of Shovels and Knights (Shovel Knight stories)

Propeller Knight, Chapter 1 - One supposed tipical evening

He was playing with the fork he was holding, swinging it up and down above the plate, where the food was even colder than when it was served. 

- Not hungry tonight, gyroscopic jester?- 

- Being annoying, lab bird?- 

Plague Knight giggled on his seat on his right, sipping one of his potions. Or personal drinks?

- Hehe, you're always so talkative, having something to comment or complain or discuss and well... hihi, it's weird that you have nothing to say!- 

He wasn't wrong. Since the Order was finalized and they assigned to their outpost to guard and raid the lands, the only moment each member could meet with the others was on those dinners, set up once every five days and where they were forced to join. Along with some inconvients like rebellious villagers which ruined the mood or their incompatible personalities, it didn't took long to them to forget the main purpose of those moments and the argues and fights were more frequent than the discussions.
Most of them were started by Propeller Knight himself, who never missed a chance to be in the middle of the attention with his adventurous stories about his reckless (and sometimes unlucky) journeys, or any other topic which could catch the attention of more than two people and make some conversation until someone would unfold their weapon or straight left the table.
For example, in that same moment, Specter Knight standed up and rushed away in rage, probably for something King Knight said. There was no time those two wouldn't fight.

- Well, mon ami, I guess sometimes it's just like that and you rather keep your thoughts by yourself than say them out loud! Beside, you must be a master on that.-

Plague did not reply on a first moment, swallowing the provocation in silence and continued as the sky pirate said nothing.

- So what is in your mind? Didn't get enough gold in your last raid and afraid the Enchantress will make you pay for it? - 

- Not at all. In fact, Treasure Knight went instead of me, I took the day off.-

- You what??? - 

- Relax, if we can agree on something is that no coin will escape his grasps and I'm sure he did an excellent work, almost like the one I would have done of course. But believe it or not even piracy is an art and unlike most of our collegues here believe I don't think raid is worth if you simply don't feel up to it.-

- Uhm yeah, however... hee, I don't know how much she will agree with you!- 

Propeller just shrugged off, staring again at the food that you could just tell from a glance it was ice-cold.

- Well, looks like it's time for me to go. Bonne nuit Plague Knight, thank you for the little chat!- 

- ...Thanks? Good night as well?- 

He watched the captain of the Flying Machine picking up his rapièr, made a salute with the hand and left, confused by his curtesy. He always had good-manners, either for personality or to show off his high-education, but this time they felt... forced. Or anyway not done with the same cure as always. He could easily tell he was lost on his thoughts, more than usual at least. 
 And that made him wonder, what could possibly bother someone so carefree and barsh, at least on the surface, like Propeller Knight?

- Welcome back, Captain! Orders?- 

- None for today, we can stay here for the night and move towards the ClockTower tomorrow morning. Report of the day. -

- Everything is in order as it should be, sir. The only incovenient was that Treasure Knight walked in earlier and asked for a quarter of the gold we made of our last raid as payament. -

- Ugh, that greedy bounty hunter, I suppose you had to paid him, didn't you?- 

- T-There weren't other options, sir...-

- That's alright, you know I don't care either ways and rememeber  he's our financier and your payday will be soon! Anything else I should be informed about? Weather forecast? -

- Anything else, Captain. Clean sky with few clouds in the distance and no wind beside a cold breeze, nice night for stargazing.-

- Thank you, you can leave now. We will set off an hour after the sunrise, inform the rest of the crew. Good night Simon. -

- Will do. Good night Captain. - 

Propeller had waited until he couldn't hear the steps of his second-in-command anymore before letting himself to s long, deep sigh. He was right, it was a perfect night for look up at the sky.
He slowly walked towards the border and saw the dead-looking areas around the Tower of Fate starting to be cover in snow, because of the not distant icy peaks of the Stranded Ship.
He opened his jacket enough for his hand to slip in and take something from an inside pocket, and he stared at it for a while, letting for once his mind wander in thoughts and memories.
The petals of the rose were still in an incredibily good state and the stem was cleaned from the spikes, so he could always carry it with him without hurting himself or risking to ruin the petals by holding it there.

"Wonder where are you now, mon cheri-"

The breeze tempted him to have a little flight with his helmet around the airship, even to just have a look at it and congrats with himself for the engineery of what it was once his project, now working and flying there high above the lands, but it was one of those rare times he didn't feel like it.
He soon realized the held got tighter without him noticing and so he put it back to place and set up his outfit, as nothing happened.
He looked up to the stars one last time before heading inside for the night.
And he thought out loud:
"Bonne nuit mon amour"