A few strokes of blue here… A few strokes of turquoise there… Annnd! “Presto!” Silverstream sang to herself, placing aside her palette and marveling at her newest creation. “Not half-bad for three day’s work,” she sighed, satisfied in her progress. “Just gotta remember to get Headmare Starlight to enchant it once it dries. … I said forever, and I meant it,” Silver quietly declared.
…
“And now I’m bored,” she deadpanned, stepping away from the now-drying painting and to her desk. What to read, what to read, what to read? Silver wondered as she perused her collection of books. Me and My Shadow? Nah, not in the mood. Plumbing 101: Fixing the Sink? Tempting, tempting. Ooh! But what about…? “The Ground Beneath our Hooves: A Comprehensive Study of the Planetary Layers!” she squealed, picking the tome up and giddily staring at the cover. “Been meaning to read this one.”
Her gaze then drifted down to her drawer, and she frowned somberly. After putting the book back, Silver opened it, revealing a small stack of unopened letters delivered from Seaquestria.
“Been meaning to read you too,” she grumbled, carefully extracting the bundle. Silverstream then sat on her bed, murmuring, “Okay, Mom, please don’t rag on Gallus in any of these.”
She then opened the first letter.
Dear, Silverstream…
Hello, honey, it’s Mom! Just wanted to check in and see if everything is okay with you. To be frank, I was a little worried when you didn’t reply back after my last letter…
But it’s okay; I’m certain you were just too busy or simply forgot. Hopefully, since I’m sending this on the weekend, everything has settled down enough that you can write back this time. Though if not, I totally understand; I’m sure you have plenty of schoolwork.
However, if you do have the chance, please write back! I know you’re “safe” at Princess Twilight’s school, but I do still worry about you. It’s my job as your mother, after all!
In any case, I hope you’re still doing well. Stay safe, Silverstream.
With love, Mom.
Silverstream breathed a huge sigh of relief and laid back on the bed, pumping her talons into the air. “Yes! No derogatory comments about Gallus!” she celebrated dryly. She then placed the letter aside and opened the next one, immediately sitting back up.
Silverstream, honey, are you okay!? This is the second letter in a row that you haven’t replied to, and I’m getting worried!
I tried talking to your father, but he brushed it off as if it were no big deal! As usual. But you’re my daughter too, and I know you! You always try to respond, even if it’s just a few sentences.
I know I might be coming off as a bit paranoid—
“Yeah, you do,” Silver realized, staring at the half-dozen other letters she had. “Oh boy… Maybe not writing her back wasn’t such a good idea,” she realized, reading the rest of the letter.
—But I’m worried about you. You’re all the way in Equestria, surrounded by who-know-how-many creatures, all with their own agendas and whatnot. And that griffon.
“And there it is…”
All I want is to know you are okay. That’s all.
Love, Mom.
“Oh sea kelp,” Silver swore, running her talons through her mane. “I don’t even want to know what the others say. … Hmm.” She then reached for the most recent one and opened it slowly.
Dear, Silverstream…
Okay. So, you undoubtedly noticed my recent letters have been somewhat…odd. If you haven’t, let’s just say I may have panicked. A lot.
“Yep. Definitely not reading the other ones.”
It’s just? You weren’t responding to any of my letters, and I took that as a sign that maybe you weren’t okay. That maybe that griffon, or somecreature else had stopped you from writing back. Which, needless to say, was a wildly stupid thing to think.
“Okay, Terramar, are you writing for Mom again?” Silver groaned, furrowing her brow.
Of course, I still think I was entirely in the right to worry about you. But? Perhaps I could have been a tad more confident in your safety.
Perhaps I also could have remembered your midterm exams were coming up soon. In my haste to worry, I might have forgotten how busy you likely were because of them.
Your brother made sure to remind of that fact after he found out I—
The rest of the line was obscured behind a rather copious amount of ink, but upon closer inspection, Silver could just make out, “‘Seaspray’? ‘Check on’!? Augh! Come on, Mom!”
In any case, while I’m not sorry for worrying about you, I do apologize for bombarding you with my paranoid ramblings. I should have held more faith in your teachers to keep you safe.
Another line was furiously scratched out. This time, however, Silver could barely decipher the last part, mumbling, “Couldn’t…? Filly from…? Windigos…? What?” she whispered, reading on.
Well, if you are unfortunately too caught up in your studies to write me back, I cannot hold that against you. Your studies are important, and I’d be loathe to pull you away from them. That said, good luck with your exams, honey; I know you’ll do swimmingly—pun absolutely intended!
Silver snorted. She then scowled once she reached the bottom line.
P.S. I can’t wait to see you when you return home for the Three Days of Freedom this year! In fact? There’s a certain somepony I’d like you to meet. He’s very sweet, very handsome—if I do say so myself—and I think you and he would get along very well! His name is—
“Not! Gallus!” Silver growled, crumpling the letter up and throwing it at her wall. “Just when I thought that maybe I should read your letters, you do that!? Ughhh!” she shrieked, burying her head into her pillow. Less than a second later, Silver rolled over and glared at her ceiling.
“Why doesn’t she like Gallus?” she wondered aloud. “I-I love him, so why can’t she be happy about that? Dad and Terry are! Sea kelp! Everypony else I know is too! So, why— Why aren’t you, Mom?”
Soul-crushing silence was her only answer.
Silver’s gaze wandered onto the stuffed elephant, Horton, that Gallus had won her so very long ago. Tenderly, she reached out and brought it close to her chest, hugging it tightly as she closed her glistening eyes. Three days down. Four to go, she lamented, sniffling.
“I hope you’re okay, Gallus.”
…
…
…
Knock! Knock! Knock!
“Gah!” Silver yelped, gripping Horton even closer as she flinched away from the door. “Y-Yes? Who is it?” she called out, steadying her voice.
“Hello, Silverstream? It’s Starlight,” she announced. “I wanted to talk to you about something.”
Is Gallus okay!? Silver first wanted to ask. Luckily, she quickly quelled that instinct and reassured herself, If he weren’t okay, he’d have come back, Silver. He promised he would. Starlight probably just wants to give me another counseling session, she dreaded, nowhere near up for that. Oh joy.
“O-Okay,” Silver replied, giving Horton one last squeeze. She then opened the door, greeting, “Hey, Headmare Starlight. What’s… Smolder?” she asked, catching sight of the orange dragon just behind the unicorn.
“H-Hey, Silverstream,” Smolder responded, waving timidly.
“Hi,” she said, swiftly closing her door before Smolder looked inside. “So, uh? What’s up?”
“I wanted to ask for your help with something,” Starlight began, grinning suspiciously. “You see, you two aren’t the only creatures who didn’t go home for the holiday. And I thought it’d be a good idea if we all got together and threw a little holiday celebration of our own.”
“Ooh! That sounds fun,” Silver agreed, cheering up slightly. “How can I help?”
“Well, uh, heh-heh-heh,” Starlight chuckled. “I was hoping you two could help me whip something up in the kitchen. Pinkie’s visiting her family, and I’m, er, no good at non-magical baking,” she admitted shyly. “But I’ve heard a certain somegriff is pretty good at making pastries.”
Silver hid her blushing face behind her mane, earning a light snicker from Smolder. “I-I guess I am pretty good,” she mumbled proudly.
“So is that a yes?”
“Absolutely!”
“Great! Alright, you two head down to the cafeteria, and I’ll meet you there,” Starlight said as her horn began to glow.
“Oh, wait! Hold on, Headmare Starlight,” Silver blurted out.
“Hmm? Yes, Silver?”
She then shot a quick glance at Smolder and half-lied, “I need to talk to you about something later too. Just some friendship thing I needed help with.”
“Oh. No worries,” Starlight assured, smiling kindly. “I’ll be happy to help.”
“Thank you, Headmare.”
“Mhmm. Now, I still have some things I need to get ready for the party. I’ll see you both in a bit,” she said, departing in a bright flash.
“‘Some friendship thing,’ huh?” Smolder inquired as she walked up to Silver’s side.
Silverstream froze, fearing she had been caught, but she swiftly hid it behind a small smile. “Heh-heh, yep. It’s just a Laughter Lesson I’ve been thinking about lately.”
“Silver, it’s the holidays,” she deadpanned, grinning nonetheless. “I’d expect Ocellus to worry about our lessons over the break, but you?”
Please don’t catch on, please don’t catch on, please don’t catch on! “Well? It’s a lesson I really needed Headmare Starlight’s help with.”
“Whatever.” Much to Silver’s immense relief, Smolder changed the subject and asked, “Speaking of our Headmare? You know what she’s really doing with this whole party thing, right?”
“Oh yeah,” Silver confirmed. “Headmare Starlight is awesome, but subtlety isn’t exactly her best trait,” she joked, laughing alongside Smolder despite feeling like a hypocrite. “The idea still sounds fun though!” And I do still need to apologize to you… Never did get a chance to do that properly, did I?
“It does,” Smolder conceded, biting her lip. “Honestly, I could use some fun right now.”
Silverstream placed her wing on Smolder’s back. “We both could.”
“You still worried too, huh?”
“Mhmm. But he’ll be back soon, so I can’t be that worried,” she said, attempting to convince herself more than Smolder. “What about you? Are you okay?”
Perking up, Smolder said, “You know what? Yeah, I am! After all, thanks to Starlight, I have an excuse to spend the whole day baking with my friend,” she rejoiced. “Totally worth it.”
“Aww,” Silver cooed, giving Smolder a hug. “Thanks, Smolder, you’re so sweet.”
“Yeah, yeah,” she mumbled, hugging her back.
“Now, come on! We’ve got some muffins to baaake!” she sang, prancing off down the hallway.
“Don’t worry, I’m coming,” Smolder said, following after her friend.
“Hee-hee-hee!” Silver giggled. I hope you’re doing okay, Gallus, she wished as her smile drooped slightly. Please come home soon.
***
Seriously, dude,” Griselda laughed, reclining on the library sofa. “How the peck did you manage to learn that many lines?”
Gallus looked up from the book he had been reading and thought it over. “Eh. Honestly, it wasn’t that hard; all I had to do was memorize a few words and say them correctly,” he explained.
“Your play went on for two hours!” she exclaimed, throwing her talons up in disbelief. “That’s two hours you spent onstage in front of hundreds of ponies, reciting all those lines!”
“There were a lot of ponies watching,” Gavin mumbled, giving Gallus his own awestruck stare. “Wasn’t it hard acting in front of so many of them?”
“A little. But once I got into it, it was pretty easy. Definitely helped that I was having fun the whole time,” Gallus concluded, remembering that day fondly.
“Okay, but since when were you ever into acting?” Griselda bluntly asked. “Because I don’t remember you ever going anywhere near the Griffonstone Theater before.”
“You mean the one that burned down years ago?”
“Ohhh… Right. Although, Gabby did say Gilda’s planning to get that place fixed soon.”
“Hope that works out; acting is awesome. I bet you’d have some fun with it, Griselda; you’re a pretty good actor from what I recall.”
“What!? Oh-ho, no! I may have the second best poker face in Griffonstone, but I am not an actor!” Griselda protested firmly. “Not in a million years!”
Gallus gasped dramatically, inquiring, “Grissy!? Are you finally admitting I’m better than you at something!?”
“Don’t call me ‘Grissy’!” she snapped. “And no, I am not admitting you’re a better actor than I am. I’m, er, saying that I don’t wish to try acting! … But if I did, your skills couldn’t even compare.”
“There it is,” he chuckled. “Don’t worry, Grissy, I’m sure you’d get all the ovations.”
“I told you not to call me ‘Grissy’!”
“Don’t care.”
“Ughhh! You’re rather rude sometimes, you know that?”
“Mhmm,” he hummed in acknowledgment.
“Hey, Gallus?”
“Yeah, Gavin?”
The fledgling tapped his talons together before politely saying, “Thank you for sending us the tape. I’m really glad I got to see your play.”
“Thanks, Gavin, I’m happy you liked it,” he celebrated. I’m even happier Gilda kept it. Even if Gruff was the one I sent it to… “Gabby told me you wanted to come and watch our performance.”
“W-Well, yeah?” Gavin confessed. “I-I-I did.”
“Aww, that’s really nice of you, kiddo,” Gallus said unabashedly, drawing an elated grin from the fledgling. “But I have to ask—What made you want to watch our play anyway?”
He flushed brightly and answered, “I, uh, wanted to see you again. And I thought it was really cool you were in a play! In Canterlot!” he stressed. “Gabby always says it’s a nice place.”
“That’s because it is. Have you ever thought about visiting the city, Gav?”
“Sometimes. I heard they have a really, really cool library over there!”
“You really like libraries, kid,” Griselda commented, smiling approvingly. “Cool.”
“Y-Yeah, it is cool,” Gavin said, happy to hear her compliment his interests. “Princess Twilight said the Library of Magic has over two million books on all sorts of stuff! Two Million!” he squealed, enraptured by the mere possibility of that fact. “Isn’t that amazing?”
“Oh yeah,” Gallus said, thinking back to the memory. “That place was so huge, Patty and I almost got lost twice. Shame Shimmy and Zone were both too busy napping to appreciate it all.”
“Oh, here we go,” Griselda sighed, standing and trotting toward the two.
“Wait! You’ve been to the Library of Magic!?” Gavin squeaked out, shocked.
“Yep.”
His vision was suddenly filled with the gleeful smile of one adorable, tan-colored fledgling. “What was it like!? How many books were there!? Were they all kept in good condition!? What kinds of magic did the books go over!? What was the organization method!? What was—”
“Yo, Gavin! Give ‘im some breathing room, dude,” Griselda instructed, grabbing Gavin and gently pulling him away from Gallus. “Now, what do you say for getting up in his face like that?”
“S-Sorry,” he said, grinning timidly.
“Nah, it’s fine,” Gallus assuaged, holding back a laugh. “Trust me, Gavin, your excitement is totally warranted. As for your questions? Godly, over five million, yes, everything; and I don’t know.”
“Five— Five— Five million…?”
“Five million.”
Stars twinkled in Gavin’s eyes as he smiled as widely as his tiny beak would allow.
“Something tells me you just made his day,” Griselda acknowledged, shooting Gallus a smirk.
“Hey, he wanted to know about the Library of Magic, and I wasn’t about to dissuade him. That place is way too cool not to visit!” Gallus proclaimed, hoping he could visit both the Library and the city of Canterlot again one day. “For the record? So is Silver Frames’ Art Gallery.”
“Whoa! You visited an art gallery too? First theaters, then libraries, and now art galleries? Huh. Well, what do ya know? You really were a nerd all along, huh, Gallus?”
“Well, excuse you! If liking the finer arts of this world requires I label myself a ‘nerd’ then so be it. I am proud of such a title!” he huffed in mock indignation. “Besides, books are awesome.”
“Agreed!” Gavin chirped joyously.
“You two are such geeks.”
“Says the librarian.”
“S-Shut up.”
Gallus and Gavin exchanged equally sly smiles.
Overcome with a sudden, strong sense of foreboding, Griselda coughed and backpedaled, “But I’m actually kinda happy you both are. I don’t know where I’d be without my amazing assistant.”
“Thanks, Griselda. I’m just glad you do let me help.”
“Like I’d ever try to stop you.” Griselda then gave Gallus a genuine smile, adding, “And I’m not gonna lie… I’m glad I got watch your play too. You were amazing, dude,” she praised.
Gallus smiled warmly, saying, “Thanks. I’m happy you liked it.”
“Hey, I call ‘em like I see ‘em. And you and your friends totally rocked that play, Gallus.” Griselda’s smile soon drooped, and she mumbled, “Er, sorry Gilda fell asleep halfway through.”
“Nah, that’s fine; I sent ‘em the tape a while back anyway. Frankly, I would’ve been more surprised if she had stayed awake.”
“True. And hey, at least she made it through the first half.”
