It is a fact of life that a unicorn cannot match a griffon in terms of pure brawn. They had a magical edge, certainly, but their frames, their anatomy, their predisposed place in society and the world around them dictated that they were physically weaker than the magically inept, taloned brutes.
However, today a very special presentation was underway, one that very much set out to challenge this archaic and incorrect assumption.
Today, a pony named Stronghooves set out to beat a griffon in one-on-one combat.

He wasn’t, by any means, a weak-looking stallion. The training he’d received from the Royal Guards had molded him into an incredibly brawny warrior, which only served to accentuate his kind blue eyes and his gentle smile. His blond mane was clipped short like every other pony in his profession, sticking out of the top of his helmet in a kind of buzzcut mohawk. It wouldn’t do for it to get in his eyes in the middle of combat.
Stronghooves’ horn flared bright blue, levitating a sword of curious and exotic design into the air next to him. He threw a quick salute to the bull griffon across the makeshift arena from him.
“Right then buddy, let’s start things off nice and slow...oof!” He grunted as the griffon caught him around the midsection, lifting him bodily into the air and slamming him into the wall. A few cracks appeared in the concrete, and Stronghooves took a moment to reorient himself.
“Ugh...not really one for fair fighting, huh? That’s okay...I can work with that.” He smiled a winning smile, before headbutting the griffon right in the beak. The unicorn dropped to the ground as his opponent staggered back, bringing his sword round in a wide arc to ward off his assailant further.
The griffon and the stallion started pacing around one another, sizing each other up. Stronghooves kept his eyes lowered, focussing on the griffon’s sharp talons, jet black and shining dangerously. He was many things, but ‘pointy object-proof’ was not one of them.
He spotted the griffon unfurling its powerful wings out of the corner of his eye. He planted his hooves firmly on the ground, eyes following the brute as he took off and started circling above him. Stronghooves knew this tactic well enough. At some point, that bird brain was going to try and dive on him. It was time for him to find out whether that little experiment he’d taken part in had been a success.
Sure enough, the griffon did indeed dive on him, extending its clawed forelegs and opening its beak. The pony’s ears splayed back.
Shit, I really bloody well hope that the experiment worked… That was a hell of a lot of sharp pointy objects, and Stronghooves didn’t want them anywhere near his face.
The stallion drew back one bright white hoof and brought it around, roaring with effort and more than a little panic.
There was a loud crunch and a thud. Stronghooves opened his eyes.
The griffon was laying before him on its side, a large crack running up its beak. A certain amber aura glowed around Stronghooves’s hoof. He stared between the two of them for the longest time.
“I...can’t believe it…” he mumbled, approaching the griffon and offering his downed foe a hoof to help him up.
The griffon took his hoof in its claws, one eye gazing up at him severely like the bird of prey he was. Clutching tighter, it lifted Stronghooves up over its head with all of its might, casting him at the opposite wall. Stronghooves struck the concrete with a sickening crunch before slumping down to the ground.
The griffon got to its feet, shaking its head to try and bring the crippled pony before it back into focus. Its breathing grew deep and heavy, giving a low growl as it advanced on Stronghooves once more.
The pony groaned, lifting himself back onto his hooves as well, raising his head to face down the griffon. There was no way anypony could have survived an impact like that, much less a unicorn, yet he could feel a strange magical tingling throughout his body. Stronghooves watched in awe as his bruises vanished, his bones knitting back together, all under that same warm, comforting amber glow.
“Well...this is a nice change…” Stronghooves commented once his jaw was back in one piece. His sword lay discarded across the makeshift arena from the two of them, but as the glow enveloped his entire body, Stronghooves felt strong enough to finish this without it. “All right then, my friend. Come on. I’ll have you…”
The griffon lashed out at him with its talons once more, spreading its large wings in an effort to appear more intimidating. Stronghooves ducked beneath it, punching his assailant in the beak again, giving him another hairline crack for his troubles. Its tail came around, wrapping around his foreleg in an effort to pull his legs out from underneath him. Stronghooves, however, gripped its tail in his hoof and tugged with all of his considerable might, slamming it into the wall behind him with another roar.
This time, the griffon didn’t get up again.
Stronghooves stared at its prone form for a very long time, amazed. Never before had there been a documented case of a unicorn entering into melee combat with a healthy griffon and surviving, let alone winning. Yet here he was, standing over a griffon that he had beaten to death with his bare hooves. It was unfathomable, unprecedented un...Stronghooves couldn’t quite recall any more words for “this shouldn’t have happened,” but when he did, he’d apply them to the scene before him. A unicorn had taken on a griffon in close combat and come out on top.

