Negative Reinforcement - Part 7.5

A few hours later back at Canterlot...



After returning to the castle after the mission, Gilda reported to the medical bay and began for surgery to have metal shards be removed from her wound she received from the mission.  Gilda was laying on her front upon a medical table inside a medical office with several bloody tools and towels of alcohol scattered around on a separate stand next to her, as a medic began pulling both large and small pieces of golden metal out of her lower back from when the master mage hit her with a magical laser not long ago.

Gilda was awake the entire time he pulled the sharp pieces of metal out of her body but braved the pain.  The medic used huge pliers and towels soaked in rubbing alcohol to clean up Gilda's wound which made the pain a little bit more extreme.  Till, Striker walked through the office door all cleaned up and unscathed from the mission and proceeded to look over her till the medic was done with his job.

"Hey, Gilda.  You ok?"  He said in a very low tone.

Gilda smiled with gentle eyes and replied, "Yeah.  Just going to be sore for a few days, but nothing a few painkillers can't fix."  Gilda gave a small chuckle and rested her head down again.

"That's good.  Hey listen, I never properly thanked you for saving my life.  I just wish we could have had ended the mission with our objective intact, but I filed my report a little while ago and I commended you for a few medals.  It's the least I can do."

"Thanks, Striker.  That means a lot to me.  Maybe now I can hang my medals next to my husband's once I receive them."  Gilda said, still trying to ignore the pain of the medics pliers.

"Well I notified Rockwell and he'll be headed down here soon."  Striker said as he sat next the table Gilda laid on to keep her company.  Till, Captain Shining Armour walked through the door with a neutral look upon his face.  Striker and the medic saluted in respect.

"At ease."  Shining shortly said.

"Sir."  Striker said as Shining looked at him.  

"Striker please wait outside the office.  I wish to speak to Gilda."

"Yes, sir."  Striker then scampered out the door as ordered.

"How's the surgery coming along doctor?"  Shining asked the medic.

"Just fine.  Just a few more pieces and I'll have Gilda's wounds patched up.  May need a few stitches though, but nothing too major."  The medic replied as he kept prying and cleaning the wound.

"Good."  Shining then looked at Gilda who looked up him, "I'm glad you and Striker made it out in one piece.  Sorry to hear the relics were destroyed."

"I'm sorry too, sir.  Me and Striker... tried to save them, but... it was too late."  Gilda replied she felt needles being sunk in for the stitches.  

"A lot of guard said they saw you bravely save Striker's life in the quick decision you made between the relics and him.  You have been recommended a few medals, but I will disavow them seeing as of how you chose to make the wrong decision."  Shining said.  Gilda could hear disappointment in his voice, but she got upset in hearing is decision to cancel the request of medals.

Gilda raised her head up in panic and replied, "What do you mean... disavowing my medals and making a... wrong decision?!"  Gilda had a bit of anger and pain seep into her voice.

"You damn well know.  You chose the life of Striker's rather than the life of the kingdom!  You failed me and you failed the kingdom by not saving the relics." Shining said with harsh words.

"Sir, in all respect, in the battlefield... scenarios change.  I didn't know which decision to make at that time."  Gilda said defensively.

"Well that is true.  But to be a good soldier you are to make the right decisions no matter what.  I'll say you have the skills of a true warrior, but you don't deserve anything for what outcome became of the mission."  

"How dare you, sir.  I did ALL I could.  You have no right to say I made a wrong decision in the heat of a difficult choice.  If it had been you darling little wife, Cadence, you would have made the same decision I would have made."  Gilda contested, as she raised her voice to Shining's face.

"Stand down Gilda!  What I say goes and be happy that your still a Royal Guard or even alive, because if you fail again you will be discharged.  We are done with this conversation I want no more of your contested words."  Shining then left the office and allowed Striker back in.

Striker heard the argument and rushed to Gilda slowly, "Hey, I heard yelling.  What was that about?"

Gilda laid her head back down and ignored the question with an upset tone, "Nothing."  She said plainly.




For the next full week, Gilda and Shining still kept arguing back and forth over her achievements for which she accomplished in her last mission that turned out to be not what they wished.  But despite the failure, Gilda still felt as if her actions that saved Striker's life and doing everything in her power to protect the objective would not go unnoticed or unrewarded.  Till it caught the attention of the most powerful figure in the kingdom, Celestia herself.  Shining and Gilda were called forth to a meeting with the generals, field marshals and council members in attendance, and Celestia with her sister, Luna at the head of the meeting.  Gilda thought her badgering was getting annoying to the very Alicorn she praised, for Celestia was her chosen goddess and didn't wish to make the situation anymore complicated.

Not long after, Gilda and Shining appeared before the princess in the meeting and Gilda was nervous as could be.  Gilda restrained herself from being irrational or angry during the meeting to avoid making a scene with Shining.  The room was small but narrow and long with two stands full of important figures on the left and right side of the room.  Gilda had never spoken to the princess before and the nerves began making the hair of her pelt raise along her back.  The stands were full of chatter, till dead silence took over as Celestia entered from the main doorway behind Shining and Gilda.  Celestia walked along the center of the room with Luna in tow behind her a proceeded to the front.  Shining saluted, but Gilda bowed before her chosen goddess as a deep sign of respect any Griffin could give to the princesses.



