Chapter Text
Her name is Kab, Kaboodle and she will beat this foe standing before her.
Staring her down with evil calculating eyes, this foe is sure stronger than any other she has faced before, ready to take the next swing and end it all.
But she won't let that happen.
He takes a swing, one with deadly speed and accuracy. It will for sure hit her if she doesn't do this right.
But she just manages to dodge, the sword brushing past her jacket with a piercing swoosh.
Now it is her turn to attack, turning around, she takes a low swing.
There is no way he can dodge this, the attack is too fast, he has no time to dodge!
She will come out as victorious. The people will celebrate tonight. The win is finally hers!
he jumps.
what?
Clown smoothly lands on his feet, dust around him not even moving, before sending Kab tumbling with a swift kick to her shoulder.
The ground starts to feel softer each time she ends up here. It greets her as a friend, covering her entirely in even more dust than she already was. Maybe she'll just stay here, after all what is the use of getting up if you're going to get kicked down again?
"Are you going to get up any time soon?"
Kab just groans, there is only that much beating up a girl can take a day ok? And besides, the sky is kinda pretty today. Not a single cloud to be seen, all blue. She likes blue.
Clowns footsteps drum in her ear as his shadow covers her face.
"you're in my sun"
The evil shadow man stays, unmoving.
"So you are alive, almost thought i killed you with that kick"
She cranes her neck to glare at him, even if she can't see the face he is making due to the sun blinding her from behind him.
"I hate you"
He chuckles. "no you don't"
Slowly she gets up to a sitting position and immediately regrets it as the world starts to spin around her in protest.
Clown had already turned around and started walking away from the little open field they were sparing at, the asshole didn't even try to help her up.
guess training is over then
She brushes the dirt from her jacket.
The ground still doesn't feel stable as she puts her weight on her legs, but it'll have to do.
They are already halfway to the center of the commune when she manages to catch up with Clown. clearly having no sympathy with his paste even after their heavy, at least for Kaboodle, sparring session.
"oh my god, are you not tired?" She wheezes, her lungs and legs burning in protest.
Lucky for her it's still early in the morning, so they are currently in the shadows of the concrete buildings, sheltering them from the sun.
Clown just gives her a bewildered look from the corner of his eye, his eyebrow slightly raised.
"You are?"
She shouldn't have asked, honestly her fault. Of course the commune's best fighter wasn't tired after a little sparring match with his little sister. God screw her, she'll never get to leave at this rate.
"oh fuck you"
Maybe she'll have to just sneak out, didn't Spoke say he found some sort of wormhole...?
"you'll get used to it soon, don't worry", Clown says, "it's better that you learn how to fall here, then out there". He motions to their right, over to the gate, the only way out of the commune.
It's visible for them now that they're walking over the main road, or Maine road according to a certain someone. The gray concrete of the wall gets interrupted by the rusting iron and shimmering pieces of gold, before it's continued again. the buildings perfectly lined up giving a straight path from it to the center of the commune.
Due to the preparations for the next expedition, it is currently bustling with people in front of it. Goods are being placed onto carts and people are checking over the supplies.
Kab is not surprised when she can see a certain red headed figure talking to people and giving out orders. The man always had a need to feel superior to others, so of course he needed to lead this expedition. And when Red leads the expedition, she isn't allowed to come.
Well actually she has never been allowed to come, but this time it was different! She is trained now! She is ready!
You see, Red has been training people to go on expeditions ever since he joined the commune around 3 years ago. And she has been training for 2 years already! Even Hannah is allowed to come on this expedition, why not Kab?
He never explains himself, only spouting bullshit and changing the rules every time.
Red just hates her, it's the only explanation. He hates her and wants to torture her by never allowing her to go outside and then die after a boring life spend entirely in the commune.
Clown follows her glare, she can see it from the corner of her eye, before sighing.
"you know Red isn't that bad"
She flicks her head to stare at her brother, is he joking? Not that bad?
"oh hell yeah he is, that pessimistic piece of shit!"
Clown just sighs at that, "just because he didn't allow you to come on this-"
"Even the most skilled people can die out there, Kab" she mocks Red's deep, grumbly voice, "what the fack am I supposed to do with that, Clown?" she flaps around her arms to prove her point, immediately getting reminded of their soreness.
"Listen, you'll get your chance when you're ready. Just be patient" with that Clown turns around and starts walking again.
ah yes of course, patience. She just has to be patient! How great. She'll probably have to just die patient then?
Kab just grumbles, sending one last glare at Red before following Clown again.
---
Their apartment is probably the best one in the entire commune, thanks to Clowns reputation. It's a pretty big apartment located in the north of the commune, a bit off the center.
They share the building with other people, but apartment number 4, located on the second floor is entirely theirs.
She lets her body drop onto the couch as soon as she can, letting all her muscles relax.
The soft iron rattling tells her Clown is putting the locks back onto the door, before his footsteps enter the living space of the apartment.
"I swear you get more dramatic every day" he calls over his shoulder.
she turns her head, seeing Clown disappear behind the doorway to the kitchen.
"Shut up", she mutters, it comes out more whiny than she wanted to, "what are you making?"
"I'm making myself some food", Clown appears in the doorway to the kitchen holding a knife, which he uses to point at Kab, "Can you even cook?"
"You're threatening me. I require food as compensation"
Her brother just raises his eyebrow, unimpressed by her tactics.
"You know, maybe your lack of cooking skills is why Red won't let you join the expedition"
she jerks up, glaring at Clown. oh that is low
"What does that have to do with anything?!"
