"You know, stealing's against the law. And the sheriff of these here parts." Ray began Rip and Clarity standing with him in the doorway blocking Martin's path.
"Can't have ya breakin the law doc" Clarity said finishing Ray's sentence taking off her hat.
"How did you know I was appropriating this medicine?" Stein questioned though he had a suspecting idea.
"That was my fault, Professor." Gideon apologized.
"Et tu, Gideon? I suppose this is going to earn me a lecture on the perils of upsetting the timeline by introducing futuristic medicine to the 19th century." Martin said walking over to the metal table placing the clear vial in a case picking it up turning to face Rip.
"Well, it seems you've already given it to yourself." Rip replied his hands in his pockets.
"Except this isn't futuristic medicine. I've had Gideon fabricate simple streptomycin for me.
Excuse me." Martin said walking out of the medbay past the trio.
"Which won't be used in medical treatments for another 70 years." Ray pointed out him and Clarity following quickly behind.
"This is about a boy in town who's dying of an easily curable disease. Just as you and Miss Springs couldn't turn your backs on Jeb Stillwater and his gang, I can't turn mine on this boy and his mother." Stein replied walking at a brisk pace down the hall. Rip rubbed at his forehead with his thumb as he sucked in a breath preparing his own argument. While yes he wasn't opposed to trying to help the boy he was against using medicine unsuitable to the time period. Who knows what disasters that could cause.
"Except Dr. Palmer and Miss Springs are using 19th-century technology to deal with Stillwater, whereas you" Rip started to deny trying to convince Martin to stop this ridiculous plan of his his hands clasped together as he pointed at the older man.
"Just spare me the lecture, Captain Hunter.
You, of all people" Martin replied clearly done listening to anything Rip Hunter had to say about the matter. He had some nerve trying to convince him not to intervene.
"This isn't about the mission, Martin!" Rip exclaimed growing frustrated. Why would no one on this team ever listen to him!?
"Do you not recall happened when left a bit of his suit back in 1975 and nearly destroyed Central City?" Rip inquired.
"That was an accident." Ray interjected, him and Clarity still following behind.
"Which wasn't even completely your fault" Clarity added still blaming herself for not sensing the itsy bitsy piece of his suit beforehand. Maybe then Carter wouldn't have died.
"I'm not talking about our mission or 's technological gaffe. Calvert that town clearly holds some emotional resonance for you, judging from the looks you've been exchanging with ." Stein told him standing his ground turning to face the Captain once more.
"How do you know it's a town? I strictly forbade Gideon from telling any of you anything about it" Rip denied as he looked at the three of them in confusion.
"Guess she doesn't want you hiding things from your crew" Clarity replied crossing her arms.
Rip looked at her once again wondering why Gideon had obeyed her those couple of times before when he had given none of them any command over the Ai. Was it possible that Gideon had merely listened to Clarity's orders again? But if so why? Or more importantly how? It confused him even now.
"I'm not trying to hide anything, Clarity! I'm trying to avoid talking about any of this. Which you would understand if you had the capacity of picking up on any form of a social cue." Rip replied his voice slightly raised as he glared.
"According to Jonah, when things were about to get rough you ran away and never looked back. Seems like you never stopped, since you won't so much as step foot off this ship. So, Rip, what is it about this stunning free spirited era that your running from and What does it have to do with Calvert?" Clarity replied doing her best to keep her voice steady, but Rip's comment had succeeded in wounding her slightly. She inwardly flinched.
"You talked to Jonah?" Rip questioned his voice softening due to his surprise. "About me...? Why would you..."
"Oh cmon Rip. It's not like you were ever going to tell me anything. You just said it yourself. You've been avoiding talking about it and I had to fill my curiosity somehow. You know so much about all of us. Isn't it only fair that we get to know at least one thing about you!?" Clarity inquired allowing herself just the tiniest bit of hope that he would open up just a bit.
"Gideon?" Stein questioned wishing to back up Clarity in her argument. She was right of course. They barely knew anything about him. It was time the Captain came clean. About at least this one thing.
"Calvert, Oklahoma what happened to you there, Rip?" Ray pressed wanting to know the answer almost as much as Clarity.
"And why is it so important to you?" Stein asked pointedly staring him down. Rip walked over to the screen his gaze transfixed on the images before him. All the memories coming flooding back as if it were just yesterday.
"Because the past is prologue." Rip sighed as he looked at the screen unable to tear his gaze away from it. He forced himself to turn away for fear he would never stop looking at the town.
"It's not uncommon for criminal posses such as 's to sack and pillage towns which they find uncooperative." Rip started to explain. If Clarity already had Jonah's side of the story he might as well give her his as well. She, as well as the rest of the team, already had a rather dim view of him with all the lies and close calls that had occurred, since this mission began. She -They, the team, deserved at least some truth, Rip, supposed. He just wished this story didn't pain him, so much. He could already feel his regret welling up inside of him.
"So Stillwater's done this before?" Stein questioned wanting to keep him talking now that he started.
"In the case of Calvert, it was Quentin Turnbull's doing. But it was my fault." Rip admitted raising his chin as he spoke the last part of his sentence. It was his fault, how he wished that he had just stayed until morning, but then history would have been altered and he would have lost Miranda and never had Jonas. The sacrifice his wife had made for him, giving up her place as a time master would have meant nothing and he couldn't have let that happen.
"Your fault?" Clarity questioned cocking her head to the side.
"I'd come to Calvert on a mission from the Time Masters. This was years before my son Jonas was born." Rip explained further doing his best shut out any emotions he felt within his voice. Uttering his son's name along with recounting Calvert were not a good mix. Both were extremely painful memories that made his heart clench.
