All was well in Equestria, the economy was steady and harmony was well kept. Celestia believed herself to be a fin ruler all things considered. There was only one problem, the griffons seemed to have begun a technologic revolution. They had discovered a new power source called electricity and with it came flight and machines that could dig up mountains.

This was a problem. Not because the griffons were well off these days now, but it was that they had achieved the technology out of nowhere as if some foreign influence had given them knowledge. Celestia felt the need to root out the cause of this technologic boom and if it was possible to slow it down. So she sent out a few letters summoning the ponies she knew could help her in this task.

In a small apartment on the outskirts of Canterlot a letter appeared on a simple wooden desk, the recipient had just arrived at a startling pop noise that accompanies the letter. Feeling heart was a mare that could sense strong emotions, how far away and how strongly she felt them was decided on how strong the emotions were. Lately she had been feeling something from the north but she couldn’t quite pin down what it was. It turns out she might be getting a chance to find out.

A letter appeared in a Manehatten loft, it was a very barren place as the pony that lived there didn’t care to much for material things and only needed the basics in life. He arrived a while after it had appeared and as he read he thought of all the work he might have to do. Any time the princess sent a letter it was a big job that didn’t pay much. he would make more money in a week than whatever he was getting paid this time around, but a job from the princess can’t be ignored.

Most ponies had cutie marks that guided them through life, his cutie mark granted him a specific and almost legendary power. He could open up holes in walls or floors, how much material he can pass through determines how much mana he can put in to it. That becomes a null issue once the princess is involved though, the amount of mana she has access too might allow him to go from one side of the planet to the other. The princess only calls him in for breakout jobs and normally has a night guard watch him for weeks after just in case he felt like telling somebody it happened, he asked his regular guard one day what would happen if he spoke out. The guard simply replied, “Whatever I feel like doing to you” and that was the end of that one.

A letter appeared in a mailbox in a home on the outskirts of nowhere, it was so quite here that the pony could hear the pop from inside her house. She walked out and brought the letter inside only finding disappointment inside. The princess only seemed to write to her when she was needed, never on the holidays or when it might be kind to write a letter to a so-called friend. she began to prepare for the journey to Canterlot and packed the necessary provisions. She lived alone like the because of the nature of her cutie mark, it was sought after and she couldn’t handle the stress of it. She can weave together magical orbs that would attract emotional energy and convert it into raw mana, the conversion rate was poor but with enough ponies she could create massive energy wells. Celestia rarely called on her but it was always to make use of this.

And of course, the last letter blasted out of a baby dragon in a burst of green fire, alerting twilight sparkle to gather the elements of harmony and prepare for a trip to the north. As twilight scrambled to prepare and alert her friends she made no thought of why Celestia would want her to head north. She couldn’t fathom the events to come or the suffering they would soon bring.

Deep beneath the capital of the growing griffon empire there was a chamber frequented by the king. It was not a chamber of material wealth as those above speculate but one of priceless knowledge. The guards that kept watch lived only feet away from their post and will never be allowed to see the day. The many doors and the many locks that accompanied each door. Only four guards know what lies within the chamber as all the other are housed in separate areas, these four guards and the king bear witness to the great phenomenon of the age; a human.

This was no ordinary human of the past, he was not uncivilized as they once were before dying out in the jungles. This human was foretold by the griffon ancestors, a human to appear beyond time and from a place where these creatures not only existed but brought down the yoke of oppression on any who attempt to fight back. It was once foretold that a single human would appear and grant the knowledge on the griffon king he felt was worthy to inherit it, sadly the human did not seem to think king razor tail was deserving of the knowledge.

It’s a good thing the king didn’t give a dropping what the human thought. He sealed the human away and tortured him for information, and little by little when he couldn’t handle it anymore he would give up small pieces of knowledge for a few months of peace. The king didn’t need to worry about food because the human was curse with horrific immortality, his wounds would heal but only at a natural rate and the effects of hunger affected him. As the king neared the chamber he could hear the raspy breathing of his prisoner. He had left him with a rather barbed spear impaled in his chest so he must have pierced a lung.

The king approached the final door and the guards opened it, the lock and key the pride of griffon craftmanship. No magic could touch or open this door and the room that lay beyond and no creature could replicate the keys. This section has existed under the castle since its creation, all in preparation for the arrival of the human. The human was prophesized as the cursed vessel, a being who would take his species knowledge into himself to pass down to those worthy.

