Gilda and Fluttershy found themselves on the very familiar dirt path that lead out towards Sweet Apple Acres. Well, familiar to Fluttershy at least. Truth be told she couldn’t remember if Gilda had been this far out of Ponyville, or if she had simply stayed with Rainbow Dash during her brief time here.
The trek out to Applejacks farm was a quiet one, whether content or awkward was up to speculation; however Fluttershy found herself oddly enjoying the Griffins company. Now that she had spent some more time with Gilda, and was within a close enough proximity to observe her more thoroughly, she noticed a few things that she had previous glanced over.
For one, the Griffin looked… thin. Granted, Gilda was thin and in good shape the last time Fluttershy saw her, but now? A more insensitive pony would describe her as gaunt.
Secondly, she noticed that Gilda didn’t stand right. She had heard tell that Griffins were a proud race, and displayed as much. But the way Gilda carried herself was… wrong. Her wings – although rested at her side – clung tightly to her body, as if covering, or protecting her. Her face held that same, half-lidded, blank expression. Almost as if she were a million miles away.
“Uh, are you okay, Gilda?”
“Yeah. I’m fine, why?”
“Oh, no reason…”
The pair passed through the vine covered arch-way, which served as the front gate, and stepped up to the farmhouse. Knocking three times, Fluttershy stepped back onto the winding cobblestone pathway of the house.
A few short moments later, when the top-half of the door swung open, they were greeted by the upper body of a giant red stallion.
“Good morning Big Macintosh,” Fluttershy said.
“Mornin’ Miss Fluttershy,” He replied.
“Is Applejack and Rainbow Dash around?”
“Eeyup.”
“Um, do you know where they are?”
He nodded, “Should be the south field.”
“Thank you Mac.”
“Eeyup.”
Departing swiftly, Gilda and Fluttershy circled around the aging farmhouse, and began the search for their rainbow haired Pegasus among the vast apple fields. Shadows danced across their path. Cast from the tall apple trees that surrounded them. A look of apprehension crossed Gildas face as they pushed deeper into the fields.
“Don’t worry Gilda, I’m sure Rainbow Dash won’t hold a grudge.”
“It’s not Dash I’m worried about…”
Fluttershy tilted her head, “Um, I don’t think you need to worry about Applejack.”
Gilda shot her a look, then sighed, “Look, can we just do what we came to do and go?”
Fluttershy forced a smile, “Of course.”
Gilda hung her head as they continued in silence.
Their trip didn’t last long, however. Upon entering a clearing, Gilda and Fluttershy found the pony they were looking for. On the other side of a small pond, the duo could easily make out Applejack hauling an apple cart, while Dash knocked the apples loose from the trees.
Gilda stopped, and exhaled a shuttered breath.
Fluttershy extended a comforting wing over the Griffins back, “I’m here for you, if you need me.”
Gilda smiled briefly, “Thanks.”
Steeling herself, Gilda slowly began to make her way around to Dash, and Applejack. Fluttershy followed closely behind her. They circled counter clockwise around the pond, and as such, came up behind the two ponies. Dash was just a few metres in front of Gilda now; too caught up in a conversation with the orange farm pony to notice her approach.
Gilda stopped and cleared her throat, “Rainbow Dash?”
Applejack glanced over shoulder, and quirked a curios eyebrow.
Dash froze mid-air. Slowly, she turned around. Confusion filled her eyes, “G?”
Gilda smiled weakly as Fluttershy came to a halt beside her.
Rainbow Dash dropped to the ground, and furrowed her brows, “What the hay do you want?”
Gilda winced, and held up a defensive claw. “Easy there, Dash. I came to talk.”
“Talk?” Dash scoffed.
Fluttershy stepped forward, “That’s right Rainbow Dash.”
Dash blinked, only just noticing Gilda companion, “Fluttershy?! What are you doing with her?”
Applejack – who was previously unhitching herself from her apple cart – joined the conversation, “What’s goin’ on here?”
“Fluttershy says Gilda wants to talk!”
“Gilda?!” Applejack stared at the Griffin, still slightly confused, “Well, Ah’ll be. What brings you round these parts?”
“Who cares!” Rainbow interjected, “Do you even remember how she acted last time she was here?”
Rainbow Dash flared he wings, “Why are you even here? Come to boast about how awesome your life is now?”
Fluttershy jumped forward, “Gilda came here to apologise!” She shrank slightly, “I mean, I think Gilda has something she would like to say, right Gilda?”