Celestia entered behind a podium that stood a few feet away from Gilda and Shining at the front of the room and started the meeting.  "Thank you all for participating in this meeting today.  I know what I bring to all your attention is minor in case, but is very troubling in certain principles.  We are having a dispute in our Royal Guard ranks.  Specialist Gilda Vadum and Captain Shining Sparkle have been arguing over the judgement of accommodations that Specialist Gilda believes to have earned in Operation Black Shadow."

Gilda about spoke out what she thought at that moment, but felt it would be not helpful or respectful, so she remained quiet.

Celestia continued, "In Specialist Striker's report, who of which was Gilda's partner in the operation, stated that she valiantly saved his life over the relics which they were to save and secure from Alisha's mages in Baltimare.  He commended her with a Star of Valor for her duty to save his life and a Golden Cross for upholding her duty as a Royal Guard.  All of which I believe are... satisfactory."

Gilda smiled a bit, but Celestia continued, "Though Captain Shining believes due to the failure of the operation and for choosing the life of Striker's versus the life of our kingdom that it was a wrong decision.  He disavowed the accommodations and Gilda is now upset over this."  A dead silence hung in the air for a bit as Celestia began reading reports again.  Celestia then looked at Gilda, "Specialist Gilda, you have quite the history of being amazingly intelligent and a well-rounded warrior.  Though your very first operation did not go as planned and your prime objective was... destroyed.  What was the objective?"

Gilda froze and reassessed her mind, "I-I... Um, the objective was to secure... magical relics stolen by Alisha's mages in the Baltimare Shipping Depot.  Which me and... Specialist Striker managed to infiltrate and steal back the relics.  Though the mages pursued us in force and after a terrible detonation under our cart that sent me, the cart, and Striker to the cliff's edge I had to make a decision by saving Striker's life or the cart.  I obviously chose Striker's life."

"What caused this... detonation?"  Celestia asked, as she wrote down important details on a small ledger.

"The mages chased us with a huge magical cannon and when it fired right underneath our tails it caused the cart to fly off to the cliff's edge."  Gilda replied.

"So in the heat of your decision:  Why did you save Striker rather than the relics?"  Celestia questioned further.

"It was because he was... my-my friend and he was the only one who ever liked me as a friend since I got here."  Gilda said as she believed to tell the truth.

Shining then spoke out, "I knew it.  See Celestia that is why I didn't give her praise.  Because she chose friendship over..."  He then got interrupted by Celestia.

"Did I give you permission to speak, Shining?!"  Celestia said angrily.

"Well... no, you didn't.  I'm sorry my princess."  Shining replied with a sheepish tone.  He knew he made a mistake, but Gilda's badgering was rubbed off on him and made him very irrational.

"Don't speak out like that again.  Ok, so... he was your friend?"  Celestia continued with Gilda.

"Yes.  As a Griffin, I praised you since I was little girl and you always said friendship was true goal in ones life.  So I tried making friends and I followed your words."  Gilda replied, holding her claws together.

"Your welcome, Gilda and thank you."  Celestia finished with Gilda and looked at Shining, "Now you may speak."

"Thank you, princess.  I have nothing against Gilda's friendship with Striker or her motives that led to the demise of the relics, but as a Royal Equestrian Guard I uphold my duty and my loyalty to the kingdom first and foremost.  Sacrifices can be made and I feel as Gilda should have realized that and... save the relics.  Now we have nothing to our cause or power now that the magical relics are now gone."

"That's not true."  A male voice sounded from behind.  His name was, Field Marshal Shatterstorm, a Royal Pegasus Guard.

"What are you talking about?"  Shining responded to the field marshal in the stands.

"Specialist Gilda, recovered critical data from the depot in Baltimare.  Giving us the shipping route to Alisha's hideout and stronghold."

"Is that true?!"  Celestia said surprised.

"Yes.  We can finally put this menace down thanks to Gilda's recovery."

Gilda had her jaw gasping open as it might of just saved her pride and glory.

"If that is so Shatterstorm, I want you and a team to assault her head quarters and flush her out of existence of my kingdom!"  Celestia commanded.

"Right away, Celestia!"  Shatterstorm raced out of the room.

Shining felt confused, mostly because Gilda had never mentioned her findings to him because of the dispute they had.  Shining looked at Gilda with a disappointed expression not before looking at Celestia to see her response.

"Well?"  A happy tone appeared, "I say that was a bit ground breaking for that moment.  I can't believe we can now put Alisha down and end her nightmare over our kingdom. Am I right?"

"I'm just as relieved, sister.  And I think we have to thank someone too."  Luna finally spoke up and faced Gilda.

"I agree."  Celestia said with a big grin, "Now, Shining I'm afraid this meeting is now over.  I think you should apologize to Gilda."

"She got lucky, princess.  Though I guess you did a good job."  Shining said to Gilda with nervous smile.  

"Thank you, captain."  Gilda replied relived and slightly more happy.

"Gilda I think for your resourceful actions that you deserve those medals and after this maybe a promotion as well.  But for all this meeting is concluded and thank you for attending.  Now if you excuse me I have a meeting with another one of my feathered friends at the border."  Celestia promptly left the podium and walked out the room behind Gilda and Shining to conduct other business.

Shining waited till Celestia and Luna left the room and approached Gilda, "You got lucky today, Gilda.  But remember that luck will only carry you so far and please, for me, that in the future that you try harder and always think before acting.  I guess for this we'll hold a party in your honor for helping us take down Alisha and present you your medals.  Thanks again."  Shining felt a little bit more at ease, but his thoughts on Gilda's actions still lingered in his mind and forever held it to her.