//------------------------------// // Chapter 54.75 – Meeting Philomena // Story: Griffon of Canterlot // by Electuroo //------------------------------// Griffon of Canterlot Chapter 54.75 – Meeting Philomena Celestia opened a set of doors to outside the castle secure from the public, walking outside of the castle with Gale just behind her carrying the box with both talons flapping his wings, he noticed she was leading him to a large glass circular building with a glass dome on top, he noticed within it was plants and trees he haven't seen around the city or Ponyville. “This part of the castle grounds is the private gardens, they only opened during the Grand Galloping Gala and other official events, where we are going is to the greenhouse, it is where Philomena stays at her own choosing.” Celestia explained to Gale as he noticed a few ponies working on trimming plants, planting flowers, watering some and a few guards doing their rounds. Gale noticed a few animals watching with caution, specially at him. “Animals?” He asked about the many different animals. “Ah yes, they are from different parts of the world, they are very timid to those th-” Celestia turn around to continue speaking to Gale to pause seeing they all gathered around him curiously looking and sniffing at him. A few bird land on his head chirping and looking down at him. Gale looked to his mum with pleading gaze. “M-mum...” Celestia turn around. “Well this is something, they never gathered around any pony, griffon or any creature before, not this quickly, it seem they like you.” “Muuuum...” Gale whines. Celestia laughed and gestures to them. “Give my son some room please your making him nervous.” They did as she asked giving Gale space, he hovering on the spot look around at them including the birds hovering away from him. “Nice animals?” He asked looking around they nodding to him with surprise they responded. “Erm... hi!” He smiled. “Wave would but holding egg, sorry.” They nod again and go off their own ways back into the depth of the gardens. “Why animals erm... That?” “They like you, most they just keep hiding from or running away, they usually very skittish among new faces.” Celestia stated. “Come on Gale let's go meet the young lady Philomena.” Gale nods and follow her once again. “Now, she close to about 100 years old, got a bit of a mischievous streak going at the moment, Philomena can understand exactly what we say.” Celestia glance over her shoulder to the slowly flying teen. Gale nods. “Okay mum.” Celestia let Gale know about the race of Phoenixes. “Being a phoenix she go through a phase where all her feathers fall out and burst to flames, from the ashes she springs up like a daisy, it a life circle of an phoenix that have them very long lived, you will never see a old phoenix.” “Why?” Celestia using her magic opens the glass doors that lead to another set in front of them. “It something they do, a bit over dramatic if you ask me.” Gale walk through with Celestia, she close the doors behind them and open the second lot. Gale got a rush of warm air right in his face. “Cool...” Gale was amazed by the warmth he felt as they walked in. “Wow wow wow!” Gale saw the different plants closer than before, he could also see large colourful flowers he never seen before. “Indeed wow.” Celestia smiled walking down the stone path. “Come Gale, let's find Philomena shall we?” Gale nods and follows, as they walk he saw the makeshift waterfall and wooden bridge over it, he wondered who it had a strange nice warmth about the place, they turn around a rock formation heading to a gazebo that had six red orange flame pillars with the same colour theme on the roof. Celestia hummed looking at it. “I do wonder if I might be spoiling her a little, that gazebo colour scheme was her idea afterall.” Celestia walk up to the nest at the middle of it, she couldn't see the phoenix. “Now I wonder where the young lady is.” Gale put the box down by the nest looking around at the torches that were lit with the large nest of golden shaped sticks weaved in and out, Gale rubbed a talon over it. “Gold?” “Indeed, it a special type that doesn't melt to intense heat and comfortable to sleep on too for Philomena.” Celestia said walking out to take a look around for her. “She quite a clash of colours to the green, she surprisingly good at hiding.” Celestia calls out. “Philomena! Come on out! I like you to finally meet my son Gale!” No sight or response from the phoenix as Celestia looked around for any sight of her, Gale saw a feather in the nest, climbing into it he picked up the feather with his talon. “Pretty...” He wave it around, Gale suddenly felt something landed on his back and slowly turn his head to have his golden brown eyes meeting solid yellow eyes staring back, the tall imposing slider phoenix had perched herself on his back. “Pretty.” He looked up and down at the red, orange and yellow colours of the phoenix. “Mum, found!” Celestia turn and walk up to the nest seeing where Philomena was. “You cheeky young lady.” Philomena squawks happily flapping her wings lifting off from Gale and landing by him. “Quite the sight isn't she?” Gale wave his talon through the flicking flamelites from the wings as the phoenix flap them a little. “Warm, ticklish.” He said with a big smile. “You pretty!” She squawks with approval at that statement. “We wish we were here on a little friendly visit Philomena but Gale got something that need your help.” Celestia stated, the phoenix turn to Celestia squawking and waving her wings a bit. “Gale show her please.” Gale hop out of the nest and pick up the box opening it to show her. “Egg.” Philomena took a good look at it and the heat crystals around it, she looked very surprised. Celestia saw the shock from the phoenix. “It a black phoenix egg isn't it?” Philomena nods to confirm it. “You and I know how rare and delicate they are, a changeling wife to Mayor Greystorm the griffon of Trottingham somehow came across it and thought it be best in Gale's care.” Celestia explained to her pet. Philomena wave her wing for Gale to bring the box into the nest, he did so and she point to the part of it to place the egg down in, Gale put the box down and carefully lift the egg out placing it down between the golden sticks, she walk over and put a talon in the box lifting the heat crystals, placing each one down around the egg. Gale watched as she wave a wing over the crystals and they glowed with new warmth. “Oooo...” Gale felt the warmth through his talon as he held it close to it. “Ouch!” Gale turn to see Philomena pluck a feather from his wing, one of the loose ones and put it down by the egg. “Why my feather?” “If I recall the egg reacts to a phoenix fire and a unique form of magic, one that isn't from Equestria.” Celestia said and Philomena wave her wing with flames coming off it landing on the feather to catch it alight. As it burns the flame suddenly turns bluish white, the heat burst made Gale jump back flapping his wings as he took the air with shock from the heat he felt, Philomena nods in approval as the flames die down, the crystals now glowing a bluish colour. “Pretty...” “Octicovix should be back here at weeks end, she might know where the nest and it parents are, if it start to hatch before hoof, please find me and Gale immediately Philomena.” The phoenix gave a wing salute in understanding the princess's request. Gale noticed something was missing. “Plush!” He quickly flies off, the phoenix coos sadly but Gale returns to hug her. “Pretty bird! Happy! See next time!” He flies off again. She chirps happily with a few flap of her wings. “I did want to surprise him with you Friday, but I guess some plans just don't work how we planned them, right Philomena?” The phoenix laughed in response. “Oh you!” Celestia laughed too. “Thank you for taking care of the egg at such short notice.” Philomena turn to the egg and back to Celestia with a glimmer of shine from her solid yellow eyes. “I will make sure to get you a really nice treat later on, promise.” Philomena wave her wings pushing Celestia. “Okay I am going young lady!” The princess teleports to catch up with Gale knowing where he be going. The red, orange and yellow phoenix turn to the egg staring deeply at it with a soft coo before settling down in the nest next to it, she nuzzling the crystals to keep the egg warm, it wouldn't be the first phoenix egg she took care of and her thoughts go towards the young griffon. Celestia did right by raising him, even it meant the phoenix saw a little less of her adopted mother, but she knew that Gale would be coming by to see her and the egg, that filled her with happiness getting a young renewed soul to interact with her. Philomena squawked happily at that thought.