---

“Greetings, Agent O. What have you to report today?”

“Commander, something unusual has happened. A pony has showed up in Griffonstone.”

“…Go on.”

“The subject has taken great care to help this pony. She’s a mare of young age, maybe in her twenties. Here is the image I took of her.”

“Hmm…I don’t know this pony, but perhaps one of the other divisions do. I’ll show this to the Emperor. Is there anything else to report?”

“Yes, sir. You see for yourself just how she looks. Apparently, the griffon doctor who looked her over said she hasn’t been eating much for at least a few weeks. She’s also showing signs of blunt trauma. It’s a miracle she’s still standing.”

“I see. What’s her status now?”

“Last I heard, she was in the local hospital being looked after. The subject took her in to be examined only two days ago and she’s apparently been in and out of consciousness.”

“Understood. For now, don’t take any direct action against this pony. Unless the Emperor himself recognizes her, she’s unlikely any immediate threat to you or the subject. Maintain the utmost discretion when dealing with the pony.”

“As you command, sir.”

“I will report this to the Emperor immediately. Long live the Emperor!”

“Long live the Emperor.”

---

Unlike hospitals back on Earth or even in Equestria, at least from what Gregory had seen on the show, the Griffonstone General Hospital was more medieval in nature. It was a long T-shaped building with the front being a guild hall where doctors and certain patients would eat or spend time when they weren’t in bed. Past that, there was a small hallway that led to two infirmary halls where there were beds lining each side of the walls, most with wooden partitions up to separate patients, although more permanent walls were being planned to hopefully stop the spread of disease from patient to patient. While the left and right doors led to the two infirmary halls, a third led to a large domed room filled with medication and hospital supplies which lined the walls on shelves.

It was in the guild hall where Gregory, Gallus, Gilda and Gabby sat, playing a game of poker. However, Gregory’s mind wasn’t completely on the game. Instead, it was focused on the unicorn in one of the infirmary halls.

“You need to relax,” Gallus said. Around them some remnants of a meal they’d eaten earlier sat, one Gregory had begun to slowly introduce to Griffonstone: hamburgers and cheeseburgers. Gracie would have come but she said she was busy at her job until past four, and it was three in the afternoon now.

Gregory, who had a perfect straight flush, put his cards down and rubbed his eyes. He’d taken the unconscious Starlight Glimmer to the hospital the very same night where the doctors there had immediately taken a look at her, especially one Doctor Gabriel who was the leading expert on non-Griffon biology. She’d informed him that Starlight was extremely malnourished and showed signs of having been beaten a few times. She’d had to break out some ketamine for her, which was only a few weeks away from expiring, but which would only last a week. Starlight was hooked up to an IV and while she was showing some signs of improvement like stronger heart rates and easier breathing, she was still unconscious, only coming to irregularly but screaming as if in fear of something. Or someone.

“Why are you so worried about that pony anyway?” Gilda asked.

“What, you mean aside from the obvious signs of starvation and abuse?” he asked harshly. Too harshly than he meant as he saw Gilda’s reaction, which was to twitch angrily. “Shit…I’m sorry. That came out wrong. I didn’t mean-”

“You’re worried,” Gabby, who was sitting next to him, put her claws on his hand gently. He automatically intertwined his fingers with her talons as she continued, “I understand, but you do need to relax.”

Gilda herself eased up as well and nodded. “There’s nothing you can do. The doctors here are the experts, not you. You have some healing magic we don’t know about? Then just relax, okay?” She sounded a bit exasperated now.

Gregory nodded. He knew she was right, of course. He took a couple deep breaths, then picked up his cards again. “I’m still sorry I lashed out,” he said.

“Eh, it’s cool,” Gilda said, waving her free claw dismissively. “Just because I’ve had bad experiences with ponies doesn’t mean this one’s the same, I guess.”

“Bad experiences with ponies? You’re the second one here to mention that,” he replied, although he knew exactly what Gilda was talking about. “Are they really that bad?”

Gilda got a thoughtful look in her eyes. “Eh, maybe not too bad,” she admitted, “but the one I met there was just damned annoying. She was always trying to hang out with an…an old friend of mine. Although, thinking back, I did do some things that I really shouldn’t have,” she admitted as she got a sorrowful look on her face.

Gregory inwardly smiled. The fact that Gilda could openly admit to her faults spoke volumes to her character. Maybe it was because of what happened with the light that came from the Idol, or maybe it was something else. He wasn’t sure. “Well, have you written to this friend or the other ponies and apologized?”

Gilda winced and a frown came over her face. “No…should I?”

“Well, let me ask, whatever you did to those ponies, do you regret it?” Gregory asked.

