NOTE: Alright, this chapter kinda sucks. Oh well...
Potemkin. Wow. He hadn't seen him in a while. But he looked different. Tired. Worn out. His hair was long and grayish, and his face and body bore many scars. He had seen a lot of action over the years. He still bore his iron gauntlets and metal collar, but they were dented and old.
"I come to get a drink, and I find you cutting up thugs!" The giant yelled in a deep voice. Johnny was speechless. But a smile began to appear on the man's face. Johnny smirked, and they both began to laugh.
The pirate jumped off Potemkin's shoulder. He sheathed his sword, and looked around and the bloody corpses. Then at the bartender, who was scared out of his wits. Johnny didn't blame him. His patrons were gone and he had twenty bodies to deal with.
Potemkin kneeled down to Johnny's height. "It has been a while." He said in his gruff voice. Johnny nodded. "We need to catch up."
They sat down at a table, Potemkin towering above it. Johnny was surprised that the old wooden chair didn't shatter from the weight. But it was the only table that wasn't splattered with blood.
They sat in silence for a few minutes. The bartender shivered in fear in the corner. Finally, Johnny spoke. "Any word from May?"
A small flash of fear went through Potemkin's face, but it was barely noticeable. But Johnny noticed it. He noticed little things like that.
"Last I heard, she was in jail."
Fear and guilt stabbed into Johnny. It was a rusty knife, and it twisted in a circle. He made no effort to conceal it. His mouth was wide open. "Jail!" he shouted, and stood up. He slammed his palms onto the table. "Where is she being held? We must free her!" He yelled. He wasn't in love with May or anything like that. But she was his responsibility. He found her, and swore to protect her. And now she was in jail? She couldn't be! She was the Jellyfish Pirate May!
Potemkin put his massive hand on the pirate's shoulder and pushed him back into his seat. Johnny calmed down, but was still panicked. "We can't free her. Besides, she is in for murder in the First Degree, and being your accomplice. She is guarded by Gears too." Potemkin told him. Johnny was scared. He knew if he tried to free her he would be caught.
"Damn it!" he yelled, and kicked the table. Murder? Was that the example he set? He thought he was a modern day Robin Hood, stealing from the rich and giving to the poor.
Suddenly he heard the noise of a gun cocking. He felt a cold metal tip point against the back of his head. He heard the broad bounty hunter speak, the one now missing his hand. "Johnny you fool! You didn't kill me when you had the chance. I can survive without a hand."
Johnny was calm, and so was the giant sitting across from him. This was too easy. In a flash, he smacked the man with the wooden sheath of his sword. He fell into a blood puddle. Then, Johnny pulled out the blade and put it to the man's bloody throat with one hand. The pirate now examined the hunter more closely. He wore a blood-splattered tuxedo, and was bald and fat. Similar to the scared bartender.
The hunter wasn't scared. Johnny smirked. He should be. "Who is your employer?" Johnny asked politely. The man rudely spit into the pirate's face. A very bad decision when there is a sword at your throat.
Johnny was a very forgiving man. His first rule of Piracy was to protect the innocent, poor, and handicapped. His second was to pillage the rich's homes and murder the wicked. He viewed this Bounty Hunter as wicked.
He remembered where he had seen this man before. It was a few years ago. Johnny had been hiding in an abandon bomb factory. They made explosives when The Crusades were still being fought. It was a large factory, with most of the equipment still intact. But Gears had ripped half of the place apart. Only hoodlums and the homeless went in it then. It was the perfect hiding place for Johnny.
He had been sneaking in food at night he remembered. But one time, he had to go out in the day. His food had been stolen, and he hadn't eaten in four or five days. So, he nonchalantly walked into a super-market and bought his food. But on the way back the hunter and a few others followed him.
After a short battle, he threw a match in explosive material and blew up the place. He thought all of his attackers had perished. Apparently not.
So anyway, Johnny stood with a blade at the fat man's throat. He decided he would scare information out of the man. "So, I'll start with cutting off your precious family jewels. If you still haven't talked, I'll think of another torture. Even though there is nothing worse then becoming half a man. Maybe if I make you eat your other hand…"
Johnny could tell the fat man was getting nervous even though he tried not to show it. But, as Johnny slowly lifted the sword up to neuter the man, he began to cry.
"No! Please! Gabriel sent me for you! I swear! Don't cut me, I'll do anything!" he blubbered. He begged, tears streaming down his bright red face. Johnny sheathed the sword and turned to Potemkin, alarmed.
"Gabriel!" Potemkin gasped. Johnny didn't speak. He kept a calm face, but was as nervous as the maimed hunter. But then Potemkin's emotions changed from shocked to anger. He charged forward, lifting the hunter by the collar. He was swearing and yelling, his face red with anger. "Liar! Gabriel is a good man! You awful, stinking liar! Liar!" He screamed in his deep voice. Johnny ran forward and put his hand on Potemkin's shoulder before the giant ripped the hunter's legs off. The giant looked down on Johnny, and hollered in anger. Even though Potemkin didn't want to believe it, he knew it was true. They both did.
Gabriel was a traitor.