Author's Note

Hey everycreature!

So just the first chapter and already 17 likes and no dislikes... Just wow... Never expected such a simple story to blow up like that!

So yeah, thank you and I hope you continue to enjoy!

P.S. Even thought I really do like Gallus... Gabby is best griffon, FYI!

Home, Boring Home

As the train went on its way, bound for Griffonstone, going through tunnels and over mountain valleys, Gallus still thought about what he could possibly do in his home kingdom, well to call Griffonstone a kingdom was a nice way of saying it was a dump... As the train was close to reaching the Griffon's homeland, Gallus thought that maybe he should have accepted Sandbar's offer, maybe he would have been happier living in Ponyville, after all he stayed in the town for years while attending the School of Friendship. Everypony there was so nice to him and the town was much more pretty looking, plus he wouldn't have found his friends had him stayed in Griffonstone.

As the Griffonstone train station, which was really only a single structure, but was getting refurbished at least and a platform, came into view, Gallus saw a single griffon there, a very familiar face that he recognized and that made him smile, seeing at least one griffon who was waiting patiently for him. The train slowed down, coming to a stop at the station as the train car doors opened and Gallus got out, to be met by a hug from the one griffon waiting for him.

"Welcome home Gallus." The griffon told Gallus as he hugged back. "Congratulations on your graduation, it must have been really exciting."

"Well I guess it was..." Gallus trying to stay positive. "Thanks for coming here Gabby, you didn't have to I know you're more busy these days."

"So, I would have come to the graduation ceremony too, but being the ambassador for Griffonstone now has been really exhausting, but exciting, in fact I just came back a couple hours ago from a trip to Saddle Arabia, boy was it hot there." Gabby chuckled.

Ever since Gallus started attending the School of Friendship, Grandpa Gruff wanted constant updates on him and since Gabby was already the Griffon mail carrier, was assigned to bring the letters back and forth. And since than the two got to know each other and Gallus at least found one griffon as a friend. And even with Gabby being named the new ambassador for Griffonstone, she still stayed in touch with Gallus.

"Must be exciting... Getting to travel to new places and get away from here..." Gallus sighed, which Gabby took note of, thinking she was just making things depressing for him.

"But nothing beats home right?" Gabby trying to get into the cheery mood. "Things have been improving a little lately, I'm sure you'll feel more at home here."

"I hope so..." Gallus thought in his head as the two friends exited the station and walked up and down the mountain pathways to Griffonstone and Gabby was right...

Things are a little better now at the home of the griffons, proper houses and other structures starting to appear as griffons weren't complete jerks to each other, like not flying into each other or helping the elderly cross the street. At least it wasn't the same home that Gallus left all those years back, owning to the new relations all the lands shared ever since Gallus' former headmare, now ruler of all Equestria, Princess Twilight Sparkle, took over. However it still didn't feel like "home" to Gallus, the important things that made Gallus feel at home in Ponyville was missing in Griffonstone.

"Well things are surely better now." Gallus commented as he looked around as a flying griffon almost crashed into him.

"Sorry." The griffon apologized before going the other way.

"Yeah, Grandpa Gruff has been better lately of accepting help from others, and being the ambassador means I get to help put together trading pacts and such." Gabby said as she the griffon she was talking about up ahead. "Grandpa Gruff, look who's back." Gabby called out as the elder griffon turned to see the two, the elder walking up to them.

"Well, welcome back home Gallus." Grandpa Gruff said as he then coughed a little. "I trust your graduation went well."

"Yes, it did." Gallus replied.

"Good, you'll be delighted to hear you have your own little house now, Gabby will show you it." Grandpa Gruff stated as he then returned to what he was doing.

"This way Gallus." Gabby told her friend as the two left Grandpa Gruff.

"Well, he changed... A little at least." Gallus stating.

"Yeah, what I can say, times are changing." Gabby smiled as she led Gallus to his new little house, all for him. "Here we go, home sweet home." Gabby opening the door, to reveal a not so elegant interior, but not a super poor one either, but to Gallus...

"Even my dorm room I shared with Sandbar looks better than this..." Gallus thought in his head.

"So, what do you think?" Gabby asked, wanting Gallus' opinion.

