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The Waystation Ch.76
🕑 Added 2023-10-06 06:27:04 +0000 UTCChapter 76
Change of Plans III
As darkness fell, the pale glow on the tower showed more and more. It took hours, but in the end… it was worth the wait.
A mountain, blocky and pixelated by the brickwork but recognizable, shone at the top of the tower. From there, a winding path led down deep into the earth. The bottom of the tower showed a gateway, shining pale and ghostly against the darkness.
Bert acted on instinct, entering the tower and running up the central stairs all the way to the very top. Sure enough, the tower’s top room had but a single window.
Dead center of the window, a darker shape against the darkness that settled as night fell completely, was the mountain from the image.
Bert laughed and slapped the stones next to the window, knocking a bit off in his enthusiasm.
They had a new destination, and a whole new continent awaited them.
He hummed happily to himself as he trotted back downstairs, the excitement bubbling away in his chest.
It was always the way. The feeling of starting off on a big trip somewhere, even as a kid.
Bert remembered trips as a child with his parents. He got the feeling then, as well. That sense of new horizons and endless possibilities.
Back then, on the other side of the world from the England he had left, his parents had always insisted on leaving before sunrise. Planners to the point of obsession, they would get the family up hours before dawn and bundle them all into the car.
Bert remembered the chill morning air, the stars passing overhead as they drove, and he lay in the backseat, watching them pass. He was supposed to be sleeping, of course. Just like he was supposed to have had a bedtime the night before.
He could never sleep, though. He lay awake for hours, the excitement making him unable to even lay still. They were going traveling, and there was no way he could sleep.
So he lay there, watching the stars pass overhead, waiting for the first rays of sunlight, and pretended he was going on some epic adventure in another world. In his own mind, he was an explorer out of legend, traveling to unseen lands and finding secrets no one had ever even considered before.
At least for a couple of hours.
Once the sun rose, he would sit up, pretending to have just woken, and his mother would hand him a roast beef and mustard sandwich. It was always the same sandwich, and even as he grew older and moved half a world away, his childhood dreams long gone… the taste of a roast beef and mustard sandwich could always make him smile. Just for a moment, as he took that first bite, he was back in the car on those long drives… and the world was a place of mystery and magic again.
He immediately added the search for mustard to the top of his to-do list for when they made it to this new continent.
Here in this world, the mystery and magic were very real, and he couldn’t wait to bundle his new family into the Waystation and get started.
Bert practically exploded from the door to the tower, making Wendy and the others jump.
“Sorry!” He laughed, not really sorry in the slightest. His blood was on fire.
“What’s wrong?” Bell asked, looking around them.
“Nothing!” He grinned, leaping across the ground, sweeping her into his arms, and dancing around with her held against him. “There is a whole new continent out there, and I just found the way to get there!”
Bell laughed and danced with him. He watched her eyes sparkle in the light of the stars as she laughed with him, felt her body pressing against him, the warmth of her, the scent of soil and magic telling him she had been in Scruff’s fields.
He winked at her and pulled her in for a kiss.
The bone-aching groan from Wendy was enough to prevent things from progressing further, at least for now.
“I think I preferred it when you guys were fighting,” Wendy said. “This whole loved-up newlyweds bit is even worse.”
“Oh, come on!” Bert laughed, yanking Wendy up to dance with him and Bell. “We are off to explore a new land! It’s fun.” He stopped dancing, spinning Wendy to stand facing the spot where the distant mountain lay hidden in the darkness.
“Image this. You’re sitting in the Express, Scruff at your side, and you rumble down the ramp, the treads hitting the ground on a new continent. The ground vanishes beneath your treads as you set out into a complete unknown. Anything could be out there, and somewhere is something no one has EVER seen before. All you need to do is find it, and for the rest of time, that spot will forever be yours. Yours and Scruff’s. Your own private, personal discovery.”
“Holy shit,” Wendy said.
“Right?” Bert laughed.
“When do we leave?” Wendy asked.
“Now!” Bert laughed. “I just need to make some sandwiches!”
“Sandwiches?” Scruff asked.
“Yeah,” Wendy nodded. “I don’t know why, but it feels right.” She grinned. “I’m coming with!”
Bert and Wendy dashed off towards the Waystation, a father and daughter racing through the night laughing.
===============
Lily put the huge pile of sandwiches down in front of the snoring Slothy in total confusion.
None of this made sense, and she didn’t really want to wake the sleeping giant. Fortunately, that wasn’t a problem as the giant Sloth Bear’s nose twitched a few times, and then a long tongue snapped up a sandwich and dragged it into her mouth.
She chewed with every sign of enjoyment but did not, in fact, wake.
“Ya alright there, Lass,” Gavin said from the darkness, making Lily jump. “She’ll no be waking up soon.” He patted Slothy as he emerged from the gloom. “She’s got a wee bit of rest ta catch up on, ya ken?”
“Is she… okay?” Lily asked.
“Better than both of us!” Gavin laughed. “Ya should a seen her out there; she handled the bastards by the dozens, nae bother.”
