The loud, shrilling whistle of the Friendship Express pierced the air as the locomotive slowly chugged back into motion. Within minutes, the clacking of the wheels echoed throughout the train once more while the landscapes beyond the windows passed by in blurs of color.
“Next stop: Mount Aris!” All Aboard declared as he passed through each of the cars. “Home to the proud hippogriffs of Hippogriffia! And the noble seaponies of Seaquestria!”
Once he had exited their particular train car, Silverstream jumped out of her seat and resumed her manic pacing. This continued for some time until Gallus softly called out, “Silver?”
“Yes, Gallus?”
“Are you okay?”
“Yep.”
“You sure now? You seem pretty nervous.”
“That’s because I am nervous,” she admitted. “Really, really nervous!”
“I see that,” Gallus remarked, maintaining a small smile. “But why are you nervous? You know everything is going to be fine.”
“Yeah, I know; I know,” she professed, continuing up and down the aisle. “It’s just…? Even though I know everything will be fine, I’m still worried.”
“About your mom?”
“Yes! Her, Dad, Terry, Skystar; Auntie Novo…!” Silver rapidly rambled off. “Oh sea kelp! If Auntie Novo does pay us a visit, I don’t know what I’m going to do!”
“I thought you said she was too busy this week?”
“That’s what she said, but she could still get all her work done early,” she fretted, sparing him a panicked frown. “What’ll we do if that happens and she stops by to meet you?”
Gallus hummed thoughtfully before answering, “You’ll introduce us? And then sit back and relax while I wow her with my roguish charm?”
“You are pretty charming,” Silverstream conceded, failing to conceal her smile. “Although, you are far more cute than you are roguish.”
“Guilty as charged.”
“Hee-hee, yeah. Now that I think about it? Auntie Novo probably will like you,” she said optimistically. Silver’s grin drooped again as she muttered, “My mother, on the other talon…?”
After a moment, he sighed determinedly, requesting. “Silverstream? Please come sit back down.”
“No…”
“Yes.”
“No!”
“Yes, Silver! Everything will be fine,” he promised. “You just need to relax a little.”
“It’s a little hard to relax considering where our next stop is,” she mumbled, combing a shaky talon through her mane.
“Fair point. But Mount Aris is still a few hours out; you should spend that time de-stressing.”
“Again! Little hard to do that right now.”
Gallus glanced briefly at their bags before giving Silver a sly smirk. “Well? I know one thing that’ll help you relax.”
“I swear, if you comb your talon through your headcrest…!”
“You’ll what? Blush adorably?” he guessed, waggling his eyebrows.
Although silent at first, Silverstream ultimately sighed and deadpanned, “You know me so well.”
“Yes, I do,” Gallus boasted, extending a wing invitingly. He then patted the seat next to him, saying, “Come on, milady. Come relax with your sweetie.”
Silverstream blushed vividly, but she still trotted back to their seat and sat beside him, feeling his wing drape across her comfortingly. “Okay, this is pretty nice,” Silver murmured as she nestled into his side.
Gallus gave her a quick kiss, asking, “Nicer than pacing back and forth for hours on end?”
“Definitely,” she chirped, kissing him back.
“Heh-heh.” He then withdrew her sketchbook from her bags and passed it to her, suggesting, “Here. Try drawing for a while; it’ll help get your mind off of things.”
“Drawing does sound fun,” Silver agreed, accepting the sketchbook. She spared it all of a glance before placing it aside and giving him a sultry smile. “But you know what sounds even better?”
“Oh? Better than sketching an empty train car?” he said, meeting her smirk with one of his own. “Milady, just what did you have in mind?”
“You know exactly what I have in mind,” she hummed, leaning closer until their beaks were barely an inch apart.
“Making out?”
“Yep.”
His smile widened. “Happy to oblige.”
After letting out one last giggle, Silver eagerly planted her beak against his. A moment later, she felt Gallus place a talon upon her cheek, softly caressing it as he continued embracing her. In response, her wings gave an elated flutter, and she wrapped both them and her talons around him, holding Gallus closer as she put even more fervor into her side of the kiss.
This continued for several minutes until they mutually broke apart, taking the chance to catch their breath.
“I am never going to get tired of this!” Silverstream declared, keeping her talons wrapped firmly around his shoulders. “Never!”
“It would be a shame if you did,” Gallus replied, brushing a loose strand of mane out of her face. “Especially after all the practice we’ve had.”
“Speaking of which? Don’t you dare think we’re done yet.”
“I didn’t think we were.”
“You still need to catch your breath?”
“Uh? Nah, I’m good. You?”
“Ohhh yeah,” Silver confirmed, nodding excitedly. “Now, come on, sweetie, hurry up and kiss me again!”
“Understood, milady,” Gallus said, proceeding to do just that.
***
A few hours later, the Friendship Express whistled one final time, slowing down before ultimately jostling to a stop.
As All Aboard went about announcing their arrival, Gallus peered through the windows and beheld the beautiful beaches of his girlfriend’s childhood home.
He then looked back and smiled at the hippogriff in question currently slumbering in his lap. After giving her another minute, Gallus gently nudged her, whispering, “Silver?”
She didn’t stir.
He nudged her again, saying, “Silverstream, wake up.”
“Mmm, five more minutes,” she groggily pleaded, burying herself deeper into his feathers.
“Don’t get me wrong, I like this too,” Gallus said, blushing faintly. “But the train’s got a schedule. And if we don’t get off soon, you’ll get an extra five hours by way of the return trip.”
“Ughhh!” she groaned, yawning and lifting her head up only to stare directly into his grinning face. Upon realizing what had happened, Silver flushed and whined, “Aww, dang it! I did it again?”
“And you say Yona’s a better pillow than me,” he teased, making her face burn even brighter.
“Yeah, yeah! Laugh it up,” she grumbled, crossing her talons in indignation. While he continued to chuckle heartily, she looked out the window herself and frowned. “So… We’re here.”
“Yes. Yes, we are,” he said, offering her his talon.
Silverstream happily took it, asking, “Are you ready?”
“I am if you are.”
“Well? I’m still a little worried,” Silver confessed, tightly clenching his talon. “But it’s okay. I know everything will be fine,” she said, smiling serenely. “Besides, you’re finally going to meet my family.”
“And we’re all going to get along and live happily ever after?”
“That’s the plan.”
“Sounds like a nice plan,” Gallus noted, giving her talon one more reassuring squeeze before grabbing both of their luggage. “Shall we?”
Silver sneaked him another kiss, exclaiming, “Let’s go!”
The couple then arose from their seats and exited onto the Mount Aris station…
While Gallus wished All Aboard farewell, Silverstream fluttered down onto the beach and inhaled deeply. “Ahhh,” she sighed, staring in awe at the far-off horizon. “Not gonna lie? I missed the smell of the ocean.”
Gallus trotted down the steps and onto the boardwalk, sniffing the air. “It’s certainly different than the smell of Ponyville, I’ll give you that.”
Silver tittered, unfurling her wings and relishing the relaxing breeze that washed over her. “Oh, I almost forgot how wonderful that wind feels,” she whispered contently. “It really is good to be back.”
Gallus merely watched her with a smile.
After spending another minute basking in the salty air, she turned around and flew back to his side, announcing, “Anywho, this is Basalt Beach.” Silverstream then pointed up toward the mountain, adding, “And that’s Mount Aris. Right up at the top will be Hippogriffia.”
“And I’m assuming down that way will be Seaquestria?” he inquired, suppressing a shiver at the sight of the shifting, sapphire waves.
“Mhmm. And I can’t wait to show you there; Seaquestria is sooo beautiful!”
“Not as beautiful as you, surely,” Gallus argued, giving her a warm nuzzle.
She nuzzled him back, saying, “Depends on who you ask. Ask my dad, he’ll say me. Ask my brother, he’ll say Seaquestria.”
“Well, if anyone were to ask me…?” he began sneakily. “I’d tell them no matter how beautiful the ocean is, you’ll always be more heavenly than it could ever hope to be.”
Silver frowned, suspecting, “You’re fishing for a kiss, aren’t you?”
“Maaaybe.”
“Good!” she shouted, immediately grabbing him and pulling into another deep, passionate kiss. Once it was over, Silver released him, explaining, “Because I really wanted another one too.”
“That ‘cause you fell asleep halfway through Round Two?” he joked as his tail gave a short wag.
“It was halfway through Round Two?” Silverstream asked, grimacing in horror. After receiving a nod, she hid her face behind her mane and groaned, “I thought it was after! Sorry, Gallus…”
“Hey, it ain’t the first time, and I wasn’t offended then either,” he comforted, snickering.
“Yeah, well…? You could have woken me up, you know,” she pouted as they began trotting down the boardwalk. “I would have happily given you a do-over.”
“As nice as that would’ve been? I couldn’t. You were just too cute, sleeping there and drooling into my lap,” he reminisced, smirking playfully.
Silver couldn’t help but smile. “You won’t tell Ocellus, right?”
“So she can run her mouth off to our professors again? Peck no.”
“Language, sweetie.”
“Sorry.”
They both chuckled, but Silver’s laughter quickly died out once she saw the creature lying just ahead. “Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me,” she moaned exasperatedly.
Quickly picking up on her distress, Gallus stopped and asked, “Silver? You okay?” He then followed her gaze. “Oh.”
At the end of the boardwalk was a violet-blue hippogriff with an aquamarine mane and tail. He stood tall and proud, donned in golden armor and watching them with a decidedly neutral expression.
“Isn’t that…?”
“General Seaspray,” Silverstream confirmed, approaching him with Gallus following close behind. “I told him not to do this; he better not be doing this…!”
“Ah! Ms. Silverstream, you are here,” Seaspray greeted calmly. He then looked at the griffon behind her and added, “And Mr. Gallus as well, I presume?”
“Yes, it’s us,” she said, stopping within talon’s reach and giving him the angriest scowl she could muster. “Now, General? Mind explaining why you’re here?”
“I am here to escort you and your boyfriend to your father up in Hippogriffia.”
“Okay…? You did say he would be meeting up with us, didn’t you?” Gallus asked Silver.
“I said my dad would be meeting us. Not. Him,” she clarified, returning her irritated gaze to the awkwardly grinning hippogriff. “General, I thought I made my wishes abundantly clear!”
“Y-Yes. You did,” Seaspray conceded, unable to meet her eye.
“But he didn’t listen, did he?”
“Er, no.”
Silverstream face-clawed and let out a long, frustrated sigh.
“Yes, that was pretty much everygriff else’s reaction as well.”
“Okay, I may still be in the dark here,” Gallus acknowledged, placing a soothing talon on her shoulder. “But are you okay, Silverstream?”
“Just— Just get ready to meet my dad,” she replied, massaging her temples. “He’s the one I’ll be yelling at in a minute.”
“…Huh?”
“To put it simply? Her father is being an idiot,” Seaspray deadpanned.
Before he could defend Silver’s father on her behalf, she preemptively assured, “No-no, Gallus, he’s right. My dad’s being an idiot.” After taking another minute to calm her nerves, Silverstream double-checked, “And you’re here to escort us to him, yes?”
“Indeed I am. Shall I take your inquiry to mean you are both ready to proceed?” Seaspray asked, stepping aside to reveal the massive, stone staircase leading toward the peak of Mount Aris.
Gallus raised an eyebrow at the sight, remembering Silver’s proclamations of her home being stair-less, but given how furious she currently was, he wisely chose not to comment on it. Instead, he simply coughed and said, “Yep, I’m ready. Are you, Silver?”
She snatched his talon into hers and pulled him along, growling, “Let’s just hurry up and get this over with.”
“Yes, let’s,” Seaspray agreed, following after them. “I’d very much like to get back to my day.”
“And I would very much like to enjoy spring break with my boyfriend,” Silver responded, her voice rising in pitch. “Without worrying about Dad doing something stupid like this.”
“Seriously, Silverstream, what’s going on?”
“Don’t worry, sweetie. You’re just about to see me be very angry at my father. That’s all.”
“Ooh, Sky Beak’s face is going to be priceless,” Seaspray rejoiced with a smug grin.
At that point, Gallus just gave up and settled for trotting beside his girlfriend, expecting a proper explanation to be given once they reached Hippogriffia.
Soon enough…
“Huh, you guys have an archway too?” Gallus noticed, staring up at the twin hippogriff engravings marking the entrance into the city. “Cool.” He then looked back down and froze in place.
A small army of hippogriffs stood in the center plaza, armored from head to talon and bearing several different weapons. Mostly spears, but a few carried swords or axes as well.
They all immediately fixed their gazes on the trio.
Gulping nervously, Gallus glanced at Silver only to discover she had buried her face into her talons. “I’m assuming this isn’t normal?” he whispered, trying to inject a bit of levity into the situation.
“I. Am going. To murder him,” she quietly snarled, whipping her tail in anger and nearly smacking Seaspray in the process.
As if on cue, a loud shriek echoed through the air, and a bright blue hippogriff with a large, silvery mane descended from above and landed before the army. He then gave Silverstream an ecstatic smile before leveling a harsh glare at Gallus.
Gallus merely raised an eyebrow.
Seaspray then stepped up to the newly arrived hippogriff and whispered something to him, receiving only an eye-roll. He then sighed and joined his place among the group while the leader took a step toward Gallus and Silverstream.
“Greetings,” he began in a cold, commanding tone. “I am Sky Beak, proud Captain of the Aris Guard and its hippogriff forces.”
With Silverstream rather busy trying not to explode, Gallus took it upon himself to give a cordial wave, replying, “Hi. I’m Gallus.”
“Hi, Gallus,” cheered a hippogriff with a pale blue coat and vivid pink mane.
“Stratus!” Sky Beak barked rebukingly.
“Huh? Oh, right! Angry face!” He then frowned as seriously as he could but utterly failed to convey a hint of hostility.
That was all Gallus needed to understand what was going on, and while he struggled to stifle a laugh, Silverstream stepped forward, angrily greeting, “Hello, Dad.”
“Hi, honey,” Sky said, waving happily.
“Hey! Why do you get to say hi, but I don’t?”
“Because she’s my daughter, and I want to. Now, hush!” he ordered Stratus, turning back to the couple. “As I was saying? Hello, Silverstream, how are you doing?”
“I’m angry,” she bluntly answered.
“You are!? Why is that?” he asked, staring intently at Gallus.
Silver held a wing between him and her father, bellowing, “Because my boyfriend and I just got here, and the first thing we see is the Aris Guard pointing spears at us!”
“Technically, we’re holding the spears upward,” countered a female hippogriff. “Your father was adamant we not point them anywhere in your direction.”
The guard nearest her tapped her shoulder and said, “I don’t think that helps.”
“It doesn’t?”
He shook his head.
“Aw, darn. Sorry for not helping, Silverstream.”
“Not your fault, Haven,” Silver assuaged. “Don’t worry.”
“We promise we tried to stop him!” somegriff from the back spoke up.
“He just wouldn’t listen,” yet another hippogriff sighed solemnly.
“AHEM!” Sky roared, earning a begrudging silence from all parties present. He then cleared his throat and said, “Thank you. Now, Silver? That griffon by your side…? Am to assume that’s—”
“Gallus? My boyfriend? Yes. Are you done trying to intimidate him now?”
“‘Intimidate him’!?” he gasped, pretending to be appalled. “I am doing no such thing.”
“Keep telling yourself that, Captain.”
“Quiet!” Sky Beak quickly returned his attention to his daughter, clarifying, “You see, honey? When you said you and your boyfriend were visiting, I simply had to bring everygriff together to give him a warm hippogriff welcome,” he explained innocently.
“This is the ‘warm hippogriff welcome’?” Gallus inquired. “But, Silver, you said there’d be balloons,” he jokingly mewled.
“There was going to be, but—”
“Stratus Skyranger, would you please be quiet!?”
“But, Captain, he asked about the balloons!”
“Yes, I heard him ask about the balloons; you don’t need to explain why they aren’t present.”
“You know, while we’re talking about the balloons,” the female hippogriff from before interjected to the absolute annoyance of Sky Beak. “Why did you have to take ‘em away, Captain?”
“Oh, for goodness’ sake, not you too, Haven Bay!”
“You already made us hide away the fireworks and cancel the parade,” she bemoaned, on the verge of tears as she said it. “The least you could have done was keep the balloons up.”
“Wait! There actually was supposed to be a parade!?” Gallus questioned, gaping at Silver in shock. “I thought you were joking!”
“Hey, we hippogriffs take our parades very seriously,” she boasted. “Don’t we, everygriff!?”
“YEAH!” the army collectively responded, matching her enthusiasm.
