Chapter 10: The Hidden File
Kagome continued to cradle Inuyasha's head in her lap as Sango looked in the direction Michiru had flown in. He was going east across the great sea to indulge. Part of her wanted to follow him, but she didn't know where this….Cripple Creek place was exactly. Not to mention that Michiru was going to a land many times bigger than her own.
There was also the knowledge that she'd be out of place there. She could barely handle the hustle and bustle of life here in modern Japan, how could she handle life there in a place she'd never been to before?
"Alright girls," The voice of Mrs. Kururugi spoke from the door getting Kagome and Sango's attentions, "Visting hours are over. Out of my house. I'll need alone time to…treat the patient."
"But ma'am-" Kagome protested.
"Out! Out! Out!" Mrs. Higurashi demanded as the two gasped and scurried out into their tent area in the backyard.
"I think once this bet is over, we might have a chance to defeat Fushizenna," Kagome stated, "I've never seen such strength in a Shikigami User anywhere! Where does in come from?"
"I'm as curious as you are, Kagome," Sango admitted, "But I don't think we'll be getting any information on that anytime soon. For now, we should check into the lab to see if those doctors can tell us more about that…Animus device."
The two made their way back into the shrine. The three doctors were tapping on keyboards and inspecting hardware.
"This stabilizer chip is running on fumes," Dr. Ericsson said, "We'll need a replacement. We also need a new coolant tank and maybe even a new fan."
"We can't have it overheat, that's for sure," Dr. Garter agreed, "I'll see if we can find suitable parts in town."
"Hmmm…this is strange…" Dr. Ingles spoke getting everyone's attention as she tapped her keyboard and looked at the screen.
"What is it, Dr. Ingles?" Dr. Garter frowned.
"This….file here…" Dr. Ingles said, "…I have no idea what it is. It's not part of our programming or anything to do with Arthur's story or the Old West…."
"Maybe it's a virus," Kagome piped up.
"Maybe," Dr. Garter said taking Dr. Ingles's seat, "Whatever it is, we must investigate it. Just a second…"
She typed and installed some files and nodded.
"If this is a virus," She explained, "Those files will trap it as soon as I open it."
She clicked on the file that appeared on the screen and stood back to observe. The screen was blurry for a bit, but gradually began to clear up. Soon they could see what the scenery was. There they saw in a barren wasteland with a large circle in it. There was smoke, fire, and destruction all about and the screen was jumpy as they all listened to what all was said.
"Hyah!" A familiar voice cried from the speakers, "You're….getting better….Ursula…!" It was then that they noticed that in front of them was a blue catsuit with a very voluptuous woman's body inside of it, "…but you'll never amass to anything resembling a challenge to these clones if you don't train…harder!"
Then the catsuit was shoved back as the image of a woman appeared. She had long flowing blonde hair, blue eyes, pale skin that was covered in scars all over her face, full red lips, and a very fit body. She was gorgeous.
"Work on your footwork, Ursula," The voice spoke, "Your stance made you too easy to shove back."
"Wait…" Sango spoke, "…that's Michiru's voice…."
"But why…?" Kagome asked, "What is this…?"
"I don't know…" Dr. Garter said, "Let me take a further look…"
She began typing on the computer and looked again.
"Huh?" She spoke, "I…I don't believe this…!"
"What is it, Dr. Garter?" Dr. Ericsson asked.
"Somehow, I don't know how, the Animus has pried into Michiru's brain and gained access to his own memories," Dr. Garter said, "At least that's what these readings say. Maybe when Arthur's sleeping, Michiru escapes into his past and sees things that actually happened to him."
"But how?" Kagome asked, "The scenery on this screen looks neither modern nor Feudal. Put…put it up on the big screen."
"Sure," Dr. Garter said as the scenery appeared on the screen they had watched earlier.
"There, you see?" Kagome stated, "Rubble and flames. Worn-torn buildings that look…futuristic in a way. This looks like a warzone."
"I think it is," Sango nodded as she pointed to some figures on the other side of the screen, "Look at those people over there. I don't recognize what that is, but it resembles armor and weapons."
"You're right," Kagome nodded, "Bulletproof vests, khaki pants, combat knives, machetes, and guns. Those are soldiers alright, but those guns look like nothing I've ever seen before. What is this?"
"That woman…" Sango frowned, "…who is she? She seems to be training hard with Michiru, and despite the scars on her face she is very pretty."
"Maybe once we're done invading Dr. Grassman's laboratory…" The woman known as Ursula spoke getting to her feet, "…you'll be over it and then you and I could….find a private location and….get busy…."
