Shortly after Skyblazer knocked on the door, an angry voice could be heard from inside, "You follow me all the way out here, and try to force me to register? Do I need to hurt you again?"

The rudimentary door--thatch over a wooden lattice--was picked up and set to the side. A very large and very irritated avian blockaded the entrance. She began to mutter obscenities about the persistence of the guards, but then she stopped. Seeing this strange new pegasus at her door, she said,

"Who the hell are you, and what are you doing all the way... is that dragon scale? What kind of pegasus would wear hide armor?"

"Me, I guess," answered Sky.

"Uh, can I help you with anything?"

Sky responded slowly and cautiously, "Well, I think you're the griffon who saved my mother's life."

Cobalt sat down now, thinking. She said, "I wouldn't know anything about that."

"It was a long time ago now. Um, night fell and all the monsters went crazy, Nightmare Moon was involved--she was that dark magic pony."

Her eyes opened wide in surprise and she said, "You mean way back when all the forest monsters attacked Ponyville?"

"Yeah."

"Huh. So if I didn't save that golden pegasus, you wouldn't even be here right now. That's... kind of interesting actually."

"I was kind of hoping to ask you something and I know you're going to say no,"

"Ask it anyways."

"I want you to meet my mom so she can thank you. I've heard you've been through a lot, and it's just, not everyone hates you."

"I take it you've been talking to Zecora."

"I understand if you want to stay here, Cobalt."

"Look, you uh, what's your name?"

"Skyblazer."

"Sky, I just find it really hard to trust you damn ponies. I ran away from my own kind because you're supposed to be all about peace and tolerance and stuff. You don't know what it's like having to fight off guards just for who you are."

"Okay no. I don't. But I do know what it's like to have my own dad hate me just for who I am, as a pegasus."

"There's no way he actually hates you. He's your dad."

"Oh yeah? How about staying home, drunk, after cussing me out, when I went to leave the farm and go after adventure? Naming me Haul-Ass? I've even heard him whispering to my mom, saying he knew this would happen if they had a pegasus son. And then there's my oldest brother, Iron Haycart."

"What about him?"

"He's always been jealous of me. 'Oh look at the special snowflake! You get wings and magic and think that makes you better than us!' Then he would beat the ever-living Tartarus out of me. I've known how to fight since I was a colt."

"Your father didn't stop that?"

"No, he was either too busy working or way too out of it."

Sky closed one eye and grimaced. Cobalt sat in silence for a few minutes before responding,

"Alright. I still don't understand why you came all the way out here just to talk to me."

"I just want you to know that I appreciate you saving my mom. Her name is Lightning Ridge, and she's been looking for you her whole life to say thank you. So, for her sake, thank you. Now I get that you don't like me or anypony, so I'll leave you be."

"Wait! Don't go just yet," Cobalt lowered her voice and spoke in a more somber tone, "It was chaos out there. I was helping the ponies fight the monsters off too, trying to stay out of sight you know. I saw the hydra approaching, but I was too busy driving back a whole pack of timber wolves. I was just able to get over there in time to rescue the golden pegasus, and I got away fast as I could so no one would see me in the firelight."

Sky spoke in a grave tone, as well, "That's... really quite something. You're braver than I could ever be."

"Nah, just angry and stubborn."

"Trust me I get that."

"Look, I--I can't believe I'm saying this, but do you want to come inside? You look awful. What happened on the way over here?"

"Storms, monsters, a good cold splash of reality."

Cobalt smirked, "So you were hoping to be a fairy tale adventurer. Land of sunshine and sugar, nothing bad ever happens. Be the big damn hero and find treasure."

"Something like that."

"Instead you're just a glorified bum."

"Hey! That's... not too far off actually. Kind of worried about the farm, too."

"The farm?"

"Where I grew up. With me gone I'm sure it's harder to take care of the place."

Sky and Cobalt stepped into the seaside shanty. The floor was dirt and the furnishings were woven mats.

"Ain't much but it... ain't much." said Cobalt.

"Story of my life."