“Yeah, we do!” Silverstream affirmed proudly. “Which makes it even worse that you ruined it,” she reprimanded, glaring so strongly that her father nervously backed away.
“I-I didn’t ruin anything,” Sky Beak protested, forcing a nervous smile. “I simply, er, changed a few things up. Given you were visiting with your boyfriend, I figured throwing a parade might be a tad, uh…? Overwhelming?” he ended, hoping Silver would buy it.
She didn’t. If anything, it only made her angrier. Before Silver could make her fury known, however, Seaspray spoke up.
“Oh really? Weren’t you planning to throw a month-long festival to celebrate your daughter’s newfound love until Queen Novo stopped you?”
“Seaspray, that was supposed to be a surprise!”
“Not much of a surprise when Her Majesty specifically forbade you from doing such a thing.”
“Even though we all know he’s gonna do it anyway,” Haven Bay dryly remarked.
“I hope he does,” Stratus added, smiling brightly. “A month-long festival sounds fun.”
“True.”
“Okay, that’s enough!” Sky Beak shouted. “As enjoyable as that tangent was for all of you, I would like to return to the discussion at talon.”
“Sky, there is no discussion being had,” Seaspray refuted. “The only thing happening right now is your attempt to scare away that poor boy blowing up in your face.”
“I am not trying to ‘scare away’ my daughter’s boyfriend.”
“Yes, you are,” Silver accused, acquiring everygriff’s silence. “And I want you to stop it.”
“S-Stop what, honey?”
“Stop this!” she screamed, gesturing to the army behind him. “All of this! I specifically told you not to try any of your crazy intimidation attempts!”
“‘Attempts’?” Gallus echoed, eyes widening. “Plural? You mean this has happened before!?”
“Story for another time, sweetie,” Silver barked over her shoulder.
“Did you just call him ‘sweetie’?” Sky asked, a wide grin tugging at his beak.
“Don’t you change the subject!” she hollered loudly enough to cause some of the nearby guards to fearfully quiver where they stood. “I told you—I practically begged you!—not to try intimidating my boyfriend! And what did you do!?”
“I—”
“What did you do!?” Silverstream screeched over him.
“…I tried intimidating your boyfriend,” he confessed, shying away from her scowl.
“Exactly.”
“B-But you’re my daughter,” Sky Beak weakly countered. “It’s every father’s job to intimidate their daughters’ boyfriends; it’s tradition.”
“A tradition I repeatedly asked you not to uphold.”
“Yes, but—”
“No ‘buts’! D-Do you think this whole thing is a joke!?” she wondered, flaring her wings in outrage. “Because I’m not laughing; I’m furious!”
Gallus trotted up to Silver as her father squeaked out, “I-I-I can see that.”
“Oh, you can see it, can you!?” she shrieked, grateful for the gentle wing her boyfriend laid across her back. “Only after trying to screw with me and Gallus!”
“I didn’t mean to—”
“I know exactly what you meant to do!” Silverstream interrupted once again. “But all you did was ruin the parade, take everygriff away from their days, and make me reconsider coming here in the first place!” she rebuked, panting heavily from her outburst.
Nogriff said a word, so Silver concluded, “And all because you wanted to intimidate my boyfriend. I can’t— I don’t— I don’t even have the words to describe just how angry I am with you.”
“Hey, hey, hey!” Gallus interjected. “Easy, Silverstream… Take a moment and catch your breath, okay?” he cooed, rubbing her back soothingly.
Silver did indeed take the chance to calm down, wiping her eyes as she did so. Once she had steadied her breathing, she gave her father one last glare and growled, “You know? I expected something like this from Mom. Not you.”
And with that, Sky Beak hung his head in defeat, fixing his gaze on the ground as he anxiously shuffled from talon-to-talon.
“I-I’m so sorry, Gallus,” Silverstream apologized. “I didn’t think he would actually do something like this; I really didn’t.”
“You don’t need to apologize, Silver. It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not okay,” she argued in a far softer voice than the one she had been using previously. “It’s not okay he tried intimidating you. Especially when I asked him not to.”
“No, really. It’s okay, Silver,” Gallus mollified, giving her a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, I’m not intimidated. Promise.”
“You’re not!?” Sky Beak squawked, looking back up and at Gallus.
Before Silver could start lambasting her father once more, Gallus gave her a wink and said, “You just sit tight and relax. I’ve got this.”
Not wanting to give her even a second to protest, Gallus stepped up to Sky Beak and calmly began, “My apologies, Mr. Sky Beak, but no. I am not intimidated. Frankly? I’m more impressed.” He then gestured to the army and exclaimed, “I mean, just look at that armor! Wow, is it cool!”
“Aww, thank you, Mr. Gallus,” Haven Bay said, blushing. “You’re too kind.”
“Oh please! Anycreature could tell you guys have the coolest armor designs ever,” he praised, much to everygriff’s joy. “Seriously, Equestria’s doesn’t even come close.”
Gallus took a second to look back at Silver and found her struggling to hold back a smile. He then smiled himself and continued, “I do have one question though, if I may? Do you guys have two sets of armor: One for your hippogriff form and one for your seapony form? Or is it enchanted to switch when you all do?”
“It’s both actually,” Stratus answered, thrilled to hear somegriff be so interested in the topic. “You see? When we learned we could return to the surface—”
“Stop! Just hold on for one moment please,” Sky Beak interrupted, instantly souring the mood again. “You really aren’t intimidated?” he asked Gallus, nonplussed.
“No, sir.”
“But— But I—” he stuttered, glancing at his soldiers only to meet a sea of smug glares. Sky Beak then turned back to Gallus and whimpered, “Not even a little?”
“Oh, how do I put this lightly?” Gallus asked himself, flicking his tail in concentration. “Sir? I grew up in Griffonstone before the Restoration Project made its rounds. And this?” He pointed to Sky’s assembled forces. “This isn’t even as bad as an average Tuesday used to be.”
…
…
…
“Well, that’s dark!” somegriff in the crowd screamed, breaking the silence and sending everygriff into a flurry of panicked mumbling.
“What did he mean by that!?”
“How can a Tuesday be considered ‘bad’!? Tuesdays are the best!”
“Oh sea kelp, the implications!”
“Haven Bay, watch your language!”
“No, this time it’s appropriate!” the cream colored hippogriff shrieked. “If this isn’t as bad as an average Tuesday,” she explained, indicating herself and her fellow Guards. “Imagine what the average Thursday must have been like!”
The entire crowd gasped in shock, and even Sky Beak looked horrified. Confused by this, Gallus stepped back to Silverstream’s side and raised an eyebrow questioningly, receiving only a sly grin in return.
“I didn’t even think about that!”
“The horror! The horror!”
“Oh, Gallus, you poor dear!” Stratus Skyranger shouted, barreling toward Gallus and scooping the befuddled griffon’s talons into his own. “You must have been through such an ordeal!”
“Uhhh?”
“Tell me! How can we help you feel better?” he asked, looking Gallus over in genuine worry. “Do you need a hug? Milk and cookies? A stress ball?” He then gasped and suggested, “W-What about counseling? We have at least three therapists here in Hippogriffia and five more in Seaquestria, all of whom would be more than willing to visit the surface to talk to you.”
Having no clue what was going on, much less how to respond, Gallus settled for saying, “No— No thanks. I get plenty of counseling back home. Thank you for asking though.”
“Oh, thank goodness,” Stratus said, clutching his chest and breathing a sigh of relief. “But you don’t need to thank me, Mr. Gallus. What’s important is that you’re okay.”
Gallus blinked, struggling to comprehend how a random hippogriff he didn’t know could so readily care about his well-being. Ultimately, he decided he didn’t need to figure it out and said, “Yes, well? Thank you again. It was… Really nice of you to ask,” he ended, smiling.
Stratus smiled back, praising, “Aww, you’re so sweet.” He then turned to Silverstream and whispered, “I think you’ve got a real keeper on your talons, Silver.”
“I know,” she assured, giving Gallus a quick kiss to the cheek.
Gallus tittered and kissed her back, eliciting a collective, “D’AWWW!” from the crowd.
“Not to ruin that absolutely adorable moment, but…?” muttered another hippogriff from the back. “Can we talk about the fact he does need counseling?”
“At least he said it was how Tuesdays in Griffonstone used to be,” Haven noted. “Implying they’re not so bad anymore…?” she trailed off, looking at Gallus.
“Yeah, no worries. Griffonstone is way better now,” he confirmed, giving them a talons-up.
“That’s relieving to know. I was planning to visit that place this summer.”
“Ooh! I hear their scones are simply divine.”
“I know. That’s why I was considering going.”
“Speaking of considering things,” another female hippogriff spoke up. “I’ve been trying to convince my hubby to let our chicks attend Princess Twilight’s school for months now, so I’m very glad to hear it has on-site counseling.”
“You didn’t already know?” Stratus questioned, raising an eyebrow. “It was on the brochures.”
“‘Brochures’? What brochures?”
“You didn’t get the brochures for the Friendship School!? Oh, this simply cannot stand!” Haven Bay decreed, stamping a talon down. “You bring your family over to our house, and we’ll treat you all to dinner. Afterward, I’ll give you our copy of the brochure.”
“That’s so nice of you, Haven,” she sang, smiling gratefully. She then shook her head, and protested, “But I refuse to take your brochure if it means you go without one.”
“Oh, you don’t have to worry about that,” she scoffed dismissively. “We have ten of them.”
“‘Ten’!?” Seaspray echoed, shocked. “Why do you have so many?”
“The, uh, the little puzzles on the back of them are really fun to do,” Haven laughed shyly. “And I just… Couldn’t help myself.”
“Ah, I see. Say? Did you solve the crossword one? I’ve been stuck on that for months now,” he lamented.
“Forty-two down?”
“Yes, how’d you know?”
“Because I can’t solve that one either.”
“Curses! That’s the last one I needed to solve too, and it’s been driving me crazy.”
“Wait,” Sky Beak spoke up, drawing their attention. “You two are stuck on that one?”
“Yeah, why? Don’t tell me you solved it!” Seaspray squawked, both astonished and perturbed.
“I did actually. The answer was ‘friendship.’”
Both hippogriffs face-clawed.
“We should have known,” Haven Bay groaned.
“But it just seemed too obvious to be the right answer.”
Sky puffed his chest pompously, declaring, “Well, in most cases, the obvious answer tends to be the right one.”
“You mean, like…?” Haven Bay began, smirking.
“Listening to your daughter?” Stratus continued, stifling a giggle.
“And not trying to intimidate her boyfriend like a monumental fool?” Seaspray ended, causing Sky to wilt regretfully. “Speaking of which?” He cleared his throat. “Alright, everygriff, like we practiced!”
“Oh, please don’t,” Sky begged, wishing his armor could hide his blush.
“WE TOLD YOU SO, SKY BEAK!” the hippogriffs all recited, laughing joyfully afterward.
“Yes, I know; you don’t have to rub it in. My daughter’s already done that for you…” he whined.
“And is about to do it even more,” Silver swore, approaching him. She then spared the others an apologetic glance and proclaimed, “Alright, everygriff, show’s over. Sorry about all of this.”
“Oh, don’t worry, Silverstream,” somegriff from the front said. “It was actually kinda fun.”
“Yeah, it sure beat sitting around home and doing nothing all day,” his companion agreed.
“Speak for yourselves! I was supposed to be helping my sister repaint her ceiling an hour ago.”
The two hippogriffs shared an eager smile. “Hey, you want any help with that?” one of them asked. “We didn’t have anything to do today.”
“Are you sure?”
“Absolutely,” the other assured. “C’mon, it’ll be fun.”
“Well, alright. Thank you.”
“No worries, let’s go.”
Once the crowd dispersed, Silver focused her attention on her nervously chuckling father.
“H-Hi…?”
“Hey, sweetie?” Silver said, shooting Gallus a look. “Give us a minute.”
“No problem.”
“Thanks.” She then dragged Sky further away and launched into another, quieter tirade.
While he waited for her to finish up, Gallus looked around and took in the lively sights of Hippogriffia.
Light shone through the dense, rustling leaves above and cast dancing shadows upon the myriad of cobblestone walkways that weaved between the trees.
Although there were no balloons thanks to Sky Beak, many resplendent ribbons and banners were still hung along almost every available surface, swaying gently in the warm breeze.
The hippogriffs had wasted no time in taking off their armor, but many of them still roamed around, merrily chatting away without a care in the world.
All-in-all, it was a positively gorgeous city that teemed with life and radiated a sense of warmth, love, and serenity.
“Heh. How did Silverstream ever leave this place?” Gallus wondered aloud, itching to explore even further into the forest haven. “This beats out Ponyville by a mile.”
“Auntie Novo will be glad to hear you think that,” said a voice from behind him.
Though initially startled, Gallus turned around and instantly recognized the sandy white coat and bright cyan mane of Silverstream’s brother.
“Hiya, Terramar,” he greeted, offering a talon. “How’ve you been?”
“Good,” he said, shaking his talon. Terramar then looked him over and complimented, “You look great.”
“Thanks, I feel great.”
“Good to hear. Been keeping healthy?”
“You know it.”
“Probably all that beet soup, right?”
“Silver told ya?”
“She tells me everything.”
“Oh, I certainly hope not.”
“…Actually? Yeah, I really hope not too.”
They both shared a small laugh.
“Geez, how long has it been?” Terramar inquired.
“Since Canterlot, I think?” Gallus supposed, vaguely remembering seeing him there.
“Right! Your play. Heh-heh, that was a nice night,” he chortled fondly. “Although, I do wish those reporters hadn’t swarmed you all.”
“You and me both. I don’t…do so well in cluttered spaces,” he timidly confessed.
“Yeah, and my dad and I both wanted to spend more time with my sister,” Terramar lamented. “Oh well. I guess I can’t be too mad; you guys deserved all the glamour after that performance.”
“We were pretty cool, weren’t we?” Gallus bragged, arrogantly rubbing his chest with a talon.
“Yes, you were.” After a moment’s hesitation, Terramar candidly acknowledged, “So! You’re dating my sister.”
“Eeyup.”
“Cool.” Terramar hesitated all of a second before asking, “What’s her favorite food?”
“Apple-broccoli salad, topped with shredded cheese and croutons,” Gallus promptly answered.
“Dessert?”
“Vanilla-chocolate ice cream float.”
“Favorite song?”
“Ohhh, come now, Terramar; we both know she has over a hundred songs she considers her favorite,” he countered with a knowing grin.
“And you know them all?”
“By heart.”
“Good. What about her favorite color?” he probed, smirking.
“Another trick question. Silverstream doesn’t have a favorite color; she loves all colors equally,” Gallus explained, much to Terramar’s satisfaction. “Did I pass the quiz, Professor?”
He nodded. “With flying colors.”
“Oh, you did that on purpose,” Gallus grumbled, laughing nonetheless.
“Yes, I did,” Terramar admitted, unabashed.
“Heh-heh-heh. It really is good to see you again, Terry.”
“Good to see you too, ‘milord,’” he replied with a bow.
“Silver told you about that too, huh?”
“Like I said, she tells me practically everything. Even if I sometimes don’t want to hear it.”
“Oh no,” Gallus muttered, panicking. “Please tell me she didn’t tell you about the neck thing!”
“Huh? What neck thing?”
That moment, a pair of familiar hippogriffs trotted up to them, so Gallus quickly seized the chance to avoid elaborating. “Hey, Silverstream,” he said, closing the distance and giving her a hug she happily reciprocated. “You okay?”
“Yep. You?”
“Fine and dandy.”
“Good to hear. Terramar,” Silver acknowledged, giving him a short nod. “Good job with stopping Dad from being an idiot.”
“Auntie Novo couldn’t even stop him; did you really think I could?”
“I guess not,” she conceded, letting go of Gallus in order to hug her brother. “It’s so nice to see you again, Terry.”
“Nice to see you too, Sis,” he said, hugging her tightly. “You hanging in there?”
“Yeah, I’ve got almost all of the yelling out of my system,” she said, releasing Terramar and turning to her father. “On that note? Daddy? Don’t you have something you want to say to Gallus?”
“Ahem, yes! Yes, I do,” Sky Beak said, addressing Gallus despite not quite meeting his eye. “Mr. Gallus? I am so terribly sorry for everything I did! Doing away with the parade… Assembling the Aris Guard… All of it. I deeply apologize for my actions, and I do hope you can forgive me.”
Gallus thought for a second then smirked. “I don’t know, Mr. Sky Beak. Silverstream seemed pretty miffed about everything… You apologized to her too, right?”
