An Eventful Morning:
The Unicorn Guard gave their respectful bows as the three of us left my sister's room, still keeping a careful eye on Gilda. There was a still air about us until Tia broke the silence halfway to the Raising Grounds.
"Now Gilda, I know that Luna brought you here to shelter from the Wing Guard, but that doesn't mean you aren't free to come and go as you please. Just try to not get to rough around the staff, they are still a bit nervous since the last Griffin High Council visit."
"I heard. And I'm sorry for their behavior. They're supposed to represent all of us, and it just seems-"
"No need to worry, everything turned out all right, eventually." Tia sighed. "But try to remember the reason for other's reactions. Some of the ponies of Canterlot can be just as prideful as a griffin." Tia smiled.
"And don't I know it." Gilda smiled in return, glancing at me.
"Well, yes." I coughed. "But please Gilda, don't feel restricted to just the castle. Explore and enjoy yourself while you're here. Just make sure to be back by nightfall for the class."
"Yes ma'am." Gilda gave a firm salute and walked off. I saw that my advice had not fallen on deaf ears, because Gilda walked away with a pride and certainty that let nopony question she was supposed to be here.
"And don't think for a second that I didn't notice the obvious lack of detail in your two meeting." Tia said, making me flinch. "But I'll leave that for another time. I shall see you at breakfast." And with that, Tia walked off, leaving me in the intersection where we had stopped. Which was fine for me, there was a pony I wanted to talk with.
With little effort, mainly consisting of asking passing maids, I was able ascertain the quarters of Quick Fix. I don't believe my questions were all that proactive however, for every time the ponies thought I was out of earshot, rapid discussion of my questions were apparent. I found that Quick Fix actually lived with his parents beneath the royal kitchen, which was a shock to me personally. I knew that they would need to be close by to get to work on time, but almost being directly connected to their work? It was baffling.
Not knowing quite what to do, I stood in front of the door that I had been told was Quick Fix's families. As I finally gathered enough confidence to knock, I heard Quick Fix's voice, muffled, on the other side.
"Dad, don't worry about the oven! We're not baking anything this morning. …Yes I'm sure; I made the menu last night! …I'm going to see if there's anything else to do this morning mom!" Quick Fix yelled behind himself as he opened the door.
"Make sure to be to the kitchen before the Princesses get to the dining room!" A woman called after Quick Fix.
"I promise to be to work before the Princesses get- Princess Luna!" Quick Fix said in surprise as he turned forward.
"Who's there dear?" The woman's voice called. "And what was that about the princesses?"
"N-Nothing mom! I'm going now! Bye!" Quick Fix said quickly as he came into the hall and closed the door.
"I'm sorry if I'm disturbing your morning routine." I said humbly.
"No! Not at all Princess. I was just going for a walk was all. Mom and dad just worry too much for their own good, so I have to keep reassuring them that I'm being proactive. But beside that, what are you doing here of all places so early in the morning?"
"I did say that I wanted to speak with you." I said, a bit confused on why Quick Fix was.
"W-Well yes, but you didn't need to actively seek me out!"
"Is there something wrong with that?"
"No! Not at all Princess."
"Then why don't I join you on your morning walk then?"
"I-I don't see why not." Quick Fix looked down.
"So? Which way shall we begin?"
"Whichever way you please, Princess."
"No, this is your walk, so you choose where we go." I said firmly.
"O-Ok then." Quick Fix began to walk the way I came. We walked in a very tense silence for quite a bit before Quick Fix started a, at best weak, conversation. "So, how was the weather last night?"
"It was very crisp and clear. An excellent night to fly."
"Oh."
"How was your night?"
"It wasn't anything too impressive." Quick Fix said dismissively.
"Well, tell me of it." I insisted.
"Ok, I guess. After I told dad of you, err, critique, he became a bit defensive of his work and said that he didn't care what the princess said, he would make each platter look as delicious as it was. I don't think he quite believed me when I said you said it, Princess Luna."
"I can't blame him, it is not like I comment on many things, much less such a personal matter." I nodded. "So, what of after that."
"Mostly just busy work like dishes, mopping, clean up, and a bit of help with the laundry."
"Really? You personally do that much? Why?"
Quick Fix went silent for a second. "Princess Luna? You have noticed that I don't have a cutie mark, right?"
