Of Lies and Uniforms [Flashback]

[ancladar]

It was cold out this night, but thankfully the group of outlaws could afford a fire. No one came to this part o the island at night for there was nothing really of note out here. Just a pond with a small grove of trees to somewhat mask the glow of the fire. Stew was cooking in the pot over the flames. Ashe was cooking tonight, but she seemed lost in thought. Her hard gaze was staring into the dancing flames as her mind wandered back several years.

"Yukari...do you ever think back to when we first set out together? I can't stop reliving it every night before I go to bed. Even then I still dream about it." It was truly a miracle the young woman got any sleep at all. Ashe could not remember a the last time she hadn't had a nightmare about the incident since it happened. At least she had managed to stop crying every night a month after it happened, but her throat still constricted whenever she thought back to that day.

The stew was starting to boil over and she cursed as she got the pot off the flames and onto the ground. Using a thick cloth she opened the top and sighed. "It's just a lil overheated, but still good. Let it cool a bi and we'll be good to go...So do you think about it as much as I do?"

[Enel]

This night was no different from any other to Yukari, but it was cold. She didn't like the cold much, but thankfully there was a fire there to ensure she wouldn't be... for now anyway. She sat there with a blanket around her holding her bear and staring at the food Ashe was cooking. Yukari didn't think much of the past, but when she did she wrote it down in an old journal she looted from the back of some old guy's wagon awhile back. She had nothing on her mind but the food in that pot, her large red eyes watching it's contents boil, her nose capturing every scent of it. Her stomach grumbled commanding her to feed to it. Ashe's voice distracted her from the thought of food and she looked over to Ashe as she spoke.

"Do I ever think of it? Think about it sometimes...Think about a lot these days."

The last person to ask her a similar question died a week or so afterward. she sat her bear down on the ground next to her and gently removed Day from it's holster. The bright white revolver had a sort of gleam to it as the light of the fire reflected off it. She held it in her palm looking down towards it and slowly running her fingers across the name etched into the handle. A lot has happened these past few years and Yukari wonders how she even managed to survive. Yukari had her share of loss and heartache too so she could understand Ashe's situation. Yukari was just about to ask her why she asked when the stew pot overflowing redirected her attention to it and when Ashe removed the pot from the flames the sudden light that was revealed made her sensitive eyes close almost immediately. She opened her eyes again gradually as they got use to the light. Ashe asked her if she thought about it as much as she did. Honestly, Yukari didn't because the marines didn't exactly do anything to her until she involved herself. However she knows what its like to lose people close to her.

"I 'unno, but it was a pretty messed up day yeah? I thought they were gonna kill every last one of us."



 

[ancladar]

"They almost did. I'm going to make them wish they had." Her gaze had once again turned towards the flames as the image of the Lola's Lookout came into her head. Amidst the rundown stores amid the old part of town the Inn looked amazing. It was new, had fresh paint, no broken windows, and even had a bit of green in the form of a small flower garden. Truthfully, all the rundown buildings made the inn seem far better than it was.

It was a decent size, but only had six employees not including the owners. Two cooks, one waiter, one waitress, a stable hand, and one maid to keep the rooms tidy. It was fairly early so only the cooks were up making the few customers meals. The rest of the staff was still asleep save the owner Lola and her family. Lola was a fair skinned blonde woman who oddly enough had small wings protruding from her back. She was humming tunelessly as she swept the porch of the inn and listened to her husband and daughter "discuss" an event later in the week.

"Come on dad. I just turned fifteen I can handle going to a dance without you there over my shoulder. How much trouble could I possibly get in?" A younger Ashe with shorter hair pulled in a ponytail was speaking to a large man. Tarl Cirrus was seven feet tall, dark skinned, muscled like an Olympic weight lifter and had arms covered in odd black tattoos. He also had wings that seemed rather small on him. No one made fun of them though. The last man who had had been sent through a wall and forced to pay the bill. "A lot. Who all would be going with you? Not many kids around unless you're dragging Yukari there whose even younger than you."

