• Published 1st Aug 2020
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Equestria Girls: A Fairly Odd Friendship - redandready45



For her next challenge, Sunset Shimmer must babysit an average kid who no one understands.

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Never Hit Softly (Edited)

The mood in Rarity's car was foul and morose.

Sunset alternated between fuming over what she witnessed and looking with concern at Timmy. As the driver, Rarity maintained her composure, but squeezed the wheel like a stress ball to express her frustration. Scootaloo crossed her arms with frustration and looked at Timmy with no small amount of sympathy. Rainbow Dash had spent the last few minutes ranting and raving.

"We worked so hard, and this is what we get!" Rainbow ranted angrily for the twentieth time. "We get cheated by those brats and their idiots parents!" She balled a fist and pounded it into her hand. "I say we should take them to the corner of pay and back!"

"Rainbow Dash, stop," Sunset urged. Her tone indicated that her nerves were being worn thin by her anger and Rainbow's prattling.

"Yeah!" Scootaloo yelled in anger. "Let's find out where those brats live, and throw bricks through their windows!"

"Guys," Sunset said with an annoyed frown, turning to look at the two Dash sisters with a stern look.

"But Sunset-" Rainbow protested, only for Sunset to silently gesture with her thumb at the brown-haired boy. Timmy was in the worst mood of all. He hadn't said a word since the race, drifting into some kind of daze. He just stared blankly with a hollow look in his eyes. It was clear that Timmy was too angry to think.

Rainbow and Scootaloo, with a small amount of horror, ceased their yelling, and realized the point Sunset was trying to make. While they might want to take vicious revenge on those brats and their parents, they would be setting a bad example for Timmy while he still held onto powerful and corrupting magical stone that could twist his brain. As hard as it was, they had to turn the other cheek, so Timmy wouldn't be tempted into giving in to his rage.

For now, they had to defuse the bomb that was Timmy Turner's emotions rather than incite him.

"Want to get some ice cream?" Sunset offered. Timmy didn't respond.

"Want to try my new Crimson Chin video game?" Scootaloo offered. The boy still stood still.

Rarity, while looking at the boy through her rearview mirror, also made an attempt to talk Timmy down. "Timothy, maybe you'd like to come down to Caurosel Boutique for a new outfit." Timmy didn't even glance in Rarity's direction.

"Timmy, I know what happened stinks," Rainbow began with barely papered frustration as they pulled into the Turner residence, "but they'll be other-," as soon as they parked the car, Timmy opened the door, and angrily ran out. He was so angry and full of adrenaline, he was able to ignore the pain on his ankle.

"Timmy!" Sunset said with concern, "come back!" The boy ignored her, storming into the house, to the concern of the other occupants.

"Poor Timmy," Scootaloo lamented as Sunset ran after him. The sad looks of Rainbow and Rarity meant they felt the same way.


"My nails look beautiful," Mrs. Turner gushed, looking at her fresh manicure.

"So are mine," Mr. Turner said, looking at his red acrylic nails. "I look just fabulous." The front door opened, and their only son came in through the door.

"Hey Timmy," Mr. Turner said with a smile, "how was the-" the boy turned away from him, and angrily ran up the stairs while limping.

"What happened?" Mrs. Turner asked aloud. Mr. Turner said nothing but also looked concerned with his son's mood.

"I'll tell you what happened," Sunset said as she ran into the house with a morose expression.

"Sunset, why is Timmy so angry?" Mrs. Turner asked the Canterlot teenager with some sadness in his voice. "Did he lose?"

"Worse," Sunset said, taking a deep breath to try and control her anger. "These jerks cheated, hurt his ankle, made him lose his spot on the team, and got away with it by paying off the coach."

"What?" Mrs. Turner said in a mortified tone.

"Quick honey," Mr. Turner said with a dramatic expression, "let's go upstairs and give our child the love and support he deser-," Mr. Turner paused as he heard a beep come from his phone. He pulled it out of his pocket and looked at it. "After our racquetball game," Mr. Turner said. The two Turner parents out of the house without any hesitation or concern for their son, much to Sunset's disappointment.

Sunset glared at them. "Nice, loving parents," she muttered angrily. She wanted to chew those two out, but her concern lay to the kid who was upstairs fuming.


Timmy ran into his room, letting out a moan of pain from his ankle, and slammed the door.

Cosmo and Wanda appeared before him, looking at their godchild with concern.

"Timmy," Wanda said, unnerved at Timmy's icy fury. "I know you're angry but please don't-,"

"I wish my ankle was better," Timmy said in a calm tone. His godparents wished it into being healed. Timmy flexed his leg, happy it was good as new.

"Well," Cosmo said, "that wasn't so bad."

"I wish Tad and Chad were slugs." Wanda looked horrified at Timmy's request. "But-,"

"Now," Timmy ordered coolly. His fairies reluctantly raised their wands...only for the raspberry sound to come out.

"What happened now?!" Timmy yelled.

"Well, sport," Wanda said, "since Tad and Chad being turned into slugs would allow you to join the team," Wanda handed Timmy Da Rules, "no dice." Timmy, with a shaking hand, pinched the bridge of his nose to calm himself.

"OK, I wish Tad and Chad were both trapped on a deserted island."

"That would also clear your way to joining the team," Cosmo said with a frown, "so no".

