A New Job

[Arabella Porter]

 

    "If we come back during the night, it'll be a lot busier. You'll get along too well with Brielle." Ara twirled into the bar wearing a black harem trousers she stole in Israel, a brown tank top, and the cursed scarf, with her aviator goggles around her neck. Natalie followed in with a floral black, purple, and white dress trimmed in black lace. "Aren't you dying in that dress?" Asked Arabella. "It's crazy how you and Michelle manage to keep those fancy dresses on board. Not to say that I'd like doing it but I would have definitely gotten rid of 'em in exchange for the space." The sky pirate hopped up on the bar counter, licking her thumb and scrubbing at a blood stain. 

     

    "So this is where you come when you go out? I should like to meet everyone." Natalie smiled with a ladylike gesture of her hand. Ara looked around, feeling like something wasn't missing. 

    "What happened to Raph-" There was sudden yelling outside that caused an exchanged glade between Natalie and Ara before they rushed outside. 

  

     "I was just politely correcting you, sir." Raphael adjusted his glasses with a thick irritation in his tone. "It was just malapropism." He continued, The addressed sailor began to roll up his sleeves before Ara jumped in the way. 

     "Listen, mate, he's just real tired. Real tired. You know these rich folk, they get so worked up over shit that don't matter." She said backing away with Raphael. 

     "That "doesn't" or "does not" matter." Raphael corrected. 

      "Right," Ara went on, "just ignore 'im, mate. Really."  And the man rolled down his cuffs, spat at them in the street and walked away. Ara dragged Raphael inside with Natalie following in. "You can't do that, Raphael." 

      "Well why not? I was correcting his grammar." He crossed his arms and sat at the bar. "This place is very interesting. Feels almost demonic." 

      "Raph, you're being weird." commented Natalie. 

       "I'm not being weird, I'm being observant and helpful to the poor chimpanzee that doesn't know proper english." 

       "But you're just being irritating."

       "No, I'm being helpful." 

        As they bickered back and forth, Ara poured everyone some ice water and slid each glass on the bar, perking up when a black cloaked figure appeared in the door. She immediately drew her revolver out of habit, knowing from experience that a lot of bounty hunters hide their faces when they enter the bar. But when the cloak hood there was no bounty hunter but something even more intimidating. 

       "Are you going to stand there gawking at me? Drop that ridiculous thing, you savage little girl." The old woman walked past Ara who still had the gun pointed at the door with the shock of Thomas Dunning's mother having walked into the Rejected Gear. Behind her, Natalie and Raphael began to thank Mrs. Dunning for bailing them out of jail five days ago. The woman smiled kindly and then turned back to Ara, "Well, pour me some lemonade. Come now." She demanded. Ara closed her eyes and took a deep breath before holstering her weapon and walking behind the bar to grab the lemonade. 

      "So, Eudora. what brings you here?" she asked as the woman took a sip of the refreshing yellow drink. 

      "An angry family. His fiancee's. My son's taken a trip to America with Chrysanthemum, his bride-to-be. Actually, it's more that she followed him. The parents of the girl want Thomas' grandfather to sort it out. I told daddy I'd take care of it though." She said with a tired look in her eye. 

     "You want us to kidnap a runaway rich girl and bring her home? What if she and Thomas are already married?" Ara asked. "It was the arranged marriage. That would be pretty weird." 

     "He won't marry her. He left without her, the poor thing. She just disappeared in the night." said the Lady with her pinky up as she sipped the lemonade. Ara sipped at her ice water. "But I don't want your whole crew to go. I just want you. It's just a little mission. It's no grand affair." Ara stared at the blood stain on the bar counter and then looked back up to Eudora, glancing to Natalie and Raphael. This could pay the debt she owes the woman for saving the crew. Captain Charlotte would have to be informed but...

     "I'll do it." 

     "There's word that she's in Boston." 

      "I said I'd…" Ara stopped short and thought long and hard, smoothing her hair back as she turned away from the bar. She had been home before to let her mother know she was alive. Could she really go back again though? The darkness in Scotland Yard was bad enough.  "It's just a city." She whispered and turned back, staring Eudora in the eyes, fearless.  

                                     "I'll do it."