of Shovels and Knights (Shovel Knight stories)

Propeller Knight, chapter 2 - A sweet memory

That day the Armored Outpost was busier than usual. She noticed more clients walking in and out Mr Hat's shop, traders according prices and exchaging products, warriors of any kind commissioning new armours or weapons. Judging the shapes of most of the blades in expositions, the art of Shovelry was still present and applied by some knights. 
She was sitting there on one of the roofs, below the anchored airship, simply watching the flood of people down the streets. She wondered if there was any adventurer who would have stayed for the night, perhaps telling some of his adventures in the local inn. She always enjoyed listening them, and imagine the lands they've travelled throught or the enemies they had to fight. 
Then, between all those people, her attention was caught by an unusual figure. He seemed a man, tall and fit, with the green coat of the air commanders and a thin sword on his right side. However what made him stand out from the crowd was his helmet, made of golden mental (sure it couldn't be real gold, it would have been too heavy) with a propeller on the top. Did it work for its purpose, or just another eccentric guy?
And as if he heard her thoughts, the man grabbed something hanging from the helmet, jumped up and took height, slowly gliding towards the Airship.
She followed him with the eyes, seeing how he landed right on the border of the entrance and took a step in. 
"Sure I have something to tell next time".
Her curiosity took over her, and so she decided to go in as well, even to just have a closer look of the stranger. "He may be a foreign traveller, unless they come from the sea, you don't often meet up with captains. Beside, that is sure not an outfit tipical of here."
And as she was inside, she had the confirm of her wonders. 

- What is this guy talking about, can you repeat?- 

- Je suis désolé, still not used to your language. Would--- you please repetir? - 

- Listen, it's a honour to have you on my shop but I can't understand you. Look for someone who does so we may have a normal talk.- said the blacksmith, making gestures along with the words in a vain hope the man would get the general meaning of the sentence. 
Who didn't seem to do at first as he had stared at him for a good moment before bowing the head as apology, and headed towards the exit. 
But then he stopped, turned back and looked at all the people in the shop, saluted once again and jumped off the platform. Everyone ran at entrance scared only to see him landing softly thanks to the propeller, and took his way with the confidence of someone who did those kind of things on a daily basis.
"What a character" she thought, smirking at who was probaly the most unusual traveller she had ever seen. 

The sky was starting to color in red as the sun was setting, and she was walking on the now almost empty streets. There were remainings of apples and other fruits in some corners where probably the food-seller held his stand, pieces of paper, muddy pawprints and forgotten boxes. 
She decided to go up the roof once again to see the sky for the last time, before darkness would come and the rogues and guards would have been the only rulers of the town. 
But as she reached the top she froze on her stand. On the opposite way, there was the man with a propeller on the head, standing close to the chimney and enjoying the view of the sun as she meant to. 
She started to wonder, what was he still doing there? What if he turned back and recognized her? Did he see her laughing? 
She tried to step backwards but accidentaly kicked a misplaced tile, and she noticed him startling and turning his head at her, caught out of guard. 
Or so she thought. She couldn't really tell, the helmet would have covered his face completely if wasn't for a cross on the frontside, wide enough to allow him to see but not be seen.
And then, he put a leg back in order to jump up and in a blink of an eye he was standing right in front of her, thanks to the helic. 

- Bonsoir, mademoiselle. -

- Bon...soir, monsieur.- 

He lifted up his head, and now she could tell he was surprised. 

- Vous pouvez-- ?? You can..? - 

- Oui, I can. But I apologize for any mistake I do it- 

He moved his hand up and down, meaning to slow down the speech. She rehearsed what she was about to say and continued

- French is not my first language, but I understand better than how I talk. Did you understand me instead? - 

He gently nodded. Even if he said few words any gesture and pose he made would speak for him and spread his charismatic personality. "What a character" she thought. 

- Sunset is magnificient, oui? -

She noticed the hesitation of his pronounce but he was able to hide it pretty well, and only some few mistakes and the strong accent betrayed his true origins, beside the clearly French terms.

- Oui, I often come up here to see it before disappearing. There's something.... melachonic on it, along with the hope of seeing the sun once again. -

The man was listening carefully, and bended his head on the side, probably quick translating in his mind, then made a sound of agreeiment. 
They both standed there, one next to each other, a few steps between them, watching the sun diving between the mountains, the red and lilac slowly leaving the place to the purple and blue. 

- Parbleu, I apologize I haven't introduced myself. Propeller Knight, at your service. - he said as he putted an arm behind the back and bowed, leaning his hand towards her.

- Oh, you sure know the manners. Evelyn, a pleasure to meet you. - and she gave him her hand, which he simply brought it close to the helmet, making sure to not bump into her with the helic. 

- Ravi de vous connaitre . - he replied, and standed up again. 

- You must go I imagine, and so should I. Thank you for the little time, bon soir! - 

And as quickly as he came, he was on the ground, turned back one last time and saluted, walking away.

He couldn't hide his annoyance at seeing everyone going inside their houses as he was flying above their heads. They weren't doing it for respect but simple fear, and even if a little part of him was still appreciate, he couldn't stand it. He had to keep his honor, or what had remained of it at least since the Order was formed.

- Clocktower on the sight Captain, it won't take too long to reach it! - 

- Thank you, the quickier we get him the quickier we will back ruling the sky as we do. -

Even though he left most of his fleet guarding between the clouds with the order to attack any flying object, he would have prefered thousand times more to be there and face the enemies himself, instead of using his airship as a carriage and give a lift to the other members.
"That tiny man loves only his machines and schedules, sure as he makes a step here he will blame my "inconpetence". Phew, at least I wasn't attacked by the ones of my own army. "
Whenever he talked with Tinker Knight, he would have always pointed out how having a plan beforehand is better than just heading towards the unknown as he always did, and the more they confronted the more the engineer's words would have brought him back a certain memory he had been trying to get rid off. He hoped this time he would have kept his mounth shout for most of the travel at least. 
And having to pass above the Armour Outpost didn't help his mood at all. A place he used to spent nice memories, now blocking his way whenever he would have tried to enter. 

- Is something wrong, sir? - 

The words of his second-in-command brought him back to reality. He said it was alright, not commenting out loud his desire to be in any other place but there. 
He made an effort to keep his temper when he spotted the airship-enthusiastic rooster who once stole the rose he was keeping on his pocket, forcing himself on thinking about something else.