Timmy looked desperate. "Wishing their parents were poor?"

"Wishing that is considered by Da Rules to be theft," Wanda said with a stern look. "So no."

"What if I wished that Bickles wouldn't take their bribe."

"Again, since it would allow you to join the team," the pink hair fairy said with reluctance, "no."

Timmy said with a brutal frown. "So you're saying they can cheat and I can't do anything about it?"

"Well," Wanda said, trying to say something comforting, "you can take pride in learning to rise-,"

"I DON'T CARE ABOUT RISING ABOVE!" Timmy bellowed. "I WANT TO WIN! I WANT TO SMASH THOSE JERKS HEADS IN! STUPID RULES!" Timmy threw Da Rules against the wall and fell to the floor throwing a furious tantrum.

"Timmy please," Cosmo said in pleading tone while raising his hands, "this isn't going to-,"

Timmy angrily fell to the ground and began punching the floor in a furious tantrum. "I DON'T CARE, IT'S NOT FAIR, IT'S NOT-,"

A knock was heard at the door. Cosmo and Wanda quickly turned themselves into goldfish.

"Timmy," Sunset said from outside the door, "can I come in?"

Timmy's angered faded, and he pulled himself from the floor. "OK," Timmy said, his voice becoming soft. Sunset came in with a warm look on her face.

"Timmy I-,"

"It's not fair," Timmy said, tears falling down his eyes, "I did all that work and-,"

"I know Timmy," Sunset said in a soothing tone, bending down pulling the brown-haired kid into a hug. They held each other for a few moments while Timmy cried.

"Timmy don't worry," Sunset said encouragingly as Timmy's crying ended, holding Timmy's hands and looking at him with a warm smile, "Rainbow and I are going to talk with your principal. There is no way those jerks can get away with it."


"I'm afraid they can get away with it," Principal Waxelplax said. Rainbow and Sunset were in Principal Waxelplax's office, hoping they could get her to punish Tad and Chad and let Timmy join the team like he deserved.

"You're gonna let those creeps get away with bribery," Sunset said incredulously.

"Bribery? No. A charitable donation to the school," the woman said with a sly smile, "yes."

"What?" Rainbow and Sunset asked.

"Technically, Tad and Chad's parents are giving the money to the school," the red-haired woman uttered with a roll of her eyes, "thus, it is a donation for which they can also receive a tax deduction.

Rainbow's eyes narrowed in anger. "So they can just bribe anyone they want, call the shots and get a tax break for it all?" The Canterlot athlete asked with disgust.

"That's crazy," Sunset with a growl. Principal Waxelplax was taken aback by Sunset's mood. Realizing she was taking her frustration out on the innocent principal, the fire haired girl took a deep breath before continuing. "But can't you refuse the donation?"

"I can't make that decision," Principal Waxelplax said with a small frown. "That lies with the school board."

"OK," Sunset said, "so who runs the school-," the door to the principal's office was slammed on the two teenagers. In stepped a man with slicked-black hair, a brown sharkskin suit, and a falsely charming grin.

"Chairman Pizzo," Principal Waxelplax said with forced politeness, "how can I help you?"

"Hey Geraldine, just want to make sure our fact-finding trip to Cancun, which is totally not a vacation for the school board that is being made at the expense of the students, is all set to go," the man gushed.

"Our school deserves the best, doesn't it?" the plump woman asked sarcastically.

"Yes," Chairman Pizzo said. "By the way, could you have my coat dry cleaned and have my car moved."

"I-", the woman began, before the man's coat was rudely thrown over her head, and the car keys were thrown at the desk.

"Take it is easy, big G," the man said with a smug expression, before leaving the office without closing the door. Sunset and Rainbow came back from behind the door as the woman threw the coat away, angry at being treated like a low-rate secretary.

"That guy runs the school board?" Rainbow asked with disbelief.

"Yes," the woman said with some lament. "Pizzo is a scion of one of the town's most wealthy families. I can imagine he has ties with people like Tad and Chad's parents, which is why he can overrule any punishment I give them."

"But don't people care that their kids' education is run by that jerk?" Sunset asked with disgust.

The woman looked at Sunset with an odd smile. "Ms. Shimmer, most people know their President," Principal Waxelplax said, "but very few people know about their elected representative, and even fewer people care about the people who run their hometown. As long as they get their football and burgers, they're not going to care."

Rainbow and Sunset frowned at the woman's pessimism."What about adding an extra team member?" Rainbow asked the woman with a pleading expression.

"I could do that," the red-haired woman said, "but if kids found out I was helping Timmy, they would call him Principal's Pet and make fun of him even more." Sunset and Rainbow's eyes widened in surprise at the plump woman's social astuteness. "I was once a child too," the plump woman said with a grin, "I know how they work. Now unless you two plan to run for school board yourselves, and you don't seem old enough to do it, I'm sorry. I can't help you."

"Thanks for listening," Rainbow said trying and failing not to sound too glum. "I guess". The two walked out of the room with a melancholy sigh. When they left, Waxelplax leaned back in her chair and let out a sad sigh of her own.


"I'm afraid Principal Waxelplax is right," Principal Celestia said.

"Really?" Rainbow asked incredulously. Sunset and Rainbow tried to get answers from their own principal, but came up against the same wall.

