Cooee! Getting right to the point which is way unlike me. This chapter was originally part of a bigger one but now it's been split in two which means because I've already written the rough copy of chapter 7, it'll be on the net sooner. Not today though because poor little me has writer's cramp (sob)
BW: Awww, poor little Feather Black has writing cramp problems.
FB: (raising cyber eyebrow) Were you being sarcastic?
BW: Um...(goes all shifty)...no, no, me? Sarcastic? Pft, nah!
FB: You were weren't you.
BW: No, no I wasn't, it's all in your head!
FB: (pulls out grenade launcher) You remember my good friend the grenade launcher, don't you? (snuggles grenade launcher lovingly)
BW: Um...I've got to go and do...that thing I've got to do...
(BW runs away)
FB: Come back here! It'll only hurt for a second!
Disclaimer: I do not own the Outlaw Star. Hmmm...could ask for Outlaw Star series as ransom...if I had a hostage that is...(looks at BW with sly smile...)
-
Spare Melfina and the Red Head
He could sense them. He could feel the shifting balance of the energy in the air as they moved. They were using Tao magic, a favourite of the Kei Pirates.
"So Flynn," Jim's voice roused him from his fierce concentration. The faint signiture he could feel seemed to evaporate on the air.
"How did you get to know Fred Luo?"
" My dad knew him." said Flynn dismissively.
"No offence but your dad must've been nuts to leave you with Fred! Was it an assistant job?"
Flynn wasn't listening. His head was tilted to one side, his steely eyes were sharp and alert. They were closing in.
"Stop the car!" Flynn snapped.
The urgency in Flynn's voice made Jim jump in his seat. He swerved onto the side of the road and slammed his foot on the brakes. The car gave out a high pitched screech and slowed to a stop. Holding his chest to stop his heart exploding, Jim swivelled round in his seat to face Flynn.
"What the hell's the ma-"
"Wait, I hear it now." said Aisha, ears twitching. "A group, coming towards us…"
Jim blinked in surprise and studied Flynn carefully.
"How did y-"
"We don't have time Jim, I need my caster."
With one last awed look at Flynn, Jim started rooting around in the front compartment for Gene's caster and a few common shells, number's 2,14 and 7. He chucked them to Gene who caught them and clasped them tight. The caster felt good in his right hand. He tucked number's 2 and 7 in his belt and loaded the number 14.
"Are you done!" growled Aisha impatiently. "I wanna get out and have some fun!"
"You didn't have to wait for me you know." said Gene as he got out of the car. He could see them in the distance travelling at a great speed towards them. He squinted and leant forwards, trying to pick White Fire out from the group, but the familiar black shape was nowhere to be seen.
"There's six of them and by the way they're moving, they're pretty skilled." Gene informed Aisha beside him.
"I already knew that." said Aisha indignantly.
"This is going to be quite tough." muttered Gene, completely ignoring Aisha's last comment.
-
In the car, Flynn cracked his knuckles and made to open the door.
"Y-you're not gonna fight them?" stuttered Jim in an astounded voice.
"Yep." said Flynn casually.
"But…I-"
"Don't worry, I'll be alright." assured Flynn stepping out to join Gene and Aisha.
"He's out of his head." Jim decided. "He's not all that much older than me and he thinks he can deal with the Kei Pirates!"
"Maybe you're underestimating him Jim, I mean we really don't know that much about him." Melfina pointed out.
" Yeah…well…" mumbled Jim, disdainfully trailing off.
-
Both Gene and Aisha felt the car give a small jolt as Flynn got out of it and came to join them.
"What are you doing out here? You don't even have a weapon!" protested Gene.
"Yeah I do," from his back pocket, Flynn pulled out a small knife.
"What good's that gonna do?"
Flynn's eyes were closed. For a moment he looked like he was in a meditative trance. The small knife before him started to give off an intense white glow, Gene shielded his eyes. Under the cover his hand provided he could see the knife lengthen like a silver snake and the small black handle bulging outwards.
"It's a sword…" Gene breathed.
The sword stopped extending and the white glow faded. Gene examined the blade in awe.
"I never leave home without it." said Flynn grinning cockily.
Gene didn't have time to ask any questions, the Kei Pirates surged forwards, each one in an individual light shield. Gene was right, there were six but only two were living beings. The rest were standard Kei Pirate machinery but…slightly different than Gene remembered. The one's Gene had fought before had had simple grey faces, one scanner eye. These looked like they were wearing masks, one side white, one side black. And instead of an eye they had either a white circle on the black side or a black circle on the white side.
"You like them?" asked one of the Kei Pirates lowering himself to the ground.
"What the hell are those things?" asked Gene keeping his caster pointed at the Kei pirate that had spoken. The Pirate smiled.
" Kill them, but spare Melfina and the red head." he ordered.
Gene hardly saw them move, they had vaulted forward and surrounded the car before Gene could even breathe.
Aisha was watching Flynn. His eyes had followed their movements precisely. Was it possible that his skills as a warrior surpassed her own if he could sense them when she could not?
Suddenly, one of them nearest to Aisha leapt forward. Following the movement with her cat-like ears, Aisha's eyes pierced like slits and she leapt forward to meet the machine. It was a brutal clash of claws in mid-air for a moment before they both dropped towards the road, still grappling as they fell.
The next one to make a move was one nearest Flynn. It's head cocked sideways as though judging him and then it came towards him. Instead of charging forwards recklessly like Aisha, Flynn stood perfectly still.
'What's he doing? He'll be hit!' Gene's mind screamed at him. He watched the machine come steadily closer and still Flynn wouldn't move. It was the last straw. He spun round and pulled his caster up to the machine.
There was no need for Gene to get involved. Flynn ducked down, dodging the attack just as the machine made to swipe at him. In the same instant, Flynn had bought his sword up, penetrating the machine's chest. It was a light scratch, not nearly enough to stop the machine functioning but it was more than the machine had been able to do.
'His timing was perfect!' thought Gene to himself. 'Where did Fred dig this guy up from?'
Gene didn't have time to ponder any answers. At that moment, the machine nearest him and the one nearest the car itself had both moved.
"Shit!" yelled Gene aiming his caster and firing. He had meant for the machine to be nothing but falling dust fragments but the machine dropped out of the air and landed on all fours. Gene was trapped in this face off and the others were trapped in their own.
The other machine had reached the car. It was all over.
"Jim…Melfina…" Gene whispered.
-
So, what's so important about Melfina and Gene? Where did Flynn learn such cool skills? Why did I cut that chapter in half? Actually I can answer that one. I like making cliffhangers and I had already written the turn out to this chapter in this chapter so the cliffhanger just wasn't as good. Plus that, I like annoying people with my cliffhangers, it makes me feel powerful. Hehe.
