A/N: Hello, all! So I guess I'm going to try updating on Thursdays? I've always wanted to be one of those writers that sticks to a schedule, but it has never been my particular strong suit, so...we'll see lol. Today's chapter song is Dive by Bassnectar ft. RD, and it's a real banger, let me tell you. Thank you so much to my readers and reviewers, I really appreciate you guys. Hope you enjoy!
3. Dive
"A most impressive claim, Eugene," Ezkiel said. "You will of course understand if I am a bit skeptical. What say you prove this before our wondering eyes? Find the suitable foundry for this alchemical ritual, and we shall witness it firsthand."
"I'll help you look," Mason offered. "We can go right now, if you guys are up for it."
"We need to be home before nightfall," Rick said, and his words were charged with something that made Eugene's spine stiffen. For a second, he was back on an endless road in the sweltering heat, hungry and dehydrated and more alone than he'd ever felt among so many before. Terminus behind them, but not behind them. No D.C., no Richmond, no destination they could trust. Running out of options faster than they could hope for them.
Eugene couldn't forget it, never would. Not a single moment of what that felt like. The fearful certainty of knowing he was going to die—
(and you deserved to)
—and the strongest people he knew could not save him. Could not save themselves.
Rick sounded now the way he had then. Not fully, but…the ghost was there. Eugene cringed without meaning to, as if he could make himself smaller, and the instinct disgusted him.
"Rick," he spoke through the fear. "I—I can stay here while you—"
"Hell no," Daryl snarled. His gaze seared Eugene. "We ain't leavin' you behind at this fuckin' freak show."
Eugene almost found himself wishing for the days when Daryl hated him. Back then, he would've left Eugene behind and not even thought twice about it.
"I wouldn't let anything happen to him," Mason murmured with a note of…what? Hurt? Resentment?
"No," Rick said, glaring first at Eugene and then Mason.
Eugene ached to push back, plead his case.
But he wasn't a fighter.
"If there's no deal here today, then we need to be heading back," Rick continued.
Concern broke Ezekiel's firm expression. "It is neither our wish nor our intent to drive you out. You are welcome in this realm, and truly we wish for nothing but peaceful alliance and fair barter with yours."
"You want proof he can make bullets, and we're not leaving him here."
Ezekiel dipped his head. "Please consider returning when you are able."
Rick nodded silently, lip curled with growing hostility. Clearly the meeting was over. Eugene cast a last look at Mason, and the way she stared at him ran his stomach through with desperation.
But Rick grunted, a wordless command to follow, and Daryl guided Eugene away from Mason and toward the door.
~m~
"I am sorry, my Lady."
"There…there has to be some other deal we can make. We can invest in them. We've done it in the past."
"Yes, with smaller groups. But sixty charges to provide vittles for, and collection day looming on the morrow? As summer establishes itself, we may well be in a position to make investments of our own, but it has been a grueling winter. A grueling year." Ezekiel laid a hand on Mason's shoulder. "Take heart, my Lady. Perhaps they will return."
"Plus, it's not like we don't know where they are," Jerry added. "We just…"
He trailed off, but Mason silently finished for him.
We just won't write them off this time.
"I know you didn't want them to go." Absently she scratched Shiva behind the ears and hopped off stage. "You know, I haven't seen the other half of that quarry herd. That means those people fought them off."
She didn't say anything else, but Ezekiel would know what she really meant. She strode down the center aisle to the door the Alexandrians had disappeared through.
"Do not think I don't know what you are planning, my Champion."
She stopped, cursing inwardly.
"You really believe after everything, standing side by side with you through countless crucibles, that I cannot read the truth in your eyes?"
"Maybe I should start wearing sunglasses."
He laughed. "There's that shining wit I keep you around for. But you know I cannot concede to this angle you wish to play."
"Look, Ezekiel, I was just—"
"Out loud."
Slowly, Mason grinned. She continued on her way down the aisle.
"Oh, and it certainly would be a shame if I were to return home to sparser cabinets this eve."
"Ooh, ooh! Me, too!" Jerry added.
"Yeah, a damn shame." Mason waved over her shoulder. "You guys are the best and I owe you!"
~m~
Loaded down like a pack mule, Mason jogged up the road, relishing the burn in her legs. Sweat rolled down her face, stinging her eyes. She blinked impatiently, scanning her surroundings. She hadn't come across the Alexandrians yet, but they only had about an hour head start, and with as slowly as they were moving before they couldn't have made it terribly far.
