The ponies on the train shied away from me. Their insecurities show through like the sun on thin drapes. Their disdain was perhaps well placed.
Not long ago my commanding office spoke to me of a doing a great service for my nation. He informed me that an intelligent and capable Gryphon was needed to infiltrate Equestria. He did not have to ask me twice. So, yes, their disdain is well placed
So they shuffled around me and many even left the train car entirely. Some would stare out their windows, peeking at me through the reflection in the window pane. Others were more straight forward. They glared at me over they snouts. Disapproval in their eyes. I just remained still. Sometimes I would stretch my wings or preen my feathers, but otherwise I was content with waiting for this trip to end.
Time wore on and I turned to grooming myself. It was a common pony myth that all Gryphons were the typical brown and white, lion eagle races. There were, in fact, several variations. I belonged to a line of a rather exotic combination; my mother gave to me my White Tiger coat and my father gave me my Golden Eagle feathers. Overall I bore a striking appearance before my own kind, I can't imagine what these ponies think of my coat.
I continued being patient and watched the hill roll by through the window. I was a long way from home; I sighed and began to think back on my conversation with my commander.
"Atten-shun!" The sound of bodies and their armor snapping to attention rang, briefly, through the air. Once the noise died down the air was still as the commander walked the row.
Next to me a, rather troublesome, soldier made a point of making funny faces behind the commander's back. He was caught, much to my pleasure, and the rest of us got to load a piece of our own equipment off onto him. Soon he was weighed down with 40 extra pounds of breast plates. While my comrades offloaded their heaviest equipment onto the poor sap the commander approached me.
"Constanze!" I snapped to attention.
"Yes, sir!" I barked out, eyes forward, wings clamped firmly to my side, my talons up in salute.
"At ease, Private" I dropped the salute, but everything else remained the same. "I want you to report to my office after you have finished your duties, is that understood?"
"Yes, sir!" I said firmly, and less than eight hours later I was knocking on his door.
"Come!"
I entered the room, I cast my eyes about, but then settled them on the commander. I did not speak, it was not my place.
"I has come to my attention." He paused to stand from behind his desk and walk over to me. "That we are in need of a dependable and capable soldier."
I said nothing. I already knew my answer; I would serve my country any way I was asked.
"He needs to be intelligent, brave, confident."
He stopped to see if I had any input, I did not.
"Well at least I know you are capable of listening well."
I became uncertain, did he really want feed back?
"Sir, I believe I have those qualities."
"Do you now?"
"Yes."
"So be it." He walked back around his desk and fished from its surface a sealed letter.
"This is an official missive to be seen by Princess Celesita's eyes only."
My eye almost bulged out of my sockets.
"I am to deliver it?"
He held out the letter, I tenuously accepted it.
"Your train leaves at oh-eight-hundred hours, the missive also contains your orders for after you make the delivery, which the Princess will delegate to you. Go in light, and take this," He passed me a long, thin sword. I nearly scoffed at it.
"Sir? This blade. It seems to be wanting."
"Nay, it has been tempered with a new process, and it is made of a titanium alloy. Along with a whole slew of military secrets. Trust me, that blade is a lot more than it looks. Finally," He paused to shuffle some paperwork on his desk. "Make no mistake, you are no simple courier, we have runners for that." He stood and walked with me towards the door.
"Espionage?"
"Enjoy your trip." He said briskly, as he ushered me out and closed the door.
Outside his door I affixed the blade, and its sheath, to my armor and I stashed the missive between my breast plate and my heart, only death or Celestia herself will see me relieve this letter.
"Ex-excuse m-me." A faint voice squeaked in my ear. I flicked my ear, hoping to ward off the offending sound.
"S-sir? Would you c-care for something to e-eat." I opened one eye and looked upon the pony before me. She shook, beneath her stewardess uniform, and offered to me a menu with a quivering hoof.
"The prey wants me to eat, of all things."
Her eyes bulged. She stammered, backpedaling away from me. I smirked and snatched a menu from her grasp. I rifled through it, enjoying myself thoroughly.
"The Autumn Salad, with cranberries and almonds, sounds:" I paused and eyed her, for effect "Delicious."
I held out the menu, she grabbed it and squeaked out a 'right away' as she dashed away, forgetting about all the other ponies in the car. I sat back in my seat and closed my eyes once again.
"That wasn't very kind." A mare's voice said to me.
I didn't even bother opening my eyes. Nor speaking.
