First Encounter

DISCLAIMER: Donavonn Dingo used in this fic with permission from and is (c) MarinnaiRuby. Try to steal him, and I will just let her have you as she is far more dangerous than I. David "Cheshire" Mencken is (c)Stormwarden 2005-2008.

NOTE: A shikome-zue is a five-foot long staff, with a blade hidden in a hollow side of the staff. The blade is released by either a push-button mechanism or a twist of the staff.

David Mencken was heading home after another long day at school. His smile was wide as he walked home. He had done well in his grades and the report card had shown it.

Soon, however, he lost his smile when he saw smoke coming from his home. He ran as quickly as he could, only to find that a group of bigots had broken in. He tried to get in, but the heat of the flames proved far too much for him to deal with.


But he did locate a crowbar outside of the house, and picked it up.


After all, if he was going to join his parents, he wanted to take as many with him as possible. He headed to the front of the house and was greeted by those who attacked his home.


"Ahhh, the saved one greets the savior..."

This angered David. "Who are you people? Why have you done this?!"

The leader smiled. "Isn't it obvious? Why, we came here to save you from the inferior dolts who held you. You, my friend, are a higher form than they were. So, I am giving you a chance. Join us, help us kill more of these beasts."

David thought about it a moment, then a smile appeared on his face, followed by a chuckle. The leader looked confused. "Well, what do you find so funny?"

David then looked up, his violet eyes glaring at him. "So, what you are saying is, I have to choose between my life or my soul. My life if I don't join you, my soul if I do." With that, he struck at one of the attackers, the resulting blow crushing the attacker's neck, causing the thug to gasp before keeling over. "Well, then, I choose to keep my soul. Kill me if you can."

With that, more of them attacked. Armed only with a crowbar, David faced them, knowing that the impending battle would most likely end his life. He took out one, dodging his attack and sinking the hook of the crowbar into the jugular.

But the crowbar snagged, and he was unable to remove it in time to keep from being stabbed with a shikome-zue, causing him to scream out in pain. But his cry of pain would not go unheard.
~~~~
"SMEG IT!!"

Donavonn Dingo couldn't believe it. He had made a wrong turn on his way to a task. But he was shaken out of that thought by something else. A scream of pain, almost despair. When he arrived, he saw a mob, and one lone feline with his back against the wall, and more people there than he could fight alone.

~~~
"So, you would deny yourself salvation? You would spurn my generous offer? So be it. Arkham, take him out. I have no wish to sully my hands with a mongrel." David closed his eyes, knowing this could be it...

*hrrk* *hrrk*

"What is wrong with you, Arkham? I said finish him!!" Arkham collapsed in a heap, a slashing hole where flesh and bone should have been on his neck.

Just then a new voice was heard, as the figure behind him spoke. "Sorry, mates, but his life isn't yours to take."

David, not sure what it meant, pulled the shikome-zue out of his shoulder and swung awkwardly with his left arm, striking the leader, before finding himself side-by-side with a mysterious friend.

The Dingo wore a woman's trenchcoat, pants, a man's shirt and wasn't much bigger than David. He also wielded a machete, while David now wielded the shikome-zue, forcing himself to take the pain so he could use it properly. He muttered under his breath, "I don't know who you are, but I owe you one."

The dingo answered back "Worry about that after we get out of this."

David saw the leader pick up a sword from one of his dead men. "You want something done right, you gotta do it yourself. Kill the dingo, but leave the mongrel to me!!"

Donavonn moved in a flurry of action, his experience with the twin blades showing as he struck at the thugs. David meanwhile engaged in combat with the leader, using the shikome-zue he had pulled from his shoulder as his weapon, and forcing his battered body to continue fighting.

Donavonn, for his part, kept most of the remaining thugs off of him, while the two fought, blood cascading around him as his blades found home in those who had attacked the place, and he turned the walls into a canvas for a Jackson Pollack painting.

David gritted his teeth, as the leader smirked and taunted him. "You can barely stand, I bet...too bad. I was looking forward to a challenge, mongrel-lover." With that, the leader lunged. David parried, and then struck with a glazing strike to the neck, right acrossed the jugular.

The leader gasped as the blood made a low whistling sound as it spurted from his neck. David glared at him in rage, and gave him four final words.

"Off with your head." And with that, he did a spinning strike that severed the head from the leader. Their leader dead, and the police sirens wailing in the air, the remaining thugs (3 in total) fled, as David fell to the ground, his wounds no longer allowing him to stand. Donavonn caught him. "Hang on, mate, I have got you." Donavonn saw tears, not of rage or of even pain, but of sadness. An emotion Donavonn knew all too well. "We need to get you out of here, and to a doctor."

David did not reply, numb from his experience. He soon fell into unconscious from his injuries.
~~~~~
(several hours later)

David awoke with a shock. He was in a hospital, his wounds bandaged. The doctors told him he was lucky to be alive after the incident. But David would never forget the face of the one who saved him.


His parents were missing, their bodies not having been found. And they would not resurface for a very long time. David Mencken would be in for a hell of a time.

END.