//------------------------------//
// Colder 
// Story: A War 
// by Comma Typer 
//------------------------------//

A snowstorm raging through. Snow hurtling, racing by, smashing the ground. Deafening rackets, wind blowing. Snow flew, only to come back to the ground faster.
Foggy. Hard to see much.
Finally, Gabby flew into the barracks.
Barreled through the doors.
Crashed to the floor.
"Hey, we've got an intruder!" a rough voice yelled.
"Get 'em!"
"No, no!" Gabby said, standing up and pulling out a badge. "I'm a m-mailgriffon! I got some mail for some ponies!"
The two guards approached her. One of them yanked the badge out of her claws while the other aimed his spear at her.
"Don't you move," the spear-holding guard warned, eyes dead on her.
The first guard turned the badge about under the glaring ceiling lights.
Hoofed it back to her.
"Legitimate," he said. "Sorry for the mishap, Miss Gabby."
"But, you better follow us," the spear guard said, putting his spear into his armor's holster.
Gabby nodded and closed the door behind her.
Little masses of snow had piled up at the doorsteps.
Gabby followed the two guards as they walked through the wooden brown hallway. Paintings, portraits, medals, and trophies graced the walls. A faint smell of fresh timber filled the corridor, and words and sentences were thrown about in the siderooms.
Amidst the howl of the snowstorm, she could hear traces of conversations. By the mess hall, she caught a glimpse of a few soldiers talking.
"...and then, I planned to be home before winter," one of them said. "Look where we're now. I can't be with my family, and I promised them so many times I'd be home by the big party." He groaned. "This Hearth's Warming is gonna end up being the worst one ever."
"They're planning a party here," another said, her tone more mellow. "Everything's not that bad."
"It's not the same, and you know it, Evening Shade."
Gabby turned her head to the left and caught a glimpse of another conversation by a narrower hall past an open door.
"We're doing our best to send supplies to them," one argued, "but it's very difficult to get it to them."
"I'm not going to let our soldiers starve to death while they stay in the bunkers!" the other shouted.
"But, sir—"
"Which is why I assigned two Wonderbolts to do the job, so you better stop your blathering! They can't send supplies up here either and we're running a shortage, but that's not stopping us from helping these sad, hungry ponies out there!"
Gabby followed the two guards up a flight of stairs, passing by more and more soldiers garbed in their samey armor, the odd specialist popping up from time to time in their distinctive colors and dress.
At the third floor, they stopped and walked into another hallway.
This one was filled with even more soldiers and warriors chitchatting with each other in sullen voices, many of their eyes half-open in exhaustion or in depression. Or both. Their words said as much, for, as a Rock Trooper put it in that hallway as Gabby passed by him, "I wish I could get some sleep back at Raneigh. Good ol' Raneigh."
It was back to gibberish surrounding her. Words going around, some comments on the mailgriffon's presence.
Past the crowds of soldiers, the guards turned to one of the doors near the end of the hallway.
The other guard opened the door.
"This is your living quarters while you're here," he said. "It's not much, but it's more than enough."
Gabby stepped inside, the two guards watching her.
It was a tiny room. The bed was beside the fridge which was beside the table which had a chair at it.
That was all.
"Griffon-sized, even," the spear guard said, smiling. "Unpack your stuff, do your mail business, and you can rest up here for the night."
The other guard gawked at him. "Are you giving her a death sentence?"
He raised a hoof in defense. "We have an alert system in place. If things go bad, this nice griffon will be up and at 'em before you could say, 'That is a horrible idea!'"
"But, that is a horrible idea!"
He sighed. "It is, but it's better than sending her back out into the open...right?" He faced her. "Right?"
Gabby looked blank, shook her head out of the confusion, and then nodded. "Right! You're totally right! I totally and absolutely agree with you!"
Hugged him, avoiding his spear.
"Hey!" the unhugged guard said grabbing the griffon by the shoulder. "No hugs here!"
Gabby let go, keeping her smile.
The spear guard coughed, rubbing his aching neck. "Wow! That's a strong mailgriffon right there! She should be in the reserves right about—"
Boom!
Floor shook, lights flickered, soldiers filing out—running.
"—now?!"
"Gilda!" Gabby cried out.
Opened her wings.
"Lady!" the spear guard shouted. "You can't go out like—"
And Gabby flew, flying over warriors' heads who looked up.
Down the stairs, dodging more heads.
Ground floor, still flying.
