//------------------------------//
// 1. Sunshine and Rainbows 
// Story: The Trick to Life 
// by Dufa 
//------------------------------//

A tiny plum colored Hippogriff hums a catchy song while trotting down the hall to her big sister’s room. Waking Up On The Right Side Of Bed, it plays at the beginning of her favorite radio show. For each new verse she opens up a window, letting fresh air and warm sunshine into the house, and a good dose of optimism out into the neighborhood while she’s at it. When she arrives at the bright watermelon pink door labeled Willow, she takes a moment to reach her most favorite part of the song just before pushing her way in. If she times it just right…
“Sunshine and Rainbows, Willow~! It’s time to wake up!” She calls into the room with her signature high pitched voice.
But Willow remains bundled up in her big flamingo pink blankets on the other end.
Huffing, the younger girl takes flight and zooms straight onto her sister’s four poster bed. The air kicks up some stray homework notes and alchemy drawings scattered carelessly all over the room in the process. The young girl is prepared to shake her sister awake again, but stops herself in her tracks once she’s close enough to see that Willow is shivering. 
Cautiously peeking under the covers, “Sis?”
Her sister’s usually soft face is scrunched up and half covered by her frazzled lemonade pink mane, and her eyes are clenched tight enough that her peachy irises are nowhere to be seen. Even her ivory fur and feathers are puffed out the way they only do to ward off predators. But the most concerning part for the younger sister, is that even the really tiny bits of glittery stuff on her body aren’t actually glittering like they should be. In fact, they aren’t even visible. 
The younger gently nudges Willow’s chest with her head, startling the older girl awake, “Ah!” She exclaims hoarsely, “…Skye?”
Skye’s ears are folded back, and she’s looking at Willow with so much concern, “Are you okay?” 
The older looks away sheepishly, then clears her throat, “Just another nightmare. Thank you for waking me.”
She slowly raises herself up in bed, revealing the two scars sitting side by side on her back in place of wings. The fur covering the pair makes the injury look subtle to everyone except another Hippogriff.
Skye feels her own wings jerk looking at them, “Was your bad dream about your surgery again?”
Willow shakes her head.
“...Was it about your accident again?”
Willow nods.
On instinct, Skye closes the distance between them. Willow lets her get closer and closer until her face is pressing right up against her chest. Doing what she can to nuzzle the nightmares away. When she’s done, Skye looks up expectantly at her sister’s face with huge orange eyes. 
And Willow can’t help but smile right back down at her.
“I guess you want us to get breakfast then, Skye?”
“Yes?”
Willow snorts, “Okay, let’s get going!”
Skye bounces off the bed, flies out of the room and down the hall towards the stairs as fast as her wings can carry her, “C’mon! Mum is making pancakes!” 
Willow climbs out of bed to follow at her own, more leisurely pace. Every window in the hall is open, and each one invites the viewer to stop and take in a beautiful view. The first window is filled by the sight of a mighty oaktree cradling a quaint bird’s nest, the second overlooks a winding cobblestone trail that emerges from their porch and descends into town, while the last shows Willow the sea of silver birchwoods that surround a cozy lake. For as unique as they all are, the pale Daymoon can be seen hovering over all. 
A tapping sound from behind makes Willow realize she’s stalling. She laughs when she sees Skye pacing in place at the bottom of the stairs, “Sorry!” She shouts. And then she’s rushing down after her.
First comes Skye, dive bombing her seat, and catching her mother’s attention in the process, “Hi Mum!” 
Then comes Willow skidding to a halt in the middle of the kitchen, “Good morning Mum!”
Their mother has a wide smile across her face, “It’s good to see you both excited for breakfast.”
Skye wastes no time grabbing her fork ready to dig in.
“What do you say?” The mother quickly chides.
“Thank you Mum!” Skye goes for the food the moment the words leave her beak.
Willow focuses her sight on her sister chowing down as she climbs into her own chair. Wondering how her Mother does it every day. 
