//------------------------------// // Unexpected company // Story: Dead Birds // by Stray Dog Kane //------------------------------// “Ohhhhh no, no!” Gilda said, now seeing the new situation upstairs in her guest room. “Do you have another guest room you can put them in?” “I’m sorry Gilda, really,” Fluttershy replied with some regret. “But I only have that one,” she said, before returning to hopeful again. “But don’t worry, they’re really good little foals!” She turned to the new houseguests. “Right girls?” While the redhead and the white foals seemed to agree with a cheerful nod, the orange one just huffed unpleasantly, and the pink one just lay on the bed looking unpleasant in a sad way. Gilda could already tell this was going to suck soon, it was only a matter of when it got worse. “Just don’t make a mess, you all got that?.” Gilda groaned, and decidedly excused herself from the room with a defeated sigh. While Fluttershy continued to give what was likely ground rules for the children, the griffon went downstairs to the living room. At least Angle shared her thoughts on this, seeing as he was now scarce to find after the foals showed up. Sadly, she had no rabbit hole to go down herself. So she’d just sit on the living room sofa for now. After a while, Shy came down from upstairs. As per usual, the pegasus was in better spirits than the griffon was. While she was likely to walk past, likely to start tea or something, Gilda had the same question she asked moments before.. “Again, why?” she asked. “Don’t they got any other place else to go?” While Fluttershy gave her a slight dirty look for a moment, at least causing Gilda to at least back a bit down from her agitation, the point still stood. “Honest question, alright?” she sighed finally. “I’m really sorry, but things have really gotten bad in town lately,” Fluttershy replied back, staying firm. “And their sisters are busy with Hearth’s Warming duties, so I need to watch over them. First the vandalism now there’s a mad pony…” Shy trailed off looking unnerved at that part. “Things are-” “Bad?” Gilda finished, trying not to hint any guilt she had. She might not have, except for the sudden interest and that look in her eyes. That surprised look of realization. “Like, how bad is it right now?” “Pretty bad.” Fluttershy replied with a sad sigh, looking down. “With so many delays, we might not see a Hearth's Warming Eve in Ponyville.” She rubbed her leg, unaware of the griffon in the room looking away with a guilty look. Gilda got it off her before she looked up again. “They’re safer here for now,” she finished. “Twilight doesn’t think the mad pony left town and the guard ponies are looking for him.” “Ok, I got it,” Gilda said with a bit sadly, knowing her part in things. Thankfully, the pegasus figured the guilt was from something else. “I’m sorry I got upset at you, Gilda, but maybe we can look on the bright side,” Fluttershy said with a smile. “Maybe it could be therapeutic?” “Or a nightmare…” Gilda added her two GP. “I’ve seen enough shows to know any peace of mind we got now won’t last.” Fluttershy shook her head at that. “Any bits I ought to know about?” she asked the pegasus. “I already know the little orange kid hates me, guess she got a soft spot for Dash…” “The mad pony attacked Diamond Tiara's family and her friend,” Fluttershy added. She took a seat on the living room couch, lucky for the griffon not right next to her. “She’s really shaken up from it too and hasn’t said a word since it happened.” “So, what?” Gilda asked scratching her head. “You want me to be like extra nice to her or something?” “Just leave her be for now,” Shy replied with a serious look. “I’m going to talk to her later, before dinner. I’ve seen Apple Bloom’s trying to help, but Diamond’s...not answering her.” She had that somber look again, rubbing her hooves. Gilda could tell why, rare as that once was once. Not being able to do anything helpful, even after the event, sucked royal. At least there was nothing she could do, or nothing expected. “So, what now?” Gilda began with a shrug. “You got anything else going?” “Just let them settle for now,” Fluttershy replied with a soft smile. “The Cutie Mark Crusaders can be a hoof-full, but they mean well. Don’t worry so much.” “And who gets the bed?” Gilda’s question had Shy’s