Griffon of Canterlot
Chapter 73 – Sway the Swindler
Gallus woke up pushing the Wonderbolt bed sheets off himself, sitting up with a yawn, morning light shining through some of the wooden boards bring a bit of light into his home, the blue griffon reach over to a box opening it to find nothing in it. “No bits, no food, no water, lousy way to start the day...” He grumbled with a short yawn, slapping his beak a few times.
Gallus recalled how he ended up with no bits, just before going to the castle he ended up giving up all his bits to a bunch of griffons he owned money too, they took more than he owned. “At least I don't own any bits to any more griffons.” He grumbled under his breath, the stomach growls a bit with a sick feeling coming to it.
Gallus picked on a saddle back and take off towards the castle, ignoring his hunger pains.
“If I am going to get any bits, I need access to that room.” He whispered to himself as the flight over the houses quickly came to a end upon landing at the steps of the castle. “Time to play them.” Gallus walked inside.
When he got to the floor they were sleeping at, Gallus nostrils caught whiff of something that made his stomach growl, the sick pain of having nothing to eat now worsen, he peered around the corner to see Gale holding a frying pan over a heat plate placed over the campfire, he swishing the mix turning solid.
“What is that?” Gallus whispered to himself. “I never smelt anything like that...” He continued to watch Gale.
Gale flipped it over. “Nightingale, want seconds?”
Nightingale eating her pancake swallowed before she answered. “Oh no, I think what you made already for me was filling enough, mum really knows how to teach you to make these didn't she?”
Gale nodded. “Yes, pancakes like, pancakes fun to make.”
Gallus raise a eye brow. “Pancakes?” He whispered, his stomach growls again.
Gale's ears twitch to the sound, Gallus quickly hid behind the wall as Gale turn towards his directly. “What is it Gale?”
“I heard stomach talk.” Gale said.
Nightingale laughed a little. “Stomach talk?”
“Yeah, when stomach make growling gurgling sound, stomach talk.”
Gallus sit on his hunches against the wall, staring down at his stomach area. “Stupid stomach, keep quiet will ya?” He hissed quietly to his stomach, but it refused with another growl, then he came up with a sudden idea, he could use this to his advantage. “I know I am hunger, I know I haven't had anything for the last few days, just keep it down.” He whispered to his stomach pretending to plead it to stop.
Gale peer around the corner seeing Gallus holding his stomach, it gurgling sounds quite loud. “Nightingale, found stomach talk, it from blue griffon!”
“Blue griffon?” She step out of the room seeing Gallus too, she walked up to him, the blue eyes turn to her and he scrambled back a little from her. “Easy there cub, I am not going to do anything to you.” She stopped moving raising a talon in a non-threatening manner. “I am Nightingale, this is my little brother Gale.” He waved to Gallus.
Gallus played into it, seeing the plan was working, he gave a fearful reaction, with a lump in his throat the blue griffon spoke out his name. “G-Gallus...”
Gale was inches away from him, Gallus stared wearily at the cub as he curious look over him. “You hunger?” Gallus nodded a little, his stomach growled. “Come! Sit and eat with us!” Gale grabbed him by the foreleg, pulling him up on his talon and paws, with the other talon held by Gale he was lead into the room.
Gale let go of Gallus' foreleg, racing up to the pan he put the mix in and started to cook, Nightingale poured some tea from a flask into a metal cup, she claw it over to Gallus, he took it silently sitting down on his rump, he knew Gale from the picture he saw, also Gilda being his teacher, the idea of getting access to Grover's secret room was working.
The lack of bits, trash that was useful to resale, and no real eatable food in the last few days, no way he was begging for scraps from Grandpa Gruff, Gallus didn't want to indebted to that old griffon even he was Gallus' guardian, he needed the bits badly, playing these two royal griffons will get him what needed.
Nightingale watched the blue griffon drink the tea she gave him, he been silently staring at Gale, lost in deep thought too, Gale happily humming away as he cooked the pancakes for Gallus, Nightingale was aware from what Gilda told about the griffons of Griffina and this city, she had a crafty idea how to beat this cub at his own game, knowing he most likely thinking of one right this second.
“Making pancakes bring a smile,
Making pancakes are fun
Making Pancake! Making pancakes!
Making pancakes bring a smile~!” Gale song happily as he continue to make them, Gallus raise a eye brow staring with an dumbfounded expression at the yellow griffon, he doing a little spin and flipping the pancakes over.
“Wh-what is he doing?” Gallus whispered to himself.
Nightingale used the time during Gale making pancakes for Gallus to come up with a plan, how it would benefit them and Gallus at the same time, play the game but making it fair all around at the same time.
Gale finished cooking the pancakes, he slid them onto a plate, added sugar over them and put a knife and folk on the side of it, he twist around to present it to Gallus. “Enjoy~!” Gale warmly smiled.
Gallus slowly took the plate. “Yeah... Sure... Thanks...” All that managed to escape his beak, staring at this weird griffon, he made Gabby at this second seem less weird.
Nightingale chuckled at how the blue griffon were left totally confused over Gale's hyper happiness, the cub really was in a good mood.
Gallus place the plate on his lap, he took the cuttery, Gale watched with eagerness as Gallus cut a piece of pancake, and with the folk put it into his beak, soon as he started to chew on it the sweet flavour of it filled his beak. “Whoa! These are really good!” Gallus really went to town on it, happily eating the pancakes.
Gale squawk in delight, with a jump and fist pump showing his overwhelming joy of seeing a griffon happy, for Nightingale she was more caution of Gallus, she couldn't tell this was played or for real, she wasn't going to let her guard down upon this teenage griffon, looking out to the city of Griffonstone an idea finally came to mind.
