Title: Forsaken
Author: Akima The Stampede Maxwell
Date begun: March 31, 2002
Anime: where does Knives and the gang come from?....oh yeah! Trigun!!!! What about Dryden and Millerna?....Escaflowne
Pairings: no comment
Rating: NR for Knivishness, other peopleness, tiny bit of violence(nothing extreme), and language
Disclaimers: nope. Own none of them. That`s right. 0 characters are mine.
Chapter 17: Sentence to Death
"What…what do you mean?" Meryl asked with fear in her voice. Fenris pounded his fist against the bedpost.
"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! You have ruined my plans!"
"How did I ruin your plans? I don`t even know what you`re talking about!"
Fenris placed his hand on her abdomen. His face twisted into disgust. He removed his hand and wiped it on his cape as if what he had touched was slimy.
"You and that plant! You planned this, didn`t you?"
"Planned what?!"
"You know damn well what I am talking about! The one thing that I was counting on not happening and it did! You go and get impregnated by him!"
Meryl`s eyes widened. She could not speak as she was having trouble processing this.
"You don`t know that! We only did it once a couple of days ago!"
"Oh yes. Yes you are. Our species….another skill we have is detecting things like that to find betrayels like yours!"
Meryl stared at the floor for a few minutes. She unconsciously laid a hand against her abdomen. She looked at Fenris who was rubbing his temples and cursing under his breath over and over again.
"…What will happen now?"
"I am going to give you a choice."
"And what is this choice?"
"Destroy those abominations or I will kill you."
Meryl stared at him confused eyes. She tried to speak only to have nothing come out. She cleared her throat.
"Those?!"
"As if it was not bad enough you have twins."
Meryl turned to face away from Fenris.
"So you cannot face me right now. I cannot blame you. You disgust me. The only way to redemn yourself will be to destroy them."
"I won`t."
Fenris` eyes narrowed. His fists shook.
"What did you say?!"
"You heard me. I won`t destroy them."
Fenris walked around to the other side of the bed so she was facing him. He reached back a hand. He slapped her hard across the face. She fell back against the back of the bed. She hit her head. She cried out. She held her face in her hands and began to cry.
"I know what you cry for. It is not for the pain in your head or the things growing in your womb. You are crying for him. You do not think that he will want to take care of them or be a father to them. The only way to remedy that problem is to remove them. I can have that done quickly and painlessly. Are you still sure that you cannot destroy them?"
"No matter if he wants them or not I will not have them destroyed."
"Then you die."
He left her in the room to cry. He stood against the door upon shutting it to listen to her crying. He smiled then began to laugh.
"What a waste of tears! She did something wrong and now she will pay for it! I will kill her and those little monsters! What a disgrace! What a disappointment!...Oh well. I can always find someone else. Until then that necklace around her neck will be made to burn her constantly until her real death."
His eyes flashed. Meryl began to scream. She cried and pleaded aloud to remove the necklace. He delighted in the sounds that she made. He listened a few more minutes then, with a wave of his cape, disappeared down the hallway.
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"Are you sure that you got the right information?" Dryden asked as he and Vash moved from brush to a wide open space. Vash stood there for a second. He scratched his head.
"I was sure that I heard my brother`s voice tell me."
"You`re trusting your bother?! If he knows where to go then he must have been the one that took Meryl, right?"
"No. He sounded strange…if that was even him. I`m pretty sure that it was. He sounded upset and pissed which is never a good combination for him. He told me to come to these coordinates."
"But there`s nothing here!"
"Something tells me that…wait…turn your head to the right."
Dryden turned his head. His eyes widened.
"A dome that can be invisible until you turn your head just right….amazing. How could someone build this?"
"I don`t know. Do you see a door anywhere?"
"No."
"There is no door."
They turned. Knives sat on a rock behind them with his gun in his hand. His head was faced downwards and his shoulders were shaking. Vash took a step towards him.
"Knives?"
Knives looked up. His ice blue eyes shook in what appeared to be anger and sadness. It was strange to see sadness in him. He stood up. He cocked his gun.
