Lunch consisted of three mushroom quiche pies and a large bowl of boiled cabbage. While not the most appetizing meal ever, Hexxus and Anasta ate their food without any complaints.
“Well, this is just a complete joy to eat, Mrs. Robin. Anasta never told me you were such a good cook!” Hexxus said as he dug into the last half of his pie with a blissful smile plastered on his face.
“Dear, you’re welcome to take as much as you want.” And Hexxus wished he could, but thanks to a prior agreement, he was bound by words that he wouldn’t take seconds. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t think about it.
“No, Mrs. Robin, as much as the idea appeals to me, I don’t think I could eat another bite.” Oh Eden, why did I have to make that stupid bet? Even after he had finished with his pie, he had to keep wiping his mouth, else he would drool all over the table cloth.
“Well, suit yourself dear, but don’t forget it’s here if you do want more.”
“So, Anasta,” Bill wiped off his beak, “you never really went into detail on how you two met, and I would really like to know. I would also like to know why you are out here alone, without your parents.”
Anasta looked worried for a moment. “Umm, well, I am looking for Gilda.” She was surprised suddenly when both her aunt and uncle dropped their silverware and looked at her with shocked expressions. “What?”
They looked at each other for a moment before Robin took one of Anasta’s hands in her own. “Darling, Gilda came to us not long ago.”
Her face immediately lit up, “Really?! How long ago was it, and did she say where she was going?”
“Anasta, before I tell you what happened, know this; your sister, Gilda, is a very troubled gryphon.” Robin paused and looked down at the tablecloth as she tried to find the right words. “One night, around six months ago, she showed up at our doorstep. She was drunk and looked as if she just went through nine rounds with a manticore. It was so bad, we didn’t think she would last the night.” Robin nearly choked on her last words, as she held back her tears. Bill put his hand on her, gripping it reassuringly, and whispered something to Robin before she slowly started to nod.
Bill then looked up with eyes harder than Anasta had ever seen them. “Gilda stayed with us for about a month, as we helped nurse her back to health. We would often ask her what was going on, but she would always find some way of interrupting or changing the subject. Pretty soon I got fed up, and decided if she wasn’t going to willingly tell us what had happened, then I would force it out of her.
“Somehow, she must have found out what I was going to do, because the very next day when I was about to confront her, I caught her in the cellar stealing from us.” Even though his voice spoke with anger, Bill’s eyes only had sorrow in them. “When I found her, she had a good thousand bits on hand that could have only come from my personal safe. I tried talking some sense into her, but she kept repeating that she needed the money or she would be hunted down. I tried questioning her further, but before I could get the chance, she set fire to the cellar.”
Anasta let out an audible gasp. I always knew Gilda had some problems, but I never thought she would go as far as trying to destroy Uncle Bill’s house.
“Thankfully, I was able to put it out before it caused any serious damage, but thanks to the fire, she was able to get away with the money.” As Bill finished, tears started to escape Robin’s eyes. They made small pattering sounds as they hit the wood plate beneath her.
“It’s alright, Aunt Robin,” She looked up and was surprised to see Anasta smiling, “this just makes me want to find her even more, so I can find out what’s the matter with her, and help her back onto her feet. If I can just talk to her, I know I can get her to change her ways, then we can all go back home to mom and dad and be a family again.”
“Oh, Anasta, you are such a good girl, and I hope you are able to-“
“WAAAAHHHHAHAHAHAH!” They all looked over to Hexxus who was bawling his eyes out. “Oh Eden, sniff, that is the sweetest thing I have ever heard, sniff, and yet, it’s the saddest. I hate it when tragic things happen to families.” They just ignored him as he continued wail.
“Well, moving back to the subject at hand, you were about to tell us how you and Hexxus met.”
“Umm, well you see… while I was in Birch Peak, I got a tip from an innkeeper that Gilda went to this club every night. So, going off his word, I went to the club where I met a group of horrible gryphons that said they knew my sister.” Anasta’s voice filled with venom as she spoke of them and having Hexxus in one of their bodies right across from her wasn’t helping matters. “They took me out to an alley, where they tried to… well you can figure that out.” Both her uncle and aunt let out audible gasps of shock. ”They nearly had their way with me, but I managed to escape and fly downwards in the hopes that I could hide amongst the roots of the tree. I got there and entered the tangle of roots, but I couldn’t shake them, and that’s when I met Hexxus.”
