Himeno- Colonel (awayuki)
Hayate- Sergeant (windrie)
Goh- Major (flam)
Kei- Lt. (bulb)
Mannen- Corporal (freeze)
Sasame- general (sonic)
Hajime- Corporal (flood)
Shin- boot shiner (lol)
Location: off the coast of L.A. on highly classified military establishment.
…CONTINUATION OF 2…
CHAPTER 10: ENEMY LINES
"Himeno, Hayate!-oh…." Goh ran over, yelling then stopped abruptly. I tore away from Hayate and gave him my attention.
"what?" Hayate demanded harshly as I opened my mouth.
"you have no right to talk to him that way." I said calmly, then to Goh, "what is it Major?" I said, emphasizing Major so Hayate would get through that he did not out-rank Goh.
"we just got a message from head quarters, we need to move north immediately!" Kei called, running up now with the bags we had in tow.
"there's a whole fleet onto us and they're coming to find and destroy us." Flam added.
"that's what they think?" I asked, now slightly shaking in fear. Me!
"yes ma'am." Kei said, his hands shaking slightly too as he held onto the bags and equipment. I grabbed my bag out of his hand and then Hayate's-throwing it at him.
"okay, let's move it." I said, slipping one bag strap up to my shoulder and pulled out the map.
"it's that way." Flam said, pointing in the direction I was just about to say. I nodded and folded the map up, shoving it in my pockets as we moved out. As we pushed through the bush I looked back at Hayate. Why was I so harsh to him? Wait-get it together colonel. You're on a military assignment not a bachlorette's vacation. I shook myself out of my thoughts just as I almost fell in a trap hole. I sighed and jumped over it, landing on a slippery spot and falling. I let out a small scream and hit my head.
"Himeno!" they all three said at the same time. Hayate ran over and helped me up.
"you okay?"
"yes, just a little slippery spot. And now I've told them where we are…" I said, angry now with myself. We all turned, hearing a twig snap somewhere behind us.
"Should we hide in the trap hole?" Kei offered, I bit my lip looking down at the darkness I had jumped and fell to get away from. Another twig snapped, slightly closer.
"I guess!" I said, turning around and falling into the whole first. It was deeper than I thought, by the time I landed on the bottom I couldn't even see to the top. I pressed against the cold wet dirt as Hayate, Goh, and Kei jumped in after me. We were all a little too close down there. It was barely big enough for all four of us. We didn't talk for hours, we just sat there listening to the voices speaking different languages from way above us. Kei said, when he had first jumped in, that this was about 9 yards down. I don't know how he did it cause I had no clue. I put my arms around my knees and pulled them tighter against my chest, which was starting to tighten with the lack of fresh air. I looked over at Hayate next to me, his dark blue eyes shot out of the darkness back at me softly. Kei and Goh were across from us, both looked either asleep or thinking. I leaned closer to Hayate to talk to him. "You okay?" I whispered. He nodded, probably barely able to hear me. The only thing all of us could hear was our hearts thumping in out throats.
"I'm okay, what about you?" he whispered back, his eyes searching in mine trying to find something.
"Chest feels tight, but it's just the lack of oxygen down here." I said, reaching my hand up to pin my hair back. It was getting really dirty I knew, too. Out of the corner of my eye I saw him give me a concerned look.
"You sure-huh!" he gasped, looking up as dirt fell down into the whole. He slammed his jaw shut and his eyes widened, seeing barely a figure looking down.
"Oh look the little lamb is dirty again." I sighed in frustration, knowing the voice.
CHAPTER 11: BLACK'S GARDEN OF ILLUSIONS
"What do you want Black?" I asked, standing up and brushing my pants off.
"Who says I wanted something?" he asked.
"Well then why else are you here? Where'd the men go?" I asked, seeing his two bright yellow eyes in the darkness. They narrowed and I heard him laugh.
"Gone. They were so scared of you that they died of fear." He said back, joking I was sure.
"Yeah okay. Help us up!" I said, not even bothering to ask him what really happened. Partly scared of what he did to them too.
"Why? You don't help me. How come I have to help you?" his arrogant voice echoed back.
"Just get us out!" Goh snapped back.
"Goh wait." I said quietly, putting my hand on his arm to stop him. "If you help us out, I'll help you." I called.
"I don't need help." He snapped back.
"Mental definitely." Goh muttered under his breath.
"Don't waste your breath idiot number 2, I can hear you." Black called back.
"Wha-!" Goh started, but I covered his mouth with my hand to calm him.
"Black, please get us out." I said patiently. He stayed quiet for a minute in thought.
"Okay. But only on one condition." He said. Kei sighed and Hayate rolled his blue eyes.
"what is the condition?" I called.
"You have to come with me to my…place. I'll show you where the base is for the stupid humans you're looking for, you give me one last thing, then you leave. Sound good?" he asked.
