We led her straight towards the temple. The guards nodded at our group, allowing us past, but thrusting spears across our way as our hippogriff companion tried to follow.

"Halt!" The guard raised a wing. "This is a temple for griffons only."

She scowled at him with a low growl. "It's in the name. I am a griffon." She thumped her own thumb against her chest. "And I plan on passing that test. Let me past."

The guard snorted at her. "Nice try. Griffons are griffons, and you're not one."

I turned back towards the conflict. "The priest told me and me alone to find candidates." They stiffened. "You don't question the high priest, do you?"

Twinkle shrugged with a little smirk. "It does appear they're doing some doubting."

"We don't question the high priest." The guard stepped aside. "But we still can't let this creature in."

I considered that a moment. "The forces you worship have the answer." Both guards started at that with obvious surprise. "Isn't it obvious? All I'm doing is getting her to the tests. If she's not worthy, then we know what will happen to her."

They exchanged glances, then stepped aside. "Very well. But if she dies, we're holding you responsible."

I folded an ear back. "Good? It is my job to find candidates. Some of them will die, or this isn't a very good test. I should be upset?"

"No." They shook their heads together. "We just wanted to make sure you understood."

The hippogriff skipped past us with a big smile. "Not that I plan on losing." With access achieved, she went straight for the doors leading towards the test.

But that wasn't my problem anymore. "We have to find more."

"Cold." Maud inclined her head. "Colder than I thought."

"I was just being honest." I looked up at the sky. "We have time for one more, I think. Let's get going."

Pinkie zipped ahead of me. "Nuh-uh. That was the one more. you're getting carried away. Let the two we got take their tests. We can go tomorrow. Maud? Wanna hang out with us tonight? We miss you around."

Maud considered that. "Okay." She nodded softly. "I'd like that."

I smiled at that. "Great. Now we just need to figure out where we're sleeping." I sighed with the thought. "Napping in the common room is getting old."

Twinkle went inside the temple, looking around. "Have you tried asking?"

I hadn't, and laughed at myself for missing such an obvious solution. "I'll do that. The shared rooms had interesting visitors, let's avoid that." I went up to one of the lesser priests. "Excuse me, but can I get a room for my friends and I?"

The griffon went stiffly erect. "Hm? Oh! Of course, honored guest. You brought two supplicants today, better than we had expected, truth told. Rest, and look further tomorrow." He waved the way and led down a few hallways. "This is a private room. I will give you a key." He drew the key from the folds of his clothing. "Only the head priest has another that would work."

I accepted the key and unlocked the door. "Thank you. This is perfect." I stepped inside, finding a large room with a single bed.

It was only when we were all inside that I paused to consider that. It had one bed. There were many more than one of us. Even if you counted romantic knots, there was one pony left out. "I may have messed up."

Pinkie bounced onto the bed, laying on her side. "Nope! This is great! It's just big enough for all of us."

Maud walked calmly up to her sister and stared at her a moment before nodding. "You have a point. If we're all just sleeping, this is fine." She climbed up and sank down into a pony loaf beside Pinkie, closing her eyes.

Twinkle shrugged. "I didn't plan on anything but sleeping. Let's get cozy."

Was I the only one that had entertained dirty thoughts? Colored faintly, I took a spot and curled up for sleep, which came to claim me in not too long after that.

I awoke to find Maud sitting beside me, staring off into space. "Morning." I smiled at her. "How'd you sleep?"

"Good." She nodded softly. "Are we going to find more griffons today?"

I sat up, where I could see Twinkle reading a book and Pinkie doodling on a pad idly. "That's the idea." I slid to the ground. "Just to be clear, I'll be happiest on a few different levels if each griffon we bring back passes with flying colors and is a phoenix when we're done."

Maud followed me, face impassive as usual. "Why aren't you cheating then?"

I started at that. "Cheating?"

"Cheating." Maud reached out and tapped at my ornate horn. "You're a kirin. You have fire. You could teach them how to phoenix before they even get here."

It took a moment for that to sink in on me. "Well, now I just feel bad. I could have improved the odds of the other two." I took a slow breath. "But I can't change the past. Just the future."

"Yes." Maud nodded softly. "Where do we start?"

Pinkie bounced over, grinning. "I know! I know! We should go ask the priest."

I started at that. "The head priest? What for?" Despite my questions, I headed for the door where we could find him. "Got a good question in mind?"

"Yep!" Pinkie nodded quickly. "We need to find griffons who want to be phoenixes. He can tell us who those are."

"It can't be that easy." Still, I went to him, finding him standing before the testing doors.

The priest smiled at me as I came closer. "Ah, your first candidate is being tested right now. Only the spirits themselves could say if she will pass or not, but a commendation to you for finding her so quickly."

I inclined an ear at that. "Thank you. I was hoping to ask you about the other candidates. Do you know any others who would like to become phoenixes?"

