Chapter 4: The Offer

Gilda quickly looked away from Pinkie Pie so that the pony wouldn't see her tears. She was not going to let anypony think that she was weak, especially not this one. If anyone was responsible for the griffon's only friendship being ruined aside from Gilda herself, this pink pony definitely played a part.

"What do you want Stinkie Pie?" Gilda growled angrily. She didn't really mean the insult, she just prayed that Pinkie Pie would take it as a hint and hopefully leave her alone. Gilda did not need the company of some dweeb, especially since this dweeb was the one that caused her to have that outburst in the first place. If it hadn't been for this fuzzwad Rainbow Dash and I would still be friends. Gilda thought angrily. She knew in her heart that she was the one who had ruined her friendship, but at the moment she didn't care.

Pinkie Pie however ignored the insult and kept on talking, much to the griffon's dismay. "Why are you crying Gilda?" she asked in a curious tone.

"I am not crying Pinko!" Gilda angrily snarled, having wiped the tears from her eyes. The griffon turned to face the pink pony with a look of intense anger, but deep down she didn't mean it. Gilda didn't truly hate Pinkie Pie anymore. The griffon knew that it was her own fault that she lost Rainbow Dash. The only reason she glared at the pink pony was because she hoped that the angry look on her face would scare her off. Unfortunately for her, Pinkie Pie stood her ground and the two of them began to argue back and forth.

"Yes you are."

"No I'm not."

"Yes you are."

"No I'm not."

"Yes you are."

Gilda's golden yellow eyes glared into the bright blue eyes of Pinkie Pie which stared innocently, yet firmly back for a moment before Gilda finally gave up. The griffon knew that this petty fight was going nowhere. Both her and Pinkie Pie were starting to sound like immature foals.

"All right so maybe I am. Why would you care?" she snapped. "Last I checked, you and I weren't exactly friends."

Pinkie Pie had a strange look on her normally cheerful face. What's wrong with her? Gilda wondered. Aside from everything I've already seen.

"Because silly," the pink pony answered, ignoring Gilda's scowl at being called silly. "I hate seeing anypon-err griffon" she amended. "cry. I want everyone to be happy. So what's wrong? You can tell me."

"No." Gilda said. "It's none of your business."

"Come on." Pinkie Pie pleaded. "I just wanna help."

Gilda was surprised by this. I yell at her. I insult her. I ruin her party and she wants to help me. Gilda thought. Rainbow Dash has some weird friends.

"But why would you help me?" she asked in a curious tone, having dropped all attempts at scaring the pony off. What pony in the right mind would help someone like me?

Pinkie Pie looked at her and spoke in a rather off-putting serious tone. "I already told you I hate seeing anypony or griffon cry. I wanna help you even if you have been a Meany McMeanPants. Besides the whole reason I threw that party was to help you make friends. To turn that frown upside down. I didn't wanna split you and Rainbow Dash apart. That's not what parties are meant to do. That's not what I'm meant to do." Pinkie Pie had a strange look on her face. It looked strangely like guilt.

Gilda looked at Pinkie Pie and for the first time in what seemed like an eternity, a part of her was warmed. A part that she felt was long since dead inside of her: her heart. To think that a pony that Gilda had been nothing short of cruel towards was offering to help her definitely touched Gilda's heart. However, while Gilda was touched by Pinkie Pie's generous offer she shook her head dejectedly.

"There's nothing you can do Pinkie." She responded in a defeated tone. "There's nothing anyone can do." I've done too much to be forgiven. Even if this pony were to help it wouldn't matter. Rainbow Dash would still hate me. I don't deserve her. Gilda's tone made it clear that she had given up on getting back on Rainbow Dash's good side. There was no more fight left in the griffon. None of the usual confidence that was strikingly similar her one time best friend's personality remained.

Pinkie Pie however didn't share the griffon's feelings one bit. With her usual optimism and her usual energetic tone, she responded.

"You never know unless you try."

Gilda looked at her and thought to herself. Is she seriously trying to help me? After everything I put her through? After all of the insults and all of the threats? Maybe she's not so lame after all. Maybe just maybe she could help me get Dash to forgive me.

"Do you really want to help me?" Gilda asked. Pinkie Pie nodded her head a whole bunch of times to the point that Gilda was scared that it would fly right off her neck. "Well all right then but you need to know my story." the griffon said, hoping to drive Pinkie Pie away at the thought of being told someone's life story. She wanted Rainbow Dash back but she knew that she would have to tell Pinkie Pie the story of her life if the pony were to have a chance at helping her and she would much rather forget her life story completely. Even Rainbow Dash knew very little about Gilda's life before she attended Flight School.

Pinkie Pie however didn't seem to mind the thought of hearing Gilda's life story one bit. On the contrary she smiled brightly at the idea. She started bouncing all over the place in her excitement causing Gilda to fear for the safety of both of them.

"I love a good story. Especially the ones with happy endings." the pink pony cheered. She finally settled herself down and plopped herself on the ground. She stared eagerly at Gilda with her cheerful and energetic smile firmly in place.

Gilda grimaced as she replied. "Well, this story doesn't have a happy ending. Are you sure you want to hear it?" If she doesn't leave then I'm stuck telling her things I'd rather forget.

Pinkie Pie nodded a bunch of times extremely fast once again. I swear it's a miracle this pony's head is still on her shoulders. Gilda thought.

"Well, all right." Gilda said, but in a firm tone she continued. "But unless I say so this is only between us you can't tell anyone." If she spills the beans she'll know just how angry I can get. That time at the party was just a taste of what my anger is like. Gilda thought to herself. She distinctly remembered the few times someone had pushed her over the edge. She definitely wasn't proud of what she did on either occasion. Both of those incidents were secrets that Gilda was going to take to her grave. Even Rainbow Dash never knew about Gilda's darkest moments. Pinkie Pie agreed to keep Gilda's story a secret.

"Cross my heart hope to fly stick a cupcake in my eye." She said in an innocent tone complete with a sweet smile.

Gilda was extremely confused by what she considered such a bizarre statement but from the look on Pinkie's face she was being honest and would keep everything she heard a secret. She better keep my story a secret. Gilda thought angrily. However despite her anger, she kept herself quite calm as she started to speak.