"Mother... Father!!"
Ryu cried out, running towards the fierce inferno, the crackling of fires, snapping as the wind curved the flames in a dancing motion. The house was not to be saved; the flames were far in to consume his home to ashes. His mother and father were dead, outside, lying face down in the sand, with several shots were sent throughout their bodies, but planted directly into their hearts, a fatal shot that ended many lives.
Ryu knelt down, tears already formed in his eyes, running down his cheeks, and fell to the ground. He had lost all he knew, first Draco ran away, now his parents and his childhood were nothing more then cinders once the flames died down.
"It was that tragic night that forced me to leave home, to face the world that I so long had never known. New as it was, I still managed to get along with the world, and find a career that would be my life. The first time I saw that poster, it was like my heart felt a need to join, to become a Peacemaker, to become part of the Peace Ranger Corps."
"Where have you been kid, under a rock? This is the Peace Ranger Corps, not the Knights of the Round Table; we use guns, not petty swords. Might as well go home to your parents kids, cause this division doesn't need a swordsmen, we need gunsmiths, so beat it!" The man yelled, belittling Ryu from behind the sign up desk.
Ryu felt down, never had he been yelled at like this, never had he felt so worthless or humiliated then now. The man only looked down to the profile, ready to cross out his name; his pencil slowly went towards the paper.
"Now you just hold on a minute there Clarence." Came a deep toned voice, loud footsteps easily stomping close to where Ryu stood.
"And just who do... you... " As Clarence glanced up, he stopped short, taking a fearful gulp, as a man dressed in what seemed to be a military uniform, with the same splattered pain yellow and tan colored army jacket and jeans he wore to the present time.
"You wouldn't know a damn thing about a boy less you could even train them. By my looks, he may as well be one of the rookies who could rise up to one of the elites. All he needs is a bit of training, and marksmanship lessons and he might as well be the greatest man who walked this very earth." Erwin stated, placing a hand on Ryu's shoulder.
"But Erwin, we don't have a record on this kid, no birth dates, no school records, no parents, not a profile, he might be with the Black Market for all we know." Clarence replied hesitatingly, easily worried about a lot more then anything.
"By the kids eyes, he looks more trusting then any scumbag I have seen in my lifetime. Enroll him, and if anyone asks whose orders it was, then tell them to take it up with me. As the Top Platinum Peacemaker of this Division, I will train him to be the sharpest gunslinger to ever amount from a newbie to a pro." Erwin praised, glaring with the embers of determination burning in his eyes.
"Hmph, do as you want, just don't blame me when you wasted you time with those recruits, if you ask me, your just wasting valuable time by helping them." Clarence bickered, simply fed up with having to put up with these rookies.
"Erwin saw a future for me, and since I did own a gun, he told me to shoot the target that was far off into a corner."
"Hit them in the dead center Ryu, the bull's-eye area!" He lectured, Ryu tried with what he had, his hands shaking as he tried to fire.
Never had Ryu practiced firing with a gun, but it was the same gun he had brought with him from home, the same one he and Draco found one day buried deep in the sand. His was silver gun, with the marks of the angle wings, a modern day magnum, the barrel more crafted like that of a handgun, and while the hamper and handle where more old style.
He had hid it back in the box, where Draco claimed he would bury it back down. Though after the night when Draco ran off, Ryu went back, finding the black one with the triple six digits marked gunmetal polished handgun missing from the case. Ryu though didn't dare touch his gun, till he was forced to leave home.
Ryu pulled the trigger and fired each of the six bullets to different directions, not one landed dead on the target, each instead hit an area far off in the corner. Ryu signed, looking down, shaking his head.
"I'm no good at this; I can't even land a hit on that target." He bellowed shaking his head.
"That's because you're not focused, you need to keep a sharp glance on the target. Here, let me show you." Erwin replied, as he took a few steps closer, grasping Ryu's arms.
"By my experience, your right handed, correct?" Ryu nodded, as it answered his question.
"Alrighty-then, grasp the handle with that hand, and use your left hand for aiming. Keep a nice firm on that gun, and close your right eye. Use that one crosshair at the front to take aim. Remain calm, don't flinch, that will mess up your aim. Keep your feet locked to the ground, and pull the trigger." Erwin directed, helping Ryu through it, by moving his arms and positioning his feet, each step Ryu followed through with almost perfection, as he pulled the trigger, landing a shot dead on in the heart of the target.
Ryu was speechless; he had easily mad one clean and perfect shot, for the first time.
"For targets like that, it is easy, but you should be quicker, outlaws are easily quick to the trigger, and you must learn to study their faces. But one thing to remember from this is to remain calm and use that crosshair at the tip of your gun." He reminded Ryu, as he walked off.
"During that time, I trained with many others, who were better, but I quickly caught up with them, becoming one rising ranger with the rest of the boys. I guess it was something that was sorta like a 'Passage into Manhood', but we were becoming less of cowards, and more of brave soldiers, ready to go out and eradicate the outlaws that roamed the land. I joined the Peace Ranger Corps for that purpose, to stop all outlaws."
"You all have proven to be the best class of elites ever to graduate from this area, your all still under the age of adults, but your all still are the bright spunk's that ever will roam these lands. Still, even with such skills, you must have a partner. Now, I have decided to team you up with those who seem to be arch rivals, it is time to put those differences aside, and join forces. We cannot fight one another; we must work together if we are to achieve goals such as this. The list is on the table, form a single file line, and check your name down." Erwin finished, as each of them did as told, knowing full well it was obey the head commander or be thrown out of the main guard force, and amount only to nothing more then a secretary.
"At that point, I did have a rival, Fargo. He wasn't self centered, but he was very determined like me to reach the top. His flaw though was overconfident, never thinking clearly when a scenario that seemed like a cakewalk turned into an ambush. He barely passed those test, but he was able to gain extra credit for taking out the target, the flunkies with them, and of course, get himself to a treatment facility before he was exhausted. While it was a videogame, but still realistic in every aspect, it still was nothing compared to fighting true humans."
"Great, I have to go with Ryu, the punk who uses a sword, sheesh!" Fargo muttered, crossing his arms over his chest, as he shook his head.
"Haha, Fargo is with sword boy, good like with wooing the ladies big shot." One of the more ignorant students replied, laughing to himself.
"Even though me and Fargo were at first reluctant, as he was to damn arrogant to put up with me, and I wasn't to much into putting up with his attitude, we did soon after put things aside, when we were tested in a shooting gallery, virtual, to be exact. We seemed to be able to get the top rank in score, first place in the entire class. I never did forget the times, but since then I became a Top Ranking Peacemaker. Those days were perhaps the best of times, hunting down the crooks, confronting them, and finishing the job with a big reward. Though these days, I worked alone, until the Fae, Nina. Of all the recent battles against several men I have faced, nothing could prepare me for what about to come up next, a trial perhaps larger then anything I could ever be forced to face."
***
"I am getting impatient with these failures, why have you fools not found the Fae!?" Yelled a seated shadowed figure pictured live by a camera from a plasma screen TV, his voice echoed around the room from the loudspeakers placed around the room.
"We are trying our best CEO, but give us one more chance, we will succeed this time." Seymour pleaded, truly with all his heart.
"Elroy, and council members, I am really getting tired of this game, so far we have lost the Black Market and its control, plus those Soldiers of Fortune, 'The Bandit Trio', why should I give you one last chance?" The CEO remarked harshly, tired of their hesitations.
"The one preventing us is a Peacemaker, his name is Ryu. According to our records, we sponsor that corporation, and they are in deep debt to us." Elroy stated from the corner.
"With this in mind, we have contacted the head boss, Erwin 'The Legendary Peacemaker' McClure to meet with us shortly. He will have no choice but to follow through with the right offer." Rudolf replied from the corner.
"For once, we all agree on something, that Erwin should be sent to handle this problem." Penelope mentioned with a more agreeing tone.
"A man that deep in debt and still falling should truly be confronted. With all the funds we put into it, we still have outlaws roaming the area. And thanks to that robbery that Draco punk was involved in, we truly are getting near bankruptcy." Clarice noted, easily updating them on the market problems, and of course, money usage.
"I am fully aware of that problem, but if your plan doesn't pull through, you know what comes next. I am through with excuses, if I don't get word that the Fae was captured, I'll leave the tasks to THEM." He said, each member gasping, chit-chatting to one another. "I bid you good-day."
With that, the monitors went black. Dead silence fell throughout the room, only a cough or two was heard within the room.
"How the hell are we going to get Erwin to go after the Fae, with all the deaths we've seen in the Peace Ranger Corps, we can't expect him to accept our offer. The debt offer I doubt he could care less about, just like this one punk." Dagget stated, not wanting to go on to this.
"Ryu is one of his last men of a class that was perhaps, the greatest fighters around. Most though were killed off by ambushes, and by records, one died in a match against Draco. This boy is a hero, but he has caused enough problems for us." Clark muttered loudly.
"The man will heed, he is not going to let his corporation die now, especially with the outlaws still remaining. We threaten him by any means necessary." Trish concurred to Clark's one comment, really disgusted with the recent rise in outlaws roaming the land.