"Ha. You and me both Skyblazer."

Sky looked around the dwelling. It kept the wind and elements out well enough. A firepit had been dug into the center, beneath a hole in the ceiling to vent out smoke. A cook pot was in the embers.

"You built this yourself?" he asked.

"No, I just happened to find it. Of course I built it."

"Impressive."

"Years and years of practice."

Sky set his packs down in one corner, and sat by the fire. He stared into the flames, and ventured to say,

"Cobalt, I was kind of wondering if you'd think about traveling with me. Go search for adventure and treasure and stuff."

"Oh sure, and draw all sorts of unwanted attention from you ponies. Oh my sweet lovely Celestia it's a griffon, run!"

"So that's a no."

"Yep. I'll go back with you to Everfree and to visit your farm, but after that, you're on your own."

"Alright. Mind if I stay the night then?"

"Fine by me. Just so you know, I am having meat for dinner. If that bothers you, I don't care."

Sky set his bedroll and blanket by the fireside, and sorted through his packs for whatever food he had. Not much left. His stomach gave a gurgling noise, and he frowned. He said,

"I'm perfectly happy to tolerate that, but it's a shame we can't split rations. I'm low on food and there's no edible plants out on this bluff."

Cobalt considered him for a moment. She gave an agitated look at the wall, and said, "Hmm. Maybe I could make a -----. Could you stomach that?"

"A what? Was that the griffon's language?"

"Oh you ponies wouldn't have a word for that, of course. Uh, it's like a vegetable soup, but then you add meat to it."

"I do have some veggies left. Maybe I could get a bowl of soup for myself, and then you can add meat to your portion?"

"Sure, why not. Meat needs to cook a bit longer anyways."

Skyblazer felt a bit sickened, which was a natural and understandable reaction. He was, after all, a pegasus pony. The foreign concept of eating another creature for sustenance was an unthinkable taboo. It was the behavior of monsters, those creatures which posed a threat to entire settlements.
And yet, this griffon across from him was a sapient creature who bore no malice against him.

Regardless of the rising acidic taste in the back of his mouth, he grit his teeth to ask, "So, when you eat a critter, do you have to cook it first?"

"Nah, just makes the meat taste better."

"Ah I see. So you griffons can't eat plants, right?"

"I mean we can, just not get by on plants alone."

"Why, what happens?"

"During my flight through the desert, I had to get by on veggies from Zecora and cactuses."

"Cacti."

"Whatever. I was hoping to hunt a few desert rabbits, but didn't see any. Nothing but plants for food for five days."

"Took me two days to cross it."

"Pegasi tend to be faster than griffons. Plus, one of my canteens got a hole in it, so I had to find an oasis."

"Damn, that's unfortunate."

Skyblazer placed the remainder of his veggies into a cook pot, with water. He had carrots and potatoes from Zecora which were still good. Onion, garlic, and celery from the market in Riverbend, which was old but still edible. A small side pouch held some wild mushrooms. He also had spices left--pepper, salt, dried herbs. Cobalt added her share of vegetables to the pot, and Sky placed the soup over the fire as Cobalt continued her story,

"By day five, I was so weak I could barely fly. My body wouldn't stop shivering and I felt on the verge of throwing up. Pretty sure you should trust your gut about what you should eat, and now I know that as a fact."

"Do you want to go around the desert on the way back? We aren't in any hurry."

"We could do that. Those southern mountains look dangerous, what's north?"

Sky checked his map. "Looks like the desert fades out into dry plains and then some forest. Some farmland that way, but if we fly high nopony should panic about you."

"Alright. So how about you ponies, can you eat meat or is it like, you have to have plants?"

"Has to be plants. Trying to eat a critter would kill us."

"How do you know?"

"I read a lot. There was this one history book, some sailors got stranded and tried to get by on fish. Bit of an emergency, you know. None of them survived. Most of them just threw up and starved, the ones who kept it down died too."

"Huh. I'm glad we had this talk, Sky. Think I have a better understanding of things now."

"You know what, me too Cobalt."

