Disclaimer: I do not own Steamboy or anything related to Steamboy

Steamboy: The Rancour

Chapter 3: Who are The Rancour Warriors?

Ray found Lily sitting on the back step; the children were playing Hide and Seek in front of her.

'What are you doing?' he asked casually.

'Watching the sunset and being a judge in the game. How was work?' Lily looked up and moved over, her shadow thrown over the wall as she did so.

Ray sat down and handed Lily one of the mugs he was carrying; she accepted it gratefully, Ray wasn't surprised as according to his Mother she had been working hard to find a job all day. The back step was hard but had been warmed by the golden afternoon sun.

'As usual as it can be,' Ray took a large swig of his drink. It burnt his mouth and throat but it was reviving after a long day of hard work at the factories.

A comforting silence sat between them for a while, the only sounds were the birds singing their last songs of the day and the children's giggles of delight. Ray just watched the blissful sight of the sunset; its reds, golds and pinks were splashed artfully across the sky.

'I can't believe we've been here a whole week,' Lily stated as she watched Kira sprinting around the small backyard trying to find the boys.

Ray chuckled, 'Mother can be very persuasive when she wants to be. Any luck trying to find work today? '

'Ah, I see you've been talking to Mrs. Steam haven't you? No luck even as a boy; all works taken. It's going to be hard finding any, more people are coming into the cities,' Lily sighed and stared into the swirling liquid in her cup.

'You know you are welcome to stay here for as long as you want; you may not have noticed but we all love you as sisters now.'

'I have noticed and all of you are too kind to us. Especially you Ray. But I fear we have intruded too long for Emma's liking,' Lily took an unladylike swig of her drink and pondered the purple tinted clouds above her head.

'Don't worry; Emma does like you, she just not used to strangers or people sleeping on her bedroom floor. I know she's being a bit odd and you have been so kind; she just needs to get used to you,' Ray comforted Lily although he had no idea why Emma was acting like this and was quite sure she hated Lily.

Lily mumbled something Ray couldn't quite hear and was sure he probably didn't want to hear but she covered it up by stating, 'I can't wait to meet this Miss Scarlett you talked of the other day.'

'Where did you go on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday night? Mother said you went to see a friend,' Ray quicky tried to change the subject to her mysterious disappearances, which he was actually quite curious about. Scarlett wasn't someone he was willing to think about at the moment. They hadn't parted on the best terms.

Lily fumbled with her cup for a moment and also most dropped it; Ray instinctively reached out and steadied her hand. She laughed shakily, 'I guess you two aren't friends after all, are you?'

'Hmmm, let's just say we have our differences. In fact I don't think we can actually agree on any subject; especially one subject,' the last few words were quieter and were followed by sigh of exasperation. Lily decided to drop it and bring up what she had tried to avoid.

'Ray there is something I must tell you; if you promise to not tell a soul unless I let you,' Ray looked into Lily's eyes and found that she was dead serious.

He grasped her hand, 'You know I would never tell anyone, Lily.'

'I am the leader and founder of a rather large army of young men and women between the ages of thirteen and fifteen. They are the Rancour warriors that you heard Kira speak of before. I train them to fight. They usually train at the station yard but I no longer work there and I had to go to the training sessions to tell them that there was no training until a key was found,' Lily looked away as if telling this to Ray was one of the most painful things she ever had to do.

'How many people do you have so far?' Ray was stunned, no wonder she wanted to keep this quiet; it was illegal in more than one way he was sure. He was confused by the key part but though he might leave that alone.

'Three hundred and fifty,' Lily could not meet Ray's eye and tried to let go of his hand but he would not let her.

'What are they trained with?' this was incredible, how could she have rounded up this many people from Cheapside.

'With pistols, without, wooden sticks and staffs, anything you might just find around on the ground. And I have a fifty special archers, I have trained with bows.'

'How on Earth did you get bows?! And even so how do you know how to use one!?' Ray had heard of bows but never seen or held one before.

'I know someone who makes them well and I know too. My Father was skilled with…weapons from long ago and he taught me well,' was the only hesitated reply he got.

'How long have you been training undercover like this?' Ray had so many questions he wanted to ask but could not think straight. His thoughts were spinning and he could no longer hear the children playing or anything else for that matter; just Lily's words rining in his head.