Gilda stroked her chin, looking down at her cards. After a few seconds, she said, “Yeah…I think so? I’m still upset at that pink one. I mean, I wasn’t gonna be in town that long and I wanted to spend time with Rainbow Dash. I haven’t seen her in years, damn it, but that pink annoyance kept on butting in.” She was gritting her teeth now, but she took a deep breath and exhaled. “Still…I should have probably been cooler about it.”

“Sounds like you were jealous,” Gregory said. “I mean, if Rainbow Dash was a friend you hadn’t seen in years, it makes sense you’d wanna spend as much time with her. I don’t know the whole story, but it sounds like there was fault on both sides.”

Gilda sighed. “Yeah…I was pretty bitchy. I’d go visit them and apologize, but with the closed borders I can’t. Gabby, is mail being allowed through?”

Gabby nodded. “Yeah, but we can’t deliver it. We have to give the mail to the Equestria Postal Service instead. Anytime I’ve gone there, the ponies I’ve met have always apologized for the inconvenience and I’m pretty sure they mean it, too.”

“What kind of monster is this Jason Wright anyway?” Gilda asked angrily.

Gabby’s grip on his hand only increased as Gregory slightly tensed up. However, he maintained his calm and said, “Well, with the changelings at his command, he could have done a hell of a lot worse, I think. He could have taken influential ponies and replaced them and nobody would be the wiser. I don’t know exactly what happened. All I know is what the Ambassador said that day he returned from the Southern Badlands.”

“Everygriffon knows what he said,” Gallus said.

“Still, back to answering your question, Gilda,” Gregory said, “You want to know why I’m concerned about that pony? Well, aside from me unable to see anyone like that without being worried, I came from far away because I wanted to meet some ponies. Actually, you mentioned one earlier, Rainbow Dash. I’ve wanted to meet her and the other Elements of Harmony for a while now. I’m big fans of them and wanted to see if I could become friends with them.”

“Whoo, then your timing sucked,” Gilda said.

Gregory smirked and nodded. “No shit. Still, I’ve been lucky since coming here. For the most part, I suppose.”

“Yeah…how exactly did you fall into the Abyss anyway?” Gallus asked. “You never told us.”

“Ah…well, I’ll tell you all someday, but not here. It’s a bit too…public,” he said, looking around.

“Eh, that’s fine I guess,” Gilda said as she put her cards down finally. “I fold.”

Gregory put five shiny gold bits on the table. “Alright, I call.”

“Hey, has anyone heard about this Imperial Council that’s being formed?” Gallus asked as Gabby put down five bits of her own. “I fold, too.”

“I’ve heard rumors that Grandpa Gruff’s and the Ambassador have been searching the city for worthy members,” Gabby said. “Four of a kind,” she said as she put her cards down.

“Straight flush,” Gregory replied as he put his cards down and collected the pot. “I’ve heard that, too,” he added as he pushed his cards towards the stack and Gilda began shuffling them again. “Seriously, it’s only been one month and you griffons have done so much to fix the city. Now you’re thinking about trying to fix the nation too? You really work fast.”

“These wings aren’t just for show,” Gilda said proudly, spreading them wide for all to see. “We might not have all the fancy stuff that Equestria does, like telephones and telegraph, but we can get messages around just fine.”

“I don’t doubt it,” Gregory smirked. “Kinda wish I had wings, to be honest. I’ve flown on planes a few times in the past, but being able to fly under my own power? That seriously would rock.”

“I can take you flying if you want,” Gabby offered, smiling up warmly at him.

“Maybe another time,” Gregory said. “I’d love to, though.”

Just then the doors to the cafeteria swung open as Doctor Gabriel flew in. She was a dark purple griffon with the same color eyes, white wings and a dark aquamarine set of claws. She looked around, spotted the group and flew up to them. Gregory was already on alert when he saw the serious expression on the doctor’s face. Before he could ask what was happening or what was wrong, she landed and held up a claw. “Mr. Graystone, the pony is awake and fully lucid now. You wanted to talk to her, right?”

Gregory nodded and stood. “Sorry, everyone. Play the next round without me.”

“We’re coming too,” Gilda said, standing as she put the cards down on the table.

“I can’t allow that,” Gabriel said. “She’s not in a very good state of mind, to be honest. She’s scared and not really trusting of anygriffon she talks to.”

“You think I will have any success?” Gregory asked as he straightened his hoodie.

“Maybe,” Gabriel said. “You’re the first creature she met in that alley, right?”

“True.” The human turned to the other griffons at the table. “Stay here, everyone. I’ll go see if I can calm the pony down.” Turning to Gabriel, he nodded. “Lead on, doctor.”