"Yes, he will heed to us like a knight to a king. He refuses, or fails to comply with our idea, then he shall pay the price of failure by death, along with the Ranger Peace Corps. It is the only option we have if we are to succeed." Clarice mentioned, truly with ambition.
"Then it's settled, we have our contract, and he will not refuse it. With the price of his own Corps on the line, he will have to yield to our demands, that little problem of ours shall be easily taken care of.
***
Valkarie, a town with no residents, and surrounded by a heavy wall, made with titanium alloy, the place was a zone for training all kinds of men. From the rookies to the even near accurate gunslingers, it helped many honed their skills with the guns, and senses, pushing them to improve every aspect of their shots. The main place of stay was an underground base, bedrooms, food courts, and relay-telephone centers, anything that was of use to anyone within the Peacemakers. It was the same place Ryu trained in battle, and several times a year had always returned to, advancing his skills. He had been forced to walk there due to the last incident, where his bike was totaled by the explosion of the gas tank, the rest burnt into a metal roast.
He and Nina were drenched in their own sweat, their cloths wet by the dumping of the pores on their body. The gate made a few beeps, before it opened, a welcoming voice telling them to proceed onward. Both advanced further inside, the area deserted, bullet holes in each house, paper cutouts placed in each of the area's, each either a target or a civilian. The two proceeded to what appeared to be a large metal half of a cylinder, the size of a building.
Entering the building, they both took a sigh of relief, the cool breeze touching their dampened skin. A cold chill ran through their boiling red bodies, the sun in any desert can do more then burn the skin, internal heat from their blood was already flowing, but at the temperature of a inferno sun in the endless sands, it was an oven. The inside was only a air conditioned room, but the real treat was under a tile. Ryu knew which one by the old coordinate system, at G-20 was a tile that hid the main switch, but numbers were not shown, you had to have knowledge and a basic idea of how a coordinate system was set up.
Ryu walked over, reaching his fingers in the wedges, flipping it over, it revealed a red button, that Ryu pressed normally, the room started moving downward, down within the underground base, with the same tiles, but different walls. A few rangers were stationed there, a few Peacemakers resting. Usually, none were out during the times near noon, it was unbearable to work out then, plus it was necessary for most to stop their game when someone arrived.
"Welcome to the underground training facility of the Peacemakers. It is here that I was trained. A few others are in the virtual reality sector of this foundation, so they avoid the heat. Outside is better, since it is more widespread and environmentally realistic then this underground tunnel." Ryu mentioned, noting the contrasts of training.
Nina nodded, gazing at the interior area. While it did contain a concrete structure, but the place that was given a makeover by couches, pictures on the walls, tables, lampshade lights, all kinds of odd, but still unique objects scattered along the wall, some of them of the green fields, the area some called Eden. Others painted of towns, and old Peacemakers when the Corps was founded.
"Well, didn't expect to find you here Ryu."
Ryu turned to find Erwin walking over, a bit of the buzzing chatter died, as some glanced over at them.
"I guess the words out on the incident of Serenity Hollow, huh?" Ryu remarked, with a sly grin at Erwin.
"The place burnt to the ground, the area is under investigation of another department, but what is known is the Black Market was behind it, they are known to burn just about anything. I still doubt it was them that destroyed your house, though I wouldn't pass it off." He replied, slowly strolling forth, Ryu and Nina trekking slowly behind him.
"Boss, their still is a problem. See, I ran into these three thugs, the Bandit Trio, and they claimed that the Black Market was a pawn. What I don't get is, just who in history would have the power to even control a freelance market such as that?" Ryu questioned, as Erwin made no comment or reply, only continuing on.
They continued their short saunter into a more quiet area, a few of the people there didn't say much as they went past them, a few whistled, wooing the ever so embarrassed Nina, who blushed, knowing they were cheering her on in a flirting way. A few chanted, but Ryu didn't listen, he was not concerned with their little antics then he was about the words of the mercenaries.
Stepping into the office, the door automatically closed as Nina entered, and locked automatically.
"Ryu. Please understand, this is for the good of the land. we don't stand a chance against them. they are beyond anything you could ever stand up against." Erwin said, as with the tap of a button, long metallic tentacle- like arms wrapped around Nina, restraining her, a firm grasp on her upper body, and lower legs, but not tight enough to crush her.
"NINA!?" Ryu yelled reaching for his sword.
"Don't even try, those tentacles are strong enough to withstand anything, a strong outer layer built to withstand any type of punishment." Erwin noted, Ryu growling in despair.
"Why are you doing this? Why Erwin, why?" Nina asked, begging to know why.
Erwin wouldn't spill his guts; the council hired him, telling him of the proposition. He was to bring Nina to them alive, and if he refused or cut deals with them, his organization would pay the price of bankruptcy. The world was already having so many problems with outlaws, and if the Peacemakers were to vanish, then all that would remain was bounty hunters and mercenaries, fools that were free lancers, going where they pleased, and using their cash for this. The Peacemakers were the enforcers, and even when a handful died each day, they still had made progress.
"That is none of your concern Fae. I am not a man of detestable acts, and if you do CARE for her, then you will accept my challenge." Erwin announced, glancing to Ryu.
"What's the challenge traitor!" Ryu muttered angrily.
"Tch Tch Tch, such anger within you, I thought I taught you better Ryu. Or do you now feel to throw all that I have shown you when you first came aboard, just to show your rebellious side?" Erwin claimed, smiling with a 'Know-it-all grin.
"Tell me the challenge now!" Ryu demanded, shouting it to him.
"If you wish; a duel to the death, within this deserted town. The winner gets the Fae, and don't worry, she will be safe." He said with a calm trusting tone, pressing another switch, as Nina was taken up and out.
"She is within the safe, but I hold the button to open it. The area is above too, so don't let the little issue bother you."
"Grr, of all things, why go this far, just who is responsible for all this!?" Ryu asked pleadingly.
"I won't reveal it to you; you'll just get yourself killed." Erwin replied, smirking with a victorious glance.
"Then let's go, to the arena." Ryu stated, ready to duel.
The office started to raise, a computerized voice telling all to clear. The place was inside of a building, as Erwin strolled over to the door, opening it, as he stepped out into the open. Ryu followed, as the two stood one to one, facing each other, scowling glances locked to one another. With a smile, Erwin was quick to draw, but as he took one shot, Ryu evaded to the left, drawing out his gun, and returned fire, but inaccurately missed Erwin by a few feet.
"You're going to have to do better then that if you plan to defeat me Ryu." Erwin boasted, taking aim, and shelled out more bullets towards Ryu, who only ran to a cover point, and leaped behind it, knowing it was time to rethink his strategy.
He was unlucky to time it, as a bullet zoom directly in on his right calf, a soft but still high pitch scream of pain escaped his lungs, the pain greatly terrible.
"Got 'cha Ryu!" Erwin claimed, with an infamous laughter.
"Damn, right in the valuable spot. Great, outrunning him now is not going to be easy." Ryu thought, knowing full well he was now weakened thanks to that last shot.
He knew he had to counter attack, but he didn't know how. Erwin's firearm held eight rounds of bullets, and Ryu's held only six. This gave Erwin two more extra shots then Ryu, and it easily could leave Ryu wide open to be killed on the spot.
"Have to find a weak point, and strike with all I got." He mentally spoke, knowing he had to make it swift and direct when attempting to stop his opponent.
***
Near an oasis, two people set up a camp. The large six people at max dark blue tent was set up with great work. The jeep once more parked in right nearby, and kept closed to keep some of the food inside it still fresh.
"Yes, I know it has been a week, and he is recuperating." Lecha confirmed, knowing full well it was that long when Draco lost a close friend of his.
"Good, right now I don't have anything planned for you two, but it appears we are making our presence well known, and a few of my spy's must be extra cautious." Nathan replied to her.
"So what about the hijack? A failure or success?" Lecha questioned, overhearing it from before.
"Big success, we heisted a large amount of firearms, and ammo. We have used the vehicle for salvage, getting some much needed funding for ourselves. We still are on high alert, no telling when they will strike." Nathan noted, with a cautious tone.
"Understood, this is Ruby Flamingo to Blue Phoenix over and out." She concluded cutting the communications.
She sighed, but a loud cough caught her attention, as Draco stood nearby, with a more determined glance in his eyes.
"You look brighter, something on you mind?" Lecha asked with a cheerful tone.
"Ryu... I bet by now he is heading to that town where you saved me." Draco said, with a affirmed grin.
"How would you be sure, by the fact that it is near Valkyrie?" She questioned, wondering if he had a clue.
"That and the fact he seems to be heading in that direction since the Bandit Trio last confronted him." He answered, as he had listened to her past conversations.
"And you want to confront him. I like the idea, but we have a few problems. First is where he might be coming from, and second is how you plan to fight him. Last time, that Fae beat us both, but I have improved greatly when it comes to casting spells." She noted, with a beam that truly represented her desire to fight the Fae once more.
