Comet The Colt of Steel

by Stallion of Steel

For the Birds

The next morning Applejack and I went to the hospital to visit Rainbow Dash and pick up a refill of Big Macintosh's pain medicine. As we waited in the reception area, we were surprised to see Twilight and the others walk in bearing gifts of get-well cards, flowers, balloons, and cupcakes.

"Hey Applejack!" Pinkie called out. "Are you here to see Rainbow Dash too?"

"Well, that and pick up Big Macintosh's prescription," Applejack answered.

"Did he get those 'sorry you got hurt from wearing a girdle that was too tight for you' cupcakes' I baked for him?"

"Yes, he did," Applejack said as her eyebrow slowly rose. "Though how you managed to fit all that on a batch of cupcakes a dozen times Ah'll never know."

'And in cursive no less.' I thought as the peppy pink party planner turned her attention to me.

"Hey, Apple Comet, I haven't seen you around Sugarcube Corner lately."

"Well, I've been kind of busy," I said. Yeah, busy being the mysterious flying object that seemed to be the topic on everypony's lips. Not to mention the reason Rainbow Dash was even in the hospital at all.

"Oh, I bet, what with that UFO that's been seen flying all over town. I asked Mr. and Mrs. Cake what they thought it was and they both said they had no idea what it was. And I was like that's weird. So I went out and asked Twilight about it because she's really smart about all kinds of stuff and she said...

"Okay, Pinkie I think he gets the idea," Twilight said coming to my rescue. "I heard about how you found Rainbow Dash yesterday. That was some quick thinking you did, bringing those paramedics to her. You may have saved her life."

'Yeah, when you leave out the part where she crashed headfirst into me then I look pretty dang heroic.'

"Oh, it was nothing," I shrugged. "I was doing what I learned in school is all."

"Oh, it most certainly wasn't nothing." Rarity spoke up sending a cold wave of fear down my back. "Why you saved our friend in her most dire hour. You must simply allow us to repay your heroic deed somehow. Stop by my boutique sometime and I'll make something just for you."

"Well...I..."

"Um I can't make you anything," Fluttershy added. "But you're welcome at my house anytime. I'm sure my animal friends would love to meet you." She smiled at me with the most gentle eyes I'd ever seen on a pony.

"Gee...thanks? I mean..."

"Ooo when Rainbow gets out of the hospital we should throw you...a party!" Pinkie screamed throwing her hooves up in an explosion of confetti and streamers. Only to be silenced by a shush from the receptionist returning with Mac's medicine.

"Oops, sorry," she whispered gathering up her mess with an awkward smile.

---

Rainbow Dash was sitting up in her bed as we walked in. She was wearing bandages wrapped around her head. Her eyes were bored and listless as she stared at the wall in front of her. As soon as she turned to face us, Pinkie Pie burst out from under her bed and yelled, "Surprise!" How she had moved from the door to under the bed with me seeing her just completely baffled me. Maybe she's secretly Koltonian or something, I dunno.

"Gah!" Rainbow Dash leaped startled out of her bed nearly hitting her head on the ceiling fan. "Pinkie Pie? What the hay?"

"Gotcha, tee hee," Pinkie said with a giggle before she was smacked upside the head with a pillow.

"Now we're even." Rainbow Dash said smiling from ear to ear. Before things could escalate to a full-blown pillow fight, Twilight levitated the pillow off Pinkie's face and set it back on the bed.

"Okay girls, that's enough," She said pulling Pinkie away from the bed.

"So Rainbow dear," Rarity began. "How are you feeling today?"

"Well aside from being scared out of my bed, fine aside from my head hurting." She admitted.

"Oh, my," Fluttershy gasped softly. "You must have hit your head pretty hard when you landed."

"It wasn't the ground," Rainbow grumbled. "It was that thing I was chasing. It felt like colliding with the broadside of a full-grown dragon." Fluttershy let out an "Eep" and dove into the blankets. Part of me wanted to join her.

Twilight, however, was intrigued. "Interesting, you're saying that saw the UFO up close? What did it look like?"

Rainbow put a hoof to her chin and ran it back and forth as she began to recall. "Well, all I could see was that its entire body was covered in fire. And it had a long red tail that trailed behind it. Kind of like a comet." I had to get out of that room before anypony laid eyes on my flank.

