gratitude

[the_very_best]

Bella flies away. She visits her parents, hits up the guild for matches and wins enough to pay her guild dues, and tools around random wilderness beating up on the wildlife.

She doesn't really expect to hear from Sherlock and Tony again.

Comments

[bitofafiction]

"What has Renée tried?"

[the_very_best]

"Bribing her with treats into letting Renée pet her on the nose till she's sick of it and bites, and talking half-nonsense half-'you don't wanna hurt me do you' type stuff, and getting me to intercede on her behalf," says Bella. "I can get Fireflower not to bite her, but the properties of her actual fire parts are not in my control."

[bitofafiction]

"I see," says Sherlock. "No, that does not sound like Tony's sort of strategy."

[the_very_best]

"What'll he do then? Or do I just have to wait and see?"

[bitofafiction]

"I would not care to venture a guess, and I doubt Tony himself could tell you until the moment approaches."

[the_very_best]

"Fair enough. He can borrow her if he can talk her into it, that'll make things interesting."

[bitofafiction]

"Won't it just?"

[the_very_best]

"Fireflower actually lost a race the other day. Not with me riding her, just me and another Ace both had Rapidashes and we sent them around the block four times and she just barely came in second. She was mad."

[bitofafiction]

"My condolences to Fireflower."

[the_very_best]

"I'm sure she'll appreciate that. And she'll appreciate winning even more."

[bitofafiction]

"No comment."

[the_very_best]

"You think Watson'll beat her?"

[bitofafiction]

"I have never seen her run."

[the_very_best]

"She's fast," Bella asserts.

[bitofafiction]

"So is Watson."

[the_very_best]

"Well then," laughs Bella, "this'll be interesting either way."

[bitofafiction]

"Indeed."

[the_very_best]

"I'm getting up in altitude, it's gonna be hard to hear you. I'll see you in a day or two," Bella says.

[bitofafiction]

"I'll see you then."

[the_very_best]

A day later, Bella swoops in by the lake tower on Rachis.

[bitofafiction]

Sherlock leans out the window and waves.

[the_very_best]

"Hi!" calls Bella as she lands and returns the Pidgeot. "How goes?"

[bitofafiction]

"Boring," calls Sherlock, and he un-leans and comes downstairs.

[the_very_best]

"That's what I'm here to fix," laughs Bella when he emerges. "Haven't you got that awesome library? Have you already read everything in it?"

[bitofafiction]

"Everything I strongly desire to read. Tony can keep the engineering manuals."