Misperceptions (v2)

by Winter Quill


1: Guilt

Misperceptions v2
By: Winter Quill

Adapted from the original "Misperceptions" by Arbiter Balemead

1: Guilt

Twilight Sparkle thought it was a perfect summer day in Ponyville. The sky was a textbook shade of blue without a cloud in sight. The smell of the early morning showers was still lingering and the ground had just a hint of moisture to it, but not enough to be muddy. In her mind there was only one way to spend a day like this; curled up under a tree with a book, or even better a brand new book!

She trotted along the road, Spike riding on her back while half asleep. He was tired out because she had woken up early so she could get to the shop the moment it opened but the book was that important. She didn't mind his napping, he was a growing dragon after all and needed his rest.

With quick steps she walked up to the door of the town library, which also happened to be her home. She was going to pick up a blanket to rest on and maybe a light lunch before heading to her favorite reading spot and the anticipation was driving her to distraction. Though she wasn't so distracted that she couldn't hear someone inside the library.

"Twilight?" Spike asked with a yawn, waking up as she reached the library.

"We have a guest," she said, reaching up with one hooves and pushing open the door. She had no idea who might be in the library but they were more than welcome. It was open to everyone in Ponyville, no matter who they were. Every pony or donkey was welcome, from the youngest foal to the oldest stallion. Pushing the door open she was about to welcome the library patron only to have the words turn to ash in her mouth. Her mind couldn't quite make sense of who she saw pacing across the wooden floor.

"Gilda?" she gasped.

The griffon froze in place, her hand resting on top of a hard bound book. For a moment she seemed to be at a loss for words, her beak moving without making a sound. Finally she seemed to compose herself before turning to face the purple pony.

"I-uh..." she said, the words seeming to flee her as fast as they came.

Twilight took a step towards the griffon. She hardly knew Gilda, only exchanging a few words with her at Pinkie's party before she had stormed out after her fight with Rainbow Dash. She was a stranger, but even a stranger was welcome in the library as long as they behaved themselves and didn't damage the books.

"Can I help you?"

Gilda cleared her throat. "I need your help... with... friendship... stuff..." she said, her voice falling to a whisper. The cringe on her face made it look as though asking for help from the equine librarian caused her physical pain.

Her request was met with two blank stares from the unicorn and the dragon on her back. From what she could tell the griffon was being honest in asking for help and from the way her wings fidgeted against her back it was clear she didn't want to be there.

"Spike?" Twilight said, not taking her eyes of their visitor.

"Yeah?"

"Would you please go make us some tea?"

Her young assistant nodded and jumped clear of her back, hurrying into the kitchen and leaving the two of them alone together. A thousand thoughts raced through her mind as she looked at the griffon, all the things Pinkie Pie had said about her and how she had acted at the party. She had been angry and needlessly cruel, but that was gone now and it left her looking deflated.

Without a word she closed the door and walk across the library to take a seat at the table then motioned for Gilda to do the same. They sat in silence, looking across the table at each other each one waiting for the other to speak. She looked different than how Twilight remembered her; she still had the large pompadour of feathers over her face but they were sagging down over her face. The purple eye shadow was missing as well, leaving her with just the natural color of her feathers to highlight her golden eyes.

The silence lasted until Spike brought the tea on a small platter. "Thank you, Spike. Now would you please go over to Rarity's, and don't tell her about this, please?" she asked.

The young dragon frowned, looking between the two women. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure," she replied, giving her assistant a reassuring smile.

"Okay, Twilight, if you're sure," he answered then reluctantly waddled away, only stopping at the door to look back one last time before stepping out of the library.

The moment the door closed behind him Twilight reached out with her telekinetic magic and locked it behind him. This was not the time for her to be disturbed. She turned her attention back to Gilda, not taking her eyes off the griffon as she used her magic to pour the tea and then lift the cup to her lips.

Gilda watched her in return as she carefully lifted the tea cup with one talon and took a slight sip of it. Her beak pulled into a frown the moment she tasted it and tried to spit it back into the cup without her host noticing.

"So… how can I help with you friendship 'stuff'?" Twilight finally asked, pushing the sugar bowl across the table.

"I..." her eyes fell from Twilight's as her voice caught in her throat. The feathers along her neck started to ruffle out in frustration but instead of soothing them down she started to spoon some sugar into her tea. Once she had regained her composure she tried again. "I've been trying to find a way to win Dash back," she said.

"Win her back? You realize that it's been almost a year, don't you?"

