Chapter 13-2: Butterflies

Once we were out of sight of the zebra, I realised that I was at a loss. I’d meant it when I said that I wouldn’t wait for hours, but I still had no idea where to go to rescue Bosco and Undertow.

“Schwarzwald, what do we do now? Where should we look?”

“I have an idea on that.” Turning her face skyward, an ear-splitting whistle was sent up.

Clutching my tender lobes, I whined when she stopped. “What was that for?”

Her battle saddle shifted slightly as she shrugged. “I am calling in those who are involved in my idea. Wait for a moment, won’t you?”

Fine, bring whoever you want. I won’t let any of them get in the way of my finding Undertow and Bosco!

I didn’t have to wait long. The beating of wings announced their arrival. Touching down around me as three quarters of a square, the fourth being Schwarzwald, Wings and the Pegasus twins seemed slightly miffed at my presence.

“Dahlings!” Schwarz was all smiles again. “You are here. Did you have any trouble on the way?”

While glaring at me, Breeze answered her question with one of her own. “Forget to mention something when you called me, Schwarzwald? I should have known she’d be here when you called me about Naiara.”

“And hello to you too, Breeze.” I snapped. I knew I shouldn’t have, given the circumstances, but she was always so hostile, and I wasn’t in the mood to take it.

Turning to the others, who were far less openly antagonistic than the unrestrained technocrat, I greeted them more calmly, though neutrally. “Cassie. Wings. Good to see you.”

“Hello, Snowflake.” Cassie, ever polite, remained calm.

“Hey Snow, what’s up?” Wings’ reaction was controlled as well.

Breeze didn’t dance around the issue. “How’s Naiara?”.

“She’s fine, the other zebra are looking after her, and Cept won’t let anyone get to her.” I wasn’t gonna start a fight and waste more time.

“I told her hanging out with you and your little pet Raider was a bad idea!”

Red mist seeped into the corners of my eyes. You’ve been pushing it for far too long, Breeze. “Undertow is not a pet!” Avoiding a fight was the plan, anyway. “Don’t insult her, Breeze!”

“Or what? You wanna go?” She hunched down, wings spread.

Wings and Cassie looked frustrated with the development, while Schwarzwald took a more direct approach. “DOWN!” She barked. “BAD GIRLS!”

Startled, the earlier conversation with Cept, where she’d chewed me out for putting everybody in danger by acting recklessly, made me stop immediately, but Breeze’s silence ended just as quickly as it had begun. “Don’t fucking talk to me like that, Schwarz. I’m not your damn dog, and I don’t take orders from you!”

“Would you like to test that, little girl?” When no answer was forthcoming, she continued. “Now is not the time. The little ones have been taken.”

Confused, Cassie looked between us. “What little ones?”

Wings, more familiar with my friends, caught on more easily. “You mean Bosco? He’s been taken?”

“As well as the ‘pet Raider’, as Breeze so eloquently put it.”

“I need your help,” I began, my voice already cracking. “I don’t know how to find them!”

“Seriously?” Breeze mocked. “You called us for help? We don’t like you, Snowflake.”

“This isn’t Raider business,” I desperately pleaded. “I just want to get them back!”

Breeze’s scoffing aside, Wings and Cassie were still looking pretty neutrally on the proceedings. I didn’t care how bad I looked at the time, or how they felt about me, so long as they agreed to help. They might not like me much, but I knew how strong they were. Wings had no real problem with Bosco, despite brawling with him at the Woodpecker village. The two of them just ended up on opposite sides that one time, and had fought together before.

I got three favours out of that fight, but she can’t help Bosco out now?

Cassie was less hopeful. We’d never really been on good terms. Our first meeting was a battle, then she had robbed me with Wings. They’d expressed guilt about that, but after the two of us fought in the village, she might not be so favourable. She hadn’t reacted well to the idea that Raiders should be reformed.

Whatever her past with Raiders, it runs deep. Her sister hates Undertow, too.

Surprisingly, it was the Pegasus, not the griffon, who relented first. “Tell us what happened, Snowflake.” She held up a hoof to stop Schwarzwald from butting in. “In your words, not anypony else’s.”

It was a start, and I seized on the opportunity. “Bosco wanted to go to Whitepony to help Schwarzwald, so we did. After we got there, we got in a fight with some sentry bots, and ended up separated. We managed to get to the warehouse at the top, but a gold fog monster attacked us. It cut Naiara, and foalnapped Bosco and Undertow!”

“A gold fog monster? Well that helps so much. Any more vague descriptions you wanna use instead?”

Cassie silenced her sister with a stare, before turning back to me. “And this has nothing to do with the Raider business?”

