Cowboy Bebop Fan Fiction ❯ Unveiled Emotions ❯ Retreat ( Chapter 34 )

Pheonix sat back in the chair and glanced at the computer's gaming capabilities. There wasn't much but he had guessed as much. Vicious didn't exactly seem to be the type that would show a heavy interest in games. He was more into the actual killing of others, not simulations.

He glanced at the clock and noted the time. It had been ten minutes since they had left and Pheonix guessed that the real action had yet to begin. He wondered what it was like at the arena. He had, thankfully, never been there for it had soon become known to him that those who visited the arena would end their lives there.

He lit one of his exotic cigarettes and ran a hand over the necklace that he was wearing. Angel had given it to him. She had given him so much support when he was preparing to take the elite tests to become a Regal Taliban and he had done very little in return. The sound of static in his ears snapped him back to the present and he laid a finger on his ear.

"I didn't quite get that," he said as he switched on the ship's engine.

"Put the shields on," Vicious hissed and the Taliban complied.

"What the hell did you do to them?"

"Save your questions for when we're in space."

Pheonix drew his hand away from the communicator and frowned. He certainly didn't like the feeling he was getting about the entire situation. It was one of those feelings that he didn't exactly like having. He stood up and walked over to the hatch to look out. He hoped that they would be returning soon. He leapt out of the way, just as a battle ax swung down at him.

*Your employer is a liar,* the Battlemaster hissed and the Taliban shrugged his shoulders.

"That's not exactly a news flash. He's pissed me off too. What did he do to you, though?" Pheonix asked as he kept his guard up.

The Battle master turned to one side and Pheonix stared at the deep cut in his neck.

*It's the female's fault. She will be executed for rejecting me.*

"Why aren't you inside?!" Vicious yelled then stopped when the Battlemaster turned around.

"So nice to see you again," the Battlemaster said, his words sounding colder than normal.

"Is it over yet?" Rei asked as she blinked her eyes. "Where are my clothes?"

"He tore them off," Vicious said.

"WHAT? You mean I...?"

"No. He tried to after I finished with you. That wound that he boasts is a result of my wrath."

"I don't take rejection lightly. I WILL have that female and your life," the Battlemaster growled.

"You want a fight? You'll have a fight. Just allow me to put some clothes on," Vicious said and the Battlemaster stepped out of the way.

"Very well then, but she has to stay here."

Pheonix leapt over the Snarlax and landed in front of a frightened Rei. He pulled off his shirt and handed it to her.

"It's not much, but at least it will cover a few things," he said.

"Thank you," Rei said and took the shirt from him. "I like the necklace. Where did you get it?"

"It was given to me."

"A client?"

"No."

He shook his head in an attempt to clear his head of the past as the Battlemaster growled in anger.

*It is not wise to annoy me,* the Battlemaster said and Pheonix shrugged his shoulders.

"You forget you're talking to someone who has no connections or loyalties. I'm free to do as I want. I knew she was uncomfortable. Any female would be in your presence."

The Battlemaster bared his fangs as Vicious stepped out of his ship.

"You choose your company well. I had forgotten how annoying that Taliban is."

"He's not as annoying as another Taliban used to be," Vicious said and Pheonix bared his fangs.

"Don't start about that," he growled.

"Don't bare your fangs at me. I'm not in the mood for it. Now, are you ready to die?"

"If you're ready to be slain. I'm not in the mood to play games," the Battlemaster said.

"Then let's begin."

"Let's get you out of the way. I'm sure he doesn't want you injured," Pheonix muttered as he took Rei's hand.

"But he won't let me go inside the ship," Rei said and Pheonix pointed to a large rock.

"You should be safe here. Guess I'll have to protect you since I'm not involved in this fight."

"Did you not protect someone in the past?"

"Don't even try to figure out why my past hurts me so much. I don't want people to know what haunts me."

"Why not?"

Pheonix said nothing as he watched the battle take place. To an untrained eye, the fight seemed to be in the Battlemaster's favor, due to the large weapon that he sported but with a larger weapon, it was extremely hard to keep one's balance. That and the fact that, if Vicious got close enough, the Snarlax had extremely little in defense. A battle ax was limited in the number of swings due to its weight and design and if Vicious planned his attacks right, the whole fight would be over in a matter of minutes.

"Let go of me," Pheonix hissed and Rei drew back.

"I'm sorry. It's just that their thoughts are so disturbing. I just grabbed the first thing that was available. That's how he died too. I saw the terrible images of my past and I grabbed onto him. Vicious got jealous and killed him. I guess, if you want to be angry at anyone for your cousin's death, it would be me."

"Don't stick up for him. If you explained what you did, he should have understood and let my cousin live. Unless, you didn't explain the situation to him."

"I did. He wouldn't listen. I'm sorry. I didn't want him to die. I tried to stop him, but he wouldn't listen."

"There's only one emotion that would blind a man so much that he is unwilling to listen to reason and that is love."

"What?"

"Isn't that the one emotion that he refuses to express to you? Don't you think that's why he keeps such a close watch on you? If it wasn't because he loves you, then why does he do it? Think about it. He's willing to die in this battle for you. He's saved you so many times, hasn't he? There's something more to it than your body."

Vicious was knocked hard against the ship and Rei cried out in shock. Vicious came to his senses quickly and dodged the heavy swinging battle ax. He swung his sword and plunged it deep into the Battlemaster's stomach. The Battlemaster dropped his weapon as Vicious withdrew his sword. He stepped away from the injured Snarlax and glanced at Pheonix.

"Take her inside. We'll be leaving soon," he said and Pheonix nodded his head.

"Right. I'm so glad to leave this place again," he said as he lead Rei into the ship. "Go and get cleaned up. I'll get a new shirt. I've gotta be ready to lift off when he comes running in anyway."

"Again, thank you for everything. It really means a lot to me," Rei said and Pheonix watched her walk to her room. He shook his head as the ghostly image of the one he had loved seemed to follow Rei. She was, it seemed to him, speaking to him and telling him about the half-breed that he was watching. He blinked his eyes and the image disappeared. He walked over to the food programmer and punched in the dietary code for beer. The strain of everything had obviously gotten to him. He heard the tapping of Vicious' boots on the outside ramp and Pheonix began initializing the take-off sequence. Vicious ran inside and securely locked the hatch behind him.

"Glad to see you're still alive. Wounded, I see, but alive," Pheonix said and Vicious glared at him.

"Just take off. I'll take care of my injuries as soon as I get cleaned up. Killing that thing was a favor to the environment. I don't know how anything can grow with that stench about," Vicious grumbled.

"All right. Once I'm off this moon, where am I heading us to?"

"Jupiter. It's time I checked back with the syndicate."