Gabriel nodded and turned, heading towards the hallway. The two headed down in silence, Gabriel still flying while Gregory walked quietly beside her, deep in thought. It had been bothering him that Starlight Glimmer, of all ponies, was this far away from Equestria. He wondered why she wasn’t eager to get revenge on Twilight. Then again, he had to remind himself that Ponyville never once got destroyed by a changeling army led by another human. Some things were definitely going to be different, and he knew that his own interference in griffon affairs had changed a lot, too.

As they walked, Gabriel looked over at him. “Mr. Graystone, just a fair bit of warning, the patient had to be restrained and we had to put a magical restraining ring on her horn just in case. The way you described her was a bit worrying. And if her trying to use magic is what caused her to pass out, then I’d rather not risk her trying anything.”

“You’re the doctor,” Gregory said, “so I trust your judgment.”

She nodded, looking relieved just as the two reached the right door in the hall. “She’s just inside. First bed to the left,” Gabriel said. “She’s refusing to eat, though, She said something about not eating rotten griffon food.” Gabriel then looked vaguely insulted. “Our food isn’t rotten! Not anymore, anyway.”

Gregory smiled. “I’ll talk to her for you,” he said. “Maybe I’ll have more success.”

“I hope so,” Gabriel said. “Griffon or pony, I don’t like seeing my patients upset. Good luck, sir.” So saying, she turned and flew off towards another room.

Gregory took a deep breath, exhaled, then slowly turned the doorknob, pushing the door open. The smell of antiseptic assaulted his nostrils as he entered as well as the large echoing sound of the door opening. The infirmary hall was massive, large enough to create echoes. Near the arched ceiling he saw large windows which let in warm sunlight. The majority of the beds weren’t partitioned off since they were empty, but the one directly to his left wasn’t.

Turning, he found himself looking, at a distance, into the dark blue eyes of a frowning Starlight Glimmer. Unlike how he’d found her before, she looked cleaner, with her mane having been brushed and tended to with excellent care. Her fur had also been trimmed down to get rid of the knots in them. Her mane was styled similarly to how she’d first appeared. She locked eyes with him and frowned deeper. “What kind of creature are you? Did that griffon doctor send you to force me to eat something?”

Gregory frowned and grabbed a stool from a large stack near the door. Walking slowly over to her, he set it near the wall and sat down, crossing his legs. “Listen, miss,” he said, “you’re in very capable hands here. The griffons have been taking care of you, I’ve made sure of that.”

Starlight narrowed her eyes at him, then they widened in recognition. “I know you…you’re that weird biped I met in the alley!”

“Gregory Graystone at your service, miss,” he said. “And to answer your question, I’m a human being.”

Starlight raised an eyebrow. “Hmm…never heard of a human. You sure you aren’t some malformed minotaur?”

He smirked. “Do I look malformed to you?” he asked. “No, miss, I’m a human. I came here from really far away, farther than you can imagine.”

She lowered her head at me and a sudden look of concentration came over her. However, when nothing happened, she began to panic. “Why isn’t my magic working?!”

“Hey, relax,” Gregory said. “The doctors had to restrain you and put a magic dampening ring on your horn for your own protection.”

“I don’t need protection,” Starlight growled as she struggled to escape, only to find she couldn’t. “Let me out of here!”

“And let you live on the streets, dirty, hungry and alone?” Gregory asked. “You honestly think the doctors here would be okay with that? They might be griffons, but a doctor of any race has a duty to their patients. And right now, you’re one of them.”

Starlight glowered at the human, then lay back down, giving up. Her anger slowly gave way to another emotion: despair. “I just…all I wanted was…was equality…” she clammed up immediately and turned away from Gregory.

Gregory stood, moved his stool closer to her slowly, then sat down next to her bed. He sat there as the bright purple unicorn stared at the wooden partition separating her from the bed next to hers. Finally, he spoke. “What’s your name, miss?”

He wasn’t expecting an answer, but to his surprise, she opened her mouth. “S-Starlight Glimmer.” The way she said it, though startled Gregory. It was as if she was about to cry.

“Miss Glimmer,” he said, “I meant what I said. You’re in very capable hands here. The doctor who’s been looking after you is certified in nongriffon biology. She has a doctorate from the Equestrian Institute of Medicine and has treated other ponies during her tenure in Equestria. She’s the best doctor you’ll find on ponies this side of the Celestial Sea.”

Starlight didn’t say anything for a while, just hugged her blanket closer to her. Gregory watched and waited for her to respond. Eventually, she said, “How can I trust you?”

“A good question,” he said, “and I understand why you’d ask. Truth of the matter is, you really don’t have any reason to. Only…I’m the one who brought you here. The staff here have been working tirelessly to keep you secure and safe. Doctor Gabriel, the one I told you about just now, is worried about your health. She told me that not only are you malnourished, but you’ve also shown signs of physical abuse.” Starlight stiffened at that, but said nothing. Gregory sighed, then continued. “Listen, Miss Glimmer, you don’t have to tell me anything. Whatever happened is your business and it isn’t anything anyone here needs to know unless it was a griffon who did that to you.”