"Then 'nuff talk lets get the show on the row and find them. I think its high time Ryu gets the ass-wupping he deserves." Draco bellowed, as he punched his right clenched hand into his left, a wide grin spread on his lips, his eyes burned with ember.
"Good to have you back, love." She whispered, as the two walked over, taking down the tent together, knowing to pack up their belongings before leaving to where they had to go.
It took around ten minutes, but quick as it was, they were also sure to double check for each of the contents was in place. Tightening the loose ends, the two once more buckled up, and set out into the intense desert heat. Next stop Grandel, where he and Ryu had started their battle that had ended with Draco near death. The tides were on his side, his strength had doubled, his agility tripled, he wouldn't need a gun to take out Ryu, he would use his fists, his own two clenched hands to beat Ryu into a bleeding, black eyed, and body scarred punk. The idea was a pleasure to Draco's own mind. He
***
Shots rang out once more, as Erwin fired upon Ryu's position. Ryu took numerous deep breaths, weakened by his legs, he wouldn't be able to move at the same pace as he could have before. He knew he had to make a move and soon. The gunshots stopped, and Ryu immediately dashed out, taking direct aim, and returned fire, sending several bullets near Erwin's feet.
"Impressive Ryu, to easily strike when you know it is safe. But you missed entirely!" He mentioned, as he reloaded his gun, and taking out what seemed to be a piece of zenny, made of some bullet proof alloy, he tossed it into the air, letting it spin round and round, aiming at perfect alignment, he pulled the trigger, the bullet sped fast towards the coin, making a 'pwere' sound as it made contact with the surface, and sent it flying down towards Ryu, but sped by, missing Ryu's skin only by a hair.
Ryu kept running, and took cover in one of the houses, catching his breath, his lungs throbbed with the overreaction of the heat, his heart beating with pain, he was pushing himself a tad bit too much, his cloths already drenched with the sweat that escaped his pores. He waited, already had he been lucky to avoid the last shot, but he still had a disadvantage, one leg wounded and only six rounds to eight rounds truly were bad odds for anyone.
"You can run Ryu, but you're better off hiding. Though you can't hide forever." Erwin shouted, taunting Ryu who remained behind the walls of the house.
Ryu though knew he could beat Erwin, he had always made it out of any grim situation. If he could unleash that power again, he would stand a chance against Erwin, and end this fight. Ryu waited, as Erwin fired a few rounds into the room, the bullets breaking through the walls. Hugging the ground, Ryu crawled near a window, taking a deep breath, and fired two shots outside, before hiding once more. Tense as he was, he noticed Erwin vanished from sight, and arose several questions in his heart.
He didn't have to wait long, as the sound of mechanical machines activated; the field was now in target session and easily could spook anyone up. Ryu knew this all to well, he and Fargo during the first run shot many of the civilians, but they did improve, even when the course play out changed. The rails where the people were stationed were made different, and switched all around. While those times were test, this was a life and death runabout, a gauntlet of hell that challenged many.
Ryu knew he had to move, fast, else he would be a dead man. He closed his eyes, dashing outside, taking a quick gasp, opening wide eyes, and glancing one side to the other, each second as targets come out, inside buildings and around town, Ryu shot at each, civilian or not and ran to another end, taking cover, as a shot fired out. Erwin was nearby and hiding.
"Trouble finding me Ryu, I guess you let your own ears do most of the work." Erwin cried out, laughing tauntingly at Ryu.
"All in the name for cash, why betray all you have taught me, and force me to fight against you? You know this is a risk you also may fail in." Ryu shouted, knowing full well he could beat Erwin.
"Words are meaningless, actions are more precise. You can talk big, but unless you can keep with the pace, you have no chance at all in stopping me." Erwin replied.
Ryu didn't reply, he slowly reloaded his firearm, locking it into place, as he jumped out from his wall block, and scanned the area quickly, spotting a spot very out of place. Ryu targeted it, one eye closed, and pulling hard on the trigger, he managed to hit the hat, which was not on the head of the great Erwin. The tan cowboy hat that the old man always wore for his own style was nothing but a distraction.
"Checkmate, Ryu." Erwin said, standing directly behind Ryu, gun in position, aimed directly towards Ryu, accuracy perfect to land the cartridge into Ryu's skull.
Ryu only had a second to think; he turned, and fired, the shot hitting Erwin in the left shoulder, right smack dab in the middle to be precise. Blood already trickled out of the wound, and already drops leaked. Erwin ran, his face filled with shock, one second he had Ryu where he wanted him, and next second, the kid turned around and fired. How an ace gunman like himself could be outdone by a youth. It was a blink of the eye that Ryu turned and fired at the old man, and his eyes didn't even catch such a movement.
Ryu started pursuit, even with his foot, he could see a tiny drop of red blood already trialing around the area, it was easy to find Erwin when he was leaving the bread crumbs to follow. Ryu felt more victorious, already were the two at a disadvantage, both leaking blood, and the other a leg short. Pursuing the blood trial he stopped when he noticed it discontinued at a certain point.
"You fool Ryu, walk into the mouse trap, and the metal snaps you up like the mouth of a Cur eating the smaller animal." He remarked, putting the gun to Ryu's head.
A cold chill ran through Ryu's spine, already the man was in close range to just pull the trigger and end his life, but yet something told Ryu to not fear him, to move and stop him, a pulse from within that beat in his head, the will to attack throbbed deep within his heart. His eyes shot open, in a split second, he duck down, away from the gun, and swept his still unwounded leg around and tripped Erwin, who only gasped out of pre emptive movement of the attack.
Ryu drew his gun out, targeting Erwin around the head, but he stopped when he noticed Erwin held his gun easily the two were at a stand off, both ready to pull the trigger, and end it all. Ryu glared, awaiting Erwin to pull the trigger, the old man likewise waited for Ryu to make the move.
"Go ahead, pull it Ryu, or you too much of a yellow bellied coward to kill me," He mocked, his eyes cloaked, shielding his emotions, "Yes, a coward, you can't pull it, your to damn soft. That Fae has made you to weak to even finish the job."
Ryu tried to not give in, but it wasn't to easy, the man was right, he was scared, he couldn't kill the one who was dear to him, his own master, his own father like figure, who had treated him like a son.
"Your right, but then again, lets just see you keep up with ME!" Ryu spat, as he dashed off, deep into the city, leaving Erwin in shock, as he scanned the area, only easily distracted by the springing out of nowhere cardboard targets.
Ryu keep his gaze on the man, waiting silently, watching as Erwin was easily distracted by the ever so pop up targets. He took a deep breath, still growling, as he has tied his wound up with a clean white cloth, at least halting the blood spill. Grasping his gun tightly, he moved into firing range, and shot twice, catching Erwin's attention, before hiding. Erwin returned one show in the direction; Ryu opened his chambers, reloading his two empty slots, before locking his cartridge in place.
"Ha, nice try, but I doubt you will be able to take me on forever." Erwin mocked, laughing with a hardy har har chuckle.
"That's what you think!" Ryu shouted, as he dashed up, his gun aimed at Erwin, as he fired three shoots, Erwin exchanging rounds at the same time four shots that narrowly avoided impact on Ryu.
Ryu stepped into the wide opening, sending his last three shots at Erwin, two his, the first his left arm, the second his right leg, the third shot a miss. Erwin likewise returned fire, three of his shots missed, but one hit, striking Ryu in his right shoulder. The two by now had empty chambers, but they were easily torn up. Erwin's left arm was severed by the bullet to the biceps, Ryu's right shoulder was wounded, his good firing arm, but even with his more speedy left hand, it was still risky to fire when your arm was in a condition to make a truly inaccurate shot.
The two glared at one another, eyes locked on to one another, waiting for one of them to make the first move, to grab a couple of bullets, open their cartridge, load the shell, and fire away. Their arms waited at their sides, fingers twiddling, standing there quietly, as a gentle breeze blew across the area, both of them waiting for what seemed to be an eternity, neither one of them making a move. Ryu was first to move, reaching inside, he pulled out one bullet, opening his cartridge and placing it in the upcoming slot. Erwin did the same but was a second behind Ryu, who made the first shot, but with the wound on his arm, he missed disgracefully. Erwin made his shot, wounding Ryu's left shoulder, forcing him to cry out in pain.
"Now where even, lets see if you can make the next shot!" Erwin repeated, as the two once more grabbed one shell, repeating the same process, but this time, Ryu strived to the side, and shot a few seconds ahead, his shot hitting Erwin in the leg.
Erwin also gave off a shot, but he miserably missed, as Ryu used the inner strength that he had somehow awakened. Ryu didn't know what it was, the force he remembered had seemed to appear over many times in his past, from the first battle as a Peacemaker, a few other fights, and when he meant Nina. He never knew how to control it, it just appeared at times of desperate need. Ryu did feel more edgy at this point, with Nina already captured, and his own boss nothing more but a puppet working for the enemy, and himself wounded, he needed some aid, and this power was all that he would need to put an end to this devious bastard, who set this whole thing up, and was now planning to turn Nina over to the shadow that was after her.
