"Hey, what's black and blue, with red all over?"
Non-Greg shrugged dumbly. "I dunno, what?"
"That."
Smirking, Greg pointed to Trixie as she approached them. Black circles were clear around her eyes, and multiple claw marks could be seen down the side of her neck. Her cape was torn a little along one side, and her horn was stained in half dried blood. she half walked, half stumbled towards them.
"Seriously, your-" Trixie yawned. "Your idea of a joke is too bad to even acknowledge. Could you step aside and let Trixie through for once?"
"Bleh," Non-Greg said noncommittally. "Before that, just what got a hold of you today?"
Trixie grumbled in irritation, stretching her neck out and hissing as she continued to hold a cotton ball soaked in alcohol up to it with her magic.
"Lack of decent sleep, combined with an idiotic fledgling finding out just how stupid it is to fall directly on top of a surprised unicorn."
"Wow." Greg muttered, a tad surprised. "I didn't think you would actually gore a kid like that. I mean, I'm not surprised they finally pushed-"
"Trixie didn't 'gore' any gryphon on purpose!" She protested loudly. "The damn fool LITERALLY fell on my horn! Do you have any idea how much it hurts to have a gryphon fall on your head? A lot! So lay off and let Trixie in!"
Greg sighed and nodded. "Look, I'm willing to let you through today. But, you'd only get to talk to one of the magistrates or council members."
She glared, her tired, sunken eyes creeping Greg out a little. "That doesn't help Trixie at all."
Greg shrugged. "Well, I don't know what to say. The Uber King is indisposed this morning."
Trixie groaned and put a hoof to her face. "Are you serious? Why?"
Greg gave Non-Greg a warning look before waving Trixie closer. "We aren't supposed to say anything on it, but a few of the other guards mentioned seeing you with a donkey in line yesterday, is that right?"
Giving her first tired smile of the day, Trixie nodded. "Oh yes, him. Do you know how he is doing? Trixie didn't remember to get his name."
Greg gave her a look she couldn't quite read. "Did you give him anything?"
She sighed, remembering what that token could have done for her. "Yes, Trixie did, why?"
Greg kept his voice down, but gave Trixie a mild glare. "The Uber king is currently bearing witness to the executions for the week."
"Bleh!" Trixie stuck out her tongue. "You have enough executions for it to be weekly?"
He shook his head. "No, this is just the day that any executions would happen on. It's been, oh, two months now since the last one. But, you see, there is only one slated for today. A donkey."
Trixie blinked uncomprehendingly.
"...Turns out this donkey stole something important. But, there is the chance that he might have been handed it by somegryphon else. or... more likely, somepony else."
She froze, too tired to hide the look of shock on her face. "You can be killed for stealing?"
"Not normally. Mind you, I'm supposed to be tight beaked about this, but, I don't like the thought of someone innocent dying over someone else's mistake. What he had was an important medal of some kind. Important enough that the government keeps track of who has one."
Trixie took a step back, her eyes wide in fear.
"Now-" Greg continued, giving her a neutral stare. "The Inquisitor's aren't letting anyone else near him for questioning. As far as everyone that matters is concerned, he's guilty and that's that. But, I need to ask. Just what did you give that donkey yesterday? This information could save his life."
The unspoken And damn yours was clear to Trixie, who was too stunned to even think for the next few seconds. She hadn't meant for this to happen, she was just trying to help!
Well, you kinda did. Her inner voice mused. You helped yourself. Looks like someone wanted you to get yourself killed when they dropped it.
That didn't help, nor did the throbbing that started right behind her eyes.
If Trixie tells the truth, he lives. But, Trixie dies.
What would the elements do?
She didn't have an answer. At least, none she could use. If they were here, one of them would have probably taken the blame, saving the donkey's life. while that one was imprisoned, the others would have found a way to get them out of the mess. But, Trixie was alone. There were no reinforcements for her.
What virtue is this even? D-does that even matter? He's going to die! H-he's..b-b-but I-he...
"He was crying, and Trixie gave him a cloth to dry his eyes."
I don't want to die...I-I can't.
A brief image of a gryphon that towered over other gryphons flashed in her mind.
Then you have less than two days to figure out how to deal with that.
"...Are you sure that was all you gave him?"
Last chance to turn back. The elements would do it. Honesty certainly would.
She nodded, trying to hide her shaking.
Greg sighed, speaking to her again. Trixie only nodded numbly, barely hearing the words. He wasn't happy. He knew she was lying. But, he let her go.
Trixie turned around and headed towards the exit. Pain, sorrow, and immense guilt followed her until she reached the gates.
