Griffon of Canterlot
Chapter 56 – Hyper Sunday Wind Down
As the last moments of light from the sun disappear below the horizon laughter came from within Donut Joe's, at a table within it Gale, Gabby, Cadance and Shining Armor laughing as they have a wind down from the enjoyable day at the Canter Arcades, other ponies in the donut shop glance and whisper to each other with some photos taken of the royal group.
“Vroom and pew pew!” Gabby pretending to have a talon over a control stick pressing the other talon in thin air the buttons. “Space invaders go boom! Than I go boom when one hit my triangle! How can a triangle that fires dots defend against weird squidey that poops!?”
Shining Armor spayed out of his mouth the hot chocolate all over Cadance's face and she exploded into more laughter, Gale also laughing. “Hahaha oh hahaha that hahaha oh hahaha I hahaha can't breathe!” She had tears falling as the laughter continued.
Gale had his face and beak buried into his foreleg with the other talon closed into a fist punching the table top, he crying in laughter through a muffled sound against the fur and feathers on his foreleg.
Donut Joe watched cleaning a mug with his magic, he smiled seeing they all laughing. “It seems my son and the others had a good day.” Celestia's voice came from the counter, he turn to see her standing there.
“Princess Celestia, good to see ya!” He chuckled. “Being sneaky once again?”
“Indeed.” Celestia responded.
Donut Joe look over to the table once again. “They were at the Canterlot Arcades all day and from the haul over there and the laughter, they had a good day.” He presents to Celestia a cup of hot chocolate with a marshmallow on top with whipcream and a plate of donuts. “On the house to my most loyal customer!” He chuckled.
Celestia took them with her magic. “Oh hush you.” She leans in slightly whispering to him. “Send the usual on Wednesday Donut Joe.” He nods with a sly smirk before going back to cleaning and Celestia walk up to her son's table.
Gabby was the first to see Celestia waving at her. “Hi Princess!”
Gale raise his head wiping his eyes and face from tears still got a happy smile on his beak. “Mum! Hi!”
“Hello Son, everyone.” Celestia greets them with a smile/ “May I sit with you?” Celestia requested.
Shining Armor nods as Cadance cleans her face up. “By all means Princess.” He put a hoof out to a cushion for her to sit on.
Celestia sits down on it placing the plate down taking a sip of the hot chocolate before placing it down as well on the table. “From all the laughter I was hearing outside and just now, I gather you all had a good day at the Canterlot Arcades?”
“We sure HAVE! It was so awesome with all those machines, games, music and all that fun stuff to do! I never got to be with another griffon having fun!” Gabby said with over-abundance of joy in her voice and expression.
Gale responds with the talons showing what he tried to say. “Fun arcades, Gabby me magic music drumming!”
Celestia listen to them. “Yeah! He and I did the pony magic singing that I heard about! I never experienced it EVER or thought about it! After we won so many tickets and had lunch we all got down on the arcade floors playing all sort of games! Shining Armor is so AMAZING at Space Invaders! We all tried to beat his high score but no luck on any of us.” Gabby adds.
“Oooo Prizes forgot prizes! Gifts family!” Gale was about to go to the pile of prizes he won with the tickets but to get a hoof from Cadance. “Cady?”
“There time for that Gale, eat your donuts and drink your hot chocolate first.” Cadance hints to them. “Or do you want to drink cold chocolate instead?”
Gale stuck his tongue out. “No no no, cold bad, hot good!” Gale went to grab a donut dipping it in and taking a bite out of.
Cadance giggled. “As you see aunty, it been one crazy yet a very good day out.”
Celestia drunk a bit of her hot chocolate. “Indeed I can see that, did he really have a magical singing moment?”
“He did and Gabby saved the day from him turning the arcade into another spider web of string.” Shining Armor chuckled and took a bite out of the donut.
Cadance burst into laughter thinking back to it and Celestia laughed too, Gale had a bit of a embarrassed laugh rubbing the back of his neck recalling what he did to Rarity and Gilda. “Web of string?” Gabby asked and grabbed a donut putting the whole thing in her beak chewing on it.
