Friendship Still is Magic

by ultronquake

Griffon the Brush Off: The Good Old Days

In Ponyville the weather team took their job seriously, the members clocked in early and stayed until the skies were clear. To the landlocked ponies below it may just be a public beautification service like any other, but to pegasi it could be a matter of life and death. The same weather patterns created by the Cloudsdale weather factory that brought the much needed rain, if left unchecked could become a danger. Any stray lightning bolt could spell the end to an unaware flier caught without an insulated flight suit.

That was one reason why Cloudchaser took her job so seriously, and also why she was getting increasingly upset that Rainbow Dash was late for her shift. Her absence was unexplained, nothing said in advance to the supervisor or any of her co-workers. Now if it turns out it was a case of the feather flu that's going round, then that's understandable. But if she was playing hooky then-

"Oh hey Cloudchaser, howzit hangin?" Rainbow Dash said in the most laid back voice she could manage.

Cloudchaser was not amused, "Your twenty minuets late Rainbow Dash, I shouldn't have to tell you why it's important to be on time. Or do i?"

"Myah myha myha myha." Rainbow was mocking Cloudchaser's insistence on professionalism. "Keep your cool girl, Rainbow's here. I've just been busy with one of my Jr. flight camp friends who's in town visiting."

"Oh yeah? Maybe we could get her to do your job for you," Cloudchaser snarked. "So who is it?"

"You probably wouldn't remember her, i think you were only there at the same time as us one year. Anyways it's Gilda," Rainbow Dash

The name Gilda sent shivers down Cloudchaser's spine, her lip curled involuntarily. "Oh yes, i remember Gilda." She said with all the pent up angst of an entire summer's worth of bullying.

Apparently it flew strait over Rainbow's head, "I know right, Gilda sure is a hard girl to forget. It's just like we never left, she's been challenging me to races across town all day, it's just like old times." Rainbow said in a nostalgic tone.

Cloudchaser was having none of it, "So have you been putting gum in little fillies manes? Stealing their lunch money? Teasing them relentlessly? Just like the old times!?" she snarled.

Rainbow backed off a bit, "N-no, were just hanging out, you know i don't do stuff like that anymore. Besides those were just schoolyard pranks, nopony got hurt right?"

"Whatever helps you sleep at night Rainbow Dash," Cloudchaser said ending the topic. "My shift ended twenty minuets ago, i'm going home." She rudely flicked her tail at Rainbow's face and flew off to her home, on her way out she saw her, Gilda. The hybrid lion/eagle was positively gigantic, much larger than the fledgling she was in flight camp. Cloudchaser could see her screaming at the timid animal caretaker Fluttershy, and Fluttershy running away in tears. "Yeah just like old times."

*****

In the cramped apartment Cloudchaser and Flitter called home the pony with the most fabulous mane was hiding away up on her top bunk. Still upset over her interaction with her co-worker she was just trying to be alone with her thoughts. Thankfully her sister came by to break her out of her funk.

Climbing into the lower bunk Flitter tried chatting up Cloudchaser, "Hey sis, you feeling okay?"

"*Mumble Grumble Mumble*" was her reply.

"Sorry i couldn't catch that," said Flitter.

"I'm fine i, i just had a bad day at work," said Cloudchaser.

"Was Rainbow Dash getting on your nerves again? If she is, let the supervisor know, that's what she's there for." Flitter advised.

"It wasn't Rainbow Dash's fault, well not her's entirely. I found out Gilda is in town." Cloudchaser's words sent an identical shiver down Flitter's spine. "I know right, Rainbow Dash was talking about how their just 'hangin' out and racing around town' but i saw Gilda she hasn't changed any." She paused for a bit, "Well she has changed a bit, now she's big enough she could probably eat you if she felt like it."

"She's that big!? I think i'll hide in here with you." Flitter pulled her dragonfly print sheets over her head. "She was bad enough when she was tiny, always sneaking up behind us and scaring the hoo-ha out of us." Flitter said with a shudder.

"Don't forget how she put gum in your mane, you were so upset you wouldn't let me try to do your mane all fancy anymore," said Cloudchaser.

'Actually it's cause you couldn't style to save your life, but that's my secret.' Flitter internalized.

Silence took hold of the room, both pegasi were lost in thought about their childhood foe who now had popped back into their young adult lives. Cloudchaser could hear her sister rummaging around for something, Flitter pulled an old horseshoe box from beneath the bed and opened it.

"What do you got there?" Cloudchaser asked as she leant over the railing.

"It's the letters Bon Papa would send us back when we were fillies. He always knew just what to wright when we were feeling down." Flitter said as she flipped through the yellowed pages. The elegant cursive of their grandfather brought back fond memories of the months they spent in southern Prance.

