Gilda and Gabby were in Ponyville once more. A place some might consider disorderly given its habit of attracting chaos and trouble every other day. Regardless of its tendencies, Ponyville was the closest town to Griffonstone, and with their city still clawing its way up to the status of "a good place to visit", Ponyville was the nearest place they could get fast food like hay burgers or other foodstuffs.

The two hens currently sat in a local restaurant near the crystal castle, at a booth off to the side. The establishment thankfully catered to their kind as well, and Gilda was able to enjoy a wickedly good alfredo chicken dish with garlic bread. Across from her, Gabby was enjoying some kind of stir-fry dish with beef and veggies mixed in.

This would have been a lovely little date for the two, especially after their midnight bonding and deeper intimacy...except...

There was a Lord of Chaos and three fillies also in the booth with them. Gilda felt her talons tighten around her fork as she forced a growl down her throat. Discord was above them all, draped in a C-shape around the top of the booth, so one end of his body was behind Gilda's head, with his tail draped down to the floor, while his mid section defied gravity and stayed straight as a board above and across the portion of the table closest to the window. His chest, neck and head were on Gabby's side of the booth, and he was chattering with the hen and foals.

"I mean seriously, who puts explosive oranges in a crate and ships them to apes in a jungle, that's just asking for trouble!" Discord rolled his eyes and slapped his face with his lion paw. "That Crocodile King would have been the better option in hindsight. My stocks are gonna tank after this I swear, and I'll be very cranky."

Applebloom snickered and took a sip of her drink before replying. "Shouldn't put all your apples–or oranges– in one basket then, what was they gave you in return any who?"

Discord summoned a bunch of bananas that by their outer appearance seemed to be made of gold. "A crap ton of these things!" He unpeeled one and Gilda was actually displeased to see it was a normal banana inside. Discord spoke while chewing the golden peel. "They said these were valuable, but I checked the market, no one is buying golden bananas!"

Sweetie bell cocked her head. "Well, that makes sense actually. No one is buying them cause we don't have any of those in our demens–" Discord stuffed the remainder of his banana into her mouth suddenly and shook his head. "Tut tut tut, my very existence hinges on these things being in every dimension, and thus here they are." He said holding another bunch right before it vanished to...somewhere. "So, sorry to burst your logic bubble there Tiny Twilight, but because I am here, they must be too."

Scootaloo reached for one of the banana's and another of discord's paws came out of her water glass and gently slapped her hoof away. "IF you want one, scoots, that'll be 400 bits, these things ain't cheap."

Scoots pointed at Sweetie bell and the banana she was eating. "But she got one! And you just said they weren't selling, so how do you already have a price for em?"

Discord rolled his eyes. "If there is no sale then I have the monopoly on these products and thus can mark them at any value I deem necessary for their fair purchase, and yes, Sweetie bell got one, but only because she doesn't know what paycheck I docked her twenty years from now." Then his eyes fell on Gilda with an odd sense of intensity to them. "How about we get the topic back to where Gilda wanted it in the first place hmm?"

Every one suddenly looked to Gilda. A fuming Gilda in fact. Gabby giggled nervously and stirred her fry. "Y-you were um, saying Gilda?"

Gilda finally let the growl out, and directed it at Discord, who gave her a coy smile in return. "I was saying I'd like this to be a date. Us. Gabby. Me. No one else..."

Gilda stood and flung her fork at Discord, not surprised at all when he reflexively caught it in his teeth and it turned into a rose. "But this cursed pile of flesh and magic had to go and invite himself to it!"

"Wait this was a date?!" Scootaloo blushed, and before anyone could answer, she'd literally leapt outta the booth and was making a beeline for the door. "You said no mushy stuff Discord!" she shouted as the doors clacked open. Applebloom was next, racing after her friend.

"Consarnit, Discord, you said it was a friendly get together! Wait up Scoots!" She was gone with a second clack of the doors and a sour look from one of the waiters. Discord chuckled and began floating off the booths.

"Both are incorrect, of course, I said it was a meeting of like minded individuals destined for chaos."

Sweetie Belle finally finished the rather large banana and coughed. "B-but that's not what you said either, you said to me that–"

Discord's tail wrapped around her lightning fast and wrenched her from the booth as he laughed. "I said what I said and that's all that need be heard Tiny Twilight! Now come along, We are being booted from this scene so the plot can continue."

