Chapter 2

At his homely home, Malcolm Graves was enjoying his afternoon with a cigar in his mouth and a glass of gin on the table. It was another Sunday for Graves and his Sunday was all for himself. He did not want to meet with anyone, shoot anything, or bother any daily drama in Bilgewater. All he wanted on his Sunday was to focus on him and spending time on things that he loves. He would eat outside but most of the time he spends was inside of his home.

In front of him was his workbench, which change functions from dining table, poker table to his workbench. As of now, it was his workbench. Destiny, his one and only favourite shotgun, was on top of the workbench. The unique gun was separated to its bare parts, each minute parts, nut, screw and bolts were finely put next to each other. From the biggest barrel to the smallest screw, it was all visible on top of his workbench. The parts were all polished and cleaned by the owner; Graves had woken up early and spent the whole morning cleaning it. Now he was resting and waiting for some parts to come to his door.

Destiny has been sounding strange lately. Graves was doing a job a week ago and he realized that whenever he pulled the trigger, a quiet ting would be heard. After finishing the job, he took the earliest ship to Bilgewater and quickly returned home. He discovered that one of the many screws were rusted and had to be replaced. Graves had thought that while he was fixing his baby Destiny, why not he improved the gun at the same time. That has led Graves to this particular Sunday, waiting for a courier to knock on his door.

Someone knocks the door. Graves quickly got up and went for the door. He turned the knob and opened the door. A short man in front of him with a box on his hands.

"Are you Mr Malcolm Graves?" The small man read the paper on top of the box.

"The one and only." Graves puffed.

"Sign here Sir."

Graves took the feather that already had ink on its tip and signed the paper. He passed the paper to the courier and took the box in exchange.

"Thank you for your cooperation."

"You're welcome." Graves moved back and shut the door with his foot.

Graves quickly moved to the workbench and put the box near the shotgun. Like a kid getting his or her Christmas present, Graves was eager to uncover the box. He put his cigar on a smoke tray and opened the wooden box. The moment he saw the inside, his eyes widen and the serious face was no longer there. He grinned with his teeth and gums showing, like seeing a young naked woman. Gun parts fresh from Zaun, Keke Customs, ordered a few months ago finally arrived to his door. Perfect timing.

Graves put his palms together and rubbed it together. "Oh lookie here, ain't ya a beauty!"

The Outlaw took the parts out and sneered at the same time. He put the parts softly on the workbench as if he was a mother of a baby. Not even a sound was heard when he put the parts down. He put it beside Destiny so it would be easier to imagine how the parts would fit in. All the parts were put on top of the table, the box was completely empty. Graves lift the box and threw it elsewhere, he did not care if his home was messy, and Destiny was the only thing in his mind.

"Interchangeable ammo, here I come." Graves took the screwdriver near him and start his therapeutic mechanical session with Destiny.

Someone knocked on the door, this time the person was desperate by the sound of it. Graves's happy face turned sour instantly. Graves looked at the door with a big frown at the brow. Graves put the screwdriver down and slowly approached the door.

"Who the hell is there?" Graves asked.

"It's me Malcolm, who the hell want to come to your home at a Sunday like this."

"TF?" Graves was surprised by his sudden visitor, his face turned normal. "Why the hell are you here Tobias?"

"Mind open the door first Malcolm?"

Graves went to the door and opened it; Tobias barged in before Graves could insist him to come in. "Woah… Calm down would ya?"

"Why the shocking looks huh, don't want a close friend to come into your home these days?"

Graves closed the door. "You almost never come at the front door Tobias, you would do your magic thing and just appear out of nowhere."

Fate searched around Graves home and saw the glass of gin. How grateful Fate felt, he took a clean glass and filled it with gin. He saw the shotgun on top of the table and shook his head.

"What is wrong with you Malcolm? Spending your whole day with your gun?" Fate sipped the gin and touched a few parts. "God, the whole place look like you and the shotgun are about to have sex."

"Hey! Take your dirty hands from the parts!" Graves approached to Fate and smacked his hand. Fate pulled his hand away with a reddened mark.

"Ouch!" Fate hissed. "You really need to find a woman Malcolm."

"Leave a man be with his hobbies." Graves grunted. "Why the hell are you here in the first place? I thought we are on our off month right now. And why do you smell like fish?"

"Fuck, the smell still there?" Fate groaned. "Scrubbed and soaked myself on my bathtub for two hours and still smells. Lady Luck ain't being nice to me this week."

Fate was moving around aimlessly, clearly stressed and clearly on the verge of a panic attack. Seeing his close friend like that, it made Graves worried about the whole situation. Graves wanted to ask but Fate raised his hand, The Outlaw was willing to listen. Twisted Fate drank the whole gin and put down the glass on the workbench. He presented Graves three cards on his hands, Red, Yellow and Blue.

