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

[Fappy]

Pixie had avoided eye-contact up until the point that Lilith lifted her eye-patch. She stared back, looking at her with both eyes for the first time. Then Lilith hit her. The slap stung, but Pixie was more shocked than anything else. She followed it up with a hug and a kiss, ending it all with her forehead resting on Pixie's.

"We'll kill him."

Pixie wasn't sure what kind reaction Lilith expected, nor did she know exactly what she was going to say before she said it. She'd been thinking on this for a long time and the day's events only solidified her position further. She was grateful for Lilith's devotion, truly, but she would have to disappoint the girl. It was for her own good.

Pixie placed her hands on Lilith's and withdrew her head to get a better look at what she wrought on the poor girl. Her despair was more animated now. Her voice wavered as she spoke, "Thank you, Lilith, really. But... I'm sorry Lily, but this ain't yer fight and I can' let you get lost in it. The ransom deal is ta' be yers and Sprout's last job as Maidens. Everythin' I've done up ta' this point's been fer my boy. You may see me as n' older sister, but I've grown ta' treat you like a daughter."

She bowed her head now and clutched Lilith's arms, "I can' let my children get caught up n' this nightmare! The thought'a you 'er Sprout gettn' hurt 'cause a this... it's unbearable, Lily. So, I'm askin' you this as a mother who watched you grow up into the woman you ar' today, not as yer captain: when the job's done you take Sprout n' you leave this life behind. I'll support y'all in any way I can, but I can' have either of y'all be targets."

She clutched Lilith's arms tighter, "I've already lost enough to that man. I'm sorry, Lily."

 

[The Funslinger]

Ruffles walked slowly down the corridor until he reached Bart's cell. In his hands was a large napkin with the lukewarm remains of his steak. Hardly choice compared to what he himself had eaten, with veins of fat running through the meat. The man deserved something, but that didn't mean it had to be good. There was also a little mashed potato in there, too. Opening the door, he walked in.

Bart looked up and recognized him. The man moved towards him, and immediately started gushing, "ah! You, yes! The brave man that saved my life from that psychotic harlot--" he was cut off as Ruffles' steel toe capped boot caught him in the gut.

"Shut up. Just shut the fuck up." It wasn't Bart's fault Lilith had had to take the heat for him, but that was what it felt like. "Ain't nobody fed you since we took you?" Bart opened his mouth, shut it, and then shook his head.

"Fine." Ruffles dropped his food parcel at the Noble's feet, turned and left without a word. His next destination was Elizabeth and Jo's cell. This time, he knocked on the door. "I'm coming in."

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

When the bounty hunter had left, Whiskey sat smiling idly. Getting under her skin had been much too easy. Still, the woman seemed to have expected more. Whiskey wasn't sure why. The bounty hunter's presence would only be a complication in an otherwise fairly routine job.

Almost routine. The Iron Maidens. Whiskey had never met them, but she knew their reputation well. She had a great deal of respect for the work they did, taking from the almost limitless supplies and finance the Nobles horded for themselves, and dealing it to people who actually had to get off their asses to live. It was a shame they were attracting very dangerous attention, now. Whiskey lit another cigarette and dragged contemplatively.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

Lilith couldn't believe what she was hearing, she refused to believe what she was hearing.

"I've already lost enough to that man. I'm sorry, Lily."

The spark from her eyes was gone, replaced with panic. "No, no, no, why are you telling me this?" She scanned Pixie's face for clues, anything that would suggest she was joking. "You're serious aren't ya?" her voice was now a whisper. She pulled her arm from Pixie's grasp. "No, you... you can't" the panic was starting to creep into her voice. "You don't get to lay all that on me and then tell me to leave!" She took a few steps backwards, "You don't get to do that! That isn't fair!" She put her hands on her head, grabbing her hair. The pain she had successfully ignored a few moments ago now began flooding back into her body, her breathing sped up as she clutched her shoulder.

