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Chapter 6

The villain

The day seemed to be quite peacefull. It was just before noon as Dulcinea finished telling Puss about yesterday events. They were sitting in the canteen. It was still a mess after night and customers were kept out. Officially cantina was closed but Pajuna left Dulcinea a key just in case.

-"I see. I guess I need to apologise Nero." - Dulcinea haven't told anyone Jaken's real name. She thought it's up to him to do so.

-"I'm sure he isn't mad at you." - She said. - "He had just bad experience in the past and he is so emotional about home subject."

-"Maybe we could offer him a place to settle?"

-"That's a great idea. I'm going to tell him that when he gets back from orpahange."

-"And how is Esme?"

-"She was still sad in the morning. Nero said he will talk to her. I hope she gets better when she sees him in one piece."

-"Hey, we're back." - A brown cow said as she came in with Artephius. - "We have what we need."

-"Oh it's a great news. It should heal Nero in no time." - Grey feline said with a smile.

-"And may I ask, why is he outside? He should rest in bed for a few days."

-"Well, he feels fine. And wounds weren't bleeding so I let him go. Seems like Artephius' ointment works really fast."

-"I doubt it Dulci." - Said alchemist. - "It works but it needs time to heal."

-"And haven't you gave it to him this morning?"

-"Nope. I left as soon as I woke up." - Dulcinea wasn't sure. She saw herbs in Jaken's room.

-"You mean as soon as I woke you up?" - Pajuna said with a smirk.

-"What's the difference?"

Artephius stood next to a table and started to prepare a medicine. He was mumbling to himself as he added ingredients to mortar.

-"Wait." - Said Pajuna. - "You said that those are for making poison."

-"In a specific amount, yes. It could also be used for making a healing tincture or explosives."

-"You could mention that earlier, you know?"

Soon Artephius finished his ointment. Just as he said it's done Jaken came in to canteen and Esme was following him.

After fight with Puss, Jaken went to the orphanage. He needed to talk to Esme if they want her to be cheerful again. He entered the building. First floor was empty. He looked out of the window. Kids were playing outside but Esme weren't with them. Jaken climbed up the stairs and went to kids' room. He stood next to a door and heard weak sobbing. He entered and saw little girl laying in a bed facing a wall. Jaken could tell that she was still frighten. He approached a window in silence.

-"When I was at your age I was afraid of spiders." - He started. Esme lift her head and saw black feline in a long robe with his arm on a sling.

-"Other kids were using it to make fun of me. One day they throw me in to a cave full of spiders. Some of them were poisonous. I was forced to calm myself not to be bitten by any of them." - Esme was still looking at him with interest. Jaken looked down and saw a spider in a window corner. He reached his hand next to a web. - "And you know what?" - Spider started to walk on his hand. - "I've made a weapon out of my fear. I started to study spiders' behaviours and soon I knew everything about them. I was able to gather poison or web and make different potions. But I still let other kids think that I'm afraid of them." - He let spider go and turned to Esme. - "Controling our fears and weaknesses is most valuable weapon we can get. Use it to trick your oponents and gain advantage. If a fear is to great, start living with it and you will get used to it. Then nothing will be able to scare you." - Jaken turned around and headed to exit.

-"What happened with those bad kids?" - Esme asked with no tear on her face. Jaken stopped and looked at her.

-"Maybe some day I will tell you." - He continued his way and stopped once again in a door frame. - "If you want to learn to control your weaknesses, come with me." - With these words he left. Esme sat there still hugging her bear. After a few seconds she run after Jaken.

-"Nero. Just in time." - Dulcinea was first to respond. - "Artephius just finished a medicine for you."

-"Thank you." - Said Jaken. He took the ointment and went upstairs without a word. Esme was still following him. The rest was standing in a hall. They didn't know how to react. 'What did just happened here?'. Jaken entered his room and sat on a bed with a medicine still in his hands. He looked down and sighed.

-"This is an example of what you don't want to show anybody." - He said.

-"Did something bad happened to you?" - A girl asked.

-"You can say so. It's.. bad memories."

-"Is it about that friend of yours?" - Jaken looked at the door. Dulcinea was standing there and she was looking at him. He sighed again.

