Pinkie Pie: So you're working on the episode with that meanie griffon Gilda now?

Karsap: Yes. You got a problem?

Pinkie: Nope.

Karsap: Good.

Disclaimer: I own only the following: Charles.

Chapter 5: Griffon the Brush-Off

Daytime in the outskirts of Ponyville…

Pinkie Pie was jumping up and down as she rambled about something. One a bench nearby, Twilight Sparkle was sitting down on it and reading a book.

"Hoof-biting action overload!", the pink earth pony was saying. "She was like a stunt superstar, flying higher and higher, and then Rainbow Dash swooped down, swoosh!" She zipped off, then hopped back. "And right before she hit the ground, shoom!" She floated whle doing this, then landed on her hooves "She pulled up! Vroom!"

"Uh-huh." Twilight wasn't paying attention as she replied.

"And then she looped around and around, like woo-woo-woo-woo-woo-woo-woo!" She mimiced the action with her head, eventually becoming so dizzy that she collapsed to the ground.

"Uh-huh."

The pink pony wound up on her back, giving her a good view of Rainbow Dash soaring overhead. upon seeing the pegasus, she bounded up and raced after the blue flyer.

"Phew!", Twilight sighed in relief as she flipped a page with her teeth rather than magic, and continued reading. "Hmm…I wonder where Charles is.

"Rainbow Dash!" Pinkie called out to her. Rainbow Dash notices her and produces an annoyed look.

"[moans] Pinkie Pie? Not again." Dash whispered to herself and started flying faster.

"Rainbow Dash." Pinkie began galloping to catch up.

"Not now, Pinkie Pie." Dash said to her and started flying even faster.

"But, but Rainbow Dash-"

"I'm in the middle of something."

"But-"

"I said not now-[grunt]." she suddenly crashed into something and started sliding down from it. As soon as she hits the ground Pinkie was waiting for her.

"I was gonna tell you to look out for that mountain." Pinkie explained. Dash grumbled at the typical random Pinkie Pie.

A while later…

Charles was taking a walk along the town square when he noticed Pinkie Pie trotting happily. Curious, he decided to approach her just as she reached a produce cart where Cloud Kicker, Derpy Hooves, and another pegasus pony were conversing with one another. The third pegasus had a chartreuse coat, dark pink hair, amaranth-colored eyes, three suns as her cutie mark, and her name was Merry May.

"Hi!", Pinkie greeted them just as he came over as well. "I'm looking for Rainbow Dash. Have you seen her?"

"Sorry, no.", answered Merry as she and the others shook their heads. Pinkie then noticed Charles and turned to face him.

"Hi there, Charles! Have you seen Rainbow Dash?"

"Nope."

"Okay, thanks anyway." She then—with Charles following—walked over to Twilight Sparkle, who was just outside a bookshop. "Twilight! Have you seen Rainbow Dash anywhere?"

Twilight pointed up. "Isn't she right up there?"

The three of them looked up to see her rear half protruding vertically from a cloud she was hiding in.

"Rainbow Dash!", Pinkie cried out in a singsong manner.

Up came the striped mane, a wisp of cloud adhering to it over a truly freaked-out face. She looked one way, then another, and took off with enough speed to nearly pulverize the rest of the cloud, leaving only a few tufts. Pinkie, completely unfazed, began hopping along the road after her at a leisurely pace. Rainbow Dash then came to Sweet Apple Acres and hid behind the barn. She checked to see if Pinkie was any far behind.

"Phew. That was close." Dash sighed in relief and turned to leave.

"Hi!" Pinkie mysteriously appeared in front of her and scared her. She screamed and flew as fast as she could away from Pinkie to find another hiding place. Pinke was doing the same slow hop as last time to Dash's direction. Dash found the library tree and hid inside the branches and leaves. She checked to see if Pinkie was around but didn't see her. She panted tiredly and thought it was over.

"Hi again." Pinkie said under her as Dash was standing right on her. She screamed again and flew away to find yet another hiding spot. Pinke continued the slow hop following Dash. But Dash was hiding behind a cloud above her and started going the other direction. She landed near a lake a looked out in the fields to see her. Pinke again randomly appeared out of the lake wearing snorkle gear.

"Pfeh. I need a favor, Rainbow Dash." Pinkie said as she spat out the snorkle from her mouth. Dash was ready to retreat again.

"Waaa-oh, forget it." Dash gave up and fell to the ground in defeat.

"I totally promise it'll be totally fun." Pinkie assured.

"[sighs] Okay." Dash said in a depressing tone.

Three minutes later…

Charles arrive at the library.

Charles sighed as he then rapped at the door. Spike answered it.

"Hey there, Charles." Spike then made his way out.

"Hey there, Spike. Where do you happen to be going?"

"Don't you remember?"

"Oh, right. See ya."

Five minutes later…

Charles left the library, just wandering about.

"Over to the right!…No, no, a little to the left!…Oh, wait! Back to the right!"

Charles started up, and saw that he was at the pavilion. Rainbow Dash was adjusting the position of a nearby cloud. Pinkie Pie was nearby, working her hooves around through several angles, squinching her eyes as well. Apparently, the two were up to something, and Rainbow's patience was wearing thin.

