This is what it’s like to be the eight Equestrians in this very moment.

For Twilight Sparkle, alicorn Princess of Friendship and the Bearer of the Element of Magic, even if her outburst was not heard by the crowd around her, her sentiment expressed complete and utter disbelief. Not only was there another human on Equus, but he’d become a Chancellor! She knew that a Griffonian Chancellor was basically the second in command of the Empire. She couldn’t help but stare at the smiling face of the new human as he looked out at the crowd. His piercing blue eyes were full of mirth and joy and he seemed to take in the entire crowd, including each and everycreature in his glance. Unlike the masked and scarred face of the only human she knew, this human was unscarred, looked fit and healthy and most of all, happy.

His time in Griffonstone had certainly been friendly and magical to him.

For Applejack Apple, earth pony farm mare and the Bearer of the Element of Honesty, she couldn’t quite comprehend just what she was seeing. Another human was standing in front of a large crowd. A crowd of not only griffons, but dragons and even a hoofful of ponies. She knew she wasn’t the smartest pony, not like Twilight, but something about seeing this human standing and smiling warmly at the crowd just pierced her heart. She wanted to look away, avoid eye contact and hide, but her nature rebelled against her desires and she watched.

Her honest heart screamed at her that this was what could have been.

For Rainbow Dash, pegasus, former member of the Wonderbolts Reserve and the Bearer of the Element of Loyalty, all she could do was stare slack jawed at the human who somehow had become a chancellor of a foreign land. She swallowed hard and crouched, not really wanting to be seen. Even so, she couldn’t peel her eyes away from the new untouched and unbeaten human. He looked happy. And there were no scars from any kind of lightning strike. She wondered if her former friend Gilda had met him yet.

Time here had been extremely loyal to him.

For Rarity, unicorn fashionista and Bearer of the Element of Generosity, her frown only deepened when she gazed on the human. The very well dressed human, at that. She took in his entire wardrobe. He was in what could only be described as a suit, but unlike anything she’d seen before. Her sharp eyes for detail noted black shining shoes of some kind, black silk dress slacks, a form fitting jacket, a white button down undershirt and a dark blue tie. Over it, he was wearing a long dark blue overcoat which blew behind him in the wind. She could even see a gold ring on his right ring finger which gleamed despite the fading daylight.

And her bitterness and by contrast her self-loathing only increased as she saw how time had been generous to him.

For Fluttershy, pegasus animal caretaker and the Bearer of the Element of Kindness, she began to put two and two together about all she’d heard about this Idol Bearer since they’d arrived. This human had apparently been shown more kindness and was welcomed into the griffon community despite being a being from a completely different world. And he’d become a head in their government. She wasn’t much into politics, but for this human to be cheered for so readily by griffons, dragons and ponies, he had to have been some impressive leader figure. And if he was to be thanked for changes happening in Griffonstone, the guilt that washed over her threatened to bring forth her tears again, but she forced them down to face the human.

Equus had been exceedingly kind to him.

For Pinkamena Diane Pie, earth pony, disgraced party planner of Ponyville and the Bearer of the Element of Laughter, all she could focus on was the genuine smile on the human’s face. The smile she saw went all the way to his eyes. She could see that he was truly happy. And her mane flattened even more and the color in her fur and mane only grew grayer as she watched. Like the others, she wanted to look away, but forced herself to watch, mostly to punish herself for what she’d done.

His laughter was a gift that could easily have been Jason’s.

For Spike, former assistant of one Twilight Sparkle and the only dragon who lived in Ponyville, having not taken part in the abuse and hatred against Jason Wright, seeing another human who seemed to be the polar opposite of the changeling Emperor was something that made him stare at the beaming human named Gregory Graystone in complete awe. A part of him was actually a little excited to meet him.

If he was able to, that is.

For Princess Celestia, the thousand year old diarch of Equestria and the alicorn responsible for raising and lowering the sun each and every day, she saw much more than the other ponies beside her. She saw the lost opportunity. She knew Jason had the qualities of a leader. He wouldn’t have been able to defeat Chrysalis and rally the entire changeling race had he not had those skills embedded in him. The human she saw before her, Gregory Graystone, might have been a leader among a kingdom on Equus, but she could instantly tell he was different. While Jason ruled through charisma and fear, this Gregory, while well dressed in a perfectly tailored suit, had a manner about him that showed humility and a willingness to mingle with those he ruled over. Even if he was on a platform, the way he looked down at them wasn’t as if he was from above with some kind of detachment. But rather, he was the common kind of ruler. The kind who got down and dirty with those he ruled.