"What is the 'one last thing'?" I asked. He let out a laugh.
"I can't tell you that yet little lamb." He said smoothly. What was with him calling me a lamb…?
"It isn't my soul or something sick like that is it?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh course not, I have no taste in human souls, as surprising as that may sound to you." He answered. "So do we have a deal?" he asked. I thought for a minute and looked at Kei, Goh, and finally Hayate. They didn't look like they liked the idea, but when I looked back at Kei he smiled and shrugged.
"It will get us out faster you guys." I said, being optimistic. Hayate still was glaring ahead but he sighed and shot me a look. "Okay you've got it Black! Now get us out." I called. He vanished from the darkness and the hole suddenly filled under us, wind whipping around like a wind tunnel. We were on the ground level in a minute and Black was waiting by a tree. He opened his mouth but I cut him off, "What did you really do to the men?" I asked.
"Oh well it's nice to see you again too." He said, smiling, "Do you really want to know what I did with them?" he asked, eyeing me curiously. I grimaced and shook my head.
"Never mind. Okay let's get going. Where are you taking us?" I asked. Black disappeared from the tree and appeared in a flash behind me. I jumped as he breathed behind me and looked down. When had I gotten that bracelet? "Hey when-" I started to say, but as it came to me my throat jolted together and my head burned. Black! And he didn't want me to tell anyone I had it.
"My garden." Black answered, his cool eyes glittering mischievously at me, "is this way." He started walking and I followed, my wrist with the bracelet jumping at him but I shoved it in my pocket. What the hell was this! I glared at the ground as I walked next to Hayate.
"Himeno…?" Hayate asked, I looked up to find him staring confused at me. I forced a smile.
"Thinking. Sorry." I said before he could ask what was wrong. Wait, how did I know what he was going to ask me!
"Um…okay. How'd you know I was going to ask you what you were doing?" he asked, his curiosity rising in his voice.
"Ha-ha lucky guess." I lied. Do you like my little present? Black's voice? Oh gosh I'm going crazy. No you're not little lamb, I can read your mind and talk to you through it. All part of my plan. Until the deal is completely over, you're mine. I groaned at him saying that and kicked the dirt I was about to step on as hard as I could.
"Colonel?" this time it was Kei and he had a shocked and confused look on his face. Oh and, you can't tell them. How fair would it be if they knew I was controlling you? No, he was NOT controlling me!
"Sorry, I just can't believe its taken us this long to do this mission. I was going to come in, kick their sorry asses, and then get right out of here. Now we've been here for what…?" I asked, not remembering how long we'd been here. I believe it's a month. I held my head and deeply massaged my head. This was crazy! I don't think so…BLACK SHUT UP! I screamed in my head back at him. You're no fun. Let me talk to you nonstop inside your head and hear your thoughts and see how you like it! Oh no, no little lamb. Why do you keep calling me that! That's what you remind me of. A beautiful innocent little lamb. Oh great. I looked over at Hayate to see his worried expression.
"you sure you're okay?"
"Yes I'm fine." I said, looking from him to my bracelet hoping he'd see it. he looked down my arm and looked back up, twice as confused.
"What?" he asked. What! They can't see it silly. If they could, they would have noticed by now. Just let it go. No! How can I! You're puppeteering me around and I can't tell anyone! And if they mess up any part of our little deal, you pay for it. What are you going to do? Drink my blood? If I did decide to do a vile thing like that, that would not be all I'd do. Tell me, does your little soldier Gust like you being as clean as you are? I took a raspy breath in. he wouldn't. Oh yes I would. You're sick. You're a beautiful clean lamb. Okay quit with the lamb thing! Would you rather be a flower? Tulip-head. My brain stopped. He knew what Hayate called me! but how! It's a lovely term of affection…calling you a flower head. DON'T CALL ME THAT! I screamed back, my eyes gorging into his back.
"We're here." I stopped as Black halted and turned to face us. We looked around and my eyebrow went up. There was nothing there. Uh-uh little lamb. Watch my eyes. My eyes forced themselves against my will up to his glittering toxic yellow ones. His eyes widened and they shone bright, the wind picking up around us as they did. I closed my eyes and hid my head from the dust, as did Hayate, Kei, and Goh. The wind finally stopped after a few minutes and we all looked up cautiously. My breath caught in my throat. This place-whatever it was-was beautiful! You think? It is…but can't we just talk like…outside like normal people? Nah, this is more fun.
"It's…" Kei started, his eyes wide as he searched for the right words.
"Brilliant? Exquisite? Beautiful? Breath taking?" Black suggested with a smile.
"Yeah." Goh agreed dreamily, his eyes glued on his surroundings. I looked at Hayate, who also was mesmerized by the Eden recreation. Now, let's let them find things on their own. You look…tired. I'm fine, I'll stay with my men.