"Yes," Principal Celestia said. "Schools receive tax-deductible donations like that all the time."

"Even CHS?" Sunset asked.

"This very wing of the school was a 'donation'," the tall woman said.

"From who?" Sunset asked. The principal pointed up. The two teenagers saw a man's grinning face engraved in silver on the ceiling with the caption that read "Doug Dimmadome Wing."

"Doug Dimmadome?" Rainbow said with surprise.

"Owner of the Dimmsdale Dimmadome?" Sunset followed up.

"That very same one," Celestia said, "my predecessor as principal took his money to expand the wing. In exchange, we had to promote the Doug Dimmadome brand." She opened a drawer various Doug Dimmadome merchandise."Doug Dimmadome napkins, Doug Dimmadome pens, and even Doug Dimmadome brand history books," Celestia said, handing one over to Sunset.

It showed Doug Dimmadome dressed as Abraham Lincoln. Sunset opened it and began readng." 'In fourteen hundred and ninety-two, Doug Dimmadome sailed the ocean blue?' " Sunset read. "That's ridiculous," Sunset said with disgust as she threw the book away.

"Yeah," Rainbow said, "we all know that George Washington was the one who discovered America after winning the civil war." The Principal and Sunset stared at Rainbow with disbelief for a moment before continuing.

"We even sold Dimmadome brand-Blubber Nuggets," Celestia admitted.

Sunset looked at the woman with disgust. "Aren't those made with baby whale meat?!"

"Hey they were chewy," Celestia said defensively.

Rainbow felt a wistful frown form on her face. "I remember what Fluttershy did to get people to stop buying them."


Fluttershy walked into Canterlot High's cafeteria, wearing a blue T-shirt that read "Save the Whales" and a grey cap that was shaped like a baby whale. She walked up to a group of students who were eating Blubber Nuggets.

"Excuse me," Fluttershy said in a tiny voice. The students ignored her and kept eating the Nuggets. "Excuse me," the pink-haired girl said in a slightly stronger voice. The students still kept digesting the nuggets. "Could you...pretty please stop eating adorable baby whales?"

"Man, these are chewy," Snips said, still talking with his mouth full of them.

Fluttershy let out a tired sigh. "I said...please stop eating the whales," Fluttershy said before pulling out a flamethrower, "or I'll DESTROY YOU!" The students scattered in fear as Fluttershy used her flamethrower to destroy them, cackling as the flames danced around her.


"Most donors don't abuse their power so blatantly, which is why most people don't see anything wrong with it," Celestia uttered.

"But can't you do something about it?" Sunset asked.

"What makes you think I can do anything?" Celestia asked them with a grin.

"Well," Sunset began, "your the princess-I mean principal."

"Doesn't that mean you can do anything?" Rainbow asked.

"Sunset," Celestia began with a mix of amusement and sternness, "Rainbow, I am not the pony princess who can change the rules that govern society with the stroke of a pen. I am a principal, which means my power is limited to these walls. I don't have the power to change policy.

Sunset looked desperate. "Principal Celestia, I know life can be tough but there's the a little boy out there who feels cheated."

"Even if he doesn't go crazy with his magical dynamite," Rainbow said with a serious look, reminding the woman of what was at stake, "he might quit running, when has so much potential." Rainbow looked upset at the thought. "I don't want him to throw it away because of what those brats did."

A grin formed on Principal Celestia's face. "Oh, don't worry. I have a solution to that." The tall principal opened a nearby drawer. Rainbow and Sunset looked curious. "What?" The woman placed the brochures on the table. The two girls looked at them and smiled.

"Yeah, that could work," Sunset said with a smile.

"And its clear that Timmy faces a lot of bullying and mistreatment," the woman continued with a serious look, pulling out another brochure., "and his teachers don't appear to be able or willing to help him." She slapped it in front of them. "I have an...unorthodox way for him to deal with it."

Rainbow looked at it and felt a vicious grin form on her face. "That could work too."


Timmy sat in front of his house, idly bouncing his ball against the garage door with a tired frown, when he saw a shadow loom over him. Timmy looked up and saw the grinning face of Rainbow Dash.

"Timmy, good news."

"Tad and Chad were thrown into space," Timmy joked.

Rainbow grinned. "No, but I've got the next best thing," the rainbow-haired girl said, holding up a bunch of brochures. "While you can't join the Dimmsdale Track Team, there are lots of teams you can join in Canterlot. And I've got the perfect-,"

"Forget it," Timmy refused, "I don't want to."

Rainbow was dismayed. "Why not?" Rainbow asked.

"Because Trixie won't see me-,"

"Will you just get over her already!" Rainbow said angrily.

"I can't Rainbow," Timmy said with a sad tone, "Trixie needs me. She's miserable-,"

"You know what," Rainbow said with a stern expression, "it's nice that you care about this girl. You want her to be who she wants to be. But what has she done for you besides be mean to you?"

Timmy thought it over. "Nothing," Timmy admitted with a frown. "But she's lonely and miserable."

"NO!" Rainbow said fiercely. cutting Timmy off. "It's one thing to be lonely and miserable. But if she's not going to care when some jerks break your ankle, or if she decides to hang out with those jerks instead of you, she should never, ever be worth your time." Rainbow let out a disgusted snort. "If she wants to be miserable, let her be miserable. That's her choice, not yours." Timmy frowned as he mulled over Rainbow's words.