“Oh indeed, it took me taking him out for ice cream to stop.” Cadance giggled and Gale's black feathers under his eyes changing colour to a soft shade of pink as he put the wings over his head, this got another set of laughter and a rub of the back by Gabby.
Gabby whispers to him. “We all have embarrassing moments that we all done, also how is it if you want to find magic music?”
Gale close his wings back up against his sides. “Magic music appears.”
“That why it magic music.” Celestia giggled. “It just happens, it doesn't make sense or you can pinpoint where it is, if you can that mean you found the sweet spot, not many can say they done that.” Celestia said with a proud voice. “You got really good sense of hearing.” She rubbed his feathered head with her hoof. “So don't be embarrassed, somethings you can do that we can't while we can do things that you can't, it all part of learning in life, sometimes the cup will never be full, even now I am well over 1000 years old I still learn new wondrous things and those new things came when I took you under my wing as your mother.”
Gale nods. “Understand, path taken cup never full! Old lady goat say that about bad power hunger villains like Shen, is learning same?”
“Not at all, it different, learning is part of life, a wondrous experience to know new things that we never knew, think about all the magic that Starswirl discovered and created, he never stopped till the moment he vanished and one of those that he never completed a spell, someday somepony special could do the unthinkable, completing and creating a new spell.”
“Cool!”
“Indeed cool Gale.” Celestia warmly responded. “Now let's finish our snacks so you can give me your gift son.”
Gale nods happily going into eating his donuts fast as he could. “Kiddo breathe!” Shining Armor shook his head. “He reminds me how I acted as I was eager to do things when I wanted to do something and couldn't.”
“We all seem older when looking at the young that reflect on us in someway or the other Shining Armor, it just life.” Celestia said to him.
“True so true.” Shining Armor took his mug of hot chocolate. “To life.” He drunk a bit.
“To life.” They all said and went to eating their snacks and drinking their hot chocolates.
A short time after they all step out of the shop walking through the park, Shining and Cadance carrying the bags of prized gifts for Gale, they stopped near the fountain. “Mum gift!” He point to one of them Shining was holding up with his magic.
“Here you go kiddo.” Shining Armor lowers it down to him, when Gale takes it the magic aura around the object is cancelled out causing the captain of the guard to shiver from the effect. “Urg! Can't ever get use to that feeling of my magic getting cut off like that.” He saw Gale looked down with the other talon scratching at the stone under it. “Kiddo do not dare blame yourself for something that part of you, it just something that will take time for me to get use to.”
Gale raise his head. “Sorry...”
Shining Armor raise his hoof to Celestia, she nods letting him handle it. “Gale this been part of you far beyond I was even around, you been through more than anyone should do, your still catching up with what Grogar did and even I can not get use to the strange feeling of my magic getting cut off.” He hint Cadance to take the bags from his magic, she does and he walk up to him giving the young griffon a hug. “I won't stop caring about your safety and be there for you as a cousin to be.”
Gale slightly smiled. “Yeah like that, thank you.” He look to what he was holding. “Wish hug but holding gift.”
“Of course.” Shining let go stepping back. “Go ahead and give your gift to your mum.”
Gale nods turning to Celestia, Cadance leans over to Shining as he takes the other items back. “Nice job Shiny, you really handled that well, I am proud of you.” She kissed him on the side of the snout, Shining Armor feeling proud himself.
Celestia also showed her approval on how he handled it as Gale presents the gift. “Mum gift!” Gale placed it on her hoof stepping back a little.
Using her magic Celestia open the bag up to pull out a Celestia look alike fake trophy with the words under it 'World's Celestial Mum', Celestia instantly put a hoof to her muzzle with tears welling up. “Oh Gale i-it beautiful!” She gave it to Gabby to hold giving Gale a hug with one foreleg rubbing her head against his. “Oh my son, thank you...”
“Mum happy! Gift good!” He returned the hug and nuzzled her side of the head too.
“Ahhhh that so cute! I never knew parents could be like that! I really wish my mum and dad were like that.” Gabby finding it adorable and saying it quietly to Shining Armor and Cadance.