Erwin once more glanced at Ryu, with locked eyes. They both left their hands at their sides, ready to make the snatch, to grab their slug, load their weapon and fire away. Ryu gulped, already he was lucky with a fast arm, but this time, both were at a short hand, the only problem was that this was a fifty-fifty chance, death or to live. Ryu was sweating, and so was his opponent, the heat was not an oven, but it was very intense, baking both under their heavy trench coats. Once more the two drew, simultaneously drawing the round, placing the pellet in the slot, and taking aim, Ryu was first to fire, a split second ahead, his bullet struck Erwin right in the gut, canceling his movement to pull the trigger.
Falling to the ground, the remote control Erwin used earlier to capture Nina fell out of his pocket, and slid several feet from his grasp. Remaining in kneeling position, hand over his gut, shivering in pain, he glanced up seeing Ryu smile, as he took out another round of bullets, two this time, and loaded them in his gun, as he took aim, and fired at Erwin's right hand, a cry escaping the mans lips.
"Not gonna take any chances of letting you have your hands move freely, specially when it is a scumbag like you!" He muttered, stepping over to the remote, as he glanced it over, several labels were shortened down to three words, but Ryu knew which one would open the safe to the bank.
He looked back, finding Erwin lying there, breathing, not dare going for his gun and shooting Ryu. The fool, but he was still a worthy man, someone who didn't deserve to die. Ryu owed him too much, and this was the only way he planned to repay him, by letting him live. People can learn from mistakes, just like Nina said, and Erwin was that type of person. Ryu had full knowledge of the coarse, so much time he spent here with his now dead partner, it was no wonder how it mattered.
Strolling over to the front of the wrecked bank department, bullet holes spread around each and every side, cardboard cut outs of burglars and hostages placed all over. Ryu looked around, spotting piles of dry and dusty rubble scattered across the floor. The safe was still the polished silver, made with the strongest edible alloy known, platinum titanium, the strongest type of seal that modern day banks had used in order to keep everything that was valuable and rare tightly kept sealed, and unreachable. The safe was electronically locked, unlike the modern days, where it was a double shift lock, the first manual, the second electric. If a unauthorized personnel tried to hack through the electrical area, the system would be cut off, and the manual key locked. Only few could break through a safe such as that, but those men by now died when they tried to flee.
Slowly, he pressed the switched marked SFD, the Safe Disabler, as the lock was separate for the technical purposes. The door slowly opened, and inside, in the center of the cell was Nina, asleep and still restrained by the metallic arms that kept her bound to the post.
"Nina, rise and shine, you got enough beauty sleep for now," He commented, tapping her softly on the cheek, as she slowly opened her eyes, glancing down as she gasped, then looked down, with a irritated glance shot at Ryu immediately after.
"Ryu, you DOPE, get me down from here, NOW!" She screamed, whinning truly like a spoiled brat.
"Dope? Y'know, I just went through hell to find you, and I come in finding you asleep, and waking you up, this is the thanks I get. Might as well keep you here." He replied, turning around and walking off.
"RYU, YOU MEANIE, GET ME DOWN NOW, OR I SWEAR WHEN I GET FREE, I WILL BASH YOUR HEAD HARD!!" She yelled, easily annoyed at his comment.
"Then say your sorry." He said, crossing his arms, back still towards her.
"What!? You should have freed me first, and then awakened me." She whined once more.
"Really, and what do you suppose would happen, I would catch you in my arms? Hello, I know you just woke up, but I'm about injured around my shoulders, and trust me, it hurts like a bitch. I ain't planning to hold you in my arms at this moment, and I doubt you'd wanna wake up face flat on the floor." He remarked, a scowling grin peek on his face.
"Um... well... I... " Nina for once understood why Ryu was not letting her out.
Even though she hated the feel of the cold metal tentacles wrapped around her body, the smell of steel lingering in her nostrils, she still was in better shape then Ryu, who was bleeding like hell by the look of things. Ryu pressed the buttons, as Nina was released from the restraining, she opened her wings, and floated down gently, walking courteously to Ryu, as she knelt down, a fiendish but playful smile pursed on her lips.
Ryu glanced up, into her innocent sweet eyes. It was a scene he couldn't ever think of, he was so distracted by her, that he didn't notice she was slowly healing him. What was this feeling, those soft eyes.
Welcoming him, becoming him, it was a feeling he only heard of in poems, something that was as unexplanatory as the meaning of life was. She wanted him, she cared for him, she had fallen for him. Ryu knew it just by her awe gaze, and he couldn't even control himself. He slowly moved forward, closing his eyes, his lips meeting hers, for the first time, the two had kissed, for all the time they spent together, it was unbelievable they would even meet like this.
A loud crash of the building broke the ever so emotional moment, as Ryu reached for his gun, knowing it could only be one person. Erwin still could move, but even if he wasn't a leaf hand type guy, he still could kill Nina. The safe door slowly opened, even with the medium lighting inside, Ryu noticed that Erwin was not planning to fight, his face showed fatigue written all over it.
"What the hell do you want!?" Ryu remarked bitterly, his anger still boiled for the betrayal that was pulled on him by this wrongdoer.
"If there was one time I have betrayed all I stand for, it was now. Ryu. I know you still hate me, i set so much up, and tried to kill you, all just for the sake of paying off a debt. I never wanted to go through with it, but with all the outlaws running around, fear grasped my heart, I couldn't let them close down this corporation, it was something I feared ever so much." He claimed, stammering a few feet more.
"I understand, but to go this far, to go against all you stood for? To betray me!?" Ryu denounced, still holding his gun.
"I can never make amends for those sins, but Ryu, even in my near death condition, I am proud that you beat me. Yet, all is over, I fear what is ahead, for you're in for more danger then you can image." Erwin said, catching his breath.
"Danger? What kind of danger?" Nina asked her tone quiet and fearful.
"Ryu, the ones behind this, the ones who have sent every last resort to capture the Fae, they are a corporation that has already marked every town, you have noticed it, I am sure, their symbol, a dimond with pure gold letters initialing their name. the outer side is red." He mentioned.
Ryu thought back, as he remembered seeing that symbol so many times. Each town had it somewhere, stores posted items that the corporation created. He never did think of them much often, but at this point, hearing that they were responsible for sending so many thugs out to capture Nina, he now wished he could find a board with that exact symbol and send a bullet through it to show his respect for it.
"Ryu. take my gun, the Negotiator, your gonna need it a lot more then I will." Erwin noted, taking a deeper breath.
"I know it is better then mine, but I can-"
"Fool. even I wouldn't last a second against them... the corporation has one force that all fear... the ones who made their names known thirty years ago..." Erwin said, slowly getting weaker from the loss of blood.
"You can't mean THEM!?" Ryu shouted in disbelief.
"It is. the ones who slaughtered... the dragons... the ultimate team... the Gunsmith Regents... " Erwin said, taking one last breath, before falling to the ground, lifeless as any corpse was.
Erwin finally bit the dust; he lost too much blood and was now facing death. Ryu took the gun, shaking his head, he held his tears back, for as far as he knew, the real danger was ahead, to think the ones that had conjured all this up were the same people who had been the number one corporation for several decades, they practically ruled the market. Why of all things would they want Nina?
Ryu knew he was getting ahead of himself, but it was hard to get off the idea, that the largest corporation in this day and age was the same corporation that was after Nina.
"Auron Inc., to think they were the ones that are after you... all this time, they pulled the strings of every thug that had gone after us." Ryu mentioned shaking his head.
"Ryu, what are you planning to do?" Nina asked, a nervous look pursed on her face.
"I've protected this long... and went through hell to keep you from falling into their hands. I think the answer is more obvious to you then it is to anyone else." He replied with a smile.
Nina's face brightened, as she ran over, hugging him tightly. Deep down, Ryu felt sorrow, his heart stricken with sadness at the loss of his friend, and perhaps his closest mentor. Though then real threat was only beginning, heard many tales of the Gunsmith Regents, how not event the greatest of races could stop them, they were known for their guns, their technology, and their skills. None knew of everyone of them, and nobody in history had ever walked off alive after they encountered them. Ryu felt fear in having to face them, but he was not going to bow down to anyone.
To let Nina fall into the hands of such ill-willed fools. He would face them to the end, with both the Negotiator and the Peacemaker, or as it was named before, the Angel Wing.
"I don't care what I have to face, Nina, I have protected you from hordes of outlaws, the three bandits and Erwin. The Gunsmith Regents can bring it on, cause I will fight them, to keep you free from that corporations grasp." Ryu proclaimed, taking out both guns, posing like a big-shot gun slinger.
Nina only glanced on, with eyes of blind love, already was she head over heels for the dashing man who had for so long defended her neck and bone to keep her safe. He was indeed one of a kind, someone broad and heroic to stand by her for so long.
Next Time:
Ryu: A battle long expected, a rematch of two men, both opposites, quarreling over their morals, a fight shorter then anything anyone could expect. A sharp turn comes up, as the first of the many Gunsmith Regents enters the scene, and forces Draco to a dead end.
