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"Step outside, Grix......"

"There's not enough room in this forum for the two of us." FM slammed his emptied whisky glass down on the wooden counter. "Step outside, Grix......"

Grix eyed FM carefully. They'd known each other for a long time, but things had been gettin' a little strained lately."

"What's this about, FM," he demanded, making his way through the packed but hushed saloon and pushing the swinging doors outwards as he stepped onto the dusty ground outside.

"Well," replied FM, pushing open the doors again and following Grix outside into the hot, dry air, "You've bushwhacked one of my topics just one time too many. It's time we had this out. Mano a Mano. Poster to Poster."

Grix paused in his stride to think of a witty retort about FM's last comment, then decided that now was probably not the time.

"So, what's it to be? 10 paces, turn and fire?" asked Grix, making sure his gunbelt was fastened properly.

"You know me better than that, Grix. 30 paces." FM checked his gunbelt. The Smith and Wesson 6-shot revolver hung loosely at his right hip.

They stood back to back under the glare of the midday sun, and started to count.....

1....2....3....

The occupants of the saloon were packing the windows trying to get a glimpse of the showdown outside. This was unheard of. The last shootout in the town of Last Chance Reserve had been quite a time ago, when the Er-no posse had cleaned out the Desperate Dans, but this was different. Two equally matched opponents were about to face off.

Insane Bartender was going even more nuts behind the saloon's counter because he was losing good sales whilst all this was going on.

Outside, the count was at 25.... as FM glanced to his right and saw PB on the roof of the Red Splat Hotel and Boarding House, shotgun at hand. PB nodded with a knowing look. FM nodded back.

The count was 26.... as Grix looked across to the SR Saddlery, where he spied Sniper with his trusty Winchester Rifle. Grix gave a brief nod. Sniper returned it.

27....28...29..

Dust whirled up as both men spun to face each other. The blast of PB's shotgun firing both barrels broke the deafening silence that preceeded it, and a cloud of sand flew up at Grix's feet as the buckshot ploughed into the ground.

Grix drew his gun and took aim, FM was still drawing his because he was left handed and his belt was on the wrong way, Sniper fired his rifle, and there was a sharp report, then a clatter as PB dropped his shotgun and swandived off the roof of the hotel and landed in a horse trough.

FM grappled with his pistol, it had snagged in the holster, and he reminded himself to be more careful where he left his chewing gum.

Grix took pity. (No he didn't). Grix fired his gun. Fortunately, FM and done his research and Grix's eyesight wasn't as good as it should have been, and at 30 paces it was like trying to read a Wanted Poster through a mirage. Grix's first bullet flew out of town faster than a newbie Gameaday winner. He wasn't sure if he had hit FM or not, but then he heard FM pull back the hammer of his Smith and Wesson with a

*click*

Pb, Venombyte, and the stranger walked onwards, still listening to the sound of the tambourine...

Then it suddenly stopped, and there was a scream... and then a *thud*.

Pb looked over his shoulder to see what was going on... The stranger looked at Pb, and shook his head. They continued.

-----

A man wearing a black hat and coat walked across the desert... alone.

Time had passed so quickly over these last few days... and the deaths of Vai and er-no had quickly been forgotten. They should had listened... like Meka_Dragon...

-----

Meka_Dragon laid back on the bed... "Wow."

"How do you feel?" The woman asked.

"That... was the best ever..."

The woman smiled, and got up... and put the chessboard away. Drink and chess... all he needed in the world.

"Sheriff Dragon...?" She asked.

"Yes...?"

"Could you... err... do me a favour?"

"Anything."

The woman told Meka what she wanted... Meka listened carefully.

-----

Ant, FM, and Grix came to a town... "I have friends here," Said FM, "They'll give us a room for the night."

"Where are we heading though...?" Ant asked, "We just seem to be drifting at the moment..."

"Yeah, I know. We'll find somewhere to put the money, and then we'll go and buy ourselves some goods."

They walked through the swing doors, and walked up to the old man at the desk... and was immedietly recognised.

"FM! I'D NEVER THOUGHT I'D SEE YOU AGAIN!" The old man shook FantasyMeisters hand, and looked around them.

"Hi Wookiee Monster... how are you keeping?"

"Oh great! Really!..." Something told FM that he wasn't exactly telling the truth...

"You do realise that you're wanted for all them robberies you did?"

"Yeah... we need... to kinda lay low for a while..."