attention, her eyes were wide like little plates. Apparently she didn’t think as far on things as she thought she did. “Er, I didn’t think about that…?” Shy responded and the griffon faceclawd as she let out a nervous giggle with a sad smile. “Can you share the same bed with them?” “Four fillies and a griffon,” Gilda replied, still holding her head. “That’s a sitcom, Fluttershy, not a sleeping arrangement.” “Well, we have a hour or two before dinner.” Fluttershy got up and trotted off. “I’ll ask my friends,” She added as she got her winter wear on. “I know Applejack will have some sleeping straw. “Yeah, you go do that,” Gilda mumbled with a sigh. Even under the best conditions, the griffon was not much for children. While Fluttershy seemed good with them, Gilda would have felt better to avoid them. That Scootaloo pony was going to be the worst though, seeing as last time was a miserable meeting that had her cold. The other three wouldn't be more than an annoyance, but at least they could keep scooter off her case. One odd worry did come to mind, if random. If Fluttershy became birds and butterflies she did not want to know what they would become. Her eyes were going to be closed tonight, as if she didn’t need more reason too... “Can I trust you and Angel to keep things calm while I’m gone?” Shy’s voice got Gilda out of her monologue as she was now dressed and at the door. “Sure, if I can find him,” Gilda replied back nervously. “Just hurry back, ok?” Fluttershy nodded. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.” she said and smiled back to her. “Don’t worry!” She headed out, as Gilda hoped she would be back soon.. It was now mostly quiet for then, aside from the voices upstairs. With nothing better to do, Gilda found herself back to pacing again. As annoying or tiring as it was, she sighed as she notice she was back to basics on things. “You would think if they were having a sleepover…” she muttered to herself. “Does anypony have a stupid video game device in this town?” Gilda grimly muttered. “Argh!” She continued to circle until she felt a sudden weight on her back. “Get off, fluffy bun!” she growled at Angel. “I’m not anyone's mount right now!” Despite her warning, the rabbit seemed content to stay, causing her to turn her head. “I said get off my back!” she now roared, and Angel hopped to the coffee table with a dirty look. “Look...” Gilda stopped her pacing and looked at the bunny. “If you are that bored, go play with the kids.” The bunny shook his head, for once nervous. “What? You guys are about the same size, right?” He shook his head again, just as scared. “Hey, what the worst they can do?” Apparently, that comment was enough to tempt fate's cruel appendage. With fate, like more than a few things, hating the griffon’s guts. From a heavy, audible thud and some shouting above it was clear things had gotten longer for her. With a quick and careful beak, the griffon put the bunny on the stairs. “You check Angel, I’ll check the kitchen,” Gilda said before going to get a snack. But as she walked in the other direction, the fact that something was now holding her tail, even to the point it was dragging behind her, told the griffon Angel’s answer to that statement. Gilda turned her head around to see the bunny holding on her tail with a frightened look. “We check together then?” she replied with funny, if annoyed, look. The rabbit holding on to her tail nodded as if to say “That’s better.”, and hopped upstairs. Gilda sighed and walked up as well. The bunny stood next to the guest room door, giving her a nod to open it. Pushing it open, the griffon found the room was ok... Well, beyond the fact the CMC managed to not only topple the nightstand, but were now they were in the process of moving the rooms bookshelf. Right now, the tall thing was making silent threats to fall over and hit the floor like the nightstand had. It was enough that the griffon charge over fast before the shelf took a foal down with it. She thankfully braced it back up before it fell. Holding it up as the trio of foals were still in the process of pushing it. “What the heck are you doing?” Gilda demanded of the small three in a annoyed, but trying to be “oh so calm” voice. The last thing she needed was Fluttershy getting mad about her getting mad again. ”We’re making