> The Trick to Life
>  by Dufa
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> 1. Sunshine and Rainbows
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

A tiny plum colored Hippogriff hums a catchy song while trotting down the hall to her big sister’s room. Waking Up On The Right Side Of Bed, it plays at the beginning of her favorite radio show. For each new verse she opens up a window, letting fresh air and warm sunshine into the house, and a good dose of optimism out into the neighborhood while she’s at it. When she arrives at the bright watermelon pink door labeled Willow, she takes a moment to reach her most favorite part of the song just before pushing her way in. If she times it just right…
“Sunshine and Rainbows, Willow~! It’s time to wake up!” She calls into the room with her signature high pitched voice.
But Willow remains bundled up in her big flamingo pink blankets on the other end.
Huffing, the younger girl takes flight and zooms straight onto her sister’s four poster bed. The air kicks up some stray homework notes and alchemy drawings scattered carelessly all over the room in the process. The young girl is prepared to shake her sister awake again, but stops herself in her tracks once she’s close enough to see that Willow is shivering. 
Cautiously peeking under the covers, “Sis?”
Her sister’s usually soft face is scrunched up and half covered by her frazzled lemonade pink mane, and her eyes are clenched tight enough that her peachy irises are nowhere to be seen. Even her ivory fur and feathers are puffed out the way they only do to ward off predators. But the most concerning part for the younger sister, is that even the really tiny bits of glittery stuff on her body aren’t actually glittering like they should be. In fact, they aren’t even visible. 
The younger gently nudges Willow’s chest with her head, startling the older girl awake, “Ah!” She exclaims hoarsely, “…Skye?”
Skye’s ears are folded back, and she’s looking at Willow with so much concern, “Are you okay?” 
The older looks away sheepishly, then clears her throat, “Just another nightmare. Thank you for waking me.”
She slowly raises herself up in bed, revealing the two scars sitting side by side on her back in place of wings. The fur covering the pair makes the injury look subtle to everyone except another Hippogriff.
Skye feels her own wings jerk looking at them, “Was your bad dream about your surgery again?”
Willow shakes her head.
“...Was it about your accident again?”
Willow nods.
On instinct, Skye closes the distance between them. Willow lets her get closer and closer until her face is pressing right up against her chest. Doing what she can to nuzzle the nightmares away. When she’s done, Skye looks up expectantly at her sister’s face with huge orange eyes. 
And Willow can’t help but smile right back down at her.
“I guess you want us to get breakfast then, Skye?”
“Yes?”
Willow snorts, “Okay, let’s get going!”
Skye bounces off the bed, flies out of the room and down the hall towards the stairs as fast as her wings can carry her, “C’mon! Mum is making pancakes!” 
Willow climbs out of bed to follow at her own, more leisurely pace. Every window in the hall is open, and each one invites the viewer to stop and take in a beautiful view. The first window is filled by the sight of a mighty oaktree cradling a quaint bird’s nest, the second overlooks a winding cobblestone trail that emerges from their porch and descends into town, while the last shows Willow the sea of silver birchwoods that surround a cozy lake. For as unique as they all are, the pale Daymoon can be seen hovering over all. 
A tapping sound from behind makes Willow realize she’s stalling. She laughs when she sees Skye pacing in place at the bottom of the stairs, “Sorry!” She shouts. And then she’s rushing down after her.
First comes Skye, dive bombing her seat, and catching her mother’s attention in the process, “Hi Mum!” 
Then comes Willow skidding to a halt in the middle of the kitchen, “Good morning Mum!”
Their mother has a wide smile across her face, “It’s good to see you both excited for breakfast.”
Skye wastes no time grabbing her fork ready to dig in.
“What do you say?” The mother quickly chides.
“Thank you Mum!” Skye goes for the food the moment the words leave her beak.
Willow focuses her sight on her sister chowing down as she climbs into her own chair. Wondering how her Mother does it every day. 
“Thank you Mum,” She speaks almost without realizing it.
But it brightens her Mother’s face each time she hears it, no matter how many times she does hear it, “It’s a pleasure, sweety.”
Bringing a fork full of food to her beak, Willow is delighted when she realizes the pancakes taste absolutely perfect. She makes a mental note to write down how good they are in her Happy Journal as soon as she can. But for now, all she has to think about is breakfast with her family.
Willow decides to make conversation between bites, “What’s in the paper Mum?” 
“Mm let’s see,” She flips a page over with a flick of her gray claw, “Some folk from Vanishing Point have been trying to make the town into a second Capital of the World. They’re bringing in Cats, Satyrs, Jackals, all kinds to build new houses and start up local businesses. It’s been going well too.”
Willow feels another smile creep up on her, “That’s in our country isn’t it?”
Her Mother nods enthusiastically, “Ever since the end of the occupation, Vanishing Point is on Hippogriff soil.”
Skye doesn’t know what any of that means, but she smiles anyway because Willow is happy.
“And the Esterians? Do they have anything to say about it?”
“Oh not really,” She turns to another page, showing a pony with lumber tied to his back, “But I did read that someone is building an opera house in the jungle.”
Willow blinks, “A whole opera house?”
“His team is carrying all the supplies out piece by piece and building it one day at a time. Monsters and inclement weather are making that quite difficult,” She takes a sip of coffee, “Apparently it’s all to bring Esterian culture back to the Kirin.”
Willow lets out a brusque laugh before biting back into her pancakes, “I do hope he fails.”
“Oh I don’t know,” Her mother drops a sugar cube into her cup, “Of all things Esterian to export I’d prefer it’d be opera.”
Willow takes a moment to consider the idea, before deciding, “That’s fair.”
While chewing a particularly big bite of pancake, Skye asks her sister, “Hhy do you hant him to hail?”
Willow cringes, “Please chew your food.” 
Skye gulps down her serving, “Sorry.”
Willow starts pouring more syrup on her pancakes while she tries to think of a way to answer her question, “You know… How I had to have my wings removed?”
Skye immediately puts her fork down, ready to listen carefully. She doesn’t notice, but their mother has just done the same.
The younger girl nods, “Mhm.” 
Willow spreads the syrup around with her fork while she explains, “You know the doctors had to remove my wings because, well, they were broken until they couldn’t heal anymore.”
Skye’s face falls, but she nods anyway.
“They were broken by an Esterian.”
Skye’s mouth opens wide, “Oh no!” She looks towards her mother for confirmation, and gets no objection, “Did they get in trouble?”
Willow shakes her head, “They were too important to get in trouble. Like that girl who pulled your hair.”
Skye waits for her to continue, but her sister just keeps spreading the syrup on her plate around.
“...I’m sorry Willow. That’s awful. Just awful.” 
Willow lightly shrugs. Not sure what else to say.
Skye isn’t sure what else to say either, so she hesitantly picks her fork back up. But she keeps stealing glances even as she continues eating, “...I hope all of them aren't that klutzy.”
For a time, the table is silent while they eat.
So the mother decides to do something about it. 
“You’re going to be eighteen soon. Any big plans?” She asks while folding the newspaper back up.
Willow shakes her head softly.
“I see. Why don’t you go clubbing with your uncle Cid?”
Willow pauses mid bite, “Clubbing?”
“Sure!” Her mother beams, “He’s always raving about how much friendlier the Gay bars are around here.” 
“I mean-”
“And with him I’d feel better than if you went to a club by yourself.”
Willow raises a claw, “This is Cid.”
“Exactly. You could learn a lot about life from him.”
“...You’re serious?”
“Mhm.”
Willow takes a deep breath, “I’ll think about it.”
Her mother grins, “That’s all I ask for dear.”
Skye takes a clawful of sugar cubes and plops them directly into her syrup, “Can I come too?”
Willow isn’t entirely sure how to respond to that.