Wookiee smiled. "Of course. Anytime. Go up to room 6, you lot should be safe up there."

Up in the room, they each found themselves a bed... the days seemed to be getting shorter, Grix thought to himself.

He looked outside... the sky was getting more intense now... dark clouds were brewing...

-----

Grix awoke to a bang. Fm and Ant were getting dressed.

"What's going on? What's happening?" He asked

"GET DRESSED! WE'VE BEEN FOUND!"

Meka_Dragon had been tipped off... he was outside their room, trying to break it down.

FantasyMeister climbed out onto the windowledge, and climbed onto the roof... Ant followed him... and Grix put his trousers on.

The door broke open, and a gun was pointed at his head.

"DOWN ON THE FLOOR!"

Grix got down... his hands were tied, and his feet were cuffed.

Up on the roof, unnoticed, FM and Ant watched as Grix was bundled into the cart, and was led off for Meka's town...

They ran downstairs. "Wookiee! Where are you?"

"I couldn't do anything," He said, "They broke in before I woke, I had no warning..."

"It doesn't matter... really. We need to borrow some Hoverhosses."

"No problem. You take my best ones..." He threw them the keys. "They're out back."

"Well... where else would they be?"

-----

"GRIX THRAVES! You have been found guilty of manslaughter, stealing, looting, robbing, gravedigging, cattle-disturbing, manically laughing, dancing, and just plain naughtiness."

The crowd booed at him... he was sitting apon a hoverhoss, with a noose around his neck, which was tied to a tree.

"So in which case, you shall hang by the neck, until you are dead."

The crowd cheered.

From behind a grassy knoll... FantasyMeister pulled out Grix's rifle... and took aim on the rope.

"Do you think you can do it?" Asked Ant...

"Shut up... please."

A bag was placed over Grix's head.

"Do you have any last requests?"

"Err... can I be cut loose?"

"No."

"Then no, I don't have any."

FantasyMeister raised the gun.

"ON MY MARK!"

He took aim.

Grix held his breathe... somehow thinking that it would prevent his neck from being snapped...

"NOW!"

A man turned on the hoverhoss, and it began to speed off...

FantasyMeister fired...

He missed.

Everybody looked over towards the grassy knoll... women screamed...

The rope around Grix's neck tightened, and he couldn't breathe... FantasyMeister desperatly tried to reload... Ant was shouting at FM...

And then there was another shot. From above the crowd... it came from a building.

The rope broke loose... Grix fell forward onto the hoss... and it sped off into the distance.

FM and Ant jumped onto their hosses, and sped off trying to catch him... but as they did, FM looked up, into the building, the book depository... There was a man there... wearing a checkered waistcoat, like Grix's...

He looked away, and accelerated to catch Grix...

SNIPER the Dancer was wlaking along the dry desert, very sadly, as no one wanted to see him dance.
SNIPER The Dancer squinted ahead, and could see 3 figures!!!

He ran up to them, and asked to have the knowledge of their names. Their names were pb, Venombyte and the other person would not say. The other person was strange.

But anyway, SNIPER The Dancer gave a tambourine to pb, and just told him to hit it in any order he wanted to.
pb reluctantly hit the tambourine, and worked into a little tune. SNIPER The Dancer then started dancing. He was actually quite talented, and the strange man seemed to enjoy it very much. SNIPER finished, and they all applauded.

The Stranger had lightened up a little, and he gave SNIPER some food as a thank-you. SNIPER The Dancer was very pleased. SNIPER The Dancer then left for the town, where he could dance in front of everybody!!

As the Dancer diminished into the distance, pb again studied the Stranger's face. He had certainly lightened up a little. Also, when pb looked closer, he could see that the stranger's whole body seemed to....glow. It glowed, all over!! PB couldn't believe he hadn't noticed it.
When he asked VenomByte, Venom said he couldn't see anything, where as it was so obvious to pb.
At this point, pb was very confused.

Grix, FM and Ant walked through the scrubland towards a place Ant knew was safe from harm. Grix was still in a thoughtful mood and was currently trying to puzzle out Ant's new form.

"So, you wee a Brazilian?" he asked. "That explains why you could actually communicate with us as an ant, but what about the other ants?"

