Chapter 5 {Scarlet}

Click, the soft sound of the lock opening seems like thunder in the empty corridor. It seems as though it will wake up the whole city of London. I know this room well, it is where the confiscated objects of the prisoners is kept. I walk briskly into the room, and start to search for my things. I grab my hat off of a pile discarded junk and put it on my head, I look around the room and grab the scroll that got me in all of this trouble. I turn to see the Poppington girl looking around nervously.

"First time breaking someone out of jail?" I ask smirking.

"Yes, well, they don't exactly teach you this in finishing school," she retorts.

I laugh at that comment. Then I hear footsteps and we turn to see two guards standing in the doorway gaping us. We glance at each other. One of the men pulled out his pistol and points it at us. Really? Guns!

"What is with everyone and their guns these days?" I complain, "What's wrong with a good old fashioned sword fight?"

The guards look at each other confused, I grin and grab one of Alison's rock hard cookies. I pelt it at the one with the pistol, using all my strength, it hits him square in the forehead and he falls back unconscious.

"I was wrong about your cookies, they truly are amazing!" I say to Alison.

"Why thank you!" She replies politely, impressed with herself.

The other guard is still in shock from his comard being knocked out by a flying cookie. I run to the back of the room and search for my weapons. I grab the sheathing my sword and putting my knife in my boot. Then I walk up to the guard, who is coming to his senses, I unsheath one of my blades and knock him out with the hilt. Then I proceed to run out of the prison avoiding guards, knocking a few out.

Bang. Red. That's all I can see for a few seconds, the pain rips through me. My arm feels like it's on fire. I look down to see blood seeping out of a bullet wound in my forearm. I take a breath. My heart beats. Bum. I take a step forward. Bu bum. I raise my arm, sword poised to kill. Bu bum. A growl tears through my throat. Bum. The guard falls to the ground blood seeping from his chest. He falls in slow motion. Slowly hitting the ground. My heart beat blaring in my ears. A drop of scarlet falls from my wound and splashes on the ground, mixing with the dead guard's blood.

The world speeds up again, it feels as though electricity is flowing through my veins. I glare ahead searching for a challenger, a bloodthirsty look in my eyes. Another guard comes running at me a crowbar in his hands, I react quickly. He holds his weapon over his head as to bash me with is. A smirk dances across my face, and in one fluid motion start to spin, while I turn I kneel, I hold my sword with both hands, turning it horizontally. His eyes meet mine, his rage turns to fear, as he sees my expression. I finish my spin standing, as I look up into the deep blue eyes of William. The guards body hits the ground, a long gash mutilates his stomach. The young man stares at me for a few seconds, I lift my blood stained sword and point it at him.

"I don't really feel like hurting you right now, but if you don't get out of the way I won't hesitate," I state sternly.

He stares at me for a second, nods and runs off down another hallway. I continue to make my way down the hall, I don't see anymore guards, though there must be more coming soon. I see it the door, I turn back to see Alison tailing me.

"Exit is at the end of this corridor," I inform her.

"Good," she says with a slight smile.

She looks a little shaken, I wouldn't blame her, I just killed two men. If she thought that I was some petty thief she is dead wrong. As I told William, I'm not nice.

We burst through a door, I glance around checking that there aren't any attackers coming out of the alleyways. I spin around to face Alison and give her a mock curtsy.

"Thank you for all your help, I really do owe ya one."

And with that, not leaving her time to respond, I sheath my sword, shove my hands in my pockets and saunter off. I rip off a piece of fabric from my shirt and wrap it around my wound. I walk for only a few minutes before I hear familiar footsteps. I stop in my tracks my back still turned to my assailant.

"Stop following me, Poppy..."

"No."

I raise my eyebrow at the response, but ignore it and start my treck a little faster this time. I start to think about what my next move should be, while I'm thinking I start to hum a little tune. It's a nice evening not too cold, my long scarf dance lighting in the breeze. The city is asleep unknowing to the world that comes to life when this one is gone.

I turn suddenly in the process pulling out my sword, pointing it at Alison, is it only an inch away from her nose. I glare at her filling my eyes with fire.

"I told you to stop following me," I say in a low voice.

"And I said no," she says.

I hold her gaze for a few seconds, before my stern expression breaks into a grin. I lower my sword but she still keeps her grim expression.

"You're a feisty little cupcake aren't ya?" I say with a chuckle. "So, what'd ya want anyway?"

"I want you to take me with you!" She responds.

"Yeah, I'm not going to take a goody toe shoes like you with me."

"I do believe the saying is goody two shoes,"

"That doesn't make any sense!"

"Well, neither does goody toe shoes!"

Suddenly I hear loud footsteps approaching, there must be more than a dozen people coming after us. And we were too busy bickering to notice!

"Spades!" I exclaim, as Alison looks around worried. "You wanna travel around with me? While now's your chance to prove yourself!"

I grab both of my swords and hold them out in a defensive stance, pointing them at the approaching guards. I glance at Alison, she pulls out her umbrella and holds it up to defend herself.

The men advance, I tighten my grip, I look at Alison through the corner of my eye, she stands steady and brave. I grin, maybe she can come with me, I do like to work alone, though maybe some companionship would be nice. Just maybe.