a barricade!” said Sweetie Bell with enthusiasm, clearly unaware how close she was to being flattened. “A barricade?” Gilda asked with a confused look. “Why the heck are you doing that?” “Cutie Mark Crusaders: Home Defense Force!” the three strange foals shouted in unison and glee. Oh boy, this was going to be grating, Gilda thought. The griffon shooed them away with her claws, clearly seeing the three as a bigger danger than what the were defending against. She sighed as the three gave her a unhappy look next to the bed. “Right, next you four are…” Gilda paused and gave a look to the fourth one, still sitting on the bed. That pink foal hadn't moved at least, not even paying attention to the spectacle nearby. “What are you surviving again?” she demanded. “Zombies? You guys are upstairs for cripes sakes!” “Were gonna help block the entrances to that nasty mad pony can’t come af’ta us up here,” Apple Bloom explained. “Jus in case he uses the windows.” “What...?” Gilda uttered in a low voice. “A bad guy can’t come in if he doesn’t have a way in,” stated Sweetie with confidence. It took a moment for the random facts to sink in, but they did for the griffon. “You guys...are trying to barricade yourselves in...due to that mad pony?” Gilda asked them and the trio nodded, causing her to roll her eyes. “Seriously?” she deadpanned. “Yep!” Bloom said with another nod. “That’s ta plan!” The griffon let out another groan, at least the loons were committed to this. It was cute in a screwed up kind of way. “Why don’t I help?” Gilda asked the trio. “Shy’s out right now and it me and….” She then realized who wasn’t there, Angel had booked it while she wasn’t looking. “....me...” she added as she looked aside with narrowed eyes. “So I got to make sure you little idiots hurt yourselves.” “Hey!” Scootaloo yelled angrily at that line. “Can ya?” Apple Bloom said, not at all bothered by the griffons blunt concern. “I figures, that shelf there can fit over that window there. An’ Keep it covered so he can’t get in.” “Then we just need to find some boards to nail on the insides of the other windows,” said Sweetie next. “Nuh uh, we nail the boards outside,” Scooter countered getting a dirty look from the white one. “It’s stupid to just put the boards on the inside of the house.” The two started to bicker as the griffon wordlessly moved the shelf to the window, like the foals had planned. At least the three won’t try to move it from there, mitigating any damage they could cause next. She did her best to ignore the argument unfolding. As the pair went to hooves with the redhead trying to keep them apart. Gilda, in the meantime, reset the nightstand upright. “That mad pony would just push the board in, and we’d be stuck putting board back up!” said Scootaloo with a hoof holding her back. “Then we’d have to keep galloping between windows all night!” “And I’m saying he won’t get past them in here, and it’s cold outside!” said Sweetie Bell with another hoof doing the same. “And I’m sayin, he’d just find ah nother way in if we jus argue like this!” Apple Bloom said with her hooves out, keeping the other two out of a hoof fight. “So let’s not fight ah bout the windows, ah right?” “Wait, you mean like the front door?” Gilda mentioned off hand as she walked back to them. The three dropped the argument and just stared at the griffon for a moment. “Yeah!” the three said in unison with a look of delight. They trotted to Gilda, as if expecting her to have more “sage” advice. The griffon realized she really needed to keep her beak shut. “Do we need ta nail the door shut?” Apple Bloom asked Gilda. On one hand, it might have been fun to watch, on the other she saw stuff breaking or ponies getting hurt. “Um, look, kid…” Gilda only managed to get those three words out before the next foal spoke up. “Do you know where Fluttershy keeps her boards and nails?” asked Sweetie Bell. “Are they in that shed she has outside? I mean, I hope not.” “Can you hammer too?” Scootaloo added, and she sounded less unpleasant for a moment, excited to be building on the CMC new project. “It could help us make it this place really secure!” “Say…” Bloom said as she rubbed her chin. “Where is ta hammer, miss G?” However, Gilda had enough of this. “Will you three weirdos cut it out!” she shouted to the small crowd. They