"They're more like a business than a bandit family."
Sandra raised her eyebrows a little at the intensity of Bennie's response. Clearly, there was some history there, but it was his business. No doubt he'd tell her if he thought it was important for her to know. Beyond that, her focus was on the hear and now.
"So, they're folks who aren't likely to have any nasty surprises in store for us... apart from when they do." she commented.
"Never get into bed with them. Never."
'Too late.' she thought, though she guessed Bennie wasn't speaking in such literal terms. Besides, it seemed they didn't have a lot of choice but to be in bed with the Wilkes-Vines right now. Figuratively, the Maidens were trussed up and ball-gagged, their pants round their ankles, hoping that the Wilkes-Vines were in a gentle mood.
As proceeding continued, Sandra had to roll her eyes a little at Sprout's stroppy teenager act. Clearly, he was feeling more sure of himself after last night; but, if he thought he was actually impressing anyone right now, then Amy obviously had a lot still left to teach him.
"Fuck her, she ain't here!"
That was when the Wilkes-Vines chose the perfect time to show up.
'So much for a united front... or playing it cool for that matter.' Sandra resisted the urge to sigh outwardly. Instead, she turned to face the newcomers. She didn't quite bat her eyelashes at them. Too obvious, she did, however, fix them with a sweet little smile, 'discreetly' looking one of the men up and down. One of her legs was slightly cocked as well, emphasising the tight fit of her jeans. All light touches (these men were professionals after all), but anything that might eat away at their confidence, if only minutely, was worth a shot. The job might be routine, but Sandra guessed they didn't want the Wilkes-Vines dignitaries to be in complete control of the situation.
Finally done, Amy stepped back to admire her and Millie's handiwork in the canteen. Considering it was all a two (well, one and half) person job, she was impressed. Where Millie had been able to find so many balloons and a full compliment of coloured marker pens on a bandit ship was a most incredible mystery to her. Maybe six year old girl's just had a sixth sense for this sort of thing. It turned out the kid was something of an artist too... Amy just hoped some poor Maiden who's bed-sheets they had 'borrowed', didn't mind sleeping under a 'WELCOME NEW MAIDENS!' banner, in glorious Barbie pink, for the foreseeable future. As for refreshments, stocks had not been hard to come by. If all went as planned, nobody would be able to remember the next morning just what had been stolen from whom to make it all come together.
'Eh, what's the point of hoarding it all in a locked cabinet anyway?'
For all the begging, borrowing and stealing that had brought them to this point, Amy was genuinely elated with the legitimacy of their results; and, truth be told, she couldn't have asked for a better parter in making it all happen.
"Well, you certainly earned you prize." she said, beaming up at Millie, who was currently perched in her shoulders, having fixed up the last length of fairy lights (quite what Ruffles felt he needed with all of them, Amy had no clue).
So that went from naught to awkward in sixty seconds. Gale backed up a little and shot an awkward look Jesse's way. The chief usually seemed to have most of it together. 'It's like when someone who never loses their temper suddenly blows and it's like, whoah.'
Luckily it didn't last long. Some snappily dressed scoundrels made their entrance, carrying the kind of bags a shady kinda guy would make kittens disappear in. So this was what the big leagues looked like. It wasn't as fancy as she'd imagined. Still had that air of tension about it though and with guns knocking about the place, well, no wonder people had tried to keep Gale shielded away from kind of thing.
She did her best to seem casual as she fo-sauntered over to where she could get a commanding view of the meeting and unslung her wrapped up rifle, holding it in front of herself like a spear.
Sprout had to ruin a succinct sentence by attaching a lengthy speech of his to it. Still, it quite amusing to see him get verbally torn into for smoking. 'Jesse' just stood there and enjoyed the view, puffing happily. When Gale gave him a glance, Astor's smirk grew a little. 'As long as it's someone else, it's fiiiiiine.'
In fact that little moment was probably the highlight of the day for him.
However, the Captain's rageful entrance was soon followed by some people who looked like they had just walked out of a gangster flick. Though, it was probably safe to assume that these guys were more dangerous than those figures of film. With that, the chance for any more banter died. Well, you win some you lose some...
Astor also adopted a casual pose, hands on hips close to The Mare's Leg. Hopefully it wouldn't come to that.
The man in charge of the Wilkes-Vines crew sized-up the four Maidens on the big man's flank. "Cute kids you got there," he mocked. "Guess Austin killed more of your people than I thought."
"He killed more of yours, actually," Bennie corrected him without missing a beat. "Now, are you going to just stand there waving your self-important dick around in the middle of the street or are you going to do your job?" Though his words cut deep his tone was calm and professional.
The man with the slicked-back hair glared at the senior Maiden. "You know who you're talking to?" he threatened.
"Son," Bennie began in as condescending a tone as any of the present Maidens had heard, "you don't think I recognize a peon playing at captain when I see one? I killed my first Wilkes-Vines when I was twelve years old, and even that fuck-head was tougher than you."
The three men behind their leader all shook with barely contained fury. One of them even started for his gun. "Don't," their leader commanded. "It's fine. Let this Carmine piece-of-shit let off some steam. After all, I'd be pretty upset too if my sister was---"
"Don't," Bennie warned.
Face hot with rage, Sprout brushed past Bennie and stepped right up to the Wilkes-Vines leader. The big man would have stopped him, but Sprout was too quick.
What are you doing, kid?
"Step the fuck off, mother fucker!" Sprout spat, his face mere inches from the gangster's. For a brief moment, Bennie saw Pixie in her son... and he knew this wouldn't end well.
A wide grin split across the man's face. "What the fuck is this?!" he laughed and looked past him at Bennie. "He yours?"
Bennie shook his head. "Pixie's," he told him.
"That slut has a kid?" he laughed harder now.
Sprout was fuming. "Don' you talk that way 'bout 'ma," he warned.
"Get the fuck out of my face, kid," the man said dismissively. "Go back to suckling on your mom's titties. Or better yet, send her my way so I can get her down on her knees. I've always been curious to see if the legend holds up." The other three men burst into laughter, leaving Sprout to stand there, his head bowed, trembling.
And then he did something really stupid.
"FUCK YOU, FUCKIN' ****-ASS MOTHER FUCKER!" He wailed as he threw a right hook at the Wilkes-Vines captain. Completely blindsided by the attack, Sprout's fist buried itself into his cheek before rattling his jaw and knocking loose a few teeth. The man dropped to the ground like a sack of bricks, but Sprout wasn't done with him yet.
His blood boiling, the wild boy dropped down, straddling the man and began pummeling him.
Before the captain's men could draw on Sprout an ear-shattering gunshot split the air, stopping them dead in their tracks. From an unseen vantage point, Tallahassee has fired a rifle round at the ground between the three men.
"SPROUT, STOP IT!" Bennie roared. Lunging forward, the big man grabbed Sprout by the shoulders and lifted him off his prey. The man was badly beaten, but still conscious. "What the fuck are you doing?!"
Sprout struggled, but ultimately couldn't fight against Bennie's superior might. "You heard what he said, Bennie," Sprout hissed. "Mother fucker needs ta' lose a few more teeth!"
"STAND THE FUCK DOWN! NOW!" Bennie reiterated.
Once his ragged breathing had slowed, Bennie shoved him back towards Gale and Jesse, hoping they'd handle him.
"FUCK YOU, MAIDENS!" the man with the now broken face cried. His three men stared Bennie down as they helped their boss to his feet. "FUCK YOU!" He spat blood on Bennie's shoe.
If he'd been alone, Bennie would have probably shot all four men on the spot for that. Fortunately for them, the 'kids' were watching. "Keep the gear, and send a message back to your boss," he told them. "'Send professionals next time.'"
And with that, Bennie turned on his heel and beckoned his Maidens to follow.
"FUCK YOU, CARMINE! YOU FUCKING PIECE OF SHIT! I'D HAVE FUCKED YOUR SISTER BLIND IF I HAD BEEN THERE!" The man continued on in his cursing, his voice growing quiet as his men dragged him farther and farther away.
"I think you know me better than to mention someone who might pick an argument with me, and skin in the same sentence,"
There was no time for The Gentleman to reply. People were already beginning to pile out of the armoured Crawlers. They were a rugged bunch, Kalashnikovs and pump-action shotguns cradled in their hands, bandoliers slung over every available space on their bodies, that wasn't covered with makeshift, welded plates of Kevlar. There was no real uniform to their appearance, apart from one thing. A black and yellow insignia stencilled somewhere on their clothing, depicting a grinning skull, with a mushroom cloud billowing out of a bullet hole in it's cranium. Rag-tag as they looked, they moved light on their feet, and covered all angles with watchful eyes. It was clear that they were well trained.
From the centre, a tall man strode confidently towards the pair, the tail of his long, brown leather overcoat billowing behind him. From an inside pocket, he drew out and absurdly huge cigar, and lit it, before proceeding to use it in turn to light several long wicks that had been woven into his long, thick, dark brow hair and beard. As the man moved closer, a broad leer emphasised by dark, sharp eyes came out at them though the haze of acrid, yellowish smoke that curled up around his broad tricorn hat. Across his body, both beneath and above his coat, was holstered an array of pistols, grenades, and other explosives.
"Ye gone and got yerself a few grey 'airs since I last seen ye, Gents." The man growled in a broad, Bristolian accent.
"Whereas yours are as magnificently dark as ever, William." The Gentleman replied.
The other man grimaced and spat, the thick gout of yellow slime just happening to find Owain's left shoe.
"Last man tha' called me 'William' 'ad to wash out 'is mouth with 'ot plasma!" He grumbled, before clapping The Gentleman on the shoulder. "But for you, I'll forgive it... once."
Black Bill Martin had an air for the dramatic.
Resisting the temptation to roll his eyes, Owain dragged the tip of his boot through the dirt to wipe it clean. "So how long is the bullshit grandstanding meant to go on for before we actually talk business?" he asked, giving Bill a sardonic grin. "I mean by all means, go on acting like your balls are so big with half an army surrounding us, but if I wanted another pissing contest, I'd have struck up a real conversation with this old relic on the way over here." He jerked a thumb towards the Gentleman as he said this.
Smoke furled out from between Bill's teeth as he grinned at Owain.
"So..." He began, menacingly. "This is the Lombardi boy, is it Gents? I don't think 'e likes me much?" He bumped The Gentleman on the shoulder and barked with laughter. "Eh, or maybe 'is balls are jus' sore since you uglied up tha' darlin' sister o' 'is? Maybe we should find time to take 'im ou' on the town one nigh', find 'im a real girlfriend?"
"I would advise against it." The Gentleman replied, a little stiffly. He flashed a small, sideways look of warning at Owain.
"Aye, well, so long 'as 'e stays clear 'o ma crew..." Bill continued "No offense boy, but ye a tad too pretty for our tastes."
This was followed by another belly laugh, before Bill stepped up to Owain, looking down at him with a mean squint.
"Tha' two o' us should get one thing clear though, 'fore we ge' 'talk business' as ye say..." Bill hissed, his voice crackling like the embers of a coal fire. "Who ye' think ye' are, 'cause o' 'ow many silver spoons were jammed up ye' puckered arse when ye' poor ***** o' a mother pushed ye' ou', don' mean shit ta me. I'm better than ye'. I eat better than ye'; I shit better than ye'; and I wipe my arse with better than ye'. Ain't no contest abou' i'. Us old relics 'ave been killin' little fucks like ye', since ye' and ye' whore sister were still takin' notes from the kennels. Ye' go' tha'?"
Owain raised his left arm casually to check his watch, although his right hung by his side, in easy reach of several of his knives, as well as his pistol. He knew that pushing this too far would lead to a fight even the two of them couldn't win from this position, and even then, the Gentleman would probably step to one side. But he knew it was also an issue of mutual respect, and that simply backing down would be fatal.
Glancing at the watch, he said, "well I suppose that answers my question in a roundabout way, so thanks for that. Five more minutes of showing off like an expensive stripper? Or can I pay you now?"
There was a short pause, in which it wasn't quite clear what Bill was going to do, his facial expression fixed and his eyes unwavering. Then, he snorted with laughter, and clapped Owain on the shoulder.
"Ye go' some nads on ye boy, I'll give ye tha'!" he roared. "If ye don' give me cause to complain, then maybe I won' take a pound o' dynamite to ye, an' see 'ow many directions I can make 'em fly in."
"Sounds good," said Owain, before turning to the Gentleman. "How much have you told these guys about what we're hiring them for?"
"Little." The Gentleman responded "We can't guarantee any forms of long-distance communication are clean."
'Whether from Dio or from Contessa.'
"Aye." Bill chimed in, turning his attention back to his old friend. "Pas' reasonin' dictates tha' ye wouldn' 'ave dragged me ou' 'ere all this way withou' good reason. If it's me ye wan', I assume ye want sommet blown up."
"Dio Basilio, to be precise." said The Gentleman.
Bill made an angry noise at the back of his throat, and spat on the ground once more, avoiding Owain's shoe this time.
"Tha' prick!" he exclaimed. "For 'im, I almos' wouldn' charge. Almos'... Seems like tha' sor' o' thing ye could do yeself, maybe even be easier fer one man ta go in alone. Why ye cuttin' me in?"