"Y... you don't..." All those feelings of abandonment as a child came rushing back into her mind. "Where would we go!? We're wanted criminals Meredith! We wouldn't last a month out there on our own!" Her mind was working overtime thinking of everything she could throw out that would convince Pixie that this was a terrible idea. "Mere... Meredith, I can't... I can't do this again, I..." Tears began flooding her eyes as both the physical and mental stress began to take its toll.

"I... I... I can't..." She fell to her knees, as the pain reached a climax, she raised a fist as if to punch the ground, but her hand fell limply onto the cold metal as she began sobbing.

 

[Fappy]

"You look like you're trying to waste my time."

Shakes screamed out in agony as the blade entered his flesh. A strung-bystander screamed as well, as if just doing so to mimic Shakes and promptly rose to his feet and sprinted out of the room.

"W-WHAT THE FUCK, MAN!?"

"Information, location, where they're going to be, armaments. Or I start removing limbs, starting with your member. Get me, junkie?"

Shakes clutched his wound and scrambled back against the wall, "FUCK! JESUS! YES, OKAY! FUCK, OKAY,OKAY, OKAY, OKAY, OKAY, OKAY! I'll tell you whatever you want! Just get that fuckn' thing outta my face! I can't think straight when under pressure like this!"

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

Bennie had just lit up his second cigarette when he noticed a deranged man flying out of the den Kayneth had entered. Covered in what was likely someone else's blood, the man sprinted down the street screaming. Bennie sighed, "God dammit."

Bennie took one quick drag before he put it out and made his way to the drug den, shotgun at the ready.

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"I'm coming in."

It appeared the two nobles were popular today. Elizabeth stood up from her bed to greet him as he entered, "Are you here to scream at us, too?" Clearly, she wasn't in the best mood.

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

"I... I... I can't..."

Pixie watched helplessly as Lilith broke down, dropping to her knees in defeat. She hadn't even the strength to take her frustration out on the floor beneath her. Pixie dropped to one knee and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. There was so much she wanted to say to Lilith, but she didn't know how, "No, no, no, Lilith. I'd never abandon you'r Sprout, you know that. None of this' yer fault. I promise you."

She sighed, knowing where she had to take this. Though it had been something she'd been dwelling on for a long time, Pixie had never communicated this to Lilith. She traced her hand from Lilith's shoulder to her cheek and rested her palm on her wounded face, "Look at me, Lily." Lilith did as she was told, though it wasn't likely easy for her to see Pixie through her tears. "Elizabeth may a' been the last nail 'n the coffin, but I can't lie to you... I've been considern' this fer a long time now. You may not realize this but I've always kept the two'a y'all away from where the blood's thickest."

Pixie removed her eye-patch completely. Her blinded eye was an eerie sight. Besides the lack of coloration, it lacked the distinct sharpness her good eye had. It looked... dead, "Look at me, Lily. This eye ain't like this cause Dio stuck a knife in it. It ain't workn' cause'a that, sure. But I reckon it'd have a mighty fine glow 'bout it if not fer the shit it's seen. You 'n Sprout have been sittn' on the edge this whole time, don' you see that? You've never had to make the leap 'n ta' the abyss like the rest of us had. An' I don' want you too!

"I didn' choose this life, Lily, and even if I wanted to I couldn' just stop. Not anymore. Not after the thin's I done. The people I hurt. You n' Sprout haven't come over ta' ar' side yet, an' I... I forbid you to do so! It's a waste, Lily! A fuckn' waste! The Maiden's comprised a' the people it is 'cause we ain't got nowhere else ta' go! We already fucked ar' lives up ta' the point a' no return, but despite what you might think it ain't too late fer you!"

Pixie wiped away some of Lilith's tears with her thumb, "Please, Lily, I'm beggn' you ta' understand me. Yer the only person I can trust ta' take care'a my boy. I know it's selfish, but I've run outta options. I don' know if I can win this war, Lilith, an' I can' have you two here in the event that we lose it. I'll always be'a phone call away, sweetheart, you know that. You're never gonna be alone again, I promise you."

