Three pairs of eyes stared out across the menagerie of tents, campfires, and bodies clustered under vast plastic tarps to escape the night's torrential downpour. One set of eyes motioned to the others with a black talon, pointing towards the thundering clouds above them. As one, the trio took to the air on black wings, blending in perfectly with the gloomy backdrop. Rain pelted their bodies, soaking them to the bone the moment they left the sanctuary of their own encampment, but they paid it little heed as their powerful bodies soared across the sky.

They reached the base of the storm clouds in seconds, using the massive front as further camouflage to mask their movements. The outer walls of the obsidian palace passed far beneath them and, after a sharp clicking of the leader's beak, the stealthy group turned into a nosedive. Their sharp sight picked out a lone pony on the castle's parapets. They descended upon her with lightning speed, leaving the mare just enough time to notice them before her throat was ripped to shreds by well-maintained claws.

All that escaped the soldier's mouth were choking gargles that the storm drowned out with its fury.

The leader clicked to one of his subordinates who immediately took to hiding the corpse, tucking the body into the nearest dark corner. With their initial task complete, the griffons leapt from the wall to land in the outer courtyard. More tents surrounded them, but nothing noticed the pitch black creatures slinking over the muddy ground, their sloshing steps muted by the roar of rain and explosions of thunder.

The towering walls of the Lunar Castle loomed over them as they came upon its massive expanse, but they paid them little heed. The two smaller griffons broke away from their leader and prowled the perimeter leaving the bulkier male to claw up to the ledge directly above. The halls were inspected for patrols and, only after the coast was deemed clear, did the three reconverge at the nearest window.

With a nod, the griffons burst through the obsidian portal, shattering glass without a second thought, and rolled into an attack stance. They heard hoofsteps in the distance, moving slowly to their position, so they waited for their owner to come into sight. The moment his armored head poked around the corner to inspect the disturbance, it fell from his neck with a deft stroke of the griffoness' scimitar.

They took a moment to clean up the newest mess, clearing away the body and shattered glass with haste, but their actions were carried out in vain when a young mare happily trotted around the corner. She paused, momentarily stunned by the sight of the headless corpse, then let loose a terrified scream that echoed through the halls despite the cacophonous storm outside. The alpha quickly silenced the mare and glared at her twitching, throatless corpse.

"Why didn't you tell us she was coming!" The youngest and only female of the group pointed to the mare's hooves with a shaking talon, drawing the leader's gaze back to the earth pony. "Socks.... Alright! We make this quick and get out! She's going to be on this floor or the top floor if our mole is correct! Let's move!"

The sound of heavy clops filled the castle’s hallways as a pair of young minotaurs trudged through the pony filled passage. The small equines gave the two a wide berth as they dragged a large chest between them, the scraping of its metal corners across the volcanic stone adding to the already present din of chatter. “Tyro, stop for a second....”

The male’s movement was halted by the sudden lack of assistance with the massive weight of their luggage causing him to stumble. He glared at his sister who now lay across the chest, dangling her arms from the opposite side. “We don’t have time to rest Tyra. These were supposed to be delivered to Queen Nightmare last night, but somebody forgot to inform me. If you wanted to take it slowly, you should have thought about that before running off to do whatever it was you were doing before.”

“I was with Miss Sparkle! She was sick, you know!” She took a moment to squeeze some of the remaining water from her burgundy hair, much to the dissatisfaction of the castle workers around her, before rubbing her hairless arms. “Besides, I’m cold! I don’t have fur like you! Can’t we find something to warm up with before we go see her?” Tyra covered her chest with her arms and shivered from the cold.

“That would also be your own fault.” He sighed and took his spot on his side of their delivery. “It is almost winter, sister. You should be wearing your cold weather garments. We packed them for a reason.”

The younger sibling continued to pout even as she reassumed her position by the chest, but the moment her hand touched the cold metal of the package’s handle a short scream echoed over the noise around them. Tyra dropped her grip and stood, narrowing her eyes as she listened for a second wind, but none came. “Tyro, I think-”

“You! Unicorn colt. Deliver this to Her Majesty, Nightmare Moon and send somebody to find some guards!” Tyro pointed at a young stallion dressed in a simple vest, not even bothering to call for more help as he struggled to even budge the chest before turning to his sister. “Let’s go.”

