3 Years Missing

          Cypher had been gone for three years. Mama had convinced herself that she's probably dead by now. The grief of the dead twins most likely got to her. That's what Mama convinced herself to believe. She hadn't heard anything about Cypher for years. She was back in the Copper Creek again with her group to get nose supplies. She couldn't help but occasionally go into that same house that the twins had both died in three years ago. No one had moved into it shockingly. So Mama would go in and roam around. Hoping that one day Cypher and Charlie would be in there. They never came back.

Pippin had been going to the trading posts to see if they'd have any more magazines for her rifle. While she was waiting she heard something she couldn't believe. Two tired looking girls with faded green hair were talking amongst themselves. She heard one of them. "Do you think we need more gauze rolls for Cypher's eye?" One of the girls asked and the other responded. "Probably, Axel didn't tell us to get any but we should get some just in case huh" said the other. Pippin walked over to the girls. Was Cypher alive? She hoped she was. "Excuse me?" Pippin said and both the girls looked at her. "Um hi- you know Cypher?" She asked them and both the girls nodded. Pippin smiled and felt a new sense of hope that she could find her. "Who are you missy?" One girl asked. They both were looking at her with a skeptical look and Pippin held out her hand. "Name's Pippin!" She smiled and each twin took turns shaking her hand. "Marceline" one introduced herself and the other smiled. "Maryland" she giggled.

"Well it's nice to meet you ladies, may I ask where is Cypher?" She asked but felt her heart shatter when she got her answer. "Dead End" they both told her with a leisurely shrug. She kept her smile up and nodded a thank you. She couldn't speak anymore. She waved goodbye to the twin girls and sprinted back to the houses. Even though the houses were on the other side of town she did not stop to take a break. She sprinted full speed until she saw Mama on the porch talking to Shiny. "MAMA!! SHE'S ALIVE!!" Pippin screamed and Mama quickly got up and ran to meet her half way. Pippin slowed down and gasped for breath. Through coughs all she managed to say was "she's alive." Shiny had rushed with Mama to Pippin. "Who's alive?-" he asked and waited for Pippin to catch her breath. After minutes of heavy breathing she finally got it back to normal.

"Ok now who is alive" Mama asked and Pippin looked at her with a bright smile. "Cypher! I heard she's still alive!" She exclaimed and Mama looked shocked. "Are you sure?" Mama asked and Pippin quickly nodded but her smile faded. "There's a uh slight issue-" she explained. "What's the issue?" Shiny asked. That's when they heard their worst fear had happened. Dead End was up and running again. What they didn't know was how much more brutal it had become. On the spot Mama had decided it was time to go. She refused to let that hell rise again so she quickly went door to door for each of their group and told them. Everyone was on board without a second thought of it. They decided they'd make up a plan on the way since it's a 2 week walk but they also agreed on scouting the place a little bit before sneaking in.

The base of their plan was to sneak in, find Cypher, get her out and talk her into taking it down. It sounded pretty simple at first until they started thinking about what defenses she might have. How she might react to seeing them again, and so on. As much as Lasso hated the idea of seeing her again he went with them anyway. He enjoyed seeing Pippin and Mama hopeful once more. Even if it means seeing the nightmare Pippin loves once again. They began their walk the next day, talking about what they should do when they get there. No one knew how different it would be compared to the first time.

         Maryland and Marcilene were back at Dead End a few days later. They had ridden mountain bikes to cut down the time it took to get to and from town. "Hey Boss we bumped into someone in town. She claimed she knew you." Mary said while putting their stuff away. Cypher froze for a moment then shook her head. "Who?" She asked, lighting a cigarette. "Um some girl, tan, freckled face, large burn scar on her face-" she let her voice trail off when she saw Cypher tense. "What was her name." Cypher snapped at Mary who's mind went blank. "Um- her name- uh-" she stammered. Cypher took a few a puff of her cigarette and exhaled slowly, blowing smoke. "Pippin. Her name was Pippin" Marcilene answered to save her sister. All they saw was Cypher nod and take another puff of her cigarette. Charlie who was sitting on the counter next to Cypher froze. "You said Pippin?" He asked for clarification. Marcy nodded and he looked at Cypher. "Do you think she'd come?" He asked Cypher. She seemed to be in her own world at the moment so he didn't ask again.

          "What significance does this Pippin girl have anyway?" Mary asked. "Get out." Cypher ordered and without argument the twins left. There was a moment of silence before Cypher slammed her fists down on the counter. "Fuck!!" She barked then laid her head down on the counter. The sudden noise made Charlie jump. No one else was in the old kitchen with them but even some people that were in the main room of the hotel when silent from her yell.

        A group of  guards looked at the closed kitchen doors. "Who'a talkin to boss?" One of them asked and all but him quickly got up. "Not it-" they all announced and quickly walked away, leaving him to sit alone. "Oh to hell with all of you." He grumbled and slowly got up. He walked to the door and slowly poked his head into the kitchen. "Boss-" he started but then there was a heavy thud. Then man was now on the ground with a pool of blood growing around his head. Between his eyes was a throwing knife hilt deep. Cypher was glaring down at the dead man. "I thought I said stay out." She snapped. Charlie looked away and closed his eyes. He still wasn't fully used to Cypher's aggression but he never questioned a thing. Cypher grabbed her knife out of his head then grabbed the back of his shirt and dragged the man out the back door and left him there to reanimate. She was mumbled to herself, assuming that's Pippin was already on her way here.