Part 2: The Hunters
On his way back to the inn, Harken slowed down, and stopped, noticing something... it was too quiet. He quickly pulled out his guns and fired three times toward his left as he turned towards that direction.
"You missed." A voice called out.
"... But I did find all three of you." Harken replied with a smirk, "... Plus, I never miss. I meant to hit that wall and barrel right next to you."
"Hmph, Right." A second voice growled out, and from the shadows, three men came out. The first was tall and lanky, and had twin revolvers attached at his sides. He had pitch black hair, and his hands were tucked into his pockets. The second one was adverage height but looked strong. He had long brown hair, and had a spear strapped to his back. The third and final one was short and stout. He was bald, and had an eyepatch, and missing his left arm. But in his right hand was a huge pole-axe. All three of them were wearing matching black robes.
"You've dodged our eye for long enough, Harken!" The shorter one yelled out, "It's time for you to face the music!" Harken smirked, and shook his head.
"Nope." Harken replied, "I still got some things to do." He grinned widely, readying his pile bunker, "One of which is to destroy the Moon Knights!" The tall one shook his head, and said,
"Your deathwish, Harken." The middle one pulled out his spear, and charged at Harken!
"Too slow!" Harken yelled out as he dodged the attack and hit him with the butt of his pile bunker. The short one then let out a battle roar, and flung himself towards Harken! "Sorry." Harken muttered, and hit with a swideways swipe with the top of the pile bunker, causing him to fly off. The third one smirked, and reached for his guns, when Harken quickly shot three times with his revolver in a arc, hitting the man's left leg, his left forearm, and right shoulder!
"GRAH!!!!" The man yelled as he fell to the ground, "Damn you, Harken!! Why don't you ever kill us!!?"
"... Well, if I killed people, I'd be no better than you." He said with a smile, "Besides, no matter how evil someone is, you really can't kill them." He smirked, and went inside the inn, heading to his room. Seeing Tina and Will were already asleep, he went over to the window which was open (So, he was really surprized they slept through the yelling and gunfire. Infact, the point that EVERYONE in town didn't notice it was odd to him), and whistled sharply...

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The next morning, Will awoke to see that Harken was already (Still awake from last night, accually) up!
"... What took you, Harken...?" Will asked grogilly.
"I was help up." Harken replied with a smirk, "By some old friends. Wake Ripe Beauty up."
"Huh...?" Will muttered, "Who's 'Ripe Beauty'...?"
"Oh, Tina's new nickname. I got tired of 'Ti'." Harken replied, smiling. "So, go and wake her up, Lone Swordsman."
"... Right..." Will muttered, surprized at how quick it took Harken to 'rename' them. He woke the girl up, and together, they headed to the front of the inn.
"I got us a ship last night." Harken said with a smile, "It... wasn't cheap, but I got us one. Come on." He then led them out and to the docks, where they saw a man (Ricard) waiting for them.
"This be the lot?" He asked, looking them over.
"Yep. This is Will, Lone Swordsman, and Tina, Ripe Beauty." Harken replied while Tina had a shocked look.
"That's... our new names to him." Will replied.
"Right..." Harken replied, smirking. "To continue... this is Captain Ricard, Honcho..." Ricard lowered his head in respect. While Will had a look of: 'Who the heck is this guy, and why does he act so high and mighty?', Tina let out a small gasp.
"W-wait... R-Ricard...?" She asked meekly, "T-the pirate...?"
"Aye lass." Ricard replied with a nod, "But ye don't need to fear me. I won't harm ye."
"... Right. Come on..." Will muttered, and boarded the ship. Once the other two were out of earshot, Harken stepped close to Ricard.
"So... Did the..." Harken muttered.
"Aye, the... 'shipment' arrived like ye said." Ricard replied, "Buy... why are ye so mysterious about 'em...?"
"They want to be hidden." Harken replied, and started to board the ship, "That's all I can say, really. Sorry." Ricard, with a grunt in reply, unmoored the ship, raised the anchor, trimmed the sails, and shoved off.
"So." Ricard said, "Where are ye headed?"
"Carrisdale." Harken replied.
"Ah... The citadel o' the Holy Knights... Ye don't look like recruits... or enemies o' the knights, for that matter."
"That's... because we're neither." Will answered.
"I see..." Ricard muttered, and looked onward. "Hrm...? What be that...?" Off in the distance was something rather strange... It looked as if it was a... red cloth.
"... Is that... Gilgy...?" Harken said. Just then, a small eruption of water burst out from ahead, as a wild laughter filled the air!
"Hah! I have you now!" A familular voice rang out, as Gilgamesh landed on the ship! "Now... Hand your blade to me!" Gilgamesh bellowed out. Will lowered into a fighting stance, and said, rather sternly:
"No."
"WHAT!?" Gilgamesh yelled, losing his balance for some reason, "Then I'll beat you up for it! HAH!"
"Yes, finally, time to... Wah!" Harken said, but was dragged to the wheel by Ricard (which was what the 'Wah' was for).
"Ye. Wheel. Stay." Ricard ordered, and stepped up next to Will, readying a giant wooden mallet. Will rushed in at Gilgamesh and swiped his sword, which Gilgamesh dodged easily, but Ricard rushed in next, and slammed Gilgy with a mighty swipe of his mallet, causing the swordsman to fly off!
"And... That's how ye do it." Ricard said.
"M...M...My Paycheck..." Harken muttered. He then fell to the ground on his knees, and howled out: "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!! How could you Honcho!?"
"... Right..." Will muttered afterward, with a sigh.

