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The Satanic-looking stagecoach steadily made its way down the path to Knives’ chamber, just as it had done many times before. Eventually it came to a stop, and the pneumatic doors on either side of it automatically opened. Out of one stepped Midvalley the Hornfreak, and out of the other stepped Legato Bluesummers. He started to open his mouth to speak, but then paused. He blinked, furrowed his brow, and blinked again. There was definitely someone standing there, but it definitely wasn’t who he was expecting. “Wait a minute, you’re not Chapel,” he said, to confirm that it was not in fact Chapel the Evergreen. “Nope!” came the seemingly cheerful reply. Legato was puzzled. Who else would have cared enough about Wolfwood to avenge him besides Chapel?
The girl standing in front of Legato and the stagecoach was about six feet tall and wore a tan greatcoat with a teal capelet that draped across the shoulders. She had dark blonde hair that fell to the middle of her back, and she currently wore an almost dopey-looking smile on her face. She stood in the center of the path leading to the chamber where Knives was currently regenerating. “If you’re not Chapel,” Legato began, “then who are you?”
“I’m Milly Thompson,” the girl said cheerily. Then, more seriously: “You killed my boyfriend.” Her smile disappeared and her face contorted. “PREPARE TO DIE.” This last phrase was delivered in a voice at least an octave lower - and with more of a growl - than her natural one. As she said it, she opened her coat and took out a baseball bat that had a number of rusty nails protruding from its surface.
Legato was taken aback just enough by this bizarre turn of events to forget to use his mind control, so Milly was able to lunge at him with the bat and land a good, solid blow. The last thought Legato had before everything went black was Oh yes, she’s one of the girls that follows Vash the Stampede around. I should’ve known.
Midvalley stood there rooted to the spot, gaping in shock, as Milly Thompson proceeded to beat the shit out of his boss with a spiked bat. At one point he started to make a move, but she turned and hissed at him like a feral cat, brandishing the bat. He threw his hands up in defense and took a few steps back. Guess he wasn’t going to be doing anything to save Legato…not that there was much left to save at that point anyway.
Just then, there was a rumbling noise. The two massive doors at the end of the path began to part, slowly revealing Knives’ inner chamber - and Knives himself, standing in the gap and fully healed. He surveyed the scene before him, both surprised and amused. It certainly was an interesting course of events to wake up to.
Knives walked up to Legato’s crumpled body and prodded it with the toe of his boot. He then turned to Milly, who was standing there spattered in blood and panting, and said, “I have an opening for second-in-command, if you’re interested. We have a great benefits package, though it doesn’t include a 401(k) for obvious reasons.”
Milly thought about it for a moment, and then replied. “Nope!” was all she said, a smile back on her face. She turned and walked away, bat at her side, back down the path and out into the desert. Knives watched her go. “You’re…not going to kill her now?” Midvalley asked in a tiny voice. “Eh, she’ll die soon enough when I finally end humanity. She can have her vengeance,” was all Knives said.
The End