//------------------------------// // Chapter 4 - Aberfeldy // Story: The Great Whiskey Adventure // by Universal Librarian //------------------------------// "Alright, we're almost at the station." Berry's words tore Gilda from envious daydreams about towering piles of bits. "We'd best get ready for the next stage of the plan." "We have a plan?" Gilda asked. "Of course there's a plan," Berry shot. "Our first destination is the main airship port up on the mountainside. I'll be meeting my contact from the Minotaur Lands there." Gilda raised an eyebrow. "Let me guess, there's going to be more of those goons around trying to stop you?" Berry nodded. "Yep. Probably lots more." "Great." Gilda sighed and raised an eyebrow. "You know, if I hadn't just seen you shrug off a quarter of a million bits, which is insane, by the way, then I'd think you were just joshing with me." "Sadly, no," Berry sighed. "On the bright side, at least there's two of us this time!" "You usually deal with this alone?" Gilda asked. "I do, but to be fair they've never managed to catch me yet," Berry replied. Gilda cocked her head to the side. "If that's true, then what's different this time? Why did you need my help?" Berry scowled and looked out of the window. "The stallion they sent to Ponyville was a lot fitter and more determined than usual. It's almost as if they've been training for it this time around."  "That doesn't sound promising," Gilda muttered. "True, but now that there's two of us I'm pretty sure we have a chance." Berry grinned and gathered up her saddlebags. "Okay, our goal is the main airship port, but we can be certain that the League of Cerberus is going to try to stop us before we get anywhere near there. They'll probably be waiting to pounce the moment we leave the train station." "Why don't I just fly us both over the wall?" Gilda suggested. Berry shook her head. "Ever since I tried climbing the walls they've had pegasi patrolling the skies." Gilda stared at her in surprise. "How did you manage to escape from that?" "With difficulty," Berry admitted. "The League members here will probably have been warned that you're with me already, so they'll almost certainly be expecting me to try and fly out this time around." "Right… how exactly are we going to do this without getting caught, then?" Gilda asked. "Simply enough. Once we've gotten past whoever they have waiting at the station for us we'll just run straight out the main gate," Berry replied. "I know it sounds stupid," she added, holding up a hoof, "but it's pretty much our only option. At least here we'll have the option of disappearing into the crowd." Gilda nodded, then did a double-take as she realised something. "Hold up, I'm a griffon, how am I supposed to disappear into the crowd?!" "Right, my bad," Berry replied. "We split up, and I'll disappear into the crowd." "Are you serious?!" Gilda spat. "You're out of your mind if you think I'm going to be a sacrificial pawn for you!" Berry shook her head. "I'm not sacrificing you. You act loud and draw the League's attention while I slip into the crowd. When they finally realize that you're on your own they'll stop bothering you and split up to look for me. As soon as they're gone I'll meet up with you and we can head on to the airship port." Something about that didn't quite sound right to Gilda, but she didn't have any more time to argue as the train pulled into the station. While the train pulled up to the platform, Berry pulled a small jar out of her saddlebags. She unscrewed the top, pulled out a hoof full of bright orange goo and smeared it through her mane. Gilda watched, fascinated, as Berry quickly and efficiently changed the colour of her hair. "That's pretty cool."  "Thanks." Berry stuffed the jar back into her saddlebags and slung them over her back. "It won't last long, but it should be long enough to get through the League. There's a café on Moonbeam Avenue, try and get there if you can." "Will do." Gilda sighed and stood up as the train finally ground to a halt. She didn't particularly like the idea of being bait, but she had agreed to help out. "Where should I meet you?"  "The warehouse on Moonlight Promenade. Ask any resident, they'll point you in the right direction," Berry replied. "I'll see you soon!" Without another word, Berry trotted to the door and disappeared into the crowd forming on the platform. Gilda sighed and stepped out herself. Canterlot station was utterly packed. Gilda slipped through the crowd as stealthily as she could, not wishing to draw too much attention to herself, no matter what Berry wanted. Unfortunately, her care appeared to be all for naught, as she sensed rather than saw at least three ponies following her through the crush. "Seriously? Already?" Gilda subtly picked up the pace. She wanted to curse Berry's name loudly, but somehow her heart wasn't in it. Instead, she found herself anticipating the chase that was surely brewing. Making her way out of the station, through the thinning crowd, Gilda spotted one of the ponies following her out of the corner of her eye. They were definitely from the League of Cerberus, if the hooded cloak they were wearing was anything to go by.  With the station exit just ahead of her, Gilda grinned and braced herself. The second she passed out of the gate she broke into a full sprint, dodging through the assembled creatures like a mad-griff. Shouts and curses erupted from the crowd behind her as her shadows abandoned subtlety and charged after her. Shocked ponies scrambled to get out of Gilda's way. Having never been to Canterlot before, she had no idea where she was going, but that wasn't an issue at the moment. She just picked a promising-looking alleyway and made a beeline for it. Out of nowhere, a League pony dashed in front of her and skidded to a halt, blocking the path.  He was barely even an obstacle.  Gilda leapt, flapping her wings once to give herself a little extra height, and bounced off the pony's back as if it were a stepping stone. She cackled as the bemused League pony was bowled over by his fellow stalkers, the two tumbling to the ground in a knotted heap. "Better luck next time, losers!"