"I was waiting for you to get here. I was…hoping that one of you might be able to find a way in. I`ve tried everything except for the angel arm. I won`t use it. She might get hurt."
He never sounded this sincere before. Vash did not really know what to say.
"We`ll look. You just sit there. We`ll tell you if we find a way in."
Knives sat back down. He looked strangely withered. Dryden stood next to him. He hesitantly put a hand on his shoulder.
"We`ll find a way one way or another. We`ll get her back."
Knives looked at him. Dryden moved his hand away.
"Thanks."
Dryden breathed out a sigh of relief. He smiled reassuringly then went to help Vash.
"Hey, Vash? If we don't find the way in then how will Wolfwood and Milly find the way in?"
"Hopefully they`ll meet up with us. Two more wouldn`t hurt right now."
Dryden looked behind Vash. He smile faded.
"Vash, look out!"
Vash jumped just as a man with medium long blue hair and red eyes jumped out at them. Dryden pulled out his gun and stopped a six foot blade from chopping off his head. The blade was the man`s right arm. His other arm looked cybertronic.
"Who the hell are you?" Dryden growled. The man smiled with fangs in his mouth.
"I am called Xeno! Prepare to die!"
The blade suddenly grew back into the man`s arm then, when Dryden was temporarily distracted by that, the blade extended again into Dryen`s left side. He howled in pain. Xeno leaned down and bit Dryden`s left shoulder. Blood spewed from the wound. Vash slammed into Xeno, breaking off the blade which remained impaled in Dryden`s side. Vash put his left arm to Xeno`s head. The gun appeared. He pressed it hard into Xeno`s skull.
"Get out of here or I will kill you right now!"
Xeno melted away from Vash. A blade pressed against Vash`s skull as Xeno reformed behind him. Vash looked over at the rock where Knives had been sitting. He was gone.
-------------------------------------------------------
Knives placed his hands against the dome. After Vash and Dryden became distracted by Xeno he disappeared. He felt the warm liquid in his eyes and down his cheeks again. He wiped it away in frustration.
`How am I supposed to get in? Meryl…help me out here! I want to save you!`
`You know the words.`
He looked at the dome. His reflection conveyed his confusion.
`Legato?! Where are you?!`
`You know the words to get in. Say it. They modeled their plans after you in the beginning. They used your words as their password.`
`How do they know what I said?!`
`They knew after they resurrected me.`
`So you really do work for them.`
`They control me with something they implanted in my brain. I only recently discovered this. They have not caught on to my knowledge yet.`
`…So they used my words?`
`Your philosophy.`
`Kill the spiders to save the butterflies.`
His hands moved through the dome. He walked the rest of the way through. The inside was a long hallways that went in either direction with rooms toward the center. He pulled out his gun again. His eyes began to glow again. Legato stood there to his left. Knives pointed the gun at him.
"Where is she?"
"Follow me."
-------------------------------------------------------
Meryl shrieked as the door to her room opened slowly.
"Leave me alone!"
Millerna stepped in. She waited until Meryl calmed down. She crossed the room. Meryl jumped up to hug her then stopped. She held her chest.
"Meryl, what`s wrong?"
"The necklace…it burns whoever touches it and it`s burning me. He did that because…"
"Because what?"
Meryl turned away from her. She drew her knees up to her chest.
"Do you remember a couple of days ago when Knives left?"
"Yes."
"The night before he left we…"
Millerna nodded slowly. She put her hand on her shoulder.
"It`s okay."
"No it`s not. I mean…I`m glad it happened but I don't know if his heart was into it. Fenris knew…so he made the…"
"Made the what?"
"I…"
Millerna sat down next to Meryl and smiled.
"You can tell me. I won`t tell the others if you don`t want me to."
"I`m pregnant."
Millerna had not expected this. She put her arms around Meryl.
"Are you sure? It`s only been a few days."
"Fenris`…mine and his species can detect things like this. I didn`t believe him at first but…I have a feeling that tells me he`s right."
Millerna held her as she cried.
"Millerna, he`s going to kill me!"
"I thought that he wanted to marry you!"
"He said what I did was a disgrace to our species….that they will be monsters. He told me to destroy them or die. I chose death."
