Chapter 9
Getting the Rides
You know the trouble when hiring someone and make an appointment, telling them don't be late? You expect them to not be late as they're told. It just never seems to work when hiring assassins to do your dirty work. At least that was what went through Zoot's mind as he paced impatiently. This journey was proving to be more challenging for him to achieve his goal as the dictator not just of the city again back home, but of the world. Power and chaos would rule all, with the help of this Ragnarok weapon of course. The strange thing is that he didn't even know what this weapon looked like. He wasn't able to retrieve the code from Ram to unlock all information on this weapon, thanks to Edge for that. He just knew that it was somewhere in Death Valley. But where would Pandorax keep such a weapon in Death Valley. In Death Valley, there was nothing but a desert. That's why they called it Death Valley! Zoot kicked over his chair in the apartment room. Just thinking about this whole arrangement would get to him. If he knew one thing, it was that he was revived for something. To do probably what he was good at. Striking fear into the hearts of other, to conquer all enemies who would stand in his way, and rule with none other than…power and chaos. "Power and chaos." he chanted. "Power corrupts, and chaos is already. Though many are still blind to see it." came a voice in the room. Zoot looked all around him. "Where are you?" he demanded. "It's my job to vanish from sight when I want from the eyes of the beholder." the voice spoke again. "I understand you are having some problems." Zoot rolled his deranged eyes. Some people could say the stupidest… "Of course. Why else…WOULD I HAVE HIRED YOU?!" Zoot shouted. Someone banged against the wall next door and shouted, "Hey, Keep it down in there! We're busy in here!" Zoot rolled his eyes again and sighed. Someone needed to learn a lesson. He turned, and nearly jumped right out of his pants when a dark-brown cloaked figure was staring back at him. His entire body was hidden by the brown cloak, and his upper head hidden by a leather brown hat. Between the cloak and the hat was a circle of darkness where his eyes should be. "Now I know why they call you…" Zoot began until he was cut off by the figure. "What is it you need me to do?" he asked impatiently. Zoot nodded his head and crossed his arms to regain his cool. It was very unlike him to show any sign of fear in those he was face to face with. But something in this character really was bizarre. "I'm on my way to discovering something…glorious. But the problem is a bounty hunter with a number on my head. They call him…Blade, I believe." Zoot tried to think of the warrior's name. "Blade?!" the figure sounded surprised. "As in Cowboy Blade. Yes, I have heard of him." Zoot raised an eyebrow. "Is that a bit of fear I sense in your voice? If you can't handle this job, then I will be glad and find…" "No!" the figure nearly shouted. "Cowboy Blade. He is said to be one of the very best swordsmen to ever walk the earth. To face him in combat will truly be a most honorable pleasure." "To kill him will be even better." Zoot grinned. Underneath the cover up, the figure grinned. "Yes. It could put a few more points on my own reputation. Not that it would need it." Zoot just stared at the brown cloaked figure. "You may not have heard of me from where you are from, but around these parts from here to Japan, I am known as the most deadliest assassin and greatest swordsman…." "I don't want it in words." Zoot got right into where the figure's face was originally suppose to be. And this time, it was Zoot's expression that was beginning to freak out the cloaked figure for a second. "I want it…in blood. HIS blood." Zoot hissed. The tyrant lord himself walked right pass the cloaked figure, and as he walked out of the apartment, the cloaked figure heard a door bust open next door. Next he heard a girl screaming and a angry man cursing, then came an agonizing cry of pain from the guy and footsteps walking out of the apartment. The girl was still screaming. Perhaps this Zoot was not to be over underestimated.
