The Chain

by Closer-To-The-Sun

Rating: everyone
Tags: Gallus, Young Six, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Comedy, Starlight Glimmer, Smolder, Slice of Life
Length: 10066

In an effort to fix their contentious relationship, Headmare Starlight has come up with an idea to help Gallus and Smolder get along. The griffon and dragon are not fans of this idea.

"And if you don't love me now,/You will never love me again./I can still hear you saying,/You would never break the chain./Chain keep us together." -Fleetwood Mac, 'The Chain'

Smolder and Gallus have always had a contentious relationship, which included arguing, insults, and property damage. It has gotten to the point that Headmare Starlight Glimmer to rectify this issue with a very unorthodox method: by cuffing the two students together for a week. Will Smolder and Gallus be able to survive the week in one piece? Or will the school be able to survive Gallus and Smolder?

Cover art made by Nytewell.

Published 2023-08-09 18:00:01 UTC
Last updated 2023-08-09 18:00:01 UTC

The Chain

“Hey Gallus, any idea why Headmare Starlight is calling us to her office first thing in the morning?” the dragon asked as the two creatures made their way down the hallway.

The griffon shrugged, “No idea. But I’ll take any excuse to not have to deal with Professor Rainbow Dash trying to teach physics.”

“You didn’t do the homework, did ya?” the dragon had a smirk on her face.

Gallus gave a single laugh, “You know me all too well, Smolder. I’m sure you didn’t either.”

“Nope!”

The two arrived at the Headmare’s office. Smolder knocked on the door and was almost immediately given a verbal confirmation to enter from the otherside. Upon opening the door, the two creatures saw the Headmare seated behind her desk. Without any other words, the purple unicorn motioned for the dragon and the griffon to the two seats in front of her desk. The expression on Headmare Starlight’s face was both stern and tired.

“Morning, Headmare Starlight,” Smolder greeted as the two students drew close to the desk.

“Yeah, morning,” Gallus echoed.

“Yes, good morning,” Headmare Starlight Glimmer replied, “could you please both take a seat?”

Both Gallus and Smolder took a seat in the chairs, the griffon to the right and the dragon to the left.

Gallus asked the question that she and Smolder both had, “So, what’s up? Why did ya ask us here first thing in the morning?”

Smolder cracked a joke, “Yeah, it’s too early for me. I should be sleeping through my first class right now.”

The joke didn’t amuse the Headmare. Instead, she motioned for an individual behind the two students to come forward. Both Gallus and Smolder were confused and turned to look behind their chairs. Appearing in the space between the chairs was Vice-Headmare Sunburst. With his magic, he attached something to both of the students. There were two locking sounds that surprised both Gallus and Smolder. When they looked down, they noticed that a metal cuff had been locked into place on their limbs; one onto Gallus’ left and the other on to Smolder’s right. Connecting the two cuffs was a strand of cord no longer than a meter.

“Wha-What is this?” Smolder asked as she used her free claw to touch the metal cuff.

The griffon was just as concerned, “Why did you just put this on me?” He pulled his left limb closer toward him to inspect the cuff. The cord became taught and pulled Smolder out of her seat, causing her to fall out of her chair toward Gallus.

“Oww!” the dragon said as she face-planted on the floor. Vice-Headmare Sunburst helped Smolder back up on her feet and to her chair.

Headmare Starlight spoke up, “Ahem, I’m sure you have noticed that we have chained the two of you together.”

“Yeah, no kidding!” Smolder bitterly spoke as she rubbed her head with her chained claw.

“What’s up with this?” Gallus asked.

“Ever since the two of you arrived at this school, the both of you have been at each other’s throats. I have seen you both argue and fight endlessly, day after day. And it’s not just my observations: your fights have affected your classes, your fellow students, and even have caused property damage to the school,” Headmare Starlight explained as Vice-Headmare Sunburst made his way around the desk to stand near the Headmare.

“Property damage? I don’t remember that,” Gallus said.

“The two of you had a fight in the mess hall!” Headmare Starlight briefly lost her composure. She quickly returned herself back to her calm facade.

Smolder replied, “Well, it was originally going to be a food fight, but we both already finished our dinner, so I just started wailing on Gallus with the tray.”

That statement jogged Gallus’ memory, “Oh, now I remember that. It was curry night. I think I might have some memory issues from that whole thing.”

Clearing her throat, Headmare Starlight began to explain herself, “So, to help rectify the numerous issues that we have witnessed between the two of you, we have come up with binding you both together with this special tether. It is our hope that you both learn to cooperate and settle your differences with one another.”

“Wait, isn’t this from an old film?” Smolder asked.

“This can’t be legal,” Gallus commented.

“It’s legal enough!” Headmare Starlight quickly retorted.

Smolder started scratching at the cuff around her wrist, “This thing is kinda itchy on my scales.”

“I wouldn’t pick at the cuffs. The entire device has been crafted with a powerful magical spell that causes the object to be indestructible and can only be undone by the caster,” Vice-Headmare Sunburst explained.

“And that caster was you, I take it?” Gallus asked.

“Yes, it was, how did you know?” the orange unicorn asked.

“Call it a lucky guess,” Gallus continued to pick at the cuff.

With claws out and almost pleading, Smolder asked, “Why are you doing this to us?”

Headmare Starlight sighed, sounding defeated, “Because, and I quote, I have run out of ideas of how to keep the two of you from hating each other so much. With the assistance of the professors and Vice-Headmare Sunburst here, we came up with this solution to help you both learn to respect one another.”

“Hey, we do have respect for each other!” Gallus claimed, “In fact, we have a tremendous amount of respect for one another to the point that we are planning the best way to murder the other!”

“I’m planning on using a swarm of poisonous spiders!” Smolder commented proudly.

“Actually,” Vice-Headmare Sunburst interrupted, “a grouping of spiders is called a cluster.”

Headmare Starlight pointed at the stallion, “Not now, Sunburst!” She then turned her attention back to the students in front of her, “The two of you must learn to cooperate with one another by Monday morning next week. It is my hope, as well as the rest of our faculty, that you both will come out the other end of this with a new perspective. And also, if I may be honest, a better behavior.”

“Wait, eight whole days?! That’s insane!” Gallus exclaimed.

Smolder concurred, “As much as I hate to agree with the bird-brain, he’s right. How are we supposed to go to our classes and stuff?”

“We have taken every possible situation into account: you will alternate between classes that you both don’t share,” Vice-Headmare Sunburst explained, “Each of your professors are aware of this situation and have prepared for such. Additionally, you are welcome to ask your fellow classmates for their assistance.”

