Euphoria.
Excitement.
Anticipation.
These three ideas...I can feel them. So, I guess I must be...human, no?
But that doesn't matter now.
My next prey is just there...Right near Ponyville...
Ponyville? How in the world do I know the name of this place...?
Doesn't matter.
I need to scare her, first. This griffin, she needs to be...
How do I know it's a she?
Doesn't matter now! I have to scare her! I'm hungry, and I need her pain!!
Maybe I could just show up in front of her, and attack her?
Yes, yes, that's good...I'll come up, out of the ground, right there! Yes, that's a good idea...
What!? Dammit, how am I going to follow her now! I was not ready for this! I was not ready for that!
How an going to chase her into the sky!? I can't make my things grow out of thin air! I need to use an actual, physical basis for it!
Urgggghhh.....I'm not going to get my pain, after all....I need to tell him, I need his help again...
Dammit...It can fly...I was not prepared for this...I can't chase it up there!
But I'm still hungry...
I need prey...
There are cattle there, in the woods...
Yes, a worthy source of food...
For now...
Peter
I'm roused from my slumber by a firm shake.
I mumble something, and snuggle deeper into Rainbow Dash's chest. I don't want to be bothered right now...
"I failed."
I open my eyes with a frown. I look towards the source of the voice, and I quickly extricate myself from the cyan Pegasus' grasp.
"What are you doing here?" I hiss at Grendel. He simply stares at me with his blank eyes, and I sigh. "Come with me..."
I escort him outside, and stand with him in a small alleyway. "You can't let yourself be seen by ponies. They don't know what you are. They won't understand..."
He simply stares at me, and then continues to speak his own side of our conversation.
"She got away. She flew. I wasn't prepared to attack something that could fly."
I sigh, and pinch my forehead. "Are you still hungry?"
"No. I killed an animal. Its pain was pleasing."
I nod, and I feel an exhilarating sense of relief.
I'm not responsible, I realize. I'm not responsible for the death of another living being!
I feel like throwing a party, but that wouldn't be appropriate. Instead, I sigh, and nod to him. "Next time, we'll go after something easier. So, leave her alone for now. Just to get some rest, okay? We'll be more careful next time we choose your prey."
He nods, and leaves, presumably to rest. Not one to stand on ceremony, eh?
"Peter?"
I turn with a jump at the call of my name. Rainbow Dash is standing in the alley, and is rubbing her eyes as she stares at me. "What're you doing up?"
"I needed some fresh air," I respond.
"In an alleyway?"
I shrug. "It was too fresh outside," I respond with a sheepish grin.
"Or maybe," she whispers, joining me in the alley with a sly smile, "you just wanted some alone time with me..."
I smile back, and we proceed to kiss. I can tell that she's kissing me mostly out of concern, and I make sure to let her know that I'm okay. As we separate, she looks up at me with wide eyes.
"Are you okay, babe?" She asks. "You were crying so much back there..."
I nod, and smile down at her. "Yeah, I'm...I'm feeling much better..."
She smiles, and nods her head towards the exit of the alleyway. "C'mon. Let's get back inside..."
As I follow her, I notice that there is a furious flapping in the wind.
"RAINBOW DASH!" We both turn as a griffon lands just before us, and gives me a menacing glare. "Don't you dare hurt my friend!" She growls. I raise my hands in surrender, and back away into the guest chambers.
"Okay, I won't," I respond. "Just please, don't hurt me."
She frowns at me. "After you tried to attack me? Yeah, right!"
I have no time to react as she launches herself at me. After I tried to kill her? What is she talking about?
She tackles me, and we both fall back into the guest chambers, much to the surprise of all the ponies there. They back away from us as the griffon holds me down.
As the griffon pins me to the ground, Rainbow Dash storms up behind her.
"Gilda! Get off of my boyfriend!"
Silence. That's all I can hear in the room. Silence as everypony finds out that we're in a relationship.
"But this thing tried to kill me!" Gilda cries out. Despite her opposition, she loosens the pressure on my limbs.
"He was here," Rainbow Dash says. "And he was sleeping in my bed, crying his eyes out."
Gilda looks down at her, and I nod. "Plus, the thing that killed you was totally black and had white eyes, right?"
She frowns at me, and I can hear the gears turning in her griffon mind. "How did you know?"
"I saw him," I respond. "He's not me, I assure you."
She blinks, and finally lets me back up. "Sorry. I thought you were trying to hurt Dash..." She mutters with a light blush.
I shrug, and Rainbow Dash walks up to Gilda.
"Why are you here?" She demands. Whoa, right to the point. No pussyfooting around, just right to the question undoubtedly on everypony's mind.
"I heard about what happened," Gilda responds. "I...I know you guys don't consider me your friend," she says slowly, turning to face the group of ponies around her, "but I came to give you my condolences, and my apology."
Another stunned silence in the room.
"Wow, Gilda," Rainbow says. "You've matured a lot since we last met."
"No, I haven't," the griffin responds. "But I've decided that it's not right to keep some stupid grudge when Twilight's just lost somepony important to her."
Rainbow smiles, and so does Twilight.
"Twilight Sparkle," Gilda continues, walking up to the lavender unicorn. I can tell that she's swallowing her pride, and I can't help but revel in Rainbow's admiration. "I am truly sorry for all the troubles I have caused you, and your friends, during my visit to Ponyville. And I want you to know that I understand your plight, as I recently lost somegriffin close to me, as well. If you ever need any help, Rainbow and I are here for you. And if you want me to leave, I'd understand that perfectly. But, with your permission, I'd like to visit Spike's grave, and pay my respects."