	***

Hippogriffs litter the front lawn of the town’s schoolhouse. As a mixed grade school, students of all age groups mingle. Among which included a teenage girl rifling through her little sister’s sparkly purple pack, “You have your notebook, pencils, lunch… This is everything?”
“Yep!”
“Ok,” She zips it back up, “And what do you do if someone bullies you?”
“I tell you and Mom. Like the last time.”
 Willow nods, satisfied, “Then I’ll walk you home later today.”
“Wait,” Skye points at Willows pack, “Do you have everything you need?”
Willow looks taken aback, “Yes, of course.”
Skye looks at her with a serious expression, “We should check to make sure you didn’t forget anything.”
Willow raises an eyebrow, but gives Skye her pack anyway.
 Skye holds up each piece like a product that has to pass inspection, “Notebook, check. Wallet, check. Happy journal, check.”
“I never forget my Happy Journal.” 
“Rune Book, check. Lunch?”
“Cid makes it for me,” Willow feels a bit silly doing this, but figures she should indulge her anyway.
Skye nods stiffly, “Pencils… Pencils… Gone!
“What!?” Willow immediately stuffs a searching claw into her pack.
“You forgot your pencils!”
Willow rustles around frantically, and even starts yanking her stuff out in the hopes they were just overlooked. But…
Skye hastily takes a glossy pencil with a little kitten eraser out of her own pack and hands it to Willow, “It’s ok, you can have one of mine.”
Willow stares with shocked eyes into her now empty pack. They aren't there. She really forgot her pencils, “I never- I’m,” Willow feels her face get hot in embarrassment.
“We all make mistakes Willow,” Skye says apologetically.
“But…” Willow trails off.
Skye tilts her head to the side, “Is the pencil good enough?”
Willow stops gawking to address her younger girl, “Yes, it’s a great pencil Skye,” Realizing how stupid she must look, the older girl starts putting all her stuff back in along with the new pencil, “Thank you for lending me it.”
“I have to go to class now,” Skye remarks awkwardly. 
Before she starts towards school, she leans in to give her sister a hug, “I love you Willow.”
Willow returns the hug with a troubled expression on her face, “I love you too, Skye.”
As Skye enters the building, Willow reattaches her pack to her side. Just then, out of the corner of her eyes, she sees a group of girls staring at her. They look away the moment their eyes meet. 
Feeling a new wave of embarrassment boil up in her, Willow immediately turns around and marches off. Instead of going into town, she heads off in the opposite direction onto the trail that circles the entire town. It’s the slowest route to her teacher’s house, but it’s the one Willow prefers, “Why do I have to be so sensitive?” Willow curses herself while stomping down the lonely trail, “She’s probably going to get bullied again and it’s going to be my fault.”
Eventually, Willow finds herself crossing the bridge that leads into her teacher’s clearing. She’s probably going to be late, but at least she’s fumed out all the steam in her head. But then she sees something that stops her dead in her tracks.
There are royal carriages in front of his house. 
But before she can start truly panicking, she spots the flag of the Hippogriff Nation tacked to the side of the vessels, prompting a single hesitant sigh from her. 
A guard next to a carriage waves at the girl. 
“Here we go,” Stealing herself, Willow carefully treads down the hill to the Hippogriff adorned in fierce armor in front of her teacher’s property. 
“Hello Miss Comrie, have you come to see Professor Kaner?” 
She nods a bit more forcibly than needed, “Yes.”
“Walk right on in.”
“A-alright.”
She reaches the front front door, then turns around, “Is he in trouble?”
“Negative. The Queen is visiting for personal reasons.”
“T-the Queen?”
“Correct.”
Willow looks back and forth between the guard and the door, “Is it really ok for me to enter?”
“Yes.”
Willow hesitates a little while longer. Figuring the guard will get suspicious if she stalls for too long, she ultimately decides to bite the bullet and push open the door.
And sure enough, Her Majesty is sitting opposite of her teacher at his own coffee table. The sight is unusual to say the least. Compared to her teacher’s earthy greenish hues, The Queen’s fur is colored an almost paper white. Her limbs are adorned in utilitarian metal ornaments in place of traditional royal attire, and she’s just as muscular as a guard. She doesn't really look like a Queen to Willow in that moment, even if she feels herself practically wilt just looking at her all the same. Professor Kaner, to his credit, doesn’t seem intimidated at all. Even sitting an entire head shorter and looking unkempt with his wild dirty blonde hair.
They both notice Willow hiding behind the doorframe, but it’s him who addresses the girl first, “Good morning Willow,” He gestures to a plate of toast on the coffee table, “Come in, I saved some leftovers for you.”
“Ok,” She squeaks out.
Feeling the Queen’s eyes melting her, Willow carefully maneuvers next to her teacher’s side at the table, letting the front door close itself on the way there. 
“I-” Willow locks eyes with her toast, “It’s a pleasure to see, I, um, hello your majest- your majesty.”
Willow cringes, a pit just opened in her stomach. She doesn’t try to look back up.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you too, Willow,” The Queen says with a surprisingly airy voice, “I hope I’m not interrupting your lessons.”
Willow shakes her head quickly.
“Not at all,” Kaner cuts in with a flair of elegance, “Willow is ahead in her lessons, actually. She has the day off today.”
Willow tries not to let the surprise show on her face.
“Really? Now that’s impressive.”
The girl’s eyes wander from her plate, and she gnaws on the inside of her cheek.
Her teacher crosses his greenish forearms on the table, “May I ask what you’re thinking of your majesty?”
“That I wish I could stay and talk with the both of you all day today.”
“The Border situation?” He inquiries.
“The Border situation,” The Queen confirms.
He nods in understanding, “Well, I shouldn’t keep you longer than I have to, but it was a pleasure having you over your majesty. Truly. And just between you and me? I’ve been waiting for a mission like this all my life.”
The Queen stands up, “Well! I certainly hope it doesn’t disappoint. Also, Willow?”
The girl still doesn’t look up, “Yes?”
“I did receive the letter from your Mother from several years back. I wanted to let you know I completely understand your reasoning for declining my summons. I hope you don’t find me… pushy for visiting your teacher’s residence like this. I should have written beforehand to announce my arrival.”
The girl’s eyes go wide, “No no no, it’s completely fine. You’re not intruding at all.”
“I’m glad to hear that. The one thing I wanted to tell you back then is that… We're all rooting for you.”
Willow’s shoulders ease of tension, “...Thank you.”
The teacher gets up to escort the Queen to the door, “I won’t let you down, your majesty.” 
“I know.”
Professor Kaner gives a deep bow, and the Queen exits his residence.
The moment she hears the door click shut, Willow lets herself collapse face down onto the futon, “Oh my gosh that was so stressful.”
“Wasn’t it!?” The teacher cries out in exasperation, “I hadn’t even finished breakfast, or combed my hair, or showered! And suddenly The Queen shows up? To give me a mission?” 
He collapses belly up next to Willow, “Lord almighty.”
“The lord has abandoned us Cid,” Willow drones.
“That he has. That he has,” Professor Cid Kaner drags the singed toast off the table and stuffs the whole thing in his beak. 
