A/N: Sorry everyone that it took so long for me to write this chapter. I'm kinda one of those writers where it takes a while to think of a good plot just for this one chapter, and if I start writing and it already looks like shit, I have to replan the whole damn thing. Sorry if this chapter sucks. I had to bring Basta back (yay for those who like, cursing for those who dont) and make him fit back into the story again. This chapter is gonna seem a little odd, but it kinda seemed natural that the first person he sees when he comes back, is the person the reason for making him suffer. Anyway, did a lot of writing and rewriting but I hope this chapter turned out right. If it didnt, I'm sorry and you can leave your comments at the review (if you do review that is)
Thanks to all of you reviews who enjoy my story and critique my work. I love hearing thoughts about how you like the story or how I could make it better. Flamers, havent really had any yet, but if you do flame go ahead cause I really dont care.
Enjoy!
Thunder boomed over the mountains the next night. The lightning flashed across the Italian outskirts of the Village while the black jackets all hustled around the church and its surrounding houses. A lone figure though, walked slowly, limping with hands bound and a gag in his mouth. He inwardly laughed at how the idiot Silvertounge had gotten himself captured when the awoke two days ago, only to find Dirtyfingers missing from their party. The fat woman and the girl immediately started calling his name while Silvertounge decided to go and search for him, leaving the tied up Basta sitting in the shade of a dying olive tree. Minutes after their 'search' Basta heard noises coming from the left side of his tree, and then the shouts of Silvertounge and the fat woman rang in his ears. His fellow black jackets, while scouting the area, had found where they were hiding, and were taking them to Capricorn as a gift of good fortune. The only problem was that they didn't see Basta tied and gagged, desperately trying to get their attention on the fact that he was there as well. But neither Silvertounge nor the girl spoke up as to point out that a friend of theirs (not that Basta had any friends, only comrades) was sitting not five feet away from him.
So, Basta was left alone, with his fear on the oncoming night that bad luck would befall him, even if he was wearing his lucky pendant around his neck.
Luckily though, Basta was somehow able to find a small sharp rock and cut himself loose before the day became noon, when the snakes woke from their slumber.
"When I get my hands on that man I am going to slit his throat and watch as his blood slowly seeps out of his throat, then I'll get that smartass girl of his and kill her while he is still dying. What a way to go! Dying and watching your family dying at the same time. It's so beautiful." Basta thought such malicious things the entire time that he was trying to get back to the village. Thoughts of how he was going to kill Silvertounge, Meggie, the fat woman, and most of all Dustfinger.
"Now his death is going to be a death to remember! How bout a bonfire? Or tying him above a fire and then slowly lowering him onto the flames! Oh there are so many ways I'm going to torture him."
If Mo and the others thought that Basta was bad the first time, then they were in for serious trouble when they saw how much venom the man had gained.
Twice they had caused trouble for the black jackets, twice had Basta been brutally punished by Capricorn for their antics, and twice did he have to suffer Dustfinger and his tricks.
"Hey, is that Basta?"
A voice yelled out while the dark knifeman was muddled over his thoughts.
"Yea it is! Hey where ya been?"
Finally Basta realized that he was being talked to, and he looked up into the faces of Flatnose and Cockerell, who were standing guard outside the village hilltops.
"Yea it's fucking Basta! You dumb bastards left me outside of the village in the hills with the damn snakes, underneath a fucking TREE!" Basta's face resembled the brightest beetroot.
"The hell you going on about? We didn't know you were there! Ya should have made some noise or something."
"How in the hell am I supposed to—
Ann came from inside of the church walking with one of the other black jackets. The girl looked up from the shouting and saw Basta along with Flatnose and Cockerell.
"Oh hell no!" Ann shouted and immediately.
Basta, feeling angry as it were, shouted and ran after the girl that he blamed for his misery as well as his misfortune.
"Get back here you damn wretch!"
Ann turned her head while running and shouted over her shoulder with venom. "Why? So you can throw another knife at me? Or jump on me and knock me down again? Just being around you I somehow manage to get hurt you dumbass black jacket!" Both of them headed straight for the nearest car, and Ann, getting on one side of the car, turned and faced Basta.
