Gilda
Griffons
Acolyte Griffon
I'm half-eagle, half-lion and all awesome!
Posts: 213
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Post by Gilda on May 22, 2013 17:46:21 GMT -5
The flight from Canterlot was a bitter course of bubbling resentment, anger and hate. Alone, among the clouds, the griffon was left with the bitter aftertaste of her encounter with her old 'friend' was not at all how she had imagined it in her head. The hours spent wasted thinking what she would say was quickly snuffed out when she saw her for the first time in those months after Ponyville. It did not go well. Coupled that with the disaster at the Hive, she needed a distractions - she needed to beat something to a bloody pulp. That, she decided, was just the medicine she needed to bookend the worst week of her life. One way to do that, find trouble she could handle and punch it senseless.
She dipped below the clouds. finding herself over a vast expansive forest. Everfree, she concluded. Was as good as any place to find trouble, and with the Diamond Dogs and who knows what else lurking about, there was plenty opportunity just below the branches. She ducked low, just gracing over the tips of the trees. A simple scan proved futile, the canopy was too thick with leaves and branches. She tried then her new eye, focusing with that - it was, to say the least, interesting. It ached, like if a headache was completely concentrated behind it. After a moment, she rubbed it and just went in for a landing. She slowed into a hoover and slowly dipped through a thin patch in the canopy, dropping a few meters onto a twisting of thick branches. There, she waited - and listened. The rustling of the leaves, the occasional small bird or animal rustling below. But mixed in with the natural sounds was something else, a heavy footfall crushing dried leaves. Once more, she focused with her new eye into the direction the unique sound emanated from and waited, watching from above.
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Post by Red Charge on May 25, 2013 22:13:53 GMT -5
What Gilda saw was three diamond dogs, landing stealthily in the tree line, Gilda watched the trio from a tree branch, being careful not to make any noise. Two of the diamond dog seemed like your average nitwit soldier diamond dogs, with square jaws dribbling drool on the ground and powerful upper bodies armored with basic steel.
"Look here, this the pony sympathizer." Said one to the other, pointing at the third, whose back was against a thick tree. The third was remarkably different from the other two: First off, he was clean, which was impressive in itself, the tuft of hair on his head was slicked back in a do rather than just be matty or shaggy like the rest. He was wearing what appeared to be a clumsily hand tailored vest of some kind covered with gems, not the best work but definitely way better than any other Diamond Dog Gilda has ever seen. He also did not seem as brutish as the other dogs, his upper body wasn't bent forwards like some sort of primitive ape, he reminded her more of those Equiterian golems she'd see in pictures from time to time.
However the real interesting part was the large sword he was holding in his hands, the design was simply over the top, gem encrusted cross guard in the shape of two war dogs a large round precious stone in between them, the blade itself was sharp and ridged, seemed to be ready to flay something alive. How'd someone who looked like such a pushover get a sword of such quality?
"Stay back, I'm warning you!" He said, holding his sword in front of him incorrectly, he obviously had little or no idea how to use it.
The dogs didn't listen, they stepped closer, "What you gonna do, huh?" One of them asked stupidly as he drew near.
"I warned you!" The dog called, lifting the sword clumsily over his head, "I am going to get so dirty..." He then swung the sword and missed both Diamond Dogs awafully, the sword instead crashing into the ground. Gilda had half the mind to laugh before what happened next: The ground where the sword connected jutted out in a shockwave forwards,raising a pillar of dust in the air and throwing the two diamond dogs over the treetops and out of sight. Gilda found herself caked in dust, looking at the Diamond Dog returning the sword to the scabbard strapped to his back and now before him a trail of destruction continued off into the woods.
What... power...
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Gilda
Griffons
Acolyte Griffon
I'm half-eagle, half-lion and all awesome!
