Luro grinned a little when Ray pulled out the pistol, he figured he could use some of the parts for another of his guns he did admit it looked funny though. He kind of wanted to show him the other funny things he had in his bag but when Ray tossed him the bottle everything else became meaningless as he took a quick drink from it.
"It's a grand prize to me, thanks Ray," Luro said beaming. "Ah I'm going to cherish you...for the next three minutes maybe two, actually make that thirty seconds."
The captain seemed to hand out a few gifts to the others and he was positive he heard conversations going on around him but Luro's was lost in his own world drinking from the bottle, he only came back when he noticed everyone was heading back towards the ship, not wanting to fall behind he quickly finished the bottle and tossed it in the large sack before adjusting it on his shoulder.
He was a bit hesitant to go but he was starting to miss the calm quiet of the sea, everything was rowdy and loud here which he enjoyed but nothing beat the serenity of sailing on the Coral Pearl.
"The only way to find the good people in this world is the meet the bad one first. Isn't that right Luro?"
Luro came to a stop on the way back to the ship finding words being directed at him from a nearby person, he turned to see a small grin on what was once the crying face of the woman he had shot mere moments before.
Lily stood a few feet away a hand on her hip with Mary standing next to her clutching her dress her attention focused on Luro, with a small chuckle Luro set his bag down and turned fully towards her.
He glanced back to the see the others were still going which meant he had a few minutes to spare, he looked back at Lily who shook her head and raised her hand bringing it to her chest.
"Either you're a really good shot or I'm just lucky," she said reaching in her shirt pocket and pulling out the pocket-watch holding it by its chain.
In the center of it was a large indentation where Luro's bullet had hit, a small smile slipped onto Luro's face as he gave a small nonchalant shrug.
"Who knows," he said chuckling a little. "I was pretty sober could have been a miss on my part."
"Oh stuff it, we both know the answer already. I'm getting really tired of you playing the bad guy for my benefit, you did enough of that when we were younger."
"Someone's got to do it," Luro said with a firm nod before he watch Mary step away from Lily.
"That's what I didn't understand," Mary said speaking up. "...you had to know I knew Lily was alive...yet you were still acting like that."
Luro brought a hand to his chin at this not really sure if he should say anything, but if it was already out there he didn't see the point in keeping it to himself anymore.
"I wanted you to feel the hopelessness that comes in believing in something, or someone and then losing it right in front of your eyes. When you experience a feeling like that, it makes you want to hold onto what you have that much tighter. Besides there are evil people in the world who will take things from you just cause they can, figured you should meet one sooner rather than later."
Lily squeezed the bridge of her nose and shook her head as Mary moved back behind her, she seemed to understand but knowing he was capable of that wasn't much comfort.
"This is why you have so many enemies, you know some of your crewmates had to see that, what would you have done if some looked at you differently? I mean that Nolan guy watched us argue, did you even see the look on his face when you said all that."
A weak chuckle escaped from Luro at that, his gaze ended up moving to the ground as it was something he had actually anticipated a little.
"Even I fear being judged by people I care about Lily...I was curious...what if I did this, showed this other side to myself I wonder what the response would be. I can't fully trust others without showing them the bad side of me too you know...I don't think Nolan's ready to see more of me yet which is okay, it'd be weird if he just accepted it all of a sudden I wouldn't know what to do...as for everyone else I imagine with time we'll see more of each other eventually. Strange enough even with all of that I'd still take a shot for each one of them, especially Nolan, he has a lass to go back too I couldn't bare the idea of him not returning to a loved one. He's really lucky there's no place for me to return to...well aside from the Coral Pearl which is my home."
Luro raised his gaze and rubbed the back of his head smiling at Lily who returned one back at him, she looked at the pocket-watch before holding it out towards him.
"Do you remember when you got this for me, you opened it and showed me that it was ticking...that it never stopped no matter what I did. Then you told me...that the world doesn't stand still for you, so you have to stand up and keep going else you'll just get left behind."
Luro held the pocket-watch close to her chest with both hands and Mary glanced around her body at her.
"Thank you Luro, I needed this reminder...how could I do anything for Mary when I couldn't even confront everything in front of me. I shouldn't smile because it's the right thing to do...I need to do it because I want to. When I'm sad, when I'm afraid, when I'm happy, no matter what I have to smile because I have to face despair with confidence no matter what happens."
"Exactly," Luro said grinning at her. "I think Mary's dealt with enough right? No need for her to go through everything we did, she's in good hands if she's got you Lily."
Luro glanced back at the crew to see they were watching some lady dance with fire, he arched a brow at it and even Mary's attention was drawn to it but he quickly turned back around remember something.
"Oh yeah here," Luro said before tossing his pouch of money at Lily.