 

[Daystar Clarion]

A lot of what Pixie said made sense. Even in her current state, there was no denying that her and Sprout had never been a part of the vanguard. Yesterday's heist was proof of that. Getting sent to the carriage with the least number of combatants, and they still managed to half fuck it up.

"Look at me, Lily."

She raised her head taking, taking comfort in Meredith's touch. She had seen so much shit, but that wasn't enough? It wasn't enough to earn her place? What kind of horrors would she have to inflict?


"Please, Lily, I'm beggn' you ta' understand me. Yer the only person I can trust ta' take care'a my boy. I know it's selfish, but I've run outta options. I don' know if I can win this war, Lilith, an' I can' have you two here in the event that we lose it. I'll always be'a phone call away, sweetheart, you know that. You're never gonna be alone again, I promise you."

Lilith clenched her fists, ordering her eyes to pull the tears back in.

"This is turning out to be one shit week." Her face softened as a smile broke across her face. "The train job, this..." She pointed at her face, "Then Cherry, and now this." She ran a bloodstained sleeve across her face, wiping away the tears. "And my scarf!" She quickly pointed to the ripped bloodstained pile in the corner, laughing slightly.

She looked up at Meredith, the smile still on her face. "I'll take good care of your boy."

 

[Fappy]

Spoiler: Lilith and Pixie, MAX DAT SOCIAL LINK!

"I'll take good care of your boy."

Pixie smiled back, "I know you will, sweetheart." She helped Lilith to her feet and led her back to the recliner. After filling both glasses to the brim with scotch Pixie sat by her bedside once more and handed her a drink. Holding up her glass in the air, Pixie proposed a toast of sorts. "Now, as yer captain I do have'a order fer ya': get drunk off yer ass, *****!"

The two banged their glasses against one another and downed their drinks in unison. That 30-year-old bottle of scotch didn't last the night. Sadly, it wasn't the first time either of them had gotten blackout drunk in the med bay.

And who knows, it may not even be the last.

 

[The Funslinger]

"Are you here to scream at us, too?"

Ruffles leaned against the wall. "Nope. Hell, I've been dealing with the fallout of the captain's last conversation with you. Let's just say you ain't the only person I've had to doctor." He gave a pained look at the ceiling. "Really not sure why I'm even here. I guess I just... when you save someone's life, I guess you just feel kinda responsible for them. You been fed?"

 

[Ruedyn]

"FUCK! JESUS! YES, OKAY! FUCK, OKAY,OKAY, OKAY, OKAY, OKAY, OKAY! I'll tell you whatever you want! Just get that fuckn' thing outta my face! I can't think straight when under pressure like this!"

Kayneth drew back his blade, instead pulling out his revolver and pointing it at his gut, juuuust in case he tried anything. He tapped the flat of his blade against his wrist, 'Tick Tock, you stupid Junkie.' People who knew things always tried to have a back up, but did this one? Was the headless one his trick, ace in the hole?

Junkies like this weren't exactly known for foresight.

Nor were sword wielding nobles known for patience.

 

[Terratina.]

"C'mon!" The unmasked Maria shouted as she jabbed Micky with her elbow.

But he didn't want to walk around a huge-ass city in the state he was in. He didn't want to present his battered face to anyone, let alone the citizenry of Feroxi. It was too dangerous. A weak smile formed on his face as an amusing though came into his mind: maybe the old man had busted his face so much he was unrecognisable. Still, it was one ugly mug. Micky had cringed when he saw it reflected in some polished piece of scrap, or whatever it was. He tried to hide his face as Maria carted him around the city, as she anxiously looked for a relatively cheap place to stay.

At least she knew that going to the Sheriff was a bad idea.

