//------------------------------// // Guest Speaker // Story: A New Era // by Bluecatcinema //------------------------------// Something new was happening at the School of Friendship. After officially becoming the new Headmare, Starlight Glimmer had discussed at length with Sunburst and Trixie the topic of new ways to enlighten their students on all the different effects friendship had on creatures. One of those ideas was to invite guest speakers to talk before the students about how friendship had impacted their lives. Starlight had exchanged letters with Twilight regarding the implementation of the idea, with Twilight being all for it, and pledging to aid in reaching out to prospective speakers. The first of these speakers arrived at the School of Friendship at mid-morning. It was Gilda, Rainbow Dash's old Griffon friend, and official friendship ambassador for Griffonstone. "Nice place." Gilda mused as she appraised the school, then glanced at the crystalline castle, acknowledging how they stood out among Ponyville's other buildings. "So much for the quaint little town I remember..." The Griffon landed at the front doors, where Starlight Glimmer was waiting for her. "Welcome, Gilda." Starlight greeted her. "So glad you could make it." "Happy to be here." Gilda nodded. "I'm guessing you're Headmare Starlight?" "That's right." Starlight confirmed. "We've got your speech pencilled in for just after lunch. So if you'll follow me to the faculty lounge, you can relax and wait until then." "Hope that means lunch is provided." Gilda half-joked. "Cuz flyin' all the way from Griffonstone to Ponyville sure works up an appetite." "I'm sure we can arrange something for you." Starlight smiled. Starlight led Gilda down the halls of the School. Gilda couldn't help but take note of the grandeur of the place, especially when compared to Griffonstone (which, while in the process of renovation, was still far from its former glory). "Pret-ty fancy." She whistled quietly. They soon reached the faculty lounge, and entered. Inside were the majority of the faculty, including Vice-Headmare Sunburst and Counsellor Trixie, along with Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Applejack and Fluttershy. "You must be our guest speaker." Sunburst noted. "Welcome." "Salutations, from the Great and Powerful Trixie!" Trixie said dramatically. "Yeah... hi." Gilda said flatly, bemused by Trixie's grandiose greeting. "Hey, G!" Rainbow Dash flew over to greet her old friend. "Great to see ya!" "You too, Dash." Gilda smiled warmly. "How's tricks?" "Can't complain." Rainbow shrugged. "Ever since those three baddies were dealt with, things have been pretty quiet 'round here. No getting called away from Wonderbolt practice or teaching to handle some big trouble for this mare." "Gotta say, I never really saw you becoming a teacher." Gilda admitted jokingly. "Wouldn't have bet my last Bit on it, that's for sure." "Well, it happened." Rainbow returned the joking tone. "Just call me 'Professor Egghead'." "Tempting as that is, I think I'll stick with 'Dash'." Gilda chuckled. "Hi, Gilda!" Pinkie suddenly popped up, startling the Griffon. "Hello, Pinkie." Gilda recovered. "Nice to see you haven't changed..." "And it's nice to see you accepted Twilight's offer to speak in front of the whole school." Pinkie replied. "Hey I owe you guys. " Gilda said modestly. "And this is one Griffon who isn't afraid to pay it forward." "Speaking of 'forward', I figured you'd really be pooped after flying all the way here from Griffonstone." Pinkie reached a hoof out of Gilda's line sight, and brought over a small blue box from out of nowhere. "So I planned ahead and made some cupcakes so you could recharge the ol' batteries!" She opened the box, revealing a half dozen of the multi-colored sugary treats within. "Sweet!" Gilda helped herself to one of the cupcakes, devouring it in one go. "'Preciate it." She said through a beakful of dough and icing. "Just a selfless gesture from one baker to another." Pinkie smiled. "While we're on the subject, you still baking those Griffonscones?" "Oh, yeah." Gilda nodded. "Even started sellin' 'em to tourists, with all the Bits goin' to help rebuild Griffonstone. The place may be a dump, but it's home." "This coming from the Griffon who once wanted nothing more than to make enough Bits to leave the place for good." Rainbow Dash said approvingly. "Now that's the kind of loyalty I like to see in my students. Hope you're planning to include some of that in your speech." "Sure am." Gilda nodded. "I've been workin' on it since I got the invite from