navy = flashback
Lina adjusted her gun holster and jumped off her horse. She tethered him to a pole and walked up to the saloon door. Taking a deep breath she mentally prepared herself and swung open the door. The air smelled of whiskey, filth , and a cloud of cigarette smoke seemed to permeate the whole building. There was loud raucous music playing as chours girls danced in the corner. Rough looking men sat at saloon tables playing poker and the town drunk was busy doing what he does best at the bar.
Lina walked up slowly to the nearest poker table and cleared her voice. The four men sitting at the table looked up at the her with identical expressions of aggravation.
"What do you want little girl"?? a overweight man dressed in black asked.
"Do any of you happen to know a man named Rezo"?? Lina demanded.
One man dropped his drink in surprise and another fell out of his chair.
"Re..Re...Rezo?? the dealer of the table squeaked looking up at the petite redhead with with fear clearly shining on his eyes. What would a little girl like you want with him??
Lina's face cringed and she growled out " I just happened to be Lina Inverse master equestrian and beautiful female gun slinger. Lina flipped her flaming red hair out of her face,put her hands on her hips dramatically and pointed an accusing finger at the men.
"Lin...Lina...Inverse"?? all the men cried simutanley clutching each other in fear.
"Do you guys have some kind of stuttering problems or something"??
"Lina Inverse the enemy of all who live, she who is so vile even Apaches don't mess with her . Lina Inverse who once made a Texas tornado turn tell and run than rather look at her hideous face??!!
"What?!!!" Lina kicked the table down. "I'llripyourthroatoutandfeedit to abobcatI'll....!!!!"
She picked up a nearby whisky bottle and busted it over her insulters head. Another man slung a chair at her from behind. She ducked and uppercutted him in the stomach. He flew 5 feet. and landed on top of another poker tables occupants. The men at that table in turn attacked and before you knew it the whole thing escalated into a full blown wild west bar brawl. Whiskey bottles smashed into faces, tables were overturned, windows were smashed. All in all lots of property damage.
"Excuse me... A lone man stood up from a dark corner of the bar unscathed by the brawl. He was shrouded in a black cloak which completely covered his face. He stood up and everyone froze. "Did you say you were looking for a man named Rezo?? It wouldn't happen to be Rezo the Red priest would it?? Lina put down the man that she had been strangling and glared at the figure who had spoken up.
"Do you have any information on him",?? she asked questionably keeping a steady hand by her gun holster.
"Come with me" the shrouded man walked to a private room at the back of the bar.
"Who are you"?? Lina asked after she had settled into the chair in the back room. The room was barren save for a rustic table and two chairs. No windows. "No witnesses" Lina thought as she peered at the man in the cloak. Now that she was closer she could tell that the man was Indian. He was dressed in offwhite pants made out of animal skins a plain white (well it used to be white) shirt and carried a Blackfoot shamist robe around his shoulders. His piercing blue eyes though were clearly from white ancestory.He had a silver maddalion around his chest.
"My name is Zelgadiss"..... he began.
A few miles outside of town a blond man dismounted deciding to give his horse a rest. He was dressed in U.S. Marshall uniform. There was a gold star pinned on it with the name "Goury Gabriev" Us. Marshall on the front. "Goury" patted his trusty horse and looked down the valley at the town below. His query was down there. Finally after months of searching. If luck held out the fiery haired cowgirl would be in custody before supper tomorrow. Goury's stomach growled loudly at the thought of supper. He chuckled.
"Your lucky Roudy", goury patted his palimino horse, "If we hadn't gotten to a town I might have ended up eating you! he joked. The horse sweatdropped and inched away from his master.
Meanwhile back at the tavern...
"Why do you know about Rezo,"?? Lina asked.
"Nothing comes for free". Zel rubbed his middle and index finger together in the universal sign of money.
