//------------------------------// // Chapter 14 – The Skies of Wonder // Story: Griffon of Canterlot // by Electuroo //------------------------------// Griffon of Canterlot Chapter 14 – The Skies of Wonder Gale had his head stuck in an cloud with both talons and paws pressing against it, wings flapping to pull his head free. With success he hovered in front of the cloud course inner wall he'd managed to hit while going around it, with a hefty laugh Gale span around a few times before returning to an stationary hover in front of Spitfire. Spitfire smiling with forelegs crossed rolled her eyes as she hovered just in front of him. “I told you cub to fly slow and easy! Not fast and reckless! Be glad that the cloud barriers are the best safety clouds in Equestria!” Gale pull a piece of cloud off his head and held it out to her with amazement. “Urg... What am I going to do with you cub?” He shrugged with a cheeky grin from his beak. “Alright shall we start again?” Gale nods throwing the piece of cloud behind himself. Gale flies over to the start line and Spitfire lands next to him. “Now watch, follow and take account of your larger wings.” Gale nods. “Ready?” Again an nod. Celestia watches from the edge of the now empty stadium lower sitting area with the other members of the Wonderbolts chilling, eating, drinking and talking among each other. Soarin the co-captain haven't said much during this time. “Something on your mind?” Soarin turn his head looking up at Princess Celestia. “I'm just trying to understand Spitfire.” “Oh?” “The captain hardly act like this.” “Maybe your looking at this all wrong.” “I don't follow.” Soarin rubbed the side of his head. Celestia looking back out to the race course seeing Gale having a lot of fun flying around even mucking around at points with Spitfire. “Gale doesn't see Wonderbolts as others see Wonderbolts.” Soarin didn't even think about that very thing. It became very clear to him the sudden moment Celestia stated that about Gale's view on them. “Spitfire teaching someone that doesn't see us anymore then experienced flyers of the skies...“ “Clipper it took you long enough to figure it out.” Fleetfoot chuckled. “Here drink this, we be leaving soon for our next performance in Las Pegasus.” Fleetfoot throws with her wing a water bottle. Soarin caught the water bottle and drunk out of it. “Gale will be disappointed that you have to leave, but hopefully he will understand.” Celestia knew how busy the Wonderbolts are. “From what you've told us Princess Celestia. I think he will, Gale a bright young griffon.” Soarin said as the two flyers got around the bend. Gale crashed into the barrier again. “Wow he can really turn.” Celestia giggled slightly. “Indeed and it doesn't seem to phase him failing at it. He goes back and tries again.” Celestia said with pride. Spitfire shook her head and explains to him where his gone wrong and Gale nods to go again. After about twenty minutes of trying Gale almost turned too sharply into it but got around without crashing into it. Spitfire slows and lands on the cloud course wall. “Nice one cub!” He lands in front of her and raise his talon closed in front of her. She taps it with her hoof. “Now practice those turns and fly into straight ever so often.” He nods as she took to the air. “Well my team and I got to go.” He tilted his head with wonder. “Gale you will understand what it to be a Wonderbolt and how proud we are as a team.” Spitfire took off her goggles and threw them down to him. Gale caught them and looked at the goggles before looking back up at her with confusion. “You got some raw talent and your turns are really sharp. Never seen a griffon pull off those kind of turns before.” Spitfire smirked. “I'll be keeping a eye on you but for now you got some growing up to do first. Be a cub and enjoy those moments. What you lost you can gain through new experiences, memories and moments with those that care about you.” Spitfire hovering over him. Gale took in her words and thought about them as he stared at the goggles he now held in his talons. “Alright team, we heading to Las Peagsus. We need need to be there by sundown for tomorrows show!” Spitfire spoke out to her fellow Wonderbolt members. “Gale till next time.” She salutes and flies off with the other Wonderbolts taking off after her flying in formation. Gale coos in disappointment sitting down and watching her leave. “Son they have other events to perform at. Also I think you've left a good impression on the captain.” Celestia lands on the cloud sitting beside him. “Talking about captains...” Celestia hints for Gale to look. He does and sees Shining Armor walking into view from the mountain side path to the stadium carrying a basket and two objects in his magic. Gale point to the captain. “Yes let's go meet him.” Both Alicorn and griffon fly over to Shining Armor landing in front of him with the guards either flying or walking up from behind standing attention. Gale put the goggles on his head and shows Shining Armor. “Not to bad Gale. Guess Spitfire gave them to you.” He nods. “Well it seems you got a knack of impressing captains.” Shining chuckled but got a confused look from Gale. “Oh come on that a good joke!” Shining Armor sighed seeing that he failed to pull off an joking pun. Celestia laughed a little. “It was alright captain but I think Gale doesn't understand the concept of jokes all that too well.” Gale showed that answer by looking up at her confused. “Don't worry about it son.” Shining Armor moved the basket and objects in front on himself. “I got a picnic basket with everything made by my mum and two kites to fly after we eaten.” Gale stared at the objects called kites and curiously wondered how they fly without the telekinetic levitation spell Shining Armor had be casting on them. “I gather you have a location in mind?” “Indeed Princess Celestia, this is a place me, Twilight, Spike and Cadance went to many times for this kind of thing.” Shining Armor turned around waving his hoof for them to follow. Close to