Gabby tries to figure out the perfect cutie mark for a fellow Griffon friend.
After her visit to Ponyville, Gabby begins creating Cutie Marks for the other Griffons in Griffonstone, in hopes of spreading goodwill and friendship.
Things are going pretty well, until Gabby is stumped by one particular Griffon, who doesn't seem especially passionate about anything, let alone having a Cutie Mark.
"This is gonna be the best one yet!" Gabby exclaimed, admiring her latest creation.
Two thin piece of wood before her had been cut and crafted with utmost care. They had diamond shaped bases, which each supported an identical distinctive icon; it was a tall vase complete with two handles. The vase rested upon a flat circular form, which had thin curved lines etched into it indicating rotation - a pottery wheel.
The griffon rubbed her two eagle claws together, beaming at her latest Cutie Mark creation.
"Grace is gonna love it!" She gave an excited leap into the air, spreading her grey feathered wings in excitement.
Quick as a flash, Gabby then turned and grabbed hold of three tin paint pots, which each had lids matching the colours inside; sunset orange, light lemon yellow, and white. She also clasped a set of thin paintbrushes, continuing to grin as she approached the wooden cutie mark and proceeded to paint it.
Gabby used the yellow paint for the base, the orange for the vase, and the white to fill the small etched areas, bringing the image to life. A few splatters of paint fell onto cloth which coated the table, and others fell onto the wooden floor below, joining others from past creations. Using a spare room in her home, Gabby had created her own studio for the soul purpose of crafting cutie marks. It didn't particularly bother her that a portion of the floor was covered in paint, since the entire room was 'creatively untidy'.
The walls were covered with drawings and designs, and the windows were nearly always open, as Gabby was forever flying to and from her home. Basic wood cutting devices were nearby, including a band saw and sander. The talented Griffon had created these from scratch as well, not unlike most other objects in her studio, and home in general.
Once the Cutie mark had been painted, Gabby had to resist the urge to pick it up before the paint was dry. Instead, her bright blue eyes sparkled as she gazed at her masterpiece from a few feet away.
"It's... perfect!!!" She clasped her feathered face, "I can't wait to give Grace her cutie mark!"
The young griffon hovered above the floor, and started to gently flap her wings, creating a small breeze of air. She directed it at her creation, in an attempt to hurry along the drying process. It seemed to work, and within five minutes the paint had hardened.
Gabby gasped and gently reached out for both pieces of the cutie mark, making absolute certain that not a single part smudged or felt damp when she touched it. Then, she grinned once more, and quick as a flash the Griffon spread her wings and set off through the open window.
~*~
In Gabby's personal opinion, Griffonstone was a glorious place, although it had become a little tattered over the years. The town was located atop a huge mountain; an easy location for Griffons to reach, but not quite so easy for many other creatures. Every single building had been built by the majestic half-lion, half-eagle creatures. The walls all made from tree bark, with the doors mostly hollow, and the roofs topped with layers and layers of straw. Surrounding the town, gigantic, twisting branches seemed to be supporting the entire area, many proceeding to grow and become engulfed by the soft clouds overhead.
Gabby hummed merrily to herself as she flew above the town, waving politely at each of her neighbours. Some waved back, others ignored her, and some even scowled and turned away. The optimistic griffon didn't let this bother her too much; grouchy mannerisms were quite the norm in Griffonstone. However, Gabby had noticed a huge change in the behaviour of many residents, once she had began creating and handing out cutie marks. Although the Griffons were confused at first, and rather annoyed by being disturbed, they had accepted the marks along with the many compliments Gabby had tossed in, about how special and talented they each were. Gabby had actually managed to receive blushes, coy smiles, and even words of gratitude from her usually-cranky neighbours.
Not only that, but every single grouchy griffon who had been given a cutie mark, had kept and displayed them proudly upon their satchels and clothing - even those who didn't seem all that grateful for the gift. Gabby spotted many of her creations as she soared overhead.
"Good morning Gina!" Gabby called out merrily to a dark feathered griffon below.
Gina displayed her tennis racket cutie mark on a ribbon around her neck, as though it was a type of medal. She had a slim athletic build, and was taller than most griffons. Gina had been one of the easiest griffon's for Gabby to match with a fitting cutie mark; tennis wasn't popular in Griffonstone, but Gina often went travelling to play with ponies and other creatures.
"Morning Gabs." Gina replied in a cool, collective manner. She briefly lifted her paw, making no eye contact at all.
Gabby smiled and continued on her way.
"How you doin Gibor?" She waved at a bulky brown griffon with scruffy feathers.
His cutie mark was attached to his huge, tattered satchel; it was a cart. Gibor spent his days delivering merchandise to and from Griffonstone. He would travel up and down the mountain multiple times a day, and took great pride in his work, as he was one of the only Griffon strong enough for the job.
"Sup." He greeted her with an agitated expression.
Gabby made sure to say hello to each and every griffon she passed on the way to Grace's home. It made her happy to see so many of her neighbours showing off their cutie marks. Even Old Glorien - one of the most ill tempered elderly residents in Griffonstone, had attached her chess piece cutie mark to her walking cane, although she still scowled miserably at Gabby when she passed by. Gabby had even made cutie marks for youngsters; a pogo stick for Gurley, a kite for Gulla, and binoculars for little Gregory; he loved bird watching. The kids managed to stop bickering long enough to give Gabby a wave, and she blissfully returned the greeting.