Willow’s face scrunches up at the sight, “Wasn’t that for me?”
Cid mumbles through the wheat, “I hied to hake hyself looh hood to the Hueen.”
“Oh for goodness sake,” Willow shakes her head in disapproval. 
He loudly swallows, “What?”
“You’re thirty-six, Cid. My baby sister does that,” Willow scolds him like a disobedient puppy.
“Once you reach thirty you learn to stop trying to act like an adult,” He throws himself back onto his hoofs. Then covers his beak with a claw to suppress a belch.
Willow looks unimpressed, “Are you sure you aren't just having your mid-life crisis?”
“Ouch,” He pounds his chest, “Good thing the Queen wasn’t here for that,” Then proceeds to let out another belch.
Willow picks herself back up to take out school supplies from her pack, “Um, how was she by the way?”
Cid brings a claw to his chin in thought, “Strong, motherly. But not my type.”
“No I-” Willow stops everything to gawk at her teacher, “What?”
“I’m just saying- and I’ll admit I’m traditional in this specific way- I would want a partner who would do the cooking for me. And she seems like the type who would have unreasonable domestic expectations for her other half. But that’s just my impression.”
Willow blinks. Slowly. She stares at him like she’s looking at an illusion that will disappear the moment she takes her eye off of it.
“You’re looking at me like an illusion that will disappear the moment you take your eye off of it.”
“I…” She takes a moment to collect herself, “Was trying not to look at her. So I wanted to know how she seemed to you. Was she in a good mood?”
“Oh! That,” Cid starts rustling through a nearby shelf filled with junk, “She was smiling at you the entire time. A bit concerned you were looking down, figuratively and literally. But she was glad to see you anyway. Like I said; strong, motherly.”
Willow taps her claw on the table without realizing it, “I didn’t mean to ignore her. I was just nervous.”
“Oh it’s not your fault. Royalty scares everyone,” Cid brings a mirror and comb to the table, “It probably should too.”
“I’m always like this with strangers though.”
Cid carefully combs through his mane, “Well, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It just means you have to warm up to someone first. Like you did with me.”
Willow stops tapping, “I guess that’s true. You know the girls who just moved in, the ones who run their Mother’s bakery?”
“If by Mother you mean that terrifying drill instructor?” 
“Yes. I’ve been talking with them a bit when I go on errands for Mum. They seem nice.”
“Do they?”
“One of them said I have a permanent resting bitch face.”
Cid immediately puts his comb down, “She said what to you?”
“It was a compliment.”
“Oh.” 
“They said I was mysterious, like I could have a secret assassination business on the side.”
Cid chuckles, “Don’t you?”
“Not any you would know about,” Willow grins. 
She uses Skye’s pencil to write something down in her Happy Journal, “In any case, I managed to tell them a joke. I said I wasn’t allowed to disclose anything to them. Because their Mother would never allow me. It wasn’t even particularly funny but they both completely burst into laughter for a whole minute! I don’t think they were expecting me to say that.”
Cid opens up a container of blush and begins applying it to his face, “Hey, that's great! You’re finally making friends Willow,” 
The girl twiddles her pencil around nervously, “W-well, I wouldn’t go that far.”
“Just give it some time,” He waves a claw dismissively, “Before you know it other girls will be clambering over themselves to be with you.”
“Is that supposed to sound like a threat?”
“Aw, be a little more positive. Every creature needs a friend. That includes you too Willow. And no, I’m your teacher so I don’t count.”
The girl sighs, “Can we start the lesson now?”
“Lesson?”
“...For my education?”
Cid takes his attention from the mirror to his student, “Oh no, Willow. I was serious, you really do have the day off.” 
She pouts suspiciously, “Really?”
“Yes! You are genuinely ahead. You’ve already gotten the basics of Runic Parallels. My students struggled with that one back at the academy,” He takes his supplies back to the junk shelf.
“Really,” A big bright smile swells on her face, “Haha, wow!”
Cid leans on the coffee table opposite of her, “And you know, this mission will have me out of town for pretty much the entirety of the next two weeks. I’d say it’s time for your spring break!”
“Oh!” Willow looks away hesitantly, “…Huh.”
Her teacher tilts his head to the side, “Huh?”
Willow shies away from his gaze, “Uh, nothing.”
He leans in to get her attention, “Tell me how you’re feeling,” 
Gingerly, the girl returns her gaze to him, “I honestly don’t know what to do with myself for a whole two weeks Cid.”
And for just a moment, Willow thinks she sees a smirk on her teacher’s face, “I do have a homework assignment I was saving for you, you know.”
A subtle darkness spreads across the girl’s features, “What kind of homework assignment is it?”
“Well… Let’s see. It was something involving social studies,” His talon strokes his beak.
“Such as the history of Runic Magic?”
“No no, it was something much simpler, ah,” A snap of his talons, and he’s got it, “While I’m gone, I want you to make a friend.“
Her ears fold back, and a great big frown fills her whole face, “...Don’t do this to me.”
It’s almost enough to make Cid regret saying it, “Just a conversation then. Or sitting with someone while they eat. If you can do what you did with the bakery girls again, that would be so good for you, and would mean everything to me.” 
Her beak clamps shut. 
Cid pleads by clasping his claws together like a prayer.
And with no small amount of effort, Willow replies, “I’ll try.”
“Good,” A wave of relief washes over her teacher, “Effort is how I’ll grade you. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some groceries to buy.”
Cid fishes through the junk shelf for a purse. Taking his cue, Willow starts putting her own stuff away, “Is this at all related to your mission?”
“Right you are. And you’re never going to believe where I’m going for it by the way.”
Her head shoots up, “It’s not Esteria is it?”
“Oh lord no!” Cid puts his claws up in protest, “You couldn’t pay me to go back to that prison pit of a country. No, this is much closer to home. It involves interspecies peace and requires use of my Runic Magical ability.”
Willow sets her pack to the side and crosses her arms authoritatively, “You’re going to put a stop to the gang violence in Jackaltown.”
He shakes his head, “No.”
“You’re repairing the airship port the Parakeet used to use.”
“Nope!”
The girl shoots up, pointing accusatorially at Cid, “You’re going to sabotage the opera house in the jungle!”
“...There’s an opera house in the jungle?”
“The Esterians are building it to spread their propaganda to the Kirin.”
“Of course they are,” Cid deadpans, “But no! Tonight I’m heading to Vanishing Point.”
Realization crosses her face, Oh!”
“Yep. The details are classified, but all you need to know is that I will be getting a front row seat to some real culture.”
She brings her claws together, “I’m so happy for you Cid!”
“I’ll make sure to bring you back a souvenir. They’ve got plenty!.”
“Oh that sounds lovely,” The idea of a Second Capital of The World runs through her mind. Different creatures, all who have their own stories to share. Different foods, sights, sounds, and all there by their own choice.
The idea is almost intoxicating, “I don’t really travel but…” She trails off.
Cid waits patiently for her to finish.
Willow twiddles the glossy pencil in her claws, “Could you bring me back a book too?”
“Of course.”