"Sigh". Should have figured, Lina thought. She took out a small black pouch and dumped a third of its contents in his hand. Zel gave her an offended look and she emptied the pouch a bit more. A pissed off look crossed the half-indians face and Lina handed him the whole pouch . She looked like she just saw her puppy get run over by a carriage.
Zelgadiss tucked the pouch somewhere in the recesses of his cloak and continued.
"I have a vendetta of sorts against him ...," Zel said as his voice got that far away tone that people get when their remembering events long past. "He is responsible for the deaths of my people." Zel fists clenched. My mother died in the cold winter because that bastard ordered it. Many women and children died and that heartless bastard didn't even bat an eye... ". Zel looked up realizing that he had said too much. He cleared his throat and seemed to compose himself once again; shutting out the old pain that was eating his soul.
Lina raised one eyebrow and wondered how mentally stable this man was.
"I've been tracking Rezo for sometime now. For months I followed half heard rumors and hunches coming up with nothing. Then two months ago I was approached by a mysterious man................ Zel's thoughts wondered and he remembered his mysterious conversation.
Zelgadiss stared at his mug oblivious to the world around him. "Its been more than a year and still no solid leads," Zel thought.
He sighed and swished the liquid around in his mug. " I'm must be cursed".
"My my my why are we so smug,"? a man sitting next to Zel at the bar said. His hair was an odd color purple and he was
dressed in a Mexican style poncho.
"None of your damn business," Zel replied curtly not looking up from his drink. The man pretended to be hurt.
"My Zelgadiss you really need to work on your people skills". The man gave Zelgadiss a goofy smile.
"Why you....how do you know my name????" Zel's eyes quickly changed from surprise to suspicion.
"I know many things," the purple haired man simply said the quirky smile plastered on his face never wavering. "So I heard you
were looking for old Rezo boy"???
Zel nearly fell off his bar stool in surprise.
"Old Rezo boy?? You know him?? how?? do you know where he is,?? Zel said all in an almost incomprehensibly string of
words.
"Me and old Rezo used to hang out and have staring contests," the weird man's smile grew even bigger , "You know, he was
the best man I ever met at "I spy," the purple man replied.
What's up with this guy? Zelgadiss thought.
The man handed Zelgadiss an old crinkled piece of paper.
"What is this"?? Zel looked at the paper. It appeared to be a piece of a map. Some of the writing had faded.
"What you desire" the man said simply.
"Will it take me to Rezo'"?
The man's face turned into a slight smirk.
The man leaned in close to Zelgadiss. His face almost touched his. He took a deep breath. " That is a secret," he said and
wagged his finger in Zel's face.
"WHAT"!!! Zel picked up his glass to ready to throw it the annoying man was gone. "Where did he go"? Zelgadiss asked the
bar tender anxiously.
"Where did who go"? the bar tender asked without looking up from the glass he was polishing.
"The purple haired weirdo I was just talking too".
"There hasn't been anyone here. The bartender took Zelgadiss glass away. "I think you've had enough".
"Weird. Lina replied after Zel had gotten done telling his tale.
"You know now that I think about it, he never once opened his eyes the entire time"??
Lina played with her gun belt and thought. Should I tell him?? I could just con him out of it.... She looked at the young indian and felt a stab of guilt. Stupid parents giving me a conscious . She looked up and planted a cocky smile on her face.
"I may know something " she started softly to get the young man's attention.
"What do you know"? Zel leaned forward in his seat his eagerness outweighing his suspicion.
Lina mimicked Zel and made the universal money sign.
"Nothing comes for free " she replied slyly keeping a feral grin on her face.
Zel reluctantly held out his newly acquired money bag. Lina snatched it up like a little kid to candy. She hugged the pouch happily.
Zel sweatdropped. "Do you two want to be alone"?
Lina gave him a dirty look then stuck the black money pouch safely away.
"As I was saying." She rummaged in an unknown pocket somewhere. She procured an old wrinkled map and set it on the table.
Zel leaned forward and peered at the map. He did a double take and pulled his own out. Zel set it on the table and matched it with Lina's.
