Chapter 4: Johnny Guitar Ain't No Fortunate Son
The wind rushed by Violet and the wolf as they drove around in the car, Violet going a speedy eighty five miles an hour. She had a relaxed grin on her face as "Johnny Guitar" by Peggy Lee played on her car's sound system.
"Ah, this is the life, isn't it Morgan?" she asked the wolf, knowing full well that she couldn't hear a damn thing. She looked over at the animal who was face first into the wind with her tongue hanging out. "At least you're happy. You're gonna see some old friends today...or smell some old friends, I should say."
Morgan licked her chops before hanging her tongue out once more, making Violet laugh. "Too bad Ole' Pops is gonna try to kill them, but...I have a feeling you'll prevent that, won't you?"
Of course, the wolf didn't respond. Violet scoffed with bitter amusement. "It blows that Arthur won't be coming, though. Like, this would be a true knight in shining armor momeng for him to rescue the princess...or princesses, I should say." She shook her head with a regretful sigh. "Also, I got a lot to say to that bloody wanker, but all in due time, I guess."
Violet slowed down on the road that lead to Colter, noticing the snow up ahead. She put the car in park and opened the door before walking around and opening Morgan's door, giving the wolf a pat on the shoulder. "Alright, out you go."
The wolf jumped out before sniffing around on the ground. Violet shut the door and went to get on her side when she heard strings grating and she groaned, looking at the pathetic wolf. "What?"
The strings grated again and Violet rolled her eyes. "You know the way from here." Morgan sniffed around again, eventually making her way to Violet and licking her face repeatedly. This made the dragon woman giggle. "I can't come with, I have preparations to make." Morgan pushed her face into Violet's shoulder, causing another small burst of amusement to escape the woman. "Alright, alright, but only to the mouth of the cave, okay? I don't want to get dragged into Fuschia's gaming simulation."
Violet reached by the ignition and shut the car off before pulling the keys out. She then pressed on a button on the key and the car shrunk to size of a key. Violet then picked it up and clicked the small car into place on the key before looking at her other keys. "Hmm...no, can't take The CCBB. Nope, the Batmobile isn't good for this." Suddenly she had a great idea. "How about the Sea Cobra?"
She singled out a sand and green camo colored key on her key chain and slipped the small helicopter off before placing it on the ground a little ways away from Morgan. Violet then took a few steps back and pressed a button, then a Bell AH-1J Sea Cobra helicopter grew into existence. A version of it, at least. Violet made modifications to it. She went to the passenger side door while guiding Morgan to it, then the wolf sniffed the vehicle. She tilted her head as her ears perked before she shrunk in size to fit herself into the tight space. Violet made sure the automatic seal belt secured around Morgan and closed the door then rushed around to the other side, climbing in and starting everything up after she got strapped in. She grabbed her communication headset and adjusted it over her head, careful not to touch her horns. Violet cleared her throat and turned on the device as the helicopter blades started whirring and moving.
"This is Violet in the Sea Cobra to Cyan. Sending a need-to-know that I will be entering the territory."
"What the fuck do you mean, "need-to-know"?" an angry New Yorker sounding man said through her headphones. "And I thought you were on vacation!"
Violet rolled her eyes. "For the hate of Mum and Dad, Cyan. I'm just dropping off cargo."
"I can't clear you for a cargo drop!"
"Well why the fuck not?!"
"Because we had a fucking snow storm that knocked shit down and I'm still waiting for the god damn clean up crew!"
Violet grinned. "That's not my fucking problem and I only contacted you as a courtesy. I wasn't asking for permission, you incompetent twat!"
Violet heard laughter over her intercom. "Don't say I didn't warn you, Violet."
Violet growled before disconnecting the transmission, then she put her hands on the controls and raised the helicopter into the air, a loud chopping noise surrounding her. Morgan panted happily and stomped her front paws on the seat, making Violet laugh. "If you had your voice box, you'd be barking right now, I bet," Violet said before moving the copter forward.
Once she was steady in the air, Violet pressed a button on the console. "Play "Fortunate Son" by The Dead Daisies," she said.
