Fire headed out of his now completed house with a sigh of relief. Today was his day off, so he could enjoy himself in Ponyville while his guards patrolled the town and kept it safe in absence. As he was heading out though, he saw a mail pony with a yellow mane and crossed eyes coming toward him.
“Delivery for Prince Fire Sword!” the mail pony said. “You have a letter here from Canterlot!”
Fire took the letter and noticed a familiar wax seal on the front. He was confident they wouldn’t make a mistake and send him letters from random ponies. Fan mail could be an issue as a monarch’s time had to be spent on important tasks. He opened it with his magic first and saw it was from his cousin, or as he actually thought of her, his sister.
Dear Fire,
I sure miss you being in Canterlot. But I hear you are enjoying yourself in the small town of Ponyville. I’ll have to come down and visit sometime, I hear Twilight Sparkle is there as well. I haven’t seen her in so many years since I stopped being a foalsitter. I hope I can see her again as well and meet your new friends that helped you defeat Nightmare Moon. I’m very proud of you, just don’t take too many risks now, please? Aunt Luna is certainly nice once you get to know her. I'm about to go on a long tour so I hope to see you again soon.
Love,
Your cousin by adoption and sister by heart,
Cadance
Fire smiled. His big sister Cadance, she’d become an alicorn at a young age and been adopted by his mother as a niece so she could learn to be a monarch someday as was her destiny when she earned her horn. She’d taken care of him when he was a colt and they’d grown super close, with her teaching him to fly and use magic when he’d been in foal school before attending the School for Gifted Unicorns. She’d been his closest family member after his mother, not anything like Blueblood. She was kind and loving, fitting since her title was the Princess of Love. Once, he'd had a major crush on her as a colt. But eventually he’d found he thought of her as more like a sister then a love interest or even cousin. She’d smiled and embraced him, saying she felt the same way and they’d called themselves honorary siblings ever since.
He went inside and put the letter on his desk then walked into town. Coming to a fountain across a bridge, Fire spotted Pinkie Pie and Twilight, with the latter laying on a bench reading a book while Pinkie chatted away.
“Hoof-biting action overload!” Pinkie said as she bounced around happily. “She was like a stunt superstar, flying higher and higher, and then Rainbow Dash swooped down—swoosh—and right before she hit the ground—shoom, she pulled up—vrrrmmm!”
“Uh-huh,” Twilight said with a disinterested expression, her eyes glued to her book.
Pinkie continued without even noticing Twilight’s disinterest. “And then she looped around and around like whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo!”
“Uh-huh,” Twilight repeated.
“Hey girls,” Fire said as he came up to them.
“Hey Fire Sword! Chop Chop! Get it?” Pinkie asked looking at him.
Fire frowned. “No, I don’t get it.”
“Cause you got sword in your name so you gotta chop right?” Pinkie asked.
“Swords don’t actually chop,” Fire corrected her. “They slice and cut, its completely different.”
“Oh,” Pinkie said. “Well, you can always cut it then!”
Suddenly a shadow passed over them. They looked up and saw it was Rainbow Dash. Pinkie suddenly took off after her with a smile.
“Phew,” Twilight said as she noticed this.
“Pinkie bugging you?” Fire asked.
“Yeah, don’t get me wrong, she’s one of my best friends, but she can still be a little…”
“Annoying?” Fire guessed.
“Yeah,” Twilight said. “I just want to be able to read in peace but she won’t stop chatting.”
“I get it,” Fire said. “Well, I’ll just leave you too it then. I think I could do with a read myself.”
“Oh, well Spike’s at the library,” Twilight said. “Feel free to check out anything you need.”
“Thanks,” Fire said as he made his way there.
Getting to the library he found it empty, aside from the books.
“Spike?” he called.
There was the sound of feet from upstairs and the little dragon soon appeared with a checklist in hand.
“Oh, hey Fire,” Spike said with a visible frown.
“Hey… Spike,” Fire said uneasily.
He seemed to often have a foul mood whenever he looked at Fire.
“I’m here looking for a book to read,” Fire said.
“We got plenty of those,” Spike grumbled. “I’m just taking an inventory of everything Twilight needs while she’s out enjoying some book time. Seems we’re running low on scrolls so I’ll have to get some later today."
“Okay,” Fire said hesitantly. “Hey, can I ask you something?”