“That seems like a lot of extra work,” the griffon commented. He then asked a question, “Wait, what about sleeping? We aren’t aren’t even on the same floor of the dorms.”

“For the duration of this exercise, the two of you will be sleeping in the dormitory’s common room. The two sofas will act as your beds for the week,” Headmare Starlight explained. “The two sofas are currently arranged back-to-back already.”

“Okay, fine. But what about....you know....going to the bathroom?” Smolder seemed a bit hesitant to even ask about the subject.

“The tether is able to recognize the restrooms of the campus and will allow for extra length. However, be aware that there are limits to this and will begin to retract after a set amount of time. Simply put, don’t put too much stress on it or the magic could regress and lose its properties,” Vice-Headmare Sunburst pointed out as he adjusted his glasses. “And for the love of Celestia, please wash your claws and talons afterwards.”

The dragon raised an eyebrow, “What are you implying with that?”

Gallus snickered with his left talon covering his beak, “He’s saying you’re gross.”

Smolder didn’t take kindly to the crack from Gallus. She quickly yanked her right claw to the left, causing the tether to tighten. This resulted in Gallus slapping his face with his own talon. The griffon seemed surprised she was able to do such a thing. Gallus returned by pulling the tether in an effort to pull Smolder out of her chair. Her chained claw was yanked toward Gallus, causing her to somewhat lose her balance.

Headmare Starlight slammed her hooves on her desk as she stood up, “Gallus! Smolder! Please!” The two creatures stopped bickering and straightened up properly in their seats, to which the Headmare continued, “The two of you are the biggest troublemakers in the entire School of Friendship.”

“Whoa, that’s kinda cool,” Gallus commented.

“Whose in the lead?” Smolder sincerely asked.

The orange stallion spoke, “If I’m not mistaken, the two of you would alternate for the lead on a near-daily basis.”

With a sigh, Headmare Starlight answered, “I stopped keeping track when each of you surpassed all the other students combined. Which is part of the continuing problem with you two; the list just goes on and on.” She started to list, “The cheating, the tardiness, the picking fights, the scams and tricks, the pranks, the fires, that incident involving the sky pirates and the wedding cake....”

Smolder interrupted, “Now that I can explain.”

“Quiet! It’s just....I can’t figure out where any of this comes from. I mean, just who raised you?” Headmare Starlight asked.

“Well, dragons have a more communal survival-of-the-fittest thing going on,” Smolder answered.

Gallus chimed in as well with a shrug, “And you’ve met Grandpa Gruff, so....”

Rubbing her forehead, Headmare Starlight spoke, “Look, I just ask that the two of you behave and learn to work together? I understand this will be a very challenging week for the two of you, but it is my opinion, as well as that of the entire staff, that you both will grow and will come out the other end as better creatures.”

Both Gallus and Smolder exchanged silent looks to each other. There seemed to be a hidden conversation between the two friends for only a few moments. They then turned to look back at the two ponies in front of them.

“Just for a week, right?” Gallus asked.

Headmare Starlight nodded, “Yes, just until Monday morning.”

“Alright, I think we can do this,” Smolder sighed.

“Wait, one more question.” Gallus spoke as he raised his left talon with the cuff up, “Why did you attach this....thing....before telling us your plan?”

Vice-Headmare Sunburst answered, “We were worried you both would be against the idea.”

The dragon rolled her eyes as she started scratching at the cuff again, “Yeah, I can’t imagine why we would be against something like this.”

MONDAY - 12:21 PM - 163 HOURS 39 MINUTES REMAIN

“So....that’s what’s happening....” Smolder finished

The other creatures at the mess hall table were dumbfounded, almost unable to process what they had been told. They looked at one another and looked back at the griffon and dragon without a word.

Gallus spoke, “You can say something. Any of you.”

“Anything really so it can feel like this isn’t some sort of weird dream,” Smolder made a snide comment.

“Or nightmare,” Gallus added.

“Right, or nightmare,” Smolder concurred.

Ocellus was the first to speak, asking a question: “Is this....legal?”

Both Gallus and Smolder answered at the same time with the same tired emotion: “It’s legal enough.”

“I’m starting to think some of these punishments that the staff are coming up with need to stop coming from sitcoms,” Sandbar commented.

“Some of these punishments are starting to become more common, like when they punished Silverstream’s repeated tardiness with that ball and chain,” Ocellus commented.

Silverstream reminisced, “I still miss Steely Dan. He was a great friend, but he really didn't like to go swimming.”

Yona spoke up with her concerns, “How are friends going to sleep at night?”

“We’re sleeping in the common room,” Gallus answered. “It seems they thought of everything in this stupid thing.”

“But what about....” Silverstream paused before she tried to think of the next part of her question, “....you know....bathroom stuff?”

“I don’t really get magic, but they figured out a way to make it work, I guess,” Smolder shrugged.

Silverstream happily lifted her limbs up in a happy thought, “Yay, I get the dorm for myself for a week!”

“Wrong timing for that, Silverstream,” Sandbar commented before turning his attention back to his tethered friends, “This punishment seems really cruel.”

“And unusual,” Ocellus added as she moved to stand behind her friends to examine the cuffs and the tether.

The dragon looked at her changeling friend, “Think you can use your own magic to break us out of this?”

Ocellus shook her head, “If you said Vice-Headmare Sunburst put a spell on it that he has to undo, I wouldn’t want to mess with that. Trying to break another’s spell is very dangerous, and even more so with some creature with advanced skill in magic. I’m certainly not going to try.”

Gallus sighed, “Well, that sucks. Yona, go get a rock and start bashing at it.”

“Yona on it!” the yak said as she started to stand up.

Sandbar quickly put his hoof on Yona to stop her from moving further and guided her back to her seat. “Yona, no.”

“Maybe you two are just seeing this from a negative point of view?” Silverstream suggested.

“You’re just saying that because you get the dormroom all to yourself,” Smolder said with a bit of bitterness.

The hippogriff admitted it, “Yeah, a little. But if Headmare Starlight things you both can learn from being tied together, don’t you think you should try to take advantage of the situation and try to learn the lesson she planned out?”

“Friend Silverstream has point,” Yona agreed. “Lesson might help friends Gallus and Smolder understand one another. It might be long week, but it only week.”

“Huh, yeah, I guess it’s worth a shot,” Smolder conceded, “Who knows, maybe we might learn something.”

A smirk appeared on Gallus’ face, “Stranger things have happened”

“There we go! I’m so glad you two are going to give this a try for the week!” Ocellus clapped her hooves together from behind Smolder and Gallus.

A thought came to Gallus’ mind, “Wait, what time is it?”

“Almost 12:30?” Sandbar answered.

