It was a hot day on Xenor 4.. also known as the National Outer-space Terrestrial Territories (NOTT) royal game preserve #7. Rocket Robin and Little John were hunting wild oxen, though in the 30th century, one could easily live on a diet of protein pills, veggie powder, and carb cubes, Robin knew that nothing compared with the taste of freshly cooked meat.. Ever since meeting Giles their gourmet cook, Robin knew the band was to live on wild game. Like the ancient native tribes of North America back on Earth, Robin also knew to give back whatever he took. And so one trip to the NOTT royal game preserve meant taking enough wild game for peasant villages, who would in turn farm their own land returning what was given them. Now on their tenth and last ox, Robin knelt patiently as Little John waved in his direction.
"There's one, oop! He's spotted me, here he comes!" Little John pocketed the red hankie.
"Don't worry John, he's as good as cooked in the slaughterhouse!" Robin drew back on the heavy oak handcrafted bow. Not as accurate as his metal fold out bow with laser string, still, something felt so right about using this natural bow crafted out of wood and cotton bound string for hunting. In the thirtieth century it would be a simple matter to fire a blaster, or arrow laced with toxin, or tasered rifle, and kill the animal before it even knew it was being hunted.. but all sullied the quality of the meat. As the arrow flew straight and true to its target, Robin could already smell and taste the smoked roasted meat they would deliver to the peasants on Yuna 5.
Though the arrow struck deep in the beasts chest it wasn't enough as it bore down on Little John. Quickly drawing another arrow and firing, two more sunk in near the first arrow. Rolling out the way, Little John flexed his arms mightily as the ox smashed heavily into a tree. Stunned momentarily the ox shook his head. Wasting no time he ran up and grasped the horns and twisted the beasts head back sideways... sideways... -KRACK- went its neck, as it slumped to the ground.
"My apologies John. I should have had more arrows let go."
"Aw he wouldn't have put me down, wrestled bigger ones then him back on my uncles farm.." Little John grinned.
Robin stared at the huge bull in front of him, "Little John I'm afraid you're just NOT as strong as you used to be."
"Huh?" he stood there wondering how Robin could say such a thing.
"Well my friend, we USED to say you were as strong as an ox, but in this case 'as strong as on ox' would clearly be an INSULT." Robin motioned to the huge fallen animal in front of them as they both laughed heartily.
After stowing the carcass in ships cargo hold along with the rest of the capture, Little John stood for a moment outside as Robin radioed that they were coming home.
Not far away, something moved in the air.. she was awake.. how long had she been asleep? Where was she? Hearing a great ruckus in the clearing, she followed its source. Around the next tree she witnessed a large blonde strongman wrestling a large oxen. By the stars! He felled the great beast, this man was stronger then she'd ever seen of anyone. Could they help her? It'd been a long time since she'd even come across anyone.
"Hey.. what's that?" Little John looked around to hear some.. tiny mewing..? Walking around a tree, he spied a little black kitten probably not even two weeks old.. its eyes just barely open, and hardly strong enough to walk, and not even a handful for his hand. "Awww.. who're you?" Little John picked it up, immediately it started purring, "You're just a little girl aren't you.." he stroked it.
"Little John, where are you, we're ready to blast off." Robin walked up behind him, "What's that?"
"It's a... little kitten.", Little John turned to Robin.
Robin was taken aback, "John, that's a mountain cat.. it's all black, but that white tip on the tail indicates it's a XENAN mountain cat- They grow to 75-80 kilograms, and they get to be ferocious hunters with age."
"Aww PLEASE... I could SURE use a pet."
Staring at the kitten for a moment and doubtful, Robin sized the kitty up. Her big eyes looked right into Robin's and melted any resistance in him. Little John WAS his best friend, and he hated to disappoint him..
"Ah well... alright, as long it doesn't eat us out of house and home.", Robin sighed in resignation.
"Aw she won't. I'm going to call her Ale, after my first girlfriend back on Earth." Little John beamed.