She immediately shook her head. “N-No, it wasn’t a griffon…it happened in Equestria…”

His eyes widened at that. If that was the case, then ponies had done this to her. He knew that ponies weren’t perfect, but to beat anyone struck him as a new low. All he could do was hope that it was an isolated incident. “I’m really sorry that happened to you,” he said, “but whoever did this to you is too far away to harm you.”

She nodded slowly. “Th-Thank you,” she whispered.

“Do you feel strong enough to eat something?” he asked, glancing to a bowl sitting on an end table. In it was a still steaming bowl of what looked and smelled like tomato soup with a spoon sitting in it.

“I…I guess so,” she said, finally rolling back over. And that was when he saw a few tears streaming down her cheeks.

He quickly grabbed a clean towel from a nearby rack and reached out to clean her face. All the anger and rage in her was gone, replaced with depression and despair. She didn’t react to Gregory helping her, at least not initially. Her eyes looked devoid of any happiness. When he finished, he gently helped her into a sitting position. It wasn’t too easy considering the fact that she was basically chained down, but the restraints were loose enough that she could sit up as long as her forelegs were by her side. Grabbing the platter that the bowl was on, he gingerly brought it down, extended the legs and set it down in front of her. Then, he grabbed the spoon and brought up a healthy helping of the soup towards her. “Here,” he offered.

She looked at the spoon, then at him. There was a brief flash of defiance in her eyes which quickly gave way to resignation as she opened her mouth. He put the spoon in and she took her first bite. Her eyes widened as she tasted it, and for the first time since Gregory had seen her in real life, she smiled. “This is…better than I thought it would be,” she said.

“I don’t know what you might have heard about griffons,” Gregory said as he took another spoonful of soup and moved it over to her, “but things are changing around here. Changing for the better.”

She took the second bite with less resistance and nodded. “I don’t know much about griffons,” she admitted. “The library in our old town wasn’t very big and I’d read everything in there a few times.” When she mentioned her old town, a shadow seemed to pass over her face and she looked down at her barrel. It wasn’t a long glance, but Gregory noticed it. In fact, she’d looked at the spot where the majority of her injuries had come from.

“Well,” Gregory said softly, “Griffonstone’s library is currently down for repairs, but I might be able to arrange for you to read some books from there if you want. The doctor says that you should be here for a few days more before she feels confident in releasing you. I imagine you’ll probably get bored.”

She nodded. “Some books might be nice,” she admitted. “I like reading. It helps me forget…certain things.”

Gregory smiled. “What kind of books do you want? There were all sorts of books that were saved from the library. Most were griffon themed, of course.”

“Can I get some history books?” Starlight asked.

“Sure,” Gregory replied kindly. “And listen, I’m sorry if I scared you that night.”

She sighed as she took another bite of the soup. “I should probably apologize, actually,” she said. “I was angry and scared. I thought you were going to steal from me.”

“I guess I can understand why you’d think that,” Gregory said with a nod. “But you’re safe here, I promise.”

For the first time, she seemed to relax. “Thank you…” she said.

---

“I can’t believe it,” Gabriel said as she looked at Starlight from a distance as a griffon nurse looked her over and asked her some questions. “How’d you get her to calm down?”

“I just talked to her,” Gregory admitted as the nurse next to Starlight wrote something down on a pad. “By the way, her name is Starlight Glimmer. That’s about all I managed to get out of her. That, and whoever hurt her was in Equestria.”

“Pony on pony violence?” Gabriel asked, sounding appalled. “I thought Equestria was supposed to be the land of friendship and harmony?”

“Nobody’s perfect, doc,” Gregory said. “By the way, she’s asked for some books to read during her stay here. I was going to see if I could get her some griffon history books.”

“There’s no need for that,” Gabriel said, “I’m pretty sure we have some books here. History books, too. I’m pretty sure we have Bygone Griffons Of Greatness in our small library. They haven’t been touched in years, but I can get them cleaned off and let her read them.”

“Does that mean you’re gonna let her use her magic?” Gregory asked.

Gabriel shook her head. “She’s still too weak. There isn’t as much magic in Griffonia as there is in Equestria and she needs time to recover from whatever spell she tried to cast on you.” She pointed to a small blackened crystal that was on the end table. “See that? It’s a magical containment crystal we import from the Crystal Empire. It’s designed to pull magic from the air for the treatment of magical deficiency. Griffons don’t use as much magic as ponies when we fly, so we don’t use them. But that pony needed multiple infusions of magic, and she still needs more before I’ll be comfortable taking that ring off.”

