DA: First things first, this story can be considered many things. It could be an AU because it seems to be sometime during the anime, but it could also be after the series... I'm not even sure of the timeline. Just know that Buguese is evil because I thought of this story a long, long time ago and didn't feel like changing the villain. Don't hate me because of that... I just couldn't think of anybody else at the time.
Disclaimer: I do not own Spider Riders, though I DO own the plot. I do not appreciate anybody stealing my plotlines and I have to say that I have caught someone who has taken a few ideas from me... So please, stick with your own work. I slave over these stories and a little part of me goes into each one. Create your own masterpieces and please, don't rewrite mine unless you have permission from me to do so. And I'm not a mean person; if you ask, I will probably give you use over whatever idea you want.
DA: Sorry for ranting... I needed to get that off my chest. Here's the loooonnnngggg oneshot that I've been working on for years... (literally)
*Warning* This story has references to torture and graphic descriptions of injuries and blood. In reality, it should be an M fic but I'm putting it under T as a test.
Escape Plan
Hunter, upon arising to consciousness, became aware of Buguese's pompous voice ranting behind him. Blood drenched his aching body, even more of the liquid seeping through his clothes from the numerous injuries encircling his limbs. His blue manacle barely clung to his wrist, slipping on the newly slick skin. He was frail and thin, his cadaverous skin nearly transparent. Limp red hair hung in front of dazed emerald eyes, pupils dilated. A thick layer of scarlet swathed the stone table, running off in thin rivers. Another spray of liquid stuck to the wall, shimmering gently in the candlelight. The light from the messenger bug shone on his prone form, illuminating his injuries. Words drifted in and out of his mind as his consciousness slipped every now and then. Heavy lids just begged to be closed. "Bring the Oracle Keys to me," was the only coherent sentence that made its way into his hindered brain. It was at that point that Hunter forced himself to full awareness, no matter what his body cried for. "Or the boy dies." As if to emphasize his point, the bug prodded one of the teen's injuries, eliciting a weak gasp.
"Don't do it," Hunter rasped, making an attempt at pushing himself up. His arms trembled precariously, threatening to give out. "Don't bring him the keys. You guys know what he'll do with them." He painfully turned himself onto his side, facing the camera. "I'll be fine. I have Shadow, remember? I promise you I will get out of this." Buguese chuckled behind him, fingering something metallic.
"That's what you think," he snarled, thrusting forward with his hand. Hunter's eyes widened in shock as a knife invaded the flesh on his back. His mouth hung open in a soundless scream. His captor twisted the weapon, blood spilling over his hands and onto the already drenched slab. The redhead's eyes rolled up into his head and he went limp onto the table, head cracking on stone. "I suggest you hurry. He's not going to last much longer."
SRSRSRSRSR
Corona gripped the table, her knuckles going white. The messenger bug finished the message and the video feed cut off. Her face had paled long ago, blue eyes staring blankly at the hovering yellow sphere. Her mind went into a frenzy, trying to figure out what to do. Igneous walked up to the bug and sliced it down, his sword trembling as his hands did. The two halves struck the ground separately, the riders staring dejectedly at its remains. "What are we going to do?" Sparkle asked meekly, staring up at her brother with terrified purple eyes. Lumen had no answer, eyes glued to the messenger.
"We can't just leave him there," Corona said desperately, feeling like she couldn't catch her breath. "He'll die." Igneous glanced around as if the solution would pop out of thin air.
"But we can't defy his wishes either," the blue hair commander whispered. "There has to be another way…" The blond stared at the brilliance of the Oracle Keys resting on the table her hands clung to for dear life. Her blue eyes then wandered to the basket of soaps that they had received as a gift of appreciation, brightening as thoughts formed. She grabbed a key and a bar of pure white soap, glancing between the two. A smile began growing on her face.
"I've got an idea." Igneous, who had been curiously analyzing her actions, gasped, the idea just dawning upon him as well.
"Corona, that's brilliant!" Lumen was obviously still confused, his eyes flicking between the two riders. The blue-haired teen, on the other hand, had moved closer to the blond, discussing the minute details of the forming operation.
"Anybody want to fill me in?" Lumen questioned, raising his hand. The two looked back at the embarrassed prince, hopeful smiles glued to their faces. Corona motioned for him to come over, a dull knife gripped in her hand.
