's hooked! The Cakes will treat her good, and I'm sure they're glad to have another set of hooves around to help. I just hope Pinkie doesn't drive her crazy living together!"

"She was really nice yesterday, too." Scootaloo added, "I kinda wanted to hang out with her."

"Yes, well apparently Wilson was able to clear up her misgivings much better than I..." said Twilight, her hoof awkwardly rubbing her neck. "So much for the magic of friendship..."

"Oh stop it, Twilight." I chided her, "Everything's alright now, quit beating yourself up over it."

She gave me a sheepish look that faded quickly when she looked at the sun's hidden progress. "We better get going, you two. We don't want to be late." Twilight spread her wings and lifted off the ground, hovering a few feet above us as I hooked the umbilical from my chest piece to Scootaloo's harness on her back.

"You ready, Puffball?" I smiled at her and her cheeks flushed a bit before she nodded. My nickname for her always made her blush. It came from the first night we made love together and the horrible state of her mane and tail afterwards.

The harness held Scootaloo just below me, balanced perfectly with just enough room between us for her to buzz her little wings and help push us along. Once we both had learned to work together in the harness, we found we could fly amazingly fast. Not quite fast enough to beat Rainbow Dash in a race, but we gave her a damn good run for the money once, even with our added weight.

I lifted us off the ground slowly, making sure the harness was secure and balanced before climbing up into the sky with Twilight beside me. We turned north-east and set off towards the distant mountain that was hidden in the low clouds. Slowly we rose above the trees of the apple orchard and watched as Ponyville shrank in size to our left. It always made me laugh at how scared of heights I used to be before I had my wings. A ladder was enough to cause me to break out in a cold sweat before I came here and now I could soar through the clouds without a second thought. We flew easily, not pushing the speed, leaving energy and breath to talk. Scootaloo donned her "flying grin" as I called it, zoning out completely and buzzing her wings as hard as she could while her orange legs kicked out in front of her like Superman.

"So you and Spike are really alright, eh?" I asked Twilight once we'd leveled off and hit a comfortable cruising speed.

"I think so, Mason. I just have to remember that he wants to do his own things now and give him his space. He's growing up so quickly..." she gave me a nervous look, "But never mind that... I have to focus on today's royal duties. I've never done this before and every wing beat that brings us closer makes my stomach twist in knots!"

"I'm sure you'll do fine, Twilight." I smiled at her and then turned my head down to where Scootaloo hung below me. "Right, Scoots?" I said to my orange lover, scuffing her purple mane with my fingers.

She turned her head up and grinned, lost in the sensation of flying like she always was no matter how long or how far we flew together. Since the midsummer festival when Rarity had made us the sling, we'd spent more days out of the week than not flying for a few hours every morning. Scootaloo's enthusiasm for it never wavered or waned and she usually was the one nipping at my legs to hurry up and get the harness out. I'd had the forethought to ask rarity to design it so her belly wasn't constricted by the straps, allowing her to use it even though she was pregnant and starting to show. According to pony biology, our foal will be born in the spring, just on the other side of the fall and winter we were beginning to slip into now.

The mountain in the distance with Canterlot Castle perched invisibly in the clouds on it's side was already drawing closer. From my trips around the area either on foot or by air, I could see the place in the far distance and always marveled at how the massive structure clung precariously to the side of the rock. There was more than just a small part of me excited to be finally going to see it and check it out up close.

As we flew on, conversation dropped off and my thoughts drifted to my life since I'd arrived here. According to Scootaloo it had been late spring when I awoke in their clubhouse and even though it had only been four or five moon cycles, either time here moved more slowly or just the sheer number of events that had happened made it feel much longer.

But I was much better for it, I thought. My new body was growing muscled and lean with the constant chore work happening at the farm and eating healthy every day with fresh grown fruits and vegetables as the main diet had dropped the amount of fat on me down remarkably. I'd had to take a liking to nuts and seeds for protein because I'd yet to see anything resembling meat here and was not quite ready to ask why. I really only missed bacon. Dear lord, did I miss bacon. Sometimes the thought of it alone was enough to make my mouth water these days.

The greatest personal discovery for me had been a new found sense of courage and willingness to fight for my new friends here when threatened. Of all the things that had kept me up at night thinking, it had been those times when I'd actually willingly put myself in harms way for Scootaloo and the rest of the ponies. It wasn't something I'd ever had to do before and I'd found a part of me seemed to adapt to it rather quickly. Three times now I'd been in a fight and after the last time with the guards at Sugarcube corner, I found later that a part of me thrilled in the experience. Something about how it had felt to be filled with adrenaline and feeling the power in my body as time seemed to slow to a crawl and let me move with superhuman speed had been intoxicating.

I wasn't exactly proud. But it was an interesting new side of me none the less. Regardless, I'd come to accept that I was not the Mason who stumbled into whatever magical hole Twilight created months ago. I doubt my mother or the few friends I had back then would even recognize me anymore at this point and recently I'd come to the conclusion that I didn't care, either. I had been reborn. I had a girl who loved me and was pregnant with my child, a strong group of friends who cared about me and we all lived in a place that was beautiful and magical to my eyes. This was my life now and I wasn't entirely human anymore.

The golden spires of the castle came into view through the clouds, giving me my first look at the place up close as my wings beat a steady, comfortable pulse that kept Scootaloo and I on a gentle climb beside Twilight. The white walls of the sprawling complex gave the place less of a castle look and more of a jumbled together, large compound appearance. We flew towards the nearest landing outcrop that jutted off the side of the cliff about half way along the castle's length, rimmed by a tall, golden railing.

Two pegasi guards in exquisite golden armor flew up to meet us and escorted our way down to the large, white balcony where a small gathering of ponies were waiting. As soon as we landed, however... I learned just how important this gathering was. I recognized two of the three large alicorns right away but one I had not yet met. She was pink in color, taller and thinner than Twilight but not as tall as Celestia or the dark and brooding Luna who stood beside her. Her mane and tail were of several shades of pink and purple and her eyes were a large, luminous light purple that seemed bigger than her face should need.

"Princess Twilight Sparkle." Celestia said with a dignified air, "You are well met on this day of royal duty. Please announce your subjects who will attend today's proceedings."

"I... errum..." Twilight struggled for a moment, looking sheepish and clearly having an awkward time thinking of myself and Scootaloo as her 'subjects'. She pulled in a breath and gathered herself up into a dignified posture, pitching her voice firmly. "I have brought with me Scootaloo, who was requested by the one being sentenced and Mason, the human... and our friend."

"Very good. Let them be welcome to the proceedings and have a place of honor beside us." Celestia bowed. Her head came up with a wry smile after a moment and the time for formalities had passed. Much to everypony's relief.

"Twilight!" the alicorn I wasn't familiar with cried out with joy and ran forward, embracing the purple alicorn tightly with a smile. "It's so good to see you!"

"Cadence!" Twilight said, "It's been too long. How's my brother?"

Cadence's face dropped slightly. "Ehh.. well he's been busy, you know? Twilight, did Celestia not tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"I have not told Twilight everything yet, Cadence. She only knows of The Flock's return." Celestia said, her own face flirting with concern.

"Is... is something wrong?" Twilight asked, worried.

"We'll talk about it later." Celestia smiled and turned her eyes towards Scootaloo and I where we stood behind Twilight, me holding the unhooked umbilical of our harness in my hand.

"Welcome to Canterlot Castle, both of you. Scootaloo, I remind you that you're not required by the royal proceedings to be here."

"I know, Princess. But I kinda want to see him one more time. Now that I'm... you know..." she looked up at me with a small smile, "Free."

"That is very brave. And very mature of you, Scootaloo. You will make a great mother."

"Y... you know?" Scootaloo said with surprise, her face turning a bit red. I felt my own cheeks burning as well.

"Of course, little one. Your relationship with Mason is well known to my sister and I. We have wanted to congratulate you face to face for a while. Should you two need anything, please... do not hesitate to ask."

"Th.. thank you Celestia!" Scoots bowed her head.

"Mason? I assume you're here for her support?"

"Yes, Princess." I said, putting my hand on her neck.

"So you're the human, huh?" the alicorn named Cadence said, taking a welcoming step towards me, "Shining Armor mentioned something about a human his sister had conjured up."

"I... I guess that's me!" I tried to sound dignified, but failed. "Who's Shining Armor?"