Shining raise a eye. “Really?”
“Hmm mmm, but I'll write about it or tell you when we not in front of Gale, don't want to drag our parenting problems with a cub around.” Gabby whispered to them and speaks up afterwards. “Sorry to cut in on this moment but I got to go, really got to go.” She flapping her wings a few times. “I got a long flight back home and got to get back to get some zzzs before work tomorrow.”
Celestia and Gale let go of their hug, the cub gives Gabby a hug. “Come back?”
“Yeah I will.” She hugs back. “But it might take time to arrange something, so here is my address to write to me.” Gabby release from her hug and pulls out of her bag a piece of paper giving it to Celestia.
“I am sure Gale would like to write to his griffon cousin.” Celestia smiled. “Here is our address, write down Gale's name and the letters will be sent to his room.” Celestia summoned a piece of paper with a quill writing on it, she give it to Gale. “Don't be a stranger okay?”
Gabby salutes. “You got it Princess! See ya!” She flies up and takes off at high speeds.
“Bye bye Gabby!” Gale waves, the others wave too as she give them a quick wave back before disappearing from sight. “She good cousin!”
“That she is.” Cadance agreed. “Come on Gale let's get back to the castle so you can give your gifts to Blueblood and Aunty Luna.”
“Yay!” Gale runs to the castle direction turning around to them. “Come come!”
Celestia laughed. “We coming Gale, we coming.” They followed Gale back to the castle.
Sometime later in the night in Griffonstone Gallus gives a few pans to a griffon, the griffon gives a few gold bits to Gallus and slam the door shut in his face. “Yeah your welcomed... Stupid idiot...” He muttered walking away from the door, flapping his wings to fly back to his home.
“Today just been completely lame, all I got for my trouble is ten lousy bits.” He rattled the bag of bits, he reached the building landing at the entrance walking inside. “Home sweet h-What is this!?” Gallus first releaved to just go to bed to find his bed was covered with a new bed sheet, Wonderbolts bedding and new pillow plus wonderbolt pillow case.
Gallus walk up to the bedding and grab it with a talon to see a piece of paper on top of it, he let go of the sheet to take the letter. “Hey Gallus, got you this AWESOME Wonderbolt bedset! Also I left a surprise on each of them! Have a nice comfortable night! Your Favourite friendly griffon!” Gallus rolled his eyes. “Gabby I should of knew it was her, that griffon drives all griffons nuts...” He threw the paper to the ground.
Gallus grabbed the sheet again with the talon. “Well at least I got something to s-” He felt something engraved on it, Gallus look down to see golden thread sawed into it saying his name, quickly looking at the pillow case, the pillow inside and the under sheet to find all had it. “You crafty griffon.” Gallus stared at his name saw in.
“I give you that one Gabby.” He yawned throwing his bag to the side with the coin bag, he decided to just give in and settle down getting under the wonderbolt bed sheet. “Hmmm... Okay I definitely giving you this one crazy... This is sooo comfortable” Gallus lay his head down with talons behind his bed staring through the roof window at the stars and moon.
Gabby peering through the roof window with a big grin. “Oh yeah!” She whispered with a pump fist in the air and takes off heading back to her own home. “No returns on gifts.” She giggled.
Gallus rolled his eyes. “She never gives up....”
Gale in the shower letting the water flow over his head down the back of the neck over the wings towards his hind legs, rubbing his talons over the furry feathered body with white soapy bubbles foaming before the wave of water washed it away from the shower.
As the water wash over the thoughts drift to the moment he gave Blueblood his gift.
“Gift cousin!” Gale gives Blueblood the paper bag.
Blueblood look at it and back to Gale. “Wh-what?”
“He giving you something, have a look what it is.” Celestia smiled.
Blueblood did and using his magic pulls out a sealed Power Pony figure Zap, quickly hiding it back in the bag looking around to see if any guards saw. “H-how did-” Blueblood whispers to Gale with shock.
“Happy?”
“Very... But how did you know?” Blueblood asked.