Saw a griffon about to leave through the doors and opened her wings.
"Gilda!"
That griffon looked back. "Gabby? What are you doing—"
"Get a move on!" a pony hollered as he led the stampede of fighters out of the doors.
Gilda flapped her wings and hovered over the soldiers.
"Wait, Gilda?" one of the passing fighters blurted out before disappearing outside.
Leaving the two griffons alone above in the hallway as the rest inside the barracks scrambled here and there, exchanging words and documents in a hurry.
The snowstorm's howl grew, the chilly wind intensified.
More snow piled up at the open doors.
"You don't know what you're getting yourself into, Gabby!" Gilda yelled. "You shouldn't have followed me here!"
"I should!" Gabby replied, shouting back. "When you said you were going to look for Rainbow Dash, I thought you would get to your senses, that it'd be crazy to go to her when she's in the middle of a fight!"
"I did get to my senses!" Gilda said. "It's you who's crazy! Talking about Griffonstone like it's still a thing—'cause it isn't!"
"You still have the griffon communities scattered around Equestria! You could've moved there!"
"And then what?! Just hang around and make new hoards of gold? I'm tired of that! I'd rather fight for a kingdom that could get over that!"
Gabby shook her head. "I know that's an excuse, Gilda! Please, Gilda, turn back and stay here before they get here—"
"If they get here, you mean!"
"Stop right there!" a voice yelled.
Gabby turned around, seeing the two guards descend the stairs.
"Get back here!" the spear guard shouted. "Stay here in safety—"
"Toodles, Gabby!" Gilda shouted, waving at her with a mocking wave.
She flew out into the storm.
Gabby narrowed her eyes and clenched her claws. "Oh, no, you're not getting off of my watch!"
The mailgriffon flew out of the room, escaping the cries of the guards.
Felt the harsh wind, stinging her wings, her feathers.
High up, seeing silhouettes fighting, brawling in the air, falling down in little green glows.
"Pegasus raid!" a voice bellowed.
Looked up.
Gabby dodged.
A pegasus falling, spiralling down and out of her sight in the fog.
Turned her head about.
Moved, flew.
Covered her face with her claw, letting the snow build up on her foreleg.
Squinted her eyes.
"Where are you, Gilda?! This is a very dangerous place to be! You know, you could get hurt, injured, or even die here! You don't like dying, right, Gilda?!"
Only screams and roars, pegasi fighting and pegasi falling.
"Gilda?! This isn't funny! I hope you're joking! Maybe that's your lookalike! Hah! Lookalike?! No, no...that can't be right! Gilda!"
Grabbed by the wing.
Falling down.
Punched in the face.
"Agh! Who's that?!"
Looked at the Crystal helmet before her with its glowing green eyes.
"Eek!"
Slapped him.
Grabbed her mailbag.
Mailbag punched out.
"No!"
Pushed against him.
Failing, falling.
In the fog.
"That's precious mail! You know what that calls for?!"
Punched him on the helmet.
"Ow! That's one hard head!"
Held her throbbing claw to her face.
"Gilda, help!"
A figure lunged at him.
Spiralling left.
He lost grip.
Gabby straightened herself, rubbing her dizzy head. "Wh-What happened?!"
Before her, Gilda battling the Crystal pegasus in the raging snowstorm.
Gabby gasped.
Gilda grappled him and punched him with her head.
He kicked her in the chest.
Fought back with a punch to the helmet.
Punched back on the head.
Kicked at the helmet.
Kicked back on her head and threw her down.
Flapped his wings, creating a growing wind.
Mini-tornado.
Gilda looked upon it. Choked at the sight.
He sent the tornado straight at her.
"Gilda, no!"
"Gilda?!" a voice cried out.
A rainbow streak caught Gilda.
Disappeared.
Gabby gasped again. "Rainbow Dash?!"
"The one and only!" Rainbow shouted, hovering beside the flying griffon and flapping both natural and mechanical wings, holding a slighted Gilda with a strong foreleg. "I'll get you to the barracks, and you stay there! Take care of Gilda while we take care of these annoying Crystals!"
Gabby saluted.
In the fog, in the growing and howling snowstorm.
Rainbow threw Gilda's body at her and flew out.
Dashed out in the thick fog.
Encountered a flock of Crystal pegasi, creating a larger snow tornado.
"Not today!" she let out before flying right at them.
Hit them all, knocking their heads and sending them falling passed out, sinking into the fog below.
Her neck grabbed, constrained.
Smacked him with a wing.
Punches to the face, uppercut.
Threw down, lobbing him to the ground.
Looked around.
Crystals charging from all sides.
She zoomed up.
They zoomed up, following her.
She turned around.
Bowled them through, knocking most of them out.
Speeding, speeding.
Wind rushing.
A cone forming before her outstretched hooves.
Faster.
Wind whizzing, her surroundings a blur.
Mouth flapping, teeth showing.
Put on her helmet.
Even faster, seeing almost nothing but gray.



