The world certainly works in mysterious ways at times. Who would have thought that being sidetracked by ScramJet’s insane sound system would end up leading me to the very pony I wanted to talk to? I wonder if Kyo or Twilight ever had any experiences like that.
“Oh, hello, Abstract,” Twilight said, smiling as she recognized me, “I didn’t expect to bump into you like this. Or, well, the other way around,” she added with a giggle.
“Oh, yeah, sorry about that,” I replied with a grimace.
“Again, it’s perfectly fine,” Twilight reassured me, “I’ve gotten used to sudden collisions thanks to Pinkie and Rainbow. Where were you off to in such a hurry, anyway?”
“Well, I was looking for you,” I explained to her, “but then I was startled by this guy’s sound system and, well, I sort of panicked. Didn’t expect to run into you out here.”
“Well, I was on my way to Sugarcube Corner to help set up Cake Day, but I can spare some time to talk with you,” Twilight said, “So, what did you want to see me about?”
“Well,” I started, “I heard that yesterday, you flew off somewhere with a griffon named Gilda.”
“Ah, that,” Twilight recalled, “I was flying to the Crystal Empire to try and get some answers on the Crystal Heart Spell, and Gilda and Trixie decided to tag along.”
“Hold on a minute, Trixie?” I interrupted, “You mean that magician who took over Ponyville? What was she doing there?”
“Well, I found her and Gilda pulling a prank together on Sweet Apple Acres,” Twilight explained, “and when Gilda went with me to the Crystal Empire, Trixie tagged along as well.”
“Wait, Gilda and Trixie are hanging out now?!” I burst out in surprise, “How did that happen? What do they even have in common? Does Gilda take part in Trixie’s tricks, like pulling a rabbit out of her hat, except it’s a griffon?”
“Abstract, I don’t know!” Twilight responded, “I didn’t talk with them much, and I pretty much forgot about them after I found the spell I was after. I think they left the Crystal Empire when their show didn’t go over so well there.”
I sighed and asked, “So you don’t know where Gilda is now?”
“I’m afraid not,” Twilight said with a remorseful look on her face, “Sorry, Abstract.”
“It’s okay, Twilight,” I reassured her, “Just be glad you didn’t have to give the bad news to Kyo personally. Seeing him moon over Gilda is not a pretty scene.”
“Wait, what are you talking about with Kyo?”
“Oh, right, I guess I forgot to mention why I wanted to know about Gilda in the first place,” I realized, “I don’t know if I told you this, but my friend Kyo-”
“Hey, Twilight!” My explanation was interrupted as a rainbow-maned pegasus, who I recognized as ace flyer and Element of Loyalty Rainbow Dash, flew up to us and said, “Charge Forth just challenged me to a stunt contest and I need a judge! You up for it?”
“Sure, Rainbow, just let me finish talking to Abstract here,” Twilight responded.
“Abstract?” Rainbow said, “Isn’t he the guy that writes that egghead newspaper column you like so much?”
“Nice to hear that my work’s being appreciated,” I snarked, “I was just asking Twilight about Gilda, but she didn’t…”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, Gilda?!” Rainbow interjected, “Why do you want to find out about her?!”
“Well, it’s not for me,” I explained, “it’s for my friend Kyo.”
“Who?”
“This guy,” I said as I activated my magic and showed a thought image of Kyo.
“Oh, him,” Rainbow groaned, “You would not believe how many times that pony has pestered me about Gilda.”
“Trust me, I would,” I told her sympathetically, “But if you had any clue where to find her, I promise he’d stop badgering you about her.”
“Look,” Rainbow said, “Even if I could help him find Gilda, he’s wasting his time. She doesn’t care about anypony but herself, and she’d just break his heart. I wouldn’t want that to happen to him, even if he does annoy the hay out of me.”
“But didn’t you two use to be best friends?” I asked her, “Surely you must have seen a heart somewhere beneath her gruff exterior.”
“We were friends,” Rainbow recalled bitterly, “at least while we were at Junior Speedsters, and I was really hoping that she would get along with all my newer friends, but when she wasn’t hanging out with me, she was being a big bully to everyone in Ponyville! And when I called her out on her bullying, she acted like it was my fault for not being cool enough for her! What kind of friend does that?!”
“Well, if she was always like that, than why’d you hang out with her in the first place?”
“Hey, what are you saying, that I was a bully too?!” Rainbow snapped, “You’ve got some nerve!”
Oh, great. There I go again, running my mouth and saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. Curiosity killed the cat, as they say. Why they say it killed a cat as opposed to some other animal, I couldn’t tell you. Not that it matters now.
“Rainbow, I’m sure that’s not what Abstract…” Twilight began.
“Stay out of this, Twilight!” Rainbow growled, “You know what, I’m outta here. Have fun with your new friend.” She then turned and started to take off.
“Rainbow, wait!” I shouted after her.
She screeched to a halt and shouted back, “What?!”
I sighed and said, “Listen, I know that you’re not exactly happy with how Gilda turned out, and I know that Kyo could do better. It’s just that, Kyo’s my best friend, and I just want to do what I can to make him happy. If that means hooking him up with a bully of a griffon, then so be it. I understand if you don’t approve, but please don’t think less of me for trying to help my friend. Good day.” With that, I started back toward Kyo’s house, my eyes downcast and my spirits low. How could I break the news gently to him? Maybe I could distract him with a new video game. Now, what hasn’t he played yet? Wow, that will take some thought.
“Hey, wait up!” Rainbow flew in front of me and said hesitantly, “I…heard Gilda and Trixie say something about trying their luck in Appleloosa. If you’re lucky, you can catch up with them there before they leave again.”
“Really? That’s great!” I exclaimed, my mood brightening immediately, “Thanks, Rainbow Dash!”
“Yeah, yeah, just make sure you let me know if she causes any trouble for her little fanboy, and I’ll be there to give her the old one-two!” Rainbow replied, boxing the air with her front hooves.
I gave her a grin and said, “Will do.”
Twilight giggled and chimed in, “I’m glad to see you two are getting along now. Maybe you’ll be willing to take a look at his column with me later?”
“Don’t push your luck, Twi,” Rainbow responded with a scowl, prompting another giggle from Twilight.
“Hey Dash!” a dark blue pegasus called out, “You coming or what?”
“Be right there, Charge!” Rainbow yelled back, then said to us, “Sorry, gotta go. You ready to judge, Twi?”
“I sure am!” Twilight responded, “See you later, Abstract!” With that, the two of them flew off.
“See ya!” I called after them, and then trotted off to Kyo’s house, this time with my spirits soaring. Who would have thought that such a temperamental pony would be the embodiment of loyalty? The world works in mysterious ways, indeed.
Now I just had to work out how we could visit Appleloosa in the middle of my work period.
End of Part 5