First update in a long, long time for any of my fics, I know, and there are
other fics I need to update more, but the term "writer's block" comes to
mind. For some reason, this fic isn't blocked out from the block, so....
Nightstone Unlimited, April 14th, past midnight.
"Ms. Destine..." Legato started, ending a silence from him.
"There are no other humans around, you may call me by my true name now." Was the reply from Demona's control room.
"Right, I'm sorry. Demona...?"
"Yes?" She asked, wondering what her slave was thinking.
"Before we came here, you explained to me that you wished to make the gargoyle clan you know understand how humans truly are. Do you, perhaps, know where I can find them?"
THAT got Demona's full, and undivided attention. She snarled a bit, eyes glowing red.
"Whatever you are planning, slave, you will NOT bring harm to them, except perhaps for Goliath..." she demanded, as she was preparing to go and disembowel Legato for the thought.
"No need for hostilities, I understand. Perhaps, however, if the human beings that they trust so well were to turn against them...."
Demona thought, and a wicked grin crossed her face.
"Perfect.....If that does not break their trust in humanity, then it would take the moving of Heaven and Earth to convince them...."
She enjoyed the plan, but she did have to admit she was angry she hadn't thought of it before he did. Being outdone by a human, even her slave, was infuriating to her.
"Perhaps the reason you had not thought sooner of this was due to troubles concerning where they reside." Legato mentioned, almost as if he were calming the storm he anticipated her emotions to become.
"Yes....," she said, partly truth, partly to hide the fact he upstaged her, "David Xanatos is giving them haven on top of that tower of his..."
"That would explain why those Quarrymen you have expressed such unfettered hatred of have not succeeded in destroying them yet.....Hmmmm...."
Demona was now quite enjoying her slave's usefulness and willingness to help her.
"You have a plan?" She asked.
"I do..."
Demona then grinned as Legato informed her of his plan.....
Streets of Manhattan, April 14th, past dawn.
"Calling all units, calling all units. Disturbance at Times Square, involvement of the Quarrymen has been confirmed."
Elisa arched an eyebrow as she sped towards Times Square.
"The Quarrymen? At Times Square? For some reason, this reeks of being wrong..."
Elisa then held her collar close to her mouth, and spoke into a small microphone in it.
"Can you hear me?"
On the other end, Vash, who was currently resting against a tree in Madison Garden, placed a finger on a small receiver in his ear, and held a pen like a microphone to his mouth.
"YAWN Mmm-hmmm..."
"Don't tell me you were asleep..."
"Well I've been up all night trying to find someone...."
"Times Square, involving the Quarrymen."
"Who?" Vash asked.
Elisa was surprised he didn't know about them...
"Anti-Gargoyle rioters, with weapons, and they want all gargoyles dead, and usually kill off anyone that shows sign of support for them."
"WHAT!?! How horrible! I'll get there fast.....uh, where is Times Square anyway?"
"....Tell me you're kidding..."
"I wish I was! Right now I'm just running to the exit of the Garden!"
"I'll tell him." Elisa's partner, Matt Bluestone, offered.
"Right."
Elisa allowed Matt to give Vash directions, while she began to think.
'Why doesn't he know about the Quarrymen? It's pretty hot news across the country right now...'
Times Square, April 14th
The Square was in a panic, due to the at least thirty Quarrymen standing in the Square, blocking traffic, and shouting various anti- gargoyle rants, some of which involving numerous profanities. When Elisa and Matt arrived, Vash was unaccounted for, and other units had arrived on the scene. There was no way the Quarrymen were leaving unless it was in handcuffs and towards a police precinct...
"SMASH THE GARGOYLES!!!"
"KILL THEM ALL!!!!"
Elisa and Matt got out of the car, aiming guns at the mob, much like the other officers.
"Any idea what they're doing blocking Times Square?" Matt asked an officer.
"No. They've been blocking it for the past two hours." The officer replied.
"Awfully loud bunch, aren't they?" a familiar voice asked.
The officer, Elisa, and Matt looked to see Vash standing next to the officer, surveying the situation.
"What in the world are you doing here!?!" the officer yelped.
"Where were you?" Matt asked, ignoring the officer.
Vash closed his eyes, head nodded down slightly.
"I had to come on foot you know..."
"Wait, you asked for this loco to come!?!" The officer yelped in surprise.
"You came on foot? Carrying that big cross? I'm surprised you got here so fast then..." Matt replied to Vash.
"I can think of a few taxi drivers who would like to mount my head on top of their cabs though. MAN! Are all of New York's taxi driver's that unpleasant?"
"Afraid so."
The officer gave up trying to get an answer, and considering the mob was armed, reasoned any help would be appreciated.
