Friend and the Imperial Eggs!
Grata, Left Wing of the Imperial Throne, watched, crest raised, fluttering in silent Gryphon laughter, as Daring Do, Antiquarian extraordinaire, lay in her Hospital nest, chortling as she dangled small strips of meat for the Eagle chicks that swarmed on top of her coverlet.
Friend, the small changeling egg tender, perhaps the only one anywhere that was not inside a hive, was watching Doctor Do, her Matunen, as she played with and cared for the chicks. There was a delicate, near invisible glow of palest green emanating from her, to enclose Daring Do, and the chicks. She was making a soft humming, purring, croon.
There were big, full grown Eagles perched everywhere about the room. They were watching with total approval. Several flew in through an open flight port, set to the size of the Eagles, so that they could come and go freely. They were all wild birds, not tamed in any way.
After taking in the amusing scene for a respectful length of time, Grata spoke softly. “I hope that I am not interfering with your healing of Doctor Do, Friend. I have come to both speak of how her healing is going, and to ask a favor of you.”
Friend looked up with interest, which caused her filmy sheer blue mane to spread, somewhat like a ruff around her head, making another little ruff at the base of her shortish horn.
“You need not be afraid of me/us, Grata. What may I/we do for you?”
Firmly, Grata responded, “I am not afraid of you, Friend. I do respect you and what you are doing. First, before the business of Empire, tell me about our mutual friend, your Matunen, Doctor Do. The Empire is strong. It can wait.”
That got Daring Do’s attention away from the chicks. With a giggle, she replied, “That is SO O O different from the attitude of any other government on the world of Equestria. They all go, ‘We are the Government! We are strong! We come first!’ and the Gryphon Empire says, 'We are strong, we can wait!’ I love it!”
Friend smiled over to Daring Do, love showing in her eyes and every line of her chitinous body. “Matunen is healing well. I/we loved her healing properly and all is going as it should. Now her healing needs only guidance. It will take some time, yet. She will regain strength and endurance better if she does so slowly, now.”
Grata shook her regal head, crest lifted in wonder, “Our best doctors are still amazed that you could find any way to bring Daring Do through that assassination attempt. No other being that we know of has EVER survived being poisoned by Hellbore mushroom.”
Shaking her head, crest reverting to sorrow, she went on, “All of that, trying to destroy our true history, was so that they could rule with lies. Even starting a civil war, casting aside all honor, was just a grab for political power, under the guise of religion.
“We would have sentenced the conspirators to death by the Long Drop. Instead, you claimed them. You were right, though. Before you were done using them as prey to save Doctor Do, they were begging for the mercy of the Long Drop.”
Friend got up to herd a wayward chick back to the others. With a smile, she said softly, “They were failed nymphs. Their bodies lived but they had no love. Their lives served a good purpose. Matunen is whole. She loves and returns love as Matunen should.”
Grata nodded, crest going briskly up. “Now to the business of Empire. We of the Throne are too busy to take the time to tend a clutch of eggs properly.
“The recent assassination attempt, intended not only to kill Doctor Do, but the entire Throne of Empire as well, has underlined the need to ensure the succession of rule. Normally, one of us, either the Right Wing or the Left would take the time to tend the Imperial Clutch. We cannot do that for some time to come. Trying to pacify and tie back together the wounds of a civil war have us all far too busy.
“On behalf of the Empire, Friend, would you please tend our Imperial Clutch and be mother to our hatchlings?”
//////////////////
“Drat it! Moreegg, I'v got a good mind to drop you! What is the point of lowering a pony the size of you on a rope, if you can’t even find an egg as big as an eagle’s?”
Calling up, from the end of the rope, the pony Moreegg replied, “You might as well save your breath for pulling me up! There isn’t egg one in any of these nests! I can see into three others from here. Lots of signs that the nests were being used recently, the season is right but not an egg to be found!”
Grumbling, Baron Yoksonu began to haul Moreegg back up to safe footing at the upper lip of the sheer cliff that made up the northern scarp of Eagle’s Vale. As he was helping Moreegg get clear of the dangerous edge, the Baron noticed what had been bothering him since they began the search for an egg of the fabled Eagle’s Vale eagles. There was not a single eagle to be seen anywhere.
In all the books, these eagles were always capitalized. There was reputedly a multitude of huge and majestic birds here. Finding an egg should have been an easy, if dangerous task.
Scooting on his belly across the grass and stone to the cliff edge, the Baron scanned the whole expanse of the Eagle’s Vale. Taking out binoculars, the expensive optics only verified what his eyes had already told him. There were no eagles in Eagle’s Vale.
Impatiently, the Baron waited while Moreegg packed their collecting equipment and shouldered the pack.
An arduous trek brought them back to the town of Eagle’s Perch. The harvest was nearly all in. Everywhere that the Baron or Moreegg looked there were ponies using wagons and carts of excellent quality, with wheels that all looked new, pulling in the last of the harvest.
The town’s grain elevator was busy and the mill beside it was loading out another cart full of bags filled with flour. The wheelwright’s shop was busy, refurbishing another wagon.
Sort of hidden, there were many small signs of long neglect that were being remedied when no other task took precedence. Even Moreegg noticed it. “Look, Sir. There are three houses and two business along this one road that are all getting new thatching sewed on. There has been no storm that could be responsible. I see some other old roofs that are in good repair.”
