//------------------------------// // Explain Yourself // Story: Fool Me Once... // by Codi Snow //------------------------------// "You're such a flip flop!" I wish I could take those words back... I didn't mean to say that to you... It was out of anger... I'm sorry, Dash... Please forgive me... It's raining outside my cave. Funny. I used to hate the rain. But my mom loved it. I guess I learned to love it after she left. She was one of the two griffons who actually cared for me back at our village. The village wasn't so bad. I was bullied. But who doesn't get bullied? What made me hate it there was my father. He had caused me to run off to Cloudsdale. He made me the laughing stock. And now, he caused me to lose my best friend. Doesn't make sense does it? Let me explain. My father hated me since the day I was hatched. I grew up in the most highly honored family in the village, so appearance and pride were the two things that fueled my father. And he thought, "What better way to show my pride than having sons?". And to add more pride filled gasoline to his fire, four strong and healthy sons were hatched. Mom was happy but my father was excited. He was ready to forget about his fifth egg and moved on with his four boys.But mom convinced him to stay. She told him it might be another boy, even though she wanted a girl. Finally, the egg hatched. My father wasn't so happy. "It's a-" "It's a girl! I can't believe it!" "..." "Hyrus, darling? What's wrong?" "It's a weak one." "We can help her grow strong! We can-" "YOU can do whatever you like with it. I want no affiliation with it." "But Hyrus, its your own daughter." My father wanted no part in my life. Not because I was born a weak baby. I think he would've gotten over that. I think the only true reason was that I was a girl. Heh, I used to ask mom why daddy never loved me. what did I ever do to him to make him hate me. She told me not to worry about that. That she'll love me no matter what. That made my father's blood boil. But what angered him more is when my eldest brother ,Grydous, started to treated me like a sister . I can still hear those two arguing. "But dad she has feelings! She's a griffon too!" "It's nothing but scum and you shall treat it as such!" "No! I'm not like you! She deserves-" "STOP TREATING IT LIKE ITS MORE THAN A WASTE OF A GRIFFON!" Grydous did the unthinkable then. Gave him a nasty scar on his beak. Father returned the favor with a scar to the eye.The first time he disrespected father and it was because of me. I felt guilty about it but he reassured me. Told me that it was worth it. I started to smile. I smiled because now not only does mom love me, but my brother loves me too. For the first time in my life in that village, I was actually happy. Until I found out how else my father can haunt me. My temper. "Well if it isn't for Hyrus's little reject" "Shut it Tiben." "Where's your daddy, Gilda? Oh yeah, he left you all alone" "I said shut up.." "Why? Because you're nothing but a disgrace!" "I SAID SHUT UP!" All I remembered was him having a broken beak and a black eye. I ran home. I couldn't believe what came over me. When I got home, I found out mom was gone. Father chased her away. I saw nothing but red then. When I came to, Grydous had me pinned. Father was bleeding with gashes all over him. His three sons staring at me with animosity in their eyes as they nursed their father. I smiled, then chuckled. "I hope you rot in Tartarus you vile poultry" I growled. Later that same night I told Grydous that I was leaving. I was gonna tell the village elder. Start a new life. Hopefully,during the process, find mom. He ain't take it too well. "I'm going with you." "No Grydous. You can't." "And live with that monster?!" "You can leave, just don't come with me." "Gilda." I started crying. Grydous pulled me into a hug. He petted my head just like how mom used to do. "Then who's gonna hunt for ya?"He said jokingly. "I can handle myself, bro." He pushed me back so he could get a good look at me "Little Gildy. All grown up." "I'm still a teen." I chuckled. Then he told me something. Something that haunts me to this day. "Gildy, if I let you go,you gotta promise me something." "What is it?" "Hold your temper." "What?Why?" "The only way Father can always haunt you is that. Your temper" "No he can't" "Gilda,"I knew he was serious that time. His eyes were focused onto me."That was the only thing you inherited from him. His temper. If you can control it, Father will have no power over you." "My temper?" "Yes. Your temper." "I can try." "Gilda.Promise me." ".....Okay....I promise." And with that, I flew off to see the elder. He was okay with it. But he told me one day I'll have to confront my father in order to truly be happy. I rolled my eyes and flew off to start a new journey. I built a new life for myself. I found a way to enroll myself into flight school. Made an awesome friend. Graduated happily too. I even got a job at the Griffon Express Delivery Service. And then, that visit to Ponyville. I thought I could keep my cool. But now that I look back at it, Pinkie Pie wasn't so bad. Hell, it wasn't that yellow pegasus's fault I couldn't see where I was going. And those things I was doing to those ponies, I looked like......... I have to go back. I need to make amends with these guys. And to be honest...I need my best buddy back.