I feel a warming sensation spread throughout my heart. It seems as though death strengthens people, and helps them to see the world as it truly is, as well as the pain that they have caused...And Gilda has most definitely matured. I can't help but admire her.
"Of course," Twilight responds, with tears in her eyes. "You have no idea how much this means to me, Gilda..."
Gilda nods, and smiles sadly at Twilight. "No, I do."
"Who did you lose, Gilda?" I ask, softly. I'm the only one who has picked up on the fact that she wants to be helped, as well.
"My father," she responds, turning to face me. "After losing him, I...I realized how stupid I had been, to want Rainbow all to my own. Because now...I would give anything to have him back..." She starts to tear up, as well, and Twilight embraces her. The two simply cry onto each other's shoulders for a few moments, before pulling apart with small smiles.
"You're a true friend, Gilda," Rainbow Dash says softly, resting a hoof on the griffin's side. "And a truly great griffin."
Gilda smiles, and hugs the cyan Pegasus. Rainbow Dash bears a rather shocked look, before hugging back her long-lost friend with a vigor to match that of Hercules.
"I'm so sorry about your father," the cyan Pegasus says as they part. "We'll have to visit him sometime. I need to pay my respects, as well."
Gilda nods with a smile, and turns to Twilight.
"Speaking of paying respects...Twilight? Could you come with me?" Twilight nods, and the two leave the guest chambers, Gilda closing the door behind her.
And, just like that, the visit has ended just as abruptly as it started.
"Why didn't you guys say anything?" Rainbow asks, a harsh bite in her voice. "Pinkie, even you didn't say anything. I thought you'd at least be happy to know that she was sorry." She looks to each of the ponies, each of whom remain silent. "Well? Why didn't you say anything!? You may as well have ignored her!"
I can tell that Rainbow Dash is getting increasingly frustrated, and I back off a bit to give her room. There are times when she needs an arm to hold her, and other times when she needs to vent and get answers.
"Even when she said that something had tried to kill her, you didn't even react!" Rainbow cries. I must admit, I hadn't even noticed. I almost brushed it off right after she said it, and jumped right to the fact that she was trying to apologize.
"Well, we didn't want to do anything until you did, Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy responds, softly and slowly. "We knew you were still angry at her, and, well...We didn't want to say anything unless you did. But the question you asked kind of killed that opportunity, mostly because she wasn't talking to us when she answered. She was talking to Twilight, and to you, and through you, to Peter."
Rainbow Dash shakes her head. "What!? That's ridiculous! She apologized to all of us! You could have at least acknowledged it!!" She's getting even more frustrated as she struggles to wrap her head around this. "Why didn't you at least say 'thank you'?!"
Pinkie Pie sighs. "Because we didn't want to be her friend, Rainbow Dash."
Wow. I was not expecting that. Especially not from Pinkie Pie.
"Excuse me?"
"We don't associate ourselves with ruffians like that," Rarity chips in. "She may have lost her father, but she will return to her vile ways soon enough. It was a nice gesture, and I can understand your willingness to accept an apology from an old friend. But you have to understand that she would repeat the mistakes of the past."
Rainbow Dash seems to calm down, and she sighs in defeat. However, I know that she is far from calm. "I know, it's just...Before Fluttershy, she was my only friend in Flight School, y'know?"
"But you've got to move on," I say. Rainbow looks to me in desperation as I speak, and I can tell that she hopes that I have some wise words to give her. "You have new, better friends. She was your only friend then, but that doesn't mean she was ever a good one, or ever will be. You were friends with her because you had no choice, as everypony else pushed you away. But now, you're accepted by all your friends. So, would you rather be friends with a griffin that acted as your fallback, and an overall negative influence; or move on, and become your own Pegasus, with better friends?"
Rainbow blinks, and, after a few moments of silent thought, she nods. "You're right. I'm...I'm going to send her back home today..."
"Good idea," I respond. "She'll probably be grateful to go, anyway. If Twilight hasn't sent her home already."
As if on cue, the door opens, and Twilight walks in, alone.
"Gilda went back home," she says, softly. "All she wanted to do was say sorry. But she said she couldn't come back. She said it was too much for her. So, she left."
It's all presented in a very efficient manner. She doesn't even say "sorry," or "it was nice seeing her," or anything. She just says, "she went home."
I nod, and so does Rainbow Dash, who quickly regains her composure.
However, the lavender unicorn is far from being composed.
"I need a fucking drink," she mutters. Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Rarity all gasp at the harsh language, and Applejack's jaw clenches, most likely because of the fillies present.
"Ditto," I sigh. While I may be relieved that I'm not responsible for a death, the fact that I almost was still has me rather shaken, and ridiculously so. Just thinking of it gives me a shortness of breath...
"I could go for a few, too," Rainbow Dash chips in. The three of us exchange glances, and turn to the rest of the ponies in the room.
"You guys wanna tag along?" I ask.
"No, thank you," Rarity says. All the other ponies respond in likewise formats, except for Scootaloo.
"Count me in!" The filly cries.
"Whoa, there," Rainbow says, holding up a hoof. "You're too young to drink, buddy. This is a grown-up thing, okay?"
Scootaloo pouts, and Rainbow Dash smiles down at her.
"You know what? You two go on ahead. I'm going to stay here, alright?" Rainbow says with a smile. Twilight and I nod, and exit the guest chambers. I follow the unicorn to a rather quaint pub, just on the outskirts of town. She opens the door, and we enter the darkened tavern, hoping desperately that getting some drinks may help to assuage the tempests raging in our minds...