An assortment of ponies: dignitaries, guards, officers and weapons contractors all looked on in wonderment as Stronghooves strode into the middle of the arena, sheathing his sword and bowing.
“And that, fillies and gentlecolts, concludes our demonstration today.” He smiled at the assembled ponies, who got up from their seats and filed out of the arena. The air was abuzz with muttered conversations as they discussed what they’d just witnessed.
“Excellent work, my friend!” Boomed a very old stallion indeed, hobbling down the stairs into the ring to pat Stronghooves on the back. “You did very well indeed. It seems that everypony’s impressed with the project. We’ll have all the funding we need after that little display!”
“I hope so.” Stronghooves replied, giving the Count a soft smile. “We’re going to need all the help we can get if things get worse between Equestria and the Griffon warlords. Are the crystals safe?”
“Yes. I’ve got some crack ponies watching over them for the time being. I’ll be transferring them over to the Royal Guard once the princesses start funding more super-stallions.” The old Count beamed, inspecting Stronghooves, looking for anything wrong with him at all. He was flawless. His white coat was totally clean, his musculature as perfect as any stallion’s, and his smile was truly warm, friendly and sweet. He was a good Royal Guard, probably even the best, and Count Rolling Thunder grinned with pride. He couldn’t possibly have chosen a better test subject.
“Just remember that there are more important things than money at stake here.” Stronghooves warned. “We have to put defending everypony first, okay?”
“Of course, of course!” The Count waved a hoof dismissively. “Everypony will be safe as soon as I’m given a contract to start mass-production. That won’t take long.”
“See how quickly you can make it happen. I’m sure everyone will sleep more soundly at night knowing that there are more ponies like me protecting them.” Stronghooves sighed. He found the Count’s attitude more than a little abrasive now and then, but he tolerated it. He had ponies at home who needed protecting, and if this project worked as well as he hoped it would, he’d soon have the resources to keep all of them safe.
“Captain!”
Stronghooves looked up at the Royal Guard galloping towards him, more than a little relieved at the interruption from the Count’s...for want of a better word…”inspection.”
“What is it, soldier?” He cocked his head, adjusting his helmet in a rather vain effort to make himself appear a little more formal.
“We’ve just got word from Canterlot. A pegasus wanted for aiding and abetting terrorists escaped from the barracks prison last night.” The guard replied, throwing a quick salute. “The Royal Guard are requesting that you return to the city and assist with the investigation.”
Stronghooves frowned. “Terrorism? That’s not good…” He shook his head disappointedly. “I’ll look into it. What’s the pony’s name?”
“Her name’s Sky Runner, and she’s...oof!” The guard grunted as Stronghooves shoved him aside, cantering for the door urgently.
“Captain, please! You’ve got a lot of work to do here as well!” The Count implored, taken aback by the sudden change in the stallion’s behaviour.
Stronghooves wasn’t listening, however. He was lost in his own little world, memories both painful and pleasant flooding back into his head.
Terrorism...there’s no way that she could be responsible for that kind of shit. There’s got to be more to it than that. Stronghooves struggled with the very possibility that that fluffy little pony could have fallen so far. As he took the stairs down to the underground train terminal, the way forward became crystal clear.
I have to find her before the Royal Guards do. That mare needs saving.
He pushed his way past engineers and scientists, making his way onto the train. He didn’t need to pack his things. All he needed right now was to make it back to Canterlot before that bumbling idiot, Inspector Shield, caught up to her.
It’s okay Sky, I’m coming…

The Count sat in silence in the middle of the arena for a while, glancing reproachfully over at the guard occasionally. Finally, in a very low voice, he spoke. “So, this Sky Runner...what...what kind of terrorism is she wanted for?”
“She nicked some focussing gems from the Canterlot Museum. Turns out they can be used in all kinds of dangerous spells and stuff.”
“That sounds pretty serious.” Rolling whistled. “No doubt the Guard will do their best to bring this pony to justice. The thought of those crystals falling into the hands of the Griffons is...unpleasant.”
“Don’t worry sir.” The soldier nodded encouragingly, smiling. “We’ll hunt her down and make sure that she gives up those crystals before anypony gets hurt. We’re good at this.”
“You certainly are, especially with the good captain on the case.” Rolling sat there a while longer, gazing pensively at the wall, before getting to his hooves. “Excuse me a moment. I’ll be back shortly.”
“Er...of course, sir…” The guard saluted as Rolling trotted off.
The Count made his way up a few flights of steps as quickly as his aged frame would allow, reaching a long whitewashed corridor. There was something so simple and clean about this facility, an atmosphere it produced that seemed to wash away the complications of the rest of the world. It kept the Count focussed on the important issues.
He pushed into his office, hobbling past a very sick-looking dragon in a small cage and sitting at his desk. Slowly, deliberately, he scribbled down a short missive to send back to Canterlot.

See to it that another 2 million bits gets added to Miss Runner’s bounty. It’s important that she be put behind bars for her crimes, and the sooner she’s arrested, the sooner we get Stronghooves back. This isn’t the time for him to be running off trying to save everypony.

The Count rolled up the parchment, dropping it in front of the dragon. With a reluctant blast of green fire, the broken lizard sent the letter away to his contact in Canterlot. Rolling knew that his contact would work quickly. Within twenty-four hours, life was going to turn into a living hell for that little pony. To every guard and bounty hunter within a hundred miles, she was going to have “meal ticket” written all over her.
After all… Rolling thought to himself, as he unlocked the safe behind his desk and inspected the crystals therein. She’ll make a good fall pony.