"Yes.. I see the resemblance.." Robin conceded with a half smile, "I suppose if she grows up in a domestic environment, she shouldn't turn feral... and she IS pretty cute. Come now, let's get home, I'm sure Giles has plans for our catch."
They climbed aboard the craft, as Little John reached for his hat as a makeshift bed for the kitten to sleep in for the ride home.
She remembered her father working on something, then she volunteered to help out on the initial test. A large explosion/implosion.. Her memory was still splintered.. some things she did seem to know off by heart.
Watching as they gathered up the wild game, she noticed Little John picked up a lost kitten. Aw he's got a big heart, I've got to go with them. She walked up knowing instinctively they wouldn't see her, after all for the last few hundred years she knew noone could see her. Stepping onto the ship she stood behind the spacemen.
As the ship rocketed through the galaxy, Little John began to nod off, the steady rocking putting him to sleep. A voice spoke up out of the blue.
"Can you help me?"
"Hm.. Robin.. you say something..?" Little John roused.
"Huh, what?", Robin had also nodded off, the ship being automatically guided by the homing beacon of New Sherwood Asteroid.
"I thought I heard something." Little John looked around, nothing, he looked at his new pet Ale, who looked at him with sigh as she stretched out her front paws.
"I didn't hear anything.." Robin looked around.
"I need your help.." the voice spoke again.
Little John stared at the kitty.
"Did you speak?"
"No Little John I heard that too.." Robin looked at the kitty first then all around. "This quadrant of space doesn't have any intelligent speaking four legged animals.."
A long silence ensued.
"I guess it was nothing." Little John looked at Robin who shrugged. The radar beeped indicating New Sherwood Forest Asteroid was coming up. As the ship docked both went to work carrying the carcasses into the smoke/slaughterhouse.
As the rest of the Merry Men came out and pitched in and helped process the meat, John retreated to his room with his new pet. Lying on the bed the kitten purred on his stomach.
"Ah, what a day. Ale you're so cute, you just stole my heart."
"And you stole mine... from the moment you wrestled that bull on the mountain. And then you took that little kitty into your home."
Little John stared around the room scratching his head then looking at the kitty who also looked around.
"Who... who's there..?"
"My name is Aurora Starr." the voice said.
"Aurora Starr? Who, what are you?"
"I am not here... yet I am, it's slowly coming back to me... My father, was testing something, I remember an explosion..."
"Is, is there anyway I can, I can see you? It's kinda tough talkin' to thin air." Little John still felt as though he needed to focus on something.
She reached out and touched him on the shoulder and rubbed.
"I-I could feel that... but where are you?" Little John asked.
"I'm right in front of you, I wonder, do you have anything to wear?"
"Just my bathrobe..." John motioned to his robe hanging on the door.
The robe picked up off the door and then moved around in mid-air.. then the string pulled tight to a feminine form within the bathrobe. Though floating in air, the headless robe had no hands, yet a shapely form within, medium sized breasts with the tie around a svelte waist.
"You're, you're a girl..." Little John seemed mesmerized by the shape his large bathrobe floating in front of him had taken.
"Aw that's sweet of you to say, but I'm about 300 years old."
"What in the name of NEPTUNE? Little John, what are you up to?" Robin's voice startled them both.
"Uh... hi Rocket Robin." Little John sat on the edge of his bed as his bathrobe jumped at the unexpected appearance of Robin.
"What are you doing? Something's going on here.."
"Please Robin. I am asking for your help.." the bathrobe turned to him.
"Who, are you..?" Robin studied the bathrobe quizzically.
"I just told." the bathrobe motioned to the big man.
"Oh, sorry. my name is Little John. This is..."
"Yes," the robe motioned to Robin, "I heard you two talking, you're Rocket Robin Hood."
"Pleased to make your acquaintance Miss." Robin took the empty sleeve feeling a hand, he bowed and kissed it.
"Aurora Starr, wow, and they say chivalry is dead." the robe held a hand out.
"So, how did you come to be invisible? What happened?" Robin pulled up a chair.