//------------------------------// // Chapter 29 – Royal During Bowling // Story: Griffon of Canterlot // by Electuroo //------------------------------// Griffon of Canterlot Chapter 29 – Royal During Bowling The ball rolled towards the pins as it seem to about to hit, but ends up shifting to the right as it rolled and ends up rolling into the gutter of the lane once again. Gale growls and squawks angularly as his second go failed to show a result on the score card as Cadance wrote down a zero on Gale's line. Gale walked back to the seat jumping up on it crossing his forelegs grumbling under his breath. “Kiddo it a good try, you never played before.” Shining Armor pat him on the back slightly. “Look at Blueblood he only got three pins out of two turns.” Gale turn and glared at him with a snappy squawk. “I have to agree with the griffon, your not helping us to make us feel better.” Blueblood also glared at Shining Armor. “I have to agree with the both of them, bad choice of words.” Luna said walking by to take her turn. “I have only score four in my first turn and yet you do not speak of my poor play.” Shining Armor looked around seeing they all gave him a disapproving look part from Cadance just smiling and a slight shake of her head. “Shiny, you do this on a weekly bases with your fellow guard, karma will bite you in the rump.” Celestia watched but didn't say anything to add to it. “You do know the cub going to explode with he keeps guttering.” Spitfire stated as she watched the results from her teams on lane. “I know Spitfire, not everything works out as you want it too.” Celestia watched Luna manage to score out of her two throws three more to her score sheet. “I am just hoping to have a nice day out and it seem to be going down hill...” Spitfire chuckled. “You worry too much Celestia, nothing is perfect.” Soarin spoke up. “Yeah, look at me, I am really bad at bowling but being with my team-mates is what matters, use that.” Celestia turn to Soarin. “I will, thank you Soarin.” “No problem Princess.” He gave a mock salute getting a laugh from Celestia. Celestia walks up to them. “I believe we should stop thinking about who will win and what really matters.” They all turn to her. “Family, we all family or to be, let see that and enjoy our time.” Celestia pick up the bowl to take her turn. “So one wins and one loses, it doesn't matter at the end.” Celestia rolls it with her hoof. The ball gutters. “What do you say to a gutter?” “It can go to Tartarus.” Celestia turn to Shining Armor as she bluntly repiled. Gale burst into laughter soon the others did too. “That we all haha can haha agree.” Luna said between fits of laughter. Blueblood put a hoof to his chest as his laughter calms. “I agree, the gutter is our nemesis.” “How about we all score at least one pin and aim to not get guttered?” Cadance suggested. “Agreed!” They all replied with a squawk from Gale. Celestia goes in for her second throw, as the game goes on with their turns Gale stares off into space drifting into his Dream Cavern. “Ah Master Gale, I have been observing the game and set this up.” Blue showed the bowling lane with the pins at the end of it. “Unlike the real thing the pins reform after two throws, since reality has no limit in a dream.” Gale step up to it. “I don't want to gutter...” “I know, so after watching through the window on the tree to your left I believe this will help.” Blue gives Gale the ball. “Master Gale the bowl weighs what you felt, do you feel it slightly weighted on one side?” Gale bouncing it up and down slightly on his talons. “Yeah I can. Why?” “I believe they were made like that.” Blue walk to the window and tap the left side a few times with the image reversing in time to stop. “Now watch Spitfire.” Gale recall seeing this in the corner of his eyes. “She rolls it with a twist, I saw 6 to spares with a strike from her.” “Indeed and your catching onto the game fast.” Gale stared at him. “I remember seeing and hearing things... Some I don't understand but this I did, it very simple maths to keep score, spares put ten on top of the score you make on the next turn while strikes increase in score by a times factor of the pins you hit the next turn. You hit ten turns of strikes you can score the maximum score of 300.” Blue listened to him to speak about it's scoring system. “Correct, now watch.” Blue took the ball from Gale and putting his paw digits into the hole the blue anthropomorphic dog aims. He pulls back and thrust forwards rolling it down the lane towards the left, it sways into the right hitting the pins knocking down six of them. With a wave of the paw the pins reset and the ball appears back onto his paws. “Now you try.” Gale nods taking it and does what Blue did and the ball almost goes into the gutter but it hits a single pin, blinking a few times he hit it. “I did it...” “Yes you did and also this was happening in the Dream Cavern and while you awake.” Blue smirked. Gale went to turn and face him to find not only out of his day dream but looking at Soarin who looked back at him with a smile. “Good going Princes