Culture Shock

Chapters

Prologue: The Holy Empire of Griffonia
Her Majesty
Palace
Downhill
Truth
Know Your Enemy
Platonic

Prologue: The Holy Empire of Griffonia

Equestria, the shining pinnacle of freedom and happiness. Ruled by two of the most gracious and powerful mares in the world, Celestia and Luna, the land has stood for over three-thousand years. Laws have been changed and altered, but the most important factor in the lives of most Equestrians is the freedom they are granted. A pony, or any living creature for that matter, has the right to do most anything they want short of hurting themselves or somepony else. A pony can go anywhere they want, walk to the store and buy things when they please, go on vacation, leave the country, take days off of work, etc.

But a mere two mountain ranges away, Northeast of the sparkling cities of Canterlot and over two mountain ranges, lay the Kingdom of Griffonia. It's formal name, the one that every living resident of the kingdom was forced to call it, is The Holy Empire of Griffonia. One may wonder why it has such a long, important and huffy-sounding title. The simplest answer that can be given isn't actually all that simple. The ruler of the country, the one Empress, is considered a god to the people. Although most everyone there would tell you truthfully that she was just a tyrant and absolutely insane, they wouldn't dare speak out.

Freedoms that ponies take for granted in Equestria are unheard of in Griffonia. If you wandered into a part of the city that you weren't permitted in, you'd be plucked, roasted and fed to dogs. Security in the Totalitarian country is tighter than any other. Those caught leaving the country without explicit permission from the Empress herself are executed on the spot. The measures taken to make sure nothing gets in or out of the country are unmatched. If not every griffon and pony would flee without a second thought. But the fear of what would happen to them keeps most of the populace in line.

Then there is her Holiness, the one griffon behind all of the control, the webs upon webs of insidious plots and counter-plots, the griffon that had single-clawedly take over the whole empire seven years ago. Although she is little more than a jealous brat, the Empress is nothing if not both a genius and a visionary. She is the one who turned her Empire into what it is today. She, in one night, transformed her whole country into a cage. In a bloody coup, she killed her aunt, every member of court and all of the previous Queen's personal guard. With all of them dead in their beds, and with the blood of her mother's sister dripping from her claws, the Empress sat on the throne and put on the crown, taking total control of her aunt's kingdom.

At the young age of seven she'd done all of that. And now she is fourteen, and most of her country is in misery. With her total control she has turned her country into a machine, pumping out weapons and mining more silver than imaginable. The personal comfort of the country is of minimal concern to her Holiness. Worker Unions are forbidden; the punishment being that every member be impaled and burned at the stake. Civil rights workers are lynched in public squares, their whole families gone from the world by the next day. Swaths of the population could die from plague and the Empress wouldn't care.

But one thing that she wouldn't ignore was outsiders. If a foreigner or an ambassador came into the country, the Empress would literally put her whole staff to work in preparation. She made the sovereign's life as lavish as possible, showering them with gifts, jewelry, and meals fit for royalty. She entertained them with the best performers she could find and then personally showed them her whole castle. But for every question asked about anything outside of her castle would be ignored. If one asked how the pay was for miners, she would scowl and disregard that pony or griffon, occasionally giving them a furious glare.

But some ponies are particularly curious about how her country's populace fare. Some ponies don't know how to take a hint, or know when they are in danger. Visitors like that, the ones that don't stop prying, are sometimes sent back to their home countries in a coffin, with a personal letter from the Empress that is was a 'Tragic Accident'. These 'Accidents' happen a lot more than one would expect. As a matter of fact, most countries have learned that if they wanted to keep their ambassadors, they would be wise to avoid the country altogether. Otherwise their representatives would be sent back the their families in a box.

"I want to go there." Twilight Sparkle demanded for the seventh time. "I have personally visited every country in the Western Hemisphere on your authority and now I want to visit this one."

"Twilight, " Celestia sighed, setting her quill down on her desk. "I've told you many times before and I'll tell you again, Griffonia isn't the type of place for you. I'd spend every day worrying about your safety. A lot of ponies that go there don't come back. You do know what it's like there, right?"

"It's a Totalitarian government, I know. But I'll be there as an ambassador. I'll be perfectly safe."

Celestia looked Twilight in a way that she hadn't since she was a foal. "That, young one, is where you are wrong. I have lost a total of ten representatives to that place and I won't let you of all ponies be lost too... the stories I've heard are nothing short of gruesome."

"But Celestia I-"

"There is no argument to be had Twilight!" The royal barked. "I will stand by what I said a week ago and that is absolutely final!"

The purple mare glared at her mentor, furious at being denied. "How about a favor." She said. "I'll personally tell you every detail of my trip on paper when I get back. I know you're curious about what happens inside Griffonia."

"Are you... bribing me?"

"I might be." Twilight started to perk up, seeing that she had a lead. "Everything I see, do or hear inside that castle will be written down on my report. Even about The Empress herself. How about that?"

"You know how to negotiate." Celestia mused. "That, and I would look forward to your report. I could let you go.. but alone, without a pony to accompany you or an escort? I'm just wondering if you're thinking of your own safety, Twilight. You're my star pupil, and if anything happened to you I fear what I would do out of grief."

"I swear that I'll read up on combative spells. But can I please go? I just want to meet the Empress, then come right back. I promise that I won't provoke anything! I've always wondered what life was like there and it's been a bit of a dream for a year now. Please Celestia?"

The Princess at this point had already changed her mind, but she wasn't about to let Twilight know that. She set her quill down and smiled to her, wondering what else she could eke out of her student. "I don't know if you'd be able to stand under that much pressure..."

Twilight was putting her hooves together and looking at Celestia with huge, pleading eyes. "I'll even let you read my copy of 'Mischievous Mixtures and Maladies'!

That sealed the deal. Celestia expected the book on her desk by Friday, and then, and only then, could she go on her trip to Griffonia. She would send with her two guards and a communication orb, and she would be fine. Twilight was the mare to keep out of trouble, and she was sure that The Empress would be hospitable towards such a kindhearted unicorn. If only the alicorn could see into the future and observe what would happen later that week. She might have reconsidered. Then again, she might not have.

Twilight Sparkle rushed home that evening, eager to get her affairs in order before she left on her journey. Conjuring a bag up to put her books and other study gear in, she ran all over her library, packing everything she'd need for her overdue vacation. It was past midnight and Spike was still awake, running off of coffee and energy drinks. He looked at how happy Twilight was, and the rush she was in, then promptly turned to go to bed. His job was done and he was tired.

"Spike! Guess what Princess Celestia finally let me do? Go ahead, guess!"

"Umm...." The young dragon's eyes were half-shut. "She let you read her personal diary?"

"No silly! She finally permitted me to go to Griffonia!"

The dragon turned and went upstairs, tripped on the top step, decided that the floor was more comfortable anyways, and fell asleep. Twilight packed well into the waking hours of the morning, cramming as many things as she could into her one rucksack. She couldn't wait to see Griffonia, the sparkling city and golden palace, the roads paved with silver and houses glinting with golden paneling. She could just picture it's majesty now....

Prologues... expositions and such. Difficult but they need to be done. Anyways, first fiction I've had in a while so if you'd leave a comment on how I did that would be great.

Her Majesty

Twilight stepped onto a train platform in southern Canterlot. It was nearly sunset and she hadn't slept in a little over twenty hours, but she was ready for her trip. After all, she could just sleep on the train. Looking around, she saw that nopony was really around; the station was abandoned, save a few homeless haggling for money. She knew that his station was one of the busiest in the city, but right now it looked like a ghost town. But why? Canterlot was huge, and Celestia herself said to her that this station housed the only train to Griffonia. So why wasn't there anypony else waiting?