A dark skinned boy, lightly masculine, walked over to the table occupied by Ruby, Lex, the bounty hunter and now Sabe. "Good to see ya again, Blade." he spoke with a Jamaican accent. Blade nodded to the one called Reaper. Lex was rather disappointed to see that such a wimpy looking guy was leader of the Bouncers, a tribe of tough guys. He could probably even take this guy out without raising a finger. But something in him told him to shut up. And it sounded a lot like Ruby's voice. "Sabe told me you were here. Didn't believe it at first." Reaper told the bounty hunter. "Sorry about her attacking you. She just made da mistake dat you were anoter dude." Blade no reply. And got back down to business. "We need transportation." Blade spoke. Reaper chuckled. Leave it to the man-hunter himself to get right down to the point of the matter. "Haven't changed a bit." he said looking at Sabe who giggled. "This is no time for jokes, Reaper." Blade looked hard at the Bouncer leader. "Hey," Sabe looked to Blade, "he was just joking. Lighten up." Blade turned sharply at her. "Perhaps you weren't listening on our way here, but there is a very dangerous man who could get a weapon capable of mass destruction." He looked back to Reaper. "Plus the Rats of the Phoenix Mall have hired me to take him out, so right now time is money." Sabe was about to speak, but Reaper held up his hand. "It be OK, Sista Sabe. He was like dis before." Sabe gave the bounty hunter a sharp glare, but leaned back into her seat and sighed. "Come in da back wit me. I've got just de tang for ya." Reaper pointed to the back of the bar. Blade followed the Bouncer leader, but not before taking a quick glance at the drifter girl. What is the deal with her? As they got to the back, Blade was the least surprised to see a Ninja motorbike and a truck. "Me boys found da truck on da side of da road one day. We fixed it up, put some more horse power inside and now it runs fast like a cheetah and smooth like da ocean. As for da Ninja bike. It's an ZX-9R model. One of da very bests." Reaper looked up to Blade. "You should know, since it was yours." The bounty hunter nodded. "I see you fixed up the dent marks." Reaper laughed. "I was surprised that it got more battered and bruised dan you." Blade ran his gloved hand along the seat of the Ninja motorbike. "It's been a long time." he sighed. Reaper looked surprised. If he heard right, he actually heard the bounty hunter sigh. Cowboy Blade never sighed before, let alone talk much. Perhaps he was changing. Reaper than saw the sword hanging from Blade's back. "15th century made." Reaper quoted the sword. "English. Looks too much like the sword of a devil that it still scares the crap out of me!" Blade turned and looked back to Reaper. "It's funny dat I've never seen you use it in fighting." Reaper remembered the battles him and the bounty hunter had engaged in on Cowboy Blade's time here. He always either used a crossbow gun, a sawed off shotgun, or his body as a weapon. But never did he use that sword. "What a waste." Reaper sighed. Blade turned back to the motorbike. "If you knew what I knew, would you use this sword?" Blade asked him. "To be honest. Yes. But I would never be good as you wit it." Reaper said truthfully. "Even if you took the life of a good man?" Blade looked back to the Bouncer leader. Reaper nodded his head with a sympathetic look on his face. "To protect the people I love, I would." Blade started to turn back around to the motorbike, until he caught glimpse of Sabe sitting in between Lex and Ruby and talking with the two. One had to admit that she really was pretty, and that she had a beautiful breathtaking smile. Reaper seemed to notice the bounty hunter's gaze, and grinned to himself. So da beast gots a heart, he thought. "How long has that girl been staying with you?" Blade nodded his head to Sabe. "Just for a few days. She's a drifter, but I take it she's already told you dat. She's one heck of a singer, a dancer at that too." One of the Bouncer's head popped out to the side. "Yo Reaper man, we need you over here for a sec." "Sure man, I be dare." Reaper looked to Blade. "Be right back." The leader of the Bouncer's headed back into the bar. The bounty hunter was left to think of what Reaper had told him. "To protect the people I love." he repeated. But I have no one to love, he thought. I love nothing, therefore I have nothing to lose.
I'm not afraid to die, because I have nothing to lose.
