//------------------------------// // One Friendly Griffon // Story: My Big Fat Griffon Wedding // by LunaJack //------------------------------// Cinnamon Roll awoke in the pitch-black dark. Was the sun up yet?  Where was the window?  Then she remembered. I'm sleeping in the pantry!  There is no window in the pantry. Carefully, the filly rolled out of bed and groped her way to the door.  I really need a lamp in here, she thought as she unlocked the door. The kitchen was gray in the morning light, a faint yellow glow coming from one of the windows.  Cinnamon pulled the curtain aside and took a look outside.  The streets and skies were devoid of griffons.  So, Gulliand wasn’t the only one who liked to sleep in. Quietly, she put on the kettle for coffee.  Cookie had made them a care package and sent it via Gordon the previous evening. It included eggs, bacon, a bag of potatoes, an onion, and a whole coffee cake wrapped in wax paper.  The filly smiled at the crotchety cook’s generosity. She wrapped the cake in a clean towel and laid it on the stove to warm.  After that, there was nothing to do but wait. She sat at the little dining table and idly admired the space.  The stone walls gave the room a warm rustic charm while the high ceiling kept it from feeling claustrophobic.  There had once been a fireplace in the wall that separated the living space from the huge room on the other side, but it had been sealed up and replaced with a pot-bellied stove.  Cinnamon wondered why the owners had done away with such a nice feature.  Perhaps, they could add opening up the fireplace to their fix list. The little filly sighed.  Except for the hiss of the kettle in the kitchen, everything was quiet. She missed the sounds of morning.  When she lived with her folks, there had always been some kind of racket: Applespike running down the stairs, her parents talking in the kitchen, Granny pulling out her skillet for breakfast pancakes.  The college dormitory hadn’t been quiet either.  Fillies could be heard trotting to the bathroom, arguing over the mirror, or dashing down the stairs for an early breakfast.  Even the LeGrand mansion, though it tried to stay quiet in the morning, had its noises.  Gordon opening the front door to retrieve the mail, the maids muttering as they went about their duties, Cookie’s muffled voice giving orders.  Sitting in the quiet house, she felt lonely and just a bit homesick.   KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK! Cinnamon started at the banging on the front door.  Who could it be this early?  Surely not the lumber mill griffins!  Maybe it was Gordon bringing something they had forgotten.  Or maybe, she gulped, that bully of a scone baker coming back to finish business! KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK! Cinnamon quietly approached the door.  Standing on her back legs, she opened the little peep window and peered out.  Suddenly a turquoise eye appeared in the window, “HI, THERE!” “AHH!” Cinnamon fell backwards, her heart pounding in her chest. “Sorry about that!  Didn’t mean to scare you!  I’m just so excited!  I heard that a pony had moved into Griffonstone and I just had to see for myself!”  The eye in the window darted around.  “You must be really short, I can’t see you!” “I’m on the floor,” said Cinnamon, dryly. “The floor?”  The eye aimed down to where she sat.  “Oh, I see you!  Heeeey!” “Hello,” Cinnamon waved half-heartedly. “I have a package for a Cinnamon Roll Apple-Dragon.  Is that you?” “Well, yes!” replied the filly, rising to her hooves.  “I’m Cinnamon Roll!” “I figured you were!  All the griffs around her have names that start with G but you’re named for a pastry and a fruit which is how ponies do their names!  The only thing I don’t get is the Dragon part.  What is that about?” Cinnamon Roll chuckled.  “I’ll explain,” she said as she unlocked the door.  She was no longer afraid. The griffon had called her by her full name which no one except the LeGrands knew.  That and the excited happy voice reminded her of Pinkie Pie and the Tri-Pies. She opened the door revealing a blue-ish gray griffoness with dark gray wings.  She was the same height as Cinnamon Roll and seemed to be about the same age.    “Oh, wow!” cried the griffoness as she gazed at Cinnamon, her eyes shining with excitement.  “I can’t believe I’m meeting a real, live pony!  I love your mane!  And your Cutie Mark!  The mark of a pony’s destiny!”  She squinted at the mark on the filly’s flank.  “What is that?  Some kind of white pizza or something?” “It’s a cinnamon roll,” the little filly laughed.  “Like my name.  How do you know about Cutie Marks?” “Oh, I’m a BIG fan of The Cutie Mark Crusaders!” the griffoness gushed.  “I heard their song Finding Your Mark about how hard they had worked to find their special talents and get their cutie marks!  I thought it was so awesome!  I sometimes wished I could get a cutie mark so maybe I would know what my destiny is…but I think I like being a mail carrier.  I like bringing packages and letters to griffs.  I think it makes them happy.” “Speaking of which, didn’t you say you had a package for me?” “Oh, yes!”  The griffoness reached into a large satchel she had slung over her back and pulled out a box wrapped in brown paper and tied with twine.  “It’s addressed to the LeGrand mansion, but when I went up there this morning, the butler told me you had moved into the old McPhearsome place so I came here and there you were!  Good thing you’re an early riser.  I’d hate to wake you up.” “Thank you,” said Cinnamon, taking the package.  She was not surprised to see it was from Ponyville, the address written in her Ma’s hoofwriting.  She smirked when she noticed it was postmarked the day that she had left for Griffonstone.  She could imagine Applejack and Spike racing to get home and baking up a storm just to get the package out to her before the post office closed that day. The gray griffoness pressed her talons to her chin in growing excitement.  “Oh, it made you happy and you haven’t even opened it yet!  How wonderful!” “It’s a care package from my folks,” Cinnamon explained.  She pulled off the twine and carefully removed the paper.  “They did this for me the whole time I was in college.  Ooooooooooh!” The filly cooed in delight as she opened the box, revealing a bag of Applejack’s oatmeal apple-cinnamon cookies and a jar of Granny's apple butter.  Lying on top was a fat yellow envelope with a message scrawled on it. "Dear Cinnamon Roll, We hope you are doing fine. Your Pa and I were a little worried you might get homesick so we sent you some food to make you feel better.  Your Pa wanted to include a jar of his Apple Soup but we worried it might go bad before it reached you so we sent some apple butter instead. After we got home, we started going through the family cookbooks and found some recipes you might like to try.  Your Pa copied them down (gave himself a claw cramp doing it so fast) and we put them in this envelope.  It's got all your favorites and then some!  Since Gulliand was so taken with Granny's hoecakes we included some cornflour recipes as well. We hope you two are doing well.  Please make sure to write back, baby!  We miss you! Your loving Ma, Applejack." "It's good news, isn't it?" asked the griffoness, her fists balled up under her chin and her eyes sparkling with excitement. "I can tell by the way your face is shining!  This is so great!  I finally get to see someone be happy because of what I do!" Cinnamon Roll smiled, touched that her happiness meant so much to the griffoness. "Would you like to come in?" she asked.  "I've got some coffee brewin' and some coffee cake warmin' on the stove if ya want any." The griffon's eyes widened in surprise.  "You-you're inviting me in?  For coffee?" "Of course I am!  You seem like a nice creature Miss... Uh..." "Gabriella!  But everyone calls me Gabby!" "Okay, Gabby.  You seem like a nice creature and I could stand some company this morning. Unless you had something else you needed to do..." "Oh, no!  I don't have anything else yet!” Gabby replied hastily.  "I don't make my rounds until later.  I just saw your package at the post office and couldn't wait to deliver it! "Well, come on in and sit awhile!"  Cinnamon guided the excited Gabby to the sitting room table.  In the kitchen, the kettle was already whistling.  "I'll fix you a cup.  Do you like sugar and milk with your coffee?" "Oh, yes!  Please!" "Okay."  Cinnamon set out a small bowl of sugar cubes and a little pitcher of milk.  She then brought out a pair of mugs her Ma had given her when she first started school and set them on the table.  Gabby cooed in delight as she admired the cups. "Aw! They have little apples on them!  How cute!" The griffoness’ downy neck feathers stood on end.  "I just love cute things!  They make me feel all fluffy inside!" Cinnamon Roll poured the coffee then fetched the cake from the stove.  