A/N Okay, I told you guys this one was longer. See? Look at that! Now,
for all you J/V fans out there like myself, I assure you that Maya will go
away soon, okay? So don't get angry!
Once again, I don't own Wild Arms 3. And that doesn't bother me.
Chapter 2 Jaded for Jewels
Three years. I don't think you understand. It's been THREE YEARS since I had my last capture. It's not like I don't try anymore, it's just that there's no one out there worth my effort. I almost took up a job to hunt down the Cascade gang, but by some stroke of stupidity, they wound up in prison on their own accord. I suppose it's a good thing that there isn't any nasty criminals anymore, but still, I need work, damn it! So to pass the time, I've been hanging out at Gunner's Heaven. I suppose I should be complacent here, it is a battle area and all, but there isn't anyone here who can really challenge me. The tournaments don't pay as well as bounties do, either. It could be worse, though; I could be stuck in some dead-end rut like Little Twister. But, I digress.
Today is March 25th. Once again, I sit out in the lobby of Gunner's Heaven. It's a very inviting atmosphere. The walls are all made of huge granite blocks, as is the floor, and the room is dotted with some cheap wooden chairs and tables. Top it off with the medieval torches, and you've got yourself a place to call home. Even I find the place depressing sometimes.
"Hey shorty! How are ya today?" I never noticed she was there until she gave me a little peck on the cheek. She was a stunning blonde, although I detect a bit of a tomboy in her. Tomboy or not, she's the only Hawk I know that wears a dress into battle.
"Why must you call me that, Maya? You've barely got two inches on me." I stood up to prove my point. She just laughed and wrapped her arms around my waist. "So I take it you haven't found any good jobs either?"
"Oh, there was a few offers here and there. Of course, I didn't want to associate my good name with those dregs," she muttered in a haughty tone. "But I did find an interesting lead."
"Oh? Then tell me."
"Nope!"
"Aw, come on, Maya. Couples shouldn't hide things from each other." I brought my head closer to hers.
"Well, I'll give you the info, but ONLY if you get me a really nice gem." She said, with a nice, sultry touch. It always sends shivers down my spine. Fun, pleasurable shivers.
"I'll have to think about it." I closed my eyes, and went in for the kiss. Instead I found my mouth on her palm. Damn it, I hate it when she humiliates me like that!
"You're not sweet-talking out of this, Jetty-boy. I want a gem, and you want the info. You know what you have to do."
"Whatever."
"That's what I like to hear! I'll be waiting in the inn, so don't take too long!" With a triumphant smile, she marched to the counter and reserved a room.
To no one in particular, I muttered "Maybe she'll let me stay the night."
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"So how'd you get involved with a girl like Schroedinger? I heard she's a real." He saw my glare. ".particular person."
"Clive, not every woman can be as charming as your wife. And besides, it's none of your damn business."
Clive Winslett and me, we go way back. He may be ten years my senior, but that doesn't matter. He's been my best informant. I don't hear from him as much as I used to, ever since he married Catherine. He said something about not wanting to drag her into this business, and I guess I understood. Luckily, he still kept his ears open for anything big.
"Jet, I think you should find someone a bit less conceited. You know, like-"
I finished the thought for him. "Catherine? Didn't you hear a word of what I just said?"
He held his hands up in surrender. "I'm only trying to help."
"If you want to help, tell me something good. Hear anything about any gems or crystals?"
"Actually, there is a rumor."
"Yeah? What is it?"
"But I've got something better than that."
"Well, tell me both then, damn it!" I have to admit, I was never able to keep my patience around this guy.
"It'll cost ya."
I guess I glared pretty hard, because he shrank into his seat!
"Sorry, Jet, I was kidding! I'll tell you everything." He took a swig of his root beer. God, that woman made him soft! He used to be able to drink me under the table. Sure, I was only sixteen at the time, but still. "I've heard that you're in a rut, career-wise, right?" I nodded. "Well, I've got quite the catch for you, kid. Someone found evidence that Maxwell Rose was recently in Boot Hill."
I nearly jumped out of my seat. Maxwell Rose?! The world's most infamous criminal, in my grasp? Hell yes, I'll take that chance!
After I take care of Maya.
He allowed my to regain my composure before he continued. "One of my friends from the business found this." He pulled a piece of white leather from one of the many pockets of his red trenchcoat. The leather had a rose embroidered on it. "You recognize that? The only other place that this symbol was found was at Harilly Manor."