A weird sonic blast from the sky.
Gabby looked up to it, a paw through the doors and inside the barracks.
Despite the fog, there it was: an expanding rainbow circle across the sky, its colors vibrant and visible past the dark weather.
The landscape in that rainbow hue, that rainbow glow from the sky.
Gabby hovered over the doorsteps, covering her mouth as her enlarged eyes took it all in. Her voice raspy: "A sonic rainboom..."
Staring at the fading circle, yet ever bigger through the sky.
Now, a part of it was right above her.
"Miss, is that Garbi?" a voice asked.
Gabby screamed and turned around to see the nurse pony in the hallway. "No! This is Gilda! G-Gilda—y-yes, Gilda!"
"But," holding up a clipboard and flipped a few pages, "her name's listed her as—"
"It's Gilda!"
Threw the griffon's body at her.
The nurse caught her though staggered back.
"I don't know what happened to her, but you've gotta help—"
"Follow me, miss!" the nurse yelled, carrying Gilda on her back while she galloped.
Gabby following her.
Another explosion.
The ground shook, lights flickering.



It was bluer.
Outside, past the windows, it was calm. Snow was falling, but it was light. Several ponies outside scooped up excess snow and brought it over to the barracks.
But, it was bluer, as if a blue tint descended upon everything there.
The sky was clearer, the fog having lifted. They could see more of what was around them: snowy mountain ranges, chilly frozen rivers, sturdy dead trees, and miles of snow.
Gilda coughed, eyes half open.
Laying on her white bed, covered in a green blanket.
Gabby and Rainbow Dash seated on her side.
Past them, the rest of the patient row where several wounded warriors were recuperating, some hooked up to IV bags. Most of them were sleeping.
So, it was quiet.
Rainbow and Gabby watched Gilda.
Gilda watched them.
Seconds.
Half a minute.
Then, a minute.
Quiet, silence, each other.
"I...I was planning to see you," Rainbow began, loosening her shoulders. "Didn't expect to see you like this."
Gilda coughed, covered her mouth with a fisted claw. "Y-Yeah...that...and, right before I die, too."
"But, Gilda, it wasn't their fault!" Gabby said, raising her voice and making claw gestures around her. "They told us the doctors here weren't trained to handle griffons a-and they didn't bring enough—"
Rainbow shushed her, glaring at the talkative Gabby.
Who covered her mouth in reply, eyes shifting at the sleeping patients.
Still sleeping.
Quiet. Silence.
"I can't...believe it," Gilda croaked, her voice gravelly.
Coughed.
"I should've...stayed in C-Cloudsdale. A-At least I'd be here..."
Lifted a talon, pointed at Rainbow.
"And...you'd be there."
Rainbow's ears perked up. She rubbed her injured one.
The griffon turned her talon at Gabby.
"You'd be there, t-too."
Gabby grinned.
Rainbow glared at her again.
Gabby took down her grin.
As the two watched Gilda.
Seconds.
Another half minute.
Gilda let out a soft chuckle.
Followed by a coughing fit.
Seconds.
Half minute of coughing.
Clutched her chest.
Gabby gasped.
Rainbow leaned closer to her.
"I could f-feel it. I-It's coming, and I...I don't have any l-last words...? Could've g-gone down fighting, something...h-honorable, b-brave and—"
Rainbow placed a hoof on her head.
"Don't, Gilda."
Gilda opened her mouth to say something.
Raised a claw, held her feathered head.	
A heavy sigh.
Closed her eyes.
Gabby gasped again. "No, Gilda, please!"
Half opened her eyes.
On her somber face, a pensive look. Downcast.
"M-Mom...D-Dad...Grampa Gruff..."
Gabby covered her eyes with her claws. "I can't watch!"
Patients still sleeping on their beds.
Rainbow hovered an inch closer.
"G-Greta...Galena...G-Gerstal...Giselle..."
Hoof on her head.
"Gabby..."
Dropped her claws from her eyes. "Wh-What is it, G-Gilda?"
She coughed. "Y-You...get all my b-belongings. They're in my a-apartment back in Cl-Cloudsda...Cl-Clou..."
Gabby nodded once, a claw ready at her own eyes.
Gilda slowly turned her head at Rainbow.
"And...and you, Dash..."
Looking at her marred face. Her damaged eye. Her injured ear. Her dishevelled mane.
Her fake wing.
"R-Remember a...a song?"
Rainbow kept her stoic face.
Then, lightened up.
"Junior Speedsters are our lives..."
Gilda smiled. "Sky-bound soars and daring dives..."
Gabby looked at the both of them.
Tears welling, clenching her claw.
As the two of them sang together:

"Junior Speedsters, it's our quest,
To someday be the very best!"

Quiet.
Silence.
Her eyes blinked.
"Th-Thank you...Dash..."
Eyes closed.
Legs fell limp.
Beak motionless.
Gabby choked up, tears going down her cheeks.
But quietly.
In the room, the rest of the patients were sound asleep, one even snoring.
Everything became darker.
Outside, the sun was going down, bringing in a blue sunset.
Darker.
Nighttime.
A dark blue seeping through everything, with white glints on the snowy ground under the moonlight, under the stars.
In the dim room, Rainbow hovered to the light switch.
Lights on.
Could see all of them again: the patients, the window, the floor, the medical equipment, the mailgriffon Gabby.
A dead Gilda on her deathbed.
Hovered back to her.
Placed a hoof on her head.
Pulled it a little closer.
Gabby sniffed, her whimpers growing louder.
Rainbow closed her eyes.
A tear down her cheek.
Hovered away, faced Gabby.
"I'll tell the nurse she's dead, Gabby. I have to be on night patrol, so I don't have time to be here and mourn...even if I wanted to. Just..."
Shook her head.
Flew out of the room.
Leaving Gabby alone.
She burst into tears, breaking down, bawling on the floor before Gilda.
Banging on the floor with her fists.
Cracking the floor.
Stood up.
Only to howl, to wail.