PART TWO

The Great Wall is nothing more than a wide expanse of a melting mound of sand. Moans and sobs rise up from behind this pathetic defense line. They are music to Dilandau's ears. "Ha HA! Van! Take that!" Dilandau shouts across No Man's Land.

The courageous and heroic Van quivers to a stand and helps Hitomi up. Then he helps the others. He looks at his crew. Drenched, dirty, and worn out, Allen, Dryden, Hitomi, Milerna, and Merle stand valiantly before him. He had one doctor, two nurses, and two soldiers other than himself.

"Alright! I am Captain here," shouts Van, a look of determination cast upon his features. No one argues. "Milerna! You take care of the wounded." He indicates the innocent bystanders who had been enjoying the day at the beach and just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and had felt the effects of Big Red. Van continues, "Hitomi! Merle! You help her!"

"No, Lord Van. I'm going with you!" cries Merle and she flings herself at him.

Van's voice grows soft, and he holds her briefly in his arms. "No, Merle. You have been hurt. And your help is needed here more than anything. They didn't ask to be hurt. They need your help, the ones who aren't a part of this fight."

Merle sniffs. "Okay, Lord Van!" He stands up, his face and voice returning to commander-style.

"Dryden, Allen! You must set aside your differences. We are under attack! They have weapons-we do not! We have to get some. Our mission is clear." He turns to the wall, and, peaking over, looks across No Man's Land. "We have to sneak behind enemy lines and gather as many supplies as we can from those water toy stands that they're guarding. What we need is a distraction!"

"But who?" asks Dryden. "Who would be that stupid as to risk their." He and Van look at Allen.

Allen, who wants to look brave to Milerna, puffs out his naked chest and says in the manliest voice he can muster, "I'll do it. Just tell me what I have to do, Captain."

Milerna cries, "no! No, you can't, Allen! It's too dangerous."

"Milerna! Tend the wounded," commands Van. Then he focused on Allen. "I'm glad you volunteered for this, soldier. It's up to you to distract them. Here's the plan."

And Van begins drawing his idea in the sand..

* * *

"Gatti!! Where the hell are you!" growls Dilandau. "They're so quiet." he mutters. "What are they planning?"

"Y. yes sir!" exclaims Gatti, announcing his arrival.

"What's going on over there? I demand to know immediately."

Chesta pipes in, "well, my guess is that they are organizing themselves as best they can to retaliate with a counter-attack. Fortunately for us, we have cut off their supplies completely, and they have little chance or strategy. Surely, we have the upper hand in this maneuver."

Everyone blinks at Chesta in awe. After a long pause, Dilandau speaks, ".yes. Good observation soldier."

"Thank you sir!" Chesta says with a big grin.

* * *

"Okay. There are two stands: one on either side of Dilandau's beach umbrella defense line." Says Van. "One sells water guns, and the other sells water balloons. What we need you to do, Allen, is go to the water balloon store and try and buy some. They will expect you to go there, so they will most likely catch you. Then you have to run!"

"But why will they expect it, Captain?"

"Because the balloons, the explosives, are the more powerful weapons right now. When we have guns, we have to be at close range to use them, and they can just launch water balloons at us. But since we have no weapons to begin with, the guns seem pretty sweet. That's where Dryden and I are going- to get the guns. Then we strike back!"

* * *

"Their plan is obvious." Says Dalet matter-of-factly. "They will go to the water balloon stand, because those bombs are more powerful than the pitiful guns. But they will go in numbers. If we divide ourselves into two groups to guard both stands, we will be overtaken at either stand. So, we put most of our power at the stand they will definitely go to- the one with better weapons! We should send one person to the gun stand, and the rest of us at the balloon stand."

"But, I do not want to be unprotected!" cries Dilandau.

"Of course not, sir!" says Guimel. "Gatti, Dalet, and I, and a few of those nameless slayers will go to the balloon stand, making us ten bodies to three. Just in case, Chesta will go to the gun stand. And then you have another ten nameless slayers for your protection, sir."

"PERFECT!! All right! Dalet. Set the plan in motion!"

* * *

"Dryden! Allen! Let's set the plan in motion!" says Dalet.

With that, Allen moves down the Great Wall in one direction and Van and Dryden move down in the other direction, towards the ocean.

Allen crawls on his stomach. The wall is getting lower and lower as he nears the end. He will have to cross No Man's Land soon- an ordeal he does not wish to confront. He will have to do it without being seen. That is the biggest problem. There is so much open space. what will he do?

He decides to crawl, hoping his fair complexion and hair will blend into the white beach sands. He crawls close to the edge of the beach, where the grass grows sparsely and white fades to green, and green fades to parking lot.

So far so good, thinks Allen. I'm going to make it.

He draws ever nearer to the other side and the balloon stand. He finally stops and looks around. In the distance, he can see dragon slayers in swimming trunks marching around. He is behind enemy lines! No one is at the balloon stand.

Suddenly he thinks that Van's plan was wrong. No one was waiting for him at all. He slowly stands up and brushes the sand off. He walks casually up to the balloon stand.

"Hi there! I'd like some balloons!"

"Oh. would you?" Allen recognizes the voice and squints to see the half- shadowed figure within the stand.

"Miguel!"

"It's my summer job. and the stand is closed!"

Allen grabs two balloons just as many dragon slayers jump out of their hiding places and ambush him. "Not today, Slayers!" Allen cries and smashes the balloons at his feet. An explosion of water overtakes everyone except Allen, who shields his head and dives away from the blast.

He rolls and tumbles along the sand as the slayers' screams rise out of the watery detonation. He jumps up and begins to run towards No Man's Land, but is stopped short by more Dragon Slayers. They seize him and drag him away to their encampment.

"Nooooooooooo!" Allen grasps frantically at nothingness, trying to escape his horrible fate. He is to become a prisoner of war.

To Be Continued.

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