A New Start

A New Start

Story 4

Chapter 6: The Friend Everypony Should Have

By: FluttersIsAwesome

It was about noon when I touched down by the clock tower. Searching for Cobalt among the crowd in the square proved far too irritating, so I found a bench instead. The already familiar scent of the colt was easy for me to pick out, but I couldn't figure out where it was coming from.

The sudden cup that was thrust into my face was a pleasant surprise. "Sorry, did I keep the lady waiting?"

"Not really, I just got here myself."

His now iconic smile was a welcome sight as he sat down beside me and handed me my cup. "So my timing is still perfect after 20 years, then?"

I couldn't help but giggle as I took a sip of what tasted like.... "Is this coffee?"

A pop came from his neck before he answered. "Don't like it?"

"Nah, it's not that. I just find coffee more of a pick-me-up than an average drink." Despite this, I decided it would've been rude to give it back.

"Right then, you ready to actually take a tour of the city?"

Standing up quickly, I nodded. "As long as you don't bore me to tears."

By now, I would have been surprised if he hadn't laughed. Cobalt's sense of humor was definitely one of the top ten on my list of his attributes that I liked. He rose and tossed his cup in the trash can next to the bench.

"Uh..."

Another chuckle. "Ask anypony that knows me and they'll tell you. Gilda, I don't drink coffee, I inhale it. I love the stuff."

Patting his back, I began giggling. "Nice." Startled by the sudden arm that wrapped itself around my shoulders, I looked back at Cobalt with a smile. "Keep that up and you may just make me fall in love." By now I was wanting to hear him laugh, and I always enjoyed getting what I wanted.

"I'll keep that in mind, friend. Who knows, I may be courting a princess from some far away kingdom right now."

I gave into his sarcasm and hugged him. "Really now? How do I know I'm not secretly falling for the prince of this fair city?"

Cobalt was full of surprises. As his lips met the hand that he raised, I felt my face getting very red. "Oh my, I've been discovered, now the only way to keep my secret is to marry this fair princess. What do you say, my dear, will you have me?"

After a decent pause, we both burst into laughter.

"Gilda, we're idiots!"

I only realized what I did after my arms were around him, but right now I was having so much fun that I didn't care. "Despite only knowing you for a day, I'm confident in saying that you have that effect on everyone."

"I guess so. Gilda, if you don't want it, you can give it to me."

I looked down and realized that I was still holding my cup of coffee. Just as Cobalt had done with his own, he wolfed down my cup with a smile, causing me to laugh again. "Cobalt, I won't lie, this is probably the most I've laughed in my entire life.

I had expected a humorous or witty remark. "Really? Wow. No offense, but you must've had a crappy life."

Staring at him for a moment, I realized that what he said was true. If our little joke really was the most fun I'd ever had, than that really was kind of sad.

"Hey, don't be upset, things will only get better from here on out."

I looked to the sky for a moment. "Yeah... yeah, you're right."

"You ready to take the tour?"

I enjoyed having fun with Cobalt, but I did have limits, and being picked up by anyone was one of them. "Once you put me down, I will be."

He set me down with a chuckle. "Sorry, it's just that I noticed you didn't have your gloves on."

After a quick glance downward, I looked back up at him. "That's fine, I'll just go get them." As I turned to walks back, I was stopped by a hoof pressing against my chest.

"No, I'll go get them. You stay here, alright?"

There was no point in trying to argue, so I nodded begrudgingly and sat down on the bench.

(Keep in mind, these following events are all happening at the same time, they are merely from both Cobalt and Gilda's perspective)

I knew when I left that Cerulean was still probably at my place. However, I had no problem telling her off again if need be. Honestly, I didn't expect Gilda to just sit there, so I was prepared to look for her after my return.

"Looking for these?"

The smack from the gauntlets colliding with my head was loud, causing everypony near me to turn their heads.

Cerulean glared at me. "Cobalt, I'm here for my apology."

It was my turn to glare. "I think you're the one that owes the apology, sister. You, on an assumption, began spreading a rumor that is not only false, but could be extremely embarrassing for Gilda. Not only that, but it could ruin everypony's opinion of her before they even meet her!"

A sly grin crossed my little sister's face. "You mean you were lying when you kissed her hand and asked to marry her? When you called her 'princess?' That's terrible, brother."

"Did you follow me?!"

Her glass-shattering cackle was never one of my favorite sounds. "I had to make sure you two did do anything... naughty too soon.

"Um, excuse me, Miss Griffin!"

I was already getting bored without Cobalt, so the three fillies that called out to me were a welcome sight. Even if they weren't friendly, at least I now had something to help pass the time.

The pegasus on the left looked to be the oldest, maybe a year or two younger than Nova. She made me imagine Pinkie Pie fused with Dash: her coat was maybe a shade darker than Dash's, but her mane and tail were a bright pink. On her flank was a tornado in the shape of a lightning bolt, so that only reminded me more of Dash.

"Hello, Miss Griffin. My name is Peppermint... it's very nice to meet you."

I shook the outstretched hoof with a smile. "Nice to meet you, too. And by the way, name's Gilda."

The middle one was much younger, looking to be about Applejack's sister's age. Her curly, golden mane and tail matched well with her tan coat. She jumped excitedly after hearing my name. "So cool, a real griffin! My name's Suzy Q, but everypony calls me Goldilocks!"

The filly on the right was the middle one, looking to be about Pinkie Pie's age. She was odd; she had an orange coat, a red mane, but a black tail. A pony with a tail with a completely different color from his or her mane was something I had never seen before. Her cutiemark appeared to be a yellow mesh of spikes with a red outline. If I had to draw a conclusion, I would say it looked like a comic book explosion.

"Hi, friend. I'm Alkali, and it's nice to meet you."

As I went to shake her hoof, Peppermint leaned toward me.

"Careful, she might blow up in your face."

"Figuratively, right?"

"In any sense of the phrase 'blowing up' aside from the sexual meaning."

Alkali put on a pouting face. "That's not funny! Burst Boom keeps me in line..."

Suzy Q was now looking her in the face from atop Peppermint's back. "If by that you mean blowing stuff up with you!"

After a bit of giggling, they all turned to me again and Peppermint spoke. "We couldn't help but notice you with Cobalt just now, and we..."

I raised a brow. "You...?"

"Peppermint's got a crush on him! Hehe, sometimes she even follows him around like a creeper!"

"S-Suzy Q! Don't say things like that!"

"Hehe, somepony's jealous!"

"We were just joking around. Neither one of us was serious, Cerulean."

Whipping her tail, she began to circle around me. "She seemed to enjoy it."

"You're supposed to enjoy jokes, half-wit." I began tapping my hoof impatiently.

"Whatever. Have fun with your sick fetishes, Feather Fucker."

I wanted to retort as she left, but decided against it as I headed back to Gilda.