It was nice and warm.  Despite her childlike excitement, Gabby displayed good manners and did not grab or scarf down her food, nor did she talk with her mouth full.  She hummed delightedly over the cake and savored the fresh coffee. "This cake is wonderful!" she exclaimed.  "Did you bake it?” Cinnamon Roll shook her head.  “No, the LeGrand’s cook made this for us.” “Wow!  Next time you see  old Grizzy tell her she did a great job. Cinnamon Roll froze.  "Grizzy?" she asked. "Well, her real name is Grizelda but everyone calls her Grizzy.   Unless they’re mad at her then they call her Grizzly! She used to live down on the end branch until she went to work for the LeGrands as a cook.” Gabby sighed.  “No one in the neighborhood could fry a chicken like her!" "Oh," said Cinnamon, sipping from her cup.  Grizelda? She thought.  No wonder she goes by Cookie! "So," said Gabby, wiping her beak before leaning in slightly.  "Why is your last name Apple-Dragon?  Are you part-dragon like a kirin?  You don't look like it." "No," the filly laughed.  "My older brother and I were adopted by Applejack and Spike the Dragon.  Ma and Pa hyphenated their last name when they got married.  A few years after they adopted us, Ma had my little brother Applespike.  Now, he really is half-pony-half-dragon.  He breathes fire...which comes in handy when you're havin' a snowball fight!"   Gabby's eyes went wide.  "Wow!  That is so cool!  I don't have any siblings.  I'm an only chick." She let out a dreamy sigh.  "Sometimes I like to pretend my two roommates are my sisters, but they always yell at me to cut out the sappy talk whenever I mention it.” Cinnamon gave the griffoness a sympathetic look.  Gabby sighed but immediately perked up again. “So, you’re living here in the old McPhearsome house?  That is great!  This place has been empty for a long time so it’s nice to see it being lived in again!” “Do you know much about the history of this place?” asked Cinnamon.   “I would like to learn more about it.”   “Oh, yeah!” Gabby nodded vigorously.  “ Almost everygriff knows about the McPhearsome house!  What would you like to know?’ “Well,” said Cinnamon, thinking for a moment.  “Why is it called the McPhearsome house?” “Okay! The house was built by Gregor McPhearsome.  His ancestors fought in the war against the ponies of Equestria over a thousand years ago.  It’s said one of his ancestors was gravely wounded while trying to fight Princess Luna in close combat!” “Wow,” Cinnamon gasped, unable to imagine anyone with the courage (or stupidity) to do such a thing. “So, was Gregor McPhearsome a warrior like his ancestors?” Gabby shook her head.  “No.  The Griffon army’s been disbanded ever since the Idol of Boreas was stolen and the Kingdom fell into depression.  Mr. McPhearsome was a really wealthy griffon.  He owned a lot of property in Griffonstone, especially around the market.  He could have moved up the mountain to that plateau where the really wealthy have their mansions, but he chose to live here. The rich griffs made fun of him, but he didn’t care.  I think he just liked it here.” “I understand,” Cinnamon Roll nodded.  “I know a lot of ponies back home who have the money to live somewhere fancy, but they choose to stay in Ponyville.” “He built this house himself,” Gabby continued.  “He had enough to pay somegriff to do it but he insisted on doing it himself.  He trained to be a stonemason so he could learn how!” She looked around at the stone walls, smiling in admiration.  “This is one of the best houses in Griffonstone!  It even has a slate roof!” “We noticed,” said Cinnamon Roll wryly.  “Be nice if that part had been covered in slate, too,” she nodded toward the huge room with the hole in the roof.  “Then we wouldn’t have to replace all that wood.” “Yeah, that’s a sad story,” said the griffoness, suddenly turning glum.  “Mr. McPhearsome built this house not long before he got married.  It was small but he promised his wife he’d build an addition once they had children.  A few years later, his wife gave birth to two little griffs so Mr. McPhearsome got started on the new room.   Well, according to Grandpa Gruff, that was the year a deadly pox was going around.  The older griffons had some immunity to it since it had been around before, but a lot of the younger griffs weren’t so lucky.”  Gabby shuddered. “It was awful!  My Mom had it when she was a kid.  She survived but she said that was the worst she had ever felt in her life.   