“More than I can say for Gruff…” Gallus couldn’t stop himself from growling.
Gavin and Griselda both shared an uncomfortable glance, and the latter slowly asked, “Has, uh, has he loosened up yet? ‘Cause I remember when we all found out about your play, and he—”
“Thought it’d be ‘Some borin’ snoozefest?’” he guessed, frowning dejectedly. “Or that he’s ‘got better things to do than watch some kid wax poetic about friendship’?”
“…You’ve got a really good memory,” she pointed out hesitantly.
“Thank you,” he said curtly.
“Y-Yeah. How— How about your Science Fair medal though?” Griselda tried, forcing a grin. “I don’t care how stubborn that buzzard is; no way can he not be even slightly interested in—”
“No.”
“No!? You can’t be serious! You and your friend were warping reality; how could he not be—”
“‘Shove that dumb medal in mah face again, and Ah’ll take it and pawn it off,’” he quoted.
“Seriously!?”
Gallus just looked away, darkly muttering, “Yes.” And he’d do it too.
“Damn…”
“Hey, that’s a tier-two swear!” Gavin reprimanded.
“What!? It was appropriate!”
“I’m still telling Gabby!”
“Whatever,” Griselda groaned, rolling her eyes. “Look, uh, don’t worry too much about it, Gallus,” she consoled. “Gruff’s a senile, old loony, so don’t let him get you down.”
“Don’t call him that, Griselda,” Gallus reflexively defended, much to the others’ surprise.
“U-Uh? Gallus, you earned that medal; Gruff shouldn’t be threatening to steal it and—”
“I don’t care; Gruff isn’t a senile, old loony!” he barked hotly. Gallus then recoiled at his harsh tone, murmuring, “Sorry. I don’t mean to yell; I just don’t like you calling him stuff like that.”
“Okaaay,” she hummed, rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly.
“Um, Gallus?” Gavin began warily. “Are you okay?”
No, I’m not. But I can’t say that, so… Gallus hid his anger behind a smile and promised, “Don’t worry, Gavin, I’m fine.” He then pointedly returned to reading his book. “Everything’s fine.”
Griselda shared a concerned look with a very confused Gavin, but both ultimately decided not to press any further. Afterward, they both returned to reading their own respective books.
Stupid, stupid, stupid! Gallus silently chanted, wishing he were alone to say as such aloud. C’mon, Gallus, why are you getting so upset when you don’t have any reason to be!?
I can be upset that Gruff doesn’t care about me!
Not really, he countered himself. Gruff doesn’t have to care about you or your dumb hobbies.
Can’t I want him to?
Certainly. Just don’t expect him to. Not when you already know Gruff doesn’t care, Gallus argued logically. If he did, he’d have watched the tape with the rest of you. Or attended the play itself.
That doesn’t mean he doesn’t care; it just means he didn’t show up!
And if you were smart, you’d understand the implications.
I don’t want to understand the implications; I just want Gruff to… To… Gallus whimpered, struggling to prevent his current vexation from showing on his face.
Well, he doesn’t. So unless you plan to make him love you, you may as well give up, a dark part of his mind suggested. He’ll never care about you; he never did.
Then why did he help me all the time? H-He always gave me a roof or a supper w-whenever I couldn’t find one for myself. He— He took care of me…
Out of obligation, he refuted coldly. Why else would he cast you aside once he got the chance?
That— That’s not why he sent me away! He was just trying to get me out of this stupid place!
And away from him.
Gallus slammed his book shut and sighed. After a moment, he got up and silently re-shelved his book.
Shut up, Gallus, he rebuked himself. We’re not upset; we’re perfectly fine. And even if we were upset—which we’re not!—it wouldn’t matter anyway. We’re not supposed to be upset.
We don’t have any right to be. …Do we? he wondered, returning to the others.
“Done reading, huh?” Griselda spoke up, giving him an uncertain look.
“Eh,” Gallus responded halfheartedly. “Just not feeling up to it.”
“Are you sure you’re okay, Gallus?” Gavin asked, frowning in worry.
“Yeah, I’m totally fine,” he claimed, trying his best to sound reassuring. “No problem here.”
“O-Okay,” he stuttered, not sure whether to believe Gallus or not. Gavin then closed his book and asked hopefully, “If you’re done reading, does that mean you’re ready to go?”
“Unfortunately, no. I’m really sorry, kiddo, but I need to cut today’s tour short.”
“What!? Why!? We still had so many places to go!” Gavin panicked. “I-I was going to show you the new school a-and gym!”
“Uh, Gav?” Griselda piped up. Once she had his attention, she pointed to the half-frozen window and the roaring blizzard beyond it. “Not sure you even could visit those places today.”
“But— But— But you promised…” he whimpered, tearing up.
Aw peck. “That’s right, Gavin; I did promise,” Gallus said, placing a comforting talon on his shoulder. “And I fully intend to keep it.”
“Then why didn’t you want to keep exploring today?”
“Well? For one thing, Grissy’s right,” he answered, ignoring her subsequent glare. “That snowstorm ain’t letting up any time soon, and I don’t want you getting sick.”
“But we were just fine yesterday and the day before!”
“Fair point. Except, we could actually see where we were going those days,” Gallus deadpanned. “We were lucky we could even find the library today.”
“…Okay. That’s a fair point too, I guess,” Gavin pouted ambivalently. “But doesn’t that mean you have to stay here and read with us?” he figured, smiling optimistically.
“Also no,” he groaned much to Gavin’s disappointment and Griselda’s befuddlement.
“Why?” she asked. “Got somewhere else to be?”
“Uh-huh. All this talk about Gramps reminded me I promised I’d help him clean up his house,” Gallus elaborated, feeling a strange mixture of dread and hope. “Just some winter cleaning and stuff.”
“What!?” Griselda shouted, whipping her tail in anger. “Gallus, it’s the holidays! How the peck did that idiot rope you into cleaning his house!?”
“He’s not an idiot, Griselda! He just…needed help.” And I want to spend time with him, he conveniently neglected to mention. Even if it means dusting everything he owns…
“Dude, you’re on vacation,” she retorted, quirking an eyebrow. “You know? Vacation? Noun? An extended period of leisure and relaxation?”
“Recreation,” Gavin corrected.
“Point being: You’re here to have fun, Gallus. Not do Gruff’s chores!”
“Yeah, I know,” Gallus vowed, shuffling awkwardly. “But I-I wanted to help. That’s just Kindness 101,” he tried, hoping Griselda wouldn’t argue further.
She did. “Kindness 101, huh? Funny. I recall Kindness Lesson Eighty-one stating that while it’s okay to help others in need, one shouldn’t let their kindness be abused.”
“What the— H-How do you—”
“Friendship Journal.”
“Right,” Gallus sighed, annoyed. “Well, you don’t have to worry, Griselda. I’m. Fine. Gruff isn’t ‘abusing’ my kindness, okay? I’m just lending him a talon.”
“In that case? You want any help? Generosity 101 and all?” she offered smartly.
“No, no, no! I’ve got it!” he protested vehemently. “Thank you for the offer, but I’ll be fine.” C’mon, Grissy, you’re smart enough to know why I’m really doing this!
She scowled, reluctantly yielding, “Alright, fine. Just be careful that he doesn’t try to ‘suggest’ you help any more than you need to,” she warned. “That guy has a way of worming his way into everygriff’s head. Why do you think Gilda’s always so hostile around him?”
“Yes, well? I don’t plan to engage in any hostilities,” Gallus stated, reeling in his emotions. “All I’m doing is helping him clean up for the Blue Moon Festival. Who knows? Maybe we’ll have some fun while we do,” he hoped.
“If you can call playing housemaid to the most stubborn griffon in the whole pecking world ‘fun,’” she grumbled, turning her gaze away from him. “Then sure.”
“It might be fun,” Gavin supposed, shooting Gallus a concerned stare. “Right?”
Gallus wavered, debating, Would it be fun? Or… Or would it…not?
Does it even matter? he asked himself numbly.
Of course it matters!
But we already promised we’d help him, so we’re just gonna need to shut our beaks and deal with it. Like we always did.
I-I don’t want to be upset…
And you don’t want him to be upset either. Do you?
No, I don’t. I don’t want him to be mad at me; I just want him to— I just want— I just want to spend time with him! That’s all I want, Gallus confessed to himself.
Then you know what you need to do. Whether or not you have fun.
No more cowardice. “It’ll be a lot of fun. But don’t worry, kiddo,” he said, playfully ruffling the fledgling’s headcrest. “It won’t be nearly as much fun as exploring Griffonstone with you.”
Needless to say, Gavin looked happy enough to sing a musical number.
Griselda, on the other talon, clicked her beak and asked, “If that’s the case, did you want me to walk Gavin home? I was planning to close up early anyway.”
“You’re gonna close the library early!?” Gavin screeched, appalled. “Are you crazy!?”
“Kid, nogriff is coming here in that blizzard. Not to mention it’s getting pretty late anyway, and I’ll take whatever extra sleep I can get, thank you very much.”
“Heh-heh-heh,” Gallus laughed. “Don’t worry, Griselda, I’ve got it. Gruff’s place isn’t that far from Gilda’s, and I suspect Gavin would be happier if I brought him home,” he ended knowingly.
“W-Well, it would be pretty nice,” Gavin admitted, utterly unable to hide his excitement.
“See, Grissy? What’d I tell you?”
“Don’t call me ‘Grissy’!”
Gallus and Gavin both just snickered.
***
A blast of wind slammed into Gallus, nearly sending him tumbling away. Fortunately, he powered through it and trekked up the steps to Grandpa Gruff’s house.
“Grover’s Treasure!” Gallus yelped as he pulled his scarf over his beak. “‘Pretty slim chance’ my flank! I swear, this had better be worth it…”
Of course it will be worth it! he chanted to himself with forced optimism. We’re finally spending time with him!
Yeah. By forcing yourself to return to a place you hate and pseudo-manipulating him into letting you come to his house…to do chores! Gallus knew quite a lot of creatures would counter.
He paused at the door and remembered Silver saying, “I know you want him to care about you, Gallus. I just don’t want you to be upset if it turns out he…doesn’t.”
“I… I am okay. I’m not upset. Everything is fine,” Gallus repeated, desperate to believe it. He then knocked and mumbled, “This will be fine.”
…
Gallus knocked again.
…
His wings slumped into the snow as Gallus fearfully considered, D-Did he forget I was coming?
Almost immediately, the door opened, causing him to stand at attention. Gruff then peeked his head through the door, growling, “What the peck do you— Oh. Gallus, it’s you,” he acknowledged, raising an eyebrow. “Why are you knockin’ at mah door in the middle of a blizzard?”
“You— You said you wanted help. W-With cleaning up,” he explained, shivering.
“Ah didn’t think you were— Agh, forget it!” he yelled, rolling his good eye and stepping aside. “Get your flank in ‘ere before Ah have to chisel you off mah step!”
“Thank you,” Gallus said, swiftly accepting the offer.
Gruff’s house looked the same as ever: Dusty floor, flaking walls; discarded feathers… And not a single holiday decorations in sight.
After hanging his coat on the hallway rack, he asked, “So, uh, how are you doing, Gramps?”
“Eh,” Gruff replied aloofly. “You?”
See? He asked if I was okay; that’s a good start. “Cold. Otherwise, I’m fine.”
“Hmm. Good! Means you can start cleanin’ up,” he stated, trotting past Gallus without a second glance. “Broom’s in it’s usual spot. Ah’ll be in mah room.”
No! No! No! “H-Hold on, Gramps!” Gallus called out, making the elderly griffon stop and turn around. “I, uh, er… H-How has your day been?”
“Ah already told you; did you forget that quickly?”
How the peck did I already upset him!? “No! I just, er, wanted to know what you’ve been up to. C’mon, you must have done something cool today, right?” Gallus supposed, praying they could keep talking. “I-I’d like to hear about it!” Grover’s Treasure, that sounded pathetic…
Gruff’s frown deepened as he deadpanned, “Ain’t nothin’ to hear. Ah’ve just been tryin’ to clean, since ‘Miss Savior of Griffonstone’ won’t get off mah flank about it.”
“O-Oh. Well, good thing I’m here to help,” he proclaimed confidently. “I remember how annoying Gilda can be when she wants something from you.”
“Mhmm. Broom’s in it’s usual spot, and Ah’ll be doin’ mah own thing. Holler if you get trapped inside the cabinet again,” he drawled, stunning Gallus long enough to escape into his bedroom.
He had to bring up the cabinet incident, didn’t he? Gallus groaned in frustration as he entered Gruff’s living room. He then looked at the fireplace mantle and felt his heart sink a little lower.
No pictures like Gilda had, huh? Just dust? Yeah, that’s Gruff for ya, he sighed, disappointed. Gallus then shook his head and berated, Stop it, Gallus! He doesn’t care about you, and he doesn’t owe you anything! So stop acting like he does… Just— Just do what you came here to do.
“Okay, okay,” he whined to himself. “Now, where was the broom again?”
Quite a few hours had passed, and in that time, Gallus had worked himself into exhaustion, cleaning every nook and cranny he could. Ultimately, it was with a proud smile and a satisfied groan that he collapsed onto the living room sofa.
“Oh yeah. I. Am. Good,” Gallus praised, basking in the fruits of his labor. “Maybe I should reconsider the cleaning crew option when I get home?”
“You missed a spot.”
“AGH!” he screamed, leaping from the sofa in a burst of feathers.
Grandpa Gruff heaved over in a series of wicked cackles.
“Not funny, Gramps!” Gallus bemoaned as he tried to regain control of his breathing.
“Ha-hahah-ha! Whoo-whee! Says you!”
Gallus just pouted.
“Hee-hee-heheheh! Ehhh, too good…”
“Yeah, yeah. And just what have you been up to while I’ve been cleaning?”
“Wrappin’ presents.”
What the peck!? “Seriously?”
“Ha! No, Ah was takin’ a nap.”
Oh. “You, uh, enjoy your nap?”
“Not with all your clamorin’ around, Ah didn’t,” Gruff groused, frowning.
Gallus hung his head and muttered, “S-Sorry. I’ll try to be quieter next time…”
Why are you apologizing for doing a good job? a part of him wondered. Gallus instinctively ignored that thought and asked, “What was that about me missing a spot, Gramps?”
Gruff just pointed upward.
Aw peck. Gallus didn’t even need to look to angrily realize, “I forgot the rafters.”
“You always do.”
“Dang it! Sorry, Gramps, I’ll get right on that.”
“Eh, don’t worry ‘bout it,” he said, waving his talon dismissively. “You’ve done enough.”
“Nonsense, Gramps! I hate leaving a job half-done, and this won’t even take long.”
“You’ve done enough, Gallus,” Gruff repeated more firmly.
“W-What? Are you sure?” Gallus asked, completely stunned.
“Ah’m sure. ‘Sides, if you clean any more of mah home, Gilda’ll know you did it and make me pay you,” he joked.
“You know I’d just give it back.”
“She wouldn’t let you give it back. Not with the holiday and all.”
“Eh, I could always pretend to take it then sneak it back to you later.”
“Gilda wised up to that trick a while back.”
“Mail?”
“Gabby.”
“Okay, but there is no way either of them know about our hollowed-out book, right?”
“Gavin found that two weeks ago.”
“Seriously!?”
“Mhmm.”
“Dang. Sorry.”
“Eh, well…” Gruff shrugged. “What’re you gonna do?”
“Give me a minute to think and I’ll tell ya,” Gallus replied, winking slyly.
“One minute, eh? M’kay! Sixty… Fifty-nine… Fifty-eight,” Gruff started counting, laughing dryly. “You better hurry and think, boy; Ah expect you to have a plan! Fifty-seven. Fifty-six.”
