Ren stepped out, feeling cold water splash against his leg as the boots broke the water's surface. He kept moving to keep up with Robin, desperate to keep his footing as the waves rushed in. He could feel his shoes almost coming off his feet as the water seemed to suck them back to the sea, whether he came along for the ride or not.
Robin slid onto a side street and started down a sidewalk, moving briskly down the lane as small speeders and various people walked by, going about their daily lives and rituals. Ren was perplexed, the city before him a feat beyond his comprehension. A massive settlement with cities above the water, while there was an even larger habitat for humans below them under the surface. The arks had seemed like the only way people were able to live just days ago.
“So people live under the water here? Like right under us?” He asked, hurriedly walking to catch up to Robin. “How was this thing built? This had to take forever.”
“Just one of the floating outposts. They have the underwater facilities that let them live and work for the most part. Up here is just where everyone does their trade. Lot’s of setup.” Robin kept moving, not even looking back to talk to him. “Took about a hundred years to finish everything.”
Signs for water proofing were everywhere, with shops and any windows he noticed using thick glass and reinforced steel between tight seals to keep it all inside instead of out. Regardless, the occasional wave would break and send a salty spray of rain down every so often. Ren wiped his eyes on his sleeve against the stinging saltwater and kept following, shoes still sticking to the walkway when his left became vacuumed to the surface.
“What the hell?” He pulled his foot forcefully, making the boot come part way off and slide across the surface as he did. He sat trying to put his foot back in, grumbling obscenities and curses.
“Almost there.” Robin said again, still not looking back at him. She quickly ducked off into another side alley, entering a small door that could barely be opened between the walls. As they entered Ren could smell savory and spicy aromas enter his nose, the smell of food made him hungry, realizing he had missed eating before the Pigeon landed. It seemed his stomach agreed with him, judging by the loud rumble it made.
“We’re not open for lunch yet!” someone yelled through a door up ahead. Robin walked forward and through the small curtain hanging from the doorframe, entering sudden heat and humidity punctuated by even more savory smells.The noise was almost overwhelming as he followed Robin through, finally free of sticking to the watery floor, but shoes still flopping on his feet..
“Too bad!” Robin shouted back, they walked through by a small counter before taking a bar seat and motioning to Ren to sit next to her. A tall, lean man came storming out of the kitchen, hefting a massive pan that was still giving off wisps of smoke.
“If you’re one of those sons of bitches with the Para-“ He stopped as he saw Robin, sweat making light blonde hair drip over the white headband and into his eyes. He rubbed a hand across his eyes quickly to try and clear the burning drops. He lowered the pan and instead leaned on the counter, looking at her. “Old man’s not here anymore. What do you want?”
“Not too surprising, the bastard was older than this outpost. I just need a place to set up for an hour or so.” Robin said, looking to the man now as he moved across the counter from her, leaning on it. He was probably around her age, mid-thirties, maybe a little younger. He sighed and sat down in the booth across from them. “How are you holding up?”
“Not great, not terrible.” He looked over at Ren, “New boyfriend?”
Ren’s eyes got wide and he couldn’t help but laugh. Robin kicked him under the table.
“Exactly why I need your help. Son of an upper Strat delegate.” Robin said as it was the man’s turn to be surprised. He looked from Ren to Robin quickly in disbelief.
“What the hell do you want me to do with this?” He asked, motioning to Ren, “I can give him a meal so he’s not so damn scrawny but otherwise he can’t be here.”
He got up, waving them away from the table as Robin grabbed his hand.
“Isshin, please.” She looked sincere now, pleading with the man over something Ren couldn’t tell. “We’re trying to get Sunny back.”
Isshin stopped in his tracks, pausing for a minute before slamming a fist on the countertop. His voice was constrained, but filled with quiet rage. “Haven’t seen that bastard since I saw you both six years ago. Not a single word. Now you come back here and tell me he’s what? Captured? Do you know how many times I reached out to him to tell him what was happening with dad? I never heard SHIT Robin. So why should I give a shit now? Is he even alive?”
“Not sure. Last we saw him he was fighting off government dogs.” Robin said in return, folding her arms back, she looked like she wanted to be concerned for Isshin but knew he would be too proud to accept it, “but they promised to trade us Sunny for him.”
“So you don’t even know if he’s alive.” Isshin slammed a fist on the table before muttering something in another language. “Probably a good thing dad’s gone, Sunny would be dead whether we got him back or not if he was still here.”
