A/N Hello everyone, afraid I'm not doing to good stay weekly since starting my new job XP. We had some pretty busy days with new updates launching etc. But either way, i always do appreciate you all for sticking this far!
I've been attempting to go back to earlier chapters to fix some grammer mistakes on my spare time. As always I do hope you all enjoy this chapter. its the Kaneshiro finale in the old west. Enjoy the weekend and feel free to review :)
Chapter 24
Present Day,1885
Yusuke was busy at the end of the dinner table working on his own project the past few days. Ren sat down at the table next to him with a bowl of hot stew and bread. His younger brother was snoozing down on the table, his own empty bowl finish. He's been running ragged lately checking for Kaneshiro and his men. Mecurius was the fastest horse they had, so it made sense he would deliver the inevitable message. The freed men had also pitched in to help when he wasn't out riding. Maybe he'll buy his brother some candies when this is all said and done.
Ren notice Yusuke was still fiddling with an object in his hand. "What are you doing Yusuke?" Ren asked the artist.
"A mask, what do you think?" He presents a white animal mask with red markings and holes where the eyes are.
"It looks like a creature, what does it represent?"
"A kitsune, it would be called a Fox in your language."
"So the mask is to match your moniker?"
"Yes, I've actually made masks for all of you with the materials I found around town. Here." Yusuke searches through a small bag nearby and pulls out a white mask. It was fairly small only covering a small portion of the face. The two ends curve to meet in the middle and curve in a point. Black covered the lining of the eyes which spiked out in various directions.
"I tried to fit the Joker theme for you." Ren grabs the item in question and uses the clips at the end of the mask to tuck it in his hair for placement.
"So how do I look?" He models to the artist and a sleepy brother.
"I say it looks good," Ryuji had walked into the room with a cup of coffee for the late night.
"You got any for me Yusuke?"
"Yes, I gave my design to the blacksmith and had yours forged." Yusuke pulls out the heavier mask in the shape of a skull.
"Awesome!" Ryuji yelled. The three men spent the evening posing in the new mask that the artist made. Ann and Makoto coming by to see whats the commotion.
"If you guys are any louder, you'll wake up Shinya," Ann scolded them.
"Aww don't be like that, here you have one as well." Jokes and lover spats filled the evening air as the gang enjoyed the last peaceful night in Northsbury.
Elswhere,
Akechi was stuck spending his days sleeping in a train station. This whole fiasco did rub him the wrong way after reading the very forged documents the guards at the mine provided him. It was almost comical. He would have bother further until he saw a particular inked marking on their wrist; The Kaneshiro Gang. His message at the station should've gone through by now, its been a few days.
"Headquarters, backup.STOP.
Northsbury, Kaneshiro.STOP.
Coordinates, 38.597 N.STOP.
80.454 W. STOP"
Clear message to the Captain to send more re-enforcements his way. He had debated whether he should've address another message to Sae. Akechi wasn't sure if Makoto was in immediate danger, but he was last informed she was to be in school. Seeing her here was a true surprise. But those were thoughts for another day as a train pulled up to the station. Right on time, he thought.
Ren woke up early the next morning, planning to shave. Hair grew fast on him to the point most days he doesn't bother. During winter he doesn't mind but with the hot sun bearing on him, it can get itchy. Using the last bit of shaving cream he begins. Ren scrapes off the last bit with his knife when a loud commotion cause him to nick his chin.
"Ren! Reeeen! Where are you!?"
"In the washroom Mona, what's wrong?" Morgana took a moment to catch his breath before delivering his message.
"I saw them on my last shift…..Kaneshiro and his men….coming from the South.
"How far out?"
"I don't know, maybe an hour or two? They look to be packing up camp!" Patting his brother's head, he knew he was exhausted.
"You'll be back up, you're to tired to be on the front lines."
"But brother—"
"I know, do me one last favor and wake up the town. Move the women and children into the into the store cellar. Have group one position themselves on the South entrance, take group three to cover the back in case he has men surround us. Have group two take the roof. Go!" The young brother turn messenger sprinted his tired body to get everyone in position.