“Oh!” Lily remembered suddenly, “I have sandwiches for you, too.” She pulled another plate from her storage ring. “I have no idea why, but apparently, going on a big trip means everybody has to have sandwiches.”
“Oh, aye?” Gavin took the plate happily. “Well, I’ll no be turning down a snack.” He smiled. “Care to join me?”
“Uh, sure,” Lily said, pulling her own plate of sandwiches out. She had been planning to eat them alone in her room; company would be nice.
“This way,” Gavin said, leading her back to a small partition that hid a table, chairs, and a dwarf-sized bed. “Help yer’self,” He gestured to the other chair.
“Thanks,” Lily sat and found the chair was actually a very comfortable height for her. “Is this your place?” She asked diplomatically.
“Yeah,” Gavin sighed. “The beastie there likes to keep me close.”
“That’s nice,” Lily said, then blushed. “Sorry, I guess you might not feel that way.”
“I didnae like it much at first,” Gavin said thoughtfully, munching on a sandwich. “But now,” He shrugged. “It seems almost normal compared to this lot,” He laughed.
“Don’t you miss your people?” Lily asked.
“Na,” He smiled, “I don’t have a family, lost em all in the ant wars, ye ken?”
“I’m sorry,” Lily said. “Were you married?”
“Married!” Gavin almost choked on his food. “How ol’ do ya think I am?”
“I’m not sure, maybe thirty?” Lily tried to be polite.
Gavin stared at her in horror.
“I’m seventeen!” He said quietly. “I’ll no be lookin’ thirty, thank ya ver’ much!”
“But,” Lily protested, trying to defend herself, “You have a beard.”
“Aye!” Gavin said. “I’ve had a beard since I was ten, like any good dwarf!”
“I’m sorry,” Lily said, looking down at her plate to avoid his insulted look. “I’ve never met a Dwarf before.”
“Oh, aye?” Gavin said, smoothing his beard, “That’ll be it then. I look ver’ good for ma age, by dwarf standards. Ye just never seen a dwarf before. Aye.”
They ate in silence for a few minutes.
“I better go and deliver the other sandwiches,” Lily excused herself. “Thank you for sharing a meal with me.”
“My pleasure,” Gavin said stiffly. “Uh, thanks for coming, aye?”
As Lily hurried out, she heard Gavin muttering to himself about doing more exercise and getting more sleep.
She managed to keep herself from laughing until she was out of the area, just.
Lily went to deliver Scruff some sandwiches, but it seemed Wendy had already done so, and was still there if the noises coming out of the cottage were anything to go by.
And she thought her Mum and Dad were loud.
Lily blushed furiously as she hurried across the fields towards the figure at the far end. She didn’t even understand what some of those sounds WERE.
Approaching her sister, she paused, looking over her shoulder and up at the lights shining from the control tower. Bert and Bell were up there. She felt better just seeing the light.
It was strange how much she could come to rely on people she had not even known a month ago.
Steeling herself, she forced a smile on her face and went over to her sister, who was weirdly just sitting on a small wall around one of the fields.
“Hi, Rose. I brought you some sandwiches.” She said brightly.
“What?” Rose said, her eyes never leaving the shed she was staring at.
“Bert and Bell wanted everyone to have some sandwiches, so I brought you some.” She said brightly.
“They did?” Rose asked, taking the plate and sniffing it. “Everyone has to eat them?”
“I don’t know about has to.” Lily rolled her eyes. “They just said to take them to everyone.”
“Better not to risk it,” Rose sighed and began to mechanically eat the sandwiches.
“What are you doing out here, anyway?” Lily asked.
“There are monsters in there,” Rose said simply, gesturing to the shed. “The Farmer made them.”
“Okay,” Lily said. She could believe it. Scruff’s fields were terrifying. Lily could not possibly imagine what she felt it necessary to hide away. “So?”
“So, I don’t think I want to stay here,” Rose said simply. “I’m leaving.”
“I’m not,” Lily said. “And you have nowhere to go.”
“I’m leaving,” Rose said, standing up. “Now.”
“Rose,” Lily sighed. “Stop it.”
“I’m not asking you to come with me,” Rose said cooly. “In fact, I don’t want you to come.”
“I’m not,” Lily said.
“Fine,” Rose said.
“Fine,” Lily agreed.
“You’re really not coming?” Rose checked.
“I’m really not coming,” Lily confirmed. “I like it here.”
“You’re not even a person to them,” Rose said. “You’re a pet.”
“I’m still staying,” Lily said stubbornly.
“Fine!” Rose said. “Stay here and be their little pet half-pixie bitch! I hope you are very happy together.”
“We are leaving the continent, Rose,” Lily said flatly. “If you storm off, you won’t be able to come back.”
“Good!” Rose sneered. “I just need some supplies, and I’m gone.”
They both jumped as a pack rose out of the ground.
Lily pulled it open and laughed.
“What?” Rose asked.
Lily showed Rose the contents of the pack. It was clothes, armor, weapons, food, water, and even a huge amount of money.
