My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic: A New Journey Together, Season 1

Chapter 6: Griffon The Brush Off

One afternoon, Twilight sat upon a bench at the park enjoying her book. Storm, on the other hoof, was practicing his breathing style.

It was a peaceful day at the park, and they wanted to enjoy the moment together… at least, it was peaceful for a while. Recently, a certain cotton candy pink pony had since shown up and had been rambling about, talking endless over a certain rainbow-maned cyan-coated Pegasus.

"Hoof-biting action overload!" Pinkie exclaimed. "She was like a stunt superstar, flying higher and higher, and then Rainbow Dash swooped down—swoosh!—and right before she hit the ground—shoom!—she pulled up—vrrrmmm!"

"Uh-huh," Twilight replied absently, her eyes never leaving the page.

"Sure," Storm added with a calm monotone, his focus entirely on his moves as he executed another slash.

Pinkie Pie, of course, remained undeterred. If anything, their lack of engagement seemed to fuel her even more.

"And then she looped around and around like whoo-whoo-whoo-whoo-whoo-whoo-whoo!" Pinkie exclaimed, spinning in dizzying circles.

"Uh-huh," Twilight repeated, flipping a page.

"Sure," Storm echoed, now practicing a sharp downward cut.

It was then that the Pegasus in question flied high in the sky, over the three ponies. Pinkie Pie quickly dashed after her.

"Phew!" Twilight sighed.

"Finally!" Storm echoed, sliding his katana back into its sheath with a satisfying click. He stretched his legs and rolled his shoulders, shaking off the tension from holding his stance. "I love Pinkie’s energy—really, I do—but if she kept going any longer, I swear I was going to lose it."

Twilight chuckled, glancing at him with an amused look. "You? Lose it? Now that’s something I’d pay to see."

Storm shot her a playful glare, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Not happening. The day I lose my cool is the day Tartarus freezes over. Unless, of course, you want me to break out Thunderclap and Flash just to escape."

Twilight laughed softly, imagining Storm fleeing a hyper Pinkie Pie with his lightning-fast moves. "Noted. I’ll be sure to keep Pinkie distracted next time you’re practicing. I wouldn’t want you to resort to desperate measures."

"Appreciated," Storm replied, his voice carrying an air of dry humor. "But next time, I might just hide in the Everfree. Let’s see if even she can find me there."

Twilight giggled, shaking her head as she reopened her book. "You underestimate her determination. Pinkie Pie could probably throw a party in the middle of a dragon’s den if she wanted to."

"Yeah, and she’d probably convince the dragon to provide the snacks," Storm quipped, a faint grin crossing his face.

The two friends shared a light laugh. For now, the park was quiet, and both ponies were content to enjoy it, at least until Pinkie found something new to get excited about.

In the meantime, Rainbow Dash was just keeping herself occupied with her flying when she heard a familiar shout.

"Rainbow Dash!"

Rainbow Dash looks down, seeing Pinkie Pie trot after her.

"Pinkie Pie?" Rainbow grunted. "Not again."

Apparently, the pink pony had been following Rainbow Dash for the past couple of days and she was trying very hard to go about her business.

"Rainbow Dash!" Pinkie called out again.

"Not now, Pinkie Pie!" Rainbow shouted annoyingly.

"But, but Rainbow Dash—"

"I'm in the middle of something."

"But—"

"I said not now—"

CRASH!

Poor Rainbow Dash was so busy trying to avoid Pinkie Pie, she wasn't paying attention to where she flew and smacked herself along the side of a mountain. She slowly slide down the slope, coming to a stop right in front of Pinkie.

"I was gonna tell you to look out for that mountain," Pinkie said innocently.

Rainbow Dash just grumbled to herself, preferring not to get up as Pinkie Pie stood over her.

*Main theme*

The next day, Rainbow Dash lazily reclined on her own little fluffy cloud high above Ponyville. But all the chatter from below was not helping her already sour mood. Growling with irritation, Rainbow grabbed some bits of cloud and stuffed it in her ears. It was then a familiar pink pony arrived, humming to herself and approaching a group of ponies near a vendor.

"Hi, I'm looking for Rainbow Dash," Pinkie said. "Have you seen her?"

She then approached another group of ponies.

"Hi there, have you seen Rainbow Dash? Okay, thanks anyway."

By now, Rainbow desperately tried to bury herself in her cloud to hide from Pinkie Pie. The latter then caught sight of Twilight and Storm and quickly approached them.

"Twilight! Storm! Have you seen Rainbow Dash anywhere?" She asked.

"Isn't she right up there?" Twilight replied, motioning towards a nearby cloud.

"If there's a single cloud floating about, you'll find Rainbow lazing about as usually," Storm added, looking up.

Rainbow Dash had her head stuck in the cloud, her rear end sticking out like an ostrich. She secretly prayed that Pinkie Pie wouldn't notice her.

"Rainbow Dash!" Pinkie exclaimed.

Rainbow grunts before taking off at high speed, taking the cloud with her. Pinkie just hopped after her, while Twilight and Storm looked on.

Storm shook his head with a knowing smirk, watching the scene unfold. "Good luck trying to lose her, Rainbow. Once Pinkie’s locked onto her target, you’ve got better odds outrunning a hydra than shaking her off."

Twilight gave Storm a sideways glance. "Let's just hope Rainbow doesn't lose her temper. You know how Pinkie gets when she’s upset."

Storm’s smirk faltered, and his gaze dropped to the ground. His voice grew quieter. "Yeah… I know that better than most."

Twilight stopped, catching the shift in his tone. "You’re thinking about that day, aren’t you?"

Storm sighed deeply, his ears folding back slightly. "Yeah. I lost my cool with Pinkie once. She kept trailing me across Equestria, popping up when I was trying to focus. I… I snapped at her." He paused, his expression darkening with regret. "The look on her face when she started crying… Celestia, I still feel awful about it."

Twilight placed a gentle hoof on his shoulder. "You apologized, Storm. Pinkie forgave you. She doesn’t hold grudges—especially not against her friends."

"I know," Storm said, his voice softer now. "But it doesn’t change the fact that I hurt her. And I hate hurting the ponies I care about."

Twilight smiled kindly, her voice warm. "That’s what makes you such a good friend, Storm. You care enough to regret your mistakes—and to make them right."

Storm managed a faint smile. "Thanks, Twi. Still… I hope Rainbow doesn’t make the same mistake. Pinkie might bounce back quickly, but it doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt her."

"Agreed," Twilight said, looking toward the sky where Rainbow and Pinkie had disappeared. "Let’s just hope Rainbow Dash remembers that before it’s too late."

Storm nodded silently, the memory of his own misstep lingering in his mind as the two friends continued their walk.

(scene change)

Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash flew as fast as she could toward Sweet Apple Acres, hiding herself behind the barn. Rainbow breathed heavily, as she peeked from behind the side of the barn wall.

"Phew!" Rainbow sighed in relief. "That was close."

Rainbow Dash was safe… for about two seconds.

"Hi!" Pinkie greeted.

Rainbow did a fast 180, discovering the pink pony right behind her.

"Aah!" Rainbow screamed.

The Pegasus took off as fast as her wings could carry her, while Pinkie casually hopped after her. Rainbow did her best to change directions as often as she could, before ducking inside the branches of the Great Oak Library. She quickly peeked over the top before settling into her new hiding place. She panted to regain her breath… when the pink pony poked her head from underneath her.

