A Clockwork War

[AiEnma]

“Nothing but open sea as far as the eye can see” Penelope commented as she enjoyed her view of the Atlantic ocean. She only seen it once when she was a little girl and her father had taken his family to the beach on vacation. At that time, life was simple and Penelope did need to have a care in the world. Sadly, that time has ended and Penelope had so much on the line for one person to deal with. She sighed sadly, and kept controlling the mechanism.


Penelope had been flying in the Flyer for almost 4 hours now. It was a simple machine to fly after she had gotten used to. Penelope looked at the beacon and watched at it simply beep to the area for where she was headed. Penelope closed her eyes and gripped the beacon in her hands as she thought about Ian for a moment. “I must let what happened in the past go for myself… in order to protect my country. Stay strong…” she whispered to herself.


The beacon started to beep louder, causing Penelope to come out of a silenced moment and looking in front of her. Her eyes widen and she opened her mouth a little. “Land ho…” she whispered quietly. The beacon started to beep even louder, while the Flyer started to act crazy, completely going in the opposite direction that she wanted to go.


“Damn it… stupid machine! Stop it! Let me take control.” she yelled at it. The Flyer took a hard right causing her to hit her head on a metal item. She was knocked almost instantly. The Flyer continued to its marked destination.


Penelope eyes opened slowly as she was coming back to conscious. Her head was pounding, while she looked around to see where she was. Penelope slowly touched the right side of her head and noticed that she had blood coming from it. Penelope wiped it away from her, knowing that at some point she would have to bandage herself. Months constantly building up her pain tolerance was finally coming to some use.


“I must be here… the Flyer has landed.” she said to herself. The sun was shining bright and the weather was warm. She could smell smoke but it was not from the Flyer it was from the building that she landed across from.


Penelope lifted the door to the Flyer up and stumbled out from being in a tight area for so long. She looked around her surroundings, and took joy from the area. “Such beauty….” she said. The trees were green and the grass was even greener. The clouds were such a bright white and the sun was still high in the sky. The smell of smoke that was coming from the building and becoming a botherance. America was truly a beautiful sight. Penelope started to understand why people were leaving England. There was so much opportunity in here.


“I do not understand why the Flyer has taken me here, but I need to find some answers. I need to find Ian.” she said. Penelope began to move and her legs began to shake causing her to fall towards the ground. She tried to stand but her legs would not allow her to. She cursed quietly under her breath.


“I shall rest for now and then continue the journey.” she said as she crawled over to a tree that was a short distance from her position. Penelope laid her back on the tree and put her katana on her lap just in case she felt a danger come close. Penelope let her neck length blonde hair fall and sighed. “I miss my long back length hair…” she whispered to herself. Penelope put her mask over her mouth and nose to block out the smell of smoke. She closed her eyes slowly and began to rest. The pain from her wound was becoming less and less.

 

[Kazanna]

Paranoia was not always the best tool in every situation, but it was one that Ian used constantly. So now, as he moved towards the glider in full armor, his face covered by his helm, his weapon bared at his side, he held the transponder with a bare hand, directing it north, so that he could track the flyer. He looked it over and with the mental link, made it lift off, and fly in the direction of the river. It would land in the river carefully, as he had designed it to do, and float on it's wings, filling it's reserve tanks with fresh water, cooling its systems off so that it could take off easily. He slid the beacon into his belt, fastening it securely.


Having dealt with the flyer, he turned towards Penelope. A sigh escaping his lips, he pulled his helm off, letting his weapon rest against his hip, it's head on the ground. Ian's helmet released a hiss, steam escaping it as it's armorization slid back, and displayed his head. He'd kept himself well enough, his hair was trimmed neatly, and he had kept his face clean. He wore a frown and his eyes gleamed with unending paranoia. He drew out a neutralization crystal, it was a weapon he had conceived to negate the effects of those under the effects of the Control Crystals, and slid the gemstone into the head of his weapon. They were delicate, so he only used them when he had to, now, he raised the hybrid weapon towards Penelope's resting form.


"Wake up... Penelope Wingstingham." He said coldly, he said as his weapons internal systems began to feed power to the neutralizer.


While he still cared for her immensely, to see her alive drove him to the direct paranoid decision that she was under control of a crystal, and that he had to determine the truth of his paranoia, one way or another.

 

[AiEnma]

Her body had began to tense up as she felt someone was near. Her grip on her katana increase tenfold, as she prepared for what was going to happen next. Penelope heard her name in the distance and she slowly opened her eyes. A weapon was just only a foot or two from her face, her adrenaline started to rise.


Penelope’s face turned into a frown and her green eyes showed a deep anger. Penelope felt her body getting warm and her grip on her weapon tightened even more. With the bottom of her face covered her breath started to pick up slowly. Her senses were more clear and she felt the danger in front of her. Her blood felt as if it was boiling and she did not move a muscle. Her wounded on the top of her head began to throb as it began to bleed again, covering the side of her face, staining her blonde hair. She lowered her eyes slowly.


