Chapter 7 - Catch up and Drinkin Smiths

Deadbolt was sitting nervously, examining his two blades with the same meticulous nature as someone who isn't experienced with them. Had he been a more knowledgeable sword fighter, he'd realize he had two rather cheap blades, with copper laced through them. To his eye's, however, they looked fierce and deadly, the jagged edges along the blade would jam or snap off the first time he tried to stab someone with it.

A flash of red blinded Deadbolt, his eyes adjusted in time to see a grinning face knocking him to the floor. The walls and floor were coated in an eerie red light, that faded to a fainter red barely noticeable. The small form of Shade had knocked the griffon down and had already disarmed him. Before Deadbolt could think to do anything else, the colt smashed his face into his mask. The mask was hard and cold, sending pain through Deadbolt's face. Shade slammed his face into the griffon's again and again, until he passed out.

"Goodnight, Jaaack"

Twenty Minutes Later

Deadbolt groaned and opened his eyes. The Shed was pitch black, the only light coming in was moonlight cutting across the floor. He tried to move but found he couldn't do anything short of speak. Those bucking ponies tied me up. Oh when I get my hands on them.... Before Deadbolt could continue his mental tirade a luminous red orb illuminated the room. He looked at it and realized it was an eye.

"Wakey, wakey." Shade's voice was singsong as he flew off the ground, giving the impression he was much taller.

"Buck you, you think this is funny? Do you? My friends outside are gonna hear you and then you-" He was cut off by Shade's manic laughter.

"Ha ha ha ha ha. Oh Jack, you crack me up. If your friends could hear us, they would have burst in by now and put an end to the game."

Deadbolt's eye bolted to the window, he couldn't see anyone outside. They were likely sitting down, resting, unable to see the terrible predicament he found himself in.

"Oh what am I going to do with you?" Shades voice was deeper than it had been earlier as the red eye shrunk.

"How bout you let me down? Then I can kill you, you little-"

He was cut off as Shade flew over to him and gripped his skull. "Ho ho ho. Oh Jack, if I did that I couldn't fulfill my purpose or play my games.... Now I wonder?" Shade lifted Deadbolt's blades and bent both of them. Wrapping one around the tip of his tail and the other around his left hoof.

"I wonder what griffons made of?" Shade brought his own blade forward and made a quick and precise cut down Deadbolt's chest. The wound stung and made him grit his teeth against the pain.

"What are griffons made of?" Shade repeated driving his bladed hoof into the cut, the rough jagged edges being used to saw away at muscle and sinew. Blood began to coat the wall and floor as Shade continued his grisly work, sawing off the muscle and throwing it into a bucket.

"Blood and bone and puppy dog tails, that is what griffons are made of." Shade finished his little mantra and used the crude, bent blades to prop open the chest cavity.

"Dear oh dear, what a mess you've made." Shade spread his fore-hooves as he pointed to the blood spattered walls. "Fortunately, Crow provided a solution to our little dilemma." Shade lifted a small amulet, it glowed red and a terrible tugging overcame Deadbolt as Blood began flowing into the amulet. The small opening on top greedily devouring the blood-spatter and bloodshed. It filled up impossibly, steam rising out of the amulet as it had it's fill. Even his chest cavity was drunk dry, leaving Deadbolt barely alive, only the dull thumping pain for company.

"Please... just killll me." Deadbolt begged.

Shade tittered, turning away. "Sorry Jack, no can do. Your part of my Masters game now too. Don't fret, he'll only be another fifteen minutes."

Deadbolt whimpered, the prospect of this monsters Master made him pray to anyone, even Celestia that his friends would find him and finish him quickly. He watched the small pony slink along the walls and exit out a window, quiet as a cat.  

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Lady.C walked beside Crow. She could sense his annoyance through his indifferent expression, and she couldn't blame him. The last time they'd met she'd been pregnant but had hoped Crow might warm up to her again. She was now being proved how wrong she was.

"So Crow dear, I realize we haven't always been on-" She stopped talking when he flared his horn in warning. They both wandered beneath the cloud cover and watched as Shade began approaching, his small frame moving between small clumps of cloud. He would be invisible if not for his mask, the red orb of the eye moved closer and closer to the cloud their quarry was hiding in.