“Yes, he did,” Silver impatiently answered for him. “Now, would you hurry up and forgive him already!”
“I don’t know if I can, Silverstream,” he melodramatically moped, savoring her subsequent face-claw. “My feelings are pretty hurt after that whole ordeal.”
“You mean you don’t forgive me!?” Sky Beak panicked. “I swear, I really am sorry! I-I was even going to bake some apology cakes when we got back home! Please, Mr. Gallus, tell me what I can do to make it up to you!?” he fretfully pleaded.
“No, Daddy, he forgives you. Gallus is just being a pain about it,” Silverstream clarified.
Gallus chuckled and apologized, “I— I’m sorry, Mr. Sky Beak; I couldn’t resist. Don’t worry, I forgive you.”
“You do?” Sky Beak asked, holding his breath in anticipation.
“Yes, sir. I do,” he confirmed. “Well? So long as you let me help you bake those apology cakes, anyway.”
Sky blinked. He then turned to his daughter and stated, “I like him.”
“I told you you would. … Now, come here!”
Silverstream then lunged forward, but Sky Beak saw her pounce coming a mile away and swiftly caught his daughter in a gleeful hug. “Oh, Silverstream, I missed you so much!” he giggled happily.
“I missed you too, Daddy!” Silver sang, wrapping both her talons and wings around him and attempting to squeeze the life out of him. “I’m so happy to be back.”
The two continued hugging for a moment until Sky eventually let her go. “I see you’ve been keeping well,” he commented, relieved.
“Yep, I’ve been eating all my fruits and veggies,” she bragged.
“I thought as much. After all, it seems you’ve grown taller since the last time I saw you.”
“Daddy, I’m the same height as the last time you saw me.”
“Nonsense, nonsense! I am positive you’ve grown a full millimeter taller,” he asserted proudly. “I won’t hear anything to the contrary.”
“Aww, thanks, Daddy. You’re so sweet.”
“I do try.” Sky Beak then turned to the boys, wondering, “Now, honey, aren’t you going to introduce me to your boyfriend?”
“Depends. You done messing with him?”
“For now.”
“Daddy…”
“Don’t worry, I’m only joking. … Mostly.”
Rolling her eyes, Silver stepped forward, draped a wing around Gallus, and pushed him up to her father. “Anywho? Daddy, I’d like you to meet my boyfriend: Gallus.”
Gallus extended a talon, greeting, “It’s a pleasure to meet you properly, Mr. Sky Beak sir.”
“I assure you the pleasure is mine,” Sky Beak said, smiling as he shook his talon. “Although, I-I really must apologize again for that whole debacle. Please don’t let my, er, ‘stunt’ color your perceptions of Hippogriffia or Mount Aris as a whole.”
“No worries, Mr. Sky Beak. I already forgave you. But I was serious about baking those apologies cakes with you, sir,” Gallus added, glad to see Sky Beak’s grin widen.
“Oh, not to worry, Mr. Gallus. I was serious about baking them too,” Sky Beak whispered, winking. “In any case, you’re the griffon who’s stolen my daughter’s heart, eh?”
“I wouldn’t say ‘stolen,’” he protested. Gallus shrugged and suggested, “I think ‘charmed’ or ‘earned’ would probably be better.”
“Annnd! Three,” Terramar began counting down.
“Two,” Silver joined in.
“One,” they both said, snapping their talons in unison.
“AH-HAHAHAHAHAHHH!” Sky Beak roared jubilantly, swiftly swooping a very confused Gallus into a bone-crushing hug. “I’ve only known you for five minutes, and I already love you with every fiber of my being!” he screeched for all of Mount Aris to hear.
“W-What’s going on?” Gallus asked Silverstream, terrified.
“What’s going on is that you and I are going to have so much fun together!” Sky rejoiced, giving Gallus a smile not even Pinkie Pie could hope to match. “Not just with baking those apology cakes but with everything! We can explore the Harmonizing Heights, or we can go fishing, or—” He gasped before excitedly exclaiming, “We can have a father-daughter’s boyfriend crochet competition!”
“Ooh, that sounds fun,” agreed a nearby hippogriff.
“Can I get in on that too?”
“Oh, you can’t possibly have a crochet contest without me!”
“Yes! We’ll all have a crochet competition!” Sky Beak announced loudly. “In fact, we’ll throw you a parade even grander than the one I canceled! Who’s with me!?”
Various celebratory cheers and whoops were sung across the plaza.
“Yay! Thank you, Daddy,” Silver cheered, hopping happily. “Your parades are always the best.”
“Of course! Why wouldn’t I throw a parade for your sweetie?” Sky Beak then looked back at Gallus and shook him slightly. “Because that’s what you are. She called you ‘sweetie’! You’re my daughter’s sweetie! MY DAUGHTER HAS A SWEETIE!” he celebrated, hugging Gallus once more.
Blinking in shock, Gallus glanced at Silver and dryly questioned, “So this is what it’s like to be doted on by a loving father, huh?” While Silverstream giggled at the joke, he hugged Sky Beak back and said, “Heh. Feels kinda nice.”
“Oh-ho-ho! Mr. Gallus…” Sky laughed, pulling away again. “Putting aside the implications of what you just said? I have not even begun to dote on you,” he assured, a maddened twinkle in his eye.
“…Silver!? Help! I’m scared!” Gallus yelped, completely serious.
“Ooh! I can give you another hug to make you feel better!”
Silverstream instantly pounced Gallus and dragged him away from her father, snapping, “No! Gallus is my snuggle-bird! Mine!”
“Now, Silver, I taught you to share.”
“No!”
“Aww, but he’s so fluffy and huggable,” Sky Beak pouted, beak quivering.
“Mine!” Silver growled, nuzzling Gallus aggressively.
“Okay, this backfired,” the griffon in question realized far too late. “Terramar? Terramar, help!”
“Uh, guys?”
Silverstream and Sky Beak both glowered at him.
“…Yeah, no. Sorry, dude, you’re on your own,” Terrmar said, running away.
“No, Terry, please! Help!” Gallus begged, trying and failing to escape his girlfriend’s clutches. “Help!”
“Ohhh, Gallus?” Silver cooed, giving him a sinister smile. “Don’t you worry. You’re all mine.”
“Or more accurately? All ours,” Sky Beak corrected with an equally devious smirk.
Seeing no way out of this, Gallus gulped and prayed for mercy.
***
At long last, the sun dipped below the horizon and granted dominion of the sky to its silvery sibling. And while many hippogriffs remained outside, setting up for the next parade, just as many others had returned to their abodes to rest for the coming days and reunite with their families.
One such trio barged through the door to one of the larger homes and entered its confines with a collective sigh of relief.
Without so much as glancing up from his book, Terramar asked, “You all have fun?”
“Oh my gosh! We had so much fun,” Silverstream laughed, giving him a quick hug. “We went to the Harmonizing Heights, participated in a screeching contest, and capped it all off with a trip to the hot springs,” she recounted, plopping onto the living room sofa.
“You should have seen Gallus, Terramar,” Sky Beak said, closing the door behind them. “His first screeching contest, and he managed to out-screech Seaspray. Not even your Auntie Novo can do that!” he exclaimed, impressed.
“Speaking of which? Is your throat feeling any better, sweetie?” Silver asked, patting the cushion beside her invitingly.
Gallus accepted the invitation, answering in a slightly raspy voice, “A lot better than it was earlier. And I can actually hear again, so that’s a plus,” he added jokingly.
Silver giggled. “Good. Because I want you to hear me every time I say I love you,” she whispered, nuzzling him happily.
“Careful there, Silver,” Gallus warned, nuzzling her back. “You might just out-sweet me yet if you keep coming up with lines that adorable.”
“I’ll take that as a source of encouragement.”
“As will I.”
As the couple laughed and nuzzled once more, Sky Beak and Terramar watched on with expressions of mirth and revulsion respectively.
“Whelp!” Sky eventually spoke up. “You all sit there and relax. In the meantime, I’ll go put on some dinner,” he said, trotting to the kitchen.
“Table is set, potatoes are peeled, and the seaweed loaf is in the oven,” Terramar listed off, returning to his book. “I wasn’t sure if Gallus ate fish, so I left that in the freezer.”
“Oh, Terramar, I love you,” Sky sighed, blowing his son a kiss. “Thank you, honey.”
“No problem, Dad.”
Once Sky had left, Silver gave Gallus a playful nudge. “Sooo? What’d ya think of Mount Aris so far?”
Gallus clicked his beak and answered, “I think… That sooner or later there’s gonna be a pretty significant height difference between us.”
“Heh-heh. I, uh, guess we hippogriffs are pretty tall.”
“‘Pretty tall’? Not counting her horn, you’re all as tall as Princess Celestia.”
“True.” She then smirked and inquired, “That’s not gonna be a problem, is it?”
“Nope. I already look up to you metaphorically, so I might as well look up to you physically too.”
“You look up to me?” Silverstream gasped, grinning. “How so?”
“Hey, do you think I was born this adorable? Please!” Gallus booped her beak and divulged, “I learned from the best.”
“Would you two just get a room?” Terramar requested bluntly.
“We are in a room,” Silver shot back.
“Get a different one; I was here first.”
Sighing, Silverstream looked back at Gallus and grumbled, “Don’t mind him. He’s just upset he didn’t get invited to the hot springs too. Jokes aside,” she continued softly. “You do like it here, right?”
“Silver, I want to move here,” Gallus proclaimed, drawing out a light giggle. “You laugh, but I’m serious. If you guys had shown me a bank, I probably would have gone in and asked what the mortgage rates were,” he added, succeeding only in making her laugh harder.
“Through the roof,” Terramar stated, turning to the next page of his book.
“No, they’re not,” Silver protested.
“Have you ever once looked at a mortgage bill?”
“No. Have you?”
“…Shut up.”
“Siblings,” she groaned, shaking her head. “So lovable, but so annoying too.”
“You shouldn’t talk about yourself that way, Sis. It ain’t healthy.”
“Good thing I wasn’t talking about myself then. I was talking about you.”
“You couldn’t have been; I don’t have an annoying bone in my body.”
“Keep telling yourself that, Terry. Keep telling yourself that.”
“Thank you. I will,” he promised, grinning victoriously.
Silverstream rolled her eyes at her brother’s antics, and Gallus suddenly found himself regretting being an only child. Mercifully, he was taken from his musings once more when Silver snuggled up to him and acknowledged, “You know, we still have some time before Daddy finishes dinner.” She toyed with her mane a bit, concluding, “Did you want to have some fun until then?”
“Oh sea kelp!” Terramar gagged, looking genuinely repulsed. “Please! No!”
“You know, you can go to another room if we’re bothering you,” Silver retorted hotly, not noticing her boyfriend wince at her brother’s words.
“And you can go to another room and spare me the agony of hearing you two lock beaks.”
“Aww, are you jealous, Terry?”
“Jealous? No. Disgusted? Thoroughly!”
“Blame Dad then,” she deflected. “I wanted to join Gallus in the hot springs and make out with him then, but—”
“Ew! Ew! I don’t need to know this!” he shrieked, hugging himself protectively with his wings.
“It’s okay, Terramar. You’ll understand when you find your own special somecreature,” Silver teased, returning her attention to Gallus. “C’mon, Gallus, let’s have some fun.”
Gallus nervously shuffled back, but his girlfriend simply closed the distance. “Y-You sure, Silver? I mean, your brother is right there,” he said, nodding at the extremely distraught Terramar.
“He doesn’t mind,” she assured, leaning against his chest and smiling expectantly. “He can close his eyes if he wants. Or go to another room?” she proposed pointedly.
“Or push the couch over and ruin the moment?” Terramar mumbled, yelping when Silverstream threw a pillow at him. “Hey!”
“Like I said, he doesn’t mind,” Silver repeated, either ignoring her boyfriend’s uneasy grimace or utterly oblivious to it. “Go ahead and kiss me, sweetie.”
“Okay,” Gallus said, sparing Terramar an apologetic glance before fulfilling her request.
Their kiss lasted all of five seconds before Sky Beak’s voice called out, “Silverstream? Honey, could you come in here for a moment?”
Silver pulled away with an infuriated huff. “What do you want, Dad!?” she called out, glaring at her snickering brother.
“I need your advice on something.”
“Can’t this wait? I’m trying to make out with my boyfriend in here!”
Sky Beak fell silent, but after a short round of clattering, he skidded into the living room and held a camera up to the couple, encouraging, “Go on, you two. Don’t mind me.”
“Daddy!” she squealed while Terramar keeled over in laughter. “You are not taking pictures of me and Gallus kissing!”
“But he’s your sweetie.”
“Yes, but I don’t want you taking pictures! It’s weird!”
“And making out with him in front of me wasn’t!?”
“Shut up, Terramar!”
“Honey, be nice to your brother.”
“I’m always nice to him,” she argued. “Why don’t you be nice to me and put away the camera? Why would you even want to record me and my boyfriend kissing?”
“Because you two kissing is a moment entirely deserving of memorializing,” he answered as if it were obvious.
Presuming this would take a while like it did for griffons, Gallus tried to escape Silver’s grasp and wait out the fighting in another room. To his surprise, however, said fighting ended with Silver conceding, “Okay, that’s a fair point.”
“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me,” Terramar whined, face-clawing.
“Don’t be so dramatic, Terry; I plan to do the same thing when you get your own sweetie.”
“Dad!”
“Whaaat?” he asked innocently.
“Let’s just move this along,” Silver interjected, pulling Gallus back into kissing distance. “You get one picture, Dad. One.”
“Three. One for me, one of your mother, and one for you,” he preemptively elaborated.
“Okay, fine. Three. But that’s all you get.”
“Understood.”
Before Gallus could even finish processing what was going on, Silverstream pulled him into another kiss, and he smiled, reciprocating instantly.
After Sky took the three pictures, Silver pulled away again, deadpanning, “There. Happy now, Dad?”
“Most definitely,” he said, smiling tearfully at the photos.
“Sooo? Does that mean I can go back to kissing my boyfriend now?”
Chuckling awkwardly, Sky murmured, “Well, er? Before you do that? I really would like your help with something in the kitchen.”
“Ughhh!” she groaned, giving Gallus an apologetic frown. “Hold on, sweetie, I’m sure this won’t take long. Right, Dad?”
“Nope. Not long at all.”
“Don’t worry, Silverstream, I’ll be fine,” Gallus assured.
“I know.” She sneaked in one more kiss to his cheek, vowing, “Be right back.”
“See ya.” After she and her father had bounded into the kitchen, he reclined into the sofa, letting out a quiet, relieved sigh. “Sorry about that,” he apologized to Terramar.
“No worries,” he replied, returning to his book.
After some time, Gallus anxiously muttered, “Hey, Terramar?”
“Mhmm?”
“Are… A-Are you okay with me dating your sister?”
“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?” Terrmar questioned, not bothering to look up.
“Well, you didn’t seem comfortable with us kissing, so…?” he trailed off, twiddling his talons.
“That’s because I don’t want to see my sister snog someone for ten minutes straight,” he explained neutrally. “Or an hour if she decided to go to Round Two,” he added with a smirk.
Gallus face-clawed, flushing magnificently.
Terramar snorted and continued, “Why does it even matter to you if I’m okay with you dating Silver? Shouldn’t you be more concerned if she’s okay with dating you?”
“No,” Gallus argued, raising an eyebrow. “You’re her brother. A-And your important to her, so I… I want to know if you’re okay with us being together.”
“…Alright then.” Terramar put his book down and gave Gallus a cold stare, inquiring, “Is my sister happy with you?”
“Yes.”
“And are you happy with her?”
“Definitely.”
“And you love each other?”
“Absolutely!”
“Then there you go,” Terramar said, shrugging nonchalantly. “What? Were you expecting me to grill you on how to be a good boyfriend? Sorry, dude, I don’t know how romance works.”
“So, you are okay with us?” he asked hopefully.
“As long as my sister’s happy. And she definitely looked happy to me.”
“…Thanks, Terramar,” Gallus said, feeling an enormous surge of relief.
“Don’t thank me. Thank my sister for choosing your sorry hide,” Terramar joked.
“Hey, at least she’s got good taste.”
“True.”
They both snickered before falling into a comfortable silence.
Nearly half an hour had passed and not once did Silverstream ever return from the kitchen. Thankfully, before Gallus could get worried, she announced, “Gallus? Terramar? You might want to wash up soon; dinner’s almost ready.”
“On it,” Terramar replied, standing up. “C’mon, ‘milord,’ I’ll show you where the bathroom is.”
Gallus rolled his eyes and followed suite.