"You guys look around. I'm going to talk to Black." The words weren't me but they were coming out of my mouth the moment I told Black inside my head I didn't want to leave Hayate, Goh, and Kei.
"Okay." They all said at the same time then went off in different directions to explore. My jaw dropped, what!
"The plants are all their illusion. A spell they can't break." Black explained. Finally out of my head. "Now, want to know where the base is?" he asked. I nodded. He smiled-his smile was really hot. Like bad, bad, bad boy. That's three bads. "Come here and I'll show you." His mouth moved to the words but it was Hayate's voice coming from his mouth. Hayate's musical enchanting voice that I honestly…loved. A lot. Hayate…Yes Tulip-head it's me…Why is your voice in my head? Because I can't stand being away from you. Come to me Himeno…please I need you. The longing in his voice was unbearable but in my gut I knew it was really Black trying to persuade me. I didn't need my half-taken head to figure that out. Himeno I love you more than my life. My eyes widened and my feet moved right up to Black so I was less than a foot from him. "Now kiss your beloved." I heard Black breathe, his ice cold presence was freezing me from the inside out. Himeno I love you…I want to be with you forever…marry me Himeno. Yes Hayate, yes. My guts were screaming as I stepped to Black and leaned up, wrapping my arm around his neck and holding his face down to mine. I kissed him passionately and took another step closer, putting my other arm around his cold neck. STOP IT HE'S NOT HAYATE! I parted my lips, taking a breath, then kissed him again. NO, NO, NO, NO! his hand slipped up my arm and grabbed the bracelet, causing pain to jet up from my wrist. Hayate does not exist in your heart any longer. He doesn't love you Himeno. Let the weak one go. I gritted my teeth and stumbled back, the pain in my wrist becoming unbearable. Black smiled and licked his lips. "That was wonderful."
"Tell me where the base is!" I yelled between my teeth, gripping my wrist as tight as I could thinking it would stop the pain. Black thought for a minute and then snapped his long slender fingers. The garden vanished and we were standing in a dark room. I saw cracks of light and realized it was a tent, not a room.
"You were in it the whole time." he said, pleased with himself. I pulled my bag off my back and pulled out my gun and a bunch of wires. Had to blow this place to the sky and kill everyone here. "Everyone eh? Okay you will kill everyone here." Black said, I looked down to see the bracelet glittering and the pain slowly went away. Oh shoot. I threw my bag and glared at him as I walked out, gun out and the explosives in my back pocket and front pockets. I pulled the tent flap back and stepped out into bright sunlight.
CHAPTER 12: BLACK'S CONTROL AROUND HER HEART (PT. 1)
"AMERICAN!" someone called as my gun rang out. Two down. I dodged more kicks and fired more. Three down. How many were there anyway? 25 I believe. Black I don't need this right now-right kick now! I kicked to my right as hard as I could and got a huge guy right in the stomach. I kneed up and slammed my gun down behind his neck. He fell to the ground motionless and I turned and threw my leg out, kicking one in the knee hard and then punching him as hard as I could across his ugly face. 6 down and I was getting tired from fighting these over grown biker dudes already. I threw the explosives down and threw a few times grenades into the tent and trees around the open clearing. The guys were freaking out now that they knew I wasn't leaving this place until everything there was destroyed including them.
"You creeps are hard to track down." I said, sounding amused. That was totally NOT me! You sound so dangerous. Grr I like that. I rolled my eyes, it was Black controlling me again. I stopped and just shot down the few that were coming towards me.
"Go back to where you came from. You don't care about stupid little Korea." One said in a heavy Australian accent as he dodged out of my shots.
"I do when it concerns the US as well. What are you guys doing here?" I demanded sharply, pointing right at him. I had a clear shot right to his eyes.
"I wouldn't tell you." He said, smiling now. I looked at him confused. Behind you! I whirled around, but not fast enough for the huge guy to punch me in the gut and knock the gun out of my hand. I gritted my teeth as another one that I hadn't shot came up behind me and pulled my up by my hair and wrapped a huge arm around my neck in a lock. "Now little American, get your little men and go back before I cut your throat.
"Ass…who do you work with? The one that pays you more?" I asked, I wasn't good at bad mouthing. Never was my trade. Oh thank you so much Black. In case you can't tell this HURTS! Help please! No need. Give it a minute…wait for it. I opened my eyes and waited. What exactly was supposed to happen? Suddenly the plants all around us sprang to life and started attacking the men right and left. Shooting out of the ground, wrapping around necks and legs, and then pulling them under the ground or into the forest where their screams faded slowly and painfully. Within a few minutes the area was clear, except for the one Aussie, and men lay strewn around dead, most had been dragged into the trees though. "Your little men are gone." I stepped to him and set the gun, pointing it right at his head. His eyes widened and his face drained of all color. "What are you doing here and who are you working for?" I repeated, glaring angrily into his bloodshot fearful eyes. Rawr you're just a tiger aren't you little lamb? That makes me so-shut it.