The Baron nodded. “Very observant Moreegg. Remind me, when we get home, to give you a raise and the task of searching out what needs repair while the problems are still small. A Barony in good order is the foundation of real wealth.”
They reached nearly to the end of the town before seeing the solid stone and timber structure of the Gryphon’s Perch Inn. The inkeep, a Gryphon, came out , laid his crest nearly flat, and said, “I am Kraach. The Gryphon’s Perch is my inn. If you choose to stay the night, there is no better place in Eagle’s Perch.” He turned his back on them and, tail held low, stalked back inside.
Inside, they were met by a magenta mare who booked their rooms and saw to stowing their things. While she was fluffing the sleeping stall blankets, Moreegg asked, “Why was Kraach so, I don’t know, um, unwelcoming?”
The mare looked up in surprise. “You can’t figure that out? He is a Gryphon. They hatch from eggs. Your Baron’s 'innocent hobby’ is about the same to him as someone collecting foals and stuffing them for display would be to us.
“As far as any Gryphon is concerned, you are ghouls.”
//////////////////
Friend made the nest bed, where Daring Do was spending her bed rest time as she recovered, bounce as she eagerly hopped off and charged. Grata tolerantly allowed the little changeling to cuddle and nuzzle in her excitement!
Crest indicating dry humor, Grata corralled Friend and said, “I take it that this means yes you will?”
“Oh yes! I/we will love them so well! I/we will keep them all warm and turned and loved to be strong and healthy!” Friend looked lovingly at her Eagle “nymphs” and added, “My/our Eagles will give me/us new eggs as soon as they can but they will not have more until next year.
“Friend was going to be lonely while raising these wonderful little nymphs with Matunen Do. New eggs will make everything so right! So good!” She paused and enveloped Grata in her soft, loving green glow of magic.
Grata, crest raised in pure pleasure, luxuriated in the glow for a bit and then offered, “It will take us a little while to have the eggs for you, Friend. When we do, you must not neglect either Matunen or the new nymphs.”
Without letting up her magic, Friend vowed, “I/we will love all of them properly, Grata. You may be sure of that.”
Nodding with happiness, Grata agreed, “We were sure that you would, Friend, or we would not have asked you to do this special thing for us.”
As she left the room, Grata murmured, “I must get my Sisters of the Throne to experience Friend’s loving. I feel so much better for the time that I have spent here.”
////////////
Baron Yoksonu was back to grumbling. The train that he and Moreegg were riding was descending another long grade, as it headed back to the interior of Equestria.
“All of this expense. This whole expedition was to garner the egg of an Eagle’s Vale Eagle. Not only were there no Eagle’s eggs, there were not even any eagles of any sort!”
Moreegg, nodded glumly. “All true, Sir. We did do quite well, though, for the other sorts. Excellent specimens and impeccably documented.
“What bothers me is the rumors that we heard. I mean the ones about all of those eagles leaving to follow their mother. Rumor says that Daring Do and some Gryphons lured the eagles away by using a small changeling. How it could make the eagles all think that it was their mother is totally beyond me.”
The Baron glared out the window at the woods and farmlands that they were rolling through, to the steady clacking of the rail joints under the wheels. He shook his head in frustration.
“We couldn’t even follow those eagles into the Gryphon Empire! That dratted travel ban posted by the Empress, back years ago, over some innocent collecting of mountain cerlew eggs.
“If that was not enough, the Princesses just had to cooperate with the Empress and bar me from the Empire border, too! I can’t even get a dratted ticket to go as far as the border!”
Moreegg, thinking of what the mare at the Gryphon’s Perch Inn had told them, understood, at least. The Princesses did not want an incident that could sour relations with a powerful neighbor. He dared not say so. He valued his work with the Baron.
The next day, after a leisurely breakfast in the dining car, the conductor pony called, “YOKSONU LANDING! We will be twenty minutes for fuel and water! All those leaving the train for recreation, be sure to reembark in plenty of time!”
The Baron and Moreegg gathered their luggage and left the train. The weather was fine, and there was even a Hanson Cab awaiting for fairs at the platform. Home coming, at least was going well.
Inside the cool halls of Yoksonu Manor, the two opened the doors of now famous Yoksonu Library. The row upon row of glass fronted cases contained almost every type of egg known in Equestria and some from far lands like the Zebra Confederation and even the Chineighese Empire.
There were but few empty places in the vast collection. Among the Eagle section, the Eagle’s Vale Eagle stand still stood empty. Next to it were the Dragon’s eggs. He had the Sylvan Dragon, the Wyvein, and the Burrowing Dragon, sometimes known as a Wyrm. Only the Fire Drake was empty in that collection.
There was the smallish case that had caused so much controversy and actually got the Baron his Travel Ban. Gryphons. Altogether there were four kinds and all of those stands were empty.
Moreegg was torn between the pride that he felt when he saw this, the greatest egg collection in all of Equestria, and the idea that the Gryphons could see it, and him as ghoulish.
With a small snort, he put the confusion aside and fetched the Baron his newspaper to read as soon as he was done mounting and cataloging the ten new specimens that their trip DID get.
He left the busy Baron both warm tea and the newspapers accumulated in their absence, ready to read, on a side table.
////////////
The Gryphon nurse came in, crest up and rippling slightly with suppressed amusement. “Time for your physical therapy, Doctor Do! Do not forget your therapy equipment!”
