| Gourry snores. Zel hadn�t actually known this before, or if he had it hadn�t been so bad before. But now, in this little room with so much on his mind already, the long, drawn out rattling noise was more than enough to notice. Lying on his back, he concentrated for the hundredth time, his lips forming those oh-so-familiar words. Still nothing. Normally, a glowing sphere of light should be there now, floating quietly, but there was nothing. He frowned. It was conclusive, his magic was gone. He couldn�t even feel the pulse of it, that warm energy deep inside. It was gone, and where his power had been there was instead, nothing. Not a void, just nothing. Like he had never had any magic to begin with. His skin was still stone though, he�d tried to stab himself in the leg just to make sure and ruined a perfectly good dinner knife, he didn�t feel as though his speed was gone. Just the magic, stolen or missing, lost for sure. Zelgadis got out of bed, unable to take the noise anymore. Tossing his pillow towards the snoring swordsman out of spite, he grabbed his sword and headed to the stairs. There had been a Nice couch down there, and he had every intention of occupying it. Except someone had beaten him there. Vash had sprawled himself across both the hearth and the couch, at an impossible angle. Zel started to push him out of the way, when he saw the door creak open. His sword was halfway drawn when he recognized Marron. �What were you doing out there?� �What are you doing in here?� Marron returned, eyeing the silvery blade. Zel pushed it back into the sheath. �I couldn�t sleep up there.� �I�m not surprised, I could here the snores from down the hall.� �It kept you up too?� �No, I was up anyway. To much has happened for sleep tonight.� Marron said, tucking something into his sleeve. �What is that?� Zel said, sharper than he had intended. �Hm? Oh, this is a loofa.� Marron pulled out the slip of paper and handed it over for inspection. �I used them in my magic.� �Oh. Is yours-� Zelgadis stopped. It probably wasn�t a good idea to tell everyone his magic was gone, but if it wasn�t just him- �Is yours working?� �Not since the day before yesterday,� Marron said. �I take it your having problems too?� �I can�t even produce a simple light spell.� �I went outside to try. Nothing works.� Marron sighed and sat down. �There was a armory down the road though. At least I can get a sword.� �You fight?� Zel asked in spite of himself, then mentally winced. Marron nodded. �I�m aware of how I look, but yes, I am, passably good. I haven�t lost that, at least.� �And you said Chocolate can fight?� �PassablT.� �So that�s four fighters then. Gourry may not be the brightest person you�ll ever meet, but he�s reliable when it comes to that.� He took the seat across form Marron. �You came here with him and his friend, what do you think of them?� He jerked his head at Vash, who was muttering something about �giant demon doughnuts�. �I don�t know yet. Ask me after we get them some real weaponry.� Zel drummed his fingers on the wood. To sky was just starting to turn outside, he hadn�t slept at all. Damn He thought, glaring. It wasn�t bad enough he spent his life looking like a freak, now he was a magically challenged freak. �The stars are different.� Marron said suddenly. �There�s supposed to be one right there, where the suns going to come up.� Zelgadis looked. �In my world, there are six.� �The other stars are different too, I was watching them earlier try to figure out where we are.� Marron added. �You got to the same theory?� Zel asked. �That we�ve been transported, somehow?� �It�s possible. This place looks very similar to the village I remember, but it�s in the wrong place. The start look almost the same, but it�s as if they were placed by someone trying to make it look like the sky.� �We�re in a mock up? Why does it look like your world, and not mine?� �Well, we�ve only seen a very small part of it so far.� Marron offered. �It would explain why our magic isn�t working. If in your world a loofa is required-� �That�s only for eastern magic, but continue-� �If any form of magic in your world requires a slip of paper, and virtually all magic users in my world need to memorize the chant connected with each different spell, then the rules must be different. If this is a New World, or a different one, then the rules have changed.� �I agree, but,,� Marron stopped, thinking of the right words. �But,, if only the rules had changed, shouldn�t we still feel our magic? Or is it just me.� �It�s not that it�s missing, it�s like it was never there?� �Yes.� �So we�ve lost it completely.� �For now.� Zel didn�t respond, watching the small patch of sky out the window change colors slowly. �Feel up to a little shoplifting?� Marron asked, standing back up. �What?!