The Night Janitor

by Knox Locke

Chapter 26: The Griffon's Roost

Cozy continued to follow closely behind Gallus as they delved deeper and deeper into the Everfree Forest. Eventually, they reached the ruined castle Celestia and Luna had once shared. As they landed within its walls, Cozy stared in awe at the crystal mansion she saw before her.

"Is that the Tree of Harmony?" she asked with audible wonder in her voice. "I thought Sombra destroyed it."

"He did," replied the Griffon, "but me and my friends were able to bring it back as this Treehouse. I thought it might be a good, safe place for us to talk."

Cozy rushed ahead of Gallus towards the door of the Treehouse. She threw open the door... and came face-to-face with a monster. She quickly closed her eyes. She knew better than to look at it.

She heard Gallus enter through the door behind her. Her voice quaked.

"I-is th-that a cackatrice?"

"Oh, yeah," he replied. "That's Silverstream's."

"It's alright, Edith." He now seemed to be addressing the chicken-snake. "She's with me."

Cozy slowly opened her eyes as she heard the terrifying creature retreat across the room. She was still very wary of it, though.

"Come on," Gallus called to her as he ascended a nearby staircase. "I'll show you the griffon's roost. It's a bit more..."

He seemed to pause as he glanced back around the room they'd just left, almost as if searching for something.

"private up there," he concluded.

Cozy followed him up the rest of the staircase, happy to be leaving the seemingly still enraged cockatrice he'd called Edith behind her.

"Of all the things it could've been," she muttered under her breath, "why'd it have to be something that can turn ponies to stone."

"What was that?" asked Gallus.

"Oh," she quickly responded with a bright smile, "nothing!"

Once they'd entered the large room at the top of the staircase, Gallus closed and latched the door behind them.

"So... let me guess," he began, "somepony asked you to make up with some of your old friends."

"Golly, no!" she said in her feigned syrupy sweetness voice. "I decided to go around to everycreature I'd betrayed and beg them for forgiveness all on my own!"

She then dropped her broad smile into a mischievous grin. In a now very sarcastic tone, she continued, "Have you met me?"

They both shared a pretty good laugh over this, and they continued to pick each others brains for a few more hours. Cozy mostly asked about things she'd missed while she was *cough cough* "away." Meanwhile, Gallus seemed interested in finding out what devious things Cozy'd had to do in the past, whether it was to keep her secrets or get rid of an obstacle.

Eventually, dinnertime neared, and Cozy had to get home. Otherwise, Knox would get worried.

"Sorry, but I've really got to get home," she said, cutting Gallus off mid-sentence.

"Oh, yeah. You're living with that janitor, right?"

"Oh, golly, yes!" she responded with great enthusiasm. "His name is Knox."

"Well, tell him I said hi. And tell him I don't hold him trying to kill me against him," he said with a smirk.

Upon seeing Cozy's quizzical expression, he simply elaborated with, "Story for another day."

Author's Note:

Sorry for the long wait, but I've been sick with Bronchitis lately. I should be getting back to a much more normal release schedule now.