Appledashery

by Just Essay


Spindel's Narrow

Gilda led Rainbow Dash to a shallow cliff situated along the face of the wall about four hundred meters north of where the largest windblown chasm loomed. There, a narrow passage existed—a dark black niche set within the thick granite. Magical winds funneled out of the fissure, whistling with persistent gales, as if the plateau itself was performing an endless wheeze.

"The hay is this?" Rainbow asked.

"Spindel's Narrow," Gilda explained. "Y'know, the passageway that Fibb mentioned?"

"Oh. Right." Rainbow nodded, then squinted. "How in the heck could he fit through this thing?"

"That was many, many years ago," Gilda said. "Used to be, back in the day, griffons would use this passage to slip into the Monster Lands and perform Hunting Rites. The actual gateway—the big chasm—is meant for entire griffon armies to fly through. But... well..."

"I'm guessing you guys haven't had one of those in a while."

"Meh. Don't rub it in." Gilda stepped up to the very edge of the whistling winds pouring out of the plateau. "You should be able to get through to the Monster Lands via this passage. Be warned... it ain't exactly a short trip."

"So long as it can let me get through, then I'm game," Rainbow said. She glanced up at the sky. The overcasted clouds had turned to a dark mahogany with the onset of night. "I've already wasted enough time as it is." She flinched slightly. "Erm... y-you know what I mean."

"Eh, I suppose. Hold up." Gilda pivoted about and slammed the Wind Chalice suddenly over a rock outcropping. Clang! Cl-Clank!

Rainbow Dash winced. "Whoah, Gilda! It's okay to take offense to something, but watch it, girl!"

"Trust me," the griffon grunted, then slammed the goblet agains the rock one last time. Cl-Clang! One of the four rubies popped loose, and she clasped it with a slight glow. "Ah... there we are." She tossed it at Rainbow Dash.

The pegasus caught it. "Is... is this what powers up the Chalice?"

"Pretty much. It should be enough to let you through Spindel's Narrow. Go on, test it out."

"Okay..." Rainbow gulped. "Here goes." She trotted up to the passage, holding the ruby up. As it approached the blowing air, it glowed a bright red. Almost immediately, the whistling howls ended. Rainbow's mane stopped blowing, and she found that she could step up to the granite mouth of the narrow niche, undaunted.

"See?" Gilda smiled. "Easy as pie!"

"Admit it." Rainbow smirked over her shoulder at her. "You had your own doubts up until I walked into the thing."

"Shuddup." Gilda hauled the rest of the goblet over her shoulder. "Keep that gem on you. Always. If it gets separated from you, then the winds will build up again. You'll be stuck in the dark hollows of the plateau forever. And... y'know... that would suck."

"Thanks, Gilda."

"Don't mention it."

"What about you?" Rainbow bit her lip. "I can't imagine the other griffons are gonna welcome you back with open wings, what with the stolen goblet and Fibb being all beat-up."

"What stolen goblet?" Gilda held the Chalice up with a smirk. "I just returned it back to the city!" She winked.

"And... the missing stone?"

"Eh, as if the ostrich-brains will notice it," Gilda said. "The cup will still work fine with just one stone missing. And as for Fibb... he's in a far worse place than I am. And the moment I claim that I was the one who got his beak slammed in, well, let's just say that I'll be living the life of luxury until another griffon shows up to tries and beat me up."

"Yeesh. Griffons are weird."

"Yeah, well, I once knew a pegasus who had a fetish for them."

Rainbow rolled her eyes. "It was far more complicated than that, Gilda."

"Yeah, well, too bad 'complications' aren't enough to lean on."

"Yeah, too bad."

"Yeah."

Silence.

"Hey... dweeb..."

"Yeah, featherhead?"

Gilda looked up, eyes round. "Once you've done what you've come out here to do, saved the foal and all... will you lemme know?" She gulped. "And that you made it out safe?"

"Yeah. Sure."

"... ... ...and will you let me know if you're finally in a happy place? Like... that place you've always wanted to be?"

"Well, what about you?" Rainbow asked. "Are you in a happy place?"

"No fair, you always do that."

"I know."

The two stared at each other, until—at last—Gilda's beak nostrils flared.

"Ehhhh... get lost, ya glue stick." She waved and turned back towards the crystalline towers with a flap of her wings. "Try not to let a monster gobble you up too hard."

"It'd be real lame if I let that happen after all I've been through."

"And we all know you're never lame," Gilda squawked, flying away on a stream of feathery chuckles.

Rainbow Dash, in the meantime, turned around and spelunked into the narrow chasm. The gem stone in her grasp illuminated the winding walls with a glistening crimson glow.

Lancie stuck his head out of her saddlebag. "Curious..."

"What is, Lancie?"

"That you never talked much about that one," he said. "Not even how your relationship ended."

"Relationships never end," Rainbow Dash muttered. "Fluttershy...? Gilda...?" She gulped. "Listing...?" She shook her head. "They're just anchors I carry throughout the rest of my life."

"Curious that you seek even more weights," the statue remarked. "When, do you think, the absurd search will end?"

"When I no longer have the strength to fly away from what I have," Rainbow muttered. "Or the desire."

"Hmmm... if you insist." Lancie gestured ahead of them. "Onwards?"

"Onwards," Rainbow muttered, and the two threaded their way into the dark heart of the plateau.