Chapter Two.
Broshi's lifeless body rapidly dropped from the gaping hole in his office, his face soaked in blood as chunks of shrapnel dug deep within his body. His once tense muscles were relaxed and his easily annoyed attitude now replaced by a blanket of silence. His body picked up speed as it dropped from the highest tower on the base and with a ear piercing crash he smashed into the ground below.
Dead.
"Rear Admiral!" A few Marines cried out in horror as they had no idea what was going on and how their commanding officer, someone who they looked up to had just died before their eyes.
"Thank you for the Dial," Roku stated calmly as he casually examined the impact dial with his brown eyes, his grasp upon it becoming more relaxed as there was no longer a need to be tense about holding it. Allowing a low chuckle escape his lips the large Marine Officer shoved the dial into his suit pocket, grinning as he did so, "I assume you have more, so I think I'll just keep this one as a present."
"Awesome!" Gor cried out in joy as he was overjoyed that they'd get to keep one of the dials that he had been drooling over.
Ryker's body was shaking as he couldn't believe what had just happened and his mind was still trying to process the whole thing. Gor was to overwhelmed by the idea that he'd get to see a dial up close everyday, but Pong and Roku didn't share his excitement. Roku was slowly approaching the smoking hole in the wall and Pong's emotionless gray eyes never left Ryker.
"Wh-What-What the h-hell was that?" Ryker was finally able to speak out.
"An impact dial of course," Roku answered simply with a smirk.
"I know what it was, but why the hell did you just use it against the Rear Admiral!" Ryker roared angrily as the vanes in his neck began to pop out, his eyes filled with rage as he couldn't see a reason to Roku's madness. The Rear Admiral might of been a jerk and a extreme pervert, but there was no reason to go and kill the man. Especially, with one of his precious dials.
"It's simple" Roku growled lowly under his breath as he kicked a small chunk of stone off the edge of the building top. "He was in my way to the top!"
This was all about rank!
He killed a fellow comrade over rank and power!
"You sick, bastard!" Ryker roared loudly as he took two steps forward and was about to charge the Commodore, when suddenly the sound of a blade escaping its sheath rung lowly through his head. Without warning the cold metallic blade of Pong's sword was gently pressed against Ryker's neck. The young bounty hunter froze is his tracks as he didn't dare to take any risky moves.
"Don't try anything stupid kid," Pong taunted the young bounty hunter as he slowly stepped away from Ryker and carefully holstered his katana once again. His devilish grin displayed upon his face as he did so, something that Ryker strongly disliked as he didn't enjoy the swordsman's sudden expression of emotion something that was of absence on the Commander's face most of the day, "We still need you."
"Still need me?"
"Yes, it seems that Head Quarters was finally planning on promoting that damn geezer to Vice Admiral, instead of him requesting his well needed retirement. There was also some rumors that he'd be making Admiral with the incoming year. They were planning on promoting the old timer so quickly throughout the ranks, because they needed more experience to be mixed in with the new generation of Admirals," Roku began to explained in a cold and dark voice as it was a big change from his usual cheerful tone. His fist became tight upon thinking of Broshi's quick and sudden path to glory at Marine Head Quarters, something that he had prayed of for years. Roku was jealous that someone who should of retired years ago was being offered the promotion that he so desperately needed to move up in his plan to become, Fleet Admiral.
Jealousy... Greed... Rage... Just three of the things that led him to committing murder and treason.
"At first I thought I'd be allowed to venture with Roshi as he was transferred to Head Quarters, but apparently they were going to keep me here. The idea of being promoted to Rear Admiral and taking over this base wasn't the worse thing, but then I found out! They were never planning on promoting me! Broshi had told them that I wasn't experience yet for the promotion!" Roku explained loudly and insanely as he watched the Marines below all raced around in chaos trying to figure out what was going on and who had killed their commanding office. He watched as six Marines raced into the tower's main doors below, but it'd be several minutes before they even reached the top.
"So, you committed murder?" Ryker asked as he was baffled as to how murdering Broshi would help his career.