"All right, I give up....let's just get those jokers out of the Square...What the hell is that guy doing!?!"
"Vash, you idiot!"
Vash had currently set the cross down, and gone towards the mob with no weapon in hand. He only got within 10 yards before the mob was aiming at him.
"Hi!"
The mob didn't expect that sort of reaction.
"What do you want, to join our cause?" one asked.
"Not really, I just wanted to tell you that there are a lot of people who need to come through here to get to where they're going you know, so if you guys could please move so everyone can get home or to work, I'd really appreciate it!" Vash replied.
When they decided to make Vash "dance", it became apparent he didn't get through to them.
"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! WHAT'D I EVER DO TO YOU GUYS!?!?!"
The mob was laughing, but not when all of them ran out of ammo...
"What the hell? We all emptied out guns at him and he dodged every bullet!"
"He just got lucky, that's all!"
Behind the car barricade, Matt, Elisa, and the officer were a bit angry at Vash's foolishness, and impressed at how he dodged the bullets. Mostly angry...
"Who does that guy think he is, Clint Eastwood!?!"
"Meow!" was the reply from a black cat with big yellow eyes that had taken shelter under the police car.
While Vash was at a stand-off with the Quarrymen, from atop a building overlooking the square, the dull yellow eyes of more than an observer watched the event.
"I do not know how you followed me to this life Vash the Stampede, but I can and will assure you that you are not through with your pain. Though I serve a new master, I may still finish what Knives had set out to achieve...though I admit this changes my plans...."
Legato then took out a photograph, which was of Elisa.
"Especially since you may have connection to this woman...judging from your arrival...Ah well, it's time to end act one of the play. I hope you have no hard feelings Vash..."
"Come on guys, can't we all just get along?" Vash asked.
"As long as those wretched gargoyles are around, we'll keep up the actions against them.....in fact, we can't stand living in the same world they do...."
All then gasped and were shocked when all of them took handguns out and put them against their own heads.
"WHAT!?!?! NO, PLEASE DON'T DO IT!!!!!!!!"
Vash's plea went unanswered, as a synchronized shot rang through the Square....
Xanatos Enterprises, April 15th, dawn approaching.
"They WHAT!?!" Lexington yelped in surprise.
"It's true. All 31 members of the riot committed suicide after saying that..." Matt told them.
"My god....they'd go that far against us?" Angela asked.
Vash was currently remaining silent, sitting on one of the parapets of a walkway of the castle.
"Hey..."
Vash looked over to Brooklyn, who had come over to Vash, seeing how upset he was. Brooklyn noticed Vash had been crying.
"Why? Why did they have to do that?"
Brooklyn was seeing first-hand the true Vash. Not the carefree Vash they had seen. not the horrific Humanoid Typhoon of the stories, but the child that Rem had guided and taught morals and principles that held stronger in him than in most mortal men. Brooklyn was a bit taken aback by this.
"I don't know...I just don't know..."
Brooklyn then join Vash, and sat next to him on the parapet.
"Vash?"
"...Yeah Brooklyn?"
"You want to talk about something?"
"Sure....what?"
"I don't know, I didn't get to that yet....Maybe family?"
"I don't have any true family except for a brother...."
"What's his name?"
"Knives..."
Brooklyn sweatdropped, or would if that were natural.
"Odd name...."
"Yeah...."
"How about your parents?"
"Just my mother.....Rem Saverem..."
".....I'm not helping, am I?"
"It's not your fault....."
"Elisa said you were up all night looking for someone...."
"I was......two people actually.....Rem........and Legato."
Brooklyn became curious.
"Who's Legato?"
"Someone I thought I'd left behind....He wants all of humanity dead and gone."
"Sounds like Demona...".
"Legato has done terrible things.....He's responsible for the deaths of over a hundred people.....him and his Gung-Ho Guns....."
"Whoa....no wonder you're mad....."
Vash then picked up Wolfwood's cross, and handed it to Brooklyn.
"Keep this..."
"What? Why?"
"Keep it safe for me. Please."
Brooklyn nods, taking the cross with one hand. Unlike the last time he held it, it felt unusually light, considering how heavy it felt last time.
"Wolfwood once said he gave it a name."
"What is it?" Brooklyn asked.
"Punisher."
"All right, but where are you going?"
Vash stood up, and began to walk off.
"To find Legato..."
Brooklyn watched Vash head off, before being called to reality.
"Brooklyn, the sun is coming fast." Goliath said to him.
"Uh, right."
Brooklyn went over to his usual roost to spend the day. The other gargoyles did look toward him oddly, but the sun rose before they could say anything. Meanwhile, Vash had exited the building on the ground, and looked up to see the sun, while overhead, Brooklyn stood stone silent, holding the Punisher up...
