Trinity: ...not enough blood...(sigh)

Shadow: They want more blood? ...Why can't you have normal fans?

Trinity: Acctully, when I re-read it, I agreed with him. But too much blood and Tails would have went psycho and killed everybody...

Jake: Where is that kid, anyways?

Trinity: In the white room. He needs to calm down...

Shadow: (snort) Good luck witht that!

You know that I know that I don't own anything!


Chapter 11- The Desert Pirates

"I think you owe us an explanation." Shadow said, standing over Jake. "I want to know what you relation is with the Desert Pirates."

"What makes you think I'm connected to them?" Jake said in an offhand tone.

"I noticed that they all had a tattoo on their face. One that looked similar to that scar of yours."

Jake looked away. Tails was hovering just over the edge of the building, however, he didn't land on the roof, nervous about getting closer to Annabel. His eyes were still icy and cold, and he stared at Jake with the same intensity as Shadow. The two demons were staring Jake down, determined for an answer. Annabel whimpered into her brother's shirt, murmuring incoherent warnings to him. Jake glanced down at his sister, then up at the dark blue sky.

Mumbling something about bed, Jake picked Annabel up and cradled her in his arms. The quivering child gave Shadow a frightful look, then buried his face into her brother's chest again, her arms wrapped around his neck. Jake leaped into a hole in the roof down on to the floor below and walked out the building. Shadow leaped off the roof and Tails hovered after them. As Jake walked toward the house the two were staying in, Shadow and Tails followed at a safe distance. Jake kicked open the door, walked down a hall, and put Annabel into a bed in one of the spare rooms. He then shut the door, went down the hall, and found Shadow and Tails in the sitting room waiting for him.

"Take a seat," Shadow said, sitting in the same chair he sat in before.

Jake took the chair as far as possible from Shadow, but there was no escaping their callous eyes. Tails sat on the table with his legs stretched out before him, hunched slightly, and watching Jake closely. And no matter where he sat, Jake was close enough to smell the blood that soaked the kit's fur. Jake took a shaky breath and closed his eyes, willing his heart to slow its beat. He opened his eyes at looked at Shadow.

"What do you want to know?" Jake asked in his gloomy voice.

"Everything. Starting with those bandits."

"The Desert Pirates was a group of kids who started wondering these lands after the war started, just trying to survive. I joined up with them after the attack on this city, back when I was just a kid myself. I was buried out there in the ruins, your see. Trapped for days without food, water, or even sunlight. When they found me, we thought I was the only one who survived the attack on Flora City. We didn't know the water well was intact, or that there were other survivors, other adults digging their way out of the ruins. We didn't know a thing, so we went into the desert.

"Living in the desert was tough, and we had no skills to work in the cities that still stood. We were forced to steal from other travelers just to get by. As we went, we picked up more and more kids, and we became a real gang. I was sorta revered, seen as a true survivor of the war since I was the only one who had actually been trapped under ruins, the last of my family. I was believed to be strong, and pretty darn lucky, and they made me their leader. The scar I received when the city walls fell on me was more than a gang sign- it was our symbol of hope.

"We were organized in ranks of power. There was me, as the leader, five others in second command, and others who would collect followers, egger to fill the position of commander if any one of them were to be captured. That boar you attacked and killed today was once a particular powerful candidate in our group. He was a very violent person, very savage, and many of our new comers shared his views. While we only stole what was needed to survive, he always wanted more- valuables, money, and as he got older, women. I was the only one who could keep him in line, but he was getting harder to control.

"Then one day…he attacked me. He challenged me, told me I wasn't fit to be leader anymore, and claimed I was too soft. So we fought, and I beat him. But he wasn't known for fair fights, and he had informed some bounty hunters in the area of our duel. I had a big bounty on my head at the time, so they jumped at the chance to catch me. They waited until Bubba wore me down, then ten or fifteen of them surrounded me. I just barely escaped, and I wandered around the desert until my wounds took their toll."

"That was a year ago, and as I was lying unconscious, I got caught up in a sandstorm. I was the one who got blown in, I was that warning of bandits. They found me at the edge of this housing district, recognized me, but noticed how ruffed up I was. When I woke up to find myself back home, I thought I was dead. Especially when I saw Annabel. I couldn't believe that she, or anyone else, survived the attack. You can't imagine the relief and happiness I felt.

"But I felt guilty, too. To this day, I have never told them about the fact that I myself was a bandit. That life was behind me, and I never dreamed it would come back to haunt me. Nobody, save Harold, suspected me, they all believed I was just a victim. Harold, on the other hand, remembered me as a trouble maker who used to hassle him a lot. I know he'll pin this on me some how…"

"Ain't that the truth."

Jake's head snapped up, and looked into the muzzle of a rifle. Harold stood in the door way with the gun cocked and pointed the three sitting in the room. The weasel was staring grimly at them, eyes lingering on the blood covered kit. Tails stared back at him over his shoulder, head tilted back slightly.