	***

“It's not too late to go with him!” Her mother argues passionately.
Willow shakes her head forcefully, “I don’t do well in places I’ve never been to before!”
Noticing the commotion, Skye lowers the volume on the radio, then presses her ear to the wall of the living room.
“I-I know you think a lot of me, and you say I’m capable of so much. But I started crying earlier because I forgot my pencil. I’m just not ready, I’m sorry,” Willow turns away from her mother, and focuses her attention on the flames billowing in the fireplace.
Her mother walks up beside her, “...You’ve taken the train by yourself before.”
“That’s not the same.”
“What I mean is that if it gets to be too much for you, you can just come right back. You could even write it down in your Happy Journal. Today I went somewhere new, and came back after I had seen enough.”
Willow picks at dirt under her claws, “I… I do want to go. It would be amazing if I went and everything turned out fine. But it would be so, so awful if things didn't turn out well.”
“What in particular are you worried about?”
“If I mess up and start crying again,” Willow holds back a well of shame building in her eyes, “Or if someone grabs me and I hit them. Or if the air gets too thin and I have another outburst.”
“Can I put my claw on you?”
“Ok.”
Willow feels a comforting pressure rubbing her stiff shoulder.
“Hun, even if you came back the very next day I’d still be proud of you. And you would be coming back to a warm, welcoming home no matter what. And you know what else?”
Willow turns a bit towards her mother, “Hm?”
“Even If you came back crying, vomiting and screaming I’d still be proud of you.”
Willow smirks a little at that.
“I hope I’m not pressuring you into doing something you won’t like. But if I know you well enough, I think you yourself would regret not going.”
“Go, go go! You can do it!” Skye cheers from the other room. Prompting a snort from her sister.
“See?” Their mother raises her voice, “Even our little eavesdropper is cheering you on!”
“I’m eavesdropping!” Skye shouts proudly.
Willow closes her eyes, then takes a deep breath.