Lily caught it her eyes widening a little as she felt the weight of it, she looked at Luro shock and disbelief clear on her face but Luro shoved both aside with a shooing motion with his hand.
"There's a little over 100,000 in there, that should be enough to hold you over right?"
"L-Luro I'm thankful but I can't take this much, we only need 20,000, I don't-"
"Lily I'm a pirate, if I want something I just steal it that money's basically useless if I just take what I want. I was just going to spend it on rum anyway, besides-"
Luro held the palm of his hand out then showed them the back, he spun his hand once before a small sliver coin appeared between his forefinger and middle finger before he made it move along the top of his knuckles.
"I got enough to get me a bottle, I'm content."
Lily stared at the pouch for a moment, with a small nod she put the pouch in the pocket on her side fastening to make sure it was safe. She pat Mary's head who seemed just as shocked and looked at Luro who had made the coin vanish again before having it reappear in his other hand.
"Thank you Luro, really I appreciate it," Lily said. "I became stronger so I wouldn't need your help anymore but I ended up still needing it anyway, guess I'm not quite there yet."
"Silly," Luro said letting the coin fall into his sleeve. "Of course I'm going to help you, you're my friend. You can be the strongest woman to walk the west or eastern continent I'm still gonna help you."
Luro smiled at Lily and started to leave but he felt someone tug on his pants leg, when he looked down he noticed Mary staring up at him, he knelt down to eye level to show he was paying attention wondering what she had to say. To a bit of his own surprise she just pointed at his long sleeve, his attention moved back to Lily at this and she offered a small nod of the head.
"You wanna see?" Luro said grabbing a hold of his sleeve.
Mary only offered a nod and Luro responded with a shrug.
"She told you more than I thought, you two must be really close."
Luro rolled his sleeve up a bit past his wrist and Mary's eyes widened a little as she stared at his arm, she immediately averted her gaze causing Luro to roll it back down.
"Sorry...I didn't meant to stare."
"It's alright," Luro said standing back up. "I'm a horrible monster remember, that's just the mark of a sinner, I told you before that I was a bad person."
"You're not a monster," Mary said as Luro went to pick up his bag. "You're still a pirate but...you're a different one."
"Hahaha plenty of people would say differently but...I appreciate the thought, make sure to keep an eye on Lily for me."
Luro threw the bag back over his shoulder needing to catch up with the crew, he was taking too long they were probably back by now.
"I'll catch up to you eventually Luro," Lily said as he turned his back to her.
"Give yourself more credit Lily," he responded glancing back at her. "You've grown more than you think, oh yeah this conversation never happened. I'd rather my fellow crewmates not see me like this."
"Never happened," Lily said before looking at Mary who nodded in agreement.
"Aye that'll do fine then. Oh yeah do me a favor, in every town you go to from here on make sure to spread the word of Nolan the puppy killing maniac Fischer,"
"Nolan...oh that blond haired guy, the Crimson Monarch."
"Yeah him by the way he gained the nickname because whenever he drew his weapon he ends up covered in the blood of his enemies, and the blood always get's in his hair making it look like he's wearing a red and gold crown. They call him the puppy killing maniac because he's so evil they figured he'd just kill puppies if he met one which he would. Make sure everyone you meet knows the dangers of this man. That's not to say he's a bad cook though, he's really really good, just you know...kills puppies."
"I'll tell everyone in my travels Luro, I promise."
"Good good, he's a legend really but people don't realize he actually exists, make sure you let them know he's a real person, don't forget puppy killing maniac. Nolan Fischer, great cook but you know...puppies."
With that Luro turned and jogged off as Lily and Mary waved goodbye.
Luro made it back to the ship and tossed his guns on the deck before wiping some sweat from his forehead, that took more effort then he thought still he was glad to be back on Coral.
He reached into the gun sack and pulled out the medium sack full of drinks before pulling out a bottle of rum, by time he made it back the fireworks were already staring pulling his attention towards them.
He smiled glad he could see them on the Coral Pearl, it had been years since he last saw fireworks though he still disliked them greatly he couldn't help but watch taking a drink every now and then.
He looked over at Ray seeing him pull out another outfit, he rubbed the side of his head positive he had changed outfits already, that or he was just imagining things again.
"Being prepared for battle, you think of everything Ray. I normally just wing it," he said with a shrug.
His attention was pulled from Ray's outfit his gaze moving to a somewhat familiar voice, he looked over to see Alicia standing nearby looking up at them, he caught her words and his eyes widened and a wide grin formed on his face.
"Captain there's no way you're going to say no right? I haven't gotten to share a drink with her yet we gotta bring her aboard...oh and she's good at fighting that part too."