"I know i was about to go home crying, then i read the letter that came that day and saw the picture he sent. You don't have that one, do you?" Cloudchaser asked of her sister.

Searching through the hefty stack of letters, knickknacks and other childhood treasures Flitter found it. An old Polaroid whose color had faded considerably, Cloudchaser reached down and picked it up, "Thanks."

It was just like she remembered it, her grandfather wearing his uniform, standing in his rose garden outside the modest wooden house. He was resting his weight on his cane, a content smile on his face, his eyes obscured by his overly bushy eyebrows. Written on the photo itself was 'To the bravest fillies in Equestria, my little heroes.' Cloudchaser was filled with warmth and sadness at the same time, she missed her Bon Papa.

"Well i guess that settles that," she said with resolve.

"Settles what?" asked Flitter.

"We can't just live in fear because some bully shows up, no matter how big she is." said Cloudchaser.

"Yeah! And what can Gilda do now anyway? Were all adults, if she tried any of the crap she pulled in flight camp she'd get arrested not a slap on the claw by the councilors." Flitter said perking up considerably.

"Ooh or even better, what if she got deported, all the way back to the Griffon Kingdom!" Cloudchaser said with glee, tossing off her starry sky print sheets.

The two sisters ditched the bunk bed and made their way down to the kitchen, both feeling in the mood for some celebratory ice cream. Cloudchaser opened the icebox and produced the gallon carton of caramel oat swirl, (Their favorite flavor) and got two big spoons. Before they could start in there was a knock at the door.

"Don't worry sis i got it," Flitter said as ran to their front door. Cloudchaser thought about waiting but decided against it, and started wolfing down spoonfuls of frozen dairy goodness. She could here Flitter talking with whoever was at the door, though just barely over the messy eating sounds she was making.

Flitter returned with a pink invitation card in her hoof, only to find half the carton was now gone, proof of where it now was lay on Cloudchaser's lips. "Oh come on, i was only gone for half a minute!"

"Eh you snooze you lose sis, he he ha*OWOWOWWW!*" Cloudchaser was clutching her head in pain, it looks like her debauchery had caught up with her.

"Serves you right! Besides you get brain freeze every time you eat ice cream, don't you ever learn not to eat it so fast?" Flitter said shaking her head.

Cloudchaser didn't hear her sisters rebuke, instead she was wishing hard for the hurt to go away. "Sweet Celestia!" Flitter only rolled her eyes and began eating out of the carton herself. After a few minuets of groaning Cloudchaser got over her headache and started back in on the ice cream just as fast as before.

"Ugh" Flitter emoted.

"So, whats the card?" Cloudchaser said with her mouth full of ice cream.

"Shall i read it?" Flitter asked, her sister nodded yes. In her best imitation she could manage Flitter began singing Pinkie's invitation. "This is your singing invite, i hope it finds you well, your invited to a party cause we think your really swell!"

Cloudchaser could barely hold back the laughter, "Wh-why are you singing?"

"Pinkie Pie said it was a singing telegram but she didn't have time to sing for every pony. I thought you liked my singing," Flitter said with a frown.

"N-no you sound great sis!" 'Actually i think that manticore could probably sing better than you, but that's my secret.' Cloudchaser thought to herself. "How about you just tell me what it says."

"Fine, it's an invite to a party tomorrow-"

"I could have guessed that much,"

"Zip it! Pinkie's throwing a party for Rainbow Dash's 'Dear old friend' from out of town. Pinkie would like it if everypony could come and show her a good time." Flitter smiled a cunning smile, Cloudchaser smiled the same smile.

"Well dear sister, i think our plans have been decided, now all we need, is a dish to bring." Cloudchaser said, both sisters minds filled with ideas of what tomorrow would bring.

Author's Note:

Chapter one was a bit of a non sequitur to bring a bit of levity into the story, I've noticed i go into mellow drama mode really often, so that was an attempt to try and lighten the mood a bit before i try tackling a serious subject like bullying.
Bullying is a really important subject to me, from grades 3 to 6 i had really bad experiences with bullies. Eventually it got so bad my parents took me out of public school and into an online school. I wanted to use this and the next chapter to explore some of the long term effects bullying can have even years after the fact.

Comments

[DreadedCandiru2]

Solution is simple: have the screaming canary threaten Dinky...and then wait for RANDORI!!!!!

[ultronquake]

Wat?

Also thanks for commenting on all these chapters, it really helps motivate me when i know someone's reading.

Also Also, i just realized i haven't had Dinky show up yet, i'll have to remedy that in the next story.