"Jonas...Did you name your son after Hex?" Ray questioned. Clarity's eyes widened a bit at that. Ray was right. Change the last letter from an H to an S making it more era appropriate and they had the same name. Jonah and Rip really were best friends if Rip named his kid after him.
"After my mission was completed, I felt unable to leave. I'd grown so attached to this era, a victim of time drift. What I originally thought you were experiencing before I found out about the amnesia" Rip told Clarity who nodded slightly remembering when he had originally told her the phrase.
"But obviously you left at some point." Martin surmised intrigued by Rip's story. It wasn't often they got to know something new about him.
"Left? I had to tear myself away from the time period for fear that I would never see my then-future wife, Miranda, ever again."Rip said sitting down on a crate crossing his legs.
Clarity walked over to him and placed her hand lightly on his right shoulder in concern. Rip let out a shaky sigh, as his emotions whirled inside of him, the mere anguish striking at him with no respite in sight. He clapped his hands together lightly in, an attempt to wake himself up and forbid himself from getting lost in the memories of Calvert.
He resisted his first instinct to shake Clarity's hand off his shoulder. He wasn't used to physical contact with anyone save those closest to him. Jonas, Miranda, his mother, and Druce on certain special occasions. It was a really short list. Although upon his second examination, he found himself somewhat thankful for her hand being there. It grounded him a bit, quelled his ceaselessly churning emotions enough for him to speak again.
"Turnbull attacked Calvert the very next day." Rip admitted his fist clenching. Clarity bit her bottom lip now feeling guilty that she had pressed him so much. She squeezed his shoulder as she looked down at him.
"So you can understand why I must act." Martin told him Rip's story doing nothing to change his mind, however Martin was genuinely pleased to know something else about Rip.
"No, Martin, I don't. As I said before, this is advanced medicine unsuitable to the period, to say nothing of what this boy's survival might do to the timeline." Rip said rising from his seat Clarity's hand glitching through him falling to her side as she stared after him standing next to the crate.
"Be that as it may, I refuse to live with the regret I see on your face right now." Martin replied walking off the waverider case of medicine in hand.
"The information Mr. Stein got from the barkeep and the information girly here got from that rancher cheapskate paid out. I know where the Stillwater gang's holed up." Jonah said walking in the room just as Stein left.
"All right. Let's ride. Up high." Ray said holding up his hand. Clarity skipped over to him and high fived Ray before he had a chance to lower his hand. He smiled back at her thankful for the save. He hated when people left him hanging. Which happened far too often in his opinion.
"You coming, Rip?" Jonah questioned. In response the time master gave the subtlest shake of his head.
"That's what I thought." Jonah scowled walking off the ship.
"Want me to bring you back something? Wishbone? Tumbleweed? Lucky horseshoe?" Clarity questioned pausing in the doorway turning to Rip hoping to lift his spirits just a tad so he wouldn't be left alone in misery.
"No, one surprise brought on this ship by you was enough." Rip replied his tone clipped clearly conveying that he was not at all in the mood for Clarity's antics right now. Clarity nodded walking off the ship frowning as Rip immediately shut the door behind her and it cloaked itself. Clarity wouldn't have so much as known it was there if she couldn't feel the ship's blaring futuristic hum.
"Rip still being a shut in?" Jax questioned Clarity as she walked over to where Jax, Mick, Jonah and Ray stood circled under the shade of a nearby tree.
" 'Fraid so, Jax" Clarity replied.
"Let the Englishman rot in that tin can. He doesn't know what he's missin Sparky." Mick told her sipping a beer that Gideon had made him.
"Speaking of missing where are Snart and Todd? I know they're not with Sara and Kendra" Ray questioned.
"Where are the girls at anyways?" Jax questioned.
"Kendra wanted to go on a walkabout and Sara decided to go with her." Ray answered.
"Who cares where the women are at right now. As we stand this posse ain't big enough to take on Stillwater and his gang. We need those two other fellas, three of us ain't going to be enough. It'll be gettin dark soon so we better get them boys and head out quick" Jonah said interrupting them. "He won't be expecting a nighttime ambush"
"They walked off that way a while ago" Jax said nodding off in the opposite direction of town.
"That way? You sure bout that? Nothin out that way, but trees and a mass of wheat grass" Jonah frowned.
"I'll go get them. You guys go find us some horses, if we walk on foot it'll take all night" Clarity replied waving a hand at the boys.
"You sure you wanna do that, Sparky?" Mick questioned a sort of warning in his voice.
"Why not? Someone has to go get them" Clarity replied walking off in the direction Jax had pointed.
Once she was sure she was a far enough distance away from Jonah she focused her powers her eyes glowing searching for the electricity that Snart and Todd's bodies naturally produced. It took her a few seconds, but she found them easily enough. They were somewhere in the wheat grass.
Clarity walked into the tall wheat grass pushing through the blades of gold straw with her hands not wanting to risk accidentally setting the tall dry grass on fire if she used her powers and glitched straight to their location. As Clarity neared where the two were she started hearing a groan from a voice that was clearly Snart's. Fearing that the thief might have gotten bitten by a rattlesnake hiding in the grass Clarity broke into a run frantically pushing at the slightly itchy plants in her path.
Once she finally found the two she froze her mouth dropping open. Her eyes widened and lightning crackled intensely in her cheeks as she blushed madly. Both men were lying on the ground among flattened blades of wheat. They were both shirtless, and pantless, and Clarity was thankful that they had not yet removed their boxers. The two were kissing passionately as they grinded their lower bodies against each other. Clarity spun around so her back was facing the pair making a little eep noise alerting both men to her prescience.
