Disclaimer- This is all complete fiction. NONE of it is true. It has elements of violence ( explicit at times ), language, relations between a man and a man, and sexual themes. If this is illegal for you to read or not to your tastes, DON'T READ!
I retain all copyrights and it is my property, If you want to host it or post it somewhere, just ask. I will most probably give permission. Copyright is by Charlie Z. aka cezmail, my alias on the net. The idea of Whitewater is the creation of Dhvana and is copywrited by her, but is a shared world and used with her permission. You can find all about the town ofWhitewater at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Welcome_to_Whitewater . Feel free to join and look over the other stories there.
If you like the story, or even if you do not, feel free to write to me. My address is cezbox4@gawab.com , Otherwise, please look on down and if you have an opinion, let me know. I am more then willing to listen and reply.
Featured Characters: Zert Greendragon, Starblaze- Zert's Horse, Gilly Goodwin
Other Characters: Banor Stonehand-Owner and manager of the Dirty Parrot, Pirate the Parrot, Alaina Dakar-Server at Cool Beans, Ashe Wilson- co-owner of Cool Beans Chapter 2
It took Zert an hour to make his way down Highway 42 until he reached the town limits of Whitewater. A sign boldly stated that Whitewater was the home of "Pirate Days- a Celebration of our Infamous Past. 7 Days of Treasure Hunting and Booty. Don't miss the Regatta at Spanish Main Cove" and" Whitewater College-Home of Fighting Pirates" The town itself did not have a large population according to the sign, but from what Zert could see a-top Blaze, it was laid out. Lots of open land away from the harbor and downtown. Off to the south he could make out a block of buildings. Maybe that might be the school he had just read about. There was some kind of stadium, where he supposed the Pirates did battle with their enemies on the field. How good they might be he had no idea. Maybe if he could get any answers he might check it out. He and Blaze got some stares as he continued into the town. Zert ignored them, wanting only to meet whomever he had the appointment with and to get some answers. Later he could confront the town and maybe explore it more. His side and head hurt and maybe he should seek a place to get some bandages and medicine. He was not bothered by the looks he got, for some reason he was used to it. Zert was a virtual giant of a man and Starblaze was huge for a horse. He was 24 hands tall and weighed 2600 pounds. Blaze was a charcoal black, with only the white making that gave him his name, shaped like a blazing star. His coat was well brushed and even all the traveling he had done that day, still held up nicely. His breed seemed liked a combination of a Clydesdale and a Morgan, and could easily have passed as a knight's mount from the Middle Ages. Highway 42 turned into Main Street Zert observed. He passed various shops, apartment buildings and a small building that declared it the "Whitewater Treasure Trove" with an attached museum of the pirate past. From the windows, it looked like a thrift shop or maybe an antique store. Or maybe it was a combination. As Zert arrived to Main and Maple, he observed a sign that caught his eye. It announced that the three-story building was the "Dirty Parrot" operated by one Banor Stonehand. There was a sign of a scruffy and parrot dressed as a Buccaneer who was leering as a buxom lass. A short man stood outside it, ordering a deliveryman about as he wheeled in some kegs and cases. He guessed that it must be some kind of bar, though the upper stories had the look of apartments to them. The short fellow could have easily passed for a dwarf of legend. He had a forked beard braided in leather, a large nose, and while short, was very muscular. On top of his left shoulder was a parrot that could have passed as the model from the sign, right down to a strange leer to its eye as it stared at Zert. It squawked when after a bit, getting the attention of the dwarf. The man seemed taken aback by Zert and Blaze, but quickly looked away when the deliveryman dropped a case of beer. He started cursing the man, the curses being echoes by the parrot. Zert saw a pharmacy across the corner and decided he should get some first aid and bandages. He left Blaze in a parking spot not too far away. He patted the horse and knew he could leave his mount alone. He almost felt sorry for the fool who tried to steal Starblaze. Quickly gathering up what he needed, he paused to wonder how he knew about wounds and their care. Had he been wounded that much before? He had scars on his torso and arms from before, but as with so much, no memories of how he had gotten them. He quickly paid for the supplies from the young female clerk, who stared at him and shied away when he returned her gaze. She seemed to be either in high school or maybe a college student from the books near the register. The head wound must be part of it, as well as his stature. Zert thanked "Missy", his deep base filling the empty air. No other customers seemed to be about. He went to the bathroom and used the privacy there to take off his shirt. The wound at his side seemed better from this morning, but still looked nasty. He applied the ointments and salves, and banded it up. He then took care of the gash on his head. Once he had finished he cleaned up his mess and went back to Blaze. He looked at his watch and saw that he still had an hour before his 4 pm meeting. Three more blocks on the left hand side Zert saw a sign for Cool Beans. It was at the corner or Main and Vine. It had natural look to it, earth tones with wide windows where the customers could look out when they drank their coffee. Zert saw that there were not too many people inside. Maybe it was a time between the lunch crowd and the kids from the school showed up to devour their caffeine. Once more, he looked for a place to leave Blaze, this time using the side parking lot for Blaze to rest. He had carried Zert with no strain, but still was tired