They nodded to each other and took off at a sprint, each thundering step of their hooves cracking the floor beneath them. Tyro slammed the first set of steel doors open with ease, startling the already terrified ponies on the other side even more, but neither sibling paid them and mind. They built up speed with each step, snorting wildly as they plowed through another door and snapped its upper hinges. Ahead, they could hear a clamor and fought to slow their pace before slamming the final set of doors open to find a trio of servant ponies quivering as they stood over the bloodied corpse of another serving mare.

“Who did this?” Tyro snapped his head back and forth and spotted the shattered glass strewn across the rain-soaked floor, then trailed his view to another body tucked into a corner. “We’ve got an intruder. Maybe more. Tyra, we’re going after them. They can’t have gotten far.”

“Right.”

Again, the pair took off down the hall, quickly regaining their momentum as they avoided the occasional dead body. They could hear a commotion ahead of them and picked up their pace, panting heavily as they rushed through another open doorway. They didn’t take the effort to stop when they saw the griffon wrestling with an armored mare, his claws digging into her neck, instead using their speed to surprise the hybrid as they overcame him.

In a rush of feathers and fur, Tyro and Tyra tackled the lone griffon off of his intended victim. They landed on top of him, using his body as cushioning for their landing, and slid across the bloodied floor with little resistance. The larger twin lifted the gasping griffon from the ground, using his considerable strength to hold him pinned to his chest, and motioned to his sister. “Tyra. Take his blade and find the others. This can’t be all of them.” The captured bird began to struggle in his grasp, but a quick squeeze followed by the popping of several vertebrae stopped him with ease.

Tyra nodded and grabbed the crimson splattered scimitar before taking off at a brisk trot down the black halls. She cast a quick glance back towards her brother in time to see him bend the black intruder backwards until his feathered head touched the dock of his feline tail before she passed through the next entryway and moved out of sight.

Returning her focus to the halls in front of her, Tyra heaved a sigh of relief at the distinct lack of dead ponies. They must have escaped after that last group of guards delayed them. That's a- She stopped mid-step as she came to face a fork in her path. "Well, damn.... Now... which way did they go? Well, let's see. What could they be here for?"

Her mind churned for an answer as she struggled with the urgency of the situation to get a clear choice when a flash of lightning illuminated a line of blood marked a path down the hall to her left. "Oh.... Shit! They're after the griffon girl!"

The lead griffon paused to check around the corner and clicked his beak to the girl watching behind them who limped up to stand beside him. "We've been careless. They know we're here....

"The pony told us she would be in the servants' quarters." He paused and checked around the corners again then motioned for the griffoness to follow.

Together, they crawled alongside the wall, keeping under the magical lighting's shadows. Their progress was slowed by the girl's injury, but their hobbled pace allowed them to avoid further detection by the frantic sentries. Even with their lack of haste, they reached the long hall of the servant's dormitory quickly and relatively unimpeded.

The vast expanse of doorways extended down past the hall's curve and out of sight, but they were uninterested in the furthest rooms. Together, they systematically checked each room, casting quick glances in the open portals for their target and ignoring the empty and pony-filled chambers. The search was slow as they crept past each open door, but their patience paid off as they reach one of the smaller entrances near the hall’s end. They heard a pair of voices chatting in the lightless room and paused, paying close attention to the words over the heavy patter of the rain.

Their ears strained, but the soft click of a beak mid-sentence was all they needed. They drew their swords, their unsheathing muffled by cloth padding, and crawled languidly towards the door. The leader snuck a quick peek around the corner and grinned, his black beak flashing a silver tongue, as he spotted their intended prey. He prepared to move in, holding his scimitar ready at his side, but stopped when he felt a tug on his tail.

"What is it, Aura? We can't delay much longer." He looked to the griffoness, a sharp scowl on his face, but his frustration was quickly replaced by surprise as he followed her talon.

A minotaur barrelled down the hall towards their position, her hooves clopping loudly on the stone floor, carrying a bloodied scimitar much like their own. He cursed loudly and mentally slapped himself for not being aware of his surroundings. "Keep her busy. I'm going for-"

The griffon screeched in agony as his back was pierced by a fistful of sharp needles. "Hah. That'll teach you to try and sneak up on me." He dropped to the ground and drew the attention of his mute companion.

