Chapter 8- Crucible
Author's note: the gang leader whom I named Dimitry is now called Jacob. Sorry about that, didn't want to go and change every Dimitry to a Jacob, so it'll be cool if you can remember this.
Knives' POV
I popped the cylinder open to my black Long Colt and started oiling it. Gave the part a spin and then closed it. Nope, the angle is a bit off. I popped it open again and changed the hammer. A tune up is needed. *sigh*
Someone burst through the doors of the Tavern. *Click* My gun was up before his foot came down. "FREEZE HUMAN- Oh, it's just you, Vashu." I put the gun back down. "Help, Knives! I got myself an entourage!"
Irritation gripped my body. Nothing is worst than a crowd of humans together around a plant. I see it enough times in textbooks, scientists surrounding a plant bulb to see its performance and what not. My face became even more stern. There is fifteen of them. The leader is a tough looking male that looks older than his age.
"Why, Vash?? Why can't you hang out with normal people!?"
"Knives.call me drunk, but you don't hang out with anyone."
"Shut up. No one is worth my presence."
"Then give this group a chance. You did request a gang to run some operations for you, now that you're expelled."
"You have a way of rubbing all those negative things in my face, don't you??"
"I try not to."
I clenched my teeth at that remark. Is he just dumb, or is he really that hard to tolerate? Both? Neither?
What the hell, nothing is difficult for me. If worst comes to worst, I'll inject enough psionic energy to blow their brains all over the floor. Then I'll get in trouble with the July City law, and I'm still an officer in law enforcement, even though I'm an expelled student. When did I get myself into this mess?
*Flashback*
"Vashu, MUST I live with humans!?"
"Yes, Knives. Otherwise, you'll just go back to your old ways."
"They are filthy, disgusting and by no means worthy of my superior presence." "People aren't that bad once you know them."
"How do you tolerate them!?"
"People aren't perfect, but neither are we. We just have higher capabilities. We have emotions, misunderstandings, and the like, just like people."
"Did Rem teach you that line?"
"UH, well.that's not the point. Look, just give them a chance. They can't be that bad. I mean they survived this long.right?"
*End flashback*
Yes, they survived this long, BY LEECHING OFF PLANTS! I'm not about to change myself and all of a sudden start accepting that. I'll do my best to abstain from murder, but if the situation calls, well, we all have our ways of doing what's necessary. I'm doing this to keep the only family I have, nothing more.
"Well, Jacob and the rest of the gang, come in and see your new.fight coach? I dunno." Vash shrugged and laughed like a dork. "I need to get back to work now, Meryl says I have been slacking off in tending my bar so I can't eat donuts without working for them, AND SHE-"
"Shut up, Vash." I interrupted.
"That's not very nice." he started to say and the voice trailed off as he left us at the backyard and went back to the counter at the front of his bar.
"Uh, Mr. Knives?" asked a nervous Jacob.
"Knives is my first name." I said simply. At least get the name right, imbeciles!
"Sorry about that. Knives, could you teach us how to fight?"
"You're a gang, and you don't know how to fight?? What other mysteries of the world do I still have yet to discover?" I had a mental apoplexy because Vashu's dorky line: "That's not very nice." echoed in my head. Who is he to tell me what's nice and what's not. These humans aren't nice material!
"The gang is twice our number and strength...sir." Now I'm their drill sergeant as well. No way in fucking hell I'm going to tear down and rebuild their sorry asses. I laughed inwardly, I don't mind deconstructing them though!
"Don't you students have school tomorrow?"
Jacob spoke up. "That's why I need your help! They're going to come back with full power!"
"I can't teach you to fight in those conditions with less than a day's time."
"But we're fucked!"
"That's your problem, don't get into trouble if you aren't competent enough to get out of it."
"I'm begging YOU!"
"It don't look like it. Now get out of my face."
Jacob dropped to his knees and held on to my ankle. What the. "I AM begging you, we need to fight off the gang!"
This is REALLY testing my resistance to turn everyone of these pieces of vermin to bodies. Some of this HAS to vent.and serve a purpose. Got it.
I looked down at him, nonchalant, identical to the same way I looked at Chapel as I sent him to that nether dimension. Damn, that would be so fitting right now... For a moment, I did nothing, then reared my right leg back and kicked him in the face, point blank. Just enough force to send him flying back to a wall, but not enough to break anything.at least that's how I calculated the force.
"Knives! I demand you stop this nonsense right now and apologize."
Like hell I would. Anyone here apologizes to pieces of garbage? Yes? No hands? Thought so.
"THE FUCK WAS THAT FOR!" yelled a redhead angrily. He put on brass knuckles and prepared to deck me a new hole. Not a chance. I drew my black Long Colt and fired.
A laser straight cut drew itself across Mr. Brass Knuckles. *mind probe* Ah, so his name is Gerald. For the split second after the shot (slow ass motherfuckers) everyone paralyzed in the middle of what they were doing, Vash and me included.