Just wait until you see what's planned for the next chapter...
Nightstone Unlimited, April 14th, past midnight.
"Ms. Destine..." Legato started, ending a silence from him.
"There are no other humans around, you may call me by my true name now." Was the reply from Demona's control room.
"Right, I'm sorry. Demona...?"
"Yes?" She asked, wondering what her slave was thinking.
"Before we came here, you explained to me that you wished to make the gargoyle clan you know understand how humans truly are. Do you, perhaps, know where I can find them?"
THAT got Demona's full, and undivided attention. She snarled a bit, eyes glowing red.
"Whatever you are planning, slave, you will NOT bring harm to them, except perhaps for Goliath..." she demanded, as she was preparing to go and disembowel Legato for the thought.
"No need for hostilities, I understand. Perhaps, however, if the human beings that they trust so well were to turn against them...."
Demona thought, and a wicked grin crossed her face.
"Perfect.....If that does not break their trust in humanity, then it would take the moving of Heaven and Earth to convince them...."
She enjoyed the plan, but she did have to admit she was angry she hadn't thought of it before he did. Being outdone by a human, even her slave, was infuriating to her.
"Perhaps the reason you had not thought sooner of this was due to troubles concerning where they reside." Legato mentioned, almost as if he were calming the storm he anticipated her emotions to become.
"Yes....," she said, partly truth, partly to hide the fact he upstaged her, "David Xanatos is giving them haven on top of that tower of his..."
"That would explain why those Quarrymen you have expressed such unfettered hatred of have not succeeded in destroying them yet.....Hmmmm...."
Demona was now quite enjoying her slave's usefulness and willingness to help her.
"You have a plan?" She asked.
"I do..."
Demona then grinned as Legato informed her of his plan.....
Streets of Manhattan, April 14th, past dawn.
"Calling all units, calling all units. Disturbance at Times Square, involvement of the Quarrymen has been confirmed."
Elisa arched an eyebrow as she sped towards Times Square.
"The Quarrymen? At Times Square? For some reason, this reeks of being wrong..."
Elisa then held her collar close to her mouth, and spoke into a small microphone in it.
"Can you hear me?"
On the other end, Vash, who was currently resting against a tree in Madison Garden, placed a finger on a small receiver in his ear, and held a pen like a microphone to his mouth.
"YAWN Mmm-hmmm..."
"Don't tell me you were asleep..."
"Well I've been up all night trying to find someone...."
"Times Square, involving the Quarrymen."
"Who?" Vash asked.
Elisa was surprised he didn't know about them...
"Anti-Gargoyle rioters, with weapons, and they want all gargoyles dead, and usually kill off anyone that shows sign of support for them."
"WHAT!?! How horrible! I'll get there fast.....uh, where is Times Square anyway?"
"....Tell me you're kidding..."
"I wish I was! Right now I'm just running to the exit of the Garden!"
"I'll tell him." Elisa's partner, Matt Bluestone, offered.
"Right."
Elisa allowed Matt to give Vash directions, while she began to think.
'Why doesn't he know about the Quarrymen? It's pretty hot news across the country right now...'
Times Square, April 14th
The Square was in a panic, due to the at least thirty Quarrymen standing in the Square, blocking traffic, and shouting various anti- gargoyle rants, some of which involving numerous profanities. When Elisa and Matt arrived, Vash was unaccounted for, and other units had arrived on the scene. There was no way the Quarrymen were leaving unless it was in handcuffs and towards a police precinct...
"SMASH THE GARGOYLES!!!"
"KILL THEM ALL!!!!"
Elisa and Matt got out of the car, aiming guns at the mob, much like the other officers.
"Any idea what they're doing blocking Times Square?" Matt asked an officer.
"No. They've been blocking it for the past two hours." The officer replied.
"Awfully loud bunch, aren't they?" a familiar voice asked.
The officer, Elisa, and Matt looked to see Vash standing next to the officer, surveying the situation.
"What in the world are you doing here!?!" the officer yelped.
"Where were you?" Matt asked, ignoring the officer.
Vash closed his eyes, head nodded down slightly.
"I had to come on foot you know..."
"Wait, you asked for this loco to come!?!" The officer yelped in surprise.
"You came on foot? Carrying that big cross? I'm surprised you got here so fast then..." Matt replied to Vash.
"I can think of a few taxi drivers who would like to mount my head on top of their cabs though. MAN! Are all of New York's taxi driver's that unpleasant?"
"Afraid so."
The officer gave up trying to get an answer, and considering the mob was armed, reasoned any help would be appreciated.
"All right, I give up....let's just get those jokers out of the Square...What the hell is that guy doing!?!"
