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

[Fappy]

"... If I was a bounty hunter, as you say, I'd be making an awful hash of it so far, wouldn't I?"

Sprout's feeling of helplessness only furthered his growing rage. Not only had he been shrugged off by his own comrades, but he was also going completely ignored in this exchange. He was a bargaining chip. Nothing more. As the condescending man and this new strange woman discussed this progressively tense situation the Maidens around them started exchanging glances. The last thing Sprouted wanted was for one of them to do something stupid for his sake.

He had made his decision.

Elizabeth and Josephine both rose from their seats ever so slightly as to get a better look. The bandit that had seated them was now preoccupied. It was hard for her to get a handle on who was who at this rate and she wasn't quite sure what compelled Kitty to intervene. For a moment it looked as if the situation had resolved itself. Her eyes wandered between the actors involved until they fell upon the young boy once more. He was gritting his teeth and red in the face. Her heart sank as she came to a sudden realization.

This kid was about to do something really stupid.

"... If that is the path you choose, then I pray you are as blessed with good fortune as dear Lilith."

"FUCK THIS SHIT!" Sprout screamed as he bit down on the Gentleman's forearm as hard as he could and began flailing his legs around wildly. Alas, it had not been hard enough as his grip only seemed to tighten around Sprout's neck. Pinned against the Gentleman's chest, he could only see the woman in front of them as the Gentleman pressed his pistol against Sprout's head once more as to get him under control. A subtle smile showed on her face.

Was she going to shoot this man? What if she missed and hit Sprout instead!?

In a blind panic Sprout threw his legs forward, swinging right past Aesop and hitting Kitty's hand. Her arm flew up in the air as the gun she had been pointing at the Gentlemen discharged at angle against the ceiling of the cabin. After ricocheting off a metal beam it bounced twice before finding it's mark.

Elizabeth saw it coming before it happened. Just as the revolver discharged she instinctively grabbed Josephine, trying to force the two of them behind the seats. She wasn't fast enough as the stare bullet hit her square in the shoulder where Josephine had been standing only a moment ago. She let out a faint whimper and collapsed in Josephine's arms.

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It was a long walk back to the train. How the crawler got as far off course as it did was completely beyond Pixie. She had managed to salvage her weapons, but there was nothing left in the crawler worth salvaging. At this point the train seemed to have been at a full stop for several minutes. A thick black smoke cloud rose from the soldier car, back about half a mile from the rest of the train. She had managed to snap her arm back in place, but she was still fairly beat up and had a slight limp. As she closed in on the first class car she heard a gunshot go off, "Fer Christ's sake..."

 

[The Funslinger]

At the sudden commotion, Ruffles snapped into action. His inability to help his friend was infuriating and he was like a tensed spring. That woman was out of her seat with guns, and then Sprout went off, causing Kitty to be partially disarmed. She still had one pistol left, though. Bringing up his Glock, Ruffles fired two shots, hitting Kitty in the shoulder and leg. In the confined space, the hits were easy enough, even for a run of the mill person like him. The force of the impacts sent her reeling across the seats, and her remaining gun skittered across the floor. Waving his own around to deter any particularly ballsy Nobles, Ruffles crouched briefly and picked the gun up, jamming it through his belt. Turning around, livid, he shouted, to everyone as much as the woman he'd just wounded, with his voice taking on a more bass quality in the release of his anger.

"You were told to stay in your goddamn seats. You were fucking warned what would happen. I really hope none of the rest of you are that dumb! I AM TIRED OF THESE MOTHER FUCKING NOBLES ON THIS MOTHER FUCKING TRAIN!"

With that, he lapsed into sullen silence. This was a complete departure from his usual emotional range, and he hated it. Glancing at the Gentleman, he added, "and you." He wondered idly if the man recognized him. He'd been the mechanic of the Maiden for years, now.

 

[roushutsu]

When Kitty rose and took her own hostage, Josephine narrowed her eyes. I knew it! What is that wench plotting? She tried to listen in on their negotiation, but the young boy in the man's grasp began struggling. It only took a few seconds for this altercation to go out of control, as Kitty's gun discharged and the next thing she knew, Josephine was holding a bleeding Elizabeth. "Lady Maribel!"