"One man could kill Basilio, but not dismantle his entire operation." The Gentleman answered "Although he has no official heir, Dio has big plans that I'm certain he wouldn't allow to die with him, if it came to that. Also, because of these plans, Dio and his forces are on the highest alert for any attempt on his life. We need an open assault, one of such spectacular effect that Dio's focus will slip, just momentarily, from the knife at his back."
Bill grinned, taking a long puff of his cigar.
"So, tha's 'ow it's gonna be, is i'? We die by the dozens, stormin' the gates o' Basilio Tower, jus' so someone else can ge' the glory of guttin' tha' lanky bastard?"
The Gentleman was ready with his counter.
"Security in Feroxi, while having an enormous visible presence, is far from impenetrable. I've done it myself on several occasions; most of the time, undetected. Our mutual benefactor..." He glanced briefly at Owain "can requisition almost any munitions you feel you would need, and my channels can get them, and you, smuggled into the city. Provided we keep the element of surprise intact, all you need to do, is begin with a large enough bang to throw the Tower's defences into disarray, and then hit them hard before they can regroup. Superior numbers will mean little to Basilio's forces then."
Bill chuckled "Ye make i' sound so easy!"
"If it was easy, I wouldn't be paying you."
"Ha!" Bill bellowed. "Fine then. We've stayed pu' too long. Get in the cars an' we'll hash ou' the details, an' I'll give you my terms."
'Simple enough,' thought Owain, following the Gentleman to one of the crawlers. He wondered idly what weapons and ammunition the mercenaries would ask him for.
The speech did not go down so well, what little of it Florian managed to get out. A lot of the time was spent with answering the usual questions. Yes, he was alive. No, he wasn't working with his father anymore. If he knew that coming out of exile and not being dead was going to be such a repetitive bother he'd have written up a handbook for people to read instead. At least a frequently asked questions leaflet. At least here the few people in charge could keep their men in line and they managed to quiet things down after they had also gotten over their initial shock. Some of them just looked hurt by the news. Not that Florian could blame them, so many people had died during the past decade during Frostfall's various conflicts. What right did Florian have to be the one who got a second chance?
"I know you have no reason to trust me." Florian went on in the common language, the nobles had hired a good deal of foreign soldiers and the native ones didn't have a great mastery of the mother tongue, it seemed far more noble and civilized to speak a more pleasant sounding language.
"But you know more than anyone how bad things are getting out there, you've suffered the brunt of it. Their are new influences among The Hussars, ones threatening to drag us into wars with other domes. Whatever you've seen here in the uprising will pale in comparison to what could come." Florian scanned his audience solemnly. Their formal uniforms now creased and tattered, each of them looking so worn out that they might drop there and then.
"And we're supposed to help you oust one Bejic for another? That doesn't sound like change to me." One of them spoke up.
"No. I'm asking you to help restore order. Not for the Bejic family, for Frostfall. The people you swore to protect." Not that they'd done much of that.
"But it's still your people in charge." The crowd grumbled among themselves.
"Do you see anyone else stepping up to take the job?" Florian snapped, his patience with them was beginning to wear thin. "The nobles, are there any left alive that are capable? Any of you up to it, you think you can run a dome, you think you can bring a populace in line after it flat out rejected you and everything you stand for?" No one particularly jumped to answer that question.
"Better than letting the place be run by criminals!" A young officer spoke up. "A bunch of axe swinging lunatics that, now they finally have what they want, can't wait to start stabbing each other in the back." Oh they had an agitator here. "And you expect us to be lead by a coward that couldn't even stand by his own blood!" He was on his feet and at the front of the group now, waving his arms at Florian like a true politician.
"Do you really want to get into a debate on who the real criminals are here with me, boy? Your beloved employers were far from perfect. Or shall I list off their own rap sheet?"
"At least they never-"
"What with the unfair taxes, and the occasional tithe for their own means, and the draft, and let's not forget using their control over the weather to give us this WONDERFUL unending cold!" Florian listed off, enjoying a rare chance to be condescending.
"At least they never murdered any innocent people!" The officer barked back.
"No, they called it capital punishment. For crimes men were pushed into to feed their families!" The Hussar's had seen their fair share of men meet the firing squad.
"Just like the men you helped crucify, or shopkeepers who's bones you broke because they couldn't afford their 'protection' pay?"
He kind of had him there. An argument that Florian had faced plenty of times during his time with the family. Sure he had his own logical falsies to answer this one but they were risking going off topic. He was here to win these people over, not to trade smack talk.
"My point is..." Florian took a deep breath as he gathered himself. "Rule of law, in the north and on The Rock, has always been decided by who has the most guns and the most power. Right now, you have neither of those things. None of you want to admit it- and I can't blame you - but you are running on borrowed time. All this resistance is doing is giving any conflicting parties a common enemy to unite against. You've already seen what happens when the full force of The Hussars is brought down on you... and now you are weaker... and they grow stronger from your spoils."
And Florian was quiet as he let those words sink in. The assembled loyalists bristled in silence, looking to each other or just the floor. They were already nearing their wits end, now they were beginning to believe him earnestly. This was a way out, maybe their only one.
"You think the other domes are sitting idle here?" Their main dissenter spoke up again. "We don't need to kneel to this scum! The message is out, help is on the way, it has to be." He was getting desperate.
"Open your eyes, the other noble families have abandoned you! You think they're willing to risk their their own men fighting over a city no one has ever given a damn about, especially when there aren't even any of their own kind left to repay them? All any of us have now are each other!" Florian shouted him down. He was half tempted to share the information The Gentleman had given him and tell them that this was all helped along by Dio's designs but that may have only complicated matters. Besides, it would have across like desperate lies on his part.
"They are not like your kind! They have real honour, ethics, they-" This was just getting sad now and the captains in charge could see it. The firebrand officer found himself halted in his tracks. With good timing too as he was getting closer and closer to Florian who had clearly had enough.
"We are willing to discuss options, Mister Bejic." One of them said calmly. Florian took a seat at the table where they were gathered, shouldering his way past the younger officer as the two of them stared daggers at each other.
It took long enough but eventually each side was able to find terms they were willing to agree to, not that the Boykov men were in a good position to argue from, getting into a position where they weren't being hunted down like dogs was a big enough win for most of them. At least this way, of things went well, they'd still have a livelihood and some security when the big change did come. Maybe they wouldn't be welcome but they'd be safer. Probably. Not that Florian's new friend didn't make it any easier, constantly speaking up and fighting for his side's share of the spoils like a cornered dog.
Eventually it came to an end and those assembled filed out of the warehouse that was serving as their meeting place, on good terms for the most part. Florian pulled up his coat collar in anticipation for the cold and turned to Lilith.
"Well that could have gone worse." He nodded. The way out of the woods was in sight.
He hadn't noticed that the temper challenged officer from before was hanging around, his hand itching for the gun at his side.
Things had broken down so quickly, that Sandra was always walking back with the others, the screamed threats of the humiliated thug growing quieter in their wake, before she could figure out how to react to any of it. She'd thought about drawing her gun, but it had all been over before such an action would have been called for (in retrospect, it probably would have been a bad move anyway).
As they walked, she made several furtive glances over at Bennie, and a few at Sprout. A couple of times, she opened her mouth as if to speak, before closing it again when nothing came out. She felt she should probably say something, but it was hard to find the right words through the thickness of the atmosphere...
"On the bright side..." she opened with eventually "I don't think Payton'll want to draw too much attention to one of his goons getting schooled by a fifteen year old..."
"Well..." Amy said cheerfully, getting Millie down off her shoulders, and leading her by the hand out of the canteen and back towards her room. "As you did such a great job setting this little prom up, it's only right that you get to be the Prom Queen, the Guest of Honour... and it's only right that the Prom Queen is the prettiest girl on the dance floor, so I'm giving you a makeover! Don't worry," she added with a smile and a wink. "I'm very good at this."
Around about the time Florian found himself a new friend, Lilith lit up a cigarette, arms crossed over her chest as she narrowed her eyes at the scene unfolding before her. 'He wants to help save this shithole of a dome, and this fucker is arguing with him?' At least the officer's superiors seemed to have some sense as they eventually talked the man down long enough to talk terms.
After the negotiations had concluded, and terms had been reached, some begrudgingly, both her and Florian left the warehouse, as did everyone else at the meeting. As the cold chill bit at her, she immediately regretted the loss of her hat, shivering slightly as she hunkered down in her coat, nuzzling her lower face into her scarf.
"Well that could have gone worse."
"You did good." Lilith cooed, her words muffled by her makeshift cowl. "And you found a secret admirer." She chuckled. "It's always the ones that pretend to hate you, that like you the most." She nodded her head solemnly.
Florian gave a weary sigh as he turned to see what she meant. He looked even younger in the light of day. The lad knew he'd been spotted and squared himself, meeting Florian's eye defiantly. Looking at him now, with his pale brow hair and his cheeks bitten red by the cold, Florian wondered if that officer's jacket was even his. It didn't seem to fit him well.
"Your friends went the other way." Florian called over to him. He didn't get an answer. "You might want to go join them. It's not wise to be wearing those colours out in the open now."
Florian and Lilith suddenly found their personal space being invaded as the newcomer strode up to them with far more pomp than he'd earned. Much to Florian's chagrin.
"You don't know who I am, do you?"
'Oh here it comes.' Florian managed not to roll his eyes.
"Everybody here knows you. I'm the only one that remembers you, though. Five eyars ago, out by the east edge."
'Like clockwork.'
"Your kind were causing trouble, like they always do and my brother went to stop them. Because he was military man, a real man. He made to challenge the lead man but you picked up the glove instead." His eyes were boring into Florian now, every word dripping with venom as he barely contained the rage that had been building up through that entire meeting.
All Florian thought was: 'Brother, it's almost always a brother.'
"Glove?" Lilith peaked her mouth from behind her scarf. "What does he mean?" Lilith asked, pulling her hands from out of her pockets in case the kid tried something, much to her dissatisfaction as the cold nipped at her fingers.
"He means I accepted the challenge to a duel." Florian said coldly, not looking away from what was clearly a would be challenger. "I'm guessing I won."
"I saw you do it. I saw you put a knife in his neck!"
"Your brother fought well, lad. He died a better death than many here have gotten." Florian had adopted the same tone he used when talking to the maidens in their darker moments of confession. "I am sorry for your loss."
Lilith felt a twinge of sympathy for the rosy cheeked boy, her expression softening as Florian gave the usual platitudes. Duels? She thought those were something from the old movies and stories, not something people actually did in real life.
Then it hit her, her heart quickening slightly as she saw what was very likely about to happen. "Florian." She gently tugged at the man's arms. "Florian, let's go, It's freezing." She looked at the officer, hoping he'd look at her for just a moment, glance at her so he could see the apprehension on her face.
Florian grunted and turned away with Lilith. It didn't take a genius to see where this was going and as tempting as it would be to put this boy in his place after a few hours stuck in a room with him being a thorn in his side, now was not the time. He'd indulged his pent up energies earlier this week and he'd no doubt get a chance again later. All he had to do was walk away; like he'd done so many times before.
He and Lilith were bout to make their exit when a hand on his shoulder turned him back around.
"You and your friends laughed about it afterwards. You walked away laughing." The young man snarled in his face.
"Go home, lad. We did good work today, let's let it end on a high note." Florian spoke slowly as he removed the boy's hand from his shoulder as if he were handling some nervous animal.
They looked at each other for a moment and Florian gave a slow nod and backed away, the picture of calm neutrality, his arms out at the side and his heart heading for his throat. Then it happened. The glove was thrown at his feet and the loyalist boy clenched his fists till they went white.
"Pick it up." He said.
Lilith clenched her jaw as the situation came to a head, her eyes on the presented glove. "Oh no." She muttered, her words barely audible as she glanced up at the boy. 'You stupid, stupid boy.'
Turning her attention back to Florian, she took a step towards him. "Ignore it, let's just go." She tried to keep the pleading look from her eyes. 'I don't want to bury this boy' Tugging at the man's jacket she chuckled nervously. "I'll buy the drinks."
Florian looked back and forth between Lilith and the glove like some dog torn between it's master's command and juicy piece of ham. His eye may have twitched a little. It was a crappy fight in an alley but it was something. Straight and honest and true. And how long had it been since he'd actually duelled someone? A really long time! He couldn't back down now, that would make him a coward and no way was this lad taking no for an answer. Besides, if he did then how long until the lad got drunk and started bragging that he sent Florian Bejic running with his tail between his legs?
Really it was the only sensible thing to do.
"Lil it's fine. It's fine. I got this." He shook her off calmly and bent over to pick up the glove and threw it back at his opponent. "I pick the weapon then?"
The young officer nodded, tensing up.
"I only have this." Florian raised his coat to reveal the pistol at his side.
"Fine by me." The lad grunted. They worked out the basic rules between them, not that this was a formal affair. Lilith was clearly out as a ref and there was no crowd to please. In the end they were just standing those ten paces apart, staring each other down.
