• Published 7th Mar 2013
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Hegira: Eternal Delta - Guardian_Gryphon

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Chapter 34

Earth Calendar: 2117
Equestrian Calendar: 15 AC (After Contact)
March 24th, Gregorian Calendar

"Well I'm certainly glad you've done this before. I think this kiosk was intentionally designed to give travelers grief."

Skye glowered at the tall plastic and steel cylinder, as if the force of her expression would cause the terminal to rip itself from the wall and begin a prostrate supplication for forgiveness.

Fyrenn nodded, and watched with a vague air of detachment as the kiosk obediently spat out six ticket stubs. In most cases travelers simply checked in with biometric authentication, but the systems had not yet been adapted to the large scale arrival of Gryphons, or any other species short of Ponies.

The red Gryphon quickly distributed the small plastic tabs. The objects felt unnaturally small to his talons, having been designed originally for Human hands.

He pointed to a series of turnstiles. The large silver uprights were one of the newer reflections of Earth's burgeoning multi-species society, having been thoughtfully re-engineered to accommodate larger beings.

"Boarding is already in progress, so we shouldn't dawdle."

Kephic raised an eyebrow as he studied the turnstile. Finally locating the appropriate slot for his ticket, he deposited the yellow square of material, and stepped gingerly through the burnished steel gateway.

"I confess, I've never ridden one of these larger trains before."

Neyla shook her head, and stared absently at a departures screen suspended from a pair of roof mounted cables.

"I've been looking forward to it for some time, I just never got around to trying it."

Carradan grinned, and began trotting off towards the platforms.

"It's nice if you book a good first class seat. Even nicer when your employer is paying for the whole ride."

Fyrenn snorted, and followed the Pegasus through the access hall.

"Well I'm not your employer, but I did fork over a full berthing car. I couldn't stand the idea of trying to cram all six of us into coach, even if they claim to have redesigned the seats. Besides, I have to find *some* way to get rid of my bank balance."

Varan raised an eyebrow, quickening his pace slightly to come alongside Fyrenn as he spoke.

"Would it not be more prudent to retain some currency for unforeseen circumstances?"

Fyrenn shrugged, and repeated his snort.

"I hardly needed it while I was living here. Much less now. I think it would be simpler if I just got rid of it all and closed up the account. One less pointless thing to worry about."

Ignoring the surprised and concerned glances of his friends, Fyrenn took the lead. The platform was mostly deserted, given that the train was the last morning departure, and nearly every passenger had already boarded.

A few larger families, and miscellaneous late arrivals, were still frantically attending to their luggage.

Otherwise, the vast expanse of beige duracrete was empty. Fyrenn sized up the maglev as he approached. He had always harbored a fondness for trains. The express vehicle took on an almost romantic afterglow, as vaguely golden hued light filtered down through the station's tinted glass roof and struck the train's milky white paint coat.

Fyrenn counted off the cars silently, until he arrived at the one he had booked only minutes before.

Normally it would have been inconceivable to arrive five minutes before departure and still find available berthing carriages. But as with any large scale disaster, the Vancouver incident had produced rampant public paranoia. Fyrenn could remember similar vacancies plaguing the transit industry for months, even years, after the appearance of the Barrier.

He gently pressed one talon to the softly glowing 'OPEN' button on the carriage door, and stood back as the portal lazily slid away into a recessed slit.

The red Gryphon smiled, and held out a claw in a welcoming fashion.

"After you."

The rest of the group filed into the cabin quietly. As soon as everyone was aboard, Fyrenn pulled himself up into the carriage, and stepped from the companionway into the interior compartment.

Somehow, Carradan had already located the contents of the miniature bar and dining alcove, and was busy preparing a bowl of synthetic candies with total abandon.

Skye was in the process of claiming one of the cabin's seats. Fyrenn noticed, with a wry smile, that it was the one closest to the most electrical and dataport outlets.

The other three Gryphons seemed preoccupied with examining the design of the space as a whole. Fyrenn paused to join in their appreciative glances.

The room was carefully constructed to cater to the widest variety of biologies possible. The seats were highly adjustable, and sumptuously appointed with the best in faux leather. They could be reclined, rotated, and even moved several feet on a collection of hidden magnetic guideways in the floor.

One corner of the cabin was given over to the small bar-like counter top, refrigerator, microwave, and pantry that Stan had raided for nearly a quarter of its useful contents.

The remainder of the wall space was occupied by four reconfigurable beds, and a small collection of luggage cabinets.

As a three-toned notification trill emanated from hidden speakers in the ceiling, Fyrenn pressed two of the chairs nearest the right side window into a fully reclined configuration, and sprawled out over them.

Neyla, Varan, and Kephic carefully found comfortable positions on two of the beds, and another pair of chairs, as an automated warning softly played in distinctly artificial feminine tones.

