Code note: Uhm, I think I'm back – maybe. I am so glad I was able to rewrite it and yeahhhh, this is a boring chapter however I hope you enjoy it.
A massively giant virtual hug to Siancore 3
Things to know/remember
Aether (Chemistry): pleasant-smelling, colorless, volatile liquid that is highly flammable
Steampower Flying Airships: Using a Clockwork system the heat boils water in a pressurized boiler, turning it into saturated steam
raygun: very light weight with clips made of silver nitrate
"Take What You Want and Go"
At last, The Bandit Hunter has arrived and once again safely docks on the shores of The Williams' property. Daryl welcomes them warmly and brought Rick up to speed on the daily and nightly activities that had transpired. Then, he inquired why they were late; Daryl did not miss the way Rick had eyed Jesus.
"The third boiler was giving us some trouble," Carl chimes in.
"Rick was somewhat obsessed with it," Michonne added, "The problem was fixed but he would not leave the boiler crew alone." Michonne then gave Rick a friendly pat on his arm.
"The pressurized boiler were being overcompensated but praise Jesus, Jesus saved the day," Jesus added teasingly
"In matter of speaking, you know what I realized seems to work -," began Daryl.
Rick raise his hand in the air cutting Daryl off, "It was a good thing I notice right away something was going on, the damn thing would -."
Jesus raises his hand to stop him from speaking, "Explode? Never! Now, I understand this is your ship but this is my area of expertise and she," Jesus turns to point at The Bandit Hunter, "Is still standing. You do not find me giving you gentlemen advice on how to do your job."
Michonne looks over at Jesus, "How do you put up with it Jesus?"
"With a grain of salt and a shard of glass," he answered and both Rick and Daryl balk at such a harsh response. "I don't tell them how to maneuver or plan but maybe I should give my input."
The three men go off on a tangent on how the mechanics of the ship work, which then turns into a very heated and animated conversation. Off to the side, Carl finds the whole conversation humorous but immediately stops laughing when he heard his name called out by Jesus. He groans loudly. He was now caught in the crossfire and wish he hadn't said anything on the matter.
Carl had his hands out in defense, "Not I, I didn't say you weren't doing your job, Jesus, all I ask was why it was giving us trouble."
Jesus frowns "Don't act so innocent, Carl. I could have sworn some of the most preposterous suggestions came from you only a day ago."
Carl laughs uncomfortably, "Only because I wanted to learn."
Jesus' frown deepen as he crosses his arms, "By turning the first boiler completely off, after I specifically said not to. Yes, that is learning."
"He did WHAT?" Rick whips his head toward Carl and frowns.
"Way to go tattling on me Jesus."
With arms still crossed, Jesus shrugs his shoulders.
"Dad, listen, it was not a big deal, all is well, and we are all here safe and sound. Not one scratch." Carl then smiles reassuringly.
Rick creases his brow and his frown deepens, "My ship, my rules."
"Yes, we all know 'you ship your rules', yet it would not be a disservice if you just listen," Jesus added.
Sasha shakes her head, "You all arrived safe and sound, what is wrong?"
Busy arguing among themselves the men did not hear her; even if they did they ignored Sasha's question.
Michonne leans in and whispers to Sasha, "Take notice, not one of them is actually listening to the one person that actually knows the mechanics of the ship. If only you were there, understandably The Bandit Hunter is Rick's life, something is wrong with 'her' something is wrong with Rick. He needed to make sure everything was working properly. Do you know he was going to rebuild a whole new thermostat and boiler, in THE air? Jesus had to stop him. We were all in a complete state of panic."
Sasha wasn't versed in the world of airships but the pursed lip and creases in Michonne's brow clearly displayed that the last few days had been most trying and thought best to direct the conversation to something light instead.
"Perhaps you can tell me when you started addressing Mr. Grimes so informally?"
Michonne gave Sasha an exasperated look and Sasha smiles innocently back at her.
Sasha knew Michonne wasn't going to give up any kind of information so willingly.
"It is such a lovely morning let us leave these men to their own devices and whatever it may currently be and you can fill me in on everything else. I had the kitchen put a huge pot of crabs to boil, yes?"
Michonne nods her head in agreement, "What a wonderful idea."
They links arms and make their way toward the Williams home leaving the men to disagree among themselves.