Blade looked around to see if anyone was watching, then backed away until he was in a clear area. Slowly, his gloved hand grasped the hilt of his sword, and slowly unsheathed it from its harness. For the first time in so long that he couldn't remember just how long, he began to practice with his sword. The fluid movements of his body were perfection as was his style of the sword. He was stretching his body out with Tai-Chi. The warrior leaped into the air, spinning his sword over his head a couple of times, then thrust forward as he landed back on his feet with his knees bent. He did a couple more swings and thrusts with expert timing and perfect motions. His techniques were combined of English and European swordsmanship to the art of the Samurai and a Chinese warrior.
Blade grasped the sword around its hilt upside down so that the blade was arced across his back from behind, and then heard hands clapping in applaud. He was very surprised to see the drifter standing beside the back of the bar, watching him. From the look on her face, she was amazed by the demonstration of such techniques and skill. "Wow." she gasped. Blade let out a low growl that went unheard and sheathed his sword back in its harness. "You know how to fight." she asked grinned. "From those moves, it looks like you know a bit of Kung-Fu as well. Tell me, what styles of Martial Arts do you master in?" While adjusting his jacket, Cowboy Blade faced back to the girl.
"All of them." he answered.
Her mouth dropped. She'd expected him to know at least some Karate and Kung-Fu along with sword-fighting, but ALL of the styles?! "I'm coming with you by the way." she said with a small smile, shaking out of her daze. That made him stop dead in his tracks. "There's no way." he told her. "Afraid there is." Her smile was becoming wider by the minute. Blade looked over to her over his shoulder. "You'll be risking your life." "Life is full of risks. You can't go by the book all the time." she replied. The bounty hunter rolled his eyes. This girl was becoming a thorn in the side for him! Still though, you have to admire her courage. The question is though why would a beautiful young drifter who somehow seemed to be a familiar figure from his past want to come on a man-hunt for Zoot? ….So be it. "Don't whine when danger comes." he told her. "I've seen danger lots of times." she retorted. He smirked. "Not like this." "It is ok to be afraid you know. But I'm not backing down." she called to him as he walked away.
I have a feeling it's not part of your program, Cowboy Blade thought as he continued on.
Getting the Rides
You know the trouble when hiring someone and make an appointment, telling them don't be late? You expect them to not be late as they're told. It just never seems to work when hiring assassins to do your dirty work. At least that was what went through Zoot's mind as he paced impatiently. This journey was proving to be more challenging for him to achieve his goal as the dictator not just of the city again back home, but of the world. Power and chaos would rule all, with the help of this Ragnarok weapon of course. The strange thing is that he didn't even know what this weapon looked like. He wasn't able to retrieve the code from Ram to unlock all information on this weapon, thanks to Edge for that. He just knew that it was somewhere in Death Valley. But where would Pandorax keep such a weapon in Death Valley. In Death Valley, there was nothing but a desert. That's why they called it Death Valley! Zoot kicked over his chair in the apartment room. Just thinking about this whole arrangement would get to him. If he knew one thing, it was that he was revived for something. To do probably what he was good at. Striking fear into the hearts of other, to conquer all enemies who would stand in his way, and rule with none other than…power and chaos. "Power and chaos." he chanted. "Power corrupts, and chaos is already. Though many are still blind to see it." came a voice in the room. Zoot looked all around him. "Where are you?" he demanded. "It's my job to vanish from sight when I want from the eyes of the beholder." the voice spoke again. "I understand you are having some problems." Zoot rolled his deranged eyes. Some people could say the stupidest… "Of course. Why else…WOULD I HAVE HIRED YOU?!" Zoot shouted. Someone banged against the wall next door and shouted, "Hey, Keep it down in there! We're busy in here!" Zoot rolled his eyes again and sighed. Someone needed to learn a lesson. He turned, and nearly jumped right out of his pants when a dark-brown cloaked figure was staring