Sprout Wings, Change Heart
Dear Princess Celestia,
At first we were honored to be chosen as the covert agents to infiltrate the Changeling hive and find out there secrets, but that only lasted until we reached the borders of Equestria. We learned very quickly, through our own bickering of who was better, or rather, the best, that we realized that wasn't how the “Elements of Harmony” chose us. No, we were chosen because we were the ONLY ones that could do it. We were special in a way that nopony wishes to be; we loved nopony and nopony loved us.
Big bad bullies with nothing to lose, but we had everything to gain. Little did we know that you weren't just sending us on a mission to help the Changelings, but it was ultimately a journey to help ourselves, and who knows, maybe some others along the way?
So even though I was angry and hurt when I found out why it was us, in the end I was grateful it was only us, I wouldn't have found a best friend in an unlikely rival, nor would others find out what it means to love something and learn to give rather than just take.
Your (New) Student,
Gilda Griffin
“Gilda, it’s almost time for the ceremony, are you ready yet?”
“Will you stop rushing me, I’m doing something important!”
Rainbow Dash chuckled as she walked into the room.
“Still stubborn, some things never change. It’s okay to admit that you feel sad about somepony.”
“GET OUT! I DON’T NEED YOU TO, TO…”
Gilda couldn't hold her emotions back anymore as the tears began to flow without stopping.
Rainbow Dash got closer to her and hugged her with her wing while she cried.
“I-I’m not crying…”
“I know.”
Rainbow Dash was shocked to see the once hardened and mean griffin showing grief for another.
“Okay, like I was saying, we really should get going. The princesses get kind of antsy when things aren't to schedule.”
Rainbow chuckles to herself.
“Well, really only one is like that, but she’s still getting used to her wings.”
Gilda let Rainbow walk out first as she walked behind her.
“Do you think I could sit with you during the ceremony? I mean if your friends would be okay with it.”
“What? Of course they’d be okay with sitting with the griffin that saved the day! Are you crazy?”
“I’m new to this whole ‘nice’ thing. I mean last time we saw each other I practically wanted to eat them.”
Rainbow looked back with a smirk.
“That’s the thing about being nice, Gilda; other ponies see you’re trying to change, and they are pretty easy to forgive you for the past.”
Gilda smiled as she walked out of the room she was waiting in and went to the ceremony with Rainbow Dash.
As soon as they were out on the Canterlot castle grounds, they sat right next to the other ponies, with Gilda paying particular attention to Fluttershy, who cowered slightly, and Pinkie Pie, who was waving them over with enthusiasm and excitement to spare. Gilda was a bit taken back, but Rainbow gave her a helping hoof as she escorted her to their seats.
As they sat down, Pinkie Pie was the first to say, or rather, shout something.
“Hiya, Gilda! Wow, you really changed! You’re not a grouchy grump face anymore but a happy jump ace!”
Gilda got right in Pinkie’s face and gnashed her beak for a moment.
“Yea, you wanna see how much I changed?”
Pinkie trembled a little, until the griffin pulled her in for a big hug before Pinkie could say anything.
“I've learned that you should make friends, not enemies. You never know when you may need them, or when you’ll see them again.”
Fluttershy, after seeing the griffin’s change of heart, lightly tapped her on the shoulder.
“Um, excuse me, G-Gilda…”
Gilda, without even waiting for the pegasus to finish, grabs her into her group hug too.
“I’m sorry the way I acted to you before, I guess it was just that I had a hole in my heart that hadn’t been filled, but now that it has…”
Gilda tightens her grip on the hug a bit as she almost cries again. Fluttershy comforts her with a free hoof.
“It’s okay, she would have been happy to see you spread your wings to new friends, after all she you showed her the magic of friendship too.”
Rainbow Dash quickly joined the group hug but tried to be the serious one.
“Okay, okay, break it up, enough of the mushy stuff! They’re starting!”
They all took their seats as they watched Princess Celestia approach the stage.
She stood regal as she smiled to Gilda in the crowd before taking her place next to Princess Luna. Shortly after, Princess Twilight took the stage and started to speak.
“Mares and gentlecolts, dragons and griffins, we are gathered here today to honor a very special pony who had made a bold sacrifice to protect the future of Equestria. A mare that I had learned to call at least a rival, but had hoped it would eventually become a friendship. She was gifted, if not a bit selfish, and confident, if not arrogant. Despite all the horrible we saw from her, in the end she did what was right all because she wanted to be the best friend and the best rescuer, even if that meant that she wouldn't get all of the praise, if any. So, it is ironic that we celebrate the unicorn, Trixie Lulamoon, who tried so hard to be praised that she had once even used forbidden magic. It wasn't until she stopped trying to be number one, in fact sacrificing herself, that she is being given the praise she had sought, only this time it is well deserved and rightfully earned.”
Princess Twilight then removed the sheet from the statue to tribute Trixie Lulamoon. She bowed as she stepped aside to make way for Princess Celestia. As soon as Princess Celestia took her place at the podium, Twilight took her place next to Princess Cadance.
“Oh my, how do you think the speech went? Do you think I said the right things, I wasn't too harsh was I?”
Princess Cadance just smiled as he gave her a hug.
“I’m sure you did fine, Twilight. I can tell you as the Princess of Love, I’m sure she would have loved to hear those words and cherished every one of them.”
