//------------------------------//
// Chapter 35 - The Ember of Friendship 
// Story: My Little Warcraft - New Friends 
// by Shin Guyviroth 
//------------------------------//

"Y'all just need to move it a lil bit to the left!"

By the early hours of the morning the pony folk of Ponyville were already making a new start on the reconstruction of their half-destroyed town. Despite most of the work having been done the day before there was still a huge turnout of helpers. Even the royal guards were volunteering -- without the command of either Princess, too. 

"Now jus' set it down slowly!" called out Applejack, directing a flock of Pegasi as they gently began to place an entire roof on one of the smaller buildings by a few thick strands of rope. Each one struggled to not let it slip from their teeth. "Okay, now settle it down! And… done!" Applejack wiped her brow with a hoof. "Phew. Good job, everypony!"

"It's good to see everything looking good again," said Twilight as she made her way over to Applejack. "I'm surprised it only took a couple of days to get everything repaired again."

"New roof," added Spike, holding a long sheet of paper that trailed behind him in one hand, with a quill in the other, "check! With that done, we've only gotta replace the street lights and benches."

"Hah! Lookin' "good"?" exclaimed Applejack, swinging her head from one side to the other, scanning the town around her. "Everythin's lookin' better than before! Even Sugarcube Corner looks good enough to eat."

"Wha!?" Pinkie Pie raced towards Applejack, her eyes wide and her lips covered in a brown substance. "You mean you can't actually eat it?" she asked.

Twilight giggled. "No, Pinkie Pie, you're not--" her eyes lowered to the pony's mouth "--Why do you have brown stuff on your lips?"

"Well I was really, REALLY hungry, so I got up to get some food from the fridge, right? And then I looked out the window and I saw this HUGE candy cane just peaking from the side, and so I raced outside to go get it! But when I ran outside I was all like, "whoaaaa!", when I saw that the entire bakery was covered in chocolate! So I took a bite! And then I heard Applejack say, "even Sugarcube Corner looks good enough to eat", and then I yelled, "wha!?", and so here I am!"

Applejack and Twilight stood in awe with only a shifted glance between them before they focused back on their hyperactive friend.

"Uh, Sugarcube," spoke Applejack, "that wasn't chocolate. That was wet paint we just put on."

"Ohhhh! I was wondering why it tasted like Equestrian Standards One-Four-Nine-One-Five wood cladding."

"Seriously, Pinkie, at this rate you'll end up doin' more damage than that death knight did."

Before anyone could add anything further, Rainbow Dash swooped down from one of the other nearby structures. "Hey, hey!" she called out to her friends. "Now's not the time to be talkin'! We've still gotta long ways to go before we can call it a day."

"She's right," agreed Twilight. "Applejack, has Big Macintosh delivered the bench materials yet?"

"Eeyup," the voice of the burly pony flaunted softly as he stood behind Twilight, much to everyone's surprise. Carefully he unhitched the large trailer from his collar, settling it on the path.

"Oh! Great! Is that everything?"

"Eeyup."

"Good. Applejack, did you bring the tools?"

"Uh… I thought you were bring them, Macintosh?"

"… Nnope."

Twilight pressed her hoof against her face. "Ugh. I'm sorry, Big Macintosh, but could you go back to the farm and bring the tools?"

"… Eeyup." Macintosh nodded before making his way back down the path he came.

"Thanks, Macintosh!" Rainbow Dash called after him. "Much appreciated!"

"Ah, Rainbow Dash, darling," a voice came from behind the group. Rarity casually trotted along with a smile on her face and a piece of folded cloth sticking out of her handbag. "I need you to do me quite a big favour. It's really quite important."

"Wait, Rarity," intervened Twilight, "I thought you were making new curtains for some of the windows?"

"Oh, please, it doesn't take all morning to make twenty sets of curtains," she replied with a wave of her hoof. "I've been working on something fantastic!"

"So, uh, what exactly do you need me to do?" asked Rainbow Dash. "If it's something to do with your new dress line then you can wait until we're done."

"No, no, it's nothing like that -- although you did remind me that I still have dresses to work on. No, I would like you fetch me a rain cloud when you're not too busy."

"Why would I get you--"

"--A rain cloud," finished Rarity. "Why, I'm glad you asked, dear. You see, I have here--" she reached into her bag and whipped the cloth out, unfolding it in front of them "--silk that it one-hundred per cent waterproof!"

The rest were collectively astonished at Rarity's masterpiece. The cloth shimmered a pearlescent white as it fluttered gently on the breeze.