Friend already had the Eagle chicks removed to her smaller nest. Returning the nurse’s good mood, she chuckled, “Matunen will not forget! Daring Do loves this part of recovery.”
Daring Do nodded agreeably as she fished her big Spiderly revolver out from under her pillow. She pulled her favorite combat and throwing knives out from under her coverlet. The night stand by her Hospital nest yielded a long barreled semiautomatic pistol and box of ammunition.
The nurse loaded all of the “Therapy Equipment” into a big pocket on the mobility cart, except for the combat knife. Daring Do kept that, taking the moment needed to strap the blade’s scabbard to her left foreleg.
They were just about to leave the room when Grata sauntered in. She had two armed guards along. Crest up in interest, she gestured at the whole room. “Gentle Gryphons, no actions of any kind. I want your assessments of this situation. Sargent Raakh, you may be first.”
Raakh, started into the room waiving and flapping at the roosting Eagles. The big birds looked down with disapproval but stayed on their perches.
Grata simply reached out and grabbed Raakh by a hind leg and pulled hard, dropping him flat.
Crest laid back in disgust, she snapped, “You have just disobeyed a clearly given order! I told you to take no action of any kind! I asked for your assessment of the situation only!
The fallen Sargent Raakh glared back until it sank in that he was being held from rising by the Left Wing of the Imperial Throne - - and she was angry.
Sullenly, crest flat in both anger and embarrassment, he snapped, “I was just going shoo the birds out! That is a changeling over there! We need to put it down before it kills us by taking our love!
“That patient gotta be moved to a common ward! She is a dratted pegasus! Got no business in a Hospital Aerie for honest Gryphons!
“Now you got my assessment! Hop to it and get it done!”
Crest flat in rage, Grata demanded, “Get out of this room! Report back to Guard Commander Striike! Do not delay. I will check to see that you get to him in a timely fashion!”
Turning to the other guard, her crest now up in interest, she asked, “Sargent Waraak, no action of any kind. Simply give me your assessment of this situation.”
Crest slightly rippling with amusement, Waraak offered, “First, Raakh made recommendations framed as orders to his most senior officer. He offered no actual assessment.
“That was the first part of my situation assessment, since Sargent Raakh became a part of the situation.
“Now, first and foremost, the single most dangerous being in the room is the changeling. That was demonstrated at the banquet where Daring Do was poisoned. In terms of threat assessment, she is presently a low level risk. She sitting on her nest and is tending chicks of the Eagles. Unless she is disturbed, she is not likely to do anything else.
“The Eagles have free access through an open flight port, thus they belong here, too. Again, unless disturbed, not likely to be a threat.
“The pegassus in the mobility cart has the second highest danger risk. Not having met her, my guess is that she is the famous Doctor Daring Do. She presently has a combat knife strapped to her left foreleg and has two firearms in the side pocket of her mobility cart. There is a box in there too, of uncertain purposes. At a guess, ammo for the firearms. There are a few other things in the cart pocket that I cannot make out due to fabric distortion.
“The nurse appears to have a weapon of some sort in an under wing rig on her left side. She also has at least one auxiliary weapon, probably a knife on her right hind leg.
“There may be more, but that is all that I can tell without taking any action.”
Grata tilted her head, crest set inquisitively. “How did they do?”
The nurse, amused, pulled up her uniform’s hind quarters enough allow the knives to show. “He missed one knife and did well in spotting my wing rig.” She lifted the wing and allowed the pistol to show. “Lovely little thing. Doctor Do helped me to pick it out. It’s an 8 mm that fits my claw perfectly. She is teaching me how to use it and the knives.
“As a part of her therapy, Friend, whose orders we are following, recommended that Doctor Do be allowed to both shoot and throw knives for coordination and dexterity development.”
Daring Do slowly reached into the side pocket and pulled out her old reliable 13 mm Spiderly revolver and the long barreled semiautomatic. She added two throwing knives and a box of 13 mm ammo.
“You did really well, Sargent Waraak,” replied Daring Do. As for Raakh, he would make a fine clown in a circus, as long as he was not the one operating the clown cart. I would not trust him near the pedals or the steering!”
Crest showing a big grin of agreement, the nurse helped Daring Do to re stow her guns and knives. They wheeled out of the room and down the hallway.
Friend watched them go, a smile on her face. “I/we love the smell of cordite on Matunen’s gown when she comes back. She is always so happy to be doing well at her shooting and knives. She wants to swim too hard, too soon. She needs it to be gentle overall exercise for now.”
Grata nodded, crest showing happy understanding.
////////////
Moreegg entered the Baron’s study in the morning. There were many signs of the Baron having worked on the collection. As he began to tidy up, he found the Baron’s cold tea only half drunk. It was sitting out on a recent newspaper, opened to the celebripony gossip.
The teacup was weighing down a note:
Moreegg:
Take good care of the Barony in my absence.
I have had a brilliant idea that can expand the collection with some of the rarest eggs ever.
I must do this alone,
Yoksonu, Baron.
As the mystified Moreegg was straightening the side table, he noticed an item in the Celebripony Gossip.
“The Gryphon Empire takes great pride in announcing that an Imperial Clutch is soon to be expected. In spite of the difficulties caused by the recent civil war, a trustworthy clutch-tender has been found to care for the Imperial Eggs.”
Moreegg gazed sadly at the empty Gryphon egg case and said softly, “Please, dear Celestia, not that.”
