Catalyst- The Journey Begins

Chapter Three - Colleen's Goodbye (Part Two)

 As they are running down the back alley. Negan pulls his hand away from Sarah’s she turns and gives him a look.

 (You better keep up Negan.) She says with a smile and increases her speed. Jumping off the side of the wall and over a trash can.

 Negan smirks and uses the same trash can as a boost. To jump over to the next part of the ally where Sarah is now already ahead.

 He keeps pushing himself to catch up to her. Not knowing why really. It was just a feeling that he can't lose. Not now not ever.

 What was just running before. Now for Negan had become a race. One he had to win. Clearly focused on his goal he lowers his head a bit. And let's his arm relax into the motion of his body running at full speed.

 He bounces off walls around corners faster then he ever has before. He’s catching up to her now. He gets on a straight path he’s about to pass her.

 And then out of no where. Right as he’s going to pass her. Sarah reach’s her arm out and grabs him by the collar and snatches his body back. Negan’s whole body gets snatched backward into the wall. Thump.

 (Oww, What was that about Sarah jeez.) Negan asks.

 (Shush be quiet i***t. You almost got us caught look.) Sarah replies.

 And Negan peeks his head out from around the wall. Six guards we’re standing all in a circle just outside the alleyway.

 (Oh man that was close. I didn't even notice those guys,) Negan said softly to Sarah.

 (Yea no kidding.) She whispers back. (Looks like you got some more catching up to do still. Speed isn't everything Negan.) She says and smiles.

 Then turns back to the guards. (Now let's see if we can get some intel about what's going on. Be quite and don’t move at all.)

 Sarah hops up on a crate in the alley. Then reaches up to a cloths line and pulls herself up and onto a small ledge that a bird would have trouble landing on. Then she kneels over the side just a bit.

 It’s a perfect spot hidden right in plain sight. She pokes her head around to listen in on what the guards are saying.

 (How many men are on the southern wall?) The captain asks a lower rank guard.

 (Currently we have ten men at the southern and northern gate’s. The west and east have five men each posted inside the gate and five men searching outside the town.) The lower rank guard answers.

Negan looks up at Sarah on the ledge still.

 (What's going on?) Negan asks Sarah.

 (Shush boy your going to get us caught.) Sarah whispers to Negan. But with a sternness in her tone.

 (Your going to get us caught.) Negan mumbles under his breath in a mocking tone.

 Negan turns and looks down the alleyway. Back towards the open street and sees a woman with blond hair just like Colleen’s walking past. He can't help but think of her.

 He stares off thinking to himself (What's going on? What happened earlier to colleen? She just disappeared. Colleen said go see Sarah so I did and now what. We just run back home. What about Sam? We should be headed to help Sam right now. But Sarah says we need to go home first. But why?) He asks himself.

 (You know what, Sarah is taking this awfully well.) Negan thought to himself. Looking up t Sarah again.

 (I know she is a student at the gifted school for girl’s. And that they teach more then just academics. Stuff like house work and even fighting skills and magic skills. I even heard her say once they had a ninja course there.

 But still she is pretty calm about all this. Or is it just that I'm so inexperienced in life period.

 Sarah has always been involved in social events and head of her classes a real prodigy. So I guess it makes since she would be good under pressure.

 In any case we're the same age pretty much. So I just got to catch up with her.) Negan’s inner competitive spirit kicking in again.

 Sarah hops down and lands in front of Negan. As if she fell out of the sky.

 (Hey boy, I've been calling you for a minute where you at?)

 (Oh I'm sorry Sarah. I was lost in thought for a moment there. But I'm here now. So what's up?) Negan asks.

 (Ok so it turns out. They have guards searching the whole town and the outside villages. For a young man at pulling age with brown hair and a small scar over his right eye. And for a little blue haired toddler girl.

So they are looking for you both. And by the way it sounds like they mean to find you by any means needed.) Sarah explains.

 Negan turns towards the open alleyway.

 (Well guess we better hurry then.) Negan pauses for a moment.

 (They even mentioned my scar huh?) Negan asks.

 (Yea I thought it was kind of odd myself. The fact they even noticed your scar.) Sarah said.

 (Yea your right.) Negan said in excitement as if he discovered a clue.

 (It all happened so fast. Sam had me up and out the door before I even reacted. Then I ran out of town. And I was at home before I knew it.) Negan said as he turned to Sarah

 (Someone must know about my scar.) Negan said in a sort of proud manner.

 (They must have told the guards who I was after the guards fought Sam. Or worse maybe they beat it out of Sam and he needs our help.) Negan said as his face turned with a grim look.

