Trigun Fan Fiction ❯ Generation Gunsmoke ❯ The Winds of Change ( Chapter 11 )

Standard Disclaimer: Not mine…making no money…just for fun… you get the idea.

Generation Gunsmoke: Part XI

The Winds of Change

Lazarus rode the wind currents away from his mother's campsite with the early dawn. He offered to take her wherever she had wished to go, but Lawren had refused. "It reminds me too much of your father…" had been her only explanation.

As he traveled above the planet's surface, he mulled over the things she had said to him. It was almost inconceivable that his dead father had somehow found a way to speak to her. But some of the tales he had heard about his father, Vash the Stampede, Knives, and the Gung Ho Guns had made him realize that there was more to the world than that which could be seen and heard.

According to his mother, Legato had spoken to her soon after she sensed Knives' presence. After hearing a portion of how devoted his father had been to Knives, Lazarus shook his head in disbelief. His father had been a powerful individual. Old bounty posters in remote locations had proved that one Legato Bluesummers was the second most wanted man on the planet… Vash the Stampede-being number one.

Lazarus pondered the thought even more. His mother had spoken of Legato's unusual level of devotion toward Knives. Perhaps his father had felt more than just a sense of duty to this Knives Millions. Perhaps his father's feelings had been more… Lazarus shuddered and refused to go further along that train of thought.

Sighing lightly, he looked down at the surface beneath him. A typhoon was blowing in the area a few hundred isles ahead. He'd have to go around the storm or change his altitude. His thoughts turned to a time when he'd learned to first fly. He had been seven at the time.

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While playing in the desert, killing small lizards and learning to control his power, he had felt a subtle shift in the ever-present wind. His first thought had been about how wonderful it would be to fly instead of walking everywhere. From out of nowhere, s sudden gust had blown up around him and he felt himself lifted from the ground.

Feeling something akin to sheer panic, he'd yelped aloud and tried to escape the clutches of the wind. "…do not resist the currents…" a voice had echoed inside his skull. Lazarus had struggled to regain his control. His small body was tossed about for several minutes until he finally relaxed and felt his body right itself.

Taking a look around, Lazarus had been slightly startled to find himself a few isles from where he had been minutes before. "Concentrate…" came the admonition. He screwed up his face and thought about where he wanted to go. He was surprised to find himself floating along the air currents in the direction he had come from.

He laughed aloud, experimenting with flying different directions. He headed in the direction of home. His mother would be so pleased with his new talent. Perhaps this new skill could be used to kill the man who had killed his father.

Lazarus idly thought about the direction home lay in. His mind wandered briefly as he thought about his father. Mother had said he was a strong man and he had taken what he wanted. Lazarus wondered if his father had been a bad man. His mother spoke of the man called Legato only when he asked specific questions. He'd have to remember to ask her that. But it would probably not do any good. Most of the answers mother gave about father were vague.

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Lazarus smiled at the memory of his mother's face as he dropped from the sky in front of their house in Marchton. It had been one of the few times that he'd ever remember her having a startled look on her face. She had demanded to know who had taught him to ride the wind currents.

His reply had been to shrug and tell her that it had just happened. He didn't know how he had learned to fly. When she had asked him to demonstrate his new talent, he'd been confused at first. "…call the air currents…concentrate…" Where is this voice coming from?" he thought briefly before closing his eyes and summoning the wind. A whirl of air swiftly plucked him from the ground and lifted him high. He'd waved at his mother as she had gestured for him to return. "…well done…"

Lazarus frowned at that thought. Maybe it had been his father speaking to him all those years ago and he'd been to young and naïve to realize it. It had been enough at the time to have his mother inform him that his father had been able to do the same thing. Lazarus had been so pleased to be compared to Legato. He had asked Lawren if his father would have been proud of him. Her reply had been a sad smile, "I like to think Legato would have been proud to have a son like you."

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Lazarus jerked back to the present. Who was that screaming? He quickly scanned the desert floor in front of him. In the distance, there was a jeep, crowded against a rocky L formation. Someone was struggling to hang on to the jeep even as the wind tore at their grasp. Lazarus shrugged and flew higher. It wasn't his concern if someone had been foolish enough to get caught in the typhoon.

