Together, Pixie and Amy made their way to the room Randy was being held in.
"C'mon c'mon!"
"What the fuck?" Pixie muttered under her breath, as Aesop came into view. Releasing Amy's hand, Pixie marched towards him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "The fuck do ya' think yer doin', Aesop?" She asked in a flat tone.
Aesop was suddenly still as her hand was on his shoulder. 'FUCK! I waited too long FUCK FUCK!!!' "I... I..." He said, his voice quivering.
'Fuck it.' "I was gonna go in there and carve my fucking name in his back." He spoke, unlike Pixie had ever heard him speak before. His voice was cold, none of the worry that always plagued his mind, this was a confidence that was totally unwanted by anyone, a sick, murderous confidence. He kept looking at the door, his body still, calm, in total control. He was never this much in control of himself.
"No," Pixie plainly stated. "Look at me, Aesop." She commanded.
Aesop sighed. He knew she was going to kick his ass, and he deserved it after all, but a disobedient child never cares for their punishment. He turned around anyway, pent up anger building up clear as day all over his face.
She stared daggers into his eyes. Though her gaze was ice cold, she spoke in an oddly soothing tone, "Listen to me, Aesop. We are not animals. Bennie told me what you did ta' Rodrigo." She shook her head. "That's not what we do. That ain't the Maiden way. Randy used ta' be one of us. Despite what he's done, it ain't yer place to enact vengeance for Silo. It's my duty as yer Captain to see to 'is punishment."
Her pupil twitched a bit, searching his own derranged stare, "You wan' someone ta' blame fer Boomhower? Fer Silo's death? Blame me. I'm the one who sent 'im there. I'm the one who made the wrong call. If yer lookin' ta' off load yer rage allow it ta' have a lastin' effect. At least hurt the one responsable."
She stepped closer. There was no more than half a meter between them now, "You got two ways outta this: you either walk away or... hit me. Hurt the one who sent Silo to his death an' then tell me how much better you feel."
Amy had to pity Aesop. The pain he was in was written in every line of his face. Still, her blood ran cold at Pixie's ultimatum. The look in the man's eyes was positively wild.
"Pixie..."
Aesop's lips twitched as he attempted to form words, yet he simply couldn't. They wouldn't come out at all. "Pixie I..." his eyes sunk and he looked upset. "I could never hurt you. Never, I could-I'd go through it all over again before I do that!" He wasn't shouting, his words were soft and weak. "I'd go through what happened to Silo, what I did to Rodrigo I'd be in his shoes rather than hurt you, ever..."
His chest heaved up and down before his voice exploded. "BUT YOU DIDN'T SEE WHAT HE DID!!!" He was yelling in Pixie's face now. "AND FUCK NEITHER DID I!" His voice quivered again. "I just saw the mess. The aftermath. Silo, spitting up blood, with so many bones broken. A bullet in his knee and..." He was descending quickly into his own memories of that day. "His eyes... that wasn't Silo, he gave up. And somehow, he kept giving up. Every single time I saw him, he had less and less hope in his eyes." The rage built up again. "AND THATS ON HIM! Its my fault for a few things."
He sheathed his knife and began counting on his fingers. "I should have killed him and me when we were cornered, before we were taken. I should have never told them how many of us were in Boomhower-even if Ruffles says it was nothing I fucking RATTED!!! EVEN A LITTLE BIT IS TOO MUCH!!!" He was shaking. "I taunted Rodrgio, and he hurt Silo even more. And to top it off I..." He ran his hands through his hair, he refused to cry, not now, not again. "I shot him in the face. I killed one of most important maidens, me, of all fucking people, me. The fuckup, killed the detective." He shook his head. "But I'm not gonna make this about me, this about fucking Randal in there."
Pixie continued to stare into his eyes. She didn't so much as twitch as he screamed directly in her face. Once he was done, she tilted her head, "Yer right, it ain't about you, Aesop. So why the fuck are you still standin' in my way? You wan' justice fer Silo? You wanna make this right?" Her eye narrowed. "Then get the fuck outta the way."
"Aesop," Amy began, stepping forward and lightly touching his arm "here. Look at me."
