what's this? canon? impossible!
Author: Aublivienne
Story: Singularity Syndrome
Title: Child
Challenge: Vanilla #9 (mother used to say)
Extras/Toppings: none
Rating: PG-13
Wordcount: 544
Summary: Carmine gets a warning.
Notes: I'm super excited about this character and the fact that I've finally figured out how to properly introduce her. :D
“Fucking great,” Carmine muttered to himself, leaning against a building. Of course he would get stuck on some desert planet while Kashmir was hanging out with that psychopath. He had no idea where the hell he was, and according to the wrinkled paper hanging in the window next to him, there were no ships set to leave for another three days. That was probably more than enough time for Alain to do whatever he wanted to Kashmir.
“Sounds like you've just got some shitty luck today.”
Carmine looked down at the source of the small voice and laughed. The girl in front of him couldn't have been older than ten or eleven, judging by her size. Her face was mostly covered by a brown hood, and she was pointing a gun-one that looked a lot like his own-at him.
“You serious?” Carmine said, still laughing. “I'm not sure if your boss told you, kid, but it's probably best to just skip me. How about those tourists over there? They look rich and naïve.”
The girl smiled, not lowering the gun. “She was right about you.”
Before Carmine could say another word, the girl punched him in the solar plexus. Carmine went down, clutching his stomach and coughing. “Strong,” he choked out after he caught his breath.
“You should come with me,” the girl said. “Before you get yourself killed.”
Carmine chuckled again as he got back to his feet. “Really?” he asked, drawing his own gun. He didn't want to make a habit of shooting children, but... “Is that a threat?”
“No. I was just told to give you that bit of advice.” The girl took off the hood and looked up at Carmine. “You know, there are people out there who really need you.”
Carmine's chest felt tight as he looked into the girl's big green eyes. The defiance in her eyes, the way she held her gun, even the way she brushed her blonde hair out of her face...it reminded him of someone. “Who are you?” he asked.
The girl holstered her gun and adjusted her cloak. “Follow me,” she said, ignoring Carmine's question. “If you don't want to listen to me, let me at least take you off planet.” She gestured behind her. “We've got a ship. We can at least give you a ride.”
“'We'? Who else is with you?”
The girl stomped her foot. “Quit asking questions! You don't have much time, right?”
“Fine,” Carmine muttered, following the girl. “But if this is a trap, I'm going to kill the hell out of you and your friends.”
The girl stopped and smiled at Carmine. “You wouldn't.”
“You really think so?” The gunman pointed his revolver at the girl.
“Go ahead.” The girl spread her arms wide and stared straight at Carmine. “Shoot me.”
Carmine tensed his finger on the trigger, but for the first time in his life, he couldn't squeeze. If it had been anyone else, they'd be dead already. Something about this girl, though...
“Whatever,” Carmine growled, putting his gun away and storming ahead. “Like I'm really gonna shoot a kid.”
Story: Singularity Syndrome
Title: Child
Challenge: Vanilla #9 (mother used to say)
Extras/Toppings: none
Rating: PG-13
Wordcount: 544
Summary: Carmine gets a warning.
Notes: I'm super excited about this character and the fact that I've finally figured out how to properly introduce her. :D
“Fucking great,” Carmine muttered to himself, leaning against a building. Of course he would get stuck on some desert planet while Kashmir was hanging out with that psychopath. He had no idea where the hell he was, and according to the wrinkled paper hanging in the window next to him, there were no ships set to leave for another three days. That was probably more than enough time for Alain to do whatever he wanted to Kashmir.
“Sounds like you've just got some shitty luck today.”
Carmine looked down at the source of the small voice and laughed. The girl in front of him couldn't have been older than ten or eleven, judging by her size. Her face was mostly covered by a brown hood, and she was pointing a gun-one that looked a lot like his own-at him.
“You serious?” Carmine said, still laughing. “I'm not sure if your boss told you, kid, but it's probably best to just skip me. How about those tourists over there? They look rich and naïve.”
The girl smiled, not lowering the gun. “She was right about you.”
Before Carmine could say another word, the girl punched him in the solar plexus. Carmine went down, clutching his stomach and coughing. “Strong,” he choked out after he caught his breath.
“You should come with me,” the girl said. “Before you get yourself killed.”
Carmine chuckled again as he got back to his feet. “Really?” he asked, drawing his own gun. He didn't want to make a habit of shooting children, but... “Is that a threat?”
“No. I was just told to give you that bit of advice.” The girl took off the hood and looked up at Carmine. “You know, there are people out there who really need you.”
Carmine's chest felt tight as he looked into the girl's big green eyes. The defiance in her eyes, the way she held her gun, even the way she brushed her blonde hair out of her face...it reminded him of someone. “Who are you?” he asked.
The girl holstered her gun and adjusted her cloak. “Follow me,” she said, ignoring Carmine's question. “If you don't want to listen to me, let me at least take you off planet.” She gestured behind her. “We've got a ship. We can at least give you a ride.”
“'We'? Who else is with you?”
The girl stomped her foot. “Quit asking questions! You don't have much time, right?”
“Fine,” Carmine muttered, following the girl. “But if this is a trap, I'm going to kill the hell out of you and your friends.”
The girl stopped and smiled at Carmine. “You wouldn't.”
“You really think so?” The gunman pointed his revolver at the girl.
“Go ahead.” The girl spread her arms wide and stared straight at Carmine. “Shoot me.”
Carmine tensed his finger on the trigger, but for the first time in his life, he couldn't squeeze. If it had been anyone else, they'd be dead already. Something about this girl, though...
“Whatever,” Carmine growled, putting his gun away and storming ahead. “Like I'm really gonna shoot a kid.”