BuggaBoo
Skull💀Duggery~!!
Comet Blossoms - 'Coms, The Flower Girl.'
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Comet and Friends by the Shop...
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(Morning) Pondering at the Shop...
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"Shadowy Archers in the belly of Bellus, Coal. And one of them does this lass recognize."
The girl stat on the stoop at the rear entrance, an elbow on a knee, a single hand neath her light brown chin to prop up her head. Her lone green eye stared at her black feathered friend as he worked on the sandwich pieces she fed him. But she really wasn't staring at him, rather she was staring through him back into those yellowed times when she herself had encountered archers. Those were those times that she cried oh so hard. She had survived such encounters whereas those closest to her were buried at sea. But no tears fell now for Comet was forsaken. She was not worthy. She was Vagrant now.
"And the recognized... Coal, never in a million years should this lass ever have suspected that the inn Cleaner Girl, an archer she would be."
Once more she tossed another morsel for Coal and once more she shook her head. The connection took a bit of time to formulate and connect in the denseness of her mind but it finally did hit her. Calli was a lass she knew in passing yes, however, Comet knew her as but merely a maintenance worker at one of the inns. The blonde completely brushed aside that Calli had hidden her true self; who was Comet to judge? It was the fact that Calli was an 'archer' was what shocked her. Perhaps she would not have fixated so much on it had she have been a 'hunter.' But Comet knew she was not a hunter. There was no way.
No hunter would shoot at a man in the city streets in broad daylight. Especially at a man that had the abilitiy to snatch arrows right out of the air, barehanded no less. Comet herself knew she was not the sharpest tool in the shed, but even she knew better than to involve herself in a fight between 2 such individuals. Both were most definitely more dangerous than she but--
"--these 3 wretches all be hiding hands bright red. Aye. Bad and rotten people they be, Coal. Bad, bad, bad."
Perhaps she should have found some semblance of peace once she saw the pair traipse off together, Coal had even circled round the pub that they entered, but no it did not. No, for it finally clicked in her mind; the cryptic warning from Auntie Shan to Comet as to why the lass should not view the excecution. Auntie Shan wanted to shield Comet from Comet's own memories. Both knees separated and she sat now, rather unladylike, resting both elbows on knees and both hands holding her head.
"'You shall think it will be the actions of others, child. But'..."
No matter how differently they dressed, no matter how differently they tried to talk, no matter how differently they acted to fit in, happy or not, Calli and Comet were playing the same game. They were both running from a past that never saw proper closure because the past does not lie. Auntie found out that Comet was actually a pirate. And now Comet found out that Calli was an archer. She had no actual proof, but she was certain that like she, Calli too was a killer.
"...'in the end it is you who will tell on you'."
Comet sat there motionless for several minutes trying to reconcile her mental gymnastics and breakthrough. The sound of a small metallic item falling at her feet stirred her. From high above, Coal cawed away bidding her farewell as he soared above her. She forced a smile, waved up high at him and thanked him for another one of his gifts. A button. A rather elegant thing in its simplicity and with quite the heft to it to. To Comet it looked like a less ornate button that would be worn by Naval Officers. After a minute of marvelling at it, she tucked it in her satchel and chuckled to herself. Another little bobble from her feathered friend to add to her collection. But the mirth was shortlived. It died the exact moment her fingertips brushed the cold steel of her massive knife.
Captain Rai'Shauni's voice roared in her head and bright red burned across her cheeks. 'By blood and ink are we linked! Like chains of the anchor we must never be broken! By Blood and Ink does your Captain bind ye! Break that bond dares she! Dares she for yer sorry hide to betray yer ship! Betray yer crew! Betray yer Captain--' Despite the knee-weakening shame, Comet scarmbled to her feet and willed herself back into the shop and slammed the back door shut, locking out the open air and the haunting voices of another lifetime.
Blonde hair draped across her face like a golden kraken as she pressed her back against the heavy door. She was breathing hard, shoulders rolling up and down fighting the good fight to stave off the tears.
"'I' am a loverly Bellus girl...! 'I' am a loverly Bellus girl...! 'I' am a loverly Bellus girl...!" both hands pulled strands of golden locks at her temples as she repeated her mantra in desperation. Comet would only cease, body still shivering, once the ghostly laughter of her captain faded and finally died.
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(Dusk) Closing Shop...
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Loud and excited chatter spread like wildfire, the moment Mrs. Kolah (as the workers called Auntie Shan. Well, that or 'Yes, Ma'am') turned the wooden sign from OPEN to CLOSED. Such was the magic of closing time. All those employed were well trained and disciplined, polite yet stoic as Auntie would have them. But that magical moment that sign flipped, she turned a blind eye to the sudden change in exuberance in those upon her payroll.
