Chapter 5 - Waking World
Gilda leaned against a small post just on the edge of the worn dock of TreePort. Night had befallen on the metropolis, a glimmering starlight, like diamonds, lit the void above. Gilda breathed out.
In her talon was a small emerald satchel, not even bigger than her knuckle, tied shut whit a fake golden string. As Gilda tossed it in the air just to catch it on its way down, the small bag let out a jingling sound as if it was filled with simple coins. It wasn’t.
Gilda took another deep breath. The warm early-summer’s wind was rushing its way through TreePort, gently rustling the leaves creating a wondrous, unrepeatable tune. The griffon smiled.
A small lantern hung above her, casting a weak light on the dock. An enchanted Blank Crystal was quietly sizzling and flickering from time to time, struggling to keep itself alive. Oh, how easily those petty enchantments wore off…
Gilda closed her eyes and smirked. Just after the airborne satchel landed back in her talon she head hoofsteps. Gilda turned her head to the darkness of the dock as her golden eyes glimmered. A large figure was slowly moving towards her. Before the figure could notice, Gilda hid the satchel in the ruffled feathery storage on her chest.
After a few moments of ominous silence the figure came into the weak circle of light. Tall, massive, wearing a red jacket and carrying a white pony over its shoulder…
“Rover…” Gilda spoke in her usual tone, only a bit more quiet than usual. “I was wondering where you went.” Gilda smirked. “No police this time? Have you lost your edge ma’ man?”
Bright neon green eyes gave a skeptical glare.
“No. I wasss at tah bar when I saw te white one at ground of stone pony.” Rover replied in his usual, gravelly voice.
“You mean… statue? Was it the one with the cello?” Gilda gave him an unimpressed look.
“Wood thing with strings ya, ya. Can go to bed now?”
Gilda sighed, but more compassionately than out of annoyance for the first time in her life. “Yea, get lost, you reek of rum. Just in the name of Celestia put Vinyl in her hammock, kay?”
The hound grumbled in response and climbed onto the ship just to disappear in the hull, seconds after. Gilda sighed and mumbled.
“Oh Vinyl… is there anything that could help you? Oh Luna, give me a sign...”
Gilda looked upwards, into the night’s brilliant sky. Just as that, a meteor whizzed by, burning up in the atmosphere in seconds.
“Well that was cliché…” Gilda laughed. She reeled back her head with smile just to see another figure approach from the shadows.
“Stargazing?” came a cynical voice.
“I'm not that kind of griffon.” Gilda smirked.
“That’s my line.”
“Are you a griffon then?”
Gilda laughed as her eyes met with a blue and blank one. Pinkamena, a dull pink mare with a heavy, straight mane and a bronze leg that gave off a dose of high pressure stream with every step, stood before the tomboyish griffon.
“You’re a bit late, arnch’ya?” Gilda smirked, but her eyes radiated warmth, even her cold golden hue had become softer, warmer.
“I couldn’t tear her away from her friends just like that. And the other one latched onto me like an adorable little leach.” Pinkamena smiled and turned so Gilda could see the two softly sleeping fillies on her back.
“Oh, come here big girl…” Gilda whispered as she lifted sleeping Scootaloo of Pinkamena’s back and placed the filly in her wing, like a cradle. “Can you help me take Dinkster inside?”
“Sure, but then I have to run. I still need to get Twist back home and then I have to make a few tabs on how much Sparkler and Checkers ate.”
“Oh… so they weren’t supposed to have take-outs?” Gilda looked surprised.
After a round of silence the dull pink mare chucked in the same dry way she did hours prior. “Let them have it. You guys deserve it after all you’ve been through.” Pinkamena softly smiled and walked towards the ship whit the sleeping filly still on her back.
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Morning came with the adorable squeaks of a yawning filly. Gilda blinked her eyes open and was greeted by the early rays of Celestia’s sun.