When he responded, Amy didn't quite smile, but somehow she made her face look kind all the same.
"I don't know you, Aesop, and you don't know me. I am not your Captain, nor am I as of yet your friend. So, I have absolutely no interest in giving you anything but the absolute truth, and the truth is that whatever responsibility for Silo's death you've convinced yourself rests on your shoulders, maiming or killing Randy is irrelevant to it. If you think you'll find catharsis, or justice, or redemption behind that door, you are mistaken. All you'll find is more pain. Please, save yourself from that much at least, you've quite clearly had your fill."
He wanted to say something. Anything, but god he didn't know what. He made odd grunts and noises as he wanted to speak before looking up to the beautiful girl who had brought his attention. "But... but it did." His voice squeaked. "It felt so fucking good." He shut his eyes tight, as if it would make the pain go away. "What else can I do, I'm fucking useless. I can kill, I found something I'm good at. I found something I..." He realized he was rambling.
Finally, he stepped aside silently, gulping as he did so, his face drooping. "I'm sorry Captain... I, all'a that was uncalled for I'm sorry. Um," he wanted to avoid eye contact with her, but his pupils were drawn to hers. "Randy said that you're ass'd be Dio's within a week. I figured you should know so... I dunno" he shrugged his shoulders, "so you can hurt him more I guess. I know its weird but um," he took out the sheath and handed it to her, "could you maybe use this? I know, believe me I know how creepy this looks but... please." He looked ashamed, not of what he was asking, but because he didn't deserve to be in Pixie's presence. "I'm sorry." Finally his eyes had to look away. "I don't really feel that much like a maiden so, I guess if you're gonna do to him something like I did to Rodrigo I... fuck I dunno I'm backtalking I'm sorry." He felt so pathetic.
Pixie looked down at the knife in his hand, "Did they use a knife on Silo?"
It was a simple question.
"I-I," he stuttered. "I don't know."
Pixie grunted, unamused, and looked back up at Aesop, "Keep it." Turning her attention towards the door she added. "Yer dismissed."
He put his sheath back and left down the hall. "Yes Captain." He walked towards the party, ashamed at how he had acted.
Pixie didn't turn to watch him leave, instead, she kept her eye on the door and gave it three light taps, "Thanks fer the backup, Amy." She whispered as the sound of a lock turning sounded from the door.
"You're welcome." Amy replied. "Do you want me to talk to him later? I don't know if I can make a whole lot more difference, but I can try my best."
"We'll see," She answered as the door opened. "Has he eaten?" Pixie asked.
Still standing in the doorway, Parker nodded, "Yeah, he finished a bit ago. He's tied up again. Want me to leave?" He asked.
Pixie nodded, "Yeah, go get yerself somethin' ta' drink."
"Yes ma'am." Parker said with a nod before brushing past the two women.
Taking her by the hand, Pixie led Amy into the room. Randy sat bound to a metal chair with a steel table before him. His dinner scraps remained. Pixie gestured towards the chair Parker had sat in, by the door, "Might want to sit down for this." She suggested, looking at Amy.
"Thank you, but, I think I'll stand." Amy said, keeping her voice steady. It would not do to look the least bit squeamish in front of Randy.
The man of the hour himself looked up to the pair of them, pain, shame, and fear written all over his face. Overriding all of it, however, was a look of bitter resignation.
"Aww Cap'in, did ya bring me a present." he grunted, leering at Amy. "You shouldn't have, the last meal was tasty enough."
Pixie's expression remained apathetic as she crossed the room, Randy's eyes following her the whole way, "Cut the shit, Randy. You know there ain't no point ta' this." She plopped down on the edge of the table next to him. "Now, ar' ya' gonna be a ***** about this an' spit on me 'er leer at me until I rip yer balls off, or are ya' gonna die a Maiden?"
He stared into her eye for a time. No words were spoken for a full minute until eventually, he couldn't bare looking at her any longer, "F-fuck..." He muttered. "Fuck me, god dammit... I'm so sorry..."
