Orange Colored Sky

[Flipout6]

I can only repeat the words of Ithildin and Keanumoreira, can't wait, and we understand. (that the meaning of life is 42.) Edited December 22, 2012 by Flipout6

[tokyobiohazard]

Author's note: Sorry I didn't post this sooner, I kinda got sick and stuff... :sweat: This isn't a lot, but it's what I have right now. I am about halfway through with the next one, which will surely be longer. Thanks for being patient with me.

 

Chapter V

 

After Morgan left, we stared at each other for about fifteen minutes before I finally muttered, "You can sit down."

 

Wordlessly, Boone sat in the nearest chair, and the sound of creaking wood filled the air.

 

Awkwardly, I grabbed the straps I'd been working on and started fiddling with them.

 

Boone sniffled and then pulled a small knife out of his pocket, cleaning under his fingernails. He shifted and looked outside after he finished. "It's time for my shift... I'll bring you something to eat later."

 

I blushed and looked up at him, "I don't want to be left alone. I'm afraid."

 

He seemed to run his tongue along his bottom row of teeth, then sighed. "Alright."

 

I followed close behind him, so close, in fact, that I bumped into him more than once on the way there.

 

As I sat behind him in that dinosaur's head, I didn't say much. It was dark, and I couldn't see much more than what was right in front of me, and not just because of my poor vision. Most of what I did to occupy my time was just... think, which wasn't so bad; I was used to that.

 

Around an hour or two passed, before Boone looked back at me and pointed at a toolbox behind me, "Think it's break time."

 

I passed the toolbox to him and tilted my head to the side curiously. "How do you know what time it is?"

 

He pointed to the moon wordlessly and pulled an apple out of the toolbox, tossing it to me. He sat with his back resting against one of the teeth of the dinosaur, taking a bite out of his own apple.

 

"So..." I mumbled, blushing nervously, "How did you get into a job like this?" I couldn't stand another moment of this boring silence, for some reason, but the words didn't come easily.

 

Tossing the core of his apple far off into the wasteland below, he replied, "None of your business."

 

I bit into my apple. The satisfying crunch of teeth puncturing skin was oddly pleasing to my ears. Another question rose to my lips as I was chewing, so I paused, swallowing, and looked back up at him, "Do you have any family?"

 

"No." The response was cold, biting, with a sharp edge that seemed to slice the very air between us and leave a jagged wound in the atmosphere.

 

"If only we were all so lucky." My words cut the air almost as effectively as his had. I was proud of myself. Heat flooded my cheeks and my mouth curled into a smile as I noticed a slight hint of amusement cross his features.

 

"Frankie," he began, now clearly amused, "I think this could be the beginning of a wonderful friendship." His tone was mocking and hateful, but his expression held an almost frightening amount of seriousness.

 

"First off, my name is Fanny..."

 

. . .

 

Boone was right. We got along surprisingly well for two people with nearly ten years' difference between us, and after only a few days, I considered him a friend rather than a bodyguard or guardian.

 

Over the next several weeks, Boone and I unconsciously established a routine. He would only leave my room once I'd fallen asleep, and would wake me up about five hours before his shift. He also definitely took his job of watching over me seriously, but upon being asked why, he only ever replied that he owed Morgan a favor.

 

My seventeenth birthday had also passed a week after I arrived, but I didn't say anything about it. My birthday seemed something only my dad, the Chairmen, and I could possibly share together. I'm not sure if Boone knew the day was special to me or not, but he coincidentally ended up telling me his wife was dead, which I considered a gift in a way, a small piece of what made him the way he was.

 

Three months had passed before I knew it. The best thing to come from this lapse in time was a growth spurt, increasing my height by a full six inches, which I was quite happy about. I also found my figure filling out a little bit.

 

Things had gained such a sense of normalcy, however, that Boone and I had let our guards down. The routine we had established was our downfall, as that made us predictable to the Legion.

 

One day, as we took what was supposed to be a leisurely walk to the scrapyard just outside town, as we did almost every day after we woke up, it happened. We were ambushed.

 

Boone had taken out half of the party of Legionnaires before they could reach us, but he wasn't lucky enough to get the rest. One man can only take so many enemies at once... The Legion knew that much.

 

There was one thing they hadn't counted on, however.

 

I aimed down the sight of my new hunting rifle, grinnning from ear to ear as I took my first revenge kill on a tall, blond-haired Legionnaire.

 

Feeling a thrill unlike anything I'd ever experienced before, I aimed and shot again and again and again and ag---

 

Boone snatched the barrel of the rifle and pointed it at the ground, straining my wrists painfully and thrusting me back into reality. "They're all dead," he grumbled.

 

I felt my grin fade away, realizing I'd been laughing as I slaughtered those men. And I didn't care. A few more giggles slipped out of my throat.

 

"They should have seen this coming," I said uncomfortably as my excitement faded away, "There will be more. We have to start moving. No time to go back, it'll only attract them to town."

 

Boone shook his head, "No, they thought that one would take us down. They planned to overpower us. A distraction would only use one or two pawns. There were eight in that party, so you can bet they were slavers. We have time to go back for a few minutes."