“Look, I’m trying to get him back. We just need a place to have the meeting where we know the terrain.” She continued on, Isshin beginning to look more resigned to the idea than anything, “They said they would bring him, and I told them if they don’t nobody lives.”
Isshin sighed yet again, slamming his head down against the table.
“It’s a fucking curse, isn’t it? Doomed forever to be the older brother left to clean up the younger’s messes?” He sighed, sitting back and nodding. “Fine, when’s your meeting?”
“Noon.” Robin said, to which Isshin again stood up and cursed in another language, “Isn’t calling yourself older giving a little too much credit? It was like four minutes.”
“That doesn’t fucking matter! Come on! That’s my busiest hour! That’s when every single one of these corporate drones start getting their lunch fifteen! How the hell else am I supposed to keep up with the rent for this damn place?” He put his hands up and cursed even more, “Fine! Take my livelihood too while we’re at it. Not like Sunny’s ever paid me back for all the grief he’s caused me before.”
He turned, taking off his now skewed headband and retying it properly. He pointed to Robin, “You’re paying for business lost and everyone is paying for their food. Deal?”
Robin raised her hands in mock surrender, smiling and shaking her head at the man as his temper tantrum subsided. He went back to the kitchen still muttering before shouting something in the other language, Ren now recognizing as Japanese, being met by boos and groans. He said something else before a pile of cheers erupted instead. Isshin walked back from the kitchen with a grin.
“You’ve also just offered to buy staff drinks for the duration of your stay. Would you like to start a tab?” He smiled and started pulling bottles from a nearby cooler, loading them into his arms before taking them back to the kitchen, where cheering erupted once more.
“It’s not even eleven yet.” Ren remarked, looking through the small door to see a bottle tipped back. Robin chuckled and sat back in the booth, getting comfortable.
“Never underestimate the willingness of cooks to get shitfaced at any time of the day.” She said before folding her arms and sliding further down. “Wake me before they get here. Ask them if you need a drink or anything.”
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Ren just shook his head and went with the flow. That’s all he could do at this point with the madness he had been through in his short time with the crew. Eventually bored, he got up and started to roam the small restaurant, inspecting items on the wall as he passed.
One stood out to him, a long, slender sword with a curved blade, shining in the dull light of the fluorescents. He marveled at the inscription at the base of the blade. He could recognize it was Japanese kanji, but couldn’t begin to understand it. His gaze moved to the hilt, a deep azure wrapped in a white band, itself stained with what appeared to be blood. Ren was still poring over it when a voice from behind startled him.
“Mugen no tengoku” It was Isshin again, coming up behind him and looking at the sword himself. Ren jumped and looked over to him, calming down and looking back to the blade.
“What does that mean?” Ren said, not recognizing the words Isshin went forward and lifted the sword from the wall, standing in the clear space of the dining room and twirling it deftly around.
“They never teach you Japanese in the fancy schools up there?” Isshin was barely breaking a sweat doing this as opposed to how he looked coming from the kitchen. Ren stood back, nodding and watched as the blade shone through the air, leaving a sapphire streak wherever it flew. “The Infinite Heaven. Been passed down for centuries in my family since… well before the first Arks, at least. There’s a twin blade to it called Mugen no Jigoku that was supposed to go to my asshole brother if he’s still alive.”
“So that’s why you’re helping us?” Ren stared still, Isshin now inspecting the edge of the blade for sharpness.
“Not really, I just know dad would haunt me if I didn’t.” He said, now offering the sword hilt first to Ren. “Want to try? Bet you don’t see these often above the Veil?”
As he took the sword from him he almost dropped it, not realizing just how heavy it was. Isshin laughed as Ren quickly tried to correct, hefting the sword in front of him as if he was going to fight. Isshin just laughed again, the ridiculous sight of this Veil kid with messy hair and looking like an obvious ameteur adventurer weilding a sword for the first time made the sight something beyond parody.
“Don’t think it’s your style.” He took it and hung it back on the wall before turning back to Ren, “Look, if Sunny is alive I’d be grateful to have him back. He’s just going to do his usual thing of getting captured or finally killed again though. He’s been doing it since we were kids, I doubt he’ll start picking his fights more carefully now.”
“So is he really as batshit as everyone makes him seem?” Ren asked, walking back over to the table where Robin was still slouched.
“Oh, that’s accurate.” Isshin replied as he crossed back to behind the counter, pouring himself water from a tap nearby. He offered one to Ren, who took it and gulped down a drink of the cool, clean water. “Always been a reckless son of a bitch. Never listened to anyone but her most of the time.”