Next Chapter: The Beast Within
Ryu cried out, running towards the fierce inferno, the crackling of fires, snapping as the wind curved the flames in a dancing motion. The house was not to be saved; the flames were far in to consume his home to ashes. His mother and father were dead, outside, lying face down in the sand, with several shots were sent throughout their bodies, but planted directly into their hearts, a fatal shot that ended many lives.
Ryu knelt down, tears already formed in his eyes, running down his cheeks, and fell to the ground. He had lost all he knew, first Draco ran away, now his parents and his childhood were nothing more then cinders once the flames died down.
"It was that tragic night that forced me to leave home, to face the world that I so long had never known. New as it was, I still managed to get along with the world, and find a career that would be my life. The first time I saw that poster, it was like my heart felt a need to join, to become a Peacemaker, to become part of the Peace Ranger Corps."
"Where have you been kid, under a rock? This is the Peace Ranger Corps, not the Knights of the Round Table; we use guns, not petty swords. Might as well go home to your parents kids, cause this division doesn't need a swordsmen, we need gunsmiths, so beat it!" The man yelled, belittling Ryu from behind the sign up desk.
Ryu felt down, never had he been yelled at like this, never had he felt so worthless or humiliated then now. The man only looked down to the profile, ready to cross out his name; his pencil slowly went towards the paper.
"Now you just hold on a minute there Clarence." Came a deep toned voice, loud footsteps easily stomping close to where Ryu stood.
"And just who do... you... " As Clarence glanced up, he stopped short, taking a fearful gulp, as a man dressed in what seemed to be a military uniform, with the same splattered pain yellow and tan colored army jacket and jeans he wore to the present time.
"You wouldn't know a damn thing about a boy less you could even train them. By my looks, he may as well be one of the rookies who could rise up to one of the elites. All he needs is a bit of training, and marksmanship lessons and he might as well be the greatest man who walked this very earth." Erwin stated, placing a hand on Ryu's shoulder.
"But Erwin, we don't have a record on this kid, no birth dates, no school records, no parents, not a profile, he might be with the Black Market for all we know." Clarence replied hesitatingly, easily worried about a lot more then anything.
"By the kids eyes, he looks more trusting then any scumbag I have seen in my lifetime. Enroll him, and if anyone asks whose orders it was, then tell them to take it up with me. As the Top Platinum Peacemaker of this Division, I will train him to be the sharpest gunslinger to ever amount from a newbie to a pro." Erwin praised, glaring with the embers of determination burning in his eyes.
"Hmph, do as you want, just don't blame me when you wasted you time with those recruits, if you ask me, your just wasting valuable time by helping them." Clarence bickered, simply fed up with having to put up with these rookies.
"Erwin saw a future for me, and since I did own a gun, he told me to shoot the target that was far off into a corner."
"Hit them in the dead center Ryu, the bull's-eye area!" He lectured, Ryu tried with what he had, his hands shaking as he tried to fire.
Never had Ryu practiced firing with a gun, but it was the same gun he had brought with him from home, the same one he and Draco found one day buried deep in the sand. His was silver gun, with the marks of the angle wings, a modern day magnum, the barrel more crafted like that of a handgun, and while the hamper and handle where more old style.
He had hid it back in the box, where Draco claimed he would bury it back down. Though after the night when Draco ran off, Ryu went back, finding the black one with the triple six digits marked gunmetal polished handgun missing from the case. Ryu though didn't dare touch his gun, till he was forced to leave home.
Ryu pulled the trigger and fired each of the six bullets to different directions, not one landed dead on the target, each instead hit an area far off in the corner. Ryu signed, looking down, shaking his head.
"I'm no good at this; I can't even land a hit on that target." He bellowed shaking his head.
"That's because you're not focused, you need to keep a sharp glance on the target. Here, let me show you." Erwin replied, as he took a few steps closer, grasping Ryu's arms.
"By my experience, your right handed, correct?" Ryu nodded, as it answered his question.
"Alrighty-then, grasp the handle with that hand, and use your left hand for aiming. Keep a nice firm on that gun, and close your right eye. Use that one crosshair at the front to take aim. Remain calm, don't flinch, that will mess up your aim. Keep your feet locked to the ground, and pull the trigger." Erwin directed, helping Ryu through it, by moving his arms and positioning his feet, each step Ryu followed through with almost perfection, as he pulled the trigger, landing a shot dead on in the heart of the target.
Ryu was speechless; he had easily mad one clean and perfect shot, for the first time.
"For targets like that, it is easy, but you should be quicker, outlaws are easily quick to the trigger, and you must learn to study their faces. But one thing to remember from this is to remain calm and use that crosshair at the tip of your gun." He reminded Ryu, as he walked off.
"During that time, I trained with many others, who were better, but I quickly caught up with them, becoming one rising ranger with the rest of the boys. I guess it was something that was sorta like a 'Passage into Manhood', but we were becoming less of cowards, and more of brave soldiers, ready to go out and eradicate the outlaws that roamed the land. I joined the Peace Ranger Corps for that purpose, to stop all outlaws."
"You all have proven to be the best class of elites ever to graduate from this area, your all still under the age of adults, but your all still are the bright spunk's that ever will roam these lands. Still, even with such skills, you must have a partner. Now, I have decided to team you up with those who seem to be arch rivals, it is time to put those differences aside, and join forces. We cannot fight one another; we must work together if we are to achieve goals such as this. The list is on the table, form a single file line, and check your name down." Erwin finished, as each of them did as told, knowing full well it was obey the head commander or be thrown out of the main guard force, and amount only to nothing more then a secretary.
"At that point, I did have a rival, Fargo. He wasn't self centered, but he was very determined like me to reach the top. His flaw though was overconfident, never thinking clearly when a scenario that seemed like a cakewalk turned into an ambush. He barely passed those test, but he was able to gain extra credit for taking out the target, the flunkies with them, and of course, get himself to a treatment facility before he was exhausted. While it was a videogame, but still realistic in every aspect, it still was nothing compared to fighting true humans."
"Great, I have to go with Ryu, the punk who uses a sword, sheesh!" Fargo muttered, crossing his arms over his chest, as he shook his head.
"Haha, Fargo is with sword boy, good like with wooing the ladies big shot." One of the more ignorant students replied, laughing to himself.
"Even though me and Fargo were at first reluctant, as he was to damn arrogant to put up with me, and I wasn't to much into putting up with his attitude, we did soon after put things aside, when we were tested in a shooting gallery, virtual, to be exact. We seemed to be able to get the top rank in score, first place in the entire class. I never did forget the times, but since then I became a Top Ranking Peacemaker. Those days were perhaps the best of times, hunting down the crooks, confronting them, and finishing the job with a big reward. Though these days, I worked alone, until the Fae, Nina. Of all the recent battles against several men I have faced, nothing could prepare me for what about to come up next, a trial perhaps larger then anything I could ever be forced to face."
***
"I am getting impatient with these failures, why have you fools not found the Fae!?" Yelled a seated shadowed figure pictured live by a camera from a plasma screen TV, his voice echoed around the room from the loudspeakers placed around the room.
"We are trying our best CEO, but give us one more chance, we will succeed this time." Seymour pleaded, truly with all his heart.
"Elroy, and council members, I am really getting tired of this game, so far we have lost the Black Market and its control, plus those Soldiers of Fortune, 'The Bandit Trio', why should I give you one last chance?" The CEO remarked harshly, tired of their hesitations.
"The one preventing us is a Peacemaker, his name is Ryu. According to our records, we sponsor that corporation, and they are in deep debt to us." Elroy stated from the corner.
"With this in mind, we have contacted the head boss, Erwin 'The Legendary Peacemaker' McClure to meet with us shortly. He will have no choice but to follow through with the right offer." Rudolf replied from the corner.
"For once, we all agree on something, that Erwin should be sent to handle this problem." Penelope mentioned with a more agreeing tone.
"A man that deep in debt and still falling should truly be confronted. With all the funds we put into it, we still have outlaws roaming the area. And thanks to that robbery that Draco punk was involved in, we truly are getting near bankruptcy." Clarice noted, easily updating them on the market problems, and of course, money usage.
"I am fully aware of that problem, but if your plan doesn't pull through, you know what comes next. I am through with excuses, if I don't get word that the Fae was captured, I'll leave the tasks to THEM." He said, each member gasping, chit-chatting to one another. "I bid you good-day."
With that, the monitors went black. Dead silence fell throughout the room, only a cough or two was heard within the room.
"How the hell are we going to get Erwin to go after the Fae, with all the deaths we've seen in the Peace Ranger Corps, we can't expect him to accept our offer. The debt offer I doubt he could care less about, just like this one punk." Dagget stated, not wanting to go on to this.
"Ryu is one of his last men of a class that was perhaps, the greatest fighters around. Most though were killed off by ambushes, and by records, one died in a match against Draco. This boy is a hero, but he has caused enough problems for us." Clark muttered loudly.
"The man will heed, he is not going to let his corporation die now, especially with the outlaws still remaining. We threaten him by any means necessary." Trish concurred to Clark's one comment, really disgusted with the recent rise in outlaws roaming the land.
