Captain's Travels

High above the skies of Ponyville flew a lone griffin under the employ of the Cloudsdale Weather Factory. With the chaos caused by the enchanted storm ripping it's way across the whole of Equestria, the CWF had changed it's slogan to reflect it's new lax hiring policy.

Now hiring anything with wings.

The CWF held strongly to this belief by hiring every pegasus, griffin, unicorn with a cloud walking spell, earth pony that could satisfactorily train birds, and giant winged serpent that applied.

The griffin flew in the hopes of finding the leader of the local weather team. A pegasus pony by the name of Rainbow Dash.

Captain lounged lazily outside on a hammock, as Twilight read up on the finer points of enchantments, and Spike had a staring contest with an owl. The tickets that Celestia had given them had been post-dated a week in order to make necessary arrangements for an extended stay. Now however, Captain, felt the urge to nap overtake him, and could not deny his base instincts.

"Come on, do it," said a shrill voice.

"No you do it, he scares me," stated another.

"Come on you gals heard what Applejack and Rarity said."

Now, having found his nap interrupted, Captain creaked a sleepy eye open, and looked at a yellow, orange, and white blur. When the man slipped his glasses onto his face, the blurs came into focus revealing Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Applebloom.

"What are you three little thugs doing here?" he questioned condescendingly.

"We came here to apologize," said Applebloom proudly.

"Your sisters put you up to it didn't they?"

"Yup."

"Awesome. Apology accepted, now shoo. I have some important napping to do."

"But Applejack told us to get you some apology ice-cream."

"Ice-cream you say' lets go," he said getting off of the hammock, and slipping his hatchet into a belt loop.

The three fillies led Captain through town, and to the local ice-cream parlour.

"Hey Dash what's up?" the griffin asked.

"Gilda? What are you doing here," asked a bewildered Rainbow Dash. "I thought that you were too cool to hang here in Ponyville."

"Cool it Dashy, I'm here on official CWF business," Gilda said as she pulled out a badge with CWF logo on it as well as a stack of notarized papers. "The CWF sent me here to inform you about the enchanted storm... yadda yadda... to report all accidents caused by the storm to the weather legal department... blah blah blah... so you wanna go get lunch, and discuss the weather 'cause that flight took a lot outta me."

"You want to go get lunch after the way you treated my friends the last time you were here?"

"It's for the company Dash, come on. All of those stuffed saddles at the office are a bunch of l... ovely people who are a pleasure to be around," Gilda said with a plaster smile.

"Uh, sure if its for the company I guess. Meet me at The Bistro in an hour, I've got a job to finish up."

"Sure Dash see you there."

With that, each flew off in a different direction. One flew towards town, the other to knock a few clouds from the sky.

Fluttershy strolled through the market place, looking at nothing in particular. That is, until a shiny bauble caught her eye. This trinket was nothing out of the ordinary, simply a small butterfly clip with tiny ruby eyes that glistened in the sunlight, and emerald laced wings that caught the eye just so. Thankfully a few pet adoptions had bulged her purse enough to afford a small luxury such as this. A brief haggle with the owner, and she was the new owner of a ten bit butterfly clip. Without hesitation she attached the clip in place, and trotted down the street with her head held high.

That is, until she came across a band of fillies annoying up a bipedal figure in the distance. Hesitantly she decided to say hi.

"Good afternoon Captain, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Applebloom."

"Nice clip Fluttershy it really draws attention to your face. It looks... nice," he said nonchalantly.

"Thank you Captain," she responded as a blush crept into her cheeks. "So where were you four off to in such a hurry?"

"We're treatin' Cap'n here to some apology ice-cream on account uh accidentally causing the fight between him and Rainbow Dash," responded Applebloom, "would you like to join us."

"That sounds lovely. I'd be happy to go, but first I still have to buy Angel some shampoo."

Captain only snickered as he thought of the bunny rabbit. The four agreed to meet up at the ice-cream parlour later, and headed off to their respective destinations.

Gilda slogged through the international section of Ponyville with a strong craving for meat. The ponies being vegetarian was good and all, but on occasion a griffin got a yearning for the greatest of all things, jerky. Thankfully the local griffin merchant stocked a wide variety of salted meats.

Her purchase in claw, Gilda made her way down the street eying the imported wares. In the shop windows sat a multitude of wares: potions from far off zebra lands, smoked meats imported by traveling griffins, and all manners of scented soaps and bath oils from Saddle Arabia.

The aromatics surrounding the Saddle Arabian shop tickled her nose, and beckoned her inside. Her claw pushed against the stained glass door which caused a bell above the door to chime delicately. The bell chiming caused a familiar yellow pegasus at the counter almost dropping her purchase.