“There’s enough time before Professor Rarity’s literature class to hit the dessert counter,” Gallus said as he looked over to Smolder.

“Oh, you’re right! I wanna get a couple cupcakes to take in!” Smolder agreed with wanting to make a quick trip over.

“Race you there, tether-brains!” Gallus challenged.

Without another word, both Smolder and Gallus turned around and started to run toward the dessert counter. However, Ocellus was still standing behind them. Unfortunately for the changeling, the two running creatures ran on opposite sides of her, causing the tether that connected them to make contact with Ocellus and knocking her down to the floor.

“Ocellus, are you okay?!” Sandbar asked as he and the others stood up to look over at their downed friend.

Reaching for her neck where the tether made contact, the changeling spoke in a slightly strained voice, “This is going to be a long week.”

MONDAY - 2:43 PM - 161 HOURS 17 MINUTES REMAIN

Smolder sat at her desk in Professor Fluttershy’s science class, doing her best to pay just enough attention. To the right of her on the floor was her tethered comrade, Gallus. He sat there, bored and completely uninterested in what was going on.

“You know, Smolder,” Gallus whispered, “we could just ditch your class and go to an arcade or something.”

“I’m not going to risk even more trouble right now,” she whispered back.

The griffon bit back, “Coward.”

“Don’t you ‘coward’ me, you sack of feathers,” Smolder returned fire.

Rolling his eyes, Gallus spoke back, “Come on, it’s not like you’re actually passing this class.”

“That may be, but you could maybe actually learn something from this,” the dragon verbally jabbed.

“Nah, I don’t wanna.”

“Gallus, I would appreciate it if you don’t interrupt my classroom.” Professor Fluttershy interrupted their conversation with a bit of a stern tone.

“Hey, I don’t wanna be here either,” Gallus stated, “It’s not my fault I’m chained up next to this lizard.”

Without a word, Smolder raised her right limb up and smacked Gallus’ head with the back side of her claw.

Professor Fluttershy continued, “I do understand the predicament that both you and Smolder are in with your....unique punishment, however I still request that you respect my classroom as well as the students that are here to learn.”

“Are you sure that includes Smolder?” Gallus joked.

Again, Smolder silently smacked Gallus with her claw’s backside.

Gallus finally conceded, “Alright, alright, I’ll be quiet. Can I at least take a nap or something?”

“I suppose that is okay,” Professor Fluttershy said.

Gallus laid down on the floor, using his front limbs as a makeshift pillow. The class then returned back to the scheduled lesson. However, after a bit, a loud noise was roaring throughout the classroom. The source of the sound was quickly discovered to be Gallus, who was snoring. All the eyes were drawn to the sleeping griffon.

“Huh, I figured he was a snorer, but didn’t realize it was that bad,” Smolder commented aloud. “At least he doesn’t sleep talk.”

Almost as if on cue, a sleepy Gallus started to mumble, “Those penguins....those penguins have the launch codes and only I can stop them....”

“Looks like I spoke too soon,” Smolder boredly said.

“....I won’t say it again, they took my legs....”

MONDAY - 9:29 PM - 154 HOURS 31 MINUTES REMAIN

“This is ridiculous.”

“It looks even stupider than described.”

The two creatures looked at their new sleeping arrangements. As Headmare Starlight stated, the two sofas of the common area had their backs facing each other. There was a pillow and blanket set up for each and in front of each sofa was a coffee table.

“You’d think they would at least make it at least somewhat homey,” Smolder stated.

Gallus shrugged as he went to the left side of the sofas, motioning Smolder to go to the opposite side, “Whatever, let’s just try to get some sleep.”

Smolder silently agreed. The tether connecting the two seemed to allow enough slack for the two creatures to prepare their makeshift beds. After a bit of struggling and yelling at one another, the two were finally lying on their respective sofas, covered by their blankets. The tether was draped over the backs of both sofas and, if either Smolder or Gallus moved their cuffed limb, it would cause the other creature to feel movement.

“You think it would have killed them to give us a little more rope so we could sleep better?” Gallus commented, looking upward.

The dragon smirked, “Yeah, just like it would kill them to actually try to give us food that doesn’t suck in the mess hall.” Smolder then looked upward at the lamp on the side table. With her left claw, she turned the lamp off, encasing the entire common room in darkness. From the far window, lampposts from the outside lamps gave a little light for the room.

The two creatures were silent, both lying on their backs and looking up at the ceiling. Every so often, they would tug at one another with the tether in an effort to find more comfort, or even in a show of dominance over the other.

“Hey, dingus,” Smolder spoke, breaking the silence, “try not to talk in your sleep again.”

“What are you talking about?” Gallus asked back with a bit of attitude.

“Oh come on, you were sleeptalking back in my class,” the dragon pointed out, tugging lightly on the tether, causing Gallus’ talon to move.

The griffon rolled his eyes, “Oh, please. I’m sure it’s nothing compared to your snoring.”

“Snoring? Oh, that is slander!”

“Are you kidding? I can actually hear you and your snoring in your dorm from anywhere on campus!” Gallus bit back, tugging back on the tether.

“Really?” Smolder sounded skeptical, “And why hasn’t any creature said anything, or even Silverstream?”

“Maybe every creature is trying to be polite, or they’re just afraid to annoy you because you’re such a monster,” Gallus said with snark, “And I think Silverstream probably has plugs or something so she doesn’t have to listen to you.”

Without a word, Smolder pulled the tether tightly. This caused Gallus’ cuffed limb to be pulled upwards and almost went over the back of his sofa towards the other sofa.

“Ah! Stop it!”

“Then just go to sleep,” Smolder said as she loosened her pull on tether.

Gallus regained his right limb and rubbed it with his left. Without a word, he closed his eyes and started to fall asleep.

Smolder followed suit, closing her eyes. However, not long after, she heard a noise from somewhere. Opening her eyes, she looked around to look for the source. There was only silence and she couldn’t pinpoint the location. Again, she closed her eyes, but then heard it again. Smolder opened her eyes and sat up on the sofa. The noise became clearer: it was the sleep mumbling of the creature Smolder was chained to.

“Gallus?” Smolder quietly asked.

The griffon mumbled, “....prepare yourselves, for winter is coming....”

Looking at the sleeping Gallus, a wicked idea came to Smolder’s head, “I wonder if I can control his dreams....”

TUESDAY - 8:08 AM - 143 HOURS 52 MINUTES REMAIN

It was morning at the School of Friendship and the mess hall was already busy with students preparing for their day. Arriving at the table with the rest of their friends, Smolder and Gallus finally arrived with their trays. Both of them looked exhausted and ready for the day to be over.

