The days passed swiftly for Rainbow Dash and Gilda. True to their teacher's name and word, each lesson was something new and different. She talked endlessly, but Gilda couldn't care less since she had never split her up from Dash for team events, unlike Firefly.
As the weeks went on, though Gilda noticed a change in the atmosphere. Everyone was a lot more somber and it became common place to see the occasional pony or two crying with their friends. Camp was coming to an end.
It was not a subject that either of them brought up. Even though it was on the forefront of her mind, Gilda didn't want to appear wishy washy. So it was very welcome that Dash was the first to mention it one night. Sort of.
"Can you believe those ponies getting all weepy, just because camp's ending soon? It's not like they'll never be able to see each other again."
Gilda didn't respond, she was too busy thinking about how far her home was from Ponyville and all that responsibilities that would keep her busy when she returned there. She spoke before she could stop herself, "I can understand a little, I know I'll miss you." She clapped her claws over her beak, embarrassed.
"Well I won't," Dash said dismissively. Gilda suddenly found a patch of sky very far away to be intensely interesting. "Cause I know exactly where and when we'll see each other again."
Gilda looked back at her friend flabbergasted, this was the first she'd heard of this. "Well, maybe not EXACTLY where and when. But I got it all planned out. There's only one place where you and I will truly be able to strut our stuff, THE WONDERBOLTS!" She ended flaring her wings and pointing to the sky.
Gilda was touched, but there was a niggling doubt. "Not that I don't think I'm good enough, but I'm not sure if the Wonderbolts will take a griffon. I'm just not sure they make uniforms in my size."
"Well they'd better write their tailor then," Dash said it as a joke, but she looked very serious. "You're not just 'good enough', you're the best. And if they won't see that then who needs 'em! We'll form our own team, er, duo. 'Rainbow Dash and Gilda, The Best in Equestria'!"
Gilda discreetly rubbed some dirt that had gotten in her eye. "Yeah, that's not bad. One thing though, 'Gilda and Rainbow Dash' has a much better ring to it."
Dash rubbed her chin in contemplation. "Ah yes, save the best for last," she said with a smile and a wink. Gilda rolled her eyes, but was smiling just as happily.
The day of their final lesson was upon them. Surprise addressed the line up with all the authority of a rodeo clown. "Alright you foal ups! It's time for your FINAL EXAM! Are your bodies ready for the challenge of EXTREME Capture the Flag? Because if you aren't, it's time to get ready! Two teams, Skybound and Daring. Team Skybound's captain will be Rrrrrrrrrainbow Dash!"
"A wise choice," Dash said with all the modesty she could muster, which was none.
"Well you'd better hold on to that moxy because team Daring's captain is the great Giiiiiiiildaaaaaaaaa."
Gilda felt herself glaring at her teacher when she felt a poke and turned to see Dash rubbing her fore hooves together excitedly. "You ready to get a beatdown, G?"
Gilda ran her claws through her head feathers cooly, "That's a question you should be asking yourself."
The game was long and hard and while Gilda's strength did a lot to hold back the other team, she found her own team was slow to follow her orders no matter how loud she yelled. It had come down to a tie, much to Surprise's glee.
Gilda had planned to blitz to the other team's flag while the rest of her offensive team pulled a feint, but she noticed her defense had left a wide open gap and that Dash had already taken her flag and was heading back to her own side. Gild did a quick 180 and sped to intercept Rainbow. Dash's eyes went wide with shock when she saw Gilda heading for her head on. When Gilda looked in her friend's eyes her vision flashed and she was suddenly seeing her former instructor lying in a heap on this very field.
Gilda's wings gave out and she found herself rolling on the ground until she caught hold of the earth. Dash sped to her side, scoring the winning point. Surprise flew around the field throwing confetti as Dash pranced happily past Gilda's team.
"You got lucky, pony!" Gilda said with mock menace. Dash only smiled wider.
Surprise quickly herded all of the class into line up to address them for the last time. "Alright class, that was... acceptable. You've all proven that you're at least good enough to fetch my morning mocha. And remember; no matter what you do in life, if you're not having fun, then you're doing it wrong! Now get lost!" And with that she produced a smoke bomb from her mane and threw it to the ground. When the smoke cleared she was, of course, gone.
"What a corn dog," Gilda said loudly eliciting much laughter from the rest of the class. She felt something touch the back of her neck and she turned around to see Surprise holding a bull horn.
"WHO YOU CALLING A CORN DOG, CORN DOG!" Surprise then gave her a raspberry as she took to the skies laughing all the way and shouting one last, "SURPRISE!".