After cleaning up, the two then entered the exquisite kitchen to find Sky Beak at the sink, washing up as well, while Silverstream set down everygriff’s plates and drinks.
“Hey, Silver,” Gallus greeted, giving her a happy nuzzle once she was done. “You okay?”
“Yep,” she chirped, returning the nuzzle. “Sorry about not coming back earlier. I got distracted helping Dad with…something,” Silver emphasized conspiratorially. Her grin then became decidedly more mischievous as she swore, “I promise to make it up to you later though.”
“Oh, barf,” Terramar grumbled as he sat down.
They both spared him an annoyed glance, but Gallus soon assuaged, “No problem, Silver. I’m just glad you and your dad were having fun.”
“Oh, we were,” she said, pulling out both of their chairs. Once he had sat down beside her, Silver asked, “Alright, Daddy, wanna show Gallus what we did?”
“One moment,” Sky requested, drying his talons. He then grabbed a large bowl off of the stove and set it down in front of Gallus. “Now, I know Terramar already spoiled we were having potatoes and seaweed loaf, buuut! Silverstream also mentioned you had a certain hankering for these.”
“A-Are those…?” Gallus stuttered, eyes widening in shock.
“Cheddar-stuffed celery sticks!” Silver excitedly exclaimed. “Your favorite.”
Gallus just hid his face in his talons.
“So that’s why there was so much celery in the fridge,” Terramar remarked, looking at the item.
“Indeed,” Sky began, taking his place at the table. “Silver told me how much you loved them, so when I learned you were visiting, I simply had to find out how to make them.”
“Best dad ever,” Silver boasted. “Am I right, Gallus?”
“I— You— You didn’t have to do that, Mr. Sky Beak,” Gallus protested, grinning despite his embarrassed blush.
“Nonsense, Gallus dear. You are our guest and my daughter’s sweetie,” he bragged teasingly. “It is only right I try to spoil you as best I can.” After letting out a giggle, Sky added, “Plus? It’s not about whether I ‘had’ to make them. I wanted to.”
“You…wanted…to?” Gallus echoed, feeling his wings droop slightly as a strange warmth spread throughout his chest. “R-Really?”
“Really,” Sky Beak confirmed, smiling kindly.
“Our dad’s nice like that,” Terramar whispered smugly.
“Are you okay, Gallus?” Silverstream asked, noticing his eyes were glistening.
“Heh-heh,” Gallus chuckled, blinking his eyes dry. He then gave Silver a serene smile, saying, “Yeah, I am. I mean? Why wouldn’t I be? I’m having dinner with my beautiful girlfriend,” he said, planting a soft smooch upon her reddening cheek. “And her awesome family. … Thanks, Mr. Sky Beak,” Gallus ended gratefully.
“You’re welcome, Gallus dear,” Sky said, winking. “Now, if we’re all ready? Let’s dig in!”
***
“Goodnight, guys,” Terramar yawned, disappearing behind his bedroom door.
“Goodnight,” both Gallus and Sky replied.
“Goodnight, Terry,” Silver sang, skipping along beside her boyfriend and father.
“Seriously, thank you again for letting me stay here, Mr. Sky Beak,” Gallus said as they marched up to the next floor. “I really appreciate it.”
“Goodness, Gallus! You have thanked me no less than five times in the past ten minutes alone,” Sky said with a hint of pride in his tone.
“I just really want to make my thanks known.”
“No worries, dear, I understand. And once again: You’re welcome. Oh? And do please call me ‘Sky,’” he requested. “You’ve more than charmed me enough to warrant it.”
“Absolutely not!” Gallus protested, shaking his head emphatically. “‘Mr. Sky Beak’ is far more respectful,” he asserted adamantly.
“Silverstream, is he determined to make everything he says sound as sweet as possible?” Sky wondered as the group climbed yet another flight of stairs.
“Uh-huh! It’s yet another thing I love about him,” Silver blissfully extolled, happy to see her boyfriend blush in response.
Sky Beak smiled even more upon hearing her words.
One final flight of stairs later, the group reached the last door of the hallway. “And here we are,” Sky announced, opening it with nary a creak. “Gallus dear, this will be your room while you’re here.”
Gallus trotted in and dropped his bags on the floor, gazing around appreciatively at the huge amount of space he had. Silver, meanwhile, glared at her father and deadpanned, “You gave him the attic?”
“I gave him the whole attic,” Sky specified as if it actually meant anything. “Been meaning to clean up in here anyway, and your boyfriend visiting was the perfect excuse to do so.” He then leaned closer to Gallus and whispered, “Also, Silver and Terramar both told me you weren’t so fond of tight spaces, so I figured it would be appropriate to give you the biggest room in the house.”
After fighting back the urge to hug Sky Beak, Gallus grinned at Silverstream and agreed, “Yep! Definitely ‘Best dad ever’!”
“Don’t be too thankful, Gallus,” Silver responded coolly. “I’m pretty sure you’re only up here because my room’s on the ground floor.”
Sky looked away, whistling innocently.
“Wait? ‘Ground floor’?”
“Mhmm.”
“So that means our rooms aren’t connected then?” he realized, his headcrest drooping.
“Nope.”
“But if our rooms aren’t connected…” Gallus mumbled, giving Sky Beak a worried look. “How am I supposed to knock and wish her goodnight through the wall?”
Sky Beak rounded on his daughter and squealed, “I love him! I love him so much!”
Silverstream giggled, trotting over to Gallus. “That makes two of us,” she said, giving her boyfriend a happy smile. “Thank you for coming to Mount Aris with me, Gallus.”
“Thank you for inviting me,” he replied. “So, no goodnight knocking, unfortunately…”
“Yeah. But at least we’ll always have our goodnight kiss,” Silver rejoiced, waggling her eyebrows expectantly. “Right, sweetie?”
Gallus shot Sky Beak a nervous glance and found he seemed intently focused on studying the attic door. He then looked back at Silverstream and eagerly kissed her.
She kissed him back, wrapping her talons around him and pulling him into a closer embrace. This went on for a while until Gallus lifted his talon and gently held her cheek; however, as soon as he did so, Sky Beak let out a loud, disruptive cough.
Gallus and Silver broke apart with a mutual sigh.
“Silverstream?”
“Yes, Gallus?”
“I think your dad might want us to stop kissing and go to bed.”
“Yeah, I noticed,” she moaned, flicking her tail irritably. “But I don’t want to stop kissing you.”
“Hey, I know I’m a great kisser,” he bragged, smiling when she immediately nodded in agreement. “But we have had a long day. And we wouldn’t want you falling asleep mid-kiss, would we?” Gallus teased.
“No,” Silver mumbled, blushing faintly. “But kissing you is so nice though…”
“So is sleep,” he countered. “Let’s get ourselves some of that, alright?”
“Promise to kiss me in the morning?”
“After we brush, of course,” he stressed urgently.
“Oh yeah. Not after last time,” she laughed, flinching at the memory of that particular kiss.
“Heh-heh. I love you,” Gallus said, kissing her one more time.
“And I love you,” Silverstream crooned, kissing him back. “Sweet dreams, sweetie.”
“Sweet dreams, milady,” he wished, watching as she waved goodnight and exited the attic.
Sky gave Gallus one last, joyous grin before he followed after her, saying, “Goodnight, Gallus.”
“Goodnight, Mr. Sky Beak.”
“Hee-hee-hee!” Sky tittered, closing the door behind him and pausing when he met Silver’s icy glare. “Yes, honey?”
“You are a humongous spoiler-sport,” she reprimanded.
“Am I? Oh dear. And here I thought I was the ‘Best dad ever,’” he joked as the pair began their journey back to the ground floor.
“You are. You’re just also a humongous spoiler-sport.”
“Sorry, honey.”
“No, you’re not.”
“…Yeah, no, I’m not.”
“Ughhh!”
Sky Beak snickered slyly at his daughter’s exasperation. “I really do love him though,” he soon stated.
“You and me both,” Silverstream sighed dreamily.
“Admittedly, I thought you were exaggerating just how kind that boy actually was,” Sky continued as they trotted down onto the next floor. “But lo and behold! He’s the real deal.”
“Seriously, Dad?”
“I know, I know. Forgive me for finding it hard to believe your boyfriend could be that sweet,” he murmured. “In hindsight, I should have known that if anycreature could find the perfect sweetie, it would be you,” Sky praised, ruffling his daughter’s mane.
“Aww, thanks, Daddy,” she said, falling silent as they passed her brother’s room. Once they were on the second floor, she added, “Although? As much as I hate to admit it, Gallus isn’t perfect.”
“Oh? Do tell,” he insisted.
“For one thing? He hates it when I pay for dinner when we have a night out,” she grumbled, rolling her eyes. “And then he still won’t take me to karaoke,” Silver angrily lamented. “No matter how much I practically beg him to…”
“The first one, I understand completely. He wants to splurge on you, not the other way around.”
“Yeah, I know. It’s still annoying though; I want to splurge on him too.”
“Then I highly suggest talking to him about that.”
“Already have. We’re gonna work out a plan when we get back.”
“Smart. As for the karaoke thing? I’m not sure about that one,” he confessed, humming in thought. “Is he not confident in his singing abilities?”
“He did compare his singing to a cheese grater once,” she remembered, nodding.
“Ahh. That’d be why.”
“Probably. Ooh! That reminds me, I wanted to ask you something,” Silver said, stopping and giving him her full attention. “Do you know why Gallus hates it when I brush my tail under his beak?”
Sky Beak froze and blinked at her for a full minute. Eventually, he clicked his beak and wondered, “You…brush your tail under his beak?”
“Uh-huh,” she confirmed, smiling innocently. “I stopped after about a week though. Gallus is super cute when he’s flustered, but he seemed really annoyed by it,” she explained. “So I stopped.”
He rubbed his eyes with a talon, taking deep, measured breaths. “Silverstream?” Sky began as calmly as possible. “This ‘tail’ thing you did…? Are you talking about the thing your mother and I used to do?” he questioned, fighting back a blush.
“Yeah! I remember you and Mom doing it all the time even when we were seaponies and how happy it made you two. I figured Gallus would like it too, but—”
“Silver! Honey!” he interrupted, placing a talon against her beak. “No. Don’t— Don’t do that.”
“Huh?” Silver tilted her head in confusion, inquiring, “Why not?”
“Because that’s the kind of flirting you only get to do when you’re married.”
“Why?”
“That’s also something you’ll only understand when you’re married.”
Silverstream still looked confused, but she soon shrugged, conceding, “Okay, I guess. … You sure you can’t tell me now?”
“No,” Sky bluntly denied, earning an annoyed pout.
A moment later, the duo finally arrived on the ground floor, and after making a silent prayer, Sky asked, “Out of curiosity? Are you and Gallus doing anything else ‘physical’?”
“We hug, snuggle, and kiss,” Silver answered happily. “But that’s about it. Why?”
“Just making sure.”
“That I wasn’t doing anything else I wasn’t supposed to until after marriage?”
“Yep.”
“Hee-hee. Thought so. … Although, we did sleep together once. Does that count?”
Sky Beak stopped and grabbed the nearby wall to help stop himself from fainting. His silence caused Silver to stop and turn around, asking, “Uh, Dad? You okay?”
“…”
“Dad?” she called out worriedly.
“…Sleep…together…?” he mumbled in a cracked voice.
Silverstream blinked and gasped. “No, no, no! Not that way, Dad, not that way!” she hurriedly clarified, panicking.
“Not that way!?”
“Not that way!”
“Oh thank goodness!” Sky yelped, slumping against the wall and holding a talon to his chest. “You gave me! Such a fright!” he rebuked weakly.
“Sorry, Dad,” Silver apologized, trying not to hyperventilate. “That was— That was just really bad phrasing on my part.”
“You think!?”
“Yeah, well? You don’t need to worry,” she promised, combing a talon through her mane in an effort to calm herself. “G-Gallus and I know not to do that.”
“I really, really hope so! I-I-I am not read to be a grandfather just yet!” After taking a moment to control his breathing, he implored, “Silverstream, please give me the proper explanation.”
“Gallus and I were just making out, and I…” Silver grimaced in embarrassment, weakly confessing, “I sorta fell asleep mid-kiss.”
“And that’s all?”
“That’s! All!” she fervently reassured. “Please don’t worry, Dad. We didn’t do…that.”
“I believe you… I believe you.” Once his heart no longer felt like it was trying to explode, Sky smirked and asked, “So? You fell asleep mid-kiss, huh?”
“Oh come on, Dad!”
“I’m sorry. I-I can’t help it,” he proclaimed, laughing.
“Hey! We— We had a long day, alright,” Silver griped, her face burning crimson. “It was the night we got back from Las Pegasus, and… Well? I was— I was tired.”
“Enough to fall asleep on him in the middle of—”
“Gallus teases me enough for that, thank you very much!” she shouted over him. “I don’t need to hear it from you too. And on that note? Don’t you dare tell Terramar!” she commanded.
“Do you really think I’m dumb enough to do that?” Sky asked, raising an eyebrow. “If your brother found out about this, he’d never let you live it down.”
“Exactly.”
“Well, don’t worry, honey. I promise not to tell your brother.”
“Or tease me about it yourself?”
“Aww, but teasing you is so much fun.”
“Dad!”
“Okay, okay. Fine, I won’t tease you about it either,” Sky yielded, stifling another snicker.
“Thank you,” Silverstream said, relaxing.
“You’re welcome. I would like to know how you and he fell asleep in the same bed though?” he questioned, shooting a suspicious glance at the ceiling. “Gallus didn’t strike me as the kind of creature to, er? ‘Take advantage’ of that kind of situation.”
“Yeah, no. No, he isn’t. In fact, uh?” Silverstream laughed awkwardly, confiding, “He did try to leave the bed. But I apparently, er, hugged him in my sleep and wouldn’t let go,” she elaborated, hiding her face behind her mane.
Although quiet at first, Sky soon snorted, saying, “If you were anycreature else, I would be sorely tempted to believe you were lying. But? I remember full-well how tightly you clung to your mother and I whenever you slept with us when you were younger,” he reminisced fondly.
“Yeah, yeah… Hey, wait a minute!” Silverstream irately roared. “Daddy, did you seriously think Gallus and I would— Would do that!?”
“You and he are teenagers,” Sky acknowledged smartly.
“And neither of us are anywhere near ready for that!” she screeched, her voice cracking and cheeks burning. “Or anything even remotely like that!”
“You’re still teenagers.”
“Responsible ones!”
“Gallus? Maybe. You? No.”
“Excuse me? Are you saying I’m not responsible?” she huffed, scowling indignantly.
“You once tried to burn down the Harmonizing Heights,” Sky accused, unamused.
“Allegedly,” Silver instinctively countered.
“Yes. ‘Allegedly,’” he echoed, rolling his eyes. “But seriously, honey? You and he didn’t actually…?”
“Just some overnight snuggling, Dad,” she promised. “We’re not stupid.”
“I’m very glad for that,” he said, breathing significantly easier now.
…
“Although?” Silver began, smiling as a rosy tint returned to her cheeks. “Not gonna lie: Waking up next to Gallus…? Feeling him holding my talon and hugging me with his wing…?” She played with her mane as she timidly admitted, “It felt really nice.”
“Not too nice I hope,” Sky grunted, resuming his trot toward her room.
“Daddy!”
“You’re still teenagers.”
“Responsible ones.”
“Harmonizing Heights,” he argued again, smirking.
“Allegedly,” she repeated, smirking as well. Once they finally reached her old bedroom, Silver mentioned, “But if it helps? Ocellus caught us leaving the same room the next morning, and… Well? Let’s just say a few extra rules have been put in place at the Friendship School.”
“What kind of rules?”
“The kind that almost resulted in a student uprising.”
“Strawberry Scoop?”
“Strawberry Scoop.”
“Hmm. Headmare Starlight still sat both of you down and scolded you thoroughly, I hope?”
“Actually, Counselor Trixie did.”
“So she finally became the Guidance Counselor then?” Sky asked, smiling. “Good for her.”
“Yep. Headmare Starlight stills helps her out from time-to-time, but the Great and Powerful Trixie is now our Caring and Compassionate Guidance Counselor,” she declared theatrically.
Tittering, Sky opened the door and resumed, “That’s good. In any case, I think we’ve had enough talking for tonight,” he said, nodding toward her bed.
“I know,” Silver agreed, yawning widely. “It’s been a long day.”
“Indeed it has. Go ahead and get in bed; I’m gonna tuck you in.”
“I can tuck myself in, Dad.”
“You are my daughter, and I haven’t seen you in months,” Sky Beak mewled. “I am tucking you in whether you like it or not,” he asserted, leaving no room for argument.