Princess Sparkle. I just hope I don't sound like a total idiot saying it. Or a sappy goof..." "You'll be fine." Rainbow assured her. "No way a fierce, tough Griffon like you would let a little thing like public speaking get her down." "And just remember, you've got all of us behind you." Pinkie added. "We believe in you, Gilda!" "...Thanks, gals." Gilda smiled. "And I mean for everything. It's only cuz a' you that I finally understood what friendship really means. If it weren't for you two, I wouldn't even be making this big speech today." "Aww, you're welcome!" Pinkie hugged her. "Love to talk more, but I've got a class to teach." Rainbow apologised. "Me too." Pinkie declared. "But we'll be there for the big speech. Pinkie Promise!" She placed her hoof over her eye. "You better be." Gilda mock-threatened. "Like Rainbow Dash ever leaves a friend hanging." Rainbow chuckled. "I'll be there. You can bet your last Bit on that." With that, Rainbow and Pinkie left the room. With some time left before her speech, Gilda decided to unwind and enjoy the rest of Pinkie's cupcakes. It was just a matter of finding the right place to do so. Making her way around Applejack and Rarity, who were in the midst of a discussion about taking a trip to the spa at the end of the day, she walked over to the lounge's couch. Fluttershy was sitting on one side, allowing a trio of small birds to perch on her outstretched wing. "Hey, there." Gilda announced herself. "This seat taken?" "Not at all." Fluttershy answered. "Go right ahead." "Thanks." Gilda sat down. For the next minutes, Gilda enjoyed the cupcakes, one by one, while Fluttershy tended to her birds' needs. Gilda couldn't help but keep glancing over at Fluttershy. She felt an odd sense of familiarity about the Pegasus, one she just couldn't place, no matter how hard she tried. "Do I know you?" Gilda asked, unable to hold back her curiosity any longer. "No offense, but I keep feeling like I should recognise you. Though I got no clue why. I mean, Dash and Pinkie I've spent a lotta time with, and I vaguely recognise some of the other ponies in this room, but you? I can't shake the idea that I should remember you more than the fashionista, or the apple farmer..." "Oh, well..." Fluttershy hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to proceed into what could be an awkward subject. "We did have a little encounter in the Ponyville marketplace, the last time you were in town. I accidentally bumped into you, and... let's just say you didn't exactly accept my apology." A memory suddenly flashed into Gilda's mind; a memory of her roaring in Fluttershy's face, sending the terrified Pegasus running off, crying her eyes out. "Oh... Oh!" She cringed, mortified at the sudden reminder of her at her worst. "Wow. Yeah, that was... pretty bad. Sorry?" She shrugged awkwardly. "I really shouldn't have-" "That's okay." Fluttershy said kindly. "No apology needed. It was so long ago, and I know you're a better Griffon than you were back then, even if we haven't seen each other until today. It would be silly of me to hold a grudge after all this time." "I wouldn't blame ya if you did." Gilda admitted. "I was a real piece of work back then." She shook her head. "Sometimes, I think about who I used to be, all the rotten stuff I used to do to anycreature who annoyed me even a little, and I feel so ashamed." "I actually know a little bit about what that's like." Fluttershy declared. "Seriously?" Gilda raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Well, not in the sense of being 'rotten'." Fluttershy admitted. "But back then, I was a lot more shy and a lot less bold then I am today. It took a long time for me to learn to stand up for myself and be brave. And just like you, thinking about the pony I used to be can be more then a little embarassing." "Yeah, I get it." Gilda nodded. "Changing who you are isn't easy." Fluttershy noted. "We both know that. And it's all too easy to let yourself get dragged down by the shame of who you used to be." "No doubt." Gilda admitted. "Don't suppose ya got any tips for dealin' with that?" "Just one." Fluttershy smiled. "Instead of regretting who you were, you should celebrate who you've become, all the flaws within yourself that you were able to overcome. Everything that led you to where you are right know. Who you are right now." "I guess you got a point there." Gilda admitted... then emitted an ironic chuckle. "Heh. Where were you when that Tree of yours was pickin' ponies for the mission to Griffonstone?" "I still had a ways to go back then." Fluttershy said