Outlaw Star Fan Fiction ❯ Unlikely Circumstances ❯ Confused ( Chapter 1 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Unlikely Circumstances- an Outlaw Star fic

Disclaimer: Some lucky bastard owns outlaw Star but not me. A little yaoi in this chapter, more in the ones to come. Flames are welcome; I need a laugh every now and then.

Chapter 1- Confused

"All right! Where is he?" Gene's voice rang throughout the room as he threw open the door. "Little brat thinks it's funny to leave me dead drunk at the bar, bet it won't be so funny when I get a hold of him!"

"Gene!" Melfina said, emerging from the kitchen. "Gene, what's wrong?" The bio-android asked, concerned.

"I'll tell you what's wrong!" Gene said stamping his foot. His yellow cloak was dirty and his hair was a mess, the angry frown the outlaw gunman wore didn't help his appearance any. "Jim left me at the bar last night! I go through all the trouble of earning 75 wong by out drinking this fatty and he leaves me!"

"Jim didn't come home last night," Calm as ever, Suzuka's voice floated from a couch facing the TV. "We all assumed he was out somewhere with you. Since neither of the two of you returned we figured you were out spending some quality time doing stupid macho, manly stuff."

"Huh?" Gene asked, not grasping exactly what was going on. "Jim didn't come home last night? But, wait a second, I don't…" Gene clapped a hand to his forehead, completely lost.

"Are you feeling alright Gene?" Melfina asked, a worried frown appearing.

"He looks real hungover to me!" Aisha's piercing voice cried out. The Ctarl-Ctarl had been rolled up in a ball in front of the TV but since the commercial break had listened in on the conversation. "Had a little too much last night ne?"

"Tell me about it…" Gene muttered, his head throbbing. "I haven't felt this bad in a long time. And walking all the way back here just made it worse. I really need a shower…"

"I need a haircut too," Gene said, shaking his head, his bangs falling over his eyes. " At least we can relax for a bit. We've got enough cash to keep us going for awhile."

The red haired outlaw started off towards the bathroom. Aisha turned her attention back to the soap opera on TV. Melfina timidly started towards Gene who turned around and flashed her a crooked smile.

"Want to join me?" Gene asked, all too seriously, making Melfina instinctively back up.

"No," She replied. "But Gene, what about Jim?"

Waving a hand as to dismiss the thought Gene turned away again. "Jim's gone on his own a few times. He can take care of himself. If we don't hear from him by nightfall then I'll start worrying. Jim's like a brother to me, I'd never let anything happen to him."

Melfina sighed, overtaken by the sincerity and emotion of Gene's statement. Happily she thought to herself that of course Jim would be all right, Gene will always be there for him. But Suzuka's calm voice again broke the peace.

"What if something happens to Jim that's out of your control?" Her question stung into Gene, even as he left the room.

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/Dark… Why's it so dark? How long was I asleep? When did I fall asleep? I… I didn't go home last night… What happened? God my head hurts… Hey, there's some light/ Thoughts, battered, shaken and confused. A crack of light ran across an otherwise completely dark area.

"Glad to see you're awake kid," A rough voice floated out of the dark.

A shadow blocked the light for a moment and then there was a clicking sound. The lights went on and caused Jim to immediately squeeze his eyes shut. Spots swam as Jim turned away from the light source.

"Hehehehe," A deep chuckle, came to Jim's ears, sending chills down his spine. "Just a kid…"

/Where am I? What's going on? Last night in the parking lot/ Putting back together what's broken in the past isn't as easy as it you think.

"Come on kid, open your eyes, the light's not that bright," The rough voice came again, followed by the sound of somebody sitting down in a chair. "You've been out cold for a few good hours. Guess that maybe I had the power cranked up a little high when I blasted you. Heh."

"Who are you? What do you want you bastard?" Jim snapped, angry and upset. Something in the man's voice, perhaps the calm nature of it irritated Jim but also made him fill with fear.

"Such language! Kids these days have no respect," Was the sarcastic reply. "But I will tell you my name, since I already know yours, Jim Hawking. I'm Ron MacDougal. The pleasure is mine, of course."

"You scum! You're a lowdown, good for nothing kidnapper, that's all you are! Don't try to sound so smug and calm with me," Jim shouted, staggering to his feet and facing his captor for the first time.

/Don't let him see you're afraid/ Jim told himself, but refusing to look his captor in the face. The manner and ruthlessness in Ron's golden brown eyes was unnerving. /Everything will turn up right. Gene will come and rescue me. Just stay strong; when things get rough you just have to laugh a little/

"You're scared," Ron's voice was dark, calm, but with an evil underlining. "Yes, you're scared. You have no clue why I've gone to all the trouble to catch you alive. You don't know how long I'll keep you alive, why shouldn't you be scared?"

Jim's heart was filled with dread and dead fear at these words. It was spoken so calmly, so matter-of-factly, but it was a threat on his life. A faint ringing sound was heard and the dark, mercenary broke his gaze from Jim. Ron went to stand up and with a last dark glare at Jim opened the door.

"Hey Ron! Pizza's here!" A loud, almost carefree, cry rang out from somewhere.

"Yeah, I'm coming Harry!" Was the gruff, loud reply, as the metal door slammed shut.

As the room was plunged into darkness, Jim shimmied closer to the door. From what he could see there was no barrier between him and the door, which he'd noticed Ron had unlocked. A wide smile broke out across Jim's face as he stood.

/Those idiots/ He thought, hardly able to believe his luck. /Mr. Tough and ugly Ronald MacDougal forgets to lock the door! It can't get much easier then this. I'll be out of here in no time! /

BAM!

The impact made Jim reel backwards and his feet gave out from under him. It was like walking into an invisible wall. Actually, that was exactly what it was. Standing up again, and curiosity getting the best of him, Jim moved towards the unseen barrier, a hand stretched out cautiously.

/Guess they aren't as stupid as I thought/ Jim scolded himself, running a hand over the ghostly divider that kept him enclosed. /This is actually pretty advanced stuff, it's gotta be some sort of magic barrier. At least I know that these aren't amateurs. But I really wonder how long he'll keep me here? What does he even want with me? /

The silence and Ron's departure gave Jim a chance to look around his cell. It was dark and almost entirely made of bricks, illuminated a pale color by the lone, bare light bulb that hung on the other side of the invisible wall.

The section that Jim was confined in consisted of only a small, grimy, toilet, that made the poor boy shudder just thinking about having to use it. Aside from the toilet there was a tiny plank that stuck out from the wall, on it lay one blanket, ratty and torn. To Jim the cell looked ancient, a relic leftover from an era long ago. Seeing nothing else to do, Jim walked over to the bed and lay down.

His head still hurt and as he went to rub the spot his hand came away with a small amount of blood. Jim looked at it for a moment. It wasn't much but the tiny dabble of his own blood made Jim realize the terrible peril he was in. It was no laughing matter. These were cold-blooded killers, the MacDougals, that held is life in their hands now.

/Gene won't leave me though/ Jim thought to himself, trying to grasp any small hope of comfort in the cold, dank cell. /Gene cares about me. He'll find out where I am and teach those MacDougals a lesson or two. Everything will be all right. Just remember to laugh when you're feeling bad. Just laugh/

-end part 1

Note: This fic is finally taking real shape in my mind. Don't worry, even though I'm using Jim in a yaoi situation it won't be graphic. I don't think i could bring myself to write something like that... So just to let all of you out there know that I'm not some kind of sicko and that the yaoi relationship will be light and almost more of a brotherly thing then anythign else. Next part should be interesting...

masamune