The Beast and The Brain.

I looked over my shoulder once more to look at the village before it finally disappeared from my sight. I held the metal dragon in my hand and smiled, “I don’t think I’ll ever forget him.” I told J. She had been silent since leaving.

“Mmhmm.” She said simply. I placed the metal dragon into my saddlebag and stretched.

“So where to now? Now that those men are dead we shouldn’t have to worry right?”
She raised an eyebrow and looked at me, “You really believe that?”
I sighed, “Not really, but I can hope right?”

A slight smiled touched her lips, “If you really want to, I suppose you can.” She agreed. We rode for a few hours, and then I finally decided to speak up.

“So J, I want to know. Who are those men exactly? You told me they hunt people like you and me, but they had powers like us. I want an explanation. I deserve it; we are in this together after all so I deserve to know about everything we might face.”

“We can stop here tonight.” She pulled off the road and we got off the horses and led them through the trees until we found a place to camp for the night. We unsaddled the horses and let them roam freely; J assured me they wouldn’t wander off. She started a fire and we sat around it. Neither of us had much of an appetite.
“Well?” I asked expectantly, “I want answers.”

She looked up, “I bet you do.” She sighed, “Very well. These bounty hunters, as you saw, have powers like us, because they are like us. There are people, like you and I, that want to fit into society, to live a normal life. However, there are others want to take over, because they feel they are superior to normal humans. They started a group, a cult really, a long long time ago; they hunt people with power, and try to recruit them to their cause.”

“What happens if they don’t come willingly?” I asked her.
“I was getting to that.” She said annoyed, I apologized and she continued, “For the ones that don’t want to join they have people like me, Brains, they enslave the mind of said person and force them to work to their will. If that doesn’t work, then they lock them up until they do. Then if that doesn’t work, they simply kill them.”

“How do they get away with that? I mean wouldn’t they have to hide out somewhere? Wouldn’t the soldiers take them down if they found out?” I asked curiously. She looked at me annoyed again and I cleared my throat.

“Yes, your right, they do have a ‘hideout’ really its hiding in plain sight, but no one notices. They have a town right in the middle of the swamplands. No one really wants to walk through marsh and muck, so they are not likely to be found by random travelers. Obvious but effective.”

I nodded my head. The swamplands were a vast stretch of marsh, water, bugs, large trees, and everything swampy. The land was useless for building on; there was not enough firm land. No one travels there. “So how did they build there? I thought there wasn’t any dry land?”

She shook her head, “There isn’t any dry land as far as anyone is willing to look. But as I said, in the dead center there is a stretch of a few miles of land that is perfect for building. There was person about a hundred years back that had the ability to move water and land, they dried out the patch and they have been living there ever since.” She explained, “It’s the perfect fortress really, and I fear that someday they will have enough people with powers to do some harm to normal humans. People fear us, so a lot of them want vengeance for things they have done to us.” J shook her head and was silent. I had my knees close to me.

“You should be with them.” I said quietly, “You have every right to be angry at normal humans J. They were the reason your brother is dead, you should want revenge.” She stared at the fire and we were silent.

Finally she spoke, “I used to think that way.” She said honestly, “I was filled with hatred, but then I realized, that by being that way, I was no different than them.”
“I’m sorry.” I told her, “It must be hard.”

She looked at me suddenly, “Don’t.” She hissed, “Don’t even try to understand what I’ve been through. You have been pampered all your perfect little life. If you’ve ever had to give up anything…” She shook her head, “Don’t try to tell me you know how I feel because you don’t.” She said angrily. She laid down and turned her back to me. I sighed and laid down on my bedroll and fell asleep.

~ ~ ~ ~

We rose early the next day and made our way north. J and I seemed to come to a silent agreement not to talk about last night. The main road was crowded with travelers, traders, and bards. I even saw a wagon of gypsies. Finally, J and I were alone on the road for once and I decided to ask her a few more questions. “So where are we headed now J? What is the plan? I mean we stuck together this far, why? What do you have in mind?”

She stretched her arms and cracked her back, “Remember how I scaled a tower and met you?” She asked.

I nodded my head, “Well there was a man who told me I would find a treasure up there. He lied and now he is going to pay for it. That’s my first stop.” She told me.
“And where am I in this plan?” I asked her, “I mean I’m indebted to you for getting me out of there, but….?”

She shrugged, “You can leave.”
My heart dropped, “I don’t want to.”
She smiled at me, “Then that answers your question doesn’t it?”
I grinned, “I guess so.” We both realized that we were smiling, for once, and we both looked away.

Then something else came to my mind, “You came back.” I turned to look at her. She stared ahead down the road, “Why?”
I saw her grip tighten on the reigns, “Because.” She said, “I guess. I was angry.”
“Angry?” I pushed.
“Yes, angry. You made me angry.”
“Me?”

“Yes you!” She said hotly, “You ask so many questions!”
My horse shied away a few feet, “I wouldn’t have to ask so many questions if you weren’t so mysterious.” I told her honestly, “The only way for me to find out what’s going on around here is to ask questions, so sorry!” I yelled back. She shut her mouth and we both glared. I realized this was the first time I was standing up to J. The more I’ve gotten to know J, the less intimidating she became. Perhaps it was because I knew that underneath her tuff exterior she was still a person. Just like me.

“Your right.” I looked up at her surprised. She held up a hand, “Don’t say a word and let me speak or else I’m going to make it so you won’t be able move anything from the waist down, and I mean everything.” I shut my mouth, she seemed content, “I’m only going to say this once, so listen carefully.” I nodded my head once, “Your right.” She said again, “I don’t like people very much; I told you last night that I used want vengeance, I don’t anymore, but I still find that I don’t like them very much. I tend to keep them in the dark, and that included you. However, since we are going to be traveling together, I think we can benefit each other if we stick together. I’ll try to be more informative, if you stop asking so many freaking questions, partners?” She asked holding out her hand.

I looked at her suspiciously, and then shook her hand, “Partners.” I nodded. She nodded content.

“So who’s this guy?” I asked her. She groaned and rolled her eyes and I couldn’t help but laugh.