The streets of Griffonstone were covered in filth, dirt, and grime. Griffons went about their day to day lives, pushing one another out of the way. A fellow griffon walked ever so slowly by the makeshift stand.The stand itself was made of basic wood, the top roof a dim mossy green, covered with some actual moss from how long it sat there. The wheels on the bottom, allowed her to take it wherever she wanted, providing her plenty of ways to sell her scones. I just want to sell enough of these scones so I can get out of this stupid place.
She began to set up her stand for the day, when she noticed a griffon looking right at her.
He turned to her, glaring directly at her, as his tail swished. She felt like he seemed to vent out loud why the world was so bitter and cruel, and that Griffonstone was nothing more than a place of emptiness and pain. She stood there in silence as he continued away from her. Griffons weren't friendly like ponies, not even to each other. She rolled her eyes, as she put her clawed talon against her chin, as her own tail swished slightly, agitated.
"This town is nothing but a waste of time. I hate it here," Gilda muttered aloud. No griffon cared, no griffon listened. Griffons only cared about themselves, and Gilda was a griffon, so why was it her mind was on a certain cyan blue pegasus with a rainbow mane and tail?
“Hey! Are you going to sell me one of those scones or stare into the clouds all day long?”.
He was male, he had dark blue feathers covering his body, blonde feathers finely groomed against the back of his head, as he tapped his talon on the countertop, agitated, waiting for her to answer him.
“Yeah, I’d sell you a scone, if you didn’t have an attitude problem,” Gilda snarked back at him. She took a defensive stance, glaring daggers eye to eye. Her own tail swishing behind her, as she braced one clawed talon against the counter, the other right in his face, her pointed claw almost at his beak. “Listen, if you’re going to buy something, then buy it.”
The male griffon snorted and pushed her talon out of the way. He tilted his head back and puffed out his feathers instinctively, throwing two bits on the counter.
Gilda eyes the bits, cautiously. She took one of them into her talon, scooping it up, and biting on the end of it. Making sure it was real, and genuine, her gaze never left the other griff. Griffons couldn’t be trusted. She took the other bit, before picking out a scone.
Gilda handed him the scone, despite wanting to rub it in his stupid, ugly mug. She watched him as he walked off, strutting like a proud cock if ever she saw one.
Once he was gone, Gilda looked to the scones on her stand. Ever since the pink one had helped her with the baking soda, her scones were the most pleasant thing about Griffonstone. Griffons of all walks of life would stop by to buy a scone. Some would even try talking to her about her Grandpa’s secret recipe. She rolled her eyes as she thought about that, scoffing aloud. Did they really think she’d give away her family’s secrets just for a clawfull of bits? She let out a rumble of a raspy growl, hidden just under her composed posture.
“Rainbow Dash…”, muttered Gilda, leaning on her stand, eyes dimmed heart heavy. Her beak parted as she let go of the breath she realized she’d been holding in. They were friends, right? So why was her heart tingling with this need for more? This longing to see her again?
Gilda felt her stomach rumble, as she grumbled to herself. She picked up one of the freshly baked scones, and dropped it right into her beak, swallowing it in one big gulp. She had to hand it to those ponies, the flavor of the scones were vastly improved by this baking soda. The soft crumble exterior had a crunch to it, while the inside was full of flavor. She couldn't quite place her tongue on it, but the sweet cinnamon flavor had just the right amount of bite to it. The apple on the inside gave it a juicy center.
Maybe not all ponies were as dull and boring as she thought.
Another griffon stopped by her stand. Her new friend, Greta - or at least as close to friends as griffons could be.
“Hey Gilda, how’s it going?” asked Greta, casually, placing two bits on the stand and taking a scone from the pile.
“It’s going,” replied Gilda, shrugging her shoulders. She stretched out her wings, raising her elbows to each side of her torso, claws extended, palms facing upwards to the sky above.
“You know you could be a little less boring.” Greta huffed, staring directly at her, it was visible in her eyes, that she felt ignored by her lack of a proper response. Sure, griffons didn’t really talk much, or even hang out much. But they were supposed to be friends.
“Why bother? It’s not like anything ever changes around here. Same old boring routine day in and day out. Griffonstone is about as boring as listening to a friendship lecture from the ponies.”
“Ponies...or a certain one? Don’t pretend like I don’t know. We are friends, remember. You like that rainbow colored one. What was her name...Dash?”
“She’s a dweeb, and it’s Rainbow Dash. I mean seriously, at least get it right if you’re going to come here to mock me.”
“I didn’t come to mock you, and I certainly didn’t come here to tell you to stop being a dimwit and actually do something other than nothing. If you want to stay here, day in and day out, doing the same ole thing, fine. I don’t care, but if I had some creature I cared for, enough that thinking of them distracts me. I’d do something about it.”
“What do you expect me to do? Write her a letter. Thanks but no thanks.”
“You know, you could go see her,” said Greta, and Gilda blinked.
“...What do you mean?”
“Why wait for her to come to you?” asked Greta, raising her eyebrow. “If there was some creature I had the hots for, I’d at least make some effort to do something about it.”
“But…” Gilda began, before being stopped short by Greta’s claw against her beak.
“No more buts. No more excuses. Go get that pony, if she’s that important to you.”
“Yeah?”, said Gilda, uncertainly.
“Yeah”, said Greta, a smile curling across her beak. ““And remember she’s a pony, not a griffon, so watch those talons.”
Gilda blushed furiously. “....You’re right,” she said. “Thanks Greta. I don’t know what I was thinking. I guess I can be a bit of a dimwit sometimes.”
Greta walked off, still grinning,, and Gilda started to close down her stand. It would be a long flight to Ponyville. She had to prepare herself for the journey ahead of her.
Her lips rose upwards from her usual bored expression to a smug grin. She thought of her best friend, and how much fun the pair of them used to have together. That was history, though; this was now. Gilda knew what she had to do. She’d need to be aggressive, dominant... almost predator-like, but not too forceful.
Rainbow Dash was going to be *her* dweeb.
Author's Note
Hello every pony, or to anyone reading this really. This is my first story, so I know it's not perfect, but I hope you enjoy it. If you have any questions, please don't be afraid to ask. I will try to answer them if I can. And remember, stay safe.
