Chapter 8
A New Face Or An Old Friend
The walk off the cruise ship had been pretty much in silence, and not just the bounty hunter, Cowboy Blade for a change. Ruby and Lex had been walking in total silence, and neither looked at each other.
At least that's what it seemed like until Blade caught Lex out of the corner of his eye giving Ruby a longing look.
He could tell something happened between them from their time on the cruise. He could smell Lex's scent on Ruby and Ruby's scent on Lex.
It was not his place for human emotions. If someone had a problem of emotional feelings, then let them sort it out.
They had spent an hour walking along the road through Los Angeles seeking out any transportation.
Blade was even surprised that Lex and Ruby didn't lecture him again about not bringing his motorbike.
Not much was different from back at New Zealand to Lex's and Ruby's surprise. Even in America there were tribes.
Blade had already known of this as he had been to America before on countless jobs. The "Agent of Death" was truly a man-hunter. The warrior for hire.
And everyone seemed to know who he was as all that him and his companions passed turned to look at him with expressions of both fear, anger, and excitement. Mostly fear from the looks of things.
It wasn't until they headed down a short cut through an alley that Cowboy could already sense it.
They were being followed.
A soft sound of a footstep was enough to confirm this correct.
He quickly spun into to block the end of a ironwood staff with his forearm.
Their stalker was a woman about 5'5 with long dark hair and green eyes with purple streaks. She had on a short black tank top that was cut pretty low at the top and had only one strap, leg-fitting black jeans with holes in the knee sections, a short red form-fitting jacket, and black snickers.
Her weapon, the ironwood staff that she had swung at blade was as long as her exceptional body.
Somehow, she seemed very familiar to Blade but he just couldn't put his finger on it.
The girl was a different story as her eyes went wide and she suddenly gasped and dropped her staff back at her side.
"I…I'm sorry. I thought you were someone else." she apologized, her accent revealing that she wasn't from America. It was British.
Blade only looked down at her. He hadn't heard her apology as he was trying hard to remember just who this girl was. She really looked damn familiar!
Ruby and Lex walked next to Blade.
"I'm very sorry." she apologized again.
"Yeah, you should be sorry. You're lucky Mr. Cowboy Blade here hasn't chopped you into tiny pieces. Right, Blade?" Lex looked up and was surprised to see the concentrated look on the bounty hunter's face.
The girl's apologetic expression changed to recognition. That was quiet impressive, Blade thought as he was amazed that a girl could look sorry at first then look strong in the next second.
"Cowboy Blade…..yes, I've heard of you. The Agent of Death, the legendary bounty hunter, or man-hunter as your known." the beautiful girl smiled.
"And you are?" Ruby asked suspiciously.
"Oh, where are my manners." the girl looked sorry again. "My name is Sabe."
Sabe…damn it! It was there but he still couldn't quiet put it down. He would have to think of it later.
"Sabe. That's a pretty name." Ruby commented and held out her hand. "I'm Ruby, and that over there is Lex."
Sabe noticed the blonde's change of expression when she said the rude brunette boy's name.
Lex though changed his attitude, taking Sabe's hand and kissing the back of it.
"A pleasure it is, milady." he said in a soft romancing womanizer voice.
But Sabe wasn't buying it. She blushed with a sweet smile and put her hand back down at her side. This guy called Lex was already taken from what it seemed.
The girl looked back up at Blade.
"Do you know a Reaper?" she asked.
Blade nodded his head. "Reaper is leader of the Bouncers. His bar is not too far from here."
She nodded her head. "Well, if you don't mind. I could take you up there if you wish to see him."
Blade thought for a moment.
"Or do you already have plans?" she asked.
Hmm, thinking about it more he did need to see Reaper about something.
"Fine then." the bounty hunter said.
"Okay. Just follow me please." With that, she lead the three down the streets.
On their way to the bar, Sabe was walking right next to the bounty hunter. She looked up at his face, or what she could at least see with the cowboy hat blocking his eyes out. He did have a strong face.
"So, you are the legendary Cowboy Blade, eh?" she asked. "I've heard about you. I'm originally from England, but I don't really have a home. I'm just a drifter myself. But even in England, we've heard much about you."
Blade didn't even look at her.
