The Ashlanders - Chapter 6: The Blind Man's Last Gambit (Closed, Started)

[The Funslinger]

"And no more whores in the barracks!"

"I'll have you know she was a classy lady," Bryan shouted back. "Third daughter o' some Noble out from Sidewinder!"

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"If I loved the Maiden as much as you do I'd have probably gone postal by now."

Ruffles shrugged and put a hand into the blazer he'd bought to keep warm on the trip back due to the loss of his jumpsuit and produced a small, almost depleted pouch of marijuana. "Got my ways, man. And I keep telling myself, the fucker can't have totaled her in three days. Not if he has plans like Pixie says." He leaned back in his seat. "Bastard better stay outta my room. And he better not find my secret closet, man. Took me a week to rig those UV lights for my garden..."

==============================================

One of Payton's middling officers came through the door after knocking, the silver insignia of rank on his lapel glinting in the soft lighting.

"Report, Captain."

"We've lost another operative," he replied curtly.

"Who?"

"One of assets overseers for our bookies in Albarn, and the nine and a half kilos reported to be in his possession. Once again, we seem to be able to trace it back to Vasa's men."

A tendril of smoke climbed through the air as Payton lit his pipe and puffed softly. "I see."

"Are we to retaliate, sir?"

"Soon, almost certainly. But before then, I want you to check, double check and triple check that we're certain it's him. It wouldn't be the first time some third party with delusions of grandeur tried to play the larger families off against each other. I am not so blind foolish as to charge into bloody conflict with someone on mayhaps, Captain."

"Sir."

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

Amy sat in silence as Meredith polished off a plate of fried sausages in record time. As undignified as it was, Amy couldn't help but smile. There was an energy about Meredith that she envied. For years, every single thing Amy had done had been deliberate, planned and carefully executed; and it was only over the past few days that she's come to realise just how frustrating it was. She wished, against her better judgement, that she could be just a little bit more like the woman sitting opposite her.

'Careful.' warned the part of her mind that so often spoke with The Gentleman's voice.

That was just it though, she thought bitterly. That was always the rule of thumb. Be careful, all day every day, like the world around her was made of shards of broken glass. A wild thought seized her, the thought of just plunging her hands into that nest of razor edges, and letting it hurt. It was a thought she pulled back from almost straight away, and then almost straight after that regretted not sticking with it; but there was no use trying again, she'd only pull away once more.

Thinking this way was stupid! No good could possibly come of it, and there were a hundred thousand reasons not to take that road, not least of which was the imminent arrival of the person Amy knew all too well that Meredith actually wanted.

'What if I don't care?'

'Of course you care. That's the problem.'

Meredith had finished and was going back to their room... and Amy was following.

'No! Stop it, why are you being so dense all of a sudden?!'

She didn't stop though, she didn't stop until they were both through the threshold, and Amy had shut the door behind them. It was only then that Meredith seemed to notice she was there, tuning round to face her. For a long, long moment, neither of them said anything. They just looked at each other.

"I'm sorry." Amy whispered. Why she'd chosen to whisper that in particular remained a mystery even to her, as she flung herself recklessly at Meredith. Kissing her deeply, and passionately, before pushing her back against the bathroom door and kissing her again. She expected at any moment that Meredith might shove her away, or hold her at arms legth and slap her out of it.

That was what it was going to take for her to stop.

 

[Fappy]

"Bastard better stay outta my room. And he better not find my secret closet, man. Took me a week to rig those UV lights for my garden..."

Bennie glanced back at the sound of something rustling behind him. He laughed, "Shit man, with the carbon Pixie's packin' these days I am sure we can replenish your supply and then some. In fact, I can probably help you there if I get a 'cut'."

Cameron scoffed, "Boys." She said, followed by a faint giggle.

"Come on Cam," Bennie grinned under his mask. "We know you're a party girl."

"Am not."

"Jake, tell me some of the shit this crazy chick's gotten into lately. I'm sure you've got stories."

Cameron turned her head and glared at Ruffles, "Don't you dare, Ruffles!" Bennie clapped his hands and gave a hardy laugh.

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Spoiler: Classic Cheese

Amy?

Pixie was about to speak when Amy suddenly muttered...

"I'm sorry."

Surprised, Pixie stepped back reflexively as Amy suddenly embraced her, kissing her in away that... well, in a way she hadn't before. Pixie wasn't sure how exactly to describe it. Before she'd even had the chance to truly reciprocate, Amy pushed her up against the bathroom door and planted another kiss. And another. And another.

Amid the onslaught of passion, Pixie managed to slide her arm between them and cup Amy's cheek, prying their lips apart just long enough to get in a few words. Amy was persistent, "Wow, I---" Kiss. "Um, this is very unlike---" Another kiss. "---You. I, uh---" And another kiss. "Ya' wanna get in th---" Amy pushed them through the door, undressing Pixie before she could even get another word in.

Though their previous encounter had been a far more gentle affair, it was clear Amy was looking for something much different now. Unsure exactly how to respond, Pixie let her take the lead. Was Amy using her now, or was this something entirely different? They hadn't had sex the previous night, nor had Amy shown any signs of desiring as much at any point prior to breakfast. It was so... spontaneous. Something Pixie was no stranger to, sure, but it wasn't a character trait she'd known Amy to possess.

