Chapter Text
Even though it was practically nighttime, the streets of Tiramisu City were lively as ever. People of all walks of life still crowded the streets, going about their daily lives. The bright lights of the city were what facilitated this behavior: they glowed with such intensity that it almost looked like day!
This evening, there were more lights than just the streetlights of Tiramisu City. Great pillars of light billowed out into the evening sky. Their origin was straight from the inventor’s fair, being a new invention meant for spotting flying things in the night sky.
They were lit up to showcase an event happening in the evening involving a great personal flying contraption, made by the genius inventors in Haltmann Works. They would not be used to spot the gryph-gaw flying from building to building in the main city center.
Meta never imagined that he would be able to get such a view of the grand metropolitan area as he had now. Using his wings, he could see all the lights of the town in full splendor! If there was one silver lining to the cloud that is being turned into a monstrous animal, the ability to fly definitely was it.
As he flew, he was tailed by those same purple birds that bothered him all day. Meta took little heed of them. Why bother with minor pests when you're enjoying yourself?
Feeling just a little bit fatigued, Meta decided to perch atop a rooftop that was adorned with several gargoyles. The fact that he somewhat resembled the statues was both mildly amusing but at the same time a pretty bitter thought.
He wasn't going to dwell on it too much at this point. He trusted that the combined forces of Daroach the master thief, Jecra the inspector and Garlude the historian would be more than enough to crack the case and save him from his horrible fate! For now, he'd just enjoy the lights of the city.
Meta’s gaze was particularly on the lights of the inventor’s fair. He was thinking on how he might go about seeing what was at the fair.
“How do I go in without anyone seeing me..?” He thought to himself, tapping his golden claws on the stone ridge he was sitting on.
His pondering was short-lived.
BAM!
The gryph-gaw was jolted out of his thoughts from a sudden explosion, coming from the fair. While it was far enough away so as to not be incredibly loud, it was enough to send Meta’s entourage of purple birds flying away for the time being.
It didn't sound like it was a planned explosion, like fireworks. Sir Meta was all-too familiar with that sort of noise to believe that. “That must mean something bad is going down at the fair!” Meta practically yelled internally.
He was worried now. Daroach, Jecra, and that mouse doctor were likely still at the fair. What if they got close to finding the truth behind the dragon vial and some adversary who wanted to keep it a secret targeted them?
On the one hand, Meta really wanted to go and check in on the others. He could be there in a few minutes if he flew as fast as he could. On the other hand, there was the looming fear of being caught and subjected to the punishment that awaited “Deadly Drake”.
His innate sense of honor won over. With a forceful leap, he threw himself off the building and took to the skies once more.