"Its from the same map... but how? Who? How did you get this?"
"Its a long story,"...
"I've got time,"..
"Ok". Lina cleared her throat.
"Well first off the map was my grandfather's. He passed away not too long ago. My grandfather was not just any average person. He was once, in his youth, a member of the infamous "Dragon Slayers" the most ruthless and blood thirsty pirates ever to sail the seven sees. They were not normal pirates, however. They only stole from other pirates. They lived by their code of honor. Even helping civilian ships from time to time (though they didn't exactly go out of their way too help anybody). Now the captain of the ship was called " Rezo the Red" ( Though never to his face. It seems as a young child Rezo had sat on a hot iron accidentally. It left him with a permanent scar. ). Anyway, Rezo's first mate was a man who was known for his obnoxious smile and mechastic tendencies. My father then was only 14 and the cabin boy of the ship.
The Dragon Slayers were a mighty pirate group. They might have never stopped roaming the seven seas if it hadn't been for Rezo's obsession. Generally Rezo was a well grounded man, but not when it came to his family illness. His family was cursed you see, or at least that's the way he saw it. They all had a tendency to die before they were reached 30. No one knew why. Rezo refused to lie down and die. He wouldn't take the card life gave him. Many years he searched during his days as a pirate. He consulted many doctors, witch doctors , shamanist of tribes long forgotten , and pretty much anyone else he thought might be able to help him. His search came up empty until one day he heard from a small village of "The Legend of the Fountain of Youth" . One drink of this fountain of the gods could make someone immortal. They would be immune to sickness, to disease, to death. Rezo became obsessed with finding the Fountain of Youth. It was all he thought about day and night. His crew mates didn't seem to mind. They thought "Who wouldn't want to immortal"??.
"This is where the story gets a bit fuzzy." Lina sighed and took a moment to crack her back.
"Fuzzy"? Zel asked.
"Well this is Generally the part where grandfather fell asleep".
" ........oh ".
Well one day a storm blew in from the west. It tossed and turned the little ship. Many lives were lost and there seemed no hope in site. At last they reached land. Well it wasn't the land they were headed for. Unbeknownst to them they had discovered the American continent. However, after their many hardships and a sickness that had invaded the crew members, only three men were left alive. My grandfather, Rezo, and Xellos. Since most of them were dead anyway they decided to bury their treasure in true pirate fashion."
"Personally I don't know what's the point of having money if you don't spend it," Lina snorted in a very un-lady like and continued.
"They searched and they searched until finally they came upon a cave. So being the true pirates they were they decided to hide the treasure with all sorts of booby traps and the like. But Alas could it be!! " Lina pointed a finger to the sky for emphasis and Zel tried not to roll his eyes. " The cave contained they very thing they had been searching for " THE FOUNTIN OF YOUTH!! "
"Just like that?? It seems rather contrived. " Zel said interrupting Lina's story telling.
Lina gave him a look that could melt steam trains and continued. "The details become really fuzzy here. Every time I would ask grandfather what happened he would start to panic and shake. He refused he say anymore and left to go to sleep, muttering something about it would give me nightmares. I just think he was scared".
"Couldn't you have just said, "My grandfather was a pirate and the map is a map to pirate treasure"". And what does this have to do with Rezo the Red Priest ?? Other than the name similarities of course". Zel said gruffly.
"Excuse me !! Lina growled out and stared directly at the rude man who dare mock her wonderful story telling talent (or at least that's what she thought). You asked for the information and I told it too you. And further more the Rezo you're looking for is rumored to be the grandson of Rezo the Red. I suspect he has a map as well. It would explain his " retirement" from the U.S. army and his disappearance. He must have the other half of the map." Lina finally finished and leaned back in her chair .
Lina thought hard. This guy could be useful. I mean she could always steal his half of the map away from him if he proved to be a nuisance.
"Well partners than". Lina outstretched her hand across the table.
Zel just stared at her hand. "You would be partners with an half-breed indian??"