"And Gryphons wonder why there's so much tension between themselves and Equestria." I cracked my eye open just in time to see a purple flank walking away from me. I watched the mare as she went, she stopped by the car door. Soon it opened, and the stewardess that took my order rattled a car through it, terror in her eyes. The purple mare then stepped out in front of her cart.
"I'll take it to him for you." She informed the stewardess as she commandeered the cart. The relief in the stewardess' eyes was immeasurable. Once again the cart began to make its way to me, rattling down the isle. Once again the purple mare stood before me, this time she was conducting magic with her horn, the tray with my food levitated over to me, as a folding table was brought out from a space between the wall and the bench I was seated on. Everything came together smoothly. The mare then backed the cart up and passed it back to the stewardess, the whole time not bothering herself with looking at me.
The stewardess thanked the purple mare and then cast a weary glance to me, I glared at her and she scrambled to get away. I looked over my salad. I pulled out the cranberries and almonds and ate them, leaving the rest of the collection of lettuce and shredded carrot to gather dust and rot.
A little while later we arrived at the second to last stop, some backwater town called 'Ponyville'. I caught the same purple mare eyeing me as she and her entourage of friends made their way off the train. When I met her gaze she harrumphed and resumed departing the train. I rolled my eyes in contempt. It won't be the last time some prissy mare was gonna get her saddle in a twist over my attitude. I settled back in for what was probably one to two more hours on the train before I arrived in Canterlot.
I turned my eyes back to the window and observed as more prey eyed me, of course only when they thought I wasn't looking. I snapped my head around to look square into the eyes of some old grey pony who was staring daggers at me. He nearly fell out of his seat as he tried to turn his head and eyes away from mine. I snickered. Prey. I rolled my eyes again.
The train chugged along. I felt the hard corner of parchment press into my breast. I began to get uncomfortable so I swished my entire body to sift the letter. I heard gasps along the isle. It was starting to boggle me. How did the prey last so long when just standing and adjusting my armor was enough to elicit gasps of fear? I looked down the isle to see if I could spy the pony so skittish that they cry out audibly when a Gryphon stands up. None of their faces jumped out at me, they all looked equally skittish. For all I knew all of them gasped.
I wondered about the mare I saw earlier. She wasn't afraid of me, or at least she was good at hiding it. Her friends didn't seem nearly half as concerned as the folk on the train, with me now, are. Was she brave, or naive?
I was jostled from my thoughts by a suddenly slowing train. I cast a glance at my window and realized that I was in Canterlot. The long, boring trip was over. I peered out the door in front of me and saw the glare of the sun shining off of around 10 sets of armor, all borne by members of the Royal Guard. My escort for sure.
The train doors opened and I stepped onto the platform. Who, I assume, is the head of this little battalion Celestia sent to watch me stepped forward.
"We are here to escort you." He told me simply.
"Oh are you?" He looked uncertain. "What if I did not desire an escort? Are you suggesting I am incapable of finding the biggest structure in this city, with or without my wings and eyes?"
"N-not, not at all!"
"Ahh and that's it isn't it? You're not here to escort me." I smirked. "You are here to babysit me." I spat.
Suddenly a shadow descended over me. Very few ponies were big enough to shroud me in shadow.
"Are you suggesting that I would be so uncouth as to suggest that a guest in my city should go unguided, and so naive to believe that a Gryphon carrying a sword and armor embossed with the Gryphon Royal seal could wander my city without ill intentions?"
"Of course not." I turned and before me stood the prey Princess.
She ordered the guard away and then turned to me.
"I shall be your escort. I trust your wings and your eyes are good enough to see and guide you to my castle." She pointed a hoof towards the castle and then unfurled her wings and took flight.
I followed. I looked down and saw the prey below me. They crawled about like ants, tending to their queen's ant hill. Some looked up and saw me, more than one ran in fright. At this point I thought it safe to assume the entire guard was warned of my presence; for there is no telling how this city would react to an unannounced Gryphon visit. Nor is it as if we are not allowed to visit. Our, tenuous, agreement with Celestia says we are free to roam her lands. The simple reason these ponies have never seen a Gryphon is because there are very few of us who would disgrace our selves nor suffer the discomfort of being in their infernal lands for more than a few hours.
