Chapter Seven
It was midnight, and the guards on the walls around Iron Town had been tripled for the third consecutive time. They were confident that no creature could sneak up on them with this many guards on the alert.
They didn't account for Michael's powers, which set his vessel down just underneath the place on the wall where the alarm bell, and underneath the main gate.
I smirked, and began my climb, wishing, not for the first time, that I had my iPod. Like so many other things in life, you never appreciate something so much until it's out of your reach.
When I had nearly reached the top, I peeked over the wall.
Seeing three guards standing watch, not looking in my direction.
Who the fuck trained you?
I sneaked over the top of the wall. I ended one's night with a head-butt, and knocked out the last two by slamming their heads together.
"Sweet dreams, cunts!" I said, retrieving my knife before incapacitating the alarm bell with a slash from my Hidden Blade.
Phase One complete.
Now for phase two: killing as many wall guards as I could, but setting them up in positions that made it look like they were still alive and doing their jobs.
I took care of about a dozen of them, six on each side, before something caught my attention. Near the walls, in the town's arsenel, I could hear Eboshi talking to Ashitaka.
I decided to follow their voices, hiding in the shadows.
"You would do that? Kill the very heart of the forest?" Ashitaka was asking incredulously. Naivete, thy name is...
"Without the ancient god, the animals would be nothing but dumb beasts once more. When the forest is cleared and the wolves wiped out, this desolate place will be the richest land in the world, and Princess Mononoke will become human."
Bollocks!
"Princess Mononoke?"
"Princess of the spirits of ghouls, beasts and ancient gods. The wolves stole her soul, and now she lives to kill me. The legends say the blood of the Great Forest Spirit can heal anything. Perhaps it could cure the poor lepers, and it might even be able to lift your curse, Ashitaka."
"The man in crimson partly healed me."
"Ah, yes, the Shadow of the Forest. I know plenty of my people who would kill him as soon as look at him. We might have to go through him to get to the Great Forest Spirit, but I am sure my people will be up for such a venture."
First, I loved the fact that I had my old name back.
Second, I'd like to see her twat-waffles try!
After this, I could hear her talking to the gunsmiths, while I thought over my options, which were few.
Well, actually, just the one: I would follow Eboshi, who was the only main threat to the current plan.
I waited until Eboshi left the armory, not caring about the kid, who was no threat to me.
I smiled, as she entered her house.
Perfect!
It was all to easy to avoid the guards on the way to her house.
There were very few times Eboshi would ever allow herself to be shocked.
The Assassin being alive was one thing. Having him in her house after killing him was another!
She had just settled into bed with a cup of Sake when the door opened. "Hello, luv! Sorry for interrupting you, and don't bother calling for the guards. I took care of that problem before coming here."
Eboshi's face made me desperately disappointed that I didn't have a camera with me.
"How in hell-"
I smiled, and shrugged. "You should see the look on your face! No matter how much or how hard you try, you just won't be able to get of me."
Eboshi took a long time to compose herself, and by that time, I had poured a cup for myself from the bottle at her nightstand.
"Are you going to try and kill me, Shadow?"
I shrugged. "Nah, not yet, luv. Not as long as we have a mutual enemy, that being Asano. But I won't say no to killing whoever you will send to kill me. You crossed a line, luv: never fuck with the Pack. Bad idea, that."
Eboshi narrowed her eyes, showing no fear. "Why are you here?"
I grimaced in distaste after taking a gulp of the beverage from my cup. "I missed that little chat we had, and I don't like passing up the chance to being with a beautiful woman."
Eboshi sneered. "Is that girl not enough for you?"
I grimaced in distaste, shuddering. "Good heavens, woman! She's young enough to be my daughter."
Eboshi raised an eyebrow. "We'll discuss that later, if at all. I assume that you've heard my plans?"
I nodded. "I had myself a laugh at them, as well! Even if you and your idiots kill the Spirit, there's more where that came from. Trust me on that. My Boss can always choose another, and He will if He has to. All I care about are the forest, the wolves, and taking Asano's head."