Rainbow bent down to look at the ten-year old boy in the eye. "Didn't you have fun training with me and Scootaloo?"

"Yeah."

"Didn't you love exercising and getting into shape?"

"Yeah."

"Isn't it more fun than try to get the attention of some snob who keeps ignoring you in favor of a pair of rich brats?" Timmy thought this over for a few moments. "And do you really want to join a team full of idiots who let themselves get bought by two brats?"

"You're right," Timmy said after a few moments of serious thought. "I keep being nice to Trixie, and she keeps treating me like a loser." He clenched his fists. "You know what else? She can take a hike for all I care," Timmy said defiantly. "I'm going to run for Canterlot, whether she cares or not!"

"That's the spirit," Rainbow said proudly. "And I also figured out a way you can put those brats in their place once and for all," she said with a nasty grin.

"How?" Timmy asked.


"You want to train me?"

"Sure, why not?" Gilda said with a sly smile.

Rainbow took Timmy to Canterlot High, stating there was a surprise for him at the gym. The surprise was Gilda wanting to teach the brown-haired boy self-defense to fight back against bullies.

"But you thought I was a loser," Timmy said with some sadness.

Gilda looked taken aback at that. "What makes you think I thought that?"

"You made fun of my teeth and stole my hat," Timmy stated flatly.

The statuesque girl rolled her eyes with disbelief. "I was just messing with you. I do that to everyone I meet. Don't take it personally."

Timmy looked reluctant. "But, your also...big and strong-"

"You forgot pretty," Gilda said a grin.

A sly smile formed on Timmy's otherwise shy face. "Well, you can't be good at everything."

Gilda let out an honest chuckle. "See, why wouldn't I want to teach you? You've got spirit. You showed me that when you stood up to me and got back at me for messing with Dash's little sister.

Timmy was concerned. "You figured out that the spiders were me?" Gilda didn't look upset at all. She looked amused in fact.

"Yeah," Gilda said. She knew about the magic Timmy had, but decided to humor the boy. "How did you get those spiders on me?"

"Secret agents?"

"Works for me," Gilda said with a smile. "The point is you've got guts, and with guts, you can do anything."

"But I'm skinny and wimpy-," Timmy began.

"Let me tell you something," Gilda interrupted. "I wasn't always big and strong." A small frown came over her face. "I lost my parents when I was six, and then lost my Grampa Gruff when I was ten years old."

Timmy looked sympathetic. "I'm so sorry. How did he die?"


"Where's my order," Grampa Gruff hollered in a café in downtown Canterlot, banging his fist on the table.

"Here you are sir," the waitress said, "Triple Bacon Cheeseburger served on waffles and coated with extra butter." The fatty dish was placed in front of the old man.

"Can I get it refried?" Grampa Gruff asked.

"Of course," the woman said taking the burger, sticking it into the fryer, and refrying it until the burger was coated brown.

"My life begins today," the old man said cheerfully.


"He died of a heart attack?" Timmy said.

"Not really," Gilda said with an annoyed frown.


"Clear," the EMT said, pressing the defibrillator on the chest of Mr. Gruff, who lied unconscious in the ambulance. The man was jolted awake.

"I'm alive," the man said happily. "I'm gonna celebrate with a new diet."

"Don't worry sir," the EMT, a blond young man said with a smile, "we'll make sure you stay safe."

"Ten and two, ten and two," the ambulance driver said to himself. "Ten and two." He looked down at saw what was on the floor.

"A nickel," the man said, taking his eyes of the road and letting out of his steering wheel. His hand fell onto the accelerator.

"I shall call you Philip," the man said to the small coin. He then realized they were driving off a bridge into the water below.

"Oops," the driver said. "Don't worry Philip, I won't let you go." The man clutched the poor nickel to his cheek.

"Curse you private insurance!" Gruff shouted as the ambulance hit the water.


"I'm so sorry," Timmy lamented.

"It's all water under the bridge," Gilda said. "As is my Grampa," the mixed martial artist continued under her breath. "Anyways, I ended up in a foster home in Griffonstone, the roughest part of Canterlot. And with a bunch of mean foster brothers."


Ten year old Gilda sat in front of the TV, watching her favorite show: the Crimson Chin. Her peace was disrupted by an ahem. Gilda turned around fearfully, and felt her blood go cold. A group of dark-haired boys in leather jackets came up to her menacingly.

"Hey Victor, Vincent, Vance, Vaughn," the white-haired girl nervously, "how's it-,"

"GO TO BED, TWERP!" The boys yelled, pulling the girl away from her spot and stealing the remote, eager to hog the TV for themselves.

"By the way," Vaughn said nastily, "We ate all the pizza. But don't worry, we saved some of the crumbs for you."

"Thanks," Gilda said miserably under her breath as she walked away.


TImmy asked with some sympathy. "Why were your foster brothers so mean to you?"

"They were jerks," Gilda muttered with frustration. "Things were no better for me at school either."


Gilda sat alone in the middle of Griffonstone Elementary's parking lot with a fearful expression. She waited with anxiety for them to show up. When they didn't, she decided it was safe enough to take a bite out of her baloney sandwich and start reading her Daring Do comic book.

