Chapter 1: Griffon a Second Impression

It was a bright sunny morning when the brown and white griffon named Gilda woke up. She got out of her bed, stretched her wings, and walked out of her bedroom. In the kitchen, she saw her best friend: the light blue rainbow maned pegasus pony Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash was Gilda's first and only friend for a long time. After being split up after a mere six months together, Gilda was able to see Rainbow Dash again three and a half years later. However, a combination of some hostile ponies, a few misunderstandings, as well as the griffon's rather aggressive personality forced Rainbow Dash to break off their friendship, much to the heartache of both of them. Roughly a year later, Gilda returned to Ponyville seeking forgiveness. However, while Rainbow Dash truly wanted to forgive her former friend, she couldn't be sure that Gilda was willing to change her attitude, and so she regrettably rejected her. Gilda had just about given up hope, but with the help of some unlikely friends, the griffon managed to earn Rainbow Dash's forgiveness and the two were just as close as they were before. Now they both lived together in Rainbow Dash's cloud house in the sky above Ponyville.

Gilda noticed that Rainbow Dash was too busy making breakfast for herself and Gilda to notice her entrance. Grinning mischievously to herself, the griffon crouched down low and silently snuck up behind the pegasus. Once she was directly behind Rainbow Dash, she wrapped her forelegs tightly around her best friend, causing Rainbow Dash to gasp in surprise. Gilda had always been a bit of a prankster, and she knew that Rainbow Dash was usually receptive to a good joke. Rainbow Dash turned to face Gilda with an angry look, which soon softened to a playful smile. Then the pegasus pony returned Gilda's hug eagerly.

"Morning Dash." Gilda said cheerfully. The griffon usually referred to Rainbow Dash as 'Dash' but sometimes she had another nickname for the rainbow maned pegasus. This nickname however, was only used during very special moments.

"Right back at ya G!" Rainbow Dash replied in her own cheerful voice. Similar to Gilda calling her 'Dash', Rainbow Dash referred to Gilda as 'G'. Just like Gilda, Rainbow Dash had another name for her best friend which she only used on special occasions. "Why'd you have to sneak up on me?" the pegasus continued with a fake pout.

"You know I couldn't resist messing with ya." the griffon answered. "You should have seen the look on your face. Totally priceless!"

Rainbow Dash continued with her false pout, but then her expression changed to mimic Gilda's mischievous grin. She wrapped one foreleg around Gilda's neck and with her other foreleg, she rubbed the top of Gilda's head with her hoof. Gilda grinned and the two of them laughed wildly before Rainbow Dash finally let go of the griffon. The pegasus went back to making breakfast, and while Gilda offered to help, Rainbow Dash refused. Both of them knew that Gilda's cooking abilities were not really the best to say the least. The griffon wasn't exactly a bad cook, but the only meals that she could cook were foods that ponies usually didn't eat, such as meat for example. Like most griffons, Gilda's diet usually consisted of meat. Now that she lived in Ponyville however, she had to adapt to other foods that were served. Luckily for her, Rainbow Dash always found a way to make seemingly boring foods like hay fries taste almost as good as a plate of bacon. Rainbow Dash may not have been a meat eater like Gilda, but she wanted her best friend to be as comfortable as possible.

Once breakfast had finally finished cooking, the duo sat down and ate the food that the pegasus had cooked. Gilda enjoyed every bite of her best friend's cooking. Rainbow Dash had done it again. She had taken a food that Gilda would normally never eat and turned it into something delicious.

"Hey Dash." Gilda began in a bit of an uncertain tone. "Do you think your friends will like me?"

Rainbow Dash looked at the griffon in surprise. It wasn't like Gilda to be concerned with what others thought of her. Gilda seemed a little uncomfortable about the subject and Rainbow Dash's eyes widened a little as she understood.

"I'm sure they will G." the pegasus replied. "They just need to get to know you. Pinkie's been nice to you right?"

"Yeah but she's the one that helped me get you back." Gilda replied. "Do you think the others might still hate me?"

Rainbow Dash looked at Gilda with an expression that was hard to read. She thought on how best to phrase her next statement and ultimately decided to just be honest.

"They don't hate you G." the pegasus reassured her friend. "They just never got over your first impression." She gave Gilda a look that she hoped would inspire some confidence. It worked. She saw Gilda's facial expression change from sadness, to hope, to her usual grin.

"Guess I'll have to give them a second impression then." the griffon replied confidently.

"That's the spirit G!" Rainbow Dash replied. "Just remember what I told ya and you'll be fine."

"Yeah yeah I know." the griffon answered. "Don't badmouth books around Twilight Sparkle. Don't insult fashion around Rarity. Don't badmouth Rarity around Spike. Don't worry Dash. I won't start anything."

"I know you won't G." the rainbow maned pony replied. "I just wanna make sure you don't get off on the wrong hoof with them."

"Twice." Gilda added with a sheepish grin.

The duo finished their breakfast and left the house. They flew down from the clouds and landed gracefully on the ground side by side. The duo walked through Ponyville together. While most of the ponies that were up greeted Rainbow Dash cheerfully, they didn't give Gilda the same treatment. The ponies around the griffon weren't glaring at her like they used to, but they weren't being as friendly to the griffon as they were to the pegasus. Gilda decided to ignore the ponies in town for now and instead focus on Rainbow Dash's friends.

"So Dash." Gilda began. "Who should I talk to first?"

Rainbow Dash knew what Gilda meant by that question. The answer wasn't as easy. Rainbow Dash closed her eyes for a moment before making up her mind.

"You should start with Applejack." the pegasus answered. "If she can forgive you then the others definitely will."

The duo walked towards Sweet Apple Acres where they would find the cowgirl pony. Along the way, Rainbow Dash filled Gilda in on everything the griffon would need to know so that she could avoid getting Applejack angry.

"Just remember G." the pegasus said as they got closer to the farm. "Applejack's the Element of Honesty so she can spot a lie in a heartbeat."

"I'm not gonna lie to her Dash." the griffon replied honestly. "If I'm gonna get her to forgive me then I'm gonna be straight with her."

Rainbow Dash nodded approvingly at Gilda's response and once the duo reached the entrance to Sweet Apple Acres, the pegasus remembered that she needed to get to work and she left Gilda after wishing her luck.

"Okay." the griffon whispered to herself. "Here we go."

The griffon proceeded to the door of Applejack's home and knocked.