Harilly Manor was the scene of Rose's first crime. The entire family was slaughtered during the night, and all the evidence that was found was a white, leather strip with the rose pattern, just like the shred that Clive had!
"So, Clive, you're saying that someone you know just happened to find this? Or is there something you're not telling me?"
"Huh? What do you mean? I assure you, there's nothing out of the ordinary. Well, besides that fact that this is Maxwell Rose we're talking about."
"Whatever. What about the gem thing? I don't wanna be castrated by Maya."
"What are you talking about?"
"Nothing! Just tell me the damn lead!"
"Damn, kid, calm down! There's a ruin northwest of here that's supposed to have some nice gems. Maybe you can find something she'll like."
"What? I never told you why I was."
"I kinda figured it out. Obviously, you're not into jewelry, and that 'castration' outburst didn't help you."
"Ugh. thanks, man. I owe you one."
"If that's the case, could you try to find an extra gem? I can give it to Catherine, and you can consider us even."
"That's good enough for me. How long will you be here?"
"I'll wait for you to come back. Who knows, maybe I'll have to come rescue you! Ha!"
I let out a sarcastic laugh, and walked out of his room. It was a real stroke of luck that Clive happened to be staying at Gunner's Heaven. Although, he never told me why he was here. I didn't think Catherine would let him come to a battle arena.
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Sometimes I have to wonder about certain things. For example, right now I wonder why all of these ruins seem to have been designed around me using my boomerang. I have to wonder these things because I don't want to go insane from boredom. This place is endless. From the outside, this ruin looked like a small, stone building, no more than four stories in height, and each side was roughly one hundred feet long. Of course, whoever built this thing did so on top of a cave, because I've gone down at least thirty flights of stairs since I arrived here, and I saw no signs of it ending anytime soon.
Wait a sec. There's a dodecahedron crystal on the wall up ahead. That can mean only one thing. The ancient peoples of Filgaia must have been a magical bunch, or else how could you explain why smacking a crystal would open a door? It was way out of my reach, and across deep pit. I looked over the edge to see if I could find the bottom, but I only saw darkness smiling back at me. I looked back at the crystal, and I realized that it was behind a large pillar. If I moved to a more advantageous position, the crystal would have been out of range of my boomerang. So I needed to rely on my throwing skills in trying to get the boomerang to curve around the pillar and then hit the crystal on the return arc. Piece of cake. I heard the clink of the crystal meeting metal, and I heard my boomerang clatter off into the dark pit. Now, if this was a normal boomerang, I'd be worried. I'd never be able to get it out of that pit. But my boomerang is different. I found it six years ago in some random ruin. Whenever it's not in my possession for more than thirty seconds, it somehow reappears on my back, which is pretty helpful.
It was only then that I realized something. The darkness smiled back at me? As I thought this, a hideous shriek resounded below me. I looked down a saw the giant head of a snake rushing towards me from below. I fell backwards to the ground just as the head reached my level, and the creature sped straight upwards and smashed into the ceiling. Apparently it wasn't to smart, which is good; I'm almost out of ammunition for my ARM, the Airget-lamh. I finally got a good look at my attacker as it turned in midair to face me. It did look like a giant viper, except it had four, bird-like pairs of wings at set intervals along it's body. It charged at me again, this time flying barely a foot off the floor. So, all I had to do was jump. I flipped in midair and squeezed off a decent gatling of shells into the monster's enormous head. I figured that it was dead when I landed on top of it's still form, and it didn't react. So I severed it's head with the blade on my boomerang for good measure. It took it's fangs, too; you never know what these things are worth.
"Whoa, that was pretty impressive, punk!"
Who the hell said that? I whirled around to the room's entrance, and saw the most ridiculous get-up in all of my experience. This guy was wearing leather like a fetishist, and what appeared to be half of a leather skirt was wrapped around his leather pants. No, those are chaps. He's wearing denim under them. No shirt, though, just a leather vest and some bizarre, tribal thing. Top it off with some long brown hair and some weird white stripe, and you've got yourself a version of this weirdo. Hold on, is he wearing white lipstick? "So what are you supposed to be, chump?"
He struck an offended pose and blurted "I am the renowned Gallows Carradine! You should be honored, punk!"
"Carradine? Why does that sound familiar? Oh, wait, aren't you the guy who got struck by lighting six times because you stood on top of a windmill during a thunderstorm?"