Curious, she asked a few of the homeless that sat on the edges of the platform. They didn't know, saying that they'd never left the city a day in their life. Stymied, the mare looked around some more. After a few minutes she noticed a rather grizzled looking train conductor sitting on a bench, reading a newspaper while listening to music. He had a cigarette in his mouth and large earphones that blasted music so loud that Twilight could hear it from where she stood by the tracks. He was reading a book while he listened to the blare of orchestral trumpets blare, his eyes skimming over the words intently. He looked ancient, with large rings around his eyes and a gray tail with a silvery mane to match it. His coat was a tan-brown, adding to the unappealing air about the stallion.

But Twilight wasn't to be deterred. She strode up the stranger, mustering her courage, she asked, "Sir, why isn't there any more ponies around here?"

Even though he shouldn't have been able to hear her over his music, he replied curtly. "Mare, there isn't a pony this side of Equestria that wants to go to Griffonia. It's a Celestia-forsaken place that will land you dead in a gutter. That, and that is the only train that runs for the next four hours or so. I think I just answered you question well enough. Anything else digging at ya?"

"Umm... no, thanks."

Twilight trotted back over to her place on the platform, slowly absorbing the new information. She had thought Celestia was being dramatic about how awful Griffonia was. But now she wasn't so sure, with not a single pony in a city of two-hundred-thousand wanting to set hoof there. What could be so awful that a whole city would be repelled? Pondering this, Twilight sat back down on a bench. She had a few more questions, and the best way to get them seemed the stallion two seats down. So, swallowing her sense of nausea, she inquired again.

"Do you run the train there?"

"Sure do." The stallion replied. His manner of speaking was short, to the point. His accent made it sound almost brusque. "For twelve years."

"Okay then... have you ever actually been there? I mean, stayed there in a hotel or something?"

"Nope." He answered. "They don't have hotels there. Not enough visitors. Only time I spent the night was in my old friend's room. He died three years ago of Miner's Lung."

"So what was it like?" Twilight pried. "What did the city look like?"

"Bleak. Gray. Disgusting. Not a hint of color anywhere. Except in the rich district. Their streets are paved with gold and the buildings are made of solid marble. They live high up, ritzy."

"Okay... so how big is the rich district? And is there a sort of middle-class place or-"

"Nope. You're either wealthy or you're eating bugs as they skitter 'round in your mattress."

Twilight silently wretched at the thought, but still had the mental willpower to keep going. "Have you ever seen the palace? Where the Empress lives?" In her head she doubted it, but there was no harm in asking.

"I was held there for over a week, accused of spying when I tried to take a peak over the inner wall. Three walls in the city. They separate the districts. The Palace, The Rich, and the poor. Then there's the mines. They're outside of town."

"Okay but what about the Palace?"

"Only ever saw the dungeon. Sorry."

Twilight personally wanted to slap the old coot for not paying attention to his surroundings, but then she sighed. It was no use. She'd gotten what she could from him, and that would be the end of it. She dropped it, a little glad to hear blessed silence. The stallion's voice wasn't exactly a choir of angels. After a lull, she asked her final question.

"When does the train leave?"

"Five minutes."

An hour later the train was on it's way to Griffonia, one way ticket with no stops. There was nopony else on the train, and there was an eerie sense of loneliness. Like there wasn't another pony in all the world. Even the scenery that zoomed by seemed to fly by in a blur of gray. The landscape went from deciduous forests to alpine climate, snow began to fall down and rush down past the windows faster than before. Twilight felt isolated, alone. The sensation of the world passing her by, accompanied with the fact that there wasn't a single living being within hundreds of miles made the mare shiver.

Halfway through the ride, like most any pony would, she decided that she may as well order something to eat. She went to the back of her cart, making the transition to her own into the kitchen. She looked around to see that there wasn't even a kitchen staff. But what she did see, wasn't a pony. It was a griffon. A very recognizable griffon.

Gilda picked her beak clean, having finished the last steak. "Didn't think to see you here."

Twilight felt the instinct to yell at her, then she felt the urge to walk away. But in the end her mind gave her a word to speak. "What?"

"What do you mean 'What'?" The griffon quipped. "You could at least say hi or something."

"But I didn't think that you lived in Griffonia."

" I don't. My folks do. Coming to visit."

Twilight didn't take Gilda as the griffon to visit her family on a whim. She was too independent. Deciding that it'd be best not to ask, she sat down in the booth across form her. The Griffon didn't exchange looks with her, just kept looking out the window.

"So what're you going there for?" She asked, not really curious, but moreover wanting to break the silence.

"I'm going as an ambassador." Twilight said for what felt like the first time. "I'm going to negotiate things with the Empress. Civil rights, economic freedoms."

"Have fun with that. You'll need it if you're going to negotiate with her..

"Have you, er, met the Empress?"

"Plenty of times. I was her friend. And she didn't have many. Don't think that's a good thing, either. It's not. "

Twilight was dumbfounded. Gilda of all ponies knew the Empress of Griffonia? "Umm... I don't know how to ask this politely... but you?! Of all Griffons? A friend of royalty?"

For once in her life, Gilda gave a chuckle. Not in contempt or malice, but of real humor. A peculiar sense of humor, but humor nonetheless. "Yeah, I know. It's weird, but I was. I'm going back now."

"So... you lied to me about your family living there?"

Gilda scowled. "I did, so?"

"So where does your family live?" Twilight pried.

"A lot farther North."

A long silence ensued, in which Gilda rapped her talons along the edge of the edge of the table. She didn't even care that her razor-sharp talons were leaving massive gouges in the wood. After a few long, drawn out minutes, Twilight gets up out of the booth, returning to her train cart.

The train stopped with a ear-puncturing screech at the station. Twilight got out of her booth and retrieved her luggage, hoping to avoid the other passenger. Gilda left before her, with only a small rucksack on her back. Twilight made sure to get her umbrella, which she had stashed in the far back of the baggage stow. The purple mare made sure she had everything, then trotted out onto the platform. What she was strangely normal. It looked quite typical, an average train station with a few fearful griffons sweeping and keeping the floor spotless and free of so much as a speck of dirt.

Most of them were younger, about nine to ten years old, and in the beginnings of adolescence. They looked well enough off, but the sight of a pony seemed to make them wary. Apparently the ratio of ponies to griffons in Griffonia was about one to a thousand and two, so the sight of a pony, and specifically, a unicorn, was rare. A lot of them hadn't seen a pony in all their lives. Twilight avoided their curious, but estranged glances and headed to the exit of the station. She hadn't taken a step outside before she smelled something foul.

Sulfur, sulfur and machine grease. It permeated the air and made it smell like the inside of a crematorium. Or a peat bog. Twilight breathed though her mouth as she trotted out onto the street. She took in her surroundings with fervor, absorbing the architectural detail while trying to ignore the smell. The houses were made mostly out of solid brick. She had read that Griffonia was rich in clay deposits, and under that, silver. One didn't have to strain their imagination to figure out that the smell was the mines to the east giving off fumes. She could only imagine how the miners felt, being right there next to the fumes.

As she took in her surroundings, a carriage pulled up on the side of the street, drawn by oxen. Twilight was too busy sightseeing to notice a small griffon, roughly half her height, approach her. The young page tapped her on the shoulder, then scrambled to move away from her when she nearly trampled him. The mare had to actually tilt her head down to look at the page, as the griffon didn't have much in the ways of height. He had a scruffy head of feathers and she couldn't help but be reminded of Pip. The page looked at her and spoke in an accent that Twilight couldn't help but take as slightly Slavic, if not Germanic.