McPhearsome’s children caught it and…they were so young, their little bodies just couldn’t fight it off, so they…died.” “Oh, no!” Cinnamon Roll gasped. The griffoness nodded sadly.  “He and his wife took it hard.  They never had any more kids and McPhearsome gave up on the extra room.  He just put up a roof and laid some thatch over it and left it.  I think he tried to fix it up for the Blue Moon Festival one year, but that was it.  He and his wife lived here alone until they passed away from extreme old age.  They say the wife passed first and then McPhearsome died shortly after so they stayed together even after death.” Cinnamon sniffed, tears rolling down her cheeks at this bittersweet tale.  She picked up a napkin to wipe her eyes.  “That,” she choked.  “That is beautiful.” “Yeah, it is,” Gabby sighed.  “I hope I can find someone I wouldn’t mind growing old with.  Anyway, after they passed away their relatives sold the house to Old Lady LeGrand.  She already owns a lot of the market, so her getting it was no surprise.  Everygriff thought she might tear it down just to make way for more market stalls.  It’s great to know someone is living in it now!” “I’m glad to hear that,” said Cinnamon, smiling again.  She was about to say more when a loud thump from upstairs made them jump.   “What was that?” cried Gabby, staring wide-eyed at the ceiling.  “Do you have a roommate?  I hope you have a roommate because it’s either that or the house is haunted!” The filly burst out laughing.  “No, that’s just my roommate.  I’m surprised he’s up so early, though.  Usually, he’s a late riser.” The griffoness’ eyebrows raised.  “He?” she asked. “My fiance,” replied Cinnamon Roll.  “We decided to move in here before we got married so we could get our new business going.” “Oh,” said Gabby, “I meant to ask you what you were doing in Griffonstone!  What kind of business is it?” “We want to open a restaurant.  A regular sit down, fine dining restaurant.  My fiance and I are both trained chefs and it was his dream to open a restaurant here in Griffonstone.” “REALLY?” Gabby’s eyes opened wide, shining with glee.  “You mean like one of those big, fancy restaurants in the magazines the rich griffs read?  THAT kind of restaurant?” “Well,” Cinnamon hesitated, remembering the bland, uninteresting food that usually was touted in “sophisticated” magazines.  “Maybe not that fancy, but definitely with a nice look and excellent food.  We’re both big believers in good tasting food.” “Oooooooooo!  I can’t wait for you to start!” the griffoness’ feathers fluffed until she looked like a gray, fresh hatched chick.  “And you can count on me to spread the word!  A real restaurant in Griffonstone!  I’m so excited!  OH!  By the way, may I use your bathroom?  That coffee went straight through me.” “Sure.  The bathroom is through that door next to the stairs.” “Thanks," The griffoness quickly slipped into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.   Cinnamon Roll went into the kitchen and set a skillet on the stove to heat. She knew Gulliand would want more than coffee cake for breakfast.  She brought out the eggs and peeled off several slices of bacon.  She heard the stairs creak as Gulliand descended.  A moment later he poked his head into the kitchen.  His eyes were barely open and his head feathers were all askew. “Good morning, Cherie,” he managed to say before yawning loudly. “Mornin’, Sugarcube,” replied Cinnamon Roll.  She sprinkled a little water into the pan to see if it was heating properly.  “You’re up mighty early.  You have trouble sleepin’?” Gulliand shook his head.  “No, I slept well.  I just thought it might be a good idea to be awake in case the griffons from the lumber mill show up.  I also thought I would scout the market for some ingredients for my chicken parmesan recipe.  That might sell well enough to drum up some interest.” “That sounds good,” Cinnamon nodded.  “I might be able to make some cakes we can sell, too.” “That would be lovely.”  Gulliand slipped behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her against his fluffy chest.  He nuzzled her cheek before giving her ear a playful nip.  Cinnamon squeaked. “Gulliand!” she giggled as she wriggled in his embrace. “What?” he purred.  “Can I help it if you look beautiful in the kitchen?” Cinnamon turned to face him.  “Flatterer!” she murmured. Gulliand grinned down at her.  “It’s working.”  