With much struggling, the four were forcefully pulled from the ship and into the vast desert. Awaiting them, an entire elite squadron surrounding them, tempting them. They chanted at them, some even firing their weapons into the air. Even with their clear advantage of numbers, those not holding onto the members of Sabot platoon kept their distance. A single mistake could spell their doom by a foe's hands. These players huddled in their groups, forming a large circle, with its centre having a single person: Patriot.

He stood there, no weapon in hand. Patriot only admired the scene; four enemies at their knees and unable to escape their clutches. With arms crossed, he broke a little smile.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" Patriot began, opening his arms up to the world, "a bunch of hotshots thinking they're the best and go into the wild. Now, bow before your king!"

They were suddenly dropped to the floor, arms tied behind their backs (along with the same very muscular players behind holding them). Sabretooth chuckled as he looked around at the hunting party slowly closing in for a better look.

"Patriot… Some hunting party you brought. They actual team members or just those in it through your fame?"

"You know I'm a graceful leader, Sabretooth. I only allow only the best to join. Together we are stronger. You did reject my offer of joining us to glory..."

"I did, for a good reason, like I said back then. I refuse to join those who prey on weaker players."

"You don't see the bigger picture! That's your problem, you see. You deny your gun its purpose. And as for you Sinon…" Patriot turned his head to face her, though his body remained in front of Sabretooth, tall and proud, "You should know better than joining 'em. Their profits are weak and he doesn't have the guts to fight me."

"You two have history?" Sinon asked, unsure of what reply may come of it.

"A little…" Sabretooth mumbled, "he has a self-proclaimed rivalry to anyone of a similar level. Then, proceeded to defeat each of them in combat. They all fell by his hands, their bounties right to his wallet. All fell except one, me. I'm the last who will stand up to Patriot. Never lost a battle to him, and never will…"

"Oh, how naive of you to speak of your record when you kneel before me! Looks like that streak is going to end, but first… I have questions for you…"

Patriot proceeded to slowly circle them, always facing towards the Sabot platoon and never taking an eye of them. Others closed the distance. They started to chant, 'Down with Sabre' together as one group. Some even clanged guns together above their heads like improvised drums of war. This continued until Patriot raised his hand. By now, he had circled them and stopped where he was moments before. He knelt to the same height as Sabretooth, only a few feet away and well in arms reach.

"What would you do if I start to threaten your comrades over information?"

Sabretooth didn't make eye contact. Instead, he kept his head low, looking at the ground beneath him. No answer came.

"You're a stubben one, so I see no other way of getting info outta you, unless you tell me now… I want to know: your stats, skills and tactics. I want to know everything on your style of fighting! Give it to me! And a few million to seal the deal."

Still, no reply came from Sabretooth. Now Patriot was losing his patience, still adamant that he will get his information. He turned to Sinon, staring her in the eyes. His eyes were filled with hatred and frustration. 'This'll be the ticket…' Out his hands, a double-barreled shotgun appeared from thin air as he walked towards Sinon. Then, without hesitation, placed the barrels to her neck. The over and under barrels were squeezed up against her. She couldn't speak. Yet, even with the situation quickly spiralling out of her control, she attempted to remain calm.

"I'm giving you one more chance Sabretooth!" Patriot boomed, "Give me my information or I'll claim her head! You're nothing, even with your so-called friends. Give it up. Stop being the good guy and be person you truly are..."

Suddenly, Sabretooth raised his head as far up as he could. Something was wrong. The last part of Patriot's taunting had got to him. An aura of sterness and kindness had been shattered. Now, something had begun to build up within Sabretooth. It was growing quickly. The warmth of the desert sun faded into chilly gusts. A chuckle echoed in the silence that remained, it came from Sabretooth. A voice different from the one heard only just before.

"Poor choice of words…"

His vision altered. Memories from the past flooded back in sudden flashes. What he saw, and what others saw grew apart. Where Patriot stood, a hooded man took his place, and unable to see his face. The shotgun remained however, nearly unchanged. At the end of the barrel, a young girl no older than five or six years old in casual clothing. A collection of whites and blues made up a simple blouse and long skirt. Her brown eyes were wide open and full of terror.