Another scream tore through the air. A second figure had joined the first. It was apparent that someone was about to be carried away by the strong currents. Glancing at the scene again, he realized that it was a female who was about to be carried away by the winds. From far below, he heard an anguished cry as a body was carried aloft by the dangerous air currents, "Nickie……"

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Nickie watched as her brother yawned again at the wheel of the jeep. Nick had returned to his room just before dawn this morning. Judging from the look of him a few hours later at lunch, Nick had spent the night engaged in his favorite pastime… visiting a whorehouse.

Nickie sighed heavily. The winds were picking up. She had begged Nick to stay another day in Inepril City, but he had insisted that it was time to head out for the next town. When she had tried to tell him about the weather reports of a typhoon in the area, Nick had scoffed, "That thing's not going to be anywhere near us."

She had tried to persuade him further, but he'd finally snapped at her to shut up and leave the decisions up to him. Tears had welled up in her eyes as he'd said those things to her.

Nick, for his part, had immediately felt contrite for being so harsh with his sibling. He'd apologized profusely, blaming his nasty temper on the fact that he was just exhausted. Nickie had blushed and reminded Nick that if he'd not spent all night in a cathouse, he'd not be feeling this way.

Nick has smiled carelessly and shrugged, commenting that it had been both time and money well spent.

Now here it was in the late afternoon and the winds had been increasing in their intensity ever since they had made the turn to the east. "Nick," she began hesitantly. "Do you think we had better look for shelter?"

Nick glanced at the horizon in front of them. The cloudbank that had been mere wisps earlier was now a threatening gray mass. It spoke of typhoon winds. Nick stopped the jeep and scanned the surrounding desert. "There," he pointed. "We'll head for those rocks." Nickie nodded as he swiftly pointed the jeep in the direction of the only shelter visible.

By the time they reached the place, the wind was roaring around them. "Hurry, get out and grab the tarps." Nick had yelled above the wind. Nickie had thrown herself from the jeep as the winds screamed around them. She knew she had to get the heavy plastic from the jeep quickly before they were buried in sand.

Nickie grabbed one and threw it in the direction of her brother. Nick was desperately trying to tie the ropes to the front of the jeep to secure the tarps with. As she reached for the second tarp, Nickie screamed shrilly as the wind gusted and she was lifted from her feet. "Nick…" she screamed while desperately clutching at the roll bar of the vehicle.

Nick rushed to his sister's aid. "Hang on Nickie. Don't let go…"

"Nick, I'm slipping…" she screamed again as he clutched at her hands. Her gaze met his wild and desperate one. The wind snatched at her again, this time pulling her from Nick's grasp. "Nick…."

"Nickie…."

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Lazarus was not really concerned with the problems of the stupid travelers until one name penetrated the howl of the winds. Savage rage rose to the surface as he realized whom the wind was about to carry off. Willing himself in the direction of the center of the storm, he snagged a limp body from the wind's grasp.

He glanced down at the girl in his arms as she mumbled her brother's name. Her brother could stay in the desert and be killed as far as he was concerned. This was twice he'd managed to let Nicole be placed in harms way. If Nick Wolfwood managed to find them, then Lazarus would deal with him then.

Clutching her body in his arms, he smiled savagely. Miss Nicole M. Wolfwood was finally his, even if she didn't know it yet. Willing himself away from the strong currents, Lazarus turned to the east, determined to make it to LR Town before midnight.

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Wolfwood peaked into the world below him. Surely the Big Guy wouldn't mind if he took a small look at what his children were up to. Besides, he reasoned. Milly had been dropping hints about the twins for a while now.

Nick casually glanced below. He thought briefly about Vash and Meryl. There they were and it looked as if they were headed for LR Town. Meryl was starting to show her age he thought grimly.

Thinking about his son, Wolfwood was surprised to see him huddled under a tarp in the middle of a typhoon. Where was Nickie?

Almost immediately, he spotted his daughter, clutched in the arms of a tall, blue-haired man, riding the wind currents. His heart stopped in terror. Just what the hell was that sick bastard Legato doing with his child? And wasn't Legato supposed to be dead anyway?

"WOLFWOOD…" came the booming voice in admonition.

The former priest quickly snatched his eyes away from Gunsmoke, but his heart was still filled with fear and a few burning questions.

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To Be Continued…

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At last, the move from FFN is complete!

Well, now what will Lazarus do with the helpless Nickie? Or, is she as helpless as she appears? Is Wolfwood in hot water for spying on the denizens of Gunsmoke? Will Vash and Meryl find the twins? Will Nick ever find his sister?

Stay tuned for the answers in the next exciting chapter of Generation Gunsmoke!

Love & Peace,

Blackhat (^_~)