The way she engaged her. The way she'd kissed her. It felt so... real. As vulnerable as she'd been the nights Amy had comforted her, Pixie was still able to distinguish between legitimate intimacy and the artificial performance of a professional. She didn't sense this now. No, this felt sincere.

Had she removed her mask? Was this the real Amy?

As steam pooled up and over the glass sliding door, Pixie grasped the clamp from behind her whilst Amy planted a myriad of kisses under her jaw and on her cheek. Sliding it open from behind, Pixie giggled as she staggered backwards into the hot shower with Amy stumbling clumsily after her.

Was this right? Should she be doing this? Pixie hadn't many excuses to fall back on now. Clearly, Amy wanted this, but for what reason? Pixie should have stopped her, right then and there. She should have gotten a clear answer from her before this escalated any further. What was she after? What did she want from Pixie?

What if it was something she couldn't give her?

Pixie's doubts quickly evaporated after Amy pinned her against the wall of the shower. Amy was rough but tender, planting kiss after kiss down her neck. As she continued her descent she grabbed Pixie's wrist and guided it to the top of her head. Clutching Amy's hair between her fingers as Amy dropped to her knees, Pixie's world began to blur around her. Struggling to stand now, she reached her free hand out and grasped the wall-mounted railing. Suppressing her voice through gritted teeth became a futile effort as Amy hit her stride, forcing Pixie to lurch backwards violently. Staring straight at the steam-covered ceiling, Pixie's voice cracked as a long moan escaped her lips.

Giggling, she looked down at Amy, relinquishing the grasp on her hair. Their eyes met, amid the torrent of shower water. Pixie smiled, "You really ar' beautiful, ya' know that, Amy?"

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

"You really ar' beautiful, ya' know that, Amy?"

Amy was no stranger to having her looks complimented. In fact, there were times when she wondered if that wasn't the most common interaction she had with other people. Still, for come reason it felt different this time, at this moment, coming from Meredith.

Taking her hand, Amy drew Meredith down, so they were both knelt down, entwined in each-other, the water beating down upon their heads.

"Pixie..." she began, using Meredith's pet name for the first time. "I'm scared, of so many things..."

She wished she could tell Pixie everything, right then and there, let out every last horrid detail and be done with it. Amy knew she couldn't though, if not ever, then certainly not for a long time yet. Once she went to that place there would be no going back. She knew she'd have to start again from the ground up, like learning to walk and talk for the first time. Or at least, she imagined that's what it would be like.

She couldn't do that yet, not even for Pixie. However, this was the first time she could ever remember wanting to. For now, perhaps that was enough.

 

[The Funslinger]

"Don't you dare, Ruffles!"

"Hey now, Cam," replied Ruffles with a huge grin. "Dancing on the table at the Christmas party ain't nothing to be ashamed of!"

 

[Fappy]

"Pixie..."

Pixie blinked stupidly at the sound of her own nickname.

"I'm scared, of so many things..."

They stared into each other's eyes for a time, a look of surprise on Pixie's face. What had brought this on? What had gotten into Amy? Pixie's heart began pounding faster and faster as she realized: yes, this was Amy. This was the real Amy.

Her face still flushed, Pixie tilted her head and smiled warmly, "I am too, Amy. But listen," She placed her palms on the sides of Amy's face and rested her forehead against hers. She spoke in a soothing tone. "You don' have ta' be scared. Yer safe here, Amy." Moving a hand to the back of Amy's head, she pulled her in for a warm embrace. Squeezing her tight, Pixie whispered into her ear. "You'll always 'ave a place here, Amy. I promise."

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"Dancing on the table at the Christmas party ain't nothing to be ashamed of!"

"No she didn't!" Bennie snickered through his teeth, causing Cameron to fly into a frenzy.

"RUFFLES! I SWEAR TO GOD..." The crawler began to swerve as she reached back to smack Ruffles anywhere on him she could get at.

Bennie grabbed the wheel, laughing, "You're driving," He couldn't stop laughing. "Cam! YOU'RE DRIVING!"

Giving up on her futile effort to enact revenge, Cameron scoffed and returned to her duty at the wheel, "I'm tellin' Meredith." She mused.

"You're in for it now, Jake." Bennie shook his head, a stupid grin hidden under his breathing mask. He'd missed being a Maiden.

 

[Terratina.]

"...Could you go down to the market and pick up some groceries? I figure the boy could use some soup and juice to lift his spirits."

"Sure," Maria replied, "I could use some fresh air."

The doctor stretched and made her way down to the markets. Even if had been a few days since the shooting, Maria was on guard. A city could change its face more easily than people could. Still, it was good to wander semi-idly through the streets, taking in the sights and smells of the market. The distant smell of spices tickled her nose but that didn't turn into a sneeze. Not knowing anything about the boy's preferences regarding food, she decided to play it safe. Well, Axel had to eat it what was given - get his strength back and all. He wasn't in a position to be fussy with food.

"'Ey up, 'ey up! Get ya veggies here!" One of the greengrocers shouted as he hawked his wares, "Tomatos, potatos, carrots, onions, all for the best price! Cheaper than my dear neighbour's for sure!"

