Redemption

Once free of the infirmary, I walk over to a window, throwing the panes open I lean out and start gasping for breath. The scent of flowers and the feel of the sun greets me as I look out upon a world I truly don't spend enough time appreciating, I'd spent most of my time inside or trying to anticipate needs I had no experience with.

I sorely wanted to talk to Vine right now, but use of the link was again something I wasn't supposed to do without permission, and there was no telling how my Alpha would react to my request.

After about half a minute spent with my head out a window, I feel a warm body push up beside me gently, and my Alpha sticks her head out beside me. “Enjoying the air, Redemit?” Fairy Dancer asks with a small smile, I nod my head.

“Yeah, sorry Alpha, just bad memories,” I report, glancing around, I feel her nudge my side with her shoulder.

“No ranks when we're not on duty, Redemit,” she orders.

I blink and give her a confused look. “Then why bother, Ma'am? I'm not complaining, I asked for your help, and I think you believe this to be the best course, but still, why?” I ask, unsure what I'm even asking, I don't understand half the thoughts and emotions going through my head.

She turns to look out the window at the buildings around the place, or maybe the sky, I'm not entirely sure which. “Lets go, Private,” she orders, pulling back from the window and setting off down the hallway, I close the window and follow after her. “Food first, then we talk,” she states once I catch up to her, I nod my head as my stomach growls at the thought of food.

We make our way to the mess hall, my Alpha glances up at me apologetically. “I'm not entirely sure I can tolerate the thought of meat and still eat, we'll try to find you something later,” she says with a grimace, I just grin in response, I smell weakness.

We get in line, grab our food, in my case I load up on legumes with a grimace of disgust. Grabbing a side of some kind of wheat pasta mixed with beans, we take our trays and Sergeant Fairy sweeps the room. “Too crowded, lets go,” she orders, walking out into the courtyard. Sadly, with no weather scheduled that day, it was also pleasant outside, and the courtyard was rather populated as well, which prompts me to look up and grin.

“Think you can transport our food up there?” I ask, pointing to a nearby tower, my Alpha just looks at me incredulously.

“You can't be serious,” she says in a deadpan voice, I just shrug.

“You're looking for privacy, there it is, and I can handle transportation for the two of us easily, I just can't guarantee our food stays on the plate too,” I state with a chuckle.

Sergeant Fairy looks up at the easily 300 foot tall tower and shakes her head. “Alright, Private, get me up there, and I'll bring the food,” she says with a sigh, I set my tray on handy table as she levitates hers over by mine. Food taken care of, I kneel down and open my arms. My Alpha glances around before walking into them, I wrap my arms around her flank and chest and lift her up.

Bending my knees, I consider the best path and settle for a short burst launch, getting myself into the air right at first in the dead air pocket of the courtyard is the hardest part, once I'm above the rooftops, flight becomes easy, and I land on the top of the tower in under forty-five seconds, not bad.

I set Fairy down on the roof, and take a moment to sweep the horizon, being on the side of a mountain, the view is extraordinary. I find myself content to simply sit and stare out at the countryside until I get bumped by my tray.

“Foods here, eat up,” my Alpha orders, I nod my head and take a seat against a piece of roofing where I can examine the countryside as I eat.

I crunch a couple legumes then to wash it down I bite down on a spoonful of the pasta, heat immediately explodes on my tongue as the incredibly spicy creation proceeds to punish me for profaning it by eating in such an unprepared manner. I sit absolutely still, a tear running down my cheek, as I try very very hard not to start choking. After a few seconds the burn settles to a general sear, down from forest fire, and I draw a shuddering breath in through my mouth, which just excites the darn burn again.

“Something wrong, Redemit?” Sergeant Fairy asks as she fights a valiant battle to withhold the unholy storm of mirth threatening to sally forth from her mouth in the form of a gale of laughter, I just roll my eyes and nod my head.

“Yeah, just letting my tongue go numb, Ma'am,” I state shortly, still taking shallow breaths.

She just falls over laughing for a bit, her own tray forgotten, I just huff and take another bite of the spicy food, the second bite isn't nearly as traumatizing, and I find myself enjoying it.

Sadly, the food doesn't last long, and all too soon, I find myself laying on my back, staring up at a rather nondescript blue sky, with not a cloud in sight. There are no constellations to trace, no galaxies to watch in awe, just more bright blue. Oh, now there is the occasional pegusai flying by, even a dragon at one point, but they weren't sticking around, and I was hardly going to go say 'hi', so the excitement was short lived. “Ma'am?” I ask, looking over at Fairy Dancer, who in turn examines the surrounding terrain with complete absorption for few moments, then turns to me with a sigh.