A crawler near the mouth of the alley started its engine, the closest thing they had to a signal. Their hands darted towards their weapons and it was over far faster than it had started. Florian proved the faster of the two as he planted a bullet in the lad's thigh, causing him to cry out in pain and drop to his knees, his gun falling to the ground with him.
Florian looked more alive than Lilith had ever seen him as he tried his best to suppress the grin and ended up with a cocky smirk. "See? Told you I had it." He said to her, his eyes never leaving his wounded prey who was busy clutching his leg and yelling profanities at them.
It took Lilith a few moments to realise she'd been holding her breath for a quite a long time, a relieved smile curling her lips as she exhaled slowly. Glancing over at the writhing boy, she placed her hands on her hips as she approached Florian. "Good job Florian," Lilith rolled her eyes. "you managed to beat a kid, everyone will be so proud." Her expression hardening slightly.
'He killed the kid's brother, if he's to be believed, what would you do in his shoes?' She knew what that felt like. All too well.
"Now, if you've finished posturing, let's make sure the kid is okay, and then we can get out of this bloody cold."
"Sure, fine." Florian's buzz quickly faded. Normally when these things ended it was a lot more... hyped that Lilith was making it. He wasn't a kid anyway. Sure he was young but so were they, hell, look at Lil for Christ's sake. Why was she being like this?
Well anyway he could be the bigger man and make sure the lad got back to his friends okay. That was what he planned to do anyway. Wasn't like he killed him or anything! He got it much better than the guy who's finger Lilith shot off. Honestly, he didn't care for the attitude she was bringing into this.
They were walking over to the defeated fool - who was not taking this well either - when he made a mad grab for his gun and fired a wild shot. Florian roughly shoved Lilith to the side as the shot went wide. He probably couldn't see so well through how watery his eyes were getting. He certainly couldn't see anything after Florian clocked him in the head with the butt of his pistol.
["Little shit!"] He yelled, giving him another hit to the ribs. They'd been having a perfectly good duel and he had to go and ruin it! Every time he tried to do something these days, people had to come along and be selfish dicks about it! Why couldn't he just have this ONE! LITTLE! MOMENT! Of satisfaction!?
He was well and truly off the leash right now.
"Shit!" Lilith exhaled sharply through gritted teeth. "Shit, shit, shit!" She swore as she staggered off to the side, grasping her at her right arm. The stray bullet had grazed her, just below the shoulder, just a flesh wound as far as she could tell, but she had a nice new hole in her nice new coat, with some blood to sweeten the deal.
'Goddamn son of a *****.'' The girl winced, deaf to what was going on around her, it took Lilith a few moments before the sound of the scuffle behind her reached her brain. Turning sharply, the pain in her arm faded as she took in the sight before her.
"Florian, stop it, now!" Lilith shouted as she hurriedly approached the fighting pair. She clutched at the shoulder of Florian's jacket, attempting to pull him off the boy he was mercilessly beating.
He'd moved off of clubbing the boy and onto kicks. Lil's intervention did at least force him to take a breath from it though. It was only as he turned to look at her that he saw the swelling patch of red on her arm. Priest Florian would no doubt have stopped what ever he was doing to tend to her wound and make sure she was okay. He wasn't a priest any more though.
"Oh... no!" He shook his head, turned back and stamped down hard on the bloody bullet wound.
Following Florian's eyes to her wound, she shook her head, about to reassure him, but he had already resumed his attack on the boy. "IT'S FINE!" She shouted, as she tried to pull him again, to no avail. "Florian stop, Florian, I said-Florian you can stop! St-I SAID STOP!" Grabbing the man's collar, Lilith turned Florian towards her slightly before delivering a hard slap across his face. Embracing the opening of a now clearly taken aback Florian, she shoved him aside, enough so that she could put herself between the man and the boy. "ENOUGH!" Lilith roared, arms held wide as her eyes bored into Florian's, his cheek quickly beginning to redden. "I said enough." Her voice quietened but lost none of its edge.
"He comes here, starting a fight with me- a clean fight!" He yelled back, turning to the downed officer at the end. "And he drags you into it!" He punctuated it with another kick. ["Well you don't get to do that. You hear me?"]
He'd lost all his calm now and he wasn't even sure why. He'd hurt Lil, what more reason did he need? Not as badly as others... like pixie had. And what had he done then? Nothing, just let it happen. And where had he been while this Gorgon was hunting her and Sprout? Sitting on his ass like a useless idiot! Well not any more! He wasn't going to be made some obsolete token for anyone, he wouldn't be weak again! He didn't notice that he'd shoved Lilith aside to stomp the shit out of some more of this poor guy.
"Florian, no! Please!" Wincing as the enraged man pushed her aside, Lilith clutched at her arm as Florian continued the beating. This wasn't right, this wasn't the Florian she knew, this wasn't the man she admired, and yet she was powerless to stop him it seemed.
He was being no different than Pixie at this stage, letting anger take over his better judgement.
'Well he did shoot me.' Her right hand shook slightly as she balled it into a fist. [/i]' She didn't realise how quickly he would fall back into old habits, back to who he used to be. Clenching her jaw, Lilith glared at the back of Florian's head. "Florian..." She sounded so defeated when she said his name. Digging her fingers into the skin around her wound, the girl walked around the pair, glancing down at the boy, he was almost unconscious, he wasn't even putting up a fight anymore.
"Florian, look at me." The man ignored her. Arms by her side, Lilith breathed slowly as she readied herself for what she was about to do. "Florian, I'm asking you one more time." She received nothing in return other than angry grunts.
Stepping forward and grabbing a handful of Florian's hair, Lilith reared the man's head back as she delivered a fierce punch across his jaw that sent him reeling backwards. "I told you to fucking stop, ****!" The girl shouted.
Florian reeled back in surprise and pain, clutching at the side of his face that was not having a great time of it today. Giving some gutteral groan of pain through gritted teeth he finally got dragged back to the present.
"What the hell?!"
"You fucking heard me!" Lilith stepped over the boy as she closed the gap between her and Florian. "Want me to fucking do it again? 'Cos I'll do it again, wanker!"
"You want to save some punk that shot you?" He said back to her in disbelief. The noise had attracted some of the men who'd lagged behind. "Get him out of here!" Florian waved them over to their worse for wear friend. "You tell your commanders how he fucked up here!" They cautiously came over and picked up their ragged comrade, dragging him back inside.
Florian stayed quiet while they went about it, he'd keep his personal disputes private. Once the door slammed behind them he turned back to Lilith. "What is wrong with you? You knew this could get bloody, you yourself said we'd have to take some people out."
"You think that's what I meant?!" Lilith pointed towards the warehouse. "You killed his brother, Florian!" The girl shook with anger. "So fucking what if it was during some bullshit duel, he was a kid! What did you think he was gonna do?!"
"Some kid? He was old enough to fight, Lil, an' he chose to come in here and start one with us. He wanted to kill me, he could have killed you. Maidens have killed people for less - and younger now, at that. An' he wasn't even some brainwashed cult kid. So excuse me if I do what I have to to protect myself, to protect you!"
"I get that!" The girl brushed some wayward hair from her eyes. "But you didn't have to pummel him into the dirt!" She looked up at the man, shaking her head. "I thought you wanted things to be different this time, that you didn't want to go back to how you used to be!" A small incredulous snort escaped the girl's throat. "'Cos that? That was some fucking Pixie shit right there, Florian."
"And that's so bad now?" He shrugged and made to leave. "That approach seems good enough for you and the rest of us. Maybe it's what this place needs too."
"Hey, don't walk away when I'm talking to you!" Lilith snapped as she went to grab Florian's sleeve.
Florian stopped in his tracks and slowly turned to look at where Lilith had grabbed him. Then back up to her. Right now he was feeling like if this had been anyone else he would have snapped right there, but this wasn't anyone else.
""What? What else is there to say? I'm sorry I beat the shit out of some punk. I didn't know that was off limits now, I must have missed the meeting." He didn't appreciate being talked to this way, let alone for doing something that was practically a right of passage among the maidens.
Lilith's searched the man's face for a moment, before averting her eyes, slowly releasing his sleeve before shoving her hands in her coat pockets. She mumbled something inaudible as she burrowed her mouth in her scarf.
"W- what was that?" Florian's voice lost all it's bite. Wasn't she supposed to be the one on the offensive here? Was this a trap?
"I said just go then." Lilith mumbled defeatedly. His mind was set, and there was nothing she said that could change that. Looking up at the man sulkily, the girl sneered under her scarf. "Bailing when shit gets too real, you're good at, don't let me stop you."
"Bail..."
He was taken aback by that. Had it been a few days ago he would have welcomed those words, she would have left and he could have gone about all this in peace. Instead she went on about accepting him, despite his past deeds and even helping him rebuild his old home. So now she turned on him as well, just because things were getting too ugly for her tastes. And to think he believed her. All this time and there was only one person who'd very really been honest with him, who didn't try to weigh him down with shame. The scar by his neck tingled at the thought of her. If only she hadn't left him with such vile memories.
"I wish I had that option." His voice was low as he stepped close to Lilith. "I wish I had that option when they were bleeding me for information on the Maiden and all of you. Or the crew and our captain were about to tear each other apart or when the people you love threw their senses away and gave into bloodlust - even turning it on you!" As if either of them could forget that. "But I stood by them, we both did, for whatever reasons we had. So tell me, Lilith. Why is it so much worse when I do it? Why is it one rule for them and another for me?"
"Because you stopped." Lilith mumbled. "You stopped, and you didn't do anything like that for years." She continued, her voice growing firmer. "You think Pixie can stop being what she is? No, she can't, because that's all she is, she tried, but life wouldn't let her, so she had to fight, tooth and nail, for everything."
Looking up at Florian, her mouth leaving the confines of her scarf, her face softened sadly. "You stopped, Florian, you changed your nature, you did what nobody else I know could. You got out." She averted her eyes. "You're better than that." She nodded at the patches of the blood on the ground. "You don't need to do that anymore, that why we have Erik and Irena." She paused for a moment. "And me." She hunkered back down into her scarf. "Let me do it."
"And let you damn yourself in my place?" He looked at her sceptically. Did she even understand what she was asking him to do? "No. I'm done sitting on the sidelines and letting others shape my world for me." He'd run out of steam now, this wasn't a fight any more, it was just showing how messed up their lives had gotten. "Now I need to go make sure the deals still stand with the loyalists." He moved past her, edging around the pool of blood at their feet. He paused a moment to really look at it.
"You can't save everyone, Lil, especially in this world." He said mournfully, before following after his victim.
Lilith stood there as she watched Florian walk away. Sighing defeatedly, the girl reached into her back pocket as Florian entered the warehouse. "I'm not trying to save everyone." She mumbled to herself as she plucked a cigarette from the pack with her teeth. Lighting the cigarette, she leaned her head back and lazily blew smoke skyward. "Just you." She smiled sadly as she flicked her lighter closed.
Lilith thought about going after him, but decided against it as she stuffed her hands in her pockets and began heading back to Irena's apartment. She had an arm that needed cleaning and stitching, and some whiskey wouldn't hurt either.
The conversation lightened up considerably after Lady Cogburn's sad tale. It had been an awkward way to break the ice for sure, but Tsubaki found it strangely comforting. The story had touched something deep within her, uncovering a myriad of emotions she'd long since buried. Suddenly, she wanted to talk. She wanted to pour her heart out to this woman. She wanted to tell her things she'd been too afraid to tell anyone before. Things she could never even admit to herself.
There was something about the way this woman held herself that made Tsubaki feel like nothing she told her--nothing she felt--was wrong. That she wouldn't judge her. Melissa wasn't like the others. No, she wouldn't gossip behind Tsubaki's back. She wouldn't hurt her for the fun of it.
Tsubaki realized she'd never in her life been so quick to trust someone else. What had taken Asad and Bryan years, Melissa had done in an hour. She was just so honest with herself. It was refreshing. It made Tsubaki want to do the same.
"So, when all this is over... when you're retired and you've moved away to a nice, beautiful apartment far away in Paradiso; what do you want to be doing? Who do you want to be with?" the sly noblewoman asked with a dangerous glint in her eye.
Tsubaki had hardly ever considered such things before. Despite that fact, she'd found it remarkably easy to conjure up a thousand different satisfying scenarios. Tsubaki took a liberal bite out of her pastry and smiled warmly. "Now that's a fantasy few soldiers ever get to entertain," she mused.
"You don't plan on dying, I take it," Melissa remarked. "That's not a particularly motivating goal, you know." A brief sadness shone on her face as she said that.
"I haven't given it much thought, I'll admit," she replied with a shrug. "I guess I'd like... I don't know, I think it would be nice to run a store of some kind."
Melissa chuckled. "Guess you're not really the retiring type, eh?" she commented. "What kind of store?"
The young soldier thought for a moment. It really was an obvious answer. "Shoes," she told her.
"Shoes? I have a friend you need to meet!"
Tsubaki blushed. "It's not very becoming of an soldier, is it?" she asked.
Melissa waved her hand dismissively. "You kidding me? The man I am thinking of has far more reason to be embarrassed than you do!" she chortled.
"A man?!" Tsubaki blurted. "You can't be serious."
"Deadly."