That got a few laughs. She decided to take the lively man up on his word.

"What can I do for ya, luv?" He said as she approached his stall.

She thought for a while before replying, "Four tomatoes - large ones, mind you - two onions and a red pepper. Annnnd a clove of garlic please."

"Alright, luv." He responded as he quickly scooped up the requested vegetables and put them in a brown leather bag. Coin was swapped for food and with a thank you from the greengrocer, she was off. Maria just needed one more ingredient, just a bit of meat to ensure than the boy was getting enough protein. It was easy enough to spot the butcher's stall, with all of the raw red meat piled about. Same as before, Maria bought what she wanted and was now making her way back to the apartment when suddenly she realised something: she had forgotten to get some juice.

Of course, she'd have only made such a stupid mistake in such a tired state. Maria quickly turned on her heel and headed back into the market...

 

[Dogmatic99]

"Rise and shine Padre!" he called into the other room. "We have a busy day ahead of us today."

Of course they did, Florian let out a little sigh. They had only been in Frostfall for a day but he had felt like he had been walking on eggshells the whole time. He loathed the idea of leaving the safe house, familiar faces lurked around every corner. Florian's guts went colder every time he thought of someone recognizing him.

You could have told the captain. Actually put her in the know instead of taking such a risk in the name of your stupid pride.

But she had enough burdens right now and besides he'd probably still have wanted to come anyway. The thought of The Gentleman running around unchecked in Florian's home dome was enough to set the priest's teeth on edge. He still needed to find a new collar. How did one even go about getting a replacement priest collar? No doubt it was really easy for normal priests. At least the meditating was helping.

"So what fun is in store for us today?" Florian asked, joining The Gentleman in the main room.

At least the weather was just like he remembered it, a long forgotten taste of home but welcome one. The fresh gust of wind that greeted them when they entered the dome was more than enough to blow away the cobwebs. Plus the cold made it much easier to keep any stirring urges down in their place.

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

"You'll always 'ave a place here, Amy. I promise."

'I promise.'

Amy had never had a place like that. Oh, she owned several properties, and even before that there had been places where she could count on being relatively safe. Those, however, were places of business. She had never had a home.

Between the falling drops and the rising steam, Amy's tears were invisible.

The kissing began again, and Amy gasped and bit her lip as Pixie's hand moved up the inside of her thigh. She buried her face in the side of Pixie's neck, her hands caressing her chest, before she arched her back and cried out.

When that latest flurry of activity was done, they were bot panting, forheads resting against each-other, eyes closed.

"Pixie..." Amy said eventually, her voice wavering a little. "This, this battle with Father Austin... If you, I mean, if we don't get the Maiden back, to him I would sill be... he would try to..."

Amy drew away a little, so that she could see the whole of Pixie's face.

"What I want to say is, no matter what happens, I will play no part in his family; and neither will any of my sisters."

Amy would not be a prisoner again. She would not be a slave again; and she would not watch those she had sworn to protect suffer the same fate. Not ever, no matter what she had to do.

===============================================================================================

"So what fun is in store for us today?"

"I am yet to have any business with Vasa himself." The Gentleman replied, looking up from his paper. "However, there are several of his officers that owe me favours. We're going to go have a little chat with one of them, and she if he can't get us an audience with the leader of this glorious revolution. When that happens, we gauge his intentions regarding Wilkes-Vine, and persuade him however we must to not make any trouble for Meredith. When that's done, I have another proposition for him that will not under any circumstances be discussed outside of the two of us.

But until then, we have some time to get to know each-other a little better. After all, it would be a shame to be diplomacy-buddies and not to swap any stories."

 

[Fappy]

Elizabeth was running out of carbon quicker than she'd imagined. Having never had to worry about money before, Elizabeth wasn't even sure how essentials were supposed to be priced. For all she knew every grocer in the market was a swindler and she'd been getting ripped off all morning. Garbed in the cloths she'd been given by the Tigereyes and a wicker hat to conceal her face under its brim, she waddled down the street; her view obscured somewhat by the large bag she was carrying in front of her.

By the time she noticed that the girl ahead of her had turned around, it was too late. The two women collided, their groceries flying in all directions as they stumbled over each other and into the dirt. Scrambling to her feet, she looked down at the other woman with terror painted on her face, "Oh, I am so sorry!" She pleaded, rushing to help her up. As she did so she noticed a peculiar sash on her arm. Was she a doctor?

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"What I want to say is, no matter what happens, I will play no part in his family; and neither will any of my sisters."

Pixie was rendered utterly speechless by her words. She could do little more than return Amy's gaze and tremble. What was it that Amy promised her? A declaration of allegiance? No, it was more than that. Amy had found something within Pixie. What it was, Pixie wasn't sure.

Though it wreaked of danger, Pixie couldn't help but smile. There was something about this girl that she found irresistible, and it wasn't her professionally refined charm either. It was something else. Something she'd noticed the first time they met. A sadness. A longing. A crack in the mask. It wasn't a simple curiosity, no. It was more like... she saw herself in Amy. There was a sisterhood there, somewhere under the surface. She could feel it, though she couldn't begin to describe it.