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It was now a few hours after that last incident...
"So, lad, I be wonderin..." Ricard asked as he stepped up behind the boy, "Where did ye get that fancy blade?"
"Oh... This...?" Will muttered, grasping the sword, "It... was my father's."
"Ah... and he be...?"
"Dead. He died a long time ago... I think... I only remember his name from what I was told... Edmund..."
'Edmund...? Could he be...?' Ricard thought to himself. '... Nay, the Edmund I know... he wouldn't die that easily.' Ricard then continued aloud: "What be o' his wife...?"
"I... Don't remember her. All I know was... I didn't see her often..."
"... I see." Ricard stated. He started to walk away, but stopped. "Do ye know o' a Lord Blazer?"
"Er... should I...?"
"... Nay, I guess." Ricard muttered, and walked off. Will, pondering the reason to this, went to see Harken.
"Hey, er... 'Flamboyant Hunter'..." Will asked, pausing on that last part, "Do you know who 'Lord Blazer' is...?"
"Heh, Nice try, Lone Swordsman." Harken replied, smirking. "But... The Big Cheese? A little. I guess you wanna know more, eh?" Will nodded, to which Harken replied with a chuckle: "Alright. Well, they say the Big Cheese's immortal, born almost 3000 years ago, and He's the lord of Argoth, the continent where we're headed mind you, and sits in the capital, Celeste. Most of what I learnt about him is just rumors and speculation of course, but... one thing that is comfirmed through hearing the same topic over and over is that he has... a very strange and unique power. Now, weither it's a curse, a divine gift, a talent, or something he was born with, no one knows. Anything else shows the Big Cheese to be an enigma. He rarely sees others, and you do NOT want to make him your enemy."
"Land Ho!" Ricard yelled out. He brought the ship to a beach, and dropped anchor. "The Kurogane should be safe 'ere." Ricard said and continued, "And... I be goin' with ye. Should be lots better than sailin' by meself."
"... Another tagalong...? Fine..." Will muttered.
"Oh... Thank you Captain Ricard..." Tina said with a bow.
"Alright! The more the merrier, eh?" Harken stated, letting out a sharp whistle, that seemed to be more a signal than out of excitment, "It should be about three days travel to Carrisdale from here, if I read the map right."
"... Then let's go." Will muttered, and started off...

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