Then, the need to survive took over, adrenaline pumped into her veins as she looked to the spots her young hunters would be waiting for her in. Sorrow was replaced with caution, paranoia, and even some aggression, all of which thankfully drowned out her pain.
At least, until she could afford to mourn.
Trixie lamented that even survival taking precedence didn't completely block out her emotions. She started the day tired, and now had a lump in her stomach of pent up emotions which was making her nauseated.
No new cuts graced her body, just a thin sheen of sweat thanks to a few quick runs she had to make. The pattern for dodging the majority of the fledglings was relatively simple by now to her. Even if it was longer, and more problematic, always take a new route. While there were only four main roads that took her back to the inn, there was a myriad of different ways, and places to approach them from.
Feeling relatively safe as she made her way down an alley, Trixie decided to take a short break. She lifted a nearby dumpster with her magic, bringing it over to serve as a makeshift wall thanks to a small square nook one of the nearby buildings had cut into it. Surrounded by four walls for a few moments, Trixie allowed herself to rest, and dropped down onto the ground. Closing her eyes, Trixie let out a brief sigh.
The hunt was getting harder, or, at least, it was taking more of a toll on her as time went on. Numerous cuts and new scars proved it, and her latest one's she had Luna to thank for.
She had woken up to her hooves flailing in the air, burning from exhaustion. Trixie didn't even want to know how long she had been galloping in her sleep, but it had ruined any good sleeping had done for her. If it hadn't been for that, she surely would have seen that gryphon before he cried out and landed on top of her like a sack of potatoes.
Mind wandering further, Trixie gave out an upset grumble. The talk with Greg was slowly worming its way back into her head.
It wasn't Trixie's fault! She thought she was helping!
She thought back to what the donkey told her of his family, and barely held herself together.
No.
Trixie stood up.
I can't do this here. Just what is taking them so long?
There was another reason Trixie had stopped. She was being followed. But, definitely not by a fledgling.
Since she had left the palace, her eyes kept finding a gryphon with a green sash over their chest in her sight. She had ignored him as a simple spectator to this absurd game, but he had kept following her even after she was sure she had escaped the children.
Quickly, Trixie moved the dumpster out of her way, making it bang against the other building jarringly. She peeked her head out to look the way she had come. For a split second, she saw a head at the end of the alley, before it pulled back.
Okay, She growled in her head. Trixie will pretend she didn't see him. If he approaches her, he's getting blasted.
But what if-
No! Trixie massaged her aching head. Trixie will make sure not to hurt them too much, but, she is REALLY not in the mood for any of this right now.
She walked along as she grumbled, listening for any noise from behind her. After making it halfway down the alley, she heard the obvious noise of someone flying behind her. She found it a bit odd though, most gryphons made at least some attempt at stealth when hunting. But, these wingbeats were powerful, loud, and crystal clear to Trixie. She lit her horn up, preparing for a spell that would cause anyone grabbing her to get a very nasty shock.
The wingbeats grew louder, but, the gryphon never deviated. The sounds were consistent, and not of someone preparing to swoop down. Trixie kept the spell ready as the gryphon went over her head, still well above the building, and kept going.
T-that was strange...Were they just messing with Trixie? As if she doesn't have it bad en-
Her thoughts were interrupted by a familiar sound.
Tink Tink Tink.
A dozen feet in front of her landed another medal. Slowly, she approached, daring not to touch it. It was the exact same kind as the last one that had fallen.
They can't be serious. Are they mocking me!? Why would they think-
Greg's words quickly came to her mind.
Mind you, I'm supposed to be tight beaked about this, but-
She didn't have to mull over that sentence for more than a second to understand what was happening.
Greg wasn't supposed to tell anyone. They don't know Trixie knows what happened.
Trixie sighed, normally she would be happy with good luck like this, but, the medal reminded her too much of the donkey. Gently, Trixie picked the medal up in her magic, letting her eyes wander over it as she studied it for a long few seconds. Then, her magic shattered the medal like tin foil. She levitated the remains over to the dumpster and dropped it in.
Fool me once.
Looking up at the sun, Trixie gauged that she could sleep for at least a few hours before meeting up with Gerard if she hurried back to Gretta's.
And if her conflicted emotions didn't get in the way.
"Woah, you got really lucky there."
"Maybe? But, she left him to die, Gerard, to die." She took a sip of her second drink for the night.
"Yeah, well, what were you going to do? Die for someone you hardly knew? It sucks, and I'm sorry I didn't think about how close a medal like that would be watched before you left the other day, but, I'm glad you didn't do anything rash."