The griffon seemed to be about to snap something, but bit the words back. "I know... but at least she won't hate me as much now as she did a month after the party, right?" she asked with a weak smile as her wings sagged against her back.

Twilight flicked her ears back and frowned in a way that made it clear she thought very little of that logic. "Yes, the anger will be gone, but I don't think she'll appreciate how long it took you to apologize. You are planning to apologize?"

"Duh! What else would I do?" she asked, taking another sip of her tea before making another face and setting it to the side; apparently there was nothing that could be done to improve her opinion of the flavor.

"It might take more than just words," the pony explained as she took another sip of tea. From the look on her visitor's face it was clear that she didn't really understand what she meant by that. "Think about it this way: Say I kicked you and waited a week to say I was sorry when I was actually sorry the whole time. You would want more than just a simple apology, right?"

"Uh... I suppose," Gilda replied, her wings dropping to the ground. Apparently it had never crossed her mind that Rainbow Dash might not have accepted her apology. She slumped down further as she thought about it, trying to hold onto her cool composure. "She was my best friend. I don't want to lose her."

The librarian could tell she was near tears, apparently the thought of losing her old friend was almost too much for her. It was a strange sight, she had seemed like such a tough griffon during the party but now it seemed like she was ready to fall apart.

"I didn't mean to upset you," Twilight said gently, moving around the table to sit next to Gilda, offering her a shoulder if she needed it.

All the griffon did was to move a few inches away while still trying to compose herself.

"Why did you wait so long to come back?"

"Are you kidding? If I had come back right away she would have kicked my tail all over the sky. After that I just couldn't work up the guts to come back. Then I began to think she didn't deserve someone as bad as me, so for a while I just gave up all hope of it..." she trailed off, slumping down again.

Twilight moved a bit closer to her. "What changed your mind?"

The griffon started to say something but bit the words off with a snap of her beak and a shake of her head. After taking a moment to think about she started to explain: "I felt bad about yelling at her and about how I treated her. I knew I needed to apologize," she said, dropping her head down until her chin was resting on her feathers, her golden eyes wavering slightly. "I couldn't live with myself if I didn't know whether I could win her back."

"What made you come to me first? Why didn't you go straight to her?"

Gilda looked up, a frown pulling at her flexible beak. "I'm... I'm not good with apologies, I never know what to say. You are one of her friends, you know her, and you're supposed to be studying friendship for your princess. I couldn't think of anyone else to come to for help."

The purple pony nodded her head as a smile flashed over her face. "Well... she probably still likes you but just not with the whole yelling at her friends over a few pranks."

Her golden eyes drifted back down to the table as she tapped her talons on the surface. "I guess I shouldn't have done those things. I was--I was just trying to impress Dash, to show her that I was still the same as I was in the Junior Speedsters. I didn't know that she wasn't like that anymore..."

"Like what? Mean? Jerky? Sno--"

"I get it, I should have been better," Gilda muttered, her head dropping down again as the tips of her wings brushed over the floorboards. The poor girl was looking more dejected by the moment.

Twilight bit her lips, her ears twisting back slightly. That wasn't the right thing to say, and she knew it. Of course Rainbow had never been like that, at least as not as long as she had known her. Maybe she was a bit impulsive but never outright mean.

"Were you really trying to impress her when you lost your cool at the party?"

The blush returned to Gilda's face, this time so bright that it showed through her feathers. "No, of course not. I was... I... I'm not like that anymore, okay?"

"I'm sorry, but I have trouble believing that."

The look that crossed over Gilda's face was one of despair. "I don't blame you," she said, then turned away, her shoulders and wings dropping even further, if such a thing was possible.

Twilight was stunned by this turn of events. This wasn't the griffon she had met at the party, back then if anyone had implied that she was less than the best she would have lashed out. Instead here she was, trying her hardest not to break and only succeeding by the width of a pen feather. She was here hoping to mend a broken friendship and willing to be the one who made the very first move. It seemed odd that she was so desperate for this reconciliation.

There was more to it, anyone could see that, but she just didn't know what it was. Without a thought she moved closer, lifting up a hoof and setting it gently on her back right between her wings. "Gilda..."

"Yeah?" she asked, turning her head slightly to look at the unicorn.

The librarian wasn't sure how to tactfully phrase the question, so instead blurted it out. "Rainbow Dash, is she special to you?"

"Excuse me?" Gilda asked, straightening up and turning to glare at the pony. "You aren't seriously asking me if I-- You've got to be kidding me, right?"

