The sound of hoofsteps echoed through the hallway as Celestia walked along with an aide, the noise almost drowning out their conversation. “Is there anything else I need to know?” the princess asked.
“Uhh.” The unicorn shuffled through the papers she was levitating, looking for new information. “Here it is. I’ve gotten multiple reports that our weather teams have been having issues maintaining the local temperature." She floated the documents up to meet Celestia’s eyes. “Especially around the capital. It’s the middle of spring but they still haven’t melted all of the snow."
The princess remained quiet, adopting a contemplative expression. The aide watched for a response for a moment before returning to her reports, the noise of their hooves on the marble making up for the silence as they walked. Finally Celestia spoke, “Are they sure it’s really a problem, or are they still trying to warm up an Equestrian city?”
“No, it’s more than that, snow still falls from the clouds despite them only there for shade. The weather teams keep having to waste the water by breaking them up.”
“Interesting. I’ll make it a point of today’s meeting, and I’ll pass these along to Luna. Thank you, Scribble.”
The white unicorn bowed as Celestia took possession of her reports. Scribble continued to walk alongside the princess until coming across an adjoining hallway, turning and leaving as it passed by. Celestia traveled by herself for a bit, holding the sheaf of papers at her side. Her thoughts turned to the upcoming meeting, wondering how long it will take before the inevitable argument. If the weather teams truly were having problems with the climate, then she had a large problem brewing. It would reflect badly on her ability to help the other nations at best, or be indicative of possible unrest at worst. Either way, convincing the ambassador to allow more help to be sent would be difficult.
She continued walking for some time before hearing a new voice call out to her, “Sister! Please, wait!” Celestia smiled, and began to slow down to allow her sister to catch up. Luna galloped up to meet her, now standing still.
“I was wondering when you’d show up,” she said, holding up the reports Scribble had left her.
Luna rubbed one of her eyes and yawned. “I wish we wouldn’t have these meetings so early in the day.”
“It’s almost one in the afternoon.”
“Exactly, any other day I am still asleep.” Luna took Scribble’s notes and began to look them over.
Celestia smiled, “When you find a nocturnal nation to join us, you can schedule a conference with them any time you want. Until then, I would like you to sit in on the daytime ones, for Zemeco’s sake.”
“When I do, I expect you to come to the night sessions as well. I am planning on getting payback for all of this,” she joked.
“Hmm.” The elder princess’s smirk faded quickly as they began to walk once more. Luna didn’t notice, her head buried in the reports. She skimmed through the individual accounts, and reached the final page quickly. None of them appeared important, as most of it dealt with the griffons.
“I’m worried the cold weather the pegasi are having trouble with is being caused by windigos,” Celestia said, breaking the silence.
Her sister nodded in response. If the environment was acting on its own despite the weather team’s efforts, something out of the ordinary had to be causing it. The snowing definitely meant a windigo problem, and a full-fledged blizzard was sure to be next. “The griffons certainly do not get along well with others, but they have never had a problem with each other,” Luna said.
“And that’s what worries me. I’m planning on mentioning it to the ambassador, but I can guess how he’ll react.”
“By spouting hate-filled drivel about the ineffectiveness of our citizens, I am sure.”
“Luna—”
“No!” she interrupted, stopping in her tracks, “I am tired of hearing him say such things. He doesn't show us respect as leaders, or I as a fellow living being!”
Celestia shot her a stern look. “I have sent letters to both our ambassador within the Griffon capital and my student stationed there asking to have a new one appointed.” She walked up to her sister, and gave a small nuzzle. “I know how he treats you and I don’t like it either, but I’ve not gotten a response from either of them yet. Come, we’re going to be late."
They continued, with Luna at a slower pace, her head hung slightly. Celestia resolved to redouble her efforts to have a new ambassador appointed, the current one’s hostile attitude was beginning to wear on herself as well. Hopefully the new one won’t be as caustic as the old, for Luna’s sake. “I’m sorry he keeps bothering you, but I truly feel you have the better connection with Zemeco,” Celestia apologized, turning her head and talking over the echo. Luna perked up, and walked a little faster, smiling.
“The Zebras have yet to shed many of the traditions you have left behind, traditions that are still rather fresh in my mind,” Luna replied, knocking on her head, “I am happy to help you with him.”