Tsubaki thought for a moment. "Well, I guess... I don't know, that sounds like it could be kind of hot," she admitted. "I mean, a man who knows how to look sharp? That's a rare thing."
Melissa gave her a wry smile. "Don't you know it," she said with a wink. "Makes it all that much better when you rip their cloths off too!"
"M'Lady!" Tsubaki gasped in mock terror.
"Scandalous, I know," Melissa said with a grin. "I can't help it if I like my men well-dressed and well... endowed."
Tsubaki blushed. "You're going too far!"
Melissa reached over the table and shoved the soldier on the arm. "Come on, Commander," she teased, "tell me about the men in your life!"
"No way," Tsubaki protested. "You're going to have to get me drunk before I start talking about that."
"Drinks later then?"
"I never said that!" Tsubaki whined.
Melissa shrugged. "Trust me Tsubaki, you're going to need a few drinks in you when I talk about the men in my life," she advised her with a wink.
Tsubaki cringed and the two of them shared a laugh. A short time later, Tsubaki gave Melissa a serious look. "What about you, M'Lady?" she began. "What do you want to be doing when... well, do you ever retire from being a noble?"
"I don't suppose so, but it's an alluring thought," Melissa admitted. She took a sip of her coffee and stared into the dark liquid between her hands. "I don't know, I guess what I want is rather simple." She smiled sadly. "I want to be with my... husband. I want him to hold me every night in his arms and remind me that it will always be 'this way'. I want to be able to do the same for my children too. For my son and daughter, I want to hold them until they're too big to be held, and then... and then I want to be there to watch them grow once they've left the nest. I want to be old, and cranky, and just a general pain-in-the-ass, and I want to bounce my grandkids on my knees and sing them songs that I was sung by my... mother."
"I cannae imagine Pixie was too please, who was she more pissed at?"
Ruffles hesitated.
Ruffles stood in his workshop, leaning over his workbench. He was sweating profusely, and his heart was hammering in his chest. Even through the solid and rather sturdy brick wall, he'd heard Kyle screaming his name in fury, spouting absolutely vile threats. When finally he was freed, Pixie had put herself between them, and Kyle had stomped away, fuming. He had had to come out from his room into the workshop and set some traps before he felt comfortable sleeping. Now it was the morning, and he couldn't just wait it out anymore. He had picked his way out into the workshop and disarmed all the traps he remembered setting. But still, he didn't know what to do or where to go. This time, Kyle wouldn't just shove him or trip him or take his food, or drunkenly smack him around. The man would probably be out for blood.
Several minutes later, he heard footsteps, and suddenly the door flew open. Kyle filled the doorway, reeking of booze. There was a large knife in his hand. "Alright, you stupid fuckin' ******," he hissed. "You've fucked with me the last god damn time."
"I'm pretty sure that was the first time I fucked with you, man," Ruffles replied.
"First and last!" Kyle declared, drawing his revolver. "Now it's my turn, Jakey boy." He cocked the revolver, aimed it down and fired. Ruffles skipped back with a yelp. Kyle fired again and again at Ruffles' feet. "Dance, ******, dance!"
"Jesus christ, Kyle, fuck off!" Ruffles yelled as he backpedaled to avoid the bullets. The last one grazed his ankle and he fell, sprawling. Kyle advanced, holstering the empty revolver and passing the knife into his right hand. "I'm gonna fuckin' enjoy this," he breathed.
Ruffles looked around desperately, and that was when he noticed the tripwire. The last trap, that he had told himself he would disarm once he was ready to head out. By complete chance, Kyle had only just stepped over it. It was almost close enough to graze the backs of his legs.
"Do yourself a favour and keep still," said Kyle, raising the knife. Ruffles closed his eyes and lashed out with his foot, breaking the tripwire. There was the hiss of pressurized air, and a wet thud. Then the clatter as Kyle's knife fell to the ground. Forcing himself to open his eyes, Ruffles looked up. An eight inch crossbow bolt was stuck halfway through Kyle's neck, with an end poking out at either side. As Ruffles watched, Kyle made a gargling sound, and blood started pouring from his lips. Then he seemed to realize he was dead, and fell back, landing hard enough that drops of blood bounced into the air.
Ruffles couldn't tear his eyes away. He'd never killed anyone before.
==============================================
Ruffles was sat on one of the chairs in Pixie's office, staring at his feet. "I... oh god dammit, Pixie, I fucking killed him!"
Reclining back in her chair, Pixie had her legs crossed and propped up on her desk. She took a long drag from her cigar as her one good examined a polaroid in her hand. It was a recent picture taken of the crew. Kyle was front-and-center. Her gaze lingered for a moment longer before finding Ruffles.
He was a mess.
"I'm sorry this happened, Jake," she said sadly. "Truly."
"I've never killed anyone before..." he whispered. "And it was a fucking Maiden!"
"Maidens don' try ta' kill other Maidens, Jake," she assured him. "Kyle stopped bein' one of us the moment he stated 'is intentions."
"I hope I never have to kill anyone again," Ruffles muttered miserably. Although he didn't know it at the time, he would kill again. Even if he never became a cold blooded killer like many of his fellow crew, Ruffles at least became a little numbed to the task. Enough that the gargling sound Kyle had made stopped haunting his dreams, and he could at least tell the first part of that story without it unsettling him. But in that moment, he was sure he'd never take a human life again.
Pixie leaned forward in her chair and took Jake's hand in her own. "Hope all ya' want honey, but sometimes you ain't got no say in the matter," she told him with a shrug. "I'm here though. I'll always be here. That's a promise, Jake."
"Uhhhh, she was pretty understanding," he said eventually. "But let me tell you about when Lilith first showed up. She hid right up in the engine room, thinking nobody would find her..." and then he was off into another anecdote.
"Shit!" Lilith swore painfully, and she inhaled sharply through gritted teeth. "Ugh, I'm making a mess of this." The girl whimpered defeatedly, looking down at the needle sticking out of her arm. Placing her elbows on the kitchen table, Lilith rested her forehead in her palms. The walk back had been cold and miserable, it had taken her twenty minutes to get enough feeling back in her fingers to actually attempt stitching up her arm. Apparently she hadn't waited long enough, since her hands were still shaky and unresponsive.
'I shouldn't have hit him' Lilith kept running the scene through her mind, she should have done something else. The man probably saved her life, who knew where that bullet was going. 'He was protecting me, and I punched him in the face.' The girl chuckled sardonically as she straightened her arms out onto the table. Wincing slightly as she plucked the needle from her arm, she quickly lit up a cigarette, holding it loosely from her lips as she made another attempt at her arm. It was quite a deep flesh wound, but it was straight and clean, easy enough for her to clean and stitch. Well, if her hands would actually cooperate for five minutes. Taking a long, deep drag of her cigarette, Lilith held the smoke in her lungs for a few moments as she plunged the needle back into the skin around her wound. Clenching her jaw, she threaded the needle into the skin adjacent to where she started and gently pulled on the thread to close the cut.
"Okay, good." The girl muttered as she exhaled, smoke pouring from her lips. Grabbing the whiskey that sat next to her first aid kit, she took a long gulp straight from the bottle. "Fuck you, Florian." She coughed slightly as she slammed the bottle on the table. "Making me punch you, ****." She sniffed slightly as she continued stitching her arm. She did the right thing though, right? If she didn't stop him, that kid would have bit it there and then, and as soon as the dust settled and Florian's rage had ebbed, he'd regret it for the rest of his life, surely he'd see that? 'He's a grown man, Lily, he's not Sprout, he can do whatever the fuck he wants.' Taking another long drag of her cigarette, the tobacco calming her shaky hands somewhat, she finally finished with her arm. She wasn't going to win any awards for neatness any time soon, but it would do.
Sighing in relief, Lilith crossed her arms on the table before resting her head there, staring down at the kitchen floor as ash broke away from her cigarette and onto her lap, closing her eyes, the girl groaned.
Gale gave a basic effort of holding Sprout back once The Chief had thrown him their way, he didn't put up much of a struggle. She was pretty sure that he, along with most other people in the room, was busy shrinking away into his boots. Gale certainly was. Yeah, sure she was trying to get her rifle at the ready just in case things went crazy but she was really hoping they didn't. Even she could tell that a bunch of gunshots going off in such a cramped place was a bad idea for all concerned. At least the old hands all saw sense and the suits managed to drag their boss away, hating every bit of it.
Though they didn't have to take their gear with them.
"So uuhh... I guess we chalk that one up to a learning experience?" Gale tried to awkwardly break the quiet once things had calmed down and they were just among friends.
["Kids, what are they like?"] Vasa smiled quietly as he leaned back in his chair, placing his hands behind his head.
["They've certainly raised to the occasion. Pity we couldn't have had more of that while the Boykov's were still around."] Erik said.
["Oh hush now, Erik, wasn't it you who wanted people to look to the future more? Well now people truly are. With a dome to reshape and a fresh enemy to conqueror."] Being this chirpy did not suit Vasa. Erik did not care for it one bit.
Wilkes-Vines and their dogs had been harassing their operations in the outlying domes and p=chipping away at their usual profits as the two sides engaged each other in continuous skirmishes and backroom fuck overs. WV was probing them for weaknesses, they didn't dare engage them in Frostfall or head on against the wealth of weapons the Hussars could bring to bear. Not yet anyway. Erik almost wished they would, all this in fighting and political maneuvering was straining at the ties that had bound this family together for so long and making them weak and sluggish. A true common threat would do wonders for them right now.
Well soon. Florian and Irena were laying the ground work, now if he could just soften Vas up then they could finally come together as a whole again. If Erik could forgive Florian for this then surely Vasa could as well.
["You seem to be indulging Sergei and his droogs a lot more these days..."] He started hesitantly.
["Well he isn't sitting idle, is he? Even Irena's been busy - don't think I haven't noticed her scheming away, raking in the spoils. Honestly Erik if you and yours don't care for the new spirit of competition we're fostering then you have only yourselves to blame when things don't go your way."]
'Oh Vas, what's happened to you, what's happened to the man I would have followed into hell?'
As depressing as all this was becoming though there was one thing that sent shivers down Erik's spine. He knew about Irena's plans, how much of them? Did he know about Florian too? All Vasa would do was give him this knowing smile. he wouldn't act that way if he knew his son was alive... would he? All this cloak and dagger! This wasn't something Erik could fight, he couldn't lay his hands on it and half the facts were hidden in shadows. This wasn't his world but if he wanted any hope of saving the two Bejic men from each other then he'd have to stay and brave the terrors in it.
He took a seat opposite his old friend. ["Well it's on that note that I wanted to talk to you."] Erik said. It was time he start playing the game.
Things had gone over as well as could be hoped for with the loyalist commanders. They sure as shit weren't happy about this but they weren't about to let one man losing his head cost them their chance at survival. Florian made sure to stress that he was not the one that started matters and was acting in defense of himself and his companion. It didn't matter now anyway. Everyone was busy looking at the big picture.
He didn't want to go back right away, he was still smarting from the smacks to the face that Lil had given him. This was bullshit! She'd been fine when everyone else had done things like this, hell, she'd practically cheered them on. She'd even forgiven the captain easy enough after she'd put Lil in the infirmary! All because what? It was okay for her to do it because she was a lost cause, what kind of twisted logic was that? That's how an abuse victim thought!
So he couldn't do it because he'd changed his nature, because something like that was totally possible! He sneered to himself as he sulked around the quieter streets, hands in pockets and a massive FUCK OFF expression written all over his face.
Never mind that that was the very thing he'd been trying to do for so long. 'Shut up, brain.' That he'd been punishing himself for the very deeds that the young man he'd brutalized had called him out on. Really if he'd have been sorry he'd have let the kid beat the shit out of him and taken his hits like a man. OR even let him win and meet judgment at his maker's hands. 'Well that really would be bailing wouldn't it? That's a stupid thing to think.'
Though not as stupid as thinking that a woman who'd bled him like a leech and spent days unrepentantly thinking of new ways to violate his body was the closest thing he had to a soul mate. Now that was how a victim thought.
'Yeah... got me there...'
Florian sighed in defeat and pulled his hood up, mist blowing in front of his mouth. Today was shaping up to be a real ball buster. He'd acted like a dick, he wasn't too proud to admit that. Even in his old days he'd have considered that sad and juvenile. The kind of thing some stupid street punk would do, not a named family man. How did he see it now?
Well he'd been some hot tempered idiot and a bully, the kind of scum he looked down on in every life he'd lived. The kind he'd watched torment the weak and vulnerable in the slums.
'I get it I was a tool!' He shook the thoughts loose. He was close to taking all kinds of steps backwards now. He shouldn't have done it, he should have walked away. 'And I treated Lil like garbage for talking some sense into me.'
Oh this was weird, this was some seriously new territory. He was the one that was supposed to get called in when people's emotions were riding high and they were at each other's throats. He'd always been crap at dealing with these things when he was one of the people involved. Last time Florian ended up in situations like this he ended up faking his death! Or tearing apart a hotel restaurant! Or getting hammered in his ex's kitchen.
'Gee it's almost as if I never learned how to process my emotions healthily.' He rolled his eyes.