“Why did I choose to become your Alpha?” She asks, I nod my head, and she stares off blankly with another sigh. “I guess, to explain that, you need to see my point of view, so here goes: When you first showed up, you looked . . . well, like an enigma. You handled yourself with ease, the way you watched us, even knowing it was just a helmet, you were intimidating. Then you took on a five pony team of some of the best armed forces Celestia could find and beat them, and you know what, you made it look EASY. You handled us like a pack of new recruits just starting the advanced portions of their training, you scared me, to be honest. And then you tore through half the city moving so fast we weren't even mentally prepared to contain you. Even with the Captain of the Guard shielding the city, you still managed to break out of the city all by yourself, after taking down a squad of the air patrol's best and the forces we had set up to guard the train station.”

She levitates my blade and starts fencing in midair against an imaginary component, sweeping and stabbing to illustrate her points as she continues. “You tore through them like a hot knife through butter, but you did it without killing anyone, the worst injuries were actually self inflicted, we even heard that you slowed down to ensure one of the air patrol was still alright, now, you dropped him in a dumpster, but he lived. That was when I started to respect you, this unknown warrior that claimed to be a soldier but displayed all the skills you'd expect from a once in a thousand years hero they like to laud up in fairy-tales that the adults know just will NEVER happen.” she says with a grin. “But then, there you were, on your last ditch effort to save any survivors of your people, I was like, wait, there's more of them? Are we about to be inundated by a swarm of bipedal super-soldiers? But we also realized that your comrade was a pegusus, which gave us hope that it wouldn't be another race invading, but rather kindred souls who just happened to be refugees from another world.” She folds her front legs and brings my sword to rest, letting it sit point down in front of her and spinning it in place like a top, an inch above the top of the roof.

“And then we found you, circling over the forest, we'd salvaged the communications crystal from your comrade's armor, the one the swarm queen killed, apparently the suicide spell on the armor failed to trigger. You sanitized and destroyed the suit and the body within, but the top part of the helmet was sliced free first, so we heard you every step of the way. The pain in your voice as you called out like a lost foal hunting for its mother, it was all I could do to not ask to help you for crying out loud. But then, we realized where your 'alpha' site was, and Princess Celestia scanned it,” she trails off, tears flowing down her face. “I've seen Celestia annoyed, saddened, and occasionally even irritated, but I've never seen her cry, and I've never seen the rage she showed when we saw what those . . . things did to your people.”

“My squad was . . distracted, securing the outside, but Celestia stood by you as a silent witness for your entire journey, we came back to watch you cut those creatures down beside a . . . 'thing', a monster that took a swarm queen and rent its soul asunder and took its body like some kind of soul stealer, We thought . . . we thought you'd be too violent, that we'd have to kill you both, that this world could not tolerate monsters such as you, no matter how valiant your actions, how much mercy you'd shown to ponies you so totally outclassed. But then, you took the elements of harmony, the most powerful equalizing force we know, and you wielded them, however imperfectly, you took the power into yourself, and you negated it, you proved your mettle.” She says quietly, glancing up at me with eyes that were still wet with unshed tears, I just stared back quietly, wishing I were that individual she spoke of.

“Then, rather than attack, when we were all too distracted from your display and could not have possibly stopped you before you could have possibly wounded or killed the one who holds this nation together, you simply called for an end, you halted the aggression, you sued for peace. After slaughtering nearly a hundred creatures without mercy, without restraint, roaring like some wild animal, you showed a reasonable side, a love for peace, for Harmony.” I shake my head mutely, she just reaches out and rubs my arm with a hoof understandingly.

“Then, when all else failed, when faced with the most powerful being on this planet, an army at her back, you did not quail, you did not falter, you bore loyalty to another, and you would save her, at any cost, any price. But you weren't above begging, you would have been upon your knees if you'd thought it proper, but instead, you allowed that powerful being to be alone with the one whom you'd dedicated your life to, with a single action, you showed immense trust, and fortitude. So what that you freaked out when Princess Celestia started her spell, I probably would have done the same, but even then, you didn't lash out, you just ensured the situation and sat it out.” Fairy Dancer gives a small smile.