"No, I didn't murder him... You did!" Roku laughed widely as his laughter boomed throughout the room causing Ryker to wince in shock at what he was hearing.
He didn't kill anyone!
"You can't frame me! I would never kill him!" Ryker roared loudly as rage was taking over his senses and he was struggling for control of his action.
"Well all the clues lead up too you. The fact that the Rear Admiral was killed by a impact dial and that you're the only dial user in the West Blue, that you and the Rear Admiral never got along, the fact that you came to visit the Rear Admiral at the only time when he's least guarded, and lets not forget my favorite part the fact that we have three high ranking Marines who witnessed you kill him!" Roku couldn't stop laughing as he watched Ryker's face turn white upon realizing that even if he hadn't killed Broshi, it looked as if he had. Who would believe a simple bounty hunter? It was him against the word of three Marine Officers.
He was done for it!
"Now, it's time I become the hero and capture the murderer of the precious Rear Admiral Broshi!" Roku cried out loudly so everyone who was in the base could hear him and know that the murderer was still within the base's walls. Suddenly, Pong rushed forward his blade lightening quick as it sliced through the floor below Ryker. Ryker cried out as the blade released a vortex of wind that sent him crashing into a near by book case, his grunt of pain covered up by the wooden shelf cracking in half.
"Play time is over, kiddo!" Pong growled darkly as he prepared his final attack to finish off the bounty hunter, his blade gleaming in the sun as he lifted it high into the air.
Ryker refused to die like this.
He refused to be called a monster for something he didn't do!
"Breathe Dial!" Ryker cried out loudly as he slipped on one of his gloves that had a breathe dial attached to the palm. The dial echoed loudly as it sounded as if it was releasing a small hurricane and with a powerful blast of wind that escaped it, Ryker was sent flying across the room. Capturing, air-current within the dial was a useful trick of his to escape situations like this. The breathe dial wasn't as powerful as its counterpart the Jet Dial, but using the jet dial in such a small area could cause harm to the user. The three Marines watched in shock as Pong's attack simply sliced through the room's wall, the ceiling above them becoming slanted as the wall gave in. Their target safe.
The breathe dial had sent Ryker flying through the open doorway and into the lobby.
"Gor, stop him!" Roku ordered loudly as the gorilla-man entered the room his hands ripping down the two oak doors that were in his way. Throwing one of the doors at Ryker he was surprised to see his attack just barely miss, allowing the bounty hunter to scramble through the doorway just in time to dodge the other incoming door.
"Lanes, I need your help!" Ryker cried out as he entered the stairway to see no other then the lifeless body of the Master Chief Petty Officer. His eyes rolled back as his mouth was wide open, his neck crushed inwards by someone with tremendous strength.
They had killed Lanes.
"L-La-Lanes" Ryker whimpered lowly as he went to touch is dead friend, but was suddenly sent flying down the stairs as Gor smashed through the wall. Finally, stopping himself after rolling down several steps he looked around himself to see that he was surrounded. A group of six Marines had blocked his escape route and Gor was slowly approaching him.
Ryker was about to scream out and ask him why they killed Lanes, but he wasn't quick enough.
"Marines, capture him! He has just murdered a Master Chief Petty Officer and the Rear Admiral! He has also assaulted three high ranking Marines in the process!" Gor echoed loudly as the six Marines all aimed down their iron sights of their rifles and slowly began to approach the bounty hunter, a few of them shaking at the idea of approaching a man who just killed a Rear Admiral without a struggle apparently.
Ryker quickly whipped out another glove, this one had yet another dial attached to the palm of it and with no time to waste it slid his right hand into it. Cracking his knuckle he extended his right hand out and acted as if it was a loaded rifle. The six Marines at first stumbled back in fear, but from one glare by Gor and they continued to move in on the bounty hunter.
"Flame Dial: Flame Wheel!" Ryker cried out loudly as a stream of hot red flames was released from the dial. Gor's gorilla like personality took over and cried out in fear at this sight. Ryker entered a full spin allowing the fire to create a wall between him and the Marines, no one brave enough to enter the hot fire. Looking around he noticed the window located directly behind him.
It was his only way out.
