After 2 days of waiting, Johnny and his brave band of sky riding pirates landed on the surface of the world or more specifically, the remains of 22nd century Spain. This stop-off was long past overdue. The May ship had not landed since they picked up Dizzy three months ago, and the crew was presently running low on the basic essentials. It not only gave them a chance to re-fuel, but also to unwind. Johnny made his crew earn their keep, no matter how kind he was. This was now the perfect opportunity (or excuse) for the crew to be a little bit selfish and untangle those aching muscles. At the time, May, Dizzy, Johnny and April were only concerned about taking it easy for a while. May really wanted to get away from the ship so she could talk to Johnny without him feeling stressed out about all the work he was doing. April wanted to land because she was so sick of having the same boring foods over and over and OVER again. She was looking forward to eating a nice meal at a fancy restaurant. Johnny himself was happy to finally be out of the sky for a few days, was looking forward to unbridled relaxation, and was hoping for a chance to score with a few Spanish ladies... *_~ However, Dizzy was relatively reluctant to land on the surface. Aside from the crew of the May ship, Dizzy still had a general and deeply rooted distrust for humans. Nothing much was going to change that. Still, it at least gave her the opportunity to buy some more books to read. Nothing was going to change her drive for more knowledge either. And so the May ship landed and the crew separated into the crowds of post-crusade Spain. Of course, they were still wanted criminals so everyone had to wear something that could be considered as a disguise. Johnny was the only one out of the crew who did not wear one of those disguises. He said they would ‘Impede his magnetism’, which really meant that it would make hitting on beautiful women that much harder. For Dizzy however, great care had to be taken. No matter which way you sliced it; Dizzy was still a Gear, which meant that unless she wanted trouble from Crusade-wary citizens, she would have to hide her Gear identity. May felt guilty about that. She didn’t see why Dizzy should have to hide herself any longer, but at the same time, the pirate girl wanted no harm to come to Dizzy. As the crew dissipated, May, Johnny, Dizzy and April stayed together, while the others split into small groups and left to explore the city and re-stock the items that they needed for the ship. Naturally the May ship could not land for a long period of time, so as soon as the majority of the crew was dropped off the May ship took flight again. This was simply because leaving the ship in one place for too long might attract unwanted attention (i.e. the police) so the few crew members that remained left, promising to pick the rest up in a few day’s time. After quickly saying goodbye to the other crewmembers and informing them of the location to meet in case of any trouble, May, Johnny, Dizzy and April went into the city of Neo-Madrid to find temporary accommodation. Again, it was important that they chose something that would not draw too much attention but Johnny (being the slick operator that he was) knew a few women who ran a low-rise inn within the suburbs of the city. It wasn’t exactly the flashiest of digs, but it served its purpose. Decent beds, food and a good cover. At this time it was presently 1.00, and Johnny and April had gone out to make sure everyone else had settled somewhere and were not lost or hurt. Meanwhile May and Dizzy were in Dizzy’s room. Dizzy was sitting quietly on the edge of a mildly decorated bed, while May was at the window making idle conversation. The wonder in May’s voice was clear. “Oh this place is so busy! So many people!” Dizzy nodded, taking a tenuous note of May’s comments. “Yes.” “I mean it’s just so big! I tell you it is so great to get away from the ship every once in a while. When you ride the skies for as long as I have, seeing the same old blue water, blue sky, you really learn to appreciate the city life!” Again Dizzy feigned interest. “I see.” But May was wise beyond her...hat, and knew better then to believe that pitiful response was sincere. Sensing that something was off, May walked over to Dizzy and sat next to the hybrid Gear, huddling close to her. “What’s up, Dizzy?” May asked tenderly. The brief smile on Dizzy’s face showed that May’s gentleness consoled her well, but the fearful look in her deep scarlet eyes told a different saga. “I’m okay...I just...” Dizzy trailed off. May had only known Dizzy for a few months but knew her well enough to know that when Dizzy responded with an unfinished sentence, it meant that she was worried about something. And the only thing that had been bothering Dizzy was- “Oh, are you still worried about some people causing you grief when we go out tonight?” May asked. Bang. Dizzy did not say anything, just nodded solemnly. May held onto Dizzy a little tighter. “I told you, don’t worry. You have nothing to worry about. I’ll protect you.” The way May said that did reassure Dizzy. It was said with gentle caring; yet at the same time, it held firmness that slept within May’s seemingly innocent nature. Again, Dizzy did nothing but a tiny, though strikingly radiant smile passed across her lips. A sincere one. One that that was enough to convince May that the blue haired girl was okay. Then playfully and almost absently, May nonchalantly moved closer to Dizzy, and ran