A Renewed Ending

Saturday, November 13, 1007 A.L., Gryphonia

Gregory sat at the table in a smaller room that had possibly been used for a theater at one point, looking at the group of now six gryphons sitting at the wooden table before him. They were all staring at him with complete incredulity. “Are you…quite serious about this?” Geoffrey asked, eyes wide in astonishment.

“Dead serious,” Gregory said. “Look, ladies and gentlemen, winter is coming, and from what I’ve heard about how winter gets here, it’s rough. You even have these Nor’wester storms that can bury Gryphonstone in a few feet of snow and ice for weeks. The zebra apothecarist in Gryphonville has given me a brief but comprehensive education on the houseoak, such as when it’s best to plant them, the proper spells to use, and what type of magic a unicorn needs to speed up the growth process. She assures me that the magic needed to grow these houseoaks is not much.”

“But what if the unicorns who are in the hospital don’t want to help us?” Gwendolyn asked. “We can’t just make them. And you mentioned a unicorn pony chef in Gryphonville. We can’t just ask her and expect her to say yes.”

“Of course not,” Gregory agreed. “We simply explain the situation to them and ask if they would be willing to stay with us so that come the spring, which is the best time to plant them, they might be able to help. That give them time to think about it without much pressure. If they say no, we don’t force it and let them do whatever they want. I plan on going down there after this and speaking to them on behalf of the Convocation, then speaking to Zecora the shamaness afterwards. The thing now, though, is we need to come up with a way to make it through the winter.”

“But…using the Eyrie as a sanctuary-” Grandpa Gruff began.

“Historical significance isn’t as important as the survival of those colonists and other homeless citizens,” Gregory interjected, anticipating Gruff’s more conservative views on the matter. “With winter coming, construction will be coming to a halt, so we should refocus our attention on battening down the hatches, as it were. We need to fix up some of the leaks and holes in the Eyrie so that we can make use of as many rooms as we can. The Eyrie has plenty of living space for the winter and it’s sturdily built. There’s also the forest that’s on our doorstep. We can use that wood for the fireplaces and for fresh lumber for protection against the elements. Not to mention that, if needed, we can ask citizens with houses to take in a gryphon or two. It might be cramped, but at least the extra body heat will keep the houses warm.”

“And what if there’s not enough room there?” Geoffrey asked.

“There’s always Gryphonville,” Gregory suggested. “We could send a message there, asking if anyone there would be willing to take in a few extra gryphons for the winter. It’s also more secluded and nestled in a valley, meaning that any storms that come in will hopefully not be as messy as they would be up here.”

“Mr. Graystone,” Gwendolyn spoke up. “I’ve explored the Eyrie, and more than half the rooms are exposed. Even the throne room is drenched now. And with the rains starting, there may not be much time for even the hastiest of jobs being done.”

Gregory nodded. He could hear the rain falling outside the room. The Eyrie throne room, which was where the Convocation held most of their meetings, was drenched due to the rain that had been falling for the past few days. It was ironic that Gregory’s first Convocation meeting coincided with this day, then. It was the first of the autumn rains, Gabby had informed him earlier. The temperatures would continue to drop until snow began falling, usually in early December. “Okay, so that means less than half the rooms are intact, especially rooms like this one.” He gestured to the massive empty room. “We could fit many gryphons in here. Ambassador, how many gryphons were members of that colony in the Badlands?”

“Five hundred and sixty,” Geoffrey said.

“Well, I think if we’re really careful, we can fit maybe a hundred in this room alone.” Gregory pointed to ancient wall sconces where some torches were lit. “I know it’s not ideal, and it’ll be cramped and stuffy, but it’s a lot better than sitting out in the cold while a Nor’wester is blowing in and creating whiteout conditions.”

“Mr. Graystone,” Gwendolyn interjected, “you’re forgetting about the chimneys. They’re all probably clogged with branches and bird nests that might catch fire if we use the fireplaces.”

“Does Gryphonstone have any chimney sweeps?” Gregory asked.

“Not many,” she said.

“Can we afford to hire them to clean out the chimneys before things get serious?”

“I…don’t know,” she admitted, quickly jotting something down on a piece of paper. “I’ll go visit a few later and see.”

“Alright,” Grandpa Gruff said, looking around the room with his good eye. “Aside from the chimney problem, can anygryphon here think of any reason not to use this place as a sanctuary?”

