Men were instantly at the walls and with them was Vash, his face grim and his gun at the ready.
"What wonderful timing," Mina said in a chill voice as she sought cover. "When I'm unarmed, under the sun, very good timing indeed."
"I suppose we could have waited for night," Pierson noted. "But that probably would have met with more suspicion."
As they spoke the gunfight raged onward and Mina peeked out to see that Vash was indeed an extremely skilled gunfighter. Watching as he immobilized one of the attacker's few vehicles with a few well placed shots.
"I should like to have a look at his weapon," Mina decided. "Pierson, do you have any compunction about fighting?"
"Not in circumstances like these," the scholar said with a smile. "I'll be right behind you."
"Good," Mina said, rising from her hiding at the edge of the farms.
"Hey, lady," Vash demanded as he saw her rise out from behind shelter. "What do you think you are doing?"
Right behind her was Adam Pierson, and they were both almost on top of the small group of soldiers before the warlord's men noticed them. And then it was a short series of attacks later before Mina and Adam were fleeing back to shelter with the retrieved weapons.
"That was crazy," Vash shouted at them as he legged two approaching soldiers with hardly a glance.
"Not so crazy as you might believe, Mr. Vash," Mina declared. "Now, Mr. Pierson, if you know how to use these, and please shoot to wound."
"I shouldn't worry about the outcome, Miss Murray," Pierson said. "I'd say we're rather blessed actually." Mina followed his gaze to Vash and considered the statement.
The battle was terribly one-sided, even without Adam Pierson and Mina displaying most of their capabilities. And in short order the attackers were leaving, limping away as fast as they could, but the scene was not yet played out.
Mina turned just too late to avoid the shot that took her down, and then she was lifted up off the ground where she'd fallen and a gun placed to her head. She noticed none of this as the pain of regenerating under the sun distracted her to all other things.
"Heh," the man holding her snorted. "I don't know how this little white whore managed to survive, but she certainly won't if you don't back off."
"Bastard," Vash growled, he started to step forward, but was stopped by Pierson.
"He won't hurt her," the scholar said in an amused tone. Mina's eyes were rolled back as her mouth hung open revealing long, white fangs.
"How do you know that?" Vash asked in a rush.
"Oh believe me, foreigner," the man laughed. "I'll hurt her all right, you'll...AAHHHH!!!" Mina had reached up and crushed the man's hand even as her face dived for his neck.
"What the..." Vash gasped. "NOOO!!" He raced forward, pushing Adam aside, and lunged to pull Mina off of the man.
"Don't do that," Pierson warned. "She's lost for the moment.
"You don't have to..." Vash grunted as he pulled a snarling Mina off the screaming soldier. He managed to succeed, only to have her latch onto him. "...acck!!! Lady what are you..."
Seconds after biting Vash, Mina let go and stumbled back looking a little dazed.
"Oh my," she said gasping. "Very...strong..." Then she collapsed to the ground, still clutching her head and sitting unsteadily.
Vash was glaring at her grimmly as he checked on the soldier, and was glad to find him still alive, if staring at the woman with a terrified expression.
"What was that all about?!" Vash demanded.
"I'll explain later, Mr. Vash," Mina said, shaking out her head. "Suffice to say that the shock of the gunshot awakened a part of me I try to keep in check. Is the man alive?"
"Yes," Vash said.
"Get him to a doctor and a priest or minister to bless the wounds," she said. "The minister is the most important. If you'll excuse me, I must wash up. I'll be by to collect you presently and I'll explain such things once we're away from this village."
See other episodes by Thrythlind
(Posted Sun, 13 Jul 2003 04:41)
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