"Most of you ponies would have screamed and ran, or else given me an angry stare and ignored me by now."

"My name isn't 'most ponies', it's Skyblazer. Sorry about the guards harassing you. I wouldn't want to wear a magic tracking collar for sure."

"It's more of a necklace or bracelet now, they did change that. Honestly wearing a magic bracelet wouldn't be so bad. Maybe I could even socialize more, I don't know, visit pony towns? Is that too much to hope for?"

"I met a pegasus named Rainbow Dash who has a griffon friend named Gilda. Don't know if you would know her."

"I know of her, never met her. Always envious because she was born outside Griffonstone, making her a wild griffon. Free to travel and do as she pleased."

"My mom said the ones born in Griffonstone are strictly managed."

"Yeah. I mean it works, it's just... cold and violent. But you were saying?"

"Gilda visits Ponyville, and other places, all the time. I've even met her once. Asked about you, of course--she didn't know you. She registered in Canterlot, got a tracking collar, and she only travels into settlements with Dash, to help ease the nerves a bit."

"That actually does make sense. Like, if you and me went into town together, they'd know that you trust me. Might make folks freak out less."

"Or that I'm one crazy, dangerous pegasus."

"Saying you aren't, Skyblazer?"

"I'm... going to take that as a compliment? Soups ready, let me get my bowl."

Sky had his share of the soup, and Cobalt added the freshly gathered meat of three rabbits. Sky blew on his soup to cool it down, and he asked,

"I'd figure you would get by on fish out here."

"Oh I do, but fish doesn't go in soup like this. That comes out awful."

"I see. So, you may very well kill me for this and I don't care, but what are you doing out here? Avoiding ponies?"

Cobalt gave a wry smile at his nonchalant remark, and replied, "Sky I think I like you. That's saying something, only Zecora and maybe the Apples have been decent to me.

"Heh, thanks."

"No, just doing some thinking. Apparently Griffonstone is a bit more lenient now."

"Thought about going back for a visit?"

"Yeah, but the flight over the sea was hell. I can't roost on clouds like you can."

"Is that really all?" Sky offered an arrogant grin.

"Oh you little--no, it's not. I came over here to at least try to find a different way of life. Bout ready to give up on it too. But you know what, maybe... I'll have to think about it, but if we did travel together, I might be able to be a part of your society."

"Up for some treasure hunting and causing some chaos?"

"Both sound good. You know where to find any treasure?"

Sky put his ears down, and said, "Honestly, no. I bet we could do bounties together though. Take on actual monsters--hey, maybe that would put you in a better light too! You know, that whole 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend.'"

Cobalt sat up with stiff posture, and said in a mocking voice, "Behold, Skyblazer and Cobalt, Destroyer of Fiends!"

Sky laughed, inhaled some of his soup, and coughed. He replied,

"I mean we'd make a great team. You have the brawn and I have the speed. My mom was once a bounty hunter, I have her journal."

"During my time in Everfree, Zecora taught me loads of things about monsters and survival and magic," Cobalt added.

"That sounds like a damn good plan then, Cobalt! Let's go kill some things! Should be your cup of tea, right?"

"Oi you feathery bastard, didn't I say I wanted to find a more peaceful way?"

"Yeah, but griffons can't get by on plants alone."

"And I can't just eat any monster we come across! Lots of them are poisonous."

"You realize we've only just met, you hate ponies, I should fear griffons, and we're bickering like an old married couple."

Cobalt sat back for a second, holding up a talon as though to say something, and then she burst into laughter. She wiped a tear from her eye and said,

"Fine. Fine, you got me. Let's at least try this, but I'm still not sure about ponies and I will leave if we get enough hate."

"Fair enough."

"Let's get some rest and head out in the morning. I need to gather and cook some fish for the trip. You can fly out and find whatever plants and mushrooms you want. We'll meet back at this shack, pack our things, and head off to be the worst adventurers ever."

"Sounds good, Cobalt."