They have very little to offer us. In fact I think the last diplomatic venture was a joint effort flight camp. We sent a few of our more promising cubs to learn to fly with Pegasi ponies. Of course the prey got suspicious and closed the program down without reason, our sources say Celestia was nervous that we were analyzing the young Pegasi looking for intel on Pegasi flying to exploit. It's funny because the Gryphons were indifferent to the whole program, it was Celestia who jumped to the conclusion that never crossed our mind. It's a shame to because we very well may have garnished some good information.
I touched down on ornate marble, on a small balcony. Celestia had just landed moments before me and threw open a set of wide double doors, which I made my way through. It appeared as if we were in her personal study. She sat behind a large, sturdy desk, and began to rifle through paper work. It appeared to me as if she outfitted her desk with paperwork just so she had something to fiddle with in the presence of someone else. I waited patiently and she eventually drew out on particular sheet of paper and began to scrawl on it vigorously with a quill. She eventually released her, magical, grip on the quill and turned to me.
"Yes, sorry about that. Now I believe you have a letter for me."
I drew the letter out, receiving a questioning glance from the Princess as she took note of where the letter was stored.
"May I make mention; to the casual, calm," She grimaced at her own ponies poor attitudes, "observer, you appear very aloof and crass, yet what I've seen so far tells me you are very serious, and dependable. You've trekked into territory you considers inhospitable simply to deliver a letter, which you guarded with your own heart."
"May I make mention;" I replied, in a snarky tone "You seem to be quite aware of how inhospitable you lands are, and how insufferable your peoples attitudes are and yet you make no attempt to placate or educate."
She simply narrowed her eyes and then unsealed the letter. Her eyes scanned back and forth. She would make small 'hmm's and 'ahh's as she went. At one point she flicked her eyes my way. I remained stoic.
"Well." She finally spoke, as she let the letter fall to her desk. "It seems you are to be here for a bit longer." She grinned.
"What are you talking about?" I frowned. She picked up the second page of the letter and began to dictate.
" Pvt. Constanze is to remain in your care and is to act at you discretion."
Without my training I would have probably freaked out right there. It took a few seconds to register what exactly she had just said, but I did not react. I mulled it about and then it clicked. Of course, they want me near her, so I can better spy on her, so put me at her command, she will surely make use of me in some manner that will result in some decent intel.
"Of course." I replied, a bit delayed. If she observed the delay she did not show it.
"Well unfortunately I have no need for a Gryphon private. I have plenty of guards, and why would I put you in my ranks, you would certainly defect in the event of a Gryphon invasion. I have nothing for you to help me with. You are dismissed."
"Are you certain!" I said, perhaps a bit to forcefully, but I can't have her sending me away. I need to get dug in. "You must have a task for me."
She looked at me seriously for a few moments. Then her face brightened up.
"Oh yes! In fact; I have a researcher out in the field. My own protegee, actually. She is working on some important research; you could go assist and guard her and the other..." She paused to search for the right word. "researchers."
I was secretly rejoicing, and missed her slight hesitation, and even had I heard it I would have not thought anything amiss. Of course when I arrived in the field where these researchers were researching I realized that I, and the entire Gryphon nation had been played. Touche Celestia, touche.
I stood on the edge of the small backwater town as a herd of ponies headed my way. Princess Celestia pointed at the small settlement called 'Ponyville' from her balcony and told me that her 'lead researcher' will be expecting me. With that I took off, prepared to espionage the buck out of the project. Of course Celestia was probably having a nice chuckle at my expense. She must have thought me some poor sap.
The herd converged on me, eyes wide and all smiley. One, particularly annoying, pink stuck one her face into mine.
"What's your name!? What's your name!?"
"Con-" I began to tell her.
"Wait, wait! Let me guess!" She cut me off, I did my best to not scowl.
"Twilight already said his name." Only I seemed to hear the yellow pegasus in the back.
"Pinkie! I've already told you! His name is Con-" Yet again she cut someone off, this time a purple mare, one who seemed familiar.
"Stop! Sushhhhhhhhhhhhh!" She hushed the purple mare.
"Uh! Uh!" She pranced around me. "Are you Charles!"
"But Twilight already told us."
Charles? Really.
"I am most definitly not named Char-"
"Ooh! Ooh! I'm gonna call you Charlie!"
No. No she is not!
"Charlie is nice." No it isn't!
"Pinkie dear, judging by his expression; I don't believe he is named 'Charles' and he doesn't like 'Charlie'." A white, sensible, mare informed her friend. "If I had to guess, I'd say his name is Alexander!"
Not better.
"No way! He's gotta be an Indiana!" A rainbow manned pegasus mare in the sky called out.
