Aces walked into the recreation room with Grey. "Hey Aces what happened to Blades? Last time I saw him you were thirteen and you never talked about him after that." He asked.
Aces sat down on the chair and sighed.
She hugged herself tightly. "My riffle is his one. To make sense for you I go back" She started her story.
Aces panted running along the forest floor. She dropped her coat and ran trying to get away. It was slowing her down and she couldn't afford that. Two years ago she had started this training and so far she could do stuff that took years to learn in months.
Her hair was in a ponytail and since she dropped her black coat she was wearing a simple grey cotton top and soft black pants which she could easily run in.
"Gottcha!" A voice said as hands wrapped around her waist pulling her to the ground. Aces laughed falling on top of Blades.
"Damn! I was almost to the finish!" She complained.
"In your dreams Aces" he teased and rolled his eyes.
She propped herself off on her shoulders. "And this is coming from the guy who didn't know how to sew up his jumpers and coats with rips in them" She teased.
"Talking of coats here is yours" he chucked it to her. Aces nodded gratefully and placed on to keep warm.
"At least I don't go around in skimpy t-shirts and revealing pants!" She teased again.
Blades went red in the face "Come on let's get some food then we'll try again. This time I want you to test your skills with a riffle to catch your food" He said.
Blades knew of her powers and how it worked. As long as she wasn't threatened she could sing and live a 'normal' life. He also knew she would never ever use it for her own purpose.
Blades went back to their campsite which was actually a fire and two bags stacked up against trees full of supplies which they used for pillows and their coats for blankets.
No way would she be able to get a rabbit or deer. He smirked and laughed waiting for her to return from her walk.
Aces came back with a riffle slung over her shoulder and a rabbit in hand. "I caught supper dearest you can cook" she said.
Aces smirked when he saw the bullet shot. "What position?" he asked.
"In a tree" Aces answered sitting down and watching him cook. She gratefully ate it happily listening to ways she could improve.
"Lucky there is no Kyrll here" Aces noted.
"No settlements with lots of blood to draw attention to them" Blades informed her.
Aces went to sleep that night and kept a knife and riffle close to her in case they had an emergency. Something didn't sound right and she was a light sleeper.
"Aces wake up!" Blades called her name.
She bolted up. "What's up?" She asked jumping up.
"Locust is here! Run!" He said grabbing her arm and running pulling them along. Aces panted as they hid in the bush.
"Why? What do they want?" She asked.
"Aces I don't know keep running!" He said.
Along the track he let go of their hand and they got separated. Aces knew training of survival. If Blades wanted her anywhere it would be near water.
She headed down to the beach near the outskirts of the woods. She crouched down in a tree's twisted root hiding. A hand clamped over hers. It was bloody and red.
Aces saw Blades there. He breathed heavily "Aces…Ace..." He collapsed onto her.
Aces lifted his shirt. Fumbling her bag open Aces found a medical pack. "Blades stay with me. I'm going to get you back to Sally. Don't you dare leave" she asked and pleaded.
"Strange hair...You had the strangest hair" He said.
"Yeah I do keep talking and focusing on that please!" she begged. He stopped her placing a hand on her arm.
"Aces you're going to be an amazing hunter…but it's time to let go and sing" he said handing her his favourite riffle.
She nodded wisely, that made her afraid and even threatened that she was going to be alone and he was leaving her alone in this hell.
Aces cradled his head. She opened her mouth and sang starting with letting her tears come by.
It is the evening of the day
I sit and watch the children play
Smiling faces I can see
But not for me
I sit and watch
As tears go by
My riches can't buy everything
I want to hear the children sing
All I hear is the sound
Of rain falling on the ground
I sit and watch
As tears go by
It is the evening of the day
I sit and watch the children play
Doin things I used to do
They think are new
I sit and watch
As tears go by
She stopped after his breath ended. She rested her head on his chest crying as hard as the tears went by. Aces knew something she had to do it was her job as a hunter.
She dragged his body to the beach and wrapped it in coat and clothes, grabbing a lighter and she grabbed the cooking oil setting his body alight with fire.
Aces looked at his body. "I'm sorry they got you, but I'm even sorrier I never told you I'm glad you're my hunting partner, I won't stop this I'll pass it on all the lessons. Goodbye Blades" she said sitting down as his body burned on the beach.
He would have like this. It was the burial of a true hunter.
Aces walked back to the factory, Sally and Jeremy were there waiting they saw the scratches on her face from the bush. And the blood on her front and hands that hadn't been washed off indicated something wrong.
Sally saw the riffle on her back. Aces looked at her and broke down right there despite the staring of others. Sally ran at her hugged her tightly Aces dug her head into Sally's front. Sally placed her chin on top of Aces head.
"I couldn't stop it! Sally I'm so sorry!" Aces cried tears going by wildly.
"No you never be sorry. It will never be your fault!" Sally cooed into her.
"I can't be responsible for that again! I can't" Aces screamed at her.
Aces told him the story. Grey looked at her and hugged her. "I'm sorry" he murmured.
"I am too. I never told him ever how grateful I was that he gave me something, I never would have had without him" Aces answered.
"What's that?" Grey asked.
"He gave me a way to escape. I could escape the pain and run away when I wanted I had the right to run away" Aces leaned her head on his shoulder.
"That must have been nice" he said.
"Yeah which is why I'm doing it again tomorrow first thing in the morning, I'm going to run away from making a promise I can't keep" She answered.