Both he and the griffon settled in for the night. A strong ocean breeze whistled against the driftwood walls, but the little shack held steady. Skyblazer fell into a deep slumber, and found himself having yet another odd dream.

Meanwhile this evening, far to the west on the Haycart Farm, moonlight shone on the golden fur of Lightning Ridge as she sat at the edge of her fields, and waited. A flying figure eclipsed the full moon, becoming clearer as it neared. In the darkness, it took until the pegasus had landed to see the purple fur and feathers of one Twilight Sparkle.

Twilight spoke, "Evening, Lightning. We're alone?"

Lightning nodded, saying, "Everyone else is sound asleep. We can talk in peace."

"Just to be sure," Twilight put up an arcane shield, "this should absorb the sound of conversation just fine."

"Alright, in your last letter you said you had a lot to talk about, so you go first."

"I need to gather my thoughts more. What's on your mind?"

"The farm. We're just not making a lot of money and Barley never listens to me. If we would add some fruit to our crops, we could make plenty of bits. The town doesn't get a lot of fruit on a regular basis."

"How's he been holding up since your kids all went their own ways?"

"Badly. Drinking even more, I'm worried he's going to poison himself with how much he's had lately. And it takes money away from Violet and the farm buying all that alcohol."

"Oh, I wish I could do more to help her. I just don't understand what's wrong with Violet. If she was cleared by the hospital, it has to be magic in nature, and magic ailments are exceedingly rare."

"Do you know anypony who might know something about that subject?"

"No, not off the top of my horn."

"I miss Sky, Twilight. Hope he comes back soon. Honestly worried if I'll even see him again."

"He's tough, he'll be alright."

"Not what I meant. Barley and he, they, well they just can't stand each other. It got bad enough at times that I'm surprised your map didn't send you over here to resolve our issues."

"How is the farm holding up, financially?"

"We're making ends meet. I just really, really need Barley to stop gambling and drinking so damn much. If not for that, and if he'd buck tradition and let me plant some fruits, we could prosper."

"Do you want me to try talking to him?"

"If he won't listen to his own wife, I don't see how a stranger would help."

"Hmm. Maybe if Skyblazer does find that griffon and bring her back here. That might shock him into his senses."

"It might, if she can even be found. I also highly doubt she'd be easily convinced. Anyways. What did you need to discuss, Twilight?"

"Things are just insane is all. I need you to keep this talk between you and me and the fence post, okay?"

"I can do that."

Twilight talked in a quiet, sad tone of voice, "It's just, I now know what it's like to have knowledge of things nopony should ever know. And it's not fun, Lightning, it's so scarring. I had another run in with the powerful wizard pony I told you about, her name is Starlight."

Lightning was intrigued. She said, "Oh, really? Did you capture her this time?"

"It's more complicated than that," Twilght sighed, and stared into the distance, "So, magic actually exists that lets you alter the very flow of time. It's forbidden though, a unicorn could be imprisoned for using it. And let me tell you why. If you change the smallest thing in the past, it can make your whole present something you don't recognize."

"Okay, the way things have been going in Equestria I can't say that fazes me. Go on."

"Starlight was so upset with my friends and I, that she tried to go back and keep us from ever meeting. I watched her succeed with this plan. Again, and again, and again. Each time I managed to get back to our reality, to this world as we know it. But each time, I caught a glimpse of how things would look if we never did find the Elements of Harmony. Remember Tirek, that creature from Tartarus? If not for us, he would have sucked the life energy out of all Equestria and left it a desolate wasteland."

"Holy hell."

"Oh and that's just the icing on the cake," Twilight was holding back tears now, her voice cracking as she spoke, "I get to deal with that, on top of knowing that our entire reality can just up and be molded like clay. Discord, he may be reformed now, but to think there's something that powerful... and to think what else could be out there, and what if something eldritch eludes the power of the elements..."

"Discord, I think I remember you telling me about that. If he's so powerful, why doesn't he help with all this craziness?"

"He's not just chaos incarnate, he's also 'doesn't give a fuck' incarnate."

"Okay then. Yikes."

