Post by Arsenal on Feb 8, 2024 14:43:44 GMT -8
Gunfire…
Not the usual sound one hears inside the Devil’s Domain as firearms tend to be frowned upon so as to avoid certain accidents happening. Moreover, there was always a rumor amongst those denizens of perdition that their Dark Lord had a personal stake against the weapons that went further than not wanting to become the next Waco or Ruby Ridge.
But in the northwest corner of the compound, a fifteen minute jaunt on foot from the area so as to keep it away from the children present, a makeshift shooting range had been set up even if it was only used by two members of the group that currently occupied the complex.
Twenty-nine-year-old Ashley Kenyon had grown up with guns in New Orleans. She’d been taught to shoot pellet guns when she was five and gradually learned others over the next few years, both of her parents taking the time to impress upon her the importance of having a healthy respect for the death dealer in her hands.
For twenty-eight-year-old Aerynn Maguire, guns had been a necessity growing to parents with alleged IRA ties in Dublin, Ireland and then in living in Boston, Las Vegas and now New Orleans. This made gunplay something she was used to, even if it was not her favorite form of intentional infliction of physical distress.
Both had found they would need something like this here following the destruction of several previous Children of Nephilim temporary headquarters, first the farmhouse that had seemingly been in the middle of nowhere that the members of Bene Elohim had called home and used to house demons that were in various states of re-education had been demolished by an explosion that had been seen from a meeting sight that was almost half a mile away and then a gated mansion that had been owned by the woman who held the title of Harbinger.
Both should have been safer than almost any other location on earth at the time they were shown to be lacking…
Upon entering the new Hell, both members of Mayhem had immediately sought a place to sharpen themselves. Questions had been asked, time was taken to plan it out to make sure it would not attract the attention of either the authorities or the children who would call this place home. This corner had been selected because of its natural features that muffled the sounds of anything short of a major explosion making it perfect for a shooting gallery.
The two women walk over to their steel gun cabinet, build in what looks like a carport to shelter the ammunition from the elements. Ashley and Aerynn remained the only two with a key that could open the lock. It stood next to a covered counter from which the shooters would stand to face their targets. Several weapons were kept in the cabinet as well though each also had two personal weapons they carried in thigh and boot holsters at all times.
Aerynn Maguire: D’ye ever bae gettin’ tired o’ th’ tactical boots out haer?
Ashley looks at the black tactical boots she and Aerynn are both sporting that match their tactical pants and vests. Only their respective t-shirts differ, Aerynn wearing one that depicts John Wick and Ashley wearing one that depicts Deadpool lying on a bearskin rug.
Ashley Kenyon: For this?
Looking back to her friend, Ashley shakes her head in the negative.
Ashley Kenyon: No, I find them comfortable for this kind of thing. The others I’ve tried…
She laughs despite herself as she remembers older trials.
Ashley Kenyon: I actually tried high tops Jordans once… almost got arrested…
Aerynn stares at her friend in shocked disbelief.
Aerynn Maguire: How’d ye manage tha?
Ashley snickers as she opens the cabinet and retrieves four clips each.
Ashley Kenyon: Ran an infiltration op on this fuckin’ Scarface wannabe dude’s house. They were new shoes so I was tryin’ not to fuck ‘em up and was so precious about it that I left bigger footprints in a flower bed that I didn’t even need to go near because Bethy picked the lock on the door after Nik turned off his security system. I thought they were gonna fire my ass for sure!
She hands Aerynn her clips and then steps over to the counter where she sets hers down in a neat row. Aerynn joins her by her right elbow setting her own clips down as Ashley had.
Aerynn Maguire: Ye raelly bae tinkin’ they would fire ye then?
Ashley shrugs tentatively.
Ashley Kenyon: I did… I shouldn’t have. Legally, it would have been a problem since I owned a quarter of the business at that point. They would have had to buy me out but there was a clause in Mama’s will that said if they bought one of us out, they had to buy both of us out so…
Aerynn nods slowly, realization setting in as she does so.
Aerynn Maguire: So, tae fire ye, they’d have had tae fire Bethany as well?
Ashley nods, chuckling to herself.
Ashley Kenyon: It never dawned on me what the situation was at the time. I was so fixated on how I was the youngest and I was the tag-along, I never saw that one, they couldn’t get rid of me even if they wanted to and two, Bethy would never have let Nik and Jezzy even consider it. Nik would never have gone along with it and Jezzy knew it so she would never have given that breath life unless she was really fucking wasted…
Aerynn can’t help but grin for a second, the grin vasnishing as quickly as it had arrived.
Aerynn Maguire: Like she did that one time… ?