"Mason, Shining Armor is my brother... and also Cadence's husband." Twilight said, giving Cadence a friendly nuzzle that was returned eagerly.

"So... you two are sisters-in-law then?"

"And much more!" Cadence nodded with a smile, "I also was Twilight's foal sitter and best friend. Catch us on a better day and we'll do our sunshine and ladybug cheer for you!"

My thoughts ran back to a very peculiar rhyme Twilight had muttered when she was drunk in Dodge City that had sunshine and ladybugs in it. I wondered if it was the same.

"Well, it's nice to meet you Cadence." I said, giving her a polite bow that felt stiff and awkward. She returned the gesture before Celestia spoke.

"Very well. Please, follow us into the castle where we shall leave you and Scootaloo alone for a time. The four of us have much to discuss before the proceedings take place. Oh, and Twilight?" Celestia said, turning her face towards the lavender alicorn, "On the way, could you please be so kind as to inform me why you never brought Spike's Feracity to my attention? My poor sister Luna had the most frightful time with his dreams over the last few weeks...."

Twilight suddenly looked ill and I shared a small smile with Scootaloo, knowing the source of her discomfort all to well.

Chapter 3

Scootaloo and I were left alone to explore once we'd reached the section of the castle where the royal courthouse was. Unfortunately, we grew bored rather quickly. There really was nothing much interesting here other that the building itself and after the fourth massive hallway with hard floors, white walls, pink tapestries and stained glass windows that depicted daily life in Equestria of sorts... it all looked the same.

We were asked to return to the large stone doors the four princesses had disappeared behind when the clock tower chimed again. However long that was from now though, I had no idea since a clock was something I hadn't seen in quite some time. Sweet Apple Acres ran off the clock of the sun and I don't think Applejack knew the meaning of the phrase "Twelve o'clock break."

One thing I did notice while Scootaloo and I wandered, was the amount of guards that were present. It seemed like every ten paces we took there was another pegasus, unicorn or land pony dressed in that incredibly shiny gold armor with a stern look on it's face. They were all stallions, too. Something that made me think that the majority of males here must be pressed into some sort of service given the disproportionately small number of them compared to females.

"I'm hungry..." Scootaloo dragged her hooves beside me in a miserable voice as we turned down yet another hallway, this one with windows showing scenes of life in some pegasi city.

"Yeah, me too. Let's ask the next guard where there's some food."

We didn't have to wait long. A green land pony guard was tucked into an alcove just ahead and when we approached, his jade colored eyes flicked to mine briefly before returning to his stoic, forward gaze.

"Excuse me, where can we find some food around here?" I asked politely. I was almost startled by how loud my own voice was in this quiet, reflective expanse.

The guard's face didn't move.

"Helllooo?" Scootaloo added, her face cocking with mild annoyance, "Can you hear us?"

Again, nothing.

"Well, that's rude!" Scootaloo frowned.

"Nah, I bet that's just his orders or something, Scoots. There are guards in places from my world who do this, too. Some of them are even tourist attractions because of how stiff and still they have to be."

"Wait, you mean they're not supposed to talk to us or something?"

"Probably not. I don't think it's his fault, anyways. Come on, let's find somepony else to ask."

Scootaloo paused for a moment, a mischievous grin spreading over her face. She was bored and hungry. Two things that always lead to her being a stinker.

"Scoot..." I warned with my own small smile.

She flashed her tongue out at the guard, making a scrunchy silly face at first. When that produced no reaction, she stood on her hind legs and stuck her front hooves on the side of her face, smooshing her cheeks together to purse her wiggling lips like a fish.

"Come on, silly pony." I said, laughing a little and tugging on her harness. "Let's go."

"Go? Where would you two be going now?" came a gravely voice from behind that made both of us jump. I whirled around and found myself face to face with a dark brown unicorn stallion. His fiery red mane was cut impossibly short, something that reminded me of a marine's buzz cut. But it was his face that jarred me the most. A patch covered his left eye in the middle of a massive scar that traced a thick, jagged, lightening bolt of a pattern from his forehead down to his muzzle, causing his mouth to be slightly misshapen.

"Mason... I didn't hear him..." Scootaloo blurted out with wide eyes. She echoed my own alarm perfectly. Her hoof steps had echoed loudly in this place and you would think that anypony walking behind us would be easily heard. The fact that this stallion had just appeared was rather unnerving.

"Young mare, learning to hide your hoof steps is one of the first things you learn in The Royal Citadel. Considering I am it's commander, I would do well to be a master at it." His face was stern and hard as he said this. Not a glint of warmth existed in the one burning, red eye that surveyed us.

"I... I'm sorry." Scootaloo stammered and pressed against me, her flank retreating behind my leg.

"We were just looking for someplace to get some food, that's all." I said, wanting to be away from this pony already. He felt dangerous for some reason. Most likely that damn scar.

"Two floors down, Take the stairs at the end of the next hallway. And don't insult any more of my guards on the way. This is not the time to take protocols lightly."

"Yes... yes sir." I replied, trying to get out of this with as much dignity as possible. We'd been here less than an hour and already Scoots and I had managed to piss off the commander of The Royal Citadel... whatever that was... by insulting a guard. "Come on, Scootaloo..." I said, pulling her along with me.

"Scootaloo?" His ears perked up suddenly, "You are one of the requested audience for the sentencing today?"

"Ye.. yes? Whipwind is m-my father."

He stepped towards her and brought his muzzle close to hers, his eye narrowing dangerously, "You would do well to stay away from crowds, young mare. There are many who would like such a prize as you to bring to enemy headquarters, you know. You're not safe."

"What!?" I placed a hand on his shoulder, gripping him tightly and no longer concerned who or what he was. I wanted answers. "What are you talking about? What enemy? Who's after Scootaloo?"

His muzzle remained a flat line of hardened guile as his eye bore into mine. "I suggest speaking with the princess about that, human... if indeed that's what you are." his eye scanned over me, "But watch your back." The commander turned and moved, silently stepping away from us down the hall, not looking back over his shoulder.

"M-Mason? What did he mean by that? I'm a little freaked out now." Scootaloo looked up at me with anxious eyes.

"I dunno, Scoots." I said, looking after the commander with doubt, "But I ain't letting anything happen to you. Come on, lets go find some-"

A pealing bell rang out loudly, cutting off my words effectively and reminding us that we had somewhere to be.

"That must be the bell Celestia told us about. Lets go. We'll eat afterwords."

We ran quickly back the way we had wandered and turned the final corner to where the large stone doors were, pulling up to a stop when the small crowd of ponies there caught us by surprise. They didn't notice us at first and continued to file into the large room inside as Scootaloo and I made our way to the back of the line. I received the customary stares and glances my presence usually had around groups of ponies. It wasn't so frequent anymore in Ponyville now that everypony in town was used to me. But up here, I guess my appearance was still something new.

The room beyond the doors was an incredible space of royal fussiness. It looked like a courtroom of sorts. More hard, white walls and floors with a long judge's bench at the far end that had four thrones behind it, each occupied by an alicorn. Twilight sat on the far left next to Cadence who in turn sat next to Luna and then Celestia at the far right. Tall flags hung in the still air behind them on poles, four total that concealed their markings but matched in color to the alicorns who sat in front of them. The one behind Twilight matched her coat perfectly.

Directly in front of the bench was a tall, narrow grey cage that contained a very familiar pegasus. He was the grown stallion version of Scootaloo, complete with purple mane and tail of the same shade. The last I saw him he had been turned into a living statue in his home up in Cloudsdale by Celestia after handily beating up myself, Applejack and Rainbow Dash in a fight for Scootaloo's return. He had almost killed Applejack that day and the poor farm pony spent weeks in the hospital recovering from her injuries.

But he wasn't a statue now. He was very much alive and breathing, his back towards us with no room to turn around as we filled in between the rows of low benches that lined this side of the room. The ponies near us selected seats at random and just when I was about to pull Scoots into a row, the doors boomed shut and Celestia knocked her hoof loudly on the wooden bench in front of her, bringing the room to a dead silence.

"Are the requested audience members here in accordance with the convict's wish?" her regal voice rang out clearly.

Scootaloo's ears flattened, embarrassed suddenly that she would have to call attention to herself. I stroked her neck and gave her an encouraging nod. "Go on, Scoots. It's alright." I whispered.

