~Under the Sky so Blue: Aftermath~

Part Eight

            Footprints indented in a thin layer of sand trailed behind and led indefinitely to the person traipsing them all over the desert planet of Gunsmoke.  The form was slender, standing perhaps no more than five foot five, and had long red hair tied back loosely.  A pale hand lifted to shade eyes of deep blue-green as they gazed upon the rolling horizon, landing on a tiny speck which resembled something of an abandoned shack.

            "How classy," she spoke with something of an indignant snort, reaching over a shoulder to adjust a leather strap on the long quiver resting against her back.

            In the young woman's right hand she held a metal bow, strung with some strong fiber since the fur of a Tomas was much too short to try threading. The dark blue and black clothes she wore exemplified that of members of the cloth; white-silver crosses pinned and sewn onto the cuffs of the navy blue white collared shirt proved her position. She was a priestess, and judging from the slight wear of her clothing, one who traveled pretty long and far to get to her destination. 

            "What the hell is this place doing in the middle of nowhere, anyway? Humph, well I guess if they wanted privacy no place like right in the open where no one would think to look eh?"

            Her sardonic tone made her chuckle as she grew closer to the building.  It was an abandoned Saloon, looking very much like it had been pieced back together very carefully.  There were cracks running throughout the outer walls and the door was missing. Stopping in front of the would-be establishment, the red haired young woman quirked a brow. What good was a hide-out when there was no door…or roof for that matter?

            Shaking her head, the priestess stepped inside, and immediately recognized where she was. She'd been there before, a very long time ago.  Only a child from what she remembered, maybe about twelve or thirteen years old, and a scrawny thing at that.  Turning her head she smiled faintly in recollection of the young blond woman sitting at a table enjoying a dish of chocolate doughnuts. The woman appeared to be about eighteen or nineteen at the time, but it wasn't until later that she'd find out otherwise…

            ** 'Hungry?' the blond woman asked with a smile, offering a chocolate doughnut to the red headed little girl.

            'A little…hey, thanks!' came the reply. The young girl took a seat across from the blond woman and happily crammed a doughnut down her throat.  She was starving after all, she'd been without food for a couple of days.

            'So what are you doin' all the way out here?' The inquiry finally came after several moments of silence.

            The girl looked about and shrugged, 'It was the first place I saw since…well…all the way since the city of Augusta.'

            Silence.  Then, 'That's an awfully long way, did you travel alone?'

            'Yep,' came the quick reply as she eyed another doughnut which was quickly pushed toward her. 'No family at all, not that I can remember…the orphanage is horrible, so I left.'

            There was more silence until finally the woman reached a hand out and offered it to the girl. 'Then what say you and I hang out for a while until I find you a better place to be? Hm? What's your name anyway?'

            Reluctantly the girl took the young woman's hand and shook it. 'Artemis Fawn…what's yours?'

            'Lily, at least that's what people call me. The Thorned Lily to those who really piss me off…'**

            Artemis stood there with her smile plastered on her lightly freckled face. Back then they'd been more prominent but over time most of them had faded. Still, the stupid things made the twenty-two year old woman resemble a child at times. The nickname 'kiddo' was something she could really live without.

            It wasn't until then that Artemis realized there was music being played. The notes floated around sweetly, slowly in a melancholy voice that wrapped itself around her form and literally made her turn around to see where it came from.

            At the bar, which appeared dreadfully out of place because of its newness, sat a man perhaps in his late twenties or early thirties.  His fingers skillfully played over the notes of a gleaming saxophone, his eyes halfway shut but seeing everything. In the corner of the bar's counter sat another figure, covered in shadow, but Artemis didn't pay attention to the person.  Her eyes were stuck on the saxophone player…that was until his fingers moved for the B-flat and the note came out as nothing but air.

            Instantaneously the spell was broken, the man took his lips from the mouthpiece and turned the corners upward into a wry smile.

            "That bastard Vash the Stampede shot out my beautiful B-flat…so how are ya kiddo? Long time no see."

            Narrowing her eyebrows, Artemis sneered at the man and shook her head in warning. The man merely chuckled softly at what he thought was an empty threat.

            "I can just turn around and walk my ass out of here if you're going to belittle me with childish nicknames."

            "You won't do that, I've means to keep you here against your will if it comes to it Artemis Fawn."

            The red headed young woman licked her lips and sighed. "I've got nowhere else to go- besides, who am I to turn down those in need. Priestess or not, I'm getting bored so would you get on with whatever the plan is…Midvalley was it?"

            The man smiled wryly, "Midvalley the Horn Freak…part of the small number that's left of the Gung-ho Guns."