"You're not doing this! Not again! Never again!"

Quickly, his senses were overwhelmed. Sabretooth began to resist more furiously until finally he broke free. The player (a large one in stature and strength) behind, holding him down, was thrown forwards over Sabretooth's back. He went flying into a small gathering of three players. Immediately, he turned to face Sinon and Patriot. His eyes glowed in rage. Yet Patriot held his ground, keeping the shotgun to Sinon's throat. Something was about to click for Patriot. 'Hasn't this happened before? The reaction, the situation, the gun. Yes, it has but when? No… Not then. Those "murders"! Then it must be him… No one else could turn like that. It's-'

Before Patriot could finish piecing together what happened, Sabretooth struck…

In one punch, Patriot was flung backwards and into two other players. Patriot survived by the skin of his teeth. The ones in the way weren't so lucky.

"This status quo will not continue! Prepare for complete termination…"

There was no time to process, no time to analysis the battlefield, no time to come up with a plan. Sabretooth had struck and the members of Patriot's squadron had to react quickly. Some started to open fire at him, all futile however. These shots either missed or hit fellow players. His movements were unpredictable, darting and weaving around players. They fell left, right and centre. Some were used by Sabretooth for a meatshield. Impenetrable hunks of flesh that would last ten minutes before vanishing into red pixels. In one hand, he held the lifeless body to protect his and in the other, his trusty 'clever girl'. One shot, one foe felled.

While this rampage continued, the rest of Sabot platoon had been freed by their fleeing enemies in sheer panic. Subaru guided Sinon and Starbug back to the vessel. Sinon was still both puzzled and confused. What had caused him to go berserk? Was there a way to calm him down?

"Firstly, we must tranquilise him, like how we planned." Subaru spoke with some certainty in his voice, "But, I doubt we can get close enough without triggering a response. Previous attempts weren't… great. Sinon, you mind?"

"Wha? You want me to shoot him?" Sinon was uncertain how to take this, "This happen frequently?"

Starbug answered with a sigh, "yep. Though it has been happening less and less over time. Bastards… They had one job!"

"One job? You saying when someone aims a gun at someone's throat like that, this happens to him?"

"Kinda," replied Subaru, carefully selecting his words, "In times when people he views highly of are being threatened, a switch is flicked. He had mentioned something about 'therapy' and how GGO would help. Never went into the details. Never wanted to talk about his personal life. In fact, none of us did."

Starbug continued off Subaru straight away, "An unwritten rule for us all. We just accepted him for what he was, crazed parts 'n' all. Instead, we focused on GGO and planned for when Sabre went berserk."

Sinon took a quick glimpse outside. Sabretooth's rampage continued in thunderous strides and shouts from both sides. Orders from Patriot's squadron and the echoing roars from Sabretooth clashed over the sands. Chaos had been achieved. He swerved between the players, using a body shield as he went. One bullet, one shot in the head. Once the SPAS-12 emptied its clip, the G36 came out to play. Bullets still flew true, completing the same role as the shotgun: one shot, one kill. However, he was gradually getting closer. Even from a few hundred metres away, his rage and anger rippled over the desert like waves. Something about this felt familiar to her, but in all of the wrong ways. An event during childhood, that made them for what they were currently. For her, it was closing off against males and to stay away from guns in real life especially that gun. Just seeing it could lead to uncontrollable vomiting. Best not to think about it…

"I'll do it." Sinon grabbed her rifle from thin air as it came into existence from pixels, "I have some spare. With the right shot, he can be extracted. But, you two must grab him as quick as possible. Understood?"

"Aye madam!" The other two answered in unison.

Starbug and Subaru waited at the hole of the vessel while Sinon climbed up the set of stairs to a suitable spot. Just like before, she could see far and wide. The entire battlefield was at her fingertips. For allowing her to join, she could now not only prove herself, but also demonstrate her power yet again. Sinon earnt her Hecate through patience and skill. Now it was time to get Sabretooth out of there. She pulled the trigger…

Meanwhile, the rampage continued. More of Patriot's squadron fell one by one, either by a bullet or stray grenade. Sabretooth had become blinded by the rage. Everyone was a threat, no matter their guilt. To him they were allies of the man with the shotgun, and that was all that mattered. 'Never again, I shall never let another fall by those hands!' These words repeated like a broken record within his head by the same voice that came into existence a few minutes ago. His other voice was long gone.

