"I didn't think you'd be the one." An older griffon snorted, standing near me and leaning against the wall with his back. "A kirin. Thought they promised not to."

I lifted an ornate ear at him. "Promised not to what?" Chill ran through me, wondering if I'd tripped over a new rock nobody has bothered to tell me about.

The griffon shrugged. "When the last of our fire went out, we tried everything. We tried stealing. We tried fighting for it. When those failed--" He raised a taloned hand, gripped tightly. "We--" The hand and its arm fell limply. "We begged. The dragons laughed. The kirin, oh, that was a little more special."

I turned to the griffon. "What did they do?" I pinned my ears back. "I only became one recently. I don't know the history."

"I guessed not, or you wouldn't be here." He reached to prod me on the nose, an irritating gesture. "They scolded us, called us out on losing our flame. If we managed that, we didn't deserve the fire. All that wind, they claimed, blew the fire right out. All we had to do was ditch the wind and they'd gladly help."

"And you declined."

"Not me." The griffon perked a brow at me. "I wasn't there, but I heard about it. Of course we told them to piss right the hell off! Give up our wind? Not happening. So we kept the wind, and the fire was unlit, until Gallus came wandering in here like it wasn't even a big deal. Chicks these days."

I listened thoughtfully as the elder griffon shared fragments of forgotten negotiations longing for rekindled talents lost through bitter twists of history. So others sought aid when wings of creative passion first faltered only to meet callous rejection from comfortable neighbors.

"Guess every new generation must rediscover some truths for themselves..." I murmured half to myself. How many cyclical struggles rose and fell blotted from records glorifying narrow versions of the past?

The old bird nodded wordlessly staring across the tense tableau where an isolated rebel now struggled reviving dormant gifts through hellish trials by hidebound hierarchies unwilling to shift even if meant rebirth.

"Chicks like those two don't bother with dead past's chains - just start flyin' like the whole empty sky belongs to 'em no matter who says what's proper." Admiration glinted austere features eyeing Gallus and Giselle's direction defying different limits.

I smiled softly realizing the two headstrong youths somehow inspired this hardened veteran towards wistful hopes on their unfettered behalf. "Think they'll actually pull it off embracing mythical mantles bucking the status quo?"

He eyed me sidelong wryly. "Beats fading away caged by aging arrogance - rather soar and crash than never stretch wings far as they can go!"

With a grunt he levered stiff limbs upright. "C'mon - let these faded fossils poke all they want. Destiny don't wait on nobodies' permission now does it?"

"Yeah." I could imagine that conflict, but a question jostled around. "What actually made the phoenixes stop being phoenixes?"

"Time?" The griffon shrugged at that. "They didn't just die out. They just died. One by one, no great conspiracy. The odder part was that we didn't get new ones to replace them." He pointed at Gallus. "Maybe it was just a bit of time we needed. Pity the damned priests insist he doesn't rush to share." He lowered in a squat, closer to my level. "Still, mighty nice of him to offer. Good chick, annoying as they are."

I inclined my head towards Gallus. "Thanks, I appreciate it. I want to talk to Gallus about this." The elder didn't stop me, so I trotted to Gallus' side. I noticed he was wearing a rather ornate vest, golden and red in fiery hints. "The priests give you that?"

Gallus tugged at it a bit. "Yeah, not bad? Pity it comes with being caged. But! But." He danced up a finger. "I learned there is an out of this. Once I pass my gifts on to three others, I'm a free griffon. Just three. That isn't even a big deal. Now I really am cheering for Giselle. 1/3rd of the way right there."

I raised a brow at that. "There's. Oh. Let me guess; each phoenix has to make three phoenixes, if they want to walk out."

Gallus flicked one of my ears. "Exactly. They're pretty sure if each phoenix makes three more, they can't run out again." He shrugged emphatically. "Simple math, right? Still, way better than keeping me here forever."

I nodded thoughtfully as Gallus outlined the temple's devised contingencies ensuring phoenix perpetuation through enforced multiplication. Simple math indeed, though rarer magics often balanced unpredictably on weights we couldn't hope to know.

"Well at least they allow eventual opt-outs after paying regenerational tithes..." I murmured. Gallus ruffled feathers fidgeting under ceremonial vestments itching constraints however temporarily tolerated.

"So who're candidates two and three if Giselle passes?" I gestured around the sullen hall. "Other rebels waiting in her blazing wake already?"

Gallus followed my gaze thoughtfully through rows of robed priests peering like vultures over obliging proteges yet oblivious towards deeper yearnings. "Not sure who else bucks their crusty mindsets honestly."

He brightened suddenly with scheming inspiration! "Say, what about getting Smolder over here trying out some radical hybrid magic herself?" His grin sharpened impishly. "Bet dragon fire explodes their obstinate obedience right quick!"

I laughed heartily imagining the mutual meltdowns witnessing typically domineering dragons bow before a humble hatchling's arcane abilities! "Now that's some chaos I'd revel rousing!"

We fist-bumped unity already delighting in shocked outrage awakening fresh perspectives. "One thing. Smolder isn't here, and I don't think a fire-air dragon will change their mind too much. They wouldn't be a phoenix."

Gallus huffed at that. "True, true. We just need adventurous griffons that don't care about prec--" He cut himself off. "Oh, right. Duh." He slapped his own forehead. "Gabby. She only follows her own compass and nocreature else's. If anygriffon was going to do this just because she feels like it, it'd be Gabby. No idea if she'd pass or not, but she'd try if she got it in her head."