“Sure, what is it?” Spike asked.
“Why do you, sometimes frown at me… like you’re mad at me or something?” Fire asked.
“Uh… well,” Spike sighed. “Rarity seems to like you, and I… well… like her.”
Fire frowned at him. “There is nothing going on with me and her! Besides, she likes Prince Blueblood.”
Spike sighed. “Guess we’re both stuck with her liking somepony else huh? Sorry.”
“It's okay,” Fire said managing a smile. “As long as she’s happy. Besides, there’s plenty of other mares out there, though you probably want to look for a filly around your age.”
“Maybe,” Spike said with a frown, not seeming to agree.
Fire then remwmbered he still had to find a date for the Grand Galloping Gala. But for now, he’d find a book to read. Scanning the volumes he found The Tale of Gusty the Great as well as Buck Everlasting and Daring Do. He checked them out and was about to head out as Twilight got back.
“Ah hello again, Fire,” Twilight greeted warmly.
“Hey Twilight,” Fire greeted in return. “What are you doing for the rest of the day?”
“Potion experiments,” she said.
“Cool, well I’ll leave you to that then,” Fire said as he levitated the books he’d borrowed.
“Right, see you later,” Twilight said. “Spike, do we need anything?”
“Just scrolls,” the dragon told her.
“Well, you can go get them then,” Twilight told him.
Fire exited the Golden Oaks Library and made his way through town for a place to read. He found a tree and a cluster of bushes that were right in front of Rarity’s boutique. He shrugged. Maybe she’d come out and say hello? He opened the Tale of the Gusty the Great, one of his favorite stories from foalhood about a powerful unicorn that faced the dreaded Grogar.
He read for a while and then heard someone coming. It was Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie with a… vase of flowers? That was strange, Fire thought. They brought the flowers to Rarity’s door and rang the doorbell before scurrying and hiding behind the bushes just over Fire’s shoulder as he watched.
“Is she even home?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“I don't know. This is gonna be gold!” Pinkie Pie said.
Then the top window of the door opened and revealed Rarity inside. Pinkie and Rainbow Dash sniggered as they ducked down and Fire frowned in suspicion, what were they doing?
“There she is!” Pinkie said.
Rarity looked down in front of her door and saw the flowers, she bent down with intrigue to sniff them, likely thinking they were a gift from a secret admirer. But as soon as her nose touched the flowers she suddenly began sneezing uncontrollably. Soon the sound of Rainbow Dash and Pinkie laughing filled Fire’s ears, Rarity looked and both of them saw Rainbow Dash holding a shaker of allergy powder that they’d put on the flowers. Rarity frowned at them as did Fire.
“Rarity!” he said in concern as he walked over. “You alright?”
Suddenly there was a very loud sneeze behind him and he looked to see the shaker with its contents spilled, and Pinkie had sneezed herself far away, apparently Rainbow Dash had accidentally covered her with the powder as well when she flew away.
Rarity smiled at the sight. “Well, what’s goes around comes around!”
She looked at Fire with a small smile, her nose still bearing the powder. She sneezed again and headed back inside.
“Hey Fire!” Rainbow Dash called as she flew back to him. “Me and Pinkie are pulling a few pranks around Ponyville, wanna join?”
Fire looked at her. “Maybe, as long as it’s nothing to bad.”
He then heard Rarity sneeze once more.
“But first I think I need to help her.”
He made his way into the Boutique. Rarity was trying to get to the sink but the sneezing slowed her down.
“Achoo! Achoo!”
Fire levitated a towel under the sink and ran the water before bringing it over to her face and wiping her nose for her. She sneezed a couple more times but after he was done she took a breath of relief.
“Oh, thank you Fire!” she said.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“Yes, I mean, I didn’t like sneezing my…um… face off,” she said. “But it wasn’t a bad prank, I suppose.”
Fire smiled. “Glad you think so.”
He headed outside and asked Rainbow and Pinkie what they were going to do next.
“I was thinking we could go prank Twilight!” Rainbow said. “Switch her ink with invisible ink while she’s working.”
“That sounds funny!” Pinkie said.
Fire had a bit of a mixed set of feelings about it. “I don’t know. It might be funny, but it could also mess up her experiments.”
“Ah come on, I thought you were the pranking prince!” Rainbow said.