She did not waste any time to begin tearing at her own dress, tending to her wounds as best as she could. It didn't look like it would be fatal, but she needed to get off of this train and get to a doctor. "I'll be damned if I allow that wench to take her life! Lady Maribel, prithee say something." She heard more shots being fired, and the sound of another body hitting the floor.

"You were told to stay in your goddamn seats. You were fucking warned what would happen. I really hope none of the rest of you are that dumb! I AM TIRED OF THESE MOTHER FUCKING NOBLES ON THIS MOTHER FUCKING TRAIN!"

Amidst this man's roaring, she remained focused on tending to Elizabeth. Some ale would be an excellent conceit... But considering the state of things, she knew it wouldn't be wise to try to leave to fetch some. She tightened the makeshift bandages, hoping this would be enough and that this whole ordeal would end soon. For Elizabeth's sake.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

As the woman grabbed Aesop, she resisted the urge to move her aim from the Gentlemen.

Oh for the love of... Lilith internally cursed the woman. This day. It was already one of those days, but this was taking the piss.

As she quickly tried to assess the situation, she looked at Sprout. Something was going on in that boy's head, she knew it. Please, Axel, don't anything stupid, I'm begging you.

"You can either back down, or you can attempt to kill me, cleanly, before I kill you. If that is the path you choose, then I pray you are as blessed with good fortune as dear Lilith."

So far her luck had been pretty poor that day, everything that could go wrong, pretty much had.

Just so long as Sprout doesn't do anything st-

"FUCK THIS SHIT!"

As the Gentleman's attention was drawn for that split second, Lilith acted.

She didn't think, the boy was in danger and she quickly closed the gap between her and the Gentleman, raising her revolver, she leaned in close to the man, elbow bent, the barrel just an inch from his face.

I've got him! she thought in triumph, for the briefest of moments, interrupted by the touch of cold metal under her chin.

For a few moments she did nothing, just stared into the man's cold eyes. She broke a small smile and some of the tension faded from her face.

"You're good."

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

"Why thank you, and you're too kind." The Gentleman replied with a smile. When Sprout had lost his temper, he had bitten hard enough to draw blood... if The Gentleman hadn't been wearing padding, under the guise of Mr. Rosby, that was twice the thickness of his natural arm. Had that happened, Lilith may have just gotten the drop on him.

"I believe this must be setting some kind of record for the most guns I've had pointed at me before dinner," The Gentleman quipped. "and I'll be truthful Lilith, my patience is wearing thin. You won't shoot me. We both know that. You made a promise, a promise that I have not returned in kind. So, I suggest that you do not try your luck."

 

[Daystar Clarion]

"So, I suggest that you do not try your luck."

"I always do." Lilith grinned. "But you're right, I won't shoot you, I've already given you my word, you don't need the boy any more, just let him go."

If she had no intention of shooting, then why did she find herself in this predicament? That bloody kid, he'll be the death of me, I swear.

 

[ProtoChimp]

Aesop felt a barrel of a gun in the back of his head. Just one more fucking volatile chemical. If it wasn't for Aesop then it had to be someone. The assassin bastard gave her an ultimatum has she had made Aesop her hostage and he just had to sigh. He was about to make a remark about mutually assured destruction when the chemicals had suddenly collided within the train and the resulting explosion was only barely contained.