He said this while snake-like slithering out the door with her in tow. She flailed in his grasp. "Stop calling me Tiny Twilight you–

The doors clacked shut once more, just as the waiter arrived at their table with four extra orders of food floating in his magic. He grimaced at the group vanished down the street. "Oh blast me, he dined and dashed again...I'll have to ask which one of you is going to pay for this."

Gilda slowly slid her alfredo chicken to the side....and then slammed her face into the table. "Date. RUINED."

The waiter winced and then looked over to Gabby. "I ah...Don't suppose he left bits with you, did he?"

Gabby tried to hide her mirth behind her claws, and then pointed shakily at the bunch of Golden Bananas. "Um, maybe Discord could pay with those?"

The waiter sighed and examined them closely before walking off with the fruit aloft in magic and far away from his body. "As long as they don't explode..."

Once he was gone Gilda peeled her face off the table and growled. "I swear if it's not one thing then it's–"

The window to their booth slammed open and a party cannon shoved it's way inside, Confetti exploded out every where showering down onto Gilda, Gabby, the waiters, and their food. PInkie pie landed on the floor, rolled once, flipped up onto her hooves and spun around with a banner dropping into view above her. It read "Happy Griffonversary!"

Pinkie pie then put on a top hat, pulled out a cane and opened her mouth to sing!

"Weeeell ya know when the birds and the bees are a buzzin, they wanna hug and kiss and get on with humpin–EEP!"

Gilda roared, tearing her way from the booth and grabbed pinkie pie by her tail and mane. She pivoted, stuffed her back into the cannon, somehow spun it around through the open window, and pulled the firing cord. There was an explosion that rocked the windows and tables, and Pinkie went sailing over the nearby house, screaming "I'm blasting off agaiiiin!!"

The room fell quiet save for the huffing and puffing of a furious Gilda. Gabby was in her seat dying of laughter, literally on her back, wings flapping, and legs kicking. The waiter was the first to come under Gilda's ire, and she snapped a wing and a talon to him, making him flinch.

"YOU. Two to-go boxes. NOW."

He'd never ran so fast.

The laughter did not stop once they left the restaurant, nor did it stop on the way back to the train. Or on the train. Heck Gilda even tried to get her to read that sappy romance book, but failed! As the train clacked it's way up to Canterlot, Gilda felt her head slump to the table with a defeated sigh. "This was such a–"

"A total success!" Gabby exclaimed. Gilda snapped her head up to give her new mate a bewildered look.

"Eh?! How was it a success!? We were ambushed by the CMC, then harassed by discord, then literally put on blast by pinkie pie, and then the waiter still made us pay for their food! How is this a success!?"

Gabby took a moment to look Gilda over. Her Rose was wilted, and puffy, in fact frazzled would be a good term. She hummed and checked the car for other griffons, and finding none, she leaned over the table and snuck a quick kiss on the surprised hen's cheek.

"Because I had fun." She purred into Gilda's ear. She then leaned back and admired how flustered Gilda got. "The only thing that mattered to me, Gilda, is that we enjoyed ourselves. While I don't think you did, persay, I most certainly did...so, thanks. The date was lovely."

She sheepishly lowered her head and fluffed out her feathers, purposely trying to look cute. It worked, Gilda was gently touching her cheek where Gabby had kissed her, and was now blushing warmly as she looked Gabby over.

"Oh. W-well, okay. Cool. Yeah that's cool." She murmured. Her eyes roamed lower, and Gabby eeped and covered her self with her wings.

"G-Gilda! don't stare at my nipples in public!" She said quietly. Gilda smirked finally and lowered her hand to the table.

"Yeah well don't kiss me in public, it's all mushy and gross!"

Gabby pouted. "My kisses aren't mushy."

Gilda paused and then smiled. "Okay, okay, so the date was good, I am glad you thought so, definitely not what I had in mind, but it worked out. Now for part two."

Gabby perked up at that. "Oh? there is more? Is that why we are going to Canterlot?"

Gilda nodded, and then lifted her head to the ceiling, looking around. "And Discord, STAY THE FUCK OUT OF IT YA HEAR?!"

"Oh please it was just a little chaos..." His voice emanated from the sugar container on their table. Gilda immediately grabbed it and opened the window, chucking it out and down the mountain.

Gabby grimaced. "Um, I hope that doesn’t hurt anyone."

Gilda growled. "Too late, It hurt me." She grumbled and flopped back onto the table. The pair were silent for a moment, before Gabby also lay her head and chest on the table. She shuffled a bit closer and shared a tender beak nuzzle with Gilda, who immediately returned it.