"Cowboy because you're a warrior for hire, and Blade because your deadly. Even more deadly with the sword."
Blade looked down at her, and he found himself amused. That was new to find himself amused.
He stared down at the girl from underneath the rims of his hat as if he was trying to see deep down in her soul.
This girl had a lot of spirit in her. In fact, she was a free spirit type without a care in the world.
He never met a person quiet like this. The people he met had to always look over their shoulder.
And most of those people where his clients and the guys he was hired to hunt down.
"Don't I fright you?" he asked.
She looked confused. "No. Should I be afraid?"
He looked up from her. "Most are. I've killed a few times, quicker than lightening. Some even call me the boogey man."
He heard Sabe laughing at that.
"That wasn't a joke." he growled annoyed.
"I'm sorry. But it's just that…well," she pressed her finger against his arm, "You look human, and you feel human as well. You're real."
….I'm…real?….
"You are a strange one." Blade told her without looking at her.
"Nope. I'm just me." She giggled. "Come on, lighten up, bounty hunter!"
Before the bounty hunter could reply, they all found themselves at a pier on a beach.
Lex looked to Sabe. "This Reaper owns a Caribbean bar?"
The drifter nodded.
"Cool!" Lex grinned as him and Ruby headed for the bar, that was until they stopped right in front of a large bulky guy dressed in leather yellow and black. Behind him were three more figures dressed in the same way, only not as tall and bulky.
"Hey! You got some money?! I know you got some!" the bulky guy pointed out.
"Yeah, so what if I do, King Kong?" Lex smirked and tried to walk by the bulky figure.
The Kong-like boy stopped him dead in his tracks. "Hand over your money!"
Lex noticed another tall but much more well built young guy behind the Kong-like boy looked much like the guy with the large spider tattoo who Lex had beaten in Ram's VR games.
Weird, he thought. But he turned back to the Kong-like man.
"First of all, it's called Credits where I'm from. Second, why the hell should I give you anything at all?" Lex sneered at Kong-like boy.
"Hey! You got any idea who your talking to, Aussie boy?!" the Kong-like thug pushed Lex.
"I'm looking at road kill if you don't leave him alone." Ruby jumped in.
The Kong-like thug snarled. "All right. I'll tell you who we are. We're the Demolition Pirates!"
Some tribes just have the weirdest names, Lex thought.
"And I am the strongest member of the Demolition Pirates! So, I'm telling you to hand over your credits, or else you'll get a beating!" The kong-like thug slammed his fist into his hand.
"Hey," the bald pirate spoke up, "maybe we could take the two nice young ladies as well."
"Oh yeah, that's a good idea." The Kong-like thug turned back to Lex. "So, hand over your women and all your credits! Right now!" he stomped.
"Sad."
All looked up at the bounty hunter.
"Hey! What'd you call me?!" the Kong-like thug growled.
Blade looked up slowly as he moved to the side from Sabe.
"You call yourselves strong. All I've heard is nothing but threats and no action."
Ruby and Lex were definitely not use to hearing the bounty hunter talk, and now that he was they didn't really think it was a good idea to be talking at all.
The Kong-like thug snarled like a dog and stomped his way up to Blade.
He flexed his muscles to show just what the bounty hunter was up against.
And Blade was not worried one bit. He was never worried.
The Kong-like thug threw a hard fist, and it was closing in fast.
Just inches away from his face. Two more seconds…THERE!!
The Kong-like thug's fist only hit air as the thug himself fell forward right off the pier, and onto the sandy surface of the beach with a loud thud.
He was unconscious.
The pirates all looked shocked as they saw their mighty leader fall to the cunning of the wolf.
And boy was that a fall!
"Hey!" the pirate who spoke second after his leader. "Just who the heck do you think you are?! Thinking you can treat us like this?!"
The bounty hunter turned to the Demolition Pirates as they were called.
"Blade." he said.
All their eyes went wide.
"Blade?! THE AGENT OF DEATH, MAN-HUNTER COWBOY BLADE?!" one shrieked.
"Our lucky day!" the bald pirate laughed. "You may have beat our boss, but you can't take us all on!"
With that, the pirates grabbed baseball bats from behind and charged the bounty hunter.
