A Special Piece

Silence funny how all 6 of these ponies fell quiet and didn't say a word. I, myself didn't mind the silence in fact I loved it that is until the tingly feeling stopped. I feel down out of the air and landed on my stomach. "Ooof... W-what was that for?" I asked looking at Twilight with a scowl on my face.

Twilight looked down at me and shook her head. "Since your awake you should try to fly or at least walk." She said with a hind of irritation in her voice. I look toward Applejack for a second seeing if I can read her face so maybe I can find out how ticked Twilight is. But alas all I found was a blank hardened face with no emotion.

"Um... Applejack could you help me stand? I'm not sure I can get up when I'm positioned like this..." In all reality I'm not used to getting up at all in the form. I can only hope I can walk. On the topic of flying I wish I knew how. These wings are pretty useless when you do know how to operate them. I was so lost in thought I didn't notice Applejack grab my hoof and pull me up. "Thank you." Standing feels weird in this body but now I know how dogs and cats feel. I wonder how would they feel if they were turned into humans? Would they feel what I am? I guess I'll never know.

*Funny this feels just like crawling on my hands and knees*

By the time I'm used to walking the girls are way ahead of me. I still am finding it strange on how silent they are. Maybe they have nothing to talk about? That must be it. I finally caught up to them only to find now there are griffins, stuff out of books walking around. I held back a gasp as one walked over to me. "Hi." the griffin said calmly. It sounded like a girl. She is rather muscular compared to most of the giffins walking around this area. She is still about the same size as them though. She has golden cat-like eyes and her wings are brown with white speckles that are black at the tips. She is just about 4 inches taller than me in my current state.

*What should I do? I've never talked to a being of legend before....*

"Um.. Hello." I said calmly but inside I'm still doing backflips. I hope I don't look like a mess. Maybe I should have asked Rarity if I looked okay. No harm in asking right?

"If I can ask who are you? I know that the 6 you are following came here to find something but I don't think that involves you. Does it?" She asked obviously trying to pry me for information. She looked really uncomfortable her tail is swishing nervously and she is slightly clawing at the ground.

"To be perfectly honest... I'm not so sure myself." I said to which the griffin gave me a confused look. "I don't really know where I am or what I'm doing here. All I really can tell you is my name."

"Which is?" The griffin asked a bit impatiently. She has now started to look at me rather strangely. I've never had someone look at me like this before. It kinda throws me off.

"My name is Tex Rook. Just call me Rook," I said a bit bluntly. "May I ask for yours?"

The griffin looked shocked that I asked for her name as if no one asked before. She clicked her beak and regained her calm demeanor then responded. "My name is Cynthia, Cynthia Talon. Nice to meet you Rook." She held out her claw and I shook it. "This may be kinda weird but... Would you like to meet my dad?" She asked with a small smile.

I assume by the look on her face that she wants me to say yes but, considering that I should be following the Twilight and the others to where ever they are going. I don't know why Twilight is mad at me but finding out would be nice. "Um... I guess I could but only for a minute.I really should be following them." I said using my wing to gesture at them. I turn my head and look at my wing and raise my eyebrow. Then it falls back to my side. I turn my head back to Cynthia and see another griffin approaching us and by the look on his face he isn't at all happy.

"Cynthia why are you talking to that pony trash?" He said obviously trying to get under my skin because he's smirking as he says it. He is a bit bigger than Cynthia and appears to weigh about 25 pounds more. There was only really 3 differences between him and Cynthia. One he was bigger. Two his beak has a black spot on the end. Three his wings aren't speckled with white.

I looked at Cynthia to see annoyance spread across her face her smile now gone. "What did you want Falcon?" She said and by her tone she is on the verge of being ticked she is so annoyed. If i had half a brain i would still be able to tell she didn't like this guy.

"You know exactly what I want. I want you to be mine." He said as he looked at me his voice sounded venomous and he is glaring daggers. "This pony better not get in my way either."

"Falcon you know the rules! The only way to get my father to give me to somegiffin/somepony is if you beat him at Kings." She said getting closer by the looks of her to exploding and out right kicking his ass or trying to at least. Her tail is lashing around and her claws are tearing at the ground. I would hate to be the ground under her talons right now. If i was i know I'd be ripped to shreds by now.

"Excuse me." I said as Cynthia looks at me her rage gone and her claws stop murdering the ground. "What is this Kings?" They both look at me with a bit of shock as i asked. Cynthia recovered from it faster than Falcon did and answered me.

"Kings is a board game. I guess ponies call it Chess?" She said unsure with the last part but with some confidence and a ever so slight hint of hope. "In griffin culture the game is used to test the ones that ask for their talon in marriage. It has been used for 300 years."