“And then, when you were ready to find your friends, you were once again walking death, every movement sure, every action planned. You blew past our advance like we were out for a stroll, you caused such a ruckus every bug in the area was inside the city after you, yet the both of you sawed through them like it was NOTHING, as if you weren't flesh and blood, but as if you were some elemental force of Harmony that would brook no disorder, no chaos. You cut through the heart of the swarm as if they were naught but flies. And then, as if to sign your name indelibly into the hall of heroes, you took on a juggernaut of armor and spines, an unstoppable behemoth even your kind feared and respected, and you won, and most of all, you made it look EASY. You let it chase you, keeping just far enough ahead it thought it would have you, only to walk into one trap after another. You would have willingly sacrificed everything for your people. Walls, bugs, vaults, none of it could stand before you, one obstacle after another you provided solution after solution. Many not the most creative, but all VERY effective.” She shakes her head.

“But in the end, what happens? Out of a force hundreds strong, only two survived. One, a pegasus who we assumed held your heart, and another, some warrior from legend wielding weapons and armor crafted upon the anvil of the gods, here to bring cleansing fire to the swarms of the unholy. I'll be the first to admit, I was prepared to be jealous of that pegasus. Some great warrior, ready to take on the might of a nation all for his people. Then we find we're going to be getting copies of your gear, weapons and armor like yours all our own, and to help us? Will be this same great warrior.” She says excitedly, then turns quiet again.

“Only, we're read in, and the psych officer reads off a list of mental problems a mile long and most of which I'd never heard of. We had some many rules on what we could and couldn't do to you, and then Celestia herself orders us to NEVER attack you, that you were too valuable, and that your armor was DESIGNED to be susceptible to unicorn magic, that you weren't peace loving, you simply didn't have someone telling you to attack, you were nothing, an animal, a HUMAN, a broken shell of a creature desperately trying to save the one thing it cared about above all else including itself. That you were suicidal, depressive, massive social insecurities, problems with authority, flashbacks, hostile responses borne of paranoia, oh, and to top it all off, you were part changeling, some parasitic creature that had probably acted to save that pegasus because only she could ever show it love.” She states with disgust, I glance away, my thoughts in turmoil.

“And then you show up, your first action upon your return is to attend a concert, only, word comes down the grapevine that this is the first time you've EVER experienced the like, what kind of sick twisted world did you come from? It went well enough, you harassed a guard a little, but it seemed more in good fun than outright malicious, and you returned to the palace having one of the more depressing conversations it has ever been my duty to listen too. You could kill hundreds of insects without breaking a sweat or slaughter an innocent provided someone told you too without turning a hair. Yet you couldn't even READ.” I flinch from the venom in her voice, even though it's aimed more at my situation than me, the knowledge that someone else knows of my illiteracy hurts.

“And then! Just to ruin any goodwill we might have, you acquire your armor, give the scientists just a taste of what they need to refine the gear we'll be receiving shortly, and then you set off to get your weapons back, and your outlook on ponies, it makes one sick! But then, once you have some manner of weapon, you set off after the Captain like a well trained dog, not a care in the world, a wolf in its element. You walked into the heart of this kingdom's special forces, and you looked around, and found us wanting, you threw a challenge in our face by your very existence, you practically screamed out: I make you look like foals, and I'm still a colt myself. Oh, that made me angry, and then we had to do your mental exam, they decided it would be best to do it in a . . . less active environment, so the mess hall it was, you were sent to eat, and we waited. The first test was conducted, and while you didn't lash out, you tore that unicorn to shreds with your eyes even while your mouth uttered reasonable words, I'm sure you even thought you meant them, it was all the major could do to not run screaming.” She pauses, staring up at me as I shift uncomfortably, I really wish she'd stop.

“Then, you see us, and far from the vicious gung ho individual, you look like the one unicorn in school that doesn't learn to use magic until much later being surrounded by the bullies. You looked like a wild animal ready to bolt, even in your armor and with weapons in hand. It was then we started figuring out just how badly you were mistreated, half the time, you took no shit from nopony, the other half, you would flinch at the first sign of annoyance, much less aggression. And then, because you love drawing up a litany of things you've done, you go and manage to 'accost' Prince Blue Blood, fortunately, your first action was to run and seek cover, that's the only reason that never went further, than and the fact Princess Luna took you under her personal protection. But that got me thinking, maybe we were going about this wrong, we were trying to reason with a trained soldier, when you're not, you're a vicious animal that serves its pack as loyally as the said Element. You're a child that's learned a set of responses as an animal, and now you're being forced into the same rule set as every other responsible adult, and you just aren't one. And as additional proof of my suspicions, you reach out to me, the least accepting member of the group, for help, you bare your soul to me for the briefest moment, and I don't see a killer, I see an innocent foal, desperately looking for the mother it's lost.” I look away, too many thoughts running through my head for my face to properly hide, I feel her rub my arm again slowly.