They both shared a breath and then listened intently to Princess Celestia. The alicorn loomed over her subjects, but with regality rather than intimidation, as she addressed everypony.
“Thank you, Princess Twilight, for those kind words. I would say without a doubt that if Miss Lulamoon were standing here, she would be touched by your praise. And as such everypony that has gathered here today, and all of Equestria, today henceforth will be known as Trixie Day, in honor of a brave mare that gave it her all every day, and even if it wasn't always right, in the end it was when it matter. She is an example that anypony can be blessed with the magic of friendship and learn from the love of others.”
Princess Celestia bowed and the crowd was silenced for a moment before they started their roar of praise. During this time, Princess Luna raised a special moon that glistened in the night sky, and declared it a Lulamoon.
Gilda smiled as she looked at the tribute to her new friend, who for a time was also her only friend. She wept tears of both sadness and joy, no longer caring if it was “cool” now that she knew what it really meant to be cool.
After the ceremony, Gilda was called in to give her report to Princess Celestia, who was on her throne finishing up reading Gilda’s letter. Princess Celestia addressed her as she entered.
“Gilda Griffin, I understand that Ms Lulamoon and you were successful in your mission to learn of the Changelings nature of feeding on love?”
“Yea, all thanks to that foolish mare using some magic she found buried in a rock quarry. She had no idea what it was going to do, but if she didn’t use it then I might not be standing here tonight to give you my report. I’m sorry, Princess, but she deserves all the praise you gave her today.”
“That’s the funny thing about the magic of friendship, Gilda; it normally doesn't make a difference if only one shows it. You changed her heart just as much as she did yours. Now what exactly happened on that journey to the Hive?”
“We’ll, with all due respect Princess, we learned right away that you didn't pick us on our top physical condition or magic prowess.”
“And for that, I am truly sorry, however if we sent in anypony else who had an ounce of love they would have spotted you before you had even gotten near the Hive and feed upon you as starved as they are.”
Gilda looked at the ground.
“No, I don’t fault ya, Princess; I would've done the same thing. Still, we still wore it like some dumb badge of honor, trying to tell ourselves that we would best the other and come back to Canterlot the bigger hero.”
Princess Celestia gave a playful smirk.
“So you developed a rivalry, you would say?”
“Yea, I guess so. Little did we know that we would learn about each other, and ourselves, by pushing ourselves and not letting each other give up. At first we tried to tell ourselves that it was only because if the other one gave up then it would be a hollow victory, but over time I think we both knew, reluctantly, we were becoming friends.”
Princess Celestia sipped her tea as she listened intently.
“Friends, well that was an unexpected result. I take it that’s how the Changelings were alerted once you infiltrated the Hive?”
“Yea, I guess love is some dumb side effect of becoming friends. Of course they smelled it right before we got to the Queen.”
Princess Celestia steps down from her throne to hug Gilda.
“I know this part may be hard for you, but you were the only one there, I have to know.”
Gilda takes a breath and continues.
“Nah, I’m cool. Yea, Chrysalis was staring us down and those lame Changelings dweebs had us surrounded. The scene was pathetic, but we weren't going to give up after getting so far. We were out of options though, until Trixie just winked at me and said, ‘hey, make sure you tell all of Equestria who the true bestest mare is that saved their future!’ and before I could ask her what she meant she was gone along with those Changeling dweebs that surrounded us.”
“And what of Queen Chrysalis, what did she do?”
“She actually cried like some dweeb, blubbering about how they had lives and they were her loyal subjects. I couldn't help but think how pathetic she was, so I looked at her and laughed, telling her that she obviously didn't love her subjects that much, otherwise she would have been able to feed them with it. I was ready for her to give a lame try to fight me, but instead she just stood there and told me I was right.”
Princess Celestia, who was back on her throne, looked at Gilda with a confused expression.
“What did you do in response?”
“I didn’t know what to do, there were so many things going on, but I really just wanted it to be over. So I started to walk away, which they just let me do. Before I left though, I watched as Queen Chrysalis began to glow and suddenly the Hive was filled with some pink and purple light.”
Princess Celestia had wide eyes.
“Those were the glow of the power of love! That’s what she had meant Gilda when she said you were right, she gave herself for her subjects and in turn would be fed by the love her subjects have for her! Thank you, Gilda. This is a breakthrough for our study, and hopefully we will be able to use it to defend the Crystal Kingdom should King Sombra return.”
It was at that time that they were interrupted by a guard.
“I’m sorry to intrude, Princess, but we've received something from Queen Chrysalis meant for you.”
Princess Celestia carefully opened the package with magic. Inside the box she found a letter among other things.
Gilda, thinking she was finished, began to speak.
“If you’re done, I’m gonna leave, kind of stuffy in here.”
“You may go, Gilda. Thank you again for what you've done for Equestria, and you are truly a heroine of Equestria.”
“Yea, well I only did it because I didn't want to be second to some dweeb unicorn.”
She turned and got to the doors, pausing for a second. This allowed Princess Celestia to stop her.
“Gilda, before you go, I think you should have this.”
Princess Celestia gave the box to Gilda. As Gilda opened the box she found a certain cape and hat. Princess Celestia smiled as a tear ran down Gilda’s cheek.
“A funny thing about the magic of friendship, Gilda; as long as we hold onto the memories our friends never disappear.”