“Oof, rough night?” Sandbar couldn’t help but crack a joke at his friends. Both Yona and Silverstream seemed to find the statement humorous.

“Can it, Sandbar,” Smolder tiredly said as she sat down. Gallus took the seat to the right of the dragon.

“Yeah, I lost a lot of sleep thanks to this one’s snoring,” Gallus pointed with his left talon to the dragon next to him.

Smolder didn’t take kindly to the statement, “I do not snore!”

“I did the math, Smolder. I woke up around 4:30 this morning and couldn’t get back to sleep because you were as loud as fireworks going off with a blaring siren singing on back up,” Gallus stated as he took a bite of his oatmeal.

“Still better than your sleeptalking!” Smolder replied back with a mischievous smile, “How was it fighting against the King of the North?”

Gallus seemed embarrassed at Smolder’s comment, “How do you know about my dreams?!”

“It was hard not to listen to your dreams when you’re narrating a high fantasy novel while you sleep!”

“I don’t need literary critique from a dragon who doesn’t even understand the basic elements of the hero’s journey!”

To the side of the fight, Ocellus asked a question to the rest of the table, “Wait, Gallus is a fan of the fantasy genre?”

Sandbar answered, “Yeah, that’s why it’s hard for me to get him to read any of my Power Ponies comics.”

The yak added her thoughts, “Yona was told by friend Sandbar that Gallus has been writing in middle of night.”

Smolder and Gallus had devolved into simple insults:

“Your snoring is even more annoying than Counselor Trixie’s lectures!”

“You couldn’t write your way out of a paper bag!”

“Your fire breath smells worse than garbage mixed with durian, though that would explain your diet!”

“A dictionary has a better narrative than anything you can write!”

“You’re louder and even more annoying than any alarm clock!”

"It's almost sad watching you attempt to fit your entire vocabulary into a single sentence!"

“Hey, hey, there’s no need to fight,” Silverstream said, trying to break up the arguing, “You’re both terrible.”

“Real smooth, Silverstream,” Ocellus stared at the hippogriff.

With a sigh, Sandbar turned to Yona, “Any bets that this will end with one of them dead?”

The yak had another thought on her mind, “Yona want to know more about friend Gallus’ dreams.”

TUESDAY - 5:22 PM - 134 HOURS 38 MINUTES REMAIN

“Alright, ready?”

“Just shut up and run already!”

Smolder and Gallus started running. Their speed was quite quick for two creatures who were chained at the limbs. Coming up toward them was a light pole. Gallus went to the right of the pole and Smolder went to the left, with the pole between them. The goal was to hope that with the two creatures running and the rope getting caught on the light pole would cause the tether to break. Unfortunately, it didn’t work as planned.

After the two creatures passed the pole, the tether got caught up against the pole, causing it to get tight. Almost immediately, the tether ran out of slack and caused the cuffs on the limbs of the creatures to pull at them. The two misstepped as they were yanked by their chained limb. They then swung towards each other and collided.

There was a chorus of groans and swearing between the two as they laid on the ground in pain.

“Ah, what the heck?!” Smolder rubbed her head with her non-cuffed claw.

“Oww....” Gallus said, trying to pick himself up. He had to use the light pole to help keep his balance, “Why did you think that would work?”

Smolder bit back as she started to stand up, “Hey, at least I’m trying to come up with ideas to get this stupid thing off.”

Gallus rolled his eyes as Smolder was getting back up, “Do you really think this would have worked, pint-size?”

“It would have worked if you didn’t mess this up!”

“I think we need more speed and strength to make it break like this,” Gallus commented, trying to do the math in his head, “This might have worked if one of us was Yona.

“But I don’t want to be Yona, I want to be Smolder!” the dragon whined. “When are we supposed to get these stupid things off?”

“One hundred and thirty-four hours,” the griffon answered, almost as if he was counting down.

Smolder didn’t like the sound of that, “I want to die.”

“We all want to die, Smolder, but few of us are given the chance to go at our choosing.”

“Alright, try a few more times and then we go to dinner?”

WEDNESDAY - 2:07 AM - 125 HOURS 53 MINUTES REMAIN

The common room was dark as Smolder and Gallus laid on their makeshift beds of opposite-facing sofas. Smolder was sound asleep as given by her loud snoring. As for Gallus, he lay awake on the sofa, looking at the dark ceiling above. He wanted to sleep, but the dragon was keeping him awake.

“Smolder,” he said quietly, hoping to get her attention.

His only response was snoring.

“Smolder,” he tried again, louder.

Still was only responded to by snoring.

Giving up, Gallus pulled the blankets off his body and started to make his way around the back-to-back sofas. He paused and made use of the small amount of light to make sure the tether wouldn’t get caught and knock anything off the tables such as the lamp. The griffon then looked at the sleeping dragon as she was lying down on the sofa, looking like she had landed there after being dropped from a skyscraper, with her limbs in odd positions.

He had a thought about not disrupting her, but he then just shrugged. “Eh, whatever.”

Gallus started to head towards the doorway to the hallway. The tether got tense and caused Smolder to be pulled off the sofa with a thud. As Gallus continued to move, well aware of what he just caused, the dragon was dragged along the floor behind him, still sound asleep and snoring.

After dragging Smolder’s body through the dark hallway, Gallus arrived in the communal kitchen of the dormitories. He prepared himself a glass of tap water. He took a drink from the glass and then looked down at the dragon that continued to be sound asleep despite being pulled along the hardwood floor. Her body was solely pulled by the cuffed right limb, with the rest of her face up body seeming to be lifelessly dragged behind.

“Kinda expected her to at least stop snoring by now,” Gallus commented to himself in the fairly dimly lit room. He finished the glass of water and placed the empty glass in the sink

The griffon then navigated himself and the sleeping body of the dragon through the darkened hall back to the common room that was their temporary home. Gallus was about to head straight to his sofa, but he remembered the dragon he was pulling behind him. He went to Smolder’s sofa, with her dragging behind.

The griffon felt conflicted as he noticed the dragon’s body. It took a couple moments for him before he acted. Looking at Smolder’s sleeping body, Gallus sighed as he picked up the small dragon and placed her on their sofa. Her snoring face seemed to have a content smile appear on it when he did so, as well as a little drool from her mouth.

“You owe me for this, runt,” Gallus quietly said.

After he spoke, Gallus noted that there was a lot of dirt and dust on Smolder. It was apparent that she had collected all of such after she was being dragged along the wooden floors of the common room, hallway, and kitchen. It then dawned on Gallus what had happened; Smolder’s body was accidentally used to clean the floor.

With his uncuffed talon, Gallus covered his beak as he laughed. While he wanted to wake Smolder to tell her what happened and help clean her, he thought it would be funnier not to.