“Yeah, but I only pulled them on snobs!” Fire said.
“Oh, come on it’s just for fun!” Pinkie said. “We spooked Spike a little earlier when he was getting scrolls and caused him to get the hiccups. Though he did burn all the scrolls.”
Oh boy, that probably meant Fire’s mother had gotten quite a few blank ones. Still-
“Alright, I suppose,” Fire relented.
He flew with them as they continued their pranking spree. Next was Twilight who was working with her potions. She went into the bathroom at one point, which enabled Rainbow Dash to sneak in and switch the ink as Fire and Pinkie waited in the tree next to the window. When Twilight returned, she put one liquid in another part of her potion system and jotted down a set of notes on a parchment nearby, only to have the notes vanish thanks to the invisible ink.
“Hmm?” Twilight exclaimed.
Fire and the two girls laughed outloud and Twilight heard, she looked out with an annoyed expression, but it quickly softened into an amused one.
Next it was time to prank Applejack, and it was a good thing that pony was super busy, and that they were all good with paintbrushes and able to paint the apples on the trees quickly. When Applejack emerged from her barn she gasped at the sight.
“Land sakes!”
Hearing the laughter nearby, Applejack quickly spotted her trio of uninvited guests with the paints. She then grabbed a bunch of apples and began throwing them at the intruders who ran. But seeing an apple that fell into a nearby barrel of water lose the paint it had acquired, she chuckled.
“Good thing those paints will wash right off, but ponies will be looking at some apples of a different color for a while!” Fire said.
That caused the two female pranksters to giggle.
“Good one, Fire!” Rainbow Dash said. “You’re a hoot!”
They headed to a pond nearby, intending to use a fake turtle to squirt some unsuspecting pony. For a while there was nothing but then Rainbow Dash sniggered from where she watched with a telescope.
“Is someone over there?” Pinkie asked with the rope to the turtle in her mouth. “Who're we gonna squirt? Who're we gonna squirt?”
“Fluttershy,” Rainbow Dash said with another chuckle.
“WHAT? “ Pinkie exclaimed in disbelief before spitting out the rope trigger. “No no no no no no! We can't prank Fluttershy. I mean, she's so sensitive. It'll hurt her feelings, even our most harmless prank.”
“Yeah, you're right,” Rainbow Dash reluctantly agreed while blowing a raspberry and looking at her friends who looked at her and saw something that made them both smile. “Huh. We need another victim who's made of tougher stuff. So, who's it gonna be?”
Pinkie Pie chuckled as Fire smirked. “Oh, I've got someone in mind,” she chuckled again. “The toughest around. Or at least one of the toughest.”
“Oh, awesome!” Rainbow exclaimed. “Who? Who? Do I know them?”
Pinkie giggled and pointed at the water Oh, yes!” she couldn’t stop giggling as she spoke. “You're very close!”
Rainbow looked into the water and saw the ink that Pinkie had put on the telescope lense on her eye. She chuckled as well and Fire did too. “Good one, Pinkie Pie!”
She held out her hoof for a high hoof, but got it out of the way when Pinkie tried to give it to her. They both laughed, then it was Fire’s turn to have some fun. He approached them with a smirk.
“Well, it was fun today pulling a few pranks,” Fire said. “Why don’t we have a little race to my house, Rainbow Dash?”
“Alright,” Rainbow said as she spread her wings. “But you’re gonna lose!”
Fire smiled and looked at Pinkie, “Pinkie, would you do the honors and say ready, set, go?”
“Sure-a-Rooney!” Pinkie squealed. “Ready! Set…”
Fire aimed his horn at Rainbow Dash whose eyes widened as she was wrapped with ropes then flung at Pinkie who just managed to say “Go!”
The two of them were bound together with Rainbow struggling against the rope.
“Hey!” she exclaimed.
Fire just grinned. “Looks like I get the last laugh!” he said as he spread his wings. “Have fun getting out of that you two damsels in distress!” he said as he flew away with a final laugh.
“Hey! I’m not a damsel in distress!” Rainbow Dash yelled as she struggled to break free from the binds.
“See you tomorrow! If you can’t break the rope just ask somepony to cut it!” Fire called after them.
…
The next day Fire was back on patrol and spotted Pinkie Pie with a hilarious outfit on.
“Hey Fire! Up for some more pranks?” Pinkie asked.