"Hi again!"

"AAH!"

Rainbow took off even faster, zipping awards towards the right, while Pinkie casually bounced after her once again. As Pinkie made her way down a hill, Rainbow pops out of the cloud above, tip-toed away in the air, and zipped as fast as she could to shake off Pinkie Pie. She makes an exhausted landing toward the edge of a nearby pony when… guess who… surfaced from the water wearing a snorkel.

Pinkie spits the water from her mouth before getting straight to the point.

"I need a favor, Rainbow Dash."

"Waaa~"

Rainbow jumped and prepared to take off again, but landed belly-first on the ground.

"—oh, forget it!" Rainbow sighed, defeated.

"I totally promise it'll be totally fun!" Pinkie assured from the water.

"Okay," Rainbow sighed, exhausted.

(scene change)

A short while later, Rainbow clutched a small cloud just outside Town Hall. Apparently, Pinkie Pie was instructing Rainbow where to position it.

"Over to the right," Pinkie remarked. "No, no, a little to the left. Oh wait, back to the right. Now a little leftish while staying rightly. Stop. Hmm… maybe a few inches to the south. Now a couple centimeters north. Okay. One more smidgimeter to the…"

Rainbow was rapidly losing patience over Pinkie's indecisiveness.

"Pinkie Pie!"

"Uh, I mean, perfect," Pinkie answered. "Now wait for my signal."

Annoyed, Rainbow nevertheless waited. It was then Spike came out carrying a large number of scrolls in his arms, humming a merry tune. Pinkie makes a gesture and Rainbow kicks the cloud, causing it to give out a clash of thunder.

"D-aah!" Spike jumped frightfully, dropping the scrolls.

(hiccup)(hiccup)

Once the hiccups began to come out, Pinkie Pie started laughing.

"Oh Rainbow Dash, we startled Spike into getting the hiccups!"

As Pinkie continues to laugh, Rainbow found herself chuckling. Even Spike chuckled to himself.

"Good one Pinkie (hiccup) Pie," Spike replied, being a good sport. "You're always pulling a fast one (hiccup) on me. (hiccup) Nnaa—"

As Spike reached for another scroll, his hiccup burned it up instead… sending it directly towards Princess Celestia. In the meantime, a look of concern crossed the ponies' faces.

"Oh no, you're not hurt are you?" Pinkie asked worriedly.

"Ne-(hiccup)-eh, don't be (hiccup) silly," Spike replied. "Dragons are (hiccup) fireproof."

"Oh, okay good."

Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash exchanged looks, before falling on their backs laughing. Spike kept trying to pick up the dropped scrolls, but every time he tried, he'd hiccup and burn up a scroll.

"I wish the same thing (hiccup) true with scrolls," Spike remarked.

Little did the Dragon know, all the burnt-up scrolls headed straight toward Princess Celestia. Soon the Princess was bombarded with tons of scrolls all at once.

Back in Ponyville, as Spike continued to hiccup and burn all the scrolls, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash were left in stitches.

"Have you ever seen anything more hilarious?" Pinkie laughed.

"I can think of one thing," Rainbow said slyly.

Rainbow gave the cloud another kick, causing it to thunder again.

"Aah!" Pinkie screamed, now having the hiccups.

Realizing she had been pranked, Pinkie laughed and hiccups to herself. Rainbow laughed as well, as she flew back down.

"I didn't take you for a prankster, Pinkie Pie," Rainbow admitted.

"Are you (hiccup) kidding?" Pinkie replied, between hiccups. "(hiccup) I love to pull pranks. It's all (hiccup) in good fun, and Pinkie Pie lo—(hiccup)—oves to have (hiccup) fun! (hiccup)"

"You know Pinkie Pie, you're not as annoying as I thought."

Pinkie merely replied with a smile… and a hiccup.

"You wanna hangout?" Rainbow offered.

"(hiccup) That'd be (hiccup) I'd really (hiccup) When do (hiccup) I mean (hiccup) When would you (hiccup)…"

Pinkie's hiccups caused her to bounce about uncontrollably. Rainbow grew annoyed until Pinkie bounced straight for her and Rainbow caught the bouncy pony with her hoof clutched to her mouth and nose.

"A simple nod would do," Rainbow replied.

"Mmm-hmm," Pinkie nodded with puffed-up cheeks.

(scene change)

Soon they made their way out of Ponyville's very own joke shop, carrying buckets loaded with pranks and jokes galore. The two friends were eager to get started, as they head towards the Carousel Boutique. They quickly ring the doorbell, before ducking behind some bushes.

"Is she even home?" Rainbow asked.

"I don't know," Pinkie said. "This is going to be gold."

"There she is!" Rainbow pointed.

They both snicker behind the bushes, as Rarity opened the door and discovered a vase loaded with beautiful flowers.

"Ooo…" Rarity replied.

She gives the flowers a nice long sniff, but reels back as some power was stuck on her nose… causing her to sneeze. Rarity heard snickering a few yards away, spotting Rainbow and Pinkie with a powder vial. It didn't take long for her to realize they put 'sneezing powder' in the flowers. Rainbow took her leave as Pinkie kept laughing, when she dropped the powder and a huge dust cloud came out.

"Aaa-choo!"

Pinkie sneeze so hard, she flew away from Rarity towards Rainbow's direction. Rarity just smirked as the two disappeared.

At the Grand Oak Library, Twilight Sparkle busily prepared a new potion with a sheet of paper to take notes. She puts two mixtures together and quickly jots down her research. She proceeds toward another mixture only to find her paper was blank.

"Hmm?" She mumbled puzzled.

She didn't have time to reason why the notes she wrote vanished, when her mixture suddenly exploded behind her and she heard snickering. She looks outside her window, spotting Rainbow and Pinkie laughing outside. The former held a jar of… disappearing ink. Twilight glares, as she went to clean up her failed experiment. The other two ponies kept laughing amongst the branches.

At Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack just left her family's barn when she froze in place.

"Land sakes!" She gasped.

Several of the apples on the trees were now in multiple colors and designs. She turned her head and found Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie, wearing berets, holding artist palettes, and paint brushes. They snickered to each other until Applejack hurled the painted apples at them. The two ponies take off as one apple landed inside a water-filled barrel. Applejack was angry until she looked at the apple in the barrel, seeing the paint wash clean off and the apple still unharmed. Applejack chuckled to herself in relief.

Back in town, Storm Shadow was making his way through Ponyville, pulling a sturdy cart filled with inventory goods from Filthy Rich's warehouse. The sun was shining, and Storm decided to take it easy since he was ahead of schedule. He waved casually at a few passersby, his usual stoic demeanor softened by the calm atmosphere.

He paused at a busy crossing, letting market vendors move their produce carts across the road. As he waited, his sharp ears caught an oddly familiar voice nearby, though something felt… off.

"So, Twilight," a voice began casually. "Tell me again what you think about Storm."

Storm’s ears perked up, and he frowned in confusion. The voice sounded just like Twilight Sparkle.

Nearby, nestled in a bush, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie snickered as they held onto a voice-changing microphone, their prank in full swing.

"Oh, I think he’s very cute and very handsome," Rainbow said into the microphone, her altered voice mimicking Twilight perfectly.

Storm's eyes narrowed, his suspicion growing as he scanned the area. It didn’t take long for him to spot a certain rainbow-colored tail sticking out of the bush. A sly smirk spread across his face as he quietly uncoupled his harness and crept closer.