"Missal testing."
"For what!" I demanded.
"I don't know. All they told us…was to make sure they're ready for attack-"
"Who told you?" I pressed the gun harder into his forehead.
"Anonymous operatives…Antarctica…"
"And you don't know what they're using them for?" I asked, glaring harder.
"T-they said something about…some Fort by California. Some hot shot secret base-" I looked away with a yell and pulled the trigger. I didn't mean to but it was Black inside me, pushing me too. I heard him drop in frown of me and I stepped back, my hand dropping to my side as the gun felt extremely heavy. I felt sick.
"So that is all of them? You're sure?" I asked shakily, turning to see Black standing with me.
"Don't you trust me?" he asked, smirking like he usually did.
"Not really." I said, shoving the gun in my back pocket and bending over, resting my hands on my knees at the pain in my gut. I pulled my gun out, hearing another noise ahead and stood up quickly.
"Oh my…looks like there's one more person here for you to kill." My eyes widened as a worried familiar face stepped out of the trees. "You said you'd kill everyone. Couldn't resist mate."
CHAPTER 13: BLACK'S CONTROL AROUND HER HEART (PT. 2)
Oh God it's Hayate…Black I can't kill him I l-love…
"Himeno, kill him." Black ordered from beside me. I felt my finger cock the gun and I felt my aim getting to Hayate.
"Himeno!" Hayate's hurt and confused voice asked from in front of me. He had come to check on me and Black is going to make me kill him. Make me kill the one I loved more than anything. You love nothing. No one. Let anger rock your world. I WILL NOT KILL HAYATE! I screamed as the gun finally glared Hayate right in the face. The bracelet stung on my wrist and I fought it as it pushed and pushed me to pull the slick black bloody trigger. I looked up slowly and my eyes met Hayate's. "Black what did you do to her!" Hayate demanded, suddenly getting that I wasn't myself. Honestly, it was about time he noticed how weird I was acting.
"Nothing." Black lied. He cocked his head towards me and put his arm around my shoulders and ran a black nail down to my bracelet. "She just finally knows what she wants." My eyes widened as the pain in the bracelet reached beyond standing point and I fell to my knees, the gun still held at Hayate with my shaky hands. I was staring wide eyed at the ground, my heart beating two beats it felt like.
"Himeno?" Hayate took a step closer and I finally held the gun steadily at him. My head lifted up and I slowly stood to my feet.
"Yes…I know what I want finally…" I said strongly, there was no way I would let Black make me kill Hayate. You can't fight me, little lamb. You're weak, emotional, and human. No one can fight the Devil. Black's voice was getting icy in my ear and I reached up and took hold of the gun with my other hand to get more control over my other hand with the painful control. You don't know me at all. I fought against my body and slowly the gun pried away from Hayate. "And it's not to kill the one I love." I said between my teeth. I dropped my hand with the bracelet and painfully whipped my arm around, firing right at Black. It caught him off guard and the bullet sunk right into his chest. I stumbled back, the bracelet felt like it was on fire and I tugged and tugged to get it off.
"Himeno what's going on!" Hayate demanded, running over and holding me against him. I pushed away and pulled and pulled at the bracelet.
"I need…to get it off…" I said between my teeth. Now I know he couldn't see the bracelet but there's no way he couldn't see the raw skin and burn marks around my wrist in a perfect circle. This was some weird crap Black had.
"Get what off! Holy shit what are those from!" yep he finally noticed the marks.
"The bracelet!" I snapped, partly in pain, "get a knife or something!" I instructed, not having any luck with pulling it off. I looked down horrified as red letters etched into the bracelet. I squinted to read them but it hurt my eyes to and I gave up, not being able to decipher them anyway. Hayate came back with his knife in his hand and held the handle out to me. I grabbed it and go the blade between my wrist and the bracelet but I cut my skin and blood dripped down as I flicked the blade back and cut the bracelet. A flame fell from my wrist and burned away in the grass. I nursed my cut and handed the knife back to Hayate, breathing heavily as the pain in my wrist slowly went away.
"Himeno…?" he asked, confused as he took his knife back.
"Black wanted to make sure that we followed his plan so he put that on me. I can't believe you guys were too stupid to notice I was acting weird." I explained, eyeing him painfully as I gripped the cut to stop the bleeding.
"We all felt off too, this place is all so weird. Hey where'd the men go…?"
"Gone. Black made me into a killing machine. Trees took some too though-huh?" I looked down as the ground began shaking. "Time to go! KEI GOH!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, grabbing my bag. "Where are they!" I demanded as me and Hayate started running. I had a bad feeling about the ground moving since that's where the evil plants were.
"I don't know, we all went off when you and Black came here." He said as we ran in step beside each other.