"This train is ready to depart. Please stand clear of the doors. Amrail thanks you for your patronage. Please enjoy your stay with us aboard this express maglev with service from Seattle to Manhattan calling at Las Vegas, Phoenix, Albuquerque, Austin, Raleigh, and Lynchburg."

Fyrenn rotated one ear to listen as the car's doors automatically hissed shut, their safety locks engaging with a distinctive clicking sound.

"The next stop will be in Las Vegas. Estimated time to this station is one hour, twenty minutes. Estimated time to terminus station; Four hours, forty five minutes. Please direct your attention to the nearest screen as we provide a brief safety instructional video. Thank you for choosing Amrail."

Fyrenn shifted his ears and began to block out the incessant drone of the pre-recorded voice.

As the train gently, noiselessly pulled away from the station, he fixed his eyes on the window, and his thoughts on his destination.

The sound of Minos' slow clap reverberated eerily through the open spaces of the warehouse. The effect was compounded by the absolute silence of the building's other inhabitants.

"Boys and girls? I must say... I am impressed."

Minos spread both hands wide, striking an intentionally messianic pose as he smiled down on the huddled masses of children.

"No only did you accomplish that which I sent you forth to do... But one and all, you returned alive and well. Ready to fight another day. Well done indeed. You should be proud of yourselves."

The man crossed his arms, and paced silently back and forth at the head of the room for a moment. Abruptly, he pivoted on one heel to face the assembly once more.

"Now, I want to make sure that you all understand what has, and has not changed with regards to your situation. Fact: You have now been tested, and proven, in full-on operational combat conditions. Fact: You remain property of this unit, and the government to which this unit belongs. First conclusion: Training wheels and kiddie karts are a thing of the past."

Minos extended one finger, and began jabbing it at random children in turn.

"From now on, you will be expected to answer the call. Anytime. Anywhere. Any mission we select. You will carry it out without question, and you will complete it to our satisfaction. Or you will not return alive. Because returning from an incomplete mission will certainly result in use of the failsafe. I'm sure we can all agree that it would be much easier for you to die on-task that be forced to suffer through that, yes?"

Minos cupped one hand to his right ear, and listened to the silence for a moment.

Then he nodded curtly.

"Good! Furthermore; We will no longer be housing you all within this fine city. Its time has, regrettably, come, and we have more wide-reaching concerns now that your training is over. So conclusion number two: You will all very shortly receive deployment orders. No later than next week. You are responsible for getting yourself to the specified destination, within the specified timeframe. If you fail to check in on time, and on location?"

Minos shook his head and clucked regretfully under his breath, fiddling absently with his hardened DaTab.

The implication was clear, and he knew the children understood. Mainly because the majority of them reflexively tensed whenever they saw the object.

"Final conclusion..." Minor paused, and his artificially jovial gaze hardened into a stone-cold leer.

"If you think for even a moment that you have earned leniency, or reprieve, or some sort of rest period? You are sorely mistaken."

His faux smile returned, and he tapped the side of his head slowly, accentuating the motion by rapping on the DaTab with his other index finger.

"Training has to be reinforced. Knowledge and patterns of behavior have a tendency to slip when they are not consistently upheld. And there will, believe you me, be no slips in this unit. Count on that."

Minos turned, and waved one hand absently in the air, "I'll give you a generous two minutes of head start. Then these fine gentlemen stationed at the exits will return to their usual docket of seeking out bad little boys and girls who stay still for too long... And turning them into pincushions."

He paused, turned back to the silent children, and offered them a swift shooing motion with both hands.

"Go on now! Scram!"

In the mass exodus that ensued, April and Sonya had to fight to stay together. Ultimately, however, the tidal wave of young orphans thinned substantially, as each group of two peeled off in the direction that seemed to offer the best hiding spots in their estimation.

The sisters kept up a silent constant loping pace as they made their way south and west into a section of the island that had not yet been entirely evacuated.

Neither had to speak to share in the other's palpable relief. They had, miraculously, broken a cardinal rule. And they had gotten away with it.

Somehow, even the refracted light of the Equestrian sun, dulled by its round-about path around and between the hulking structures of the cityscape, seemed to smile on them.

Skye quietly nudged Neyla and pointed to Fyrenn with one hoof. Keeping her voice low, she mentally braced herself, hoping that the red Gryphon would be too distracted by his thoughts to focus on her mumbled words.

"Has he moved *at all* in the last two and a half hours?"

Neyla shook her head slowly, her eyes fixed intently on the back of Fyrenn's head.

"Not an inch."

The Unicorn raised an eyebrow, and offered the Gryphoness a worried glance, her ears flattening and her muzzle drooping.