Finally, Gabby arrived at Grace's home.
~*~
Grace's house looked like most others; wooden walls, straw roof, and a painted door, but it stood twice as tall. The teenage griffon had fitted a spiral staircase, to enable her three separate floors inside, each with one small room. Gabby knew that Grace did most of her pottery work on the top floor, as she could often be seen working through the open window. However, she didn't seem to be there today, so instead of flying up there, Gabby simply knocked upon the door which lead to the ground floor.
She waited in anticipation, still grasping the cutie mark. This was the best part of her new hobby; handing out the marks and seeing the reaction of the receiver while she explained them. Of course, most griffon now knew about Gabby's cutie mark creation spree, so it wasn't quite as much of a surprise as it was when she first began, but even so, it was still a rewarding experience.
A few minutes passed, and Gabby could barely contain herself.
"Come on Grace..." she muttered to herself, hopping on her rear lion legs.
Still nothing.
"M... maybe she's not home." She whispered sadly.
After a few more minutes, Gabby sat down and rested her head in her hands, wondering whether she should keep waiting for Grace, or just come back another time. Suddenly, Gabby heard a voice behind her.
"She's out buying more clay."
The voice was deep, but femenine, and seemed to lack any particular emotion, but Gabby knew every griffon in Griffonstone, and instantly recognised it.
"Oh Hi Gilda!" She spread her wings, excited to see a somewhat friendly face.
Gilda looked more eagle than most other griffon; even her lion half was a soft light brown. Her wings were slightly darker, and her head was covered in stylish white feathers with purple tips. Gabby couldn't deny that Gilda was pretty - in a tomboyish, tough girl kind of way. Gilda used to be extremely independent, but had began showing a little more interest in her fellow griffons as of late. Gabby recalled two ponies visiting Griffonstone not too long ago, who chatted with and hugged Gilda before they left. She could only conclude that it was the influence of these two ponies which had inspired Gilda to get to know her fellow griffons. After all, she knew from her own experience that ponies were incredibly friendly creatures.
"Grace is out getting more clay." Gilda informed Gabby, "she'll be back later."
"Oh, I see." Gabby rubbed her neck, a little embarrassed.
"You're delivering another cutie mark huh?" Gilda gave a smirk. "Gretta showed me hers the other day, it was pretty cool I guess."
That compliment instantly cheered Gabby up,
"Y...you really think so? Thank you so much! I knew it was the perfect symbol for Gretta. Not only does the plant sprouting from it's pot symbolize her love for tending to plants, but it can also be metaphorical for when she first started talking to other griffons instead of keeping to herself all the time."
Gilda chuckled. Of the few friends she had in Griffonstone, Gretta was probably her closest, although their friendship was relatively new. Gretta was a couple years younger than Gilda, and had always been reluctant to so much as make eye contact with others. This was until the day Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie had encouraged Gilda to make the first move, which over time had resulted in the two griffon becoming good friends. Gretta was now a little less reserved, and although she was still weary of strangers, she was definitely coming out of her shell.
"Yeah, that sounds exactly like her." She replied.
Gabby beamed in delight, realising that her journey hadn't been a total waste of time after all. She adored receiving praise for her hard work.
"Thank you Gilda, I'm glad I ran into you. It really has been too long."
"Yeah, I've been visiting Dash." Gilda explained, "She has to leave for a long trip with the Wonderbolts soon. Pinkie wanted to throw a long line of 'Goodbye' parties... along with some 'Good luck' parties and a few 'See you soon' parties tossed in for good measure. It's been a crazy couple of weeks." She blushed a little before adding, "and I can tell that you've been pretty busy here."
Gabby giggled,
"That does sound like fun! And yeah, I've been having fun too. It's a blast making cutie marks for each and every griffon in Griffonsto....." She suddenly stopped in her tracks and looked Gilda up and down.
"W... what are you..." Gilda started to ask.
Gabby let out a long, horrified gasp.
"Gilda!!! I haven't made a cutie mark for you!"
She seemed as though she was about to faint from the realisation.
Gilda rolled her eyes, whilst Gabby continued to stress out over the fact that she didn't possess a wooden cutie mark. It was clear that the grey feathered griffon felt extremely disappointed with herself. Gabby knew every one of her neighbours, and took great interest in their hobbies, likes, and dislikes. However, as Gilda had been out of town for a few weeks, Gabby had completely missed her out.
"Gabby... hey... it's okay." Gilda waved her eagle claw in front of Gabby's face, to get her attention. "I mean, sure your cutie marks look great and all, but I don't particularly want one... no offence."
Gabby shook her head, unable to believe what she had just heard.
"B...but Gilda, you have to have a cutie mark! It's a representation of what makes you so great and amazing! I... I have to make you one straight away!" She exclaimed.
"You really don't have to...." Gilda tried to say.
"Of course I have to!" Gabby interrupted, "I'll go home right now and get to work on your cutie mark! It's gonna be so cool - just like you!"
"Well, I am pretty cool." Gilda flicked her purple hair feathers, "but seriously Gabby, I'm not bothered about a cutie mark, I don't really have any special talents anyway."