In the end, she'd gathered food from Ezkiel's and Jerry's stores, and the house she shared with her Misfits. It would likely be scrimpy eating for the three of them for a while, but she planned on taking the brunt of that anyway. They would keep it from the rest of the Kingdom, just as they kept collection day from them. Only the people involved in this donation would even notice she wasn't eating. And hopefully this would do something to convince the Alexandrians that they weren't heartless bastards, they just…had a complicated rulebook to play by.
A shout caught her attention. She stopped dead, senses trained on the woods to her right. Muffled voices. Another shout. Hastily she followed the sound, shrugging out from the supplies on her back and hiding them in the ditch.
Several tree-lengths in, she spotted a man. He was scraggly, facing away from her, covered in old blood and holding a length of heavy chain. Mason kept low as she crept forward, lifting the hood of her cloak over her head and hoping to blend in with the deepening shadows of late afternoon.
There were others like the scraggly stranger, men and women dappled with all manner of grime. Of the ones whose faces she could see, they all bore W's on their foreheads, some painted on, some etched or burned. Mason couldn't see all their weapons, though it didn't appear they had any guns.
But they stood in a tight circle around Rick, Daryl and Eugene, and that was enough to light a panic in her heart.
"Little sheep," one of the W men cooed, twirling his knife in Eugene's direction. Eugene trembled but stood his ground, machete in hand. "Where are you three traveling from? Shouldn't you be home, guarding the flock?"
"Or maybe it's too late," a woman with yellow teeth giggled. "Maybe we ate them." She lunged, swiping her knife at Daryl. The arrow entered her skull before she finished laughing, and her body thudded to the ground.
The man closest to Mason shook his head. "That's not very friendly, archer." He let out a low whistle, and five more figures emerged from the deep woods. Eleven in all.
Rick had his revolver raised, but he wasn't going to be able to fire quick enough before they were on him. Same with Daryl. And Eugene…
As she watched, one of the W men darted toward Eugene, slashing his cheek with a knife before jumping back.
Hot coals flared to life in her stomach. Teeth clenched in a snarl, Mason pulled her knife from her belt, took aim and threw.
It sank deep in the bastard's eye and sent him staggering back, mouth gaping in shock. The rest of the W pack froze, predators realizing they might be prey, and Mason leapt from her hiding place, iron in hand.
The closest man had no time to react as she ran him through with the poker, yanking the chain from his grip. She swung the chain around another man's throat, crossed the ends and pulled tight; his yelp strangled into silence.
By then, the W pack had recovered. Two of them rushed Mason, a woman with an axe and a man with a length of jagged pipe. Mason ducked, thrusting the choking man forward just in time for the axe to come down. His body slumped in her grip, his blood warming her hands, but she didn't release the chain. Keeping low, she swung his body around into the woman, knocking her legs from under her.
Gunshots sounded. Mason ignored them, too busy tugging her iron from the tangled chain and trying to grab the axe with her free hand.
Something cracked against her knee and she crumpled with a cry. Before she could recover, the weight of a body bore down on her, and her breathing cut off as the pipe pressed on her throat.
She had only seconds until she blacked out. Her poker lay just a foot away, but she didn't waste time struggling for it. Her hands fumbled for her attacker's, pinching down hard on pressure points between his fingers. His grip on the pipe loosened. She sucked in a lungful of air and slammed the heel of her palm into the man's nose. He reeled back, blinded by his watering eyes. She snatched the pipe and drove the sharp end through his temple.
Blearily she sat up, one hand on her throat, the other reaching for her iron. The axe woman beat her there, kicking it deeper into the undergrowth.
"Oh, fuck you," Mason huffed and raised her shield in time to parry the axe. Discipline brought her to her feet, though her injured knee trembled a bit. She drove her shield into the woman's stomach and she doubled over, retching.
"Head's up," Mason rasped and slammed her shield into the woman's skull. "Ha. Get it?"
With the Alexandrians fighting, too, the W pack scrambled to regain their upper hand. Three more gunshots. One man fell by Rick's revolver, the others ducked out of the way. Mason gave chase, but she didn't make it far before someone rammed her into a tree. She barely had time to get her hands up to prevent smashing her nose.
Using all her weight, she shoved back from the tree and into her attacker, toppling them both to the ground. Something sharp pierced her arm, but adrenaline burned the pain away. Arms grappled to hold her down. She swung her elbow back once, twice, a third time, until they let go.
The moment she rolled to the side, a machete came down on her attacker's head. Eugene loomed above, grim and shaken and covered in blood. She took his hand when he offered it and he pulled her to her feet.