“Are you willing to speak today?” The king asked the prisoner whose blood only ran in drops as it was produced by his immortally failing body.

“What do you want to know now?” His voice like gravel being run through a meat grinder.

“You spoke of black powder last time we meet, I wish to hear of it.” The king stated as if the humans suffering was all but normal.

The human’s eyes shot open in fear he scrambled mentally for a way out of this situation, seeing no way out he could only delay the inevitable “I will not tell you, if your kind knew of it then your lives will be plunged into chaos and the downward spiral of your world would begin”. He settled back down believing this would keep the king off him for another month or two.

The king looked at him, disappointed he grabbed one of the rusty halberds that lay against the wall. It had been there long before the king or even the kings father was born, all the weapons down here rusted but sharp enough to be imbedded into the human. He thrust the polearm into his midsection and the creature howled in agony, his scared flesh making way for the latest violation of his biology.

“I’ll be back in a week or so, I do hope your willing to teach me the ways of this ‘black powder’ when I come back.” The king spoke as if he was just scolding a child for not completing their chores on time.

As the king made his way up towards the palace one of his secretaries ran into the, sending the tiny griffon to the floor.

“What makes you think it’s alright to run into your king like that, you better have a good reason or I’m liable to execute you for treason.” He spat at the her.

She groveled beneath his claws and stammered out “Excuse me sire, but princess Celestia sent a letter stating she will be here in three days to seek council with you”

The kings’ temple twitched and he stepped over her and began walking to the throne room “Tell the princess I am not meeting visitors right now” he barked at her.

“The letter said that you didn’t have a choice on the matter, three days, at four o’clock and she prefers coffee over tea.” The secretary read off the letter just as it was written.

Those who have seen the king snap aren’t able to worn their replacements though, this secretary was brand new and had only been working for a week under the king. These were her last thoughts as she lay in the hall, blood gushing from the open wound in her neck. The last thing she saw was the king turn the corner not once looking back.

The three days had passed and Celestia had arrived, there was no grand party as one would expect. Celestia and her part of nine had all teleported into the designated waiting room for the griffon king. Which was almost completely empty.

There were two distinct groups of ponies formed after their arrival, the six and the princess sat patiently the three made their way around the hall to explore. They didn’t exactly know the elements of harmony other than their mind-numbing greetings. Out of three two of them were mares, each respectable in their looks. One being a mare with a white coat and a light red mane, while the other seemed to change based on her mood. As it was now she wore a coat of light green and a main of dark grey. The stallion of the group has an ultramarine coat topped with a short mane of purple.

As they grew the distance between themselves and the princess the stallion spoke to the other two “So do either of you know why Celestia brought us three to the griffon kingdom, on top of the elements of harmony.” his name was passageway.

The mare with the red mane responded “Celestia had told me nothing as well, one this is for certain is that the strong feeling in the north is here” she said with a nervous shuffle.

Passageway responding in a joking manor “well feeling heart it must be dragon or something lamenting over his hoard if you were able to feel it from Equestria”.

She looked at him with a solemn face “there is a problem with that theory, we are standing above the source give or take a hundred feet off.” She paused to gather her thoughts “it’s hard to tell where exactly it is but the suffering I’m feeling is on a whole new scale”.

The others in the group looked at her wondering what she could mean but before Celestia appeared behind them “I see your avoiding the element bearers once again, why go through the effort to avoid them when it’s so much easier to make friends?” she quipped at the three.

Passageway spoke up “princess with all due respect, you know how we prefer to be alone; being friends with ponies may be a wonderful experience but as I know your aware some of your jobs are very risky”. Passageway was not the type of pony to bow down, but saw every pony as more or less equal. To him royalty just meant you could eat the best tasting foods and place yourself above the common pony.

She seemed disappointed with his answer but nonetheless continued “Well if that’s how you three feel I won’t push it again, but I’ve come to talk about today’s job.” She said.

“today we are meeting the king, I am going to ask him to show us what he has in the deepest dungeon and if not it’s your duty to find out.” she turned towards feeling heart “for now start pinpointing exactly where that emotional distress is coming from, if the king refuses I’ll give passageway access to my mana supply and he will bore directly to it.”