She also displayed signs of annoyance. Maria didn't know who to be more frustrated at, herself or the fool who was suddenly feeling self-conscious. She wanted to shout at him for being so petty. Of course, the guy was worried about his face, whoever had put him in the ground probably wanted it to stay that way. But still, the crowds would offer enough offer. That wasn't the point anyway! He was making it harder and that was annoying. In the end, she gave up and dragged her companion and herself into the nearest inn. She rang the bell and put on her best smile for the receptionist.

He came quickly with an easy-going stride, "Heya. Lookin' fer a room, darlin'?"

"Whaddya think?" She teased, "Just one for me and... him."

The voice of the receptionist seemed to fade away. Maybe it was just fatigue, but a short sharp shock soon brought him out of acting like such a sleepyhead. The next thing Micky knew, Maria had erupted into a stream of shouting, "What!? That much for a two-person room? Well, I'll just take a room for one and sleep on the couch!"

"Sure whatever ya say." Was the lax receptionist's reply.

Maria fished out some Carbon and dumped it on the counter. The receptionist, in turn, dumped the key on the counter and took the Carbon. After that, Maria, with all her might, pulled Micky up the stairs and threw Micky on the bed. She collapsed and sank to the ground, taking deep breaths. Micky was already out cold. She felt like sleeping as well, but not before a nice shower or something. Besides, the hard part of saving his sorry hide was over. At least for the most part. Bah! The rest could wait until both of them had gotten some rest, couldn't it?

 

[Fappy]

... I guess I just... when you save someone's life, I guess you just feel kinda responsible for them...

Elizabeth lowered her guard. She recalled yesterday's events vividly, despite being half-conscious for most of the surgery. It was the most pain she'd ever experienced, but he went a long way in easing it for her. Maybe this one was different after all...

"You been fed?"

Elizabeth shook her head, "No, we were fed a few hours ago, but I suspect it has gotten a fair bit later? There are no clocks or windows in here, so it's hard to tell." She noted the man's perturbed expression and couldn't help by pry. "Are you... okay?"

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

Still terrified, Shakes swallowed audibly before spilling what he knew, "Th-th-the Maiden's support network's got a rat in Boomhower! I don't exactly who it is, but I know he's being protected by the banditos over there. P-p-pixie's sending two teams there to take care of it... some of her toughest, best men. I don't have names, I just know they're tough fuckers!"

Clutching his bleeding wound he shouted, "That's all I know, I swear!"

Bennie, his shotgun at the ready, entered the room to see a decapitated corpse and an old tweaker at Kayneth's mercy, "Christ, man. Did he spill anything?"

Shakes pointed an accusatory finger at Bennie, "Y-y-you! YOU PUT HIM UP TO THIS!?"

Bennie lowered his weapon and sighed, "If you wanna live you might want to shut the fuck. My boy here's already displayed how he feels 'bout low lives like yourself." Bennie looked to Kayneth. "What did he tell you?"

 

[The Funslinger]

"Are you... okay?"

"Yeah... just thinking about whether I'm where I should be." There was a silence, and then as though it were dragged out of him, he added, "I never joined this crew for the money. I mean I used to work for Nobles, by proxy. I was a shipwright in Zephyr. A really good one. I joined the crew because I agreed with what the Captain was doing. Taking money from people who had more than they'd ever need and still hording more, and giving it to people who were just scraping by. And because I was tired of fixing and building for Nobles who only ever saw their ships as status symbols to be thrown away and swapped at a moment's notice. But everyone here loves this ship almost as much as I do. But I'm not sure anymore." He slid down the wall into a sitting position. "Just seems like shit's sliding out of control. And I know I don't know everything, so fuck knows how bad it really is."

 

[Fappy]

"Just seems like shit's sliding out of control. And I know I don't know everything, so fuck knows how bad it really is."