“Uh, sorry Pinkie but I have work today,” Fire said before whispering in her ear. “And don’t do a prank that gets so bad I have to arrest you.”
He chuckled to let her know he was joking and she giggled.
“Okay, well I’ll see if Rainbow Dash is up for it!”
Fire shrugged and followed her, its not like he had a certain route he needed to go on.
Pinkie Pie blew her party blower as they got under Rainbow Dash’s house. “Rise and shine Rainbow Dash! It's a brand new day and we got a lot of pranking to-“
Suddenly a creature appeared on Rainbow Dash’s house in the clouds. It was a griffon with a white eagle head, eagle front legs, and a light brown body in the shape of lion with matching tale and hind legs.
“Ooh.” Pinkie said in amazement, Fire couldn’t blame her, this was probably the first time she’d seen a griffon, he’d been pretty amazed himself when he first saw one as a colt.
“Mornin', Pinks! Fire!” Rainbow Dash said as she appeared on the roof of her house before flying down and turning back to the griffon. “Gilda, this is my gal pal, Pinkie Pie, and my guy pal, Fire Sword.”
“Prince Fire Sword,” Fire corrected. “My friends call me Fire.”
Gilda let out an eagle screech as she descended to the ground. “Hey. What's up?” she asked while looking away in a disinterested manner.
“Nothing much, except the wide-open sky for flyers like us to soar through,” Fire replied with a smirk.
Gilda chuckled and looked at him directly. “Ha, you’re not bad! You really a prince?”
“The son of Celestia herself!” Fire said putting a hoof to his chest.
“Then, where’s your crown?” Gilda asked, her eyes narrowing.
“Oh, I only wear it around here when I’m doing prince related stuff. Right now, I’m just the humble Sherriff!” Fire said.
Rainbow Dash chuckled. “Yeah the humble cheating Sherriff!” Anyway, Pinkie, Fire, this is my griffon friend, Gilda.”
“Nice to meet ya,” Fire said extending a hand to shake Gilda’s claw.
“Uh, do I have to bow or something?” Gilda asked as she took it with an uneasy expression.
“It's not really required,” Fire said with a shrug. “Maybe at formal events.”
“Good,” Gilda said managing a smile. “Meet any griffons before?”
“A few,” Fire said.
Pinkie Pie, however, looked confused. “What's a griffon?
“She's half-eagle, half-lion!” Rainbow Dash said.
Gilda spread her wings and pounced, landing next to Rainbow who she wrapped her claw around and then did a hoof and claw shake. "And all awesome. Raa. Heh-haa. Yeah, that's right!”
Rainbow Dash then went on to tell them about Gilda. “Gilda's my best friend from my days at Junior Speedster flight camp. Hey, remember the chant?”
“Sha!” Gilda said in a brush off sort of way. “They made us recite it every morning, I'll never get that lame thing out of my head!”
Rainbow Dash then got close. “Sooo...”
Gilda sighed. “Ugh. Only for you, Dash.”
The two of them rose into the air and danced while they did the chant they mentioned.
“Junior Speedsters are our lives,
Sky-bound soars and daring dives
Junior Speedsters, it's our quest,
To someday be the very best!”
They landed on the ground as they ended the chant.
Pinkie laughed while Fire smiled, but as he looked at Gilda he couldn’t help but notice her eyes were narrowing at Pinkie.
“Oh that was awesome, and it gave me a great idea for a prank. Gilda, you game?” she asked.
That seemed to get Gilda’s interest. “Huh. Well, I groove on a good prank as much as the next griffon. But Dash, you promised me we'd get a flying session in this morning.”
Rainbow Dash looked at Pinkie sadly. “Yeah, uh, well, Pinkie Pie, you don't mind, do you? Gilda just got here. We'll catch up with you later.”
Pinkie Pie looked down. “Oh. Um, well sure, no problem. Have fun you guys, I'll, uh, just catch up with you-
They were already taking off on their wings. Pinkie sighed and finished, “Later.”
She blew her party hooter sadly.
Fire put a hoof around Pinkie. “Hey, don’t worry, so Rainbow Dash has another friend. We have lots of friends too, like Twilight, Fluttershy, Rarity, Spike, and the others.”
Pinkie smiled. “You’re right! But I really wanted to hang out with Rainbow Dash today.”
