Unforeseen Consequences - Welcome to Griffonstone 6

“Man, they really did a number on this place!”
>Those were the first words that escaped from your mouth when you entered the museum and they were quite fitting, since for the next three hours that you spent in the museum, you saw nothing but disaster.
>The floor was covered in rubble, bricks, dust and, what you assumed, original pieces of the museum’s collection which were now broken beyond repair and scattered everywhere.
>The ceiling was in an eerily similar state to what you saw in the griffon council’s building. That is to say, there was a massive hole in it.
>As for the pieces that the museum used to display, well, most of them lied broken on the ground. The showcases didn’t survive either, the majority of them were cracked or destroyed to some extent.
>All except for the center piece of the museum. A golden paper mache cup, described as the “golden idol of Boreas” by a cheap banner hanging above it. This wasn’t like any other cup you had ever seen. Not at all, this was forged like a griffon’s leg and changed to a wing that was larger than the actual cup-leg itself.

>Or that’s what you at least could make out of it. The paper mache idol looked like it was crafted by a much younger foal than you. If that was supposed to be the most important piece of the museum, then the council really needed to look up for the definition of “glorious”.
>Your mom wasn’t as impressed with this mess as you were, she was flying back and forth analyzing everything to the best of her capabilities, after a while, she landed by your side and said “Very well, my child. Before I speak my thoughts openly, I am quite curious to hear your thoughts on this matter.”
>You took a final glance of the crime scene, just to make sure you didn’t miss any vital detail. Which you hope you seriously didn’t, because you had already opened your big mouth to say.
“I already said the council sucks at lying, right? Well, I think they are just stupid. Everything here is a mess, but not the kind of mess that an alicorn who knows a whole lot of magic would do. Heck, even I know more than a couple spells to leave this place in a worse condition than this.”

>Your mom smiled confidently as she played around with your mane “Very nice, my child. That does fit with my own superficial analysis of the scene. That said, we shall need the opinion of an expert in order to truly confirm our suspicions.”
>You raised an eyebrow at your mom, but made special care to not stop her from messing around with your mane… because it felt really good.
“I’m not gonna argue against that, the problem is, who is gonna play detective for us?”
>Your little pleasure came to an end when your mom placed the hoof she was using to play with your mane on her muzzle to cover her playful giggle “Why would we need a detective when we can make use of the very commander of our secret service?”
>Oh, yeah! You totally forgot about Aegia! Seriously, she slipped inside the museum before your mom or you did, and for the whole time you’ve been in here, she had become basically invisible.
>That was then, right now Aegia was by the hole in the front hole, carefully and thoroughly inspecting the whole thing. From the bricks in the ground, to the shape of the hole itself.
>You knew she was a professional with a whole lot of sills, but still, you felt the urge of teasing her for a bit. Nothing too big, just a simple question to your mother that you knew would have some effect on Aegia.

“I dunno mom, Aegia is a super cool spy, but… there’s a big difference between espionage and crime scene investigation, don’t you think?
>Aegia rolled her eyes as she stopped her research to turn to you with a very faint hint of annoyance in her face “Mon petit, maybe you forgot, but ze reason why Princess Celestia hired me as your bodyguard is because I’m ze best tracker in Equestria, and what is a tracker supposed to do?”
“Uh… look for tracks?”
>Aegia slowly and robotically nodded. She flew past you and leaned against the showcase where the fake idol was being displayed “Correct, and tracks are evidence, don’t you agree? Of course you agree, I know you’re not dumb. Ze council is, zough. In zat, you’re correct.”
>It looked like your teasing worked, but that was enough of jokes. So you gave Aegia a little smug shrug and shook your head.
“Well, I wouldn’t call that a mind blowing revelation, but I’m sure what you have in story must be. So don’t keep us waiting. What did you find?”

>Aegia smiled a bit, and if it hadn’t happened so fast, you would have sworn that she actually smirked at you “I’m afraid zis won’t be very spectacular, mon petit. I came to ze same conclusion as you two. Zis wasn’t caused by Princess Twilight.”
>“I do not want to be rude, but…” Your mom let out a tired sigh and stretched her limbs before asking to Aegia “We need the full report.”
>Hmm, weird. Maybe you didn’t notice this before since your mind was busy with the meeting, but… your mom looked awfully tired. Much more than her usual self during the day. That made you feel a bit worried, actually.
>That would need to wait for later though, since Aegia quickly delivered to your mom’s request “Ze best example I can zink of, are ze holes in ze structure. Its impossible zat zey were created by any kind of magical impact, or by ze buck of somepony”
“Please don’t think I’m doubting your skills, but I do have to ask this because you can bet the council will bring this up. How can you be so sure about what you say? Those look like holes to me”
>Aegia gently shook her head and flew towards the hole in the ceiling “Zere is no need for ze apology, mon petit. You only need to train your eyes a little more, so please, pay attention. To make a hole zis big in a structure made out of hard rock, you would need a very powerful magical impact.”

