Night had only just fallen when Ancient Scroll and Yojimbo made their way back into the heart of town.
Ancient Scroll had initially arrived in Faranda Way later than he had wanted to and had intended to stay at the local inn for the night. When he mentioned this to Yojimbo, the old dog had scoffed and offered to take him in instead.
With that settled, the two of them had set out to the northern outskirts of town where Den lived.
"So why didn't I see you at the Spring Festival the other day, Yoji?" Ancient Scroll asked as they made their way up a gently sloping hill, "took the girls with me and we all had a pretty good time. Tried to find you in the crowd but I couldn't spot you anywhere, old friend."
"Ah, that," Yojimbo answered with a shrug, "decided not to join in this year. From what I heard, it was supposed to be pretty lackluster compared to the last few," he shook his head and gave the stallion a lopsided grin, "doggone it though, Scroll. If you were already in town that day you shoulda stopped by. I mighta joined you for a drink or two while the pups were out havin' fun."
"Yeah, you're right," Ancient Scroll replied with a sheepish grin, "probably should've stopped by, but I didn't think to at the time. Sorry about that, Yoji."
"Ah, forget about it," the old husky replied with a dismissive wave of his paw, "you're here now ain'tcha?"
"Guess that's true," Ancient Scroll said with a nod and a grateful smile, "even if it was for a favor, I'm glad I was able to come visit... again..."
Ancient Scroll slowed to a stop and furrowed his brow as he spotting somepony else making their way up the hill further away. He looked from them to the large wooden cabin further up the hill and back to the stranger.
"Hey, Yoji," Ancient Scroll muttered.
"Yeah, I see em'," Yoji replied narrowing his eyes, "who is that?"
Ancient Scroll shook his head in response.
It wasn't all that strange for other townsfolk to come all the way out here to visit the crotchety old griffon during the day, but it was rare. He would occasionally trade some of the various goods he had picked up on his many travels, but not many liked to do business with the old bird due to his reputation.
Both Ancient Scroll and Yojimbo knew Den personally, so it wasn't that strange for them to visit the griffon at odd hours of the day.
But a stranger?
Ancient Scroll doubted the griffon had many friends given his demeanor, but it was always possible. Though he couldn't see them all that well, Ancient Scroll could tell the stranger was clearly a biped by their tall appearance and oddly graceful stride.
"Come on," Ancient Scroll said as he began trotting up the hill once again, "I'd like to see what this is all about."
"You and me both, buddy," Yojimbo replied as he followed the stallion.
They continued up the hill and made it to the cabin just in time to see the stranger about to knock on the door before they froze. The stranger whipped around to face the stallion and dog coming up the hill with wide eyes.
"Hey there, good evening," Ancient Scroll greeted with a friendly nod, "don't mind us, we're just..."
Ancient Scroll stopped and frowned in bemusement as he got a closer look at the stranger.
"Rouge?" he asked in confusion, "is that you?"
At the sound of the old stallion's voice the Abyssinian visibly relaxed.
"Oh thank goodness," Rouge breathed, "it's only you, Ancient Scroll. You and..."
Once she spotted Yojimbo her features flattened into an impassive mask.
"Yojimbo."
"Rouge?" the husky replied as he crossed his arms with an amused smirk, "is that what you're going by these days?"
"I happen to like the name," Rouge responded coolly, resting a hand on her hip, "it's rather cute if I do say so myself."
"So you two know each other then, I take it?" Ancient Scroll asked, raising an eyebrow as he looked between the two.
"Oh, sure," the husky replied scratch his chin absently as he continued to eye the cat in amusement, "remember when you and I parted ways for a week back in that one minotaur town way back when?"
"That one..." Ancient Scroll murmur in confusion before raising his brows in realization, "you mean Bovin? The capital of Minos?"
"Yeah, that's the place," Yojimbo replied flippantly, "so get this. Almost as soon you left, I met up with Rouge here in one of the taverns."
"Really now?" Ancient Scroll replied, turning a curious gaze to the Abyssinian in question, "first time I heard about any of that."
"Well, you never asked," Rouge said with an easy shrug, "I was down on my luck, he showed up and bought me a drink, things escalated from there."
"In what way?" the old stallion asked with an intrigued raise of his brow.