"Good looking out, alchemist," she said, positioning herself so they were back to back. But it seemed the fight was over, Rick and Daryl falling back to flank her and Eugene, no more enemies in sight. Living, anyway. She counted ten bodies.
"One of them got away?" she growled.
Rick nodded. "Everyone alright?"
Figuring he wasn't talking to her, Mason let Daryl and Eugene answer in the affirmative. But once certain no one else was going to pop out of the trees, Rick turned to her.
"Are you alright?"
There was genuine concern in his voice. Inexplicably, she felt embarrassed.
"I'm okay."
"You're bleeding," Eugene said, and for the first time she realized that she was. A gash on the back of her arm.
"It…it looks worse than it is," she replied, unconsciously shifting that arm behind her back.
"Might need stitches," Daryl grunted.
"Yeah, well…if it does, it does."
"You could've died for us." Rick eyed her in that way she was beginning to notice about him, that way that could make you stop and sit up, that you couldn't look away from. "Thank you."
"Oh, um. Don't mention it, dude." Then, to solidify her reign as most awkward motherfucker on the planet, she clicked her tongue and gave him the old finger guns.
Good fucking lord, could you have less dignity?
Eugene huffed what sounded suspiciously like a laugh. She glared, but he just blinked innocently.
"Why'd you follow us anyway?" There was no hostility in Daryl's voice now.
"Well, I…I needed to make sure you guys got home safe. And also, I have some stuff for you."
After retrieving her iron, she led them back to where she'd ditched the supplies, taking down a few walkers drawn by the sound of the fight.
"I'm sorry. I know it's not nearly what you need for sixty people," she said as they looked through the food. "We just couldn't let you leave with nothing."
"Thank you," Rick said again.
Mason tapped her toe, wondering if her next question was a good idea.
"Are you…having problems with those people?"
The Alexandrians eyed her solemnly. She took that as a yes.
"Who are they?"
"Call themselves Wolves," Daryl answered. "Don't know much about 'em otherwise."
"Do you know how many there are?"
"A lot."
"Over the past few weeks, they have been instituting intermittent raids on our camp," Eugene said. "As a result, we are dangerously low on food, ammo and medical supplies."
Neither Rick nor Daryl protested this information. Apparently risking her life for them had earned the privilege of it.
Well, she may as well reward their honesty with a bit of her own.
"So. Last summer. You guys took out half that quarry herd?"
It was almost funny, the way they looked at her then. She could almost hear a clichéd record scratch in the background.
"You know about that?" Rick asked flatly.
Mason nodded, wishing she could get her leg to stop bouncing. "We…led the other half away. That day. We didn't know anyone was living behind your walls until then, and after…"
After concerned itself with a lot of blood and bent knees, and she knew Ezekiel would not want her sharing it.
"You didn't think to make a house call?" Daryl said. There was an edge to his voice, like he couldn't decide whether he should be pissed or grateful.
Mason looked at Rick when she answered, hoping that as the leader, he would understand.
"We've had problems with people in the past. Some shit that almost… I mean, we wouldn't be here if things had gone another way with those people. And so we tried to help with that herd because we couldn't just stand by and let it happen, but it was easier risking our safety with the walkers than with you. The living are worse than the dead these days. We're in a better place now, and we try to help who we can, but…we're careful."
The words felt flimsy in her mouth now that she was looking them in the face. She wished she could share everything with them, every drop of the story, but secrets were a part of her daily life now. It was almost easier to talk in omissions than it was to speak the truth.
She expected anger, and she caught a spark of it in Daryl's eyes, but mostly there was understanding. Grave-dark and tired, but it was there in all of them. Not for the first time, she wondered what these people had been through. Whatever it was, it explained their relentless mistrust.
Finally, Rick said, "Yeah. We know about people like that."
She was relieved to hear the words, but it still wasn't enough. "I want to help you. Find a place where Eugene can make bullets, get you some food, and then…I'm gonna help you with these Wolves."
Ezekiel wouldn't be happy she was making these promises, but she also knew he wouldn't be happy to learn their neighbors were suffering. His role as protector of the Kingdom was in constant conflict with the urge to do good outside of it. Not to mention, the Wolves might pose a potential threat to the Kingdom as well. Better to solve a problem while there were allies they could call upon.
Eugene nodded. "I want it to be known that I am fully and emphatically for that plan. Mason and I can continue the search for a suitable workshop while you two lend your assistance back home."
Anxiety strained between the three of them, and it was only then that Mason remembered what that Wolf had said.
Or maybe it's too late. Maybe we ate them.
"We can talk while we walk," she suggested, and the Alexandrians seemed more than happy to do so.