Glad to have made her sister smile, Celestia turned forward again with a contented expression. “What of Stonewall?” she asked, “would you be happy to help him with our zebra friend?”
“I do not think it would be possible,” her sister said, perplexed, “The minotaur seems to have the same trouble grasping what mere diplomacy can achieve as you do, Tia.” She was silent for a moment before adding, “And I am not inclined to assist a friend of the griffon ambassador."
Celestia sighed as they turned a corner, and saw they weren’t going to be the first ones to make the meeting. Near the door up ahead, standing in the bright light shining through the windows near two guards, was a griffon. The white plumage on his head only slightly hanging off of his forehead, the longest feathers cut to an even length. There was a faint sparkle coming from something he was wearing. Still out of earshot, Celestia whispered, “Please try to keep this civil. Ignore him if you have to." She didn’t wait for a response as they neared the door.
The griffon was standing still, but when he noticed the princesses approaching, he shifted. He sat down, and brought his talons up to his chest, crossing his arms, which covered whatever was causing the glint. His tail, tapering without a tufted end, flicked around like an angry cat’s. The guards standing on either side of the door saluted the princesses, while the griffon simply stared at the elder sister.
“Good afternoon, Ambassador. I see you’re here early,” Celestia said, greeting him.
“I see that you’re not, Celestia,” He growled and shifted his gaze to Luna, “pony.” His voice was rough, and more than a little hoarse.
Luna stepped forward, glaring at the ambassador. “I have both a name and a title. You would do well to use them.”
“I will do no such thing. You haven’t proven yourself to me, and your sister outranks you. You deserve neither. I—”
“Then what is your name, ambassador?” Celestia interrupted quickly, lowering her head to meet his. Her wings flared, blocking Luna from his view.
The ambassador began to shake, and his eyes narrowed. Uncrossing his arms, he slammed his talons on the ground, revealing what had caused the glare earlier. A small metal plaque, suspended upon a thin chain around his neck. It was engraved, reading “ID: 15944-8” and behind it sat a set of scars across his chest. He stared back at Celestia, and stayed still except for his tail, which continued to whip around. The ambassador followed Celestia’s eyes as she raised her head, exposing a second set of scars, crossing his neck. The two continued to stare at each other for a minute while the guards at the door shifted nervously.
Finally the griffon broke eye-contact and slammed into the door to open it slightly, slinking through. Celestia used her magic to open the door the rest of the way, to allow both her and Luna to enter together. “I told you to ignore him,” she whispered, folding her wings. Luna remained quiet, still wearing a scowl as she followed her sister in.
The room was long, with a second entrance on the far side. A Large table sat in the center, with the sun shining in. The griffon ambassador was already halfway to the other side of the table, passing many of the closer seating cushions surrounding it. At the head was a larger pillow, which Celestia moved aside when she came to it. She motioned her sister to use it, who laid Scribble’s findings on the table as she sat down.
“Are you sure you wouldn’t rather sit closer, Griffon?” Celestia asked of the ambassador, who had come to rest at the exact opposite side.
He replied with a small harrumph, and carelessly tossed his seat to the side and stood as well. She had asked that question more times than she could count at this point, and with the creaking of the wood behind the ambassador, Celestia braced herself for the routine to start again.
The doors behind him opened up, as a few other dignitaries filed in. A large cow was first, as always, wearing a wide smile and nodding to the Princesses as she took a seat close to them. A zebra was next, his face obscured by a sand colored cloak, with a small tuft of mane sticking out the front. The zebra was followed closely by an imposing minotaur. He was in mid-conversation with the zebra as they came in, trying to convince him of something. “Our constructions are very sturdy, I’m confident they could stand up to a storm easily.”
“I told you I will think about it,” the zebra said, without turning to look, “This isn’t about if it will stand, it’s about the idea being unfit. It’s about not needing help in our land.”
The pair parted as the minotaur pulled a guard aside to talk. The guard disappeared out the door as the ambassador waited with his hands behind his back. The zebra proceeded and sat across from the bovine, and caught Luna’s attention for a silent greeting. The guard returned shortly after, levitating a chair over to the minotaur. The constant repetition had done little to stop Celestia from forgetting Stonewall’s seating every time. “One of these days, ambassador,” She said, embarrassed.