her hand through the Gear’s silky sapphire hair. Dizzy began to shine another rosy red blush but it went seemingly unnoticed by May, who was temporarily transfixed by Dizzy’s adolescent beauty. “You’re really cute, Dizzy.” May said quietly, continuing to run her hand through tresses of Dizzy’s blue hair. Dizzy surprisingly managed a response. “No I’m not...” “Yes you are,” May said bluntly. “That’s was one of the first things I noticed about you when we first met. I thought about how cute you were.” Dizzy looked away. “Weren’t you afraid of me?” May nodded. “A little. But I didn’t know you properly back then...now you’re one of my best friends...and I wont let *anyone* touch you.” That statement held a deepening significance in Dizzy’s heart. It felt more than a simple declaration of unconditional friendship. Dizzy’s voice was meek. “Really?” May nodded, her soft hand coming to rest on Dizzy’s cheek. “Really.” ********** About eight hours later, at around 9.00, Dizzy, May, April and Johnny left their rooms at the inn and travelled across the Neo-Madrid to reach the inner city. Eventually they came across the popular bar called the Fallen Angel. May didn’t remember much about this bar, all she could recall was finding her anchor nearby. But from the description Johnny had given of the place to jog May’s memory, it seemed more like a nightclub. So when May at last saw it, it felt very different from her base mental picture. Oh well. No big deal. Johnny, April, May and Dizzy were currently standing outside of the Fallen Angel, waiting to gain entry. They were in a small line and although they were in Spain, it was cold as all hell outside. May rubbed her arms with both hands in a vain attempt to keep warm. The skimpy disguises that they were wearing appeared to be useless. “Why is it so cold out here?” May asked. April spoke first. “It is winter.” May breathed out and moved closer to Dizzy. “But we’re in Spain, right? Isn’t it supposed to be warm all year round?” Johnny grinned as the line moved further in, so much so that the gang reached the entrance. “Well you won’t have to worry anymore, May,” Johnny said handing something to the two bouncers as they walked into the bar. “We’re in.” The four sky-riding bandits went into the Fallen Angel bar. Although there were bouncers at the front door, this place was relatively small. The only difference was that entry to the Fallen Angel was exclusive and only a select few were allowed to enter here. The only reason they had significance was because Johnny knew the manager. He and she were...old friends. The four found a table at the back of the bar, and May, Dizzy and April sat down. Johnny only stood next to the table and looked around for something. May was the first to notice Johnny’s distraction. “What’s wrong, Johnny?” “Nothing,” Johnny started. “I just gotta see something. I’ll catch up with you guys later, okay? Stay out of trouble.” May and April confirmed that and Johnny walked of into minimal crowds. The last thing they wanted to do was to blow their cover in this small yet crowded place. May and April casually spoke amongst themselves while Dizzy studied this place and the people within it. At first, Dizzy was *very* nervous. The loud music was so unnerving, and Dizzy had never before encountered so many humans in one place. She felt so sure that they would try and hurt her, or at least shun her. But when she really thought about it, nobody noticed anything strange about Dizzy. She had to hide her wings and tail but it seemed to work. Dizzy then began to feel that May was right in believing that it would be okay. And with that, the scarlet-eyed girl fell into a state of observant relaxation. She was going to keep her guard up, but Dizzy would enjoy herself while she was at it. May somehow picked up on Dizzy’s newfound relief. “You seem to be feeling better,” May said with a grin. “I told you it would be okay.” “Yes.” Dizzy said happily. “But this music is so loud!” May thought to herself for a second when she heard that, and a few moments later, she took hold of Dizzy’s hand and stood up, pulling the Gear up onto her feet with her. The pirate girl led Dizzy around the table and the two stood next to a few couples that were dancing. May’s hand travelled down to Dizzy’s lithe waist, and moved a little closer to her. As expected that kind of close proximity had taken Dizzy’s immediate notice. May whispered into Dizzy’s ear. “Have you ever danced before?” Although the Queen music playing around them was rather strident, Dizzy could clearly hear what May said. She briefly shook her head. Dizzy had read about dancing from the books that Testament had brought for her, but she had never actually done it herself. May grinned. “Then it’s the perfect time to learn.” May’s hands left Dizzy’s waist, and carefully brought the sapphire haired girl’s hands up to her shoulders, all the while not taking her gaze off Dizzy’s ruby eyes. Once Dizzy’s hands were rested comfortably on her shoulders, May put her hands back on Dizzy’s waist, and drew Dizzy’s supple form closer to her own. “Just move with me at first, okay?” May said peacefully. “You’ll get the hang of it soon.” And with that May slowly started to move step for step. At first Dizzy’s movements were stiff and discomfited, but May whispered gentle directions in her ear to calm her nerves. After a short while, Dizzy slowly loosed up and countered each of May’s actions with the equal finesse of her own. Before long Dizzy dropped her