� �The suns up, almost. We could go find the supplies we�ll probably need. This town might have some clues as to what is going on, but anything strong enough to take our magic is probably on a much larger scale. We�re going to have to go looking for the answers.� �Shoplifting sounds good then. We need food too.� �Does he always eat that much?� �Who, Gourry? That was nothing, you should see him when he�s hungry.� Wolfwood had gone to bed fine. When he woke up, however, his mood had taken a decisive turn for the worse. He had gotten up right before the sun had, and stretched. The back of his jacket had torn, during the night the material had almost rotted, becoming as delicate as tissue. �Dammit!� He snarled, what was left of his jacket hanging off him in strips. The shirt underneath had suffered the same fate, and his pants (while more stable) weren�t doing so well either. To top that off, exactly two point five seconds after had woke up he had wanted his morning cigarette. Except there weren�t any cigarettes, and there most certainly weren�t any black suits. �Damn damn damn.� He muttered, looking around the room for something, anything, that might pass off as clothing while he waited to get real clothes. �Double damn good Lord what am I being punished for this time? Jeez, you think dying would give you a clean slate.� He ranted under his breath, finally giving up. What was left of his jacket hung down around his waist anyway, and his pants were intact for the moment so as long as he got clothes fast,,,,, need nicotine His brain whined as he left the room, almost falling down the stairs as his shoes dismantled themselves. The leather crumbled when he looked at them, like they had been in the sun for a thousand years. �What next?� He asked out loud, kicking them off angrily as he went down the stairs. Marron and Zelgadis must had just left, because the door clicked shut as he walked into the room. �Wake Up Needle-Noggin.� He snapped, pushing Vash off the couch. �Wha-� thud �Good morning. Didn�t find any cigarettes, did you?� Vash asked, looking up. �Or pants.� �I need coffee.� Wolfwood sighed. �Out.� �Out? Were the only ones up!� �Marron and Zel were in here earlier. I woke up when Zel tromped down the stairs.� �Zelgadis is the blue one, right?� �Yeah. Marrons the one with gold eyes, and Chocolates the total babe.� He grinned broadly and sat up. �I remember her. I don�t think I could forget her.� Wolfwood grinned back. �How do you think she gets those straps to stay there?� �I think she uses double sided tape.� Vash said, trying to push his hair back up. It wouldn�t go, it was a total mess at the moment. �Need gel� think that they have any?� �The don�t have cigarettes, how could they possibly be advanced enough to have hair gel?� Wolfwood muttered. �What happened to the coffee?� �Gourry ate it.� �He drank that-� �No. I didn�t say he drank it I said he ate it. Big difference.� �Oh.� �Does Marron remind you-� Vash stopped. He wasn�t sure if Wolfwood had every seen Legato or not. �I don�t think he is.� Wolfwood said, reading his mind. �If that�s who Marron is, I think he�d have tried something by now.� �You knew Legato?� �Yeah.� Wolfwoods voice came out curt, even though he hadn�t meant it too. He wondered how much Vash already knew. Vash didn�t say anything though, just tossed a few logs on the embers of last nights fire. It was weird, to be where was necessary to start a fire in the morning, instead of just at night. Nice though, to not have to worry about sunstroke, to look out the door and see thick, beautiful green trees. It was beautiful outside. �As long as your not getting attacked by demon birds some whacked out sorcerer made.� Wolfwood snapped. Vash blinked and realized that he had said the last though out-loud. �You really need your nicotine, don�t you?� He said, smiling. �I�ve been smoking since was twelve, and if you give me that damn empty smile again I swear I�ll knock your block off!!!� �Now�s a good time to quit.� Wolfwood resisted the urge to whap him upside the head, but only because he was fairly sure that if they got into a fight of any sort what was left of his clothes would just, pfft, crumble. Instead, he got up. �I�m going to find something to wear if I have to tear this town apart. Then I�m going to find something to eat. Coming?� �Alright.� Vash stood up and stretched. �I think Marron and Zel were looking for weapons.� �Big, pointy metal sticks.� �I�ll probably end up with one too.� �Big pointy metal stick being waved around by an idiot.� Wolfwood corrected. �Over my dead body. You�ll end up with a sling shot.� �That�s mean.� �You�d be good with a sling shot.� Wolfwood said, grabbing a blanket off the couch. �What�s that for?� �I don�t want to freeze! It�s cold outside, I�m really not used to that.