“I can't be your mother, but I can be your Alpha, I can show you the way to act, I can try to help you achieve what you want, to take even a thousandth of the load they bear off their shoulders. I don't know how much longer you have left, especially after that . . . 'interesting' physical.” She chuckles, I just smile weakly. “But I'll do my best, in whatever time you have remaining, you may not be what I thought you were before, but I believe you have the potential, you just need to grow up a bit, in one of the most dangerous professions in existence,” she laughs, I shake my head.

“Thank you,” I say quietly, she just cocks her head.

“For what? Believing you to be some fairy tale hero comes to steal the hearts of mares everywhere?” she asks with a vicious laugh aimed at herself, I just sigh.

“No, for seeing the worst in me, and still believing I could be more, I want to be more, I just don't know what that is,” I state sweeping my arm out at the world spread before me. “Even ignoring my species, which I'm not sure what that is. Even now, if you put me in a town, and I wouldn't begin to know what to do, how to survive, I'd probably be dead within a week. Besides, there is nothing wrong with being a hopeless romantic, Vine calls herself that all the darn time,” I retort, she just gives another deep sigh.

“Yes, well, maybe you're right, maybe not,” she replies. “But the fact remains that we need to get you trained on how to act in society, and I can't possibly cover all the angles. We do need to get you some protein, but I'm hardly looking forward to going outside to get it,” she says grumpily, rubbing her face with a hoof.

“Huh?” I ask, confused by what she means.

“I can't exactly take you outside, looking like that, even if I could trust you not to lash out at anyone that insulted or otherwise 'offended' me,” she says dryly, I grin at the first part then stiffen up my eyes going wide with anger at the second.

“I follow my Alpha's orders, Ma'am,” I spit out. “And as for my wings, I think that wouldn't be a problem either. It seems when I want to not be seen, I can.”

She flinches at my first remark, and tilts her head at my second, her ears swiveling forward. “What do you mean, you can not be seen, Redemit?” she asks.

I grimace. “What do you think happened in the Doctor's office?” I ask, she tilts her head a second before shooting to her feet and punching me with a hoof, my head snaps to the side, and I bring it back around slowly flexing my jaw, but keeping my hands at my side, I think I deserved that one.

“You mean, you made them think I was crazy?” my Alpha snarls at me.

“No, I mean, I don't know.” I respond, not shrinking back from her ire. “I found out last night with the Princess, for some reason, when I was out and about without my armor, I wanted ponies to see me as just another human, and they did, I walked up to Luna's personal guard, and they didn't notice anything, just treated me like another human until I spoke, at which point, let me tell you, shit got real,” I say with a chuckle, she doesn't look amused, I shut up. “And today, when we went into the med bay . . . I was...I was scared,” I admit, looking away. “I...I didn't want to be there, to be near doctors, all I could think about was disappearing into the background, where nopony would see me. And the receptionist as well as the doctor looked right at me, but through me, like I wasn't there.” I say in a quiet voice, not wanting to admit my weakness.

I hear a sigh before Fairy Dancer wraps her forearms around me from behind and lays her head down over my shoulder. I look to the side, meeting her gaze. “Alright, Redemit, I won't hold it against you, but why didn't we know about this ability?” she ask, I shrug.

“Because I didn't know about it besides the fact it seems to be a subconscious defense, oh, and my love levels were rather drained by that performance in the doctors office. I'm still more than good right now, but if this keeps up, I'll need to go visit... my handler, to...” I look away fighting another snarl. “To recharge, like the parasitic monster I am.

Her arms tighten around me a moment. “You're not a monster,” she says softly, I just laugh.

“If only you knew, if only...” I state sadly, looking up at the plain blue sky, wishing to see the moon once more, whole and unblemished.

“Then tell me,” she says tilting her on my shoulder as she looks at me, I just shake me head.

“That's not my story to tell, if they wish you to know, you'd have to ask Celestia, maybe Luna, she's been nice to me, I'm not sure she'd still be nice if she knew what I'd done to my world.” I rub her fetlock gently, alternating between scratching and rubbing.

“It can't be that bad,” she says lightly, I just turn my head to look at her with wide, wounded eyes, she blinks. “But how could you do something so horrid? You're strong and powerful, but I hardly think you'd be able to do something too evil and get away with it.”