[Enel]

Yukari was 12 at the time. Yet nobody seemed to question the black revolver she had in a holster on her belt (at least not that she knew of). She had recently been in an argument with her companion Sophia and they had went there separate ways temporarily. During the time they were separated Yukari found herself here at Lola's. It was ridiculously early in the morning (at least from Yukari's point of view), but the moment light shined through her window and over her eyelids she woke up, opening her large red eyes briefly before closing them again and groaning as the light brought pain to her eyes. Yukari is one of those people who just can't seem to go back to sleep once awakened so any chance she had of sleeping was gone. She sat up in her bed and stretched her arms out high above her head as she yawned deeply, gradually opening her eyes very slowly one at a time while doing so. 

"Eeerrmm... Forgot to shut the curtains last night again..." 

She threw the covers off of her and shifted her position, placing both feet into her boots immediately before even standing up. Walking over to the nearest mirror she began brushing her hair which looked the way then that it does today dyed all black with the exception of that single white strand on her bangs. Once she was finished brushing she put her hair up into two ponytails and grabbed her hat and placed it on her head before leaving the room. She only owned a couple outfits so there really wasn't much for her to change into. Yukari got out to the porch just in time to overhear Ashe asking her dad how much trouble he thought she could get into. Yukari would take that as a challenge if she was asked that and proceed to cause as much trouble as she could. she only heard that part of the conversation and then the part where she was mentioned and upon hearing her name mentioned she stepped outside and more or less butted in.

"Drag me where now? Reckon I should at least get some idea first yeah?"

Yukari was immediately fascinated by these people, she found them funny at first because they had wings. Actually thats the only real reason Yukari stopped at Lola's at all. She saw Ashe the moment she entered town and asked why she had wings, asked if they were real, then proceeded to pull to on them to see for herself and when she learned they were real she became fascinated. She has been staying at Lola's about a week now that's a pretty long time for Yukari to stay anywhere so that tells one right there these people were ok in her book.

"Oh wait wait wait don't tell me don't me... You need me to be your Wingman yeah? Sorry Hehahahaha couldn't resist that 'un"

Yukari's humor wasn't meant to be mean she was just being herself. Yukari had no idea what a sky person was or anything about Skypea and someone had tried to teach her she had laughed at them and told them they were nuts. All she really knew was these people had wings that they apparently couldn't use to fly. She really didn't have anything planned for that day and actually a part of her was waiting for Sophia to come looking for her so whatever it was Ashe was going to "drag" her to go do she would likely be game if she could find some way to amuse herself in doing so.

[ancladar]

Speak of the devil and her tiny albino self will appear. Ashe found Yukari to be as exotic as the small girl found her. She had never seen anyone as pale as Yukari. Her mother had been worried about the younger girl's skin and had bought some sunscreen for her if she wanted it and placed it on the nightstand. As for the gun on the girl's hip. This was Stetson. Guns were just a thing people had. Since Yukari seemed to be alone everyone preferred her having a weapon of some kind to discourage people from messing with her.

"Ah good you're here. I wa-..." She paused as Yukari began to take a guess. The joke brought a sigh from all the Cirrus's present. Tarl looked rather annoyed at the mention of wingman. That meant the two girls would be talking to boys. Something he was not ready for Ashe to do. "You're both too young to be worrying about playing each others...backup." He avoided the use of the term wingman out of dislike of puns. "If you want to go to that party I'll gladly go with you."

Ashe groaned aloud and threw her hands up. "Mom dad's being an overprotective mother hen again. Please do something about him." Tarl frowned as Lola grinned. "She's old enough to take care of herself. I'm sure other adults will be there, plus I'm sure you've got something you can give her to protect herself if someone gets too fresh."

Tarl looked ready to continue arguing, but Lola then walked over and whispered something in his ear. His eyes widened. "Okay Ashe you can go. Just be sure not stay past eleven out there...make that twelve." Ashe pumped her fist in victory unaware of what her mom just promised her father. If she had any idea she'd likely be creeped out. "Just be sure to get your chores done before you go."

Ashe held out a low five to Yukari. "Yes, you ready to party tonight?" This was going to be great. She was finally able to go somewhere without mom or dad hovering over her shoulder.

