The Great Gryphon Adventure

Twilight Sparkle had been pouring through countless volumes of books for days. Most of her friends had been bugging her to come out and participate in their normal activities, but she had politely refused and instead had insisted that she needed to solve a mystery she had been pondering. Only one other pony knew of this mystery, the very one whom had told her of it in the first place. She was the only pony that had been granted the company of Twilight over the duration of her quiet solitude.

"I still tha'nk 'at you should get away from these here books, Twi," said Applejack. The earth pony was sitting beside her unicorn friend as she read through another book. "I mean, it ain't happen' tha' nothin' bad has come from wa' I told ya."

Twilight sighed, looking to her farmpony friend. "I know Applejack and you're right, I should go out and spend some time with Pinkie Pie and the others. But -" she began, then looked down. Sighing, she finished her sentence, "but something just isn't right fitting into place."

"Wa' do ya mean?" Applejack asked, baffled. "I mean, so what if that there Gilda had found a new friend. She apologized to me, which is a might bit unusual I do admit, but tha' doesn't grant ya tha' right ta shrug off yer best friends!"

Twilight rolled her eyes and closed her book. Despite the fact she was more interested in finding information about this other creature Applejack had described, she was at a loss to defend her position of staying alone in her library home for so long. She had even delayed sending the Princess any messages just to try to figure the mystery out! Spike had constantly bugged her for the first two days about it but eventually gave up. She felt guilty at how she had allowed herself to revert back to her previous anti-social state.

Finally she looked at Applejack and gave her trademark smile. "You're right, Applejack. As always."

"That's tha' spirit!" Applejack said happily, glad her friend had come to her senses. "If 'en if we ever see that griffon again, we best leav' tha' mystery till then." She patted a hoof on Twilight's head. "No need to trouble your mind over it, okay?"

"Okay," Twilight said. She then looked up to the second level of her home where Spike was busy reading a book of his own. "Hey spike!" she called, "I'm going to go spend some time with the others, do you mind cleaning up?"

Spike, excited to see Twilight emerge from her recluse state, immediately jumped up with a happy "Yea!" Normally he wouldn't be too pleased about cleaning up the mess Twilight had made. Just this once, though, he figured it was for a good reason. He was just happy to see Twilight want to socialize again. He hated to see her waste her time away by wracking her brain with useless questions. "I'll get right on it!" the baby dragon exclaimed as he zipped over and started organizing the stacks of books back into their proper place.

Applejack and Twilight giggled and made their way into town. Twilight felt her friend give her a hug as she said, "Glad to hav' ya back, Twi."

• • •

The first pony they ran into was Pinkie Pie. It was unexpected, but the huge hug she gave Twilight wasn't! "Oh you silly willy dilly! It's about time you stopped being a bookworm!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed happily in the hug.

Twilight returned it. "I'm sorry for that," the unicorn said. Her ears raised as she heard a loud scream of excitement. Looking up she only had time to see a rainbow blurr coming towards her.

"Twilight!" exclaimed Rainbow Dash as she flew into the hug and caused the three to roll a few times. "Ohmygoshwherehaveyoubeen!?"

The three giggled with happiness, enjoying the closeness of friends as they let their worries of the past few days disappear. Eventually Dash released her grip on Twilight and she, Pinkie Pie and Applejack all stood as one. "We were so worried about you!" Rainbow said, then in a scolding voice said, "Don't you ever do that to us again!"

Twilight smiled, knowing the care behind her words. She nodded. "I'm sorry, I really am. I just got too caught up on something."

"Well what in all of Equestria would make you get so caught up?" Rainbow asked as she leaned her head to one side. "I mean I can understand your normal nerdy stuff," the pegasus said while rolling her eyes, "but this takes the cake!"

"Oooh cake! Let's have a party to celebrate!" Pinkie Pie said while bouncing. She soon realized everyone was giving her the usual looks of "No way". She rolled her eyes, "You are a bunch of party pooper-woopers, you know!" she said in an irritated tone, then said in a more happy one, "Oh well! If you don't want a party, I'm gonna throw one anyway! So neeeeehh!" she said, sticking her tongue out. Then the pink pony happily hummed to herself as she bounced away.

Applejack chuckled, "Looks like you're gonna hafta' get your diet of sweets in, sugercube!"