Ashley nods grimly.
Ashley Kenyon: Yeah, absinthe and Jezzy usually didn’t mix, especially when there was a cocaine chaser. You got to see then… what happened when they did…
Both go quiet as they silently recall the match in UWA where Aerynn had defended her world championship against all three members of Arsenal in a four-way dance. Bethany, Ashley and Jeszika Gautier had all come into the match riding personal highs when it came to wrestling and Nikki Peltier was enjoying success as their collective manager.
Aerynn Maguire: Why did she bae doin’ tha? Biggest match o’ her career an’ she’s gettin’ smashed like tha?
Ashley exhales deeply as she considers this question.
Ashley Kenyon: I think the pressure got to her. She was trying to please her new girlfriend at the time, she still kinda held Reno against Bethy and didn’t wanna admit that she did. I don’t think she expected to get that match with you and she damn sure didn’t feel like she really deserved it and she was still working a few jobs as well and it…
Placing her hands on the counter on either side of her clips, Ashley purses her lips, visibly grinding her teeth underneath. A second later, she stands back up straight and just shakes her head.
Ashley Kenyon: We were still collectively partyin’ a lot then, though Nik had already started to pull back because she was starting to spend more time with Richie and Richie didn’t like the coke.
She pauses and then nods slowly to herself more than anything else.
Ashley Kenyon: In a roundabout way, we can thank him for cutting all of us back.
Aerynn stares at Ashley and cocks her head interrogatively.
Aerynn Maguire: How’s tha?
Ashley shrugs ever so slightly, barely moving her head at all.
Ashley Kenyon: Nik started to pull back because of him. Bethy cut everything out after that incident with this match and it was made easier by the fact that Nik had nothing she was doing. That left me and Jezzy and as much as everyone used to love calling me a cokewhore in public…
She pauses to nod in ready acknowledgement.
Ashley Kenyon: And yes, I did love me some fuckin’ snow…
Aerynnn nods as she steps over the second cabinet sitting behind the first one and opens it. She retrieves the bottles of Seagram’s 7 and Crown Royal.
Ashley Kenyon: I never did it by myself. Like, I kept usin’ then because my boyfriend, Billy, used and even turned me on to smack too, which…
She pauses and nods again in acknowledgement.
Ashley Kenyon: You know…
Aerynn nods as she retrieves a two-liter bottle of coca-cola and two highball glasses.
Aerynn Maguire: Aye, I do…
Ashley sighs heavily.
Ashley Kenyon: God, I miss that…
Aerynn frowns back as she starts to open the bottles.
Aerynn Maguire: Ye bae missin’ cocaine?
Ashley shakes her head sadly.
Ashley Kenyon: No…
Aerynn frowns even harder.
Aerynn Maguire: Then…?
Ashley glances over at the bottles and nods towards them and the accompanying glasses.
Ashley Kenyon: Stuff like this…
She waves her hand to point at the glasses and the two of them.
Ashley Kenyon: That used to be my favorite part of the jobs, when they would be over and the four of us would go out and just have fun together. It didn’t matter if we were gettin’ fucked up or if we were goin’ to a ballgame. It was the family type stuff that I’d been missin’ since Mama died and I wasn’t ready for it be over when it was…
Trailing off, Ashley looks down at her feet in shame. She places her hands behind her head and then looks up to the sky.
Ashley Kenyon: I wasn’t ready for Nik to not wanna go out anymore. I wasn’t ready for Bethy to go cold turkey and I wasn’t ready for Jezzy to admit she needed help and do what amounted to rehab with Dr. Reva. I felt…
Aerynn nods as Ashley trails off yet again.
Aerynn Maguire: Abandoned?
Ashley nods, her hands dropping back to her sides as Aerynn starts fixing their drinks.
Aerynn Maguire: Were ye angry wt me fer laevin’ Las Vegas then?
Ashley shakes her head.
Ashley Kenyon: By the time that happened, our little drinkin’ group had already been smashed some anyway. Sorsh went to train and then got grabbed. You’d had that thing your daddy and Eef had gone to Seattle with Valerie. I had warning that time…
Pausing, she nods to the range, staring vacantly off into the distance.
Ashley Kenyon: And a war to steal my focus to say nothing of Jake…
Aerynn can’t help but grin playfully at her friend.
Aerynn Maguire: Ye never do, Ash, why start now?
Ashley grins back as Aerynn adds in the ice.
Aerynn Maguire: How did ye bae gettin’ us an ice maker out haer?
Before Ashley can answer, a third voice greets their ears from behind.
Voice: It was requested and we did as asked.