	***

“My name is General Hays,” A gruff dark blue Hippogriff announces.
“A pleasure,” Cid gives the general a polite fistbump, before taking his seat opposite in the train cabin. It’s a cozy little place. The red Nightmoon is visible through the window, and a seemingly endless expanse of trees spreads out beneath it.
“I’m sure the Queen gave you a rundown of the operation, Professor Kaner?” 
“That she did.”
The general clasps his claws together in thought, “Then I’ll begin with this; do you have any questions?”
Cid can’t help but burst out laughing, “Plenty.”
The general gives him a mirthful grin, “This is what we get for hiring a scholar.”
“Here, here, how about this,” Cid adjusts himself to a better sitting position, “How long have we known about it? Are we certain the Esterians aren't aware of it too?”
“We're fairly certain. That’s why we have such a small team; to prevent potential leaks.”
Cid nods, thinking over the implications of that little tidbit, “So-”
“Wait,” The general whips his head to the door, “There’s a child spying on us.”
Big peach colored eyes stare in at them through the window at the center of the cabin door.
Astonished, Cid wearily walks up to the handle, then slides it open very carefully. The moment he sees who’s on the other end is who he thinks it is, Cid’s jaw drops, “Willow?”
Willow wordlessly struts in and takes Cid’s seat opposite of the general. Not saying a word to either.
“Who’s she?” The General demands without a shred of amusement.
Cid looks her over suspiciously, “What, are you doing here… Willow?”
While grasping tightly at her knees, the girl gradually opens her trembling beak to respond. But no words follow.
The teacher fills in the blanks, “So this is my student, Willow Comrie. You probably know her, a lot of folks do, but I don’t recall inviting her… here.”
A long, agonizing silence takes hold of the cabin. It encompases the small space in an unbearably tense atmosphere. Each side waits with bated breath for the other to act first.
Then, Willow shrieks at the top of her lungs, “I decided to follow you here without your permission!”
“Take her home.” 
Engine steam blares into the sky with a deafening roar. Signifying the train has started towards its destination, and there’s no more turning back.
The general starts massaging an oncoming migraine, “Alright then.” 
Attempting damage control, Cid abruptly speaks up, “I am fully responsible for this sir. I- I am fully responsible.”
“You are,” He agrees, then takes out a radio, “But I made sure this would be a soundproofed ride so I’m thankfully not worried about any leaks. I’ll get someone to take her home at the next stop.”
“Cid didn’t close the door properly so I heard everything.”
“Oh, fantastic,” The general puts the radio away and takes out a pack of cigarettes, “Well Cid, we’ve just met and you’ve already managed to thoroughly disappoint me.” 
The general takes a long, indulgent drag of a menthol gold, then lets it all flow out through his nose like a dragon hippie, “She’s your student. Care to, to, catch her up to speed on this, highly classified mission? Under orders directly from Her Majesty Queen Kyrie?”
Gulping down a huge weight of anxiety, Cid sits down next to his stone cold student, “So… you know how I said I was heading out to Vanishing Point?”
She nods.
“It’s…  true. We are heading there. But it’s more like we’re, ah, stopping there. Because our actual destination is a bit further west than that.”
Willow stares at him emotionlessly.
“Because our real destination is,” Cid scratches the back of his neck nervously, “Tarturus!”
Willow blinks once, “Tarturus,” Then twice more, “Tarturus.”
“Surprise!” Cid exclaims with manufactured glee, “We’re going to Hell!”
> 2. Vanishing Point
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Willow doesn’t laugh. She can only shake her head, “I shouldn’t have-”
“Did you bring a notebook?” Cid quickly cuts in.
“I- I think so,” Willow looks around frantically until she finds her pack, “Yes, yes I have one.”
“Good. I want you to write down what we’re about to say. It’ll come in handy later.”
“Ok, ok,” She sounds out of breath as she takes her journal out. 
“Um,” Willow quickly goes back into her pack to fish out her pencil, “I’m ready.”
Cid sits next to Willow, “Earlier this year, a group of construction workers, all Jackals, were scouting out the mountains near Vanishing Point for land to build on. But that isn’t quite what they found,” As a teacher, he built a habit of getting particularly animated with his claws even when he’s not lecturing, “They stumbled upon abandoned cabins full of Esterian branded equipment, wired explosives… frozen ponies.”
Willow swallows, but doesn’t stop writing.
“Now you see, the thing about Ponies is that they aren't good climbers. Good scientists maybe, but not good climbers.”
Hays flicks a few ashes into his engraved portable ashtray attached to his gear, “They say Ponies make the best slavers. There are so many of them, and so few to tell them to stop.”
The student and teacher wait for him to continue.
“Sorry, I’m preaching to the choir. Continue.”
“Jackals though, are fantastic climbers. And it’s not just their muscles, they have lungs much stronger than our own. So these construction workers, seeing something weird is going on, they don’t just leave it. They get curious. They start looking higher, they start going deeper than the ponies ever could. Until they stumble on… A cave. A cave with a huge, jet black gate at the back of it. Are you still with me?”
Willow nods, still writing. Cid notices with satisfaction that she’s already engrossed in the story instead of catastrophizing.
“But that isn’t the weird part. Oh no, the weird part is when they return to Vanishing Point. They’re getting completely chewed out by their employer. He’s demanding to know why they’ve been gone out for so long or why they aren't making any progress, and you know what they say?”
Cid takes a coupon out of his wallet, then starts tracing a Rune Path over it with a glowing claw. Willow gives it a cursory glance before returning to the journal.
“They say they found the birthplace of the Jackals. A place from legend, where souls are stored and recycled into new ones. They insist that’s what they found. They swear by it, they go so far as to draw a big picture of the gate, showing every little detail they can remember. When their boss sees this, a Pony who escaped Esteria, he looks troubled. He waits a moment, and says, ‘but that can’t be. That’s impossible. What you drew is the gate to Hell.”
The Rune dissolves the 5 dollar off symbol from the coupon. Leaving in its place, a polaroid photo of a jet black gate. Willow points at red streaks that cover it, “But those are Runes written on it..?”
Cid’s smile grows larger, “That’s right. A Grand Lock Rune in fact. It hasn’t been common since antiquity. It used to be used all the time in castles and city states because it requires several very strong Rune users to activate, and it takes a lot to break it. Well, it used to take a lot,”  Cid leans back in his chair, “It fell out of favor when some little kid realized it can be negated with a simple Salt Rune that farmers use to change the taste of tomatoes.”
“...Why?”
“Nobody knows! Isn’t science fun?”
Willow scans over what she’s written, a thought is forming in her head, “Then, you could open it? The gate I mean?”
“I am opening it.”
She closes the journal and strats tracing a Lock Rune over it with her claw, “But, what’s inside? If not Hell, it has to be something important.”
“And that is what we are gonna find out today.”
A trail of Rune particles glitter in an arcane shape on her book, confirming it’s not opening for anyone but her, “That’s… That’s kind of exciting, Cid!”
The general puts out his cigarette and locks it in the ashtray, “Aren't you scared? We were both taught what happens to souls that go to Hell. And if not that, who knows what monstrous evils might lurk in there?” 
Willow’s claws rest gently on her notebook, “You said the Estarians are looking for it?”
“Correct.”
She looks directly at the general and without a hint of doubt says, “Then it’s something we should find first.”
It takes all of Cid’s willpower to stop himself from getting up and clapping for her.
The general looks her up and down with a curious expression, “Huh. Well in any case; do what you want until 19:30, then we hike up the trail until we reach Tarturus. We meet up with the rest of the team outside the gate, and we enter at Midnight. Understood?”
“Yes sir.”
Hays gets to his hooves and stretches, “Don’t tell anybody about any of this, and keep that notebook with you at all times.” 
“Yes sir!”
He slides the door open, “Now get some sleep and keep Cid out of trouble.”
“Yes sir?”
And then it slams shut, leaving just the two of them. The sound of the train speeding across the tracks doesn’t really hit their ears until that moment.
“...Cid? I’m sorry.”
Cid turns himself around to talk to his student property, “Don’t be. You made a choice without all the information you needed to make the good one. That’s my fault. And? I think you will make a good assistant.”
Willow wears a warm smile while she twiddles her claws, “My Mum is going to be so proud of me.”
Cid blinks. He has a look of shock on his face, like he just realized something important, “You think?”
“Going to a new place, joining a royal mission, hiking through the mountains,”
Cid’s smile slowly turns to a frown as she continues her list.
“Exploring Tartarus, finding something that could change the country… She isn’t going to believe any of it. Skye will be impressed.”
“Yeah, that is a lot for a 17 year old to be doing,” Cid leans even further back in his seat, “Wow.”
“It’s scary when I think about it like that. But I’m here. I’m not in my room thinking about it. I’m just… doing it,” Willow takes Cid’s claw into her own, ”You can’t let me back out of this. I know I’m going to have second thoughts at some point, but you can’t let me go back home. Now that I’m here, I have to see this through to the end. Can you promise me that Cid?”
Cid opens and closes his beak several times before eventually saying, “I promise.”
“Thank you,” Willow eyes a door on the side of the cabin, “A bedroom?”
“With a bunk bed.”
“I need to try and get some sleep. I’ll see you in the morning?”
“Sure.”
Willow heads straight to bed, leaving her supplies and Cid in the main cabin. The teacher rests his head on his fist and stares out the window. There’s a thicket of forest that gradually gives way to a mountainous one. It will be colder in the morning, and Cid realizes Willow didn’t bring a jacket. He’s not sure if she brought lunch, or how much money she has on her. He’s certain the hike will be difficult for her without wings.
An old memory spurs back to life in his head, “I promise you Miss Comrie. From this moment on I’ll protect your daughter from all harm that comes her way,“ And then, with a bitter glare at his reflection in the window, “I promise Willow, from this moment on I’ll drag you to hell and not let go… Lord almighty your mother is going to kill me,” Cid takes his own journal out and writes down an intricate Rune from memory before folding it up and hiding it in Willow’s pack.

