The Grief of Mr. Gun (Me, NN1, and FF.)

[nintendonut1]

Blossom's large eyes got impossibly wider. "...wow. Good on ya."

"......" To be perfectly honest, Double D was more frightened of this girl than of any other enemy had had yet to face. He didn't notice his hands, subtly covering his shorts area...just in case. "....I-I-I-I-I-I-I'm quite fine, thank you very much."

[Firebreath Fishslap]

Clive's eyes had gone wide. First thing he thought was Dear God, Odin, WHOEVER THE HELL'S OUT THERE, DON'T LET HER GO AFTER ME. Second thing he thought was, I like this girl. She's got spunk and she's not a walking time bomb like Tree. If I wasn't worried she might rip off my manhood, I'd... No, not even then. She's too young for me.

Waddle Dee was cowering behind Clive. "...No ma'am I'm a good Waddle Dee please don't hurt me."

Clive started walking forward, before turning around. "Oh, right. I never really introduced myself. I'm Clive Allium, Angry British Fisherman. My friend's Waddle Dee." He took off his hat and pulled a newspaper out of it, which he handed to Gantz. "That might be of interest to you. Now unless you've got something else here to keep me hangin' around, I'm gonna get outta here before your purple haired friend rips off my 'manhood.' Bloody wankers."

On the slightly worn and dandruff covered newspaper was an obituary... for Chip.

[gantzgun74]

Gantz's eyes widened to almost impossible levels, as he read through the obituary. "CHIP?!?!?" He read through some more of it. "'Had his heart ripped right out of his che-' Whoa man." The boy was growing more and more sickened by the second. "What a way to go..."

Wally snapped out of his disbelieving stupor at Misty's show of strength, to turn to to Gantz. "WHAT?!?!?" He read the article himself... And immediately pulled back looking utterly revulsed. "Okay, THAT'S just sickening..."

Misty could honestly care less right now as she turned to Otto. "I oughta take care of YOU next for disturbing what's likely going to be the start of many sleepless nights for me you little GNAT..." Otto, now trembling, gulped. "But honestly I'm already too doggoned tired after pulling that job right there, so I'll leave you be." That caused the boy to sigh in relief.

"I'm just glad you're on our side..." Otto said, as he turned to look at the obituary Gantz had been reading.

Misty snobbily sniffed at this, looking rather tired...

She then looked up to the sky, the stars twinkling beautifully a little past the rainy clouds... She closed her eyes, as the rain started to sprinkle on her... As this happened, she looked at Otto as he took in the obituary, looking every bit as revulsed as Wally.

'Why do you have to be so much like him?'

[As I wrote that part with Misty, I sorta pictured Celine Dion's 'My Heart Will Go On' playing in the background, but I cut that out to prevent myself from getting too cheesy. XD]

After a few minutes, Gantz put away the obituary. "C-can't say I'm not surprised..." Everyone turned to look at Gantz confused. "Chip was a psychopath, bad to the bone... This was bound to happen eventually."

Shaking his head, Tarosuke shrugged. "So it's for the better the freak is dead?"

Gantz took another look at the obituary, before lowering it. "'Nicholas Flamel'... ... ... If that name didn't raise so many mental alarms I would almost say that it was."

[nintendonut1]

"Yikes," Blossom cringed. "Still, I would hate to go that way."

All of Double D's attention was kept on Misty, filled with empathy for her loss, her pain...as she began to calm down, he slowly stepped closer and ventured a sympathetic hand on her shoulder.

Blossom looked up as the rain started again. It never bothered her, but thinking of the others, she suggested, "Maybe we should go back inside."

[Firebreath Fishslap]

"Flamel's pissed that Chip did the same thing to Beatrice. It's why he did it... oh, wait a second. You don't know about that part, do you?" Clive's mouth curled into a smirk as he turned back to Gantz. "It happened right after you ran off, apparently. Chip attacked the group, and ripped Beatrice's heart right out of her chest. She's alive, by the way, but she sure as hell ain't any safer than she was back when you were there."

The message Clive was sending was very clear. It was essentially "get over your emo bullshit and go help your friends." There were a lot of people who pissed Clive off. Americans in general, for one. Bloody idiots who abandon their friends to go do crap were another.

"In any case..." He pointed back at Blossom with his thumb. "Ms. Pink over there's got the right idea. I wanna get out of this bloody rain ASAP."

Waddle Dee had his parasol up, and was covering both himself and Clive with it.