Snart tore himself away from the kiss and both men stared at her. Todd in horror and Snart in surprise, but the thief quickly schooled his expression.
"My, My Glitch. I didn't expect you to be the peeping Tom type" Snart drawled sitting up as Todd got off him cautiously his eyes transfixed on Clarity.
"I-I-uh- u-um..." Clarity stuttered out completely flustered still facing away from the two.
"Relax, I'm only teasing. Did you like the show?" Snart questioned brushing the grass off his slightly sweaty upper torso.
"S-show? I-I didn't...I d-didn't s-see a-anything. I m-mean I-I S-Saw, b-but I-I w-wasn't watching o-or a-anything"Clarity stuttered nervously.
"Flick? Are you okay?" Todd asked in concern never having her her stutter so much even since he had first met her.
Clarity hummed. "O-okay? Y-yeah i-I'm o-okay! Why w-wouldn't I b-be?" Clarity stuttered.
"Your stuttering and you just caught us doing the deed" Todd replied surprised that he himself was not freaking out about getting caught with another man. If he had been back in the 40's and it had been Amaya or Courtney in Clarity's place he would have been terrified, but for some reason he wasn't. Maybe it was because he knew that Clarity wouldn't shun him for this. That she accepted him for this part of himself, that her seeing him with another man in such an intimate way wasn't a problem because of that acceptance.
"Your acting like it's illegal" Snart told him amusement in his tone.
"It is in my time" Todd replied as he pulled on his shirt tossing Snart his pants.
"Oh, is that why I found this so fun?" Snart questioned flashing a smile.
"Your freaking flick out" Todd said nodding to Clarity.
"She should just be thankful we both didn't have our pants off and she didn't catch you thrusting-"
"Oh no-no-no-nope! That is a no! No! I do not need to hear that! Oh my god! Why did you guys decide to do...do it! in the wheat grass!?" Clarity exclaimed her voice getting high and squeaky because of her nerves her hands flying over her ears her eyes squeezing shut trying to purge the mental image from her mind.
"The better question is why not do it in the wheat grass? No one's around to see or hear anything in here." Snart replied calmly.
"I get that, but why'd you two even...I mean how did...I thought you were straight" Clarity frowned turning to Leonard slowly uncovering her ears cautiously still blushing.
"No, I'm pansexual same as you" Snart told her.
"H-how d-did you...?" Clarity asked unsure as how the thief found out about her sexual orientation. She was sure she had never told him.
"You don't seem like the type of woman that would turn down a person because of anything gender related, just like Barry isn't as straight as he seems. Like I've told you before, Glitch, I make it a habit to know my enemies. That includes their sexual preference because that can be heavily exploited" Snart told her a devious glint in his eyes.
"Like that time with cisco?" Clarity questioned.
"Yes, exactly like that time with Cisco" Snart replied standing up slipping his pants on.
"So, Why'd you come looking for us?" Todd asked as he zipped up his fly.
"Oh, right! we're uh going after the Stillwater gang now. Ambushing them at nightfall. We needed you guys" Clarity explained.
"Well, I'd hate to miss a shoot out after a nice make-out. Cmon you two. We shouldn't keep them waiting any longer or they'll think something's up." Snart said slipping his boots back on Todd doing the same. Snart putting on his hat as they walked through the tall grass.
"Couldn't you two have...hung a sock? Or a hat? Some kind of warning?" Clarity questioned rubbing at her eyes.
"One we're in a field. There's no where to hang anything and two we weren't exactly expecting to be interrupted, Clarity" Todd told her.
"How did you two end up in here..doing that... anyways?" Clarity asked.
"I felt world war 2 over here checking me out back at the saloon, I called him out on it and cornered him after we went back to the waverider after I shot that assholes gun out of his hand, we went outside with Mick for some beers to wait until something worth our attention happened, a few sex stories later him and I were heading out to the wheat grass to get down and dirty in the old west." Snart explained as the three finally emerged from the grass walking over to the group.
"Oh, Good you found them" Ray grinned none the wiser about what Clarity had walked in on.
"Heh, bet that's not all she found" Mick chuckled as Clarity gave him a discreet shocking with her powers trying desperately to keep herself from blushing and showing her powers. Mick's earlier warning now making sense.
"What do you mean?" Ray questioned completely lost not understanding.
"Nothing, don't strain that big brain of yours haircut." Mick replied as Jax snickered. The teen understanding what mick had been insinuating.
"Can we get moving already? I want to get this over with" Snart said hopping onto a gray stead.
"So we can play later?" Todd inquired raising a brow getting on his dark brown horse.
"Oh, man you better be talking about a game of cards." Jax frowned making a face as he swung himself on his own horse. Everyone got saddled up and started a slow gallop in the direction of Stillwater's campsite. Jonah led the way with Clarity beside him as she rode expertly the rest struggling a bit.
"Trust the horse Jax. Ease up on the reigns. He doesn't want to bump into a tree anymore than you do." Clarity called back to the struggling half of firestorm.
"How are you doing that so well?" Todd complained as his horse had somehow gotten turned around and was now walking backwards.
"I've been riding since I was little. Now nudge his side with your feet. There see? Now keep your feet in the stirrups or you'll confuse the poor guy again. You keep nudging him" Clarity told Todd as his horse turned around and went straight.
"Hmph can't believe I'm going after Stillwater with folks who can barely ride. We're gonna get slaughtered" Jonah remarked.
"We're better at shooting than riding" Snart replied a bit defensively.
"We could've used Sara on this roundup." Mick commented.
"Another lady? You crazy? Isn't one bad enough?" Jonah questioned.
