Gilda pulled a tray of scones out of the oven, the hot air roiling over her face and making her hum in relief. Spinning and lifting a back paw, she tapped the oven door and sent it on its track into a closed position. Setting the tray down across a cooling rack, she scrutinized her work with a critical eye. Any malformed or badly burnt scones would be rejected and either tossed in the trash, or set aside for the chicks the next morning.

She was lucky this time, only having to remove two that sat closest to the tray's edge, their sides far too burnt to be palatable. The undersides were harder then acceptable too. Those she tossed in the trash before grabbing a spatula and carefully transporting the treats from the tray to a presentation plate she'd set aside.

The tray was then placed nearby to be washed and readied for the next batch. Gilda looked into the back and found Gabby was no where to be seen.

Odd, she usually loves to help me on the weekends...Wonder where she's at. Shrugging, she turned and continued nudging the scones and placing them in a way that pleased her eye. The apple scones were the least bought, so they went on bottom. After that were the strawberry scones, Gabby loved those. The top most ones were a bit of her own idea and Pinkie Pie's. Gilda had wanted something more...griffon like, for a scone, and Pinkie Pie had a slurry of ideas Gilda didn't remember half of, but after a while and hashing out some specifics, they found a solution. Using bacon bits and slices of chicken, she'd made a sort of paste from it, and put it in a scone.

It was the top selling item she made. She'd sold out multiple times, and eventually had to put a limit of three per customer so a single griffon couldn't monopolize the sales. The more pompous and elitist griffons had been put out by the rule, but it meant that more could enjoy her work, and that was what mattered.

She set the newly crafted dish in her case, and then closed it. The sun was just peaking over the mountain top behind Griffonstone, so the whole town was still in shadows. Soon it would be alive and bustling again, though, and she looked forward to it. With the festival fully over, and their trip to Ponyville over, things had gone back to normal for a while.

As normal as they could be I suppose. Gilda huffed, leaning against the counter. Behind her, her tail thrashed irritably as the memories of her escapade in Ponyville resurfaced.

Zecora sighed and frowned, holding the small trio of marble sized stone beads on her hoof, as Gilda scowled and backed her rump up against the wall, her wings flared defensively and her tail tucked tightly against her rump. Outside, Gabby was snickering loudly.

Zecora held the beads out again. "It is not a trial by fire you must play, but to stop the urges of your womb, inside you these must stay." Zecora mentioned for the third time.

"No. No, Gabby, you said nothing about this!" Gilda hissed as Gabby's giggling outside increased to actual laughter. She growled as Zecora stepped forward, keeping her face neutral.

"She did not inform you of the process, this I see, but it is painless and not as problematic as you think it will be."

"All she informed me of were moments of emotional instability! Not getting beads shoved up my vulva!" She snarled, and turned to the window. "Gabby get in here! Stop being a doofus and help me!"

Gilda missed Zecora's look of confusion at her statement as she looked at the beads. And the gentle murmur "Emotional instability? That isn't a symptom caused by these..."

Outside Gabby's wheezing voice could be heard. "Oh...hooo boy...oh that was...that was good. No, I'll stay out here thank you! I told you it was intrusive, but you didn't listen!"

Gilda growled and went to walk forward, intent on giving Gabby some 'intrusive' physical actions, but was blocked by the zebra. She held them out again with that sly grin. "You want to remove the stomach vice, then these are the option you will find are mostly nice. No pain should come from within or without, but if you do not believe me, your friend you shouldn't doubt."

Gilda groaned. "Nnnngh....and these have to really go...in there?" She pointed back at her rump and Zecora raised a brow at her reluctance to use the accurate words.

"Yes, I know my craft and I do it well, They go in your vulva and then will swell. As fluids within collect over time, it begins to saturate the magic inside." Zecora held them out closer, and Gilda grit her inner teeth back and forth. "I...fine! FINE! Gimme those!"

Zecora backed off as the griffon swiped them off her hoof, and smiled. She pointed to a tall curtain off to the left of her cauldron that obscured the bedroom beyond. "You may seek solace beyond the drapes of red, but please do not lay upon my bed. Place the beads within yourself, and then clasp the top to your tail base, it helps."

Gilda grumbled and swept the curtain aside before hissing at the zebra and closing the curtain.

Outside Gabby kept laughing.

