//------------------------------//
// Chapter Five 
// Story: Gallus' Party of One 
// by Matthais Unidostres 
//------------------------------//

Within Rey Faux's dorm room, the orange pony and the blue griffon were sitting and laughing together as they enjoyed some of Rey's mother's chocolate blueberry clusters. The cheering-up effect of chocolate worked quite well on Gallus, at the very least it was enough to get him to open up a little.

"Seriously? They even had a code word for whenever you showed up?" Rey asked in amazement.

Gallus popped another cluster into his mouth and nodded his head as he chewed. He swallowed and said, "Believe or not, yeah they did! Whenever I show up they're all like 'meow-meow, here comes that lame bird-cat thingy! Run away! Run away!'." Gallus waved his forelegs and flapped his wings in a mock-frantic manner.

Rey chuckled in disbelief and said, "Man, that's just not right. But it kinda makes them look dumb, when you think about it."

Gallus shrugged and said, "Yeah, well, they're loss, right?"

Rey smiled and gave a nod, "You got that right. Now they miss out on the coolness of Gallus."

Gallus held out his right fist and said, "Thanks, Rey. That means a lot."

Rey's hoof bumped Gallus' fist, and the pony said, "Well, we're all out of clusters. How about we check out that arcade cabinet in Ponyville."

"The one that the brown colt with the propeller hat is always playing?" Gallus asked.

"Yep," Rey said confidently, "It's also the one that I have a high score on." Rey then leaned forward to the griffon and said, "And I'm gonna challenge a certain cool griffon I consider a friend to beat that high score. . . What do you think?"

Gallus smirked and said, "Oh, it is so on!"





Meanwhile, the rest of Gallus' friends were in the party room, admiring their handiwork. Streamers hung in arcs from the ceiling in threes, with a yellow one in between two blue ones. Blue and yellow balloons also hung from the ceiling, and were also on the floor in each of the four corners of the room. A length of tables were shoved together, and they were covered with a large blue tablecloth with a yellow table runner down the length of it all. The table was filled with plenty of food and drink, with Gallus' birthday cake in the center.

Smolder stepped towards the table, then turned to her friends and said with a smug look, "You're welcome."

The others rolled their eyes or otherwise expressed their amusement at Smolder's attitude.

"Well, I gotta admit, Smolder really did come through for us today," Silverstream said gleefully, "This place looks a-maz-ing!"

"It is almost Gallus birthday party time!" Yona cheered excitedly.

"He's gonna be so happy when he gets here," Ocellus said as she buzzed her wings excitedly.

Sandbar nodded and said, "Yep. He'll totally forget about what happened earlier with the ditching and chasing and avoiding him."

"Sure he will! It's his very first birthday party!" Silverstream cheered as she jumped up into the air and pumped her fist in the air victoriously, "He'll come in here, we'll all yell surprise, he'll blow out his birthday candles, he'll open up his presents-."

"Uh, what presents?" Smolder said nervously with wide eyes.

The entire room went silent enough to hear a feather drop.

". . .So. . ." Silverstream said nervously as she slowly landed on the floor, "Did any of us remember to get a birthday gift for Gallus?"

The room went completely silent once again.

"Friends need to hurry!" Yona shouted, and she rushed out of the room as fast as she had gone when Sandbar had brought cupcakes on the first day of school, "GO-GO-GO!"

Ocellus nodded and said, "Yona's right! We need to get moving!"

"I actually have the perfect idea for a gift! He'll love it!" Sandbar said as he followed Ocellus out the door.

"Let's get moving!" Silverstream said with purpose, "Last one out, close the door!"

As Silverstream flew out of the room, Smolder followed at a slightly slower pace and said, "Eh, why worry? From what I've seen, stuff seems to just always work out in Equestria. Just sayin'."





Rey Faux and Gallus had just made some distance between them and the student dorms when all of a sudden Gallus said, "Oh, hey. Mind waiting up a bit. I gotta go. Heh-heh. . ."

Ray gave him a nod and said, "Say no more. Go ahead a relieve yourself so that you may attempt to beat my high score with no distractions."

Gallus quickly set off towards the nearest bathroom, and Rey watched him go.

"Well-well, what are you up to now, my wily special somepony?" said a female voice.

Rey smiled with incredible warmness, and he turned to see an orange-red coated Earth Pony filly walking across the campus towards him. Her mane was snow-white and twisted into two braids that ran down her shoulders. Her tail was also snow-white, and it was styled in a fox-like manner, just like Rey's tail. Her eyes were a beautiful hazel color, and her Cutie Mark depicted a red shield in the shape of a heart.