The room went silent, save for the quick writing of the Convocation’s secretary and treasurer. Gregory inwardly scowled a bit in frustration. He knew Gruff was a lot more conservative and wanted to preserve the Eyrie, but Gregory knew that there wasn’t much time to construct enough temporary housing for the influx of colonists. They needed some place to wait out the winter, and the Eyrie was just prime real estate with nobody living in it.

Finally, one of the newer members of the Convocation, a dark mauve furred and light red feathered older female gryphon named Ginna, spoke up. “I think it’s a good idea.”

“Same here,” another new member, a light brownish-gray furred and dark pink feathered female gryphon around Gregory’s age named Georgia, added. She was one of the more outspoken of the returning colonists, and was more of a part timer member of the Convocation according to Gwendolyn. “My family and I were lucky to be selected to be getting one of those finished huts for the winter,” she added, “but there are so many others who won’t be able to get anything before the winter arrives. They need a space to survive the winter.”

The final newest member, an older black furred and gray feathered gryphon male named Gael, nodded. “If they’re all okay with getting a bit cozy, then I say yes. But how will they be fed?”

Gregory paused to think. He had an idea, but wasn’t sure how feasible it was. He decided to make the suggestion anyway. “We could ask some of the more fortunate to donate some food. Again, we could ask and see if Gryphonville would be willing to donate. I was down there this past weekend, and it looks to be a lot better off than our city. They donated so much food to me that my camper is still overflowing with the stuff.”

“One of us could go down to Gryphonville and ask whoever’s in charge if they’d be willing to help,” Ginna suggested.

“I volunteer for that,” Georgia said.

“Let’s not spread out just yet until we have a solid plan,” Geoffrey said.

“Yes, that!” Grandpa Gruff agreed quickly.

“The clock’s ticking, people,” Gregory said, pulling out a windup pocketwatch and pointing at it for emphasis, “so let’s think of something fast.”

“And what about outside of Gryphonstone?” Gael asked suddenly. He picked up a few pieces of parchment. “I read over these reports from the outskirts of the former borders of the Empire before the meeting started. They’ve barely got enough to help feed themselves, and we sit here in our refurbished throne room protected against the rain and wind. Despite what you all might think, Families and entire towns are having a hard time out there.”

“I haven’t forgotten them,” Gregory said.

“The treasury isn’t as full as it was before the fall of the empire,” Gwendolyn said. “Believe me, I’ve checked.”

“Towns in Gryphonia are what you might call a hit and miss,” Geoffrey explained. “I’ve visited many of them, and some are in good shape while others are wrecks. Especially around Tornado Alley.”

“Where’s that?” Gregory asked, intrigued.

Geoffrey pointed to a map on the table that showed the entire continent of Gryphonia, indicating areas of vast flatlands in the center of the continent. “This was where the majority of crops came from during the empire’s reign,” he explained. “There are large rivers for irrigation, lakes that were once full of fish in certain areas, and plenty of fields that were perfect for crops. I say were because I don’t know if they’re still suitable for crops.”

Like the American Midwest, then, Gregory thought. “Is there anything we can do for them before winter comes and makes help a lot more challenging for us?” he asked.

“It’s not a terrible idea to send aid to other towns and villages,” Gwendolyn nodded. “But as you said, Mr. Graystone, our budget is limited. We can’t do much. Not unless we ask for foreign assistance.”

Gregory saw the gryphons at the table grimace at the option. He had learned during his time in Gryphonstone that gryphon pride could have a downside: stubbornness. They hated the idea of accepting help from outside sources. Help from other gryphons was fine, but from a non-gryphon source? They were reluctant to accept it.

Gregory, however, wasn’t a gryphon. He sighed. “I know you don’t like the idea of asking for any kind of aid, but which is more important? Pride? Or helping the suffering and exposed gryphons throughout the continent? I say we ask for aid from another nation. The worst they can say is no. At least we can say we tried, right?”

The room went silent again as the five gryphons pondered his words. To his surprise, it was Grandpa Gruff who spoke out a half minute later. “We can’t ask for help from Equestria…not with the borders shut.”

“I actually wasn’t thinking about the ponies,” Gregory said, turning the world map around and pointing to a land mass below Gryphonia. The one marked Dragon Lands.

“The dragons, huh?” Geoffrey asked. “Last time I was there, they looked like they were living even worse than we were.”

“Not only that, but there’s some bad blood between us and them,” Gwendolyn said.

“And they have resources,” Gregory replied. “Resources that we can desperately use like copper. And if they say no, we can always try something like a donation program.”

“A donation program?” Gwendolyn asked, sounding intrigued.