"I....I'm not sure." said Ant, still unfamiliar with the whole 'walking on two legs' concept and trying to concentrate on not slipping up as he walked through the sand. "The Indian, waiting Hawk, told me that there was a big fight in their village about a century ago. Apparently, several of their tribe had decided to strike a deal with the nearby town to tell them the secrets of the holy cave, namely that it contained gold. The rest of the tribe were dead against material wealth and soon enough the townsfolk led a revolt against the tribe and wiped them all out."

"So what does that have to do with a group of ants that can speak and carry men?" asked Grix trying to follow the story.

"Well, the few surviving members of the tribe had an incantation that turned the spirits of the tribe into ants, but these ants were special. It was the hope that their ancestors would rise up when the time was right and help the spirit of the god they call 'Shadow of Crow, Heart of Sun' to avenge the tribe."

Grix thought about this. Could this have something to do with his dream? Perhaps if they found this 'god', although he was still unsure whether he believed in these indian gods, then they might answer at least some of his questions. Still, if this 'Crow Sun' knew anything about Grix he might not get too much of an audience anyway, what with all the things Grix had done in the past.

-------------

The Stranger continued on his journey, all the time answering pb's many questions. Pb had a lot of time to think over the past few days and there was a lot that he still found difficult to understand.

"So, okay, I can just grasp the fact that an ant had been turned into a man, but why was he turned into an ant in the first place? And why is a simple thief so important to us. For that matter, why is he so important to this strange preacher guy?"

"ha!" was the reply from the stranger. "You ask so many questions pb. Much more will be shown to you in time. But let me ask you this, why do you think you were chosen above all others in the town?"

Pb thought for a while, then answered, "I don't know. Venom and I were not exactly the most popular in town. We never seemed to get on with the townsfolk, they all seemed too preoccupied by money or status and their own welfare. We just wanted to enjoy life and make friends."

"I Think you may have answered your own question." said the stranger. "As for the ant, even he does not know his roots yet. Let's just say that this is not the only place in the world where the dark preacher man has been, and there are always only a few survivors when he leaves. It pains me everytime he arrives, which is why it is imperative that we stop him this time. For that, we need Grix's help, but I'm afraid I cannot tell you why just yet."

"So you're not hunting Grix?" said venombyte, who had been listening and trying to piece together the conversation so far. "I thought you wanted him dead?"

"Dead? hahaha!" laughed the stranger. "No. He is much more important alive and much more dangerous to us if the dark man gets to him first."

---------------

Back in the town things were going well for the dark man. He still needed to find Grix, but until he could extract some more information he thought he'd have a little more fun.

Looking in his newly lit fire, he spread some dust over the flames and spoke some strange sounding words. A vision appeared in the flames.

Outside of Vai's 'Rising Sun' Den of iniquity stood Jenny Shires. She was waiting for her next customer to arrive and sure enough, he came walking around the corner at that moment in time. She could smell the alcahol on his breath before he even got close to her. 'Nevermind,' she thought, 'this is a powerful man and when he has control of this town, she will have control of him. He was so easy to manipulate as soon as you worked out his two weak points. One was drink, and the other, the other was what he'd arrived here for.'

"Hello my sweet, dear, Jenny" he said with a slur, "What have we got for Sheriff Meka today then?"

She led him upstairs. Soon she would have everything she ever dreamed of, for now she had to put up with this, a small price to pay.

A man.

Then two.

Then three.

Glittering sun.

Then darkness.

The three men merge into one.

The dreamer, the fighter, and the watcher...

Grix re-read his vision... those characters... they disturbed him... it was as if...

He had thought about it so much now... it was as if they were he himself.

"GRIX!"

Grix woke from thinking.

"What? Who?"

A man came running up the sands... "It's me! Ant! I'm human!"

-----

By the time Ant had finished his story, it was was into the night... the fire was burning, and the sun had set long ago.

"So what else the Indian tell you?" Asked Grix.

"Err... nothing. He just told me that I had to travel with you, some sort of destiny... That's all."

"Oh."

Grix played with the sand in his hands again... the pale yellow sand... He drew in it...

-----

The man had followed Ant's tracks to the Indian tribe... and from there, had learnt of Ant's change into human form, and had followed the footsteps to the town.

Sheriff Meka approuched the man... "Who goes there at this hour?"

"Don't look at my face." Was all the answer that came...

"Who are you? Why are you here?"

"DON'T LOOK AT MY FACE. IF YOU LOOK AT MY FACE, YOU WILL DIE."

Meka was a bit shook by the man's voice... it seemed to rattle throughout his body... bouncing off his bones.

"Ok... ok I won't. What do you want."