Pixie's expression didn't change, "A little late fer that, Randy. I ain't gonna lie to ya', yer not leavin' this room alive an' there ain't a single thin' you can say that'll change that fact." She paused, looking over his tattered form. "You know how we deal with traitors, don' you?"
Randy couldn't speak through the knot in his throat, so he settled with a quick, frantic nod.
"What they do to 'im, Randy? Don' you lie ta' me."
Tears now streaming down his face, he coughed and whimpered, "Th-th-they broke 'is bones. Kicked 'im. Beat 'im. I don' know all the places they did it, bu-bu-but it was... it was savage. He couldn' walk on 'is own." His words were frantic, but she could make them out. "In the end he was shot in the knee an' the head."
Pixie looked towards Amy as he confessed, as if she were communicating to Amy with his words. All Pixie did was look her way, and that was enough for Amy to understand what it was she was doing. Randy's punishment would mimic Silo's. He would share the same fate.
Amy stared down at Randy, her expression for once impossible to read. Was it disgust, or pity in those startling blue eyes? She was chewing her lip slightly, to keep from striking him, or from retching?
"Let's not waste any time." was all she said in the end.
Pixie hopped off the table and started for the far wall. An assortment of weapons, tools and other objects were strewn about on and around a table. Bending over, Pixie picked up a metal baseball bat, "One thin' I need ta' ask you, Randy." She looked at him from over her shoulder. "Why?"
Little more than muffled sobs filled the room for a long while before he was eventually able to speak again, "My son... it was my son."
"Did they take 'im?"
Randy nodded, "Y-yeah, they took 'im when he came ta' visit me. I always told 'im ta' stay away from Boomhower!" He whimpered. "They took 'im, held 'im hostage and told me they'd kill him if I didn't cooperate. After the train job was done, they let 'im go." Resting the head of the bat in her palm, Pixie approached him. He looked up at her. "Then they heard y'all were gunnin' fer them. They said they'd kill 'im for sure if I didn't keep helping them, so I did."
Pixie ended her approach, standing at the table across from him, "Do you know what happened to 'im?"
Randy hesitated for a moment, "Yer not gonna go after 'im too? No, Pixie, I---"
"Where is he?" She interrupted in the same, cold tone.
Hanging his head low, he muttered, "I don't know. He was still in Boomhower when yer men attacked. H-hopefully he made it outta there alive. P-please! PLEASE PIXIE! I BEG YOU! LEAVE 'IM OUTTA THIS!"
Pixie nodded, "You 'ave my word." She started around the side of the table and towered over him. "You had ta' know it'd end this way." Randy nodded, utter defeat painted on his face. "Any last words?"
"I-I-I'm sorry." Was all he managed to get out.
Pixie tightened her grip on the baseball bat and glanced over at Amy as if she were looking for her approval. Or perhaps, it was just her way of saying, "This is me."
More her usual, level-headed self than she had been in days, Amy simply looked at Pixie, and nodded. The look on her face neither condoned or condemned.
"Good bye, Randy." Pixie whispered as she stepped backwards with one foot and brought the bat over her shoulder. Putting all her weight into the swing, the bat hit him square in the chest, shattering several ribs on impact and sending his chair toppling backwards on to the floor. He screamed out in pain, spitting blood onto his own face.
Dragging the bat behind her, Pixie followed him to where he had fallen and hefted it over her head with both hands. She swung again, and again, and again; Randy's shrill shrieks bouncing off the concrete walls all around them. Blow after blow, his body broke and split in several places. Bleeding internally, his screams became muffled by the rogue fluid in his body.
Taking care to avoid his skull, Pixie continued to bludgeon his body, prolonging his suffering. After several minutes of this, she finally heard the words, "P-p-p-please, d-do it!" He barely managed to croak. Without a moment's hesitation, Pixie drew her pistol from her belt holster and shot him in the knee. Before he even had time to scream, she buried another bullet between his eyes.
After standing over his mangles remains for a short time, Pixie holstered the pistol, reached over to the table he'd been sat at and snatched the bottle of whiskey. She chugged the remainder of its contents, numb to the burning sensation as it poured down her throat, and chucked it against the wall, shattering it into a hundred pieces. Dropping the bat to the ground, Pixie looked down at her hands. Her arms and face were soaked in Randy's blood.