Pixe brushed Amy's drenched hair aside and lost herself in her eyes. Cupping the side of her face, Pixie wiped away a tear from under Amy's eye with her thumb, "When we're out tomorrow I'm gonna see if I can stop by a market someplace an' pick up some fabric. Whadda ya' want on yer bandana, sweetheart?" She whispered, grinning.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

"Right, shirt off tough guy." Lilith said sternly as she placed a steaming basin of water on the the chair next to Sprout's bed. Placing her hands on her hips, she looked down at the boy, a sly smile on her face. "Let's not make this harder than it needs to be."

About an hour had passed since Sprout awoke, soon after their little moment, the boy was all tuckered out, taking a nap as Lilith cleaned herself up and got changed. She both looked and felt renewed.

Sprout chuckled, still a bit groggy from his nap, "You know ya' can jus' tell me when ya' wan' me naked, Lily." Cautiously, Sprout tucked his arms through the sleeves of his t-shirt, wincing in pain as he pressed his arms against his chest. "Damn it." He muttered as he wiggled his head into the shirt and pulled up and over his head.

Sighing heavily, Sprout smiled, "No need ta' savor the moment. I don' reckon I'll go through the effort'a puttin' another shirt on fer awhile."

Rolling her eyes, the girl held the back of one of her hands to her forehead as she mock swooned. "The hairless chest of a fifteen year old boy?" She bit her bottom lip. "It's... almost too much to contain myself, I must have you now." Sticking out a hand, she gave the boy a thumbs down as she blew a raspberry. Leaning over the basin, she wrung out a sodden cloth.

Sprout scoffed, staring at the cloth, "I thought this kinda thing was jus' fer old people. You reckon Ma' ever had ta' give Chromey a sponge bath?"

"Pfft, Chromey would kick your mum's arse while blindfolded, then he'd seduce all the women within a hundred mile radius just by winking, and then he'd get ALL the sponge baths." She chuckled as she gently grabbed one of the boy's wrists, lifting his arm into the air. Recoiling slightly, Lilith blew air from between closed lips. "Jesus Christ, you stinky bastard."

"Look who's talkin'," Sprout laughed. "When you hugged me earlier I gotta wiff'a yer pits. I thought purdy ladies were s'posed ta' smell like flowers an' rainbows!"

Feigning ignorance, the girl smiled weakly. "I have no idea what you're talking about." Gently, but thoroughly, she washed the boy's arm, periodically stopping to dunk the cloth into the basin of soapy water. "Chin up." Gently grabbing the tip of the boy's chin, she turned his head slightly as she dabbed at his face with the damp cloth. "So, want to hear something funny?" She grinned. "I gave Maria two of the bars of carbon we have. You should have seen her face. Woman looked like she won the jackpot playing blackjack."

Sprout laughed, "Good. I reckon tunin' up 'er ride got me some good karma. Whadda ya' think, Lily?" He flashed her a cocky grin. "She ain't to old fer me, right?"

Lilith raised an eyebrow, smirking slightly. "Bro, she's like, as old as your mum, the fuck is wrong with you?" Placing her hand on the boy's head, she gently pulled his head down, washing the back of his neck and behind his ears. "You wouldn't see Merry messin' with someone your age, Jesus."

"Oh, ew! No!" Sprout furrowed his brow. "She prefers older dudes anyway. Fuck, why do I know that?" He facepalmed violently.

"Can you imagine?" Lilith chuckled, "Some sweet little thing, with Pixie?" She snorted slightly, resting her forehead on Sprout's crown as she began to laugh.

"No, please. I don' wanna imagine anyone with ma'. You know how sound carries in the Maiden," Sprout turned his head to look at Lilith. "There were nights I couldn' sleep when she was with Bennie." Sprout shivered.

Lilith struggled to breath, draping her arms over the boy's shoulders. "I HEARD THAT TOO!" She sputtered, "And... and then, the next morning, she'd be walking around like she shat 'erself?"

"Oh, God! No! NO! THE MEMORIES, LILY! THEY'RE ALL RUSHIN' BACK TO ME! MAKE IT STOP!" Sprout flailed around like a lunatic, only stopping when a sharp pain shot through his ribs. Doubling over, he winced. "Reckon that was a bad idea. Okay, fun's over." He said with a weak chuckle.

Lilith breathed in sharply through clenched teeth. Resting her hand on the boy's shoulder as he grasped his side. "Shhhh, stop moving around so much, you got bloody shot you daft twat." Gently turning the boy on his side, she wiped down his back. "He did a real number on you." She muttered, her expression hardening.

Sprout nodded, "Yeah, I reckon he did. I bet he got what was comin' to 'im, right? Y'all never mentioned what happened after I clocked out."

Lilith remained silent for a few moments. Resting the boy onto his back. Rinsing the the cloth, she walked to the other side of the bed and began washing the boy's other arm.

"He didn't get enough." She muttered, an icy look in her eyes.

Sprout cocked an eyebrow, hesitating before he spoke, "He got away? How'd ya' scoop me up without 'im gunnin' y'all down?"

"I didn't." She whispered, as she walked back over to the basin. "I thought you were dead."

"Oh," Sprout muttered, confused. "Well, uh, what happened then?"