WEDNESDAY - 11:49 AM - 116 HOURS 11 MINUTES REMAIN

“So you just dragged Smolder across the floor?” Silverstream asked, trying to hold back a laughter.

“Yup, couldn’t wake up this napping princess, so I just pulled her along so I could get that glass of water,” Gallus said with a bit of smugness to his voice.

Smolder was quiet as she was chewing on her avocado sandwich. She was staring daggers at the griffon she was chained to.

“Gallus, that seems a bit much, don’t ya think?” Sandbar asked, a bit surprised at his friend.

“Come on, don’t act like you wouldn’t be annoyed and want to get your own bit of revenge if you could,” Gallus insisted with his reply. “I mean, how would you feel if you were chained to ....I don’t know, Silverstream?”

Sandbar was quiet for a moment before answering, “I’d gnaw my limb off.”

Ocellus was surprised to hear that response, “Sandbar!”

It seemed Silverstream found the response funny, as she laughed along with Yona.

“Hey, maybe we should have tried that instead of running at the light pole, Smolder,” Gallus joked to the dragon that was tethered to him.

“Shut it, bird-brain,” Smolder shoved Gallus with her non-sandwich holding claw.

“Wait, what this about light pole?” Yona asked.

A wicked smile appeared on Gallus’ beak as he spoke, “Oh, didn’t Smolder tell you? Yesterday, she had the brilliant idea of how to break us from this stupid tether. We’d run up to a light pole and both of us would go on either side. In her infinite wisdom, she believed that the force of us running up against the pole, the rope would break.”

Smolder was embarrassed and flustered as she angrily pointed at Gallus, “You agreed to it!”

“I would have agreed to ingesting poison if it meant I didn’t have to deal with you anymore!”

While there was a bit of laughter at the table, there was also surprise and shock at the feat.

“You could have dislocated your limbs with such a stunt!” Ocellus said in horror.

“Yona think that actually funny,” the yak commented between her giggling.

Silverstream was still laughing, “I wish I could have seen it happen! And record it so I could see it again!”

Sandbar was still laughing a little himself as he commented, “Silverstream, I feel Gallus and Smolder would both end you if you were there to do either of those things.”

“He’s right, Silverstream,” Smolder turned her attention away from the griffon she was unfortunately tied to, “I would have to make sure there are no witnesses.”

Ocellus tried her best to make peace at the table, especially between the two tethered creatures, “Well, at least the two of you are only tied together until the start of next week.”

“And friends Smolder and Gallus only have two and half days of classes left,” Yona added.

The dragon spoke, “This week has been an absolute, waking nightmare, and it’s not even halfway over. And I can’t solve this problem by just killing Gallus, because that would mean I would have to drag his corpse around.”

“I see your priorities are in order,” Sandbar covered his mouth with his hoof to hide his laugh.

“Oh, like you could even drag me around, much less kill me!”

“You want to bet, cheese-vomit?”

“Then take your best shot, scaly!”

“You’re so dead, furball!”

“Bring it on, pip-squeak!”

Ocellus quickly interjected and sighed in frustration, “Can we just have one meal that doesn’t involve a blood vendetta?”

“Never!” Both Gallus and Smolder said in unison.

“Why do I feel like I’ll be describing this to a psychiatrist one day,” the changeling mumbled quietly to herself before she continued to try her best to mediate, “You know, the two of you could actually do what Headmare Starlight Glimmer is hoping for, and learn to cooperate.”

Both Gallus and Smolder exchanged looks to one another for a moment before each replying:

“I’d rather eat broken glass.”

“Yeah, I’d rather swim in a vat of leeches.”

“Wow, that’s dedication,” Sandbar sounded impressed.

THURSDAY - 10:08 AM - 93 HOURS 52 MINUTES REMAIN

It was the brief period in the morning between classes. Many of the students would take advantage of this time to either relax, enjoy a snack, get started on some work, or socialize with others. As for Smolder, she took advantage of the time to use the restroom. Outside was Gallus, who was sitting on the floor as the tether led into the girl’s restroom.

“Gallus?” Silverstream saw the griffon sitting outside the door. “What are you doing?”

“Smolder said she had to go to the bathroom,” Gallus explained boredly, “so that’s why I’m sitting here.”

Silverstream tilted her head, “How long have you been waiting out here?”

“Ten minutes, and there’s no way in Gideon the Great’s name I’m going in there.”

Another question puzzled Silverstream, “Just how long is that rope-thingy?”

Gallus looked at his chained left talon and simply shrugged, “It varies, I guess.”

The answer didn’t seem to fully satisfy Silverstream. However, she dropped it and continued, “Well, class is about to start soon, shouldn’t you two hurry up?”

“I already told you that I’m not going in there.”

“But what if she fell in?”

“Then, I would laugh so hard.”

THURSDAY - 6:51 PM - 85 HOURS 9 MINUTES REMAIN

“Ready?” Smolder asked, her back to Gallus.

“Let’s just do this already,” Gallus said, his back also to Smolder.

The two then began flapping their respective wings. Once off of the ground, they gained a bit of altitude and hovered about two meters off of the ground.

“Alright, on my mark,” Smolder instructed, “Three, tw-”

Gallus interrupted, “Just go!”

Both creatures started to fly forward in the opposite directions. Almost immediately, the tether became tight and stopped the two from getting any more distance. Despite the speed and force that both Gallus and Smolder were trying to fly in their respective directions, the rope still did not show any signs of letting up.

“Stop, it’s not working!” Smolder called out as her chained claw was starting to hurt, “Gallus, stop!”

The griffon didn’t hear her, or didn’t care to hear her, and moved his wings faster. Smolder was unable to match his speed, causing her to be pulled by Gallus. He flew blindly until they crashed into a nearby tree. The two fell down from the canopy of the tree and landed on the ground with a loud thud.

“Ow, you dumb bird-brained walnut! I told you to stop!” Smolder yelled as she rubbed her head in pain.

“Maybe if you could just learn to fly!” Gallus said, sitting up. He started to pull the leaves and twigs out from his feathery coat.

Smolder glared at the griffon with intensity. She growled as she spoke, “Maybe if you just listen to me we might be able to not have to keep crashing while trying to break this stupid thing!”

“And maybe if you would not just give up on things with your weak body, we might be able to get out of this dumb rope!” Gallus fired back.

Gritting her teeth, Smolder started flapping her wings and started to fly into the air. Gallus, who was surprised she was doing this, was being pulled by the tether as Smolder gained altitude. As soon as she was around seven meters in the air, with Gallus dangling below her via the tether, she suddenly stopped her flying, causing both creatures to fall back to the ground. Gallus landed down first, with Smolder landing on top of him.