"Does it taste good?" questioned Pinkie, leaning forward and pressing her snout against it. "Does it taste like frosting?"

"… No, dear, it doesn't taste like frosting."

"Awwwww…" 

But Twilight was more interested in it than anyone else. "Oh, wow," spoke Twilight, placing her hoof on it. "It really does feel like silk." She looked up to Rarity, noticing a slight look of smugness on her face. "How on Equestria did you manage to come up with this?"

"Well I couldn't have done it alone, I admit," she responded as she tucked the cloth back into her bag. "When I replaced all of the silk on Gai's armor I kept it all so I could study it. I found that, even though it was very rigid and thick compared to Equestrian silk, it was completely waterproof. So after a few hours work I was able to come up with something that is as light and delicate as Equestrian silk and waterproof like Azeroth silk."

"And you did all of this… why?" questioned Applejack with narrow eyes.

"Can you imagine the uses for such a material?" exclaimed Rarity. "You could make dresses out of this that you could risk wearing out on rainy days, or even if it starts raining after you've gone out! How many times have you spilled something over your new clothes that is a royal pain to get out?"

"Um, that would be never," replied Rainbow Dash. "We don't wear clothes that often."

"Well, sure, we don't, but all of the rich and important ponies in Canterlot do." Rarity paused for a moment. "I have a good idea. Why don't I make cushions for the benches?"

"Hey, now that's an idea," exclaimed Twilight. "Instead of ponies sitting on wood all the time, they can sit on the cushions."

"And you won't have to worry about the rain ruining them, either," added Rainbow Dash with a grin. "As much as I'd love to kick up a down pour for ya, I have to ask: why do you need a rain cloud to try it? Can't ya just run it under a tap or something?"

"I already have -- and it works. But I need to put it under more… strenuous tests. I need to make sure it can take a lot of beating for a long time."

"… Just run it under a tap for a few hours?"

"Ugh, you just don't understand. Can you get more a cloud or not?"

"Yeah, yeah, sure. As soon as we get everything done first."

Before Rarity could finish, however, she heard a chuckle. It was one that was all familiar to her but she just couldn't place it. In fact, everyone found familiarity in it. All of them shifted their ears and eyes to the direction it came from -- from behind the library. Waiting for something to appear, anything, felt like an eternity. 

"It's good to see everything goin' well," the voice spoke out. A large figure revealed itself from the shadows. A pale, white, feathery head and brown, furry body honed into view, along with large, bird-like wings and talons. "Good to see that nothin's changed."

Rainbow Dash drifted forwards past the rest of her friends. While they watched her with worry, so did Rainbow Dash to the griffon. "… Gilda…"





The warm, pale light of the sunlight shone upon the dining hall in a myriad of pale and soothing colours, from soft lilac to cool blues to passionate reds. The colours blended seamlessly into each other as they gave beauty to the otherwise dull, grey floor tiles and stone walls. It felt like a form of new life was given to these halls.

The two Princess' sat at the table with their elven guest, dining on an early breakfast with great etiquette -- something that Gai'vahros was not used to, watching as they dug their faces into their food or used their magics to lift them to their mouths. It was still difficult for him to take in how they could eat like… well, horses, and find absolutely nothing wrong with it.

"Is there something the matter, Gai'vahros?" asked Celestia as she held her head up from her plate, with specs of breadcrumbs stuck to her lips. "You've been staring for a while."

"Oh. I'm sorry, Your Majesty," spoke Gai'vahros. "It's just that you have…" He paused before he trailed a finger around his lips in gesture.

"Oh, I understand," replied Celestia as a small napkin lifted from the table in a glow of pink, pressing against her mouth as she wiped the crumbs away. "I apologize. I should be a bit more careful around guests, after all."

Gai'vahros chuckled lightly under his breath. "It's perfectly fine. You've no need to act any different that you usually would around me, Princess."

"I should do. After all, it's not every day that we have guests, let alone one from an entirely different world."

"Well you certainly eat like every horse I've met."

Luna gave Gai'vahros a glare from across the table, although her puffed-up cheeks filled with crumpets didn't do much to help with her expression of seriousness. "That is not any way to speak to my sister!" she exclaimed with a muffled voice, talking with her mouth full.

"And that's not any way to talk at the dining table, either, Luna," retorted Celestia. "But it's quite alright. It is quite… calming, assuring, to know that your world also has pony folk and the like."

