Chapter Seventy-Four: Panic
“They're all out
cold. Darn it!” Lady Courage groaned as she tried to keep her
fellow Knights safe. The drug had gotten them all, and now they were
all in trouble.
cold. Darn it!” Lady Courage groaned as she tried to keep her
fellow Knights safe. The drug had gotten them all, and now they were
all in trouble.
“I've got Sir Dark,
Lady Luck and Sir Hyper.” Patrick pulled up in an unmarked old
station wagon with no back seats. He wore a black scarf around his
face. “I'm so glad you wear that gas mask.”
Lady Luck and Sir Hyper.” Patrick pulled up in an unmarked old
station wagon with no back seats. He wore a black scarf around his
face. “I'm so glad you wear that gas mask.”
“It was a present
from someone who protected me.” Lady Courage replied, thinking of
the late Joe Masters who had treated her like his own grand-daughter.
“Where are Chuckles and Giggles?”
from someone who protected me.” Lady Courage replied, thinking of
the late Joe Masters who had treated her like his own grand-daughter.
“Where are Chuckles and Giggles?”
“Load those two into
the back, then we'll go look for them.” Patrick replied.
the back, then we'll go look for them.” Patrick replied.
“Good idea Sir
Motor.” Lady Courage grinned beneath the mask which had protected
her from the poison gas. With a bit of difficulty, she loaded Sir
Lionheart and Lady Silent into the back of the car, both of them
unconscious.
Motor.” Lady Courage grinned beneath the mask which had protected
her from the poison gas. With a bit of difficulty, she loaded Sir
Lionheart and Lady Silent into the back of the car, both of them
unconscious.
“Looking for these?”
Lady Courage spun
around. Sidewinder had a small wagon, where Chuckles and Giggles were
loaded.
around. Sidewinder had a small wagon, where Chuckles and Giggles were
loaded.
“I'm only helping
because I don't want the Mob threatened. I'm hunting down any
Troupers that haven't been gassed and chasing them out of town. No
killing.” Sidewinder spat.
because I don't want the Mob threatened. I'm hunting down any
Troupers that haven't been gassed and chasing them out of town. No
killing.” Sidewinder spat.
“Thanks Sidewinder.
We won't forget this.” Lady Courage smiled at her.
We won't forget this.” Lady Courage smiled at her.
“Oh won't DAD be
pleased when he sees this!” They heard another voice, a much
slimier, nastier voice!
pleased when he sees this!” They heard another voice, a much
slimier, nastier voice!
“Ruby.” Lady
Courage glared at her brother. Ruby Daryl floated above them, looking
pleased with himself.
Courage glared at her brother. Ruby Daryl floated above them, looking
pleased with himself.
“What do YOU want you
little sneak?” Sidewinder snarled.
little sneak?” Sidewinder snarled.
“Aww, c'mon Wine-dy,
don't be like THAT.” Ruby grinned. “I just want a little peek
under the hoods of your cargo there.”
don't be like THAT.” Ruby grinned. “I just want a little peek
under the hoods of your cargo there.”
“Of course you do.”
Sidewinder snarled.
Sidewinder snarled.
“I mean, weren't YOU
going around claiming that Belle Masters and Charlie Begly were our
worst foes?” Ruby continued to gloat. “You wouldn't happen to
want to keep them hidden because you're WRONG would you?”
going around claiming that Belle Masters and Charlie Begly were our
worst foes?” Ruby continued to gloat. “You wouldn't happen to
want to keep them hidden because you're WRONG would you?”
“Shut up!”
Sidewinder lashed out with an Emerald Shard, which did nothing
against the Ruby Suit.
Sidewinder lashed out with an Emerald Shard, which did nothing
against the Ruby Suit.
“Nice try, but the
Emerald Suits have NOTHING on the power of the Ruby Suit!” Ruby
laughed, skewering Sidewinder through the shoulder with a Ruby Spear.