“Right,” Gilda stepped forward, “Look Dash, I know it’s been a while. And I know I said some pretty stupid and hurtful things last time I was here. But, I just wanted you to know that, I’m sorry. For being a jerk.”
Simultaneously, Rainbow Dashes mouth fell open, Fluttershy beamed at Gilda, and Applejack tipped her hat back. After a few moments of silence, she was the first to speak.
“Well shoot! Ah guess that just about settles it.”
“B-b-b, what?!” Dash stuttered.
“That seems familiar,” Gilda chuckled as she glanced over to Fluttershy.
Applejack trotted up to the Griffin, and shook her claw “Apology accepted Gilda.”
Gilda grinned briefly, “Thanks… Applejack?”
The Earth pony smiled, “Sure as sugar are.”
“Hold on a minute!”
Applejack stepped aside. Her, Gilda and Fluttershy all gazed at Rainbow Dash.
Rainbow shook her head vigorously, recovering from her stupor, “But, you’ve never apologised, for anything! Ever!”
Gilda nodded solemnly, “Yeah, I know. I know what I was like, but I’m trying to turn over a new leaf.”
Dash flared her wings again, and took to the sky. Hovering a few feet from the ground, she strode up to Gilda and glared at her, “Let’s say I believe you – which I don’t – it’s been three years! You’re a little too late,” She turned her back and crossed her hooves
Gilda frowned, “That’s not fair Dash…”
Rainbow Dash whirled on her, “Not fair?! You insult me and all my friends, and then you storm off. And now you show up like nothing’s happened?! You could have tried to write…”
“Hey! You’re the one who kicked me outta town.”
“Because you were acting like an ass!”
“Alright, that’s enough!” Applejack intervened, stepping between them.
She turned to Dash, “That was way outta line, Dash. So Gilda didn’t write? She came back, and she wants ta make amends, Ah say that’s what counts.”
Dash huffed, staring past Applejack, “You could have written, why didn’t you?”
Gilda sighed, “It’s not that I didn’t want to, I couldn’t.”
“Why?”
“I just couldn’t, okay?”
“No, it’s not okay,” she dropped to the ground, “Your one of my oldest friends, G. We were tight once, what happened?”
Gilda looked away, “I want to tell you, I do. But I can’t, not yet.”
Dash sighed, glancing at Fluttershy and Applejack, “Yeah, maybe it’s something we should talk about in private.”
Gilda offered a weak smile, “If it makes you feel better, I’m sorry?”
Dash half-huffed humorously, shaking her head, “Yeah.”
Turning to Applejack, Rainbow quirked an eyebrow and nodded towards Gilda. Applejack smirked as she stepped aside. Dash walked up to Gilda and offered an apologetic smile, “I’m sorry too, G. For blowing up like that.”
Gilda smirked back, and offered a clenched claw, “All good Dash. I probably would’ve done the same thing.”
Rainbow bumped the Griffins claw with her hoof, and a smiled.
Fluttershy beamed, “Oh, I so glad you two could make up!”
Gilda smiled briefly.
“Me too, Ah’m glad things worked out. Err, not ta cut this short, but Rainbow and Ah need ta be getting’ back ta work.”
Gilda nodded, “Okay,”
“So, what are you two gonna do now?” Rainbow inquired.
“Well, Fluttershy said she’d take me to Sugarcube Corner. You know, so I can make up with Pinkie Pie.”
Rainbow smiled, “Well alright then, maybe we can catch up later? When your done?”
“Sure, why not?” Gilda half-smiled.
Departing with friendly goodbyes, Applejack and Rainbow Dash resumed the work of gathering the Apple family’s harvest. While Gilda and Fluttershy and made their way back towards Ponyville.
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The sun was now perched atop its midday pillar when the duo finally arrived back in Ponyville. Gilda frowned as they made their way down the dirt paths that branched out from the cobblestone main street. The Griffin had hoped that her time away, had been long enough for the ponies of the small rural town to forget her, however the looks she was receiving from it's inhabitants told her otherwise.
She sighed.
“Don’t worry, Gilda. I’m here for you,” Fluttershy reassured her.
She shot the meek Pegasus a grateful grin, “Thanks Fluttershy.”
Gilda kept her eyes focused on the dirt ahead of her, if her time away had taught her anything, it was not to draw attention to yourself. Which was counterproductive, considering how poorly she blended in with the crowds of ponies who were mulling about their daily business. The trip to Sugarcube Corner was a short one, but for Gilda it couldn’t have come fast enough. The building itself looked exactly how Gilda remembered it, although last time she hadn’t really paid much attention to such things.