Sprout bit. Sprout kicked. The woman stumbled. Her gun shot. Ruffles killed her. Aesop weaved out of the way for her body to fly into some seats. He turned to Ruffles and said "Thanks bud," and without turning his head unloaded a round into her deceased head. The nobles in the carriage flinched and gasped but were silenced by the angered Aesop. "SHUT THE FUCK UP!! THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE SAID WOULD HAPPEN IF PEOPLE TRIED TO FUCKING ESCAPE OR FIGHT BACK! DID YOU NOT HEAR OUR CAPTAIN OVER THE SPEAKER!? DID YOU OR DID YOU NOT HEAR OUR CAPTAIN OVER THE SPEAKER!" Aesop pointed with his free hand at the man crumpled at Florian's feet as he lowered his tone but kept his volume. "One man lays injured. He tried to escape." He pointed back to the woman Ruffles had just killed. "One woman tried to fight back. She lies dead! The only reason that man over there-" he said loud enough for the gentleman to hear "-is because he isn't a fucking noble. He has some strength but clearly he isn't here to save your sorry asses isn't that right good sir?" He awaited the man's response before continuing. "Now if no one here is trying to help you escape and since I can clearly see none of you are strong enough to oppose or run from us, do as you are told, stay in your seats and keep your fucking maggot ass lives for one more measly ass day!" Aesop howled into the air "GOD DAMMIT I FEEL ALIVE!!!" He patted Ruffles on the shoulder and whispered. "You'll be okay buddy boy." He yelled over to Florian "Hey father how's the patient! A lady here got shot in the shoulder-ma'am I recomend keeping pressure on that wound she'll be fine and don't try to escape-" Aesop winked to Lady Jo at that point before continuing "-And oh so clever sir keeping my friend hostage and with Casino's gun in your face and yours in hers, its all in our best interests to get onto the maiden safely so how abouts we ease up on the antics of trying to cheap shot one another and just try to get along m'kay?" Aesop's smile had suddenly returned... and yet it began with a woman dying. Eh, she had a gun on him fuck 'er.

 

[Fappy]

A few more gunshots could be heard coming from within the first class cabin. What the fuck were these amateurs doing in there?! Pixie hopped onto the back of the train car and slipped into the threshold, closing the door behind her. She opted to keep her mask on as it was distinctly possible a stare bullet had compromised cabin pressure. She readied her rifle and put an ear up to the door...

"GOD DAMMIT I FEEL ALIVE!!!"

That don' sound good....

The noise level plummeted after Aesop's outburst, though she could still hear some of the nobles near the door murmuring. It was clear that most the action was taking place on the other end of the cabin. The air seemed agreeable in the small dark threshold, so Pixie pulled down her mask and stuck two fingers in her mouth. A sharp whistle echoed through the door and into the first class cabin.

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Sprout almost forgot about his desperate rage and hopelessness when he found himself wedged between Casino and his captor. Her perfectly sculpted, God-given, modest-sized breasts dominated his field of vision, so much so that he almost didn't hear his mother's call. Sprout shook his head as to banish his dirty thoughts and shouted in excitement, "That's Ma'! Ma's here!"

Elizabeth had been stumbling around between states of consciousness. She didn't have the focus necessary to gauge what was happening around her. All she could register was pain, fear and the warm form she held on to for dear life. Her fingers dug into Josephine's arms as she instinctively drew herself closer for protection. To Josephine's delight, it appeared as though her bleeding was slowing.

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Hearing her son's excited calls was all that she needed. She slowly opened the door, weapon at the ready. What she saw before her was, well, it looked like a fucking mess. A man near the back with a bullet wound, another woman further up with blood seeping from a similar injury, a dead fat man on the floor who looked as if he had vomited and shat all over himself, and another dead woman crumpled on the ground nearby. Aesop, Padre and Ruffles looked more than a bit shaken up and her son was currently wedged between Casino--his make-believe girlfriend--and someone she was pretty sure was the master assassin known as The Gentleman.

What the ash-fucking hell happened here?

Everyone stared at her expectantly as she strolled down the aisle with her rifle over her shoulder and a slight limp in her step, still bleeding from fresh cuts and scrapes all over her body. She stopped near Aesop and Ruffles though her sight was focused squarely on the two people with her son squished between them. All three of them stared back. She scratched her forehead and sighed as she spoke, "Anyone hav'a radio I can borrow?"

 

[Daystar Clarion]

Lilith raised her head slightly as a whistle echoed throughout the cabin. Is that?...

"That's Ma'! Ma's here!"

"'Bout bloody time." Lilith whispered to herself.

