The orange rays that climbed over the horizon were, at best, unwelcome. Everything they touched was gray—the clouds, the rocks, the soil, all desolately colorless safe for that one speck of red. It belonged to a lone man who stood, cross armed, at the top of a small mound. Except for the brown pony tail that flowed freely with the wind, everything about the man was solidly still, from the firm outline of his buff build to the heavy-looking red shoes that were firmly planted in the ground. Nothing moved; even the sword that jutted from the ground near him showed no quivering against the wasteland winds.

Sol slowly opened his eyes.

Another day.

For as long as he had lived, Sol tried to watch the sunrise as often as he could. Even though everyday was predictably monotonous, the beginning always captivates him. What is it about sunrises? He's had quite a few decades to ponder this question, yet he has yet to come up with a satisfactory answer. Was it because it burns relentlessly while everything around it is cold and void of meaning? Was it because it brought dazzling colors to a devastated world? Was it because it was round?

Tch, round? Nice one.

In what seemed to be his first significant movement, Sol heaved his chest. It was time to get going. As he pulled Fireseal out of the ground and turned to leave, his eyes caught something in the distance.

Hmm?

In the vast plains that stretched before him, something, no, someone, seemed to be running.

Why not.

Slowly, he turned his body back toward the east and resumed the position he held before. Using his enhanced gear vision, Sol had no trouble recognizing the woman. Her robe was sporting a few more torn edges than when he had last seen it, and it appeared not as white as he remembered. However, the mark on her forehead, the determined look in her eye, the way she held her sword ready by her side, were all unmistakable.

Knowing that Baiken is not the one to run away from battle, Sol scanned ahead in the direction Baiken faced. A group of six men, with swords drawn, were running toward her, leaving a cloud of dust in their trail.

By the time he finished his calculations, Sol had blinked twice.

28 seconds? Get it on already.

As he mentally counted down, he watched the two opposing forces draw nearer and nearer toward each other.

3

2

1

In Sol's eyes, two blades clashed soundlessly. Baiken had easily parried the first man's blow with her half drawn sword. The man had over extended himself, and Baiken made sure the sharp edge of her steel met his unprotected neck as it was unsheathed in an upward swing. The man's body, still carrying momentum, rolled along the ground to a senseless slump, leaving a trial of red in its wake. The rest did not seem intimidated by the first man's fate. As they started to form a ring around Baiken, a second one on Baiken's right jumped in with an overhead slash, doubtless thinking he was in her blind spot. A quick stab to the midsection proved him mistaken. Seeing that individual strategies prove fatal, three men advanced at the same time. Swiftly planting her sword into the ground, Baiken directed her hand, open palmed, toward the three. With a few movements of her lip, a ball of energy exploded from her palm and launched the three high into the air. As they came down, they found her blade waiting. The last of the group was frightened out of his wits, evident from his desperate run for his life. Out of Baiken's right sleeve flew a chained claw. It tore into the man's sides and dragged him back by his flesh. As soon as he was within striking distance, Baiken kicked his legs out from under him and pinned him down with one knee. With her free hand, she drew her blade and plunged it into the man's heart. With a squirt of blood, the victim ceased struggling. Baiken pulled her sword out as she stood up, and kicked the corpse away like an insignificant sack of straw.

As if sensing something, she turned her head in Sol's direction. For a moment, the two stood, a plain apart and blades in their hands. Suddenly, Baiken held out her sword and made a flurry of slashes in the air. The movement was so quick that, from the distance, all Sol could catch were glimmers of light occasionally reflected by the blade.

tch...

The sheer speed of the blade's movements had shaken every drop of blood off its edge. Baiken returned the clean sword into its sheath, sat down among the bodies, and took out her pipe.

Sol popped his neck, a bored look on his face. It was time to leave.

Nothing about the town ever changes. It's always been the same smell, the same view, the same beggars. Yes, the beggars. Even when they don't have much they cling to life. Is living really worth all this suffering? The mortals before Sol are miserable creatures, yet the immortal who walks among them has not himself smiled out of happiness for the past century.

Funny...

"Hold it right there."

Sol slowed down the pace of his strides. He knew who the voice belongs to; and there was no point in stopping.

"I said stop, Sol."

Why?

The air suddenly felt electrified. The crackling of energy sounded distinctly alive.

Sol stopped, and turned his head just enough to give Ky Kiske a lazy gaze out of the corner of his eye. He wasn't surprised to see that the police man had readied himself in combat stance.

It's too early in the morning.

"You're coming with me, Sol, one way or another."

I don't know where he gets that confidence.

"Dizzy has been kidnapped, and you are the prime suspect."

That got Sol's attention. He turned fully around.

"What?"

"I said Dizzy's missing, and we suspect you had something to do with it."

"When?"

"When? Stop pretending Badguy, tell me where she is."

"I asked you a question."

"Just as I thought, looks like I'm going to have to do this by force."

What a pain in the ass.

Ky brought Thunderseal over his left shoulder and charged toward his target. Rotating his left arm, Sol positioned Fireseal before him to block. As the blades neared each other, bystanders scrambled to safety.

Hmm?

Suddenly, a cloud of opaque, white vapor materialized.

Thunderseal? No, it can't be.

Sol took a few steps back, readying himself for fortress defense.

Ky's blow, however, never came. As a matter of fact, the knight himself had stopped before the curtain of vapor, fearing a trap.

"Don't try to escape, Sol. Face me!"

As the mist lifted, both combatants saw a familiar, black clad figure.

Sol frowned, mentally kicking himself for putting up fortress defense for such a cheap trick.

Bastard.

The pirate was his usual self, katana in his left hand and the tip of his hat in his right. A breeze was dramatically lifting his cloak.

Sol started to turn around.

"Hold on a minute. Sorry to break up your fight, but I wanted some questions answered before you tear each other to shreds."

Tch, get lost.

Nevertheless, curious as to why the pirate paid him a visit, Sol turned his head to listen.

"Pirate! Stand aside, I'm going to arrest this man, then you're going to have some explaining to do yourself."

"Haha, officer, if it wasn't urgent I wouldn't have bothered you. I will gladly turn myself in if you can lend me your help in this matter. Dizzy went missing a few days ago, and soon after, my crew disappeared as well. So I was just wondering if either of you has seen a little girl with an anchor around."

"A little girl with an anchor? I don't think..."

"East."

Both turned to Sol.

"She went east."

Sol wasn't sure why he bothered to speak, maybe it was to get the stupid pirate out of his sight.

"Ah, thank you, I appreciate it. And for your troubles gentleman..."

With a smile and a quick flick of his thumb, Johnny tossed two glittering coins toward the pair.

Sol grabbed the one aimed toward him with his right hand. He looked down and gazed at the glaring gray spot on the back of the coin.

Tch, the damned bastard didn't even bother to fake it right.

"Ow."

Apparently Ky caught his with his face.

In another screen of vapor, Johnny disappeared.

"Wait, you said you'd turn your..."

Fool.

Dizzy is very attached to Johnny's crew. If she's missing, they would do anything to get her back. That means with the diligence and effort of an entire crew, they would most likely have better info and sense of where she is than a bored, indifferent man.

Why didn't I think of that before. East it is.

"Wait!"

Sol stopped.

"Where are you going?"

Rite...him.

Sol turned to an obviously abandoned building to his right and trusted Fireseal into the ground. A geyser of flame erupted into the walls, immediately setting the structure on fire.

"What...that's....hey!"

Sol was already walking away, he knew Ky can't stand watching his town burn.

"When I put out this fire I'm coming after you Sol! And I'm adding arson onto your charges!"

Sol smirked.