The pegasus' eyes grew wide at the sight of her. Quickly she finished her transaction, and scooted out of the door without a sound. Gilda's eyes scanned the shelves upon shelves of perfume bottles giving most less than a single glance. When it appeared that the store had nothing to offer, the griffin departed.

The pegasus, or Doofus as she had called the yellow pony during her previous visit, fled down an alleyway. Gilda though nothing of it, and continued glancing over the shops. Soon enough the griffin found her attention caught by some shiny bauble in the distance. As she neared her target she failed to pay attention to the pony she bumped into, but she did notice the sound of breaking glass and the strong scent of rosemary and lavender fill the air.

"Watch it bub, I'm walking here." The receiver of her verbal abuse only squeaked in response before running off. Gilda shrugged it off, and continued on her way.

Fluttershy ran through the market place, until she slumped outside of the ice-cream parlour. A few minutes later Captain, and his former assailants stepped out from the store, each with a cone in hand/hoof save for Captain who held two.

"Hey Fluttershy what's up?" asked the man as he held up an off-white cone. "We didn't know what flavor you wanted so we got you a vanilla."

"T-thank y-you Captain," replied the sun colored mare behind tear stained cheeks.

"What happened?" asked the three fillies in unison.

"Oh, it's nothing girls, just a little scuffle that I got into."

"Wait! What!?" Asked Captain.

"It's nothing for you to worry about Captain. It's just that Gilda's back in town, and I dropped some soap that I bought for Angel. It normally wouldn't be a problem, but I'm out of bits thanks to this," she said pointing to the butterfly clip. "I feel so foalish spending money on myself like that."

"Accidents happen Fluttershy, don't beat yourself up over spending money. Now how's about I talk this Gilda person into paying you back for the soap? What's she look like?"

"You don't need to worry yourself on my account."

"I don't have to, but I want to, and besides I need to pay you back for keeping me on this side of death's door."

"Alright I suppose. Gilda's a griffin, the last I saw her she was over in that direction," she said as she pointed a hoof in the direction she came from.

"Be back in a minute."

With that, Captain walked off in search of Gilda.

Captain searched all over the market, until he found a puddle of shampoo with claw marks and paw prints leading away. The man followed the soapy-prints until he found their source, a mid-sized griffin with a tan coat, and white feathers atop her head. Cautiously he approached.

"Excuse me," he called out, "would your name happen to be Gilda."

The griffin spun, and faced him. "Yeah what's it to ya freak."

"I'm here looking for you to compensate miss Fluttershy for her losses."

"So that dork is too lame to ask me herself, so she sends her hairless monkey hitman to do the job."

"I came here of my own volition, now please pay me for the shampoo, and I will be on my way."

"Fat chance loser buzz off. There's no way I'm paying that puny pushover anything."

"Miss... Gilda was it," she nodded, "is it safe to assume that you're an omnivore such as myself." Again she nodded. "Would you like to know one of my favorite recipes from back home?" Captain asked as his head tilted back, the shadows across his face grew long, a row of enamel showed itself, and his eyes were replaced with darkened panels.

"S-sure." she replied hesitantly.

Captain dropped his head low, and his voice was one that would be used for a lover. His lips hovered just above her ear when he spoke, ensuring that they would be the only two hearing this.

"Well miss Gilda," he said seductively, "back in my world this dish is a sort of delicacy. Prepared over a fire, the blood of the freshly killed animal not a few feet away." He could hear the muscles in tue griffin's esophagus contract as she swallowed. Quietly he pulled out his hatchet, and turned onto it's bladed edge. "Would you like to know the name of this dish." She nodded imperceptibly. "Chicken wings," he said as the blade of the hatchet struck the base of a wing, drawing forth a small yelp. "Now before I let you go," he said as the wide blade of the hatchet hooked around the joint, "you are going to go to Fluttershy, apologize for interrupting her day, pay her back, and pray on your miserable life that she forgives you." A final tap on her wing concluded his message. "Also, if this conversation is ever heard by anyone who is not you or I... well I don't need to tell you now do I."

As he got up, Gilda darted off into the back alleys. With no more distractions occupying his time, Captain headed off to meet up with the fillies, and Fluttershy.

Captain soon met up with everyone else already discussing Gilda's odd behavior.

"Wow Captain, what did you tell her?" asked the yellow mare.

"Nothing, we simply had a friendly chat. Why what did she tell you, was she being rude?" he asked quickly.

"Not at all. In fact she was extremely polite, and generous," she said as she pointed at a small pile of bits, "I always new that deep down she was a good person."

"Yeah good person," he said with a nervous chuckle, "if you'll excuse me ladies, I have an afternoon nap to catch up on." With that he departed, hoping to regain his previous warm beam of sun.