“Well, better luck next time,” Fire said. “See you later.”
He flew off and returned to his patrol, leaving Pinkie looking up at the sky.
He spent time looking for anything that might look suspicious, that unicorn thief was still out there. Who knew where he could be in Equestria, using magic for the nefarious purpose of stealing from decent ponies. It was a disgrace.
Eventually it was time for lunch. He walked through Ponyville and came to the intersection near near Sugarcube Corner. He suddenly spotted Gilda with her back turned to him.
“Oh, hey! Gil-
“Hey! Gilda exclaimed in an unfriendly manner, not looking at Fire.
“Please excuse me,” A small but familiar voice said.
Fire walked around and saw it was Fluttershy that had apparently bumped into Gilda while backing up leading a family of ducks.
Gilda also apparently wasn’t going to accept an apology, because she said angrily. “I'm walkin' here!”
Fluttershy backed up fearfully as other ponies watched in shock. “Oh, um, I'm sorry. I-I-I was just trying to...
“I'm sorry, I'm sorry,” Gilda repeated in a small voice mockingly. “Why don't you just watch where you're going, doofus?
Fire frowned, unable to stand by any longer as he saw the griffon bullying his friend. He flapped his wings and placed himself in front of Fluttershy.
“Hey! Leave her alone! She bumped into you by mistake!” Fire shouted. “She said she was sorry! That should be enough for you!”
“You stay out of this Princey! My problem is with the lame pony!” Gilda said.
“Nopony… or griffon… bullies and insults my friends!” Fire roared. “You wanna fight?”
Gilda just frowned. “Whatever. All these lame ponies are driving me buggy. I gotta bail!”
She flew off. Fire watched, his golden eyes burning with anger before they soon turned to Fluttershy with a kinder light.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
She nodded to show she wasn’t hurt, but tears still formed in her eyes “She was just… so mean!”
Fire wrapped a hoof around her to comfort her. “Shh. It’s okay, she’s gone now.”
He stroked her back for a moment and then and then pulled away. “Come on, let’s go somewhere quiet.”
He led her to the Golden Oaks library nearby. Twilight was there, she looked at them as they entered and saw Fluttershy’s face in tears before getting up from her desk in concern.
“What happened?” she asked.
“Rainbow Dash’s so called ‘friend’ Gilda was bullying Fluttershy!” Fire said.
“Gilda?” Twilight repeated. “Pinkie told me about her! I thought she was just being jealous!”
“Pinkie was here?” Fire asked.
Twilight nodded. “She came in claiming that some griffon had stolen Rainbow Dash away from her and that she was a grumpy meaney pants. I guess she was right. What did she do?”
“She yelled at Fluttershy just for bumping into her by accident and then made fun of her for stuttering. I know that can a be little annoying… no offense Fluttershy, but it’s just that you’re well… shy. You didn’t deserve that!”
Fluttershy sniffled a bit. “I’m sorry I’m so shy.”
Fire put a wing around her and pulled her closer. She leaned on him, soaking his coat with her tears. Twilight put a hoof over her mouth and walked over, wrapping her hooves around them as they comforted Fluttershy.
“It’s just the way you are,” Twilight said. “And it’s not your fault. Its Gilda’s. Hopefully she’ll be out of here soon.”
There was a knock on the door and Pinkie Pie burst in, “Hey! I’m putting on a party and everypony’s invited! Its for Rainbow Dash’s friend Gilda!”
Twilight looked at her. “Pinkie! I- wait what? You just said a little while ago Gilda was a grump!”
“Yeah, but maybe if we show her a good time it will change her!”
Fire sighed. He couldn’t really arrest Gilda since he’d only seen her being a jerk.
“I don’t really think she deserves a party! I saw her bullying Fluttershy!” he said.
“Oh, you too?” Pinkie asked. “Well I saw her stealing from a fruit stand and that!”
“You did?” Fire exclaimed. “Okay, we need to have some charges pressed against her!”
“Hold on!” Pinkie Pie said. “That might just make her even worse! Let me try first, please!”
“Pinkie…” Fire said. “We can’t let her just get away with being not only a bully, but a thief as well.”
“Please! Please! Please!” Pinkie begged taking his hoof.
Fire sighed. “Fine.”