"Yes, he will heed to us like a knight to a king. He refuses, or fails to comply with our idea, then he shall pay the price of failure by death, along with the Ranger Peace Corps. It is the only option we have if we are to succeed." Clarice mentioned, truly with ambition.
"Then it's settled, we have our contract, and he will not refuse it. With the price of his own Corps on the line, he will have to yield to our demands, that little problem of ours shall be easily taken care of.
***
Valkarie, a town with no residents, and surrounded by a heavy wall, made with titanium alloy, the place was a zone for training all kinds of men. From the rookies to the even near accurate gunslingers, it helped many honed their skills with the guns, and senses, pushing them to improve every aspect of their shots. The main place of stay was an underground base, bedrooms, food courts, and relay-telephone centers, anything that was of use to anyone within the Peacemakers. It was the same place Ryu trained in battle, and several times a year had always returned to, advancing his skills. He had been forced to walk there due to the last incident, where his bike was totaled by the explosion of the gas tank, the rest burnt into a metal roast.
He and Nina were drenched in their own sweat, their cloths wet by the dumping of the pores on their body. The gate made a few beeps, before it opened, a welcoming voice telling them to proceed onward. Both advanced further inside, the area deserted, bullet holes in each house, paper cutouts placed in each of the area's, each either a target or a civilian. The two proceeded to what appeared to be a large metal half of a cylinder, the size of a building.
Entering the building, they both took a sigh of relief, the cool breeze touching their dampened skin. A cold chill ran through their boiling red bodies, the sun in any desert can do more then burn the skin, internal heat from their blood was already flowing, but at the temperature of a inferno sun in the endless sands, it was an oven. The inside was only a air conditioned room, but the real treat was under a tile. Ryu knew which one by the old coordinate system, at G-20 was a tile that hid the main switch, but numbers were not shown, you had to have knowledge and a basic idea of how a coordinate system was set up.
Ryu walked over, reaching his fingers in the wedges, flipping it over, it revealed a red button, that Ryu pressed normally, the room started moving downward, down within the underground base, with the same tiles, but different walls. A few rangers were stationed there, a few Peacemakers resting. Usually, none were out during the times near noon, it was unbearable to work out then, plus it was necessary for most to stop their game when someone arrived.
"Welcome to the underground training facility of the Peacemakers. It is here that I was trained. A few others are in the virtual reality sector of this foundation, so they avoid the heat. Outside is better, since it is more widespread and environmentally realistic then this underground tunnel." Ryu mentioned, noting the contrasts of training.
Nina nodded, gazing at the interior area. While it did contain a concrete structure, but the place that was given a makeover by couches, pictures on the walls, tables, lampshade lights, all kinds of odd, but still unique objects scattered along the wall, some of them of the green fields, the area some called Eden. Others painted of towns, and old Peacemakers when the Corps was founded.
"Well, didn't expect to find you here Ryu."
Ryu turned to find Erwin walking over, a bit of the buzzing chatter died, as some glanced over at them.
"I guess the words out on the incident of Serenity Hollow, huh?" Ryu remarked, with a sly grin at Erwin.
"The place burnt to the ground, the area is under investigation of another department, but what is known is the Black Market was behind it, they are known to burn just about anything. I still doubt it was them that destroyed your house, though I wouldn't pass it off." He replied, slowly strolling forth, Ryu and Nina trekking slowly behind him.
"Boss, their still is a problem. See, I ran into these three thugs, the Bandit Trio, and they claimed that the Black Market was a pawn. What I don't get is, just who in history would have the power to even control a freelance market such as that?" Ryu questioned, as Erwin made no comment or reply, only continuing on.
They continued their short saunter into a more quiet area, a few of the people there didn't say much as they went past them, a few whistled, wooing the ever so embarrassed Nina, who blushed, knowing they were cheering her on in a flirting way. A few chanted, but Ryu didn't listen, he was not concerned with their little antics then he was about the words of the mercenaries.
Stepping into the office, the door automatically closed as Nina entered, and locked automatically.
"Ryu. Please understand, this is for the good of the land. we don't stand a chance against them. they are beyond anything you could ever stand up against." Erwin said, as with the tap of a button, long metallic tentacle- like arms wrapped around Nina, restraining her, a firm grasp on her upper body, and lower legs, but not tight enough to crush her.
"NINA!?" Ryu yelled reaching for his sword.
"Don't even try, those tentacles are strong enough to withstand anything, a strong outer layer built to withstand any type of punishment." Erwin noted, Ryu growling in despair.
"Why are you doing this? Why Erwin, why?" Nina asked, begging to know why.
Erwin wouldn't spill his guts; the council hired him, telling him of the proposition. He was to bring Nina to them alive, and if he refused or cut deals with them, his organization would pay the price of bankruptcy. The world was already having so many problems with outlaws, and if the Peacemakers were to vanish, then all that would remain was bounty hunters and mercenaries, fools that were free lancers, going where they pleased, and using their cash for this. The Peacemakers were the enforcers, and even when a handful died each day, they still had made progress.
"That is none of your concern Fae. I am not a man of detestable acts, and if you do CARE for her, then you will accept my challenge." Erwin announced, glancing to Ryu.
"What's the challenge traitor!" Ryu muttered angrily.
"Tch Tch Tch, such anger within you, I thought I taught you better Ryu. Or do you now feel to throw all that I have shown you when you first came aboard, just to show your rebellious side?" Erwin claimed, smiling with a 'Know-it-all grin.
"Tell me the challenge now!" Ryu demanded, shouting it to him.
"If you wish; a duel to the death, within this deserted town. The winner gets the Fae, and don't worry, she will be safe." He said with a calm trusting tone, pressing another switch, as Nina was taken up and out.
"She is within the safe, but I hold the button to open it. The area is above too, so don't let the little issue bother you."
"Grr, of all things, why go this far, just who is responsible for all this!?" Ryu asked pleadingly.
"I won't reveal it to you; you'll just get yourself killed." Erwin replied, smirking with a victorious glance.
"Then let's go, to the arena." Ryu stated, ready to duel.
The office started to raise, a computerized voice telling all to clear. The place was inside of a building, as Erwin strolled over to the door, opening it, as he stepped out into the open. Ryu followed, as the two stood one to one, facing each other, scowling glances locked to one another. With a smile, Erwin was quick to draw, but as he took one shot, Ryu evaded to the left, drawing out his gun, and returned fire, but inaccurately missed Erwin by a few feet.
"You're going to have to do better then that if you plan to defeat me Ryu." Erwin boasted, taking aim, and shelled out more bullets towards Ryu, who only ran to a cover point, and leaped behind it, knowing it was time to rethink his strategy.
He was unlucky to time it, as a bullet zoom directly in on his right calf, a soft but still high pitch scream of pain escaped his lungs, the pain greatly terrible.
"Got 'cha Ryu!" Erwin claimed, with an infamous laughter.
"Damn, right in the valuable spot. Great, outrunning him now is not going to be easy." Ryu thought, knowing full well he was now weakened thanks to that last shot.
He knew he had to counter attack, but he didn't know how. Erwin's firearm held eight rounds of bullets, and Ryu's held only six. This gave Erwin two more extra shots then Ryu, and it easily could leave Ryu wide open to be killed on the spot.
"Have to find a weak point, and strike with all I got." He mentally spoke, knowing he had to make it swift and direct when attempting to stop his opponent.
***
Near an oasis, two people set up a camp. The large six people at max dark blue tent was set up with great work. The jeep once more parked in right nearby, and kept closed to keep some of the food inside it still fresh.
"Yes, I know it has been a week, and he is recuperating." Lecha confirmed, knowing full well it was that long when Draco lost a close friend of his.
"Good, right now I don't have anything planned for you two, but it appears we are making our presence well known, and a few of my spy's must be extra cautious." Nathan replied to her.
"So what about the hijack? A failure or success?" Lecha questioned, overhearing it from before.
"Big success, we heisted a large amount of firearms, and ammo. We have used the vehicle for salvage, getting some much needed funding for ourselves. We still are on high alert, no telling when they will strike." Nathan noted, with a cautious tone.
"Understood, this is Ruby Flamingo to Blue Phoenix over and out." She concluded cutting the communications.
She sighed, but a loud cough caught her attention, as Draco stood nearby, with a more determined glance in his eyes.
"You look brighter, something on you mind?" Lecha asked with a cheerful tone.
"Ryu... I bet by now he is heading to that town where you saved me." Draco said, with a affirmed grin.
"How would you be sure, by the fact that it is near Valkyrie?" She questioned, wondering if he had a clue.
"That and the fact he seems to be heading in that direction since the Bandit Trio last confronted him." He answered, as he had listened to her past conversations.
"And you want to confront him. I like the idea, but we have a few problems. First is where he might be coming from, and second is how you plan to fight him. Last time, that Fae beat us both, but I have improved greatly when it comes to casting spells." She noted, with a beam that truly represented her desire to fight the Fae once more.