Gale shrugs. “Just saw, thought you have.” Gale beamed.
Blueblood chuckled. “Well you made my evening quite the best way to finish it, see you in the morning...” Blueblood walks away and turn quickly. “Cousin.” He walks on.
“Yay!” Gale looked around. “Aunt Luna find!” He flies off.
Celestia laughed. “And his off again!” She chase after Gale.
Gale hummed as he now sat on the bathtub side on top of a towel brushing his fur with the brush. “Happy cousin Blueblood, happy he happy.” Gale continue to brush away.
Luna held her gift looking at the cap and hat. “My stars, this Starswirl repica even has the correct bells!” Luna continue to examine it. “How is this even for my size!?” She put it on and now giddy with excitement as her wings open and close finding it even had wing holes in it.
“Yay!” Gale clapped seeing his liked it.
“You made my evening so joyest!” She gives Gale a hug. “Oh thank you dear nephew! I will wear it all night!”
Celestia blinked. “All Night? Sister your-”
“Celestia the evening is my duty I shall wear this in honour of Nephew Gale, if those do not like it I do not care, now off to bed sister and you Nephew Gale, wish you two happy dreams.” She release the hug.
Gale watched Luna prance off humming happily to herself. “Aunt Luna happy! I happy!”
“Indeed... One night I will never forget.” Celestia responded.
Gale finished brushing his teeth and took a good look at them in his beak to make sure they are clean, happy with it he washed the tooth brush clean and put it in the toothbrush wrack. “Bedtime.” Gale yawned, walking up to the exit of the bathroom he flip the switch turning off the light.
With a few short flaps he flies over to the bed, landing on it with a few bounces. “Give gifts some tomorrow, others when can.” He said to himself looking at the remaining pile of gifts by the window door, those gifts were for Flash Sentry, Sunbeam, Gilda, Trace, Amber, Octicovix and Spike.
Gale noticed his memories scarp book on the table side with a note sticking out the side of it, he curiously open the book up to find photos after photos from the arcade to Donut Joe's, he looked at each of them over and over again trying to figure out how till he saw the letter, picking it up he read it in his mind.
“Hey Galey!
I hope you like all the photos that were taken! Princess Celestia dropped in to get Twilight's letter from Spike and I thought to myself, this needs a Pinkie Keen moment! So I did this for you Galey! You had a lot of fun today! Haha! Well don't forget when you know your birthday is you can let me know so I can throw you the best party ever!
Oh and that griffon! I really like her and I found a gift for you from her in the dining room, so I dropped it off in your room!
Look under your bed!
Best Party Pony Ever Pinkie Pie!”
Gale tilt his head, he remembered what she look like and very sure he never saw her at all, yet all these photos showed otherwise, he scratched his feathered head in confusion, Gale yawned loudly putting the letter back in the crease of the pages closing the scrap book up, he was too tired to even try and understand how she did it but happy she did, he had more memories to keep in the scrap book of his.
He put the book down on the table side and yawned, he rolled over to his front pulling himself over the bed edge to look upside down under his bed, right where the letter said at the box. Gale reached out to it and grab the box, he pulls himself back up onto his bed. “Gabby gift morning.”
Gale saw the tag on it, he took it off and read it in his mind. “Pistol surprise – Gabby.” Gale tilt his head and yawning once more he open the box to see inside it a Pistol the griffon plush. “Pistol!” Gale squawked happily picking it up knocking the box off the bed onto the floor, he sort it out in the morning.
The teenage hugged it tightly with happiness, now he had three plushes, lying down pulling the bed sheets up over him, he roll over his right side wrapping his forelegs around the Gale, Pistol and Celestia plush. “Pinky confusing, but happy... Got happy memory photos... Got awesome plushes... Happy Gabby... Fun day remember forever... ” Gale closed his eyes falling asleep with a smile across his beak.
The door opened a little with the opening of light cast over Gale, Celestia saw that he was out like a light and most likely won't be awake till the morning. “Burned himself right out with all the excitement he had, Gale my son sleep well.” She closes the door.