"KEI! GOH! WE HAVE TO GO!" I screamed again as I jumped over a root. It snapped up under my foot and I fell, grabbing at the dirt as it gripped my ankle and pulled. I yelled and tried to grab something as it pulled harder. I heard a knife being pulled and the plant released me as I heard the knife slice through it. I jumped up and ran, Kei and Goh were with us now.
"You're welcome!" Goh called as we ran.
"No time for that! Stay alive now, talk later!" I said over my shoulder. The roots were coming up everywhere now and we all were feeling like a high school track meet. Hurdle, run, hurdle, and run.
"hey-shit! Ow stupid plants!" Kei growled from behind me.
"Hey where exactly are we going?" Goh called. The same question was haunting my mind now too.
"I…have…no…idea!" I said between breaths, dodging a side shot of a plant and jumping another.
"Maybe if we go this way-" Hayate started as a plant shot from in frown of us at him. I grabbed his arm and pulled him towards me, falling back on another root and hitting the dirt hard. Kei and Goh were down on either side of us in a second, breathing heavily as we sat there in the dirt as the plants slowly died down and withered away. I sighed and hit the top of Hayate's head lovingly with my hand that was under him from pulling him after me.
"I think they'll leave us alone now." I said, pulling myself up as Hayate got off my arm. I pulled my bag around in front of me and dug for my map. I handed it to Kei and pulled out our communications phone. 5 messages. Oh God they probably think we died. I hit 'call' and set the phone down so it could get the signal and call the base.
"Colonel! Why haven't you called in we've been so worried!" Corporal Freeze's fuzzy voice came from the phone as soon as the signals connected.
"We had a little ordeal, don't worry. We're coming home. Send a helicopter to the coordinates of the phone ASAP okay Corporal?" I said, not bothering with details.
"Yes ma'am!" he said, then the signal dropped before he could say more.
"I have no idea where we all. None at all." Kei said, giving the map back to me.
"Well Freeze'll get the signal and send us the helicopter." Goh said, stretching his arms back behind him.
"Yeah I'm sure he will." I smiled. It was over. I ripped the bottom of my shirt off and tried to tie it around my wrist.
"Want help?" Hayate caught my hand and I nodded, lowering it and letting him wrap and tie it around the still slightly bleeding cut. We stayed quiet for a minute, I was thinking about Black so hard my brain felt like it would explode. Was he really dead? Why did he take such an…erm…interest in me? Why did he not like Hayate? What was he? "There ya go." I snapped out of my thoughts as Hayate dropped his hands from mine.
'Thank you." I said, smiling, then I remember, "oh and thank you too Goh. For saving me." I said, looking over at him. He nodded and smiled crookedly. I looked back at Hayate and my smile faded. I felt guilty now, thinking of what Black made me do to him. I had kissed him-nice one too-but I loved Hayate so much. Was it wrong if I didn't want to?
"What's wrong now?" Hayate asked, smiling as he leaned forward to me. I looked away nervously and scratched at my wrist.
"Well um…" I started, then looked at Goh and Kei who were listening even though they were pretending not to. "I'll tell you when we get home. Alone." I said, emphasizing alone and smiling at Kei and Goh. I really wanted to talk to Hayate about it but not with Kei and Goh there.
"Aw come on, who we going to tell?" Goh asked, frustrated.
"Everyone." I said, like it was obvious. "it's not that I don't want you to know, it's that I want to be completely concentrated on the subject and you two are very distracting."
"Uh!"
"We are not Himeno!" Kei protested.
"Wait maybe she means like…distracting like we're so hot she can't stand it." Goh said, smirking as he narrowed his eyes at me.
"No that's not it-"
"Psh, I'm way prettier than she is anyway." Kei said, flicking a strand of his gold hair back. We all started laughing and the pressure on my mind eased slowly away.
"That's not true." Hayate said between laughs, all of us slowly controlling them again.
"You think?" I smiled, looking at him.
"Definitely." He smiled back.
"Well that doesn't surprise me. Look at those lovey dovey eyes." Goh cooed.
"What eyes? I wasn't looking at him lovey dovey." I protested, "yet." I smiled, leaning over towards him. He brought his hand to my face and hesitated before leaning in and kissing me softly. I held his hand on my face as we sat there in our own world. I told you last time that he was a killer kisser right?
"uh-Himeno! Problem!" Kei and Goh jumped up from behind us and pulled on my jacket.
"Wha-oh shit!" I jumped up noticing the ground shaking again. "We can't run!" I said, grabbing Goh in the arm as he made a break for it.
"Oh yeah the helicopter! Well we can fight I guess." Goh shrugged, pulling a knife out with one hand and his gun with the other. He aimed ahead of him and his eyes darted around. I pulled my gun out and Hayate flicked his knife out from his jacket. Kei was in the middle of us with the communications phone to get a hold of Freeze. The first plant shot out in front of Goh and he shot it a few times before it withered away. Then they all were attacking at once. I was shooting 5 or 6 at least at a time and more kept coming when the first ones died. Hayate and Goh were having the same problems.
