Chapter Thirty-Eight: Belles Decision, Part 2

“It's been a busy fortnight.” Peter
lounged back in his chair.

“A long, busy fortnight.” Thomas
agreed. “At least Belle is talking to Charlie again.”

“I'm just glad he survived being
shoved out of the tree.” Peter sipped his beer.

The pair were sitting on the bank of
Pleasant Creek, two fishing poles dangling lifelessly in the water.
The bait was probably long gone by now, but neither man had any
inclination to check the end of his line.

“They're figuring it out. Soon it'll
be as if they never left.” Thomas smiled, taking a swig of his
beer. “Hopefully appreciating each other-,”

“And us.” Peter added.

“-more.” Thomas finished as they
toasted their sentence.

The suns heat began to wane as it
floated softly down into its western bed.

“Where ARE the kidlets today anyway?”
Thomas stretched out.

“Lara has taken Madeleine and Ozzie
to see her parents, Belle is hanging out with Charlie and they're
meeting up with the Knights later tonight to go to the movies. Did
you hear about Webster joining them?” Peter gave his fishing rod a
token nudge.

“Maddy had a fit. Betty had to help
calm her down.” Thomas laughed. “Betty can't wait for the twins
to come home from camp, she misses them.”

“It's hard being a parent sometimes.”
Peter sighed.

“I hear you.”

–

“This is where we made our first
stand so many years ago. Can you believe it?” Sir Dark was still
walking with a slight limp, but he was much better now. The Knights
of the Last Order had been training at the tip, until they heard
council workers coming in to inspect the place. So they'd run off
and found themselves at the abandoned private school where Masked
Revolver had met his fate.

“With this still taking up valuable
land I don't understand why Demon wanted the memorial destroyed.”
Lady Courage walked through the ruined classrooms.

“Because the memorial was in a great
location.” Sir Hyper said bitterly, his arm still bandaged. “Did
you hear that Marion only got three weeks community service for
destroying it?!”

“He's not even pretending to be on
the right side of the law any more!” Sir Hedgehog cried angrily.
“And the people of this city just let him get away with it!”

“This place is a crime haven. There
are so many businesses that come here to do their dirty work and
places for them to do it that it's not funny any more. Belle told
me.” Lady Silent croaked.

“Unbelievable. So the DVM aren't the
only threat in town.” Sir Lionheart groaned.

They heard laughter outside, and not of
the fun and joyous variety.

“That sounds like Ruby.” Lady Luck
listened.

“It IS Ruby.” Lady Courage
glowered. She HATED her brother with a passion!

“I desperately want to see who he's
tormenting, but last time we tried to attack him as a group it ended
poorly.” Sir Lionheart groaned. “I hate this situation. Why
Belle couldn't have disposed of the Ruby Suit properly-,”

“Don't you DARE blame Belle for
this!” Lady Luck fumed. “For all they knew the Suit was busted
after what it did to her!”

“And just leaving it in the tip was a
good idea?!” Sir Lionheart growled.

“I hear Knights!” The voice of Ruby
floated through the school.

The Knights froze. Sir Hedgehog
reached out and pushed the face of his grey watch in and prayed that
Chuckles and Giggles would see it.

–

“Cheeky little brats!” Belle cried
as her siblings laughed with glee. The front of her shirt was soaked
with water from the bathtub where Oscar and Madeleine were having
their bath.

Belle grinned as she splashed the two
back.

“That floor had better be dry when I
get in there!” Lara yelled from downstairs.

“Uhhh…” Belle and Ozzie looked
around. A thin layer of water covered the entire surface of the
tiled floor.

“Figures.” Lara appeared at the
door. She laughed at Belles shirt. “They use you to try and mop
up the floor did they?”

Belle grinned.

“You go and get changed, I'll handle
these two.” Lara grabbed Madeleine and hauled her out of the bath.
Belle headed back to her bedroom and was about to get changed when
she noticed a grey light coming from her desk.

“Sir Hedgehog is in trouble.” She
looked at the red watch. The arrow was pointing in the direction of
the old abandoned school.

She sighed and looked out of her
window. Charlie was waving madly at her.

“I was driving past and I saw it.
Ruby Daryl has got them!” He squeaked.

“I shouldn't have left the Ruby Suit
at the tip. This is all my fault.” Belle sighed.

“You guys didn't know that the thing
still worked! We were just grateful to get if off you and away from
here!” Charlie swallowed hard. “We were terrified you weren't
going to survive and that everything Joe had done had been in vain.”

Belle looked back at the watch. Part
of her wanted to turn away, say that she couldn't do that sort of
thing any more, that her fight was higher up.

But she knew that if she didn't have
the support from down the bottom, that she'd never get up the ladder.
The people of Pleasantville needed the courage to want to change,
and the only way that was going to happen was if their heroes,
Chuckles, Giggles and the Knights of the Last Order stayed true to
their cause.

Plus smacking the pants off Daryl
sounded like fun.

“Let's get going then.” Giggles
grabbed the watch and the rest of her gear and followed Chuckles to
the old school.

–

Lady Luck ducked her head as another
Ruby Blast shattered the wall above her. She tightened the bandage
around Lady Courages bleeding arm.

“I can't do any more.” She looked
sadly at her friend, who was badly bruised and battered.

“It's okay Lady Luck. You've done
your best.” Lady Courage staggered to her feet as Sir Hyper went
flying past them.

“He got my arm again! I can't feel
it!” The young man cried. Lady Luck ran to try and help her
friend, but copped a Ruby Shard to the leg, immobilising her.

“You lot are making this too easy.”
Ruby sneered. He floated above the wounded Knights of the Last
Order, all of them looking sad and sorry for themselves.

Sir Lionheart couldn't move his legs
due to the Ruby Shards, Sir Darks ankle was flaring up again, Lady
Luck was immobilised, Lady Courages arm was broken again, Sir
Hedgehog had been knocked out along with Sir Hyper and Lady Silent
was nursing some bruised ribs.

“What do you guys honestly think
you're doing?” Ruby laughed. “You honestly thought you stood a
chance against 200 years of history? You can't change this city, no
one can change this city. If people don't like it, they're welcome
to leave.”

“If they can.” Spat Sir Dark.

“Not our fault if people dig
themselves into holes they can't get out of.” Ruby shrugged.
“Anyway, you lot are pitiful. I bet you reckon you're all heroes
too.”

“We tried.” Sir Lionheart gasped
for air.

“Maybe we might make a memorial for
you. Something to remind people never to challenge the status-quo
again.” Ruby lifted up his hand and the Ruby Power began to gather
in his hand. The conscious Knights reached out for each other,
prepared to make a last stand against the might of the Ruby Blast.

“Be brave Knights.” Sir Lionheart
glared into the eyes of Ruby Daryl.

“Let this be a lesson to all of
Pleasantville.” Ruby hissed as he lifted his arm to throw the Ruby
Blast.

A gunshot sounded and Ruby screamed.
The Ruby Blast oozed out of his hand and sank to the ground
harmlessly, where it disappeared leaving a small hollow in the
ground. The mounted block on his shoulder had ruptured where the
bullet had hit it.

“Sorry we're late guys.” Chuckles
stepped out from the shadows, grinning. “You're screwed now Ruby.”

“Says who?! Who shot me?!” Ruby
screamed in fury.

“That would have been me.”

Behind and above Ruby floated none
other than the original Giggles.

And in her hand was the Lucky Seven
Gun.