He tilted his cup at Robin, who made no sign if she was awake to hear it.
“All I know is they went through some shit and he’s stuck by her side since. Never told me why though.” He said, drinking again before heading back to the kitchen, “Anyway, good time to catch up on prep. Let me know if you get hungry.”
He walked through the doorway, now shouting in Japanese again as what sounded like curses were flung back at him in kind.
————-
Ren passed the time until the meeting, switching through settings on his brace, toggling around colors and various other things within the old operating system to his liking. Unfortunately, he also shot the grapple hook through Isshin’s wall accidentally but thankfully it was barely noticeable, especially when Ren covered it with a nearby picture.
The door chimed as someone walked in, a man now taking off a white brimmed hat and shaking the sea spray from his all white uniform. Ren looked on warily as the man stepped forward, clean cut face carved in hard stone as Robin tipped her hat back up, looking at him.
“You’re missing someone.” She said as he approached them at the counter. He didn’t stop, but instead went around and kept going toward Ren, reaching a hand out to him.
“Mr. Calvert, my name is Sgt. Jake Hayward. I’ve been sent to escort you back to your mother on her orders.” He grabbed at Ren’s arm when he didn’t reciprocate the handshake, but Isshin walking out of the kitchen just a moment before he got there. As Hayward’s hand approached his arm, a long knife suddenly came up to meet it, stopping just hairs before they touched.
“Excuse me, sir.” Isshin said, now flipping the knife back to him as the man withdrew, turning a cold glare onto Isshin as he did. “I don’t allow that sort of thing in my restaraunt. You can place an order or leave but please do not harass my patrons.”
Hayward grunted, still looking at Ren as Isshin pulled out a rag and began wiping down the counter area around them, still keeping a wary eye on the soldier while giving him a courteous, welcoming host smile.
“Please, come with me Mr. Calvert. A ship is waiti-“ He was cut off by Robin’s hand landing on his shoulder and pulling hard, making him spin to face her.
“Where is he?” She asked, teeth gritted in anger and menace for the still unbothered Hayward. “She said you would bring him. This is a trade, body for body.”
She stood back, giving the officer a chance to speak as he dusted off his shoulder and jacket where she had grabbed.
“Dead.” One word, completely serious and nonchalant. Robin’s face sobered from the anger for a moment, fear briefly showing through before swelling into a raging fire once more.
“You’re lying.” She stood her ground, staring Hayward down. Ren got up, trying to move away from the officer but finding himself frozen by a glare from Hayward. “Sunny’s survived worse.”
“So who killed my brother then?” Isshin had gone from welcoming host to icy interrogator. Even Ren got a shiver from the look he was giving Hayward. “Because I can confirm what she said, he’s survived much, much worse.”
“Well, he didn’t survive this.” Hayward said, shaking his head and shrugging. Robin broke now, raising a hand before anything can be done and hitting the officer square in the jaw, making him turn his face away. Despite all of this he stood, unmoved. He looked back to Robin now, a malicious smile creeping across his face. “It wasn’t a fast death either. He was in the labor camps. Collapsed.”
“Son of a bitch!” Robin tried to swing at Hayward, but this time he was prepared, blocking her fist with his hand. What he wasn’t prepared for was Isshin jumping over the counter right beside Ren, hefting the same knife he had used to stop Hayward from grabbing Ren before. He leapt at the officer, slashing downward with the knife backhanded.
“Not here for a fight.” Hayward lifted his other hand at Isshin, a blast of force from his palm knocking the cook and his knife back into the wall where he would slide down and slouch, unconscious. “Now, Mr. Calvert, please follow me. I’ll let you know that we’ve also apprehended all of the pirates involved in her crew.”
He nodded here at Robin, twisting her fist in his massive hand now. She grunted but didn’t let out a cry of pain, showing no signs of weakness.
Ren inched himself further along the wall, trying to figure out some way to get Robin out of this. He bumped the sword on the wall, making it shake in the small hanging brackets. He took it down, quickly lifting it with two hands and resting the deep azure blade at his throat.
“Hey, let her go!” Ren shouted, the faraway voice not sounding like his own as it echoed back across the restaurant. Isshin was groaning on the floor, slowly picking himself back up. Hayward dropped Robin’s hand, turning and approaching Ren who was holding the sword to his throat still, shaking in fear.