“Yes,” Gregory replied. “We start a program where we ask more well-off gryphons to donate talons which can be then sent to towns and villages that need it. Each and every talon donated will go to these towns. No secret embezzling.”

“We might have greedy tendencies, but we’re not heartless,” Gael said, sounding offended.

“I’m thinking about stuff that has happened back where I’m from,” Gregory replied. “Some government run or even private donation programs have embezzled funds. A program like this would have to be seriously maintained.”

“Could we try that first before we try finding assistance from outside?” Ginna asked. “I get what you’re saying, Mr. Graystone, I really do, but part of our pride in being a gryphon is being able to say we did something without help from outside.”

“That’s not pride, that’s stubbornness and hubris,” Gregory said, “but while I still think it’s a good idea to do both, we could at least try some kind of donation program for food and such. Still, if we want a better plumbing system in Gryphonstone and in other towns, I’d much rather have copper than lead. Lead can contaminate water over time, and that’s the last thing we need.”

“I can work on the details of a missive to the Dragon Lord,” Gwendolyn, the most organized and detail-oriented gryphon Gregory had met, said as she raised her claw. “I’ll present it at the next meeting.”

“So, are we all agreed to this donation program and to at least consider asking for foreign assistance from the Dragon Lands?” Gregory asked. When he received nods and mutters of affirmation, he nodded. “Okay, so perhaps we should go back and talk about our courses of action regarding sending representatives to Gryphonville.”

Several hours later, Gregory was warming himself up inside a part of the Gryphonstone hospital with a large fireplace sipping on some hot chocolate that he’d snuck into the hospital for all of them. Sitting nearby were three relatively recovered unicorn mares. Starlight had finally woken up a couple days after her initial collapse in that alley and the four of them had all slowly been getting used to each other, especially since they all knew what they collectively called the Truth. To Gregory’s surprise, Trixie had been the most welcoming of Gregory’s frequent visits to the hospital in the beginning, eagerly telling him about her magical show and exaggerated exploits. Sunset and Starlight had taken some more time, not because they feared or hated him because of what he was, but more because they were afraid he would be angry over the Truth, but Gregory had managed to reassure them that they weren’t involved in those events, so he wouldn’t hate them.

“Trixie wishes she still didn’t need to wear this ring on her horn,” Trixie said as she took a sip of her own hot chocolate. “Not being able to use magic is inconvenient.”

“I don’t know, I think it’s a bit refreshing,” Sunset said as she put her mug down. “Earth ponies and pegasi don’t have magic, and they aren’t bothered.”

Trixie shrugged and nodded. “Trixie supposes that you’re right,” she said, “but part of her still misses being able to use her magic.”

“Dr. Gabriel says there’s only a week or two left before we can remove them,” Starlight reminded her with a smile. “Sure, the magic in the air here isn’t as potent as in Equestria, but we can at least use it.”

“So, what have you been up to today?” Sunset asked Gregory, looking at him with a curious expression. “You wouldn’t go out in the rain like this unless there was a good reason.”

Gregory chuckled. “What, I can’t come by and visit-? Oh, forget it. I can’t lie to you. I was out because I finally accepted the invitation of the Convocation to join them.”

Sunset’s eyes widened. The news about the formation of the Convocation wasn’t just a rumor anymore. They had made an announcement about it by passing out fliers and putting up signs about its formation days after offering Gregory the job as a member of its ranks. “Well, congratulations,” Sunset said with a smile.

“Yes, good for you,” Trixie agreed. Starlight simply gave an approving nod.

“Are you here on their behalf today?” Sunset asked.

“That’s part of it,” Gregory admitted a bit sheepishly, “but that can wait until later.”

Starlight shook her head. “Come on, out with it,” she said.

Gregory put his mug down and sighed. “Before I say anything, I want you all to understand that this is a request, nothing more. You can turn the Convocation down, but a decision doesn’t need to be final until next spring.”

“Okay, I’m intrigued now,” Sunset said with a raised eyebrow. “Go on.”

Gregory straightened and faced all three. “Some time ago, I visited the nearby town of Gryphonville,” he began, then launched into his conversation with Zecora about houseoaks and how they could be grown fast with the help of unicorn magic. He explained that these trees could grow much better and stronger with unicorn magic speeding it along, and it would be an amazing solution for the housing crisis not just in Gryphonstone, but for Gryphonia as a whole.