“Thank you Mum,” She speaks almost without realizing it.
But it brightens her Mother’s face each time she hears it, no matter how many times she does hear it, “It’s a pleasure, sweety.”
Bringing a fork full of food to her beak, Willow is delighted when she realizes the pancakes taste absolutely perfect. She makes a mental note to write down how good they are in her Happy Journal as soon as she can. But for now, all she has to think about is breakfast with her family.
Willow decides to make conversation between bites, “What’s in the paper Mum?” 
“Mm let’s see,” She flips a page over with a flick of her gray claw, “Some folk from Vanishing Point have been trying to make the town into a second Capital of the World. They’re bringing in Cats, Satyrs, Jackals, all kinds to build new houses and start up local businesses. It’s been going well too.”
Willow feels another smile creep up on her, “That’s in our country isn’t it?”
Her Mother nods enthusiastically, “Ever since the end of the occupation, Vanishing Point is on Hippogriff soil.”
Skye doesn’t know what any of that means, but she smiles anyway because Willow is happy.
“And the Esterians? Do they have anything to say about it?”
“Oh not really,” She turns to another page, showing a pony with lumber tied to his back, “But I did read that someone is building an opera house in the jungle.”
Willow blinks, “A whole opera house?”
“His team is carrying all the supplies out piece by piece and building it one day at a time. Monsters and inclement weather are making that quite difficult,” She takes a sip of coffee, “Apparently it’s all to bring Esterian culture back to the Kirin.”
Willow lets out a brusque laugh before biting back into her pancakes, “I do hope he fails.”
“Oh I don’t know,” Her mother drops a sugar cube into her cup, “Of all things Esterian to export I’d prefer it’d be opera.”
Willow takes a moment to consider the idea, before deciding, “That’s fair.”
While chewing a particularly big bite of pancake, Skye asks her sister, “Hhy do you hant him to hail?”
Willow cringes, “Please chew your food.” 
Skye gulps down her serving, “Sorry.”
Willow starts pouring more syrup on her pancakes while she tries to think of a way to answer her question, “You know… How I had to have my wings removed?”
Skye immediately puts her fork down, ready to listen carefully. She doesn’t notice, but their mother has just done the same.
The younger girl nods, “Mhm.” 
Willow spreads the syrup around with her fork while she explains, “You know the doctors had to remove my wings because, well, they were broken until they couldn’t heal anymore.”
Skye’s face falls, but she nods anyway.
“They were broken by an Esterian.”
Skye’s mouth opens wide, “Oh no!” She looks towards her mother for confirmation, and gets no objection, “Did they get in trouble?”
Willow shakes her head, “They were too important to get in trouble. Like that girl who pulled your hair.”
Skye waits for her to continue, but her sister just keeps spreading the syrup on her plate around.
“...I’m sorry Willow. That’s awful. Just awful.” 
Willow lightly shrugs. Not sure what else to say.
Skye isn’t sure what else to say either, so she hesitantly picks her fork back up. But she keeps stealing glances even as she continues eating, “...I hope all of them aren't that klutzy.”
For a time, the table is silent while they eat.
So the mother decides to do something about it. 
“You’re going to be eighteen soon. Any big plans?” She asks while folding the newspaper back up.
Willow shakes her head softly.
“I see. Why don’t you go clubbing with your uncle Cid?”
Willow pauses mid bite, “Clubbing?”
“Sure!” Her mother beams, “He’s always raving about how much friendlier the Gay bars are around here.” 
“I mean-”
“And with him I’d feel better than if you went to a club by yourself.”
Willow raises a claw, “This is Cid.”
“Exactly. You could learn a lot about life from him.”
“...You’re serious?”
“Mhm.”
Willow takes a deep breath, “I’ll think about it.”
Her mother grins, “That’s all I ask for dear.”
Skye takes a clawful of sugar cubes and plops them directly into her syrup, “Can I come too?”
Willow isn’t entirely sure how to respond to that.