modestly. "Besides, I'm sure Rainbow and Pinkie did great back there." "Oh, yeah." Gilda grinned fondly at the memory of the experience. "They sure did." "Now that I think of it, I don't think we were ever formally introduced." Fluttershy suddenly realised. "I'm Fluttershy." "Nice to properly meet ya." Gilda nodded. "Actually, I think Dash mighta mentioned ya in one or two of her letters." "All good, I hope." Fluttershy smiled. "Pretty much." Gilda shrugged. "Like I said, it was only a couple a' times. I never even guessed it was you she was talking about." "Well, you do now." Fluttershy declared. "Nice to properly meet you too, Gilda." "Gilda?" Starlight called from the open doorway. "It's time." "That's my cue." Gilda told Fluttershy, rising off the couch. "Gotta make with the talkin'. You comin'?" "I'll be right there." Fluttershy declared. "I just need to bring Doe, Ray and Mee back to their birdhouse first. I'll definitely make it back for your speech, though." "See ya there." Gilda smiled, before following Starlight out of the lounge and back down the halls. "Wouldn't miss it." Fluttershy pledged, before carrying her birds down the opposite hallway. As Gilda was led to the auditorium, she crossed paths with Gallus and his friends, who were of course headed in the same direction. "Hey, Gallus." Gilda smiled. "Hey, Gilda." Gallus nodded. For Griffons, this seemingly casual utterance was actually considered to be one of the warmest of greetings. "So, you been keepin' outta trouble?" Gilda asked. "You kiddin'?" Gallus scoffed. "I'm practically a model student here." The look on his friends' faces made it clear they didn't quite agree with Gallus' assessment of himself. "Whatever you say, kid." Gilda rolled her eyes. "It's just good to see you're doin' okay." "Thanks." Gallus beamed. "Good luck with the speech." "Just try and pay attention." Gilda teased. "I'm pretty sure they'll be putting whatever I say on your next big test." "Will do." Gallus nodded, briefly wincing at the sound of the word 'test'. "I have to interrupt a talk between friends, but we need to hurry this along." Starlight urged. "Oh, right." Gilda nodded. "Catch ya later, kiddo." She told Gallus, before following Starlight into the auditorium-sized classroom. Once again, Gilda was bemused by the sheer scope of pony design, taking in the size of the room as she joined the faculty on the large platform in the front of the room. The students filed into the room, gradually filling up every available seat, followed by Fluttershy, who waved in Gilda's direction. Once Starlight was sure everycreature was in attendance, she stepped forward. "Okay, students." She spoke up. "As you know, we're trying something new today, something that will be a regular event at this school. We will be inviting influential creatures from across Equestria and its neighbors to speak to you about the importance of friendship. So without further ado, here is our first speaker: Gilda of Griffonstone!" Gilda approached the podium, a slight feeling of nervousness ruffling her feathers. As she'd noted before, public speaking wasn't exactly her strong suit. While she had succeeded in convincing many Griffons to embrace friendship, those had usually been one-on-one discussions, two or three at most. And now, here she was, about to speak before a crowd of dozens. As she glanced around nervously, Rainbow, Pinkie and Fluttershy gave her a set of encouraging smiles, spurring her into action. 'Here we go...' She gave her crest a quick preen, then stepped forward. "So... hi there, everycreature. Like the Headmare said, I'm Gilda, and I came all the way from Griffonstone to talk to you all about friendship means to me." "Whoo!" One of the new Griffon students whooped. "Griffonstone!" Gilda smiled indulgently at her fellow Griffon's show of hometown pride, then continued with her speech. "First things first, as I'm sure most of you know, we Griffons were never the most friendly creatures around." She acknowledged. Gallus and the other Griffon students cringed slightly at this unfortunate, yet accurate, truth. "And yeah, I used to be the same." Gilda admitted. "But when I was just a fledgling, my folks managed to scrimp together enough Bits for me to go to Junior Speedsters Flight Camp over in Cloudsdale. That was when I met your very own Professor Rainbow Dash." She indicated Rainbow, who smiled warmly. "When a bunch of bullies were making fun of me, Dash put 'em in their place, and we became friends." She smiled warmly at the memory. "But while I treated Dash like a friend, I was a real jerk to every other