It was sometime after noon. The sun was shining brightly, quickly erasing any trace of last night's storm. As Falcon had said before, December would roll in before the week was over. Thus the weather was quickly turning to a very cold chill. There was not one leaf left on the trees. Children played in the great bundles of leaves that were so neatly tucked away at the foot of some great trunk. The chaotic scene of the morning had been replaced with a quieter Saturday morning feel. The windows reflected the glint the sun gave them on to the cold stone streets below. A horse drawn carriage or a horseless carriage would come by every so often, but it was a sleep afternoon for most of Manches.
But in the city were folks were rallied up for something.
Falcon leaned against the Hockenheim, the red biplane famous for the many adventures it had undergone. Falcon wrapped himself in a white scarf and placed his aviators goggles over his blue eyes. Protecting his crown was a leather pilot's cap, which was normally stuffed inside the Hockenheim. Rouge, who was adorned in a large coat, blue to the cover and feeling of duckling down, stood near by with Galuda, who wore his traditional attire plus an animal fur thrown around his broad shoulders. Accel was opposite the plane in the field, wearing a steer jacket he had brought from home. At his side was Ayame, dressed in a large green wool sweater, and Jack, who had not bothered to change his looks. All present, save Falcon, were secretly guessing what the plan would be. They all were in an empty field, normally reserved fro growing crops during the warmer months. A small tin building was erected near by Julia's laborers as a make shift hanger. A hastily plowed runway had also been constructed especially for the Hockenheim. There wasn't a tree or large building for at least half a mile.
"So what are we doing?" Accel asked as he shoved his hands into his coat pockets.
"We're going to decide what to do Mr. Accel. If you hadn't exploded like a casket of frogs this morning than you would already know!" Falcon answered.
"We somewhat have a radical idea that's probably even more dangerous than Other Jack…" Ayame answered.
"And this idea would be?" Accel asked the group.
"Since Other Jack is almost unbeatable, we're going to go get someone else who's just as resilient and hopefully they'll duel and we'll win." Rouge answered.
"I trust not this plan. Kraken is not one to be taken lightly." Galuda frowned.
"Kraken? What the hell is a Kraken?" Accel was stumped.
Falcon rolled his eyes. "You see, about twenty odd years ago, there was a man in the H.M.S Navy named Ebenezer Kraken. He was obsessed with seventeenth century pirates and galleons. He was a captain of one Her majesties metal ships, Dreadnaughts I think, and had an equally loony crew that all dressed, talked, breathed, and lived a seventeenth century pirate's life. You know, black beard and Long John Silver kind of rubbish. Unfortunately, an ammunition canister exploded in the ship and destroyed the whole bloomin boat. All of Kraken's shipmates were killed, and he himself lost his right hand and half is face! He retired the Navy shortly after that and went to the United States. Became a U.S Cavalry captain, not in the nautical form I tell you, and became engrossed in the Indian Wars. Replaced his right hand with a giant metal clamp or tongs, whatever you want to call the thing. Went nuts he did. Ask ol' Galuda here, he'll tell you. Anyways, about a year ago he quit the U.S Army and somehow got himself an old rickety galleon, the King Octopus, and sailed the briny searching for the power stones. Bunch of us here met up with the old fool, beat the stuffing out of him, and left. But rumor says he got a stone and now is immortal. They sey he rules the North Sea, the Balkan Sea, and the White Sea with an iron fist. Coarse no one actually uses those save the Russians and the Norse, but any ship, even an H.M.S Dreadnaught, falls to the King Octopus easily. And that's Captain Kraken for you."
"So your plan is to enlist the aid of a loony pirate who owns a couple of icebergs? You're crazier than I thought." Accel commented.
"At least it's a plan Accel." Ayame added.
"And a good one at that! Now, we need to split into teams! Two to be precise. One will go looking for the Looney bastard and the other will make sure things here don't go to hell. Rouge is coming with me in the Hockenheim and we need one more person." Falcon announced.
"Why's Rouge going with you?" Ayame asked.
"Falcon needs my crystal ball's power to locate Captain Kraken. The northern sea's are a very large place." Rouge answered.
"I shall go." Galuda said.
Falcon looked at his large friend. "Are you sure? You and the pirate don't get along so well. We're trying to get him to help us, remember."
"I know this. He is not to be trusted, and you will need all the help you can get." Galuda stated.
Falcon glanced at Rouge, who gave him an approving nod. "Alright Galuda, come on."
Galuda walked over to the Hockenheim's side, inspecting every nut and bolt. Falcon turned to the three remaining people: Ayame, Accel, and Jack.
