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

[ProtoChimp]

Hannibal walked with her inside as they approached the front desk, they recieved a few looks which went a long way in making Hannibal feel uncomfortable... No... 'Oh God...' It was one of them. One of them were finally here. They took their sweet damn time but they were here. He couldn't look, he turned away and tapped his fingers nervously onto the counter as he avoided the man's gaze.

"Come along then Murdock."

Murdock. Yes of course, "Y-Yes of course." 'Damn stop stuttering. He probably knows already jus-just...' He needed to get out of here as fast as he could.

He walked with her up the various flights of stairs, running up so fast he needed to slow down for her sake, and as not to draw attention. "That was one of them that was one of them that was one of them." He spoke none stop in hushed tones to her. His mood did not improve as they were welcomed into an extremely sinister looking room either. This looked like a trap if ever he had seen one.

'What do I do?1?!?! I can't stay outside he will come for me. But these people look like serial killers. I'd like just a week without meeting a man in black with too many guns.'
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"What kind of father let's his kids die for him?! Go on, answer that one!" He wanted to tear her head off her shoulders then and there, but he was used to this kind of treatment, spouting on about pretenders helping them and all. Many have trouble understanding at first. T'was tragic.

But then he discovered the truth. And she was yet another young pretender. "I'd rather have a hundred 'pretenders' fuck me all night long, than have you so much as hold my hand!" And she spat in the father's face.

He stood there for a moment and allowed the rage to pass through his body. Breath in. Breath out. Breath in. Breath out. "Take the rest to the Iron Maiden." He said, ignoring the girl yet staring deep into her pretty eyes. "This one has to stay here with me." Just as the children were rounding them all up Austin wrapped his giant hand around the girl's tiny throat. "Pretenders have no right to hold my hand." He said coldly as he squeezed. He pulled her closer and closer towards himself as he slowly crushed the life out of her, taking his sweet time.

She collapsed with a dull thus as many began to panic, and many realised it was time to fall in line. "You know what to do." He roared. "Who to save, and who to kill." He entered the back seat of a crawler, being chauffeured by another child. It shamed him when he was tricked by pretenders who he believed were children.
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"Thank you so much for your help, Aesop." Aesop gave a friendly smile.

"Hey, stupid men help pretty ladies all the time." He gave a playful wink, just as Bennie stormed past. Clearly it had sullied Amy's mood. He need only guess why, and his guess was probably right.

"Aesop... May I ask, how are you feeling, after before? I know that business with Randy can't have been easy for you."

Aesop winced though he dare not show it. He really did not want to talk about Randy at all. But its best he be uncomfortable rather than someone else. "I um," he thought how best to phrase his words, "I feel better, I guess?" He answered, not confident in his words. "The past few days, especially with the maiden have been..." he sighed, "not great." He gave an obviously fake laugh. "My mood has just been, shit its been all over the fucking place. Before, that wasn't even me at my worst. Bennie's first impression of me he thought I was a psycho, and I'm pretty sure I freaked Cameron the fuck out cos after a while she just kinda stayed away from me. And don't even get me started on that Vergil kid. I owe him my life and I scared the shit out of him." He sighed, thinking of all the shit he had put everyone through. He didn't want to tell Amy about him being covered in the gore of another man, and not wanting to wash it off. Pixie may have told her already but he still didn't want to talk about it.

He gave a soft chuckle and continued in a lighter tone, "Right now though," he chirped up, or at least he looked like he did, "right now I'm helping Pixie's new gal pal cook her something sweet... and not burned. Sorry I couldn't resist." He gave a cheeky grin. It looked like she was going to speak again when he held up a finger and said, "Hang on." He paused, listening closely to the sounds around them. "Do you hear that?" It sounded as if there was some kind of clattering coming down the walls.

Suddenly the root of the noise was revealed when the blackest engineer on the planet crashed down behind them. Aesop and Amy turned around to look at him with puzzled expressions. "Hey guys..." And then he was gone again.

A long pause past before Aesop burst into laughter. He nearly double over and had to pound his knees to get it all out but it was too much. This was just too funny.

Spoiler: Aesop's face

He couldn't get words out, only the beginning syllables before shouting out, "WHHYYYY???" This was one of the most random things he ever saw. The fuck could the explanation be for this?

His laughter didn't subside but he thought it best to pick him up off the floor. He scooped him up, still laughing as he turned back to Amy. "I'm gonna take care of this. Careful on the roast yeah?" He nodded to her before carrying him into one of the nearby bedrooms and lying him down. "Awww, like a little drunken angel." He cooed.

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

Georgia lacked the surprise to be horrified, as she watched the young girl die from the seat in one of the crawlers that she had been herded into. Still, that only made the disgust more potent. She looked at the back of Austin's head as he mounted up, letting none of the bile at the back of her throat show on her face.

'Throwing our toys out of the pram are we Austin? You can't field a fair challenge, so you just grind someone into the dirt. There's really nothing special about you is there? You're just another bully with delusions of grandeur.'

She looked across at Sandra as the convoy got under way. Sandra was intelligent too, more than clever enough to keep both her body and mind safe among such company. However, she was also younger than Georgia, and had seen less of the world. Reaching over, Georgia held the younger girl's hand, and was met with a squeeze in response.

Austin would try to make them part of his family, but they were already sisters. Until such time as rescue came, they would be all the family to each-other that they would need.

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

Amy couldn't help but burst out laughing too. She felt guilty about it, Ruffles was probably feeling terrible, and may even have been in need of medical attention... but it was just too funny. Still, eventually Aesop attended to the issue, seizing the moment to take his leave. Amy couldn't help but be a little disappointed. However, there'd be other opportunities to speak to him. For now, it was probably best to leave him alone, even if he was in need of help.

The panic had settled down now, and the pieces were starting to come together. All in all, considering the disaster it could have been, Amy didn't think she'd done too badly, and now she had some respite to get everything else prepared.

 

[Evrant-Knight]

The rattle of chains and the turning of bolts, that is what could be heard on the other side of the door the moment Viola had finished knocking. Moments later, a black sleeved arm beckoned them inside. As they entered, Viola saw that the room was filled with a dozen or so men. They were leaning against walls, standing near furniture. It looked as though every possible angle was covered.

Every one of them was smartly dressed, but their faces were concealed by balaclavas and scarfs. All of them except one that is. He was sat in a wing-back armchair, though he didn't look all that too comfortable, behind a coffee table with what looked to be an antique tea set. There was a cold look in his eyes as he stared at Viola and Hannibal.

"Are you certain you were not followed here?"

"I am certain that no one else was following us. What's with all the extra people? Expecting trouble?" Viola asked with crossed arms.

 

[Fappy]

"Actually I thought that was quite the handsome credential. No, the reason I knew not to try with you is because of your... utter devotion to our mutual friend, Lord Basilio."

That's what I was getting at you idiot.

So he was both long-winded and stupid? Great.

She half-listened as he detailed his attempts at recruiting her squadmates. Perhaps they too sensed the man's overbearing arrogance. That, or they were just that loyal to her. Perhaps it was a bit of both. She had no doubt Payton paid far more than Dio in any case.

"... You want Lady Elizabeth Maribel, and I know where she is..."

Finally.

"... This is information I give freely, as I took the liberty of ambushing one of your master's hired guns, a bounty hunter of some considerable talent, while he was carrying out his mission. The girl was with him, and so from that point, I've been keeping a weather eye on her."

Tsubaki shifted in her seat, waking the kitten from its slumber momentarily. Resting a hand on its head to comfort it, she offered Payton a clearly faked smile, "Is this the part where you tell me where she is?"

 

[ProtoChimp]

Hannibal was unsure what to do. He could tell these people of the man downstairs, but would they kill them for having a tail. He stared back at the door while he was in the room. These men looked terrifying, the type of people who he had to deal with regularly but these people were a whole new level of just... wrong. Something off. He'd dealt with scumbags, some he had spoken to in a room with a dead body in the corner, but while these men didn't appear as sinister or evil that had an inhuman quality about them. As if they were not real and were created for the simple purpose of interrogation. Once again, he knew there wasn't much he should say or do. Thankfully Viola was there, and she was a bounty hunter! She would have probably dealt with these types before.