"Hey Gilda," a nasty voice. Gilda looked up from her meager lunch, and what she saw made her blood go cold. Vanity and her posse coming toward her with malicious intent. Vanity's long purple hair, blue bow, and mauve dress had become the symbol of pure evil in Gilda's yellow eyes.

"Hey Vanity," Gilda said with a sheepish smile, "how's it-,"

"What are you doing out here all by yourself?" Vanity said with a sadistic smile. "Oh wait: its because you're too ugly to look at, aren't you Orphan Girl?" The purple haired girl cackled, as did her group of goons.

"Why do you have to be so mean?" Gilda said fearfully.

"Because you act like a boy," Vanity sneered, snatching the white-haired girl's comic and ripping it apart. "Girls don't read comics. My mommy said so."

"Stop it!" Gilda pleaded.

"Oh look," one girl said mockingly, "Gilda's crying".

"No I'm not," the white-haired girl said, even as her yellow eyes became moist.

"Don't worry," Vanity said with a grin, "I have something that will make you look normal."

"What's that?" Vanity's posse pinned her down, while the purple haired girl began rubbing white paint and red lipstick all over her face.

"STOP IT!" Gilda screamed as tears rolled down her eyes. The girls continued to dress her up as a clown while laughing.


"You were bullied?" Timmy asked, unable to comprehend that Gilda could ever have been so helpless.

"Yep," Gilda said. "I was the butt of everyone's joke." Gilda felt a frown form on her face. "But there was someone out there worst than Vanity and her stooges."


Gilda timidly walked down the street near the park, clutching her backpack.

"Maybe they won't find me today," the young girl whimpered, only to bump into someone. Gilda looked up and felt her face go pale with fear.

"Hey Gilda," Garble said with a deceptive smile, "how's it going buddy?"

"Hey Garble," Gilda said, "listen, I'm busy, so can you-,"

"Aren't we pals Gilda," Garble said in his deceptively kind tone.

"Look," Gilda said to the tall boy while slowly backing away from him, "I am really, really tired so-," she backed into something. She turned around and saw she was trapped by two of Garble's goons.

"Don't you want to play our favorite game?" Garble said with a smirk.

"Throw The Ball Down the Hill," Gilda said with a resigned quiver.

"You read my mind."

The three shoved Gilda into a filthy trash can and rolled her down the hill. Gilda popped out of it, dirty and in serious pain. She heard the vicious laughter from Garble and his gang, and felt her eyes water. Only when she was sure they were gone that broke down crying on the grass.


"So what changed?" Timmy asked with Gilda with a mix of sympathy and concern. Gilda didn't cry, but she looked a bit hurt by talking about this. "When did you learn to fight back?"

"A good friend came into my life," Gilda said a warm smile.


Gilda slept in her bed, desperately trying to enjoy her rest, until suddenly a trumpet blared, startling her awake.

"But its' only 6 o'clock," Gilda complained groggily to the trumpet blower.

"The early bird catches the worm," said Marty Goldhair with a nasty smile and a gruff voice. Her track coach, with his poofy yellow hair, black sweat clothes and black cap, was a being whose presence was both welcome and unwelcome in Gilda's life. He took care of her when no one else did.

But she made her get up early.

"But-,"

"If you can't rise out of bed, you can't rise above the rest," Goodhair said sternly.

Gilda let out an annoyed groan, before throwing off her blanket, and putting her boots on.

"That's the spirit." Marty said with a smile. "Now drop and give me 60."


"I don't remember how he came into my life," Gilda said with a smile. "Marty just... showed up one day and offered to train me day and night, worked me to the bone. But in the end, it was all worth it," Gilda said with a smile.


"What do you want for lunch, Gilda," Marty said. Marty was walking Gilda to class to make sure she stayed safe.

"Fix me up a pastrami sandwich will ya," Gilda said to Marty, "they're serving leftover gruel today."

"OK," Marty said, "one sandwich coming-," Gilda heard a yell from the distance. She saw a crowd of students gathering somewhere.

Vanity was tormenting some poor girl with orange hair with yellow hihglights running through it. It appeared she was getting ready to give the girl a "makeover" the way she got one, while two of Vanity's goons held her down.

"Are you gonna let her get away with it?" Marty asked Gilda with a frown.

Gilda clutched her arm in anxiety. "But-,"

"You've trained for months," Marty said with a proud smile. "Now it's time to show them what your made off!"

The poor girl started crying and begging to be left alone. The sound of that poor girl's suffering made Gilda's fists ball up, her fear replaced by one feeling: justice.

"Whatever happens, I'm here for you Gilda," Marty said with warmth and encouragement. With that last bit of prodding, Gilda found her nerve.

"Leave her alone!" Gilda yelled. Vanity and her friends looked at her with disdain, while the girl on the ground looked at her with some faint hope.

"What are you gonna do, Orphan Girl?" Vanity asked with a cruel grin. "Cry like a baby."

"I said, LEAVE HER ALONE!" Vanity simply raised her pointer finger, and one of Vanity's goons lunged for her. With a grin on her face, Gilda did a double leg-take down of first one. Before the goon could even begin to be stunned, Gilda knocked her out by slamming a boot onto her head.

Vanity, her other minion, and everyone else was completely shocked by all this.

"Who's next?" Gilda asked with a challenging smile. Vanity and her goons fearfully ran away, crying for their mommy. Gilda ran over to the girl lying on the ground.

