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Episode 2: Enter: Mandy
-Kain-
So, this is the Smugglers Den. Doesn't seem all that different from the slums if you ask me. Wow, I'm asleep for 200 years and look what happens. The sooner I can restore order to this crazy world, the better.
"Well, what do we have here?", said a husky voice from behind me
I turned around to see a large heavily tattooed man wielding a club. He obviously wants my money. Robbing a vampire, not the brightest crayon in the box now, are we?
"Hand over your cash now, and I might just let you live.", said the thief as he lifted his club
Idiot. Before he could even bring down his club to strike me I stuck my hand through his chest, quick as lightning, and ripped out his heart. I held it right in front of his tattooed face.
"You were saying?"
The thief's eyes nearly popped out of his head in shock before he dropped dead. Well, now that that's over with I can continue my search.
"Greetings, Kain.", whispered Umah from wherever she was
"Umah! Did you manage to elude the guards?"
"They were only human. Welcome to one of the glories of our fair city, The Smugglers Den. As horrible as you found the slums, you will find this place even more offensive. Rogues and thieves rule the streets, and of course the Sarafan have their own dealings here as well. You may expect little help from the inhabitants and more trouble."
"I do not require their hospitality. You spoke of a Smugglers Tunnel I must find?"
"Yes, it's hidden somewhere in the district. Unfortunately, I don't know where."
"Stupid girl."
"What?"
"Oh, nothing."
"You must find the Smugglers Tunnel as quickly as possible. The Cabal is depending on you."
"Yes, of course."
"Be on your way then. We'll speak again later."
Damn, how the hell am I going to find this thing. Hmm, where should I start? There doesn't seem to be much of anything to the east, so I guess I'll start by going west. Umah was right, thieves and brigands occupied every corner of the area. As I walked down the western path I received nothing but dirty, threatening stares from ugly tattooed faces. Little did they know, their future Lord walked among them.
"Konnichi wa!"
"AHH!"
I nearly had a heart attack as a woman suddenly hung upside down from a beam right in front of my face. She was grinning at me with a wide fanged smile and gazing at me through blue eyes. She had long, red hair and was wearing strange, loose fitting blue clothes with socks and flat wooden sandals. She was about five feet tall. She then flipped right side up and jumped off the beam to right in front of where I was standing.
"Who the hell are you?"
"Watashi wa Mandy! Samurai kyuuketsuki no Nosgoth, she said while holding a short sword high in the air.
I have no idea what she just said but I definitely heard the name Mandy in there somewhere.
"Who did you say you were again?"
"I'm Mandy. Nosgoth's Samurai vampire."
"So you're-"
"Yes, I'm the woman on the wanted posters. The legendary thief and killer who's quick as a leopard and twice as deadly. Anywho, enough babbling, I must be going."
I just noticed she had a small, black, leather item in her hand. Wait a minute, that's my wallet! The whole time she was talking she was...GGGRRRHHH!
"Sayounara.", she said as she ran off with all my money
"Wait! You little twerp! Get back here!"
She ignored me and just kept running. God damn it! Of all the times to get robbed! She's not going to get away with this. I tore after her, sending several innocent bystanders flying, they were all screaming nasty curses at me but I didn't care, I was not about to let a 5 foot tall freak get away with my money. I had run to the point where I was starting to pant a little. I paused for a moment to catch my breath. Mandy was standing on the roof of an tiny old, abandoned, crumbling house.
"What's the matter? Too much exercise for one day?", Mandy teased
"YOU BITCH!"
Out of pure rage I punched one of the support beams of the house she was standing on, shattering it. Then, another beam cracked and broke, and then another, and another, until the entire beat up old house collapsed, sending Mandy tumbling down with it.
"AAAAAAAHHH! Ouchkabible."
The fall kept Mandy down just enough time for me to make my move. I quickly seized her up by one ankle and violently shook her. Out of her clothes fell my wallet, along with a number of other stolen goods.
"Put me down!"
"Is that any way to talk to someone that can snap your leg off?"
"We'll see about that."
Mandy reached for her sword that was sheathed and tied around her waist. Before she could get it I grabbed both her hands with one hand, bound both her feet with my free arm and draped her over my shoulders like a shawl. She fought and struggled but it was to no avail. I was just wondering what to do with her when I saw up ahead a pond. Her eyes widened at the sight of the water as I took her off my shoulders and held her over it.
"Sumimasen! Sumimasen! Please don't kill me!"
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't drop you."
"Because I'm too young to die."
"No.", I said holding her closer to the water
"Alright! If you let me live I'll do anything you want!"
I pondered her offer for a moment. Umah said she wanders all over Nosgoth, so she must know her way around pretty well. And I was completely lost. Maybe she can come in handy.
"You know your way around the city, girl?"
"Like the back of my hand."
"Then I guess I can use you for something. Show me the way to the Smugglers Tunnel, I'll let you live if you do."
"Alright, I'll do it."
And with that, I placed her back on dry land. And then she kicked me in the shin as hard as she could.
"Ouch!"
"That's for making me fall you rat bastard!"
"I thought we had a deal!"
"I said I'd help you, I never said I'd be nice about it."
"You know, for a woman you sure do have a big set of balls."
"I hear that a lot from people. Onamae wa?"
"What?"
"What's your name?"
"My name's Kain, and you better remember it."
"My, aren't we cranky."
"Shut up."
"So, why is it that you want to find the Smugglers Tunnel anyway?"
"Because I'm working for the Cabal and I need to get to-. Wait a minute, why am I telling you this? It's none of your business."
"I heard you say you were working for the Cabal. I know about them. Crusaders trying to save the world. Not my cup of tea. I just look out for myself, and my companions. That's all I need to do in life."
"You're companions?"
"Mmm hmm, I have tons of contacts all over Nosgoth, but I really only look out for my closest companions. We're currently stationed just east of here."
"Enough chit-chat. Lets get going."
"Not a good idea. Look, the sun's about to come up. We'll have to head for the Smugglers Tunnel in the morning. And since you have nowhere to sleep, I guess you'll just have to stay with me and my friends for the day."
"What? Me, stay with you?"
"You got a better idea? It's either stay with me or sleep outside, in which case you'll probably be killed by the Sarafan in your sleep."
"Fine, but if you or your friends try anything funny you'll next be stationed at the bottom of the pond."
"Fair enough. Come on, lets get going. A weakling like you needs plenty of rest after such a hard day."
"What? Who are you calling a weakling? If I recall correctly you were begging be for mercy a few minutes ago!"
"Like you could ever kill me! I was just making you feel better."
"You little bitch!"
"Weakling!"
"Midget!"
"Baka!"
"Will you speak English!"
"Just shut up and follow me."
And, against my better judgement, I did. I followed her to wherever she was taking me. I didn't completely trust her, but she was really all I had.
Preview of next episode:
After spending the day with Mandy and her strange, yet amicable friends. Kain and Mandy head for the Smugglers Tunnel. Mandy really doesn't seem that strong but wait a minute! She takes down enemies like they're nothing. And that sword, it may be small but it cuts through anything! What is with that strange sword? Find out in
Episode 3: The Senkon no Wakizashi