A quartet of teens gathered and put their arms around each other. Enthusiastically included in the group hug was Comet. These 4 were former urchins that had befriended the sturdy blonde in her garden and turned out to be rather hardworking and respectful young folks. And so with some heavy persuasion-- more like prodding-- Comet had convinced Auntie to hire them on during busy season. The rest was history. Auntie herself had to admit that she had been wrong in painting all orphans and urchins with a blackened brush of disdain and mistrust.
The rest of the employees had gathered in their respective groupings by area of work: Weavers and Netting, Stock and Receivers, Carpenters, Tool setters, etc. There were a lot of hands that Auntie had to pay out but ever since she had taken Comet in under her wing, the bottom line no longer was of importance to her. Yes, she did take a masssive hit to income flow, including loss of half their business generation when her husband died (it broke her heart that she had to sell his vessel), but Comet showed and taught the middle-aged woman there was so much more worth in life than merely focussing upon than the riches she could attain. She was already wealthy enough but the one thing she had failed to see was that a huge nest egg was nothing if there was no egg to hatch to hand it all over to.
When Comet came into her life, she realized just how lonely she was and how she regretted her decision to not have children.
And so those that she had under wing at the shop became surrogate to her loss. And Comet by default became her ward too. Creator love her, was Auntie Shan ever thankful for the girl.
Part of the success of the fisherman and tackle shop was their customer service; Auntie Shan always made sure she had enough staff on hand to blow the competition out of the water when it came to making her customers feel more like guests than potential sources of coin stacks. That and the hauls this year was better than the last few years. For whatever reason fishstocks in the rivers and connected lakes had reached impressive numbers. Perhaps the prayers to the Creator encouraged them to paint a better picture for the good fishing people of Bellus. At least that is what Auntie believed.
But as religious as she was, Shantal was no fool. She had lived all her life in Bellus and she had lived through the years when the fishing industry was decimated. So she knew the fickleness of Fate and thusly she would enjoy vicariously , through her workers, a positive work environment that a woman of her status, wealth and prestige could never know.
"Settle down. Settle down now, everyone..." Auntie Shan slid past Mr. Dunlevy, her bulky and well built chaperone. A level gaze she laid upon her employees. She then tamped upon the floor the tip of her parasol several times to gain their attention.
"In light of all that has transpired today, despite the excitement for such a barbaric procession, I am so elated and enthused that all of you showed up and maintained your necessary air of professionalism. As you can see but the sheer amount of business that we encrued today was less than usual; it seems as if our regular customer based was 'distracted' and thus they strayed away from duty and did not need us. So it should be obvious to all that we took a hit on sales today so..."
The uncomfort of where this convo was leading was written across all the longtime employees of the shop. They had to swallow back their disdain when they lost wages due to loss of business even in the slightest. Some shifted with unease, others face palmed, few others scowled before balling their hands into fists. They watched as the silverheaded lady in the skyblue, frilly, ankle length dress waltzed over to the front counter. Shantal rested her hands down upon its worn wooden surface and held her blue eyed gaze levelly at all gathered.
"So I have decided to expand the business against better judgement. I have decided to fire our entire Netting and Carpentry division--" a chorus of audible groans , curses and the sound of worker gloves and rags being tossed upon the ground in anger and disgust echoed in the awkward pause.
Auntie held up her hands in protest, "Please hear me out. I have decided to fire our entire Netting and Carpentry division... so as to rehire them for the next venture. And I bid them all a fair welcome aboard my reinstated fishing vessel...!"
Comet jumped not expecting the raucous cheers and her teen friends rushing her. She hadn't been following all of what Auntie was saying. The gist she caught was that her other work friends were being fired and somehow they were happy about that...? Auntie held a wide grin upon her face as she patted the shoulders of the grown men as they wept with joy; they had been loyal to her for 7 years since they lost their jobs as fishermen once her husband died. They never expected to be sailing again and doing what was written across their hearts once more. They grasped her hand and squeezed warmly, She squeezed back. Then to her ward Auntie Shan turned and spoke gently.
"I re-purchased Darnello's old boat, dear. We are no longer just a shop near the docks. We will be fishing again! I hope my late husbands best friend, Patrice takes my offer as captain. But other than that, its all set to go, dear."
It took a second longer for her to process but when she finally got it, she whooped loudly, broke away from her friends and rushed into Auntie. The girl wrapped her arms around the woman nearly squeezing the life outta her, "Oh but Auntie! So happy is this lass for ya! Nyarr and again nyarr! Exciting and grand new, tis, Auntie Shan! Oh but how this lass would love to sail but once upon such a vessel!"