"Then 'nuff talk lets get the show on the row and find them. I think its high time Ryu gets the ass-wupping he deserves." Draco bellowed, as he punched his right clenched hand into his left, a wide grin spread on his lips, his eyes burned with ember.
"Good to have you back, love." She whispered, as the two walked over, taking down the tent together, knowing to pack up their belongings before leaving to where they had to go.
It took around ten minutes, but quick as it was, they were also sure to double check for each of the contents was in place. Tightening the loose ends, the two once more buckled up, and set out into the intense desert heat. Next stop Grandel, where he and Ryu had started their battle that had ended with Draco near death. The tides were on his side, his strength had doubled, his agility tripled, he wouldn't need a gun to take out Ryu, he would use his fists, his own two clenched hands to beat Ryu into a bleeding, black eyed, and body scarred punk. The idea was a pleasure to Draco's own mind. He
***
Shots rang out once more, as Erwin fired upon Ryu's position. Ryu took numerous deep breaths, weakened by his legs, he wouldn't be able to move at the same pace as he could have before. He knew he had to make a move and soon. The gunshots stopped, and Ryu immediately dashed out, taking direct aim, and returned fire, sending several bullets near Erwin's feet.
"Impressive Ryu, to easily strike when you know it is safe. But you missed entirely!" He mentioned, as he reloaded his gun, and taking out what seemed to be a piece of zenny, made of some bullet proof alloy, he tossed it into the air, letting it spin round and round, aiming at perfect alignment, he pulled the trigger, the bullet sped fast towards the coin, making a 'pwere' sound as it made contact with the surface, and sent it flying down towards Ryu, but sped by, missing Ryu's skin only by a hair.
Ryu kept running, and took cover in one of the houses, catching his breath, his lungs throbbed with the overreaction of the heat, his heart beating with pain, he was pushing himself a tad bit too much, his cloths already drenched with the sweat that escaped his pores. He waited, already had he been lucky to avoid the last shot, but he still had a disadvantage, one leg wounded and only six rounds to eight rounds truly were bad odds for anyone.
"You can run Ryu, but you're better off hiding. Though you can't hide forever." Erwin shouted, taunting Ryu who remained behind the walls of the house.
Ryu though knew he could beat Erwin, he had always made it out of any grim situation. If he could unleash that power again, he would stand a chance against Erwin, and end this fight. Ryu waited, as Erwin fired a few rounds into the room, the bullets breaking through the walls. Hugging the ground, Ryu crawled near a window, taking a deep breath, and fired two shots outside, before hiding once more. Tense as he was, he noticed Erwin vanished from sight, and arose several questions in his heart.
He didn't have to wait long, as the sound of mechanical machines activated; the field was now in target session and easily could spook anyone up. Ryu knew this all to well, he and Fargo during the first run shot many of the civilians, but they did improve, even when the course play out changed. The rails where the people were stationed were made different, and switched all around. While those times were test, this was a life and death runabout, a gauntlet of hell that challenged many.
Ryu knew he had to move, fast, else he would be a dead man. He closed his eyes, dashing outside, taking a quick gasp, opening wide eyes, and glancing one side to the other, each second as targets come out, inside buildings and around town, Ryu shot at each, civilian or not and ran to another end, taking cover, as a shot fired out. Erwin was nearby and hiding.
"Trouble finding me Ryu, I guess you let your own ears do most of the work." Erwin cried out, laughing tauntingly at Ryu.
"All in the name for cash, why betray all you have taught me, and force me to fight against you? You know this is a risk you also may fail in." Ryu shouted, knowing full well he could beat Erwin.
"Words are meaningless, actions are more precise. You can talk big, but unless you can keep with the pace, you have no chance at all in stopping me." Erwin replied.
Ryu didn't reply, he slowly reloaded his firearm, locking it into place, as he jumped out from his wall block, and scanned the area quickly, spotting a spot very out of place. Ryu targeted it, one eye closed, and pulling hard on the trigger, he managed to hit the hat, which was not on the head of the great Erwin. The tan cowboy hat that the old man always wore for his own style was nothing but a distraction.
"Checkmate, Ryu." Erwin said, standing directly behind Ryu, gun in position, aimed directly towards Ryu, accuracy perfect to land the cartridge into Ryu's skull.
Ryu only had a second to think; he turned, and fired, the shot hitting Erwin in the left shoulder, right smack dab in the middle to be precise. Blood already trickled out of the wound, and already drops leaked. Erwin ran, his face filled with shock, one second he had Ryu where he wanted him, and next second, the kid turned around and fired. How an ace gunman like himself could be outdone by a youth. It was a blink of the eye that Ryu turned and fired at the old man, and his eyes didn't even catch such a movement.
Ryu started pursuit, even with his foot, he could see a tiny drop of red blood already trialing around the area, it was easy to find Erwin when he was leaving the bread crumbs to follow. Ryu felt more victorious, already were the two at a disadvantage, both leaking blood, and the other a leg short. Pursuing the blood trial he stopped when he noticed it discontinued at a certain point.
"You fool Ryu, walk into the mouse trap, and the metal snaps you up like the mouth of a Cur eating the smaller animal." He remarked, putting the gun to Ryu's head.
A cold chill ran through Ryu's spine, already the man was in close range to just pull the trigger and end his life, but yet something told Ryu to not fear him, to move and stop him, a pulse from within that beat in his head, the will to attack throbbed deep within his heart. His eyes shot open, in a split second, he duck down, away from the gun, and swept his still unwounded leg around and tripped Erwin, who only gasped out of pre emptive movement of the attack.
Ryu drew his gun out, targeting Erwin around the head, but he stopped when he noticed Erwin held his gun easily the two were at a stand off, both ready to pull the trigger, and end it all. Ryu glared, awaiting Erwin to pull the trigger, the old man likewise waited for Ryu to make the move.
"Go ahead, pull it Ryu, or you too much of a yellow bellied coward to kill me," He mocked, his eyes cloaked, shielding his emotions, "Yes, a coward, you can't pull it, your to damn soft. That Fae has made you to weak to even finish the job."
Ryu tried to not give in, but it wasn't to easy, the man was right, he was scared, he couldn't kill the one who was dear to him, his own master, his own father like figure, who had treated him like a son.
"Your right, but then again, lets just see you keep up with ME!" Ryu spat, as he dashed off, deep into the city, leaving Erwin in shock, as he scanned the area, only easily distracted by the springing out of nowhere cardboard targets.
Ryu keep his gaze on the man, waiting silently, watching as Erwin was easily distracted by the ever so pop up targets. He took a deep breath, still growling, as he has tied his wound up with a clean white cloth, at least halting the blood spill. Grasping his gun tightly, he moved into firing range, and shot twice, catching Erwin's attention, before hiding. Erwin returned one show in the direction; Ryu opened his chambers, reloading his two empty slots, before locking his cartridge in place.
"Ha, nice try, but I doubt you will be able to take me on forever." Erwin mocked, laughing with a hardy har har chuckle.
"That's what you think!" Ryu shouted, as he dashed up, his gun aimed at Erwin, as he fired three shoots, Erwin exchanging rounds at the same time four shots that narrowly avoided impact on Ryu.
Ryu stepped into the wide opening, sending his last three shots at Erwin, two his, the first his left arm, the second his right leg, the third shot a miss. Erwin likewise returned fire, three of his shots missed, but one hit, striking Ryu in his right shoulder. The two by now had empty chambers, but they were easily torn up. Erwin's left arm was severed by the bullet to the biceps, Ryu's right shoulder was wounded, his good firing arm, but even with his more speedy left hand, it was still risky to fire when your arm was in a condition to make a truly inaccurate shot.
The two glared at one another, eyes locked on to one another, waiting for one of them to make the first move, to grab a couple of bullets, open their cartridge, load the shell, and fire away. Their arms waited at their sides, fingers twiddling, standing there quietly, as a gentle breeze blew across the area, both of them waiting for what seemed to be an eternity, neither one of them making a move. Ryu was first to move, reaching inside, he pulled out one bullet, opening his cartridge and placing it in the upcoming slot. Erwin did the same but was a second behind Ryu, who made the first shot, but with the wound on his arm, he missed disgracefully. Erwin made his shot, wounding Ryu's left shoulder, forcing him to cry out in pain.
"Now where even, lets see if you can make the next shot!" Erwin repeated, as the two once more grabbed one shell, repeating the same process, but this time, Ryu strived to the side, and shot a few seconds ahead, his shot hitting Erwin in the leg.
Erwin also gave off a shot, but he miserably missed, as Ryu used the inner strength that he had somehow awakened. Ryu didn't know what it was, the force he remembered had seemed to appear over many times in his past, from the first battle as a Peacemaker, a few other fights, and when he meant Nina. He never knew how to control it, it just appeared at times of desperate need. Ryu did feel more edgy at this point, with Nina already captured, and his own boss nothing more but a puppet working for the enemy, and himself wounded, he needed some aid, and this power was all that he would need to put an end to this devious bastard, who set this whole thing up, and was now planning to turn Nina over to the shadow that was after her.