Gale! You scored a pin, now score more!” Gale blinking to try and process what just happened, did Blue just play him into this and that thought made him smile warmly. Blue helped him to get a score and Gale was going to get another pin or so in the next one taking the ball. “Congrats cousin! Now go for another!” Gale nods to Cadance and ready to take his second throw. Blueblood watched this happen. “Impressive roll, curving it like that. I may have to attempt this myself.” “It seem to work.” Luna rubbed her snout thoughtfully, she did notice dream magic flowing from Gale even the others did not, this was something Luna had to press on later. “Nephew Blueblood are you enjoying this or you bearing it?” Blueblood stared. “Bearing it Aunt Luna, this is a commoners game...” Luna smirked noticing a pair of ponies playing at another lane. “Are you certain of that?” Blueblood snorted. “Yes I am certain.” “You may want to look behind you, I do believe that is Lord Fancy Pants and his wife.” Celestia spoke noticing what Luna noticed. Blueblood turn his head with his mouth hanging open as he stared at them playing. “B-b-” “I believe you need to rephrase the commoners approach dear nephew.” Luna calmly said to Blueblood, he choose not to reply as he went to take his turn. “Way ago Gale! You got five more!” Shining Armor bump his hoof against the closed talon, seeing a much happier griffon humming in reply. Celestia noticed Luna when Gale got the pins knocked down. “Luna what is it?” Luna didn't turn to her sister. “We will speak of it later sister, best not spoken of in public.” “Very well.” Celestia turn her attention to Gale. “Son I am very impressed, how did you figure it out how to hit the pins?” Gale picked up his ball pointing to one side of it to the other. “One side different to the other?” Gale nods. Cadance spoke up. “Aunty one side is weighted, each ball on the wrack differ in weight.” She using her magic to hold up to bowling balls with it before Celestia and Luna. “That is why most pros or regulars bring their own.” Celestia took one with her magic. “I can see what you mean, this one look the same colour as others here but not within?” “Correct Auntie.” Gale nods in agreement. “It seem that what Gale was trying to say.” Luna stated. “Indeed, shall we continue?” Celestia asked. Gale squawked happily as they went back to playing the game, each of them taking turns and none guttering the ball after paying attention to the bowling balls they were using. Soon it came to the final turns of the five ponies and griffon, Celestia step forward to take her final turn. “Come on Princess!” One pony cheered and many others cheering her on. “Go Princess, go!” She took a good look around as ponies stopped their game to watch her final set of rolls of their game. “Thank you my little ponies.” Celestia rolls it down the lane knocking down seven pins with massive cheers. Celestia took the ball as it return to strike for another two pins. “Awwwww...” Many wished for a spare but it didn't happen. Luna stepped up to take her turn. “W-” Gale squawks and Luna sighs. “Yes Gale, I know you do not like the royal we but these are-” He squawks again crossing his forelegs getting a roll of her eyes and Celestia giggling. “Fine I'll skip the royal we!” Luna step up with ball held up by hoof. “You can do it Luna!” Celestia cheered her sister on, many ponies seem to hesitant at first but start to cheer after Celestia spoke up. “Go Luna go!” The ponies chanted it to stomping their hooves. Luna aimed and rolled the ball down striking all but one pin. “Gah! That was almost a strike! Curse you pin!” Luna glared at the remaining pin. “This next throw will see your end!” Luna got her ball back and rolled it as hard as she could smashing the pin to pieces. “Whoa nice throw!” Spitfire called out. “Yeah you smashed that pin to pieces! That some Earth Pony magic you got there!” Said a Earth Pony. Luna smiled. “I scored a spare and-” Luna turn to see the ball floating in Celestia's magic. “Sister I done my two throws I do not get another.” “That where your wrong Luna, last throw if you get a spare or strike you get a third throw.” Celestia place it on her hoof. “Go and score a strike.” Luna nods. “I will sister.” Luna turn and rolls it fast, not to hard to smash the pins to pieces but enough to strike them all down with a massive clash of ball to pins. “YES! I SCORED A STRIKE!” Luna screamed out in joy with her Royal Canterlot Voice causing many to cover their ears. Cadance step up to take her turn clapping hooves with Luna. “Great job Aunty!” The ponies recovered stomping their hooves in joy to the princess of the night. “Now let me show you how often I play this game with Shiny.” Cadance grinned. They watched Cadance not only get one strike but three in a row with jaws hanging open at the display she pulled before them. “Won't you over doing it a bit Cady?” She kissed Shining Armor on the side of the snout. “Not at all, now don't hold back Shiny.” Shining Armor pick up his ball. “Oh I won't Cadance.” Shining Armor gets two strikes and nine pins down