Ren went to get dress and alert his own group, "Wake up we got incoming! Get in position, Miss Shiho, Shinya go to the cellar with the others. Ryuji your with me, Ann, Yusuke, your with group two. If you can't find a good shot stay down."
They all nodded back and dispersed. The elder Amamiya brother peaked in the room Shiho and Makoto shared seeing her boots on and fastening a gun belt.
"You ready?" he asked. She takes a quick look at the borrowed revolver to make sure it was full.
"Yes." They jogged down the steps to outside as the town bustles around them.
"You've been working with that in practice?"
"Of course."
"Good, cause your coming to the frontline with me. I'm gonna to need you to stay focus." Ren made a quick check around town to make sure the defenses were up. The groups were split into their designated areas. The women and children were hidden below and guarded by a few men as well.
A large cloud dust of dirt entered Ren's vision as a small group of men plus a stage coach made up the caravan. Waving the signal to the next group on the South side alerted them of the incoming gang.
"Joker," Ryuji had called down the line. "Thought you might want this?" The blonde gunslinger throws a white mask with the black lining near the eyes to Ren. The outlaw see Ryuji put on the Skull mask of his own and cocks his gun. Peaking to the roof, he could vaguely make out a Fox mask and a red animal mask. He was sure Mona had one around his face too.
"Ah what the hell." Quickly equipping the mask to see better vision, he tightens his red riding gloves and grips his weapon. "It's time."
Everyone was staying in their hiding places until the gang got closer to town. Kaneshiro had to be in the staged coach, he would know him by description. Ren had yet to hear noise from their backside, no split yet. The townfolks worked hard with making barriers and digging trenches. They had plan to lure them into a plan deadzone.
Closer…..almost there…less than a half of mile out, Ren gives another signal.
BOOM!
The loud bang goes from the ground disrupting the coaches horses stalling it in the field. They had planted dynamite in the trenches as a first defense just in case. They had used the last bit of dynamite from the mines getting about 5 or 6 of Kaneshiro's men in the initial blast.
The man of the hour spills the wine he was drinking from the explosion. "WHAT THE HELL!?"
The civilians of Northsbury open fire as the outlaws fired back. Ryuji got a couple of shots in from his repeater. He was Ren's long range specialist being Morgana was not by his side. Some of the civilians got hit by stray bullet some the panic sets in as those without weapons tried to stay hidden. People fired from doorways, from the roof and behind the barrier. The limited fire power they had started to drive away Kaneshiro's guards, but he still was hiding in his coach.
A few men were still hanging around guarding closely. Ren and Ryuji were going to storm the wagon, jumping over the barriers they made, avoiding incoming fire while the civilians of Northsbury defended their home. The two men saw the coach be pushed around as if in retreat. Finding shelter behind a large rock, Joker and Skull waited for the next move. Once Kaneshiro's coach finished turning around they were met with immediate gunfire; Kaneshiro at the helm.
"Shit Machine Gun!" Joker yelled. Him and Skull were bogged down.
"You thought you bastards would get away wth disrespecting me! I'll mow you all down!" Kaneshiro was indiscriminate moving the heavy machinery on its stand. More of the townsfolks tried to get away as their makeshift barrier was decimated. The group on the roof also had stray bullets coming their way.
"Stay down everyone!" Ann directed. Yusuke crouched near the edges picking off any rouges that burst threw the barriers.
"I'm running out of knives, someone give me their gun!" A young man around his age pried a rifle out of his dead neighbors hands. The unfortunate timing of looking up to soon. The artist wasn't as good as Ren, Ryuji, or Morgana, when it came to shooting, but he had to aim straight and true.
There was a pause in the firing as Kaneshiro had to reload. Joker and Skull took that time to jump back over the obliterated barrier. Makoto had stuck close to Ren, Ren wanted Kaneshiro. The man who murdered her father was a personal bodyguard, where Kaneshiro went, he follows. She fired two shots that missed their desired targets.
