//------------------------------//
// Voices and Griffons. 
// Story: Leading the charge. 
// by Watercolor the Pegasus 
//------------------------------//

Pinkie Pie sat alongside her four friends, in the waiting room of the Ponyville hospital ER. It had ended up being the hospital that the EERT had brought the Griffon to. Apparently, Rainbow Dash knew the Griffon, who was supposedly named Gilda, from when she was in Flight Camp. She had been insistent that they go to the hospital they brought Gilda to immediately. They tried to get information from the front desk of the ER, but since none of them were blood relatives of Gilda, the ponies at the front desk wouldn't tell them anything. So, the four mares had been waiting in silence. For hours, and hours, and hours. Rainbow was determined that they stay there until Gilda came out. The Element of Loyalty had also been shimmering on and off the whole time they had been there.

Something else that Pinkie had noticed, was that Rainbow had kept flying. The whole way on the train, and even now in the waiting room, she flew overhead. Pinkie had almost never seen Rainbow fly except on occasion during war, and on their way to Ponyville when this whole thing first started. Pinkie wondered if it had something to do with the strange abilities she and Applejack had gained. Pinkie recalled how after careful studying, she had determined that Applejack could, indeed, tell when a pony was lying or telling the truth. It wouldn't be all that odd, if not for the fact Applejack had never had this ability before, and it was determined by a voice in her head that either said "truth" or "lie" whenever somepony said something. 

Pinkie looked up at her own, now bright pink and poofy, mane. She rubbed it downwards with her hoof, in what she knew would be a hopeless attempt to straighten it. She was right, as her mane immediately sprung back into its poofy state. Pinkie sighed with exhaustion at the sight. She knew that, most likely, nopony else noticed, but her new abilities-not to mention the voices in her head-drove her crazy. She gave a slight shudder, remembering all the things her mane had done that first day as she struggled in vain against its poofiness. She would never be able to get that image out of her head. She couldn't help but wonder: what, exactly, was she now capable of with her new-found abilities.

Can you be quiet, voice, please!? I can't even hear myself think!

Pinkie, I told you. I can't be quiet. I have to narrate the story. 

Well can you narrate the story quieter? You're driving me crazy! Well...crazier. I think just these abilities themselves are making me crazy. AUGH!! Just...please, can you be quieter?

I can't control the volume, Pinkie! I'm just typing things. It's not my fault you can hear me.

Then whose fault is it?

...I...don't...ugh. Can't you just ignore me? The original timelines Pinkie Pie can handle this. Why can't you?

Because I'm not the other timelines Pinkie! I've never had this ability before! How am I supposed to know how to deal with it?

Learn.

...touché.

"AUGH! We've been waiting for HOURS! What is taking them so long!?" Pinkie's thoughts were interrupted by Rainbow Dash, who was getting annoyed, and currently flew in midair with her hooves crossed. 

"Now now, darling." Rarity said. "We simply must be patient. We don't even know what exactly is wrong with this...Gilda."

Rainbow groaned. "I don't care. I'm worried about her. She was my best friend when we were fillies." 

Pinkie cocked her head at Rainbow. "Do you even remember how you guys met?" 

Rainbow jerked her head towards Pinkie. "Well...no. It was a long time ago." 

Applejack sighed. "Don't worry Rainbow. Ah'm sure she's fine." 

In that moment, the ER doors pushed open. Out of the doors came a female Griffon whose fur and feathers were ragged and disheveled, covered in dirt, and with an almost unnoticeable touch of purple around her eyes and on the tips of her feathers. Rainbow immediately flew towards the Griffon. "Gilda!" She pulled the Griffon into a hug, but she pushed Rainbow away in an instant. "Who are you?" Rainbow stared at the Griffon in shock. "D-Don't you remember me? Rainbow Dash? We....we were friends in flight camp." The Griffon stared at Rainbow for a moment as if she was crazy, before the look on her face changed to one of realization. "Dash?" Rainbow's face immediately lit up, along with Gilda's. Gilda and Rainbow both pulled each other into a hug of excitement. 

Gilda pulled back, looking at her friend with a smile. "Where ya been, Dash? Nopony's seen you since some point at flight camp." Rainbow cringed at that. "That's not important. What's important is, are you okay?" Gilda nodded. "Yeah. I'm fine. Just got dehydrated a bit and passed out while flying. I flew here all the way from..." Gilda stopped, taking notice of the ponies behind Rainbow. "Who are these ponies?" "They're friends. Applejack is a Canner from here in Ponyville. Rarity is a Uniform Maker from Manehattan. Fluttershy is a Wool Harvester from Appleoosa. And Pinkie is a soldier, along with me." Gilda looked at Rainbow with curiousity. "Wait...you're a soldier?" Rainbow nodded with a proud smirk. "An Equestrian soldier. Been fighting ever since the call first went out." Gilda glanced side to side, and lowered her voice to a whisper. "Then you'll want to hear this. I just flew here all the way from Griffonstone with news for Princess Celestia. Griffonstone just fell to the Crystal Empire. I was sent here to tell Princess Celestia that Griffonstone wants to join forces with Equestria. I haven't eaten or rested for days cause I've been flying to Canterlot." Rainbow looked at her friend in shock. "Okay. First off, Sombra's a Storm-Cloud. Second, you need some food and relaxation. Stat. Third, you went too far. Canterlot's up north from here." Gilda just stared at her. "Seriously? It's up north?" Rainbow simply nodded. Gilda groaned. "You're right. I do need some rest. And food sounds like a good idea too." "Ah'd be happy letting y'all stay at my farm while we get Gilda here fixed up." Applejack said, coming up next to Rainbow. "We got plenty a' extra guest rooms." Rainbow looked to Gilda with a hopeful smile. Gilda gave a soft smile to her friend. "That would be great."