//------------------------------// // Chapter XIV - Self Doubt // Story: Gargoyle // by Mr101 //------------------------------// Gargoyle  Chapter XIV - Self Doubt Vault POV I slowly blinked my eyes as I stared at the ceiling, fully aware of the sun that was now rising. I stifled a yawn that was making itself known and rubbed my eyes, looking down at the still sleeping form of Crystal. I hadn’t actually slept that much if I was being honest. I managed to drift off again after my initial… dream. But it didn’t last long, there was just too many thoughts going around my head. Was I… really dead? Or was this just some weird sick trick my subconscious was playing on me? I didn’t really have an answer for myself. At least, not yet anyway. As carefully as I could, I slipped Crystal off my chest and laid her gently onto my bedroll, smiling softly as she made soft sounds that kinda sounded like a cat purring. You know, if said cat was like, forty percent bug. I slipped out of the tent and stretched out my body, enjoying the soft breeze of the early morning. As my joints popped in various places as I stretched, I let out a satisfied sigh before scratching my chest. I was never really a morning person, given I would normally only just be going to bed at this point, save for nights I had work the following morning but even then I’d still be going to bed late. Looking around the camp, I could just about hear the others sleeping softly, save for Iron Heart who I could hear as clear as bloody day with his snoring. I slowly and silently made my way out of the camp, I’d spotted a largish looking rock that jutted out of the ground nearby and decided to go and sit on top of it in order to think some things over. As I climbed it slowly I came to the top and let out a soft sigh I hadn’t realised I’d been holding in. “Okay…” I started. “Lets try and figure this out…” I leant back on my hands as I looked up into the sky, the sun slowly creeping its way over the horizon. What evidence did I have to prove I was still alive? And what evidence proved otherwise. Whilst my dream had indeed been… realistic, right to the point where I could feel everything that happened to me from pain to warmth which is something you never really deal with in normal dreams. Not to mention, my dream was pretty… intense and it genuinely looked like it could have happened… But on the other hand… there was the huge possibility I was in a coma. I mean, it really isn’t that uncommon for someone to slip into a heavy coma and tell tales of strange things that have happened. And what about the people who claim to have had the ‘saw a white tunnel’ dream before slipping out of their coma. and for that matter, how was I to know what the sub conscious let alone the mind could do to someone who was in a coma? As I kept thinking, I started to grow more and more irritated with the indecisiveness of making up my mind process. Letting out a silent growl as my vision started to go red, I punched the ground as hard as I could, ignoring the slight pain in my fist. “It’s a dream, you know?” I blinked before groaning and rolled my eyes, “Thought I’d shut you up…” “I’m you, genius,” my mind replied, “I’m not exactly going to go away, am I?” “Oh… right. I need to ask, are you like my subconscious or something?” I asked. “In… a sense, yeah,” the reply came. “What do you want, anyway?” I grumbled. “Trying to get us out of this shit world,” “It isn’t that shit,” I growled, “We’re in a friggen fantasy world, something that I’ve, well we’ve, only ever dreamt about!” “... True, but that’s all it is. Fantasy,” “Yeah… I know, but—” “Hold on… don’t tell me you’re actually having doubts about this, are you?” I didn’t reply, I just replayed that question over and over in my mind. Was… I doubting it? Was this genuinely now my new reality? “Oh for fucks sake, Scott! I can’t believe you! This is a fucking dream, all of it! You’re lying in hospital, in a coma, waiting to wake up! Please don’t forget that, we need to get back! Think of of our family, our friends! Don’t you… want to see them again?” “Of course I do! But you surely saw what Luna showed… it looked so real… and it felt real.” There was a stagnant silence as I waited for a reply. “Look, I know it did, man. Believe me… but you need to stay focused, what if… and, hear me out.” “Go on…” I answered with a hint of curiosity and concern. “You know… how we think that we’re meant to be helping these guys? That that might be the key to waking up?” I nodded slowly, but I wasn’t liking where this was heading. “What if… we help those golden freaks?” My eyes widened, “What the hell?! How can you, I, whatever! Even suggest that?!” “Calm down, think about it logically. Who says that if we help these guys we’re gunna wake up? What if we were brought into this dream coma thing by the supposed bad guys?” “No… you’re wrong—” “Think about it though, it could be the case… how can you be so certain that helping the good guys, if they are them supposedly, will wake us up over the bad guys. Again, if thats what they supposedly are?” I bit my lower lip. as much as I hated to agree to it… he, I, did have point. How could I possibly know that by helping Equestria and the others be the key to waking up, if I was in a coma that is. What if it was the bad guys that I was meant to help? “Shut up…” I grumbled. You see what I mean? Now you’re thinking logically.” “I said, shut up!” I growled loudly. “Think about it, Scott. It could be