Part of this chapter references one of Firefall Bangenthump's amazing Change of Scene chronicles. If you haven't read them, MAKE TIME. Seriously... Their stories are wicked :D
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Chapter Two- Wilton
Ruthie sailed along the river, stretching her arms behind her head as she soaked in a stray beam of sunlight. The Dundee's engine gurgled in the curdling water, but the young rat could cherish no better sound.
So enwrapped in her own boat, she failed to note that the Dundee sailed into the outer rim of the city, sidewalks breaking from the tunnels and lush plants draping about the sun baked walls. She also failed to note the group of girls that now sauntered along the sidewalk parallel to the Dundee, the blonde beauty at the front already snickering.
"Hello, Ruthie!" The girl hollered, Ruthie jumping in her cockpit and bring her face to the beaming group of London Established rats. Forcing herself to smile, Ruthie placed two hands on the steering wheel and smiled back.
"'ello, Margo." Ruthie reached for the throttle, but Margo was already calling out for her again.
"Oh, oh ask her about..." One of Margo's friends hissed into her ear. The red head giggled when Margo nodded and swatted her away.
"Oh Ruthie! are you coming to my father's gala tonight with your family?"
Ruthie groaned inwardly, hating these types of questions: Miss Priss already knew the answer, Ruthie's father sending back the RSVP weeks ago.
"I might...Are you going to be there?" Ruthie replied sweetly, one hand hovering over the throttle.
"Of course! It's my father's gala, remember, Ganga?" Her friends vainly swallowed their giggles from the mention of Ruthie's nickname. It did nothing to deter Ruthie of her prepared answer, though.
"Hm. Well then I better change my plans." Ruthie slammed on the throttle before the girls could flounder for another answer, but the St. James child caught the arrogant smirk on Margo's face before doing so.
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"Where we off to today?" Roddy asked.
"Dun know. Just thought we'd wander 'round." Came Rita from down below, Roddy twisting his head about from the steering wheel of the Jammy Dodger II. "We do have to get home early, right? So why bother sailing all the way out to Morocco if we just have to get back quicker?"
"It'd be nice to take Ruthie there someday." Roddy added, Rita surfacing from the hull. "I mean, we had a great time." He handed the steering wheel off to her, Rita giving his nose an affectionate flick.
"Yeah, aside from the kidnapping and mafia fight." She grabbed the steering wheel, laughing to herself.
"What do we have to go home early for Rita?" Roddy reeled in a float Rita had let stray in the pale sewer water.
"You don't remember?" Rita steered the Jammy away from a speeding boat, Roddy crying out as a wave sloshed over him, the float he was attempting to reel in flying onto the deck. "Well, at least someone's bringing in those floats."
Grabbing for a rag, Roddy wiped the water from his face, his brown hair falling messily over his face. Joining Rita at the wheel, he waited for her answer.
"We're going to that gala tonight." Rita answered, Roddy slapping his forehead with his palm.
"Oh of course, of course... How could I forget? Did you get Ruthie a dress yet?" Rita smirked at the red impression he'd left on his forehead, and answered:
"Yeah. She didn't want one, but..."
"Once again, Rita, your genes come shining through." Roddy teased, laughing even after she threw the already drenched rag back at his face.
"At least that's where she gets her backbone from, Millicent."
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Noon had come and gone, the sun high in the sky above the sewer drains that let the flecks of light down below. A small engine rumbled down the waterways, Ruthie humming as her boat slid through the sewers.
Chugging up to her house, Ruthie noticed that the Jammy wasn't there. She groaned.
"Great, no lunch for me then..." Tying up the Dundee to the dock, she hopped off to her porch, hoping that her mum and dad couldn't be too far behind. Then again, she usually brought a little something to eat when tromping off through the sewers for the day.
She leaned against the house, idly fixing the cuff of her purple shirt. Huddling in the shadow of the porch, she watched a neighbor's tugboat huff down the river, the rat waving to her as he made his way to the city.
Once the boat had passed, Ruthie's ears rung in silence, hearing nothing but the sloshing of the water below.