Inside the bush, Pinkie and Rainbow could barely contain their laughter.

"So… would you say you like him?" Pinkie pressed, her voice full of mock seriousness. "I mean, like like him?"

"Oh yes," Rainbow answered dramatically, still using the microphone. "I totally like him. The next time I find him, I’ll walk up to him and give him a big kiss!"

They burst into muffled giggles, too preoccupied with their prank to notice the shadow looming over them.

Without warning, Storm’s horn lit up, and an auric hand formed above his hoof. He aimed a single glowing finger at Rainbow's exposed tail.

ZAP!

"AAAAHHH!" Both Pinkie and Rainbow shrieked as a harmless jolt of electricity zapped them, sending them flying out of the bush. They landed flat on their backs, stunned and blinking in confusion.

Storm, meanwhile, was laughing so hard he had to sit down to catch his breath. "Oh, you two should’ve seen yourselves!" he said between chuckles. "That was priceless!"

Pinkie giggled nervously, rubbing the back of her head. "H-hi, Storm… heh-heh…"

Rainbow, on the other hoof, scowled and sat up. "Hey! That’s cheating!" she protested, pointing an accusatory hoof at him.

"Cheating?" Storm smirked, tilting his head mockingly. "You were the ones trying to prank me with that." He pointed to the dropped microphone. "You’re lucky I went easy on you. I could’ve let Aegis have a little fun instead."

Pinkie gasped, holding her hooves to her cheeks. "Not Aegis! He’s too smart! He’d totally out-prank us!"

Rainbow crossed her hooves and huffed, but before she could retort, Storm leaned in with a playful gleam in his eye.

"But hey, Dash," he said smoothly. "I never knew you felt that way about me."

Rainbow’s expression froze, her eyes widening. "W-what are you talking about?!"

Storm grinned, flicking his mane into place with exaggerated flair. "You know… if you wanted a kiss, you could’ve just asked."

Rainbow’s cheeks turned a deep crimson, her wings flaring slightly as she sputtered. "I… I… I wasn’t—!"

Storm leaned in closer, their faces just inches apart. Rainbow was frozen in place, her brain short-circuiting.

He lowered his voice to a whisper. "Got ya."

Rainbow’s jaw dropped, and Pinkie burst into uncontrollable giggles beside her. Storm stepped back, his laughter ringing through the street as he reattached his harness.

"Let that be a lesson," Storm said, smirking. "Never try to prank a master in training. You never know when he might prank you back."

Rainbow could only sit there, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. As Storm walked away, he glanced over his shoulder and gave her a cheeky wave.

"Later, Dashie!" he called, winking. Then, with a dramatic gesture, he mouthed, "Call me!"

Rainbow finally snapped out of her stupor, a mix of embarrassment and admiration flashing across her face. As she watched him disappear into the crowd, she smirked despite herself.

"Well played, Storm," she muttered under her breath. "Well played."

Pinkie leaned over with a big grin. "That was hilarious! But you do like him, don’t you?"

"Don’t push it, Pinkie," Rainbow warned, but the blush on her cheeks gave her away.

It was late afternoon when Fluttershy busily tended to the animals at one end of the lake. A squeaky toy floats slowly towards the yellow Pegasus, held in place by a long wire. On the other side, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie were cleverly hidden. Pinkie held a squeeze trigger in her mouth, as Rainbow watched Fluttershy from a distance using a telescope. Because Rainbow Dash had the telescope, Pinkie couldn't see who Rainbow was spying on.

"Is someone over there?" Pinkie asked, her voice muffled by the squeezer. "Who're we gonna squirt? Who're we gonna squirt?"

"Fluttershy," Rainbow chuckled.

Suddenly, Pinkie's eyes bugged out.

"WHAT!?" Pinkie snapped, spitting out the squeezer. "Nononononono, we can't prank Fluttershy, I mean, she's so sensitive. It'll hurt her feelings, even our most harmless prank."

Rainbow didn't need to think twice to know Pinkie was right. Out of every pony in town, she knew Fluttershy's personality the best.

"Yeah, you're right," Rainbow replied.

The cyan Pegasus pulled away from the telescope, releasing a loud raspberry.

"Huh. We need another victim whose made of tougher stuff. So, who's it gonna be?"

"Oh, I've got someone in mind," Pinkie chuckled. "The toughest around."

"Oh, awesome! Who? Who?" Rainbow asked excitedly. "Do I know them?"

"Oh, yes," Pinkie giggled, pointing at the water. "You're very close."

It was then that Rainbow noticed that by putting her eye on the telescope, she had earned a black ring around it.

"Good one, Pinkie Pie," Rainbow chuckled. "Ridiculous!"

As Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie shared a good laugh, none of them noticed Fluttershy had found the floating toy in the lake. She just timidly poked at it, as the sun began to set behind her. Poor Fluttershy actually thought the toy was a real animal.

(scene change)

The next morning, Pinkie Pie was on the road out of town leading to Rainbow's personal 'Cloudominium'. Since Rainbow loved flying, it only made sense that her home would be in the clouds… so to speak. On this day, Pinkie wore a comedy arrow on her head while blowing a party hooter in her mouth.

"Rise and shine Rainbow!" Pinkie called out. "It's a brand-new day and we've got a lot of pranking to—Ooh!"

Pinkie was caught off guard by the sight of a feathered creature peeking out from the clouds, giving her the eagle eye. Rainbow soon appears right after, from above the creature.

"Mornin', Pinks!" Rainbow said, turning to the creature. 'Gilda, this is my gal pal, Pinkie Pie."

Pinkie Pie had a good look at the creature. She appeared to have the head, wings and feet of an eagle and the body and tail of a lion. Her head feathers form a fringe hanging ahead of her face. Her light brilliant amber eyes gleam in the sun light, as the sun basked over her moderate gamboge coat. Her head had white features with pale, light grayish heliotrope edges while her wings were moderate gamboge. And her talons brilliant gold.

"Hey," Gilda responded, gruffly. "What's up?"

"Pinkie, this is my griffon friend, Gilda," Rainbow introduced.

Pinkie removed her funny gear, as she watched Rainbow and Gilda share a secret handshake with each other.

"What's a griffon?" Pinkie asked curiously.

"She's half-eagle, half-lion—" Rainbow explained.

Gilda makes her landing beside the Pegasus.

"And all awesome. Raa!" Gilda said smugly. "Heh-haa! Yeah, that's right."

"Gilda's my best friend from my days at Junior Speedster flight camp," Rainbow added, turning to Gilda. "Hey, remember the chant?"

"Sha, they made us recite it every morning," Gilda remarked. "I'll never get that lame thing out of my head."

"Soo…" Rainbow proposed, smiling.

Gilda just rolled her eyes.

"Ugh… Only for you, Dash," She replied reluctantly.

They both flew up into the sky and performed the chant. While Rainbow put enthusiasm into what she said, Gilda just looked bored and irritated.

Rainbow & Gilda (Chants):

Junior Speedsters are our lives,

Sky-bound soars and daring dives.

Junior Speedsters, it's our quest,

To someday be the very best!

Once they landed, Pinkie started laughing as the two tried to act cool. Once Pinkie settled down, she puts her funny gear back on.

"Oh, that was awesome!" Pinkie replied. "And it gave me a great idea for a prank. Gilda, you game?"