our way out!” “I said, shut up!” I roared, grabbing my head with both my hands. I was greeted with silence again as I panted, holding my head until a low rumble caught my attention and I looked over and saw Bone-a-parte slinking up behind me on a small slope. “Oh… it’s just you… what’s up?” I asked. He simply snorted and sat beside me. It was quite interesting, I had to admit to have a dog like companion that when sitting on its haunches, it was taller than a pony. He was a huge bastard. Bone-a-parte nudged my arm and tilted his head, as if he was asking if I was alright or something. “Don’t worry,” I replied, “just… dealing with some shit on my mind. You know?” He nodded and nudged me again, as if he was asking me to tell him. “I said, don’t worry about it!” I replied with a growl. He seemed to get the message and huffed, turning his head to look away. The hell is wrong with me? Why’d I just snap at him? I wondered. “Sorry, boy. Just… a lil cranky.” He gave me a deadpan look to show he clearly wasn’t buying it. “Hey, look,” I said, trying to change the subject, “I’ve been thinking of a name for you. One that’s better than Bone-a-parte.” Bone-a-parte seemed to glare at me, clearly not impressed with my prototype name for him. “Well, how about I list of some names and you can choose one?” He seemed to approve of this and nodded his head. “Alrighty… lets see… how about…” I tapped my chin as I struggled to remember some good powerful names for him, “Titan?” He seemed to ponder it before shaking his head. “Hmm… Tank?” Again, he seemed to ponder the name. But like before he still shook his head. “Okay… Fluffles?” Instantly he growled at me and I raised my hands up in defense and laughed softly, “I’m joking, easyboy.” The skull dog snorted at me unamused as I continued to ponder a name. Then, I grinned as the perfect name popped into my head. One that wasn't a stupid pun. “Cerberus?” I asked. He looked at me, showing clear signs that he was intrigued by the name. “Cerberus is from Greek mythology. A three headed dog, hellhound… thingy. Basically he guarded the underworld to prevent the dead from leaving and the living from entering. Or something like that, and you do kinda have a hellhound like thing going on, what with your skull head and all. Plus you could be the guardian of the group with a name like that?” I watched as he lifted his head up to the sky slowly. Time seemed to slow down as I watched him simply stare into the sky, clearly debating on the name in his head. Least, I think he was. Something about him just seemed to… intelligent, like I could understand him perfectly and vice versa. I knew some dogs were intelligent, hell you see a fair good YouTube clips of smart dogs doing tricks and shit. But then again, some dogs are just plain stupid. I jumped as he let out a bark, turning to me and nodding with approval. “So, you like the name then?” I asked, receiving a nod in return. I grinned, pulling him into me with one arm and scratching his skull with a claw, “Then, from this moment on. You will be known as. Cerberus. Guardian and companion of Vault the Gargoyle!” Cerberus barked again and dragged his forked tongue over my face, making me recoil in disgust as I spat out several times onto the ground. “Dude! I had my friggin mouth open!” Cerberus seemed to smirk as he rose up onto his legs and made his way down the slope again, leaving me to my thoughts once more. I watched him leave, my smile slowly fading as I sighed after finding myself alone with my thoughts. Crystal POV I blinked my eyes as they adjusted to the partial darkness before I yawned loudly and stretched my body, arching my lower back up slightly and stretching my front legs out along the floor. I looked around and smacked my lips before I realised that Vault wasn’t in the tent with me. Pouting, I slowly exited tent to see if I could see him, my head turned to the left as I heard a bark from that bloody skull dog thing and saw him on a nearby rock. Still don’t understand why Vault invited it along with us… However, I did see a familiar and welcome sight beside it. Vault. With a smile I headed towards him as the skull dog past by me, not giving any recognition I was even there. Not that I wanted it to, mind. As I approached Vault, I could here him growling softly and muttering to himself. Curiously, I made my way up the slope as quietly as I could in order to hear what he was muttering. “I can’t be… why… why isn’t everything straight forward?” Straight forward? I wonder what he’s talking about. “But… what if I’m right? What if I am supposed to help those guys? Fuck this is frustrating…” He growled and held his head in his hands and sighed heavily. I decided I had listened to him enough and made myself known. “Hey, Vault. Morning!” Vault jumped, not expecting me and spun around on the spot. “Oh… hey, Crystal.” “Well, aren’t we cheerful?” I teased, “What you doing all the way up here anyway?” “Thinking,” he replied bluntly. Something… seemed off about him, I couldn’t put my hoof on it. “What about?” I asked. “S’fine, don’t worry about it,” he grunted. Something about his tone was off putting. He was clearly hiding something. “Look… Vault—” “I said it’s fine, Crystal,” he snapped, interrupting me. I took a step back as my eyes widened in surprise. Vault saw this and immediately looked down and sighed. “I-I’m sorry, Crystal. I just… had a bad dream that’s leaving me a bit confused, that’s all. I don’t want to talk