Now it was Twilights turn to blush, her ears twisting back slightly in embarrassment. "I... I was just being sure. It's clear you care about her a great deal. I just... I didn't mean too... just forget it," she said, dropping her head down.

After a long sigh the griffon shook her head. "She was my best friend and I cared about her a great deal, but not like that," she turned away again, moving around the table and out of the pony's reach.

Twilight sighed and nodded her head, rubbing her hooves together as she tried to think of something else. "If you want to apologize to her, then you should find her and apologize. If you're truly 'not like that anymore' the I'm sure there will be a positive response."

"Apologize, that's all you want me to do, just apologize? I came here to learn to be a better friend."

"What?" Twilight asked, her brow raising up into her mane.

"You study friendship and stuff, I mean you write freaking letters to your princess about it! You stopped that strange beast--"

"Discord."

"You stopped that Discord with your friendship stuff... and you know Rainbow, you're one of her new friends."

Twilight couldn't argue with that, but it only sounded reasonable. She was sure it really wasn’t but couldn't quite say why. "I guess I could... but are you sure you want ME of all ponies to teach you?"

"Of course," Gilda replied. "I can't think of anyone better."

Twilight tried to hide the small that fluttered over her lips. It seemed like the griffoness was being honest, and she could quit at any time if it wasn't work out or she really hadn't changed. She turned her attention back to the library books, it had been a long time since she had to read up on friendship and it would take her time to collect her thoughts.

"Okay, let's start with the basics, but first thing in the morning."

Gilda's golden eyes lit up at the positive answer. She rushed around the table, her wings fluttering behind her as she grabbed Twilight in a big bear hug, holding her tightly against her feathery neck. Twilight felt her cheeks heat up as she was pulled into the intimate embrace. Two thoughts flashed across her mind at the same moment. 'Gilda can hug someone?' and 'Why do I almost enjoy this?'

"Thank you so much!" the griffon said as she held the pony tightly in her grip. "I promise I'll try my hardest to get everything right. I'll be the best student you ever had!"

Twilight blushed and twitched her tail back over her flank. "I'm sure you'll do fine," she finally said, squirming a little bit under the griffon's tight grip.

Gilda finally seemed to noticed what she was doing and dropped her avian legs away from the pony. "Sorry," she said, rubbing the back of her head and smiling sheepishly. There was a spark in her eyes, but one that only lasted a moment.

"That's okay. Do you have a place to stay in Ponyville?"

"I can always find a cloud," the griffon replied, cocking her head sideways and looking up towards the sky; not that she could see it through the ceiling.

A slight pang of worry went through Twilight, she didn't like the idea of leaving Gilda out in the cold but she didn't want to risk inviting her to stay. Rainbow Dash or Fluttershy might show up unannounced, and that would cause no end of trouble. Still, she hated putting anyone out, even someone like Gilda. It just wasn't in her nature.

The matter was solved by Gilda herself as she turned back towards the door, her tail flicking just above the wooden floor of the library. "I'll get out of your way."

"Okay."

Twilight watched as griffon as she walked towards the door, a part of her analyzing the woman's gate. It wasn't like a pony, there was more rolling of the shoulders and her back. When she reached the door she hesitated and glanced back at Twilight, who quickly made a show of starting to magically clean up the tea cups.

"Be here at eight in the morning, okay?" the librarian requested as she unlocked the door, hoping that her observations had gone unobserved.

A smile crossed over Gilda's beak. "Yeah, count on it," she replied before opening the door and flying into the warm summer air. In a few moments she had become nothing but a spec in the sky before vanishing into the blue. Twilight found herself watching the griffon leave, wondering what she had gotten herself into. She excelled at being a student—learning came as easy to her as breathing—but teaching... that was a whole other matter.

In the past she had tried to tutor other students at Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, but it had never gone well. They always complained that she tried to teach them far too much far too fast. Her teachers had eventually asked her to stop trying to help and let them worry about teaching.

But this was different. She was going to be teaching someone about Friendship, and outside of magic that was her specialty. No one in Equestria knew more about the subject then she did, and she’d had to learn it based on her own experience. She was the perfect person to teach it! She could do it, she knew she should could. As long as Gilda was willing to learn she was sure she could teach her and she seemed very eager to learn.

"I hope I don't regret this," she said, then with a flick of her ears she turned back around and walked back into the library. She had a lot of planning to do before the morning.