"Are you Twilight Sparkle?" He inquired. He blinked up at her with golden eyes.

"Yes? And who are you?"

"Never mind that. The Her Majesty requests your presence in the carriage."

Twilight couldn't help but feel a little flattered, she'd thought she'd have to walk all the way to the palace. She looked past the young griffon to see a carriage with massive, silver engraved wheels and leafing patterns spreading like vines over the sides. The page jogged up to it, flapping his undeveloped wings a little as he ran, and opened the door for Twilight. He bowed as she walked past and proceeded to follow her inside the cabin.

The inside of the cabin was dark green colour, with the ceiling being a faded sanguine. The seats were the same moss green and the floor was a thickly woven rug. The space was cozy, but something was very much detracting from the coziness of the cabin. Gilda sat on the seat across from a pure white griffon, looking down at the floor with a scowl so intense that Twilight felt a little fearful. The pure white griffon wore a large black hat, brimmed so wide that the mare couldn't see her face. Only her beak showed.

The white griffon gestured to the seat across from her, right next to Gilda. Twilight sat down. The griffon looked at her from under her hat with a broad grin. With a snap of her fingers, the carriage started to move. Twilight winced a little as Gilda spoke.

"You didn't tell me you'd actually be meeting her." She whispered.

"I can hear you." The griffon spoke, taking off her hat. "And yes, she is here to meet me."

The Empress lounged on the seat, a proud, beautiful creature to behold. Her front talons were painted a vivid mauve and her eyes matched the same hue as they bore into her guests. Her beak was wide, and made her smile seem even warmer than it seemed with her hat on. Her wings had speckles of dusty gray and so did her flanks and back legs. Although the spots were very light, it tied her form together by making the eye take in her whole form. One had to look at the whole of her to really appreciate what she was. On her breast was soft, fluffy down and the same silky feathers wrapped around the border of her elbow and her forearm, where it lapsed into an eagle's leg. It did the same with her lower back legs, wrapping around the border like the edge of a fur coat.

Her smile held the warmth of a small sun and her eyes invited Twilight in like an old friend. Everything about this griffon made the mare want to be her friend. She was just that elegant, that majestic. Something you'd think popped out of a fairy-tale or perhaps a lucid daydream. The Empress held her front talon out to Twilight, and Twilight took it in a gentle shake.

"I've been waiting for you, Twilight." She greeted. She spoke softly, but it held a slight force behind it that made her seem even more a leader. "Although I would have preferred you next week, when the palace would be more to your liking, I assure you that you will receive the best I can offer in terms of comfort. Anything you need and you must only ask."

The mare was too stricken by her presence to respond. Seeing this, The Empress moved on to Gilda. But as she did, her demeanor changed. It became hostile. Her previously beautiful feathers rose along her spine, and her talons started to curl like vices. Her back paws dug into the seat and her eyes narrowed. Her wings opened to reveal a scar, running along the inside of both her wings. It started at the base of the left wing, then moved over the underside of her ribcage and up onto the other wing. What Twilight saw now was more of a true Empress. Spiteful, bitter, and angry.

"Sister." She spat.

Comments are appreciated! ^-^

Palace

When it comes to castles, there is a fairly easy-to-understand scale on which a pony can rank them. There is a simple castle, which can be roughly a mile long, with simple walls, ramparts, defensive walls and a gate. Then there can be a palace, which is at least two miles long, is embedded in the ground by about ninety stories and has numerous secret rooms. And finally, there is the last on the scale, the grand palace. And the Empress of Griffonia had a grand palace, to be sure. Massive walls spiraled hundred of feet into the air and the courtyard alone was the size of a stadium. The gates that controlled the entryway were composed of six overlapping steel bars, which were plated in diamonds during the forging process. There were seven of those, each one made of thicker, more high-grade steel and sunk deeper into the solid wall.

The moat that surrounded the castle was more like a small river filled with nasties of all sorts. The height of the walls, the sheer scale and strength of the gates and the layers upon layers of secondary barriers that overlapped into a maze made the palace impregnable. Nopony could navigate these walls unless they had a guide, otherwise they would be hopelessly lost. Any invading army could easily be separated by gates into thirty feet by thirty feet mini-yards, and then have tar or arrows sent down from the guards on the wall. Each yard acted as an airlock, nothing got in or out without a series of strict identity tests.

The whole thing made the castle a fortress to be feared, and as Twilight took it all in she suddenly felt very small. Her insignificance here was measured up to that of a rat compared to this structure. The griffons there didn't seem to mind the seven-hundred foot wall trapping them in. But being a pony, the mare had in instinctive fear of being caged. She turned to the Empress, who was just now stepping out of her carriage and putting her lacy black hat on her pristine, elegant head. She smiled at Twilight's reaction.

"Daunting, isn't it? Don't panic, my dear, the moment you get inside that claustrophobic sensation will disappear."

Gilda emerged from the carriage second to last, only followed by the young page that she'd met upon her arrival in Griffonia. The young griffon hopped onto the front of the carriage and took the reigns, guiding the horses away. Gilda was bug-eyed at the palace, hating more than anything to feel like trapped, away from the sky. She was a creature of the air, a creature of freedom. She hated the feeling that she was being watched, and particularly loathed the thought of being trapped. She walked over to Twilight and punched her in the shoulder, annoyed.

"Sister, please have better manners." The Empress scolded, putting her wing between the two. "You're in my home now and I expect you to at least act like a civilized griffon. Now, if you'll come with me we will discuss your living arrangements. As you can tell this place is mostly empty, so you could really have any room you want. Would you like one next to mine sister?"

The word sister seemed to grate a little on her beak, like it physically hurt her to address her as such. Gilda turned away and sniffed, not falling for her younger sibling's innocent act. She was trying to be nice to her, even though she'd been gone for years, and that didn't fly with the world-wise griffon. Her sister should be angry at her, furious. And she had been for a few hours there, but now she was trying her hardest to be nice to her. It chafed.

"No? Okay then... I'll let you pick your own. Twilight, if you'd please follow me."

The Empress walked off in the opposite direction, leaving only the occasional staring passerby to monitor Gilda. She walked towards the first lock of the walkway. There was a massive central walkway with checkpoints at hundred-foot intervals, each one blocked again by gates. When the Empress walked past they raised, and she nodded to each of the guards as she passed them. The Empress struck Twilight as rather... nice. She walked with the air of a kind leader, but Gilda seemed strongly averted to her. Why?

Twilight couldn't help but give the Empress another once-over, this time making marks that she had a few spots where her feathers stuck up in strange tufts. She could only think of the scars she had on her underbelly and wings, seeing as how the feathers did the same. The mare kept her tact and didn't ask about it, deciding that it wasn't worth confronting her host. The Empress was well kept, she was so clean her snow white feathers gleamed, and her eyes looked at everything and past it with intelligence and knowledge.

Twilight saw no reason to distrust her, so she followed her through more checkpoints. At last they arrived at the inner palace, and she had to stop again to marvel at the scale and beauty of the architecture. It was Old Equestrian architecture, Gothic. It was made from bricks of pure silver, coated in a resin polish that preserved their gleaming beauty. Thousands of feet high, with polished golden roofing on the tops of the towers, the facade of the building looked like it belonged in a fairytale. Twilight imagined how many metric tons of silver it had taken. A hundred? Two hundred? A thousand tons?