"This lady's actually one hell of a shot" Jax said nodding in Clarity's direction.
"I'm not that good Jax...I've just had practice. I was six when I learned to shoot" Clarity said lightly rubbing her forehead thinking back.
*flashback*
"Alright that's it. Hold her steady now." Clarity's father said as he kneeled next to his six year old daughter his arm wrapped around her shoulders. Clarity held a six shooter in her small hands. She struggled to hold the item up in front of her and had to use both hands to hold it.
"Good..that's good, Clarity. Real good sweetheart" her father encouraged poking her on the nose making her giggle.
"Really Daddy?I'm doing good?" She questioned overjoyed to be impressing her father.
"You sure are sparky girl. Now, you see that lil switch thing on this side?" He father asked pointing to a spot on the gun.
Clarity cocked her head to the side and twisted the gun horizontally to get a better look at it.
"The weird piece that looks kinda pointy?" Clarity questioned.
Her father smiled at her description. "Yeah that's the one. It's called the safety. It won't let the gun fire if it's clicked on like that you see? Try pulling the trigger" Her father told her righting the gun so it was right side up again.
Clarity pulled the trigger a few times and she was relieved when nothing happened. She didn't have the courage to tell her father that she was scared to shoot one. The loud booming noise spooked her as much as Sonic and she didn't really fancy the idea of killin nobody.
"Nothing happened...huh" Clarity said slightly amazed in awe of the safety switch. Her father smiled down at her amazed look. His child was certainly a curious one and he was thankful for it. Clarity didn't seem as excited about this as she had been with learning to ride, but that won't be anything some of his signature strawberry topped chocolate chip pancakes wouldn't fix tomorrow morning.
He walked over to the fence momentarily leaving Clarity's side and placed three coors beer cans on top of the beam of the rickety wooden fence lining them up in a row before walking back over to Clarity.
"Okay, Clarity, now it's time to really focus. Can you do that for me?" Her father questioned bending down again.
"Yes, sir" Clarity answered.
"What have I told you about calling me that?" He father questioned.
"Not too...sorry daddy. Mommy get's mad with me when I don't use my manners. She's teaching me how to be civeyesd. She thinks it'll help at school" Clarity said mispronouncing the word civilized looking down at her boots.
"That girl still picking on you?" Her father questioned.
Clarity bit her bottom lip and nodded lowering the gun to her side, her blue eyes transfixed on her boots, tears pricking at her eyes. Clarity's father looked at his daughter in concern anger festering in his chest wishing to hurt whoever had harmed his baby girl. However hurting the one who did this too her wasn't the priority for the army man at the moment. It was getting his little girl's spirits back up.
"Chin up sweetheart. Girls like that don't make it very far in life. She doesn't have that spark in her like you do." Her father said moving so he was kneeling in front of his daughter. He put his finger under her chin and forced her to look up.
"Is there something wrong with me? If I'm different from her?" Clarity asked.
"No! Damnit no Clarity. There's nothing wrong with...with being a little different. You think everyone in town likes me? No, they don't because that's not how this world works. Now I wish that I could tell you something different, but I won't lie to you. This world is tough and mean like that bully girl who gives you trouble. It's gonna try and put you in a little box and beat you down while your inside of it, but you can't let that happen. Alright? You keep that spark in you shining bright as them stars up there." His father told her. Clarity smiled brightly wiping at her eyes with her left hand.
"You give really good speeches Daddy. Someday I wanna be a good speech giverer just like you!" Clarity boasted. Her father chuckled.
"Maybe when your older. Now let's focus sugarplum. I'm supposed to be teaching you to shoot remember?" Her father inquired.
"Oh yeah..." Clarity giggled.
"Now aim the gun at the can on the left." Her father said pointing. Clarity nodded and planted her feet firmly digging her boots into the ground as she shakily moved the gun to face the can her heart racing.
"Alright, now click the safety off"
"O-off?"
"That's what I said" Her father replied watching as Clarity clicked the safety off.
"Good, now draw the piece that sticks out the back towards yourself. Use your thumbs and keep the gun where your pointing it" Her father told her. Clarity struggled to reach her thumbs up to it, but she did after a few minutes of struggling.
"Now place your shooter finger on the trigger but don't pull yet. Just hover it. Like your touching a butterfly wing" Her father told her watching her closely.
"Atta girl. Now go ahead and pull the trigger, but-" Clarity's father didn't get the chance to finish as she pulled the trigger. The bullet flew out of the barrel and the gun flew back into Clarity's forehead harshly knocking her onto her back. Her head slammed back into a rock and black dots swam in her vision everything blurring slightly. The six year old now had a wound on her forehead and it was starting to bleed blood trickling down her face. Clarity dropped the still smoking gun on the grass beside her. She moved her hands to her forehead tears already streaming down her face as she sobbed from the pain.
"Nicholas Logan Springs! That better not be a gunshot I just heard!" Clarity's mother yelled from the porch, but froze as she heard her daughters cry's. "Clarity!? Oh my lord!" Her mother panicked bolting off the porch sprinting over to her daughter skidding to her knees beside her cupping her face.
"Damnit Nicholas! I told you she wasn't ready!" Clarity's mother snapped anger in her eyes as she pulled Clarity into her lap trying to console her.
"I-I'm Sorry..." Clarity cried.
"It's not your fault, sweetie. It was an accident. You mother's hollering at me not you." Her father replied soothingly taking off his shirt already dabbing at her forehead to try and stop the bleeding so he could see the wound better.
"It's alright, Clarity. Mommy's here. Mommy's right here. You poor thing..." Her mother cooed gently.