In annoyance and pain, Gallus shoved Smolder’s body off of his, “Why did you think that would work?”

“I didn’t, I just wanted you to suffer more.”

“Charming response, dingus....I’m starting to think you have some unresolved anger issues going on, Smolder,” the griffon commented.

Smolder crossed her limbs as she gave a skeptical look to Gallus, “Oh really? And what makes you say that?”

“I dunno, there’s got to be something going on with you. Maybe you got some serious anger problems stemming from being so fat?”

The dragon’s face became flustered and angered as she stood up, “Oh, that does it!” Taking the tether in both of her claws, she wrapped it around Gallus’ neck and started to pull, causing it to choke the griffon. She tightened her grip as she pulled. “Take it back! Take it back, you stupid duck!”

Gallus attempted to say something, but only a brief, gagging sound came from his beak. With his talons, he tried to pull at the tether around his neck, but to no avail.

This struggle continued for a few minutes until Sandbar and Yona passed by the two creatures. They looked on in both puzzlement and concern for Smolder and Gallus.

“Hey, I don’t want to interrupt whatever....this is,” Sandbar interrupted the fight, causing Smolder to give a little slack on the tether, “but just want to make sure you two had dinner since you’re....you know, tied together.”

“Mess hall closes soon,” Yona added.

“We already ate,” Smolder explained, tightening her grip on the tether that wrapped around Gallus’ neck.

Gallus nodded as he continued being choked by the tether, “Ggyeaaah.” (It could be assumed that he was simply saying “yeah,” and also agreeing with what Smolder said.)

“Oh, then carry on.”

“Wiaahh daao,” Gallus waved with a talon before he returned it back clawing at the tether that was choking him.

The dragon pulled the tether tighter again as she resumed her rage, “Say you’re sorry, you living proof of nature’s carelessness!”

Gallus responded, using his talons to pull tether from his neck to allow his defiant words to be heard, “Baayyte me!”

Sandbar continued his trotting by, “Not my problem. I’m sure they’ll work it out....or kill one another first, I’m not sure which.”

“Yona not think friend will kill other friend. Yona just not see either being willing to drag the other body for the whole weekend.”

FRIDAY - 12:18 PM - 67 HOURS 42 MINUTES REMAIN

“This week has been an absolute beast.”

“Do you have to keep flapping your beak?”

“What, it’s better than having to smell your rancid campfire breath.”

“Oh, like you’re one to talk with all that self-grooming to do, catboy!”

“You want to go, shorty?”

“Bring it, ferret-face!”

Both Gallus and Smolder exchanged bitter glares to one another as they sat at their table in the mess hall. Also at the table were their other friends, there to enjoy their midday meal with tethered friends. Unfortunately for them, they were there to witness the griffon and dragon continue their bickering.

“Can you two please stop arguing? It’s lunch time, after all,” Ocellus pleaded.

Silverstream concurred, “Yeah, the fourth most sacred time of the day!”

“Wait, what other sacred times of day?” Yona asked

Without even lifting his head up from the homework Sandbar was trying to finish at the table, he answered the yak’s question: “Breakfast, brushing of the mane, and naptime. In that order.”

“How do you know that?” Ocellus asked with both confusion and impressment.

“Silverstream and I were partners for a sociology project. I learned quite a lot about hippogriff culture, including stuff that really didn’t seem necessary for the project. Like how Silverstream thinks there are miniature creatures living in the walls of the school.”

“I swear, I hear them, plotting to overthrow Headmare Starlight!”

“Those are rats, Silverstream,” Sandbar explained, still focused on his work, “I’d say it’s normal for old buildings, but this isn’t a new building, which makes it far worse.”

Ocellus gave a sigh, “I’m glad to see that there has been at least some cooperation between some creatures here. I just wish it was between Smolder and Gallus.”

“Friends are cooperating, at trying to break free,” Yona joked between bites.

“I’m just not sure how they’re going to survive the weekend,” Silverstream thought aloud.

“Bold to assume they will,” the pony commented.

While the others were talking amongst themselves, Gallus and Smolder’s arguing was starting to escalate further.

“You blue gasbag!”

“Molten pile of decaying scales!”

“Brain-dead turkey!”

“You stone-face and stone-breathed caldera!”

The last comment from Gallus caused a couple of swings from Smolder, in which Gallus returned with his own. Both of their hits landed, but caused no real impact and more accurately caused a scuffle between the two.

In a panic, Ocellus called out, “Quick, somecreature separate them!”

“How? They’re literally chained together!” Silverstream asked.

“I don’t know!” the changeling admitted, “Try one of those sleeper holds or something!”

Quickly, and while still chewing food, Yona went around the table and not only separated the two creatures, but also lifted them both up from a single grip on their backs. They both struggled a bit, trying to free themselves and return to their fighting. However, Yona’s hold was too much.

“Let me go! I’m going to sock Smolder so hard in her face that they’ll have to take a new photo for her ID card!”

“You won’t be able to move after I’m done beating you black and a darker blue!”

“Would you two please just chill for one simple meal?” Sandbar interrupted as he looked up from his work. His outburst shocked the entire table. The green pony continued in a collected manner, “Look, I know it’s been a really long week for the both of you and there’s still the weekend ahead of you, both it’s been even longer for the rest of us. The two of you are always at each other’s throats and being tied together has brought out the worst in each of you, which I didn’t think was possible since I didn’t think your fighting could get worse.” Sandbar paused for a moment before resuming, “Do you have any idea what the week has been for the rest of us? The arguing, the physical violence, the numerous attempts to try and break free from that dumb tether. It’s exhausting for us to watch it, even before this. It’s like the two of you share a single brain cell that’s only purpose is pettiness. Day in and day out. With the two of you, it’s a fulltime job to keep you both in check and not having the Headmare expel you for half of the crap you two get into. The fighting, the pranks, that incident with the hornets nest. I get that it’s what you two do, but dude could you two just please try to be civil for just one weekend? Not for some truce between you two, not for whatever Headmare Starlight is trying to teach the both of you, but just so we can have a brief break from your endless bickering?”

A deafen silence filled the air around the mess hall table. There were wide eyes on each face and a few dropped jaws to punctuate the surprise from the pony’s words. Ocellus and Silverstream both covered their mouths with their hooves and talons respectively. Yona was frozen still with food in her mouth. As for the tethered duo, both Gallus and Smolder were stunned to hear what Sandbar had just said.

Sandbar took a brief moment and realized what he just said. He dropped his pencil on the tabletop and covered his mouth with his hooves in surprise. “I’m....I’m so sorry, that just came out....”

