To Wield a Blade
Summary
Hondo sat there shocked, he never seen such bravery in his life, he couldn't believe it, Street can….sword fight? (Based off the scene from Black Butler the Book of Alantic, where Elizabeth fights the living dolls while protecting Ciel)
Street was pushed to the ground, two kids were surrounding riducling about his mother's sentence, "Leave me alone!" he yelled as he tried to get away. "Why? You're a killer, we can't let a killer get away!" First preteen said, "I'm not a killer!" Street barked back, "Yeah you are, like mother like son" the second one said. The kids contiunously pushed him around, Street tried to get away but no avail. He just wanted to go home after a long day of fencing, he tired, and drained,he just didn't want to deal with anything. Unforetunely there's those three preteens from his fencing class that's bothering him, he loved fencing, he just hated the bullies that were there, he wanted to get away from all the bullshit that he was dealing with after his mom's arrest but apperently that isn't the case. "Go a ahead, why don't you kill us like your mom did your dad!" the first one contiuned to mock, Street had enough, the bullies can torture him as much as they want, but to trash talk his mom, is another case. He wasn't having it, he no choice. He picked up his foil and pointed at his bullies. "One more step, and I swear!" he threatened. "Or what?" The second preteen said, without a word Street slashed the bully's arm, "What the hell man!?" As the firsy was about the lung his attack, Street dodged and struck him with his foil, causing him to bleed slightly, "Agh!" his tormenter yelled. "Who's next?" Street said ready to lung his next attack, the bullies made a run for it, "You're crazy man!" the second said. Street stood there watching his bullies runaway, all he could think of what they said eariler, how he might be a killer like his mother. His mother wasn't evil, she was only trying to defend herself and him, something that they wouldn't understand, because they weren't in his shoes.
"Street, Street!" Street turned around facing Tan, "Dude, you good?" Street shook his head out of dosing, "Yeah I'm good." he answered. "You don't seem like it, you been in space for a quite a while there." Tan said, "No, honestly I'm good." Street eusured.
"Alright, well make sure you pay attention because, there are literally walking corspes everywhere." said Luca, "Yeah, I know." Street, shuffled his gun once again, he hand only a little bit of ammo left to surivive the way out of the mansion. I hope I can make his work. He thought, he knows he the had the others backing him up, but he doesn't put all the weight on them, it wouldn't be fair for them to get hurt because he didn't have anything to help himself.
"Is there a radio somewhere in this mansion, I can't seem to get in contact with the Captain, Dec, you getting anything from your waky talkie?" said Hondo, "No, nothing" Dec answered.
"You know what? I hear there is a emegrency radio in the oval office, maybe we can try and check there," Chris suggested.
The team made their way to the Oval office, they looked around until finally Deacon found a radio, "Hey guys, I found it,"
"Does it work?"
"There's only one way to find out"
Deacon started to get to work on the radio, finally he's got a contact outside. "Hello? Who is it?" a response, "It's Officer Deacon Kay, whom am I speaking too?"
"You're one of the officers inside?" asked the responder, "Yes, me and my team are in the White house," Deacon responded, before he could egg the conversation to contiune the line was cut.
"Hello?" Deacon called, "It's Officer Kay! Can I get a response!"
Nothing.
"You're joking! This place is going to blow in 30 mins if we don't get the directions out!" Luca said, "And me and Street looked around at doors, looks like they just lead to room after room, doesn't an escape. So our best chance contiuning through halls." Hondo added. "With those dead walking corspe walking out there?!" Luca panicked, "We don't have any other way out," said Hondo.
"Stupid general, he gave us such a short time!" Luca said, "Aleast help us out if your going to torch the place!"
A sound of rumbling was made through the walls, the team froze in place listening in for danger, "Uh guys, I feel like we should leave this office right now." said Tan.
"You said that my team had thrity minutes to get out! Why the hell are you starting the one explosion now!" said the Cortez, "General my officers are still in there they can get killed!"
"Look captian, I can't wait any longer for your team to get out, I have the destory those walking corpses before they get out of the White house and start eating everyone, they are already killed more the 40 people. "That wouldn't happened if you left dead alone, that's why you don't play with dead things, in fact mess with anything involving the dead." Cortez snapped back.
"You're implying it's my fault?" the general questioned her, "No, but you did fund the doctor's project to break the dead back, knowing full aware that can never happen, ever. No, technology in the world can ever do that, ever." Cortez stated. "Tell me that when you lose someone you care about." said the General. The authority figure turned to join his team of soilders, leaving Cortez at a lost.
"Any luck?" asked Hicks as Cortez walked to the truck to join him, "No, he won't budge, he's starting to bomb each place bit by bit. "Ugh, dumb bastard, doesn't he reailze he can get charged for that?" said Hicks. "All he has to say is that it's for the sake of people," said Cortez, "How about contact, any luck on that?"
"No, nothing the line got cut down, in the White House, so all commiucations in and out is shut down."
"Shit, I need to get to Hondo fast, the general is going to blow the place."
"Or...he might be lucky, depending where he and team are he might be not get affected." Hicks took a walkie talkie from the desk near him, and made an attempt to radio Hondo, static came through, then a voice.
"20 david to command, Officer Harrelson" Finally, "Hondo it's Hicks, where are you right now?"
"Were in the oval office, it;s the place in the buliding that hasn't been affected by the shut down, what's the status on the time limit, me and my team are trying to get out."
"There's no time limit, the general is going to start buliding torching the place soon."