	***

Hippogriffs litter the front lawn of the town’s schoolhouse. As a mixed grade school, students of all age groups mingle. Among which included a teenage girl rifling through her little sister’s sparkly purple pack, “You have your notebook, pencils, lunch… This is everything?”
“Yep!”
“Ok,” She zips it back up, “And what do you do if someone bullies you?”
“I tell you and Mom. Like the last time.”
 Willow nods, satisfied, “Then I’ll walk you home later today.”
“Wait,” Skye points at Willows pack, “Do you have everything you need?”
Willow looks taken aback, “Yes, of course.”
Skye looks at her with a serious expression, “We should check to make sure you didn’t forget anything.”
Willow raises an eyebrow, but gives Skye her pack anyway.
 Skye holds up each piece like a product that has to pass inspection, “Notebook, check. Wallet, check. Happy journal, check.”
“I never forget my Happy Journal.” 
“Rune Book, check. Lunch?”
“Cid makes it for me,” Willow feels a bit silly doing this, but figures she should indulge her anyway.
Skye nods stiffly, “Pencils… Pencils… Gone!
“What!?” Willow immediately stuffs a searching claw into her pack.
“You forgot your pencils!”
Willow rustles around frantically, and even starts yanking her stuff out in the hopes they were just overlooked. But…
Skye hastily takes a glossy pencil with a little kitten eraser out of her own pack and hands it to Willow, “It’s ok, you can have one of mine.”
Willow stares with shocked eyes into her now empty pack. They aren't there. She really forgot her pencils, “I never- I’m,” Willow feels her face get hot in embarrassment.
“We all make mistakes Willow,” Skye says apologetically.
“But…” Willow trails off.
Skye tilts her head to the side, “Is the pencil good enough?”
Willow stops gawking to address her younger girl, “Yes, it’s a great pencil Skye,” Realizing how stupid she must look, the older girl starts putting all her stuff back in along with the new pencil, “Thank you for lending me it.”
“I have to go to class now,” Skye remarks awkwardly. 
Before she starts towards school, she leans in to give her sister a hug, “I love you Willow.”
Willow returns the hug with a troubled expression on her face, “I love you too, Skye.”
As Skye enters the building, Willow reattaches her pack to her side. Just then, out of the corner of her eyes, she sees a group of girls staring at her. They look away the moment their eyes meet. 
Feeling a new wave of embarrassment boil up in her, Willow immediately turns around and marches off. Instead of going into town, she heads off in the opposite direction onto the trail that circles the entire town. It’s the slowest route to her teacher’s house, but it’s the one Willow prefers, “Why do I have to be so sensitive?” Willow curses herself while stomping down the lonely trail, “She’s probably going to get bullied again and it’s going to be my fault.”
Eventually, Willow finds herself crossing the bridge that leads into her teacher’s clearing. She’s probably going to be late, but at least she’s fumed out all the steam in her head. But then she sees something that stops her dead in her tracks.
There are royal carriages in front of his house. 
But before she can start truly panicking, she spots the flag of the Hippogriff Nation tacked to the side of the vessels, prompting a single hesitant sigh from her. 
A guard next to a carriage waves at the girl. 
“Here we go,” Stealing herself, Willow carefully treads down the hill to the Hippogriff adorned in fierce armor in front of her teacher’s property. 
“Hello Miss Comrie, have you come to see Professor Kaner?” 
She nods a bit more forcibly than needed, “Yes.”
“Walk right on in.”
“A-alright.”
She reaches the front front door, then turns around, “Is he in trouble?”
“Negative. The Queen is visiting for personal reasons.”
“T-the Queen?”
“Correct.”
Willow looks back and forth between the guard and the door, “Is it really ok for me to enter?”
“Yes.”
Willow hesitates a little while longer. Figuring the guard will get suspicious if she stalls for too long, she ultimately decides to bite the bullet and push open the door.
