Chapter 10:
Organization

A set of guards were posted in front of the room where Gabby was being held, they bowed as the Princess approached.

“You hold the young griffin captive here?”

“Yes Princess,” one of the guards answered from his bowing position.

“Rise. Anything you heard in there?” the Princess asked as the guards rose again.

“She can faintly be heard crying in there but other than that we've heard nothing suspicious,” the second guard told her.

“Thank you, we'll be going in and do not wish to be disturbed,” Princess Celestia told the guards.

“Are you sure, Princess? We could come in with you?” the first guard asked.

“Thank you, but we'll be fine on our own.” The guard's eyes then fell on me, a faint frown forming on his face, something Celestia picked up on immediately. “He's with me, soldier.”

“Yes Princess,” he nodded and opened the door for us. The room itself didn't have much furniture in it but the pieces themself didn't look all that uncomfortable. Gabby was sitting on the bed with her back against the wall, squeezing a pillow against her chest, while her eyes were bloodshot from all the crying she'd done. She looked over at us as we entered, hiding behind her pillow as she saw the Princess.

“Hello there, are you comfortable here?” Celestia asked as she sat down at the table in the centre of the room, summoning a pot of tea and cups from thin air.

“Y-Yes P-Princess,” Gabby squeaked, still doing her best to disappear behind the pillow. Rainbow and I took seats at the table too.

“Then would you mind some tea?” Celestia asked, pouring a cup of her own. Gabby quietly nodded but didn't move off the bed. The princess also offered Dash and me the tea, Rainbow declined while I took a cup from her.

“Gabby, can you join us here at the table?” I asked as the other griffin didn't seem to be moving.

“O-Okay,” Gabby stuttered, her voice cracking as new years welled up in the corner of her eyes. The little griffin carefully stepped up to and sat down at the table. She picked up her teacup but the shaking of her hand nearly made the liquid spill out.

“Hey, you know we're not going to hurt you, right?” I said with a small smile, laying a claw on Gabby's shoulder.

“O-Of course,” Gabby stuttered, taking a sip out of her cup.

“Now, I’d say you weren’t in trouble but that’d be a lie,” I continued, pulling out a pen and notebook. “But right now we need your help in saving the lives of more ponies.”

“Alright, I-I’ll help with that,” Gabby answered, the shaking in her hands at least settling down enough to be able to drink the tea.

“Thank you Gabby, I shall make sure this is a major factor in any trail you’ll be a part of,” Celestia said, signalling me to continue my questionnaire. Rainbow just continued to sit to the side and watched.

“Now, your uncle, I need to know who he hung out with, even if you just have descriptions it’ll be helpful,” I told Gabby, getting ready to write down her answers.

“H-He hung out with this one large griffin back a-at the castle a lot, I don’t know his n-name though,” Gabby told me, “O-Other than that he usually hung out at bars when he wasn’t delivering packages.”

I scribbled some things down. “The large griffin, anything notable about him? You know, like the colour feathers, scars or something else notable?”

“He’s got black head feathers a-and dark grey on the rest of his body… his wings didn’t look that cared for I think.”

“Thank you, was there a particular bar he went to often?” I asked as I penned down the features of the griffin.

“N-No not really...”

I sighed and picked up the cup of tea, being pleasantly surprised as I took a sip. It tasted like a blend you’d get from Afghani locals as opposed to some of the manufactured stuff we’d have in the west. “Do you know where your uncle brought some of his other packages?”

“Not really, he just picked them up from the post office and then left town to deliver them… then one day he offered me to come along to Canterlot with a ‘very big delivery’ as he said… and then in Canterlot...” Gabby started hyperventilating as she closed her eyes and curled up into a fetus position. “...H-He had a s-sword and was a-acting all shifty, t-then y-you k-k-killed him.”

Rainbow shot forward and wrapped the little griffin in her wings as she broke down crying. I froze completely, swallowing as old and buried memories flashed through my mind and tears sprung into my eyes.