“Wow,” Yona said as she swallowed the food that was still in her mouth.

“Wow, indeed,” Ocellus concurred.

The dragon looked around the table as she asked, “Does everycreature really feel like that?”

There were silent, shameful nods from around the table.

“Geez, didn’t realize the rest of you felt that way,” Gallus commented.

“And I do guess it makes sense given this tether has brought out the absolute worst in us,” Smolder said as she lifted up her right limb to look at the cuffed claw. “Honestly, I would do anything to get this thing off at this point. I guess there’s only one true solution to our problem: a murder-suicide pact.”

“I completely agree, we can solve this with a game of rock-paper-murder,” Gallus agreed, “Silverstream, could you please get us a knife?”

Just as the hippogriff was about to move, Ocellus placed her hoof on her shoulder blade to stop her, “Silverstream, no.”

SUNDAY - 6:25 PM - 13 HOURS 35 MINUTES REMAIN

It was just before sunset at the campus of the School of Friendship and it was quiet with most of the students retired to the dormitories for the evening. However, Gallus and Smolder were in the grassy common area. The two were seated on the grass. The griffon used his talons to support his head which had a bored and annoyed look on his face while the dragon was using a rock in her left talon in an attempt to break the tether that binded them.

“Give it up, Smolder.”

“I almost got it!”

“I’m sure you don’t.”

Smolder continued to strike the tether with the rock. The magic-infused tether was not budging despite the dragon’s repeated attempts.

“This has to be even the dumbest idea since you tried to bite the rope,” Gallus stated.

She paused in her hitting for a moment to respond, “Hey, it would have worked if you bit the tether too!”

Gallus replied, “I’m not going to put my mouth where your mouth was.”

“Coward.”

With a sigh and a roll of his eyes, Gallus mocked, “Yes, I’m a coward for not wanting to get your lizard germs.”

Smolder returned to strike the rope a few more times with the rock. However, even she knew each attempt was as fruitless as the last. With one last strike, she stopped and gave a sigh.

“Why did you think that would work?”

“I dunno, I’m running out of ideas.”

“Hey, at least we get this thing off first thing in the morning,” Gallus offered a spot of hope.

The dragon didn’t like what she heard, “Not soon enough. We’re stuck like this forever and we’re going to die chained together.”

“Huh,” Gallus thought aloud, “you know, I thought I’d die being smothered to death by cats.”

This caught Smolder’s attention, “Wait, why did you think that?”

“Huh?”

“Why did you think you would die being smothered by cats?”

“I like cats,” the griffon shrugged.

“Well, I always thought I’d die after making sure you were dead by my own claw,” Smolder claimed.

“Wishful thinking there, scaly,” Gallus snickered.

The two shared a small laugh with one another before looking up at the sky and the many colors that were blending together in the setting sky. There was a gentle breeze that playfully pushed the few clouds slowly along.

“It’s really been a long week, hasn’t it?” Gallus mused as he looked down at his cuffed talon. His eyes then followed the tether along to the dragon at the other end.

“You think? It’s been draining having to drag you along everywhere and having to hear all those shrieking noises you call speech.”

“Excuse me? You dragging me around?” Gallus asked, “If I remember correctly, I can actually pull you along anywhere against your wishes. Want me to prove it by pulling you into those rose bushes?”

Smolder called his bluff, “Go ahead and try, I’ll pull you right on in with me.”

Despite their glares to one another, both Gallus and Smolder broke into laughter with one another.

“You know, I don’t know why any creature thinks we hate each other,” Gallus commented.

“Other creatures think that?” Smolder was surprised to hear this.

“Duh, Smolder. Headmare Starlight said she chained us up because she thought it would make us respect and become more friendly to one another.”

“I thought it was because of all the property damage that we keep causing.”

“No, but that is a factor.”

Smolder paused for a moment before speaking again. “I just don’t see why any creature thinks we hate each other. I mean, if I can’t have a good fight with my best friend, then I don’t know who I can have a fight with.”

“Best friend, huh?” Gallus smirked as he heard what Smolder said. The tone of his voice was a mixture of playfulness and honor.

“Careful, you featherduster.”

“Huh, that’s a good one. It actually hurt a little,” the griffon commended.

Smolder laughed, raising her non-cuffed claw to cover her mouth.

“Yeah, we only talk like this because we’re friends. I can call you a wingless gecko with rancid breath, and you’ll throw it right back at me,” Gallus explained.

“Watch it, chicken legs,” Smolder pointed with one of her claws. There was a sly smile on her face and to her voice, but she was still firm in her warning. “I will admit, I do like the friction we got.”

“Certainly keeps things fresh and interesting.”

Smolder nodded. “That it does.”

Gallus continued, “I don’t know why Starlight or any other creature insists that we hate each other.”

“I know, right?” Smolder loudly agreed, “Seriously, that’s not like us at all!”

“We’re good friends. Heck, I would give ya any part of my body to ya if you needed it without a second thought,” Gallus proclaimed.

“Ew, I don’t want any griffon body parts! But the feeling is mutual.”

Gallus paused for a moment before looking at Smolder. He spoke with sincerity, “You’re my best amigo, Smolder. And I don’t regret meeting you. Not for a moment.”

The dragon smirked, “Dork.”

“Okay, maybe once.”

Smolder chuckled slightly to herself for a moment before adding an addendum, “Right back at ya, Gallus. I do care for ya.”

“Gross, the care of other creatures.”

The two laughed and smiled at one another. Just then, a thought came to Gallus’ mind.

“Do you think Headmare Starlight thinks we’re a couple?”

“Oh by Dragon Lord Ember, I pray not.”

MONDAY - 7:58 AM - 2 MINUTES REMAIN

Gallus and Smolder sat in the same seats they were in one week prior. Between the chairs that they sat, the tether that linked them together draped between them. Both of the creatures seemed exhausted and irritated for several reasons, mostly due to the tether between them and to how early it was.

“So,” Headmare Starlight spoke from behind her desk, “what have you two learned this week?” Vice-Headmare Sunburst was standing behind the chairs where Gallus and Smolder were. He was using his magic to undo the spell he placed on it.

“We were supposed to learn something?” Gallus asked.

Headmare Starlight seemed to be surprised at what the griffon said.

“I learned that Gallus needs to use soap more often,” Smolder smirked.

Gallus returned fire with his own insult, “I learned that Smolder snores louder than a freight train.”

The two continued to issue jabs at one another, Starlight cleared her throat to get their attention, “Ahem! That’s not what I was referring to! What I was asking is what you have learned during your time being tethered to one another.”

“You mean like how Professor Pinkie Pie called this whole thing a ‘funishment’?” Smolder asked.

