"Well everyone, I guess it's time. Griffin said he wanted us to start negotiating for our surrender today, so we're just going to have to trust him on this." The lead crew members all looked to me and nodded. "So... how should we do it? It's not exactly easy to just say 'we give up'. Any ideas?"

"Lets go with our normal, crude method." Trixie suggested dejectedly. "Just, stick your head out one of the gun ports and shout it or something. They're out there."

"This sucks." Nadene grumbled in the corner while pouting.

"Hey, didn't I say we had to be happy, cheerful little would be prisoners?" The cat merely looked at me with an eye twitch. The rest of the crew had fared alright, but a couple just couldn't keep their spirits up. Nadene and Trixie among them.

"Well, here's hoping they don't shoot me when I poke my head out."

So, that was that, I opened one of the sealed cannon ports, stuck my head out, and shouted.

"Hey! We're uh... ready to surrender! Uh, or, something." The small camp that had sprung up at the base of our ship, where the dogs had been milling about, no longer wasting the effort of trying to keep themselves hidden with camouflage or invisibility spells, had everyone look up all at once. A particularly large dog, couldn't really tell the breed or gender due to the bulky armor covering them, strode forwards and knocked on the hull. It was clear what s/he wanted us to do. So, I went to the main deck, and told Steelhorn to open it up a crack. In response, the chains that had been holding the ship down went slack slightly, letting us open up a bit. It was about a head's size of an opening, not enough to fit through, but enough to speak and be heard.

"I am Ringo, third beta of Ancientwell." Apparently he, spoke with a deep, strong voice that was surprisingly devoid of hostility, and all together, not unpleasant to hear. He seemed bored, though not annoyed by his boredom. Well, considering we made them wait about a week before opening up... At least he spoke intelligently, almost skillfully, as though he had been trained to talk that way. It was altogether odd, given the massive steel club he was lugging around giving him the impression of barbarianism.

"I'm Gilda, of the Griffin Pirates. I am prepared to negotiate for our surrender."

"There will be no negotiations." He stated plainly.

"Why not?" I asked, understandably confused.

"It's simple, if you surrender, then you'll be in our grasp, under the power of Ancientwell. Regardless of what we 'negotiate' you would be in no position to argue your treatment, and have no means of ensuring we fulfill our end of the bargain. Negotiation would be pointless." He explained in that same, bored tone. It's almost as though he were miserable about having to be out here as well.

I sighed. "You have a point. Can you at least guarantee that if we surrender, you're not just going to line us up and kill us? I mean, we're not going to surrender if you're just going to slaughter us. I suppose it would be more apt to ask what your intentions are."

"I am tasked with bringing you and your crew into captivity. What happens after that, I am not responsible for, have no say over, and do not care about. All I can be certain of is that if you do not resist, you will survive at least until I transfer you. After that, it will be up to our leader to decide. Before you ask, I do not know her motives, nor to I care enough to hazard a guess."

"I uh, suppose that'll have to do. Um, okay, uh, well, we'll surrender, but give me three days to inform the crew, pack our belongings and such. I imagine your leader will want the valuables stored onboard as well."

"That is acceptable. Take your time." And with that, he walked away. The ship closed back up, and I went on to tell everyone what had transpired.

*Tatuk*tatuk*tatuk*tatuk*

The sound of the train running on it's rails with a steady clinking was starting to get to me. I had been on board for several hours already, and while the rest of the passengers who were in for a long trip had settled in for a nice nap, I was rather on edge, and I found every little sound the train made extremely irritating. As for distractions, I had a couple fillies and colts ask for my autograph, after about an hour of hushed whispers as to whether or not it was really me, I had a hot chocolate for refreshments, and spent most of my time looking out the window. So, that was okay I suppose. The snow, at least what hadn't melted yet due to it being out in the countryside instead of cleaned up by a town patrol, was slowly turning to slush, though I expect that the snow up in Gem Fido and the Old Dominion wouldn't melt for another couple of weeks yet, barring the mountain tops that were in permafrost.

There was still a few days left of travel before I could get off the train at the station in the Crystal Empire. That was the farthest it would take me. I'd have to fly the rest of the way. In the meantime, I figured I'd eat well in both my forms, and spend some time charging all the gems in the outfit Rarity made for me. After all, I had no idea what I would find when I arrived, and I'd have to be prepared.

Overall, there was this incredible sense of anticipation, as though looking at something massive on the horizon as it slowly but steadily approached.

