A Unicorn was nothing without her horn.
“Come on,” Tempest said as she started up a long, steep staircase to the city of Hippogriffia. Grubber was behind her, but the hike was too much for him. He was breathing heavily, and he kept stopping on every other stair to rest.
They’d left the ship far below. The Storm Creatures weren’t happy to not be going up to the city, but Tempest promised she would call for them if they were needed. Almost as soon as she said it, she hoped that wouldn’t happen. She just wanted to get in, get the pearl, and leave. The faster this was over, the better it would be.
She kept walking up the stairs, turning back once to make sure the ship was hidden. Mount Aris was perched high up in the clouds. They’d parked the ship far below, then covered it with a giant storm cloud. From where she was standing, it just looked as if there was rain at the base of the mountain.
“No one mentioned the stairs,” Grubber said, huffing behind her.
“We’re nearly at the top,” Tempest said. “Just a little farther.”
When they finally arrived, they looked past the beautiful gates. Inside, the city was all stone, with carved pillars and statues of Hippogriffs. An official-looking Hippogriff sat on the other side of the gate, guarding it.
“Who goes there?” he called as soon as she spotted Grubber and Tempest.
Tempest had a shawl around her shoulders. She and Grubber had disguised themselves with rags and old pieces of clothing they’d found in the castle kitchen. The long, tattered shawl covered Tempest’s armor. Grubber wore a black hooded cloak that was ripped at the seams.
“I’m sorry to bother you.…” Tempest let the shawl fall from her head, exposing her broken horn. “We’ve gotten lost. We’ve been traveling for days, and I’m afraid we’re very weak.”
“How does that concern us? Do you know where you are?” the Hippogriff asked.
Grubber shook his head, pretending he did not. He was sitting on the steps, and every other second he coughed. He really did look like a sick and weary traveler.
“This is the city of Hippogriffia,” the Hippogriff said. “Only Hippogriffs are allowed inside these gates.”
“We wouldn’t ask for help if we didn’t really need it.” Tempest stared into the Hippogriff’s eyes. She knew she was lying, but she was used to that by now. It was a survival skill. There was no way they’d be let in if they didn’t have a convincing story. She’d tell the truth after tonight. After they got the pearl. After the Storm King fixed her horn.
Without another word, the Hippogriff lifted off into the air. He was a magnificent blue creature with impressive wings. He went up into the stars, then swooped down and disappeared behind one of the buildings.
“Do you think it worked?” Grubber asked, peering through the gate. There were stone statues lining the street. They were all Hippogriffs posed in different positions.
“I don’t know.…” Tempest said. She stared up at the buildings. It was late, but she could see light in a few of the windows. Why couldn’t they let them in for just one night? Was the city really so strict they’d leave them outside?
She turned and sat down on the steps. Tempest glanced back at the city. The Hippogriff was nowhere in sight. “How long should we wait?” she asked.
“As long as we have to,” Grubber said. “We can’t go back without the pearl.”
There was something about the way he said it. It seemed as if they weren’t allowed to fail. Would the Storm King let them back into the castle if they didn’t have the pearl? Or would Tempest be banned forever?
She heard the sound of the Hippogriff’s wings against the sky. The giant creature swooped down and landed on the other side of the gate. Then he unlocked it and let the doors swing open.
“The queen has granted your stay in the city,” he said. “But only for the night. What are your names?”
“I’m Cherry Pie,” Tempest lied. She couldn’t use her new name. Not when they were going to steal the pearl. “And this is… Mort.”
“I’m Stratus Skyranger,” the Hippogriff said. “Come—follow me, and we’ll get you food and a warm bed.”
He walked down the stone street. Tempest gazed up at all the statues, high buildings, and carved pillars. Grubber plodded along behind her. She turned back just once, and his eyes were wide.
Their plan had worked.
CHAPTER NINE
The soup was delicious. Tempest didn’t realize how hungry she was until she was sitting at the table in the castle’s great hall. She finished her whole bowl in just minutes.