You're not there... need to calm down... don't panic...

Rapidly any attempt at remaining calm were thrown out of the window as images of crying children and utter chaos invaded my head. My breathing rapidly increased as I curled up into a ball, clutching my head.

Stop it! I... What the hell are you even doing here?

The attention upon Gabby shifted towards me as I shivered in my curled up ball while being lost to memory and thought.

You need to get out...

Looking up from my curled up position I zeroed in on the door, not even hearing Rainbow and the Princess asking me if I was all right as a single though kept hammering me.

GET OUT!

Within a fraction of a second, I sprung up, charging the door and surprising the four guards waiting for us outside. Not hesitating a moment I was off into the hallway, bolting around corners as I searched for an exit. Behind me, I could hear my names being called but I wasn't stopping as I saw an exit where sunshine was coming through.

"Jack!"

Ignoring the vaguely familiar call I jumped through the door, taking in the surroundings. A large garden of sorts, neatly maintained and divided into sections lay in front of me as grass sat below my paws and talons. Feeling my arms and legs become weak I collapsed and broke down crying.

What are you doing here Jack, what the hell are you doing pretending like you're some stable genius here...

Something draped across my back as a source of heat laid down next to me, light blue feathers brushing against me.

"Hey, Jack, What's wrong? Please talk to me." Rainbow asked as she pulled me close.

"I..." I sniffed hard, leaning up against the pegasus. "Bad memories. Very bad ones."

Rainbow muttered something but I didn't catch it in my current state. "Want to, I don't know, talk about it?"

"Not really... maybe someday." I steadied myself further, trying to distract myself with the situation at hand, noticing a set of guards watching us from distance with the Princess. "We should get back to the princess, there's still a job to be done."

"Jack you-"

"Rainbow, please." Dash frowned but ultimately helped me up, the two of us walking over to Celestia after I'd wiped away my tears and made sure my clothes were straightened up again.

"Are you okay, Jack?" the princess asked in concern.

"Just some old demons that still haunt me, I'll be fine," I said with my regained composure “Princess, could you have me lead to the griffin representative in Canterlot?”

"Are you sure you are capable of functioning correctly right now?" She asked, not completely convinced.

"Yes I am, ma'am," I answered confidently.

“Then please, follow me,” Celestia said, leading the way through the halls of the castle. Rainbow closely behind, looking at me with concern in her eyes.

The hallways got a bit more crowded as we got closer to the exit of the castle, various reporters were being held back at the entrance of the castle as they demanded an audience with the Princess. Celestia turned to the two royal guards with here and swiftly scribbled something down on a parchment and summoned some wax, rolling it up, sealing it, and giving it over to me.

“He needs to be brought to the Griffonian consulate, please get him there as soon as you can.” The two royal guards saluted and made an opening in the row of reporters at the door to allow me through.

“Hey, colours?" I asked as we followed the Royal Guards to the consulate.

“Yeah?”

“Thanks, I really needed someone back there,” I told her as we walked down the long street.

“Would've been a terrible friend if I just let you run off in that state,” Rainbow smiled, placing a wing on my back.

“I'm still glad you did, being alone when something like that happens is the worst.”

“No problem, I'm the Element of Loyalty after all!” Dash beamed, making me smile as well while we walked. The two guards brought us to a walled-off compound and looked at each other in slight confusion.

“Anything wrong?”

“There should be at least two griffins holding guard here,” one of the two answered, pointing at the empty guardhouse. I immediately pulled my rifle off of my back and checked the mag.

“You two stay with Rainbow and get help, I’m going in alone,” I told them, looking over at Dash. “That’s not negotiable.”

Rainbow cringed “Fine...”

“Good pegasus,” I smirked, walking up to the gate and pushing it open, finding it wasn’t even locked. The courtyard had a few scattered corpses and a moaning, grey armoured griffin clutching a bleeding leg laying near the entrance of the main structure. Cursing quickly I rushed forward, picked up the sword that lay next to him and tossed it away before grabbing my medkit. “Your name?”