It wasn't until much later when the men went looking for them and was told by the kitchen staff where to find them. They found Ms. Brownfield and Ms. William in the gazebo laughing with a bucket of discarded crab shells nearby. Both ladies quiet down and observe the seriousness on their faces. Sasha taps Michonne's arm and mimics Daryl's frown. In response, Michonne points out both father and son's stance, right down to them resting their weight to the right; that got the ladies laughing again.
Daryl crosses his arms, "Well I am really happy we amuse you two."
Sasha points to a huge pot close to her, "There is plenty to go around."
"Yes, yes come sit with us and amuse us some more," Michonne chimed in, "Hopefully you all are ready to behave like gentlemen."
Rick chuckles as he leans all his weight on the gazebo railing.
"Everything taken care of?" Sasha asks.
"Oh, yes," Jesus said, "We have all agreed that Richard Grimes is a terrible listener."
"And I call foul, I am an excellent listener, I listen to all provided suggestions and go with the best one," Rick exclaims.
Jesus laughs, "All suggestions? – ha, the only voice you listen to is yours alone. I can count and recount the times we, Dixon included, have told you not to do something and you went ahead and still did it."
Jesus then eyes Rick's prosthetic hand, the silver chrome glimmering in the mid day sun.
"Careful," Rick scowls.
"Did it get cold all of a sudden?" Daryl asks as he saw Rick's jaw tighten, "Because I am not staying around to see or hear where this conversation is going." He removes his footing from the gazebo steps.
"Why? I think we can learn a thing or two here," Carl adds; he really wanted to see where all this was going. It wasn't everyday he got to hear everyone speak this freely.
'Oh, oh,' Michonne thought, 'time to change the discussion.'
"Well I have some happy news for you all. I had extended an invitation to my masquerade ball to the Williams and Miss Williams here gladly accepted," she smiles. "I have also invited them to join us when we depart as my personal guest, so Mr. Dixon be a gentleman and be nice, no bad omen talks."
Daryl stops and faces both ladies then rests his eyes on Sasha, "I am not promising anything."
"Well I did ask Ms. Brownfield if she knew if you could dance," Sasha adds.
"I can dance but who said anything about my attendance to this ball? We got more important things to do right here," Daryl answers.
"Well, Ms. Brownfield had mentioned that Mr. Grimes was too kind in lending us a few of his men to escort her and I had inquired on this," Sasha turns to Michonne, "What was his name again?"
"Abe, Abraham Ford."
"That's right," Sasha faces Daryl again with a huge smile on her face, "An Abraham Ford. I have seen him a few times on deck; I think he wouldn't mind being my escort."
'To hell with Abe being her escort.' Daryl thought to himself.
"What is this Rick? Is everyone going to this ball? Rick?" Daryl was slightly annoyed.
Rick's thoughts were elsewhere, but he absentmindedly nodded his head, "Yes, I mentioned something to Jesus and both Martinez and Ford, but no one else. I had no idea you would be interested in going."
Sasha discreetly winks at Michonne.
"Speaking of going, did you know Mr. Grimes, I also asked Ms. Brownfield if she knew if you could dance too?"
Michonne chuckles, "And I said indeed Mr. Grimes can dance the moves alone from the other…"
Rick immediately stood up from leaning on the rails panic on his face, "Wait just a minute here let's make sure we are talking about dancing here."
He then faces Michonne who had genuine confusion on her face. But when she realizes what she was so nearly going to say, well repeat, she glances at Sasha and that got both ladies began laughing again.
Rick pulls out his pocket watch and did not realize how late in the day it was.
"Although it is very nice to see us gentlemen being the cause of your humor, we have more pressing matters here, I want to head to Alexandria now, meet this community. How soon can we leave?"
"We can leave now," Daryl says.
Upon hearing that, Sasha's thoughts were no longer cloudy. There was no way Daryl Dixon was going to Alexandria while that Ms. Hussy Holly was still there.
Sasha stood up abruptly from her seating, "Alexandria you say? Of course, I can be ready in ten minutes."
Michonne sat back in her seat confused, one minute they were laughing and enjoying themselves but her friend got tense and annoyed once hearing the community. She will have to ask Sasha about the shift in her mood.
Rick glances at his watch again then places it back in his pocket, "That time seems reasonable. I will give you both ten and then we leave."