Gabby gasped and held her face in shock,
"That. Cant. Be. True."
"Well, I can't really think of anything I'm particularly passionate about." Gilda replied calmly, "So don't worry about it."
She turned to walk away, but Gabby quickly caught up and stood in her path.
"No Gilda, this is important! You've got to be great at something, and as soon as I figure out what it is, you will have the best cutie mark in all of Griffonstone!"
"The best? No... you really don't have to do that...." Gilda replied hesitantly, but to her dismay, Gabby put a friendly arm around her shoulder, opened her mouth wide, and began to sing:
*Song Parody of Purpose in your Life from The Fault in our Cutie Marks*
(Give the original a listen if you haven't already.)
Gabby: I’ll create a cutie mark for you! It won’t cost a single bit!
I will help you find your purpose. Gonna be totally worth it!
Gilda: Gabby can I stop you there? I really don’t want this.
Gabby: I will help you find the purpose in your life.
Gabby: Ponies are so great at things, but griffon are great too.
And Gilda you're the best there is, just have to find your cue.
Gilda: Gabs I don’t have time for this, I’ve got too much to do.
Gabby: I will help you find the purpose in your life!
Gabby: Do you like to exercise? Spread your wings and soar the skies?
Gilda: Sure I mean those are okay, but griffon do that anyway.
Gabby: Is there a sport you like to play? Or hobby you could do all day? Do you like to bake or sing?
Gilda: I’m not really fussed ‘bout anything.
Gabby: Come on Gilda there’s gotta be something you like.
Arts and crafts? Or do you maybe you enjoy a hike?
Gilda: Please give it a rest, I just don’t really care. Don’t you have stuff to do?
Gabby: You could make clothes or boots to wear?
Gabby: Maybe scuba diving? Gilda: Theres no water around here
Gabby: Maybe race car driving? Gilda: I don’t know how to steer.
Gabby: I bet your good at maths and science? Gilda: Those were always so unclear.
Gilda: I don’t need to find a purpose in my life.
Gabby: Have you tried to shoot a bow?
Is there any poetry you know?
Can you play musical instruments?
Do you know how to make perfume scents?
Perhaps you’re great at feather weaving?
Gilda: Bored now Gabs. Soz but I’m leaving.
Gabby: I think this is a dead end. Looks like I’ve got a problem.
Gabby: Please don’t go… what about ice skating or crochet?
You’d be great on stage? And surely that’s my best guess yet?
Gilda, somehow, I’m gona help you find your purposeeeee....
The purpose in your lifeeeeee……
Gabby posed on her hind legs with her arms and wings spread wide, singing at the top of her lungs to the clouds above. She had been so wrapped up in her musical number, that she didn't notice that Gilda was no longer with her. The tomboyish griffon had set off toward town, to go about her daily business. When Gabby eventually stopped singing, and realised she was alone, she felt rather disheartened.
"Gilda says she doesn't want a cutie mark... but is that really true?" Gabby wondered to herself as she made her way home. "There's gotta be something she's good at... something she's passionate about, hasn't there?"
She glanced around at the other griffon, they had all been so easy to figure out. Even though many didn't realise it, they all had their own daily schedules, which involved jobs and hobbies they thoroughly enjoyed. Overtime, Gabby had observed each and every griffon and learnt about their different skills and tastes, but Gilda remained somewhat a mystery.
Then, it came to her.
"I know! If Gilda doesn't want to tell me what her special talent is, I will have to go undercover, and find out for myself!"
Gabby spread her wings, and flew back in the direction of the town.
~*~
It didn't take Gabby long to find Gilda, who was setting up a rustic wooden cart in the middle of the square. The townsquare was a small open area, it was where griffon often came to meet up to sell goods during the daytime.
"Of course!" Gabby thought, "Gilda is always baking Griffon Scones and selling them around noon."
Gilda's scones had improved greatly in quality over the past few months. They used to look like dull, dry pieces of bread with all kinds of twigs and even small stones stuck in them. However, since those two ponies had visited Griffonstone, Gilda had changed the recipe completely. The scones were now a popular treat, golden brown with additions of honey and cinnamon, baked to perfection.
Gabby hid behind a nearby stone well, and peeped over the top to watch. She tried to keep still and observe as Gilda finished setting up her cart and displaying the scones upon the shelves. She placed them neatly, with a separate row for each flavour. Shortly after, a line of customers appeared, each one handing her a couple of bits as they choose a scone. Gabby looked on as each and every griffon took delight in the first bite of their baked treat, and every bite that followed.
"That's it!" She beamed. Her ocean blue eyes sparkling in delight.
However, Gilda continued handing out scones and taking bits, almost as though she was on auto-pilot. After a while, she barely glanced at her customers, instead gazing at the sky as though she was checking the position of the sun.
When Gilda had finally ran out of stock she dismissed the last few customers, who were too late. Then she lifted her claw to her beak and gave a hearty yawn,
"Well, thank goodness that's over with." She said to herself, in a bored, dry tone.
Gabby's face dropped,
"Or maybe not." She thought.
It appeared that Gilda's only reason for selling the scones was to make a few bits - she wasn't particularly enjoying it at all.