SRSRSR
Corona sprinted into the throne room, clutching a velvet bag in her hands. Venus was waiting outside the palace, their getaway spider. The plan was to get Hunter, after handing over the fake keys, and get out. There was no room for deviations, Hunter's life depended on it. Buguese sat on the plush throne, power radiating about him. His slender fingers tapped the chair's arm in impatience, green eyes staring at the blond in curiosity. "I brought the keys," she snapped, holding up the bag. As far as she could tell, the redheaded teen was nowhere in sight. "Now give me Hunter before things get messy." Her bow appeared at her side as if sensing her words. The bug grinned maliciously, standing.
"Give me the keys and I'll take you to him," he reasoned, outstretching his hand. Corona lowered the bag, holding it protectively to her chest. A glare burned within her eyes.
"I don't think so. You bring him to me and then we can talk." He regarded her for a moment, mulling the idea over. His silver hair fell in front of his eyes, obscuring his eyes. Then, he nodded, motioning to a guard in a nearby corner. Said insect stood at attention at his master's gesture.
"You, bring the prisoner here." The bug nodded and left, spear in hand. Buguese then turned his gaze toward the blond, his countenance unreadable. "And I want the keys in my hand the moment Hunter walks into the room." Her hard blue eyes met his and she nodded sharply, mentally calculating the amount of time she would have after handing the keys over. It was limited. She would have to leave the moment Buguese let her, racing to reach the border where Igneous would be waiting for them.
"Get your hands off me," a weakened voice yelled. "I know where I'm going." Then, he cried out, the bug possibly touching him with the spear. Corona paled, a frown marring her face. A redhead then stumbled into the room, dried blood caking much of his body and fresh blood slowly seeping through his clothes. His dazed emerald eyes flicked between Corona and Buguese, completely confused. The guard bug grabbed his arm, causing the boy to wince. The guard, though, kept him from collapsing.
"Let him go!" Corona yelled impulsively. Buguese glanced at the blond, his expression still unreadable. He held out his hand, eyes trained on the velvet bag. Hunter's eyes widened in astonishment, his eyes also glued to the bag.
"Corona," he said, eyes flicking to her face. "You really didn't…" The redhead violently pulled his arm from the guard's grasp, taking a step toward the blond. Corona, about to hand over the bag, hesitated at his words, pulling it back slightly. "Corona, I told you not to! Why did you go ag-" His voice cut off as a wooden pole smacked into the back of his head, knocking him to the floor. Buguese smirked, his hand still outstretched.
"Now no one will distract you from achieving your goal. Now hand over the bag before I have to tell my guard to get a bit more aggressive." Corona frowned, hand trembling in anger. It was all she could do to place the bag with the keys rather than throw it in his face. His pale blue hand curled around the soft fabric and drew it into his chest.
"Can I go now?" she snarled, stepping closer to the redhead. The bug leader untied the bag, Corona's heart leaping into her throat, and looked inside. He stared at the faux keys for a while before glancing up at the blond.
"Go! I am a honest bug who keeps his promises. I don't want you two in my sight again, or I will use the keys to destroy you." Releasing a breath, she lifted Hunter, his head falling limply over her arm. She sprinted out of there as fast as was humanly possible, worry for Hunter making her feet move even faster. She had to get out of here. Now. It would only take moments for Buguese to discover the heist and then, well, she had never gotten around to thinking about what would happen after that.
She burst into open air, breathing deeply at the fresh scent. The sun shone brightly in her eyes as she scanned the area, looking for her ever faithful battle spider. Venus found her, galloping. Corona closed the distance quickly and jumped on to her spider while she was still in movement. Venus backpedaled, turning around. A momentary pause in movement stopped the blond's heart. But then they sprinted off again, covering more ground than any lone human could alone.
Corona set Hunter down on the moving spider, sitting down next to him. She brushed some hair away from his pale face, dried blood flaking off at her touch. A bruise lingered just underneath the covering, dark and painful looking. His wounds still bled, not too surprising. After being irritated day after day, the injuries were never allowed to close. His skin felt hot to her fingers, also not surprising. She felt motherly, protective of the man she had chosen to fall in love with. She ran her fingers through his hair, wincing in sympathy as they prodded a large bump.
His eyes fluttered open, his startling emerald staring at the azure sky in astonishment. His orbs eventually came to a rest on her face as she withdrew her hand. "Corona," he murmured. "Am I still dreaming?" Corona smiled softly, her heart clenching with joy at his consciousness.