"Yea, I know what you're going to say. Don't lose Jack." Accel shrugged.
Falcon smiled. "That and we'll be gone for many days, maybe a week or two. So keep on track, keep a look out for Other Jack, and try not to blow anything up. You heard Julia this morn, one more incident like that and the governor will pull the plug!"
Ayame smartly saluted the captain. "Will do sir! Good luck! You'll need it!"
Falcon tightened his scarf. "Oh I will all right. Nothing's jolly more difficult than getting an immortal loony on your spiffin team, wot."
"We'll need to go into town and purchase provisions, Falcon. I think we'll be able to leave by the twilight." Rouge said.
"Right." Falcon replied. He then walked over to Jack, leaned on his haunches, and stared face to face with the knife polisher. "And you. Try to behave will you? I'm asking you not as an authoritive figure, even though I am, but as a friend. Tootles." Falcon winked at Ayame and trotted back to his red bi-plane.
Accel glanced down at Jack, who actually raised a hand to the new team to bid farewell, then to Ayame, who seemed to beam with pride. He kicked a rock with his cowboy boot. "What now?"
Ayame watched the three friends walk off towards tow. "I don't know. We should probably do something to aid our friends, even though they won't be here."
Jack rose off the ground, his odd lanky figure swaying back and forth as he stepped into the field. "We make a trap for Other Jack. Hehehehe."
Accel raised an eyebrow. "How?"
"We do what we did yesterday. Buy items and weave a trap. Can't be that hard." Jack replied.
"You saw what Other Jack was capable of. How in the name of Buddha are we going to build a trap that will hold him?!" Ayame thought.
"…Buddha or Other Jack?" Jack asked.
Accel gave a frustrated sigh. "Other Jack. Need a trap for Other Jack. How to build one, I'm not sure. It's your idea, tell us."
"Hehehehe. We use things that drive him crazy. Drive him insane. That way, we can put our daggers in his back and rip him apart! Hahahahahahahaha!" Jack elaborated.
Accel closed his eyes halfway and glanced at Ayame. "You've got some fixing to do with our new friend here."
Ayame patted Jack's back. Well Jack, I think we can start using euphemisms for killing. Then we can start on our project. What do we need?"
"Hahaha. We needs us a shiny. A power shiny. Hahahaha." Jack answered.
"A power shiny? A power stone?" Accel asked.
Jack dropped on all fours and started scuttling back into town, urging his new friends to follow. Accel and Ayame could only give each other an acknowledging shrug as they darted after the coated one. It wasn't an easy attempt; Jack would swerve this way or that, seeming to be homing in on something. Accel was holding onto his hat with his hand, trying to keep it on his blonde hair. Knowing that they had to keep a good eye on Jack when the reached Manches, Ayame called out.
"Jack! Jack where are we going?!" Ayame yelled.
"Ha ha! We be going to get us a power shiny!" Jack called back.
"Oh sure! There's just going to be one lying around in the dirt! Aren't these things normally inside temples deep in a jungle or mountain?" Accel screeched.
"Nope. Jack knows where one is. It is Jack's power shiny after all! Hehehe!" Jack laughed.
The trio soon ran into the city of Manches, luck have it they wound up running through the dark back alleys. Metal chimneys poured smoke out from the cooking furnaces and stoves into Accel and Ayame's faces. The light was getting darker as they ran, mainly as bridges and piping started to stretch above them. They were on a small deserted stone ramp that dove into some murky abyss below the city. Not many people would be here, save a few homeless folk, and Accel could see why. So many shadows, not enough light.
"What are we doing down here? What is going on Jack?" Ayame asked.
Jack continued scuttling like a maddened lizard. "Careful now. Hehehe. Down here, things can be dangerous!"
Accel was confused. "Hey! Didn't you say that Other Jack ran off with the power stone when he was first created?!"
"Ya, Jack did lose his power shiny to Other Jack. The thief! But when I fought him last night, I saw him drop the shiny, precious, most beautiful shiny into a grate." Jack answered.
"Of course! Last night when Jack attacked Other Jack trying to save Rouge, he must have hit him a good one and knocked the stone out of his pocket! It then fell into a grate and into the sewers!" Ayame repeated.
"Sewers? That's not where we're going is it? I can't stand sewers!" Accel said as he tore a sheet hanging from a laundry line from his face.
"They don't have sewers in America?" Ayame asked.
"In the East they do, but not out in the west. The ground is harder than, well, rock! I wasn't aware they're were sewers in Jap-Nippon." Accel explained.
"They don't. But the sewers of Europe are amazing!" Ayame explained.
