you know,” She smiled her semi-toothless grin. “He was a good Boss, I thought, but now he's in charge,” She pointed at The Puller's house, her smile fading somewhat. “I know he's not a bad guy, but...” I nodded, understanding why everyone in town preferred to pretend he didn't exist.
noon
One of The Puller's men was walking toward me, clearly intent on speaking with me when Disciple showed up out of the blue, insinuating himself between us and taking over. The guard was not quite looking at me and nodding as Disciple whispered in his ear. Moments later my horrifically scarred former friend was walking inside The Puller's house instead of me, while I had to make nice with Tiny.
The Twin wandered on over with Doctor. I figured Disciple had already informed them of the situation when she told me that Doctor had found some practice swords and was teaching her how to fight with them, did I want to learn as well? Then she wisely extended the offer to Tiny, who politely declined, claiming that she preferred other weapons than a blade.
Two hours later, Tiny congratulated me on a fine display, saying that it seemed as though I had held a katana before. That or I was a reincarnated samurai. Laughing, I told her that I grew up with brothers and we played a lot of Star Wars themed sword-fighting games in our back yard.
evening
Tiny insisted on renting another room for the two of us to share, so I insisted on inviting The Twin to come and stay with us. After Apocalypse Girl she was my oldest friend in this devastated world and I both trusted her and wanted her close by. Tiny accepted this with barely a word of protest, which was quashed when I told her that The Twin would be well able to help in our investigation. She nodded, plainly furious, and went downstairs, ordering that I accompany her.
A moment later, the barman was refusing to allow her to fight tonight, or any other night. He didn't want a 'pretty little thing' like her 'damaged' by 'big, ugly, hairy men' in the ring. When he agreed to allow her in the ring, she agreed to let his arm go, which was inconveniently placed behind his other elbow, at least that was how it looked to me.
Her first fight was over before it even began. She didn't even appear to have moved, but her opponent doubled over and fell with a large bruise on his temple. Her second opponent simply grabbed hold of his crotch and dropped to the floor. Number three, Jarhead, blocked her first attack, made one of his own, then fell over with a black eye. Tiny was amazingly fucking quick. She waved away the bag of teeth that the barman offered her as a reward, saying that she had needed to kick the shit out of somebody, but wasn't allowed to harm the person in question. Share it out among the losers, she told him. When he went to put the bag back in his pocket, she grabbed his wrist and repeated herself. This time, he complied.
June 28 th Year 1 A.Z.
morning
Tiny was still sleeping, snoring softly away to herself in one corner. The Twin and I were quietly discussing our options. She favoured simply abandoning any further plans of assassination, as The Enigmatic Man seemed more or less harmless to her, just a reclusive eccentric scientific type, she said. Yakuza Lady, on the other hand, could be a problem. She was an incredibly powerful woman in this new world, after all.
I told her that I was expected to produce results, though, not to mention my debt to Disciple. I didn't like it, I said, but it was one of those things. Like when we went into Melbourne, that very first time, to find Copper's Sister. The Twin nodded, and Tiny began to stir. She sat bolt upright the instant she realised that she was really awake, eyes on me in an instant.
The Twin told me that she would talk things over with some people, but that she still felt the wisest course of action would be simply to go back to Alice Facility, and Apocalypse Girl. Certainly that would be my first choice, too. Sometimes, however, you have to do
noon
One of The Puller's men was walking toward me, clearly intent on speaking with me when Disciple showed up out of the blue, insinuating himself between us and taking over. The guard was not quite looking at me and nodding as Disciple whispered in his ear. Moments later my horrifically scarred former friend was walking inside The Puller's house instead of me, while I had to make nice with Tiny.
The Twin wandered on over with Doctor. I figured Disciple had already informed them of the situation when she told me that Doctor had found some practice swords and was teaching her how to fight with them, did I want to learn as well? Then she wisely extended the offer to Tiny, who politely declined, claiming that she preferred other weapons than a blade.
Two hours later, Tiny congratulated me on a fine display, saying that it seemed as though I had held a katana before. That or I was a reincarnated samurai. Laughing, I told her that I grew up with brothers and we played a lot of Star Wars themed sword-fighting games in our back yard.
evening
Tiny insisted on renting another room for the two of us to share, so I insisted on inviting The Twin to come and stay with us. After Apocalypse Girl she was my oldest friend in this devastated world and I both trusted her and wanted her close by. Tiny accepted this with barely a word of protest, which was quashed when I told her that The Twin would be well able to help in our investigation. She nodded, plainly furious, and went downstairs, ordering that I accompany her.
A moment later, the barman was refusing to allow her to fight tonight, or any other night. He didn't want a 'pretty little thing' like her 'damaged' by 'big, ugly, hairy men' in the ring. When he agreed to allow her in the ring, she agreed to let his arm go, which was inconveniently placed behind his other elbow, at least that was how it looked to me.
Her first fight was over before it even began. She didn't even appear to have moved, but her opponent doubled over and fell with a large bruise on his temple. Her second opponent simply grabbed hold of his crotch and dropped to the floor. Number three, Jarhead, blocked her first attack, made one of his own, then fell over with a black eye. Tiny was amazingly fucking quick. She waved away the bag of teeth that the barman offered her as a reward, saying that she had needed to kick the shit out of somebody, but wasn't allowed to harm the person in question. Share it out among the losers, she told him. When he went to put the bag back in his pocket, she grabbed his wrist and repeated herself. This time, he complied.
June 28 th Year 1 A.Z.
morning
Tiny was still sleeping, snoring softly away to herself in one corner. The Twin and I were quietly discussing our options. She favoured simply abandoning any further plans of assassination, as The Enigmatic Man seemed more or less harmless to her, just a reclusive eccentric scientific type, she said. Yakuza Lady, on the other hand, could be a problem. She was an incredibly powerful woman in this new world, after all.
I told her that I was expected to produce results, though, not to mention my debt to Disciple. I didn't like it, I said, but it was one of those things. Like when we went into Melbourne, that very first time, to find Copper's Sister. The Twin nodded, and Tiny began to stir. She sat bolt upright the instant she realised that she was really awake, eyes on me in an instant.
The Twin told me that she would talk things over with some people, but that she still felt the wisest course of action would be simply to go back to Alice Facility, and Apocalypse Girl. Certainly that would be my first choice, too. Sometimes, however, you have to do
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