Ashley and Aerynn turn to find the Asian woman known as Sariel standing there nodding to them matter-of-factly.
Sariel: It was deemed important to keep you happy.
Aerynn lifts her drink up and smiles.
Aerynn Maguire: Cheers, Lass!
She takes her first swig and then sets it down before pulling her smaller gun from her boot, a Glock 26.
Aerynn Maguire: I go first then?
Ashley nods as she takes her own glass.
Ashley Kenyon: You want one, Sister Sara?
Sariel shakes her head, even as a small smile comes to her face at Ashley’s usage of her nickname.
Sariel: I am on rounds.
Ashley nods as she takes a sip.
Ashley Kenyon: Good point…
Aerynn takes aim and fires groups of five shots at three different targets. Sariel steps up and looks out at the targets.
Sariel: Nice grouping.
Aerynn nods to herself and switches to her larger Glock 34. Again she squeezes off groups of five shots and again when she finishes, Sariel nods her approval.
Sariel: You are always such as this?
Aerynn shrugs before placing her gun back in its holster and picking up her glass.
Aerynn Maguire: I’ve gotten better since Ash set this li’l palace up fer us tae practice in.
Ashley sets her glass down and pulls her own Glock 34 from her thigh holster. She takes her first clip and empties it amongst her five targets, reloading as she goes until she’s unloaded all five clips. As she finishes, she steps back, scans the area and then shakes her head. She slides her gun back into it’s holster and then storms off, walking three steps into the sunshine before she makes a sound.
Ashley Kenyon: MotherFUCKER!!!!!
She kicks at a rock and squeezes both hands into fists.
Ashley Kenyon: I’m gonna part his fuckin’ hair for him if it’s the last fuckin’ thing…. GOD FUCKING DAMMIT!!!!!
Sariel stares at Ashley, her mouth open in surprise.
Sariel: But she only made one hole in each target…
Aerynn nods.
Aerynn Maguire: She’ll bae like this fer th’ naxt ten minutes or so… she’s angry wit herself fer nay baein’ as good a shot as her friend, Jezzy…
Sariel glances back and squints at the targets.
Sariel: But… she did not miss….
Aerynn nods, sipping on her drink.
Aerynn Maguire: Aye, tha bae true, Sara. Tae us, she bae Deadshot but tae Ash, she didna bae kaepin’ them all perfectly through the same hole. Each hole widened jess enough fer her tae bae noticin’ it wasna perfect…
Sariel just continues to stare in disbelief.
Sariel: But, if that was a person…
Aerynn nods knowingly.
Aerynn Maguire: They’d have five shots right baetween th’ eyes, aye…
Sariel glances back at the targets again and then back to Ashley.
Sariel: She will be ok?
Aerynn nods without hesitation.
Aerynn Maguire: Happens errytime, this does… she’ll bae angry at herself fer ten, mebba fifteen minutes an’ then she’ll finish her drink an’ we’ll bae walkin’ back tae her Twoey an’ erryting will bae fine again…
Sariel turns to face Aerynn.
Sariel: You look amused.
Aerynn nods her agreement.
Aerynn Maguire: I am… only Ash would bae performin’ like tha an’ bae angry wit herself fer it…
Sariel nods and then turns to see Ashley still screaming at herself in the field.
Sariel: You are certain this normal?
Aerynn can’t help but laugh.
Aerynn Maguire: There nay bae ennithin normal about her, Lass… but fer Ash…
She nods quickly.
Aerynn Maguire: Aye, this bae perfectly normal b’haviour.
Sariel nods quickly.
Sariel: You are wanted back at the house in an hour.
Aerynn nods to Sariel gratefully.
Aerynn Maguire: Aye, we’ll bae there….
Sariel nods in return and walks off in the opposite direction as Ashley storms back and snatches up her glass. Aerynn watches her start to drink and starts laughing all over again.
Aerynn Maguire: I tink ye bae scarin’ poor Sara there, Ash…
Ashley wheels on her friend, setting her half empty glass down on the counter.
Ashley Kenyon: What?
Aerynn nods in the direction the Asian woman had disappeared into.
Aerynn Maguire: I tink yer li’l outburst…
Ashley glances out in the direction indicated as Aerynn trails off.
Ashley Kenyon: Shit…
Exhaling forcefully, Ashley licks the inside of her mouth, trying to regain her composure.
Ashley Kenyon: You think she’s gonna tell the principal on me?
Aerynn shakes her head.
Aerynn Maguire: Tha one’d take yer saecret tae th’ grave…
Ashley stares off into the distance for a time and then nods absently.