"Your not yelling at me anymore?" Clarity's father asked his wife in surprise.
"Oh I can holler at you later. We've got to get this tended to...I hope she doesn't get a scar on her forehead...then all them girls will have another thing to pick on her for" Clarity's mother frowned smoothing out Clarity's hair.
"She'll be all right, Constance. It's not deep enough to scar. Our girl's a tough one"
"She wouldn't be hurt in the first place if you hadn't tried to teach her" her mother stubbornly replied picking Clarity up carrying her towards the house.
"She needs to learn! You coddle her too much. Learning to shoot builds confidence and she needs a hell a lot of that. She barely talks to anybody except for us, and I'm not even sure that she can. It's not healthy and it ain't doing her any good now. Are you just going to let her get walked all over for the rest of her life?" Her father questioned throwing his hat down on the porch in anger.
"To keep her safe from accidents like this? Hell yes, I will Nick"
"Connie, you can't protect her forever. Not even from herself, just like you can't protect me from the decisions I make. You worry yourself to death over the two of us and that's not healthy either." Her father told her mother.
"If that's the case I'll just have die trying to protect her, even if she kills me" her mother replied carrying Clarity to the bathroom to treat her head wound. Her father sighed...
*end flashback*
Clarity was pulled out of her thoughts as she heard Ray speak after a while of riding in silence.
"Just remember, we're here to arrest Stillwater, not kill him." Ray reminded.
"He always this much of a stick in the mud?" Jonah questioned.
"Yes." Snart answered.
A few minutes of riding more and they had arrived at Stillwater's camp.
"Oh, damn." A member of Stillwater's gang said as the legends came riding into their camp. Mick jumping off his horse body slamming the poor guy to the ground making him drop his shotgun.
"These boys got some stones." Stillwater said as his gang opened fire on the legends who rode around the camp fighting different members of his gang. Jonah and Mick getting into fist fights on the ground as Jax, Todd and Snart, gave them cover fire. Clarity went about freeing as many horses as she could get her hands on. Her heart clenching in pain as she saw the wounds on their sides. She hoped they were all smart enough to either find a safe place to go or make their way back to the rancher on their own. She wouldn't be able to guide them all out in this madness. Setting them free was the best she could do.
"Hey! You filthy bitch! Get the hell away from my horses!" Stillwater exclaimed pointing his gun at Clarity. He shot at her heart and Clarity glitched that section of her body the bullet flying through her into a tree behind her. Thankfully her powers could have simply been mistaken for a blue firefly because the area she has glitched was so small.
Stillwater paled slightly thinking he had missed. He backed up taking cover behind some crates in case Clarity retaliated at him. However he was taken by surprise as Ray came up behind him and knocked him out from behind with his gun. Snart rode up behind the crates and Ray threw Stillwater a top Snart's horse in front of the thief.
"Jeb Stillwater, you are under have the right to remain have the right to an attorney." Ray began to account.
"There won't be Miranda rights for another 100 years." Snart pointed out.
"Fall back! Fall back!"
"Jax!" Mick roared as Jax got lassoed off his horse and captured by Stillwater's gang. The gang shot at them and the legends shot back. Save for Clarity who had forgotten to put ammo back in her gun.
"We got to go!" Jonah exclaimed as they all ran out of ammo to fire back with.
"Not without Jax!" Snart protested as he looked sharply at Clarity.
"1..2..3-"
"No! Clarity, stop! you can't. Believe me, I want to to.." Todd told her knowing exactly what she was about to do.
"Well, we got Stillwater. It means we got leverage. Live to fight another day or die tonight your choice."
"Seems like Rip's not the only one who runs from a fight" Clarity told Jonah.
"Heh, least I stayed to fight" Jonah replied. "We'll get your boy back. Don't you worry. Now that you sent all their horses running back to that there rancher they'll be scrambling for a deal." Jonah replied.
-back on the waverider-
"Where is Stillwater?" Stein questioned.
"He's knocked out cold in the med bay." Ray answered him pacing around.
"Well, this is a simple matter. We trade Stillwater for Jefferson as Mr. Hex suggested." Stein proposed.
"It's not that simple. If we release Stillwater, we're back to square one and the town is still in danger." Ray denied.
"So is the kid." Snart pointed out as he leaned on a chair.
"Along with all the horses I just freed from their torture."Clarity said crossing her arms.
"And we'll figure out a way to get him back, and keep those horses safe from harm, without releasing Stillwater." Ray said.
"I got a notion. Set up a quick draw. You win, get your guy back. You lose, you set Stillwater free." Jonah suggested from the corner of the room.
"And, by "lose," you mean-" Martin began.
"Get shot and killed." Snart finished.
"Oh, great. Pistols at high noon." Martin worried.
"Finally, someone's talking sense." Mick noted.
"There has to be another way, a better way." Stein protested.
"Sure. Go after Stillwater with all your gear from the future. I don't know how that'll sit with your captain, though." Jonah said walking over to stand next to Rip by the console.
"Mm, let's assume it's a bad idea." Rip frowned turning to him slightly.
"So who's standing in the middle of Main Street?" Mick questioned.
"I'll do it." Ray said immediately.
"Raymond, now is not the time to indulge your cowboy fantasies." Stein replied.
"No one else is stepping forward. Plus, I'm a decent shot at least I was with an air rifle." Ray replied.
"Well, I'm a better shot with a six shooter. I'll do it. This guy needs to pay for what he did to those horses and seeing as how shoving some spurs into his sides isn't an option shooting him is the next best thing." Clarity replied.
