Author's Note

Hey everycreature!

So my version of G5 is turning out to be a bust... And to be honest, I don't think I will continue that since people aren't really interested much in it.

However...

I thought of an idea that hopefully people will take an interest in!

Now in The Last Problem, to me, I think Gallus has the most interesting future out of all the Young 6, being the royal guard captain in Canterlot, him being, as far as we know and correct me if I'm wrong, the first non-pony in the guard!

So I been thinking about what he had to go through and the struggles he experienced to get there and I think it's certainly worth a shot at writing a story about that!

So I guess enjoy!

What Now?

Today was a bright, summer day in the small town of Ponyville as today was a very special day... Today was graduation day at the School of Friendship as all the graduating students were all very much excited to finally having completed their school days and ready to move on with what life has in store for them next. Especially excited was a, what some would call, a weird group of friends, who were all of different races from across the land. Sandbar the pony, Silverstream the hippogriff, Ocellus the changeling, Smolder the dragon, Yona the yak and last, but not least Gallus the griffon, almost all of them very much happy as they waited patiently for the ceremony to begin, all of them dressed in their graduation outfits and hats.

"Can you guys believe you're graduating!?" Silverstream said loudly as she found it hard to contain her excitement.

"I know right, I been looking froward to this day for years." Ocellus added.

"Couldn't come any sooner too." Smolder expressed her relief at finally being out of school.

"Yeah I know, especially since Yona and I are engaged now." Sandbar commented as Yona, who was next to the pony, blushed as it was true, Sandbar having popped the question a little bit ago.

"Sandbar, not here..." Yona replied, embarrassed as she looked at Gallus. "Gallus are you alright, you don't look good."

(Author's note: Some of you may say that Yona's talking needs to be broken, but if you recall from Issue #61 from the FiM comic line, there was a Yak who lost his accent while spending a few years at a university, so I'm assuming the same can stay true for Yona.)

"No, I'm fine, happy..." Gallus clearly faking a smile. "See?" Gallus not fooling his friends as they all just looked at him and shook their heads, "No" at him.

"Gallus, what's wrong, out of all of us, you're the least excited for today." Sandbar taking note.

"Yeah, even I'm more excited than you." Smolder pointed out.

"It's just..." Gallus sighing as he tried his best not to shed a tear. "We're no longer students and staying at this school, we're all going to go back to our home lands and mine... Well isn't exactly very homely..."

All of Gallus' friends didn't know what to say, this behavior was a first for Gallus, they wanted to make him happy, anything that would brighten up the griffon's day, but before anyone could say something, the School of Friendship's vice head-stallion came to inform the graduating students it was time for the ceremony to begin, everything set and ready.

"Okay everycreature, it's time." The vice head-stallion, Sunburst happily told the students as he led them outside to the field next to the school which was now a temporary auditorium, the student's family and friends all seated on rows of chairs facing a stage where the students would all sit down as a podium was set up in front of the stage, the school's headmare, Starlight Glimmer, there ready to give a speech and give each student their diplomas for completing their education at the school and to wish them luck in their futures.

As the students all went single file, sitting down in their chairs, the audience all cheered for them, proud of them as they all wore smiles, directing their looks to the student they were related to. As Gallus was going to his seat, there was no one in the audience there for him... Grandpa Gruff was too busy and honestly he didn't feel like coming all the way to Ponyville for this. And the one griffon Gallus had a friend in back at Griffonstone was, well... The new ambassador for Griffonstone, so she was most likely too busy. Gallus tried to smile, but it was hard because none of the smiles in the audience were meant for him as he took his seat, hopeful no one could see his neutral expression, as Starlight began speaking.

"Welcome everycreature to graduation day for this year's graduating class at the School of Friendship, it has been great to teach these students you see behind me everything they will need to know to make our lands not only more safer, but more friendlier with each other and I'm sure all these students will do great things in the future that will benefit us all." Starlight began. "I am very proud of each of them and ready to let them go to do their own things, now let us begin with the diplomas."