Grover’s Treasure, I missed talking to you! Gallus lamented, chuckling as he ruminated on the conundrum. “Okay, I think I’ve got it.”
“Wow, that was fast! What’ve you got for me, kiddo?”
“I could get a safety deposit box and mail you the key,” he proposed confidently. “Gabby wouldn’t know to hold it back from you, and she couldn’t use it if she did. How’s that sound?”
“Hmm. It’s a nice plan, Ah suppose,” Gruff complimented. “But like peck am Ah leavin’ mah home to hunt down some dumb box in ponyland.”
Not even Bits can get you to leave Griffonstone now!? Struggling to keep his expression neutral, Gallus protested, “The banks aren’t that bad down there.”
“Sure, they’re not…” Gruff looked like he wanted say more, but he ultimately chose not to. Instead, he looked around and admitted, “Aside from them rafters, it looks good, Gallus. … Thanks.”
“I-It really was no problem, Gramps,” Gallus assured, barely not jumping for joy. “I’m just glad you’re happy with, uh, with my work.” Cleaning crew is definitely back on the list!
“Well, you know how Ah like it which Ah can’t say for everygriff. Glad to see your soiree in ponyland hasn’t made you forget the basics,” he added, grinning slightly. “You did good, kid.”
Sheer, unadulterated pride radiated from Gallus in that moment.
“So,” Gruff continued, raising an eyebrow. “About that bank comment…? How would you know they aren’t as bad down there in ponyland as they are here?”
“Oh. Uh…” Didn’t expect this to be brought up, but here we go. “Lately, I’ve been considering what career I want after I graduate,” he clarified hesitantly. “Bank manager was one of the options.”
“Pssh! ‘Bank manager’? You? Yeah, right!”
Annnd there it is. “W-What? You don’t think I could do it?”
“It certainly wouldn’t be a good use of your time.”
That didn’t answer my question. “Well? It was— It was just something I was considering,” he said, rubbing his shoulder self-consciously. And apparently something I’m not cut out to be either…
“Hope your ‘consideration’ wasn’t serious,” Gruff said bluntly, not noticing Gallus flinch. “That said? What other things you considerin’ for yourself?”
H-He’s interested in my…? Gallus thought, feeling his heart flutter joyously. Thank you, Grover! “A lot actually. Weather manager, Wonderbolt, lawyer; Royal Guard…? Pretty much everything but a politician,” he ended, chortling.
“Wonderbolt, huh? Whelp, you may as well give that one up too since you’ve got these,” he advised, waving his talons.
“B-B-But,” Gallus stammered, horrified. “Professor Dash said they’d accept me! That— That the Wonderbolts wouldn’t really care so long as I could fly well. Which I do.”
“And that candy-maned tomboy ain’t the leader of them fliers, now is she?”
“…No,” Gallus conceded quietly. But— But that wouldn’t matter! It’s knowledge and skill that get somecreature a profession, not appearance. And certainly not species, he chose not to argue.
“Exactly. One thing Ah know ‘bout this world is that things don’t come easy unless you know the right griffon, and they owe you a favor,” Gruff stated with absolute certainty.
“I-I, uh…” Say it. You know you have to. “I guess you’re right,” he forced himself to say despite knowing otherwise. There. I said what he wanted me to say. I didn’t have to, but I did.
“Ah’m always right whenever it comes to stuff like this,” he claimed, giving Gallus a small pat on the shoulder. “Just tryin’ to spare you the disappointment.”
Don’t say it, Gallus. You should be happy Gruff’s even talking to you. Don’t say it. Don’t! Say it! “By discouraging me instead?” Gallus countered, shrugging away from Gruff’s talon.
“Ain’t discouragin’ if it’s the truth,” he argued, making a show of slowly putting his talon back down. “What? You didn’t really wanna be a Wonderbolt, did you?”
Not anymore I don’t. “Nah, not really.”
“Oh. Ohhh! Heh-heh, you wanted it for the paycheck, didn’t you?”
Now, Gallus? You know you have to agree this time.
“No, actually…”
What are you doing!? If you tell him he’s wrong about something, he’s gonna shut you out!
“No?” Gruff seemed genuinely shocked by that and asked, “Then why were you considerin’ it?”
Say it was for the pride of Griffonstone or something stupid like that! Just don’t actually say—
“It was because of Silverstream,” Gallus elaborated calmly. “She was thinking about joining them too, so I thought it’d be nice if we joined together.”
Gruff narrowed his eyes, murmuring, “It was ‘cause of that girlfriend of yours, huh?”
Well, at least he remembered who Silver was, Gallus noticed, not feeling reassured at all. “Technically, it was for both of us. I thought the Wonderbolts would be a cool job, and since she was thinking about signing up herself?” That only seemed to make Guff angrier, so he added, “I-I mean, even if it didn’t pan out, I could at least learn more about something she’s passionate about.”
“Why do you care so much about what she’s passionate about?”
Utterly dumbfounded by that question, Gallus could only mutter, “I’m sorry, what?”
Gruff groaned at having to repeat himself and loudly inquired, “Why do you care so much for your newfound fling’s interests?”
Newfound fling!? “Gramps, Silverstream is not some ‘fling’! She’s my girlfriend.”
“Uh-huh. For now,” he stated so casually that Gallus blinked in shock. “So tell me, why do you think it’s even remotely a good idea to hedge your future on this random girl you suddenly have the hots for?”
Don’t get angry, Gallus. You know you shouldn’t get angry; you can’t get angry.
Peck that! Every feeling I have is equally important, Gallus remembered determinedly. And right now, I feel the need to defend Silverstream!
“Gramps, Silver is my girlfriend! I do not just ‘suddenly have the hots for her’; I love her!” he declared. “W-What am I supposed to do? Just not care about what she likes?”
“Don’t put words in mah beak,” Gruff chided indignantly. “Ah didn’t say that. Ah asked why you were thinkin’ about gettin’ a job you don’t like just ‘cause of her?”
“I was interested in the Wonderbolts at one point. I’m not anymore, but still,” Gallus clarified. “Besides! If we both joined, we could spend more time together. What’s wrong with that?”
“Nothin’ at first. But when you break up, what then? You’ll be trapped in a job you joined just for her, and you won’t even be together anymore,” Gruff warned grimly.
“‘Break up’? You think Silver and I will break up!?” What the peck!? Just… What the peck!?
“Well, Ah certainly don’t think you’ll stay together,” he grumbled nonchalantly.
Gallus scowled, saying, “See, that’s where you’re wrong, Gramps. We’re not gonna break up. Not now, not ever.”
“Uh-huh.”
“I mean it, Gramps!”
“Oh, come off it,” Gruff scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief. “You’re not even old enough to drink, and yet you’re considerin’ this girl might be your wife one day?”
“…Yeah.”
Gruff blinked hard.
“Yeah, Gramps, I have thought about that. A-About spending a future with her… I owe her that,” Gallus said simply. “I’m not gonna— I’m not gonna pretend that I don’t love her o-or that I don’t want to still be with her ten…? Twenty…? Eighty years from now!”
Gruff massaged his aching head, exclaiming, “Well, that’s a bold claim to make.”
Gallus snorted and agreed, “Yeah, I know. But what can I say? She’s the most wonderful creature I know,” he ended, smiling serenely. Maybe now he’ll give her a chance?
“I can’t— You seriously— Gallus, how long have you even known this girl for?”
“Since my first day of school.”
“Oh, so two years!” Gruff laughed, torn between irritation and amusement. “You think you want a future life with a girl you’ve know for two years.”
“Two-and-a-half!” Guess not!
“So what? Not like you even know what love is!”
Was that a dig about my…!? “Something tells me I know more about it than you do,” Gallus mumbled, thinking back to the three thousand letters he had stuffed away back home.
“What was that!?”
Gallus winced and reflexively lied, “Th-That maybe you’re right.” No! He is not right! “But I don’t need to know what love is to know I love her!”
“You mean you think you love her!”
“No, I know I love her!” You are not taking that away from me, Gruff!
“And what makes you think that? W-What even made you get up with her in the first place?”
So this is what it takes for you to ask me that, huh?
Reel it in, Gallus! he commanded himself. You’re going to lose him if you keep arguing with—
Don’t care! He finally asked, so I’m gonna answer. I don’t need to say anything other than the truth. “Friends and Family Day,” he practically growled.
“Friends and— Wait? That stupid holiday Twilight Sparkle made up?” Gruff asked, legitimately confused. “What the peck does that have to do with you suddenly havin’ a girlfriend?”
“It’s, uh… That’s a funny story,” Gallus chuckled darkly. “You see, um? She was there. … You. Weren’t,” he snarled, feeling a twisted sense of satisfaction when he noticed Gruff swallow nervously.
“S-So?”
Gallus nearly fainted; whether in sheer rage or overwhelming sorrow, he wasn’t certain.
“So…! She was there for me,” Gallus said, measuring his tone carefully. “How many times did I ask you to be there that day? Because I never had to ask her once.”
“Grover’s Treasure!” Gruff swore, face-clawing. “That’s what this is about!?”
“You weren’t there, Gruff,” Gallus continued. “You weren’t there for Friends and Family Day, you weren’t there for my play; you weren’t there for the Science Fair…”
“Yeah, and? What’s that got to do with why you ‘love’ Silverstream?”
You… You can’t even… You really don’t care, do you!?
“I’ll tell you what! Do you have any idea how much I wanted you to be there!?”
“A lot?” he guessed bluntly.
“More than you evidently think,” Gallus rebuked, furious. “You know? I may not want to be an actor or a scientist, but I loved our play, and I loved helping Ocellus for the Fair! But, you? No. You couldn’t even be bothered to write me back even though I practically begged you to be there for both!”
You’re doing it again, Gallus! Gruff isn’t Sandbar or Yona; he’s not gonna just sit there and let you ramble at him like an idiot!
Well, I don’t care! I don’t need to earn his love, and I’m sick of acting like I do!
“Get over it,” Gruff ordered, sneering angrily. “Ah don’t see you bein’ mad at Gilda and Gabby for not showin’ up either!”
“Don’t drag them into this! I didn’t ask them to be there; I asked you.”
“And what? Am Ah supposed to just uproot mahself and venture down somewhere Ah’m not welcome just to sit there and smile while you get some dumb, worthless medal?”
“Ocellus and I worked our flanks off to get that medal! And I’m proud of it!”
“Congratulations! Ah don’t care,” Gruff said, grimacing spitefully. “Ah’m curious why you care though. So Ah didn’t show up to some stupid events you were part of? Why’s that such a problem?”
“Because I wanted you to be there!” Gallus roared. And it is okay that I feel that way! “I-I sent you dozens of letters, and I know you got them… But you never showed up!”
“Why did Ah have to?” he asked icily.
“Why couldn’t you? I asked you to—”
“Well, Ah didn’t wanna be there!” Gruff interrupted, wheezing after the outburst.
Do not hide away your heart, Gallus.
“Is— Is that because you don’t care about me?” Gallus finally had the courage to ask.
“…Contrary to what that no-name showpony obviously put in your head,” he began tentatively. “You don’t! Need me! To tell you! That Ah’m proud of you!”
“Why?”
Gruff stepped back, completely unprepared for that response. A minute later, he deliberately looked away from Gallus and falteringly asked, “I-Is that why— Why you care about her so much?”
“What?” Gallus asked, leaving faint gouges in the floor beneath his talons.
“Silverstream. This why you think you love her?” he inquired, still refusing to look at Gallus. “‘Cause she’s ‘proud of you’? That it?”
He’s baiting you, Gallus.
“I don’t think she’s proud of me. I know she is!”
“So it is why you think you love her!”
You’re falling for the bait; get out of there!
“I do love her!”
“No, you think you do,” Gruff refuted, finally leveling a baleful glare at him. “But you don’t. You just like that she’s proud of you because—of course!—you still can’t be proud of yourself!” he snarled, panting heavily afterward.
…
…
…
Get out.
Gallus calmly wiped the tears from his eyes, whimpering, “You know what, Mr. Gruff? You’re right… It is hard to be proud of myself sometimes.”
Gruff squinted, perplexed.
Get out!
“But, uh, it’s a lot easier to do that nowadays,” Gallus stated, sniffling. “So, yes, Mr. Gruff. I, um… I can be proud of myself.”
GET! OUT!
Gallus took a deep breath and confessed, “I just wish you were proud of me too.” He then swiftly turned away, racing toward the door.
“Gallus, where are you— Gallus! Hold on, don’t go anywhere!” Gruff called out, unsure whether to follow or not. “Ah said don’t go anywhere!”
Don’t listen to him; just get out! Gallus told himself, barely resisting the urge to do otherwise.
“Gallus, stop! Just wait a minute, Ah can— Your coat— Gallus!? Gallus!”
Ignoring the continued calls from the griffon behind him, Gallus threw open the doors, and with one last sob, he spread his wings and darted into the white-out.
***
An uncomfortable silence permeated the otherwise cozy living room of Gilda’s house, broken only by the muffled steps of the griffoness in question’s angered pacing.
Gabby lifted her gaze from the floor and opened her beak to say something. Unfortunately, she simply hung her head once again, leaving the silence undisturbed.
Gallus, meanwhile, leaned against the back of the couch, hugging the blanket draped around him and staring at the crackling fireplace through tired, puffy eyes.
Eventually, a door clicked shut from down the hall, and they all turned to see Greta emerge from around the corner. “Okay. I finally got Gavin into bed, so let’s try not to wake him up? Please?” she requested softly.
“Don’t worry, Greta, I’ll keep my voice down,” Gilda assured. She then rounded on Gallus and quietly demanded, “Now, Gallus? Tell me what the peck happened again.”
“We’ve been over this, girls,” he said, not bothering to meet Gilda’s fierce gaze.
“Yeah, you got into a fight, but I want to know why.”
“Gilda…”
“Gabby, don’t.” With her cowed, Gilda asked far more gently, “Gallus, seriously… Talk to us.”
“We— We just got into a fight over Silverstream. I-I-It all happened s-so fast, and…” Gallus held his face in his talons and shakily sighed. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.”
“…You don’t have to do anything,” she promised in a grave tone. Gilda then marched toward the door and slipped on her coat and scarf, proclaiming, “I’ve got this.”
“Gilda, stop,” Greta said, following after her. “Don’t do what I think you’re going to do.”
“No worries, Greta,” Gilda said, smiling sweetly. “The old geezer and I are just going to have a little chat; that’s all. Promise.”
A part of Gallus urged him to defend Gruff, but it died out before he could even open his beak.
“You and I both know you’re not going to just ‘chat.’”
“Well, what do you want me to do, Greta!?” After sparing Gallus a glance, Gilda whispered, “I let Gruff get away with not visiting the kid, but this? He went too far this time.”
“Firstly, that’s not your fault. Secondly, I agree with you. And thirdly, what I want you to do is kick the windbag down the mountain,” Greta growled lividly.
Gilda grinned.
“Stop smiling! You know you can’t do that.”
“Aw, but I want to!”
“And you’re just gonna have to settle for giving him a black eye,” she argued, much to Gilda’s disappointment. “You’re lucky I’m even letting you leave this house with that blizzard still going on.”
“Should probably throw Gruff into the blizzard…”
“Do I need to come with you to make sure you don’t do that?”
“…Nah, it’ll be fine. ‘Sides, I know not to leave any marks,” she bragged, slipping out into the snowstorm before Greta could respond.
“Grover’s Treasure, we are so dysfunctional,” she groaned, turning to the other two griffons in the room and noting they both looked positively miserable.
Greta then met Gabby’s gaze and gave her a subtle nod, receiving one in return. “Okay. I’m gonna go put some tea on and start supper. Let me know if you two need anything, okay?”
“We will,” Gabby promised quietly. Once Greta had disappeared into the kitchen, she lunged toward Gallus and trapped him in a warm hug that he was quick to reciprocate.