[Enel]

Little did any of them know Yukari wasn't even interested in guys and she still isn't to this day. She enjoys the company of females. She'd sooner put her moves on Ashe than she would any guy, but she did enjoy this argument for some reason it entertained her nicely. Yukari never knew her parents so basically nobody ever told her what to do and certainly not where to go. The thought of someone telling Yukari what to do was foreign to her and often times she forgets parents can be pushy. She grinned almost ear to ear showing her teeth when Ashe's large father deliberately avoided her pun and snickered as though he said it anyway. She was just a few teeth short of a full smile as she wasn't finished losing her baby teeth quite yet making her look a few years younger than she actually was. She blew her bangs out of her eyes as she leaned against the building with one hand and just took in the conversation, she wondered if all fathers were this funny.

"Heheheheheee You dance Tarl? Show me some moves sometime yeah?"

She tried to picture Ashe's father as the party going type and that image just made her laugh harder, when Ashe groaned she laughed even harder than that and when she referred to Tarl as an overprotective mother she pictured him in woman's clothing causing her to laugh so hard it made her gut ache and when she grabbed at her stomach she did so so suddenly that she almost tipped over sideways and crashed face first into the side of the wall she was leaning on due to the sudden loss of support, but regained balanced easily after stumbling around a bit all while laughing so hard tears were forming in her eyes. After her loud high-pitched laughter began to calm down to giggling. She tuned herself back into the conversation just in to just barely overhear Lola whisper something to her husband, but Yukari didn't understand any of it and barely made anything out a word. She also couldn't understand why Tarl was so worried about Ashe talking to boys, but Yukari was never really taught anything related to that particular subject which is ironic when one considers the things she was taught. When Ashe held out her hand for a low-five Yukari did the same while the other hand straightened her hat which became crooked during her little laughing fit.

"least its at night when the suns not tryin ta fry me. Can't wait.

[ancladar]

Tarl sighed at Yukari, but Lola merely grinned once more as she took up sweeping again. "I've got some moves that would surprise you yes. I've also got a move called "Don't give the sassy little girl dessert tonight."" He grunted before going into the inn to get things ready for the day. He wasn't mad, just a bit disgruntled. He had never met anyone like Yukari before and that was saying something.

Lola finished sweeping and looked down the street her smile fading a bit. White coated Marines weren't an uncommon site, but to see a couple of dozen strolling around normally meant trouble. They were walking about right now and were around two blocks away. Whatever their business was hopefully they'd stay away from the Inn. "All right girls. Ashe you have chores to do before the party and don't you want some breakfast Yukari? The cook is making cheese grits, bacon, biscuits, and eggs for breakfast. I'm sure we've got blueberry jam in stock too so go eat up. Oh and don't forget to put on some of that sunscreen I placed on your night stand if you go out. A hat's nice, but we don't want you to roast that pretty little face off now do we?"

It was a clear dismissal and Ashe went inside to start wiping down the tables for breakfast. There weren't many patrons staying at the Inn, but some people came and ordered breakfast here instead of cooking at home, so they kept it as clean as possible to keep everyone happy. As Ashe clean she continued to speak to Yukari. "Remember Yukari, no boots on the furniture or you'll be in trouble with me. I'm sure you wouldn't like to do some of the more horrible chores around the place now would you?"

[Enel]

Yukari just stuck out her tongue at the large man, closing her left eye while doing so to appear cute as she giggled. She thought she was pretty funny and couldn't help but tease Tarl, the man was always so serious so to get even the slightest reaction from him was enough for her. It was funny because if he didn't give her dessert she'd simply help herself once it was dark and mostly everyone was either drunk or asleep. As odd and as bizarre as her appearance may be compared to other girls on Stetson, nobody seems to notice Yukari when she starts sneaking around. She then turned to face the street and a saw what she'd only describe as a few marines walking around. Those number were nothing compared to what the larger towns had, but still a bit of a buzz kill to even see them. Marines seemed to have a problem with Yukari's lifestyle and quite frankly at this point in her life she sees them as bullies. Whatever they did; so long as they didn't bother her; she didn't care. With her luck recently she wouldn't be surprised to learn that they followed her from the last town and were looking for her. They could be persistent bastards at times.