Lilith stayed quiet as she wrung out the cloth, she didn't want to lie to the boy. "You sure you want to know?" She asked, her eyes remaining fixed on the basin.

Sprout remained silent as he watched her wring out the cloth. It wasn't like her to be so... distant. Reaching out to her, he placed a hand on her wrist and looked up at her, "You okay, Lily?"

Furrowing her brow, she rested her palm on the boy's hand, looking up at him with, her eyes seemed dulled. "He'll think twice before underestimating a Maiden ever again." Her voice was uncharacteristically deep.

"L-Lily?" Should he ask? Something told him he wouldn't like the answer. Still, if she needed to air it out he'd let her. "I-I," He sighed. "I won' make you talk about it if ya' don' wanna, but I ain't afraid of what you gotta say."

That was a lie.


"I could have used my gun." She said simply, biting her bottom lip gently. "I used my knife instead." She wrung out the cloth for the seventh time. Turning, she lifted the bottom of the boy's sheet, and began dabbing at his feet.


Sprout nodded in acceptance as he turned his gaze towards the window, "Sounds like somethin' Ma' woulda done." Bowing his head, he added. "Were you aiming to kill?"

"I killed two of his men." She said simply. "But him?" She paused for a moment, as she wrang out the cloth and started on the boy's other foot. "I wasn't trying to kill him."

Sprout chuckled nervously as he continued to gaze out the window, "An' here I am beatin' myself up about shootin' two guys. I'm sorry, Lily." He watched her wash his foot. "I wish I coulda been there for you. If you need ta' talk about it, I'm here."

Lilith smiled weakly as she wrung out the cloth again. "You know, your mother was getting on my back about it." She began wiping Axel's chest. "As soon as I heard you were alive, I just... stopped." She pursed her lips. "Like, all the hate just drained from my body."

Sprout grabbed her wrists once more causing the water from the cloth to run down his chest as she stopped soaking him. Looking her in the eyes, he whispered, "I'm not gonna get on yer back about it, Lily. But," He winced, wishing he'd stop his train of thought. He couldn't. "Remember what you said 'bout Ma' the other night? If you can' keep on the right path how do ya' expect me to?"

She clenched her jaw as Axel grabbed, her wrists. "Axel." her expression softened as she looked into his eyes. "If you..." She broke eye contact. "You don't know what it's like Axel, you died, I watched you die, right in front of me." Her eyes remain dry as she dabbed at the boy's chest. "There was so much blood, I... I couldn't stop it, not even my scarf was enough to..." She glanced up. "And then he just... gloated. " She muttered in disbelief. "Like, it was nothing." She narrowed her eyes. "The look of disgust in his eyes." She sighed. "Well, he'll be doing it with one less eye from now on." She couldn't help but let a small smirk curl the corner of her mouth.

Just as he thought, she'd butchered the man in an attempt to avenge him. A profound sadness gripped Sprout as he felt a knot form in his throat. He should... no, now was not the time to make Lilith feel any worse than she already did. She'd already been chewed out by his mother. He was supposed to be on her side, giving her support, right? Sprout sighed, deciding it best to steer the conversation in another direction, "You think he'll come after us again? For revenge?"

The girl thought for a moment. "I dunno, maybe. He seemed like the kind of guy who would hold a grudge." She looked up at the boy, a cold look in her eyes. "But we'll be ready for him."

Sprout smirked, "I reckon I should get over this purdy fast, eh? Gotta be ready fer 'Round 2!'" He flexed his bicep and made a kissy face.

Lilith chuckled, "Don't start." She lifted up the boy's chin as she dabbed under his neck. As she finished bathing the boy, she cupped his cheek with her hand. Her expression softening as her eyes filled with warmth. "I'm fine Axel, as long as I have you, I'll be fine. Just, you know, don't die on me again. That shit is super sad."

Sprout laughed, "Pussy."

They would be okay. They had each other. All they had to do was stay alive.

"I know." She sighed, "I'm such a loser, what with all the loving, and the caring, and the sponge baths. I should stop doing that." She said sardonically, tossing the cloth at the boy's face.

 

[ProtoChimp]

Aesop sat in the back seat, close to Randy but repeatedly punching himself in the arm to stop himself from splitting the man's skull open. Man? No, too kind a word for him. Boy? Still too kind. Horse turd? Far too kind. He'd find something. He would. He would. He needed something to take off his mind what this bastard was responsible for. Who he had lead Aesop to kill.

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"YOU'VE GOTTA BE FUCKING KIDDING ME!" Aesop yelled at the top of his lungs. "I can't have killed him for fucking nothing! I CAN'T HAVE KILLED HIM FOR FUCKING NOTHING!!!"

Ruffles spoke. He said comforting words.

"I AM A MURDERER JAKE!" Everyone in the same room as Aesop. "I MURDERED HIM! Blew his FUCKING BRAINS OUT!"

Ruffles and Bennie try to calm him. They fail. "You don't know what its like to kill a maiden Jake." He cried. "You don't know how it feels to kill one of your own, and especially someone FAR more useful than I. The fuck am I? THE FUCK DO I BRING TO THE TABLE?!" He pulls out his gun and puts it at his head. "WHY DON'T I DO US ALL A FUCKING FAVO-"

The rest is cloudy. Did Ruffles say something? Was it Bennie? Did he even pull out a gun? Did this conversation even happen? He was shouting and upset about Silo, that's for sure, but did it end there? No, no it was different.