“G-Gael,” He grunted, surprised at my appearance. There was a significant amount of blood pouring from a stab wound that pierced his thigh and a few insignificant ones on his arms. “W-Who are you?”

“A friend of Princess Celestia’s,” I answered, wrapping a pressure bandage around the cut and tightening it. “Where is the consul?”

“Somewhere in there,” he grimaced. “There was only a small group of the bastards here so they might have gotten them already.”

“To what bastards are we referring here?” I asked as I tied down the bandage.

“You know... the Red Claws?” he said slightly confused, his eyes suddenly widening, “You didn’t know...”

“No I didn’t, but thanks for telling me. I’ve got a consul to see.” Leaving the wounded griffin in a bit better shape I continued further into the building, hearing voices around the corner at the end of the hallway and clashing swords. Running over the carpet to the end of the hallway I passed various motionless griffins, some clearly still breathing and others moaning in pain from grievous wounds, before coming to a skidding halt at the end of it on my back legs and rifle raised.

“STAND DOWN!” I barked, the two griffins that were engaging each other pausing to look who’d interrupted them. A third griffin stuck at a closed door sitting at the end of the hallway also took note of me as we locked eyes. “Consul?”

The cloaked griffin that had been fighting the guard lunged forward to the other griffin now his defences were lower, but before he could stab him I fired my rifle, hitting him in the shoulder. He immediately dropped his sword in a cry and clutched the spot that just got hit.

“Who are you?” the guard immediately asked with ragged breath, stepping in between me and the consul. In response, I pulled out the parchment the Princess had signed for me and showed it to the guard, though I was not letting the griffin on the ground out of my sight. He looked back at the consul after reading the scroll and motioned him to come forward, to let him read as well. In the meantime, I checked out the wound on the downed griffin who was breathing heavily.

“The princess sent you?”

“She did. I had some questions, one of which I already have answered by Gael outside,” I replied, looking at the guard. “There are two Royal Guards outside, they should have gotten emergency medical services so you can check up on your brothers in the hallway.”

“I get paid to defend the consul’s life no matter the cost. I do not answer to you,” he replied, suspiciously eyeing me.

“Look at this twat, think I couldn’t have ended all three of you the moment I came around the corner?” I growled, the griffin below me spitting on my arm. “Yes, I could have, now go to the Royal Guard for that help.”

He looked back at the consul who waved him off which got him to pass me and run outside. “I seem to be in your debt, what is it you needed to know?”

“Who are the Red Claws?” I flatly asked, the griffin below me letting out a pained chuckle.

“The end to weak and illegitimate pony rule over griffins.” He growled, spitting up blood, but between his mangled arm and me holding him down there wasn’t much he could do.

“The adults are talking, please be quiet,” I told him.

“They’re a small separatist group advocating for griffin self-rule,” the consul answered. “They’re a small internal nuisance, nothing we can't-”

“That small nuisance just charged through your guards like they were wet blankets, blew up a massive explosive charge in Manehattan, tried to do the same here in Canterlot, and I’m pretty sure they attempted to capture Princess Celestia’s personal student and her friend. So please Consul, cut the political bullshit, this has blown up far above anything you can manage on your own.” The consul grimaced as his guard returned with one of the Royal Guards and Rainbow Dash, more ponies entered after them and started to treat the wounded. I turned to the Royal Guard and got off the griffin under me. “Search him and take him for medical attention. He also needs to be questioned.”

“Understood,” the pony replied, checking the downed griffin for any weapons with the griffin guard.

“You okay?” Rainbow asked, looking sick as she avoided the fallen in the hallway.

“Never been better,” I replied. “Consul, you’re coming with us and are going to explain to the guard in exquisite detail everything you know about these ‘Red Claws’ you know. Clear?”