I nodded and was about to speak when a screech was heard and everyone froze. They must they froze out of fear. Me, I froze out of the ringing in my ears. I looked over to my right to which the screech resonated from and gaze upon a older looking griffin. I can tell he is way older than all the other griffins in this vicinity. All his white fur is a silvery color and his brown and black wings are faded in color almost to the point of them being grey as well. One of his eyes is a clouded grey and has a scar running down that eye. He seemed to be a veteran of war and a very important one at that to make all the griffins in this area go immobile at his screech.

"Falcon," The old griffin's voice cracked as he spoke. "You have yet to earn the right to court my daughter. As her father you must beat me in a duel of my choosing. A game of Kings is what you will play me at if you want that right. As for you po-" His voice cut off as he started coughing. When he stopped he continued. "As for you pony you will play me first. If you win you may do with my daughter as you wish." After hearing this I could have fainted. As for Falcon, by the look on his face, he is madder than a cornered raddler.

I looked at Cynthia who gave me a pleading look as to silently beg me to play him. I knew I was good at Chess or 'Kings' as they called it here but it is a game of experience, wit, wisdom, and strategy. I'm pretty sure i had 3 of those 4 if i was pushing it. I looked at Falcon next to find he is now giving me a death stare. I just look at him with a blank expression as I nod in acceptance to the old griffin. To which another griffin walked out of a house behind him with a heavy looking stone tablet. I watch as he places the tablet in front of the griffin and walks away.

I walked over and looked at the tablet to see a checked patter of silver and gold which looked to be the real metals. I would have examined it further but two bags where placed in front of me. Then the old griffin spoke again this time his voice not cracking. "Choose a bag. This will determine who goes first." I stare at each bag for a minute each before grabbing the one on my left. I looked up and saw the old griffins face light up and crack a small smile before grabbing his own bag. I am unsure why he smiled but I have a feeling I made a good impression.

After the pieces were set up he spoke up again only this time in form of a question. "What in your mind is the most important piece on the board?" He is looking me straight in the eyes and my only option is to look back. I didn't expect to hear that question again. This isn't the first I heard that question. My father asked me the same question about a year ago.

"The piece that is most important to me... Would have to be the rook." I said barely thinking about it.

"Why would that be? Why do you choose a rook of all pieces?" The griffin said as he picked up one of his 2 knights and placed it in front of his bishop pawn on the queen's side. "G1 to F3."

"The rook is a defensive piece to some but, that isn't always the case. The rook has more than just a defensive side. It has 4 sides. Tasks if you will, if each task is done accordingly then you have more than just a piece, you have an ultimatum power. Defense, Offense, Discouragement, and finally Neutrality. All pieces have one of these 4 except the king. The rook is also important to me because the first time I played chess i won using the rooks for check-mate." I explain as i lift my king side knight and place it in front of my king side bishop. "B8 to C6."

After that silence ensued no one spoke the ones around us just watched as we used our pieces to talk for us.

"Check." The old griffin said calmly as he looked up at me. I just stared at him for a moment then looked at the board. I know he is taking it easy on me. Like he wants me to win. Why would he want that? What possible motive could he have for letting me win? I know he made expert moves that even i didn't see coming at all. Yet he stopped using them and went back to the basics. I don't understand but i will finish this before it goes as far as making a mistake on my part.

"A4 to F4" I said as I moved my rook to the right taking his queen. Now inline with his king that is now immobilized. "Check-mate." the whole crowd of giffins gasped at my victory. "Good game. I rather enjoyed playing with you. Although your talk on the board was fierce you are kind. I can see why everyo- er... everygriffin respects you."

The griffin smiled and nodded. "Your victory is well done and hard won. You have beaten me at the game I have selected. Thus... My daughter is yours." The griffin stood and shook himself popping his old joins as he did so.

"With all do respect sir, I would like to ask why you have this tradition of this game." I said as i got up from where I was sitting. He looked at me with a widening smile.

"To be sure my daughter is in kind and respectable... hooves, in your case." I stood there for a second in thought. Then I realized why he asked me what piece was closest to me... The rook is a piece of will and can be used in a multitude of ways to keep others safe. "I can now rest easy knowing she will be safe."

"Rest? As in...?" I asked slightly confused as to what he meant by rest. He simply nodded and returned to the house from which he came.

Author's Note

hey guys i know there is some grammatical error i need to wrap up and fix. And for those of you that like chess i may place a chapter on the chess game Tex and the old griffin had. (ONLY IF REQUESTED BY 30 OR MORE PONIES!)