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"Hey Gowland, I'm going to go pick up some spare parts alright?" I said, poking my head into his office. He glanced up from his work with a smile.
"Again?" He asked, doubtful.
"Uh, yeah?"
"Are you sure that your not secretly meeting up with anyone in town?" He teased leaning forward on his desk as a metaphorical flower popped out of his stupid head.
"Don't be dumb. I just came for some money for it." I growled.
"Ha~ aright. If you don't want to admit it then that's that~," he sang pulling out a thick wad of cash. I eagerly snatched it out of his hands before he could make a compromise with it. "Oh? You're going dressed for work?" He asked slightly surprised.
"Yeah I want to hurry and get it done before the day changes on me again. Plus it's not like I'm out to impress anyone." I noted.
"Bleh...so not cute." Gowland teased with a frown.
"I didn't ask you did I?" I snapped back, slipping the money into one of the two side belts I had which formed an X on my hips and zipped it shut. "I'll be back in a little bit."
"Do you want some help carrying it all?" He thoughtlessly offered before buttoning his mouth shut. My eyes narrowed as I folded my arms, suddenly cross.
"I'll be fine. I'm not that weak, Gowland. Besides you have to stay here along with everyone else to run things." I growled not really wanting any company. What makes him think I'm weak? He sighed waving me off.
"Yeah yeah...," he throatily agreed as I got out of there. Geh, I swear Mary can be such an old man at times.
"Ouch-!" Someone cried. My head flickered to the right spying a worker faceless working on some tight bolts. My eyes fell over his broken wrench which laid twisted on the ground.
"Ah, that doesn't look too good." I said suddenly coming up behind him. He jumped, startled by my presence.
"Ah~ yes, well, it seems that Mary wanted me to reroute some of the wiring for easier access but whoever tightened these bolts here did an excellent job." I guiltily looked away. Ah~ whoops.
"S-Sorry about that." I sheepishly apologized with a grin. I slipped my personal wrench from my pocket handing it to the faceless. "You can use mine until I get back; it's the same one I used to tighten those suckers."
"Oh, thank you Miss Jackie!" He cried, enthralled by the gift.
"Take good care of it; my father gave that to me." My hand was tempted to remain latched to the beloved object of my affection as I selflessly gave it away. Phew...he needs it more than I will in town anyway.
"Of course! I will readily await your return~," he chirped handling my wrench with the utmost care. I smiled and continued on my way, almost limping from the missing weight in my pants. Ah...I miss it already. Oh well. It's not like it's gone forever and besides, it's being put to good use.
I hurried off to town trotting down the side walk towards the aimed shop. I found this particular shop a month ago when I was first exploring the town. They offered really good deals and the quality is top notch. I glanced up to the sign spying the wrench and hammer which crisscrossed over it proudly shouting the shoppers what it contains. I smiled and entered the shop finding the thicker and burly faceless hard at work rearranging some of the tools on the shelves. I coughed, alerting him to my presence.
"Ah, what a pleasant surprise this is! You've been coming to visit us quite often haven't you?" He teased as if there was some other motive to me coming here; which of course there was. I smiled and sauntered into the shop reveling in the cool and peaceful environment.
"Yeah; it's quiet and I like the smell here." It's comforting and reminds me of my father's scratch shop where he kept all of the extra tools and such. He used to let me mess around in there until he saw my talent and interest in building. My heart dully thumped at the pleasant memories before brushing it away. It's over and done with no need to mule over it.
"Ah~ is that it?" He said in a jocular manner. "So, what are you in for?"
"Oh, Jackie!" Another faceless called. I glanced back with maybe an eagerness unfit for a foriegner, spying a tall slender man with short black hair and freckles.
"Hey Fred!" I said excitedly. Ah, Fred~ I like him. He's one of the first few faceless I met when I got here. "You wouldn't happen to have some 5/8 11s and 3/8 24s on you would you?" I asked testing his knowledge on the bolts I needed.
"Of course we do. What do you need them for?" He crowed reaching up to the tallest shelf and pulled down a paper bag and the requested sizes.
"Mary is making a new rollercoaster but he forgot to get enough bolts to hold the ride down."
"How many do you need?"
"122 5/8 11s and 50 3/8 24s if you have them."
"Phew, Miss that's going to be quite a lot!" He exclaimed as he pulled down two large bags for the bolts.
"I know. I got the money thought so don't worry." I said tapping my side which held it.
"That's not what I meant Miss...," he muttered with a half smile and chuckle. I grinned.
"Don't worry about it. I've got it." I said.
"Alright then let me ring you up." He answered hefting the large bags onto the counter and punched in the numbers.
"That will be a total of $304.98." He said. I looked up, startled as I began dividing the proper amount.
"Really?" So cheap!
"Of course. The amusement park members always get a discount." He said as I handed him the cash. A third hand suddenly jutted into existence, ripping the green paper from the exchange. Our heads whipped around spying the faceless's back as he darted out the entrance.