"Huh. Well, I groove on a good prank as much as the next griffon," She replied. "But Dash, you promised me we'd get in a flying session in this morning."

"Yeah, uh, well," Rainbow said, as Gilda took off. "Pinkie Pie, you don't mind, do you? Gilda just got here. We'll catch up with you later."

"Oh. Um, well sure, no problem," Pinkie said, as Rainbow took off. "Have fun you guys, I'll, uh, just catch up with you—later."

Pinkie gave a sad sigh and a half-hearted blow of her party hooter, as Rainbow and Gilda flew away leaving her all alone.

(scene change)

A short time later, Rainbow Dash and Gilda sped through the skies. Rainbow made a loop-de-loop as she flew by, while Gilda copied her maneuver. Along the way, Rainbow had the lead before Gilda caught up and passed her. Rainbow tried catching up, but the griffon was already on a cloud. Rainbow dove into it and they both laughed. The two share a quick hoof/fist bump.

"Whoa, that was sweet!" Gilda said. "Just like old times."

"Yeah, only faster," Rainbow added. "So now what?"

"Hey there!" Pinkie said, popping her head in the middle of them.

"Huh?"

Gilda and Rainbow noticed the hole in the cloud, as Pinkie continuously poked her head out of it. Apparently, she found herself a giant trampoline and used it to reach the cloud the other two stood on.

"It's later," She replied between bounces. "And I caught up!"

"Pinkie Pie, you are so random," Rainbow remarked, chuckling.

Irritation formed on Gilda's face, but she soon covered it up with a smirk.

"Hey Dash, think you got enough gas left to beat me to that cloud?" Gilda proposed.

"A race?" Rainbow smirked. "You are so on."

"One, two, three, go!" Gilda called out.

The two quickly take off, leaving Pinkie Pie behind.

"Hey!" Pinkie called out.

It didn't take long for the two flyers to reach the other cloud and land.

"I win!" Rainbow called.

"As if, I won, dude!" Gilda retorted.

"No way!"

"Yes way!"

"Oh, come on, I was way ahead of you."

"Uh, I don't think so."

"Oh Geez, dream on."

"Remember back in camp? I—"

"There is no way you beat me."

"Whatever."

A familiar voice drew the pair's attention. Pinkie managed to collect and inflate a large number of balloons, floating her way towards the cloud Rainbow and Gilda landed on. The two flyers' eyes bugged out when they saw her floating nearby.

"That was really close," Pinkie added. "But I think Rainbow Dash beat you by a teeny-weeny itty-bitty hair, or a teeny-weeny itty-bitty feather."

"Hah, see?" Rainbow said, pointing at the pink pony. "Good thing Pinkie Pie's here to keep you honest, G."

Gilda gritted her teeth, balling her fist for a second, before regaining her composure.

"Okay…" She huffed. "Dash, last one to that cloud up there is a gnarly dragon egg. Go!"

A huge cloud of dust/fluff appeared as they took off. But only Rainbow had taken off, as Gilda stayed behind.

"I think the high altitude is making you dizzy," She remarked at Pinkie.

The griffon proceeds to pop just enough balloons to make Pinkie descend slowly to the ground.

"Wait, guys!" Pinkie called out.

As Pinkie began to float down, Gilda managed to catch up to Rainbow. They barely made their way to the higher cloud when Pinkie reappeared in what appeared to be a pedal-powered helicopter…

Or at least, the equivalent of one.

"Oh, wow, you guys almost got away from me that time," Pinkie replied, as she pedaled towards them.

Rainbow chuckled to herself, while Gilda gave a quick death glare. Still, she tried to keep her irritation with Pinkie in check.

"So, Dash, got any new moves in your tricktionary, or are you 100% old school?" Gilda asked.

"New moves?" Rainbow replied cockily. "Heh, sit back G, this is gonna take a while."

Rainbow zoomed off in the sky, as Pinkie watched and pedaled at the same time.

"Hey Pinkie," Gilda said, using one of her fingers. "C'mere."

"Yeah?"

Pinkie scoots closer as Gilda roughly grabbed her contraption by the pole.

"Don't you know how to take get lost for an answer?" Gilda sneered, with a dirty look. "Dash doesn't need to hang with a dweeb like you now that I'm around. You're dorkin' up the skies, Stinkie Pie, so make like a bee and BUZZ OFF!"

Gilda grabs the propeller, causing Pinkie to spiral around, spinning back down to the ground.

"Whaaa-aaa-!" Pinkie gasped.

Gilda smirks triumphantly just as Rainbow arrived back on the cloud.

"Try matching that," Rainbow said, noticing some pony missing. "Hey, where's Pinkie Pie and her crazy contraption?"

"Eh, she left," Gilda remarked, dismissively. "Something about being as busy as a bee."

The griffon smirked saying that, but Rainbow didn't notice the meaning.

Back on the ground, Pinkie Pie stood amongst the debris of her now damaged helicopter. Pinkie wasn't hurt… at least not physically, as she looked back up toward the clouds.

"Hmph!"

(scene change)

Rather than trying again, Pinkie Pie made her way back to Twilight's house. Like before, Twilight was just reading a book while Pinkie Ranted. Storm was grooming Aegis, but unlike Twilight, he actually listened. Spike was also reading his own book while sitting at the foot of the stairs.

"So Pinkie Pie, are you sure that this friend of Rainbow Dash is really so mean?" Twilight asked.

"Um yeah," Pinkie retorted bitterly. "She keeps stealing Rainbow Dash away, she pops my balloons, and she told me to buzz off! I've never met a griffon this mean. Well, actually, I've never met a griffon at all, but I bet if I had, she wouldn't have been as mean and grumpy as Gilda."

Storm’s brow furrowed slightly as he combed through Aegis’s feathers. Though he didn’t lift his head, the description made him pause. Aegis tilted his head, chirping softly, sensing his master’s mood shift.

"You know what I think, Pinkie Pie?" Twilight said after a beat, finally closing her book and turning to face the pacing pony.

"Hmm?" Pinkie asked, looking hopeful for a moment.

"Well, I think… you’re jealous," Twilight concluded bluntly.

Pinkie froze mid-step, her jaw dropping as if Twilight had just slapped her. Storm’s ears flicked back, and he finally turned his gaze toward Twilight, his frown deepening.

"Jealous?" Pinkie exclaimed.

"Green with envy," Spike added. "Well, in your case, pink with envy."

Storm’s lips pressed into a thin line. His fiery temper simmered just below the surface, but he chose to remain silent, watching how this played out.

"Well, yes, jealous," Twilight agreed. "Listen Pinkie, I don't want to upset you, but just because Rainbow Dash has another friend doesn't make Gilda a grump. I mean, perhaps it's you, Pinkie, who needs to improve her attitude."

Storm’s hoof froze mid-brush. His eyes narrowed, and his jaw clenched. Was Twilight serious? Sure, he believed in giving others the benefit of the doubt, but Pinkie wasn’t just venting for the sake of it. She’d clearly been hurt, and dismissing her feelings this way seemed cold.

"Improve my attitude?" Pinkie retorted indignantly. "But I… D… B… It's Gilda that… D… Are you seri…"

Screaming in frustration, Pinkie stormed out of the library and slammed the door as she left.

Twilight sighed and shook her head before returning to her book. Spike didn’t even flinch, flipping a page in his.

