Chapter 3 - You're Super Cheesy, Too
Once they reached Echo Mines, dusk had fallen, and the chambers in which Slim and the Willie Brothers were in which they living in was exactly the same way they left it.
"Ah, home sweet home, eh, Wesley?" Bonnie sighed as she dismounted Thunder, and she suddenly grabbed Wesley's wrist and lifted him off before he even knew it.
"I don't normally consider 'home' a giant, dusty hole," Wesley grimly protested with air quotes.
"Oh, you'll get used to it!" Bonnie chuckled.
"I'd prefer not to, especially when I've got a MUCH nicer place back home," Wesley growled and then crossed his arms, "so, Willie Sister, what's your 'brilliant plan' ta get us ta the top of the black market, huh?"
"Well, as I've said before, Mr. Wesley," Bonnie began mockingly with a smirk, as she leaned down and flicked his bowler hat upwards so he could get a better view of the rock walls, much to his dismay, "I, too, have a signing talent, and it has EVERYTHING to do with how I paid for those pickaxes with diamonds."
"Really? What? Do ya sing, and the rocks magically turn inta diamonds for ya?" Wesley joked with a chuckle.
"Actually, that's pretty much how it works," Bonnie simply replied.
"Do what?" was all Wesley could say, as his grin was immediately wiped off his face.
"I mean, I honestly don't know how it works exactly, myself. But from what I've seen, my singin' just causes the rocks ta break, and then poof! Diamonds!"
Wesley could only stare at her in confusion, as his eye once again twitched in annoyance.
"You're still REALLY confusing."
"I try. I really do. Now, are ya just gonna stand there, or are ya gonna take an axe an' help me?" Bonnie joked while taking two of the four pickaxes from Thunder, and she suddenly dropped the other into Wesley's arms, once again nearly making him collapse from the sudden extra weight.
"Yeah, I'm not really interested in mining as much as I am in seeing how this works with you getting diamonds just by singing," Wesley argued while adjusting the pickaxe in his arms, and he followed the blonde down an old mine cart track.
"Oh, don't worry, you'll see it soon enough," Thunder chuckled as he trotted up to Bonnie's side, and she quickly pulled out a flashlight from one of the saddlebags and turned it on to get a better view down the dark tunnel.
"So, Wesley, ever actually done any real minin' yourself, or have ya always been too busy countin' you black marketin' money ta actually get any work done?" Bonnie eventually asked, a smug grin crossed her red lips.
"W-why do I have ta answer that? I'm just your business partner, after all; besides, as soon as you get the diamonds, I'm outta here," Wesley replied with a stammer.
"Alright, alright, don't get cher mustache in a knot. I was just curious," Bonnie protested with a smirk, making Thunder nicker.
"Well, curiosity killed the cat," Wesley growled, "so, how about from here on out, we keep anymore personal information to ourselves? Got it?"
"Sounds good ta me," Thunder answered.
"I could come ta terms with that," Bonnie added with a shrug, but then she stopped at the end of the tunnel when it lead into a much larger chamber, and Wesley awkwardly bumped into her.
"Ahem! …So, this is it?" Wesley cleared his throat while blushing after bumping into her, and he straightened his hat a bit as well.
"Yup! I reckon with all these old and unstable walls, there's be diamonds galore," Bonnie replied with confidence, as she walked up to the nearest stone wall and patted it, causing it to crack and pebbles to fall to prove her point.
"Well, then, what're ya waiting for, Shakira? Start singin'!" Wesley demanded while crossing his arms in impatience.
"Gladly." With that, Bonnie grasped her pickaxe even tighter while swinging it over her shoulder, and she grinned with even more confidence, taking in a deep breath while staring up at the rock wall.
Her voice started out as a mix between high and low, and it began rather smoothly, as she closed her eyes to focus on her vocals. And as she continued to sing, Thunder could only close his eyes and listen to her beautiful voice. And Wesley? Well, let's just say that he wasn't surprised that a pretty woman like her had such a beautiful voice…but somehow, he could only stare at her in awe, especially when her singing started to get higher. And just when he thought it couldn't sound more beautiful, too.
But eventually, Bonnie raised her voice nearly as high as she could, and she suddenly grabbed her pickaxe in both hands tightly, and she slowly lifted it above her head to strike.
And at the peak of her higher pitch, she swung the pickaxe forward with all her might, impaling the rock wall deeply and sending a large crack growing ever quickly up the wall.
Until finally, Bonnie pulled her pickaxe free, and numerous varying-sized chunks of rock suddenly fell from the wall, nearly crusher her if she hadn't backed up in time.
And as soon as the rocks fell, something glimmering brightly could be seen buried deep inside the fallen pieces. Bonnie and Thunder were already used to this, but Wesley's eyes and mouth could only grow even wider in bewilderment.