"I won`t let that happen. You`re coming with me."
Meryl smiled through her tears.
"Thank you."
Millerna let go of her. She held out her hand. Meryl took it.
"I know that he loves you, Meryl, I just know it."
Meryl remained silent. She and Millerna ran down the hallway.
----------------------------------------
Wolfwood pushed Milly down as a laser nearly took her out. They were only a few yards from the dome when the attack occurred. A laugh filled the air.
"Take another step and I will blow a hole stright through your heart!"
Wolfwood glared up at the female with short blond hair and glazed over blue eyes. It gave her the appearance of a zombie. When she smiled her fangs gleamed in the moonlight. She had on a black cape. She held a huge gun in her hands.
"I am Phantom. Try and find me."
She pulled the hood of her cape over her head and she faded away. Wolfwood looked around quickly. He could hear footsteps but he could not make out from what direction they were coming from. It was too dark to see footsteps in the sand. A red beam came at them from the right. Wolfwood moved Milly again out of the way. The laser blasted through a rock and it exploded.
"Shit! If we can`t see her then how do we stop her?"
"Get down!" Milly exclaimed. She pushed Wolfwood down. The laser grazed her shoulder. She cried out Wolfwood sat up. He pressed his hand to her shoulder. He stood up. He picked up his cross. He undid the buckle. His gun burst forth. His eyes narrowed.
"Come on! Fight fair!"
"A duel? I don`t think that fighting fair is what I want. No. We will duel but I will reamin unseen."
"Bitch!"
"Words will get you nowhere. Fight me!"
The laser appeared again. Wolfwood held out the cross. The laser bounced off.
"So…your cross can deflect my laser. No matter. I will still get through your defenses."
Wolfwood fell back when Phantom`s fist connected his jaw. He managed to put the cross up in defense as another laser blast was fired at him.
"Let me help!" Milly cried. Wolfwood put his hand out.
"No! Go find Vash!"
"But…"
"Go! I`ll be fine! I won`t leave you again! I promised that!"
Milly nodded. She ran off.
"You will not see her again. I never fail." Phantom stated. Wolfwood laughed.
"You`re very full of yourself! The Lord doesn`t look kindly upon that!"
"I do not have time for a lecture."
Wolfwood felt her brush against his shoulder. He smiled as she did that over and over again. He reached out and she ran into his hand.
"Cockiness won`t work here."
The laser came at him against. It bounced off his gun again. He held the gun out and shot at where the laser had come from. Phantom shrieked.
"Damn you!"
Wolfwood smiled as he bounced the laser off again.
---------------------------------------------
Dryden shot Xeno in the robotic arm to temporarily get his attention off of Vash. Dryden bled steadily from the wound at his side.
"Come on and get me!" he taunted. Xeno licked blood from his lips where Vash had punched him. He glared at Dryden.
"Bad boy. Bad boy."
His gun arm formed into a gun. Dryden managed to escape the first few bullets but was hit by one after his wound flared up against. He fell to the ground with a bullet in his leg. Xeno came towards him with the gun arm pointed at his head.
"Pathetic."
Vash moved to attack.
"Dryden!" came Milly`s voice. She fired. The metal hit Xeno right into the dome. He was knocked unconscious. Vash smiled at Milly.
"We owe you one! Where`s Wolfwood?"
"He`s fighting someone. Don`t worry! He`s alright!"
Vash and Milly helped Dryden to his feet. He winced at the sudden weight on his leg. He pulled out a cigarette.
"I quit while we were travelling around but I think now calls for one."
They sat him against a rock.
"Thanks You saved me." Vash said. Dryden shrugged.
"Don`t mention it. What are partners for?"
Vash patted his back.
"Yeah! Partners! Milly, do you really think that we should leave Wolfwood?"
"He can handle it. I`ll wait outside of the dome for him."
"Well… we have too also because…"
`Kill the spiders to save the butterflies.`
`Brother?`
`Say it. Walk in after you say it.`
"Okay." Vash said aloud. He walked up to the dome. He placed his hands on the outside.
"Vash, what…"
"Kill the spiders to save the butterflies."
