BiE 54. A Trip Oop North.


                                            =BiE 54=


                                            >You sat in the carriage as it sped over the mountains.

                                            >You hated travel.

                                            >The early morning sun was shining right in your face, making your already intense no-sleep-headache that much worse.

                                            >Damn Celestia always knew what way to make it shine to piss you off.

                                            >You hated the sun in your face.

                                            >You absentmindedly flip off Celestias big eye in the sky as you try to relax a bit.

                                            >You had woken up early, way early, and crept out of the house to meet the carriage that would transport you to the Griffin kingdoms.

                                            >You had pulled Celestia aside after Anon proposed and the party was winding down. She had allowed you to borrow a carriage after you told her your reason for wanting to go, but not without a "That's three you owe me now." first.

                                            >Fuck her. You helped save her city.

                                            >You were a bit aprehensive about going back to the Griffin kingdoms, but based on the info you got, you were headed to Talos as opposed to Asgard.

                                            >If you were lucky, no one would link you to your last visit.

                                            >You turn to the pegusi flying you.

                                            >"How much longer?"

                                            >You expected the wind to carry your voice away, but one of them turned to you. "We're coming up on Gryphus now, we should arrive at Talos in a few hours."

                                            >You grumble to yourself and curl up into a ball away from the sun.

                                            >Might as well try to get some sleep...


                                            >You were getting dragged through the griffin streets.

                                            >Your escorts were on the ground, their throats ripped out.

                                            >Griffins from all over came to jeer at you, throw rocks at you, one broke your leg a while back.

                                            >You were hauled into a big building and dumped on the floor.

                                            >Some griffin with a helmet and armor walked out. His right talon was severed.

                                            >Brilliant...

                                            >"We finally found you." he said.

                                            >You spit the blood from your mouth.

                                            >"Took you long enough...have you been sitting on your ass this past year?"

                                            >He brings his good talon across your cheek.

                                            >You watch as two of your teeth get thrown across the room.

                                            >"You will be executed for crimes against our nation at dawn. Celestia will not interfere in our justice." he turns to another griffin. "Find his mate and companion. Execute them too."

                                            >What!?

                                            >No!

                                            >You lung at the griffin commander only to be caught in his grip.

                                            >He slams you down on the ground and stands over you. "Look at the mighty thief now. Helpless to save those he loves."

                                            >You try to rise but you can't get your body to move. "Anon and Lotus would both be better off if you just died to that manticore."

                                            >You spit blood and teeth into his face. "Screw you."

                                            >He holds his talon high over his head. "You know, I think I will accelerate this." he says.

                                            >His claw comes down on your face as you see the bright sun.


                                            >You rocket up from your slumber in a cold sweat.

                                            >You're not dead.

                                            >Your leg is fine.

                                            >Lotus and Anon are fine.

                                            >You're still sitting in the carriage.

                                            Damn...that was...

                                            >Yeah.

                                            >"Sir?" you hear over your shoulder.

                                            >You turn to one of the pegusi flying the carriage. "We're entering Talos airspace. We will land soon."

                                            >You wave them off.

                                            >"Yeah...Right."

                                            >You bury your head in your hands.

                                            >That dream was...

                                            >You didn't want to think about it.

                                            We cut off a guy's hand, it's normal to feel guilty.

                                            >Doesn't mean I don't regret it...

                                            >The carriage pulls around and lands on a small runway.

                                            >"You two go see the sights, but stay close-ish." you say as you hop off.

                                            >You notice that Griffin architecture is similar to Canterlot. Every building seemed to be made out of stone, and the city itself was built vertically instead of horizontally.

                                            >"This shit better be navigable..."

                                            >You find a decent amount of walkways and ladders throughout Talos, they were functional if unused.

                                            >You spot the first guard who deems to stay on the ground and approach him.

                                            >"Excuse me, I'm looking for a Gilda..." you flip the paper with her name over. "...there is no last name here."

                                            >You toss the paper away.

                                            >Piece of crap.

                                            >The guard snorts. "If you're looking for Gilda, you'll either find her at her roost in the south end, or the bar next to it. I've had to take that bitch in three times this month alone..."

                                            >You wave the guard in thanks before he stops you. "You know...you look rather similar to the description of someone who attacked Asgard last year..."

                                            SUNNOVABITCH.

                                            LIE.

                                            >You throw on a depressed face.

                                            >"Yeah...that was my brother...he's not around anymore."

                                            >The guard eyes you down. "Move along."

                                            >Don't have to tell you twice.


                                            >You arrive at the only roost near a bar on the south end.

                                            >Asking a passerby revealed that, yes, this was Gilda's home.

                                            How to go about doing this?

                                            >Plan A.

                                            >"GIIILLLLDAAAAAAAAA!"

                                            >...

                                            >Nothing.

                                            >Plan B.

                                            >You take your boot off and hock it at the window. It bounces off with a resounding *clunk* and falls to the ground.

                                            >"GIIIILLLLLDAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

                                            >This time, a griffin opens the window and shouts down to you. "WHAT!?"

                                            >"Let's chat."

