Setting down the metals on the ground beside Ronin. He was underneath REX working on some adjustments, he wants her to fly more smoothly. And needed extra scraps.
"Thanks, kid. Can you see if she'll still turn on?" He asks, sliding out from underneath.
I pull out my key slipping into it. And trying to start it, but it didn't. "What did you do?" I say looking down at him, who was lighting a cigarette. "And quit smoking."
"It's a habit."
I sit, taking the screwdriver from him and going underneath REX. Looking at what he did, which was a mess. I could tell he didn't connect the wire to start it up, and he did making the flying smoother.
I reached up fixing the wiring mistake he made and looking over what he did. It appears fine. "Ronin, start it."
I slide out from under and see him starting REX, which worked. "Didn't know you knew how to work on REX."
"I learned from watching you. I also read about it," I explain, looking at his arm. "You also need to change that up. Your pointer finger has slower reaction time to the rest of your fingers."
"Goddammit. It's annoying to fix..." he flops down into his chair, smoking his cigarette.
"I could do it."
"Kid, can you light this?"
"I'm working on your arm. It's more important than your addiction," I state unscrewing the screws from his pointer finger. Setting them in a pile away from the rest.
"I need something to keep me calm. I don't have an arm on," he wines, through his legs on the table. Next to his arm, I removed.
I sigh, moving the arm away from his boots. I don't want to put more clean effort into this than I already have to. "If light it will move your feet. Then I will."
Pulling out a lighter from my pocket, that I kept because he never had his. I light the cigarette he had in my mouth and I hear his feet fall. Allowing me to focus back on his finger of his.
"How did you get the books?"
"I made a deal with someone from the city. Cheap books with a lot of information about building mechanics and a prosthetic hand."
"How did I don't see them?"
"You fall asleep with two eyes closed. I sleep with one eye open with a little amount of sleep. I read well you sleep," I change the wire to the finger, making sure it's connected to the other.
"Very funny. I sleep with one eye open," he chuckles.
"Did you know you snore?" I ask him, looking at his brown eye.
"I don't."
"Sure."
I did not want to see Ronin, but I wouldn't mind if I did. Sure we had a good time, but we ended badly. Bad in a way I ended back on the streets, not cause he kicked me out. But because I chose to leave.
Do I regret it? Yes. Would have I stayed? I don't know. I don't think I would have met the ninja if I did. Or if I didn't, I would be meeting them now.
"Are you sure we are at the right spot, Y/n? Maybe we took a wrong turn and ended up here?" I hear Kai call from behind me.
"Stix is his place, I know he's here. If not then it will be hard," I mumble the last part turning the corner. I wanted to avoid as many people as possible, we bought and sold a lot in Stix. Also may have stolen a thing or two, but mostly Ronin did. If someone recognizes me, I should probably run depending on who they are.
Opening the shop door, I see the same old shop. Just things moved and around, a few new things. But I could tell he was selling anything he could get his hands on.
"This is it?" Jay asks. "Looks... inviting..."
"He invests his money elsewhere. Now look for this scroll."
I immediately went for behind the counter. If he knows it's valuable, he's keeping it close. Easy to grab and run with. I see a bag of coins and some other valuable things. My eyes stop on one thing, a small chest.
Picking it up and opening it. I see a photo, a ring, and a necklace. A photo was him. He, a woman, and a young boy that looks exactly like him. Brown hair in a small ponytail to the side and the same grin.
I smiled, it was nice to know he became a family man. Closing the chest and placing it in the same spot, I watch as the ninja rush to the door frame, blocking someone. That being Ronin.
I stepped back into the corner as I watch him come to the front desk. The ninja and he had a feud, something I'll ask about later.
"Bet your airships nearby. What do you call it? Rhino? Ruby?"
"REX," I say in sync with Ronin, he turns to see me in the corner of the pawnshop. He looked at me for a bit, I could guess because I've aged a lot since he's seen me.
"Nice to see you, Y/n," he says, looking back at the ninja. He seems upset like his entire mood changed when he saw me.
"Same to you, Ronin."
"Where is the Scroll of Airjitzu?" Cole asks, slamming his fist on the counter
"The Scroll of what-zoo?"
"You have it, Ronin! Where is it?"
"I don't have it, but it sounds important. Something I wouldn't keep on hand and sounds pricey," he says, walks over to some items. "What about something else?"
"You got anything that can kill ghosts?" Kai asks, stepping forward.
"Ghost huh..." he rushes over to some blades. "How about Aeroblades? Made with deep-sea stone. And more pricey..."
"How much?"
"Four hundred."
I remember why he's asking for so much. He made a deal with a ghost that asked for a lot of money. Doubt he's paid it back.
"Lower the price, Ronin," I state coming closer to him.
"No. You know how I work."
"If I am correct, I still own half of what you have," I roll my eyes, glaring up at him.
"Yeah! She does!" Jay shouts.
"That was off once you left. Four hundred."
"Come here, Y/n," I feel a hand pulls me into the group. "You know him best. Will he lower the price?"
"If he's still mad at me no," I say, glancing back at him. Catching his eyes, the same ones I remember.
"Ugh, fine I'll be the leader. I say we try at least," Jay states.
"Fine, I will."
Let's just say Kai will never negotiate deals ever in my life. He got the price raised to four hundred and fifty. The ninja began working around Stiix, well I said I was finding somewhere else. But I lied.
I'm going to see Ronin.
Stiix isn't the best place for me. Even if I have grown, they might recognize me. And that will cause too much trouble.
Jumping to the top of his roof. I see him there, leaning as he looked over the edge. He didn't react when I hit the roof. Just stayed there.