Ashley Kenyon: I know she would…
Turning back to the counter, she stares out at her targets and the anger starts to rise up all over again.
Ashley Kenyon: I need to be better, Rynn. I’ve got vermin to air out…
Aerynn nods, setting her own half empty glass down next to Ashley’s.
Ashley Kenyon: Ye will, Ash. Ye’ll bae havin’ yer chance…
Ashley looks at the targets again and then nods.
Ashley Kenyon: Did I hear her say we needed to go back?
Aerynn nods as she picks up her glass and empties it properly.
Aerynn Maguire: Soon as we bae done…
Ashley quickly empties her glass and Aerynn accepts it from her. The two clean up after themselves, finishing with Ashley locking the gun cabinet securely.
Ashley Kenyon: Alright, let’s go…
Aerynn nods.
Aerynn Maguire: Aye…
The two turn and walk off back towards the house, both allowing visions of fights yet to come to dance in their heads. After they’ve been walking for a couple of minutes, Aerynn nods to Ashley.
Aerynn Maguire: Ye bae knowin’ ye kin do this, yeah? Tha ye kin already…
Ashley doesn’t even bother to look.
Ashley Kenyon: You hit him in the face, right?
Aerynn starts to nod.
Aerynn Maguire: Anthony, Abs, Workout Man, Sathanas?
Ashley nods angrily.
Ashley Kenyon: Yeah, you hit him in the face with a shot, right?
Aerynn starts to nod.
Aerynn Maguire: Aye, I did…
Ashley stops and wheels on her friend, her hand coming within half an inch of Aerynn’s face.
Ashley Kenyon: I had Ruvik this… fuckin’... close…. And I didn’t even mark him….
Aerynn stares back into the hatred in Ashley’s eyes.
Aerynn Maguire: Ye couldnay have opened fire there, Ash, ye would…
Ashley nods and turns away, looking like she wants to stomp as she does so.
Ashley Kenyon: I know, and I wanted to air Martin’s fuckin’ ass out for it in that second but….
Hot, angry tears start to force their way out of her eyes.
Ashley Kenyon: I also know he was right to stop me, I just wish I would have at least pistol whipped that piece of shit before…
She looks down to the ground, the tears rolling down her face now.
Ashley Kenyon: I let him get away, Rynn. I had him and I let him squirrel away again! Twoey was doing fuckin’ awesome before she bumped into that fuckin’...
Aerynn moves around and squats down to look into her friend’s eyes.
Aerynn Maguire: Hey, ye did whot ye could. How many demons did we bae takin’ away now? Squad after suad bae disappaerin’ off th’ board fer tha wannabe devil tha couldna aeven bae arsed tae come up wit an original name. He had tae borrow a version o’ Joshua’s…
Ashley shakes her head, the tears still coming.
Ashley Kenyon: I failed her, Rynn. That was one of the reasons we’re here and I didn’t fucking…
Aerynn shakes her head and then takes Ashley into her arms, hugging not unlike a mother.
Aerynn Maguire: Ye dinna bae failin’ ennyone, Ash. Maiko’s still haer, she’s still ready tae fight. He kinna hold Ruvik an’ th’ others back even if he wanted tae do so baecause we bae takin’ so many from him. Ye’ll get him yet, Lass, I know ye will.
Ashley hugs Aerynn tightly, now sobbing uncontrollably.
Ashley Kenyon: I wanna help her so bad, Rynn. I wanna help her and I don’t know how to do it… I feel so goddamn helpless ... useless….
Aerynn shakes her head.
Aerynn Maguire: Yer nay useless, Ash…
She pulls back and takes Ashley’s tear-strewn face into her hands.
Aerynn Maguire: Ye baw helpin’ her best ye can. There bae no doubt in me mind tha witout yer love, she’d bae lost an’ so broken we’d ne’er bae able tae find her in there ennymore. Ye kaep her from hidin’ in there, from baein’ locked up inside herself…
She looks into her friends eyes and nods.
Aerynn Maguire: D’ye bae haerin’ me, Lass?
Ashley ndos through her tears but Aerynn is insistent.
Aerynn Maguire: D’ye bae haerin’ me, Ash? We kinna bae fightin’ Valdemar witout ye baein’ in th’ game, do d’ye bae haerin’ me?
Ashley takes a deep breath and nods, grasping Aerynn’s arms at the wrist.
Ashley Kenyon: Thank you…
Aerynn smiles and hugs her friend again.
Aerynn Maguire: Yer me sister, Ash, there bae nuttin’ I wouldnay bae doin’ fer ye!
Ashley hugs back.
Ashley Kenyon: I love you too.