"Um...I have to go to the bathroom, "I said inching back towards the door. "I'll be right back." I cantered out of there as fast as I could, my eyes darting for the closest restroom I could find.

---

Once I'd taken care of business, I decided to take a walk around the hospital to put some distance between Applejack and her friends. Rainbow was getting too close to the truth for my comfort, even if she didn't know it. As I rounded the corner, my ears picked up the voice of Nurse Redheart who was arguing with somepony.

"I already told you, Rainbow Dash has other visitors right now, you can either sit down and wait or come back another time.

"And I'm telling you Dash will vouch for me, we're old friends." The other voice, a grouchy scratchy voice if I ever heard one replied. "So just tell me what room she's in and I'll be on my way."

To my surprise, the pony arguing with Nurse Redheart wasn't a pony at all. She was a Griffon. Her head plumage was bald white while the rest of her was gamboge. She was about a head taller than the average pony. She looked at Nurse Redheart with the eyes of a predator. I could tell she wasn't going to just sit and be patient.

"Look lady I'm getting tired of you pulling my tail, either tell me which room Dashie is in, or you're going to have one grumpy griffon on your hooves."

To which Nurse Reheart hollered out, "SECURITY!" Instantly two burly earth ponies wearing security guard uniforms charged into the reception area with scowls on their faces.

"You heard the nurse, scram!" One of them 'politely' suggested.

The Griffon looked up at the two bruisers who looked like they had muscles on their eyeballs. She shrank back before looking at Nurse Redheart and saying, "This ain't over." With that, she flew out the door taking to the skies like a raptor. Leaving me to wonder where in Equestria Rainbow Dash had met her.

---

As I approached the door to Rainbow's room, my superhearing picked up what they were saying.

"I'm serious Twilight I really did pull off the Sonic Rainboom," Rainbow said. "Seriously, you guys must have seen it from town." Peeking through the wall with my X-ray vision, I saw Rainbow Dash hovering above her bed.

"We're not saying we don't believe you." Rarity chimed in. "It's just your story and the Doctor's has a few...inconsistencies."

"Applejack," Rainbow said turning to face my sister. "You're the Element of Honesty, do I sound like I'm lying?"

Applejack looked uncertain as she held one hoof under her lip. "Well no," She answered before adding "But then again you did say you hit it head-on Sugarcube."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Rainbow Dash asked accusingly.

Applejack smiled nervously and took a step back not saying a word as the cyan pegasus's eyes narrowed.

"I think what Applejack is trying to say is maybe you'll remember more clearly after you've had some rest," Twilight suggested. Rainbow's tense posture relaxed as she set herself down on the bed.

"I should've had it," She said bitterly. "I was so close I could almost touch it, I even pulled off the sonic rainboom, and it still wasn't enough."

"None of us think any less of you for failing to catch it," Fluttershy said sitting down next to her. "We're just glad Apple Comet found you when he did."

"Oh yeah," Rainbow said in realization. "Hey, I just remembered I never thanked him for finding me. Is he still in the bathroom?"

"Maybe he needs more fiber in his diet?" Pinkie Pie suggested causing Rainbow to burst out laughing.

"What?" I blurted out in surprise. Immediately the six mares turned their attention towards the sound of my voice. Pinkie Pie rushed to the door and opened it.

"Never mind, here he is," Pinkie said poking her head out into the hallway. "What took you so long?"

"I kinda got lost on the way back," I explained as my cheeks turned red from embarrassment.

"Well come in, we were just talking about you," Pinkie said cluelessly.

"Hey look who's back?" Rainbow declared as I walked into the room. "I was just remembering that I forgot to thank you for saving me, yesterday, so thanks I owe you one." She smiled at me in an almost sisterly way.

"Oh, yeah no problem," I said. "Rainbow can I ask you a question?"

"Sure kid, what is it?"

"Did you ever meet a Griffon before?" Rainbow looked stunned as if she hadn't been expecting that question

"Why do you ask?"

"When I was trying to find my way back from the bathroom, I overheard some ponies arguing. I went to check it out and this Griffon was arguing with Nurse Redheart about wanting to see you. She said you two were close friends, is that true?"

"She's here?" Rainbow's eyes went wide as she sat up at her bedside. "Where did you see her?"

"At the front desk, hey!" I shouted as Rainbow Dash ran past me out the door.

"Rainbow Dash!" Twilight cried out her hoof outstretched but it was too late.

"I was gonna tell her she already left," I told them.