"But of course. All of us here at the shop will take the maiden voyage, Comet. Such a grand time is meant for a loverly Bellus girl proper."
Comet smiled softly and lowered her caramel chin. She then grasped both Auntie's hands in hers and curtsied. The frills upon her dress hem and sleeves ruffled as if blessed by the whispers of a cool salty seabreeze.
Coal had landed upon the roof and dropped the note upon her head. The others were too distracted saying their final goodbyes for the night to notice the midnight hued bird. Some had gathered round to walk back towards the middle of the Hive whilst others gathered to hop on the sides of the carriage until they got to their northern stops in town. The quartet however saw Comet scrawl hastily upon the parchement before hastily rolling it up and passing back to Coal.
"What did she say, Blossoms?" asked Marleyna, the eldest of the quartet, "shall we meet up?"
"Wandering the town is Layna," Comet slung an arm around the lone male of their group, "sounds lonely, eh, Haddie? Perhaps needed is a strong young gent for her to loop arm around, no?"
The girls laughed as Hadley blushed and pulled away, "I have no idea what you're talking about. Not a single idea--"
"Of course not a single idea does this lad have--" said Sapphire.
"For airhead answers could only be provided by airheads. Nyarr and again nyarr." finished Sunset.
It was truly annoying at first but soon enough they all accepted the twin girls penchant for copying Comet's strange way of phrasing things. They even went so far sometimes as to refer to themselves in third person as Comet always did to herself. The problem was that the younger orphans and urchins caught on to this and began to speak like Comet too.
"Be nice, you two. See how nicely you get treated then once you yourselves fall in love--"
"I'm not in love!"
"Verrrrrry well. Says you are not then not you are. Here shall ya waits? Auntie's permission must this lass beckon."
"Ughs. But sadly not partaking are these twins, Ms. Blossoms. Found some nightwork they did--"
"What kind of 'nightwork'?!" Marleyna puffed up and balled her fists. It was written across her face as to what kind of work she assumed the twins were insinuating, "Well?Tell me true or have me n' Haddie beat it outta yer hides!"
"Marleyna! Think not so unkindly of us, big sister--"
"Night work that these twins will do 'tis at an inn. Washing dishes will we do, big sis!"
"Ayyyyyye then. But should this lass find out that the twins have been on knees or backs earning coin--"
"Marley... big sis, now you're talking like Comet too." Haddie couldn't help but laugh as he patted Marley on the shoulder.
"Ugghh!! See what you do to me?!"
The quartet laughed as Comet slunk on over to Auntie Shan.
"Auntie Shan... Something presses upon this lass' mind. And so--"
"Yes. Oh, do not look so surprised dearie, I said; 'yes.'"
"But... but--"
"Why? Well did you stray from your path today like I asked you not to do?"
"Stray? Nay and again nay. Your Comet be eye impaired not ear impaired."
Auntie smiled. Perhaps she should refrain from using such sayings to scold her ward from now on. But that was besides the point. "And I believe you. And I have faith that you are safe. Especially with Ms. Marleyna in your midst. For such a youth, she has a grand head upon those shoulders. Go on then. Have fun dear, and stay out of trouble."
Comet nodded graciously. Both kissed each others cheeks and Comet turned to walk back to her friends.
"Know truly that we will discuss the state of your 'loverly garb' once you arrive, Comet. Truly know that..."
The blonde did not turn around; she did not want to expose to Auntie the bright pink shame rushing across her tattooed cheeks. Instead she merely nodded and meekly replied; "Aye Auntie Shan. Knows it truly does this lass."
Upon return, the quartet cheered altogther despite Haddie having been persuaed by the twins to join them. The inn was looking for extra help tonight and could use a barback. Executions always seemed to bring out the coins from folks purses. It was so nice to discuss the bloody, head-lopping happenings of the day over food and drink afterall. The decided groups bid each other a noisy yet fond farewell as usual. Soon enough Coal had returned and dropped another msg for them.
"What's it say then, Blossy?"
A wide grin spread across her light brown face. A lone green eye glinted as they stared into dark ones gazing back at her expectantly, "Nearby is Ms. Layna. Togetrher shall we meet!"
"And together shall we pipe!! Hahahahah!" Marley held up her happy smoking device in triumph.
"Shhhhh...! Still in earshot is Auntie Shan, Marley...!"
"Oi, should the old lady wish to join in on the sky high merriments then, aye, puff-pull, all the-- mrpph mrppmph--"
Comet shoved a gloved hand over Marley's mouth and half dragged her friend out in to the street away from the shop. Coal cawwed away as he took wing and followed.
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