"Now, a little leftish while staying rightly." The assistant did her best to follow this one. "Stop! Hmmm…maybe a few inches to the south! Now a couple of centimeters north! Okay, one more smidge-a-meter to the—"

Rainbow Dash then lost it. "PINKIE PIE!"

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

The cloud had ended up almost exactly above the front doors. Pinkie then peeked through a window, and that was when Charles realized whom they were gonna do their thing on. He was about to enter the pavilion to give a warning when Pinkie suddenly pulled him away and covered his mouth.

Spike then exited the pavilion, whereupon Pinkie—while still holding Charles—threw a quick gesture skyward. Rainbow proceeded to give the cloud a swift buck, causing a sudden flash of lightning that frightened Spike into dropping his scrolls. Pinkie then let Charles go and leaned intently toward Spike, who stood stock-still for a moment…before starting to hiccup. Rainbow smiled and Pinkie laughed as the cloud brought the former down to the ground.

Charles groaned in failing to 'rescue' Spike as he continued to hiccup.

"Oh, Rainbow Dash, we startled Spike into getting the hiccups!", Pinkie said. Everyone but the stallion laughed with her.

"Good one, Pinkie Pie!", the baby dragon replied in between hiccups. "You're always pulling a fast one on me." He then picked up one of the scrolls, but hiccuped a lick of fire over it and yelped in surprise. It vanished in a wisp of sparkling pink smoke.

"Oh dear.", complained Charles; Spike just sent a message to Princess Celestia by mistake.

"Oh, no!", gasped Pinkie. "You're not hurt, are you?"

"Nah.", Spike hiccuped. "Don't be silly. Dragons are fireproof."

"Oh…okay. Good." She and Rainbow then traded a smile and started laughing again while Spike rounded up several other scrolls. Another incendiary hiccup burnt the lot and left him staring haplessly after the inadvertent mass mailing.

"I wish the same thing were true of scrolls."

Charles can't help but make a joke out of this one. "And might I say that this is Equestria's first ever…junk mail delivery."

"Junk mail?", both prankster ponies asked as Spike continued to pick up scrolls—and inadvertently send them via hiccups.

"Unsolicited or undesired messages."

The two mares turned to one another, then burst into laughter once again.

"Have you ever seen anything more hilarious?", Pinkie asked before falling back laughing.

Rainbow gave a wicked smile. "I can think of one thing." That "one thing" was to kick the cloud for another lightning flash. It would take more than that to get the jump on Charles, but it was sufficient to startle Pinkie—and it left her with the hiccups as well. She started alternating between these and giggles. "I didn't take you for a prankster, Pinkie Pie."

As the pegasus flew down, the earth pony had stood up. "Are you *hic* kidding? I love to pull pranks! It's all *hic* in good fun, and Pinkie Pie loo—*hic*—ooves to have *hic* fun! *hic*"

"You know, Pinkie Pie, you're not as annoying as I thought." Pinkie gave out another hiccup. "You want to hang out?"

As she spoke, she was cut off with hiccups as she was sent flying all over the place. "That'd be—I'd really—when do—I mean—when would you—" Rainbow then stopped her with a hoof over the mouth.

"A simple nod will do."

Pinkie complied and the two conspirators then smiled at each other. Meanwhile, Charles had taken up Spike on his back, who had his tongue stuck out.

"Okay, now keep doing that for several minutes.", Charles advised.

Dash and Pinkie went to the prank store to buy prank products. They went to Rarity's boutique and put a stack of flowers in front of her door and put some sort of powder on it. They rang the door bell and hid behind some nearby bushes.

"Is she even home?" Dash asked.

"I don't know. This is gonna be gold." Pinkie snickerd along with Dash. Rarity opened the top part of her dutch door and looked around for her ringer.

"There she is." Dash said and both pranksters hid behind the bushes. Rarity notices the flowers below her and was delighted to take a sniff. She then felt something on her nose and pulled out to see a powder on her nose. She was gasping lightly until she sneezed a couple times. She then heard lauging and saw Dash and Pinkie laughing with a can of sneezing powder with them. Dash swiftly ran from Rarity and dropped the can with Pinkie behind. She then made a huge sneeze and zoomed out of the scene with Rarity having an amusing smile on her face.

Later…

Charles had remedied Spike of his hiccups. He then made his way to his "training range". the "training range" is actually a empty room with a training dummy.

Charles prepared his "magic horn blade" and 'whacked' away at the dummy, dodging its 'counterattacks' and performing parries. It wasn't much, but it'll have to do. This was his only means of reveling in combat.

All of a sudden, he thought he heard a small explosion and breaking of glass. He then remembered Twilight doing a chemistry experiment.

[screen mode]

{Cut to Charles in the center of the room. Fade to a close-up of his face and pan slowly to the right.}

Charles: (thinking) Okay. Take a deep breath.

{Charles takes a deep breath, then lets it out.}

Charles: (thinking) Take a few more. Tune out all general distractions. Do not fall asleep. Just clear your mind.