“I’m sorry I accused you of misjudging Gilda,” Twilight said to Pinkie. “Looks like I misjudged you.”
“That’s okay, Twilight!” Pinkie said forgivingly. “Even you can’t be a super smart super smarty-pants all the time!”
“Well, let’s give this a try,” Twilight said. “If it doesn’t work, then you do what you have to, Fire.”
The Sheriff Prince nodded. They made their way to Sugarcube Corner where they met with Rainbow Dash and came up with a party plan, though they left out certain details like Gilda’s rudeness for the moment.
“Welcome, welcome. Welcome!” Pinkie Pie said as everyone walked in.
“Who's this Gilda I've heard nothing about?” Applejack asked Rarity as they stood in a corner near Fire.
“I hear she's an old friend of Rainbow Dash. A griffon, so rare,” Rarity commented.
“Yeah, even I rarely see them,” Fire said. “And it’s not always pleasant. This one certainly wasn’t.”
“What do you mean?” Rarity asked.
“She was rude to Fluttershy earlier,” Fire told them. “Made her cry.”
“Well, that ain’t right! Why’s Pinkie even throwing this party, then?” Applejack asked.
“I don’t know, maybe she’s hoping to make friends with and change her,” Fire said. “But I don’t think it will end well. But don’t worry, I’ll be here to protect you girls if she gets out of hoof.”
He winked at them. Rarity smiled with a blush.
“Oh, how very gracious of you, noble prince!” she said as she circled him and pressed her cheek to his, causing him to blush as well.
“Thanks, but I reckon I can handle myself. Most of the time,” Applejack said.
Fluttershy, meanwhile, walked over to Pinkie. “Um, Pinkie Pie, about this party for Gilda. Umm... do you really think it's a good idea? I mean…”
Pinkie Pie just smiled and ruffled her mane. “Don't worry your pretty little head about mean old Gilda. Your auntie Pinkie Pie's got it all taken care of!”
This form of coddling caused even the kind Fluttershy to frown in annoyance. “I'm a year older than you.”
Fire walked over to her. “She’s just trying to have your back like any friend would do. And if I’m being honest you maybe older but you’re not very assertive.”
Fluttershy sighed. “You’re right. I wish I could change that.”
At that moment, Gilda arrived. Noticing this, Pinkie Pie bounced over to her. “Gilda! I'm so honored to throw you one of my signature Pinkie Pie parties, and I really, truly, sincerely, hope you feel welcome here amongst all us pony folk.”
She extended her hoof for Gilda to shake. The griffon hesitated a moment and then took it, only to receive a shock from an electric buzzer around Pinkie’s hoof. Pinkie laughed at this and Fire chuckled as he saw, feeling it served her right. It might not have been intended as revenge but it was as good as for Fire. But looking at Gilda as she got up, she looked pretty angry. Fire narrowed his eyes and began to step forward in case she was about to get mean again.
Fortunately Rainbow Dash stepped in with a laugh. “Oh Pinkie Pie, the old hoof-shake buzzer. You are a scream.
Gilda said in an insincere tone and with a forced chuckle. “Yeah uh, good one, Pinkie Pie.”
“Come on G, I'll introduce you to some of my other friends!” Rainbow said.
“Right behind you, Dash!” Gilda said for all to hear then exchanged some whispers with Pinkie Pie that Fire couldn’t hear.
After a moment of whispering with Gilda, Pinkie Pie addressed the attendees. “Everyone, I'd like you all to meet Gilda, a long-time, dear friend of Rainbow Dash. Let's honor her and welcome her to Ponyville!”
She hugged Gilda, much to the surprise of all her friends (except for Rainbow Dash). All the other ponies at the party cheered.
"Please help yourself!" Pinkie Pie said gesturing to a table.
Gilda spotted the sweets on it with intrigue. "Vanilla lemon drops. Don't mind if I do." She said, beginning to chew. After a few moments, she made a sour face and released a roar of fire. "HOT!" She cried out. Pinkie Pie even roasted a marshmallow with the flames.
"G, the punch!" Rainbow yelled for Gilda.
Gilda ran to the punch bowl but received another surprise when the glass leaked out onto her chest rather then into her mouth.
"Well, whaddya know, pepper in the vanilla lemon drops, and the punch served in a dribble glass!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed.
"Ha! Priceless! Priceless!" Rainbow Dash said with a laugh.