"So, what's part two?" Gabby whispered, purring as Gilda nibbled her cheek fluff.

"Mm, well I figured if anyone should know about us, it'd be a certain blue feathered Captain of the Canterlot Guard."

Gabby instantly sat back up, her claws on her cheeks, as a huge grin formed. "Oooh that's right! We gotta tell–

"Get your fluffy little head back down here so I can nuzzle it more."

Gabby blushed and giggled. "Oh, making demands now are we?"

Gilda slowly reached up to Gabby's beak, gently wrapped her claws around it, and slowly pulled Gabby back down to the table, she then let go, and firmly purred, nuzzling into her mate's face and neck feathers.

"Yes I am, you beautiful hen. Not only am I one of your bosses, but I'm also your landlord, and now I'm your mate. I need stress relief and you are an amazing source of it."

Gabby immediately joined in the purring, and they stayed like that until the station to Canterlot came into view. Upon exiting the train, they were immediately approached by a unicorn stallion in royal purple armor. He smiled curtly, and bowed.

"Good morning, are you Gilda and Gabby Griffon by any chance?"

They both looked at one another. Gilda spoke first. "Uh why are you asking?"

He tilted his head to the castle. "I was tasked with getting in contact with you should you come to Canterlot. Princess Twilight would like to speak with the both of you."

Gilda frowned. "How long have you been at this train station waiting for us to just...show up?"

His professional mask slipped with a light smirk. "Twenty minutes, ma'am, we were made aware of your arrival at Ponyville a couple hours ago. Following that we were informed you'd gotten on the train coming here."

Gabby hummed, looking around and up into the sky. "So...are we being watched or something? That's kind of creepy."

He frowned and shook his head. "Ah, no. Nothing like that, miss. Captain Gallus and Twilight are merely more careful with family members, truth be told Her Highness has wanted to speak with you, miss Gabby for a while now."

He bowed to her quite suddenly, and Gabby blinked in surprise. "From one guard who was in the mission to help Griffonstone, I apologize for our negligence, we should have been more careful."

Gabby nodded slowly, rubbing her previously injured arm. "Oh, it's okay, I mean, you guys didn't know. I accept your apology."

He stood back up, but kept his frown as he looked to Gilda. "We should have known." She merely held her own frown and nodded. "Please, follow me. IF you have any questions, I can answer most about the city, and some about the guard, as well as the politics and such."

"How's Gallus doing?" Gabby asked.

The unicorn tilted his ears a few directions for a moment as they began walking up the main road to the palace. A couple ponies stopped to gaze at the griffons but nothing more. With Twilight reforming the cities and towns to be more open minded, it wasn't odd to see different species more varied throughout the formerly mostly pony capital. Gilda saw at least two changelings, another griffon, and a hippogriff wandering around.

"Captain Gallus is...hmm, before I say anything else can you two keep this conversation between yourselves and myself?" He asked glancing back at them with a critical eye. Both girls nodded firmly. Gilda put her claw palm up. "We've already met your government spook Pivot Point. Spill it, how's our brother?"

That seemed to placate his doubt and he slowed his walk to end up between them. "Gallus is normally very confidant, calm, and collected, we of the guard respect his authority and enjoy his command, most of us anyway. There are always those who wish to remove him, both for his heritage, as well as his rank. But that's something else entirely."

They turned down a side street, one less used, but had more guards, and Gilda and Gabby bunched closer to him as they walked. He kept talking but his voice dropped. "With Gallus's intent of courting her highness made quite apparent by the recent investigations from the nobles and Pivot Point, Gallus has been frazzled. He's not as confidant, and to be fair, a lot of the guard thinks he should give up this endeavor."

Gabby growled. "It's his love life, not the nobles, or yours."

The guard nodded. "I meant no disrespect by my statement and I wish him only the best, personally. But I cannot deny that there are some pretty big problems with his courtship. Firstly, as much as you say that, miss Gabby, that is an opinion, not a law. Sometimes the opinions of others get...volatile. Some folk have decided their opinions should be law. Opinions like banning interspecies courting. With Princess Twilight effectively turning Canterlot on it's head with her friendship and open mind policies, a lot of ponies are angry that the status qou is being disrupted. Several high end nobles have outright moved away from Canterlot, to other cities. Some even went farther and moved out of the country."

Gilda grumbled. "Good, less of a problem for us and Gallus."