"Don't let him get away!" Roku's voice boomed loudly from upstairs and with the fear of more Marines arriving Ryker decided it was time to take the more "dangerous" escape route. He had no hope in taking out all the Marines and if Roku got involved in the fight he was done, Ryker was just lucky that Roku was in such a daze over his successful plan that he wasn't personally coming after Ryker.
Positioning himself so he was perfectly lined up with the window he bend his knees ever so slightly, holding his left arm out so the breath dial was facing at an angel he bent his arm slightly, and taking in a deep breathe he braced himself. Considering using a Jet Dial instead Ryker quickly forgot that idea as it'd be so powerful and could cause the whole tower to collapse on him before he got out.
"It was fun playing with you boys, but I never killed anyone!" Ryker called out as Gor and the Marines rushed forward as the flame dial had finally stopped spitting out fire.
They were closing in on him.
"Breathe Dial!" Ryker screamed out nervously as a huge gust of wind shot out of the dial. The wind ripped apart at the railing and the stairs, the Marines and Gor all went flying opposite ways, and Ryker quickly lifted his feet off the ground as all this happened. He could feel the glass cut at his neck as he smashed through it and the sensation of flying suddenly hit him.
Using just enough wind to escape the tower was easy, but he needed enough wind power to completely blow right over the base. He hadn't captured enough air for such a task, but he needed to try if he wanted to escape. Preparing himself for another blast of wind he watched in horror as Pong emerged from the broken window. His katana at hand as he positioned himself into a firm stance on the window ledge.
"Razor Blade Wind Storm!" Pong cried out as with swing of the blade several razor sharp wind vortex blades shot out through the air and towards Ryker.
It was now or never.
"Breathe Dial: Raging Hurricane!" Ryker cried out as this was his most powerful attack with a breathe dial and once he even broke a dial preforming it as the breath dial wasn't exactly perfected for such a powerful attack, but he had ALMOST perfected it.
Almost...
A blast of wind exited the dial in a spinning motion, a loud echoing sound took over his hearing as the wind was fierce and violent. Pong's attack was closing in, but it wouldn't be enough to reach him in time. Suddenly, a shadow was directly over Ryker and as he looked up he was shocked to see Pong gliding through the air right at him.
"Not so-" Pong never finished his sentence.
The breathe dial released the hurricane of wind and as fast as Ryker had called out the name, he was gone. Pong's attacked as destroyed by the wind and Pong was sent crashing into the tower with bone crushing force, but that wouldn't stop him.
"HOLYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHIIIIITTTTT TTTTTTT!" Ryker cried out as he felt as if his skin was going to rip right off his body at the speed he was going at. Finally, he started to lose speed and began to drop down towards the ground but he wasn't about to use up all his wind with that one attack. He stilled had a bit more left over to make a safe landing.
"Breath dial, don't fail me now" Ryker whispered lowly as there was enough wind for him to shot at the ground to safety allow him to float downwards. Aiming the dial downwards he released a stream of steady wind allowing him to gently land. The moment his feet touched the ground he fell over.
His legs were shaking so much!
Suddenly, the Marine base roared loudly as the alarm was being set off.
"All Marines! We are looking for a former bounty hunter by the name of, Ryker! He's armed and dangerous! If you're able to bring him in alive!"
"Why do they want me alive?" Ryker cursed lowly as he ran off through the woods, his legs still shaky.
He had to clear his name!
So here's just a small list of Dials and attacks that Ryker used in this chapter...
Breath Dial- He stores wind in most of them for quick get aways.
Breath Dial: Raging Hurricane- A powerful attack that has been known to break dials upon using. It releases a powerful blast of wind that rotates in a way that a hurricane would.
Flame Dial- He stores fire within these dials.
Flame Dial: Fire Spin- By spinning in a circular motion Ryker engulfs his surroundings with fire, making ti hard to be attacked by the enemy, and allowing him time to formulate a new plan.
The Jet Dial was mentioned but not used.
Dials attached to gloves give him more control over the dial and a free hand to do other activities. It makes it easier to use dials like the breathe dial as they won't launch themselves out of his own grip.