Hexxus had a large grin on his face as he chuckled and waited anxiously for his introduction. Here comes the part where she meets me; the masculine, the strong, the devilishly handsome hero! Haha I can’t wait for the part where I swoop in and save the dams-
“I have no idea how it happened, but his head was trapped between two massive roots, and he was unable to get out.”
What, no Anny, that’s not a heroic entrance at all... Hexxus gave her a hurt look which she returned with one that said, Ha! Payback, beeyotch!
Anasta hated to lie to her relatives, but at least it was relatively close to the truth. “I didn’t trust him at first, but he said if I let him go, he would help me in return. There wasn’t much I could do to help get him out with the little time I had, but I guess it was enough because those monsters caught up to me soon after. Just when they were about to get what they wanted, Hexxus came out of nowhere and… well, I have trouble remembering anything after that.”
“How come you couldn’t remember it?” Bill had a small amount of disbelief in his voice that was well-hidden under all the concern.
“I must have blacked out, cause the next thing I remember was waking up to the sight of a campfire that Hexxus had set up. After a bit of small talk I told him why I was in the situation I was in, and after that he said that he wanted to travel with me, and...” Anasta tapped her chin in thought, ”Hmm. Hexxus, what were the words you used?”
“That a helpless and tiny child,” Anasta silently growled at his choice of words. Hexxus knew she hated it when he called her a kid, ”like yourself shouldn’t be traveling alone in this messed up world of ours.”
“Yes, that.” Hexxus swallowed a lump that suddenly formed in his throat when he saw the sadistic look in her eyes.
Oh, the things I am going to do to you after we are done here. Pictures of different ways she could torture him later started drifting into her mind. ”After that, it’s pretty obvious what has been going on. We travel together, and I have to say, it has been much better with him around.”
Bill was about to voice some of his concerns about the story, but Robin could see it coming and spoke up before he had the chance. “Well, Anasta I am just happy that you are safe and that you found a nice friend that would be willing to go so far for you. Isn’t that right Bill?” She gave him the drop it or no sex for a month look, while still being able to maintain her smile.
“Mmhmm, yes dear.” Hexxus snickered and Bill shot him an angry look.
The four of them quickly changed the topic, and before they knew it, all the food was gone. The rest of the day consisted of Bill showing Hexxus more about making wine and Anasta catching up with her aunt while they cleaned around the house.
---------------------
Hexxus had his trademark maddening grin on his face as he returned the foolish look of his opponent that was waiting for him to make his next move. There were at least a dozen sets of eyes on Hexxus, watching, waiting to see if he could take what had been dished out and give it back twice as hard. He outstretched his left talon, trying to find his target, only to bump into the edge of the table. He swore under his breath as he made another reach for the miniature container filled with that amber gold, this time accidentally whipping his talon across the face of one of the onlookers.
He had already put three others to shame, two male gryphons and one gryphoness, and they were each lying unconscious in their chairs. One had a long line of drool running down his neck from his open beak; another was snoring loudly and muttering in his sleep, while the last was contently sucking on her thumb.
Hexxus broke eye contact with his opponent for a brief second so he could get his bearings and locate his target. Once in sight he squinted hard at it, and slowly reached out a third time, this time finding the small glass of liquid. Everyone in the room held their breaths as he carefully lifted the shot to his beak. He wavered for just a second when it was a few inches away, which was enough to put a smile on his opponent’s face, and for some reason it was getting more and more… attractive. Seeing this smile gave him just enough willpower to lift the glass those glorious few inches left to his beak, and bending his head back, he drained it into his mouth. Everyone around them let out their breaths, and a portly bar maid came up and prepared the next round of shots for the two.
About an hour and a half before this happened, Bill had invited Hexxus and Anasta to the local pub for some drinks and fun. It was the second highest building in the town and judging by appearances, it wasn't the most respectable of places. The Amber Sparrow was printed on a loosely hanging sign just above the entrance of the incredibly run-down looking bar. But once inside, there were seven or so round tables, each packed with both male and female gryphons, all laughing and having a merry old time.
Hexxus took a long, deep sniff of the air. “Ah, I missed the familiar smell of liquor, puke,” He inhaled deeply again, “and is that a hint of urine?”
