After the escapades with Bluster and Gale, the former of which healing quite quickly, with spring in full swing there were a few layoffs in the clothing industry. As per our request, Gilda and I were among those given time off, so we could deal with the matter of things that were left unfinished. I decided that, first and foremost, I had debts to repay which were long overdue. First off was Fancypants, who gave me the money I needed to hire mercenaries for a distraction. The first stop was Canterlot.

Our reception was quiet and without fanfare. Just a pair of guards giving us a quick nod. Gilda took Seth to get us a hotel for the duration of our stay while I went to FancyPants manor, all the while followed by a pair of eyes in the sky trying very hard to not be noticed. I'm glad to see our lookout wasn't constricted to Wingsconsen.

"Well it may have taken longer than I thought but when I'm right I'm right. I knew you'd be back." The dapper one spoke.

"Indeed you did, though did you HAVE to say 'Crawl your way out of the underworld.'?" We shared a chuckle at that.

"So, what became of the mercenaries you hired?"

"Dead." Was my sharp reply.

"I'd say I'm disappointed but then again you 'died' yourself. I'd be rather cross if you threw lives away and didn't give it your all, but it seems the sacrifice was necessary."

"Fancypants, can we please quit the formalities? I'm here for business." The stallion had a way of talking down to you without ACTUALLY talking down to you. He said nothing offensive, but the tone struck me as 'If you didn't suck so much it wouldn't have been necessary.'... Or, perhaps I'm reading far more than is really there and he means no such thing at all. Canterlot, where more is told by what is not said than what is said.

"Indeed. Here to do some modeling. We should be able to finish in about a week, given the time it'll take to get everything prepared. I'll have to send to letters letting certain ponies know we're ready to begin, we'll have to take your measurements and have the outfits custom fit. Hmm, yes, about a week." Fancypants mused.

"Okay. We'll be staying in the 'Honed Horn Hotel'. Just let me know when you're ready to begin."

With that, I went back to said hotel and got a room key from Gilda. At that point, we had a bit of a dilemma.

"Gilda, while we're here, I think I should speak to the princesses."

"I agree." That kind of surprised me. I had my reasons, I'm not exactly sure what hers were.

"You do?"

"Since you came back you've been wearing a scowl every time they come up in conversation, Celestia specifically... SEE! you're doing it right now!"

I sighed.

"I didn't think I was that transparent."

"Or maybe I just know you too well, which is why I'm telling you right now, don't do anything you'll regret."

"Gilda, what's that supposed to mean?"

"I just mean to keep your temper, that's all."

"I'll be fine. If I don't keep my temper, half the roof will be missing from the castle, the city will go into a panic and you can come yell at me okay?"

"Deal."

"Where daddy going?" Seth, who had been silent most of the trip, asked. Oddly enough, he didn't behave how I expected a regular child to behave. Most of the time he was content to sit and listen, taking in everything around him, and only asking questions when the topic concerned him. Regular children always need to be the center of attention and ask mundane, pointless questions simply for the sake of annoying others, or they talk endlessly just to hear themselves speak. Then again, Seth isn't a HUMAN child. He's only a year old, doesn't wear diapers anymore and is already talking.

It's moments like this that it really hits me. I'm a FATHER. I have a SON. And we're chimeras, living in a land of mythology. But mostly that I'm a dad.

"It's alright Seth, daddy is an important person, and he has to go talk to the princesses." Gilda explained.

"Can I come?" Gilda and I looked at each other, each expecting the other to have an excuse. I spoke first.

"Well... you COULD, but it'll be really boring. I don't even want to go but I have to. You could go with mommy to the park instead." I suggested.

"Okay... can I have ice cream?" He asked.

"Yes, you can have ice cream."

The guards to the castle didn't even bother trying to stop me from entering. Likely because the last pair of guards who tried to bar my way had their heads clonked together. The quietly stepped aside and sent someone ahead to announce my presence. The hall was empty, apparently it had been a quiet day, and Celestia sat on her throne with her mane blowing in the nonexistent breeze like it always does.

"Griffin, I've been expecting you. You sent a letter saying 'We need to talk' and then spent months avoiding me."

I said nothing. Don't do or say... or feel anything I'll regret. Dr. Exotic told me I'd have to be careful what I feel, or else my magic might react to my will and obliterate things.

"Well, if you have something to say, I'm all ears." Will you GIVE ME A MINUTE!? I'm trying to compose myself so I don't blabber like a moron.

