[Ponyville] The Stories Of The Trees OR Sir Tin's Day Out

[Dubstep]

The sun hung high in the Ponyville sky that day. Tin Soldier and his family had come to the little town to visit some family who moved from Hoofenheim a long while ago. They had no children of their own sadly, so that left Tin with very little to do at their home. And as he was apt to do when nothing occupied him, he sat out into the town. Glancing over the large castles and towering spires that dotted the landscape, little more than houses and lampposts to others, the colt smiled. Surely there was some kind of adventure to be had in such a land.

His 'magical golden lance' upon his back, the young pegasus trotted through Ponyville with confidence the befit a knight such as him. Sure he wasn't an actual knight, and maybe his lance was nothing more than a practice lance to others, but he could see beyond the illusion. That was part of it's magic after all! If ponies saw a magical golden lance, bad ones would try to take it after all. His father was so smart for buying the magic one, he was even smart enough to play along with the illusion. Of course his dad could see through the magic, he just didn't want to let out the secret!

After what seemed, to him, like days of wandering through the vast winding streets of Ponyville, the colt made it to the outer area of the town where an interesting sight caught his eye. An ancient ent sat upon a hill, staring out over the valleys and dales. With a curious tilt of the head, Tin made his way up to the large tree, "Excuse me, oh great ent, what has you watching over this place?" to anyone else, he appeared to just be speaking to a large tree and nothing more. Listening intently, the 'ent' told Tin a great tale of when the land was young, a great beast of many heads sought to ravage the land. The ponies lived in fear of this creature, that is until one day when a young mage came. Upon hearing the plight of the city, he knew what he had to do. Using all of the magic he had in him, he summoned the ent. The ent had been a friend of the mage for many a year, another fantastical tale, but one he said Tin would have to wait to hear. Continuing on, the mighty tree explained, that to this day, he guards the land, ensuring that the beast of many heads never would return, "A noble quest my wooden friend! Bards should sing tales of your greatness!" he said as he gazed out over the barley filled valley. Nothing more than a park in reality.

Silently he wondered though, what sort of beasts could be hidden still in this land. In his mind, the ent smiled at the colt as he continued on with storied of old. Tin stared up at the tree the whole while, wide eyed and smiling, as though he was listening to something that was really there.

[Gerrard]

The faint creaking of a pipe filled the air in the oft rampaged town of Ponyville. A griffon had just finished repairing the waterline to the strangely famous Equestrian City, the hybrid marvelling at his work before sliding a large and strangely glimmering crescent wrench into a bag that was fastened around his upper torso.Gerrard wiped the brow of his silver feathered head with a jet black talon as he dealt with the hot weather as best he could. His keen golden eyes spotted a young colt strutting through town with a strange lance on his back. The griffon smirked slightly, knowing something about the pegasus was a bit strange, the beaked character smirking widely as he silently stalked his prey. He lowered his large frame close to the ground as he ducked behind buildings and terrain while shadowing the strangely small 'knight'. He eventually followed the young pony up to a tree and listened intently as he spoke to a tree as if it were alive.

"Alas, they don't make knights as they used to. Is Celestia ordering pint sized soldiers to serve in her army? I think not young one," a deep, strong voice called out from behind the colt as the griffon decided to end his stalking. The griffon was clearly much larger and older than the young Jewler, the hybrid glancing down on his smaller, winged counterpart. "Why are you speaking to the tree as if it can hear you? And here I thought the stories of the mad old knight were simply a myth. It appears Don Coyote the crazed knight stands before me, discussing tales of glory that are soon to happen," he mockingly commented, the griffon wondering how seriously he took his facade as a knight. Hopefully it wasn't too much, because Gerrard wasn't looking to get skewered by a disillusioned young pony with a strange lance.