She was just opening her mouth to speak when a mare's voice rang out from the opposite side of the general seating area we were in. "Yes, Princess. Nightleaf is here."

I felt Scootaloo go rigid under my hand. "M... Mamma?!" she cried out, turning towards the sound.

"Poptart?" a dusky, dark blue colored pegasus mare with silver mane and tail hair came rushing towards us from the other side of the room. Scootaloo scrambled to meet her and in the large center isle they met in a dramatic hug, Scootaloo nuzzling her fiercely.

"Scootaloo, I'm so glad you're alright. I'm so glad you're safe." the mare cooed.

"Mamma.. why wouldn't I be? Where have you been? Why did-"

The knock of Celestia's hoof came again, cutting of the reunion with the mare that I had no doubt was Scootaloo's mother from her description. The room turned from watching the unexpected reunion back to the proceedings at the front.

"Please, this is not the time. I do not wish to be rude but we are here on official business. I see that both Nightleaf and Scootaloo are present. Step forward and take the seats of honor to my left." she held her hoof out, indicating a small platform with several seats to that side.

Scootaloo gave me a nervous look before she followed her mother to the front of room. Whipwind's head came up as they passed behind his cage and everyone could hear the snorting intake of mock amusement that came from him.

When they were seated, the group of ponies in the benches with me all took their seats and I followed suit, already wishing for this to be over with so I could get something to eat. Also I was dying to ask somepony about the threats mentioned by the commander earlier and the hyper-tense feeling of needing to know was putting me on edge.

My eyes flicked to Twilight Sparkle who looked completely ill sitting on the bench up front. She was chewing on her bottom lip and her eyes were wide and anxious, a sign I knew well from our time spent together that something was really bothering her. If it was this proceeding or the news that Celestia told her just before, I couldn't know. What I did know is she didn't share the same poised and dignified look as the other three up there. She looked like a young, nervous filly pretending to be an adult and a part of something she had no idea how to handle.

"Whipwind." Celestia began, "You have been found guilty of the following crimes: Assault of a pre-cutie mark filly, two instances. Neglect of a pre-cutie mark filly who is your daughter, one instance. Assault on a mare with intent to kill, one instance. Attempted murder, three instances. Treason against the royal co-"

"Treason?! Ha!" Whipwind suddenly barked out in a chewed up voice that sounded like he'd been drinking gravel for the last month, "I don't recognize your authority to be treasoned against, Celestia. Just because you were given the power to make the sun rise and set doesn't mean everypony should worship you."

Celestia looked as if she barely heard him and continued her list of charges when he'd finished. "Treason against the royal court, one instance. Conspiracy to commit Treason, three instances. For these crimes you will now be sentenced. According to tradition, you have been allowed to request your audience and they are present. Speak your words, Whipwind."

"I've got nothing to say to them, princess. I just wanted to see if they had enough guts to show up. I see my useless wife thinks she has eluded her role in life by trying to clear herself of the Sarin addiction. But I can smell it on her." his face turned towards Nightleaf and Scootaloo, "Not so easy, is it babe." his voice had a sneering quality to it that made my wings tingle with irritation.

Both Scootaloo and Nightleaf glowered at Whipwind, their expressions remarkably similar as they held each other for support.

He turned back to the bench. "Look at the four of you... all high and mighty, sitting up there like you actually matter around here. You stupid alicorns have no idea just how big this world is. You think that just because Equestria is filled with cowed and docile ponies, content to live out their lives like sheep, that everything is fine."

"You are trying my patience Whipwind." Celestia warned, "Use this time to start healing the damage you've caused rather than spread it."

"Heal?! There will be no healing until the rightful race of the Pegasi is in control of Equestria!" Whipwind raised himself up to his full height in the cage, "Too long have you sat on that throne and pretended to be in charge of things. Your own arrogance has made you weak and stupid!"

"Try us no more, Whipwind!" Luna erupted in anger, her voice deafeningly loud "Your time to speak is over!"

"No... It's is just beginning."

A pegasus, blood red in color from his mane to it's tail, stood suddenly and began to chant. It's voice took on an immediate, supernatural quality and the words reverberated around the chamber with incredible fullness and power that rumbled in my chest.

"Kulesh Grmalmada Bethedo Melia! Volgar Himvela Nogthanu!"

"No! It cannot be! Those words! That magic is-" Celestia stood her eyes growing wide and then she stopped, seeming to freeze in place with her mouth half open in mid speech. It was like someone had hit the pause button on life as the mysterious words reverberated in the large chamber, weaving it's sound around the room like and invisible blanket. At the start of the chant, several ponies had gotten up to move away from the stranger but now they stood still, their eyes locked in a wide, frightful stare.

But I remained unaffected. The shock of the sudden events serving me well by freezing me with indecision as I sat impassively on the bench, wiggling my fingers and toes enough to realize that whatever spell had frozen the ponies around me... I was still able to move just fine. Not to say the words didn't have an effect completely. My wings felt sluggish and numb while the feeling of the words rumbling in my chest gave me a sick and uneasy feeling. But other than that, I was pretty sure I could leap out of my seat at any time.

The blood colored pony continued his chant as he began to move forward towards the cage, pushing the frozen bodies out of the way with a hoof and causing them to tip over like statues where they landed with awkward stiffness against the ground. He reached Whipwind's prison and started to fiddle with the lock on the backside where the door was. My heart jumped to my throat when I realized his true intention. He was here to help Whipwind escape! I had to do something. I couldn't let this psychotic asshole get free again. With everypony frozen like they were... who knew what that nut job would do if given the chance.

Slowly and quietly I got to my feet, unhooking the umbilical strap from the harness and wrapping it around my fist like a makeshift mace with the heavy metal buckle dangling of the free end. I had one chance to knock this stranger out with it and hoped to hell that he doesn't have some other magic that actually does have more than a glancing effect on me.

I crept up behind the distracted, chanting pegasus and pulled the strap back, spinning it once over my head to gain momentum before I lashed out, striking hard and true against the side of his skull with a sickening, hallow crack! He reeled and stumbled towards the alicorn bench in a daze, the chant cut off mid word.

But he did not fall.

"Shit." I swore and jumped at him, giving him no time to collect himself before I heaved a massive kick between his rear legs with my foot that sent him sprawling with a howl of pain. Remaining on the attack, I raised the strap to strike again but he recovered quickly, shaking his red mane and scrambling away from me towards the bench, coughing and gasping for air.

"W.. what are you that does not... heed the magic of Shandor?" he spat, squaring off several feet away from me with blood running from the side of his skull. The eye on that side of his head seemed out of focus and not tracking me like the other did.

"Dunno, asshole. You can call me Mason, though. But you better come up with something else besides your little song if you want to get Whipwind out of here." I sneered, trying my best tough guy voice. It was hard. Adrenaline was pumping though my body strong enough to cause my jaw to tremble with every word.

"We see you now, Mason. We see you very well. You are marked." he grinned and began to chant again.

"Fuck no, you don't!" I grunted and lunged forward, whipping the strap out at his face again, interrupting his words and causing him to duck out of the way to avoid it. He slid to my left and started to back away, me matching his every step to keep him just inside the range of the weapon I had.

"Very effective hooves you have there, creature." he smiled, continuing to backstep away from me, "A shame they will be torn off of you someday soon. You'll pay for this interruption, Mason. When my master hears about thi-"

I whipped the strap out again, encouraging him to keep moving towards the door just as he was. "Fuck you and fuck your master. Whipwind 'bout killed me and my friends and I ain't lettin' you have him!" something inside me giggled with mad amusement that those words came out with Applejack's accent tinting them.

"The Flock will remember this... and we never forget." he smiled before leaping to his wings, slamming into the closed stone doors and shoving them open before disappearing. I stood for a moment, catching my breath and debating chasing after him before remembering Scootaloo. I jumped over several downed ponies and racing towards the platform where she and her mother were.

She was motionless in her mother's embrace, her eyes shimmering with life and wet tears that dripped down her face fur. "Scoots? Oh shit... Scoots? How do I fix this?" I said embracing her stiff body and was relieved to feel her warmth and heart pounding strong.

I turned my head to the alicorns. "Celestia? Anypony? What do I do?!"

A low, slow laugh rang out in the stillness after my desperate plea had echoed away. Whipwind was apparently unaffected by the spell and his orange head was now turned towards me.