Storm, however, didn’t move right away. He stared at the closed door, his mind replaying Pinkie’s words and Twilight’s dismissive response. Aegis let out a low chirp, almost as if asking what they were going to do.

"Where are you going, Storm?" Twilight asked as she noticed him standing and heading for the door.

"Out," Storm replied curtly, his voice clipped with irritation. He opened the door and stepped outside, closing it firmly behind him.

Twilight blinked at the door, her head tilting slightly in confusion. "What’s his deal?" she muttered to herself.

Pinkie Pie stomped around the park, her usual bubbly demeanor replaced by frustration and doubt. She muttered under her breath, her mane looking slightly deflated.

"Maybe Twilight’s right," Pinkie sighed. "Maybe Gilda isn’t a big meanie grumpy mean-meanie-pants. Maybe I’m just a big jealous judgmental jealous-jealousy-pants."

"You don’t really believe that, do you?"

The familiar voice made Pinkie stop in her tracks. She turned to see Storm standing a few feet away, Aegis perched on his back, his wings slightly spread as if ready for action. Storm’s expression was calm, but his sharp eyes showed he was serious.

"You… you don’t think I’m a big jealous-jealousy-pants?" Pinkie asked hesitantly, her eyes wide and filled with uncertainty.

Storm approached her, sitting down beside her on the grass. "Pinkie, listen to me. I know you. Sure, you’re random—a lot—but you’ve got one of the biggest hearts of anypony I know. You wouldn’t make something like this up. If you’re upset, there’s a reason for it."

"But Twilight said I was jealous," Pinkie said, her ears drooping. "Maybe I am. Gilda’s Rainbow’s old friend, and… and maybe I’m just overreacting."

Storm sighed, leaning forward slightly. "Twilight’s smart, no doubt about it. But let me tell you something, Pinkie—she’s not perfect. She grew up in Canterlot, surrounded by books and formalities, not real social dynamics. Friendship is still new to her, and honestly? She doesn’t know everything about ponies like you do."

Pinkie looked at him, a small glimmer of hope in her eyes. "But… what if I am overreacting? What if Gilda’s not really that mean?"

"Pinkie, I’ve dealt with more than my fair share of bullies," Storm said, his tone growing firmer. "Trust me, I know the signs. If Gilda is treating you like you don’t matter, if she’s putting you down, that’s not just a ‘grumpy day.’ That’s a pattern, and it’s not okay. But if we’re going to figure this out, I need you to tell me everything that happened. No skipping details."

Pinkie hesitated, looking down at her hooves. "Well… she was really mean to me. She popped my balloons and told me to buzz off… and she didn’t even try to be nice when I said hi."

Storm nodded. "That’s enough for me to know something’s up. Look, if you want my help, we can get to the bottom of this. Call it… recon."

Pinkie’s eyes widened, and her mane started to puff back up. "Like a super-secret spy mission?"

Storm smirked. "If that makes you happy, then yeah. A full-on super-secret spy mission. We’ll gather evidence, figure out what’s really going on, and handle it from there."

Pinkie squealed with excitement, leaping at Storm and wrapping him in a bone-crushing hug. His eyes bulged as the air was squeezed out of him.

"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!" Pinkie said, spinning him around in her grip. "Come on! Let’s get started right now!"

"WHOA! Pinkie, ease up! I still need oxygen!" Storm yelped, his voice muffled by her tight hug.

Aegis squawked in alarm, flapping away from the chaos to avoid getting caught. He hovered above them, his feathers ruffled, watching as Pinkie practically dragged Storm across the park.

Storm chuckled despite himself, his legs flailing as Pinkie carried him. "Okay, okay, Pinkie! Lead the way—just don’t forget to let me walk eventually!"

Pinkie giggled, releasing him at last, her energy bouncing back in full force.

(scene change)

Outside Sugarcube Corner, Storm and Pinkie sat at a table with an umbrella on top of it as Aegis eventually caught up to them. Like a gentlecolt, Storm treated Pinkie to a milkshake. Pinkie got the strawberry while he got the chocolate.

Surprisingly, Storm expected Pinkie to talk his ears off, maybe even drive him a little crazy. But instead, she just sat quietly and taking tiny sips of her shake peacefully. As much as he enjoyed the peace and quiet, he wasn't used to Pinkie being so … reserved. He was starting to miss her bubbly personality.

"Aw, come on Pinkie," Storm said, pushing his shake aside as well as giving Aegis a chocolate chip cookie to eat, which his companion took graciously and took a bite of it. "Cheer up. You keep making those frowny faces, it'll get stuck that way."

He sighed, taking a deliberate sip of his chocolate milkshake before glancing back at the pink pony, whose normally boundless energy was nowhere to be found.

"Pinkie," he said softly, turning to her, "I get the feeling this isn’t just about Gilda being mean. What’s really bothering you?"

Pinkie peeked out from behind him, her big blue eyes filled with uncertainty. "I just… I feel like Rainbow doesn’t care about me anymore. She’s been spending so much time with Gilda, and it’s like I don’t matter. What if she’s trying to replace me?"

Storm set his milkshake down, his expression softening. "Pinkie, come on. You know Rainbow wouldn’t do that. Just because she’s hanging out with Gilda doesn’t mean she’s forgotten about you. It’s okay to have more than one friend."

"But she’s never around anymore," Pinkie said quietly, her mane looking a bit less bouncy. "And when she is, she’s always with Gilda. What if Rainbow thinks Gilda’s cooler than me? What if I’m not fun enough?"

Storm frowned, leaning closer to her. "Pinkie, listen to me. Rainbow isn’t trying to replace you. She’s just excited to reconnect with an old friend. That doesn’t mean you’re any less important to her. You’re one of her best friends, and she’s lucky to have you."

Pinkie looked down at her milkshake, swirling it around with her straw. "You really think so?"

"I know so," Storm replied with conviction. "But if Gilda’s as sour as you say she is, then we need to confirm it for ourselves. Rainbow might not even realize how Gilda’s acting around other ponies."

Pinkie’s ears perked up slightly, her eyes meeting his. "You mean… we should spy on her?"

Storm chuckled, shaking his head. "Not exactly spy. More like… observe. If Gilda’s really being a bully, then we need to see it firsthand. That way, we can talk to Rainbow about it with proof, not just guesses."

Pinkie seemed to consider this for a moment before nodding. "Okay, Storm. Let’s do it. But only because I trust you."

"Good." Storm smiled, giving Aegis a scratch on the head as the phoenix chirped approvingly. "Now—"

It was then they both heard loud whooshing in the sky, followed by some laughter. Startled, Pinkie nearly knocked her milkshake over. Storm managed to hold his in place as Pinkie stood behind him. Gilda and Rainbow soared about the sky, making their landing on the opposite side of the street.

"That was sweet!" Rainbow laughed. "Ugh, I gotta take care of a few weather jobs around here. Shouldn't take long. Just, uh, hang out in town and I'll come find ya."

"That's cool, I guess," Guild said. "I'm gonna go chow down."

"Later!" Rainbow said, taking off into the sky.

“So, I’m guessing that’s Gilda?” Storm said quietly.

“Yep” Pinkie replied quietly

Storm, Aegis, and Pinkie silently watch as Gilda headed towards the stands to browse around. At one of these stands she spotted Granny Smith, who was busy shopping. Suddenly, Gilda's tail hovers in front of her face, she sniffed it and her eyes bugged out.