� He wrapped it around his shoulders as he walked out the door. �Besides, I think the belt on these pants is about to decay.� They found a place quickly enough, though finding the right size for Wolfwood was harder. There actually no shirts wide enough for his shoulders. In fact, the only pants they could find that were close were extra tight, black and leather. �Nice look for you.� Vash said, trying not to laugh. �Shut up Tongari.� Wolfwood growled, tugging on the boots. �These look like pirate boots. Who the hell wears these?� �In this place, probably pirates.� Vash said, chewing on a piece of beef jerky he�d taken from behind the counter. �Can�t find any shirts at all?� �No.� He grumbled. �None that won�t tear the second I try to do anything.� He pulled a long, smoky blue cloak around his bare shoulders, tossing the rages that remained of his clothes into the dustbin. �You might want to grab one of these things, I doubt they�ll have your duster anywhere.� �Actually I stopped wearing that.� Vash said. �I left it in the desert along with my gun.� �You still have the gun.� �I found it in the forest.� �If you were anyone else Tongari�� �But I�m not. I left the gun and the jacket in the desert after I fought Knives. It was a few weeks after you died, I fought him.� �Did you win?� �Yes.� �Are you going to ask how I knew he was there?� �No. You�ll tell me eventually if you want to, and if you don�t that�s all right. At this point it doesn�t matter.� Vash said, sorting through a pile of soft, heavy cloaks and capes. �I guess I�ll need one of these two then.� �There�s a red one.� �I�m actually trying to stop wearing red. I mean, It looks fantastic on me, but I�m tried of being shot at. Besides, I like green better.� �You do?� �Uh huh. I wore red for a totally different reason.� He pulled a deep, forest green stretched out from the pile, swirling it behind his back. �Uh, do you see any pins or clips or things to fasten this with?� �Tie it in a knot.� �No! Hey, you found one!� �No, this is one of my cufflinks.� Wolfwood said blandly. He wasn�t sure how the conversation had changed, but he was grateful for it. He picked up a box and shook it. �Here, look through this.� �There nothing in here but a map and some other junk.� �A map? Let me see.� Wolfwood snagged it out of Vashs hands, laying the large parchment sheet on the table. �This is really well drawn. Look, the maker drew the little evil birds in and everything.� They had, too, the large sheet was covered in spider web lines and washed over with soft colors, blending even without smearing the lines. There were no words though, just the incredibly detailed images drawn from a birds eye view. �Do you think this map is right?� Vash asked sudden, sounding excited. �I mean, it look like the village is in the right place, right? There�s the creek I fell in�� �What else is in this box?� �The map, a compass,-� Vash upended the box, spilling out it contents. �Bunch of different rocks.� �Must be for marking out the hidden treasure.� Wolfwood said, rolling his eyes. �Big words for someone wearing Pirate boots.� Vash snickered. �These look hand carved.� �Yeah who ever owns the store must had been a wander before they settled.� Vash trailed off for a second then began to systematically put everything back into the box. �What are you-� �We shouldn�t be here. This is someone�s life.� He said, folding up the map carefully. �We can take the clothes, we don�t have much of a choice there, but this,, this isn�t right.� �We can return the map when we find the owner. Until then, don�t you think he�d want it to be put to good use?� Vash didn�t answer, and Wolfwood rolled his eyes. �We�re probably going to need that to get the hell out of here, you think of that? We need that thing.� Vash finished putting the map back into its case. �Is it so bad here?� He was talking quietly. �Are you in that big a hurry to leave?� Wolfwood sighed. �I have to think I was brought back for a reason and I doubt it was to kick back. Hey, I found a pin.� �You know, when I woke up here I though I was in Eden?� Vash was obviously elsewhere at this point. �Vash.� Wolfwood snapped his fingers hard. �And it would make sense, I mean you�re here and your dead so where else could I be?� �VASH!!!� Wolfwood yelled, smacking him upside the head. �Wake up!! You�re not dead.� �How do you know? I may have died, � �Because dying is one of those things you remember! Trust me on this one, okay? Do you remember dying? No? Then your alive still.� He stopped for a minute. �And dead people don�t crave cigarettes.� �Says who?� �Says me.� Vash handed him the box and took the pin quietly, fastening the material. The clothes were all too small for them, but they at least reached to the ground. �How are the girls?