Curled under the griffon’s wing was a small orange pegasus filly with a fuchsia mane, commonly referred to as Scootaloo. She turned over on her back and took a long look at the griffon. Her smile radiated off from her pale purple eyes.
“Good morning mommy.” She softly spoke.
“Morn’n kiddo. Sleep well?” Gilda smiled and give the little pegasus a friendly nuggie. Scootaloo giggled and pushed Gilda’s talon away.
“I haven’t slept this good in ages.” The filly beamed.
“Well then how about a good sugary breakfast, hmm? Check’s accidentally snatched a wingfull of cupcakes from Sugarcube’s.”
“Checkers would never do that!” Scootaloo laughed and rolled off the bed. Gilda cramped her talons on the wooden frame and leaned forward giving Scootaloo a ridiculous, yet serious expression. “A pony can change on an instant...”
For a second Scootaloo’s face flashed a hint of doubt, but after that second she gave sly smile.
“I’ve been with you for a long time mommy, those tricks don’t work on me anymore.”
Gilda gave a satisfied grin and lifted herself off the bed whilst bonking her head on the wooden ceiling. She stretched out her massive wings and popped a few joints before folding them back down and fluttering a few hoofs to the ground. With that the two exited the captain’s quarters and joined the crew out on deck.
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“Soup’s up…” Vinyl groggily mumbled as she used her cobalt colored magic to place bowls on the makeshift table they’d always set up on deck.
Half-beaten bowls of stuff somewhat reminding oatmeal and flower slid across the table, stopping just before every occupant.
“Floury slop again!? For Goddess sakes we’re in EQUESTRIA, PONIES! Can’t a filly have a nice breakfast for once?!” Dinky cried out before pouting and chugging her spoon across the deck. Sparkler rolled her eyes and slumped on her seat.
“I make do with what we’ve got Dink’s…” Vinyl replied with no emotion in her voice before placing her hoof against her temples and closing her bag-rimmed eyes. “Good grief, I am never drinking again… Goddess flipping dam hangovers…” she muttered before crashing her head onto the table with a loud bang.
The crew shrugged. At least they knew Vinyl had a sweet tooth, she always made everything with sugar, and sugar could make ever the biggest mess edible. This time it wasn’t the case…
Just as every creature had taken a spoonful of the mushy breakfast… a shower of spit and oats rained upon them as everyone began to rub their tongues and gag.
“Grade A emergency, everyone evacuate to the nearest café or restaurant, that’s an order!” Gilda managed to shout out before scratching her tongue with her sharp talons trying to get the vile taste off her taste-buds.
“Vinyl you idiot, you’d put slat instead of sugar in this horrid mess!” Gilda fumed before sticking her tongue out in the air with a grin.
“Wha?” Vinyl lifted her head with a yawn. “What did I miss? Where’s everypony?”
Gilda’s eye twitched. “You know what? Forget it. Scoot?” Gilda turned to see the filly licking wooden pole that hosted the crow’s nest.
“What in the world are you doing?”
“Splinters taste better…” Scootaloo mumbled.
“Come on Scoot, let’s go…” Gilda muttered before grabbing the filly and pulling her away.
“But… splinters…!” Scootaloo mumbled before being dragged off the skyship.
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“Good grief, close your mouth kiddo, we’re in public.” Gilda laughed as she watched Scootaloo stuff her mouth full of cupcakes and muffins and loudly chew whilst constantly opening her mouth, raining crumbs all over the table.
“Youmf shure youff don’t wanst anyh?” Scootaloo managed to mumble, spraying pieces of bread all over.
“Nah, I don’t feel like it after that horrible, horrible mess…” Gilda shuddered and sipped some espresso from an ugly, pink, porcelain cup.
“I thought you had some sweets back at the ship.”
The two turned to see none other than Pinkamena. The mare had her usual, sly smile and her curtain like mane fell over her blue eye and made her look somewhat ominous.
