Jet glanced around at the other four people, and kept his ARM ready to point between any of them for any reason. He regretted ever hearing about the treasure on this train…
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One week before the fateful encounter…
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Jet glanced around as he finally reached the ruins. He sighed as he realized that the main door was securely locked and closed. Jet glanced up, and started to climb up and around the temple. At the top, was a crudely made barricade blocking off the door.
"You call this a barricade?" he said doubtingly. "A kid could break through this." He took out the boomerang he had found several days ago, and hit the barricade with it. After several blows, the barricade shattered. Jet quickly headed inside and headed for the chest across the room. Suddenly, the room shifted under him and, before he could response, the floor collapsed. Jet started to fall into the room below…
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Pike glanced around, and dodged out from behind the old ruin. He ran over to the door, and carefully felt over the doors engravings. His questing fingers found the hidden switch, and the door opens. He quickly went inside.
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Jet glanced around as he entered the ruins main chamber. He had been surprised that he had survived the fall without any injuries. To Jet's surprise, there were three people standing around the main chamber. (Who the…?) he wondered (Agh, just ignore 'em. I've got bigger fish to fry.) He glanced over a forth man ran in from the door.
"I couldn't find him back there Kovahn," the guy said. "The only place left is this ruin."
"Looks like Pike got here one step ahead of us," the man who had been identified as Kovahn said sadly. "The lock to this place was already picked by the time we got here." (Sounds like the person who picked the lock is causing quite a scene,) mused Jet, and shrugged. (Heh, it's got nothing to do with me, though. Better get a move on before this gets out of hand.) He started to move on, when Kovahn stopped him.
"Young man… Might you be a Drifter?" Kovahn asked. (Gimme a break…) Jet groaned inwardly, even as he turned to face the guy. "One of our youngsters has wandered into these ruins," explained Kovahn. "Would it be too much to ask you to go and find him? This place is full of traps and monsters, and none of us can go any further."
"I'm looking for the Crystal Flower." Jet said flatly. "That's all--I'm not interested in any manhunt."
"The Crystal Flower?" the guy who had arrived late started. "But that things…" He stopped as Kovahn held up his hand.
"We'll offer a reward," Kovahn suggested. "I'm not sure if the amount will be worth your while, but…" Jet hesitated. He was going to be explore the ruin anyway…
"How much…?" he asked.
"Two hundred…" Kovahn suggested hopefully.
"That amount isn't even worth my time to negotiate," Jet replied, shaking his head as he walked out. "Sorry, but find yourself a good Samaritan."
"But…!" Kovahn folded his arms and shock his head.
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Jet carefully walked down the steps as e heard the sound of someone walking around in the next room. As he entered, he realized that the person was in fact a teenager in a green coat, with a shade that matched his hair. He lowered his ARM, and the guy sighed in relief.
"You scared me…" he said, "I thought you were a monster."
"Nah," Jet replied dismissively, "I ain't here to hurt you, either. I have other plans, although I'm not sure my source is reliable."
"Wait," Pike, if Jet remembered the name correctly, hesitated, "are you a Drifter? Were you hired to find me and take me back? Then you're here a little too early, you know…"
"So you're the one everyone's makin' a fuss about," Jet commented mildly interested. "Don't worry. I have no intention at all of taking you back against your will. I'm just here for the treasure." He walked past Pike and start to examine one of the crates in the room.
"Umm… Excuse me…" Pike said. Jet ignored him. "Hey, hello?" Jet sighed.
"I thought I already told you I'm just here for the treasure," he said testily.
"Is it the Crystal Flower you're looking for?" Pike asked. Jet looked up.
"Why? You know something?" he asked.
"Yeah," Pike said, shrugging, "that thing's pretty famous. Everyone from these parts knows about it." Jet stood up and faced him.
"So, where is it? Tell me everything you know!"
"Well…" Pike took a step forward hesitantly. "Ugh… I have no idea where it is now, but…"
"Where it is now?" Jet asked, worried. "What do you mean by that?"
"Well, like I said, the legend of the Crystal Flower's really famous. I think it was just the other day…that a Drifter girl came here and took it."
"Damn…" Jet said angrily. "Someone beat me to it. Or maybe I was just duped by my informant…"
"That's too bad," Pike grimaced in sympathy. "I hear there's nothing worthwhile left in these ruins. And everyone says these ruins are unstable. So, if there isn't anything here for you, it's best that you leave now." Jet kicked a stone away from him angrily as Pike walked around him. Jet turned to follow him.
"Then let me ask you…" Jet said. "What are you doing down here if you know how dangerous this place is?" As he watched, Pike crouched and started to tap various flagstones
"I'm here looking for treasure--just like you," he replied. "But this is treasure only I know about." Jet shrugged, and decided to hang around. If nothing else, maybe he could still claim that reward from Kovahn…
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Jet glanced up. Over the noise of Pike is hacking at the floor with a pickaxe, he was sure he could hear something walking nearer. He quickly pulled out his ARM and tried to figure out where the noise was coming from.
"Yo, I think something's coming," Jet warned, looking around.