“And even then, it might not be a good idea,” Gregory said. “She’s emotionally vulnerable and might lash out at any time. She might be calm now, but she’s one emotional outburst away from hurting someone or herself.” He turned to her. “How long will she be here? The truth now.”

Gabriel sighed. “Honestly? At least three days, maybe four. I’d rather have her here for a week or more but…” here she trailed off.

“She might start climbing up the walls if she’s here any longer, right?” Gregory finished.

“A rather unique way of putting it, but yes,” the doctor said with a small smile. “Although, right now, she does look calmer than she did when she woke.”

“Do you think it would be okay if I stopped by and visited with her while she’s here for maybe an hour or so each day?” Gregory asked.

“If you being here for only ten minutes can help calm her down, an hour might be a good thing for her,” Gabriel said.

“I hope I can bring my friends with me, too,” Gregory added.

“One step at a time,” Gabriel cautioned. “See how wary she looks talking to my nurse? She’s probably nervous around anygriffon. You’re not a griffon, so it’s possible she can relate to you a bit more.”

“Well, let me at least let Gabby meet her,” Gregory said, “She has a friendly behavior that Starlight might find a bit relaxing.”

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea, either,” Gabriel said. “I’ve met that griffoness. She’s an acquired taste.”

“I know she’s excitable a lot of the time,” Gregory replied, “but I’ve seen her be tender too. She’s a smart griffoness, doc. She knows when to tone it down.” He remembered their tender moment after she’d come to bring him home after his first day cleaning out the library. The warmth in her eyes as she’d hugged him. He knew she would be a good influence on Starlight.

“Well…if you’re sure, but I’d like to have one of my nurses nearby just in case.”

“I think I can agree to that,” he said. “Thanks, doc.”

She nodded. “You’re the Idol Bearer,” she said with a smile, “you’ve earned a lot of respect from the city here. And not just because you returned the idol.”

He was about to ask what she meant when the door to the infirmary opened and another griffon nurse walked over towards the two of them. “I’m sorry for interrupting,” the nurse said, “but a message just came for Mr. Graystone.” She held up a large scroll in her claws towards the human.

Gregory took it. “Thank you,” he said as he broke the official looking seal and unraveled the paper. He read the following:

To Gregory Graystone,

As you may very well be aware from the rumors spreading around Griffonstone, there is a council being formed which will act out of the Griffonstone Keep and work to try and rebuild our great and proud nation. There are a clawful of griffons already on this council, and we would like to speak to you about something important as soon as possible. If you want, you can bring your companions with you. It is a matter of great importance. We will be in the old throne room where the Idol of Boreas now lies.

Penned by,

Council Member Gwendolyn

Gregory raised an eyebrow as he slowly rolled up the scroll again. He’d never met a griffon named Gwendolyn, but she sounded like a more formal type of griffon than any he’d met before. As he put the scroll in his hoodie pocket, he looked at the doctor. “Well, someone wants to see me. Sorry to leave so soon. Is it okay if I say goodbye to Starlight?”

“Be my guest,” she said, gesturing over to the pony, who was now alone and staring up at the ceiling with a bored expression.

He nodded in thanks before walking over to the pony. She looked up at him briefly and looked a bit relieved to see him. “Mr., um…Graystone, was it? Thank you for earlier. I feel a bit better.”

“You’re welcome,” he said. “I spoke to the doctor, and she’ll get you some books from the hospital library. But the magic ring needs to stay on. Doc says you still need to recover your magic.”

Her smile faded a bit. “Nnng…are you sure I can’t use just a bit of magic?”

“She says you still need some more magical transfusions,” he said as he pointed to the crystal next to her bed. “You fainted from just lighting up your horn, Miss Glimmer, so until you’re back to one hundred percent, no magic. I’m sorry, but I trust her judgement, so just do what she says. Unfortunately I need to go now, but I’ll try and pay you a visit tomorrow and see how you’re doing.”

She relaxed a bit at that. “Well, okay…I hope I can trust your word, Mr. Graystone.”

“Just call me Gregory, Miss Glimmer,” he said. “I prefer that.”

“Um…okay, sure,” she said. Her ears perked up a bit. “So…tomorrow then?”

“Tomorrow.” He held out his hand to her. She stared at it nervously, then reached out and touched it. He wrapped his hand around it and shook it gently. “Just please do what the doctors and nurses say. You’ll receive amazing care here.”

“Alright,” she said, “I’ll see you later then. And you can call me Starlight.”

“Sure thing, Starlight. See you tomorrow.” With that, he stood and headed out of the infirmary, took a right, headed down the hallway and back into the guild hall.

When the other griffons saw him, they waved him over. Gregory noted that Gracie had finally showed up and was sitting down, chowing down on a small burger of her own. Gabby flew over to him. “So? How’s the pony?” she asked as she flew beside him back to the table.

