A Precious Feather

"Dweebs, dweebs, dweebs!" Gilda shouted, and kicked a cloud, making it puff and bursting it. Not satisfied with the result, she swooped down to Earth, and picked out a larger dead shrub, next to all the other boring dead shrubs. She grabbed it in her talons, and ripped it out of the ground, pleasuring its snap.

She dropped the bush and landed, looking around. "Where am I?" She muttered to herself. All around her, was a whole lot of nothing. If you didn't count the infinite field of weeds, that is.

Gilda had originally meant to go to Maretropolis, but she got lost. Way lost. She would never admit that to anypony however. Sighing, she decided to fly back to Ponyville, as she could remember which direction that was. There was nowhere else to go. She readied her wings for the long flight back to Ponyville. What joy.

Gilda felt a little sad for her actions. Being left alone with the guilt of knowing you just lost your best friend, made her remorseful, and... Sorry. She would probably have to apologize. What more fabulous joy.

A little after sunset, Gilda landed on the outskirts of Ponyville. She didn't want to raise any unwanted commotion. Stalking down the allies, she realized she had nowhere to go!

Gilda had nowhere to sleep, or eat! She could sleep outside, if need be, but she wasn't going to eat out of the garbage again. Long story.

"Gilda? is that you?" Rarity called out. "What are you doing here?"

Gilda panicked. Somepony had spotted her! She quickly answered, immediately regretting it. "Uhh... Nothing!"

Rarity giggled. "Come here."

Gilda stood back. Could she trust Rarity? Did she have a choice? Was fate always this much of a jerk?

Rarity smiled. "Come on dearie. Let's get you inside. I forgive you for what you did. I lose my temper too sometimes. My friends always forgive me."

Rarity looked down with a sheepish grin. She then looked at Gilda and held out her hoof. "Friends?"

Gilda was taken aback. This pony wanted to be her friend!? After all she had done? "Bogus. You're just gonna throw me out once I'm comfortable!"

Rarity simply shook her head. "Oh no, I would never do such a thing! Come on inside, it's getting cold out."

Gilda sighed. No point in arguing. Maybe she could become real friends? No. Friends with a lameo!? Never. She could at least

Sleep tonight. Sighing, Gilda took Rarity's offer, and flew inside the Carousel Boutique.

Gilda twitched her nose. There were too many frilly smells! Rarity found an empty corner, and levitated some blankets over.

"Here, you can sleep here." Rarity smoothed the pillow she brought, and placed it on the makeshift bed.

Gilda smiled. She really was generous. And beautiful... She shook her head. No.

Rarity looked out the window at the sun slowly setting. She then looked back at Gilda, catching a glimpse at her sleek feathers.

Gilda settled down on the blankets. Very soft. A half genuine 'thank you' almost left her lips, but she held it back. She would probably leave again in the morning. She liked this though.

Rarity smiled and said in a pleasant tone "Good night Gilda."

Gilda smiled and settled down more, feeling the soft blankets against her feathers. A lingering voice told her to say it. She resisted. It fought back! Gilda pushed it down, with all her might. Like a coiled spring, it became harder to resist, then it burst out! "Rarity wait!"

Rarity looked back, and walked closer to Gilda, then gave her a questioning look.

Gilda was squirming. Fumbling over words, but then she took a deep breath, and let it out. "Rarity, you're beautiful."

Rarity was shocked, but she immediately regained her composure. She looked down at Gilda, still laying on the makeshift bed. Then, she spoke, with a harsh, yet calm... yet unrelenting  voice...

"Out.""

Gilda cringed. She got up, tears threatening to burst from her eyes, but no. She was too tough.

"Out!" Rarity said another time, starting to lose her temper.

Gilda slowly got up, and started towards the door. She got to it, and reluctantly opened it, a chill going up her spine as she recoiled at the cold blast of air.

Gilda stepped outside, and Rarity quickly slammed the door. Her wing got wedged in it, causing bolts of pain to kick-start her cold heart. Rarity opened the door. Gilda screeched and tore away, crying. Rarity glared at her and slammed the door behind her.

Gilda attempted to fly, but her wing was too hurt. She scampered out onto Mane Street. Big. Mistake. The sound of her yelling had attracted a few ponies, who then glared at her. Gilda tried to hide, but her wing got caught and she tripped, sliding on the cold wet ground, adding to her pain.