His mind kept trapsing back to the man downstairs. Would he be listening outside. Should he stay quiet or tell them? Should he just leave the room and face the man? Like always, Hannibal didn't have a clue.
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Aesop placed two large bottles of soda and water next to Ruffles bed as he slept. He checked the back of his head. There was no swelling which was a good sign. He decided to just let him sleep it off, he'd be fine. He left the room and made his way back to Amy. "Sorry 'bout that. Oh hey the kitchen's still here. Awesome!" He gave two thumbs up along with an obnoxious grin.
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Franklin held his head in his hands as he was driven back towards the ship. Usually he didn't mind killing a pretender. But what is a pretender? A person who wants freedom? To live their life as their own and not under the thumb of some psycho with a God complex? And a teenage girl at that? This wasn't like a religion where you were free to live your life as long as you promised loyalty, no. You had to become a soldier.

He wouldn't' have it. His son wouldn't have it. Isabel certainly wouldn't have it. But for now, if he was even alive by the time he got back to her, he would need to play this rotten game. A game he once loved.

"Whats the matter with you?" Spoke one of his sisters driving the crawler. Clearly she was angry at Franklin for having failed the family.

"I just..." his voice trailed away as he struggled to come up with an excuse. "Its always so terrible when our siblings turn out to be not siblings at all. Those people really looked like they wer-"

"Pretenders?" She asked flippantly. "Yeah, you feel bad about the fact we fought to free pretenders? And that you let some of my brothers and sisters die for pretenders?"

"I didn't let anyo-"

She interrupted him again. "Shut up Franklin just shut your mouth. You can't do anything right.

"Hey I was the one who found the maiden!" He yelled back.

"No you were just there when it was found. You've never done anything for the family, you don't care about us." She spoke disgusted.

"THAT'S NOT TRUE!" He shouted back.

"What's my name?" She turned her head to look at him. He was dumbstruck. There were hundreds of them and about 40 were on the maiden. He couldn't keep track of everyone's name. "Um..."

"That's what I thought." She snarled as she kept driving.

 

[Terratina.]

Rifles.

The sky was full of rifles.

However, the riflemen didn't seem to be doing anything with then. A small blessing. Jun didn't like it, even though they just seemed to stand there, a gun unfired was just a gun that had yet to fire. There wasn't really anything he could do except stare back at their newfound audience - trying anything might make them try the old tactic of shooting the enemy down. At least from the chatter between Bryan and Asad, he knew where the Commander was.

Jun folded his arms and set the case down on the ground.

They were outnumbered and outgunned, that was all there was to it.

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

"What's with all the extra people? Expecting trouble?"

"I always do." Sandringham replied, blankly. "Though, to answer your question, it was chance that brought us all together. I've been active in Feroxi for several months, representing the interests of my employer. I was heading a separate mission when my esteemed company arrived in the dome, having been tasked with tracking Elizabeth Maribel. As the highest ranking agent in this city, their mission is now also my mission.

If you want Lady Maribel transferred over to your care, we feel we can work with that. Our objective is simply to watch over her after all, not to apprehend her; and watch over her we will continue to do, no matter who's custody she is in. Besides, I've read your file, and I have no doubt that we will be delivering the girl into a safe pair of hands. However, nothing in this world is free. Before we do something for you, you mus do something for us..."

Sandringham snapped his fingers, and one of the other agents brought forward a silver serving tray. Rather than more refreshments, however, this tray carried a dossier, to the front of which was clipped a photograph of a man, as well as two tickets, and a discreet, but expensive looking pendant.

"The man in this photograph is Doctor Adrian Pym." Sadringham announced "He is the Head of Dio Basilio's Research and Development Division... and he has become an obstacle that must be removed. Doctor Pym will be attending a formal event this evening, in this very hotel to be precise. We have arranged an invitation for you along with an extensive cover story. At some point during the evening, you will slip this..." Sangringham opened the pendant, to reveal a tiny white pill, no large that the head of a pin, concealed inside. "into his drink. The poison is tasteless, odourless, and almost impossible to detect on a post-mortem. It is slow-acting too, so you need not worry about a hasty extraction. Doctor Pym will enjoy his evening, and then appear to pass away peacefully from cardiac arrest in his sleep.

Do this for us, and Elizabeth Maribel is all yours. Any questions?"

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"Oh hey the kitchen's still here. Awesome!"

"Thanks in no small part to you." Amy replied, smiling. She didn't ask any more questions. If Aesop wanted to pick up where they left off, he would, but for now she wouldn't push it.

 

[The Funslinger]

"Is this the part where you tell me where she is?"

Payton nodded, "yes, just about." It was clear the woman detested him, he was fine with that. But he'd wasted all the time he could afford baiting her. Payton may have been a man who loved the sound of his own voice, but he wasn't stupid. He calculated everything down to seconds, and yes, he was reaching the end of his allotted time.

"The young noble girl is staying in a small establishment on the south side called the Red Herring. The proprietor informs me that a girl matching her description recently left her room to buy food at the market. She's wearing a wicker hat, I believe."

Standing up, he walked past where Tsubaki was sitting. "If you'll excuse me, I'll take my leave. There's much to do. For example, that Northern upstart, Vasa is causing me some irritation as of late. But... you wouldn't know anything about that, eh?"

Then he was gone, the door drifting shut behind him.

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Whiskey was fuming as she drove. She'd gotten back to her hotel room in New Haven to find a note. They'd been watching her the entire time!

Spoiler: Note

Whiskey,

Mr Wilkes-Vines requires your presence in Armin, near Feroxi for an important meeting. You will meet Sergio in the Red Lamb as soon as possible. In light of the circumstances, we hope you'll be a good girl.

XOXOXO

-F

Man, fuck that *****...

 

[ProtoChimp]

"Thanks in no small part to you." Aesop smiled as he furthered into the kitchen, looking through the fridge for some soft drinks-immediately closing it seeing some wine in there. He leaned his back against the fridge door and gave a nervous giggle. "So um, hope you two like wine... looks like there's a lot." His nervousness halted as he thought. "Hang on what is this place exactly? Carlos seems prepped for the apocalypse down here the amount'a shit's down here."
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Murder. They were talking about murder! A planned out, step by step, intentional killing. The ending of a life, and for what bloody reason? No reason was good enough for murder, NO REASON! Hannibal looked over at Viola. His face painted a different picture than that she was used to. Fear, as always but fear of doing the wrong thing. Concern for the man blatant in his features and his eyes, his eyes were begging her not to do this.

 

[Fappy]

Lilith patted the boy on the back as he left the room, sitting down in the chair he had just occupied.

"So, Bennie huh?" She smiled into the mic. She certainly wasn't expecting to hear his voice any time soon. "I'm sure that isn't awkward in any way." The girl was unsure how she felt about this turn of events. She'd be lying if she didn't feel like Bennie abandoned her and Sprout. She may still be sore after that little betrayal.

Pixie was silent for a moment on the other end, "Tell me about it," She sighed. "Anyway, how're you holin' up, Lily? Don' reckon Sprout's been given y'all too much trouble?"

Lilith chuckled. "Please, I can handle him better than you can."

"Maybe," Pixie mused. "You're everythin' to 'im, after all. Thanks again fer watchin' over 'im like you did."

"Oh shush, too much sappy crap lately." She grinned. "Oh! Hold that thought." She turned, beckoning over Maria. "I'd like to introduce you to the person who saved the boy's life. Dr Maria Machado!" She jammed the mic in the woman's face. "Say hello!" She whispered.

Maria fumbled with the mic that was hastily thrust into her hands. Maybe she had gotten too used to being just an observer here? It was true that watching the inner-goings-ons of the Maidens, but she had a part to play here as well. Anyway, Lilith had given her quite the introduction. All Maria could follow up with was one weak word, "Hello?"