Penelope reached behind her back and pulled out three smoke bombs throwing them at her attacker. The guild of knives must of followed her to where Ian was to kill him. Penelope quickened to her stance and climbed the tree. Her heart racing, her blood hot, and her adrenaline rushing through her veins.. Her eyes narrowed as she jumped from the branch, landing on the machine.


“Stand down… if you are here to kill Ian Tettonavich, then you are in for a rude awakening. Leave this place and don’t ever come back.” she said coldly. Her katana was at the machines neck. “I know there is a human in and it would only take one slash through this armor and you would be dead.” she continued. Her eyes showed anger. The wound at the tip of her head still bleeding. “Do not try to test me for this katana has pierced through many armors and it will pierce through this one. Leave now and return to England!” she said as she tensed her hand.

 

[Kazanna]

Ian snorted, and lowered his weapon. His armor released a massive blast of steam all around him, clearing the smoke, and as his primary face coverings relented and withdrew, revealing his face. He was smiling as he gazed at Penelope.


"Glad to see they didn't get you like they did Ty and the others." Ian said with a hint of bitterness. He looked her blade over for a moment as he slung his weapon over his shoulder. He raised his hand and tapped it's metal, his glove had a vibration that ran through it, and would send a slight jolt up Penelope's arm.


"If you got the flyer from Ty, he's at least still got some kind of spine." He said rolling his shoulder, "I missed you... I never thought you had died. Weak constitution and health alone wouldn't have killed someone who can snap out of a coma on their own." He remarked flatly, "But come on, we need to get out of here. It's not safe in the open. The Knifers have agents everywhere." He said pulling back from the blade, "Lets get you patched up, and we can catch up at my workshop."

 

[AiEnma]

Squinting her eyes from the steam that came from the machine, Penelope got ready just in case the situation got out of proportion. Her eyes widen as she saw the face that hid behind the steam. Her eyes became blank and her hand shook with the blade in it. A face untouched by time. A face that was familiar. From what Penelope could remember, that last time she saw Ian, they were in the infirmary of the Clock Terminus. When she had first came out of her coma, Ian face looked sad, his eyes were hollowed and red from the tears he had shed. Now he looked as he did when she first met him. Eyes full imagination and surprises. Even more there was a charming smile there as well.


"I tried not to be found..." she said more to herself than Ian, "You have not changed much... damn..." Penelope felt a jolt in her arm and she tensed up but didn't let out a sound. "You wanna shock me now?" she said flatly.


"When I went to go find Ty, when I made my first appearance in months, he looked as if he saw a ghost." Penelope sighed as continued, "He is truly a remarkable person. For not only losing the love of his life, but as well as his father in the same battle. To continue on..."


Listening to Ian talk of how he had missed her, made her feel remorseful. She hadn't seen him in months and yet he still thought of her. Penelope had almost forgotten of him through her vigorous training and peaceful meditation. "Alright, let us go inside." she said quietly. Penelope jumped back from Ian, putting her blade back in its sheath. Her body still ached and her head was throbbing. She touched the side of her head and saw that she was still bleeding from her wound. "Still bleeding eh?" she whispered to herself. Penelope turned around and walked towards Ian's shop.


Penelope slowly untied the sash over a her black garb, removing the top layer. It left her in a simple sleeveless black top. Rubbing the over the area where her tattoo was, Penelope looked over at Ian. She realized that Ian still was the same person on the inside and out. He didn't age in his face, he just kept the same appearance that she had once fallen for. For her though, there was a different story. Her eyes became cold, not the bright green eyes she once had. Her long blonde locks that once curled, had became straight and shoulder length. Her once small frame weak but a bit more muscular and fit.


How could she explain to Ian why she left without even saying goodbye? It was time for her to own up to her own demons.

 

[Kazanna]

Ian frowned, "His love...? Tessa didn't die Penelope. No, The knifers captured her early in the fighting. She's being held captive. I bet there's a tracking beacon somewhere on the flyer. It's why I landed it so far away from where my Warehouse is." He said with a snort.


For the fact he was still being hunted, he was in good humor about it. He hadn't changed physically, if anything he'd grown more toned, his form had become stronger. He moved down to the waters edge and used the beacon to bring the flyer back to land. With a brief check, he found what he was looking for. He yanked the piece of technology out of the flyer's frame and looked it over, "Crude... but effective. Amusing too. It's one of... Oh man, they got the Tinkers Union too... Shame." He muttered to himself as he shattered the device in his strong grip. The components ceased to function as its parts gave way to his grip, the inner workings burst and the micro-steam engine within blew up in a gasp of steam and electrical sputtering. "Inferior casing. Figures." He threw the components away and pulled the canopy open, looking the flyer over. He smiled lightly, "I'm glad it got you here in one piece... I'd be ashamed of myself if it had crashed. I only tested it a few times before your journey here." Ian said thoughtfully.


He pulled a handle in the body of the machine and extended it along the length, the wings suddenly shimmered and fluttered slightly, "Ty has no idea how fast this thing is. So neither do the Knifers. Or how maneuverable it is. I spent years building it, I wanted to..." He shook his head, "It doesn't matter, we need to weaponized it. Along with the other machines I've built. We can't do that here."