One that, perhaps, she could learn a few things from as she sat and watched him.

Gregory raised his hands, smiling and chuckling at the applause and hoof stomping he was getting. Celestia could see he was still a relatively new leader when compared to her and others she’d met, but despite that, there was a love and care in his eyes and mannerisms. In his own way, he had a leader potential. A leader who led by example.

Gregory pulled out some speech cards, then began reading them over. “My dear griffons, dragons, ponies and other intelligent beings,” he began with practiced ease, “I’m glad to see everyone here.” He paused just then, looked closer at the cards, then back at the crowd. A grin spread across his face and he tossed the cards away, letting them fall to the ground behind him. “You know what, screw the cards! I’m more of a wing it kind of guy anyway!” This got a laugh from the crowd. “I’m sure a good number of you are looking to go to all the taverns and drain them dry anyway, and those families here are just wanting to enjoy the evening sitting around a fire and reading the traditional Blue Moon Festival stories. I’ll try and be quick!” Another cheer from the crowd.

Celestia watched as Gregory walked to the edge of the stage, facing the crowd not from behind the podium, but as he was. His smile turned kind and warm as he surveyed the crowd. “In a week, it will be December twenty fifth, the date of not only the Blue Moon Festival, but the traditional date of a human holiday called Christmas. A time meant for peace and goodwill among humans. And a holiday that has surprisingly been catching on here, albeit griffon-ized. A griffon Santa Claus wasn’t something I was expecting, but it makes the homesickness I feel lessen.”

Taking a deep breath, he took on a serious tone and expression as he continued. The entire crowd seemed to hang on his every word. “When I arrived here in Griffonstone three months ago, this city was falling apart at the seams. I saw so much sorrow, despair and hopelessness. Disease ran rampant through the streets, food shortages left griffons hungry and everyone thought less about their fellow being and focused more on themselves. Let’s not sugarcoat it. The Griffonian Empire was pretty much on the verge of collapse.”

Murmurs of acknowledgment rippled through the crowd as Gregory looked around. The human’s smile then returned. “But look at Griffonstone now!” he said, making a grand sweeping gesture with his arms. “Almost three months later, and we have a city that’s thriving not only with griffons but dragons and ponies as well. I’m also almost positive I’ve seen a minotaur or two here! There’s still work that needs to be done, sure, but the difference between now and nearly three months ago is like night and day! Food is plentiful now, and neighbor helps neighbor! You should all be very proud of yourselves! To borrow a phrase from some entertainment from my old land, this city, our beloved Griffonstone, was once the jewel of our empire! A place of pride, bright lights, stunning beauty and melodious music. AND SO IT SHALL BE ONCE MORE!”

The roar from the crowd became almost deafening, so much so that the ponies had to fold their ears. Gregory raised a fist into the air as he, too, shouted. When the roar and applause died down, he continued. “I won’t lie, the work that’s been done here is only the beginning. Griffonstone might be nearly rebuilt, but there are other cities around the empire that need aid and support. Cities across the Hyperborean Mountains like Clawsdale, Raven Creek and Shell Falls might have begun rebuilding just like us, but they can only do so much. Which is why the council has begun trading with our new allies, the dragons!”

With that, the curtain behind Gregory opened and a blue dragon female with red eyes and downward facing horns walked out. She held in her hand a purple staff with a large glowing red gem on top. Gregory turned and gave her a warm smile and held out his hand to her. The dragon reached out her claw and took it, shaking his hand with an expression of respect. Gregory turned to the crowd again. “The council and I have been negotiating terms of trade with the Dragon Lands, specifically with Dragon Lord Ember here, the newest ruler of the Dragon Lands. She has even given me her blessing in accepting the first dragon citizens of Griffonia!”