 (Sarah) Negan said panicking.

 (We should be going to save Sam right now.) Negan said again as he turns back towards town. Ready to go.

 Sarah steps out in front of Negan.

 (Look we don’t need to be headed where the bad guys are. Everyone is looking for you Negan.) She said

 (Nor should we be worried about who may have told the guards what.) Sarah said.

 (Look as long as they don't have you or the girl we are fine.) She said.

 Sarah took a deep breath. (I need you to Listen to me Negan.) She says as she grabs Negan’s hands.

 (Sam is gone Negan. No one can help him now ok? All we can do now is get you out of here safely. So he didn't die for nothing.) Sarah explained to Negan as softly as she could.

 Negan pulled away quickly snatching his hands back.

 (You don’t know that!) Negan yells.

 (Why does everyone keep telling me its to late for Sam? He wouldn't give up on us so easily. Why won't you help me Sarah? What are you hiding? I can tell you know something I don't. So tell me Sarah.) Negan yelled

 Sarah looked up at Negan. His eyes glaring at her.

 (Ok Negan, you said colleen disappeared right?) Sarah asks.

 (Yes.) Negan replied.

 (Like when a magic scroll disappears?) Sarah asks Negan meeting his gaze.

 Negan eyes widen some as he responds (Yes. Just like that in fact.)

Sarah gives Negan a warm soft smile.

 (Well that's cause colleen was a soul weapon Negan.) Sarah said.

 (Wait what? No way.) Negan said in disbelief.

 (So your saying. The woman who cooked all my meals everyday. And was always there. Was a weapon the whole time?) And as he says it. It all clicks in his head.

 All the times she would grab a scolding pan and not get burned pretending she was fine.

 Or when she went to chop wood with no axe. And then the way she claimed the cooking spoon was her weapon.

 I knew no one has ever had such a lame soul weapon. it all made sense finally he felt the pieces connecting in his mind.

 He looks back toward the alleyway leading to the cottage outside town.

 (So if colleen really was a weapon. That means her master was.)

 (Sam.) Sarah said interrupting him.

 Negan looked down at the ground. A mixture of emotion’s bottling up inside him.

 (And that's how you know it's to late for Sam.) Negan said sadly.

 (Cause if colleen disappeared. It means it was cause Sam died.) Said Negan as he looked away almost trembling now.

 (Sam was one of the top duel wielding adventures with the guild. For quite awhile before settling down with Colleen here.) Sarah told Negan.

  (They used to call him Sir Sam the duel wielder.) Sarah said.

 So that's why colleen said not to worry about Sam. Negan thought. And why she sent me to see Sarah. She knew Sarah knew all this.

 He turns back to Sarah.

 (So how long have you known?) Negan asks Sarah.

 (A few years.) Sarah answers.

 (I learned a few years ago. I walked in on Colleen transforming into her weapon state. Her arm transformed into a axe head right in front of me. I freaked out a bit. And then Colleen explained it all to me.) Sarah said.

 (Explain what exactly?) Negan asks.

 (Not now.) Said Sarah.

 (Right now you need to get back to the cottage. Get the girl and then go to the iron hills and find father Jacob.) Sarah said.

 (Wait what? The Iron Hills?) Negan asked in a confused manner.

 (Look we don’t have time to finish talking about all this. I'm sorry I can't explain it all fully. Here take this pouch. It’s not much but you will need it to get by. I’m sure Colleen sent you to me so I could help you with this.) Sarah said.

 (But you have to go to the cottage, get that girl and get out of town. I heard the guard say they were going to be adding more men on the eastern gate soon. And you got to get out of town before they get there.) Sarah told Negan.

 (Wait what do you mean? Your not coming with us Sarah?) Negan asks.

 (No.) Sarah responded.

 (My place is here with my uncle and my people.)She said proudly. And she grabs his hand once more and pulls him down the alleyway heading toward the cottage once more.

 This time Negan doesn't pull his hand away and instead keeps pace right behind his old friend.

 And as they make their way down the alleyway. The trembling in his hands begin to steady before he lets go off her hand.

 A few minutes pass as Sarah and Negan are getting closer to the eastern edge of town. Sarah looks back at Negan. Who was just slightly behind her now.

 (Were making decent time. I think we should make it before the extra guards show up.) Sarah says to Negan.

 Who's now about fifteen yards behind Sarah struggling to keep up with her high speed. Their heading straight towards the eastern gate. Negan picks up his head a bit while trying to maintain his current speed.