"Maria," Pixie cooed. "What a lovely name. I reckon I 'ave you to thank fer my son's survival. I know you've been paid by Lilith already, but if there's anythin' more you need, jus' let me know. That werk fer you?"

"Yeah." Maria began, "Really, I've received enough already in terms of payment, but if you're offering that, I hope you don't mind if I take it."

Lilith crossed her arms over her chest. "We JUST went shopping." She furrowed her brow. "Although she did pay for her own stuff..." She whispered.

"That so?" Pixie cocked an eyebrow and rolled the mic between her palms. "Get anythin' purdy? Lily!" She shouted."Yer not goin' girly on me now, are ya'?!"

"You can't tell me what to do! I bought a pink dress! You can suck my dick!" The girl put her hands behind her head, winking at Elizabeth.

"Suck your dick?!" Pixie scoffed. "Darlin', yer gonna be suckin' every dick in the Maiden if ya' come back dressed like a lil' whore!" Pixie's raspy laughter almost blew the speaker out. "Put the fuckin' Doctor back on, I'm tired of talkin' to yer disappointin'-ass!"

"Just because you haven't looked like a lady in thirty years, doesn't mean I don't want to either." She blew a raspberry, before pushing the mic back in Maria's hands. "*****." She smirked.

"I'M NOT THIRTY!" Pixie shrieked.

"YOU'RE RIGHT! 40! NO 50! *****!" Such love these two shared.

"There will be a reckonin', Lilith. I SWEAR TO YOU!"

"Bite my arse, you dried out slag."

Maria was caught in the crossfire - who knew the Bandit Queen was weak to jokes? While she had to admit the back-and-forth between the two women was a bit funny, Maria felt like she had been pushed into the background by a volley of simple insults. Still, the mic was in her hands. She elbowed Lilith with just enough force to get her out of the way and raised her voice, "I'm here, you don't hafta start a ***** fight to entertain me or anything, y'know!"

Pixie's obnoxious laughter died in her throat and a long silence followed. When she spoke, it was with a low, cold tone, "Don' you take that tone with me, girl. You know who yer dealin' with? That man behind you," Cranston nodded at Maria. "He's the deadliest assassin on the Rock. An' Lilith? She may seem nice 'n charmin', but she's a cold hearted killer when it comes down to it. Don' you forget who we ar', lil' Lady, lest I have Cranston slit yer throat in yer sleep."

After a few seconds of silence, Cranston cracked a smile and an audible chuckle came in through the radio, "GO DAMMIT CHROMEY! YOU RUINIED IT!"

"CRANSTON! FOR FUCK'S SAKE" Lilith fell out of her chair

"YOU BLEW IT!"

For a moment there, Maria froze. Even the blood stopped circulating around her body. Only when Cranston chuckled and the whole thing was revealed as a joke did the colour return to her body. Maria wanted, no, she need revenge for this. Bandit Queen or no Bandit Queen.

"Do you always thank those that've helped with a knife in the back?" She teased.

'Best go big or go home with this lot.'

"No, I reckon I usually send 'em home with a sore ass though," Pixie chuckled. "I like 'er Lilith, where the fuck did you find her?"

Lilith crossed her arms over her chest as she leaned towards the mic. "We stole her bike." She said simply, a sly smile on her face.

Pixie sighed, "Ah, so yer fuckin' stealin' lil' girl's bikes now, are ya'? I thought I taught you better'n that! Should'a stolen her wallet at least! God damn!" Pixie's cheeks were starting to go raw from the tears drying on her face. When she laughed, she laughed hard.

"You haven't seen her." She teased. "Trust me, that pile of shit bike was the most expensive thing she owned."

Maria was flabbergasted. What was Lilith making her out to be? If only the mic wasn't as good at picking up sounds as it was....

"Hey! I'm not some dirty little street doctor!" She said, knowing that sentence to be a bit of a half-truth, "And you don't know what that bike has helped me through, do ya? Tch, did you teach all of your Maidens to lie like this, Pixie?"

"Whoa, watch out, we've got a badass over here." Lilith laughed, holding out her hands defensively.

"You better watch out, Maria, you get along too well with Lily an' she may bring you back ta' see me," She giggled. "Anyway, it was good talkin' to y'all, but I reckon me 'n Lady Maribel have some thin's to discuss."

Maria ended the call with,"She'll have to knock me off my bike first... Well, more like again."

She then passed the mic to Lilith, eyeing her with a steady stare but she failed to keep it up and broke away, laughing.

Lilith shook her tongue out at the doctor as she got to her feet. "''Kay Merry, I'll put Liz on now. She tried to touch me up you know, you should sort 'er out." Turning to the girl she patted the chair, beckoning her over. "Don't worry." She whispered to the nervous looking girl.

Elizabeth had been standing in the back, beside Cranston during the previous conversations. It had been an... enlightening experience to say the least. From the sound in her voice, Pixie really did come off as a loving mother. Then again, what kind of mother sends her son out to war like that?

Perhaps you're still too naive, Liz.

It took her awhile, but by the time Maria was leaving the room, Elizabeth found a small appreciation for the laughs the women had shared. The humor may have been crude (and that's being generous), but they at least sounded like they were having fun.

I suppose that's all that matters.

Elizabeth took the seat she was offered, "Thank you," She whispered to Lilith as she picked up the mic. After a deep breath, she closed her eyes and spoke. "Hello, Pixie?"

"Lady Maribel," Pixie replied, her voice calm. "How're ya' holdin' up?"

She sounded so sincere. Elizabeth bit her bottom lip, "I have been better," She laughed, nervously. "Lilith tells me that Florian is okay?"

Pixie smiled, "Yeah, I reckon the ol' priest is doin' alright. He had me scared there fer a minute." She paused a moment and then added. "Sorry about Josephine."

Elizabeth nodded. Her voice quivered as she continued, "Sh-she was a good woman."

"I know," Pixie admitted, her words dripping with regret. "Blame me if ya' have to. She wouldn' 'ave been there otherwise."

"That would be the easy way out," Elizabeth started, her voice hardening. "But, Pixie... I want to know the truth. Why did you take me? Tell me why all of this happened. Tell me why she had to die!"

Pixie held her forehead in her palm as she searched for the right words, "I had ta' keep you from Dio, I'm sorry, I--"

"Why!?" Elizabeth interjected.

"Look," Pixie sighed. "You deserve the truth, an' I won't keep it from you any longer. Lilith," She paused. "Take 'er somewhere quite and tell 'er everythin'."

"Why can't you do it?!" Elizabeth demanded.

"Because I can', M'lady," Pixie gritted her teeth and ran her fingers through her hair. "I don' want ta' go back there right now, okay?"

Elizabeth didn't know what she meant by that, but she could sense the distress in her voice. After a time, she sighed and nodded, "Okay, thank you." As long as she got the whole story it likely didn't matter who actually told her. "Good luck getting your ship back."

"Thanks," Pixie muttered.

And with that, Elizabeth and Lilith exited the room, leaving Cranston alone with the radio. Sitting down in the chair, he scooped up the mic, "You okay?"

"Yeah."

"Want to hear our plan for Gorgon?"

"I'm all ears."

Once they were done, Pixie turned off the radio and threw herself on the bed nearby. With so many conflicting emotions and thoughts going through her mind, she fought to wrest control and find something coherent to focus on. Then she smelled the food.

Thank God fer you, Amy.

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

"... There's much to do. For example, that Northern upstart, Vasa is causing me some irritation as of late. But... you wouldn't know anything about that, eh?"

So he did know, after all.

What are you playing at, Payton?

She didn't answer him, of course, and waited for his bodyguards to leave before she got up herself. Soon after she found herself outside of the shop once more. The kitten still in her hands, she approached her men with a cold expression, "Lady Maribel is staying at the Red Herring," She began. "Let's not waste any time."