The priest frowned firmly at that. "I know who spoke words. Many crowed about how they would make great and powerful phoenixes, but when it came time to put their life on the line--" He waved around the still temple. "Their bravery fled them. I don't see them here now."

"Oh." I frowned at that. "So, they probably won't want to try."

"They won't." The priest shook his head.

Pinkie smiled like she knew something. "What about the ones who didn't say anything?"

The priest hummed. "What of them? Speak clearly, pony."

"Did they want to become phoenixes?" Pinkie pointed at the doors. "If they didn't say anything, then they didn't say no. Did they want to be phoenixes?"

The priest let out an exasperated noise. "The ones who did not say anything would be all of the nation entire, save a few. That hardly narrows the list, pony. Have you thought this through?"

Pinkie's smile faded. "No. I guess not." She tapped at her chin. "I just thought if they came and listened but didn't make a lot of noise, then maybe those would be good griffons to try."

The priest perked. "You didn't ask that." He reached into his robes and drew a paper. "Here." He thrust it at me. "This is a list of those loyal to the cause. I marked the ones that have failed to appear after trumpeted their cases. The rest, simply didn't make a motion one way or the other."

I took the paper. "Thank you. I'll go find them." I turned away from him. "I assume we can take this?"

"If it helps find more potential phoenixes." He waved us away. "Then take it. Return it when you have finished your hunt, and may your claws find suitable prey."

We headed outside, where I unfolded the paper. "Do we know where any of these are?"

Maud leaned in, just to shake her head. Pinkie took her turn to shrug.

Twinkle had a chance, but she wasn't going any further. "Sorry, I shouldn't have even looked. I'm as new to this world as you are."

I sighed at that. "Okay. So, we need to ask around." Fortunately, I did have a spell to help, focusing on that icon. I felt a powerful tingle, someone who would speak true, who wanted to. "This way." I led the band down the steps away from the temple. "I hope they have the info we're looking for."

We found a griffon sitting at a small table, eating some kind of meat. They noticed us approaching and stood up, glaring at us. "What do you want? I ain't got no money, so don't try and mug me."

I pinned my ears, taking note as I did so that my pony parts were more eager to demonstrate my feelings than my human bits had been. A bonus? "We're looking for information, so we're a source of money, not trying to take yours." I held up the paper in my magic and floated it towards the griffon. "Any of these names familiar, and if so, do you know where to find them?"

The griffon squinted at the list. "Hm. Yeah, I know a few of these. Some of 'em live close by, others are across town."

Pinkie bounced happily. "Great! Which ones live close by?"

"Well, there's one that lives just down the street." The griffon pointed at the street. "She's a real looker, too."

I imagined what a looker would be, just to realize I had conjured the image of an anthropomorphic griffon, with breasts. That was a thing actual griffons lacked entirely. I pushed those thoughts away. "Thank you very much." I floated out a bit towards him. "We may be back, for the others."

"Don't bother." He waved us off. "They're all losers. They ain't gonna pass that test. You'd be better off finding more than you already got."

I nodded softly. "Thank you for the advice. We'll keep it in mind." I turned away from him. Once we were moving, I angled closer to the others. "He was a bit of a downer, but he did give the information."

Twinkle shrugged. "Sometimes, people are like that. Don't let it get to you." She went right up to the door and knocked gently. "Anygriffon home?"

"That doesn't sound like a griffon," came from inside, the voice soft, even kind. An unusual cast for more griffons. "Hello?" She opened the door, looking down at us. She had a smile, but it was a gentle one, unlike the more manic version that Pinkie or Gabby offered. "Look at you." She reached out and casually gave each and every equine ear there a soft rubbing. "What'd I do to get all the ponies visiting me?"

Pinkie giggled at the rubbing. "We're looking for griffons who want to be phoenixes." She held up the list. "Are you Glendela?"

Glendela nodded, leaning in to get a peek at the list. "Where did that come from? I attend the masses, sure. Why would you come to me of all griffons?"

I considered her, the griffon that at least one other griffon had praised for their looks. To me, they seemed nice, but I wasn't an expert on appearances to start. "Finding griffons that could become phoenixes is very important. Tell me, what do you think of fire, as a force?"

She smiled at that. "It's warm and beautiful, but dangerous. It can burn you if you're not careful, but it can also keep you safe and warm." She sighed, crossing her arms. "Almost everything griffons whisper about me when they think I can't hear them."

Twinkle seemed to perk, ears doing it literally. "You could make it literal, that'd stop them from whispering it. Being a phoenix would change your position entirely."

"Would it?" Glendela gestured around. "I don't have much. I'm not some big shot. I just live here, quietly."

Maud shrugged. "Phoenixes don't live quietly."

Pinkie bobbed her head. "Exactly. You could kiss that all goodbye if you go firebird on them!"

Glendela looked away. "I don't know. I like my life, quiet and simple."

Author's Note

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