And The Wish...

And the Wish is Put Away

"Damn! You're on fire, Sparrow!" Hammer exclaims as I slice my cleaver through the last balverine's head. I look back at her a give her cheeky grin, wiping my cheek only to stain my face further with blood that was my own as well as a monstrosity's. I look up at the moon, which began to descend from the starry sky. What a lovely night.

"And that concludes our night training," I chirp, swinging around Hammer as if we were going to dance like children. I don't know why, but everything seems brighter, everything's a little lighter, and everyone's better. I giggle to myself as drag Hammer along with me to the West Coast.

"Why are you so happy?" Hammer asks with a grin, stopping me by refusing to move. I look at her a smile.

"I don't know."

"I bet I do."

"Really?"

Hammer bends down to meet my eye. "Your husband is moving in. Or maybe you finished your third set of outfits? I guessing it's the first. And if you're wondering, I overheard the news that Lord Earl divorced Lady Passick." She hugs me tightly. "I'm so happy for you. I know how tough it was knowing that he had to be with another woman when you had to take care of Elliebelle."

She lets go and smiles at me sadly. "And now you have to leave them for who knows how long? Don't worry, I'm sure Lizzie will take care of the little one while we're off saving the world."

I smile back at her weakly and she squeezes my hand. "Thanks Hammer, you're a great friend." And I mean it, she really is. When I first met her, I was scared and threatened and jealous and already in a bad mood, due to a lack of a photo, so I refused to speak to her. After all of that we actually got to know each other and she surprisingly feels the same way as I had when meeting her. This shows that she is stronger than me because I had let my emotions control me as Hammer had not let the get to her.

"What do you mean a great friend?" Hammer questioned in disbelief. "I'm your best friend!"

I shake my head while laughing. "Daisy will always be number one. She's my best friend." I pat her arm. "Nice try."

She humphs and crosses her arms. "Well you gave your best friend a girl's name and address him as a her."

I ignore her though, I've always called Daisy, Daisy, and there's no way I'm changing it. And anyways she...he likes it! And it would take so long to train him to recognize and respond to a new name. Plus his collar is the best one in the shop and engraved 'Daisy' he absolutely loves it!

"So, do you think we're going to win the Crucible?" I shyly ask, slumping over. "I mean, there are so many other strong adversary's who've been training and watching their whole life."

Hammer clapped me hard on the back, almost slamming into the ground if it weren't for my clumsiness which turned me around into a slab of rock. My luck is just fantastic, wouldn't you say?

Grumbling, I push myself up from the rock which now was smeared with a small bit of blood from my forehead. I slowly turn my head to Hammer, who was stepping away, looking as if she had just unopened up a chest of deadly, highly poisonous snakes who haven't been feed for say a week or so.

But it was much worse.

Because it was me.

I stride over to Hammer, my fist clenched up tight. When I pass a tree, I punch it, causing a chunk of bark to fall off and the tree to shake violently. Blood trickles down my eye but I leave it there, to angry to care.

When I finally reach Hammer, I swing with all my might only to stop a millimeter away from her nose. I smile as I stretch out my finger and flick her forehead. She blinks in confusion as I fall to the ground laughing, dirtying my ranger outfit.

"You so fell for it!" I exclai, between laughs, pounding to the dirt. "You really fell for it!"

Hammer's eyes widen in realization and she cracks a smile, shaking her head. "I really did," she agrees. "You are one brilliant actor, you are." And with that she picks me up in one swift motion and we continue on our way to Westcliffe.

"But really, Hammer, do we even have a chance?" I ask after awhile. "We don't have the upper hand this time."

Hammer stops and I turn around to her. She looks so serious all of a sudden, it's weird. "When do we ever have the upper hand?" she questions with a dead voice. "When they killed my father? When they ransacked your house and stole your music box? When they took the second Hero? And that's just for Lucien's men. I'm pretty sure we've never hand the upper hand."

"Hammer-"

"What makes the Crucible any different, Sparrow? Are you cowering because you think they're innocent? If they are really innocent do you think they'd fight for money and fame and women? No. You've got to stay strong Sparrow, you're in the real world now."

"I've always been in the real world," I mumble under my breath. "I'm just trying to create a good one to escape it."

I look up and grin at Hammer. "Thanks, I feel much better now. Shall we go off to the Crucible then?"

"Yeah, it's getting bright out and we ran out of food. You really got to plan this out more, Sparrow." She grins back. "And stop buying golden chocolate if you're just going to hand it out to every kid along the way. Peanuts would be nice for a change."

"What about tofu? I've got plenty at home. And celery too."

"I said peanuts, Sparrow."

"But I just got back from a hunting trip! So many rabbits and deer and squirrels! It'd be a feast! Especially with-"

"Peanuts!" she yells in aggravation.

"I was just about to say that," I lie.

"Sure you were."