DisturbNotTheBeast - ASprigganFanfiction
By KatWarrior
Rating: PG-13 for violence
Based mostly on the movie. The only manga element is the character Tia Flatt.
Spriggan (c) Minagawa and Takashige
Random characters are property of ECH (AKA KatWarrior). DO NOT USE WITHOUT MY PERMISSION
Chapter Ten: Crossroads
Adam had managed to find a perch on the village's fence that was concealed by the branches of a massive tree. From this vantage point he could see clearly in the direction that Jean and Yu had gone in. Unfortunately, sight and instinct were all that were available for him to rely on. The scent of rain covered the potential smell of gunpowder that his enemies might have, and the downpour accompanied with the thunder took away the advantage of hearing them. At least the British Spriggan had sharp eyes. The slightest jiggle of tree leaves would captivate his full attention and focus until he was able to determine that it had only been an animal. Things carried on like this for a great deal of time and Adam began to wonder if Mino had been mistaken.
And then there was a rustling of leaves in branches that was of a nature completely different to any of those he had seen before. It was clumsy, and that of a being not entirely familiar with the jungle and its ways. Bringing the scope of his sniper rifle to his dark brown eye confirmed that an enemy solider was the cause of the slight disturbance in the greenery. In seconds that soldier paid for his mistake with a lump of lead from Adam's rifle to his chest. Other leaves rustled, giving Adam the knowledge of a few more enemy locations.
But these men had learned from their comrade's mistake. Adam managed to take out a couple more, but the others stilled themselves after relocating. The British Spriggan bit his lip and pressed himself close against the tree's trunk. They knew they were being watched now and they would be looking for him. A bullet whizzing by his face was enough indication that he needed to relocate.
Adam slipped around to the side of the tree facing away from the Machine Corps' path and leaped off the fence. His landing's sound was covered by a grumble of thunder, and the forest around him was momentarily illuminated by the tailing lightning. It was just enough for him to see the form of a man crouched only a few meters away. Unfortunately, it was also enough for the man to see him as a rain of bullets splinted the bark of the tree between them.
Peering around the corner would either mean a bullet through his brain or the discovery that his adversary had moved. With a grumble Adam darted out from the tree's cover, his Spriggan speed being just enough to avoid being shot as he rolled behind another tree. He managed to get off a bullet from his socom during this, and the scream of the shooter resulted.
Footsteps were filtering towards him now. His general location was widely known among the enemy, and he'd only managed to pick off three from an unknown number of soldiers. This would be an interesting battle.
--
"Blood sacrifice?" Yu repeated, his brow furrowing into a scowl. "We didn't find any information on that."
"Didn't find any, or weren't given any?" Little Boy's grin widened into a maniacal sneer. "My, is ARCAM keeping information from it's own soldiers now?" He began to walk forward, gaining speed with each step. Ominae stepped in between the cyborg and his comrade, knife held at ready.
The Japanese Spriggan and the American cyborg darted into immediate action. Jean cursed only being able to watch as two blades collided – Yu's knife and an impressive-looking dagger that Little Boy had been hiding behind his back. If Jean couldn't best Little Boy alone, there was no reason that Yu Ominae could, either. And yet... Yu had something that Jean did not. As the French Spriggan watched, he noticed Little boy making extra effort to avoid Ominae's orihalchon blade after receiving a decent slice in his arm from it. That was it. For all their researching, the Machine Corp had not found something that could withstand the special metal. At least, nothing that would be beneficial to build into a cyborg. If orihalchon could unnerve Little Boy, then surely Jean's bonds wouldn't stand a chance against it. But could he afford to distract Yu long enough for that?
"Ominae!" he dared to call, "your knife!" Jean jerked his head downward and to the side, trying to indicate his chains. Though it was brief, the Japanese Spriggan cast a glance at him along with an understanding nod. The battle moved closer to him and Jean braced himself, prepared to leap into action once his bonds were severed. But the blade that reached him first was not his comrade's.
Little Boy had managed to plant a foot firmly into Yu's chest and send him sailing into a wall, leaving yet another impressive dent. The rune-carved blade in the cyborg's hand slid deeply into the left side of Jean's chest. The Frenchman's body jerked violently against the pedestal, causing the statue to wobble and then finally fall.
"Jean!"
The blond Spriggan was barely aware of Yu Ominae calling his name. His rapidly fading consciousness was focused instead on the pain splitting through his body and the faint glow that appeared to be coming from the floor in front of him...
Ominae wasted no time in rising and charging at Little Boy before the cyborg could even withdraw the dagger from Jean's body. With speedy swing of his orihalchon knife, Yu had cleanly taken off one of Little Boy's arms. The American reeled back away from Jean, howling in pain. At last Little Boy drew one of his guns, firing furiously at the Japanese Spriggan. Despite Yu's hope to make sure that Jean was at least alive, the battle with Little Boy carried him away from his bleeding comrade.
--
Unfortunately, playing cat-and-mouse with the Machine Corp was not an option. Sure, some of them might follow him, but why wouldn't some of the others continue on to the village? If only there was a way for him to know how many there were. At least he knew that there were now five less than when he'd engaged them. Adam had managed to take out two more of his enemies while avoiding being shot for the second time on the mission.
"Surrender and we might not kill you!"
Well, that was impressive for the Machine Corp. Capture wasn't often an option with them. Adam smirked to himself from his new hiding place high in a tree. They were scared and trying to bring out an intimidation tactic of their own. Too bad for them. Neither surrender or death were on the British Spriggan's agenda.
There was another flash of lightning, casting a blue glow onto the jungle and four enemy faces. Since there was no gunfire following the temporary light, they must have missed him. After a deep breath, Adam fired into the branches, exactly where he remembered seeing the faces. Screams followed. Nine down. He released the breath, and gazed upwards. Past the tree's branches he could barely make out the angry, black clouds above.
And then there was another scream, but it wasn't that of a soldier. For terrifying seconds, Adam's heart stopped. That had been a woman. The Machine Corp had breached the fence.
--
Ominae was forced to put a hold on his battle with Little Boy when a blinding light flooded the chamber. Before shielding his eyes with his arm, Yu had noticed the light's source. The place that the statue had fallen. In front of Jean. Little Boy was screaming something in displeasure but Yu ignored that. What had happened to Jean?! The Japanese Spriggan bolted in the direction that he figured Jean was in. Again, he called his friend's name.
The glow began to subside until it centralized in only one location. It surrounded a single, standing figure that had replaced Jean's slumped form. The chains that had been holding Jean were in a heap on the floor, appearing to be melted in some areas. Blood was pooled on the floor in front of the pedestal with an obvious upset in the middle of the puddle. Something had landed there – the stone dog. But it and Jean were missing. Or were they?
When the last of the glow faded, only Jean remained. Or at least, Yu assumed that it was Jean... he wasn't quite looking like himself.