"But not entirely the same, however. Here, you're all sentient beings, capable of more than just behavioural instinct. On Azeroth, horses and other creatures are just… beasts. Animals that are incapable of higher thought. We use them as beasts of burden, to carry heavy loads from place to place. Some we will use as mounts as a means of transportation."

Celestia paused for a moment, her expression of that in thought. "It's hard to imagine such a thing," spoke Celestia slowly. "I guess the same would be for you should you come across a world where elves are little more than animals used to pull stone and lumber."

Gai'vahros' eyes glazed over as he shuddered a little. "For the both of us, who are so used to how things work in our worlds, we both consider our ways of life, our natural order, as something that should be. In the same way that I could not ever believe that elves would be anything but intelligent creatures, so do you in regards to ponies."

Celestia nodded. "I believe that is the case. But I think it's even more scary knowing that there are worlds where it does happen -- Azeroth and horses, for example."

Celestia and Luna looked at one another, but said nothing. Even so, it was fairly clear by their eyes only that they felt worried or scared. 

Gai'vahros sighed, tapping his fingers on the table slowly. "I'm sorry, Your Majesties, if I have caused you grief."

"No, it is not your fault, Gai'vahros. It is just how things go."

"We should not worry about affairs that are beyond our scope," added Luna. "There is no sense in worrying about something that we cannot change. As you said, it is just how things work in your world in the same way that we are of intelligence in ours."

Gai'vahros looked away as he chuckled lightly, much to the surprise and curiosity of the sisters. "Ironic. Every since I could remember all those years ago, there's been nothing but war and conflict over the pettiest of things -- or nothing at all but the sake of just fighting things that were not us. I wonder how many casualties there have been on the Alliance side trying to take Thunderbluff."

Celestia gazed at the elf as he rested his head on his hand. "Gai'vahros…?"

"And yet coming here, being here for only a few days, I have learned so much. I have learned more here in over half a week than I have on Azeroth for nearly two-thousand years." The revelation of his age caused the Princess' to recoil a little as they gazed at one-another. "I have lived for so long, and yet I find myself knowing so little. 

"When I first came here, I was taken completely aback by everything around me. I saw something that I never thought I would ever see again. I saw… quietness. I saw peace. I saw a land where there was no war, no conflict, not even so much as a petty squabble over whose grain belonged to who. It's ironic that a race of creatures I thought of being no more than glorified baggage handlers create an entire empire built on harmony and friendship. It's like we really are the beasts when compared to you."

"That is not so," responded Celestia. "Equestria has not always been like this. There was once a time where resources were scarce and plagued with constant war."

"Exactly," joined Luna. "Back before Equestria -- and even Canterlot -- was founded, the Earth ponies, the Unicorn ponies, and the Pegasus ponies were all separate clans that wanted nothing to do with each other, but had to work together in order to maintain a hospitable life -- the Earth ponies would grow crops and harvest food, the Pegasi brought with them the weather, and the Unicorns would bring forth day and night."

"But I thought you two brought forth the day and night?" 

"You're half-correct," responded Celestia. "You see, before Equestria was founded, the last Princess used her powers to bring forth night and day. But after the Chaos War, there was no one left to do it. Because of the damage to the whole of Equestria during that time, we both had to task each of the pony tribes to a particular task -- the daily cycle was given to the Unicorn ponies until we came upon a solution."

"That was when we had found the Tree of Harmony," joined Luna. "The tree gave us our powers to continue our royal duties, as well as the Elements of Harmony should another powerful threat make itself known." 

Gai'vahros raised an eyebrow. "Gain powers? Were you not originally Princess' then?"

"It's a complex manner. Though not of any relation, Alicorns are gifted with the blood of royalty, and thus any Alicorn can so take up the mantle of "Princess". It is of belief that only an Alicorn can possess the knowledge and spirit of royalty."

"… But what if there is no Alicorn to take up the mantle of Princess once the current ruler passes?"

"There are means to assure that there will always be a successor."

Gai'vahros paused for a moment, not knowing whether or not he was delving into knowledge that does not concern him. "I understand," he spoke. Casually he pushed back from his chair and stood to his feet, placing the napkin from around his collar onto the plate.

"Leaving so soon, Gai'vahros?" asked Celestia, doing the same.

"I'm afraid so, Your Majesty," he responded, stepping out from the chair and pushed it back under the table. "I had better get back to Ponyville in hopes that nothing more has happened to it."

"We understand," added Luna. "Shall we escort you out?"

"I'll take the balcony, if that's all the same with the both of you. I'll be able to get back quicker by flying."