When the drums and bass came in over the speakers, Violet smiled brightly as she got a good look of the landscape. "I will never get tired of this view," she said to herself.
"What's the next step?" Arthur asked as he stood at the head of the war room table, a new expansion in the Morgan household. Blue magic ovals adorned the oak walls, some of them having lettering on their screens while others had people's faces.
Darrach, sitting at one end of the long, rectangular table, stroked his mustache. "We need to send in a team," he replied. "However, I have concerns about...just sending in Lugh and Lord O'Callaghan without knowing exactly what we're dealing with."
Arthur nodded. "Alright. Anybody got any suggestions?"
"Aoífe's getting something, hold on a tick," Junior said, one hand holding his twin sister's while the other was drawing with a pencil and paper.
Aoífe's eyes were glowing blue as she whispered things incoherently, looking out at nothing. Arthur pinched and rubbed the bridge of his nose in mild frustration. He'd told the kids over and over again to be careful about exposing some of their powers and how they were done. On the other hand, if they came up with something useful, he'd just have to deal with the eventual backlash. Arthur looked around at people who were gaping at how fast Junior was drawing. He'd already finished five pictures in less than a minute and Darrach kept looking them over.
"What's this one, Junior?" Darrach asked as he pointed at one drawing in particular.
Junior glanced at it very briefly. "Scouting drone," he replied flatly.
"Oh. How nice," Darrach chuckled before looking at a different one. "And this one?"
"A helmet fer Daddy."
"Oh? What kind of helmet?"
"The kind he'll need tah get intah Mummy's head."
People blinked in shock. "I thought Darrach said-" Lugh began to say but was interrupted by Aoífe smacking her palm on the table.
"Daddy is going on the trip, and that is final!" Aoífe hissed as her eyes stopped glowing. "We found a way fer him tah get through The Underworld. This is no different."
Junior tapped on the helmet sketch. "This'll ensure that Daddy's brain doesna turn tah mush. It's got dampeners in it tah help with the psychic input and output."
Darrach hummed as he took the paper, examining it thoroughly. "He'll still require an acorn eye though, correct?"
"Yes, unfortunately."
Arthur shuddered at the thought, but he was at least happy that the kids found a way for him to make the trip after all. "Do what you gotta do, Darrach," Arthur stated. "Find me a way. Anything else?"
"I finished blessing all the weapons, items and gadgets you will be taking. All of which will go in the trunk we'll be sending in, but we still have time to add anything else that you want to take," Brigid said.
Arthur looked down at a bunch of papers and folders in front of him, searching around for her inventory list. "I will get back to you on that," he said, clearing his throat. "For now, go ahead and load it up." Brigid and Lugh both stood, holding hands as they left the war room. "If that's all, you're dismissed."
People slowly left the room and the screens shut off but the twins went to Arthur's side, both of them grabbing his hands. "We love ya, Daddy," Aoífe said.
Arthur nodded and hugged them both. "I love you both too. Thanks for figurin' out how to get me in."
The kids kissed their father's cheeks and dashed out of the room, brushing past their grandfather Sir Jack, who was standing in the doorway. He laughed as he watched them run by. "Bright eyed wee chiselers, aye?" he asked.
Arthur started gathering his papers and folders. "Yes they are," he replied.
"Arthur, there is something I'd like tah discuss with ya."
"Alright," Arthur said before holding out his palm. "Please sit."
Jack sat down as well as Arthur and they both leaned back in their chairs while folding their hands over their laps. "Laddie, I'm gonna tell it tah ya straight. People are worried about ya."
"Is that so?" Arthur asked with an arched brow. "Why?"
"Well, I havena known ya that long, but from what I've gathered from others, ya kinda lost yer mind."
"Hmm," Arthur said while lowering his head a little. "And they all decided to...appoint you as their messenger, is that it?"
"No," Jack chuckled. "I just recognize that look in yer eyes."
"What look?" Arthur asked as he glanced at his father-in-law.
"That look of...insanity, brought about by feeling helpless."