The guard shook his head. "I thought so too, but the ones who have stayed to fight back are worse. Far worse. Even though Twilight's ratings as a royal are actually a lot higher than Celestia's were, there are still those that want her removed. Change comes slowly to big cities, and she's trying to change a capital that hasn't had these kinds of alterations in centuries. So while I'm all for Captain Gallus seeking Her Highness's hoof, they are not. Not only that but there is another big problem."

Gabby frowned. "What's the other problem?"

"Princess Twilight is in fact the other problem."

Both griffons stopped and frowned at him. He put up his hoofs defensively. "Wait, please let me explain."

"Sounding like a turn coat a little here bud..." Gilda mumured. He shook his head vehemently.

"Definitely not, I'm very supportive of her changes and her viewpoints, that's why I joined in fact. She's not only made everywhere more peaceful, but she cares, actually cares for everyone around her. I'm not saying Celestia and Luna didn't or don't, wherever they are currently. They did the best they could."

He took his helmet off and Gilda and Gabby got to see his actually face as the white fur enchantment faded away. He was tired, and looked sad. He looked between them.

"I'm saying that the issue is how much she has to put into caring. Twilight spends almost every hour of her days going from meeting to library, to meeting, to social gatherings, all for the sake of making everything work out. All for the sake of friendship. The mare is running herself ragged and we guard see it every day. Gallus does too, so he tried to help, but that mare is a one pony army when it comes to paperwork, politics, and knowledge. Gallus is not that kind of griffon. No one can even remotely keep up with her and trust me, we've tried, but he hasn't given up. Then you add in a relationship to that whole mix? She has no time for Gallus and it's destroying him."

Both griffons blinked and groaned. Gilda smacked her forehead. "I told Gallus this was gonna be an issue."

The Guard nodded sadly, putting his helmet back on. "We did too, Ma'am. We did too. Then from all that, there's one more problem."

Gilda and Gabby groaned louder, and Gilda ran her claws down her face gently. "There's more!?"

He began walking, having them reach the draw bridge to Canterlot Castle. The two gate guards waved them in, and then Gilda and Gabby walked smack into a wall of magic. Like walking through molasses, the two clawed their way free and whipped around to snarl at the gate.

"The fuck was that!?" Gilda yelled. "Warn someone first, jeez!"

The guard dipped his head, "Apologies, but it's a defensive measure. After so many attacks, certain changes were made to the Castle grounds to protect from invaders. it has been useful. We've caught several would be thieves and spies, couple rogue changelings too."

Gabby shivered violently and immediately began preening her sides, and a short second later Gilda followed suit. "It felt like walking through a wall of syrup!" Gabby hissed.

He politely waited quietly for the hens to compose themselves, and then after apologizing a second time, led them into the castle. "As for the third reason, I can't really talk about it myself, as it's not a known fact, just conjecture at this time. You can ask Twilight though, maybe she'll give you a better answer than I could."

"It's not like you weren't giving your opinion earlier, dude, might as well give us a hint instead of throwing us to the wolves."

He paused as they reached the throne room doors, knocking four times and then casting magic on the door. He then turned to them and whispered quickly as he passed by. "There is a rumor that Twilight doesn't actually have any interest in dating whatsoever. Romance, love, courtship, all of it. This comes from accounts from the solar guard back when they took care of her, all the way up to today. Apparently during her teenage years, and even her later life, while other fillies and mares of the court were trying to find some one, Twilight turned down every single attempt at dating. None of it got even close to success. After seeing Gallus's attempts, and her "approval" of it there is a fear she's leading him on, simply hoping he'll give up like the rest."

He began walking away, but looked back at the two hens. "She's too kind, or maybe afraid, to turn him down. So if you are his family...talk to him, please. For us, for him, and for Princess Twilight."

He left them just as the doors lit up in purple magic and started swinging open. Gilda and Gabby shared a look of worry before slowly entering the grand hall. It was a large as it'd had ever been, but instead of the blues and golds of the sun and moon, deep purples and reds met their eyes. Princess Twilight's cutie mark, the Nova Star was on each banner. The stained glass windows were the same, but a few additional ones were added, and it looked like one was currently under construction on the far wall.

Princess Twilight was off her throne, pacing back and forth with nearly twenty different scrolls surrounding her, as her student, Luster Dawn, sat nearby chewing on a hoof nervously. The princess was mumbling to herself as she flipped from scroll to scroll. By the time The two hens reached her, the Princess was down to six, having teleported the others one by one to their destinations.

As if a flip had been switched, Twilight rolled the last remaining scrolls up simultaneously, before pivoting and facing the two griffons. She frowned immediately.

