In the broad daylight

by Askre


Chapter 6

Chapter 6.

It was getting late when Rainbow Dash finally returned to Ponyville, the sun was just about to disappear down the horizon in the west. The speedster Pegasus was tired after a long flight and disappointed that her one possible lead hadn’t taken her anywhere. She had been so positive that Gilda would tell where her cousin was.

The light blue pony descended as she neared the town, debating whether she should head home and crash down for the night or talk with someone first. Dash had mentioned she was going to talk with an old friend to Twilight; the purple Unicorn would probably begin asking her about it anyway tomorrow.

Rainbow was still debating this when she noticed the royal guards flying around town, most were either coming or going. The Pegasus stopped and hovered while taking in the sight. She didn’t recall Twilight saying the Princess was coming for a visit; why else would there be so many guards around?

Right, now I have to know. She decided and headed straight into Ponyville with the direction to the library. While doing so she took the opportunity to glance some more at the various guard ponies.

Almost as cool as the Wonderbolts. Wonder how I would look like in armor? she thought grinning a bit.

Although tired the mare still flew fast and was soon at the library. The lights were on and one window was open so she simply flew right through it and inside. Twilight was sitting by a table reading and books were piled up around her.

“Hey Twilight, I’m back,” Rainbow announced causing her friend to jump.

“Rainbow!” The Unicorn glared up at the grinning Pegasus. “Don’t startle me like that. I have a door, can’t you knock next time?”

“Now where would be the fun in that?” Dash laughed and flew closer to the ground.

“Very funny,” Twilight Sparkle grunted before assuming a more inquisitive expression. “So where did you go?”

“To find Gilda,” the Pegasus answered and grumbled something inaudible aimed at her former Gryphon friend.

“Really?” the unicorn cocked an eyebrow. “Why? To ask her about this relative of hers you recalled?”

“Yes and after searching almost all day I finally found her, you wouldn’t believe how many places she’s been kicked out of,” Dash told her and spread out her legs to emphasis just how many they had been.

“Well, could she tell you anything?” Twilight wondered, shelving for now her worries about Dash meeting her old friend again. They hadn’t parted on the best of terms.

“Nothing,” the Pegasus grunted. “Except that his name is Paul and apparently likes to talk big and consider himself some sort of a dangerous guy. Gilda didn’t believe he was able to pull off a foalnapping, said he didn’t have the guts.”

“Well either this Paul managed to gather up those guts, or someone who just happens to match his description foalnapped Diamond Tiara,” Twilight said, her brow dropped in a frown. “You are sure that their descriptions match right?”

“Jet black feathers except for the chest and head, dark tan fur, glass eye, that’s the Gryphon I saw back in Junior Speedster Camp,” Dash stated firmly.

“What about that other guy? You seemed to recognize him too,” the purple mare inquired.

“Silver Axe? Well I considered checking on him too,” the Pegasus landed and sat down. “But I really only heard this one story about him, long ago way back in Flight Camp. It was really supposed to be a cautionary tale you know, to tell us Pegasi to be careful in thunderstorms.”

“Guess that makes sense. Mrs. Cake did confirm that this big Pegasus the girls saw first came to Sugar Cube Corner. He couldn’t talk and had to use hoof signals to let her know what he wanted,” Twilight told her.

Rainbow Dash nodded and wrinkled her brow while thinking. She was trying to remember the exact details from the story, but about all the Pegasus could recall was what she had already told Twilight.

Guess I should have paid closer attention back in camp, Dash thought and glanced towards the window she had flown in from. “Say, what’s up with all the guards?”

“The Princess sent them to help the police search for the foalnappers and Diamond Tiara,” the Unicorn responded. She was levitating a quill and writing on a scroll what Rainbow had told her.

“Wow, looks like we are going all out in this search.” The Pegasus rose up and stretched. “Do they have any ideas where they could possibly be?”

“None, both having wings they had a pretty good head start, even if one was weighted down with Diamond Tiara.” Twilight shook her head.