“One of these days,” he repeated.
The meeting progressed as usual, without anything being done. To Celestia’s chagrin, the ambassadors consistently shut each other down each time a proposed policy encroached upon their own borders. Luna gave little input except for calming down Zemeco, the zebra ambassador when he grew agitated. As the conference winded down, the elder sister asked for her weekly update, “I want to take the next few minutes to go over a few things I’m concerned about.” She turned to Tessie, the cow ambassador, “I haven’t received a letter yet from my new student. I trust everything is alright?”
Tessie cleared her throat before speaking, “Well now, I was wonderin’ when you’d get around to mentioning the poor girl. From what I’ve heard from the mayor in the town you sent her to, she doesn’t really fit in that well.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well,” she began, “It took her a while to actually connect with any of the cooks there, actin’ like a right recluse. Then when she did start trying to learn, she keeps that dragon of hers around all the time, gives the townsfolk the willies dontcha know?”
Celestia looked down in thought, searching for possible reasons her student would keep her draconic assistant around more than necessary. “I’ll have a talk with her, and please, have the mayor assure everyone that her dragon isn’t dangerous.” Tessie nodded with a smile.
“I see your students are causing trouble in every nation they’re in, Celestia,” the griffon ambassador spoke up.
“Oh?” she replied, “Has Pinpoint’s assistant started scaring your citizens as well, Griffon? I thought you were made of sturdier stuff.”
“What? No!” Griffon shook his head, taken aback, “The Chosen aren’t happy that they’re being watched by some weakling who can’t fight.”
“We are aware of that,” Luna spoke up, “You make it clear every time we meet, ambassador.”
“And yet he is still in our land, month after month.”
Celestia glared at him from across the table, “Having a student learn from you is a requirement of the treaty your people joined, and by extension, to be eligible for aid from us. I’m getting tired of reminding you.”
“Then I have a solution.”
Both Princesses sighed, knowing what was going to come next. Griffon placed his talons on the table and leant forward. He glanced at Stonewall, who looked back and nodded, and then at Zemeco, who didn’t react. “I move to strike the stipulation to house an Equestrian student in the terms of the treaty, and thereby dissolving the Students Initiative.”
“Second,” Stonewall said, breaking his own personal silence.
“Fine,” Celestia said with a frown, “Yay or nay?”
“Nay,” said Tessie, “I see no problem with having one nation learn about another. Ambassador, I feel you are being far too paranoid.”
“Nay. I am open to changing the specifics, but putting the stop to the program would do more harm than good,” said the Princess, “The bearer of magic is one of my finest students, and forcing her to come back to Canterlot could put the Elements in flux.”
“My concerns have been made clear,” said Griffon.
“While your student hasn’t been a problem, I personally am not happy with putting our natural prowess on display without any direct benefits,” said Stonewall, folding his arms, “Your promise of aid is nice, but it falls flat when we don’t require it. Yay.”
The room turned to Zemeco. He looked past Celestia to her sister, who shook her head frantically. “Yay,” he finally spoke, “as much as it displeases me to agree with Griffon, I must concede today. An outsider is an unwelcome addition.”
“Why?” Luna stepped forward, “from what you have told me, the caravan Remedy was sent to has enjoyed his company.”
“To tell the truth, I have no quarrel with him. I take issue with where his information is going; her highness wishes to butt in. I’m unhappy with her influence growing.”
“Then how about this,” Celestia offered, “what if Luna took charge of Remedy’s studies? She will be the one to receive his letters; I won’t be reading them anymore.”
“That is acceptable, I suppose. Princess Luna will be accountable, and you’ll no longer impose,” Zemeco paused before finishing, “Nay.”
“What?” Griffon shouted, “You can’t just change your vote like that! Celestia, you had five votes, you should have called it after the zebra!”
“The discussion on the topic hasn’t closed yet. Zemeco was offered a solution to his problem with the Initiative and he took it,” the elder princess added emphasis to the ambassador’s name, who nodded in agreement.
Griffon sputtered for a moment before returning to coherence, “Fine. Zebra, this policy is intrusive, and you know it. These are the skills that make our nations great, and Celestia wants to use them for personal gain! If she can have her ponies copy these talents, then she can utilize them without going through your nation to get the supplies.”