� Change subjects again, before you screw up� Wolfwood thought. �Their fine, I suppose. They were last time I saw them. Meryl�s probably having conniptions by now. Millie misses you. She took it really hard.� �You were still traveling with them though, right?� Wolfwood twisted the edge of his cloak, then stopped. Stupid withdrawals were making him fidgety. �Yeah, we-� Vash stopped and turned the color of milk. �Knives.� Wolfwood automatically twisted to look behind him. �Where?� �Back there. With the girls. He was unconscious, he hasn�t woken up since I shot him-� �You?� �He�ll be fine, they were flesh wounds but,, what if he wake�s up while I�m gone?� �Well, I�m impressed.� Marron said, stepping back to get a better look at the spread. Between Zelgadis and himself, it had taken three trips to get all of the really good weapons from the store. �I didn�t think such small village would have such an impressive arsenal.� �They do have to fend off the birds on a day to day basis. There must be other creatures in the woods as well.� Marron mused, testing the weight of a nice looking blade. �Let�s try not to meet them.� �I doubt that will be possible, considering.� �Some of these look almost charmed�� Zel said, picking up a small arm shield. �Look at the engraving on this.� It was silver with black somehow etched into it. �Think it�s been enchanted?� �It�s worthless if we don�t know what it does. It might be cursed.� �True. I was hoping you could read it.� �Nope, sorry. Any luck Chocolate?� Chocolate was rummaging through the box on the floor filled with the miscellaneous weapons. �I found one that might work but I want to see what else is in here.� She said, pointing to a thin coil of wire on the table. �That ones not quite long enough.� �Why do we have so many swords? I thought we had ours?� Gourry asked, sitting next to the fire He had the last piece of meat in the house on the end of a poker and toasting it merrily over the flames. �Because we�re not the only ones here.� Zelgadis answered. �Here, try this one.� �Oh, this is nice.� Marron said. �Oh, wait, look here. It has the same symbols as on the shield.� �Huh. You�re right. I�ll put it in the pile.� He tossed it into the �well test it later� mound. �There was a nice short sword in there somewhere. I saw it when you came in.� Gourry offered, walking over to the table. He handed the poker to Zelgadis and began to sift. �It was right over- oh! Here it is!� He pulled out a short, curved sword, in an intricate leather and gold sheath. It even had a belt connected. �That is nice.� The blade slide out easily, it was plain except for some light vine work on the hilt. He took the belt and slipped it around his waist. �That�s odd it doesn�t have a buckle on it-� Twisting in his hands like a serpent, the leather jerked, connecting itself and becoming one seamless circle. �Crap!� Marron yelled, vainly searching for a clasp or a snap or something. �Gourry, you idiot!� Zel snapped. �What did you put on him?� �I just though it looked nice.� Gourry defended himself, holding up his hands. �I�m sorry!� Marron tried to just pull it off, pushing it past his hips. The leather twisted suddenly and tightened until he couldn�t breath. As soon as he let go, it loosened up. �It�s won�t come off.� �Maybe it likes you.� Gourry suggested. Zel considered hitting him, but settled for sweatdropping. Chocolate handed Marron a different knife. �Here, cut it off!� �It�s,, squeezing..again�Marron gasped, turning pretty colors. He sat down suddenly and the hilt slipped between his numb fingers to clatter to the floor. It took him a minute, but he caught his breath. �It must be designed to keep you from arming yourself.� Chocolate commented, handing him a glass of water. �That�s just wonderful. Now the total of weaponless people is up to three!� Zel felt like pulling his hair out in frustration then realized he was doing so and stopped. �We�re doomed.� �But, doesn�t he still have the sword that come with the belt?� Everybody stopped for the sole purpose of glaring at Gourry for a minute. He didn�t seem to notice. �Why would a sword be enchanted to keep someone from picking up other weapons and still be useable?� Chocolate said finally. The corner of Zel mouth twitched slightly; did see really think she was going to get anywhere with Gourry using logic? �Maybe it knew you where going to cut it off.� There was another moment of glaring. �Or it got jealous.� Marron decided to ignore him, and tried to pick up a sword. The belt jerked warningly, and he set it back down. Next a bow, which also had to be set back down. This was followed by and axe, a set of daggers, a mace, a spear- shields were okay, but only very small ones. �It�ll give you the means to protect yourself. At least that�s something.� Chocolate said, still concerned. �I�d like a back up weapon.� Marron said, continuing to sort through the mound. �And Zel, if could spar with me in a minute?