Omake: We Were Kings.
A short speech to the Assembly of Aerial combat
1 regarding the rediscovery of the Griffon Empire, and their airships, given sometime after first contact.
"
We were kings.
For all of history we have ruled the skies, our only competitor; the Dragons
2. We were the best of the best, from our scouts to our mobile fortresses, none had the same power as us.
For millennia we have been the militant arm of the tribes. When Discord twisted the world to his whims, we were the first to respond, and we were the last to fall. With the founding of Equestria, and the banishment of Discord, we formed the first elite flight squadrons; the Wonderbolts and Shadowbolts
3.
We expected to have this be the way things were to be until the very end of time, for who else had the military tradition of the Pegasi? Who else could control the very skies?
No one, until now.
The Griffon Empire
4, a power rivalling Equestria. The Griffons have military traditions of generations, natural weapons in the form of beaks and talons, as well technology beyond what we thought was possible.
Many of you have seen their airships patrolling their borders, and most of you understand what this means in regards to the power of this Empire.I will not go on for long on the strength that these ships allow the Griffons to project, but it is important that you all know this; we no longer rule the skies.
The griffons can employ any number of previously ground bound emplacements on these warships, and our magic can be neutralized by their so-called Black Knights
5. Already we are hearing reports that they have killed Dragons, and destroyed a flying fortress.
It is crucial that we make peace with them, for we are outnumbered, and out armed. The only way we could retake our place at the top would be to acquire and copy their airships, and even then I believe they will have an edge.
We have lost an arms race we never knew we were a part of, and we will be playing catch up for a long time to come.
However, we still have a way to meet them on equal terms; our magic. While I did state that they have anti-magic capabilities, these are based on an unknown metal, as well as possessing little to no magic of their own.
As such I believe if we increase the amount of research done on potential applications of Pegasi magic, we may be able to meet them there.
We will never be able to meet the Empire's industrial output, but we will always have an edge in regards to magic, and we must lean into that if we are to ever become the kings of the sky once more.
"
1 One of the councils of military leaders formed soon after Equestria's founding.
2 For most of history Pegasi have competed with the dragons for aerial supremacy, until the discovery of the Griffon Empire.
3 The elite flight squadron of the night guard, later absorbed into the Wonderbolts with the banishment of Nightmare Moon
4 See; A history of the Griffon Empire.
5 An elite order of knights, equipped with anti magic weaponry and armour.
Hm oh Equestria Pegasi reaction to the blimps and the empire
Omake for you
@Questor