Really a zebra name?
"I liked Charlie better." Well I don't! I ground my beak in irritation.
"My name is Con-"
"Constanze! Girls his name is Constanze." I felt my eye twitch as I was cut off once more, this time the offender was the purple one.
"Ooh! I remember now! Your name is Constanze!" I was not the only one who face palmed, or hoofed, whichever it is that ponies do.
The purple mare stepped forward a broad smile across her face.
"Princess Celestia told me of your arrival, but she didn't exactly say why you were coming. Could you fill us in?"
"Well I was assigned to work for Celestia, As a gesture of goodwill from the Gryphon nation. In turn she tasked me with helping you with your research."
Her eyes lit up like it was Hearth Warming's eve.
"You're here to help study the Magic of Friendship!?"
Did she. She. What.
"Yes." I was on autopilot. That damn Prey Princess must know what I am here for. "But how exactly is f-friendship, uhh, magical?" It was like I called Celestia ugly. They all just gave me blank stares and frowns. It was an improvement for sure, but it was getting awkward.
"Well pardner!" I almost visibly cringed at the cowpony's accent. "Friendship is magic because the bonds that we have together can help us overcome any adversary!"
Heh heh. My eye twitched. Bonds of friendship are not going to win a war. Well this about sums up my espionage; Celestia is a damn fool who's main concern is the 'Magic of Friendship'.
"Of course it's nice that it also lets us use the Elements of Harmony."
"The what?"
"Physical representation of the six fundamental elements of harmony that, when used by their bearers, is capable of vanquishing anything disharmonious."
That might win a war; woohoo espionage back on.
"And you six are the bearers?"
"Yes we are. I'm Twilight." She indicated to herself. The cowpony then stepped forward.
"Ahm Applejack." My eyes lit up in surprise.
"Not the Applejack? As in the drink." I said, perhaps too eagerly.
"Ah right, I forgot that the Gryphons are our major alcohol consumer." She said, with a pensive look on her face. Then she smiled and nodded.
"You make alcohol, Applejack?" Twilight turned to her friend.
"Some where around 20% of the harvest goes to the Gryphons as Applejack. Ponies around these parts don't tend to be at all good at holding their liquor, so the market is mostly to the Gryphons."
"Hah, 'ponies can't hold their liquor'. Truth if I've ever heard it."
"I reckon I could drink you under the table, Gryphon." Applejack said with a sneer.
"Hah! Your on!" I replied with my own sneer.
"But! Not right now!" Twilight cut us off. I'm tired of getting cut off. "Anyways, you've already met Pinkie." She looked around to point out the bubbly pink mare who seemed to be missing from the group, but appeared last second and Twilight gestured at her wildly, while rolling her eyes. Pinkie just bore a humongous smile and was eerily quiet. Suddenly my vision was occluded by a rainbow mane and blue coat. The pegasus hovered above me. Her powerful wings cut through the air, were she a Gryphon that would definitely be a feature I could appreciate. I raised an eye brow at the blue mare who was now staring at my wings intently.
"You know, wing staring is as much taboo to Grypons as it is to ponies." I made a point of it by staring at her wings. She just glared at me.
"I'm Rainbow Dash," She struck a pose. "Future Wonderbolt and flying extraordinaire." I'd roll my eyes if I didn't think she'd sock me for doing so.
"You're barking up the wrong tree. I couldn't tell a 'Wonderbolt' from a hole in the ground." He jaw went slack.
"You're kidding, right? Th-the Wonderbolts are only the most awesome and spectacular flying group in allll of Equestria."
"And you think you're good enough to join their ranks? Ha! I bet you can't even beat me in a game of risk." That was definitely the wrong thing to say. I saw the wary glances all of her friends exchanged, and suddenly I was on the end of Rainbow's utterly undivided attention.
"A time and place and it is on!" She said 'on' with too much enthusiasm and was practically frothing at the mouth. She was getting way to excited, and I was beginning to wonder just what I had agreed to.
"Heh, here, now." The collective gasp was audible. It seemed to me that I was dragging everyone into a long affair no one wanted to be a part of. A few of them walked off to find a comfortable place to sit and watch. Twilight approached me.
"I guess I'm judging. What exactly is this game you two are playing?"
"Risk, uh, I don't think it's ever had any official name, perhaps 'chicken' works as well." Twilight gave me a questioning look, but Rainbow seemed to know what I was talking about.