� �Want to see what else it does? You better hope it�s not a berserker blade.� Zel said. �As soon as you�re done.� �Thank you.� Marron nodded his head, and kept sorting for a while longer before settling his hands on the table and sighing. �Well, that�s it then.� �Nothing?� �Not quite. It doesn�t seem to mind these.� He held out a hand filled with a easy bakers dozen of razor edged throwing stars. �I suppose I�ll have to practice with them.� �Practice with what?� Wolfwood asked, around a large crate of food. After Vashs conscience crisis, they�d raided the store (mostly do to the very valid argument that it was just going to go bad anyway, you can just who that was). He shoved himself a spot on the table and slapped the crate down. Vash had a box too, but his was stuff they had taken from the other store, including the map. �We have a bunch of clothes, and some of the packs too. And a map we found.� He smiled broadly, acting normal. Wolfwood had the urge to smack him again, that fake smile was starting to grate his nerves. �Along with food.� Added Wolfwood, pulling out a loaf of bread. �Kinda stale, but still good. And it�s not gritty.� �Why would it be gritty?� Chocolate asked. �If you saw where we come from you would know.� He offered her a chunk. �What do you have to practice with?� �Throwing stars.� �Oh. Hey, Tongari, hand me that box. Yeah, that one the one with the map.� While he was opening the box and unfolding it, he continued. �We found this, think it�ll help?� �This is excellent craftsmanship.� Marron commented, smoothing out the parchment. �Where did you find this?� �In the place down the street with the clothes.� Vash said. �Couldn�t find any shirts?� Zel said dryly, arching an eyebrow. Wolfwood glowered and pulled the cloak shut. �This town was inhabited by narrow little twig people.� He said defensively. �Well, they were rumored to have elvish blood in them.� Marron mused. �It also explains the strange weapons. Oh,, look, there�s some sort of structures to the east of here.� �What�s so strange about them?� Vash asked, picking up a twisted black dagger with suspicious stains on the blade. Wrinkling his nose, he dropped it and stepped back. �Besides their possible uses, like that thing you just touched, apparently some of them are cursed.� Marron indicated the band around his waist, witch had settled into a comfortable embrace, keeping the hilt in easy reach. �What�s the matter with that?� Wolfwood asked. �Looks fine to me.� �It�s won�t come off, and whenever I pick up another weapon besides these, it tries to kill me.� �Cause it�s jealous.� Gourry said wisely. Marron didn�t even respond, deciding instead to exit the premise and try to see if his new weapon was going to be more of a hindrance than a help or not. Zel must have had the same though, because he followed. Standing outside in the mid morning air was wonderfully refreshing for them both. �Is your companion always like that?� Marron asked, pulling out the curved blade. It slid out so easily he had to assume this was more of the enchantment working on it. �I believe the term is ditz.� Zelgadis said, drawing steel. �He�s a good man though, and he�s one of the best swordsmen I�ve ever met.� �Why were you traveling together?� Marron went though a few simple motions then paused to alter his stance to account for the curve. �Circumstance.� �Ahhh.� With a sudden motion, Marron attacked. There was a tight, controlled flutter of sparks, and both combatants stepped back. �Well, it didn�t stop me from attacking.� �Good for it. Will it let you defend?� Zel moved, using all of his demon speed. Marron smiled in spite of himself, jumping to the side. The thing was barely more than an oversized dagger, really, but it was well balanced, and seemed to be willing to behave. The next attack almost took out his eye, but he blocked, barely. �This is what counts as passable?� Zel asked, jumping back. �Who taught you?� �No one.� Marron found himself backing up now, no matter how you cut it Zels weapon was longer, and he had a father reach. �Born with it?� Zel said in disbelief, pausing. �You�re lying.� �I�m not a liar.� Marron took advantage of the lull, almost disarming Zel. He got three more attacks (all blocked) before he was forced back. �I just, understate� -he ducked his head to the left, bringing his sword up hard- �things occasionally.� Both were too absorbed in the match to notice their audience. The others had lined up on the porch, with Gourry and Chocolate cheering while Vash and Wolfwood took notes. Wolfwood had to grip onto the rail to keep his hands from shaking though, because the cravings were flaring up again. �We have to learn that?� Vash said incredulously. �Hey, I already told you, your getting a slingshot.� Wolfwood said, thumping him on the back. �I�m gonna die!