"What! It was only four times, punk! And besides, I was defending the city from beasts!"
"Wait. Oh yeah! You were at the wrong location, too. You were supposed to be guarding Claiborne but you wound up outside of Little Twister, right?"
"Aw, damn it kid! What makes you think you're so big and bad? What's your name, punk?"
"Jet," I replied nonchalantly. "Jet Enduro." It's something I'd rehearsed for years.
"Bullshit. A little punk like you? That's pretty funny! Come on, be serious. Who are you?"
"Hey, if you don't believe me, it's not my fault. See ya," I called as I turned to walk out of the room.
When I reached the door, I heard him mutter, "No way, that couldn't have been him, could it?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------
I got back to Gunner's Heaven the next morning. I didn't find any gems in the whole damn ruin, either. I did pick up a few more fangs, though. I gave a few to Clive for his help, although he said he wasn't really expecting anything. So, I had to face Maya now. Cross your fingers.
"What!! Nothing at all!? What kind of crap are you trying to pull, Enduro?" She used my last name; this can't be good.
"Jeez, Maya, I endured thirty floors of hell for you! Doesn't that count for something?" So I exaggerated a little. It wasn't that bad.
"It's not worth any Gella, that's for sure!"
"If it's Gella you want, then take these." I pulled out the remaining fangs I had and handed them to her. She almost smacked them out of my hand, but she stopped.
"Wait, are these Oroboros fangs?"
"Oroboros? A big snake with wings?" She nodded. "I guess so. Why do you ask?"
"Gimme! These things are worth a fortune! I can get six-thousand Gella a piece!"
Damn it! I should have gotten them appraised first! Oh well, maybe I'll get the info now. "So, what's your secret lead?"
"Well. okay. I heard a rumor about Maxwell Rose from some guy down the hall. He said Rose was seen in Boot Hill."
"No. no.. no! I knew that already! And when did you talk to Clive? Why'd he tell you that? What the hell!!"
"Sorry, no refunds, shorty!"
I vented for the next four hours.
A/N Maya's a bitch, ne? (What does that mean? I'm shooting in the dark, here.) Sorry, J/M fans, these two will never end up together in my stories, even if I have to kill one of 'em! Wait, I didn't mean in this story! Come back! Come baaaack!!
Chapter 2 Jaded for Jewels
Three years. I don't think you understand. It's been THREE YEARS since I had my last capture. It's not like I don't try anymore, it's just that there's no one out there worth my effort. I almost took up a job to hunt down the Cascade gang, but by some stroke of stupidity, they wound up in prison on their own accord. I suppose it's a good thing that there isn't any nasty criminals anymore, but still, I need work, damn it! So to pass the time, I've been hanging out at Gunner's Heaven. I suppose I should be complacent here, it is a battle area and all, but there isn't anyone here who can really challenge me. The tournaments don't pay as well as bounties do, either. It could be worse, though; I could be stuck in some dead-end rut like Little Twister. But, I digress.
Today is March 25th. Once again, I sit out in the lobby of Gunner's Heaven. It's a very inviting atmosphere. The walls are all made of huge granite blocks, as is the floor, and the room is dotted with some cheap wooden chairs and tables. Top it off with the medieval torches, and you've got yourself a place to call home. Even I find the place depressing sometimes.
"Hey shorty! How are ya today?" I never noticed she was there until she gave me a little peck on the cheek. She was a stunning blonde, although I detect a bit of a tomboy in her. Tomboy or not, she's the only Hawk I know that wears a dress into battle.
"Why must you call me that, Maya? You've barely got two inches on me." I stood up to prove my point. She just laughed and wrapped her arms around my waist. "So I take it you haven't found any good jobs either?"
"Oh, there was a few offers here and there. Of course, I didn't want to associate my good name with those dregs," she muttered in a haughty tone. "But I did find an interesting lead."
"Oh? Then tell me."
"Nope!"
"Aw, come on, Maya. Couples shouldn't hide things from each other." I brought my head closer to hers.
"Well, I'll give you the info, but ONLY if you get me a really nice gem." She said, with a nice, sultry touch. It always sends shivers down my spine. Fun, pleasurable shivers.
"I'll have to think about it." I closed my eyes, and went in for the kiss. Instead I found my mouth on her palm. Damn it, I hate it when she humiliates me like that!