"Well done, human. You managed to save everypony here... for a time. I was so looking forward to ripping Celestia's throat out with my teeth, too." he smirked.

"Fuck you, Whipwind! How to I get rid of this!"

"Oh, it will wear off shortly. I'm sure Celestia and her mixed blood kind will have much to thank you for, too. Enjoy it while you can..."

"What's happening? Who was that pegasus?" I said, closing the distance to his cage with angry, long strides.

"I have to thank you, human. Your interference a while ago brought me out of a slump I was in. I was half crazy with addiction when you last saw me and not up to my best abilities. The last few months as a statue has really cleared my head. And you're welcome by the way. I recognize that feather pattern of your wings... It's my bloodline's own. Very fast and powerful... you should feel honored." he nodded amicably enough.

"I try to forget where they came from as much as possible, to be honest." I frowned and gripped the strap tightly in my hand, wishing I could smack him through the bars. "Who was that? What is The Flock?"

Whipwind's mouth turned up in a smile and his only reply was; "You'll see."

"M... Mason..." came the strangled voice of Twilight Sparkle from behind me. I whirled and saw her blinking, her mouth moving with pained stiffness.

"Twilight!" I cried and ran to her, stroking her mane awkwardly, not knowing what else I should do. I looked quickly over to Scootaloo but she seemed frozen still. "You can move?"

"Protection... spell. Almost... got it... before." her eyes rolled in her head with frustration, each word looked as if she was fighting an invisible restraint on her muzzle.

"What can I do?! Tell me, Twilight? How do I help!"

"Almost... over... Wait..."

And so I did. I couldn't think of anything else to do except return to Scootaloo, passing by Whipwind who's purple eyes followed me mockingly as I went. I stood beside the orange girl I loved and stroked her mane, thinking about getting the guards. But what good would that do? The one responsible had escaped and there was nothing they could do to help anyways. Celestia would take care of things as soon as the spell wore off.

So I waited.

Chapter 4

I didn't have to wait long.

With a sound that reminded me of a crowd gasping in a huge breath all at once, (and that's exactly what it was) the entire room suddenly sprang into life.

Ponies collapsed at once as if they were suddenly lifeless dolls before springing back to their hooves. A loud chorus of alarm and fear rose only to be met with Celestia's voice calling out over the din.

"Silence!"

The room paused again, this time not quite with the same totality that it had under the mysterious pegasi's spell, but enough so that order was restored quickly. Scootaloo had sagged into my arms and while I felt a bit guilty letting her mother fall, I only had two arms.

"Mason... oh my gosh, I was so scared." Scootaloo trembled against me her hoof grasping my arm in a clutch of pure, desperate relief.

"I wish everypony to leave in an orderly manner. We are safe now, there is nothing to fear." Luna called out to the room. Several voices raised in protest to her words that seemed to shock the entire bench.

"Says who!?"

"You couldn't stop him!"

"He could have killed us all!"

The shouts grew in intensity until Celestia's hoof knocked forcefully against the bench several times, interrupting the voices with it's commanding sound. The final voice to be heard was Whipwind's laughter, cruel and menacing, that carried out long after the others had gone quiet.

"Your subjects grow restless, princess. How will you cow them now that they've seen how powerless you are against a single chant?" he chuckled.

"Everypony listen to me." Celestia began, her face darkening at Whipwind for a moment, "We were just as surprised as you to hear a Shandoric Chant after all these centuries. We thought his scrolls and teachings were all contained in my library and had discounted them as ever coming to light again. However, whoever is responsible for it's resurgence has lost this element of surprise and it shall not happen again!"

Celestia pointed to me suddenly, "This human saved us and now we know of their power! Such an opportunity will not happen again for them. Unicorns across Equestria will be taught the counter spells for the Shandoric Chants as soon as we can make ready the scrolls. Now please..." her stern face softened, "Leave us so we may discuss these events."

Grumbles of dissension and disbelief came from the crowd but they complied, leaving the room in an orderly fashion until Scootaloo, her mother and I were alone with the four alicorns. Celestia and Luna rose, leaving the bench and moving to where I stood with Scootaloo in my arms. Twilight was visibly shaken and sat with a stunned look of disbelief on her face while Cadence comforted her.

Celestia opened her mouth to speak, but stopped suddenly, her light purple eyes resting on Whipwind. She rose and left the bench, stepping in front of the cage that held the orange stallion. "Whipwind, your fate is already decided. Tell us what you know and perhaps I'll place you in a more scenic area of my garden."

Whipwind's muzzle turned up in a leer, his dark eyes narrowing with malice. "You're finished, Celestia... you just don't know it yet. I'll not be frozen long. The power of Shandor will release me and I will make it my goal to defecate on your gra-"

Whipwind's words were cut off as a brilliant white light shot from the end of Celestia's horn in a beam, slamming into his face and ripping a scream of pain from his throat. A crackling sound that reminded me of concrete being broken filled the room and we watched as a white line of alabaster traveled slowly over Whipwind's body, moving from his face, down his neck and then over his whole form, freezing him completely in a grotesque pose of pain. In moments, it was all over. No longer did his eyes reflect life as they did previously. He now looked every bit a white statue as the ones I'd seen in the museums back home.

"Luna..." Celestia said after the silence had returned. She turned and faced her darker sister who stood impassively near the bench. "I fear we may have underestimated The Flock. If they truly have found the Shandoric magic, we may be in more danger than we ever thought possible."

"What are we going to do, Celestia?" Cadence said from beside Twilight who was regaining her composure slowly, "Nopony has studied the Shandoric magic in centuries. It was banned..."

"That's not true, Cadence. Twilight Sparkle was given permission to study them, isn't that correct?"

Twilight's face turned red and her ears flattened with the weight of the four alicorn's eyes. "Y... yes Celestia."

"And you know the counter spells?"

"S... some of them, yes. But I've never practiced them before! I'm not even sure if I'm doing them correctly!"

"Twilight, I am ordering you to study the magic and the counter spells completely. You will have unrestricted access to that section of the library and I need you to begin teaching unicorns the counter spells as quickly as possible. This is your duty, Twilight Sparkle, and I know you will not let us down."

"Yes, Princess..." Twilight bolstered herself, sitting upright and accepting her charge.

"Mason," Celestia turned to me, "We are all in your debt for saving us. I do not know how or why the chant did not affect you, but because of that, we are alive. Thank you." she then bowed her head to me, a gesture that made me feel a bit self conscious.

"I... I don't know either, Celestia. I can't explain it other than my wings felt a bit numb but other than that..." I shrugged.

"Not much is known about the true nature of Shandoric magic. There is no record of it ever being used on anything other than pony kind. It is a dark and evil magic that was outlawed many centuries ago. Shandor lived in the wastelands to the north, just beyond the Drakenridge mountains. He was an evil but very powerful griffon who caused me much trouble in my younger days. It was with The Elements of Harmony that he was defeated, and it was only by luck that I caught him by surprise to do so."

"P... princess?" a quiet voice spoke up near me. It was Nightleaf.

"Yes Nightleaf? What is it?"

"Kaiden... he knows a spy in The Griffon Empire. You should talk with him. He told me of her just before I returned to Cadence's care..."

"Wait, Kaiden? The guard from Sugarcube corner?" I said with disbelief.

Nightleaf nodded slightly and then told us her story of how she had relapsed in Cloudsdale the night after she had come to Sweet Apple Acres. Scootaloo nuzzled her mother as she told us of how powerless she'd felt over the addiction and had ended up using again in the cider bar. Later, she was set on by two pegasi after leaving in a stoned daze, knocked unconscious and taken. It was Kaiden who saved her, nursing her back to health as he investigated The Flock's activities. There was a griffon that came once or twice to his house, she couldn't be sure of her name, but she definitely was working with him and telling Kaiden of the plans being made. When she'd finished, Cadence spoke up.

"Why did you not tell me this, Nightleaf? We were to have no secretes between us!"

"I... I'm sorry Princess. I didn't want to trouble you. I've caused you so much hassle already."

Cadence frowned but nodded in acceptance of her apology. "So then what do we do now, Celestia?"

"We must alert all of Equestria. The Griffon Empire will not wait long if they have this kind of power behind them. Everypony must be ready to fight."