"With a flash of his horn, Crow dissipated the cloud cover, sending the surprised griffons tumbling down. Two fell on their backs and broke their wings, the other four managed to stop their descent and fly back up. Crow enveloped a large area of the sky in a red dome, made faint and invisible by the width he stretched it out to. No one would hear the horrors inflicted in the skies above.

The dome gave Shade the killing ground he needed. Leaving Lady C. to deal with the two others now recovering on the ground.

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"The killing floor is open." Shade's voice was filled with unrestrained glee as he flew into the first griffon trapped in the dome. The griffon saw him approach and hefted a shield which blocked Shade's first sword blow. Shade performed a spinning front flip, using his blade to continue to punch through the griffon's defense. He was spinning so fast the griffon couldn't raise his own blade due to the shattering force of Shade's own blade.

The shield sparked one last time as Shade dislodged it from the griffon's grip and hacked into his shoulder dismembering an arm and part of the griffon's upper shoulder blade. The griffon shrieked as blood spurted in a small fountain crimson and purple, a welcome sight to Shade. He heard the two other griffons respond to his attack and fly at him from behind. He performed an aerial front flip and pushed the already injured griffon in his way, using him as a meat shield.

Shade saw the other two try to stab him through their comrade with a halberd and a claymore, his red eye shrunk as they stabbed through and grew again as he leapt over the head of the now dead griffon and plunge his own weapon into the head of the griffon on the right. He pulled it free again and backed off. Scanning the dome for the remaining griffon. Look Up Watcher's intuition was right as he saw the griffon above him line up a shot with a longbow.

Shade soared towards his new attacker and saw him launch a hasty talon full of arrows. Several flew off harmlessly, whilst other flew in a direct path towards him. Shade used his blade as a shield, hugging close to it's edges, he felt the arrows bounce off harmlessly. Shade soared upwards and saw the griffon line up another shot. Show him how to aim. Shade waited for the griffon to release his volley. The other one hovering out of the range of the arrows watching and waiting.

The griffon let loose another haphazard cluster of arrows. Shade at the same time, used his body to throw his blade in a swift arching blow, before moving aside as quickly as he could. A garbled screech was emitted by the griffon as Shade's blade embedded itself in it's body. Shade now began making his way forward to retrieve his blade. The other griffon blocked him.

"You won't have your blade back so easily, whelp." The griffin remained steadfast blocking the way to the body below. Shade flew right at the griffon.

The griffon was ready to cut down Shade, who charged head first, and then dove straight down. Using his smaller frame and greater speed to out-maneuver the angry griffon as it shrieked in anger and frustration. Turning around and flying after the small pony who had just pulled his blade back out of his latest victim.

Shade's blade clashed with the griffon's own blade. Shade noted the griffon readying to grab him with it's talon and pushed against the other griffon harder. The griffon was forced to grip it's claymore with both talons again. Shade moved the blade tip down along the edge of the griffon's blade. His blade no longer blocking him, Shade butted the griffon and spun his body bringing his blade in a corkscrew slash.

The griffon screamed as both it's talons were slashed off. Shade flew higher and steadied himself again. He then flew towards the griffon performing a clean slash through the stomach and another slash through the chest, ending the griffon's torment.

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Lady C. began trotting towards the two fallen griffons. Shade was up above doing his regular routine of bloody slaughter. Lady C. preferred a more quiet approach. She approached the first griffon.

"Oh Darling are you alright?" She feigned concern allowing her to draw closer.

"I'm fine Ma'am, just gimmie a moment. Please keep back." She watched the griffon trying to pop it's wing back into place and made her move.

She almost glided over to the Griffin and plunged her hidden blade into it's heart. The griffon gasped silently as she retracted the blade and stabbed the griffon in the neck. Allowing the poor bird to die quietly. The other griffon was angry, it's eyes darted to Lady C. and then just behind her. The Griffin noticed Crow was occupied and went for him instead.