stopped their running about with two of them looking hurt, and the third one looking angry. “If there’s some mad pony near here I’ll handle him, alright?” “Like you could,” Scooter answered, looking away with her little hooves crossed. Gilda rolled her eyes at that. “Don’t bother me kid,” she dismissed, resisting an urge to jab the kid. “And you two, er three or whatever, if you're so scared of him why don’t you just hide someplace?” “Naw, we should make ah perimeter!” Apple Bloom countered. “Like circling tha waggons ya know?” “You know, why don’t you guys just…” Gilda stopped to come up with some answer, one that could keep them out of trouble. Or better, just out of her sight. “Maybe, you could hide in the basement? There’s a desk to hide under down there,” she said. “Yeah!” Sweetie Bell beamed, nodding with excitement on the new plan. “We can just barricade the one door instead of all of them!” “But, then we’d have just the one door…” Scootaloo said aside. “How would we escape?” Despite that vote, the three ran from the room with a speed that nearly knocked the griffon off balance. At least, Gilda thought, all that’s down there is a desk, a couch, and hopefully nothing they can hurt themselves with. She let out a sigh of relief, and was about to leave before she noted the fourth one was still sitting there. Still on the bed, hardly moving. It was then that she made note of how much white was on the light pink pony. The filly had a bunch of bandages on her flank and back. While the kid was awake, eyes open and staring at a wall, she seemed miles away from where she was. Despite the ruckus that was going on just a moment ago the kid looked unfazed, even deeply detached. “Aren’t you with those weirdos?” Gilda asked, but the foal didn’t answer her. She didn’t see the harm in walking in to view of the foal, even waving a claw in front of the child's face. “Yo, they went downstairs, you want to go too?” The pink foal still wasn’t answering, even turning away from her with a grumble. “Seeing as-” But Gilda was cut off by the foal growling at her “Shut up,” Diamond Tiara said in a low, angry voice. She sounded bitter, even trembling. Her breathing sounded like she was shivering, but she didn’t look cold, just hateful. “Guess you're the traumatized one,” Gilda muttered to herself. She was about to back away, as it wasn’t her business anyway. Fluttershy was going to talk with the foal and it’s not like she knew how to comfort kids like this. While the griffon was about to leave, she felt a bit of insight. This kid was miserable, and was going to for who knows how long, and for some reason, that made her feel down as well. Looking back, Gilda could see the foal was mostly clutching herself, but still wanted nothing to do with anyone. She figured even Fluttershy might have a problem with this. It was like some kind of silly idea came to mind that would have caused her to let out another groan, but she smirked instead. Sure, it wasn’t like her, but why not? This was a stupid idea, but crazy enough to work. Gilda remembered that dream she had, like it might help somehow. That silly one with Fluttershy and it’s effect on her. So she walked up to the little foal, still curled up in a ball, and without warning picked her up to give her a hug. “W-what, what are…” Diamond jolted to some movement as the griffon lifted her. “Leave me alone you stupid...!” “Easy kid,” Gilda said, trying to sound friendly. “I just thought...” “I don’t care what you think!” Tiara yelled as Gilda, who against any better judgement, tried a hug with the kid’s hooves angrily flailing at her all the while. “Let go of me you dumb bird brain!” “I’m, ah, trying to, oof, help,” Gilda stuttered as little hooves were hitting her chest. “I got this idea so...stop hitting me!” she finally shouted back. “Make me,” Diamond uttered bleakly. “I’ve got nothing left anyway!” Gilda could see her stupid plan was floundering badly. “Hey, I’ve had sucky moments too, alright?” she said as she gave the kid less room to move, at least to soften the blows. “I wanna help you, so just talk to me, alright?...ow!” That stung. “Shut up!” Tiara yelled back as she was still fighting back. “Just shut up and leave me alone!” She kept hitting as Gilda struggled to keep hold. “I’ve lost my friend, my daddy, I don’t