Chapter Seventeen
Dreams and Disasters
by Quillery
Chapter Seventeen
Sky Diver
There was a strong moment of silence in the private booth. Even the roar of the crowd just outside did little to alleviate the tension in the air between Gilda and Dash as they stared at each other with widened eyes. The chancellors both turned and raised an eyebrow at the scene.
Gilda coughed. “Dash. What are you doing here?”
“I’d ask you the same thing,” Dash said shortly.
“Oh!” Northwind exclaimed with a clap of his hooves. “You know each other? What a fortuitous reunion then!”
“Yeah… We know each other alright.”
“We went to school together for a while back home,” Gilda said.
A moment of silence passed, before Twilight cleared her throat and spoke up. “Well this is a pleasant surprise, isn’t it, Dash? I never really got to meet Gilda before back in Ponyville.”
Gilda raised an eyebrow. “And you are?”
Twilight smiled. “My name is Twilight Sparkle. I’m one of Dash’s friends from Ponyville.”
"Right... I guess I remember you." Gilda’s eyes narrowed and scanned the room. “Where’s the pink one? I figured you would have all of your new friends with you.”
Dash scowled at the venom in Gilda’s voice. “Her name is Pinkie Pie, and she couldn’t make it. It’s just me and Twilight.”
Gilda shrugged. “Hmph.”
“Gilda,” Gorim growled. “Be polite to our guests, even if you have a past with them.”
Gilda sighed. “Yes, Uncle Gorim.”
“Where is your brother?”
“He’s downstairs with the Barons’ aeronastics team. They aren’t on for another hour, so he’s probably busy schmoozing them.”
Northwind chuckled. “Why don’t you three go through the arena and see the event’s up close. The guards know Gilda, and will allow you passage anywhere you wish to go.”
“Really?” Twilight said. “That would be exciting to see the sports up close.”
“Fine,” Gilda said, turning. “Follow me, and try to keep up. It’s busy everywhere.”
Twilight trotted quickly towards Gilda and the door with a smile on her face. Dash, however, lingered a moment before slowly making her way over. She watched Gilda carefully. Looks like she hasn’t changed one bit.
They left the private booth and turned down the hallway. Dash walked aside Twilight behind Gilda as she led the way.
“So Dash.” Gilda said suddenly. “How have you been?”
Dash blinked. “Uh...fine, I guess. You?”
She shrugged. “Can’t complain. Been dealing with stuff since I last saw you.”
“Yeah…?”
Gilda trailed off a mumbled reply. Dash shook her head and rolled her eyes.
Twilight glanced at her. “Is everything okay, Dash?” she whispered.
Dash shrugged. “I dunno. She seems okay, but she’s still a grouch.”
“There must be something you can say. I know you two left on a sour note, but you two were friends once. That must mean something to you both.”
“I guess. But she’s no better at talking about…” Dash caught herself and swallowed, fighting back a blush. “...feelings and junk like that than I am. She’s too proud, l-like me…”
“Well, why don’t I say something?” Twilight smiled and hastened her trot.
Dash felt something in her her chest drop, and she uttered a strangled noise as she reached out a hoof to stop Twilight, but was too late.
“Excuse me, Gilda?”
Gilda stopped and turned her head, eyebrow raised. “What is it?”
Twilight glanced between her and Dash. “I can tell you two are having difficulty talking about what happened back in Ponyville last year. I think now would be a good time to reconcile. After all, you two were friends once. There’s no reason you can’t be again.”
Gilda glared at Twilight, but her face softened as she glanced at Dash. Dash stared back, and was surprised to see something she never thought she would see in Gilda: regret.
Gilda shook her head and narrowed her eyes on Twilight. “Look, it has been a while. But that doesn’t make what happened any different.” She pointed a claw at Dash. “My best friend turned her back on me!”
Dash reared back, shocked by Gilda’s accusation. “I played a few pranks and you blamed my friends for it! I defended them and took the blame, how is that turning my back on you?”
“Pretty funny way to treat your only friend during flight school!”
“I told you those pranks weren’t just meant for you! And you weren’t my only friend. I’ve known Fluttershy longer than you.”
“That klutz with the bunnies? Yeah, like she could defend you from Hoops and his goons like I did!”