about it though,” he apologised. I let out a sigh, I wanted to know what was wrong so I could try to help him, I really did care about him. But, I respected his privacy and would wait till he was ready. “Okay, I won’t pry… but you know, you can always talk to me, you know?” He nodded and smiled softly, “Yeah… thanks, Crystal. and sorry for snapping at you.” “Water under the bridge, now gimme a hug, you big lummox,” I smirked. Vault smiled and picked me up, giving me a firm but careful hug as I nuzzled into his neck with a smile on my own lips. “Come on, we better go get some breakfast before the others wake up and find Cerberus eating all of it or something,” Vault said. “Cerberus?” I asked. “Yeah, the skull dog. I decided to name him Cerberus and he approved of it.” “Okay… not sure why you named him after the thing that guards Tartarus,” I said. Vault tilted his head at me, “No… he guards the entrance into the underworld…” “Uhm, I think you’re getting things mixed up, Vault. Cerberus has always guarded Tartarus,” I replied. “Maybe here he does, but where I’m from he doesn't!” Vault frowned. I raised my brow at him “... You’re having another Vault moment… aren’t you?” “No, I— GAH! Forget it!” Vault grumbled and stormed off down to the camp. I giggled and shook my head as I followed him. Silly Vault. By now, most of the camp had woken up and were eating their breakfast as others were busy preparing the liberated hoboll carts for the journey to New Port. We had to make a detour first to pick up another bunch of ponies that Vault had rescued that were about a four hour journey to the south in a cave. He decided that it would be best if we split up. Iron Horn, Meta and Morphosis would be in charge of the wagon trail heading to the city whilst myself, Vault, Cerberus and Iron Heart would go back and get the others that were waiting before rejoining the main bulk of the freed slaves later on. Although, one pegasus was determined to go with us, Snow Wing’s sister. “So you’re sure she’s okay, yeah?” he asked Vault as the gargoyle chomped on some chicken. “Mhm,” he mumbled before swallowing, “I told her and the others to stay put for the time being, you looking forward to seeing your sister, Snow Fall?” “Damn straight I am!” Fall grinned, “she’s like… my best friend.” Vault nodded as he finished the rest of his chicken and belched, sighing in contentment as I rolled my eyes. “Right,” Vault said as he stood up and stretched, flexing his powerful wings out. I still need to teach him how to use them. “Iron Heart, you ready to go?” He asked the nearby minotaur. “Sure am,” Iron replied with a nod. “Cerberus?” He asked. The skull dog, who was laying down near Iron as he, Vault and Iron Horn were the only ones comfy around him, barked and flicked his tail, sending some dirt into the air. “Don’t need to ask me!” Snow Fall grinned. “Crystal?” Vault asked me. “Mhm, whenever you’re ready. I just need to speak to Meta and Morphosis.” “Alright, don’t be too long. Wanna get there and catch up with the others as soon as possible,” Vault replied. I nodded and quickly made my way over to where the other two changelings were, the looked up towards me as I sat on my hindquarters in front of them. “Okay… you two know what you’re doing?” I asked. “Of course,—” “No, none of that!” I hissed, knowing exactly how Meta was going to address me. “I still don’t get why you don’t tell everyone who you are, I doubt they’d care,” Morphosis rolled his eyes. “I know… but I don’t want anyone treating me different because of it, that’s why,” I replied with a sigh. “Anyone? Or just Vault?” Meta smirked. “S-shut up,” I hissed and glared at the snickering pair, “j-just keep everyone safe for lings sake!” “Yeah, yeah,” Morphosis said sticking out his tongue. The snickering was too contagious and I soon found myself giggling along with my friends. As I turned to leave, however, something in their eyes seemed a little… … Off. I blinked as I walked away but shrugged it off, I was probably me just imagining things I suppose. I rejoined the others to find they were just about to head off. Cerberus, for all his creepy and suspicious looks, was carrying a large pack on each side of his body that clearly had a fair bit of our equipment in it. Despite the fact they looked heavy, he showed no signs of straining. Guess he does have a use... I thought. “All ready to go?” Vault asked me as he clipped his warhammer to his belt. “Mhm, let’s go,” I nodded. Iron Heart and Iron horn said goodbye to one another in quite possibly the most over the top display of stallion affection I had ever seen. “Gunna be alright, bud?” Horn asked. “Doubting me, are we, Horn? Or are you still just jealous that I killed two hobolls more than you?” “You got that last one by accident and you know it!” Horn snorted. “Oh… stop being a little baby cow,” Heart laughed heartily and slapped his friend on the back. “Yeah, yeah,” Horn chuckled, “Just wait till next time!” “Can’t wait,” Heart grinned before the two embraced again and patted each others backs. “It’s like he married his best friend…” I said as I snickered snickered. “But in a totally manly way!” Vault replied with a little sing song in his voice. As we silently snickered, the two minotaurs went their separate ways as our small group headed away from the main. Soon we would be with the small group with Snow Fall’s sister, soon we would be in New Port. And soon… I’ll be able to go home and see them all again.