“Her name’s Starlight Glimmer,” he said, “and right now, she’s pretty weak. She’ll recover in a few days, though. I’d ask if you want to meet her, Gabby, but not right now.” He pulled out the scroll and held it up. “I’ve been asked to go to the Keep to meet with a few griffons. The note said I could bring you all with me if you want to come with me.”

“I’ll come!” Gabby said happily, smiling warmly at me.

“I don’t mind coming,” Gracie said, swallowing what was in her mouth.

“Eh, sure, why not?” Gilda said. “It’ll give me a chance to see the idol again.”

Gallus just shrugged. “Fine with me,” he said as he grabbed the cards and put them back in their case, placing them back on the table where they’d been when the group got there.

“And it’ll give me a chance to do this!” Gabby said, suddenly moving behind Gregory and wrapping her arms around his midsection.

“Hey, what are you doing-? Whoa!” Gregory found himself being lifted off the ground with surprising ease. “Wait! My bag!”

“I’ve got it,” Gilda said, grabbing the human’s backpack and slinging it over her back as she flew towards the door, which she opened. She stepped back, a grin on her face. “Show him, Gabby!”

“Hoooolyyyyy shiiiiit!” Gregory exclaimed as Gabby effortlessly flew him directly out of the door. She shot directly into the sky. “Whoooooaaaa! Careful!”

“You’ll be fine!” Gabby giggled as the two flew higher and higher into the air.

Gregory’s fear was quickly replaced with awe. It was a bit cold now since Autumn was now in full swing, and what few trees were actually full of leaves were changing colors. He wasn’t sure exactly just how the city had looked before he’d opened that portal to Equestria or whatever the planet was really called, but he could see the results of just about a month’s worth of griffons coming together, pooling their resources to restore their capital city. Yes, there was a lot more to do, and from his new vantage point he could see plenty of ruined sections of the city, but for the most part things were looking up for Griffonstone. “Wow…I can’t believe we’re flying,” he said softly.

Gabby laughed. “Just wait until I really let loose!” she said as she tightened her grip on the human and shot up higher, heading towards the massive white keep at the very top of Griffonstone’s massive tree-shaped understructure.

“Whooooaaaa!” he shouted again as they zoomed up towards the massive towering structure. He felt like he was on a roller coaster, the wind blowing through his hair which had grown out slightly since coming to this world. “Haaahahaha!” he laughed as he spread his arms, letting himself trust Gabby’s strength more and pretending that he was the one actually flying. “Woooohoooo!”

He heard Gabby laughing behind him. “Having fun??”

“So much!” he shouted back at her, a wide grin plastered on his face now.

“If you think that’s fun, wait until you feel this!” With that, Gabby reangled herself and began to dive. Gregory felt his stomach rise, and he screamed once more, partially out of fear and partially out of adrenaline induced excitement. When they were about twenty or so feet away from the ground, Gabby spread her wings wide and their descent nearly stopped. He heard her grunting as she held onto him tighter as she flew down towards the ground near the keep’s entrance where the other griffons were waiting for them.

Gilda was smirking as the two landed. Her smirk only widened as Gregory landed on all fours, holding onto the ground and trembling a bit with the adrenaline rush. “Have fun there, human?”

“Hah…hah…that was…without a doubt…the scariest…funnest…most death defying experience I’ve ever had!” Gregory said as Gabby helped him to his feet. He was panting hard, but there was a goofy grin on his face. He tried to take a step forward, but stumbled a bit. Gabby was immediately by his side, as was Gracie who flanked him. “Heh, I’m alright,” he said. “Just…can I have my backpack?”

“Yeah, here,” Gilda said, handing it to him. “What’s in there, anyway?”

“Just the essentials,” he said as he pulled out a large metal bottle. He unscrewed the cap and took a large swig of the water inside, then closed the lid and shoved it back in. “Aaah…that’s the ticket.” He stood up straighter, ran his hand through his hair and straightened his clothes. “Okay. Let’s go see what this Gwendolyn wanted.” With that, he and the others headed inside.

Minutes later, they were standing in what had once been the throne room in front of the large table where the idol, crown, sash and gold ring all still sat. There were currently three other griffons sitting on large chairs around the tree stump table. He recognized two of them as Grandpa Gruff and the Ambassador he’d met, but the third one was, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful griffonesses he’s met. She had light brown fur, golden feathers in her plumage which fell down her sides like wavy hair, and bright green eyes. Her claws were yellow much like the majority of griffons he’d seen. Said griffon stood up and bowed. “Mr. Graystone, everygriffon, thank you for coming. I am Gwendolyn, Head Secretary of this impromptu Imperial Council. I assume you all know Grandpa Gruff and Ambassador Geoffrey?”

