The Eyes of Fate (Currently in Rewrite)

Hometown Villain

"This is quite the party." Sentinel said, eyeing the horse-drawn carriage that went past them.

"Always has been." Fang said from in front of him. He was leading them all through the crowd that had formed in the streets in downtown Laine. He stopped in a next to a gazebo on the courthouse lawn where there was enough space for the six of them to group up.

"So, I'm guessing you grew up here, right Fang?" Oracle asked. Fang raised an eyebrow at her, and she grinned at him. "You knew there was an event down here tonight, you travel this city like you have a built-in map of it, and you've been walking around like you're reliving the past since we got here."

"Look, just because I knew exactly where we could park close in this crowded ass area." Fang laughed and scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, this is my hometown. I haven't been back in about five years, but places like this don't really change." 

"So, what is this whole thing then?" Ranger asked.  Sentinel noticed that he had been twitchier than the rest of them, and he kept touching the pistol he had tucked into his waistband. The crowds seemed to be bothering him. 

"It's called Light Up the Plains," Fang said, gesturing to the area around them. "Once the sun goes down the rest of the way, all the Christmas lights around us will be lit up for the first time this season. It's always a big deal here in town, not that I ever understood why. The food trucks are new, admittedly, as are some of the new shops."

"So we just hang around for a while?" Chesyr asked.

"I think so, yeah." Fang shrugged. "Grab some food and some drinks, we'll just walk and talk for a while until we find something to do or get bored and go home."

Walking around proved to be more fun than Sentinel had expected it to be. Walking around with no purpose meant that they could check out anything they wanted to. There were all kinds of food sold in the trucks, but Fang insisted they all try some "good ol' southern barbecue" from a truck he recognized. Sentinel had to admit that his pulled pork sandwich was amazing. After they finished eating, they wandered through several shops, looking at clothes and knickknacks and joking with each other. 

"Do you guys smell that?" Chesyr suddenly straightened up, her question aired to everyone but her eyes on Sentinel.

"Hot cocoa." Sentinel nodded, and Chesyr smiled wide and darted down the sidewalk. Sentinel was hot on her heels until they were stood at the window of a small coffee shop. They got in line just as the others reached them.

"Do you know this place, Fang?" Sentinel asked.

"Never seen it before," Fang answered.

"Looks like they've got more than just drinks," Vyper said, squinting his eyes into the window. Sentinel followed his gaze, but all he saw was the three ladies working inside and some machinery. "I spy a chocolate temperer."

"That's nothing," Ranger chuckled. "I just saw something that's going to make Fang lose his mind."

"Oh?" Fang asked casually. 

Ranger pointed to two giant decals on the windows of the shop. One read "Laine Axe" and the other said "Liquor in the Axe".

"Oh hell yes," Fang said, his smile getting wide. "Where the hell was this place when I was growing up?"

"Let's get our drinks first, then we'll go inside after the lights turn on." Oracle said, apparently deciding that she had to play the adult now.

"Fiiiiiine," Fang groaned, dissolving into a laugh at the end. 

They wound up getting three coffees and three hot chocolates, leading to the twins and Oracle mocking the rest of them for being children. Drinks in hand, Fang led them back to the courthouse lawn and into the crowd again. They sat on a concrete bench underneath a bunch of light strings going from the ground to the top of a flagpole near them.