Graves raised one brow out of confusion. "Okay?"

Fate threw the three cards at Graves. Graves was shocked and shielded himself from the card at the same time cursed. To his surprise, the cards merely hit him like… normal cards. The three coloured cards landed on the ground and Graves looked down. He picked up the cards and looked at the symbols, it was not glowing like usual. He glanced at Fate in hopes to be enlightened but Fate only showed a stressed face and put his hand on the back of his head.

"Are you okay Tobias?" Graves hold the cards. "This ain't normal."

"I know. That's why I came here." Fate confessed. "I don't know what to do Malcolm, I need your help."

Silence fills the room. Fate took the nearest chair and sat down. He put his hat on top of the workbench and leaned on the chair. His eyes had hopelessness written all over.

"Have you tried using the blue card?" Graves showed the card in hand.

"I did, didn't work like usual."

"Try it again then, if the first time didn't work then the second might."

"I threw the card for a whole hour and it ain't working one bit."

"I got a spare flintlock if you want, I can teach you how to shoot a gun."

"Look a baby can pull a trigger Malcolm, I can do it myself without you."

"Then move on then."

"I don't want to move on." Fate said it heavily. "Throwing cards, teleporting and using magic, that's who I am. Now that I can't even teleport or just use a simple trick, I'm not even…. Me."

Graves put down the card on the workbench and put his hand on Fate shoulder. "Well I guess you need to find something else to suit you. You can adapt Tobias, you just need to decide, that's all."

"You don't understand Malcolm, it's different when you can use magic and now you can't." Fate got up and continued to move aimlessly.

"Then make me understand." Graves shrugged.

"It's like…" Fate turned to Graves and paused to think of the words. "It's like having a dick but it just can't get it stiff."

"Ohh…." Graves was speechless. "We really need to find a way…"

Graves and Fate went quiet for a moment and thought of a solution. Graves took his glass of gin and thought of an idea. Nothing came up because magic was not his forte. It was Fate business and he should know the solution. He just needed to calm down, that's all. Graves was right. After a moment of calmness and Graves consolation, Fate finally realized a solution.

"I think I need to meet with someone at the Bayou." Fate thought.

"The Bayou?" Graves wondered. "Why the hell you wanna go to the Bayou? The only thing that you have there is just crocs and alligators."

"Well I know a person…well more to a thing than a person. I think it can help me."

"Well what are we waiting for? Then let's go then."

"I think I need to go alone Malcolm, its personal. But I do need your help."

"Say it then."

"I need your blood." Fate looked at Graves seriously; an empty flask appeared on his hand. "Just a few drops of blood for me to get my foot on the door to meet it."

Graves quickly took the empty flask and cut his finger with his teeth. As the blood started to surface, he quickly puts his finger on the opening of the flask. Three drops of blood contained on the flask. Graves shut the flask so that the blood won't evaporate. He simply gave the flask of his blood to Fate. TF was surprised with Graves unhesitant attitude, he did not take the flask.

"Malcolm, you do know what you're getting into right?" Fate warned. "This thing that I'm about to do, is like taking a loan. You're the guarantor, if I don't do the deal right at the right time, you might suffer the consequences with me."

"Did I stutter?"

"What?"

"I didn't." Graves said. "Whether you take it or not, that's the only thing between you and getting your magic back. I'm always be at your back TF, I made it clear ever since we back together."

Fate sighed and shook his head. A grateful smile appeared and slowly Fate's hand took the flask softly. "You one son of a gun. Thanks Malcolm."

"I expect you do the same to me when I need ya. Not as much as you need me but still, who knows in the future." Graves crossed his arms. "You got that?"

"I got it." Fate giggled. "You never changed Malcolm."

"You dang right. And what's with you dealing with mystical folks? Ever since you got the cards, you've been dealing a lot of problems with the bunch."

"It's part of the deal having magic at the tip of your fingers." Fate put the flask on a safe place, his pocket. "I just can't dodge it Malcolm."

"Tobias being Tobias, if you ask me." Graves joked. "Make sure when you came back here, I want to see you have your magic cards back. I don't want to have a neutered you become reality."

"I will." Fate nodded. "I should be moving now."

"Be safe TF."

Twisted Fate moved close to The Outlaw and hugged him. They both exchanged pats on the back and separated.

"Having a friend like you saved my ass many times." Fate looked at Graves. "Thanks Malcolm."

"Hmphh.. you better get going Tobias before sundown." Graves pushed Fate to the door. "Don't get eaten by the crocs."