{Charles takes another deep breath, then lets it out again. Cut to a view of the orange unicorn as the 'camera' pans around him. Slowly, the following disappear with each deep breath; the landscape, then everything outside the "training range", and then the whole training range itself, leaving only Charles as he mentally attempts to meditate. Fade to a close-up of Charles' head. All of a sudden, his ear perks as if catching something.}

Charles: (thinking) Someone's about to attack. I wonder if—no, I must focus should they strike.

{Cut to an overhead view of Charles. The 'camera' then tilts upward and pans down so it then eventually ends at his face. Suddenly, he opens his eyes and turns them to his right.}

Charles: (thinking) There!

{Entire background returns to normal as everything goes slow-motion. Charles' horn glows as he zips to the area immediately behind him with the "flash-step" spell. As he 'steps' away from the 'camera', a rainbow-colored streak slowly passes across where he was a second ago from the left. Time resumes normal speed as a crash is heard from the right.}

Charles: Nice tr—ack!

{Charles was cut off by a pink streak catching him from the right, sending him off-screen. A crash is then heard from the left. Camera zips to the left to reveal the pouncer having been Pinkie Pie. They had crashed into the wall of the "training range".}

[end screen mode]

"Oww, you got me, Pinkie Pie.", Charles said with a smile. "I'll admit I was lucky with Rainbow Dash."

"That was luck?!", Rainbow asked as she zipped over.

"Yeah. You two make for great reflex practice.", he gave a genuine smile. "Thanks."

"You're most welcome, Charles!", replied Pinkie. "I don't think we were even trying to prank you." She turned to Rainbow. "Uhh…what were we supposed to do to him?"

"We just did it. I was wondering if he has a sense of humor."

"You really take me for somepony who doesn't know how to have fun?" Neither mare had an answer for that. "I do too. Pranks are just not my thing."

"Is snarking yours?"

"No. Combat practice is."

"You're one strange pony.", Rainbow said, which resulted in the stallion raising an eyebrow. "Sure. I think I can help with that."

"How?"

"I'm a black belt in karate."

"Oh, that's nice to hear. Although, I'm not sure if a martial artist and a magical warrior like myself is a good match-up. But better than nothing, I guess."

"Let's duel tomorrow, okay?"

"Sure."

At Sweet Apple Acres Applejack was pulling out a cart getting ready to work on gathering more apples for the day. She then gasped to see every single apple had changed with multiple colors on them.

"Land sakes!" Applejack said in disbelief. She then heard chuckling. She turned to see Dash and Pinkie with paint brushes and paint trays. They laughed at the sight of the surprised farmer but quickly turned to fear to see Applejack throw there colored apples at them in anger. Applejack sees an apple colors wash away to it's original red look in a barrel of water. She couldn't help but chuckle to see what they did.

A few hours later…

Charles decided he had enough solo practice for today and decided he would take a walk. He made his way to a stream bend, where he saw Fluttershy tending to several fish and a couple other water-dwellers that began to gather at the bank. As he caught her in her sights, he decided to make his way to her. But instead of walking around, he cast his water-walking spell and started to trot his way across the lake.

As he did, his foot touched something he knew wasn't from the lake; he turned to the left and saw a turtle…which was an obvious fake. He saw that there was a long tube attached to its rear and it trailed back across the stream. As it squeaked a bit, his eyes followed the tube to where it disappeared over a hill on the opposite bank. A telescope was extended up from behind.

On the far side, Rainbow Dash watched the scene through this telescope while Pinkie jumped up and down, a rubber bulb in her teeth, which was attached to the other end of the tube and was providing the noise.

"Is someone over there?", Pinkie asked. "Who are we gonna squirt? Who are we gonna squirt?"

Rainbow snickered before giving an answer. "Fluttershy."

"What?!" Pinkie spit out the bulb. "No, no, no, no, no, no. We can't prank Fluttershy. I mean, she's so sensitive. It'll hurt her feelings, even our most harmless prank."

Rainbow backed up from the scope. "Yeah, you're right." She then blew a raspberry and turned to Pinkie. "Huh. We need another victim who's made of tougher stuff."

She failed to notice Pinkie's struggle to contain a laugh and puts her eye back to the scope for a moment. She backed off again, not realizing there was a ring of ink around her left eye, left by the scope's eyepiece.

"So, who's it gonna be?"

"Oh!" Pinkie gave a giggle. "I've got someone in mind—the toughest around."

"Oh, awesome!" Rainbow Dash looked around. "Who, who? Do I know them? Is it Charles? I could swear I saw him walking on the water a while ago."

The two ponies made their way to the bank, but Charles wasn't anywhere to be seen. "Oh, yes. You're very close."

As Rainbow looked into her reflection and noticed her inked eye, Charles suddenly popped out right next to them, having walked stealthily as they made their way to the water. "Yeah. Very close to a stern beating. Good thing Pinkie Pie has standards. Nice one there, by the way."

The three had a good laugh from the inked eye, then the earth pony and pegasus stopped upon noticing the unicorn, utterly stunned, and their eyes as small as pinpricks.

