Queen P!NK

Gruff Call VI, or 'Grandpa Gruff' to the others in Griffonstone, sighed with a tired smile "Well, it might be a good time for you to come back King. 'Course, might not make much difference anyhow."

"Gruff Call... my faithful advisor and friend, you have no need to speak as if I am gone. I slumber in stone, a curse for closing off my heart to happiness, and instead to piety." The Statue seems to whisper to the ancient griffon.

"Wha? ... Must be really be getting on in years if I'm hearing ya talk, ya hunk o' stone."

The moon's light bathes the statue, and a golden glimmer glistens in the statue's eyes "I shall sleep no longer, for I have been freed by the power of that young filly made of brilliant laughter."

Gruff squawks in surprise "M-My king! I... I meant no harm in my words! It's just... it's been over 600 years since ya disappeared!"

The statue blinks slowly, dust, moss, and gravel falling from it's brow, talons clench and wings ruffle, blinding the ancient griffon with debris "I have awoken. She has woken me from my long, stony slumber, and so she had touched my heart to happiness. I swore that should I awaken from my sleep, the one who shattered the curse, should be my queen."

Gruff flaps his wings, blowing away the dusty cloud "Be that- HACK! be that as it may my king, she is gone, and I couldn't tell you where, even for bits!"

Golden eyes glisten with power and pride in the light of the moon's glow. Gruff suppresses a shiver at the form of his long-petrified king "I know that such information seemed irrelevant to you, but I believe one of your Gryffs hath the knowledge I seek."

Gruff removes his worn fez and bows, his milky eye stuck on Grover's impressive form "If you mean my own Granddaughter Gilda, she is rekindling a friendship with another Gryff In her own nesting house. I'll take you, if you wish."

Grover smiles and lifts Gruff's chin with ease "Do not bow to me, your family and mine have been friends for centuries, and I will not intrude on such an important a thing as friendship. But, I do wish to... taste some of her scones, I haven't eaten in over six centuries."

Gruff nods and stands, replacing his hat on his otherwise barren scalp "I shall do you one better, Gilda is baking as we speak, and I think that she'll be surprised when she sees you in the flesh... literally, I suppose."

He nods and motions for the other griffon to lead, smirking at how Gruff shivered in excitement.

Gilda wiped a tear from her eye "I'm so sorry about that, I tend to get... intense... but plucking a feather? Not Cool Greta."

The green-feathered griffon rolls her eyes, still grasping a small white feather "Hey, all is fair in love and war my friend. And anyways, who knew you could do that... what did you call it?"

"Supplex? Oh, I learned that from an Oxtrian coach at flight camp. Nice guy, very thick accent. Well, for a hippogriff."

Greta's eyes widen "A hippogriff?! He must've been ancient like Grandpa Gruff!"

Gilda chokes on her laughter "Nothing is older than Grandpa Gruff aside from the idol and that old statue. He even talks to the thing sometimes. I can't tell if his stories are real, or if he's flown the nest too many times."

Greta snorts "Yeah, but he was right about the idol and you saw the skull right? Of Arimaspi?"

"Yeah, but just its skull. I wonder what happened to the rest of it...? Ah well, once someone gets enough rope or something, we can probably grab it and the idol."

A timer goes off and Gilda turns, taking a batch of Griffonscones out of the cart's oven "Baking powder. Who knew, well, besides that not so uncool Pinkie Pie."

Greta grins and takes one "Yeah, but hey, it got you a steady income and maybe Griffonstone will be a place to live rather than just a dilapidated skeleton of a town on the side of a mountain."

"'Dilapidated'? Egghead."

Greta rolls her eyes and starts to retort, but a knock at the door cuts her off "What the... who'd be up this late?"

Gruff open the door slowly "Behold! The king is back!"

Gilda sighs "Of course... What are you squawking about now Gramps?"

Greta looks over Gilda's shoulder and her jaw drops "Griffolyns!! K-king Grover! It- it's an honor!" She leaps over Gilda and Gruff and bows to the larger griffon.

Grover smiles and lifts her to a standing position, barely hearing the squeal of excitement emanating from her chest "Stand young Gryff. I am no longer a proper king. I have but a question for your friend."

Gilda cocks her head at her friend's behavior "What do ya want to know?"

Gruff chokes in indignation "Such nerve! How can you not recognize your king!?"

She shrugs "He said he isn't king and- whoa now!" Gilda pushes the elderly griffon out of the way and gasps "Gramps... I always thought that story about King Grover turning to stone from loneliness was just a story for hatchlings! I am so sorry about everything I ever said about you behind your back!"

"Weh? What do you mean?" Gruff asks, adjusting his fez.

"Nothing. So... h-how can I help you?" Gilda asks, nervous Ah feathers this is bad! I might've insulted a king! I've never even met a pony princess, but I'm sure kings are worse to those who don't respect them!

Grover sighs "Please do not be ill at ease, I have a question in regards to your two friends who attempted to recover the idol. Where do they live? I wish to extend my thanks and friendship to them personally."

Gilda blinks "Uh... well, they live in Ponyville last I heard. I'm not good with maps and... I could take you, I was going to go visit them, actually."

Gruff grins "Ah! Escorting the king to meet with the friends of the Princess! Maybe we could also foster... what is the word?"

"'Relations and alliances'?" Greta supplies.

"Those. Yes, those." Gruff replies before turning to Gilda "A grand task for the currant vassal of the house of Callers!"

Grover smiles "Yes, but before we go, is that something you'd be willing to do for me, Gilda of the house of Callers?"

Gilda shakes away her shock and nods "Yea- Yes! It'd be my pleasure. But wouldn't it be better to leave in the morning? The passages are pretty risky at night."

He nods "Foresight is an admirable trait. Yes, we shall journey in the morning. Good night Gryffs."

The door closes silently and Greta grabs Gilda by the shoulders "Tell me this isn't a dream!"

Gilda winces "Okay, it isn't a dream."

"King Grover was really petrified, and stood in town for six hundred thirty eight years! I knew that when I saw the crazy pink one talking to him something might happen, but not the king's return! This is the thing that will set the whole of pre-idol history straight! I won't have to search the mountains for the lost historic caches anymore! Well, I still will, if only to back up what we can glean from him, but still! This is a historic moment, Gilda!"

Gilda rubs her earholes "Okay, I get it, you're going to make me go deaf if you keep up with your screeching."

Greta rolls her eyes "You're going to see the first meeting between griffon and pony royalty in recorded history! You're going to be immortalized as King Grover's companion, adviser, and escort into the modern world! They'll name stuff after you!" She gasps "And I'm a historian! I'm going to be the one who records everything! We'll be legends!"

Gilda shivers "Sheesh, you're starting to freak me out, Greta."

Greta pauses and smooths down her fur and feathers "Eheheh... Sorry about that... but you can understand why I'm so excited, right?"

Gilda nods "Yeah... ugh, now you've got me jittery. I'll never get any sleep at this rate. Scone me."