Convocation of the Creatures!
- Story by Ted Anderson, Art by Andy Price
The Convocation of the Creatures, a great multi-species gathering and political summit, is held for the first time in over seven centuries. Delegations from every nation in the world, including of course Equestria, come to the Hall of Unity on Mount Metazoa to mingle, share their cultures and renew political bonds and agreements. While the rulers and politicians go about their business, Twilight decides to head to the Hall's immense repository of records, where a copy of every pact, treaty and agreement ever made is stored, to help the various nations' bureaucrats sort through centuries of backlogs and add the records of modern politics to the archive. While doing this, however, they discover that in the past, Equestria bought a considerable amount of land — about half of its current area, including Canterlot — from the Griffons, but never paid the agreed-upon price. By rights, all of this land should go back to Griffonstone.
Naturally, this causes no small amount of drama. The Griffons are quite clear that they want the land back unless the price is paid back — but the interest accumulated since would bankrupt Equestria seven times over if it were paid. Twilight and the bureaucrats return to the Hall of Records to try to find anything that might change this situation, as Equestria may very well be doomed if they don't — and they find something they do. As it turns out, the Yaks had been present as witnesses to the original agreement and had kept their own records of it, but their use of a different calendar system from Equestria and the Griffons meant that the relevant records had been stored under a different date than the characters had expected. A document proving the Equestria did pay the debt is discovered, but the unscrupulous Griffon Lord Goldstone is determined to see Equestria's land added to Griffonstone's and attempts to intercept and destroy this record. The bureaucrats are thus forced to run a desperate race ahead of his guards to bring the document to Princess Celestia and the Griffon lords, managing to reach them just ahead of Goldstone and defuse the crisis in the nick of time.
These issues provide examples of:
- The Bus Came Back:
- The deer appear for the first time since "Root of the Problem".
- King Longhorn also returns, and receives a glare from Twilight.
- The Cameo: Pictures of Jim the Troll, Queen Chrysalis and Iron Will all appear in "do not admit" posters.
- Cliffhanger: The first part ends with the discovery that the ponies bought a section of land — including where Canterlot was built — from the griffons during ancient times. According to the treaty, the land would be returned to the griffons unless the ponies paid a large sum of gold one hundred years later. However, upon further search of the archives, no record exists of the rulers of Equestria ever paying that gold. Twilight worryingly realizes that a large section of Equestria, including all of Canterlot, legally belongs to the griffons.
- Continuity Nod:
- The events of the movie are referenced, first by Twilight and Queen Novo, and then later on, when a discussion mentions that the aftermath of the Storm King's defeat has created new opportunities for trade agreement.
- The Ponytones are among the cultural shows at the Convocation. In the second part, they sing the Heart Carol when Twilight tells them Lord Goldstone is a talent scout.
- The events of "Over A Barrel" are referenced, with Raven pointing out that she wrote up the peace treaty between the ponies and buffalo afterward.
- Destroy the Evidence: When Lord Goldstone learns that the archivists discovered a document that proves the debt was settled, he orders his guards to recover and destroy it.
- Diplomatic Immunity: Probably one of the few known positive examples. By right, Lord Goldstone cannot even lay a finger on the bureaucrats, as attempted destruction of the treaty that proves that the sum was paid counts as interrupting a legitimate political process, resulting in massive diplomatic fallout, not that he gives a damn if it can bring Griffinstone back from the brink of poverty.
- Easily Forgiven: Twilight and Queen Novo seem to get along quite well, despite the former trying to steal the latter's MacGuffin.
- "Eureka!" Moment: After learning that the current yak prince had signed the treaty between the ponies and griffons, the archivists search for a follow-up document. They have no luck at first... until Urtica points out that the yaks operate on a different calendar, allowing Horwitz to locate the right document.
- Fish out of Water: Dragon Lord Ember, used to the dragons' forthright and physical culture, is far out of her element when maneuvering in a political congregation — speeches, politics and small talk aren't her main strengths.Ember: Dragons don't do diplomacy. We're not big on crowds or speeches or all that stuff, you know? I am way out of my element here.
- Funny Background Event: Some water splashes on Cadance after Queen Novo changes into a seapony and back again, leaving her to shake herself dry and try to get her man back in order in the background of several following panels.
- Genki Girl: Urtica, the changeling librarian, is extremely energetic and excitable.
- Greed: Lord Goldstone is eager for Equestria to return the land to the griffons, due to the fact that it would increase his own personal holdings.
- Hulk Speak: Averted in the case of the yak historian Horwitz, who lost his accent during his second year at "Oxenford".
- I Just Want to Be Normal: At the end of the story, Raven admits that she enjoyed the adventure, but prefers to work "behind the scenes".
- Leaning on the Fourth Wall: Shown in a conversation between King Aspen and the Queen of Abyssinia.King Aspen: ...Do you ever feel as though you're simply not part of the story?
Queen of Abyssinia: Constantly. - Meaningful Name:
- The convocation takes place on Mount Metazoa. "Metazoa" is the term for any animal with multiple cells.
- Urtica's name is a reference to the urticating hairs found on several insect species.
- Mythology Gag: One of the dishes at breakfast is "Bushwoolie fritters", referencing the furry creatures from the original G1 series.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: Lord Gestal. While he demands the enforcement of the treaty, he does so only because the ponies and griffons had a deal that must be settled. When he is told that the debt was actually paid, he is relieved that Equestria won't have to lose anything.Lord Gestal: I am glad this could be resolved peacefully. I would not wish to lose my people's greatest friend... ...Not for ten times the land in all of Equestria.
- Serious Business: Raven Inkwell sees bureaucracy and diplomacy as this (as opposed to Twilight, who greatly enjoys paperwork).
- Small Name, Big Ego: Blacktip, the dragon archivist. He claims to know dragon history better than anyone, and urges Twilight to go to him for such knowledge... but Twilight points out that she can just ask her dragon assistant or the Dragon Lord herself.
- Shout-Out: One of the Diamond Dogs attending the Convocation is colored like David Bowie on the cover of his album "Diamond Dogs".
- Shrinking Violet: Glenda, the griffon archivist, is very meek and quiet.
- Those Magnificent Flying Machines: A large number of these
◊ are visible in the beginning of the comic as the various delegates arrive at the Hall of Unity, including airships topped with fully rigged sails and with gondolas as big as their gas envelopes, hot-air balloons, and a helicopter-like contraption. Of course, some winged creatures such as pegasi, bat ponies and dragons simply fly in under their own power. - Verbal Tic: Urtica has a tendency to stutter when she speaks.
- We Need a Distraction: While trying to escape Lord Goldstone's guards, the archivists use the cultural demonstrations to evade them.
- What's In It For Me?: When Blacktip initially refuses to help, asking what Equestria has ever done for dragons, Raven points out that Equestria exports ninety percent of all the gems going into the Dragon Lands.
