Part 5 – A Fresh Start
The Rabbit slowly came to a halt a good five-hundred metres away from what Re-l could best describe as little more than a shanty town. She furrowed her brows slightly, feeling frustrated and slightly angry. What had been just over a weeks worth of travelling had resulted in them finding what, in her mind, amounted to the back-end of nowhere. Clearly the spoilt brat within her still prevailed over much of her mind. She stepped off the sail-boat, strangely enough with Vincent's hand in hers as he steadied her down to the ground. Soon enough her hands found the safety of her coat pockets again and she turned away to obscure a fleeting blush.
Pino quickly followed on from the others, soon to take up where Re-l had left off she placed her petite hand into Vincent's and swung his arm happily. He smiled to her before shooting a cautious gaze around the area.
"I don't see the ones that boarded us earlier, Re-l." He comforted, smiling in her general direction.
"What a shame… I could have paid them back the favour." She spoke wryly, but her voice was subtly laced with apprehension. Vincent moved to place his free hand on her shoulder; she flinched away and slowly shuffled towards the settlement.
"These people look like they've just returned from the Boomerang anyway – the crafts nearby are too advanced compared to their houses, right? No one's going to recognise you, or even really care…"
She spun and glared at him, his choice of words hitting a nerve. Not even care? Perhaps he was right. No; he as right. If they were from the Boomerang then they'd not even know much –if anything- about Romedo. But the idea of people not caring for her existence made her uneasy. She would rather be disliked than ignored. Surely it was better to be acknowledged then to have your existence overlooked? All her life she'd have strong affirmation of her existence; her importance. Iggy, always by her side; her grandfather a reminder of her place in society. To think that now it was all different. She wasn't sure if it was for the best.
Realising his mistake Vincent flailed his free hand frantically, bowing his head in apology before scurrying to catch up to her as she turned again. He quickly called behind him to Kristeva and charged her with looking after The Rabbit, much to her dislike.
The three entered the small settlement warily, attracting glances from each and every tired person they passed. Most remained quiet and kept about their business, a few nodded their welcomes. Eventually they arrived at a larger hut. It looked well stocked and of better built than those around it. Vincent left Pino with Re-l and stepped forward carefully, peeking his head around the open space that could only constitute a doorway. A tall woman emerged from the shadowy inside, and gently pushed Vincent away as she stepped through the door. She was an older lady, perhaps in her late fifties; her dull brown hair littered with streaks of grey. Her face showed signs of hardship, wrinkled beyond its years with deep lines around the eyes and mouth. She stared at the three for a short while before addressing them.
"What is it you odd folk are looking for?" her voice was gruff, yet not unpleasant. Vincent chose to be the spokesman.
"We're travelling, looking for others to stay with. We need supplies."
"Supplies?" she laughed, before beginning to cough. "Why'd you need supplies when you found the 'others' already? What d'you think we are?"
She was right, of course. Vincent glanced sideways to Re-l, who said nothing.
"Pino will stay here! Pino likes it!" the young girl jumped in the spot, tugging at Re-l's arm as she flicked her head around joyfully.
"I'll tell ya what…" the older lady started again, "you can stay here and do some work for those supplies. Ain't gettin' nothing from us till you've earned it. Who knows? Maybe you might like it and decide to stay after all?"
"Thank you, ma'am!" Vincent smiled slightly, looking hopefully again to Re-l.
"You can call me Rose. Come see me again later, I'm sure we have a lot to talk about." She smiled sweetly at the three, eyes creasing closed for a while. "And tell your girlfriend to cheer up, ain't the end of the world! It's the beginning!"
Rose laughed quietly to herself and stepped back inside her shack. Re-l stood with a stony face, insulted once more and this time by someone she didn't even know! Was she really so bad? And the girlfriend comment she certainly wouldn't let slide! She let go of Pino's hand and briskly headed back toward The Rabbit. As bad as this place seemed to her, she wasn't going to sit idly and be useless. It was time she showed she wasn't just a pampered brat. If they wanted her to earn her keep, earn it she damn well would!