Gregory nodded. “Hello, everyone,” he said. “I don’t know if you’ve all met, but let me introduce my friends here.” He stepped aside and indicated the four griffons beside him. “This is Gabriella, the first griffon I met and the one who saved me from the Abysmal Abyss. This is Gilda, one of the best scone making griffons in the city and one of the best workers in the city. This is Gallus, an amazing griffon lad, hardworking too. And this is Gracie, a kindhearted friend I accidentally ran into a while ago.”

Grandpa Gruff stood, coughing hard. Gregory noted that it sounded a lot like a smoker’s cough, but he ignored it as the elder griffon looked down at him. “For the past few weeks, I’ve been keepin’ my eye on you, Gregory Graystone,” he said, pointing to his one good eye, “and do you know what I’ve seen?”

“Um…no idea,” Gregory admitted with a shrug.

“You’ve been inspirin’ everygriffon around you to help make this city proud and great once more,” Gruff said, slamming his fist on the table. “There’s some amazin’ potential in that noggin of yours to do even greater things for all griffonkind. And not just because you’re the Idol Bearer! And you haven’t asked for anythin’ in return!”

“Well, um, than you for the high praise,” Gregory said, looking a bit sheepish, “but I was just doing the right thing by returning the Idol. It’s not mine, after all.”

“By griffon law, it was yours,” Geoffrey said in a less harsh tone than Grandpa Gruff naturally used. “But you gave it up even though you could have sold it and earned a lot of bits.”

“Like I said, it wasn’t mine,” Gregory repeated.

“You’re showin’ true pride, just like a griffon would,” Grandpa Gruff said before falling into a coughing fit.

“What Grandpa Gruff and Ambassador Geoffrey are trying to say,” Gwendolyn said in her melodious tone of voice as Gruff grabbed a glass of water from the table, “is that you deserve a reward for all your hard work. And we have a couple of rewards for you. First, this.” She pointed at a stack of papers, a singular paper next to it, and a large leather bag. “Go ahead and take it.”

Gregory walked up and picked up the papers first. He looked them over carefully, and his eyes widened. Citizenship. He had been granted complete Griffonian citizenship. He was stunned, unable to fathom just how this was possible. He looked over the paperwork carefully, noting that the date on the bottom read as the first day he’d arrived. He certainly wasn’t expecting this. Looking up at the three griffons, he was stunned to see a quill pen being pushed towards him with an ink bottle next to it. “All it needs is your signature,” Gwendolyn said with a genuine smile.

He gently put the paper down, then grabbed the pen. He looked down at the paper, then at the pen, then back at his new friends. Gabby was giving him a thumbs up, Gilda was giving him a look that said ‘Get it over with, fucker’, Gallus was simply nodding at him, and Gracie was smiling gently at him. This wasn’t at all the life he’d expected when he first came to this world. He’d expected to at least have met the Mane Six, Spike, the princesses, hell, even the Cutie Mark Crusaders and everyone in Ponyville. But to have been offered citizenship only after one month? It was a bit overwhelming.

“Is something wrong?” Gwendolyn asked, sounding worried. “Did we assume too much?”

Gregory shook his head. “N-No, sorry. I’m just a bit…overwhelmed is all. You’ve all been far too kind and accepting of me,” he said with a wide smile. “Sorry, I know I’m being a bit sappy.”

“Just sign the damn paper, Gregory!” Gilda shouted with a half cocked smirk on her face.

“Right, yeah…” he said as he dipped the pen into the ink bottle. He’d gotten used to using them ever since coming to Equestria, even getting some practice in back on Earth before coming here. With a flourish, he signed his full name: Gregory Eugene Graystone.

“Excellent,” Gwendolyn said as she took two of the papers with her, each of which had his same signature on them. “One of these are for our records and one is a spare in case yours is damaged or lost.” She then pointed to the single piece of paper. “This is the second part of your first reward.”

He reached down and picked it up and was floored even further. It was a deed. A deed to a plot of land somewhere in the city. Looking up, the smiling face of the female griffon locked eyes with me. “We haven’t built the house yet,” she explained, “but we’ve put together a crack team of griffons to begin construction at the end of the week. I understand you’re staying with Miss Gabriella here, correct?”

“Um, yes I am, Miss Gwendolyn,” he said.

“Well, they’ll be by sometime this week in the afternoon to talk to you about the plans,” Gwendolyn said kindly.

“But…won’t that cost a bundle?” Gregory asked.

“Everything’s already been paid for in regards to building materials,” Geoffrey said, “plenty of griffons pitched in for this as a way to thank you for all you’ve done.”

“It’s the least we could do for helping us,” Grandpa Gruff said.

From behind him, Gabby was quick to catch and steady Gregory as he became more overwhelmed by the gifts being literally showered on him. “I…you’re giving me a home…?” he asked. “I can’t…believe it,” he said.