"This isn't like him. I don't think I've ever seen him this way before..."

Skye glanced up at Neyla once more, and dropped the tone of her voice to a whisper. Her eyes darted over to Carradan's snoring form nervously as she spoke.

"What *did* happen between you two during your time as sardines?"

Neyla sighed, and closed her eyes briefly.

"It may have a part to play in this... But I promise you it doesn't entirely account for the way he's behaving. I have to ask you to leave it at that for the moment. For his sake and mine."

To Neyla's immense relief, Skye nodded quietly and didn't press her further on the issue.

The two stared out the window over Fyrenn's head for a long moment as they sifted through their thoughts and concerns.

The terrain had changed drastically since they had entered Nevada, and it had only become wilder, and more beautiful, as the train tore through the Arizona countryside.

The desert landscape was one of the few places on Earth that looked precisely as it might have before the Winnowing, with the exception of a few abandoned structures and highway stanchions dotted here and there between the buttes and canyons.

Further introspection was interrupted by a noticeable deceleration, and the sound of the automated announcement voice.

"This train is now arriving in Phoenix. The central rail station offers convenient transfer to an extensive city bus network, an airport shuttle VTOL, and Valley Metro monorails. Passengers making connections should confirm their designated platform by consulting an available kiosk."

By the time the announcement had concluded, the maglev had reached a complete stop in the station. The doors opened, and a draft of surprisingly warm air flooded the cabin.

"This train will loiter here for five minutes to allow deboarding."

Fyrenn stretched, yawned, and slowly rose from his seat. He calmly stepped towards the exit doors, and leapt gracefully down onto the platform.

Kephic came to the door, and offered him a perturbed expression. Fyrenn shrugged, and stretched once more as he offered the barest possible explanation.

"This is my stop."

Kephic raised an eyebrow, and ruffled his wings in a reflexive expression of his concern and confusion.

"Why is this the first I've heard about it?"

Fyrenn shook his head, and waved a claw dismissively.

'I didn't want anyone to worry. I just have a couple small things to attend to here. Stuff I really ought to have gotten out of the way three years ago. You know... Leftovers from before I had wings."

Kephic's expression morphed gradually into a glare of reprimand, matched by his tone.

"You should have said something. We could have planned to stop over with you."

Fyrenn smiled sadly, and shook his head again, more emphatically.

"It's probably better that I not hold you up. There's nothing for any of you to see, or do here, and Hutch needs you as soon as possible. Tell him he can expect to see me later tonight, or early tomorrow."

At first, it looked as if the speckled Gryphon would object more strenuously. He traded a long glance with Varan, and then with one of the Ponies, whom Fyrenn could not see as a result of the height at which the car's windows were placed.

Surprisingly, however, Kephic at last nodded, and even smiled.

"Safe travels. Don't stay too long."

Fyrenn nodded, and waved as the doors began to close once more.

"I don't plan to. Keep the porch light on for me."

He kept his eyes fixed on the window of the carriage as the maglev pulled away, its speed increasing dramatically as the last car cleared the platform.

Fyrenn paused, turned, and was startled so badly that he let out a reflexive squawk. Neyla grinned slightly, the expression dampened by an undercurrent of concern, and a touch of anger.

Fyrenn sighed, and closed his eyes in frustration.

"I thought we agreed I needed some space."

Neyla snorted, and flared her wings slightly.

"Yes. And I seem to recall that in just about the same breath, we agreed that we were going to stop burying our emotional difficulties, and discuss them instead."

Fyrenn shook his head slowly, "This doesn't concern... 'Us.' This concerns me."

Neyla rolled her eyes, and sighed, "Yes. And therefore it concerns 'us.' Did we not also agree that the things we do and say, or leave unsaid, affect us *both?*"

For a moment, Fyrenn simply blinked, his expression blank with the shock of having lost the argument so swiftly and simplistically.

Neyla's expression relaxed, and she pierced him with another of her painfully melancholy stares as she continued.

"We're worried about you Fyrenn. You haven't been yourself today, or yesterday. Something is bothering you, and you need to let one of us try to work through it with you."

Fyrenn chuckled wryly, "So you just decided it had to be you?"

The Gryphoness nodded sharply.

"Absolutely. Kephic and Varan had the last three years to come to a better understanding of the way you work... I did not. As your friend, at the very least, I deserve some insight."

The red Gryphon sighed, and stared down at the individual granules in the platform's surface, counting the imperfections as he tried, and failed, to come up with a stinging reply.

He inhaled deeply, raised his head, and hooded his eyes in frustrated acquiescence.

"Fine. Sure. Absolutely wonderful. Do you even know why we're here?"

The red Gryphon began to walk sedately towards the exit end of the station. The platform was all but deserted, and it gave Neyla a good chance to admire the building's overall architectural grace.

