Author's Note:
Life sucks, but that's nothing new. Also, I've been working on other projects and looking for a job. I made a new friend at least. So, that's a yay.
Anyway, here's the next chapter. Please enjoy:
The summoner stepped between Jinx and the one holding the gun to her head, and smiled causally at the person. "Hello Miss Fortune. Did you get my letter?" He asked, ignoring the fact that there was a loaded gun to his head now.
Jinx's expression had turn to one of bored annoyance as she prepared to adjust Fishbones to her shoulder, even if it wasn't loaded. She was not pleased that someone had asked her to hand over her inanimate friends and favorite toys of varying sizes.
Miss Fortune's serious expression did not change as she now addressed the summoner. "Yes, and I replied saying that I didn't want her to turn this place into a sunken city-state." She answered, and cocked her pistol to show that she meant business. "I don't trust her with any of those weapons." She added.
The summoner was about to speak, but Jinx did so for him. "Good news for you then, Hat Lady 2; my friends are on a fast for the next week." She said with a smile and a thumbs-up. "Yep. No want and destructive for us for now… unless I get a cannon. Or twelve!" She said, punctuating her comment by making a fist pump. "Can I get one or several!?" She asked with an excited expression on her face.
The summoner frowned, Miss Fortune let out a sigh, and the others helping to carry their luggage let out a collective, nervous breath. The summoner then took a deep breath and smiled again. Jinx had a way with situations, mostly turning them from peaceful into something similar to a hailstorm in the middle of a hurricane, but she did keep things interesting and fun.
Not to mention…
"Miss Fortune." The summoner began, causing the bounty hunter to turn to him. "On my honor and reputation as a summoner, I swear she will not cause any destruction while we are here." He said. He then let out a sigh and turned more serious. "If that does happen, I will take full responsibility, and accept any punishment you see fit to give me." He added.
Miss Fortune looked at them all before gesturing toward an alley. "Step over there with me." She said.
He nodded and followed her into the alley, away from the others so she could very likely talk to him in private. He glanced back to the rest of the group as he followed behind the esteemed bounty hunter. He wasn't worried about being hurt, spending as much time as he had with Jinx had a way of making one greet danger with a causal smile and wave. He wasn't eager to get into said danger though, but he was confident that he could better cope with it.
When they were out of ear shot of the rest, Sarah Fortune sheathed her pistol, but did not take her hand from it. "I didn't confirm this little visit for that maniac. If she causes any trouble, you both will be in trouble." She tapped her holstered pistol with her fingers. "And that trouble is decided by the one issuing the solution." She warned.
Bilgewater law: The law is in your hands. The summoner knew this, and he nodded his understanding. "I understand, but know that her safety and actions are my responsibility." He said as he met her eyes with his. "If she causes any damage, I will pay for the repairs from my own savings, and I will do my absolute best to keep her out of trouble."
She glared at him, as though to renew her warning, and finally started to walk past him. "No bombs or explosions." She muttered.
With their business done, the two returned to the group and Miss Fortune departed toward the docks. It looked like she was busy, which might have explained her aggression, but…
"Alright! Let's get me a cannon, some balls, three bags of black powder, and have some real fun!" Jinx declared as she stepped forward and away from the rest of them. It was evident that she was looking for a dangerously fun time, or a dangerous and fun time. The two were interchangeable and of little to no concern to Jinx.
While the others let out a sigh, some paling and or looking around with nervous glances, the main one smiled at her enthusiasm and desire for fun. "First, we need to check in, and then we can check out a few places." He said, and then adjusted his load to get at a piece of paper from his pocket. "I even made a list." He said and held it up to her.
Jinx looked at the list, snatched it from his hand, crumbled it up, and threw it at his face. "Who needs a list? Just follow… MEEEE!" She then started sprinting off, making the others quicken their pace to keep up.
After about half a block of chasing after Jinx with their luggage for the short vacation, the summoner called out to her. "Hey! We're here!" He said, causing her to skid to a halt and look back at them while the others went ahead inside.
The tavern they would be staying was fairly out of the way of the other building, reserved mostly for newcomers and explorers by the look of it. It was three stories tall, looked to have a total of twenty rooms for guests, the first story containing a bar and eating area as well as other rooms for the business, and a single window for each room. The paint was peeling in places, there was notable decay on the door and its hinges, and there a passed out patron snoozing draped over one of the windows with a flintlock pistol in his hand.
In a town where everyone could carry a weapon and had the right to defend themselves, this was probably the only place that would be mindful enough of Jinx to not try anything with her. The summoner, however, might be a target for pickpocketing and mugging.
"This is the place?" Jinx asked when she approached and pointed toward it. Her expression was more than enough to tell him that she didn't like it, but the reasons why… "They're not going to touch my stuff, are they? And this is a terrible hideout. I recognize that guy over there with the gun-" She began, but stopped and walked over to the passed out man.
After some wiggling, she was able to pry the pistol from his hand and began to look over it, taking it part a little to see how it worked, as she returned to the summoner. "And who knows how many sticky-fingered thieves are around? I don't want some jackass kidnapping Fishbones, Pow-Pow, Zapper, or one of my grenades." She said nonchalantly.
The summoner blinked at her curiously. "Wait, what? You have grenades?" He asked, surprised to hear that he had let them slip past.
"Do I?" She asked with a tilt of her head and a small smile.
He stared at her, trying to determine if she was just toying with him or if she really had smuggled some of them in, but then he realized that she was indeed curious if she might have some dud grenades. He relaxed then and returned the smile. It was slight, but he was able to tell that she was jokingly serious about them. She wanted to be able to cause havoc, but that would be difficult without bullets, rockets, and grenades.
Still, she was resourceful, and had access to discarded or taken guns, black and gun powders, and who knows what else?
"Come on. Let's go to our room and check it out." The summoner offered and taking a few steps toward the tavern. He kept a careful watch on Jinx, who only had her empty Fishbones and Zapper on her.
Jinx put her hands behind her head and started to follow him, but walked past the summoner, who stood at the door, and toward elsewhere. "Yeah, no. There're plots and plans to make and destruction to be had." She said with child-like glee.
"I should've guessed as much." He said, and followed her example by putting his hands behind his head and following her. The others knew where their room was, he had the key to it, they would lock it up when they say him and Jinx weren't there, and everything would be okay. The only problem was that he had wanted to rest, relax, and look over the map of his Bilgewater he had brought.
For now, he would let her decide what to do. Later on, when she had tired herself out, he would carry her back to the tavern and do what he wanted.
As they walked, something caught his eye, but then it was gone when he turned his head to further inspect it. He blinked where he thought he saw it, and then turned back to keep track of Jinx. It had looked like a ship with black sails…