Eboshi glowered at me, and I smiled back. "Aw, don't be angry, Eboshi. I'm actually doing you a favor: letting you know what is going to happen, instead of you finding out on your lonesome. Come on, luv, give us a smile!"
"You make it seem like you hold all the advantages, that you are the smartest man there is."
I shrugged. "Firstly, I do right now, yeah? Secondly, I just know how to get what I want." I finished, downing the drink in one gulp, before pouring myself some more.
She narrowed her eyes. "Why Asano? What reason do you have to want him dead?"
I shrugged again. "He's a cunt, and he wants to destroy both you, and the Forest. So, I'll beat to death with his own spine. Now, you and I need to talk about joining forces."
She shook her head. "I want nothing you can offer."
I smiled. "Oh, you will. No matter how many gits you put on guard, no matter how many mercenary cunts you buy, and no matter what tech you come up with in that pretty head of yours, my Boss can do better. I've skipped ahead, and I've seen how this story ends. And guess who's going to lose if they don't listen to common sense?"
She sniffed. "Go to hell!"
I sneered back. "You first, darling!"
She rose, her eyes blazing. "Get out of my house. I'll bring you that girl's head within the month, you smug bastard!"
I tensed, my temper flaring. "You'd better stop thinking that you have a choice here!" I snarled. "This is a hostage situation, you bureaucrat! I can kill your people without a drop of sweat. Should I start now?"
Eboshi shivered, as his eyes pierced hers, but it was not from fear. "Never, ever, underestimate an Assassin, Eboshi. All you have to do to die is piss me off. Do you understand me?"
Eboshi shrugged. "It's been a long time since a man's dared to talk to me like that to my face. You might say it is...refreshing."
"Well, slip out of those clothes, and we'll see how-" I started to say, but we heard shouts about a certain Wolf Girl, and Eboshi shot me a look of fury. "You bastard!"
I cleared my throat, heading for the door. "Maybe next time, sweetheart. Did I forget to mention that I was a diversion?"
She rose, and I shrugged. "That's my cue, then. Oh, and tell Gonza to bite me!"
I opened the door to leave, but Eboshi gave me a hefty kick to the back that sent me stumbling out the door and rolling down the stairs into the dirt.
Ow.
Rising with a curse, I sprinted past several terrified townspeople over to where I could see my kinswoman just climbing over the wall.
I caught her as she leaped inside. "Thanks, but I didn't need it," she said, nuzzling my neck.
"It's the thought that counts. Oh, look! It's the welcoming committee!" I finished mock jovially, turning to the group of soldiers that were gathering in the courtyard.
We split up, using various means to reach the rooftops, dodging explosions and bullets along the way.
When we next met up, it was at the highest point of the village, looking down at our enemies.
Just then, Eboshi appeared in the square, a couple of women next to her. "Can you hear me, Shadow and Princess of Beasts? If it's me you want, here I am. If you seek revenge for all the animals we've killed, well, there are two women whom I'd like you to meet."
What followed was several threats from the two women, who had lost husbands fighting us.
That's all you have, Eboshi? Really?
I burst into laughter, and made sure they heard it, and I laughed even harder when I spotted the riflemen trying to sneak up on us from various directions.
Fuck them! We had a plan: let those morons destroy their own home by trying to take us out!
"No! Wait! Prince and Princess of the Wolf gods! Don't go down to the square! Go back to the Forest!"
I turned to see Ashitaka climb onto a nearby rooftop, shouting at us.
What the deuce was he playing at?
"Is that boy an idiot?" San asked me, and I shook my head. "No clue! But he's right: it's a trap; a cocked-up trap."
San shrugged. "It's nothing we can't handle. I've got an idea."
I looked at her. "I'm all ears, little Sister!"
Ashitaka stared in disbelief as the two humans conversed, and then prepared to attack.
Ashitaka resumed his attempt to save them. He owed the man who had spared and healed him, and the girl had been in his mind's eye ever since he caught sight of her by the river. "Listen to me, please! Don't throw your lives away!"
He watched in horror as both charged down, and were obscured by explosions just as they hit the ground.