 

I shook my head, nearly mirroring him, "Everything I need is either in my pockets, or on my back."

 

His eyebrows raised, quite the show of emotion for him. "I like your thinking. Now, you need to take those bandages off. They make you stand out, and if you aren't healed up by now, you're nearly healed, anyway."

 

Unclasping the safety pin holding my bandages together, I quickly unraveled the white cloth, knowing what was beneath. I'd kept the bandages on my head purely out of habit, really. The stitches had done their job, and only a long scar that was whiter than my own skin was left in their place.

 

My long hair fell free and flowed to my knees; I tucked it behind my ear unconsciously. The side of my head Morgan has shaved now sported about an inch and a half of growth, which I knew people would have fun pointing out, since it was in stark contrast to the other side. "As if I don't already stand out enough on my own."

 

Covering his mouth with the back of a hand, Boone seemed to try and hide some sort of emotion. "So, you really are female, after all." I thought I actually heard him laugh a little.

 

Completely unamused myself, I thumped his nose, my expression one of annoyance. "I was used to the bandages, so I didn't wanna stop wearing 'em."

 

"You coulda just worn a hat, Frank." Boone retorted coldly, then turned and started walking. That was the first time I saw him smile, even though it only lasted for a second.

 

Stepping quickly to catch up with him, I called out, "Hey, wait! Where are we going?"

 

"Hell if I know."

 

We wandered for hours on end, unsure of where to go, until sunset came and we forced ourselves to stop for the night in some unoccupied piece of the desert.

[Flipout6]

Not sure if I've mentioned it yet, but this was an epic chapter, keep it up :biggrin:

[Ithildin]

Wow, wonderful work! :woot: I hope you're feeling better now, hon ... it's no fun being sick anytime, let alone during the holidays.

[tokyobiohazard]

Thanks to both of you ^^ I'm feeling better now, thanks for the concern. The next part shall be long and full of laughs (well, it'll be funny if all goes well, at least). :3

[AurianaValoria1]

Really great chapter, tok! :D

[Keanumoreira]

Fantastic work as always. :)

[tokyobiohazard]

Chapter VI

 

A soft, oddly-pleasing click was produced as I slid my glasses up the bridge of my nose with a fingertip. The midday sun beat down on Boone and I as we awkwardly stared at the sign before us.

"I've never been the best at reading-" Boone stated, before I abruptly cut him off.

"It says exactly what you think it does."

Tragedy, the sign proclaimed in shockingly bright neon pink. It appeared that at night, the letters would glow even brighter, beckoning patrons for miles in every direction. The building itself was colored a bloody red, with what was clearly a play on the Gomorrah pinup silhouette painted across the front doors. The only difference was that they seemed to have forgotten the arms... Or maybe they hadn't. I cringed slightly.

The double doors then swung open, seemingly of their own accord, causing me to jolt toward Boone, unconsciously hiding halfway behind his body, peeking out from behind his arm.

An imposingly large man held the doors open, staring at Boone and I with a confused, yet somehow annoyed look. After staring at us and taking in the mutual silence for what seemed like several minutes, the man blurted shortly, "Well, you gonna stand there or you gonna come inside?"

Boone headed through the entrance then turned toward me, raising an eyebrow expectantly.

Heat rose in my cheeks as I fumbled for the words I needed, before finally trudging inside, if only to escape the tortuous rays of desert sun. The doors shut behind me, a loud and resounding thud echoing through the small room. Being such an awfully jumpy creature after my run-ins with the Legion, my body's automatic response was to reel back and shrink behind Boone. Maybe it was childish and weak of me, but the last thing I wanted was to be tackled again.

A second door swung open, and a tall man in a cherry red suit and equally red top hat stood in the eave, leaning on a black cane, his gaze on Boone as he bowed. "Welcome, sir, to our humble cathouse."

Hearing this, I peeked my head out from behind Boone's shoulder, "I've never heard of a living cat before..." My voice came out in a near-whisper.

The man broke out in a cheshire grin upon seeing me, his handsome face bordering on frightening as he revealed eerily perfect, white teeth.

By the time I'd blinked once, he was at my side, giddy excitement seemingly pouring from him as he stared. Clearing his throat after a few moments, he spoke, his voice the seductive sort that gave goosebumps and set stomachs churning with butterflies. It made me rather nervous.

"Forgive my eyes for poring over you so openly, for I could not help but do so... Your skin is so exquisitely pale, your eyes so alluring and pink... And those locks. Hair so long, Rapunzel herself would feel a pang of jealousy. I could go on for days and still not feel I'd described your perfection adequately."

My face flushed deeper than it ever had before in my life, and my eyes met his. They were a warm, inviting shade of tan, framed by eyebrows black as pitch, matching the few stray two-inch locks that carelessly hung out from under his bright red hat, which obviously covered a very thick head of hair underneath.

His grin widened, becoming impossibly large and almost quite literally ear to ear. "I'm assuming you want a high price for her, yes?"