Yojimbo chuckled mysteriously and shook his head.
"Let's just say I've still got scars left from the encounter and leave it at that, old buddy."
Ancient Scroll was about to ask for more details when he was cut off by a loud gruff voice from behind them all.
"I swear to the King, if you three don't shut you're traps, I'm personally going to send each and every one of you rolling down this hill in body bags!"
They all turned to face the old and rather short black and brown griffon standing in the doorway of the cabin. The griffon rubbed his eyes and glared at each of them in turn before settling his gaze on Ancient Scroll.
"Nice to see you too, Denny old boy!" Yojimbo called out jovially.
"Scroll?" Den asked, completely ignoring the old dog, "what are you doin' way out here?"
"Hey, Den," Ancient Scroll said with a wave and a sheepish grin, "I know I haven't seen you in a dog's age--"
Yojimbo snorted.
"--but I kind of need a favor and you're the only one I can ask."
"So that's it then?" the irate griffon replied, raising an incredulous eyebrow at the stallion, "I don't see you for how many years and when you finally show up the first thing you do is ask for a favor?"
"Even I have to admit that is a little cold, Ancient Scroll," Rouge added with a disapproving frown.
Ancient Scroll rubbed the back of his neck as he made to apologize, but the griffon's attention had already been turned towards the tall cat.
"And just who the cluck are you?" he growled in irritation, "I don't do trades after the Sun sets so you might as well--"
"I'm terribly sorry to interrupt, Mister Hardbeak," Rouge interjected, "but I'm afraid I'm not here for a simple trade."
"Then what are you here for?" Den snapped, "I got a nice warm bed with my name on it and yet I'm out here wasting my time on you sorry lot! Whatever you're business is, it better be clucking important because..."
Yojimbo shook his head as the old griffon continued to rant and rave at the sour faced Abyssinian.
"There he goes," he muttered to Ancient Scroll, "how long you think he's gonna take this time?"
Ancient Scroll's only response was to facehoof and sigh heavily.
"I think..." Rouge yelled over the griffon, "that you'll find this worth your time, Mister Hardbeak."
"Oh?" the griffon replied with a skeptical raise of his brow, "and just how do you figure that, kitty cat?"
Rouge's eye twitched slightly but she continued on nonetheless.
"I know for a fact that you have something I'm very interested in obtaining at the moment," she reached into a pocket in her dark blue dress and pulled out a decent sized pouch, "and I'm willing to pay quite a lot for it."
She shook the pouch a few times and the others heard the tell-tale jingle of several bits within.
"Okay," Den muttered, "I'm with you so far..."
"Actually," Ancient Scroll added as he pulled out his own pouch of bits, "that's kind of what I wanted to talk to you about as well, Den. That favor I need from you--"
"Now just hold on a feather pluckin' minute," Den interjected as he glared at the two, "before I say anything else, what exactly is it that you two are plannin' to buy from me?"
Rouge and Ancient Scroll looked at each other for a moment and then to Yojimbo as the husky suddenly gave a loud wheezing laugh.
"And just what are you laughin' at, pooch?" Den growled.
"Oh, jeez!" the old husky gasped as he tried to stifle his chuckles, "I can't believe this!"
"Can't believe what exactly?" Rouge asked with a frown, "what has you so full of mirth all of a sudden?"
"Hey, Den!" Yojimbo exclaimed, ignoring the Abyssinian, "these two both wanna buy your Vardo!"
Den's eyes widened and he turned to the stallion and molly with a glare.
"No," he stated with a sharp shake of his head, "no way, no how. That caravan's been in my family for generations and I ain't givin' it up to anyone!"
For a moment, there was absolute silence.
Then Ancient Scroll and Rouge looked at each other with raised eyebrows before turning back to Den and holding up their pouches.
"I've got thirteen thousand bits."
"Twelve thousand five hundred."
The griffon swiped both pouches.
"Vardo's out back. Don't care who takes it, it ain't my responsibility no more."
With that he retreated back into his cabin and slammed the door.
Silence filled the air for the third time that night before Yojimbo doubled over in laughter.
Ancient Scroll sighed again and shook his head.
