The day started out normally.
They woke. Ky cooked. Boomer barely salvaged what had meant to be fried eggs, and then lost at rock-paper-scissors. Both Maya and Ky only watched, laughing, as Josh flipped the blond over his back in a valiant effort not to take his medicine.
He was finally subdued after Maya used her expert wiles to wheedle him into swallowing it (read: effortlessly beating him in a fight and threatening to force-feed it to him if he continued to struggle).
All three boys took note not to mess with her.
They trained, Josh reluctantly remaining in bed to rest. Then an alert came in, and the three sped off on the X-Scaper, leaving Mookee to watch over the sick brunette.
They had been walking for hours since then.
"Maya, do you think you can pinpoint the location of the Kairu?"
Wiping the sweat beaded across her brow, she contemplated for a long moment, nose scrunched up tightly. "I don't know… I'll give it a try, but I haven't been sensing anything for a while. Don't get your hopes up, alright?"
It wasn't like there was much hope left to raise.
Ky nodded wearily, watching intently as she knelt down, palm flat against the ground. With a deep breath, she closed her eyes, concentrating hard to locate the familiar tug of Kairu. Usually, it would welcome her with open arms, like an old friend opening their door, encouraging her on. This was not one of those times. Just as she was about to give up, she registered the faintest flicker of energy, enticing her forward. A flash- Water rippled- She was submerged- splashing- It was cold-
Then Ky's hand was on her shoulder and she was blinking down at the earth beneath her hands.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah." She absently touched her head, but she needn't have worried, the dizziness was quickly clearing. "I went in a little too deep there."
Boomer was hovering uncertainly, his concerned evident. She waved them both away, dusting off her knees with a careless swipe. "Right. It's pretty weak, but the Kairu is coming from straight ahead of us. I can't accurately judge the distance, but I'd say it's anywhere within a mile or so." She sighed, her hand straying loosely through her hair. "Sorry I couldn't be of more use."
"Don't beat yourself up. We've got a better idea now than before. The X-Reader was practically useless." Boomer reassured, easily. "Let's bounce. The quicker we find it, the quicker we can get back and rest."
Neither Ky or Maya could find fault with that, so they pressed on.
The ground rapidly started to steepen, rising up into vast hills.
Boomer eyed them in distaste, slowly turning to Maya with a hopeful look in his eyes. "The signal… It's not coming from up there, right?"
She only grimaced in sympathy, watching as the light died from inside him. "Um… Good news or bad news?"
"Will I like either of them?"
"Maybe?" He stared. She dropped what had attempted to be a smile. "So… We have to go up there. But the Kairu is much closer than before."
"... I want a vacation after this."
"I'm with you on that." Ky agreed, airing under his shirt. With every waft, Maya caught a slight rush of air, and a glimpse of his toned muscles. He must have noticed how utterly sensual it was, for he fearlessly met her gaze and gave her a tremendously flirty wink. Maya only rolled her eyes."Enjoying yourself?"
"Sure." Her voice was dry, yet her traitorous skipped a beat. After a moment, she copied him, because, hell, anything would be better than the suffocating heat.
"I'm not." Boomer cut in, with an edge of grouchiness.
Ky patted him sympathetically. "Don't worry. If we don't get to rest, I'll put you in the infirmary myself." They tapped fists as if Ky hadn't just promised physical bodily harm on his best friend.
Groaning with reluctance, Boomer dragged himself forward. "Well, let's get this over with."
Ky hummed an improvised tune.
Somehow.
Apparently breathing wasn't necessary for him.
She envied him. Greatly.
Boomer had a hand on her back, keeping her steady as she searched for the energy. Doing so while walking up a hill probably wasn't the most intelligent idea ever, but sue her, she was doing it anyway.
"Ah- what?"
Ky instinctively grabbed her arm, probably thinking she'd slipped. "What's wrong?"
"The Kairu is moving." He let go. Her brows furrowed in a deep frown. "Let's move. Quickly."
Maya was out on point, Boomer and Ky only a step or so behind her. She lead the way, fearlessly striding on, head swivelling every so often to assess their surroundings. The usual banter between the three was all but gone. Maya was serious, which meant they were serious, otherwise they ran the risk of being thrown from the ridge.
A scream.
The three snapped to attention.
Again, it sounded-
They were running. Scrambling, almost completely doubled over at some points, raking the ground for hands holds to keep them steady as they went. Ky and Boomer pushed the girl from behind. On even ground, she was the fastest, hence getting her up first was their priority.
She reached the swollen banks of the river before either of them, hawk-like eyes attempting to pinpoint the safest area to cross. She struggled to find it, and within moments, Ky and Boomer were by her side.