"Freeze says that the helicopter left half an hour ago, it should be here in like…45 minutes! We can change the destination if we need to though." Kei said after a few minutes. I groaned and shot off one that was heading under my leg for Kei.
"Tell the damn chopper to hurry it up!" I snapped to Kei.
"yes ma'am!" he shut up and turned on the phone again. I aimed at a plant coming at me and fired, but the gun locked. I was out of bullets!
"I'm out!" I yelped, not knowing what to do. Goh reached around from my right and aimed, firing and hitting it perfectly. "Thanks." I sighed.
"No problem. Here, I'll use the knife." He said, fighting back the plants as he handed me the gun. I took it quickly and fired at some of his before firing at Hayate's since they were piling up at them knowing that they couldn't kill them as fast as I could.
"Ma'am in front of you!' I didn't look in time and a plant suddenly came out of no where and a pointed edge went right into my leg and through the other side, wrapping around my leg. I screamed in pain as the plant ripped back and my leg went with it. I was pulled to my butt and Kei grabbed me and pulled my back. I grabbed the gun I had dropped and aimed down at my leg, firing once and the bullet went right into me instead. I screamed again and aimed with shaky hands at the plant. This time I got it and it withered out of my leg and away. I gritted my teeth and clutched my nauseous stomach seeing all the blood from my leg. Kei threw me a shirt out of my bag and I gingerly wrapped it around the disgusting hole in my leg and tied it as hard as I could.
"Himeno-God I can't help you! Damn plants! Why don't they go away, Black's dead!" Hayate growled.
"I doubt he was alive to begin with." I mumbled as I got another shirt from Kei and put it tight around the bullet wound. I grabbed the gun from the firing Kei and fired myself, killing more than he did. He stayed low behind me and Hayate and Goh stood back to back behind us to be able to see all angles. We did this for half an hour and my leg was killing me. I had tried three times to stand up but it was no good, I couldn't.
"Helicopter has spotted Korea and is coming for us now, I have communications with him!" Kei exclaimed. "Snow White calling pilot 556. I repeat, Snow White calling Pilot 556." What kind of training did this guy get on code names? I laughed as I shot a plant.
"Pilot 556 calling…snow white?" I laughed again at the chopper pilot's response.
"Yes, you need to high tail it over here, Princess Peach is shot and a plant got her leg." Kei said. Oh great, I was Princess Peach!
"Yes sir! I'm almost at location, 3 minutes maximum." The pilot said, then cut the signal.
"Okay now listen here then." I said, finally getting myself up but putting all my weight on my other leg. "Kei, you go first. Goh, you go next. Hayate when you're on you will tell the pilot to go. Send a rope or something and that's how I'll get up." I started, they all started to protest when I continued, "if we all get on at once we can risk the plants attacking the chopper. If we all get on slowly then maybe they won't."
"I say we all just jump on at once and we shoot out the doors at the boggers." Goh said.
"I second that." Kei agreed.
"Do you think it would be easier Hayate?" I asked.
"Yes if it means you aren't down here trying to get on a rope with a bad leg. That was a pretty stupid idea." He said, smirking. I elbowed him and looked up as the chopper appeared above us. It went down and something blocked it.
"Pilot 556 to Snow White!" the fuzzy signal came back.
"yeah that's me what is wrong!"
"I can't get down sir, there's something blocking the way." He said, confused and angry at the same time.
"Throw something down for us then!" I called.
"I will try ma'am!" he said. We looked up to see three ropes drop down and they hung a few feet above us.
"Goh, Kei now!" I screamed, throwing everything in the bag and putting it on Kei's waiting shoulders.
"But Himeno-" Goh started, but Kei hit him to shut him up and the two jumped up, grabbing the two ropes and holding on tight. I turned and started shooting again as the chopper pulled up the ropes. Halfway up, I looked up in horror to see Goh's rope suddenly split. He jumped sloppily and Kei caught his arm barely, pulling him up under him. The chopped kept pulling up and soon Kei and Goh disappeared into the machine.
"Hayate go!" I yelled. He bit his lip and then slowly walked back, still shooting, to the third rope. The first one dropped down and I grabbed it, tucking the gun away and pulling myself up from the ground as the plants burst to life realizing we were escaping. I climbed-painfully-as fast as I could as the ropes were raised. I looked over, my eyes widening as Hayate's rope was splitting too. I don't think that it was the weight either. I reached out and grabbed his hand just as he started falling. I gritted my teeth as I puled with all my might up and he got a hold of the rope under me and I could let go. After what seemed like hours we were in the chopper and I collapsed on the floor, breathing heavily from climbing and catching Hayate. The chopper instantly lifted and took off and I sat up shakily. Hayate was face down next to me, his chest rising and falling heavily and his hand shaking at his side. "Hayate…" I said, grabbing his hand shakily and then falling back, my whole body either feeling sick or shaking.
