The Big Catch With June the Bounty Huntress
By AbeSedecim
Chapter 1
In the busy streets of the Earth Kingdom bazaar the people were going about there daily lives. Fruits, vegetables, trinkets of all shapes and sizes were sold and bought to the consumers delight. It was a busy day, a time when nobody really notices what goes on the streets. When a man starts running for his life, not many people paid attention.
He was a raggedy man, not even the beggars would pay him a second glance. He ran through the streets bumping into people on all sides as he zigzagged thru the bazaar. He bumped into many people causing groceries to fall on the floor and money to be spilt, but he just kept on running. While he ran he was chased by dark specter in the rooftops aboveswiftly sprung in diligent pursuit. Feeling the cold chill of the shadow above he ducked into a dark alley where he found a dead end.
There was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, other than a few round garbage cylinder against the walls. He turned to the light of the alley entrance expecting anything to come forward. Knowing he was cornered he grabbed the nearest weapon available, a fish bone her found in the garbage. Armed with his bone he crept closer toward the entrance looking for any sign of his pursuer. All the while he never realized that tracker was already in his midst. A dark figure with a skull on her head snuck up behind him.
"Boo," she said!
Immediately he screamed and turned his fish bone around like a dagger. Unfortunately his capturer was unimpressed.
"Don't come any closer, I'm warring you," he said.
She slapped the fish out of his fist and stared him down like a spider-snake. One look like that and the man fell to his knees.
"Please don't turn me," he begged. "I'm just a petty thief; my bounty isn't even worth it."
"Lang, get up off that ground before I ram your face into it," she commanded.
"Yes ma'am," he immediately obeyed.
"I'm not looking to haul in your mangy hide, I here to milk you for information?"
"Information, why me," he asked?
"You've got your ear to the ground and you know every hiding whole in this place; you'll tell me what I need to know or I'll feed you to my Shirshu," she said pulling out a piece of paper. She revealed a picture of a man on a wanted poster straight at his face. "Now, have you seen this man?"
"Him!" he exclaimed shivering mere sight of his portrait. "Yeah, I've seen him a few times; he's a real hard-hitter. Came into town a few months ago, causes all kind of trouble."
"Can you hurry this up I haven't got all day," she said priming her fists.
"Okay, okay," he shivered. "Rumor has it he's wanted for some heavy duty crimes. He's wanted by the Earth Kingdom Army for an enormous reward, but nobody dares to claim it. Even the tough guys think he's too rough."
"Well lucky me I'm no guy," she said. With one final question she grabbed the informant by the shoulders and pinned him against the wall. "Where can I find him?"
"Uh, he hangs in local hole in the wall; a tavern called the Den."
"Congratulations, you live another day," she said letting him fall to the floor.
As she walked toward the light that entered the alley, the informant managed to compose him long enough to give her a free piece of advice.
"Be warned June, you might be the best but that guy's the worst."
"We're done Ling," she said not even looking back. "Go back to your petty thievery."
She disappeared into the bazaar, another face in the crowd. She walked the market, grabbing an apple on the corner while a man's back was turned. As she strolled along, another set of eyes were watching her. Two men in brown coats followed closely behind her, trying to conceal there presence as they followed in her shadow.