"Huh?" Sango asked, "Wait, is this…Michiru's girlfriend?"
"Ursula," The voice of Michiru spoke softly, "You are indeed beauty beyond beauty. Intelligent. Strong. Wise. And among the most desirable women I've ever known…" A gloved hand goes under Ursula's chin as she suddenly frowned, "But don't think I'll ever truly trust anyone else with my heart ever again. I made that mistake once, and I won't do it again. No, Ursula. Don't fall in love with me. Trust me, eternal love only exists in fairytales."
"What sad words you speak," Ursula frowned, "She must've meant a lot to you before- LOOK OUT!"
Suddenly the screen went red as Ursula apparently shoved Michiru back when a familiar looking sight appeared. A Spiritual Arrow struck Ursula in the side of the head and exploded in front of everyone's eyes.
"What?" Kagome gasped, "Where…where did that come fro-"
But she was cut off as she saw the sight. An army of archers all firing at once with Michiru dodging and deflecting all at once. Kagome and Sango all looked to see where the firing was coming from, but when they did they could scarcely believe it!
"This…this is impossible!" Kagome shuddered, "All…all….all those archers are… me!"
"Damned wretched Kagome clones!" Michiru scowled opening a giant box, "Always bringing a bow…" He then pulled something with a huge barrel and a big chain of bullets attached to it, "…to a mini-gun fight!"
Suddenly, the mini gun began to glow with Spiritual energy just like Kagome's arrows as Michiru fired clearing out the army of Kagome clones in less than a minute!
"Clones?" Kagome gasped, "What…where did they come from?"
"ARRRRRRGHHHHHH!" The voice that sounded like hundred of Inuyashas sounded over the hills as all watched in shock as an army of Inuyashas indeed was charging brandishing huge metal swords with wires and cables connected to them as they leaped into the air and brought them down unleashing devastating earthquakes at forces much mightier than any Wind Scar ever generated! Michiru, however, pulled out two giant blade that were nearly ten feet long and a yard wide! He then closed his eyes as shadow clones similar to Shippo's power all appeared holding the same weapons as they countercharged and all cried out at once!
"STORM…." They all shouted, "…SCAR!" With that, they all drove their blades into the earth as more earthquake style fissures appeared, but from them roaring red pentagrams charged towards the army of Inuyasha clones and shredded most of them like dandelions in the wind!
"This….this cannot be real….!" Kagome shuddered in awe, "It…it's like….Michiru has all our powers only stronger! But….but how?"
They all watched in awe and horror as some clones saw giant machines and robots enter the battle. They al let out tiny chirps and burst into flames growint into giant twenty-foot tall hulking giants with flaming hands and feet, red glowing eyes, and long teeth.
"K-K-K-K-Kirara's power…" Sango shuddered as the two-tailed cat looked in shock at the display of this battle. Suddenly armies of Mirokus suddenly appeared as a group of the clones smirked, dropped their weapons, and held up their left and right hands as holes sprouted from their palms and unleashed twin Wind Tunnels that were far more intense than the one Miroku ever owned that sucked them all up in less than half a minute!
"How?" Kagome asked, "Can…can Michiru do all this? How is this possible?"
They all huddled and watched the screen in shock.
"5000 years from now," A voice spoke from the doorway as they yelled in surprise and turned to see Michiru back, "A genocidal scientist bent on world domination finds scraps of your diaries, Kagome. He uses them to find where you all are buried, takes samples of your DNA, and uses it to produce armies of clones all with your powers. He programs them for evil purposes, and uses them to overthrow militaries and rules. He then starts genetically enhancing the clones to be stronger, faster, smarter, and all-around superior to the originals. He then starts making hybrids. Like my little friend, Shirara."
Sango and Kagome listen in awe as Kagome deduces, "A…a hybrid of Shippo and Kirara…?"
"Precisely," Michiru nodded, "Now you're getting it. He even tries to manipulate your DNA and Inuyasha's to create clones of both Sesshomaru and Kikyo, but only makes a pair of inbred monsters that while powerful lack the intellect to follow through. Then, shortly after I arrived, he gets the idea to make a clone of all four of you combined. I happened upon the lab he was doing this in, and while successful in stopping him, I end up falling into the chamber with six needles in it and get injected with it all."
"Our….DNA was in those needles, wasn't it…?" Kagome asked.
"Exactly," Michiru answered, "I almost died, but my Water Shikigami managed to merge the DNAs with my own and I became a being that had all six beings' powers in one."
"What…six?" Kagome frowned, "Me, Inuyasha, Miroku, Shippo, and Kirara I understand, but…who is the sixth? Sango?"