Well he had to do something. He'd made a promise that he wasn't just going to try and dodge these issues any more. He made his way back to Irena's. he couldn't just go back with his tail between his legs though. That was when he saw it, passing by a market stall full of clothes and accessories he saw a pale furred ushanka. He remembered Lil saying something about losing her's the other night, even in his drunken haze he remembered her seeming kind of down about it. This was almost the same in colour, if a little less fluffy but it did have some red lining (she'd love that!). Yeah that was a good peace offering, right? After some surprisingly intense haggling Florian had it bought and bagged. Unsurprisingly the grizzled shop keeps weren't as generous when Lilith wasn't around.
He got back to the apartment later, making sure to knock before he entered.
"Hey." He called a little meekly. "Do you want to call peace- oh crap!" He was about to hold the bag up in front of him as an offering when he saw the job that'd been done of Lil's arm. It was much worse than he thought it was. Florian quickly rushed over to the table and started taking a closer look. "Oh no." He whispered.
"You two are rather cute together," Contessa remarked as Elizabeth and Asad joined her at the bar. "A little too rugged for a sensitive girl like you, but then you're more than that these days, aren't you?"
Elizabeth gave Asad a sideways glance before squaring her shoulders and meeting Contessa's piercing gaze. "You do like playing games with people, don't you?" Elizabeth accused in a similarly mocking fashion.
She chuckled. "Yes, well, at least I am adult enough to admit it," Contessa told her. "How many people have you wrapped around your little finger now? Tigereye, the priest, Metal and the Cook? All of them died or worse for you." She looked to Asad. "How long do you think this one will last."
A sudden pang of guilt hit her like a train, but the young noble didn't so much as flinch at her words. "Does antagonizing me make you feel better about your sudden altruistic tendencies, or is this just about appearances?" she shot back.
"Ooo," Contessa purred in delight, "you're sharpening your weapon quite well, I see. However, you have a ways to come yet, I fear. You'll need that wit sooner rather than later." She looked to Asad. "You don't look very comfortable, Major. Does all this intrigue and subterfuge put you off?"
"Is it that obvious?" Asad chuckled sardonically as he crossed his arms over his chest. Did she ever let her tongue rest? He found it difficult to imagine her talking like a normal person somehow.
"Yes, in fact, your inability to show even the faintest interest in our conversation is rather insulting," she told him. "A few lessons in court life could do you some good."
Elizabeth scowled at her. "We don't have time for this," she growled. "What do you want?"
The Golden Empress' grin sent a shiver down Elizabeth spine. Taking one final drag from her cigarette, Contessa snubbed its remains in an ashtray and crossed one leg over the other in her seat. "The final gift I promised you? It's waiting for you in your room upstairs," she explained.
"Is that it?" Elizabeth asked, rather annoyed.
"That's it."
Elizabeth eye-balled her suspiciously before turning to leave. "Come on, Asad," she beckoned.
"A little advice, Major," Contessa called out before he could leave, "don't act so happy to be in her company. You may think you look the part of an irritated babysitter, but anyone with eyes can see your true feelings. Please, for Maribel's sake, don't give Dio anymore reason to suspect you than he already has."
"I'll be sure to take that into consideration, my Lady." Asad forced a smile, bowing slightly to the woman. "It was a pleasure to meet you." She obviously knew he was lying, but manners were manners, so she said.
Following after Elizabeth, the man quickly caught up to her, his hands held behind his back as he stepped in lin next to her. "What do you think it is?"
Elizabeth shook her head. "I have no idea, but whatever it is, it's important," she told him. "Why would she go through the trouble of waiting an extra day and giving it to me privately? I think... I think we should probably check it out. Like, now."
"Agreed." The Major grunted. "But wouldn't your absence be questioned?" He furrowed his brow. "Should we really be drawing more attention to ourselves?"
Elizabeth furrowed her brow. "I was afraid you'd say that," she whined. "Well, it looks like your date ditched you. Would you mind going up there yourself and checking it out for me? I'll be fine down here on my own."
Where was Tsubaki? Wasn't she with Dio? As his heart stopped for a second, the man quickly looked around the room until his eyes found Basilio. He breathed a sigh of relief. "Maybe she went to the bathroom, anyway, I'll be back soon."
Elizabeth nodded. "Thank you," she muttered. Before he could leave her side she quickly grabbed his wrist. "Wait. About what Contessa said..."
Asad looked down at the girl, his face softening. "Lombardi is just playing mind games, none of what happened was your fault." He placed his hand on her's as he gently pulled her away from his wrist. "It'll take more than an acid tongue to change my mind, Elizabeth."
The young noble averted her gaze and nodded again. "Thanks," she whispered sheepishly.
"Don't mention it, kid." Asad smiled. "Be back soon." He waved his hand casually as he quickly left for Elizabeth's apartment.
"So uuhh... I guess we chalk that one up to a learning experience?"
'Jesse' had zigzagged between the line between being amused and about to piss himself a thousand times by the time the conversation between the Wilkes-Vines gentleman (though that was debatable), his cronies and the rest of the Maidens except for the newbies. Guns were no joke, in an instant the Wilkes-Vines people could've turned the commotion into pandaemonium.
Then again, it was rather amusing seeing what sort of words riled up the noble-eater's son. Something for a rainy day. Sprout acting like that was to be expected after all - the poor hick had never had lessons in polite conversions. In fact, the runaway noble doubted that he could master the art of polite conversation. Well, it wouldn't hurt to give him a primer.
"I've no problem with that." 'Jesse' chuckled, "After all, he should've known a gentleman never loses his cool and acted accordingly."
He had to resist adding in a quip about Sprout's mother and teaching. It was hard but it was the gentlemanly thing to do.
Gently closing the door of Elizabeth's apartment behind, Asad let loose a sigh of relief. It was good to be out of that snake pit, even if for a little while.
Tossing his jacket on the back of the sofa, the Major pinched the bridge of his nose, squinting as he tried to rub the tiredness from his eyes. Glancing around the apartment, the man furrowed his brow. 'What is it I'm looking for exactly?'
More importantly, how did they get whatever it was in the room in the first place?
His eyes fell on the coffee table, a small battered looking book with what seemed to be a locking mechanism. Tilting his head slightly, Asad narrowed his eyes as he approached the table. 'This is new.' Looking down at the book, he could clearly see the title.
A New World
Picking up the book, Asad noted that the lock was broken, the strap that bound it falling loosely from the mechanism. Opening the front cover, he stared at the front page. 'M.M.?' Asad thought for a second, 'Meredith Monroe?' He shook his head, maybe not, who else? Then it hit him. "Margaret Maribel." He whispered to himself. Skimming through book, he was met with neat, handwritten pages that confirmed that it did once belong to Elizabeth's older sister. Reaching the middle of what appeared to be a diary, Asad raised his eyebrow as a tiny scrap of paper slid from the pages. Catching it before it could fall to the floor, Asad placed the book back on the table. Clenching his jaw, the man unfolded the paper, discovering that it was a note.
Elizabeth,
I am sorry I failed you. I was supposed to keep you safe, but instead, I left your side when you needed me most. So much has happened since then and I can't begin to imagine what you've gone through. Dio's a cruel, evil man, but I know you're strong enough to survive. As Margaret's little sister, there isn't a force on earth that can stop you once you've set your mind to something. Within these pages lies a blueprint for a world none of us ever dreamed was possible. Though I love her with all my heart, Margaret did not leave these instructions for me. I cannot continue her mission.
But you can, Elizabeth.
I admit, I never got the chance to know you, but I could see her within you. I could see her strength, courage and conviction there in those shining golden eyes you share. If there's a soul alive that can make this world a reality, it's you.
I wish I could be there to help you make this dream a reality, but I have my own responsibilities. Just know that, despite what happened between us that day I snapped at you, that I love you like my very own sister, and that I'd move heaven-and-earth to help you if I could. Maybe some day, when he's safe, you'll have my gun at your side.
Until that day, I trust that you can do this on your own. I have to believe in you, Elizabeth.
You're all I've got left.
Don't let me down.
Love,
Meredith
Asad stared at the note, before glancing down at the diary on the table. 'A New World, huh?' Neatly refolding the note, Asad slid it into his pocket before grabbing the diary once more. How did Lombardi get her hands on this? Better yet, if the author of the note was to be believed, someone called Meredith was also involved. Was that Monroe? It would make sense, given the Iron Maidens' ties to Margaret.
So many loose threads, the Major wondered where they all lead. Skimming through the entirety of the notebook for any more loose pieces of paper, Asad closed the book. It was not his to read, as much as his curiosity tempted him, he'd respect the privacy of a dead woman and make sure it found its way into the hands of her sister.
The man bit his bottom lip thoughtfully, he couldn't very well give her the dairy during the ball, the note would have to do for now, but he couldn't leave it here, in the open, he would need to hide it. Heading into Elizabeth's bedroom, Asad glanced around for a suitable spot. Walking over to the girl's bed, he slid the book into a pillow case before covering it with several other pillows. Should be fine there for now.
Grabbing his jacket on the way out of the apartment, Asad removed the note from his trouser pocket and slid it the right sleeve of his shirt. As he made his way back towards the ball, Asad furrowed his brow. Just what the hell had he gotten himself into? A blueprint to change the world? Running a hand trough his hair, the man shook his head as a small smirk curled his lips. Things were getting interesting.
As he made his way back into the ballroom, he quickly found Elizabeth, engaged in idle conversation with a couple of guests. To avoid arousing suspicion, the man walked casually by the group, making sure to catch the girl's eye as he made his way over to the bar.
Little by little, Tsubaki was opening up to Pixie. The bandit queen had grown accustomed to this sort of thing, but she didn't normal do it under such false pretenses. At least, not when she wasn't also intending to stab the person in the back at a later date. No, as much as she'd want to share her life's story, she was compelled to maintain her cover. Tsubaki was one of the last people on the Rock that needed to know her true identity right now.
"You know, I have this reoccurring dream," Tsubaki began. The caffeine had clearly done a number on her as she'd begun her tale while looking at her new friend through a hole she'd made at the bottom of her coffee cup. Pixie couldn't help smiling at her juvenile behavior. Realizing her silliness, she put the cup down and continued her story. "Uh, as I was saying... I keep having this dream. I'm standing at the edge of a high dive, you know, like the pool in Feroxi tower. Anyway, I am standing at the edge of this diving board and I have all sorts of people around me beckoning me to jump. I'm... I'm terribly frightened, and my father, whose face I can barely recall, is standing down on the ground, at the base of the ladder. He's pleading for me to climb down. I want so badly to go down to him, but something keeps urging me to swallow my fear and jump."
Pixie cocked an eyebrow. "Know what that's about?" she asked.
"I'm indecisive," Tsubaki told her. "I'm afraid to make my own decisions. I think i'm just so used to following orders, you know? Much of my childhood was spent being ordered around by my parents and then by the yakuza who owned me. Then, when I finally had my freedom, the first thing I thought to do was join the military."
"Sounds about right," Pixie agreed. "Pretty damning diagnosis right there, 'doctor'."
Tsubaki shrugged. "I'm just so... I get swayed so easily. I feel like sometimes I don't have my own thoughts... like my mind's just a clusterfuck of other people's ideas," she moped.
"I imagine a lot of people think that way, Tsubaki," Pixie told her. "It's how you interpret those ideas that makes you unique."
"I suppose so," Tsubaki agreed. "I feel like I am about to have to make a huge decision that I should see coming, but I have no idea what it is or if I'll be ready."
Pixie pursed her lips. "No one can see the future. It's normal to feel ill-prepared," she told her.
Tsubaki sighed. "I guess so," she admitted. Then, she looked up from her mutilated coffee cup and gave Pixie an inquisitive look. "How about you? What does the illustrious Lady Cogburn dream of?"
The redhead thought for a moment and turned to look out the window beside them. She stared absentmindedly at the pedestrians as they walked past the storefront. "Memories," she finally said. "I've been dreaming about the past a lot. About people who are no longer with us."
"I'm so sorry," Tsubaki whispered.
Pixie shook her head and met Tsubaki's gaze. "No, it's okay," she promised her, "they are good memories. I'm glad I can remember them so clearly."
Unsure of how she should proceed, the young soldier tilted her head and held her hands together under the table. "Who do you dream about... if I may ask," she said.
Pixie smiled warmly. "My sister... my... uncle too," she told her. "Both of my parents died when I was very young. They took care of me... at various stages in my life."
That's right, Tsubaki. I'm an orphan too.
"I'm so sorry," Tsubaki repeated.
"No, no," Pixie hushed her with a nervous laugh. "It's okay, I've long since gotten over it."
"What were they like? Your sister and uncle, I mean."
Pixie looked off into space whimsically. "My sister was a very strong person," she began. "She was kind, and pure and stood up for what she believed in. You know, I used to be quite the little rascal, but she reined me in. Without her... I'm afraid I'd a much different person. A much worse person."
"Don't say that," Tsubaki told her.
The bandit queen rolled her eyes. "Trust me sweetheart, I was a handful," she chortled. "Still am, actually."
"And your uncle?"
Pixie shrugged. "He was a badass. He didn't take my shit. Ever," she explained. "He helped me a lot. He even helped me take care of my kids."