Bill chuckled while Anasta covered her beak. “Ugg, how can you two find this to be a good smell? I can hardly breathe in here.”
“You’ll get used to it, Anny,” Hexxus put an arm around her neck. “just think of this as the smell of growing up.”
Bill chuckled and patted her on the back before moving towards a certain group sitting in the back of the bar composed of four older gryphons. Upon seeing him, their faces lit up with joy, and they got up to embrace him with outstretched arms.
“Bill, it’s been a while since we last saw you in here!” the nearest one said in a Manehatten accent as he wrapped his arms around Bill. He was an average-sized gryphon whose feathers where a dull, orangey brown; his fur was mostly grey, and atop his head he wore a black beret. “Why have you been such a stranger lately? Was it because of that little incident with the corkscrew and the light bulb?”
Bill’s eyes shrunk a little, and he coughed loudly, trying to get his friend to drop the subject. “I... Uhh... No,” He didn’t sound very convincing, “it’s not because of that. I-I’ve just been kept really busy lately with this year’s harvest is all.”
“Sure you have… anyway, have a seat, get a drink,” He guided Bill to an empty chair, “and maybe you could tell us about that fine young thing that has been following you around since you entered.”
Anasta had turned red, and Bill shot his friend a very angry look, and was about to get up and beat some sense into him when Hexxus spoke up.
“Sorry buddy, but I ain’t into that kind of thing, and anyway, you aren’t my type.” He finished by flicking the lid of the beret that the confused gryphon wore. The three gryphons still sitting at the table started snickering to each other and soon enough the laughter caught on and that corner of the bar echoed with their merriment. Some seats were stolen from other tables, and soon everyone was closely packed around the table.
“So Bill, why don’t you introduce us to your friends here.”
“This is my niece Anasta, and her friend Hexxus. They just got into town today and are staying with me and Robin for a few days.” Anasta waved shyly while Hexxus just grinned at them and gladly accepted their extended talons. While he shook them, Bill introduced his friends. “The one with the ebony feathers and bushy eyebrows is known simply as Gumbo.”
“How’s it goin’?” His voice was very coarse like two pieces of sandpaper rubbing together.
“The short one next to him, with the smoking pipe, is known as Everest.”
“Mmhmm, it is a pleasure to meet you both.” He was indeed very short, only just taller than Anasta. He was covered in grey feathers and a tan coat.
“The one next to you, Hexxus, is Gabe.”
“Eh.” he said lazily while lifting two claws to his brow and doing a mini salute. He waved from side to side slightly, and there were two empty pint mugs in front of him. Gabe was solid dark brown from feathers to fur.
“And finally, there is Jackson, whom you have already met; although, everyone just calls him by his nickname Mary.”
“Why’s that?” Anasta asked, giving her uncle an intrigued look before taking a small sip out of a small glass of white wine.
“Well, lass, back when your uncle here and I were positioned in the eastern front on the border of Gryphonica and Equestria, the small fort that we were assigned to protect came under attack from a pack of diamond dogs. They called themselves the Blood Hounds, and they were well-equipped. Soon, we were overrun and captured, then sent to their nearby caves to mine for gems.
“But I wasn’t about to submit to them that easily, and on the third day we had been there, right as those mutts were putting us in our cages for the night, I hatched a brilliant plan to escape. I waited until the change of guards and quickly used the spikes of the collars that they had put on us to make a cut in the palms of my talons.” He said, uplifting his talons to reveal a scar on each. “I cupped my talons together and allowed the blood to gather in them until it spilled over the edges. Then I used the blood, poured it over my head, and finally I kicked the bars of the cage as hard as I could getting the guards attention.
“When they got there, all that they would see was what seemed to be a prisoner who had killed himself. While they removed my dead,” he emphasized by scrunching his talons, “body from the cage, I surprised them and slew them before setting all my fellow soldiers free. After that it’s basically history; we found a small cache of weapons, and taking the Blood Hounds by surprise, we gave them what was coming to them. Somewhere during the battle, the dogs called me Bloody Mary, and I guess the nickname just stuck.”
Over the next hour, the five veteran soldiers exchanged stories, got into a big argument, and somehow offended some of the other locals, which resulted in a drinking contest. Now, all that was left was a copper-red gryphon that had a scar on his cheek, and Hexxus, who had a large grin on his face. The bar maid just poured them their next round of shots.