Gerald's charge was stopped.
"It's against the law to attack a law enforcement officer." I said icily.
He wiped his new wound. "It's against the law to attack a bystander, dick." He clenched his face wound and then wiped the blood that started to trickle. His other hand tightened to a fist. I'm not taking chances and drew my Magnum and pointed at the fallen leader.
"Next time I won't miss, Gerald. Calm the fuck down and haul ass."
Gerald behaved. I started to walk back in.
"Shoot if you want. We're not leaving unless one of us gets our way." Gerald said quietly.
I looked back.
(Knives, DO NOT kill them. I'll never forgive you!) Vash told me telepathically.
"As you wish." I said to no one in particular. I pointed the Colt at Gerald, aiming for the space between his eyes. "Live by your words, human." I pulled the trigger.
Vash gasped. I laughed exuberantly.
Gerald's eyes were closed tightly. Upon realizing that he's still on his knees and all his brains are intact, he loosened up. "." was all he can muster as a reply.
"I'll meet you people after school. Tomorrow is your first drill, ladies." I said in a sergeant's voice.
Silence.
"IS THIS HOW YOU ACKNOWLEDGE ME!"
"NO, SIR!" they said in unison. "SORRY, SIR!"
"Drop the military thing." I said icily.
"YES, SIR!" they said again.
"WHAT PART OF DROP THE MILITARY THING DO YOU IDIOTS NOT UNDERSTAND!" Military courtesy are for humans only. I don't follow such obsolete mannerisms.
"Sorry.Knives."
"Get out of my face, see you suckers tomorrow." I said, and this time, I turned away- without having to look back.
They left and I'm left alone with Vash.
"What was the meaning of kicking Jacob in the face?"
"He was begging! Competent leaders don't resort to such things. By doing so, he gave up his position as leader. I just made it official and apparent. I'm stepping in, Vashu."
"That wasn't a very nice way of doing it. I'm pretty sure that you can think of other ways to make that apparent."
"It's people like you that makes humans so pathetic. DAMN IT LET THEM SUFFER!"
Vash shrank back from my outburst.
"Part of the human's growing up process is suffering for what they want! If they can't do that, then their effort isn't worthwhile at best, at worst, they don't deserve to live!"
An uneasy silence snuffed out the argument. Vash continued to wipe down the shot glasses, and the beer mugs. I went to the back storage room and unpacked the shipments of alcohol that arrived today.
Author's note: the gang leader whom I named Dimitry is now called Jacob. Sorry about that, didn't want to go and change every Dimitry to a Jacob, so it'll be cool if you can remember this.
Knives' POV
I popped the cylinder open to my black Long Colt and started oiling it. Gave the part a spin and then closed it. Nope, the angle is a bit off. I popped it open again and changed the hammer. A tune up is needed. *sigh*
Someone burst through the doors of the Tavern. *Click* My gun was up before his foot came down. "FREEZE HUMAN- Oh, it's just you, Vashu." I put the gun back down. "Help, Knives! I got myself an entourage!"
Irritation gripped my body. Nothing is worst than a crowd of humans together around a plant. I see it enough times in textbooks, scientists surrounding a plant bulb to see its performance and what not. My face became even more stern. There is fifteen of them. The leader is a tough looking male that looks older than his age.
"Why, Vash?? Why can't you hang out with normal people!?"
"Knives.call me drunk, but you don't hang out with anyone."
"Shut up. No one is worth my presence."
"Then give this group a chance. You did request a gang to run some operations for you, now that you're expelled."
"You have a way of rubbing all those negative things in my face, don't you??"
"I try not to."
I clenched my teeth at that remark. Is he just dumb, or is he really that hard to tolerate? Both? Neither?
What the hell, nothing is difficult for me. If worst comes to worst, I'll inject enough psionic energy to blow their brains all over the floor. Then I'll get in trouble with the July City law, and I'm still an officer in law enforcement, even though I'm an expelled student. When did I get myself into this mess?
*Flashback*
"Vashu, MUST I live with humans!?"
"Yes, Knives. Otherwise, you'll just go back to your old ways."
"They are filthy, disgusting and by no means worthy of my superior presence." "People aren't that bad once you know them."
"How do you tolerate them!?"
"People aren't perfect, but neither are we. We just have higher capabilities. We have emotions, misunderstandings, and the like, just like people."
"Did Rem teach you that line?"
"UH, well.that's not the point. Look, just give them a chance. They can't be that bad. I mean they survived this long.right?"
*End flashback*
Yes, they survived this long, BY LEECHING OFF PLANTS! I'm not about to change myself and all of a sudden start accepting that. I'll do my best to abstain from murder, but if the situation calls, well, we all have our ways of doing what's necessary. I'm doing this to keep the only family I have, nothing more.
