This had better be worth my time, Asger thought bitterly as he continued down the darkened crystalline tunnels of the cavern, places like this weren't meant for griffons.

He reached the bottom of a steep incline and turned a corner. At the end of the path, a few yards away, was a bright blue crystalline wall forming a dead end. Nevertheless, he continued to walk unhindered, as if the wall wasn't even there. Indeed as he reached the wall, it vanished in a flash of blue light and the path extended a little further before it came to a stop.

At the end of this extended path was a ponymade wall of metal seemingly embedded into the surrounding crystal. in the center was a large circular doorway. The door in question gave the appearance of a simple slab of metal covering the entrance and had no visible way to enter. Asger stopped and stared at the door, both perplexed and annoyed.

Oh, pluck me. What was I supposed to do again? I think she mentioned something about magic-

He squawked in surprise as a glowing blue circle of runes appeared on the metal, emitting a low hum. His eyes widened in further surprise as that same runic circle materialized directly above him. He followed the circle as It descended, passing right through him and vanishing instantly once it reached the ground.

Hearing a sudden hiss, he looked up just in time to see the circular slab of metal dissolve, revealing another passage - this one far more modern looking with overhead lighting and plastered walls. The corridor was longer, with branching paths and several doors on either sides of the walls. The doorway at the end of the passage was wide and Asger could tell by looking that they slid open to either side.

Printed across the entrance were the words 'CRYSTAL RESEARCH FACILITY MAIN LABORATORY'. He scowled in irritation as he stepped through into the facility - the metal slab reforming behind him.

"Vanishing walls and magic doors..." he muttered to himself, shaking his head disdainfully, "I swear, these ponies and their parlor tricks. Give me superior griffon engineering any day..."

He bypassed all the other halls and headed straight for the main lab at the end. His scowl lessened as the giant door slid open without complication or fanfare. He had never personally been in a pony built laboratory - or any lab for that matter - but the layout seemed to be exactly like would've expected a laboratory to look.

The first thing Asger noticed were the many ponies flitting about the room messing with machinery or working at tables. All of them wore lab coats and the majority of them were also wearing plastic mane caps, goggles, and latex hoof covers.

The room itself was large, most of the walls covered by giant mechanical odds and ends that Asger couldn't even begin to guess the purpose of. He could see a few freezers and incubators that probably contained who-knows-what within.

Several of the tables were lined up near the back with various devices such as microscopes, beakers, Braysen burners, shakers, mixers, and other scientific knick-knacks.

Asger swept his gaze over the room and his brow furrowed in recognition as he spotted what he was looking for. He made his way across the lab, avoiding ponies as they wandered by. He moved closer to an isolated table near a corner of the lab where he could see a tall, slender blue alicorn conversing quietly with a stocky, mocha brown unicorn stallion in a lab coat that looked about two sizes too small.

He stopped for a moment to observe the two. The stallion had a shaggy white mane that stuck out at odd angles. He wore black, thick-rimmed glasses over his wrinkled golden yellow eyes and looked as though he hadn't even cracked a grin in several years.

As bad as Asger thought the stallion looked - and much to his surprise - the tall, midnight blue alicorn mare looked worse.

She looked worn - her face sullen and withdrawn and her light-speckled mane and tail dull and listless. She wore a stoic frown, but Asger could practically see the sneer just below the surface.

He also noticed some odd body language. Every now then he saw her ears flicker as though she was listening for something. Her eyes would also shift left or right distractedly.

Her eyes.

Her eyes were the worst in his opinion. They were weary and slightly bloodshot yes, but there was also something else there - something that made even him shiver slightly.

You've got to be flocking kidding me, he though with a barely concealed sneer of his own, this is their vaunted Moon Princess?

He almost jumped in surprise when the mare suddenly whipped her head around to stare directly at him - her eyes slightly narrowed and her mouth turned down in a slight frown.

He regained his composure quickly, drawing himself up and walking the rest of the way to where the two were standing.

"Princess Luna," he greeted with a curt nod as he stopped in front of the mare.

The greeting wasn't returned.

"You are late, Asger," she responded, her tone clipped and imperious.

"My apologies... Your Highness," he said with the slightest of apologetic bows, "this is my first venture into Equestrian lands, and-"

"It does not matter," she interjected sharply, "we are short on time and my sister will be up to raise the sun soon."