Vash stepped through the walls. Dryden and Milly blinked in surprise. Dryden got to his feet shakely. He walked towards the dome. He ran into it. He rubbed his nose mournfully. Milly pulled him back.
"Stay out here. Wait for him."
"For Wolfwood?"
"Give him the password. You need to stay out here. You`re hurt."
"I can take care of myself."
"Please?"
"Okay. Hate to see a lady cry."
Milly smiled. She walked up to the wall. She said the words then walked through. Dryden sat back against the wall.
`Hurry, guys.`
-------------------------------------------
Legato opened the door to Fenris` room. Knives ran in. He looked all around. His eyes continued to glow as he pointed the gun back at Legato.
"You lied to me!"
"She was in here. I feel as though someone other than Fenris has been in here."
Knives lowered his gun. He felt it too.
"That doesn`t feel like a malevolent force. I can`t tell where they went."
"We will have to look then."
Suddenly Legato grabbed his head. He fell to his knees. Knives held his gun up again. Legato stood. He glared from narrowed eyes.
"Prepare to die."
"You are not Legato. You brought him back to life to use him as a puppet, didn`t you?"
Legato`s voice changed.
"Very perceptive…or did he tell you that?"
"The second one."
"…I was going to kill you but…this will be more fun. You see…I have set out many of the demon children that you fought before in that sandstorm. They have Meryl`s scent and are set to kill. Go and save her if you can."
Knives` gun arm shook. Legato smiled. He turned and left. Knives ran out into the hallway. Legato had disappeared.
"Find her. They are gaining on her."
Fenris` voice rang all around him. Knives felt his breathing pick up as he ran down the hallway.
`Hang on! I`ll find you before those little bastards do!`
-------------------------------------------
Wolfwood laughed. He had a few cuts and bruises on him but nothing serious. Phantom, on the other hand, had some pretty severe cuts. The cloak had been shot up enough to where she was visible. She growled.
"How did you do that?!"
"Simple. You need to get new techniques. Once I knew your pattern it was simple. I`m willing to let you go if you promise to leave. I don`t want to kill you. I know that if you go back to Fenris that he will kill you. I don`t want that either."
"You would let me go freely?"
"Yes, ma`am."
"Then…"
She held up her gun. Wolfwood stood there. After a few moments she lowered it. She smiled slightly. She slung the gun back over her shoulder. She came towards him. She stuck out her hand. He shook it.
"You are the first being to ever defeat me in battle. I am impressed. I hope to one day meet you again. Maybe then we can fight and I will triumph."
"Perhaps so."
Phantom turned and began walking. Wolfwood watched her go.
`Excellent marksmenship but too predictable. She has real potential to be great. It feels good to save someone with skills like that. Now…back to the matter at hand…`
He did not have to travel far before he saw Dryden. He walked up.
"Can I get a smoke?"
Dryden held out his cigarette. Wolfwood took a few puffs then stomped it out on the ground.
"Are the guys in there?"
"Yep."
"Do you know how to get in this ghost dome?"
"Sure do."
Dryden got up. Wolfwood looked him over.
"I missed a good battle."
"It hurt like hell but…yeah. It was a good battle."
He put his hands out.
"Put you hands on the dome."
Wolfwood copied him.
"Kill the spiders to save the butterflies."
Wolfwood went through. Dryden hesitated then walked through. Wolfwood slung the cross over his shoulders. He glanced at Dryden.
"You sure that you can make it?"
"Yeah. Don't worry about me."
"I`m not. I`m worried about you slowing me up."
Dryden chuckled.
"Ha ha. Very funny. I can make it. Let`s go."
The two began to walk to the right. In the shadows behind them purple eyes gleamed.
*Whoa! Longer chapter than usual! More action in this one and secrets. Wow! Meryl`s pregnant! What will Knives think…if she isn`t killed first. Stay tuned! ( Chapter 18 comin` soon! Oh yeah…someone anonymous gave me a bad review and my feelings are kind of hurt b/c they just went out and said that it sucks so I removed the message… I`m sorry ( It just hurts when someone says that. Thanks to all the others who said it was good. Thanks to reviewers who told me not to worry about it(u know who you are). I really appreciate that.