"It has been a note." I admitted.
"Well, you should pretty much know what it means to not have a cutie mark this late in life."
"Mmm, usually it only means you haven't found what you're truly meant to do, correct?"
"That's the technical side, yes, but it also means that I'm really good for nothing."
"Now that is no way to think!" I was aghast with the thought that simply not having a cutie mark made one useless.
"It's not how I think, it's just how it is. It's one of the reason's I'm still with my parents; nopony wants to take a risk on me. I try, but I can't seem to find what I want to do. I keep trying new things, but nothing ever seems to stick. And why are you smiling like that?"
"Oh, you're just reminding me of three young fillies who are in about the opposite situation of yours. They're actively looking for their cutie marks probably as we speak."
"At least they have time to still be accepted as blank flanks." Quick Fix sighed. "You know, I always thought I would be able to open up my own little shop, just selling snacks on the street."
"That didn't go so well I presume?"
"It didn't go at all. For all my tries at just making a good apple slice or arranging a salad, it just never seemed to be as good as dad's. I never made an attempt to start, also, I was a bit to old to start a self made stand."
"I don't know, I've seen plenty handmade, self run booths."
"Probably none in Canterlot." Quick Fix sighed, making me bite back the comment on Ponyville, but as I did, I noticed we had come outside. I looked around and saw we were in the garden. This was actually quite a different experience, seeing it in the day like this.
"Do you come here often?" I asked, an idea springing to mind.
"Only when I have to much spare time. I didn't even notice I was walking here." Quick Fix took a look around. "There are usually a lot more ponies here though."
"I don't think that quite matter's right now, but I would like you to do something for me today." I said as officially as I could while still sounding friendly. I think I came off a bit to official with Quick Fix's reaction to standing up straight at attention. "I want you to keep an ear out for the name of Twilight Sparkle, and just an ear. I would like to hear of what you have to say of her later tonight here, in the garden."
"May I ask why Princess Luna? Is there something wrong?"
"No, nothing wrong, but there might be some overzealous action today with her, and I would like to know what happens. If things get overly complex to the point of problems, I want you to come and wake me immediately."
"Are you sure there aren't going to be any problems today?" Quick Fix was looking very nervous now.
"Nothing that my sister can't take care of for a few minutes. But even if nothing happens today, I still want you to come here after diner, understood?"
"Understood Princess!" Quick Fix gave a salute.
"Good." I smiled. "Now, instead of dinner, how about some breakfast? I'm starved."
"R-Right, we should probably get back." Quick Fix hurriedly headed back toward the dining room.
"Say, Quick Fix? You told me of your past, would you mind if I shared some of mine?"
"Um, I guess. But what do you want to tell me?"
I had to either thank or throttle Gilda for my next actions. "How do you think Celestia and I found the Elements of Harmony?"
…
"…And that is how Celestia and I came to meet Thorn, Godrick, and Taurus." I concluded the abridged version of our first meeting. We were standing in front of the dining hall's doors, and Quick Fix was just looking up at me in amazement.
"That's amazing! I mean, you and Princess Celestia are already amazing, but to meet such a manner of stubborn people in that time, and the group itself! I mean, a Griffin, a Dragon, and a Minotaur? That sounds like pure fiction!"
"Now, here's a little test for tomorrow." Quick Fix suddenly paled, and I chuckled a bit. "Tell me all that you can of it tomorrow."
"That's it?"
"That's it." I nodded. "Now, go make sure your father isn't fussing over the oven." I smiled.
"You heard that too?"
"I hear a lot of things."
With that, Quick Fix trotted off and I entered the dining room. Tia was already waiting and calmly drinking some tea. This offset me a bit, for this meant that Tia had been here long enough to actually have tea.
"I'm sorry for being late Tia, I just had to finish my talks."
"And I'm sure Quick Fix appreciates it." Tia smiled as she put the cup down. "How is he?"
"Active. Very active." I said shortly as I took my own seat. "It seems that he's a sort of all around helper around the castle."
"Really? I would have thought his parents would keep him busy with learning to cook."
"I believe they tried, it just didn't quite turn out like they wanted."
"And how is your student? Is she turning out like you wanted?" Tia turned the entire conversation around.
"She has…promise." I thought. "Determination is going to be a main point of the course, but there is going to have to be more than that."