“I’m so sorry, Gallus,” she whimpered, feeling her shoulder dampen from his tears. “I-I-I didn’t think he would— I thought he loved— I d-didn’t—”
“Gabby, just shut up,” he sighed neutrally. “Look, I’m not in the best mood to comfort you right now, so… Just— Just don’t blame yourself, okay?” Gallus pleaded. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“I just never thought th-that he’d do something like this! I thought— Ughhh, I’m so stupid,” Gabby whined, leaning back and face-clawing. “I should have known this would—”
Gallus placed his talon over her beak and interjected, “Gabby? Please… This isn’t your fault, a-and I don’t care how many times you tell yourself it is. It! Isn’t! It’s… It’s his, okay?” he weakly stated. “H-He’s the one who sent me away. He’s the one who can’t accept that I have a girlfriend I love. He’s the one who— Who doesn’t care about me. Who never will…”
Gabby wiped her eyes and protested, “Don’t say that! Gruff’s a jerk, but I’m certain he cares about you. Wh-Why else would he always ask for so many letters and updates?”
“I don’t know!” Gallus snapped. “And right now, I don’t care. I’m tired of caring, and Gruff sure doesn’t! I can’t deny it anymore… I won’t deny it anymore,” he declared, sniffling. “It’s not worth it.”
“I-I just wanted you to see Griffonstone again,” she muttered dejectedly. “To— To see it really was better. I didn’t mean for you t-to get hurt all over again.”
“Well, for what it’s worth?” he laughed, slumping back into the sofa. “I did see Griffonstone, and it definitely is better. That’s another thing I won’t deny.”
“I’m glad for that at least…”
“You should be glad. You, Gilda, and everygriff else have done so much,” Gallus praised, smiling softly. “I wish I could have grown up in this Griffonstone.”
“Heh-heh. Thanks, Gallus. I’m happy we’re saving our home.”
“Me too,” he said, glancing at Gigi’s picture. “Even if it isn’t my home.”
“It… It could be?” Gabby suggested, her tone wistful.
“No,” he immediately refused. “Griffonstone is not my home, Gabby. It never was, nor will it ever be,” Gallus asserted before she could protest. “There’s nothing for me here. … You know, aside from the obvious,” he added, gesturing to both her and the hallway leading to Gavin’s room.
Although clearly disappointed, Gabby thankfully didn’t press further. Instead, she asked, “Do you think it could have been? I-If everything had gone well?”
“…No.”
“Heh. I don’t know why I wasn’t expecting that answer.”
“Because you’re optimistic?” he guessed, earning a faint giggle. “I don’t know how you do it, but nothing ever truly gets you down, does it?”
“Well, I am a Crusader!” she boasted. “And it feels good to help everycreature. Even if we sometimes fail,” she ended morosely.
“You didn’t fail, Gabby.”
“Still feels like I did…” Gabby then took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “But like you said, I won’t let that get me down. After all, we still have the rest of the Blue Moon Festival to celebrate!”
“Yeah, you do. But as for me? I’m going home.”
“‘Going home’!? Wait! Y-You mean…? Oh. Ohhh.”
Gallus bit down to keep himself from reflexively apologizing.
“When, uh, when do you want to leave?” she inquired timidly.
“Well, I missed the Monday train, so, um? When’s the next train out?”
“It would have been tomorrow, but the blizzard delayed it,” she explained. “Now it’s not scheduled to arrive until the day after.”
“Surprising. The conductor said the train made trips to the Crystal Empire all the time.”
“Yeah, well? We all expected the blizzard to be bad, but…” She glanced at the ice-encrusted window and finished, “We didn’t think it would be this bad.”
“Fair enough, I guess.”
“Makes me really glad we warned everycreature to stay inside ahead of time,” Gabby said, turning back to him. “I wouldn’t want to be caught in that.”
“None of us would,” Greta commented as she exited the kitchen. She then took the last spot on the couch and passed them their drinks. “Get stuck in that, and it won’t be hypothermia you suffer from.”
Neither Gallus, nor Gabby wanted to acknowledge that particularly gruesome notion, so they simply leaned back and sipped at their tea. “Mmm! Thanks, Greta,” Gallus said, feeling slightly better.
“You’re welcome. … So? You’re leaving, huh?” she asked tentatively.
Gallus nodded. “Yeah. I-I can’t stay here, Greta; I need to go home. I’m really sorry, but—”
“Save it, Gallus. You don’t need to apologize to me or anygriff else. Least of all, him.”
“…Thanks.”
“No problem. But you are going to have to stay here a little longer though,” Greta pointed out calmly. “Like Gabby told you, the trains are delayed.”
“Yeah, I know. Don’t— Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. I can wait a few days…”
“Good. Because if you thought we would ever let you hike your way back through that snowstorm, you’re pecking crazy,” she tittered amiably.
“C’mon, Greta! Gallus wasn’t thinking of doing that,” Gabby laughed. “Right, Gallus?”
“…”
“Riiight, Gallus?”
Before he could reply, the front door slammed opened, allowing a wave of cold, snow, and wind to penetrate the abode. Once she finally forced the door shut, Gilda slumped against it, panting as she fearfully shrieked, “We’ve got a problem!”
“Gilda!?” Greta began, rushing over and helping Gilda stand. “What happened?”
“I’ll tell you what happened! That pecking sleazebag vamoosed before I could get him!”
“W-W-Wh— W-What?” Gallus stammered, feeling sick.
“Gilda, pl-please tell me you don’t mean what I think you mean,” Gabby begged.
Gilda merely shook her head and reaffirmed, “He’s gone. Guys? Gruff’s gone!”
***
“No way,” Smolder groaned as she poured her bowl of fudge into the Silver’s tray. “You cannot let him take you bowling for your second date.”
“Why not? I like bowling,” Silverstream said, sliding the brownie mix into the oven. “Plus, according to that schedule of his, it’s only the first thing he planned to do.”
“Yeah, but bowling, Silver? Bowling?”
“Ugh, you sound like Scoop,” she jovially grumbled. “Bowling can be romantic too.”
“So can candlelit dinners in some fancy restaurant.”
“Or afternoons spent at the aquarium?”
“Or a ride on a Ferris Wheel.”
“Or an evening spent browsing an art gallery.”
“Or a night spent curled up on the couch, watching Sci-Fi movies.”
Both girls sighed contently.
“So? Ferris Wheels, huh?”
“Nuh-uh! You explain your dating preferences first,” Smolder ordered, leaning against the counter. “Then maybe I’ll explain mine. Maybe.”
“What can I say? Bowling is fun,” Silverstream stated, sitting down after having washed her talons. And at this point I’m just happy we’re finally doing something! she opted not to say.
“Hey, I’m not denying it’s fun,” Smolder protested. “But as a date activity? Hard pass! … Especially if you’re competing against Thunderlane; that dude wins every time.”
“True. He and his brother are on a whole different level,” she agreed, silently cursing out Rumble. “Your turn. Since when were you into candlelit dinners and fancy restaurants?”
“Eh. It’s a good way of knowing if the guy’s really interested,” she explained, shrugging casually. “He wouldn’t spend all those Bits on the meal, otherwise.”
“Oof. Now you really sound like Scoop. But honestly? I enjoy a formal dinner every now and then, but all the time? Nah, love isn’t something you can buy with restaurants, roses, and candles.” Even if Gallus is planning that too.
“But it can be bought with aquarium tours, huh?” Smolder snickered.
“Hey! Do you have any idea how different our knowledge of the ocean is compared to Equestria’s?” she exclaimed excitedly. “The answer is very.”
“And let me guess: You love learning all about those differences?”
“Guilty as charged. But who wouldn’t love learning new and amazing things about the sea?”
“Somecreature with thalassophobia?”
Silver just frowned and dodged, “…So, about that Ferris Wheel comment?”
“What? It’s a glorified elevator where you can sneak in some private snuggles with your partner,” Smolder said unashamedly. “Sounds pretty nice to me.”
Silverstream gasped dramatically. “Smolder! You’re a snuggler!?”
Blushing vividly, she quickly demanded, “Don’t ever tell anycreature about this conversation!”
“Hee-hee-hee. Don’t worry, I won’t.”
“Good. … So, art gallery, huh?”
“Do I really need to explain that one?”
“No, that one makes sense.” Smolder then flicked her tail and tentatively asked, “You guys still banned from the one in Canterlot?”
“Yep,” she confirmed irritably. At least until I snap and call in a favor with Auntie Novo, that is.
“Sorry, Silver.”
“Don’t worry about it. There’s plenty of other galleries we could visit.”
“Like the one you guys are going to for the date?”
“Yep. And I’m so glad Gallus thought of Spearhead’s gallery! I haven’t been there in ages!” she squealed eagerly.
“Yeah, I bet you’ll have a lot of fun when you two go there,” Smolder said, smirking.
“Oh, believe me! We will.” Actually, that gives me an idea! Silver celebrated, perking up. “You know? You’d probably like it too if you gave one a visit.”
“‘One’ what? An art gallery? Sorry, but I’m not exactly the ‘artistic’ type.”
“Funny. There’s a sculpture down in the Tree of Harmony’s old cave that would beg to differ,” Silver cheerfully reminded her.
“H-How did you know about that!?” Smolder yelped, feeling a light blush rise to her cheeks.
“You weren’t the only one to leave a memorial down there, ya know,” Silver explained, winking. “You left a statue; I left a portrait.”
“Yeah, well? That was just a one-time-thing! It wasn’t even that good,” she mumbled self-consciously.
“Really? I thought it looked spectacular!”
“…Thanks,” Smolder said softly. “But I’m more of an astronomer than a sculptor anyway.”
“That why you love Sci-Fi movies so much?”
“Just what else am I supposed to watch? Romances are terrible, and I can’t stay awake through a documentary to save my soul.”
“Hey, I like both those things!” Silver whined.
“Wait, you like watching documentaries?”
“Yep.”
“Why?”
“Same reason why I’d love to visit the aquarium,” she elaborated, smiling gleefully. “There are a lot of wonderful things in our world, and I love learning about ’em.”
“But documentaries are so boring,” Smolder moaned. “Plus, the narrator usually sounds like a pompous windbag.”
“Okay, I’ll give you that one.”
“Yeah. At least with Sci-Fi, you get some really awesome concepts: Dual-ended laser swords, time traveling phone booths; dimension-hopping therapy trains…!” she listed off passionately.
“Ooh! That does sound cool!”
“You bet it does. You know?” Smolder continued slowly. “Maybe we should get together for movie nights more often? I’ve got tons of great shows that the rest of you would like.”
“I do wish we could do that more,” Silver agreed wistfully. “After all, I’m sure I can find some Romance movies you’d like.”
“Ha! Nice try, but Shimmy already gave me Cadence’s list.”
“But have you watched any of them?”
“Honestly? I’d rather watch them with everycreature,” she confessed, rubbing her shoulder timidly.
“Awww,” Silver squeed, fluttering her wings. “That settles it! We’re all going to get together for a movie night when everyone gets back!” she declared adamantly.
Smolder smiled happily. It didn’t last long, and she soon asked, “While we’re on the topic…? What kind of movies does Gallus like?”
Oh sea kelp… Silver let out a nervous groan, answering, “He, uh… Really likes war movies.”
Smolder gripped the counter a tad tighter as she neutrally muttered, “That’s…random.”
Steeling her courage, she continued, “You can blame Sandbar for that one; he’s the one who got him hooked on the genre.”
“Of course…”
“A-Although? Ocellus gave us a list of some good ones, and we’ve watched most of them together. And they were pretty fun, even if the subject matter isn’t exactly my cup of tea… Plus,” Silverstream continued warmly. “It’s not like he only likes those kinds of movies. Gallus loves documentaries too.”
“Heh, seriously?”
“You should have seen how excited he was when I found a collection of old archaeology videos. I swear, he reminds me of Ocellus so much sometimes,” Silver sighed dreamily.
“Mmm, no. No, he doesn’t,” Smolder argued, shaking her head.
“Huh?”
“Have you ever watched a documentary with Ocellus? It’s torture!” she warned, shuddering at the memory. “She’ll point out every single inaccuracy and then pause to go fact check.”
Silver recoiled. “Eugh. No wonder you don’t like documentaries.”
Smolder just shrugged. After a moment, she swallowed nervously and questioned, “Is, uh… Is his apparent love of war movies one of the reasons Gallus considered being a Guard?”
And there it is, Silver thought, feeling her smile droop. “Maybe. But I doubt it. He just really likes that kind of stuff.”
“…Is he still thinking about joining up?”
Don’t lie, Silver. “Yes,” she admitted, hiding her fearful grimace behind her mane. “He is.”
Smolder silently nodded.
“Are you okay, Smolder?”
She sniffled and answered, “Y-Yeah. I’m fine.”
No, you’re not. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah. I’m good, Silver. Promise.”
C’mon, Silver, think! she fretted. How can you get Smolder’s mind off of the Guard thing?
Be there for her, was the answer she immediately came to.
“Smolder?” Silverstream said softly. “I’m sorry Gallus is still considering joining the Guard. I know you don’t want him to join and get hurt, but…?”
“Don’t worry about that,” Smolder requested, giving Silver pause. “Look? You were right that day. Gallus can choose whatever career he wants, and if that happens to be the Guard…? W-Well, I won’t be happy about it, but it’s still his choice. Not mine,” she concluded, rubbing her neck shyly.
Silver reached out and took Smolder’s claws into hers, assuaging, “It’ll be okay, Smolder.”
“I-I know. I’m just… I’m just really, really scared,” Smolder confessed, thankfully not crushing Silver’s talon this time. She then snorted and mumbled, “But I can’t be paranoid all the time, right? Wouldn’t want my fear to overshadow my love, after all,” she ended, winking.
Silver blushed and looked away warily, thinking, This isn’t exactly a good time to apologize. She then blinked and remembered what Gallus had suggested she do. But I’m not exactly going to get any better opportunities to make amends, so…? Here we go.
“Heh-heh, yeah,” Silver laughed, meeting Smolder’s somber gaze with her own. “But, Smolder? There’s, um, something else I need to apologize for,” she stated, stifling her simmering fear.
“Huh? What are you talking about?”
“Our other fight,” Silver clarified nervously. “The one before the Science Fair…”
Smolder cringed and murmured, “Oh. Yeah, I got really carried away. I may have still been in full-panic mode, but that’s no excuse!” she rebuked herself, stunning Silverstream. “I’m sorry for jumping down your throat and acting so paranoid.”
“No, Smolder, I’m the one who should be apologizing to you!” Silver protested. “I saw you weren’t doing well—I even saw all the books! But I left you,” she acknowledged sadly. “I-I could have stayed and helped to make you feel better. B-But… I didn’t. I just abandoned you, and—”
“I chased you away!” Smolder interrupted. “You wanted to stay and make sure I was alright, but I…? Ughhh!” she groaned, hiding her face in shame.
“I didn’t have to listen; I could have stayed and helped you. I-I mean, I helped Gallus,” she pointed out, timidly tapping her talons together. “I should have tried to help you too.”
Smolder rubbed her eyes and replied, “Look, Silver, it’s all over. We’ve made mistakes, but it doesn’t matter anymore, okay? It’s no big deal. I forgive you. … That is, uh, if you’ll forgive me too?”
Silverstream immediately grabbed Smolder into a hug that she jubilantly returned. Once the hug was done, they both pulled apart, smiling serenely at each other.
“You never needed to ask,” Silver promised, wiping a tear away.
“And you never needed to apologize,” Smolder grumbled, giving her a friendly shove.
“Hee-hee-hee.”
…
…
…
“I think Starlight’s plan worked,” Smolder whispered conspiratorially.
“Maybe just a little,” Silver agreed, chuckling. “To be honest? I’ve been wanting to apologize to you for a while now, but…”
“Don’t worry about it,” she said reassuringly. “Let’s both just try to move on, alright?”
