Missing Girl

In the Little Twister Saloon, the team was looking for a way to make some fast Gella. There, they heard how a woman named Claudia, who worked in the bar, had just vanished several days ago. As the four looked around town, and asked others, they heard several more rumors. One spoke of how a mysterious lady had come to town the night before Claudia vanished. The second was about the Unclean Mark, a ruin to the north of town. Expecting to get some treasure, they decided to set on out towards it immediately.

"I hope we find some artifacts of the past," stated Clive, "You see, I've been researching the decay of Filgaia for some time, about eight years. My professor was with me, but he died about seven years ago. It was really bad timing, his daughter had just found out that she was going to become a mother while the two of us were on that trip. I remember how sad I had been to have to bring home such horrible news."

Virginia knew there was nothing she could do for Clive about that, but they could track down some artifacts of the past while they were on their journey to find out about the Demons. No one knew what had happened to the spear that had appeared at Ka Dingel, it could very well be causing trouble for someone on Filgaia right now. And there was the matter with the employer Janus spoke of, he would most likely still be a problem. Was he a Demon? Or was that man just a tiny bit on the loopy side to want to unleash one?


* * *

At Unclean Mark, they encountered the lost saloon girl. Claudia apparently needed help to search for a treasure that was inside, and was looking for powerful Drifters. Gallows was all tongue tied at the girl's beauty, but it was Clive she'd formed an attachment to. Clive, however, didn't seem interested in her, only wanting to know the details of the job. Jet breathed a sigh of relief, as long as she wasn't flirting with him. He had seen some girls do that in a saloon in the past, and he wasn't interested. Every time, he could see how Virginia's knuckles would go white from making fists or grabbing onto her chair. It was just like how he got when some man tried to hit on Virginia. What was it that made him feel that way? And her as well?

The place was full of treacherous traps, and everyone kept getting caught in them. Claudia seemed to know how she could get through the dungeon, and never was hurt. But Virginia and co. had fallen in this poisonous liquid on the floor, got hit with a swinging spike, and were nearly run over by a rolling log. By the time the team had arrived at a room with a large crystal in the middle of a device, they were exhausted.

"If y'all want that gem, then you can take it. That's not the treasure I'm after. But I wager it can be sold for at least a thousand Gella on the market, and if you haggle a little bit you'll most likely be able to sell it for at least ten times that amount. Money isn't why I'm here, it's a certain item," the woman told the four.

Gallows rushed to get the gem, but even Jet could sense something was wrong. He might want to make a fast buck a lot of times, but he wasn't stupid either. The youth could tell when there was a trap to be found, having a sixth sense for those things. Virginia too, she thought something just didn't feel right about the gem and Claudia's words. Clive was just too intelligent, and also not interested in making the fast buck. Their hunches were all to prove true, for the second Gallows removed it, lasers fired all over the room.

Clive asked the woman, "What is your true motive? I know you're not just simply here for a treasure of some sorts. You use your beauty to play men right into your trap. But I am not one to fall for things like that, if I did so, my wife would be very disappointed in me. And I wouldn't want to let my daughter down."

Virginia stared. "You've got a wife and daughter. Tell me, does this have anything to do with your professor and his daughter? Was he your father-in-law or something?" Clive nodded, confirming her hunch.

"So, you see through me," the woman hissed, "I've been using her form in order to get people to let me into this place. It's full of strong energy, I can't teleport into a direct room, and might end up falling into a pit. But none have been able to find their way through here yet. You are the first." Suddenly, she fainted and a new form rose out from Claudia's body. It was a woman with short purple hair and blue eyes. If you liked that type, you'd say she was beautiful. But that's not why Virginia stared so. This woman looked like Melody Vilente, the Council of Seven's resident makeup obsessor and chaser of the most beautiful form.

"Coward! You hide behind the back of a poor innocent victim. Why don't you fight your battles like a real Drifter?" inquired Virginia. She'd brought out her Duel Pistols, after all, you always want to have the upper hand in a duel. This was just how her father would have done it, aimed but not fired until it started.

The woman stated, "I don't care about a Drifter's honor code. You can have the woman if you want to bring her back to town. I must press on and find the Gemini Circuit." She ran from the room very quickly. Gallows picked up Claudia, and they followed. What they saw, was something they never expected.

It was Janus. He was carrying the spear that they'd seen at Ka Dingel, and apparently acting as the woman's bodyguard. Then, as he noticed them, he began to walk towards them. Suddenly, a chunk of rock fell on his head, and he was crushed. But not killed, for he burst out, now in the form of a Demon.

Virginia fired two shots at him, plainly afraid of what he'd become. She hadn't been so afraid since the time she was nearly assaulted by those three men five years ago, when she and Jet had been camping outside of Jolly Roger. Janus just laughed. "Now, now, Princess, those aren't such good manners. I told you I would wield the power of this spear. My employer and his associates have granted me its full power if only I protect them. But the power hasn't been completely absorbed yet. I can, however, give you this." He used an attack called Negative Rainbow to knock the party out. Virginia could only watch as he and the woman escaped using teleportation. With them, they took the thing they had called a Gemini Circuit. She could only wonder what it would be used for. Could it be the key they needed to call more horrific Demons?


* * *

They were camping out that night, and discussing what had happened. Clive talked more about his wife, Catherine, and his daughter, Kaitlyn. The group agreed to bring Claudia back to Little Twister in the morning, and then find a new destination. But nothing seemed to catch their eyes. Suddenly, a light came up from the Mediums, heading south. Figuring it had something to do with Guardians and Demons, they all decided to go and search for whatever might lie south of town. It might be the breakthrough they needed.

Virginia, however, was silent. She didn't tell anyone what she thought. After all, there was no use in getting them all worked up, she had no proof that this woman was indeed Melody. Of course, her basic appearance and attitude suggested so. They would meet again, and then Virginia would find out the truth.

- - - -

Teefa's Last Words…

And yes, I did believe that Jet probably would have sensed the trap in that gem, he might crave Gella but he's not stupid. He'd be the one muttering, "Gallows, doesn't your small brain grasp the word TRAP? Probably leading to a fight, which would lead to Ginny trying to break it up by force. Hmmmmmm…I think Jet would rather like that part.