 

[Evrant-Knight]

"I always do." Spoke the seated gentleman, no trace of emotion. "Though, to answer your question, it was chance that brought us all together. I've been active in Feroxi for several months, representing the interests of my employer. I was heading a separate mission when my esteemed company arrived in the dome, having been tasked with tracking Elizabeth Maribel..." He started off saying, then went on to say that his employer tasked him with keeping an eye on Lady Maribel. He seemed competent that Viola would be safe bet with keeping the Noble safe.

"Well, at least someone has some confidence in my abilities, unlike another." Viola muttered to herself as the gentleman went on.

"...However, nothing in this world is free. Before we do something for you, you must do something for us..." The gentleman said, before snapping his fingers and a silver serving tray was presented before Viola. On it was a folder with a photograph of a gentleman attached, two tickets for some formal event, and what appeared to be a small pendant, certainly looked like it cost a lot.

"The man in this photograph is Doctor Adrian Pym." Proclaimed the gentleman. "He is the Head of Dio Basilio's Research and Development Division... and he has become an obstacle that must be removed. Doctor Pym will be attending a formal event this evening, in this very hotel to be precise. We have arranged an invitation for you along with an extensive cover story. At some point during the evening, you will slip this..." He opened up the pendant to reveal white object in the center.

"...into his drink. The poison is tasteless, odourless, and almost impossible to detect on a post-mortem. It is slow-acting too, so you need not worry about a hasty extraction. Doctor Pym will enjoy his evening, and then appear to pass away peacefully from cardiac arrest in his sleep." Said the gentleman in a rather cathartic manner, before closing the pendant back up and placing it back on the tray.

"Do this for us, and Elizabeth Maribel is all yours. Any questions?" He then asked, finishing his talk. This gave Viola the chance to look everything over. Deciding to look at the tickets first, she picked them up from the table and noticed the intricate floral patterns printed with what looked to be some sort of gold leaf. The dossier with information regarding Pym she would study back at her room.

Spoiler: Viola's Ticket

Amelia Crawford, you are cordially invited to a business convention hosted by Lydia Boyle at the Feroxi Grand Hotel, scheduled for 21:00​

Spoiler: Hannibal's Ticket

Teague Murdock, you are cordially invited to a business convention hosted by Lydia Boyle at the Feroxi Grand Hotel, scheduled for 21:00​

Before answering the gentleman's question with a series of questions of her own, Viola took a moment to look at Hannibal. She could tell he didn't want her to do this, there was an abstract sense of fear in his eyes; but given the situation, they hardly had any other alternative. With Cranston focused on finding Gorgon, they didn't have time. Perhaps she could make it up to him somehow. In the end, Viola gave Hannibal a mournful smile, a smile which said; "I'm sorry, but we have to."

"A few questions, feel free to answer them in any order. One, as you can see neither myself nor my friend here are properly outfitted for this event. Would you be able to provide us with suitable attire, or should we go looking for it ourselves? Two, since you've read my file, you know I have a reputation; how confident are you that this cover story will hold up? Three, if you've planned this so well, then why don't you do this yourself? Four, what do you get out of Doctor Pym's death." Viola stopped for a moment to breathe.

"Finally five, consider this an important one if you will. What's stopping you from selling either of us out to Dio or his allies once Pym is dead? I'd imagine knowing the real name of Pym's assassin could be seen as a useful bargaining chip."

 

[The Funslinger]

Contessa stood in the center of the tower's lobby, talking to her younger sister, when the twins came into view. Noticing their approach soon after, her sister cocked an eyebrow and dismissed herself. To say they were black sheeps of the family would be an understatement. Contessa, however, knew of their worth. Perhpas that wisdom was why she was the matriarch in the first place.

She greeted them with a cold stare, "You're late."

Putting his hands together and taking a formal bow, Owain replied, "apologies, my lady." Standing up, he met her eye and spoke defiantly, though without losing the edge of politeness. "Though we could have had more forewarning, and a few minutes will make little difference in the end."

Severa did scoffed as Owain bowed, instead shooting her aunt a sly grin, "We were just about to get to the good part too." She pouted.

Contessa did not appear amused, "Enough. I don't want to hear about your sick hobbies. Now," She looked towards the doors. "You two will follow my instructions to the letter, correct?" Her gaze bore into them. Even Severa was starting to feel uncomfortable as their eyes remained fixed on each other.

Owain smiled broadly. "Of course, we shall go about it as efficiently as possible. Bring the Gentleman back to experience your distaste and kill those who travel with him." It seemed that might be it until he added, "and the sooner we finish, the sooner we can catch up on our 'sick hobbies'." His voice dripped with sarcasm with these last words.

Contessa grinned.

Simpletons, the both of them.

What better way to trick the Gentleman than to use people who utterly believed in your misdirection?

"Good," She mused. "But remember, you are to collect as much information from him as possible before you start killing anyone. He is a smart man and will see your approach coming from a long way away. Allow him to trust you first."

Severa cocked an eyebrow, "I thought he didn't trust anyone."

"He doesn't," She replied. "By 'trust' I mean, he believes what you tell him."

Owain shrugged. "Either way," he replied. "Will there be anything else, dear aunt?"

"No, get out of my sight!" She snapped, shooing them off.

Severa scoffed and adjusted her fur coat, "Someone could use a firm rod." She grinned as she turned to Owain. "Come, let us make for the North."

"If she weren't getting on in years," replied Owain, "I'd say she always gets so impetuous this time of the month. But yes, let's be away. I could use the change of scenery."

As the twins walked off into the night, Contessa's frown morphed into a cruel grin. It was fitting, really. To have those with Basilio blood used in the battle against Dio. If Contessa had her way, this war would end with their hands around their uncle's throat.

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

Bryan was just beginning to lose his patience when the storefront opened and Tsubaki stepped out. He didn't fail to notice the furry passenger mewing softly in her arms.

"Lady Maribel is staying at the Red Herring, Let's not waste any time."

Bryan took this in, grinning broadly. Nodding down at the kitten, he asked, "is this little one our fifth squad member then, Commander?"

 

[Dogmatic99]

"May I say how deeply shocked, and saddened I was, when I heard of the attempt on your life. Words cannot express how please I am to see you alive and well, looking as strong as ever."

Neither Vasa or his men said anything. They simply kept the same glower. One of the scarfed men cleared their throat and Erik tapped a finger impatiently on the grip of one of the firearms at his hip.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

Lilith felt sick to her stomach. 'Godammit Merry'
Leading the girl into one of the smaller rooms of the apartment, she turned towards her. "Okay." She said nervously, running both her hands through her hair. "This is a big fucking deal, and I only ask one thing." She placed her hands on the girl's shoulders. "You can NEVER tell Axel." Her expression hardened.

Elizabeth cocked an eyebrow, "Pixie's son? What... why?"

Lilith closed her eyes. "Because he's not Merry's kid." She paused for a second, biting her bottom lip. Opening her eyes, she searched the girl's face. "He's Margaret's."

Elizabeth had broken eye contact and was getting comfortable in her chair when her sister's name escaped Lilith's lips. At first, she thought she was hearing things. Pixie raising Margaret's child? That was preposterous. Elizabeth shook her head, refusing to believe, "No, that's simply not possible." She met Lilith's gaze.

It was haunting.


Lilith nodded her head slowly. "I get it, it's hard to believe." She crossed her arms over her chest. "What do you remember about your sister?"

Elizabeth leaned forward, glancing down at her hands and blinked a few times. It took her a moment to get her bearings, "Well, uh, I don't remember much," She started, her voice wary. "She was tall, beautiful and she had long, curly blonde hair. And, and she was always smiling when we were together!" She paused a moment longer as she struggled to remember. "I was very young when she was murdered. Unfortunately, I just don't... I don't remember her that well. I know she loved me, but I struggle to even recall her voice."

Lilith furrowed her brow. "Does the name Cherry mean anything to you?"

Elizabeth furrowed her brow, "'Cherry'? Y-yeah, I think that was a nickname she went by. Only her friends used it, though. My parents hated it."