She wasn't sure what to make of Ashe's mother Lola. She seemed to care great deal for Yukari, it seemed almost motherly. Whether it was out of pity or legit concern Yukari didn't really care, but she did appreciate the free sunscreen which she did intend to apply after her breakfast. She had been without any before and between the time it took for her to 'find' more she was burned just about everyday and quite frankly was tired of the pain. Lola was perhaps the only person ever to refer to her as "pretty" in years (other than herself). The idea of her face being pretty caused her face to flush as she smiled she could feel the warmth in her face and knew her cheeks were reddening and sure enough they were which practically highlighted a patch of freckles and on her paper white skin what a normal blush would be would be intensified.

"Nya Hehehe! I will and i'd love breakfast... Thanks"

Yukari went inside and sat at the table waiting for breakfast to get ready and cradling her little bear as Ashe cleaned. She doesn't even remember where the bear came from or why it was so special to her, but she adored the little thing so much she'd probably kill someone if they harmed it and she couldn't imagine a night without it even if she was 12. She looked up and frown at Ashe when she mentioned the chores, the mere idea of her doing hard chores upset her.

"I'll be careful I promise... I'm just sitting at a table."

How much longer would she stay here? A day perhaps? Maybe two? She couldn't be mad at Sophia forever and frankly she was beginning to worry about her companion. Did she have it as good as Yukari did right now? She decided to at least stay until the end the party and then she'd be gone by morning. They'd never even know she left until she was long gone. It's nothing personal just her lifestyle.

[ancladar]

"Oh don't pout like that. Chores aren't the most terrible thing in the world you know. I'm sure the instant I took my eyes off you for an instant you'd run off anyways." Ashe focused on cleaning for a few moments until the tables had a slight sheen to them. With the tables finished she went to the kitched and brought back a cart filled with plates and silverware and began to set them up for breakfast. "I've got some old dresses for you if you want to wear them to the party. If you don't want to that's fine, you don't seem the type to care for dresses though."

Ashe stopped speaking a moment later as from outside the sounds of men shouting was heard. A few moments later several gunshots were heard. Ashe grabbed Yukair's hand and pulled her behind the bar. The shots were a distance away, but bullets and gun fights had a tendency to travel past where they started. The sound of yelling and gunfire went on for several minutes before silence fell. "I wonder what that was about." Gunfights happened all the time here, but that one seemed to have lasted a bit longer than most.

Lola and Tarl appeared a moment later from the back. Lola had a shotgun in her hands and Tarl had a sword at his hip, an odd spear on his back, and several pistols in his belt. "You girls alright?" Ashe gave him a thumbs up from behind the bar. A moment later the inn doors opened up and five men entered. All were a bit bloodied and two were being carried. "Mrs.Lola we need help!" Lola had some skills as a medic and had helped treat a few gunshot wounds in her time. The men set down the most injured ones on a clear table as Lola got a first aid kit and hurried over. "What happened?"

"Damn Marines went crazy." Spoke up the oldest man. He was Joe the gunsmith and his business had been down the road since before the Inn was built. "Said something about pirates in the area and they had to confiscate our goods for the saftey of everyone. When me and my boys refused they attacked. Bastards shot Clint and Dennis." Lola looked pale as she worked and Tarl looked stoically at the door clearly unhappy.

[Enel]

Ashe's assumption was true Yukari would simply leave if they tried to force her to do anything especially hard chores and she probably wouldn't being coming back anytime soon either. Her sly grin returned and she gave Ashe a look that was meant to make her believe she was kidding about pouting. She returned the small bear she was holding against her chest to her pocket, gently getting the thing situated and 'comfortable' as though it were a living, breathing organism rather than a stuffed toy. When she finished she patted the thing's head and patiently waited for her breakfast, resting her elbows on the counter top and leaning forward in her seat, holding up her head up with her hands as she watched Ashe prepare. The thought of herself wearing a dress made her laugh and she merely shook her head at Ashe when she offered to lend her one for the party.