"B-but, maybe Trixie could have talked to the king? I-if he is there when...it...happens, perhaps she could-"
Gerard held up a paw to interrupt her. "Woah, no. You would have been on the chopping block, there is no way he'd listen to you after you were labelled a criminal. Heck, you'd probably be gagged just for trying to."
Trixie fiddled with her hooves, staring down at her drink. "W-why is this city so harsh? Why is there so much...death? Equestria isn't like this, we don't have a death penalty. We barely have prisons."
"Really? I guess that explains why so few ponies ever leave Equestria, I've not heard of a single country with less than a pawful in its borders." He took a long drink. "And look, this type of stuff? Executions? Gryphons trying to hunt others? Gryphons killing others? It's not nearly as common as you think. Like I said awhile ago, only a few types of hunts are still in use. Heck, the one you are in only happens, what? Once every twenty years, at best? Most deaths are due to some noble family trying to get ahead of another, or to rile an enemy family up, and that's not often either right now."
He gestured at Trixie with his drink. "If you had been any other non-equine walking into the city, I doubt you'd have ever seen any of this. But, well, really, you had to be expecting some of this. I mean, you've had, like, horrible luck with gryphons trying to break the rules. Not to mention what happened to that donkey when I first met you. But, all the hunting? That's what you came here for, right? To shake up Gryphus, make your mark, maybe even go home a hero?"
Trixie slumped her head on the table. "Kinda...but, it doesn't make her feel better about any of this. That fledgling that gored herself on Trixie's horn is going to be in the hospital for awhile, and Trixie tried helping that donkey. She didn't think..."
He gave her a light flick on the shoulder. "Hey, the fledgling thing isn't on you at all. They screwed it up, and you still got a nasty looking mark out of it. If that fledgling had been a little smarter, she'd had slit your throat with her claws instead of just leaving those gashes. Don't feel bad for her."
Gerard took another sip and continued.
"As for the donkey, well, that was a nasty trick. Some family wanted you dead, and wanted it to look like it was your fault, not theirs. I wouldn't be surprised if the Plucked Feathers were behind it, you did embarrass them quite a bit."
Trixie sighed, looking over to the clock. It was an hour past when they normally separated for the night. "Thanks for trying to make Trixie feel better, but it'd probably be best if she just called it a night."
Gerard shook his head. "Nah, I can't let you just go and keep feeling sorry like this. Besides, tonight's the big night. An hour from now, and you'll officially be in the second part of the hunt. One paw through the door, only three more to go now, right?"
She looked over to him, trying to keep her nerves together. "R-right, which is why I really need to go get some sleep. Tomorrow's going to be tough, and if she is out past midnight..."
"You don't have to worry about that, you'll be with me, remember? I can't hunt you, I'm not a noble, and you'll be with a gryphon not participating in the hunt. So you won't be bothered. The ones who hunt you next are nobles, and they are stickler's for the rules. Besides, I still have to show you that place I mentioned the other night."
"But-"
"Nope, I'm not taking no for an answer. C'mon, just trust me on this, okay?"
Be true to your friends, and they will stay true to you in return.
Trust. He's Trixie's friend, right? If Trixie is loyal to him, he'll be loyal back, won't he?
Trixie gave Gerard a small smile and stood up as he did. "Okay, let's go then."
He returned the smile, and gestured towards the door.
Well, it's nice. In a rustic sort of way.
With how brown and gray the city was, she hadn't expected there to be any spot of green like this in Gryphus. As they approached, the amount of lights went down considerably, petering out right before they entered the park. Several hundred yards of lush grass was quickly left behind them as they walked a small stone path that eventually led them into a pocket of thick trees. Lamps were sparsed out through the small woods, but none of them were lit, leaving them as the only point of light in the area. Crickets chirped all around them. After another minute of walking the path, Gerard stopped, and signaled Trixie to put the lantern down.
"Pretty, isn't it?" Gerard started. "Hard to maintain too, from what i hear. Getting a grove of trees to grow in what once was a mountain couldn't have been easy for our ancestors."
She nodded. "It's impressive, reminds Trixie of a few places she camped, back when she had her cart. But...how does this place help Trixie? It's too far away from Gretta's, or the palace to be of much use, and she doubts this is a safe area for her."
He smiled. Instead of immediately answering, he picked up the lantern and placed it on a hook that had been affixed into one of the nearby lamp posts.
"Congrats, Trixie, you made it past the first week." He looked over to her with a grin.
