Enter Abyss

Chapter 2; The Midnight District and other unpleasantries.

The next morning dawned bright and radiant with not a cloud in the sky and only a slight breeze, carrying the scent of a quickly vanishing summer, dared to disturb the receding fog of the night.

Archer awoke, his hazel eyes snapping open, and sat up in bed. It was still a mystery HOW he had gotten to sleep last night, what with what Thaddeus had told them. But somehow he had slept until late in the morning, waking up from some kind of terrible dream of falling into the Abyss with Piper. She had been laughing hysterically then, but it didn't make it any less terrifing.

Rising from his tangle of sheets and noting that he was only wearing thin shorts, he proceeded to search his quickly dwindling supply of clothes for something suitable for him to wear. He finally settled on a white button-up shirt that wasn't yet stained with oil, and brown trousers with patches on the knees where Pip had ripped them. Come to think of it, Archer was sure he had been IN the trousers when she had ripped them. Shaking his head, he selected a brown, sleeveless vest with bronze buttons, worn brown boots, his goggles that had been a gift from Thaddeus, and an array of belts that looped around his slender hips, with some of the straps going across his chest. These were mainly to hold a variety of pouches that carried important bits and pieces that he might need that day; such as a gear or a tool of some kind.

Once fully dressed, he gazed at his reflection in the mirror and began to brush out the tangles in his long hair. For while Pip's hair was more like the shade of autumn leaves that had not yet fallen from the trees, Archer's hair was the colour of fire, rich and red, shining like strands of liquid flame when sunlight would strike it. He was not sure WHY he kept it long, he simply knew that he liked it and would often wear it in a ponytail, tied with a bit of string. The rest of Archer was not as remarkable; he was on the tall side, his body lean and thin from lack of food. He was well muscled-- though not as much as he would have liked-- and had skin as pale as the moon due to the fact that he only went outside once every hundred years or so.

Well, that's what Piper had told him.

Archer's fingeres were long and delicate, good for his line of work, and his facial features matches his hands. Sometimes, Cogs would tease him and say that it was a wonder that Archer's nose hadn't gotten caught in a machine by now. Still, Archer thought it made him look noble. A noble nose, that's what it was.

He had just finished brushing out his hair when the door to his small room was suddenly thrown open and Pip burst in, a cheery smile on her face.

"You're looking unnaturally happy today, as usual." Archer pointed out, grinning when she punched him in the shoulder.

"And a cheery good morning to you as well." she huffed.

Archer suddenly glanced at what she was wearing and his brows crinkled in a frown. "Is that my shirt?"

"It might be."

"What have I told you about borrowing my clothes? I'll have nothing left at the rate YOU tear things up."

"It was an accident."

"How can you ACCIDENTALLY borrow a shirt? That's impossible."

"Oh, really? Then how am I wearing your shirt?"

At this point, Archer just let the conversation drop, being smart enough to know that it would only get worse from this point on.

Pulling his hair back into it's usual ponytail, he walked out of the room-- Piper trailing behind him, a smug look on her face-- and made his way to the library. Opening the double doors, he found it to be in its usual state of familiar chaos with atlases, invention sketchbooks filled with Archer's drawings, dictionaries, and fairy tale novels littering the floor. The shelves were covered in dust, the windows overlooking a bleak view of the Midnight District, the rotting floorboards creaking under their feet. Once, this had been a great house, but over the years decay had run her fingers over the timbers and rot and dust had settled in the walls. Just like everything else in this part of the citidell. Archer had no doubt that once the Midnight District was swallowed by the Abyss, Lamp post Row would not be far behind.