Wings of Honor: Saving Grace

Chapter 1: Paradrop Over Possibility

We emerged through behind a palm tree grove, far enough away that nobody would see us.
"Marvin!" I called back over to him.
"Yeah Grace?"
"How do you want to do this?"
Marvin thought for a moment. "Actually, land. We can think."
I swooped around, taking cover behind a hill, out of sight of the town. Marvin slid down, rubbing his head and then putting his hands into his armpits. He shivered from the sudden change in temperature.
"You okay?"
"Brrrr." Marvin exaggerated, shivering again. "Okay. We can head to Mayfly's hut. Provide her with whatever medical supplies and knowledge we have." I really wish Jimmy was here. He'd know what to do to help Kinkajou. But if I brought him instead, who would I have left behind?
Not Travers. He'd start another war while I would be gone.
McManis? No, his knowledge is too valuable to pass up.
He didn't even think about leaving me. It never crossed his mind. I honestly felt a little guilty again.
But then a vision started forming, clouding my vision.

I saw a sea-green SeaWing, alongside a gleaming copper SkyWing. They weren't too far away, close enough to keep tabs on them. I looked down onto a reflection in a river. It was only me flying.
Suddenly, a stream of tracers erupted from somewhere below. I didn't have to look to see the effect. A machine gun. There was only one gun I know here that could fire that fast.

"Grace?"
I felt Marvin up against me, rubbing my side.
"I'm fine." I shook the fog away.
"Are you okay? That felt like a vision."
I mumbled. "Yeah."
Marvin leaned over. "What was it about?" I didn't see it.
I hesitated. "It was... about Turtle and Peril." I felt Marvin frown. "They were flying and... a machine gun... lit up the sky." Marvin froze, holding his breath. Already, I could see he was visualizing it. "It... it looked like Goldman's Stinger."
That made Marvin shiver.
"Did... did you see anything else?" Where? Maybe when?
I shook my head. "No. Nothing like that." Well, nothing other than I was alone.
"And you're not leaving anything out?" Marvin called once more. His tone suggested that he knew I was withholding something, it was confirmed in his mind. She saw something else. Something important.
I skipped a breath.
"I..." I couldn't say. "I..."
"Is it the love plan?" Marvin asked, in good nature.
"No." I shook my head. "It's just... I only saw myself in that vision."
Marvin seemed confused. Huh? Okay.
"No, what I mean is... I saw a reflection in the river, I only saw myself... flying."
Marvin nodded now. "Well... that could mean anything. It's you flying? It could just be you traveling, it could've been Moon, it could've-"
"I... I think it means I'm supposed to follow them..." alone.
I felt his shaky breath.
"Well... you saw it from the bottom up. Could you have missed me? You're sure it wasn't Moon?"
I shook my head. "No, it was definitely me. And I would've seen your foot. At least something - your Springfield. But there was nothing. I saw nothing."
Marvin looked down, absentmindedly at my back. What does this mean? But Grace knows what she saw, that I don't question. But... going alone? What if-
"I don't like it either." I interrupted him. "But... can we argue with a vision?"
Marvin took a breath. Closing his eyes, letting it out slowly.
"Okay. So the vision wants you to go alone.
"But!"
Marvin stopped and looked at me. Go on.
"I um..." I looked away. "I just... got you back." I tried fighting back tears.
Marvin lost the wind in his lungs, walking up to me and tried to hug me.
"Oh, I know. Believe me, I would love to stay with you and Moon, but-" He pulled my head around to meet him. Even though I saw him hesitate when he noticed my head alone was almost as large as he was. "Remember, we're from the future-"
"I know." Hanging my head again. I knew.
"That means we're supposed to keep the timeline on track." Marvin shifted to sit on my claw hand. "You can see into the future, can't you?"
I nodded my head a little.
"So you can probably see what could happen if you don't go."
I shivered. I didn't have to use my powers to know. Especially with Goldman around.
"Yeah, so this isn't a matter of what we want," Marvin stood up to meet me. "It's about what we have to do."
"But!"
Marvin laid his arms around me again.
"Believe me." He said, his voice cracking. I could feel the small drops running down my scales. "If I could stay - stay with you - believe me, I would."
But then we both looked over the hill. Over at Possibility in the distance. The many people who lived there. So many souls. What would happen if I didn't go? Would this city be one of the first casualties in the next war? If not, where else? What would happen if I didn't go? I could stay with Marvin. We'd be okay.
But who would I sacrifice for that?
Marvin sighed. "What we'll do is... I'll have you drop me in Possibility."
What? I looked over at him.
He continued. "At least there I can help look after Kinkajou. Rondevu with Moon and Qibli."
"But-"
"I know. I can't be there with you. We can't mess with visions like that. Believe me, I've tried. I don't like it any more than you do." Then he pondered for a second. "See if you can find McManis while you're out there, or Travers. They have radios, and they can put you in contact with me."
"But... what if-"
Marvin shushed me. "I trust that you can think your way through anything Grace. I trust you'll do the right thing. This is your destiny, not mine."
I took a shaky breath, letting it out slowly.
"That's a good girl." Marvin patted me. I smiled.
"But... how are you going to get down?"
An idea was already forming in his head.
"I'll take the medical supplies and my stuff. I'll parachute into Possibility."
"You'll what!" Even though I knew, him saying it aloud still shocked me. "What if-"
"I'll be fine Grace. You'll be fine. Trust me. Trust yourself."
I shook my head. I was under orders, but... at the same time, I could still take Marvin. It would be against his will, the vision's will, but I could have him with me. I tried looking forward if I did that, but everything became a tangled mess of biblical proportions.
"Don't." He patted me. "Sometimes you don't need to see the future to know this is someone's moment of truth."
I looked in, questioningly back at him. He returned it with a peaceful smile.
"It's your moment, Gracebringer. Make the best of it."
I hung my head and sighed. "Okay. Fine."
He climbed back on, and we once again took to the skies. I looked down, judging the ground conditions. I heard the clinking of Marvin getting all his supplies in order.
Once I spotted Mayfly's hut, I ran a line of bright red scales along my spine.
"Red light!" I called back.
Stand up! Hook up!
He didn't have anything to hook onto, so he grasped the release tether tightly.
"Set!
I banked around before leveling off. I judged distances. Right at the moment, the line ran down my back shone green.
"Go!"
"Airborne!"
I felt the presence leap off my back.
I held my breath, banking around to see the olive green speck falling faster and faster toward the ground.
I sighed in relief when I saw the fabric spill out, unfolding into a white, spined circle with an empty hole cut in the middle.
Godspeed and God's Grace Grace. Good luck.
Thank you. And good luck to you too. Take care of Moon and Kinkajou for me.
I will.
I stayed overhead, until I saw him hit the ground, not far from the hut. He rolled, cutting his chute; and with a jump, skip, and a hop, he nonchalantly stood up to the door. And with that, I circled round and headed out of the town. Watching the buildings and stalls fall away behind me.
I looked ahead, into the pale blue sky, with fluffy white clouds brushing it with contrast. The sweet air, the rushing wind. I closed my eyes to just... take it all in.
I didn't see the portal open up in front of me.