She grinned back, trying to hide her nerves. Thoughts of how visible their lantern now was didn't help. "Wow, it's midnight already? No wonder Trixie is feeling a bit tired. How about we call it a night and-"
"Oh, don't be a spoilsport. Just give me a few minutes to get my bearings."
"Bearings?"
He nodded. "While this area wasn't specifically designed for hunting or hiding in, there are some parts of it you could take advantage of. For one, almost no gryphon comes out here at night. You won't be able to stay the entire month at Gretta's, you know. Heck, another few days and the place will have hunters watching it day and night."
"So..." Trixie cocked her head at him. "You think Trixie should start sleeping here? Camp out in the woods?"
He shook his head. "Not exactly. I'm just saying it's a good place to stay at night every once in a while. At least once a week, to throw off every gryphon that is going to be watching every place they expect you to visit at some point in the day. Predictability is the hunter's ally, and the prey's enemy."
She looked Gerard over carefully. He wasn't lying to her, not at the moment, but, she could tell he was nervous about something. And his eyes, they kept roaming while he talked. Trixie began looking around herself as she spoke.
"That's true, she supposes we'll have to find a new bar in a few days as well." She quirked an eyebrow at him. "So, what is in this park that you are trying to remember? She knows you are feather brained, but, did you really forget after telling Trixie you'd show her it just yesterday?"
Gerard began tapping a claw on the ground. "Woah, look, I don't come out here at night that often, okay? What am I trying to find? Well, there's...there's a large grove of bushes you could easily sleep in. Normally, they are even covered in blue flowers, making it almost ideal for you to hide in if you had to."
He's lying.
Trixie doesn't fully know that.
Yes you do. He's anxious, nervous, and stalling for time. I bet his friends were supposed to be here already.
A flash of light met Trixie's eye for a second from something far away. Squinting, Trixie focused on the spot she had seen it. For another brief second, she saw the light again, deep in the woods. Most likely someone walking down another path.
Gerard looked to where Trixie was. After a few seconds, she turned her gaze on Gerard, noticing something that made bile rise in her throat.
Gerard was no longer nervous.
"Woah, w-well, look, I'm gonna go and see if I can find that grove, okay? You stay here, I'd rather not cause you to get anymore banged up than you already are."
"Of course." Trixie smiled fakely. The lantern was surrounded with her magenta aura, before slowly levitating towards Gerard. "Here, maybe this will help you find it."
"H-huh? Oh, no, don't worry." He grabbed the lantern and brought it back to the post. "I have very good eyes, I won't need this to find what I'm looking for. I'll be back in a few minutes, okay?"
Stop dragging this out. That little light in the distance is getting closer.
But...maybe he-
Sold you out?
"G-Gerard...before you go, can you answer one thing for Trixie?"
He looked at the light in the distance one last time before looking over to Trixie, noting how depressed she sounded. He sighed. "Sure, what is it, Trix?"
She pointed a hoof towards the little light. "Are those the gryphons you spoke to yesterday?"
"I-I-woah, what?"
"You're not subtle, or a good liar. Well, compared to Trixie, at least. She literally managed to sell ice to a crystal pony once. That...and...she overheard you talking to them yesterday about bringing her out here."
"Woah, look-" Gerard sputtered, shaking his head. "It's not what you think."
Trixie's hopes and face lit up for a moment. "Really?"
Before dropping like a boulder. "Well..." He sighed again, turning away from her. "Actually, it kinda is..."
"..."
"..."
"...Why? T-this doesn't make any sense. She thought we were-"
"-What? Friends?"
She nodded.
He gave Trixie a condescending look. "Really? We've spent an hour or two each day together for, what? Four, five days now? Do you really think that's long enough to make us friends?"
"O-of course it is! Trixie's spent more time around you than she has anyone in years."
Oddly enough, his look turned almost pitying at this point. "Woah. Well, I hate to say this, Trix, but, that's just not how it works. Or, at least, not here in Gryphus."
She thought back briefly to her shows and travels across Equestria. She had only stayed a week at most in any one place, but, she had had friends. There was a orange pegasus who drank with her when she was performing in Manehattan two years ago. Or what about that yellow unicorn at the red bar in Las Pegasus? It may have only been a few hours of drinking and talking each time, but, they were her friends.
Right?
"Look, Trix, this aint your fault, really. But, look at it from my side, or, even Gretta's. What's the point of being caught up with someone who is going to be dead in a weeks time? I'll admit, I kinda hoped that that medal would get you to the king, but, it didn't. In the next day or two, I was going to go to that bar, and you weren't going to show up. I'm sure Gretta feels the same way. Very soon, even if I didn't do this, you won't show back up at her inn, and that'll be that. Who'd really waste their time making friends with a pony who's about to die?"