Her tail whipped back and forth as she thought about the beads that lay hidden under her tail. Apparently they were absorbing her natural body fluids, and from that, the magic within it. In a week, the beads would be fully saturated and would then fall out, ready to be crushed into a powder that was then settled into a potion. Gabby had explained the whole process, albeit AFTER Gilda had awkwardly finished the first step.

The beads were rather small, no bigger than marbles, and thus barely noticeable, as Zecora had said. No pain came from them either, but it was a bit annoying having to relieve herself. The first time she did so, the damn things slipped out and she had to re-set them. The second time she slowly figured out how to do so without this happening, but Gabby had bluntly asked her about it the moment she exited, and then went as far as to explain how SHE fixed that problem.

It was only very very awkward for Gilda.

The door jingled and Gilda snapped her eyes away from her rump, and put on a smile. "Welcome!" She chirped.

The hen that entered, looked familiar, but Gilda couldn't place it. Silvery grey feathers atop a hawk like head, and a light tawny coat, similar in color to Gilda's. Large light grey wings shuffled at the hen's sides. She smiled and approached the counter, a light smile on her beak. "Hello, Gilda, I came to chat with you about what happened at the festival a week or so ago, do you remember?"

Gilda did not. When had she arranged a meeting with a random hen? Her confusion apparently made itself known on her face, because the hen nodded.

"Ah, I see you do not remember. I'm the hen that was comforting her daughter? The one that had been injured?"

OH. Oh it's her....Gilda remembered as the hen sat down in front of the counter, and smiled apologetically. I don't even know her name, what do I say? Gilda's eyes darted left and right and her left talon lifted up.

"I uh...yeah, now I remember you um...miss...." She waved her paw in a circular motion and the hen perked up.

"Oh! My apologies, I never gave a name! I'm Grail, my daughter is Glory. I left you a note saying I'd stop by, and well, I didn't have any time until today. I actually spotted you outside while flying this morning and figured I'd make a stop to chat. Could we um, sit for a bit?"

She pointed over to one of the round tables and Gilda nodded. "Yeah, sure."

Grabbing two cups in her talons, Gilda quickly filled them with tea and coffee, each brewed not twenty minutes prior and kept warm. She then collected two plates and set some of the fresh scones on them, before walking over and settling down with the other hen across from her.

Gail looked surprised by the food and drinks, and reached for her purse but Gilda put her talon up. "Don't worry about payment, s'on the house, ma'am." She reached out and picked up her cup of coffee and took a sip, before setting it down and curling her other talons around the porcelain mug. Her eyes traced little pathways in the wood grain of the table's surface as the mother carefully sipped her tea.

"Mmmm its a nice blend, how did you know I prefer tea? I haven't bought anything here that I know of yet." She asked lightly, setting the cup down and adding some sugar to it from the little condiment station. Gilda shrugged.

"Lucky guess actually. If you hadn't liked it I figured you'd have reached for the coffee instead of me." She took another sip of her dark roast, savoring the taste, "Or I don't know, maybe you wouldn't go for either and then I'd know you weren't thirsty."

Gail nodded, but her eyes were downcast, and she momentarily glanced at the doorway. Gilda thought she looked nervous. "I um, don't suppose it'd be okay to close your doors while we chat?" She gripped her cup of tea and sighed. "What I wanted to talk about is a sensitive subject..." She lifted the cup to her beak, "Wouldn't want anyone walking in on it and get the wrong idea, you see."

Gilda merely shrugged and got up. Gail sipped her tea while Gilda flipped the sign to closed, and then locked the door. "I mean if they really wanna eavesdrop they can, the windows here have no glass..." She mumbled. Gail seemed slightly perturbed by that fact, but nodded. "I haven't had time to get the panes shipped in yet." Sitting back down, she recollected her coffee and swirled it around.

"So, what's up? This have to do with what happened to your daughter?" She asked before taking a sip. "It'd be kind of nice to know what that all was about anyway, I was left in the dark."

Gail seemed surprised by that, and lowered her tea slightly. "Gabby didn't tell you? I spoke with her at length about it..."

Gilda shook her head. "Gabby's been all over the place recently, but as her roommate and friend we like to give each other space. I don't go in her room when she's not around, and she doesn't go in mine when i'm..."