"B...but she still enjoys baking them!" Gabby accidentally lept into the air at the realisation, but managed to quickly land before Gilda spotted her.
The brown and white griffon opened her satchel, counting the golden bits she had earned that day.
"Well, there's almost enough here...." She muttered, causing Gabby to creep a little nearer in order to hear, "soon I'll finally be able to quit this whole scone business."
Gabby sighed and sat down, no longer caring if she got caught.
"I guess Gilda isn't really into the baking business after all." She hung her head. "It's just her day job."
Gilda glanced over, probably noticing her, but took no head. She spread her large brown wings and prepared to take off.
"Yep, just a few more days and I'll have enough for those paintball tickets." She smiled, delighted at the thought.
"Paintball tickets?" Gabby bellowed excitedly, Gilda had definitely heard her now. "Gilda likes paintball?"
She paused for a moment to imagine it; Gilda wearing stylish goggles and safety gear, carrying a bulky paint gun and firing colourful splatters at other targets and opponents; it really did seem to suit her.
"That's so cool!" Gabby cheered, "a paintballing cutie mark will be so fun to make! All those colours and splodges! I can't wait!!" She bounced up and down excitedly.
"Gabs, what are you doing?" Gilda finally acknowledged her.
"Ahh... Gilda...oh... right..." Gabby considered keeping her breakthrough a surprise, but despite being good at many things, subtlety wasn't one of them.
"It's nothing....." She clasped her claws together, "just deciding on the absolute most perfect most wonderful most fitting cutie mark to go with a griffon with a passion for extreme paintballing... that's all!" She winked.
"What?" Gilda flicked her head feathers and blinked in confusion. "wait, do you mean... me?"
"Well yes! Of course I mean you!" Gabby's eyes twinkled, "I know you said you didn't want a cutie mark, but I just couldn't believe that! So, I followed you, in order to find out your greatest passion, and I've finally found it! You've been working hard, at a job you can barely stand, just to afford some tickets to go paintballing! Now that's a passion if I ever heard one! Your cutie mark is gonna be the best!"
Gabby lept into the sky and prepared to fly off back to her studio, when suddenly a claw took hold of her hind leg.
"Let me just stop you there Gabs." Gilda gently pulled the eager young griffon back to the ground, "those paintball tickets... they ain't exactly for me."
"W.... what?" Gabby looked almost heartbroken at the news.
"Nah, paintballing doesn't interest me at all. I hate getting my feathers messed up, and paint is so annoying to get out." She commented.
Gilda then noticed Gabby's confused expression, and continued to explain.
"Remember I told you that my buddy Rainbow Dash was going on a long training trip with the Wonderbolts? Well, she's always wanted to give paintballing a try, so I decided to get her some tickets as a leaving present. I thought maybe she could take Pinkie Pie or something."
"T... that's so nice of you Gilda, but... I can't believe the tickets weren't for you. I was so sure..." Gabby rubbed her neck.
"Don't worry about it. Like I said Gabs, I don't really have anything that I care about enough to warrant a cutie mark. See ya."
With that, the griffon took off in the direction of her home, leaving Gabby alone disappointed once more.
~*~
Back in her studio, Gabby sat at her table scribbling on a blank sheet of paper. She drew a quick sketch of Gilda, then strained her brain tying to come up with a symbol to suit her.
"Gilda's laid back... so maybe some sunglasses?" She wondered, "no... that's no good, Gilda has never worn shades in her life, and she gets annoyed when the weather is too hot. She's tough, so maybe a boxing glove? Although she also has a soft side... like a sponge? No... maybe a crab, hard on the outside soft on the... ahh these are just getting more and more ridiculous."
She rested her head on the surface.
"Maybe Gilda really doesn't want a cutie mark." Gabby wondered, "even so, it doesn't seem right that every other griffon has one except her."
Suddenly, Gabby was disturbed by a familiar high pitched voice, calling from outside her open window.
"Gabby? Gabby you in there?!"
"Grace?" She suddenly forgot her worries and fled to greet her friend.
"Gilda said you had something for me?" Grace was a pale sandy coated griffon, she was shorter than most and had a stylish white tipped tail. She was rather pleasant and well spoken, particularly by griffon standards.
"Oh yeah! Here you go!" Gabby took the colourful pottery cutie mark from her satchel, and handed it to Grace, who blushed at the sentiment. "Hope you like it, I knew a pottery wheel would be perfect for you! No other griffon comes close to matching your talent!"
"Heh, this looks pretty good." Grace chuckled, "I've got to say, after seeing the cutie marks you were making for the other griffons, I was kinda looking forward to receiving one myself." She hooked it onto her own satchel, "thanks Gabby, I'll wear it with pride."
Grace gave a smile and a salut, before turning to leave. Then suddenly, Gabby called her back,
"Wait... urm..." Gabby paused. She wanted to ask Grace for help, but she wasn't very used to needing help from others and didn't know how exactly to go about it.
"Is something wrong?" The small griffon asked.
"I... it's just... about Gilda." Gabby replied, "do you maybe... know what kind of cutie mark I should make for her?"
Grace raised an eyebrow, then pondered for a moment.
"Gilda... hmm... she's pretty chilled about everything. Maybe an ice cube?" She winked.