Basta saw that the girl stopped on the other side of the vehicle, leaving him on the other side facing her while breathing harshly from the running.
"How in the hell did you get back? Dustfinger told me that they tied you up?" Ann questioned. It was true that before the other black jackets locked the fire eater in his 'cell' that he told her how Silvertounge and him got Basta tied up and had him call Capricorn. And that they left him elsewhere after he left the car and the others.
"Oh, you mean how did I get away from that fucking tree all tied up? I'm not gonna tell you sweetheart. Because I already know that that damned Silvertounge already had his satisfaction of getting me tied up, but telling you how much I suffered around that tree is something you wont have the satisfaction of hearing."
Ann could see the bent up rage and hatred in Basta's eyes just from the other side of the car. Knowing now that Basta was the last person she needed to be around right now, Ann carefully was devising a way of getting away from the knifeman.
The once distant thundering of the storm over the mountains was no longer so distant, but instead right over the village. The black menacing clouds threatened lightning and a heavy storm.
"Basta," Ann said cautiously "I know your really mad right now, but yelling at me and chasing me isn't going to get you anywhere now is it."
The black jacket just started at her intently.
"And plus, Capricorn needs me in one piece, so you already know that you cant use your pretty sharp knife on me."
This time, Basta smirked. And that smirked scared Ann a lot more than a whole bunch of black jackets surrounding her.
"No princess, just because he wants you in once piece doesn't mean I don't get to use my hands on you. Just not my knife."
The several black jackets that Basta was talking to when he came into the village, came up behind Basta, as if already understanding what he was about to do. They semi circled him and started at the girl as well as the man before them.
"Basta, sorry to say but ya can't really hurt Ann. Capricorn has a fucking death wish on anyone who does. Just ask Cockerell or Flatnose. They'll tell how much trouble this vixen has gotten them into.
"Can ya blame me?" Ann mumbled to herself.
A heavy rain suddenly overcame the village. Its drops almost looked as black as the clouds they fell from. Said clouds, suddenly became darker and a wind picked up as if someone turned on a giant fan just over the mountains. The trees, leaves, and even some old weary tiles were blowing harshly over the dirt ground and parking lot.
"Hey guys, how about we all just head in and forget—
"Shut the hell up." Basta whipped around to face the man speaking of forgetting everything. "This girl had made me go through more shit than anyone else around here and I plan on getting her back. And if any of you so much as think of getting in my way well," Basta chuckled "Just because I cant use my knife on her doesn't mean I cant use it on all of you." Basta slowly pulled out his knife that had struck Ann when Capricorn caught her. Ann even flinched and slowly and unknowingly rubbed the spot on her head where she could remember the knife hitting her after it cut through its thick leather holder.
"Now all of you get the hell out of here while me and miss fire eater get reunited. After all its been so long since I last saw her."
The black jackets, needing no other warning, headed off dead sprint towards the church where it was warm and dry, as well as far away from the madman with a knife.
"Just you and me now Ann." Basta said dryly as he slowly slunk towards her. Ann, already knowing what was going to happen, heading in the opposite direction around the car, away from Basta. "Come here Ann, I aint gonna hurt ya." He cooed cruelfully.
Ann knew that this game would go one forever until one of them made the wrong move, and she was determined not to be the one. So she carefully angled herself so that she was in closer to the church with it behind her and knew that if she had started to run, she would have the better advantage of making it before Basta even reached her. If he did though…the thought made her gulp.
5.
Ann readied herself.
4.
Basta chuckled and started to slowly make his way towards her.
3.
Ann shifted her self slightly away.
2.
Basta was getting closer now.
1.
Ann turned and sprinted as fast as her legs could carry her towards her (never thought she would call it this) sanctuary. She knew that once she made it, and reached Capricorn, that Basta wouldn't be able to get his hands on her and choke her to death.
But, it seemed that someone somewhere didn't want her to ever get away from something she desperately wasn't looking forward to.
Just her luck, Ann slipped on the now muddy ground and slid about 2 feet before she stopped and was looking up at the sky, with rain drops pitter pattering on her head. Soon, the footsteps of Basta were heard as well as his heavy breathing.
