The two of you have been meeting to discuss many things, first on weekends than twice a week and soon everyday. It usually starts with complaining about the job then settles into a more interesting topic. Things are looking up for the crippled mute Gryphon.
Today's conversation could not drift away from employment for some reason.
“So want to know the real reason I beckoned you to the table those months ago?” Artorias questions you.
<Do I want to know?>
“I needed someone for job a unique job but... but... but... that plan changed so I have new ideas for your employment.”
<You have my attention.> why did he tell you that?
“Well after some investigation you managed to turn the local death trap into something far less widowing.” Artorias adjusts his seat. ”so I'm handed the F troop of the engineering corps and ya wonder why I come here every night.”
<You want me to help?>
“Yeah work your muted charm on them to actually agree to build something that will save more lives than end them or at least quarter ass it.”
<What exactly am I going to be doing?>
“You are going to be the personal assistant to the Captain.”
<I can’t speak.>
“The captain says she knows sign.”
<I feel there is more to this but I won’t ask questions.>
“Good man. you start tomorrow.”
That was pretty much all you got before being giving a contract and a new title as a civilian safety contractor or as Atrorias puts it ‘personal assistant’. Now your job is to apparently advise the captain in construction and safety of this new airforce base. The whole thing starting tomorrow thing doesn't bother you too much because you already had a taste of sudden catastrophic change.
Once you arrive home you find a package addressed to you that is clearly too heavy for you to lift into your home in your condition. You take your talons and rip it open so your can take it inside piece by piece only to reveal five civilian Gryphon Kingdom Uniforms covering a set of sharpened gauntlets. Artorias works fast and he even left a note.
“Don't worry about quitting your job my plan has been in action for a while now just arrive at officer’s nest at 0600.
Just follow the signs to find the nest and be sure to dress for the occasion.”
Well fuck it. You flick the safety switch on the gauntlets and drag the box up the staircase to your porch than into your house. You toss on one of the jackets and fit it to yourself using the many buttons and straps. You're now rugged looking reflection hid the skinny limbs of your upper body giving you a more intimidating appearance. Although to others you suspect you look like a cute little kid wearing his dad’s uniform but at least ladies like that too.
You flick the blades out on one of the gauntlets just so you can look the beautiful killing machine you were handed but can’t use. It isn't a rule keeping you from using it its just that these things are meant to be used while flying, something you're more than noticeably deformed wings cannot achieve.
5:00pm
You still have time to waste so you decide to head up to your balcony for a relaxing evening with a pack of cigarettes and the radio. You grab your half used pack of Senior Arbitrary Smokes, Live 88.5 and the mountain-top sunset.
The valley below is obscured by clouds while the sky above is coated in even more clouds leaving the town here in its near permanent tunnel of clouds. You light your first of the night and turn up the radio. As the top layer of clouds get more colorful the bottom layer gets darker all the while you slowly feel your eyes starting to close themselves.
~~~
Somehow you found yourself floating in a featureless void, instinctively you tried to find some mobility in the void but you have no clues if you are succeeding. A sudden flash of light delivered you onto a patch on solid ground hovering in the now white void.
Your body had been transformed into the state it had been in imminently after the accident right down to your movement. You start to walk forward but the pain of progress quickly stops you. A black cloud mist forms ahead of you and quickly disperses leaving another burn victim behind.
You tried to walk toward the unidentifiable only to collapse.
~~~
More fucking nightmares
In the time you had been asleep the sun has dyed the clouds a vibrant orange, you brush the ashes from your chest vaguely onto the floor. You rush off to shower the tobacco smell off yourself.
You wander through your hallways to your barebones bathroom.
The one thing you miss about being a hairless freak is how you didn't have to wash an entire coat of fur. With diligence and the lingering wish to make a good first impression at your new job. You get in the shower to begin the task of cleaning all the coal out of your coat. Some joints don’t bend as far as they’re supposed to so the task of cleaning your self requires strange posturing on your part. Your technique for rinsing yourself off is simply lying down in the tub so the shower head can take over the job. Then again you have to wash less rotten fruit off yourself now, not only that but the reign of the coal over your lungs has ended.
You get out dry yourself off and continue back to bed where you belong.