"Gilda and Gabby of Griffonstone. Right that was next wasn't it?" She actually looked to her student who held up a hoof and shrugged. Twilight hummed and then turned back to them.

"Right...this um...is going to be very awkward for all of us but...I need your help, no no, first I need to apologize, then I need to clarify, THEN I need your help."

Both Gabby and Gilda were momentarily floored when she took her crown off, bowed, and lowered her horn to the floor. "I princess Twilight Sparkle, apologize to you Gabby for the physical trauma and pain you went through, due to my guards inability to uphold proper safety during their mission. To Gilda, I apologize for the emotional pain you went through during your friend's healing process, Luna gave me no end of grief for that, and I take full responsibility for the scenario you two were put in. will you accept my–"

Gilda started waving her paws frantically at the Princess. "Yes! yes! Apology or whatever accepted, just stop...doing whatever this is!" Gabby slowly nodded as well, mumbling a quick "thank you" but then going quiet. Gilda continued.

"Look, whatever happened, happened, it's over, drop it, move on. I hate it when ponies pull this crap." She shivered. "Uugh, never bow to me again! Feels wrong!"

Twilight slowly stood and replaced her crown atop her head. "It does?" She asked.

Gilda nodded, shuffling her wings. "Yes it does. I met you when you were just a regular old unicorn, not some powered up god like alicorn or whatever you are now. All my brain can see is that unicorn and that bowing to me is...it's weird okay?!"

Gabby leaned forward with a gentle smile. "It's a Gilda thing, alicorns kinda freak her out."

"They do not! Their just...too much pony. Too much magic! Causes my primal side to get all...weird."

Twilight nodded after a moment. "I suppose that makes some sense, I'm still sorry."

"Yeah great you're sorry, emotional stuff blah blah blah, what did you want to see us about?"

Gabby leaned in again. "You said you need our help?"

Twilight immediately perked up, partially opening her wings, ignoring how Gilda flinched and hissed. "Yes! I have...a griffon problem."

"Yeah. You're being a dick to our brother. We heard." Gabby growled. For once, both Gilda and Twilight were surprised. Gabby literally stalked forward, making Twilight defensively lift a hoof. "And let me guess. You need our help to give you confidence so you can fix your little problem, don't you?"

Twilight stared at Gabby with a very...firm expression, before closing her eyes and breathing deeply for a few moments. when she'd finally calmed down, she still glared at Gabby. "I don't know what you heard concerning our...relationship, but that is not what I need your help with. I'm fully confidant enough to–"

"Then stop leading him on!" Gabby snarled. Gilda heard the guards at the door stand from their sitting positions, but Twilight gave them a mere glance and they calmly sat back down. Gabby's tail thrashed as she began pacing, glaring up at the princess as she did so. "You sit there and you tell him he can court you and then all we hear from everyone around is that you don't have any time for him, but you won't tell him that yourself. Is that true?"

"No, it's not true." Gabby narrowed her eyes. Twilight sighed and lifted a wing to the guards. They teleported away and then Her student did the same. "It is only fair as his siblings that I share some info on Gallus and my relationship."

"Try all of it, Princess." Gilda grumbled, "I had a very heated talk with him about making sure he was being treated right and let me tell you, in the moment we were together, he didn't exactly exude confidence over his situation."

Twilight leveled her gaze on Gilda who felt a primal shiver go down her spine, and she reflexively took a step back, but the Princess didn't move. "No, Gilda that isn't fair to me or to Gallus. Just as he and I have secrets, so too do you, I would not expect you to tell me everything you do with your lover, Miss Gabriella here, would I?"

Gilda and Gabby both blushed and looked at one another. "W-we aren't, it's not–"

Twilight leaned down slowly, making Gilda take yet another step back. Her eyes glinted with the hints of magic, "Trust me, Gilda, Alicorns can tell this sort of thing without words being spoken. The soul changes when bonded to another, and I see how much you've changed, as well as Gabby." Gilda hissed and backed up a couple steps.

"Fucking alicorns..." She growled. "Okay fine, it has nothing to do with you and Gallus! What do you want?"

Twilight waited until Gabby had prowled back to Gilda's side, and then she teleported in two scrolls. "Griffonia, as of one three hundred and fifty-two years ago made a bargain deal with us, to settle for war crimes. They gave us Griffonestone and the surrounding mountains with their resources to pay this debt. It is, and has been a part of Equestria since then, after the last remaining noble passed away and gave the leadership role to Celestia to decide. Celestia at the time, was dealing with far too many greater dangers to the country to put someone in place and thus Griffonestone is left where you see it. Leaderless."