And sure enough, Her Majesty is sitting opposite of her teacher at his own coffee table. The sight is unusual to say the least. Compared to her teacher’s earthy greenish hues, The Queen’s fur is colored an almost paper white. Her limbs are adorned in utilitarian metal ornaments in place of traditional royal attire, and she’s just as muscular as a guard. She doesn't really look like a Queen to Willow in that moment, even if she feels herself practically wilt just looking at her all the same. Professor Kaner, to his credit, doesn’t seem intimidated at all. Even sitting an entire head shorter and looking unkempt with his wild dirty blonde hair.
They both notice Willow hiding behind the doorframe, but it’s him who addresses the girl first, “Good morning Willow,” He gestures to a plate of toast on the coffee table, “Come in, I saved some leftovers for you.”
“Ok,” She squeaks out.
Feeling the Queen’s eyes melting her, Willow carefully maneuvers next to her teacher’s side at the table, letting the front door close itself on the way there. 
“I-” Willow locks eyes with her toast, “It’s a pleasure to see, I, um, hello your majest- your majesty.”
Willow cringes, a pit just opened in her stomach. She doesn’t try to look back up.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you too, Willow,” The Queen says with a surprisingly airy voice, “I hope I’m not interrupting your lessons.”
Willow shakes her head quickly.
“Not at all,” Kaner cuts in with a flair of elegance, “Willow is ahead in her lessons, actually. She has the day off today.”
Willow tries not to let the surprise show on her face.
“Really? Now that’s impressive.”
The girl’s eyes wander from her plate, and she gnaws on the inside of her cheek.
Her teacher crosses his greenish forearms on the table, “May I ask what you’re thinking of your majesty?”
“That I wish I could stay and talk with the both of you all day today.”
“The Border situation?” He inquiries.
“The Border situation,” The Queen confirms.
He nods in understanding, “Well, I shouldn’t keep you longer than I have to, but it was a pleasure having you over your majesty. Truly. And just between you and me? I’ve been waiting for a mission like this all my life.”
The Queen stands up, “Well! I certainly hope it doesn’t disappoint. Also, Willow?”
The girl still doesn’t look up, “Yes?”
“I did receive the letter from your Mother from several years back. I wanted to let you know I completely understand your reasoning for declining my summons. I hope you don’t find me… pushy for visiting your teacher’s residence like this. I should have written beforehand to announce my arrival.”
The girl’s eyes go wide, “No no no, it’s completely fine. You’re not intruding at all.”
“I’m glad to hear that. The one thing I wanted to tell you back then is that… We're all rooting for you.”
Willow’s shoulders ease of tension, “...Thank you.”
The teacher gets up to escort the Queen to the door, “I won’t let you down, your majesty.” 
“I know.”
Professor Kaner gives a deep bow, and the Queen exits his residence.
The moment she hears the door click shut, Willow lets herself collapse face down onto the futon, “Oh my gosh that was so stressful.”
“Wasn’t it!?” The teacher cries out in exasperation, “I hadn’t even finished breakfast, or combed my hair, or showered! And suddenly The Queen shows up? To give me a mission?” 
He collapses belly up next to Willow, “Lord almighty.”
“The lord has abandoned us Cid,” Willow drones.
“That he has. That he has,” Professor Cid Kaner drags the singed toast off the table and stuffs the whole thing in his beak. 
Willow’s face scrunches up at the sight, “Wasn’t that for me?”
Cid mumbles through the wheat, “I hied to hake hyself looh hood to the Hueen.”
“Oh for goodness sake,” Willow shakes her head in disapproval. 
He loudly swallows, “What?”
“You’re thirty-six, Cid. My baby sister does that,” Willow scolds him like a disobedient puppy.
“Once you reach thirty you learn to stop trying to act like an adult,” He throws himself back onto his hoofs. Then covers his beak with a claw to suppress a belch.
Willow looks unimpressed, “Are you sure you aren't just having your mid-life crisis?”
“Ouch,” He pounds his chest, “Good thing the Queen wasn’t here for that,” Then proceeds to let out another belch.