This time, Blade grabbed not his crossbow gun, but a sawed-off double-barreled shotgun from the holster on his belt. Noticing the old wood of the dock, the shotgun was fired, and the whole gang of the Demolition Pirates fell to the beach with their leader.
"They'll live." Blade commented and walked on. "Watch your step."
Sabe, Ruby, and Lex jumped over the hole of the docks, and followed Blade to the Caribbean bar.
He had watched the whole so-called fight from a distance with his dark painted lips into a twisted smile.
Indeed, the bounty hunter was good. It was no wonder how he defeated the best assassin in the city.
He noticed the raven haired girl with the short red jacket and the ironwood staff. So, the man-hunter has a new love interest.
This was getting better by the minute.
Oh, just how fun it would be to end the life of his rival. And this time, Over the Edge would not be so easy to defeat.
Patients though. Cowboy Blade would have to wait. The assassin wanted to know a little bit more of this new girl.
She hugged her knees to her chest as the tears went flowing down her face.
She couldn't sleep. She could barely eat. She felt trap again.
Just being around him reminded her of the closet, or as Zoot called it Room 101.
Many people made her fell like that. Even Spike who was an airhead at times.
Locked up in a prison.
The only people who made her feel so free were Jay, and it was hard to believe it, but Trudy as well.
She and Trudy had become quiet close. Trudy had comforted her when Ebony thought she was going crazy from all her Zoot sightings.
Jay…she missed him.
Here was a man she loved so much, and she gave him up for power and chaos?!
Something she would do. Her old self that is.
But she had changed. She didn't want to believe she was getting soft, but she was.
And now, she was beginning to realize that this…all of this….was just plain crazy. And plain stupid.
Ebony was a warrior queen. Not even Siva and Java could beat her when the teamed up on her together. Yes, Java did defeat her in the battle to be general of the Zootists. But her heart was not in it.
No, stop crying you little witch, she thought to herself.
Stop crying, dry your eyes, and get the hell up!
I am Ebony…I am not queen of the Locos…I am not Zoot's woman…I am Queen of the Warriors!
She stood up and dried her eyes.
There was still time…
"I'm getting the hell out of here."
A New Face Or An Old Friend
The walk off the cruise ship had been pretty much in silence, and not just the bounty hunter, Cowboy Blade for a change. Ruby and Lex had been walking in total silence, and neither looked at each other.
At least that's what it seemed like until Blade caught Lex out of the corner of his eye giving Ruby a longing look.
He could tell something happened between them from their time on the cruise. He could smell Lex's scent on Ruby and Ruby's scent on Lex.
It was not his place for human emotions. If someone had a problem of emotional feelings, then let them sort it out.
They had spent an hour walking along the road through Los Angeles seeking out any transportation.
Blade was even surprised that Lex and Ruby didn't lecture him again about not bringing his motorbike.
Not much was different from back at New Zealand to Lex's and Ruby's surprise. Even in America there were tribes.
Blade had already known of this as he had been to America before on countless jobs. The "Agent of Death" was truly a man-hunter. The warrior for hire.
And everyone seemed to know who he was as all that him and his companions passed turned to look at him with expressions of both fear, anger, and excitement. Mostly fear from the looks of things.
It wasn't until they headed down a short cut through an alley that Cowboy could already sense it.
They were being followed.
A soft sound of a footstep was enough to confirm this correct.
He quickly spun into to block the end of a ironwood staff with his forearm.
Their stalker was a woman about 5'5 with long dark hair and green eyes with purple streaks. She had on a short black tank top that was cut pretty low at the top and had only one strap, leg-fitting black jeans with holes in the knee sections, a short red form-fitting jacket, and black snickers.
Her weapon, the ironwood staff that she had swung at blade was as long as her exceptional body.
Somehow, she seemed very familiar to Blade but he just couldn't put his finger on it.
The girl was a different story as her eyes went wide and she suddenly gasped and dropped her staff back at her side.
"I…I'm sorry. I thought you were someone else." she apologized, her accent revealing that she wasn't from America. It was British.
Blade only looked down at her. He hadn't heard her apology as he was trying hard to remember just who this girl was. She really looked damn familiar!
Ruby and Lex walked next to Blade.
"I'm very sorry." she apologized again.