"Yeah, I don't like this... and I'm pretty sure that's not just a pretty colored Plasma Wisp over there," Waddle Dee said. He was pointing to a blue colored flame that was floating in midair, just moving through the woods. The flame, oddly enough, had a face and hands.

[gantzgun74]

Misty momentarily took in the gesture, before turning to Double D. She was crying ever so slightly, "Th-...Thanks..."

The next person to see the odd blue flame was Gantz, followed quickly by Otto, then Tarosuke, then finally everyone was looking. After a moment of silence, Gantz motioned to Helga, and waved his hand back and forth, as if telling her to go inside. Helga nodded and quickly did as such.

Tarosuke pointed his 'Rei-gun' finger at the approaching light. "Who's there?! Show yourself!!" Otto's claws once again appeared, and Wally pulled out his sword.

[nintendonut1]

Blossom too readied herself, nodding to Double D. He understood, nodding in return, and ushered Misty in behind Helga and Courage. If the least he could do was give her the emotional support she needed, then so be it.

[Firebreath Fishslap]

The Wisp jumped, and started waving its gloved hands wildly. "J-Just a passing ghost!"

"Uh-huh. Wisps can't exist on the Island without someone's influence. Who're you and who's your master?" Clive said. The wisp groaned.

"...They call me the Headless Stoat. My master was Sunny the Pirate, but now it's Dolphi the Third." The ghost said. Waddle Dee jumped into the air, grabbed a star, and threw it at the Wisp, dissipating it. Clive glared at the space where the "stoat" had been.

"Oi. Bloody hell, I didn't think they'd find me that quickly. I've gotta run. As far as I know, that bloody fish is back on Flamel's side, so I can't hang around here too long," Clive said. "Waddle Dee will hang out with you guys for now."

"M-Master?" Waddle Dee was thrown off of Clive's hat as Clive started walking away.

"I'll send word to De'Marcus, he just got on the island. If you see him, make sure to tease the little wanker about how much he looks like Sonic!" Clive called. Waddle Dee was in tears.

"You're abandoning me?" Waddle Dee called. Clive didn't answer, as he was still too busy walking away. "Maaaaaaaasteeeeeeerrrr!"

"I AIN'T YOUR BLOODY MASTER! If you need one that badly, make Sunglasses or the demon kid your master!" Clive yelled, still not turning around.

[gantzgun74]

When Waddle Dee turned to the rest of the group, his glance first landed on Gantz. "Hey, don't look at me man, I don't do the whole 'Master-protoge thing'. I'm still learning, so I can't really teach."

Then when he turned to Tarosuke, the boy held up his hands defensively. "While the whole being called 'Tarosuke-sama' thing would be cool not to mention flattering, I'm afraid I'm in no position to take up a student or whatever you are." ............................. He was silent a moment. "Sides, my style is mine alone, thank you very much."

That was when Misty reappered. "So... What was that all about anyways?"

[Yes that as a blatant hint at a possible idea. XDD]

[nintendonut1]

Double D was right behind her, embaressed. "Sorry, she wouldn't let me return her to her room without closure..."

"Oh, just another person wanting Gantz dead," Blossom elbowed him. "But I guess that's typical for you now, huh?"

[Firebreath Fishslap]

Waddle Dee turned to Misty upon her reappearance. "You! You can be my master!" He jumped up next to her and raised his parasol into the air. "You and I, master and apprentice! It'll be cool!"

This exactly meant that Waddle Dee had latched himself onto Gantz's group. And that he'd latched himself onto Misty as his "master". There wasn't much changing his mind at this point.

--------------

Clive picked his hook up off of the forest floor. Well, at least the stupid doll had dropped the hook after he started running. Still, stupid doll.

Suddenly, an orange came flying at Clive.

"SHOW YOURSELF!" a familiar voice yelled.

"Oi! It's just me, ya crazy hedgehog!" Clive yelled. De'Marcus came out from the woods and deactivated his aura.

"Oh. Okay. I saw a wisp hanging around, and thought you might be it."

"DO I LOOK BLUE AND ON FIRE?!"

"No. Anyways, didn't think I'd find you this soon," De'Marcus said. Mr. Orange rolled back over to De'Marcus, and De'Marcus put his foot on top of the orange to hold it in place.

"Same. So, I found that Gantz guy Tree was lookin' for," Clive said. "Delivered that thing Tree wanted me to give to him if I found him too. What've you been doin'?"

"...stuff."

"You were sitting around at the beach, drinking coconut juice."

"DON'T JUDGE ME!" De'Marcus stomped his foot, causing Mr. Orange to go flying.