"No," she whispered. "I got you out of that place." His eyes searched hers for a moment before widening with realization. He jerked up, his body seizing with pain. He fell back into Corona's waiting hands. "Hunter! Lay back down. You need to rest." He looked at her, his eyes now clouded with pain.
"Tell me you didn't," he gasped. "Tell me you didn't hand him the keys." She remained silent, glancing around the sky for Buguese's spies. This had to wait until after they passed the border. His life depended on secrecy right now. "Corona! How could you? I told you not to. If he has the keys, then all the lives of Arachna are on the line."
"Hunter, you don't understand… I wasn't going to leave you in his hands." The look in his eyes sharpened into a glare. Something buzzed in her ears.
"I really didn't care! I-" A wince cut him off and he doubled over, hands cradling his chest. Corona's hand rose to her mouth, trapping a gasp in her throat. The stab wound, the one inflicted during the video message, shone plainly in broad daylight. It traced the edge of his spine, just barely avoiding the bundle of nerves that would paralyze him. The edges of his skin appeared torn and swollen, the muscle in the wound not much better. It bled sluggishly, blood flowing out whenever he moved. Without realizing it, she placed a hand on the injury. He tightened, hissing in pain. Warm liquid rushed between her fingers and she gagged, just noticing that her battle partner's blood now coated her skin. She pulled her hand back, whispering words of apology. The redhead's breaths came short and choppy as she eased him back down.
His weary eyes met hers. "Just tell me why you did…" Corona was silent for a moment, gathering her thoughts for a moment. A number of responses came to mind, ranging from Because I love you! to You're my battle partner, if I can save your life, then I will. Both responses made sense, but she didn't say either. Leaning down, she pressed her lips gently to his forehead.
"I can't tell you right now. After we're out of Invectid territory. We'll be meeting up with Igneous soon, and then I'll tell you." Somehow, his pale skin managed a blush as she backed away. Silence reigned once again, Corona glancing up to check the area around him. She was genuinely worried; the longer they stayed in Invectid lands, the more danger Hunter was in. When she glanced back at Hunter, he'd fallen unconscious again. She took that time to check him over, finding more injuries like the one mauling his back. It scared her, how much one being could hurt another.
They kept going without halting upon reaching the labyrinth. Corona's hand rested over Hunter's in a futile attempt at comfort.
SRSRSR
Igneous rode up to meet the group the moment they exited the dangerous cavern. Corona sat upon Venus, a frown marring her features. A hand stained with blood clutched at her heart, her other hand grasping something beyond his vision. Her head snapped over to look at him, her bow aimed at his chest. With a sigh, she dropped her weapon, her expression easing. "Thank the Oracle it's you Igneous," she whispered. "I almost shot your head off." A wry grin found its way onto the commander's face as he too sat down on his spider.
"I noticed," he responded. "Rough trip?" She shook her head, glancing over at the boy next to her.
"Not in the way you'd think. I'm just worried." He rested an arm on his knee, staring at the horizon.
"How is he?" The blond was silent for a moment.
"Awful… I can't believe that anyone, even an Invectid would harm another in this manner. He's pissed at us, by the way." Igneous laughed quietly, startled at the nonchalance of the statement. He glanced at Corona, just barely catching a glimpse of Hunter. His anger was expected. After all, he'd ordered them not to bring the keys and they'd done their best to make it seem like they had.
"You didn't tell him?" Another shake of her head. Her hand tightened into a fist, her knuckles turning white.
"There were spies watching us. I wasn't going to put his life in danger just so he wouldn't be angry with us. I can handle his anger." Her voice trailed off, tears stinging her eyes. Of course she cared about his feelings, especially when in respect to her. Igneous' gaze prodded her thoughts, a painful understanding searing into her.
She couldn't handle it, his anger. Everybody knew that as well as she did. "If I told, I was putting his life at risk." Her hand lowered to grasp her arm, pulling it tightly against her side.
"Corona, you never cease to amaze me." That was all he said on the matter. They continued on in silence, spiders running as fast as they could manage. Forests passed as quickly as the small villages. No time could be spared, not even in a break. The Oracle's sun began fading, growing dark as night fell around them. Igneous found his head drooping every now and then, his eyelids following closely behind. Corona still held strong, her conviction burning bright. She glanced over at him, her eyes a mask of many emotions.