“Nothing, I swear! Please, Cassie, you have to help me!”

“Wasn’t Whitepony your mission, Schwarz?” Wings joined the conversation, her blue eyes unreadable.

“It is, but Amber specified that Bosco and Snowflake join me.”

“You mean they’ve met her and I still haven’t?” Looking slightly put out, Wings flapped her wings huffily.

“You are always busy when she calls. It is ironic, no?”

“Wings, please…” I was going to use every trick I could think of to convince them, including dirty tricks. “I told her that I would protect her. I promised to look after her, just like you and your hatchling cousin.”

“…That’s low, Snowflake.”

“I know, and I’m sorry, but I need your help. I’ll do whatever it takes to find them and keep them safe.” I turned a sly, though still emotional, eye on the Pegasus twins here, trying to invoke the way they’d fought so hard after getting separated near Neighlway. Cassie had been tricked into thinking Breeze had been captured, so she’s worked to pay her ransom, while Breeze had flown herself ragged trying to find Cassie.

While it was undoubtedly unfair to bring up the knowledge I’d gained when spying on the two under Steel Ranger care, it seemed to be swaying Wings. I couldn’t read Cassie yet.

Breeze obviously didn’t like it. “We don’t have to take that from Red Ice! She’s playing us! Probably gonna lead us right to her Raider pals!”

Wings had some dirty play in her too. “She may have a point. I mean, they could already be dead.”

“NO!” I couldn’t entertain that thought for less than a microsecond. It was too painful.

“No?” Her question had an edge to it. “Why no?”

“They just can’t! They… they… they wouldn’t have been taken just to be killed!”

“Good.” Wings’ words were hard. “Remember that. Regardless of whatever else happens. Even if we don’t end up helping you, remember that they’re still alive.”

“Wings…” I didn’t know what to say. Her casual cruelty turned out to be from a good place.

“Why should we help you, Snowflake?” Wings was playing the game, and I didn’t doubt that she wouldn’t help me if I didn’t convince her well enough, but she was at least willing to give me a chance to do so, perhaps even hoping I’d win. Schwarzwald must be rubbing off on her.

“Breeze,” I would have to take drastic steps to bring this one around. “I know you don’t trust me, or even like me, but I really do need your help. What will it take for you to help me get the back? Just tell me and I’ll do it!”

Her reaction was initially automatic. “There’s nothing you can offer me, Red Ice, I wouldn’t he-…” She stopped when she caught sight of her sister’s face.

Cassie wasn’t openly showing signs of willingness, but she didn’t react positively to Breeze’s taunting either.

Both were silent for a few moments before Breeze deflated. “…Whatever Cassie decides, I’ll go along with.” She turned away, muttering to herself. “…Fuck’s sake.”

That left Cassie and Wings. I returned to the griffon first. “Wings, I know I don’t have any more favours with you, can I owe you one? I really need your help with this. I ca-…I can’t do this without you.”

Wings’ blue fire eyes watched me for a long time. Finally she turned them on Schwarzwald. “Whaddaya think, Schwarz? Should I help her out?”

Schwarzwald shrugged. “I will not say either way, dahling. It is up to you both to reach an agreement.”

Clicking her tongue against the roof of her beak, Wings didn’t seem surprised. I lamented Schwarzwald’s lack of help here, and briefly hated her for it, even if she had said she wouldn’t earlier.

This isn’t about me fucking up anymore, Schwarzwald! I need to get Bosco and Undertow back, and you won’t even help with convincing YOUR friends to come along.

“…TWO favours, Snow. One for each pony we rescue. They won’t be small either, I’ll be savin’ ‘em for something important.”

My aching heart eased a little at her words, and a laugh mixed with a cry as I nodded my gratitude. “Thank you. Thank you so much, Wings!” I really couldn’t care less about those future favours at this point.

Off to the side, Schwarzwald was shaking her head. “Terrible haggler.”

“And us, Snowflake? What do we get for our assistance?” Cassie seemed to be willing to let the price decide the participation of her and her sister.

I spread my hooves, completely willing to buy high for this. “Name your price. What do you want for your help?”

Humming and hawing, her eyes became unfocused as she searched her mind for a suitable price tag. This went on long enough for me to feel like she was just wasting my time.

Time which could be spent on rescuing Undertow and Bosco! “Cassie? Anything?”

“Do not rush me, Snowflake. We have come a long way.” That thought struck a chord with her. “Ah, yes, I know. Breeze tells me you have a cabin at Soft Swell Lake. I will accept that as payment for our participation.”

“I don’t have a… wait, that’s Undertow’s, not mine!” No matter what Undertow said, I wasn’t going to accept it as mine just because she thought that I claimed it when I won the fight we had.