"Twilight, were gonna fly up really high, and then dive straight at the ground. The first to pull up, or the one who smacks into the ground loses." Rainbow informed her friend, she had her game face on and was staring me down.
"No! That's too dangerous! I won't let you!" Twilight exclaimed. Me and Rainbow made eye contact and a mutual understanding was met. With one flap I was off the ground and too far away to be influenced by the unicorn's magic. Rainbow kept pace with me, but she wasn't being modest at all. She flew loop de loops around me and did spins and barrel rolls. I found myself rolling my eyes for the umpteenth time. We spiraled up and eventually decided on a good distance. Rainbow was mentally preparing herself while I was content with waiting on a cloud will she was ready. She landed on the cloud next to me. She smiled at me.
"You ready." Looked down. My enhanced vision could see the concerned face of Twilight peering up at me. I was sure she was preparing a fail safe in case me or Rainbow ate dirt, but it wasn't going to be me. I knew my limit, and I knew Rainbow wouldn't know hers. My eyes would be the secret to my success. My enhanced vision was used by my predecessors for spotting prey on the ground and swooping in for the kill. I could even pluck a fish out of water. My eyes and brain worked together and helped me gauge my distance and speed better than any pegasus, and my instincts would tell me to pull up at just the right time. So I turned to the spunky, and hotheaded, pegasus, nodded and kicked out the cloud below us.
We plummeted towards the earth at break neck speed. I spiraled a bit, and took a 360 degree view trying to find the best possible direction to move in. Rainbow was too focused to notice what I was doing. If I pulled up on a decline I wouldn't have to pull off as hard and therefore could get closer to the ground. I spotted a point where the land moved down and locked my body in. We were literally moments away from the ground, but the adrenaline made time flow slow. I sensed the pegasus was still plummeting. I would bet a bottle of Applejack she was watching me, she was going to use me as a gauge. I started to hope that Twilight had indeed set up a fail safe. Impact was seconds away, my instincts told me the point of no return was approaching. Alarms rang in my head but I held out. The sense of impending doom was so intense, and when I could bear it no more I pulled up.
I felt the stalks and flowers of the longer plants graze my underside. I rocketed past Twilight, sending her mane askew, as I flew over the declining hill. I turned sharply and flared my wings out and came up behind a thoroughly shocked Twilight. I saw Rainbow out of the corner of my eye, still alive, floating over with a smug look.
"Chickened out I see, I was sure you were gonna eat dirt." I grinned at her.
"No way! You chickened out! I was totally came out on top." She stuck her tongue out at me. I narrowed my eyes and we turned to the judge. Twilight was still too numb to say anything.
"Uhh. Hey judge, what's the score." I asked her with a raised eye brow.
"Stupid." She mumbled, I barely caught it.
"What?" Rainbow floated in closer to her friend.
"That was so reckless and! And stupid!" Twilight leapt at her friend and dragged her out of the air in what was, probably, a bone crushing hug.
"Jeez Twilight, it no big deal! I totally had that right!?" Twilight let her friend go.
"Actually..." There was a long pause. Rainbow had already adopted a shocked face. "You two pulled up at exactly the same time."
"Yeah budd- what?" I was already part way into my victory strut, I stopped and turned to Twilight, but a bubbly Pinkie Pie popped out of nowhere to give her input.
"Wowee! Charlie!" I grimaced and Twilight moaned and facehoofed. "That was quite the show! You two were like 'zoom' and" Pinkie demonstrated with her hoof how fast we were going. "And it looked like you were gonna crash! 'Ker-blam'. But last second you both pulled away!" Pinkie fell onto her back and moved her two forehooves away from each other in further, unnecessary, demonstration. She giggled and rolled around, and then hopped to her feet and got all serious as she walked over to Rainbow. "But! Don't ever do that again! I swear I'll never make another cupcake again if you plow into the ground playing that game."
Suddenly the rest of her friends were around her, nodding in agreement and sharing hugs. I shuffled on the spot. I actually felt guilty for making her friends worry. Their bonds were strong.
"Hey, uhh," I scratched the back of my head as suddenly all eyes were on me. "I wouldn't have suggested it if I thought she couldn't pull it off."
Rainbow broke away from the group and walked up to me. She held out her hoof. I didn't know exactly what she wanted but I ventured a guess. I made a fist and we bumped. No more words were spoken between us.