Yukari was finally at peace it seemed. For the past week she has not had to remove the jet black revolver known as Night from it's holster, she didn't have to conduct various scams at poker tables risking being shot by a heartless soul cheated out of just enough coin to get a loaf of bread, nor did she have to steal or hurt (possibly kill) anyone just so she could survive, and she has been sleeping in a bed. a BED, not a makeshift slab of bedding, but an actual bed. It was like she was finally able to be a kid and play and joke around and laugh and a part of her enjoyed this. However this was not to last a moment longer, an all to familiar sound echoed from somewhere in the distance following some screams.

POP! POP! POP!

As though a switch turned on in her head she suddenly shot up out of her chair sending it to the floor in her haste, her jet black revolver already drawn, a loaded shell at the ready. This situation was all too familiar to Yukari and she was fully prepared defend herself and the people who so kindly took her in. However, not long after standing up and whirling around to face the front door of the bar loaded gun in hand and aimed at the door she felt a hand grab her left hand and the poor girl's already large blood red eyes grew to the point where it might have seemed like they were going to burst from her skull, a look of sheer terror went across the small girl's face and she made a sound as though she were already dead. She involuntarily fired a round into the ceiling sending pieces of it sprinkling down as she felt herself being jerked behind the bar counter by her arm and in that moment upon realizing it was only Ashe and not some creepy man wearing a white coat with a sword and a gun or a rapist or something she was slightly angry, she considered smacking Ashe upside the head for a brief moment for nearly scaring her to death, but instead just wrapped her arms around the girl and laid her head her shoulder.

"Sheesh Ashe You scared the hell outta me."

She let go of her friend and stared in amazement at the amount of weapons Tarl came storming into the room with. Just when she thought Ashe's dad couldn't be any more awesome he came in with all those weapons, and the shotgun Lola had wasn't to bad looking either. Yukari's little heart was pounding out of her chest as adrenaline fueled her senses, she raised the barrel of her revolver upward and knelt down as she peaked her little head around
the corner of the bar they were behind just in time to see the front doors to Lola's swing open and people came storming in in a panic requesting Lola's assistance, the bloodied casualties of the recent fight with them.

Yukari didn't know much (if anything) about how to treat a bullet wound, but she did know how to create them and at this she was quite proficient. One of the men was rambling on about how the whole thing started and Yukari was disgusted. How dare they push people around? And they completely ruined her appetite which made her angry. With a serious, determined look on her face Yukari approaches the man apparently known as Joe.

"Hey Pops you happen to know where these guys are now? I'll plug a hole in um for ya real nice yeah? 

The carefree child the cirrus family came to know was gone and an instant the side of her that has to exist in order for her to survive surfaced. It was as though she had become a whole new person right then and there.

[ancladar]

Ashe looked at Yukari when the round went off just as startled as her. She looked at the hole in the ceiling and sighed. "You're fixing that whole young lady. I thought gun slingers were supposed to have nerves of steel?" It wasn't as if Ashe had come out of nowhere either. There was enough shooting going on without Yukari adding to it. Ashe's parents knew Yukari's guns weren't for show and figured she had gotten scared or something and since she hadn't hurt anyone ignored it for now.

As Lola worked on the injured Tarl stared at the door clearly prepared for fight. Joe in the meantime looked at Yukari and shook his head. "You got spunk young lady, but don't go picking a fight with em right now. The thing about marines is they have a lot of buddies. You mess with one you may find yourself the enemy of all of them."

As the adults spoke Ashe had gotten glasses of water for each of the men who accepted gratefully. "Dad what should we do?" She asked as Tarl looked at the door clearly pondering the situation. She wanted to leave for awhile until things cooled off, but going outside meant running the risk of running into the rowdy Marines. Staying meant they also ran the risk of having the Marines come to them since they were the closest place that served rum.

Lola had been working hard for the last couple of moments. "The wounds aren't too bad, especially after I've cleaned them up and stiched em up. No bullet fragments are in you so that's good. We'll just have to keep them from getting infected. In the meantime go upstairs to an empty room to relax and stay out of sight. Hopefully things will blow over." The men began to head upstairs while helping the injured. Lola began to clean the blood off her hands and looked down at Yukari. "You young lady need to watch what you say. You're going to get yourself in trouble if the wrong person hears you."