“So I see you enjoyed your meal.” Stratus strode in from the main hall. “Now I’d like to take you to meet the Queen of the Hippogriffs. You are her guests for tonight. I think it’s only proper.”
“Yes, right,” Tempest said, standing up. Grubber followed behind her as they made their way down a long hallway. She pulled the shawl tighter around her shoulders, making sure her armor was hidden.
Stratus stopped at two huge doors at the end of the hall. Two guards were standing on either side of it. They stepped back once they recognized Stratus, approaching with Tempest and Grubber.
“Your Majesty…” Stratus Skyranger lowered to one knee and bowed his head.
A large Hippogriff was lying on a long velvet lounge chair. Her eyes were covered with a green mask, and her head was wrapped in a soft velvet scarf. She pulled the mask off her eyes when she heard Stratus’s voice.
“Interrupting my beauty ritual again?” asked the queen. “Stratus Skyranger, how many times do I have to tell you? A queen has to look her best for her subjects. I mean—”
She stopped, noticing Tempest and Grubber standing there.
“My queen,” Stratus Skyranger said, stepping aside so Tempest and Grubber could come forward, “this is Cherry Pie and Mort. They’re the travelers I told you about. I thought they should meet the queen who has generously opened her doors to them.”
Tempest and Grubber both got down on one knee each, following Stratus Skyranger’s lead.
“Thank you for all your help,” Tempest said.
“We don’t often let strangers past the city gates.” The queen stood as she said it. She was much taller than Tempest thought she’d be. Her giant wings hung by her sides. “But Stratus here told me how desperate you were. It seems you’ve had a long, difficult journey.”
“We have,” Grubber chimed in. “Very long and very difficult. Very long. Yup.”
“Where did you travel from?” The queen stared down at Grubber, waiting for him to answer. His blue eyes went wide. Tempest could tell he was panicking.
“From the Forgotten Hills,” Tempest lied, standing up. “We’d been living there for a long time but decided to leave to find a better home. But then we got lost.…”
The queen studied her as she spoke. This didn’t bother Tempest. She’d become used to lying. As she told the story it felt true—at least some parts of it. She had been in the Forgotten Hills with Grubber. And she had left to find a better home.
After a pause, the queen smiled warmly.
“You’ll have to stay tomorrow morning,” she said. “My daughter would love to meet you. She’s always telling me we should let other creatures into the city. She loves hearing different stories about what it’s like outside the city walls, and if I’m being honest, I think she could use some friends her own age. How many times can she ask Stratus to play dolls with her before he gets bored?”
“We’d love to meet her,” Grubber replied. He offered a sly smile.
“Stratus will get you whatever you need,” the queen said. “We want our guests to be as comfortable as possible.”
Tempest was about to say something else, but then she noticed a shell on the table next to the queen’s chair. The shell was open, revealing a sparkling pearl inside. She glanced sideways at Grubber. He’d seen it, too.
“Right, thank you,” Tempest said, trying to seem normal. She knelt again to say good-bye. “We appreciate all you’ve
done for us, Your Majesty.”
Grubber offered a small bow, and they both followed Stratus out.
“You’ll be staying in the north wing,” he said.
As soon as Stratus’s back was turned, Grubber stared at Tempest. His eyes were wide. “Did you see that?” He whispered it softly so only she could hear him.
Tempest nodded. The pearl was right there, right next to the queen’s bed. It had been only a few feet away.
Tonight, while the queen was sleeping, it would become theirs.
CHAPTER TEN
The room was dark. Tempest could barely see Grubber, even though he was right next to her. He was snoring loudly, his lips fluttering with every breath.
“Grubber,” she said. But he didn’t wake up. She nudged him with her hoof. “Grubber!”
He sat up in bed, scared. “What?!”
“It’s time.”