"Impressive, isn't it?" The Empress sighed. "I inherited it. It took over two-hundred years to construct, and I personally oversaw the building of the Eastern Wing. It's where the guards bunk, and I personally think that it's among the most comfortable places in the castle."

"But... it's so... beautiful... I didn't think building anything like that was possible..." Twilight stuttered. "Doesn't the silver oxidize from the elements? Or the gold?"

"As a mining country most of our resources and technology is curbed towards the preservation of our precious metals, so we developed a sort of resin like substance that prevents the wear and tear of the metal beneath. After all, wouldn't want to besmirch all the work of our ancestors."

"But wouldn't a resin be flammable?"

"We even covered that." The royal smiled. "When it burns in releases a copious amount of carbon dioxide. This blocks off any sort of fire on the walls. Keeps any fire from spreading as well. Our chemical engineers spent over two years developing it."

Twilight was in awe of the country. It's engineering and architecture was a marvel, and she didn't understand why Celestia hadn't wanted her to come here. It's palace was even more magnificent than the one in Canterlot. The two griffons she'd met so far had been exceedingly kind to her. But for some reason the ponies outside of Griffonia held this place among the worst on earth. She didn't understand. As much as she wanted to stop and ask more questions, the Empress was walking again and she was admittedly faster than her. Her legs were longer and she was taller, and for every step she took Twilight had to take two.

Hustling to keep up, Twilight noticed that there wasn't anypony or griffon around. The square was empty.

"Um... Miss I-"

"It's lunch time." She chuckled.

Twilight nodded and focused on what was in front of her. They were fast approaching a fifty foot tall steel portcullis, and with a graceful wave of her claw the Empress demanded it be opened. It opened just enough for them to get through. Twilight's eyes had to adjust once the were inside the castle, and for the first few moments she couldn't see a thing. Then she started to make out suits of armor and a pitch black floor.

The floor, Twilight observed, was black obsidian polished smooth over years of tireless washing and waxing. The walls were marble with silver designs cut into them in leafing patterns, making it looks as if the shadows of trees were showing through the fog of a moonless night. The Empress saw Twilight struggling to see and clapped her front talons together. And something happened that made the most logical mare in the world's jaw nearly dislocate with the force of the drop.

The candles lit in a burst of green flames all on their own. It was magic, Twilight was sure of it. She felt that rush of energy near her like she always felt when there was something magical going on. But it had come from the Empress. Griffons couldn't perform magic. It was a law of the world, nay, the universe. But she'd just done it like it had take her no more effort than lifting a toothpick.

The Empress turned to Twilight and smiled. "Much better." She chirped. "May I show you to your room?"

The mare sat there and gawked for a few seconds, like a fish deprived of water. Then, without really thinking, she asked. "How... how did you even... that isn't..."

"Oh Twilight dear." The griffon winked mischievously. "Every pony has their secrets, why can't I have a few?"

Twilight stood there for a few more seconds before they walked on again, but now she was looking for more evidence that the Empress wasn't really a griffon. She had to be something else. There wasn't any way it was possible. She cast spells when she wasn't looking to see if she had any illusions cast around her. There wasn't any. She even cast an X-Ray spell to look at her essential anatomy. There was nothing different from a normal griffon besides an abnormal amount of muscle in her back legs.

Eventually they reached a staircase that spiraled up out of sight. While they climbed Twilight kept trying to think of a way she could have possibly performed magic. But no matter how much she thought, no matter how much she chased the idea in circles in her mind it just ended up as an impossibility. And yet, the griffon had done it with no effort. It gave the mare a headache.

After a few minutes they reached the top of the stairs. The style in this part of the castle was different. It had golds and deep reds all over, the walls and floor were all gold and the tapestry fell into a bold sanguine and rose hue. Unlike the rest of the castle, this wing had windows. of course they were over seven inches thick, but it was still a window. Looking out one could see that this tower was so high off the ground that all that was visible was an endless sea of fluffy white clouds.

"This will be your room." The Empress said, gesturing towards to door across from a far larger, gold encrusted threshold. "You'll be right across the hall from me. Now, It's been a long day. I hope that you'll excuse me for my brevity, but I need to bathe and get ready for my evening. Au revoiur."

"Um, okay." Twilight replied, still a little puzzled by the griffon's magic trick. "I'll just get settled in. Say, er, where is my bags?"

"Already in there." The Empress went into her room and shut the door.

Twilight was about to go in when her host poked her head out again. "Oh, and Twilight, don't be afraid to call me if you get lonely." The Empress blew the mare a kiss, winking.

Twilight blinked once, twice, then finally a third time. She turned and went inside, not sure how to interpret what had just happened. She could have sworn the Empress of Griffonia had just flirted with her though.

LEAVE ME A COMMENT!.... Please?

Downhill

The darkest, most awful, tragic, fetid and foul events happen when there is so much to corrupt. So much to sully.

Twilight observed her room, not able to sleep yet. It was a room that felt strangely like to the room she'd had back in Canterlot. It had a towering roof, tow floor, a pearly white ceiling and floor with a golden trim around the sides. It was almost exactly similar. It made Twilight feel vaguely flattered, but also a bit awkward that her host had taken this much time with her comfort. It must have taken months to get the room to look like this. The upper floor's library would have had to been stocked with books shipped in from the only library in Griffonia, and the furniture was hoof-crafted by professionals. She took a seat in a light-blue chair, enjoying the goose feather stuffing as it comforted her aching muscles. Looking out at the window that took up the whole wall of the turret suite, she sighed and slouched down, her tired body sinking deep into the soft velvet. It was beautiful to see the clouds that close, some so low that she felt like she could reach out her window and touch.

The mare could barely keep her eyes open, seeing as how she'd gotten up at roughly four o'clock that morning. Now it was almost five and somehow she felt like she was going to fall asleep right there in the armchair. It was so soft and inviting, luring her like a siren into unconsciousness. Twilight snapped to attention, getting up out of the chair. She couldn't allow herself to retire just yet. She needed to see the rest of her room. With that thought in her head she proceeded to examine every nook and cranny of the suite. She looked at the couch that wrapped around most of the bottom floor and the impossibly thick window. She looked at the massive table that took up the rest of the bottom floor, then the note she'd somehow missed that lay there in front of her.

The note was written in neat, curving manuscript and held an air about it that reminded Twilight of how her and Luna sometimes exchanged letters. She picked it up with her magic and began to read.

'Dear Twilight Sparkle,

As my guest here it is my duty to ensure you absolute safety and comfort. Therefore I have written this note to say that you may go anywhere in this castle at your own whim, just as long as you notify me first. I'm leaving my own schedule enclosed within these pages that way you can keep track of my hectic movements throughout the castle. Also, my leisure times are between four and nine in the afternoon and six to ten in the morning. Other than that I will be in one of the places in the list I am giving you. During those leisure times I am free to see you as much as you'd like, and I'd be very glad to talk to you.

I do hope that you enjoy the suite I made for you as well, as I spared no expense making sure that this place, which was originally my own workshop, was made into a room worthy of one of Celestia's ambassadors. Every piece of wood in here is pure recycled Redwood and the velvet has been treated with a fine assortment of processes to ensure that is some of the softest in existence. Your bedroom is on the top floor in the doorway between the two bookshelves.

Please enjoy your stay,

The Empress'

Twilight blinked a few times and set the manuscript down, feeling as if she was the most important mare in the world. Her teacher had been wrong about this place, she was sure. This place was amazing and brilliant and spectacular. The Empress was a great griffon and she was taking care of Twilight like she'd treat one of her own siblings.