When the filly got close enough, Rey boldly nuzzled her and said, "Ensuring a bright future, my lovely Lady."

Lady Earthshield giggled as Rey pulled away, and she said, "Oh really? It sounds like you have quite a little scheme brewing. Go on, tell me all about it."

Rey quickly took a look behind him to be sure that Gallus wasn't around, or anycreature else for that manner, then he turned back to Lady and said, "You remember how much I've regrettably annoyed you with my constant berating of Cozy Glow, right?"

Lady nodded her head, but smiled and said, "Oh, you know that I would gladly listen to your complaining. You're voice is just a pleasure for me to listen to!"

Rey chuckled at that, and he continued, "Your compliments nourish me. But anyway, the fact is that Cozy Glow's biggest flaw was her overblown ambition. She allowed her eyes to get too big. There she was, the personal favorite of the Princess of Friendship herself! She was literally on the path to getting nearly everything she could ever want with a connection like that! Cozy could've become the mayor of any town in Equestria if she continued to endear herself with Princess Twilight over the years. But no! She just had to take over all of Equestria like some wanna-be Nightmare Moon! So pathetic, so sad. Such a same, really. 'Friendship is power'? Heh! What a stupid notion!"

Rey then smiled a wide, cunning smile and said, "Clearly friendship is a tool." 

Rey then grinned smugly and continued, "Now, as for me, and unlike Cozy Glow, I know how to clearly see possibilities for what they really are. I know how to gently nudge and shift the odds in my favor. And most importantly, I know when I've got my hooves on a good enough thing that I can just stop and enjoy the results."

Lady was trembling with excitement as she said, "Oh, oh, I know where this is going! Judging by how you were just with Gallus, this must have something to do with your theory that those five creatures are gonna become powerful and influential in their countries after they graduate!"

Rey gave a nod and short laugh of delight, and replied, "And you are correct, my Lady! It's obvious to anyone with a higher intellect that Princess Twilight is securing Equestria's political and cultural control over this world. What's more, I see Gallus as the most promising of the group. From what I've seen and heard of this Grampa Gruff idiot, he's not gonna last much longer. Between his old decrepit body being broken down by time, and his old decrepit ideals being broken down by those two griffons Professor Rainbow Dash has spoken of; I believe their names were Gilda and Gabby; anyway, once that old fool is gone, I have no doubt that Gallus will be made Griffonstone's new leader. Heck, Grampa Gruff technically isn't even it's leader right now! But I'm sure his passing might get the griffons thinking on some form of leadership. From what I've heard from Professor Dash, Gilda won't want to lead, and Gabby isn't the leading type. But with the education Gallus is getting here, I'm sure he'll feel that leading Griffonstone into a golden age of friendship and economic revival is his duty!"

Rey's wide, cunning smile returned ever bigger, and he continued as his reddish-brown eyes were twinkling with excitement, "And once I've cemented myself as Gallus best friend; the one who stuck with him when his other friends abandoned him, the one who helped him cut ties with those who weren't loyal to him; I'll be on the path to working alongside him as vice-leader of Griffonstone. Together, we will return Griffonstone to it's former glory. Using friendship as a tool, not as power as Cozy Glow incorrectly concluded, we will turn Griffonstone back into the wealthiest lands in the entire world! Gallus and I will live the rest of our lives in the lap of luxury; and long after we're gone, the whole world will forever remember our names, which will be carved in the rock of eternity!"

Lady Earthshield gazed at Rey with wonder and adoration as she said, "You truly are the most cunning pony to ever live!"

Rey Faux smoothly walked over to her side and whispered in her ear, "Yes. Yes I am. And I'm all yours. So, I suppose your name will be carved into the rock of eternity as well. Isn't that right, Lady Faux?"

Lady's cheeks turned red, and her whole body shook with delight as she smiled so hard that her cheeks began to hurt.

"Now, run along," Rey urged, "If this is to work, I need to work on Gallus alone so I can successfully upstage the rest of his little group in his heart and mind."

Still smiling, blushing, and trembling, Lady quickly nodded and took off towards the student dorms, leaving Rey to stand waiting until Gallus returned from his trip to the bathroom. After which, the pair made their way to Ponyville, and one of the pair had a mind that was running as wild as a locomotive.