the castle walls Shining Armor lead them to, it was a water way with hills, trees, flower beds and fields. On the far side of the water way was a bridge over it before turning into a waterfall. “This is the place, nothing too fancy. Just a piece of Canterlot's green beautiful landscape” Shining Armor place the basket down on a picnic table with the kites. Gale flew over to a flowerbed of roses, he curiously look at the red roses taking a sniff at the flowers. “They roses, be-careful they have thorns on the steams.” Celestia use her magic to push the flower to the side slightly to show the thorns. “These are grown by the ponies that keep this little place of beauty, beautiful and tidy for vistors like us.” Celestia point her wing out to a few unicorns and earth ponies planting a few new flowers in another flowerbed. “You see those ponies, they the ones that maintain this place. Not just for a job but something they love to do.” “Do you understand?” He rubs the back of his head slightly and nod a little bit. “Little huh?” He nods. Shining Armor walked over to them with the two kites. “Princess I like to spend a little one on one with Gale, could you set up the picnic blanket, food and drink while I teach him to fly a kite?” Celestia smiled. “Very well Captain. I yield time to you.” She bows in a mocking way with a wing out in front before walking off to the table. “Pr-Princess I-” “Relax captain I am teasing you.” Celestia giggled. Shining Armor sighed in relief. “So...” He turn to Gale. “Ready to fly a kite?” Gale open his wings up. “No your not flying, this is.” He hints to the kites. The griffon curiously stared at them and back at Shining Armor in a look that was asking how the kites fly without wings. “You see these sticks on this side.” Shining shows the reverse side of the kite. “These are the skeleton structure of the kite that hold the fabric in place with string here, here and here.” Shining Armor pointing to each part of the kite with his hoof. “This string here.” He point to the string leading away from it to the handle. “This is what you hold onto as the kite gets lift from the wind.” “The more string you unwrap from the handle here and the higher the kite goes depending on the strength of the wind.” Shining Armor explained and shows Gale with his own kite. Gale watches with amazement as the kite flies high above but stops going any higher with Shining Armor controlling it. “Now you give a try.” He gives Gale the other kite. The griffon took hold of the handle. “Ready?” He nods and Shining lifts it up with his magic to get the lift from the wind. Gale squawk in surprise by the force he felt and pulled back on it causing the kite to slam into the ground, he grumbled as he failed to hold it in the air. “Nice try for a beginner, let's try again shall we?” Celestia watched as she place the blanket down and placing the plates, cups, food and drink down. She saw Gale try and try again without giving up to try and fly his kite, he squawking angrily at some points with Shining calming him down explaining it over again and showing him how it done. Celestia picked up a flask, opening and pouring tea into a cup. She sat and watched with the guards near by for about ten minutes of Gale trying to get the kite to fly longer than a few seconds till he got it to stay up for a few minutes before losing control once more. “How about you take a break Gale and come over to eat.” Celestia called out. Gale picked up the kite seeing the picnic all set up, he flew over and took a good look around at the food and drink laid out on it. “Mum sure went all out on this.” Shining Armor stated taking a good look at the food they get to sit down and eat. “There enough here even for the guards.” Celestia look over to them. “Why not give them a plate each?” Gale put his talon up. “Look like Gale want to do it.” “Very well, here it the plates. Take two at a time and come back for the other two okay?” Gale hums with a nod before taking the two plates and flying over to the guards to give them some of the food they had. They all had their share of the food and drink, Shining, Celestia and Gale sitting around the food and drink enjoying the day. Shining Armor and Celestia going over some pointers to Gale about how to fly the kite to help him improve next time around. Shining Armor flying his kite again after their meal, Gale sitting beside him watch the kite fly high in the sky. Celestia sitting close by watching the two bond. An orange Pegasus in armour flies in and lands before her. “Private Flash Sentry, this is unexpected. Aren't you assigned to be my niece's side while she in Cloudsdale?” “I am princess but Princess Cadance made it clear that these two files got to you ASAP.” Flash Sentry give the files over and salutes. Celestia using her magic take a look at the files that was given. “Hmm...” Celestia noticed who it was in the first one. “Rainbow Dash? She the element of loyalty.” She said to herself outloud. “Why would Cadance want me to see a file of her from Junior Speedters Flight camp?” “There a second file your highness.” Celestia open the second file and it became clear. “Flash Sentry.” “Princess.” He stood to attention. “Prepare the royal carriage for the overnight train to Ponyville.” “Right away! Princess!” He salutes and flies off. Celestia look to the file. “The chance to get my son to talk and write...” Celestia walk over to the bridge looking out to Ponyville in the distance. “I am jumping at.” Celestia tap her hoof on her snout. “Question is; Should I tell Twilight I am coming to Ponyville or just unexpectedly show up?” “Either way Twilight Sparkle will have an freak out...” “What to do... What to do?” Freak out WILL happen from Twilight! But..... 48 hours to choose the two choices. 22/12/2019 9am GMT votes will close! Votes are in and closed: Results in chapter 14.5 1. Tell Twilight Celestia coming and tell Twilight about her new adopted son Gale the Griffon. 2. Unexpectedly show up without a word and Twilight find out via News Paper by morning.