"I can be stealthy when I want to be.", he said with a chuckle. "And I know how to have fun too. You should've seen the looks on your faces." He then burst out laughing, and was soon followed by the others. He then put his hoof out for a high five, then yanked it back when Rainbow and Pinkie tried to slap it.

"So that means you're—", Pinkie was about to say.

"No. Pranks are still not my thing, I just happened to be in the area. We should go on home."

"Yeah. It's almost sunset. See ya, Charles."

"See ya." As the two pranksters left, Charles looked over to the other side of the bend. Fluttershy was now alone with the decoy turtle. She cautiously tried to pet it, only to see the head bounce back and forth on its spring, surprising her. I wonder if I should tell her what it really is? Either way, I should take her home.

Sunrise, the next day…

Just outside Ponyville proper, near Sweet Apple Acres, Pinkie Pie trotted down the dirt path beside Charles, wearing a pair of joke glasses with a big red nose and droopy mustache attached and blowing on a noisemaker. The earth pony was also wearing the classic "arrow through the head" over her mane.

The unicorn just rolled his eyes as the two of them approached Rainbow Dash's house. It was a house built of clouds and rainbows, sporting a number of Greek-style columns and floated at a very low altitude, but still above their heads. A stream of the variegated light spilt over the edge as a waterfall. Pinkie was here to greet her fellow prankster while Charles was here to invite his temporary sparring partner.

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

A head poked out, but it wasn't of their friend's, but that of a bald eagle with feathers swept forward on top of the head. It aimed a puzzled and slightly hostile yellow eye toward ground level. "Ooh!"

Three seconds later, Rainbow Dash popped her head up from the roof. "Mornin', Pinks! Mornin', Carl!"(1) She then dropped to ground level and addressed the newcomer.

"Gilda, this is Charles and my gal pal Pinkie Pie."

The visitor then descended with a shrill cry, revealing herself to be a griffon—brown-furred lion's body, tail, and hind legs; eagle's head, wings, and talons on the forelegs. All of Pinkie's joke items dropped to the ground when she and Charles got a good look at the creature, whose female voice and body language practically screamed "too hip for the room." in the unicorn's mind.

"Hey, what's up?", the griffon greeted.

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

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

Gilda spread her wings in a crouch and jumped toward the three. "She's half eagle, half lion—"

"And all awesome!", Gilda finished as she threw a foreleg around Rainbow's shoulders, who playfully pushed her away. After a playful snarl, the two of them laughed and chattered while trading their particular version of a secret shake. As the pink pony stared with some bewilderment, the unicorn (and only male in the area) put a hoof to his chin.

Hmm…now where have I seen her before? …Nah, must be another griffon.

"Gilda's my best friend from my days at Junior Speedster Flight Camp.", Rainbow explained, then turned to Gilda. "Hey, remember the chant?"

"Sh'yah. They made us recite it every morning. I'll never get that lame thing out of my head."

"Sooo…?"

The griffon mets her big smile with an unenthusiastic little groan. "Only for you, Dash."

Both rose into the air to do the choreography for the chant. Obviously, Gilda looked like she would rather be doing something else.

Now Playing: Junior Speedsters Chant

Junior Speedsters are our lives,

Sky-bound soars and daring dives.♪

The two then landed on the ground.♪

Junior Speedsters, it's our quest

To someday be the very best!♪

End Song

Pinkie's response was to laugh and stomp one hoof on the ground, prompting both Speedster alumni to turn their heads away in embarrassment for a moment. Charles just rolled his eyes once more.

"Oh, that was awesome!", Pinkie said. "And it gave me a great idea for a prank!" She shoved her head into the pile of novelties to put them all back in place. "Gilda, you game?"

"Huh. Well, I groove on a good prank as much as the next griffon." Gilda then elbowed Rainbow, spreading her wings. "But, Dash, you promised me we'd get a flying session in this morning." She then lifted off.

"Yeah, uh, well…Pinkie Pie, Charles, you don't mind, do you?" Rainbow started to hover. "Gilda just got here. We'll catch up with you later."

"Oh! Um…well, sure, no problem.", Pinkie said as they zoomed off. "Have fun, you guys! I'll, uh, just catch up with you…" She then sighed dejectedly and sat back on her haunches. "…later."

As the noisemaker in her mouth sounded off weakly, Charles was still waving at them. "See ya."

Later…

After his walk threw town Charles returned to the library, where Pinkie Pie was having a conversation with Twilight Sparkle, who was reading a book and flipping pages with magic. Spike was on the stairs, reading a different book.

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

"Um, yeah!", Pinkie replied as she continued to pace. "She keeps stealing Rainbow Dash away, she popped 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!"

"You know what I think, Pinkie Pie?"

"Hmm?"

"Well, I think…you're jealous."

"Jealous?!"

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

"Well, yes, jealous.", agreed Twilight. "Listen, Pinkie. I don't want to upset you, but just because Rainbow Dash has another friend doesn't make Gilda a grump."

"I'll have to agree with her.", said Charles. "I mean, this is a childhood friend we're talking about here. They haven't met for quite some time, and I'm sure they're just catching up on old times."

"I mean, perhaps it's you, Pinkie, who needs to improve her attitude."