////////////
The firing range that had been set up in the Hospital Aerie’s lowest level reverberated to the rapid roar of Daring Do’s beloved Spiderly 13 mm! The powerful buck of the gun in hoof with each round and the smell of powder added to the delightful experience!
“Three bullseyes, the other two within three mm!” exclaimed nurse Grayyk. “It is wonderful how you can maintain such accuracy with recoil like that!” She held the retrieved target up for Daring Do to examine.
Eyes sparkling, Daring Do pointed to another target. The holes in it were not as tightly clustered. “For a so called novice shooter, you are doing really well! That little 8 mm is just perfect for your claws!”
Nurse Grayyk was writing the tallies and times into Daring Do’s chart. She looked up, clipping the pen back to the chart. Her crest set to show how pleased she was, she answered, “If a student does well, it is a reflection on the quality of the teacher. I have the best!
“Now to the pool. I was told by Friend not to let you try laps yet. It may help you to know that the Hellbore poison did a lot of damage to your connective tissues at the joints. You need gentle, low resistance exercise for best recovery. She is very concerned that you recover the best, rather than fastest.”
Daring Do nodded, faking glumness. Actually, as the warm waters closed about her, she relaxed, and began the enjoyable slow exercises that Friend wanted her to do.
////////////
Baron Yoksonu leaned back in the working chair. “You understand how I want this done?”
“Yes, Sir. Our field may be small but we are well known for the quality of our makeups and prosthesis. You want a quality makeup that will be durable for up to a week. Over it, you want a second, basically a mask of your present self. One that will be easily penetrated.”
Shaking her head, the orange mare began applying careful layers of latex like material. “It must be an elaborate practical joke that you are pulling.”
The Baron, considerately trying not to move, agreed, “It is indeed. It should be quite the jest when it is done.”
Hidden within his wallet lay a simple seeming card. It had been MUCH harder to obtain and far more expensive than the make up work, and that was not cheap. The card was an Equestrian Railroad Security Inspector’s card.
The picture on the card was what was being applied to him now, as the quality makeup basic disguise.
////////////
Friend was happily playing with the Eaglets, preening them and cuddling. She was feeding them dangled strips of meat now. They were developing exactly as her Eagle nymphs should.
She was surrounded by that delicate glow of magic that guided and protected her precious eggs and the nymphs that hatched from them. None of these, Eagle or Gryphon, would ever become a changeling, so, she reflected, they were nymphs.
She also considered, far down in a mind more clever and devious than any who knew her but perhaps Matunen, all that she had learned of Gryphon and Pony politics and schemes as she had consumed her prey. Those evil, plotting Gryphons had their share to contribute to her thoughts.
Found in both Grata’s mind and that of Matunen, was the detestable Baron Yoksonu and his collection. Several of the eggs in his collection had been gathered from creatures of intelligence and wisdom. Because of that, even Doctor Do, her Matunen, detested the Baron. Matunen did recognize the scientific value of the collection and that had to be respected.
While serenely preening and feeding the next sweet little Eaglet, she smiled to herself. Grata had gone along with announcing the new Imperial Clutch in Celebripony News.
Just this morning, a far flying Eagle had returned her the news. The Baron, barely home a day, had disappeared. All was proceeding as it should.
////////////
Grata was sharing a nest with her Empress and the Right Wing of the Throne. Their chosen consort had done his part a week ago and it was time. Soon they would produce the Imperial Eggs.
The Empress raised her crest in frankness, “Grata, I cannot help but be worried about announcing our clutch in the Celebripony News. This should be a State Secret. Why is it not?”
Grata replied, “Friend, who will be tending our eggs for us, asked me to do it. She said that it might help to uncover any remaining First Creationists and other undesirable sorts.”
Hisst, the Right Wing of the Imperial Throne, raised her crest in question, “What she is doing won't put our eggs at risk, will it? I mean, her magic seems so, so gossamer thin.”
Grata, crest rippling with amusement, replied, “Our eggs will be perfectly safe. Remember what happened to that traitor who tried to fly through it? The staff only needed broom and mop to clean him up. There was no shred of him big enough to pick up by claw. The other seven that Friend gathered up and dumped at the foot of the Throne at that same time? None could resist that gossamer.
“Friend can be soft, gentle and loving. Under that gentleness is toughness like I have never seen. She thrives best, not by taking love, but by sharing it. And love is the wrong word for it. There just is not any other. It is a subtle and very complex magic.
“Using that magic to guide the development of chicks in the egg is only one example of it in action. Doctor Do's healing is another. Our very existence as a species is yet another. All of those things, together with her feelings, is what she means by loving the eggs.”
The Empress finally entered the conversation, crest raised in question, “I have been most carefully reading all of the reports on Doctor Do's condition. There are actually more reports on what the doctors have observed about Friend.
“They have never found her to be asleep as we understand the term. Is that true?”
Grata, crest spread in honesty, replied, “That is true. Friend does rest but she is always ready for instant action, if needed.”
The Empress nodded, holding her breath and pushing. “There. I do believe that is the last of our clutch.
“Let us take the eggs down to Friend. I want to meet her up close and see her reaction.”
////////////
The Eagle chicks in Friend’s nest were all a-flutter. That was exactly what she wanted and her happy smile showed it.
Daring Do was now allowed to sit part way up, back supported, in her Hospital nest. She was watching the chicks and happily chomping a sprout burger with milk shake on the side.