"I'm glad everyone's ok." A very slight whisper came from the group. I only knew it was the yellow pegasus because I assumed only she would talk that quietly. We made eye contact and she backpedaled, merging with the group and effectively disappearing. She seemed quite odd.
The white unicorn then approached me.
"Well, that was quite the show, indeed! I don't believe I have properly introduced myself." She seemed stuffy, but more sensible than the rest of these mares. "I am Rarity," She said eloquently. "I am a fashion designer, and I operate a boutique here in Ponyville."
"It is a pleasure to meet you, miss." I resorted to my training becoming stiff and formal.
"Oh and a gentle- ermm."
"Man, my kind calls males 'men' and females 'women'."
"Well then. my apologies."
I assumed we were done with introductions but Twilight called out the yellow pegasus.
"Fluttershy, aren't you going to introduce yourself?" She peered at Fluttershy who was trying to slink off. She stopped as if she were caught red handed and turned around slowly. She walked up to me, her eyes on the ground.
"My name is Fluttershy, it was nice to meet you." She mumbled quickly and with that she was gone.
Twilight gave a chuckle.
"Don't mind her, it'll take a bit before she warms up to you."
I just shrugged.
"So? Uhh where am I staying while I'm here?"
"With me and Spike. She smiled at me."
Spike? A boyfriend? Oh no no no. Not dealing with some overprotective douche.
"I'd rather not intrude on you and yours. Is there somewhere else I could stay?"
"Me and mine? Spike" The group grew silent and then suddenly they all burst out laughing.
"Hah! He thinks Spike is your c-colt friend!" Rainbow exclaimed, almost falling out of the air in laughter. I was flustered.
"Well Spike is quite the darling, but he much too young for that." said Rarity.
A kid? This bookish mare has a kid?
"Oh, I'm sorry, I jumped to conclusions, but still I wouldn't want to intrude on you and your child."
"Wrong again bucko!" Applejack chirped.
I was starting to grow frustrated.
"Who is Spike!?" I demanded to the giggling group
"Did somepony say my name?" I swiveled on the spot and came face to face with-
"Dragon!" I jumped into the air and took off. Leaving a bewildered group of ponies in my wake. I had enough sense to know he wasn't malicious, but I still didn't want to be near him. I turned back around and came to a hover several yards above the group.
"I'm not living with a dragon!" I called down to them.
"What wrong with dragons?" I heard the little guy ask me.
"N-nothing! I- I just..." I began to realize how silly I was sounding. He was just a fledgling, and he was living with the kindest, if not the most naive ponies I have ever met. I touched down to the disapproving glare of Spike and his friends. They all locked onto me with a questioning glare. I looked down and drew a talon through the dirt.
"Dragons and Gryphons have... History." I said simply. "But, uhh, Spike seems... nice?" I looked up and met their eyes. They were confused and irritated with how I treated Spike, but they probed no further.
"Well it was nice meeting you all, but, if you don't mind," I turned to Twilight, "I had a long train ride here and I'd like to get some rest."
"Of course! Goodbye girls!" She waved to her friends and they all returned their own goodbyes to the both of us. We walked along for a bit, well me and Twilight; Spike was hitching a ride on her back. We arrived at the tree house that was the library and Twilight ushered me in. She showed me about and fetched me a bed spread. I made my bed and wandered out to the main room.
"Thanks for your hospitality." I said, for the first time feeling out of character. I was, perhaps, trying too hard, but I didn't want to distance the ponies.
Twilight mumbled something to Spike who jumped off the couch he was lounging on.
"Sure thing Twilight!" He informed her as she scampered up the stairs into her room. Twilight made her way over to me, her eyes low. She got unusually close and then brought her eye up to mine. Her eyes were red and narrowed, she glared daggers at me, the look on her face caught me off guard and I back away from her.
"You. You may have fooled Celestia." She kept coming closer. "And my friends. But I'm not fooled. I remember you from the train. You were mean and coarse. That Gryphon wouldn't thank anypony for anything. I have my eyes on you." Her door squeaked open and she dropped the cold demeanor for a chipper and happy one.
"Twilight I can't find that book!" Spike called down.
"Oh never mind!" She called up to him as she glared at me.
Author's Note
About the man/woman thing: I'm not going to stress out about what Gryphons call the genders of their species. Quite frankly there are too many possibilities because they are part bird of prey and part cat of prey. That and if I call the females 'hens' then I gotta call the males 'cocks', and if Constanze said "Males are called 'cocks'." Rarity would probably have a very unladylike outburst.