Chapter 6. Clothes, Assassin, Volcano.
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The marketplace of Drayo's Cove was full of life, people were selling and buying all kind of items. Applejack notices the children running around laughing and enjoying the wonderful sunny day.
“Alright, we are gonna need to buy you some new clothes! I know this small little shop here that sells everything.” Amber said as they walked through the crowds.
“As long as it isn’t anything fancy, I’m not really into anything fancy.” Applejack said as they walked.
“Don’t worry, they have just the basic gear and clothes so you don’t have to worry.” Amber said as they walked into the hut.
“Amber! It is good to see you again, what brings you by?” A young woman with short black hair and browns eyes said with delight.
“It’s good to see you again Sabrina! I’m here to help Applejack find some clothes.” Amber said “What do you have in stock?” Amber asked.
“Yeah, I’ve made some new amazing designs that you may like.” Sabrina brought forth some of her designs “I call this the western era.” Sabrina said pulling forth the outfit “I’ve made it out of some leather and mixed it around with some cloth and fur and made it into a western outfit, it even comes with a cowboy hat.” She said very proudly.
“Ah like it.” Applejack said.
“Well if you like this, I have a lot more you may like.” Sabrina said with a smile.
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Matthew stood near the docks as men were unloading the wagon. Matthew ate some jerky as he waited for the wagon to be unloaded.
“Matthew!” A female voice yell as he was sundling knocked off his feet and fell to the ground.
He looked to see a woman with short blue hair with blue eyes and a big smile on her face “Why didn’t you tell me you were here Matthew!?” She said pulling him back onto his feet. He sighed knowing full well his sister Rachel always hates when he doesn’t tell her he’s in town.
“Sorry, with so much going on it slipped my mine.” He said rubbing the back of his head.
“Well make sure you remember, if I wasn’t getting some equipment for more cave exploring I wouldn’t have known you were here.” She said with a huff as she crossed her arms.
“I’ll remember Rachel.” He said “Heard your jacking up the prices on Kate.”
Rachel chuckled “Yup! She won’t visit so unless she wants them cheaper she’s gonna pay higher prices.”
“Maybe cut her some slack, I know she hates visiting but maybe go visit her.” He said “I mean I know you two fight a lot when you two are face to face but Kate’s just hard headed and always will be.”
“Yeah I know but she needs to leave that tribe for a day and relax! She doesn’t even cave explore anymore! She needs to be out in the action again!”
“Didn’t know she stopped that, tho with Grant giving her metals she’s been building and getting her tribe armed.” Matthew said “Tho sooner or later she’ll need to explore caves if she wants to fight those bosses again.”
“Never understood why she want to fight those crea-” Her voice was cut off as the ground shook.
“W-What is going on?” Matthew asked out loud as he felt the earth shake. Then they heard a loud boom and saw smoke and lava flying out of the volcano “Oh that can’t be good.”
“I hope Grant and his team are alright.” Rachel said “I better go and get a party ready just in case some people are hurt.”
“Be safe Rachel.” Matthew said giving his sister a hug. Matthew watched as his sister took off leaving him alone.
He notices the volcano smoke was still strong as the people watched. He notices the lava on the side of the volcano beginning to dry quickly “Matthew! What’s going on!?” Matthew turned his head to sister Amber and Applejack rushing over towards him.
“The volcano went off, don’t know why tho.” Matthew said as he looked at the two.
“Grants base was up there.” Amber said “Think he and the other’s made it out?”
“Knowing Grant I’m sure of it.” Matthew said as he notices the men were done “I’ve gotta find Mary and get my payment.”
Matthew walked away from Amber and Applejack leaving the two alone.
“Excuse me, I’m looking for Matthew.” A man said walking up to the two.
“He went into that building right there.” Amber said pointing to where Matthew walked into.
“Thank you.” The man said leaving the two girls alone. They both watched as the guy walked into the building and then gun shot went off.
The two took off running towards the building.
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Matthew stood at the desk as Mary placed some gold coins into the bag “Alright, here is your payment, I hope your journey was safe.”
“It was Mary, hopefully those pelts help your people at the center.” Matthew said taking the coins.
The door to the shop opened and the two looked to see a man walk in “Are you Matthew?” The man asked.
“I am Matthew.” Matthew said looking at the man. Matthew’s eyes quickly widen as the man pulled out a gun and fired. Matthew took the bullet to his left shoulder knocking him back behind the desk.
Matthew held his shoulder as two guys from the back rushed out and an all out gun fight went out. The man escaped while the two men chased after him.
Mary rushed to the back to try and find a first aid kit.
Applejack rushed inside and saw Matthew laying on the side of the desk holding his shoulder “Oh my Celestia! Are you alright!?”
“Oh I’m fine, just got a bullet in my shoulder, totality okay.” Matthew said chuckling in pain as she held his shoulder.
Mary came rushing back in “Alright, let’s take a look.” Mary said using some scissors to cut Matthew’s shirt open to allow her a better look at his wound “Alright, the bullet didn’t go all the way through, meaning we are gonna have to take you to the healer.”