Elizabeth shrugged. She wasn't sure anything she could say would hold any weight with him, but she tried nonetheless, "This may not mean much to you, as I am a noble after all, but I'd say it should be something to expect from such a venture. No matter what promises were made to you on the outset some part of you had to know that this was a gang of outlaws. These were people that would threaten innocents to line their pockets."

She sat back down on her bed. His remaining standing like that made her feel a bit uncomfortable, "I may have lived a sheltered life, but I understand that characteristic is consistent in the nobility as well. I think... I think, in the end, we humans are just greedy creatures."

Recalling Pixie's attack earlier, Elizabeth shifted uncomfortably before continuing, "Then again, your Captain is... well, I dare say she's a 'lunatic'. I'd be surprised if she were motivated by anything other than sadism."

 

[Ruedyn]

"Th-th-the Maiden's support network's got a rat in Boomhower! I don't exactly who it is, but I know he's being protected by the banditos over there. P-p-pixie's sending two teams there to take care of it... some of her toughest, best men. I don't have names, I just know they're tough fuckers!"

Sounds like a start. But do I trust you enough?

"That's all I know, I swear!"

Kayneth's finger moved to the trigger, but Bennie intervened with his shotgun, convenient. Trust wasn't very high, but he was considerate enough to lower his pistol as well. He was faster than Bennie, and the junkie was injured. Kayneth saw he was looking at the body, half decapitated. Looked full on from an angle, but Kayneth wasn't aiming for that...

"Christ, man. Did he spill anything?"

Before Kayneth could answer-

"Y-y-you! YOU PUT HIM UP TO THIS!?"

Kayneth raised his sword, over the junkies crotch.

"If you wanna live you might want to shut the fuck. My boy here's already displayed how he feels 'bout low lives like yourself. What did he tell you?"

"Boomhower, apparently a bunch of her toughest are going there to plug a leak. Could probably get more out of him if this one says he doesn't know ANY more info that could help. Tick Tock, maggot."

 

[Fappy]

"...Tick Tock, maggot."

Shakes looked at him and then back to Bennie, "That's all, I swear! Bennie, you know me! You know I wouldn't hold out on you!"

Bennie rested the shotgun on his shoulder and scratched his goatee with his off-hand. It was true, he did know Shakes pretty well and he'd always prided himself on his information gathering skills. Shakes was being straight with them, he was sure of it.

Bennie nodded, "He's telling the truth. He doesn't have much of a rep to keep anymore, so he's not stickn' his neck out for anyone if it means he's gonna get his nuts blown off." Bennie approached Kayneth from behind and pointed his thumb back towards the den's entrance. "Come on man, we're done here. If they really are heading to Boomhower we've gotta a train to catch."

 

[Ruedyn]

"He's telling the truth. He doesn't have much of a rep to keep anymore, so he's not stickn' his neck out for anyone if it means he's gonna get his nuts blown off."

"Sliced." Kayneth corrected, pointing at the sword. Regardless, he put it back into his sheath, digging around in the pocket covered by his plaid cloth. He pulled out a small

"Come on man, we're done here. If they really are heading to Boomhower we've gotta a train to catch."

"A moment, please. I give you a choice." Kayneth said, pulling out a small bag. Carbon, pure and simple. He threw it, perhaps purposefully, at the wounded shoulder, speaking as he made his exit.

"Three choices, Shakes. Bury your friend, get medical attention, or more drugs. Your choice."

 

[The Funslinger]

"Then again, your Captain is... well, I dare say she's a 'lunatic'. I'd be surprised if she were motivated by anything other than sadism."

Ruffles frowned. "No, that's not her at all. Pixie's invested in the crew for the same reasons I joined. The ideals. This is the first time she's ever flown off the handle like this. Whatever you are to her, it's big."

He got to his feet. "Anyway, I'm being sent away from the ship on a job for some reason. In the next couple of days." He cracked a grin. "Someone else is gonna have to remember to feed you guys. I'll go grab something for ya."