Silverstream giggled and collapsed into the bed with a tired sigh. Nary a second later, Sky draped her comforter over her and gave her a happy smile.
“There. All tucked in,” he decreed, nodding confidently. “You get some sleep, okay? You’ve got a rather busy day tomorrow as well.”
“Skystar?” Silver guessed warily.
“You’re lucky I convinced her to hold herself back for a day,” Sky mumbled darkly. “And trust me… Doing so was quite the ordeal.”
“So basically? Expect to be pounced?”
“Expect to be pounced,” he warned, laughing along with his daughter. Sky then leaned forward to plant a goodnight kiss upon her forehead only for her to wrap her talons around him in a warm hug.
“Thank you for liking him, Dad,” Silver whispered.
Sky smiled and hugged her back, saying, “Oh, honey, I already told you… I don’t just ‘like’ him. I love him,” he confessed, feeling her hug him even tighter. Once she let go, he gave her a goodnight kiss and concluded, “Just like I love you.”
“I love you too,” Silver said, tucking herself back under her cover. “Goodnight, Daddy.”
“Goodnight, Silverstream,” Sky Beak said, stepping toward the door.
Before he could leave, however, Silver called out, “Dad?”
“Yes, honey?”
“Do… Do you think Mom will like him too?” she inquired, fiddling with her blanket.
Sky Beak winced and looked away. “I think…” he tentatively began. “That once she has a chance to properly get to know him, she’ll love him just as much as I do,” he professed, smiling as reassuringly as he could.
Silverstream let out the breath she had been holding and murmured, “Thanks, Dad.”
“You’re welcome, Silverstream,” Sky Beak said, blowing her another kiss and receiving one in return. “Sweet dreams, honey.”
“Sweet dreams, Daddy,” she said, rolling over and snuggling into her pillow.
Sky Beak quietly closed the door and walked away, smiling brightly. “My daughter has a sweetie,” he said to himself. A second later, he squeed ecstatically and did a little dance. “My daughter has a sweetie!” he celebrated, prancing to his own bedroom to rest for the coming dawn.
***
With a tired groan Silverstream awoke and rolled over, hiding her face from the daylight streaming through her window. “Go away, sun,” she grumbled into her blanket.
Much to her dismay, it didn’t.
“Okay, fine. I’ll get up,” she reluctantly surrendered, sitting upright and yawning. She then looked around her room and grinned. “It really is good to be back.”
After stretching life back into her wings, Silverstream stood up, left her room, and hastily flew up the stairs to the attic. “Gallus?” she whispered, quietly opening the door and peering inside only to find his bed empty.
Although saddened she hadn’t gotten to kiss him awake, Silver hastily returned to the ground floor and trotted into the kitchen, expecting to find him there.
All she found was her brother munching on some cereal with his beak buried in a book once again.
“Good morning, Terramar,” she greeted, giving him a hug. “How are you?”
He hugged her back and answered, “Well-rested and getting to the good part.” He then leaned closer to his book with an excited grin on his face. “Oh-ho-ho, yeah! Get him, Daring Do! Get him!”
Silver chuckled at her brother’s enthusiasm, asking, “How long have you been up?”
“About an hour. You just get up yourself, I take it?”
“Mhmm. Mean, ole sun… I was having a great dream too. I was swimming in an ocean of ice cream and chocolate syrup,” she recounted, licking her beak. “And there were sprinkles everywhere!”
“Yep. Definitely sounds like something you’d dream about,” Terramar teased, receiving a light flick to his beak in response. “Hey!”
“Oh hush. Are Daddy and Gallus up too?” she inquired, stifling another yawn.
“Yep.”
“Okay. So, uh, where are they?”
“The port.”
It took Silverstream’s half-asleep brain a full minute to register that response. “What?”
“The port,” Terramar repeated. “They’re at the port.”
“Why?”
“I think Dad was having Gallus help him out with swabbing the ships or something.”
“…Why!?” she angrily asked again.
He shrugged. “I don’t know. I wasn’t really paying attention.”
Silverstream slammed her talon over his book, forcing him to meet her fiery gaze. “Terramar? Bro? Why are Gallus and Dad at the port?”
Holding up his talons defensively, Terramar explained, “All I know is Gallus was going on and on about ‘earning his keep.’ And I think Dad just sorta… You know,” he bluntly ended.
Silverstream face-clawed, muttering, “Yep. I should have known he’d do something like that…”
“Dad or Gallus?”
“Both,” she answered, shaking her head exasperatedly. “Great. Now I gotta go down to the port and get those two back on dry land before she shows up.”
“Hate to break it you, Sis? But it doesn’t matter where you are,” he stated, pulling his book out of her grasp. “If Starry wants to pounce you, she’s gonna pounce you.”
“Starry wasn’t the one I was referring to.”
…
With a knowing sigh, Terramar marked his place in his book and placed it aside, giving his sister his full attention. “Silverstream? Are you still worried about Mom?”
“What do you think?” Silver responded balefully.
“I think you don’t need to worry,” he argued reassuringly. “She’ll like him. Just like I, Dad, and practically all of Hippogriffia do.”
Silverstream said nothing; instead, she took a deep breath and let it out slowly, cheering up somewhat. “Well? In any case, I do still need to go down there and get ‘em.”
“So you can reprimand Dad for making Gallus clean the ships?”
“That. And Gallus promised me a good morning kiss,” she remembered, smirking at her brother’s disgusted grimace. “Come on, Terry. Let’s go.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold up,” he snapped, crossing his talons. “Do you think I’m coming with you or something?”
“Yes.”
“And why exactly should I uproot myself from this comfy chair of mine,” Terramar began melodramatically. “Leaving behind my wonderfully balanced breakfast and awesome book, all just to follow you down to the port and see you snog your boyfriend?”
Silver smiled sweetly and answered, “Because I’m your big sister, and I’m asking you to.”
“…Fine. I’ll come with,” he conceded, grinning slightly when she gave him a thankful hug. “But before we go? You do know you’re still wearing your pajamas, right?” he pointed out.
Silverstream looked down at herself, finding him to be correct. “Why, yes! Yes, it appears I am,” she laughed, trying to save face despite the wave of crimson flooding her cheeks.
“And don’t you still need to have breakfast too?”
As if on cue, her stomach gave a rather pronounced gurgle. A second later, Silverstream let out a disgruntled sigh and requested, “You mind getting me a bowl and spoon while I go undress?”
“What are big brothers for?” he sighed, giving her a coy grin that annoyed her up to no end.
“Little brother,” she corrected, trotting out of the kitchen.
“I am taller than you.”
“No, you’re nooooot!” Silverstream called back from inside her room.
Terramar just smiled and went about preparing her cereal.
***
The bright, blue ocean shimmered in the sunlight as wave after wave sloshed against the wooden docks and swaying ships.
Flocks of seagulls hovered lazily in the sky, but every so often, one would squawk loudly before diving and snatching up a stray piece of food.
Off in the distance, the sounds of laughter and excitement echoed from the town square of Hippogriffia as its citizens eagerly prepared for the parade.
Silver took in all the sounds of her old home and let out a happy, relaxed sigh. She then returned her attention to her brother, growling, “You had better not tell Gallus about the pajamas, by the way.”
“Why not?” Terramar pondered, smiling wickedly. “He’d probably get a kick out of knowing you were totally gonna hunt him down while wearing them. Especially given they were covered in teddy bears,” he noted, chuckling.
“Don’t you knock the teddy bears,” she rebuked, blowing a raspberry at him. “I like teddy bears. They’re cute, fluffy, and huggable.” Silver then gave him a sly smirk.
He frowned. “Oh no. Don’t you say it; don’t you say it!”
“Just like my sweetie,” she said anyway, giggling at his irritated groan.
“You are so weird.”
“No, I’m in love.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Somegriff sounds jealous,” Silverstream teased, giving him a playful nudge.
“I already told you I’m not!” Terramar barked, nudging her back. “What do I have to be jealous of, anyway?”
“The fact I have a special somegriff and you don’t.”
“Mmm? Nah, not jealous of that. Nope. Not jealous at all.”
“Sure, you’re not. Hee-hee! Don’t worry, Bro. I’m sure you’ll find your own special somecreature someday.”
Terramar just rolled his eyes and swore, “Regardless, I’m totally gonna tell Gallus about the pajamas. I bet he’ll tease you like crazy for it.”
“Yeah, he probably will. But if he does, at least it’ll be—you know?—funny. Unlike your teasing which is flat-out annoying.”
“Oh, so when Gallus teases you, it’s endearing. But when I do it, it’s annoying?”
“Now you’re getting it,” Silver cheered, clapping mockingly. “Good job, Terry.”
“Augh!” Terramar grunted, holding a talon to his forehead dramatically. “And here I thought you went to Equestria to learn the ‘Art of Friendship.’ But no! Instead? You’ve returned and learned only the dreaded ‘Art of the Double Standard,’” he concluded, unable to hide a smirk.
“No. I also learned the ‘Art of Kissing My Sweetie.’”
…
They both burst out laughing.
“You know?” Terramar soon resumed neutrally. “As weird as it to hear you gush so much about having a boyfriend, I have to admit Gallus is pretty cool.”
“He’s also super cute.”
“If you say so,” he groaned, grimacing. “…Wanna know what he did?”
“What?”
“While you were helping Dad cook those celery things…” Terramar leaned closer and divulged, “Gallus asked me if I were okay with you two dating.”
“He did? Aww, that was sweet of him,” Silver said, fluttering her wings. “You had better have said yes.”
“I said that as long as you were happy, I was cool with you two being a thing.”
“Good, that was the right answer.” Silverstream then stopped and beamed jubilantly, expressing, “Because I am happy with him, Terry. I’m really, really happy with him!”
Terramar smiled and brought her into a hug, saying, “Yeah, I kinda noticed.”
“I have a sweetie!” she celebrated, hugging him back.
“And here I thought he was your ‘milord’?” he sneered.
“Eh, he’s both. But Gallus blushes way more often when I call him sweetie,” Silver elaborated, releasing her brother. “And, sweet sea kelp, I love that blush!”
“Annnd you made it weird again. Good job, Sis.”
“Oh hush! You’ll understand when you find somecreature that calls you ‘sweetie’ too.”
“Unless I’m the one calling them ‘sweetie,’” he suggested.
“Ooh, I see you, Terramar!” she exclaimed, giving him a proud pat on the back.
“Whatever. ‘Sides, that whole thing isn’t something I’m worrying about right now.”
“Shame. But hey! When you do start worrying about it, don’t hesitate to ask me for advice.”
“Ehhh? S-Sure. Right,” Terramar said, already vowing to never, ever do that. He then watched as she giggled and continued down the dock. “Hey, Silver?”
“Yeah, Terry?” she responded, pausing and turning back to him. She then raised an eyebrow when she notice him fidgeting anxiously and failing to meet her eye. “Terramar? Is something wrong?”
“You, uh…” He gulped and inquired, “You are happy, right?”
“With Gallus?” she questioned, befuddled. “Absolutely! Wasn’t that obvious? I mean, I literally just said I was.”
“No, I meant… Are you happy in general? Like? Are— Are you okay?”
Silver looked away, wincing in realization. After a second, she looked back at her brother and promised, “Yes, Terramar. I’m happy.”
Terramar grabbed her and pulled her into another tight hug. After regaining her bearings, Silver hugged him back, soothing, “I’m okay, Terry.”
“You are?” he asked, pulling back and wiping his eyes dry.
“I am.”
“Thank goodness,” Terramar gasped weakly. “You— You really had us all worried, you know! First with that dumb letter from way-back when! A-And then that thing with your dragon friend…!” He rubbed his shoulder, concluding, “And then you just stopped writing us back…”
“Yeah, I know,” Silverstream mumbled, hanging her head ashamedly. “N-Not my best idea.”
“No, it wasn’t.” Terramar sniffled before timidly acknowledging, “I-I know you needed a break from Mom, but…”
“I did. I really did.”
“I know, a-and I understand, Silver; I really do.” His beak quivered for a second as he frantically begged, “But still! Pl-Please don’t do that again!”
“Don’t worry, Terry, I won’t. I promise to keep writing back from now on,” she swore.
“You better! I… I didn’t like that you were going through all this crud by yourself, Sis,” he whimpered, tearing up again. “I-I know I can’t always help you out, but I at least wanted to be there for you just in case I could. I mean… I’m your brother after all,” he ended shyly.
“And you’re a great brother too,” she praised, giving him a somber smile. Said smile soon faded away, and she quietly apologized, “I’m sorry I worried you, Terramar.”
“Hey, no! Bad sister!” he admonished, giving her beak a light flick. “You don’t have to apologize for having a rough time, okay? I get it.”
“Thanks, Terry,” Silver said, feeling slightly better. “I really will keep my promise though. I missed sending you letters.”
“And I missed reading your letters. Especially the little doodles you always did on ‘em.”
“Oh, is that so? Then I guess I’ll just have to make sure every letter I send from now on has a doodle on it,” she promised. “Just for you.”
“Thanks. I’d like that,” Terramar admitted, smiling.
“What are big sisters for if not for blessing their brothers with their glorious, artistic talent?”
“Annoying us with your constant romance nonsense?” he teased.
“…Shut up.”
“Or needing us to remind you to not wear your teddy bear pajamas out in public?”
“Just shut up and keep trotting,” she commanded, pushing him along with her wing.
Terramar laughed triumphantly; however, once their destination finally came into view, he asked, “Gallus is doing okay too, right? Dude looks a lot better than the last time I saw him, but…?”
“Awww!” Silverstream cooed, giving her brother yet another hug. “You care about my boyfriend’s well-being? Thank you, Terramar, that’s so sweet of you.”
“Yeah, I know,” he squeaked out, struggling to escape her grasp.
“And yes. Gallus is doing fine too,” she gleefully confirmed after relinquishing him.
“That’s good to hear,” Terramar said, enjoying being able to breathe again. “And you really are doing okay too, right?”
“I already said I was,” she tittered, thankful he was asking again anyway. “The only thing I’m still worried about is Mom…”
They both fell silent.
“Terramar? Do you have any idea why she hates him?” Silver asked with a hint of desperation.
“‘Hate’ is a strong word…” Upon seeing her displeased frown, he muttered, “I have a hunch though. But I-I-I’m probably completely wrong about it, so—”
“It’s the ‘noble’ thing, isn’t it?”
“…Starry told me she’s still inviting that prince guy over,” Terramar confided, shirking back when her eye twitched angrily. “But that’s all I know, I swear! I don’t even know the guy’s name.”
“I don’t care what his name is,” she whispered venomously. “He’s not my Gallus.”
“I know!” he hurriedly proclaimed. “I-I know. What I don’t know,” Terramar continued, rubbing his neck awkwardly. “Is if that is the reason Mom doesn’t like Gallus. Like I said? I’m probably dead wrong about—well?—everything! Regarding this whole situation.”
Silverstream silently shot a cold glare at crystal blue water.
“Silverstream?” Terramar spoke up softly. “What are you going to do when she shows up?”
Huffing furiously, she answered, “Remind myself it’s not right to smack one’s own mother upside the head. After that?” Silver shrugged despondently, continuing, “Talk to her. Explain to her that I love Gallus and not this guy she wants me to meet. And also apologize for not writing her back,” she finished, flinching.
“You’re really scary when you’re angry, you know that?”
“Sorry, Terry,” she murmured, taking a quiet, calming breath. “I just… I really didn’t like what Mom was saying about Gallus,” she said, pawing at the dock. A moment later, an unnerving thought popped into her head and she worriedly muttered, “Hey, Terramar?”
“Yeah?”
“You don’t think Mom’ll—” Silver gulped. “—try to introduce me to that guy, will she?”
“Oh geez,” he yelped, looking anywhere but at his sister. “I-I don’t know.”
She held her face in her talons, groaning weakly.
“I-I-I’m pretty sure she won’t though,” Terramar professed. “Mom’s— Mom’s not an idiot, a-and I’m sure she’ll really love Gallus once she meets him.”
“I really hope so, Terramar.” Silverstream then placed her talons back on the ground and growled, “Because, Grover’s Treasure, if she does do something like that, I think I will smack her.”
Terramar had intended to defend their mother, but her word choice stopped him in his tracks. “Grover’s… What?” he inquired, raising an eyebrow.
Silver blinked and laughed nervously. “Just, uh…? Just an expression I picked up from Gallus.”
“Oh? So he’s teaching you cuss words, huh?”
“Don’t you get all preachy,” she chastened, failing to hide an embarrassed blush. “You know more swears than Gallus could ever hope to.”