"No," Michiru said, "Sango has no powers, only martial arts skills. Dr. Grassman made one clone of her and farmed her brain to install her skills into the minds of all his clones."
"Then who is the sixth?" Kagome asked again.
"Well, let's see…" Michiru asked, "… whose DNA, genetically enhanced and combined with my own powers, could make me fast enough to break the sound barrier?"
Kagome and Sango gave puzzled looks at this, but then their jaws and eyes popped open.
"K-K-Koga…" Kagome deduced as Michiru nodded, "You not only have Inuyasha, Shippo, Miroku, Kiara, and my DNA in your body, you've got Koga's as well. DNA that's been genetically enhanced to the point you can channel Spiritual Energy into machine guns amd fly faster than the speed of sound. You've been training with our strengths, powers, and abilities and putting your own spin on them to make superior versions. That's why you call your Wind Scar a 'Storm Scar.' Because a storm is mightier than just the wind alone."
"But…some of those…clones of Michiru had Wind Tunnels as well!" Sango pointed out, "How? Did…Naraku return?"
"Yes and no," Michiru spoke, "Dr. Grassman, obsessed with your tales, created a device known as the Shikon Microchip. With it, he revived Naraku's presence into a mechanical body. Eventually Naraku's presence got tired of answering to a computer and Dr. Grassman's orders and invaded Dr. Grassman's body coming back to life, but by then my powers had become one. We clashed, I wrecked all his cloning labs, and we fought each other one-on-one for nearly three weeks….when I aimed my Twin Tunnels at his face and sucked out his eyeballs. With him blinded, I ripped the Shikon Microchip out of him and crushed it. His presence in Dr. Grassman died, and Dr. Grassman was back and was arrested. Soon after that, we discovered his time machine that he used to find your DNA in the first place, and I went back home."
"How did you get there in the first place?" Kagome wondered.
"I was training in my ability to ignore harsh weather when I was training way up north," Michiru explained, "I lost my footing and fell in the icy water. I used my powers to keep me alive and frozen for 5000 years."
"And that's how you became strong enough to break Inuyasha's neck," Kagome deduced again, "You knew the powers of all those clones, gained their powers, and manipulated them to suit you. In fact…you pulled that punch earlier, didn't you? If you were as strong as you claim…Inuyasha would be dead…" She frowned and asked, "Why? If you were so angry, why not just kill him?"
Furrowing his eyes, Michiru answered, "Because that would've been too easy. It's a lot more challenging to contain my power now." He then turned to the professors, "Update?"
"Repairs are complete," Dr. Garter smiled, "There wasn't as much wrong as we would've liked, but…why did you come back so soon?"
"Let's just say my skills sensed trouble back at home, and I came back," Michiru said, "If I had known the problem was you two discovering my secrets, I would've come sooner. Well, I guess it can't be helped. Now I'm going back in." He turned to the pod ready to reenter the Animus.
"Ursula…" Sango spoke as Michiru paused, "…she must've really loved you, Michiru. You must've meant a lot to her."
Michiru's response was to turn to her, shake his head, let out a flicker of sadness peek out from his rough exterior, and reentered the Animus without a word.
"Poor guy…" Dr. Garter frowned, "…surrounded by love, and unwilling to accept it…"
Arthur walked through some kind of small canyon searching for something. He had failed to kill the big bear but saved Hosea from being attacked. The older man had lost taste for the hunt and went back to camp. Arthur stayed to try and find the bear again but was unsuccessful. He decided to go back to camp too and whistled for his new horse.
"Okay, girl…" He spoke climbing to the horse's saddle and taking off back to camp, "…giddyup." They rode to try and find a trail again passing near a big gorgeous lake with a small island with a lone tree in the center of it.
"Now c'mon!" Arthur declared as the horse increased speed a moment. They zoomed and zoomed around the river when suddenly a voice broke through.
"Get away! Ah!" A man's voice cried out.
"Whoa." Arthur said tugging on the reins and stopping. He entered a woodsy area.
"Someone help me!" The voice cried out as Arthur saw a large wolf attacking a man bleeding and wounded. It was biting his chest and shoulders. He pulled out his gun and fired a warning shot near the wolf's paws as it whimpered and ran away. Arthur turned to the poor man bleeding, holding his leg, and groaning in pain.
"Oh, Jesus! Please!" The man begged, "I can take this pain!"
Arthur reached into his satchel.
"I got some medicine," He offered, "Better'n nothing."
The man's response was to slap it away.