 

[Fappy]

Shakes shrieked in pain as the hefty bag of carbon collided with his wound.

"Three choices, Shakes. Bury your friend, get medical attention, or more drugs. Your choice."

Still trembling in fear, he said nothing as he watched the two men leave.

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

After making him wait far longer than he could tolerate (which is to say, at all) Bennie returned to Kayneth, a look of disappointment on his face, "Due to the heist railroad traffic has be suspended for security reasons. I managed to get us two tickets on a previously booked trip, though. Two days from now. It's not ideal, but I know Pixie and I know she doesn't like going into any operation unprepared. We have time... might even beat her men there."

Bennie examined his revolver, popping out the chamber to look down the barrel. It hadn't been looked at by a smith in some time, "We might as well make preparations of our own in the meantime. Get stocked up. Get drunk. Get your dick wet. You know, whatever you need to get your mind ready for war." Bennie snapped the chamber back in place and looked at Kayneth. "'Cause I won't lie to you: if she really is sending her best men we're gonna need to be fuck'n sharp."

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"Someone else is gonna have to remember to feed you guys. I'll go grab something for ya."

Elizabeth nodded with a smile, "Oh, please do. Thank you."

With that Ruffles left to retrieve some leftovers for the girls.

"Whatever you are to her, it's big."

A chill ran up Elizabeth's spine as she recalled his words.

Who is she?

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Three days later...

Pixie had been sitting in the captain's chair of the bridge, enjoying the sunrise with a fresh cup of coffee. It may have been synthetic, but it was good enough for her. She didn't have what you'd call a "refined pallet". Once day broke across the ashlands she flashed a wicked grin to Cranston and clutched her radio. A crackling noise sounded over the ship's PA system. Anyone who was already awake knew what was to come, "This is yer Captain speaking, RISE 'N SHINE YOU NO-GOOD, COCK SUCKN' VARMINTS! I WANNA SEE ALL Y'ALL ON THE BRIDGE AFTER BREAKFAST! NOW, DON' DILLY-DALLY 'ER I RECKON I'LL BREAK YER GOD DAMN SPINE WITH'A LEAD PIPE!"

After a few moments Pixie added, "P.S. I love y'all."

 

[Daystar Clarion]

Spoiler: Play da track

Lilith hadn't slept or eaten very well the past couple of days. The morning after her piss up with Pixie was a haze of pain from her injuries, a hangover that could kill a horse, and the reality that her time on the Maiden was coming to an end.

Pixie had excused Lilith of all her duties on the ship, and was given the order to 'Sit her purty lil' ass down fer a few days. Get a manicure er' somethin.'. With little sleep, and nothing to distract herself with, she spent the last 2 days locked in her room feeling sorry for herself. She tried to recover her scarf, see if she could salvage it, maybe stitch it up, give it a good scrub, make it good as new... almost, but it wasn't in the med bay when she checked, and she couldn't be bothered to go asking around for it.

Lilith woke up in the wee hours of the morning, spending the next few hours just staring at the ceiling. So, my luck has finally run dry. Hell of a way to abandon me now. She quickly felt a pang of guilt. But nothing compared to what Meredith's had to suffer. I'm not even half the woman she is.

Lilith breathed in sharply through her teeth as she bathed in the shower, the hot water stinging the cuts and bruises on her face and around her upper chest. Thankfully, nothing was broken, Pixie made sure about that, giving her an examination that could be widely considered a form of sexual assault in most places. She smiled slightly at the memory.

She stood in front of her mirror, hair dripping wet. Update on the damage. The swelling had all but disappeared, and her cuts had scabbed over rather well. There was a pretty big one on the left side of her upper lip, and a rather large one on her left cheekbone where the skin had just split wide open, that one had needed stitches. She figured that was from the first punch. There were also a number of smaller cuts and bruises, but the biggest offender was her right eye, the bruising was substantial, and had begun yellowing around the edges. She wasn't winning any beauty contests any time soon, but with all things considered, she was lucky. S'pose that counts for something. She tried to force a smile, looking fake as hell. Her heart just wasn't in it, not today.