“I’ve already agreed to the job princess, but what is under us right now?” he asked and the other two looked towards her as well, everyone was seeking answers.

“I have a theory on what it could be, and I hope I’m wrong.” She turned to the last pony in the group, gathered emotion was her name. “lastly, once we arrive at the source ill make a call; to either make use if your talent or I will teleport us back up and let the king know that Equestria cares not for what he keeps in his own cells.”

Feeling heart seemed taken aback by this statement “what do you mean princess, if its suffering isn’t it our duty as ponies to stop the king?” she looked up pleadingly to the princess.

“No, our duty today is to determine what the king is hiding and if it is something I will need to deal with; If not feeling heart will simply leave an emotional well inside of it and we will take our leave.” Celestia stated, knowing there would be no challenge to her commands.

Before their conversation could continue a griffon appeared from the throne room and spoke up “the king will now see the party of ten.”

Celestia spoke loud enough for the elements to hear her “that would be our cue, follow me my little ponies.”

The nine ponies made their place behind their ruler and followed her into the throne room. As they made their way in several gasps were heard as the ponies were used to the calm and welcoming throne room of Canterlot, maybe it was the garrison of griffons waiting for them on the other side or the dark colors and lack of natural light. Most of the ponies were now scared and wondered what type of king would have the throne room dressed for war.

The king sat at the end of the room atop his iron throne, one of the party members had fainted and was being carried by an orange mare. That same orange mare kept walking as the rest of the party had stopped. She gave the best bow she could with the yellow mare resting on her back, then spoke up to the king who was much bigger than he was at the doorway. “Now I don’t really know where yall get off on making a poor mare like Fluttershy faint by having yer whole army waiting for us but that was mighty rude of you, I’m gonna wake flutters up now and I expect some king of apology.”

The entire room was stunned, the normally stoic soldiers stared slack jawed at the mare that had waltzed in. the rest of the party looked as if they were children caught in acts they had no business doing. The king’s expression did not change. He looked towards Celestia and spoke “I’m giving you thirty seconds to tell me why you’re here or ill show these soldiers aren’t just for parades.” He spat at her.

The princess was stunned, never in her existence had anypony done something so unexplainably stupid. It was one thing to be brave but to demand an apology from a dictator such as razor tail was suicidal. She then realized her thirty second had been spent in shock.

“times up Celestia, leave my kingdom now and this might not cause issues later down the road” he deadpanned at the ruler who had regained composure.

“I understand King Razor tail, we will be leav- PLAN B GO, PASSAGEWAY!” she shouted and sprang up a multilayered shield the group, pulling applejack and Fluttershy into it. “How long until we pinpoint it heart!” she yelled above the sounds of spears and sword slamming into her magic barrier, she could hold onto it for at least half an hour and still be able to get everyone back.

“I got it, passageway 300 meters down and 20 to the right!” she shouted at the ultramarine pony who had been pulling mana from Celestia. He pointed his head down and an abyss seemed to open below them, in fact they only fell around two feet it was just so dark in the chamber now that it seemed like an endless pit. The abyss closing behind them cutting off their would-be pursuers.

Celestia lit up the room they were in and every pony was struck with horror. A single creature chained to a wall, a weapon imbedded in his midsection. It seemed to all but feeling heart and Celestia to be dead, still Celestia felt the need to blast its chains away and using magic to rip the halberd out.

“Twilight I need you and the elements to stand and watch the door, I’ll get the teleport spell ready.” Celestia said as she began pouring magic into a spell but also into healing the human. its wounds healed and it seemed it was beginning to regain consciousness, she spoke out to it “can you speak to us, are you able to stand?”

Its voice was weak and sounded like talons on chalkboard and gravel had a child together “I can see it, I can see the magic now.” Was all it muttered before passing out. Celestia had no time to worry if it was okay anymore she could hear clamor from beyond the cell. With the spell ready, she teleported every pony and the human into what was once the war room of Canterlot.

They all lay there for a long time, maybe even hours until the lavender colored mare spoke up “princess, if it’s alright with you can we get an explanation for what just happened?” she looked up at her mentor hoping for answers that made sense.

“Yes, I suppose you all need to know why today even happened.” She spoke as she rang a magical bell, a maid came through the door and Celestia said “please bring enough tea for nine, don’t worry we are in no rush.”

Author's Note

I initially named the word doc shitpost overload, let me know how accurate i was