A Long Way to Fall

by Cinders of War

Chapter 26: High Noon's New Apprentice

Satin Breeze and Dewdrop returned to the bureau with Windy Sails quietly following behind them.

“Welcome back!” Spectral Rim greeted them at the entrance. “Glad to see the mission was a success! Who’s this?”

Windy clung on to Satin’s robes and hid behind her, but Dewdrop pushed her to the front. “This is Windy Sails. She’ll be joining us from today.”

“Well… didn’t know you get to decide that…” Spectral pushed stray strands of hair from her fringe. “Ultimately, the Mentor and Star Lance decide that. You should know that.”

“Well, mission report, so let’s go.” Dewdrop grabbed Satin’s hand and pulled her along, automatically getting Windy along as well.

They soon arrived outside the Mentor’s office, listening to Star Lance as he yelled away behind the oaken door. “No! I already told you, you can’t do that!”

“Star Lance, please.” It was the Mentor’s voice, more soothing than the Master Assassin’s. “You’ve been shouting so much more lately.”

“I’m sorry…” they heard him sigh. “It’s these new Assassins. They don’t understand the importance of being an Assassin.”

“That is why we must show them leniency,” the Mentor continued. Satin and Dewdrop stopped to listen. “Harsh words don’t help them grow. Kindness and teaching do.”

“Fine. I’ll try to be a nicer person. We good, High Noon?”

“High Noon getting shouted again, eh?” Dewdrop put a hand to her mouth to hide her smile.

Satin didn’t know how to respond, so she moved to knock on the door. Soon, Star Lance opened the door and let them in, eyeing their third companion like a hawk, scaring the girl a little. High Noon was still cowering in the corner, but as soon as he saw Windy, a small blush started to form across his face.

“I’ll handle this, Star Lance.” the Mentor rose off her chair and walked up to the girls. “Mission report?”

“Yes, Mentor.” Satin stepped forward to brief her. “We took down Garner Word after a chase through the city. She and the Templars had put up some resistance, but we handled ourselves.”

Star Lance, who would usually say something by now, stood to the side, distracting himself by looking at a collection of books.

“And… her?” the Mentor pointed a finger at Windy, sending her sliding behind Satin again. “Who might she be?”

"This is Windy Sails," Satin introduced. "She used to work for the Board, but Garner pulled her into our world. I offered her a chance to stop the Templars from taking control."

“Is that so?” The Mentor walked towards Windy and looked at her. The blonde girl hid her face behind her hair. "Windy Sails. Do you truly wish to defend this world from the Templars?"

She stayed in her spot, her body shaking from stress and fear, but she managed to get her mouth to open. "Y-yes. I... I want to do w-what I can..."

The Mentor looked at her and then at High Noon, probably sensing something familiar. She smiled and nodded her head before looking to Satin and Dewdrop. "Leave the room, please. I wish to speak to her privately."

Star Lance escorted the girls and High Noon out the door before closing it behind them.

"I thought the Mentor said 'privately'?" Dewdrop raised a curious eyebrow at the door. "Why is Star Lance in there?"

"He's like another part of her." High Noon shrugged when they looked at him. "What? They're never apart."

"How about you, eh, Noon?" Dewdrop elbowed him in the ribs. "Don't think I didn't see you looking at Windy. You don't even know her yet."

"Well, uhh... Well... Hmm..." High Noon pulled down the front of his hat and stuck an unlit cigarette in his mouth to distract himself. "She's... She seems nice."

"What were you doing in there, Noon?" Satin interrupted, deciding the cowboy had enough embarrassment for the moment. "Star Lance want to see you again?"

Satin realized her mistake when his face reddened again. "Umm... Well... I kinda left my favourite cassette... in the car I used to get back here, and... It's kinda gone now. Star Lance doesn't want me looking for it."

"You still use cassettes, old man?" Dewdrop leaned an arm on High Noon's shoulder.

"I'm not that much older than you..." High Noon mumbled. "Enough of me. How was your mission?"

"Wasn't so hard," Dewdrop flipped her hand around and looked at her nails. "Our target didn't even put up a fight."

"Well, good for you, then. I had to find a Templar soldier. He saw us coming and hightailed out in his car and we had to pursue him. Good thing Pierce had control of the traffic lights and roadblocks."

"Well, you like action, so good for you!" Dewdrop slapped his back, hard.

"How about Frigid and Mirror?" Satin asked. "Are they here?"

"I think they're heading out," High Noon tried to recall. "I remembered seeing them past me in the halls. Probably heading to Red Card."

"Well, nice having a chat with you, Noon." Satin looked at the time. "I've got to get back to Velvet." She raised her head in thought. "Tell you what, Noon. We still need to make sure Windy gets accommodated well if she's accepted. Could you take care of her for us?"

"Oh... Ummm... Sure," High Noon replied as he stowed his cigarette.

"Good luck with that, Noon," Dewdrop smiled as they both waved goodbye to Satin. "I think I'm gonna head to the bar for some drinks. Windy's all yours, cowboy!"

High Noon scratched at his head as the others left, leaving him alone to think about all this. He had nothing better to do at the moment, so he headed for the staircase and sat on the highest step, waiting for the Mentor to finish her interview with Windy. At some point, the cowboy had drifted off to sleep, dreaming that he was an outlaw in some other desert town unfamiliar to him. High Noon didn't like it one bit, but luckily, someone shook him awake before he could romanticize it.

"Wake up," Star Lance said with an almost nicer tone. "Where's Satin and Dewdrop?"

"Huh? Oh," High Noon mumbled, trying to blink his drowsiness away. "They already left. How's Windy Sails? Satin told me to get her set in."

"Ha, of course they did," Star Lance let himself laugh for a second. "You and that new girl are like the same person. Maybe you can teach her the ways of an Assassin, huh? Ha." Star Lance laughed at his little joke.