Author: Akima The Stampede Maxwell
Date begun: March 31, 2002
Anime: where does Knives and the gang come from?....oh yeah! Trigun!!!! What about Dryden and Millerna?....Escaflowne
Pairings: no comment
Rating: NR for Knivishness, other peopleness, tiny bit of violence(nothing extreme), and language
Disclaimers: nope. Own none of them. That`s right. 0 characters are mine.
Chapter 17: Sentence to Death
"What…what do you mean?" Meryl asked with fear in her voice. Fenris pounded his fist against the bedpost.
"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! You have ruined my plans!"
"How did I ruin your plans? I don`t even know what you`re talking about!"
Fenris placed his hand on her abdomen. His face twisted into disgust. He removed his hand and wiped it on his cape as if what he had touched was slimy.
"You and that plant! You planned this, didn`t you?"
"Planned what?!"
"You know damn well what I am talking about! The one thing that I was counting on not happening and it did! You go and get impregnated by him!"
Meryl`s eyes widened. She could not speak as she was having trouble processing this.
"You don`t know that! We only did it once a couple of days ago!"
"Oh yes. Yes you are. Our species….another skill we have is detecting things like that to find betrayels like yours!"
Meryl stared at the floor for a few minutes. She unconsciously laid a hand against her abdomen. She looked at Fenris who was rubbing his temples and cursing under his breath over and over again.
"…What will happen now?"
"I am going to give you a choice."
"And what is this choice?"
"Destroy those abominations or I will kill you."
Meryl stared at him confused eyes. She tried to speak only to have nothing come out. She cleared her throat.
"Those?!"
"As if it was not bad enough you have twins."
Meryl turned to face away from Fenris.
"So you cannot face me right now. I cannot blame you. You disgust me. The only way to redemn yourself will be to destroy them."
"I won`t."
Fenris` eyes narrowed. His fists shook.
"What did you say?!"
"You heard me. I won`t destroy them."
Fenris walked around to the other side of the bed so she was facing him. He reached back a hand. He slapped her hard across the face. She fell back against the back of the bed. She hit her head. She cried out. She held her face in her hands and began to cry.
"I know what you cry for. It is not for the pain in your head or the things growing in your womb. You are crying for him. You do not think that he will want to take care of them or be a father to them. The only way to remedy that problem is to remove them. I can have that done quickly and painlessly. Are you still sure that you cannot destroy them?"
"No matter if he wants them or not I will not have them destroyed."
"Then you die."
He left her in the room to cry. He stood against the door upon shutting it to listen to her crying. He smiled then began to laugh.
"What a waste of tears! She did something wrong and now she will pay for it! I will kill her and those little monsters! What a disgrace! What a disappointment!...Oh well. I can always find someone else. Until then that necklace around her neck will be made to burn her constantly until her real death."
His eyes flashed. Meryl began to scream. She cried and pleaded aloud to remove the necklace. He delighted in the sounds that she made. He listened a few more minutes then, with a wave of his cape, disappeared down the hallway.
--------------------------------------------------
"Are you sure that you got the right information?" Dryden asked as he and Vash moved from brush to a wide open space. Vash stood there for a second. He scratched his head.
"I was sure that I heard my brother`s voice tell me."
"You`re trusting your bother?! If he knows where to go then he must have been the one that took Meryl, right?"
"No. He sounded strange…if that was even him. I`m pretty sure that it was. He sounded upset and pissed which is never a good combination for him. He told me to come to these coordinates."
"But there`s nothing here!"
"Something tells me that…wait…turn your head to the right."
Dryden turned his head. His eyes widened.
"A dome that can be invisible until you turn your head just right….amazing. How could someone build this?"
"I don`t know. Do you see a door anywhere?"
"No."
"There is no door."
They turned. Knives sat on a rock behind them with his gun in his hand. His head was faced downwards and his shoulders were shaking. Vash took a step towards him.
"Knives?"
Knives looked up. His ice blue eyes shook in what appeared to be anger and sadness. It was strange to see sadness in him. He stood up. He cocked his gun.