Suddenly, the patter of nervous feet on wood made her ears prick. Pushing off the house, Ruthie noticed a lone rat walking down her dock. Wary, she watched the rat look around for anyone behind him. Luckily, the shadow the porch cast enshrouded her from his view.
He then hurried to her boat, looking over the vessel with interest. Placing a hand on the side of the Dundee, the stranger smiled.Ruthie's anger reared its ugly head.
"OI! Git away from me boat!!" Ruthie hollered across the dock, the tiny person scampering from the Dundee. But she wasn't about to let whoever they were get far, that wasn't her way. Leaping over the gap between her porch and the dock, her boots clanked against the thin boards as she easily caught up to the assumed burglar. Hurling herself forward, she knocked the boy off his feet and face down onto the dock.
"Wat do you think your doin'?!" The green eyed rat demanded, sitting on the intruder's back. "Well?" Hands on her hips, she waited for a response.
"I'm-I'm sorry!" The boy beneath her cried. "I just wanted to see the boat everyone's been talkin' about." He shielded his dirty blonde head with his hands, proving that he hadn't taken anything.
"Everyone's been talkin' 'bout the Dundee?" Ruthie gawked down at her prisoner. He shook his head into the boards, afraid to look up at her. "What boat did you think this was?"
"The-The Jammy Dodger! Somethin' about it belongin' to the hero's of the city.." The poor rat boy explained, cringing when she leaned down over his head.
"The heroes? Roddy and Rita?" The St. James daughter asked, and he feebly nodded to the ground again. "Oi..." She sighed, pushed her short hair behind her shoulder, and got up. The boy yelped and attempted to run, but she grabbed the back of his shirt. "Don't run. I'm not gonna hurt you."
"How do I know that? You already broke my face." The boy turned to look at her, but she didn't see anything wrong.
"I'm pretty sure there's nothing' left to break." She joked, grinning in good nature. He gave an odd smile, but relaxed enough for her to release her hold on his collar. "Who are you, anyway?"
"Wilton... W-Wilton Dunham." Wilton stuttered. He shifted his weight and for a moment Ruthie thought he was going to run again. But he didn't, simply fiddling with the bottom of his grey shirt, which looked a bit torn at the bottom.
"Ruthie St. James." She launched out her hand to shake, but he shied away from it with a quick noise of fright. "I'm not gonna hit'cha." The brunette rolled her head in exasperation, giving up on the handshake.
"I'm sorry, I just-"
"'s alright..." Ruthie shrugged, smiling. "Where you from? I haven't seen you around here."
"Cheshire... Long way from here." Wilton said, jerking his thumb over his shoulder. "I just moved here a week ago with me mum and siblin's."
"You got brothers? Or sisters?" Ruthie asked, eyes alight. Wilton hesitated, but answered.
"Both. I got a brother; Aaron, and a little sister named Bindy.. Well Bridget, but she wants to be called Bindy all the time." Wilton watched her lean against one of the dock's posts, such a wide smile blooming on her face that he got a tad concerned. "And you?" Her smile faltered.
"Nope. Nothin'. I'm an only child." Ruthie flicked a rock off the post she was leaning on.
"Oh. That's too bad." He offered, hands shoved into his pockets. The water sloshed beneath the dock, the two standing in unsure silence. "Well, um, I guess I'll go...It was nice to meet you." Wilton turned to leave, flicking his tail nervously.
"You got somewhere to be?" Ruthie asked, pushing off the post and shifting her weight onto one foot.
"Uh... not really." The rat boy scratched his head, not really certain himself.
"You wanna go for a ride?" Ruthie tossed her thumb over her shoulder to the Dundee, hooking a hand onto her belt. "I got nothing to do."
"Me too." Wilton said, smiling. "Well..." He stopped for a second, Ruthie slumping. "Eh, forget it. Let's go!"
Soon, the Dundee puffed off the dock, Ruthie overjoyed to share her boat deck with a friend once more. Wilton's voice drifted around the corner as they left the house behind.
"So, your mom and dad saved the city?"
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