	***

“Up and at’em Comrie!”
Willow is shook to life by a loud voice, “Bwah..?”
“Unless you want to sleep until you reach the Satyr lands, it’s time to move out!”
She covers her face from the sun with a claw, “What time is it?”
A slamming door tells her the answer is Too Late to be Asleep.
“Fine.”
When Willow finally exits the train, she’s met by a crowd of different creatures, a floor made entirely of noisy metal grates, and most pressingly, a burst of cold air blowing through her, “Augh!” She lets out a very unladylike groan of distress.
“Hahaha!” Cid’s gleeful laughter erupts from beside her.
“It’s not funny,” Willow grumbles.
“Sorry, sorry,” He shifts his dark green bomber jacket off and plops it onto Willow’s back. It’s too big for her so it covers her body like a dust sheet. She must look so stupid right now, but at least she’s warm.
“Hays didn't wait, he went straight into town. Better to not travel in groups right? Anyway, is this place everything you expected it to be?”
Willow moves Cid’s jacket out of her eyes. The girl notices several odd things in quick succession. The first of which is that directly above them, there is no sky. Instead, a cave roof hangs above them. It’s covered in stalactites wedged in between bright fluorescent lights. She then realizes with a dumbfound expression, the entire station is carved from the side of the mountain! And just past the train she can see a vista. A vista that overlooks miles and miles of forest! She feels as if she might even see her home in the distance if she had a telescope. She gets closer to the railing and sees… a town at the base of the mountain.
“Did we overshoot Vanishing Point?” She points out the village miles below them to Cid. There are train tracks going through the town, when they reach the mountain proper they start ascending and wrapping around its circumference. All the metal that attaches the tracks to the mountain almost makes the whole thing look almost like a roller coaster.
“Oh, no. That’s a different town entirely.”
Willow turns around to ask Cid for clarification, “But-” And then she sees what's on the other side of the platform. a cafe, a theater, a drugstore more and more are all built in a giant enclave that again, is carved right into the mountain. Willow can barely wrap her head around it but, this is a town. An actual town! And it looks cozy to boot! Metal street lamps, and potted plants sit alongside intricate cut wall art and it all overlooks a beautiful view.
“I’d say by your gaping maw that’s a yes!”
Willow nods frantically.
“Good, think we should find a clothing store first?” 
“Can we?”
“Follow me.”
Willow trots after her teacher into the mountain. They travel down a tunnel that feels more like an alleyway from a high class neighborhood than a cave. They walk past Hippogriffs and a variety of other creatures window shopping and, she’s just as blown away by this as everything else, interspecies couples! She has to force herself not to gawk when they walk past a Parakeet and a Cat nuzzling each other.
“Ah! Here’s a good boutique,” Cid gestures to Willow to follow him in a dimly lit building with a moody looking sign.
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, I read about it in a travel magazine. It’s a great place for teens apparently.”
Eyeing the bright red ‘Hot Misanthropic’ logo, Willow cautiously follows her teacher inside.
“We should find a good jacket here. I see a few next to the… bandanas. And the piercings. And uh,” Cid stops and takes a moment. A moment to try and comprehend the section deigned, ‘claw warmers.’
He has to laugh at himself, “This really isn’t your style is it? With all your pink- Willow?”
She isn’t next to him anymore. She’s carefully examining the leather jackets at the far end of the room.
Spurred by the onset of a sudden feeling of restlessness, Cid plucks a feather from his plumage. It’s as green and vibrant as they’ve always been. In spite of this, at that moment Cid feels an almost unbearable awareness of the unstoppable march of time. Along with it the discourteous knowledge that it will one day lead to his death.
“They have comic book characters on hoodies!?” Cheerfully erupts from the far end of the room.
“We sure do. Any series you really really like?” A Kirin employee with a torn scarf and a sparkly crimson lip piercing grins at Willow.
The latter slowly rubs the back of her neck, “Ah, haha… I like, Moonage Voyagers?”
Cid is spurred from his contemplation by a poke at his side. His student holds up a high quality midnight blue hoodie decorated with an image of a kitten sitting atop the full Nightmoon, the crescent Daymoon sits beside them, “There’s a part that wraps around my neck so it will keep me warm. Can I..?”
Cid flicks the feather away, “Sure! The Queen gave me plenty of money for supplies, and this certainly counts as supplies, so go nuts!”
It cost 70 dollars.
“Ok. I think we have enough supplies now,” Cid drags himself behind Willow who’s practically bouncing out of the store in her new hoodie.
“Really?”
Cid waves a claw dismissively, “Yeah, I don’t think we’ll be needing anything else. Hays was gonna foot the bill for food anyway.”
“Oh! That’s kind of him,” She says while plucking the glossy price tag off.
“It sure is. I’ll… really owe him one afterwards,” Cid mumbles darkly while slipping back into his own bomber jacket.
“Where is he by the way? Did he go straight to our um, destination?”
“Actually, we have some red tape to cut through first. Our next destination is the Town Hall!”