Asger shut his beak, his scowl in place once again.

Luna turned back to the brown stallion, "You are absolutely certain it will work as intended?" she asked urgently, "remember well that if you fail, the consequences will be most dire," she finished with a voice low and full of menace.

The stallion in question had his back turned to the princess and griffon. He stood hunched over a table adjusting a microscope.

Rather than be intimidated by her tone, the unicorn stallion looked more annoyed than anything. He didn't even look up from the microscope he was now peering through.

"Princess, my answer remains unchanged from the last two times you've asked me," he responded in a surprisingly high pitched voice, "we've run the tests approximately four-hundred and sixteen times over the span of two months with no negative reactions. We have achieved the desired results time and time again. So trust me when I say for the third time now-" he finally turned and scowled at the princess "-you have nothing to worry about."

The princess for her part gave the scientist an icy glare, which he returned with an even frown.

Asger found himself rather impressed with the brown unicorn.

He noticed one of Luna's ear twitch and she glanced off to the side for a brief moment before she snorted and turned back to face the griffon.

"Asger, this is Doctor Base Pair, one of Equestria's top scientists in the field of microbiology. He has been working on-" an ear twitch and another glance to the side "-a certain... project, for me," she glance at the stallion who had once again returned to his observations, "Dr. Pair, this is Asger, a griffon whom I have called all the way out from Willowpeck in the outer regions of the Griffonian Empire to help with our... situation."

Base Pair merely grunted noncommittally without turning around.

Ignoring the doctor, Asger addressed Luna with a raised eyebrow, "That is something I had been meaning to ask about, Princess Luna. Why did you send for me specifically?" he shook his head in bemusement, "I'm just a no-name griffon with barely a bit to his name. What possible use could you have for me?"

Luna laughed out loud.

It wasn't a pleasant laugh.

Asger recognized it as the laugh of someone who knew something you didn't and was mocking you for your ignorance.

He hated that laugh.

"If I may, Princess," he growled through clenched teeth, "what has you in such hysterics?"

After a minute, Luna's laughter died down to a small chuckle as she look at Asger with a knowing smirk.

"Mr. Storm Feather, do not think for even a second that I would have spent my precious resources tracking you down if you were just any no-name griffon," she slowly shook her head, "no, Asger. I know things. Many things. Things about you," she gave him a piercing stare, "things you've tried to hide from me, from my sister, from your own emperor."

Asger swallowed nervously. It took everything he had not to wilt under Luna's intense, borderline intrusive stare. Without even realizing it, he had taken a couple of steps back from the princess.

"J... Just what are you implying... Your Highne-"

Luna slammed a hoof into the ground causing a small tremor and several scientists to panic as they tried to keep their various experiments under control.

"DON'T YOU DARE PRESUME TO PLAY THE FOOL, PEASANT! IF YOUR ILL DEEDS WERE TO COME TO LIGHT THERE WOULD BE A WAR BETWEEN OUR NATIONS!"

This time, Asger couldn't help but quail under Luna's furious outburst.

"IF IT WERE UP TO ME I WOULD HAVE YOU..."

Luna froze mid rant, a look of shock on her face. Her ear twitched once again and her entire head swiveled to the side.

"BUT HE-"

She quickly glanced back at the now confused griffon and after a second gave weary, annoyed sigh. She schooled her features and sat back on her haunches facing Asger.

"Please forgive me for my... behavior," she spoke in a much calmer tone, "I have been under a lot of stress lately and this project Dr. Pair and I are overseeing is not helping matters."

Asger nodded, not trusting himself to speak just yet.

"Now then," Luna continued, "what I was referring to, Mr. Storm Feather, was your unauthorized and extremely illegal underground mercenary guild, The Storm Feather Mercenaries."

Asger's eyes widened in fear.

"Oh yes, Asger," Luna said with a smirk, "I know all about it."

She got up and trotted closer to the now shaking griffon - her unnerving, unwavering stare holding him in place.

"Yes, you have made quite the name for yourself in the underworld of griffon society, Mr. Storm Feather. Quite the name indeed," she walked around the griffon, eyeing him like a predator would her prey, "unfortunately for you, Mr. Storm Feather, some of your more... squeamish benefactors were all too willing to talk about a certain griffon and his merry band of sellswords."

