Self Preservation
A/N: I don't own any of this, I'm just borrowing it for a while and will make no money whatsoever.
Summary: Linka and Wheeler find that their feelings for each other could have a greater effect on their work as planeteers than either had imagined.
Chapter 1 - Mistakes
"You won't get away with your evil scheme Plunder!" Kwame shouted as they closed in on the serial polluter and his henchmen. "Hunting Rhino's for their horns is illegal in Africa, you will all be arrested."
Laughing, the pony-tailed polluter said, "Do you think anyone other than you planet-punks really cares? There are other forms of hunting that are perfectly legal here, they just aren't as profitable!"
"Lot's of people care, and sooner or later they will find a way to outlaw all forms of needless killing!" The Earth Planeteer moved between the hunters and their prey, but one of Plunder's lackeys still didn't lower his rifle. "Outta my way greeny," taking aim.
Before Ma-ti could warn the Rhino's, Wheeler lifted his hand to call his power.
"Wheeler Nyet!" the Wind Planeteer called, her Russian accent pronounced due to her alarm, but Linka's urgent warning was ignored in the heat of the moment.
Fire shot out of the American Planeteer's ring, catching hold of the dry grass by the hunters feet and spreading rapidly.
Caught off-guard as he was pulling the trigger, the killer swung around, the barrel of the gun pointing directly at Kwame as it went off. Falling backwards and scrambling away from the growing blaze, the hunter made it to his feet and ran for his life.
Gi screamed as her African friend hit the ground, and ran to his side followed closely by the others. "Kwame!" she exclaimed as she saw the blood on his shoulder, and would have tried to stop the bleeding, had he not prevented her.
"It is only a scratch my friend. We must call Captain Planet before this fire gets too big to stop." And so saying, the groups de-facto leader raised his arm, though it caused him to wince, and cried "Earth!"
Looking very guilty the American planeteer followed suit, "Fire!"
"Wind!" Linka was concerned about her injured friend, but agreed that the environment had to take priority.
"Water!" Gi and "Heart!" Ma-ti completed the call and were relieved to hear their superhero friends' familiar voice. "By your powers combined, I am Captain Planet!"
"Go planet!" The planeteers chorused, though Kwame's voice sounded a little weak.
"What have we here?" the blue man asked with concern, "Looks like you could use some medical attention Kwame."
Feeling the need to set things right, Wheeler answered, "He was shot, it was kinda my fault Cap. I messed up but we have to stop the fire before it goes any further, and there's the polluters too."
"Da," Linka agreed, "Then we can take Kwame to hospital!"
The crystal hero nodded, "Sounds like a plan! I'll stop the fire, you grab the polluters." Soaring into the air, Captain Planet looked around for a water source.
Taking charge Linka said, "He is right. Ma-ti stay with Kwame," then to her other two friends, "Come on!"
Looten Plunder had taken the jeep he and his men had arrived in, leaving them to get away as best they could. Fortunately this meant that the planeteers didn't have too much trouble tracking them down. Only one of them put up any resistance, and Wheeler quickly dealt with him, using the martial arts skills he had learnt on the streets of Brooklyn.
Even furious with the American, Linka couldn't help but appreciate his strength and skill, but she hid it by being even more short with him than usual.
After the three planeteers had their quarries hands tied securely behind their backs, they led them back to where they had left their friends. It had started to rain and the fire was going out, leaving a large area of scorched earth, though luckily it had not had time to reach the trees that were the animals only cover.
"That about takes care of it I think." Captain Planet returned to his teams side.
"Excellent work my friends," Kwame said weakly, he was still losing blood, though Ma-ti had retrieved the first aid kit from the geo-cruiser and bandaged his wounded friend.
"I have called the authorities, they will be here soon to pick up the prisoners, but we will need to take Kwame to the hospital ourselves." Ma-ti informed them, his concern plain in his voice.
The African tried to argue but, still in charge, Linka overruled him. "Gi, why don't you take Kwame to the hospital in the geo-cruiser, Wheeler, Ma-ti and I can handle these guys until help arrives."
"Well then, if you don't need me for a while…" their hero said, rising once more into the air, "The power is yours!" he called, splitting into five different coloured beams of light and energy, that returned to the young peoples rings.
After the geo-cruiser had departed and they had arranged the prisoners in the shade, with their hands and feet bound, Linka moved over to look at the scorched ground.
The Wind Planeteer sighed and shook her head sadly. It takes so little to do so much damage.
Wheeler had followed her over and now decided to try to cheer her up, after all it seemed as if her mood was his fault. "Penny for your thoughts Babe?"
Linka's voice was icy as she answered him, still angry at his actions and their consequences. "I was thinking about how terrible the destruction is, and how needless it was! We are supposed to prevent this, not cause it ourselves!"
Sighing the American said, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do it, it was an accident."
"Nyet, it was carelessness, you never think your actions through." she retorted.
Wheeler was getting frustrated, "I do think. I didn't know what would happen! We're not all like you, you know, sometimes people just get things wrong!"
The Russian's voice was rising as she became more irate. "Some people take their responsibilities seriously, some people would take the time to find out about their work or at least about their powers. Not you though, you just wait until the last minute and expect us to explain things to you!"
Wheeler's voice rose to match the Wind Planeteers, "Hey, I've tried learning that stuff, but you know something, it's boring! Facts, figures, you and Kwame might get off on statistics but the rest of us..."
"Do not bring the others down to your level Yankee," the Russian interrupted, "They know their jobs, it is just you who are too lazy, or too busy trying to flirt! We have never put anyone in danger by acting so recklessly, do you not know that Kwame could have been killed? Sometimes I wonder why Gaia ever picked someone like you." Linka was breathing heavily, her temper having overridden her brain and taken control of her mouth.
When Wheeler didn't respond, she stalked away triumphantly, to sit beside Ma-ti in the shade. I won the argument! That is good. Maybe I have gotten through to him at last and he will be more careful in the future.
Linka had indeed won the argument, but if she had looked into her companion's eyes just then, she might not have felt so good about it. Wheeler followed his beautiful teammate a few seconds later, sitting on the other side of the prisoners, and not making eye contact.
"Wheeler my friend," Ma-ti's voice asked from inside the fire planeteers head, "What happened?"
Glad that their voices hadn't carried so far, "Linka's mad at me, don't worry little buddy, she'll get over it!" His emotion's were locked down tight, but outwardly he would appear as he always did, the way he'd learnt to be around his parents after one of their fights.
It bothered Ma-ti that he couldn't feel his friends' emotions, that was something he expected from Linka, whereas his red haired teammate usually kept his feelings close to the surface. Their relationship is far too complicated for me to comprehend! They must sort it out for themselves, I will not pry.