The two snicker at each other and then finish their walk back to the house and the fight they know is to come.
Not the usual sound one hears inside the Devil’s Domain as firearms tend to be frowned upon so as to avoid certain accidents happening. Moreover, there was always a rumor amongst those denizens of perdition that their Dark Lord had a personal stake against the weapons that went further than not wanting to become the next Waco or Ruby Ridge.
But in the northwest corner of the compound, a fifteen minute jaunt on foot from the area so as to keep it away from the children present, a makeshift shooting range had been set up even if it was only used by two members of the group that currently occupied the complex.
Twenty-nine-year-old Ashley Kenyon had grown up with guns in New Orleans. She’d been taught to shoot pellet guns when she was five and gradually learned others over the next few years, both of her parents taking the time to impress upon her the importance of having a healthy respect for the death dealer in her hands.
For twenty-eight-year-old Aerynn Maguire, guns had been a necessity growing to parents with alleged IRA ties in Dublin, Ireland and then in living in Boston, Las Vegas and now New Orleans. This made gunplay something she was used to, even if it was not her favorite form of intentional infliction of physical distress.
Both had found they would need something like this here following the destruction of several previous Children of Nephilim temporary headquarters, first the farmhouse that had seemingly been in the middle of nowhere that the members of Bene Elohim had called home and used to house demons that were in various states of re-education had been demolished by an explosion that had been seen from a meeting sight that was almost half a mile away and then a gated mansion that had been owned by the woman who held the title of Harbinger.
Both should have been safer than almost any other location on earth at the time they were shown to be lacking…
Upon entering the new Hell, both members of Mayhem had immediately sought a place to sharpen themselves. Questions had been asked, time was taken to plan it out to make sure it would not attract the attention of either the authorities or the children who would call this place home. This corner had been selected because of its natural features that muffled the sounds of anything short of a major explosion making it perfect for a shooting gallery.
The two women walk over to their steel gun cabinet, build in what looks like a carport to shelter the ammunition from the elements. Ashley and Aerynn remained the only two with a key that could open the lock. It stood next to a covered counter from which the shooters would stand to face their targets. Several weapons were kept in the cabinet as well though each also had two personal weapons they carried in thigh and boot holsters at all times.
Aerynn Maguire: D’ye ever bae gettin’ tired o’ th’ tactical boots out haer?
Ashley looks at the black tactical boots she and Aerynn are both sporting that match their tactical pants and vests. Only their respective t-shirts differ, Aerynn wearing one that depicts John Wick and Ashley wearing one that depicts Deadpool lying on a bearskin rug.
Ashley Kenyon: For this?
Looking back to her friend, Ashley shakes her head in the negative.
Ashley Kenyon: No, I find them comfortable for this kind of thing. The others I’ve tried…
She laughs despite herself as she remembers older trials.
Ashley Kenyon: I actually tried high tops Jordans once… almost got arrested…
Aerynn stares at her friend in shocked disbelief.
Aerynn Maguire: How’d ye manage tha?
Ashley snickers as she opens the cabinet and retrieves four clips each.
Ashley Kenyon: Ran an infiltration op on this fuckin’ Scarface wannabe dude’s house. They were new shoes so I was tryin’ not to fuck ‘em up and was so precious about it that I left bigger footprints in a flower bed that I didn’t even need to go near because Bethy picked the lock on the door after Nik turned off his security system. I thought they were gonna fire my ass for sure!
She hands Aerynn her clips and then steps over to the counter where she sets hers down in a neat row. Aerynn joins her by her right elbow setting her own clips down as Ashley had.
Aerynn Maguire: Ye raelly bae tinkin’ they would fire ye then?
Ashley shrugs tentatively.
Ashley Kenyon: I did… I shouldn’t have. Legally, it would have been a problem since I owned a quarter of the business at that point. They would have had to buy me out but there was a clause in Mama’s will that said if they bought one of us out, they had to buy both of us out so…
Aerynn nods slowly, realization setting in as she does so.
Aerynn Maguire: So, tae fire ye, they’d have had tae fire Bethany as well?
Ashley nods, chuckling to herself.
Ashley Kenyon: It never dawned on me what the situation was at the time. I was so fixated on how I was the youngest and I was the tag-along, I never saw that one, they couldn’t get rid of me even if they wanted to and two, Bethy would never have let Nik and Jezzy even consider it. Nik would never have gone along with it and Jezzy knew it so she would never have given that breath life unless she was really fucking wasted…
Aerynn can’t help but grin for a second, the grin vasnishing as quickly as it had arrived.
Aerynn Maguire: Like she did that one time… ?
Ashley nods grimly.
