Chapter Twenty-one: Johannas and Demon

Written by Crofton77 on . Posted in The Story.

Once the water was down, the funeral was held. Joe
spent most of it shaking. A brother and a daughter. Both gone
within a year.

Peter was feeling empty. Impotent. Jessie had
always been his responsibility, and now she was dead.
Bill had lost his little sidekick. The pair had
been inseparable as children, and he'd never fully forgiven her for
abandoning the Code. Now he was prepared to forgive anything.
Belle didn't know how to feel. She knew this was
her aunt whom her family had loved, but she had never known her. She
knew she had to get Johannas though. She had to stop him from
hurting anyone else.
The Code, no, her Code,
demanded it.
–
“IT'S THE MOB!”
“RUN FOR YOUR
LIVES!”
Oh come on. Like you
DIDN'T expect the Death Valley Mob to start looting the moment the
water went down.
“You know, I do
like floods. Makes it so much easier to escape gaol for one thing.”
Master Revolver walked along the street with a sack of stolen goods.
Even though most of the city had been completely submerged, there
was still a fair bit of stuff that hadn't been hurt.
“And you do get
such nice things for a very reasonable price.” Mobster Marion
inspected her new diamond ring, courtesy of her boyfriend.
The pair strutted
happily along the road, enjoying the screams of terror and the
looting being done by their underlings around them.
“I'm SO glad my
family built on the east side. My mansion is fine, I get new things,
the city is ours for the taking…oh isn't life wonderful?!”
Mobster Marion went into a rapture, making Master Revolver laugh.
“As long as my
girl is happy, then so am I.” He took her hands and swung her
around into his arms.
“You lying
hound.” Mobster Marion batted her eye lashes at him. “Only
stealing and hurting others makes you happy.”
“Oh you know me
too well.”
“You two are
disgusting.”
“Oh poo. What
do YOU want Demon?” Mobster Marion glared at the villainous swine.
“Me? I just
want to be thanked for my efforts. It was my hard work that
triggered this flood in the first place.” Demon smirked.
“Yes, we heard
about the poison plan.” Master Revolver narrowed his eyes. “What
WAS in that bottle?”
“Blue food
colouring.” Demon laughed.
“And you MEANT
to cause a widespread flood?” Mobster Marion raised an eyebrow.
Demon hesitated. “I thought so. You just got lucky.” Mobster
Marion laughed.
“The fact is
that without me, you two wouldn't be enjoying yourselves nearly half
as much!” Demon fired.
“Because I've
never escaped from gaol without your help before.” Master Revolver
rolled his eyes.
“Whatever. I
see you're not going to show any gratitude.” Demon turned away,
angry.
“Bye bye
Demon!” Mobster Marion waved as Demon stalked off. Both she and
Master Revolver roared with laughter at themselves.
Demon headed down a
nearby alleyway, furious. How DARE they mock him?! Hadn't he proven
a match for Chuckles and Giggles, not to mention the Knights of the
Last Order? Hadn't he destroyed Sapphire?
He was stewing
furiously until he came across a sad, pathetic individual slouched
against the wall, sobbing loudly.
“What's wrong
with YOU?” Demon looked down his nose at the man.
“I killed my
girlfriend. I killed my baby.” The man sobbed.
“Oh. That IS a
shame.” Demon sat down next the forlorn creature.
“I lost all my
dope too.” The man sniffled.
Demon smirked inwardly.
This guy could be a good lackey if given the drugs he wanted.
“You haven't
had the best time have you?” Demon put an arm around the man.
“What's your name?”
“Johannas.”
Was the sullen reply.
“Well Johannas,
how would you like to come with me? We can get you something to eat,
a nice hot shower, and all the drugs you can ask for.” Demon
grinned.
“You mean it?”
Johanna asked, perking up.
“Of course.”
Demon helped the man to his feet. “As long as you promise to help
me, you can have whatever you like.”
“Oh THANK YOU!”
Johannas hugged him tightly. Demon patted his back gently.
“Now lets get
out of this cold alleyway hey?” Demon helped Johannas to walk.
