Hey guys, it's Austorias, astronomically long delay on this chapter, I faced a loss in the family recently and just didn't feel up to writing for the past few weeks, just know that I am back again, and uploads will steadily return to normal. Be sure to leave a review, I love to read them, and leave questions for the characters if you want them to appear in the after story interview! Well, here you are! (The chapters will get longer ErenYeager 1st!)
*************************************************ON WITH THE STORY*****************************************************
Francis pulled Jacks' leg as hard as she could, and he came to the ground with a loud thud. He brushed himself off and looked at Francis while still sitting on the ground.
"Hehe, well now, heh, you know how to use it." She said, holding her stomach in laughter, and helping Jacks up. Jacks staggered up with Francis' help, and rubbed his arm in embarrassment. Francis acknowledged the gesture and quickly tried to be considerate.
"Well, it takes some practice, I'm sure you'll get the hang of it! Now, let's try again, but onto a roof!" Francis said, pointing to a nearby rooftop while holding Jacks' shoulder.
Jacks sighed.
"Do I have to?" Jacks groaned to himself over the crazy task. Jacks did like the gear, but he did not want to use it.
Francis shook him around, before holding him in place again.
"YES! Even if you don't want to be here, I do, and besides, imagine the crimes that could be happening out there, mugging, murder, rape, robbing. Could you sleep at night knowing you let those go down?
Jacks was surprised with Francis' sudden deepness of thought, she seemed so light hearted. Jacks blinked, and shook his head.
"No…." Jacks sighed, like a child who had to go to the dentist's office.
"Then, get us on a roof, we need a good vantage point, pick one, any one!" Francis pointed toward many of the roofs in the distance.
"*sigh* That one." Jacks sighed again.
"Good choice, well, you know what to do, just point it in the right direction this time." Francis chuckled while talking.
Jacks looked at his gauntlet and pointed it at a roof to his right, he closed one eye, aiming carefully. Then Francis wrapped his arms around his, in what seemed to be a hug.
"Um, Francis?" Jacks asked, still holding his gauntlet to the roof, but looking at her.
"What, I'm not supposed to use my OverLoad, so, you need to carry me." Francis said, tightening her grip.
Jacks shook his head, and went back to aiming. He took in a deep breath, to steady his aim further, and then cocked his wrist backward.
The coil shot from the barrel with a zipping noise, similar to zipping up jeans. The hook landed just above the small parapet, it dragged back a bit before hooking onto the parapet. Jacks smiled for once.
"Ok, now what?" Jacks said to Francis, still holding on to him.
"Small button on your index finger, press it with your thumb." Francis said, slightly annoyed.
Jacks looked at the gauntlet, and the button in question. He smirked quizzically, and pressed it with his thumb.
The gauntlet dragged Jacks forward, causing him to stagger before it took him off his feet. He twisted and turned along with Francis, but they made it up there. They both rolled along the roof a bit until Francis got up.
"Not bad for a first timer." Francis said. She looked around at the city below her with her fists on her hips, the classic super hero stance.
She also took a small flask from her back pocket and took a swig. Jacks cringed when she handed it to him.
"Sip?" She asked.
"No, I don't like alcohol." Jacks said, sounded slightly pissed off.
"Ohhoho, this isn't booze, just take a sip." Francis laughed and shook the container.
Jacks disdainfully reached for the flask, he looked down the nozzle of it, but couldn't make out anything. He shrugged, and brought it to his lips, instantly, he was assailed by the sweetest taste he had ever tasted. He coughed, and handed it back to Francis, not showing that he was about to puke.
"Surprise! Honey!" She yelled putting the flask back in her pocket.
Jacks said nothing, he just looked at the city around him. His eyes hanged low, he raised his shoulders high. He just listened and watched. Francis questioned this before smiling at him.
"Super-hero syndrome already? Damn, you haven't even saved someone yet." Francis slapped his back, causing him to nearly fall off of the roof. Jacks still said nothing.
"Well we aren't going to find much if we just stay put, why don't we…"
Francis was interrupted by a loud shriek, followed by laughing. The friendly look on her face was instantly wiped off, and she looked serious.
"That's close, Jacks, take us that way." Francis said, pointing to an adjacent building to the north.
Jacks seemed to be a lot more quick and steady with his grapple this time, cunningly using it to hook onto a flagpole and swing further onward. Francis barely had time to grab on.
The wind blew into Jacks' ears as he swung forth, the brisk feeling of it against his face and neck. He heard the silent coo of the breeze sifting through the wind, inside him a soft mix of calm reluctance, and jagged, joyous excite.
They landed with Jacks losing his balance and tumbling on his side for a few feet, and Francis skidding on her behind for a similar distance.
The alley way they landed in front of was occupied, a man, and a woman, both looking confused at the duo. Jacks quickly jittered to his feet before puffing out his chest and raising his shoulders, followed by Francis brushing the dirt and rocks off of her backside and checking to make sure her tail was ok.
The man quickly dropped a shiny object and ran, his thin tail disappearing around the corner.
Francis quickly broke into a sprint down after him, she didn't look back, but she did give Jacks' a command.
"TEND TO THE GIRL, I GOT DIS BITCH!" Francis still managed to crack a joke out.
"BUT I THOUGHT YOU SAID!?..." Before Jacks could finish his sentence, Francis was already out of his line of sight.
Jacks thought that this was supposed to be his time to shine, but he realized that he needed to help that lady instead of self-loathing.
He jogged over to her and asked the common questions.
"Are you hurt?"
"What's your name?"
"Who was that guy?"
"How did this happen."
Jacks listened to her responses at the same time he was realizing that this wasn't much different than where he started. A strange man mugging a woman, an alleyway, a couple valiant heroes. The only thing different was that the heroes were separated.
That didn't bother him much, until he thought about the million dollar, question.
(What if that guy is a Sin?)
Jacks told the lady to run to the nearest police station before grappling onto the roof, that sin wasn't going to fool him!
So, Jacks finally grew a backbone huh? Lets see how this unfolds...