“True. Then again? You taught me most of them, sooo…” he reminded her, smirking.
Silverstream frowned at him, saying, “Let’s just get on the ship. I have a kiss waiting for me.”
“And probably a stern lecturing too,” Terramar jibed. “I get the feeling Dad won’t be too pleased about your sweetie teaching you new—”
She poked him hard in the chest and threatened, “You tell Dad or Gallus about the ‘Grover’s Treasure’ thing, and I’ll start offering you up at school.”
“You wouldn’t,” he mumbled, reeling back in horror.
“Soaring Virtue would drool all over your wings, buddy.”
“Oh sea kelp! I don’t want to hear this,” he wailed, holding his talons over his ears to no avail.
“Plus, Berry Bliss and Citrine Spark have both been on the market recently too. And then there’s Scoop… Oh-ho-ho-ho! Oh, my poor, sweet, little brother,” she whispered ominously. “Scoop would have you bent over backwards faster than you could say—”
“Please stop!”
“Yes, exactly that!” Silver laughed. “And that’s just the mares, but as for the stallions—”
“Okay, okay, okay!” Terramar screamed, clamping his talon over her beak. “I won’t tell Dad or Gallus about the ‘Grover’s Treasure’ thing! Just please—for the love of Seaquestria—stop!” he begged.
“Okaaay,” she whined, disappointed. “I’ll stop. Unless of course, you want me to—”
“Just get on the ship and kiss your sweetie!”
“Gladly!” she exclaimed, spreading her wings and flying up onto the ship’s deck.
As the vessel slowly rocked in the waves, Silverstream cast her gaze around in search of her father only to find him talking to somegriff else with his back turned to her. She then smirked evilly.
“Whelp, there’s Dad,” Terramar acknowledged, landing right beside her. “Let’s—”
Silver swiftly shushed him before silently stalking toward her targets.
“—will be fine, Captain,” Stratus Skyranger promised, saluting with his wing. “Haven and I have already gotten the materials gathered. By tomorrow, we’ll have the whole stadium ready to go.”
“Thank you, Stratus,” Sky Beak said, nodding. “And make sure to thank Haven for me as well.”
“No problem. Oh, before I forget, she also wanted to know if there were any griffon songs we could—” Stratus abruptly hushed upon noticing the newly arrived Silverstream and Terramar. “Play,” he squeaked out, glancing back at his Captain.
“Unfortunately not,” Sky replied, blissfully unaware of the grinning hippogriffs behind him. “I asked Gallus about it, but he said griffons don’t have any songs like that.”
“Really?” Stratus asked, his eyes darting between Sky Beak and his children.
“Oh, yes. He even said the activity was legitimately outlawed in Griffonstone until recently.”
“Seriously? Wow.”
“I know, I know. Thankfully, Ms. Gilda managed to get it legalized again.”
Stratus wordlessly nodded.
Sky Beak blinked in confusion upon finally noticing how uneasy Stratus appeared to suddenly be, but said confusion instantly abated once Silverstream gave a polite cough. “Stratus?” he muttered.
“Yes, Captain?”
“My daughter’s right behind me, isn’t she?”
“Yes, sir. Her and her brother.”
“Ah. Well, thank you for everything, Stratus. Please go finish those preparations.”
“Understood. You gonna be okay, Captain?” he asked.
“We’ll see,” Silverstream answered for her father.
“…We’ll see,” Sky Beak echoed, forcing a wide grin.
“O-Okay then. I, uh, I’ll see you later, Captain.”
“Likewise.”
Once Stratus had flown off back to Hippogriffia, Sky turned around and met his daughter’s smile with his own. “Hello, honey. How are you?”
Silverstream shot her brother a look, so he spoke for her, “Eager to kiss her sweetie.”
“In that case…” Sky approached a nearby grating and called out, “Gallus?”
“Yes, Captain?” Gallus called back from below.
“Could you come up here, please?”
“Yes, sir. On my way.”
Sky Beak then turned back to his daughter and timidly professed, “I-I can explain…?”
“I’m still gonna yell at you.”
“Yes, uh, I-I know.”
Silverstream smiled and trotted toward the doorway leading below deck. She then hid beside it and awaited her boyfriend’s arrival.
“Oh sea kelp,” Terramar cursed, cringing. “You’re gonna pounce him, aren’t you?”
She nodded. “Yep.”
“You hung out with Starry way too much when we were kids.”
“Shhh! Here he comes.”
Not ten seconds later, Gallus stumbled back onto the deck, dressed in the traditional gold and emerald robes of the Hippogriff Navy. “Alright, Captain, I’m here. What did you—” Gallus let out an undignified squawk when his cackling girlfriend pounced him, sending them both into a tumble. Once the world stopped spinning, he opened his eyes and stared directly into Silverstream’s shining smile.
“Hee-hee! Gotcha,” she boasted, keeping him pinned against his back.
Gallus smiled back, bemoaning, “Oh, Captain, my Captain! I’m sorry, but I appear to have been pounced by an angel!” He reached out a talon to Sky Beak, pleading, “Please! Help me escape her grasp!”
“There is no escape for you, only snuggles!” Silver proclaimed, bending down and aggressively nuzzling his neck, much to his elated laughter.
“Then I suppose I have no choice but to snuggle you back!” Gallus declared, doing just that and basking in the sweet melody of her subsequent giggle.
They both soon calmed down, and after one last nuzzle, Silverstream gave Gallus a small kiss. “How’re you doing, sweetie?” she asked.
“Fine. But now that you’re here, I’m feeling even better,” he said, smiling at her lovingly.
“Shall I take that to mean you’re both enjoying yourselves?” Sky Beak supposed, approaching them. “As well as your current positioning?”
“I know I am!” Silver sang, failing to notice the scarlet glow suddenly overtaking her boyfriend’s face.
“Oh, I know you are. But what about you, Gallus dear?” he inquired, smirking teasingly. “Did you enjoy getting pounced by my daughter?”
The last thing Gallus wanted to do was answer that question, but upon seeing Silver eagerly anticipating his response as well, he gave up. “Y-Yes. Yes, sir, I-I-I did,” he tentatively confessed.
Silverstream squealed in delight, and her father broke down laughing. Terramar, on the other talon, face-clawed, groaning “Oh, you’re gonna looooove Skystar.”
Wishing to shift the subject away from himself, Gallus asked Silver, “But what about you? How are you doing, milady?”
“I’m disappointed,” she said, helping him stand back up. “I was hoping to come and kiss you awake, but when I got to the attic you weren’t there,” she pouted glumly.
“Eh-heh-heh. Sorry.”
“You’re not the one who should be apologizing,” she argued, staring at her suddenly taciturn father. “Right, Daddy?”
“N-Now, Silverstream, there really is a perfectly reasonable explanation for why Gallus and I are out here,” Sky Beak assured.
“Oh, is there now?”
“Don’t be mad at him, Silver,” Gallus implored. “This was entirely my idea.”
“You’re telling me you wanted to spend your morning cleaning a ship?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. “Even when you could have spent the morning with me?”
“Silverstream, you and your dad are letting me stay over for the break,” he began softly. “And everygriff here has been so kind and welcoming to me too.”
“Minus the intimidation skit,” she scoffed, aiming another glare at her father.
“Nonetheless, it is massive gesture of generosity and kindness to let me stay here. And I am so, so grateful I get to spend the whole week with you and your family,” Gallus said, smiling joyously. “So if I can repay that favor, I will,” he affirmed, resolute. “Honestly, helping clean a ship is the least I could do.”
Silver kissed him and adulated, “You are the best special somegriff ever, you know that?”
“Well, I certainly try,” he said, holding his tail back from wagging.
“And you succeed brilliantly. Though that doesn’t explain why you indulged him, Dad.”
“He wouldn’t take no for an answer,” Sky Beak explained, shrugging innocently.
“Right. I’m sure it had nothing to do with you wanting to sneak in some father-daughter’s boyfriend bonding time without me around. You know? To stop you from trying to intimidate him again,” she deadpanned.
“Or from embarrassing yourself in the process,” Terramar jeered.
Sky Beak chortled awkwardly. “Yes, well? Spending more time with Gallus was rather enjoyable,” he agreed, giving the griffon a proud wink. “He really is quite a sweetheart.”
Gallus could no longer stop his tail from wagging.
Silverstream beamed as brightly as the sun, saying, “I’m glad you liked spending time with him, Dad. Even if you did just drag him out here to make him do your chores.”
“Honey, this wasn’t even the first thing he wanted to do,” Sky revealed bluntly. “I literally had to talk him out of going door-to-door and asking everygriff else what he could do for them too.”
“I still want to do that, to be honest,” Gallus said, a note of avidity in his voice.
“No!” Silver and Sky Beak both yelped. “Gallus dear,” the latter continued. “It warms my heart to know you wish to show your gratitude for our hospitality. But you! Are! Our! Guest!” he stressed emphatically. “Knowing you are happy and enjoying your stay here is repayment enough.”
“Mr. Sky Beak, you do know when you say things like that, I just want to help out even more, right?”
Sky Beak stared at his daughter, questioning, “Silverstream? How do I get him to stop?”
Before she could answer, Gallus nonchalantly decreed, “Sorry, sir, but that’s impossible. I absolutely refuse to stop being as kind as I can to everycreature around me, especially you and your daughter.”
“I’m glad to hear it,” Silver said, pulling Gallus into a hug. “Because I don’t want you to stop.”
He hugged her back, giggling merrily.
Terramar frowned and commented, “So weird…”
“Heh. No, it’s not weird,” Sky argued, ruffling his son’s mane. “It’s adorable, and I pray that when you find your own special somecreature they’re as sweet at Silver’s.”
“Blegh!” he moaned. “I can’t believe I gave up reading Daring Do for this.”
“That’s your problem, Terry,” Silver sneered. “My problem is I didn’t get to kiss my boyfriend awake,” she added, giving him a playful frown.
“Sorry again, Silverstream.”
“It’s okay. Just promise to bring me along next time you wanna try something like today, okay?”
“Why? So you could help me do your dad’s chores?” Gallus asked smartly.
“No, silly,” she tittered, giving him a loving nuzzle. “So I could spend more time with you,” she clarified. “Plus? If I had tagged along, we’d both be wearing those cute, little robes right now.”
Sky Beak scoffed indignantly, protesting, “These uniforms are not ‘cute’! They are symbols of the strength, camaraderie, and conviction we honorable sailors of Her Majesty, Queen Novo’s Navy adhere by,” he concluded, raising his head proudly.
“Uh-huh. But seriously, Dad, look at him!” Silverstream roared, grabbing Gallus by the cheeks and showing him off to her father. “Look at how cute he is!”
“And that’s my cue to leave,” Terramar deadpanned, trotting to the gangway.
While Sky Beak face-clawed at both of his children’s antics, Gallus freed himself from Silver’s grasp and said, “Hey, I may be adorable, but we both know you’re cuter.”
“You’re certainly giving me a run for my Bits with that uniform on.”
That got a blush out of him. “Aww, th-thank you.”
“If you really want to thank me,” Silverstream began, smiling slyly. “Why don’t you give me that kiss you promised me last night?”
“As you wish, milady,” Gallus hummed, making to do just that. Before he could, however, Terramar suddenly cried out, “DUCK!”
Neither of them got a chance to question his meaning, for at that moment, something bolted toward the couple with a high-pitched, “EEEEEEEEEE!”
Once it was gone, Gallus blinked and looked around, finding no trace of Silverstream anywhere. “Uh? What just happened?” he asked both Sky Beak and Terramar.
“Our cousin just happened,” the latter elaborated, sprinting to the ship’s starboard side.
Gallus and Sky followed suite just as a loud splash issued from the bay. They then peered over the railing to see a bright yellow seapony with a turquoise mane-fin squeezing the life out of Silver.
“Eeeee! You’re back; you’re back; you’re back!”
After shaking her wet mane out of her eyes, Silver beheld her attacker and gasped, “Skystar!?”
“Hee-hee-hee! Yep, it’s me,” the princess giggled. “Just like it’s you! Hey, Cuz, how are ya?”
Silverstream frowned and splashed water into Skystar’s face, pouting, “I’m annoyed. I was about to kiss my boyfriend, but you pounced me.”
“Heh-heh, sorry,” she apologized meekly. “I just couldn’t help myself. It’s been so long since I last saw you, so when I saw an opportunity to hug you again…? Well, it’s not like I was gonna pass it up,” Skystar explained, smiling shyly. “I really missed you, you know.”
“Awww,” Silver squeed, a smile swiftly replacing her frown. “I missed you too, Starry.”
They hugged once more, laughing happily at having reunited.
Terramar, meanwhile, prodded Gallus and sarcastically declared, “Behold, the pride and joy of Seaquestria: Princess Skystar. In all her weird, creature-pouncing glory.”
While Gallus stifled a laugh, Sky Beak defended, “Now, Terramar, that’s not nice. Your cousin is the pride and joy of Seaquestria and Hippogriffia,” he corrected.
“Yeah, and she’s still gonna pounce you eventually,” Terramar warned Gallus. “She may have gone for Silver first, but she’ll get you sooner or later.”
Gallus merely shrugged indifferently and called out, “Hey, Silverstream, you okay down there?”
“Yep,” she replied, giving Skystar one last squeeze. “Just sad our kiss was interrupted.”
“Same. But don’t worry, I’ll make it up to you,” he promised, winking.
“You always do,” Silverstream cooed, winking back.
Sky Beak cleared his throat and waved to the girls below. “Hello, Starry.”
“Hiya, Uncle Sky Beak,” she said, waving back. “How’re you doing?”
“I’m fantastic.” He then nodded toward Gallus and celebrated, “I’m getting to meet Silver’s sweetie, and he is an absolute delight!”
Skystar gaped at Silverstream, questioning, “You call him ‘sweetie’!?”
“Yup.”
“EEEEEE!” she squealed, hugging Silver once again. “My cousin has a sweetie!”
Terramar grimaced, announcing, “Okay, I’m gonna head out now.”
“You are?” Sky Beak whined, tail drooping in disappointment. “But, Terry…! Skystar just got here; surely, you want to stay a little longer?”
“Yeah, no. Gallus and Silver are weird enough as is, and Starry’s just gonna make everything even weirder.”
“I heard that!” the seapony in question hollered.
“Before you go, could you get my bags from below deck?” Gallus requested.
“Sure.”
“Thanks,” he said, watching Terramar depart. Gallus then turned back around and found Skystar—now a hippogriff—hovering an inch away from his face. “Uh, hi?” he muttered, taking a step back.
“Hi!” she squawked, giving him a smile frighteningly similar to Pinkie Pie’s. “I’m Skystar.”
“Nice to meet you, Princess Skystar; I’m Gallus,” he said, extending a talon in greeting only to wince as she violently shook it.
“Just ‘Skystar’ is fine,” she proclaimed, letting him go, much to his relief. “It’s so nice to finally meet you! Silver’s told us all about you and your friends. Oh! And by the way, this is Shelly, and this is Sheldon,” she said, holding up two clam shells with googly eyes attached to them.
“Um? Hello, Shelly and Sheldon,” he greeted uncertainly. “Nice to meet you two too.”
For a split second, he had the bizarre sensation of being greeted back, but before he could register it, Skystar tucked them back into her mane. “Hee-hee. Thanks for being so nice to them. They’re a little shy,” she confided behind a talon.
“No, uh, no problem. They were pretty cool,” he said, giving her a talons-up.
Skystar giggled cheerfully, but it soon turned into a critical hum as she looked him over. A moment later, she turned back to Silver and agreed, “You were right; he is cute.”
“Told ya.”
“Yeah, but your doodles didn’t do him justice though!” Skystar complained, pouting. “Seriously, I had no clue he looked this fluffy and huggable. And that headcrest,” she noted, nodding approvingly as Gallus buried his burning face into his talons. “I bet you have all kinds of fun with him, don’t you?”
Silverstream merely smiled widely, saying nothing for fear of freaking her father out again.
Said father interjected, “While I can’t comment on the headcrest part…?” Sky Beak then hugged Gallus tightly and doted, “I can certainly attest to him being super fluffy and huggable!”
Gallus wasn’t sure whether he wanted to die of embarrassment or explode in laughter, but he enjoyed Sky’s fatherly hug regardless.
“Oooooh!” Skystar squeed, flapping her wings energetically. “I want to hug him too, Uncle Sky Beak; give me a turn!” she pleaded.
“No,” Sky Beak refused, clutching Gallus even tighter. “I’m still hugging him.”