Lilith hesitated for a second. "Okay, here it goes. It's a long one, just..." She sat on the carpeted floor. Crossing her legs. "Wait until I've finished." She chuckled nervously.

"Pixie... Meredith was an orphan..." As well as she could, Lilith relayed the story of Meredith's youth, of how Margaret took her in, and how she took Dio's child after he murdered his mother.


Elizabeth sat in silence, clutching the red fabric of her new dress between her fingers. She hadn't the will to meet Lilith's gaze the entire time. Her eyes remained fixed on the floor, unmoving. When the tale was done, Elizabeth didn't speak right away. What could she say? Could she even believe it?

As she thought on the details... it did make a lot of sense. Now that she'd mentioned it, she did vaguely recall a young redhead. A teenager Margaret spent a lot of time with. Eventually, Elizabeth look back up at Lilith, "D-Dio... Lord Basilio... he killed my sister? An-and I was supposed to marry him?" She was trembling.


Lilith pursed her lips, her expression riddled with sympathy. "Think about it. Why do you think she attacked you on the Maiden?"

"Because she's crazy?!" Elizabeth snapped.

Lilith narrowed her eyes. "Meredith is a lot of things. But crazy isn't one of them." she muttered. "Axel has the same eyes as you, the same as your sister. His mother."

"You-you're telling me," Her voice was quivering. "You're saying that boy in that r-room is my... nephew!? That's my finance's son?!"

"No." Lilith locked eyes with the girl. "That monster doesn't have a son."

Elizabeth's eyes were welling up now, "I-I, I just, I don't," Her words got caught behind a knot in her throat. She believed her. She believed everything Lilith had said. And it was... too much to bare. Too much to take in at once. Dropping her head into her open palms, Elizabeth started openly sobbing. For who exactly, she wasn't even sure.


Lilith clenched her jaw. "I...er." She laughed nervously. "I have no idea what else to tell you." Hesitating for a second, she reached for the choker around her neck, she unhooked it. Getting to her feet, she stood over the girl. "Here, take this. The pendant belonged to Cherry."

Elizabeth looked up at Lilith, wiping the tears from her eyes, "What?" She asked, taking the pendant in her hand. "Wh-why do you have it?"

Lilith smiled weakly. "I don't know why Merry gave it to me." She scratched the back of her head. "I don't really deserve it. I couldn't even keep the woman's boy safe for a week. I er, want the choker though, so I'll get the cherries removed soon, and you can have it. I still have the original chain."


Elizabeth shook her head, "No," She muttered, pushing it back onto Lilith. "It's not yours to give. If Pixie is who you say she is, then she must have had a good reason to give it to you. Please, take it." Though the tears continued, she was surprisingly calm now. There was something about her resolve that felt awfully familiar to Lilith.

Lilith smiled. "Do you, er..." She hooked the choker back around her neck. "Do you wanna hug?"

Elizabeth nodded wordlessly and reached out towards Lilith. The embrace was warm. Comforting, even. Yet, it felt so... odd. The two of them had been enemies no more than a week ago and had almost nothing in common. Yet, for some reason, in this moment... they almost felt like sisters. Like they shared a connection neither of them understood.

After a short time, her sobbing subsided, "Thank you." She whispered, her cheek resting against Lilith's chest.


Lilith closed her eyes. "You remind me of him, you know." She muttered. "Your eyes." She pointed at her own face. "You both have the same eyes."



"Yeah," Elizabeth smiled. "I noticed that too." She remained silent for a long while and eventually lifted her head. She met her gaze. "Do you love him?"

Lilith chuckled. "I've known him since he was eight years old. We were the only kids on the Maiden." Her eyes lost focus as she recalled happier time. "We grew up together."

"Do I love him?"

She thought for a second. "I think..." She tried to find the right words. "He's not my brother. But he isn't a lover either." She bit her bottom lip.

"He's Sprout." She chirped, a grin curling her lips.

Elizabeth searched Lilith's eyes as the bandit pondered her question. She returned Lilith's smile for a brief time before bowing her head, "I..." She choked for a moment before she was able to continue. "I know his mother already asked you to do this, but as his... aunt, I feel I need to ask as well." She found Lilith's eyes once more. "Keep him safe. He keep him away from Dio." Breaking eye contact once more, her expression hardened. "I'll make this right." She whispered.


"Because I'm doing a terrific job keeping him safe so far." She muttered. Shaking away her self doubt, she pushed the girl out to arm's length, her hands resting on Elizabeth's shoulders. "What about you? I know this is a lot to take in, and I know we didn't exactly make the last few days any easier for you."

"Don't worry about me," She muttered, staring a thousand yards away. "I know who the real enemy is now."

Lilith narrowed her eyes, the all too familiar spark shining in their icy depths. "Meredith won't fall until he pays. You can count on that." A sly smirk called the corner of her mouth. "The woman is an inferno."

Elizabeth nodded, "I don't doubt that." As the intensity of the moment faded, Elizabeth sighed and ran her hand across the top of her head. "I think I need a drink."


Lilith grinned, "Now you're speakin' my language." Wrapping an arm around the girl's shoulder, she bumped her own head gently against the girl's. "Man, I sure can't wait for the boy to unknowingly start making sex jokes about his aunt." She chuckled. "It's going to be a special kind of awkward."

Elizabeth scratched the side of her head, "Oh no, is that a thing he does?!"


"Oh, that's all he does." She laughed. "Don't worry, I'll get you drunk first. I promise not to take advantage of you." She joked.

"Yeah," She squeezed invisible breasts in her hands. "Sorry about that."

"Most action I've gotten in months." She sighed through clenched teeth. "Really startin' to miss a certain handsome priest."

Elizabeth cocked an eyebrow and blushed, "Y-you don't mean..."

No way.

"F-Florian?"

"Hah, I wish." She laughed. "I'm probably not coming on strong enough." She smiled slyly. "I'll have to change that."

"Oh," Elizabeth's cheeks glowed brighter as she held her fingers to her mouth. "But... But he's celibate!"


"Yuuuup." She moved her head to one side, cracking her neck. "Gonna have to break out all mah special moves." She chuckled. "I can be quite convincing when I want to be."

Elizabeth just stared at Lilith. Why was she so angry? Sure, it was wrong to seduce a man of the cloth, but Lilith could just be joking. Though, she shouldn't joke about poor Florian. He was a great man and didn't deserve such poor treatment. He was...

Dear me.

If this is what jealousy felt like she didn't want any part in it!

Pounding her open palm with her fist, she announced, "Let's get drinks. Now."


"Fuck yes." Lilith grinned. "Stick with me kid." She ruffled the girl's hair. "Finally, a girl younger than me." She sniffled with mock emotion. "This is a very special moment for me."


"Yes," Elizabeth groaned. "Very special, indeed."

-------------------------------------------------


Asad internally breathed a sigh of relief as the commander left the store.

"Lady Maribel is staying at the Red Herring, Let's not waste any time."

"The hell was that about." The man muttered. "What the hell are we dealing with here?"

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

Sandringham's eyebrows crept further up his head as the questions came thick and fast, and the corners of his mouth twitched in what could have been either amusement or annoyance.

"What's stopping me is that nobody is ordering me to." he replied simply. "My employer has no interest in doing any kind of business with Dio Basilio at this time. Beyond that, I do not make a habit of second guessing his intentions. Though, if he truly wanted to gain favour with Dio, having his proverbial right-hand man murdered would be a rather odd place to start, don't you think?

As for the rest, while the preparations have been admittedly last minute, we have protocols in place for such matters. Your cover will be solid. We will provide convincing disguises, and, unless the security of the Grand Hotel is will and able to, at a moment's notice, access all local records of an Amelia Crawford matching the description that you will match within the last 6 months, then it will hold. The best thing you can do to ensure that, is to study your dossier's in depth so as to know how not to arouse suspicion.