Tempest turned to her bed. She took the two fluffy pillows they’d given her and stuffed them under the blanket. Then she stood. It looked like she was still sleeping, her face hidden by the covers. If Stratus checked on them, he would think they were still there.
Grubber took one pillow and stuck it under his blanket, making it as round as he could. “Spitting image,” he said, staring at the lump. Then he pulled on his tattered cloak. “Let’s go.”
He started out the door, turning in the direction of the queen’s room.
“Wait,” Tempest said. “It’s better if I go alone. Besides, it’s going to take you a while to get to the city gates with your legs.”
“My legs?” Grubber asked, offended. He stared down at them.
“They’re tiny,” she said. “That’s all. Why don’t you get a head start and meet me there?”
The truth was that it would be so much easier if Grubber wasn’t with her. She could sneak in, get the pearl, and sneak out. She was worried Grubber might try to steal the queen’s jewelry, or accidentally wake her. She could just picture him knocking into some huge vase and all the guards running to see what had happened. It wasn’t worth it.
But Grubber looked upset. “Really? I thought it was you and me. A team.”
“It is,” Tempest said. “But that’s why I need you by the gate… to keep a lookout. As soon as I get the pearl, I’ll meet you there; then we’ll go down the stairs together.”
Grubber nodded, and then he shuffled down the hallway. He stayed close to the wall so he wouldn’t be seen.
Tempest went in the opposite direction. She peered around the corner, looking at the doors to the queen’s room. A guard stood on either side. It was risky, but her powers were all she had right now. She closed her eyes and focused on her horn. It sparked and glowed and she could feel that something was working.
Down the hall, she noticed a mirror hanging over a table. She focused as hard as she could, then shot the sparks. They hit the mirror, knocking it onto the floor, where it smashed into a hundred pieces. The Hippogriff guards ran toward it.
“What was that?” one asked. Tempest hid behind some curtains, staying out of sight. The guards went in different directions to search for the culprit. As soon as they were gone, Tempest ran toward the queen’s bedroom and slipped inside. Moonlight streamed through the window, lighting up parts of the room. The queen tossed and turned in her sleep. Her eyes were covered by a blue velvet mask.
Tempest spotted the pearl on the table beside the queen’s bed. She crept over to it as quietly as she could. Cold air blew in from outside, sending a chill down her spine. She pulled her shawl around her to keep warm. Then she was there, right in front of it, the pearl shining in its shell. She reached out and closed it. Then she tucked it into the front of her armor.
“What are you doing with my pearl?” a voice asked.
Tempest turned around and stared right at the queen. She was awake and sitting in bed. Her mask was off, and she flew into the air, her wings spread wide. She looked terrifying.
“Do you dare come into my home and try to steal from me?” her voice boomed through the room. “Nocreature wrongs the Hippogriffs. You will pay dearly!”
Tempest was so startled she couldn’t respond. She let the shawl drop from her shoulders and ran as fast as she could for the door. As she barreled down the hall, she heard the queen yelling behind her.
“Stop her! She has the pearl!”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Within seconds, an alarm sounded. It blared through the halls and echoed out into the streets. Suddenly, all Hippogriffia was awake.
Tempest darted through the castle, turning just in time to see two guards charging at her from the west wing. She ran through the great hall and into the city square. The guards were right behind her, getting closer by the second.
She ran past a castle, past the marble pillars and beautiful statues of Hippogriffs, and toward the city gates. Grubber was standing beside them, waiting for her. As she sprinted toward him, he looked up, staring at something behind her. His eyes were wide.
“Tempest! Watch out!” he yelled.
She glanced over her shoulder. The two giant Hippogriffs were almost upon her. They swooped down, their claws outstretched. She fell to the ground, covering her head with her hooves. She was sure this was it. There was no way out. She’d be captured and taken prisoner for what she’d done.