[gantzgun74]

Gantz shook his head at Blossom, "You have NO remote idea." Seeing the rain starting, he sighed. "Despite that though, Blossom has a point... Come on guys, let's get inside. We can think up what to do next when we're at least under better cover."

Upon resheathing his sword, Wally nodded. "Agreed. Let's go mates."

--------------------------------------------------

Once back in the house, Gantz cast another spell at the hole in the wall, closing it off with a magical barrier. The reading room was a mess and a half, after what had happened previously, books scattered everywhere, a couch broken in half, most likely from Kijin Kain crashing into it earlier, and the chandelier that hung from the cieling was on the floor, broken apart. Apparently Kijin Kain's little trip had broken up this room a bit worse then originally thought.

Sighing, Gantz went to work, his hands glowing with magical energy...

Almost immediately, the books appeared to glow themselves, before lifting into the air. After a few minutes, the books floated themselves back into the book shelves, back in their proper place. Otto nodded at the display. "Impressive."

"Have to be ready for all kinds of things." The young author answered. "Ya see, I'm not very strong physically without a weapon, so a lot of the time, I depend on my magic to get the job done."

Misty sighed, before flying over and lifting up the remains of the broken chandelier with ease. "I'll handle this." She walked over to the barrier, which, by Gantz's orders, lowered ever so slightly...

ZOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And Misty chucked the glass remains outside. With that done the barrier lifted back up again, and Misty wiped off her hands.

With that handled, Otto sat himself on one of the remaining couches. "Guys... ... ... I'm sorry..."

That caught everyone's attention immediately. "I... I should've known Kijin Kain would have followed me here; with our rivalry, he's looked for any excuse to invade the Valley. It's my fault he's here..."

[nintendonut1]

Double D sighed deeply. He had heard this before...coming out of his own mouth, in fact. "Oh, come now," he spoke up rather bluntly, probably surprising the others as well. "Laying the guilt completely on yourself will get nothing done. He's been temporarily indisposed thanks to Misty's intervention, so we'll wait for him until he returns."

His smile faded. "However...I think I speak for everyone when I ask for you not to cast us aside as part of your personal vendetta. The burden shouldn't be yours to carry alone." He looked at Otto meaningfully. "...as one potential doom bearer to another, that's all I can ask from you."

'Doom bearer...?' In the heat of the moment, Blossom hadn't taken the time to glance over Gantz's other guests. But Double D's words were piquing her interest. "What's he talking about?" she quietly asked Wally.

[Firebreath Fishslap]

Waddle Dee looked up at the words "doom bearer." He didn't know what they meant either, but during his time with Clive, the word "doom" had meant a lot more than one would think, considering how silly the word sounds. Most people didn't use the word in a serious context like this. Then again, the people gathered in this room weren't exactly "most people."

"Stop apologizing!" Waddle Dee said to Otto. "So what if it's your fault? Stand up and take it and make things better! Don't sit here being all depressed!" He pointed his parasol at Otto. And then he looked toward Double Dee. "Oh, and what he said."

-----------------

Clive sighed. "Well, I don't care what you do anyways. I'm gonna go fishing." He headed off into the woods, and De'Marcus groaned. Well, he might as well hang around and see what these people were all about.

[gantzgun74]

Wally frowned a little. “It’s sorta a long, depressing story little Sheila, best not bring it up right now.”

Sitting on the couch, Gantz continued to look through the Chip’s obituary, hoping to find something else that could give Clive reason to go and see him about it. He was thankful his friends were safe, but he knew them better then anyone, they could handle themselves. He was joined by Tarosuke, whom looked at the obituary himself. “………….. So… What are you gonna do?”

“…………………………………………………………………………………….” Finally, Gantz sighed. “I can’t return to the others… Not yet.”

That caught the attention of Misty and Waddle Dee. “And why not?”

A small smile appeared on his face. “The guys? They can handle themselves. Sides, whether you know it or not, I have been-” It was unsure why he stopped there, but Misty and the others weren’t about to find out. “Never mind. Anyways…” He looked to Double D, “I thank you for your time, and bringing Otto and Wally here Double D, really I appreciate it.” He smiled some more. “It makes me feel good knowing that my friends are living on… At least in some shape or form.”

Misty grunted, as if she could beg to differ.

“We would’ve come anyways.” Otto grunted, “If anyone needs more help here, it’s you.”

A chuckle was the response to this. “I thank you for that… … …”

…………………………………………………………………….

“But, I can’t accept your help.”

[Sorry to say FF, but the so called 'Emo-bullshit' will be ongoing. Don't worry though, this drama will build into one heck of a climax.]