Grey and Warren's Argument

"Grey and Warren's Argument" is a Season 3 thread written on December 30, 2014. 
== Summary ==
== Full Text ==
Grey Bergman: Grey ran as fast as she could to the stables, where she knew Greg, Warren, and Asha were hiding out with Shadow. She had to hurry. She had to get away from that demon…her and that demonic mother of hers. She needed her friends right now. 
She plowed in through the doorway. “Guys!” 
Asha: "Grey?" Asha asked, concerned. "What’s the matter?"
Grey Bergman: The brunette ran over to her friends and hugged them tightly. “I was finally able to get away from the Warden and her mother,” she said as she released them. 
Warren: “Her MOTHER?” Warren asked. “What happened?”
Asha: "What did they say?" Asha asked, worried.
Grey Bergman: "Wait…Greg didn’t tell you?" she asked. He was there when the two demons showed up. He took Shadow back to the stables…so…what did he tell them when the Night Fury’s rider wasn’t with them?
Warren: Warren shrugged. “He was mumbling about the Wilder South…?” She coughed. “But, how do demons really have parents anyway, I mean, demons aren’t really the quaint cottage family life type.”
Grey Bergman: "According to the Warden’s mother…the…Empress…as she likes to call herself, demons are created instead of being born like we are," Grey explained praying to all deities that this did not sound as crazy as it did in her head. "At least…that’s what she said when she told me when she said that Hel was the Warden’s grandmother."
Warren: “Hel, is the Warden’s grandmother? Are all the demons just one big happy family that wants to destroy us? Wait, you talked to this… Empress lady?” 
Grey Bergman: The brunette widened her brown eyes. It was pretty clear she was trouble now. She looked to Shadow out of the corner of her eye and only saw the Night Fury bury her head in her paws crooning sympathetically for her rider. When Grey saw that Shadow, Greg, and Asha weren’t going to bail her out, she took a deep breath. 
"Yeah…kind of…" she replied. "Umm…I took her to see the Warden when she came to the village." She closed her eyes bracing herself for the lecture of a lifetime.
Warren: Warren’s eyes widened. “Whose idea was this? Did she ask you specifically?” She began looking Grey over, circling her, searching for injuries. “And for Thor’s sake, did you say ANYTHING that could potentially make her want to incinerate you?”
Grey Bergman: "Well, not…necessarily," Grey said cringing still waiting for that lecture. "She sort of asked where the Warden was when she came here, and I volunteered to take there myself if she swore not to harm the King’s body. I only did that because a certain somebody" she looked to Greg, "mouthed off to her and provoked her to threaten him to take his vocal cords out!"
Warren: “Greg!” Warren rounded on him, “you ‘provoked’ the Empress of Demons??? What were you thinking?” She turned back to Grey, fuming. “What is with you two and mouthing off to the most dangerous being around? Are you just waiting for Hel to come back so you can push her buttons too? You both could’ve been effortlessly possessed by just being there, you boneheads! Much less giving her a reason to punish you! What would I have done if she decided one of you would make a good vessel, or killed you off for fun?!” She was breathing hard, nearing hysterics now, trembling in anger born of fear. “You’re disposable to them, don’t you see? They don’t care who you are if they’re trying to send a message, you could’ve… you could’ve….”
Greg Ericson: Greg saw Warren breaking down and wrapped his arms around her. “You’re right, I was being reckless and stupid, and I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have provoked her, and I promise I won’t do it again.” Greg honestly wasn’t sure what he was doing mouthing off to the demon. He thought maybe he was just distracting her, but that just led to the question, why. There was no plan involved. She had just appeared out of the blue and he had decided to be an idiot.
Warren: Warren allowed herself to be pulled into the embrace, leaning against Greg as if she didn’t remember how to stand. She closed her eyes and without realizing it, she was taking the deep, in-out breaths that she had learned long ago in training with her people. For a moment she stayed this way, but then Warren tensed, pulling away. 
"Right, you promise. And Grey promises not to put herself into danger and pick fights with demons, and people on the brink of insanity." She turned slowly to face the other girl. "You told me yourself you hadn’t forgotten."
Grey Bergman: Grey furrowed her eyebrows together in…not fear…but sadness. She remembered the talk she had with Warren not too long ago promising that they were going to have their adventure together and that she would stop putting herself in danger. 