The flyers wings split, and unfolded until they doubled in number, the tail controls altered immensely as well as Ian unlocked the secondary features the machine held. He stepped back as it's internal mechanisms went to work, modifying the machinations within. "It's a wonder... that no one ever tried this while it sat in storage. Not like I hid the handle or anything." He said pulling his helmet back up into place. He motioned to it, "There's a passenger seat, right beside the main controls too. If the knifers had ever looked, they'd have known. Ty may be working for them, but he's helping us too. I know he saw the extra components."


He stepped inside and pulled several integration cables from the machine and integrated it with his own armor. He started the machine up and it's wings began to thrum rythmatically while it stayed on the ground, He checked over the sensor crystals in his helmets interior as he waited for Penelope to join him inside.

 

[AiEnma]

Penelope looked over at Ian as he broke the tracker on the Flyer. She sighed as she reached inside her garb and pulled out a bandage. A good warrior always comes prepared, as old man Yamamoto had told her once. Penelope walked over to the edge of the water and kneeled. The water was crystal clear letting Penelope see her appearance. Pushing her hair behind her ear, she began to clean the wound on the side of her face. It was a small gash, and being that it was on the top of her skull was the reason why it bled so much. It was merely a minor wound. After washing it off, she bandage the side of her skull and turned to look Ian.


He was waiting for her and she stood up slowly and removed her mask covering the lower part of her face. Penelope put her top layer of her garb back on tying it with its sash. She sighed and walked over to Ian. Looking up at him she then realized his demeanor had changed. "Ty could not be possibly working for the Guild of Knives. If he were why has not tried to kill you yet?" she said casually. Penelope shook her head slowly and got into the Flyer next to Ian,

 

[Kazanna]

With a light grin, Ian remarked, "Because he has no idea where I am. No one knew, not until you led them here. But this was planned. I planned for someone to reveal my location so my workshop can lead them down the wrong road, get them to think the next advancement lies in their own existing technology."


He pulled the canopy shut, and raised his hands, the integration of his suit and the flyer was complete as he controlled it, lifting them smoothly into the sky. It's wings beat almost silently, only a faint thrumming was felt more then heard. He maneuvered the craft nearly against the water as they made their way upstream from where it had landed. Within seconds, the town of Richmond appeared on either side of them, He brought the machine into his workshop's open doors and folded it's wings in to compensate for the size. They landed as smoothly as they had taken off.


"I give things probably two days before they arrive here, another twelve hours after that before they launch a full scale assault against Richmond, and another hour from there before they fully infiltrate my warehouse. By that time, I intend to be as far south as humanly possible. I know you came to bring me home... but I'm not ready to go back yet. I'm not prepared to fight my father just yet. If I go back now, You'll be delivering me to my death. I need a year, at least." He said with a cool tone, as though he was asking for a few minutes.


Opening the canopy of the flyer, he unhooked his armor and pulled himself out of the controls, there was a great deal of steam escape as he did, the valves compensating for the sudden loss of pressure, and the flyers wings fluttered closed again. He rolled his shoulders, and grunted, "Ah... that's... a new feeling... new kind of sore." He began extricating himself from his armor, he tapped a switch on the chest plate, and another on his arm, then a third near his waist, and finally a fourth at his collar. The entire armor suit split open along it's legs, arms, chest, and helm, and Ian smoothly slid out, wearing little more then a pair of trousers. He flexed his toned body, stretching, he muttered, "Oh, I haven't worn that gear in far too long. Sooore." He remarked casually, like he was ignoring the situation at hand.


His workshop was organized, there were several projects scattered across the warehouse, each contained within it's own chaotic bubble of parts. Several unfinished suits of armor, all of which resemebled the one he wore, but were clearly incomplete and inferior in design. There was a larger bay, where a larger armor could have been held, and in it's center, something covered with a large canvas tarp. Towards the center of the workshop was a rack that held every single tool Ian had, all neatly organized from top to bottom. It was a treasure trove worth a kings ransom, and most of the tools, if not all of them, had been custom fabricated by Ian himself. He turned back towards Penelope, and nodded to her, "Theres a bed up in my loft. You can make yourself at home here if you wish. We'll need to leave tomorrow. I'll be making the prepartions for our departure." He paused, "Either, You can come with me, Or I can pay your way back to England. We need to make it known you found me, so I'll be spreading information that you're here."


He paused, machinations were brewing in his mind, but he set them aside, "It's... really good to see you again Penelope... I apologize... I failed you, Utterly." he said letting his arms fall to his sides, his face downcast, "Your father joined the Knifers, a week before I left. They informed him you were dead... The last I heard is that he joined them. I have no real information about it... Just a few scraps of rumor... I'm sorry." he spoke slowly, soberly, but with a great deal of regret in his tone.

 

[AiEnma]

"So I was just a pawn in this mere game that you are forced to play " she said flatly. Penelope clenched her hands as she listened to Ian. She did not even dare to look his way as he talked. He had truly changed.


Penelope watched as the town rushed around her as they continued up the river. The colors had changed and were vibrant in the scenery. As long as she was alive, Penelope always loved to watch things around her. To see things grow or move, and even change for that matter. The world around her was always new in her mind. Something to always be surprised of.