The ponies were relentless. Tainted with cruelty, they mocked her. A stranger amongst the crowd shouted at her, like ice piercing her very soul. "HOW DARE YOU HURT FLUTTERSHY, YOU WORTHLESS BRUTE!"

More ponies joined in, adding to her wound.

"Nopony deserves the displeasure of meeting you!"

"I'm leaving. You should stay outside in the rain like an animal. IT'S FITTING!"

Gilda curled up, crying. She had never cried this much since she was young and in flight school, when she had fallen to the ground, after a failed flying test.

Most of the ponies gave her deadly stares, then left, stranding her in the pouring rain. Using her now broken and numb wing as a pitiful bed, Gilda passed out under the streetlights.

"Gilda dear, wake up!"

Gilda groggily tried to focus on Rarity, but could hardly lift her head. Wha..? Had it been a dream?

"Gilda!"

Just Rarity again, worrying about her nightmare. She probably made some noise in her sleep

Totally a dream.

Gilda tried to get up. That hope she just had, that... Cruel... Misplaced hope, was painfully shattered. Gilda became conscious enough to feel pain. However, it was not pain she felt. It was a burning agony.

Rarity quickly finished wrapping Gilda's wing against her side, doing her best to stop the bleeding, and support the wing. "Gilda wake up! Your bleeding badly! The hospital is closed!" That was a lie. The hospital was open, but it had refused to take in Gilda.

Gilda attempted to sit upright, and found herself in an even worst looking mass of blankets than last time. This one looked as if it had been thrown together within seconds. Rarity enveloped Gilda in a magic glow. The energy seeping past her ruffled feathers and into her skin made her wounds feel... Better. Gilda got up slowly, being able to move now. The pain slowly went away, and was replaced by a warm numbing sensation.

Gilda looked at Rarity, and from the bottom of her heart, thanked her. She meant it this time. Rarity was above and beyond generous.

Rarity smiled, and softly said, "Gilda, I saw you in the road. I took you home and, took care of you. It was then that I asked myself... Why? I realized it. I had forgiven you long ago, but I was still tainted with anger.

I know how you felt. I've lost my temper before, and it was far from pretty. I understood your emotions, and why you did what you did.

Gilda.... I love you. I have since we first met. It was love at first sight. "

What!? Gilda stared, shocked, at Rarity.

She continued. "Gilda, I'm sorry about your wing. I let confusion and an old grudge cloud my judgment. I am truly sorry for my actions."

Gilda smiled at Rarity. "Its ok, no worries."

Rarity stepped forward, and before Gilda could protest (not that she wanted to), Rarity hugged her, careful not to hurt her wing. The two stayed in this embrace for a moment. Then Rainbow Dash burst in panting. "Rarity!.. I forgot..."

Rainbow froze as she looked up from the doorway at the couple. Dash has had a crush on Rarity for 2 YEARS NOW! Seeing this set off a fire inside her!

"RARITY!... HOW COULD YOU... LIKE GILDA... OUT OF ANYPONY!?"

Rainbow was still out of breath from her rapid dash here. Rarity had planned a meeting, and Dash was late. Rainbow regained her breath, and looked at the two horrified lovers. "Rarity! Gilda is a monster! How could you!?"

Rarity glared at Rainbow, who had tears streaming down get cheek. She stepped in front of Gilda. "Dash, no she isn't. She is sweet, but only if you treat her nice! Which isn't what you have been doing."

Rainbow was betrayed. Her heart pained, and she left without another word.

Rarity sighed, and seemingly unfazed by Rainbow's appearance, turned back to Gilda. They had each other in an embrace, and wordlessly kissed.

Rainbow stood at Rarity's door. For 2 years, Dash had harbored affections for Rarity. For 2 years, she hinted at it by flirting with her.

For 2 months, Rarity had responded. Her affections were beginning to grow. For 2 months, Rainbow thought she had a chance.

For 2 days, Rarity was with Gilda. In those 2 days, they admitted their feelings for each other. In those 2 days, her enemy, Gilda, had gotten closer to Rarity than Dash ever had.

For 2 minutes, Rainbow Dash stood outside. 2 tears hit the ground next to Carousel Boutique. With those tears, 2 things broke. For the first, Rainbow's heart shattered. For the second, her mind.

2 hours later, Rainbow left Carousel Boutique with an insane smile on her face, and wild eyes. 2 bodies were found the next day.