Chapter 7! This is a 2 part because I wrote a lot and decided to split it up. Enjoy! Comments are loved!
The three of us walked for hours in the heat of Gunsmokes' duel suns. As we began to reach the outskirts, I could see the behemoth plants encased within their glass bulbs. "Amazing things plants," The stranger said as we slowly began to get closer. "If you say so, I've never understood how these damn things work," I said lighting a cigarette. "Well, they're like living organisms that give out very powerful electrical charges. Humans have learned how to harvest these charges to power their cities, though it wasn't easy," He said taking a drink of water from a bottle. He turned to us and saw Ari and I looking very confused at him.
"How do you know so much about plants?" I asked curiously as I never imagined him to have that kind of knowledge. "I uh, I use to work on the plant's a long time ago," He said as he slightly smiled nervously. "Where?" Ari asked slightly suspiciously. "Oh all over. Juneora Rock, May, April, Augusta, even July before the incident," He said. "How long before the incident?" She asked even more suspiciously. I turned to look at her and mouthed "What the fuck are you doing?" To her as she looked. She kept insinuating that something was up with this stranger but I couldn't figure out what. We continued walking and Ari continued asking questions.
"So, Val, where ya from?" She asked as she offered him a cigarette. "Oh no thanks, I don't smoke," He said as he politely declined. "And to answer your question, I'm not really from anywhere. I'm just kind of a drifter, a hunter, one who chases the elusive-" He started to say before he was cut off by Ari. "Yeah yeah fly of love, I'm talking about where were you born?" She said slightly annoyed as she lit her own cigarette. "Oh, I'm not really sure. My parents were killed when I was a very small child so I don't really know much about my history," He said sounding disappointed he couldn't tell us more about himself. "What brought you to Octovern?" She asked trying to sound curious. "Just figured I had earned a vacation from all that plant work ya know?" He said kind of nervously.
As the two of them spoke more and more, I was beginning to see what Ari was talking about. This Stranger had an answer for absolutely everything but avoided talking about his past and why he was in Octovern. Something was up with him. Maybe he was planning to kill us once Vash the Stampede was dead or maybe he would try to side with him. Either way, I would kill his dumb ass before he could even finish the thought. He may have been good but Ari and I were the best there was back in our day, and skill beats youth every time.
We arrived at the watering hole as the first sun bean to go down. The watering hole was almost half a mile in diameter, more than enough to keep these plants alive. We began setting up a small rest area as it had begun to cool off and the heat was starting to subside. Ari and I cooled ourselves off with the water but The Stranger didn't seem to be affected by the heat. He merrily sat on a rock and began eating more doughnuts.
As soon as I knew he was distracted by his doughnuts, I nonchalantly turned to Ari. "What the fuck is up with this guy?" I asked quietly. "I don't know, but he's hiding something," She said as she casually took a drink from the wellspring. "You think he's one of Vash the Stampede's goons?" I asked as I looked back at him slightly, noticing his gun once again. "I mean, that's a pretty big fucking gun to have just for protection. Maybe he's part of Vash's gang and they all carry giant guns like that. He did have fucking cannons after all," I said looking back to her.
"I don't know, but just keep an eye on him. He's up to something, I can feel it," She said as she stood up. "Alright, and hey, ease up with the questions, you're coming off as obviously suspicious," I said quietly as I walked away. I walked over to The Stranger and sat next to him, politely asking for a doughnut. He smiled wide with a mouthful and held up his hand, having 2 doughnuts on each finger. I took a couple and slowly started eating. "So Val, you ready to claim that bounty?" I asked trying to sound sincere. "I suppose. Truth be told I'm not really all that interested in the bounty," He said with his mouth full. "Not interested? Who the hell isn't interested in $$60,000,000,000?" I said slightly laughing as cover. That statement made me more suspicious ever. I was convinced he was one of Vash the Stampede's goons.
