Chapter Six – Night Before Canterlot

Electuroo the Griffon – Missyplaced First

Drinking some tea I worked under candle light in what I dubbed the old throne room as the Griffonstone archives. At the desk I flipped through a page about the Equestria Griffina treaty that was created and signed between Celestia and Guto. I ran a claw finger alongside the founding laws and how even with all hope lost King Guto did something for the griffons.

Writing down on a scroll I put the article I needed to bring up before Princess Celestia tomorrow in Canterlot, my royal hearing was in the later half of the afternoon close to evening. “Right... These laws might be around 200 years old but it seems they still stand weirdly enough.” I said to myself and drink a bit more of the tea till I couldn't feel any more liquid go down my throat.

I look to the canteen picking it up I felt the weight of it being next to nothing. “Bollocks... Out of tea!” I put the quill down and rubbed the sides of my head. I was glad that I had those bandages off my head now. Two weeks of them being taken off and replaced was irritating to the short soft feathers.

Picking up another book I moved it across flipping through a few pages. “How the heck do I even understand this?” Rubbing my head I still could not answer that question. “Basic stuff my ass... Missy must of shoved into my head the knowledge of many written forms of work. Cause I am pretty sure this is old ponish... How the blazes I know that... I have no bloody idea!”

An creak from the large doors caught my attention and turn to see Gilda entering, she walked in looking around with a low whistle before speaking. “This is what you and Gallus been up to? Turning the old dusty useless throne room into a library?”

“Achieves Gilda. I turned this place into a place to store the books from being damaged any more than they have. Keep them safe, I am not sure how many griffons part from Gabby and Grandpa Gruff even think of coming in here let alone read any of these.” I closed the book up.

Gilda came up to the desk, picking up a few of the notes I had written and looking at the books I had on the desk. “You understand all this gibberish?”

I took the notes from her putting them together. “Cause you can't make head and tails of it Gilda doesn't mean it gibberish.”

“Before I turn around and leave you egghead to this. What does all this have to do with tomorrows day court with Princess Celestia?” Gilda sits down tapping her talon claw tips on the wooden surface of another desk with the other talon hand resting under her beak and elbow on the desk.

Picking up the book and flipping through the pages till I found what I was looking for I described what I found that could work in our favour. “Article 13 paragraph 3a is what I plan to use. It will grant instant ownership of the land to said griffon to build a commercial building that will benefit the said village, town or city.”

I raise a talon finger up continue to speak. “And on top of that the crown of Equestria supply you will whatever you need to build it within reason. Even having a work force sent to build it too.” I put the book down before her pointing to the article and relieving the blue prints. “Me and Gabby worked on these blue prints for the café too. Like to see?”

Gilda took the rolled up blue prints of a few sheets and opening them out on the desk over the book she got a good look at it. “Who would of thought I'd be sticking around this dump to not only build a café but end up helping out these selfish feather brains...”

“You seem... Well conflicted...”

“Of course you dweeb! Every since I saved your sorry lion ass everything just been turned upside down! I did everything for myself and only myself! So I can get away from this stupid city! But in one solid month I am now on the verge of getting planning permission to build an scone café!” Gilda got up from the desk poking me as I backed up and she talked.

Rubbing the back of my head I smiled nervously as I reply to her. “Gilda you could of easily kicked me out at any time and yet you allowed Gallus to stay under the same roof now.” I lower my talon hand gesturing as I speak about what she done for me and Gallus. “In a way we been playing the game whom can get one up on each other.”

Gilda hit me on the foreleg. “That we have. But I will always be one up on you.”

“Yep since you saved my sorry lion ass after that explosion.” I pulled out of the bag I always bring with me the semi blood stain bandages.

She stared at them and at me. “If you want to step back into the house tonight your putting that gross thing right in the trash can!”

“Got it boss.” I smiled. “I better get back to finishing up here before settling down for the night.”

Gilda pulled out from under her wing a key throwing it to me, I caught it and looked at it. “That your own key for the house. I don't want you knocking at one in the morning for a third time.”

I put it into my bag. “Only took me waking you up for ya to finally give me a key huh?” I said with a cheeky smile.

Gilda walked up close to me beak only a inch from mine, eyes so close we could easily see our own reflections through our golden yellow and brown eyes. “Not at all Electuroo. I had you under my roof for almost a month. I know I am not going to get rid of ya and I don't wanna.” I felt something around my right hind leg.

It was her tail, she turn her body around and got me good. “Ah crap...” With a pull of her tail my right hind leg pulled right under me and the sudden pull causes me to loose my balance and fall over.

I was on my back with my bag slid away from me, soon I felt talon hands on my wrists pinning me to the ground with Gilda looking down at me as I looked up at her, she leans down to my right feathered ear and whispers. “Yet again I-”

I moved my hind legs around her waist causing her to squawk in surprise as I rolled us over backwards and now I was the one on top pinning Gilda down. “Surprised?” I grinned and got off her.

Gilda rolled over onto her paws and talons. “Yes, where the heck you learned that? Feather brain.”

“I saw in a few movies and didn't know it would work. Look like it did.” I explained to her. “I can show ya how to do it if you like, like that tail grab you did to me multiple times.” I offered an exchange of moves.