'A couple of years, maybe three but we are all very high standard,' Lily looked up from her mug still trying to feebly pull her hand out of Ray's.

'How did you come up with the name 'Rancour'? Doesn't it mean resentment?' Ray was fascinated even though he knew he shouldn't be.

'It does for me; but its main meaning is found if you add a 'g' so it becomes rangcour. In another language, I forget which, that translates as Station Yard,' she gave him a small smile, 'just to show you all that we are not completely stupid.'

'But why?' that was the only question that still puzzled Ray.

Lily's countenance immediately grew grave and clouded. It seemed as if she were looking straight through Ray's eyes to the growing dark behind. The clouds were being slowly sucked into the sunset behind her, no longer purple and pink but blue.

'For reasons you will one day understand but not now. You have not known enough of revenge and pure hatred yet to comprehend,' Lily's eyes were completely light blue. It was all you could see but Ray was not afraid; Lily was not a monster.

He eventually turned away, 'You would be surprised,' he raised his eyebrows and drank again. The remaining liquid was now cold and chilled Ray.

'Lily! Lily!' a small boys cries broke her reverie, 'Lily, it's not fair! What Kira did was not fair!'

'I'd better go sort this out,' Lily sighed and stood up letting go of Rays hand gently.

'Here, give me your cup. Knowing them you'll be out here for awhile.'

Lily laughed and handed over her cup with thanks. Ray did not know what to think of this odd girl. She raised an illegal army for strange reasons, she worked as a boy, she looked after children with patience and yet through all this there was a good feeling of strong will around her. She was the most unique person he had ever met and would probably ever meet.

'Hey Ray. How was work today?' a girl's voice came from behind Ray.

Ray turned to see Emma sitting down on the step, sweeping her dress underneath her in a ladylike manner. Her hair rippled in the late afternoon sunlight and a smile danced across her lips as she watched Lily talking to children.

'Better than yesterday, thank you,' she watched Lily awhile longer before he observed, 'Why do you not like her?'

Emma considered for a moment before concluding, 'Because she is crude, manly and I do not think she likes me very much.'

Ray was not sure Emma meant what she was saying; the night was growing colder and darker by the minute, 'I can't imagine why you would think that she does not like you, in fact she tries very hard to please you. She is rough in some ways but I wouldn't call Lily manly.'

'Well as she tries so hard for me it will be a pity to see her go tomorrow,' Emma's voice quavered here and Ray was sure that the girl would really love Lily as they did if only this invisible barrier did not exist between them.

At that time Ray did not realise that the invisible barrier on Emma's side might be him.

'Tomorrow!? Emma, when did you find this out!?' twilight was now upon them and Ray had not even heard a word of this.

'Oh, my mistake. Hasn't Lily told you yet? She discussed it with Mrs. Steam today,' they both looked at the children now happily running to Mrs. Steam's call of dinner.

Lily approached them carefully, obviously not wanting to intrude on any private conversation, 'Are you both coming in for dinner or shall I say you will be late?'

Ray felt the anger and hurt, burning hot, rising inside him. He thought he would be the first to know that they were going! He and Lily had a bond of trust that he couldn't explain in words; or so he had thought.

'We will be going in now,' Ray said coldly offering his hand to help Emma up. He could see the hurt in Lily's eyes; pleading with him to let her right, what she had done so wrong, even though she did not know what she had done.

While they all walked inside together he almost felt triumphant, until he realised what he had really done and then guilt rose steadily until he could not bear it.

'Lily, sing for us after dinner! Tell us stories!' all the children hung off Lily's dress pleading with her. The children had loved it one night when Kira made Lily sing for them; she had the voice of angel, and all agreed. It was perhaps the only very feminine thing about her, everything else she did was not.

Ray stared at the floor. How could he be so cruel as to shoot at an angel?

The entire house was at the door after breakfast saying what they thought was a final good bye to the guests that had become family.

'Ray?' Lily approached him carefully, and Ray considered whether he should say sorry.

'Yes,' his answer was blunt.

'You're welcome to come and train anytime you want with the…army,' Lily tried to make an apology for what, she did not know, but she did not want to part with Ray on bad terms.

'No thanks,' Ray could not meet her eye and instead it fell upon Kira hugging the boys, small diamond tears falling down her cheeks. How could she have come to love them as brothers so quickly; maybe it was in the nature of younger children to convey pure love more easily?