"I was awake when you visited me. I heard everything." I stated plainly. She visibly drooped at that.

"I see. And what do you have to say in regards to that?" Sun Butt asked.

"Nothing, yet."

"Yet?"

"Yes, see there's something that's been bothering me. Something that doesn't quite add up."

"Oh? Do tell."

"It's too soon to tell. I could ask you, but I don't think I'd get a proper answer that way. The question is more something that needs to be... tested, rather than asked. Either I've been right all along, in which case I'm pretty dang mad at you but I'll get over it, or, I've been wrong this entire time."

"And if it turns out you've been wrong?" She asked hopefully.

"In that case, I'm absolutely furious and cannot be held accountable for my actions due to being consumed by blind rage, and I hope you won't hold it against me, or the New Dominion, when I try my very best to kill you."

"Um... what?"

"Like I said, I'm too busy right now to spend the time to try and figure out what the answer is, but one day when I have some free time and am in the proper mood, I sincerely hope for your sake that you're able to completely thrash me. Other than that, I have some business to take care of. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to use my magic to GENTLY open the door to this chamber."

I reached out to the grand oak slab at the end of the hall and slammed it open so fast I snapped one of the hinges, leaving the door to hang limply in it's frame, bits of splinters sticking out from where it was impacted, and paint stripped off where the hinge was ripped out of the wood. I turned to look at the princess over my shoulder.

"You see the problem then? Yeah, it's kind of an issue." And with that, I left. See? I controlled myself! No problem at all!

"Griffin! What do you mean 'Try to kill me'? And what question? What test? Answer me!" I ignored her as I walked out of the castle. "Guards st.... no... let him go. *Mumble* Where does he get off talking like that, *mumblemumble* threatening royalty."

Author's Notes:

Now, I'm certain you're all confused by this, so I'll try to clarify it here.

At one point in the future, after the Tirek event, Griffin is going to fight Celestia. Not because he's angry, well, he is, but he wants to figure out HOW angry.

If Celestia beats him, that means that she's stronger than he is, she could have helped him and chose not to. So yeah, he'd be kind of mad about that, but it was her choice. Why doesn't God step in and stop all the harsh cruelties of the world? Who knows. I don't. But that's the way it is.

If he beats HER, then it's a completely different story. For one, she didn't CHOOSE not to help him back at Ancientwell. She COULDN'T have. Her weakness would mean she wouldn't have been able to help if she went, and he'd likely wind up having to rescue her as well, or, in a worst case scenario, choose between her and all of Equestria, or his family.

To Griffin, choosing not to help do something is better than having someone offer to help and then only get in the way.

Secondly, it means that he, a mere mortal (1/4th divine, it's mortal enough) was able to defeat the immortal spirit of the sun. Essentially, a god. When ponies see something shocking they say 'Oh my Celestia' (Rarity on seeing the Crystal Castle) or 'Sweet Celestia!'(Spike on seeing how 5 of the mane six decorated the Crystal Castle) Lets face it. In Equestria, she's god. Up until this point, she's only been beaten by other entities in her 'weight class' Nightmare Moon, Discord, Tirek, (not actually happened yet) Chrysalis (who was strong enough to beat her when fueled by love, but weak enough for Griffin to beat because of his hate, she's a special case)

Ponies all see Celestia as their Goddess, they practically worship her, and they all look to her for their protection. This is playing all the way back to the EARLY chapters of Griffin the griffin, when he had to rescue a bunch of drunk campers outside Manehatten because they believed that they were untouchable because Celestia would protect them, so they felt no need to protect themselves.

When the entire country relies upon you and refuses to protect itself because they think their GOD will do it for them, and it's all a lie? If Griffin, who we've already seen lose multiple times to forces that AREN'T 'God-class' is able to beat Celestia, who is 'God Class' it means her complacency in times of peace has made her weak, and she's fallen so far that a mortal can beat her.

The security of her ENTIRE COUNTRY relies on her being strong. Not only is she weak, she's ALLOWED herself to BECOME that weak, and to Griffin, for a person in her position, that is unforgivable.

This is slightly lessened by the existence of Twilight and the Elements of OH WAIT THEY PUT THEM BACK IN THE TREE. So now you're putting the safety of your country on the shoulders of a young, inexperienced alicorn who DOESN'T have access to the magic McGuffins she uses to solve everything.

Smooth move. *Smack*