This time, they were insistent on helping carry the supplies, just as Eugene was insistent on tending to her arm. He cleaned away the excess blood and wrapped it tight with a length of cloth, which made her feel like fidgeting again. At least he claimed she probably wouldn't need those stitches.
They made better time than they had on their way to the Kingdom, but Mason sensed the effort it took to push themselves. She wasn't moving at her quickest, either, limping while simultaneously trying to hide that limp from the others.
"You couldn't'a brought a car?" Daryl grumbled, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
Mason laughed apologetically. "Uh, yeah, we try to reserve our transportation for emergencies." Only partly true. Tomorrow was collection day, which meant they needed the trucks for their exports. And…the rest of the cars and horses, anything they could use to escape, needed to remain behind on such days. Just in case.
"Here," she said, handing him a jug of water. He hesitated before taking it—not like he thought she might've poisoned it, but like he was offended by the idea of staying hydrated. But they passed it around regardless as the sun set.
They kept conversation to a minimum, cautious of whatever dead or living might be lurking about, but by the time they reached the turnoff for Alexandria, they'd established the finer details of their agreement. Eugene would return to the Kingdom that night, and send word as soon as he found what he was looking for. In exchange, Mason would send a few knights to the Safe Zone to stand guard against the Wolves.
"Thank you for this," Rick said when they reached the gate. He had visibly relaxed at the sight of the guards on watch atop the towers; it seemed the Wolves had only been fucking with them.
"Thank you for trusting me," Mason replied.
Daryl, however, pulled her aside as Rick and Eugene began carrying the supplies inside.
"You really wanna help us?" It was only sort of a question.
Mason nodded. "I do."
He appraised her, chewing his lip. "Alright. I believe you. But you gotta know somethin'." He edged closer, pointing a finger at her. "You let anythin' happen to him, anythin' at all? I will bury you six feet deep."
She raised an eyebrow. "You're awful protective of him…"
Something flashed in Daryl's eyes. "He's my friend."
"Yeah, I gathered that. Look." She placed her fist over her heart. "On my honor, I promise I will do everything in my power to keep him safe. But you know, maybe you should have more faith in him. He wasn't helpless back there."
They might've said more, but Rick and Eugene were returning. She smiled.
"All set?"
"Yes, ma'am," Eugene replied. Despite the situation, he seemed happy, like a kid invited to their first sleepover.
Several goodbyes and warnings to be careful later, it was just Mason and Eugene, together on that dark road.
There was silence between them for a while, and Mason struggled to define it. Unexpectedly comfortable. Usually she hated being alone with people she just met. But she liked this.
Still, her pulse couldn't decide on a suitable rhythm. Probably just the excitement of the day, she reckoned.
Of course, as soon as she considered her chaotic heartbeat and how noncommittal she was being, the anxiety crept in. The silence was comfortable for her, but what if it wasn't for him? Which…was a dumbass thing to worry about. It was the apocalypse. They were literally on a journey to find a place to make bullets to subsequently kill people with. She shouldn't care. She couldn't explain why she did.
She really wanted Eugene to like her.
Maybe stop being a giant melting pot of awkward then.
"So…" she said. "Nice…hair."
Yeah, that's the way.
He blinked at her. She fidgeted with the strap of her iron.
"I—I'm not teasing you, I really mean that. I think you're about the only person who could pull that look off."
"I like your hair, too, Miss Mason."
Unconsciously she brushed a hand over the shaved half. "Thanks."
"Perhaps down the road we could switch."
Mason laughed. "Down this road, you mean?"
"Yes. Once we have reached the end of this road, I will shear myself like a lopsided sheep, and you will concentrate real hard and grow out your own neck warmer through unalloyed force of will."
"It wouldn't be as majestic, though."
"No, but I am positive you will give it a good and honest attempt."
He smiled. Instantly, her dumbass anxiety dissolved.
And it was just them, stars above and darkness everywhere else, pavement still warm beneath their soles, sometimes talking and sometimes not.
All of it was comfortable, she decided.
A/N: So I know I've been dropping little tidbits here and there about past events and how they differ from canon, but next chapter I plan on expanding on (some of) those things in greater detail. Actually, I had planned on writing them all out as an individual story, but I wanted to start where I started in this one, so...it would've ended up a prequel. Y'all let me know your thoughts, if you want me to write flashbacks within a chapter, if you want me to devote entire chapters to them, etc. Next chapter we'll see what Beth and Glenn are up to, and I will also be introducing the last POV character. So until then, much love! xoxo