“You really think I would let you sacrifice your life for a pirate?” Hayward reached for the sword in his hands, pushing it down easily against Ren’s strength. He tried to push back, stepping back from the man and attempting to swing it but instead being disarmed quickly.
“Ren!” Robin ran toward them, hefting her small plasma dagger. She stopped and grunted just a few inches from Hayward, blood dripping to the ground under her. She dropped her dagger at her feet, sizzling as it came to a rest. “Shit.”
Hayward pulled the sword from where it had punctured her, stabbing into her gut just below her ribs. He tutted as Robin collapsed in her own blood, clutching at the wound that was staining its way over her shirt and coat now. Ren could see the deep crimson of her blood stark against the deep blue of the blade, staining the infinite heaven with blood.
“I should’ve done this to you years ago, honestly.” He said, guiding Ren out as he stared shocked at his newfound friend, now laying on the floor bleeding. He could barely feel his feet stumbling along as Hayward led him from the shop, Isshin shouting wildly to the kitchen staff and jumping toward Robin, rolling her over and holding a hand to her wound. “Come on, boy. Your mother’s been worried.”
“Robin! Robin! Get me a hot knife and some rags. You get boiling water, you get the hundred proof from the back room. NOW! MOVE!” Isshin was screaming orders at the cooks that were now crowding behind the counter, meanwhile Hayward was yanking Ren toward the door.
His suit showed no sign that he had just killed a woman. Still bright white and only lightly spotted by the sea spray. He donned his cap again and continued pulling Ren from the building, down the street and toward the waiting port. Ren could see someone being dragged ahead, fighting with their captors.
“Get off me, you bitches!” Ash, screaming at them again and kicking out. “Real strong guys, huh? Arresting a man as he’s leaving the bathroom? Bet your mothers are proud. Did they raise you to be good piggies?”
He stopped when he saw Ren behind him, still being led stumbling by Hayward. He searched around, fear and uncertainty beginning to break the crude exterior.
“Where’s Robin?” He shouted to Ren, who could only stare at him and shake his head, mouth wide but nothing but a sob coming out as tears formed in his eyes. Ash got louder, more frantic. “Where’s Robin!? What did you do with her!”
Hayward marched him past, towards a looming jumpship with the Strat’s clouded feather on the side. He pushed Ren onto the small loading ramp.
“We’ll be leaving momentarily. As soon as the rest of this trash is taken out.” He shoved Ren hard, making him land sitting on the cold steel. He saw the two officers slam Ash down onto the port ground, bringing Kit and Poe out from the Pigeon at the same time and throwing them down beside him.
“No, no no. no…” Ren muttered to himself, seeing Kit and Poe both flailing and shouting. Kit caught sight of him and made eye contact, asking questions without words. He could see their heart break in real time as they put the pieces of what had unfolded together. Kit let out a loud, guttural scream as Poe began hurling insults at the officers, kicking and spitting at them where she could.
Ren’s breathing kept speeding up, eyes going into tunnel vision as the world became one massive blur, a deafening roar in his ears. He didn’t realize what was happening until one of the officers held a gauss pistol to Ash’s head, Hayward walking up and starting to speak.
“Seven years ago your captain and first mate broke out of a labor camp and killed multiple high ranking officials. Fugitives. They’ve committed numerous crimes since, including aiding and abetting other fugitives, piracy, and most of all, treason.” He was delighting in this, savoring every word that rolled off his tongue. “By being in contact and complicit with these two, you are also in direct violation of rules and regulations established by the Atmos Council. How do you three plead?”
“Eat shit.” Ash.
“Suck my dick.” from Kit.
“You limp-dick sons of bitches better not aim one of those damn things at my head or I swear by every god in the Veil and above I’ll shove it up your ass before I shoot it.” Poe, eloquent as always.
“Well, unfortunately for all of you I’ll be doing none of that. Now, I’ll be returning Mr. Calvart to the Strat. You will have the choice of death or labor. Take them.” He turned flippantly, walking back toward Ren. As Ren watched him he could see Aeris swooping through up above, surveying the situation. She gave a squawk, trying to find where Ren was in all the chaos as their ship began to rise.
“Don’t harm them!” Ren screamed again, demanding this time. “They saved me! They saved me from some Parade people! They were going to sell me!”
His appeal met a mind that was already made up. Hayward simply shook his head, pushing Ren further into the ship and closing the bay door as his last sight was the gun still being held to Ash’s head as Aeris made a dive.