The three laughed together. Twilight decided she wouldn't miss Pinkie Pie's party for the world. After all, she had to get away from what was troubling her. Speaking of troubles, she remembered the question Rainbow Dash had asked. Looking at her she said, "As for what you asked earlier, Dash, I was simply trying to figure out who Gilda's friend was."

At the mention of the griffon Rainbow Dash's eyes widened. "G-Gilda?" she stammered. "W-what?"

Applejack and Twilight gave each other a look. Then looked back to Rainbow. "Yea, Gilda, that there mean griffon you shrugged off," said Applejack. "Remember?"

They could swear they saw a blush on Rainbow's cheeks. When she noticed the two were giving her concerned looks, she stood proudly. "Yea, I remember that bully! She was so mean to Fluttershy!" She laughed, a laugh that both her friends saw was feigned. "It was so cool how I stood up to her, huh?" She looked between the two, expecting a response. Applejack was the first to speak up.

"Well, sugarcube, I hate to break tha' news ta ya, but she ain't that bully anymore." Twilight gave Applejack a look, whom then cleared her throat. "I mean, she apologized ta me, of all ponies, so yea."

Once again Rainbows eyes widened, "What?!" she exclaimed in surprised. "Apologized?! Gilda?!" She leaned in close to stare Applejack in the eyes. Applejack leaned back, nervous. "Are you serious or is this some kind of joke?" asked Dash, more demanding the answer than asking for it.

Applejack nodded. She wasn't used to this side of Dash. Normally she would respond with equal determination. Something in the pegasus' voice had quelled that instinct, making her be more nervous than usual.

"Hmm," Rainbow said as she took her head back and put a hoof to her chin. She went deep in thought.

"Are you alright, Rainbow Dash? You sure seem to be acting different," queried Twilight as she watched the pegasus closely.

"Yea," Dash replied. "You said she was with a friend. Was it a colt or mare?"

At this question both Twilight and Applejacks eyes widened. They looked at each other, then back at Rainbow. That was the last question either pony had expected to be asked. Applejack stammered her reply. "S-s-s'far I can tell, it was a colt. I-I mean I don' know fer sure, now, b-but it had a rather masculine voice goin' on."

"Huh," Rainbow replied looking dumb. "What do you mean you 'can't tell'? I mean it was either a male -" she emphasized this by moving both hooves one way and then the other when she continued, "- or female. I mean it can't be THAT hard for a farmpony like you to tell!"

"Now huld on a darn minute thar missy!" Applejack slammed her front hoof on the ground, having enough of being the one against the wall. "Nao I ain't cha' best pony, bu' I sur'as apple fritters know what a colt and mare are!" She snorted.

Twilight continued in her place. "What she means, Rainbow, is that the one Gilda was with wasn't a pony. It stood on two legs. That's the reason why I've been secluded for so long. I've been looking for such a creatures description in every book I have. I just -" she started, but huffed in irritation. She continued. "There is just nothing on this pony, or whatever he is."

Rainbow Dash sighed. "I'm sorry for insulting you Applejack," she said to her friend.

Applejack smiled, "S'alright, sugarcube."

Dash continued, "I just wasn't expecting this. After we bro-" she stopped herself. Twilight and Applejack noticed how nervous she had become. This time they saw the blush of red on her cheeks. Instantly Applejack knew what was going on, simply smirking and nudging the clueless Twilight on the shoulder. Dash grumbled, "I have a lot to explain to you guys."

"Well darlin', we gots all day!" Applejack went close, placing a hoof over her shoulder. "Whatever you say is between us!"

• • •

The three had chosen to return to Twilight's home. Spike had finished cleaning up and was resting soundly in his bed. The three were in the center of the living area sitting comfortably as Rainbow Dash began her story.

Dash began by explaining that Gilda and her had met early on in Cloudsdale Academy as recruits. Their friendship was instant and they trained hard together to become the best. Eventually both of them became quite the pranksters and Rainbow had followed Gilda's lead when they tricked others into failing critical assignments so the two could get ahead. Some of them had been close friends of the pegasus and she became entangled in a dispute between loyalties. Dash had brought up concerns about this and they had a really bad argument, so for a few years they didn't talk much.

When they were older they started talking openly again about stuff. Rainbow made clear that Gilda never apologized for the way she acted but instead promised she would never get in the way of her loyalties between friends. For the rest of their friendship they became closer and while they played the occasional prank on other students, it was greeted with laughter instead of concerns or anger. They became really close.