"Have you ever seen the fabled fire breathing griffon? It is such a dreadful creature, a hybrid with a coat of blackest black. It has fierce golden eyes and a charcoal black beak, clearly charred from the fire it breathes so fiercely," the griffon calmly explained to the young pseudo knight. His words eerily described himself, the griffon almost seeming to assert that he was the monster he spoke of. Could he breathe fire? Anyone with a basic knowledge of griffons would say to the contrary, but perhaps this one actually could somehow? He extended his large black wings and circled them around his body, shrouding the lower portion of his head, his golden eyes peering across to the young nostalgic knight.

[Dubstep]

Jumping slightly in surprise upon hearing someone talking to him, Tin stood up and turned to see who it was. Looking over at the griffon, that's just what Tin saw. A griffon. He breathed out a small sigh of relief, for a moment there he thought that a real threat had crept up on him while he conversed with the mighty ent, "Hail griffon." he replied with a smile, seemingly unphased by the pint sized comment, "Nay, I am not a part of the great Sun Princess' army. Nor the Moon Princess' either! I am but a free knight! I do just deeds for those who require my aid." though he didn't look quite Knightly, he at least seemed to act the part. If it was just that, an act. Upon being mocked though, the child's ears flattened a bit as he looked down, looking as though someone just struck down his favourite companion, "I....I'm not crazy...Am I?" he asked to the tree, which he stared at for a moment before perking back up with a smile, "Oooh! I see, that makes sense. He says that he doesn't wish to speak to you. The last griffon he talked to tried to cut him down into trinkets. Tacky ones." the little knight nodded.

"A fire breathing griffon?" he stared blankly for a moment before chuckling, "Oh hahaha, surely you jest! Griffons can't breath fire...Unless they ate really hot food. Maybe then perhaps." shaking a hoof in a jokingly scolding manner, Tin tsk tsk'd at him, "A valiant effort friend, but you would have to get up PRETTY early to pull the wool over Sir Tin's eyes! But I drift from my question! What brings you out this fine day, my fine feathered friend?"

[Gerrard]

The griffon patiently listened to Tin as he spoke to him in an overly formal manner. He didn't mind it though, the griffon always throwing his own pleasantries out as well. The hybrid puffed his own chest out lightly as he traced his eyes over the young colt, Gerrard making it clear that he was well aware of the physical extent of the young knight. "Ah I see, you are a freelancer. A stallion of justice and the upholder of all things right," he announced in an excited voice, pointing one of his claws into the air. "I see, your ent has been wronged by my species in the past. I can assure you that I am not the same griffon though, he couldn't breathe fire, but I can," he explained, the griffon suddenly speaking as if he thought the ent were real, the hybrid still claiming to be able to breathe fire.

"Your lack of faith in my fire manipulation abilities are disturbing. If you do not believe me, I will enlighten you. I have learned a trick or two from a will-o-wisp and now I reign over the element at my leisure! Stand back or you will be burned," he explained with a serious voice, the griffon raising a powerful black wing up to shroud his maw. A moment passed in silence as Gerrard coughed lightly, adjusting his voice for something. "Behold, Gerrard Grayfeather, master of fire and water!" he announced, a small jet of intense blue flames exiting over his wing, the source seeming to be his maw. Blue fire is rather unusual, especially in Equestria, the fire being much hotter and more concentrated than normal fire, even dragon fire. It was rather unlikely that a normal Equestrian Citizen knew that blue flame was so hot, the reference to fire and water almost misleading enough to trick someone into thinking it was a water fire of some sort.

Gerrard smirked widely at his feat, slowly retracting his wing, leaving only the a heavy brown bag strapped to his neck. "Oh, what brings me out here? I am simply an irrigation worker is looking for adventure. Perhaps we can combine our talents and challenge a worthy foe!" he nonchalantly commented, the sinister looking griffon glancing at his sharp talons. "Or perhaps there is something else you need to do Sir Tin?" he added casually, the griffon feigning a loss of interest in him.