“Yea I thought so too but apparently one of these idiots was sleep-eating.” Gilda chuckled and flicked a crumb off the table.
“I heard about the salt incident, thought you’d be the one pulling it off, not Vinyl.” Pinkamena smirked.
“Hangover’s girlfriend, they do the craziest things to you.” The two creatures giggled and Scootaloo looked clueless. She swallowed hard and spoke up.
“I don’t get it?”
“You’ll get it when you're older.” Gilda smiled and ruffled the filly’s mane. Pinkamena smiled for a moment before getting serious.
“Can I have a word? Gilda?”
“Uhh… sure. When you’re done find Checkers, kay Scoot?”
The filly nodded with her mouth full, and attacked another, rainbow colored, cupcake. Gilda walked away smiling.
Pinkamena went through the employee door and into the kitchen where she pointed to a large freezer room. Gilda shrugged and followed the mare.
As they went it, Pinkamena closed the door and just stood still as the griffon looked around in awe. Ice cream and frozen batter and frosting lined the metal shelves, next to stacks upon stacks of ice blocks.
“Cool…” Gila muttered before turning back to Pinkamena, her breath making small clouds of frost as she spoke. “So what is this about Pink’s?”
“You know me, Gilda. I'm just concerned about Scoot… You know that Dashie and I were best friends… If it hadn't been for you she’d be...”
“And if it wasn’t for Dashie, neither of us would be standing here talking to each other.”
“Who said a single mare can’t change the world…” Pinkamena slowly shifted her weight before looking back up at the griffon’s golden eyes.
“We both knew two…” Gilda whispered.
Pinkamena smiled and turned to open the freezer’s metal door.
“Scoot’s in good hooves… I just needed to make sure.” Pinkamena pushed open the door with and hiss of air.
“Four years Pink’s. I haven’t changed.” Gilda regained her arrogant tone and smirked. The mare shot a look back and let out a single chuckle before simply walking away.
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Gilda walked back out into the café just to find Pinkamena long gone. She shivered just to shake off the cold feeling of the freezer. She looked around for a moment to spot a group of her crewmembers.
At one table, sat Checkers, Sparkler, Dinky and Scootaloo who were fighting over a muffin. At the other, sat Rover and Vinyl with about seven cups of coffee and bottle of aspirin. And… Spike.
Gilda flashed a devilish smile and walked over to table number dos.
In a matter of seconds the griffon lurched forward and slid onto the couch just next to Spike, pushing the dragon against the window and making him fling his doughnut in the air. The other two flinched and Vinyl nearly crushed her paper coffee cup between her hooves.
“Miss me?” Gilda arrogantly smirked and caught Spike’s doughnut before it was on the floor. As the dragon tried to push her away she simply placed her claw behind her head and relaxed, using the struggling dragon as a pillow.
But Spike was smarter than that. He stopped struggling and jumped aside letting Gilda fall backwards. Just as that, the small dragon twirled in the air and sat down on her chest and nipped his doughnut back, while smiling just as arrogantly as Gilda.
“At least training you wasn’t a waste.” Gilda smirked with a huff before pushing Spike off her and sitting upright. She reached over and snatched one of Vinyl’s coffee’s to which she replied with a hiss.
“Mine!”
“Shut your yap Vinyl.” Gilda casually pointed out and sipped some coffee. “Dear Celestia, this thing is awful.” Gilda grinned before taking another long sip. “Horrible, horrible.” She sipped again. “Worst, in the world! Geez…”
She emptied it out and threw it on the table, before turning to Spike.
“So, where were you last night, scalewad? I was up till forever to make sure Scoot got home, didn’t see you.”
“Oh, me? I was uhh… I went to the graveyard and I met Rarity there, so we talked and then I went to her house to sleep on the couch.” Spike quickly ended with a forced toothy smile.
Gila raised her eyebrows with a small smile.