“Your nation’s skill may be in danger of this, but mine is not. The griffons only offer martial prowess, but Alchemy works best with a Zebra at the pot.”
“That was one of the first things Remedy told me,” Celestia added, “He’s been with the caravan for a year and only recently has he managed to outdo the foals.”
“Yes, I’ve always disliked the Princess’s use of our art. Her conclusions aren’t right, but Princess Luna’s compassion for us stands apart, she understands our plight,” said the zebra, “I will hear no more, Griffon.”
The ambassador groaned loudly and leant on the table, staring at the woodwork with his head in his talons.
“Well then, at a vote of three to two opposed, the motion is denied. I think we can end this conference here, thank you all for coming, meeting adjourned.”
The ambassadors all shuffled to their hooves, except for Griffon, his talons beginning to dig into his brow. Stonewall returned his chair to a guard and moved over to the distressed ambassador. The princesses watched as he put one of his hands on Griffon’s shoulder and mumbled to him. The ambassador made another agitated noise and twitched one of his claws, as if he decided against some unknown gesture just as it began. Stonewall shrugged and turned for the door, waving to the sisters as his ponytail disappeared through the exit. In the stillness that followed the door slamming shut Celestia heard the soft thud of the ambassador finally sitting down.
“I was going to ask you to stay after to talk in private, but I see that’s unnecessary,” she said.
He stayed still. Luna stood and started for the door she entered from, her hooves loudly echoing off the marble floor. Her sister turned to her as she opened it and said, “Don’t go too far, little sister. I want to iron out the specifics of you following Remedy’s studies.”
“Alright, should I just bring Zemeco back when you are done here?” she replied.
Celestia nodded. Zemeco’s initial vote wasn’t surprising, as he was never too fond of the program but always swallowed his pride before today. She was used to the ambassador asking for the abolishment of the initiative nearly every meeting, but this scare was the closest he had ever come to succeeding. It seemed that Griffon’s constant complaints finally wore him down, and the princess knew she was lucky her sister was there to help. She looked back across the table to see Griffon still hadn’t moved his head out of his claws. The two sat in silence for a few minutes while she shuffled through the papers Luna left, refreshing her memory on some of the specifics. The princess’s horn glowed as she lifted a single page up to her eyes. “Alright, I think that’s enough moping for now,” she said, “I have some concerns I would like you to address.”
“Like what?” He sneered.
Celestia paused before responding, “Well, to start: is there some internal problem the griffons are trying to hide?”
“What are you getting at?” He looked up with disbelief.
“The system Equestria uses to keep track of its residents isn’t as,” Celestia paused to look for the correct word, “robust as yours, but we notice when our diversity changes drastically. Take the past few months for example.” She floated the page she was looking at over to the ambassador, who snatched it out of the air before the magic ceased. “Quite a number of griffons have been returning home, leaving behind the lives they’ve made in Equestria,” she said while he read the document.
“Maybe they’ve realized their mistake in leaving our heritage behind,” the ambassador said, not looking up from the paper in front of him.
“Really?” Celestia walked to the other side of the table. “Because every time I catch wind of a mass emigration of griffons back to their homeland, invariably some massive conflict engulfs the nation, and it’s always either some internal squabble or an external military campaign.” She leaned down closer to the ambassador until she was inches away from his beak. “I assume it’s internal, as an act of aggression would require a standing military, which would break the disarmament treaty.”
He turned away from the paper to return Celestia’s glare, and nudged his necklace with his claw. “There has been no order to return made by our government. Those griffons are returning of their own free will,” he growled, “I can assure you we are not breaking the treaty. Your student is being tolerated, isn’t he?”
“I suppose,” she said, and slowly lifted her head. “Then is your homeland having an internal issue? Is there any way I can help?” she asked sincerely.
“No, we are—”
“Because there have been other developments that worry me,” Celestia interrupted. “The ponies I’ve sent to your cities to take care of the weather have started to run into problems. From what I hear it’s much colder than it should be.”
“That’s not something I’ve heard, are you sure your lackeys are doing it right?”
“They’ve been doing their job right for years. If they have a problem, it’s because something out there is affecting them. If that problem is a lingering winter, it could be due to windigos.”