"Yea, if you like deep slimy labyrinths and underground rivers!" Accel stated.
The declining ramp with spots of light amidst piping, bridges, and laundry lines, turned into a declining stone hallway. Naked light bulbs swung from the ceiling, the long snaking wire slithering down the passage via the ceiling. The entrance was now a door of sheer light, a white holy canvas. The stone tunnel was dark, lit with an orange hue. Still, the entrance grew smaller and smaller as the three descended at an awesome rate through the dark tunnel. Pretty soon metal grating lined the walls and floors, filled with small holes. Rats lurked about in every sense.
The trio came upon a heading with three separate branches. Above the thing metal doorframe were signs. All of them in French. Jack stopped, sending Accel colliding into Ayame. The two laughed at their predicament.
"What did you stop for Jack?" Ayame asked as she picked herself up.
Jack stood up, swaying to an imaginary breeze. "Jack does not know which way to go. I afeared we're stumped."
Accel raised the brim of is hat as he looked at the copper embedded letters in the copper plate. "So just read the doors. Your French, ain't you?"
Jack shook his head. "I never learned to read."
"Well I certainly do not know any French." Ayame considered.
"So …what do we do?" Accel asked, looking down all three passageways. All were dark and gloomy.
"I can tells ye what to do! Hehehe!" A shrill voice mocked.
The trio turned around to see a small gang of ragged Frenchmen. There were three of them to be exact. A small, thin man dressed in a red tight fitting shirt with white horizontal lines and black pants was in the lead. Behind him was a tall, wide man of considerable girth. He was completely bald and clad in a half in half out dirty button up shirt and dark trousers. The third was an average man in build with a broken chimney cap and a dirty overcoat. All three of them were snickering evilly.
"If it's a fight you want, you've come to the wrong place." Accel narrowed his blue eyes.
"Oh! Dija hear da American boys? 'E said he ddin't want te fight. Ehehehehe!" The short red shirted man laughed.
"Dats a gud un' Pier! Let's fight' em anyways! We can take all those pretty coats they's got!" The fat one chuckled.
"And we can finally be rid of that Slayer! Where you going to go now that your confronted by actual men and not ladies, Hmmm?" The chimney cap taunted.
Jack was growling like a dog. He started to spin the daggers in his hands like wheels on a bike. "Oh you want to fight huh? Hehehehehehehehehe! You'll see that Jack has nothing to hide from strong men like you! Hahahahahahaha!
Jack tossed the blade in his hand, catching the tip with his fingers and about to throw when Ayame slapped his wrists. "Jack! No killing!"
"Yea, but we can knock them out of their senses! Let's dance!" Accel shouted.
Accel waited for the little man to lunge forward. The man pulled out a chain and started to spin it wildly. Accel smiled and dropped to the floor, shooting his legs out like twin pistons and knocking the red shirt flat.
Ayame flipped into the air, sailing over the enemy, and landing behind the chimney capped man. Before the ruffian could turn to see his adversary, Ayame landed a quick chop with the side of her hand against his neck. The chimney cap staggered forward, rubbing his neck and cursing in pain.
The gluttonous man crashed towards Jack like a bull in the ring. Jack's knives were ready, but what Ayame said entered his mind. Tossing the blades into the air, jack neatly hopped over the rampaging giant and landed on top of his shoulders, catching the blades in air. Two quick strikes with the hard metal handles to the bald man's crown sent him crashing into the wired floor.
Accel rose quickly, quickly dodging the falling giant swinging with his right fit into the small man's face. The red shirt dropped his chain in agony, screaming bloody murder. Accel through his left fist in as well, creating a stinging one-two sensation.
Ayame's ninja training was paying off. As graceful as any swan, Ayame flew through the air to land right before the chimney cap's very eyes. With a mighty spinning kick, she sent the dirty-coated man sprawling through the air just to land on the fat one's belly.
The red shirted man dived for the chain, but was too late. Accel sent him tumbling away with a strong kick. The Frenchman could feel the cowboy boot dig into his ribs. With a final cry, the Frenchman jostled towards his gang.
"Ungh… come on you lot, lets get out of here!" The red shirted man yelped.
In a matter of mere seconds the three men were nowhere to be seen. The dark empty hallway was left alone to the three heroes.
"After Other Jack it feels good to be able to kick someone's ass." Accel grinned.
"It sure does!" Ayame replied.
Jack crawled over to the three doors. The bandaged one was trying to sniff the air, searching for something, anything of use.
"But we're still stuck." Ayame complained.
Jack began to laugh.
** *