Each point made quietly drove another nail into her heart. An almost acidic feeling came with the pain. A rush of panic and adrenaline as her emotions warred with her survival instincts. At the moment, Trixie didn't know whether she would break down in tears and just let the others kill her, or break Gerard's neck and run off.
"It's not personal. really. My family is in a tough spot, and this clan is willing to help us out if I get them a private hunt. A legal one. I really don't want this anymore than you do."
Tears made their way down Trixie's face as she stared at Gerard. "J-just what is wrong with you...? Y-you're my friend...I'm not family...but you said betrayal-"
He held up a claw and shook his head. "Woah, woah. Look, I said the clan is before any other ties. What? Did you think I was really going to pick you over helping my family? And betrayal?" he scoffed at that. "You're not a gryphon, or even a citizen of the empire. No-"He shook his head again, and looked away. "-I have nothing to feel shame over."
Trixie bowed her head low in resignation.
"Really-" Gerard said, voice low, almost like he was talking to himself. "-It's like handing over a stray dog you took in. It'll hurt for a little, but, you'll get over it, right?"
Cold. Trixie felt cold. She could feel the tears dropping. her heart was beating rapidly, and she was sure something akin to a whimper was coming from her lips. But, her mind was somewhere else, seemingly detached from her body. Almost subconsciously, Trixie placed herself between Gerard and the sight of whoever it was carrying the lantern that was approaching them.
"So-" Trixie heard herself say. "What happens if Trixie isn't here when they show up?"
Gerard gave her a questioning look. "Nothing good, I'd be lucky to get off with only two broken wings, I imagine. Thinking of bolting? It's a little late for that." Gerard looked away and pointed to the forest, just as two gryphons fully came into view.
Trixie nodded as her horn lit up. "Sorry about this..."
Gerard felt the light on his back, but just ignored it, waving the two gryphons over. "What? Are you going to knock me out with your levitating trick? I wasn't going to help them with what comes next, so you might want to save your strength."
Trixie didn't reply.
"Good to see you, Gerard."
Gerard gave a brief nod to the Golden gryphon and his compatriot. "You too, Gavin."
"So...where is she?"
"Pfft, is she still hiding behind me? Let me just-" He walked a few feet away and turned to where Trixie was.
However, there was no trace of the unicorn.
"Gerard?" Gavin started. "Where is she?"
"B-but, that's impossible." Gerard pointed to the spot. "She was right there less than ten seconds ago! Did she run off? I didn't hear her running though..."
"So, she was here?"
Gerard nodded. "Y-yes!"
"And now...?"
"S-she must have some trick!" He poked at the spot Trixie had been before bringing his beak to the ground to smell it. "L-look, her scent is still here!"
Gavin went over to the spot and took a deep breath. "Yes, from what you gave us before, this is her scent. But, we didn't see her run off, and we've kept our eyes peeled for her ever since you were close enough for us to see."
Gerard put a paw to his chin. "She must have some way to hide then."
Gavin shrugged. "It's likely, but, that doesn't matter right now. She's not here, Gerard. And you said she would be."
"Woah, woah, hold on. This isn't my fault, I didn't-"
Gavin cracked his neck before nodding to his stalwart companion. "It doesn't matter. You promised she would be here in exchange for our help, and she isn't here. You broke your word."
The two gryphons converged on Gerard. He wasn't a soldier, he wasn't a hunter, and he knew he wasn't fast enough to fly away in time. Or strong enough to break free of their talons. Nor was his voice loud enough to reach the guards outside the park.
But damn did he try.
Trixie turned away from the scene right as Gerard was knocked to the ground. Her mind teetered back and forth for awhile in conflict. She knew she had to leave soon though, she couldn't keep herself invisible for more than a few minutes at a time. When the screaming began, she started walking away.
Loyalty.
Apparently you don't inspire it. You know, there is still time to go help him.
No. She replied, numbly. I didn't save that poor donkey when I had the chance. I'm not about to risk my life for someone who was planning to let me die.
Really? Forgiving someone who did you wrong would be kindness. And risking your life for a friend would be loyalty. What happened to your aspirations?
She didn't stop.
The elements would have turned this around, you know Loyalty would have swooped in, Kindness would have shown them the error of their ways, and the others would have helped out. Like in the stories, everyone would be happy and friends by the end of this.
She didn't reply.
But...I guess, if you really were any good at any of the virtues...
Trixie ended her invisibility and looked around, starting her long and paranoid trek back to the inn.
Gerard wouldn't have betrayed you in the first place.