"Freaking Tirek escaping from Tartarus. Ponyville just totally wrecked. Not like it's the first time, things keep threatening to destroy our entire world again and again. The Crystal Empire. Changelings. Dark magic. I'm supposed to be a damn princess on top of all of that and smile and wave and pretend like it's all just going to keep being okay, and it's not, Lightning, it's not okay, things are falling apart faster than we can patch them together..."

Twilight began to cry, and she embraced Lightning in a hug with her ears down and her wings wilted. Lightning patted her on the back, her visage grim. It took several minutes for Twilight to gain her composure.

Twilight sniffed, and said, "I, we, need reinforcements. We need a plan in case the elements aren't enough. I really, truly believe that Starlight Glimmer may simply be misguided, and I need your advice as a trusted friend. She wants to change her ways, I was able to convince her during the whole time travel nonsense that it's really not worth threatening the stability of reality itself over a grudge. She conceded that point. Apparently she just hates inequality in the world and she has a lust for power, which is a very bad thing because her magic rivals mine. But to just stop and think what she could do if she would be willing to reform! We could have a whole new pony to help defend Equestria."

Lightning took a moment in thought, blurring out Twilight's words as she just kept going on and on. She heard Twilight mention that Starlight could fly by her own magic ability, which is one of the most advanced magics in existence and an incredible feat.

There was a pause following this remark, where Twilight considered the implications in the presence of this one-winged angel, now fallen from grace. She told Lightning,

"Hey, the offer still stands if you want it."

Lightning replied, "If you would have told me you could give me temporary flight through spells only a few years ago, I might have said yes. But I've changed, Twilight. I am willing to accept life for what it is now. I have a family, a farm, my own mess to deal with here. It may not be stuff that shatters all we know about what's real, but it is a broken family that needs work. I'll be here for Barley and my kids. You go out there and stay strong for Equestria, okay Twi?"

"I will, Lightning. Thank you."

"Also, I think if you girls can convince an eldritch creature who can reshape reality to change his ways, than a single rogue unicorn should pose no challenge. Especially if she sees the error of her ways. Makes a lot more sense to be a mentor for her than it does to have Starlight tossed in a dungeon somewhere. She'd just concoct another angry scheme to get back at you for that."

"Okay, thanks for the advice. Since you agree, I'll do that with Celestia's permission."

Twilight lowered the shield bubble, and walked with Lightning through the placid farmland. Summer had just arrived. The grains were all growing up nice and hearty, without hardly any issues.

Lightning said in a stern voice, "I need to put my hoof down. I think I know how to scare Barely enough to make him see common sense. I'm going to threaten to leave the farm and the family if he doesn't let me make the changes that I mentioned."

"Do you think it would be enough to make him change his mind?" asked Twilight.

"Absolutely."

They arrived at a firepit, where wicker chairs circled the stones. Lightning placed down a neat stack of tinder and small twigs, and Twilight provided a strong pyro spell.

The full moon shone brightly on the anxious face of Twilight as she considered what fresh hell might possibly lie ahead of them. Lightning, at a loss for words, sat serenely in the moonlight.

There was a calm silence for a few minutes. Lightning quietly spoke,

"Hey Twilight, years ago when we first met you told me that I'm not alone. That really stuck with me, and it's given me a lot of strength. I think you need to hear that too. You're not alone, and you have amazing friends standing by you. They were chosen by the Elements too you know, and they have risked their own lives for you and for Equestria. I believe in you. Just know that."

Twilight was quiet, and stern. She thanked Lightning for her time, and disappeared in a flash of magic.

Author's Notes:

The only reason the pony race has a word for "meat" is because there are carnivorous creatures in their world.

08/23/2019
This chapter took some pretty heavy editing for grammar/style cleanup. In the moment, it's very easy to write dialogue that would impress Plato in an attempt to be emotional. I cut down a lot of optional things while keeping the same message.

I see where I was going with it: Twilight breaking down under the stress, the initial friction between Cobalt and Sky.

Say more, less words.