Rainbow Dash was allowed to go home early that day, with Doctor Horse noting her 'exceptional' recovery rate.

---

The next day was market day. The day the Apple family brought the crop to market to be sold. Granny Smith and I set up the stand outside Sugarcube Corner. Today's produce was an assortment of vegetables including carrots, corn, potatoes, squash, and tomatoes. What you didn't think we just sold and ate nothing but apples did you?

I noticed the sky was almost empty, for some reason, most of Ponyville's pegasi seemed content to remain earthbound today. The ones assigned to weather duty remained aloft, but whether they were looking up from the ground, or moving clouds around, they kept a sharp eye out. I may not be a mind reader, but I could tell what they were wondering. When would the Comet come back?

'Word about Rainbow Dash must have got around,' I thought sadly as I tried to focus on something, anything other than the voice in my head telling me this was all my fault.

"Why the long face?" Granny Smith asked me.

I sighed and said, "I don't know what to do Granny?"

"You add up the total cost of the customer's purchase and give them their change. You know how to do that."

"No, it's not that," I told her shaking my head. "It's about what happened the other day. I was just trying to save Ponyville and instead, I ended up scaring everypony in town and putting Rainbow Dash in the hospital."

A smile slowly spread across Granny Smith's wrinkled muzzle as she placed her hoof on my shoulder. " Well, Ah think Ah know just the thing that'll cheer you up." She reached into her purse and pulled out a hooful of bits. "Get yourself something from Sugarcube Corner. Ah, can handle the cart on my own til you get back."

With a shrug of my shoulders, I pocketed the bits and walked over to the confectionery store.

*Ding, ding*

"Welcome to Sugarcube Corner, what can I get for you today?" Mrs. Cake asked as I walked through the door. She was a pudgy blue earth pony with a swirly pink mane and a cutie mark of three cupcakes.

"Just a cupcake," I answered.

"Okay, and what kind would you like dear?"

"Chocolate's fine," I said. Mrs. Cake reached into the display and took out a chocolate cupcake.

"That'll be four bits," She said. "I placed my money on the counter and took my treat noticing for the first time the lack of a certain pink party pony.

Hesitantly I asked, "Hey is Pinkie Pie around here?" My eyes darted around the room looking in every conceivable direction the poofy pink mare might come from.

"She's out and about, doing what I don't know." Mrs. Cake answered. "But knowing Pinkie she'll be back before you know it."

'Yeah and the last place you'd think to look.' I thought as allowed myself to relax. "Well, thanks,"

"Enjoy,"

I took a seat by the window and stared at the cupcake in my hooves. 'So this was all I had to do according to Granny Smith huh?' I thought as I stared at the intricate swirls in the chocolate icing. 'Well couldn't hurt to try I guess.' I pulled off the paper and took the first bite. Instantly a flood of glazed sugar and cooked flour washed over my taste buds. It was good, I couldn't deny it. But hardly the medicine for self-doubt and lack of confidence. As I swallowed and prepared to take a second bite, I heard a hollering coming from outside.

"Aaah! A rattler, a rattler! Run for the hills! Everypony forsake yourselves!" I looked out the window to see Granny Smith fleeing in terror from the cart. Her face was white with terror as she ran down the street.

"Granny!" I cried out as I rushed out the front door. Behind the cart, I could see what looked like a snake poking its head out from behind the produce. But a closer look with my x-ray vision revealed the true snake in the grass.

"Gilda." The Griffon popped her head up from behind the cart laughing at her cruel joke. This stuff ain't fresh dude she said with disgust to a pony staring at her as she stepped out from behind the cart.

"Aw, poor Granny Smith, she didn't know it was a joke." Pinkie Pie said from the cafe table next to me. Wait a second.

"Gah! Pinkie Pie, where did you come from?" I asked. In a flash, I was pulled over to the other side of the table and dressed in a dark grey fedora and a pair of horn-rimmed glasses.

"Well I'd like to give you my life story," she began explaining. "But right now I'm kinda busy keeping an eye on Gilda. You see I've been thinking she's nothing but a big meanie, but then Twilight suggested I was just jealous of her friendship with Rainbow Dash. So I decided to spy on her to find out whether she was a meanie or not.

While Pinkie was quietly rambling, Gilda decided to swipe an apple from a bucket and leave without paying. She smiled a smug grin as she took the first bite. It was proof enough for me. I bolted from my seat and galloped after her.

