Hunter Or Huntress

Chapter 40: Fingers In The Cookie Jar

The two had made their way back up to the grand hall. Tom had clearly seen enough for the time being. They turned towards the greeting hall, Sapphire guessed he wanted to go get his music like last time something horrible had happened.

“Let’s look at ships, take mind off things” He sighed out as they made way towards the greeting hall.

“Sure, why not” Sapphire was more in the mood for a nap or a go at Dashu, to be honest, but if it helped Tom then so be it. Getting him back on his feet was a priority after all. Not to mention he was a lot more pleasant company when not in this foul of a mood.

As they entered they found Vulzan sitting on one of the big boxes in Tom’s pile. Archeon appeared to be asleep. Vulzan though was sitting and fiddling with something.

“Ahem,” Tom went, clearing his throat. Vulzan snapped his head to look at him, freezing like a deer in the headlights. “Looking for something?”

“Oh good morning Tom, yes I think I might have misplaced something, terribly sorry” The trader quickly put down the item getting to his feet. He looked terrified, Sapphire thought. After yesterday's conversation, he might just be seeing his life flashing before his eyes right now.

“Found something interesting?”

“No no, I just”

Tom turned his head as a smile spread across his face. Sapphire was slightly unnerved by that, she believed she had worked out how to read Tom’s expressions and he didn’t look maniacal or anything like that. She just hoped she was right.

“Come now I won’t hurt you, promise,” Sapphire thought Tom sounded sincere enough. Vulzan though clearly struggled with working out if this was good or bad.

“I take it, you figured it out then?” Tom continued.

“Uhmm, figured what out?” Vulzan answered nervously.

“That I’m not from here obviously. No need worry, me and Nunuk agreed to tell you the truth.”

“No, I was just... Wait, what do you mean?”

“I’m not from here, Vulzan.”

“I got that you were from a far off place called Denmark. You said so already.”

“No, not far off, not here at all. Another world entirely” Sapphire just let Tom roll with it for now hopefully the part about Nunuk was true, otherwise, he might have finally lost it.

“But why lie about that?”

“Don't want people coming snooping yet, we have plans. Agreed we couldn’t keep secrets from Jarix so tell you truth first. We discuss later for now. What you found?”

Vulzan appeared lost in thought for a moment, he did stop shaking at least and looked down at the thing he had been fiddling with.

“I honestly don’t know, some kind of toy I think” Tom walked over and Vulzan backed off.

“Ahr my compass. It points north at all times, for navigation” Tom picked it up and handed it to Vulzan. The trader looked at the little thing for a moment before taking it up and turning it in his hands.

“So that is what it does. Why haven't we thought of enchanting something like that before?”

“It’s no enchantment” Tom replied, “nothing I have is.”

“Come now, that’s just preposterous” It would seem that was enough to break Vulzans terror, at least for the moment.

“No, my world has no magic of any kind. No magic, no dragons, no floating islands, no dragonettes” At that Vulzan's stare just went blank and Tom began laughing. Slapping the trader on the back resulting in a weird squeaky sound, which just caused Tom to laugh even harder.

Sapphire was fairly sure he was putting on the facade again. There was no way he was actually happy right now. Come to think of it, what if it was always just a facade? She looked worriedly at the laughing human. He didn’t seem to notice though.

“But seriously, don’t rummage around. Some things very delicate, others very dangerous.”

“Yes sir. No worries” Vulzan piped out, still staring at nothing. “But you use fire magic?”

“No magic, I use guns.” Tom held up one of the revolvers to show Vulzan. “No magic”

“I thought that was like a wand to channel through. Didn't you have two?”

“Oh fuck right, gave to Esmeralda” Had Tom let her use one of his guns? Make that another reason for Sapphire to get him to like her. She wondered what using one would feel like, maybe that was all there was to it. The key to how he was so good at killing. Well, that seemed silly now she thought of it. Of course, it was, she had seen what his guns could do.

Tom then continued “She'll be fine, I only gave her one shot for black knight thing. Anyhow Sapphire wanna show you ships. Vulzan, can wake Archeon?”

“Uhm sure, I think he wants to hear this.”

Tom got into the big box and pulled out one of the books he hadn’t let them take to the library. “Only have one book with ships in it. Naval history book talks about building ships, civil and military and how they used.” So that was why he hadn’t given them that one, military technology, made sense. She wondered if that rule was going to change as well.

Archeon stirred with a resounding “What?!” clearly not pleased with being woken up. Vulzan launched into a rambling explanation, conveying what he had been told. Archeon tilted his head a few times, narrowing his eyes. “Impossible, he’s lying.”

“Nope” It came from Tom in response. “Can’t use magic, haven't got any, at least not from home.”

“But your weapons and fire magic?”

“Not magic is chemistry. Now come here have things to show you.” Tom opened the book and started paging through it before finding something he liked.

It took some time to explain the pictures to Vulzan and Archeon, but Sapphire picked up some of the slack. Tom seemed to find it funny she was now explaining rather than him for once.

“This is a small ship.” He laid down the book to show something. Sapphire couldn’t work out what it was, it was in the water though and floating. It was white with a big piece of cloth hanging from a tall pole. She could see people on it, so it wasn’t that large. It was the most beautiful pearl white as well there was even some blue fabric on it.

Tom was clearly greatly amused by their reactions, the dragon straining to bring its head down to look at the small picture as Tom held the book up.

“Now this is big one” Tom moved a few pages bringing up what looked more like a building in the water and pointed to a little black dot “see, that is a person”

“Holy shit!” Sapphire exclaimed. That thing was several times the size of the keep, and it floated? and moved?!”

Vulzan just sat staring in disbelief.