"Get out here. Now," The weasel hissed. Shadow and Tails complied, but Jake hesitated. Annabel was still sleeping inside one of these rooms. "MOVE IT, RAT!"

Jake scowled at Harold. Moving slowly, Jake got to his feet and followed Shadow and Tails to the door. He was surprised to see half the town standing in the street, weapons and torches in their hands. They all had small wounds, but nothing serious. Anna had a frying pan in each hand, and a small cut across her forehead. Harold was ruffled as well, with a minor arrow wound on his shoulder and what looked like claw marks on his chest.

The crowd was alight with nervousness and whispers moved through them like an angry wind. Jake spotted a couple of wounded bandits tied up and sitting on the ground at their guard's feet. The image of the carnage that was left behind in the street flashed through his mind. All these people would have to walk through it to get here and the blood on Shadow and Tails confirmed their suspicions.

"Not bandits, eh?" Harold sneered. Anna gave Shadow a solemn look.

"No, we aren't bandits," Shadow said softly, looking into the woman's eyes. She wanted to believe he hadn't killed all those people.

"If that was the truth, then who led these guys in here?" Harold snapped. Shadow tore his eyes away from her.

"If we were bandits, why would we have killed them all?" Shadow said. Harold grimaced. This weasel was getting on Shadow's last nerves with his silly accusations.

"Who knows? You bandits are nothing but thieves and murderers," Harold whispered just loud enough for the three to hear him.

Shadow felt Jake twitch beside him. His bald tail was whipping impatiently against the door frame. Tails' eyes narrowed, and he glared at the weasel. Harold had touched a nerve in Jake and Tails was sympathizing with him. A low growl started up in the kit's throat and Shadow placed a hand on his shoulder to calm him. It wouldn't do them any good if the boy lost his temper and killed the weasel.

"That doesn't make any sense!" Tails shouted at the weasel, shrugging off Shadow's hand and taking an angry step toward him. "How could've the bandits followed us here if we've been here for over two weeks?"

A shouting match erupted between the kit and the weasel. Neither took notice of Shadow when he turned and slipped back into the house. Jake watched him go with curiosity, and his eyebrows shot up in surprise when he returned with his little sister, fighting against the grip on her shoulder. Annabel looked up at her brother with her big brown eyes then glanced around the crowd just outside the door. Jake looked confusedly between Shadow and his little sister, who was started to fidget nervously.

"Who else could have led them? Only the three of you are outsiders!"

"Jake has been here for a year! Why would he lead danger to his sister! They were holding her as a hostage you know!"

"Speaking of," Shadow interrupted loudly, "How did you end up in those bandits' hands, Annabel?"

Annabel flinched at the pointed tone he asked the question. Jake's deepening confusion was evident on his features. Tails, who had taken several steps towards Harold, looked over his shoulder, understanding dawning in his mind. Anna looked like she was ready to burst out laughing at the bad joke, and Harold fumed silently. The weasel refused to believe the three "outsiders" were innocent.

"I didn't mean too!" The mouse squealed at the top of her lungs. "I didn't know the bad people were trying to get in! I thought it was okay to go out into the ruins!"

"Annabel," Jake said breathlessly. "Why did you go out there? What are you doing?"

"I was looking for Mommy and Daddy." Annabel sniffed a little. "Even if they're" -she struggled to say the word- "dead...they're still out there. I wanna find them. I wanna say good-bye…"

"They're not there," Jake said softly, shaking his head.

"What do you mean? They have to be!" The little girl was on the verge of tears. Her eyes glistened in the soft light of the moon and several torches.

"No. When they found me, after the attack, they found Father with me. Later, we found Mother. We took them, and buried them near the cathedral." Jake looked at his precious little sister. "I was distraught when I couldn't find you, give you a decent burial. But I'm glad I didn't have to."

Annabel sniffled again then wiped her face on her dress. Shadow let her slip from his grasp when she jumped on her brother and gave his leg a bone crushing hug. Jake feigned injury for her amusement and they giggled at they're old game. Tails watched the two with a smile on his face. Shadow was glad to see Tails' eyes back to being clear blue when he glanced at him.

Harold cocked his gun.

"What are you doing?" Anna yelled, advancing on him.

"Be quiet woman! Someone's got to do it!" The weasel snapped over his shoulder. He glared at Shadow, Tails, and Jake over his rifle. When he spoke, his voice quivered with anger. "Get out. The three of you. Leave this town, and never return."


Shadow: What the-!

Trinity: (smile) Harold is so nice.

Jake: Nice? He's not nice! He's gonna shoot us!

Trinity: (evil cackle)

Shadow: Are we gonna kill him?

Trintiy: Nah.

Jake: Am I'm important now?

Trinity: Who knows...

Shadow: Are there gonna be a bunch of invented characters in this?

Trinity: Maybe!

Shadow: ...

Jake: ...

Tails: (growling in background)

Trintiy: Quiet you!