A Pirate's Life for Mei

The Wandering Sinn

Armand

Armand was in good spirits. They had dodged several bullets so far: going the wrong direction at sea, being picked up by a slave ship, being arrested, and then meeting a governor who should have been more than happy to lock them up again. Despite all these events, he and the others were still free. Now they were on their way to a proper ship and a new life, one he had never thought he'd experience in this prison.

He was disappointed that Lance had chosen a different path but not surprised. The American had been correct in that he was better suited to an office than violence.

Mei. Now there was a surprise. He watched her out of the corner of his eye as they strode down the road towards town. She was a journalist and probably hadn't ever been in a fight until coming to prison. Yet she'd adapted impressively well. He'd known others who had faltered and fallen when confronted with pain and blood and death. Yet she carried on. Her fighting spirit was strong. He found that he was quite satisfied to be part of a crew with her, confident that she was someone trustworthy and dependable, both rare and valuable traits.

They had descended about halfway down the mountain, chatting and marvelling at their new course in life, when an errant seagull winged overhead. A liquid bomb fell through the air, and a white blob splattered the back of Cheeto's head.

He frowned and looked behind, thinking someone had tapped him on the skull.

Armand, Mei, and Lia, the three walking behind him, all schooled their faces to reveal nothing.

Well, Lia tried. That lasted about two seconds before she exploded into girlish laughter.

Mei bit her lips and tried to fight her own amusement, looking away and trying to feign a blank look, but it was no use. It was obvious that she wanted to laugh too.

Cheeto scowled at them. "What?" Tsking, he shook his head and looked forward again, ignoring them.

Lia howled and clutched her sides.

Mei snickered.

Armand smiled.

Cheeto whirled, the teen gangster angry now. "What is it? Why you laughing?"

Lia pointed and laughed, her voice as pretty as a bird's.

Cheeto flushed and cursed them in Spanish.

Lia patted him on the shoulder in a friendly way, then plucked a couple of leaves off of an overhanging branch as they walked. Like a good sister, she grabbed the confused boy's head and wiped the bird poo off his head.

When Cheeto saw it, he turned red and glowered at the ground, but didn't protest, allowing her to work.

She wiped him clean, using a few more leaves to get the job done, showing no hesitation and not grossed out at all, just practical. She tossed the leaves off the road and wiped her hands on her skirt. Smiling at him and nodding, she said, "I am good."

Mei tapped her shoulder. Pointing to herself, she said, "I am good." Pointing to Lia, "You are good." Pointing at Cheeto, "He is good. I. You. He."

Lia repeated her words. "I. You. He. He is good." Unfortunately, as she said it, she pointed to the wrong people. Mei tried again, and she understood on the second try. "I am good. You are good. He is good."

"Right!" Mei grinned, giving her a one-armed hug.

Lia looked happy.

Cheeto ran a hand over the back of his shaved head and lightened his expression a few degrees, still embarrassed. "Thank you."