It also had a note.
Dear Rose,
If you want to go, go. We will not stop you.
Be careful, don’t get into trouble that you can’t
Get out of.
When you are ready to come back, come find us.
Remember, you always have a place here.
Bell.
“They are just letting me go?” Rose asked. “With a bunch of treasure?”
“Seems like it,” Lily said. “Sure you don’t want to stay?”
“Come with me,” Rose said quietly. “With twice this amount of money, we could be set for life!”
“No,” Lily said. “I’m sorry, but no.”
Rose stared at her for a moment before she picked up the bag, walking towards the bridge to the main part of the Waystation.
Lily stayed with her all the way up to the drawbridge. It dropped as the Waystation came to a brief stop.
Rose strode down it, looking back at Lily once, and then, with a wave, she ran off into the night.
Lily watched the drawbridge close, feeling the Waystation start to rumble forward again before she turned and walked through the Bear’s Fall and up the many stairs to her room right at the top.
She paused outside her sister’s door for a long moment before pushing into her own room.
She stood there, feeling lost until a ‘Pop’ sound heralded the arrival of a Multi-Bell. She opened her mouth to ask if they needed anything, but the Multi-Bell just shushed her and changed into a human form.
She hugged Lily, and Lily felt herself begin to cry.
She clung to the Multi-Bell and cried until she was too tired to even think.
It tucked her into bed and stroked her hair while she fell asleep.
Her last thoughts were that Multi-Bell or not, she had gotten more love and affection from Bell in the last few hours than she did from her sister their entire lives.
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Bert chewed the last of his Sandwiches as he watched the figure of Rose disappear into the darkness behind them.
“I’m not a huge fan of leaving her out here alone,” He admitted.
“You would rather she was a prisoner?” Bell asked. “Cause that was the other option.”
“I’m still worried,” Bert said. “Should we wait a few days? See if she changes her mind?”
“Fine!” Bell huffed. “But she won’t.”
“When we get to the mountain, I can take some time to upgrade Way Way,” Bert said. “Kill two birds with one stone.”
“What?” Bell asked. “What do birds have to do with it?”
“It’s just a saying from Earth,” Bert said. “It means to accomplish two things with one action.”
“Oh, right,” Bell said. “Because that is not the way to kill birds.”
“Yeah, not really got anything to do with birds,” Bert admitted.
“I mean, who kills birds with rocks anyway?” Bell asked. “That’s just weird.”
“Like I said,” Bert said, frowning, “It’s just a common expression.”
“Your people have something against birds?” Bell asked.
“No,” Bert sighed. “It’s just-”
“Fucking freaks throwing rocks at perfectly innocent birds,” Bell went on.
“That’s not. I mean, people don’t.” Bert said.
“The saying had to come from somewhere!” Bell said indignantly. “Birds are pretty, and you dicks throw rocks at them!”
“Bell,” Bert shook his head. “That isn’t the point.”
“Good!” Bell crossed her arms. “The poor birds!”
“Fusk sake, Bell.” Bert snapped. “No one hurt the birds!”
“You so much as pick up a rock near a bird, I’ll be watching!” Bell said sharply.
“Fine!” Bert laughed. “Watch as close as you like.”
“Huh,” Bert said a few hours later. He was looking at the huge archway cut into the base of the mountain. It was still here, even after all this time. It was made of some heavy stone with silvery glints shining in the early morning sunlight.
It was an impressive construction that would dwarf almost anything that approached it.
Almost anything.
“It’s too small!” Bell said, stating the obvious. “Way Way won’t fit in there!”
Bert could see she was right.
It wasn’t just the control tower that was a problem; it was the width of the Waystation. He could also just about see a curve at the end of where the light reached.
The Waystation would never make the turn, even without trailer one.
“Can we cut our way in?” Bell asked.
“Not without bringing the mountain down, I don’t think,” Bert said. He looked up at the mountain, which disappeared into the clouds far above. That was a lot of weight to go digging around under.
“So?” Bell asked. “Are we going to check it out or leave?”
“Change of plans,” Bert said. “Instead of a simple upgrade, I’m doing a complete rebuild.” He grinned. “It’s time, and we have enough sky metal.”
“What are you going to do to Way Way?” Bell asked defensively.
“Do you remember me telling you about the land trains?” He asked, grinning hugely.
“No,” Bell said.
“What?” Bert deflated a little. “I went on and on about them before I made the first changes to Way Way!”
“Yeah, but in those days, I was still expecting to kill you.” She shrugged. “A lot of that just went in one ear and out the other.” She almost looked ashamed, but not really.
“Well, I guess you will just have to wait and see then,” Bert huffed.
“Tell me!” She demanded.
“I did,” He grinned, “It’s not my fault if you were planning my murder instead of listening.”
“Bert!” Bell said. “Tell me!”
“Nope.” He shook his head. “You’ll just have to wait and see.”
“I bet Wendy knows!” She said suddenly and popped into Pixie form, flying off.
“Cheat!” He called after her before sitting down in his command chair.
This was going to take a while.