Many foes fell by Sabretooth's feet, yet he did not feel a thing from it. No sadness nor second thought came from placing a bullet in their heads. Nothing but filth, the hyenas that scare the victor of their spoils. At the centre of all of this, was the leader: Patriot. His actions mimicked those done by someone else years ago. He had to be dealt with.

Only around 50 metres away, Patriot had started to flee. This was far more than he had bargained for. Moreover, he had the information he needed, just not the stuff he wanted. He knew who the man behind the mask of anger was, and why he had to be taken down. However, getting away was easier said than done. Less than a dozen had survived. They were all disorganised and in full retreat. The trucks were a saving grace, getting to them was their priority. Behind them, Sabretooth had managed to wipe out the rest who hadn't ran yet. Now he had began to track them. Time for them was running out.

"A reckoning of lead is coming, and you're next…"

Sabretooth had Patriot in his sights. They stared eye to eye. Sabretooth would not allow him to escape. He was the prize of this gallery. Patriot still had his shotgun by his side, ready to draw and finger upon the trigger.

"You don't want to do this, Sabretooth." Calmly spoke Patriot, keeping his eyes stuck on him, "I know who you are. We use to be friends y'know. Gives 'him' a better reason than ever to kill you."

"What on Earth are you talking about? You just kill for money and reputation. What would killing me prove?"

"You will find out with time. To pay for your crimes against the only people you properly knew in the real world, you will face what you did face to face. Hold what you have dear close to you. They'll disappear like everything you have ever known. Farewell, Sabretooth. I hope to see you in hell…"

Just as he turned away and started to walk away, Sabretooth started to dash after him, "I can't go to heaven or hell. I deserve neither!" He raised his arm, G36 in hand. "If anyone deserves hell, it'll be-"

Out of the blue, a bullet line appeared, aiming directly at Sabretooth's head. Initially, he didn't notice. He became too tunnel visioned to notice. Then, the bullet came. It hit his right temple, sending him hurtling through the air into the sand beneath. Sand from a huge shockwave covered the area in a thick haze. Patriot seized the moment. He fled over the dunes with most of the survivors. The stragglers would have to work their own ways back to the Glocken.

He had managed to flee the battlefield, and right into his silent convoy. A number of players sat beside the vehicles, attempting to comprehend what just happened. The occasional death in GGO was likely and expected. However, this carnage had been started by a single player, and ended by another. Patriot would not allow for this to stop him. Not a single stride would be delayed.

"Destroy all vehicles we don't need! Time to leave them… Behind. I have a meeting to head for, don't make us late."

Some proceeded to swap their weapons to RPGs and other rocket launchers, each one coming to life from blue pixels. Each one launched their projectiles. Again and again, the weapons fired. One by one, the vehicles burst into flames. Each became nothing but blackened soot and twisted metal. Smoke rose high into the cloudless sky. They could be seen miles away. Other players, far away, could see the rising black smoke drifting high above and vanishing. Many just continued on their daily hunting, but some saw this as an opportunity. The vultures were now coming. Time was starting to run out for all of them.

Three vehicles now remained, and the humvee that had sat there since the battle had begun. It remained there without a scratch. The survivors had nearly done their jobs, just this one to be dealt with. Several raised their launchers, ready to fire.

"It is too late Sabretooth, you can do nothing to prevent your fate. You will die, and by the hands of judgement."

"No! It's not over yet!"

A voice echoed from the humvee before it shuddered into life. It lurched forward, crushing one unfortunate player.

"Sorry! Didn't mean that!"

A head came out of the humvee, looking back at the rest. It was Subaru. He had silently followed the fleeing enemies back to the convoy. Then, through the disillusioned survivors, he stuck to the edge of the group and got to his vehicle. Simple as a stealth mission, just without people having the chance of following your footsteps.