"Damnit, that won't help!" He cried, "Look at me, I'm bleeding out here…" He then let out unintelligible groans of pain as all watched sadly knowing the man was beyond help, "Can't…can't stay…I can't hold…" Then, with one last unintelligible groan, the man fell limp on his back and died finally free of the pain.
Seeing he was dead, Arthur knelt next to him and looted his corpse taking a vial of gun oil, a rabbit pelt in good condition, and a second rabbit pelt in perfect condition. He then pulled out his Carbine Repeater, pulled out the vial of gun oil, and began to clean his gun to improve its performance. Once it was cleaned, he rushed back to his horse, climbed back onto the saddle, and rode back to camp.
"Easy, girl…" Arthur soothed to his new horse as he patted her neck. Riding through the gorgeous woods in the bright daylight. After a bit of riding, the horse suddenly became cautious for a moment and looked a bit panicked as Arthur tried to calm her down.
"What's wrong with her?" Kagome asked.
"Probably a snake in the grass," Ericsson explained.
Arthur managed to soothe the steed and rode back on the trail. Eventually the scenery became less lush green forest and more dry, dusty, and rocky plains. Arthur was nearly back to camp. He rode across the train tracks, over some small hills, then turned to a familiar patch of trees in the plains.
"Who's that?" The familiar voice of Bill Williamson demanded as Arthur neared.
"Arthur, you dumbass!" Arthur answered.
"Wondering when you'd roll back in," Bill nodded as Arthur finally returned to camp.
"Now one that sounds sincere," Arthur smiled.
"Yes, hello, Arthur," Bill sarcastically smiled.
Now back at camp, Arthur got off his horse and hitched it to the rack in the camp. Looking around, he spotted their prisoner still tied to the tree. Hungry and thirsty, he begged and pleaded.
"Talk to them…" He begged, "…talk to Dutch."
"Speak!" Arthur ordered, "Don't cry, boy. Speak. About your gang."
Blubbering, Kieran looked to the ground and whimpered out, "I can't…"
"Boy…" Arthur answered gearing up to start an interrogation.
"Whoa, hold your horses there," Dutch's voice called from Arthur's left as he walked up to them with Bill, "It seems the, uhh…cat has got our friend here's tongue. I was thinking Mr. Williamson could have a word."
The big man with the thick beard approached the terrified O'Driscoll and peered at him.
"You ready to talk, boy?" He hissed out.
"I told you mister…" Kieran cried, "I told all of yous. I don't know nothing, okay? They-They ain't no friends of mine. I just been ridden with them for a while-"
"Horseshit," Bill answered knowing a lie when he heard one, "You see, we heard that part, so how about you tell the truth?" Turning to their boss, he asked, "Dutch, what do you want me to do?"
"Hurt him!" Dutch roared out, "So the next time he opens his mouth, it is to tell us what is going on!" Bill balled up his fist ready to strike when Dutch suddenly got in Kieran's face, "Aw, who am I kidding?" He started to whisper in Kieran's face with a soft poisonous voice. "One of O'Driscoll's boys couldn't open his mouth, but he'd tell a lie." Shaking his head Dutch got out, "Screw it. Let's just have some fun…"
"Huh…?" Kagome frowned as Dutch suddenly made scissor gestures with his fingers.
"Geld him." Dutch said to Bill.
"WHAT?!" Kagome and Sango gasped in shock.
"Ohhhh, YEAH!" Bill cheered rushing back to the fire.
"Wh-What's he doing? Where's he going?" Kieran asked hesitantly.
"Ohhhhh, don't worry!" Dutch answered as he suddenly pulled down Kieran's trousers as everyone in the lab all stared slack-jawed, "They're only balls, boy! Just gonna cause you trouble."
Everyone looked in shock as to the side, Bill grabbed a pair of red hot big cutting tools meant to castrate horses to prevent unnecessary breeding.
"Oh my!" Sango gasped, "Don't tell me they're gonna- Huh?" She then let out as gasp at the realization that she just said "gonna" instead of "going to."
"You know, in Imperial Rome," Dutch began as Bill approached making snip-snip gestures with the big tool, "Eunuchs was among the happiest and most loyal of courtiers."
"No! No! No! No!" Kieran said, "You're kidding me, right?"
"Of course," Dutch smirked nonchalantly.
"YOU SICK BASTARDS!" Kieran yelled out as Bill knelt bringing the blades closer and closer to Kieran's exposed manhood, "What do you want from me?!"
"Well, you are going to talk…" Dutch said, "The only question is now…" He then gestured to Bill's cutting tool less than an inch away from Kieran's testicles. "…or after we got these little fellers off?"