back at him. His entire body was hidden by the brown cloak, and his upper head hidden by a leather brown hat. Between the cloak and the hat was a circle of darkness where his eyes should be. "Now I know why they call you…" Zoot began until he was cut off by the figure. "What is it you need me to do?" he asked impatiently. Zoot nodded his head and crossed his arms to regain his cool. It was very unlike him to show any sign of fear in those he was face to face with. But something in this character really was bizarre. "I'm on my way to discovering something…glorious. But the problem is a bounty hunter with a number on my head. They call him…Blade, I believe." Zoot tried to think of the warrior's name. "Blade?!" the figure sounded surprised. "As in Cowboy Blade. Yes, I have heard of him." Zoot raised an eyebrow. "Is that a bit of fear I sense in your voice? If you can't handle this job, then I will be glad and find…" "No!" the figure nearly shouted. "Cowboy Blade. He is said to be one of the very best swordsmen to ever walk the earth. To face him in combat will truly be a most honorable pleasure." "To kill him will be even better." Zoot grinned. Underneath the cover up, the figure grinned. "Yes. It could put a few more points on my own reputation. Not that it would need it." Zoot just stared at the brown cloaked figure. "You may not have heard of me from where you are from, but around these parts from here to Japan, I am known as the most deadliest assassin and greatest swordsman…." "I don't want it in words." Zoot got right into where the figure's face was originally suppose to be. And this time, it was Zoot's expression that was beginning to freak out the cloaked figure for a second. "I want it…in blood. HIS blood." Zoot hissed. The tyrant lord himself walked right pass the cloaked figure, and as he walked out of the apartment, the cloaked figure heard a door bust open next door. Next he heard a girl screaming and a angry man cursing, then came an agonizing cry of pain from the guy and footsteps walking out of the apartment. The girl was still screaming. Perhaps this Zoot was not to be over underestimated.
A dark skinned boy, lightly masculine, walked over to the table occupied by Ruby, Lex, the bounty hunter and now Sabe. "Good to see ya again, Blade." he spoke with a Jamaican accent. Blade nodded to the one called Reaper. Lex was rather disappointed to see that such a wimpy looking guy was leader of the Bouncers, a tribe of tough guys. He could probably even take this guy out without raising a finger. But something in him told him to shut up. And it sounded a lot like Ruby's voice. "Sabe told me you were here. Didn't believe it at first." Reaper told the bounty hunter. "Sorry about her attacking you. She just made da mistake dat you were anoter dude." Blade no reply. And got back down to business. "We need transportation." Blade spoke. Reaper chuckled. Leave it to the man-hunter himself to get right down to the point of the matter. "Haven't changed a bit." he said looking at Sabe who giggled. "This is no time for jokes, Reaper." Blade looked hard at the Bouncer leader. "Hey," Sabe looked to Blade, "he was just joking. Lighten up." Blade turned sharply at her. "Perhaps you weren't listening on our way here, but there is a very dangerous man who could get a weapon capable of mass destruction." He looked back to Reaper. "Plus the Rats of the Phoenix Mall have hired me to take him out, so right now time is money." Sabe was about to speak, but Reaper held up his hand. "It be OK, Sista Sabe. He was like dis before." Sabe gave the bounty hunter a sharp glare, but leaned back into her seat and sighed. "Come in da back wit me. I've got just de tang for ya." Reaper pointed to the back of the bar. Blade followed the Bouncer leader, but not before taking a quick glance at the drifter girl. What is the deal with her? As they got to the back, Blade was the least surprised to see a Ninja motorbike and a truck. "Me boys found da truck on da side of da road one day. We fixed it up, put some more horse power inside and now it runs fast like a cheetah and smooth like da ocean. As for da Ninja bike. It's an ZX-9R model. One of da very bests." Reaper looked up to Blade. "You should know, since it was yours." The bounty hunter nodded. "I see you fixed up the dent marks." Reaper laughed. "I was surprised that it got more battered and bruised dan you." Blade ran his gloved hand along the seat of the Ninja motorbike. "It's been a long time." he sighed. Reaper looked surprised. If he heard right, he actually heard the bounty hunter sigh. Cowboy