"Vash, you idiot!"
Vash had currently set the cross down, and gone towards the mob with no weapon in hand. He only got within 10 yards before the mob was aiming at him.
"Hi!"
The mob didn't expect that sort of reaction.
"What do you want, to join our cause?" one asked.
"Not really, I just wanted to tell you that there are a lot of people who need to come through here to get to where they're going you know, so if you guys could please move so everyone can get home or to work, I'd really appreciate it!" Vash replied.
When they decided to make Vash "dance", it became apparent he didn't get through to them.
"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! WHAT'D I EVER DO TO YOU GUYS!?!?!"
The mob was laughing, but not when all of them ran out of ammo...
"What the hell? We all emptied out guns at him and he dodged every bullet!"
"He just got lucky, that's all!"
Behind the car barricade, Matt, Elisa, and the officer were a bit angry at Vash's foolishness, and impressed at how he dodged the bullets. Mostly angry...
"Who does that guy think he is, Clint Eastwood!?!"
"Meow!" was the reply from a black cat with big yellow eyes that had taken shelter under the police car.
While Vash was at a stand-off with the Quarrymen, from atop a building overlooking the square, the dull yellow eyes of more than an observer watched the event.
"I do not know how you followed me to this life Vash the Stampede, but I can and will assure you that you are not through with your pain. Though I serve a new master, I may still finish what Knives had set out to achieve...though I admit this changes my plans...."
Legato then took out a photograph, which was of Elisa.
"Especially since you may have connection to this woman...judging from your arrival...Ah well, it's time to end act one of the play. I hope you have no hard feelings Vash..."
"Come on guys, can't we all just get along?" Vash asked.
"As long as those wretched gargoyles are around, we'll keep up the actions against them.....in fact, we can't stand living in the same world they do...."
All then gasped and were shocked when all of them took handguns out and put them against their own heads.
"WHAT!?!?! NO, PLEASE DON'T DO IT!!!!!!!!"
Vash's plea went unanswered, as a synchronized shot rang through the Square....
Xanatos Enterprises, April 15th, dawn approaching.
"They WHAT!?!" Lexington yelped in surprise.
"It's true. All 31 members of the riot committed suicide after saying that..." Matt told them.
"My god....they'd go that far against us?" Angela asked.
Vash was currently remaining silent, sitting on one of the parapets of a walkway of the castle.
"Hey..."
Vash looked over to Brooklyn, who had come over to Vash, seeing how upset he was. Brooklyn noticed Vash had been crying.
"Why? Why did they have to do that?"
Brooklyn was seeing first-hand the true Vash. Not the carefree Vash they had seen. not the horrific Humanoid Typhoon of the stories, but the child that Rem had guided and taught morals and principles that held stronger in him than in most mortal men. Brooklyn was a bit taken aback by this.
"I don't know...I just don't know..."
Brooklyn then join Vash, and sat next to him on the parapet.
"Vash?"
"...Yeah Brooklyn?"
"You want to talk about something?"
"Sure....what?"
"I don't know, I didn't get to that yet....Maybe family?"
"I don't have any true family except for a brother...."
"What's his name?"
"Knives..."
Brooklyn sweatdropped, or would if that were natural.
"Odd name...."
"Yeah...."
"How about your parents?"
"Just my mother.....Rem Saverem..."
".....I'm not helping, am I?"
"It's not your fault....."
"Elisa said you were up all night looking for someone...."
"I was......two people actually.....Rem........and Legato."
Brooklyn became curious.
"Who's Legato?"
"Someone I thought I'd left behind....He wants all of humanity dead and gone."
"Sounds like Demona...".
"Legato has done terrible things.....He's responsible for the deaths of over a hundred people.....him and his Gung-Ho Guns....."
"Whoa....no wonder you're mad....."
Vash then picked up Wolfwood's cross, and handed it to Brooklyn.
"Keep this..."
"What? Why?"
"Keep it safe for me. Please."
Brooklyn nods, taking the cross with one hand. Unlike the last time he held it, it felt unusually light, considering how heavy it felt last time.
"Wolfwood once said he gave it a name."
"What is it?" Brooklyn asked.
"Punisher."
"All right, but where are you going?"
Vash stood up, and began to walk off.
"To find Legato..."
Brooklyn watched Vash head off, before being called to reality.
"Brooklyn, the sun is coming fast." Goliath said to him.
"Uh, right."
Brooklyn went over to his usual roost to spend the day. The other gargoyles did look toward him oddly, but the sun rose before they could say anything. Meanwhile, Vash had exited the building on the ground, and looked up to see the sun, while overhead, Brooklyn stood stone silent, holding the Punisher up...
Just wait until you see what's planned for the next chapter...