"I bet that greedy old bird planned this from the start," he muttered, "talked about the thing like it was some kind of gift from King of Griffonia himself for years, only to sell it off in the blink of an eye."
"I've lived in this town for awhile now," Rouge mused with a frown, "and this is the first time I've actually seen a griffon live up to their avaricious stereotype."
"Oh, trust me, Rouge," Ancient Scroll said with a chuckle, "not all griffons are greedy, but this one's as covetous as they come."
"That reminds me," Yojimbo added as he stood next to Ancient Scroll and eyed the tall cat with an inquisitive frown, "I've lived here for awhile myself, but I've never seen you around."
"That doesn't surprise me," Rouge responded simply, "if you live in the diamond dog neighborhood then we're more or less on opposite sides of the village, not to mention I don't go out much."
"What I'd like to know," Ancient Scroll said, raising an eyebrow at Rouge, "is what in Equestria you need the Vardo for?"
"I have my reasons," Rouge replied, looking away with a small frown, "there's someone I need to see, and I'd need to travel quite a distance to see them. I figured it would be nice to have a mobile home to travel around in."
"Oh?" Ancient Scroll replied, "where are you headed?"
"I don't really think that's any of your business," Rouge replied in a snippy tone.
"I beg to differ," the old husky said with a smirk, "seems to me like you both own that caravan now," he crossed his arms and looked between the two, "so then, how are we gonna resolve this little impasse?"
They were all silent for a moment as each of them mulled over what to do. Eventually Rouge sighed and turned to face Ancient Scroll and Yojimbo.
"Canterlot."
"Eh?" Ancient Scroll replied with a surprised raise of his brow.
"I need to see an... old friend in Canterlot," she clarified with a frown, "there's a certain something I've been looking for and I think they might have it."
Ancient Scroll and Yojimbo glanced at each other before the old stallion looked back to Rouge.
"Well now," he finally replied with a growing smile, "wasn't expecting that."
"Yeah well," the Abyssinian folded her arms against her chest and looked away somewhat uncomfortably, "I would imagine you don't see very many Abyssinian's in the heart of Equestria."
"That you don't," Ancient Scroll agreed with a knowing nod, "so what say you travel with me and Yoji here instead?"
Rouge snapped her gaze back to the old stallion incredulously.
"What?" she cried, "why would I do that? I told you I was headed to Canterlot! Unless..."
Ancient Scroll nodded.
"That is indeed my final destination as well," he responded with a small smirk, "so if you don't mind sharing a caravan with an old dog, his old stallion friend, and three adorable fillies, then I'd be more than happy to travel with you."
"Come on, Kat," Yojimbo added as he nudged the unsure Abyssinian, "it'll be a blast, trust me!"
"The last thing I'm going to do is trust you," Rouge replied flatly before giving the husky an icy glare, "and if you call me Kat again I will claw your eyes out, pooch."
She extended four very sharp claws to make a point and Yojimbo backed off with a hearty laugh.
"That aside," Ancient Scroll continued as he gave his diamond dog friend a disapproving frown, "what do you say, Rouge? You up for some company on your cross country trip?"
Rouge retracted her claws and folded her arms once more as she thought.
"I did enjoy having the little ones around..." she shook her head and gave Ancient Scroll a nod and small smile, "alright, why not?"
"Haha!" Yojimbo cried as he slapped Ancient Scroll on the back, "just like back in the old days eh, Scroll?"
Ancient Scroll couldn't help but chuckle at the old husky's enthusiasm.
"It isn't gonna be exactly like the old days, Yoji," the stallion replied, "I guarantee you."
"Ah, it'll be close enough," Yojimbo replied with a dismissive wave of his giant paw. "and besides--"
They all jumped at the sound of a window being slammed open.
"WILL YOU THREE JUST TAKE THE BLASTED CARAVAN AND GET THE CLUCK OFF MY DOORSTEP?!"
The window slammed shut and they all stared at it before looking back to each other.
"So uh..."
Both Ancient Scroll and Rouge turned to Yojimbo as he spoke.
"How are we, y'know," he said, rubbing the back of his neck, "how are we actually supposed to move the thing?"
Ancient Scroll chuckled and looked back to Yojimbo with a confident grin.
"You just leave that to me, old friend."