"Why don't you rest? I'll keep watch." With a giant yawn, he shook his head, heaving himself into an upright position. His hand curled around his weapon's hilt. Then he threw her a grin.
"Nah, I'll be alright. If anybody should rest, it should be you. You've been awake for two straight days. I know that for a fact. Too busy thinking about Hunter to rest?" Her cheeks colored, the dark pink flowering her unusually pale face. She mumbled something incoherent. He hid a small smile with a cough.
Alas, this peace didn't last long. As soon as silence fell again, the air vibrated around them, the sound making both riders cringe. Igneous sprang to his feet. Corona, slowly pressing herself up, drew her bow. They scanned the sky for the source of the noise. A few miles behind them, a large black dot flew, its wings almost invisible. "Igneous!" Corona cried, face even paler than it was moments ago. "How close are we to Arachna?" The commander, worried himself, glanced around, finding landmarks that told him their exact position.
"A half an hour, give or take a few minutes." Her frantic eyes met his, her mouth curled into a frown.
"Get in touch with the prince. We're gonna need reinforcements." Igneous opened his mouth to object, to argue that the two of them could take whatever that beast was. "And someone to transport Hunter back to Arachna. He can't stay here during a fight. He'll be killed." At that, he nodded mutely, his fingers already playing across his manacle. The bug, that's what they assumed it was anyway, flew with astonishing speed, nearly overtaking them in a few short moments. Corona barely heard Igneous shout urgently into his manacle.
"Prince Lumen. Gather the riders! Me and Corona've run into a bit of trouble." At first, no sound emitted from the device.
"Has the mission been a success thus far?" Prince Lumen asked, sounding understandably tense. His voice sent a wave of relief sweeping through the commander.
"Yes. But we need help. And fast." The sounds of urgent yelling emitted from the device, a prince trying to get the other riders moving.
"On our way." Igneous cut off communications, not wanting to alert their enemy to his call for reinforcements. A gigantic beetle landed in front of them with a ground-shaking thud. Corona instantly pulled back on her bowstring, an arrow materializing. The blue-haired man grabbed his lance and held it battle ready at his side. Cold laughter echoed around the virtually empty area, drawing the riders' attention to the Invectid clinging to the beetle's back.
"You fools," Buguese yelled, pulling himself to his feet as the battle bug righted itself. "Did you really think I would be so easily fooled? I knew all about your little plan. I played along. I allowed you to get this far. Perhaps I felt the need to give you false hope. Tell me. Did it work?" He smiled wickedly, teeth gleaming in the waning light. Igneous and Corona did not answer, the blond adjusting her position so she stood protectively in front of Hunter. "I'm guessing it did, or else you would have answered. Now all three of you will die right here. Then I'll focus my attack to Arachna while it's hindered."
"You'll never get past us!" Igneous yelled, relieved that Buguese seemed oblivious to the fact that they'd called for help. Glancing quickly at Corona, he found that the near relaxed state she had fallen to a moment ago was now absent, a look of cold indifference replacing it. She would fight to keep Hunter safe if it killed her.
"Save me your speeches. You're only buying yourself more time to live. Go Battle Beetle! Destroy them!" The large bug's arm reared back, hand clenching into a fist. The riders felt their spiders tense beneath them, ready to dodge the inevitable attack. The fist came down, scattering the pair. Corona held down Hunter as they flew through the air, bending over him to protect him from oncoming debris. Dust billowed up, obscuring the vision of all. The blond could hear her partner cursing nearby and held back a few curses of her own. The dust decreased their chances of winning and they both knew it.
She drew her bow, trying to concentrate on her other sense to get a feel for where her enemy hid. The bug, though, didn't move much and didn't make as much sound as her profanity spewing partner. Suddenly, something moved, stirring the air nearby. She turned quickly to the disturbance, aiming as best she could. A rough cry of pain pierced through the dust, another rustle of air following the sound.
Igneous crashed next to her, Flame sliding unsteadily to a stop. Blood flowed from his hairline, dripping into his eyes. She glanced at him quickly, noticing that his swearing had stopped. He wiped angrily at the scarlet liquid obstructing his vision even more. He met her gaze, smiling briefly. "Just barely clipped me," he whispered, realizing the error to his ways. She put a finger to her lips, silencing him. Then, the blond ordered Venus further with a nudge of her foot. The pink spider moved forward, her footsteps silent on the ground. Igneous followed her, his mouth now clamped shut.