"Urm, yeah, thanks..." Gabby gave a meek smile back and waved goodbye to her friend - she definitely wasn't going to make Gilda an ice cube for a cutie mark.
~*~
The poor grey griffon pondered late into the night, discovering that the more tired she became, the stranger her ideas were. Hours passed by, but she just couldn't shut down. She couldn't bear the thought of Gilda being the only griffon without a cutie mark. Under the light of a single lantern, Gabby tried to make notes of what she knew about Gilda. She considered her to be a strong, fast flyer - but then, so were many other griffon, and whenever griffon competitions and races took place, Gilda was never interested. She had even been nominated for the Equestria games, but turned down the offer claiming that it just didn't appeal to her, and she couldn't care less if Griffonstone won or not.
Gabby had once overheard Gilda bragging to Gretta about fun harmless pranks she had pulled during her visits to Ponyville, alongside her good friends Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie. However, Gilda didn't so much as tell jokes in Griffonstone, let alone act as a prankster. In fact, she didn't seem to have much of a humorous personality at all.
"I wonder... what kinds of other things does Gilda do in Ponyville?" Gabby wondered, "she mentioned attending a string of parties recently, but Gilda has never really seemed like the partying type... at least not in Griffinstone. So, what's different?"
Suddenly, there was a knock at her door.
Gabby headed downstairs to open it, wondering who could possibly be calling at this hour.
"Hey Gabby, sorry to disturb you..." Grace's wide purple eyes startled the tired young griffon.
"Grace... wha...what is it?" Gabby asked through a yawn.
"It's just... I was just... thinking," her friend explained, shuffling her rear lion paw, "I kinda gave you a pretty dumb idea for Gilda's cutie mark earlier, and I felt a little bad, especially since you put so much time and effort into mine."
"Gilda's cutie mark?" Just the mention of that subject was enough to gain Gabby's full attention.
"So..." Grace continued, "I tried to do a little research and, well... I think you'd better come with me." She turned and spread her wings, looking back to signal for Gabby to follow.
"O...okay..." Gabby didn't want to waste any time asking questions. The two of them headed off through the night sky, in the direction of Gilda's home.
"Grace, what is it? Did you find out something about Gilda? Does she have some secret special hobby? What is it?"
As the two griffon friends hurried through the night sky, Gabby continued to ask questions. She had no idea what her short, clay coloured friend had discovered about Gilda, but she could barely contain herself.
"You'll see." Grace replied.
She wasn't exactly beaming with excitement herself, which confused her companion a little, but Gabby could tell that Grace wanted them to reach Gilda's place as quickly as possible, so she didn't dwell on the matter. After a good ten minutes, they arrived at Gilda's home.
Gilda lived in a slightly rugged looking hut, situated near the base of a thick, leafless tree. Unlike many of the buildings in Griffonstone, her home had windows which could easily close, allowing her to bask in her own privacy whenever she wanted; Gilda was usually pretty independent like that.
Gabby eagerly approached the door to the hut, but Grace placed a paw firmly upon her shoulder to stop her.
"What is it?" Gabby asked, confused.
Grace lifted her head, and gazed overhead towards the tall, twisted tree.
"Up there." She whispered.
Glancing upwards, Gabby noticed two dark figures resting on the lower branches of the tree. She recognised them instantly; the larger and more bulky one belonging to Gilda, and the smaller and thinner figure was Gilda's close friend, Greta. Greta was a pretty griffon with soft white and mahogany coloured feathers. She had a thin face, and unique but pretty green markings around her eyes.
"T... they're just hanging out?" Gabby was a little disappointed, "I thought for sure she'd be playing the piano or dancing or somethi...."
"Shhhh." Grace gently covered Gabby's beak with her beige lion paw. "just follow me."
The short griffon crouched to the ground, and began crawling as quietly as possible toward the thick base of the tree. Gabby gave a nod, and copied her friends movements exactly.
It soon became clear to Gabby that Gilda and Greta were talking, and the conversation sounded pretty serious. The two griffons approached the tree, and stood on their hind legs behind it to eavesdrop. They propped themselves up, using an even lower branch for support, to try and hear as much of the conversation as possible.
"I just feel awful that it's all over." Gilda was telling Gretta in a shaky voice; it sounded as though she had been crying. "These past few weeks with the ponies have just been the best of my life, but now Dash is leaving. She could be gone months... and this is only the first time. I'm not going to see her for ages... I'm not going to see any of them."
"Gilda..." Greta put a comforting paw on her friend's front leg, "you can still visit Ponyville, you can go and see Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy and whats her name... Apple Snack?"
"Applejack." Gilda chuckled a little through her tears, "yeah, she's a character..."
She rubbed her eyes before continuing,
"They're all pretty great, but... I can't go back. Not when Dash isn't there. It would be so awkward, and I doubt they'd want to see me. Even Pinkie Pie. The whole reason we became friends is because of Dash; she's the one who kept inviting me to them. Now the parties are finished I have no reason to go back there, and I can't just turn up... I'm not sure they even enjoy my company at all. What do I have to offer? What reason would they even have, to want to hang out with me?"
"Because you like them so much." Greta was not only smart, she was observant. "You always seem so happy when you're going to visit Ponyville, and you always have so many stories when you return."