"Don't worry," Gilda said, "those jerks won't hurt you again."

"Thanks," the girl said, sheer gratitude in her voice, "I'm Lightning Dust."

"Gilda."

"Mate," a girl said. Lightning Dust and Gilda turned and saw some girl who looked she had a cloud on her head. "That was incredible," she said with a thick Australian accent. "You're one tough Sheila."

Gilda was confused. "My name is Gilda, not Sheila. What's yours?"

"Rolling Thunder," the girl said with a chuckle. "Can you teach me how to do that?"

"Sure," Gilda said a smile.

From a distance, Marty watched Gilda with almost parental pride.


"Lightning Dust was like that too?" Timmy asked with confusion. With what little she glimpsed from the girl, Timmy knew she was someone not to be messed with.

"Lightning was always strong," Gilda said with a small smile, "but those witches made her think she was completely powerless." A smirk formed on her face. "But we became friends and the three of us were able to put Garble in his place."


Gilda was sitting on a bench in Canterlot Park between two bushes. A falcon with a yellow complexion on her right hand, and a Crash Nebula comic book in her left. She looked up and saw Garble approaching. The oversized twelve year old was impossible to miss, with his incredible height and orange mohawk.

"Hey Gilda," Garble greeted with his falsely cheerful expression. Instead of fear, Gilda just wore a smirk on her face. She gave a sly glance at her falcon before looking back at Garble with an almost amused expression. "Ready to roll the ball," Garble gloated, holding it up the trash can.

"Nope," Gilda said. She heard footsteps behind her, which told her that his goons were approaching.Her smirk only deepened.

"What was that?" Garble asked rhetorically

"Nope," Gilda repeated. Garble looked behind her, silently communicating to his goons what to do. Just when they were about to attack, two girls leaped out of the bushes.

"Target acquired," Rolling Thunder said.

"Target engaged," Lightning Dust said.

The two pounced on the goons, who despite their raw strength, couldn't overcome the two girls' fighting skill. Lightning decked on goon in the face, knocking out one of his teeth, while Rolling Thunder smashed the others' nose.

"Leave us alone!" One of them said, screaming as he ran away.

"Monsters!" The others yelled, fleeing from the girls.

"Target destroyed!" Lightning Dust and Rolling Thunder said in unison. They turned toward Garble with a nasty look. For the first time since Gilda met Garble, the overgrown bully wasn't smiling that smug smile. He looked afraid.

A nervous chuckled erupted from his mouth. "Listen, can we talk about this?" Garble asked with a shaky voice as the three girls approached him with devilish smiles.

"Sure," Gilda said with narrow eyes, "we can...talk."

The three girls pounced on the preteen thug, beating him without mercy. He let out the occasional sob and plea for help. A group of kids, who had also been victims of Garble's bullying, gathered around and began cheering Gilda and her friends on. In one last humiliation, the three girls shoved the can over his head, and kept banging on it with bats until he was unconscious.

"Should we roll the ball down the hill," Lightning Dust asked Gilda with a nasty smile. Gilda was intrigued by the idea, until she glanced at her pet Falcon, and remembered Marty's warning about not stooping to Garble's level.

"Nah," Gilda said, "he isn't worth it. Let's get some lunch."

"Fine by me," Rolling Thunder said, "I'm hungry for some vegemite." The three friends walked off, leaving the orange-haired clown writhing on the ground in pain. The falcon looked at Gilda with pride.


"After that, Garble never bothered me again," Gilda said with a smile.

"So this Marty guy helped you out," Timmy observed. "Does he still teach you how to fight?"

"Nah," Gilda said. "One day he just...disappeared," she said with a frown.

"Why?"

"Well, he hung around for a few more years. Then, when I was 12, I did my first mixed-martial arts tournament," Gilda said with a smile. "And I not only ended up winning that contest, but got something more valuable."

"A gift card?" Timmy asked Gilda.

"No," Gilda said. "Well that, and something else." A warm smile formed on her face. "A home."


"The Almond County Junior Mixed Martial Arts Champion is," the voice announced, "Gilda!" Gilda felt enormous pride as everyone applauded her and gave her the trophy.

"I want to thank....well....me!" Gilda said, snatching the microphone from the referee, "and how awesome I am!"

"And your reward is," the coach said, snatching back the microphone, "a sixteen dollar and forty three cent gift certificate for Barnyard Bargains. However it can only be used on Wednesdays between 10 and 11 when the store is closed," the coach glanced at the fine print," and is only eligible in certain time zones." The white-haired girl took the certificate and ran behind the bleachers.

"I...I mean, we did it," Gilda said to Marty, who pulled Gilda into a hug.

"I knew you had it in you kid," the blond coach said with a smile.

"Who did you bet on?" Gilda asked with a cheeky smile.

"Was matters is not the 47,000 dollars I just lost," Marty said with a somewhat forced smile, "what matters is-,"

"Hey," a voice said. Gilda turned around and saw some tall lady with hair that looked like some orange flame. She wore a blue military uniform resplendent with medals, sunglasses, and a smile that oozed confidence. "Great moves kid." Gilda noticed Marty suddenly disappeared.

"Thanks," Gilda said. "Who are you?"

"I'm Spitfire," the woman, "of Hurricane Air Force Base. There's someone I know who wants to meet you."

