You Are The Only One Different

Bit of an idea I had while attempting to flirt with Hammer in Fable 2, then expanded when Reaver said I had to do tasks for him.

Walking up the road, a red coat billowing about him, Sparrow made his way up the steps to Bloodstone Manor, the home of Reaver.

Sparrow looked at his hand again. Wrinkles and veins were glowing almost, and his skin was almost dead. Sparrow growled.

Back in the usual room where Reaver posed, Reaver had just shot a sculptor for drawing his forehead like a melon. As the smoke cleared, in stepped Sparrow.

Reaver turned, and almost burst out laughing when he straightened himself, and said, "Why hello there, my friend. I trust it went successfully?"

Sparrow curled his lip. "You know it."

Reaver had gotten to the punch line. "But oh my, you don't look as youthful or vicarious or alive as you did before!"

Sparrow wrapped a fist on his sword, knuckles popping as he resisted the urge to run a sword through Reaver. If I did do that, it would be like performing Lucien's job for him.

Sparrow sighed, and then continued. "Anything else you need done?"

Reaver grinned. "There actually is. You see, if I go gallivanting off with your fellows, I need gold to keep my affairs sustained. So….:

Reaver drew out a scroll. "Dear Mr. Reaver, my name is Harold Assyinmouth, of the Albion Rich Life of Fortune Guild, and it is my honour to invite you to a ball we will be having. You may bring four friends along with you, and there, you will receive a large royalties bonus. As well, the Plumed Tiara will be there for an auction. Thank you for your patronage."

Reaver looked up, smirk on his face. "As I last checked, there were four of you in that little band of yours."

Sparrow stared in horror. "A….dance?"

Reaver nodded. "Just be there, will you?"

Sparrow didn't know what to do but nod.

"Excellent. It will be quite an occasion."

Outside, Sparrow's dog, Arrow, barked. He smiled, then pointed back at the house, and held his nose shaking his head. The dog growled, walked to the door, and lifted a leg.

Sparrow smiled. "Let's see Reaver get a booty call with his door smelling of piss."

He looked around. "Then again, it might be the best smelling thing in Bloodstone."

"A what?!" Hammer asked, mortified.

Sparrow nodded. "He wants us there, to be at the ball."

Garth stroked his chin. "Seems simple enough."

Theresa shook her head, then remarked in her quiet voice. "Nothing is as it seems with Reaver."

Hammer gaped at them all. "You're saying we're going?"

Sparrow turned to her. "Of course. We need Reaver."

Theresa turned. "We should all go there separately."

Garth nodded. "If I can show up as a waiter…."

Theresa nodded at him. "It will not be too odd to see a fortune teller and cheap trickster."

Garth opened his mouth agape. "Cheap?!"

Theresa turned to Sparrow. "M e and Garth will be there, to entertain.

Sparrow grinned at Garth's horror, and then said. "Reaver will expect me."

Hammer sighed. "No one will need me."

They turned to her. She looked back. "It's true, isn't it? No one will expect a huge lady there. I must just not go."

Sparrow bit his lip. "Actually…… I might need a dance partner."

Hammer turned to him, and she stared at him like he was a slug that just appeared. "D-da-dance partner?!"

Garth chuckled as Sparrow stared back.

The doors of the place were opened, as ushers lead people inside. Hammer shuffled from foot to foot. "I'm not sure this is a good idea."

Sparrow wrapped his red coat, and looked at her. She had left the hammer, but otherwise she was the same old Hammer.

"How bad can this be? Besides, you may have fun." He might have continued, but Reaver poked his head out the door with a woman attached to his chest.

"Hello, my dearest friend!" Reaver pushed her away for a second, and motioned for Sparrow and Hammer to enter.

Reaver stared at Hammer. "Um, big woman. Well, I don't like it, but that must be exciting in bed."

Sparrow raised a hand to stop from bursting out to laugh when Hammer picked Reaver by the collar and slammed him into the wall.

Hammer walked inside, huffing. Reaver lay on the ground, disoriented. Sparrow walked in after her, placing his hat on Reaver's head. When he passed the woman that was with Reaver, he whispered to her, "Hope you're fine with necrophilia."

She gaped at him, and then moved to Reaver. Sparrow walked in.

His first impression was one of gold. The roof was gold, the walls gold, the ground sheen yellow. People dressed in gold, gold body parts. He stood out like a beacon with the coat that earned him the title of Crimson Sparrow.

Around him, noble pompous and chubby people made their way about. To the right, an orchestra playing soft music. To the right, in an elevated dais, there was a glass casing, inside, a majestic tiara, a large purple feather poking out on the front.