"You hate killing" Snart frowned. "You'll lose your nerve. Let Palmer do it"
"I won't if I'm doing it for the horses." Clarity replied crossing her arms.
"I can't believe you're encouraging this." Rip told Jonah.
"You know it's the only way." Jonah replied easily.
"Clarity's going to get herself killed." Rip replied
"Well, guess I see that you care now"
"I think you forfeited your right to an opinion when you refused to leave the ship since we've been here."
"I had good reason." Rip replied.
"Because of Calvert." Stein said Ray, Clarity, Snart, Mick and himself walking to the parlor's doorway.
"Yes, but not in the way you think. Leaving Calvert, leaving this era is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do." Rip told Them all earnestly, but he looked to Jonah as he spoke.
"And why is that, Captain?" Snart asked slyly as he leaned on the doorway. Finally, some info on Rip. He'd been waiting since Russia for some new details.
"A Time Master is trained to do his work without interference, which means not helping people or being a hero But as you've both seen, Dr. Palmer, Miss Springs, this era offers many opportunities for heroism." Rip told them.
"I found it enticing." Rip admitted turning away from their watchful eyes that were seemingly boring into his soul.
"And you still managed to leave. Something's been bugging me all these years. If you'd have known what Turnbull was going to do to Calvert, would you have left?" Jonah questioned.
"That's the thing, Jonah. I did know." Rip admitted turning around. Clarity gasped, before Rip had time to react Jonah punched Rip in the Jaw knocking him back into a chair.
Rip groaned wincing slightly. "I deserve that." Rip said as he pointed at Jonah his face stinging terribly now.
"You deserve a lot knew, and you still left?" Jonah barked at him beyond pissed.
"Of course I knew. I was a Time Master. And therein lay the problem." Rip said getting out of the chair standing up.
"Like Raymond, like Martin, Like Clarity, I felt the pull of heroism, of this era's penchant for being rife with opportunities to make a difference. That's one of the things that called to me, and that is why I had to leave. Because had I stayed I could no longer have remained a Time Master. But I'm no longer a Time Master which is why I'll face Stillwater." Rip said with a nod.
"Wait. Clarity just said that she would do it." Ray said stepping forwards.
"And get herself shot and killed? It's appreciated, but I'd rather she stayed alive. Send word to Stillwater's posse. I believe high noon is in less than three hours." Rip said answering Ray then turning to Jonah.
"Rip...you can't do this" Clarity told him shaking her head following as he walked down the hall.
"Hmm? Why not? You said it yourself. It's not healthy to stay cooped up on this ship, and you did say to do something earlier. Well, the something that I choose is a quick draw. You're other options were a bit too illegal for my tastes." Rip replied.
"Rip, I can Glitch through bullets you can't. If you get shot and you die then you're never going to see Miranda and Jonas again. Think about what your risking." Clarity pleaded as she walked next to him.
"Either way, I'll be seeing my wife and son again somewhat soon. Although I do suspect that if I do die Miranda's going to be extremely cross so I'll try my best to avoid it so we can stick to the original plan of saving them" Rip replied as he reached the fabricator. Rip grabbed a normal six shooter replacing his lazer one.
"Rip, I can do this. You shouldn't..." Clarity struggled trying to come up with a good argument.
"I shouldn't what, Clarity? Save this town like I failed to do with Calvert? I'm trying to make up for some past mistakes and we've got to rescue Mister Jackson. What does this make? All our team captured, left behind, or killed except for me?" Rip questioned back.
"I don't think Kendra's been yet either or Todd, but he's new" Clarity replied thinking about it.
"So, the majority have then. We should ask Gideon to start a tally" Rip suggested.
"Rip this isn't something you have to do" Clarity told him.
"You're right, Clarity. I don't need to, I want to" Rip replied placing a cowboy style hat on his head.
-in town square-
"You think Hunter can pull this off?" Mick questioned Hex as the two men stood in the road Clarity standing in between them. She could already feel her heart racing her nerves getting the better of her.
"Reasonably. If not, I got dibs on that newfangled revolver of his." Hex replied.
"I'm not sure he'd be okay with that" Clarity frowned.
"He stole my coat, only fair I steal something of his" Jonah replied.
"He did you a favor. Brown's not your color" Clarity told him. Jonah turned to her giving her a onceover.
"Ain't your's either. If I was you I'd switch to blue" Jonah told her. Clarity smiled at that.
"Trust me that's the last color she needs to be convinced to switch to" Sara said walking over to the three.
"Where the hell did you come from? Thought the vultures would be pickin you and hawky apart by now" Mick frowned at Sara.
"You wish, Rory. I got back from that walkabout with Kendra a little while ago. Kendra remembered some bracelet and her past self gave her a stern talking to about getting over Carter. It was a bit of a waste of time, but I have to say it was a great ride." Sara replied with a smile.
"You went riding without me?" Clarity questioned frowning at Sara looking a bit hurt.
"Sorry, Pachirisu, I didn't think you'd want to come with Kendra" Sara apologized the thought to bring Clarity never having even crossed her mind til she had suggested it just now.
Clarity smiled softly but it didn't reach it's usual brightness accepting the apology, but still feeling hurt. "It's okay, but for future reference Kendra couldn't ruin the old west for me no matter what. It feels too much like home"
"It does?" Sara asked surprised.
"Yeah, Cmon it's almost noon we should get off the street." Clarity told her taking Sara's hand walking across the street to stand on the side of the road. Once she reached the other side Clarity didn't let go of Sara's hand.
"You worried?" Sara questioned after she realized Clarity wasn't letting go anytime soon.
"Yeah..." Clarity admitted biting her bottom lip.
"Me too." Sara admitted biting her thumb.