Shaking her head lightly, "I see. By then, when you are ready, the entire country will be corrupted mind slaves of your father." She looked around Ian's work space, taking in what was around her. Not only has he been hiding out, he spent his time working on new things, a better plan, something that would bring him a step closer in defeating his father. She was in awe as usual.


"Soreness you call it?" she said while laughing slightly, "Try learning ancient works of Japanese people. The pain. The suffering. All used in order to build a tolerance." she said casually. Penelope looked over at the tarp but then down at her covered knuckles. Under the covering was bruising and scars from the repeated training she did to them.


Penelope listen to Ian and what she heard next broke her completely.


"My father..." she whispered as her hands fell to her sides. Penelope's eyes widen as she looked at the floor. Bawling up her knuckles, she began to say words from the ancient world to calm her anger. Her face began to warm and her palms were sweaty.


"You have not failed me Ian..." she whispered. Penelope fell on her knees and closed her eyes, as she gripped her pants' legs. It was months she last felt so much internal pain and suffering.


She continued her words slowly, letting her anger cool down. Her entire body was shaking fiercely and she did not want to even look at Ian. It was too much to take in at once.


"Now I am truly alone in this world..." she said, "No mother. No father. I could have simply been one of those mindless wealthy girls. By now I could have been married and have had a child. Or been pregnant with one. Simply not have a care in the world but to tend to my husband's business." she continued. Slowly rising, Penelope looked up at Ian, a blank coldness showed in her eyes.


"I have one duty left. I promise I once made..." she said, moving her eyes to the ground and the back at Ian, "I am to help you defeat the Guild of Knives. I want to kill everyone that works for those cold hearted bastards. That is what I will do."


Penelope walked closer to Ian and stared him dead in his eyes. Her eyes gave a soulless expression. "Anyone that stands in my way, will die as well." she said coldly.

 

[Kazanna]

Penelope may have had extensive training in her time away, but Ian had fought his entire life. He had learned physical discipline from an early age, and he had been honed like a well loved knife from day one. He was in front of her within a heartbeat, his eyes were dark, filled with an odd fire, a lethality that few could match, "No." He stated flatly, "I will not have you like this." He tilted his head and looked her over slowly, as though examining her, "You are useless to me in this state. Whomever corrupted you so deserves a knife in their breast, so they know who's put them out of this world." He stood back up straight, "You were compassionate before, able to..." He stretched again, popping the join in his shoulder, he sighed with relief of it, "Able to understand the plight of those harassed. Now you simply want vengeance." He turned away from her, and shook his head with a sigh, "Whatever discipline you've learned, It wont serve you against father. He's a monster, always has been, always will be. You can't kill his army. You have to save those he's enslaved, not murder them helplessly. Had I not saved you... You'd be one of them, a crystal ring to keep you docile, to twist your mind as they used your body for new experiments."


Ian stepped away from Penelope, and made his way up to his loft, "I know of pain, and suffering. I'm a reckoner. One of the last. There are few disciplines in the world that are more intensive then ours. One of our masters is formerly Samurai, I believe he called it, he was a trainer of Shinobi long ago. His name was Takeda Muraki. He was the one that brought me to the Terminus in the first place, rescued me from my father's mansion when I was a child, after he failed to kill him on my grandfather's orders. Takeda trained my father as well. It's why he failed. Reckoners aren't just..." He stopped, "Never mind. You can't understand unless you've gone through the training. Unless you've endured the rites. You are Shinobi, You SHOULD understand what pain is. But you don't seem to embrace mercy anymore."


Ian's form was coated in scars from his training. From victories, as well as mistakes. He had been taught mercilessly since he was a child, and the fighting during the early days of the war, had scarred him further. Pain was something he knew all too well. He had learned initially to block it out, to ignore it, to even channel it. But he had found after years of suffering the same torments, that pain was tool, that to ignore it, was to die, to block it out, was to become weak, and to channel it, was to succumb to the darkness his father had. So instead, he acknowledged it, embraced it, and allowed it to teach him. His body was a tight and cord-like, his muscular tone showed he was far stronger then he should have been, and there were surgical scars, each of them almost looking self inflicted, at key points across his body.


"I've made sacrifices Penelope. I've done things I never wanted to. All because my father craves power. I am the result of chaos, and insanity. In a year's time, yes. He will own all of England. In a years time, I will hopefully have what I need to kill him, and him alone." Ian said carefully, audibly, as he sat down at a desk beside his bed, looking over the map and paperwork on his desk.

 

[AiEnma]

Penelope looked over at Ian with vengeful eyes and bawled up her fist. "Do not ever insult Master Yamanmoto! He is the only one that still cares for me" She said as she began to raise her voice. Penelope felt her entire body shake as her rage became more. Her master was the only left that truly cared for her. Penelope looked over and saw her own reflection in metallic item. Her eyes hollowed as she slowly unbawled her fist.


She saw her true anger in front of her. Her mask finally gone. What she truly felt had left her insides and became her out. Penelope slowly closed her eyes and began her mediation. She felt all the anger release from her. She knew what really troubled her. It hid inside her for so long that she let it build up over time until she finally burst. She sighed and looked over in Ian's direction.