Tsubaki looked confused. "What about your husband?"
Shit...
"The less said about him the better!" Pixie joked, waving her hand dismissively. Awkwardly, Tsubaki joined in the laughter. Thankfully this woman's lack of social graces made it all too easy to lie to her.
Amateur mistake, Merry. Gents an' Chromy would fry yer ass fer that.
"Hey, you want to hit the shops for a bit? Maybe grab some real food?" Pixie suddenly asked her. "It's been awhile since I last visited Feroxi, after all"
"So she's refusing to leave, saying this place is hers now. I start walking towards her, and suddenly she starts hocking shit at me out of my toolbox." Ruffles grinned at the recollection. "Most of it goes wide, but then she pulls out this big monkey wrench that... hell, you've probably used it once or twice, and lets fly. I had this big afro back then, and it cushioned me a little, but holy shit, lights explode in my head, and I nearly fall on my ass. Still got the scar just above my temple." As he talked, Allie taxied the crawler gently up the Maiden's ramp. "But then she's pretty much outta stuff to throw, so I reach out and just grab her by the hair and start dragging her out of the engine room. Pixie probably would have turned the ship around to drop her off, and... well, I'm a softy, I guess."
They were getting out of the crawler now. "So I stick her in this supply closet and tell her to be quiet, or else our captain'll kill her on sight. Left her in there for a couple of days, brought her food. Rattled the door a little sometimes when I was walking past to scare her. She was fine, though, I had the only key to that closet. Eventually I decided to stop messing with her and got Pixie involved, and that's how it was." Chuckling to himself, Ruffles started unloading the plasma cell from the back of the vehicle and rolling it into a corner, when he noticed Maria watching them from by the window. He wondered how long she'd been there.
"I don't think Payton'll want to draw too much attention to one of his goons getting schooled by a fifteen year old..."
Bennie's expression remained grim. "No, he'll crawl back to his hole and sulk without saying a word to his superiors," he said with a shrug. "He's a small-time piece of shit. We won't ever see him again." Stopping at the crawler, Bennie fingered his radio. "We're pulling out. Rendezvous at the gate."
"----zzztttt---Roger that.----zzztt----"
"So uuhh... I guess we chalk that one up to a learning experience?"
"I've no problem with that. After all, he should've known a gentleman never loses his cool and acted accordingly."
Sprout was absolutely livid, but said nothing as he was dragged along between the two newbies.
"Everyone inside," Bennie barked.
Sprout glared at Bennie. "We shouldn' let 'em leave with our gear," he said.
"It isn't our gear, kid," Bennie replied in a stern tone. Clearly this was not up for debate.
"Soooooo...." Sandra said, sensing that it had obviously fallen on her to ask the obvious question (there were many things she had been expecting about the prospect of bandit life, and social awkwardness hadn't been one of them). "What happens now?"
Bennie's overbearing gaze won out in the end, and Sprout finally took his seat in the crawler. As he mounted the vehicle, Bennie looked to Sandra. "We got what we came here for," he said, stuffing the files under the driver's seat. "Now we head back, look over the data, and draw up our battle plans. With the ship's repair history, old flight logs and projected flight itinerary, we should have a good idea where the ship will be on any given day. Also, we've got their crew logs, so we know their numbers, their names and the security staff's military history." He grinned. "Knowledge is power. Fuck kevlar and ammo."
"Oh so we're playing things like sneaky gits." Gale nodded. This was a plan she could get behind. "Like, hijack the thing in the night while they sleep and stuff." Certainly more up her alley. She couldn't help but look side on at Sprout though. Someone'd have hell to pay when they got back, she wasn't sure who yet though.
"Right." Sandra replied, a little more relaxed, though not much. "I'd actually been meaning to ask..."
It had been a concern to her since she came aboard. More so since this morning when they actually got their mission, and the reality of what she was following Amy into actually got, well, 'real'. Sandra had killed people before, but she'd always been able to place herself safely behind a shield of self-defence. Even if nobody had attacked her first, she'd been in no doubt before that she's always been amongst enemies, when she did those things. She hadn't revealed her anxiety before, because she didn't want to loo weak in front of these people, but she was just about comfortable enough (or else the situation had got just necessary enough) for her to share.
"So... what exactly was the plan for dealing with the hands on this ship once we've, erm, 'secured the objective'." She said rather tentatively. "I mean, if shit hits the fan we all know what to do, I just mean that..."
"I was wondering when one of you would finally ask that," he told her. Checking over his shoulder, he noted that everyone was safely inside before he hit the gas. "Maidens always protect their own. If you have a split-second to decide, and it's between a Maiden's life or someone else's, you always choose the Maiden. Now, these men working security for our noble friend? We don't know them. They could be scumbags, or they could be the greatest guys in the world. If we pull this off right, we won't need to shed any blood. They'll be on their ass and at our mercy before they know what hit them."
He clenched his jaw. "However, things don't always go according to plan," he said. "Sometimes you have to get your hands dirty. If that happens, you cannot hesitate. You can pity the poor fucker--pity yourself--later. Bandit life might look glamorous on the outside, but it's really a very repulsive thing. You live long enough doing this and you'll get used to it though, trust me. Whether that's a good or bad thing... well, I guess that's between you and your god."
"Chief, if you honestly think this looks glamerous to people then I pity your taste." Gale chimed in.
He'd given her some stuff to think on though. She hadn't been fooling herslef, she knew this could get messy and there'd come a point where she might have to down some poor soul. Wasn't like she hadn't seen that kind of thing before. People were always trying to start shit with the caravans, or the other way round. Still, the thought of actually killing someone wasn't something she savoued. Fingers crossed they could put it off a little longer.
"Okay."
Sandra didn't really have anything else to add, but there was some steel in her voice where there hadn't been any before, and she punctuated it with a confident nod. It was nothing she hadn't heard before anyway. 'Look after your own, above all others'. Wasn't that the same thing Amy's Sisterhood was about?
Of course, the Sisters weren't in the business of hijacking ships. Not that they hadn't gone to great lengths to give deserving people their comeuppance before...
For now, Sandra decided that it was better to focus on things not going bad, than worrying about what she might have to do if they did. If they did? Well, the Captain's advice seemed sound to her. She'd pull the trigger before she gave herself time to think it over, and deal with that later. Anything less, and her or somebody else would wind up dead. She was okay with that score. Really, one way or the other she'd just been hoping to clarify where she stood with these people.
Astor listened attentively and trundled along as the rest of the Maidens discussed the matter of hijacking one of his father's ships. Something about the whole thing made the normally confident boy silent. He didn't know if he could kill anyone working on the ship if it came to it, they were just employees after all. Probably staff he never got to annoy, anyway; there was a small mercy in that. However, if someone did recognise him it would be all over. 'Jesse' forced a grin, "Well now, whatever the case, this'll be quite the experience, ahahahaha..."
"You sound nervous," Sprout remarked. He looked at the runaway noble in the corner of his eye. "I don't reckon you've ever killed a man before, 'ave you?"
"You've got me." 'Jesse' shrugged, mentally kicking himself in the teeth afterwards. 'Good job making it obvious, you're slipping up already. C'mon, get your head in the game.'
Sprout stared vacantly at the back of Bennie's head. "It ain't all that bad, really," he told the boy. "My first kill was actually two. These two bounty hunters that had come after me 'an Lily in Feroxi. I practically ran into them. When I realized who they were, I didn' 'ave a chance ta' think, I just pointed my gun and fired." Sprout grinned cruelly. "I could hear the crunch as the bullet pierced through their ribs. Both of 'em stared at me with these pleadin', helpess eyes an' I jus' stood there, watchin' the life drain from their bodies. There was so much blood an'--"
"Enough," Bennie inturrupted. Just then Tallahassee came running around a corner at the end of the street and hopped into the back of the crawler. "You good?"
"I'm good, Captain," the man replied.
As they drove out into the ashlands Sprout held his gaze steady on the back of the big man's head.
"That... was just a little bit disturbing, Sprout." Sandra said, a little queasily.
Gale looked at Sandra. If the lass was as good at reading people as those in her line of work were supposed to be then she'd have plainly read Gale's face saying 'I was about to say that!' She didn't say it out loud though. If the guy wasn't actually crazy then he'd be regretting that weird ass attempt at manliness soon enough. No need to pile on now... unless he really asked for it.
Astor rolled his eyes, as if someone who had recently had a tempter tantrum about mummy jokes was suddenly the most badass mofo ever. Oh, and didn't Sprout even think about the present company.
"Relax ladies, a gentleman can't resist embellishing his tales." 'Jesse chuckled.
"Jesse, if you say the word 'gentleman' one more time..." Sandra threatened "Then I will personally reach down that big mouth of yours, and pull you inside out by your ego!"
When it came to putting punks in their place, Sandra was all for equality.
"Seriously you two..." She said, craning over to get both boys in her line of sight. " It's like you're trying to repel everyone in your immediate vicinity."
"Well said," Bennie remarked.
Oh boy, Maidens seemed to be allergic to Astor's charms, didn't they? He sighed and smirked oh-so-innocently, "Oh, my apologies. But remember, I'm always open to advice and constructive criticism."
How did that even - was he trying to - what kind of response even was that, were all the guys just drunk? Gale scanned the pair of them in disbelief and gazed out the window at the rolling planes, rolling her eyes. "What even is my life right now?" She said under her breath, the sound muffled by the engine and her mask.
"I was just thinking the same thing," Bennie replied, glancing at the two boys from over his shoulder.
Sprout was looking out the window beside him and remained silent.
"Well, if you get anymore condescending..." Sandra retorted "Then Maria'll have to spend a month rebuilding your jaw after I'm finished pummelling it. How's that for 'constructive criticism'."
As much of a tool as Sprout was being at this current moment in time, it seemed you could always count on Jesse to take centre stage.
"Actually, that's grievous bodily harm." 'Jesse' quipped and folded his arms.
Sprout chuckled. "I wouldn' mind doin' the pummelin' fer ya', Sandra," he told her, still staring out into the ashlands. "It'd be the 'gentlemanly' thin' ta' do, I reckon."
"Oh my sweet scarves would people shut up!" Gale snapped. "We get it. Everybody talks funny and everybody's a tough SOB. You wanna keep gettin' pissed about people callin' us kids? Cus that's what's gunna happen if we all keep actin' this way. We just got back from havin' a bunch of older, tougher and more experienced guys pointing guns at us and did all but two people here have their shit together?" She waved her hand between Bennie and Tallahassee. "Cus right now I don't feel like half the people in this ride have got my back in this mythical 'shoot don't think' moment."
Gale shifted in her chair to face them all head on. "You're being a tool." She said to Jesse. "You're being a tool and shitting all over your job." She said to Sprout. "And you're eggin' em on right now." She said to Sandra. "So are we gunna calm down and treat each other like the team we're supposed to be or do I need to walk back? Cus that's looking like the better option right now."
Take that Mama Colburn!
"Whatever the lady commands." Astor shrugged, then went silent.
"Thank you, Gale," Bennie said, his eyes glued to the wasteland ahead. "This has been a lesson for all of us." His tone was bitter.
Sandra opened her mouth as if to retort. She was on Gale's side! It wasn't her fault that Sprout decided to hop on the bandwagon, or that Jesse was apparently an impenetrable wall of pompous arse. Eventually however, she just let out a sigh, and turned to face the front.
Tallahassee laughed quietly to himself. "Growing pains," he muttered.
"To think Pixie started this whole show with a bunch of boys their age," Bennie mused. "How the fuck did she manage that, I wonder?" He was smiling sadly under his mask.
Sprout had been silent for a long time before he finally opened his mouth. "In those days Ma' didn' show any mercy," he told them. "If you got outta line, she'd beat yer ass until you couldn' walk, or worse. I don' reckon yer the type ta' do that though, ar' you Bennie?"
"What the fuck's gotten into you today, Sprout?" Bennie hissed through his teeth. "No, I'm not beathing anyone for being a jackass."
Sprout glanced at Jesse. "Well maybe you should," he said flatly.
"Whoa there, kid," Tallahassee chimed in. He was hanging over the back of the seat now. "I'd cut it out if I were you."
Sprout glared at the blonde cowboy and turned his head back towards the horizon.
"I'm sorry Gale," Bennie suddenly said. "It looks like we still have some 'team-building' to work on."
"One step at a time, I guess." Gale sighed, fully out of steam as she leaned back in her seat, her hand softly holding over the fox round her neck.
Lilith was in the guest room when Florian entered, sitting on the carpet, her back was up against the wall. She had the heater on again, her legs crossed beneath her as she looked up from the book in her lap. It was a learning book Florian had given her a few months back, when he first started teaching her how to speak Northern. She had thought it a good idea to brush up on some of the basics, if she was going to be around for a while, she might as well try and understand what people were saying.
"Hey." She responded quietly, before she had chance to do anything else, the man was on his knees and pawing over her arm. "It's fine." She chuckled nervously. "It looks worse than it is, really, no big deal."
"Of course it's a big deal." Florian carried on fussing over her in vain. Everything that could be done had been done. All he could do was look over it. ["Hell."] He muttered to himself. "I'm sorry." Florian slumped down next to her. "I should have walked away."
