Razor Wit lit her horn and unlocked the door while Darryl and Rose finished securing their armor, "I'll go out first, they've seen Ponies before." She trotted out of the door, took eight steps, and sat down facing the Gryphons.

The air outside was bracingly cold. A gruff male voice spoke in Velensovth as Razor sat down on the landing platform, "The Sun Princess sent a Unicorn mare, no surprise. I hope Celestia doesn't mind you returning in pieces, little Unicorn. The monsters in the forest will tear a tender little thing like you apart."

Razor's horn lit up and half a second later there was a loud sound of wood striking metal followed by a startled squawk of pain. Razor smiled deviously, "Your King should have sent warriors, not chicks who are disarmed of their spears so easily by a 'tender little thing' like me."

Loud laughter answered Razor's retort, "Welcome Emissary, and well met! Come, we will take you to King Myrmidon."

Razor spoke loudly, "I am not the Emissary, but I am a member of the Emissarial Staff. There are four others with me. A Zebra, an Earth Pony, and two of the species that troubles your kingdom. One of those two is the Emissary and the other is an advisor. I will ask the Emissary to come out next." Razor turned to Artex, "Come on out and meet some Gryphons."

Artex was shocked at the sudden personality change in his main mare. Razor Wit was normally thoughtful and reserved. The mare he saw now was commanding and loud. He straightened his hooded robe and khopesh and stepped out of the Sky Carriage. He looked toward the Gryphons with a bored expression but, once he actually saw one, he had to force his face to stay bored. The Gryphons were nowhere near as small as Kavim. The smallest of them had at least three times the mass of an average Kavim and that was after taking hollow bones into account. The Gryphons averaged one and a half Fathoms at the shoulder and at least two Fathoms long.

Their front halves resembled giant birds of prey with their hooked beaks, the crests on their heads, and their piercing eyes. Their forelimbs were slender but tipped with four finger-like talons and a fifth talon opposing the other four in the same way a Human hand did. Each one of the talons was longer than any of Artex' fingers. Their hind legs and tails were like those of lions except the coloration matched that of the front half. Some were solid colors ranging from black to white, while others were spotted or patterned. One thing they all shared was a distinctive predatory aura. These creatures were capable killers and they knew it. The ten standing together several Fathoms away were all armed and armored. Each one had a steel tipped spear and was wearing slate grey scale armor which covered them almost completely. Three of the ten were wearing conical helmets. Two of the helmets were grey and one was bronze.

Artex kept his expression bored as he look the Gryphons over. He yawned feigning boredom at the sight of the six to nine hundred pound predators, "Hmph, giant chickens. No wonder my people are giving you so much trouble." he selected the biggest Gryphon out of the ten and pointed to it, "Are you dinner? You're certainly fat enough."

"Artex!" Razor hissed quietly. He turned toward her so he could hear her more clearly, "You're supposed to let THEM insult you first!"

The angry Gryphon's eyes narrowed but the one wearing the bronze helmet spoke sharply, "Corporal, you will remain where you are. Do I make myself cl..."

Ignoring his superior, the Gryphon screeched and launched himself through the air at Artex. The Gryphon's head was lowered like a battering ram. Artex opened his screfula and raised his hands, intent on repulsing the Gryphon by using Control and Earth on his armor. Before he could though, a bright yellow beam of light lanced out from behind his right shoulder. The light hit the Gryphon and it tumbled to the ground groaning and twitching.

Darryl stepped out from behind Artex lowering his right arm. He stepped up to the Gryphon shaking his head. He picked up the spear and examined it casually, "Undisciplined... unbalanced... uncoordinated..." he looked down at the Gryphon groaning on the ground and dropped the spear with a clang, "... unimpressive."

Thinking quickly before the situation could escalate any further, Artex knelt down and offered his gloved hand to the Gryphon on the ground, "I misunderstood your greeting custom. The insults I offered weren't sincere, I promise."

The Gryphon peered suspiciously at Artex' hand then back to his face and locked eyes with him. The two stared at one another for more than three minutes while Oriana and Rose exited the carriage quietly. Artex held the Gryphon's gaze sternly until the huge winged predator looked away and accepted his offered hand. Artex braced his legs and back and let the Gryphon put his weight on the hand, 'GEEZE! I can barely stay standing! How heavy are these damn Gryphons?'

Up close, the top of the Gryphon's head came up to Artex' collar bone and was half as long as a full-size sedan from front to back, "Celestia chose her Emissary well, even if a strong wind could knock you over."

Artex smiled, "Only if it came from under your tail."

The gathering of Gryphon soldiers screeched their laughter, even the one in front of Artex, "An official with a sense of humor. Celestia chose very well. Come, we will take all of you to see King Myrmidon."

* * *

Artex, Razor Wit, Oriana, Rose, and Darryl walked side by side following the soldiers. Artex looked around marveling at the architecture. Walkways were somewhat sparse in the colossal grey stone fortress. Covered balconies dotted the faces of the walls on every level they traveled. He watched as a flight of five Gryphons wearing slate grey scale armor landed on one the balconies and entered through the door behind it.