“Tom, how many people are on board that thing?” Archeon asked, seeming skeptical.

“Oh, this is cargo ship, not many crew maybe 30? don’t know. Big passenger ship carry thousands”

Sapphire snapped back to reality after that one “Don’t worry they can’t come here” trying to comfort the trader, she was afraid the guy was about to have a nervous breakdown.

“Lucky us” Vulzan replied awestruck and Tom just giggled.

“I wouldn’t mind just laying down on that thing and ending up somewhere else” Archeon concluded “We dragons never get carried anywhere”

Sapphire couldn't argue with that. Then a shot rang out in the keep. Tom was instantly on his feet gun drawn looking around.

“Where was that?!” Tom questioned.

“Outside I think?” Sapphire answered. But why, had Esmeralda gone outside alone after yesterday? Surely not, Sapphire thought. dread running down her spine.

Tom was already running for the door winch clearly set on getting out

Vulzan running over to help.

“Need door open” it came from Tom clearly trying to work out how to work the winch.

“Did Tom shoot Vulzan?” it came from Fengi having made her way up the stairs.

“No, he didn’t shoot it came from outside” Sapphire answered

“Then who. Ohhhh” Fengi replied looking thoughtful.

“Oh, what?!” Sapphire demanded

“Well Essy had his gun, but I think she gave it to Jackalope, she said she would hand it back though.”

“Dammit Jacky!” Sapphire shouted at no-one in particular. Why could that woman not stop touching things?

Unkai and Herron came rushing down the stairs apparently having been on guard duty “Is someone hurt?” they both went in unison.

“Don’t know, Jacky stole Tom’s gun, I’m guessing she wanted to try it out. Help with the door will you”

“Can do” Unkai replied, as the two ran over to help. they quickly got the door open enough for all of them to go under it, running outside. Sapphire was just left staring at Archeon who was clearly not pleased.

“Damn this stupid door.” The dragon protested

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With Fengi giving a piggyback the group took off in the usual style of just running off the platform. Tom almost felt bad for the thrill that gave, there better not be another body at the end of this. If it was Jackalope then she had no clue how to use that weapon, hopefully, she hadn’t just shot herself in the head or something.

They circled around the keep looking for the source of the shot, and sure enough down at the archery range there was a little white silhouette on the ground. As they closed in it was moving at least so that was good.

As they came down there was Jackalope alright, and she was sitting clutching her hand…

“Goddammit girl” Tom let out, as they came running to a stop. The huntress looked at him, head tilted and a weird sneer on her face.

“Why did it hurt me?”

“Because you have been an idiot Now let's have a look at hand.” A quick inspection revealed This was a classic case of 'mind the cylinder gap' it would seem.

“Right then Jackalope. Or maybe I'll call you moron from now on” Tom scolded the huntress.

“You’ve broken two fingers and got some nasty powder burns. Might not lose them though.” Jackalope looked horrified at the insinuation she might just have lost two fingers. “Your thumb is badly burnt too but not in as bad shape.”

Tom walked over and picked up the revolver from where she had dropped it. “This is a weapon, It is dangerous, okay. Not a toy!” Jackalope just looked down at her hand and then to the ground.

“Sorry, I just wanted to try”

“Then I recommended you ask.”

Tom inspected the weapon opening the cylinder all six rounds loaded, two spent, so one was the one Esmeralda had used.

“Where did you get bullets?”

“Took them from your belt when you slept. I’m sorry” Really? And they had been so keen about him stealing. Would he need to start locking all the dangerous or fragile things away now?

“Your damnd lucky you didn’t kill yourself or someone else.”

“But you let Esmeralda use it and it didn’t hurt her”

“And I was watching to make sure it didn't,” Tom clarified.

“Oh, sorry”

“Yeah, yeah only you hurt, it’s fine. Oh look the cavalry”

“What’s cavalry?” As Jackalope looked up to see Herron and Unkai descend upon them her ears dropped like a sad donkey.

“I heard you can’t keep your fingers to yourself” Unkai went touching down.

“No, she can’t. Hands hurt need fix," Tom clarified, holstering the stolen revolver.

“Oh that looks nasty, what did you do?” Unkai asked.

“I don’t know, when I fired at the target over there it just hurt a lot, I dropped it and my hand looked like this.” Unkai began inspecting the wound with care. Tom knew next to Nunuk he was the best healer around here. Well, Dakota was the only other one to his knowledge and she wasn’t really that good it seemed.

“What is this black stuff?” Unkai questioned. “And how did this happen.”

“Gun powder burn, she held the gun wrong.” Tom clarified.

“But I just held it just like you did.” Jackalope insisted.

Tom sighed, moving back over. “No, you didn't. I’m guessing you held like this” Tom brought up the revolver and unloaded it. He then held the revolver with both hands but his off-hand clutched around the barrel leaving two fingers right next to the cylinder gap.

“See this gap? Hot air comes out when shot, that what hurt your fingers”

“Some air broke my hand?!” Jackalope didn’t seem to buy that.

“Yes air under pressure, that sends bullets at enemies” Jackalope just looked like a big question mark looking at him.

Unkai continued his inspection. “Jacky, why is your nose bleeding too?” Tom looked and indeed, there was a small cut on the front of her nose square in shape, looking suspiciously like the front sight post.

Tom just shook his head “You hit yourself in the face too, impressive.” Tom gave a bit of a chuckle.

“Hey, this is not funny. It broke my hand” Yeah she was right, Tom just found it funny the first person in this world had learned to respect recoil. And he just needed something to cheer him up today dammit. He didn’t want to think about yesterday, about Anastasi. Just how close he had come to killing Kiran by accident.

“No you right let’s get back up” he went, shaking the thoughts off for now. There was work to be done after all.