Two hours later and Stephanie, Blade, Flames, Daniel and Belle were long gone, headed for their boat, and the church seemed just a bit too empty as Lyra stepped out of the elevator, totting large amounts of technical equipment she was pretty sure they would never need. The church was very nearly empty, despite the fact that Zane had everyone traipsing up and down the elevator, bringing items out to the curb that they would then carry to the train. Militant Musician was insane, as always.
Nearly empty.
“What’s up, Noisy Munchkin?” Lyra said, hitching her shoulders in an attempt to keep a holding on the doohickey in her arms as she leaned into one of the pews in the back row, where Eny was currently seated, her legs curled up beneath her as she leaned against the back. The young girl glanced at the elder, sniffling a bit, but hardening her gaze.
“Go ‘way Lyra,” Eny said weakly, wiping her nose on the back of her hand. Lyra raised an eyebrow.
“Alright, if that’s what you want,” Lyra said with a shrug, dropping one of the mechanical wonders in her arms.
“Don’t drop that!” Eny burst out, turning around quickly to do what she enjoyed most: berate other people. With a “Jeez, sorry!” Lyra bent to retrieve it. “Give it to me.”
“Say ‘please’,” Lyra teased cheerfully, reaching to ruffle Eny’s hair with her free hand.
“…Please,” Eny said venomously, batting Lyra’s hand away. Lyra smiled widely, placing the mechanical object on the pew before Eny. The younger girl examined the item, running her skeptical eye over it. “See, look, that’s broken! That’s why you don’t drop things,” She lectured, pointing at some problem Lyra couldn’t see. “Here, I guess I’ll fix it…”
With that, Eny was to work, pulling a screwdriver from the pile of equipment Lyra held. Silence filled the church for a rare few moments. “You really love doin’ that kind of stuff, dontcha?” Eny jumped at Lyra’s voice as the elder female sat, peering at Eny’s fingers as the worked quickly. Eny shrugged.
“Well, sure! I’m wonderful at it, absolutely genius,” Eny said humbly- yeah right- continuing to work. “And, besides, usually no one with an inferior intellect bothers me when I do my thing. Apparently, you are the exception to the rule. We-Well, ‘cept F-F-F-Ferm-m-m-y-y-y…” Almost at a frightening speed, tears began pouring from Eny’s eyes as she worked on the broken doohickey. “H-H-He used to si-i-i-it with me when I wo-r-r-r-ked and meow real c-c-cute like…”
The lapse in grammar usually would have set Eny off on a rampage, but now all she could do was cry. Lyra let the items she’d been holding fall to the floor, and Eny wasn’t in the mood to object through her sobs.
“Shh… C’mon, Noisy Munchkin,” Lyra slid over, taking Eny’s head in her hands, forcing the girl to meet her eyes. “It’ll all work out, alright?” Eny sniffed. “It’s gonna be alright.”
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