Amy watched the whole thing, seemingly impassive. She never once closed her eyes or turned away. In fact, she did not move at all until Pixie was done. When she did, she walked steadily over to where her lover sat, and took her by the hand, gently helping her up and over to the sink on the wall. Pixie let her lead as Amy washed both their hands clean, before taking a small hand towel from the railing, running it under the tap, and gently wiping away the blood from Pixie's face.
When that was done, Amy looked deep into Pixie's one good eye. Raising her hand, Amy's fingers lightly brushed the rim of the patch that covered the other.
"Show me."
Pixie hesitated a moment. Though she showed her eye to a select few, she had never felt afraid to do so. In fact, she had always found the act to be a bit cathartic. For whatever reason, however, she felt reluctant to show Amy.
She began to tremble, "Ar' you sure you wanna see it?" She whispered, wrapping her fingers around Amy's wrist.
"Only if you want me to." Amy replied, softly. "But, I don't think either of us has anything to fear from a few scars, do you?"
Pixie's lower lip quivered, but no words came out. Eventually, she furrowed her brow and nodded, "No, yer right. Do it." She said, releasing Amy's hand.
Gently, Amy lifted up the patch. She didn't flinch at the unseeing, grey-white orb that stared sightlessly back at her. Taking Pixie's head in her hands, she brushed the skin just beneath the eyebrow with her lips.
"I think the party might be over." she said.
"Yeah," Pixie muttered, both her eyes finding their way to Randy's remains. "Let's get out of here." She adjusted her eyepatch and took Amy's hand, leading the two of them to the exit. Stopping just short of opening the door, Pixie stared off into space and drooped her head.
"Nothin's changed, Amy. Justice has been served, but nothin's changed. They're still dead. All of them," She looked at Amy. "You asked me why I do it. Why I can' forgive those that cross me," She clutched the door knob and turned it. "The simple truth is... I don' know why." She squeezed Amy's hand tighter as they crossed into the main room together.
"C'mon c'mon!"
"What the fuck?" Pixie muttered under her breath, as Aesop came into view. Releasing Amy's hand, Pixie marched towards him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "The fuck do ya' think yer doin', Aesop?" She asked in a flat tone.
Aesop was suddenly still as her hand was on his shoulder. 'FUCK! I waited too long FUCK FUCK!!!' "I... I..." He said, his voice quivering.
'Fuck it.' "I was gonna go in there and carve my fucking name in his back." He spoke, unlike Pixie had ever heard him speak before. His voice was cold, none of the worry that always plagued his mind, this was a confidence that was totally unwanted by anyone, a sick, murderous confidence. He kept looking at the door, his body still, calm, in total control. He was never this much in control of himself.
"No," Pixie plainly stated. "Look at me, Aesop." She commanded.
Aesop sighed. He knew she was going to kick his ass, and he deserved it after all, but a disobedient child never cares for their punishment. He turned around anyway, pent up anger building up clear as day all over his face.
She stared daggers into his eyes. Though her gaze was ice cold, she spoke in an oddly soothing tone, "Listen to me, Aesop. We are not animals. Bennie told me what you did ta' Rodrigo." She shook her head. "That's not what we do. That ain't the Maiden way. Randy used ta' be one of us. Despite what he's done, it ain't yer place to enact vengeance for Silo. It's my duty as yer Captain to see to 'is punishment."
Her pupil twitched a bit, searching his own derranged stare, "You wan' someone ta' blame fer Boomhower? Fer Silo's death? Blame me. I'm the one who sent 'im there. I'm the one who made the wrong call. If yer lookin' ta' off load yer rage allow it ta' have a lastin' effect. At least hurt the one responsable."
She stepped closer. There was no more than half a meter between them now, "You got two ways outta this: you either walk away or... hit me. Hurt the one who sent Silo to his death an' then tell me how much better you feel."
Amy had to pity Aesop. The pain he was in was written in every line of his face. Still, her blood ran cold at Pixie's ultimatum. The look in the man's eyes was positively wild.