Huh, come to think of it she was in my room during the festival... Gilda shook it off and kept talking. "We keep out of each other's personal space when the other isn't present. I figured if she didn't wanna talk about that night, it wasn't that big a deal, or if it was, then she'd bring it up when she was ready."

Plus she was an emotional wreck due to that potion. Gilda hummed in thought and looked to Gail. "Still, I'm all ears if you're willing to chat about it with me, clarification would be nice. That other young hen with the fancy outfit looked pretty pissed. Your daughter take her mate or something?"

Gilda drained her mug as the mother spoke.

"No, She wrote that hen's name on her breeding list. "

Gilda choked, hard. The hot coffee seared down her throat and she convulsed, trying not to spit it up and onto Gail. Her eyes bulged and she slapped the mug down onto the table, turning and coughing off to the side.

"She*cough cough* she what?" Gilda smacked her chest with a fist while Gail stood and placed a claw on her back, worriedly.

"Are you alright?"

Gilda waved her away weakly. Opening a wing and gently removing Gail's talons. "Y-yeah *cough* I just *cough* didn't expect that!"

After regaining her breath and her voice, Gilda sat back down and sighed, rubbing her talons through her head feathers, a light blush on her cheek. "Wow...okay, I can honestly say I didn't expect that one."

The mother seemed kind of perplexed. "You...you didn't? Hmm..." The mother sipped her tea quietly. Gilda gripped her cup and walked over to refill it.

"Of course I didn't, that's really rare here, griffons here don't normally do the whole...same sex thing...ya know?" Gilda refilled her cup and stirred the blend.

She returned to find Gail frowning more, she looked saddened. "Hey? What's up? I didn't say it was a bad thing, just...it's really uncommon here in Griffonstone, old traditions and all that crap..." She said with quotations. Gail looked away and shuffled her feathers nervously.

"Y-yeah, of course...It makes sense I suppose..." She whispered. "I guess that explains a lot really...We aren't from Griffonstone. I didn't know that bit of information...and my daughter paid the price..."

Gilda sat back down and felt her cheeks heat up. "So...wait...I'm not judging anyone here, I just want some understanding. You and your daughter...you like hens?"

The mother nodded subtly. "We do..." she whispered.

Gilda felt her cheeks heat up even more. Hoo boy...I...this isn't my element...Gabby where are-- Gilda paused, and blinked slowly. Gabby...She'd looked like a ghost had passed through her that night...was it because of this?

She refocused on Gail, who was sneaking glances at her while fiddling with a scone. She spoke quietly. "I'm sorry if that makes you uncomfortable, Miss Gilda, I didn't mean to offend."

Gilda shook her talons in front of her defensively. "No, No you didn't, it's fine, just...jarring. I was not ready for that um...bombshell. Look I don't care who you prefer or what not, that's never even been a thing on my personal radar. I know mares who like mares, and I know a couple stallions who like other stallions...hell I even know a yak that likes a stallion..."

She smirked at the mental pictures, and then shook herself. Gail was looking at her once again with a different expression, more...calm, but curious.

"Look, that night, Gabby helped you guys out and then when I tried to talk to her about it, she looked like she'd seen a ghost or something...Wouldn't say anything to me about it either. Her and I talk about everything practically...Did she not take that news well?" Gilda felt herself lean in as Gail shuddered haggardly.

"I...I may have overstepped my boundaries, You two live together, you work together, you hang out all the time...so I asked her about her preferences..." When she saw Gilda bristle, she shrunk back. "I just assumed you and her were...ya know! Like my daughter and I are..."

"You assumed we were a pair?!" Gilda hissed, standing and flaring her wings defensively. "Kay look, lets get something straight here, Gail. Gabby and I are roommates and friends. Even if we were...ya know, something else, and we aren't, It is not okay to--"

"To ask?" Gail snipped back, her tone was filled with irritation, She stood up as well. "How else am I supposed to find out then? Hmm? I asked about it subtly during the festival of life to other hens and all I got were scolding remarks and hisses of displeasure! This town is all about tradition isn't it? That's all you griffons seem to care abo--" She shrunk back again suddenly when Gilda gripped the table with both talons and snarled back, cutting her off with a roar of fury.

"I DON'T GIVE A SMOLDERING DRAGON SHIT ABOUT TRADITION!"