“That sounds nice.”
“It does.” Smolder soon dropped her gaze, asking one final time, “Do you think he’s still doing alright?”
“…Yeah. Yeah, I think so,” Silverstream affirmed optimistically. “We’d have heard something back by now if he weren’t.”
“No news isn’t exactly good news, you know.”
“I didn’t say it was. But it’s okay, Smolder,” she cheered, wrapping a wing around the dragon. “I’m sure Gallus is having a great time over there in Griffonstone.”
Smolder hugged her back, agreeing, “Yeah. I bet he is.”
***
Could this day getting any pecking worse!? Gallus moaned to himself as he shrieked, “I’m coming with you!”
“No, you’re not,” Gilda refuted sternly while the others donned their coats.
“Gilda, Gruff is out there in the middle of a pecking blizzard—”
“Let me guess: Because of you?” When Gallus remained silent, she put a talon on his shoulder and consoled, “Kid? This isn’t your fault, nor is it your responsibility.”
“No! I-I need to come with you! I can help!”
“Gallus, you are in no mood to hunt down a crazy, old griffon through a snowstorm!”
“Plus, one of us needs to stay here with Gavin,” Greta pointed out as she equipped her bags.
“That too,” Gilda concurred. “Gallus, look, we’ll find Gruff and drag his scrawny flank back here, okay? I promise. But you are not going out there, and that’s final!”
Gallus gave Gabby one last desperate stare, but she determinedly refused to meet his eye. “It’s— It’s okay, Gallus. You, uh, you just stay here where it’s safe. Okay?” she pleaded weakly.
“…Fine,” he forced himself to say.
“Good,” Gilda said curtly. “Are you two ready?”
“I’m good to go,” Gabby answered warily.
“And I got the med kit,” Greta confirmed. “Let’s hope we won’t need it.”
“Good. Now, let’s hurry and find the idiot before the storm gets even worse!” Gilda turned back to Gallus and quietly assured, “We’ll find him, Gallus. … Alright, let’s go,” she beckoned, opening the door to reveal a dark, foggy landscape, completely buried in snow and ice. Gilda then departed into the abyss, bearing herself against the barrage as Greta and Gabby followed suite.
Gallus slammed the door behind them, watching them swiftly disappear through the window. He then sat back on the couch and allowed the sudden silence of the home to crash down upon him.
…
…
…
Gallus grabbed the nearest pillow and screamed into it as loudly as he could.
Why, why, why!? Gruff, what the peck!? Just! What! The! Peck! Gallus lividly pondered as he pulled the pillow away from his face. Oh Grover’s Treasure, what have I done!?
Nothing.
He put his talon to his chest as he breathed in and pushed it away as he breathed out. Gilda was right. Gilda was right! This isn’t my fault, and I know it, Gallus told himself, managing to find some small comfort in that fact. I don’t feel guilty for being mad at Gruff. I don’t feel guilty for wanting to leave Griffonstone. And I definitely don’t feel guilty for defending Silverstream.
But why did he try chasing after me in the middle of a blizzard? Gallus asked, shrieking into the pillow again. What the peck was he thinking!? Why did he think it was worth risking his life to—
A creak suddenly echoed throughout the empty house.
Aw peck. “Okay, Gavin,” he began, keeping his tone neutral. “Come on out.”
All was quiet for a moment, but Gavin soon stepped out from around the corner, frowning coldly.
“Hey, bud,” Gallus greeted, maintaining a happy smile for Gavin’s sake. “How’re ya doing?”
Gavin shuffled awkwardly, mumbling, “I’m fine.”
No, you aren’t. “That’s good… But why aren’t you asleep?” he inquired, patting the sofa invitingly.
“I never went to sleep,” he revealed bluntly as he took the offered seat.
Yep, I probably should have expected that. “Weren’t tired, huh?”
“No. … Is Mr. Gruff really out in the storm?” Gavin asked, gripping the couch cushion tightly.
Gallus clicked his beak and warily confirmed, “Yes.”
“Is— Is he going to be okay?”
“Yeah. Yeah, Gruff’ll be fine.” He has to be! He… He just has to be, Gallus silently prayed. “The others are looking for him now, and you know Gilda. It doesn’t matter how well he hides, if Gilda wants to yell at him, she’ll find him,” he joked.
Gavin didn’t even smile. “You and Mr. Gruff got in a fight.”
That wasn’t a question, he recognized, wincing in preparation for the conversation that was likely to follow. “W-We did.”
“And you want t-to go back to Ponyville because of it?” Gavin asked, keeping his gaze fixed on the fireplace. “Because of one dumb fight?”
“It wasn’t exactly ‘dumb,’ kiddo,” Gallus acknowledged, still determining his own current feelings. “Gruff kinda—” Put me down for considering certain career choices then suggested I’d break up with my girlfriend. “—said a lot of things that—” Were horrible. “—weren’t nice.”
Gavin sneered and argued, “Y-Yeah, well? Mr. Gruff says a lot of mean things. And nogriff else ever tries to leave Griffonstone because of it.”
“That doesn’t make it right.”
“No!” he shouted. “No, you promised! You promised you’d stay for the holidays! Th-That we’d have fun together. That— That I could sp-spend time with you.”
Gallus flinched, conceding, “Yes, I did promise. But, Gavin—”
“I-It’s not fair,” he interrupted, sniffling. “Why do you have to go? Why can’t you stay here like you promised you would? It’s just not fair!”
“…You’re right, Gavin,” Gallus said, giving the fledgling pause. “It’s not fair. To you, or me, or the other girls, or… I really tried to stay here, Gav; I really did. But I can’t,” he ended.
“Because of Mr. Gruff?”
“He’s, uh… He’s certainly part of the problem, yeah.” Peck! It’s hard to to say that aloud! But if I can’t deny it to myself, I won’t deny it to Gavin, he resolved, gulping.
“W-W-Well? Why did he have to make you break your promise? Wh-Why did he have to send you away in the first place?” Gavin whined, hugging himself. “Y-You were happy here.”
Gallus held his breath for a second before stating, “No, I wasn’t.”
“What?” he gasped, finally turning back to Gallus. “Yes, you were!”
“No, Gavin… I hated this place,” he admitted. “Always did.”
“B-But you were always so cool, a-and smart, and nice,” he reminisced, unable to believe it. “E-Everygriff I knew thought you were awesome. And then— And then when you came back, y-you got evergriff to help the ponies! You were happy then!”
Gallus wrung his claws together and slumped against the couch, staring at the ceiling. “No, I wasn’t. I wasn’t happy for a long time, Gav…”
Unsure of what to think or do, Gavin fidgeted, saying, “I-I don’t understand?”
Gallus inhaled sharply, groaning, Oh Grover’s Treasure, how the peck do I explain this to a fledgling? “Gavin? I’m a mess,” he confessed shakily. “I’m— I’m sad, a-and scared, and lonely… And I may be better now, but I sure as peck was not okay when I lived here.”
“But you always seemed so happy?” he recounted. “You were the coolest griffon in town!”
“Ha! Thanks for the compliment, kiddo,” Gallus said, giving the fledgling a small smile. “But I wasn’t happy. I wanted to be! I wanted to be cool and brave! N-Not sad, or— Or guilty. So…I hid it.”
“You hid it?” Gavin echoed, staring at his own talons.
“Yeah. I pretended like I was okay even though I wasn’t,” he explained grimly. “The worst part is that I acted like I was happy for so long I…? I started believing it. But the truth is I was never okay. Not for a long time,” Gallus ended, flicking his tail anxiously.
“B-B-But why weren’t you okay? What— What was wrong? Why were you lonely?” he asked rapidly.
“Gavin, you know my parents abandoned me, right?”
He nodded meekly.
“Well, I didn’t know why, so I started blaming myself. I-I mean, there wasn’t any other reason for why they left, so I must have been the problem, right?” He scoffed. “At least, that’s what I believed. And that spiraled out of control and into a whole host of other problems. Including Gruff…”
“Of course,” Gallus continued, scowling at the fireplace. “That wasn’t okay. At! All! And I’ve been working to overcome my problems. T-To be happy and normal again. And I am! I am a far-cry better now!” he rejoiced, sniffling. “But… It’s still really hard sometimes, Gavin.”
Gavin’s eyes were watery, but he stubbornly refused to let the tears out as he asked, “Is that why Ponyville is your home and not Griffonstone? B-Because you’re happier there?”
Smart kid. “Yes. I may not always be okay, but I have my friends. And they help me so much!” Gallus wiped his eyes dry, adding, “I know I promised I’d stay, but I can’t. I-I need to go back home.”
“…It’s not fair.”
“I know it isn’t. And I’m so, so sorry, Gavin,” he said, draping a wing across his back.
Gavin fell silent for a minute until he suddenly asked, “So, wait…? It’s not okay to blame yourself?”
Gallus was completely blindsided by the question, so he merely mumbled, “What?”
“You said you blamed yourself, a-and that it wasn’t okay. Does— Does that mean…” he trailed off, twiddling his talons nervously.“
Gavin?” Gallus began, horrified. “Do you blame yourself for your parents being gone?”
Although clearly uncomfortable with answering, he still confirmed, “S-Sometimes…”
Gallus immediately swept Gavin into his embrace, proclaiming, “Gavin, it is not your fault!”
“B-But—”
“Gavin, you are not the reason why they’re gone! Do not blame yourself; that’s not okay!”
“But I—” Gavin stopped mid-sentence upon looking back at Gallus. “Gallus? Are you crying?”
“Yeah,” he admitted unabashedly. “Yeah, I am. I just found out you’re blaming yourself for something that’s not your fault! A-And I’m sad about that! I don’t want you to blame yourself, Gavin!”
“So, it’s not okay to blame myself…? But it is okay to cry?” Gavin asked, confused.
Gallus hesitated out of pure shock, but once he recollected himself he calmly clarified, “Gavin, you can cry as much as you want. I-It’s okay if you feel sad. Or lonely, o-or even afraid.”
“It— It is? B-But I thought…? ‘Cause Gilda… A-And you said you didn’t want to be sad!”
“That’s because I don’t like being sad, but that doesn’t mean it’s wrong to feel sad!”
Blinking thoughtfully, Gavin swallowed and asked, “It… It really is okay to be sad?”
“Gavin, if you want to be sad, then you can be sad,” Gallus assured. Who the peck told him otherwise!? “That’s nothing to be ashamed of. E-Everycreature is sad sometimes, and that’s okay. Being sad is just another feeling, and all your feelings are important. No matter what anygriff says.”
Gavin still looked beyond confused, but slowly, his façade cracked, and he threw his talons around Gallus, burying his face into his chest and sobbing. “G-Gallus, pl-please don’t go!”
Gallus instantly hugged him back, soothing, “It’s okay, Gavin… Just— Just let it all out.”
“I don’t want you to go!” he screamed, slightly muffled. “I don’t want to be left alone again!”
“I know… I-I’m sorry, Gavin,” he apologized quietly.
Gavin said nothing further; instead, he simply continued crying.
“It’ll be okay, Gavin,” Gallus promised. “It’ll all be okay…”
A quarter of an hour had passed, and while the blizzard outside showed no signs of ending, Gavin’s sobs eventually did. And after one last sniffle, he pulled away from Gallus, rubbing his eyes.
“…Are you okay, Gavin?” Gallus asked softly, keeping a wing held around him.
“No. I-I don’t want you to go,” Gavin repeated, shuddering. “I want to finish e-exploring with you. Like you promised we would.”
“I’m sorry, Gavin,” he sighed, rubbing Gavin’s back consolingly. “I know it’s not fair, but—”
“No, it’s not fair!” Gavin then winced and acknowledged wearily, “But? You’re— You’re not happy here. S-So it wouldn’t be fair either if you stayed even though you don’t want to… Would it?”
“Gavin, it’s okay that you want me to stay; that’s not a bad thing,” Gallus assured soothingly. “I may have to go home, but it’s not wrong to want me to stay and hang out with you, ya know. That’s actually really sweet,” he said, winking.
Gavin grinned weakly, but it rapidly crumbled away as he revealed, “Gilda, Greta, and Gabby told me not to talk to you about this.”
“About staying here in Griffonstone?”
“Y-Yeah… It’s why they were so mad at dinner the other day.”
“I kinda figured that.” I still don’t know whether to be grateful they didn’t want Gavin upsetting me, or mad they put that kind of pressure on him. “But like I said then, I don’t mind if you want to talk me, Gavin. I like talking to you.”
“I like talking to you too,” Gavin sniffled. “I really wish you could stay…”
“Hey,” Gallus said gently. “It’s okay, Gavin. I’m not leaving forever, you know.”
“Wait! You’re not!?” he asked, gaping in shock.
“Of course not! This may not be my home, but it is yours. And you and the girls are my friends too, so why wouldn’t I come and visit occasionally?”
“D-Do you promise?”
“Yes. I promise, Gav.”
“…Are you’re going to keep it this time?”
Ouch. “I’ll…try.” Gallus then grinned and playfully poked Gavin’s shoulder. “But one promise I’m definitely going to keep is I’m going to write to you a lot more from now on.”
“Really!?”
“Oh yeah!”
“YAY!” Gavin squealed, hugging Gallus once again as his tail wagged excitedly. “Thank you, Gallus! I promise to write to you every day!”
“Ehhh, how about every week?” Gallus suggested. “If we write each other every day, one of us is going to run out of things to talk about.” And it’s probably going to be me, he quietly laughed.
“O-Okay. But can we write each other every day for at least a little while? Pleeeaaase!?”
“You bet, Gavin,” Gallus agreed, giving the fledgling a soft noogie.
Gavin nearly exploded in delight.
Unfortunately, before either of them could say anything further, the door burst open, making them both yelp.
“We found him!” Gabby shouted, tracking in snow as she rushed inside. Once her eyes locked onto the pair, she added, “Can you give us the couch!?”
“Yeah! C’mon, Gavin!” Gallus exclaimed, practically leaping from the sofa as Gilda and Greta stumbled in, burdening a shivering, feathery mess.
“Gabs, shut the door!” Gilda commanded. She then turned to Gallus and smiled in relief. “Told you we’d find him.”
“Is— I-I-Is he okay!?” Gallus screeched, panicking.
“No worries, the old buzzard’s fine. Aren’t you?” she growled, leering at the immobile griffon.
“P-P-P-Peck you!” Gruff stuttered out, scowling as best as he could.
“See?”
“We found him huddled outside the library,” Greta elaborated, draping a blanket over Gruff. “It looked like the fool was trying to get in…”
“A-A-Ah’m right here, y-y-ya know!”
“And you’re in no condition to speak, so for once in your life, shut up!” Gilda was dumbfounded when he actually did as instructed, but she quickly recovered, adding, “You okay, Gallus?”
A storm of emotions raged inside of Gallus, ranging from relief and joy to loathing and fury. Unable to sort any of it out, he deflected, “Don’t worry about me; i-is Gruff gonna be okay?”
“He will be once he takes this,” Greta said, forcing a pill it into Gruff’s beak. “Swallow!”
He glared at her for a second longer before doing as instructed, sputtering melodramatically.
“S-So, he is going to be alright?” Gallus asked, still struggling to temper his current turmoil.
“Yes, Gallus,” Gilda repeated, nodding confidently. “Gruff’ll be okay.”
Oh thank Grover! Gallus thought, letting out a deep, shuddering sigh. He’s okay; Gruff’s okay! he repeated to himself, calming down significantly.
Meanwhile, Gabby finally noticed the fledgling hiding behind him and called out, “Gavin, what are you still doing up!?”
Gavin flinched, trying to hide his puffy eyes as he answered, “I-I couldn’t sleep.”
Gabby and Gilda both gave Gallus an inquisitive stare, but he simply shook his head slightly, stating, “It wasn’t a problem; Gav and I just sat here and chilled.”