"The fuck am I? THE FUCK DO I BRING TO THE TABLE?! All I do is lead to us dying. Jesus Christ the mother fucker from MY PAST that's taken our... your home. They took your home from you, all of you. And what he's doing is probably fucking disgusting! HE'S MUTATING THE FUCKIN MAIDEN!"

Wait, was that it? Fuck why couldn't he remember how it went. Did he get into a fight with someone? Did he say not say anything and just keep crying? No it was a mix of both, certainly a lot of shouting and crying but what else did he even do? Did he attack Randy. He looked over at their prisoner and noticed a scar running across his forehead. Yep, he definitely did that. But why had everything else just blurred out. It couldn't have been because of what he did half an hour after that, he had gotten high before, it doesn't cause memory loss.

Though it felt. Just. Awesome.

"Thanks man I really needed this. I haven't gotten high in like... a year? Christ Why don't I do anything fun anymore. Apart from taking out Bandito Joe, THAT was the best!" Maybe that was why non one spoke to him much. Enjoying murder put some people off. Time passed. Its a blur what happened before then, but afterwards felt pleasant. He didn't see Cameron for a while, the kid kept his distance. He didn't really speak to anyone, and no one really stepped up to him. Just a few rollies with Ruffles to calm his nerves. And fuck did he need to calm his nerves. The past few days he had just been kinda... forgetful, maybe just trying to escape reality. God he was such a *****.
------------------------------------------

Aesop kept punching his arm going from light taps to rough hits. "We close to dear Captain yet?"

 

[Evrant-Knight]

It had been around three days since the reconnaissance at the Marketplace. After reporting to Cranston via the owner of the Brothel, both Viola and Hannibal hadn't actually done much; which in many ways had been a pleasant change for the Bounty Hunter, a chance to relax. Sure, she had been running occasional checks to see if any new leads involving Gorgon had turned up, and was slowly teaching Hannibal how to properly handle his pistol.

Right now though, both Viola and Hannibal were waiting in an outside food court that was connected Northside Outlet Mall; situated in one of the more open areas of the city. They had received correspondence from Cranston late last night to meet at this location, apparently he had something he wanted to talk about, which meant it was important. He also mentioned that Sprout had recently awoken from his rather dire state, turns out that Maria was quite the doctor; Viola would have to thank her when they next met.

The time was roughly around 10:30 AM when Viola did last check the large clock that adorned the front of the Mall, and it looked to be that things were beginning to pick up speed at this point. They were sitting in a shaded area of the food-court which had cover given by small grove of trees. Since the pair hadn't eaten by the time they left the hotel, they were at the moment eating at the food-court. Viola was eating a spaghetti type dish, with a pitcher of water on the side for both her and Hannibal to share.

 

[Dogmatic99]

Well all those plans sounded like a barrel of fun and not at all sinister.

Still, Florian couldn't risk the possibility of having to meet Vasa or one of the older members of the family. There was always the chance that it was someone new, that they wouldn't recognize him but it wasn't one Florian was willing to take.

"But until then, we have some time to get to know each-other a little better. After all, it would be a shame to be diplomacy-buddies and not to swap any stories."

Did he seriously just say BUDDIES? What were the odds that The Gentleman would even tell the truth about anything anyway?

"Alright, what would you have to gain in Frostfall?"

 

[The Funslinger]

It was a boring journey. Eventually, Ruffles got bored enough that he started drumming one of the drumbeats from one of his cassettes by some old world group, ZZ Top loudly on the back of Bennie's seat.

Spoiler: The percussion from ZZ Top's Velcro Fly

"We close to dear Captain yet?" came Aesop's tinny voice from the Crawler's speakers.

"Yeah," replied Ruffles loudly into the general direction of the dashboard mic, literally not missing a beat. "About fifteen, twenty minutes out."

He was restless, and it wasn't just the monotony of driving through the Ashlands. He wanted there to be things happening. Progress being made that would bring his ship back. On top of that, he'd killed several men in the past few days. While it wasn't the first time, it was certainly a ways out of his regular routine, and it made his skin crawl.

He reminded himself it had been life or death. Sighing, he hunched against the slight breeze made by the Crawler's movement, and rolled a cigarette. A mundane one. Ruffles barely ever smoked 'just' cigarettes, but he'd been doing it more lately. Unlike his rapidly depleting sachet of weed, his tobacco pouch wasn't quite in danger of running out yet. He wanted to light it, but of course he had to wait until they were in the dome. He put it in his jacket pocket, but his head back on the top of his seat and sighed.

=========================================================

"Where to, sir?" the driver asked, already climbing into the sleek silver transport. Two of his grunts were already in the vehicle, awaiting him and Payton sat across from them.

"Feroxi," replied Payton bluntly. "I've business to attend to."

As the transport hummed into life, turned and headed towards the nearest dome exit, Payton reached forward to the little cabinet at the front of the passenger's section and took out a glass and a decanter of scotch, pouring himself a small drink to pass the time. Today was going to be a fine day.

