Pretty Boy Psycho

I wonder if we’ll ever sit round the kitchen table together again. Our plan sounds risky. It’s not much different to how I got into Spindle Tower the first time round only this time on a grander scale, throwing ourselves into conflict.

Geordie leans back in his chair. “Tell your parts back to me in order.”

“My post is around Spindle Tower with Prince. We keep the opposition away with his alpha screeing from the sky,” says Casey, looking bored as he sits on the unit seen as we are short of a fifth chair and he refuses to share with me.

“You forgot the most important bit. You are to stay airborne. No landing.”

“Yes, I knew that. No need to be tetchy.”

“If you knew you should have included it in your explanation. Next.”

Danny taps a katana against the table. “I take whatever comes at us from the ground. Give you as much time as possible.” Which is the most dangerous task. I’ll hate leaving him.

“I’m on the steps defending the front door in case anyone gets past Danny. If Danny gets squandered and the steps are clear I can leave my post to offer him assistance,” says Charlie.

“I accompany you into Spindle Tower. We force our way in if necessary.” I slip my blades from my forearms. “I back you up as you hunt her down. Offer as much support as possible against whatever comes at us.”

“If she ain’t in the tower we leave and look somewhere else. Search the whole Plaza if need be. Assuming she is where expected, I go in for the kill.”

“If you die trying I try my luck.”

“I do not like that part,” interrupts Casey. “If you get yourself killed Henley, I think the rest of us ought to retreat.”

“If Midnight lives we’re dead regardless. If you don’t like the plan get out, go back to Kensington. Live in fear with Prince for a few more days.”

“No fear is my line,” snipes Casey. “Don’t use the word fear against me.”

“Al might be your boyfriend but tonight is about all of our welfare not just his. I want us all home by dawn, not one or two. If you can’t handle that you ain’t fit to work with us. Chunk can have your spot scaring off skeletals. You ain’t that special. I gave you an easy task. I won’t have you fucking us up.”

Ot-oh Geordie’s winding himself tight. He’ll end up punching Casey in the face at this rate. We have hours to live before we jump into our deadly mission. I spring from my chair and fly upstairs as Geordie and Casey start up arguing. I grab Toothpick from where he’s leant against Geordie’s bed. Take him carefully downstairs. Perch on the edge of the sofa and twang at a string wondering if I can still play after so long. Yep still got it. Sort of rusty. I play, Sweet Home Alabama, ’cause I know it’s one of Casey’s favourite songs to sing. He hears my playing. Peers at me from round the lounge door. Geordie’s behind him.

“This ain’t the time to be playing music,” grumbles Geordie.

“Sure is.” I stop playing and hold the guitar out to him. “Carry on. You play much better than me.” Geordie shakes his head, so I tilt my head and beam a smile. “Pretty please.”

“Fine.” Geordie snatches Toothpick from me. Starts up playing. Charlie and Danny come sit with us.

Standing by himself Casey whispers lyrics to himself then can’t help but sing along in time to Geordie’s playing which gains some astounded stares. I beam away glad to hear Casey sing again. Pronunciation is his thing. He knows how to use his voice. He and Geordie sound so professional together. Woo, we have some common ground between them. I giggle as Geordie starts up Breaking the Habit. Tries to play too rowdily so Casey won’t be able to keep up, but he manages. Even wanders closer to Geordie. Yay free entertainment. I lean into Danny glad of this moment.

This moment cannot stretch on forever. The last hour before we ought to leave is the worst. We fall quiet knowing we might never return to our home. There’s a fifty percent chance we’ll end up in the ground that’s if anyone bothered to bury us. I say we’re quiet; that’s just the original four of us.

“It’s as Plato said: Courage is knowing not what to fear. You only think they’re scary because they’re running wild in grey cloaks. Take away their cloaks what have they got?”

“Skeletals,” says Charlie. “You saw what they did to Hotaru.”

“What is scary about a skeletal? Besides you won’t have to deal with them as I will keep them away from you. More people like you than they do Midnight meaning you have an upper hand tonight. Goodness me you four are going to take some work to be de-conditioned.”

Casey grabs the battered old, Cloudy Handbook, off the bookcase. Sits with us and takes out his fancy fountain pen. Opens to a random page. “Look here. A Cloud Associate must follow the word of logistics without question at all times.” He draws a line through this sentence and writes above it: A Cloud Associate must always question authority and never feel guilty or shy away from their beliefs because authority tends to be corrupt. He flicks to the next page. “Here Geordie how should we change this one up? Field agents are forbidden from showing off their griffons in public.”

“Field agents must integrate their griffons in society.”

“Because,” coaxes Casey. “Why is the most important part.”

“To keep healthy relationships with the public and encourage friendship circles.”

“Exactly. See you’ve got it.”

“Don’t patronise me Hillcrest. You can wear red if you like tonight.”

“I am going to wear grey actually. Skeletals will react more positively towards me.”

“You mean I get to wear my long yellow jacket?”

“Whatever you like. The blue jacket was for show yesterday. We’ll be setting off in a sec.” Geordie flicks back a page and reads the new rule about obeying logistics. “We’re doing what’s right for us. Fuck everyone else. Stick to what I told you and we’ll be fine. Be home before dawn. We got ought in for breakfast?”

Leaving Charlie to sigh over Geordie thinking about his stomach I nip upstairs to fetch my yellow jacket. When I’m sorted, I find Casey waiting outside my door giving me his ultra cute frowny face.

“What?” I ask.

“I won’t be able to see what is happening inside Spindle Tower.”

“I can’t see what is happening outside of it so we’re even. Trust Geordie’s judgement.”

“Why should I? I question him, and he tells me shut up. Inside Spindle Tower you’ll be enclosed so could get trapped within.”

“Your first proper mission is scary. Trust the team and you’ll be okay.” I try get around him to the stairs, but he bars my way. “You’ve just tried to perk everyone up with your no fear attitude so don’t go being a hypocrite.”

“The plan would be perfect if you were outside the tower.”

“You’re not doing your overprotective routine right now especially when I’m the one who should be worried about you.” I squeeze my switchblades. “I’ve been trained. You haven’t. Meaning you shouldn’t wade in declaring you know what’s best. Geordie knows.”

“Then why don’t you marry him?” Casey shunts into my back sending me tripping over the first few steps of the stairs. I manage to grab the rail to stop myself tumbling to the bottom. “If he were homosexual you’d be all over each other.” He walks right by me as the others come out into the hallway, ready to leave. “Let’s get this over with.” He’s the first out the door.

If we weren’t about to knock on General Midnight’s front door those comments would have seriously messed me up. They have. I repress the crazy. Focus on the task at hand.