“…Well? Good to see you still feel up to making cold puns at least,” Gabby said, giggling. “And don’t worry, Gavin. It’s okay. I think we’re all gonna have trouble sleeping tonight.”
Gavin let out a faint sigh of relief. “I’m just glad Mr. Gruff is okay.”
“We all are,” Gilda curtly agreed. She grinned smugly, adding, “Let’s just hope he’ll learn something this time. You know? Like how not to go running out into the middle of a pecking blizzard.”
“Oh, s-s-shut up!” he rebuked halfheartedly.
“Okay, but… W-What can I do?” Gallus felt compelled to ask. “How can I help?”
Gilda once again placed a talon on his shoulder, looking him over sorrowfully. “Nothing. Gallus, you know how hypothermia works. Gruff will be fine; he just needs some good ole warmth, rest, and medicine.”
I can’t argue with that, but Grover! Dang it! Do I wish I could do something to help right now!
“Look? Gruff is old,” she deadpanned, much to said griffon’s outrage. “But he’s in decent enough shape, and we found him pretty quickly. So? For the last time: He will be okay, Gallus.”
“Okay… Okay…!” he breathed, feeling unsteady. “I’ll— I-I guess I’ll just go…do something.”
“Like sleep?” Greta suggested, glancing at Gavin as she threw another blanket over Gruff. “Or try to at the very least?”
“Definitely considering that,” Gallus confirmed, giving her a talons-up. Before he did that, however, he trotted up to Gruff and asked, “Are— Are you okay, Gramps?”
It was unclear what was going on behind Gruff’s neutral stare, but it didn’t quite seem like hostility. Nonetheless, he still muttered, “Y-Y-Yeah. N-N-No th-thanks to you…”
In the silence that followed, everygriff’s jaw fell agape, and Gallus fearfully stepped away, reeling from the remark.
A second later, Gilda flicked Gruff in the eye, demanding, “What the peck is your problem!?”
“Agh! What w-w-was that for!?”
Before she could respond, Gallus calmly muttered, “So? You’re gonna do that to me, huh?”
Everygriff went quiet.
“D-D-Do what?” Gruff asked, looking genuinely confused.
Blame me. Instead of saying that, Gallus turned away, droning, “Well? Good to see you’re back in one piece. … Bye,” he unceremoniously ended, retreating to his room and collapsing onto his bed.
The moment his door shut, the other griffons exploded into a heated argument so loud Gallus had to hold a pillow over his head to block it out.
Despite this, he still heard the sound of his door opening and closing a minute later. A small bundle of tan feathers then proceeded to climb into his bed with him.
“Hey, Gav,” Gallus greeted, feeling a small smile creep onto his beak in spite of his current fury.
“Hi.” After a second, he noted, “They’re really loud.”
“Yeah, they are. You okay?”
“Not really. You?”
“Not really. … Pillow?” he asked, offering up his other one.
“Thank you,” Gavin said, gratefully accepting the pillow and holding it over his skull as well.
They both then burst into a round of snickering at the sheer absurdity of the situation as the chorus of angered screeches echoed in the background.
***
With a loud click, Gallus closed the last of his suitcases and glanced around the room, confirming none of his possessions remained. Eventually, his gaze wandered to the window and out onto the blizzard-free Griffonstone.
One more day. He flung himself onto his bed, thinking, One more day, and then I’m gone.
Well? It wasn’t a complete waste of time, Gallus supposed, shutting his eyes. Didn’t get hypothermia, saw the new library; hung out with Gavin… Yeah! Trip wasn’t so bad.
“N-N-No th-thanks to you…”
Except for him! he snarled, feeling his stomach churn in anger. He ran after me and got lost in the snowstorm! That’s not my fault; how dare he try to convince me it is!?
Is that even what he was doing though? he weakly pondered. Maybe he didn’t really mean it and was just speaking out of frustration? He almost died, so it would justify—
“No!” Gallus interrupted himself firmly. “I’m through defending him, and I’m through hoping he cares about me!” He then sighed, whimpering, “But, Grover’s Treasure, I wish he did…”
A moment later, there was a soft knock on his door, and it opened to reveal an uncharacteristically timid Gilda. “Hey, Gallus? You okay?”
“I will be when I get back home,” he said, hoping he didn’t sound too irritated. “But for now? I’m doing well enough. What are you up to?”
“Whelp,” she began, closing the door behind her and sitting at the edge of his bed. “I just got word back that the train will arrive tomorrow.”
“Good.”
“And you’re all done packing too, I see,” she said, gesturing to his luggage pile.
“Mhmm.”
“All-in-all, you’re good to go?”
“Yep.”
“Right.”
After a brief stretch of silence, Gallus impatiently implored, “Just say it.”
“Alright, alright!” Gilda took a deep breath and meekly murmured, “I’m sorry your trip wasn’t so hot, Gallus. I told that idiot not to antagonize you, but…”
“It’s not your fault, Gilda; I understand,” he said calmly. “And it wasn’t all bad, you know. It’s just… The one thing that went wrong went really wrong.”
Gilda crossed her claws and grumbled, “It’s still my responsibility to make Griffonstone feel like a home to everygriff. Including you…”
“This was never my home, Gilda.”
“That doesn’t do peck to comfort me, you know.”
“Just don’t feel like you failed me, okay? You didn’t.”
“But he did?”
Yes. “…Can’t exactly say that,” Gallus begrudgingly conceded. “I was never his kid, so it’s not like he needed to love me.”
“You may as well have been his kid, considering how much better he treated you than the rest of us,” Gilda argued, laughing sourly. “Don’t forget, I got stuck rebuilding a country while you got to go to school.”
“And you think school is easier than running a country?” he asked incredulously.
“Hey, I’ve read your letters; I know Fluttershy doesn’t like giving homework.”
“I can’t help it if one of my teachers is kind to a fault.”
“Says the secret bookworm. Frankly, I’m surprised you don’t remind her she should give out that junk.”
“I’m not stupid, Gilda. Not even Ocellus does that, and she’s the biggest teacher’s pet there is.”
“Uh-huh. … I need a vacation,” Gilda suddenly declared. “Dash is totally overdue for a visit from moi! And I’ve been meaning to meet your friends for a while now.”
“You’d certainly get along great with Smolder. She likes Sci-Fi too.”
“Really!? Wow! Greta can’t even get into that.”
“Oh? How uncultured of her,” Gallus teased pompously.
“Har-har, Gallus,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Not everycreature is as big a nerd as you are.”
“They don’t know what they’re missing. Being a nerd is fun!”
“That’s what you think.”
“No, that’s what I know.”
…
Both of them succumbed to a bout of laughter.
“Ahhh,” Gilda sighed, quieting down. “It really has been nice to talk to you again.”
“Likewise.”
“Speaking of talking?” She took another deep breath and disclosed, “He’s been asking to see you.”
“No,” Gallus stated, his mood darkening instantly.
“Gallus, he—”
“No.”
“…Alright.”
Silence.
More silence.
Yet more silence.
“Gallus, seriously, he—”
“No, Gilda!” Gallus shouted vehemently. “I’ve wanted Gruff to care about me for years now, even though I know he doesn’t. I can’t— I can’t keep pretending that he does. I can’t, Gilda,” he ended, hugging himself with his wings.
“The dude ran after you and into a raging blizzard just to—”
“I don’t care!” he snapped, glaring at her. “That doesn’t prove anything! Besides, he only ran after me, so he could yell at me some more. … Or guilt-trip me for arguing with him in the first place.”
“Gallus, he’s not a super-villain.”
“He’s not my dad either. And the more I keep wishing he was… The harder it is to move on,” he concluded resignedly.
“So you’re not even going to say goodbye?” she asked, frowning.
“What part of ‘no’ don’t you understand?”
Gilda was ready to chastise him for his enmity, but she calmed herself and clarified, “I get it, dude; I really do. I just don’t like that you’re gonna leave without even talking to him.”
“Sorry, but I’d rather not get into another fight before I go.”
“That’s not what I mean, Gallus,” she whispered, looking decidedly uncomfortable.
“Then what do you mean?”
Gilda stood up and paced around the room, struggling to find the words to best express her thoughts while Gallus patiently waited. “Okay,” she eventually started. “Gallus, look, I ain’t like those ponies you got for teachers, alright? My job is fixing Griffonstone, not giving life advice, friendship lessons, or whatever else!”
“I’m not asking you to,” Gallus assuaged. “You don’t have to say anything, Gilda.”
“Yes, I do! At least, I think I do? Ugh! I hate talking about feelings,” she mewled in disgust.“Whatever! Point is: I really think you should talk to Gruff before you leave.”
“Gilda…? I-I don’t want to be hurt again. I just want to be happy, and Gruff…” He fell silent.
“I know, kid. I know, but—”
“If you know, then why are you asking me to talk to him?”
After a moment’s hesitation, she answered, “Because I know what it’s like to throw away somepony you care about… And it’s not nice.”
Gallus blinked. “Are you talking about Rainbow Dash?”
“Mhmm. You remember how that turned out, right? How angry and betrayed I felt?”
“Yeah. … Did you ever get those knives out of the tree?”
“Nope.”
“Shame. You were getting really good at throwing them too.”
“Heh, thanks.” Her mirth didn’t last long, however, as she resumed, “But? I wasn’t just angry. I was…” Gilda gulped and forced herself to admit, “I was sad too. I lost my cool, and it cost me my best friend for a long time… Still the lamest thing I’ve ever done,” she cringed, stroking her headcrest.
“Yeah, but Gruff isn’t Rainbow Dash,” he countered simply. “You two actually cared about each other. And Gruff…? He doesn’t care about me.”
“You don’t know that for certain.”“That doesn’t matter,” he groaned, hanging his head dejectedly. “What matters is that I want to be happy. But it’s so hard to be happy around him.”
“Because he doesn’t care about you?” Gallus nodded, so she asked, “Well, what if he did?”
“He doesn’t, so…?”
“But if you could know for absolute certain that he did care about you,” she pressed on, never dropping her gaze. “Would you be happy?”
Gallus thought it over and conceded, “Maybe. But I’m not going to stay here, desperately trying to find out. I only came here so I could find out, but all I got was Gruff nearly dying and trying to make me feel guilty for it.”
Gilda rubbed her shoulder and admitted, “Okay. You got a point there.”
“Peck yeah, I do!” he yelled. “Everycreature back home told me I shouldn’t come here and that I’d just get hurt if I did… And they were right.”
“I don’t know what to tell you, Gallus,” she eventually whispered. “I-I don’t. Grover’s Treasure! For all I know, I’m an idiot, and talking to Gruff will just hurt you even more!”
Correct on both accounts, Gallus decided not to say.
“But, Gallus? I don’t want you to make the same mistake I did,” she said pleadingly. “You’ve been through enough crud as it is; and I think you deserve some closure on this.”
“Shame all the evidence suggests he doesn’t care about me,” he grumbled.
“…Not all the evidence,” Gilda refuted, pulling a small, plain box out from under her wing.
He took it, raising an eyebrow upon noticing it was addressed to him. “A Blue Moon present? Odd time to be giving it to me, Gilda.”
“It’s from Gruff,” she elaborated, causing his beak to fall open in shock. “I found it in his bedroom when I went looking for him.”
Morbidly curious, Gallus unwrapped it and froze at what he saw. It was a framed photo of him giving Gruff a farewell hug the day before he departed for Ponyville.
H-He kept this…?
“Gallus, I won’t pretend that Gruff is a nice griffon,” Gilda resumed softly. “He’s a cranky, selfish piece of garbage! But we all care about him anyway, and he cares about all of us. Even you.”
“But he doesn’t care about me.”
“You don’t know that.”
“And if I did?” he whimpered, trying not to cry. “What then, Gilda? If I go out there and talk to him, and it turns out he really doesn’t care… What then?”
Gilda’s face darkened as she answered, “You get on that train, go back home, and never see him again. You never even write him again! You don’t owe him, us, or Griffonstone anything!”
Gallus remained silent, utterly flabbergasted by her response.
“But? If it turns out he does care about you…?” she suggested hopefully. “I don’t know. But at least you’ll know for sure.”
Gallus lied against the mattress, shoving a pillow over his face and blotting out the world.
This isn’t proof he cares about me, he thought, feeling a mixture of pain, rage, sadness, and hope all swirl about in his chest in a cocktail of confusion. Knowing for sure sounds nice, but it’s not worth the risk. … Is it?
“I know you want him to care about you, Gallus,” Silver’s voice echoed in his mind. “I just don’t want you to be upset if it turns out he…doesn’t.”
I don’t want to be upset. But I do want him to care about me!
“You don’t! Need me! To tell you! That Ah’m proud of you!”
Gallus scowled, growling, You’re right, Gruff. I don’t need you to care about me. I want you to. And… And that’s okay.
I want you to love me, but I don’t need you to. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, feeling somewhat peaceful. I have a family back home, and they love me more than you ever could. As long as I remember that…?
“Fine,” Gallus said neutrally, pulling the pillow away from his face. “I’ll talk to him.”
“You will?”
“Yes,” he agreed, sitting up and giving her a tired glare. “But the moment he starts screwing with me again…? I’m out. Understand?”
“Understood,” Gilda said, unable to keep the slight grin off of her face. “Sorry for, uh, springing all of this on you. You okay?”
“No.” Gallus smirked and swore, “And don’t worry. I won’t tell anycreature about our little conversation.”
“You better not,” she grumbled, lightly jabbing his shoulder. “Especially Dashie!”
“Heh-heh-heh. … So, uh? Are the others still here?”
“Gabby’s on her route, and Greta had to run some errands. It’s just me, you, Gruff, and Gavin.”
Translation: You don’t have an audience, but we’re here if you need us, Gallus recognized, mildly reassured. “Thanks, Gilda.”
“No problem.”
After some time spent steeling his courage, Gallus stood up and said, “Alright, let’s get this over with.” He then exited his room with Gilda following suite.
“…I’m just saying,” they soon heard Gavin grumble in a hushed voice.
“Well, you can keep your dumb lessons to yourself!” Gruff shot back, coughing slightly.
“If you keep up that attitude, you’ll just make it harder for Gallus to forgive you.”
“Bah! It don’t matter what Ah do; he ain’t gonna— Gallus!” he screeched upon seeing the duo enter the living room.
“Hello, Gruff,” Gallus greeted shortly. “And hello, Gavin,” he added, smiling brightly.
“Hi, Gallus, hi, Gilda,” the fledgling said, waving energetically. He then shot a sly smirk at Gruff and said, “See, Mr. Gruff, I told you he would. Ha! I win the bet,” he sang, blowing a raspberry. “Now, aren’t you glad we went over Honesty Lesson One Hundred and Fifty-six?”
Gruff was too busy staring at Gallus to pay the slightest bit of attention to Gavin.
Gallus stared back coldly, requesting, “May we please have some privacy?”
“Sure thing,” Gilda said, motioning for Gavin to follow her. “C’mon, bud. Time’s up.”
“Aww! I wanted to see them make up,” he complained, closing his copy of the Friendship Journal and hopping off the couch. “Oh well. Good luck, guys,” he said, giving Gallus a happy smile.
“Thanks, Gav, I think I’m gonna need it,” he said, grinning back.
“Move it, kiddo,” Gilda beckoned, shooting Gruff a hateful glare. “Let’s give ‘em the room.”
“Okay, okay! I’m coming.”
The pair then exited the house, closing the door behind them.
…
…
…
Ughhh… Here we go. “Gilda said you wanted to talk to me?”
“U-Uh, yeah. Yeah, Ah did.”
“Mhmm. What do you want?” he asked bluntly.
Gruff cleared his throat and calmly elaborated, “Well, Ah wanted to know if you were really leavin’ tomorrow. The girls all said you were, but Ah wanted to hear it for mahself.”