Ashley Kenyon: Yeah, absinthe and Jezzy usually didn’t mix, especially when there was a cocaine chaser. You got to see then… what happened when they did…
Both go quiet as they silently recall the match in UWA where Aerynn had defended her world championship against all three members of Arsenal in a four-way dance. Bethany, Ashley and Jeszika Gautier had all come into the match riding personal highs when it came to wrestling and Nikki Peltier was enjoying success as their collective manager.
Aerynn Maguire: Why did she bae doin’ tha? Biggest match o’ her career an’ she’s gettin’ smashed like tha?
Ashley exhales deeply as she considers this question.
Ashley Kenyon: I think the pressure got to her. She was trying to please her new girlfriend at the time, she still kinda held Reno against Bethy and didn’t wanna admit that she did. I don’t think she expected to get that match with you and she damn sure didn’t feel like she really deserved it and she was still working a few jobs as well and it…
Placing her hands on the counter on either side of her clips, Ashley purses her lips, visibly grinding her teeth underneath. A second later, she stands back up straight and just shakes her head.
Ashley Kenyon: We were still collectively partyin’ a lot then, though Nik had already started to pull back because she was starting to spend more time with Richie and Richie didn’t like the coke.
She pauses and then nods slowly to herself more than anything else.
Ashley Kenyon: In a roundabout way, we can thank him for cutting all of us back.
Aerynn stares at Ashley and cocks her head interrogatively.
Aerynn Maguire: How’s tha?
Ashley shrugs ever so slightly, barely moving her head at all.
Ashley Kenyon: Nik started to pull back because of him. Bethy cut everything out after that incident with this match and it was made easier by the fact that Nik had nothing she was doing. That left me and Jezzy and as much as everyone used to love calling me a cokewhore in public…
She pauses to nod in ready acknowledgement.
Ashley Kenyon: And yes, I did love me some fuckin’ snow…
Aerynnn nods as she steps over the second cabinet sitting behind the first one and opens it. She retrieves the bottles of Seagram’s 7 and Crown Royal.
Ashley Kenyon: I never did it by myself. Like, I kept usin’ then because my boyfriend, Billy, used and even turned me on to smack too, which…
She pauses and nods again in acknowledgement.
Ashley Kenyon: You know…
Aerynn nods as she retrieves a two-liter bottle of coca-cola and two highball glasses.
Aerynn Maguire: Aye, I do…
Ashley sighs heavily.
Ashley Kenyon: God, I miss that…
Aerynn frowns back as she starts to open the bottles.
Aerynn Maguire: Ye bae missin’ cocaine?
Ashley shakes her head sadly.
Ashley Kenyon: No…
Aerynn frowns even harder.
Aerynn Maguire: Then…?
Ashley glances over at the bottles and nods towards them and the accompanying glasses.
Ashley Kenyon: Stuff like this…
She waves her hand to point at the glasses and the two of them.
Ashley Kenyon: That used to be my favorite part of the jobs, when they would be over and the four of us would go out and just have fun together. It didn’t matter if we were gettin’ fucked up or if we were goin’ to a ballgame. It was the family type stuff that I’d been missin’ since Mama died and I wasn’t ready for it be over when it was…
Trailing off, Ashley looks down at her feet in shame. She places her hands behind her head and then looks up to the sky.
Ashley Kenyon: I wasn’t ready for Nik to not wanna go out anymore. I wasn’t ready for Bethy to go cold turkey and I wasn’t ready for Jezzy to admit she needed help and do what amounted to rehab with Dr. Reva. I felt…
Aerynn nods as Ashley trails off yet again.
Aerynn Maguire: Abandoned?
Ashley nods, her hands dropping back to her sides as Aerynn starts fixing their drinks.
Aerynn Maguire: Were ye angry wt me fer laevin’ Las Vegas then?
Ashley shakes her head.
Ashley Kenyon: By the time that happened, our little drinkin’ group had already been smashed some anyway. Sorsh went to train and then got grabbed. You’d had that thing your daddy and Eef had gone to Seattle with Valerie. I had warning that time…
Pausing, she nods to the range, staring vacantly off into the distance.
Ashley Kenyon: And a war to steal my focus to say nothing of Jake…
Aerynn can’t help but grin playfully at her friend.
Aerynn Maguire: Ye never do, Ash, why start now?
Ashley grins back as Aerynn adds in the ice.
Aerynn Maguire: How did ye bae gettin’ us an ice maker out haer?
Before Ashley can answer, a third voice greets their ears from behind.
Voice: It was requested and we did as asked.
Ashley and Aerynn turn to find the Asian woman known as Sariel standing there nodding to them matter-of-factly.