“What?”
“Windigos,” she started, “cause unnaturally cold condi—”
“I know what they are, Celestia,” he snorted, “We don’t have a windigo infestation.”
Celestia turned away, putting some distance between herself and Griffon. “That’s not what the signs are telling me. I want to help,” she said with a sigh, “those winter specters could easily render whole cities uninhabitable, and Equestria is best equipped with the magic to deal with them.”
“Like what?” he asked, and folded his arms, hiding his pendant once more.
She rattled off a list of options breathlessly, “Myself, or Princess Luna. Princess Cadence would likely be the best option, and the Elements of Harmony are currently in the hooves of Equestrian ponies.”
“No doubt the use of any of those in our cities would force us to be more dependent on your pegasai,” he mused.
“It would be better than freezing to death.”
The ambassador sat in thought, looking forward but not truly paying attention to anything. The princess knew he was hiding something, and that he either didn’t realize or didn’t care any refusal of assistance could harm her subjects as well as his brethren. If the Griffon Kingdom was about to descend into turmoil, her pegasai could easily be caught in the crossfire. “No,” he finally said.
“I’m sorry?” Celestia said, stunned.
“No,” he repeated, narrowing his eyes, “I do not want your hooves meddling in our affairs. I do not want your incompetent sibling messing with things beyond her control. I do not want that tart niece of yours in my country at all.”
Celestia stepped forward again, furious. “My sister has a name, as does that ‘tart’ niece of mine,” she said.
He began to shout, “Names they did nothing to earn, names they do not—”
“The fact that they didn’t partake in your barbaric tradition to earn them does not diminish their validity,” her voice raised higher with each word, “I will not tolerate this continuous disrespect for much longer. Do not force me to remove you before your country can find the replacement I have asked for.”
The ambassador uncrossed his arms and slammed his talons on the ground. “My country won’t stand for that,” he growled. He fiddled with his ID tag with his left claw, showing that he was missing his hind talon.
“They will, unless they don’t want my assistance with their weather problems.”
“You can’t do that!” he shouted, prompting the guards to ready their spears. He tugged at the tag slightly.
“I can, and will if it comes to it. I dislike your treatment of my sister, which is why I’ve asked for a replacement. Do not demand her respect and then show none.”
The ambassador’s shortened tail started to flick back and forth, and he began to shake with rage once again. The princess watched as he played with his pendant, glaring at her. He had apparently run out of bile to spout. The door behind him opened up for some small creature to scurry in. A dragon, Griffon’s personal assistant, rushed up, clutching a roll of parchment. “Sir!” he shouted, holding the scroll high in his purple claw, “There’s an envoy looking—”
He didn't get a chance to finish. Griffon whipped around and struck the dragon with the back of his claw, knocking him to the ground. “Do not interrupt me!” he bellowed, and readied his talons to swipe again.
As he brought his hand down upon the dazed dragon it stopped, enveloped in a golden aura. Celestia walked over and got between Griffon and the dragon, while the ambassador struggled against the magic keeping his claw still. She gave him a withering look, and spoke in a low, barely restrained voice, “You have a problem with my subjects, you have a problem with me. You lay a hand on my subjects, you lay a hand on me.”
He continued to fight her magic, not paying attention. The princess released his claw, waiting for some form of response. The ambassador let out a lion’s roar and grabbed his necklace. He pulled on the metal chain, which easily snapped and hurled it at Celestia. The tag clattered to the ground after bouncing off her necklace.
Griffon stood there heaving his chest. His eyes darted between the necklace on the ground and the princess, waiting for something. This outburst was nothing new. Celestia had ignored it in the past, but something was different this time around. Perhaps this was the final straw, or the first time he’d prefaced a challenge by striking one of her citizens. She decided to partake in the oldest aspect of his culture, and matched his gaze. “Are you going to pick that up?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.
He picked the tag up, and threw it a second time.
“Fine, if it will teach you a lesson.”
Her horn glowed once again. The whole of Griffon’s body was enveloped in the same golden aura as before as he lost his footing. Celestia raised him high into the air, bumping his head against the room’s high ceiling. “So,” she shouted so he could hear, “Would you like to change your mind?”