from a long journey. Zert had nothing to water Blaze, but he did take out some dried apples for the horse. He patted him on the side, saying he would be back when he could. Blaze nodded his head as if in understanding, and then started to scratch his hindquarters against the wall of the neighboring building. Walking to the entrance, Zert again touched his pistol, to reassure himself of it. The door chimed as he walked in, a young woman looking up from where she was washing down the counter. She looked about the same age as Missy, though more outlandish looking. She had seven earrings in her left ear and five in her right. A stud stood out on her nose along with dark shading around her eyes. She looked barely over 5 feet and maybe 90 pounds without her hardware. Her dark brown eyes seemed strange with her buzzed platinum hair. The black skirt and blouse contrasted with her ivory skin. A word came to Zert's head. Weird Chick! A nametag said Alaina, and the lass just looked at him as if she met almost 8-foot tall men all the time. When she saw the look in Zert's eyes, she laughed and shook her head. "OK buddy, what's with you? Never seen a blond Goth before? Watcha want tall, bald and bad?" Zert tried to take this all in and looked above. Nothing on the menu board made sense to him, no clues to what they might be. The special of the day was Ginger Chai so he decided he would try it. He also ordered some cherry pie that he saw in case. Alaina quickly rung him up, and gave him his purchases. "So where you from Mister Giant?" The grin she gave him conveyed she meant no insult, maybe just her normal -in your face-way. The earrings jingled as she cocked her head. "Umm around. I am supposed to meet someone here, but not sure what he looks like? Do you know a Gilly?" Zert hoped she might give him some clue who this man who might have some clue to who he was. Alaina shook her head. "Nope, never heard of him, but then I just started working here last week. Needed a job to help pay for school you know?" Zert wondered what she was a student of and found his question was spoken aloud. Alaina replied in a deadpan tone. "Quantum Physics." Zert's amazement and surprise showed itself, for shortly Alaina a barking in laughter. He had no idea what that was, but whatever it was, he was not sure she was the type. "Man, the look on your face was just priceless. Come on buddy, do I look like the type to fiddle with particle accelerators?" Zert shook his head and took a sip of his chai. He liked the taste, so took another. Alaina calmed herself down and came around from the counter. "Well truthfully, I am going to major in psychology and paranormal studies. So what's your name bandage boy?" Zert smiled at her behavior. Alaina was certainly not the type to be shy. "Zert and I guess you will want to read my aura to get all my secrets?" Alaina smiled in return. "Nope, not into that. I will read the bumps on your head though, seeing as you already got a good clocking. Hope the other guy got worse." Zert shook his head. "No idea. Just woke up this way. I am sure that if I ever meet the man who did it again, he will come out wishing he had never got me." Alaina continued to smile. "I have no doubt he will regret hurting you. So what else can I get you while you wait?" Zert took a seat away from the one grouping of folks looking through schoolbooks and typing away at their computers. It was in the corner, furthest away from the main door. Alaina followed him, keeping an eye at the door in case someone came in. "Well maybe you can fill me in.. ?" but before he could finish a small mousy man came running through the doors. He was dressed in a dirty gray suit, his greasy, stringy hair flaring about him. He looked about the room and then making out Zert's profile, paled. Zert got no memory of this gentleman, but some warning made him pay attention. Just as Zert was about to say something, a tinny voice came from the man's jacket pocket. "Gilly, where the fuck are you? The bastard's horse is already here. Watch out!" Zert assumed that this runt was Gilly, and whoever his partner was, had seen Blaze. He took a step to get some info. Before he could though, Gilly shook himself alive. "Damn It! You're supposed to be dead." This angered Zert even more and he roared out. "You're one of them eh?" He was about to say more when a new man came from the back of Cool Beans. Another nametag with Ashe on it gave him a name. "What the hell is going on here Alaina? You get back behind the counter unless you want to get fired. And you two, I do not care what your problem is, but take it outside. We don't want your hassle to bother the other customers." Gilly took this distraction to bail out. Zert had been sidetracked by Ashe's appearance, not sure at first if he was an associate of Gilly's. He tried to follow but somehow tripped over Alaina, causing the two of them to fall. Her squawk of surprise and worry for her job was combined with Zert's grunt of pain as his side again struck him in pain. By the time that he had separated himself from Alaina with Ashe's assistance, Gilly was gone. A car squealing in the distance was the only clue where he might have gone. Zert left without answering any of Ashe's questions, but when he came to Blaze he saw only a dissipating cloud of dust from the gravel of the parking lot. Blaze himself had his ears back and his eyes had a look of readiness to do battle. Nothing seemed to be missing from Zert's gear, but he did notice something on the ground. A cell phone lay near the horse. He picked it up to try to get some info, and when trying to access it, it started to ring. Zert pushed the talk button but said nothing. There was a pause and then the same tinny voice he had heard from Gilly spoke. "So, you're alive Zert. Pity that. Guess my minions will have to do a better job of it next time. Just remember, you crossed my Hellhounds and ruined my work. I will get you, but I will leave that for another time." Before Zert could make a retort, the caller hung up. Just who was this man and what the FUCK were Hellhounds?