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Ashes had never claimed to be a good person. However, they wouldn't call themself evil either.
At their core they were a survivor, who had navigated a cruel world with equally cruel survival tactics. When the world had hurt them they had hurt it in return. Been burned and burned the world back.
Although Smooth Mickey had been right and there wasn't enough gasoline to burn down an entire planet, at least not at that time, but Ashes had burned all that was rotten. They'd planned to come back later and finish the job, but by the time the crew had rid themselves of their creator and became independent that plan had been long forgotten and abandoned.
That didn't stop Ashes from stocking up on gasoline when they needed to go back to Malone. Something about Ivy wanting a specific book that was only published there or whatever, Ashes didn't really care. They were forced back home and they were going to leave it more scorched than they had found it.
At least that had been the plan.
They along with Jonny and Tim went with Ivy to collect the book. Ashes suspected that Brian had send them with Ivy, because that way they would be less likely to mess up the Aurora in their boredom, but still it worked in their favor and they weren’t about to complain.
However, Malone looked nothing like Ashes remembered it. Seedy motels and shady pubs had made place for pretty bars and high class saloons. The dark alleyways were now big clean streets and the people weren’t dressed in rags and starved to the bone anymore.
They looked around in wonder and confusion, snapping out of it when Jonny commented: “The way you told it, I was expecting it to look a lot seedier. There better be a good casino with a stocked bar around here, Ashes.”
“I hope it too.” Ashes replied, “This is nothing like the Malone I left. Are you sure we’re on the right planet, Ivy?”
Ivy nodded, not looking up from her map.
They were distracted again by Tim, who yelled with manic glee: “Ashes, look! Is that you?”
He pointed at something in the middle of a busy plaza in the distance. It was a large statue of a person, the stone figure could be Ashes, but Ashes noted that if the artist had tried to make them, they had made them much lighter than they’d ever been.
Jonny and Tim seemed a bit too happy with the discovery and pulled them and Ivy along to the plinth to read the inscription. There in golden letters it read: Ashes O’Reilly, hero of the people, who burned the vicious gangs so that Malone could thrive once more
Once they’d read the inscription Jonny and Tim both burst out laughing. Jonny shrieked in delight: “You see that, Ashes? They’re calling you a hero, You! Ahahaha, I can’t believe that that’s- that’s how you went down in history. That’s amazing.”
He and Tim were taking turns, bowing for Ashes while exclaiming in different and exceedingly posh voices: “All hail Ashes, our hero. Hero of the people.”
Meanwhile Ivy examined the statue and inscription closely.
With everyones antics and Ashes likeliness they were gaining a small crowd, which was whispering and pointing amongst themselves. Ashes shot them a glare and snapped: “Piss off, mind your own fucking business.”
A small boy pointed at them and asked: “Mama, is that the Ashes we learn about in school?”
The mothered had sheltered his ears with Ashes’ strong language and pale of shock she told her son: “Of course not, sweetie, that Ashes is long dead they died for us, remember.”
“But my teacher also said they’re immortal.” the boy pouted.
“Your teacher is wrong.” the mother answered, trying to pull him along, but the kid didn’t budge. He broke free of his mothers grasp and ran up to Ashes and asked: “Are you Ashes O’Reilly? The one who burned the gangs?”
As a fuck you against the mother Ashes smiled and for once told the truth: “Yep, that’s me.”
“How are you still alive?” the boy asked.
“I’m immortal.” Ashes answered, with a smirk to the mother.
“Really?” the kid exclaimed in excitement.
The mother grabbed him and berated: “You shouldn’t bother other people, Ashton.” then she turned to Ashes and said: “And you shouldn’t lie and play into kids fantasies.”
“Oh, they aren’t lying.” Jonny told her, “Here look.” then he shot Ashes through the head making both mother and kid and bystanders scream.
“Great,” Ivy said, “there is now a 97% chance law enforcements will be involved and our chances of getting out without being imprisoned have dropped to 12%, but they can be raised to 35% if we leave Ashes behind and don’t get the book.”
“We won’t as the Captain-” Jonny began, getting cut off by Tims: “First Mate.”
He got pushed down by Jonny who pressed on: “As the Captain I will defend Ashes until they get back and you two quickly get that book.”
Tim and Ivy rushed away and Jonny thought he heard Ivy mutter: “Despite what the calculations say the chance of things going wrong should be 100% with these people.”
Fifteen minutes later Ashes came by to the sound of Jonnys manic laughter along with rounds being fired. They looked around and saw Jonny singlehandedly holding off a big police force. Ashes didn’t even ask what was going on, just started firing as well.
A few moments later Ivy and Tim came running towards them, their arms filled with books. Tim disposed off his books in Ivys arms, almost making her fall in the process, and drew his guns with a big grin.
The four of them fought themselves back to the Aurora, well three, Ivy just tried to keep her books intact until they were off planet. In they end they made it. Marius was standing at the entrance of the Aurora and covered them as they boarded.
When the door was shut behind him Marius asked: “How the fuck do you always manage that?”
Breathlessly Jonny grinned: “Ashes is a hero.”
“What?” Marius asked, just more confused with the answer.
Tim added: “They think they’re a hero, it’s amazing. There was a statue of them.”
“What!” Marius repeated, “How?”
Ivy opened a book and showed them a page, she had picked up some extra books about Ashes in the store they had robbed, she said: “Apparently the burning of the gangs, which Ashes did, helped the planet better themselves and they were given the status of hero that has been warped throughout time.”
“Let me see.” Ashes said, snatching the book out of Ivys hands.
They scanned the page and scoffed, before reading out loud: “Ashes O’Reilly joined the Lucky Sevens against their will. They served under Smooth Mickey until the Aces started to move up on the turf of the Lucky Sevens, finally having an excuse to confront their capturer they fought against both gangs at the same time, until they had burned all the rotten parts of Malone, leaving the rest to prosper. Historians still debate if they were just such a skilled fighter or immortal. Some even believe they are still out there watching over Malone.”
Jonny and Tim fell back in peels of laughter at the idea of Ashes burning down stuff out of obligation and needing to be forced to join a gang, like they hadn’t thought it would be just fun. Marius also joined the them, now understanding what that all was about.
After a while of catching their breath and falling back into giggled every time they’d made eye contact or looked at Ashes, Marius asked: “Was there really a statue?”
“Yeah and it wasn’t even accurate.” Ashes moped, only making them laugh again. They frowned at them and said: “Yeah, whatever laugh it up. It’s not that funny.”
“You don’t get it, since it’s about you.” Tim said.
“Exactly!” Jonny nodded, “That’s like finding out Earth has made Tim a hero for blowing up the moon.”
That idea made Ashes chuckle and they could see the appeal, something lit up behind their eyes and they said: “We should go to earth, see if Tim’s in the books!”