"I was waiting for you to get here. I was…hoping that one of you might be able to find a way in. I`ve tried everything except for the angel arm. I won`t use it. She might get hurt."
He never sounded this sincere before. Vash did not really know what to say.
"We`ll look. You just sit there. We`ll tell you if we find a way in."
Knives sat back down. He looked strangely withered. Dryden stood next to him. He hesitantly put a hand on his shoulder.
"We`ll find a way one way or another. We`ll get her back."
Knives looked at him. Dryden moved his hand away.
"Thanks."
Dryden breathed out a sigh of relief. He smiled reassuringly then went to help Vash.
"Hey, Vash? If we don't find the way in then how will Wolfwood and Milly find the way in?"
"Hopefully they`ll meet up with us. Two more wouldn`t hurt right now."
Dryden looked behind Vash. He smile faded.
"Vash, look out!"
Vash jumped just as a man with medium long blue hair and red eyes jumped out at them. Dryden pulled out his gun and stopped a six foot blade from chopping off his head. The blade was the man`s right arm. His other arm looked cybertronic.
"Who the hell are you?" Dryden growled. The man smiled with fangs in his mouth.
"I am called Xeno! Prepare to die!"
The blade suddenly grew back into the man`s arm then, when Dryden was temporarily distracted by that, the blade extended again into Dryen`s left side. He howled in pain. Xeno leaned down and bit Dryden`s left shoulder. Blood spewed from the wound. Vash slammed into Xeno, breaking off the blade which remained impaled in Dryden`s side. Vash put his left arm to Xeno`s head. The gun appeared. He pressed it hard into Xeno`s skull.
"Get out of here or I will kill you right now!"
Xeno melted away from Vash. A blade pressed against Vash`s skull as Xeno reformed behind him. Vash looked over at the rock where Knives had been sitting. He was gone.
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Knives placed his hands against the dome. After Vash and Dryden became distracted by Xeno he disappeared. He felt the warm liquid in his eyes and down his cheeks again. He wiped it away in frustration.
`How am I supposed to get in? Meryl…help me out here! I want to save you!`
`You know the words.`
He looked at the dome. His reflection conveyed his confusion.
`Legato?! Where are you?!`
`You know the words to get in. Say it. They modeled their plans after you in the beginning. They used your words as their password.`
`How do they know what I said?!`
`They knew after they resurrected me.`
`So you really do work for them.`
`They control me with something they implanted in my brain. I only recently discovered this. They have not caught on to my knowledge yet.`
`…So they used my words?`
`Your philosophy.`
`Kill the spiders to save the butterflies.`
His hands moved through the dome. He walked the rest of the way through. The inside was a long hallways that went in either direction with rooms toward the center. He pulled out his gun again. His eyes began to glow again. Legato stood there to his left. Knives pointed the gun at him.
"Where is she?"
"Follow me."
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Meryl shrieked as the door to her room opened slowly.
"Leave me alone!"
Millerna stepped in. She waited until Meryl calmed down. She crossed the room. Meryl jumped up to hug her then stopped. She held her chest.
"Meryl, what`s wrong?"
"The necklace…it burns whoever touches it and it`s burning me. He did that because…"
"Because what?"
Meryl turned away from her. She drew her knees up to her chest.
"Do you remember a couple of days ago when Knives left?"
"Yes."
"The night before he left we…"
Millerna nodded slowly. She put her hand on her shoulder.
"It`s okay."
"No it`s not. I mean…I`m glad it happened but I don't know if his heart was into it. Fenris knew…so he made the…"
"Made the what?"
"I…"
Millerna sat down next to Meryl and smiled.
"You can tell me. I won`t tell the others if you don`t want me to."
"I`m pregnant."
Millerna had not expected this. She put her arms around Meryl.
"Are you sure? It`s only been a few days."
"Fenris`…mine and his species can detect things like this. I didn`t believe him at first but…I have a feeling that tells me he`s right."
Millerna held her as she cried.
"Millerna, he`s going to kill me!"
"I thought that he wanted to marry you!"
"He said what I did was a disgrace to our species….that they will be monsters. He told me to destroy them or die. I chose death."
