Trigun Fan Fiction ❯ The Resurrection Of Nicholas D. Wolfwood ❯ Into The Mountain ( Chapter 21 )

The Resurrection Of Nicholas D. Wolfwood

Part Twenty-One: Into The Mountain

By Bekka Mouri

(Trigun doesn't belong to me and I am not making any money from this so please don't sue. Wolfwood and Cathy arrive. More harshness and possible spoilers.)

Wolfwood pulled the Angelina II to a stop in front of what looked like a mansion carved into the mountainside. He took off his sunglasses and looked at it in amazement. He looked over his shoulder at Cathy, " That must have taken some work. "

Cathy nodded in agreement and got off the bike. She let her hair down from the ponytail she had it in and shook the road dust from it. She rubbed her left eye and stretched. She then looked at Wolfwood but his back was to her, " What now, Mr. Preacher? "

Wolfwood grabbed the cross from the back of the bike and unwrapped it. He took out a handgun and a few rounds of ammo. He handed them to Cathy and smiled, " We go kick some ass and get the others back. Put the ammo in your pockets so you can get to it. "

" But I don't know if I know how to use this, " Cathy looked at the gun.

" Don't worry about it, " Wolfwood said, checking the other guns to make sure they were all loaded. " I'll be covering you. If it comes down to it, aim for the shoulder and hold the gun with both hands. "

Cathy looked at Wolfwood, " What kind of churchman are you anyway, Mr. Preacher? "

Wolfwood laughed, " Damn, you just sounded like Vash for a moment. Try your hardest not to kill anyone. Vash will have a fit if you do. "

" What if I can't avoid it? " Cathy asked.

" Then you can't avoid it. There are situations like that sometimes and you have to learn how to deal with it, " Wolfwood couldn't help but think about how Vash was still a little freaked out about killing Legato. He had convinced Vash there was no other way but Vash still felt bad about actually killing someone. Wolfwood didn't recall regretting killing anyone until he was in the church in Tonim Town and then he only regretted it for a little while.

Cathy tucked the gun in the waistband of her jeans, " I guess it's now or never, huh? "

Wolfwood nodded as he tucked a couple of guns into his jacket for back up and surprise attacks. He rewrapped the cross and picked it up " Let's go. "

The two of them walked towards the front entrance but stopped when they heard the sound of wings flapping. Wolfwood and Cathy ducked as a swarm of black bats poured out of the cavernous opening. As they flew around, Wolfwood could tell they were not real bats. He could hear tiny gears working when one would fly by his ears.

" They're puppets! " He called to Cathy. She didn't answer and he saw the bats had started to gather around her. She was flailing her arms, trying to keep them away from her eyes and face.

" Stay back, Mr. Preacher! " She called to him as she tried to fight them off. Wolfwood heard the crunch of glass and the bats started to fly away. When they thinned out, he pushed his way through the remaining ones and got to Cathy.

" How bad are you hurt? " He looked her over as the last of the bats flew off, completely ignoring him as they did. Cathy's face was scratched, her arms were bleeding from where the bats had clawed her through the sleeves of the shirt and the garment had been ripped to shreds. She held a hand over her right eye and tears poured from the left as she tried to hide herself from Wolfwood.

Wolfwood grabbed for her hand but she moved away. " Did they do something to your eye? I can't do anything for it if I don't look at it. "

" Mr. Preacher, " Cathy whispered, not moving her hand. " I'm so sorry. "

" You're not making any sense. What are you sorry about?" Wolfwood was confused. " It's no big deal. If your hurt, we can bandage you up and if you're worried about your clothes, you can wear my jacket. "

Wolfwood went to unbutton his jacket but Cathy stopped him, " You don't have to do that. I don't need it. "

" I can't have you running around in there wearing nothing but your bra and a pair of jeans, " Wolfwood stated and continued to unbutton the jacket. " There's no telling what could happen. "

" It's okay, " Cathy shook her head. " Please forgive me… I only did it because I had to. "

" Only did what? " Wolfwood started to take off his jacket. " Damn it, Cathy. You aren't making any sense at all. "

Cathy took her arm from around her chest and wrapped it around Wolfwood. She pulled him to her and hugged him as she sobbed into his chest. " Please don't hate me… "

" Why would I hate you? " Wolfwood hugged Cathy even though he didn't know what she was talking about. She was also pulling him pretty hard and her strength surprised him. " Why would I… " He looked at the ground behind Cathy and saw pieces of glass sparkling in the sunlight. The pieces were rather big and he could see that they were three colors, flesh, white and emerald green… the same shade as Cathy's skin and eyes.

He narrowed his eyes and pushed the girl away. He grabbed the hand over her eye and pulled at it. She pressed it to her face tighter, " Please… please don't look, Mr. Preacher! "

Wolfwood pulled at the hand and Cathy begged, her other eye filling with tears as she started to sob harder. Wolfwood gave a mighty tug as she let out a sob and the hand came away. Cathy turned her face away but he made her look at him. She tried to cover the eye again but Wolfwood slapped the hand away.

He thought he blinked and Cathy was gone. Wolfwood heard footfalls behind him, turning to see her disappear into the entryway of the cavern mansion as her shirt fell from her body, revealing a horrible scar that went from her left shoulder to her right side at a diagonal angle. He decided not to follow her then looked at the glass, crouching down to examine it closer. He growled and stood back up, grinding the glass into the ground with his boot.