“Crystal.”

Princess Celestia pranced around the room in circles. Rainbow, Shining armor, a female ‘thestral’ or batpony called Midnight, and to finish it off the second Princess called Luna. The Solar Guard Captain was still in the situation room to keep things going there.

“An extremely violent separatist group growing right below my nose...” Celestia sighed as she looked over the table that had a map with flags like the ones in the situation room on them.

“You didn’t get any indication of them being around, sister?” Luna asked with a raised eyebrow.

“You know griffins are proud, they’ve always had a faction that wanted to separate from Equestria,” Celestia sighed, taking a seat at the table. “This though? It never got this bad. Small skirmishes that got resolved quickly by other factions in Griffinstone most of the time.”

“This isn’t something we can fix with the elements, is it?” Rainbow asked.

“No, it isn’t. This is going to take the royal guard up in Griffinstone to root out these Red Claws,” Celestia sighed, looking at the map in front of her.

“Just sending in the guard as a blunt force object may have the opposite effect that you’re trying to achieve here,” I said with crossed arms.

“What would you know about that?” the Lunar Guard captain asked.

“They’re going to say the guard is an occupying force and rally support behind their cause that way,” I pointed out to the bat pony. “You need to find out who’s on your side and work with them to clean out corrupt elements fast. I can’t imagine they would have been able to stay hidden if they didn’t have people covering for them. Hell, the consul didn't want to ask for help because of pride so even any potential ally will not be inclined to help.”

“That’ll still require the guard to go up there to figure out who’s on our side and who’s not,” Shining pointed out.

“I can go ahead to gain intel who’s dirty and who isn’t. That way you can cut off the head of the snake before they start agitating. It’ll still be tough if the ideas are ingrained enough but it’ll calm down the region for a while.”

“You’d do that for us?” Princess Luna asked. “You barely even know us.”

I shrugged, “Twilight Sparkle is working her ass off to find a way to get me home, I owe you at least something.”

“I’m pretty sure you’ve gone way past something already, Jack,” Rainbow pointed out.

“So I’m supposed to sit on my butt and watch?”

“No-one would blame you if you did that,” Celestia told me. “You’ve done a lot for us already and I am not sure if I want to send you after having an episode like the one this afternoon again.”

"He didn't freak out at the consulate and that was a bloodbath," Rainbow pointed out, choosing my side.

“I wouldn’t be able to sleep knowing there was something I could do to prevent more attacks, Princess. And besides, where are you going to find a griffin willing to work with you that definitely doesn't have ties to this organization?” I argued. "You can of course go to that place with just the Consul's words to rely on but how much do you trust those?"

"He's right Tia, if you will not take him then I will," Luna sighed, "We need eyes and my guard, good as they are, won't stay hidden for long in Griffinstone itself. We would be fools to go in blind against griffins."

The two sisters looked at each other and nodded, Celestia speaking up. “Then it is decided, you shall go ahead to Griffinstone while we muster the guard over the next few days.”

“I’ll requisition anything you need,” Midnight told me. “Prince Armor, you should go catch some sleep. We require you fresh for when you return to the Crystal Empire.”

“I’ll be ready, Captain, don’t you worry.”

“Good. Mister Grey, since you’re volunteering for a covert operation I want you drafted into the Lunar Guard’s special operations squadron. Do you consent to this?” Captain Midnight asked, I nodded. "I need a verbal confirmation."

"I consent."

"Good. Then you are hereby part of the Lunar forces, keep in mind that your actions will now reflect back on the Princess herself. Do not dishonor her name. We shall take care of any oaths later."

I looked between the Princess of the night and the batpony, Luna just sat by as Captain Midnight handled the situation.

“Understood, Captain.”

Author's Note

I had to change quite a lot according to the changes last week, hopefully it lives up to expectations.

Remember that comments are like authors' food, we gain energy from them. Constructive criticism is welcome.