Gilda walked over to the doors putting her talon hand on it. “I think that fair dweeb.” She pushed it open. “How much flight time have you had Electuroo?”

I thought about it and shrugged. “Not much. I fly every so often. Why?” I grabbed my bag putting all the papers into it.

Gilda came back over and grabbed me by the foreleg blowing out the candles. “Come on we flying.”

“Do I have a choice?”

“No dweeb! Now come!” She pulls on my foreleg and I followed her out of the old throne room into the cool air. “It time to fly at night and learn to use those senses of yours.” She tap my beak, opening her wings taking off into the night sky light by the full moon.

Not wanting to argue with a griffon that can kick my lion tail in more ways than one I opened my blackish grey wings up and with a few powerful flaps I took off after Gilda into the sky. “Gilda what the bloody blazes we going?” I noticed we was getting some distance from Griffonstone heading south by my guess.

Gilda flew faster and I had to flap a few times harder to keep up. “You will see Electuroo.” After about ten minutes of flying we came into view what look like a mountainousness landing strip with run down buildings with plants growing all over it. “Now what can you tell me of this place?”

We glide around a few times as I took in the detail. I could see on the tarmac through all the cracks and plants growing through it the same emblem on the train station. “It look like an runway of some kind.”

Landing on the tarmac Gilda explains to me about it. “I found this place about two weeks ago, it right smack in the middle of all the villages, towns and Griffonstone. I think this was the griffons own version of a Wonderbolt HQ and academy.”

Already knowing what Wonderbolts are I played on it. “Wonderbolts? I read something in one of the books about Wonderbolts but it was only a reference.”

“It Equestria's flight performance team slash elite fliers that called upon emergencies from what Dash told me about it a few years back.” Gilda walked down the runway with me alongside her looking around at the ruined buildings. “One thing I don't get, this place reminds me of Manehatten. Did King Guto have something that was way ahead of the ponies going on here?”

I noticed something that couldn't be possible, flying over to it quickly to not waste time I came to a massive hanger inside was a airship made of metal and in perfect condition. “No way! It a real airship! This thing is a real bloody airship and look like it not aged at all!” I went to get near it got hit by a magic shield rippling from the impact.

Landing a few feet away I rubbed my beak. “Hehe.” Gilda laughed. “I should of warned you about the shield. My bad.”

“That explains why it look so new...” I noticed something on side of it. A vent and inside turbines. “This thing is a Turbojet! That impossible!”

This got Gilda's attention as she joined me to near the rear the airship. “What is a Turbojet? And why is it impossible?”

The cabals, the shape of the airship, the deflated bag looked extremely strong. “It has blades that spin inside, it sucks in air and with fuel that burned creates thrust if I remember correctly. Also from the way this is built in it could also turn a full 180 degrees.” I looked at how it was built into the air ship. “Gilda this airship alone would put the most advance airships in the world to shame! This alone is at least 300 years ahead of it time when built at least!”

Gilda whistled. “So your saying that if we find a way to get through this and find out how it ticks the griffons would have something that even out shine the ponies?”

Rubbed my head. “Now I am thinking the lose of the idol wasn't by a thief looking for a quick buck. I think he was sent there to derail the griffon kingdom...”

“Your saying...”

“The Griffons was growing technologically faster than the rest of the world. This alone is proof.” I walked around it noticing the hanger was built to last and showed being over 200 years old.

Gilda walking with me was looking at me with wary eyes. “You don't think that Equestria was involved?”

I shook my head. “Not the slightest. The final treaty with Princess Celestia proof of that. Why do you think griffons are not broke or on the verge of dying out? She been supplying the kingdom... Well what left of it Bits every month to each settlement. Even they are run down. Even going as far installing gas and electric lines through out them.”

Gilda rubbed the side of her neck. “Okay dweeb you got a point but whom do this though?”

“Not a clue...” I place my talon hand gentle on the shield feeling it pulsing with magic from a light blue shimmer of light. “So no one else knows about it?”

Gilda shook her head. “No one. I even asked Grandpa Gruff if there any history that we had something close to the Wonderbolts and he said we didn't.”

We left the hanger and I noticed that the wooden shells still around in growth of trees and plants showed other airships all abandon as well training equipment. “I think this place is like the academy but also making airships.” I looked to the tower and flew right up to it.

Pushing the door open we entered what I can easily see is a control room, it was filled with computers with keyboards and a set of radar screens as well faded papers scattered around. Windows smashed and an rusty set of headsets with binoculars. This all remind me of a 1980s control tower from movies I seen. “Whoa look at all this! How advance were we?” Gilda picked up a headset looking at it.

“Gilda where I am from this stuff is about 40 years out of date. This stuff compared from what I know of Equestria so far put it to shame. But I have a serious question about all this stuff...”

“And that be? Other learning where you once came from is more advance than this.” Gilda put down the headset.

I picked up a few sheets of paper, barely able to see what on it but waving it back and forwards I gave my answer. “Why is everything only look like it been decaying for the last 100 years and not 200?”

