Alright! What will be for this chapter?
Well...let's go with something on how our characters fight bounty hunters starring one of our bounty hunters back in the games. And no...it's not Sol Badguy. Not yet!
Two months ago...
Bridget's bounty hunting is on and off, he managed to snag a few good bounties but he never catches a break from here to there. He wished he can find some time off so he can find something he wants to enjoy himself. However, his end goal brings him back over to why he's doing in the first place making him groan. He wished his hometown can just get rid of those superstitions already so he won't have to do himself.
Still, Bridget grew some muscles over the years. Though the face he had is feminine his slender body is not, well...almost feminine. He gained some muscles thanks to bounty hunting but he has a long way to go in becoming a real man. At least, he has the money to change his clothes. Now he looks at himself, he really needs a wardrobe change. With the amount of money he had brought himself from RIOT clothing store, he brought blue shorts down to his knees, a blue tie and vest to make which that he is a boy, not a girl. He still hasn't got rid of the blue veil and his headband (people think it's a headdress for a nun) but he is content with himself on his new attire. He looks like any teenager boy now! This is great!
Plus, he also upgraded his mechanized, intelligent, and cute teddy bear, Roger. A teddy bear that is been possessed by a ghost for some unknown reason.
But now, there's another problem.
He needs food.
And he's broke...
He needs to eat. Bridget sighs as he last spent his last money on a good meal at this tavern where bounty hunters gather for their next bounty. He heard the place has good wings. He plays with his yo-yo while Roger is looking at some bounties. Ugh...he need to make money quickly before he starves.
Then suddenly, there is a loud commotion. He overhears that it's over a new bounty poster where everyone gathered around. Bridget pushed through the crowd to take a good look at it. Bridget widened his eyes at the new poster. A gear?! And this one is sketched out. The hunters murmured amongst themselves as Bridget look at the drawing.
"A gear?!" One of the bounty hunters said.
"It's $90,000 but ain't close to the other one years ago."
"Wasn't that gear about 500,000? From Hell's Forest, The Grove?" Another said.
"It is! But why this one too low?" A skinny bounty hunter asked.
"Maybe because nobody got a good look at it so they draw it based on what people remember now. Plus, nobody knows if it's real or not. The only thing people got on is that it fought the gangs in Neo New York. The Lupins and The Demon Anthem Elite."
"Those guys?! That Gear fought them by itself?!"
"I'm not surprised."
"Then who's going to take it then?!"
"Move!" A group of bounty hunters pushed the others aside as they walked to where Bridget is. It was a group of four bounty hunters. Two women and two men. First, a scantily-clad woman carries a rifle on herself and bullets, she has sliver hair as she wears a short cloak over her. She has a short skirt and combat boots.
Next, it's another woman who is a mage with a witch's hat on it. She is young and well to be in her 20s. Her skin is black as she has green hair that is a bob cut and wears a long black cloak over herself as she carries a staff.
Also, a Hispanic skinny man with a mohawk in the mid-20s as he has daggers on him. He smirks at the bounty hunters while he twirls his daggers.
Then finally, their leader is an average well-built man in his early 30s. Also, Caucasian and looks like he's growing a goatee. He carries a longsword on him as he has a cape over with it of the emblem of the Holy Order.
"We're going to take this one before God of War does!" He yelled as he rips the paper from the board. A handful of people knew who God of War was but he is barely here sometimes. "We're going to take down this dragon!"
"Oh yeah! Go ahead, Wright! We're going to bet on ya!" The hunters laughed.
"Can't believe, Team Assualt ongoing on this." One of them murmured.
"Can't say I'm surprised."
"At least, I'm the one taking initiate unlike rest of you lot." Wright grinned. "Anyway! We're going to get going unless other hunters around the world beat us to it. C'mon, guys!" Not wanting to lose his chance, Bridget speaks, "WAIT!" He yells, which halts the group. "Can I come?! Can I join your party?!"
All eyes on are Bridget then everyone started to laugh except the Team Pinch (except for the dagger man, he snorted in respond,
"Oh sure, girly! Why not take a shot at it?!" Said, one hunter.
"Let the grown-ups handled this, missy!" Said another.
"Yeah! Unless you want to be a damsel in distress! Dragons like those!" Said the third.
"I'M A BOY!" Bridget yelled angrily which stops the laughter. However, the laughter resumes only this, much harder from the patrons of the tavern. Bridget shakes his fist as his face turns red in embarrassment.
"COULD OF FOOL ME!" One snorted.
"YOU A BOY?! NO WAY!" Another bounty hunter is holding his sides. "I'm going to feel bad for the Gear!"
Bridget growls under his breath. Hating being mistake for a girl even all this time, damn it. Despite the wardrobe change he had to go through. "Yeah! Well...I managed to almost get the Maiden of the Grove." he didn't know why but he wants to prove himself. Of course, nobody believes him.
"Almost doesn't mean anything-" Then a hand grabs an obnoxious bounty hunter and tosses him over his shoulder, sending across the room. It was Wright smiling at him, "Sure, why not! Since it's a gear, we're dealing with."
