//------------------------------// // 19- Look who showed up for supper. // Story: Blazing a Trail to the Past. // by Daylight_Dreamer //------------------------------// As eager as Twilight was to start planning my cutecenyera, I convinced her to let me think about it a while. I know I'm the kind of guy that can't stand gratitude, but a party in my name is just too much. I hadn't even celebrated a birthday in half a decade. That being said, Twilight had a point. It was inevitable. So I was really just bracing for it. I absentmindedly threw the journals on the back seat and put the key in the ignition. I didn't start it. I was trying to decide what to do next. Twilight had given me a small bag of bits so I had money. I could see what I could find for supper. Then I remembered that I better stop at the farm for that. I wasn't ready to head back yet, but I had no idea what I wanted to do. I mean, it's Equestria. I had limitless options, but as much as I wanted to check in on Rainbow or Fluttershy. They didn't know me yet. It would be weird just walking up on them. "Hey buddy," came the sing-song tone of an otherwise familiar voice. I looked out the driver's door to see Sawdust. He seemed anxious. "What's up?" I asked. "The wheel of my cart broke, and I have to deliver this table set to a customer," he pointed to a broken wagon with a brand new dining set loaded on it just a short way behind me, "any chance I could get a ride to my shop and back so I can grab a new wheel?" I only saw one reason not to, but maybe he could help. "That depends," I said, "can you get a hold of high proof alcohol?" "You talking something that burns going down, or with a match?" he laughed, "Cause I can get it to about 90% pure." "Hop on in," I said, "I need as strong as you can make it. It's not to drink. This thing runs on flammable liquid. I just need to know I'm not gonna run out." "I'll start a batch tonight," he said, "we can work out the details later, for now, I assume you need a lot." "Yea," I said, "as much as I can get." "I'm on it," he assured me, "I'm sure I'll find a need for your help again, so we won't talk bits between friends, for now anyway." "I appreciate that," I said, "I gotta say, I didn't expect you to distill alcohol." "I'm not just a one trick pony you know," he seemed a little offended, "Slag and I also know how to use the things we make, and it so happens that we made a still a few years ago." "Good to know," I said, "Well, we're here. Get what you need so we can get back." "Wow," he said, "that was fast, I'll only be a moment." He trotted into his shed and emerged moments later with a wagon wheel and a hammer. I had taken the trailer off so I helped him put them in the back of the jeep before heading back. "One more thing I could use help with," Sawdust said taking the wheel out of the back, "could you slide this wheel on while I hold the cart up?" "I think I could do that," I said. He pulled the cart up a little with his hooves until he could climb under it. What was left of the old wheel was being held on by a wooden peg. I just grabbed the hammer he brought and knocked it out, switched the wheels, and replaced it. "That should do," I said, "Race ready now." "I don't run races," Sawdust looked confused, "and I don't think any pony would with a cart strapped to them." "It's just an expression," I laughed. "Well I better get going," he said, "I'll have some alcohol ready as soon as I can. I need a little time to tinker with my rig to make sure I can do that much, but it won't be any trouble." I looked at the gas gauge, I still had just under half a tank. "That sounds great," I said, "catch you later." "Yeah," Sawdust said, "later." I figured I may as well head home and clean up before supper. I at least wanted out of the suit jacket, it was getting stuffy. Arriving home I was shocked to see a griffin outside my door. I knew those bangs. "Need something?" I asked. I had decided not to freak Gilda out by using her name. "I have a delivery for..." she looked at a slip of paper she pulled off a box she was holding, "Jerry Blade, Celestia herself placed the order." "Why would Celestia be having something delivered to me?" I thought out loud, I didn't expect the delivery griffin to know, but her being a griffin only added to the mystery. Especially since it wasn't Gabby. "I guess she figured you were hungry," Gilda held the box open to reveal a chicken dinner, "don't worry. She already had me tell Granny you weren't coming." "I didn't know griffins ate chicken," I said eyeing the food. It was still piping hot. I could tell by the steam. My mouth was watering. "Well we do," she said, "In fact, I brought my own supper. Mind if I eat here? It's a long flight back and I'm starving." "Sure, why not?" I opened the door and invited her in. --- Gilda was a lot less shallow in person. Of course, I hadn't seen her after the events with Pinkie and Rainbow in Griffinstone. Turns out Gabby opened a business just helping griffins so Gilda took the open delivery position hoping to save enough bits because she still wanted to move closer to Ponyville. Now you could have Griffin Scones delivered to your door, anywhere in Equestria. Not to mention she teamed up with the local chef. "So you deliver food all around Equestria?" I asked. "Yeah," She said, "For now, until I have a down payment on a new place. Not many griffins live outside Griffinstone though, and ponies only ever order the scones. Vegetarians. Guess that's why Celestia ordered from me, she knew you weren't." It crossed my mind that I hadn't brought that up at lunch. How did she already know about me? "I guess so," was all I could think to say. I decided to change the subject, "So you talk to Rainbow Dash lately?" "Ok," Gilda narrowed her eyes and peered at me, "I was ready to accept that you heard about the old delivery griffin, but how did you know I'm friends with Dash?" I was worried about what she was going to say, but I told her about the show anyway. Celestia never said not to tell ponies about it, so I figured it was safe. "That's pretty cool," she said, "Except for the part that makes me look like a jerk. I'll admit it's not wrong, but not cool." "For what it's worth," I said still picking at my chicken, "I kinda felt like Dash had set a lot of pranks, then directed you into them. So I never held the freak out against you, and after you helped Rainbow out of that pit. I kinda wanted to hang out, get to know the real you. Of course, I assumed at that time it could never happen." She looked down, I think she was blushing under the fine white feathers on her face. Her beak twisted into a smile. I was amazed at how much like the show it was. I expected griffin beaks to be rigid like eagles on earth, but she had the full range of expressions. Some of this place was magic after all. "Well. Am I as cool as you expected?" she finally asked in a sarcastic tone. "Even cooler," I laughed. "Good," she said, "cause if you want meat, your gonna have to go through me, and it's a long flight so I'm gonna want to hang out a bit." "Won't hear me complaining," I laughed. I wasn't just saying that so she would bring more meat either. It turns out Gilda is one hell of a smart ass. I like that in a friend.