“Nevertheless, that is our price.”

“It isn’t mine to give!” How dare you try to take Undertow’s home from her?! I wouldn’t have cared if you wanted Hoofsh-hey! That might work, and it might even shut Schwarzwald up about my haggling too. “Uh… the cabin is Undertow’s, not mine, but I have an alternative, if you’re interested?”

Setting her face into a mask, Cassie prepared to deal. “Go on.”

“Well, Bosco, Naiara, Undertow and I have a place outside of Lethbridle. Really great condition, fully stocked, pre-war tech…” Breeze’s ears perked up at that, and Cassie noticed that I noticed. “…plenty of rooms available, all built for comfort. Um… Lethbridle adjacent?”

That last part was a good selling piece, at least it was when judging by her reaction. “Convenient.”

I blustered on. “Exactly. Now, I can’t give you the entire place, but I can give you two rooms there, one each, for your own personal use, and only you decide who you invite in?”

She was tempted, but not yet fully convinced. “How far from Lethbridle? Which gate?”

“3-4 hours walk from the North gate. Less if you fly. An hour off the path to Cefar, which isn’t much travelled as it is. Peaceful and private, and plenty of security, again from Old Equestria.”

Cassie was struggling to keep her poker face on. “That… may be acceptable.”

“Hey!” Wings cut in. “What about me? Or Schwarz? Don’t we get a room?”

“You have your favours.”

“Well then I’m cashing in my favours! Both of them. Two favours for two rooms. One for me, and one for Schwarz!” She put one claw on her hip, and held the other one up with two talons raised.

“Okay.” I replied, seeing no reason to tell her that Bosco had already promised Schwarzwald a room anyway. That would be her pleasure, or his, when we got him back.

I sobered up at that, wondering what I was doing. I shouldn’t be wasting time with this crap! “Okay, so four rooms in exchange for your help, deal?”

“Deal!”

“Deal.”

“Can I look at the tech when I’m there?”

“So long as you don’t break it. On that note, there’s no fighting there, no matter what we think of each other, understood? It’s neutral ground. Leave it all outside. Naiara, Bosco, and Undertow have rooms there too.” That was important. If I couldn’t trust Breeze when she was there at the same time as Undertow, I wouldn’t let her stay. The others were lesser worries, as Schwarzwald would keep Wings and Cassie in line. Cassie would, in turn, hopefully keep Breeze in line. She seemed to be the only one who could.

“Ugh, fiiiine. I’ll play nice with the baby Raider.”

“Yes you will. Now that we’re decided, what do we do next?” No more haggling, or games, or hostility. We were all in it now, all decided, and that meant all that was left was bringing Undertow and Bosco back.

Schwarzwald broke her silence here. She’d sworn not to convince them for me, but now that they were convinced, she stepped back into the conversation. “Wings, take Breeze and go to Gull Gulf.”

Extreme reluctance burst from Wings almost immediately. “Aw, do I have to?” Her response, and her movements, were suddenly lethargic, as if she was trying to make every part of her body drag as much as possible.

“Yes you do, dahling. This is part of the package. The zebra say that they will show us the way, but I do not trust them completely. If the griffons can tell us anything, it is worth investigating. They will not talk to any of us if you are not there.”

“Wings… try not to mention me while you’re there. Just in case it comes up. I dunno if you heard, but I kinda pissed off a griffon pretty badly, and now he wants to kill me.”

Four funny looks were thrown my way. Wings’ was the most expressive. It somehow managed to show amusement, pride, a less-than-positive evaluation of my intelligence, and the question “Why?” all in one.

“What did you do, Snowflake?”

“Well,” I rubbed the back of my head, embarrassed. “This was the morning after Whinniepeg. I was still IN Whinniepeg, and McCoy and his Monsters showed up and started looking a building in town. I got caught spying on them, and told McCoy what I thought about griffons being traitorous bastards. He didn’t take it well.”

If she disagreed with my decrying her race as untrustworthy, she didn’t show it. “Oh, shit. You pissed off McCoy? You didn’t tell him about me, did you?”

“Well… not by name.”

“Snow!”

“You started it!”

Wings threw up her claws in mock-despair. Clearly not looking forward to seeing more of her species, which was somewhat understandable given her history and my recent actions, the griffon sometimes called Blue Fire wheeled around and took wing. After getting a kiss on the cheek from her sister, Breeze went after her.

Said sister turned back to we non-flying ponies. “And us, Schwarzwald? Where are we to search?”

“Until the zebra call with information, we shall ask around in Lethbridle. There is nowhere else to look for information around here.”