"She's in bad shape…" the chopper pilot finally said as he looked back and saw me shaking.
"She's had too much stress for one mission." Goh said, coming up and sitting next to the pilot. I let out a laugh and looked at him.
"You have no idea." I sighed.
"And I'm sure you never will." Kei laughed, kneeling down next to me and putting a bundled up blanket under my head. Hayate pulled himself up into a pushup position and rolled over to his back, sighing.
"Hey fly boy you okay?" Kei asked, hitting Hayate playfully on the shoulder. He nodded and gripped my hand tight knowing it was me.
"Thanks." He said, his voice coming back to him. He was getting over his shock a lot quicker than I was.
"No problem…think you're good enough to look at my leg." I said between my teeth, the pain was coming back and it felt like someone was ripping my leg off from the plant hole. He nodded as he sat up and let go of my hand.
"But not like this." He said, standing and kneeling back down to put his arms under me and pick me up.
"H-hey!" I protested but he had already sat me down on the wall stretcher in the corner of the chopper. I leaned my head against the cold metal wall and sighed, looking away as he pulled the shirts off. I closed my eyes tight and tried not to throw up even though it felt like I was. "I can't…" I said, feeling my head.
"Hayate she's losing color fast!" Kei exclaimed, coming over right as everything went black and I fainted.
CHAPTER 14: HOME AT LAST!
"Himeno come on!" I opened my eyes slowly to see Hayate and Shin. Shin was on the bed next to me, his eyes red and his nose pink as tears streamed down his face. I reached up and wiped his face.
"Momma!" he fell down and put his arms around my neck. I held him against me and kissed his head.
"Damn don't do that again!" Hayate snapped.
"What did I do…?" I asked, my voice dry and still slightly shaky.
"You've been out for a week! You were in a freaking coma and I have no freaking clue why!" Hayate exclaimed, his eyes bloodshot and his hair on end. And he said I stressed too much.
"Hayate, it's okay." I assured him slowly.
"I know it is now but I have no idea why you didn't wake up. Those plants were some scary shit." He shivered. "Where it got you there was like a green powder stuff around it. Never seen anything like it before." Hayate said, sitting down next to me as I pulled myself up. Shin clutched around my waist and held himself against me. We just sat there in silence until Shin slowly fell asleep in my lap.
"Hayate, about what I wanted to tell you." I started, he put his arm on the opposite side of me and leaned over towards me, his eyes staying on mine in attention. I wanted to look away from him but his eyes were so sincere.
"Yeah?"
"Okay first of all, about us…Black he made me do some things I didn't want to do but I couldn't fight him…" I started, my hands fiddling with Shin's hair.
"You did, you didn't let him make you shoot me-"
"He made me kiss him Hayate. He made himself…I thought he was you. His mouth was moving and your voice was coming out, he smelled like you, your voice was in my head. I couldn't fight it." I said quickly, my hand tightening on Shin's head. Hayate sat back and looked at me confused.
"He…pretended to be me?"
"And did a very convincing job of it. I kept telling myself that it was him but he tricked me badly. I've been beaten a lot since you came." I said, smiling innocently.
"Well it's your own fault you think I'm hot stuff." Hayate said simply, shrugging. I laughed and rolled my eyes. I should have known it wouldn't bother him.
"Yeah I suppose." I smiled. He seemed slightly shocked by my answer but he smiled after a minute and leaned back, kissing me sweetly. I put my free arm around his neck and kissed him back, this time it was the real thing I was positive.
"Mommy loves daddy!" Shin exclaimed from under us. I broke away, laughing, and kissed Shin on the head.
"Yeah, mommy does." I smiled.
"And when did this happen?" I looked around to see Freeze and Flood standing at the door, their arms crossed and smiles on their faces.
"Oh you should have seen the first kiss it was just like a corny chick flick." Goh smirked, appearing behind them and putting an arm around them.
"Goh you're just jealous. It was beautiful." Kei sighed, putting one arm around his chest and the other on his face.
"You didn't even see it!" Goh protested.
"How do you know?" Kei sneered, hitting him on the head.
"Oh let's take this outside blondie!" Goh exclaimed.
"Only if you take that hideous mask off your face, everyone will laugh at you if you don't." Kei snapped. Goh steamed and punched his hand to intimidate Kei. I laughed and sat back as Hayate did and Shin jumped off the bed, running to Goh and Kei.
"Hey kiddo, want some ice cream?" Goh asked, scooping him up and putting him on his shoulders.
"yes!" Shin squealed. I smiled, everyone was getting along just like the old days. Having so much fun too. Everyone filed out of the room to get ice cream with Shin and I stretched my arms back and then up.
"Do I have to stay in bed?" I asked. I wanted to go with them. Hayate smirked and I knew he was about to make a joke.