"It's fine, at least I no longer have to sleep outside anymore." Gallus tried to brighten up at this. "Listen Gabby, I'm a little tired from the trip here, do you mind if I get some rest alone for the rest of the day."

"Not all all, make yourself at home." Gabby said cheerfully before leaving to go return to her job, while Gallus entered his little house, closing the front door behind him.

"Okay Gallus, you can make this work, just got to make this place more homely." Gallus rubbing his claws together as he fixed up the place to make it look more presentable.

And for the rest of the day, Gallus made his new home look like a home, by the time the moon started to rise over the horizon, Gallus was all tired and sweating as he took a seat.

"Well, could be worse..." Gallus said to himself. "Man all those times cleaning up around the dorm room did me so good." Gallus remembered how he used to be lazy cleaning up after himself and Sandbar had to often push him to do so.

As Gallus sat, he felt his eyes start to go heavy as he yawned, his body telling him it was time for a goodnight's sleep.

"Well, better get some rest for tomorrow." Gallus told himself as he went to the little bedroom, which was even smaller than his old dorm room and well... His bed wasn't really a proper bed, more like a pile of straw, Gallus making himself as comfortable as he could as he slept for the night...

A couple days passed by and Gallus has been spending his time mostly fixing up his home or talking to Gabby while she was in Griffonstone, there wasn't really much for Gallus to do here. So it came as a surprise, as Gallus was putting away some brought food into a cabinet when he heard some knocking on his door, Gallus nearly bumping his head against the top of the cabinet as it came as a surprise.

"I wonder who that could be..." Gallus thought as he knew that Gabby was currently on a diplomatic visit to the Changeling Kingdom, having said her goodbyes yesterday and wasn't due back so soon.

Gallus walked to his front door and opened it to find two hippogriffs, one of which he recognized right away...

"Hey Gallus!" The hippogriff Gallus recognized said happily as she hugged the griffon.

"Silverstream..." Gallus blushed slightly as his friend hugged him. "What are you doing here?"

"To see you silly!" Silverstream replied as she let go of the hug, Gallus quickly putting away his blushing. "You remember my brother Terramar right?"

"Pleased to see you again Gallus." Terramar offering a claw for Gallus to shake.

"You too, I guess." Gallus said back as Silverstream was eager to see Gallu's new house.

"So can we go in and see the inside?" Silverstream asked.

"I don't know..." Gallus scratching his neck with his claw. "It's not exactly done yet..."

"Please..." Silverstream pleaded. "We came all this way..." Silverstream showing a face that Gallus couldn't say "No" to.

"Alright..." Gallus gave in as he stepped aside to let the two siblings in.

"Well, this is quite homely..." Terramar trying to be polite as Silverstream gave her brother a nudge with her wing.

"I'm sure when we visit again it will look better." Silverstream trying to stay positive for Gallus.

"You don't have to lie Silverstream, I know it's not exactly comforting." Gallus admitting as he took a seat.

Silverstream taking a seat next to her friend while Terramar left to give the two some privacy, at first the two friends didn't say anything, until Silverstream spoke up in concern for her griffon friend.

"Gallus, Sandbar told me about his offer to you to stay in Ponyville and I'm sure my family would also be willing to let you stay at Mt. Aris, you only need to come." Silverstream told her friend sympathetically, letting him know he had friends who would be willing to let him stay with them.

"I don't want to trouble you or any of our friends, I'll be fine here, trust me, Griffonstone is my homeland after all." Gallus trying very hard to sound alright, but Silverstream, of course, saw through the lies.

"Well, I guess I can't argue with you on that, but maybe you should start thinking about moving somewhere else." Silverstream suggested. "Yona already has plans to live with Sandbar in Ponyville when they get married and help run Ms. Rarity's shop there and Smolder, Ocellus, and I are also planning to move once we start our jobs at the school, just promise me you'll at least think about it."

Gallus knew Silverstream had a point, maybe it was time to start thinking about looking for jobs outside of Griffonstone that he would be good at, expand his opportunities and who knows who might find something that he would be good at and be happier.

"Okay, I promise Silverstream." Gallus promised as he knew it was time to do some traveling...