"Okay! Okay, listen!" Kieran pleaded as Bill held for a moment, "I know where O'Driscoll's holed up! And you're right…he don't like you…any more than you like him." Dutch peered listening intently, "He's at Six Point…Cabin!"
"Aww…" Bill frowned backing away half hoping the O'Driscoll wouldn't speak.
"I'll take you there," Kieran offered, "Serious. I don't like him. I mean, I like him even less than I like you. No offense."
"Oh…" Dutch began as Arthur pulled out his bowie knife, "None taken."
"Okay then, partner," Arthur said as he cut Kieran free, "Why don't you take a few of us up there right now?" He turned to his leader, "I got this, Dutch. Should be fun." He then put his hand on Kieran's shoulder and pushed him to their horses, "Alright, you. Let's go."
"Heh, heh, heh," Bill called from behind them, "'Geld him!'"
"Let's hope you ain't trying to trick us, O'Driscoll…" Arthur warned.
"I ain't no O'Driscoll…" Kieran pleaded.
"But you sure as shit was…" Arthur growled back.
"John, Bill, come here," Arthur called out, "We got a social call needs making. Where we heading?"
"Uh, up in the hills behind Valentine," Kieran explained, "I'll show you."
"John, you take this little rattlesnake with ya," Arthur said, "Any nonsense…kill him."
"Sure," John agreed.
"We're gonna pay your buddies our respects," Arthur said to Kieran.
"He's taking us to Colm?" John asked.
"That's what he says," Arthur said, "Come on."
"I'm taking you to him," Kieran insisted, "Look, I-I-I-I'll give you more directions when we're close, but if I know where we are, it's up past Valentine."
"Alright, I'll lead," John said, "Let's go, if we're gonna go."
The trio set out to where Kieran would lead them.
"Sharing saddle with an O'Driscoll," John smirked, "Who'd have thought?"
"How many time I gotta say?" Kieran asked, "I ain't an O'Driscoll."
"You sure look like one, and…" John sniffed, "…you smell like…goddamn. You smell like one too."
"What does he expect?" Kagome grumbled, "They kept him tied to that tree and that horse stables and didn't let him bathe or…go to the bathroom for nearly a week."
"I smell like horse shit…" Kieran grumbled.
"That's right," John smirked, "Boy, are you high."
"Morgan," Bill called out, "You got throwing knives in your saddlebag. Dutch said you might…I was asked to give them…and I'm doing the further courtesy of telling you about it."
"Next time you give me something," Arthur grumbled, "How about you just give it to me? 'Stead of hiding it somewhere hoping the opportunity comes up to mention it."
"Last goddamn favor I do you," Bill grumbled as they approached a four way intersection.
"Hey…hey…if I got my bearings…" Kieran began pointing left, "It's over here."
The riders rode left.
"Yeah…I know this country," Kieran explained, "Take this track up through the rocks."
"How you holding up, John?" Arthur asked.
"Fine," John answered, "Still ain't right, but I'm fine."
"You damn well should be after all that bed rest," Arthur answered.
"Hey, alright. Abigail wouldn't let me up. You know her. She won't be reasoned with."
"Well, when you was having a failure of reason, and hiding behind your woman, we were getting shot at."
"And I'd do the same for you!" John protested, "If you was in a bad way."
"I hope so," Arthur answered, "But I fear you don't know how to help anyone…excepting yourself."
"You see, O'Driscoll?" John spoke to Kieran, "If this is how he treats his friends, imagine what he does to his enemies."
"I got an inkling of what you all do to your enemies when you put those gelding tongs to my parts…" Kieran shuddered.
"Bill!" Arthur called out, "You still got those tongs?"
"I got a knife," Bill answered, "Won't be so clean, but it'll do the job."
"Keep that in your mind, young feller," Arthur warned, "Right at the forefront of it."
"I swear," Kieran answered, "I promise. I'm taking you to Colm as best as I can. You'll see. I'll make good."
The riders rode cross the plains and under a bridge.
"Those are the hills," Kieran pointed out at a big set of hills just in front of them, "Head for 'em."
"Save your horses, we got a climb, boys," John called out.
"You know…" Kieran began, "You all ain't that different from the O'Driscolls."
"What did you just say?" John asked.
"I been watching you all these weeks and, uhhh…" Kieran began.
"You been tied to a tree," John said, "You don't know nothing about this gang."
"Yeah, well, I'd…I'd say you don't know much about the O'Driscolls," Kieran replied, "But maybe I know more about you than you know about them. And I know all about them, so…"
"Tell us then," John challenged, "How are we like those mongrel dogs?"