care anymore! Get away from me! Just get away!” By this point she had started crying, and had now resorted to digging her teeth into the griffon’s side, which stung a lot! “Just let yourself cry kid!” Gilda yelled with a strain from the pain. “Let it out and...ow ow ow.” Her teeth were grit with pain as she hopped the kid would wear herself out. She let out a sigh of relief when Diamond had stopped her biting. It was quiet for a moment, as pink filly struggled for a bit more, then just lost it. The little pony just cried then. It seemed instinctive at that point for Gilda to rub the kid’s mane and back as she sobbed, even if it did feel weird. “There ya go kid, just let it out,” Gilda said softly. “It’s just us here, it’s just us.” The kid continued to do so, shivering into her chest. Heartwarming as it could be, Gilda was quite glad she wasn’t being bit into right now. She let out a breath of relief, maybe her silly sounding insight fixed something. “You feel better yet?” Gilda tried to smile as she spoke. The kid wasn't trembling anymore, just breathing heavily into her. “No….” Diamond said with a sniffle. “I’m just some loser now…” “Yeah, it didn’t work much for me either, so don’t feel too bad about it,” Gilda added as she let go. The kid wasn’t though, keeping her hooves around her, the foal’s head still buried in her chest. “I remember it being a first step or something. Guess I, uh...forgot the rest.” Gilda rubbed her own head at that part. “You're a stupid bird,” Diamond snarked, even with a bit of a soft laugh. Gilda didn’t feel too bad about it, Tiara felt less venomous than before. Like her anger had gone back to grief or something. But she was talking now and not just sitting there like a ghost. “You aren’t so burnt out now, right?” Gilda asked, still with a bit of a smile as she pulled the kid off. She could see the moist face the kid had, but even so she had a bit of a smirk at the jab she made at Gilda’s expense. “Fluttershy’s probably going to try something later on, so try to keep your chin up, alright?” “Why?” Diamond said sadly looking down, still a bit teary eyed. “Silver spoon is still unconscious in the hospital, my rooms trashed, my dad hurt, that monster…” She shivered. “He just wants to punish me! Like I’m some kind of…!” She clenched herself and grit her teeth as she froze up trembling. “What if....what if…!” “Hey, hey, hey!” Gilda said softly but firm, as she put her claws on the kid shoulders. “Easy, take it slow.” She could see the kid was still trembling. “Maybe take a few deep breaths?” She couldn't believe she said that, and struggled to think of something to say to stop the kid for losing it. Then an idea came to her. “I’ve been through stuff too,” Gilda added. “Guess...I’m kind of a loser like you?” That had an effect, as Diamond Tiara now looked up at her, still teary eyed with an odd look. At least the pink foal wasn’t muttering to herself now. “L-loser, seriously?” Diamond added with little breath. “Yeah, did...kinda...lose my best friend.” She was still shivering, but at least not a trembling mess. “But your friend, she’s alive right?” Gilda said, while trying to figure what to do next. She opted to rub the kids mane a bit. “Besides, I lost a friend too ya know?” She had to hope the tone didn’t sound stupid. “So I know that bites, totally.” “R-really?” Tiara asked back, looking less scared and more curious. She stopped her shivering, looking to the griffon with full attention. “Y-yeah, long time ago,” Gilda said, and felt sad at the memory herself. Still, she tried to help it. “But you still got yours, right? Even if she’s in a hospital.” The filly nodded back. “See, maybe it’s not as bad as all that kid? When some miserable griffon can find some hope in things, maybe it’s not as hopeless.” “Y-yeah…maybe,” Diamond sniffled again, not exactly convinced but still even finding a bit to smile at. “What happened to yours, miss G?” she asked in an almost innocent sounding tone. “Made them mad,” Gilda added with a grim chuckle. “Guess it’s not a nasty sounding, but it was someone I really, kinda connected with once,” she muttered in a low voice, not wishing to dwell on it. “She’s not dead or anything, but I don’t think mine’s ever going to get better.” she answered in a somber tone. “No matter what I do, I know it’s