"Why are you shooting like that!?" Ren yelled back at her in the commotion, picking off a gang member from their horse. Her aim was horrible as she attempted to aim with her arm straight out. Her father had taught her another method she thought she could try. Cocking the revolver at her left hip, her fired shot landed a hit on the man closest to the leader. The man clutched his bloody hand while falling off his own horse. By now all of Kaneshiro allies had either fallen or left to injured to continued.
The machine gun was overheating and jammed after loading, causing the plump man to let out a string of curses. They had him now. Rushing up to the bullet ridden stage coach, Joker held him at gunpoint.
"The show's over, Kaneshiro," Ren said. Makoto runs to kick the gun away from the man she shot. She finally faces her father's killer face to face.
"Do you know who I am? Do you!?"
"I don't care little girl. Fuck off."
"Nijima, Detective Nijima, a father who was murder in cold blood by your hands as you walked free!"
"Ah….I remember him," The gang leader reminisces. "He was sticking his nose in places it didn't belong. Even pleaded for his life before his brain blew out. Only wish I got a piece of that wench of a prosecutor. Would've made me a lot of money. Ghahahahaha—AH!"
Makoto shot Kaneshiro in his foot out of anger. "I've been listening to you go on and on…..shut your damn mouth you money grabbing asshole!"
"Now that we have your attention, I have a few questions to ask you." Ren still had his gun trained on him just as Makoto did for her target. Kaneshiro was grunting through the pain.
"You, this Azazel person and Asmodeus all share something in commend, where can I find Samael?"
"Oh he'll find you, no doubt about it. He's the shadow people sense in the darkness. You must be crazy to wanting to hunt him down. Though you're probably not the only one," the wounded gang leader chuckled. Makoto still had a scowl on her face and didn't see the movement in the corner of her eye.
Ren's quick draw from Kaneshiro to his bodyguard firing twice in the chest. Makoto felt a slight burn to her right cheek. Ren had just saved her from taking a bullet to the grave.
Kaneshiro was becoming more unnerved at what just happened. The older Amamiya brother grabs his scarf and picks up the fallen gun from the dead man hands. He checks out the details and sees a name plated on the weapon.
"Miss Makoto, I believe this is yours," He softly says handing her back her father's revolver. Ren turns his attention back to the defeated man who was trying to hobble away.
"You're not going anywhere." He drags larger man through town and ties him to a light post. Searching his clothing he finds a pouch filled with money. "Very kind of you to donate your coins. I'll make sure this is distributed correctly." They found more money hold up in the chest off the damaged coach wagon.
"Skull, please give this away to the kind folks of this town. Panther, Fox, please help start clean up. Makoto, you're with me."
"Hey, HEY! You can't just leave me tied up here," Kaneshiro pleaded.
"I actually can leave you tied, I'm sure the townsfolk need to relieve their stress. You will do just fine." Ren had a smirk on his face as the nearby civilians were just itching to get their hands on him. A brutal beating was coming for the gang leader.
"Wait…ok I have info just HOLD them off!"
The mirrored outlaw signal for the mob to stop, "You have one minute."
"Look if you're looking for Mr. Samael, our next point of contact is close to him. He's the one that coveres the transportation by train. Money, woman, drugs, its all there. I only know him as Mammon. He pays well, I pay well, so cut me loose you sonuva bitch!."
"I don't think I will, Mr. Tora, folks, he's all yours. And as promise, we'll take out portion of the safe as a reward." Ren had the gang pack a few nights before. All that needed was to crack the safe.
"Ren!" Ryuji had called to them, "I only got one pack of dynamite to spare. Think it will be enough?"
"Wait!" Makoto intervened, she didn't want them to blow the safe up. It could backfire drastically. "Just give me a few minutes to solve the puzzle. They said the Mayor design it as a weird mechanism?"
"Yeah."