When he finished, the three ponies sat in silence for a bit, all looking thoughtful as they exchanged glances with each other. Starlight spoke up first. “That’s a pretty big ask, you understand.”

“Again, you can refuse,” Gregory explained, “and there’s no pressure to even answer until winter is over. We can’t really do any sort of building since the autumn rains have come, so we’ve discussed using the Eyrie as a temporary shelter for any homeless gryphons for the winter.”

“Trixie has seen that structure, and she wonders if it will hold through another winter,” Trixie said uncertainly.

“We’ve sent out messages to other gryphons in town to help reinforce the structure for the winter at least,” Gregory explained, which was something that Grandpa Gruff had insisted on doing once it was clear that nobody else would be siding with him. “We’re hoping that this place will stand for at least one more year before spring comes around. It’s stood for hundreds of years, and the structure is sound according to the caretakers.”

“I know a spell or two that can reinforce the structure of a building,” Starlight said, “but I don’t know if I’d be able to cast it in the reduced magic field around here.”

Gregory’s eyes widened. He hadn’t even considered that magic could do that, but he realized that he should have at least hypothesized about it. “Would you be willing to at least try it?” he asked automatically.

“I might need help,” she said, turning to Sunset.

Sunset nodded. “We could try, sure,” she said, “but like Starlight said, I don’t know if our magic will be enough.”

“We wouldn’t ask you to do it for free, of course,” Gregory said, moving on with his argument. “The Convocation would pay you if you tried. We know we’re asking a lot of you, so the least we could do is pay you for any service you want to render.”

Sunset snorted. “You sounded like a real politician there,” she teased.

“Ah, shit,” Gregory said, sighing. “That’s the last thing I need.”

“From you, it sounds genuine,” Sunset replied reassuringly.

He offered her a weak smile. “I don’t want to pressure you. There’s a lot that this country needs to do in order to start rebuilding, and we’d hate to put too much on you, especially so soon after-oh God, I really do sound like a politician.” He put his head in his hands. “Damn it…”

The three ponies all fell over laughing at Gregory’s miserable expression, but Trixie was the first to speak. “T-Trixie apologizes, but the-the look on your face…priceless!”

Gregory felt his cheeks get warm, but he couldn’t stay mad at them at all, so soon he joined in the laughter. After everyone calmed down, especially after a nurse came over to make sure they were alright, he spoke again. “One day on the Convocation and already I’m turning into a politician. I’m just a post office grunt.”

“With all those talons you got from them, do you really need the job?” Starlight asked.

Gregory shrugged. “I hate feeling useless, and while those talons are nothing to sneeze at, I don’t want to leave the job just yet. It’s an important job, especially with the continent starting to rebuild. With the autumn and winter coming, I doubt I can do as much with reconstruction and helping Gryphonstone. From what I’ve been told the weather up here is really rough.”

“Does that mean that we may need to stay here?” Trixie asked, looking worried.

“Well, seeing as how you said last time that you didn’t have your Equestrian paper, I’d say so, yes,” he replied apologetically, “at least until winter has passed. I did meet a pony down in Gryphonville who is a chef, though, and from what little I know, that town doesn’t have as big of an issue with weather during the winter. Once the doctor says you’re okay, we could try and find a place down there for you.”

“Thank you for the offer,” Sunset said, “and we’ll definitely think about helping with this houseoak project. We have time, so we’ll talk about it.” She nodded at the other two ponies, who nodded in agreement.

“Was there anything else you wanted to talk about that’s Convocation related?” Starlight asked.

Gregory shook his head. “Nope.”

“Then Trixie hopes you brought that laptop device of yours,” Trixie said eagerly. “She really wants to know what happens in the next Harry Potter movie of yours.”

Gregory gave her an apologetic smile. “I didn’t bring it with me now,” he said, “but I promise later tonight I’ll bring everything for movie night. After this, I’m going down to Gryphonville.”

“Man, this rain is insane,” Gregory said as he was placed on the wet and slippery cobblestone streets of Gryphonville. He immediately pulled out his umbrella and opened it, wiping water from his supposed waterproof jacket. “Reminds me of home.”

Gabby and Gilda landed next to him, both wearing drenched hooded cloaks. They had both been there to help fly Gregory down to the town to see Zecora. “You had rains like this back where you were from?” Gabby asked.

Gregory nodded as the three quickly made their way to Zecora’s apothecary shop. “Oh yeah. Winters back where I’m from were always wet.” The three made their way to the shop and entered once they saw the OPEN sign hanging from the outer door. “Zecora? You here?” he called out.