“Awww,” she puled tearfully. “But he looks so fun to hug…”
“Oh, I can assure you he very much is,” Silverstream avowed.
“Are you serious?” droned the newly returned Terramar, drawing everygriff’s attention to him. “I walk away for two minutes, and this is what I come back to find? My cousin and father arguing over whose turn it is to hug my sister’s boyfriend?”
“Yep,” Skystar chirped. “What were you expecting to find?”
“…I don’t even know,” he sighed, holding up a pair of saddlebags. “Anywho, here’s your stuff, Gallus. Want it?”
“Yes, please,” Gallus responded, escaping Sky Beak’s embrace, much to his disappointment. After eagerly accepting the item, he said, “Thanks, Terramar.”
“For the bags, or for saving you from them?”
Gallus shot a timid look at the other two hippogriffs. “Both,” he whispered.
“Heh-heh. Yeah. Sorry about my family being a bunch of lunatics,” he apologized.
“Hey!” three annoyed voices shrieked.
“You all know it’s true,” Terramar deadpanned. “Especially you, Starry,” he griped, shooting her a cold glare. “Or do you think I don’t see you preparing to pounce Gallus?”
Skystar instantly froze and straightened back up, smiling as innocently as she could. “I-I don’t know what you’re talking about, Terry,” she protested. “I wasn’t planning to pounce him yet.”
“Yes, you were.”
“Okay, fine! So what if I was?” she scoffed, keeping her eyes locked on Gallus as he not-so-subtly moved behind Terramar. “Pouncing creatures is fun!”
“No, it’s weird,” he argued. “And even if it weren’t, this guy doesn’t want to be pounced.”
“And how would you know?”
“It‘s pretty obvious, considering he’s hiding behind me.”
Gallus blushed again at having been called out; meanwhile his girlfriend asked, “Wait! Is he really?”
“Yes,” Terramar confirmed, causing Silver to howl in laughter. “And I’m pretty sure that proves my point,” he continued, frowning at his pouting cousin. “He ain’t ready for you.”
“No one ever is,” Skystar sniveled, slumping in defeat. “Aw well. I’ll just get ‘im when he is ready!” she sang, cheering back up. “But what about you, Terry? You find a sweetie of your own yet?”
“Still not trying to, Skystar.”
Sky Beak and Skystar both sighed sorrowfully. “You’re gonna have to find somecreature someday, you know,” the latter groaned.
“And introduce them to my family of weirdos? Yeah, no.”
“Coward,” Silverstream gibed. “I didn’t have a problem introducing Gallus to our family.”
Terramar knew better than to bring up their mother, so he instead shot back, “That’s because you’re part of the weirdos. I am the only sane one here,” he half-bragged, half-lamented.
“Or maybe you’re the only weirdo in a family of sane hippogriffs?” Skystar countered.
“Well, you would be the sane one in that context, and, uh…? No.”
“Tch. Rude.” She then glared at the snickering griffon and asked, “Something funny, Gallus?”
He just shook his head, saying, “I’m just having a lot of fun right now. You guys are awesome.”
While Sky Beak and Terramar shared a grin, Skystar danced in place, squealing at the top of her lungs. “Oh my gosh, you really are the sweetest griffon ever!”
“Thank you. I certainly try,” he replied, waiting for Silverstream to say the usual line.
Skystar beat her to the chase, praising, “Well, you’re certainly succeeding brilliantly as far as I’m concerned. Ooh! That reminds me! We still need to quiz you.”
“Quiz me?”
“Yeah!” she chirped, nodding. “Since you’re officially Silverstream’s boyfriend, Terramar and I prepared some questions we wanted to ask you.”
“And I already asked them too,” Terramar disclosed.
She turned to him, fixing him with a bone-chilling glare. “You what?”
“I already quizzed him.”
“Oh, you jerk!” she snarled, much to his amusement. “We were supposed to quiz him together!”
“If you wanted to do that then maybe you should have been there when he first showed up.”
“I wanted to, but Uncle Sky Beak told me to wait until today,” Skystar whined. “Why did you make me wait, anyway?” she inquired, raising an eyebrow at her uncle.
“Because I asked him to,” Silverstream answered.
“What!?” she screamed, looking over the railing and glaring at her. “Why!?”
“Because you’re you, and I didn’t want Gallus to get overwhelmed in the first five seconds,” she explained simply.
“…Fair point,” Skystar begrudgingly conceded. “He passed the quiz though, right, Terramar?”
“With flying colors.”
“I’d expect nothing less from Gallus,” Silverstream boasted proudly. “But now that the introductions are over, do you mind coming back down here, Starry?” she requested. “I wasn’t done hugging you.”
In a flash of light, Skystar became a seapony once more and plunged back into the water, swiftly giving her cousin another gleeful hug. “Hee-hee! I’m so glad you’re back.”
“I’m glad I’m back too.”
“I was wondering why Silver stayed floating down there in the water,” Terramar said neutrally. “Should have known she was just waiting for another hug.”
“She does love her hugs, doesn’t she?” Sky Beak commented, shooting Gallus a grin.
Gallus grinned back and pulled a camera out of his bags.
“Whelp,” Sky resumed, trotting away. “I’ll be back shortly. If anygriff needs me, I’ll be finishing swabbing the deck.”
“Uh, Captain, do you want me to—”
“You stay right there, Gallus,” he ordered, causing the griffon to stand at attention. He then smiled calmly and added, “Take a break and have some fun with my baby girl, okay?”
“Yes, sir!” Gallus barked, saluting. Once Sky Beak walked off, he realized what he had just agreed to and preemptively muttered, “Not a word, Terramar.”
“I wasn’t saying anything,” he claimed, whistling innocently.
Grinning gratefully, Gallus leaned over the railing and held the camera up to his eye. “Oh, Fair Silverstream?” he cried out theatrically. “Can’st thou bless mine eyes with thine angelic smile?”
Silverstream paused mid-hug and joked back, “With pleasure.” She then flashed him her most dazzling grin, and after he took the picture, she asked, “You made sure to get my good side, right?”
“Not hard to do when you’re beautiful from every angle,” he complimented blissfully.
“And that’s definitely my cue to leave,” Terramar recognized, taking to the sky. “See ya’ll later.”
“See ya, Bro,” Silver said, waving goodbye as he flew overhead and back to Hippogriffia.
“Hey. Hey, Silver,” Skystar whispered, tapping her cousin’s shoulder. Once Silverstream faced her, she excitedly repeated, “‘Beautiful from every angle.’”
“I know,” she whispered back, giggling ecstatically. “I love it when he calls me beautiful.”
“Well, you are. You are very beautiful,” Gallus extolled, smiling victoriously when he heard her giggle again. “A beautiful, beautiful angel…”
“Oh. My. Gosh!” Skystar yelped, gaping at the griffon above. She then looked back at her euphorically smiling cousin, wondering, “How in Seaquestria did you find somecreature that sweet?”
“I got lucky,” Silverstream answered.
“I thought we established I was the lucky one?” Gallus spoke up.
“We both are.”
“Yeah. I guess we are,” he agreed, holding the camera up again. “Can I get another smile?”
“Always,” she said, posing elegantly. After another round of pictures, she noticed Skystar glaring at her and smirked. “Jealous, Starry?”
“Yes. You got to go to Equestria and meet tons of creatures and this sweet, fluffy snuggle-bird, but I’m stuck here,” she grumbled, crossing her flippers in frustration. “Totally not fair…”
“Sorry, Cuz,” Silver apologized, patting her shoulder consolingly. “If you’d like? I could start showing your picture around the School? I’m sure somecreature would be interested.”
“Could you?” Skystar requested, trying not to sound like she was begging even though she absolutely was. “I’d really appreciate that.”
“Hee-hee! Of course.”
“Thank you. And while we’re on that note? Any notable hunka-hunkas I might like?”
Silverstream hummed thoughtfully, answering, “Well? Slate Sentiments is pretty nice, but he’s way too science-y for your tastes.”
“I dunno; I might like a bit more science-y in my life.”
“Not his level of science-y, you won’t. Hey, Gallus? End Zone is available, isn’t he?”
“I think so,” he said, resting his head in his talon. “But Shimmy told me she was gonna make a move on him.”
“Really!?” Silver gasped in shock. “Scoop and I both thought she liked Lighthoof.”
He just shrugged.
“Huh. I’ll have to ask her about that when we get back.”
“Are there any guys who aren’t possibly taken?” Skystar asked impatiently.
“Well, there’s Vellum,” Gallus suggested.
“And you don’t want him,” Silver countered, eliciting a loud, frustrated groan. “November Rain is still on the market though.”
“Ooh, he sounds cute.”
“He is cute,” she confirmed casually.
“You think so, huh?” Gallus wondered with a smirk.
“Oh, don’t be like that,” Silver said, waving a talon dismissively. “You know you’re cuter.”
“Yeah, I am.”
“Yeah, you are.”
“You’re both the cutest couple ever!” Skystar sang, grabbing Silver in yet another hug.
Silverstream hugged her back, saying, “I know. And speaking of couples? Don’t you worry, Starry, there are plenty of guys at the Friendship School, including November.”
“And you’re gonna show ‘em all my picture?”
“Promise.”
“Hee-hee-hee, thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Silver chirped happily. “So? What’ve you been up to lately?”
As the two launched into a casual conversation about each other’s recent life experiences, Gallus smiled brightly and took another few pictures of the duo, focusing primarily on his girlfriend. He then froze and lowered the camera upon seeing the seapony that had surfaced behind them. “Uh, Silverstream?”
“—and Sandbar, of course, didn’t take that challenge lying down,” Silver continued recounting, having neither heard her boyfriend speak up nor noticed the new arrival. “So, there Yona and I are just sitting there and watching our boyfriends duke it out in Trivia Trot.”
“Eh, I sorta get it,” Skystar said, wincing in sympathy. “I’ve played that game before, and, uh… It can get pretty heated,” she disclosed, recalling that particular incident with quite a lot of regret.
“So I noticed. Hee-hee, it was pretty cute seeing Gallus get all fired up though,” she reminisced, fanning herself with a talon. “He’s always so hot whenever he nerds out over something.”
Gallus would have ordinarily collapsed into a giggling, blushing heap upon hearing her say something like that, but given the audience they all had, her comment made him wince worriedly instead. “Hey, Silverstream!?” he called out a little louder.
“Hmm?” Silver and Skystar both looked up at him. “Yeah, Gallus?”
“You’ve got a visitor.”
Silver slowly turned around and found exactly whom she both expected and dreaded to see. She then sank a little further into the water, moaning, “Ohhh nooo.”
Skystar turned as well. “Oh! Hi, Auntie Ocean Flow,” she greeted, waving enthusiastically.
Having eyes eyes only for her daughter, Ocean Flow mumbled, “Silverstream?”
Silver smiled weakly and said, “H-Hi, Mom.”
If Ocean Flow picked up on Silver’s hesitation, she didn’t let it show; instead, she darted past Skystar and trapped Silver in a tight hug, rejoicing, “Silverstream, you’re back!”
“Yep. I’m back,” Silverstream squeaked out. “Can you let go now? You’re kinda crushing me.”
“Whoops! Sorry, honey,” Ocean apologized, easing up but refusing to let go entirely.
“No worries,” she assuaged awkwardly. “I’m good. So, uh, how are you?”
“Better now that you’re back, safe and sound,” she emphasized. “And I’m even happier to have gotten a chance to hug my daughter again.”
“She is pretty fun to hug, isn’t she?” Skystar tittered.
“Yes, she is,” Ocean concurred, giving Silver another, gentler hug. Afterward, she frowned at her niece, stating, “By the way, your mother sent me up here to find you.”
“Ooh! Is it because she wants to apologize for not letting me attend the Friendship School and meet all the cute boys?” she asked with not a trace of irony.
“Er? No. She wanted me to let you know you’re late for rehearsals again.”
Skystar gasped fearfully, cursing, “Oh sea kelp, I forgot all about that!”
“Language.”
“Sorry, Auntie Ocean Flow,” Skystar said, sneaking Silver one last hug. “And sorry to cut this short, Cuz, but I gotta go.” She then looked up at Gallus and waved. “It was nice meeting you, Gallus.”
“It was nice meeting you too. As well as Shelly and Sheldon,” he felt compelled to add.
“Hee-hee, I’ll tell ‘em you said that. See you all later,” Skystar sang, diving beneath the water.
As if on cue, Sky Beak trotted back up to Gallus and said, “Okay, I finally finished up the swabbing. Did I just hear Skystar leave?”
“Mhmm,” Gallus hummed, wincing as Ocean finally turned her gaze onto him. There was no hostility in her expression whatsoever, but he still had to fight back an uncomfortable shiver.
Before Sky Beak could question his unease, he looked down at the bay and immediately understood. “Oh, hello, Ocean Flow,” he said, putting on a warm smile. “You look well.”
“As do you, Sky Beak. … Um, Sky? Who exactly is that?” Ocean asked, pointing at Gallus.
“Oh, him?” Sky Beak wrapped a wing around Gallus, answering, “This lovely, young fellow is Gallus. Silverstream’s boyfriend.”
“‘Boyfriend’?” she echoed, eyes widening.
“Yes, Mom,” Silverstream confirmed, swimming between the ship and her mother. “My boyfriend. Not just ‘friend.’ Not just ‘best friend.’ Boyfriend.”
“I… I see.”
After an intensely awkward silence, Gallus took a deep breath and let it out slowly, spreading his wings and flying down to the duo. Sky considered following after him, but he ultimately decided against it, choosing to remain on the ship and watch.
Upon seeing her boyfriend approach, Silverstream turned to swim toward him only to feel Ocean Flow try to pull her back. She then yanked her talon free, glaring balefully at her mother as she paddled closer to Gallus. “Hey, you,” she greeted, feeling slightly calmer just by being near him.
“Hey, you,” he greeted back, smiling reassuringly. Gallus then hovered forward and extended his talon politely. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Ocean Flow.”
She simply stared at the offered claw until Silver angrily demanded, “Shake his talon, Mother!”
“O-Oh! Yes. Sorry,” she reflexively apologized, shaking it for all of a second before dropping her flipper back into the water. “It’s, um, nice to meet you too, Mr. Gallus.”
“Oh, no-no-no. Please, ‘Gallus’ is fine, thank you,” he said, chuckling bashfully.
Ocean Flow blinked, neither expecting that response nor having one to give back. After another awkward silence, she acknowledged, “So! Y-You’re here. And— And you’re actually d-dating my daughter…?”
“Yes, ma’am, I am,” he confirmed, nodding.
“Ah. So, you— You two are still together then?” she mumbled, biting her lip and refusing to meet his gaze. “That’s…lovely.”
“Tch. Seriously, Mother? Not five minutes in, and you’re already starting?” Silver questioned, irate.
“Now, Silverstream—” Sky Beak tried intervening.
“Don’t, Dad,” she cut him off with a huff. “I don’t want to hear it; I’m coming back onto the ship.”
“No, wait!” Ocean frantically pleaded, reaching out to Silver who flinched away. “Please don’t go, honey. I-I-I haven’t heard from you in so long, and there’s so much we need to talk about.”
“Oh, there’s a lot of things I need to talk to you about,” Silver grumbled coldly. “Or more accurately: Yell at you about.”
Before the situation could grow any more heated, Gallus murmured, “Silver…?”
Silver inhaled sharply and let it out slowly, turning her gaze to him. “Talk?” she guessed.
He nodded. “Talk.”
Silverstream sighed, shot Ocean Flow another glare, and pulled Gallus aside. “Yes, Gallus?” she whispered neutrally.
“Are you okay?” he asked, keeping his voice down as well.
“No, I’m not. I’m angry, worried, nervous, and just… Ughhh,” she groaned, face-clawing. “Is that an emotion? ‘Ughhh’? If not, it should be. Because that’s exactly what I’m feeling right now.”
“Yeah, I know. I’m a little nervous too. But still. This is something we have to deal with.”
“You mean something I have to deal with…”
“No.” Gallus gave her cheek a soft nuzzle, correcting, “It’s something we have to deal with. You’re not facing this alone, Silver.”
“Thank you,” she said, nuzzling him back. “I know you’re with me; I’m just worried anyway. I mean, you’re not the one who needs to make amends with my mother,” she pointed out, combing a shaky talon through her sopping mane.
“But I am the one who needs to win her over. And, uh…” He glanced over at Ocean Flow to see her regarding him with apprehension. “I get the feeling that’ll be pretty tough.”
“Then let’s go back to the ship and deal with it later,” she beseeched.
“Silverstream, no.”
“But, Gallus—”
“No. We’ve put this off for long enough,” Gallus argued wisely. “And we both know better than to leave things like this bottled up.”