"You're outlawed like them," Kieran began, "You're out to survive like them. You live rough, you live hard. Fighting the law…nature…you're out for yourselves…"
"See? This is why you're an O'Driscoll, O'Driscoll," John answered, "You're out to survive. We're out to live…free. Colm's a sneak thief and a killer. Dutch is…Dutch is more like a teacher."
"From where I been, you just look the same is all," Kieran said.
"Then you looked, but you ain't seen." John answered.
"John?" Arthur began, "Shut that boy up."
"Enough out of you," John said.
"Boys, we're almost on 'em," Arthur said, "Now…who knows if this son of a bitch we got with us is talking true…but if it's what he says it is…and Colm O'Driscoll's here…we can end years of fighting. Here and now."
"Amen to that," John agreed.
"Here, here," Bill piped up.
"I swear, this is where he…" Kieran began.
"Shut up," John spoke, "Speak only to give directions from now on, O'Driscoll. Nothing more."
"Okay, now-now cut left up here," Kieran answered gesturing to the trees, "We-We go down the hill into the forest."
The riders turned left and rode down the hill.
"We're going in quiet," Arthur said, "Taking them out as we find them. Trying not to set things off. But if we do…we move quick and hard. We settle this like we know how. Okay?"
"Okay by me," John agreed.
"We're with ya, Morgan," Bill said.
"Alright then," Arthur murmured.
"Through the trees here," Kieran pointed up ahead, "We're real close. I'd leave your horses the other side of this clearing."
"I'll get my guns off my horse, and I'm ready," Bill answered.
"Easy, Bill," Arthur spoke, "Quiet."
They went up a small rising in the ground approaching a group of trees.
"This is it," Kieran said, "The cabin's just the other side of this hill."
"Okay," Arthur nodded, "Off your horses. Let's go."
"You gonna get them knives?" Bill asked Arthur.
"I said, easy," Arthur said.
They all got off their horses.
"Follow me, alright?" Kieran said, "It ain't far."
"We might'a shared a horse, but we ain't friends," John hissed at Kieran, "Remember I'm watching you. Every moment."
"I ain't gonna shop you now, come on," Kieran protested, "It'd be suicide."
"You'll die, boy," Bill warned, "But you'll lose your balls first."
"Just over the ridge," Kieran pointed as they all walked to the ridge, "Okay, get down."
They all got down and inspected the area. There was indeed a large cabin with many O'Driscolls covering it.
"The cabin's in the clearing down there," Keiran whispered, "There'll be a bunch of fellers hiding out there too."
"Are these fellers armed?" Arthur asked.
"Armed. Drunk. Wary of strangers. Yup."
"And Colm O'Driscoll?"
"Oh, he'll be holed up in his cabin. Be passed out, booze blind, likely as not."
"Over there," Bill whispered pointing with his revolver, "Someone's coming."
"So, uh, who's gonna tell him we ain't got nothing for the pot?" An O'Driscoll asked another.
"Let me think…" Another answered. John, noticing that Kieran could alert them to their presence, put his hand to Kieran's mouth and held his revolver to his head, "Feller that spooked the game, I reckon."
"I'm gonna drain it, I-I'll catch up," Another offered.
"Nah, we ain't gonna fall for that," The original speaker said, "We're gonna wait so that you can tell him yourself."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah…" The third O'Driscoll said as he turned to a tree and gestured to his genitals with loosened trousers as they all realized he was…relieving himself of excessive bodily fluids and wastes on that tree.
"Shh…" Arthur said realizing that the guy urinating would give them a chance to use the element of surprise.
"What are we doing about the pisser, Morgan?" Bill asked, "The one by the tree."
"I'm going to deal with this first feller," Arthur answered.
"Okay, go to work," Bill nodded.
Arthur pulled out his bowie knife, snuck up to the O'Driscoll still relieving himself as his two friends continued to converse, then got up and stabbed him in the throat and shoved him to the side.
"The next two…" Bill whispered, "…what's the plan?"
"Keep back where they won't hear us," Arthur whispered, "When I move, you move."
He pulled out his bow.
"Take 'em out at a distance," Arthur said.
"I can do that…" Bill nodded.
Arthur hocked another arrow as Kagome watched in anticipation. She'd never seen Arthur kill a man with a bow, only animals. Could he do that to a creature that could reason? Arthur pulled back the cord, aimed, and shot the O'Driscoll right in the head as Bill tossed a throwing knife at the other as they both fell down dead.
"Good work," John said approaching, "We moving on the camp? I left our guide up there. He's meek as a little lamb."
"He better be…" Arthur softly growled.