"Yeah, you should be sorry. You're lucky Mr. Cowboy Blade here hasn't chopped you into tiny pieces. Right, Blade?" Lex looked up and was surprised to see the concentrated look on the bounty hunter's face.
The girl's apologetic expression changed to recognition. That was quiet impressive, Blade thought as he was amazed that a girl could look sorry at first then look strong in the next second.
"Cowboy Blade…..yes, I've heard of you. The Agent of Death, the legendary bounty hunter, or man-hunter as your known." the beautiful girl smiled.
"And you are?" Ruby asked suspiciously.
"Oh, where are my manners." the girl looked sorry again. "My name is Sabe."
Sabe…damn it! It was there but he still couldn't quiet put it down. He would have to think of it later.
"Sabe. That's a pretty name." Ruby commented and held out her hand. "I'm Ruby, and that over there is Lex."
Sabe noticed the blonde's change of expression when she said the rude brunette boy's name.
Lex though changed his attitude, taking Sabe's hand and kissing the back of it.
"A pleasure it is, milady." he said in a soft romancing womanizer voice.
But Sabe wasn't buying it. She blushed with a sweet smile and put her hand back down at her side. This guy called Lex was already taken from what it seemed.
The girl looked back up at Blade.
"Do you know a Reaper?" she asked.
Blade nodded his head. "Reaper is leader of the Bouncers. His bar is not too far from here."
She nodded her head. "Well, if you don't mind. I could take you up there if you wish to see him."
Blade thought for a moment.
"Or do you already have plans?" she asked.
Hmm, thinking about it more he did need to see Reaper about something.
"Fine then." the bounty hunter said.
"Okay. Just follow me please." With that, she lead the three down the streets.
On their way to the bar, Sabe was walking right next to the bounty hunter. She looked up at his face, or what she could at least see with the cowboy hat blocking his eyes out. He did have a strong face.
"So, you are the legendary Cowboy Blade, eh?" she asked. "I've heard about you. I'm originally from England, but I don't really have a home. I'm just a drifter myself. But even in England, we've heard much about you."
Blade didn't even look at her.
"Cowboy because you're a warrior for hire, and Blade because your deadly. Even more deadly with the sword."
Blade looked down at her, and he found himself amused. That was new to find himself amused.
He stared down at the girl from underneath the rims of his hat as if he was trying to see deep down in her soul.
This girl had a lot of spirit in her. In fact, she was a free spirit type without a care in the world.
He never met a person quiet like this. The people he met had to always look over their shoulder.
And most of those people where his clients and the guys he was hired to hunt down.
"Don't I fright you?" he asked.
She looked confused. "No. Should I be afraid?"
He looked up from her. "Most are. I've killed a few times, quicker than lightening. Some even call me the boogey man."
He heard Sabe laughing at that.
"That wasn't a joke." he growled annoyed.
"I'm sorry. But it's just that…well," she pressed her finger against his arm, "You look human, and you feel human as well. You're real."
….I'm…real?….
"You are a strange one." Blade told her without looking at her.
"Nope. I'm just me." She giggled. "Come on, lighten up, bounty hunter!"
Before the bounty hunter could reply, they all found themselves at a pier on a beach.
Lex looked to Sabe. "This Reaper owns a Caribbean bar?"
The drifter nodded.
"Cool!" Lex grinned as him and Ruby headed for the bar, that was until they stopped right in front of a large bulky guy dressed in leather yellow and black. Behind him were three more figures dressed in the same way, only not as tall and bulky.
"Hey! You got some money?! I know you got some!" the bulky guy pointed out.
"Yeah, so what if I do, King Kong?" Lex smirked and tried to walk by the bulky figure.
The Kong-like boy stopped him dead in his tracks. "Hand over your money!"
Lex noticed another tall but much more well built young guy behind the Kong-like boy looked much like the guy with the large spider tattoo who Lex had beaten in Ram's VR games.
Weird, he thought. But he turned back to the Kong-like man.
"First of all, it's called Credits where I'm from. Second, why the hell should I give you anything at all?" Lex sneered at Kong-like boy.
"Hey! You got any idea who your talking to, Aussie boy?!" the Kong-like thug pushed Lex.