"I understand now. It all makes sense." She began to say, "Ian you've made it apparent that once what we had for a moment is now dead." She said loudly looking at the ground. She turned around slowly and began to walk.


"I'm here to work for you and what you says go. Its strictly just team work now." She said as walked towards the door to get fresh air.

 

[Kazanna]

Ian's insides were suddenly like ice. He stared after Penelope for only a moment before he was on his feet. It took him but a moment to be behind her, silently, his arms wrapped around her and he held her tight to his chest, his face burying itself in the crook of her neck. Regardless of gear, or armor, regardless of anything else, he held her tight to him, his eyes closed for a moment.


"You could be right about everything else in the world Penelope, But that is something you are dead wrong about, would always be wrong about. I'll never let go of that... It's what's kept me going all this time..." Ian spoke with his voice just above a whisper.


A moment later, he had pulled back, released his grasp on her, and stepped back into his workshop, leaning against the wall, he stared at his projects, and tried to block out the icy feeling in his chest. With a shudder and a sigh, he muttered, "I apologize..." He withdrew further into himself, his eyes showing the loss of brilliance they normally held. He pushed himself off the wall, and stood there with his back to her, his shoulders slumped in defeat.

 

[AiEnma]

Her body tensed up as he came behind her and hugged her. His presence felt warm and she felt herself shaking. He had held her close and it felt as he would not let her go. Her eyes started to fill with tears. This moment reminded her of the night that started it all. The night that she left her home and never returned. He whispered to her about he true intentions and her heart started to ache.


Penelope stood there looking at the ground. She felt him release his grasp on her and she looked over to him. Her tears began to fall. She was feeling something that she had not felt in a long time. Something that was buried deep in her heart. The feeling that was secluded and she could not remember for so long. The feeling that bothered her every once in awhile. She finally understood what it was. Her love for Ian was so strong that she still needed him. She looked over toward his way and her eyes filled with tears, blurring her vision.


"Ian..." she yelled to him as ran over his way. She stood in front of him and hugged him as hard as she could. She buried her face his chest as she cried. "I love you so much Ian Tettonavich! I have never stopped loving you! Please don't be sad!" she said between mumbles. She looked up to him, staring in his green eyes. "Ian, show me that you still have me in your heart... Give me a kiss or do something! Show me some way!" she begged him as she put her head back into chest as she wept.

 

[Kazanna]

He did, He pulled her tight to him and with a gentle touch to her chin, raised her lips to his as he leaned in close to her. He held his lips to hers tenderly, for a long moment, before pulling back slightly, he muttered, "I'll always love you Penelope... What is between us will never change. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be so cold..." He pulled her close again and kissed her once more, gentle tears falling down his face.


After a few more moments, and several more kisses, between gasps of breath, he held her tenderly in his arms and murmured, "So much has happened, I broke apart in several ways. the thought of you was all that kept me motivated to continue on. When you came here, cold and so... weaponized... It reminded me of what happened to Veronica... I was mortified... I hardly knew how to react..."


Ian finally pulled back, and shuddered slightly, he withdrew entirely, and rubbed his arms uncomfortably, "I... I do care about you, I love you, Immensely, You're my entire reason for not just... It's not important... But I need to keep myself cold and hard for this... When you vanished... My weakness was gone... I was a machine. With you back here..." He closed his eyes and released a long, heavy sigh.


"You are my one and only weakness Penelope... I know you've gotten stronger, but Veronica nearly killed me... I need to be able to know nothing will harm you... If something happened to you... I'd die..." His face was stricken suddenly, as though he was utterly terrified. The sheer thought of it had done such to him, "I knew... when you vanished... I knew you weren't dead..." he said closing his eyes with a shake of his head.

 

[AiEnma]

Her faced began to slowly feel warm, as Ian pressed his lips against hers. Her cheeks began to turn a bright ruby red. Penelope arms fell to her sides as she closed her eyes. Her eyes began to fill with more tears as he said that he loved her. When he leaned down for another kiss, she felt numb for it was her first kiss and it was with her Prince Charming. Her first love.


The warmth of his skin against hers made her whole body tingling inside. Only stopping to gasp for air, Penelope got the hang of kissing pretty fast. She laid her head on his chest as he talked.


"I will not let them get to me Ian... I promise. Ian I far stronger than I have let on. I handle myself now..." she began to say, as she lifted her head to look towards him. "I do not have the problems that I used to have. I am not a fragile girl that constantly needs to be save. You have nothing to worry about when it comes to me." she continued. She laid her head on his chest again.


"I understand what you mean Ian." she said with her eyes closed. "I completely do..."


She sighed and looked upwards at her love. Looking dead in his eyes, she began to speak.


"Ian, I have never asked you for one thing except not to die. But I will ask you for thing. Only just one." she started, "Just give me one night of love and happiness. Just one... So when we wake in morning, we can begin this long treacherous journey that lays ahead of us. That's all I ask for."

 

[Kazanna]

There was a pause in his heartbeat, a fraction of a breath escaped him until he managed to catch himself. He shook his head slowly, gazing at her the entire time. "No my darling... No." He pulled her close to him once more and held her tight in his arms, nuzzling her gently, he whispered into her ear, "I'll give you far more then just one."