The sole stallion turned to the pink earth pony and saw that the idea seemed to sit very badly in her brain under that fluffy magenta mane.

"Improve my attitude?", Pinkie said, stammering. "But I—but it's Gilda that—are you seri—" She then gave up on the discussion with a frustrated yell and stalked out, slamming the library door hard enough to shake the whole building. Twilight sighed as she and Spike traded a very worried glance.

"I gotta go.", said Charles as he opened the door. "I wanna know a bit more about Gilda. I want to assure myself that she won't cause trouble as I know griffons to have a general animosity against ponies."

"How do you know about griffons?", Twilight asked.

"Remember, I'm part of the royal Guard. Maybe you should read up on them." And with that, he followed Pinkie out of the library, although he nearly lost her. After a while, he found his way to the park and located her.

As he approached the pink earth pony, he heard her say, "Maybe Twilight is right. Maybe Gilda isn't a big mean grumpy mean meanie-pants. Maybe I'm just a big jealous judgmental jealous jealousy-pants." She then sighed.

"Pinkie.", Charles called and she turned to face him. "You obviously didn't tell Twilight everything in your fit of frustration. I'm sure she wouldn't have said what she had said had she understood better. Mind telling me?"

"Okay."

Sometime later…

"So that's what happened…"

The two ponies were now sipping an ice cream soda each at an outdoor table. The table was situated close to a building whose roof resembled a heavily decorated gingerbread house with two cupcakes stacked on top. There were candy-striped columns on either side of its two-part door, and iced-gingerbread fences by the flowerbeds, a sign marked with a cupcake hanging near one window, a water pump and trough stand at the opposite side, a weather vane and violet rock-candy projection at one end of the roof, and two upper stories decorated to resemble a pair of stacked cupcakes, with candles on the topmost one. According to Pinkie Pie, this was Sugarcube Corner, a bakery where she's employed in.

"Yeah."

"Well, judging by your story, it seems to me you're indeed jealous of her taking Rainbow Dash."

"But—"

"However, I can see that Gilda's either really a meanie-pants, or she's also jealous of you taking her. …Hold on. We don't normally wear clothes to begin with, do we?"

Just then, the sound of an overhead flight and two unmistakable laughing voices caused Pinkie to nearly upset both the table and her drink. Charles just looked up to see two familiar faces.

"That was sweet!", they heard Gilda say.

"Ugh.", replied Rainbow Dash as they flew among the rooftops. "…I gotta take care of a few weather jobs around here. Shouldn't take long." They then landed on the ground. "Just, uh, hang out in town and I'll come find you."

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

"Later!"

After Rainbow has flown away, Gilda looked around, then locked her eyes on a produce cart tended to by Lightning Bolt. Granny Smith was coming over to check out ears of corn. Charles then saw the griffon sneak into the cart and pop out her tail from the display, prompting a terrified scream from the old mare.

"A rattler! A rattler!", Granny yelled. "Run for the hills!" She proceeded to flee quickly as her creaky joints will allow—that is, not very. "Everybody run, save yourselves!"

Gilda then put her head up behind the display to see her handiwork, and Lightning gave her a puzzled look. Those looks were shared by Bon Bon and Amethyst Star, who were in the area.

Gilda then patted her tail on a tomato in the stand and said to Lightning, "This stuff ain't fresh, dude."

Pinkie, at her table, saw the whole thing alongside her friend. "Aw, poor Granny Smith!", she said. "She didn't know it was a joke. How mean!…No, no. I can't misjudge her. It was kind of a funny prank…I guess?"

"No matter how I look at it, pulling pranks on seniors is a crime in my book.", voiced Charles. "They could get a heart attack and…"

Just then, Gilda stopped at another produce cart. Medley was tending to it and Bon Bon and Shoeshine were customers. With a quick look back and forth, the griffon filched an apple using her tail without being noticed, then quickly consumed it with one chomp as she continued on.

Pinkie gasped angrily at this while Charles seemed slightly peeved. "I did misjudge her!", Pinkie said. "She's not only a meanie mean-pants, she's also a thief!…No, no, no, no, no. She might give it back. It's just a joke."

"Is it?", asked Charles. "I can tolerate one theft, but if she does a repeat offense, old friend of Rainbow Dash or not, I'll have to bring her to justice."

Just then, they saw Fluttershy walking backwards her eyes fixed on a family of ducks she was escorting down the street. "All right, little ones.", she said "This way, this way. Mama Duck, you're free and clear."

Surrounding ponies watched from where they stood…and none of them even warned her of Gilda's approach from the opposite direction until Fluttershy's rump collided with the half-avian's white-feathered crest.

"Hey!", the griffon demanded.

"Please excuse me."

"I'm walkin' here!"

Fluttershy began to back up, scared "Oh…um…I'm sorry…I-I-I was just trying to—"

Gilda cut her off and mocked her tone. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" She then viciously advanced as the ducks scattered. "Why don't you just watch where you're going, doofus?"

"But…b-b-but…I…I…"

The griffon sucked in a double lungful of air and let out a deafening roar directly into the meek pegasus's face. There was dead silence except for a sheep's bleat, which gave way to Fluttershy's sobbing as she fled the scene first on hooves and then by wings.