Blade never sighed before, let alone talk much. Perhaps he was changing. Reaper than saw the sword hanging from Blade's back. "15th century made." Reaper quoted the sword. "English. Looks too much like the sword of a devil that it still scares the crap out of me!" Blade turned and looked back to Reaper. "It's funny dat I've never seen you use it in fighting." Reaper remembered the battles him and the bounty hunter had engaged in on Cowboy Blade's time here. He always either used a crossbow gun, a sawed off shotgun, or his body as a weapon. But never did he use that sword. "What a waste." Reaper sighed. Blade turned back to the motorbike. "If you knew what I knew, would you use this sword?" Blade asked him. "To be honest. Yes. But I would never be good as you wit it." Reaper said truthfully. "Even if you took the life of a good man?" Blade looked back to the Bouncer leader. Reaper nodded his head with a sympathetic look on his face. "To protect the people I love, I would." Blade started to turn back around to the motorbike, until he caught glimpse of Sabe sitting in between Lex and Ruby and talking with the two. One had to admit that she really was pretty, and that she had a beautiful breathtaking smile. Reaper seemed to notice the bounty hunter's gaze, and grinned to himself. So da beast gots a heart, he thought. "How long has that girl been staying with you?" Blade nodded his head to Sabe. "Just for a few days. She's a drifter, but I take it she's already told you dat. She's one heck of a singer, a dancer at that too." One of the Bouncer's head popped out to the side. "Yo Reaper man, we need you over here for a sec." "Sure man, I be dare." Reaper looked to Blade. "Be right back." The leader of the Bouncer's headed back into the bar. The bounty hunter was left to think of what Reaper had told him. "To protect the people I love." he repeated. But I have no one to love, he thought. I love nothing, therefore I have nothing to lose.
I'm not afraid to die, because I have nothing to lose.
Blade looked around to see if anyone was watching, then backed away until he was in a clear area. Slowly, his gloved hand grasped the hilt of his sword, and slowly unsheathed it from its harness. For the first time in so long that he couldn't remember just how long, he began to practice with his sword. The fluid movements of his body were perfection as was his style of the sword. He was stretching his body out with Tai-Chi. The warrior leaped into the air, spinning his sword over his head a couple of times, then thrust forward as he landed back on his feet with his knees bent. He did a couple more swings and thrusts with expert timing and perfect motions. His techniques were combined of English and European swordsmanship to the art of the Samurai and a Chinese warrior.
Blade grasped the sword around its hilt upside down so that the blade was arced across his back from behind, and then heard hands clapping in applaud. He was very surprised to see the drifter standing beside the back of the bar, watching him. From the look on her face, she was amazed by the demonstration of such techniques and skill. "Wow." she gasped. Blade let out a low growl that went unheard and sheathed his sword back in its harness. "You know how to fight." she asked grinned. "From those moves, it looks like you know a bit of Kung-Fu as well. Tell me, what styles of Martial Arts do you master in?" While adjusting his jacket, Cowboy Blade faced back to the girl.
"All of them." he answered.
Her mouth dropped. She'd expected him to know at least some Karate and Kung-Fu along with sword-fighting, but ALL of the styles?! "I'm coming with you by the way." she said with a small smile, shaking out of her daze. That made him stop dead in his tracks. "There's no way." he told her. "Afraid there is." Her smile was becoming wider by the minute. Blade looked over to her over his shoulder. "You'll be risking your life." "Life is full of risks. You can't go by the book all the time." she replied. The bounty hunter rolled his eyes. This girl was becoming a thorn in the side for him! Still though, you have to admire her courage. The question is though why would a beautiful young drifter who somehow seemed to be a familiar figure from his past want to come on a man-hunt for Zoot? ….So be it. "Don't whine when danger comes." he told her. "I've seen danger lots of times." she retorted. He smirked. "Not like this." "It is ok to be afraid you know. But I'm not backing down." she called to him as he walked away.
I have a feeling it's not part of your program, Cowboy Blade thought as he continued on.