"Pixie..."
Aesop's lips twitched as he attempted to form words, yet he simply couldn't. They wouldn't come out at all. "Pixie I..." his eyes sunk and he looked upset. "I could never hurt you. Never, I could-I'd go through it all over again before I do that!" He wasn't shouting, his words were soft and weak. "I'd go through what happened to Silo, what I did to Rodrigo I'd be in his shoes rather than hurt you, ever..."
His chest heaved up and down before his voice exploded. "BUT YOU DIDN'T SEE WHAT HE DID!!!" He was yelling in Pixie's face now. "AND FUCK NEITHER DID I!" His voice quivered again. "I just saw the mess. The aftermath. Silo, spitting up blood, with so many bones broken. A bullet in his knee and..." He was descending quickly into his own memories of that day. "His eyes... that wasn't Silo, he gave up. And somehow, he kept giving up. Every single time I saw him, he had less and less hope in his eyes." The rage built up again. "AND THATS ON HIM! Its my fault for a few things."
He sheathed his knife and began counting on his fingers. "I should have killed him and me when we were cornered, before we were taken. I should have never told them how many of us were in Boomhower-even if Ruffles says it was nothing I fucking RATTED!!! EVEN A LITTLE BIT IS TOO MUCH!!!" He was shaking. "I taunted Rodrgio, and he hurt Silo even more. And to top it off I..." He ran his hands through his hair, he refused to cry, not now, not again. "I shot him in the face. I killed one of most important maidens, me, of all fucking people, me. The fuckup, killed the detective." He shook his head. "But I'm not gonna make this about me, this about fucking Randal in there."
Pixie continued to stare into his eyes. She didn't so much as twitch as he screamed directly in her face. Once he was done, she tilted her head, "Yer right, it ain't about you, Aesop. So why the fuck are you still standin' in my way? You wan' justice fer Silo? You wanna make this right?" Her eye narrowed. "Then get the fuck outta the way."
"Aesop," Amy began, stepping forward and lightly touching his arm "here. Look at me."
When he responded, Amy didn't quite smile, but somehow she made her face look kind all the same.
"I don't know you, Aesop, and you don't know me. I am not your Captain, nor am I as of yet your friend. So, I have absolutely no interest in giving you anything but the absolute truth, and the truth is that whatever responsibility for Silo's death you've convinced yourself rests on your shoulders, maiming or killing Randy is irrelevant to it. If you think you'll find catharsis, or justice, or redemption behind that door, you are mistaken. All you'll find is more pain. Please, save yourself from that much at least, you've quite clearly had your fill."
He wanted to say something. Anything, but god he didn't know what. He made odd grunts and noises as he wanted to speak before looking up to the beautiful girl who had brought his attention. "But... but it did." His voice squeaked. "It felt so fucking good." He shut his eyes tight, as if it would make the pain go away. "What else can I do, I'm fucking useless. I can kill, I found something I'm good at. I found something I..." He realized he was rambling.
Finally, he stepped aside silently, gulping as he did so, his face drooping. "I'm sorry Captain... I, all'a that was uncalled for I'm sorry. Um," he wanted to avoid eye contact with her, but his pupils were drawn to hers. "Randy said that you're ass'd be Dio's within a week. I figured you should know so... I dunno" he shrugged his shoulders, "so you can hurt him more I guess. I know its weird but um," he took out the sheath and handed it to her, "could you maybe use this? I know, believe me I know how creepy this looks but... please." He looked ashamed, not of what he was asking, but because he didn't deserve to be in Pixie's presence. "I'm sorry." Finally his eyes had to look away. "I don't really feel that much like a maiden so, I guess if you're gonna do to him something like I did to Rodrigo I... fuck I dunno I'm backtalking I'm sorry." He felt so pathetic.
Pixie looked down at the knife in his hand, "Did they use a knife on Silo?"
It was a simple question.
"I-I," he stuttered. "I don't know."
Pixie grunted, unamused, and looked back up at Aesop, "Keep it." Turning her attention towards the door she added. "Yer dismissed."