"Aaah! A rattler, a rattler!" She shouted. "Run for the hills! Everybody forsake yourselves!"

Granny dashed off… or more like walked away with a frightened look on her face. Gilda smirked as she lifted her head, feeling a tomato with her tail and turned to the vendor pony.

"This stuff ain't fresh, dude," Gilda remarked.

Storm and Pinkie watch as Gilda stomped away, leaving the vendor pony looking indignant. Aegis saw it as he glared at the Griffon before he continued to eat his cookie.

"Aw, poor Granny Smith," Pinkie said. "She didn't know it wasn't a joke!"

"Tell me about it," Storm observed. "That wasn't just mean, that was just rude!"

"… No, no, I can't misjudge her," Pinkie sighed. "It was kind of a funny prank, I guess."

"I don't know about that, Pinkie."

As they watch, Gilda strolled casually and grabbed an apple from another stand. She quickly shoved the whole thing in her mouth and walked away without a care.

"I did misjudge her!" Pinkie gasped. "She's not only a meanie mean-pants…"

"She's also a thief!" Storm finished before he got up and attempted to challenge her. "I've gotta do something about this!"

"Nonononono, she might give it back. It's just a joke."

"Pinkie, she just ate an entire apple without paying! Stealing isn't a…"

Before Storm could finish, Fluttershy suddenly appeared. She was guiding some ducks across the street while walking backwards.

"All right little ones, this way, this way," She said sweetly. "Mama duck, you're free and clear."

Storm felt his heart sink, as Gilda purposely stood behind Fluttershy, causing her to bump into the griffon.

"She better not—" Storm growled.

"Hey!" Gilda exclaimed.

"Please excuse me," Fluttershy said politely.

"I'm walkin' here!" Gilda pointed out rudely.

"Oh, um, I'm sorry," Fluttershy apologized. "I-I-I was just trying to…"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Gilda repeated mockingly. "Why don't you just watch where you're going, doofus?"

"B-b-b-but I… I…"

Before Fluttershy could find her words, Gilda unleashed a loud roar right in Fluttershy's face. Fluttershy squeaked in fear, before running off sobbing and flew away.

"Ugh, please, all these lame ponies are driving me buggy," Gilda remarked openly. "I gotta bail."

Gilda took off without another word, to a sea of glares from all the other ponies. Storm was so furious, his left eyelid twitched rapidly while Pinkie was in no better condition. Aegis was so mad he dropped his unfinished cookie as he sent the Griffon a glare of his own.

"She's a grump, and a thief, and a bully!" Pinkie retorted angrily. "The meanest kind of mean-meanie pants there is! I can take it, but no one treats Fluttershy like that. No. One. This calls for extreme measures, Pinkie Pie style! Right Storm? Storm?"

Pinkie Pie turned around and found Storm was no longer at the table as Aegis directed Pinkie's attention to where the stallion was going. She turns the other way and gasps, as Storm walked quickly toward Gilda's direction.

Storm’s body crackled with the faint remnants of lightning as he strode purposefully toward Gilda's direction. His jaw was clenched, his eyes burned with unrestrained anger, and his horn flickered with small sparks, ready to unleash his frustration. Aegis hovered just behind him, squawking in warning as if trying to urge him to think twice. But Storm was too furious to hear it.

"Storm, wait!" Pinkie's voice rang out, and suddenly, she was standing in front of him, blocking his path.

"Move, Pinkie," Storm said, his tone blunt and low. His voice carried a dangerous edge, one that Pinkie rarely heard from him. "That griffon crossed the line. No one makes Fluttershy cry and walks away unscathed. She’s going to hear me out whether she likes it or not."

"Don't!" Pinkie said firmly, her blue eyes staring directly into his burning gaze. "Please let me handle her."

Storm’s eyes narrowed as he glared down at her, his body still faintly glowing with electric energy. "Pinkie, I’ve had it. That griffon has been nothing but trouble since she showed up. First Granny Smith, then the vendor, now Fluttershy? I can’t just sit by and let this slide. Get out of the way."

"I said no!" Pinkie stomped her hoof, surprising even herself with how forceful she sounded. "Storm, listen to me! If you charge in all angry and lightning-y, you’ll just make things worse. I know she’s a jerk, but we need to be smart about this. I have a plan—just trust me, okay? Please?"

Storm stared her down, his piercing eyes meeting hers in a tense standoff. His magic crackled faintly as if defying her words, but Pinkie didn’t flinch. She held her ground, her expression unwavering, even as the air around Storm buzzed with tension.

After a long, heated moment, Storm’s shoulders slumped slightly, the sparks around him fading. His eyes softened as he let out a frustrated sigh. "How do you always manage to get through to me?" he muttered, his tone still gruff but calmer.

"Cause you love me," Pinkie said with a playful grin, batting her eyelashes at him.

Storm stared at her for a beat, then let out a small chuckle, shaking his head. "Heh, I won’t deny that," he admitted, his lips curling into a faint smile. "Fine, Pinkie. I’m going to trust you on this. But if this plan of yours doesn’t work…"

"It’ll work!" Pinkie interrupted, bouncing excitedly. "Trust me, Stormy, this is going to be the most super-duper Pinkie-style plan ever!"

Storm rolled his eyes but allowed a genuine smile to creep onto his face. "Alright, Pinkie. Lead the way."

Pinkie beamed and began to guide Storm and Aegis back to Sugarcube Corner, her usual pep returning with every bounce. As they walked, Storm glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, still marveling at how she could go from serious to cheerful in an instant.

"You better be right about this," Storm murmured. "Because if this blows up, I’m never letting you live it down."

Pinkie giggled, throwing a hoof around his neck. "Relax, Stormy. When have I ever let you down?"

"Do you really want me to answer that?" Storm teased, earning an exaggerated gasp from Pinkie as they approached Sugarcube Corner.

(scene change)

Pinkie Pie had set up a huge party.

"Welcome, welcome, welcome!" Pinkie greeted to every pony.

All the ponies in town gathered together for an impromptu party. Storm was slightly annoyed that this was the plan, but he still went along with it. At least it gave him the chance to show off his baking skills. To say Pinkie was impressed was an understatement, he may not be as good as her but Storm was able to bake delicious treats for the party. She even offered him a job as her baking assistant, and as fun as it maybe he couldn’t accept because he would need to rework his schedule at his current job at the library and that would take up too much time.

For now, Storm and Pinkie shared a fun time together making sure everything was ready. Now Storm was busily greeting all the rest of the ponies, including his close friends, as they began to mingle with each other.

"Who's this Gilda I've heard nothing about?" Applejack asked Rarity.

"I hear she's an old friend of Rainbow Dash," Rarity answered. "A griffon, so rare."

They walked off as Twilight Sparkle spoke with Fluttershy, who was keeping to herself. Aegis was there to comfort her as he and she formed a bond with each other.

"You've met Gilda, right?" Twilight asked eagerly. "What's she like?"

"Oh, um, well…" Fluttershy mumbled quietly. "I'll tell you later, Twilight."

Fluttershy clearly didn't want to be there and Storm couldn't blame her one bit. It surprised him though that she'd even show up anyway. He assumed Pinkie had told Fluttershy about their plan and 'possibly' that was the reason why Fluttershy even showed up in the first place. Still, he made sure she was okay, and offered her a brotherly hug to make her feel better. Soon Fluttershy approached Pinkie just as she finished greeting all the guests.