The Captain walked the length of the cabin, a look on her face that Lilith suspected was one of perplexity. Lilith's gaze followed Pixie as she walked past, she then stopped at Aesop and Ruffles and and stared at her, the Gentleman, and Sprout, scratching her head.

Lilith glanced quickly at the Gentlemen, sharing a look that said Well, now what?.


"Anyone have a radio I can borrow?"

Lilith closed her eyes and uncocked the hammer on her revolver, lowering her arm and taking a step back from the Gentlemen, she stood relaxed, as all the tension fell from her body.

"Aye, Captain." Lilith sighed, grabbing the radio off her belt and lazily tossing it to the captain. "Also, it was Ruffles' fault." She smirked, "You should probably kick his arse."

 

[The Funslinger]

Ruffles rolled his eyes in good humour. "Oh, sure. Blame the black guy."

He nodded to Kitty's corpse. "Some kinda bounty hunter in disguise decided to try something on Aesop, so I put her down." His smile faltered. "Didn't mean to kill her..."

 

[Dogmatic99]

"He should be fine."

Florian called back to Aesop, his heart breaking at seeing the young woman gunned down like that, was the second bullet really needed? Everything was going so wrong and it seemed all he could do was keep his head down and watch. Even his own sense of bloodlust wasn't stupid enough to try and call for sarting a gunfight here. There were so many hostages going around and everything was so tightly packed, it would be chaos.

Lilith and sprouts captor continued in their static dance for dominance and just as it looked like things were about to completly go to hell, who should burst in but the captain?

Finally a voice of reason. At least Florian prayed she would be.

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

The Gentleman took a moment to drink in Pixie's state. She was a mess. Battered, bruised, and limping. She moved one of her arms very gingerly, suggesting a dislocation. Whereas before they'd been filled with an ominous, piercing coldness, The Gentleman's eyes now lit up with delight as he spoke.

"Why, Miss Monroe! It's been far too long. I must say, you look more ravishing than ever."

While talking, The Gentleman reciprocated Lilith's action, and removed his own pistol from under her chin. He relaxed his grip on Sprout's neck too, though made sure still to keep him close, his arm now pressing down across the boy's shoulders. The boy was unlikely to try something so foolish again so soon, and The Gentleman's need for him was negligible at this point. Still, it never hurt to be cautious.

 

[roushutsu]

"Ma'am I recommend keeping pressure on that wound she'll be fine and don't try to escape," said one of the bandits as he quickly glanced over Elizabeth. Josephine merely nodded in response. It was clear that they both want the same thing at this point--for this madness to end so everyone can just go home.

Just then, another entered the car, this time a woman. Her very presence commanded respect. "Anyone have a radio I can borrow?"

She must be the head of these forces. She was injured, but fully capable of walking towards the bandits. Josephine shuddered at the mere thought of the hell that was wrought on the rest of the train. When she felt Elizabeth tug on her arms again, she lowered her lips to her ear. "Do not fear. The captain has arrived. All will be well soon."

 

[ProtoChimp]

Aesop's eyes widened at the sight of the captain as he was filled with confidence-which was then replaced by the realisation that he had just been making a total tit out of himself. Hopefully she would fix this whole mess.

 

[Fappy]

Pixie caught the radio with ease and thumbed the call button, "Cranston? Ya' read me?"

The radio sparked to life as the manic sound of gunfire and engines filled the cabin. It seemed as though things were far more exciting at the soldier car, "zzzttt---Ma'am! It's----zzztt----like shooting fish in a barrel out here! We're about ready to wrap things---zzztt---up on our end!---zzzzttt"

It was hard to make out his shouts over the sound of battle, but Pixie understood him, "Roger that. Make sure yer boys neutralize all hostiles before you head on back this way. First Class cabin's been secured. Over."

"Why, Miss Monroe! It's been far too long. I must say, you look more ravishing than ever."