"I'm looking at road kill if you don't leave him alone." Ruby jumped in.
The Kong-like thug snarled. "All right. I'll tell you who we are. We're the Demolition Pirates!"
Some tribes just have the weirdest names, Lex thought.
"And I am the strongest member of the Demolition Pirates! So, I'm telling you to hand over your credits, or else you'll get a beating!" The kong-like thug slammed his fist into his hand.
"Hey," the bald pirate spoke up, "maybe we could take the two nice young ladies as well."
"Oh yeah, that's a good idea." The Kong-like thug turned back to Lex. "So, hand over your women and all your credits! Right now!" he stomped.
"Sad."
All looked up at the bounty hunter.
"Hey! What'd you call me?!" the Kong-like thug growled.
Blade looked up slowly as he moved to the side from Sabe.
"You call yourselves strong. All I've heard is nothing but threats and no action."
Ruby and Lex were definitely not use to hearing the bounty hunter talk, and now that he was they didn't really think it was a good idea to be talking at all.
The Kong-like thug snarled like a dog and stomped his way up to Blade.
He flexed his muscles to show just what the bounty hunter was up against.
And Blade was not worried one bit. He was never worried.
The Kong-like thug threw a hard fist, and it was closing in fast.
Just inches away from his face. Two more seconds…THERE!!
The Kong-like thug's fist only hit air as the thug himself fell forward right off the pier, and onto the sandy surface of the beach with a loud thud.
He was unconscious.
The pirates all looked shocked as they saw their mighty leader fall to the cunning of the wolf.
And boy was that a fall!
"Hey!" the pirate who spoke second after his leader. "Just who the heck do you think you are?! Thinking you can treat us like this?!"
The bounty hunter turned to the Demolition Pirates as they were called.
"Blade." he said.
All their eyes went wide.
"Blade?! THE AGENT OF DEATH, MAN-HUNTER COWBOY BLADE?!" one shrieked.
"Our lucky day!" the bald pirate laughed. "You may have beat our boss, but you can't take us all on!"
With that, the pirates grabbed baseball bats from behind and charged the bounty hunter.
This time, Blade grabbed not his crossbow gun, but a sawed-off double-barreled shotgun from the holster on his belt. Noticing the old wood of the dock, the shotgun was fired, and the whole gang of the Demolition Pirates fell to the beach with their leader.
"They'll live." Blade commented and walked on. "Watch your step."
Sabe, Ruby, and Lex jumped over the hole of the docks, and followed Blade to the Caribbean bar.
He had watched the whole so-called fight from a distance with his dark painted lips into a twisted smile.
Indeed, the bounty hunter was good. It was no wonder how he defeated the best assassin in the city.
He noticed the raven haired girl with the short red jacket and the ironwood staff. So, the man-hunter has a new love interest.
This was getting better by the minute.
Oh, just how fun it would be to end the life of his rival. And this time, Over the Edge would not be so easy to defeat.
Patients though. Cowboy Blade would have to wait. The assassin wanted to know a little bit more of this new girl.
She hugged her knees to her chest as the tears went flowing down her face.
She couldn't sleep. She could barely eat. She felt trap again.
Just being around him reminded her of the closet, or as Zoot called it Room 101.
Many people made her fell like that. Even Spike who was an airhead at times.
Locked up in a prison.
The only people who made her feel so free were Jay, and it was hard to believe it, but Trudy as well.
She and Trudy had become quiet close. Trudy had comforted her when Ebony thought she was going crazy from all her Zoot sightings.
Jay…she missed him.
Here was a man she loved so much, and she gave him up for power and chaos?!
Something she would do. Her old self that is.
But she had changed. She didn't want to believe she was getting soft, but she was.
And now, she was beginning to realize that this…all of this….was just plain crazy. And plain stupid.
Ebony was a warrior queen. Not even Siva and Java could beat her when the teamed up on her together. Yes, Java did defeat her in the battle to be general of the Zootists. But her heart was not in it.
No, stop crying you little witch, she thought to herself.
Stop crying, dry your eyes, and get the hell up!
I am Ebony…I am not queen of the Locos…I am not Zoot's woman…I am Queen of the Warriors!
She stood up and dried her eyes.
There was still time…
"I'm getting the hell out of here."