"Um, Pinkie Pie, about this party for Gilda," Fluttershy spoke concerned. "Um… do you really think it's a good idea? I mean—"

"Don't you worry your pretty little head about mean old Gilda," Pinkie replied, patting her friend's head. "Your auntie Pinkie Pie's got it all taken care of."

Fluttershy was indignant as Pinkie bounced away.

"I'm a year older than you," Fluttershy remarked.

"Gilda!" Pinkie cried happily.

Fluttershy's jaw dropped when the griffon in question made her way inside.

"I'm so honored to throw you one of my signature Pinkie Pie parties," Pinkie Pie continued. "And I really, truly, sincerely, hope you feel welcome here amongst all us pony folk."

Pinkie stuck out a hoof to shake her claw. Gilda went to return the gesture…

BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!

Gilda was given the shock of her life, as she grunted and collapsed onto the floor. Pinkie and the other ponies laughed.

"Oh Pinkie Pie, the old hoof-shake buzzer," Rainbow chuckled. "You are a scream."

"You can say that again," Storm muttered to himself.

"Yeah," Gilda replied, recomposing herself. "Uh, good one, Pinkie Pie."

"Come on G," Rainbow said, once Gilda calmed down. "I'll introduce you to some of my friends."

"Right behind you, Dash!"

When the Pegasus was far away, Gilda turned towards Pinkie with an icy glare.

"I know what you're up to," Gilda warned.

"Great," Pinkie smiled.

The fact Pinkie didn't even cower really made Gilda's blood boil.

"Rrrh… I know what you're planning!" She warned again.

If Gilda hoped to get a reaction from the pink pony, all she gave Gilda were giggles.

"Well, I hope so. This wasn't supposed to be a surprise party."

"I mean, I've got my eye on you," Gilda snarled, shoving her beak into Pinkie's face.

"And I, got my eye on you," Pinkie replied, bulging her eyes into Gilda's.

Before Gilda could respond, Pinkie Pie backed away to speak to the others.

"Everyone, I'd like you all to meet Gilda, a long-time, dear friend of Rainbow Dash. Let's honor her and welcome her to Ponyville."

The ponies cheered for Gilda, who just gave a sheepish, awkward smile.

"Please help yourself," Pinkie said, offering some party treats.

As far as Storm's baking skills, he helped the pink pony create said treats and he snickered to himself as he waited for what was about to occur. Some yellow-colored candies caught the griffon's eyes as she approached the table.

"Vanilla lemon drops," Gilda responded. "Don't mind if I do."

She tossed one into her mouth, but then her face cringed and turned deep red as the whistle of a hot kettle was heard.

"G, the punch!" Rainbow called out smiling.

Gilda rushed to grab one of the glasses for a drink. But when she poured, all the liquid dripped from the middle of the cup, and instead of her mouth it spilt all over her feathered chest. Every pony laughed.

"Well, whaddya know," Pinkie observed. "Pepper in the vanilla lemon drops, and the punch served in a dribble glass."

"Ha!" Rainbow laughed. "Priceless, priceless!"

"Strange…" Storm remarked, scratching his head with Aegis perched on his back as he turned to his Phoenix friend. "I didn't put anything spicy when I made those. Did you buddy?"

Aegis shook his head in reply with a soft chirp.

If Storm had been expecting something to happen, this certainly wasn't part of the plan he was aware of. He couldn't figure out how some pony managed to sneak in while guarding the mixture the entire time. But he didn't have to worry too much as Gilda rushed across the room, grabbed another cup of punch, and gulped it down exhaling loudly.

"Yeah, hilarious," She muttered aloud.

"Hey G, look!" Rainbow pointed. "Presents!"

A huge collection of wrapped boxes drew Gilda's attention, the griffon smiled excitedly. She grabs a cyclical shaped box and opens the top. Just then, dozens of stretchy toy snakes pop out of the box, along with some confetti. Gilda was left stunned, even her feathers puffed out while all the guests laughed.

"Spittin' snakes," Applejack said. "Hah, some pony pulled that prank on me last month."

"Ha, ha," Gilda muttered bitterly. "I bet I know who that was."

"You do?" Pinkie asked innocently.

"Do enlighten us, Gilda?" Storm added, with a smirk.

Whether or not Storm had a hoof with the pranks, he enjoyed seeing Gilda get the receiving end of all those pranks.

Eventually, things seem to settle down even Fluttershy had her birds sing as every pony chatted with each other. Soon, Pinkie and Storm roll out a rather large cake decked with candles.

"Cake time every pony," Pinkie said. "Hope you like it, cause Storm helped me bake it."

The other ponies gathered excitedly around Storm, who felt a surge of pride for his baking abilities. He could only hoped the cake tasted alright.

"Hey, can I blow out the candles?" Spike asked, pointing to the top.

"Why don't we let Gilda blow out the candles, Spike?" Twilight suggested. "She is the guest of honor after all."

Gilda body-checked Spike out of the way, as the little guy grunts from the landing.

"Exactly!" She agreed.

Gilda proceeds to blow out the candles in one try. A big smile formed on her face… before the candles lit them back up. Gilda blew them out again, smiling once more, when the candles lit back up… again! This sent the ponies on a laughing fit, as Gilda grunted trying to blow them out only to fail every time. Seeing Gilda run out of breath made all the ponies laugh even harder.

"Re-lighting birthday candles!" Spike pointed out, laughing. "I love that prank! What a classic."

"Now, I wonder who could've done that?" Pinkie asked innocently.

Storm chuckled since he knew exactly who was behind this particular prank. Even Aegis covered his beak as if he was trying hard not to laugh.

"Yeah, I wonder," Gilda said, her eyes burning.

"Mmm, who cares?" Spike asked, as he burrowed into the cake. "This cake is amazing."

"Spike!" Twilight scolded.

"What? It's great, try some."

"Heh-heh, glad you like it Spike," Storm chuckled. "First time baking for a party you know."

Gilda just stood there, very agitated, when Rainbow approached.

"Hey G, you're not upset about some silly candles, are you?" Rainbow asked.

The look on Gilda's face answered that question, but she managed to recompose herself.

"No way, Dash," She fibbed. "Like I said, I'm down with a good prank."

"Come on then, let's have some cake," Rainbow beckoned. "I'm curious to see how Storm's cake measures up to Pinkie's."

"No fair, Rainbow!" Storm protested. "She's a master at baking, I couldn’t compare to her."

During this time, Gilda grabbed Pinkie by the neck pulling her behind the cake and out of sight from most of the ponies. Storm had seen her grab Pinkie, and checked to see if she needed rescuing.

"Hey, I'm watching you," Gilda threatened, making direct eye contact with Pinkie. "Like a hawk."

"Why? Can't you watch me like a griffon?" Pinkie asked.

Storm wanted to intervene and protect Pinkie but he had to trust her plan and just stayed silent.

"Hey y'all!" Applejack called out. "It's 'Pin the Tail on the Pony'!"

Quickly, Gilda released Pinkie Pie and smiled innocently as they pulled away from the cake. As Applejack set the poster up and while Gilda was distracted, Storm steps sideways toward Pinkie Pie, turning to her with a glare.

"You are aware she just threatened you, right?" Storm whispered angrily.

"Yeah, but I don't let it bother me," Pinkie smiled. "You really shouldn't let mean words bother you, Stormy. You'll be much happier that way."