 Negan wonders to himself how Sarah is so much faster then he was. After all Negan considered his speed to be one of his greatest attributes. Then he remembers Sarah mentioning a technique she leaned at school. That helps one move faster then the eye can see.

 (Hey Sarah. How do you do that shadow step technique?) Negan asks Sarah pushing himself a bit to catch up to her.

 (It’s the technique you said you could use a while back remember? The one that’s supposed to let one move faster then the eye can see.) Negan asked.

 Negan wondered if that’s what Sam used earlier in the church while fighting.

 Sarah looks back and slows her speed just a bit to let Negan catch up to her.

 (Shadow step huh?) Sarah says.

Looking at Negan she smiles and then turns her left foot slightly lifting the back of her heel.

 Negan sees her crouch some as if she was about to jump in the air. But instead she vanishes for about two seconds and then reappears right in front of Negan. Causing Negan to stumble a bit while running.

 Sarah grabs his hand and pulls him back onto balance as they keep their pace moving down the back alleyway.

 Sarah now running alongside Negan. Negan looks over at Sarah and Sarah smiles a little.

 (So that shadow step?) Sarah asks Negan.

 Sarah is smiling even more now trying to hold back her laughter.

 (Yea, That shadow step.) Negan said somewhat annoyed.

 Sarah giggles a little. Negan looks ahead and tries to push his speed up a little as Sarah is moving ahead of him just a bit now.

 (That's crazy you moved over twenty yards in a instant.) Negan said.

 (Well technically It was two seconds. And I just kept up with you more or less.) Sarah said looking back at Negan.

 (You just couldn’t see it.) Sarah explained.

 (Well can you tell me how to do it?) Negan asks Sarah.

 (Even if I could explain it all to you now Negan. You don’t have the time to learn it. Plus we don’t know what your attributes are yet.) Sarah said.

 Negan speed slowed a bit Sarah notices the pace change and said.

 (Well for now anyway.)

 Negan looks up.

 (What do you mean?) Negan asks.

 (Well you have your weapon now. So as soon as you name it and figure out what your attributes are. Who knows what spells and abilities you can learn. Pretty much everyone can use shadow step though.) Sarah explained to Negan.

 (Yea your right.) Negan said.

 Negan got excited at the thought of being able to use magic.

 (Who knows what I can use.) He thought to himself.

 (I just got to name my weapon is all.) He said to himself out loud

 And it hit him like a ton of bricks. Again realizing that his weapon is some blue hair girl who's at his house.

 And like a wave of horror the last few hours events wash over him piece by piece. Reminding him of all that's happen in just a few hours and all he’s lost.

 Negan shakes his head. In a attempt to clear his mind. I need to focus. Think of one thing at a time for colleen and Sam. He thinks as he lowers his head and starts to quicken his pace to catch up to Sarah. For now I just got to keep pace with Sarah.

 They continue running down the back alleyway. As Sarah notices something up ahead. And in a instant she plants her feet and slide’s to a stop.

 She stop’s just behind a stack of crates at the edge of the alleyway. The crates are just around the corner of the used cloths shop. Beside the east gate. Where Negan had just entered town not a hour ago.

 As Negan finally catch’s up to where she’s standing. She reaches out and snags Negan back by his collar. Once again he gets yanked back into the wall of the building.

 (Oww, Jeez Sarah you got to stop doing that.) Negan says while he dusts off his shoulder and stumbles a little off the wall. Then steps up next to Sarah.

 (So what's up? Why did we stop like that again?) Negan asks.

 (Well boy look up there.) Sarah says and she points to the top of the gate wall.

 (Guards, ten in total now.) Sarah says while looking down the alleyway and back around corner.

 (Looks like we didn't make it in time after all.) Sarah says while grabbing some cloths out of a crate behind the used cloths store.

 (What are you doing?) Negan asks.

 (Preparing things.) Sarah replies.

 (Look here boy.) Sarah says as she looks through a crate.

  (I'm going to make you a distraction. You use it to get up and over that wall and home. Ok?) She says as she pulls out a shirt and looks up at Negan.

 (Red or green?) She asks Negan.

 Negan stares at her half annoyed half confused at what he is seeing.

 (Red I guess. Wait Sarah, you can't do this if you help me they will arrest you or worse.) Negan said getting more serious in his tone.

 Sarah tosses the green shirt back in the crate.

 (Oh most definitely much worse. They would most likely charge me with treason and may even go after my uncle as well.) Sarah says in a rather calm tone.

 Negan is a bit thrown off by how light she is making of the situation.

 (I don’t get it.) Negan says

 (So why are you doing this? How is this smart?) Negan asks Sarah. Getting more annoyed at how nonchalant Sarah was acting about something so serious.