Once more the crowd went nuts, especially the dragons that were there. Celestia could hardly believe what she was seeing. Accepting other species into a nation consisting of only one species was unusual. She knew that it was even a rare occurrence even in Equestria. She remembered when she and her sister had attended a wedding for a loving donkey couple who had emigrated to Equestria from Mokeland. Even so, it was few and far between that a non-pony chose to emigrate to Equestria.

Gregory’s speech brought the Equestrians back to the present. Gregory was facing the Dragon Lord now. As he bowed to her, he said, “Dragon Lord Ember, on behalf of the Imperial Council of Griffonia and all the citizens of this empire, I thank you for taking the time to visit our land and for giving your blessing on some of your citizens becoming Griffonian citizens.” The way he said that sounded a bit practiced, but he made it sound natural enough.

Dragon Lord Ember bowed back, and replied, “Chancellor Graystone, I’m honored to be here, and eager to see the first dragons to become dual citizens of this empire.”

“That’s coming up soon,” he chuckled. “Go ahead and take a seat again. You are our honored guest, after all.”

Lord Ember’s smile only widened as she bowed. “Thank you, dragonrider.”

When Twilight heard Ember call this Gregory a dragonrider, a part of her was instantly curious. She couldn’t think of what that could mean. However, as this Dragon Lord Ember walked towards the curtain again, she leaned in and whispered something to Gregory, who turned to her, whispering something back with a nod before she finally vanished behind the curtain. Gregory turned to the crowd again. “Now then, on to the main events of the afternoon! While we are going to be accepting many dragons and even some ponies as citizens of our empire, I wanted to mention a few specific ones. And embarrass them by bringing them on stage.” This caused the crowd to laugh. “First of all, there are two dragons who I met when Dragon Lord Ember first came to visit our city some weeks ago. Two of the most resilient and hard working dragons I’ve seen. Give it up, ladies and gentlebeings, for Garble and Smolder, owners of The Green Dragon!”

Celestia was flabbergasted, to say the least, when the two dragons she’d seen back where they’d been staying came out from behind the curtain. Both looked embarrassed, but were also smiling as Gregory walked up to them and held out his hand. The crowd roared in applause as he shook their claws with a warm welcoming smile. He even gave Garble a friendly hug and gave Smolder an all encompassing hug, earning louder cheers and some roars from the dragons in the audience. A couple griffons came out and placed down a few chairs on the stage where the two dragons quickly sat, claws in their laps and twiddling nervously. With that, Gregory turned and faced the audience again, raising his hands to settle them down.

Once they were silent, he continued, “The next being I wanted to bring up here is one of my newer friends. I met her down in our neighboring town of Griffonville. A lot of you here probably know here from when she helped the Library growing a few weeks back. Ladies and gentlebeings, put your claws and hooves together for Zecora!”

The Elements of Harmony all gasped as the aforementioned zebra strode onto the stage. Unlike how she’d appeared before, her mohawk was gone. She’d let it grow out and it hung by her side, moving gently in the breeze. She was still wearing her gold earring and golden collars around her neck. She was wearing a dark blue dress with white snowflakes embroidered with care onto the fabric. She gazed up at Gregory with a warm smile as he knelt and opened up his arms. She trotted over and hugged him close. Once again, the crowd went nuts at this display. When the crowd calmed down, Gregory continued. “She has been more than instrumental in helping the small town of Griffonville below us get back on its feet again. Her knowledge of the Houseoak trees in the Evertide Forest has helped house the homeless griffons in town. She has also been extremely helpful in determining how to properly grow these Houseoaks in other environments. Desert, tundra, higher climates, anything. It’s thanks to her that we have something we can trade to the Dragon Lands and even Zebrica!”

The crowd went wild once more. A part of Twilight wondered if there was any chance that she could negotiate with Griffonia for access to these trees. It might help in rebuilding Ponyville, she reasoned.

As Zecora walked over to another chair and sat, Gregory turned back to the crowd. They went silent as he took a deep breath. “The last being I wanted to have come up here is actually someone you all know very well,” he said. “At least, those few of you who actually enjoy reading,” he joked, causing the crowd to laugh. “She’s the head librarian at the Griffonstone Public Library, an expert in magic and one of my closest friends here. Ladies and gentlebeings, give it up for Starlight Glimmer!”