Storm was stunned, yet deep down he was rather impressed.

“I know, but it’s hard to that when you’ve been dealing with it your entire life.” Storm said sadly.

Pinkie understood how he felt and hugged him to make him feel better.

"Hey ya’ll, it’s pin the tail on the pony. Let's play!" Applejack replied.

"Oh, my favorite game," Rarity said. "Can I go first? Can I have the purple tail?"

But Gilda rudely grabbed the purple tail before Rarity could take it.

"Well, I am the guest of honor, and I'll have the purple tail."

"Yeah, Gilda should definitely go first," Pinkie agreed. "Let's get you blindfolded."

"Hey what—ugh—what are you doing?" Gilda asked, as Spike tied a blindfold over her eyes.

Before Gilda could react, she was spun around rapidly as she cried out.

"We're spinning you around and around and then you can pin the tail on the pony," Pinkie explained. "Now just walk straight ahead and pin the tail."

"Now just walk straight ahead and pin the tail," Gilda repeated, mockingly. "Hmph, yeah right. This is another prank, isn't it? I'm going this way."

Instead of going ahead, Gilda turned the opposite direction.

"Wait!" Pinkie called out. "The poster is this—"

But it was too late. With Gilda blindfolded, she couldn't see the leftover blob of spilled frosting and stepped on it.

"Whoa whaa waah waah waaaaah!"

Gilda slid about the floor and right into the kitchen with a loud crash, groaning as she came out. The blindfold was now gone, but her feathers were coated in cake batter and frosting. The purple tail now hung along her beak.

"Uh, Gilda?" Pinkie pointed out. "You pinned the tail on the wrong end."

Gilda noticed the tail, as the ponies laughed. This time however… Gilda had had enough. She gave a mighty 'ROOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!', screaming loudly, knocking both the tail and the mess on her feathers clean off.

"This is your idea of a good time?" Gilda barked angrily. "I've never met a lamer bunch of dweebs in all my life! And Pinkie Pie, you!"

She pointed her talon accusingly toward Pinkie, who smiled innocently.

"You are queen lame-o with our weak little party pranks!" Gilda continued. "Did you really think you could make me lose my cool?

“If this is her so called cool, I'd hate to see her definition of harsh," Storm muttered sarcastically.

While Storm didn't believe a word the griffon said, Gilda wrapped a wing over Rainbow. He could see, as Gilda spoke, Rainbow's face changed from shocked to angry. He couldn't blame her, especially considering Gilda was supposed to be one of her best friends.

"Well, Dash and I have ten times as much cool as the rest of you put together," Gilda snarled. "Come on Dash, we're bailing on this pathetic scene. Come on, Rainbow Dash. I said, we're leaving."

Storm was beyond disgusted. It was bad enough that a griffin insults every pony, but to go as far as to boss around Rainbow Dash, her best friend… that was just low. One look from Rainbow's eyes toward Storm's and the two ponies finally agreed on something.

"You know Gilda," Rainbow responded sternly. "I was the one who set up all those weak pranks at this party."

"What?" Gilda gasped.

"Ooh!" Pinkie gasped quietly.

"Plot twist!" Storm added.

"So I guess I'm queen lame-o," Rainbow finished.

Gilda stood in disbelief, as her friend stood right before Pinkie Pie.

"Come on, Dash, you're joshing me," Gilda insisted.

"They weren't all meant for you specifically," Rainbow explained. "It was just dumb luck that you set them all off."

"I shoulda known," Pinkie said. "That dribble cup had Rainbow Dash written all over it."

"Pinkie Pie," Storm retorted, rolling his eyes. "We saw her put those candles on the cake."

"Oh yeah…"

"No way!" Gilda protested, refusing to believe it. "I-It was Pinkie Pie! And her little friend over there!"

"Guilty as charged," Storm replied smugly.

“They set up this party to trip me up, to make a fool of me!"

"Us?" Pinkie said, swallowing the cake. "I threw this party to improve your attitude. I thought a good party might turn that frown upside down."

To prove her point, Pinkie rotated her head from upright to upside down.

"And we knew this party was going to end one of two ways," Storm added.

"And you sure didn't need any help making a fool of yourself," Rainbow continued, as Storm nodded in agreement. "You know, this is not how I thought my old friends would treat my new friends. If being cool is all you care about, then maybe you should go find some new cool friends someplace else."

Gilda was left speechless for a moment or two.

"Rrgh... yeah? Well you, you… you are such a, a flip-flop, cool one minute and lame the next!" Gilda retorted, pointing a talon at Rainbow. "When you decide not to be lame anymore, gimme a call."

The blue Pegasus was left stunned by the insult, as Gilda left Sugarcube Corner and took off into the air with a bird of prey shriek. And Rainbow just looked on indignantly.

"Not cool," Rainbow emphasized, not just the insult.

All the other ponies were just as stunned by the griffon's nasty temperament.

"Wow! Talk about a party pooper," Spike said.

"What was that about?" Twilight asked.

"Um, what just happened?" A pony named Merry May chimed in.

"Really Awkward," Another pony said.

As all the ponies began to talk to one another, Rainbow turned to them rather sad.

"I'm sorry every pony," Rainbow said sadly. "For bringing Gilda here. I didn't know how rude she was. And Pinkie Pie and Storm, I'm really sorry she ruined that awesome party you two put on for her."

"Hey, if you want to hang out with party poopers, that's your business," Pinkie said.

"We just didn’t want her treating our friends like we were pests. As long as this means we don't go to war with the griffons," Storm muttered.

"You know, I'd rather hang out with you," Rainbow said, extending a hoof. "No hard feelings?"

"No hard feelings," Pinkie said, returning the shake.

BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!

Apparently, they had tried to prank each other with the hoof-zapper. They revealed them to each other and laughed, as all the other ponies joined in. Twilight Sparkle soon approached them.

"Hey Pinkie," Twilight said. "Sorry I accused you of misjudging Gilda. Looks like I'm the one who misjudged you."

"It's okay Twilight," Pinkie replied, wrapping a hoof around her. "Even you can't be a super smart smarty smart-pants all the time."

"Well come on, every pony!" Storm called out. "Let's finish off this party, Ponyville style!"

Pinkie Pie bounced up and down excitedly, as Storm rejoined the other ponies. Twilight Sparkle just looked on, smiling as every pony cheered and went back to just having fun. Already a letter came to mind of which she and Storm would share for the Princess.

"Dear Princess Celestia,

Today, we learned that it's hard to accept when some pony you like wants to spend time with some pony who's not so nice. Though it's impossible to control who your friends hang out with, it is possible to control your own behavior. Just continue to be a good friend. In the end, the difference between a false friend and one who's true will surely come to light.

Your faithful students,

Twilight Sparkle and Storm Shadow"

Later that evening, Princess Celestia was relaxing in her bedroom as she read the letter. As soon as she got to the end, she immediately went to work on a reply.

"Dear Twilight Sparkle and Storm Shadow," She began. "My most faithful students…"

Just then, she noticed her writing disappeared. She turned and realized some pony had placed a fake label on her ink jar. The whole time, she'd been using the disappearing ink by mistake.

"Oh! Heh, wrong ink!" Celestia sighed, chuckling.

Finding the correct ink, Celestia began to redo the letter to her students. How Celestia of all ponies got pranked was any pony's guess. But one thing about her was absolutely certain: The princess has quite a sense of humor.