At the front of the open room Rick stands quietly. He surveys the room with his arms crossed and his goggles resting comfortably on top of his head. The community was abuzz with excitement; they welcomed Rick as warmly as the man who sent aide and saved them from the Saviors. He was waiting for everyone to quiet down. A few of the community children had look in awe at his prosthetic hand, a little girl touched it and held his hand in hers as she flipped it over, her eyes round as saucers as she looks and touch each mechanical fingertips. She asks him if what she was doing hurt. With a smile on his face, Rick told her that when he was relearning to use his hand again it did but not anymore. Satisfied with his answer, she lets his hand go and went chasing after a few of her friends.
The room finally quietens down and Rick got straight to business.
"What Mr. Dixon did has only scratched the surface, and that is all we have been doing. Scratching the surface, my associates and crew have been dealing with this Negan and his Saviors for the better part of the year."
Rick began to walk and stops in the middle of the room, "This is what you need to know: their leader Negan is a werewolf who have been terrorizing your community the past seven days, we also know that he has not left Virginia. Why? We are not sure. I have men scouting the area for his whereabouts. Now this part is very important and I need you all to listen. YOU are ALL going to help us get this man."
A man from the front stood up, "What do you mean by need to know and you are all? We are not fighters, or pirates but a peaceful community."
Rick scowls at the man, "You," he points to the man, "Do you not value your life?"
Rick doesn't wait for a response; he looks to the crowd again and asks, "Do any of you value your life? I value mine and so does my crew. We are here to help you, now this is the plan."
The meeting with the community ended with everyone knowing what they had to do. They were now on their way to the home of the late doctor to inventory the aether. Carl's mind is elsewhere; he is busy spinning his goggles when he stops mid-step and sniffs the air.
"Whose house is this?" he asks, pointing to a two story a few meters from them.
"Oh, that's the bakery. Olivia makes the best buttered breads."
"Breads? Are you sure?" Carl sniffs the air some more.
"What is it?" Michonne asks. She gasps when Carl's eyes change.
Carl then faces them, "Something is not right. He was at that house, I can smell him."
Carl didn't have to say who the he was, they knew.
Before they could say anything Carl ran towards the house with Rick and Michonne going after him.
"How do we play this?" Jesus asks.
Sasha faces both men, "Can someone tell me what going on with the young Grimes. Is that natural, the way his eyes change like that?"
"Well, I don't think he's in there but we must be practical and safe." Daryl answer
"Well don't kill first and pretend you were going to ask questions isn't being practical and safe Daryl," Jesus added as they walk briskly towards the house.
Sasha maintains the pace of the two men and repeats what she had said a few moments before as they meet up with the others who were standing below the steps.
"Ms Williams, Carl is a werewolf, you know this and it seems that his eyes would change. Now as far as that house, that bakery, while here I am unaware of any wrong doing but if Carl could smell his presence then something may be wrong."
"Oh he was here," Carl said in confidence. "He has marked his territory."
"Marked his territory?" Sasha asks in near disgust, "A grown man?"
Carl sniffs the air some more, "I wouldn't pass him to do something like that but no, the were' did. It marked its territory here."
Carl points to the landing and the hedges along the side of the house, "Over in those bushes too."
Carl faces his dad, "Let me go in first, before you say no hear me out. I don't think she would willingly give up anything about Negan if we all barge in with guns loaded. Let me feel her out. Who knows? Maybe she doesn't know anything."
Rick reholsters his gun and nods his head, "I'm giving you five minutes and."
"Rick!" Daryl looks over at him with a look of surprise.
Rick shakes his head, "Five minutes, we'll give you five minutes."
"Five is enough," Carl said and makes his way up the stairs and through the door of Olivia's sweets and smoke shop.
They stood there in silence waiting for those very long five minutes to be up when Oscar comes running up.
"Captain! Captain Grimes, we got the ship radioing in for you." He hands the phone over.
"Put it through." Rick listen for the clicks signaling the line went through, "This is the Captain for The Bandit Hunter."
"So professional, so bloody serious too. Now I know you miss me but I wasn't expecting anything from you or from Dixon for another year." The voice on the line says.
Rick laughs, "I am so glad to hear from you, really it's about damn time Rhee."
More Code note: Its going to be a while before I am back officially.
Are there any Attack on Titan anime/movie fans? This question has nothing to do with upcoming chapters I just want to know if you watch it