“Nuts,” Dash snorted. “I’m going home to rest a bit then I’ll join the search.”

“If you want to know what areas have already been searched, drop by town hall. The guards regularly report those in,” the purple pony informed her as she took off to the air.

“Will do,” Rainbow Dash saluted before darting out through the window.

Twilight rolled up the scroll and put it away. She was about to return to the books when footsteps from the steps leading down to the main library caught her attention. Soon enough her assistant Spike came up holding a large book.

“I found it,” he proclaimed proudly and hurried over to the librarian with it. “Weather related disasters and accidents in Equestria over the past twenty years.”

“Great work Spike, Rainbow Dash might not be able to recall enough about this Silver Axe guy, but this will hopefully lead to some clues about him,” Twilight said, her horn began to glow and the book was enveloped in the purple magic aura as she grabbed it from the dragon.

“So why do we need to find anything about him and how will that help finding the foalnappers?” Spike wondered.

“Rainbow Dash is probably right about the Gryphon and she has managed to bring up both his name and who he is related too. But we need to look into all possible leads and if we can find out more about Silver Axe it could be very helpful in locating them. We must not leave any stone unturned Spike,” the purple Unicorn explained to him while shifting through the book.


Scootaloo scrunched her face while examining the board in front of her. The pieces were in place and everything should be set. The filly didn’t want to make the wrong move at the worst possible moment. A piece in the incorrect place could spell disaster and the whole game would be ruined.

What to do? What to do? The orange Pegasus tapped her snout with a hoof. This could be the crucial move that could win her the…

“Just make a move ALREADY!” Sweetie Belle shouted waving her legs in agitation.

“Don’t rush me,” Scootaloo pointed at her friend, determination on her face

“Scoot, we have hardly even started.” The white Unicorn pointed at the chess board. She was playing black while the orange filly played white and had the opening move which the girl hadn’t done yet.

“I know, I know…” the Pegasus grunted and in the end chose to move a pawn.

“Finally!” Sweetie Belle snorted and moved pawn as well. She sighed when seeing that Scootaloo became indecisive again about what move to make, examining the row of pieces carefully.

“Ya gals haven’t played further than this?” Apple Bloom entered the room.

“We would if Scootaloo didn’t take a long time to decide what to do,” the white filly grumbled.

“Looks like chess isn’t one of our special talents either,” the yellow filly chuckled and sat down near them.

“Nope, what did your sister want?” Scootaloo asked.

“Just wonderin’ if Ah had seen Granny’s glasses and asked me to search for ‘em in the laundry room just in case,” Apple Bloom shrugged.

The three fillies had decided on another more proper sleepover, this time including Scootaloo. None of the parents or Applejack objected to this idea and this time the location would be at Sweet Apple Acres.

“So girls…” the Pegasus filly put another pawn forward on the board. “Where any of you bothered by how Mr. Rich looked like at the hospital?”

“Well he’s obviously worried about his daughter,” Sweetie shrugged and moved a knight.

“Ya aren’t gonna funk on us again are ya?” Apple Bloom peered at her orange coated friend.

“No, no, but I am a little worried,” Scootaloo admitted. “Mom said if something similar happened to me, she wouldn’t eat or sleep until I was returned to her.”

“You don’t think Mr. Rich is doing that is he?” the yellow filly gasped.

“No probably not, guess my talk with mom was just high on my mind,” the Pegasus said while hovering a hoof over a chess piece, preparing to move it. But Apple Bloom suddenly jumped right on top of the board, scattering everything all over the floor. “Hey.”

“But what if he really is doin’ it,” the Earth filly cried in agitation. “What if they don’t find Diamond Tiara? What if Mr. Rich starves to death over his lost daughter?”

“Uh, Apple Bloom, she’s only been foalnapped for a day or so,” Sweetie Belle pointed out. She jumped when her yellow friend turned towards her with eyes wide open in terror.