Celebrating, the civilians charged in, and Ashitaka exploded, his curse giving him a burst of superhuman power, and he tore a huge piece of ceiling loose, and threw it at them.
While they retreated, Ashitaka leaped down from the roof, going to the spot where he had seen the two fall.
Before he could go any further, a hand shot out, and shoved him back. "You're bollocksing up our plan!"
Ashitaka stared in disbelief as the man appeared from the smoke, followed closely by the girl.
"Let me help-" Before he could finish, San sliced one of his cheeks open, before both leaped over his head, the man going for Gonza and the villagers straight for Eboshi, while the girl went for Eboshi.
"Stay out of the way, son."
Gonza, and quite a few villagers tried to stop them, but were blasted out of the way by the incredible power of the Wolf Man's blade, throwing them aside as if they weighed nothing.
San engaged the Gun Woman, hatred evident on both of their faces.
I faced the villagers, who formed a circle around us.
They wanted to kill us both, but I roared a challenge to the threatening villagers: "Come on, you primitive fuck-faced twats! Step right up, don't be shy!"
That seemed to cool their bloodlust, but mine was begging to be unleashed. "You cowardly shits!"
Suddenly, a path was blasted through them, as Ashitaka slowly made his way to me. Purple ooze and flashes of light emanated from the arm that I had healed earlier, and his sword was in his other hand.
"Stop this madness," he ordered.
I stared at him. "Are you out of your skull, Mate?"
Ashitaka met my eyes with his. "There's been enough killing today. Step aside."
"Do as he says, and keep the girl from interfering. The boy is under my protection," Michael's voice ordered, and after a long moment, I did so.
Ashitaka seized Eboshi by the wrist, as I pulled San away.
San glared at me, and struggled against my grip.
"Just wait! Trust me!" I said, and she listened, as Ashitaka spoke to the struggling Eboshi. "Stay your hand. Both their lives are now mine!"
Eboshi snorted. "I'm sure she'll make a lovely wife for you, and that man is not what he seems. He's not even human!"
"At least I act like one."
Ashitaka shook his head. "There's a demon inside of you, and the girl as well."
He turned to the villagers. "Look, everyone! This is what hatred looks like, and when it catches hold of you! It's eating me alive, and very soon now it will kill me! Fear and anger only make it grow faster."
Eboshi lost her patience then. "I'm getting a little bored of this curse, Ashitaka. Let me just cut the damn thing off." With that, she made to do just that.
Ashitaka, also loosing his patience, knocked her unconcious with a blow to the chest with the hilt of his sword.
Fuck me, that wasn't part of the plan!
There was a cry from several of the villagers, and Ashitaka allowed a few of the women to take her, reassuring her that she would be all right.
With that, he turned to the rest. "As for me, I'm leaving, and I'm taking the wolf people with me."
San made to argue, but I turned to her. "We can kill her later, but if we do so now, I don't think we'll be able to get out alive." San growled, but nodded.
I turned to Ashitaka, who was calmly staring a woman down, who was threatening him with a rifle for knocking out Eboshi. For a moment, I thought the boy had it in the bag, but then the rifle roared, blowing a hole into his side.
To my shock, he began to walk towards the front gate, blood soaking his vest.
"Bloody hell, mate."
We followed, keeping an eye on anyone who might interfere, but everyone was too spellbound by the wounded Ashitaka to do anything.
When we came to the gate, Ashitaka braced himself, and I was shocked to see him actually start to open the huge gate. Seeing that he was quickly loosing strength and blood, I stretched my hand, and the gate lifted of it's own accord.
"Come, Yakkul!" Ashitaka called, and a red elk galloped toward us, a saddle with a bow and arrows strapped to its back.
Before the gate closed behind us, I heard Gonza calling for flint in order to fire his rifle. "Jog on, you fucking mug!" I called, giving him a rude hand gesture, just before the gate closed behind us.
A second later, we were out of the camp. "Get in there!" I cheered. Suddenly Ashitaka fell lifeless from the saddle, and I found myself thrown from the bucking elk.