"Found anything?"
"No-"
Under their combined weight, the ground crumbled beneath their feet. In the midst of their hurried retreat, Ky spotted something bobbing in the water upstream. Maya, seeing his sudden grim expression, regarded him cautiously, until he turned her head to follow his gaze. "Do you see that?"
Her eyes narrowed. "Yeah. What is-"
The scream came again, louder, more fearful.
"It's a little girl!" Boomer hissed, wide-eyed.
And sure enough, there was a petite, young child caught in the depths of the water. She looked so helpless, flailing desperately to stay afloat. Maya felt her heart constrict. The poor girl noticed them, and reached out weakly towards them. "H-Help me!"
"Who's the best swimmer?" Boomer asked, in a low voice.
Ky and Maya traded a short look. Jaw clenched, he nodded sharply in the face of her challenge, encouragingly patting her back. "Be careful. No risks, we'll follow along the bank. Call if you get in trouble."
"Will do."
She dived straight in, the cold hitting her like a slap. Throwing her head back, she tossed her hair from her face, treading water as she located the girl. Ky and Boomer were careering along the bank, leaping precariously over raised tree roots, observing her with unwavering intensity.
There were at least seventeen different ways this could have gone better.
Literally.
She was counting them now.
Nevertheless, she made her way through the water towards the child, who by now was having trouble simply keeping her head above the water. It was only a matter of time, Maya thought grimly, before the poor girl's strength failed completely. The brown-eyed girl only hoped she could hang on until Maya could reach her.
Ky was yelling encouragements somewhere to the left of her. With the smallest flicker of a smile, she continued on, trying not to think about how much more difficult this was than what she expected.
Usually she could glide around the calm waters at the Monastery without a problem, her and Ky undergoing intense competitions to test their swimming abilities, while Boomer preferred to stay in the shallows. This? This was completely different. Clad in normal clothes, heavy with water, with a strong current to boot, this was nothing short of a nightmare.
The girl was still screaming, bless her soul.
"It's alright!" Maya called, spitting water out of her mouth. "I'm coming, just hang on!"
She managed. Barely. As soon as Maya reached her, two little arms wrapped around her neck, squeezing weakly. Maya caught her around the waist, propelling them both back towards the bank. When her grip loosened to the point of being non-existent, Maya glanced down, horrified to see the poor girl's eyes closed. Spurred on by panic, Maya carefully kept the child's mouth above the surface, quickly sloshing out of the water.
Exhausted, the older girl scooped the child into her arms, carrying her away from the river.
The instant the boys arrived, jumping down from the raised ground, the girl was relieved from Maya, and Boomer swiftly began checking her condition. Maya watched, absently squeezing the water from her hair, Ky at her side, stripping his jacket from around his waist. Said clothing was pulled tightly around Maya's frame, Ky determinedly rubbing the warmth back into her arms as they waited.
Boomer shook his head, concern evident. "We need to get her back to the X-Scaper." Taking in Maya's pale features, he all but shot to his feet. "Scratch that, we need to get both of you back. You look like death itself."
"Thanks, Boomer. That's the nicest compliment I've had all day."
Ky pouted, looking put out. "I complimented you earlier."
"Ky, sweetie, you said my thighs look like they could crush the skulls of my enemies. Forgive me if I don't know whether I should be flattered or not."
In the background, Boomer facepalmed. "Lord, you're so awkward. Can we please just leave?"
Ky looked very grateful about the abrupt change of subject, and hovered a step behind Maya, just in case her strength dissipated. Boomer was still carrying the girl, doing his best to keep her steady and warm. Occasionally, she stirred, shifting closer to his body, possibly seeking his security.
Despite her sporadic movements, she remained asleep for the entire journey, until, red-faced and breathless, they arrived back at the X-Scaper.
Boomer, asserting himself as the child's protector, didn't hesitate to clamber up the ladder and take her inside. Ky and Maya, however, were back to their old antics, teasingly offering each other entry first.
"Do go on-"
"Oh, no, I insist."
"Please, you first."
"We all know ladies go first." Maya replied, with a little smirk, gesturing for Ky to pass.
"Well," he pretended to flick non-existent hair over his shoulder. "Men go just before."
More nudging and playful shoving ensued, before Maya finally succumbed to the cold and elbowed her way past him.
"And where do you think you're going?"
She blinked, the hand clutching the railing clenching into a tight fist. A moment later, she'd pushed back, foot returning to solid ground, fists at her side. Exchanging an exasperated glance with the raven-haired boy, Maya swung around, expression twisted in displeasure. Ky himself was directing his most venomous glare at the intruder.