The markswoman didn't look happy as the dagger man snorts, "But don't get in the way, girly boy." The snickering bounty hunter with the daggers follows.
Bridget frowns but follows as he grumbles. Regardless, he's happy that he's joining.
Neo New York – Central Park Forest.
The trip took them hours but they are finally here. The group stayed at the inn a day before they enter the forest. Bridget came to know their names. He already knows the leader named, Wright as he has a reliable party of a mage, rogue, and a markswoman. Wright introduced his teammates to him.
First, it's the dagger man named Sly, Bridget doesn't like him as he is just like his name. Thinking he's cool and sly as he loves to dish out insults and laugh at Bridget's expense. It's annoying. Still, Wright regards him as someone who is not to be messed with. He is quick and fast with his daggers. Especially with his wind magic.
Then the markswoman is named Jessica. She's good at sniping her target with her rifle. She's quiet and kept to herself as she inserts the magic bullets into her gun. Plus, she's good at gunslinging thanks to the flexible body of hers!
And finally, the mage is named Flair. She's good at casting basic magic and her special element is ice magic. She's here as a support and always makes sure to immobile her bounties. Plus, she makes pretty ice sculptures with her magic. She makes jokes just to lighten the mood. Bridget likes her!
Bridget is surprised to hear that Wright used to be part of the Holy Order. Bridget listened to the grand tales of Wright as he is claiming that he fought many Gears with his might. Fought alongside Ky Kiske, Leo Whitefang, and God of War.
Bridget feels today is his lucky day! That he will get money at the end of this. And so Bridget happily tells Wright and his team about himself, his abilities like how he uses yo-yo as his main weapon, about Roger and the events leading up to this. Bridget hopes, after this, he might be part of Team Assault.
If only Bridget knew...
That Wright lied.
In actuality, he didn't fight many Gears. He just kills the deactivated ones. He only saw Ky Kiske and God of War once. He was stationed away from the battle. by So why did Wright allow him to join? Well, because someone is going to be bait for the Gear. Of course, the rest of the team isn't any better.
To Team Assault, Gears are like wild animals. To them, Bridget is perfect bait since they are convinced the Gear is these woods are real.
Bridget didn't know this as he is told the team is splitting up to cover more ground before meeting back here at camp. Sly decides to accompany Bridget much to his annoyance but Sly pats him on the back, "Don't worry, princess. If anything happens, I will let the team know!" Sly grinned. Team Assault had a plan, have Sly lead Bridget to the ruins, and have him trapped accidentally so they can wait for the Gear to appeared. All of them are capable of their own despite being separated from each other.
What Bridget and Team Assault didn't know that there's already a plan in place for them by someone outside of the forest. Information is relayed to the dragon and her friends about the bounty hunters.
"So, let me get this straight, in your town, they think that having twins is bad luck so your folks raised ya to be a girl. Man...sucks to be you!" Sly laughs to which Bridget groans and snaps, "Yeah, well, it's isn't funny!" Roger also expressed displeasure, not amused at Sly.
"Oh, come on! If I were ya, I wouldn't prove that to a bunch of hillbillies that something like that is not true!" Sly stated.
Bridget frowns even more. If anything, Sly is right. Why should he need to prove that?! But at the same time, he doesn't have proof that he's doing good so far despite being a twin. Not only that, but his brother also disappeared. He doesn't have leads yet because he needs the money to get some leads. It's pretty frustrating.
"But hey! At least, ya got us! Once we captured this Gear dragon or whatever, Wright might let you get a cut of the reward. It's like what? 90,000? I think it's enough for all of us! Who knows! They might raise to 100,000 so everyone gets an equal cut." Sly ensures him.
I hope so. Bridget thought.
Bridget and Sly stop at the crossroads, two paths to two different directions where they are green signs posted at an iron pole in front of a big tree, that pointing at the name of the location.
CITY RUINS.
CLIFF.
All in white text.
"I heard this part of the place used to be part of the greatest city in the world before the Crusades. Sucks that it became a big forest but eh...what can ya do?" Sly shrugged.
Bridget wondered if the old world before the Crusades ever deals with superstition. "So, which should we go?"
"Like Wright said. The city ruins! I heard some of the buildings are still intact. Some of the locals say that the Gear made it nest or somewhere." Sly answered. Bridget isn't afraid and so he takes a step forward with his chest puffed up, "Then let's go. What Gear isn't going to wait for us!"
"Heh." Sly smirks as he follows. But then he heard something, a bristling and a twig snapped. Sly quickly turns his head only to see nothing.
"Hey! What's keeping you!" Bridget yelled.
"Nothin, thought I heard something," Sly answered as he kept going.
Without noticing, as they left the crossroads, the signs were switched.
Hey! Interesting Chapter, right? Well if it gets confusing, where I'm going with this story is that I want to play with time first as well as showing how our characters do things before things get serious. Like how to deal with bounty hunters!
Also since Bridget wins a poll at the one of countries's popularity. I think he needs some love, don't you?
SO! Will Bridget know that he is being used as bait? Or will Team Assualt will get their goal?