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

"Whadda ya' want on yer bandana, sweetheart?"

It took Amy a few seconds to comprehend, and when she did, she blushed bright red.

"Oh... I, I'm not sure..." she stammered. "I mean-I don't know if... I have to make myself usef-have to use my... you know, and... um, well I couldn't where it when..."

Amy had to stop and take a deep breath, before taking a few more, before she could look back up at Pixie.

"I'd like a rose please. Maybe, two roses, twined together? One gold, and one..." she stretched out her arm, taking a lock of Pixie's hair between her fingers.

===========================================================================================================================

"Alright, what would you have to gain in Frostfall?"

"I should have thought that was obvious, besides the undying gratitude of your Captain." The Gentleman replied, a little disappointed. "Regime change is in the air, and I must move to ensure that my assets sustain as little damage as possible during the transition. All resources are ultimately expendable of course, but informants and agents of the calibre I require are difficult to replace. As well as this, there will be new opportunities opening up that I should like to exploit before anyone else does.

Now..." The Gentleman continued, folding up the paper and putting it aside in favour of taking another long sip of his breakfast tea. "the last time you were here, did you simply desert from Vasa's forces, or did you turn your cloak over to the Nobles, and then run when things got messy?"

=========================================================================================================================

The waiter approached the Gunsliner's table as if nothing were amiss.

"Excuse me, madame, but the gentleman over there..." he gestured to where a smartly dressed, but unassuming man sat on his own, having just finished his crab starter "extends his compliments, along with a bottle of our finest chianti."

As he rearranged the table to fit in the bottle and glasses, the waiter made sure that the Gunslinger received the glass with a note stuck to the bottom of it.

Spoiler: OOC

The note reads:

'If you want to find Elizabeth Maribel, be at Room 32b of the Feroxi Grand Hotel in 1 hour. Only bring friend if your are sure he can be trusted.'

 

[Fappy]

"Oh... I, I'm not sure..." she stammered. "I mean-I don't know if... I have to make myself usef-have to use my... you know, and... um, well I couldn't where it when..."

Pixie couldn't help but giggle as she watched Amy struggle. Adorable.

"I'd like a rose please. Maybe, two roses, twined together? One gold, and one..."

Pixie stared down at the lock of hair and blushed. 'Flattered' would be one way to describe her feelings, though, Pixie felt such a word didn't do the act justice. They'd known each other for such a short time. To show such devotion already...

Pixie wrapped her hands around Amy's and met her gaze with a smile, "Of course, Amy. Hopefully it'll do yer beauty justice." She mused with a wink. "Now," She began, helping Amy to her feet. "I don' reckon we have much time 'til 'ar fellow Maidens show up. Might wanna actually do some showerin'." After one final embrace, the two lovebirds began using the shower for, you know, the reason it was invented.

***********************************************************************************************************************************************************

"About fifteen, twenty minutes out."

As the banter in the cabin died down, Bennie hung his elbow out the window and sighed. What the fuck was he going to say to her? She'd sounded happy on the radio, sure, but would she be the same in person? Though he hadn't spoken of it, Bennie had been pacing around within his own mind every day since they spoke. He'd kept tabs on the Maiden's activities while he was gone, but he had no clue what Pixie's personal life had looked like outside of what Ruffles had told him.

Was she seeing anyone? If so, how would he fit in?

Bennie held his nose and rubbed his eyes in frustration. No, these weren't the important questions to ask. Worrying about whether or not Pixie wanted to rekindle an old flame was irreverent. Falling back into each other's arms again meant they couldn't be together, after all.

Or was it... could it be that Pixie'd changed her mind? It had been four years. Perhaps she'd be able to let go. Forget the mistakes of their past.

Shit...

Bennie was over-thinking things. A very "Pixie" quality, indeed.

It wouldn't be long now, anyway. Soon he'd be able to see her with his own eyes. All of this back-and-forth wouldn't do him any good.

Leaning back in his seat, he closed his eyes and began humming a tune to himself. An old lullaby Pixie used to sing to Sprout. It had been four years, and yet, he felt as if it were only yesterday since he'd seen them all.

Jesus, how tall is Sprout now?

***************************************************************************************************************************************************

Pixie hopped out of the shower early when she heard Cranston pinging her radio through the door. Still wrapped in a towel, Cranston explained how Sprout had woken up and was resting up, collecting his strength. As if her mood couldn't get any better. Armed with the knowledge that she'd be able to speak to her son later that night, Pixie sprung out of the chair and got dressed.

Unfortunately, she'd lost the bulk of her wardrobe when the Maiden was taken, but still managed to have some of her favorite pieces. Many of them had been with her for years. She'd have blown even more fuses in her brain had they been stolen as well. Looking through her stuff, it was obvious what she had to do. If she was to receive her Maidens it would be as their Captain. She'd have to look the part.

She wore her eight-year-old tattered jeans, brown combat boots, obligatory multi-colored hairbands around her wrists, and her signature torn-up, grey tank-top with an exposed mid-drift (revealing her surprisingly defined abs) whose holes revealed a black sports bra underneath. Finally, she threw her old flight jacket over her shoulders and tied her ancient, black bandanna behind her neck. Standing tall before the mirror with her hands on her hips, Pixie was seconds away from breaking out into maniacal, self-righteous laughter when Amy exited the bathroom.