"Well we can do it a lot better when you are…" he said, leaning over and kissing my neck. I hit him in the back of the head-not too hard-and he laughed as he leaned back. "No you can go, I think your leg can take it." he said, standing up and holding his hand out to me. I threw the sheets off and swung my legs over.
"Where are my pants?" I asked, realizing I wasn't wearing any way too late.
"I don't remember. Here." He threw me my jacket as I stood up, careful on my right leg. I tied it around my waist and pulled my shirt down awkwardly. "That new military protocol Colonel?" he asked, smiling as I took his hand.
"Only for strippers." I said, smiling back.
"Oh goody!" he exclaimed, letting go of my hand to hold around my back and hold my waist so if I fell he could catch me. "I'll see you at 8 then?"
"As always." I said, leaning on his shoulder. He slipped his hand up higher on me and I rolled my eyes, he thought I was serious?
MINI-SODE!
HAYATE'S PROPOSAL
I stretched my legs out on my desk and sighed, it felt good to finally be back. The only thing that was missing was Hayate, he asked for some leave to see his parents and to get his real rank back. I picked up my soda and drained the last of it before throwing it at the door. To my surprise, it hit the door and fell to the ground. I blinked and stood up, why hadn't Flood been there as always? I walked out and my eyes widened. Where was everyone! I walked out of the building, slightly agitated now, and raised an eyebrow seeing no one was out here either. I stormed to the mess building and threw the doors open.
"MOMMY!" Shin squealed, running at me from inside. I caught him and held him on my hip, the mess hall was completely dark but Shin had come from somewhere. Suddenly all the lights were on and everyone jumped at me. I screamed and fell back, not expecting it at all, and caught myself barely before hitting the dirt outside.
"What the-" I started.
"Miss Colonel Awayuki has won another medal and here we are to celebrate it!" Goh announced in a fork-this guy was loony-and Kei jumped out from behind him with a spoon and one of my uniforms on. How'd they get that!
"Why thank you Major Flam, it's a pleasure to win another hunk of medal to sit and rot away in my cabinets!" Kei said, using a high squeaky voice.
"So here we go! Presenting: El Medallion!" Goh boomed, throwing his arm back and hitting Kei in the face. Everyone broke out laughing.
"You said you wouldn't hit me you jerk!" Kei squeaked back, massaging the red mark on his face now. They both shrugged and looked at the kitchen door for a minute. They looked confused.
"Presenting: El Medallion!" he repeated. Obviously what they wanted to happen wasn't happening.
"I didn't really win anything did I?" I shook my head as I set Shin down. Two hands reached around my face and covered my eyes as I stood up.
"El Medallion!" Goh and Kei said at the same time. Hayate was gone…so who was this?
"It's General Sonic." The voice behind me said in an acting masculine voice. Hayate!
"Hayate!" I exclaimed, pulling his hands down and turning to see a smile across his handsome face.
"Hayate you didn't follow the plan!" Kei yelled from the table, putting his act away.
"I know." Hayate said, looking me right in the eyes. What was he doing? "Himeno, I'm not a colonel but I got my Luitenent back." He said, he was avoiding a subject though I knew it.
"That's great!" I exclaimed.
"But if that's all you care about I'll go on like I was supposed to for your little welcome back party." He said quickly. Oh yeah, I'd forgotten about our little fight last time about how I only saw his rank. Did I really?
"As long as you're still Hayate…I wouldn't care if you were a Corporal (lowest rank for those of you who don't know)." I said honestly. He smiled again and nodded.
"If you really think that…" he started. My eyes widened as he took my hand and kneeled down in front of me. the whole hall went silent and I heard two silver wares smacking into the concrete floors. "…Himeno Awayuki, will you marry me?" I covered my mouth as it dropped and I felt my eyes start watering. I didn't know he was that serious about me! I lowered my hand and smiled.
"Yes." I said simply. The hall erupted in cheers and Hayate jumped up, hugging me with a death grip. I held around his neck and smiled. Himeno Windrie…didn't sound bad. Colonel Himeno Windrie. Oh snap I just changed my uniform and now I have to again!
"You son of a bitch, I didn't know you were proposing!" Goh exclaimed, pulling him by the neck away from me.
"I didn't tell anyone. Just me and Shin knew." Hayate winked at Shin who threw him a thumbs up. I laughed and ruffled the top of his head.
"Just out of curiosity, what were you going to do?" I asked Hayate. Goh and Kei stifled laughs and Hayate smiled proudly.
"Strip. Why?" he said matter-of-factly. My jaw dropped.
"Can we do it again!" I asked. Kei and Goh broke out laughing and Hayate smiled at me with those beautiful blue eyes twinkling.
"You'll get another chance." He said simply. I smiled and pulled him away from Goh and Hayate, putting my arm around his neck and kissing him passionately. This one was better than the fake on Black too!
THE END!