"I... hate to admit it." Gilda blushed, "but, ponies are pretty great. Like, take Dash for example, she's super fast - faster than me by far - and now she's an actual real Wonderbolt. That's just... so incredible. I can't believe how much she has accomplished."
"It's really cool." Greta agreed, "but Gilda, you..."
"And Pinkie Pie is just so happy all the time. She has this incredible radiance that beams out of her and follows her wherever she goes, making every pony around her feel good. It's almost like magic."
"Pinkie Pie is a huge part of the reason we became friends." Greta said kindly, "I'm grateful to her, even though I've never personally met her."
Gilda smiled affectionately at her companion,
"Then there's Fluttershy. She's the most kindhearted of them all. The first time I returned to Ponyville, I expected her to be a little hostile towards me. I was a bit of a brute to her during our previous encounter." She hung her head shamefully before continuing, "but she wasn't. She instantly forgave me and wanted to introduce me to all of her animal friends. Then she and Dash started showing me all these different bird species, and we spent the whole day flying with them and helping fix their nests... Fluttershy is amazing with animals I'll tell ya."
Greta considered trying to say something again, but she decided against it; Gilda clearly just needed to talk right now.
"And Rarity - she's pretty awesome for a fashionista. Her and Dash showed me how to brush my feathers so they always look clean and have great volume. I even went to the spar with the two of them... and liked it! And Applejack... she's super strong. It's incredible. You should see the work she does on that farm, without breaking a sweat."
"Hehe..." Greta chuckled, "and there's the Princess too, right?"
"Yeah." Gilda answered, "Twilight is really clever, and incredible with magic. And she wanted to know everything there is to know about griffons and Griffonstone. I hinted that she should come and see it for herself but.... she never did."
"I'm sorry Gilda." Greta didn't quite know how to respond to that.
"That's alright." Gilda sighed, "I'm just, really going to miss them, all of them, but I doubt they'll miss me."
"Why don't I come to Ponyville with you?" Greta suddenly piped up, "we can hang out with your pony friends together!"
"I appreciate the offer Greta, really I do." Gilda rubbed her neck, "it's just, I don't know if the ponies really consider me their friend... or just Dash's friend, that's all. I'd feel pretty weird suddenly appearing in Ponyville uninvited, and hanging out with them without Dash nearby. None of the ponies ever told me it was okay to go and visit them after Dash leaves, so... I don't know if it is."
"You clearly like Dash's friends a lot more than you thought you would." Greta sympathized, "but even you have a shy side Gilda, combined with our natural griffon-y pride. I guess I can see how suddenly turning up at one of Dash's friends' houses could be pretty uncomfortable. If only they knew how you feel."
"Yeah, but what am I supposed to do?" Gilda sounded frustrated, "just show up one day and be all "Hey guys I've decided I want to be BFF's with you all so here I am let's hang out"? it's pathetic..."
"It's not pathetic." Greta gently tried to reassure her, "but I understand your dilemma Gilda. If only you maybe had some way of letting them know how you feel without...."
"Without looking like a total loser?" Gilda sounded pretty defeated. "If only, hey."
~*~
Back at the base of the tree, Gabby was close to tears herself.
"Poor Gilda." She whimpered, "she misses the ponies so much. If only there was some way to help her..."
Grace sighed,
"Gilda really enjoys spending time with the ponies." She hinted, "it's like... her greatest pass-time. Now if only there was a way she could express it. She could send them a letter but... I don't think she'd be comfortable putting it in writing either."
"Pooooor Gilda." Gabby wailed again, starting to sob. She was too busy feeling sorry for the tomboyish griffon to understand what her friend was getting at.
Grace rolled her eyes, but remained patient; Gabby was smart, surely she would understand once she stopped crying.
"Now... isn't there some kind of saying... about a picture being worth a thousand words?" Grace winked.
There was a brief pause, and then... Gabby gasped. It was a huge, delighted gasp.
"That's it!!!" She threw her arms around Grace. "I know what Gilda's special purpose is! I know what Gilda's greatest passion is! I know what Gilda's cutie mark should be!!!"
Without missing a beat, she took her friend by the paw and dragged her away into the night.
Meanwhile, Gilda and Greta bought their conversation to a halt, and glanced up in confusion, just in time to see two griffon silhouettes flying away into the distance at a rapid speed.
~*~
Back at Gabby's studio, the two griffon friends set to work on the most important and most challenging cutie mark to date. Varied designs and drafts were scattered across the floor, all depicting a similar image. The wooden table was covered with tested coloured combinations in the form of mini paint swatches, and brushes of all shapes and sizes lay close by. There were even a few wood carving tools, which Gabby often used to decorate her creations.
"You know they probably aren't going to like that we were spying on them." Grace warned, as Gabby passionately shaped a piece of wood.
"Ah don't worry." Gabby beamed at her friend, "Gilda already knows that I spy on her - she caught me in the square earlier."
"That doesn't exactly make it better..." Grace couldn't help but smile back, "let's just hope that this cutie mark makes up for it."
"Oh it will!" Gabby's blue eyes sparkled as she gazed at the perfectly cut pieces of wood.
She made her way over to the sander and switched it on, steadily turning each piece to smooth down the edges. It was a pretty tough shape to do, with plenty of curved edges, but Gabby didn't give up; she never gave up on anything, especially not where her friends were concerned.