“I am.”
“Why? Ah thought you planned to stay the whole week?” he asked, furrowing his brow.
“That was the plan. Things changed,” Gallus explained, keeping his answers quick and concise.
“But didn’t you promise Gavin you’d let him show you around Griffonstone?”
Thus begins the guilt-tripping. “I did. But I have to go. We talked it out, so he understands.”
“Oh. … Well, what made you change your mind?”
Gallus blinked owlishly.
“Ohhh,” Gruff groaned, sneering judgmentally. “Oh come on, Gallus! You can’t seriously be that upset about what happened. Ah mean, why would you leave because of that anyway?”
“Hmm! I don’t know!” he exclaimed sardonically. “Perhaps it’s because I’m uncomfortable with the fact you nearly died and tried to blame me for it?”
“That wasn’t what Ah meant!”
“Oh? Care to explain what you did mean then?”
“Ah— Ah didn’t mean anythin’ at all! Ah was just cold and upset, and Ah said somethin’ Ah didn’t mean,” he said, expecting that to work. “Everygriff says somethin’ stupid when they get mad; it’s just how we are.”
“That’s no excuse.”
Gruff ran a talon along his face, groaning quietly. “Look, Gallus, Ah didn’t mean what Ah said, and Ah apologize. Ah don’t blame you for me gettin’ stuck in that blizzard.”
“Mhmm.”
“O-Okay.” Gruff tapped the sofa cushion, unsure of what to do next. After Gallus refused to say anything further, he gave up and asked, “So, um, do you forgive me? You’re, uh, kinda quiet.”
“A part of that is because I have nothing to say to you,” Gallus explained, feeling a touch of gratification when Gruff flinched. “The other part is because I don’t want to talk to you.”
“Well, Ah…” He shifted, looking somewhat affronted. “Ah am tryin’ to apologize to you. What? Am Ah supposed to write up some two-million-word-long novel about how sorry Ah am?”
“No.”
“Good! ‘Cause Ah ain’t no pony,” he barked, laughing awkwardly. Seeing that Gallus didn’t so much as twitch, Gruff added, “Uh…? That was a joke?”
“It wasn’t funny.”
“Oh. Geez, everygriff’s a critic,” he complained, hiding his worried expression behind his tea.
“Mhmm.”
“So?” Gruff gulped. “Do you forgive me?”
“No,” Gallus answered simply.
“W-W-What!? You don’t!?”
“No, I don’t.”
“But Ah apologized!”
“So?”
Gruff blinked, thoroughly floored by his response. “So…! Why don’t you forgive me!? Ah apologized!” he repeated angrily.
“And I don’t believe you.”
“Excuse me!? You don’t believe me!?”
“No. I don’t. And even if I did, I don’t have to forgive you.”
“Okay, what!? Ah apologize; you forgive! That’s how that’s supposed to work, Gallus,” Gruff reprimanded, glowering. “Even in ponyland!”
“So I’m just supposed to brush aside the fact you tried blaming me for you nearly dying!?” Gallus roared, flaring his wings furiously.
“But Ah told you Ah didn’t mean it!”
“You still said it! And I don’t care why!” he preemptively countered. “You have no excuses.”
“Why you—” Gruff stopped, sharply inhaled, and slowly exhaled. “Gallus? Ah really am tryin’ to apologize. Ah ain’t lyin’ or pullin’ a con; Ah genuinely didn’t mean what Ah said. Ah’m! Sorry!”
I think that’s the first time I’ve ever heard him say that, Gallus noted, looking away and thinking. And I have no idea if he’s telling the truth or not. Maybe he really is sorry? he considered, turning his gaze back to Gruff. But even if he is…
“Well, thank you for the apology, Gruff,” Gallus said curtly, eliciting a hopeful smile from the elderly griffon. Said smile vanished immediately after he added, “But I still don’t forgive you.”
“What!? D-Do you still not believe me!? Oh Grover’s Treasure, don’t tell me Ah do have to right a dumb apology novel!” he shrieked, throwing up his talons.
“Even if you did it wouldn’t matter,” Gallus said icily. “Gruff, I don’t know if I believe you or not. But either way, I still don’t forgive you.”
“Wh— Well, why not!?” Gruff squawked, fidgeting nervously.
“Because what you said hurt!” he bellowed.
“But Ah wasn’t—”
“Shut up!” he screamed, silencing Gruff instantly. “It was your choice to go out into that storm. Not mine. If you had died, it would not have been my fault.”
“Well, duh! Of course it wouldn’t have been your fault!”
“Yeah, you say that now. Yet, you still tried to make it seem like it was my fault, and that wasn’t fair. It was sick!” After pausing to catch his breath, Gallus rebuked, “You don’t get to blame me for your problems, Gruff. Especially when it’s the result of your own bad choices.”
“A-Ah wasn’t—”
“I! Don’t! Care!” he shouted over him. “I have been working so! Hard! To not blame myself for things beyond my control, to not worry all the time; to not demand perfection of myself… To love myself,” he said, shivering slightly. “But then you! You tried to make it my fault you almost died!”
“Gallus, how many times do Ah have tell you Ah didn’t mean it!?”
“It doesn’t matter how many times you say it,” Gallus growled venomously. “You don’t get to just say sorry and pretend like everything is okay. An apology doesn’t make what you said better, and it sure as peck does not just wave it away!”
“Ah get that, but Ah’m tryin’ to make amends here, Gallus!” Gruff yelled, succumbing to a quick coughing fit. “Ah— Ah didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“Well, you did. … You hurt me, Gruff,” he grimly affirmed. “And I don’t have to forgive you. I don’t owe you my forgiveness, and you certainly don’t deserve it.”
“…Heh. Heh-heh-heh,” Gruff chuckled dryly. “If that’s the case? Then why am Ah even wastin’ mah breath?” he mumbled, looking utterly defeated.
“I would say it’s because you feel guilty, but we both know that isn’t true.”
Gruff looked genuinely hurt by that, but he quickly hid it behind feigned indifference. “Whelp? Ah guess that’s that… You may as well go finish packin’ up; ain’t you got a train to catch tomorrow?”
“I do.”
“Well, have a nice trip then, Ah guess.”
Gallus remained where he stood, protesting, Don’t say it, Gallus. You’re better off; just walk away and be done with it.
I should, shouldn’t I? He doesn’t really love me, and I need to stop hoping he does, once and for all! … But? He is trying to apologize, he acknowledged warily. And yeah. Maybe he’s lying, and I shouldn’t give him a chance. But I chose to talk to him. I chose to come to Griffonstone just so I could see him. Maybe that was the wrong choice, but it was my choice. And since it still is my choice…?
“Gilda gave me the picture,” Gallus revealed before he could change his mind.
“Tch! ‘Course she went through mah things… Okay,” Gruff yelped, keeping his expression blank. “You got the dumb picture, so what?”
“I don’t know. I guess Gilda thought it proved you care about me,” he supposed. “But that’s just ridiculous. After all? I don’t need you to tell me that you care about me, right?”
“You don’t.”
And there it is. “Yeah, that’s what I thought.” Gallus began trotting away, but he froze when Gruff added, “Or at least… You shouldn’t.”
That’s…new, he observed, turning right back around. “Come again?”
Gruff just shook his head morosely and claimed, “It’s nothin’ important. Wouldn’t matter if Ah told you anyway, would it?”
“Probably not. … But tell me anyway,” he requested, sitting in the adjacent chair.
“Ah… Ah don’t know, Gallus,” he groaned, shrugging. “You shouldn’t need me to be proud of you, okay? You should be proud of yourself.”
“I am. What’s wrong with wanting you to be proud of me too?”
“What’s wrong is that Ah ain’t your dad!” Gruff snapped, recoiling at the harshness in his tone. “Ah ain’t.”
Yep. Still hurts. “You might as well be since my real parents wanted nothing to do with me.”
“Gallus, they—”
“Abandoned me.”
“It’s not that simple, kiddo…”
“Yes, it is. They made their choice, and I paid the price,” Gallus stated casually. “So what?”
“W-Wait, what?” Gruff asked, befuddled once again. “What do you mean ‘so what’?”
“Mom and Dad left me,” he sighed. “It wasn’t my fault, and I have a family despite their efforts to ensure otherwise. So? Who cares about them? I don’t.”
Unable to process what he had just heard, Gruff stammered uselessly before managing to weakly ask, “Y-Y-You really mean that? You really don’t care about them anymore?”
“I guess I sorta do,” he confessed solemnly, rubbing his shoulder. “Although, if I ever did find out who they were or why they left…? It wouldn’t matter. They stopped being my family a long time ago.”
“Well, A-Ah ain’t your family either!” Gruff protested, trying to sound aloof but ultimately just sounding afraid. “Ah don’t know where everygriff got the idea, but Ah’m not your dad! Ah never was.”
Gallus nodded weakly, wondering, “Is that why you never showed up?”
“Ah— Gallus, Ah didn’t show up because…” Gruff blinked and dropped his gaze to his talons, saying, “Look, Ah…? Ah didn’t want to go. And Ah didn’t feel like Ah needed to go.”
“But I asked you so many times to come, Gramps,” Gallus sniveled. “Why didn’t you?”
“Gallus,” he began, flicking his tail irritably. “You can’t keep needin’ me and everygriff else to be proud of you for you.”
“I wasn’t asking you to be,” he fired back. “I just wanted you to be there.”
“Oh, for the love of— Gallus! You need to be proud of yourself!” he shouted, hacking violently afterward. Once Gruff caught his breath, he finished, “We’re griffons, Gallus. We’re proud of who we are, and we’re proud of what he have. Same goes for you.”
“I am proud of who I am and what I have,” he reaffirmed determinedly. “And not because I’m a griffon, but because I’m me!”
“You are?”
“Yes! I just wish you were proud of me too. And no!” Gallus interjected before Gruff could argue. “It’s not because I ‘need’ you to be proud of me or something stupid like that! I just… I ‘want’ you to be proud of me. There’s a difference…”
Scratching his neck, Gruff mulled over his words. “Do you really, truly mean all of that?” he anxiously inquired.
“Yes.”
“Then yeah.” Gruff hesitated for just a moment longer before finally saying, “Ah’m proud of you, Gallus. Ah, uh,” he nervously rambled on. “Ah know it’s too late to admit it, but Ah am.”
“…Do you have any idea how long I’ve been waiting to hear you say that?”
“Long enough that it don’t matter?” he guessed glumly.
Gallus shook his head and wiped away his tears. “Long enough that I don’t know what to think! I-I don’t know whether to jump for joy o-or scream at you for never telling me that sooner!”
“Gilda would probably want the latter,” Gruff joked.
“She might just get the latter,” he laughed weakly, sniffling. “Grover’s Treasure, I don’t know what to do… W-Why was it so hard for you to say that?”
“Gallus, Ah— Ah ain’t good at this sort of thing! S’why Ah always leave the touchy-feely stuff to Gabby and the ponies. But, Gallus? Ah ain’t your father!” he stressed fervently. “Ah’m your guardian, sure, but that’s not the same! Ah only even took you in ‘cause Ah felt bad for you.”
“Oh? Is that the only reason?” Gallus asked, smirking hollowly.
“Hey! Contrary to popular belief, Ah do have a heart,” Gruff boasted, earning a bark of laughter from Gallus. “It ain’t mah best organ, but it works well enough.”
“And what is your best organ? Your beak?”
“It’s certainly the only part of me that hasn’t failed me yet.”
Gallus chortled, shaking his head exasperatedly.
…
…
…
“So?” Gruff resumed timidly. “What now?”
“I don’t know,” Gallus said shakily. He wiped his eyes again and said, “F-For all I know, you’re lying, and— And you’re only telling me this to manipulate me into forgiving you.”
“Ah guess that would be a stunt Ah’d pull, wouldn’t it?” he acknowledged, looking away.
“Hey, you may not be as bad as Cozy Glow, but you’re certainly not Princess Twilight!”
“Duh! Do Ah look lavender to you?”
“A bucket of paint would fix that.”
“Ha! You try findin’ any purple paint in this town. Go on! Five Bits says you can’t.”
“Thanks, but I know better than to gamble with you.”
“Smart. Ah do have the best poker face in Griffonstone for a reason,” Gruff proudly proclaimed.
“It’s probably that perpetual scowl of yours,” Gallus theorized. “You always look angry, so nogriff can tell when you’re not.”
“Ah don’t scowl all the time!”
“Yeah, you do.”
“…Yeah, Ah kinda do, don’t I?”
The both shared a small laugh.
…
“I still don’t forgive you,” Gallus said decisively.
“Yeah… Yeah, Ah guess Ah should’ve expected that,” Gruff muttered plaintively. “Gilda sure wouldn’t if she were you. Peck—Ah don’t even think Gabby would!”
“Nah, Gabby would forgive you. She’s nice like that.”
“True. Either way, they’re them. You’re you. And Ah don’t deserve forgiveness as far as you’re concerned, eh?”
“I don’t have to forgive you,” he reiterated adamantly, wincing upon seeing how dejected Gruff appeared. “But…? If there’s one thing I know, it’s that everycreature deserves to have someone care about them. No matter how hard it is to care, everyone deserves someone. Even me. And even you.”
“What Lesson was that one? One Hundred and Seventeen?”
“It’s not a lesson I was taught; it’s a fact I believe,” he clarified, smiling softly.
“Heh. It’s a nice fact.”
After a moment, his smile fell and Gallus bemoaned, “But it’s really, really hard to care about you, you know that? There— There are ponies back home who would say I should stop caring about you,” he stated, shaking a kink out of his wings. “Because it hurts to care about you sometimes.”
“The showpony?”
“She’s not the only one. And say whatever you will, but at least Trixie stood up for me.”
“Fair point,” Gruff begrudgingly admitted. “Ah’m guessin’ you don’t want me mailin’ you anymore? Ah mean, Gilda said you’d probably want nothin’ more to do with me or Griffonstone, so…?”
Gallus wrung his claws, slowly answering, “No, I… I’d like to keep sending letters to you.”
“You— You would?”
“Yes, I would,” he confirmed uncertainly. “But, Gramps? We need to work on this!” Gallus said, gesturing between himself and Gruff. “It’s not… I can’t keep caring about you if you don’t really care about me. And I know you say you care about me, but it isn’t easy to believe it. Not when you never write me back, don’t show up to my play, or threaten to sell my medal.”
“That’s, uh, another thing Ah didn’t mean…”
“I don’t care, Gramps. That hurt too.”
Gruff winced and repeated, “Ah really am sorry, Gallus.”
Gallus soothingly stroked his headcrest and resumed, “Gramps, look? I want to care about you! I want you to care about me!” he stressed, blinking back tears. “But I can’t keep wanting either of those things if they’re never gonna happen. It’s not fair to me or to you. So…? If you want me to keep giving you updates, I will. But only if you and I actually figure things out,” Gallus ended, grimacing sorrowfully.
“Ah still ain’t your dad.”
“I know, and I’m not asking to be. I’m… I’m asking you to be my friend.”
“And by extension: Your family?”
“…Yeah.”
Silence.
“Ah ain’t so good at changin’ who Ah am,” Gruff began bitterly. “Ah’ve lived mah life, and Ah’ve learned all Ah need to! So why do Ah even gotta change, you know? … But?” he whispered, making Gallus perk up hopefully. “If there’s one thing worth changin’ mahself for it’s family.”
“You mean it?”
“Let’s get one thing straight: Ah ain’t your dad; Ah’m your guardian!” Gruff reiterated one last time. “That ain’t gonna change. So if you’re expecting different? Don’t. You will be disappointed,” he forewarned.
“Fair enough,” Gallus relented, holding his breath.
“Good. That said?” Gruff sighed and proclaimed, “Just ‘cause Ah ain’t your father, don’t mean Ah don’t care about you. Ah do, Gallus.”