Ian had been careful up until then. He had never acted on emotion. He'd kept everything bottled up and remarkably well preserved mentally. Now as he held Penelope in his arms, he released himself to his emotions, released his inhibitions and embraced the woman he loved with everything he was. He utterly released himself to her and held her tight to himself as though he'd never have her in his arms again.


~~~


Refer to OOC note. Proposing time skip from this point.

 

[Kazanna]

Two Months later, Ten Miles from Kingston Port...


It was as though the world itself had turned its fangs against the ship. Ian looked skyward with apprehension as he considered the horrid turn of events. Dark clouds had formed from one end of the horizon to the other, and the first mate of the ship had warned him to tie down everything he held of value to one of the masts, to tie himself as well, and to make sure that his belongings were carefully stowed.


Stepping down into the storage of the ship, he moved to the front end, and sneaked himself underneath the tarp at the far end. This is where Gigas had been stored. He'd stashed his tools within the machines body, as well as his armor and weapons. Now, he activated Gigas with a careful motion, and put himself in front of it's eyes.


As the machine came to life, it looked at him, and seemed to quietly acknowledge him before it said, "Iaaaan...." In its soft, slightly grating voice.


Ian nodded at it, and remarked, "Yes, now I need you to do something for me. I need you to remain calm. Set your water filters to maximum. If things go wrong, and we sink, I need you to make your way to this beacon." He said tapping the beacon on his belt so that it activated. "I need you to grab the flyer, and the box of supplies there as well, and bring them with you. Make your way to me, Alright Gigas?"


Gigas blinked at him, and nodded its large head in recognition. It had learned human nuances in the short time he'd spent with it, and it sometimes sent a chill down Ians spine, but it was incredible at the same time.


After a few more orders to Gigas, Ian pulled out from under the tarp, and returned to the upper deck. He wore a short coat, and looked to be every inch an engineer of high standing with one guild or another. He wore glasses he didn't need, and a hat that hardly suited him, but made him look the part of a travelling businessman. On his finger he wore a wedding band, partly to make his façade even more believable, mainly because he was devoted to Penelope and wanted there to be no question of it.


He returned to the upper decks, to the cabin that he had rented for the journey to Kingsport, and knocked gently before he entered.


"The weather has turned for the worse. I instructed Gigas to safekeep our things if we should sink. It does not look good..." Ian said slowly, "We may want to lash in above decks."


(This is assuming Penelope to be in the Cabin, They'd be keeping as low profile as possible to avoid alerting the guild of knives as to where they were headed)

 

[AiEnma]

Opening her eyes slowly, Penelope turned on her side and looked out of the small porthole that was in their cabin. The sky showed that an abysmal storm was brewing. She looked down to her hands; her engagement on one finger and her wedding band on another. She smiled a little when thought about the day that she had received them both. One small reason to keep her identity sealed and another because Ian wanted to prove his devotion to her.


She slowly risen out of bed and kept the blanket above her chest so her body would be hidden in case Ian was still in the room. Even though they were devoted to one another, she still knew it was very unladylike to show her nakedness.


When she realized that Ian was not there, she hurriedly put on her nightgown before he would come back. In her mind the events from the night before slowly replayed in her mind and her legs were a little shaken as she stood on the hardwood floor. Ian had rented them a nice cabin hardly below the deck of the ship. Penelope looked over to the dresser that was there and looked at the dress that she put out the night before. It was a beautiful one with lace and was the color of a deep royal blue; Penelope's favorite it color.


In a short time, Penelope quickly bathed and had gotten dress. It took time for her to practice putting on her own corset and tightened it by herself. Two months of preparation to make sure that this trip was fool proof. Making sure that the Guild of Knives would not even notice her. Penelope even grew out her short length blonde hair back to the long length that it used to be. Her natural loose wave curls came back as well. She sat on a stool doing the final touches to her makeup. She finally looked like her old self but just a little older, new curves had came with this look as well. Penelope was finally a woman, she had just turned eighteen a couple weeks prior. She smiled a little to herself in the mirror. Penelope had accomplished so much in the previous months before. Her parents would be proud if they were not under the mind control of the evil guild. Penelope cursed under her breath.


That was when she heard a quiet rap on the cabin door and she looked over to it. She heard Ian's voice on the other side, warning her. Penelope put on shoal over her, since she heard the wind beginning outside as the waves crashed on the sides of the ship. She walked to the door and opened to see the love of her life in front of her.


"Alright Ian, let us go the deck of the ship." she said quietly for understanding what was possibly about to take place.

 

[Kazanna]

Despite the situation above decks, Ian paused to gaze at Penelope for a long moment. He sighed inwardly and let himself drift into thoughts of her in his arms for a long moment before his ever calculating mind caught up to him.


"You look wonderful darling. But yes, above decks, the first mate referred me to tie myself to the ship itself, though if the worst were to happen, and it were to sink..." He tapped his chin with an odd grin, revealing that he was making a terrible stab at humor. "I suppose we'd be part of the ship at that point wouldn't we?" He'd offer her his hand before guiding her out onto the deck.