She remarked, “I am so glad that you are allowing me solid food now, Friend. I think that not being able to eat for that week and a half was the hardest part of my recovery!”
Returning a grin, Friend, who was still learning repartee, agreed, “It was for me/us too, Matunen! Your complaints almost wore out my/our ears!”
There came a respectful tap at the door. Friend immediately called out, “Come in, please!”
The door slammed open against its stop and an armed Gryphon in uniform popped in! Glaring about, he self-importantly called, “The room is safe, Empress!”
Chirping frantically at the disturbance, the Eaglets fled for safety under Friend.
Stepping around the carriage that she was helping to push, the Empress, eyes slitted, crest flat, stormed in and grabbed the guard by the wing shoulder and pulled him around to face her!
“Sargent! What possible excuse do you have for this abominable behavior!? You were told that every being in this room has OUR ABSOLUTE TRUST. You have just treated them like hostiles!
“It is a good thing for you that they were so restrained in their response!”
Too upset at the very public rebuke to think straight, the Sargent, crest set in outrage, demanded, “Restrained? THEM!? A nurse! A bed ridden invalid! That, that CHANGELING on a nest like an overgrown hen! The Eagles are worse, and they don’t have the room to attack effectively!”
The Empress’ crest suddenly shot up into snicker! “Nurse Grayyk, would you please show this bonehead what he missed?”
Contemptuous, Nurse Grayyk pulled up the back of her uniform enough to show both throwing knives. Then she reached under her left wing and pulled out the 8 mm pistol. She carefully replaced the gun.
Crest set to amused grin, the Empress asked mildly, “The invalid in the bed? Doctor Daring Do? Would you please show the Sargent what he missed?”
Daring Do pulled the coverlet back from the lumpy wrinkle with her left hoof. There in her right, was the big, long barreled semiautomatic. Her beloved 13 mm Spiderly revolver was in her lap, next to both throwing knives and her combat knife.
Ostentatiously, she pulled the coverlet back over the weaponry, leaving the semiautomatic aimed directly at the Sargent’s midsection.
The Empress gently shook the Sargent for emphasis as she pointed to Friend. “That changeling that you dismissed so foolishly? She is probably the single most deadly being in the entire Empire. Remember the Banquet where the First Creationists attempted to assassinate not only Daring Do but the entire Throne of Empire at the same time?
“To save her life, she stopped Doctor Do in some fashion still not understood. While doing that, she totally sealed the room! Arrokk tried to escape by flying out through that thin looking magic. He was so totally shredded that we needed brooms and mops to pick him up! Along with that, she gathered the traitors and hauled them all to a heap before the Throne!
“She did all of that at once while never loosing track of taking care of her Eagle eggs too.”
The Empress turned to Friend and asked, “Friend, I am sorry that this one frightened your nymphs. Is he a failed nymph?”
Never looking up from soothing her frightened chicks, Friend replied, “No, Empress. He is not failed. The Sargent is only stupid. Give him time to grow and he will learn.”
The Empress, crest lifted to command, called out to the hallway, “Captain! Remove Sargent Raat and put him to medium security facilities guarding!”
Grata and Hisst pushed the carriage with the Imperial Eggs into the room.
Friend did look up then. She smiled hugely at the sight of eggs! She managed a very good bow and said, “The Throne of Empire honors me/us with this trust. I/we shall love your eggs most carefully. These all return my/our love properly. I/we have taken the liberty of checking that already.”
Bouncing in delight, Friend inquired, “May I show the Throne something?”
Daring Do, having an excellent idea of what was wanted, pulled over her lunch plate. Besides the half eaten sprout burger it had a pile of meat strips set on it.
She held one up. Friend took one of her Eaglets on her egg claw. She soothed it a bit and then gently got it to look across the small space between her nest and Daring Do’s Hospital nest. It spotted the dangling meat strip. It fluttered eagerly.
Friend gave it a gentle bump to encourage it. Fluttering like mad, it managed to cover the distance to the coverlet and scrambled for the dangling meat!
Soon all of the Eaglets were on Daring Do’s coverlet, grabbing the meat that she was dangling for them!
Friend, eyes sparkling, gestured at her now empty nest. “There will be no conflict between my Eagle nymphs and your lovely eggs.”
The Empress herself, crest set to a smile, said, “Thank you for sharing your nymph’s first flight with us.” She carefully handed over the new eggs, one by one, until Friend had all six.
Friend began at once to settle the arrangement of her new eggs, crooning gently as she did.
////////////
Baron Yoksonu chuckled to himself as he reboarded the train at the Empire’s border check. He ruminated happily, “That card was worth every bit! They stopped me, just like I planned for them to! First, they told me that my costume was in awful taste and that the Baron was banned from the Empire! I congratulated them on spotting that rotten makeup and showed them my Equestrian Railroad Security card and explained how the Baron was thought to be headed this way!
“I told them that I needed to consult with my Empire counterpart at the Imperial Aerie and they let me go right on in to the Empire!
“What a priceless jest, indeed!”
Watching the train pull out of the Border Check Station, the Imperial Border Guard turned to his superior and said, “It makes no sense at all! That was the egg snatching monster Baron Yoksonu! Why did we have to let him into the Empire? I wouldn’t let him near my poultry, let alone my nest!”
His superior nodded, crest set sourly, “I know, Raffik. I know. I know something else too. They know that he is coming. Our orders were perfectly clear. We don’t have to like them, just follow them and hope that the Throne knows what they are doing.”