"Which is fine. We don't want any stuffy nobles stealing our bits to make their nests shinier." Gilda said. "All they are going to do is come in and try to act high n mighty and no one is gonna give em the time of day. Also, if they are a pony? You can pretty much forget it, Griffonstone isn't there yet, we have maybe thirteen griffons town wide that are what you'd call "nice" now. You throw a noble in there now, and they'll be thrown out on their rump in ten seconds flat."

Twilight smiled. "Correct, which is why I'm not sending you a noble, or a politician. I'm sending you both back with a scroll, signed and authenticated by myself and Princess Cadance, to bring your council members here, to the Canterlot monthly city planning meetings."

Gabby stopped glaring for a moment. "Wait, you mean you want Grandpa Gruff and the other older council members to come here?"

Gilda smirked. "Why not just mail that to the council instead of making us your delivery birds?"

Twilight smiled and waggled the scrolls. "Because a little blue bird told me you three are now of noble status in Griffonstone... You are the three pillars of their society are you not?"

Both griffons scowled and Gilda clenched her claws. "Seriously? This was not part of the date, the plan, or anything! I came here to give my partner a good time, go on a flight around the city, maybe watch the sun set, and it's all getting thrown out the fucking window because you wanna throw Gabby, me, and Gallus into your political game?!"

Gilda spun on her claws and stormed away. "Fuck that, fuck this city, and fuck your politics! You need the council to come here, do yourself, all your guards keep saying you wanna do it all on your own, so do so!"

Gabby watched Gilda exit the throne room, hissing at a guard as she left, and then lowered her beak and growled in frustration.

"Well, that went poorly..." Twilight murmured.

Gabby angled her eyes at the Alicorn, she looked haggard and slightly unkempt. Bags under her eyes, drooping feathers, a slightly askew crown, the signs of exhaustion were evident. Gabby stood and walked right up to Twilight and looked at her for several seconds, even as Twilight noticed and locked gazes with her. Gabby never looked away.

"Princess, can I be completely candid with you?"

Twilight pivoted her ears ever so slightly back, but nodded. "Of course."

Gabby shuffled her wings and then reached out slowly, and poked Twilight's neck petral. "This thing is a bit too heavy for you, isn't it?"

Twilight blinked and eyed the large piece of her royal regalia, the words of the hen were deeper than she'd expected. "You mean the weight of my station, yes?"

Gabby nodded. "I vaguely remember you, back in Ponyville. even with the few times I saw you, you didn't have so much stress, so much turmoil in your eyes, Twilight. I have seen a lot of bad things in my life, but it's because of all that pain that I am very perceptive on how creatures are feeling. You were happy then. You don't look happy now."

Twilight's attempt at hiding her reaction failed behind a thinly veiled smile. "I'm not completely happy, that is true...but the country is in a lot of unrest–"

Gabby poked her chest again, harder this time.

"So is your heart." She glared up at the alicorn with a determined gaze in her eyes. "And a ruler with a broken or hurting heart is not at their best. We griffons know that better than most creatures, because our kings and queens did what you're doing now, and their reigns were short, bloody, and troubled."

Gabby gently took the scroll from Twilight's magic and tucked it under her wing. Then her eyes hardened into the well known piercing gaze griffons had, her sharp slit predatory irises held Twilight in her place. "I most of all understand what a troubled heart can do...How much damage it can cause. I'm not unaware that love is a dangerous and painful road we walk on, sometimes against our wills too. So I need something from you, Princess Twilight, in return for delivering this message to Griffonstone."

Twilight merely nodded slowly, captivated momentarily by how confident Gabby had become recently. Before becoming Gilda's mate, Gabby had been energetic and perky, sure, but there was a nasty undertone of misery that Twilight couldn't help but see, her alicorn nature forcing her to see the miasma of pain and fear that floated around Gabby whenever she made physical contact with otters or when her doubts grabbed a hold of her.

Gabby turned and looked back through the throne room doors, before closing her eyes and growling lightly. "Don't let this city or the nobles around you decide what your heart does. Don't let fear take hold and destroy something that could be wonderful for you...and for Gallus."

Then she growled louder and unclenched her claws, digging them into the carpet under her talons. "Because Gallus deserves love, just as much as you do, and he is breaking himself to try and reach your level. So what I need from you is a promise. I need your word and promise that regardless of what Canterlot does, or your little ponies do or say, you'll be honest and open with Gallus about the situation you and him are in. Don't let fear make secrets. Don't hide from him behind your crown. We are griffons, we can take a lot, but something we can't take is being manipulated."