At that thought, siblings, her mind suddenly turned to Gilda. She had probably taken up a room somewhere on the opposite end of the castle, as far away from her sister as possible and with as few guards around her as possible. It puzzled Twilight why she wouldn't want to be around her sister. The Empress was a very good, kind griffon. She didn't understand what Gilda's problem was, so she shrugged it off and went back to her previously established train of thought.

But as she began to think again that feeling of weariness crashed over her again, and all she could think was to find a bed and sleep. It made her drowsy just thinking of the soft bed waiting for her upstairs. Without a second thought, she trotted up her stairs and saw the red door. She pushed it open and looked around. There were green crystals hung everywhere and even better, they glowed and emerald that twinkled like a thousand starts, each one reflecting the others'. It was still dim in there, but there was still enough to see. The perfect place to sleep.

Twilight saw her bed, didn't even pay attention that it was a huge queen sized canopy bed with bear pelt blankets, and jumped in. She was almost asleep before she hit the pillows.

The mare woke up to the sound of a knock. She hadn't the foggiest what time it was. She rolled over and looked around, seeing that there was nopony in her room yet. She heard another knock and then the sound of an oddly familiar voice. Twilight swung out of bed and opened her door. There, standing in front of her was Luna. Twilight's mind grasped for any semblance of thought, or maybe coherent speech, but all she could think of was how odd it was that Twilight wasn't wearing her typical nightgown...

The mare groaned and rolled over again. She'd done it again. She'd dreamed about the place that she'd fallen asleep in. She had heard a knock, but it had been somepony else at the door, not Luna. She hadn't even gotten out of bed. With a sigh she rolled over for what felt like the hundredth time. She stumbled over to the door and found this time a guest that made at least a little more sense. It was that small griffon that had met Twilight at the train station. He held a tray of food perfectly balanced on his back and a note on his head. Although the mare had a hard time understanding his dress. As that was what he wore. It was a maid's outfit. Complete with a corset.

The small, embarrassed griffon cleared his throat and said. "Her majesty would like to ask if you'd prefer to join her downstairs or dine here in bed."

"Umm..." Twilight was still trying to stifle her laughter. She thought he looked way too adorable in the dress. "I'll join her downstairs, let me just get ready."

The griffon nodded and left post haste. Twilight shut her door and squeed, even sticking her tongue out a little at how cute he looked. It was just too adorable with his blush and awkward demeanor. She dived to her suitcase and pulled out her favorite slippers, making sure not to trip as she put them on. She half trotted, half galloped down the stairs and stopped short as she remembered her company. The Empress was sitting here with her servant, petting his tuft of feathers with her claw while he kept his head down. Things like that reminded Twilight of just how physically imposing her host was. Her servant seemed fragile and breakable next to her sleek, predatory frame.

"Ah... Twilight. Nice of you to join us." She didn't look at her as she petted the servant's head. She seemed to enjoy him nearly squirming under her talons as she curled his down feathers. "Did you sleep well?"

"Very much, yes." Twilight replied, still wondering why she'd decide to demean her butler. "So... why did you make him wear that?"

"Oh... he's just so cute in it. Aren't you now?"

She leaned down and smiled at him; he looked at the floor and hid his face behind his wing. The Empress whispered something to him and he resumed looking casual, letting her pet him as he sat, red faced, next to her.

"His name is Aria... he's quite shy, so he's not much of a conversationalist. But he is just too cute." She said, scratching behind his wings like she would a pet bird. "So, Twilight. What would you like to do first now that you're here? It's been a fun journey and I'm sure there's a lot you'd like to know about this place."

"Yes, of course." Twilight stuttered, not sure where to begin. "Um... could I just follow you through your day? Just ask things as they happen? I don't really know where to start."

"Of course..." She replied, looked across the table at Twilight. "But for now, I have a few questions to ask you. First and foremost, why did you come here? I'm sure you've heard the slander and bile that other rulers freely throw at me like I'm the scapegoat of all the world's problems."

"Umm..." Twilight stuttered, unsure of how to answer. The last thing she wanted to do was anger her. "I have heard some things from Celestia, as well as a few ponies."

The Empress sighed and shut her eyes, keeping her claws folded neatly over one another. "Exactly what have you heard? Don't be afraid to tell me in detail, I've heard it all before."

Just then there was a knock at the door. The Empress dismissed it and kept her eyes focused on the mare. She looked very calm, but it didn't take a professional to see that she was annoyed. She kept her composure and started to pet her servant again, a little too hard, judging by the winces and flinches of the smaller griffon.

"Well, most of them said that you were, um, not a good ruler, and that you were a little... eccentric. I'm sure they're wrong, of course." Twilight smiled, trying to brighten her host's mood. "You've been very nice to me and everypony has their quirks. I-"

"Oh, Twilight." She sighed. "There's no need to butter me up. If you want to say something, say it. As long as it's not an unfounded statement than I will explain it to you the best I can or take the comment with dignity."

After a moment, the mare smiled as best she could and said. "Well... I've heard things about how you treat your people and I just didn't want to bring it up... but I'm sure there's a perfectly reasonable explanation behind it."

The Empress stiffened, her eyes narrowed and her feathers standing on end. It was the same feral, untamed fury that Twilight had seen on the carriage ride. Except now it was directed towards her, and it was terrifying. She could just imagine her lunging out of her seat and killing her with one flick of her talons, gauging her neck open as effortlessly as she could crush an ant. The royal stared at her for a long while; Twilight could see that she was contemplating whether it was worth it to keep her around or send her back to Equestria. Her grip on her servant's neck was so tight she could see tears in his eyes and his face growing red from lack of oxygen.

"That, Twilight, is one thing that you are not to bring up in a conversation. Ever. It is too personal a matter to discuss freely, and I hope that you're smart enough to understand my weariness. I'm going to court now. I'll see you afterwards to take you on a tour of the castle."

She released her servant, who dropped to the floor, coughing and desperately sucking in air. The snow white griffon pushed him out of the way and went over to the door, not even bothering to see if he was following. The mare wanted to say something to remedy the situation, but nothing came to mind. By the time she'd thought of an apology, the Empress had slammed the door.

At first Twilight sat there, stymied by her host's sudden mood swing. She knew she'd touched a nerve, and that she needed to say she was sorry. Her record with the Empress was the most important thing right now, and if it suffered the relationship between Equestria and Griffonia would as well. She got up out of her seat and ran after her, only to be stopped at the door. It was locked.

Indeed, the Empress had locked her in. Alone.

Sorry if this chapter is short or lacking quality, but my computer took a dive and now I have to type on a loaner, so things won't be updated as fast.

Comments appreciated.

Truth

Twilight looked back to see that the Empress' servant was still on the floor, coughing and attempting to regain his breathe. The young griffon was half her height and couldn't be more than six as he grabbed hold of the table in an attempt to steady himself. The mare didn't see any reason not to, so she picked him up herself, brushed him off, and set him on the couch. The griffon looked at her gratefully with large, golden-green eyes. Twilight walked numbly over to her spot on the couch and sat down again, sighing. She made a mental note to never bring the subject up again. But... curiosity still pried at her. Maybe it was her nature, but something was still driving her to ask the same question that had just gotten her locked in her room.

She closely examined the young griffon across from her, he was about half her height, he had ten or so long feathers that fell over his left eye in a swoop, and he had long, pointed ears that were currently pressed flat to his head as he curiously peered at Twilight. He didn't seem as shy as she'd seen him with his master, as least. A long time passed, and every second the griffon stared at her. His tail switched along the sides of the couches as he observed her in turn.