Gilda raced over to another drink that was prank free. She chugged the drink and gulped. "Yeah, HILARIOUS." She said, anger clear in her eyes.
"Hey G, look! Presents!" Rainbow Dash indicated several boxes of presents lying on the table. Gilda immediately ran over to the presents with a grin.
She began with a cylinder-shaped present, which had several fake snakes shoot out and ruffle her feathers, causing the attending ponies to laugh.
"Spittin' snakes!" Applejack said. " Heh, somepony pulled that prank on me last month."
"I bet I know who THAT was." Gilda said with fake laughter again.
"You DO?" Pinkie Pie asked.
The party went, Fluttershy led a group of birds in song. Then Pinkie Pie announced, "Cake time everypony!"
"Hey, can I blow out the candles?" Spike asked hopefully.
"Why don't we let Gilda blow out the candles, Spike. She IS the guest of honor after all." Twilight said to him, apparently having forgotten Gilda’s bad deed.
"Exactly!" Gilda pushed Spike out of the way.
Fire frowned at the sight, feeling the urge to hit her right there. Gilda took a deep breath and blew out the candles. But they lit up again, Gilda noticed and tried to blow them out once more but they just did the same thing. Every pony began laughing once again. with Gilda trying to blow out the candles to no avail.
"Re-lighting birthday candles, I love that prank! What a classic." Spike said.
"Now, I wonder who could've done that!" Pinkie Pie replied.
"Yeah, I wonder," Gilda said.
Spike then dug through the cake like a mole. "Mmm, who cares? This cake is amazing!" He emerged from the top.
"SPIKE!" Twilight scolded.
"What?” he asked cluelessly. “It was great, try some."
Gilda was looking really mad now.
"Hey G, you're not upset about some silly candles, are you?" Rainbow Dash asked, apparently noticing this.
"No way Dash, like I said, I'm down with a good prank." Gilda replied, trying to avoid exploding in front of her friend.
Fire could practically feel her getting ready to crack. A couple more and it would probably do it. But he sighed. Pinkie’s plan was obviously not working. It was time to end this.
He approached her. “I think Gilda’s more upset about being pranked so many times. I don’t think she really appreciates this party at all.”
“What?” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.
“Finally, somepony who gets it!” Gilda said in relief.
“You… don’t like the stuff at the party?” Rainbow Dash asked in surprise.
Gilda shook her head and spread her wings before flying up and announcing for all to hear. “No way! It’s all just so lame! THIS is your idea of a good time? I've never met a lamer bunch of dweebs in all my life! And Pinkie Pie, you, you are queen lame-o with your weak little party pranks! Did you really think you can make me lose my cool?”
Unfortunately, she had just lost her cool.
“Well, Dash and I have ten times as much cool as the rest of you put together. Come on Dash, we're bailing on this pathetic scene," Gilda said as she turned to leave.
Rainbow Dash, however, stayed right where she was, her face forming an angry expression on her face.
"COME ON, Rainbow Dash. I SAID we're leaving," Gilda said.
"You know Gilda…" Rainbow Dash said. "I was the one who set up all those weak pranks at this party."
"WHAT?" Gilda gasped.
"OOH." Pinkie Pie exclaimed.
"So I guess I'M queen lame-o." Rainbow Dash continued.
"Come on, Dash, you're joshing me." Gilda said, laughing feebly.
"They weren't all meant for you specifically; it was just dumb luck that you set them all off," Rainbow Dash said.
"I shoulda known, that dribble cup had Rainbow Dash written all over it." Pinkie Pie said.
"No way. It was Pinkie Pie." Gilda continued acting stubborn. "She set up this party to trip me up, to make a fool of me."
"Me? I threw this party to improve your attitude. I thought a good party might turn that frown upside down." Pinkie Pie said twisting her neck.
"And you sure didn't need any help making a fool of yourself." Rainbow Dash walked up to Gilda. "You know, this is not how I thought my OLD friend would treat my NEW friends. If being cool is all you care about, maybe you should go find some new COOL friends someplace else."
"Yeah?" Gilda stuttered. "Well you... you... you are such a, a flip-flop! Cool one minute and lame the next! When you all decide not to be lame anymore, gimme a call!"
She made to leave, only to find Fire blocking her way.