Celestia tilted her head to one side, raising an eyebrow. "Flying? This should be a treat to see."

The two Princess' lead the elf from the dining hall  and across the main foyer to the landing on the opposite side. Numerous Pegasus guards were stationed around the outer edge, with some of them practicing drills and flight training. Squadrons of them raced around the skies and over the balcony dome.

"Here you are, Gai'vahros," said Celestia, stopping just past the center. "I'm glad that you took the time to visit us once more."

"And I appreciate you coming to apologize to me, as well," added Luna with a smile. "Thank you."

"I'm honoured that you would bother gracing your presence and hospitality to a lowly elf such as me," responded Gai'vahros as he gave a small bow with his hand upon his chest. "It is I who should be thanking you for everything."

"Don't be so modest," Celestia added after a giggle. "You've done a lot for us. But I know you'll continue to do greater things."

Gai'vahros nodded. "For as long as I am here, I will do whatever I can to help you -- all of you." Turning away, Gai'vahros closed his eyes and gently placed his hands together in front of him, his fingers locking with one-another. A bright glow of shining gold erupted from his feet and began to raise and circle around him in a veiled aura before finally forming, growing into a pair of large, bird-like wings of glistening light. 

The Princess' could hardly believe their eyes as they watched the blood knight form wings not unlike that of an actual Alicorn.

Celestia smiled as she watched the elf raise off the platform a little. "Gai'vahros," she called out, "please, for whatever may come, and for whatever may happen, please protect Twilight Sparkle!"

Gai'vahros turned his head and nodded. Quickly he raised into the air before spinning around and facing them. "Oh, and Luna," he spoke with a smile, "thank you for last night. Thank you for everything." In a burst of speed, Gai'vahros took off into the sky.

Celestia looked on with a gentle gaze. "Who would have thought that he had wings."

Luna wanted to chuckle. She wanted to smile. But she heard that voice before. One-thousand years before. "He reminds you on him, doesn't he, sister?" she spoke softly. "He has that same presence."

Celestia sighed, lowering her head. "I see him in his face sometimes. It is almost like he's an elf version of him." Celestia turned and headed back into the castle, with Luna soon following beside her. "By the way, what did he mean by last night?"

"Oh, well, we took the time to talk to one another. I got to see things."

Celestia grinned. "Luna, you know that I've told you to find more than just "looks" in a stallion."

"Not that kind of thing, sister!" cried Luna as a deep red formed in her cheeks, piercing through her dark coat. "Besides, he isn't my type!"

"I think you would both make a great couple. Perhaps even leave behind a successor for Canterlot?"

"I said be quiet!"





Gilda gave a little grin as she looked on to the rest of the ponies in front of her. Hey eyes jittered from one side to the other, not making direct eye contact with a single one of them. But no matter how much she wanted to avert her eyes from the judging faces of them, she could never take her eyes off of Rainbow Dash, who was now only a few feet away from her. 

"I like what you've done with the place," she said as turned her head towards one of the roofs of a nearby house. She gave a light yet force chuckle. "Not as good as our stuff, but you're getting there."

Rainbow Dash opened her mouth to speak but nothing came but a tiny squeak. It was hard for her to say something, to say anything, now that she was actually in front of her past best friend. For months she wanted to vent all of her frustrations on her, about how she had treated her new friends, about how she made Fluttershy cry, and about how she constantly bullied Pinkie Pie.

But now that she was face to face with her, and given the circumstance, she felt only a sense of longing. And pity.

"G-Gilda," forced Rainbow Dash, her voice soft, almost whisper-like. "How… I mean, are you feeling okay? You are okay, right?"

The griffon raised her head and turned it from one side to the other. "See for yaself, Dashie," she responded confidently. "Not a scratch on me. Still a bit of ache in the joints 'n' things, but I'm pretty much fit for flight."

Rainbow Dash smiled back, although her eyes could only convey the tension between the two of them. And as she gazed at Gilda, she saw the exact same thing. "I'm… real glad to see that you… y'know, got better and all."

"Could that be any more forced, Dashie?"

"I wasn't forcing it at all! Gilda, I'm happy that you weren't --" Rainbow Dash stopped from finishing that line. That dark thought crept into her mind, becoming more and more vivid with each word on her tongue. "I didn't wanna lose you…"

Gilda kept her eyes on Rainbow Dash ash she looked down and away. Carefully she approached the Pegasus before standing right in front of her. Slowly and raised her talon and gripped the pony's chin gently, raising her head to hers before letting go. "Come on, Dashie. Did ya really thing that was gonna do me in? I'm a lot tougher than you think."