never going to get better.” “Oh…” Diamond replied rubbing tears from her eyes. “Why that?” “Reasons, I guess,” Gilda replied as she put her claw on the kids back, doing her best to avoid any tender spots the bandages were over. “You don’t have to be in a coma to have reasons not to get better kid. It’s been a grim...dark...whatever things for a while for me. Like it just gets worse the more you try.” The kid sniffled a bit more, but Gilda still wanted to be reassuring. “I’ll bet when your friend wakes up, she’ll be glad to see ya again,” she added. “Mine probably wishes she never knew me…” “What do you mean by that? Tiara asked, a bit confused at that answer. “Now you’re the one that sounds crazy.” She rubbed her eyes a bit, at least trying to dry them now. “I’ve got a bad history with friends, I guess.” Gilda lifted the foal back onto the bed. “How bout you get some sleep for now? Maybe, it could help ya.” While some would have wanted this heartwarming moment between the pair to continue, the griffon part wanted it to end, if only from how odd things had gotten. “Even I know how tiring feeling miserable is from experience, so you could probably use the rest,” Gilda finished. The kid nodded back. “T-thanks…” Diamond replied, more than a bit awkwardly. Clearly she was feeling more embarrassed than the griffon was. Then again said foal gave Gilda another hug around the neck. “I’m glad you were here for me, miss G.” Gilda only hoped she would not be asked to tuck anyone in, and was quite glad when she wasn’t. The foal crawled into bed by herself as the griffon watched. All that was missing was a teddy bear or something as the kid closed her eyes under the covers, looking much better than she was several minutes ago. With the Diamond Tiara snoozing, even looking peaceful, Gilda figured it was a good time as any to step out. Already seeing how her mind felt like a complete stranger to her from what she had just done. Even if it was because she had felt bad for the shaken foal due to her own feelings, it all felt alien. Again, the idea had come from one of those dreams that pull at her mind and the sense of who she was. She scratched her head and looked at her claw, it was real as usual. And she did remember who she was, that good and the bad. But still, she sighed and how different she felt she was from who she used to be. The griffon knew she could snap herself out of it, or hoped she could. She was still herself, and right now she needed something to do to keep her mind occupied. Maybe she could check on the new local survivalists in the basement? But opening the door, she found Fluttershy looking at her. The pony was looking just as unsure about what was going on as Gilda was. Both sides stared at each other for a moment in real shock. “Uh…” Gilda began, eye wide. She now dreaded how long that pony had been there. “Um….” Fluttershy replied, her eyes also wide. She quickly looked away, going back to digging her hoof into the floor. “So, Tiara sleeping….and…” Gilda pointed out the obvious. “W-well, if that’s ok with you?” “Y-yeah…” Shy could see that, looking up and past the griffon. “It’s fine for now. I’d like her to get some rest too. I-I’ll check on her latter, s-so i-its fine.” “You saw nothing,” Gilda ended dryly. “Provided you did see something.” “O-oh, ok!” Fluttershy promptly nodded. They went downstairs in an awkward silence for a moment, notably for both sides. It ended when Gilda finally came up with something that didn’t involve what they weren’t not talking about. “Did you get anything?” she asked, hoping to end this tension. “Like, from your friends for bedding?” “O-oh, oh!” That snapped Fluttershy out of it. “I got sleeping straw for them!” she replied with a bit more loud than she expected, but calmed herself a bit. “I have some spare blankets too, so you all won’t be in the same bed.” “Ok, that’s...something,” Gilda said as she scratched her neck. “At least that’s sorted.” “Oh, um, and why is my basement door stuck?” Fluttershy asked as the griffon nervously gulped. “Angel called me to it and…” Gilda knew the answer, gritting her teeth in a comical look. “Crud!” she hit her claw on the floor as she yelled in annoyance, causing Fluttershy to jump in surprise. “We got a breach, crusaders!” a voice yelled from below. “To your positions!”