He held the order flimsy with the Imperial Seal on it out for Raffik’s inspection.
“It is known to the Throne that the criminal Baron Yoksonu is attempting to enter the Empire.
“It is vital to Realm Security that he be allowed to do so. You must not be too obvious about it. Allow him to bluff his way into the Empire.
“Notify the Throne immediately when he has passed your checkpoint. Use the Emergency Code 5 in your signal manual.”
////////////
Grata entered Daring Do’s room in the Hospital Aerie #1. Friend was serenely crooning to the Imperial eggs in her smaller nest, next to Daring Do’s hospital nest. Daring Do looked up from preening one of the fletchling Eagles playing about on her coverlet.
Crest set into a Gryphon grin, she commented, “I am going to have to watch out about visiting too often. It looks like Friend’s urge to take care of her nymphs is contagious!”
Nurse Grayyk’s crest popped up in a snicker. She was dangling a strip of meat for one of the other chicks while denying, “It is not at all contagious. This is part of the therapy! We should treat more patients with young Eagles!”
Going serious, Grata spoke to Friend. Friend might appear oblivious but Grata knew that she was paying attention to everything going on around her. “Friend, first you asked that we put news of our clutch into the Celebripony News. Then you asked that we let that egg murdering monster, Baron Yoksonu, into the Emipre. The Throne has trusted you. We would like to know why?”
Friend gently turned one of the Imperial eggs with her special claw as she replied softly, “I/we need prey. Prey will help to heal Matunen, make nice healthy nymphs and I/we can eat what is left.”
Grata’s crest shot up in surprise! “Are you risking our eggs?”
Friend looked up, eyes a serene green, like the tissue seeming magic surrounding her and the eggs. “No, Grata. Eggs are precious. Your Eggs will be safe.”
Grata turned to Daring Do, eyes slitted in thought. “Doctor Do, what do you know of all of this?”
Daring Do finished preening the one Eaglet and was starting on another. She looked up, failing miserably at looking innocent. She said distastefully, “Friend and I have talked about Baron Yoksonu’s collection. He came close to getting arrested several times while collecting and a few of the items in it are at the very edge of Equestrian law.
“He does not regard an egg as a being until the chick or whatever hatches.”
Crest set to dryly sarcastic, Grata nodded. “Riiight. Thus it makes perfect sense to invite him to the Empire, where most citizens come from eggs!” Giving Daring Do the steely eye, she demanded, “What is it that you are NOT telling me?”
Nurse Grayyk filled in, “I overheard part of it that may be relevant. Never forget that Friend is not simply a carnivore. She is a predator. A very good predator.
“She and Doctor Do have discussed the hunting strategies of many kinds of creatures.
“I suspect that Friend is hunting Baron Yoksonu.”
Grata turned her head to stare at Friend. “Why not just have him picked up by Empire Police? We know where he is. We are tracking him most carefully.”
Quiet inside her soft cocoon of green magic, Friend carefully turned another egg a little. “Matunen can explain better than I/we can.”
Daring Do nodded. “Really, what crime has he done? He crossed the border illegally. You can send him back. That is about it. He will keep trying, through other, more devious routes to get Gryphon eggs.
“If he comes here, the crime is a capital one. Besides, Friend wants him.”
Grata nodded as she put it together. “Eggs are precious. Friend loves eggs. He kills eggs.”
Glancing up, she saw a fang baring snarl on Friend’s usually serene face.
Her crest popped up into a grin. “I see. We are predators too. I will inform my Sisters of the Throne of the true situation. There are things that we can do to assist the hunt!”
////////////
Baron Yoksonu stepped to the solid stonework platform of the Imperial Aerie. He had photography kit saddlebag, a modern magemirror image transfer camera on sling over his neck, and fashionable wide brim hat on his head. In the hatband was a prominent Press Card for the Celebripony News.
He had a dry brushed in fur, mane and tail dye job that darkened his natural colors a good bit. The disguise included fur-weave cutie mark covers with a counterfeit camera over notepad mark.
He saw three Gryphons in regular military fatigues carefully going through the luggage of each pony or Gryphon debarking from the train. The three were backed up by more guards, each carrying perfectly modern quickfire rifles and pistols.
He joined the line of those waiting for their luggage to be searched. The Gryphon that he got politely requested, “Security has been tightened, Sir, ever since the recent civil war and now, the Imperial Clutch. Please let me go through your things.”
He laid his saddle bag with photo kit on the inspection table. He was just starting to ask, “Really, how much risk is . . .” when he noticed that two guards had him covered by their rifles.
The Gryphon going through his bags stated, “Your camera, Sir. Any closed object that may harbor something dangerous must be opened for inspection.”
The Baron swallowed hard and nodded. “I can see the necessity. May I retract the pictures that I have take back into the roll so that they are not ruined?”
Politely still, the Gryphon agreed, “Yes, Sir. You will remain covered until the camera is open. Since you are a reporter, I will let you know this.
“Just today, we have caught two small mage-grenades, four illegal guns and a vial of poisonous extract. All were in one form or another of camera.”
The Baron did get the pictures retracted and the camera open for inspection. The guns went back to port arms and he was waived through after the camera was done.
He was admitted to the tourist levels of the Imperial Aerie to find lodgings and a meal.