Grace was getting a little tired, but she helped out as best she could by passing over glue and paint. Despite her incredible talent for clay sculpting and pottery, she wasn't too good at woodwork. However, Gabby's enthusiasm was rather contagious, and she was determined to make it through the night. After all, she hadn't seen Gabby this energetic since the day she returned to Griffonstone with her own cutie mark.
Despite her fast pace, Gabby continued to work on the mark until the morning, determined to make it absolutely perfect for Gilda.
Finally, the sun came up, and it was finished.
Gabby gently lifted her creation up to the morning light, making sure the paint was dry, and the two griffon marveled in delight at Gilda's new cutie mark, which symbolized her greatest passion, and purpose, in life.
(There is a picture of the Cutie Mark at the very end, drawn by me. Just so you're not disappointed )
"It... it's... PERFECT!!!" Gabby flew into the air and did a quick loop of excitement.
"It sure is." Grace beamed at her friend's newest creation.
The two marveled at the magnificently shaped and masterfully painted wood that rested in Gabby's golden eagle claws. They both agreed that it was the most wonderful cutie mark of all, and definitely suited for a very special griffon.
"The colours!" Gabby cupped the two identical pieces of the cutie mark proudly.
"And the shapes!" Grace placed her claws gently around those of her friend, "and the design... it's just so..."
"Amazing!" Gabby finished the sentence.
The ecstatic grey griffon continued hopping up and down, hovering in the air and fluttering around. She wanted nothing more than to happily celebrate her newest creation, but her cheering came to an abrupt end when her long furry tail was lightly yanked by the short, sandy feathered griffon below.
"Gabs!" Grace pulled her close, and whispered, "Lets go take it to Gilda."
At those words, Gabby's sky blue eyes sparkled brighter than ever before. The two friends carefully placed the cutie mark in a rustic satchel to keep it safe and hidden - Gilda had to be the first to see it.
~*~
Gabby and Grace soared all over Griffonstone searching for Gilda. It was a beautiful sunny morning with hardly any clouds in the sky at all. The weather made them feel even more blissful as they scanned the area in search of their brawny friend. They soon located Gilda; she was walking through a quieter area of town with Greta at her side. The two of them were chatting away, deep in conversation once more. As they approached, Gabby could hear that Gilda was telling Greta all about the buildings in Ponyville. The tomboyish griffon was describing everything she could recall about them; the colourful rooftops, the chic architecture, and the decor displayed elegantly upon each house. Some ponies lived in trees, others in clouds, and Princess Twilight lived in a magnificent giant castle. Greta listened on in awe, asking questions about the local stores and scenery.
"The castle must be fantastic!" Greta sounded impressed, "I can't believe you got to visit it."
"Yeah," Gilda acted as though it was nothing, "me and Dash sometimes go to hang out with Princess Twilight. We look at stars, talk about history, read Daring Do books..."
"It sounds really fun!" Greta smiled, but there was an unmistakable hint of envy in her voice.
"Yeah... but I don't think I could hang out with the princess without Dash. It would be kinda weird ya know?" Her companion added sadly.
There was a moment of silence, and Gabby considered this her cue. She took Grace by the claw and the two of them flew over and approached Gilda and Greta. Greta smiled politely, but Gilda seemed unsure of how to feel, which was understandable considering the events of the previous day.
"Hey guys, whats up?" Greta greeted them.
The pretty griffon looked more glamorous than ever. Her coat was brushed to perfection, her body slim and in shape, and the mint green feathers, which formed the markings on her face, shined delicately in the sunlight.
"I don't even wana know." Gilda sighed, noticing Gabby's beaming smile.
Gilda was a little scruffier, particularly in the mornings. The rugged griffon had always favoured brawn over beauty; looking glamorous had never been a priority of hers.
Her lack of enthusiasm didn't stop Gabby however. The optimistic young griffon knew she had no time to waste.
"Don't worry! I'm not here to ask you about your cutie mark." She explained in a hurried manner.
"Thank goodness for..." Gilda was relieved for a second, but then Gabby continued;
"Becauussseee....I've already made you one!!" She hopped about in overwhelming excitement.
"What?" Gilda was a little skeptical, "a cutie mark for me? B... but I told you... I don't have anything specia...."
However, the impulsive griffon chimed in before she could finish the sentence.
"I've been wracking my brain over what would make the perfect cutie mark for you, Gilda. What I didn't realise, is that the answer was right in front of me the whole time. You see, when we heard you talking about your Pony friends to Greta, you seemed so happy! And she seemed really interested in hearing all about them."
"You... you've been eves-dropping on me again haven't you?" Gilda didn't even sound phased by the realisation.
Gabby blushed a little, but continued anyway,
"It made me sad that you were missing your pony friends so much, but I also felt glad that you have a best friend like Greta to talk to about it. That's when it hit me!"
She tapped her head with her claw, a little too rough due to the excitement, but gave it a quick rub and continued.
"Gilda, ever since Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie came to Griffonstone, you've been a whole new griffon! You've been really considerate and kind, and tried your best to make friends. It's almost as though meeting ponies changed your life... and that's when I realised; that ponies changed my life too!"