Asger clenched his teeth and dug his talons dug into the ground as he began to sweat.

Keep it together, Asger, he thought desperately, she called you out here for a reason. All this intimidation, this beating around the bush... it's all for show. She's trying to catch you off guard. You've used this same tactic before, and when you did, there was usually only one reason...

He inhaled and exhaled slowly.

"What do you want from me in exchange for your silence?"

Luna stopped prowling, her eyes wide. Her ear gave another flick and the smirk returned to her worn face.

"Well it seems I need not play this little game any longer," she trotted back around to face Asger, her features now stoic and business-like, "very well, Asger, here is my proposal."

She cleared her throat and began speaking.

"I cannot and will not go into too much detail, but your job will be two-fold."

Asger raised an eyebrow, but said nothing and Luna continued.

"I'm sure you're familiar with the Elements of Harmony, yes?"

He nodded with a smirk, "Sure they're the ones that took you down when you came back from the moon throwing a thousand year old temper tantr-"

*snap*

"AARGH! PLUCK ME FEATHERLESS!"

Asger fell to the ground, nursing his broken right foreleg.

"This is my first and only warning, fledgling," Luna intoned coldly as the dark blue glow of her horn died down, "watch thy tongue, lest I decide to tear it from thine mouth."

Asger nodded jerkily as he hissed in pain.

"Good. Now, as I was saying," Luna continued, "About three months ago, it was revealed to me that the Crystal Empire was to make it's return to the Frozen North after a thousand years. My sister does not know this as of yet and will not find out for another week or so."

"A-and where do I fit in?" Asger asked through grit teeth.

"I'm getting there, whelp. Patience," Luna responded with a sneer, "The Crystal Empire will appear in four days time. Once it has arisen, there will be a tower - the tallest one in the Crystal Palace. At the very top of that tower lies an artifact known as the Crystal Heart.

"As I said before, you're task is two-fold. The first task you will accomplish - and you will accomplish it - is to reach the Frozen North just as it appears, and steal the Crystal Heart. The entrance to the Tower is under the throne and requires dark magic to access, however you need only fly to the tower itself and make your way up. Do you understand?"

Asger nodded.

"Good."

*snap*

"GAH! FLOCKING TARTARUS, LADY!"

The pain in Asger's foreleg spiked for a brief moment before vanishing completely. He blinked in surprise and stood back up, examining his now realigned foreleg.

"Once you have the Heart, stay hidden," Luna continued, "there is no need to contact me. When you have succeeded, I will find you and take care of the rest."

"And if my cover is blown?" Asger asked rubbing his foreleg.

Luna was silent for a moment, before speaking once again.

"Kill the witness and hide the body, although if you are quick, it should not have to come to that."

"Right," he responded with a resigned sigh, "and what's my second task, Princess?"

"That," answered Luna, "is where the Elements of Harmony come into play and has a lot more to do with my little project."

She trotted over to the table where Base Pair had been. The stallion himself had moved away from the two and was conversing with another scientist, scroll held in his magic and quill scribbling furiously.

"You see, Dr. Pair and I have prepared a-" she gave a stray flicker of the ear as she idly examined a few scrolls Base Pair had left on the table "-a gift for the six mares. Something they might find surprising, but I am sure they will come to enjoy... in time.

"Unfortunately, Base Pair has informed me that it will take quite some time for them to fully adjust to the rather... life-changing experience that the gift in question will cause - several years in fact."

"And you want me to... what? Deliver this gift?" Asger guessed with a raise of his eyebrow. Luna shook her head in response.

"Not quite. For you, I have a different task - one far more dangerous," she turned back around to face the griffon, "before I tell you what that task is though, let me tell you what's in store for you should you successfully carry out both tasks."

Asger perked up at that.

"Okay, now we're getting somewhere." he exclaimed, a greedy grin spreading across his beak.

Luna scoffed and turned away briefly.

"Griffons," she muttered, grimacing in disgust, "your bottomless avarice sickens me to no end."

She turned back to Asger, speaking so he could hear, "Upon the completion of your first task, you will be given a sum of eight hundred thousand bits from my personal treasury to do with as you see fit."

Asger gawked at the mare.

Well, pluck me if that isn't the best reward I've ever been offered. I'd literally never have to work another day in my life.

