Into That Wild Blue Yonder

by CptBrony

Bugging Out

Nikita had come out of her bathroom sometime later, wet-faced and tired. She declared she was going to sleep and neither of her guards stopped her; she would need the rest for the coming days. Only she could decide how it would play out.

When she awoke, it wasn’t to the usual glare of morning sun through her window; it was to the sound of howling wind entering her chambers, and the feel of cold mountain air rushing over her. She shot upright, afraid that another assassin was after her, only to see no one around.

That was unsettling as well. Not a single being in the room with her.

“Human?” Nikita called. “Colm?”

She heard a noise from her bathroom and walked over to investigate. The door was slightly ajar, so she peeked in before opening the door. On the other side was the young man with a large amount of rope, but no Colm. She pushed the door open with a mild creak, and the young man froze.

“What are you doing in the middle of the night?” Nikita asked.

“Setting up the way out,” the young man said.

“This is hardly safe for battle,” Nikita said.

“It isn’t for battle,” the young man said. “It’s for tonight.”

“What?” Nikita said, now fully awake.

“Nikita, Colm and I are bugging out. I was planning to wake you up before leaving, but I guess the noise took care of that,” the young man said.

“What do you mean you’re leaving?” Nikita asked. “You’re my protectors!”

“Nikita, we don’t have the ability to protect you from platoons worth of baddies,” the young man said. “And we aren’t looking to die here. I have a family I’m trying to return to.”

“I- I see,” Nikita said. “This is how it ends.”

“Not necessarily,” the young man said.

“And why is that?” Nikita asked.

“Come with us,” the young man said. “So what if we don’t or can’t return? What’s here for you?”

“Being royalty,” Nikita said emptily.

“Being sold to another family for property rights,” the young man un-euphemized. “Why would you stay for that?”

“I have to help my people,” Nikita said.

“Why?”

Nikita blinked. “What?” she asked.

“Why?” the young man asked again. “Why do you have to help them?”

“Because- Because they’re my people,” Nikita said simply.

“They’re the ones selling you,” the young man said. “If they loved you, they’d keep you. If your father loved you, he’d keep you. These griffons aren’t interested in your well-being, why should you be interested in theirs?”

“They gave me this life,” Nikita said.

“And have you been happy?” the young man said. He didn’t get a response, so he walked forward and put a hand on Nikita’s shoulder. “They gave you that, you know.”

“I owe them,” she said.

“You don’t owe them shit,” the young man said bluntly. Nikita reeled from the language. “THAT is the truth. They didn’t give you anything. Your status gave you a restricted life and took your freedom from you. People where I’m from died to give freedom; you had it taken away from you. What does that say?”

“I… I…” Nikita couldn’t respond.

“Nikita, I’m sorry,” the young man said. “But Colm and I, we can’t stay for this battle. It isn’t ours to fight and die in. And frankly, it isn’t yours either.”

“I can’t just go with you,” Nikita said.

The young man sighed and shrugged. “That’s your choice, and I will respect it,” he said. “I’m just asking you to think about it really hard. What do you owe these people who would sell you out for farmland? What is your life worth here versus anywhere else?” Nikita turned away.

“I don’t know,” she said.

“You need to figure it out soon,” the young man said. He picked up the rope. “But I know where I stand, and so does Colm. Whatever choice you make, we’ll be receptive of you, wherever we may be.”

“Before you go,” Nikita said. “I must ask your name.”

“Call me whatever you’d like,” the young man said. “Just keep it PG for everyone.”

“Hahaha,” Nikita laughed. “Alright… G.” G; for Guard. How creative.

Nikita took in a deep breath as she heard the young man pick up his rope and toss it out the window, then grab it and hop out. He was going to rappel his way all the way down. Brave, for a wingless creature.

Nikita went back to her bed and tried to sleep, but couldn’t. Ironic that such a brave being would run from battle. But Nikita had to admit his points were all valid. She lay in bed for hours, pondering his points. Everything made sense, and nothing she had thought to be true before worked for her any more. Why should she stay? To be murdered for land? To be sold for land? To give up the sanctity of her body, her heart, her soul, for a people that would give her away for material gain?

Nikita knew what to do. The young man and Colm were gone, long gone by now. But it would be better to avoid being with them for now; it would be too high profile for such a group to exist.

Nikita went to her window and looked to the moon; the Nightmare Moon, ever since the old days, some nine hundred eighty-five years ago. It represented what her lands were, would always be. She had to get out.

Nikita spread her wings, as stiff as they were, and flapped a few times to get a good feel. It would be hard, and likely hurt a ton, but she made her choice. Nikita took a running start and leapt out her window and into the night sky, escaping her old life forever.

It was the biggest chance she ever took, and it was already the best decision she had ever made.