"I need to find Grix Thraves."

"I have no idea where he is... but there was a man here. Not long ago. He ran as soon as I mentioned his name... find him, and you'll probably find Grix through him."

"Thank you." The man walked off... leaving Meka to wonder how on earth just looking at his face would kill him...

-----

Venombyte and pb followed rather cautiously behind the strange man through the desert... who seemed to know much more than he was letting on.

"We will sleep here." The stranger said, after somehow choosing the right spot, which looked, at least to pb and Venombyte, like no other.

The stranger settled down to rest... and pb and Venombyte got out their quilts.

Before long, Venombyte was asleep, and pb was still awake. The man was sitting staring into the deep sands...

Pb asked: "What if someone comes stranger... are you going to stay up all night?"

"It's ok." He said... "I'll watch over you."

-----

Morning came... Pb woke. The man was still looking out over the desert... in the same position... was he some sort of non-being or something?

"Ah," He turned around to face pb. "You're awake. Good. We must continue, we have little time to lose."

For the first time... pb studied the man...

He was wearing a long black jacket... and wore a black hat. He had a black and white checkered waistcoat... which for some reason, made the man seem... insanely lonesome. Pb had no idea where the words came from.

Venombyte woke... noticed everyone else was up, and began to dress.

They set out again over the sands...

"Is it my imagination..." Asked Venombyte... "Or is the sand getting lighter by everyday?"

"I'm not sure..." Said Pb... he turned to the man to see if he knew. The man looked into pb's eyes with a sad expression, and then looked away, as if he was afraid to say.

-----

Grix put on his black and white waistcoat, and pulled on his black hat.

"Are we going to get moving or not? I'm getting fed up waiting here..." FantasyMeister had been waiting for Ant to get dressed... he was finding it hard.

After a while, Ant gave up. So with Ant's trousers wrapped around his head, and his waistcoat tied around one leg, they set off.

-----

The preacher watched on... the jigsaw was forming... but one more piece was missing...

"Ouch!! Oooohhhhh...Youch!! Arrrggghhh!!! Stop!!" Ant cried, as the big, smelly men pummelled him.

Suddenly, in walked sheriff meka-dragon. "Hey, what's going on here??"

The big, smelly men turned, saw the sheriff, and ran out.

Ant was suprised, "Why'd they run??" He said through a lot of pain.

"If you saw the prison cell I'd put them in, you'd know why." meka-dragon said in a cool tone. "So, who are you, and what are you doin' round here?? I haven't seen you before?? Also, have you seen these guys??" meka held up a poster of Grix and FM.

"errrr....NO!! No, I haven't. I'm here because....I want to get a job. Oh look, there's Clint Eastwood!!"

meka turned, "Where??!! Where?........Where?? Hello?"

meka turned, but Ant was already gone.




Meanwhile........

"Ouch!! Oooohhhhh...Youch!! Arrrggghhh!!!!!" said the strange man, as he banged his head on the top of the tunnel repeatedly.

Back in town, sheriff meka-dragon sat at a table in the bar, a few drinks worse for wear.

A man walked in he hadn't seen for some time.

This man now appeared very different to how he used to look. He once was a powerhouse of a man. One of the best.

Today he looked tired and week.

Not surprising, considering he now had a peg-leg, a hook for a hand, and a patch over one eye.

"SNIPER! That you?" Asked the sheriff.

"Sure is. How's it been?" Came SNIPERS reply.

"Looks like I've faired much better than you! What happened?" Asked meka slurring his words.

"Well everything was going well. Well, kinda well. When one day I heard shouting from across the street 'help, help'.

So me, being me I went to see what the problem was. This pretty young gal, was cryin' that she'd dropped her baby down the well. Well I went down the well to help, and i passed the baby up, and it were fine. But when i went to pull myself up, my leg wis stuck.

These two big feller's said they'd help. So one got hold of each of my arms and they begun to pull. Soon enough i was free. I was so overjoyed about getting out i didn't notice that they'd left the leg behind! Pulled the darn thing right off!"

"Well I never.." Said meka "and the hand?"

"Well" said SNIPER "After getting this lump o' wood for a leg, my work dried up, so I turned to crime! I broke into this large mansion, and was tryin' to get into this safe. Only i must have tripped an alarm or something, as these big dogs came outta this hatch. One of 'em sunk his teeth into ma' peg"

SNIPER lifted his leg onto the table, pointing out the marks. "Well one of these dogs caught hold o' ma hand, and took it clean off. I had to get this darned hook" He said as he held it to the light.