The apothecary was set up a lot like a medieval potions shop with a Zebrican theme, which to Gregory’s untrained eye looked African. There were many different bottles of colored potions sitting on shelves in the common area, some books sitting on a shelf behind the main counter, three lit lanterns hanging from the ceiling, several candles lit on said counter, a circular window looking out into the rainy day, a roaring fire in the main fireplace that kept the shop warm, and a young looking unicorn mare standing behind the counter, her light aquamarine eyes wide at the entrance of two gryphons and a human, all drenched. “U-Uh,” the young mare began, “W-Welcome to the shop.”

Gregory looked a bit surprised at the presence of a pony he hadn’t seen before. She looked young, possibly a teenager. She had a light red mane and tail, the former tied up in a rather neat looking ponytail. Her fur was a dark blue and she had a ladybug for a cutie mark. “Hello, young mare,” he greeted as he gave her a polite nod, “Sorry for barging in, but we were looking for the shop owner, Miss Zecora? Is she in?”

“She’s in the back,” the young mare said, appearing to relax ever so slightly. “Would you like me to get her?”

“Could you, please?” Gabby asked with a kind smile of her own.

The mare nodded, then turned and galloped through a side door. After a few moments, she came back followed by Zecora. “Gregory, Gabby, and Gilda too? What can I do for you?”

“I’m sorry to barge in like this,” Gregory said apologetically, “and I’m also sorry for scaring your…apprentice? Employee?”

“This mare is my apprentice, Ladybug Twinkle is her name,” Zecora explained, “she is new in Gryphonville, and to live peacefully is her aim.”

Gregory nodded. “Understood,” he said as he turned to Ladybug. “Sorry for startling you,” he apologized again. “It’s nice to meet you, Miss Twinkle.”

The mare gave him a nervous smile, but when Zecora put a hoof on her back, the mare relaxed and her smile softened. “It is raining pretty hard outside,” she said, “so I understand.”

“Thank you.” Gregory then turned to Zecora. “I came to see you about something important. Can we talk alone?”

Zecora raised an eyebrow, but then nodded. “Ladybug, dear, would you fetch us all some tea? I believe they all need some, would you not agree?”

Ladybug nodded, then turned and rushed into another door.

Gregory sat in a chair in another part Zecora’s apothecary shop, sipping on a cup of tea the earth pony had brewed for them. Gabby and Gilda were now waiting in the main room with Ladybug while Gregory spoke privately with the zebra. The rain had slowed a bit since they had arrived in Gryphonville, but Gregory still knew he’d be getting wet again just due to the flight back up through the lower clouds.

Thanks to the rainfall, the new well, and some clean buckets he had on hand, Gregory had been able to start to refill the freshwater tank in his camper. He’d been using the water in his place sparingly. He even had an outhouse near his place which he tended to use most of the time instead of the toilet inside the bathrom. As for cleaning himself, Gryphonstone did have a public bathhouse, which he had used plenty of times, so his small bathroom was more used as a laundry room. With the new source of surprisingly and blessed clean water from the well on his new property, he could clean himself in his bathroom in case the weather prevented him from going to the bathhouse. When the snow started falling, he knew he could use snowmelt to further refill the water tanks.

He was severely tempted to take a nice warm shower when he got back home, but he knew that would be a waste. He didn’t want to use up that much water, so he would have to settle for a damp washrag and a brief rinse before sitting in front of his heater. Now, though, a fire would more than suffice.

Zecora sat down in another chair, herself wrapped in a dark blue bathrobe. The room they were in was decorated in the same artifacts that Gregory remembered from Zecora’s old house in the Everfree. She held a mug of tea in her hooves, facing him with a friendly smile as she asked, “If it is not too much to query, why come down here on a day that’s so dreary?”

“I’m sorry to come by unannounced,” Gregory apologized, “but I wanted to come down here before the winter storms make things harder for me and anyone else to come down. I’m here on behalf of a Gryphonstone organization that hopes to begin restoration of the country. One of our major concerns for the near future going forward is a housing crisis going on now just in Gryphonstone, but throughout the continent.” He gestured to the house around him. “You mentioned that with some unicorn magic, these houseoaks could be grown in only days instead of a year or more. You’re the only one I know of who has that knowledge, and recently my friends and I found a group of three unicorns in Gryphonstone. I’ve asked them to help in this situation, and if they say yes, I was hoping you would be able to share that knowledge with us so we could begin the process of planting these seeds to help.”