 (Jeez calm down boy. I am Sarah Whales I’ll have you know. And I do nothing without having a plan. You should know me by now Negan.) Sarah said rather proudly.

 (Listen I'm going to go distract them. You just make sure you are ready to go when I give the signal. You use the crates to pop up and over the wall ok?) Sarah asks Negan as she starts to rip and tear apart the red shirt.

 (Yea I get that but still.) Negan said worrying.

 (Hey do you remember when we met Negan.) Sarah asks interrupting Negan.

 (What? Um no actually.) Negan replies.

 (You’ve just always been with Sam, Colleen and I as far as I can remember.

 You always came over and we played almost everyday. But I can't tell you when we first met.) Negan said a little surprised.

 (Well you make me sound kind of like a stalker when you put it like that.) Sarah says giggling a little.

 (Oh I didn't mean it like that Sarah.) Negan said quickly.

 (I know.) Sarah says.

 (But I don’t mind even if that’s what people thought.) Sarah says looking at Negan’s eyes now.

 (I cant explain it. But I just knew I had to be by you side.) Sarah said smiling looking up at Negan.

 Negan had never seen this side of her. Sarah looked so pretty in that moment. The way her eyes sparkled he felt as if he would never feel sadness again. A warm feeling washed over him. As a moment passed and then the awkward feeling settled in and then exploded.

 Sarah stepped back a bit away from Negan. And then finished ripping the shirt still clinched tightly in her hands.

 Negan fell back few steps and turned a bright red for a moment.

 Sarah turns towards where the guards are huddled in a circle just in front of the gate.

 (I'll distract them.) Sarah told Negan as she started to walk out from behind the crates.

 (Oh one more thing. Make sure to get winter cloths from Colleens room before you head out.) Sarah said.

 (What are you going to do?) Negan asks Sarah.

 She turns her head back and looks at Negan. Then she tilts her head slightly and says with a smile.

 (I'm Sarah whales, So I’m going to take them down of course.)

 And then she pulls the red shirt ripped to fit as a mask over her face.

 Then turns back toward the guards as she starts to walk out into their view.

 (Goodbye old friend.) Negan whispers to Sarah as she walks away.

 Sarah raises her hand above head as if she was saying farewell as well.

 (Hey you, Stop right there.) One of the guard closest to Sarah said in a loud demanding voice.

 Sarah now standing right out in the middle of the street leading in and out of town. With her arm still raised above her head.

 (He said stop right there.) Another guard yells at Sarah. As the other three guards circle around her all pointing their weapons right at her.

 Sarah stands there motionless.

 Negan looks up at the gate wall where the other guards were just posted.

Two of the guards from the top of the wall move down to where Sarah is. And the other three still atop the wall all turn toward the center of town where Sarah is standing arm still reached toward the sky.

 Negan thinks (Now is my chance.)

 He turns his head and looks back at Sarah in the street surrounded by guards from all directions.

 Sarah glances over at Negan and gives him a wink.

 (All of you here have been found lacking in your humanity.) Sarah says loudly in a manly voice trying to cover up her own.

 (I the hero of the people have seen your ways and will judge you all accordingly. For far to long the people have suffered at your hands. Well no more.)

 And as Sarah said that she dropped her arm and slammed a smoke bomb on the ground at the same time.

 A cloud of white smoke engulfed the area where Sarah and the guards all stood.

 All Negan could hear was swords clashing, men growling and groaning. The people who were all standing watching in fear a moment ago we're now running in panic back to their homes.

 Negan could here the guards yelling.

 (Get him quick don’t let him get away.)

 Negan jumped up on to the crates piled up by the wall.

 (Well guess that was the signal.) He thought and smiled as he pulled himself up onto the gate wall.

 He looked down to see if there was any sign of Sarah. White smoke rolled through the town streets and started to clear some.

 Negan can start to see the scene of the fight where Sarah was just a moment ago. Box’s busted apart in the street and a few soldiers lay on the ground by the gate.

 Negan then turns to jump off the other side of the gate. He sees a tree branch poking out towards him. And he jumps grabs hold of it uses it to swing to another branch and then onto the ground.

 He turns and looks up at the gate to Everdale.

 (Well guess this is it then.) He thinks to himself.

 (Thanks for everything Sarah. I’ll come back for you one day.) Negan says to himself out loud.

 And then Negan turns and starts to run through the woods once again.

 He continues through the woods jumping over tree logs. Past bush's and down the trail he heads straight for the cottage. Where he left the little girl not long ago.