Stepping back with a smile, Rainbow Dash nodded. "Chyeah, whatever." 

"But… that wasn't the worst I've had," added Gilda, her voice trailing off, becoming more sombre. "Dashie… ever since we stopped seeing each other, my life has just been one whirlwind of mess."

"What do you mean?"

"Ever since we broke up, I've not been able to do anything. I couldn't eat properly. I couldn't sleep comfortably. I couldn't even talk to people confidently. All I did was do my job and pay my way through everything. I was…" she brushed her foreleg along her nose, sniffing softly. "I was pretty lost without you."

Rainbow Dash smiled awkwardly, then gave a tiny grin. "Aw c'mon, Gilda. I know you're into pranks and all that, but you ain't getting me with this one." But her smile faded away as she saw wells of tear form in the griffons eyes. A small bead trickled down her cheek. "… Gilda?"

"I really missed you, Dashie!" she exclaimed, her voice raspy as it tightened through her cries. "Every day when I flew over Ponyville, I just wanted to come and say "hi" to you! But I couldn't! How could I, after everything I had done?"

"Gilda… please don't be like that. I don't wanna see you upset…"

But nothing could stop her now. More and more her eyes flooded, streams pouring down her face. Her beak began to quiver as she tried to speak, but hysteria prevented her at first. "I'm sorry, Dashie!" she finally cried out, sobbing as she spoke, sniffling between her stops. "I'm so sorry for everything that I did!" Her hind legs gave away from the aching, plonking her down onto the pavement. "I was so scared that you would forget about me if you found new friends! I just don't wanna lose you!"

But as she cried more and more, so too did she find the warmth she wanted, the warmth she needed. Rainbow Dash gently pressed her nose against the feathered neck of her crying friend, nuzzling gently. Her spread wings folded forwards, wrapping around the griffon in a tight, loving embrace. 

"I don't wanna loose you either, Gilda!" stuttered Rainbow Dash as she began to tear up as well, letting her tears flow and onto the fur and feathers of her renewed friend. 

They were not the only one to shed tears, either. From way behind them the rest of the group looked on as the two of them rekindled their friendship. Fluttershy and Rarity couldn't help but cry for their friend's joyful reunion, while Twilight and Applejack looked on with great care for Rainbow Dash -- and for Gilda, too.

"I always wondered if this'd ever happen," said Applejack as she stood to the side of Twilight. "It's great to see both of them together again."

"Friendship is a powerful thing," spoke Twilight as she watched Rainbow Dash and Gilda cuddle each other with their wings. "It's never truly gone, I don't think."

"It's such a beautiful thing!" cried out Rarity, sobbing lightly with joy. 

"Hey! I've got a real great idea!" yelled our Pinkie Pie, bouncing up and down on the spot. "Why don't we throw a we-just-made-a-new-friend party?"

"I think that would be a great idea," agreed Twilight with a nod, along with everyone else's approval. "It would be good if Gai'vahros could join us, too, so we can throw it for him as well."

Almost as if on cue, the winged elf swooped down from over the building behind them before gently setting foot onto the grass below. His wings dissipated into flickers and fragments of golden light as he approached them. "I hope I haven't missed anything," he spoke with a smile.

"You just missed something quite spectacular," responded Twilight before turning back to Rainbow Dash and Gilda, both of whom were now having small yet friendly talk between themselves. "It's always great to have a new friend -- especially one that was once someone we didn't like."

"You're not going to go into all that "friendship is magic" lecture, are you, my Lady Twilight?"

She giggled a little. "Only if you want me to, Gai'vahros." She paused for a moment before turning to him. "When you went to the hospital, did you know about all of this?"

"Well, I guess you could say I had a small hand in it, yes. Gilda told me everything."

Twilight let out a gentle sigh of relief. "Healing ponies, befriending royalty, and now mending bonds thought broken. You're a real miracle worker, Gai'vahros. Just look." She turned her head to Rainbow Dash. "I haven't seen her this happy in… well, since they both met each other all those months ago."

"I'm not a miracle worker," retorted Gai'vahros. "I just help out in whatever way I can. That is my duty, after all."

Before Twilight could respond, Pinkie Pie bounced in the elf's face. "Hey, Gai'vahros," she spoke excitedly, "you're gonna come to our we-just-made-a-new-friend party, right?"

"Oh! Uh, sure."

"And don't forget to bring crumpets this time!"