I imagined the sweet griffon hen that knew only kindness and determination. "Maybe we should wait until Giselle comes out and maybe we get a clue how rough it is in there? I'd feel bad sending Gabby off to certain doom."

"Knowing her, she'd figure it out." Gallus shrugged with a chuckle. "Worth a shot. You can walk out of here. See if you can't find her and tell her about it while we wait. Tell her all about it if you're feeling guilty. If she walks in with all the facts, then we didn't do nothing wrong."

I shuffled hooves thoughtfully weighing Gallus' canny suggestion recruiting irrepressibly sweet Gabby next as fiery protege. "True, letting her choose eyes open does tilt options her way..."

It still rankled risking such a kind soul towards arbitrary judgment under suspicious priests with unclear motives. But respecting autonomy meant acknowledging individual courage chasing symbolic status however perilous too.

"Okay, I'm off finding our chipper candidate before tension boils over!" I waved towards the sealed inner sanctum. "Don't let them pull anything till I'm back, okay?"

Gallus mock saluted with a smirk. "What trouble could priests make, really? Go on, I'll keep watch." But something sly still lurked there making my tail twitch anxiously glancing frequently back.

Sighing I brushed aside shapeless unease fixating on the task ahead. Likely just impatience for action after suppressing rebellion's restless flare so long himself. Finding a single upbeat griffon somewhere in this dreary settlement seemed enough distraction for now!

I trotted purposefully into broken streets realizing my limited knowledge of local hangouts or haunts. But vibrant spirits shine unmistakable somehow if you lift eyes, or so I hoped. I went right up to a stand offering something steaming and kind of tasty smelling. "Excuse me."

The griffon there scowled. "Kirin, huh. What do you want? Want one?" He gestured to the puffy things he was selling.

"Tempting! Looking for a specific griffon. Gabby? Cheerful, to a fault almost?" I cycled hooves as I described her as best I could. "Traditional build by and large."

"Gabby?" His face was one of disgust. "Everygriffon knows her, what a nutball. Why would you want her?"

"Kirin things." It was the first thing that came to mind, and I didn't allow any hesitation to creep in there. "Have you seen her?"

"Kirin things." He rolled his eyes. "I heard you helped bring a phoenix back, or I'd tell you to find a nice tall pole to climb." He jabbed a talon past me. "She's in there most days, drinking, chatting, or doing something stupid. It's her way. Try to not let it be your way. Damned kirin, hanging out with Gabby of all griffons."

Biting back equally thoughtless retorts I simply nodded brisk thanks towards the surly directions. She waited within while countless other vibrant voices surely cried unheard behind dour doors decreeing normalized paths.

My stalled steps stirred street's dusty depths before resuming resolutely. I headed inside where the dim interior swallowed me as heavy weighted wood swept shut behind me. Murky shapes loomed oddly angular amidst hunched profiles peering around grimy glasses clinking cheap escape from light's exposure.

There indeed perched Gabby, radiant even dust dimmed by dreary doubt and bitter brews. Sensing my entrance, brightness turned up winningly my shy wave met with fierce friendly tackle! "David! Once pony from another world, now a kirin! Oh this makes today the best now!"

Gabby smiled eagerly my stunned way. "C'mon, pull up a seat and tell me everything new under skies lately!"

My guilt swelled as I stepped up and sat on the chair across from her. "Gabby, a pleasure to meet you. You already know me, from the sound of it?"

"How could I not know you." Gabby laughed at the joke I hadn't mean to tell. "I deliver mail, to the ponies often. You're kind of a talk. They told me about you." She reached across to ruffle me between the ears, stroking them curiously. "I never met a kirin before. Ooo, you're built all funny, but in the best of ways! I love it. What brings you?"

I smiled, her cheerfulness infecting me. "It's a pleasure to meet you, seriously. Did you hear about the phoenix?"

"They won't stop talking about it." Gabby crossed her arms with a huff. "Like all of Griffonstone is going to catch fire all of a sudden. I don't get it."

"Most griffons know air magic, if they know any magic, right?" I rolled a hoof at her. "You know air magic?"

"Really handy for delivering mail." She beams with such pride. "Only kind I know."

"But imagine if you knew fire too. You could fly in the dark, to start." I shrugged, trying to think of other peaceful uses. "You could cook your own food so easily even in the middle of nowhere. In the middle of the snow even."

I went on weaving tantalizing possibilities awaiting additional magical mastery. "So that guard said their whole civilization peaked when phoenixes flourished - like those fiery legends somehow uplifted all species together through inspiration not intimidation or demands..."

Gabby oohed wide-eyed clearly enchanted envisioning such golden ages. "Helping hearts ignite towards highest potentials sounds wonderful! How'd you make a phoenix all of a sudden?"

I scuffed a self-conscious hoof. "That's the trick - Only griffons who pass a few tests at the temple are allowed to learn that, and become phoenixes themselves. They could be dangerous, but I have high hopes for such an optimistic griffon like you. Want to give it a try?"

Gabby tapped at her chin. "Wow! That's a big thing you're offering." She swiveled in her chair to look at a dangling calender. "Mmmm, nope!"

"No?"

"Nope! Nothing on the calender for a little while, so sure, why not? I'll give it my best! Hopefully, you'll see me soar out of there on wings of fire." She hopped to her feet, flapping her arms with imagined flames. "This'll be fun!"

I wasn't sure if 'fun' was the operative word, but I had found another volunteer to try at least.

Author's Note

Gabby! Best griffon, or worst?

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