misgivings and fell deep into the spirit of things. It was a slow song, very different to Queen’s general pace, but it fitted the apparent mood that was in the room and around Dizzy and May. April watched the two of them with a quiet interest. Dizzy was trying her best to keep up with the tempo that May had set for her, and May was focusing very carefully on Dizzy. Then April noticed how cute they looked together like that. The two made quite a pair. If you didn’t know the actual situation, you would have felt that Dizzy’s feelings were requited. At first April thought that she was seeing things, but she looked very closely at May. The pirate girl’s face was smiling, but was taking a serious side to it. Her dark marble eyes were trapped on Dizzy with something that rivalled a longing. If that was correct, it must have been a misunderstood one. As the song ended, Dizzy and May gradually came to a comfortable stop. May smiled happily when she saw Dizzy’s delighted expression. “You’re a pretty good dancer, Dizzy.” May said. “Are you sure you’ve never done that before?” “Uh huh.” Dizzy confirmed. “That was my first time. But I am still nowhere near as good as you are, May.” May didn’t notice that she still had her hands around Dizzy. “You’ll get better. I hope we can do that again.” Dizzy blushed again. “I hope so as well.” For some reason, May was reluctant to release Dizzy, but did so when Dizzy pulled away from her and sat next to April again. May was about to follow suit until she began to wonder where Johnny had gotten. May’s curiosity took over, and she decided to look for him. May walked over to Dizzy and April briefly. “I’m gonna look for Johnny for a minute okay?” April and Dizzy nodded, and May hurriedly walked off into the crowds in the same direction that Johnny had went through a little while ago. April tapped on Dizzy’s shoulder as the half-Gear watched May walk away. “Yes, April?” “When you and May were dancing you seemed to forget that there was one other person here who didn’t have a dance partner.” Dizzy sweat dropped. She didn’t feel like she was ignoring April but that seemed to be the issue. It was just that Dizzy seemed to lose track of things when she was around May. The brunette had that kind of effect on people. Dizzy had an apologetic look on her face. “I am sorry.” April winked. “Hey, I was only kidding! But I’d like to dance if that’s not to much trouble for you!” Dizzy nodded her head. “I would like that.” April smiled happily and took the initiative by pulling Dizzy onto her feet and leading her out onto the dance floor. Unlike the previous song that was slow, this one was fast paced and free. Dizzy had expected to dance in the same way that she had with May, but April told her that this wasn’t the type of song that you could slow dance to. With a quick explanation, April and Dizzy danced freestyle to this other Queen song. But Dizzy got used to this much quicker. Dizzy wasn’t the type to let herself go easily but this seemed to bring out the fire in innocent young girl. But with this lapse in shyness, came a lapse in concentration, and Dizzy’s lissom tail slipped out of the back of her clothes. But it went unnoticed until a few people in the crowds pointed it out. A man pointed at Dizzy. “What in the hell is that?” Across at the other side of the bar, Johnny was casually flirting with the manager of the bar, leaning on the counter while the manager quietly pulled a beer for Johnny. She seemed to be eating up Johnny’s advances and second-rate pickup lines, much to the annoyance of a certain anchor-wielding bandit. “What do you do to be this beautiful, girl?” Johnny said charismatically. “A pretty woman is amazing unto itself but a woman as gorgeous as you are is a phenomenon...” The manager handed Johnny the beer. “You never change, do you?” “Never. Not when God hands me an attractive woman. And especially not if she’s the very personification of-“ “What’s going on here?” May said angrily. Johnny and the manager looked at May. The manager saw that the girl was a little angry about something, but she had no idea what about until she saw the looks that May was throwing at *her*. Hateful looks. The manager giggled playfully. “She got a crush on you or something? Heh, heh, heh! Nobody told me you were off the market, Johnny!” May grabbed Johnny’s arm, while Johnny himself nudged his hat down in embarrassment. “That’s right, Johnny and me are meant for each other so you can just-“ Johnny cut May off when he pulled the pirate girl off his arm slowly. “Look May, my friend and I are talking so if you could just leave us alone for a little while. Why don’t you go and show Dizzy around for me, alright?” Johnny said. The hurt look on May’s face went unnoticed as Johnny and the manager continued to chat amongst themselves again. May was saddened before when Johnny ignored the dress she had been saving for him for over five months, but she let it roll off her back. This had actually hurt her. And what made it worse, was that Johnny didn’t seem to even notice it. Before she got humiliated again, May walked away with a dejected look on her face. But her unhappy look changed to one of worry, as she saw a crowd, or more correctly a mob, surrounding Dizzy and April. One of the men in the crowd again pointed at Dizzy, who had obviously stopped dancing and was now backed up against April. “Oh my God, look! Is that a...tail?” One of the women in the crowd gave Dizzy’s tail a closer inspection. “Lordie love of the virgin