"I won`t let that happen. You`re coming with me."
Meryl smiled through her tears.
"Thank you."
Millerna let go of her. She held out her hand. Meryl took it.
"I know that he loves you, Meryl, I just know it."
Meryl remained silent. She and Millerna ran down the hallway.
----------------------------------------
Wolfwood pushed Milly down as a laser nearly took her out. They were only a few yards from the dome when the attack occurred. A laugh filled the air.
"Take another step and I will blow a hole stright through your heart!"
Wolfwood glared up at the female with short blond hair and glazed over blue eyes. It gave her the appearance of a zombie. When she smiled her fangs gleamed in the moonlight. She had on a black cape. She held a huge gun in her hands.
"I am Phantom. Try and find me."
She pulled the hood of her cape over her head and she faded away. Wolfwood looked around quickly. He could hear footsteps but he could not make out from what direction they were coming from. It was too dark to see footsteps in the sand. A red beam came at them from the right. Wolfwood moved Milly again out of the way. The laser blasted through a rock and it exploded.
"Shit! If we can`t see her then how do we stop her?"
"Get down!" Milly exclaimed. She pushed Wolfwood down. The laser grazed her shoulder. She cried out Wolfwood sat up. He pressed his hand to her shoulder. He stood up. He picked up his cross. He undid the buckle. His gun burst forth. His eyes narrowed.
"Come on! Fight fair!"
"A duel? I don`t think that fighting fair is what I want. No. We will duel but I will reamin unseen."
"Bitch!"
"Words will get you nowhere. Fight me!"
The laser appeared again. Wolfwood held out the cross. The laser bounced off.
"So…your cross can deflect my laser. No matter. I will still get through your defenses."
Wolfwood fell back when Phantom`s fist connected his jaw. He managed to put the cross up in defense as another laser blast was fired at him.
"Let me help!" Milly cried. Wolfwood put his hand out.
"No! Go find Vash!"
"But…"
"Go! I`ll be fine! I won`t leave you again! I promised that!"
Milly nodded. She ran off.
"You will not see her again. I never fail." Phantom stated. Wolfwood laughed.
"You`re very full of yourself! The Lord doesn`t look kindly upon that!"
"I do not have time for a lecture."
Wolfwood felt her brush against his shoulder. He smiled as she did that over and over again. He reached out and she ran into his hand.
"Cockiness won`t work here."
The laser came at him against. It bounced off his gun again. He held the gun out and shot at where the laser had come from. Phantom shrieked.
"Damn you!"
Wolfwood smiled as he bounced the laser off again.
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Dryden shot Xeno in the robotic arm to temporarily get his attention off of Vash. Dryden bled steadily from the wound at his side.
"Come on and get me!" he taunted. Xeno licked blood from his lips where Vash had punched him. He glared at Dryden.
"Bad boy. Bad boy."
His gun arm formed into a gun. Dryden managed to escape the first few bullets but was hit by one after his wound flared up against. He fell to the ground with a bullet in his leg. Xeno came towards him with the gun arm pointed at his head.
"Pathetic."
Vash moved to attack.
"Dryden!" came Milly`s voice. She fired. The metal hit Xeno right into the dome. He was knocked unconscious. Vash smiled at Milly.
"We owe you one! Where`s Wolfwood?"
"He`s fighting someone. Don`t worry! He`s alright!"
Vash and Milly helped Dryden to his feet. He winced at the sudden weight on his leg. He pulled out a cigarette.
"I quit while we were travelling around but I think now calls for one."
They sat him against a rock.
"Thanks You saved me." Vash said. Dryden shrugged.
"Don`t mention it. What are partners for?"
Vash patted his back.
"Yeah! Partners! Milly, do you really think that we should leave Wolfwood?"
"He can handle it. I`ll wait outside of the dome for him."
"Well… we have too also because…"
`Kill the spiders to save the butterflies.`
`Brother?`
`Say it. Walk in after you say it.`
"Okay." Vash said aloud. He walked up to the dome. He placed his hands on the outside.
"Vash, what…"
"Kill the spiders to save the butterflies."