Nightingale walked over to the camping bag, putting her talons into it to fill the small pouch, pulling it out with a jingle of coins in it. “Play by their game, beat them at their game and maybe, just maybe sway one to work with you.” She whispered, glancing over to Gallus, the teen distracted with enjoying the breakfast.
Gale had calmed down a little eating his own breakfast. “Yummy...” He said with glee, fluttering his wings. “I make good pancakes, mum be proud!”
Gallus finished off his plate, licking the last off it. “Yeah you did.” Gallus had to accept Gale really blew him away with the pancakes, now for his neck phase of the plan, get their trust and move in. “So what bring you two to Griffonstone? It not the kindest place around.”
Before Gale could say something a bag land by Gallus with a jingling of coins, some falling out of it, Gallus looked at the coins and back to Nightingale. “I got a deal for you cub, there thirty bits inside that bag, you give us a tour of the city, give us the scope and chat with the griffons, at the end I'll give you another thirty bits on top.”
Gallus stared at her, slowly moved his eyes away to the bag of bits. “What stopping me from just taking this and run?”
“Than run, I won't stop you, that down payment either you accept my deal or not.” Nightingale responded. “So Gallus, take your pick.” She holding the second bag of bits on her talon, tossing it up and catching it, repeating the process. “I gather you need these bits more than for greed, way your stomach was growling, I say you had a patch of bad luck.”
Gallus eyes now glued on the bag of bits being tossed and caught by Nightingale, he knew she just played him into her own trap, that when he realised she might know what his game is. “So what I am having a run of bad luck? What is it to you or him? It my problem and I deal with it without some stupid charity!” He put the bits back in the bag and tossed it at her.
Nightingale caught it. “It not charity, you accepted food from strangers.” She toss it back at Gallus, he caught it. “Griffons that could of conned you into doing something being in debt, but I am willing to pay you for the tour of this run down city, you look like the type that knows more than he letting on.”
“So what if I am! I might be just taking advantage of your good will!” He tossed it back.
“Than why are you arguing with me and not going!” She tossed it back.
“Maybe I just like to be mean!”
“Really? That a pretty weak!”
“Your weak you freak!”
“Your one to talk! Your blue!”
“You have glowing feathers and a tail brush! Your one to talk!”
“I get that from my mothers side you little brat!”
“Your the brat!”
“You are!”
Gale was turning his head to Gallus than to Nightingale, back again as they threw the bag back and forwards, throwing words at each other, trying to out do the other, Gale decided this was going no where, he flew up catching it. “Stop this!” He squawked loudly at them both. “No one argue! Take bits help us, we give other bits afterwards! That all we ask!” Gale tossed the bag at Gallus. “Big sister pride getting way! Stop and think! Mum no want this!” He turned after throwing the bag glaring at Nightingale.
The blue griffon caught it with both talons, the strength from Gale's throw winded him slightly. “Ooookay... I'm good with that...” Gallus slowly nodded. “But expect a lot of slamming doors.”
Gale pulled out from his own bag a pouch. “They greedy for bits, they get bits for talk! Problem solved!”
“That would work.” Gallus slowly look past him at Nightingale.
Nightingale stared back. “That would, so your willing?”
“Get him mad? No thank you, he just ended a argument in ten seconds flat.” Gallus held tight the pouch of bits. “And no way I am going to even try to con you guys, his terrifying.” Gallus turn to Gale. “Yeah I am talking about you.” He walked up to Gale. “I can see you putting Grandpa Gruff in his place, I can see Gilda been rubbing off on ya, that wicked.”
Gale took a few deep breaths. “You caused me anger, no like it.”
“Maybe, but you know how to cook, that another thing Gilda good at too, her scones are the best.” Gallus turn walking away from them. “Meet me in half a hour outside the castle, I'd be there.” He leaves the room.
Nightingale looked around making sure Gallus was gone before walking back to Gale. “Gale thank you.”
Gale was relieved. “Gallus no will go to room?”
“Hopefully not, if the plan holds, I'll sway him that it be worth more to work with me for the betterment of griffons.” Nightingale walk over to the hole looking down, Gallus leaving the castle flying back to the ground level buildings. “I am glad you found this feather.” She pulled it out from under her wing.
Gale took a cup of dirt putting it over the fire to put it out. “It griffon feather, it only matches him, but I mean what I mean, I very happy to help, happy he loved pancakes!”
“That I know little brother, your overwhelming joy is something, but I gathering that your status played a factor too, most likely he know about you being the son of our mother.” Gale joined her looking upon the morning lit buildings.
“Gilda?”
“If she told him, than somewhere inside he has a good heart, we just need to reach it.” Gale nodded.
Gale turn to start rolling up his sleeping bag. “We clean up, we go meet Gallus, meet meany griffons, get tour of city, than see Gilda, and Gabby!”
“That sound like a solid plan, Gale.” Nightingale helped him, taking the pan putting it in a bowl of water, the hissing steam coming off the hold metal surface. “I wonder how mean they can really be...”
Gale thought about it too. “If what happened between both you, than griffons could be worse?”
“It did get heated didn't it?” Gale nodded. “Urg... Your right, my pride did get in the way, pride of the griffons should be, not what they are.”
Gale nodded. “I pride too, we pride and kindness, they have mean and greed, they friction, we find way for neutral, today only start, tomorrow brighter future, saying goes, Griffonstone no made in a day.”
“I am 799 years old and I am getting out smarted by my little brother, who would of thought?” Nightingale laughed and so did Gale.