I laugh harshly. “I did it by order of my Queen, and in the process, betrayed one of the most powerful beings in existence and one of the few who accepted me for who I am, whatever that is.”

“Huh?” Fairy asks, I just shake my head.

“I've said too much on the subject, lets go, I'll take our trays and meet you by the gate?” I query, unwrapping her arms and standing up.

“Sure, but how do you plan to get me down at the same time?” Fairy Deadpans, I just grin.

I grab our trays, and reach out grabbing Fairy Dancer just behind her front legs with a squawk from her. Before she can do anything else, I step off the edge with trays in one hand and Fairy snugged under my other arm, after a moment of free-fall I open my wings and let the air fill them, slowing our fall immediately. A few moments later, we're safe on the ground, Fairy looks kinda wobbly though.

“Never do that again without warning me,” Fairy orders, her face portraying her attempts to not throw up.

“Sorry, can't promise that one, I may have to do it at some point to save your life!” I reply flippantly, ducking into the mess hall before she can retaliate beyond a groan of anger and nausea.

Setting our trays in the appropriate collection point, I smile at the audience my antics have attracted and saunter out of the room, not even large numbers of ponies will get me down, or maybe they will, ah well, lose them in the hallway.

With that thought in mind, I exit into the hallway and jog towards my room, I get the occasional odd look from the guards, but I keep my wings half spread to ensure their visibility, and I'm unmolested.

Reaching my room, I step inside, sweeping for threats automatically, but everything seems undisturbed. Moving to my armor rack, I doff most of my armor, leaving the chainmail under-layer intact, and settle a shirt and some serviceable trousers over that. Replacing my dust cloak, I fold my wings down as tightly as possible, but decide against tying them down, I'm short a weapon after all. I tuck my cloth bindings in a pocket, just in case.

Grabbing the bag of bits I'd brought along just in case, and still never thought I'd end up using, I secure it in a pouch on my chest under my shirt. I put one of my simple collars on, hanging the knife in its sheath down my chest on a makeshift necklace. I grimace as I once again make a mental note to get my enchanted collars back, here's to hoping my Alpha knows illusion magic.

I walk to the door and pause, I close my eyes and lay my head against the wooden door for a moment collecting my courage. 'I can't spend forever in a cage.' I whisper in the depths of my mind. I'm tired of being scared, of being chained. I want to live like . . . like me, not some animal for ponies to stare at, or hiding in the darkness.

Opening my door, I take a deep breath and expel it, setting off down the hall. “Redemit!” A voice calls out behind me, I turn around to find my Alpha come trotting up. She smiles up at me. “I just remembered how new you are, we're not leaving by the main gate,” she states with a small trace of chagrin, I just nod amiably.

Taking a step back, Fairy Dancer blinks as she looks me over, even going so far as to circle around me, I just watch her with a cocked eyebrow and a half smile. “See something I missed, Fairy Dancer?” I ask, she shakes her head.

“No, just didn't expect you to be able to . . . I don't know, didn't think you'd blend that well to be honest,” she admits sheepishly, I just grin.

“Without going into the reasoning, I've had a fair amount of practice,” I admit, watching her bemusedly. “Although, as long as we're on the subject, think you could do something about my eyes?” I ask, she looks up at me a moment, then cocks her head.

“Can't you just change them?” she asks, I nod my head.

“And get a migraine, yeah . . . but they're also a gift from my old Queen,” I admit, giving a bittersweet smile.

“Alright, can't say no to a sweet story like that,” Fairy Dancer chuckles, I just grin. “Well come on then, kneel down, I'm not exactly coming up there,” she orders. I oblige her by going to one knee, she walks up close and stares at my eyes thoughtfully, I just hold my position patiently. After a few moments she shakes her head. “I know a simple color change spell, but it's not the best, if anyone gets a close look-” she starts.

“They shouldn't, I'm just the big hulking slab of meat following a guard, after all, just say I'm out for a walk or something, most ponies always ignored me.” I chuckle, Fairy Dancer shakes her head though.

“No, I don't think they will, you're at least 6 inches taller than your average human, and you're not bad looking either,” she chuckles, I just scrub a hand down my face.

“Really?” I ask incredulously, Fairy just shrugs.

