Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Denali yawned and stretched back into her chair. She glanced at her watch; it was already 10 o'clock in the evening. Denali hadn't realized it had been so long she had been here most of the day. She twirled her pencil around in her hand looking at her design. Denali glanced over at her friends, Professor Hushi, a brilliant old man who supposedly was the creator of Medabots, Rokusho, at white KWG type Medabots, and Baton the robot parrot. Denali smiled to herself; she had the bests friends she could ever ask for.
Denali closed her sketch book, sliding it into her bag. She stood, hefting the bag up onto her shoulder. None of her friends looked, except Baton, who flapped his wings and flew over to her, landing on her head peering down into her face.
"Remember, no crackers this time, sunflower seed, okay?" Baton chirped.
Denali giggled, "Right, Baton," she said, letting Baton jump down onto her arm.
The Professor and Rokusho turned to her.
"I'm gonna head home before it gets too late, besides I still have to pack for the picnic tomorrow," Denali said.
Hushi nodded, "Alright, be careful,"
"I will," Denali insured. Baton flew off her arm and landed on Professor Hushi's shoulder.
"Bye Baton, Bye Rokusho," Denali said as she turned and left. The door clicked shut behind her.
"I don't feel comfortable knowing she walking home alone," Rokusho said, "Professor, could I go and walk her home so she's safe?" Rokusho asked looking at the Professor.
"Of course, Rokusho," Professor Hushi said nodding.
Rokusho nodded his head and hurried out the door to catch up with Denali. As the door closed behind Rokusho, Professor Hushi chuckled lightly, "I never thought how fast those two would become friends,"
Baton squawked, "If anything ever happened they could take care of each other no doubt,"
***
Denali walked down the dark sidewalk, streetlights lightening the sidewalk in places. Denali shivered as she pulled her jacket tighter around her. She knew she should have left sooner, but oh well. She continued on down the hill as someone called her name. Denali paused, looking back as the white Medabot raced down the hill towards her.
"Rokusho?" Denali asked.
Rokusho slowed to a stop in front of her, "You don't mind if I walk you home do you?"
Denali smiled, "Not at all! I was getting kind of lonely any way,"
Rokusho nodded and the two walked on.
"Tomorrow is gonna be great," Denali said.
Rokusho just nodded his head. They walked down the sidewalk for a few more minutes until they came to Denali's doorstep.
"Thanks for walking me home, Rokusho," Denali said, slightly bowing her head.
"Not a problem," Rokusho replied.
Denali opened the door and walked in. Rokusho sighed quietly and started the trek back up the hill. Denali bounded up the stairs to her room. She flicked on the lights and ran over to the indented window and peered out. Rokusho walked up the street looking up to her window. Denali smiled and waved, Rokusho paused and waved back and continued on. Denali quickly changed and set her alarm clock for 8 a.m. and jumped into bed.
***
Rokusho finally reached the top of the hill. He headed to the house when an explosion rang out and red and orange flames engulfed the house. Rokusho's optics widen as he rushed in. He simply busted the door down and entered. He franticly searched for Professor Hushi and Baton. They were nowhere in sight.
"PROFESSOR!!! BATON!!" Rokusho yelled out but is calls were only answered by the crackling of the house around him. Rokusho refused to leave, but his systems couldn't take the heat from the fire. Rokusho collapsed as his optics faded out into snow.
***
Denali awoke to the soft pitter-patter of rain against her window. She looked up and saw a faint red-orange glow coming from the Professor's house. Denali shot up and realized what it was, the house was on fire. She jumped out of bed in her pajamas slipped on her shoes without socks and raced down the stairs. She grabbed her coat and sprinted out the door and up the hill in what seemed like five seconds. The police had everyone back while the firefighters drenched the house with water. Denali pushed her way through the crowd to the front of the group. She heard from the nearest officer's radio that they hadn't found anyone; it was too hot to search. Denali's heart sank; she shoved past the officers and ran towards the burning house. An officer grabbed her arm, keeping her from entering.
"Are you crazy!?!" the officer yelled, "You'll be killed!!"
Denali struggled against the officer's grip, "Let me go!! My friends are in there!!!" she screamed. When there was no answer Denali screamed louder.
"PROFESSOR!!! BATON!!! ROKUSHO!!!"
The officer finally got her back and her parents grabbed her and drug her home.
***
Denali sat in her room all that morning. She sat on the window seat, watching as the house was finally extinguished and, one by one, the police and fire trucks left. Denali silently creep down the stairs and jogged to the burnt house. There was yellow tape around the house that read 'DO NOT ENTER'. Denali ignored it and ducked under it and advanced towards the house. The door had been busted down so she just walked in. The support beams had collapsed blocking most of the hallways. Then Denali heard a distinguishable voice ring out.
"PROFESSOR HUSHI!" a robotic voice screamed.
It was Rokusho! He was still alive!
Denali followed Rokusho's screams to a doorway. Two support beams covered the doorway. There was a small opening where light shone thorough. Denali slowly crawled up the support beams and peaked through. There was the KWG Medabot, his white armor splattered with mud, on his hands and knees.
"Rokusho!" Denali exclaimed, causing Rokusho to look back. The support beans squealed and snapped, causing Denali to plummet to the muddy ground with a thud.
"Denali!" Rokusho yelped jumping to his feet rushing to her side. Denali sat up on her knees as Rokusho reached her, silently staring at her. Denali finally had to look away from Rokusho's gaze. Tears built in Denali's eyes, she knew that Rokusho wanted her to say that the Professor and Baton were alright but. Denali threw her arms around Rokusho's neck and buried her face in his shoulder plate and cried. Rokusho remained silent, only wrapping his arm around Denali as she cried.
Finally Denali was finally able to speak through her sobs, "I…I was so…sacred. I…I thought I had lost you all,"
Rokusho was silent, letting her continue, "I-I tried to get in to help, but the police wouldn't let me…I feel like it's my fault they're dead…"
"Don't say that!" Rokusho exclaimed, putting his hands on Denali's shoulders so he could look her in the face.
"Someone did this, someone horrible, and when I find out whom it was I'll make them pay dearly for doing this to our friends!"
"Please don't," Denali pled, "don't go looking for revenge! It will only destroy you in the end!" Denali begged, looking down, "I knew someone who went looking for revenge and lost his life in the processes…."
Rokusho seemed taken back, "What happened?"
Denali shook her head looking down at the ground, "Never mind, I just don't want to see you get hurt,"
Rokusho seemed so caring for a moment, "Alright. I won't go looking for revenge but, if it finds me, then I will face it,"
"No you won't," Denali said, looking up at Rokusho, "Not without me, you're not. If the person who's responsible for this comes after either of us, we'll both face them. Together,"
Rokusho nodded his head, "Together,"
Denali stood, her clothes drenched in water and mud, "We should go. The cops will come back to determine the start of the fire, I don't think it would be wise to be here when they show up,"
"Yes," Rokusho replied,
The two left the burnt house and headed for Denali's house. The rain cleaned the mud off Rokusho's armor as they walked down the street.
Denali stopped for a moment. Rokusho stopped looking back at her, "Something wrong?"
Denali smiled slightly and looked back at the broken house, "Baton. He said it would rain today," Denali chuckled, "I guess he was right,"
Rokusho nodded his head and they continued. Down the Boulevard of Broken Dreams…..