"Warren, I haven’t," she said pleadingly. "I pro—" Bad choice of words right now. "You have to believe me that I hadn’t forgotten. It was stupid I know, but I wasn’t sure what this crazy demon was going to if I didn’t take her to the Warden."
Warren: "That’s right," Warren said, "she could have done anything. You said it yourself, she’s crazy. But you did it anyway. How many other people were there who she could’ve picked on? You volunteered, Grey. You remembered, and you did it anyway.”
Grey Bergman: Grey glared at the half-Pooka. “What was I supposed to do?” she said trying her best not to yell at her best friend. “Just stand there and watch that crazy lady threaten your boyfriend and my friend? No one else was standing up to her, so I took the risk and tried to stop the drama in its tracks before more innocent people got hurt! I know the promise I made to you, but when Greg stood up to her, what choice did I have?!”
Warren: "I don’t know!" Warren cried. She pressed her fingertips to her forehead, brushing up her bangs
as her breaths came hard and heavy, and for a few seconds she was silent.
"I don’t know…" she said again, but this time it felt small, and lost. "I don’t know why there are demons here, or what the Warden is doing- I don’t know what anyone is
doing, I don’t know what I’m doing! I didn’t sign up for this! I didn’t sign up for demons and possession, for my kings and my friends being forced to turn against each other, I don’t know how to deal with any of this!” Her vision blurred with tears but she made no move to wipe at them.
"All I know is how to protect my family, and that’s what I’m trying to do. And I’m sorry… because I can’t do that. I’m helpless." Her voice broke and she finally covered her eyes.
Grey Bergman: It felt like an eternity for Grey as she stared at Warren covering her eyes. Her body was shaking from the quiet sobs. Her glare finally relaxed into a sad and hurt look. Her heart ached for her friend…her best friend… She hadn’t thought of it like that.
Warren was trying to protect them, but of course she would! But…that’s not what
shocked Grey. She said “family…” That reminded her of the talk they had before
they left to find Skye under Stonegit’s orders…what she said… It still rang clearly in her ears…
"You’re my f—" "You’re all I’ve got…"
She thought she was going to say “friend,” but…that wasn’t it… She was going to say “family…” 
"Warren, I…" she tried to say. She was completely at a loss for words. All she could do was wrap
her arms around the half-Pooka hugging her tightly. "I don’t know what to say."
Warren: Warren buried her face in Grey’s shoulder, shoulders heaving with quiet sobs. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I don’t know how to protect you. I- I made you promise but I can’t…. Any of you….” Words would no longer come. She hated being afraid and uncertain all the time, hated knowing that any time, someone could die and there was nothing she could do about it. They were up against something unbeatable, and all she could do was hope that no one she loved was caught in the crossfire.
Grey Bergman: She wasn’t sure how, but somehow, Grey found themselves on the floor of the stable with Warren still in her arms. She was rocking them both back and forth as tears came to her eyes. She had never felt so stupid in her life. 
"I’m sorry, Warren," she said sniffling. "I’m so sorry. I’ve been trying to protect you guys, but I didn’t think how my stupidity would affect you. I don’t want to lose you guys either. Right now, I’m not sure there is a right way to
protect someone you love. You just have to try and do what you think is best." 
Warren: Warren wiped at her face. “This always happens,” she sniffed. “Sorry.” She sighed, putting her forehead to her knees and feeling completely exhausted. “It’s okay.”
Do what you think is best…. "…And what if that’s not good enough?" 
Grey Bergman: "It’s alright," she said smiling warmly wiping the tears away from her own face before taking Warren’s hands in hers. "And you know, Warren, I think every effort to protect your family is good enough even if the result…may not be the one you were hoping for. It shows how much your family means to you."
Warren: Warren quieted for a moment, trying to calm down. She had cried too much these past few weeks… granted, they had been some of the hardest of her life, but she was sick of tears. “I just don’t want anyone else to get hurt. That’s all I want.” 
Grey Bergman: Grey nodded holding Warren’s hands tighter. “I know,” she said. She then pulled Warren in for another hug and held her tighter placing her chin on the Pooka hybrid’s brown hair. “I know, pal. I get it. I don’t know what I would do if anything happened to you, Shadow, Asha, or Greg, but…unfortunately, there will be times where it’s out of our hands. But that doesn’t mean we should stop worrying and protecting our loved ones.”