In a split second, marked by the sound of metal clanging off obsidian, Aura was swiped from the ground and sent hurtling towards the far wall with the assistance of her assailant. The bone-crunching impact sent spidery cracks along the sleek black surface and shook the walls for several yards. With a silent gasp, the griffoness slumped in the minotaur's grasp, paralyzed.

Seeing the girl fall at the assault, leaving him as the sole infiltrator, the leader planted his claws below him and lashed out with his leonine hind legs. The sharp nails raked across his surprise attacker's breastplate and shoved her away. With his obstacles out of the way, the burly alpha turned on the huddled mass in the darkened chamber and grinned.

Ignoring the searing pain in his back, he leapt at his prey, but a pair of hands around his back legs yanked him away, halting his forward motion and snapping a piece of his beak off on the ground. As one, the hands gripping his legs shifted and bent the appendages outwards, breaking them at the thighs; the resulting howl echoed through the nearly empty hall.

The minotaur twins glanced at each other, then released the broken griffon from their grasp. "What are we gonna do with him, brother? They killed so many ponies."

"We'll take him to Nightmare, but first...." Gilda grinned down at their captor as he struggled to crawl away, but a set of sturdy talons on his injured back stopped him. "Hey, Tabby. Do you know this guy?"

The younger griffon poked her tawny head out the door and took a quick glance towards the crippled male. "No, I don't think...." She leaned closer to get a better look at his face, but pulled back as he snapped at her. "No, but he's part of the Silverbeak clan." Tabatha sighed and looked over to griffoness laid out on her stomach. "I guess they assumed I would try to hold out on you guys. I knew our scouting groups were diligent, but after the demon queen killed that squad and made the cloud cover.... How did you know I was here?"

"I'm naht tellin' ya anythin'."

"Oh, wow. So that's what you sound like when you break your beak." Gilda laughed and shook her head. "Man, I'd hate to have that happen to me, but.... I doubt you'll hafta worry about that for long. Let me just...." She planted her hind legs in the center of his back and grasped his wings in her talons, then gave them a swift yank. She ignored his agonized howls and turned to the minotaurs flanking her. "Take him to Nightmare. She'll deal with him. I've gotta go find the hardass and tell her what happened."

"What about the girl? She won't be going anywhere, but we can't just leave her." Tyra looked to the paralyzed mute with a sad frown.

"Just go on ahead. I'll deal with her too." She waited for the twins to carry off the weeping alpha before retrieving her halberd from just inside Tabatha's room and crouched beside the soundlessly sobbing griffoness. "I'm sorry that I have to kill a hottie like you, but... you really shouldn't have come after my friend."

The griffon's eyes went wide as Gilda raised the poleaxe's blade above her and tried to plead with her executioner, but the minute shaking of her head went unheeded. In one swift motion, Gilda swung the weapon and cleaved the girl's head from her neck as she embedded the blade in the obsidian.

"Tabby. Find some other ponies to help you with the mess, then go to the queen. It's about time for your shift and, even if it's lame, I don't think you should piss her off."

Tabatha nodded and watched her friend fly off, then turned to the headless body and blood-soaked floor. She suppressed a shudder and let loose a heavy sigh. "I'm definitely not cut out to be like you, Gil...."

"Mommy, why is it still raining? I wanna go outside and play!" Moon Beam pranced in circles upon the soft mattress they all shared, much to her unicorn parent's chagrin. "Can't we go play in the rain? Pleaasssee?"

Twilight giggled and shook her head as she set the book down on the bed. "Come on, Moonie. It's too cold for little fillies to be playing in the rain. How about we go find Cloudy and see if we can arrange a sleepover with Tart instead?"

The filly gasped loudly and clopped her forehooves together in an excited cheer. "Really!?" Her voice squeaked from her glee as she pounced upon Twilight. "I mean, you and Mommy Moon were 'sposed to have fun tonight."

"As long as it's okay with Mommy Moon." She let her statement hang in the air and turned, in sync with the giddy filly, to the black alicorn.