Finally, after being stared at for four minutes, Twilight said. "So... why doesn't she want to talk to me about her populace exactly?"

At first the youth scowled, like he'd just tasted sour milk. Then, he took a deep breathe, saying. "My master, Empress Elusia, made me swear that I wouldn't speak of our private affairs to foreigners."

Twilight's eyes widened as the young griffon actually spoke her name. Not a moment after did he realize his mistake. He smacked himself in the face, mumbling 'stupid' under his breath as he did so.

"What did you say your name was again?"

"It's Aria."

To Twilight that sounded like a very girly name to begin with, but mixed with the way the Empress had made him dress, it was hard to not just think of Aria as a female. It was like he saw the gears turning in her head, because he interrupted the silence to keep her from jumping to conclusions.

"I'm male." The youth growled. "Excuse the way my master makes me dress in order to demean me."

"She makes you dress like that every day?"

"Only when she feels like asserting her dominance over me..." He sighed. "She's... possessive, see. She does this to her servants sometimes, but being her personal slave makes me the prime target."

Twilight looked at him for a long time, then she suddenly realized. For being six, his vocabulary seemed quite extensive. He talked like an adult, and the way he talked made him seem far more intelligent than an average griffon his age. Not only that, but she knew for a fact that Griffonians didn't speak Equestrian. It was a taboo language.

"You speak good Equestrian." Twilight stated.

After a pause, Aria replied. "My education revolves around good communication and how to perform my duties as a servant." The words sounded hollow, like he'd recited them a thousand times before. "I know a few languages, Twilight."

The mare faltered, him addressing her by name was unnerving. He just had an air about him. It was an immensely unhappy, restricting aura that seemed to cling to him like it was part of his nature. He didn't seem happy at all, but smart. He was a people griffon, so to speak. He could tell a lot about somepony by just looking at them. But despite being a social creature, he just looked... caged. Confined.

"So..." Twilight said, quietly. "She doesn't let you get out much?"

"No, she doesn't." He said bluntly. "I've never left this castle in my life. As a matter of fact... the last time I left this tower was two years ago, when my master said that I could accompany her to dinner."

As much as she pitied the creature, Twilight knew that she couldn't let this opportunity to learn about the Empress, Elusia, slip by. She shifted closer to Aria, putting a hoof on his back. He didn't mind, as a matter of fact, he seemed to welcome the physical contact that didn't end with him being choked. Twilight felt very sorry for him, but she knew that he couldn't be helped.

"Your master... Elusia. How does she treat her people?"

"Cruelly." Was all he said. "I could tell you, but all I want you to do is look at the underside of your bedframe. As a matter of fact, if you get the chance, look for the books in this library that past ambassadors have made their journals. You'll find rather... interesting things written in the blank pages."

Twilight got up off the couch and walked over to her staircase, forgetting about the servant for a moment while she went to check under her bed. She galloped upstairs, looking around the room. She found a candle on her nightstand and lit it, then slid under her massive canopy bed. At first she couldn't see much, but soon small scratches became visible. Some were bathed in red as they fell into relief due to candlelight.

Huge amounts of letters, sentences, were cut into the bottom of the bed. Some had dates, others didn't. Some had generous amounts of blood coating them. At this point Twilight was beginning to lose her nerve, but she forged on, forcing herself to read at least two of the messages.

'Bleeding out' One said.

The mare didn't want to read anymore, but her eyes disobeyed her and read a full paragraph.

'She cut me open, I can't move anymore. I managed to lock myself in this room... she's not chasing me in here, she knows that I won't last much longer with half my back cut open... as I die here, my thoughts are suddenly so much clearer. I know what I want to say now. First, I tore my left fang out of my gum to write this, it's not like I'll need it in a few minutes anyways. Now, her servant, that small griffon that follows her around, he's the key. HE is the only thing that she cares to talk to, and he knows her secrets. Please, don't be disillusioned. She doesn't care for you. Don't make the same mist ----------'

The message carved off, and just where she saw it end, there, stuck to the bedframe, was an old, yellowed fang. There was no telling what species it was, but Twilight had seen enough. She scurried out from under the bed, forgetting about her candle. She ran into her personal restroom and splashed cold water on her face. This had to be fake, a joke. Everything had been fine a few hours ago... But some morbid, torturous instinct of hers told her to go back and more.

With slow, deliberate steps, she went back over to the bed and looked under it. There, beside the long message, there was what seemed to be a poem. She ignored it for more useful information. She looked over and saw what looked like another last will and testament.

'He's not a griffon, her slave. He's not anything. He's a monster, a sick being that shouldn't exist. Adorable, I said, so nice, I said. He's no more alive than he is dead. She created him; he's nothing but a being she stitched together to exist as her playtoy. He's not alive.'

The message had a definitive end this time, but looking over she saw that many were about Aria. But one, he saw, mentioned the Empress.

'She... she took it away. I have to work for her. I have to obey, or I'll never see it again. She took my wings, and she said she'd take more than that away if I kept disobeying... she said first, she'd take my wings, and then, if I refused to behave, she'd blind me. Then, if even then I didn't obey, she would make sure that I'd never had children... I just want to go home to my family... mother....

536 A.T.'

That one had a date. It was two years ago. Then, like the silver lining of a cloud, a message leaped out from the rest. It was literally written in just blood this time.

'I plucked a feather to write this, and I have a while. But, I'll keep this letter brief. I'm not dying. My name is Squall, and I have befriended the young one, Aria. He is a chimera, a thing made of many other things. I never got details, but he's not a griffon per se. I'd like to say that he is, though, a very good-hearted being. He is miserable, and his heart is constantly bleeding from those that he befriends, and then loses when his master kills them. The Empress, Elusia, she is a monster. All the other messages here say that Aria is a sick being, but I don't think so. He's young, and troubled.

Turning more towards the Empress, she... she is a sociopath. There is nothing more that can be said along these parameters, since I have already figured out her name and her psychological condition. That is how she is, and unfortunately, if you're reading this message, you are, ultimately, either going to leave here under her command or you're going to leave as an urn of ashes.

First entry, 537 A.T.'

Twilight could feel a knot growing in her throat as she read more, and more. None of these messages were written by anypony, or griffon, that ever planned on seeing their family or friends again. There were over twenty notes written there, some by the dying and some coming to realize their fate, as Twilight was. Learning that you won't survive something is horrifying, but knowing that you'll be broken, beaten and bent to another's will before that is like drinking battery acid.

The mare stumbled away, blowing out her candle and putting it back on her nightstand. She could just imagine it, her horn being sawed off and then her mane plucked hair by hair, tortured as the Empress spoke to her in that suddenly sickly sweet, loving manner. At the thought of not having a horn anymore a wave of nausea rolled over her, stronger than she could hold back. The gravity of the situation hit her, and once again she ran into her restroom, this time she was sick.

She stayed in there for a long while, attempting to rebuild her wall of innocence around herself. She tried to forget the messages, the things written under the bed. She tried everything she knew, even casting curse after curse at herself in an attempt to forget. But to no avail, the words carved into the bedframe were burnt into her memory. And at that moment, she knew that she would never see her friends again.

But... then, something happened. Denial snuck in. Anypony could have written those messages. Aria himself could have written those to scare her, or a guard thinking that it was a good joke to scare the ambassadors. She began to laugh, thinking of how absurd it was. Having her horn sawed off, ridiculous. The Empress was a kind griffon; she'd never done anything to harm anypony. If anyone, the one that wrote those messages to mess with her head were the ones that were cruel. Blocking out reality once again, Twilight walked back out into the foyer, rolling her eyes. But still, in the back of her head, the words burned like hot ashes, waiting for more fuel to be thrown to them so they could burn once again.