“Hey, don't look at me, the only reason I'd even look at you is because you're sentient, but you've got to realize how bad the stallion to mare ratio is. There's a lot of desperate mares out there,” she admits frankly. “And with other inter-species relationships becoming accepted, it's only to be expected they'd turn to humans, they're everywhere, survive most any environment, and provide excellent labor, provided you can keep em docile, of course,” she says, waving a hoof for emphasis, then goes quiet as her horn lights up.

I shudder but remain still as she does her work, after a few seconds, she backs up with a satisfied nod. “Done?” I ask, just to make sure she doesn't need to modify it or anything, she nods.

“Yeah, it's not very good, and your eyes are gray now, but I couldn't change their appearance and still let you see without making it monochrome.” she states apologetically, I just reach out and give her a quick scratch, her response is instant and gratifying. “Ohhhhhh, that feels good,” she hums while I scratch behind her ear, I chuckle and rub up her ear as well, causing her to just about melt.

“Thank you, now shall we go?” I ask, standing up, she shakes her head and nods.

“Uh... yeah, sure, lets go get your han...meat! Lets go get you some meat.” I tilt my head in confusion as Fairy Dancer walks down the hall shaking her head and muttering. After a few moments, she turns back to me. “Are you coming? I'll be perfectly happy NOT to handle this if your not up to it,” she says with a slight shudder, causing me to blink.

As I catch up to her and we continue on our way, I consider the situation, Fairy Dancer doesn't want to be doing this, but she seems . . . I don't know, like she's obligated or something. I shake my head, it's all very confusing, but I don't want to jeopardize my chances of getting meat, yet . . . I don't want to cause her pain . . . honestly, I don't know why I care . . . but I do. I shake my head and groan, thoughts and emotions running through me, conflicting.

“You okay, Redemit?” Fairy Dancer stops and looks up at me in a concerned manner, I just shake my head.

“Yeah, just got a lot on my mind, and I'm not used to it. I didn't spend a lot of time thinking,” I chuckle, then look back down at her with a considering grin. “You know, you don't have to do this, I mean, you don't particularly like the thought of meat, do you?”

Fairy Dancer rolls her eyes. “What I LIKE isn't important, Private. Whats important, is that you be kept functional, and if that means we have to go out and kill something, then that's exactly what we'll do,” she states, her emotions on the other hand . . .

I narrow my eyes, thinking over what the doctor said, the gryphon quarter . . . I could go out there in my armor . . . and I'd have no idea what to do, I need a guide. The only other alternative is a restaurant that caters to . . . pegusai . . . which we know two of. I start grinning. “The doctor said I needed a one time boost, right?” I ask, and she nods her head, watching me with narrowed eyes. “So why not just get one of the pegusai to help?” I ask, causing her to blink before grinning sheepishly.

“I didn't stop to consider that,” Fairy Dancer says ruefully, I blink, she's part of a team, asking their assistance would be second nature I would think. As if reading my thoughts, she shakes her head. “I accepted responsibility for you the moment I realized how . . . for lack of a better term, immature you really are and... impressed my authority on you.”

I shrug. “Ah, okay, so who should we talk to?”

My Alpha gives me a deadpan look, I just watch her attentively. “Ah whatever, Cloud Burst should be free this afternoon, maybe she can show us,” she says with a sigh, I nod my head, following after her.

As we go, I start thinking, considering, weighing, or in other words, getting myself in trouble. So far, Fairy Dancer seemed . . . like she doesn't understand the role she's trying to fulfill. In my old pack, the Alpha had to assert their authority constantly, I bore loyalty to Vine out of love, AND because she could compete physically, not because she was superior. Unless she wasn't aware of the rules I'd followed? I needed to find out, but the prospect of a treat I'd had only sparingly was top priority right now, I'd speak with her later.

Sadly, it wasn't meant to be, as we're moving to find Sergeant Cloud Burst, a member of the Day-Guard walks up, he stares at me a moment as if unsure, but also doesn't show much sign of moving on. I fluff my wings slightly to draw his attention in case he's trying to find me specifically. This seems to be the case as he nods his head and walks up to me.

“Redemit?” He asks, I nod my head. “The Princess has requested your presence in 'The dining room from last night,' at your earliest convenience,” he states. I.E. We cleared a space in our busy schedule to talk to you, get here, now.

I turn to Fairy Dancer. “Sorry Alpha, I need to answer their call.”

“Right, carry on, Private,” She utters in a surprised tone with a thread of relief, I'm torn between a feeling of humor and one of disappointment.

“Yes Alpha,” I salute and move down the hall, once out of sight, I break into a jog as I start retracing my steps. Once back at my room, I turn down the path towards the library.