"You're not sweet-talking out of this, Jetty-boy. I want a gem, and you want the info. You know what you have to do."
"Whatever."
"That's what I like to hear! I'll be waiting in the inn, so don't take too long!" With a triumphant smile, she marched to the counter and reserved a room.
To no one in particular, I muttered "Maybe she'll let me stay the night."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------
"So how'd you get involved with a girl like Schroedinger? I heard she's a real." He saw my glare. ".particular person."
"Clive, not every woman can be as charming as your wife. And besides, it's none of your damn business."
Clive Winslett and me, we go way back. He may be ten years my senior, but that doesn't matter. He's been my best informant. I don't hear from him as much as I used to, ever since he married Catherine. He said something about not wanting to drag her into this business, and I guess I understood. Luckily, he still kept his ears open for anything big.
"Jet, I think you should find someone a bit less conceited. You know, like-"
I finished the thought for him. "Catherine? Didn't you hear a word of what I just said?"
He held his hands up in surrender. "I'm only trying to help."
"If you want to help, tell me something good. Hear anything about any gems or crystals?"
"Actually, there is a rumor."
"Yeah? What is it?"
"But I've got something better than that."
"Well, tell me both then, damn it!" I have to admit, I was never able to keep my patience around this guy.
"It'll cost ya."
I guess I glared pretty hard, because he shrank into his seat!
"Sorry, Jet, I was kidding! I'll tell you everything." He took a swig of his root beer. God, that woman made him soft! He used to be able to drink me under the table. Sure, I was only sixteen at the time, but still. "I've heard that you're in a rut, career-wise, right?" I nodded. "Well, I've got quite the catch for you, kid. Someone found evidence that Maxwell Rose was recently in Boot Hill."
I nearly jumped out of my seat. Maxwell Rose?! The world's most infamous criminal, in my grasp? Hell yes, I'll take that chance!
After I take care of Maya.
He allowed my to regain my composure before he continued. "One of my friends from the business found this." He pulled a piece of white leather from one of the many pockets of his red trenchcoat. The leather had a rose embroidered on it. "You recognize that? The only other place that this symbol was found was at Harilly Manor."
Harilly Manor was the scene of Rose's first crime. The entire family was slaughtered during the night, and all the evidence that was found was a white, leather strip with the rose pattern, just like the shred that Clive had!
"So, Clive, you're saying that someone you know just happened to find this? Or is there something you're not telling me?"
"Huh? What do you mean? I assure you, there's nothing out of the ordinary. Well, besides that fact that this is Maxwell Rose we're talking about."
"Whatever. What about the gem thing? I don't wanna be castrated by Maya."
"What are you talking about?"
"Nothing! Just tell me the damn lead!"
"Damn, kid, calm down! There's a ruin northwest of here that's supposed to have some nice gems. Maybe you can find something she'll like."
"What? I never told you why I was."
"I kinda figured it out. Obviously, you're not into jewelry, and that 'castration' outburst didn't help you."
"Ugh. thanks, man. I owe you one."
"If that's the case, could you try to find an extra gem? I can give it to Catherine, and you can consider us even."
"That's good enough for me. How long will you be here?"
"I'll wait for you to come back. Who knows, maybe I'll have to come rescue you! Ha!"
I let out a sarcastic laugh, and walked out of his room. It was a real stroke of luck that Clive happened to be staying at Gunner's Heaven. Although, he never told me why he was here. I didn't think Catherine would let him come to a battle arena.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------
Sometimes I have to wonder about certain things. For example, right now I wonder why all of these ruins seem to have been designed around me using my boomerang. I have to wonder these things because I don't want to go insane from boredom. This place is endless. From the outside, this ruin looked like a small, stone building, no more than four stories in height, and each side was roughly one hundred feet long. Of course, whoever built this thing did so on top of a cave, because I've gone down at least thirty flights of stairs since I arrived here, and I saw no signs of it ending anytime soon.
Wait a sec. There's a dodecahedron crystal on the wall up ahead. That can mean only one thing. The ancient peoples of Filgaia must have been a magical bunch, or else how could you explain why smacking a crystal would open a door? It was way out of my reach, and across deep pit. I looked over the edge to see if I could find the bottom, but I only saw darkness smiling back at me. I looked back at the crystal, and I realized that it was behind a large pillar. If I moved to a more advantageous position, the crystal would have been out of range of my boomerang. So I needed to rely on my throwing skills in trying to get the boomerang to curve around the pillar and then hit the crystal on the return arc. Piece of cake. I heard the clink of the crystal meeting metal, and I heard my boomerang clatter off into the dark pit. Now, if this was a normal boomerang, I'd be worried. I'd never be able to get it out of that pit. But my boomerang is different. I found it six years ago in some random ruin. Whenever it's not in my possession for more than thirty seconds, it somehow reappears on my back, which is pretty helpful.
