The Flight of Shame (and Trust)
"Wait! No-no-no-no-no-no-NO! I didn't mean it!" Apple protested.
"Really?" Rotbart said as he smirked at her. " You're taking back your one good idea?"
"It's NOT a good idea!" Apple insisted. "It's a horrible idea…"
"How so?" Rotbart challenged. "We get back fast, we avoid the all the snow, and nobody will notice your clothes or that I'm with you. What's so horrible about that?"
"Well…I think…erm…well, that is…." Apple couldn't think of a single reason as to why flying to campus as birds was a bad idea. She desperately hoped that Rotbart wouldn't guess her real objection.
"You just don't want to be a bird again, do you?" Rotbart said wryly. Apple flinched; so much for not revealing her fears. She vividly remembered her time as a swan and did not want to repeat the experience.
"Look, it'll be FINE. I've got the charm right here," he said as he pointed to the crystal swan charm around his neck. "No Duchess or Hood to screw things up. I transform you, transform myself, we fly outta here, head for your room, I change back, I change you back, you change clothes, I leave, and you come up with a nice little explanation for your absence. End of story. Happy ending all around."
"Umm…" Apple still looked hesitant.
Rotbart rolled his eyes. "Oh come on, princess; you still don't trust me?! "
"Well you're not exactly the trustworthy type!" Apple retorted.
"Not naturally, no, but let's face it: I've saved you from freezing, have sworn not to harm you until you get another hero, on the pain of losing my POWERS, might I add, and I'm trying to get you back without soiling your precious reputation. How much more trustworthy can I get?!" He half-shouted.
Apple winced. Rotbart was absolutely right. Villain or not, he had done a great deal for her and it wasn't fair of her to treat him this way.
"I'm sorry." She said meekly. "You're right; we should do it. Go ahead." And she screwed her eyes shut and braced herself for the full-body change.
Rotbart stared at her for a minute. Did little-miss-high-and-mighty just say "sorry" to him? AND willingly admit that he was right?! He quickly regained his composure, though, and put on the rest of his clothes, channeled his magic, and transformed Apple and himself in record time.
"Are you done yet?" Apple asked. She had been expecting some sort of pain, like the first time she got zapped, but she hadn't felt a thing this time.
"Uh-huh. Take a look." Rotbart said. And then he suddenly remembered something. "Wait-wait! No, not yet!" He said hurriedly. "Keep your eyes shut!"
Apple frowned. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I just got a better idea." He fibbed. "Give me a sec." And Rotbart quickly chose a different bird besides his go-to owl form. After all, he couldn't let Apple to know that he was really "B.B." And then he decided that this particular bird form really would be a better choice for Apple as well and quickly altered her appearance too.
"OK, NOW look." He said. Apple opened her eyes and saw that she and Rotbart were now falcons. Complete with sharp eyes, sharp beaks, sharp talons, and tapered wings.
"Oh!" Apple exclaimed in surprise as she looked at herself in a small shard of old broken mirror. This was not what she expected. "Why aren't we swans?" She asked as she examined her sharp talons. This choice of a bird seemed a bit unusual given Rotbart's heritage.
Rotbart couldn't grin as a bird, but his eyes glinted with humor. "You're not the only one that hasn't recovered from Swan Day, princess. Half of the school still flinches at the mere sight of swans." He teased. Apple glared at him and gave a little angry falcon screech.
"Good job. Very realistic." He said. "But seriously, falcons are the best choice."
"How come?" Apple asked.
"They're fast." He explained. "We'll be back in no time!" And he zoomed around the room to prove his point. "And NO one will mess with us." He added.
Apple trembled. "WHO will mess with us?" She asked waveringly.
Rotbart glared at her. "No one. I just said."
"But, we're so small!" Apple protested.
"And we're top predators. There's more to birds then just being cute and sitting on your finger, princess. Now get ready for take-off!" He said as flew up to the window and nudged it open. He turned back and looked at her expectantly. "You coming?"
Apple took a deep breath. She couldn't believe that she was entrusting her safety to the guy who intended kill her one day. But he was also the guy who saved her life. And she really didn't have much choice.
"Yes." She said. And she joined Rotbart on the window sill.
"Push off!" He said.
And the two birds soared into the brilliant blue winter sky.