The Album

by Peregrine Caged

Gilda -- Pissed

Written By: Venatus75
Rated Teen for language

The open air is a beautiful thing, even to someone like Gilda. Yes, even she, a hardcore punk of a griffon, found the sky beautiful. However, that was starting to dissipate with her new job. After the events in Ponyville with Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie, Gilda decided to return to the semi-civilized Griffon Empire. The Griffon Empire was beginning to bring itself up to par with Equestria in terms of technology, creating several niches for various griffons to fill. Thus, some griffons no longer had time to hunt their own food. Gilda, seeing the opportunity early on, took it upon herself to hunt for prey to sell to the general populace. The money was good, and she was definitely good at her job, but all the time spent hunting was starting to diminish the joy she used to experience with it.

Then there was also the problem with all the time idly spent looking for prey from the air. The job obviously required Gilda to be on her lonesome, so she was left to her thoughts for a good chunk of the day each time she went out to hunt.

Ugh, this is starting to become such a drag. I can’t believe I’m getting bored hunting! I used to live for this back before Flight Camp… Ugh…
Gilda was currently above a forest known as the Wooded Expanse, looking for prey to catch. Strapped to her back tightly was a bag that she put her catches in. Some days she returned with a full bag, other times she returned with only a few mice.

I wonder how Dash’s doing? It’s been like, a year since I saw her in-- Oh… Yeah… Fuck. Why’d that little shit, what’s her name, Pinkie Pie? Yeah, why’d she have to go and screw things over with me and Dash? I was just pissed, is all.
Gilda shook off the bad memories and resumed looking for anything below. Not seeing anything, she took her wings in for a moment to get closer to the ground. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a trace of movement. Turning towards it, Gilda squinted her eyes to get a better look.

Here we go… Looks like a squirrel. Heh, the first time the pegasi at Flight Camp saw me catch a mouse, they just about puked. I didn’t even know ponies didn’t eat meat at the time, so I was freaking out too, though.

Gilda chuckled at the fond memory and then refocused on the squirrel. She leaned forward and tucked her wings in, diving for it. It was a couple hundred meters away, so it took a few seconds to close in. She could now see the squirrel was looking around on the ground for nuts. Gilda leaned her head in, speeding up even further, and reached out with her talons. Feeling the contact of flesh with her feet, Gilda smiled and pulled up.

“Gotcha, ya little bastard,” she said, looking down at the squirrel caught in her feet. It simply squeaked in reply. Gilda was not without mercy, though, and twisted her talons around the critter’s neck, killing it. She then reached around her back and plopped the squirrel into her bag.

What was the name of that pony Dash was friends with? The one that liked the animals. I think it was Fluttershy. Man, she’d flip if I showed her this bag.
Gilda let out a low chuckle, amused by her own thoughts.

Oh yeah… I kinda bitched at her, didn’t I?
Gilda shook her head, I was just so freaking... “PISSED!” she yelled, not even realizing she had spoken out loud until after she said it. The shaking of leaves and bushes was audible, even from a couple hundred feet in the air.

Nice going, Gilda. Just scattered all the food for a freaking mile. Really, just… great job.
Gilda sighed, her anger coming out with it.

I do feel kinda bad about yelling at her, though. Like I said, that whole situation was just… I was pissed. No changin’ anything now, though.
Gilda began flapping her wings harder and more downwards, elevating herself. She kept on like this until she was almost half of a mile in the air.

I could always… Nah… I’m perfectly fine living here. I have a job, food, hell, I even have a decent amount of money! But… I’m just doing this, over and over… It’s so freaking boring. At least back in Equestria I had friends. I actually had fun. Here, it’s just the same thing, over and over. Maybe I will go back to Equestria… one day.
Gilda shook her head and growled in frustration before continuing her thoughts.

No, you won’t, you’ve talked about going back every other fucking day for the past year. You haven’t done anything yet, and you’re never going to because you’re such a whiny bitch! Toughen up, Gilda! It’s all behind you, and they probably hate you anyway! You were a total dick to each and every one of them, they deserve to hate you! Nobody in their right mind would EVER like you, you fucking asshole!
Her emotions starting to get the better of her, Gilda decided to touch down before she did something reckless. Unfortunately, she did anyway. Thinking she had enough speed to fly through a tree’s leaves, she didn’t bother avoiding them. However, a large branch tipped her wing, sending her falling about twenty feet. Landing on her back, Gilda began to sob, hardly moving.