The wind had picked up considerably, and the crew had tied down all but one sail, which secured from the bottom, and was easily dropped during a true squall. Ian looked skyward just as the first drops of rain began to fall about them. He was on the edge of the entryway to the cabins, a small rising deck-cabin, with a slight overhang was what it was made up of. This was where he had planned to watch the storm, to tie himself in. The First mate stood there, lashing down several of his other crew-men, whom were a bit more superstitious and worried of the storm. He was a tall man, of African descent, which, while odd, was not unheard of, but he had an odd accent to Ian. The man turned to look at him with a nod.


"Evening Master Smith. Seems the weathers gotten a bit worse since. I've a few lengths more of cord for you and your lady both if you'd prefer this spot. The crew is tied in and only but a few of us will be on long cords, loose about the ship." he said formally.


Ian nodded to the man, and asked him, "Have you a knife we could not bury in the wood, in the event of the worst case?"


There was a crack of lightning followed by the report of thunder almost instantly after. The Mate looked grimly to the sky for a moment before replying with another nod, "Aye, Sir. I do in fact." He pulled the knife out and buried it in the center of the railing they were to be tied to.


Ian paused, and asked one more thing of the man, "And another length of cord. Were I to be separated from my wife, even in death, I fear I would never find my way to the afterlife."


The mate nodded, and took another length of cord from a nearby hook, he offered it to Ian and then returned to his other duties. Ian took it and tied it securely about his own waist, then he fixed the line that was tied to the railing to this line, and after tying Penelope in with him, repeated the process with the second line.


Ian pulled her close, and held her, acting ever the part of the protective husband. "Even if the ship goes down, Gigas will find us. I know both of us can swim well enough, but I'd rather not be separated, not in this, not somewhere we've no clue where we are." he said to her quietly, his lips close to her ear.

 

[AiEnma]

Her face turned a palish pink when Ian had complimented her. "Thank you, Ian" she said. She looked at him puzzled but a gave a slight smile to show that she understood his humor. Penelope took his hand and followed him to the above decks. Thinking to herself, she wondered why Ian had gazed at her for moment.


Penelope gripped her shoal more, the wind was picking up more. She moved over to the edge of the entryway and looked at the sea around them. The air smelled salty and the seagulls were flying south, away from the storm that was coming. Looking down she saw the men tied themselves to sturdy items. Some stared up at her and then looked away.


Penelope continued to look to the sea as Ian talked to the first mate. It was starting to rain and the temperature was slowly dropping. The waves were crashing against each in a fierce motion. This was going to be a terrible storm and Penelope could feel it.


"Good luck to you, first mate and may God be with you..." she said as she turned around to face Ian and the man. Many would probably die today and she wanted to give someone a little ounce of hope.


Penelope watched as Ian tied himself to railing and then finally tying her as well to him. As he pulled her in close to him, Penelope laid her head and hands on his chest. She looked up to him and nodded slowly. The rain was starting to pick up.


Then Penelope did something that she had not done for a long time. Something way before she met Ian and then even farther. She began to sing.


Bones, sinking like stones,


All that we fought for,


Homes, places we've grown,


All of us are done for.


And we live in a beautiful world,


Yes we do, yes we do,


We live in a beautiful world

 

[Kazanna]

Ian felt calm, steady, and relaxed as the storm began to rise further and faster. He held Penelope tight in his arms as the boat began to sway back and forth, as the wind became a gale, and as the light sprinkling became a full downpour. As she had sung, he had listened, and adored her, as had the rest of the crew. It had been calming to say the least, but to Ian, it had been enchanting. He held her tight to him as lightning flashed, and muttered into her ear, "Beautiful my beloved..."


As the swell rose, Ian felt the ship tilt to one side. It wasn't much, but he knew, he had seen it happen, he leaned into that tilt, held Penelope tight, and kept an eye on the knife in the railing. It took mere seconds for the tilt to go the opposite way, for the ship to begin it's long lurch in the opposite direction, the decking creaking with the strain. Then the next wave came on, and the ship went back the other way for a long moment.


With one hand, Ian held onto Penelope for dear life, with the other, he gripped the rail in his vice like grip. As he did, the ship's crew got a great view of the oceans surface, as it rushed up at them from the side of the ship. The ship was wide, designed for cargo, designed for the storms in the Northern Atlantic Ocean. But the storm they were in now, was a southern storm. No ship was designed to survive that. The vessel began to flounder rapidly, and Ian glanced to Penelope, holding her tight as the ship began to list to the side again. It had bobbed back and forth several times, but was beginning to rapidly take on water.


"The next one. Mark my words." He whispered to her, "Stay calm. I'll cut us loose as we go under. We want to get away from the ship as quickly as possible, I'm sorry, but you're probably going to lose the skirt of that dress." He said with a sigh as the ship tilted away from the ocean again.


Another wave came, and the ship began to tilt, and as Ian predicted, it did not right itself. It listed on it's side for several seconds, before it began to sink into the waves. Ian had done as he said he would. He cut them loose from the ship, and as the next wave battered the ship mercilessly, tearing it apart bit by bit, Ian grabbed the nearest piece of flotsam he could. A barrel that had gotten loose, and pulled Penelope with himself against it, trying to stay on the surface as the ship sank quickly beneath the waves.


