//------------------------------//
// Chapter 3 
// Story: Gabby Comes to the Friendship School 
// by Creativa-Artly01 
//------------------------------//

A few minutes later, Silverstream and Gabby arrive in class and take their seats next to Yona and Smoulder. They're currently in a special class on Forgiveness with Starlight Glimmer. "So students," says Starlight, "I am here to talk to you today about Forgiveness and how important it is. After all, if I wasn't forgiven by Twilight and her friends, I wouldn't be here or be the pony I am today. Forgiveness is essential to friendship and relationships overall. If I wasn't shown forgiveness, I'd still be running ponies under a mind control spell, stuck in the same place I had always been before now. If you hold a grudge or onto something petty and don't let go of it, you'll end up a wreck and believe me, that's the last thing you want." 

"Get to the point already," grumbles Gallus from his seat in the back of the room. 

"Gallus, outside now, go to Principal Twilight's office," demands Starlight as she shows him to the door. He then leaves the room in a huff. Class then continues on as normal. "Anyway, as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted," continues Starlight, "forgiveness is essential. It's important. It's for your own growth and happiness. When we hold onto the pains and hurts from our past, our past resentment, our past anger, it harms us more than the person who offended us. Forgiving ourselves and them helps us to live a better, happier present. It helps us let go of a need for revenge. Do you understand that?" 

"Yes, Miss Starlight," responds the class in unison. 

"Good, good," responds Starlight. "I'm glad. After all, forgiveness sets you free. Remember that, class dismissed!" The students then file out of the room one by one. 

Once outside the classroom, Silverstream and Gabby take to the skies and go for a fly before lunch time. As they fly, the two friends can't help but laugh and crack jokes among other things. "So wait, let me get this straight," says Gabby, "you used to be a seapony but now you're a hippogriff. That's actually kind cool." 

"Thanks," responds Silverstream with a smile. "What are other griffons like?" 

"It all depends on the griffon really," responds Gabby, "most are grumpy, overprotective, over zealous, over moody. The only ones that aren't that extreme generally don't care either way. The teen griffons tend to have anger issues like Gilda does. She's older than me by like six years. She's always treated me pretty nicely, other griffons, though, she can kind of be stand offish. All around, just never tick them off when they're in a bad mood. That never ends well." 

"Okay, noted," responds Silverstream. "Another question, how'd you and Gallus meet?" 

"Oh, we met as kids. He was about four years older than me and we still got along like a dream. He was like an older brother to me. It was nice as I had no siblings of my own. He'd always stand up for me and protect me against local bullies. He'd always tell me Grandpa Gruff's stories when we'd hang out. We'd always go on adventures together. He taught me how to fly and how to do bird calls. We always had a blast together. I wish we were that close now, but alas, we're not."

"Why not?" asks Silverstream curiously. 

"Well, people grow apart sometimes," responds Gabby. "It's part of life." 

"Well, it shouldn't be," responds Silverstream. "Tell him you want to be close with him again like you were when you two were children." 

"Okay," sighs Gabby, "I think I'll take you up on that." 

"Oh good," sighs Silverstream. 

A few minutes later, the two arrive back to the school and head down to the lunch room, where they grab lunch and sit down with the rest of their friends. Once at their table, Gabby lets out a deep breath and admits how she feels to Gallus. "Gallus," says Gabby, "I wish we were close like we were as kids. I can see we've grown apart and I don't like it." 

"Well, I, I honestly didn't notice, I'm sorry," responds Gallus. "Why don't we do something together like we did as kids? What did you enjoy doing together when we were kids?" 

"Bird calls at dusk, owl calls, all of that. Those were always fun," responds Gabby.

"Okay," responds Gallus. "Why don't we do owl calls together tonight on the forest edge of Ponyville? That's the best place to do it."

"Okay," responds Gabby, "sounds good." 

"Great!" responds Gallus. "I can't wait!"

"Me neither!" responds Gabby. 

A few hours later, once it's dark outside, Gabby and Gallus fly out to the forest edge of Ponyville and begin their owl calls and to their great joy and delight, they hear a response as a cotton candy owl flies out of the wood and lands on a tree branch not that far away from them. They then do the call again and another cotton candy owl flies out followed by two or three baby ones and they land next to the male one that is perched on the tree. 

"Look!" says Gabby pointing. "It's a family of cotton candy owls!" 

"Yeah! It's cool, isn't it?" responds Gallus. 

"Sure is!" responds Gabby as she embraces him in a hug. "I had a blast with you tonight!"

"Me too!" responds Gallus cracking a smile, now let's get back before Twilight gets fussy. The two nod and fly back to the friendship school and into their bedrooms and right under the covers, so no one notices they were gone at all as they're all asleep already as it is.