Charles could see everypony in the area stare in shock (as well as Cloud Kicker's eyes going askew) from this as something in his mind snapped. Pinkie saw all of this as well, including Gilda's run up to make sure she was gone.

"Ugh! Please.", Gilda then said as everypony (including Cloud) looked at her in disdain. "All these lame ponies are driving me buggy. I gotta bail." Just before she could fly off, she was tackled by something. As they began to roll along the dirt road, Gilda saw that her attacker was Charles, who looked straight up angry.

"Pranking a senior is one thing.", he declared as he stopped right on top of her. "Stealing without needing to is another. But scaring off Fluttershy like that, you've gone too far!"

Gilda kicked him off of her with her lion paw hind-legs. "So what, dweeb? You think you can just take me on?"

Charles swiftly got up on his feet in one smooth movement. "I'd love to see what a griffon can do."

"What's the big idea, punk?!", Gilda demanded as she prepared to charge.

"Have you not even looked at yourself, Gilda?!", Charles demanded as he readied his "magic horn blade". "Or are griffons generally this nasty to ponies?!"

"What do you care?!"

"What do I care?! I don't know what past you got with Rainbow Dash, but I'm not gonna tolerate bullies of your degree 'round here!"

"…I don't know what kind of gibberish you just spouted right now, but I'm gonna teach you a lesson!"

"It's you who needs a lesson learnt!"

Simultaneously, the two quadrupeds charged right for each other.

The fight was very rough, but against Charles' expectations, Gilda emerged victorious. The unicorn held back because he did not want to injure her too much, whereas the griffon was extremely relentless and did not go easy in the slightest. It was only after creating some moderate gashes in his body (as well as a scratch in the face) did she stop.

They had exchanged blows in their bout, "horn blade" and talons countering one another, Gilda taking advantage of her flight, Charles trying to rack up his memory on what to do against flying foes. Unfortunately, he hasn't been able to recall much and was trounced. He couldn't remember what Gilda said to him as he lay on the ground trying to regain consciousness, but he was sure it was an insult. Once she was gone, he struggled to get up.

"Oww…I'm really gonna need that spar with Rainbow Dash.", he complained to himself. (2)

"Charles!", a voice called. He struggled to turn and saw that it was Pinkie Pie "I saw the whole thing from over at the cafe!"

Charles was breathing heavily "Well, Pinkie, I guess I owe you an apology; you were right about Gilda all along."

Pinkie Pie looked angry in response. "She's a grump, a thief, and a bully! The meanest kind of meanie-mean-pants there is!" She nearly shouted. "I can take it, but no one attacks my friend like that! NO! ONE! This calls for extreme measures! Pinkie Pie Style!"

Charles cocked an eyebrow. "What are you planning to do?"

"I'm gonna...throw her a party!"

SugarCube Corner, an hour later:

Pinkie Pie now stood at the front door, where Charles saw Shoeshine enter. The stallion was standing with the rest of his friends, who have been invited as well. He had been patched up with a couple of white bandages thanks to Pinkie and was already in better shape.

"Welcome!", Pinkie said to her. "Welcome! Welcome!"

"Who's this Gilda I've heard nothin' about?", Applejack asked Rarity.

"I hear she's an old friend of Rainbow Dash, a griffon. So rare."

"Yeah. A rare pain in the—" Charles was cut off by somepony bumping into him, hitting right into one of his bandages. He cringed in pain. "Oww…"

"You've met Gilda, right?", Twilight Sparkle asked Fluttershy, who seemed to be feeling better. "What's she like?"

"Oh…um, well…I'll tell you later, Twilight." The yellow pegasus then approached Pinkie as Minuette and Golden Harvest were greeted. At around the same time, Charles did the same thing.

"Welcome!", Pinkie greeted. "Welcome!"

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

"Yeah.", agreed Charles. "Are you really sure about—"

"Don't worry your pretty little heads about mean old Gilda." Pinkie cut them both off, then knocked them on the head. "Your auntie Pinkie Pie's got it all taken care of."

She failed to notice that her response has left both of them rather vexed, and she turned back toward the door without bothering to hear their responses.

"I'm a year older than you.", said the pegasus.

"And I'm two years older than you.", said the unicorn.

Just then, Gilda entered and Pinkie jumped over to greet her. "Gilda! I'm so honored to throw you one of my signature Pinkie Pie parties! Well, It's also a welcome party for somepony else. But anyway, I really, truly, sincerely hope you feel welcome here amongst all us pony folk."

Pinkie then held out a hoof and gave a big grin. Gilda reluctantly shook the hoof—and received a full-body electric shock that sent the griffon tottering to the floor—and put an even bigger grin on the pink pony's face. Charles spied a joy buzzer attached to Pinkie's hoof as she laughed over the stunt and Gilda got upright with a scowl.

Rainbow Dash also laughed as she trotted over to the pair. "Oh, Pinkie Pie!", she said. "The old hoof-shake buzzer! You are a scream!"

Gilda forced a smile and chuckled. "Yeah. Uh, good one, Pinkie Pie."