He put his sheath back and left down the hall. "Yes Captain." He walked towards the party, ashamed at how he had acted.
Pixie didn't turn to watch him leave, instead, she kept her eye on the door and gave it three light taps, "Thanks fer the backup, Amy." She whispered as the sound of a lock turning sounded from the door.
"You're welcome." Amy replied. "Do you want me to talk to him later? I don't know if I can make a whole lot more difference, but I can try my best."
"We'll see," She answered as the door opened. "Has he eaten?" Pixie asked.
Still standing in the doorway, Parker nodded, "Yeah, he finished a bit ago. He's tied up again. Want me to leave?" He asked.
Pixie nodded, "Yeah, go get yerself somethin' ta' drink."
"Yes ma'am." Parker said with a nod before brushing past the two women.
Taking her by the hand, Pixie led Amy into the room. Randy sat bound to a metal chair with a steel table before him. His dinner scraps remained. Pixie gestured towards the chair Parker had sat in, by the door, "Might want to sit down for this." She suggested, looking at Amy.
"Thank you, but, I think I'll stand." Amy said, keeping her voice steady. It would not do to look the least bit squeamish in front of Randy.
The man of the hour himself looked up to the pair of them, pain, shame, and fear written all over his face. Overriding all of it, however, was a look of bitter resignation.
"Aww Cap'in, did ya bring me a present." he grunted, leering at Amy. "You shouldn't have, the last meal was tasty enough."
Pixie's expression remained apathetic as she crossed the room, Randy's eyes following her the whole way, "Cut the shit, Randy. You know there ain't no point ta' this." She plopped down on the edge of the table next to him. "Now, ar' ya' gonna be a ***** about this an' spit on me 'er leer at me until I rip yer balls off, or are ya' gonna die a Maiden?"
He stared into her eye for a time. No words were spoken for a full minute until eventually, he couldn't bare looking at her any longer, "F-fuck..." He muttered. "Fuck me, god dammit... I'm so sorry..."
Pixie's expression didn't change, "A little late fer that, Randy. I ain't gonna lie to ya', yer not leavin' this room alive an' there ain't a single thin' you can say that'll change that fact." She paused, looking over his tattered form. "You know how we deal with traitors, don' you?"
Randy couldn't speak through the knot in his throat, so he settled with a quick, frantic nod.
"What they do to 'im, Randy? Don' you lie ta' me."
Tears now streaming down his face, he coughed and whimpered, "Th-th-they broke 'is bones. Kicked 'im. Beat 'im. I don' know all the places they did it, bu-bu-but it was... it was savage. He couldn' walk on 'is own." His words were frantic, but she could make them out. "In the end he was shot in the knee an' the head."
Pixie looked towards Amy as he confessed, as if she were communicating to Amy with his words. All Pixie did was look her way, and that was enough for Amy to understand what it was she was doing. Randy's punishment would mimic Silo's. He would share the same fate.
Amy stared down at Randy, her expression for once impossible to read. Was it disgust, or pity in those startling blue eyes? She was chewing her lip slightly, to keep from striking him, or from retching?
"Let's not waste any time." was all she said in the end.
Pixie hopped off the table and started for the far wall. An assortment of weapons, tools and other objects were strewn about on and around a table. Bending over, Pixie picked up a metal baseball bat, "One thin' I need ta' ask you, Randy." She looked at him from over her shoulder. "Why?"
Little more than muffled sobs filled the room for a long while before he was eventually able to speak again, "My son... it was my son."
"Did they take 'im?"
Randy nodded, "Y-yeah, they took 'im when he came ta' visit me. I always told 'im ta' stay away from Boomhower!" He whimpered. "They took 'im, held 'im hostage and told me they'd kill him if I didn't cooperate. After the train job was done, they let 'im go." Resting the head of the bat in her palm, Pixie approached him. He looked up at her. "Then they heard y'all were gunnin' fer them. They said they'd kill 'im for sure if I didn't keep helping them, so I did."
Pixie ended her approach, standing at the table across from him, "Do you know what happened to 'im?"