For several seconds, They stared at one another. Gail opened her beak and closed it several times, shocked. Gilda huffed, her chest heaving in anger as Gail looked down at her scone and whimpered quietly. After a moment Gilda let go of the table, grabbed the plate of remaining scones and cups and stormed back to the counter. She deposited the dishes in a bin with a clatter while trying to calm down. Her feathers were all fluffed out and she was irritable.

"Look... I was raised around a pompous male tom that thought tradition was the only goddess damned thing worthy of praise around this trash heap of a town. He'd hammer that crap into my ears every day, all day, and if I didn't look like I was listening I got booted out the door for being an ornery youth." Gilda turned back to Gail and huffed again, deflating and letting her anger go. She slowly came over and sat back down. Gail watched nervously.

"It is totally fine to ask a question." Gilda murmured. "You can ask all you want, to whoever you wish, but it is NOT okay to assume that kind of thing, that hurts people, you understand?"

When Gail nodded quickly, Gilda sighed and rubbed her shoulder with a a talon, looking to the floor with a bit of shame.. "S-sorry for roaring at you...You hit my tradition button..."

Gail chuckled nervously. "I uh I see that...s-sorry too...f-for assuming."

Gilda lifted her talons in a shrug, "Eh, it's like I said, it's fine to ask questions, and yeah, WHAT your asking is a touchy subject here in town, so...ask carefully. but at least this way now you know not to push that button with me at least. My grandpa was a crotchety old jerk most of the time, so I leave tradition to him."

Gail nodded with a small smile. "So...um, just to clarify, you aren't into hens?" Gilda wasn't dumb, she could see the hopeful look in Gail's eyes, they told a story of loneliness and doubt. Gail hadn't had much luck finding a mate...well a female one anyway. She'd clearly had a tom at one point.

Gilda, paused, lowered her arms to the table and was silent for a time, thinking it over. "I...I don't know."

Gail seemed intrigued and scooted closer to the table, to listen earnestly. "Oh?"

Gilda shrugged and rubbed at her arm. "See I...Hang on, this conversation doesn't leave the store got it?" She said pointing a sharp claw at Gail, who nodded.

"Trust me, I understand that at least." Gail smiled as any mother would do. In the way that says 'I'm here for you' to their children. Gilda felt a pang of jealousy in her heart. Her Mother and Father had ditched her and Gallus at the local orphanage as soon as they could walk. Fleeting memories of her mothers claws around her small frame as they set her on the steps were all she had to remember.

...Gabby...She'd never asked if the hen knew her parents. Gilda sighed and ruffled her feathers, making a mental note to ask. "I don't know how I feel, one way or another. I've never dated. Never tried to find a mate, and I know I don't want any children. No hatchlings or cubs for this hen, thank you very much."

Gilda paused and flicked a crumb off the table. "I'm still a virgin, if you can believe that. Other griffons don't seem too interested in me."

Gail nodded, humming lightly. " Oh, That's rough...have, have you ever tried to gain one during the festival?"

Gilda shook her head. "No. To be frank I don't know if I want a mate, it's too much emotions for me." Gilda balled her talon into a fist and then flexed the claws out watching the light glance off their sharp sides. "I'm not too good in the feeling department. The way I was raised, you're either okay or you're not, and if you're not ya fix it on you're own without others help."

Gail's expression fell a bit but she nodded. "I assume, I mean...Can I ask if that upbringing of yours was by the grandfather you mentioned earlier?" When Gilda nodded, Gail scowled, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she rolled her eyes. "He sounds like a positively wonderful individual..."

Golda smirked. "You tell me, hes the town mayor."

Gail gaped at her, her talon lifting to point at the outside world and then back to Gilda. "W-wait, the town mayor?! That gruff old windbag is related to you?" She looked Gilda up and down incredulously.

Barking out a laugh, Gilda relaxed and then sighed. "Thankfully no. He was just the one who got saddled with me n Gallus by the local court. Gallus is a familial friend of mine. We lived together with Gabby for several years before we all moved out to do our own things." Gilda Looked around her at the brick walls and the delicious scent of baked goods. "Gallus is a royal Guard for Princess Sparkle in Equestria, and you can see where I ended up, Gabby too."

Gail smiled, and admired the place. "I like it, reminds me of home. I think you girls did a wonderful job of the place. I'll be sure to bring my daughter by from now on, if that's alright?"