---

"Gilda, I am Master Sergeant Glider Griffon," the man said. He was a tall man with broad shoulders and brown hair that was graying at the edge. He wore a sharp blue military uniform. Gilda and the man were currently at a burger joint, where he decided to treat her.

"So what's all this about?" Gilda asked the man.

"I saw you compete," Glider said, "and as a military man, I am very impressed."

"Really?" Gilda asked, some pride entering her voice.

"So I decided to learn more about you," Glider said, "and I discovered that you currently live in a foster home."

"Yeah," Gilda said sadly, "I guess."

"But...and I'm speaking hypothetically here," the man said with a warm smile, "what if I could offer you a place under my wing...so to speak." Gilda looked at him like she was joking.

"You want me to join the military?" Gilda asked the man in disbelief.

"No, you're too young," Glider said with a smirk. He placed a form in front of her. Gilda looked at the form and her face twisted into disbelief.

"You want to adopt me?" Gilda said with disbelief. She had been bounced around by different foster homes in the area. The idea of being adopted was something she never imagined. "Why?"

"Because you're a skilled fighter," The man said with kind eyes. "And you've got spirit in you."

"You really want someone like...me?" Gilda said with a soft voice.

"I think the world needs more people like you," Glider Griffon said with warmth in his voice. Gilda couldn't believe it. It was like a dream come true. She never expected anyone to want her. Suddenly, she was pulled into a hug. "Do you want to become a Griffon?" The man asked. Gilda felt happy tears fall down her face, all the while her new dad hugged her. Marty watched this from a distance with an usually bittersweet expression.


"After that," Gilda said, "I just...never saw Marty again. After I was adopted, I guess he thought his job was done. But I'll always remember what he did for me."

Timmy stared at Gilda in a far different way than he did when he first came into the room. Once he saw her as a cool person who could do now wrong. But now, he felt...something else. Is was like...he could feel like he could relate to her.

"Is that why you decided to be my sensei?" Timmy asked Gilda. "Because you wanted to do for me what someone did for you."

"If Marty could a see a fighter in someone like me," Gilda said with a warm smile, "then I know that underneath your unimpressive exterior is a warrior waiting to break free."

"Thanks," Timmy said uneasily, "I think."

"And frankly, you need to learn to fight." Gilda said with a stern tone. "From what I've heard, you have a lot of jerks in your life. I bet you that your mommy and daddy and a bunch of dumb cartoons often talk how we can all talk our problems out, right?"

"Yeah."

"Well, Garble didn't go away because I asked him nicely," Gilda said with some contempt. "Vanity also didn't leave me alone because I said a few kind words. The idiots in your life won't go away with a few words. The only you can stop them is by beating them and exposing them for the pathetic little cowards they really are." Gilda then gave Timmy a stern glare. "Are you willing to take them down, or are you gonna be a little scaredy cat?"

Timmy's face twisted from one of reluctance to one of resolve. "You're right. I won't let those jerks get away with it. I want to learn how to fight."

"That's the spirit!" Gilda said with a smile. "Now go get dressed."


Timmy returned to the gym dressed in a pink gi with a white belt. He saw Gilda wearing a white gi with a black belt. The gi had a large griffon emblazed on the front.

"Are you ready to train, Turner?" Gilda asked with excitement.

"OK," Timmy said, feeling more confident than ever. If Gilda could become strong, than so could he.

"Then get on the mat!" The two took of their shoes and got on the purple mat.

"Are you ready to dance," Gilda said with a mocking grin, getting into a fighting stance.

"After you," Timmy said teasingly, getting into a fighting stance of his own. "So what am I gonna learn?" Timmy asked Gilda with a devilish smile as he prepared to throw down. "How to break a cinder block with my head?"

"Aren't you eager," Gilda said with an equally sly smile. "Let's start with-," Gilda screamed. "Behind you! A spider!"

"Where?!" Timmy asked with terror, turning around behind him. Suddenly, a large hand gripped his neck. He felt himself being tripped onto the mat and fell with a thud. "Hey," Timmy said with anger to a snickering Gilda.

"I can't believe you fell for the oldest trick in the book!" Gilda said while snickering. " What's with you man? Come on!" She saw Timmy's frown and looked apologetic. "You know what? I'm sorry." She said, extending a hand with a remorseful expression. "Let me help you up!"

"OK," Timmy said with a smile. Gilda took his hand and then threw him across the mat with a nasty grin.

"Ow!" The buck tooth boy grunted as he struck the mat, landing on his back.

"Oh, look at that! You fell for that, too! I can't believe it, man!"

"I wasn't ready," Timmy complained with a frown. "You cheated!"

"Well too bad," Gilda said with a smug grin. "The jerks aren't going to care if you're ready or not. You have to be ready for all the nasty tricks they'll pull."

"But-,"

"That's how it is!" Gilda interrupted. "Unless you want to lose, you have to fight dirty."

"OK," Timmy said, pulling himself up.

"Good," Gilda said, "then I don't want any whining. Whining is for the weak!"


Timmy was forced to run along a path of hot coals while carrying a trey of British tea to some British gentlemen.

"Ow! Ow!" Timmy said. "What is this supposed to teach me?"

"Balance," Cosmo said, disguised as a headband.

"Come on," Gilda ordered from a distance while holding up a stop watch.

