Level 4 Compromises

As I've mentioned, we have a few characters that have not been introduced at all. I've been staying mostly on the griffon side, mostly because that's where I feel comfortable. Finally, I'll be able to make somewhat of a transition.

Most griffons are cocky, annoying, and in some cases, absolute assholes. You wouldn't mind blowing a hole right through the side of their head and watching their pitiful brain slosh around inside. Gilda, for example, was one of these types of griffons. If you knew her, you didn't talk about it. And if you talked about it, it usually wasn't friendly. Mostly all the places you'd hide her body.

She was a resident of Ponyville, and after the bad incident with Rainbow Dash and her friends, she'd stayed away from them as much as possible. It wasn't so much that they were lame; she'd just rather not hear about the magic of friendship or whatever bullshit they had to offer. She didn't want a second chance, she was happy with herself.

Mayor Mare found herself looking at a hopeful Rainbow Dash, one who hoped to find the obnoxious griffon. Sure, they had a stained past, but Rainbow had been her friend for a long time. Not to mention, she WAS the element of loyalty, so that kind of kicked her in the ribs. The mayor directed her to a small house on the edge of Ponyville. A clever move, considering most would look for her in the sky. Rainbow walked in just as Gilda was walking out.

"Oh, Gilda! Glad you're here!" Gilda looked at her, a look of confusion on her face.

"What do you want?" she asked in her generally snotty tone, but it wasn't generic. It sounded forced, and Rainbow picked up on it.

"Well, I was wondering if you'd like to fly around some time. I mean, I know we had a falling out, but I'm sure we can-" She was cut off pretty fast.

"Seriously?! I don't need a dweeb like you trying to be my friend again. Just buzz off, I'm not interested." Again, her tone was forced. Normally, Rainbow would've been fuming, but something wasn't right about Gilda. Then she noticed what was behind the griffon. Bags, lots and lots of bags, like she was- Oh Celestia, she's moving.

"Oh, jeez, really sorry. Just realized you're moving. So, uh, where to?" Gilda cocked an eyebrow, her general frown of irritation having become a worrisome smile.

"What's it to you?"

"Well, I'd wanted to be your friend, but I guess it's a little hard now." Gilda kept her smile plastered on her face. She was trying to be happy. "Are you alright? You look a little tense."

That was enough for Gilda. Grabbing her bags, she took off into the sky, moving to wherever she was going.

"Gee you're nice!" Rainbow yelled after her, but it was a bit too late. Gilda was gone, but Rainbow was left with mystery. She'd never seen Gilda ever that worried. Scared, maybe once or twice. This wasn't a scare. This was fear, deep and complex. Whatever it was, it wasn't good.

Gilda finally landed at her intended spot, right in the little town of Creston. She had heard they'd had issues there, and she decided that it would be good to check in on her parents. You can never be sure. Walking through the town, bodies slumped against homes was a common feature. I guess they're all tired, she thought, but it sure is odd that- Dear Celestia what is that smell?! Upon closer inspection, Gilda noticed the smallpox, although she didn't recognize what it was. The griffons she saw were all dead.

"Wha-what is this? You guys are really funny, huh?" she yelled, clearly distraught. No response. This wasn't a joke. The body was real. She started looking in on other homes. She found that about three quarters of the population was dead, and that this had become a large problem in other towns. What is going on, she thought. My parents! Thrusting out her wings, she flew full speed to their house. She found her mother cradling her father's dead body, both of them clearly sick. Her mother had only broken with pustules, but she would die in the following two days.

"M-mom? What happened?! What is this? Is there-" Her mother looked at her, as confident and stern as she had always been.

"Gilda, honey. I want you to do something for me. Could you do this?" Gilda nodded, a lump stuck in her throat. She was visibly distressed.

"Yes, mom. Anything, anything! Name it! I'll do it!" Her mother smiled sincerely, but it was a smile of regret as well.

"I want you to run. Run, run! Leave this place! It's a forbidden land. Leave, Gilda," she croaked. "If you keep any of this with you, know that I love you. If I live, I'll meet you again. But run. Please." Gilda nodded, the lump still stuck in her throat.

"I love you too, mom." She flew as she was commanded. Back to Ponyville it is, she thought, tears in her eyes.

So now, smallpox had claimed a region neighboring Equestria. Tragic fates met all its inhabitants. Any who survived the smallpox starved to death, as there was no one around to make food, and Equestria was unaware of the circumstances.

It's been said that griffons are the hardiest of creatures. You can make a griffon happy, irritated, excited, confused, and in a very rare occurrence, sad. Sincerely, honestly, sad. Whether it be guilt, shame, or any other reason, it's incredibly hard to make a griffon sad. But you will never, ever, in the lifetime of your entire family, see a griffon cry. That day, however, the old legend proved false. The streets were filled with wailing and mourning, dead bodies being heaped and burned while the burners themselves already started to die. When Celestia looked back on this months later, she was truly frightened.

"I am utterly, truly shocked. Nothing seemed to bring a proud race of superior strength, skill, and competition like the griffons down. They were cutthroat, 'succeed or fail' society. If this smallpox virus could bring a nation like that to its knees, then I know for sure that the virus is the most deadly thing in existence.