“Yes… which is what the council will point out first. Twilight has enough magic to make something like this, and even more.”
>“Oui, but what ze council doesn’t know, is zat a magical impact is pure concentrated energy, and zat kind of stuff is very hot. Zere is no burn marks in eizer hole, but zere are a whole lot of protuberances around zem as well as ze bricks scattered around ze floor. Do you know what zis means?”
>You scratched the back of your head thinking on the answer that Aegia wanted. And it took you a good couple minutes for your mind to actually come up with something that didn’t sound stupid, but when you did, well, you were sure that it was absolutely correct.
“That whoever broke the ceiling and the front wall wasn’t using magic, but actual tools… Hmm… maybe a big hammer. Wait, no, you said there were holes… A pickaxe! They used pickaxes to do the holes!”
>“See? I told you weren’t dumb, mon petit. Pickaxes were used to break zese holes, by various individuals in fact. Zat alone already tell us Princess Twilight isn’t ze culprit, but zere is more. Boz of zese holes were made from ze outside of ze museum.”
>Your mom let out a sleepy yawn and gently slapped her cheeks before answering to Aegia “I suppose that could be another flaw in the council’s logic. But the major problem with this scene comes from what the young Twilight would have really done…”

>Your mom let out another yawn and quickly shook her head to wake up a little bit more. She then kindly smiled to you and said “My child, would you mind to complement my words? I am fairly sure you can deduce what I have in mind.”
>Man, she was really tired. Like incredibly tired, she’s not usually like this. What the heck happened during her last round at the dream realm?
“Uh… sure! For what I know and heard of her, Twilight is hilariously pragmatic. I don’t really see her breaking into the museum like a villain from the Power Ponies. Especially when she could’ve teleported in and out with no problem.”
>Your mom yawned again before gently caressing your mane “You are correct, my child. Many congratulations to you.”
>Aegia elegantly landed in front of you and turning her gaze to the idol “Not to say zat zis cheap imitation of ze idol of Boreas was left untouched. Zere you go, now you use ze council’s own evidence against zem.”
>“There is still something else left to do though…” Your mom said in between yawns “We still need to visit Twilight’s friends and make sure they do not lack any support.”

>At this point, your mom was so sleepy that she could barely blink in a synchronized way. So, you decided to do the kind thing.
“Mom, what do you see if Aegia and I go to see the girls while you rest at the hotel? You seriously need some rest”
>Your mom vehemently shook her head and stomped her hoof on the ground before angrily waving it at the air “Nonsense! I am the night! I have endured much harder trials in the past! I…” But when she saw how upset you were, your mom changed her tone to a much kinder one “Very well, how about we come to an agreement?”
“Lemme guess, you’re gonna take that nap after we visit the girls, right?”
>After a brief silence, your mom dropped her head and sighed. She then gently caressed your cheek while holding a tired yet kind smile “Oh, my little star! I cannot hide anything from you, can I? Yes, indeed, that is exactly what I had in mind. Worry not, please. I swear on my honor as a mother that I shall rest once we put this matter to rest.”
“Hmmm… Nah! How about this, we go and see the girls, and after we tell them that everything’s kinda fine and we will have Twilight freed by tomorrow morning, we ask them to lend us a couch or something so you can sleep for a bit there.”
>Your mom’s ears perked at that as she adopted a more defensive attitiude “But how can you expect that a Princess like me could possibly sleep in a…” But once again, your little upset face got the best out of your mom. She let out a sigh and begrudgingly nodded

“Alright, my child. We have an agreement, just stop pouting your little cheeks like that. I do not want to fall from a cardiac arrest due to your adorableness.”
“I-I don’t pout my cheeks! I’m not a baby! A-And I’m not cute! I’m cool! There’s a big difference!”
>Aegia giggled at you as she walked out of the museum “Keep saying zat, mon petit. Maybe one day it will be true.”
>You grumbled a little and crossed your forelegs.
“It is true! I’m cool! In fact, I’m so cool that I bounce into being awesome!”
>“Awesomely adorable” Your mom said as she walked past you to join Aegia “Now come, my little star. I rather to soothe the elements’ minds before the sundown.”
>Not too long after those horrible lies were said, your group left the museum and your mom pointed out that the girls were staying at the house of a lifelong friend of Rainbow Dash. Her name was Gilda.
>The problem lied that her home was located at the other extreme of Griffonstone. So in order to cut time, it was decided that getting there by flying would be the best choice.

>Needless to say, your mom had to carry you on her back during the whole trip. Which was cool, you never felt like you were in danger of falling to your death or anything like that. She certainly knew how to give smooth rides.
>She was also incredibly fast, so much that, after arriving to Gilda’s home, you had to wait a bit for Aegia to catch up, and this was with her yawning the whole way.
>Man, just imagine if she had been at top condition. RD and her wonderbolts would look like a bunch of flying snails compared to her. Which… wouldn’t be surprising, this was your mom Luna after all.
>But… you were being sidetracked a bit too much. After Aegia finally caught up, your mom went to the door of a regular looking Griffonstone house, and knocked on the door.

>Moments later, a griffon lady opened the door. Her coat was… brown? Nah, gamboge maybe. The feathers of her head and chest were definitely white though. The edges had a grayish… lilac? Hmm, heliotrope color would be more accurate. This lady also had fire-shaped spots around her amber eyes.
>You didn’t know what was about her that you found so ugly. Maybe it was because unlike Greta and Gabby, this gal had the meanest and bored look on her face, not to say anything about the particularly annoying attitude in which she greeted your mom
>Her exact words were “Who are you and whaddaya want?” which didn’t anger you like the council, but it definitely rubbed you in all the wrong ways.
>Luckily, your mom wasn’t as prone to being annoyed like you were, since she replied with her usual polite, yet firm professionalism “I am Princess Luna. I have come to your home to humbly request an audience with the elements of harmony.”
>The griffon lady gave your mom and impolite glance “A princess? Cool, name’s Gilda. Heh! Guess I owe Dash a couple bits now…”
>Curious thing was that, the moment Gilda saw you, a smug smirk was drawn on her face “And speaking of her. You’re Anon, right? Dash hasn’t shut up you since that thing with the old coots happened. Come in, the gang has been waiting for ya.”