Mary! It is! It’s a Gear!” The man next to that woman spoke up. “Are you crazy? Justice is *dead*! There can’t be any more Gears in activation! It’s gotta be a dummy! This has to be some kinda movie shoot!” The fearful look in Dizzy’s eyes was more than obvious. She had been worrying about something like this all along. But she wasn’t afraid for her own life. She knew they could do nothing to her. Dizzy was afraid of what Necro might usher her to do. She didn’t want to hurt people anymore. “Please...” Dizzy said distraughtly. “I don’t want to hurt anyone. I just want to be left alone...” A man in the crowd got angry. “Says you, ya evil little...Oh my God...it talked! It is working on it’s own!” A second man pulled his wife behind him, and looked at Dizzy with an unthinking hatred. “Oh lord not another Justice...we must get rid of it!” Dizzy and April became more frightened when the crowds around the two of them started to grow and close in on them. April was sure that they could escape if there was a gap in the crowds but they had just gotten so thick. And she was seriously worried about Dizzy. Sweat was trickling down her face and she was shaking. As if something was getting at her from within. “Look, please we don’t want any trouble, just leave us alone!” April yelled. An elderly woman called out to April with a shrill voice, withered by age. “Young lady, get away from that disgusting war machine!” Whatever reluctance Dizzy had in fulfilling Necro’s will was fast dissolving as easily as her disguise, when her full wingspan opened up and ripped apart her clothes. Necro and Undine (Thanks, Asuka!) were now fully visible and the garments that Dizzy had been wearing to hide her true nature were in tattered shreds around her ankles. “Please leave me alone! Necro says that he will hurt you if you do not!” Dizzy yelled. A drunken man screamed back at Dizzy. “We don’t want evil beasts like you in our world anymore!” Shaking with anger, May charged through the crowds, barging everyone out of her way until she reached Dizzy and April in the centre of the gathering. April was happy to see her, but the fright in Dizzy had put too much shock in her. May pulled Dizzy closer to her, and backed up a bit. “Stop! Leave her alone she hasn’t done anything wrong!” May yelled at the top of her voice. She made a promise to protect Dizzy and she was going to keep it. The old woman spoke up again. “No, but it will! It’ll end up killing us all!” May pulled Dizzy behind her and held her hand tightly. “Why won’t you people just leave her alone? She isn’t some maniac like Justice it’s just Dizzy! She is so sweet when you get to know her. I care for her so much...why would you try and harm someone so innocent?” “Innocent my foot!” One man yelled. “My son died in the Crusades, thanks to those bloody creatures! The only way to deal with them is to eliminate them!” May’s eyes narrowed. “Alright then...fine...” May ripped of her disguise to reveal her traditional orange pirate suit, and her anchor dropped from above her (Don’t ask me where from...) to come to rest in her hands. Systematically, May began a rhythmic stance of readiness, and pulled her anchor around to lie on her shoulders. April gasped. “May! No! You might hurt someone!” The look on May’s face showed that she holding back a lot of anger. Unfortunately some of that was reflected in her reaction to April. “Oh, so it’s okay for them to say those kinds of things to Dizzy?” May asked rhetorically. “No way! I wont let them talk to her like that!” A man walked up to May with quiet rage in his voice. “We’ll go through you to get to her...” The pirate girl put a tighter grip on her anchor. “Don’t you dare lay a finger on her, unless you’d like to writhe in pain...” The man in front of May drew back his fist and was about to punch her, until a sleek blade quickly pulled up next to his throat. It was Johnny’s sword, and the blonde haired captain chuckled lightly to himself. “Put your dirty little hand on one of the members of my crew and your head will be filing a divorce from your body.” Johnny yelled out to the rest of the crowd. “And that goes for the rest of you too. I don’t want blood on my hands but that girl was placed in my trust. Now back off.” The mob seemed to take notice of Johnny’s orders, and pulled back enough to shape an entrance out of the ring that had formed around them. Dizzy and April quickly ran out of the group and made their way towards the entrance of the Fallen Angel. Johnny and May brought up the rear, giving harsh looks of disgust. April breathed a sigh of relief as the four of them made contact with the cool night air. But nobody dared to say anything. Dizzy walked forwards a little, and struggled to keep tears from pouring out of her eyes. Johnny was the first to approach her. “Dizzy...I’m...sorry. Most of them were just drunk. The liquor bar & drunkard go hand in hand. I’m sorry if they upset you.” A tear fell down Dizzy’s cheek. She didn’t say anything. “Dizzy?” April said questioningly. Again, Dizzy said nothing to the others. This time May stepped close to her, and placed her hand on Dizzy’s shoulder. This time Dizzy responded, by jerking her shoulder away from May quickly, and running down the street away from them. Both April and Johnny yelled for her to come back, but she didn’t listen. Dizzy just continued to run down the quiet, deserted street. Suddenly, May’s feet did the thinking for her as she ran after Dizzy.
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