Gilda nodded. "Sure thing, but yeah. for future reference, I'm still trying to work out my own internal ah...love...stuff." She paused and scratched her neck fluff nervously, "I don't know about Gabby, you'd have to ask her yourself."

Gail stood and shook talons with Gilda before they walked to the doorway. After unlocking it, Gail turned and smiled to Gilda. "Thank you for hearing me out. We got a bit off track, but I guess I wanted to know there was a place my daughter and I could come that wasn't so...well 'traditional' I guess. Your shop is wonderful Gilda, and I hope to try all of your treats."

Gilda smirked. "Maybe not all at once, take it slow. You and your daughter are welcome any time I'm open."

When Gail left, and Gilda was reopen, she seated herself back behind the counter and sighed. Her thoughts all over the place.

Who do I like more? Hens or toms...Do I like both? Do I like neither? Can I even have more than one mate? I don't know, is that a thing? So many options and so freaking complicated. I'll figure it out later. Gilda brushed her feathers down as a dust cloud of little feathered horrors and one bedraggled hen came into the shop.

"HI MISS GILDA!!" The pile of chicks at the foot of her store counter screeched. Gilda rubbed her ear with a claw, and smirked as the hen looked up to her with an exhausted expression and flopped into the nearest open chair, her beak clattering to the table.

"Uuuugh." she grumbled.

Gilda snapped her talons a few times to catch the hatchling groups attention. "Hiya little minions, ya ready to earn some treats?"

"YES!" The all shouted in unison. Gilda grinned and looked up to the hen, the orphanage caretaker. "Coffee or tea, miss? Ya look like ya need it."

Gilda loved when a genuine smile appeared on her fellow griffons beaks, and this hen looked like she'd been asked the golden question.

"Both please." She warbled into the table.

Gilda chuckled as the horde of scrabbling claws, swishing tails and tiny chirps surged outside to scour her front area for trash and other unacceptable items. Brooms, dust pans, and even a mop went careening around outside as they attacked the menace known as litter.

"You got it."

As she grabbed a clean set of mugs, her mind drifted to the outside, past the children and the few citizens awake this early, and she wondered.

Where is gabby?

Far, far away, in Canterlot city, a jewelry shop's door opened, and the bell jingled lightly. The unicorn stallion working the counter looked his newest potential customer up and down in slight disdain. Not one of his regulars, but maybe he'd make a sale of the obviously random tourist that now walked the isles, their eyes glistening in awe and genuine appreciation of his craft. He felt his smile become a little more genuine at that.

"Good morning, may I help you with anything?" He asked. The patron slowed and looked up at the walls of jewelry and the hand crafted boxes next to them. All were beautiful and well made to be sure, but no matter how they looked, something was missing from each.

"Yes...I suppose you can, I need a jewelry box made for my lover, and the top needs to have a specific item carved into the wood, the drawers need to have the same symbol, and the bottom needs to have a music box inside it. Can you do that?"

The unicorn smiled. custom jobs were expensive, but worth the pay, if this customer actually had that kind of money. "I see, well I most certainly can do them, but might I suggest something cheaper? T'would be easier on your eh...coffers."

"No, I know what I seek and money isn't a problem. Can you do it?" They asked.

The stallion smiled fully, loving the sound of that. When a customer had money to spare AND knew what they wanted, that meant money for him. Plus, custom jobs were fun, he got to create an entirely new, and one of a kind piece.

"Well, by all means, lets get started. I'll get the information down and then it'll be done in a week or so, does that--"

"I'm sorry," She cut him off "But I need it in three days."

The stallion balked, lowering the floating quill. "I beg your pardon? Three days for a custom job is doable, but it'll be quite hard to finish with my usual skills...Could we maybe compromise on five days?"

The customer shifted from leg to leg, "Four...Is four doable? It's for my mate's birthday you see."

He sighed and nodded. "I suppose...It won't have much to it then I'm afraid, the usual metal filigree and gemstones I inlay into the wood would need to be left out..."

"It doesn't need to be extremely detailed, can you keep the enchantments, carvings, and the velvet interior?" They asked. When he nodded, they seemed to sigh. "That is perfect then, they will love it."

He nodded slowly. "Very well, what shall I be carving into the top and drawers?"

The customer smiled a smile so pure of love that the stallion felt his chest swell with pride. The customers eyes hit the sunlight and they flashing in quiet joy.

"A rose."

Author's Note

WARBLE!