"It is your course to teach." Tia admitted. "However, make sure that you don't just give your student's busy work all night."
"You heard about that?"
"I hear a lot of things." I twinged at the sound of my own words "I also read a lot of things, mainly Twilight's letters. I may need you tomorrow to calm a coming storm."
"Twilight Sparkle thinks Cadence is a changeling again?"
"Exactly." Tia nodded before looking at me. "How did you know?"
"Shining Armor told me last night." I sighed. "Things just don't seem to be going well for him recently."
"Or today. I still haven't seen him around the castle, even stopping by the marching grounds."
"That may be my fault Tia. I asked him to watch over Trixie while I did my nightly patrol."
"Which lead you to the old castle I presume?"
"Yeah." I looked toward the door, hoping for Quick Fix to come in and cut this line of discussion off fast. Unfortunately for me, there was no such luck.
"So, how did you come across Gilda?" Tia asked, looking more intent than before. "And I don't want a single detail missed."
"Well, it wasn't all that exciting."
"Luna." Tia said warningly.
"All right." I sighed. "So I've been visiting the old castle recently, out of nostalgia really…"
I accounted my actions and my slight manipulation to bring Gilda to Canterlot. After I was done with the brief account, only then did Quick Fix come in with a loaf of sliced bread and an assortment of greens to accompany it. It was a greeted break before Tia surely scolded me for my actions.
"I'm sorry for the delay Princesses, there was a bit of a, uh, heated discussion in the kitchen." Quick Fix explained. It was more than likely that it was more of a one-sided scolding for being late than a discussion. He had broken his promise to be to the kitchen before Tia and I had arrived.
"It is quite all right Quick Fix, we were having a discussion of our own." Tia excused Quick Fix. "And I ask you kindly to leave so we may continue."
"As you wish Princess Celestia." Quick Fix bowed and left quickly.
"So," Tia said as she fashioned herself a sandwich. "You met Gilda destroying some of the old castle and decided that she would be an excellent mentor for your class. Am I summarizing that correctly?"
"Yes sister." I nodded slowly as I made my own sandwich.
"Could you please tell me why? Why will Gilda make an excellent mentor to Trixie? Is that not what you are meant to do?"
"It is, but there are aspects of Gilda that will personify my lessons."
"Such as?"
"The darker route." I said as I took a bite of my sandwich to take a second to let the statement sit. "I may be the image of night, and even the scary, to the ponies, but all of these terms of night, darkness, frightening, fear, can have varying meanings. Gilda has the darker and more immediate past that Trixie will have to deal with."
"Oh really? And what makes you so sure of that? As I see her, she has a difficult past to be sure, but a dark one? I don't quite see it."
"Then think of it this way, what am I to you?"
Tia just stared at me for a second, a look of shock on her face. "I see you as my beloved sister. There is no way I doubt that."
"And when I became Nightmare Moon, banishing me was one of the hardest things you've ever had to do, correct?"
"Yes." Tia nodded.
"Now, think of Gilda. Just for being the way she is, she was out casted by her family and community. I may have fallen to darkness, but Gilda wandered there with no other place to turn to, and there are many things to learn from that."
"And are you sure Gilda is going to comply with you exploiting her hurtful past?" Tia asked me seriously.
"She probably won't." I acknowledged. "But to lead one out of darkness, one must learn how they got there."
Tia sat in thought, eating as she did. As she finished, she sighed once again. "You're sure of this?"
"I am."
"Then I'll trust your judgment." Tia smiled as she stood. "I believe I have a few things to attend to this morning."
"Are you not going to eat more? One sandwich certainly hasn't satisfied you that much."
"It is enough. And I don't want to keep you up later than necessary, you've had a few exciting days, and more excitement means more rest necessary."
As she mentioned it, I immediately felt more wary. Just the mention of sleep made my eyes droop.
"Well then, I shouldn't keep you from your duties." I said as I stood as well. "But I don't feel right just leaving this mostly untouched."
"Take it with you." Tia said as she walked past and toward the door. "I'm sure Trixie would appreciate some breakfast as well."
And with the mention of Trixie, I remembered where she was, and how she might have a negative reaction to awakening in my room. I quickly took up the platter and followed after Tia, making short work to head back to my room.