	***

“Only those invited to the meeting can enter.”
Cid crosses his arms, “I invited her.”
The Parakeet receptionist’s face tenses up in frustration, “You don’t have the authority. She waits outside.”
“I can wait!” Willow immediately pipes up.
“For an hour?”
“Sir, she can’t come in. It’s just how it is.”
Cid blows hot air from his nostrils, debating what he could say to convince her.
“I could… look around,” Willow meekly offers, “I can explore town for a little while.”
Cid lowers his body to her level, “You would be alright with that?”
“It’s one hour,” Willow shrugs.
Cid doesn't look convinced, but can’t think of any alternative. The Parakeet is tapping a claw impatiently on the front desk, “Ok. I guess that’s just how it’s gotta be. Don’t go too far away alright Willow?”
“Of course.”
“Good. You’re doing good,” He reassures her.
“It’ll be fun,” And she reassures him in turn.
Nodding, Cid gets to his hooves and follows the receptionist into town hall. Leaving Willow by herself in an empty waiting room. 
The girl sort of shuffles in place, not sure what to do with herself. But then her grumbling stomach decides her next destination for her, “Sandwich. I’ll get a sandwich. By myself.” 
Willow backtracks to a large circular room with a domed ceiling they passed on the way here. She thinks it might be the tip of the mountain but she’s not sure. She can remember seeing a map, it was somewhere down a circular staircase that went on for far too long. What she is sure of though, is that this place is noisy. Maybe it’s because of the ceiling, but the room felt congested with important looking creatures chatting and trotting and coughing. 
“Pardon me.” 
Willow whips her head around to astern looking Hippogriff in a suit. Willow’s blocking traffic.
“I’m so sorry,” She jolts to the side, and lets the Stallion struts past. He looks over his shoulder like he wants to say something to her, but decides against it. It makes her cringe. She looks around for Cid on instinct, before realizing she’s alone. 
“Everyone here has somewhere to be.” 
The girl’s breathing gets faster. 
“Maybe I should have just stayed in the waiting room.”
A familiar tightness clamps a hold of her chest.
But then a glint of sunlight catches her eye. From an archway at the far end of the room, she sees the rising sun peeking through the clouds. Her hooves take her there on their own. 
The cacophony of the stuffy dome room gives way to fresh air, a still breeze, and silence. She can see the outside of the mountain from here. The wooden houses that dot steep hills and fit in between rustling trees make the outside feel far more rustic than the comparatively modern inner caverns. Most importantly for Willow, it feels familiar.
Remembering a skill her mother taught her some years ago, Willow takes a deep breath while tensing the muscles in her arms as tight they can go. She holds it in as long as her body can take it. Then, she exhales. 
Willow looks down at her claw. She’s still shaking.
“C’mon… This shouldn’t be a big deal.”
It’s then, she finds a large mural cut into the wall above the archway. It depicts a Hippogriff knight flying above a chaotic warzone. The soldier tightly grips a golden arrow in his left claw and a silver arrow in his right as he bolts to a castle floating on a cloud in the distance. 
It’s an old story her mother handed down to her.

	***

A full bucket of water splashes into Skye’s face. The shocked girl blinks bathwater out of her eyes, “Gee, thanks Willow.”
The older sister has an uncharacteristically devilish smirk on her face, “Now I can be the one waking you up at far too early in the morning.”
“But I’m already awake!” Skye flaps her wings to stretch out her feathers, “I thought this was supposed to be bathtime.”
Willow sways to the other end of the shallow tub and returns the bucket to the ledge, “Well with how much you were yawing I was worried you might just fall asleep.”
“Boo,” The younger girl whines, “That’s something Mum would say.”
“Well, if she ever gives you a little sister then you can be the one splashing water in her face,” She gets a bottle of soap and motions for her sister to turn around.
The younger grumbles but complies anyway, “I’d like to splash water in Lark’s face.”
“Is she giving you trouble still?”
“It was playtime and Mister Bjornstrand said we had to play with someone we don’t always get along with. He says we all need to try and understand each other more.”
“Oh no…” Willow already knows where this is going.
“We were playing a board game and she wouldn’t let me do anything! She was doing all my turns for me and kept saying she was doing me a favor. I didn’t get to play at all!”
“Did she really think she was being helpful?”
Skye blows a raspberry, “I kept saying she was being mean but she wouldn’t listen. She never ever listens!”
Willow scratches soap into her sister’s scalp, “...If she keeps upsetting you, splash water in her face.”
Skye’s eyes close, “She’ll tell the teacher and then I'll be the one in trouble. She never gets in trouble.”
“She might not get in trouble, but maybe she’ll learn not to tick you off.”
“...Is that really ok?”
“If you tried your best, and if you’re as kind as you can be and they still won’t leave you alone…” Willow fills the bucket with water and starts gently pouring it on her back, “Well, it would be bad if she keeps hurting you without consequence.”
Skye stares at the soap building in the water, “Maybe if I get used to it-”
“No. Even if it doesn't feel right, we have to stick up for ourselves.”
The younger girl’s voice cracks, “But I could get in trouble Willow.”
Willow hesitates a moment, then puts the bucket back on the ledge, “Can I tell you a story?”
Skye turns herself around in the tub towards her sister.
“It’s called The Devout Castellon. That’s someone who protects a castle.”
Skye nods.
“Once upon a time, there was a glorious Hippogriff queen. She lived in an even more glorious castle that rested upon a cloud in the sky. With her magic power, she could move the castle anywhere she wished, and protect them from the skies.” 
“Anywhere?”
“Anywhere! She could go to the desert and search for treasure, or to the ocean and fish, or, well, anything! But there were those who didn’t like that she could go anywhere whenever she wanted, the Ponies. They wanted the power to walk on clouds all for themselves, but They knew they couldn’t defeat her by attacking head on. Not in a flying castle anyway. So they decided to attack from within.” 
“What did they do?”
“A pony came to her offering peace, and a bow. An enchanted bow that would find its target no matter how far away they are. To demonstrate, he used the bow to shoot a stag that was miles from the castle!” Willow pushes a piece of soap to one end of the tub, and a second piece to the other. Then trails her claw to each.
“That’s amazing.”
Willow nods, “It was. And the Queen was beyond impressed to say the least. So she accepted her gift… but what she didn't know was that the pony dropped dead the moment he got back home!”
“The Pony did?”
 “You see, this bow plucks a tiny piece of life from the one shooting it, and uses that bit of soul as power to find its target. And the queen, strong as she is, grew weak and retired to her chambers after just one evening of hunting. The ponies used that opportunity to attack. And with the queen out of commision, they were like sitting ducks.”
“Like Trish?”
“Pardon?”
Skye points to a rubber duck floating around the bath, “Trish.”
“Yes Skye, like Trish!”
Skye gasps!
“So, with their queen in mortal danger, the Devout Castellan comes in. When he took the job he swore that he would give his life to protect her and her home. And now the time had come to fulfill that promise. He would use the very bow they were gifted to defeat the Pony commander.” 
“Even though it would kill him?”
“He was very loyal. And he had a trick up his sleeve. There was a golden arrow kept in a temple down on the surface. It was used by Sara, the very first Hippogriff to reach Valhalla. He hoped that by retrieving it from its chamber, and using it to strike down the commander, he would impress Discord enough to reach Valhalla himself upon death.”
“Did it work?”
Willow taps her claws together, “It was the middle of a grand battle that would determine the fate of the country. Dozens of Ponies and Hippogriffs were fighting from every direction. And the Castellon storms through it all looking for a single arrow in a lone temple. By the time he finds it, the battle is almost lost.” 
Skye’s wings are flapping unconsciously.
“With a stoic expression, he pulls back the bow. He stretches it as far as it can be stretched, he aims it towards the general on the entire other side of the battlefield, and in a single moment… He closes his eyes and lets go. When he opens them again, he’s in Valhalla.”
“Wow… So what did he do afterwards?’
Willow’s eyes widen a moment in surprise, “Um, nothing much I would think.”
Skye tilts her head to the side in confusion, “Really? Why?”
“He’s dead.”
“What!?”
Willow looks around the bathroom frantically, clearly taken aback,“W- What’s so surprising? He’s in Valhalla.”
“But he can’t go back? He couldn’t see the Queen or the castle or how it all went?”
“Well, no, but- It’s a learning experience Skye! Even though he lost so much in the process, it’s a good thing he did what he did because he got a much bigger reward at the end!”
Skye crosses her arms, “Mrgh. That’s not a very happy ending. But at least he saved the Queen.”
“She died too actually.”
“Bah!” Skye throws her arms in the air in exasperation.
“He saved the castle though!”
Skye dramatically sinks beneath the water whilst loudly complaining, “That story is so terrible I’m dying tooo- Burblburblburble.” 
“Some consider it a classic,” Willow says uselessly.