Zel scratched his head and thought. The girl's story sounded legit and it was the only lead he had gotten in a long time. Besides, Zel wouldn't mind being filthy rich. He could always take the other half of the map from the girl after she had outlasted her usefullness.
"Why not, I've met worse people," Lina replied nonchantley. Zel tentatively shook her hand.
"So what when we find the treasure 75/25 ok?" Lina smiled greedily.
"What!! You wouldn't even be able to find the treasure without my half of the map !! We'll split it 50/50"!!!
"60/40!!"
There gaze locked each waiting for the other to give in . Lina growled. Zel gritted his teeth. You would win in this battle of will?? Who is the most stubborn and pig-headed who...
"Aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh," Lina screamed tough deamenor forgotten as the most hairy face she had ever seen popped up; seeminly from out of nowhere.
"Would you like a drink miss"....the hairy face asked as Lina pried herself off the floor.
"Dilgear your scaring the customers".... Zel told the hairy man.
"But what errr...huh??" Lina managed as she tryed to regain her composure.
"Don't mind Dilgear. He used to work for the circus." Zel patted Dilgear on the back .
"Maybe you've heard of me"? Dilgear was covered head to toe in hair. Two little eyes barely showing up inside the two holes held up an old circus poster. I used to be Dilgear the "THE DOG FACED BOY"!!!
Lina's face met the floor again.
"No thanks Dilgear. I'd rather stay somber for now". Zel told the dog faced man.
Dilgear picked up his tray of drinks and left the room, off to scare more helpless customers.
Gunshots ran out from the foyer of the saloon . Instinctively Zel and Lina hit the ground . Lina pulled out her gun and Zel pulled out a BIG ax. Lina gave him a "what the hell look" but Zel just shrugged.
Seven burly bandits entered the saloon all carrying shotguns the size of Lina's body. How could you tell they were bandits?? Well they were stupid enough to wear "I joined the fighting blood bandits and all I got was this lousy T-shirts" shirts. The fattest of them (obviously the leader) shirt was 3 sizes too small and had that nice "fat guy in a little coat" thing going that all the girls had the hots for (at least that's what he thought).
"Give Lina Inverse up"!! he bellowed producing a really nasty jiggle effect on his bear belly.
"I see my reputations precedes me"... Lina appeared on the top of the bar her hand on her gun holster.
"Get her,"!! the bandit yelled.
Before anyone could move Lina quick as lighting pulled her gun and shot a hole into his hat.
"My hat..." The leader bandit's eyes filled with tears and he looked forlornly at his ruined hat. "My mommy gave that hat....," he looked up at his men. "Kill her ..kill her a lot," he screamed outraged.
The infamous gunslinger Lina Inverse just laughed . She did a somersault with a half twist off the bar and landed behind the bandits. A swift kick to the head took out the head bandit. Grabbing his gun she shot the nearest two in the shoulder incapacitating them. She rolled to the right and jumped behind the bar barely missing the gunshots coming from the other four. " Damn Zelgadiss where are you"?? she peered around the corner but the shaman was no where in site. She looked upwards at the rusty mirror that hung behind the bar. Through the reflection she could see one of the remaining bandits peering around the bar. The big lug was kicking over tables looking for her.
"Wait if I can see him than ......he can see me....Lina rolled out from under the table as a gun shot shattered the bar mirror and in the same motion pulled her gun . The gun flew out of the bandits hand.
"You you ...you"....the bandit muttered gazing at his gun hand in shock.
"Are incredibly beautiful and talented? Yeah I already knew that. Now," she leveled her gun at the terrified bandits head, " I have some questions I'd like you to answer .."
The cold end of a gun barrel pressed into Lina's neck and she gasped in surprise. Damn, she thought, I knew I was forgetting something.
"Little girls really shouldn't play with guns" the bandit said gruffly. He grabbed her by the hair and threw her to the floor like a rag doll. She hit the floor hard making a crunching sound that echoed through the empty saloon and into the night.