Warren: Warren ground her palms into her eyes, whisking the moisture from her eyelashes and massaging the dryness away. She sat still in the hug, trying to focus on the security it gave and block everything else out. Finally she sighed and gave a little chuckle. “Why do you have to be right all the time? You’re making me look bad,” she teased.
Grey Bergman: She laughed hugging Warren even tighter if that was possible. She didn’t release Warren. She didn’t want to. She wished that they could stay in the hug forever. She wasn’t trying to make Warren look bad, but she knew that her little sister was teasing her. “Well, maybe that’s because I am the big sister, who knows all in this group,” she said. She then paused for a second. “Actually…maybe not all the time… You’re right, too.”
Warren: Warren oofed a little as the air was squeezed out of her, but she didn’t mind. ”Ah, yes, the all-knowing Grey,” she smiled. “Watching over her little chickens.” She paused, brows furrowing. “I’m right? About what?”
Grey Bergman: Grey heard the little ‘oof’ and loosened her grip on Warren very slightly. “Well, there are times to take action to protect those you care about,” she said, “but there are other times where you can’t be rash and need to step back and think to protect those you care about.” 
Warren: "Hmm," Warren sniffed, "Well then I guess if we each act as half a brain we’ll do a pretty good job." She breathed in, appreciating the more open access to oxygen. "Two heads are better than one, right?"
Grey Bergman: "Hmm," Grey said pretending to ponder on Warren’s comment. "Yes, that is true. With the two of us acting as one brain, the four of us will be unstoppable!"
Warren: Warren grinned at that. “The ultimate dream team, yes!” There was a pause. “…Do you think maybe we should get off the floor?” She would’ve liked nothing more than to stay as they were, but was starting to feel guilty for making Greg and Asha stand there though the whole thing.
Grey Bergman: Grey widened her eyes and looked around realizing that they were still on the floor and that Greg and Asha were still standing there watching them and not saying a word. “Oh yeah…yeah, we probably should,” she said as she released Warren and helped her to stand up. 
Warren: Warren took Grey’s outstretched hand and brushed herself off sheepishly, turning to face her two friends. “I’m… so, so sorry for that. I’m not… at my best at the moment….” She gave a clipped humorless laugh. I can’t believe I just broke down in front of them. And my brand new boyfriend no less…. If she wasn’t so emotionally drained, she probably would have buried her head in the ground somewhere. “Can I make it up to you somehow?”
Asha: “You don’t have to make it up to anyone,” Asha replied, rubbing her arm. She had teared up a bit during the fight- confrontation in any form stressed her out- but she was okay now. “A hug will work just fine.”
Warren: Warren stepped forward and pulled Asha to her, swaying and rubbing the girl’s back. She felt a stab of guilt at how she had acted, it had visibly shaken Asha, and she certainly didn’t need any more stress in her life. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I shouldn’t have blown up like that. It’s okay now.”
Asha: “You’re allowed to cry, you know.” Asha replied quietly, hugging her back. “It’s okay to be angry sometimes. Stop apologizing, okay? Everything is fine now.” She was going to be okay too. She had to hold herself together. She just had to. And with the four of them together, she would be able to.
Warren: Warren took a deep breath. “Yeah, I know. Sometimes I forget. S- I mean… thanks.” She took a step back, shaking out her hands with some of her usual energy. “Aagh! We all need to… do something normal. Let’s just take it easy while we can. We all just need a break from all these… everything.”
Greg Ericson: "Well," Greg said, "It’s snowy outside, might I suggest…" He paused for dramatic affect. "Sledding!"
Grey Bergman: "That’s a good idea, Greg," she said. She then turned to Warren and Asha. "We can go sledding on a hill outside the fortress. This way we can be far enough from everything but still be close enough to come back if we’re needed."
Asha: “Can’t promise I’ll be much fun, but I’ll try sledding.” Asha grinned. She had never gone sledding before and had always wanted to try it. Now would be a perfect time.
Warren: "Sounds like a plan then," Warren said. "Last person outside is a rotten Gronckle egg!" And with that, she scampered away, grabbing a shield from the wall to use as a sled.
Category:Season 3
Category:Events
Category:Grey Bergman
Category:Greg Ericson
Category:Warren
Category:BOTGD
Category:Asha Stenberg