"Looks like Lady Luck is on my side this time girly. Which means," Basta grabbed Ann by her shoulders and promptly dragged her to another car in the lot. "Let's see how you like being tied up now shall we?" Shoving Ann up against the rope, the man pulled out a short piece, of what looked like plastic rope, and tied her feet as well as her hands, leaving her struggling viciously to get out of the hold of the rope.
Then the air suddenly left Ann's lungs, leaving her winded and gasping for breath. Basta had punched Ann in her stomach while she struggled and didn't notice him pull back his arm and let loose a powerful uppercut.
"W-wha?" Ann gasped. She would've clutched her stomach if she didn't have to worry about the sudden pain in her head at that moment. Basta wasted no time in punching every single part of her exposed body, leaving a trail of bruises and some bloody cuts. Her lip had become busted, her right eye was beginning to swell, and her ribs and every part of her body was beginning to become attentive to pain.
"P-please stop B-Basta. No more!" Ann had curled into a fetal position and tried to cover up her vitals spots, leaving legs and back as well as her arms open for torment.
"How does it feel princess? How does it feel to finally feel pain that you thought was nothing huh? I hope your feeling a lot of pain darling because if you aren't yet, your about too." Saying such, a kick to the back was leaving Ann screaming in pain, her consciousness was starting to fade as the pain continued.
Then suddenly, the pain ceased and Basta was tackled by what looked like a red and black figure, a figure she recognized.
Dustfinger…
Dustfinger had picked his way out of his cell and was searching the grounds for guards when he heard a scream echo across the village. He instantly knew who the screamed belonged to, seeing as it wasn't the first time he ever heard her scream. But this scream was chilling, full of pain. And soon Dustfinger was in full sprint to the voice. Coming across the lot, he suddenly saw a tied up Ann and a ferocious looking Basta, kicking her in her back over and over until it looked like Ann had passed out from her torture.
Where in the hell are the guards that were posted out here days ago? Surely rain didn't make them leave. Basta must have threatened them with his knife.
Dustfinger knew that Capricorn was in the church at that moment, seeing as every black jacket he saw around a corner was talking about a meeting being held about a new job of some sort. That explained why no one was outside and seeing what was happening to Ann.
But soon Capricorn is going to notice her absence and then who knows what's going to happen.
Knowing that Ann wasn't going to last much longer, Dustfinger didn't even think what he was doing before he somehow was tackling Basta and lying in the mud with a snarling knifeman trying to get his blade on his throat.
Looking around, quickly as he could while watching out for Basta's blade, Dustfinger noticed a rock lying next to them about the size of a tennis ball. Grabbing it, he slammed the rock over Basta's head, knocking the man out cold.
Standing up off of the unconscious man, Dustfinger strode quickly to the shivering and barely awake Ann. What he saw shocked him and nearly brought him to his knees.
Bruises covered every part of Ann. As well as a busted lip, a closed swollen purple eye, her wrists were rubbed raw from her trying to get out of her bonds, and her back and front were showing signs of small bleeding underneath her clothes.
"Ann, Ann wake up. Come on, please stay awake for me okay?" Dustfinger pleaded, gently picking her up, trying not to cause her anymore pain that what she already endured.
"You…you got out. How did you—
"Do ya really have to ask? I picked the lock of course." A quite laugh was heard from Ann, then coughing.
"I'm glad to see your okay Dustfinger. I thought…I thought that they were hurting you." Ann looked up at him with her one good eye. He didn't know if it was the rain, but it looked like Ann was crying. He knew that in her condition he couldn't take her anywhere. And that she needed to get somewhere dry and warm quick before she got a cold or worse. And the only place with a doctor like person…was in the village.
"Ann listen to me. You know that we both want out of here. And I know that your probably gonna hate me later, but the village is the only place that you can get better at and taken care of right now. We have to stay."
"No, I have to stay. You get out of here Dustfinger!" Ann cried out.
Dustfinger shook his head. "I already told you I'm never leaving you again.
"But you'll get locked up again!"
"Its something I'm just going to have to risk."
With that, Dustfinger set off quickly to the church, leaving Basta to lie in the mud and rain.
What will happen to Dustfinger?! What will happen to Basta?! Will Ann get better?! Will Flatnose ever get a normal face?! Who knows, but if you review, you might find the answers in the next chapter! XD R&R pleaz