“You just don’t like showing it?” he guessed jokingly.
“That, and Ah’m really bad at it when Ah do.”
“Yeah, well…? From what I saw, it looked like Gavin was trying to help change that.”
“Ha-ha! Yeah, that boy is somethin’ else, Ah tell you what. Reminds me of you.”
“The books?”
“The books,” Gruff confirmed, chortling. After a moment, he disclosed, “He really likes you, you know? Wouldn’t shut up about how excited he was when he found out Gabby invited you over. Heh-heh-heh! Eh, it was pretty adorable, not gonna lie.”
Gallus snorted and said, “Yeah, Gavin’s sweeter than most griffons. … I really hope Griffonstone doesn’t strangle that out of him,” he murmured, flicking his tail.
“Doubt it. Gilda’s done this place some good.”
“I think she’d appreciate it if you told her that directly. You know? Instead of all that ‘Miss Savior of Griffonstone’ nonsense.”
Gruff scowled uncomfortably, crossing his claws and pouting. After a moment though, he looked back at Gallus and announced, “There is, uh, something else Ah wanted to talk to you about…”
“I’m listening.”
“Silverstream,” he said bluntly. “Do you really love her?”
“Yes,” Gallus answered, unwavering. “Yes, I do.”
Gruff nodded. “And does she love you?”
“She hasn’t exactly told me otherwise, so…? Yeah.”
He hummed but said nothing further.
“…You know? I didn’t like that you insinuated we’d break up,” Gallus mentioned angrily.
“Ah know. Yet another thing Ah apologize for.”
“Okay, now that apology I can accept,” he said, eliciting a grin. “Why did you think we would break up? I mean, you wouldn’t even let me talk to you about her!”
Gruff shrugged noncommittally, answering, “Ah was worried that’d happen to you. Kiddo, you might not have noticed, but Ah’m reeeaaally old! And Ah’ve seen what happens when the love don’t last,” he rambled on, giving Gallus strange, somewhat pitying stare. “It ain’t pleasant.”
Gallus cocked an eyebrow and said, “Yes, but Silver and I love each other.”
“Yeah, you already told me. Forgive me for bein’ worried what would happen if that stopped bein’ the case,” he said, finishing off his tea.
“Well…? Thank you for being worried about me. It’s…nice. To hear that you do.” Gruff rolled his good eye, so Gallus added, “I really mean it, Gramps! Thank you. Not for accidentally insulting my relationship, mind you,” he clarified candidly. “Thank you for worrying.”
“You’re welcome.” After a brief stretch of silence, Gruff sighed and asked, “Could Ah ask one more thing though? About you and her?”
“Uh, sure?”
“You said you loved her ‘cause she was there for you,” he acknowledged, sounding almost accusatory. “On Friends and Family Day and whatnot…?”
“That was technically our first date, yes,” Gallus answered, shifting awkwardly under the elder’s glare. “Why do you ask?”
“Her bein’ with ya that day… That ain’t the only reason you love her, right?”
“Pfft! Of course not!” he laughed, rolling his eyes. “Do you have any idea how beautiful she is? How wonderful her voice sounds? And Grover’s Treasure! You should see her paint!” Gallus declared, smiling serenely. “I love how happy she looks when she paints…”
“Really? ‘How wonderful her voice sounds’?” Gruff echoed, smirking.
“Like an angel,” he sighed dreamily. Gallus then frowned and huffed, “And no, I don’t care if that sounds sappy; it’s the truth.”
Gruff let out a small sigh of relief, assuring, “Ah didn’t say it sounded sappy. Ah’m just surprised her voice was somethin’ ya love about her. That ain’t somethin’ Ah hear most griffons admire ‘bout their partners.”
“I admire everything about Silverstream! Seriously, her giggle?” Gallus giggled himself before revealing, “It’s the sweetest sound in the world. Second only to her singing voice,” he added brightly.
“Heh-heh. Ah’m sure.” Gruff was quiet for a moment before asking, “You’re really happy with her, ain’t ya?”
“Yeah, Gramps. I am.”
Gruff smiled.
…
“Did you… D-Did you want to hear more about her?” Gallus asked hopefully.
“About your girlfriend? Ah mean? Yeah, Ah guess,” Gruff said, unable to mask the eagerness creeping into his voice. “If it would make you happy.”
“It would! It really would!”
“Then go ahead. Not like Ah’m goin’ anywhere,” he whined, snuggling into his blanket. “But don’t blame me if Ah fall asleep, ya hear!”
“Oh, am I boring to you?”
“No, Ah’m just old and tired.”
“Old and tired? You? Get outta here!”
“Oh, hush up and get to the love story already!”
Gallus laughed, unable to keep the wide smile off of his face as he did just that.
***
Upon finishing his recounting, Gallus yawned widely and leaned back against the couch. “And that’s about everything,” he ended, smiling at the hippogriff by his side.
“Wow!” Silverstream exclaimed. “So, everything sorta worked out,” she acknowledged, sharing a glance with Smolder. “R-Right?”
“Pretty much,” Gallus confirmed, drinking his cocoa. “Although? I’m still not sure if I really made up with Gruff. I think I did, but it’s hard to tell with that guy sometimes.”
“For the record,” Smolder spoke up. “I still think I should go down there and give him a good clobbering. ‘No thanks to you…’ Geez, what a jerk,” she said, huffing out a cloud of smoke.
“I’m aware…”
“But you did make up with him?” Silver asked, laying a talon upon his shoulder. “Hopefully?”
Gallus placed his talon atop hers and grinned, echoing, “Hopefully.”
“Do you think the old geezer was actually sorry? Or do you think he was just saying that?”
“I have no idea, Smolder,” he answered, shrugging. “I want to believe he was being genuine, but I’m not gonna ignore the chance the others made him apologize. At the end of the day, Gruff is Gruff… Maybe he’ll change, maybe he won’t.” Gallus took a deep breath and concluded, “I’m optimistic though. We still need to work a few things out, but…? I think we will.”
“I still wanna punch him,” she grumbled, crossing her claws indignantly.
“You think I don’t?” he asked dryly, eliciting a small smirk from the dragon.
Silver, meanwhile, let out a long, relieved sigh. “I’m just glad you’re okay and that you had a good time in Griffonstone.”
“I wouldn’t really say I had a ‘good’ time exactly,” he retorted, grimacing. “Parts of it were good, no doubt. But other parts were terrible!” Gallus thought for a moment and determined, “Tell you what? I had an awkward time. We’ll go with that.”
“It’s better than the alternative, I suppose.” Silver then smiled and said, “But as long as you’re happy? Then I guess everything is okay.”
“Yeah,” Smolder agreed. “You’re back, and you’re okay! That’s the important thing…”
“Aww, thanks for worrying about me, girls. That’s sweet.”
“Well, I can hardly let you be the only sweet one around here,” Silver teased, kissing his cheek.
Gallus kissed her back, assuring, “And you’re succeeding brilliantly.”
“Yeesh, you two really are worse than Yona and Sandbar.”
“That a problem?” they asked simultaneously.
“…I’m just going to say no. I’m worried what’ll happen if I don’t.”
Gallus chuckled alongside Silverstream, but once he quieted down, he gave her a knowing look and asked, “What about you two? You girls have a good time while I was gone?”
“Eh, it was alright. We mostly just talked and stuff,” Silver answered, winking subtly and watching as his smile brightened. “Did some cooking for a holiday party that Starlight threw too.”
“Huh?”
“Don’t worry about it. It wasn’t anything special,” Smolder dismissed bluntly. “If anything, it just proved we need to get Headmare Starlight a book on subtlety,” she ended, sharing a smirk with Silverstream.
Gallus stared at his girlfriend quizzically, earning a giggle and receiving a casual, “I’ll tell you later.”
“In any case,” Smolder resumed. “I’d say the holiday’s been pretty great so far. The blizzard’s over, Silver and I had some fun, and you’re back, safe and sound!” she emphasized, visibly relaxing.
“Unless you count this sweater Gabby gave me,” he whined, pointing to the pattern of hearts adorning his torso. “It’s pretty comfy, but hearts? Come on!”
“I think it looks cute,” Silver complimented, snuggling up to him.
Gallus snuggled back, blushing happily.
“If you say so,” Smolder chuckled mockingly.
“Oh, hush,” she reproved. “You’re just mad Gabby didn’t knit you a sweater.”
“Pfft! I don’t need a sweater.”
“But you need a whole dress horde, right?”
“Oh, shut up, Gallus!”
Silver and Gallus both just laughed at their friend’s expense. Eventually, Silver stopped and gasped. “Oh my gosh, I totally forgot! Uh, be right back,” she said, darting out of the library.
“Uh, do you…?”
“No clue.”
…
…
…
Smolder sat up and stared out the door, asking, “She gonna be back any time soon?”
“I don’t know,” Gallus said, shrugging. “Why do you ask?”
She waited just a second longer before diving for her bag, quickly whispering, “Okay, so don’t freak out, but I got you a Hearth’s Warming gift.”
“Why would I freak out about that?” he inquired, raising an eyebrow. “I got you one too. Although, I was planning to give it to you on Hearth’s Warming Eve proper.”
“I know, I know,” she distractedly groaned, extracting a small velvet box. “But this is something Silverstream can’t see,” Smolder insisted, passing it to him.
“Okaaay? You wanna explain why that—” Gallus froze upon seeing what lied within the box.
“Quick! Close that up and hide it before she gets back!”
He did as instructed before staring at Smolder in pure, absolute shock. “Wh-Wh-What!?” Gallus incoherently babbled, uncertain if his brain was working correctly.
“Yeah, I know it’s a little weird since you two haven’t even had your second date,” she muttered, checking to see if Silver was by the door. After confirming she wasn’t, Smolder continued, “But Shimmy told me about your whole ‘future life’ thing, or whatever! I figured I’d try to help out…”
“Yeah, b-but— But— But—” he sputtered uselessly, staring between his gift and the gifter.
“What? I didn’t taste it if that’s what you’re worried about?”
“What was that about tasting something?” Silver inquired, panting as she reentered the library with two large, rectangular boxes in tow.
“Silverstream!” Smolder announced awkwardly, sharing a nervous smile with Gallus. “I-I was just asking about, uh…?”
“My brownies!” Gallus finished, regaining his senses despite the thundering of his heart. “She wanted to know if my brownies really are the best in the school or if you were just hyping them up.”
“Well, duh! The answer is both,” she stated unabashedly as she collapsed back on the sofa beside Gallus. “Sorry. I figured I’d give you both my Hearth’s Warming gifts now since I have the chance.”
“You didn’t want to wait until Hearth’s Warming Eve?” Smolder asked, relieved that Silver had bought the cover story. “Should I, uh, go get mine?”
“No, no, no! It’s fine,” Silver placated. “Gallus just got presents on my mind when he mentioned Gabby’s sweater, and since it’s just us…? Eh, why not?”
Gallus caught sight of her presents and looked to Smolder, smiling warmly. “Or more accurately? You’re too excited to wait any longer to see our reactions to ‘em, right?”
Silver giggled, agreeing, “Yeah, that too.”
“Let me guess,” Smolder said, eyeing the items as well. “You were feeling really artistic this year, weren’t you?”
“You know it!” she sang cheerfully.
“Heh-heh-heh! Alright then, what’ve you got for us, Silver?”
“First of all, this is for you, Gallus,” Silver said, passing him a pair of tickets.
Gallus took them and yelped, “Tickets to Las Pegasus!? Cool! Always wanted to go there. I’m assuming the second one is for you, milady?”
“It better be,” she playfully warned. “After all, other than Mrs. Ditsy, who’s going to be your laser tag partner?”
“Las Pegasus has a laser tag arena now?”
“Yep. Heard they set it up just last month.”
“Awesome!” he excitedly squealed, hugging her. “Thanks, Silverstream!”
Silver hugged him back, happily replying, “You’re welcome.” She then turned to Smolder and gifted her one of the boxes, saying, “Now, both of these are yours, but I want you to open this one first.”
“Okay,” she chuckled as she gratefully accepted the present. “What? Is this gonna be a two-parter? Gotta hold ‘em both up to get the full picture?” Smolder guessed, carefully ripping open the box.
“Eh, you’ll see,” Silver said with a pointed look at her confused boyfriend.
Upon tearing away the wrapping and revealing the lustrous painting beneath, she exclaimed, “Whoa! This is awesome, Silverstream! Thank you!”
“Hee-hee! You’re welcome, Smolder.”
“Wow…” she breathed quietly. “This is so good! Geez, you even got most of the winter constellations in there,” Smolder recognized immediately. “Seriously, how long did this take you?”
“A few weeks. Mostly because I had to keep triple-checking everything and fixing my mistakes,” Silver elaborated, flourishing her mane. “It was totally worth it though; I’m glad you like it.”
“Silver, I love it! Thank you so much!”
“Told you,” Gallus whispered teasingly.
“Yeah, yeah, you told me,” Silver tittered, rolling her eyes. She then gave Smolder the other box and said, “As for this one…? I’m pretty sure you’re gonna like this one too.”
“Hey, if it’s as awesome as this one is, that’s a guarantee,” Smolder complimented, taking the item and repeating the tearing process.
Gallus tapped Silver and raised an eyebrow when she looked over. What was up with the second one? he silently asked.
She nodded to Smolder, communicating, Wait and see.
They both then looked back at Smolder, only to find her staring at the revealed painting with a rather pained expression on her face. She then held a claw over her quivering maw.
Silver gulped and asked, “Do you like it?”
“Y-Yeah,” she answered, blinking away tears. “Yeah, I love it, Silver.”
“Uh, may I see it?” Gallus requested, still in the dark about what was going on. He then immediately understood when she turned the painting around.
It was all of them. Gallus, Silverstream, Yona, Ocellus, Sandbar, and Smolder. All standing in front of the School of Friendship, hugging each other and basking in the light of Celestia’s sun.
“Huh,” he said, grinning at his girlfriend. “Definitely succeeding brilliantly.”
“Thank you,” she whispered, nuzzling him. “Now, Smolder? There’s something else you should know about that painting.”
“Is it that it’s beautiful?” she guessed, snorting. “Because I already know that.”
“Actually…? I asked Headmare Starlight to enchant it.”
“Huh?” both Smolder and Gallus mumbled.
“Yep!” Silver chirped. “Turns out she’s really good at time magic. Like? Really good! She was a little uncomfortable doing it at first, but after I told her what it was for, she went at that thing like Yona to a dress,” she explained, laughing.
“‘Time magic’? Uh, I’m still not following, Silver?”
“Well, to put it simply…? The painting won’t age.”
…
“What?” Smolder squeaked out, unsure if she had right.
“Yep. Neither of them will. According to Starlight, both of ‘em could survive a black hole, completely unscathed,” she proclaimed softly.
“Y-You mean… I won’t lose them?”
Gallus gaped in realization before his beak slowly widened into an ecstatic smile. Oh, Silverstream, you magnificent genius!
“No, Smolder. You won’t ever lose them,” she confirmed. “It’s like I said… We’ll always be with you, Smolder,” Silverstream promised serenely.
Smolder placed the painting aside and lunged forward, trapping Silver in her embrace. “Thank you!” she sobbed, crying into the hippogriff’s shoulder. “Thank you…!”
Silver hugged her back, soothing, “No problem.” She then stared at Gallus expectantly.
Gallus smiled as well and swiftly joined the hug, celebrating, “Happy Hearth’s Warming, girls.”
“Happy Hearth’s Warming, Gallus,” Silver replied joyfully, sneaking a quick kiss on his cheek. “Love you.”
Gallus kissed her back, affirming, “Love you too.”
“I love you both too,” Smolder said, somewhat muffled by Silver’s feathers.
Silverstream and Gallus merely shared another smile before proceeding to simply hold each other and Smolder in a warm, serene embrace.