Know Your Enemy

Twilight walked out into the living room, scowling fiercely. She marched up to Aria, who was lounging on the couch in a way that suggested boredom. She wanted to hit him, to call him a liar and a cruel, sick person. But she didn't. She still knew, in the back of her head, that what she'd seen had been real. So, she decided that she'd take the griffon's word for it. She sat down across from him, put her hooves down beside her, and gave him a look. He gazed back at her with slight curiosity as she sat, completely calm, across the table.

"What did you see Miss Twilight?" Aria asked, looking into her eyes as he did so. It didn't take a genius to see that Twilight was actually ready to scream out of stress and nerves, but he didn't make a comment.

"I..." Twilight hesitated. "I saw what you meant for me to see... but I still don't understand something. Say that I believe you, that I think that the Empress is an awful ruler and a terrible griffon. What do you want me to do about it?"

The servant was silent for a long while, until he spoke the complete, utter truth. "I hope... and I know this will sound ridiculous and like I'm a sentimental, soft-hearted foal, but I want you to befriend her."

"You want me to be personal friends with Lady Elusia." She said again, trying to work out the reasoning behind his suggestion. "What purpose would that serve? She's mad and both of us know that she doesn't like me anymore-"

"It's your best chance of living." Aria stated bluntly, bringing things back into perspective for his new acquaintance. "And my only purpose in life is to make my master happy. She suffers extreme paranoia and sudden fits of dementia, sometimes she has to bring in a magician to bring her out of the hallucinations. She is unstable. She uses magic to help her remain in control around others, but when she's alone she shows her true colors. I want you to get her to open up to you. If you're close, you might be able to keep her fancy, and that will keep you alive."

"This is crazy! I don't want to be friends with some schizophrenic nutjob!" Twilight yelled.

"Do you want to go back to Equestria?" Aria countered, again. "You keep saying that this won't work, but you don't seem to grasp that this is your life on the line! I need you to be her best friend! She's really not a bad griffon once you get to know her. If you look at the past, it's easy to hate her, but if you look at the present, she's really a good griffon. Honest."

"What about Gilda?"

"I suspect that you won't be seeing her again unless you personally go see her. She is on the other side of the castle, and she'll only be staying a few weeks."

"But I'm only staying a few weeks!"

"Not true unless you plan on leaving in a body bag."

Twilight reeled for a moment, trying to absorb what he'd just told her. It was insane and improbable, and it would most likely end up with her pegged to the side of the castle as a warning to all those who dare toy with the ruler's emotions, but she had to do it if she ever wanted to see her family and friend's again. She had to fake being a friend, something that she wasn't sure that she could do. She was taught that if you had to be nice to somepony, you were their friend, and you committed to the role one-hundred percent. But this time she just had to pretend and then run at the first chance she got. It tore at her morals, but she reached a decision quickly.

"Okay... but what exactly do you want me to say?"

"I can't tell you exactly what to do, but I want you to at least try your hardest. Some things to avoid at all costs are things like how she treats her servants, as well as her people. She loves to talk about me, though... as much as I hate it." He hissed. "She likes art and literature, and she loves magic. She can perform magic, by the way. Never doubt that. It's stronger than yours, never doubt that. And... I'm fairly sure you can make it on your own from here. I'll cheer you on and give you little hints, but do we have a deal?"

"What if I don't agree?"

"Then I'll tell Milady that you know about her condition, and she'll hang you from the top of the tower."

"Fine then. When do you think she'll be back?"

"In an hour or so... for now, I'd make sure that you're ready to talk to her. My suggestion is, do your mane."

He was right, her mane was very tangled, filled with knots and loose strands of hair stuck up everywhere. She decided that the first way she could impress Elusia would be to look groomed. She grabbed a hairbrush and was about to start when she saw Aria across from her, fidgeting.

"You have no idea how to do your mane right, do you?"

"What do you know? You're what, six?"

"Yes, I am six."

Twilight continued brushing her hair, looking at the griffon with distrust. He was her only ticket out of here and if he turned out to be untrustworthy he could get her killed or worse. But again, he was the only route. She quickly made her mane as glossy as possible, making sure there were no loose hairs sticking up. She set the hairbrush aside and turned, once again, to Aria. She had a few questions for him if she was going to trust him with her own life.

"How did you get here? According to some of the writing up there you're a chimera. "

"I am a chimera." He replied. "A sort of conglomerate being made up of four or so other beings. When Elusia made me, she designated me to have the form of a griffon, although I'm only one fourth griffon. I'm also part cat, part unicorn, and part dragon. You're probably wondering how my master had the magical capabilities to do such a thing. I don't have any answers for you, since the only memory I have is waking up on her floor, and from then on I've served as her one and only personal servant. I wish I could give you more, but it's not within my power to say with any measure of accuracy."

Twilight had heard of such creatures, but most every attempt had been a failure. Star-Swirl had made one, and to that day it wandered the halls of his mansion, moping about its lost friend. But that creature had been made by a master of magic, this foal, this... chick, had been made by a griffon of immense magical prowess. Something Twilight didn't believe possible. It made her head hurt to think about the possible ways she could have pulled it off, because there were none. It was the same problem she had with the Empress lighting the candles at the entrance of the castle. It just wasn't possible.

After a while she sighed, knowing that if she sat there thinking she'd never come to a conclusion. She got up off the couch and walked over to her new acquaintance. She held out her hoof in a gesture of friendship, smiling. She knew too much about him now for him to double-cross her. He held out his talon, and they shook on it. So the deal was made.

"Now could you please take off that ridiculous outfit?" Twilight asked.

"Fine." He nodded, smiling. "Why, though? Does it just bother you?"

"It's just... strange."

"Okay then, do you want the key to the door?"

"You had the key out the whole time! I could have broken and made a run for it!"

"You wouldn't have made it past the guards."

Aria handed over the key and sighed, heading off to her washroom. He returned minus the maiden's outfit, which he threw onto the couch. He had the same neat, snowy white feathers of the Empress, plus the downy fluff that most griffon chicks had. He sighed and stretched a cute motion for such a young creature. He looked at Twilight, who had grown a little weak in the knees from his motion. He was adorable, and he knew it. The mare shook her head.

"Yeah yeah, you're cute. We get it." She grumbled, annoyed that he'd been able to get obtain her sentiments so easily. "So when do you expect Elusia to be back?"

"She should be in about another hour now. Do you want to do something in the meantime? I play a good game of chess if you feel up to it."

"I don't think you could beat me." She rolled her eyes. "You're looking at the three time Canterlot champion."

"That'll make it interesting!" The young griffon half ran, half hovered over to the cabinet beside one of the bookshelves. He took out a large chess set, one with obsidian and diamond pieces.

Twilight didn't win the game the first time... or the twenty-first time.

Okay, explanation chapter. I love those. Anywho, leave a comment if you enjoyed! (*Or if you didn't*)

Platonic

Twilight sat at her table, in her own private kitchen, in a chair that was the most comfortable she'd ever sat in. Despite that, every couple of seconds she would shift, fidget, grumble, or just find something to make a big deal over. Nerves have a funny way of showing themselves, and to Twilight she had to find something to do. After a while, the mare got up, pushed the chair in, and took out a pot. She didn't know why she was getting comfortable; she was only going to be here a few weeks. 'Or so you think.' she thought, setting the pot under the faucet. Turning the taps, she waited until the pot was full, then turned on the stove and set it there. She looked in the cupboard and sure enough there was tea. She tore open ten bags and threw them into the pot.

