//------------------------------//
// The New Me and the Old You (Part 2) 
// Story: Volition 
// by PredictableOffender 
//------------------------------//

	I sat in the lobby of the deck 33’s hospital, Surtr had been transferred to the hospital after an x-ray. The asshole doctors didn't have the damn courtesy to tell me why he was even transferred in the first place. I have to calm myself down I'm starting to flare up again. The other fucking concerned loved-ones on the damn room should really calm down before I get busy with these damn claws.

Calm down.

Calm down.

Calm down.

“Gilda!” sounds like Rosetta found me.

“Can’t you see I’m being concerned?”

“Are your hormones or your feelings the reason you’re here” Rosetta chimed.

“Do confusion and guilt count as feelings?”

“Of course they do” Rosetta was always patient with me.

“Add disappointment to the list”

“I’ll just leave you to your little fetish toy” Rosetta started giggling.

~~~

Apparently that whack from the door yesterday knocked bits of what used to be your glass eye back into your brain, the doctors from two years ago must have missed that. The surgery was as simple as pulling the shards of glass out but for time’s sake it you had to be awake while it happened. Once it was done they gave you some over the counter pills and hurried you back into the lobby to show off your new stitches. Gilda still seemed tired so but she convinced you to go to lunch on the grounds that you haven't eaten for two days.

You hadn't noticed because you have a habit of only eating every third day, but you don't want to argue the special operations leader you are trying to sleep with. Gilda leaves the decision on where to go to so you, so you take the both of you to southern restaurant. You personally wanted to go to a more luxurious offering in the ship, but hey she doesn't know that.

half an hour of travelling later you find yourself in Cornelius’s Bar n’ Grill, half the reason you came here was the bar. The place has so much southern decor in it. All that has to be said about the place is that all the waitresses are blond and a giant wooden cowboy watches you eat. You order spicy fried chicken as a masochistic and ironic statement while happily Gilda orders a steak and fries. You feel incredibly good seeing her happy but something about the way she is carrying herself is telling you something is bugging her. Maybe talking to her would cheer her up or have her forget her problem(s).

<It’s amazing how big this ship is. Every time I think I wrap my head around its size something shows me it’s even bigger>

“Yeah I can relate.” was she being dismissive or whatever is on her mind still getting to her.

<So we are going to be in Canterlot in two days>

“I been there once”

<Go on>

“It was a day long visit nearly eight years ago, they have only aerodrome anywhere near Ponyville and my visit was cut a day short and I did not want to fly across the ocean. The place is impressive but it is nowhere near as amazing as being aboard Ceaseless Discharge.” she looked happier but something was still off about her.

<You can tell me more about Canterlot, I never left Coalsack so I really want to know> as you watched Gilda read your note something occurred to you. There is no way in hell she could get lost in conversation with you if you have to sit and wait for you to write a note. Rage quickly wells up in you but it soon boils over into what would have been a chuckle. You still have to live with your injuries.

“Are you alright?”

<No> you take you notepad back. <Telling you would kill the mood> Gilda visibly restrains herself from saying something.

“Anyway back to canterlot....”

Time marches onwards, your food arrived and you continued to get Gilda to talk for as long as she can. The both of you enjoyed your meals on peace before splitting the bill and heading out to one of the ships balconies. You didn't know the balconies existed because all of the on-ship ball planning was handled by Rosetta. Nonetheless the two of you found yourself on a Wooden Balcony that runs the length the ship, it disappears into the distance on either side of you.
The sky is clear and blue while the calm ocean below complementing the sky, the vast expanse disappears with the curvature of the planet in the distance.

~~~

Surtr unfolds his fire scared wings and does that sad silent chuckle thing he does, he looks out at the sky longingly before folding his wings up again. The sunlight reflects off his crest and highlights how handsome he is.

I wonder if he would forgive me for pushing him off the edge? Would I be able to fly fast enough to catch up with the ship with him in my arms? That would be a better idea if the ship was parked anyway, I wasn't ordered to kill anyone today anyway.

Surtr looks back at me with a face of jealousy and fatigue, the cute scars on his body told me why he felt this way. He sat his battered body on the ground near the edge before reaching for his bag, he pulled out his envelope wrote something on it and put it back. I decided to make him a deal, I tell him what happened with Dash if he gives me the envelope.

He offered me the envelope while avoiding eye contact, I carefully took the envelope from his hand. I opened the envelope and unfolded the letter inside.

<Simple people like to pick on those that can’t defend themselves. There was this fucking gang of teenaged assholes would beat me up on every opportunity they had. So one day I had enough of them, so I bought a flintlock pistol for self-defence. That was a bad idea so when they found my ninety-ninth alternate route home from the mines they decided to jump me. I guess it was rage that made me do it, my first reaction was to fire my pistol as one of them before they got close. Technology failed me and the pistol missed, so they used the empty pistol to beat me. It must of been one or all of those blows that shattered my eye because the one attacking my head had the pistol. That time they must had tried to kill me because I remember waking up in a hospital (I've been doing that a lot lately.)

They got charged but I nearly lost the court case because I shot first, and their parents refused to believe their kids would be such savages. Unfortunately I got compensation after I had my reconstructive surgery done. Most of them got sent to juvenile detention while their leader was sent off to the military. He is probably still in basic training.>

~~~

Your fears of her mocking you were put to rest when you saw Gilda holding some tears but she was starting to look angry.

“How can you be so fucking dismissive about something like this!”

<Sorry>

“There you...! Nevermind”

<We still have half a day to burn>

“Meet me back in at the room in four hours I feel lazy for not doing any training today” she grunts and storms off into the ship.