"Yeah, I think I got something, too!" Pike proclaimed happily. When Jet spared a glance, he realized that Pike had stopped hitting the flagstones, and was now trying to lever one up.
"This isn't the time!" Jet warned. "Either you help me out, or run away! Now, which is it?"
"Sorry, neither…" Pike replied, "I've come here for my treasure and I'm not leaving without it. I won't be able to survive in a faraway place if I don't take this with me! It's a sentimental treasure that reminds me of this land--where I grew up!" Jet rolled his eyes.
"You can get as sentimental as you want," he warned, "but that's none of my concern. I don't think this sucker cares for it much either." There was still no sign of anything else in the room, but the noise was getting louder. With a sense of foreboding, Jet looked up. The Tatzelwurm monster dropped on him.
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There was a burst of fire, and the Tatzelwurm screeched, and lurched off him. Jet climbed up, ARM still smoking, and glanced around. The Tatzelwurm was squirming…but the bullet holes were closing up.
"It regenerated?" Jet gasped in surprise, "… Fine… This time, I'm gonna make you eat bullets before you get the chance to heal!" He aimed, and cut the monster in two with a hail of firepower. Jet quickly stumbled over to the stairs, and jumped back as the building started to shake.
"Huh?" he said startled. Before the words were out of his mouth, the ceiling collapsed around the stairs sealing them in. "Dammit!" he groaned. "All this trouble, and yet I'm still getting' nothing out of it!" He glanced up as Pike ran over with a box under his arm.
"Hey, are you all right?" he asked. Jet simply stared at him silently for a second before shaking his head. "That battle must have shaken things up a bit." Jet carefully climbed to his feet, and gave the box a second glance.
"By the way…" he started, keeping a eye out for any possible treasure shares. "About the treasure you dug up…"
"Oh, here," Pike said, holding out the box. "It probably doesn't even compare to what you usually charge." Jet glanced inside the box. It was full of old toys and books.
"This is all junk!" he exclaimed. "This ain't something you'd risk your life over!"
"You don't have to get so mad…" Pike said, "I said it wasn't worth much. These are all toys for my childhood. They're my fond memories of growing up here. We used to play in this ruin before it got infested with monsters. As a child, I thought every moment would last for ever. But as time went by, I grew up, and now I'm an adult. I only have a week left before I go away to a faraway land to work. That means I only have one week left of my childhood. To tell you the truth… I'm scared to death. Would I be able to adapt to an unknown place? Moreover, would I be able to stay true to who I am? I'm scared I won't be myself anymore. That's why I want to take with me the memories of who I am now, so I won't forget." Jet shook his head.
"That's something I'll never understand…" he replied, "I don't have any memories I want to hold onto. That's why I'm a Drifter. I'm as free as a bird to fly wherever I want. I have no worries. Maybe except for my income."
"I can't pay you or offer any treasure," Pike suggested, "but I can help you get out of here."
"You know this ruin well?" Jet asked, surprised. Pike walked over to one of the walls and tapped one of the stones. A slab of wall slid smoothly up, reveling a hidden door.
"I told you I used to play here," he replied. "It's a bit dangerous, but we can make it out of here through this door. Hurry. We don't have much time."
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Jet pulled himself up the last ladder and onto the ground level. The slight shaking finally died away, leaving the ruin silent.
"Good…" Pike said. "Sounds like it settled down. It wouldn't do me any good if I died here, even if I did find my memories." (Just like this ruin, don't memories eventually crumble and fade away…?) Jet wondered. (Why's he so passionate about it?) "But we have no time to waste," Pike continued. "Come on, let's hurry. My ticket will be useless if I miss the train."
"You're taking a train?" Jet asked, "I didn't know there was a station around here.
"There isn't," Pike replied. "The closest station from here would probably take me about five days on foot. And it'll take me another day by train to reach my destination. Even though I have a week left before I start work, today's the only day I have to pack everything. That's why I don't have time."
"Why don't you leave later?" Jet asked. Pike hesitated, and continued.
"Speaking of trains… There's supposedly one transporting a great treasure. Because of that, there's a strict screening of all passengers for every single train," he shrugged. "I was really lucky to get a ticket under the circumstances. All thanks to the villagers."
"Well…" Jet said, musing on the possibilities of what he had just heard. "We gotta get out of here first."
"Yeah, that's right," Pike said, opening the door to main chamber. "Phew… All right! I don't know what I would've done if the device was broken. Looks like we'll make it out okay. This door leads to the min hall. We're almost there."
"Good…" Jet hesitated, and tried to sound nonchalant. "By the way, can you tell me more about that train in detail--the one transporting the treasure?"
"Sure…" replied Pike suspiciously. "But why? I doubt you'll be able to get a ticket."
"Let's just say it will be my reward for saving you," Jet replied. "Don't worry about the ticket. I'll think of something."
"Okay," agreed Pike, "deal. I'll tell you more once we make it out. But seriously, thanks a lot. I never imagined I'd be able to experience something so exciting on my last day here. This is a memory we'll share forever." As they left, Jet wondered, (Memory… What, this…?)
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Legal Notes: Wild ARMs 3 and the associated charactersand storybelongs to Media Vision/Contrail. I have no intention of gaining any money from this document.