Just because I deserve it, doesn’t make it any easier on me. I have nobody… Just me. Why am I always so freaking pissed? I don’t even know why, I just… am. And it hasn’t done anything but fuck me in the ass since I was a kid. I’m just… I’m tired of it. I need to just stop.
Gilda picked herself up, testing her legs for any injuries. Thankfully, she was fine. She wiped the tears from her eyes, checked that her bag was still there, and took off.

Alright, Gilda, calm down. It’s over. Just another fit of sadness. You’ll be over it by tomorrow. You always are, every time this happens.

And with that, she set off for home.

Comments

[CanterlotGuardian]

Definitely IC for Gilda. Also, probably just an editing error, but the last maybe quarter of the story is all in italics. I don't think it's supposed to be that way.

[Peregrine Caged]

1385802
Working on it...dunno what's up...thanks for catching that!

[CanterlotGuardian]

1385820
well my comment is no longer in italics

[CanterlotGuardian]

1385956
can't disagree with you there.

[FlimFlamBros.]

I have the strangest feeling that Gilda may or may not be pissed...... Regardless, great story, she really was in character the whole time!
And I lol'd at the squirrel.

[Dashie4Pres]

Poor squirrel! T_T He had so much to live for! Nuts and Berries and a lady squirrel! It's so unfair!

[Venatus75]

Yay! You all make me happy :D

[shutaro]

Funny thing: I know such a person. He's always pissed, I've never seen him smile and you can only "talk" to him per email so he can triple read what he says and leave his negative emotions at home.
But he's also extremely good at what he does. Poor guy.

1386309
I was about to call you an insensitive jerk when I remembered to scroll up and look at the author's name.
Well done, this one.

[Fedoraman]

1385299

CANON!!!

...although canon also had Rainbow Dash beating Applejack at hoofwrestling, so maybe we can all agree that it's best ignored in one or two areas.

Thesis still sorta stands! Woo!

[Peregrine Caged]

1386569
There are only two areas I ignore canon, otherwise it's unbreakable law for me: I ignore the stupid map, since that's just limiting--and Doctor Whooves, because reasons.

[JapaneseTeeth]

1386569>>1387218 The only canon I really ignore is Spike's whole "going through puberty and turning into a monster in a day", and that's more because I don't want to have to explain why it happens when Spike's involved in the story.

Also, I think this is a good look into Gilda's head. Always interesting to see how different authors interpret her.

Oh, I should point out that the third set of italics still has an extra tag around it.

[Fedoraman]

1387218

So I've been outdone by an incredibly catchy theme song.

...Writing more pony words will make me feel better.

[Peregrine Caged]

1387696
Thank you, I swear...I've never had so much trouble with a piece I've been able to directly upload! Should be clean now.

1389587
Write ALL of the pony words, my friend.

[Psykosis]

This is really good. All my respect, dude.

[statoose]

A good look into Gilda's mind here. It all feels very believable. Poor griffon, she is.
My only negative critiques are that there are one of two places where her dialogue sounds off somehow, and this:
-Gilda began flapping her wings harder and more downwards, elevating herself.  She kept on like this until she was almost half of a mile in the air.
Compared to the rest of the writing, this read rather immaturely. Other than that, this was decently written.

[Venatus75]

1435012
Thanks for the input! The reason I chose more downwards was because when birds fly, they flap their wings both downwards and a bit backwards. Thus, my assumption was that if she was to flap moreso downwards than backwards, she would elevate herself. Looking back, it does seem a bit out of place though.

[Shumiry]

Heh, this was, very close to home for me... Anger issues are something I've been dealing with pretty much my whole life, you captured those feelings very well.

Please keep writing, I'll keep reading!

[LoveAndTolerateEveryPony]

Eh, ever since the season five episode with Gilda, stories like this one seem so not her anymore.
~LATEP