� He was starting to look queasy. �You could always just shoot �em.� �Think they remember that there just practicing?� Vash asked. �Sure they do. Zel would�ve won by now if it was real.� Gourry said confidently. �How do you figure?� Chocolate asked, turning her head slightly. �Oh, Zel�s part Golem.� Like it was the most totally obvious thing in the world. Chocolate Vash and Wolfwood attempted to give him a collective blank look to get an explanation, but on Gourry it was a wasted effort. The fight was getting more intense, both Marron and Zelgadis had stopped speaking to concentrate on their attacks. In spite of having some obvious disadvantages weapons wise, Marron was starting to gain ground again, barely. Finally, after twenty more minutes or so, they stopped and shook hands. �I�m impressed.� Marron said pushing his hair back. �Thank you.� Zel checked the edge of his sword for dings, and finding it satisfactory he put it away. Marron did likewise, the little sword sliding in as easily as it had come out. �I guess that little thing will work for you then?� �Passably.� The corner of his mouth twitched. Zel raised an eyebrow. �We�ll see how happy your are with it when you try to change clothes with that thing on.� Marron grimaced. �I don�t want to think about it.� �Hey! When do I get my sword?� Vash said, laughing. �What part of sling shot did you no hear?� Growled Wolfwood, twisting his hands around the wood. Owww, friggin splinter!!! He glared at his hand, picking the offending sliver out. �There weren�t any sling shots in the pile.� Gourry sounded puzzled. He perked suddenly. �There were some darts though!� �Just what the idiot needs.� Wolfwood muttered. �Do you fight at all?� Chocolate asked. �I don�t want to seem rude, but you really don�t seem like the type.� �You have no idea.� Wolfwood reached for a cigarette (for the hundredth time that day, I just don�t feel like chronicling every time), remembered he didn�t have any, and walked away in annoyance. �I prefer to think of my self as a Warrior of Peace, actually. Searching for the elusive Mayfly known as-� Wolfwood forcibly tuned Vash out as he began to chant out his mantra. Walking though the house, he paused just long enough to see where the �structures� Marron had mentioned were before heading that way. His hands had started to shake late last night, but it was starting to get to hard for him to control, and his stubborn, stupid, pigheaded pride dictated that he not let anyone actually see what a wreck he was at the moment. Hoping east in relation to the sun was the same (god, who really knew?) he walked along, waiting until he was out of sight of the house to snap a branch off the next bush he saw. He started to methodically pull and shred at the leaves, just so his hands would have something to do. This was pathetic of him, he felt like curling into a ball and twitching. Jeez, he�d known he was hooked on those things, but he hadn�t though he was quite that dependant! His fingertips were turning green from the juice of the leaves, but he didn�t notice. He could see the building, sorta, farther down the road. Looked nice enough, there was one large, domed building but the was it. Another leaf became a shredded goo-spot on the road. �Stranger!� The voice echoed slightly out of the trees. Wolfwood stopped. �Hello?� �Strangers?� The voice repeated, questioning. �My names Nicholas D. Wolfwood.� �Nicholas.� The voice was quieter now, thinking to it�s self. Wolfwood dropped the branch and reached for the knife. Good thing he�d kept it instead of giving it back to Vash just yet. �Who are you?� Wolfwood kept walking towards the dome. If whoever it was wanted to talk, they had better speak up. Well, that was the plan, but he had to stop. Walking silently out of the trees and shadows was a tall, slender, man? Well, maybe, wrapped loosely in tattered black rags, it was pretty androgynous. It hands were almost was long as it forearms, and there were too many fingers. It stood still for a moment, swaying lightly. �Nicholas. Nicholas Wolfwood. The first of the new Lazuri�..� It took a unsteady, swaying step forward. �Lazuri? Like Lazurus?� The creature nodded. �Not complete. Still weak. The new Lazuri. Fallen.� The creature bent and twisted somehow, till it was looking up at him, before standing back up. �Simple. Easy.� �What the hell are you talking about!?� �You. Your face.� The creature twisted again, looking at him from eye level. �Your voice. Simple. Easy.� It held out it hand, spreading out the fingers. �The Lazuri,,, control the balance. The Lazuri,,,, keep it even.� �I�m suppose to keep the balance?� �Supposed to. You might. Dangerous for us. The balancing powers have to go. Chaos, ruin, chaos.� The fingers twisted together, melting until they looked like bones; twisted bone arcs. �You go. Sorry.