Kira tugged upon his sleeve and he lifted her up to his eye level, 'We'll meet again, won't we Kira? And I shall bring the boys and we shall all be very happy.'

Ray saw only the slightest glimpse of truth in his words.

Kira only let forth another burst of tears and hugged him closer. Ray looked over at Lily who only shook her head and stared at the ground. He knew that she thought it was bad for Kira to be so attached something.

'I know something that you will one day come to understand, Ray. And then you will regret it. Good bye,' was Kira's only response.

Mrs. Steam hugged Lily affectionately, 'Come back any time dear. We loved having you to stay; perhaps I shall let the Dr's bring home more amazing people.'

'We cannot thank you enough for everything you have done for us Mrs. Steam; Dr Steams,' after Lily said this she did the most odd thing that seemed only to intrigue Ray and his grandfather.

No one else had picked up that Lily had crossed her legs as if to curtsey but at the last moment had bowed like a man.

'Where were you taught to bow like that?' Dr. Lloyd stared at the girl in such a way that she began to withdraw under his gaze. She looked at him in surprise, as if there was nothing wrong with it.

'By my friend. She said that I should bow like a man but never forget who I am and half curtsey like the woman I should have hated to be. She said balance was the key to life; I love to work as a man and I would have hated to be caged like a woman. Therefore it's balanced. She was incredibly intelligent; she has taught me nearly all I know,' for a moment only she was lost in a deep memory somewhere.

Ray shrugged his shoulders, as it seemed a logical idea but his Grandfather was not so easily contented, 'Who was your father?'

Lily hesitated obviously, 'Come girl! Who was your father?'

Lily was usually a confident girl but faced by this odd question, and under the sometimes crazy gaze of his Grandfather, Ray could not blame Lily for shrinking back, 'Thomas Thatcher.'

Kira stared at Dr. Steam, totally confused, but Mrs. Steam ushered them out of the house with a friendly, 'Come Lloyd, you are scaring the poor girl. Good bye my Dears!'

Emma surveyed the whole scene from a corner in the room. She was content to see them go but pretended to be sorry as Lily took leave of her.

She was totally disgusted that Mrs. Steam and the boys would want to hug the girl goodbye in her work clothes. They were ripped and patched in places and the coal dust that was now everywhere covered the pants. The blood staining the back was now hardly visible.

Emma was astounded when Lily shook hands with the older men. It was just not done; she had been raised to be respectful but none of them seemed to mind this girl.

Her sister was better by quite a bit in Emma's book. She wore a dress, curtseyed respectfully and held rather quiet, sensible and suppressed views of the world which every woman should. Lily differed in opinion with many and showed it, but by coincident Ray though nearly exactly the same as her.

As Dr. Steam asked the rather unusual question about Lily's father, Emma though back to one of the first days they had spent together. Emma had asked whether Lily's parent would mind about them staying for awhile. Lily had answered 'no' with an odd glazed look that had suddenly fallen over her eyes. Emma had been woken many a night, silently screaming from a bad dream, by those very eyes. She shuddered for a moment.

All children in the room looked absolutely wretched as Lily and Kira left for what Emma knew as the last time, ever. They would not dare come back. She watched from the door as they made their way down the path, blooming in flower. The beautiful scents wafted through the door with the cold wind that was solely picking up.

One of the smaller boys ran out grabbing a flower as he went. He ran up to Kira, handed her the blood red flower embarrassedly and ran back. Kira stood for a moment gazing at first the flower and then up at the gray sky; she waved at the boy. That was when the wind really began to pick up, howling through the trees.

Emma saw Ray leaning against the wall, every howl piercing him, forcing the grief deeper into him. She wished she could comfort him but her triumph was too great at the moment. She would only hurt him more.

The gate crashed shut after them and Emma watched as with that Ray sank down the wall, tears running down his face. He sat with his arms resting on his knees and his head turned towards the door. He suddenly sprang up and raced out the door.

'Where are you going!?' Emma yelled at him from the empty doorway.

'To right what is wrong!' Ray slammed the gate shut behind him and she watched him from the doorway.

That was when the relentless rain started to pour down in huge clear tears from the sky.

A/N: If the breaks still aren't showing up, I'm really sorry.

Please Read and Review because it really does help, even if it is criticism.

The next chapter should be up soon, and um yes. If you're not reviewing but reading, enjoy.