“Come on, Hezzus hic I know you can hic do it.” Gabe said as he just barely leaned on the table. “Don’t let this hic green-billed pigeon beat yooooooouwhoa!” The drunk gryphon collapsed between the remaining two drinkers and passed out.
Hexxus reached for his twenty-fourth shot and raised it above his head. “Too everyfffffing fatty and cheesecake!” he yelled before downing the drink. “Ahhhh let’sh shee you beat that beat that beat… huh? Is that a pink elephant on your beak?”
The competitor glared angrily at Hexxus before grabbing his shot and quickly throwing it down his gullet. He slammed the glass back on the table and signaled the bar maid to refill them.
“Oh, sho you fink you can beat me; the almosht powerful prinshe of Ponpep.” He wavered for a moment before raising the glass to his beak and downing its contents.
The other gryphon shook his head a few times while blinking in an attempt to shake off the darkness that was forming in the corners of his vision. With a great deal of effort, he grabbed the little glass that looked as if it were a mile away, and tried to bring it to his mouth. He over shot it though, and instead went too high. In an attempt to right it, he leaned back to try and catch the tilting glass. With a loud crash, he fell off the back of the stool he was sitting in and was out cold before he hit the ground.
Suddenly the bar was filled with noise, some of them cheers, and some of them groans followed by the jingling of coin purses. Apparently many of onlookers of the drinking contest had placed bets to see who would win, and before Hexxus knew it, he was raised from his seat by some unknown gryphon who was holding his hand up high. Someone put a heavy sack of bits in his free claw, and after whoever it was that was holding his hand up let go, Hexxus soon lost balance.
“All right there matey, I think you have had enough.” Jackson put one of Hexxus’s arms around his back and helped him up, “It’s time for us to find out where Bill and that girlfriend of yours have gone off to.”
“Ociffer it wasn’t me I shwear, it was the one-armed minotaur.” Hexxus rolled his head around until he could see Jackson’s face. “Hey, I noticed you noticing me noticing you. What shay we go get a drink, shexxy.”
Jackson just chuckled as he pushed through the crowd. “And here I thought you weren’t that type of gryphon.” he said under his breath. He soon spotted Bill near the entrance of the bar with an arm around Anasta, trying to keep her from jumping up on the table so she could dance to a nonexistent song.
“By Ereza’s beak, I just can’t comprehend how someone could get this wasted just by drinking a glass and a half of wine.” Bill said when Jackson came over with Hexxus. “So, how is he doing?”
“Well, the good news is, he won the drinking contest and was rewarded with at least thirty bits.” he lifted up the bag of coins, “The bad news is that he can barely stand, and I doubt he can fly back to your place, and to be honest, I don’t think she could make the journey either.”
“Don’t worry, I can handle it. I’m unique and will eat anything I want to; I have a separate stomach just for cake and ice cream!” Anasta laid her head on the table and started licking it. “Mmm your wood tastes sooo good.”
“Nope, definitely won’t be flying home… huh well Mary, wanna help me back home with these two, and then maybe we can do a bit of catching up? Robin is making deviled eggs and some sort of a fish salad for dinner tonight, and with these two being how they are, I doubt they will be eating anything. So we should have plenty of food.”
“Eh, why not?” He repositioned Hexxus so he would be easier to fly with. ”It’s been months since I last talked with Robin.”
The two old veteran gryphons left, carrying the smashed duo on their backs, and when they got to Bill’s house they dropped them off in a spare bedroom before going down and eating some dinner. Afterwards, they finished up with a mug each of ale and a pair of cigars.
“So, Jackson, I need you to do a favor for me.” Bill said reaching over and lighting his friend's cigar. Jackson raised an eyebrow. “Aye, and what, pray tell, might that be?”
“I need you to check out this Hexxus character for me.” Bill thought back a few days ago from before Anasta and Hexxus had arrived. Back when he was last in the market, and had seen a particular poster with the strange gryphon’s face on it. ”I swear I have seen him somewhere before.”
A super thanks once again to Meester, Mally, and Ex-Nihilos for proofreading for me, and a big thanks to all of you for reading this story.
P.S. The next chapter may ake a bit longer than usual to come out. Sorry.