“No!” he shouted back, a hint of fear slipped through his voice.
The princess took a step back, and bowed her head slightly. The rest of the room watched the ambassador begin to fall, still wrapped in Celestia’s magic. His position changed, oriented to dive bomb into the ground. He opened his wings to try and fly away, but it was no use. His eyes snapped shut as he rocketed towards the marble floor.
“You can open your eyes now,” Celestia said.
Griffon did as he was told and found he was unharmed. Floating a few inches from the floor, he saw the front of his tag staring back at him, “ID: 15944-8." The dragon Celestia had stepped in for chuckled as she released her control, letting Griffon fall the final few inches. “I’ll send for a new chain,” she said as the ambassador picked himself up.
He grabbed the broken necklace and closed his talons around it, hiding the number completely. “What is it that you want, dragon?” he said weakly, staring at his clasped hand.
“There’s an envoy waiting at one of our checkpoints with a letter delivery,” the messenger said.
Celestia floated the scroll to herself and read it. The letter was from someone posted at the checkpoint: two griffons in military garb wanted to reach the ambassador in person. “You’re their direct line to Griffon, Chip. Why would they show up in person?” she asked the dragon.
“No idea, your highness. I have paper to send back, they needed an answer quick.”
“Why are they dressed in military uniform?” She turned to the shamed ambassador.
“They shouldn’t be. Your guards must be mistaking the liaison attire for our disbanded military,” he said in a low rumble.
“Give it here,” she paused, mulling over the decision, suspicious of his intentions, “I’ll let them through I suppose.” Celestia took the letter and scribbled a quick response before teleporting it. “They will meet you at the castle gates.”
Griffon nodded. “This meeting will be a private matter. I hope you will respect that,” his zeal was slowly returning to him.
“Fine, I guess you can be dismissed then,” she said as she opened the nearby door for him, “Your guests should be here in a few hours. Come back to me if the situation back home changes.” Her stern voice returned as she gave a final warning, “Remember my words about mistreating your assistant. You’re on thin ice, ambassador.”
He grunted in acknowledgement as he walked out the door. Chip began to follow before Celestia stopped him.
“Are you alright?” she said, “That was quite a spill.”
“I’m,” he stopped, rubbing his cheek where Griffon had hit, “fine. I’m fine.”
The princess wrapped one of her wings around him. “Don’t let him do that again. Come to me if you have to,” she said warmly.
“Thanks, I will.” Chip smiled. He gave one of Celestia’s legs a quick hug before scurrying out the door.
Celestia’s estimation of the liaison’s arrival proved to be a little generous. A guard stationed at the gate notified her before the ambassador as instructed, but didn’t contact her until the evening. She trotted from her throne to an observatory balcony at the news, wanting to confirm the ambassador’s assertion that the outpost had mistaken the envoy’s uniform. A telescope was anchored there for her to use.
The princess peered through the telescope to the gates and saw them waiting for Griffon to show up. The two messengers towered over the remaining guard, clad in elegant armor with a dark gold finish. She could tell they were talking to each other, but couldn’t hear what they were saying. For the most part they ignored the unicorn guard, who fiddled with his spear every few seconds. The envoy carried weapons of their own, menacing halberds that stood a couple feet taller than their wielders.
She watched the pegasus guard that had notified her trot up to the two griffons, with the ambassador close behind. Griffon was still holding his ID tag in his talons as he walked up with an awkward gait. The envoy turned and walked away from the gates as the ambassador followed while staring at the ground. Out of range of the posted guards, one of the griffons produced a scroll and read it to the ambassador. He looked up from the ground and puffed out his chest while he listened. Celestia saw the other emissary lean in to inspect something on the ambassador’s person. He tapped his partner to get his attention, and pointed to Griffon’s bare chest.
Griffon opened his hand to show he still carried his pendant. The three chatted for a moment before the liaisons burst into riotous laughter. Griffon tittered along for a short while before hanging his head while the others continued. One dropped their weapon to hold his forehead, slain by whatever joke griffon had told. Celestia manipulated the telescope to get a better focus on the engraving on the gauntlet he was wearing. The guard at the outpost had not been mistaken.
Author's Note
Whew. Well, that was the first chapter. A comment with your thoughts is much appreciated.