"Yes, you should have." Lilith nodded, averting her eyes as she looked down at her book. "Umm." She flicked through a couple of pages before she found what she was looking for. "M... mne ochen' zhal'." She looked up at Florian, smiling sympathetically "About hitting you." His jaw had already bruised quite badly.
Florian rubbed at his jaw absent-mindedly, forcing the tiniest flicker of a smile at Lil's attempt at his mother tongue. The slightly off pronunciation was even kind of cute.
"You don't have to... I- I had it coming. I should have... UGH!" He cut himself off, exasperated, before he ended up rambling himself in a sorry circle. He still sucked at this.
Closing her book and placing it on the floor next to her, she picked up the bottle of whiskey she had brought with her, thrusting it into Florian's hands. "Shut up." Lilith smirked, tilting her head slightly. "Forget about it, it's done now." Her expression softened slightly. "Everything is still fine, right? We didn't piss anyone off?"
"Yeah, we're good. No one's very happy but it wont stop the business." He fidgeted with the bottle for a moment, turning it around on its base. He didn't take a drink. Didn't feel like the time. He wouldn't be forgetting about it in a hurry, whatever Lil felt.
"How do you just smile it off, Lil? How'd you stay so calm about it all?"
Lilith bit her bottom lip as she though on Florian's question. Averting her eyes, she pulled her legs to her chest, crossing her arms over her knees. "I dunno." She shrugged her shoulders slightly as she leaned her head back against the wall. "Why does everyone else not stay calm?" She chuckled. "Merry never lets anything go, and it turns her into a mess." The girl laughed. "One of the last times I saw her, she was crying in the shower, still torn up about what she did to me, amongst other things. I told her to forget it, but she wouldn't stop." The girl shook her head. "I don't wanna be like that, crying in the shower while my best friend washes my hair." The girl smiled sadly at the memory.
Florian snorted, not entirely sure if this was supposed to be a joke or not. he guessed it just came naturally to her. He envied Lilith that, that carrying on was seemingly so effortless for her. Not that this was his natural state of being. Before he'd never let his temper get the better of him. His anger had always been a cold thing, distant and calculating. But his urges had been better sated back then, he was less wound up. Not that either way was a good thing! That was the whole point of all he'd tried to do.
So why was he raring to go right back to those old habits? Like he cared what these old bandits thought of him? He didn't, he cared what she thought of him.
"I don't either." Florian said quietly, looking down at his hands. "I don't want to go down that road again."
"You scared me, you know?" Lilith nudged the man with her shoulder playfully. "I don't think I've ever seen you angry." She shook her head. "I don't like it, angry Florian sucks." She puffed her lips up in an exaggerated pout. "Who the fuck accepts a duel, seriously. You're not a cowboy."
"No, we're hussars." He looked up at her confused. Of course he wasn't a cowboy, that would be silly. "I'm sorry." He mumbled again after a pause. "I shouldn't have gone that far... only meant to wound him. Most are never to the death anyway." This time he did feel like taking a quick swig, coughing on the strength of the drink.
"Like you've never done it either." He half spluttered.
"Oh, I shoot guys like, all the time." The girl chuckled. "I just never agreed on terms before I did it." She winked at the man. "I guess it works for what it is, I mean, I'm guessing nobody declines, and if you've got friends, they can do the fighting for you." The girl shrugged her shoulders. "I dunno, I've just never seen fighting as an 'honour' thing, you know? Can't trust people to stick to the rules." She averted her eyes. "Can't turn your back on someone like that, I wouldn't trust 'em to not stab me in the spine." Lilith's eyes lost focus slightly as she thought back to Feroxi and her fight with Gorgon.
"Oh but when it works it's beautiful, Lil. No one needs to die and if you win you're a badass and you don't buy drinks all night and all the girls love you." He probably shouldn't have been getting wistful about it but damn if he didn't have some great memories that started with getting slapped with a glove or getting called out in a crowded room. "Imagine it, Lil, imagine you get all the girls."
"All the girls, you say?" Lilith began stroking an invisible beard. "Hmmm, well I do like shooting things, and if I get free drinks out of it, as well as the aforementioned all the girls..." Lilith couldn't help but smile. The way he romanticised it, it did seem very appealing. "Maybe one day." She grinned.
"Maybe one day you can try." Florian sniggered along with her. They sat there on the floor for a while, slumped in the orange glow of the heater. "Thank you." Florian said after a while, his tone less jolly but still genuine. "Thank you for knocking me to my senses."
Lilith smiled warmly. "You're welcome." She cooed, leaning against him as she rested her head on his shoulder. "Last time I did something like that, I was the one who got messed up." She chuckled. "Don't make me do it again, I don't like punching handsome things."
"I'll try not to." He rested his head against hers. He wasn't going to set that down as a solid promise though, the women he hung out with these days were so violent there was no way he wasn't getting a smack in the mouth at some point later.
His hand found hers and he slowly turned his face to look at her properly. This felt so right. Part of Florian grumbled away in the back of his head that this was wrong, that it'd only complicate matters. That Lilith couldn't see him this way. But she was so close and so warm... if he just took the chance.
"Florian, I..." Lilith's heart began to race, was this really happening? His hand was on her's, she could feel his breath on her cheek as he leaned in towards her. "I, er..." Her mouth was slightly agape, her words barely a whisper. This was good right? She'd dreamt of this moment so many times in the past, fuelling many a lonely night. And now it was happening, and she couldn't stop the nagging feeling in the back of her head.
Moving her head slightly, their lips were only inches apart now, and yet the nagging wouldn't stop. 'You didn't come here for this, well, maybe you did a little, but this isn't the time, there's too much happening, and the last thing Florian needs is you distracting him, he's in a vulnerable place, he's effectively overthrowing his father, going against his family.' Lilith's breath grew ragged as the butterflies in her stomach soared. He smelled so comforting, Florian's lips barely brushing against her's. He obviously wanted this too, they both wanted this, why was wrong to want this? They had nobody but eachother in this frozen hellhole, so why not have some fun?
'Because you're a distraction, Lilith, and distractions get people killed.' Maybe they could have something, but it would have to wait until this whole business was over.
"I, erm." Lilith slowly pulled away from Florian, reluctantly removing her hand from his, she averted her eyes as she pushed herself to her feet. "It's been a long day." She hurried over to her bag and removed some clean clothes before hurrying over to the bathroom. "I feel gross, I'm gonna shower and probably take a nap."
Florian nodded silently, his racing heart reluctantly slowing as he watched Lilith gather herself up and leave. It felt like all the blood had rushed to his eyes (among other places but he was trying to not to focus on that right now) and the heating had become unbearable all of a sudden. He punched the off switch out of frustration and slammed his back against the wall, taking another long swig of whiskey.
'[Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid!' He tapped his clenched fist against his head, feeling like a complete idiot.
He knew he shouldn't have done it! When in doubt, he just shouldn't do things! It was now scientifically proven that Florian should never be allowed to do ANYTHING! EVER!
The idiot had messed it all up now. He'd creeped Lil out and made a total ass of himself. After all she'd done for him. Coming all this way and helping him with his own god forsaken fight. now here he was acting like one of the self entitled bastards he was fighting against. She deserved better than that. He started drinking even more, even faster.
Well... she did let him get pretty close. He did know Lil pretty well, right? If there was one thing he knew it was that she was used to shitheads hitting on her and she knew how to put them in their place. No way would she have let the other Maidens try that on, right? 'Oh stop fooling yourself! She was probably just so weirded out she didn't know what to do.' Except she had been flirting with him a lot since getting here, more than the usual teasing he got. 'She was just being nice! she's a nice person like that! Just 'cus you're desperate as hell for some kind of human contact!'
He sat there, stewing in drink and doubt, talking himself round in circles. He was right back to where he started, sitting on the sidelines and just wallowing in self loathing.
["Well if you think there's something going on then just do something! Maybe I will! Just do it then, go get an answer, anything's better than this stupid uncertainty. Fine!"] Then he realised he was talking to himself and felt suitably embarrassed.
He hadn't been that long, she'd be okay to talk. Florian let the now lighter bottle rest by the wall and strode over to the bathroom door, full of an idiot's courage. All the fire from before had come back with avengeance! "I'm mad again!" He yelled as he shouldered the door open.
Lilith had been standing in the shower for a few minutes, eyes closed, the steaming hot water poured over her. Arms held loosely by her side, she breathed out a frustrated sigh. "We can't always have what we want." Lilith muttered as she tried to convince herself that cockblocking the first proper romantic relationship she ever wanted was a good thing.
It wasn't working very well. Now she felt more miserable than before. It were times like this that she really wished she were more like Pixie.
Before she had more time to think on the subject however, Lilith let out a surprised shriek as Florian burst into the bathroom.
"FLORIAN?! WHAT THE FUCK?" She was in a cubicle shower with glass doors, there was no shower curtain to cover up her modesty. "GET THE FUCK OUT!" she yelled as she quickly slid open the cubicle and grabbed her towel from the rail, holding it in front of her as it began to soak in the shower.
Florian didn't listen. He was a victim of his own momentum now. "Were we about to kiss!? Because to me it felt like we were about to kiss!" He had to keep going, if he backed down now he'd never work up the courage again. "And I know I'm bad at these things now but it feels like we've been doing that a lot recently! Am I crazy?!" Why was he yelling?!
Florian seemed to be completely glossing over the fact there was a naked woman in front of him. "Florian!" The girl squeaked incredulously. "What are you doing?! I'm in the fucking shower!"
"Oh god, oh god, what is happening, why is here? Why is he asking me questions?!'
"I know!" Florian yelled back suddenly aware that there was a naked woman in front of him. He shut his eyes tight - dammit - and placed his hand over his brow as he angled his head down to the floor, he was still walking forward though. He had to be serious about this!
"And I'm sorry about that! But I need to talk about this, I need answers! Because I need to know if it's just me and if I'm just driving myself crazy and... and..." His hands had absent-mindedly fallen away from his face and he looked up to really take in the view of Lilith in her sodden towel. "Aw Jesus..." He said breathlessly.
"Florian, what are you doing? I don't..." She let out frustrated whimper. Why was he doing this? Why was he confronting her about this now? Why couldn't he wait twenty minutes? Despite the water pouring down on her, her face felt like it was on fire. "Florian, we can't do this." She mumbled as she averted her eyes.
"I know. I know 'cus I keep thinking of reasons not to and they all tell me because... because it might hurt our friendship... because now is a terrible time. But Lilith, look at our lives. It is never a good time! The moment we have a good time someone new comes along to try and shoot us. Or worse!" He slowly made his way closer to the shower, until his palm was pressed up against the glass.
"For two years, I refused to let anyone close because I was afraid of what would happen. And I was okay with that. But now, over the past few weeks, I have been shot, beaten and stabbed half to death more times than in my whole life. Just a few blocks from here, I almost died. I almost gave up and let all the dark things I'd kept hidden for so long win... and they did. For a moment I broke and I let them win. I thought I was gone but then - then all I could think of was you. Of all things I should have said, wanted to say, all the things I wanted to do!"
He looked into her eyes and nowhere else. "And then you came here and you pulled me up every time I stumbled. You refused to let me fall and I will always love you for that." He took a deep breath and slowly slid the shower door open. "I don't want to regret the things I've done any more. I don't want to regret the things I haven't done either."
Lilith's eyes widened as Florian began stepping into the shower. 'What do I do, should I push him out? What if he slips and breaks his neck? He's going to get soaked! Is there even enough room for him in here? You better make room, move your fat arse back a little!' Moving back, Lilith squeaked a little as the cold glass of the cubicle touched her bare skin.
'Did he just say he loved me?' Florian stood before her now, his body lightly pressed against her. "I..." She averted her eyes as her cheeks became even more flustered (if even such a thing were possible). "You're getting soaked." She mumbled, trying her best not to look at the man's sodden shirt, or rather, the chest underneath it.
"Then punch me in the face and call me a ****." He said, lifting her chin and praying she wouldn't look away again. "Just tell me to go away... because I have been wanting to do this since the day I met you."
Lilith's heart jumped into her throat as he Florian forced her to meet his eyes. Those murky blue eyes, so different from her own, his weren't cold like her's, his were warm and inviting. "Since you met me?" Her voice cracked as a shy smile curled her lips. This was happening, this was actually happening. Maybe it would be fine? Why should they deny themselves this? They both worked hard, shot some guys, beat some guys up, got shot herself, all hard things, why shouldn't she get a reward?
'Well Lily, you can't say you didn't try to resist, you did your best.'
"Do what?" She asked coyly, the towel fell to a sodden pile on the bottom of the cubicle as Lilith let it slip from her fingers.
Florian grinned wolfishly, his whole brain lighting up like a firework. This was actually happening... and he was loving it! No more hesitation, he leaned down towards her. Actually kissing her was so much better than he'd imagined it and he'd done that a lot over the lonely nights. He stepped in closer as she leaned against the wall and it was only now he remembered that he was wearing shoes and socks in a running shower. Not that he gave a damn.