Subaru managed to guide the vehicle up and over the dune, swerving constantly. For a moment the air flashed brightly in white as bright as the sun. Rockets smashed into the sands around the humvee; small sandstorms stirred from the explosions. At certain points, the wheels would be lifted off the ground still spinning. Subaru kept wrestling the steering wheel for as much control as possible. The projectiles kept coming. One had to connect…

Meanwhile, on the other side of the large dune, Starbug rushed over to the now tranquilised Sabretooth. Sinon had hit perfectly, a shot that could send anyone flying off their feet. It was just the matter of extraction now.

"Will he be alright?" Sinon asked, looking at the emotionless face of Sabretooth, "We have still got to return to the Glocken as well. That'll take time."

Starbug answered with a chuckle, "Oh, he will be fine! Subaru has gone to get the humvee. Sabre will wake up in a few minutes as if nothing happened."

Starbug proceeded to wrap her arms around his shoulders, then started to raise him from the ground. She had just enough strength to keep Sabretooth in a slumping position. Behind them, explosions echoed intensely and became louder with each detonation.

"In fact, I think our ride is here."

Suddenly, the humvee burst over the top of the huge dune, escaping the last of the rockets thrown at it. It thundered down the near vertical dune, throwing up huge plumes of sand where the wheels dug in. The humvee flashes past, covering the three in sand before pulling a sharp 180 turn and suddenly grinding to a halt just beside them. Almost nothing upon it was damaged. Although some rockets came extremely close, the only evidence of them was some sand blown into the cabin and black markings upon the rear. A door slid open next to the three. Within, Subaru was leaned over as much as he could while keeping his hand on the wheel.

"C'mon, let's get outta here! Load him up, we got bogeys hot on our trail!"

Carefully, Sinon and Starbug lifted Sabretooth up, sand running off his red cape like a waterfall, and placed him into the humvee. Sinon climbed in the back as well, forcing Starbug to go into the front (something she really didn't want with Subaru at the wheel). Subaru put his foot down. The humvee lurched forward.

"Let's dance!"

Subaru guided the vehicle back up the sand dune; it was the only direct way back to the Glocken. Struggling for grip, the humvee slid and swayed its way up. The tracks left behind were quickly filled by the drifting sand endlessly flowing upon the barren desert. Soon, the peak had been reached. RPGs and other rocket launchers were still waiting. The humvee jumped high above, then coming crashing down, right into their field of view. They fired. Smoke poured from the launchers as their projectiles thundered towards the humvee. Some detonated beside the vehicle, making it shake violently; some exploded mid air, sending vibrations of fire all around them. However, it would only take a single direct hit to send this to the scrapyard…

One rocket slammed against the window. A flash of light engulfed them for a moment.

"Don't worry! We're still driving half a car!"

The light vanished as quickly as it came. Little of the roof remained. Much of it had been ripped off along with the glass from the windows. Black smoke drifted underneath the Humvee. It was hurt, but able to keep on driving. Still at the same speed, they flew past the convoy. Their route was the one was they followed before. Bumps were common. Yet, that didn't matter. They were in the clear. The Pursuit had ended.

Within what remained, Sabot platoon breathed a sigh of relief. The Glocken was now firmly set in their sights, and safety. Even though the expedition was a financial disaster, something else came from it; something much more valuable than money: comradeship with their newest member.

"Hey, Sinon, how's Seiba doing back there?"

In the back, Sabretooth was still unconscious and lying down. No emotion came from his face, just one of peaceful rest. His head rested on Sinon's lap, though she didn't mind. Something about him reminded her of… her. He had a memory hidden, unleashed suddenly in chaos. A weakness that others can take advantage of. Only difference here: his is explosive. She would collapse under the pressure, even vomit at times. No… Best not to think of it.

"He's alright… Yeah, just fine. You have given me a lot to think about…"

Author's Notes:

Panzer_Bros:

Thus, that concludes their first grand battle together. To be honest, trying to convey a connection was quite difficult under the circumstances I've chosen. To find a balance, realistic to an extent while having a points of interest. This was the result of me at the steering wheel.

As for Sinon, I feel like she would fit perfectly with the events that have occured and will be unfolding. Personally, I feel she could be explored a lot in terms of connections to others and overcoming her past. Having someone to share a part of her daily struggle, seems better in my eyes. Moreover, I feel like there should be a level of ubiquity in having many of the characters having guns in GGO.