Sceptical, Cassie pointed to the northeast. “What about Vanchoofer?” Then northwest. “Or Sprinkles Supplies? Traders frequent both, and they are as good a source of information as any.”

Turning an amused eye on me, Schwarzwald indicated that I should answer.

“We… um, we kinda beat up the guards at Vanchoofer. I doubt we’ll be welcome.” My sheepish tone turned sombre. “And we’re definitely not welcome at Sprinkles Supplies. We know that firsthoof.” How would I ever face Lexi if I didn’t get Undertow back?

Though her tolerance of nonsense would have been high from years of living with Breeze, Cassie still didn’t look impressed. “…Right. Lethbridle it is, then.”

~~~~~~

The better part of a day of a day was spent getting to, in, and around Lethbridle, and we ended up with a big fat nothing to show for it.

With Cassie and myself wearing our cloaks low, she to hide her wings, and me to hide my Red Ice, we’d visited every dive bar, back alley rumour trader, and ‘upstanding gentlecolt’ parlour Schwarzwald knew, even sneaking into Nightcap’s bar.

Another place I’m barred from.

Nobody knew anything about this gold fog, or if they did, they weren’t willing to share.

I’d gotten equal parts sadder and angrier as the day went on, until I found myself sat on a bench, heart heavy and glaring at nothing. The others were sitting nearby, crossing off where we’d been in the city on a map. There were a lot of crosses.

“Schwarzwald, pick up.” Wings’ voice snapped us all to alertness. She didn’t seem happy either.

Raising her communicator, Schwarzwald glanced around, making sure no one was giving undue attention. “Wings-dahling, what have you found?”

“I fucking hate griffons, that’s what I’ve RE-found.”

Schwarzwald didn’t react to Wings’ attitude, apparently used to it. “So you did not find out anything useful?”

“I didn’t say that, I said Snow was right. Griffons ARE bastards.”

The slightest bit of concern leaked past Schwarzwald’s jolly visage. “Was it McCoy?”

“No, didn’t see him. I just had to give up more than I’d like for the information. I’ll tell you later. Right now they…”

A beeping noise was heard. “Sorry Schwarz, that’s the other line. Breeze says it’s Naiara’s communicator. Zebra?”

“Zebra. Let Breeze talk to them.”

“Okay, we’ll get back to you in a little bit.”

The line went dead.

My anger was gone now, and there was hope on top of my misery. “Think they’ll have something? Will Naiara be alright by now?”

“Doubtful.” Cassie had been listening in too. “From her injury, she may need some time, even with zebra medicines, surprisingly effective though they are.”

That was surprising. “You’ve dealt with zebra before?”

“Once or twice. Pegasi are regarded with almost the same amount of suspicion by Wastelanders, which ironically makes the zebra more willing to not kill us on sight. When Breeze and I were younger, we could not always find a doctor willing to treat us when we were sick, so sometimes we sought out zebra shaman instead. They empathised with our situation, and charged fewer caps too.”

That was… kinda sad. “You’ve had it rough, huh?”

“Sometimes.” She didn’t seem inclined to talk more on the subject.

Luckily the comm crackled. “Schwarz, still there?”

“Yes, dahling. What have you found?”

Wings’ voice was calmer now, and Breeze was chattering animatedly in the background. “Well, first off, Naiara’s okay. She’s awake now.”

A weight removed itself from my shoulders. “That’s great. Thanks, Wings.”

“No problem, Snow. She says that Cept gave her the message, and she’ll come over as soon as she can. Didn’t say where though.”

She didn’t need to, so long as she has the message. She knows where Hoofshine is.

“Anyway, it looks like the griffons were on the level with their info. The zebra told us the same thing. The gold fog’s been spotted recently.”

Now she had my full attention. “Where?”

“You won’t like it.”

I grabbed the communicator from Schwarzwald. “Just tell us, Wings!”

“…Both griffon and zebra reports have something matching the description heading towards Whinniepeg.”

“Whinniepeg?!” She was right, I didn’t like it. I’d only been there once and it was one of the worst experiences of my life. Doubly so because of the griffons involved.

The communicator crackled. “Told ya you wouldn’t like it.”

Yes, good idea Wings, hammer home a repeat of you, on a communicator, asking me to go to Whinniepeg.

Lovely.

“Well, we both know the place, don’t we?” She stayed silent, so I continued. “Look, meet us there. You two can move faster than us, but you’ve got further to go. Hopefully we’ll reach it at around the same time. Either way, whoever gets there first stays where they are until the rest get there, okay?”

“Yeah, okay. See you there.”

I closed the channel. Freaking Whinniepeg!

~~~~~~