It was only then that I realized something. The darkness smiled back at me? As I thought this, a hideous shriek resounded below me. I looked down a saw the giant head of a snake rushing towards me from below. I fell backwards to the ground just as the head reached my level, and the creature sped straight upwards and smashed into the ceiling. Apparently it wasn't to smart, which is good; I'm almost out of ammunition for my ARM, the Airget-lamh. I finally got a good look at my attacker as it turned in midair to face me. It did look like a giant viper, except it had four, bird-like pairs of wings at set intervals along it's body. It charged at me again, this time flying barely a foot off the floor. So, all I had to do was jump. I flipped in midair and squeezed off a decent gatling of shells into the monster's enormous head. I figured that it was dead when I landed on top of it's still form, and it didn't react. So I severed it's head with the blade on my boomerang for good measure. It took it's fangs, too; you never know what these things are worth.
"Whoa, that was pretty impressive, punk!"
Who the hell said that? I whirled around to the room's entrance, and saw the most ridiculous get-up in all of my experience. This guy was wearing leather like a fetishist, and what appeared to be half of a leather skirt was wrapped around his leather pants. No, those are chaps. He's wearing denim under them. No shirt, though, just a leather vest and some bizarre, tribal thing. Top it off with some long brown hair and some weird white stripe, and you've got yourself a version of this weirdo. Hold on, is he wearing white lipstick? "So what are you supposed to be, chump?"
He struck an offended pose and blurted "I am the renowned Gallows Carradine! You should be honored, punk!"
"Carradine? Why does that sound familiar? Oh, wait, aren't you the guy who got struck by lighting six times because you stood on top of a windmill during a thunderstorm?"
"What! It was only four times, punk! And besides, I was defending the city from beasts!"
"Wait. Oh yeah! You were at the wrong location, too. You were supposed to be guarding Claiborne but you wound up outside of Little Twister, right?"
"Aw, damn it kid! What makes you think you're so big and bad? What's your name, punk?"
"Jet," I replied nonchalantly. "Jet Enduro." It's something I'd rehearsed for years.
"Bullshit. A little punk like you? That's pretty funny! Come on, be serious. Who are you?"
"Hey, if you don't believe me, it's not my fault. See ya," I called as I turned to walk out of the room.
When I reached the door, I heard him mutter, "No way, that couldn't have been him, could it?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------
I got back to Gunner's Heaven the next morning. I didn't find any gems in the whole damn ruin, either. I did pick up a few more fangs, though. I gave a few to Clive for his help, although he said he wasn't really expecting anything. So, I had to face Maya now. Cross your fingers.
"What!! Nothing at all!? What kind of crap are you trying to pull, Enduro?" She used my last name; this can't be good.
"Jeez, Maya, I endured thirty floors of hell for you! Doesn't that count for something?" So I exaggerated a little. It wasn't that bad.
"It's not worth any Gella, that's for sure!"
"If it's Gella you want, then take these." I pulled out the remaining fangs I had and handed them to her. She almost smacked them out of my hand, but she stopped.
"Wait, are these Oroboros fangs?"
"Oroboros? A big snake with wings?" She nodded. "I guess so. Why do you ask?"
"Gimme! These things are worth a fortune! I can get six-thousand Gella a piece!"
Damn it! I should have gotten them appraised first! Oh well, maybe I'll get the info now. "So, what's your secret lead?"
"Well. okay. I heard a rumor about Maxwell Rose from some guy down the hall. He said Rose was seen in Boot Hill."
"No. no.. no! I knew that already! And when did you talk to Clive? Why'd he tell you that? What the hell!!"
"Sorry, no refunds, shorty!"
I vented for the next four hours.
A/N Maya's a bitch, ne? (What does that mean? I'm shooting in the dark, here.) Sorry, J/M fans, these two will never end up together in my stories, even if I have to kill one of 'em! Wait, I didn't mean in this story! Come back! Come baaaack!!