//------------------------------// // Chapter 18 - Enter Gilda! A plea for help! // Story: Luffy in Equestria // by SparkStone //------------------------------// Rainbow stood before the familiar griffon. Her yellow eyes gaze back to Rainbow's angered expression. A moment of silence before Rainbow yelled… "Gilda! What are you doing here!?" "Relax Rainbow!" She told her. "I'm here to help!" "HA! Yeah right!" Rainbow said as she inspected the room. "What is this!? Some kind of super wood that I won't be able to smash through!?" She punches straight through the wall, confirming it was nothing of the sort. "That's wood. Old wood to be exact." Gilda responded. "Okay, you got me there." Rainbow admitted before walking to the stairs. "But I bet there are a bunch of bounty hunters hiding to get me by surprise!" She stuck her head downstairs to see no one there. "It's my old house, calm down." Gilda told her. Rainbow went back up and says, "Alright, nopony is here except you and me." She then pounces on Gilda and accused, "Which means you're trying to capture me for my bounty!" "Calm down you airheaded clown!" Gilda shouted as she pushed her off. "Okay, listen. I really need your help." "With what?" Rainbow questioned as she got on her feet. "It's about my parents." Gilda stated, stunning Rainbow a lot. "They've been taken." Bodies of the defeated littered the streets. Zoro and Applejack were walking around looking for the others. "Geez." Zoro sighed. "Did that Rainbow get lost or something?" "Where are we headed Zoro?" Applejack asked. "We're going to meet up with Luffy and the others." Zoro planned. "We should also keep a look out for your friend." As they passed around the corner, Applejack noticed a familiarity of the market. "Hey, weren't we just here?" Applejack questioned. Zoro turned and checked. "Hmm… It does look familiar." "Do you even know where we're going?" Applejack wondered. "Scratch that… Do you even know where we are?" "Eh? What do you mean by that?" Zoro questioned. "Didn't you beat that guy up over there just ten seconds ago?" Applejack pointed out. Zoro looked at the pony with the Mohawk with a jagged blade and his long thin mustache. "Can't say, I don't remember weaklings that well." Applejack grumbled as she suggested, "You know what? How about you follow me this time." Zoro didn't argue as he didn't notice Applejack's annoyed expression. Applejack leads the way this time, back to the inn. Rainbow was sitting on the floor with Gilda as she explains the situation. After doing so, Rainbow recaps to make sure. "So let me get this straight…" Rainbow began. "Bounty hunters just kidnapped your parents, who turned out to be former pirates?" Gilda nodded without showing emotion. "But I met your parents from time to time! If they were pirates, how come they didn't leave for a voyage or something?" "That's because they're just local pirates." Gilda explains. "They used a wing ship to take all kinds of stuff around Equestria. Once they got old, they quit the business. I just don't know how they found out…" "And why do you think I can help?" Rainbow questions. "Because of your little scuffle." Gilda states as she shows off the newspaper. "Anypony who got 350,000,000 bits as a bounty has to have some serious power, and I need that kind of skill." Rainbow scratched her head towards the compliment. "Well, thanks. Yeah, these babies got power… Hey wait! Don't think I forgot about what you did back in town!" "I know, I know…" Gilda replied. "And I'm sorry, alright? But please! I'm talking about my parents! You gotta help me…" Rainbow was deep in thought. Even though what she did was wrong, this was about someone else. She couldn't just abandon them in a time of need. Of course, there were also those old memories of their friendship. That should count for something. "Alright, alright." Rainbow agreed. "I'll help, but we'll need my friends." "Sweet!" Gilda said cheerfully. "Thanks! I owe you one!" "Come on! We need to get going!" Rainbow said as she broke the lock on the window. The two flew out back to the inn. Twilight and the others walked back to the inn. There, they meet up with Zoro and Applejack who got there first. "Whoa! Zoro! I didn't think you'd get back here first!" Luffy said as he was impressed. "What? You'd think I'd get lost in this small town?" Zoro questioned. "You did!" Applejack shouted. "You will not believe this guy! I didn't think I'd get as annoyed as I did with Luffy! This guy kept on getting us lost and going in circles. When I walked him back to the inn, he almost got lost again!" Zoro closed his eyes as he said, "Because your instructions suck!" "No it ain't! There's something wrong with your sense of direction. Seriously, we have to keep a bell on this guy or something." "OI!" Zoro scolded as he bonked Applejack on the head. "Hey, has anyone seen Rainbow?" Chopper wondered. They all looked at Chopper, especially Applejack and Zoro, who were about to hit each other. "Wasn't she with you?" Twilight asked Applejack. "About that." She started off as she pushed Zoro away. "We got into a fight with a crowd of bounty hunters trying to get Rainbow. By the time it was over, she went into hiding." "Does that mean we have to look for her now?" Pinkie wondered. "No it doesn't!" Rainbow claimed as she landed nearby. Along with her was Gilda, surprising everyone, but mostly the ponies. "Look out! It's another griffon!" Luffy said as he kicked his hoof to the floor. Zoro got out his swords while Chopper went into his walk point getting ready to fight as well. The others stood still however. "What's Gilda doing here!?" Pinkie questioned Rainbow. "Hold on!" Rainbow quickly replied. "Okay, let's calm down. This is Gilda you guys. She's a… somepony I know, and she needs help." Reluctantly doing as Rainbow said, they took off the battle stance as they returned to normal casual selves. The five however were glaring at Gilda. At the inn, Luffy was eating meat as the team heard the story. After Gilda explained everything, Luffy spat out yelling, "YOUR PARENTS ARE PIRATES!?" "Were to be specific." Gilda implied as she flicked a piece of meat off her face. "Oh, disgusting!" Rarity whined. "That is nasty!" Applejack groaned. "Luffy! Don't talk with your mouth full!" Twilight scolded. "Say it, don't spray it!" Rainbow told Luffy. "Oh, sorry!" Luffy chuckled. "Anyways, I was wondering if you could help me." Gilda asked. "Well, why not?" Luffy replied. "You're friends with Rainbow after all." "LUFFY!" The five ponies screamed as Pinkie pushed him down. "What!?" he questioned. "Luffy, Gilda used to be friends with Rainbow." Pinkie explained. "And also, she's a total meanie! She was mean to poor little Fluttershy!" "Really?" He replied. "But!" Rainbow cuts in. "She needs help! Her parents are in danger! Now, I'm on edge about the idea too, but all she's asking is for some help to break her parents out. Maybe crack some skulls along the way. Come on! We can totally do this quick and easy!" The ponies were just unsure, especially Fluttershy. Luffy however nodded in agreement. "If you want to do it, then I'll help." "Luffy…!" Twilight called out. "See! Luffy here is ready to help me out." Rainbow boasted for him. "Are you saying Luffy here knows when a friend needs help better than you do?" "Alright, we get it." Applejack responded. "We can't let Luffy down after all. We do owe him for what he's done so far." "Thanks. I owe you one." Gilda said gratefully. Usopp and Robin were at Wing's Peak, the mountain spot of Griffora. They were once again camping out nearby the fire. "I definitely saw Luffy, Zoro, and Chopper." Usopp confirmed. "There were also six ponies." "I recall that there was one purple and one white unicorn, one orange and one pink earth pony, one rainbow and one yellow pegasus." Robin added. "So the next time we see them, we'll regroup from there." "Good, I've been missing the others for a while." Usopp stated. "But seriously, why is Luffy still a pony?" "I find it cute." Robin said as she prepared to sleep. Usopp nodded in agreement and puts out the fire.