"Wait... what?" I said, not believing where this was going, "Fight? You mean like a war? Why can't you just.. just go zap them or something?"

"Our magic is effective against one or two targets. If the griffons are sending an army south, all ponies will need to take arms and fight. I will send word to the armories to distribute weapons right away."

"What kind of weapons? How does a pony hold one?"

This earned me a condescending look from Celestia and Luna both. "You think our kind is not adapted for battle? There are earth ponies so skilled with a muzzle blade that not even the fastest pegasus could dodge them. We are not incapable of defending ourselves. You would be wise to learn them as well, human. In fact..." her muzzle turned in a smile, "You are to report to The Royal Citadel this afternoon for training. I am charging you with the defense of Sweet Apple Acres."

"What!?" Scootaloo and I both said at the same time.

"But.. but I don't know how to..."

"You will." she said and the tone of her voice left no room for argument.

Celestia dismissed us so that she could begin giving out orders. Scootaloo, Nightleaf and I left after a brief conversation with Twilight. She asked us to please look out for our friends in Ponyville and to let everypony know to stay together until she could return. As much as she tried to look brave and confidant, there was a hint of real fear in her eyes that drove home exactly what was happening. I reminded her that she should ask Celestia to send a scroll to Spike so that our friends would know what was happening as well. Twilight immediately bolted after Celestia, leaving us standing in her wake and looking at thin air.

The three of us ate, but not very much. None of us had an appetite after learning that we were about to be living in a land preparing for war. While we walked towards the citadel, I talked with Scootaloo's mother, getting to know her and answering her questions about my relationship with her daughter. As we neared the center of the castle, the recent events became evident.

News of the attack had gotten around and Celestia's orders were being carried out hastily. Guards were everywhere, moving with rigid discipline in orderly rows here and there as we crossed the large central courtyard and headed towards the south portal. The citadel was outside the castle's walls, resting on a large shelf of the mountain connected by a wide walkway without railings that spanned over a chasm that plummeted down into the fog and rocks thousands of feet below. The conversation between the three of us halted when we reached the edge of the walkway.

"H... hook me into the harness, Mason." Scootaloo pressed against my side, her purple topped head looking over the edge hesitantly, "I don't wanna walk over this. You're gonna have to fly me..." she quivered.

A few moments later, the three of us landed on the far side and were immediately greeted by two guards who trotted out of the nearby imposing structure. It was white, like everything else built around here, but was low and squat. Hard angles and sharp edges defined it's shape giving it a very militaristic look that gave the impression of a fortress.

"Are you the human named Mason?" one of them asked me gruffly.

"Yes."

"Come with us. The filly and the mare may watch, provided they do not interfere."

We looked at each other apprehensively before following them through the arched portcullis and into the secured yard beyond. What I saw took my breath away.

The bright blanket of overhead clouds illuminated a massive open space that was easily several football fields wide and long. Large groups of ponies in armor were forming into rows facing away from us towards the back wall. There had to be at least a thousand, maybe more. I had no way of knowing. We watched as more and more streamed from openings in the large walls to either side until the entire space was filled with orderly rows of ponies of every kind in golden armor that shone dully in the sun. The ground fairly trembled with the number of hooves stamping on the hard, smooth stone surface under my feet and the smell of ponies filled the air.

The two guards held us near the entrance, one of them turning to me and saying; "General Dower is about to address the troops. Wait here till it's over and then make your way to the far side. You'll be fitted for your wingblades there."

"Wingblades?" I asked, but I was speaking to thin air. The two had already taken their place near the back of the rows and blended in perfectly.

"What did he mean Wingblades, Mason?" Scootaloo looked up at me with anxious eyes.

"I dunno, Scoots." I shook my head, "Nightleaf?"

"They are standard weapons for pegasi troops, Mason. But I've never seen a real set. Only the ornamental ones worn during parades."

The crowd roared to life suddenly with a deafening sound of thousands of voices all cheering at the same time. It echoed off the walls with tremendous force that flattened Scootaloo and Nightleaf's ears with it's intensity. On the far side of the parade grounds, high up on the wall, I could just barely make out a pony who had appeared on the balcony set into the smooth white wall.

A voice, one that I recognized as the gravely one belonging to the pony that had materialized behind us in the castle earlier, rang out with otherworldly volume. There was no way his voice could be heard this far away without some sort of aid. And since I didn't see any speakers or PA system, I figured it was magic. His voice immediately quieted the crowd and every pony stood at rigid attention in perfectly straight lines.

"Ponies of the citadel! By now you are all aware of the growing threat from the north. The Griffon Empire has turned against us and just this very morning our castle was infiltrated by an assassin! This aggression will not go unanswered. Each of your unit captains have been given a destination and it is your job to defend this destination against any advancing forces. One pony from each unit will be given a scroll spell, they are to use this at the first sight of trouble for re-enforcements."

"Each unit will be taking a cache of weapons with them. Muzzle Blades are to be handed out to any pony old enough to wield them. Train all who will learn, for a time may come when they must defend their homes. The unicorns in your units will also be receiving new magic from Princess Twilight Sparkle shortly. Learn these spells, magic users, for it may mean the difference between victory and defeat."

"Most of you have never experienced real fighting. But do not fear the battle cry when it comes. You have all been training for this and I know you will all perform your duties with valor and honor! If the fear of death comes over you, remember that you are not fighting for yourself! You are fighting for the ones you love! No pony who fights with bravery shall be forgotten! No pony who dies defending this land and our way of life and equality shall be gone forever! We are all in this together, and will push back against any attack on our land with the full force of our armies! Equestria shall prevail!"

A rousing cheer, one that sent shivers down my spine, reverberated again that was filled with pride and loyalty. I almost teared up at the incredible show of unity. When the cheer died down, General Dower spoke again.

"Go now and defend our land with bravery and honor! Show the griffons what it means to challenge the great citadel of Equestria!"

Another cheer came that only lasted a moment. A new voice rang out silencing the troops immediately.

"Atten-tion!" it called and all the ponies in the grounds snapped their hooves together, raising their armored heads high.

In the deafening silence that followed, a drum began a marching cadence. So similar to a military beat from my own world that it brought images of old WWII pictures to my mind. On the balcony, a small colt appeared that was barely visible. The single drum he played rang out loud and clear in the square and after a few measures of playing, a low, melodic hum came from the troops.

It was a hymn. One that was prideful but somber at the same time, carried deep and harmoniously over thousands of voices that stirred my blood to the point that I was trembling. When a large flag dropped from the bottom of the balcony, a pale blue field with a sun and moon in the center, the likeness of Celestia and Luna curled around them, the voices turned into words.

Equestria has heard her call.

Through land and flight we meet them all

And as we fight to keep our ways

No wound shall keep or stay our blade

The ones who fight and ones who die

Remembered by the sun and sky

No foe shall break our great resolve

The citadel shall victor all

As we leave to go and fight

Our foes will tremble in the night

Through horn and wing and muzzle blade

Our lands remain our home this day!

So think of us for we leave soon

And battle all for sun and moon

We do not ever walk alone

Equestria! Our life and home!

The voices dropped off and the solo drum sounded out a final, lonely beat before it too ended. Without further words, the troops began to leave. The ones with wings did so straight up into the sky and the rest turned in unison, suddenly facing us at the rear and the large opening behind us.

We moved out of the way as they began to march forward, filing out and crossing the bridge beyond in orderly rows. As the ponies began to leave, the three of us made our way to the far side with the now empty balcony. There was another opening here, wide and low that lead into a dark space under the great wall where dozens of racks stood with gleaming steel on them.

It took me a moment to realize what I was looking at, but it was an armory. The racks held weird looking blades that looked like two smallish swords connected at the pommels with a round bit that may or may not have been some sort of tough hide. Picking one of these up, I realized that the bit was meant to fit inside a pony's mouth. Each one also had a harness and straps that probably served to fit over their heads and neck for additional stability and leverage.

"Mason... I'm scared." Scootaloo suddenly said beside me. Her eyes were shiny wet with barely contained tears that glimmered in the diffuse light that came from the open wall leading out to the courtyard. "I don't want you to do this."

I put the blade thing down and knelt in front of Scootaloo, pulling her into a hug. "I... I don't know if I'll have a choice, Scoots. If something happens at the farm, I have to be able to help, right?"