"And the eye?" Asked meka.

"I stood in the street, cursing my luck. So I looked to the heavens, and shouted 'why God, why?' Anyway, whilst looking up a bird crapped in my eye." Said SNIPER.

"And you lost your eye because of that?" Asked meka.

"No" Said SNIPER "I forgot I had this" holding up his hook "And took it clean out."

"Jeez that's bad luck, you must be wondering what else could go wrong?" Said meka.

"Well they say bad things always come in threes, and i've had my three, so it's all uphill from here."

"That's the spirit, SNIPER" said meka, pouring himself another drink. "take care"

With that SNIPER got up to leave. As he was walking past a table of young gents playing cards, one of them just happened to flick the Ace of Diamonds from the pack in frustration at losing another round. In flew into the air and lodged itself into SNIPER's throat.

He fell to the floor, gasping for air, as everybody looked on helplessly. Soon enough he'd breathed his last breath and his lungs collapsed.

"Darn, he has some bad luck" Said meka_dragon "Well this sheriff's got some robbers to find." And he left the bar, pushing the door with a *click*

The man got off his hoss... and looked over the chasm.

He bit his cigar, and spat over the edge... he lit up.

He watched downwards, as the small cigar tip flew down... and was suddenly sucked into the cliff itself...

He got down on his knees, and looked closer.

-----

With the rope attached to a tree stump, he climbed down the side of the cliff, and entered the cave, lighting a torch... But found nothing, just a body, and a tunnel leading out into the open.

A burnt outfire was in the middle of the room. They were here alright.

He crawled through the tunnel... and started following the Ant tracks...

Ant had taken part in the celebration of the God Qwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnm, where the Indians danced round a barrel of square-shaped Carrots, and sang a song, which went, "OUR GOD IS BRILLIANT, OUR GOD IS VERY GREAT. BUT COS HIS NAME IS HARD TO PRONOUNCE, WE JUST CALL HIM MATE!!"

This song was repeated around hundred times, and afterwards, they ate the funny shaped carrots, which tasted ultimately like chargrilled-garlic-chicken.

Ant then had a small nap, and left. As he was leaving, he heard the old Indian shout out, "Remember, follow your destiny!!"

As Ant walked along very cheerfully, he suddenly realised he had no idea where he was. He found a small saloon, and went in to see if he could find a map or something, anything that would tell him where he was. He went in, and found many big, smelly men, and a few lovely barmaids serving drinks.

Ant walked timidly up to the wooden counter, and said a little nervously to the lovely Barmaid, "Hey sugar. How about a drink."
As Ant said this, he tried to look cool by smoking his pipe, tilting his hat, and swinging his guns around on his thumb.
His hat fell off, he coughed on the pipe, and the guns ended up pointing towards....the barmaid!!

The barmaid screamed. Ant tried to apologise, but he was surrounded by many of the big, smelly men. They stared at him menacingly.

"Oops." Ant said, as he tried to curl himself into a little ball. He was unsuccessful.

The man... stained with the blood of Er-no... walked outside.

He had finished his drink, and had searched the bar for any information that could help him find Grix... but found nothing.

As he stepped outside, a man approuched him from down the town side...

The man looked up at the sign of the building from which the man had left... it read: "Vai's house of..."

Humm.

Vai had heard shots, and his women were running around... which wasn't a necessarily bad thing, but they worried.

So Vai had come to clean up the mess. He was surely one of the best gunmen in town... and was ready to defend the town.

Vai stepped close to the man... he talked as he walked towards the man. "What the hell. Do you think. You are doing. In our town."

The man lit a cigar, and looked at the floor.

"I'm looking for Grix Thraves."

"Then you've come to the wrong place. He's not here. Get out of our town."

The man pulled his poncho aside, and showed his gun to Vai.

Vai put his hand by his side... near his pistol.

The man, for the first time, looked up, and into Vai's eyes...

Vai had seen it... the thing that no man can see... and live to tell the tale...

Vai couldn't take his eyes off it... it was so... so...

The man drew his gun, and fired.

Vai fell to the floor, dead.

The man walked over to a poster on the wall... it said that Grix and FantasyMeister were last seen jumping into a chasm... he knew where that was.

The man got on a hover hoss, and sped off into the distance.

Sorry Appeared and Dissapeared