K'shalt Chronicles - Iceflame (B1)

Plans set in motion

Pyro

     It was an awful plan, Scar was way better at planing than I was, but it was something. 

    After I went to see Coach, I'd ask her to go see him with me to say goodbye.  I'd ask him to give her some food with powder in it; she'd sleep for a day at least, and I'd be far enough ahead of her to kill anything dangerous before she came through.  Because no matter how much I tried lying to myself, I didn't want to do this without her.  Just keep her safe.

  I slowed down as I reached Coach's place.  I hated asking this but he'd understand I hoped.   I reached for the pouch of powder with my left hand, and the handle of his door with my right.  "Coach?" I called as I let myself in.

"Yeh, Pyre?"  His response was quick and I heard his footsteps coming my way.

"I've got a favour to ask you..." 

If he doesn't agree...

"An'thing boy"  He was in front of me now.

That's a good start I guess...

"See...  I don't want Scar coming; she could get hurt, badly.  Can the two of us come over before we leave?  I've got, um... powder here...  could you offer her something and put a bit in it?  Please Coach."  Get it all out at once, yeah.

     He looked at me, and rubbed his stubble - which would normally be cropped shorter than it was at the moment.  "Py, You know I don't agree with t-"

"Please!"  I couldn't let this not work.

"Pyre. Let me finish."  He was running short on patience. "You know Scarl 'ed rather die fightin by ya than watch ya die without er?  She'll 'ate ya f'rever if ye do dis.  If yer still set on it...." 

"I am!  Do it, please!"  He sighed and reached for the bag.

"Py," he said examining the pouch hanging off his fingers from its closing cord, "Where d'ya get all these fancy things an'way boy?  Dang'rous steff y'know."

"Market." I was sparing with my words, because although the black market in the town wasn't much of a secret, it was a topic better left quiet.

He raised an eyebrow, "Which market boy?"

"You know which one." It was an advantage of my fire, made getting things worth trading easy.

He shook his head incredulously, "Boy, yer gonna get 'urt one a 'ese days with 'at stuff."

"Coach, that's the least of my worries, right now... all I can think about is keeping her safe."

     He clamped a strong hand on my shoulder and stared in to my eyes, "Pyre, if dis is whatchya want, I'll do it, but if yer fightin one day, remember she'd rather die 'an not win.  I wish ya's the best boy-" his voice cracked a bit and he cleared his throat, "Make me proud... g'luck"

"I'll be back in a bit with Scarlett, I don't want her to know I was here... And thanks... for everything."  I was about to leave, and then remembered, "Coach, can she sleep on your sit-pad after she's knocked out by the powder?  Her mom thinks she'll be out hunting in the morning, you're the only one who knows about this.  It would mean a lot to me if I knew she was safe with you."