Rainbow began to trot off. "Come on, G. I'll introduce you to some of my other friends."

"Right behind you, Dash!" Once the pegasus was out of earshot, the griffon turned to Pinkie menacingly. "I know what you're up to."

Pinkie was still smiling. "Great!"

Gilda gave an exasperated groan. "I know what you're planning!"

Pinkie just giggled. "Well, I hope so. This wasn't supposed to be a surprise party. Well, not for you, anyway."

"I mean, I've got my eye on you." Pinkie then leaned directly into her face.

"And I got my eye on you." At this line, she bulged her eyes out comically on this line, then backed off to leave one rather bemused bad girl standing alone. Now standing amid the crowd, Pinkie announced, "Everyone, I'd like you all to meet Gilda, a long-time, dear friend of Rainbow Dash." She then zoomed in to hug her. "Let's honor her and welcome her to Ponyville."

As she zipped away, Gilda shot a hairy eyeball after her, but quickly traded it in for a smile as the other guests cheered and Rainbow Dash threw a hoof around her shoulders.

"Please help yourself." Pinkie said as she stood next to a bowl of candy.

"Vanilla lemon drops!", said Gilda as she picked up one with her talons. "Don't mind if I do."

Gilda takes a piece and eats it. Instantly, Gilda squinched her entire face up in pain as steam whistled out from her ears and sweat sprayed from her face. She promptly let go with a fiery belch akin to a dragon breath. Pinkie then picked up a stick in her teeth so she can roast the marshmallow impaled on it in the flames before they died down.

"HOT!", gasped Gilda.

"G!", Rainbow called out. "The punch!"

Gilda raced past her, and took a full glass from one of the tables. She then gulped it hastily…or so she thought; as it turned out, the punch was leaking out of a hole in the glass.

There were laughs from everypony. "Well, what do you know?", said Pinkie. "Pepper in the vanilla lemon drops, and the punch served in a dribble glass!"

Rainbow chuckled. "Priceless. Priceless!" She laughed as Gilda zipped across the room and successfully downed another glass, gasping for breath.

"Yeah. Hilarious.", Gilda said sarcastically.

"Hey, G! Look! Presents!" Dash pointed at colorful rapped boxes on a table.

Greed brought the griffon over in a trice. She takes a can and opens it only to find plastic snakes pop out and startle her with her feather poofed up.

There was more laughter from everypony in the party.

"Spittin' snakes!", Applejack said to Rarity. "Somepony pulled that prank on me last month."

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

"You do?", Pinkie asked.

A third of an hour later…

Fluttershy had invited a group of birds, lined them up on a ledge, and was directing them in a song.

Just then, Pinkie Pie came over with a cake loaded with lit candles. "Cake time, everypony!", she said as she pushed the cake on a wheeled platform to the center of the floor.

Spike, who was late to the party because of some errands for Twilight, walked up to it. "Hey! Can I blow out the candles?", he asked.

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

Said griffon then flashed over, elbowing Spike away, her feathers back in order. "Exactly!" She then took a deep breath, blew out all the candles—and then is greatly perplexed to see them all relight themselves. Another try left her slightly winded and earned a round of laughs, when the wicks blazed back up. Several more attempts got the same result.

"Relighting birthday candles!", Spike laughed. "I love that prank! What a classic!"

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

"Yeah. I wonder.", snarked Gilda as Spike gobbled/tunneled himself into the cake.

"Who cares?", asked Spike, his voice muffled by cake. "This cake is amazing!" At the end of this, he popped out through the top, scattering frosting and candles everywhere.

"Spike!", Twilight scolded him.

"What? It's great! Try some."

This bit of gluttony started to work Gilda's last good nerve as Rainbow Dash came over.

"Hey, G.", she said. "You're not upset about some silly candles, are you?"

Gilda composed herself. "No way, Dash. Like I said, I'm down with a good prank."

"Hey, are you all right?", Twilight asked Charles as she stroked at the bandage on his face, making him wince.

"What?", he replied as he gave a sidelong glance at Pinkie, who was now behind the cake. "Only noticed this just now? Relax. It's just a paper cut." He gave a reassuring smile as he lied.

"That doesn't explain the other wounds." Twilight pointed at the other bandages.

"Um.. It's nothing."

"Uh.. Okay!"

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

The two turned to see that she's near the door. A paper pony tail lay before her, and a drawing of the tailless animal was tacked up on the wall.

"Let's play!"

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

Gilda grabbed it before Rarity can "Well, I am the guest of honor, and I'll have the purple tail.", she said.

"Yeah!", Pinkie agreed. "Gilda should definitely go first." Spike then produced a blindfold and walked over. "Let's get you blindfolded."

"Hey!", Gilda protested as Spike tied the cloth over her eyes and jumped off her back. "What are you doing?" She then gave a snarl as Pinkie grabbed hold of her and gave a heave that set her spinning, then backed away.

"We're spinning you around and around, and then you can pin the tail on the pony."

Once Gilda stopped spinning, feeling giddy, Pinkie guided the griffon right to the tail. "Now just walk straight ahead and pin the tail."