"Can't we just... can't we just go somewhere? Can't we just hide out in someplace like my cave or something till this is over?"

"What about our friends? We can't all hide there." I gave her a squeeze, "I'm scared too." I whispered in her ear.

"Well, those look a bit large but I think I might have something that will fit you." came a voice from behind us. I rose and turned to see a pegasus stallion, one that looked older than Granny Smith but infinitely more knotted with muscle and sinew that wasn't quite ready to dissolve with old age.

"E.. excuse me?" I said, not sure what he was talking about.

"Your wings. A bit larger than a normal pegasi buuuut... " he trailed off, nodding his head to my left in a gesture to follow him, "I think I got a pair big enough for ya."

I left Scootaloo and her mother behind to follow the old grey stallion towards a larger rack that held curved blades joined together with multiple straps. He grabbed a set with his muzzle and held it out for me. Taking them, I was amazed at how light they were. If the blades were steel then they were unlike any steel I'd ever seen.

It took a while, but we finally managed to strap them on after some modifications to the harness. Luckily, they fit over Scootaloo's flight gear I was already wearing perfectly. The wingblades were long, thin strips of sharpened metal that when fitted, ran the forward edge of my wings, effectively turning them into cutting edges with armor that covered a good portion of the tops surface as well. They were jointed and flexed easily with the movements of flight rather ingeniously in a way I wouldn't think possible. Cruel and sharp looking spikes barbed the far tips that looked as though I could impale a tree with them if I flew hard enough at one.

Once they were on and secure, he lead me back to where the muzzle blades where. "The bits on these look big for that mouth of yours." he shrugged, "Not quite sure what you're going to do with a pair of these."

I picked up a set and examined them. They basically were two double edged swords joined together at the base about a foot apart. I had never played with swords before, but...

"Can you separate these?" I said, holding them out for the armory stallion, "Get rid of this thing here in the middle so I can hold them like this?"

I demonstrated by gripping the two rounded bases of the blades with my hands. The armory attendant nodded with understanding almost immediately.

"Ahh, Dragon Blades? Well I think there's a couple around here still. We keep a few just in case Celestia wants to outfit any young dragons who can wield them. Not much use for a pony, but your hooves look similar to theirs. I'll have to clean them up and sharpen them though. Haven't been used in centuries at least!"

A while later, I found myself standing near the side of the field in front of a large block of wood. The armory attendant had left me there while he went to go fetch the trainer who would show me the ropes of how to use them. I had two short swords about three feet long, one in each hand that shone a bright silver color along their blades. The handles were wrapped in new black cloth to replace the centuries old cloth that was originally on them and felt pretty comfortable in my hands... even though I had no fucking clue how to use them.

I waved them around, getting a feel of their weight on my wrists and then flexed my wings, still amazed at how I barely felt the wingblades. They moved easily on the joints, reminding me of the sharp sound of scissors as the blades slid along themselves. I took a few experimental hacks at the wood block with the swords and found they bit quickly in, sending chips flying easily. Scootaloo stood nearby and looked on with obvious nervousness as I tested out my swing. As much as I loved her, I wished she wasn't here right now to watch this at all. Clearly she didn't like it.

Nightleaf called out when she spied a large, muscular stallion walking towards us from the armory. He was a pegasus, fitted with wingblades and also wearing a muzzle blade. He was without the full armor that the others wore and walked towards me like a brick wall. When he got close enough, he spit the bit out and spoke with clipped official tones.

"I am here to show you the basics. Stand and face me, human. Defend yourself and show me what you can do."

"Huh? Oh.. yeah, right." I said awkwardly, feeling a bit dumb and nervous all of a sudden.

He dropped his head in a quick bow and then grabbed the bit again with his muzzle, launching into the sky suddenly. I stood, looking up at him with confusion as to what he was doing and had to dodge out of the way when he quickly dove at me, the muzzle blades flashing left and right.

I landed awkwardly on my shoulder, getting to my feet as quick as I could. He hovered a distance away and looked at me blankly. It dawned on me that I was supposed to fight him.

"You... are you for real?! You want me to fight you?" I said, stretching my wings and preparing to take flight myself.

"Will an enemy simply give you a pass? Show me what you can do, human!"

He growled and dove at me again. I stepped to the side, parrying his airborne thrust with one blade and bringing the other around in a chopping attack that he blocked with his wingblades in a quick twisting motion. He backed off an landed, spitting the bit out again.

"Your wingblades serve as both offense and defense. Don't forget that."

"Wait... look. I don't want to hurt you by accident or something... or get hurt myself." I said sheepishly, really concerned about losing an arm or getting stabbed all of a sudden. This was way more intense than the fight at Sugarcube corner... and this wasn't even for real.

"Then don't hold back. There are medical unicorns standing by watching. Your motivation to learn is to not have to be tended to by one of them." his golden eyes never wavered.

He picked up the muzzle bit again and he charged with a savage sweeping motion of the dual blades that extended from his cheeks. I blocked his strike with a blade and extended my wing, copying his twisting motion to snap the razor sharp edge towards him. Metal on metal sounded as his own wing rose to meet mine and they clashed together hard, sending a jarring vibration into my spine.

Almost too late I realized his muzzle blades were below me now and he snapped them up towards my face. I barely got out of the way, preventing him from opening my chin but a trace of fire wound it's way up my cheek. I felt warm blood begin to flow, making the whole experience very real... and very dangerous.

I leaped backwards, taking to the air to get some distance before wiping the blood away. I heard Scootaloo call my name dimly as adrenaline flooded my body, narrowing my vision to razor sharp intensity. My opponent looked up and waited for me to gather myself, a gesture I recognized as him giving me a chance. I realized that having a blade in both hands was too cumbersome and let the one in my left hand fall away where it clanged nosily to the floor. More comfortable now, I gripped the one blade with both hands tightly, blood dripping from my cheek.

Taking the initiative this time, I swooped down at him as he took flight while bringing the sword around in what felt like a clumsy arc to knock away his muzzle blades. Immediately after making contact, I spun like a top, sending my wings out like the business part of a blender at him blindly with every ounce of force I could muster. I felt the clang of metal on metal again and heard him grunt as the force of my momentum knocked him to the side. When I came around, he was already flying at me fast and straight. With less than a second to think, I simply dropped like a stone and raised my blade above my head.

It was a move he wasn't expecting as evidenced by the scream he let out as the tip of my blade carved a cruel slash along his underbelly. He flew out of control and landed in a pile on the ground nearby, clutching his stomach and grimacing with pain. Immediately a red unicorn appeared, covering his body with the healing blue light I'd become so familiar with over the time I'd been here. A few moments later, he was on his feet again with his golden eyes fixed on me.

"You've had training?" he asked, his voice was approving.

"N.. no." I said shaking my head and keeping a tight grip on the blade in my hand, not sure if he was going to come at me again or not.

"Well you're a natural then. You show more ability than any I've given the first blood fight to. You are taller and have a much greater reach than a pony. You're an effective fighter already. Now human, are you ready for me? This time I will not hold back."

Gripping the blade even tighter in my hands, I nodded.

His wings came straight out as he charged at me on the ground, first he twisted left, sending his right wing into me that I blocked with my own left side blade. When his muzzle blades came up from below me and from my right, I was ready for them and cracked the pommel of the blade against his cheek as his head turned. The combination of momentum from his head and the downward force of my arms added to the blow, stunning him briefly and allowing me to kick his front legs out from under him.

His front half dropped and before he could recover, I stepped on his muzzle, pinning the blades to the ground and rendering him helpless for a moment. But not completely. Before I knew it, a flare of white hot agony ripped open across my right shoulder. His left wing had shot forward, embedding the blade into my arm just below the shoulder at least an inch deep. I screamed but held my ground, raising my blade up in my left hand with the point facing down at his neck, lost in the haze of the fight and not realizing what my gesture meant.

Without warning, paralyzing white light seized my body, freezing me completely with the sword's tip less than a foot away from plunging into the pegasi's neck. A unicorn mare came into view, her face stern as she looked at me.

"That's enough, human. You have won." she said calmly, staring at me with a fixed but forceful expression.

The savage pain in my shoulder brought me to my senses and I relaxed into the grip of her magic. The force slowly faded, allowing me control of my body enough to drop the blade safely away from the pegasus. When he jerked his wingblade out from my arm, blood immediately began to pour from the open wound and down my arm. But not for very long.