"Stop thief!" Gilda turned around to face me.

"You talking to me dweeb?" She said unimpressed to see a colt coming after her.

"I didn't see you pay for that Apple," I said. "And I didn't much care for the way you scared my grandmother like that."

The griffon laughed heartily at me. "Aw man, you're so scary with your dorky hat and glasses. I think I might run away."

"Look I'm not having..." I said before pausing to remove my 'disguise' "I'm not having a good day today. Just pay for the apple and apologize to Granny Smith and we can forget this ever happened. Gilda erupted into another fit of cackling laughter. "And what if I say no shorty? What is big bad you gonna do to me?"

Before I could answer, Gilda felt something bump her from behind. She turned around to see Fluttershy leading a family of ducks through the street.

"Hey, I'm standing here!" She shouted angrily at the yellow pegasus. Fluttershy stepped back nervously

"Oh um, I'm sorry." She apologized softly. "I-I-I was just trying to...

"I'm sorry I'm sorry," Gilda cut her off mockingly. "Why don't you watch where you're going?"

"Why don't you learn some manners!" I snapped back.

Gilda turned around and looked at me the way an eagle looks at a fish in a river. She took in a deep breath.

RRROOOAR!!!

And let out a deafening roar in my face. She probably expected me to run away crying or cower in front of her begging her not to hurt me. What she didn't expect was to be dealing with somepony who was anything but ordinary.

"Ugh, now I know what Granny meant by the early bird gets the worm," I said wafting my hoof in front of my nose. Gilda's eyes widened in shock. I wasn't fleeing, I wasn't cowering, I wasn't even trembling.

Everypony around us stood frozen in shock at what was happening. The town square was deathly quiet.

"You really need a breath mint," I told her."Heck, you could use a whole roll." Gilda said nothing, her beak hung open in disbelief. "What's the matter? cat got your tongue?" As the shock began to fade, Gilda's expression turned to anger.

"Y-You, little twerp!" She screeched as she reached out to grab me. Unfortunately for her, I could see it coming in slow motion and easily stepped under it. What I didn't see was what happened next.

KA-BOOM! Out of nowhere, a three-layer strawberry cake blindsided Gilda, sending the Griffon sprawling to the ground.

"Leave him alone you meanie mean pants!" Out of nowhere, Pinkie Pie jumped onto Gilda's back tackling her to the ground and pinning her forelegs down.

"Grrr get off me, you pink weirdo!" Gilda demanded.

"Not until you apologize to everypony you wronged!" Pinkie Pie said.

"Pah! In your dreams poof head!"

"Okay, the hard way it is," Pinkie said as she reached for one of Gilda's feathers.

"Hey, what are you doing? *Pluck* "Ow!"

"Last chance Gilda," Pinkie Pie held the feather above her like a cake knife. "Are you going to apologize?"

Gilda answered with, "Go to Tartarus!"

With that, a Cheshire grin spread across Pinkie Pie's face. "Then let's get started." She lowered the feather down to Gilda's stomach and began to stroke it back and forth."Coochie coochie coochie coo." Gilda sputtered and held her beak shut determined not to give in to the torture. The Griffon's cheeks began turning red as Pinkie Pie moved up and down her stomach. "Not talking eh? I guess I'll need to resort to enhanced interrogation methods. She raised her poofy pink tail and wiggled it back and forth before lowering the tip onto Gilda's hind paws. Gilda's eyes silently begged for mercy, but Pinkie Pie was clearly beyond that point as she began reciting a nursery rhyme as she moved from toe to toe. "This little pony went to Ponyville, This little pony stayed home, this little pony was big mean jerkface, and this little pony...

"Alright, Uncle Uncle," Gilda cried out unable to withstand any longer. "L-L-Look I-I'm sorry, I-I was j-just kidding around earlier y-you know?" She reached into her satchel and pulled out a clawful of bits which she held toward me. "Here's the money for the apple okay, so are we cool?" A cruel smile curled up around my face as I looked into the nervous Griffon's eyes.

"Well I think should also apologize to Fluttershy for being rude to her just now," I said.

O-Of course, I-I was just about to do that." She stammered nervously before looking over at Fluttershy. "S-Sorry Butterfly or w-whatever y-your name is, it was all m-my fault I-I w-wasn't looking where I was going."