Vash stepped through the walls. Dryden and Milly blinked in surprise. Dryden got to his feet shakely. He walked towards the dome. He ran into it. He rubbed his nose mournfully. Milly pulled him back.
"Stay out here. Wait for him."
"For Wolfwood?"
"Give him the password. You need to stay out here. You`re hurt."
"I can take care of myself."
"Please?"
"Okay. Hate to see a lady cry."
Milly smiled. She walked up to the wall. She said the words then walked through. Dryden sat back against the wall.
`Hurry, guys.`
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Legato opened the door to Fenris` room. Knives ran in. He looked all around. His eyes continued to glow as he pointed the gun back at Legato.
"You lied to me!"
"She was in here. I feel as though someone other than Fenris has been in here."
Knives lowered his gun. He felt it too.
"That doesn`t feel like a malevolent force. I can`t tell where they went."
"We will have to look then."
Suddenly Legato grabbed his head. He fell to his knees. Knives held his gun up again. Legato stood. He glared from narrowed eyes.
"Prepare to die."
"You are not Legato. You brought him back to life to use him as a puppet, didn`t you?"
Legato`s voice changed.
"Very perceptive…or did he tell you that?"
"The second one."
"…I was going to kill you but…this will be more fun. You see…I have set out many of the demon children that you fought before in that sandstorm. They have Meryl`s scent and are set to kill. Go and save her if you can."
Knives` gun arm shook. Legato smiled. He turned and left. Knives ran out into the hallway. Legato had disappeared.
"Find her. They are gaining on her."
Fenris` voice rang all around him. Knives felt his breathing pick up as he ran down the hallway.
`Hang on! I`ll find you before those little bastards do!`
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Wolfwood laughed. He had a few cuts and bruises on him but nothing serious. Phantom, on the other hand, had some pretty severe cuts. The cloak had been shot up enough to where she was visible. She growled.
"How did you do that?!"
"Simple. You need to get new techniques. Once I knew your pattern it was simple. I`m willing to let you go if you promise to leave. I don`t want to kill you. I know that if you go back to Fenris that he will kill you. I don`t want that either."
"You would let me go freely?"
"Yes, ma`am."
"Then…"
She held up her gun. Wolfwood stood there. After a few moments she lowered it. She smiled slightly. She slung the gun back over her shoulder. She came towards him. She stuck out her hand. He shook it.
"You are the first being to ever defeat me in battle. I am impressed. I hope to one day meet you again. Maybe then we can fight and I will triumph."
"Perhaps so."
Phantom turned and began walking. Wolfwood watched her go.
`Excellent marksmenship but too predictable. She has real potential to be great. It feels good to save someone with skills like that. Now…back to the matter at hand…`
He did not have to travel far before he saw Dryden. He walked up.
"Can I get a smoke?"
Dryden held out his cigarette. Wolfwood took a few puffs then stomped it out on the ground.
"Are the guys in there?"
"Yep."
"Do you know how to get in this ghost dome?"
"Sure do."
Dryden got up. Wolfwood looked him over.
"I missed a good battle."
"It hurt like hell but…yeah. It was a good battle."
He put his hands out.
"Put you hands on the dome."
Wolfwood copied him.
"Kill the spiders to save the butterflies."
Wolfwood went through. Dryden hesitated then walked through. Wolfwood slung the cross over his shoulders. He glanced at Dryden.
"You sure that you can make it?"
"Yeah. Don't worry about me."
"I`m not. I`m worried about you slowing me up."
Dryden chuckled.
"Ha ha. Very funny. I can make it. Let`s go."
The two began to walk to the right. In the shadows behind them purple eyes gleamed.
*Whoa! Longer chapter than usual! More action in this one and secrets. Wow! Meryl`s pregnant! What will Knives think…if she isn`t killed first. Stay tuned! ( Chapter 18 comin` soon! Oh yeah…someone anonymous gave me a bad review and my feelings are kind of hurt b/c they just went out and said that it sucks so I removed the message… I`m sorry ( It just hurts when someone says that. Thanks to all the others who said it was good. Thanks to reviewers who told me not to worry about it(u know who you are). I really appreciate that.