--Jeneora Rock; the next day.

Silently, Onyx, Knives Vash, and Shiro crept through the deserted town. Looking around, Vash sighed; "Thank god the people evacuated in time."

Onyx nodded, "She has four others with her. Vash; you take the one hiding in the bar. Shiro and Knives; you take the two on the rooftops. The boy is scared stiff and probably won't attack."

Knives glanced at her worriedly and Shiro elbowed Vash in the ribs, "And what about Alona?"

Onyx narrowed her eyes into silver slits, "The church at Jeneora's peak…she's mine

With that, the group began to split up, but Onyx pulled Knives aside, "Be careful…come back to me in one piece, okay?"

Knives smiled grimly, "You too, Onyx…I don't know what I'd do if I lost you…I truly care for you, you know."

Onyx looked down, "I know you do…I'll come back: I promise."

And with that, she was gone.

Alona glanced up in surprise as Onyx entered the church alone. She smiled, "So, you've come alone? Where are your little helpers?"

Onyx narrowed her eyes, "I don't need them to take out a bitch like you." With a blink of her eye, her twin revolvers launched themselves into her hands.

Alona nodded, "Very impressive, but how about this?" Suddenly, a pair of short swords appeared in her hands.

The bounty hunter shrugged, "It's a simple trick…if you find that impressive, you've no hope."

Eyes glittering with rage, Alona leapt forward. Sidestepping, Onyx managed to avoid the full force of the blow, gaining only a nick in one arm. Flipping herself onto the alter, she fired off two shots from her guns. The first shot landed beside Alona's foot, throwing her off balance while the second shot grazed the side of her head.

Crying out in pain and anger, Alona launched herself at Onyx and plunged a blade deep into Onyx's collarbone while slashing at her face with the other. Gritting her teeth, Onyx winced as she felt the sword puncture her right lung. Trying to ignore the pain, the bounty hunter fired the gun she held in her left hand. The shot nailed Alona square in the elbow, flinging her backwards toward the ground.

Pulling the blade free, Onyx leapt off of the alter to where Alona lay on the ground, stunned.

"You've caused me a lot of trouble Alona," the bounty hunter whispered menacingly, "You've wasted a lot of my time. Don't expect me to make this quick for you…" With a single fluid motion, she shot out both of the psychic's legs. "No, you're not going to die yet…I imagine this hurts like a bitch though."

Suddenly, looking into the girl's features, she seemed to change her mind and she shot Alona point blank in the head. Shiro's voice rang out in the darkness, "Onyx, look out!!"

There was a resounding shot, and Onyx felt a strange burning pain in the middle of her spine. Turning, she saw the young, white-haired boy staring at her grimly, a still-smoking gun in his hand. "Why you little bastard!" she hissed, bringing her pistol level with the boy's head. Suddenly, she went into a spasm of coughing, and when she pulled her hand away, she was astonished to see it was covered in red blood—her blood. "Shit…I'm dead…" she murmured as she slumped over Alona's corpse.

Eyes wide, Shiro watched as Onyx slumped to the ground. Pulling out his gun, the young assassin turned on the boy. "You bastard!!" he screamed, "You killed her, you bastard, you fucking killed her!!!" Knocking the boy to the ground, he emptied his entire gun into the kid's body—all fifteen rounds. Collapsing to the ground, he pounded his fist on the boy's chest. "You killed her you bastard!" he sobbed, "You fucking killed her!! Oh Onyx…"

Suddenly Knives ran into the room. "Onyx!" he called, "Onyx, I—" Suddenly, he spotted her still form lying in a pool of blood, "Oh my god, no! Onyx!" he knelt next to her body, his lavender eyes wide. "No Onyx! Come on, open your eyes! Don't leave me like this Onyx!! You promised me you'd come back!!"

Vash put a hand on his twin's shoulder, "Knives, she's dead and there's nothing you can-"

"No!!" Knives shrieked, shoving Vash aside, "She can't be dead!: he broke into ragged sobbing, "S-she promised me she'd never leave me again! She promised! Please Onyx, open your eyes!! Don't die!"

When Onyx didn't respond, Knives tilted back his head and just screamed in pure agony, "ONYX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"