Erwin once more glanced at Ryu, with locked eyes. They both left their hands at their sides, ready to make the snatch, to grab their slug, load their weapon and fire away. Ryu gulped, already he was lucky with a fast arm, but this time, both were at a short hand, the only problem was that this was a fifty-fifty chance, death or to live. Ryu was sweating, and so was his opponent, the heat was not an oven, but it was very intense, baking both under their heavy trench coats. Once more the two drew, simultaneously drawing the round, placing the pellet in the slot, and taking aim, Ryu was first to fire, a split second ahead, his bullet struck Erwin right in the gut, canceling his movement to pull the trigger.
Falling to the ground, the remote control Erwin used earlier to capture Nina fell out of his pocket, and slid several feet from his grasp. Remaining in kneeling position, hand over his gut, shivering in pain, he glanced up seeing Ryu smile, as he took out another round of bullets, two this time, and loaded them in his gun, as he took aim, and fired at Erwin's right hand, a cry escaping the mans lips.
"Not gonna take any chances of letting you have your hands move freely, specially when it is a scumbag like you!" He muttered, stepping over to the remote, as he glanced it over, several labels were shortened down to three words, but Ryu knew which one would open the safe to the bank.
He looked back, finding Erwin lying there, breathing, not dare going for his gun and shooting Ryu. The fool, but he was still a worthy man, someone who didn't deserve to die. Ryu owed him too much, and this was the only way he planned to repay him, by letting him live. People can learn from mistakes, just like Nina said, and Erwin was that type of person. Ryu had full knowledge of the coarse, so much time he spent here with his now dead partner, it was no wonder how it mattered.
Strolling over to the front of the wrecked bank department, bullet holes spread around each and every side, cardboard cut outs of burglars and hostages placed all over. Ryu looked around, spotting piles of dry and dusty rubble scattered across the floor. The safe was still the polished silver, made with the strongest edible alloy known, platinum titanium, the strongest type of seal that modern day banks had used in order to keep everything that was valuable and rare tightly kept sealed, and unreachable. The safe was electronically locked, unlike the modern days, where it was a double shift lock, the first manual, the second electric. If a unauthorized personnel tried to hack through the electrical area, the system would be cut off, and the manual key locked. Only few could break through a safe such as that, but those men by now died when they tried to flee.
Slowly, he pressed the switched marked SFD, the Safe Disabler, as the lock was separate for the technical purposes. The door slowly opened, and inside, in the center of the cell was Nina, asleep and still restrained by the metallic arms that kept her bound to the post.
"Nina, rise and shine, you got enough beauty sleep for now," He commented, tapping her softly on the cheek, as she slowly opened her eyes, glancing down as she gasped, then looked down, with a irritated glance shot at Ryu immediately after.
"Ryu, you DOPE, get me down from here, NOW!" She screamed, whinning truly like a spoiled brat.
"Dope? Y'know, I just went through hell to find you, and I come in finding you asleep, and waking you up, this is the thanks I get. Might as well keep you here." He replied, turning around and walking off.
"RYU, YOU MEANIE, GET ME DOWN NOW, OR I SWEAR WHEN I GET FREE, I WILL BASH YOUR HEAD HARD!!" She yelled, easily annoyed at his comment.
"Then say your sorry." He said, crossing his arms, back still towards her.
"What!? You should have freed me first, and then awakened me." She whined once more.
"Really, and what do you suppose would happen, I would catch you in my arms? Hello, I know you just woke up, but I'm about injured around my shoulders, and trust me, it hurts like a bitch. I ain't planning to hold you in my arms at this moment, and I doubt you'd wanna wake up face flat on the floor." He remarked, a scowling grin peek on his face.
"Um... well... I... " Nina for once understood why Ryu was not letting her out.
Even though she hated the feel of the cold metal tentacles wrapped around her body, the smell of steel lingering in her nostrils, she still was in better shape then Ryu, who was bleeding like hell by the look of things. Ryu pressed the buttons, as Nina was released from the restraining, she opened her wings, and floated down gently, walking courteously to Ryu, as she knelt down, a fiendish but playful smile pursed on her lips.
Ryu glanced up, into her innocent sweet eyes. It was a scene he couldn't ever think of, he was so distracted by her, that he didn't notice she was slowly healing him. What was this feeling, those soft eyes.
Welcoming him, becoming him, it was a feeling he only heard of in poems, something that was as unexplanatory as the meaning of life was. She wanted him, she cared for him, she had fallen for him. Ryu knew it just by her awe gaze, and he couldn't even control himself. He slowly moved forward, closing his eyes, his lips meeting hers, for the first time, the two had kissed, for all the time they spent together, it was unbelievable they would even meet like this.
A loud crash of the building broke the ever so emotional moment, as Ryu reached for his gun, knowing it could only be one person. Erwin still could move, but even if he wasn't a leaf hand type guy, he still could kill Nina. The safe door slowly opened, even with the medium lighting inside, Ryu noticed that Erwin was not planning to fight, his face showed fatigue written all over it.
"What the hell do you want!?" Ryu remarked bitterly, his anger still boiled for the betrayal that was pulled on him by this wrongdoer.
"If there was one time I have betrayed all I stand for, it was now. Ryu. I know you still hate me, i set so much up, and tried to kill you, all just for the sake of paying off a debt. I never wanted to go through with it, but with all the outlaws running around, fear grasped my heart, I couldn't let them close down this corporation, it was something I feared ever so much." He claimed, stammering a few feet more.
"I understand, but to go this far, to go against all you stood for? To betray me!?" Ryu denounced, still holding his gun.
"I can never make amends for those sins, but Ryu, even in my near death condition, I am proud that you beat me. Yet, all is over, I fear what is ahead, for you're in for more danger then you can image." Erwin said, catching his breath.
"Danger? What kind of danger?" Nina asked her tone quiet and fearful.
"Ryu, the ones behind this, the ones who have sent every last resort to capture the Fae, they are a corporation that has already marked every town, you have noticed it, I am sure, their symbol, a dimond with pure gold letters initialing their name. the outer side is red." He mentioned.
Ryu thought back, as he remembered seeing that symbol so many times. Each town had it somewhere, stores posted items that the corporation created. He never did think of them much often, but at this point, hearing that they were responsible for sending so many thugs out to capture Nina, he now wished he could find a board with that exact symbol and send a bullet through it to show his respect for it.
"Ryu. take my gun, the Negotiator, your gonna need it a lot more then I will." Erwin noted, taking a deeper breath.
"I know it is better then mine, but I can-"
"Fool. even I wouldn't last a second against them... the corporation has one force that all fear... the ones who made their names known thirty years ago..." Erwin said, slowly getting weaker from the loss of blood.
"You can't mean THEM!?" Ryu shouted in disbelief.
"It is. the ones who slaughtered... the dragons... the ultimate team... the Gunsmith Regents... " Erwin said, taking one last breath, before falling to the ground, lifeless as any corpse was.
Erwin finally bit the dust; he lost too much blood and was now facing death. Ryu took the gun, shaking his head, he held his tears back, for as far as he knew, the real danger was ahead, to think the ones that had conjured all this up were the same people who had been the number one corporation for several decades, they practically ruled the market. Why of all things would they want Nina?
Ryu knew he was getting ahead of himself, but it was hard to get off the idea, that the largest corporation in this day and age was the same corporation that was after Nina.
"Auron Inc., to think they were the ones that are after you... all this time, they pulled the strings of every thug that had gone after us." Ryu mentioned shaking his head.
"Ryu, what are you planning to do?" Nina asked, a nervous look pursed on her face.
"I've protected this long... and went through hell to keep you from falling into their hands. I think the answer is more obvious to you then it is to anyone else." He replied with a smile.
Nina's face brightened, as she ran over, hugging him tightly. Deep down, Ryu felt sorrow, his heart stricken with sadness at the loss of his friend, and perhaps his closest mentor. Though then real threat was only beginning, heard many tales of the Gunsmith Regents, how not event the greatest of races could stop them, they were known for their guns, their technology, and their skills. None knew of everyone of them, and nobody in history had ever walked off alive after they encountered them. Ryu felt fear in having to face them, but he was not going to bow down to anyone.
To let Nina fall into the hands of such ill-willed fools. He would face them to the end, with both the Negotiator and the Peacemaker, or as it was named before, the Angel Wing.
"I don't care what I have to face, Nina, I have protected you from hordes of outlaws, the three bandits and Erwin. The Gunsmith Regents can bring it on, cause I will fight them, to keep you free from that corporations grasp." Ryu proclaimed, taking out both guns, posing like a big-shot gun slinger.
Nina only glanced on, with eyes of blind love, already was she head over heels for the dashing man who had for so long defended her neck and bone to keep her safe. He was indeed one of a kind, someone broad and heroic to stand by her for so long.
Next Time:
Ryu: A battle long expected, a rematch of two men, both opposites, quarreling over their morals, a fight shorter then anything anyone could expect. A sharp turn comes up, as the first of the many Gunsmith Regents enters the scene, and forces Draco to a dead end.
Next Chapter: The Beast Within