Twilight was silent for a moment, her wings shuffling lightly. "Does Gilda feel that way right now?"

Gabby looked back at the doors, and spotted Gilda sitting on a bench down the hall, her tail was lashing and she looked miffed, but she also was occasionally looking into the throne room at Gabby and Twilight. Her eyes held the feeling of a mate too far from her lover, but also fighting to respect her.

"Maybe," Gabby murmured. "But mostly because she hates it when her plans go astray, and that seems to be what today is full of."

Twilight rose to her full height and reset her crown properly atop her head, before nodded to Gabby. "You know, I want to make that promise, Gabby, I always seem to need friends to help me see things I was missing. So yes, I promise I will talk with Gallus later today, about our situation...he may not like what I have to say, but I feel it is in our best interests."

Gabby nodded, before departed to the exterior of the hall. Gilda perked up immediately when she returned to the larger hen's side. Gabby chirped and nuzzled Gilda, trying to comfort her.

"Gilda, I'm sorry things have gone awry, but there is still time to do stuff in town if you want to. Wanna go for a flight?"

Gilda let her feathers ruffle out a little, even as her eyes darted around the area for prying folk, but no one was looking their way. She sighed and nuzzled Gabby back a bit. "Honestly that sounds great, Gabs, Lets get out of this castle, this city and just...go somewhere."

They did just that, and an hour of flying away from the capital found them lounging on a cloud several miles from any large populated areas. the forest below them was vast and green in it's colors. Tall hills rose up to try and meet them but the two hens were far away. Both in their own minds, and each other.

Gilda lay on her back, with Gabby nestled closely by her side, letting the gentle nips and nibbles of Gabby's beak in her chest fur soothe her frustration. Her eyes fell to the hen, watching as she fussed over a tuft of fur that wouldn't move where she wanted it.

Gabby noticed Gilda was looking at her and blushed meekly, looking away. "S-sorry, it's just a habit, I like organized fur and yours was frazzled."

Gilda whispered. "Please don't stop, it was nice..." She reached out and cupped Gabby's cheek gently scratching her neck and under her chin, "I wanted things to go smoothly but...life shit on our day it seems."

Gabby gripped her talons in her own and leaned forward, nuzzling her beak against Gilda's before they gently locked beaks in a kiss. Gilda's spine tingled every time she got to do this, kissing was an electric current she'd never get over feeling. She firmly pushed against the kiss, gliding her tongue along the inner edging of Gabby's beak, watching in joy as Gabby shivered.

"Mmmm, you're getting better at kissing, love." Gabby murmured as they separated. "I like what you did there...still, today wasn't totally a loss for me. I got to travel with you, I got to share some food, and we even saw friends."

"You saw friends, I saw ponies and a menace." Gilda warbled. "The Cmc are still too energetic for my tastes...Can't really call em friends."

"Yet." Gabby hummed. "But maybe one day?" She chirped hopefully.

Gilda smiled. "Yeah, maybe."

They lay there as the clouds around them shifted and formed new shapes. Both griffons could tell a storm front was rolling in, as the cloud they rest on expanded over time, rising in height and size. their feathers tingled with energy as it grew.

for an hour or so, they held each other's company with kisses, touches to intimate places, and nuzzles surrounded with murmurs of love. When the wind started picking up, Gilda nudged Gabby and woke her from their light hearted nap.

"Storm is getting stronger, we should leave if we don't wanna be soaked and thrown around."

Gabby went to speak when as if on cue a drop of water whapped her in the beak. She blinked and the two hens looked up at the anvil cloud they'd rested on. "Should we get on the next train?"

Gilda shook her head. "I rented us rooms in Canterlot. We can take the train back to Griffonstone in the morning."

Gabby nodded and the two hens went to take off, when Gabby grabbed Gilda's tail, holding her in place.

"W-wait...Gilda, c-can we do something first?"

Gilda eyed the storm behind her mate. "Er sure but we gotta be quick..."

Gabby purred and suddenly shot forward, wrapping her arms around Gilda and pulling her forward.

"W-Whoa!!" Gilda fell atop Gabby, their bellies and teats rubbing together as Gabby passionately kissed Gilda with the ferocity of a starving animal. Gilda was so surprised by it that she barely reacted as the hen peppered her with kisses and nips.