Meanwhile outside the saloon another bandit was outside. He was poised behind a barrel readying his gun sniper style at Lina . Zel slowly crept around the building. Zel was soundless he moved with the grace of a cat and the silent speed of a deer. "Snap" Zel stepped on a twig ruining is mystical shaman facade and alerting the bandit to his presence. The man reached for his gun and Zel threw his ax. The blade whipped through the air landed right between the man's ....well lets just say a few more inches and that man wouldn't be a man anymore.
The unfortunate bandit hung from the side of a building pinned down by Zel's gigantic ax.
"Talk". Zel pressed a small knife to the bandit's throat. The man squeaked a couple of times. "Oh." Zel looked at the man and realized his situation. He yanked the ax out of the wood and resumed his interrogation.
"Well..? Why are you attacking us? "Us," the bandit asked from his hands and knees on the ground. Were only after the redheads map."
"Map...? Lina..." Zel got up and rushed to the front of the saloon. He turned back and without looking, knocked the bandit out cold with the wooden handle of his ax.
"Where's the map"?? The big bandit growled saliva dripping from his mouth. He was facing the bar with his back to the door.
Lina suppressed the urge to gag.
"Map what map"?? I reckon I don't know about no map mister bandit".
Lina put on her best country bunkin accent and big innocent puppy dog eyes.
"Ah just declare I never seen any map nowhere. I just milk the cows and feed the chickens. Tee Hee."
"Very well. It'll be much easier to search a dead girls body anyway. The man leveled the gun to Lina's head and cocked it
"Damnit, I'm not going to make it," Zel thought as he ran to the front door of the saloon. He caught a glimpse of Lina in through the window. I'm too late. This always happens just as soon as I make a new friend.......
"Prepare to die". The gun leveled at her head and the bandit sneered enjoying the fear and defiance to the last in the girls eyes.
"Got to think of a plan ..got to think of a plan, Lina desperately thought. "I can't die like this. I can't ....I don't want to die". Lina grimaced and prepared for the end
"Freeze," a voice said. The bandit froze.
"Huh??," Lina thought and slowly raised her head. Her eyes met with a tall blond man. His hair was blond in a short crew cut. He had a Us. Marshall uniform. The gold star pinned on his chest seemed to glow.
"Gabriev?? Where have I heard that name before. Her gaze shifted to the silver pistol in his hand. It couldn't be.....Lina thought in amazement.
Gabriev aimed his pistol at the bandit.
"You don't treat women like that scum. ".
"Hey look behind you,"! the bandit exclaimed loudly pointing behind Goury.
"What? Goury glanced behind him. The bandit ran toward Goury who ducked at the last minute. The bandit flew across the room and crashed through the window; landing in the middle of the street. He wouldn't be getting up for awhile. Goury continued to examine the ground. After a awhile Goury stood up and looked around him bewildered. He scratched his head.
"I don't see anything...". He turned back to the rumpled redhead and extended his hand.
"Are you ok miss?? She looked at his hand, thought better of it and stood up on her own.
"Thank you. " she muttered. She looked at his pistol. It was!!! The legendary silver pistol!! The gun that was once owned by the most famous law man in history, Roudy Gabriev. The gun that took down Billy the Kid in one shot. She had to have it!!
"No problem. I'll just put on my charm," she thought. He'll be overtaken with my grace and beauty then I'll steal the pistol why he's not looking". She grinned evilly and turned back to the U.s marshall.
"Thank you soooooo much. I don't what I would have done if you hadn't come when you did"!!. She batted her eyelashes. Lina put one hand to her forehead like she was going to faint. She opened one eye to check and see if it was working. A pair of cuffs latched onto her hands.
"HEY"!! She screamed completely forgetting her shy innocent girl act.
"Your under arrest by order of the U.s Marshall service".
Lina sweatdropped and Zel cursed from outside the saloon and inched more into the barrel he was hiding in.