“Oh fun.” Matthew groaned as he felt Mary pull him up and helped carry him.
“You need to keep pressure on that wound.” Mary said.
“Ah’ll try and help.” Applejack said.
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Amber was on the man’s heels as she wasn’t gonna let this man get away.
She tackled the man and started punching him “WHO SENT YOU TO TRY AND KILL MATTHEW!” She yelled with each punch to the man’s face.
“D-Don’t know! I swear! It was just a letter! P-Please stop!” The man yelled as he was being punched.
Amber was pulled off the man by three armed guards as two other guards placed the man under arrest “YOU WON’T BE SO LUCKY NEXT TIME!” Amber yelled.
“Ma’am you need to calm down.” The guard said “Take him to the cells, get two guys to the docks to check on what happened.”
Amber was still filled with rage. Someone tried to kill her friend and she wanted to know who.
“Take her back to the docks with you.” A guard said.
Amber was let go and started walking back to the docks with guards.
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Matthew laid on the table with severe pain running through his body as he looked at the bullet.
“How are you feelin?” Applejack asked making Matthew look to his left to see Applejack sitting in the chair near him.
“I feel like I got a bullet taken out of me, other then that just a bit of pain.” He said.
“Why would that guy shoot ya?”Applejack asked.
“I have no clue.” Matthew said “Could have had the wrong guy named Matthew, I mean there are a few Matthew’s around here.” Matthew looked back at the bullet “Might have been a hit gone wrong, there are assassins out there making coins killing people.” Matthew chuckled and then winched in pain “He’s gonna be shocked if I was the wrong person to kill.”
The tent opened up and Amber walked in “Are you alright Matthew!?” Amber rushed over towards him.
“Yeah I’ll be fine.” He said “Just gotta take it easy.”
“We are gonna stay here a few days till your better.” Amber said.
“No, I’ve gotta take Trace back to Mike, I can’t stay longer.” He said sitting up and feeling the pain shoot through his body “I can sit in the wagon, but we are leaving tomorrow.”
“No you are staying! I will take Trace back, but I’m not letting you get more injured.” Amber said “You need to rest.”
“I’ve had worse, I can handle a wagon ride home, would rather rest at home then here in this town.” He said “You can try and fight me on this but I can handle the ride home.”
“Ya should take it easy.” Applejack said “The doc said ya need ta lay down and rest.”
Matthew looked at Applejack “I’ll be fine.” He said getting to his feet, he felt his head fell light and fuzzy as he felt as if he was gonna fall. He fought through it as he walked out of the tent and outside. That was the last thing remembered before everything went black.
When he awoke he found himself in a bed with his sister Rachel sitting in a chair sound asleep.
He then spotted his sister Kate by the window with Amber near her “I have my men talking with the guards to track down who hired the man.” Kate said “No one tries to kill my brother.”
“I don’t know why anyone would try and kill him, he’s the only person on this island who doesn’t cause drama to anyone and help those in needs.” Amber said “Are you going to take him back to Avalon?”
“That’s why I’m here, I know he’ll fight all of us on him staying here so might as well just keep him safe on the way home.” Kate said “Rachel said she’s coming so at least he’ll have a healer.”
Matthew slowly sat up “Do I even get a say in the matter?” He asked as he felt the shooting pain in his shoulder forced him to lay back on the bed.
“You're awake!” Kate quickly rushed to his side “You can’t sit up, you need to rest.”
“I’m fine, once I get my energy I’ll be able to sit up and head back home without you all hovering over me like a helpless child.” He said looking at Amber and Kate.
“No, you are gonna rest, we will be leaving in the morning however you are gonna let us take care of you, Applejack has kindly offered to help with fixing the wagon up to allow you to lay in the back without you bouncing around back there.” Kate said looking at her brother.
Matthew just sighed “You guys I swear.”
Amber just smiled while Kate looked at Rachel then back at him “Get some rest Matt, I’ve got a few things to do before morning.”
“Stay out of trouble now.” Matthew said as he watched his sister leave the room. He looked at Amber “So, what did I miss while I was out?”
“Well Grant informed the tribes about the volcano, turns out a door is now inside and it’s asking for strange items.” Amber said “We got what’s called a tek cave, we don’t know what it is as of yet.”
Matthew’s blood started to boil as he thought about Grant and this new doorway. Grant has already started getting power by taking the volcano and taking control over the metal there. Now he wondered what his plans are with this doorway.
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A woman with long blue hair walked to the balcony as she looked at the night sky and smiled. The stars were shining bright tonight. Without warning a strong breeze lifted her off her feet and her mind began to fog as the stars and moon she once looked upon faded from her sight.
Her eyes slowly opened as she heard voices.
“It has been sometime since a new comer has come to these lands, what should we do sir?” A male's voice asked.
“We will take her back to the tribe, get the Wyvern’s ready.” A female’s voice could be heard.
The woman’s eyes closed once again as her mind went back to darkness.
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To Be Continued.