"Ravishing" was certainly one way of putting it. Pixie clipped the radio to her belt, placed her hands on her hips and smirked halfheartedly as she greeted him, "So it is you, you wily sonuvabitch! What're you these days, like 70'er somethin'?" She looked down at her son who stared back in silence. "I see you're havin' a good, fun time with yer dear ol' Uncle Gentleman, but there's work ta' be done 'round here, son. Why don' you stop horsen' 'round and tend ta' some of these poor ol' wounded folks."

Since he had loosened his grip around Sprout's neck he was now able to turn his head and see the man who'd been holding him hostage. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to do, so he looked to the Gentleman expectantly.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

Lilith frowned.

This man had kept the Captain's son at gunpoint, and this was her reaction? She had seen the way they interacted with each other before, but those were in more amicable circumstances.

Did she overreact? Was she the reason this whole job went to shit? Well, whatever, she was sure she'd get an ear full back on the Maiden. She finished her cigarette and immediately lit up another.

She took a deep drag and blew the smoke skyward, "Ce la vie." She whispered to herself, a tired smile on her face.

 

[The Funslinger]

Ruffles was feeling distinctly more at peace, now that the Captain was here. "Back to work," he said quietly. More loudly, he said, "alrighty, stand up, hands on your heads!"

Before striding up the isle, he kicked open the carriage door. Then fired a couple of rounds into the ceiling when the Nobles were hesitant in obeying him. "Up! Up!" As he passed Lilith, he said in an undertone, "I guess we leave wounded for you guys to take out more carefully, right?"

Then he was speaking loudly, again. "Alright, single file line and march out that door. Like a train, ironically." As the Nobles moved through the door, he followed. "And I still got plenty of rounds left, so no running off. Line up outside, hands where I can see 'em."

Being all in command and authoritative wasn't his usual schtick, but he was enjoying it immensely, bossing around a bunch of high and mighty snobs. "Masks on, masks on!" It was considered basic safety to take masks on any journey between domes, and even Nobles weren't so stupid as to disregard that. As the wind began to sweep outside air into the carriage through the door, everyone fumbled their masks on, though the gentleman still managed to look suave doing it, even one handed.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

"I guess we leave wounded for you guys to take out more carefully, right?"

"Yeeeeeup" Lilith replied, unenthusiastically.

She left the Padre with the wounded nobleman and made her way over to two women, one of whom had been hit in the shoulder by the earlier scuffle. She looked at them for moment.

"Sorry things ended this way, we hoped to rob you with a lot less violence, you know?" She chuckled.

 

[ProtoChimp]

Aesop chuckled as Ruffles forced the Nobles to put on their masks and ordered them around. He put on his mask and started making his way out of the carriage while the nobles followed suit. They all fumbled and bustled as they formed a line. The most resistance they offered were under the breath insults. "Alright I want everybody to drop any carbon you got on the floor. Any pocket change or petty cash right now."

"My how dare you, what manners are-" A skinny male noble began speaking in an irritating accent before Aesop swiftly pulled his gasmask off for a second.

"Do as I say or I won't be using any bullets." He said coldly to which they all did as commanded.

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

"Seventy?!" The Gentleman exclaimed with mock incredulity. "Why my dear I am appalled. What have I ever done to you to earn such cruelty?"

When Ruffles decided it would be a good idea to add some extra ventilation to the carriage, The Gentleman felt that moment prudent to release Sprout, so that they may both attach their breathing masks. It amused him to think that, had Lilith thought of that earlier, she might well have forced him into releasing the boy against his will, or else holstering his weapon. Either way, she would have had him.

"Run along now you little scamp." he told Sprout playfully, ruffling the boy's hair as he did so. "Your mother and I have so much catching up to do."

As he said this, The Gentleman puled out his own mask, and fixed it with a flourish. From the front, the lower half of his face was still visible through the glass covering. The Gentleman felt it only polite that others he was dealing with should be able to see his face in any situation. It was beside the point that much of the time he wouldn't be wearing his real face to begin with. To the sides, the mask was beautifully fashioned out of white porcelain, with parallel gashes across the cheeks that housed the air filters, much like the gills of a fish.

"May I?" he said to Pixie, offering his outstretched arm.