"Really close," Rainbow emphasized. Twilight had prepared a tea for the three of them and Applejack nearly spit hers up as she drank hers.

"I just knew it!" exclaimed Applejack almost accusingly. "You're into fillies!"

Rainbow rolled her eyes. "Yea so what?!" she responded defensively. "I mean, arg!" She rose both hooves in the air. "Would you just shut up and listen!"

"Sorry," apologized Applejack. Both Twilight and Applejack shared a giggle.

"Go on," urged Twilight as she sipped her tea casually.

"Anyway we started to date and one night we, well -" Rainbow started to blush. "We kind of sealed the deal for a relationship." She cleared her throat. "So yea."

Instead of giggling, both of her friends nodded. They didn't seem to have any accusing or confused glances. Now that things had been made clear, they merely accepted the fact that Rainbow liked different things. After all, they had been friends this long and accepted each other; why stop now? Feeling confident from her friends unspoken support, Dash continued.

"After graduating we met often and had a lot of fun experiences, so I was really happy when she came to visit Ponyville that day." Rainbow smiled sweetly, eyes distant. Both Twilight and Applejack remembered that day clearly. "I had hoped she would continue being the sweetheart griffon I had fell for," she looked away sadly, "but that all changed when I realized what was going on. Gilda was jealous. The way she treated Fluttershy and the rest of you was evident." Twilight could make out a tear forming at the edge of her eye. She wanted to hug her. "It was really hard standing up to her and telling her what I did," Rainbow continued. "I knew it was over. I cried a lot that night."

Applejack was the first to come over and hug her friend. Twilight joined. "It's alright sugarcube," Applejack reassured her friend. Rainbow let a few tears go, but then wiped her eyes with a hoof and sighed. Twilight, unsure what to do, simply nuzzled her cheek out of kindness.

Rainbow smiled at her two best friends. "Thanks for listening," the pegasus said. "I've never told this to anyone. I feel better."

"Of course we would listen!" said Twilight happily, "We're friends, remember?"

Dash giggled. "Yea I know. I'm just not used to being all mushy."

Applejack slapped her shoulder with a hoof gently. "Aw com'on now, Dash. What are friends for?"

The day continued to night. The three friends were eventually joined by Rarity, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie who were all updated on Rainbow's past. They all seemed very accepting of her personal decisions and were equally comforting to her hardship in the affair with Gilda. They all came to understand a little more why Gilda had acted the way she did. Eventually any feeling of wrongdoing on the griffons part was erased and a feeling of pity and forgiveness for Gilda and her actions was shared amongst them. After all, Rainbow still cared deeply for her past girlfriend. It was only natural that the feeling would be shared among her circle of friends.

Just as everyone was about to say their goodbyes a knock came at Twilight's door. "I wonder who that could be?" Twilight asked. It was almost ten at night. All her friends were here and she wasn't expecting any company.

"I'll get it!" Pinkie Pie said as she bounced happily to the door. Before Twilight could object she opened it. "Why hello Gilda! We were just talking about you! Ooooh, whose your friend?"

Rainbow felt butterflies in her stomach. Pinkie Pie moved out of the way as all the ponies in the room stared in disbelief at what they saw. While Rainbow's eyes were concentrated on the griffon, everyone else was concentrated on the strange creature beside her holding some type of device. His outfit matched that of the forest, like some type of natural camouflage. Gilda was the first to speak. "Hey Rainbow Dash," she said with her head down in a submissive gesture. "I thought I'd stop by to apologize."

Rainbow Dash stood on all fours. Her mouth open in disbelief. In that moment as both Gilda and Dash met gazes, both felt butterflies and a feeling of longing. It was a dream come true to experience that feeling again for Gilda. For Dash, it was more in disbelief that she openly apologized. Instantly the pegasus shot forward and glomped into Gilda, unable to hold herself back.

"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh!" Dash exclaimed as the glomp ended in a roll with her hugging Gilda while on top of her. Gilda was at a loss for words. Her eyes widened at the next thing Rainbow said, forever ending the bad feelings of the past she still had within her.

"I forgive you," Dash said. It was in a passionate tone. One her friends had never heard but one Gilda knew quite intimately.

Their eyes locked. Feelings surged from the past. Slowly beak and muzzle met in a tender loving kiss.