The light from the unicorn's horn quickly changed to blue and the powerful healing magic she had washed over me, closing the gash and healing me so effectively that I wondered if her talent was greater even than Celestia. When she finished her work and vanished again. I was left staring at the pegasus a few feet in front of me.

"What is your name, human?" he asked, removing the muzzle blade and dropping it to the ground with a loud clang.

"Mason."

"Mason, I am Traynor. It was an honor to face you. Either you are a very gifted fighter, or humans are just naturally better suited for combat. Either way, I have never been bested in a first blood fight. There is little I can teach you that your talent does not already afford. You fight well."

"Thanks..." I said, not really believing him... or myself at what I had just done.

Chapter 5

The village of Shoehorn had been transformed almost over night. Griffons began to pour in from the north at an alarming rate, marching across the barren, windswept lands in groups of fifty to one hundred every few hours. By nightfall of the second day of occupation, Shoehorn Village was a staging grounds for an invasion.

Days and nights passed as the buildings were re-purposed for the griffon's needs. The general store was emptied, houses were turned into officer's quarters and the town hall was now a command center, bustling with activity day and night.

The citizens of the town were pressed into hard labor. Even the mares and foals were set about to do work like cooking meals and cleaning up after the feathered creatures. The stallions were forced to repair and manufacture more armor and weapons for the them, most notably hundreds of protective chest plates to cover the hybrid's vulnerable chest area where their bird-like bones connected their upper halves with their more stout lower bodies. The smithy was expanded, it's walls taken out and several more forges were built to increase the amount of items that could be made and improved.

It was the task of the stallions and colts to work these forges under the ever present eye of the griffons who were in charge of them. Most notably Galrik, a large black griffon with a snow white head and beady red eyes. Savage lessons were taught in the beginning. The stallions chosen to work the forges were quickly marked with scars from Galrik's stinging and expertly wielded whip and burned by brands as they were forced to learn the ways of weapon craft that they had previously never heard of. It was in this fiery, exhastive misery that Cobalt hatched his plan.

"I'm telling you... they haven't found Stampede Pass yet." Cobalt hissed harshly to Bale who labored next to them under the ramshackle roof above their anvils as a steady drizzle dripped on them through the holes in the shingles above, confusing sweat and water on their shimmering coats. "Otherwise we'd have seen them moving their stuff to the south."

Bale ran a hoof across his forehead and pulled the drops of moisture from his hay colored head. His light brown eyes were sagging with exhaustion... everypony's were. "So what if they don't know about it, you'll never make it there with the guards watching. You're going to get yourself killed, Cobalt!"

"Somepony has to warn Equestria!" Cobalt set his hammer on the anvil where a half formed and glowing wing blade was resting, "They have no idea tha-"

"You want another lashing, scrub?!" Galrik, the smithy guard barked from his perch above and behind them where he watched over the anvils. The others kept their heads down, hammers beating on the anvils in a steady, syncopated rhythm.

Cobalt picked up his hammer again and quickly got back to work, harshly whispering to Bale; "Tomorrow morning..."

The young stallion didn't get off without a lashing or two that day. Galrik saw to that. The large, bulky griffon followed Cobalt and Bale after sundown as they plodded together towards the barn. The first crack caught him right on the flank from behind unexpectedly, causing him to shriek with pain and collapse on his side.

"You know better than to work your jaw instead of your hoof, you scrub!" he snarled from his twisted beak, the whip coming 'round again to open a fresh gash in Cobalt's side. Galrik stood over him, looking down with obvious disdain. "You done running your mouth in my shop?"

"Ah... I'm... I'm sorry sir... please!" Cobalt cried pathetically, laying on his side, two fresh runnels of blood coming from the fresh wounds, the bright red of his blood contrasting sharply on his blue coat.

"You're going to be sorry you open your mouth again! I want you at your anvil long after sunset tomorrow to make up for your slack today!"

Cobalt said nothing, instead he nodded his head against the dirt and tried to stifle the cries that pressed against the back of his throat.

They only beat you harder when you cried.

_______________________________________________________________

The night was spent in agony. Cobalt's special somepony, Songbird, had applied a salve to his wounds that dimmed the pain, but didn't ease it enough for him to get comfortable. He lay on his side with his hooves wrapped around her and tried to sleep. But to no avail. Between the stinging pain and the wild thoughts of his escape, he spent the dark hours with an empty belly going over his plan.

Stampede Pass was the quickest route over through the jagged Drakenridge mountains and into Equestria. The pass was narrow and high, made impassible by the winter snows and by Cobalt's reckoning, would be choked with the white stuff very soon. The heavy, grey clouds were already hanging over that area of the peaks and had been for days now. It was a tough hike with the nearest town on the other side being Snowlock that had a mailmare post. It would take him a few long, cold and hungry days but... he had to make it.

The only problem was getting away.

The only time he wasn't under constant observation was in between checks at night and during the walk to the smith in the morning. There were griffons everywhere though. Their hulking, feathered heads with cruel looking beaks seemed to dot the town every few feet or so. He'd convinced Bale and Ringright to cause a distraction during the morning march to the smith. Either he'd live to see the treeline to the south... or he'd be dead on the bare patch of land between the town and the woods.

He had to do it in the morning. The griffons were slow and sluggish in the cold air, unable to take to their wings until well after work had started for the day and they'd gotten their blood moving. That should give him enough time to reach the dense trees that surrounded and shrouded the trail into the pass a few miles away.

"Cobalt?" Songbird's hushed and whispered voice drifted to him in the darkness from inches in front of his muzzle, "I'm scared. I... I don't want you to go."

She pressed her barrel against his own, her warmth seeped into him like a slow, spreading comfort and he hugged her tight. "I have to..." came his reluctant reply.

"I... I love you, Cobalt." her voiceless words cracked and she kissed him passionately. They'd been over this a thousand times in the last few weeks as he'd formed this idea. She'd been vehemently against it, scared for his life and safety. But she knew him too well. Once Cobalt made up his mind, it was rarely swayed.

"I love you too, Songbird" he whispered back after the kiss. Despite his pain and discomfort, his body somehow felt that this might be the last time it would be close to her... and responded accordingly.

The firm press of his member grew against her lower belly as they kissed again, pressing impatiently and seeking the warm embrace that waited for it under her dock. She sucked in a breath and whispered. "C-Cobalt... there's ponies around us."

This fact wasn't lost on him, they'd been sleeping in the barn with most of the town around them ever since the griffons came. Other couples had been stealthy about their lovemaking, taking comfort in each other during this time of oppression. Their lovemaking would be overlooked and ignored just like all the others.

He nudged again, and she let him. Lifting her rear leg up over his flank and swiveling her hips enough to align their bodies. It was with slow, exquisite, silence that he entered her. Songbird's body embracing his stallionhood with liquid-y heat and squeezing with a symmetry mirrored by her hooves around the rest of him. It was gentle and loving, each pony's movements matched by the other with silent desire and a need to feel this closeness one last time before they might part forever.

Only the steady increase in breathing and the smell of her musky fluid gave them away, the others around them knew what was happening and gave a polite ignorance in the dark while they finished. She began to cry as he felt his shaft harden inside her, the head flaring against her back wall to seal the entrance to her womb with a final, sideways sliding push as the thick warmth of his seed flowed into her most intimate crevice. They stayed locked together that way for a long time, her weeping silently into his neck until they fell asleep in the late night hour.

________________________________________

The morning dawned gray and cold, the damp mist in the air clung to the edges of the buildings and swirled in visible currents of wind in the square as the ponies marched from the breakfast clearing where the griffons made them eat. Despite having fires to warm the stew that was ladled unceremoniously out, the meal cooled rapidly as Cobalt, Bale and Ringright ate.

"You guys know what to do, right?" Cobalt said as they stood up to start the walk to the smithy.

"Yeah, yeah... I just hope you get away. They're gonna whip the fur off of this for doing it." came Ringright's terse reply. His heart was already pounding in his silver furry chest.

"Remember to wait until I've reached the first furnace... they'll see me for sure otherwise." he whispered as they walked past the first group of griffons watching over them.