A couple days passed, and the mood had degraded even more. As if it weren't bad enough that we were surrendering, there wasn't even any guarantee that we wouldn't be killed when we arrived at Ancientwell. Trixie and Nadene had spent an awful lot of time together recently, apparently working on something. I didn't see any need to intervene. If there's anything Griffin taught all of us, it's to always have a backup plan, and if those two come up with something, I'm not going to argue.

Then, Starlight Wisp came up to me with a request.

"Gilda, I need to talk to you."

"What is it?" I replied, not much in the mood for conversation.

"Well, I've been thinking. You know what I'm capable of. Invisibility and intangibility, at least for as long as I can hold my breath. While I may not be able to help anyone else... I'd... I'd like to leave."

"What?"

"I'm fairly confident that if I time when I turn spectral, I'll be able to escape. I.. I know it sounds bad. Cowardly even, just abandoning everyone to save my own hide, it's just that I..."

"I think you're forgetting something Wisp."

"And what's that?"

"We're pirates. Dirty, low down, cowardly tactics. Honourless cheaters. You may not be able to save anyone besides yourself, because having too large a group will get you caught, but if you can save even one person, even if it's just yourself... I say go for it. You wouldn't be abandoning us. After all, if any of us were in your position, we'd do the same thing. If you come across Griffin on the way, point him in the right direction, will ya?"

The unicorn looked at me with tears in the corners of her eyes, her bottom lip quivering.

"Yes ma'am!" She grit her teeth as she turned away. And just like that, she was gone. I looked out through the windows to try and see if I could spot her, but no matter where I looked, I just couldn't find her. I suppose thats a good thing, since none of the dogs camped out down below saw her either.

The day came for us to disembark. We had all packed up our belongings and prepared to leave. We formed a neat line on the deck, leading down into the ship, (since we couldn't all fit up top), and opened the ship up. Ringo was waiting there, still wearing that massive suit of armor, still holding that massive club, that was more like a curved iron rod with a small metal boulder on the end. I can hardly imagine the titanic strength needed to even lift that thing, let alone swing it.

"Ready to go?" Ringo said in that same, bored voice. I turned to look back at everyone, friends, family, people whom I'd come to care for, all with their belongings packed on their backs, ready to give up their freedom, all because they believed. Not in me, but in Grif. He said he'd be coming, and each and every one of them had no doubts in their mind that he would. They all had faith... so then why was I dreading this? Was it a declaration? An acceptance of my failure to perform the task he had given me? Or, maybe, it's because I've been there before, down in the depths, and I know what awaits? Or worse, could it be, that even after everything we'd been through together, I don't think he'll succeed? I can't tell what. I turned to look back at Ringo, swallowed the lump in my throat, took a few breaths to try and steady myself, then answered.

"Yes."

"Alright, put the supplies down here in a big pile. We'll go through it later, but for now we don't want you carrying anything. If someone has something hidden on them, it might give them... ideas."

We did as he asked, throwing all our valuables into the pile, and then we were marched off, single file, under watch by both dogs flanking us, and riding griffins above. I could see in their eyes no sense of hope, or despair, or even disappointment. It's as though they were dead and dark, and the only light and life to them was obedience. What had been done to them to make them so? To totally crush their spirits so that they would do whatever was asked of them without complaint or question? Is that what awaited us? When Griffin arrives to rescue us, is this what he'll find? Will there be anything left of us to rescue?

"Please." I whispered. "Hurry."

After finally settling down to sleep somehow, despite the anxiety I was feeling and the grating noises of the train, which, by the way, I now hate trains, at least old ones like this, because of the infernal click-clacking. Anyways, I somehow managed to sleep, although uncomfortably, since the booths, which can fold out into beds, were meant for beings of 'pony' size, and regardless of which form I was in, I was larger than that. I awoke to the blaring whistle, stating we had reached our destination at the Crystal Empire.

I clamored out of bed, folded it back into the sitting booth, collected my belongings, and with a quick 'reverti' got my wings back before climbing off the train.

First impression of the Crystal Empire...

"GAH! MY EYES!"

Everything was made of crystal. (Duh) And in the rising sun, everything was made of glare. Each building, decoration, and inhabitant became a focus that turned Celestia's oppressive orb into a bajillion tight bandwith lasers aimed directly into my retinas. Clearly, they need to have PSA posters around talking about the dangers of sunrises.

