Altered

Chapter 12: Journey

"Alright alright!" Gina laughed, raising her hands in surrender. "I'll stop. You know me far too well Ro."

Amryn rounded the corner as they approached the main building of the manor. Amryn was lugging a massive bag full of who knew what. Gina didn't even know anyone could have that much stuff. He was also carrying Quill's bag which had only the basics it seemed. It was a much smaller bag than Gina's and appeared to have closed easily. Gina envied that. Society dictated that she had to wear so many extra layers as a woman.

Although that certainly doesn't stop Ro from wearing breeches and a vest, she mused.

"Hello there ladies, a good day to you," he waggled his eyebrows, "A very good day indeed." He flashed them his customary mischievous grin in a way that Gina had come to associate with him. Gina never knew what to expect from him. He was always messing around with things; putting leeches in her bathwater, sprinkling pepper flakes on people's meals, hiding brushes, and jewelry.

"Uh oh. What did you do now, Amryn?" She tried to sound stern but ended up grinning. She knew he never actually hurt anyone, and she usually found herself amused at his antics, even against her better judgment.

"Nothing." He said innocently his eyes dancing with humor, "just the usual stuff: packing, eating, putting shaving cream on Quill's face while he was sleeping."

At that moment we heard a loud, "Arrrgghhh" from Quill's sleeping quarters.

"AMRYN!" He roared. Amryn fell on the ground laughing, rolling around as laughs shook his body.

"That... was... perfect!" He rolled some more giggling uncontrollably, banging his fist on the ground. Then he grinned so big it split his face and sat up tears streamed down his face. Ro and Gina finally gave in and laughed with him. Gina knew that today of all day was a serious day, but it felt so nice to relax and laugh that she let herself go for a while.

Loud clomps of footsteps came toward us from Quill's direction. We could hear stomps getting closer to us as Quill came up around the corner.

"See you later," Amryn said, getting up in a hurry, still laughing, and stuck the bottle of shaving cream in Ro's hand.

He was gone on his nanoenhanced legs before any of us could say a word.

"Amryn when I get my hands on you you are going to be sorry you ever-" Quill stopped short, seeing a very different scene than he must have imagined. His face was covered with white shaving cream and a scowl dominated his features. He was about to shove past us when he saw the shaving cream in Ro's hands.

He pointed at her hands. "Ro, what are you doing with that? You didn't actually do this to me did you?"

He glared at her as he waited for an explanation.

Ro looked down and saw what he was pointing to and then looked angry. "That twerp! How dare he! Of course I didn't do that to you."

"The evidence would suggest otherwise."

A giggle floated down from the top of the building.

Quill looked up with a quizzical brow then back down at Ro. "I think you have some apologizing to do."

"I'm not apologizing! I didn't do anything! Amryn ran past me and dumped this in my hands."

A snort from the top of the building.

The anger faded from Quill's eyes, as he snuck a glance at the top of the building. He motioned us closer. "Let's get him back."

He winked. "I don't know Ro, seems pretty likely you did it. You having the shaving cream."