We could do this ourselves, it's true, and with a deal less hassle. However, the more steps we put in this crime between us and Dio Basilio, the better. If Dio has more than a little cause to doubt that the death was anything other than an unfortunate accident of nature, then the whole operation is pointless. Dio is planning something big, and Pym is privy to it. Both men are too clever to get close to. However, were Pym to suddenly be removed from the picture, Dio would have no choice but to promote Pym's understudy. He can't very well go without a head of R&D for long, not at this moment in time. He will need a quick replacement, and the man that Pym himself has been grooming for the role is the obvious choice. Unfortunately for Dio, this protege does not possess the same common sense as his teacher, and we already own him indirectly. Through Pym's death, we will be able to manoeuvre him into the position we need. However, if Dio suspects that somebody is trying to compromise his operation, he will be meticulous in rooting out any security risks.

What we intend to do with the information we gather, I am not at liberty to say. Now..." Sandgringham leaned forward in his seat, looking over the pair of them. "Do we have an agreement?"

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

The Gentleman tutted at such humourlessness.

"Anyway, it's hardly a secret that the prime suspect for the assassination attempt is the Wilkes-Vine crime family. May I ask..." he smiled again. "Are you really such fools as to believe it?"

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

With the food almost ready to plate up, Amy crossed over to her and Pixie's bedroom, before knocking on the door.

"Close your eyes!" she called out.

"Already closed," Pixie groaned, her voice muffled by a pillow. She had been sitting, crossed-legged on the bed, holding a pillow against her chest. It was a posture she often adopted when she was in dire need of meditation, but just couldn't be arsed to do so.

Amy opened the door, and slipped inside, when it clicked shut behind her, she said "Okay, you can look." and Pixie found her self facing a very... different-looking Amy.

Her hair was tied back in a high ponytail, the waves falling down almost to the small of her back, with only a short fringe left to sweep across her forehead. No flowers in it this evening, but rather an earring, with three blue feathers attached, hung from one ear. Her usual jewellery had been substituted for several loops of brightly-painted wooden beads about her neck, each successive loop reaching further down. She wore a loose-fitting, sleeveless top, low in the neck and hanging off one shoulder. It was white apart from the gaudily designed logo of some metal band Amy wasn't sure if she'd ever heard of before. Moving down to the waist, she was sporting a pair of denim hot-pants, frayed at the leg-holes (though they really didn't cover anything that could be classified as 'leg'). Finally, she went barefoot, apart from an ankle bracelet studded with blue crystals.

"People normally dress up for dates, I know." Amy said, a little apprehensive. "Only, well, you've seen my wardrobe. It wouldn't exactly be much of a surprise. Besides, I'm thinking maybe it's not such a good idea to be in my 'work clothes' at times like this. So!" she said, perking up "I decided that I'd dress down instead. Cameron let me try on some of her clothes and they fit me quite well, though obviously I'll need to buy some for myself..."

She smiled nervously at Pixie. "What do you think?"

Pixie lifted her head, squinting as her eye adjusted to the light shining in through the doorway. Once the grogginess of her pseudo-nap subsided, and she could see the young woman properly, her lips curled into a small smile, "I like it," She mused. Whether she was commenting on her wardrobe or her demeanor, Pixie wasn't sure. "Who the fuck ar' the 'Children of Hel'?" She laughed. "Sounds fuckin' gay."

Maybe it was because Amy had told her about her past, but Pixie couldn't shake the feeling that the woman she saw before her was another act. Another mask. In truth, she had been acting the same way since this morning. Since she'd... changed. But armed with the knowledge she had now, it was hard to believe someone with such trauma could act so... normal.

Perhaps she'd picked up on this behavior from watching others. Watching normal people. Then again, itsn't that how children developed? Isn't that how they learned to integrate into society?

It was at that moment that something churned, deep within Pixie's stomach. Looking at Amy now: the genuine grin, the young, slender frame, those... innocent, big eyes. She saw a child. And she suddenly felt sick. No matter how developed Amy had become physically, she was still so far behind in other ways.

What is wrong with me?

Of course, considering her disheveled state and the dim lighting, Amy would have had no chance in sensing her trepidation, even if she did wear it on her sleeve.

Throwing the pillow to the floor, she hopped off the bed and started for the bathroom, "Bah, I can' share a meal with ya' lookin' like a mess, now can I? Give me a second ta' wash up!" She called out from inside the bathroom.

"Okay!" Amy called cheerily. "I'll just be serving, come on through when you're ready."

Dashing back to the kitchen, Amy plated up, and crossed over to the Dining Room where she laid everything out on the table. Dimming the lights, she then went round hurriedly lighting all the candles, hoping she hadn't overdone it.

After splashing cold water across her face a half dozen times she scrubbed her face dry with a towel and went to work applying azure-colored eye shadow. Blue may have been Amy's unofficial color, but Pixie didn't have much to choose from.

Mildly satisfied with herself from the neck up, Pixie looked herself over in the bedroom mirror and shrugged, "Ah, fuck it." Amy was dressed similarly. A black tank top and torn up jeans worked well enough. Whistling, Pixie sauntered out of the bedroom, past the kitchen and into the dining room.

Leaning her back on the door as she closed it behind her, she smiled, "Wow Amy, you've really out done yerself. I don' know what ta' say!"

Amy giggled.

"Let's save the compliments until we're sure I'm not poisoning you." she joked, before she went over and planted a long kiss on Pixie's lips, when she drew back, her arms were draped loosely over Pixie's shoulders.

"But thanks." she whispered, before moving in again for a smaller kiss. When they broke apart, Amy took Pixie by the hand and lead her over to her seat, before pouring wine for the both of them, and sitting down opposite her. She didn't tuck in at first, waiting hungrily instead on Pixie's reaction.

"Aesop really deserves much of the credit, without his help most of this would have been ruined, not to mention I'd have probably forced an evacuation from all the-" she took a deep breath. "Do you like it?"

Pixie sipped the wine, grunted pleasantly and then moved in for the the main course. As delicately as possible, Pixie cut out a piece and stuffed it in her mouth. As soon as the flavor hit her palette, however, she lost all notions of etiquette. Looking up at Amy, she spoke with her mouth full, "This ifsh fuckin' gewdf!" She cooed.

Amy blushed, before attacking her own meal with gusto. With the ice broken, everything just seemed to flow naturally. Amy asked how the conversation with Sprout had gone (side-stepping any mention of Bennie's outburst), and Pixie took that baton and ran with it. From all the stories Amy heard over the course of the next few minutes , she concluded that she couldn't wait to meet Pixie's adopted son. Though, the thought couldn't help but nestle at the back of her mind, how the boy might react seeing the two of them together. There was the fact Amy was only 2 years older than he was to consider, and not to mention the boy would have spent much of his youth with Bennie as something akin to a surrogate father. Would that make him resent her?

The main course polished off, Amy stood up and cleared the plates away.

"I'll be back in a minute." She said, bending down and kissing Pixie on the cheek. "I hope you're still hungry for dessert."

Pixie hummed a cheery tune, "I'm always hungry, sweetheart!" She grinned, sauce and crumbs still sticking to her face.

When Amy returned, it was with a bowl of strawberries balanced in one hand, and another bowl of chilled cream in the other.

"I don't know where Carlos got his hands on these!" Amy exclaimed. "They're a delicacy even for the nobility. I hope he won't mind..."

Placing the bowls on the table, Amy offered her hand and brought Pixie to her feet. Taking a strawberry off the top, she dipped it in the cream, before holding it out to Pixie, a sultry look in her eyes.

"May I?"

Pixie started giggling. And then, she started laughing. It was like something straight out of one of those cheesy romance films her and Cherry always watched. Well, usually they preferred the 'Westerns', but there weren't many options to begin with.

"Sorry," She offered a toothy grin. "Yer too fuckin' cute, Amy." Looking at the strawberry, she nodded. "Knock yerself out, darlin'."

Amy wilted a little at first, thinking she'd done something wrong, but when Pixie smiled at her, the butterflies were settled. She pushed the deep red fruit forward, and watched as Pixie sealed her lips around it, and took it from her hand right to the stem, her lips brushing the tips of Amy's fingers. After a small moan of pleasure from Pixie, Amy smiled and moved closer, placing her hands on the other's hips.