Sariel: It was deemed important to keep you happy.
Aerynn lifts her drink up and smiles.
Aerynn Maguire: Cheers, Lass!
She takes her first swig and then sets it down before pulling her smaller gun from her boot, a Glock 26.
Aerynn Maguire: I go first then?
Ashley nods as she takes her own glass.
Ashley Kenyon: You want one, Sister Sara?
Sariel shakes her head, even as a small smile comes to her face at Ashley’s usage of her nickname.
Sariel: I am on rounds.
Ashley nods as she takes a sip.
Ashley Kenyon: Good point…
Aerynn takes aim and fires groups of five shots at three different targets. Sariel steps up and looks out at the targets.
Sariel: Nice grouping.
Aerynn nods to herself and switches to her larger Glock 34. Again she squeezes off groups of five shots and again when she finishes, Sariel nods her approval.
Sariel: You are always such as this?
Aerynn shrugs before placing her gun back in its holster and picking up her glass.
Aerynn Maguire: I’ve gotten better since Ash set this li’l palace up fer us tae practice in.
Ashley sets her glass down and pulls her own Glock 34 from her thigh holster. She takes her first clip and empties it amongst her five targets, reloading as she goes until she’s unloaded all five clips. As she finishes, she steps back, scans the area and then shakes her head. She slides her gun back into it’s holster and then storms off, walking three steps into the sunshine before she makes a sound.
Ashley Kenyon: MotherFUCKER!!!!!
She kicks at a rock and squeezes both hands into fists.
Ashley Kenyon: I’m gonna part his fuckin’ hair for him if it’s the last fuckin’ thing…. GOD FUCKING DAMMIT!!!!!
Sariel stares at Ashley, her mouth open in surprise.
Sariel: But she only made one hole in each target…
Aerynn nods.
Aerynn Maguire: She’ll bae like this fer th’ naxt ten minutes or so… she’s angry wit herself fer nay baein’ as good a shot as her friend, Jezzy…
Sariel glances back and squints at the targets.
Sariel: But… she did not miss….
Aerynn nods, sipping on her drink.
Aerynn Maguire: Aye, tha bae true, Sara. Tae us, she bae Deadshot but tae Ash, she didna bae kaepin’ them all perfectly through the same hole. Each hole widened jess enough fer her tae bae noticin’ it wasna perfect…
Sariel just continues to stare in disbelief.
Sariel: But, if that was a person…
Aerynn nods knowingly.
Aerynn Maguire: They’d have five shots right baetween th’ eyes, aye…
Sariel glances back at the targets again and then back to Ashley.
Sariel: She will be ok?
Aerynn nods without hesitation.
Aerynn Maguire: Happens errytime, this does… she’ll bae angry at herself fer ten, mebba fifteen minutes an’ then she’ll finish her drink an’ we’ll bae walkin’ back tae her Twoey an’ erryting will bae fine again…
Sariel turns to face Aerynn.
Sariel: You look amused.
Aerynn nods her agreement.
Aerynn Maguire: I am… only Ash would bae performin’ like tha an’ bae angry wit herself fer it…
Sariel nods and then turns to see Ashley still screaming at herself in the field.
Sariel: You are certain this normal?
Aerynn can’t help but laugh.
Aerynn Maguire: There nay bae ennithin normal about her, Lass… but fer Ash…
She nods quickly.
Aerynn Maguire: Aye, this bae perfectly normal b’haviour.
Sariel nods quickly.
Sariel: You are wanted back at the house in an hour.
Aerynn nods to Sariel gratefully.
Aerynn Maguire: Aye, we’ll bae there….
Sariel nods in return and walks off in the opposite direction as Ashley storms back and snatches up her glass. Aerynn watches her start to drink and starts laughing all over again.
Aerynn Maguire: I tink ye bae scarin’ poor Sara there, Ash…
Ashley wheels on her friend, setting her half empty glass down on the counter.
Ashley Kenyon: What?
Aerynn nods in the direction the Asian woman had disappeared into.
Aerynn Maguire: I tink yer li’l outburst…
Ashley glances out in the direction indicated as Aerynn trails off.
Ashley Kenyon: Shit…
Exhaling forcefully, Ashley licks the inside of her mouth, trying to regain her composure.
Ashley Kenyon: You think she’s gonna tell the principal on me?
Aerynn shakes her head.
Aerynn Maguire: Tha one’d take yer saecret tae th’ grave…
Ashley stares off into the distance for a time and then nods absently.
Ashley Kenyon: I know she would…
Turning back to the counter, she stares out at her targets and the anger starts to rise up all over again.
