The Death of A Griffon

by CanterlotGuardian

Rating: teen
Tags: Sad, Dark, Alternate Universe
Length: 1115

Gilda dies, and Twilight is tasked with finding her killer.

The most gruesome murder in Equestrian history has been committed, and it has hit far too close to home for Rainbow Dash. With her friends' help, she must try to make sense of this tragedy, and also bring a murderer to justice… no matter what the cost.

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2012-11-19 18:10:01 UTC

The Letter from The Night

Twilight’s library was quiet, as it should have been, seeing as it was almost one in the morning. Twilight herself was asleep upstairs, peacefully resting away the day’s troubles and worries. Spike should have been asleep, but for some reason he couldn’t.

There was a nagging feeling in the back of his mind, that there was just some reason that he should be staying awake. Someone was going to need him for something, he felt. Who and for what, he didn’t know. He just felt how he did, and that’s all he needed to know.

Besides, the library was closed the next day to allow Twilight to inventory the books. If push came to shove, he could just sleep then.

The night air was quiet and undisturbed as Spike poked his head out the window to catch a bit of the fresh air. He smiled as a breeze hit the side of his face; it wasn’t too cool, but not too warm either. It was… perfect.

His mind started to wander. “I hope Twilight doesn’t need my help tomorrow… She normally doesn’t, but then again we have a lot more books now than we’ve pretty much ever had before. Tomorrow I think I’ll just-“

“TWILIGHT!!!”

That familiar voice startled him out of his reverie, causing him to lose his balance and fall to the floor. As he picked himself up and dusted himself off, he looked around to see who it was that had screamed out like that.

When he saw who it was, he was more than a bit surprised. The cyan pony was streaking towards the library as fast as she possibly could, her rainbow mane flowing straight back behind her. Spike barely even heard the window open behind him, he was so engrossed in the sight that was now before him.

Twilight’s voice, though, brought him out of his thoughts: “Spike…? Who… who is that?”

“It’s Rainbow Dash,” Spike replied. “I think she’s in trouble or something…”

A moment later, Dash flew up to the balcony and landed. Evidently, she’d heard Twilight and Spike talking and realized she’d woke her up. She was out of breath and her wings shook from an obvious show of effort.

“What is it, Rainbow?” Twilight asked. Her voice couldn’t help but betray that she wasn’t yet fully awake. “What’s wrong?” Rainbow looked at Twilight and Spike. Now, they could both see that tears were streaming down her face.

She was crying. Rainbow Dash… was crying.

“What happened?” Twilight asked, now growing very concerned for her friend. “Did someone do something to you?”

Rainbow shook her head. “No… not to me…”

“Then what is it? What’s the matter?”

Dash looked at her librarian friend. “I really don’t know how to tell you this… She’s dead, Twilight. My best friend since practically the day I was born… she’s dead…”

Even though Twilight’s mind was still muddled by sleep, it was awake enough to recognize what Dash was talking about. When it occurred to her, she gasped.

“No… You don’t mean… Gilda? What on earth could have happened to her?”

Dash’s legs gave out on her, and she slumped down onto the floor. It was as though the little bit of energy that she had left, was suddenly taken from her. Twilight gasped, and her horn glowed. A moment later, she was walking back into her house, Spike on her back and Rainbow Dash levitating above her.

She set Dash onto her bed, arranging the blankets and pillows to make her comfortable.

Once that had been done, Twilight looked at Spike. “Did she say anything before I’d come outside?”

Spike shook his head. “Not really… She just yelled your name as loudly as she could.” Twilight walked back out onto the balcony, with Spike still riding on her back.

Just then, Spike felt that familiar feeling in the pit of his stomach. He belched loudly, and a letter appeared in the air. Twilight opened it, and was soon surprised to find out that the letter did not come from Princess Celestia, as it normally did, but instead from her sister.

To my sister’s dear student (and my dear friend),

I do not know if news will have reached you already, by the time you get this letter. If not, then let this serve as an introduction to a bit of news that I do not believe you will like to hear.

As you may well recall, your friend Rainbow Dash has been acquainted for quite some time with a griffon, named Gilda. I am saddened to have to be the one to say this at all, but the griffon has been murdered.

Twilight gasped. “So she really is dead... But how?"

Spike pointed at the letter, a look of horror on his face. “Keep reading… Maybe Princess Luna says how, a bit later on.” He had a point, so Twilight looked back down and kept on reading.

Not many specific details are known at this point, but what I can tell you is this: she was found in multiple places in Cloudsdale.  Yes, multiple places. She had been dismembered in a rather gory fashion, and from the looks of it, the pony who did it was not adept at the art of butchery.

This pales in comparison, though, to an additional revelation that was recently passed on to me by Cloudsdale’s police chief, Golden Star. It seems that Gilda’s dismemberment, as much as it pains me to have to write this… was done while she was still alive.

Please do not tell Rainbow Dash this, if she does not already know. I do not doubt that news of Gilda’s demise has reached her. What I refer to, however, are the details that I have presented to you in this letter. She does not need to know what sort of fate befell her friend.

I wish to see you soon, Twilight. We will speak more of this in person.

Until then,

Princess Luna

Twilight looked up at Spike, tears in her own eyes. This never happened in Ponyville, or anywhere in Equestria for that matter. A griffon torn limb from limb, and it being done so while she was still alive…?

“Not even Gilda deserved this,” Twilight stated angrily, fighting to keep her composure. “Not even with how much she made us angry. She still deserved life…”

They stood on the balcony, staring out into the distance. Silence now ruled amongst the two of them. They had nothing more that they wanted to say to each other, not at that point. Not when even the stars seemed a little more dim than they did before.