"Bonnie, you're a miracle," Wesley meekly declared, as he continued to stare at the sparkling objects in the rock, which he assumed could only be the diamonds Bonnie promised.
"Well, thank ya, Mr. Wesley. But now's not the time ta keep gawkin', now's the time ta get pickin'!" Bonnie cheered while approaching one of the larger rock clumps, and she started picking at it with her axe to dig out the diamonds.
Thunder even grabbed reached back and grabbed one of the pickaxes that was strapped to his saddlebags, and he held it tightly in his jaws while surprisingly digging out the diamonds rather well, even with having to use his mouth.
"Is it me, or does your horse have more pick-axing experience than me?" Wesley asked grimly while observing Thunder's digging.
"Most likely. I take you for the kind that hasn't picked for diamonds once in his life, anyway," Bonnie jokingly replied between swings of her pickaxe.
"Wha-? Then why did you ask me earlier if I've ever dug for diamonds?" Wesley questioned in annoyance.
"Dunno. Guess I just figured it'd be funny ta see what you'd have ta say." Wesley's face could only scrunch up in more annoyance, especially when Bonnie looked at him sideways with her snarkiest grin yet.
"But any other way, everyone needs exercise—and you look like you need it especially, Scrawny," Bonnie continued while stopping for a moment and leaning against the handle of her pickaxe, and she was referring to Wesley's scrawny build with her other hand.
"Alright, I admit it, I don't get out or exercise much, but that doesn't mean you get ta just plan a schedule for me. You're not the boss of me," Wesley admitted with reluctance, as he turned away and purposely dropped his pickaxe before crossing his arms.
"You're right, I'm not your boss, but I am your business partner—and most likely the only friend you've got left," Bonnie stated gently, making Wesley's eyes widen in surprise.
"L-left? Wh-who says I had any friends before you?" Wesley stammered with a slight blush.
"Ah-ha! So, I AM your friend!" Bonnie cheered matter-of-factly.
"I never said that!" Wesley snapped, "and it's like you said, we're just business partners, and we're stayin' just that! Got it?!"
"Ok," Bonnie sighed in defeat, making Wesley glace back over his shoulder at her since he had once again turned away in frustration. But then Bonnie smiled sincerely, "then, will ya help me mine, Partner?"
Wesley could only squint at her hand for a few long and awkwardly quiet moments, before he finally scoffed and rolled his eyes while picking his pickaxe back up, and he started to swing at the rock.
Now, being 'smaller', Wesley's strength didn't amount up to Bonnie or Thunder's that much, but for a little guy, he still got the job done…slowly but surely, and Bonnie and Thunder were certainly impressed.
Later that night, after mining as many diamonds as they could, Wesley, Bonnie, and Thunder all headed back to the chamber in which they made their living quarters(originally Slim and the Willie's living quarters), and Bonnie pulled out a few blankets and pillows from storage after she set up another campfire, and she was currently cooking beans in a pan over the fire.
But as Bonnie was finishing her first serving of beans, and Thunder was munching on some carrots, the two couldn't help but notice as Wesley sat farther away from the fire, and he clutched his stomach tightly when it involuntarily let out a loud growl, indicating only one thing…
"Ya know, I wasn't kiddin' when I said ya look a little scrawny," Bonnie began softly, but Wesley didn't bother looking up at her, so she pressed on, "there's plenty of beans left, and you're free ta have as much as ya want."
"Why?" Wesley muttered under his breath.
"Huh?" Bonnie questioned, and she couldn't even see his face since it was practically hidden by his bowler hat when he lowered his head.
"I said 'why'?" Wesley repeated loudly, and then he finally looked up at her with a confused expression, "why are you being so nice ta me? I really don't get it."
"Well, 'cause that's just how I was taught; my daddy always said that he wasn't always the nicest guy—in fact, he was a lot like you, Wesley—that is, until he met Momma. He says her beauty and big heart changed 'm, helped 'm find a big heart of his own."
Wesley only stared at the blonde young woman with an expression that was somehow a mix between no interest, but still just a little curiosity.
"Point is—even the blackest of hearted can be changed with a little compassion," Bonnie continued with a smile, and she poured some beans into an extra bowl and approached Wesley with it. But he didn't take it at first; he just stared at it and then at Bonnie and then at the bowl again in surprise.
"You're super cheesy, too," Wesley finally admitted while finally taking the bowl from Bonnie.
Ya know who's cheesier than Bonnie? Me, 'cause I'm the one writin' this cheesy fanfic. But I regret nothing!
Also, Bonnie's singing in this chapter was inspired off of the chorus in Thomas Bergersen's "Remember Me," so be sure to check out that song because it's REALLY beautiful.
Until the next chapter, I'm TRikiD, bye-bye!