“And they haven’t found her yet. Ya know what will happen if Mr. Rich dies of starvation? We lose our most valuable business pony. Mr. Rich always buys the first hundred jars of the zap apple jam. If we lose him we lose hundred jars of profit. Our farm would be ruined,” Apple Bloom rambled on looking more and more terrified with each word.

For a moment Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle just stared unsure at their rambling friend. They traded glances with each other and could really only shrug. Apple Bloom did have a strange flare for drama and huge imagination sometimes.

“You are way to easily overexcited,” The Pegasus claimed

“Besides what can we do about it?” the Unicorn asked. The Earth filly stopped her rambling and sat down on the chessboard as she considered the question.

“Ah know, we’ll search for Diamond Tiara,” she then declared striking into the air with a leg.

“What!” her friends shouted in unison.

“Isn’t this something we better leave to the adult ponies?” Scootaloo scratched the back of her head.

“Yeah, besides the Gryphon and the pony who foalnapped her were so big and mean looking. What could we do against them?” Sweetie Belle frowned heavily.

“Oh sillies, Ah said search for her. When we find her we will lead the guards to where they are and they will take care of the hoodlums,” Apple Bloom laughed.

“Ooooh, yeah that makes more sense,” the Unicorn nodded, the frown replaced with a smile.

“Yeah I think I can handle that,” Scootaloo nodded. The fillies fell silent when there was a knock on the bedroom door and it opened.

“Ah heard shoutin’, everythin’ okay in here?” Applejack looked inside.

“Yes AJ,” all three girls declared.

Applejack’s brow rose slightly at the quick response and the smiling faces. Somehow that raised her suspicion that something was up. She noticed the chess board her sister was sitting on and the scattered pieces on the floor.

Ah hope they aren’t thinkin’ of a cutie mark in makin’ messes, she thought. “Well alright then, just don’t forget to pick up the pieces. Ah’ll be downstairs if ya need anythin’.”

“Yes AJ,” the fillies responded and watched her leave.

“So how do we actually search for her,” Scootaloo wondered, the three fillies rose up and began rounding up the scattered chess pieces. “I mean the guards have probably scoured most of the area around Ponyville we could reach on foot.”

“True,” Apple Bloom agreed but then had a thought. “What about Silver Spoon. Ya think she heard somethin’?”

“If she did, the police probably already asked her,” Sweetie Belle pointed out while sweeping chess pieces towards the board with her tail. “Maybe we shouldn’t do this; the adult ponies probably have everything under control.”

“Gals, like Ah said we will just search for their location. Then we will hurry back to find guards and lead them to it, they will handle the rest,” Apple Bloom explained again.

“I’m down with that, but where do we search? For all we know they could be in the Everfree Forest or something or even somewhere much further,” the Pegasus responded, she began gathering a pile of pieces into a box.

“Ah still think we should ask Silver Spoon, didn’t ya say that the Gryphon was talking a lot? He could have said something before ya’ll came and overheard him,” the yellow filly said.

“And I still think it is a bad idea, but guess we can try,” Sweetie Belle relented.

“Then it’s settled, we go ask Silver Spoon tomorrow at the hospital.” Apple Bloom grinned; she was only met with half hearted enthusiasm from her friends.


Shower never felt so good, Gilda thought and allowed the spraying water to run all over her. She felt really tired from the long flight and a bit on the edge after meeting Rainbow Dash.

After a while she reluctantly turned off the faucet and stepped out and grabbed a towel to dry herself with. The whole time the encounter with the rainbow Pegasus played in her mind.

Accusing Paul of foalnapping, she snorted. As if, he couldn’t even steal a candy from a baby Gryphon.

Gilda searched the cabinets and found a brush made for feathers. She began on her chest feathers and would work herself to the wings. She glanced around the bathroom; it wasn’t too big and while brushing had to sit to really fit properly.