Willow picks herself back up to take out school supplies from her pack, “Um, how was she by the way?”
Cid brings a claw to his chin in thought, “Strong, motherly. But not my type.”
“No I-” Willow stops everything to gawk at her teacher, “What?”
“I’m just saying- and I’ll admit I’m traditional in this specific way- I would want a partner who would do the cooking for me. And she seems like the type who would have unreasonable domestic expectations for her other half. But that’s just my impression.”
Willow blinks. Slowly. She stares at him like she’s looking at an illusion that will disappear the moment she takes her eye off of it.
“You’re looking at me like an illusion that will disappear the moment you take your eye off of it.”
“I…” She takes a moment to collect herself, “Was trying not to look at her. So I wanted to know how she seemed to you. Was she in a good mood?”
“Oh! That,” Cid starts rustling through a nearby shelf filled with junk, “She was smiling at you the entire time. A bit concerned you were looking down, figuratively and literally. But she was glad to see you anyway. Like I said; strong, motherly.”
Willow taps her claw on the table without realizing it, “I didn’t mean to ignore her. I was just nervous.”
“Oh it’s not your fault. Royalty scares everyone,” Cid brings a mirror and comb to the table, “It probably should too.”
“I’m always like this with strangers though.”
Cid carefully combs through his mane, “Well, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It just means you have to warm up to someone first. Like you did with me.”
Willow stops tapping, “I guess that’s true. You know the girls who just moved in, the ones who run their Mother’s bakery?”
“If by Mother you mean that terrifying drill instructor?” 
“Yes. I’ve been talking with them a bit when I go on errands for Mum. They seem nice.”
“Do they?”
“One of them said I have a permanent resting bitch face.”
Cid immediately puts his comb down, “She said what to you?”
“It was a compliment.”
“Oh.” 
“They said I was mysterious, like I could have a secret assassination business on the side.”
Cid chuckles, “Don’t you?”
“Not any you would know about,” Willow grins. 
She uses Skye’s pencil to write something down in her Happy Journal, “In any case, I managed to tell them a joke. I said I wasn’t allowed to disclose anything to them. Because their Mother would never allow me. It wasn’t even particularly funny but they both completely burst into laughter for a whole minute! I don’t think they were expecting me to say that.”
Cid opens up a container of blush and begins applying it to his face, “Hey, that's great! You’re finally making friends Willow,” 
The girl twiddles her pencil around nervously, “W-well, I wouldn’t go that far.”
“Just give it some time,” He waves a claw dismissively, “Before you know it other girls will be clambering over themselves to be with you.”
“Is that supposed to sound like a threat?”
“Aw, be a little more positive. Every creature needs a friend. That includes you too Willow. And no, I’m your teacher so I don’t count.”
The girl sighs, “Can we start the lesson now?”
“Lesson?”
“...For my education?”
Cid takes his attention from the mirror to his student, “Oh no, Willow. I was serious, you really do have the day off.” 
She pouts suspiciously, “Really?”
“Yes! You are genuinely ahead. You’ve already gotten the basics of Runic Parallels. My students struggled with that one back at the academy,” He takes his supplies back to the junk shelf.
“Really,” A big bright smile swells on her face, “Haha, wow!”
Cid leans on the coffee table opposite of her, “And you know, this mission will have me out of town for pretty much the entirety of the next two weeks. I’d say it’s time for your spring break!”
“Oh!” Willow looks away hesitantly, “…Huh.”
Her teacher tilts his head to the side, “Huh?”
Willow shies away from his gaze, “Uh, nothing.”
He leans in to get her attention, “Tell me how you’re feeling,” 
Gingerly, the girl returns her gaze to him, “I honestly don’t know what to do with myself for a whole two weeks Cid.”
And for just a moment, Willow thinks she sees a smirk on her teacher’s face, “I do have a homework assignment I was saving for you, you know.”
