Disclaimer: …

A/N: None.

Loss

By Kouji

"Well, this is March City…" Umi sighed. "This is also where we part ways for a while…"

"What?" Jin asked. "But why?"

"It's not forever… We'll meet again…"

"… Alright, I can't stop you…"

"Goodbye…"

"Bye…"

Sly looks over from his spot and waved.

Umi waved at them as she walked away.

"Well, guess it's just us…" Sly said, as he picked up the Cross Punisher 4.

"Yeah…" Jin said as he sighed.

"You like her, don't you?…"

"Uh, what?! No! That's not it at all!"

"Yeah, whatever…"

"Shut up, Sylvester…"

"You wanna die?"

"I'd like to see you try!"

"Well fine!"

"Excuse me?…" a voice said.

"Huh?" both Jin and Sly looked over.

A guy wearing a blue tuxedo was standing there. He had blond hair and red eyes. He smiled. "Are you Jin the Stampede?"

"… Why do you want to know?" Jin asked.

"I'm just a humble bounty hunter, out for the bounty on your head…"

"Why is everyone after me?! It's not like I have a big bounty on my head…"

"Each time you evaded bounty hunters, it went up by 100,000. Right now, you're worth $$900,000"

"But that still isn't much…"

"Yes, but it's a lot, so I'm after that reward… I'm not picky"

Sly raises an eyebrow. "Why does he get all the credit? I'm the reason we have a bounty on our heads…"

"Yes, but Jin the Stampede, the son of Vash the Stampede, makes for better publicity… Plus, if I can beat Jin the Stampede, I can definitely catch you…"

"Oh…" Sly said, twitching. "Is that so?"

"Sly, let me handle this…" Jin interrupted.

People began to gather around, getting excited to see a showdown.

Jin growled. "Grr… Get out of here! Ya' wanna get killed?!"

People began running everywhere as Jin shot in the air three times. He then reloaded.

Jin looks back to the bounty hunter. "What's your name?"

The bounty hunter smiles at Jin. "Michigan Jay… But you can call me Jay…"

"Well then, Jay… Let's go…"

Jay brought out two giant guns. Jin ran towards Jay. Jay shot at Jin, but Jin jumped into the air. Jay swung his guns back, hitting Jin in the legs. Jin fell to the ground. Jay began to shoot at Jin before he could get up. The gun shot huge steel balls, and they hit Jin in his left arm, breaking it. Jin screamed out in pain as Jay walked over and kicked him.

"Hey! That's fighting dirty!" Sly said as he ran over and shot at Jay with the bazooka side of the CP4 (Cross Punisher 4). Jay blocked them with his guns, but he went flying backwards. Jin got up and punched Jay in the face. Jay swung both guns, hitting both Jin and Sly. They both go flying into a house, making a nice sick sounding thwack, followed by the sound of bones cracking.

"Oww… Damn that hurts… Bastard…" Sly groans, trying to get up.

Jin slowly gets up, and picks up the Cross Punisher 3. He tries to shoot it using one arm, but drops it. He begins coughing up blood.

Jay laughs. "So this is the great Jin the Stampede? I might as well kill you and put you out of your misery, but then I wouldn't get that reward!"

"Grr… Shut the hell up!" Jin growls.

"Temper!"

Sly then got an idea. "Hey! Jin wasn't ready! He doesn't have all his weapons with him! You wanna see him at full capacity? Give us 2 weeks, and you'll see the REAL Jin the Stampede!"

Jin thought to himself. What's he up to?…

Jay thinks for a bit. "Well, I could never back down from a challenge… Fine! You get 2 weeks to heal and gather your best weapons…"

Jin's eyes widened. It worked! Jin then blacked out.

~~~

A little less than 2 weeks later, Jin wakes up in a room. He looks around. There is a lot of machinery around the place. He then looked up to see an old man staring him right in the face. "GAH!!"

"Oh, sorry! You're just such an interesting specimen! A human/plant hybrid! Oh, if I only you could stay longer so I could study you…"

"Study me?! What are you, some kind of old crazy quack?! Where am I?! Where is Sly?!"

"Calm down… I'm over here…" said Sly, waving from a chair. "You really are interesting, though… You're pretty much fully healed."

Jin raises an eyebrow. "How?"

"… Think! It's in your genes!"

"Hm?" Jin thinks as he looks at his pants.

"Not your pants! I mean… Look, you're part human part plant, so you have great healing abilities that are even better than your father's!"

"Oh… Here, take this. It's a pocket knife made of some of the strongest materials. It could save your life someday!"

"Heh, I doubt it… Anyway, this is Dr. Tek… He's that friend I was talking about!"

"I thought he lived in February…"

"He moved… Again… I hate that!"

The doctor interrupted. "Jin, I have a gift for you! In fact, 2 gifts!"

Jin brightened up. "Really?!"

"Yes…" He brings out 2 watch looking things. "These are called Spirit Gun Blades. You can bring them out by will. I also have these new boots for you!" He gets out a pair of boots. "These are special, they each hide a blade that retracts in and out. Both items should increase your speed and strength a bit…"

"…Awesome!"

"Glad you like them! I'll be right back…" Dr. Tek then left.

Sly sighed and loaded up his new guns in a case. "Jin?"

Jin looked at Sly. "Yeah?"

"You scared?"

"Kind of… Why?"

"This… has gotten really serious… You can't just joke around with the bad guys any more… You have to get serious about this…"

"… I know"

~~~

A few days later, Jin and Sly prepare to leave. Jin looks back to Dr. Tek. "Bye, Doc! Thanks for the stuff!"

Sly smiles. "Yeah, we owe ya!"

"Think nothing of it! Just come back so I can study you Jin!"

Jin's eyes widen, then he gets a serious look on his face. He begins walking toward the city.

I may not be able to fill my father's shoes, but I'll try my best.

Playtime is over.

I have to get serious in order to save myself and protect the ones I love…

Jay, I will beat you…

To Be Continued…

~~~

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