Emerald Suits have NOTHING on the power of the Ruby Suit!” Ruby
laughed, skewering Sidewinder through the shoulder with a Ruby Spear.
Pure fury rushed
through the veins of Lady Courage. She HATED Daryl, her older brother
who had helped her father treat her like dirt!
through the veins of Lady Courage. She HATED Daryl, her older brother
who had helped her father treat her like dirt!
“Sidewinder, get
Chuckles and Giggles into the car and protect Sir Motor. Get them out
of here.” She said.
Chuckles and Giggles into the car and protect Sir Motor. Get them out
of here.” She said.
“Are you nuts?!
There's no WAY you can take on Ruby by yourself!” Sidewinder cried.
There's no WAY you can take on Ruby by yourself!” Sidewinder cried.
“This isn't your
battle.” Lady Courage told her. “I have my own problems with the
Jones family.”
battle.” Lady Courage told her. “I have my own problems with the
Jones family.”
Sidewinder looked at
her funny, before helping Sir Motor load Chuckles and Giggles into
the van.
her funny, before helping Sir Motor load Chuckles and Giggles into
the van.
“Not so fast!” Ruby
went to attack as they drove off, but he was stopped by a baseball
bat to the chest by Lady Courage.
went to attack as they drove off, but he was stopped by a baseball
bat to the chest by Lady Courage.
“Owwwww!” He
choked.
choked.
“Your fight is with
ME, Ruby.” Lady Courage squared up to her brother.
ME, Ruby.” Lady Courage squared up to her brother.
—
“CHUCKLES!”
Chuckles stopped again.
He could hear Giggles calling him, but he couldn't see her.
He could hear Giggles calling him, but he couldn't see her.
“GIGGLES!” He
called out.
called out.
“DON'T LET THEM KNOW
YOUR NAME!” He heard. “CHUCKLES!!”
YOUR NAME!” He heard. “CHUCKLES!!”
“WOULD HELP IF YOU
WEREN'T SCREAMING MY NAME OUT FOR EVERYONE TO HEAR!” Chuckles
retorted.
WEREN'T SCREAMING MY NAME OUT FOR EVERYONE TO HEAR!” Chuckles
retorted.
“CHUCKLES!!!” He
heard her voice again. Either she couldn't hear him or (more likely)
she was ignoring him.
heard her voice again. Either she couldn't hear him or (more likely)
she was ignoring him.
He ran towards her
voice. Suddenly, something flew out in front of him, smacking him in
the face and knocking him out cold.
voice. Suddenly, something flew out in front of him, smacking him in
the face and knocking him out cold.
—
The world was filled
with joy and laughter. The water was perfect, the sun was warm, the
breeze had the slightest suggestion of jasmine…and it was fading.
with joy and laughter. The water was perfect, the sun was warm, the
breeze had the slightest suggestion of jasmine…and it was fading.
“Ugh…” Sir Dark
sat up in the back of the moving station wagon.
sat up in the back of the moving station wagon.
“You guys were
drugged.” Patrick told him. “Smoke bomb.”
drugged.” Patrick told him. “Smoke bomb.”
“Why is Sidewinder
outside?” Sir Dark looked out of the window and onto the roof.
outside?” Sir Dark looked out of the window and onto the roof.
“Because she's
helping save your butts.” Patrick replied. “She really must have
a thing for Lionheart.”
helping save your butts.” Patrick replied. “She really must have
a thing for Lionheart.”
Sir Dark chortled.
“NOPE!” Patrick
suddenly swerved. “Oh not good, not, NOT good!”
suddenly swerved. “Oh not good, not, NOT good!”
“You keep driving,
I'll take care of the Crusaders!” Sidewinder leapt off the car and
into the path of the advancing March Hill Crusaders. Patrick quickly
pulled a 300-point turn, before shooting down a side-street.
I'll take care of the Crusaders!” Sidewinder leapt off the car and
into the path of the advancing March Hill Crusaders. Patrick quickly
pulled a 300-point turn, before shooting down a side-street.