“I didn’t need defending.”
Gilda opened her mouth for another retort, when a loud whistle screeched in the tiny hallway. Dash covered her ears and glanced to Twilight. She had a whistle in her mouth, which disappeared as her magical glow around it faded. She cleared her throat and glanced between Dash and Gilda. “Now that’s enough. I felt some venting was in order, and I think we cleared the air quite a bit, so let’s move past that. I can sense a lot of unresolved tension between you two, and it seems that its from a lot more than just what happened last year.
“You two both made a mistake, and it cost you a long standing friendship.” Twilight smiled at the both of them. “Now, I don’t know about you two, or the depth of the history you both share, but I’ve learned a lot about the importance of friends, and I think it would be really nice if you two could just… put aside this one event and try again.” Twilight held her gaze on Dash, a pleading look in her eyes. “For me?”
Dash felt heated, but as Twilight stared at her, she felt her anger lapsing. She slumped her head and sighed, but wasn’t the only one. She looked up and saw Gilda doing the same. She refused to make eye contact and crossed her arms. Gilda stole a glance in Dash’s direction, and huffed when she got caught.
Dash smirked and trotted past Twilight. Gilda resisted meeting her gaze, twisting her neck further with a slight crackling noise. Dash lifted a hoof out to Gilda, who stared at it with a stern look.
“Twilight’s right, G. I feathered up, but I’m willing to put what happened behind us if you are. We’re both on vacation, right? There’s no sense letting what happened a whole year ago ruining it for the both of us right now.”
Gilda narrowed her eyes. Another moment of silence drifted through the halls of the stadium. Finally, Gilda shrugged and reached out and claw and grasped Dash’s hoof. “Fine. I can deal if you can.” She tugged Dash closer and stared her down. “But this doesn’t make us friends again. We can just see how this goes for now. Just try to not embarrass me in front of my uncle or my brother, and we can talk after.”
Dash smiled as she shook Gilda’s claw. “Deal.” She tilted her head. “But I’ve never met your brother. What’s he like?”
Gilda smirked. “He’s cool. Not as cool as me, but he does his best. C’mon, I’ll introduce you.” She turned and continued back down the hallway.
Dash lingered a moment and glanced at Twilight. She held herself high with a wide smile as she stared back. “I can’t believe you did that, Twi.”
Twilight frowned. “Are you mad?”
“Mad? I’m amazed. You somehow managed to talk down Gilda of all gryphons into a truce. I don’t think I could have done that without you pushing us like that.” Dash nudged Twilight in the shoulder. “Looks like this whole friendship report business is really working.”
Twilight smiled. “I’ve had great teachers.”
Dash nodded. “Yeah, I guess the princesses would be pretty helpful.”
Twilight laughed. “They have been wonderful sources of advice, but that wasn’t who I was talking about.”
Twilight trotted past Dash after Gilda, leaving Dash behind. She stood stunned, heat assaulting her face again, when Gilda shouted back down the hall. “Hey, you coming or what?”
*****
Gilda led Dash and Twilight down into the lower levels of the stadium. Dash’s nose wrinkled as they went further, but she shook the feeling away. Twilight, on the other hoof, couldn’t go a few steps without sneezing or coughing.
“What in Equus is that smell?!”
“Uh, Twi. We’re in the locker rooms.”
Twilight just stared at her.
Dash rolled her eyes. “I’m going to guess you didn’t take gym class in that fancy unicorn school of yours.”
Twilight blinked. “I may have… missed a few classes.”
Dash snorted. “Well, you’d better get used to the glorious odor of sweat and excessive deodorant, because down here, you ain’t finding anything else.”
Twilight shot Dash a flat look. “Wonderful.”
Gilda stopped at a split in the hallway, which broke off in numerous directions. There were loud noises pouring in from all of them: shouting, cheering and other noises that gave Dash fond reminders of her time in school. Gilda pointed down one of the halls.
“The Baron’s locker room is down this way. Best chance of finding my brother would be there.”
Dash chuckled. “Heh, I guess I can handle meeting the Barons. They’re no Wonderbolts, but they’ll do for now.”
Gilda glared at her, which Dash responded by shaking a hoof at her. “Whoa, G. Kidding. I don’t hate the Barons. I’ve seen their shows in Equestria. They’re good, I’m just a Wonderbolt mare at heart.”
