//------------------------------// // Silent Tempest // Story: Gum Gator // by WishSeeker //------------------------------// Gator was dropping altitude rapidly, the ground came closer as he fell from the sky, his little claw tugged on the cord dangling from the bag on his back. The light blue canvas shot out of the bag and slowed Gum's decent till he touched ground, he found himself in the middle of the desert. Gum broke the chute loose from his bag and began his long trek to Ponystan in the centre of Saddle Arabia. He had only brought enough rations for the trip to Ponystan as he was to make contact with an agent there. Heat roared under Gum's little feat as he travelled the sands, but he knew he had to press on with only a compass and the sun to guide him to his destination. Several hours passed as Gum moved across this great void of nothingness, he decided to set up camp near a large rock he had found, if anything it would at least remind him there's more in the world than just sand. Missions like this were common in the agency. Gum had it easy compared to most agents, he was one of the best so he needed to be treated as such, they wouldn't send him out like this unless it was completely necessary. He built up his reputation quickly in his early years as an agent and by his fifth assignment he was the talk of the agency. His lack of movement when others look at him makes it easy for him to blend in and also hide his emotions in interrogations. As he lay his head down on his bed roll, his mind raced back to Ponyville, Pinkie Pie never noticed how 'Gummy' disappears, sometimes for days, it was strange. Gum assumed Pinkie was so busy with parties and princesses she'd be distracted just enough to not notice the Alligator's absence. His mind began to sway to a more pressing question, who was Tempest? He had heard the name before but why couldn't he remember, it was like something was blocking his thoughts. Darkness slowly crept around Gator as he dug deeper into his bedroll, avoiding the dropping temperature, and eventually fell into slumber, his mind repeating one phrase, who is Tempest? Who is Tempest? Aware, but keeping his eyes closed, Gum knew something was up, he could tell he had been moved and was no longer in the desert by the feel of a softer bed. "Don't worry boss, he's still asleep." The voice was talking over some sort of device, Gummy could tell by the beeping sound to signal a message in response. Gum continued to be 'asleep' as he planned what to do. "Rodger that, I'll leave someone on vigil, in case he wakes up. Me and a team will sweep the area for other signs of the agency." The sound of hooves and a heavy door opening and then closing assured Gum it was safe to open his eyes. The agent looked around the room, it looked as if the walls were a reinforced stone and the door was metallic. A laptop lay on a desk near the bed and what appeared to be a one way window covered most of the wall behind it. "Good morning, Mister Gator." A griffon stood before Gum, a well groomed specimen as well, the beak was pristine and sharp, his feathers were smooth and silky. "Welcome to Bastion," he spoke with a friendly tone, "we are sorry we had to bring you in unaware, but we couldn't have you doing anything brash, my name is Aldon." Gum responded with his trademark stare, he was going to get information out of this one way or another. The griffon opened the door behind him. "I had heard you were the silent type. If you would please follow me, I'll give you a tour of the facility and introduce you to the boss." Gator played along, he needed to find out where he was, what he was doing here and who is 'the boss'? Gator was shown the entire facility, it was a large compound in a mountain range situated within the desert Gator was travelling. The walls around the buildings were littered with watch towers and the only way in or out was huge metal door. He notices the many different types of faculties provided were similar to the agencies training base; an advanced obstacle course training ground including a large zip line that only the strong could stay attached to, a barracks for the recruits to sleep, a mess hall, a tech training centre, a communications building, the list was endless. After the tour Aldon took Gator up to a building at the top of the compound, it appeared to be a mansion but had security measures that could wow even Princess Celestia's royal guards. Gum recognised the building, it wasn't the same but was built similar to a mansion he remembered but he couldn't put his claw on it. "Welcome to the Boss' home Mr Gator." Aldon opened the doors and stepped through with Gum on his back. The door opened to a decorated reception office, the walls were filled with paintings of scenery and flowers made a waiting area seem homelike. A blonde mare sat at a desk with a stack of papers next to her. "Ah, hello Aldon, I suppose this is Mr Gator, I will inform the boss immediately." The mare pressed a button on her desk that let out a buzz. "Thank you Mrs Buzz." Aldon took a seat on one of the sofas in the waiting room placing Gum next to him. Aldon turned to Gator, "You see Mr Gator, the boss has been watching you for a long time. Your actions have always fascinated her and I believe you both met a long time ago." Gum's mind raced, who did he know that would go this far to track him, an old enemy? No they'd have eliminated the alligator in the desert, an agency agent? No they could just simply request his presence, Who? The receptionist stepped over to the two ,"The Boss will see you now." "Thank you," Aldon replied, "we'll head up now." Aldon picked Gator up with his wing and put him on his back then walked over to an open elevator, he entered with Gummy and pressed the single button on the wall. The sound of the moving elevator filled the empty seconds as they approached the 'Boss' Room'. The door opened to reveal a dark room with hundreds of monitors on the surrounding walls with one huge screen in the centre, an empty desk was in front the huge monitor. "Mr Gator has arrived!" Shouted Aldon,"I am sorry but I must go now, I need to check with the recruits." With that Aldon left via the elevator, Gummy moved up to the desk until he was standing on it. Within a second the huge monitor flashed to life, a large eye centred itself on the screen. "Ah, Mr Gator, I have been expecting you." The female voice came from the speakers and was familiar to Gum's ears, " I hope you remember me, my name is Tempest."