"Oh um that's okay," Fluttershy said as she slowly backed away not sure what to make of the Griffon's sudden change of mood.

"It's a start," I said letting her know I was partially satisfied. "But there's still one more pony I think you need to apologize to."

---

We found Granny Smith sitting on a bench struggling to catch her breath. My x-ray vision showed her adrenaline was still pumping, but thankfully her heart rate was beginning to slow down.

"Are you okay Granny?" I asked. She looked at me and smiled. "Yes, I am now, but that rattlesnake plum near scared the daylights out of me."

"Actually about that, I think Gilda here has something she'd like to say to you." I gave her a not-so-gentle nudge with my hoof.

"That wasn't a rattlesnake in your produce," The Griffon said hesitantly. She was obviously not used to apologizing for her actions. "It was my tail."

"And?" Pinkie Pie said

"And I also stole an apple, but I've paid for it now."

"And?" I added.

"And I roared in your grandson's face." With a speed that belied her advanced age, Granny Smith drew her cane and in one solid motion, hit Gilda over the top of her head.

"Ow, I'm sorry okay!" Gilda pleaded as Granny gave her the patented stink eye.

"And you'll get more where that came from chicken legs if you ever you ever mess with my Grandchildren again!"

"Geez, I said I was sorry already." Gilda groaned while rubbing her head. "I just came to town to visit my friend Rainbow Dash and find that thing that put her in the hospital so I could teach it some manners." She pounded a fist into her palm to emphasize her point. Oh boy, just when I thought she couldn't be any more of a nuisance.

"So where does scaring Granny Smith fall into that plan?" Pinkie Pie said giving Gilda the third degree.

Gilda responded with, "Hey I said I was sorry what more do you want? Ow!" Before another blow from Granny's cane silenced her.

"A little more respect for your elders would be a start," Granny said.

---

Later that day, The Apple family gathered at Sugarcube Corner along with all of Applejack's friends for a party to celebrate Rainbow Dash's recovery. There was food and drink and games and music. Everyone ended up having a pretty good time.
Even Gilda managed to be on her best behavior. Of course, she had some 'encouragement' from me and Pinkie Pie.

As the party started to wind down, Granny decided to head home with us young'ins while Applejack stayed behind to help clean up. As we walked toward the door I was surprised to see Gilda walk up to me.

"Hey kid," She said. "I just wanted to say you showed guts standing up to me the way you did. You really care about your family don't you?"

"They mean more to me than anything else in the world," I replied.

"Man that is so lame," Gilda rolled her eyes at me. "But still you've earned my respect. Anypony willing to stand up to a griffon is okay in my book."

"Thanks, chicken legs, you're not so bad yourself."

"Oh, that's it!" She snarled before proceeding to chase me out the front door. As I raced out into the street my super-hearing picked up the sound of laughter from inside Sugarcube Corner.

Comments

[badninja]

I hope that Comet will speak up if they have the discussion about the Sonic Rainboom and say he saw it. At least I think he saw it. It would probably make up for the fact that he did hurt her on accident.

Also an edit but after Gilda try's to scare Comet you say he was running away when he clearly wasn't.

[hunter81095]

"Ugh, now I know what Granny meant by the early bird gets the worm," I said wafting my hoof in front of my nose. Gilda's eyes widened in shock. I was fleeing, I wasn't cowering, I wasn't even trembling.

Should be I wasn't fleeing.

Also, love Grannny bear Smith, she's like my favorite part of this story.

[Comickook]

REALLY good spin on "Griffon the Brush-Off". I LOVED how Comet stood up to Gilda without revealing his powers, as well as both Pinkie and Granny coming to Comet's defense. And, yeah, Comet's guilt in his unknown role in Rainbow's accident was a great detail too (as was Rainbow's Cassandra Truth bit concerning the Sonic Rainboom).

All in all, REALLY good job on the exchanges, characterizations, general wrap-up and future chapter set-up in all the right places.

[Luckyfanisaac]

Twilight, however, was intrigued. "Interesting, you're saying that you actually saw the UFO up close? What did it look like?"

——)”This stuff ain't fresh dude”(—— she said with disgust to a pony staring at her as she stepped out from behind the cart.

"Not talking eh? I guess I'll need to resort to enhanced interrogation methods.“(——

——)”O-Of course, I-I was just about to do that." She stammered nervously before looking over at Fluttershy.

"And?" Pinkie Pie said.(——