Gilda scratched the side of the face. “I only noticed this place because I was flying back late at night from Griffdon after doing a late last delivery of the scones to a griffon.”

“And during the day?”

“Never seen this place. First time flying over at night but at day I couldn't find it so I thought it was me seeing things.” Gilda answered. “It happened again last night when I was flying back from another late night run. So I stuck around till dawn to find the whole place just seem to vanish at first dawn.”

Gilda looked out of the smashed windows. “Guto found some sort of magic to hide the place?” Gilda turn around to me.

I put the papers down and step up to a large map of the lands around Griffina and Equestria, this map was airtight sealed showing no wear and tear over the years. “Gilda I think it is. This place is magical phased out of our reality by the day. That would explain lack of decay.”

“Why would King Guto go to all that trouble to hind this place?” Gilda step up beside me.

“Not a clue...”

“What are all these lines?” She point her finger to the map moving it along one of the lines.

“If I am to guess trade routes. Griffina from the look of things was a major trader to all corners of the neighbouring lands.” I took notice how much land the griffons had as well back at Guto's ruling. “Wow... Look at all that land in orange. That was the Griffon Kingdom back 200 years ago.”

Gilda was surprised, the east coast of what is Equestria once owned by the griffons. “We only a shadow of what we once were...” Gilda grabbed the map off the wall. “All because of some stupid idol we lost we became selfish no good for nothing griffon! ARGH!” She threw it across the control room, it smashed against the wall with the map falling out of it among the pieces of glass and wood.

“I don't get how one idol could bring down the griffon kingdom. It doesn't make sense...” I went over to the destroyed frame.

As I went to pull the map free from it Gilda hit her fist against the wall. “Those dweebs deserved it if they went down hill cause of some piece of gold!”

I picked up the map and noticed a letter under it. “Huh? What this?” I put the map to the side and picked up the letter. “Gilda look what I found under the map.”

“A sealed envelope? I doubt that thing is readable.”

I pulled it open from the seal with a white talon claw on it and took out the letter. “It was typed and printed.”

“And it says?” Gilda came over to me looking over my right side taking a look at the letter.

“To whom ever read this letter

If you are a griffon and found this you will not be held captive by the White Talons...” I paused and quickly look around. “Gilda can you see any griffons part from us?”

Gilda looking out the shattered windows her eyes darting left and right. “No I haven't but I feel really nervous about being here now...”

“That makes two of us...” I continued to read the letter.

“If you are a griffon and found this you will not be held captive by the White Talons the elite flyers of or what was the pride of the country of Griffina. As you've came across what left of the airfield that most likely discovered the magic placed upon the White Talon Academy.

The rest of the kingdom will have forgotten by greed and hate as the griffons revert over the last few years to the selfish greedy griffons we was once were before King Grover brought them all together with the Idol of Boreas that was lost into the abyss close to the capital Griffonstone.

Following through with Protocal Wing Wipe, using all the treasure funds and using the greed of the griffons we wiped clear most of our advancements through out the many years rewriting the history of Griffina with the aid of Princess Celestia of Equestria giving up our lands on the east coast to her and her ponies.

But I never told her or the ponies of this academy and finding a spell to cast upon this land to hide it in her sun. The White Talons loyal to the crown will keep this airfield safe and the G.K. Guto the pride of all griffons. She may never have her maiden voyage but I be damned to see our most advance airship rot after all the work we have done to it.

She was right though, the day would come and the letter I will type. My day as king has came to a end and as I leave this letter to be found under the map that will be smashed by an female griffon in rage. She will be with another not of our lands with four instead of three... May you find what I lost...

The White Talons are now yours to command...

Best Wishes...

Formal King Guto...”

Gilda took the letter and read the last part. “An female griffon in rage!?” She turn to me. “He knew before I even did it that I would do it!? How the name of all griffon kind he knew that!?”

“And how did he know about me?” I sat down against the wall holding the map rolling it up and held it against my hind legs twitching my tail about. “This is some evening flight...”

Gilda sat down next to me. “Yeah it has... King Guto that dweeb the last king of the griffon kingdom knew about us before we knew each other...” She looked upon the letter once again. “What did he mean by the White Talons though?”

“Not a clue. Do you think Grandpa Gruff will have anything on them?” I asked

Gilda shrugs. “If I know. But I am not sure about telling any griffon about this place...” We left the watch tower flying up high above the airfield. “Look at this place! It the last of the pride that was once part of us griffons! If we tell Princess Celestia about this...”

“It could be turn upside down and everything taken...” I had to believe her on this one but I did have the idol which I could maybe use to stop it.

“Ponies are not to know of this location.” We heard a gruff deep voice quickly turning around flying right in front of us now was a griffon with a blackish grey flight suit with white lightning marks running down the neck to the mid way of the waist and over each eye slot. This griffon in the moon light was red tail with dark red fluff and wings, yellow beak. On the flanks of the suit was a white talon.

“The White Talons...” We said together, face to face with the golden eyes of this griffon that came out of the blue.

He than did something unexpected, bowing his head and with a closed fist just in front of his forehead in salute manner, saying directly to me...

“Sire!”

Next thing I knew a something covered my head from behind bring the world into darkness.