Florian kissed her gently as first, even teasing her somewhat as he pulled away slightly to look at her. As he bit her bottom lip gently, a gasp of pleasure escaped her lips as he wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a deep kiss. For so long she had waited for this, for so long she thought he was off limits. And now here he was, kissing her in the shower like one of her fantasies. Well, not quite, there was one thing out of place.
Frantically, she began unbuttoning Florian's shirt, until she hit a snag about half way down as one of the buttons wouldn't co-operate. "Hang on." She panted breathlessly as she pulled her lips away from his. "Your fucking shirt is cockblocking me." She began nuzzling Florian's neck, kissing his skin as she looked down at his shirt. "Okay, I got it." She groaned as she gently bit his ear. In one sharp move, she ripped the man's shirt open, sending a few buttons bouncing around the cubicle.
No shirt would stand between her and what she wanted, not today.
"That was my only shirt." Florian gasped through heavy breathes.
Then he immediately stopped caring and pulled Lilith close to him again, savouring the moment as he bit down on her lower lip again and wondering what the hell to do with his hands. He was so spoilt for choice, but where to start? He settled for her ass, couldn't go wrong there. And he didn't! Dear god it felt even better than it looked. Why had he waited so long to do this? Spiritual purity sucked compared to this!
The shower was feeling terribly cramped right now and making it very difficult to keep kissing Lilith's neck. "Hold on." He breathed in her ear before wrapping his arms around her legs and Lifting Lilith up, holding her against the wall. Now this was better. As he kissed her again and slowly worked his way down her neck and to her chest.
Purring gently as Florian kissed her breasts, she ran a hand through his hair as she wrapped her legs around his hips. Lilith still couldn't believe this was happening.
'I'll wake up in a second, just wait, then I'll have to have a real shower and sort some things out.'
Florian paused amid the torrent of water and kissing to shake the water out of his eyes. The grin on his face couldn't get any wider as he just drank the moment in. The sight of Lilith like this, the feeling of her in his hands and pressed up against him. He let out a sigh of total contentment, resting his head against her chest as she ran her hands through his hair. There was nothing outside of this. This moment was all theirs.
He snapped out of it and playfully nipped at her. "Come on." He stepped back and awkwardly tried to manoeuvre his way out of the shower with her still in his arms. ["Sh- shit..."] He muttered to himself as he haphazardly stepped out. No way was he keeping things just in here, they were heading for the bedroom.
"Oh, oh shit!" Lilith laughed as Florian clumsily carried her across the bathroom, stopping at the door. Arms draped around Florian's neck, she looked him dead in the eyes, a determined expression on her face. "It's okay, I got this." She said sternly as she leaned forward and opened the door to the bedroom. "Onward!" She giggled.
Florian gave a mighty laugh of triumph as the two of them made their - now steadier - way to the bed. Her lay/dropped her down onto it with a soft creak from the mattress and quickly set about trying to undo his belt and kick off his soaked shoes at the same time.
"To hell with these clothes." He panted. Getting into the shower fully dressed may have been a rushed decision. 'Totally worth it though.'
Lilith bit her bottom lip as she writhed her hips gently. "Do you have any clothes that work properly?" She teased. Groaning impatiently, the woman pushed herself up and helped Florian with his trousers.
"Hmm, there." She purred, kissing his stomach as she pulled down the offending items of clothing. Grabbing Florian's hands, she let herself fall back onto the bed, pulling the man with her before draping her arms around his neck and kissing him deeply. She was torn between impatience, and wanting this feeling, this build up, to last forever. It was intoxicating.
Florian was quickly forgetting how to speak the common tongue. There were still things he wanted to say, at least he could flirt, or say something cool but all the words he knew were quickly leaving him as his brain was forced to take a back seat. His hands were happily exploring Lilith's body and every instinct he had was crying out to give in to his own impatience. Not yet though. After such a long wait he wasn't about to get sloppy, he'd indulge in other ways first.
He smirked at Lilith mischievously between kisses that were slowly working their way lower. Well his main job on the Maiden was to be skilled with his tongue, he was just changing with the times.
Lilith gasped slightly, her hands grasping at the bed as Florian worked his magic. "Oh... Sweet Jesus." She gasped breathlessly. Leaning her head head back, Lilith stifled her cries for as long as she was able.
"It really is adorable," Merry remarked, looking down at the anklet Tsubaki was wearing. They'd spent nearly the entire afternoon shopping and only had one trinket to show for it. It was a small, intertwined red lace with a cute, white, plastic cartoon cat head attached. A simple, inexpensive piece, but it fit Tsubaki well.
They were sitting together at an up-scale bar in the Cloud District now. Somehow Merry had swayed her into sharing a few drinks.
No matter how much I fight it the booze always seems to win in the end...
To be fair to Tsubaki, Merry was a very good saleswoman.
It was a nice, laid-back venue at least. Nothing like the bar Bryan had taken them that one night. It's low lights, cider booths and counters and red leather seats evoked a soothing, mellow atmosphere that could have easily lulled Tsubaki to sleep. The piano was a nice touch as well.
It wasn't normal for a soldier to be here. No, these places were reserved only for the elite. As charming as it was, there was something about this place that put Tsubaki on edge.
Merry, however... she looked like she was born for this.
Tsubaki admired the anklet her friend had bought her. "Thanks again, Merry," she said sheepishly.
"Don't mention it, sweetheart," Merry replied with a smile. She eye-balled the soldier's drink. "You gonna drink or what?"
Tsubaki blushed. "Oh, you know, I like to take my time," she told Merry.
"I better not be the only one drunk at the end of the night!" Merry warned her before downing a glass of scotch.
Feeling a bit guilty, Tsubaki pouted for awhile before finally conjuring up the courage she needed to tackle her drink. It was a fruity, colorful drink, but she could feel the sting of the alcohol as it went down. Merry greeted her with a surprised expression when Tsubaki had finished it. With a cruel grin, Merry looked over to the bartender. "Another round!"
What have I gotten myself into?
Tsubaki was already starting to feel it after her second drink. Merry had assured her that hers were rather diluted, but the solider was beginning to doubt the goodwill of her friend.
It wasn't fair! Why did she have to be such a light-wight? Drinking stupid, fruity, girly drinks and getting plastered while 'Captain Cool' was busy downing scotch glass after scotch glass with no signs of drunkenness to show for it. One day... one day she'd reach that level.
Please no. It's not something anyone should be proud of...
It was at this stage that Tsubaki's lips had loosened a bit and Merry was finally able to direct the conversation into dangerous territory. "So," Merry began, her tone sultry and painfully suspicious, "any men after Commander Saburo's heart?"
"I told you I wouldn't tell you about that until I was drunk!" Tsubaki snapped, her face glowing bright red.
"You are drunk, darling," Merry told her.
Tsubaki sighed and dropped her head onto the counter-top. "Fiiiiine," she groaned. "I can't say no to you."
Merry grinned proudly. "Few can," she mused.
The young soldier lifted her head off the table and looked to Merry. She was still blushing intensely. "Th-there is this guy..." she muttered.
"Aaaaaand?"
"Actually, there's kind of two guys," she corrected herself. "Well, I guess three..."
"TSUBAKI!" Merry shouted as she shoved the woman lightly on the shoulder. "You've got some serious game, girl!"
Somehow, Tsubaki's flushed cheeks grew even redder. "N-n-n-no! It's not like that!" she pleaded.
Merry cocked her eyebrow. "Yeah, suuuuure," she teased.
"No, really," Tsubaki insisted. "Look, there's this guy I work with. H-he's... he's a really great guy and I think... well, I think I might..."
"You're in love with him," Merry said. It wasn't even a question.
"Wh-what?! No!"
Merry rolled her eyes. "You can lie to yourself, but you won't lie to me," she told Tsubaki. "It's written all over your face."
"W-well..." Tsubaki was dumbstruck. "Anyway, I really like this guy and I want things to, you know, keep going to way they are going. Problem is, his best friend, another one of your co-workers, has apparently been in love with me for awhile."
"Ouch," Merry replied. "You didn't know?"
Tsubaki shook her head. "I am horrible at this stuff," she admitted. "I had no clue at all until last night. It kind of... well, I slipped that we were seeing each other and I think our friend's really upset about it. Worst yet, there's this other guy who has been really important to me for a very long time. W-we never had that kind of relationship before, but a couple weeks ago he kind of... well, he pressured me into it."
Merry's hand on Tsubaki's shoulder, she furrowed her brow and comforted her friend. "We've all been there before, Tsubaki," she assured her. "Men can be pigs sometimes."
"Yeah," Tsubaki said with a weak nod. "The other two guys know about it, and they were there for me when I needed them. Now... I don't know. I don't know why someone I loved so much would do that to me."
"There, there," Merry said as she leaned in closer an embraced Tsubaki. "Your life sounds like a soap opera."
Tsubaki couldn't help but laugh at that. "Yeah, I suppose so," she agreed. Eager to change the subject, Tsubaki pulled away from her and offered an uncharacteristically sly grin. "How about you, Merry? Can one as lowly as I pry into the private life of an esteemed noble?"
"I told you to stop it with that," Merry told her with a small chuckle. "Yeah, sure, what the hell. It's not really all that pleasant though. I think you'll find your opinion of me drowning in sewage before I'm done."
"It can't be that bad."
Merry laughed. "Girl, you have no idea," she said. "I lost my virginity at a young age. Like, really young. I think I was... thirteen? It was another noble boy. He was kind of an ass, but he was okay I guess." She grinned as she recalled Shamus' boyish face. "After that, well, things didn't go so well. There were a few encounters I try not to remember, and, well... I think they may have done a number on me in a manner of speaking."
The incognito bandit queen took a liberal swig of her scotch before continuing. "I got a little... rowdy after that, I guess you could say," Merry explained. She laughed bitterly. "People used to say I'd fuck anything that moved. Well, I suppose they still say that. When I was seventeen, eighteen, nineteen... those were rough years for me, you know? I found pleasure wherever I could find it. Sometimes with men, sometimes with women... sometimes with both at the same time."
Tsubaki averted her gaze, her face flushed once more. "No need to be embarrassed for me, Tsubaki," Merry told her. "I'm not ashamed of the way I was. I mean, maybe I regret some of the encounters. I have a habit of using people sometimes. Toying with their emotions and stuff, even if I don't mean to. Sometimes I just don't understand my own thoughts until I've already fucked up, you know? I guess I project a lot. I see myself in others and assume they want and need the same things I do." Merry was staring into space now with a solemn frown on her face.
"It's a bad habit. A dangerous one," Merry admitted. "It's hurt more people than I care to remember. Anyway... sex talk... yeah, things went a little crazy for awhile there, but eventually I settled down with someone. Things were great for awhile and then they weren't. Now I'm... well, I don't know where I'm at, honestly. I think I broke someone else's heart and I don't know how to fix it."
Tsubaki touched Merry's wrist gently. "I'm sorry, Merry," she said, unsure of what else she could say. "You sound like the kind of person that doesn't like being alone."
Merry laughed out loud and nodded. "You might be right, Tsubaki," she rested her other hand on Tsubaki's and squeezed it. She was still staring off into space. "I spent a lot of time alone. A lot of time in my own head. Eventually, I guess I decided I wasn't going to do it anymore." Still smiling, Pixie met Tsubaki's gaze. "Do you believe in God, Tsubaki?"
Where did that come from?!
Tsubaki struggled with the question for a moment before committing to her answer. "No," she told her. "In a world as cruel and thankless as this, I don't see how God could exist."
"I used to feel that way too," Merry told her. "You take one look outside these walls the nobility hides behind and you'll see a world in dire need of a God. For a long time it was difficult for me to find joy in anything. To find purpose in anything. Even when things did look up, I'd filled the void of God with someone else. Someone I could touch and feel and share a laugh with."
Merry looked off whimsically once more. Her expression was a complex mixture of bitterness and joy. "When she left this world, and I was left alone again, the void gaping wide and impossible to ignore, I retreated into myself. I had no one to talk to. No one could understand my pain." She pursed her lips. "I got low. Real low. Found myself in situations I am lucky to have survived. In those times, when I was helpless and alone, clinging to a vein hope that I'd be able to see my son again I could do little else but talk to myself. In the darkness, alone, just blabbering away like a lunatic. But then, one day, it hit me. There was someone I could talk to. There was someone who would listen..."
She looked at Tsubaki once more, joyful tears standing in her eyes. "It was him... or her, whichever you prefer," Merry said. "God was there for me when no one else was. God stayed by my side and kept an ear open for me when I needed it most. And that's why it kills me now that I've let him down so many times. Every day... every day I try to do right by those I love, and by him... and every day I just push them all further away."
"Oh, Merry," Tsubaki pleaded, squeezing her hand tight and shaking it slightly. "Don't talk like that! You're a wonderful person! If there is some almighty being out there, I'm sure he loves you!"
Merry smiled wryly. "I hope you're right, Tsubaki," she replied. "Thanks."
Tsubaki returned the smile. "Don't mention it," she said.
It appeared Merry was a far more complex person than Tsubaki had previously thought. The notion of an omnipotent creator still seemed like a bad fairy tale to her, but she was glad that there was a at least something in this world that could give her friend hope.
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