As they started the trip back to their bunks to pack their things, Gilda kept giving the still giggling Dash dirty looks. "It wasn't that funny!"
"Oh come on, it was pretty funny."
Gild let herself smile, "Okay, maybe a little. Now meet me back here when you've got your stuff."
It didn't take Gilda long to get her small bag of stuff together so she had a couple of minutes to wait as Dash gathered her things. Gilda watched the campers as they went to the main entrance with their friends. She saw Heart Throb with her friends all with matching hair bows and horse shoes fly past gossiping amongst each other. She saw that Stormy, while never reconciling with his old gang, seemed to have made friends with that annoying grey pegasus. The pony even smiled when he called her "Derpy". Gilda stuck out her tongue in disgust when Stormy actually kissed the pony on her still faintly dye stained cheek. Stormy then flew off faster than Gilda had ever seen him leaving the little girl giggling to herself as she trotted off... and right into a tree.
Finally Dash arrived with her duffel bag and the two made their way towards the main gates. Gilda told Dash what she'd seen and Rainbow also stuck out her tongue at Stormy's twisted act of depravity. As they walk passed the training fields a voice called out, "Rainbow Dash!"
They both looked up and saw a familiar form come gliding slowly down. Gilda could swear her heart stopped and Dash's face lost all expression as she said, "Firefly?"
Their old teacher stumbled a little on the landing, but she quickly composed herself. "I was just out stretching my wings. I gotta start getting back into shape."
Dash looked like she was debating between anger, sadness, and joy. "But you said..."
Firefly smiled apologetically, "Here's a free non-flight related lesson for you. When someone's really hurt, they'll often say or do things they don't really mean. I may not be ready for the next batch of fillies, but the one after that won't be able to get out from under my hoof." Her face took on a serious look. "But I'm not quite done with this crop. You and I have unfinished business," she said pointing her hoof towards them.
Gilda felt her throat clamping up as Firefly walked closer. A million things raced through her mind that she wanted to say. Then Firefly stopped directly in front of Dash. "I recall a certain pony saying that she'd circle the whole camp in, I believe it was, ten seconds flat." Dash smiled warmly and suddenly all of Gilda's guilt turned to anger. This was her last day with her best friend and in sweeps Firefly to take even that away from her. She hid it as best she could.
Gilda punched Dash lightly on the shoulder and said, "Well go on, show her how good you are." Dash then leapt straight into the air and streaked into the sky. Gilda could feel it every time Firefly glanced her way, but Gilda made sure that her eyes never left the rainbow blur in the sky.
After the longest seconds she'd ever experienced Rainbow Dash came sweeping and landed, panting heavily. "So, how'd I do?"
Firefly's face was stern, "Well, it wasn't ten seconds. Not by a long shot." Firefly then smiled, "But you did just demolish the camp record. A record that, I might add, has stood since I earned it back in my Junior Speedster days. So I suppose that counts for something. You are dismissed Rainbow Dash, give my regards to the Wonderbolts."
They both turned to leave when Firefly called out again, "Gilda, a moment please."
Gilda swallowed hard as Dash said she'd wait for her at the gate. Then she slowly approached her instructor. "Gilda, I want to talk about what happened." Gilda couldn't read her face, but a thought suddenly struck her; 'Camp was over, she didn't have to do anything she didn't want to.'
Gilda ran a claw through her head feathers as she spoke, "Hey listen, I'm glad you're feeling better, I really am. But I got a long way to fly until I get home so I'm gonna go. Like, right now. See ya." Gilda then turned around and flew as fast as she could to catch up with Rainbow, leaving Firefly far behind her.
Gilda caught up with Dash right by the main gate. "So what did Firefly want with you?"
"Nothing important, just told me to stay out of trouble and all the junk," Gilda said as though it was the most boring thing in the world. Gilda then began to claw the ground uncertainly, "So that's it for Junior Speedsters huh? It was actually kind of lame if you think about it. Just a bunch of repetitive exercises wrapped up with a doofy chant and-," Gilda was cut off as she found herself being hugged very tightly by her friend.
"Promise me you'll write as often as you can," was all Dash said. Gild felt her shoulder becoming damp.
"I promise, I promise," Gilda said quickly and then added, "C'mon, don't cry! You're going to make me lose it too."
"I'm not crying," lied Dash as she squeezed tighter.
"Me either," Gilda also lied as ran her claws through her friend's mane as she held her, neither one wanting to let go.