"Alright then. I'll get to work." This wasn't an ordinary shut safe with a combo dial, it was a 3 layer coder that needed to be unlock. For a Mayor, this man really wanted to keep his funds tight.
"Joker!" This time Ann had yelled rushing into the room vault. The older man sighed in frustration, he was getting antsy and started to get that tingling sensation down his spine.
"Please be good news," he said as Makoto broke through the first layer.
"Mona spotted 50 Federal Agents coming from the North side. The barriers on that side is still in good condition, but were down on man power and they're coming fast.
"Shit," Ren whispered under his breath." Ann, get Yusuke and the others to leave now to get a head start. I'll send Mona after you shortly. The meet up point is the hills two days time in that direction. Ryuji, take Makoto and ride out fruther West until nightfall. When the coast is clear, head to the meet up and take her to a safe haven. For me, I'll distract them."
"But what about the money?" The brown hair woman asked. She was able to crack the code on the second layer since the breaking news.
"Forget the money. These guys don't know about you all, but someone higher up will know about me. I can handle it."
"Two minutes."
"What?"
"Give me two minutes to crack the code." Contemplating quickly he orders Ann and Ryuji to follow through with their task. He turns back to the woman in question,
"You got two minutes, or else we got explaining to do with a very large aggressive group."
The older brother gathered his revolver, the second one finally back in its home. He could already see a few agents racing into town on their horses. He just hope looking at Town Hall wasn't a priority.
"I got it!" He heard Makoto exclaimed. As told there was cash and gold bars in the vault, probably a fortune the Mayor earned when the town was being built and the mines new.
He goes to grab 5,000 leaving the rest in tact, stuffing all he could in his satchel. Ren attempted to make his exit through a window without alerting the growing number of agents and cops searching through Kaneshiro's remaining members.
"I'm going…."
"No."
"Why not?" Makoto bothered asking.
"Were nothing but outcast Miss Makoto with not much left in our lives or to our names. You have a home and family waiting for you. It's best not to get caught up in trouble. Your father has been avenged and his weapon returned."
"But what if I want more," She expressed to him. "There are many things in this world I don't understand, things I can find in a book alone. I want to learn. I don't want to be stuck in that school only expected to do what I'm told."
A moment had past before Ren lifted the window higher to let her out. The two ran outside behind a building before whistling for Arsene.
"Get on," he ordered.
"I don't think she should." Turning around the two came face to face with none other than ace Detective Goro Akechi. The young Detective had spotted the back of Ren's head as they were leaving and grew suspicious. The other agents would handle the situation in town.
Ren wasn't sure if he should feel lucky or silly while still wearing Yusuke's mask.
"Mr. 'Butcher', I'm going to ask you to let Miss Nijima go."
"She's here on her own free will."
"Seems like kidnapping to me. Didn't know Outlaw Ren Amamiya was interested in those crimes. For someone wanted, you should do a better job at hiding."
"I'm glad you're no longer dumbing yourself down Detective. It makes what I read in the papers more truthful." Ren fired back.
"I'm happy my impressions have not disappointed you Mr. Amamiya. But still Miss Nijima is innocent in this let her go."
"I see….." Ren with a quicker step took out his blow dart gun to launch the paralysis dripped needle into the Detectives neck. He had a small bit left of Futuba's weird concotion. Dr. Tae must have put weird ideas into her head.
Akechi tried to reach for his gun but whatever he was hit with was fast acting. All he could do was watch as the outlaw and Nijima sibling rode off on a horse. His tongue was numb when calling for help. Looks like he was going to be stuck there for awhile.
"Damn it"...
A/N Poor Akechi. With the Kaneshiro arc over we will be startming a new arc next week. (Hevean or hell I will get a chapter out on time next week.) "Dungeon" 4 Futuba. I already have the outtline for the chapters done after rewriting, I didn't like how I originally wrote it and rewrote a few times till I felt how it should go.
Feel free to review, or provided western moves suggestions (i love those), or any critic. Have a safe weekend everyone!