Using what was left of the rope, he secured them to the barrel as it was pulled about by the current, setting them adrift in the storming ocean. Ian looked to Penelope, a grim look on his face, "I'm sorry..." he said as loudly as he could to her above the din of the storm as they were swept off into the Caribbean Sea.

 

[AiEnma]

She clung to Ian as if this was the last time that she would ever be so close to him. She finished singing and everything was quiet again. For a second, the storm did not seem so bad. It felt as if the rain would pass and then came down the downpour and brought Penelope back to the reality of the matter. Ian had given her another compliment and she smiled a little as she laid her head on his chest once more. She listened to the rhythm of his heartbeat.


The boat began to sway back and forth. She could feel Ian's grip tighten around her. The ship began to tip more on one side than the other and Penelope tighten her embrace with Ian. She could feel her heart beating faster, as if it would burst out of her chest. By now they were fully drenched from the hard rain. Her clothing clung to her and she began to feel cold. She could see glimpses of her own breath.


She nodded as she listened to Ian. As the final the wave hit the ship, it did not go back to its leveled self. No, it began sinking in the ocean. Her eyes widen and before she could gasp she felt her body hit the ocean water and go under for a second. Her mouth filled with salt water, but Ian pulled her close to him. She began coughing and looked around them. There was floatsam all around them and then she turned her attention back to Ian. The storm was still going hard and she clung to him more. She could feel the cold water through her toes. Her shoes had fallen off. She looked back up at Ian and the laid her hand on the barrel.


"Please, my beloved Ian, do not apologize for the unknown. I knew that this would be a dangerous journey. I will stay by your side always." She said over the storm.

 

[Kazanna]

Treading water was never easy, and as the storm raged, Ian and Penelope would be thrown from one edge of the shipping lanes between Richmond and Kingsport, far to the other, landing them in a section of the Caribbean that would see them unable to even make out another large land mass on the horizon.


Morning would come harshly to the pair, washing them ashore on a large island's beach, the wreckage of several other ships and boats littering the shore line. Ian pulled himself from the water and made sure Penelope came with him. He had remained conscious the entire time, and now, as the pair was thrown ashore, Ian made it his business to get them above the tide lines.


It was several hours before the storm abated entirely, Ian had blacked out after they had made landfall, his strength reserves used up by the thrashing waves and keeping them afloat as long as the storm had raged. It was several hours before he awoke to the sound of the waves lapping against the shore. He sat up with a start, and a sharp pain in his right arm. Glancing down at it he found a piece of wooden shrapnel lodged in his arm. The first impulse was to dislodge it, and apply pressure to the injury, but he knew that if he started bleeding out, he'd die before he could close the wound.


He turned, looking for Penelope in sudden panic, "Penelope?" He asked aloud, still trying to blink sand and salt water from his eyes.

 

[AiEnma]

<p>Being dragged down by her dress, Penelope tried to walk on the shorelines on the unknown island. The rain was still pouring heavily, while they used much of their strength to get to the sand and out of the water. Her body ached greatly but Ian kept moving farther and farther from the tide lines. Ian had blacked out shortly after making their destination. </p>


<p>


Penelope herself, had little to no strength left in her. She slowly walked a little farther than where Ian was laying, and collapsed on the ground from fatigue. She could of made it farther if the remaining parts of her dress did not feel like thousand pounds. She was drifting in and out of consciousness. The rain was beating down on her face as she laid there. </p>


<p>


"Ian we've made land..." She aloud. Her body felt heavy as did her eyes. She slowly drifted into the blackness as while her leg was throbbing. </p>


<p>


Hours later, Penelope awoke to the sound of someone calling her name. After recognizing the voice she began to yell out to Ian.</p>


<p>


"I'm over here Ian!" She yelled to him. She wanted to assure him that she was alright.</p>

 

[Kazanna]

Pulling himself to his feet, Ian felt the ache in every joint in his body. He stretched and groaned as he began to walk towards her, a sharp pain in his left leg made it apparent his arm was not his only injured limb. He glanced back at it to see a long cut, it wasn't bleeding but it didn't look clean enough to be left alone. When he reached her, he dropped to his knees beside her, and wrapped his uninjured arm around her, pulling her close, he kissed her.


After a moment, when he pulled his lips back, he shook his head, "I'm so glad you're alright. Were you injured at all?" He asked her, not really even caring about his own state.


The weather had abated for the most par, there were scatted clouds, and the sun was warm over the island they were on. It was a larger island, the edges lined with white sands, the interior with dark soil. It had a large hill in the center, a freshwater spring bursting forth near the peak that created a small lake, a gently river, and gave a large swath of fruit bearing trees. All along the island's length were pieces of debris from the ship, It's tidal formations created a catch net that brought a lot of refuse into it. Ian glanced about, taking a brief mental stock of the island's at hand resources.


"Well... we could have been stranded somewhere else, somewhere far worse then this... we could have been separated... At least were alive, and together." he said thoughtfully.