"Come on old boy," said a wealthy British man with a top hat and monocle at the end of the trail of hot coals, "that tea isn't going to serve itself." After some painful running, Timmy reached the end of the trail of hot coals and served the man his tea.

"5 minutes and 34 seconds!" Gilda said. "Not good enough. 3 more laps and we're good."

Timmy frowned with dismay, barely remembering he should not whine.


Timmy watched with awe as Gilda destroyed ten cinder blocks with a karate chop.

"Now you try," Gilda said, pointing to a single cinder block. Timmy raised his hand, and struck the cinder block.

"Ow!" Timmy said, hurting his own hand. His hand turned red and swelled up like a balloon. Gilda used a ruler to measure the swelling.

"3 inches," Gilda said with pride. "We're making some progress here."


"Now remember Timmy," Gilda said into the boy's ear, "no mercy!" Timmy looked at his opponent and saw red.

"NO MERCY!" Timmy bellow, charging for his opponent: a creepy clown bop bag. Timmy tackled the opponent, and thrashed it merciless.

"Yes, yes," Gilda said, clenching her fists in viciously, "you've got it!" When it was over, Timmy stood over the doll triumphant.

"In a few years, I can see you winning the mixed martial art championship,"

"Of course. No one can get past Timmy Turner," Timmy said with a smug grin, only for the bop bag to rise up and slam Timmy in the cranium.

The plastic clown let out an obnoxious laugh as Timmy rubbed his head, having got a minor concussion. Gilda facepalmed in some disappointment.

"Spoke too soon."


Timmy found himself surrounded by ninjas in an open field. They all looked at him menacingly, but he merely beckoned them forward with his hand.

One ninja charged at him, but Timmy defeated him with a mule kick. Two others came at him, but Timmy beat them back with a few more punches.

Timmy dodged one ninja, and bowled him over with a foot sweep.

Others charged at him. But Timmy, with rapid moves, defeated all of the ninjas,

"Had enough," Timmy taunted, only to get struck in the arm with a poison dart. Timmy fell over dead.

"GAME OVER," said the screen.

"Darn it," Timmy said to the video game he was playing. "I always forget the darts."

"The problem is all those video games shorten your attention span," Gilda said next to him while doing sit ups. The two were sitting in Gilda's living room, taking a break from her training.

"No they haven;t," Timmy objected, "I am very focu-oh, a ladybug," Timmy said, watching the tiny insect creep across the floor. Gilda rolled her eyes.

"Thanks for letting me play Gilda," Timmy said.

"I figured you needed a break," Gilda said.

"I do too," Timmy said, rubbing his sore neck, "you kind of did a number on me."

"If you can't take the pain, don't play the game," the girl said.

"I guess," Timmy said.

"But I assure you, it will all be worth it when you can prove to those idiots you can fight," Gilda said, looking at him with a vicious smile.

"Want to help me ruin their party?" Timmy asked with a smile.

"No," Gilda said firmly, "that's the last thing you want to do. Even though you can wish to make their lives miserable-"

"What?" Timmy said. Cosmo and Wanda, disguised as two barbells, also looked at Gilda with confusion.

"I mean," Gilda stammered, "even if you could wish to make their lives miserable, just leave them alone."

"Why?"

"You're off to a good start," Gilda said, "but you're not yet in good enough shape to take them on."

"I thought you said to not let them get away with it," Timmy said, "Besides, you beat up Crocker."

"That's different," Gilda said, "one: the moron blew up our cake. Two: he was a weedy piece of garbage. Tad and Chad are idiots, but unlike Crockpot, they have the money and power to make your life very miserable."

"So what do I do?" Timmy said.

"Let them have their victory," Gilda said with a smirk, "let them get comfortable. Meanwhile, keep playing the helpless wimp."

"Why?" Timmy said.

"All warfare is based off deception," Gilda said.

"Is that a fortune cookie?" Timmy asked.

"No, Sun Tzu."

"The guy who owns the Chinese restaurant down the block."

"No. Sun Tzu was one of the greatest generals ever," Gilda said, "in The Art Of War, he talks about how the best way to defeat your enemies is making them think your weak while making them think they're strong."

"How does that work?"

"These rich idiots are arrogant, and think they've stopped you," Gilda said, "keep letting them think that. Keep acting like a little wimp. They won't notice you getting bigger and stronger. That makes is so much more sweeter then when you pull the rug out from under them." Timmy let out a smile.

"I see," Timmy said. "Yeah, I think I can do that." He frowned. "But what if they do something really, really mean?"

"Then give me a call, and I'll deal with them," Gilda said fiercely. "

"Thanks," Timmy said, looking at Gilda with admiration.

"That's the spirit," Gilda said. "Are you still gonna run track?"

"Yep," Timmy said, "Rainbow signed me up for the track team at Clover Community Center."

"Even better," Gilda said with a smile, "you can train where those two brats can't see you." Gilda said. "Now repeat after me. To achieve victory, we hide our strength and bide our time."

"Hide our strength and bide our time," Timmy repeated.

"Good." Timmy heard honking outside.

"That's my ride," Timmy said, running out of Gilda's house. With him gone, Gilda continued her workout. But she stopped as her lips pursed in serious thought.

"Whatever happened to Marty?" Gilda wondered aloud.

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