"My turn." she said, cheekily "I'm not ALL about giving, you know."

Pixie cocked an eyebrow, "An' here I thought I'd jus' hit the jackpot. Talk 'bout high maintenance." She giggled, mimicking Amy's technique. As she slid the stem out from between Amy's lips, Pixie smirked. "You should see what I can do with a cherry stem."

"Maybe I will, later." Amy crooned, before inching in closer, so their lips were barely and inch apart, the candlelight flickering in their eyes.

"On that thought..." she continued, her voice surprisingly low and throaty. "I was thinking that, we may have taken things a little fast before. We have all evening, and all night to ourselves now, and I don't know if they'll be much down time tomorrow. So, I propose that tonight we take it slow, and... 'get to know each-other, a little better'."

Lightly brushing Pixie's lips with hers, Amy leaned in closer and whispered in her ear.

"I was thinking that first, we get to know each-other on the couch. Then, we could run a bath, and get to know each-other in there. Then, as many other places as you like, before we go to bed, where I hoping we can get to know each-other very, very well."

 

[Fappy]

Pixie withdrew her head, looking Amy in the eye, "I dunno, think you can keep up?" She joked. "I may be a lil' rusty 'round the edges these days, but I reckon I can still outlast most y'all pretty, young thin's." She winked, sliding a hand down her back and squeezing firmly.

What was she doing? Wasn't it just a bit ago that you thought this girl a child? Wasn't this wrong?

Bennie thought it was wrong. But, was he just jealious?

No, it was wrong... but the look on Amy's face. She was so happy. Was this what she wanted?

Was Pixie taking advantage of her?

She's an adult. She can make her own decisions.

And that was that. That was all the rational she needed to pull Amy in for tender kiss. And then another kiss. And then another.

As things proceeded down the predictated path, Pixie pushed her doubts in the back of her mind. The part of her that said what she was doing was wrong. Pixie was tired of denying herself of the things she desired. If Amy wanted her, she'd give herself up willingly.

That was all that mattered.

"I wouldn't be so confident." Amy teased, as clothes started coming off between kisses. "I haven't shown you all of my moves yet..."

A few hours later...

Amy's screams overrode all prior thoughts of restraint and dignity, and were likely loud enough to wake half the Ashlands, as she shuddered on a bed strewn with discarded strawberry stems. Sitting up, she pulled Pixie into the longest, fiercest kiss Amy ever remembered having given. She was still trembling when they broke apart, sweat beading on their entwined bodies.

"I think we can call that a draw." Amy gasped, out of breath, before collapsing into Pixie's arms.

"I love you." she said, over and over, until sleep took her there. "I love you. I love you. I love you."

Her eye closed, Pixie simply held Amy as she repeated the phrase over and over. Eventually, the words began to stumble on their way out as she sunk into a deep slumber. Despite all the ways she'd exerted herself over the course of the night, Pixie was still restless. There was something eating at her still. Even after all the excitement, it had found its way back into her thoughts.

"I love you."

Why did that phrase unnerve her? It was so endearing, so... innocent coming from Amy. It made her heart well-up every time she'd heard it. But once the words were spoken, it left a bad taste in Pixie's mouth. It was a bitter taste.

What the fuck am I doin'?

Pixie wasn't sure what to do. What to think. What exactly did Amy need?

Did she really need this? Did she even really want it?

She was begging for it.

Pixie was stuck. Lost.

She didn't know what she needed to be to this girl. Did she really need a lover? Had Pixie been so blinded by Amy's wiles that she failed to see what the girl was really looking for?

She'd spent her entire life having her flesh used. Scratching that primal, carnal itch. What made Pixie think taking her the way so many had before her would do any good at all?

She's a child, Pixie.

Perhaps, it was just a lack of understanding. Perhaps, Amy didn't know what love really was. Or rather, maybe she didn't understand how it could be shared without sex. Had Pixie just taken advantage of her damaged mind? Her naivety?

You think too much.

Pixie snuggled up closer to Amy, holding her tight. As they lay their naked together, in as intimate a way as can be achieved, Pixie felt no romantic attachment. There was love there, sure. Some form of it, in any case. She cared about Amy. Despite what she'd told her a few days ago, she still did want to 'fix' her. Somehow, however, Pixie didn't think this was the right way to do it.

"I'm sorry, baby." She whispered as she kissed Amy on the top of the head.

She needed to talk to Bennie.

Tomorrow.

 

[Evrant-Knight]

Viola listened intently to the responses that she received, suffice to say, it sounded as though everything had been thought of in advance. "...What we intend to do with the information we gather, I am not at liberty to say. Now..." The gentleman leaned forward in his seat as he looked at both Viola and Hannibal. "Do we have an agreement?" After that, a period of silence fell, the only sound was that of a ticking clock on top of the hotel room's fireplace.

"Yeah, we have reached an agreement. And my decision is no. Basilio may be a prick, but it doesn't mean those that work under him have to suffer. I'm not going to kill someone unless there is a good reason that warrants their death. Find some other stooge to do your dirty work. Come on Murdock, this journey was a waste of time." Viola said with disgust in her voice as she turned and walked towards the door.

"We'll find some other way to locate Lady Maribel. Even if it does take longer." She said before closing the door on her and Hannibal.

 

[Terratina.]

Spoiler: Diagnosis Doctor Time!

The call had been an... interesting experience, still Maria needed to check up her patient. Axel sounded healthy enough but she had encountered people who were experts at avoiding the doctors - anyone could sound healthy if they put their minds to it. She opened the door to Sprout's room and walked in saying, "Hey, check-up time!"

Sprout's eyebrows shot up, "Oh," He cooed, a sly grin on his face. "Time ta' play more 'Doctor'? I don' reckon I mind a fine lady like yerself feelin' me up."

"For someone who just got shot a couple of days ago, you sure seen energetic." Maria replied, trying to ignore the teen's awkward pick-up lines, "And mister, this is the real deal, y'know. Up and out, c'mon!"

"Yeah, yeah," Spout muttered as he rolled over to the edge of the bed. Groaning as a sharp pain shot through his chest, he slowly planted his feet on the ground. "How naked do ya' need me?" He asked with a bashful grin.

"Just take ya top off." The doctor responded. She didn't know what was worse, his attempts at flirtation or the fact that Axel didn't seem to realize that the woman in front of him was more than ten years older than him. She suppressed a sigh and asked, "How have things been, anyway? Any pain? Headaches? That sorta thing."

"Well," Sprout pulled his shirt off as painlessly as possible. Still wincing from the soreness, he scratched his head. "Nothin' I wouldn' think is normal. Just chest pain and fatigue. Sometimes it's a lil' hard ta' breath." He paused for a moment as she began her inspection. "Hey... uh, this is a weird question, but, can pain, like, make you remember stuff?"

Maria nodded, everything seemed normal... Well for someone recovering from a shot to the chest. She thought for a second about the teenager's question and answered, "Um, I dunno. There are all sorts of triggers for suppressed memories, I guess. But I'm no head doctor."

Sprout shrugged, "Yeah, don' suppose there are many'a those 'round here, huh?" He chuckled. "I dunno, it's like... I know I've never been shot before, but it almost feels like I've felt this kinda pain before. I don' remember though. I can only recall images from this weird dream I've been havin'."

Maria frowned slightly, part of her didn't want to think what sort of circumstances would make a boy feel that much pain. Part of her didn't even what to ask want the dream was. However, curiosity was a curious thing.

"Can you describe them?" She asked. This wasn't her area of expertise, but in general, talking about things helped. Probably as much as laughter.

Closing his eyes, Sprout nodded, "I get pulled around a lot in the dream. Between different women whose faces I can't really make out half the time. One of 'em is Lily, I know that." He gritted his teeth. "Then there's Ma'. She is younger, a teenager I think and she's... terrified. Hysterical. An' she," He choked. "She beats me up. Like, she beats me down... 'til I can' stand anymore. An' then she just cries."