Lady C. tutted as she chased after the griffon and leapt. It turned and saw her. Bringing up an axe. She deflected the blow, and landed softly, pivoting around like a ballerina. Lady C.'s hind hooves reared and kicked out, bucking the griffon in the side of the head. The griffon staggered and turned to face her only to find she'd slipped alongside it and stabbed into it's back legs.

The griffon prepared to screech but Lady C. pivoted and bucked it in the throat, damaging it's voice box, letting it emit a small croaking sound. The griffon came at her once more bringing the axe down in several downward slashes. Lady C. danced away from the blows and finally shot towards the griffin. Leaping onto the axe, she stabbed the griffon through the eye.

Shade was still fighting and Crow was pre-occupied so she looked for Tick Tock and saw the shed collapse. She realized Tick Tock was still fighting one more assassin and trotted over besides Crow to watch.

"I say Crow, you should really see this, it's quite an impressive display." Lady C. sat besides him and watched as Tick Tock avoided several crossbow bolts.

"Quite an impressive individual, she's avoiding his capsules like a pro. Oh my Tick Tock is leading her closer. Tsk Tsk, that move only had a fifty/fifty shot my old friend." She talked on as Crow grew more frustrated with her. He watched Shade take down the third Griffin. One more, just one more Shade. HURRY UP!

"I suppose I better go over, I think Tick Tock just lost one of his blades." Lady C. trotted off leaving Crow with his thoughts for a moment. Before Shade viciously slashed the final Griffin into three pieces. Sighing with relief Crow lowered the dome and brought out his hip flask taking a much needed drink.

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Pyretread poked the meat in front of him. His sense's were giving him very conflicted opinions. Part of him wanted to wolf it down raw, another part wanted him to cook it black and another part wanted him to forget the whole idea and eat the carrot. He was familiar with carrots, they had a nice slightly spicy taste to him, before he met Dr. Feelgood. He grasped the carrot in his talon and took a bite. It tasted plainer somehow, like some of the flavor was lost forever. Sighing he put the carrot back on the plate.

The Gem was smooth and shiny, like a piece of crystallized fruit or a mint green lollipop. Pyretread lifted it to his mouth and gave it an experimental lick. He was instantly bombarded with a creamy minty taste that seemed to dance on his tongue all the way to his stomach. He smiled and took a bite, feeling the gem crush and grind in his powerful jaws. The small shards would be deadly for anything of a none-draconic nature and made him reflect briefly on how different he now was. He placed the remaining half of the gem down and looked at the slab of meat.

He gripped it in his dragon claw and griffon talon and took an experimental bite. It was unlike anything he had experienced, the juices, the flavors, the blood. He bit in again and again and chewed thoughtfully. Reflecting that it might taste better cooked. He lifted it over to the cooker and undid the lid of the pressure cooker. Steam shot out but he didn't feel it burn his scaly arm as he plopped the meat into it and watched it brown.

He smiled as the broth took on pangs of meat and vegetables. He then used his tail to try and flick the plate over to him. His long and sturdy manticore tail launched the plat at the wall, it shattered in front of him. Now feeling rather silly, Pyretread stood up and gingerly took a piece of plate and nibbled on it. It tasted a bit like a dry, overcooked bun. The moisture having long left it stale and dry. He picked up the pieces and threw them into the broth. Then he sliced up the carrot in his new talons and crushed the gem with his dragon claw.

He stirred all his new ingredients in, eliciting a soft line of dribble from his mouth. He stirred it all in for several minutes and brought the concoction back over to the table, only now noticing the note Tick Tock had left and remembering he was supposed to follow the instructions. Oh Hay, what do I do....

Pyretread pondered for awhile and decided to eat the concoction. The flavors clashed horribly with his new senses, the meat now tasted bland, having soaked up the flavors of the vegetables whilst the vegetables tasted dry and gritty with the added gem and dish plate. It seemed he wasn't a born chef, his talent was making things explode.

He sighed inwardly, his mouth jammed shut by his sticky creation and took his concoction with him, looking for a bathroom to pour it down the toilet. It took him an hour to find a bathroom, many of the doors on the ground floor had been locked and he had promised not to go upstairs. He contemplated forcing himself to eat it when he finally found a bathroom. He smiled and brought the mixture over and dumped it into the toilet bowl.