After rubbing my eyes and making sure there was no permanent vision damage, I was finally able to take in the full beauty of the city. For one, everything was SO SPARKLY. Including the pair of foals, one filly, one colt, that made a bee-line for me, jumped on my back and proceeded in their adorable attempts huggle the life out of me.

"Um... do I know you?"

"Mom! Can we keep him? Please please please!"

"Uh... what?"

"Oh... sorry mister." A mare came running up, which prompted her foals to jump off and scurry towards her. "They just got so excited. We haven't seen a griffin around since before Sombra enslaved everyone."

"... and do you normally hug-attack them in the streets?"

"Well, the foals do, yes."

"Um... any reason for that? I'm not exactly from around here."

"Oh, excuse my manners, I'm Misty Morning, these are my children, Sunny day and Cloudy Day. The reason they were so excited is we used to have a griffin living with us, a thousand years ago, before... well, you know. He was our live-in. Took care of them if we needed a foalsitter, kept things nice and tidy, and he made the BEST hay fries... out of potatoes! Can you even imagine? Well, then things went south and he had to go. I can hardly blame him though, trying to escape enslavement is what brought him to us in the first place... Oh, there I go rambling... I haven't even asked you for your name."

"Uh... it's... North. Anyways, nice to meet you three, and I appreciate the history lesson, but I really must be on my way."

"Aaaawwwwwwwwww. Does that mean you won't be staying with us?" The pair pouted.

"We truly wouldn't mind having a griffin in the family again." Misty added.

"Well, as tempting as the offer is, I have my own family, and I need to rescue them before I can do anything."

The three gasped, and immediately began fauning over me. "You poor dear, they were taken by those awful brutes weren't they? And you're going to try to get them back all on your own? You're brave, but foolish. You can't do it yourself."

With that, I looked at them and gave them a smirk. "You clearly don't know who I am." Then I turned and flew off, headed towards Ancientwell.

"Mommy, why did that griffin have a metal wing?"

"Mommy, why did he have scars?"

Misty Morning turned from her foals to look at a news stand, with the headline on the paper reading,

All of Canterlot was in uproar as the famous, (or perhaps infamous) Captain Griffin North got down on his knees and begged our fair princess for help. After getting word of his crew being captured, he saw no alternative than to ask for Equestrian assistance, only to be turned away. The court is divided. Many believe her actions were unjust, due to the service he has done for the nation. After giving so much to Equestria and her people, to be denied assistance, it appears to be a terrible betrayal. The other opinion is that Princess Celestia was indeed just in her actions, though the reason for this is widely varied.

Some have stated that it was 'Too much of an undertaking' for the guard to handle, which raises all sorts of new questions regarding the competency of the guard, and the faith Equestian citizens have in them, while others state that 'It is not an Equestrian affair', though, if assisting a knight of the court to reclaim what may very well be the most potent defense force on the globe from enemy paws is not a worthy cause, then what is? What does this spell for future relations between Equestria and the budding New Dominion? Will hostilities result from this? What of those he has already rescued? Would he have been denied if he were a pony? Is racism running rampant in the capitol of a land founded on friendship? These questions, and dozens more, are running through the minds of leading politicians. Prince Blueblood himself has stated... (Continued on page 12.)

"North... he said his name was North..."

Author's Notes:

If you couldn't picture it from the description of his voice, try imagining 'Ringo' as talking like Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh, except less gravelly and more classy, and echo-y because of the bulky armor distorting the voice. Congrats, you all just thought of Eeyore wearing a top hat and/or monocle.

YOU WILL NEVER KNOW WHAT PRINCE BLUEBLOOD SAID!

There was also a lot of PoV swapping in this chapter. I don't much like PoV swapping inside of a chapter, and prefer to do a whole chapter from one PoV, then switching in the next chapter, which is why this one gave me so much difficulty as I had to try and explain things from every angle all at once while not having it be confusing. That, and between work, the ENDLESS STREAM OF HOLIDAYS AND BIRTHDAYS that took place in the last month and a half, and me finding Dark Souls and having it eat all my free time as I screamed in frustration trying to adapt to it's learning curve.

That, and most of my chapters come as a result of a 'moment of inspiration'. Basically, I'm sitting there and go 'Oh! that's totally it! I'm so doing that!' Considering I had about 12 of them for stuff I want to do AFTER THIS CHAPTER that shows how much I'm looking forward to it. Unfortunately, it means I wasn't getting any inspiration for this chapter, until I did.

#creativewritingisnoteasy
I don't even have a Twitter, or whatever the hell hash tags are for.