"Thought assassins couldn't get nervous" Clarity replied noticing the action.
"Maybe I'm just not as much of a cold hearted assassin as I used to be." Sara replied
"You think you're melting?" Clarity questioned.
Sara pursued her lips a bit. "Maybe I am"
"Wonder what could have made that happen" Clarity replied.
"Or who" Sara commented just as Rip spoke up.
"I'll be drawing for Sheriff Palmer." Rip called Stillwater being led out of the Sheriff's office by Snart who held him at gun point.
"How do me and my boys know you're going to keep your word?" Stillwater questioned Snart lowly.
"Sheriff Palmer's a straight shooter." Snart replied with a glare passing him a gun.
"Then he should be the one in the street." Stillwater replied twirling his gun all fancy before placing it in his holster.
"Show-off" Clarity muttered.
"You're one to talk after your little hat trick" Sara replied.
"Quiet down Gals. They gotta focus" Jonah muttered from where he stood next to Ray a little further down the line of people who stood watching tensely. Rip dramatically threw his coat over his leg revealing his gun his hand hovering over it.
A tense silence hung in the air as him and Stillwater locked eyes. Stillwater was shaky his hand fidgeting over his gun getting antsy, but Rip was the exact opposite. He was calmed, relaxed, his hand gently hovering over his gun. Then they both moved. Stillwater pulled his gun, but Rip was faster. He shot stillwater and the man went down falling to the ground in a heap. The camera flashing capturing the moment. Instantly, Jax was released and he shakily ran towards the group as Stillwater was placed in a coffin.
"Jefferson, are you all right?" Stein questioned running a few steps to meet him resting a hand on his shoulder.
"Yeah. Did you just shoot somebody for me?" Jax questioned Rip.
"Yeah. You're welcome." Rip replied taking a breath.
"Oh no..." Clarity whispered as she started feeling a futuristic hum. Three hums to be exact heading in this direction.
"Oh no? What do you mean oh no? We just won" Todd frowned.
"I don't think we're done here yet." Sara replied taking a few steps forwards.
"Oh no, is right. They found us." Rip said as the Hunter's finally came into view through the fog.
"I thought it was just nerves" Clarity whispered horrified.
"It's alright" Todd told her placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Ah, friends! Welcome." Mick grinned firing shots at the hunter who raised their guns.
"I think you'll find this slightly more effective than your current sidearm. Yes, I will be wanting that back, by the way. And you'll be needing this." Rip said passing a green version of his revolver to Hex, passing Ray his suit.
"What about revealing our future tech to the locals?" Ray wondered.
"It doesn't seem to bother them. Shall we?" Stein questioned Jax and Stei merging into firestorm taking off into the air. Hex making the sign of the cross.
"What about our guns?" Snart questioned.
"Sorry. Grabbed what I could." Rip replied as he fired back Clarity, and Jonah on either side of them firing their own guns Clarity using her powers through the gun like she did to Todd's hat.
"You mean this?" Clarity questioned Snart's gun glitching into his hands.
"You never cease to amaze" Snart replied firing a blast of ice in the Hunter's direction.
"That's what's up! Y'all better stay the hell away from us!" Jax yelled as he hurled a fireball down at a Hunter sending him flying his neck snapping against the ground as he died.
"Calm down, Jefferson." Stein told him.
Sara and Kendra battled another Hunter with Todd assisting them. He bonded the Hunter's limbs together with his smoak and Ray flew through the hunter's chest like a bullet killing him.
"Traitor!" The last remaining Hunter told Mick as the arsonist punched him.
"Not possible. I was never on your side. I was on my side." Mick replied pointing to himself continuing the fight throwing some punches finally getting him in a headlock ripping off his mask.
"You'll never win!" The Hunter gasped out clawing at Mick's hand.
"Wake up, pal. We already did." Mick replied stealing the knife from his back slashing him across the stomach before jamming the knife through his shoulder.
"Fool. The Time Masters have initiated Omega Protocol. The Pilgrim's coming for you, Chronos. Your deaths are just a matter of time." The hunter warned before he died.
"Yeah, yeah." Mick replied walking back over to where the legends all gathered again in the street.
"Well, that was easy." Mick commented.
"To think we went into hiding for that. I feel like a bunch of rumors hyped them up or something" Clarity frowned.
"Yeah, they were a punch of pushovers. I kamikaze'd that dude so good" Jax grinned.
"Kid, I'm gettin you a drink for that" mick told him.
"No, you're not. This isn't like in Russia and he will not be rewarded for being a cocky flamethrower during the battle" Stein replied.
"Gray cmon man just one" Jax pleaded.
"One shot" Stein relented at the boy's eager look. "Just one Jefferson"
"Yes!" Jax cheered.
"Yeah, I think I'm going to have a few of those...and by a few...I mean a whole bottle" Ray said a haunted look in his eyes.
"You okay?" Kendra questioned.
"I flew through someone..."
"I'll take you to get that drink, Doe eyes" Todd said slinging an arm around Ray's shoulders guiding him towards the saloon Mick, Jax, and Sara in tow. Meanwhile Hex was already saddling up a horse getting ready to leave.
"You're not staying." Rip said walking over to him.
"Are you?" JonG questioned back getting on his horse.
"Me? You know I can't. But this town still needs a sheriff." Rip said as he looked up at Jonah.
"Well, I'm not the law-and-order type nor the staying-in-one-place type either." Jonah replied.
"Well, we have that much in common at least." Rip said one hand placed on his hip.
"At least." Jonah replied with a bit of a smile.
"Be well, Jonah." Rip told him.