Oomph! There was a dull thud of something crashing into the Hippogriffs, then shrieks as they flew through the air. When Tempest finally peeked through her hooves, she couldn’t believe what she saw. Dozens of Storm Creatures were in the streets of Hippogriffia. Hearing the alarm, they’d pulled the ship up to the city to defend her. Some were still scaling the walls. Others worked together to bust through the main gates.
Stratus was battling two Storm Creatures at the same time. He’d fly up into the air, then swoop down to take on one. The other kept jumping on her back, trying to pin down her wings.
Tempest glanced at the castle, watching as the Hippogriffs flew out one by one. The queen was in the front of the flock, her wings spread against the sky. Her face hardened when she saw Tempest in the city square.
“There she is!” the queen yelled, leading the group. “Look at her armor. She was sent here by the Storm King to steal the pearl! Don’t let her get away!”
Tempest scrambled to her hooves. Minute by minute, more Storm Creatures broke into the city, knocking over pillars and statues. One leaped onto the back of a flying Hippogriff. Two others broke into one of the buildings and came out with armfuls of treasure.
Grubber was lost among the chaos. He was desperately trying to get back to the ship, but he was so small it was a risk to take even one step. He tried to get around a fight between a Storm Creature and a green Hippogriff, but then the Storm Creature tossed the Hippogriff across the square. One of her wings hit Grubber. He flew into the side of a building and landed with a thud.
A huge purple Hippogriff swooped down on him, its claws reaching out to pluck him into the sky. It was just inches away from snatching him up and bringing him back to the castle. Tempest had no choice. She ran forward, knocking the Hippogriff out of the way. But now she was in the middle of the fight. Two more Hippogriffs came at them from either side.
“We’re trapped,” Grubber said.
They were backed against a wall. A pillar had fallen over, boxing them in. The queen was getting closer. The Storm Creatures were so busy battling the other Hippogriffs they didn’t notice Grubber and Tempest in the corner of the square, trapped and helpless.
The queen descended upon them. Her eyes were filled with fury.
“Give me the pearl!” she demanded. “Or I will take it myself.”
Tempest could feel the pearl was still there, tucked in the front of her armor. She glanced into the square, hoping one of the Storm Creatures would save her, but they were all fighting their own battles. It was up to her to save herself.
“Come and get it, then,” she said, springing to her hooves. She got into a fighting stance. “The pearl is mine now.”
The queen swooped down on Tempest. Tempest darted to the side, avoiding her. Then they were both on the ground, face-to-face. The queen stalked forward. She swept her wing out, pinning Tempest to the wall with all her weight. Tempest could barely breathe.
The queen reached into Tempest’s collar and pulled out the pearl. She held it right under Tempest’s nose, her eyes filled with fury. “You have come here and taken advantage of our kindness. You have stolen from us. You have brought the Storm King’s army here and destroyed our city.”
The queen lifted off the ground, preparing to take flight. Her front claws were outstretched. She dove, about to bring Tempest and Grubber with her, when two Storm Creatures moved in. One battled with her, dodging blows, while the other climbed onto her back and tried to pin her down. The queen struggled, then broke free.
“My loyal subjects—retreat!” The queen called out. “Retreat!”
She looped around toward the castle, her daughter right beside her. A dozen other Hippogriffs followed. Some were injured from the fight. Others came down from the roofs of buildings or perches high above. One emerged from a pile of rubble near the broken gate.
The Hippogriffs flew as fast as they could toward the castle. Tempest followed, watching as her hopes of getting the pearl went with them. The queen and the others rushed into the building, and the queen uttered something Tempest couldn’t hear. Then the whole building filled with bright light.
By the time Tempest got to the entrance, the Hippogriffs were gone. The castle was completely empty. The Hippogriffs had vanished without a trace.
Tempest saw the destruction they’d caused. The castle arches, which had fallen to the ground. The broken statues and pillars. The gaping holes in the walls where a Storm Creature had burst through.
They had done this. They had destroyed Hippogriffia.
My Little Pony, The Movie: The Stormy Road to Canterlot Page 4
