The Longing in Outpost

That night, something different fell from the sky as ash caught in the wind spread across Outpost.  Every home and building would carry forward a piece of Selena and Kipper's with it, until the rain eventually washed it clean again.  Such is the nature of rain.   Watching over the town, hunched over the same rooftop Jacques had once danced upon freely, was a brooding Rainy Rabbit.  Kindel would shift his view to check on the crew below, making sure they were still safe, and then returned to stare into the flames he had created; as if cycling between his heaven and hell. "They still think you're in there, ya know." Meatball's squeaky tone interrupted his thoughts, but didn't surprise him.  Kindel had suspected he wasn't alone on the roof, and the Mousefolk was obviously quite observant.  Better Meatball than someone else.   "Yes.  I was rather hoping you all would think that."   Meatball sat next to him and stared straight into the flames...

    Chive was staring out the window.   The dishes he held were still occasionally dripping from an attempt at washing.  He'd given up on them at some point.  Looking in the direction of Selena and Kipper's, he considered the history of bad ideas, and thought this would be pretty high on the list .  Mind you, if you're going to fake your own death, blowing everything up is a rather clear-cut way to do it.  The trick is not blowing yourself up by accident. The other trick is keeping your head in the right place long enough that you don't succumb to your own darkness and do it on purpose.  Magnolia was stretching in her chair on the other end of the table, straightening her dress again and again.  She worked her mouth around, finding it unwilling to speak the words she was thinking.  "Do you think he -" *****   "Are you happy?  You scared out all of our business.  An' it's not as if new customers are a dime a dozen...

       "It's nearly time.  Are you ready?" Kindel made a face as his concentration broke once again.  Sewing wasn't something he'd done a lot of, and as his gatehouse was being kept as dark as possible right now, it was more of a barrier than he'd planned on.   Keeping it dark meant, in theory, no one would think Kindel was currently in there.    And he certainly didn't need them seeing what he was up to.     It was a little strange to think he wouldn't be returning, though.  Luca had agreed to take over care of watching the belongings as he had, but it still was unsettling turning this over to someone else.  It had given him purpose all this time.  He would need to find a new one.   Mrs. Trufflebottom tapped her footpaw against the floor, breaking him out of his thoughts,  "All of the useful salt has been moved out, and all of the other salt is where you wanted it.  Now is the time....

    Then. "Oww!  Ah, why am I having so much trouble with this?"  After discarding the first two pairs of earring choices, the third pair made the decision for her by poking through to the side of her head.   "Why so worked up tonight, Mags?  Everything alright?"   She decided to deal with the earrings when she got there and began looking for her heels.  Not surprisingly, they were no where to be found.   "You know what?  I'll just pick something; it doesn't matter anyway,"  She pulled a lengthy dress from the shelf as she considered switching again anyway.  "It really doesn't." He rolled closer.  "It's always mattered." Knock, knock, knock. She threw the dress on the floor.  "What?  What!  I'll be there in a few minutes. " Knock knock SLAM POW POW. "I'll see what they need."  Chive said diplomatically, making his way carefully around the discarded outfits to the door.  He opened it to re...

          The unlikely group shuffled street to street, with Luca at the helm and Scarlet watching their rearguard.  Meatball was ever about, roaming between buildings and alerting the crew of possible movement in advance of trouble.  As it was they ran into no one except empty streets and flowing waters.  The routine was so fluid and natural Jacques assumed this must be how they always traveled, and why they were seldom seen.   A bittersweet skill.   Every peer around a corner, every cautious wave forward, was an effort to keep them apart from society.  It kept them safe and homeless.   If Kindel was entertaining any such deep thoughts, he wasn't sharing them.  Stomp-by-stomp he trudged in silence.  Allowing the youth to take care of the lookout needs, he was providing an unspoken menace to anyone that would have tried to interfere with them.    As they arrived at a home on the edge of the town it was clear...

       They wrapped their food neatly to keep it dry on the return trip.  It had been a surprise that Selena and Kipper didn't stock 'to-go' bags, what with the persistent precipitation, but it seemed more that most patrons preferred to eat their meals together at the bar rather than leave.  It made sense to save on their own light and heat by eating together in common areas, and allowing families to decorate their own tables further encouraged this. Gathering their delivery, Jacques and Mrs. Trufflebottom stepped into the night to return to the Angel Marbles and fulfill their promise.  In the dark, though, it was even harder to navigate the streets.  They trudged along, taking the turns they thought they remembered to be correct, but each turn was becoming less familiar.  Compounding the problem was the swirliness in their heads from one too many cocktails.  They were getting lost, and yet strangely at peace with it. "You lost, stranger...

       Now "You remember a lot of detail for someone dancing in the streets while this all happened,"  Mrs. Trufflebottom pointed out.   "Ah, some stories are just so memorable that they can be like that." Chive was swirling his drink in the light.   "And some storytellers have no problem embellishing their stories a bit when they have an audience," Magnolia said, mussing his hair with amusement.   "Who doesn't appreciate a good love story?"  Chive craned his head up and she leaned in to kiss him. "  I know I do.  Are we ready to continue?"   "Please," said Jacques, tossing his own beverage against the glass as he admired the color tones.  This was definitely a favorite.     "Alright.  We pick up our story about a month after the rains had begun.  The situation with Hannah and Kindel had somewhat improved.  There was still tension, but the love had re- well you know what I was going to say.  I...

      Whether it was the promise of food, the excitement of having newcomers in the town, or just his general demeanor, Meatball was not being subtle.  His antics had been noticed by enough gawkers that he was giving them a bit of a show now. He danced around the window as made faces, mocking them as they sat inside safe and warm with their families.  SMACK The sopping dish rag impacted the glass near enough to where Meatball was stationed to cause him to startle, but only increased the antics. "Aww, come on," Kipper grumbled as he went to find something else to launch.  It probably wasn't worth the window to make the point he wanted to make. But only probably. Selena had caught the commotion. "What's going on?" "Those street kids are back again." He let sail another rag, this one smacking right where Meatball's head had been. Meatball gave a sly grin and waggled his tongue around. "That's it." "Leave him," she sla...

Magnolia began to sing. At the top of the hour, she took a deep inhalation.  She closed her eyes while her mouth began to change air into the first soft notes.  She walked along the windows, brushing her hands along the glass between her and the unending storm.  She sang to the storm, then sang to her fans with a dramatic twirl back into the restaurant.  Holding her hand to the wooden ceiling, damp with precipitation from the glass, she paused  for grand effect. Everything she sang hereafter would be for her. This wasn't a problem of course; this was when she truly came alive.  It was the same routine as she had performed every weekend for a year now.  It was the dinner hour at Selena and Kipper's,  and she was the entertainment. She gifted them a gleaming smile, and was showered in applause.   She scanned the room for her husband.  The usual faces today,  but what else could she expect?  She would probab...