[Dubstep]

Tin clapped his hooves together as he watched the griffon 'breathe' fire. While he was impressed, he still wasn't ready to believe he was breathing the fire at a whim, [colour=#d4af37]"A very impressive display!"[/colour] he said with a smile and a small nod,[colour=#d4af37] "And yes! A freelancer of sorts. Far and wide I search for wrongs to right and ponies to defend where they cannot."[/colour] the pegasus flitted his wings happily as he stood proudly. The colt would fight right in back in the old times, and if one didn't know better, you'd think he was ripped from the pages of a folk tale.

Upon hearing that Gerrard sought adventure, Tin smiled brightly, [colour=#d4af37]"I see! You seek to Squire under me! How could I have not seen it before!"[/colour] he said lightly slapping his forehead with a laugh, [colour=#d4af37]"If you seek adventure I would be most honoured to take you under my wing as a Squire. But know this, it is not an easy life, being the Squire of a Knight such as I. Long days, sleepless nights. Carrying heavy objects. Being the bridge across water for damsels in distress. That sort of thing! But if you feel as though you could handle it, I have needed a Squire for a long while now. The last one met with a terrible fate."[/colour] the make believe Knight shook his head sadly.

[Gerrard]

Gerrard smirked slightly at the story, knowing that the strange young pony at least meant well. He wasn't exactly sure what the young 'knight' might do, but Gerrard figured it at least would be amusing. The griffon glanced down and noticed one his feathers had been singed by the flame, burned a darker shade of black. He carefully grabbed the feather and plucked it, wincing lightly as he slipped his feather into the container strapped around his neck.

The hybrid nearly laughed when Tin suggested that the griffon wished to be his squire, Gerrard managing to maintain his composure as he looked back at the pony. He thought for a moment, and a nefarious grin crept across his maw, the griffon getting an idea of his own. "I understand Sir Tin, it would be an honor to be your squire. I know the best way to serve you sir," he announced in an almost excited manner, the griffon walking alongside the pony as he stretched out his large and powerful black wings. I know of a perfect way to avoid a terrible fate. Why don't I simply take you under my wings and fly you across the land. We can use your combat prowess and my speed and agility to cleanse this land of evildoers!" he announced, flexing his sharp black talons as he gestured to pick up the young knight.

[Dubstep]

Tin smiled and nodded his head, [colour=#d4af37]"Then by my right as a Knight of Equestria, I name you my Squire! May you serve me, Equestria, and it's people well until the end of your days. Who knows, mayhaps someday you too will become a Knight!"[/colour] he said proudly, hefting his spear from his back and tapping each shoulder of the Griffon, before placing the training weapon back between his wings. A fortuitous day, he thought, he was lucky enough to not only meet an Ancient Ent, but acquire an new Squire as well! Wait until his parents got to hear about this!

[colour=#d4af37]"Ahh, I'm afraid that is not a possibility! As brilliant of a plan as that is, my dear parents, frail and defenseless as they are, need me on their own travels, that is my current task, to protect them from all who would wish them harm. Family is a strong bond, and one to be defended at all costs."[/colour] he said with a nod and a wise look to him. Well, as wise of a look as the young colt could muster, [colour=#d4af37]"Be sure to remember that Squire. But, perhaps sometime we shall take to wings and dole out swift justice to those who wish to bring darkness unto the lands!"[/colour]

[Gerrard]

Gerrard wore a sly smirk across his maw as the knelt down before his new knight and master. "Thank you Sir Tin!" he exclaimed in an excited manner, the griffon wrapping his powerful arms around the pony as he lifted him off the ground and swung him around lightly. He grinned before slowly releasing the pony to the ground. It was unclear what exactly Gerrard was thinking, but he decided to play along a bit more, no obligations of his own for a little while anyway.

He blinked when Tin spoke of his parents, the eager squire wrapping his arm around the neck of the pony as he pointed into the sky. "Lead the way to the weak and I will protect them with my life! What would you have me do brave sir?" he announced excitedly, the griffon idly sharpening his talons as he awaited his orders.