Authors Note: Sorry for the huge delay! I've had most of this written already I just forgot about it for a bit and I figured no one would be reading it anyways! But a recent review from Wrenny reminded me of this, so thanks Wrenny! This Chapter's a bit dull, but the next one will be better. Sorry for the abrupt ending, but the original ending was worse, and it was the best way to quickly change it. R&R, thanks!
"He-hey…the name's Glitch." The ex-advisor stuttered rather unhelpfully and received an elbow in the side from Cain.
"Leave the talking to me, would ya?" he said in hushed tones.
"Guild Fighters, I've come to bring a message from the queen, she wishes to inform you that-"
"Don't listen to him or he'll deceive you with lies!" a blue-faced Guild fighter interrupted.
"Your costumes don't trick us, we know you for what you are, spies!" said another.
Glitch looked very offended and was quickly reviving his bad feelings for the little men.
"Costume, excuse me but this is the royal uniform for the high official of the queen…at least I think it is," he added.
"Just listen to us, we aren't spies, Azkadelia has-" the tin man began but was cut off again, this time by the sharp jab of a spear. Without a second thought he had his revolver in hand, cocked and ready to fire. The Guild Fighters, feeling that they had been proven correct, quickly took battle stances and reinforcements began dropping from the sky.
"Looks like they don't want to do this the easy way. Time for some aggressive negotiation. You watch my back, I'll watch yours," Cain instructed over his shoulder.
"Right….wait what? You want me to fight? But I don't know how to do that," Glitch admitted with a touch of confusion to why Cain was expecting a little inventor like himself to be able to throw kicks and punches like some sort of tin man.
Cain had been about to take off into battle when Glitch's words halted him.
"Your kidding, right?" came the exasperated response. Of all times for Glitch to forget something like that.
"Yes….no…Wait, what were we talking about?" Glitch asked.
"Oh for gods' sake…" Cain began, taking one wrong step towards Glitch and suddenly the ground was his sky and the world was spinning and bouncing all at once.
The Guild Fighters gave a triumphant shout for having caught the tin man in one of their traps, a small rope that led up to a very high branch which had him captive by his left ankle. The sudden lift from the ground had caused him to drop his gun and he was now powerless and rather disoriented, even once the rope stopped bouncing up and down and settled he still couldn't see straight. He could make out a double vision of Glitch looking up at him with vague amusement and curiosity.
"Glitch! Get out of here!" He yelled down. Oh yes, even when hanging upside down the tin man still kept up his hardened hero act.
Glitch, being quite the opposite of Cain, was more than willing to take the advice. Taking a few steps forward, he suddenly realized that there were little men blocking his way. So he merely decided to try another way. More men. How odd! After walking in a very small circle and finding himself thoroughly surrounded, he looked back up at Cain.
"Any other bright ideas, tin man?" he asked. He didn't get a response. Turning back to the Guild Fighters who had turned their looks on him now, he searched his half a brain for a way out of this situation.
"Oh…ah…he-hey there little guys…I mean….wait, I didn't mean to say that! Uh….yes….have we met before?" he gave a small, uncomfortable laugh and then looked confused again. Getting rather nervous he started muttering incoherently, something about code number one hundred forty seven line seventy six of the O.Z. Regulations and Rights, but it was all just a jumble of words to his attackers.
"Shield your ears! He speaks the spells of a witch!"
"No no no, I'm just Glitch!" he defended "Oh gods…they have me saying bad poetry too…this is a nightmare." He shook his head as the Guild Fighters continued their assumptions.
"Quickly! Bring out the binds and the post. He'll be served justice to burn and roast," the Guild Fighter exclaimed.
"Oh dear…" Glitch squeaked.
"Hey, hold it!" came a bold voice from above.
"You aren't taking him anywhere." It seemed that Cain had used the time Glitch had been babbling to cut the rope that held him with his handy razor. With one last cut, he was loose and landed unceremoniously on the ground, sending up small puffs of dirt as he quickly scurried to his feet.
"All right, no more tricks and traps, those are for cowards. Now you either let me bring this letter to your leader or I'll make you," Cain started, threatening and hostile as usual.
The Guild Fighters, still surrounding a very jumpy Glitch, were surprisingly unresponsive to the threatening. Cain had only a moment to ponder this before a dull thud resounded as a good sized rock collided with the back of his head. Cain crumpled to the ground as the heavy stone continued swinging above him like a pendulum. It appeared that yet another trap had gotten the best of him.