Megan Grey

Ep 219 Script

Added 2023-11-13 11:00:02 +0000 UTC

219

F:” And so, he put me to work.”

F: “Due to my family being…what they are, and having led a fairly sheltered life,I had obviously never encountered a member of Ashguard before, since they rarely leave their island nowadays. But I’d heard about their traditions, and i found it curious that Cyras had a neck tattoo similar to what the fully-fledged Ashguard were said to have. I didn’t know if it was simply a coincidence, a kind of fashion statement or something he found in a book. I was working at a Crow tattoo shop at the time, assisting in inking the bands on their arms from their kills, but mostly using it as a way to listen in on their adrenaline-fueled conversations. Crows brag quite a bit, did you know? I was keeping an ear out for any mention of the Crow King, because I’d never forgotten our mission, but I heard some other interesting things, instead. About Cyras, mostly. The Crows from his Murder would say they’re one band closer to being fully-covered like Cyras - Crows from other Murders would say “the bastard doesn’t have any, and hides his arms in shame”. Cyras never came to the shop, and the shop owner said they weren’t the one who tattooed his neck, so I didn’t know which was true. So, one night, I decided to ask him.

i was doing odd-jobs for him, at the time. Growing up, the tutors my parents had hired from the Capitol had instilled in me a fascination with technology, as you know, and I quickly picked up the nuances of the more advanced tech on Kooup, so I was put to work making communication devices and the like for Cyras, but it was still only low-level tasks, and if I wanted to be more involved, trusted with secrets, i needed Cyras to realise my worth. i took a chance.

“Have you heard of an organisation called…Ashguard?” i asked one night. he would visit my lab sometimes, saying he was checking my progress, but i could tell it was to get away from everything, for a bit. having everyone hate and fear you took its toll every now and then, it seemed. i watched his shoulders stiffen slightly, but he gave nothing else away. his eyes were piercing when he fixed them on me, calculating, like he was seeing me properly for the first time. he raised an eyebrow, and i knew what he was asking, and nodded in return.

“How long?” he asked.

“Ive been on the Island just under a year.” i replied.

“Why come here at all, knowing this was what awaited you?” (looks at wing)

“I came to find the Crow King.” i said, and watched his eyes widen a bit, the hint of a smile twitched at the corner of his mouth.

“We have that in common, it seems.” after that, knowing we had the same goal, i became his confidant.

R: “wait, were you the reason for the whole croaking/crow king nonsense, or was that a thing before you got involved?

F: that was something cyras orchestrated as a way to look into the king without alerting people to what we were doing. he started the rumor that it was a superweapon as a way for the authorities to also want to search for it should they hear about it, instead of shut it down, but also keep it to themselves. with my help we got the Sparrows in the City spying for us, trying to gather whatever information we could. being a Sparrow myself, they listened to me, and I supplied them with tech in return. of course, it didnt take long for that tech to fall into the hands of The Resistance, and then I was on their radar as well, but that’s a whole nother story -

R: wait wait wait, there’s a Resistance now too??

F: yeah, but i’ll tell you about them when the boys are here, i dont want to repeat myself. but i was basically stretched between the Murder, the Sparrows, and the Resistance while you were off getting an education.

R: …it wasn’t just that, you know. that school held opportunities that would lead to learning other sorts of information, too. The Director’s son was making deals and promises that could’ve led to higher-up jobs after. more power, more information. it wasn’t like i was just sitting around.

F: did you take any of those deals?

R:...no. the price was too steep. (thinks of ky)

F: …I took every deal that came my way. I paid the price. I didn’t stop. Which is why I need to find a way to communicate with my team back on Kooup. I have too many debts to pay, too much unfinished business.

R: but you’re here now, you don’t have to worry about them. you can start over.

F:...i guess that’s the difference between you and I. when i say im going to do something, i follow it through to the very end. I don’t take the easy way out.

R: …

F: when we get to the Capitol, if we make it passed the Council alive, I’m going back to my workshop and I’m continuing what I started. and don’t worry, i’ll get out Bond broken, so you won’t need to be there for it anymore.

ree watches her leave.

Scra and ky stumbling through a hall after dinner, leaning on each other.

S: Ree’s brother - hic - was relentless with that wine -

K: you didnt have to drink every glass he poured -

S: it would’ve - hic - been rude to refuse - i was playing a - hic -part., you know -

K: yeah yeah, you’re gonna be so hungover in the morning.

S: what was that meat they served for - hic - course…4? 5?

K: Some kind of beef wellington -

S: beef? Cow?? I’ve only ever had fish -

K: yeah, livestock doesnt really exist on Kooup, they tried implementing additives they had formulated to improve the animals they had, but it was too fast and too unnatural and ended in mass die-outs until the only meat they could get was from the sea. even that’s being slowly polluted until it’ll no longer be an option, either -

S: i like beef.

K:...let’s get you to bed.

Ky puts him to bed, helps him out of his jacket. before he leaves he grabs kys jacket.

S: i was - hic - meant to take the couch.

K: I’ll be fine -

S: there’s enough room here. c’mon.

moves over. ky hesitantly stays. ky watches him with his eyes closed. scra shifts closer, wrapping a leg around. ky freezes.

S: put your arm around me, it’s cold.

(it’s not cold, but ky hesitantly does it anyway)

S:...do you ever think we’ll be able to do this when one of us isnt drunk?

K: we’ve shared a bed when -

S: not sharing a bed. this. (scra moves closer, fingers accidentally brushing ky’s wings) you can push me away…if you want…