~I can't believe this, ~ Wolfwood looked at the entry of the cavern again. ~She's the one with the Demon's Eye and she was under our noses the entire time. Is that why she made me so uncomfortable? ~

**

Cathy ran through the hallway as she cried out of anger and sadness. Her mission had been blown to the 7th level of Hell by the bats and she knew whom to blame for them. She had never liked him and he had never liked her. It would bring him great joy to see her fail and be disposed of but she wouldn't let him have that satisfaction.

She reached the basement door and flung it open, tearing down the steps and entering his workshop. She looked up at the ceiling and it was black with the bats. Laughter reached her ears and she turned to see Kiore as he stepped out of the shadows. " Welcome back, stray pup, " He said.

Kiore had been the student of Leonof The Puppet Master and the second worst brown-noser of the Second Generation Gung-Ho Guns. He was a handsome young man of twenty-three with black hair and white/blue eyes but he was also full of himself. No one was worthy to share the same room with him or so he believed. " I see you are still a barbaric little wench, Catherine, " He asked, stepping closer.

" Damn you, Kiore! " Cathy screamed. " When Master Nagato finds out you fucked up my mission, he's going to have your ass on a pike! "

" He'll never know I fouled up your mission, you uncivilized overgrown brat. Do you think he will take the word of a deserter over the word of his most loyal servant? Well, next to your sister of course, " Kiore walked past Cathy, brushing against her bra clad chest as he did.

" I left because my mother was sick and only one of us could go, " Cathy hissed. " You know that. "

" But you stayed away after she died, " Kiore reminded her. " You were supposed to come back once she got well or expired. "

" I had to stay to help my father, " Cathy said. " He begged me to stay until those bandits left town. "

" Oh, that's right. Silly me, " Kiore sighed. " How is your friend doing? You know, the one that hates you. "

" He doesn't hate me! " Cathy shouted. She went cold all over and stared at Kiore, " Wait a minute. How do you know that? "

" I have my sources, " Kiore grinned.

" You sent one of your puppets to watch me, didn't you? " Cathy asked.

Kiore laughed, " You figured it out… wonderful. I did and it watched your every single move. I must say that was so mature of you when you put the preacher and Vash in the bed together. It is something I would expect from you and your barbaric ways. "

" It was supposed to be funny, " Cathy shook her head.

" Not everyone has your sick sense of humor. I am certain the preacher would have shot you if those bandits hadn't killed your father, " Kiore sighed. " You didn't think about that did you? "

Cathy shook her head; " The preacher is my friend now… "

" Is he really? " Kiore looked at the ceiling, " How did your preacher friend react when he discovered that you possessed the Demon's Eye? "

" I don't know, I ran. "

" Just like the helpless little whelp you are, " Kiore looked at her again. He had the look in his eyes that had scared her so many times before but tried not to let it scare her now. She knew what he was thinking and didn't like the fact she was so exposed.

" He wasn't supposed to know that at all, you fool! " Cathy shook her fist at Kiore. " I was supposed to make sure he made it through to the top floor to face Master Nagato. If he gets killed before he reaches the master, I will get killed. "

Kiore smirked, " I know. Now, since you came in here without knocking, I will have to punish you. I might as well since it is my last chance. You don't know how much I missed you. "

Cathy paled when Kiore got closer to her, " Don't touch me, you ass! "

Kiore sighed and two puppets assembled on either side of Cathy. They advanced on her and tried to grab her. She knew how this would end unless she did something and did it quick. She hated him not only because he was a stuck-up jerk but also because he had taken her by force on more than one occasion, often with his puppets restraining her.

She was backed up against the wall, feeling something hard pressing into her back and a rush of courage. ~The gun! The gun Mr. Preacher gave me! I have to use it! ~

Kiore smiled when the puppets got closer to Cathy. " It won't be much longer until you feel my power once again... one last time before the master kills you. "

Cathy focused her thoughts and looked at Kiore, hoping she had enough time to use it. She did and she moved behind him while time seemed to slow. She grabbed the gun from the back of her jeans and pushed the barrel against the back of Kiore's head. " Now it's time for you to taste my power, " She growled and pulled the trigger, shutting her eyes as she did.

Kiore crumpled to the floor and his puppets fell to pieces where they stood as the bats rained down from the ceiling. Cathy felt numb all over as she realized she had finally got the courage up to use the Demon's Eye on Kiore. Every other time in the past, she had been too scared to focus her thoughts but the gun had given her the nerve… when she felt it at her back, she knew what she had to do.

She looked down at the gun in her hand and realized what she needed to do next. She looked down at Kiore and spit on him, " Rot in Hell, you bastard. "

**

Wolfwood walked cautiously through the first floor of the cavern mansion, his eyes and ears open for the slightest noise. He heard the sound of a gun shot echo off the walls. He had to decide whether to trace it down or not. He sighed, knowing he had better or he would probably be ambushed.

He found an open door and some stairs at the end of one hall. He went down them and found himself in what looked like a puppeteers workshop. The floor was littered with the bats and a body was face down in the middle of them. He grimaced as he realized that the man had been shot from very close range and it was fresh.

~Well, that is one jerk I don't have to worry about, ~ Wolfwood thought and scanned the workshop for any signs of another person but saw none. He went back to the stairs and climbed them. ~Now, I just have to watch out for the next one. ~

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