A giant shadow loomed nearby, searching for the pair in the cover of dust. Corona aimed her bow at what she assumed was its head and fired, the arrow etching a line of pink through the air. Her spider, who'd already guessed her rider's plan, scampered away, still effectively covering the noise of her footsteps. The bug swayed to the side, the arrow striking its armored body. The sound of swearing soon permeated the air again, heavy with anger.
The blond, keeping the enemy in sight at all times, aimed again, firing almost instantly. Venus kept moving, preventing the bug from getting a lock on their location. Igneous stayed out of the way, realizing that Corona, with a long range weapon, could successfully operate this plan while he could not. She continued firing, waiting only moments in between shots. She couldn't tell how much damage she caused but she hoped she had inflicted some damage.
Buguese screamed in rage, finding himself unable to locate the pests attacking him. The dust cover helped the aggravating Spider Riders more than it helped him. Enough was enough, the cloud of dirt had to go. As if sensing his thoughts, the battle bug opened up the armor on his chest, initiating a vacuum suck. The dust was gone in moments, leaving only a faint haze in its wake. Corona, about to fire, froze, paling. "Battle Beetle, attack! This time, don't send dust flying everywhere." The armor protecting the bugs abdominal muscles opened, revealing a supply of throwing, or rather launching, knives. Without hesitation, the beetle fired, sending an array of bladed weapons flying every which way.
Corona hunched over Hunter, using her own body as a shield, as Venus launched into the air. Flame and Igneous followed suite. They landed next to each other and shared a tense gaze. They both knew that they wouldn't last much longer. Corona's arrows barely scratched the beast, finding the weak point would take too long and time was a blessing they didn't have.
Igneous' hazel eyes scanned their enemy, looking for something he may have missed earlier in the battle. Unfortunately, though, he saw nothing new, no hidden weak points that suddenly revealed themselves to him. His hand clenched around his lance's hilt, his knuckles going white beneath his gloves. They would need the full strength of the Spider Riders to even have a chance of beating the bug. The commander knew that the remainder of their group was on its way, but their time of arrival he couldn't estimate. His eyes flicked towards Hunter, finding no sudden surge of hope at the sight of their fallen leader. The redhead's chest rose weakly, his shirt soaked in his own blood. Igneous' lips tightened into a thin white line as he once again stared at the Battle Beetle. "Corona..." he whispered, trying to pry her attention from Hunter. She looked up at him, her fierce blue eyes shining with tears. "We have to hold this thing off for a little while longer. Lumen and the others will be here soon." His voice barely rose above a murmur, not wanting Buguese to intrude.
"I don't know if I can do this, Igneous..." she responded, her voice thick with tears. "He needs help, and I'm not sure we can provide it anymore. Not with Buguese blocking our way back home." She shook her head sadly, her hands trembling on her knees. Igneous' expression softened and he leaned over, resting a hand on her arm.
"We can do this Corona. Never give up." She gasped softly, a smile caressing her face. She hauled herself to her feet, nodding sharply at him.
"Of course we can. Whenever you're ready Igneous." He smiled wildly at her, bringing his lance up by his face. As their spiders tensed for a jump, another voice intruded on their conversation.
"Hey, you weren't about to finish the bug off without us, were you?" Prince Lumen called, riding up next to the duo. His lilac eyes scanned the situation calmly, hesitating for a moment on Hunter. The other riders thundered in behind the group, weapons raised. "Ready everyone?" Numerous cries of affirmatives echoed around the barren terrain, energizing the travel weary duo. The spiders jumped into the air at once, webs streaming from their spinnerets. The silky threads wrapped around each limb of the bug, forcing it to the ground as they landed. Buguese was sent skidding off the beast, the hilt of his blade instantly in his hand.
The Spider Riders attacked at once, weapons fully charged with the Oracle's power. The attack carved a smoldering hole in the beast's chest, the light of its eyes slowly fading. Corona gasped with delight, nearly collapsing with relief onto Venus. "We did it!" she yelled, smiling happily.
"I wouldn't celebrate just yet!" Buguese snarled, his sword flashing out. The wound sustained by the giant bug was now flecked with a strange purple glow, a regeneration device. The Battle Beetle soon lifted itself up, armor snapping open. The blond sagged, a familiar feeling of hopelessness closing in over her heart. Hunter needed to get back to Arachna now, but the way things looked now, it seemed useless to resist.