Silverstream scowled, despising how she agreed with him wholeheartedly. She then looked back at Ocean, bluntly asking, “Hey, Mom? Do you have a problem with Gallus being my boyfriend?”
Gallus face-clawed as Ocean Flow raced to come up with an appropriate response. “W-Well, uh… I mean, er, I-I only just met him, but you, er…?” she trailed off.
“Okay,” Silverstream sighed, swimming away again and pulling Gallus along with her. “That’s all I needed to hear; back to the ship we go.”
“No, stop! Please!” Ocean Flow begged, voice cracking. “Silverstream honey, I— I missed you so much… Pl-Please don’t go yet.”
Feeling her heart sink at how despondent her mother appeared, Silver turned back to Gallus. “I really don’t know if I can do this,” she quietly admitted, beak quivering.
“You’re just talking to your mother, Silver,” Gallus comforted. “She’s not a super-villain. Remember?”
“I know she’s not, but… But… I just don’t think I’m ready yet.”
“Ready to apologize to her? Or ready to forgive her?”
“Both.”
“You can forgive somecreature but still be mad at them, you know,” he stated solemnly.
“Mom isn’t Gruff, Gallus,” Silverstream growled, hanging her head. “Besides. You know I don’t like being angry. At anycreature.”
He raised her chin back up, insisting, “All the more reason to talk to her and make amends.”
“Fair point,” she conceded, appearing rather morose herself.
“…It will be okay, Silverstream.”
“I hope so, Gallus; I really hope so.”
Seeing she still didn’t seem convinced, Gallus implored, “Seriously, Silverstream, don’t worry. Just, uh…?” He thought for a moment and advised, “Just think of this as a more awkward version of what happened with Smolder.”
“That doesn’t help, Gallus,” she whined, sparing another nervous glance at her mother.
He frowned worriedly and pleaded, “Then tell me what I can do that will help.”
“Kiss me and tell me everything will be okay?” Silver proposed weakly.
“That, I can do,” Gallus said, leaning forward and kissing her. Silver flung her talons around his neck, ensuring he couldn’t pull away any time soon, and in response, he lifted his own talons to her cheeks, gently holding her still as well.
Ocean Flow just watched on, her expression shifting from trepidation to shock. Sky Beak, on the other talon, smiled excitedly upon seeing the couple embrace. He then spotted the camera Gallus had left behind and eagerly took it into his talons, aiming it at the embracing couple.
After a full two minutes had passed, Silver reluctantly allowed him to break away and gave him a small, thankful smile.
“Everything will be okay, Silverstream,” Gallus soothed.
“Everything will be okay,” she echoed, holding her talons over his and relishing his warm touch. “You go have fun with Daddy; I’ll go deal with Mom.”
“You sure you’ll be okay?”
“Mhmm.”
“Alright then. I’ll see you later,” he said, attempting to fly back up to the ship only to stop once he realized she was still holding onto his talons. “Silver? Was there something else?”
“Yes. Could I have one more kiss?” she requested, smiling just the way she knew he liked it. “Pretty please?”
Gallus smiled back, yielding, “Of course. Long or short?”
“You know which one I’d prefer,” she purred, pulling him closer toward both the water and her.
“Yes, I do. After all, I prefer that one too.” Gallus then spared the thoroughly stunned Ocean Flow another glance before looking back at Silverstream and saying, “But I think we’ll have to keep it short.”
“What? Why?”
“Because your mom is waiting for you.”
“So?”
Noticing Ocean Flow looked genuinely hurt by that, he rebukingly mumbled, “Silverstream…”
“Yeah, yeah! I know,” she groused, frowning apologetically—though not too apologetically. “But come on! Don’t tease me like that; I want a long one,” Silver mewled pleadingly.
“I do too, but I doubt your mom would like it if she had to wait an hour to spend time with you.”
“But she wouldn’t have to wait an hour.”
“She would if you wanted a Round Two,” he countered. “And you always want a Round Two.”
Knowing full-well she had lost that debate, Silverstream resorted to the last trick she had in her arsenal: Pouting adorably until he suggested a compromise. Which, of course, he did.
“Okay, how about this?” Gallus continued. “I’ll give you another short kiss now…?” He then leaned closer and whispered into her ear, “And I’ll give you an extra long kiss when you get back.”
Beneath the water—and thankfully concealed from everycreature’s sights—Silverstream’s back hooves gave an ecstatic, little buck.
“Two kisses!” she demanded, barely keeping her wings at her sides. “Take it or leave it!”
“Two kisses it is th—Mph!”
Silverstream cut him off by bringing him into another kiss, but he quickly hummed happily, kissing her back as his eyes fluttered shut.
They soon broke apart for a second, breathing a little heavier, but once that second passed, Silver kissed him again, trying desperately to bring him into the water with her.
Unfortunately, she failed, and Gallus soon pulled away and gave her a smug smile. “Nice try, Silver. But I ain’t visiting Seaquestria just yet.”
“Shame. I can’t wait to make out with you down here,” Silver said, grinning despite her loss. “Oh well. You can make it up to me later.” She then batted her eyelashes and forewarned, “Because when we have that extra long kiss, we’re having three rounds.”
His wings went stiff for a split second, but much to Silver’s disappointment, Gallus managed to stay in the air, exclaiming, “Thr-Three rounds!? W-W-Wow, we’ve never had…” He then placed a talon on her forehead, asking, “Silverstream, are you feeling okay? You’re not usually this, er, risqué?”
“I am on spring break with my boyfriend. Neither our friends, nor our teachers are here to tease or stop us. And you just offered me an extra long kiss,” she listed off with a crazed sparkle in her eye. “You had better believe I’m feeling risqué!”
Silver’s declaration was met with utter silence from all creatures present. “Okay! Y-Yeah, I need to go,” Gallus eventually squealed. “Otherwise, I don’t think I’m going to be able to resist much longer.”
“In that case…?” Silverstream paddled backward, drawing him further away from the ship. “Why resist? Come into the water and play,” she beckoned, smiling alluringly.
“No…”
“Yes.”
“No!”
“Yes, Gallus!” Silverstream sang enticingly. “Come on, you know you wanna.”
“Mmm,” he hummed uncomfortably. Luckily, and just barely, Gallus found the resolve to pull himself free of her grasp and deny, “No. No. No… You need to go with your mom.”
“Aww, you tease,” Silver whined, playfully splashing him. “I want to keep kissing you.”
“You think I don’t?”
“Then come here and do it!”
Gallus chanced yet another glance at Ocean Flow and winced at the expression she greeted him with. He then sighed apprehensively and asked, “Do you really want one more kiss before I go?”
Silverstream’s immediate answer was obviously yes. But after giving it some thought, she sighed herself. “No, you’re right. I shouldn’t put this off any longer,” she recognized, jerking her head toward her mother.
“No, you shouldn’t,” he agreed.
“Yeah. Plus? If you kiss me again, I will pull you into the water and… Well?” Silver reached up and ran a talon through his headcrest, crooning, “You know.”
Gallus was fairly certain his heart legitimately skipped a beat, but he successfully stayed strong and yelped, “Yep, definitely gotta go!”
“Fine,” she bemoaned, truly saddened none of her attempts had succeeded. “You can go back to the ship. But I’ll be counting the seconds until we’re alone again.”
“That goes for both of us.”
“It better. Anywho, I’ll see you later, Gallus. Love you.”
“Love you too.” Before Gallus flew back to the ship, however, he smirked daringly and swiftly sneaked a kiss to her cheek, dodging her subsequent lunge. Laughing, he ascended back to the ship, saying, “See you later, milady.”
“You! Are! A! Tease!” she bellowed, staring after him longingly. “Gallus, you get back down here and kiss me proper!”
“We’ll kiss later!”
“I want to kiss you now!”
“Later!”
“Augh, dang it,” Silver grumbled, slapping her talon against the water in frustration.
She then turned around to find her mother staring at her with an utterly blank expression that managed to convey both overwhelming confusion and absolute terror.
With tremendous willpower, Silverstream managed to not groan at the sight, and instead, she reached for her necklace and activated it.
One bright swirl of light later, her beak, talons, and hooves were replaced with a muzzle, flippers, and tail fin. She then stretched a bit, reacquainting herself with the feeling of her seapony form, and slowly swam over to her mother.
“Y-You… You and he…” Ocean Flow stammered, still processing what she had just witnessed.
“Kissed,” Silver finished for her. “Yep. And he’s a wonderful kisser. Now, come on, Mom. We really do need to talk,” she said, taking her mother’s flipper and dragging her beneath the water.
Gallus, meanwhile, finally landed back on the ship with a dreamy smile. Said smile vanished upon locking eyes with the widely grinning Sky Beak.
“Sooo,” the hippogriff began neutrally. “That whole thing just happened.”
Having no clue how to respond, Gallus simply nodded silently.
“And you just promised my baby girl and extra long kiss, I see…”
“Yep,” he affirmed, flicking his tail anxiously. “I, uh, I did.”
“Yes, you did. And I’m not entirely certain whether to be overjoyed or horrified by that,” Sky Beak said, barely holding back a laugh.
“T-To be honest, I’m not sure either,” Gallus said, gulping nervously under the hippogriff’s gaze. “Silver has never asked for three rounds before, so…”
“Oh, trust me! You’ve seen nothing yet, my friend. When Ocean Flow was feeling especially eager, we would go on for hours,” Sky reminisced. “And it sounds to me like Silver is much the same.”
“Yeah, well…?” Gallus stroked his headcrest and timidly admitted, “I-I-I’m kinda glad for that. I really like kissing Silverstream.”
“I should hope so; she certainly seemed to enjoy kissing you,” he hummed, winking. “And hugging you. And snuggling you. And playing with you in the water…”
Gallus flinched, blushing.
Sky smirked even wider, adding, “Oh! And let’s not forget she also likes shoving her tail under your beak.”
“She told you about that!?”
“Yep.” Sky then snickered when Gallus groaned weakly and hid himself behind his wings. “Oh, don’t worry, Gallus dear, I’m only teasing. Besides, I’m certain you at least enjoy the kissing, hugging, and snuggling.”
“Yeah, I do,” he confessed, peeking out from between his wings. “I really do.”
“Well, you have me to thank for Silver’s fondness for snuggles,” Sky boasted casually. “As for her love of extra long kisses? That’s something she picked up from her mother.”
Gallus smiled, but his grin drooped slightly as he muttered, “Um? Sp-Speaking of Mrs. Ocean Flow? Do… Do you know why she doesn’t like me?”
Sky Beak fidgeted nervously, not meeting the griffon’s eye. “It’s not that she doesn’t— I mean, she isn’t— I mean…” He sighed. “It’s complicated. But long story short? She’s a little para—er? Worried. She’s a little worried,” he corrected himself. Sky then shook his head, saying, “Listen, Gallus, don’t— Don’t worry about Ocean Flow. She’ll come around.”
“…You think so?” he asked hopefully.
“I do. She just needs to talk to you and get to know you more. Once she does, she’ll realize just how lovely you really are.”
“Well? I guess I am pretty lovable,” Gallus jokingly gloated, grinning.
“Indeed you are.”
“Heh-heh. Although…?” he continued, frowning again. “I get the feeling Silverstream trying to make out with me in the water wasn’t a great first impression,” he fretted.
Sky scoffed and refuted, “Ocean Flow has no grounds to judge you for that.”
“Yeah, but—”
“‘But’ nothing! If Ocean tries judging you for kissing our daughter in front of her, I’ll remind her of some of the naughtier things she and I used to get up to when we were married.”
Gallus couldn’t help but laugh; however, he soon stopped and blinked in confusion. “Hold on? ‘When we were married’?” he repeated. “Aren’t you two still…?”
“What? Why would you think— Oh. Ohhh. Silverstream didn’t tell you,” Sky Beak realized, hanging his head.
“Wait, you mean—” Sky’s subsequent wince was all the confirmation Gallus needed. “I… I-I’m so sorry, Mr. Sky Beak; I didn’t mean to—”
“Oh, don’t apologize, Gallus dear,” Sky interrupted, forcing a calm smile. “If you didn’t know, you didn’t know. I take no offense,” he assuaged, glad to see Gallus seemed significantly relieved to know that. “Although, I’m surprised Silver never told you about us.”
“She told me you lived as a hippogriff and Missus, er? Miss Ocean Flow lived as a seapony. But I-I just assumed you guys made it work,” he elaborated tentatively. “I didn’t think that…”
“Yes, well? Unfortunately, we…didn’t…make it work.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Again, Gallus, you don’t have to apologize. … I felt happier up here, and Ocean Flow felt safer down there,” he explained, turning his gaze onto the glistening, blue bay. “It’s okay.”
“I’m still sorry,” Gallus said, unsure of how to comfort him.
“Heh. You really are a sweetheart, you know that?” Sky praised, shaking his head wistfully. “No wonder my daughter chose you.”
Gallus smiled.
Sky Beak snorted and admonished, “Oh, but there I go! Getting all broody and bringing down the mood… For that, I am deeply sorry.”
“You don’t have to apologize either, Mr. Sky Beak.”
“Nonetheless, I shouldn’t be discussing such dark matters,” he argued. “Not when you and Silver are finally together. Your relationship is so new, so fresh!” Sky Beak rejoiced, beaming brightly. “I wouldn’t want to tarnish it by bringing up…that.”
“…Actually, Mr. Sky Beak?” Gallus began, pawing the deck nervously. “Silver and I… Have discussed that possibility.”
Sky’s beak fell open in shock. “W-What? You— You mean, you and she talked about—”
“What would happen if we broke up? Yeah.”
“B-But you’re both so young,” he said, utterly dumbstruck by this revelation. “Silver is so happy with you; a-and you’re her sweetie! Why would you two ever talk about breaking up, let alone consider it?”
“You… You know my guardian? Grandpa Gruff?”
“The fellow with the cool fez?”
“Yeah, him. He sorta paid Silver a visit and, er, ‘talked’ to her. One thing led to another, and… Yeah,” he concluded abruptly.
Sky Beak’s face darkened as he growled, “I suddenly feel the overwhelming need to pay this Grandpa Gruff a visit of my own.”
“If it helps,” Gallus added, snickering. “A few of our friends got together and beat him up.”
“What will help is if I get a chance to beat him up too.”
“In that case, I probably shouldn’t give you his address.”
“Wise.”
…
They both burst out laughing.
“Seriously though, Gallus dear,” Sky eventually resumed. “Are you and Silverstream…?”
Gallus eagerly nodded, confirming, “Yep! We want to be together, and more importantly, we’re happy together,” he celebrated serenely, his wings fluttering. “Grover’s Treasure, we’re so happy together!”
Sky Beak didn’t know what “Grover’s Treasure” meant, but he suddenly felt the need to say the word “Language” rebukingly. After quelling that odd instinct, he pulled Gallus into a comforting hug, saying, “I’m very glad to hear that.”
Gallus hugged him back, replying, “I’m very glad to say that.”
“Heh-heh-heh.” Sky Beak then let Gallus go and exclaimed, “Whelp! The ship is clean, Silver is with her mother, and Terramar is likely back home,” he acknowledged, nodding. “What say we go back to town and have some fun?”
“Aww, but, Mr. Sky Beak!” Gallus whined, headcrest drooping. “There has to be something else I can do for you. D-Do you want me to swab the others ships? The docks? Or maybe—”
“Gallus!” Sky called out sternly, causing the griffon to fall silent and stand at attention. “I have only one more task for you; are you ready?”
“Sir, yes, sir!”
After stifling a giggle, Sky commanded, “For the rest your spring break, you are to enjoy your stay here at Mount Aris, having fun rather than doing chores.”
“But, Captain—”
“That is an order, sailor!” Sky cut him off. “No more chores, favors, or repayments. You are to have fun. Understood?”
“Y-Yes, sir,” he agreed, giving a disappointed salute but smiling nonetheless.
“Good. Now, come on,” Sky beckoned, dancing in place. “Haven and Stratus may have the dancing stadium handled, but we still have that father-daughter’s boyfriend knitting competition to set up. And we also need to bake those apology cakes too,” he remembered, beaming excitedly.
“That does sound fun,” Gallus said, cheering back up. “And you did order me to have fun, so…? Which did you want to do first, Captain?”
“Apology cakes! Definitely the apology cakes!”
“Alrighty then. Er? Where should I leave the uniform?”
“Eh, keep it on. Give Silverstream a nice surprise when she gets back,” Sky Beak said with a knowing smile.
“U-Uh? Yes, sir,” Gallus said, blushing once again.