Zecora leaned back in her chair, looking pensive as she slowly looked down at her tea before sipping it. “Your request is not a small one, sir. With these unicorns I must confer. If all their strength will serve your needs, I will consider doing these deeds.”

Gregory nodded. “I understand,” he said, “especially given what happened back in Equestria. And in Ponyville.”

Zecora raised an eyebrow. “You know of Jason Wright? Do tell. How have you heard of Ponyville’s death knell?”

“It was actually one of the ponies we saved who told me,” Gregory explained. “She told me everything she knew about Jason Wright, his arrival, his treatment by the ponies of that town, and how he took his revenge. You mentioned that you lived near Ponyville the last time we met. I just put two and two together.”

Zecora looked at him curiously. “And do you trust these ponies three to actually treat you respectably?”

“I do,” Gregory nodded. “I’ve gotten to know them since they arrived, and they are quite friendly. I’ve made sure that the hospital staff there treat them well.”

Zecora slowly nodded, then looked directly at him. Then, to his utter surprise, she dropped her rhyming cadence. Her eyes were filled with anger, but her tone was calm and collected. “I may know more than they do. Five years ago, Jason Wright did arrive in Ponyville and was immediately shunned and hated by the ponies. He was beaten and starved and forced to live in a cave! I’ve seen the cave, and it is no place for anyone to live comfortably. He suffered at the hooves of those ponies who claim to represent harmony the most.”

She took a deep breath, then sipped once more on her tea before continuing. “Two years ago, he attempted to take his own life, only to fail and be found by Chrysalis. She took him in, and he rose in the ranks until he overthrew Chrysalis and declared himself the Emperor of the changeling hive. He launched an assault on Canterlot, captured the Elements of Harmony, and in only a week, revealed the truth to the country and wiped Ponyville off of the map. However, he learned that all of his suffering was because Discord cast a spell on the ponies that made them react using their base instincts instead of their supposed friendship and harmony-based philosophy. He was also influenced so that he never left. It was apparently done because Discord was bored. I don’t know the details of what happened next, but apparently Discord is now dead. After this, Jason pulled back his forces and left the ponies to their own devices.”

Gregory had to put his tea on a nearby table out of fear that he would drop the still hot beverage. He’d heard a shorter version of the story from Sunset, but this was a bit much for him to take in all at once. He straightened up, closed his eyes, and took in a deep breath before exhaling it. Slowly, he opened his eyes and looked back at Zecora. “Wow…that is a lot to take in,” he admitted. “I knew some of this, but you just told me a lot more. I can’t imagine being the target of pony xenophobia and hatred for three years and not end up like Jason.” He felt for his fellow human even more than he had when he heard the shortened story from Sunset.

Zecora gave him a sympathetic look. “Apologies for relaying this out of the blue, but I wanted it to be relayed to you.”

Gregory shook his head. “Don’t apologize,” he said, “I’m glad you did. Is that why you want to talk to these unicorns first before even considering the decision?”

She nodded. “I just wish to learn if my trust they can earn.”

He nodded in understanding. “Like I told them earlier, this is simply a request you can refuse if you want. So there really is no pressure.”

“For that too I thank you,” Zecora replied.

Gregory picked up his tea, took a sip, then a thought crossed his mind as he put the cup down. “I’m curious, though. Who told you about these details?”

Zecora took in a deep breath, then exhaled. “My source is a secret, so please do not inquire. To live in peace and quiet is all they desire.”

Gregory nodded. “I understand,” he said, a part of him suspecting that this Ladybug mare may have learned something, but he put the question aside for a later time. “I take it you trust this source?” When she simply nodded, Gregory smiled. “Then I trust you. Again, thank you for telling me this. I hope you don’t mind if I tell some others about this. I’ll keep your name out of it, of course.”

“This information I have given is yours to tell, so long as the source is kept secret as well,” Zecora said. Gregory promised, although he knew that he would be telling Gabby about it sooner or later, and she was definitely smart enough to guess. So, he begged the question. “As long as my name from your lips is not spoken, then I will consider the promise unbroken.”

Zecora watched as Gregory was lifted into the rainy evening by Gabby and Gilda, making sure that they were safely on their way. The small sack hanging off of Gregory’s back held a potion that she’d brewed meant to keep fur clean for longer than normal, although she had to admit to herself that she wasn’t sure how it would work on a human. He’d tried to pay for it, but she’d insisted that it was a gift. He’d gratefully accepted, thanked her for her time, then left the shop to return to Gryphonstone.