“Yeah, I got an earful of that back when we were kids. But out here, the Barons are the ones with the spotlight. The ‘Bolts might have fans out here, but the people here value the Barons way more.”
“Is that out of local pride?” Twilight asked.
Gilda shrugged. “I guess. The Barons were originally a military unit from the old wars, so they have a lot of history here.” She glanced at Dash. “I’m not sure what significance the Wonderbolts have where you’re from.”
Dash scratched her head. “Well, I wanna say it’s almost the same. Old military types, from the Lunar Rebellions I think.” She glanced to Twilight. “That’s about right, Twilight?”
Twilight blinked. “That’s exactly right. How did you know that?”
Dash scoffed. “I read a Wonderbolts history book, where else?”
Twilight laughed, while Gilda rolled her eyes. “Geeze, Dash. When did you become such an egghead?”
Dash shrugged. “Turns out books are pretty cool, G. Maybe you should try ‘em out.”
“Pass,” Gilda said, holding up a claw. Gilda led them to a door on the far end of the hallways. She knocked on the door, and a few moments later a black crowned gryphon poked his head out.
His eyes narrowed on Dash and Twilight, before he noticed Gilda. He smiled and nodded his head. “Hey Gilda. What’s up?”
“Hey, Sig. Have you seen my brother?”
He shook his head. “No. He was here earlier, then he said something about getting something to eat.”
Gilda sighed. “Figures. That featherbrain is always hungry.”
“Yep.” He turned his attention back on Dash and Twilight. “So, what’s with the ponies?”
Gilda gestured a claw at Dash. “This here is Rainbow Dash, my roommate from flight school, and one of her pony friends from Equestria.”
Gilda then pointed her claw at the gryphon in the doorway. "And this is Sigur, my brother’s best friend. He decided to tag along on our trip to visit uncle.”
Sigur chuckled. “Never thought you to play nice with the pony folk, Gilda. I guess learning to fly with ponies softened you up.”
Gilda scowled and slugged Sigur in the cheek. “Shut up, Sig.”
Sigur rubbed his cheek, still chuckling. “I’d say you hit like a girl, but you hit more like a pony these days.”
Gilda groaned. “At least Mace isn’t here for this.”
“Someone say my name?”
Dash turned around and saw another gryphon standing behind her. He looked a lot like Gilda, in Dash’s opinion, only male. Even his eyes and crown feathers were painted the same color as Gilda’s. He was busily munching on a brightly colored fruit as he walked, staring at Gilda.
She sighed. “‘Bout time you showed up, Mace.”
Mace bit into his fruit again. “I was hungry.”
Gilda raised an eyebrow. “And you got a fruit?”
Mace grinned. “I like fruit.”
“You would.”
Mace finished eating and tossed the remnants of his meal into the garbage, and turned his attention to Dash and Twilight. He frowned a moment. “You’re… Rainbow Dash, ain’t you?”
Dash leaned back. “Uh, yeah?” She tilted her head. “Have we met before?”
Mace shook his head. “Nah. But Gilda would talk about you all the feathering time when we were kids. Kinda easy to tell who you are.”
“Mace!” Gilda snapped.
Dash turned in time to see Gilda turning her head away, rubbing the back of her neck. “What did you talk to him about?" Dash asked.
“Um, y’know… stuff and things. How good of a flyer you were and…”
Gilda descended into quiet muttering, avoiding Dash’s gaze. Mace frowned and narrowed his eyes, staring slowly between the two of them. He blinked, and his mouth spread into a wide, malicious grin. “Oh… Now I get it. I can’t believe I never saw it before. All that time, the gushing about your best friend from flight school and how awesome she was.” Mace chuckled.
Gilda’s eyes widened. “Don’t say it, Mace!”
Mace laughed louder, pointed an accusatory claw at Gilda. “But it’s so cute to think about.” He glanced at Sigur, who raised an eyebrow. “Our little Geegee had a pony crush!”
Gilda’s face set in shock. Dash’s eyes widened as heat assaulted her face without warning. Sigur brought a claw to his mouth to try and hide his laughing as Mace started snickering.