-"Come in and close the door. Esme can you wait outside?" - They did as he asked. - "I owe you an appology. For today. You were right about secrets hidden from friends." - He stopped for a moment -"Did I thank you? For saving my life?" - He asked.

-"No you did not, but..."

-"I will." - He said. He stood up and took off his robe without a problem. The bandages were dirty with blood in some places. He started to unwrap them.

-"Let me help you" - Dulcinea came closer and helped him with bandages. She was shocked when she saw a wounds. They were almost healed.

-"Nero, your wounds. How is it possible? They were supposed to heal in a few weeks." - Jaken reached to his bag and picked a small bottle with red liquid.

-"This tincure I made with some herbs I collected yesterday. I learned a recipe long time ago." - He put it back. The long package caught Dulcinea's attention.

-"And what's this?" - Jaken took a package. Wrapped sheets had a seal that it couldn't be opened.

-"This reminds me of the past. And a promise I made."

-"Do you want to talk about it?" - Jaken sighed. He started to put an ointment on his wounds.

-"It was three years ago." - He started slowly. - "I was a kind of guard in Santa Monica. There was a few of us. One of us was my friend. Well, she was something more than just a friend. We were suppose to protect a gem called Eye of Shadows. It allows you to see what's happening in the other places. Kind of vision."

-"Wait, I thought it allows to cast an illusion."

-"Let me guess. Garo told you this?"

-"Well, yes."

-"So let me finish. One day Garo came with his men. Well, then they were just five. Now he has an army. He said that he hunts a thief that wants a gem. We helped him. We made a trap to attract a thief. But we where the ones who fell into it. Everyone from my team died and I also supposed to be dead. Somehow I managed to survive. I took the gem with me and flew from Santa Monica. When Garo found out that I'm still alive and I have the gem he was after me. I promised that I won't use that weapon again."

-"What about El Diablo Blanco?"

-"When I was in hiding I found that this gem is not real Eye of Shadows. The real one is a skill that only one person achived. El Diablo Blanco. And yes, it allows you to make illusions. We are both looking for him." - Jaken finished taking care of wounds. - "Remember this Dulcinea. Garo is a master of manipulation. He gains control of your mind the longer you listen to him. If he needs evidence, he makes it. Just as it was with San Ricardo."

-"Wait, he is responsible for this?" - Jaken just looked at her without a word. - "We need to warn Puss. He thinks that El Diablo Blanco destroyed San Ricardo." - Dulcinea rushed to a door.

-"Don't. If Puss finds out he will want to kill Garo. You just get him back. Don't loose him again." - Dulcinea was standing with a hand on a handle. She was looking down. Jaken was right. She couldn't allow Puss to fall in lust for revenge again.

-"May I ask you something?" - Dulcinea turned to Jaken. - "How did you know about me being pregnat? And why didn't you stopped Puss the first time Garo came?"

-"First one is easy. You wanted to go with Puss but you decited to stay. You still are putting your hands in front of you in a protective way. And you want to eat some pickles. Your eyes are shining every time Kid Pickles is around with his jar." - Dulcinea looked down. She indeed had her hands in front of her. - "For stopping Puss. If I did it, Garo would recognise me and San Lorenzo would be in danger."

Garo was standing next to a table in a camp. He was looking at a map and studying some figures on it. He heard someone running. He looked up and saw Tongue running towards him barely cathing his breath.

-"Ah, Tongue. I hope you bring some good news. When will Puss join us?"

-"He won't." - He looked like he saw a ghost. - "He dec-sss-ited to sss-stay. He's-sss gonna be a father."

-"What did you say?" - Garo was angry. That wasn't his plan.

-"That's-sss not everything. HE is-sss in sss-San Lorenzo."

-"El Diablo Blanco?" - Asked Garo.

-"He sss-said that sss-San Lorenzo is-sss gonna be your grave." - Garo whiped everything from a table with angry roar and turned away.

-"You said that Puss' girl is pregnat?" - He asked after few seconds. He looked at his man with a smirk. - "I have an idea."

Will Puss find out who destroyed San Ricardo? What Garo wil do? And what will Jaken promise to Dulcinea? Find out next week.

Hope you guys enjoyed this one. This was a kind of a gap filler but next one should be better. Feel free to coment.