Boone furrowed his brow. "She's not-"

I grasped at his forearm, "Aren't you going to see the conditions I'd be living in first?"

Boone hesitated, apparently catching on quickly, "Yes. I guess I should."

The man fixed his honey eyes on me, poring them over my body in a way that made me uncomfortable. "You misread me, sir. I'd most likely be buying her for myself. One can't let a woman like this go to be bedded by any man who pays enough. Have you no concept of love at first sight?"

"How positively romantic!" I swooned, my face reddening as I practically leapt at the man, who stiffened at contact with me, wrapping an arm around my waist smoothly, though I could feel him trembling.

"She blushes, too," he let out in a breathy whisper, his face slightly going red itself. "I'll give you anything for her."

I twisted in his gentle grip, facing Boone and casting a confused look at him. I didn't know how much a person should cost! Come to think of it, I didn't want to.

He nodded, his sunglasses still covering his eyes, even inside a darkened place like this. "Five thousand caps."

Five thousand seemed so high! Couldn't Boone have at least been reasonable?!

"I understand," the man began, his arm tightening around me, in a way that felt almost protective. His other hand clutching his cane, he unsheathed a hidden sword from inside it. His arm shaking, he pointed the sharp sword at Boone.

With reflexes quick as lightning, Boone whipped out his hunting rifle and pointed it at the man, growling, "You know what they say about bringing a knife to a gunfight, motherfu-"

"Hey!" Another man rushed in from the hallway, tripping over his own feet and catching himself just before he could fall neck-first into the sword. He gripped at his throat, gulping at the close call.

A German shepherd dog rushed in, nipping at Boone's heels. Boone didn't flinch.

"Chaser, no!" The clumsy man, if he could be called that, as he appeared barely out of his teens, snapped his fingers at the dog, then turned to us. "I'm Jackson!"

"Hoooooooooooowie!" A slurred female voice chimed in. A tall girl walked in. She was wearing shorts so short that it should have been illegal, along with a tank top that showed off her midriff, which had an enormous scar running along it from what must have been a slash to the torso. It disappeared beneath her minimal clothing, implying that it was even longer. The most interesting feature about her, however, was her cobalt blue hair, pulled into messy pigtails, which framed a face decorated with piercings.

"Oh, dear god." Jackson whined, waving at the blue-haired girl, "I'll be right there, Axelle."

"Cathy's drunk and DeVere says I am, too." The girl, Axelle, it seemed, said something about a prostitute that I didn't catch, before stumbling toward the hall again.

"What was going on here?" Jackson asked, concerned.

"This man was going to sell her, that's what!" The red-suited man still held me in his grip, and I gulped. "If there's one thing I hate, it's slavers. All of my girls work here of their own free will."

"It's not his idea, it's mine!" I piped up, my voice tiny like a bird's chirp. "We needed money!"

"I feared as much. Perhaps introductions are in order, so we can better understand the situation. I am the Ringmaster of this humble cathouse, which people come from miles around to see. Some call it a freak show... with benefits." He let me go.

"Benefits." Boone repeated, obviously getting something I wasn't. "Meaning you can sleep with them?"

Now I got it. That explained all the banter about prostitutes and paying for girls. But the man said he'd wanted me for his own. He had seemed genuinely excited about it as well.

"You want me for yourself, right? What does that mean? Can I come and go as I please?" The words spilled out like water from a tipped glass.

The Ringmaster shook his head kindly, his cheshire grin returning, this time from sheer amusement. "If you're that hungry for caps, why not ask my other patrons here for a job? Keeping you here would be miserable for a girl like you, Fanny."

"How did you know my name?!"

The Ringmaster only winked in response, and gestured toward the hallway, disappearing as my head was turned.

Axelle had poked her head out of the doorway. "Where's Versing?"

"Versing?" Boone automatically responded, "First name?"

"Josepher." Jackson raised up one of his brown eyebrows, his hand going around to his back, as if ready to draw the hunting rifle which rested upon it. "Who wants to know?"

"An old friend," Boone replied, and I felt rather shocked. Friends with Boone seemed few and far between.

Jackson rubbed the back of his tanned neck, "We'll have to find Vers first. If I know him, he's on his way to camp to kill Ferox while he watches after the rest of our pack of dogs."

"Ferox?" I asked, confused.

"Ex-Legion. Nice guy."

Boone sucked in a breath, "No question, then. That's the Josepher Versing I knew. And ex-Legion? Only reason I ain't shooting him when we get there is 'cause Versing hasn't. Take us to him."

"Cool your jets, we'll get there," Jackson said, his hands in his pockets. "We need to round everyone up first."

Everyone? Just how many of them were there?

Jackson headed into the back of the cathouse through the hallway.

Axelle hiccuped.

Edited April 13, 2013 by tokyobleach

[Flipout6]

Now we got the gang in on this. Our man Vers, Axelle, Jackson, Ferox and the rest....HELLZ YEA

[MikeRyan]

Note to Morgan:smack Elle for getting drunk.

 

Another great chapter friend! :D