Twilight stepped back. “Oh my…”
Dash tried to make eye contact with Gilda, but she evaded her. “Gilda?”
Gilda’s eyes darted, looking anywhere but Dash. She backed away into the wall, stuttering.
A door slammed in the distance, followed by shouting. “We need a doctor in here!”
Dash’s attention broke for a second as she turned towards the new sound. A group of ponies raced through the hall down an opposite path. Twilight spun around and galloped down the hallway, stopping at the edge of the crowd.
A second door slammed behind Dash. She turned, and Gilda was gone. Mace chuckled and sauntered towards the door. “Ah Gilda. Endless entertainment.” He glanced at Dash. “Maybe the lovebirds need a minute.” Mace snickered one more time before he stepped through the Baron’s door and let it shut behind him.
Dash stared at the door as her mind began unraveling. Gilda… has a thing for me?
She felt a hoof on her shoulder. Twilight was staring at her, worry in her eyes. “Dash, you need to see this. It’s Spitfire. They’re taking her to the hospital.”
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First I get an email saying there's an update so I'm like
Then I remember Gilda is going to be in this chapter so I'm like
Then I learn Gilda had a crush on Dash which means Im like
Then at the end I hear about Spitfire and I'm like
Well then. My prediction of a Germane civil war was off by a long shot. I did not see that coming.
This was such a good chapter! I can't wait to see where this goes.
Spitfire is injured, and now somepony will need to take Spitfire's place in the games...
Gee, who could they possibly find on such short notice?
TwiGilDash? Never saw that coming.
3940157 Your right! Maybe she can use her butterfly wings spell to complete! I doubt Twilight will do very well though...
I am loving this story so much! I can't wait for the next chapter. XD This is by far my favorite fan fic that is still being written.
this story. IS AMAZING!
Awesome stuff. I love how Gilda's embarressing secret was spilled by her bratty brother right in the middle of that crises. Now, what's happened to Spitfire?
That would really make a... rather peculiar love triangle...
But what has happened to poor Spitty though
This. Story. Is. AWESOME!
I think these might be the most highly-anticipated updates of all the stories I follow.
Gilda had a crush on RD? Ooh, boy... This is going to get interesting...
But whatever has occurred with Spitfire?
Eagerly awaiting the next chapter!
Why am I suddenly using so many emoticons..?
Write on,
Legion
3942052
I am with you on anticipation and everything else XD
Gilda better not be stealing Dash's heart! This is a TwiDash story, dammit! Get away from my ship, you gryphon-hussy!
Also, I don't normally point out grammar and punctuation errors on stories that I'm not editing, but this one bothered me a lot. When Dash asked Gilda what she used to say to her brother about her, you missed the end quotational mark.
Great chapter! Can't wait for the next one!
Hmm, I wonder how Dash is gonna take this news of Gilda's little crush on her. I also wonder how many parallels she's going to draw between Gilda's crush on her and her crush on Twilight.
Also Spitfire in the hospital. That's a thing. Possible tensions rising between the ponies and the griffons and/or Dash needing to fill in for Spits? Only time will tell
Multiple bomb drop in this chapter. I wonder what'll happen when the dust settles?
3942052 Why am I suddenly using so many emoticons..? <-- Same here, I have no idea so I can't answer your question, neither will the world ever tell the hearts of the own of our bodies.
Stuff happened... and things. Things happened too.
3968116
I usually call those occurrences Stuffy Stuff.
Loving the story so far, spotted an error though.
Smoothest solution would just be removing the 'a'.
Dash felt something in her her chest drop,
shrugged and reached out and claw and grasped Dash’s hoof.
Mace finished eating and tossed the remnants of his meal into the garbage, and turned his attention to Dash and Twilight. I'd say I get bothered by a lot of "and" in this sentence, but I guess it's only me...
I need to go to bed BUT I CAN'T STOP! If RD gets to play in the games, it'll be exactly what I predicted when I heard about the Wonderbolts being there... aside the whole Gilda thing of course, that was hard to predict =P
the event’s up close
and it seems that its from a lot
what happened a whole year ago ruining it
the people here
Bloody crushes
5781872 Again sir you made this chapter amazing in only two words. I'm going to miss you when this story ends!
i though he was gonna say "bloody gryphon"
5996722
Then follow him!