Trotting back out into the living room, she saw that her guest was reading a book on Equestria. He didn't seem to notice her until he looked up. His eyes glowed their strange gold-emerald, almost as if he had something very important and meaningful to ask. As a matter of fact, he did.

"Twilight... I know that you can't trust books sometimes. You have to hear things from multiple sources. So, in your country, what is it really like? How do you see your leader?"

"Well, my country's leader is my teacher." She boasted. "She singled me out as one of the best magical talents in my class and gave me a full scholarship to the Canterlot School of magic. She's kinda like my second mom in a way... she's wonderful, she lets me go wherever I want and gives me the funds to do all of my magical studies."

"Sounds nice..." He set the book aside. "But... Twilight, you keep talking about her from your perspective. What exactly does she do for the country?"

"Just about everything. She has the final word on whether something is passed as a law, no matter how trivial, she commands the royal guard, and she monitors what needs to be."

Aria nodded, going back to book. "It says here that she drove her sister to madness when they were younger and then banished her to the moon because she was a danger to the public... what's she like, the mad one? Is she still on the moon?"

"That isn't true. Celestia didn't drive her sister mad at all. Her sister got jealous and went on a rampage because she didn't feel appreciated." Twilight took the book off of him and put it back on the shelf. "And, Luna is fine, back in Equestria, helping Celestia rule."

"Do you like her? Do you hang out with her and do fun stuff together like you do with Celestia?"

The mare stopped, caught off guard by the statement. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"When you're alone so long with somepony that outshines you in every way, it makes you lonely."

"I don't want to talk about this anymore." Twilight got up and marched back into the kitchen. How did he know that she didn't spend any time with Luna? Why would he even bring it up?

Pondering these questions, she set about taking the pot off of the stove, turning the stove off, and pouring herself some tea. She put sugar in it, and then took a sip. The hot drink helped her immensely, and her nerves began to steady. Creature comforts in the middle of a place she didn't want to be. She thought about that. Slightly ironic, in her opinion. Taking her cup with her, she walked back out into the living room to find Empress Elusia sitting on the couch. Twilight hadn't even heard her come in.

"Sit down." She ordered curtly, gesturing to the side opposite from her.

"Miss I'm so sorry about what I said earlier, I didn't mean anything by it I just had to be sure-"

"This isn't about that, Twilight, it's about dinner. What would you like? It's customary here to ask the guest what they want and cook that over the preferences of the host."

"I always liked cooked asparagus and tomato lettuce sandwiches... aren't you a little mad at me for bringing up that thing to you? You looked a little angry and I just wanted to say that I'm sorry."

"I prefer not to dwell on the past, dear." The Empress sighed. "Although I will have you know that it did upset me at first. Although I do not blame you. The things one can hear from idle gossip are many a terrible tale, and most of those are designed to slander a good mare's name. But again, let's not dwell on things. I'm going to have the chefs bake you your dish and then I'm going to have something with more meat. Pardon that, by the way, as we griffons are indeed predators and we do have differed needs than you."

"It's nothing." Twilight sighed, relieved that she was in the clear. "Will that be delivered here?"

"If you so wish it I can have that arranged, but for now I want you to come with me. Aria, go tell the servants about the new dish I want them to make and have them get to it. I want that up here in an hour or less." With that the servant left, leaving only the two. "As for you Twilight, I'd like to show you something."

The griffon rose from her seat and walked towards the door, gesturing for Twilight to follow. The mare followed suit, ending back out in the hallway. It never ceased to amaze her how beautiful the place looked, with its crystal chandeliers and thick red carpet, the shields hung with crests emblazoned on them and the golden hue the walls carried. Elusia strode up to the door to her room, which was a few steps up to a raised landing, which then led to her door. The huge redwood double-doors looked far too heavy for Twilight to move, but the royal just brushed them aside and strode into her quarters. The mare had to make sure to squeeze in after her to avoid getting trapped on the other side.

The sight that met the librarian was roughly the polar opposite of Celestia's room. Equestria's dear ruler loved the colors pink and gold and blue, showering her rooms with them and making the whole castle seem alive with color and grandeur. But the color scheme of this room seemed to be two colors in hundreds of different hues. Black, and every shade of blue imaginable. Blue flames perched on candles, which sat atop the skulls of animals like lions and tigers, along with a few of more equine nature. A deep ocean blue ran the whole length of the floor, and the walls themselves were a light, pale aquamarine. Anything else was the darkest shade of black or grey.

On one end of the room there was a huge bed that took up over twenty feet of the room, sitting on top of a raised platform that had a set of stairs connecting it to the foyer; a large sitting area with a desk sat neatly in front of the window. The window, as Twilight found, took up the whole west wall of the tower, allowing very bright sunlight in. It helped with the gloom that seemed burnt into the quarters, the feeling of being trapped or that she could become lunch at any moment. The whole setting just made her feel... small. It didn't help that the ceiling was so high a dragon could sit rather comfortably in there or that Twilight could swear she could feel a slight breeze. Another thing she found was that the room was semi-circular. They were just at one end, the actual room stretched all the way around the side of the turret.

"That's about enough of this damned sunlight."

With a snap of her talons, the massive blackout curtains at the edges of the windows drew shut, plunging the once well lit room into total darkness. Twilight heard another snap and suddenly candles all over the walls lit with a flame the color of sapphire. The room was still rather dark by Twilight's standards, but the ruler seemed right at home. Elusia smiled and walked swiftly over to a table directly beside her desk. It was a tea set, and in it was already a brew of boiling hot breakfast tea. The royal took out two cups and poured them with a flourish, handing one to Twilight, who accepted it gratefully.

Having attended to her guest and her room in decent order, the ruler snapped her claws once again and a huge fire roared to life inside of a fireplace that had escaped the mare's attention. Even the flames there burned azure, but it did give off warmth, which she was grateful for. It helped make up for the lack of sunlight... and color. The Empress took a seat next to her guest, taking a large gulp of her tea. She seemed at home in the darkness, something that Twilight couldn't help but find odd. She was a pure white griffon, nearly albino save for her eyes and the occasional grey tip to her feathers. She stood out there, but then again she was what your eyes came to in the room full of black and blue. In some ways it did make sense, but it was still rather strange.

"So Twilight... I now want to take this time to break down some of these barriers between us." Elusia stated. "In this room, with just me here, me and you are not host and guest. I'm not under any higher an authority than you, I am not a royal nor are you, you aren't an ambassador and I'm not a leader. In this room you are merely my friend, and on that same note, I'd like to start over with you. Get to know you as more than a visitor that will critique me on how well I treated you when you stayed here." The Empress held out a talon, plainly showing her palm, a great sign of trust among griffons.

It was such a break in formality that Twilight was caught off guard. It seemed like a trick to Twilight, but then again, this might be her chance to do just what Aria had told her to do. She was sure that most of the other ambassadors that had come unintentionally insulted the Lady by taking her gesture of kindness for granted. Most of the visitors would decline, insisting on keeping their relationship as formal as possible as to not have too many strings attached when they left. A dangerous thing to decline when it came to a griffon so unstable. After all, what harm could come from getting to know her? Twilight held out her hoof in the same manner, meeting the Empress in a firm shake of hoof and talon.

(*Yawns*) Well it's three in the morning here and I need to get to bed. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and I'll see you all later. Comments appreciated as always, favorite if you really had a good time!