Sharp Life

A/N- As I wrote previously, this is the final chapter. Nothing more can be done to it, after Deryn reaches the British Air Service. Thank you, dear readers, for your time and I do hope you enjoy this final little chapter.

Jaspert rolled his eyes.

"Hurry up, Dylan," he called to Deryn, who was busy looking at her own reflection in a shop window.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," she replied. She straightened out her shirt and followed her brother, who was impatiently waiting with his arms folded across his chest.

It was the day that she had been anticipating and dreading in equal parts. That day, Deryn would become a midshipman for the British Air Service. Or, she would be sent home to Scotland.

No, she told herself. Failure isn't an option.

It really wasn't.

Down the street she could see a cluster of a few dozen men and a handful of Huxley ascenders dotted among them.

"Don't dawdle," she said to Jaspert, "Let's get down the barking road and not take all day!"

Jaspert looked at her, bewildered. "I'm walking regularly paced, what's the matter with you?"

"I'm just excited. And nervous," she added, increasing her speed. "But more excited than nervous. "

"Well, don't get too excited," Jaspert chided. "You'll lose your head, and blubber when you're spoken to."

"I've never done that!" She cried.

He shot her a quick look, all the humour gone from his face. "Dylan your voice just went very high. If I didn't know you better, I'd have sworn you're a girl."

Deryn clasped her hand over her mouth at her brother's warning.

Deryn and Jaspert hurried along, passing people from all walks of life. A group of finely dressed young women walked past with their arms linked, while their chaperones trailed just behind them. When they passed a group of beggar children, one girl plucked a coin from her dress pocket and dropped it into the waiting hands of a young boy.

"Thank you," the boy called after the young woman. If she heard him, she paid no heed, and continued to walk with her friends.

Deryn couldn't help but grimace as she watched the encounter.

Jaspert pulled her along by her shirtsleeve.

"Dawdling, yet again," he drawled.

"Shut it, ninny," she muttered as she turned her eyes back to their destination.

Within minutes they reached the group of people. Deryn scanned the other potential recruits, who were milling about with the actual airmen. She had already begun to place the potential recruits into two categories in her mind: British Air Service material and softies. There seemed to be quite a few softies. Hopefully.

Jaspert clasped his hand over her shoulder, jolting her back to reality.

"Good luck, Cousin Dylan," he said. "I know you've studied hard enough. And you know loads about flying. Just make sure to watch out for your air sense."

"There's no such thing as air sense," Deryn said through gritted teeth, although she did not at all feel reassured.

Jaspert looked at her and smiled. She saw that, despite his excessive teasing, he hoped that she would do well. She smiled back, cheered by that thought.

"Alright," she said, walking towards the others. "I'll show them what it means to have barking air sense."