“Ya-huh. Nice try but I can see the hickey on your neck. I’ve been to flight school, kid, I'm pretty sure I know what that means.” Gilda’s smile widened a bit while Spike’s pupils shrunk to the size of crumbs. He stretched out his neck to try to get a look while the table dipped in silence.
A few moments past as the dragon’s eyes darted from one crewmember to the next. After that the other three exploded with laughter. All of them fell over, banging their claws and hoofs against the table, whipping away a stream of tears of laughter. Spike just sat there as red as the Gildedale flag.
Vinyl was the first to regain composure. She took a few raspy breaths and forced out a sentence through a veil of laughter.
“So… so-so-so! What did you do? Bwahahaha! So, so what did you do? Need any help on that front, me and Inky used to do some nasty stuff, I can give you a few tips if ya’ want! Bwahahahahaha!” She managed to push out before laughter overtook her.
“How many rounds did you and pony go?” Rover spoke up after most of the laughter had died down. “Me and bloodbrothers used to compete on how many bitches we could nail-”
“Rover!” Gilda threw an empty paper cup at the diamond dog. “Watch your tongue, we’re in a café not a bar!” she hissed.
“Whaaat? Bitch is female hound…” He just shrugged. Gilda gave him a stern look before turning and looking behind the back of the large cushioned seat.
Just as she peeked over the back, she saw a pair of ponies and small colt sitting between them, all of them hosting a confused expression. Gilda gave an awkward smile before sliding out of view and slumping down on the seat.
“Ok, all of you seriously need to learn some manners, kay?” She gave a single glare to each of the crewmembers before looking around to find half of the occupants staring at them with mixed expressions.
“Alright you know what?! Let’s go!” Gilda notably got up and pulled out a couple of bits from the bulk of feathers on her chest and threw them between the empty paper cups of coffee, before grabbing the three and pulling them away to the other table.
“Alright-o, chop, chop get off your flanks and let’s get a move on!” Gilda clapped her talons startling the rest of her crew who were casually sitting around.
“Right, then… Checkers?”
“Yes Gilda…?”
“Here…”
Gilda dug around in the feathers on her chest and pulled out a piece of paper and a pen and then threw them both over to the changeling. She turned over to Dinky and Vinyl and continued.
“Both of you, make a list for what you need, roughly a week’s worth of food and any ship parts we can get on the cheap. We’re going to Talos baby!” She snapped her fingers and turned an 180° to Rover and Spike.
“You're coming with us.”
“What! Why?” The two of them shouted in union.
“Just cuz, I'm captain, do my bidding.” Gilda smirked. “Also Rover’s a walking forklift and that’s the only reason I keep him around.” She added.
The hound opened his mouth to argue but was stopped by a pat on the kneecap. He turned to see Spike slowly nodding. “She has a point you know…”
Rover grumbled but said nothing.
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“Ok, for the love of Celestia tell me what else you can stuff in those feathers.” Sparkler mumbled as she walked by Gilda’s side down the industrial alley. The griffon had already produced a notebook’s worth of papers, a quill, two pens, a few pins, a flint and steel, about a 100’s worth of bits, a few screws, a tiny screwdriver and a tiny vial of 300 bit worth of perfume which ‘wasn’t hers’ from the ominous feathery-storage on her chest.
“Ya’ know… I think its Pinkamena’s doing. Some of her crazy, physics-defying magics’ may have rubbed off on me, so it’s better not to question it if you don’t want the universe to implode.” Gilda spoke while calmly patting Sparkler on the head which received an annoyed growl.
“Mom?” Scootaloo peered out from Sparkler’s back. “Why do we have come along?”
Gila looked at the filly. Then at the rest in front of them. Spike and Rover were arguing as usual and Dinky and Vinyl were circling Checkers like vultures trying to get the poor changeling to write down everything they were saying.
“Good point Scoot…”
“Gilda?”
“Yea, Sparkler?”