"I guess you could say that." Gilda agreed, "Rainbow Dash was the first real friend I ever made. Friendship was pretty much an alien concept to me before I met her... but what does this have to do with...."
"Friendship is an alien concept to a lot of griffons." Gabby seemed sorrowful for a moment before adding, "but it doesn't have to be! You see Gilda, your relationships, and your strong desire to become friends with the ponies, could actually benefit all of griffon kind!"
"What are you saying?" Gilda raised an eyebrow in confusion.
"Gilda, you can help the other griffon learn about friendship, and you can visit your pony friends. Your purpose in life is to help griffon become friends the way ponies do, and what better way to do that than to bring both our species together?"
"What?" Gilda almost chuckled, "griffon can barely stand each other, they wouldn't want to be friends with ponies."
That's when Greta stepped up,
"Actually Gilda... that's not entirely true." She shuffled her rear lion paw as all heads turned towards her.
"See, before... I wouldn't have even considered associating with ponies. They just didn't seem all that special to me, especially not compared to us." She gave a cheeky wink and flapped her large mahogany eagle wings before continuing, "but after hearing you talk about them... well, I kinda want to meet them myself. That's part of the reason I offered to go with you to Ponyville earlier."
"R...really?" Gilda felt a little bad that hadn't picked up on that at all.
"She's not the only one." Grace suddenly announced, "see, after Gabby told me about Ponyville, and how all the ponies get along with one another and treat each other with respect, I kinda got a little curious myself. I've actually been working on some pegasus style vases recently."
Even Gabby was unaware of this, despite being close friends with Grace. However, the news delighted her, and caused her to become even more confident that she had made the right choice for Gilda's cutie mark. She put a wing around her small friend, to thank her for her input.
"You see Gilda, griffon can be stubborn, but Pony-Griffon friendships can be beautiful, even life-changing!" She explained.
Gilda pondered for a moment,
"Dash and Pinkie did say that I should help spread friendship throughout Griffonstone, and I seem to be doing okay with that..." She smiled at Greta. "passing on what I've learnt about ponies seems to be influencing those around me, who knows what could happen if they saw it with their own eyes.... still...."
"What's wrong Gilda?" Greta put a comforting claw on her friends shoulder.
"I can't just go back there and drop all of this on them, and I don't have any reason to go back to Ponyville when Dash isn't there. My friendships with the others aren't all that strong just yet... at least, I don't think they are."
Suddenly Gabby piped up,
"Knowing ponies, I think that Princess Twilight and the others would be just as happy to see you as you would them, Gilda. Buuuut just in case I'm wrong.... Tadaaaa!!"
Gabby reached into her satchel and pulled out the cutie mark. It was a beautifully carved horse shoe, with large griffon wings and a griffon tail wrapped around the center. Upon the surface, were six coloured circular markings, the center one was light blue, and the others; pink, yellow, purple, orange, and white.
"This cutie mark symbolizes your close connection with pony kind. I hope you will wear it with pride so that your friendships with ponies and griffons continue to blossom, and that you continue to influence other griffons and encourage them to open their minds!"
The sight of the beautifully crafted symbol made Gilda and the others both stunned and speechless, and for a moment, everything was silent. Gabby continued to beam proudly, until she realised the lack of reaction she was getting.
"Well... what do you think?" She waved her other claw in front of Gilda's eyes, "Hello???"
Finally, Gilda spoke;
"Gabby... I don't know what to say... it's just so..." She sounded incredibly impressed, "perfect."
The four griffon smiled at the wooden cutie mark, as Gabby gently hooked it onto Gilda's satchel. She had no doubt in her mind that this was by far her greatest accomplishment.
"I... I have to show Dash before she leaves!" Gilda suddenly started to hover, "I was going to post her the paintball tickets but... she just HAS to see this! And the others too! Twilight is gona want to hear all about my destiny!! Thank you Gabby! Thank you so much!"
Even Gabby was shocked when the bulky griffon embraced her. The hug lasted a few seconds, before Gilda let go and tried to maintain her cool posture. Greta and Grace giggled, and then, Gabby started to sing:
Song is a Parody of "We'll make our Mark"
(Give the original a listen if you aren't familiar.)
Gabby: See I was struggling with your cutie mark, for a while there!
Couldn't think up one to suit you right!
To find the perfect mark for you,
Who knew all I had to do,
Was to follow you and stalk you, day and night!
Gilda: Wait, what?
Gabby: Now I know what it took all along!
And because of you, my greatest work is done!
And this is more than just a mark,
It's a place for you to start
Uniting us with pony friends, and having fun!
I made your mark!
Now all Griffon-kind will thrive!
I made your mark!
With the ponies by our side!
'Cause we all will learn from you,
And your cutie mark!
That very day, Gilda hurried to Ponyville to show off her mark to her pony pals. Rainbow Dash was incredibly happy to get to see her friend again before she left. The colourful pegasus announced that her cutie mark was "awesome" and immediately rallied the others to see it. Each of them congratulated Gilda and told her she was welcome in Ponyville any time, along with her fellow griffon friends.
Rainbow Dash: I'm so proud of you, Griffon buddy!
Pinkie Pie: Can't wait to spend more time with you!
Greta: You've inspired all of your fellow griffon!
)