The trio, crouching still, approached and got behind some trees noticing one sitting on a log.
"Arthur," John whispered, "Feller on the log. What we doing about him?"
"This one's mine," Arthur smirked pulling his knife out again, "We need it done right."
"Go on and show us, then," John nodded as Arthur crept up to the O'Driscoll on the log and stabbed him thrice in the neck and shoulder before pulling him back.
"Okay, now what?" John asked, "We're at the perimeter."
"Wait on my mark," Arthur said, "I'm going to take a look at these boys."
"Sure thing," John nodded as Arthur crept to a pair of O'Driscolls hanging out by a crate table to the left. He waited for one of them to leave, pulled out his bow, hocked an arrow, and shot the one that stayed behind. Then he got in a position to shoot the one that separated without getting spotted and shot him down as well. He then crept behind a log, through a bush, and behind a rock where two guards were stationed near an entry trail. He pulled out his bow and shot one, but the other was alerted as he called to the others.
"It's on!" Arthur called out, "We move quick! We move hard!"
Hearing the signal, John and Bill got out from behind cover as Arthur pulled out his revolver and plugged the O'Driscolls coming near him. Then he pulled out his repeater and got behind cover shooting more and more.
"Clean 'em up! Clean 'em out!" Bill declared, "Look out! More of them coming out through the woods!"
"Don't run away from me!" John scowled.
"Oh, Colm O'Driiiiiscooooooll….?" Arthur called out tauntingly, "Where are youuuuuu…?"
More and more O'Driscolls rose and fell.
"We got 'em cornered!" Arthur declared, "Let's move in!"
"This is quite a hideout!" John nodded, "The little toad was right!"
"Die, you drunk idiots!" Bill spoke out loud.
"You stay here, you're dead men!" Arthur called out to the remaining O'Driscolls as he shot more of them. Sometimes he missed, but his misses scared them as they started to flee.
"That's it!" John cheered, "They're turning tail!"
"Leave 'em," Arthur said, "Colm's still here."
"Hey," John said, "He said Colm'd be in the cabin."
"I'll check," Arthur nodded, "You look out here."
Arthur walked through the O'Driscolls' camp, made his way to the large log cabin taking time to loot a few of their corpses along the way, pulled out his revolver, and went to the cabin's front door and reached for the doorknob only to get shoved back as an elderly man with a green O'Driscoll scarf around his neck shoved Arthur to the ground and held a repeater in his face laughing at Arthur!
"Oh no!" Kagome cried, "If Arthur dies, the bet is-"
BANG!
Blood splattered from the O'Driscoll's gut as he clutched it in pain before falling down dead. Arthur turned to see whether it was John or Bill that saved him.
"You alright?" Kieran's voice called to Arthur as he looked to see that it was Kieran that shot the O'Driscoll considering he had a revolver in his hand that was smoking from having just been fired.
"Sure…" Arthur said falling to the ground and sighing in relief, "Thank you." He then got to his feet and investigated the cabin with his gun out. But it was empty. No Colm. No one was inside. No one.
"Colm O'Driscoll…" Arthur scowled, "…he ain't here." Scowling again, he quietly murmured, "You set us up." Turning around, he turned to Kieran and called out, "Come here!"
"What?" Kieran asked.
"You set us up," Arthur growled.
"No, I didn't!" Kieran protested.
"You did!" Arthur declared pointing his gun at Kieran's face, "Colm O'Driscoll ain't here!"
"He was here! I swear! I swear!" Kieran pleaded as Kagome and Sango frowned. Kieran had saved Arthur's life, surely that was proof as he stammered out desperately, "If I was setting you up, I-I wouldn't have saved your life."
Chuckling from the side, Bill got beside Arthur and replied, "It's a good point, Arthur."
They all watched worriedly for a few seconds that felt like an eternity as Arthur relented to the point and put away his gun.
"Alright then, go on," Arthur said as Kagome and Sango sighed in relief, "Get out of here."
"Eh?" Kieran asked.
"I won't kill ya!" Arthur explained.
"I didn't set you up," Kieran said.
"Get lost."
"Get lost?"
"I'm letting you run away!" Arthur shouted grabbing Kieran by the collar and tossing him back, "Now go on, get out of here."
"That's as good as killing me," Kieran answered, "Out there…without you…Colm O'Driscoll's gonna lose his mind about this."
"Hmph. So?" Arthur asked.
"So I'm one of you now," Kieran explained.
Sighing, Arthur shook his head as he grabbed his aching temples, "Give me a break…" Nodding, he said, "Alright then." He then got in his face pointing his finger in it, "But I'm warning you…"
"Oh, I know," Kieran nodded.