“Cant I just take the girls somewhere? Like… I dunno to see Sweetie or whatever.”
“Sweetie has lessons…”
“How didya know?” Scootaloo butted in.
“Oh, I… I ran into Fluttershy yesterday, she told me all about what the Crusaders Extended were doing.” The griffon smiled.
“Will I be able to see them again before me go?”
“‘Course you will, Scoot.” Gilda turned forward. “How about you and Sparkler go get some ice-cream and head to the park, hmm?”
“What about Dinky?” Sparkler spoke up.
“Have you even heard Dinky taking about all those gears and parts she needs? Medium this, four inch that, seven hooves in diameter that, BAH! Half the time all I can make out is ‘steel’, ‘bronze’ and ‘need’! We can’t go shopping without her, alright? But the kid doesn’t mind… she loves it… I’ll make it up to her alright Sparks? Pinkie promise.” The griffon smirked.
Sparkler blew her mane out of her face before saying anything. “Fine.”
“Alright-o then!” Gilda clapped her talons before reaching into her chest and producing a talonful of copper bits. The mare took the money with her raspberry magic and turned down the next alleyway while Scootaloo energetically waved goodbye’s to her mom.
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“So? We all set?”
Twilight was among the crew of Equinox as the streetlamps of the city lit up whit a buzz. The entire group was burdened with various supplies collected from all around the merchant district.
As the odd bunch trudged how they were greeted with various looks. Most likely for the fact that a ten-year-old filly was walking amongst a griffon with obvious carnivore and militarily-clan type of markings and a seven hoof tall diamond dog, and all of them were carrying notable equipment mean for the skies. In short-term: swords, cogs, and food - probably not mean for children under fifteen…
“Hey mom!” Out of nowhere an adorable, squeaky voice appeared right in front of Gilda. The griffon flinched and stumbled backwards into Spike, knocking him over into a pile of bags and boxes.
The innocent, discordant child just smiled and stood there as Gilda got back up on her feet. Both her wings were stretched out like giant cradles hosting various objects like ropes and boxes of small fragile thing-a-ma-bobbers Dinky had described as ‘ignobleness, quinquangular quantum defibilator escalators’ whatever the hell those were…
“Scoot you little devil, you scared the coffee out of me!” Gilda hissed at the filly. She, however, didn’t even flinch, and just kept a satisfied smile. The griffon let a single chuckle before turning around to see a pile of stuff that once was Spike.
“Come on scalewad, I want this on deck before nightfall.”
The pile stood still.
“Scalewad?”
…
“Spike? You alright?”
…
“I think he’s dead.” Scootaloo innocently poked the pile of junk. Just as that the objects shifted and large purple claw burst through, raining nuts and bolts all around.
“GAH ZOMBIE! SAVE ME DASHIE!” The filly screamed and jumped backwards for cover, drawing a few laughs from the rest of the crew.
“Look who decided to join us.” Gilda slowly clapped her talons as her voice flashed a tint of mock. The purple dragon slowly emerged from his tomb with a scowl.
“Hardy-har-har, Gilda, very mature of you… Now help me get all this junk back together!” the dragon grumbled and turned around to the pile of bags and boxes. “Why do we need all this stuff anyway? We’ll be in Talos in a week…”
“Stuff’s cheaper here than in the Black Market, alright? Besides… I have something planned for youz’ guyz’.” Gila smirked and walked over to help Spike with the supplies.
“Hey Vinyl?”
“What? I kinda’ have my hooves full.” The DJ mumbled at her captain.
“I know, I know, but can you whip out your records?”
“Why in the world would you need to-”
“Remember that one trick that one ibex nomad taught you?”
“Yea…?”
“Use it, genius.”
After a long pause the DJ sighed and closed her eyes. Her horn lit up bright cobalt and three big record disks popped in existence. Within seconds she used them to scoop up the pile of supplies without even breaking a sweat. A sly smile graced her lips.