Posts: 213
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Post by Gilda on May 25, 2013 22:29:56 GMT -5
The shockwave nearly blew Gilda off her perch, its force made she her feel as if she was slipping. She dug her talons into bark of the tree as the Diamond Dog's attack washed over her, blanketing her in a fine coat of dust. In the moments after her dirt peppering, she rubbed the dust from her eyes and shook her feathers clear of debris. That, she concluded, was possibly both one of the coolest swords she had ever seen and one of the most annoying. Seeing two Diamond Dogs be shot in the air like they were rag-dolls launched from a howitzer was a sight to behold, but was the dirt cloud really necessary. She could feel grit under her new armor and straps and that angered her.
From what she just witnessed, she knew this was not a Diamond Dog to mess with - pity, she was looking for a fight but with a sword like that, it would be suicide, and what was more important to Gilda than getting in a tussle was her own life. She slipped to another branch, quietly, watching the Diamond Dog. She focused with her fancy new eye on the sword, seeing if the thing could give her some clue as to what the weapon was. She also checked out the rest of him, his vest and anything else of interest the Dog carried on him. As peculiar he was, there had to be more to him then a clean coat and fancy sword.
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Post by Red Charge on May 25, 2013 22:35:53 GMT -5
When Gilda looked through her special eye at the sword, she didn't see the sword at all instead just a pulsing mass of colors from the entire known spectrum in the shape of the sword. It was bright enough to nearly blind her, if her eye wasn't magical. What was normally a sword now appeared to be a pulsing, sword-shaped heart made out of fire in such colors that she has never seen before in her life. The dog himself seemed completely normal in comparison, though he also seemed to have fire, regular and faint, flowing in his veins. But even as Gilda was observing them, something happened - in the middle of the sword an eye opened; a dark, menacing and unnatural orb looking straight at GIlda. Suddenly she felt herself pushed out of the tree line.
"I smell chicken." The Diamond Dog said, sniffing around, right before Gilda was revealed to him, which, strangely enough seemed to surprise him. He jumped backwards and held out his sword again. "Don't attack me! I'm not with the others!"
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Gilda
Griffons
Acolyte Griffon
I'm half-eagle, half-lion and all awesome!
Posts: 213
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Post by Gilda on May 25, 2013 23:24:35 GMT -5
Sensory overload, that was the best way Gilda could describe what she had just witnessed. No other words could come to mind upon seeing the prismatic fire emanating from around the sword and even the dog's own body. Was this pony magic, she thought, but it seemed so much more. Almost frightening, made all that more startling by the strange eye that broke through and knocked her off her perch and into a thorny brier patch.
Someone, somewhere, up above the stars hated her. This week was proof of it and to cement this celestial resentment, she now had wings and a butt full of thorns. She sat up, slicking her crown feathers forward and flexing her wings trying to pull them from the patch of thorny bushes. To further make the situation worse, she was now staring down the blade of an super-sword clearly wielded by a dweeb. Power in the paws of idiots was the worst abuse of power possible.
She gawked at the Diamond Dog, as if to say 'really?' She heard the 'chicken' insult but let it slide, she was in no position to retort that. "Does it look like I'm going to attack you?" She asked, motioning to her current situation. "Are you going to help me out of this or stand their like a dweeb?" She asked, rustling from the foliage. She figured she would be preening her wings for a few hours after this. Dirt, thorns, dumb dogs, she questioned her motivation for coming to this lame forest in the first place.
As she begun to emerge from her thorny seat, ripping a few vines and leaves from her armor and whacking branches away with her tail, and stumbled towards the Dog. "Bah! What's with these lame plants in this lame forest..." She pulled a few thorns from her left alula with her beak. "So *muffled* pfft-" Spitting out the thorns, "It true what the two rocket-dogs said, you a pony lover?"
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Post by Red Charge on May 25, 2013 23:45:38 GMT -5
The dog didn't lower his sword, "I think this war is stupid and I think we're going to lose, that makes me a pony lover? I like being clean and I think being above ground is actually kind of nice. Is that so bad?" He questioned angrily.