"Come on, let's get back to camp," Arthur called out to Bill and John.
"So you got the cash then?" Kieran asked from behind as they all turned to him.
"What cash?" Arthur asked.
"Yeah, there's usually some cash," Kieran explained, "In the chimney." Kieran turned to go inside the cabin.
"I'll check it," Arthur called out, "Rest of you boys get to camp, quick."
"See, Arthur?" Kieran said, "I ain't so bad."
"Hey, Bill?" Arthur called out, "You tell Dutch old Kieran ain't worth killing…just yet."
"Yeah, right you are," Bill smirked as Arthur went inside the cabin. He turned to a sink area with a metal lock box on it. He cut it open with his knife and took out a ginseng elixir. He saw a table in the middle of the room with some playing cards and clips of money. He took the clips which added to about thirty-six dollars in total. He then saw a nightstand next to a bed with two drawers in it. He opened both taking some snake oil and some shotgun shells.
He then turned to what he was really interested in. The fireplace. There was likely money in it, but first his eyes fell upon a fine looking double-barrel shotgun hung on the mantle. He gladly took it. It was a bit dirty, so he pulled out some gun oil and gave it a good rubdown. Once it was cleaned to pristine order, he slung it on his shoulder. Then he reached into the chimney, felt around inside it, and then pulled out to his delight $610!
"At least you got something tucked away," He smirked happily, $300 of this goes to the gang funds. John gets $100 and so does Bill. The remaining $110 is mine. Since I almost got my head blown off, it's only fair I keep the remaining ten dollars."
He then went outside, spotted the O'Driscoll that almost killed him outside the door, looted his body, took a silver emblem ring, tipped his hat at the corpse, took out a cigar and some canned peaches, enjoyed his treat, and got on his horse to ride back to camp.
As he rode, the others tried to process what all was going on.
"Kieran...only somewhat proved himself to Arthur and Bill," Kagome observed, "He'll have to do a lot of good deeds for the Van Der Linde Gang to prove himself if he's serious about joining them. For now, he's just looking mainly for protection from the O'Driscolls."
"Yes," Sango nodded, "And based on witnessing Michiru's battle in that…futuristic apocalypse, I'm further understanding why he likes it here so much. Sure it's rough, it's mean, it's dangerous, but it's…a lot more beautiful and serene than what he's used to."
"Why not just retire into the woods if this is how he escaped from the pressures of combat then?" Kagome asked.
"Perhaps he can't entirely escape the pressures of combat," Sango answered, "Despite how much he wants to surround himself with peace and serenity, he's still a warrior. He'd probably get bored without the need to kill."
"At least he's not focused on revenge," Kagome piped up, "Perhaps something Arthur believes in, about vengeance being a fool's game, got through to him."
"Or maybe it's because he's already had his revenge," Sango pointed out, "That battle where he was battling those super-powered clones of us might've gotten his rage out as it built him into what he's become. Then again…perhaps part of him resents having you guys in his body to a point."
"Especially Miroku," Kagome frowned, "I'd hate having to have the DNA of those who betrayed me swimming in my own body."
Arthur arrived back at Valentine. He tipped his hat passing a modest graveyard and church and rode approaching a man with one arm and a blue uniform on.
"Give a man a nickel?" The man begged as he looked up to Arthur, "Give me a dime?"
Arthur got off his horse going to the beggar pleading.
"Give me something?" He asked, "Hey brother? I'm too old to get a job, mister. Way too old. Can't we be friends?"
Sighing, Arthur shrugged and said, "Sure."
"I'm so happy!" The man squealed, "I ain't had a friend in a long time. Long, long time…my last friend died…weren't my fault. They said it was, but they was wrong. It's fun being with you, mister. Can I hold you a second, mister? Can I?"
Sighing, Arthur looked around, then nodded, "Okay, just…quickly."
Kagome and Sango felt tears well up in their eyes witnessing this as the man hugged Arthur for a second and he patted his back before breaking.
"That felt good…" The man smiled, "…it's nice to be held sometimes. Oh, we used to hold each other in the war. You got sad eyes, mister. Like you seen…sad things. Remember, with kindness."
Arthur sighed and went to an old saloon as the others smiled a bit.
"I guess…" Sango began more tears in her eyes., "…somewhere in that pained and broken heart… is the boy I once fell in love with. If Michiru were so stone-hearted, he probably would've refused that stranger's friendship and comforting embrace. I just…I just hope that part of him does come out at some point. Any point. Just so long as I get to see the boy I knew once upon a time before I pass…I'll be a happy woman."