The doorbell chimed as the two stepped through the front door, and out of the scrutinizing gaze of the public.
A light blue Earth pony, with a cherry coloured mane greeted them as stepped into the building, “Good afternoon Fluttershy, what can I do for you and your friend?”
“Hello Mrs Cake, is Pinkie in?”
Mrs Cake smiled, “She’s in the kitchen, I’ll go get her.”
The Earth pony disappeared behind two saloon style swinging door to the left of the counter. A few moments later, a familiar pink Earth pony mare hopped out, looking as excited as she normally did.
“Hey Fluttershy, what’s up! Mrs Cake said you wanted to see me?” Pinkie spared a glance towards Fluttershys’ companion, “Hey Gilda!” She greeted, not batting an eyelash.
At that moment Pinkies eyes went wide, and she tilted her head to the side, as if she was having trouble understanding something.
Fluttershy and Gilda looked at each other, uneasily.
“Um, Pinkie Pie?”
Pinkie snapped herself out of her daze, and stared at Fluttershy intensely, “Yes Fluttershy?”
The already timid Pegasus, was even more so under the unwavering gaze of her pink friend.
She cowered behind her mane, “G-gilda h-has something she would like to say…”
The Griffin stepped forward, “Right, Pinkie Pie-”
Pinkie sucked in a huge breath.
“YoureheretoapologiseforactinglikeameanymeanpantsbecausethroughaseriesofunfortunateeventsandmishapsyouvelearnedthatbeingbullyisnotassatisfyingorimportantthanhavingponiesorGriffinswhocareaboutyou.”
Gilda’s beak fell open, “W-wh…” She fell onto her rear, “W- h-how? How did you-”
“Just a hunch,” Pinkie smiled. She bounded around the counter-top, stopping in front of Fluttershy and a still bewildered Gilda.
Gilda shook her head, and let her gaze sink to the floor, “Y-yeah. Pretty much…”
Hazarding a glance up at Pinkie, Gilda found her staring intently, still brandishing her signature smile, “Well of course I forgive you! What was I gonna do, pass up an opportunity to make a new friend? Hello?! Have you met me?”
Gilda smiled weakly, “Thanks.”
“Sooooo, what now?” Pinkie asked.
Gilda tried to reply, only to find that she couldn’t properly formulate a response. “I actually hadn’t thought that far ahead…”
Pinkie quirked an eyebrow, “Really? You came here to apologise, but didn’t think about what you’d do next or where you’d stay?”
Gildas beak clamped into a firm line, “Yup, pretty much.”
“You could stay with me…”
Gilda and Pinkie both turned, and gave their quiet yellow spectator questionable looks.
Fluttershy pawed the wooden floor, not quite meeting Gildas gazed, “I mean, you could stay with me, if you want to.”
Gilda smiled briefly again, “Sure, why not? Not like I got anywhere else to go.”
Fluttershy brightened immediately, “Oh, really? That’s just, fantastic!”
Gilda chuckled.
“I’ll need to get everything ready.”
“I’ll help, if you want,” Gilda offered.
“Oh, that’s quite alright…”
“I insist, it’ll give me something to do.”
“Oh, okay then,” Fluttershy smiled, she turned back to Pinkie, and her smile died, “Pinkie?”
Gilda also took a look of concern as she too faced the pink part pony. Pinkie looked troubled, like she was deep in concerned thought. She snapped her attention to the duo in front of her.
“Don’t go outside!”
“Pinkie?-”
“There’s not time to explain,” She called over her shoulder, “Sorry Mrs Cake, I need to go out for a little bit!” Turning back, she rushed an explain as she shot towards the exit, “Stay here, I’ll be right back!”
The doorbell chimed as front door slowly closed.
Gilda and Fluttershy looked at each other.
“What. Was that all about?”
Fluttershy shrugged, “I don’t know, Pinkie can be a bit random sometimes.”
Gilda shook her head, “Well, you wanna go now, or…?
Fluttershy nodded.
Upon exiting Sugarcube Corner, Gilda furrowed her brow as she gazed down the street.
“Uh, Fluttershy?”
“Yes Gilda.”
“Do ponies usually form angry crowds?”
The Pegasus looked puzzled, “Um, I don’t think so, why?”
Gilda raised a talon past Fluttershy, and towards the group of angry looking ponies barrelling down on them, “Because I think we have a problem.”
“Oh, my…”