	***

Willow looks away from the mural with a glint of determination in her eye, and focuses her attention on a Stallion reading a book down the hill on a bench. He’s sort of short, very beige, and completely unassuming. He’s wearing a dark blue hoodie of his own, “I’m going to talk to him,” Her cheeks puff out, and she begins her march forward.
Her heartbeat pumps more blood with every clop of her hoofs. He turns her way with a raised eyebrow, what’s he thinking? 
“Hello,” Willow begins curtly, then waits for his response.
But he says nothing.
Panicking, she blurts out the following in a single breath, “Do you know a good food place around here to eat and drink but not alcohol more like good soft drinks but  mainly I’m looking for local food I think?”
A troubled expression crosses his face, “When you say food place do you mean a Mom and Pop restaurant or like, a food bank?”
“...Either,” She wasn’t expecting this. Her heartbeat rises to her throat.
The Stallion, unbeknownst to Willow, is riddled with anxiety of his own and freezes up in alarm, “Um, I don’t know..?”
“Wait, I’m not poor,” Willow realizes immediately that sounds incredibly pompous and cringes at herself heavily.
The Stallion sees her cringe and assumes he’s just said something wildly offensive, “Oh I didn't mean to assume! I’m so sorry.”
Willow accepts his apology, “Thank you,” Then turns and leaves. Eager to escape from the conversation before it deteriorates any further.
The Stallion hides his face in his romance novel, and Willow hides her face in her comic book hoodie. Nothing has been accomplished.
“Just have to try again, Willow. Deep breaths, deep breaths and I’ll do it right this time.”

	***

“I’m sorry, you said Tarturus?”
Cid rests on his arms and lets Hays do the talking.
“That is one way it has been described as, Mr Mayor. And we will be the ones to determine how accurate that is,” The general, unable to keep up his diplomacy face, settles for a years hardened poker face instead, “That is what the Queen will have us do, and what she wants you to be aware of.”
The Mayor clasps his claws together, “Who will be going in?”
“Five individuals. Cid, Myself-”
“Five. Only five?”  His words bite, like a parent scolding their child. 
It’s Hays’ least favorite kind of authority figure, “That is who is going in. There will be five more on the outside-”
“Pardon my interruption but what is the Queen thinking bringing only 10 creatures into Tarturus?”
“Ask her yourself.”
The Mayor takes off his glasses and wipes them on his shirt before continuing. If you ask either of the other guests, they would both describe it as an entirely performative gesture, “Listen here, if there’s a potentially dangerous thing just outside of my town, I’m not going to let a clawful of creatures go in and release who-knows-what into the wild.”
“You can take that up with the Queen after we fulfill her orders.”
“No no no,” The mayor waves a claw, “Here’s what’s going to happen-”
Hays’ poker face slips, “The Queen-” 
“I’m talking now, general.”
Cid snorts.
“Sorry, dust in my nostrils.”
The Mayor gives Cid the stink eye, “Right. As I was saying, you’re not going to just go right on in and open up the gates of Hell right next to my town,” He lets the silence linger a moment in case of another interruption, “You say it’s the Queen’s orders? Fine. But here’s what’s going to happen. I am going to have my best man with you there at all times. If something bad should happen to him and your team, we won’t be prioritizing your support.” 
Cid raises his head to attention.
“We will prioritize the safety of the town,” The Mayor declares, “If you can’t handle it, well, those were the Queen’s orders. Unless she has orders to provide backup that I am unaware of?”
“She just wanted me to let you know what’s going to happen tonight.”
The mayor gives Hays a long hard look before saying, “Well. I suppose this is settled then.”
Cid looks back and forth between the two men in bewilderment, “What about Willow?”
The Mayor looks past his glasses towards Cid, “The girl on the news some years back?”
“She’s coming with us. You’re gonna do something to protect her right?”
“And why would I do that?”
“She’s a child.”
The Mayor looks unamused, “Was it the Queen’s orders to bring her into Tarturus?”
“No…” Cid looks away, “It was mine.”
“Being that you seem to have some form of authority over her, don’t you believe you should think twice before bringing a, oh what did you say again? Child? Into that wretched place?”
Cid returns his gaze to the man across from him, this time unflinching, “I did think about it. And I’m telling you to provide proper backup, access to your Guard’s resources, and radios for us to communicate with them.”
The Mayor slowly gets to his hooves, “Have any of you, Queen included, even once thought that maybe this wasn't such a good idea to begin with?”
Hays, still stoic, “Thinking, with all due respect, isn’t what we’re paid to do. We do what the Queen says, and we do it to the best of our ability with the tools we are given. Or we’re fired. As I’m sure you know.”
A bitter snarl curls the Mayor's face, “And you’re saying that if anything happens to the girl I’ll take the fall?”
The general lets a small grin show, “I can only take claim to the words that come out of my mouth sir.”
The Mayor casts his eyes between the two of them like vermin, “Squad D will be on call if you need backup. They will provide the resources you request should they deem them necessary to the situation. And yes, you will have your radios to communicate with them.” 
He stomps towards the exit, “Meeting adjourned,” Then slams the door shut behind him.
The general lets his grin turn into a smug looking smile, “Looks like that Willow girl is coming in handy after all eh Cid?”
Cid does not reply.
“What? Having second thoughts?”
Cid shakes his head, “I should just put her on the first train ride back home. This is too dangerous for her.”
“With all due respect Mr Kaner,” Cid lights up a Kirin made Cigarette, “Her inclusion just made this whole operation far safer for the lot of us. At least with Mayor ‘I’m Talking Now’ in charge.”
Cid picks up his things, “If the situation gets to a point where she might be in danger, I’m leaving the mission and taking her home. I can make it up to the Queen later.”
“As long as you get that door open you can do whatever you want afterwards as far as I’m concerned. You’ll get us that far, right?”
Cid sighs, “I’ll open the door. And I’ll pray to Discord that nothing interesting is on the other end.”
Hays chuckles, “Careful who you pray to.”