Randy hesitated for a moment, "Yer not gonna go after 'im too? No, Pixie, I---"
"Where is he?" She interrupted in the same, cold tone.
Hanging his head low, he muttered, "I don't know. He was still in Boomhower when yer men attacked. H-hopefully he made it outta there alive. P-please! PLEASE PIXIE! I BEG YOU! LEAVE 'IM OUTTA THIS!"
Pixie nodded, "You 'ave my word." She started around the side of the table and towered over him. "You had ta' know it'd end this way." Randy nodded, utter defeat painted on his face. "Any last words?"
"I-I-I'm sorry." Was all he managed to get out.
Pixie tightened her grip on the baseball bat and glanced over at Amy as if she were looking for her approval. Or perhaps, it was just her way of saying, "This is me."
More her usual, level-headed self than she had been in days, Amy simply looked at Pixie, and nodded. The look on her face neither condoned or condemned.
"Good bye, Randy." Pixie whispered as she stepped backwards with one foot and brought the bat over her shoulder. Putting all her weight into the swing, the bat hit him square in the chest, shattering several ribs on impact and sending his chair toppling backwards on to the floor. He screamed out in pain, spitting blood onto his own face.
Dragging the bat behind her, Pixie followed him to where he had fallen and hefted it over her head with both hands. She swung again, and again, and again; Randy's shrill shrieks bouncing off the concrete walls all around them. Blow after blow, his body broke and split in several places. Bleeding internally, his screams became muffled by the rogue fluid in his body.
Taking care to avoid his skull, Pixie continued to bludgeon his body, prolonging his suffering. After several minutes of this, she finally heard the words, "P-p-p-please, d-do it!" He barely managed to croak. Without a moment's hesitation, Pixie drew her pistol from her belt holster and shot him in the knee. Before he even had time to scream, she buried another bullet between his eyes.
After standing over his mangles remains for a short time, Pixie holstered the pistol, reached over to the table he'd been sat at and snatched the bottle of whiskey. She chugged the remainder of its contents, numb to the burning sensation as it poured down her throat, and chucked it against the wall, shattering it into a hundred pieces. Dropping the bat to the ground, Pixie looked down at her hands. Her arms and face were soaked in Randy's blood.
Amy watched the whole thing, seemingly impassive. She never once closed her eyes or turned away. In fact, she did not move at all until Pixie was done. When she did, she walked steadily over to where her lover sat, and took her by the hand, gently helping her up and over to the sink on the wall. Pixie let her lead as Amy washed both their hands clean, before taking a small hand towel from the railing, running it under the tap, and gently wiping away the blood from Pixie's face.
When that was done, Amy looked deep into Pixie's one good eye. Raising her hand, Amy's fingers lightly brushed the rim of the patch that covered the other.
"Show me."
Pixie hesitated a moment. Though she showed her eye to a select few, she had never felt afraid to do so. In fact, she had always found the act to be a bit cathartic. For whatever reason, however, she felt reluctant to show Amy.
She began to tremble, "Ar' you sure you wanna see it?" She whispered, wrapping her fingers around Amy's wrist.
"Only if you want me to." Amy replied, softly. "But, I don't think either of us has anything to fear from a few scars, do you?"
Pixie's lower lip quivered, but no words came out. Eventually, she furrowed her brow and nodded, "No, yer right. Do it." She said, releasing Amy's hand.
Gently, Amy lifted up the patch. She didn't flinch at the unseeing, grey-white orb that stared sightlessly back at her. Taking Pixie's head in her hands, she brushed the skin just beneath the eyebrow with her lips.
"I think the party might be over." she said.
"Yeah," Pixie muttered, both her eyes finding their way to Randy's remains. "Let's get out of here." She adjusted her eyepatch and took Amy's hand, leading the two of them to the exit. Stopping just short of opening the door, Pixie stared off into space and drooped her head.
"Nothin's changed, Amy. Justice has been served, but nothin's changed. They're still dead. All of them," She looked at Amy. "You asked me why I do it. Why I can' forgive those that cross me," She clutched the door knob and turned it. "The simple truth is... I don' know why." She squeezed Amy's hand tighter as they crossed into the main room together.