"G-Gabby what are you doing?" She murmured through the touches. Gabby responded by gently raking her talons down Gilda's sides and gripping her hips, clenching Gilda's rump fur and pulling Gilda down quickly so their vulva's smacked together.

Gilda gasped as stars danced across her vision. Pleasure wormed it's way up her spine and her wings shot open, blocking the down draft of wind from the growing anvil's sides. She felt her cheeks ruffle in sexual awe as Gabby lay beneath her, legs and wings spread. her mate's eyes lidded halfway in a flutter and her hips bucked upwards to grind Gilda' and Gabby's sexes together.

"Getting you to mate with me in a storm..."

Gilda felt her feathers fully explode in arousal as the hen under her squirmed and writhed in presentation. "G-Gabby that's a lot wilder than you normally– MMM!!"

She was grabbed by both talons of Gabby's and wrenched down into a kiss as Gabby whispered into her ear huskily.

"We don't have much time, show me how wild my mate can get. Show me you can make me scream louder than the thunder, because to me..."

She leaned back and ran her feathers through Gilda's chest feathers and bucked her hips again, driving Gilda to instinctively grind back with a gasp of pleasure. She looked down into Gabby's bedroom eyes and her moan turned into a straight up growl of lust.

"Because to me, you are brighter than any lightning Gilda."

The Canterlot Crossties was a semi respectful establishment of the upper district, that had housed many a noble and maybe the princess once or twice, and the owner prided himself on the success of his hotel. The gold inlayed walls, the plush red carpets, the imported overseas prench couches, and the glass chandeliers hanging above the lobby spoke well of the cozy and safe feeling this place gave off to his guests. Yes, this was a wonderfully clean and orderly place...

But as the storm outside barreled into the mountain, and rattled windows, he realized that not ALL his guests would be like this...

Namely the two Griffoness that blew the double doors nearly off their hinges as they practically flew into the entry way and across the previously dry and debris-less carpet. The pair tumbled head over claws right up to the counter with a loud THUMP!

He grimaced and went to respectfully get them back outside, but when he came around the corner, he found two hens laughing uproariously their respective asses off as the pair rolled around the carpet.

Gilda clutched her sides and gasped for air. "Y-you should haves-seen the look on your face, AHAHAHA!!!"

Gabby, sat up with a deliriously confused, but also happy expression. "I didn't think we'd get struck by lightning!"

Gilda laughed harder, "M-Must have been all that friction we were causing!"

Gabby blushed harder and folded her wings around her. "W-we weren't that fast!!"

The owner cleared his throat catching their attention. "Ahem! Do you two Ladies mind? You've blown my doors open and streamed a veritable flood of water and dirt into this lobby!"

Gilda was still chuckling. She wiped away some tears of joy as Gabby stood and just straight up shook herself off. "O-Oh yeah, sorry about that, pal, we got stuck in the storm after we ah...got stuck doing something else...You sure that's all water Gabby? We were up there a bit longer than you think."

Gabby eeped and covered her wings "G-Gilda!"

The repulsed look on the owner's muzzle was priceless as well as he quickly hopped away from the two hens and any source of the liquid. "If you do not have a reservation, ma'am, I am going to ask you to leave immediately."

Gilda chuckled again and to his utter dismay produced a key from her friend's satchel. it was indeed to key to one of his best suites.

Oh by the divines that cannot be the one I think it is... The owner balked as she set the key on the counter.

"Princess Twilight gave us this key a couple hours ago as part of my reservation. Name should be under "Sparkle Griffonstone."

After a moment of scanning the page Gilda watched in smug satisfaction as his eyes bulged in shock, he whimpered and slid the key back to her. His strangled gasp of dismay was caught by both of them.

"H-have a nice stay..." He wheezed.

Gilda nd Gabby laughed more and went to the elevators, leaving the owner to quickly slam the main doors shut before more water poured in. He groaned as the carpet ten feet into his hotel was soaked in water and dirty claw tracks.

"Oh we plan to!" Gilda shouted back.

And while outside the windows of their suite, the world grew gloomy and wet, Gilda's heart soared well over the clouds and into the calming embrace of the stars that night. As did Gabby's, as they bathed together, preened one another, and slept in the same nest for the night.

Both hens dreamt wonderful things that eve, and when morning rose they would find themselves back on their way home to a completely different storm.

but for a singular point, all was peaceful in their hearts.

Author's Note

Story is not dead. Life is just all over the place for me. I plan to try and finish this as soon as I can. This is the first time i've been able to write in a long time.

thank you for your support. if you see and typo errors, lemme know in the comments below.