A subtle darkness spreads across the girl’s features, “What kind of homework assignment is it?”
“Well… Let’s see. It was something involving social studies,” His talon strokes his beak.
“Such as the history of Runic Magic?”
“No no, it was something much simpler, ah,” A snap of his talons, and he’s got it, “While I’m gone, I want you to make a friend.“
Her ears fold back, and a great big frown fills her whole face, “...Don’t do this to me.”
It’s almost enough to make Cid regret saying it, “Just a conversation then. Or sitting with someone while they eat. If you can do what you did with the bakery girls again, that would be so good for you, and would mean everything to me.” 
Her beak clamps shut. 
Cid pleads by clasping his claws together like a prayer.
And with no small amount of effort, Willow replies, “I’ll try.”
“Good,” A wave of relief washes over her teacher, “Effort is how I’ll grade you. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some groceries to buy.”
Cid fishes through the junk shelf for a purse. Taking his cue, Willow starts putting her own stuff away, “Is this at all related to your mission?”
“Right you are. And you’re never going to believe where I’m going for it by the way.”
Her head shoots up, “It’s not Esteria is it?”
“Oh lord no!” Cid puts his claws up in protest, “You couldn’t pay me to go back to that prison pit of a country. No, this is much closer to home. It involves interspecies peace and requires use of my Runic Magical ability.”
Willow sets her pack to the side and crosses her arms authoritatively, “You’re going to put a stop to the gang violence in Jackaltown.”
He shakes his head, “No.”
“You’re repairing the airship port the Parakeet used to use.”
“Nope!”
The girl shoots up, pointing accusatorially at Cid, “You’re going to sabotage the opera house in the jungle!”
“...There’s an opera house in the jungle?”
“The Esterians are building it to spread their propaganda to the Kirin.”
“Of course they are,” Cid deadpans, “But no! Tonight I’m heading to Vanishing Point.”
Realization crosses her face, Oh!”
“Yep. The details are classified, but all you need to know is that I will be getting a front row seat to some real culture.”
She brings her claws together, “I’m so happy for you Cid!”
“I’ll make sure to bring you back a souvenir. They’ve got plenty!.”
“Oh that sounds lovely,” The idea of a Second Capital of The World runs through her mind. Different creatures, all who have their own stories to share. Different foods, sights, sounds, and all there by their own choice.
The idea is almost intoxicating, “I don’t really travel but…” She trails off.
Cid waits patiently for her to finish.
Willow twiddles the glossy pencil in her claws, “Could you bring me back a book too?”
“Of course.”

	***

“It's not too late to go with him!” Her mother argues passionately.
Willow shakes her head forcefully, “I don’t do well in places I’ve never been to before!”
Noticing the commotion, Skye lowers the volume on the radio, then presses her ear to the wall of the living room.
“I-I know you think a lot of me, and you say I’m capable of so much. But I started crying earlier because I forgot my pencil. I’m just not ready, I’m sorry,” Willow turns away from her mother, and focuses her attention on the flames billowing in the fireplace.
Her mother walks up beside her, “...You’ve taken the train by yourself before.”
“That’s not the same.”
“What I mean is that if it gets to be too much for you, you can just come right back. You could even write it down in your Happy Journal. Today I went somewhere new, and came back after I had seen enough.”
Willow picks at dirt under her claws, “I… I do want to go. It would be amazing if I went and everything turned out fine. But it would be so, so awful if things didn't turn out well.”
“What in particular are you worried about?”
“If I mess up and start crying again,” Willow holds back a well of shame building in her eyes, “Or if someone grabs me and I hit them. Or if the air gets too thin and I have another outburst.”
“Can I put my claw on you?”
“Ok.”
Willow feels a comforting pressure rubbing her stiff shoulder.
“Hun, even if you came back the very next day I’d still be proud of you. And you would be coming back to a warm, welcoming home no matter what. And you know what else?”
Willow turns a bit towards her mother, “Hm?”