                                            >Gilda looks fucking pissed. "YOU THROW THINGS AT MY HOME AND WAKE ME UP AND EXPECT ME TO TALK TO YOU!?"

                                            >"It's about Rainbow Dash."

                                            >Gilda stares at you silently.

                                            >"It's important."

                                            >Gilda retreats back into her house as you retrieve your boot.

                                            >Eventually, Gilda comes flying out of her window and lands next to you. "Alright dweeb, you have my attention. Now what do you want?"

                                            >You extend a hand out to Gilda, one she doesn't shake.

                                            >"Please allow me to introduce myself, I am a man of neither wealth nor taste."

                                            >Gilda doesn't laugh at your joke and just stares daggers at you.

                                            Plebian.

                                            >"Okay, fine. My name is Mous and I am a friend of Rainbow's. I came here today to tell you that she's getting married to my bro and to ask you to come to the wedding."

                                            Gilda continues to stare at you. "Are you serious?"

                                            >"As serious as traveling hundreds of miles from home can be."


                                            >Gilda scoffs and paces on the ground. "Why should I care what happens to that flip flop? Why should I care what she does?"

                                            >Rainbow had let slip what had happened with Gilda, about what she did to the girls and to Fluttershy in particular.

                                            >You take a whiff of the air, even in the mountains, you can smell the booze on Gilda's feathers.

                                            >"Because you still care. And because you're upset about how things turned out."

                                            >Gilda whirls around and gets in your face. "I don't care what happens to her! And she was the one who told me to get out!"

                                            >Tears of either rage or grief were forming in her eyes. "Now I'm stuck here with my bullshit job and my bullshit life and the one friend I had who made it worthwhile told me to get out of her life!"

                                            >Gilda stomped away and sat by the curb.

                                            These fucking kinds...

                                            >What's the play?

                                            Sympathize.

                                            >"Gilda, was Rainbow Dash your best friend?"

                                            >Gilda harrumphs."We were best friends since flight school and then she went off and dumped me like that..."

                                            >"Well, were you being a bitch?"

                                            >"It's not my fault that Dash's friends were too lame for her!" she shouts. "Hmph. "Stupid fiancé is probably too lame for her too..."

                                            Easy, seabiscuit...

                                            >You ignore that insult and pace over to Gilda.

                                            >"If she's your best friend, the fact that she's happy should be enough for you."

                                            >"Don't even know why she wants me at this stupid wedding..." she says.

                                            >"She doesn't. I do."


                                            >Gilda just looks at you.

                                            >"What? It's true. This is Rainbow's special day, you being there would probably make it more special."

                                            >Gilda continues to stare. "Why? Why go through all this trouble?"

                                            >"Well, apart from Rainbow being my friend, her being happy makes my bro happy, which makes me happy."

                                            >"So, you came all this way just on the off chance that I would come to a wedding for someone I haven't spoken to in a year, huh?"

                                            >You shrug.

                                            >"I'm a bit of an oddity. Plus I can't stand to watch someone have -this- much self pity."

                                            >Gilda laughs as three horn blasts echo throughout the city. "That's the inspection horn, you should probably get going."

                                            >"You have home inspections?"

                                            >Gilda gets to her feet and spreads her wings. "Yeah, recent addition. Something about trying to catch Diamond Dogs hiding out in town."

                                            >She takes off and hovers in the air for a few seconds. "I'll think this over." she says as she flies inside.

                                            Stupid kids...

                                            >You head back to the landing strip just as it was closing.

                                            >Your ride was hooked up and ready and you were in the air within minutes.

                                            So. That's one thing taken care of.

                                            >Yup. Only have a million other things for this to turn out right.

                                            You know, the happy couple is supposed to handle things too.

                                            >Yeah. But family is supposed to help.


                                            >You get home around late afternoon.

                                            >You find Anon and Lotus. Letting your fears from that nightmare fade away.

                                            >You examine the significance of the nightmare in bed that night.

                                            Losing your family is a legitimate fear.

                                            >Yeah, but the feeling I got during it...

                                            You were helpless in the dream, it would be different in real life.

                                            >But what if it isn't and I screwed everyone over with that cult crap?

                                            You've gone down this road bef-

                                            >This isn't about breaking up two lesbians, this is about Anon and Lotus dying for our mistake.

                                            >We're supposed to make sure they don't get hurt and we may have ensured it.

                                            Was it the idea of them getting hurt or the helplessness?

                                            >What?

                                            We know that bad things sometimes happen, we're usually okay with it so long as we try to stop it. But you were helpless in the dream, you weren't able to stop it.

                                            >You sigh and role onto your back.

                                            >I don't know brain...I just know that protecting our family was a lot easier when it was just Anon and us back on Earth.

                                            Do you regret it?

                                            >You roll over and look at Lotus asleep next to you.

                                            >As if on cue, Lotus stirs and turns her head to you. "Sweetheart, are you okay? You're tossing and turning..."

                                            >You wrap your arms around Lotus and pull her close, letting her heartbeat calm you down some.

                                            >You stay like that for a bit as your worries are pushed away by the rhythmic thumping up against your chest.

                                            >"Yeah...yeah, I'm okay."