He leaned in for a kiss. “GREAT GROVER’S GHOST!” Gulliand jumped backwards with a roaring screech almost knocking Cinnamon to the floor.  He turned to face a gray feathered griffoness who was staring at them with wide outraged eyes. “WHAT THE FLAP?”  “WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING!” the griffoness cried, pointing a talon at Gulliand.  “GET OUTTA HERE YOU HOMEWRECKER!” Gulliand bristled.  “I BEG YOUR PARDON?” “HER FIANCE IS GONNA BE DOWN ANY MINUTE!  IT’LL BE TARTARUS IF HE CATCHES YOU!” “Wait, Gabby!” cried Cinnamon Roll, trying to intervene. “AND CINNAMON!” the griffoness turned on the filly.  “I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU WOULD CHEAT ON YOUR FIANCE LIKE THIS!  I THOUGHT PONIES WERE BETTER THAN THAT!” “EXCUSE ME?” Gulliand bellowed. “WHY ARE YOU STILL HERE?  GET OUT BEFORE I THROW YOU OUT!” “WHAT THE–?” “THAT’S ENOUGH!” Both griffons shut their beaks and stared in surprise at Cinnamon Roll.  Neither had expected such a loud bellow from such a little filly.  Having gained their attention, Cinnamon took a calming breath then let it out slowly before speaking in her normal voice. “I think introductions are in order.  Gulliand,” she gestured to their guest. “This is Gabby, the mail griffon.  She brought me a package this morning and I invited her in for coffee.”  She turned to Gabby.  “Gabby, this is Gulliand LeGrand.  He is my fiance.” The gray griffoness’ mouth slowly fell open as this information sank in. “Oh. My. Gosh!” she whispered, the feathers on her cheeks turning pink.  “W-when you said you had a fiance, I thought you were talking about a pony.  I never expected him to be a griffon!” “Oops!” Cinnamon rubbed the back of her neck.  “I guess I should have been more clear about that.” Gabby turned to face Gulliand.  “Sorry I yelled at you,” she said, meekly.  “No hard feelings, I hope.” “None at all,” replied Gulliand with a bow.  “It was an honest mistake.” The griffoness’ eyes widened in delight.  “Wow!  You’re really nice!  Most griffons would have chased me off after that!  Wait! Didn’t you say your last name’s LeGrand?” “I did not say it, but yes, it is.” “So, you’re related to Old Lady– I mean, Georgina LeGrand?” Gulliand nodded.  “She is my grandmother.” “Oh! I know who you are!” cried Gabby, snapping her claws.  “You’re the son of Augustus LeGrand, the diplomat!  You lived in Maris for a while, then moved to Canterlot a few years ago!” Gulliand looked surprised.  “Um, yes.  But how did you know that?” “You’re letters, silly!” replied Gabby with a giggle.  “I’m the mail carrier here in Griffonstone.  I delivered all your letters to the mansion and picked up all your family’s letters going out.  I never opened them, if that’s what you’re thinking.  I just read the addresses and admired the stamps.  The ones from Prance were so pretty, like little paintings in the corner of the envelope!” “I remember those,” said Gulliand, smiling. “They were from a special series of stamps featuring the work of Cloud Moneigh.  I’m glad someone appreciated them.” Cinnamon Roll turned back to the stove as the two conversed.  This time the pan sizzled when she sprinkled it with water indicating it was ready.  Carefully, she laid the bacon inside the skillet then pulled out the eggs to fry later in the grease.  The strips sizzled and popped filling the air in the kitchen with the rich fatty smell.   “Bacon?” cried Gabby, peering over her shoulder.  “You’re really frying bacon? I didn’t know ponies could cook meat!” “Yeah, I get that a lot,” replied Cinnamon Roll with a giggle.  “Gulliand’s Uncle Gustave was my professor at the college.  He taught me how to do it.” Gabby gasped.  “You’ve met Gustave LeGrand, the famous eclair baker?”  She glanced at Gulliand who was giving her a reproachful look.  “OH!  Right!  He’s your dad’s brother!  Sorry, I got so excited I forgot for a minute.” “That’s all right.  Would you care to stay and have breakfast with us?  Since Cinnamon doesn’t eat bacon there should be plenty to go around.” “R-really?” the griffoness’ eyes shone and her voice hitched with emotion.  “You’re inviting me to eat…bacon with you?”  Cinnamon Roll and Gulliand nodded.  Gabby wiped her eyes with the back of her talon.  It was clear she was overcome with emotion.  “Thank you so much!” Cinnamon felt tears prick the corners of her eyes.  She had never met someone like Gabby who could be moved to tears by a simple invitation to eat.  