It plopped in with a popping sound as the mess fell out of the pressure cooker. He tried to flush it away but by the fifty third flush he should've known better. He skittered out the bathroom feeling mortified and a little paranoid about what Tick Tock would do to him when he got back. He returned to the kitchen and rinsed out the pressure cooker thoroughly, and hoped whoever Crow was, he wasn't overly touchy about wasted food.

Pyretread made his way out of the kitchen and into the main hallway, he heard the soft clicking of keys and assumed it was Tick Tock or perhaps Crow. He trotted over to the door only to see two mares walk in. All three froze as they saw one another. "SPEAK UP NOW MONSTER" The purple mare's voice had a fierceness he wouldn't expect from such a short mare.

Pyretread tried to speak but the sticky mess was still in his mouth. The tall white mare's horn began glowing drawing out a bow whilst the smaller purple one pulled out a dagger. Pyretread did the only thing he could do. He ran back into the main hallway, the two mares pursued him as he used his wings to make a flying leap up to the second floor, he looked back and saw the purple mare shimmying up the support beam across the other side of the stairs and the white mare running up the one he just came up. He sprinted off down the only unblocked hallway away from the mad mares, he felt if he hurt them defending himself, that Tick Tock would be less than forgiving.

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Blackbird was having the best and worst night of her life. On one talon she'd lost all hope of joining griffon society as a full citizen. On the other however she'd been ambushed and nearly killed by an assassin who had taken her in based on her skill, and circumstances. It was a kind gesture, one she might have taken advantage of if she could fire the crossbow as a pegasus.

She was a griffon by nature so the smaller wings of a pegasus were alien and familiar to her at the same time. The strange stallion she was busy trotting beside was her new Master. Tick Tock was his name and being timely was his game, he'd made that joke when she'd asked who he was.

"Tick-tock my Dear, we're almost there." His voice was cheerful as he led her up alongside an old river. She could just make out a small circle of light emanating from what looked like a porthole. They trotted up carefully, the ground a little steeper now as Tick Tock lead her up a roughly hewn path. The path was composed of dead forest debris and jutting rocks, stamped down into an almost stair like pattern, the forest debris filling the gaps in between.

"We're here, stay close to me. My smith friend doesn't like visitors. Excluding myself of course." Tick Tock walked up to a round door built into the wooden structure, the river they had followed up, ran underneath the house, turning a small waterwheel underneath it. Tick Tock rapped the door smartly and waited bouncing on his hoofs.

"Hullo? Who's oot there?" A booming voice sounded from inside. "Ah swear if it's that bloody Royal Guard again, Ah'm goin tae plant mah hoof firmly up his arse." Heavy hoof steps sounded from within as the door opened, a massive form filled the already large door. His features hidden by the shadows and the fire light behind him only seemed to make him seem bigger. Blackbird felt like she was a hatchling again, looking at her father for the first time.

"Tick Tock? Is that you? Celestia's swollen teats it's been a while." The massive form extended a hairy hoof which Tick Tock promptly placed his own hoof against in the classic brohoof gesture. "Dave, my old friend, it's been too long." The massive form nodded it's shaggy head, Blackbird noted he had a rather unique horn sticking out of his head.

"Where are ma manners, come in, come in." The Massive form stepped aside and let Tick Tock and Blackbird enter. "Who's yer friend here Tick Tock?" Dave closed the door behind Blackbird making her feel trapped and smaller besides the massive creature besides her.

"Ah yes Dave, this is Blackbird my new apprentice." Blackbird let a small smile creep on her face, before she felt herself being pushed down, she realized the giant before her was giving her a playful noogie. "HAH HAH. Nice one Lass. This calls fer a celebration. Wait here you two." The large form passed down a set of zigzaggy stairs leaving the two in the hall.

"Is he... always so...?" Blackbird couldn't think of a word to describe him.

"Loud? If it's loud, then yes, if it's cheery also yes." Tick Tock smiled and examined an old grandfather clock sitting at an angle. He poked his head inside and shook his head, pulling out a small screwdriver from his front pocket. He began working on the clock which soon began ticking away at a steady rate.