Ashley Kenyon: I need to be better, Rynn. I’ve got vermin to air out…
Aerynn nods, setting her own half empty glass down next to Ashley’s.
Ashley Kenyon: Ye will, Ash. Ye’ll bae havin’ yer chance…
Ashley looks at the targets again and then nods.
Ashley Kenyon: Did I hear her say we needed to go back?
Aerynn nods as she picks up her glass and empties it properly.
Aerynn Maguire: Soon as we bae done…
Ashley quickly empties her glass and Aerynn accepts it from her. The two clean up after themselves, finishing with Ashley locking the gun cabinet securely.
Ashley Kenyon: Alright, let’s go…
Aerynn nods.
Aerynn Maguire: Aye…
The two turn and walk off back towards the house, both allowing visions of fights yet to come to dance in their heads. After they’ve been walking for a couple of minutes, Aerynn nods to Ashley.
Aerynn Maguire: Ye bae knowin’ ye kin do this, yeah? Tha ye kin already…
Ashley doesn’t even bother to look.
Ashley Kenyon: You hit him in the face, right?
Aerynn starts to nod.
Aerynn Maguire: Anthony, Abs, Workout Man, Sathanas?
Ashley nods angrily.
Ashley Kenyon: Yeah, you hit him in the face with a shot, right?
Aerynn starts to nod.
Aerynn Maguire: Aye, I did…
Ashley stops and wheels on her friend, her hand coming within half an inch of Aerynn’s face.
Ashley Kenyon: I had Ruvik this… fuckin’... close…. And I didn’t even mark him….
Aerynn stares back into the hatred in Ashley’s eyes.
Aerynn Maguire: Ye couldnay have opened fire there, Ash, ye would…
Ashley nods and turns away, looking like she wants to stomp as she does so.
Ashley Kenyon: I know, and I wanted to air Martin’s fuckin’ ass out for it in that second but….
Hot, angry tears start to force their way out of her eyes.
Ashley Kenyon: I also know he was right to stop me, I just wish I would have at least pistol whipped that piece of shit before…
She looks down to the ground, the tears rolling down her face now.
Ashley Kenyon: I let him get away, Rynn. I had him and I let him squirrel away again! Twoey was doing fuckin’ awesome before she bumped into that fuckin’...
Aerynn moves around and squats down to look into her friend’s eyes.
Aerynn Maguire: Hey, ye did whot ye could. How many demons did we bae takin’ away now? Squad after suad bae disappaerin’ off th’ board fer tha wannabe devil tha couldna aeven bae arsed tae come up wit an original name. He had tae borrow a version o’ Joshua’s…
Ashley shakes her head, the tears still coming.
Ashley Kenyon: I failed her, Rynn. That was one of the reasons we’re here and I didn’t fucking…
Aerynn shakes her head and then takes Ashley into her arms, hugging not unlike a mother.
Aerynn Maguire: Ye dinna bae failin’ ennyone, Ash. Maiko’s still haer, she’s still ready tae fight. He kinna hold Ruvik an’ th’ others back even if he wanted tae do so baecause we bae takin’ so many from him. Ye’ll get him yet, Lass, I know ye will.
Ashley hugs Aerynn tightly, now sobbing uncontrollably.
Ashley Kenyon: I wanna help her so bad, Rynn. I wanna help her and I don’t know how to do it… I feel so goddamn helpless ... useless….
Aerynn shakes her head.
Aerynn Maguire: Yer nay useless, Ash…
She pulls back and takes Ashley’s tear-strewn face into her hands.
Aerynn Maguire: Ye baw helpin’ her best ye can. There bae no doubt in me mind tha witout yer love, she’d bae lost an’ so broken we’d ne’er bae able tae find her in there ennymore. Ye kaep her from hidin’ in there, from baein’ locked up inside herself…
She looks into her friends eyes and nods.
Aerynn Maguire: D’ye bae haerin’ me, Lass?
Ashley ndos through her tears but Aerynn is insistent.
Aerynn Maguire: D’ye bae haerin’ me, Ash? We kinna bae fightin’ Valdemar witout ye baein’ in th’ game, do d’ye bae haerin’ me?
Ashley takes a deep breath and nods, grasping Aerynn’s arms at the wrist.
Ashley Kenyon: Thank you…
Aerynn smiles and hugs her friend again.
Aerynn Maguire: Yer me sister, Ash, there bae nuttin’ I wouldnay bae doin’ fer ye!
Ashley hugs back.
Ashley Kenyon: I love you too.
The two snicker at each other and then finish their walk back to the house and the fight they know is to come.