He sighed and looked at Maria, "Shit's weird."

She couldn't really say anything. Maria just placed a hand on Sprout's shoulder - that wasn't a dream he described, it was a nightmare.

"You can say that again." She said with a weak smile as the doctor placed a stethoscope on his chest, "Now shut up and breath in and out."

Sprout did what he was told. As she placed the cold, metal disk against his chest, he cocked an eyebrow, "So, Maria," He started. "When we leave Feroxi... are you comin' with us?"

She stared into space for a bit while she listened to Sprout's breathing. Things sounded clear, but weak. Maria lowered the stethoscope and flashed a smile - a stronger one this time.

"Lemme see." She began, "I will probably have to fight off Lilith and I don't like the idea of Cranston coming after me... Besides, there is the fact that you still need some looking after. Preferably by someone with a medical background. Hmm... Dunno about Pixie though."
Maria ended that little speech with, "So, I'd say that's a more or less a yes."

"Awesome," Sprout cheered. "We need more purdy ladies on the Maiden! It's a fuckin' sausage-fest, I swear!"

Maria laughed, "What are you? The Maiden's pimp?!"

Sprout shook his head, "Nah, that probably be Bennie," He scowled. "Or Ma'." His expression contorted into one of disgust.

"I wouldn't know." Maria sighed, defeated. She shut up and continued with the check-up. At the end of it, she gentily patted the boy on the back, gathered her things and left.

'Christ, the child is an absolute yo-yo.'

***​

Jun's eyes narrowed as he looked back at the rooftop brigade, he just couldn't shake the feeling off. The feeling that he was about to the shot in the back. Trust a sniper to be scared of that. As for the recent addition to the team, he had no comment. The kitten would probably die sooner or later, just as everything did. Still, the main part of the mission was ahead. He wouldn't have to wait around for long. What was it with missions and Jun anyway? As soon as one was announced, he always wanted to start quickly and end quickly. Maybe it was just something about efficiency.

 

[ProtoChimp]

No. No no no no no she wasn't like this? Viola was no killer! He knew her reputation, and anyone who had heard of her knew what she was about. Her backstory was no big secret to hide and she had such little dirt on her it could damn well be flaunted. She was no murderer, her papa was no murder. This was against her code. No, no she wouldn't. Hannibal reassured himself. All of this was just learning information, and they would leave this room together and find another way to save Eliz-

"Yeah, we have reached an agreement.

His heart stopped. His veins became ice. The blood stopped flowing and were halted by the parasites that were swimming in his arteries. Viola Greaves... who the hell was she? This wasn't her. This wasn't the woman who wanted to save the underdog in the street, who took care of him, someone who she didn't need to look after. This wasn't the woman who paid for his food and protected him. This was a...

'Everyone's the same.'

Why the hell had he gotten so attached? He knew no one was as good as she appeared to be. Those who aren't obvious monsters on the surface are just doing a good job at hiding it underneath.

"And my decision is no."

His head snapped up and he looked at her face as she delivered words that were just too sweet to hear. Was this actually happening?

"Basilio may be a prick, but it doesn't mean those that work under him have to suffer. I'm not going to kill someone unless there is a good reason that warrants their death. Find some other stooge to do your dirty work. Come on Murdock, this journey was a waste of time."

Hannibal was smiling. He was actually smiling. He never smiled. Okay it was a half smile and his face contorted in such a way it looked as if he had tasted something sour, but that was just the unfortunate effect his face had taken over the years after going 18 years without a reason to smile. But he was happy. Even if it looked like he was faking a smile, it was genuine. He followed her out the door and looked at the men inside. Whether they were affected or not, whether they would kill Pym or not, Hannibal had a victory.

This day, he was not the winner. He was on the side of the victors. The battle was fought for him, but the day was his. He didn't even know who his enemy was, but he had beaten them. He walked backwards out the door with his awkward smile as Viola continued, "We'll find some other way to locate Lady Maribel. Even if it does take longer." And just like that it was closed. It was over and done with.

He turned to her had and even if his happiness looked awkward on the surface, there was certainly something in his eyes. Something that clearly made him feel good. "Viola... You... I can't believe..." His sentences had no end. Just a happy trailing away.

 

[The Funslinger]

Spoiler: Ruffles Flashback music

Jake was eight. Due to their house being fumigated for pests, Jake and his siblings had been cast to the four winds. Jake had gone to stay with his aunt Lana, and her son, Landon. Jake's head was currently in the toilet, which was being flushed.

"Come on, braniac, if you're so smart, think your way out," said Landon, giggling. Jake merely gurgled. This went on for quite some time until the cheap-ass plumbing backed up. A frustrated Landon sat on Jake's back, while Jake coughed up rather suspect water and cried.

"Man, you're a fucken baby. And a wuss." This provoked no change in Jake's behavior, so Landon contented himself with kicking the younger boy for a while.

Later, after Lana had arrived home and separated the two boys, Jake had headed straight to his favourite place in Zephyr. The junkyard. Landon had been sent to help Granny Miller, and Lana had gone back to her work. Finding a discarded wheelbarrow, Jake used a rock to hammer its broken support back into shape and started filling it with things. Odds and ends at first, until he found a coil of rope and a pair of empty oil drums. These he put into the wheelbarrow and took home. There was a wizened old oak in Lana's back garden, which Jake had liked to climb until Landon had made a game of it to throw stones and try to pull him down. Throwing the rope over the topmost branches, Jake knotted each end of the rope around a drum and balanced one on the edge of the porch and the other on the tree's furthest branches.

With that done, he set about filling each barrel with stones before climbing up with the lids to seal them shut. Each drum weighed about five hundred pounds and though the old tree strained visibly, it held. A second rope was coiled along, holding the drums in their precarious perches.

Later, Landon arrived home, and though tired, capitalized on the absence of mother by chasing Jake through the house trying to make him eat a fistful of maggots he'd found who knew where. Jake made a beeline for the back garden and dove for the stick he'd buries in the ground, to which the second rope was tied around. As soon as it was dislodged, the rope flew its course and the drums came flying down, to smash loudly together. Fortunately for Landon, the rims of the barrels barely touched his forehead, but the force of it was still enough to knock him out cold. He never touched Jake again.

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

Jake was twelve now, and had begun his work repairing small appliances for neighbors. His technological curiosity, while still somewhat dangerous, no longer had him labelled as a problem child, but as a potential provider. As such, some of his brothers, sisters and cousins usually helped gather odds and ends he asked for, usually at their parents' demand. Who knew what the little man needed? None of them, certainly. A shade mischievous, Jake took full advantage. And so it happened that he was in the back garden of Granny Miller's house carrying a jar of burnt orange liquid, which was in fact an extremely potent homemade fuel. Jake had intended to filch a filter mask and try to put a bottle rocket into orbit. This was child's fancy, but he had done well with the fuel, going off an old book he'd found in the junkyard, and a lifetime of hearsay.

Unfortunately, Granny Miller wandered around the corner. "Jake? Jake, boy, where you at? Granny needs you, she does. Get yo ass over here!"

Jake immediately assumed the worst, and did the only thing he could to hide the jar of fuel, although he would retrospectively realize Granny Miller would have had no idea what it was. Hell, she was nearsighted. He probably could have put it behind the climbing frame and nobody would have been any the wiser. But this was retrospective, and by then it was too late.

He threw the jar at the roof, hoping it would clear it and land in next door's hedges, safe and sound. It did not. It instead went right down the chimney and into the fire that Granny Miller had been about to tell young Jake to watch for her. The jar broke. The fuel ignited.

Even Granny Miller noticed when half the house exploded.

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

Ruffles opened his eyes and groaned. His head was killing him. As his vision cleared, he noticed two large bottles. Ever with his priorities straight, he reached past the water for the huge bottle of violently bright purple soda and began to neck it.

"Fuck me..." he said. Then shuddered at the memory the words triggered.