The rows of grey, stone furnaces came into view ahead. Squatting like the hastily made devices they were, the furnaces were large brick ovals with an open side opposite the direction they were coming from, each big enough to hold several ponies inside were their fires dowsed. They marked this side of the smithy area that was covered by the hastily made structure designed to protect the fresh steel from the dripping moisture rather than the ponies who worked the molten metal. It was the southern edge of town, and the closest you could get to the distant treeline without getting pummeled by the ever present griffons.

Cobalt quickened his pace and got to the front of the line. Galrik stood waiting between two of the already smoking, shimmering sources of heat, his wings flexing slightly to take advantage of the warmth with his ever present whip dangling around his neck like a dead brown snake. His beak turned up in a savage grin when his beady eyes locked on Cobalt's deep blue ones.

For a moment, he had second thoughts. There was no possible way he could do this. He was just barely considered a stallion, let alone some sort of gutsy hero. What was he thinking?! Just as he was about to turn around and call off his friends, the time for changing his mind was over.

A thunderous explosion tore through the air behind him suddenly as the supply building erupted in a ball of flame, lighting the surrounding area with orange light and a concussive wave of sound and heat. The griffons around them all turned and streamed towards it, moving sluggishly in the cold morning and trying to flap their wings in vane. Cobalt's adrenaline shot through his body as Galrik ran past him and towards the falling debris. He took his moment and sprinted ahead between the rough stone ovals and through the smith area then out into he open expanse of field that lay between him and freedom.

A wild sense of maddened glee took over and he began to laugh. No way had he thought the amount of fireworks the three of them had dismantled to gather the massive pile of explosive powder would produce that large of an explosion. He hoped nopony was hurt... but he also hoped it would make it easier to get away.

He darted towards the first rise nearby, hoping to gain it's other side where he'll be hidden from view. His plan was to run as fast as he can from behind this small hill, hoping that none of the griffons came around or searched immediately from a different angle. Hopefully, it would give him enough time to reach the treeline. His heart pounded, rushing blood obscured all but the sound of his hooves as they thudded dully on the hardpan earth while he raced a blue streak against the gray landscape.

He slid around the earthen rise and continued full out in a direct line away from the town with the rise behind him. Tears filled his eyes as the trees began to grow taller now and no alarm had been sounded. He never looked back as he hit the tall grass and gave it all he had in spite of the stinging pain the fresh gashes in his flank and side gave him. The tips of the haygrass whipped his barrel, leaving wetness as they went, his breath tore through his lungs like fire and he felt his stamina beginning to fade.

After what seemed like an eternity, he reached the first yearling trees, passing them with black spots in his vision and plunging into the thicker woods of tall, evergreens that brooded with each other in their cloud of pine perfume. A thick carpet of dried needles jabbed at the sensitive frogs under his hooves and his knees buckled. Unable to carry him any more, his legs gave out suddenly. Cobalt collapsed in a blue heap barely a stone's throw from the tree's edge.

He wheezed and panted, pine needle dust sucking into his open muzzle and choking him. Desperately, he coughed thick plumes of vaporous breath into the air as he fought to regain control of his body. Minutes passed and just when he began to feel like he wasn't going to die, a sound chilled his blood, causing his bowels to loosen.

"Nice try, scrub." came the growling voice of Galrik from behind him. Cobalt scrambled to his hooves and whirled, facing the exact thing he hoped he wouldn't see.

The large griffon was just touching down, his wings flexing easily in the cold air. A moment of puzzlement broke through Cobalt's fear. How the hay did he fly so early....

If it had been any other time, he would have smacked a hoof to his forehead when the answer came to him suddenly.

Of course... he thought, He stood by the furnaces all morning. His wings were well warmed up by now.

"No pony is going to hear you way out here, scrub, and I don't feel like carrying you all the way back to town. So what do you think that means?" he sneered and coiled the handle of the whip in his taloned front claw.

Cobalt's body suddenly knew what to do even if his mind didn't. He bolted for a thick tree just as the whip came up. He heard the cruel snap of the end hit the bark near his head and sent splinters into his mane. From behind the tree, he looked wildly around for something, anything that could help him. The sound of rapid steps in the needles told him Galrik was already moving his large, black frame around for a better angle. His eyes landed on a large piece of thick bark near his front hooves with a branch still stuck to it. Instinctively, he grabbed it with his muzzle and turned towards Galrik at the last second. The whip snapped against the bark like an arrow against a shield. Cobalt was practically blind now, but it was his only chance.

With a sudden shot of courage and bravery that he never knew existed in him, he charged the griffon with the knowledge that the whip was useless up close. His neck jerked back painfully when the bark shield smashed into the griffon's face, his beak poking though it and snapping a hair's distance away from the tender flesh of his own nostrils.

"Gah!" Galrik cried out, caught off guard by the sudden aggression. He wasn't expecting this young stallion to put up a fight.

Cobalt released the branch in his muzzle and whirled, lining up his rear hooves perfectly before delivering a powerful double buck kick to the griffon's chest. He heard a sickening crunching sound as the thinner, weaker bones of the bird half of his captor's body buckled and snapped inside from the devastating blow.

Galrik gurgled out a pained moan, one of his front legs no longer responding and causing him to collapse. Cobalt rushed forward to snatch the whip from his weakened grasp as he began to stagger and back pedaled away with wide, shocked eyes at what he'd done.

The bark fell away from Galrik head as he collapsed, blood already trickling from the corners of his beak as the brittle bones in his chest caused more damage from the movement. Cobalt had heard about their need for protective chest armor because of this exact reason... he'd just never though he'd ever have a chance to see the weakness first hand.

"I... it hurts..." Galrik bubbled, his breath coming in hitching gasps that sounded watery. His wings beat uselessly against the pine needle floor and his eyes took on a panicked and desperate look as the life began to leave his body.

Cobalt couldn't speak. Later, in the dark hours of his feverish, days long flight through Stampede Pass, he would replay this moment in his mind over and over again, thinking that he should have come up with something cool, tough and funny to say as he watched the griffon who had tormented him perish as a result of his own doing. But reality wasn't like that. In fact, at that moment in time...

Cobalt began to cry as the last breath of Galrik puffed out in a fragile cloud and became the first casualty of war.

_____________________________________________

Snowlock wasn't much bigger than Shoehorn Village. But being on the south side of the Drakenridge had the advantage of it being warmer and more hospitable. Mint Leaf was already in her tree-house near the northern edge of town that late morning. The light green filly was keen on being alone, not much for hanging out with the others her age. She spent most of her time wandering the northern woods by herself and tending to her secret gardens of herbs she grew there.

It had started to get cold these last few weeks but it didn't stop her from gathering her plants every morning and then taking them to her treehouse. Well, it wasn't her tree-house... she hadn't built it. Mint had come across it one day a year or so ago while exploring and claimed it as her own. In all this time, nopony had challenged her youthful claim on the structure.

She didn't know why she gathered all these herbs she grew. She didn't even know exactly what half of them were. When her mother wasn't looking, she had taken hoof fulls of various seeds from her storehouse and brought them deep into the woods where she played. Most of them didn't sprout, but a lot of them did. She recognized some as the stuff they sprinkled on carrots and potatoes when they cooked them. Others she though might be the stuff she watched her father grind up into powders when she was sick. Mint really didn't care. She enjoyed the activity and it kept her from getting into trouble with her brothers at the same time.

The first sounds of breaking twigs and branches from the deep woods to the north caused her mane to stick up straight as she tended to the herbs in their little jars. No pony had ever been out here as far as she knew and that sounded like a pony crashing though the trees. Mint darted to the wood frame that served as a window and looked out over the forest floor several feet below her.

A blue stallion came into view. Mint's fear didn't last long when she got a good look at the state of him. He older than her, but not as old as say, her father. She could tell he was hurt or sick almost instantly. The way he carried himself just told her somehow. Her heart went out to him almost immediately and she bolted out of the tree-house, down the steps to the soft earth below.

He didn't seem to see her at first, his eyes were bloodshot and wild like he was seeing a different place than were they were. The blue earth pony stumbled towards her and coughed, collapsing partially before struggling to his hooves again with his head sagging. When he got close, she could practically feel the heat boiling from him and saw the nasty, infected gash on his side. Fever.

"H-hey! Are you ok?" Mint said in a shaky voice.

It brought the pony to a halt and his eyes fixed on her finally. He stood wobbling on jelly like legs for a moment and then uttered one word before he collapsed.

"Griffons."

Chapter 6

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.