Speaking of the geek, where is he? He said I could crash in his apartment if I was ever flying in Las Pegasus. The Gryphon put the brush back once she was done.

She left the bathroom and almost immediately entered a small living room with an old worn sofa. Aside from the exit and the bathroom, there was only one other door that lead to the bedroom. Gilda trotted over to the small kitchen corner and opened the fridge. Much to her dismay there wasn’t much in it at all.

Typical, she grunted and checked all the cupboards and cabinets available. No food at all. Jeez does the guy eat on the run?

“Looks like I better just lie down,” Gilda muttered. “I’m taking the bed, if Paul comes back while I’m sleeping, he can sleep on the sofa.”

The Gryphon entered the bedroom and closed the door with a slam. She dove for the ratty old bed, twisted and turned while finding a comfortable position to lie on before drifting off to sleep.


“Damn, did I leave the lights on? Oh well.”

Gilda tiredly opened her eyes as a voice and a noise outside disturbed her rest. She glanced at the clock but couldn’t remember when she had gone to bed. The darkness outside did indicate it was nighttime, but it had already been dark when she arrived in the apartment.

“Now where did I put that camera?”

“Ugh, guess the dofus of the house has arrived,” the female Gryphon muttered and glanced at the bedroom door. She could hear movement outside and someone rummaging around.

“I could have sworn I left it here.”

Guess I’m not going to be getting much sleep until he finds that thing. She crawled out of the bed and started for the entrance of the room.

“Aha, there it is. Now we can take those pictures Snow Heart wanted us to take of the snooty brat,” the triumphant voice of her cousin shouted. Gilda stopped just as she was about to turn the knob of the door when hearing it.

What? She bent down to peer through the keyhole. Sure enough there was her cousin Paul holding a camera in one talon, the male Gryphon was heading for the exit.

“When we get that money we’re bleeding out of the father, I am so getting some bigger space and selling this dump. Heck might just hand it over to Gilda.” Paul stopped for a moment to glance over the apartment.

You got to be kidding me. Rainbow Dash was right? Paul did foalnap someone? Gilda’s jaw dropped down to her chest. Meanwhile her cousin was half out of the apartment already. But then he stopped and snapped two claws on his right talon.

“Oh wait, I probably should take extra batteries with me. I think I have some in the bedroom.” He turned around and headed right over there.

Oh shit, Gilda looked around but saw nothing big enough to hide her. She suddenly had no desire to let her cousin find her in the apartment.

Having only seconds to make the decision, the female Gryphon dived for the window, opened it and flew out. Her tail was barely through the frame when her cousin walked in. Using her claws, Gilda hung on the wall just outside. She saw the lights turn on in the room and heard Paul talk while rummaging through the bedroom.

Dammit Paul, what kind of crap have you gotten yourself tangled in? Gilda thought and for a brief moment considered reentering the apartment and confront her cousin.

“Did I leave the window open too?” Paul remarked. His talons appeared in the frame as he reached to close the window.

Crap, Gilda was now stuck outside; she had taken the spare key into the apartment.

The female Gryphon let go of her grip on the wall and spread her wings to fly up. She landed on the roof of the building and sat down; letting out a breath Gilda hadn’t even realized she was holding.

“Okay, stealing an item or two from a shop, eh who cares, nobody misses one or two misplaced things,” she muttered. “But foalnapping a foal and put another in the hospital…”

“To Tartarus with it, Rainbow is right. That is not cool, not even by my standards,” Gilda growled and rubbed her forehead.

“Who would have thought, geeky old Paul actually doing something big,” she stood up and walked over to the edge of the roof. “And maybe it’s something too big.”

She saw movement down on the pavement; the figure unfolded its wings and took to the air. Gilda recognized it as her cousin. He was heading straight out of Las Pegasus, flying discreet as possible.

“Dammit Dash, you just had to be right.” Gilda spread out her wings and took off, heading straight after her cousin. Whatever you are doing Paul. I’m putting a stop to it.

End Chapter 6.