from all three throws. Luna whispers to Celestia. “Those two been holding back through out the game...” “I believe you are correct.” Celestia whispered back. “They do play this game far more than I do and you did score higher than me over all.” Luna blinked. “I did?” “Yes you did Luna, you've beaten your big sister.” Celestia smiled. Luna raised an eye. “Where you holding back?” “Not at all, last time I played was two years ago.” Celestia honestly replied. Gale's time to shine as he step up to the lane with his bowling ball. “Nephew do your best!” “Son as Luna said, do your best and score high!” Gale nods turning to the lane looking right down it, he choose to just roll it as hard as he could and hope to hit as he closed his eyes letting go off it. The ball sped down the lane hitting the pins hard, still keeping his eyes closed there was dead silence in the room part from the background music, slowly opening them he saw no pins standing. Gale eyes widen with a smile from his beak following till he started bouncing around on his paws only pumping his close fist talons in the air, flapping his wings with excitement crying out with joy. “Strike Mum! STRIKE MUM! STRIKE!” He span around on one paw. Ponies whistling, stomping and cheering out to Gale. “Prince Gale! Prince Gale!” They chanted. Celestia took the ball from the slot as it was returned. “Son that was amazing, now you got two more turns.” Celestia kissed him on the top of his head ruffling his feathers slightly. “Have fun, that what truly matters.” Gale nods. “Mum!” The griffon took the ball quickly turn to the lane and does another hard roll hitting nine out of ten pins. Clicking his talons with a grunt as the last pin stayed up, on his final throw it went down scoring a spare. “Mum! Strike?” “No spare.” Celestia giggled. “It a half strike and well done!” He nods happily and hugs her, she returns it with a foreleg and wing getting a collective of 'awwws' from the ponies. Blueblood step forward. “Good luck nephew!” Celestia cheered on her nephew. He smirked. “Auntie thank you and this one for the ponies of Canterlot!” He rolls it down the lane hitting seven pins leaving a split with one pin to the left and two on the right. “Ooooo a spilt.” Shining Armor responds. “That going to be a tough one.” Blueblood rolled the second ball hitting the two pins but clipping the other causing it to wobbly around, Gale open his wings and flapped them a little towards it, Spitfire noticed but no one else did as the pin falls. “Yes a spare!” Blueblood cheered. Spitfire step up beside Gale as he closed his wings up. “You know that cheating.” She whispered to him. Gale got spooked and half squawked in surprise turning to Spitfire tilting his head in confusion, Spitfire saw his expression as if he didn't know he did something wrong. She put a hoof on his side. “Tomorrow I'll drop by and explain okay?” Gale hummed with a nod. “Cool and word of advise, not all griffons are like that griffon that teaching you.” “Gilda?” “Yes Gilda, just be careful around that black one okay?” Gale nods from Spitfire's warning. “Well our time is up, so be cool Gale.” She put her hoof up to him and he bump it with a fist. Spitfire and her team leaves the bowling alley, Blueblood step away from the lane with cheers all around as he scored a final strike of seven pins. They parted ways back to their own lanes soon after as all six gathered at the seating area to get the results. Cadance look to the tally of pins knocked down. “That was a fun game, don't you think?” “I do Cadance. So what the score?” Shining asked. She took a look at it. “Right... Ready to hear how well we all did?” They all nod. Cadance starts to read out the results. “I am in first place with a score of 119 points, Shining Armor at 93 points, Gale at 82, Luna at 78, Blueblood at 77 and Celestia at 75 points..” Gale takes the paper to get a look at see it was true, his mum came dead last. “Mum?” He look up at her with surprise. Celestia giggled. “Oh well, you can't win them all.” Celestia dismissed the score. “I had fun with my family, so that what mattered most.” Celestia looked around them. “How about Donut Joe's my treat for losing?” Gale instantly nods rapidly in agreement. “I say dear Nephew Gale is in agreement.” Luna laughed. Blueblood start to walk away. “I will not be attending, I am retiring back at the castle Aunty Celestia and Luna.” “Very well Blueblood. I will see you at the castle.” Celestia nods and he return it before leaving them. Shining Armor tap his snout. “I just remembered something...” “What is it captain?” Luna asked. “Didn't Gale's room use to be the room for the griffon mayor of Trottingham when he stays at the castle for a few-” Before he could finish Gale already zoomed right out of the bowling alley making a beeline for the castle. “Why did Gale just rush off like that?” Cadance said with shock. Celestia gasped. “His plush in the room! We going back to the castle!” Celestia quickly using her magic to teleport herself, Luna, Cadance and Shining Armor straight to the castle before anyone could say a word.