Arthur knew what Jack meant. He'd been having more frequent bouts of Berserker Syndrome lately and it was wreaking havoc on his mental state. It was making him more prone to angry outbursts and fits. He also suffered from horrible insomnia and Arthur often found himself up late at night, staring at the canopy of his bed as he thought about everything he needed to do. He wondered if Jack ever had to deal with this level of failure in his life.
"When The Morrigan and I interrupted the cursing ritual...Lilly was..." Jack sighed and closed his eyes. "She was...floating in the air, and she was surrounded by dark magic and fire. But the dark magic was in its purest form. An oily liquid and...from what I now understand, Lilly was trying tah burn the dark magic out. But in doing so, she..."
Arthur nodded. "She burned the house and Darrach."
"Yes. When we fled, we knew something was wrong with her. She...she wasna the same child. At the time, we...we were just so worried about tryin' tah keep her safe from Carman and the Freemasons...but then The Emerald Star was attacked."
Arthur frowned as he lit up a cigarette, puffing on it before handing a cigarette to Jack who took it and the matches to light it. After they both smoked a little, Arthur cracked his neck. "Lilly told me about that, though she never mentioned anythin' about it bein' attacked. She just said it started explodin'."
"I dunna think she remembers it right, then," Jack surmised. "She was only five, though."
"Yeah but Lilly wasn't no normal kid, was she?" Arthur observed before taking a drag from his cigarette.
"No." Jack took a puff and leaned forward as he exhaled. "I haftah wonder, Arthur, about how...you and the gang handled her gifts."
"Well," Arthur scratched his neck. "The mornin' after her first night terror in our camp, we had a meetin'. Dutch decided that, even though she was...different, we wouldn't treat her different."
"So ya basically acted like her shout and other powers were normal?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Arthur frowned. "Because everyone was scared of her. Of what she could do and we didn't think that was fair to her. It weren't her fault she was like that and she...well, she wouldn't explain why she had powers anyway."
"Yes, I was told she became very secretive, but Van Helsing said it was probably due tah the traumas she suffered." Jack puffed more and rubbed his face. "On the ship, she had horrible nightmares. Had tah sedate her a lot."
"Was she sedated durin' the attack?" Arthur asked while smoking more.
"Yes, but she became more coherent once we got her away from Dubh. But then..."
Arthur frowned. "Then you and Janet were killed."
Jack nodded with a sad expression. "I dunna know what I was thinkin', why I didna just...get outta the way when that smoke stack came down. I froze...and I never do that." He sighed and smoked his cigarette. "But everybody dies, one way or another."
"Hmm." Arthur looked around for an ashtray before leaning back and grabbing one from a small bookshelf, then placed it on the table before flicking an ash into it. "So when we get everyone out, what are yours and Mrs. O'Callaghan's plans now that you have your lives back?"
"Golly," Jack chuckled. "Well, we hadna really thought about it other than being here fer our daughter's recovery. Why?"
"No reason. Just reckoned you'd want to reclaim ownership of your title."
Jack shrugged. "I see no reason tah. Ya have done a fine job with it."
"I appreciate that, sir," Arthur said before putting his cigarette out. "How's Janet copin' with her body?"
"She's getting used tah the shifts between human and wolf, but she's such a skittish thing. Having the body of an Ethereal Wolf infused with Atlantean technology, well...it's a lot tah take, ya know what I mean?" Jack put the cigarette out in the ashtray and stood with a sudden glare on his face. "But I digress. If yer going intah me daughter's mind with Lugh and I, ya better be at yer best, boy, because if ya muck this up, I'll take every bone out of yer feckin' body and craft a chandelier outta them."
Arthur smirked up at the man, suddenly realizing where Lilly got her talent for switching moods from as well as her imaginative ways of threatening people. Brigid said it was a demigod trait, but the more Arthur got to know Lilly's father, the more he saw Lilly in him. Like Lilly, Sir Jack was powerful, wild, ruthless when needed and compassionate when required. Not to mention a real heart breaker...and a little bit of a sex maniac.
"Yes, sir," he said with a chuckle.