A young adult pony mare walked onto stage with a sheepish smile as she waved her hoof at the cheering crowd. The bright purple unicorn had a dark purple and aquamarine mane and tail, the former of which curved down. She had styled the front bangs so that they were combed over one side of her horn. After the crowd settled down, Gregory continued, “It’s thanks to her hard work that the entirety of Griffonstone who were unable to make it today can see this speech. She has also been helpful in assisting the other ponies here who have asked to live here as well. Ponies such as Sassy Saddles, Roseluck, Daisy and Lily Valley, who I see in the crowd today along with other ponies!” he smiled as he looked down at a group of four ponies sitting near the front. The crowd began going crazy again and the aforementioned ponies just looked embarrassed at being called out, but had small happy smiles on their faces as well.

Rarity recognized the first pony she mentioned. She had been the manager at her Canterlot Carousel until she’d lost it thanks to the invasion of Canterlot. It stung even more now seeing her living in this place, and judging from her clothes, she was gainfully employed somewhere.

She and the others, of course, recognized Roseluck, Daisy and Lily Valley. They had been some of the first ponies who left Ponyville. In fact, as they took closer looks at the ponies in the crowd, which weren’t many, they recognized some of them. They saw the earth pony Time Turner, the pegasus Star Hunter, and the unicorn named Dark Moon. All of them had left Ponyville only a month or so ago. No word, no note, nothing. Their tents had been there one day and gone the next. There were fears among the ponies that they’d been spirited away from the town by the changelings, but others who knew them spoke about how they’d been unhappy in town as it only brought back bad memories about their treatment of Jason. Seeing them all smiling up at the human only served to dig the knife into them deeper.

Just then, realization spread through every Equestrian there except for Spike. Starlight Glimmer was a name they’d heard a few years back when the Cutie Map sent them to a northern town. Apparently, the town had run out a unicorn mare by that name since she’d stolen their cutie marks with her magic, but not before several townsponies had taken her and beat her in a way that sickened the Elements. Those ponies had been punished, of course, but the unicorn had never been seen again.

Gregory, meanwhile, had knelt and hugged the smiling and blushing unicorn, who hugged tightly back. She whispered something to Gregory, who laughed as he stood and held out his hand to silence the crowd again. “Now, unlike Garble, Smolder and Zecora, Starlight Glimmer here is becoming a full blown citizen of Griffonia alone. She has decided to renounce her Equestrian citizenship, as is her right.”

That was even a bigger surprise to the Equestrians, especially Celestia. Renouncing citizenship did happen, but it was an extremely rare circumstance. She could barely remember the last time a pony had renounced their own citizenship. She almost stood to say something, but stayed herself as Starlight held up a hoof, saying something to Gregory, who nodded and broke the hug. She walked over to the last chair and sat. Gregory stood and faced the crowd. “These four are not the only ones becoming citizens of Griffonia today. I see many more in the crowd who will becoming citizens in the next hour. Each member of the council has met each and every one of them, and we’re happy to grant them citizenship. Which means they will have the same opportunities as any citizen should and will be protected under the laws of this nation. So with that, I’d like to present these four with their citizenship papers.”

A light grayish-blue griffon with dark grayish blue wings and head feathers tied back in what looked like a long ponytail flew up and gave a small stack of scrolls to Gregory. Her dark greenish blue eyes sparkled as she looked at Gregory in a way that Celestia couldn’t quite identify at the moment. Gregory then turned, walking over to the four seated non-griffons. The crowd seemed on the edge of their non-existent seats as Gregory took out the scrolls. He gave the scrolls to the four, then stepped back. “Please stand and face the crowd,” he said. When they did so, he faced the gathered crowd and continued, “They have spoken the pledge to me already in private, and have signed the scrolls they have. I and every member of the Imperial Council has signed them. As such, I now present four of the newest citizens of Griffonia!”

The Equestrians nearly fell over at the sound of the applause. But that wasn’t the only thing that stunned them. The griffon who’d brought the papers to Gregory leaped into the air, flew over to him, and planted the most passionate kiss onto his lips.

Overwhelmed, Rarity fainted.

Yeah, this is a short chapter, sorry.