The Olden World

by Czar_Yoshi


Warm Reception

The night was clear and cold as Gerardo pressed forward, leading his companions by a considerable margin. Howe, surprisingly, was nearly able to keep up... but Slipstream was validating all his concerns and more, moving at nearly half the pace he could set on his own. He still couldn't be sure exactly what had compelled the pegasus to follow him, but unlike Howe, letting her suffer for it was something that would weigh on his conscience.

"Are you sure you're alright?" he called back, pausing and allowing Howe a break as Slipstream struggled to catch up. Not that there was much he could do if she wasn't...

"Maybe," she rasped, dragging herself limply through the air. "I d-don't usually come outside l-like this... Whoo..."

Fortunately, so long as she stayed airborn, the high visibility meant it was easy to keep her in sight. If she fell, though... the surface was a flat, nondescript sea of snow drifts highly reminiscent of the actual ocean. Troughs formed between peaks of snow, and anyone landing on, or falling below the snowline would be instantly impossible to make out. The drifts gleamed white beneath the black sky, bathed in their own shadows from the light of the rising moon, creating many pockets of darkness where fallen bodies would be invisible.

Still, she only had to keep it up a while longer, as they were almost there. Above a final ridge, the base of Skyfreeze sat, the sporadically-supported transport tunnel running inside a great distance up. Ascending high enough, Gerardo could make out a cleared ground road to the left, running from the tower off into the distance.

"That looks like it could lead to a door..." the griffon mused, rubbing his talons against themselves for warmth. He turned back, checking on his companions again. "It is not much further!"

"I can..." Slipstream huffed, shivering violently. "See that..."

To her side, Howe mimed something, though it was interrupted by his own chattering of teeth.

Seeing that they had not yet collapsed, Gerardo held back, hesitating a moment and allowing them to get a head start for the final stretch.


Slipstream gasped, slumping to a stop underneath the metallic archway of the entrance. It was blocked by a heavy, gleaming door... but as if reacting to the presence of outsiders, it shifted and began to part. Howe hovered beside her, and Gerardo arrived last, determined to keep an eye on his would-be companions. There was a slow grating, and then with a swift, seamless rush, the door opened.

Everyone stumbled, some with more dignity than others, into the antechamber. It was small, featuring only a glass door further into the tower, most likely as an airlock of sorts. That theory was confirmed when the door behind them slid shut, and the air began to heat as further passage was given.

The next room was long, with a shining, gold architectural theme. Gerardo didn't stop to take it in, too focused on finding a way to further his goals.

"Hello, and welcome to Skyfreeze," a voice announced to his right. "What can we... oh my..."

It was a bespectacled mare sitting at a reception desk, old enough to have streaks of gray in her mane, but not enough to be elderly. She stared at the trio, lifting her glasses with a hoof. "You three don't look like you're in the best shape. Are the roads that bad tonight?"

"W-W-We..." Slipstream tried to begin, ultimately failing.

"We flew from the nearest skyport terminal," Gerardo announced, speaking for her and flicking an errant bit of snow from his feathers. "We would have used the transport, but lacked authorization that would be valid tonight."

Howe mimed something moving quickly, swinging a hoof past his head with a silent whistle. The receptionist blinked and pursed her lips, eventually stepping out of the booth and closer to the group. "Well, come this way," she beckoned. "I don't know what's so important that you had to do a stupid thing like that, but nobody's using the break room at this hour. We'll find something to get you warm."

"As a matter of fact, I do have urgent business," Gerardo replied, falling into step behind her. "It is imperative that I speak with Chancellor Dior as soon as possible."

"Flying here at night because you're not important enough to take the transit, but thinking you can just get a meeting with the leader of Ironridge, hmm?" The mare looked back over her shoulder as she walked, face somewhere between chastising and amused. "You're nothing but guts. I don't know whether to feel happy or sorry for your friends, here."

Slipstream didn't respond, but Howe did a little jig, flashing her a winning smile.

"Well," she muttered, pushing open an out-of-the-way side door that led to a slightly less decorated corridor, "no matter how you slice it, he's still in a meeting and won't be done for thirty minutes. No matter how urgent it is, you've got time to sit down and make sure you don't kill yourselves. Never underestimate the power of the mountains."

She shook her head, turning again to the side and opening into a small room furnished with plush benches, a large stock of cupboards and space for preparing food. "Wait here," she added.

Gerardo uneasily sat. While the mare's words weren't encouraging, and she had more or less said he wouldn't be able to see Dior, they were being treated with a surprising amount of hospitality for effectively bypassing a system designed to limit access. Granted, there had been a road leading away from the tower, but who knew where that went? The griffon was all for accepting good luck as it came, but there were too many potential catches, too many conditions and asusmptions that might fail.

In no time at all, the receptionist was back, three steaming mugs balanced on coasters on her back. "I hope you're fine with cocoa," she said, positioning herself so that they could be easily taken.

Greedily, Slipstream seized hers in trembling wings and hugged it to her chest fluff, absorbing as muh warmth as it had to offer. Gerardo merely appreciatively sipped his. "Thank you, miss...?"

The mare shook her head. "Marin. And don't fret it. Your friends looked cold, and it wouldn't do to let that go unhelped. Speaking of help, the Chancellor's workday is officially over after this meeting, but since you were so stubborn about getting here, I can ask him to take pity on you, if you like."

Gerardo's eyes widened. "In truth?"

Marin shrugged. "I've had a good day, and am in a good mood. Is there anything you'd like to say that I can tell him?"

"Erm... yes..." Gerardo hesitated. "Might I have paper and a quill? It is somewhat confidential, but I was assured he would understand. I would write this down, if at all possible..."

A quick trip to a cabinet drawer by Marin produced the required items. Neatly, Gerardo tore off a section with one talon, took up the quill, and wrote, 'Arambai.' Folding it thrice, he offered it to the mare. "If possible, this is for Dior's eyes alone," he added, hoping it wouldn't matter if she looked.

"Whatever you say. Wait here, again," she commanded. "Unless this meeting goes fast, it'll be a while." Turning, Marin exited the room, the door swinging shut behind her.

"Mmm..." Slipstream purred in her wake. "Hot cocoa..."

Gerardo was content to savor his, though a quick glance at the others told him they were doing a much better job of going slowly. Nervousness, he supposed. While the flight to the tower had been unpleasant and hardly his idea of a vacation climate, it was hardly intolerable, either. During the day, he could likely be outside for hours at a time with few ill effects. During a storm, though... he shuddered, and took another sip from his cocoa. Almost gone. Unfortunate.

Suddenly, Marin bustled back in, looking somewhat surprised. "The Chancellor says he will meet with you immediately," she announced. "You alone," she added, when Howe made to get up. "I don't know what you wrote in that paper, but congratulations, it has his attention."

"Well, this is unexpected." Gerardo drained the last of his drink, standing up. Really, it was perfectly expected, given what Arambai had said as they were leaving... If anything, things going well was what was unexpected. He set down the mug and turned to Marin. "After you, then?"

She nodded, and pushed her way back out into the hall.