Volition
In the Meantime
Previous ChapterNext Chapter“Wake up.” Gilda’s voice cuts into your consciousness.
“Come on I don’t have time for this.” You try to get yourself up, but your body doesn't respond too well.
“Come on!” She physically rolls you into your back.
“Guess we are missing out chance to see Canterlot by sleeping in?”
“Just get up!”
With your entire body screaming in protest, you manage to pull yourself out of bed. Gilda is looking more excited more than angry, which surprises you, considering her previous actions. Although your muscles are trying to kill you, you get yourself into a clean uniform and get your feathers in line. Gilda isn’t letting you take too long, so you look a little ruffled when she pulls you out the door..
You struggle to catch up with her as she walks down the hallway. You have no idea why Gilda of all people would be this excited to see Canterlot of all places. Gilda didn’t say anything until she noticed how much difficulty you had having catching up to her.
“Ummm Surtr?” she stops for you.
“You alright?”
“Oh... Sorry.” Gilda looks like she just had her excitement knocked out of her.
“Okay...” she reads the note. “Goddammit!” Her shoulders slump. “I was just looking forward to this. You never get to see buildings like this back home.”
“Things bore me quickly.”
“I was thinking I could carry you.” Gilda seems more vulnerable than usual, but you are not sure if this is cause for alarm.
“I am really looking forward to this. I mean, I haven’t had a day off work for at least ten years.” Gilda pauses and smiles. “It’s really fucking bad when work involves nearly having your head cleaved off in a regular basis.”
“On a military ship where I can get called at anytime to go fight anything.”
The two of you arrive at one the Ceaseless’s balconies. Without saying anything Gilda immediately pushes you off the balcony.
~~~
Once you were back on solid ground you found the composure to act like a civilized being again. Your legs shake and your heartbeat is nowhere near a normal rate. Gilda tried many times to apologize with something along the lines of “I would thought you would be happy to fly again”
You have a very hard time forgiving her, but Gilda is too apologetic for you to hold too much of a grudge. That and she has the strength kill a dragon. Gilda did manage to land you in Canterlot, so there was no annoying train ride to deal with. Seeing the older lioness act so crestfallen was a rather depressing sight, and so you endeavored to cheer her up as you wandered the streets.
“I said I was sorry a million times...” Gilda sighs and settles herself at your side."And know you finally forgive me." You feel like a king with someone like her by your side. She is strong, beautiful and now you are getting a glimpse at her heart.
“We better have as much damn fun while we’re here.” she echos your thoughts.
Seeing as you both have a limited amount of time, you assume that you would be going straight for the bar, but Gilda has other plans. A fan of stone masonry, she drags you from castle to rampart to church, taking a tour of the various feats of architectural mastery found within Canterlot. Old stone buildings aren't your idea of fun, but you'd be lying to yourself if you said you didn't enjoy every second of it.
You really misjudged her, didn't you?
It was easy to lose track of time and the two of you found yourselves lying in a park overlooking the Ponyville field. You had been walking way too much lately and you don’t really have much left in you. Gilda was alright with the stop because she still feels guilty about earlier.
With that you brought yourself to your feet and retraced your steps. You walk back down the path. The willow trees that flank the sides of the path add to the weird sense of darkness that the Ceaseless’s shadow gave half the city. You laugh at yourself for not noticing it, a quick glance over the park shows you are the only one who is paying it no mind. With the closest thing you can do to a chuckle you walk further down the path.
The brightly colored wagon is still in the same place you remember when you passed it earlier. Equestria has always been the place to go if you want something sweet and almost fatally sugary. You walk up to the wagon which apparently specialized in ‘Iced-Cream’.
The mare standing in the wagon gives you a confused look when she finishes reading the note.
“Here you go!” You have just enough equestrian left bits to pay for it. Your wallet now only holds Gryphon krona.
She comes back with something called a Large Banana Split, she winked at you and gave you two spoons to go with it. You take it and begin your way back to Gilda.
When you make it back to Gilda she had almost fallen asleep. You take your place beside her and place the ice cream between you. She calmly draws her attention to you.
“Haven’t had this in years.” she smiles softly.
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“I used to live equestria. I guess it was about fifteen years ago now, I haven’t visited in about ten years.” Gilda laughs at herself. “God I’m getting old.” she takes her spoon.
“Hehehe, I don’t think I’d ever be back here.” she begins to casually eat.
You were greeted by an overwhelmingly sweet and foreign sensation, the chill was lost in the other sensations. After that overwhelming experience you immediately grab for another spoonful excitedly. Given what Gilda had said earlier she must be having a bit of nostalgia trip because of how calm she looks.
You didn’t have too much time left so once you finish the snack you pull yourself to your feet. Gilda follows you to her feet.
~~~
“Stop acting like such a baby!”
“I was flying to fast for a safe landing!”
“Okay, what the fuck.” She looks over to you. “Dammit!” she mumbles to herself before letting her shoulders drop and silencing herself.
“You are so difficult.”
~~~
“I know the admiral told you to get in her face but I think that is a really bad idea.” Gilda says as she paces around the empty lift. “I mean absolutely thick-skulled, nimrod, blunt-force-trauma idea I’ve ever heard.”
“Yeah but the last thing I want to see is Rainbow using your beak to polish her hoof.”
“Orders are going to get you seriously hurt.”