"Hey-!" Fred shouted getting ready to leap over the counters.
"THAT'S MY MONEY~!" I screamed sprinting right after him. I whipped around out of the shop swinging around the pole with the sign and kicked the man right to the ground. He huffed and flew forward as the money flew into the air. The man leapt to his feet and threw me off, snatching up as much as possible.
BANG BANG!
I jumped and instinctively glued myself to the wall as I spied both Fred and the shop owner pull guns. What-?! The robber whipped out his own in an instant.
BANG - Thump.
I gasped as I spied the shop owner drop to the ground with a puddle pooling about him. No-! I leapt forward aiming to ram my fist right through the man's head. As he turned his aim I spun around, kicking the deadly weapon right from his hand. He tsked and took off with me right on his tail.
"Jackie-!" Fred cried as I vanished behind a corner. I glared murderously at the faceless keeping on him toe for toe. There is no way I'm letting him go-! He dipped and dodged my attempts to snatch hold of me continuing to hold the cash worth the shop owners life. This pig - ! As he rounded a corner back into the streets I pulled off a move that surprised even myself. In one bound I leapt onto the dumpster and pounced right into the man, landing on him as if I was jumping onto a sled going down a snowy hill.
"Gah-!" He cried as he toppled over. I ducked and rolled off of him with my momentum and onto my feet before lunging forward and rolling his wrist back which held the money.
"GIVE IT BACK!" I shouted, not paying attention as I created a small scene in the middle of the street.
"No-!" He cried again. I glared at the man and twisted his arm some more.
"Give it back or I'll dislocate your arm!" I warned prepared to go through with my threat.
"What's going on here?" A deep, almost scratchy voice called out. I glanced over my shoulder spying a man with rich yellow eyes observing the scene with dutiful interest. I held the man firm despite my divided attention.
"A Role Holder?" I asked aloud. I've never seen him before; who is he?
"Oh? You are...," he trailed off, puzzled as he looked me over. "I beg your pardon but who are you?"
"Jackie-!" I answered as the man suddenly ripped his arm from my grasp, snatching a fistful of hair. I clenched my teeth, prepared to meet the side walk's unforgiving nature. But it never came. I hesitantly glanced up spying a knife pressed again the man's throat and the other against his wrist from the Role Holder before.
"Get lost scum." He growled as he wrapped an arm around my waist and pried me off. I nearly made a lunge at him as he took off without the money, scurrying off into the nearest alley.
"Hey-!" I shouted. He let him get away-?! "What are you doing? That man stole from me and shot my friend!"
"What?!" He shouted with wide eyes, suddenly filled with chagrin. The breath caught in my throat.
"The shopkeeper-!" I rushed back the way I came flitting down the streets back to the shop. Is he alright?! He was shot but - but is he alright? I darted around the corner spying the blood that was still on the sidewalk but the owner nowhere to be found. My eyes followed the blood trail which led back into the shop. Is he-?! I burst into the shop spying Fred's head pop up from behind the counter with his gun drawn. I yelped and jumped back before Fred let out a sigh.
"Ah, it's just you, Miss Jackie. Your purchase is ready to go by your feet." He noted as a matter of fact sort of way as he ducked back under the counter.
"Fred! The shopkeeper; is he alright?!" I demanded breathlessly. His head popped into existence once again with raised eyebrows.
"Huh?" He asked, as if startled I asked about his health.
"He was shot wasn't he?" I asked again. Maybe...maybe he just suddenly got really ill? No, impossible; all that blood - !
"Yeah? So?" He asked, genuinely surprised. I smacked myself in the head.
"Stupid idiot! I'm asking if the shopkeeper is alright!" I angrily demanded. He tilted his head puzzled.
"Of course he's fine; he's right here." He said holding up his friend's clock with ease. My heart stuttered. D-dead...
"He died...," I trailed off in shock.
"Miss are you alright?" Fred asked, heartlessly setting the clock down and came to my aid.
"He...got killed because of me...," I muttered as my throat began to close.
"Ah-! Miss, don't bother crying; we'll be getting a new shopkeeper soon." He noted as if the news would cheer me up. I held back a useless sob; he wouldn't understand even if I explained it to him.
"No...i-it's fine. T-Thank you." I said, shakily picking up the heavy bags and hurried outside. I bit my lip. That's right; everyone here is just 'recycled' anyway. But...but that doesn't mean that the person himself is replaced! The nonsensical tears that no one seemed to understand rolled down my face as I struggled to hold them back. It's all my fault...
My arms trembled from the crushing weight of the emotional war I was dealing with and the heavy bags. Fred and Mary were right...these are a bit heavy. I glanced up as I approached the turn before freezing. The bags slipped from my fingers as I eyed the endless sea of trees which snuck up on me while I was gone. T-The amusement park...
Where did it go?
Alright well here's one about Gray! He's one of my personal favorites. PM and review me ideas I could possibly use. I'll post the next chapter and assume you want this to continue after 10 reviews :3