Looking about, he spotted the others immediately. Theresa and Garth were attracting a large crowd, as Theresa was showing her Fate Cards (he wondered whether these ones were real, or fake) Garth shot up green lights into the air.

Hammer was no doubt causing a trail of onlookers to peek at her and laugh boisterously. Using this tactic, he found her by the tiara.

She was staring at it, mouth slightly open. He smiled. "Beautiful, is it?"

She glanced at him. "It's dazzling…"

He smiled. "They say it was the crown of the first queen, and the plume was from her favourite bird."

She kept staring at it. He looked around. "You're attracting a lot of looks. Could you stop stunning everyone with your beauty, you'll make me jealous."

She turned away from the tiara, mouth gaping as her cheeks turned a furious red. "You….."

He grinned. "My clue to go before you smash me in the glass. Have fun."

He walked away to Theresa and Garth, leaving Hammer behind silently cursing him.

They had drawn quite a crowd, and he had to push his way to see her. She was showing a card depicting a dragon with a sword in its breast, signalling a great feat. Garth then made a fiery red depiction of it.

Theresa saw him, and she pointed at him. "Come here, your fate is next."

He nodded, and pushed his way to her. The crowd now stared at him.

Theresa spoke again, and their attention was rapt. "Place your hand on mine, and I will show you your card."

He did so, and the effect was quick. Her voice echoed in his head. I sense Reaver tensing. There's something he wants to do here. Be aware.

She withdrew, and he blinked. She now waved a card in front of him.

It was a card with a large pink heart.

"Passion. You and another have begun to sink into love, and life could not be better."

He felt embarrassment stab his face. Garth nearby smirked as he shot an image into the air.

It was the large pink heart, but with an addition. He gaped.

Garth had made a red sparrow and a gray hammer circling each other.

He clenched his teeth at Garth as people ooed and awed.

Sparrow smiled a false grin at Theresa. "Thank you." He said with an edge of steel. He quickly left.

Pushing his way from them, in his mind he was stabbing Garth relentlessly. Great, after I saved him he embarrasses me.

"Going soon?" He stopped.

Hammer was behind him, hands on her hips, a smirk creasing the edge of her mouth.

"Well, I am rather late for something." He looked around.

She smiled now. "So what was that about the heart?"

He stopped cold.

She giggled as he floundered in the conversation. "Uh, Garth was uh, bothering me."

He kicked himself. Great, that wasn't completely weak.

She rolled her eyes. "Was he?"

He cast about for an excuse. The orchestra began to play a slow song. "Would you wish to dance?"

She was now floundering, but recovered by saying. "Well, you asked me to come for that."

He nodded, and lifted his hands to her. She took them, and they began to move to either side.

"Why do you seem interested all of a sudden?" She asked.

He looked back. "I seemed interested?"

She nodded. "Yes. It was very obvious."

He sighed. "I think…."

"When I went back to Bowerstone, every woman there began to throw themselves at my feet, everyone does. You're the only one who doesn't do that, who is indifferent to me either way."

The music began to play faster, and their dancing soar to new heights. They began to perform complicated moves that required grace and strength from both.

Others began to watch, cheering Sparrow on. He smiled as his spun her around.

She looked at him. "I wasn't indifferent, I just assumed you wouldn't care. I mean, look at me."

He spun her around and then did the dip of the dance. "I am."

She stared into his eyes, and he hers. They leaned forward….

BANG

Suddenly, they both looked up as people screamed. Reaver was at the glass casing, the glass falling from the cracks caused by the impact of his bullet.

Soon, the tiara was vulnerable, and Reaver grabbed it, stuffing it into his bag. There was a shout, and men hired by the Guild stepped in, waving swords and pistols.

Soon, before Reaver could run, a gaggle of men circled the dais, and one holding a large rifle roared, "Who are you?"

Reaver pointed at himself. "Me? I am…….."

The guard waved the rifle. "Yes?"

Reaver pointed at Sparrow. "An accomplice of him!!"

Sparrow gaped.

Reaver ran while everyone stared at Sparrow.

Guards near him rushed up, waving cutlasses.

One was getting close, and Sparrow took no chances. A punch to the gut and an elbow to the base of the neck too him out.

Two others were approaching from the right, but they stopped as golden swords impaled them. Garth hurried the side of Sparrow.

Another with a hammer roared, but suddenly, Hammer stood in front of him. "Oh please." She said, and her punch set him flying."

Sparrow turned to Garth. "Reaver will pay for this."

Garth nodded. "Let me start though."

R&R, but no flames please.