Gwendolyn laughed softly then pointed to the bag on the table. “Don’t forget the final part of your first reward.”

Gregory took it and lifted it, surprised at how heavy it was. However, he was further surprised by the jingle he could hear from inside. He undid the bag and looked inside, only to see a large pile of shiny bits. He looked up at them. “How…how much is in here?” he asked.

“Five hundred bits, Mr. Graystone,” Geoffrey said.

He was floored. “That’s…wow…” he looked down at the open bag, then back at the griffons at the table. Slowly, he closed the bag. “Are you really sure about this?” he asked. He knew that griffons didn’t give out rewards easily. It went against their natural greed, but Gabby had told him during their time discussing griffon culture that if he refused any gift from a griffon it would be seen as extremely rude. He felt guilty for accepting all three of these gifts, but the looks on the faces of every griffon there told him that it would be okay.

“Very sure,” Gwendolyn said. “You’ve more than earned them.”

Nodding, he took off his backpack and slipped the bag of bits inside along with both pieces of paper which he slipped into a folder to keep them safe. He looked back at them. “I…how can I ever repay you?”

Grandpa Gruff’s smile became a smirk. “Well…there’s one thing you can do, sonny.”

“Grandpa Gruff, please,” Gwendolyn said, “I said I would tell him, not you.”

“Yeah, yeah,” the grumpy older griffon said with a wave of his claw.

Gwendolyn stood, walked around the table, and came to stand right in front of Gregory. “Now, please understand, this next reward is something that you can very much refuse.” Gregory heard the shocked gasps from behind him from his friends, but Gwendolyn ignored them as she continued. “Grandpa Gruff isn’t the only griffon who’s been watching you, sir. I’ve seen how other griffons follow you. I’ve seen griffons who were once the laziest and meanest bastards in the city pick up a shovel or hammer and begin working to rebuild. It wasn’t just the Idol’s light that changed them. It was watching how you, an outsider, would just selflessly spend most of your free time helping when you didn’t need to. A lot of griffons like you, Mr. Graystone. We performed a secret survey around the city, and a lot of griffons thought you would be the perfect fit for what we’re about to ask of you.”

“Why do I have the feeling you’ve…actually, no, forget I said that,” he said, realizing that him accusing them of bribing him would have been even ruder than refusing. “What is it?”

Gwendolyn gave him a self deprecating smile. “If you were about to say we were bribing you, I’ll be honest, that was a part of why we gave you those gifts. But it wasn’t the main reason. We here really wanted to give you this. We owe you a debt that we can’t repay, but this is a start. We hope.”

Gregory swallowed. “Well, what do you want me to do?” he asked curiously.

She looked back at the two male griffons, both of whom nodded at her. She nodded back, turning back to Gregory. “We’re still looking for members of this council, but even a council needs a leader. If you’re willing, the current members of the council, the three of us, were hoping you would become our Chancellor. Now before you say yes,” she quickly added when she saw the shocked expression on Gregory’s face, “we want you to know there’s no pressure to say yes. You have time to think about it, but a lot of griffons believe you’re the perfect creature for the job.”

“W…wow…Chancellor?” Gregory repeated, still unable to believe that they’d ask him to take a leadership role in this country even when he wasn’t a griffon. “Are you sure you want me?”

“The griffons of Griffonstone like you,” Geoffrey interjected before Gwendolyn could reply, “and a few of them even see you as more than Chancellor material.”

“You’ve changed Griffonstone forever,” Grandpa Gruff said, “Of course they’d think you’re the best choice!”

“That…that’s a really big decision,” Gregory said.

“Take your time to think about it,” Gwendolyn said, putting a claw on Gregory’s arm reassuringly. “There’s really no pressure.”

“Here,” Geoffrey said, holding out a small booklet, “this pamphlet explains what being a Chancellor would entail. It should help with your decision. To be honest, it isn’t as hard of a job as it sounds.”

“Yeah, thank you,” Gregory said, taking the booklet with a trembling hand. “I’ve gotta say, today’s been full of surprises…with that pony waking up and all this? I’m really at a loss for words.”

“We understand,” Gwendolyn said with a sympathetic smile, “and we’ll wait for your decision.”

“Thank you,” he repeated. “Was there, well, anything else?”

“For the moment, no,” Gwendolyn said. “Thank you for taking time out of your day to come down here, though. We all hope you have a pleasant day.”

After the others said their own goodbyes, Gregory walked towards the door which led to the main hallways of the keep. As he walked, Gabby and Gilda flanked him. He was in his own little world, his mind reeling from everything that happened in the past few minutes. But foremost on his mind was the request. The request to be a Chancellor. All he could really think was: What do I do here?

Next Chapter: 9: The Journey Continued Estimated time remaining: 19 Hours, 46 Minutes