Disclaimer: Story plot, all mine. Cyborg crew… different story.
Bullet in the Dark
Chapter 9: Memories Risen
Author's Note:
Once again, I can't thank you guys enough for all the support. I couldn't do it without you guys. And now that I've crossed the 100th review mark… All I can say is this: You guys are true muses. Well, you guys along with the cow in my head. Moo…!
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Flashback ~
"JOE! Run while you can!"
Gunshots rang through the air.
"FATHER!"
The young man ran, rain beating down his already soaked shirt, ran towards the old man that had collapsed onto the wet concrete.
"Father, are you okay?"
Blood seeped onto the hands of the boy.
He stared at them in horrific terror.
The man who had raised him, the only family he had, was dead.
Dead like the mother he knew he had, but could not remember; a bullet in the dark.
Hidden so skillfully, yet so deadly, she was something of a past he didn't know.
Now the priest who raised him was dead.
Everyone around him, everyone who cared for him, has died.
A burst of light hit his eyes.
It was that moment he knew he had to avenge them.
But to do that, he had to survive.
So he ran.
He heard them follow, the men with their dogs, chasing him down like a rabbit.
He hears a crow in the background, cawing.
Death omen.
Don't die.
Adrenaline pumped through his veins, filling him with inhuman speed.
Branches clawed at his legs, scratching them unmercifully.
Keep running.
His eyes squinted as he saw a dim ray of light.
An entrance to somewhere crowded, somewhere where they could not harm him.
He sounded like a coward.
Was he?
Is he?
Mentally, he shook his head. He wasn't. He never would be.
Never will be.
The thicket thinned, and he panted, his heart drumming in his chest.
Finally, he reached the light.
He skidded to a sudden stop.
There was nowhere to run/
Dead-end.
It was the very edge of a cliff.
He wanted to chuckle, to fall on the ground and then laugh as he cried from the pure irony of it all.
It betrayed him again.
Fate betrayed him.
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All he wanted was to survive and seek vengeance.
It was all he wanted to do.
Instead, they gave him hell.
What could he do?
He had stared at the ocean, waves smashing against the jagged plateau.
They were coming closer.
He could hear their clumsy feet tromping through the underbrush, their dogs barking madly, eager for blood.
Their flashlights shined in his face, blinding him.
"AGH!" he cried. His arm moved up to protect his eyes. He stepped backwards.
They came into view.
"We've come for you, Shimamura." A statement, like it had already happened.
He stepped back once more, taking small, uneasy steps.
"N-no, I didn't do anything. I just ha-"
He fell.
One step too many and he fell.
He was too terrified to cry out.
Eyes closed.
What did it matter anyway?
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He found himself washed up in a small beach.
He wondered if he was in heaven.
Maybe he would see his loved ones again?
His head throbbed.
No, no, on second thought, maybe he was still alive.
Heaven did not hurt.
He didn't know if he was pleased or disappointed.
His eyes filled with tears.
Coward, he called himself. Fool.
He jumped up, jerking up like a puppet.
He let the tears dry in his eyes.
Never again.
Never again would he cry, express human pain, human rage.
Never again would he dream of things that could --would-- ever happen.
He glared at the ocean, as if daring it to criticize him, to say something and object.
He allowed himself one last outburst of emotion.
He screamed.
~ End of Flashback
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He stared at the ceiling, as he had done for every night before falling into a horror-filled dream.
His glares burned holes into the paint.
His memory blurred at how he had been found, made, into an assassin his foster-father would have been horrified at.
What did he care?
How long had he lie awake?
Too long; the sun was raising.
He wanted out.
The girl…
Who was she to wake emotions he could not have? To change him like no other ever had -- ever could?
He needed to kill something.
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Scarl Kugaikotsu paced in his office, his face contorted into an evil glare.
Where was his fiancée?
Where was the woman that would make him rich?
He knew she was still alive.
The Neo Black Skull organization had her.
He scoffed at himself, regret --angry, ironic regret-- filled him.
He had once been the leader, the head, of that company.
He had once been the man instructing, commanding, from hidden office.
But somehow, he had been removed.
And he could not say anything.
The league had changed their name to Neo Black Ghost, where it had once been the Black Ghost Organization.
What had happened?
Betrayal.
The very thing he was the king at had been used against him.
Irony.
Well, he would show them.
He would take his position back, his money, his life, his wife.
And he would be the only one to ever do it.
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Sorry about the short chapter (again). I have to admit, I was trying to get this out of the way so I could get on with the true plot. Building it is no fun. So sorry if it was crap. Enjoy the rest of your fanfiction time! Please leave a happy review!
Reponses to Reviews:
Queen of Duels: Hello again! I'm glad you're back to read the story! I was afraid you didn't like it anymore! Here's the next chapter and I hope you talk to you on YIM again! You've read my story 5 times? WOW! That's more than I've done it! Thanks a lot!
Sesshomaruwuzhere: Of course I'll sing for you! I will definitely start uploading Red Lantern again. The reason I stopped was because I was mad at ff.net for having so many bad Inu Yasha writers messing up the nice little site! Anyway, I hope I'm not making you too mad…! Thanks for being a great friend!
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Yami Aibou: Thank you! I'm sorry there's not a lot of action, but soon there will be! The clock chimes, in truth, were part of trying to take up space, but I'm glad you found it okay!
Aria Zephyr: Yes, I read your bio! It was really cool! I hope you had a great birthday, and I hope you join the Yahoo!Group! It would be great to have you! Thanks for liking the last chapter! You're an awesome person!
Wolfgirl333: Sad? Good! Thank you for still liking this story!
Serene Faerie: Good! Angsty is a must in this story! Thanks for the luck in school; vice versa for you! Hope you enjoyed the chapter!
GoldAngel2: I love your reviews because they say exactly what you're thinking! It's wonderful! Yes, Joe will soon be… different. It's okay that you couldn't chat; we can do that sometime later. Your Rurouni Kenshin story was wonderful, and I really enjoyed it! I hope you keep writing and can't wait to see more pieces!
Chaos Kid: Can do for you!
TFRiD Queen: Yeah, she didn't know his name, but it will play a big part later, causing a lot of anguish. I can't wait for your opinion on it when it comes to that part!
xXSoraXx: The fic you told me about is pretty good! I took a look at it, but didn't finish or review yet… Here's the next chapter!
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MagicianCyborg: Haha! Don't kill yourself! Here's the next chapter for you to read and enjoy!
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Gohan-Chan: I know about that other story… It's called 'Can an Asassin Love', right? One of my readers is writing it. Mine came out first, though! Hope you like both stories!