"Nice thing about my world for you, it ain't going anywhere." Jonah replied a secret promise to do just what Rip had proposed.
"Ah, perhaps we will see each other again, my friend." Rip said a bit hopeful.
"Yeah. I reckon that'd be okay." Jonah said riding off.
"Interesting fella." Snart commented walking to Rip's side.
"Indeed." Rip sighed as he watched JonH ride off into the sunset.
"This town's seen a lot of interesting. Suppose you got one of those doohickies that erases people's memories or something?" Snart inquired.
"No. But skepticism and disbelief are a far more effective tool." Rip replied turning around tearing his gaze from Jonah's form.
"Ah. So, if anybody here talks, no one will believe them."
"Would you, Mr. Snart?"
"I would" Clarity pointed out with a smile walking over to the two having just been at the stables. All the horses had returned to the rancher's place late last night and they were all being treated for their wounds. The animals would make a full recovery.
"Yes, well you're always the exception aren't you Miss Springs?" Rip inquired.
"I reckon I am. Now if ya'll boys'll excuse me there is one more thing I have to do before we leave" Clarity commented.
"What's that?" Rip questioned his brows furrowing. Rip's question was answered as Clarity brought her fingers to her lips and whistled. The curly haired horse from earlier came obediently running to her side jumping out of the pen. It nuzzled at her affectionately and Clarity petted it's snout.
"I told you, I wanted to go riding and my last one got cut short" Clarity replied with a smile. "Care to join me? Since you're already out here?"
"Oh, what the hell" Rip sighed grabbing a nearby horse's reign's getting on it. Clarity stared back with an excited look.
"A trip to the old west isn't complete without going riding" Clarity commented.
"Whatever you say, sparkplug. You two have fun, I'm going to go grab a drink before Mick downs all the booze" Snart replied with a wave of his hand walking to the saloon.
"He doesn't know what he's missing" Clarity told Rip.
"No, I don't think he does" Rip agreed the two riding out of town together.
-back on the waverider later in the day-
"God, it feels so good to be in normal clothes again. The people here need to invent fabric softener asap." Kendra noted as she walked onto the bridge where all the other legends now were.
"And toothpaste, feathers. Yellow teeth aren't attractive." Todd added.
"Pearly whites are far better" Snart smirked flashing his teeth in a smile for a second. Todd nudged him with a laugh.
"So how are you feeling, given your concerns about becoming addicted to this era once again? "Snart questioned.
"The last time I left, Martin, I did it to be with those closest to me. I'm doing the same again."
"Sorry, I probably haven't made anything easy for you" Clarity told him as she sat on the console between Sara and Snart as they both leaned against it. She was now changed into normal clothes.
"No, you haven't" Rip agreed. "But, I'm glad you did. It was nice to be out there for a while" Rip told her.
"So where to now?" Snart questioned.
"Or, more specifically, when?" Sara questioned.
"Is there another Fragmentation we can hide out in?" Kendra questioned.
"Unfortunately, matters are not quite so simple." Rip admitted with a frown.
"How'd I know you were gonna say something like that?" Jax questioned.
"Cause things never go right for us" Clarity replied with a shake of her head.
"Rip's buddies" Mick said from where he leaned against the wall.
"And yours." Ray interjected.
"The Time Masters have issued Omega Protocols on all of us." Mick informed the team.
"That sounds pretty terrible." Ray frowned.
"The worst kind of order they can issue they've sent the Pilgrim after us." Mick said kicking off the wall walking closer to the team standing next to Ray.
"The pilgrim? What kind of name is that?" Clarity frowned.
"This one's no joke, Sparky. Don't let the stupid name fool you" Mick told her.
"Who's the Pilgrim?" Jax questioned.
"The Pilgrim is the Time Masters' most deadly assassin, and she will stop at nothing until each and every one of you are dead."
"Ooh, scary. Pretty sure we can handle ourselves." Snart replied mockingly.
"I bet our assassin's more kick ass than there's" Clarity boasted.
"Indeed which is why she won't be going after the present-day versions of you." Rip answered darkly.
"She's hunting our younger selves. And she won't stop until each and every one of us has been erased from the timeline." Mick said his fist clenching. They were all done for.
✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
Hey guys! I hope you enjoyed the past three chapters! The Wild West episode is one of my favorite legends episodes from season 1 so I hope I did it justice. Now here are some questions I'd like you all to answer. Remember comments really encourage me to update and I take the time to write out these questions because I want your feedback and it helps me in my writing. You all inspire me to keep going with this story. So, I hope you'll take the time to answer these because it would mean a lot and they're highly important for the next upcoming chapters.
1. What did you like about this chapter? What did you not like? How did you feel while reading this? What made you feel this way?
2. What did you think of Clarity's father? What do you think of their father daughter relationship? What did you think of Clarity's mother and her relationship to both her husband and her daughter?
3. How old do you want Clarity to be in the pilgrim episode and why?
4. What do you think of Clarity being a country girl?
5. Do you think everyone was in character during this chapter? Yes or no? And why?
6. Who are you shipping Clarity with and what makes you ship them? What was your favorite shippable moment in this chapter?
7. Who do you think cares most about Clarity on the waverider and why?
8. How do you think Clarity has grown since chapter 1? Do you think it was a good change or a bad one?
9. How do you think Clarity's relationship to each individual legend member has grown since chapter 1?
10. Are you liking the flashbacks? Would you like more? What age would you like Clarity to be in them and why?
11. What do you think some of Clarity's greatest fears are and why?
12. What makes this story so appealing to you? Why do you keep reading? I genuinely would like to know.
13. Anything else you would like to ask, rant, or tell me!