"Assassination, clock repair, trail guide. Is there anything you can't do?" Asked a bemused Blackbird. Tick Tock looked at her a small smile on his face.

"Nope" He then threw a clear capsule at her, illuminated temporarily by the firelight so it seemed a small golden capsules struck her face. A puff of smoke enveloped her and then faded.

*cough* *hack* "What, what was that for?" Blackbird waved away the smoke with her talons. She looked at them and realized she was a griffon again. She looked up happily as Tick Tock waved a hoof almost absentmindedly.

"Think nothing of it my dear, we're away from the city and Dave is comfortable around anything. Even manticores."

Dave's heavy hoofsteps announced his return, he was levitating three tumblers and a dark brown bottle wrapped in his black magical aura.

"Ah Tick Tock, still playing wi those capsules o yours are ye?" Dave nodded towards Blackbird as he began pouring a generous measure of the brown amber liquid into the tumblers.

"Yes Dave, though it was more necessity than-" He was cut off as Dave spoke up again.

"Hah. Dinnae let him kid ye Lass, he'll try an use tha silly things first chance he gets." Dave levitated a blue capsule out of his drink grinning. "Oh aye n lassie, call me Big Dave, everybody else does except Old Tick Tock here."

How did Tick Tock do that? Blackbird thought as she examined her own drink for capsules carefully. It had a strong seedy smell, slightly similar to wheat.

"Cheers." Dave clinked his glass against her own and downed the whole tumbler. Cautiously, Blackbird tasted her own and found the taste to be rich and exquisite. She almost didn't want to stop drinking but lowered her glass anyway, she had to ask for more.

"Ah know whit yer thinkin lass an the answer is aye." She beamed as he levitated her crossbow over to himself. "Ah can fix this up better than ever." She frowned. "And gie ye some Whiskey tae take wi ye, I'm mare perceptive than ah look lass." He winked and turned back to Tick Tock who had already downed his own tumbler.

"Ah assume ye brought me something tae work wi Tick old friend?" Tick Tock reached for his sides and brought out a heavy satchel. Dave levitated it and opened the small bag levitating the small rocks in front of him. He pulled out a small eyeglass and started examining it in greater detail.

"Nightmare slices an pieces tomato's are these lumps o star metal ore?" Tick Tock nodded as Dave removed the eyeglass a black ring was left around his eye. "Ah can work wi this alright come on doon thae the forge we'll see whit we can dae."  Blackbird raised a talon and opened her mouth about to tell Dave about his blackened eye, when Tick Tock stopped her and shook his head. A playful smile spread across his muzzle. Dave led them downstairs past a kitchen where a green mare was doing some dishes whilst four foals where sitting at the tables reading.

They arrived in the forge room, the room was cast in a fiery glow, showing off Dave's impressive physique. He was a stallion as big, if not bigger than Nightmare Moon herself. His fur was amber brown and his mane was red and shaggy. He had a unicorn's horn that had a dip mid-way and then it went straight up again. His body was full of muscle, making him look like some warhorse from the old story books. Given he had no trouble with wild beasts it wasn't hard to imagine him off to slay dragons and hydras before breakfast and deal with an Ursa Major and Minor after dinner. Another stallion was in the forge room, bigger than the average pony but smaller than Big Dave.

"Alright father, come tae check in on me?" The stallion asked Big Dave looking up as Big Dave shook his shaggy head.

"Nah, nah Lad. we both got some big things tae work on with ma old Pal Tick Tock here."

The smaller Stallion nodded and stepped away from the forge before he started chuckling. "Um Dad, have ye.. um have ye looked in a mirror?" Dave sighed and levitated a reflective piece of metal from an unused anvil, examining his face and spotting his blackened eye.

"THISTLE WHIT DID AH TELL YE ABOOT PUTTING INK ON MA EYEGLASSES!"

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Author's Notes: So I snuck in my own OC Big Dave from the Story Big Yin. And no this is not going to turn into a story related to that one. Big Dave is simply so awesome he can exist in any place or time. Thus if I want to include him in any of my stories he can show up and nobody questions it.

Edit: Added and changed a few minor, little things nothing to get excited about