My Little Pony: Sleeping Giant
Chapter 4: Empress
We have done all that we can to prepare for this inevitable war, and we will do all we can to defend our home islands and assist our Griffon allies in any way that we can. That I will promise. I am Golden Chrysanthemum, Empress of Uma. My duty is here to my ponies, and should I have to. I will gladly give my life for them, and fight with all my power.
The katana at my side with my kimono is a Date Masamune. I may appear to be a large unicorn, but under the folds of my imperial kimono, I hold a secret. Until then, I am just a cream-colored mare with a black mane and tail, and of a slightly above average height. I hide some healthy flanks under my garb. Today, I have a most important of meetings.
"Your imperial highness," said a voice
I sat at my throne, and smiled warmly as I was greeted by King Gunjong and Queen Gyu-Ri of the Griffon Kingdom of Gwangmu. My ancestors have tried, and failed to conquer their lands. I have nothing, but the utmost respect for these Griffons. Princess Celestia's ambitions of conquest know no bounds, and she is willing to open up a fifth battle front.
His royal clothing is dark blue and white and he wears a traditional black hat called a 'jeollip' with a blue tassel, an peacock feather, and red and yellow beads. It maybe a bit fillyish to admit this, but I do like his hat. His wife is also very beautiful wearing a 'hanbok' with a white top and a dark blue dress. Their royal bloodline is ancient just like mine.
His bloodline goes back to the First Kings of Gojoseon, "We come to you as dark times are looming on the horizon, Princess Celestia has sent an envoy to our kingdom asking for our surrender, it is my thought that the Equestrians are planning to use our land in order to invade Uma from the west," said Queen Gyu-Ri, I now fully understood the situation.
"You need weapons,"
"Exactly," said King Gunjong, "with your contributions to the war effort, we will contribute to your forces seeing that Princess Celestia wants to open a new front by invading our kingdom from the east, I have been given knowledge that you may be in need of volunteers, I can supply able-bodied Griffons for your ranks so long as they are treated equally"
I placed my katana down in front of them with gentle magic, "You all have my word, my word is the Word of Uma, I will see to it that the Griffon Volunteers will be treated in the same way and with the same rights as the Ponies, they will be equals in all of our eyes and will be allowed to serve in all branches of the military, this is my promise to you both"
"We are most grateful," said Gyu-Ri
"And you have my utmost gratitude," I replied, they stood and bowed to me. I stood, and bowed back. Within weeks of the conclusion of this meeting, my convoys were sending weapon aid to the soldiers of Gwangmu. The Griffons of Gwangmu are an old-fashioned army. They wear a uniform that Ponies would have worn at the beginning of the Meiji Era
Their soldiers wear tan and red-colored peaked caps with black visors. Front and center on the peaked cap is a small blue and red 'taegeuk' circle in a golden star, the symbol of the Royal Family of Gwangmu. Their peaked caps have a black leather chinstrap. A soldier wears a tan-colored tunic jacket with black shoulder epaulettes and no tassels on them
In their talons is now a Type 99 Arisaka short rifle. Assisting them are Shisei Type 3 light machine guns, and Type 1 heavy machine guns. Our Imperial Army is also training tank crews for their Type 6 'Mamushi' medium tanks. There are even Griffons coming from across the Sea of Neigh-Pon to train in our Imperial Air Force and Navy as pilots and sailors
"차렷! ('Attention!')" ordered an officer
The Royal Guards of the King and Queen wear dark blue uniforms of the same type instead of khaki. Officers also carry a sword at their side called a 'Hwando' which I find to be quite similar to the traditional 'Katana'. Their rifles in the talons stood as firm, and straight as pine trees in the Northern Mountains, "왕과 나라를 위해," said an officer full with pride
'For King and Country'. That is what he said as he held his sword down at an angle near his side. Although this is merely a sample from the King and Queen's Royal Guard, some 200,000 Gwangmu Griffons took up arms as our allies. Within weeks, the first troops were on the march to the front lines to provide aid to the Orelian Griffons, and to our Ponies
'Something feels...wrong' I pondered
In the entirety of this war, I have seen Princess Celestia as my enemy. Yet it begs the question, where is Princess Luna? The next day with this in mind, I went to speak with the head of the military intelligence, or 'Kenpeitai'. His name is Masakari. A handsome and smart brown-eyed stallion with a black mane and tail, and a pelt the color of tea with milk
His cutie mark is two crossed 'Masakari' axes with an Imperial Seal, "Your Highness, we've been working since the declaration of war was declared on us," he said, showing me the documents, "according to our allies, a magic signature has been found on Mount Phoenix in the middle of Lake Hippocampus in Equestria," I nodded in understanding to this.
"Here is the main objective we have found, the magic signature is not coming from on the island, but below it, the cell is below the lake, from what our surveillance planes have picked up, there is no entrance on the island, the only way in is through the lake," concluded Masakari, "your Highness, you don't need a group of ponies to rescue her, just one"
I grinned, "I know the perfect one,"