////////////
Skraatch shook her head at the orders that her editor had just given her. There was a picture to assist with identification and a wealth of other information. Part of the package carried the seal of the Throne itself. That part was simply bizarre.
The infamous Baron Yoksonu was not only in the Empire, he was right here in the Imperial Aerie! She looked about the busy press room where the many reporters of Aerie After Dark, the most notorious scandal rag of the Empire were busy with their stories.
She carefully read through the assignment again. To herself, crest held carefully neutral, she muttered, “Scoop!”
She gathered up her own camera and a few other things, including some photos that she had taken at the banquet where Daring Do had been poisoned. Her byline on THAT story made her career! This could be even bigger!
She cruised the tourist area of the Imperial Aerie for almost an hour before spotting her prey, er target. She chose an empty table close to him and began to lay out her pictures and notes for bait.
To the waiter, she simply ordered, “A tea, please. A Rom Black, if you have any.”
Sipping her tea, she “accidentally” let fall a photo showing the little changeling named Friend standing astride the fallen Doctor Daring Do, her magic already pulling some conspirators from their places. The Traitor Arrokk was airborne but was already beginning to burst into shreds.
This was the main image, along with the rest showing the context, that made her into a now famous reporter and tripled the readership of Aerie After Dark.
The Baron’s well known civility, that contrasted so horribly with his vile hobby, led him to pick up the picture and return it. “Here, miss. You dropped this. What is happening here? It looks pretty awful.”
Her crest up in agreement, Skraatch affirmed, “It was. We are carnivores and many are active hunters. It sickened them too. That pony who is down with the changeling standing over her, is Doctor Daring Do. First Creationists of the Manifest Destiny Party poisoned her. They were trying to kill the whole Throne of Empire too but they failed.”
Seeing the array of other pictures and notes, the Baron introduced himself. “Pardon for not asking sooner, but what is your name? I am Esquire Willworthy, a roving reporter for the Celebripony News. I came here trying to get us an exclusive of some sort on the Imperial Clutch. They announced that it would happen through us, you know.”
Holding her churning stomach at the blatancy with which the monstrous egg murderer announced his target, she forced her crest to show an interested smile as she responded, “You are in luck, Esquire Willworthy! My name is Skraatch.
“My coverage of the Daring Do poisoning and detailed pictures of her finds just landed me an Imperial book commission! I just finished my interviews with the Throne of Empire.
“I got an Imperial clearance to interview Doctor Do and Friend. That is the changeling’s name. Friend is both working on healing Doctor Do and tending the Imperial Egg clutch. I was just going over everything to prepare my questions. I only get one try at this pair of interviews.”
The Baron smiled his most winningly as he responded, “You are willing to let me come along at all, Skraatch? What Celebripony News needs is pictures. I will be quiet and let you do your interviews. Perhaps we should pool it. I could take pictures while you do the interviews. Sort of a team?”
Forcing her crest to show interest, Skraatch agreed, “That would be the best for us both!”
The Baron held out his hoof.
She nearly lost it as she took his hoof on the deal. She excused herself and went to the restroom. There, she washed her claw repeatedly. It did not help the emotional stain of touching the egg killer, though. She gave it up and returned to framing her interview questions.
Whether the Baron made her ill or not, she had a shot at a serious scoop and she was not going to fluff it! While she worked on her questions, the Baron excused himself.
“Your pardon, Skraatch. I must get my camera and equipment from my rooms. I will return presently.”
True to his word, he returned soon, sporting both his expensive camera and the gadget saddlebag.
Still trying to sort out the reason for her direct orders from the Throne, Skraatch gathered up her notes and images. She got her ID ready. Ever since the Civil War, the tourist areas of the Imperial Aerie were sealed off. Everybeing needed proof of either residence or reason to enter the rest of the Aerie.
At the checkpoint, Skraatch showed her ID and her permission to enter the Hospital to the guards. One took the flimsy and checked it against a stack of copies on an organizer ring. His crest popped up at what he found. He double checked another organizer and, though it did not seem possible, his crest went higher in surprise.
He came out, returned Skraatch’s flimsy, and waived them through.
It was a whole different world. It was full of Gryphons going about their business. All of the signs and notices were in Gryphon only. Along the way that they were going, there was a raised roof flight lane for those in a hurry. Judging by the traffic, there were many Gryphons in a hurry.
Those on the walking floor rubbed folded wings without seeming to notice. Sometimes, two or more would meet, raising wings to varying degrees. Much chatter in Gryphon would always follow.
As they followed twisting, branching and turning ways, the Baron was glad that he had a guide. They came to a way where there was no flight roof. It was short but there were open doors of steel at the Aerie end. The other end was blocked by closed steel doors. Both the doors, the walls, ceiling and, he noticed, the floor had apparently recent bullet scars.
Skraatch walked confidently to a small iron barred wicket and presented her press credential and interview permission flimsy. She took the Baron’s and added it to what was taken. There followed a checking of assorted pages on various rings. Finally the credentials were returned.
With tiny clicks, two gun ports opened behind them. The two outer steel doors shut with a small boom of finality. Only then did the doors in front open.
They were greeted by the smells of an active hospital anywhere. A surprisingly clear voice was announcing calls for various doctors to report to rooms and other such hospital business.