As the three flew away, Ladybug walked up beside her, looking up as the human and two gryphons were lost to the mists. The young mare looked up at Zecora, looking worried now. “You didn’t tell him about me, did you?” she asked fearfully.

“Fear not, young one, your secret is secured,” Zecora said as she closed the door. “Of that, you can be most assured.”

Ladybug nodded, as a light blue fire surrounded her form, starting at the ground before rising up around her. Her fur was replaced by dark gray chitin full of holes, her pony eyes replaced by multifaceted lenses, and her wings now a dark blue and covered by slightly lighter blue elytra. Her horn was now curved and she gave Zecora a fearful expression. “Did you tell him?” Zecora only nodded. “What if he finds out about me?”

Zecora looked down at the changeling youth beside her, and gave her a reassuring smile before putting a hoof on her back. “You came to me, scared and alone. You told me how far you had to roam. In this town you are safe and sound; I will not let you be taken and bound.”

The changeling beside her teared up, and gently moved a step closer to the zebra shamaness. “Thank you,” she whispered in a grateful tone.

Zecora gave her a smile, then looked back out at the darkening landscape of Gryphonville. She would protect this poor changeling from any who would dare to harm her. That was a promise she intended to keep.

Tuesday, November 16, 1007 A.L., Badlands

General Nictis, the changeling in charge of the spy network that was continually spreading across the world, walked through the new changeling hive with purpose, a report in his magical grasp from their spy network. All around him, the walls moved and holes opened and shut in random locations. At least, they would be random to anycreature who wasn’t a changeling. The massive fluidic spires of the once abandoned fortress were busily being restored and regrown on the orders of the Emperor himself. The Emperor had placed Duchess Chrysalis in charge of everything regarding the construction. When the Emperor had received that letter from their enemy while they had been positioned in the Duchess’ former castle closer to Equestria, he ordered the best changeling historians, under the supervision of the Emperor’s personal secretary with that annoying nasally voice Histus, to scour all of the records for references to the old fortress of the changeling hoard before it had to be abandoned. It was Histus himself who found the ancient scrolls with the location of the fortress. The emperor then ordered fliers to scout the location. This included Nictis. He was the one who first spotted the old ruins and reported it back to the Emperor.

With the exception of the majority of the Empire’s spy network (which had remained behind in their former headquarters), Emperor Wright and Duchess Chrysalis led the changelings to the old fortress and began to rebuild the ancient structure. The worker drones were still at work around Nictis as he walked towards the throne room. Some were patching up holes in the interior while others were creating defenses on the outside, such as a deep moat and spikes that could be launched into the air at any incoming aerial assaults.

Nictis reached the throne room and walked in, looking up at the throne. Unlike how it had appeared when they’d first got there, now it had been reshaped to better fit the Emperor’s bipedal form. Only the Emperor himself wasn’t sitting in it. Instead, he saw that two guards were standing in front of the meeting room’s location. He walked over and nodded at the two guards who saluted. Nictis nodded at the two. “I have a report for the Emperor. Is he in there?”

Both guards looked nervously at each other before turning back to him. The guard on the left shook his head. “He is indisposed at the moment.”

Nictis sighed. Ever since they had arrived in the old fortress, Emperor Wright had become like a ghost, only ever showing up rarely. He left the majority of the work to Duchess Chrysalis, and many changelings were beginning to spread rumors about his disappearance. Some said he was dangerously sick and their Duchess was covering for him while others said he had absconded. These rumors had spread quickly, and Nictis didn’t have to be living in this fortress to know that things might start to go downhill. “Then I will deliver the report to the Duchess. Open the doors.”

The two guards looked more nervous now. The first one spoke up. “Sir, the Duchess said-”

Nictis was losing patience, so he interrupted. “I don’t care what she said,” he hissed. “This report is important!”

The private winced, then to his credit he straightened, grasping his musket and facing ahead. “Understood, General.” The other straightened as well.

Nictis nodded then walked closer to the portion of the wall which led to the large new meeting room. The wall opened up and he stepped through into the meeting hall. As he walked in, he heard his fellow General Pharynx saying, “…telling you, my Lady Duchess, Zebrica and Farasi are ripe for the taking! We can swoop in and topple their tribal leaders with ease!” Pharynx was in charge of the changeling army and had always possessed a more militaristic mind, unlike his soft-hearted brother Thorax who was on the stealth team.