He gulped down his doughnuts and began talking again. "That's far too much money, I couldn't possibly spend all of it," He said jokingly. "Well I mean, you could buy enough doughnuts to last you the rest of your life," I said holding up one of the doughnuts I had taken in a joking manner. "Nah, if I was gonna do that, I'd spend the money on something more expensive," He said as he curiously lowered his head. I saw Ari behind him as she had noticed his weird movement as well. She was creeping up behind him with her shotgun drawn and was closing in on him. "Oh yeah? What's that?" I asked curiously as my hand slowly caressed my revolver. Ari was right behind him with one hand on the leaver and one on the trigger, ready to act. "Sprinkle doughnuts!" The Stranger said spontaneously, causing Ari to cock the leaver and ready a shell into the gun.
"Move and you're dear," She said, causing him to drop his bag of doughnuts and throw up his hands. The shock of her pulling her gun caused me to pull mine as well as I instinctively put it to his temple. "What's the problem here guys?" He said nervously. "Do you think we're fucking stupid?" Ari asked sternly. "No, not really. In fact, I thought the both of you were quite intelligent," He said happily like an idiot, causing Ari to hit him lightly. "We're not buying it anymore, we know who you are," I said sternly. "I don't know what you're talking about!" He said slightly more nervous. "Cut the bullshit, you think anyone would fall for that dumb ass name you came up with?" Ari said. I hoped she didn't see me blush slightly as I had bought it hook, line, and sinker.
"Please, I'm not lying to either of you I swear! Please don't kill me, I wanna live!" He said as he comically began crying at Ari's feet. We both sighed flabbergasted, then I spoke again. "Enough, stand up and die like a fucking man," I said pointing my gun at his head again. He stood still comically crying and began whining. "This is so unfair, I spend all my money on you cause I thought we were friends and now you're going to kill me and everyone is always picking on me and I never do anything wrong and-" He said rapidly before he was cut off by Ari. "Shut the fuck up! Now admit it! We know who you are so just admit it and we'll go easy on you 'friend'" She said trying to sound genuine.
The Stranger was silent for a few moments, then finally sighed and spoke. "Alright, you got me," He said lowering his head in defeat. "That's what I thought, now let's start with who you are working for," I said lowering him to his knees. "I'm working for you two, and that the truth," He said seriously. I was a little taken back as I hadn't seen him serious before. "Then why are you leading us into a trap?" Ari said, not believing him. "Trap? What trap?" He asked genuinely curious. Ari started to speak again but she was cut off but a familiar voice from atop one of the other layers of the plants above.
"Hey, dumb-shits! I know you're there!" The voice said. It wasn't too close but it was close enough to know where they were. We both looked to The Stranger and sternly glared at him. "You better hope to god Vash the Stampede is a bargaining man," Ari said putting the shotgun to his back and walking him forward. "Wait, you think I'm working for him?" He asked concerned. "Shut the hell up and walk," she said as the three of us walked toward the plant. "You guys are making a huge mistake, I'm on your side. You're going to get hurt if you don't let me go," He said trying to convince us.
As we walked, the voice rang out again. "Alright three fuck-o's. What the fuck do you want?" The voice said as we approached the bottom of the plant. We all looked up and saw the same jackass I'd had tried to kill the previous day. My first reflex was to try and shoot but Ari stopped me just in time. "Easy Billy, just keep your cool," She said as became down a few feet. "Well well, if it isn't ol' bumshell," He said mockingly as he fully saw us. "And you brought some friends? Impressive," He said in fake congratulations.
"Alright you son of a bitch, you have one chance to get out of this alive," Ari whispered to The Stranger. "I already told you guys I'm not working for him," He said desperately. "Vash the Stampede! We've got one of your boys down here! Come down and fight me man to man and I'll let him go," I said pointing my gun in The Strangers' face. "Ha! That fuck ain't with me!" He said as he hit duel buttons on either side of his hips. He began laughing as his 2 cannons came to life and began swirling with energy. He targeted us in seconds and shot, sending us flying forward from the shockwave.
End of Part 1