"Ever since that pony came down to our tunnels it hasn't been the same, every dog is obsessed with getting 'vengeance' on the ponies. It's all because of Sharp. Instead of trying to build ourselves back to what we used to be, we keep trying to fight everyone." He spat out some dust in the last sentence. "I just want to see Silver City for once in my life, I want to see Canterlot and Royal Rocks, so I spoke up against the war, and they exiled me. They'd have killed me of course, but thankfully I'm a Silverback, a real one, not the rabble they let in now."
Gilda only just noticed how wolf like he was unlike the other dogs, he seemed to be a husky/wolf hybrid, slightly leaning towards the wolf. Perhaps that's why he seemed to have better stature and a much bigger brain than those other dolts.
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Gilda
Griffons
Acolyte Griffon
I'm half-eagle, half-lion and all awesome!
Posts: 213
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Post by Gilda on May 26, 2013 0:07:01 GMT -5
"Pszzip!" Gilda snapped, flicking her talon to single silence from the Diamond Dog. "Don't care. I got 99 problems and I don't need yours too." She explained plucking out a few more thorns from her arms. Gilda really didn't need a pout party with a K9 and his issues. It's nice he wasn't like the rest of their lot, but she was far more concerned getting the thorns out of her hide right now.
"That's fascinating and all, good to have dreams and whatever." She said, "But all I care about is that you're not planning to do... that thing your ilk are known to do." She suspiciously eyed the sword, "And will you lower that before you hurt yourself or more importantly, me - again. Sheesh, rude." Clearly, this Silverback was more of a dweeb than her initial assessment told her. "What is the deal with that sword anyway? Thing is gnarly, though you hold it like a fledgling with a stick."
The hound might look imposing, maybe even have a brain between those two eyes. But however he presented himself, he still have Diamond Dog breath and wailed his weapon around like it was a useless club. "Take it you only got away because you have that fancy blade of yours? Bet you could do some real damage if you knew how to hold it... and weren't practically wetting the grass every time something makes a sound."
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Post by Red Charge on May 26, 2013 10:35:45 GMT -5
"Well you listen here chicken legs, I may not be a fighter, but I can handle myself. The only reason they didn't kill me was not because of this sword, but because I'm a Silverback you know who that was? He saved your sad chicken butts in the Dragon Wars. That is, after your king died running away... like a chicken." The dog said tauntingly, still not lowering his sword.
"What's with your eyes anyway?" He asked, "Freaky looking, even for a chicken." He examined her carefully, trying to find any hidden weapons and listening closely for any possible reinforcement. He seemed much less shaken now that he knew what the threat was. Gilda hardly seemed like trouble to the dog. "If you think you know better than me how to use the sword, here, try and swing it." He said, turning it over and handing her the hilt.
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Gilda
Griffons
Acolyte Griffon
I'm half-eagle, half-lion and all awesome!
Posts: 213
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Post by Gilda on May 26, 2013 13:34:30 GMT -5
The constant chicken jabs were beginning to grate on Gilda, she felt her talon balling up. If not for that sword, she would have clocked him across is dumb snout by now. "That's ancient history pal, I'm about living in the now so I couldn't give a parasprites spittle over if you are a Silverback or a Baboonbutt or whatever it is your clans call themselves." She scolded, fluffing herself in growing anger. "I came down here to find something to wail into a bloody pulp so keep up with those 'chicken' comments and it might be you who is at the receiving end of my talons, sword or not, comprendo? " She stated, serious in her intent but bluffing her capacity to do so - least not with that sword still between them. She could, perhaps, use the air to her advantage but as of right now, the Dog seemed to be barking more than biting.
Gilda stood their, less than amused, as she was being overly gawked at by the Dog. It was unsettling. "Take a picture, it last longer.Dweeb."When upon he offered the sword for her to take, she almost fell for it. She wasn't going to be fooled that easily. "Oh no, I ain't touching that thing!" He shooed away from it. "Want to know what's the deal with the eye? It lets me see things others apparently can't and when I took a good look at the sword, I some some crazy, unnatural things. You couldn't pay me enough to touch that blade after what I saw."