"He can if he's willing," the Mentor said behind him as she walked out with Windy. "Will you be willing to teach her, High Noon?"

High Noon and Windy Sails looked at each other, only to turn away when their eyes made contact, both starting to blush.

"Uhhh... yes, Mentor," High Noon eventually got his voice. "I would be honoured to teach her."

"Excellent," the Mentor smiled. "Would you show her around and get her outfitted?"

"Right away, Mentor." High Noon tipped his hat to her and walked off, making sure Windy was following behind him.

They walked down in silence for a while, before High Noon finally said something. "H-hi, I'm High Noon."

"W-Windy Sails," she managed a small smile.

High Noon brought her around the bureau, showing her the different facilities they had and the places where they stayed in.

"That one's the dojo." High Noon pointed at the space with the different obstacles. "Here is where I'll be teaching you your movement."

"Are you sure I can m-manage all this?" Windy played with her hands nervously.

"Sure," High Noon told her as they walked on. "You know, I thought the same thing myself when I first arrived."

"You did?"

"Y-yeah... You know, I was a Templar before I came here," High Noon started as he brought her to Red Card's station.

"What made you change sides?" Windy asked.

"The Templars were the wrong choice from the start," High Noon looked at his feet. "I never should have joined. All they've ever wanted is a world on their terms. Not for the better."

"So I've heard."

When they arrived at the old Assassin's counter, High Noon introduced Windy to the man before asking for an outfit for her.

"So, Windy Sails," Red Card said after shaking her hand. "You're ready for this line of work are you? It's a tough one, but the reward at the end is good."

"I suppose..." she rubbed at her upper arm. "I... just don't like b-bullies, really."

"You remind me a lot of High Noon there," the old man laughed in wheezy breaths.

"R-really?" She turned around and looked at her soon-to-be teacher. Both turned away and blushed again after looking at each other.

Red Card raised a suspicious eyebrow and laughed again. "Oh, you two are going to get along just fine, Windy." He pulled a set of robes out from under his table and handed it to the girl. "Here, I think this'll suit you just nice."

"Thank you..." the pale blue-skinned girl nodded and slowly took the outfit from the old Assassin. She turned to High Noon, unsure of what to do now.

"Oh, uh, there's a washroom just around the corner," he decided. "You can change there."

High Noon led her off after they waved goodbye to Red Card, turning the corner at the end of the square to find the washrooms, just along the side of the wall.

"I'll be here." High Noon turned his head to look down the hall as Windy Sails began a slow walk into the bathroom. "Holler if you need anything."

---

Windy Sails didn't take as long as High Noon had expected. She had come out of the washroom with her new outfit on. High Noon eyed her from the toes up, looking at her new attire. She had a new pair of knee-length boots and a dark blue skirt under a short white and gray robe. The girl had tied back her long blonde hair into a ponytail, allowing High Noon to see more of her soft, pleasant face, not yet burdened by the weight of the work all the other older Assassins seemed to have.

High Noon felt his heartbeat grow faster as he continued to look at her face, but eventually broke eye contact when she looked back at him. “Uhhh… right. That’s good. N-not bad. Ermm… where were we… uhhh… y-you know...” High Noon just couldn’t make out another full sentence, his mind a complete blank.

“Umm… if you don’t m-mind me asking…” Windy spoke up, trying to start a conversation. “W-why are you called assassins?”

"Well, we... assassinate people," High Noon gave her the answer bluntly. When Windy gave him a shocked expression, he added hastily, “Not all the time! Just when there’s no other way.”

“Like with Garner Word?” Windy Sails asked quietly.

“Yeah. Like that.”

“S-she held a g-gun on me,” Windy’s voice trembled. “Like she was going to shoot me. I knew her for years, and I never thought she’d ever do anything like that.”

"That's the Templars for you," High Noon leaned his back against the wall and sighed. "You think they're working for the better of others, but once you see their true colours... Well, you know the rest."

Windy nodded once, still looking unsure. “But what if you’re wrong? What if there was another way and you just never took it? What then?”

"Huh. Truthfully, I don't know." High Noon patted his head. Windy had raised a good point. One High Noon had never thought about. Was there another way to stop the Templars? A way that didn't involve killing? "I guess when we find that option, Windy, we'll take it. For now, this is what we have to do to keep everyone safe."

"Alright..." Windy nodded again.

"It's fine, Windy," High Noon tried to convince her. "We're ridding this world of those who want to change it to suit themselves. A great Assassin taught me the truth. Perhaps I'll introduce him to you when he gets back." High Noon walked down the hall and asked her to follow. "Why don't we get some grub? You look like you could use some food."

Author's Note:

Hey everyone! Nothing much happening in this chapter, huh? Well, sorry about that. Just needed some character development and a little introduction. I promise the next chapter will be back to some action! Cheers!

Comments

[Jaxxon Markus Citadel]

Is High Noon of enough rank to have an apprentice? Or does rank not come into it? I don't remember what level Frigid was when he got Mirror Match as a student. Speaking of Mirror Match, when is she going to make her move?

[Marcthelightspark2004]

8683056
How do you know she hasn't made it yet?

[Jaxxon Markus Citadel]

8685274
She's a sneaky one. I bet she's the one behind the letters to the Templars. Time will tell, but from what we know from Leap of Faith, Mirror Match does eventually switch sides. It's just a matter of when and why.

[Marcthelightspark2004]

8685359
Indeed.

[MoonlightRift]

The other comments got me sus now, damn.

It makes sense, sort of, she funds the Templars little machine and she might be able to use it to find Chrysalis. It explains why she came back right after that shadowy figure in that other chapter was there too.

I guess she's just siphoning what she can off of Frigid now..