Despite the warnings from the LeGrands and having seen firsthoof what the griffons were like, Gabby’s reactions to their hospitality really drove home how terrible living in Griffonstone could be. Gulliand guided their guest to the table before returning to the kitchen to assist Cinnamon with the eggs.  His nimble talons made quick work of the eggs without leaving a single shell.  He sighed as he looked over their meager rations. “If we had cheese and green onions, I would make an omelette,” he murmured, low.  “It would be nice if we could show our guest what we can do.” “Maybe once we get some groceries, we can invite her back,” replied Cinnamon Roll, giving him a nuzzle.  “She’s a purty sweet girl.  She reminds me of Aunt Pinkie Pie.” “Sacre Bleu Cheese!” Gulliand shuddered.  “Celestia help us all!”  The two dissolved into giggles. Soon everything was done and a platter of fresh scrambled eggs and crispy bacon was laid on the table.  Gabby, being the guest, was served first.  Her eyes closed in utter bliss as she took that first bite of bacon. “Mmmmmm!” she purred.  “This is sooooo good! Absolutely purrrrfect!” “Thank you,” said Cinnamon modestly.  As the three ate, Gulliand explained his vision of a restaurant to Gabby.  The little griffoness listened in rapt attention.  When he mentioned needing to find suppliers, she gave him a list of possible vendors.  Being the town’s main mail carrier, she knew all about the different businesses in Griffonstone and who would most likely have the best products.  Gulliand fetched a pen and paper and wrote down the information.  “So, Gerry has chicken and eggs, and Gerome has beef and pork.  Does anyone have lamb?” “No sheep.  But Gill has some goats,” replied Gabby.  “The goats do better in the mountains.” Gulliand nodded.  “What about fruits and vegetables?  Wheat products?  Flour?” “Ginny runs a General Store at the far end of the market.  She has good flour and spices.  She doesn’t haggle though.  She tells you a price, that’s her price and she’s not going down on it.  As for veggies, well, that depends.  We have plenty of potatoes, carrots, and turnips but green veggies like beans, cabbage, and lettuce have to be shipped in.” “What about fruits?” asked Cinnamon.  “Like apples?” “There are a few fruit trees down in the valley,” replied Gabby.  “They grow wild.  No griff owns them, so it’s first come, first serve.  Oh, we also have some nut trees!  Those grow wild, too.” Cinnamon grinned.  “That sounds good to me. Are there any pecans?” Gabby looked at the filly in confusion.  “Uh, we don’t use cans.  We griffs have indoor plumbing.” Cinnamon blushed blood red as Gulliand laughed so hard he rolled on the floor. “Oh, hush!” she said, hitting him with a napkin.  The filly turned to Gabby who was watching the couple with a puzzled look.  “I mean, are there any pe-cahns?” “Oh! Yes!  Yes, there are!” Gabby giggled.  “Sorry, I’ve never heard them called….that!” “It’s all right.” Cinnamon rolled her eyes at Gulliand who was still lying on the floor trying to contain his giggles.  “I hope you wet yourself!” she told him as she took a sip of coffee. Gabby giggled.  “Then maybe he could use a pee-can!” PFFFFT!  Coffee sprayed across the table.  “Dog-gone it, Gabby!” Gulliand doubled over in renewed laughter.  “Oh, Sacre Bleu Cheese!” he managed to gasp.  “You-you remind me of my sister, Gidget!” It took awhile before the three were able to resume their breakfast without choking with laughter.  Soon the morning sun was shining bright, making the room glow with a soft golden light.  Gabby quickly wiped her beak with a napkin and stood up from the table. “Time for me to go,” she said.  “I got mail to deliver!  It was so nice meeting you two!  Thank you for the food and I’ll be sure to spread the word about your restaurant!” “We appreciate it,” replied Cinnamon Roll.  “Stop by anytime you feel like company!” “I will!  Thanks!”  And with that, the little griffoness took off out the door. “Well, she was quite delightful,” remarked Gulliand.  “I haven’t enjoyed myself like that in quite a while.  And she was very helpful, he added, tapping the paper with his notes on it.  “Now, I know where to go for our supplies.” “Wonderful!” Cinnamon Roll gathered up the dishes and put them in the sink to wash. It had been a lovely morning, she admitted to herself.  Gabby had been just the little ray of sunshine she needed to dispel her fear and gloom.  She was glad that despite how distant or even hostile the occupants of this town were, there was at least one friendly griffon.