Nightmare glanced at their pleading faces and cracked a tiny smile. "I do not have any qualms with her visiting for the night. Anything Twilight and I wished to do can be done at another time. Shall we go fetch the child now, or-"

"Your Majesty!" A series of powerful knocks echoed through the group's room following the husky voice. "It's important! We've captured a griffon!"

"What!?" Nightmare stood from her spot at the desk as her sudden outburst sent scrolls flying from her desk. "Bring it in! I wish to see the one who thought it could infiltrate my castle!"

The chamber's doors swung wide as the minotaur twins carried their defeated cargo through the entry and deposited him on the cold floor. The alicorn watched as he fell gracelessly into a heap, his dislocated wings dropping uselessly to his side, and glared at the broken male. "We caught him going after the griffon girl, Tabatha. He and his two subordinates killed several guards and a few servants before we could stop them."

"And what of these subordinates of his? Where are they?" She regarded the pair carefully, noting the minute scratches along their arms and chests. "Is it safe to assume they have been dealt with?"

"I personally dispatched one of them. I believe Gilda took care of the other." Tyro glanced at the filly sitting beside Twilight and frowned. "Is it wise to be discussing this in the presence of a child?"

"You need not worry yourself over our filly...." She glanced at the ponies laying on the bed, then turned to Tyra. "Would you take Moon Beam to Commander Horizon's room and send her to us? I will not fall to your pleading, child. I am sorry for the change, but this issue must be dealt with."

"Awww.... Stupid, dumb chickens...."

"Don't worry, Moonie. We can have the sleepover any time." Twilight patted the sullen filly's head with a consoling smile. "Now, run along. I'm sure Tart will still be excited to see you."

With a quick nod, Moon Beam hopped from the bed and trotted alongside her minotaur escort as she led her away. "Can I ride on your head?"

Twilight snickered at the tiny unicorn's question, but quickly returned to the current situation with a heavy sigh. "We should tell Jahurl. Things have gotten too far along too quickly."

"Yes, that would be wise. Boy. Find your lord and have him meet us in the war room. It would seem that we can no longer maintain our defensive strategy." Nightmare waited for the room's remaining visitor to depart before staring down at the broken captain. "Twilight."

"Yes, Luna?"

"We will not garner any information from this worm that we do not already know. I need you to finish him off." The black mare did not remove her eyes from the griffon as Twilight recoiled when memories of her last execution flashed before her eyes. "I understand that you do not wish to take another's life, especially the life of a fellow pony, but you will be unable to play your part in your own plans if you cannot move past that.

"I love you dearly, my princess, but it must be done." She sighed, but refused to look at her lover. I cannot hold her hoof for this. "Commander Horizons will be here shortly. I know that this is not a decision to be made lightly, but, as you can see, we do not have the time to ease into this any longer. I expect you to join me with the commander after your choice has been made.”

“Luna! I don’t think-”

“It was not a demand, Twilight. I will not force you to act against your will again. It is merely a request. I need to know for certain that you will hold your life above all others’ and will act upon that to keep yourself alive.” Nightmare Moon allowed a small smile to tease at her lips as she turned her head to regard the trembling mare. “Know that, no matter the outcome of your decision, I will not think any less of you.” She broke eye contact with her terrified lover and strode from the room, leaving Twilight alone with her thoughts and the choice laying before her.

Author's Notes:

Author’s Notes: Another update already!? What the fuck is this creature doing to my story! It’s too damn fast! This blasphemy has to- Oh, wait. You guys like that? Well, fuck.... Either way, I still don’t like this new Peppy.

Anyhoof, on to the story. I’m sure you guys are gonna rage quit my face off when you get down here, but all I can say is Deal With It. Heavy stuff is about to go down and we all know that it’s only a matter of time till it all comes to a crescendo. Hope you enjoyed and Peppy out~!

Also, that's Aura pronounced Or-ah and has nothing to do with emanations.

Editors’ Notes:

Whew, that was fun. Hey guys, Dr.Jekyll here. This one’s a short one. Oh well, get fucked. Hahaha. Ciao!

Spacecowboy here folks, hoped you enjoyed this chapter here, yet another fun one. So, does she? Does she? I know! Also, no clue how much longer this Peppy look-alike is going to be churning these out for you, but when we find where its hidden the real Pep, we’ll be sure to let y’all know! Now to borrow from Jekyll, Ciao!