Packing all the stuff she could reasonably carry the night before, including a carton of mighty fine cigarettes that Aesop had taken from the train job loot. She slipped on the clothes she had left out for that day, a dark blue, collarless, long-sleeved linen button shirt, her trusty googles, and a pair of jeans, worn considerably on the knees, the left knee in particular being torn open. She also wore a long, baggy poncho, dark brown, with a simple, symmetrical intertwined line design. Today, her breathing equipment would be housed in some crappy black scarf that she didn't recall buying. It just wasn't the same. She missed old Red Scarf.


Lilith looked around her room. Her record player, her chaise longue, her liquor, these things she would have to leave behind. She had emptied her fridge, placing all the sodas she had stolen from Ruffles over the years on the coffee table in the centre of the room. She had laid them out in the shape of a sad face, a small note in front of them.

'Jake

Sorry.

Not about the sodas though, the only thing I regret is that I didn't take more. Also, I rearranged your tools on several occasions, that wasn't you going crazy like you thought, that was the sound of me laughing at you. You fucking clown.

<3

Lil

XXXXX
XXX
X

P.S. Warren drank the blue ones.

P.P.S. Please tell the others I'm sorry.'


Lilith spent the time saying goodbye to her room, and smoking, then smoking some more. Her heart sank as Pixie's voice echoed over the PA.

"P.S. I love y'all."

"I love you too."

She slipped on her boots, put on her backpack and holster, strapped her rifle over her shoulder and left, spending a few moments under the door frame, she said farewell to the place she called home for the last seven years.

 

[Fappy]

Lilith nearly tripped over Cranston as she turned to leave her room for the last time. How long had he been there?

"Trying to sneak out without saying goodbye?" A warm smile shone on his face. "It's okay, Meredith told me." He put a hand on her shoulder. "Sprout's still getting ready to leave in his room, so you have some time to kill. Pixie'd be more than cross if you were to leave without saying goodbye to her. She's on the bridge"

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Sprout was never any good at packing. He'd been awake a full hour before the PA announcement and he was still trying to figure out what he needed to bring, "Fuck me! How much ammo's too much?" He questioned himself, grasping fistfuls of shotgun shells. In truth, his indecisive nature was only partially to blame for his inefficient packing. His mind was elsewhere, it seemed.

As he would expect before going out on a mission without her, his mother had spent a great deal of time with him these past few days. Eating meals with him, telling him stories... giving him advice. What was concerning was a distinct sense of sadness she had in her words, and in the way she looked at him... almost longingly. Maybe she still felt some regret for what she had done to Lilith, but they'd made up. No, this was something else entirely.

As he sifted through dirty cloths to throw into a duffle bag, he came across a folded up photo in one of his pockets. The old polaroid depicted a scene he'd committed to memory. His mother, standing tall and proud before the Iron Maiden in all its glory. Cranston was standing beside her with Sprout on his shoulders. A stupid grin encompassing the majority of his small, seven-year-old face. You could even make out Ruffles in the background, working on the ship.

Sprout smiled, silently hoping things would never change.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

Lilith nearly had a heart attack as she turned, almost getting a face full of Cranston.

"Trying to sneak out without saying goodbye?"

"Cranston, I..." Her voiced cracked.

"It's okay, Meredith told me."

She smiled weakly, "Really?".

"Sprout's still getting ready to leave in his room, so you have some time to kill. Pixie'd be more than cross if you were to leave without saying goodbye to her. She's on the bridge"

Lilith stood silent for a moments, before suddenly wrapping her arms around the old man's neck, kissing him on the cheek. "I'll miss you." Her eyes welled up. "Thank you for everything."

Without waiting for a response, she quickly rushed over to the bridge, wiping her eyes.