“Why are you
protecting them?” Crusader Roger aimed his new bayonet at her.
protecting them?” Crusader Roger aimed his new bayonet at her.
“Because they happen
to be our best weapon against YOU.” Sidewinder aimed the Mystic
Eight Gun back at him.
to be our best weapon against YOU.” Sidewinder aimed the Mystic
Eight Gun back at him.
—
“CHUCKLES!” Giggles
cried, desperately trying to make her way through the thickening
forest.
cried, desperately trying to make her way through the thickening
forest.
She could hear the
Haunted Maze Trouper laughing at her. “You can't save him little
girl. Pull off your helmet and I'll let him live.”
Haunted Maze Trouper laughing at her. “You can't save him little
girl. Pull off your helmet and I'll let him live.”
“He'd never forgive
me if I did!” Giggles fired back, angry. She fired the Lucky Seven
Gun at a branch, which fell, allowing her to fly upwards. Alas, as
she flew up, the forest grew up with her!
me if I did!” Giggles fired back, angry. She fired the Lucky Seven
Gun at a branch, which fell, allowing her to fly upwards. Alas, as
she flew up, the forest grew up with her!
“Your little deus ex
machina won't save you now little girl!” She heard the Trouper
gloat. Two vines shot out and grabbed her feet. She shot them away,
pulling out the Desert Eagle. More vines shot out, and Giggles dodged
them, heading to ground before running through the thickening
undergrowth. The vines shot after her, and she knew it was only a
matter of time before they got her.
machina won't save you now little girl!” She heard the Trouper
gloat. Two vines shot out and grabbed her feet. She shot them away,
pulling out the Desert Eagle. More vines shot out, and Giggles dodged
them, heading to ground before running through the thickening
undergrowth. The vines shot after her, and she knew it was only a
matter of time before they got her.
—
“C'mon guys, wake
up!” Sir Dark shook Sir Hyper and Lady Silent. Lady Luck and Sir
Lionheart were awake and groggy, and Sir Motor nearly had them at the
tip.
up!” Sir Dark shook Sir Hyper and Lady Silent. Lady Luck and Sir
Lionheart were awake and groggy, and Sir Motor nearly had them at the
tip.
“Where's Sidewinder?”
Sir Lionheart rubbed his eyes. “What happened?”
Sir Lionheart rubbed his eyes. “What happened?”
“I think it was a
group hallucination.” Lady Luck told him.
group hallucination.” Lady Luck told him.
“Sidewinder is taking
care of the Crusaders.” Sir Dark added. “This is bad. If we now
have enemies that can take us out en masse like that, then we're in
big trouble. We're just lucky none of us had our identities exposed.”
care of the Crusaders.” Sir Dark added. “This is bad. If we now
have enemies that can take us out en masse like that, then we're in
big trouble. We're just lucky none of us had our identities exposed.”
“Thanks Patrick.”
Lady Luck smiled. “Where's Sunny?”
Lady Luck smiled. “Where's Sunny?”
“Taking on her
brother.” Patrick replied bitterly.
brother.” Patrick replied bitterly.
“Damn! We have to
help her!” Sir Lionheart cried as Lady Silent started to come
around.
help her!” Sir Lionheart cried as Lady Silent started to come
around.
“You guys aren't in
any condition to help anyone. Plus, this is HER fight.” Patrick
told them.
any condition to help anyone. Plus, this is HER fight.” Patrick
told them.
Meanwhile, Lady Courage and Ruby Daryl were falling from a building
together, locked in a death grip. Seeing Lady Courage was serious,
Ruby quickly pulled them up and threw Lady Courage to the side. She
landed on her feet and glared at him.
together, locked in a death grip. Seeing Lady Courage was serious,
Ruby quickly pulled them up and threw Lady Courage to the side. She
landed on her feet and glared at him.
The siblings were fighting to the death.