Cheery, the seductress changeling who had kept the Crystal Empire from interfering in the Equestria Venture, only glowered at Pharynx. Nictis knew that she was actually a skilled enough negotiator that the Emperor had given her special status as head of the foreign affairs department. In fact, there were rumors that she shared the Emperor’s bed, but Nictis was a practical changeling and didn’t accept rumors as fact unless there was cold hard evidence to back it up. “Phary, Phary, Phary,” she said with a dismissive wave of her hoof, “You’re missing the point! We can’t just invade any country we feel like! Besides, Farasi and Zebrica are way too far away!”

“We should really focus on domestic affairs first,” Minister Proboscis, the changeling in charge of the changeling empire’s internal affairs, insisted, putting his hoof down hard on the table. “The love we received from the Equestria Venture will not last forever.”

“Why do you think we’ve rescheduled the feeding schedule, Minister?” Chrysalis, who sat in a larger chair next to the Emperor’s own, asked as she leaned forward and stomped on the table. “We have at least another year or so if we stretch.”

Nictis stepped closer in and the wall behind him closed. This earned him the attention of the Imperial Swarm, the council that had formed shortly after Emperor Wright came to power. They all turned to face him. He straightened and nodded. He was offered a seat on the Swarm once, but he despised politics like this. “Forgive me for interrupting, but I have a report from Gryphonia.”

“It couldn’t wait, General?” Chrysalis asked with narrowed eyes.

“I deemed it worth the attention of the Swarm and the Emperor,” he said. Gryphonia only held a small number of their spies, and those were only on the fringes of the continent. Gryphonia wasn’t a threat, mostly because there was no government authority. At least, not until recently when a member of his stealth team made his way through a small town nearer to Gryphonstone.

Chrysalis sighed. There was little love between the two of them, seeing as how they were on opposite sides of the civil war that had resulted in Emperor Wright’s victory over their former queen. “Very well,” she said with a scowl, “what is this report you so desperately want to give?”

He straightened. “One of our agents passing through a small gryphon town reported seeing a notice that informed the town of the creation of something called the Convocation. It seems to be a council of sorts that is attempting to rebuild their city and perhaps their nation as well.”

There was silence for a bit before the entire chamber erupted into bedlam. Nictis simply watched and waited for things to settle down. Fortunately, after about a minute, Chrysalis slammed her hoof onto the table, catching everyling’s attention. She glared at him. “You do realize that they tried this a few times since they fell, and nothing came of it. What makes this time so damned important?”

Nictis held the insult back as he straightened. “My Lady, this development seems to have come from nowhere. And the timing is suspicious. The gryphon colony in the Southern Badlands suddenly went from protesting to peacefully returning to their homeland without any sort of clue as to why. We all know how stubborn gryphons can be, and the fact that they simply abandoned that colony is unusual.”

“Again, General Nictis,” Chrysalis began, and this time she didn’t do as much to hide her disdain for him, “the gryphons have tried to restore their empire in the past to no success. This is probably a passing phase. This Convocation probably ordered them back. It may work for a time, but it’s not our concern.”

Nictis held back his anger. This was why Chrysalis had lost to the Equestrians and to the Emperor’s Revolution. She was too short sighted not to see the potential dangers. Sure, she could be right, but it wouldn’t cost them much to go send at least one of their agents to Gryphonstone to figure out what was going on. “We only need to send one agent to where this Convocation meets,” he tried again, “and if you’re right-”

“We can’t waste our network on false trails,” Chrysalis interrupted him. This made him bristle inside as he hated it whenever she called it our network. He was particularly protective of the changelings under his command and cared for them deeply, something he’d learned from the Emperor during the Revolution. “We need to keep focus on stronger foes, such as the Equestrians, the crystal ponies, and the dragons, among others.”

Nictis gritted his teeth, but knew what he had to say next. He knew it was the only way to have a chance. He knew it would put him even further out of favor with the Duchess and perhaps many on the Swarm, but he had his convictions, and he knew to follow through. “Then I demand a personal audience with the Emperor to put forth my proposal.”

Chrysalis took in a breath through her teeth. One could cut the tension in the room with a knife. She gave him a glare. “I will…relay your request to the Emperor at the end of this meeting,” she said.

He bowed at that. “I will await the Emperor’s summoning,” he said as he walked backwards out of the meeting hall. When he was out of the chamber, he turned, ignoring the glances of the two privates at the door, and walked away to fetch some water and some love before going to sleep. He knew the meeting would come sooner or later, but he suspected that it would be later. This would be a long stay away from his headquarters, so he would begin the process of settling in.