"How's he doing?" I ask walking up to the side of him. Leaning on the edge.
"How'd you know?" He asks spinning his bottle around before drinking it.
"You keep things that are valuable and special to close. How old is he?"
"Turning four next month."
We got quiet. We didn't for little. It was more of enjoying each other's company after all these years. Words weren't needed for something like this.
"How's your boy?"
"He's the one we are saving... was it that obvious?" I ask, looking at his arm. Nothing much has changed, only new things here and there.
"I raised you for three years. I'd know if you'd like someone," he chuckles, slipping his bottle again. Then holding it out to me. "You want some?"
"No, I don't want your drinking habits," I wave the drink off and he takes a slip.
"Is he nice?"
"Yeah, saved him when I first met him then dragged me to the Monastery."
"Sounds like a keeper."
"Is she? Your wife."
"Yeah, she's great. She's probably stronger than me," he mumbles staring at the sky.
"I know she is and I don't have to meet her."
He pauses looking at his drink. "Sorry I didn't invite you to the wedding."
"Didn't think you'd have one."
"She wanted one for her family."
I knew Ronin didn't have any family and I was the only true friend. We'd be labeled as working partners, never friends. But when it came down to the thing we did. We had each other's back no matter what was on the line.
"Sorry I didn't come."
"Don't sweat it, kid. It was very small. She wants a bigger one with our son in it," he turned towards me, resting his right arm on the ledge.
"How are you? Like actually. I don't know the 'I'm fine' answer. You are hiding something."
"See, this is why I sometimes regret knowing you," I face towards him, getting a better look.
He aged, but well. He grew a slight scruff beard; he uses to shave every day, a clean face. His eye was changed out, something new. Well, I worked on his arm, he could do his eye. Which I refused to do because I didn't want to damage it.
He got a scar on his cheek and change out his hat. Same hat, just a new one. "Did you quit smoking yet?"
"What? No, it-"
"'It's a habit' yeah, yeah. And I'm not feeling good. I shouldn't tell you since you have something we need," I comment, which he just rolled his eyes. "I have a brother, ya know?"
"Dang... did you like reconnect yet?"
"He's a ghost possessing the guy I like. It's an interesting reunion," I state.
"Do you hate him for that? Like he did possess the guy you like, which is a-"
"No, I just can't. Yes, I'm mad at him, but he's the only blood relative I have. The only connection to a family, a blood-related family. It sounds like a dream saying that, but it's amazing."
I feel myself being pulled into a hug, I smell the alcohol and cigarette smoke on him. Still drinking and smoking the same thing years later. "I'm happy for you, kid. Even if it's not the way you wanted things to go. I know how much you wanted to see your family, and you finally got a chance. Just, stay safe well you do it. Alright?"
"He's going to kill me," I sigh looking through the shop.
"Remember this is for Lloyd," Cole states.
"I know. It just doesn't feel right," I look underneth the Jade Blades, only to see the Aeroblades Ronin showed up earlier.
I see a glimpse of green and jumped back. The ghost phases through the the shelves and pulls back on the arrow.
"Nope!" I run around the shop to see Ronin, Morro, and the other ghost we fought on the way here.
"Water! We need water!"
Jay throws a vase through the ghost and it shaders, no water in it. "Oh come on!"
I watch Ronin kick Morro and grab a Aeroblade, hitting the Soul Archer. Who had another arrow prepared for me. "You're welcome, and here!"
I catch the Aeroblade, "isn't there a payment?"
"No, payment if my life is on the line!"
I watch another vase shader, but with the Scroll of Airjitzu inside. Kai immediately grabs it and fights off Morro. Ronin sneaks up and steals it, whistling. That same whistle.
I feel a shake below my feet and jump to the corner of the shop. REX comes through the floor and Ronin quickly hops on flying up.
I put my fingers to my mouth and whistle, the same tone Ronin does. And REX comes down ever so.
I hear Morro grunt as he blows Ronin off REX and steals the scroll, running off.
I run out of the room towards Morro, alongside the ninja. Passing the people of Stiix, but I hear an arrow. The Soul Archer's arrow, I take a quick turn away from the ninja. That arrow was after me, no one else.
Jumping over the picnic table, I run towards the dock. Seeing Ronin turning the corner, I see him hold his hand out. I quickly take it and feel myself being pulled in. The noise of the arrow stops, twice.
I glance up to see Ronin, "you owe me."
"Put that on the deal we made," I whistle, watching REX come towards us.
"What are you doing?"
"Saving my friends and getting the scroll," I jump onto REX, heading Ronin follow behind.
"REX is mine."
"I helped you build her. I own her too. Or do you want me to take her apart here," I state glaring up at the older man, he's not too old.
"Fine."
"There is another way?!"
"Yeah, Yang's Haunted Temple. Seems like Ronin knows a lot about it," Kai states, as he walks down the path to the Tourist Location. "Didn't think he'd be the guy to know history."
"He doesn't. I might have told him about it when we met," I rub the back of my neck, looking away from the ninja.
"What!? You didn't tell us!" Jay shouts practically in my ear.
"I forgot, okay?" I shout, speeding ahead of them. "My brain got filled with mechanicals when I was with him and gabbling."
"You can't gamble!" Zane shouts, in my other ear practically. My hearing isn't good anymore.
"I thought you fixed him?" Kai asks irritated.
"I thought I did. Probably left the volume switch on," Jay says. "Why can't Y/n do it next time?"
"No, no. I didn't work on Nindroids. I worked on Ronin's arm and REX, that's all."
"We are here, be quiet guys."