pony I met. And when Dash finally called me out for the way I was treating all the others, I didn't wanna hear it. So I broke up our friendship, right then and there." She sighed regretfully. "For a long time, I thought I'd made the right call. But when Dash and Pinkie showed up in Griffonstone, looking for a friendship problem to solve, they helped me remember how important Dash's friendship was to me. Thanks to them, I finally understood what friendship really means." Pinkie waved in Gilda's direction, while Rainbow smiled proudly. "And with their encouragement, I made it my mission to help my fellow Griffons understand how important friendship is." Gilda continued. "And I've been spreading that message, little by little, ever since. That's why I came here today, to tell all of you, not just Griffons, but everycreature here, just what friendship can do. How it can change a life, even the life of a grouchy bully like I used to be. Thanks for listening." Following the end of her speech, Gallus began to clap. The other Griffons followed suit, then the rest of the students, and the faculty themselves. Gilda grinned proudly at their response. Soon after, the students filed out of the room, leaving Gilda with most of the faculty. "I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure you weren't a total idiot out there." Rainbow teased. "Maybe a bit of a sappy goof..." "Very funny, Dash." Gilda rolled her eyes. "Seriously though, you were great out there." Rainbow smiled. "If you're ever looking for a change in career, you'd be a pretty good teacher." She held out her hooves like she was carrying a sign. "'Professor Grouch'. Got a nice ring to it, huh?" "Catchy... Like a bad case of feather fritz." Gilda smirked. "That was wonderful, Gilda." Fluttershy joined in on the conversation. "The students were hanging on your every word." "Thanks, Fluttershy." Gilda nodded. "I don't think it could have gone any better. I'll be headin' back to Griffonstone with my head held high." "Don't head back too quickly." Pinkie urged. "I could whip up a batch of fresh cupcakes to go. That way, you can enjoy an in-flight snack on the way home!" "I'd love that. Thanks, Pinks." Gilda accepted the offer. "Take your time, though. Griffonstone ain't goin' anywhere." "Great! BRB!" Pinkie zipped out of the room, her destination no mystery. Soon after, Gilda began her return flight back to Griffonstone, carrying the box cupcakes in her talons, and carrying a sense of accomplishment in her heart. While she had encountered an unexpected reminder of her former mean self, it hadn't stopped her from sharing her story with the friendship students. In fact, she ultimately felt as if it had helped her to get her point across, and to celebrate how much she had changed since the old days. 'Just like you told me, Fluttershy.' She smiled. Gilda continued her return flight, happy that she had once again managed to spread the ideals of friendship, a concept she had once thought little of, but know saw it for the invaluable treasure it truly was. And everycreature knew how much Griffons loved treasure. Elsewhere... The cloaked figure was making their way through a dense forest. They had been travelling for days, and were finally closing in on their target. "It won't be long now..." The figure said quietly. Pushing aside branches, bushes and creepers, the figure finally reached the edge of the forest, and arrived at their destination: The ruins of Ponehenge. "Ah, here we are." The figure remarked, as they wandered around the piles of rubble that had once been a circle of tall stones, before the Pony of Shadows had demolished it to prevent himself from being sealed away again. "Not quite what the history books would have me imagine..." The figure continued walking, toward the center of the area, which was currently being bathed in the light of the mid-afternoon sun. "Such a shame, really." They said to themself. "An ancient monument of magic, standing tall and proud for millenia, only to be torn apart and shattered in the midst of a petty squabble between ponies with more power than common sense." A snarl emerged from under the cloak. "What a senseless waste of perfectly good ancient magicks." The figure stopped as they happened upon a particularly large piece of rubble. "And yet..." The figure glanced into the markings etched onto the lump of rock. Their glowing eyes burned even brighter. "Even that which is broken can still be of use. You just have to know what to do with it." Shortly after, the figure departed from the area, leaving just a little less rubble behind.