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Post by Red Charge on May 26, 2013 14:33:06 GMT -5
"Of course you would, this isn't just any sword and I'm not just any Silverback, I AM Silverback, descendant of THE Silverback. This sword WAS Silverback's. Prismatic Dragon enchanted. Most powerful sword in existence, impossible to block." He said proudly, then slouched a bit, "Even if I have no idea how to even use it."
The dog straightened up again, "But I have to, gotta stop this crazy war, need to reunite the packs again, it's my job, I'm the last Silverback, I carry the sword. But where do I start?" He asked putting the sword back in its scabbard. "I need to either get the consent of all the alphas, or beat them all..." He muttered, then shook his head, "Nevermind, you can't help, maybe once I've stopped this I'll find one of the Dreadwings." He said, "You're a griffon, does Dreadwing have any descendants?"
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Gilda
Griffons
Acolyte Griffon
I'm half-eagle, half-lion and all awesome!
Posts: 213
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Post by Gilda on May 26, 2013 15:18:42 GMT -5
"Oh, YOU ARE Silverback. Color me surprised..." She sarcastically uttered, feigning her lack of interest. Truth of the matter, this was rather an interesting turn of events. Explained the sword's unique properties, even if Gilda couldn't understand what exactly she had seen it was certainly as good an explanation as anything else. She noticed his disheartened slouched and replied with a pat on his back. "Cheer up mutt, least you haven't cut your arm off with it yet."
Gilda perked up almost immediately upon the dog's mention of a decedent of Deadwing. Her stomach became littered with butterflies and for a moment, she was at a loss as what to say. Should she tell him, should she just ignore his inquiry. Most importantly, what did he need a Deadwing for. "Uh yeah... Deadwings." Guess the Dog didn't know about the eye shadows - a dead giveaway. "There's a few here and there, but most have been killed off or long since diluted their line with junk marriages." Her bemused expression was apparent by this question. "Why do you need to find one? I mean I may know where one is but why?" She could take her guess as to why, but she wanted to hear it from him. This was going to get interesting.
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Post by Red Charge on May 27, 2013 11:34:56 GMT -5
"The Dreadwings and Silverbacks go way back. Dreadwing and Silverback were best pals, did everything together. Along with that pony." He said, "If I'm going to make peace with the ponies and griffons and really rebuild Silver City, I need their help. I bet they have a whole lot more influence on their kingdoms than I do in mine. Heck, I bet Dreadwing's line are the kings now, right? At least princes and princesses."
He stopped to ponder, "Maybe they're even great warriors, could teach me how to fight, maybe I should look for them now..." He scratched his chin, Gilda only just noticed, maybe because she wasn't looking for it, maybe because she never thought about such things, but this Dog's fur was very neat and practically glistened despite the dust caking it. That dog sure groomed himself well... more-so than any Diamond Dog Gilda's ever heard of.
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Gilda
Griffons
Acolyte Griffon
I'm half-eagle, half-lion and all awesome!
Posts: 213
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Post by Gilda on May 27, 2013 22:34:21 GMT -5
Gilda became increasingly awkward with this conversation - flattering as it may hypothetically be. The poor pup had absolutely no clue about the current state of affairs outside of Equestria and likely barely more outside whatever group he fled from. If he only knew, it would probably crush him - which Gilda toyed with in her thoughts like how a cat plays with its prey. She could break it to him, crush his hopes and dreams and leave him to cry alone in the forest before some Hyrda or Timberwolf pack attacked him.
Of course, she herself was a direct decedent, one of the few she least knew about or cared to associate with. But all this about rebuilding Silver City and being some great ruler and warrior was really a put-off. She left all that politics and ruling to griffons who gave a care, wasn't her cup-o-tea so to speak. She rathered enjoy the freedom a vagabond brings and not be stuck being prim, proper, and prissy. The thought nearly made her gag. As for the warrior, well she could hold her own in a fight, knock some heads and though she never found use for weapons other than the ones born to her, she knew a few things about swordsmanship - but this dog was going to need more than some basics and knocks on the head if he wanted to reunite his race and rebuild some legendary city.