Meanwhile, the Death
Valley Mobsters were having their party crashed.
“Hi hi Marion!
Hi hi Revolver! You guys been shopping?” Giggles flew around the
heads of the two Mobsters.
“None of your
business you runt!” Master Revolver tried to swat her away.
“Be nice to my
best friend!”
Master Revolver
suddenly found himself on the wrong end of the Lions Claw Blade –
and Chuckles!
“Watch where
you're pointing that thing amateur!” Mobster Marion growled,
pulling out her own blade.
Meanwhile, two of their
unfortunate lackeys had come face-to-face with Sir Dark and Lady
Courage. Sir Hyper was happily taunting a third who had dropped a
rather expensive television set, and the rest were being sorted out
by the other Knights.
“Do you ALWAYS
have to bring your little posse with you?!” Master Revolver glared
at the Knights.
“Only when you
do.” Replied Giggles.
Demon quickly poked his
head out of the alley way and saw the confrontation. Johannas
suddenly yelped.
“It's her!
She's the one who made me kill my girlfriend!” Johannas cried.
Demon raised an eyebrow. Who was this guy kidding? Giggles seemed
like the type who would never condone murder.
“I want to kill
her too. I want her to pay for what she did.” Johannas growled.
Demon grinned.
“Well then, why
don't you go and get her?” Demon suggested casually. “Climb up
this stairwell here to get to the roof, and get her from there!”
Johannas grinned and
started climbing. He got to the top and leapt at Giggles.
“Oh – NO!”
Giggles soared upward trying to shake her attacker off. She threw
him back on the roof and landed near him, when she noticed who it
was.
Johannas. The man who
had murdered her aunt and unborn cousin.
“Get her
Johannas!” Demon called from below. Giggles grimaced.
“I thought
Demon was all about righting the wrongs of society through force, but
now I see he's only after power. Why else would he associate with a
murderer?” She glared at Johannas, ready to take him down.
Johannas flew at
Giggles in a rage. Giggles went for the Lucky Seven Gun.
A Masters will never willingly take the life of
another.
She froze. Johannas
began raining down blows on her. She couldn't fight back, her mind
had locked up and her body wouldn't move.
“You're a
pathetic piece of rubbish and I'm going to make you pay for
everything you've done!” Johannas roared. Giggles felt like she
was being ripped apart. He threw her to the ground and sneered at
her.
Unfortunately for him,
he didn't get the chance to finish her. As he was going to stomp
her, he too found himself at the wrong end of the Lions Claw Blade.
“Leave my best
friend alone.” Chuckles said evenly, but Giggles could hear him
seething. Johannas realised he was no match for the swords man, and
quickly made his way back to Demons side.
Giggles got up slowly.
She noticed that Mobster Marion and Master Revolver had made a
getaway.
“They're long
gone. But they'll be back.” Chuckles answered her mute question.
“And so will he.”
Giggles folded her arms
across her legs and sighed. “I'm sorry.” She whispered.
Chuckles knelt down
next to her.
“You have
nothing to be sorry for buddy. I probably would be the same way with
Demon.” He said, gripping her hand. He thought of his
grand-father. “You can't beat yourself up. It's too soon after
the trauma for you to be able to face him.”
“I wanted to
kill him. But I kept thinking of the Code. What's wrong with me?!”
Giggles balled up her hands into fists.
“Wasn't the
Masters Code originally created to help curb the violent tendencies
of the Masters clan?” Chuckles asked. “You're just feeling the
echos of some leftover genetics.”
“Leftover
genetics.” Giggles sighed. “Brilliant.”
She couldn't escape the
feelings no matter how hard she tried.
“Come on, let's
head back. You can fly me some of the way.” Chuckles helped her
up. He hugged her tightly.
“I won't let
you break the Code. I promise you. Just like you wouldn't let me.”
“I know.”
They held each other
for a long time, both thinking of the ones they'd lost.
Life wasn't fair.

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