“I don’t think so! You’re under arrest for theft!” Fire said as his horn lit up.
He shot a beam of magic at her and a cage suddenly trapped her.
“Hey, let me out of here, you lame prince!” she shouted.
“Sorry, but you need to learn a lesson!” Fire said. “Guards!”
His guards appeared at the door.
“Take this griffon and keep her to the cellar in Warm Heart Tower, make sure she is fed at least,” Fire said.
They saluted him and the Unicorn members lifted the cage and took Gilda away.
“Let me out of here!” the griffon shouted.
“Don’t worry, since you only did one known theft of a small apple I’m only be able to keep you here a maximum of 24 hours according to Equestrian law!” Fire called. “But I’d recommend you really think about stuff with that time!”
He turned to the others.
"NOT cool." Rainbow Dash exclaimed. “Well, her I mean, not you Fire.”
"Yeah, talk about a party pooper." Spike said.
Other ponies began muttering about the event.
"I'm sorry everypony, for bringing Gilda here." Rainbow Dash said looking around. "I didn't know how rude she was, and Pinkie Pie, I'm really sorry she ruined that awesome party you put on for her."
"Hey, if you want to hang out with party poopers, that's your business." Pinkie Pie cheerfully replied.
"I'd rather hang out with you. No hard feelings?" Rainbow asked.
"No hard feelings," Pinkie agreed extending a hoof to shake.
But they both had hoof buzzers on that shocked them, they both laughed at that.
“Well, this party is still in full swing!” Pinkie Pie said. “So, let’s just finish it off!”
They did so. Fire helped himself to the food and sweets then was approached by a familiar mare.
“Hello Moondancer,” he said.
“Hi Fire,” she said. “That was a pretty cool thing you did trapping her in that cage. She was pretty bad, me and the others from Canterlot saw her shouting at Fluttershy and you defend her. I’m glad somepony at least is willing to take action, or she might have just simply walked away without any form of punishment at all.”
“I’m the sheriff here,” Fire reminded her. “I can’t just let her get away with stealing and bullying my friends.”
“That’s what I like about you,” Moondancer said with a blush. “You’re smart, protective, kind, always there for your friends when they need you, talented with magic, and strong. If it weren’t for you, I probably would have sealed myself off from all my friends. Any mare would be lucky to be with you.”
Fire looked at her. “Uh… thanks. Wait… you… like me?”
Moondancer blushed deeper. “I guess you could say that. I’ve always thought of you as a great colt at school but was too shy to say anything.”
Fire managed a smile. Moondancer was a good friend, though he wasn’t sure he thought of her like that. She was… not bad looking, but… he wasn’t certain she was the kind of mare for him. Still she was smart, having been one of the Top 3 in their class at the School of Magic alongside Twilight and himself. He could admire that at least.
…
Twilight, once she was back in the library with Fire and the others, wrote a letter to the Fire’s mother. She read it aloud for them.
Dearest Princess Celestia,
Today I learned that it's hard to accept when somepony you like wants to spend time with somepony who's not so nice. Though it's impossible to control who your friends hang out with, it is possible to control your own behavior. Just continue to be a good friend. In the end, the difference between a false friend and one who's true will surely come to light.
Your faithful student,
Twilight Sparkle
“Sound good, Twilight,” Fire said.
“I’ll go ahead and send it then!” Twilight said.
“Hold on!” Pinkie said as she drew a bottle of invisible ink. “Send this with it!”
“But that’s invisible ink!” Twilight said. “Are you trying to prank the princess?”
“Yeah, well we’re at it we might as well try and pull off a royal prank!” Pinkie said.
“I agree! That would make it the best pranking spree of my life!” Rainbow Dash said.
“You sure we won’t get in trouble for this?” Rarity asked.
“I doubt it! My mom likes a prank now and then!” Fire said. “It spices things up! I say go for it!”
Twilight sighed. “Okay.”
She took the scroll and wrapped the ink bottle in it then gave it to Spike who blew and sent the scroll to the princess.
…
It appeared in Celestia’s chamber and she opened it, causing the ink to pop out.
Dear Twilight Sparkle,
My most faithful student.
She began to write, only to have the words vanish as she did so. The ink label suddenly came off and revealed the invisible ink.
“Oh! Heh, wrong ink.” Celestia said with a chuckle as she got use the right ink and began writing again.