With Starlight stepping away from the podium and going to Sunburst, who was also her husband, who was also holding onto the pile of diplomas, Starlight began calling out each student's names as she looked at each diploma. As each student came up, more cheers accompanied him or her as the student received a shake s Starlight gave the student the diploma, followed by a quick hug before Starlight moved on to the next student.

As Gallus watched, all of his friends went up before him, each of them truly happy and not faking it as they had wide smiles on their faces.

"Gallus." Starlight called out as Gallus took a deep breath before getting up, going over to his headmare as she gave him his diploma and shook his claw. "Good luck Gallus." Starlight spoke a little quieter as she shared the quick hug with him before letting go, needing to get to the next student and while the audience did clap, Gallus knew it was just because they needed to.

Gallus just quietly sat back down, holding onto his diploma, that rolled up piece of parchment that freed him from the school, only for him to tell him it was time to go home and think about the future in store for him, of which he didn't think there was one for him, at least in Griffonstone.

As the giving out of diplomas was done, Starlight did a closing speech before everyone headed to the party set up next to the temporary auditorium, enjoying some treats and chatting along themselves while saying how proud they were of their kid. Gallus stayed mostly in the back, alone with no one to talk to, it was lucky he had his friends, who came by one at a time, to make sure he was okay, to which Gallus lied about, of course not wanting his friends to be worried about him on such a day.

As the day began to end, with the sun going down over the horizon, it was time for everyone to head on home, to relax from all the excitement, everycreature who didn't live in Ponyville at the train station, awaiting their trains for back home. As Gallus and his friends waited on the station platform, they were all saying their goodbyes to each other for now, especially Sandbar and Yona as they held onto each other's hooves and were exchanging kisses and nuzzles.

"You wouldn't forget to write to me while I'm home right?" Yona asked her boyfriend.

"Never, every day I'll send something." Sandbar promised as Silverstream and Ocellus went "Awww!" with their faces, while Smolder...

"Can you two at least save that mushy stuff for the letters please?" The dragon complained.

"Sorry..." Both Sandbar and Yona apologized at the same time.

"I can't wait to go home, but it's going to be so exciting to return to the school for the first day of our new jobs." Ocellus said happily as she was looking froward to her future job as an educator.

Yes, Gallus' friends all had their futures set already, having decided shortly before graduation, Ocellus, Smolder, and Silverstream all decided to take up teaching jobs at the School of Friendship, to which headmare Starlight was happy to accept them into the staff. Meanwhile Sandbar and Yona decided that, after their marriage, they would both help run their former teacher Rarity's shop in Ponyville. However before all that, they were eager to take a few weeks vacation, to relax and spend some time with their families back at home before continuing on with their lives.

Gallus was the only one left who didn't know what to do, he didn't even have a plan like his friends did...

As the trains arrived, Ocellus, Smolder, and Silverstream's trains came first, each of them saying their goodbyes for now before boarding the train with their families. As the train for Yakyakistan came, it was Yona's turn to leave as she felt it hard to leave her boyfriend for now.

"I'll see you soon Yona, love you." Sandbar offering one last kiss.

"I love you too Sandbar." Yona replied. "I'm going to miss you."

"Me too, but we'll see each other in a few weeks time." Sandbar reminded his girlfriend as Yona boarded the train last, which left only Gallus and Sandbar left, Sandbar waving at Yona from the station platform as Yona kept waving back, the two continuing to do so until they could no longer see each other.

"You're one lucky guy Sandbar." Gallus sighed. "I wish I was as lucky as you."

"Don't give up Gallus, I'm sure you'll find something to do, just keep your head up high." Sandbar urged his friend. "You know I talked to my family, we have an extra room at our house, you could stay with us if you want."

"Thanks Sandbar, but I'll be okay in Griffonstone, I don't want to burden you and your family." Gallus told his friend as the train for Griffonstone arrived, rolling into the station.

"All abroad, next stop Griffonstone!" The conductor called out.

"Well that's me, I'll see you later I guess." Gallus said to Gallus as Gallus got on the train, taking a seat as he sighed, not looking froward to going home as he kept asking himself one question in his head...

What now?