It was obvious that the level of weapon and armor technology the Gryphons displayed was no greater than that of the Kavim. The armor worn by Rose and Darryl was much more advanced than anything the Gryphons had. The five of them followed the Gryphons through narrow corridors and cavernous chambers which resembled bee hives for all the activity taking place. The vast majority of the walls were unadorned by grand tapestries, busts, or statues. The lack was more than made up for by the richly detailed carvings on the walls. The carvings depicted massive battles, gargantuan buildings, and the various feats symbolizing the might of the Gryphon kingdom. It was the history of a proud people set into stone, preserved for future generations by skilled stone cutting. Narrow corridors led to tall halls, wide chambers led to thin hallways. The layout was not lost on Darryl or Artex. Should the Gryphons' home ever be attacked, there were hundreds of choke-point at which to halt an invading enemy. The Gryphons were obviously not unprepared for such an event.

The procession reached a grand hall and suddenly the spartan setting of the rest of the fortress was gone, replaced by unrivaled opulence. The hall was more than a League wide, long, and tall. Brightly colored tapestries covered almost every inch of every wall.

Life-like statues were spaced out four Fathoms apart from one another, each with a brightly burning fire underneath it. The statues were covered in jet black soot, giving them a dark and menacing quality as they stood their eternal vigil. Unlike the statues, the tapestries were completely free of signs of soot or blemish of any kind. Artex turned his eyes toward the roof and beheld dozens of Gryphon-sized holes in the ceiling. The smoke from the fires billowed out through the holes and let in natural light at the same time. The placement of the holes combined with the locations of hallways leading into the chamber caused the flow of air through the hall to circulate into a spiraling vortex as it reached to the ceiling.

The scene was both awe inspiring and hypnotic.

Gryphons in their plain grey scale armor were lined up along the bottom of every wall. Each of them stood as still as the statues and were just as intimidating. At the far end of the hall was a pair of tall black stone doors flanked by two Gryphons in shining steel armor.

The ten Gryphon escort dispersed and stood at attention among the others of their kind along the walls. Razor Wit trotted up to the two steel clad guards and spoke briefly in what must have been Areophene. The two guards turned and hauled the doors wide open. Artex tried not to gawk when he saw that each of the doors was nearly a full Fathom thick. Nevertheless the two guards hauled the door open silently on well oiled hinges. The three mares and two men entered the chamber beyond and the door boomed closed behind them.

The room was truly spartan in decor. It was built and meant for utility. The room was less than ten Fathoms wide and long and the ceiling was only three Fathoms tall. There was apparently no throne here, merely a slightly elevated dais with a big blue overstuffed pillow on top. Sitting on that pillow was a single spotted brown Gryphon, utterly unremarkable save for the thin gold circlet he wore on his brow.

Razor Wit spoke to the Gryphon loudly in Velensovth, "We are the Emissarial Staff sent from Equestria to help with your problem. With me are two members of the species we believe have been troubling you, King Myrmidon." Razor then turned to the rest of her party, "By law we may speak freely while in the presence of any member of government."

"Okay then. Nice place," Darryl said sarcastically, "Spare no expense for royalty, huh."

"And what purpose would it serve to mire ourselves in finery?" a smooth, cultured baritone voice spoke as the King stood and slowly approached the small gathering, "Is bolstering our self-image worth the ruination of the natural beauty of our land? Do we ravage our country only to exchange natural beauty for fabricated beauty? We are not so arrogant as to believe we could ever come close to replicating what the natural world already provides. We carve our homes out of solid rock to preserve the forests and we only do so where no other creature makes its home. We till and plant and harvest only from natural fields. We utilize every part of every creature we kill for food so that the entire body plays a part in our lives. Bones are carved into instruments and medicines and the shavings from the carving is ground to powder and used to nourish our crops. The muscle is devoured and fat either eaten or made into soap. The skins are tanned into leather; not an ounce goes to waste. We understand the sacred nature of life even beyond what the Kavim comprehend. Unlike Celestia and Luna, we are but brief flashes of light. Even so, we strive to leave a legacy of courage, honor, and committed love toward all sapient beings for all are under our care. All are free to come to us for sanctuary and shelter in troubled times and we strive to provide for them all, no matter what species."

His voice suddenly changed into an enraged bellow, "AND NOW SUDDENLY WE ARE HUNTED IN OUR OWN LANDS BY FOREIGN CREATURES WHO DO EVERYTHING WE STAND AGAINST!" He cast an accusing taloned finger toward Darryl and Artex, "WHY HAVE THEY TRANSGRESSED SO GREATLY AGAINST NATURE AND OUR PEOPLE!? RECITE FOR ME THE ARTICLES OR LAWS THAT GIVE SUCH PERMISSION! WHAT IS THIS FELL DOCTRINE THAT ALLOWS FOR SUCH... SACRILEGE!" His brown twitched with indignation.