The roof of the station was a pure white swoop of painted duracrete evocative of a clipper ship in motion. The curvature pulled back into a tower-like central building that housed the terminal proper.

Neyla decided she liked the way the stark white of the shape contrasted the abundance of red dirt and sand that comprised the surrounding ground cover.

She forced herself back to the conversation, nodding quietly as her talons scraped against the concrete with a peculiar scratching noise.

"You once mentioned that this is where you were raised when you were younger."

Fyrenn raised an eyebrow as he reached the end of the platform.

"You remember that?"

Neyla nodded emphatically, "Naturally. Most people are keen to talk about where they grew up, and the experiences they had. You barely breathed a word about it. When someone is that guarded, it means have many emotions tied up in their history."

Fyrenn snorted, and spread his wings, pausing as the familiar breeze caressed his body in a new and surprising way. The last time he had felt the familiar pressure, temperature, and olfactory idiosyncrasies of Phoenix, he had been a Human child.

He spoke quietly as he raised the only counterpoint he could think to offer.

"So. What does that say about *you*?"

Neyla nodded, "I am aware. 'Guilty as charged' as the Humans say. So I promise that if you let me understand your childhood, I will help you understand mine, one day soon."

Fyrenn tilted his head, and tried for an expression mid way between a wry grin, and a friendly glower.

"You're baiting me with curiosity. That's not fair."

Neyla smirked slightly.

"You jumped off the train and didn't plan to tell anyone. 'One good turn deserves another.' "

Fyrenn sighed, and nodded slowly.

"Right then. Come on."

For upwards of half an hour, the two Gryphons simply flew silently above the desert city. Fyrenn allowed Neyla to take in the unique environment for the first time, while he became re-acquainted with the layout of the metropolis, as well as the changes that had taken place in intervening years.

Seeing the familiar sights put a pang in his chest that was immensely difficult to categorize. It was not pure sorrow by any means, nor simple nostalgic joy. It was some peculiar combination; The unique feeling of visiting a place one had called home for so long, but that one knew they could never truly return to permanently.

And that one knew they would never truly want to return to permanently.

At last, the pair came to rest on the top of the city's tallest Skyscraper. The building was a rectangular prism three hundred stories tall, capped in a marble pyramid.

Neyla smiled as she scanned the horizon.

"It is a beautiful place. One of the few on Earth that still feels very natural. I imagine it was nice to grow up in a relatively smaller city?"

Fyrenn nodded slowly, and inhaled deeply as a gust of wind swept the top of the tower, ruffling the feathers of his head into a rugged mess.

"There were advantages and disadvantages, but overall I loved it. I wouldn't change it if I could."

Neyla tilted her head, and spent a long silent moment evaluating Fyrenn's expression.

She switched the angle of her cant to the left side, and spoke with a genuine air of confusion.

"It sounds to me like you remember aspects of your childhood quite fondly. Why separate yourself so actively from it?"

Fyrenn blinked several times, and thought carefully about his response. His gaze remained locked firmly on the horizon.

"I think I dreaded facing the separation. I didn't know my parents for that long a period, but I do remember I loved them very much, and they loved me. My grandmother raised me, and I loved her deeply as well. I loved life here. I was optimistic, and prepared for my dream career..."

Neyla nodded slowly, "And then it all fell apart somewhere in between then, and when we met?"

Fyrenn sighed, and hung his head, reveling in the comforting feeling of the breeze as it toyed with his ears.

"Grandmother died, then I lost my eyes and with it the path to the pilot's seat. More importantly, I lost my closest friend. I think, in the end, it's about the loneliness. I didn't want to remember how happy I had been, because I was so lonely after that. Then when that went away at last? When I met you, and Kephic and Varan... I didn't want to remember the loneliness anymore."

Neyla sighed, and returned her own gaze to the horizon. Fyrenn glanced up at her as she spoke, trying and failing to suppress the inescapable observation that she was an extremely beautiful creature.

"You finally decided it was time to separate these two eras of your past?"

Fyrenn nodded, and glanced down at the street below, smiling as he focused in on details as small as the pixels on people's DaTabs.

"It's like I told Skye and Stan... I think that maybe it's time for me to move on in a more permanent fashion. This may well be one of my last visits to Earth. If not *the* last. I've realized that I have hundreds of years of life to get started. I don't want to waste any of it living so close to the graves of my nightmares."

Neyla smiled forlornly.

"But you want to carry the good things with you."

Fyrenn returned the sad smile.

"Yes. Yes I do."

Author's Note:

Tracks:
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"You are Waiting for a Train..." - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RM5SyW_U60

"Scram" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IfYV5ih9Rc

"The Good Things" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9D8pdDyw44

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