"Now just walk straight ahead and pin the tail.", Gilda parroted mockingly, then gave a snort. "Yeah, right. This is another prank, isn't it?" She then walked away from wall. "I'm going this way."

"Wait! The poster is this—"

One taloned foot came down in a splotch of frosting to send Gilda skidding and yelling across the room, straight through the bat-wing doors leading into what was apparently the kitchen. The resulting crash shook the entire house, and as clouds of flour puffed out, Gilda emerged a weary, bleary wreck, smeared with cake and various other sweet stuff. The blindfold was off, and the tail hung across her beak like a mustache.

"Uh, Gilda?", Pinkie attempted to make a joke. "You pinned the tail on the wrong end."

The ensuing round of laughter was the very last straw for the luckless griffon, who threw off all the gunk with a bellowing roar and hovered above the crowd.

"This is your idea of a good time?", she cried out. "I've never met a lamer bunch of dweebs in all my life! And Pinkie Pie…you!" She pointed in Pinkie's face, then leaned to her. "You are Queen Lame-o with your weak little party pranks! Did you really think you could make me lose my cool?" She then slid to Rainbow Dash. "Well, Dash and I have ten times as much cool as the rest of you put together!" She failed to notice her friend's face hardens. "Come on, Dash." Gilda walked to the door. "We're bailing on this pathetic scene." The pegasus did not stir a hoof even as her old friend stopped at the door. "Come on, Rainbow Dash! I said, we're leaving!"

Not a single face was smiling anymore, not even Pinkie.

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

This proved to be a direct hit to Gilda. "What?!"

"Ooh!", Pinkie said.

"So I guess I'm Queen Lame-o. "

"Come on, Dash! You're joshing me!"

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

Pinkie gave a smile to Spike. "I shoulda known! That dribble cup had Rainbow Dash written all over it."

"No way!" Gilda was in denial. "I-It was Pinkie Pie! She set up this party to trip me up, to make a fool of me!"

Pinkie seemed to be genuinely surprised at this. "Me? I threw this party to improve your attitude." She then turned her head until her face was upside down. "I thought a good party might turn that frown upside down."

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

The recipient of this tongue lashing snarled to herself and spread her wings. "Yeah? Well…you…you…you are such an…a flip-flop! Cool one minute and lame the next." Gilda proceeded to walk out "When you decide not to be lame anymore, give me a call." The door was slammed and her shrill cry was heard to mark her departure.

"Not cool."

"Wow. Talk about a party-pooper.", said Spike and there were general murmurs of agreement.

"I'm sorry, everypony, for bringing Gilda here. I didn't know how rude she was. And, Pinkie Pie, I'm really sorry she ruined that awesome party you put on for her."

Pinkie just gave a smile. "Hey, if you want to hang out with party-poopers, that's your business. "

"I'd rather hang out with you." Rainbow then held out hoof to shake. "No hard feelings?"

"No hard feelings."

The moment they shook, both of them got a jolt that started the whole crowd laughing—save for one pony—and the two pranksters joined in, turning over their hooves to reveal a joy buzzer on each."

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

Pinkie put a foreleg around her shoulders. "It's okay, Twilight. Even you can't be a super-smart smarty smart-pants all the time." Pinkie then turned to the crowd, half-rearing-half-jumping excitedly. "Come on, everypony! There's still a whole lotta party to finish!"

Rainbow came over. "Hey, Charles. Think you're up for a spar tomorrow?"

Charles gave a weak smile after realizing that Rainbow had taken into account his injuries that meant he was in no shape to spar for the rest of the day. "Yeah, I'd like that."

"What's wrong?", Rainbow then asked.

"I know this might sound odd coming from me, but…oh, never mind. We'll talk during our spar." It's about Gilda. I want to know more about her past with you, and I want you to perhaps try talking to her again. I don't want any of us to be responsible for wasting away a life we have no clue about.

After the party, just before his scheduled spar with Rainbow Dash…

Charles was in the library looking up a book about griffons, while Twilight Sparkle was writing her friendship report.

"Dearest Princess Celestia,", she began. "Today I learned that it's hard to accept when somepony you like wants to spend time with somepony 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 is true will surely come to light. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle."

As she then 'rolled up' the scroll, Charles noticed her 'take up' a bottle of what he remembered was disappearing ink. As he paused from his reading and walked over, he saw her 'place' a sticker over the disappearing ink to hide the fact that it was so.

"You plan to send that to the Princess?", he asked her.

"Of course. It's Tuesday today."

"I meant the ink."

"Oh, that? Well, I thought I'd try it out after Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie pulled off that one on me yesterday."

"I see. I'm sure she'll appreciate it."

Twilight then called for Spike as she 'put' the disappearing ink within the rolled-up letter. She then 'gave' the letter to him and he blew his green fire over it, sending it over to Princess Celestia.

Charles could only guess as to what Celestia's reaction was as he continued to read his book.

(1) Carl is a popular variant of the name Charles.

(2) Yeh, I know I skipped what could potentially be a good fight scene, but I was too lazy. And besides, Gilda had to be visibly unscathed for the party.

Next Chapter: Chapter 6: Boast Busters Estimated time remaining: 12 Hours, 32 Minutes