The mares had laid their ears back as he began his shouting, but Artex and Darryl never so much as flinched. Artex cleared his throat and took a step toward the irate Gryphon, "King Myrmidon, I am Artex Rias. I have come at the behest of Princess Celestia to attempt to rectify the situation. Allow me, if you will, to elaborate on the situation from the perspective of those who you're referring to."

The King merely nodded, "Proceed."

"Our species, Humans, are here through no choice of our own. We were brought here against our will by a force that even the Alicorns are at a loss to explain. The group that Darryl and I were brought with were taken from our world and left in a field with no tools, no food, no water, no shelter, and no way to fend for ourselves. We were alone, unsure, and in a strange place. We encountered the Kavim and begged them for help through drawings in the dirt. After no few struggles, they aided us and our two species now thrive together. We recently discovered that other groups also arrived on your world and likewise had issues of their own. The group which landed in your kingdom, we believe, to be a military group, a group called Marines specifically."

Artex gestured to Darryl, "Darryl here is a Marine. They likely have no idea where they are nor that they are causing so much trouble for you. We are here to attempt to negotiate with them and convince them to leave your kingdom and take up residency in Equestria. I can nearly guarantee that they mean no intentional harm to you or any of your subjects."

King Myrmidon's face fell at the last word, "They are not my subjects. They are my fellow Gryphons. Once I am removed from my position I will rejoin them as a normal member of society." He said emphasizing the statement with a flick of his tail, "In regard to the plight of your people, it would be for the best if they departed. My people are growing angry. More than three dozen sons and daughters of Gryphonvale are missing, taken or killed by your people. Reparations must be made to the families and victims and if your people have killed any of mine, there will be blood for blood. I hold no sway to discourage my people from actions they wish to take. Understand that neither I nor any of my people hold any of you responsible for what has occurred. I alone was under the impression that these acts were intentional and I am now willing to believe they are not. Gryphons judge actions of a single individual, not as a whole. If there is one death, it is almost always answered with one death. There are very few circumstances where the death of more than one perpetrator is rendered as payment for one victim."

King Myrmidon sat his butt down on the floor and continued speaking, "A scout and flight will be waiting to take you to the forest that your people have taken up residence in, in the morning. The guards and servant outside your doors will speak Velensovth should you need anything." The King rose and stalked back to his pillow, "Should you be successful, you will be invited to a grand feast. Should you fail, you will be remembered with a grand feast."

Darryl's eyebrows knitted together, "What the 'fuck' is THAT supposed to mean!? We're all risking our lives to go talk to these guys and if they're freaked out enough they might just kill us outright! We're doing this for YOU too! How about a little 'fucking' gratitude!"

King Myrmidon gazed evenly at Darryl for several long moments, "How do you think we feel when a country whose populace we protect, turns and evicts us with no gratitude after a war is over? Doing the right thing is arduous, thankless work but it needs to be done. The Princess already informed us of the inherent dangers. The High Council has already decided that whether you succeed and live or die trying, you will be declared Gryphon Friends and be offered citizenship status. Is this not enough? Or is it monetary gains you seek?"

Darryl's teeth pulled back in a snarl, "I don't want your money or anybody else's! All I want, all any Marine wants, is to be respected and receive equal treatment! On our world, we deploy to other countries to protect civilians! Marines 'fucking' die for people we don't know and often never even see! And if you'd just pull your head from under your pin feathers, you'd see that we're not all that different from you! I'M not any kind of official, I 'fucking' volunteered to help because I've got the same training as them and I might be able to help tip the odds in our favor! I might also make the situation worse if they decide to capture us because they'll see me as a traitor! You said you're willing to die to do the right thing? I'm willing to be tortured to death for it! I have twins at home who probably think I'm dead because I got sucked into your piece of 'shit' world! Is respect so much to ask for!?"

The entire room was so quiet that the silence was loud. Darryl ran his hands over his armor as he calmed himself down. He used the mental tools that the Marine Corps. had given him. Marines were expected to launch themselves into action at a moment's notice and to come down off their adrenaline high just as quickly. He took five long, slow breaths and felt the tension flow away from his mind. It was a useful technique.

King Myrmidon finally, slowly nodded, "Your situation was not of our doing. You have my most sincere sympathies as one father speaking to another. To answer your question, no, respect is not too much to ask for and you have it. You also have my best wishes for your success."

Darryl bowed his head politely, "Thank you King Myrmidon." He raised his head, "You have my word that we will do our best."

The King seemed very pleased, "I am given to understanding that your species eats meat. Is that correct?"

Darryl nodded but it was Artex who answered, "It is true. We do eat meat. We catch fish in New Humansville since all the other animals in Equestria are intelligent."

The King smiled, which was a strange sight to see on a creature with a beak, "A clever compromise. I would like to extend an invitation to all of you to join my family and I for dinner this evening in one of the Mead Halls. We can have any food you wish prepared."

Artex and Darryl spoke at the same time, "We accept."

Hopefully I managed to weed out all the typos. Let me know if I missed any.