Glancing over, Pixie whistled, "Damn gurl, an I jus' got dressed!" She joked.

 

[Dogmatic99]

"the last time you were here, did you simply desert from Vasa's forces, or did you turn your cloak over to the Nobles, and then run when things got messy?"

That earned a raised eyebrow from Florian. "Making a lot of assumptions there." He got up and meandered over to the kitchen counter, they'd gotten in late last night and he hadn't bothered to check the supplies. After some rummaging Florian set to making himself a morning coffee, decaff this time. "Are those my only two options?" He called back over before rejoining the suited spy back at the seating area, turning Gents' motives over in his head. "And here I was told you had eyes everywhere telling you what each maiden had for breakfast. Don't tell me I slipped your attention." He said in mock hurt.

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

"Don't tell me I slipped your attention."

The Gentleman chuckled.

"Oh, I don't claim to know everything Florian, just a significant amount more than anybody else. Ever since your little slip up on the train, I've had you pegged for a fighter at heart, and you've barely been relaxed enough to exhale ever since we arrived. They'd be no need to be afraid of the nobles, their days in Frostfall are numbered. These things tell me that you weren't just any old soldier. No, for whatever reason you got onto Vasa's radar personally before you left. If I'm wrong, then feel free to enlighten me."

===========================================================================================================================

"Damn gurl, an I jus' got dressed!"

Amy giggled, gliding up to Pixie and wrapping her in another embrace.

"Well," she said, looking down. "I suppose it would be a memorable introduction to the crew."

Laughing again, she went over the the wardrobe. Unlike Pixie, most of her personal effects had followed her to the hotel, and then later to Carlos' hideout. Despite the delicate nature of many of her outfits, Amy was well practised at getting herself ready quickly. Mo more than ten minutes later she was dressed in a turquoise, knee length silk dress, with a low V and a small rhombus of bare skin showing around her navel, about as casual as attire went for Amy. For jewellery, she wore golden bangles on each wrist, a necklace of cream pearls, and in her left ear, a blooming, golden flower with a diamond set in its centre, as well as the usual blue orchid in her hair, which, now dry, tumbled in loose waves down her back. She didn't put on much in the way of make-up, the most extravagant feature being eye-shadow that flicked outwards in a long, thin tail towards her temples, ending in a tip of gold.

"Pixie," she said, taking her new Captain's hand. Her voice still tender, but with a little more of a business-like adge creeping back into it. "Just one more thing, before we go out there... I have always been resourceful, and I'm willing to help you in any way you ask of me. However, I'm no fighter, nor an engineer or a pilot. My speciality can help you, just as it has The Gentleman, but if we're going to be, well, you know... I'd like to know that we can keep my work at arms reach from what we do together. I want, I need to know, that you're not going to hate me for being... well, a whore."

It would be difficult enough for Amy not to hate herself, now she knew that somebody cared.

 

[Fappy]

"Just one more thing, before we go out there... I have always been resourceful, and I'm willing to help you in any way you ask of me. However, I'm no fighter, nor an engineer or a pilot. My speciality can help you, just as it has The Gentleman, but if we're going to be, well, you know... I'd like to know that we can keep my work at arms reach from what we do together. I want, I need to know, that you're not going to hate me for being... well, a whore."

Pixie tilted her head and smiled, "Amy," She began as she pulled her in closer for a warm embrace. "I wouldn' 'ave let it get this far if I was gonna get all bent outta shape 'bout yer profession, darlin'." This far? "All of my Maidens 'ave their specialties an' I'd be a poor leader if I didn' utilize them. If you wanna continue doin' what yer doin', I can find a use fer it. I only ask you," She kissed her color bone. "Save yer heart fer me."

A shocking truth dawned on her as she rested her chin on Amy's shoulder. It had seemed her heart had out paced her brain, having her say and do things without considering the consequences. For whatever reason, she hadn't see it until now. Until, she herself, spoke the words.

Save yer heart for me.

Such a cheesy, sentimental line. Was it love?

Why even ask? Of course it was.

Pixie'd ventured down a path she told herself she'd never retread. A path that, in the past, had only ever led to despair. Deep down, Pixie knew this time would be no different. Just like it had been before, she'd not only hurt herself, but she'd break her heart as well. Not to mention the dangers it presented to the crew in the event that...

Stop.

Was it too much to ask to enjoy this one thing? To have someone around she could lose herself in, completely? It had been so long.

The more she thought about it, the more she dreaded her meeting with Bennie. He was going to be mad. Furious, even. But worse than that, he was going to lose respect for her. There was no way she wouldn't come off as a hypocrite.

Withdrawing her head so that she could see Amy's face, she hesitated a moment before planting a kiss on her lips. She held it for a long while, hoping her doubts and fears would drain away in doing so. If Pixie wasn't such a glutton for danger she would have likely ended it here, but no... seeing the girl open up to her like she had. Pixie couldn't break her heart. She just couldn't.

She'd already been hurt by everyone else in her life, couldn't Pixie be the exception? No, she was too smart to evade the truth, but chose to ignore it anyway. Maybe, by some act of God perhaps, this would work out.

Maybe...