Chapter Text
Wolfwood was currently chain smoking his way through a pack right now. It was truly the only way to get through a meeting with his creator. William Conrad. Fucked up mad scientist who gets his rocks off to experimenting on kids, and currently his boss whos supplying him a few vials for his next job. Even after so long of being the Eye of Micheals attack dog, he never got used to being around Conrad. At worst his voice would dredge up fuzzy memories of the worst months of his life. At best, he makes his cigarettes taste like shit.
“Do be careful out there Punisher, these aren't easy to make”
Just leave
His pockets a little heavier and the cigarette box a little lighter, Wolfwood made for the door.
“OOF”
Wolfwood was built like a brick wall, designed to get hit by a truck and be able to get right back up, no vial needed. So a small body of an eight year old girl running into him, didn't even cause him to stumble. The girl on the other hand, right on her ass.
She was pale, everything about her was pale. Her skin, her hair, even her eyes looked more white than blue. She looks like the dual suns of No Man’s Land had never touched her. She was stuck in a simple two tone gray dress.
Wolfwood just looked at the kid, studying her. Trying to figure out what the fuck was going on.
Wolfwood was no stranger to the Eye of Michael's propensity to using children as science experiments. But letting them run around would be a first. Could the kid be like Elendira, one of Conrad’s petri dish grown weapons.
The girl had recovered from her stumble and was now looking up at Wolfwood with stars in her eyes. As if the concept of a man covered in sand and smoke was new and alien to her.
“Punisher, what is-”
Conrad followed to the door, curious as to what had happened. As soon as he stepped into view the little girl had leapt to her feet and ran behind Wolfwood. She was shaking. Wolfwood didn't blame the girl for being terrified of Conrad, HE was terrified of Conrad. He knows what he has and what he will continue to do. But that doesn't stop the drop in his stomach. What happened next was just confusing as all hell. Conrad froze. Not shaking, but fear just as apparent in his eyes as it was in the little girls.
“You should go.”
Whether he was talking to Wolfwood or the kid, he didn't know. But Conrad has already closed the door as he pushed Wolfwood out. The kid had stopped shaking but now had a death grip on his pant leg. He patted her head.
“You alright there kid?”
She nodded.
He started herding her away from the door, not caring about the direction. As long as it was away from him.
“My name's Nico, What's your name?”
“Tesla”
“Want a sucker Tesla?”
She looked up at him with her face scrunched up in confusion. Wolfwood simply just dug one out of his coat and handed it to her.
“It's a candy”
She inspected it for a moment, before opening her mouth to try it. Wrapper included. Wolfwood rushed to stop her.
“Ah Ah, wait wait. Take off the wrapper first.”
Her face scrunched up even more, an indicator for her confusion. As if the concept of not eating paper is asinine to her. But she did it, putting the newly unwrapped sucker into her mouth to try. The change in her face was instant.
“Alright Tesla, care to tell me what you're doing here?”
“I wanted to see the ground stars.”
“I’m sorry the what now”
“The ground stars. They're on the ground, more clustered than the ones in the sky, and sometimes they come in different colors. Ground stars.”
There's no way
“Kid, are you talking about the city lights?”
“Is that what they're called!”
Who would have thought it was possible for her to get any more excited then after the sucker.
“I tried asking my brother about them, but anytime I do he just brushes them off. But he’s busy right now so decided to see the city stars.”
So many questions, not a single fucking answer.
“Sorry, back up. Your brother is here.”
“Yeah he’s-”
“TESLA!”
“Aw man” “Fuck”
Apparently the kid didn't want to see Bluesummers just as much as Wolfwood. Legato had run up from behind the two, roughly shoved Wolfwood away from Tesla and dropped a knee to her level.
“Tesla what are you doing here, you should never have left your room!”
“How many times am I going to have to explain this, I wanted to see the city stars.”
“You can see them from your room”
Legato spoke as he picked her up.
“I wanted to see them closer”
Tesla pouted, as her plans to see the city lights have been foiled.
“It doesn't matter, you know Master Millions Knives would be beside himself if he knew you were missing”
Wolfwood couldn't help but choke on his spit as he started putting the pieces together. Unsurprisingly, Wolfwood hacking up his lungs, reminded Legato of his presence.
“And you, why didn't you escort her back as soon as you found her.”
“Cause I didn't know she was Millions Knives little sister damn it”
Tesla started viciously bopping Legato's shoulder from her place in his arms.
“Wait, don’t be mad at Nico! He was nice and gave me a sucker!”
Legato's face was drained of all color. He quickly ripped the candy out of her mouth.
“You know better than to eat this, you are beyond this.”
Legato started down the hallway. Tesla settled in his arms. Sad but not causing a fuss about losing the candy.