"Corona! Get Hunter back to Arachna!" Prince Lumen yelled, snapping her gaze over to him in shock. Magma looked over at her as well, a cocky grin plastered onto his tanned face.
"Yea. Get back to Arachna! We can handle big and ugly over here," he said, holding his club high in the air. She nodded sharply, not wanting to question something that could save Hunter's life. Venus turned and soon, they sprinted off, the blond's gaze fixed on a black smudge in the horizon. The sounds of battle faded as they neared the city, the sun's light fading completely.
She entered the city without problem, Venus not halting until they reached the castle gates. She waited by the wooden structure as Corona, carrying Hunter, hurried inside. The blond rushed through the halls, ignoring the questioning stares of servants, and paused only to thrust open the door to the infirmary. The physicians gaped at the rider as she gently placed the redhead onto one of the beds. Once they got a look at the boy, though, they burst into action, gathering supplies and beginning to tend to his wounds. "Will he be alright if I leave him with you?" the rider whispered, locking eyes with one of the doctors.
"Yes, Lady Corona," the physician responded, bowing her head. "We will work diligently to help him heal." The blond smiled briefly at her, brushing some hair from Hunter's forehead and once again pressing her lips up against the skin. She whispered something and she left, her heels clacking against the stone flooring. The Spider Riders needed her now, and she could rest easy knowing that Hunter lay in good hands.
SRSRSRSRSR
Hunter moaned, arising consciousness slowly. His body ached, but he felt more comfortable than before. His emerald eyes blinked open, trying to pinpoint where he lay at the moment. His cell in Buguese's castle looked nothing like this, and neither did his room at Arachna. Then, it dawned upon him. He moaned again, more from annoyance than pain. Oh, how he hated the infirmary.
Something tightened around his hand, a breathy voice calling his name. Wincing, he turned his head, finding Corona slouched over his bed, his hand clenched in hers. She bore several minor cuts on her face, scabs now protecting every one of them. She had fallen asleep at his bedside, her pale eyelids covering the shining blue of her eyes. "Corona?" he asked, smirking as the blond jumped into full awareness instantly. Her startled eyes flicked around the room before coming to a rest on Hunter, a radiant grin forming upon her lips.
"Oh, Hunter!" she cried. "I'm so happy you're awake!" He smiled back at her, squeezing her hand gently. "I came back as quick as I could after we defeated Buguese and the Battle Beetle. Thank the Oracle he didn't have the keys or we'd be..." She trailed off at the widening of Hunter's eyes.
"Wait a minute. I thought you'd given the keys to Buguese to buy my freedom, so why the hell didn't he have them?" She flinched at the sharpness of his tone, her enthusiasm dying a bit.
"That's what I was trying to tell you when we were running away. I said you didn't understand, which you didn't. We gave Buguese fake Oracle Keys in order to trick him into letting me bring you home. It turned out though, that he knew all along..." She trailed off for a moment, a hand caressing a cut on her cheek. She brightened again, obviously overjoyed that he was awake. "I'm just glad that you're safe again." Hunter laughed weakly, completely dumbfounded that she would risk all that for him.
"Thanks, Corona... For everything." She smiled sweetly down at him, her hand sliding out of his. The blond rider then quickly brushed her lips against his forehead, pulling back his bangs.
"It was nothing. I would do more any day." Her head hovered over his and as she lowered it to kiss his forehead again, he caught her lips on his. Her eyes opened wide in shock but soon slid shut, her hands running through his hair. When they broke, his breath came ragged, his cheeks coloring slightly.
"Thank you."
DA: Well, that took a reaaalllllyyyy long time to write. And now I'm exhausted. I'm going to be a freaking bear tomorrow... I hoped you all liked the story! The gore wasn't too too bad. Believe me, if I had wanted to, it could have been worse. But thank you for reading and if I just realized how blatantly obvious it is that I'm a HunterXCorona fan... But ah well. My story's taking too long to actually get Hunter back so I have to vent somehow.
By the way, for some reason, I adore this story. It's one of my favorites. Please hit the beautiful review button and tell me what you think. I've had a rough couple of weeks filled with me thinking I suck, so any inflation to my ego would be much appreciated. Or even if it's not an inflation, it's still appreciated. I'm gonna shut up and go to bed now. XD
May your hearts stay strong,
DarkAngel555