Clown has disappeared into the kitchen again, clearly chopping vegetables, "You usually have to eat on a expedition, you know"
"oh come on, you're with a group!"
"You still have to help. And usually burning water is not useful"
"and I can cook", she purposefully ignores the insult, "I cook for myself when you leave on expeditions"
"No, you don't. Branzy cooks for you because I ask him too"
Ok, that isn't not true. Kab decides to change the subject.
"ugh, why does Red even decide? Why do you not decide?"
She can hear Clown laugh at that, "As if I would let you leave"
Kab just rolls her eyes at that and walks towards the kitchen entrance, leaning against the doorway. Clown is making soup, a big pot of water on the stove.
"no, but seriously. I thought you were the better fighter"
Clown moves to put the freshly cut vegetables into the cooking water.
"Not everything is about being the strongest and deadliest", he makes a big gesture with his left arm, using the right to stir the soup, "Red has more experience and knows more about survival out there because he spend more time without a commune"
"Didn't you find him bleeding out or something?"
Clown snorts, "yes and then he managed to lead us away from a horde without casualties while bleeding out", He returns his attention to the soup, "Red is a pretty chill dude, you know"
"To you maybe, to me he is a-"
"pessimistic asshole, yes yes I know", Clown turns down the stove, "I made soup, since I'm nice you can have some"
---
Later in the evening, Kab decides to look around the storage room for a rogue gapple. Usually there are a few lying around on the floor during the chaos of packing for an expedition.
She just hopes the gapple will help with the soreness of her muscles after training with Clown.
It is her lucky day today, as she spots the shiny fruit near a window, shining away in the sunlight.
"You seemed off during training today" Clowns voice comes from the window, making Kab pause in her movements.
Who is he speaking to?
Quietly she creeps closer to the window, the gapple laying forgotten in the sunlight.
There is a long pause after, long enough for Kab to start thinking that her brother was speaking to himself. But then Red's voice drifts through the silence, uncharacteristically quiet, making Kab almost unsure if it is even him.
"yeah- it's a- eh- anniversary of sorts"
Huh, why does he sound like that?
The way Red sounded makes Kab want to laugh before she takes in the words and realizes what they mean.
an anniversary? Like-?
She can hear Clown pause in his actions, likely cleaning his sword. she moves closer again, now leaning against the wall next to the window.
"friends you used to travel with, before the commune?", Clowns careful questions.
This time Kab can clearly hear Red breath in shakily a few times before he answers.
"friend- sort off yeah" he sighs again after the words.
Kab can barely imagine Red grieving, shoulders dropped staring at the ground or maybe he is staring into the distance. The image in her head doesn't feel right, it doesn't fit with the unemotional, pessimistic asshole she has come to know while training.
"I'm sorry"
Red lets out a humorless huff, "Doesn't change anything man".
Kab suddenly feels an urge to leave, clearly this conversation wasn't meant for her ears. uncomfort makes her stomach feel heavy and her skin feels as if it is on fire. She snatches the gapple, turns around and softly leaves the storage room.
The conversation between her brother and Red lingers in her head on her walk back home. She knew that Red had only joined the commune around 3 years ago and alone, she had just never thought about what happened to the guy before that, why he was alone.
---
The gate slowly starts to creak open, revealing the wasteland behind it. Kab can hear Red call out for the expedition members to get ready to leave.
"That's my cue". Clown turns to Kab, "I expect you to be able to at least get a hit on me when i return ok? and learn to cook so you can join the next time"
"oh come on-"
Clown ignores her, "For now, I have asked Branzy to cook for you"
"like always-"
"And you can always go to him if something is wrong"
"nothings happens in here-"
"make sure to not push yourself to much"
"so you have said-"
"Oh and I told Parrot you would help him with organizing the storage room"
"Oh come on, why?!"
Cleaning storage is an annoying task, since it requires moving heavy boxes and being very organized. One apple out of place could create mold and ruin their food supply.
Kab hates it.
Clown just grins, "Maybe Parrot can teach you some discipline."
"Oh you-"
Red calls out again, clearly getting impatient. Behind Red is now the open gate. The open world calls for her. She could just make a run for it, see the outside world, get to explore the grass fields and endless stretches of dusty desert. Even the sky looks brighter from what she can see of it.
Clown sights in defeat, "I'll take you on the next expedition if you can land that hit on me, deal?"
She snaps her head back, staring at Clown in disbelief.
"Really?"
"I promise, I'll talk to Red and get you on."
Kab holds out her pinkie towards him, "Pinkie promise?"
Clown's pinkie intertwines with her own, "Pinkie promise"
"Clown, we're waiting for you, again!" Reds voice carries over the main street.
Clown shouts back over his shoulder, "Red, mate, I'm trying to make sure I have a sister when I return!"
"Hurry up with it! everybody is waiting for you!"
Clown turns back to Kab, unhooking their pinkies, now offering his fist to her, "just stay safe ok?"
Kab pounds his fist with her own, "You're the one going on expedition, should say it to you."
"Yeah, but I'm the one who knows what they’re doing"
"like I don-"
"Clown, I swear! Hurry up!"
"this guy- well, till next month, little bunny!" With that Clown turns around and joins Red at the front. Kab can hear Red complaining to Clown, something about using the sunlight.
She watches as they leave through the open gate. Clown turns around one more time to wave to her and she waves back. It takes effort to keep her legs where there are, to not run after him. Then the gate closes with a clang, leaving Kab in the shadow of it, feeling cold.