"Your second reward will actually be less about you and more of a... let us say it will be more of a side effect of some mutually beneficial changes that will be taking place soon."

That piqued the griffon's interest.

"Changes, Your Highness?" he asked with an inquisitive raise of his brow.

Luna snorted in annoyance, "The only change that will matter to you, is the lifting of the ban on your little operation."

Asger's eyes widened in shock as the pieces suddenly fell into place.

"Oh. Oh wow," he let out a bark of laughter, "Princess, are... are you actually trying to stage a coup against your sister, again? After what happened last time?"

Luna said nothing, looking almost unsure of how to proceed. She gave a few errant flicks of her ear and nodded slowly after a moment.

"Indeed," she finally answered, "though it will not be the same as it once was. I have an... ally to assist in my endeavors."

"Oh?" Asger asked smirking in amusement, "and just who is this mysterious ally, Prin - hrk!"

"THAT IS NONE OF YOUR CONCERN, FOOL! NOW BE SILENT AND LISTEN!"

Luna dispelled the telekinetic aura holding Asger aloft and he dropped to the ground unceremoniously, coughing and sputtering.

Luna turned away, paying no mind to his discomfort.

"The Elements of Harmony will most likely arrive at the Crystal Empire a few days after you do. My sister will no doubt try to have them find and protect the Crystal Heart, which you will have already stolen. Once they fail in their task I will offer them their gift and direct them to a secret research facility within the Griffonian Empire.

"Once they've accepted their gift, they will be indisposed for the next several years," She turned to glance at Asger out of the corner of her eye, "When they inevitably awaken, they will find themselves lost and confused. They may even experience some loss of memory.

"It is at this time that I will call upon you and your mercenary guild, once again."

"Why would you have need of my guild?" Asger asked, brow furrowed in bemusement, "it's starting to sound like you want me to do a simple retrieval job. 'Get the mares out of the facility and bring them to you.'"

"Mr. Storm Feather," Luna replied with a frown, "if you do not bring your mercenaries with you, you will most likely not survive," she shook her head, "Honestly, I have little faith that you will succeed even with all of your forces behind you. I already have... other plans in place should you fail."

Asger raised his eyebrow skeptically and began to make a retort, when Luna cut him off.

"That is all I will say on that matter," she said sharply, "once the Elements are moved into the griffon research facility, I will station some of my elite soldiers and researchers there as well - there is no need to worry about the diplomatic ramifications," she added at Asger's look of alarm, "My ally and I have already worked something out with your Emperor.

"All you need to worry about is retrieving the Elements of Harmony when the time comes. That should be all," she looked at Asger expectantly, "do you have any questions?"

Asger mulled over everything he had been told so far.

The first job should be simple. Fly up, get the Crystal, don't get caught before the Princess shows up. Easy money. That second job is more iffy, but I don't really have a choice in the matter with her dangling my illegal activities over my head.

He swept his gaze around the lab contemplatively.

All this going on right under the Sun Princess' muzzle... I guess even if Luna doesn't succeed in taking over Equestria, I'll still get my bits. And that also means I might not have to risk mine or my flock's lives. But still, these plans are ambitious - too ambitious... and I know all about ambition.

He looked back at the Lunar Princess with a questioning frown.

"I just have a few questions, Princess."

Luna nodded, prompting him to continue.

"Your plans - all of this-" he gestured to the entirety of the lab "-how are you planning on keeping all of this under wraps until you're ready to overthrow your sister? Forgive me for saying so, but this all seems... overly ambitious," he cocked his head and raised an eyebrow, "and when she inevitably does find out, who's to say she won't completely trounce you and your ally? Are they really that powerful? Can you trust them not to stab you in the back?"

To his surprise, Luna merely chuckled in response.

"Asger, I have been planning this for over two months now and I can guarantee you, my sister is none the wiser. And as for your other questions..." the amused smile fell from her face and she looked off to the side with a grim frown, an ear twitching absently.

"You leave that to me."

Author's Notes:

I have to apologize to you guys for this one.

I promised more action and another member of the Mane Six, but once I started writing the flashback I just couldn't stop. Writing Luna was incredibly fun to do and while I'm sorry I couldn't give you guys the chapter I had said I would, I don't regret it.

Truth be told I think the chapter came out great, but at the end of the day I still value your opinions. So tell me what you think.

Sorry again and I hope you're looking forward to more!