The men charge, I dance through them slashing people down, I see Alison whacking people with her umbrella. Who knew it would be such an effective weapon! In the split second I got distracted by her on of the guards grabs my forearm, squeezing the fresh wound. I cry out in pain, and he pushes me to my knees. He falls to the ground and I look up to see Alison standing over the man she just knocked out. She stares at me breathing heavily, she hold out a hand to me. This, this moment right here will change my life forever, I decided if I take her hand she can come with me. I will have to open up, travel with her. There's just one problem with that. I could start to care about her. No. I can't put myself through this again. I don't care if it's selfish I just can't do it again. Everyone who I care about gets hurt. I can't do that to her, she should stay here and live a good life, and marry and have kids. Huh, look at that, I've already started to care about her. I'm going soft, I should've just knocked her out and left her in the prison. But instead I protected her in the hallway, and fought with her here. I'll let her come with me, but I must promise myself I won't start to care for her if something happens to her I leave her behind. That's what I must do. I must.

I take a deep breath, and grab her hand, letting her help me up off the ground. From then on we fight back to back working together to take out the few remaining guards. We stand in the dark alleyway bodies of our attackers surrounding us. We are both breathing heavily, but there is no time for us to catch our breaths.

"We gotta start moving, after this especially, they won't want to let us go," I say, not looking her in the face.

I will let her come with me, but I can't show her the tears started to well up in my eyes. The tears that I cry for her because I know that she's giving up a perfect life for me. Someone that will leave her behind in an instant. For me, a dirty, lying, murderess, pirate. She trusts me I know that already, and most of all I cry because of that fact because that is the worst decision she will ever make in her life.

"Then we should get moving!" She says.

I look up at her to see her grinning, this helps me recover quickly from my lack of confidence. I jerked my head in the direction of the dock and we both set off a swift run. It is hard to Alison to do this with her giant skirt. Note to self: get Alison clothes that are easier to move in.

We run through the city of London at night, smog still makes its way through the air, with all technology being steam powered everywhere you do is filled with smog. I hear footsteps and start to move faster, I turn back, Alison is gone! My heart is pounding so hard it must be audible. I retrace my steps and find her her dress caught on a gate. She's pulling at it to no avail.

"Alison come on!" I hiss motioning for her to follow me.

"I can't! My dress is stuck!" she whispers desperately.

I groan and walked over to her, I pull out my dagger and slash the bottom half of her dress away. It still poofs out, though it falls to right under her knees, this will also help her run faster. She thanked me and we started to move again. We are sprinting, I refuse to look back, but I know we are being tailed.

Then I see it, the docks! I run towards it making sure to avoid the lamp post that knocked me out before. Watch out lamp post I can hold a grudge for a long time.

"My ship is over there!" I say pointing out my ship.

Alison nods and we start to move to it. I grab the rope keeping it from floating away from the dock and pull on it slightly, then grab the lead rope that pulls out the gang plank. I motion for Alison to board the ship, she does looking nervous. I untie the ship and I'm about to board when I am grabbed from behind.

"Spades!" I shout, as I accidentally let go of the rope!

The ship starts to float away as I struggle against my attacker.

"Alison!" I yell out but I don't see her!

No, no, no! Suddenly a rope is flung over the edge of the ship, I leap the best I can grab it. My hand latch onto the ruff rope, I grin. I start to pull myself up the rope towards the ship. Then I feel something on my ankle, I look back. Damn. The guard, determined to catch us, has grabbed onto my ankle. I try to shake him off but his grip is tight. Pain shoots through my arm, as I struggle to hold onto the rope.

"Go away you meany!" Alison yells, she takes off her shoe.

She throws it at the constable, it hits him on the head and he falls. I think I made the right choice letting her come with me. Maybe. I am sitting on the deck of my ship, catching my breath. I look up at Alison, her face is stern she looks like she is deep in thought.

"Whatcha' thinkin' 'bout Poppy?" I ask.

She takes a deep breath as if preparing to talk for a long time.

"I have a new life, and I've always hated my name, so I was thinking about a new start. Maybe something close to my current one though I don't want it to get too confusing. I have decided on Alice," she says all with one breath.

A soft chuckle escapes my lips, at the expense of her antics.

"Okay then, Alice it is."

I walk over to the helm of the ship, and look up at the giant balloon that keeps us up. It needs more steam, but something is wrong with the system, as long as the propeller is working we should be fine for now. I climb the rigging and let out the sails. Gianly white billowing fabric fly out and catch the wind. This is so much harder to do without a crew. My feet land on the wood of the deck, they make a satisfying thunk as I walk over to the raised deck that holds the wheel to steer the ship.

I stand at the wheel of the ship, focusing at the horizon. Alice stands near the edge looking over.

"Have you ever been in an airship before?" I ask.

"It is my first time, it's quite fascinating," she responds.

Today has been a big day for both of us. We both made decisions that would change our lives forever, and they brought us together. I know this is only the start of something bigger to come. Something that I am glad to have a friend for. A friend, that word scares me so much. No, she's not my friend, I scold myself. 'Remember the promise you made to yourself.' She is simply my companion, yes, nothing more.

I'm so lost in my thoughts I don't hear Alice speaking to me. I turn to see her standing next to me. Looking expectantly up at me with her large doe eyes.

"Pardon?" I ask.

"I said, where are we going now?" She asks again.

I look away from here, looking out into the distance, to the vast sky, full of possibilities.

"Oh," I grinned, "We are going to see the Professor!"