"Yeah... kings and stuff..." Gilda said as she awkwardly scratched the back of her headfeathers. How as she too put this, she pondered and not implicate herself. "Listen, dog. You seem like a good enough pup so I'm going to be straight with you - the Dreadwings are not really what they use to be. Dreadwing only had hens for kids, everything went to the Whitefeathers because of that lack of heirs. What few griffons that could legitimately call themselves Dreadwings are few and far between. Its been awhile since I've flown back to the Kingdom but I don't think there's a single one in any noteworthy position of government, much less any that could or would be willing to help you. Sorry, it's lame, I know."
Gilda plopped down on her rear, and yelped as a few thorns jabbed her. Grudgingly she plucked a few more out and sat properly. "That being said, there is one that perhaps would be interested. If you really want, I can bring you to them but-" Gilda never changes, "I'm gonna need some incentive, something to grease the talon so to speak. What is helping you find a Dreadwing in it for me? It's not easy and these are 'interesting' times."
Truth be told, she didn't expect him to have anything of worth she could want and she really didn't care. If this Silverback really wished to stop the war and set everything right and we all live under sunshine and rainbows, she wanted to know if he was really worth her time or if he was just going to get her killed. She needed to feel him out first, get a sense of his capabilities and, most importantly, make sure he wasn't some overly convoluted Diamond Dog ploy to weed out a Dreadwing. Call her conspiratorial but this whole encounter was really weird and very coincidental.
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Post by Red Charge on May 28, 2013 15:23:16 GMT -5
Bowie straightened his vest and patted off dust out of his fur. "I'm afraid you'll be of no help to me then. I've nothing to offer that would interest a merc or a gold-digger. I've been exiled, thrown out, with nothing but the vest and the sword on my back. I also cannot vouch for any future rewards, because I have no idea if I'll even live through this. If you're going to help me, it'll have to be in good faith." The dog spoke clearly and intentionally, wanting Gilda to understand perfectly that he has nothing to give her in return for her help.
"But if you shall help me, if we do succeed, who's to say? You'll probably go down in history as a hero." He stretched his arms back then forwards and then slicked his hair back again nervously. "So if you're in for this wild ride, be in it one hundred percent." At that he began moving. She heard distaste in his voice, he himself could not understand how something as important as peace between their peoples could have a price tag on it. She should be honored to help, she should beg him to join. He was not going to negotiate with ruffians anyway, he was in search of royalty.
"Now then, where do I find a Dreadwing? Are they renowned warriors? Knights in service of the state? Princes?" The dog asked loudly as he began walking towards the edge of the clearing, hoping she would follow.
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Gilda
Griffons
Acolyte Griffon
I'm half-eagle, half-lion and all awesome!
Posts: 213
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Post by Gilda on May 28, 2013 20:30:18 GMT -5
"I'm not one to take things only on good faith - and I could care less about being some historical hero, but I'll jump at a wild ride. Hey! Where you going!?" Gilda called out to Bowie, rushing up behind him. For someone that needed her help, he was starting to get an attitude about this. Yes, so she was reluctant, but can anyone blame her. A strange Diamond Dog - an enemy, comes out of the forest, smacks two other Diamond Dogs into orbit while wailing around a sword like fishmonger bashing a fish to death and then asks her to help him find a Dreadwing - her, by all accounts. It was getting really weird, really fast.
"Hey, don't be a dweeb like that, walking away; wasn't finished talking." She reprimanded, "I'll take you to a Dreadwing, but you have to promise me to drop all that lame 'Dreadwings this, Dreadwings that, oh how amazing the Dreadwings are' stuff." She said in her best impersonation of him. "But first, I think we need to get out of this forest and back to some-sort of civilization. Won't do us any good if you get me killed with that spastic flailing you call swordsmanship."
As they both came to the edge of the clearing, Gilda took a look around. She did a quick scan with her special eye as well - knowing now what it seems to be able to do. "Sooo... which way, navigating on the ground isn't really my thing."
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