� It attacked. �Crap!!!� �Are you sure that�s what you want to use?� Chocolate asked again. �I�m sure there�s something else a little more,, lethal.� Vash grinned. �I don�t want anything lethal. I don�t like pain. Besides, this will work.� �But-� Chocolate stopped, giving up. �Fine. Tell me you�ll dip them in something, right?� �As long as it�s not lethal.� Chocolate sat down on the rail, wondering how this guy could possibly be anything but a liability. Vash was spinning a metal tube about four and a half feet long on his fingers, looking at the targets he had set up. �You could at least start with bigger targets. You�re never gonna hit those, you�ll just discourage yourself!� �Give it up Chocolate.� Marron said. �If he wants to try to put darts into cherries at fifty feet, he can try.� �He�s fighting with a blowgun Marron� It�s, it�s embarrassing.� Vash could hear them, but pretended not to. After Meryl, Chocolate was downright polite. Of course, Chocolate could ditch him if she wanted to, and at least in the beginning Meryl had sort of been under orders to tail him. It was probably easier to stand someone you didn�t have to baby-sit. He took his first shot and missed on purpose, just to see where it went. �Can�t you aim for that stump, or something?� Vash ignored her again, and started drilling the cherries to the tree behind the branch they had been sitting on. Working very hard to avoid looking too smug, he went to collet the darts. When he turned around Marron must have shut her mouth for her, but Chocolates eyes were still shocked looking. �You�ve used that before.� �Not actually.� Vash starting putting the darts back into the belt they came from, before wrapping it around his waist. There were about fifty of the things, he�d have to work out just how fast he could fire them off later. �How long are we staying here?� �Not long. As soon as your friend comes back from wherever he went well get him something and be on our way.� The door opened behind them. �Hey Wolfwood.� Vash said. �Feeling better?� �Yes.� �What�s over there?� �Nothing.� Wolfwood had a rather blank look on his face. The cloak was knotted around his shoulders, pulled up around his neck, and draped across him until �You alright?� �Fine.� �You ready to go? You should try to grab a dagger off the table out front so you can give me my knife back.� Vash spun the blow gun lazily. It was pretty solid, really, probably a good whacking device. �Lost.� �You lost it?� Vash stopped and looked at him. He stared blankly back. �Yes.� �Are you sure you�re alright?� �Found something. Let me show.� Vash watched him walk away, raising an eyebrow. Okay, that was weird and not normal. �Is he okay?� Chocolate asked. �Only one way to find out.� Vash said, going after him. �Let�s go see what he has to show us.� �Are we leaving now?� Zel asked, looking up from the fat dusty book he had found. �Apparently.� Marron said, looking puzzled. �Wolfwood said he found something.� With a faint frown, he checked to make sure he still had the throwing stars tucked safely up his sleeves. �Oh.� Zel set the book down and grabbed one of the bags of food. Vash blinked in the sun for a moment, then pulled out his sunglasses (they were in his body suit thing, okay?). Sliding them up on his nose, he started to follow. His head was hanging by now, chin resting on his chest. It hadn�t taken long, really, for his strength to fail, although not many men would have lasted as long as he had. He didn�t know how long he had been there, maybe an hour, hanging from these damn spikes. The creature hadn�t seemed to mind, even when it hands had snapped off in his shoulders, pinning him with his feet barely grazing the ground. The dark blood was flowing between his fingers, across his stomach, down his legs and finally pooling in his boots. Bad. This was bad. Worse than before, though that had been just as lethal. It was becoming serious effort to breathe, though that was probably from his suspension. The creature had pushed the spike through his hands too, before going though his shoulders. He wondered (for the second time) if there was any point in speaking, but gave up on it. At least he didn�t hurt anymore, or maybe he was simply no longer capable of registering the pain. It�s not the dying that bothers me,,, he thought to himself, struggling futilely with the heavy black haze pouring into his mind, it�s that I�ve failed somehow. I was brought back for a reason but I failed to act in time. Lord, I though my days might be numbered, but I didn�t think,,, thick as fog, black as blood didn't know It�s freezeing now didn�t want to think yeah now I walk though the valley did know,,, of darkness, My times up. darkness black as blood, thick as fog Again. Amen Ta-dadada!!! I�ve actually got this part done!! Ahahaha! |