“Yeah, I was confused that she called it that. Though it does sort of make sense that she would,” Gallus commented. The cuff on Gallus’ limb came undone thanks to Vice-Headmare Sunburst. Gallus quickly grabbed and rubbed his left wrist with his other talon.

“No,” the unicorn headmare interrupted, “I mean about each other. This was supposed to be an exercise for the two of you to learn about one another and grow as creatures.”

Both Smolder and Gallus exchanged looks to each other before looking back at Headmare Starlight.

“Did you really think we’d learn a lesson?” Smolder asked.

Headmare Starlight stuttered a bit, “I....yes, I actually did.”

Gallus asked, “Like what?”

“Finding that the two of you have common ground and maybe start to form a friendship?” the unicorn tried to explain.

The statement seemed to puzzle the students. “What are you talking about? We’re already friends,” Smolder spoke. Vice-Headmare Sunburst was able to undo the cuff on Smolder’s right wrist, to which she rubbed the formerly chained-up area. “Sweet Dragon Lord Ember, it’s good to have my wrist back.”

“You are? But the two of you do nothing but argue, bicker, fight, and at times attack one another,” Headmare Starlight explained. Vice-Headmare Sunburst took the tether with him as he went to Headmare Starlight’s side of the desk.

Smolder spoke in a matter-of-factly manner, “Yeah, because he’s my best friend.”

“And she’s a crude, narcissistic dragon who has a violent temper that’s almost as bad as her breath,” Gallus explained, “And she’s also my best friend.”

Headmare Starlight seemed puzzled by their statements, “But, I don’t fully understand this; you both claim to be friends but I’ve never seen friends act like this.”

“Really? Have you seen how some of the Professors act around each other?” Gallus commented to himself.

Smolder spoke up, “Of course, we act like this. It’s what we do. A good measure of friendship is how much you can insult your friend and how they can throw it right back.”

“Is this some sort of griffon and dragon thing I don’t completely understand?” Headmare Starlight asked, still trying to wrap her head around it.

“Probably,” Vice-Headmare Sunburst shrugged as he commented.

“She’s my best friend,” Gallus commented, “and that comes with a large amount of trust, a deep respect, and planning out how I’m going to plan and ruin her funeral.”

Smolder seemed to perk up at the statement, “How’s that coming along, by the way?”

“I’m thinking of sending your body in a boat out onto a lake.”

“Oh, and then shoot a flaming arrow at it so it can burn?”

Gallus smirked, “Nah, your body will just be coated in honey so bugs will eat at your corpse.”

“That sounds so disgusting and cool!” Smolder sounded in favor of the idea, “I was thinking of shoving you into a volcano, you know, like a sacrifice to appease the gods. But I figured they would be pissed with the meager offering that is you.”

Headmare Starlight firmly spoke up, “Focus, you two!”

The griffon sat up at attention at the Headmare’s words, “Right, right. But like we’ve said, we’re friends.”

Vice-Headmare Sunburst commented, “So you claim, but the property damage says otherwise.”

“Without him and his constant annoyance, I’d be bored,” Smolder continued, “That’s why I enjoy beating the various stuffings out of him.”

Gallus nodded in agreement, “If we actually didn’t really like each other, we wouldn’t fight. We just wouldn’t bother talking to each other. She might be insufferable....”

“And yet we’re inseparable,” Smolder chimed in.

“And for this last week, both were absolutely true,” Gallus rolled his eyes.

The dragon gave a glare to Gallus, “Loser.”

“Pint-size.”

“May fleas infest the feathers in your wings.”

“I hope your pillow is as soft as a bowling ball.”

“Don’t talk, Gallus, you’ll lower every creature’s IQ.”

Headmare Starlight interrupted the exchange of insults, “Okay, okay! I guess I get it, the two of you have your own strange form of friendship....one that I don’t think I’ll totally understand. How about I just ask both of you to ease up on the violence at least? Don’t think that I didn’t know how you both used that tether as a weapon against one another.”

Gallus and Smolder exchanged looks to one another before silently nodding and agreeing.

“Alright, alright. We’ll ease up on it. Just no more of that chaining us up again,” Smolder agreed, “Last week felt like forever next to this furball.”

“Even longer for me next to this rotten lizard,” Gallus smirked.

A smirk also appeared on Smolder’s face as she glanced over toward her friend, “Seems like we’re always gonna be stuck together.”

“Stuck together, but we don’t suck together!”

“Gallus, language!” Headmare Starlight scolded.

The griffon shrugged, “What? It’s not like I called Smolder a-”

Headmare Starlight was quick to interrupt Gallus, “If you finish that sentence, I’ll have you tethered to both Smolder and Ocellus for two weeks.”

“Withdrawn.”

A sigh escaped from Headmare Starlight as she motioned for the two creatures towards the door, “Good, now you two are excused. And please behave.” After both Gallus and Smolder left, Headmare Starlight slumped into her chair and let out a big sigh, “I swear, those two students alone make me have some serious regrets about taking this job. I think they both might be sociopaths. Maybe I should retire at the end of the semester.”

“You love it. You’d be right back here in a second,” Vice-Headmare Sunburst said with a smile in his voice.

The purple unicorn seemed to agree with her tone, “Maybe, but I figured this job would be more administrative, and helping unify different species. Not doing damage control and trying to figure out how to foalsit for two troublemakers.”

“I’m sure you might understand them and their friendship more than you might think,” Vice-Headmare Sunburst suggested.

“Oh really? Who do I have a friendship like that with?”

“And Princess Twilight Sparkle and Trixie.”

Headmare Starlight paused for a moment. Quietly, she muttered under her breath, “Shut up.”

Outside in the hallway, Gallus and Smolder were making their way back toward the mess hall.

“This week sucked,” Gallus commented.

“You’re telling me, I can’t stand being near your stinky feathers anymore,” Smolder snarked.

“Just like I can’t stand dealing with your molting and shedding of your scales anymore,” Gallus fired right back, “I think I found a piece in my lunch yesterday.”

Smolder reached over with her claw and playfully shoved her griffon friend. “Unlike you, I actually clean myself with soap. And with the slop they service us here, it probably would have been the cleanest thing you would have eaten.”

Gallus gagged at the thought of eating one of the dragon’s scales. “Great, now I think I lost my appetite.”

“So, you don’t want to stop by the mess hall before our first class?”

“Eh, maybe I can make room for a croissant.”

The dragon smirked, “There’s the dumb griffon I know. Good to have you back.”

The griffon smirked right back, “And it’s good not having to literally drag your munchkin body around.”

Despite their sniping and jabs at one another, they like what they had; a friendship that was uniquely their own.

END