The red elk instantly went to Ashitaka, worry apparent in its movements. I shook my head to clear it, and knelt by Ashitaka.
I turned to San, who was looking none too pleased.
"We need to get this bloke some help."
"We'll regret not killing her!"
I shook my head. "Maybe, but we'll get another chance. We have to help him right now. He saved our lives, and he is an innocent, as far as I can tell."
Right on time, the two brothers came dashing in, snarling at the new human and the elk.
I turned to the red elk, who fixed its brown eyes on me. "A little help, Rudolf?" The beast bowed his antlered head, and I lifted the boy into the saddle, before I joined my clan in heading back to the Den.
We only got a short way before Ashitaka fell from the saddle again, crashing into the ground.
Before I could stop her, San dismounted and made her way to the kid.
Cursing, I dismounted as well. "San, just wait. Damn it!"
She ignored me, looking down at fallen young man. "Why did you stop us from killing her? Tell me, while you are still alive!"
Ashitaka opened his eyes, his voice faint and weak. "I didn't want them to kill you, that's why."
She shrugged. "I'm not afraid to die, and neither is he," she snarled, pointing to me. "We'd do anything to get you humans out of our forest."
Ashitaka nodded slightly. "I knew that from the first moment I saw you."
Oh, great, a romantic.
San lost patience, and taking his sword, she pressed it against his throat. "And I'm not afraid of you! I should kill you for saving her! That woman is evil, and there's no one who can stop me from killing her."
I wanted to intervene, but the look in San's eyes made me think differently.
Ashitaka shook his head. "No...live..." I had to hand to the kid: he had balls many men did not when it came to facing the wrath of the Wolf Girl!
"That's enough! I'm not listening to you anymore."
He looked up at her. "You're beautiful." San staggered back, as I raised my eyebrows.
Well, isn't this interesting!
Before we could do anything more, we were joined by a group of monkeys, who were under the delusion that eating Ashitaka and yours truly would help the Forest.
Needless to say, the wolves were not impressed, and sent those bloody buggers packing.
After the apes ran, San turned to me. "Mother will want to talk to you, so you go to her. I'll take care of the human. I think I have an idea of how to help him. I promise I won't harm him!" She finished, as I sent her a doubtful look.
"Fine, I'll go. But don't let your guard down."
She smiled. "Don't worry about me. Now go!"
One of the brothers, whom I decided would be named 'Tommy," pointed his muzzle at the elk, who stood staring at us a ways back. "What about the elk?"
"Yes! Can we eat him?" The other brother, Richard asked.
San shook her head, chuckling. "No, you may not! Go with John."
"So, how did the raid go?" Moro asked, as I entered the Den.
"Other than taking longer than you would have done it, we buggered their place up a bit, and we killed a few of the townspeople, so all in all, it was rather successful."
Moro's answer was calm and cold. "Why did you bring that human here?"
I winced.
Maybe it would have been better if I had talked to Moro before Tweedledum and Tweedledee did. "A minor bump to an otherwise smooth operation-"
Before I could finish, Moro had me on my back, her front paws pinning me down, her eyes inches from mine.
"Smooth? Smooth, you say? A human child saved both your lives, and then you had the audacity to bring him here? I should kill you now, you lying scum!"
Getting yelled at is very unpleasant, but when the creature is a huge wolf with sharp teeth, that made things worse.
I was, for lack of a better word, completely and royally buggered!
"Steady on, Guv! We got out with no injuries, didn't we? We taught that cunt a lesson, and we owe that kid for helping us. Our raid was successful." I protested, the wolf mother's jaws inches away from my jugular vein.
"Only by sheer luck, no doubt! As for the human, he's your responsibility, do you understand? If he puts one toe out of line, I'll take it from your hide!"
I held out my hands in surrender. "Fine Now, can you please gerroff me? I have to go check on the kid."
Reluctantly, she let me out of my sight. "Get out of my sight!"
All in all, that was a nice little chat, I thought, leaving the Den and nursing a few bruises I had gotten from the bitch's claws.
Now, about that kid...
REVAMP!