"Well, Jacob and the rest of the gang, come in and see your new.fight coach? I dunno." Vash shrugged and laughed like a dork. "I need to get back to work now, Meryl says I have been slacking off in tending my bar so I can't eat donuts without working for them, AND SHE-"
"Shut up, Vash." I interrupted.
"That's not very nice." he started to say and the voice trailed off as he left us at the backyard and went back to the counter at the front of his bar.
"Uh, Mr. Knives?" asked a nervous Jacob.
"Knives is my first name." I said simply. At least get the name right, imbeciles!
"Sorry about that. Knives, could you teach us how to fight?"
"You're a gang, and you don't know how to fight?? What other mysteries of the world do I still have yet to discover?" I had a mental apoplexy because Vashu's dorky line: "That's not very nice." echoed in my head. Who is he to tell me what's nice and what's not. These humans aren't nice material!
"The gang is twice our number and strength...sir." Now I'm their drill sergeant as well. No way in fucking hell I'm going to tear down and rebuild their sorry asses. I laughed inwardly, I don't mind deconstructing them though!
"Don't you students have school tomorrow?"
Jacob spoke up. "That's why I need your help! They're going to come back with full power!"
"I can't teach you to fight in those conditions with less than a day's time."
"But we're fucked!"
"That's your problem, don't get into trouble if you aren't competent enough to get out of it."
"I'm begging YOU!"
"It don't look like it. Now get out of my face."
Jacob dropped to his knees and held on to my ankle. What the. "I AM begging you, we need to fight off the gang!"
This is REALLY testing my resistance to turn everyone of these pieces of vermin to bodies. Some of this HAS to vent.and serve a purpose. Got it.
I looked down at him, nonchalant, identical to the same way I looked at Chapel as I sent him to that nether dimension. Damn, that would be so fitting right now... For a moment, I did nothing, then reared my right leg back and kicked him in the face, point blank. Just enough force to send him flying back to a wall, but not enough to break anything.at least that's how I calculated the force.
"Knives! I demand you stop this nonsense right now and apologize."
Like hell I would. Anyone here apologizes to pieces of garbage? Yes? No hands? Thought so.
"THE FUCK WAS THAT FOR!" yelled a redhead angrily. He put on brass knuckles and prepared to deck me a new hole. Not a chance. I drew my black Long Colt and fired.
A laser straight cut drew itself across Mr. Brass Knuckles. *mind probe* Ah, so his name is Gerald. For the split second after the shot (slow ass motherfuckers) everyone paralyzed in the middle of what they were doing, Vash and me included.
Gerald's charge was stopped.
"It's against the law to attack a law enforcement officer." I said icily.
He wiped his new wound. "It's against the law to attack a bystander, dick." He clenched his face wound and then wiped the blood that started to trickle. His other hand tightened to a fist. I'm not taking chances and drew my Magnum and pointed at the fallen leader.
"Next time I won't miss, Gerald. Calm the fuck down and haul ass."
Gerald behaved. I started to walk back in.
"Shoot if you want. We're not leaving unless one of us gets our way." Gerald said quietly.
I looked back.
(Knives, DO NOT kill them. I'll never forgive you!) Vash told me telepathically.
"As you wish." I said to no one in particular. I pointed the Colt at Gerald, aiming for the space between his eyes. "Live by your words, human." I pulled the trigger.
Vash gasped. I laughed exuberantly.
Gerald's eyes were closed tightly. Upon realizing that he's still on his knees and all his brains are intact, he loosened up. "." was all he can muster as a reply.
"I'll meet you people after school. Tomorrow is your first drill, ladies." I said in a sergeant's voice.
Silence.
"IS THIS HOW YOU ACKNOWLEDGE ME!"
"NO, SIR!" they said in unison. "SORRY, SIR!"
"Drop the military thing." I said icily.
"YES, SIR!" they said again.
"WHAT PART OF DROP THE MILITARY THING DO YOU IDIOTS NOT UNDERSTAND!" Military courtesy are for humans only. I don't follow such obsolete mannerisms.
"Sorry.Knives."
"Get out of my face, see you suckers tomorrow." I said, and this time, I turned away- without having to look back.
They left and I'm left alone with Vash.
"What was the meaning of kicking Jacob in the face?"
"He was begging! Competent leaders don't resort to such things. By doing so, he gave up his position as leader. I just made it official and apparent. I'm stepping in, Vashu."
"That wasn't a very nice way of doing it. I'm pretty sure that you can think of other ways to make that apparent."
"It's people like you that makes humans so pathetic. DAMN IT LET THEM SUFFER!"
Vash shrank back from my outburst.
"Part of the human's growing up process is suffering for what they want! If they can't do that, then their effort isn't worthwhile at best, at worst, they don't deserve to live!"
An uneasy silence snuffed out the argument. Vash continued to wipe down the shot glasses, and the beer mugs. I went to the back storage room and unpacked the shipments of alcohol that arrived today.