“Even If you came back crying, vomiting and screaming I’d still be proud of you.”
Willow smirks a little at that.
“I hope I’m not pressuring you into doing something you won’t like. But if I know you well enough, I think you yourself would regret not going.”
“Go, go go! You can do it!” Skye cheers from the other room. Prompting a snort from her sister.
“See?” Their mother raises her voice, “Even our little eavesdropper is cheering you on!”
“I’m eavesdropping!” Skye shouts proudly.
Willow closes her eyes, then takes a deep breath.

	***

“My name is General Hays,” A gruff dark blue Hippogriff announces.
“A pleasure,” Cid gives the general a polite fistbump, before taking his seat opposite in the train cabin. It’s a cozy little place. The red Nightmoon is visible through the window, and a seemingly endless expanse of trees spreads out beneath it.
“I’m sure the Queen gave you a rundown of the operation, Professor Kaner?” 
“That she did.”
The general clasps his claws together in thought, “Then I’ll begin with this; do you have any questions?”
Cid can’t help but burst out laughing, “Plenty.”
The general gives him a mirthful grin, “This is what we get for hiring a scholar.”
“Here, here, how about this,” Cid adjusts himself to a better sitting position, “How long have we known about it? Are we certain the Esterians aren't aware of it too?”
“We're fairly certain. That’s why we have such a small team; to prevent potential leaks.”
Cid nods, thinking over the implications of that little tidbit, “So-”
“Wait,” The general whips his head to the door, “There’s a child spying on us.”
Big peach colored eyes stare in at them through the window at the center of the cabin door.
Astonished, Cid wearily walks up to the handle, then slides it open very carefully. The moment he sees who’s on the other end is who he thinks it is, Cid’s jaw drops, “Willow?”
Willow wordlessly struts in and takes Cid’s seat opposite of the general. Not saying a word to either.
“Who’s she?” The General demands without a shred of amusement.
Cid looks her over suspiciously, “What, are you doing here… Willow?”
While grasping tightly at her knees, the girl gradually opens her trembling beak to respond. But no words follow.
The teacher fills in the blanks, “So this is my student, Willow Comrie. You probably know her, a lot of folks do, but I don’t recall inviting her… here.”
A long, agonizing silence takes hold of the cabin. It encompases the small space in an unbearably tense atmosphere. Each side waits with bated breath for the other to act first.
Then, Willow shrieks at the top of her lungs, “I decided to follow you here without your permission!”
“Take her home.” 
Engine steam blares into the sky with a deafening roar. Signifying the train has started towards its destination, and there’s no more turning back.
The general starts massaging an oncoming migraine, “Alright then.” 
Attempting damage control, Cid abruptly speaks up, “I am fully responsible for this sir. I- I am fully responsible.”
“You are,” He agrees, then takes out a radio, “But I made sure this would be a soundproofed ride so I’m thankfully not worried about any leaks. I’ll get someone to take her home at the next stop.”
“Cid didn’t close the door properly so I heard everything.”
“Oh, fantastic,” The general puts the radio away and takes out a pack of cigarettes, “Well Cid, we’ve just met and you’ve already managed to thoroughly disappoint me.” 
The general takes a long, indulgent drag of a menthol gold, then lets it all flow out through his nose like a dragon hippie, “She’s your student. Care to, to, catch her up to speed on this, highly classified mission? Under orders directly from Her Majesty Queen Kyrie?”
Gulping down a huge weight of anxiety, Cid sits down next to his stone cold student, “So… you know how I said I was heading out to Vanishing Point?”
She nods.
“It’s…  true. We are heading there. But it’s more like we’re, ah, stopping there. Because our actual destination is a bit further west than that.”
Willow stares at him emotionlessly.
“Because our real destination is,” Cid scratches the back of his neck nervously, “Tarturus!”
Willow blinks once, “Tarturus,” Then twice more, “Tarturus.”
“Surprise!” Cid exclaims with manufactured glee, “We’re going to Hell!”