They went up ramps and along hallways. The Baron noticed that the usual flight ports in this hospital were all sealed. That and the other massive security precautions led him to think, “Perhaps I was over hasty with this enterprise. I have got in, but how to get out? If the ancient creature that they have guarding the eggs spends most of her time oblivious, as I have heard, I can perhaps winkle an egg out from under it. I have managed to do so without disturbing the mother bird before. My hidden compartment in the camera bag has not been found yet. I will have to trust to chance.”
They were halted at yet another checkpoint. A guard here, trotted up the hallway and tapped at a door. A few quiet words were exchanged. He returned and guided them to the door and tapped.
As the door was opened, he stood back respectfully. The door was held by Nurse Grayyk. Past her, they could see the little grayish changeling with her filmy pale blue mane and tail. She and the Imperial nest were all surrounded by a nearly invisible green glow of magic from her smallish horn. Her vestigial wings of the same material fluttered lightly, presently fanning two eggs. She did not even look up at the newcomers. Delicately she used a long specialized claw to turn an egg, not all the way, just a little.
Nurse Grayyk gestured them in. “Please forgive Doctor Do. She is worn out from this morning’s physical therapy. She is tired but alert. Skraatch, if you take your place next to her Hospital nest, up by her head, it will be simplest to pose your questions and hear the answers.”
Turning to the Baron, she pointed to Friend. “This little changeling is named Friend. This warning is as blunt as I can make it. By the Order of the Throne of Empire, it is an immediate death sentence to go nearer to Friend and the Nest of Empire than that pale glow of her magic.”
Thinking with contempt, “Magic that weak? There is lots of room around the nest to get enough out of sight of the others shielded by the back of that ancient hen! The egg is as good as mine!”
Taking pictures for a cover to his real object, he got pictures of Daring Do in the Hospital nest with the young Eaglets huddled about her. Tired as she obviously was, she was using her left hoof to dangle them strips of meat to gobble down. There was a stand with a bottle and hose leading under Doctor Do’s coverlet on the right side.
Then, as Skraatch began to ask her many carefully prepared questions for Daring Do, the Baron took some pictures of Friend, apparently oblivious to all but the eggs that she was tending.
He snickered to himself, “A poor choice to guard these eggs! I will have mine in a trice and none the wiser!”
The many Eagles perched about the room watched him with avian disapproval. Unseen by the Baron, there was a fine web of the palest, nearly invisible green wisps covering the whole floor at that end of the room. He worked his way through it without noticing it, so delicate was it. Getting many pictures, quite a few of them including the huge Eagles, the Baron achieved the position that he wanted.
The bulk of Friend’s back hid his activity from the others, all clustered at the far end of the room. Ever so delicately, he began to reach.
Quite abruptly, the pale wisps of magic, no longer delicate, but still near invisible, whipped about him! No matter how he struggled, he could not move!
Skraatch looked up, crest lifted triumphantly! “Why Esquire Willworthy, what seems to be the trouble? Or should I ask that of Baron Yoksonu?”
Daring Do’s right hoof was uncovered. She was holding a big revolver pointed at him with a steady aim. Nurse Grayyk had a pistol out too!
The voice of Friend, speaking without looking up from her tasks with the Imperial clutch, announced, “The Hunt is over. The prey is caught and fairly. It was given every chance to escape that could be. Friend claims this prey as hers!”
Skraatch asked Daring Do, “What about his camera? It is quite a good one and it seems that he got a number of good shots.”
It was Friend whose confident voice replied, “Take the camera and the bag. I/we have felt the bag with my/our magic and it has a hidden pocket to hold the stolen egg. Do be careful of his lenses. They are the very best quality.”
Skraatch did take them. Setting down the bag, she unloaded it with care. She took pictures of the innocent looking bag and then demonstrated the false bottom and finally showed the open cushioned compartment for the stolen egg.
She got some fine pictures of Friend on the nest, holding Baron Yoksonu solidly in the grip of her magic.
Skraatch asked curiously, “When and where will the egg murdering Baron Yoksonu be executed?”
Daring Do pointed to fur going gray at his muzzle and other signs of aging. “It is happening right now. Friend is a truly excellent predator.
First, she set a bait to lure the prey. Then she laid webs to see that the prey could find her lair. Then, she even gave her prey an opportunity to escape, life intact before she pounced. Now, she is draining his life and love together. When he is almost gone, then she will kill him and eat the carcass, as a good carnivore should.”
Skraatch, taking notes and photos, commented, “You are an herbivore, like the Baron. Doesn’t this bother you?”
Daring Do considered her answer carefully. “I am an herbivore. I am not an herbivore like HIM.
“Friend, an emotivore/carnivore saved my life by using prey like him. They were ones that had no care for the lives of others or for the laws of civilized societies. They were destroying a whole civilization to gain a little power.
“The Baron is breaking the laws of two nations to kidnap and murder an egg from the Throne of the Empire, who happen to be friends of mine as well.
“His death will not be meaningless. His life will be shared out by Friend to benefit the eggs, these lovely Eaglets, and me. She understands that love shared grows and creates greater love and strength.”
Friend hopped off of the Imperial clutch and smiled. Her smile bared her very impressive set of fangs. Almost delicately, she bit deeply into the neck of Baron Yoksonu. As he collapsed, all of the Eagles fluttered down and joined her in stripping the meat from the carcass. There was no squabbling among them as they fed, sharing both the kill and the gentle, loving green magic of Friend.
“No, it does not bother me.”
–THE END–
Author's Note
My tales can be regarded as an AU or as the unshown underside of MLP society. Either works.