"How long is the general giving us?" Hondo asked,
"He said about an hour, but seems like the plan changed because the general wants to get right to taking out the buliding." said Hicks. Hondo thought a minute, maybe if his team could just get out through the window but even then it's still risky, then he thought of something, he radio through.
"Hicks!"
"Yeah"
"Do you have a map of the White house?"
Hicks looked around the opertative area for a map of the White house, he looked at one of the screens and found a map created on the White House, he went to the operator of the screen,
"Hondo, I got something!"
"What is it?"
Before Hicks can say anything an sudden explosion went off, hearing the sound he went to check out the noise where it's located. Coming upon outside the truck, he found the smoke coming from oval office. Hicks panicked "Hondo! Hondo! HONDO!"
Hondo woke up trying to figure out what happened, he trying to speak out but the ringing in his ears were overpowering him. He heared a voice calling his name, he tried to listen in as ringing died down. Then finally heard it was Luca, "Hondo are you okay!?"
Hondo tried to collect his thoughts together, "Yeah! I'm fine! Is everyone okay! Anyone hurt?"
"Negative! What about street?"
Street! Shit! Hondo got up trying to figure out what happened to Street during the explosion, turned looking ahead the hall to find Street lying there surrounded by the walking dead. Hondo panicked "Street! Get up!"
Street begins getting up trying gain balance while to respond to Hondo, "Hondo?"
"Street behind you!"
Street turned around to find the zombies approching, Street release a noise of panic, he tried to force himself to defend himself with his gun but he frozen by his fear.
"Street!" Hondo begins shooting with rifle, unforetunely he lucked out of bullets, "Shit! Out of bullets!"
This is it, I really didn't want him to see me like this thought Street Please forgive me Hondo….
"Please forgive Sergent...I didn't want you to see me in such a state…"
Hondo displayed a morified look, he couldn't lose Street, he tried to force himself to get to him but all he could to do is reach out his hand. Luca watching the comotion unfold looked around for a weapon then spotted a axe in the fire box in the wall, in desperation he went over using his but of his rifle to break through the glass, then grabbed out the axe. He rushed over to get to Street,
"I'm coming to you buddy!"
The dead surrounded Street in a circle closing in on him, Hondo got one last glimspe of Street before the dead closed him in their surrounding circle, he let out a scream,
"JAMES!"
Suddenly, a sword stabbed through zombie's head, pushing circling group back from it's fighter, one by one, Street slashed the dead, he slashed the two on left, and then slashed another on right. He stabbed one in the head then hopped on a small railing on the wall, doing a quicked flip upside the grabbed another sword from the wheel. He jumped on the shoulder of another dead zombie stabbing it in the head, he hops off to begin his rampage of fighting zombies left and right.
Hondo sat there shocked, he never seen such bravery in his life, he couldn't believe it, Street can….sword fight?
Street swooped towards with a thrust in Hondo's direction, stabbing the two zombies with the duel swords. "Forgive me Hondo...I didn't want you see me in the state, I only wished to protect you and my fellow comrades from harm," tears began dropping on Hondo's face, "You have protected me always, even when I didn't deserve it, and now...it's my turn to protect you!"
Street pulled out the two swords and twirled towards facing the zombies apporaching them, "I am the son of the Strongest Swordswoman, the Great Karen Everret Street, James!" he assembled himself in a defense position, "and I will protect the LAPD SWAT!"
Start of Flashback
There was a time..my mother was the greatest woman that ever lived, the world applaud her for amazing skills, they called her the greatest one that ever lived. But all had changed when she met a man, a man that promised the world, he said the words that every woman wants in a fairytale, I love you. She gave up her dream just to be with him, she couldn't help it, she was in love, but what she didn't know, is that she was in love with monster.
Everyday was nightmare, he stirke her for small things, big things, he hit her for anything, he demeaned her, to the point she began to lose her will to live, then I was born. Her world turn around, a miracle, it gave her purpose to change for the better, even though there are times she feels there isn;t anyway out, she told her, if she can't get out, she could atleast give me a chance at the better life. Give me a dream.
"Mommy!" I called running up to her, "What's this?" I held a long sword that was shealthed, it had a beautiful handle that surrounded half of the handle, curved with a several swirls. She smiled, "It's my sabre, I use to be a fencer." "You were swordsman!" I said in excitement "Whoa!"
"Yup, that sword you're holding was my father's father, he too was a fencer, he used long ago during his battles,"
"Can teach me!?" I asked, "When you get a little older" she softly answer, she patted my head, "Then I can teach you all great moves, okay?"
I giggled, "Okay"
She never got the chance, unfortunely the time she was going to, was the time she got arrested. She was only defending herself, the world that once praised her, now turned on her for one thing she tried to do, protect us, something the world fail to do for us. One day, I went to go see her in prison, I walked into the area and took seat. I waited, finally she came out, the moment she saw me tears started pouring out her face. She came over and hugged me, she told me, "Jimmy promise me something, be better, do better!"
"Okay." that's all I managed.
"Nope, Jimmy, I mean it, you have to promise me, I want you do better, you have to promise me! Do you promise?"
I stood there in silence, I didn't say anything else, I didn't know what to say, expect the words "I promise."
So that day, I did something to better, I picked a sword and learned to way of the blade, from there I began my promise to do better for her, in fact I even made another promise to her. To contiune her life long dream, swordsmanship.
I fell to the ground, "Agh!" I shouted in frustratation, "I'm never going to get it"
My teacher walked over to me, "you know, whenever you're learning swordsmanship, one of the ways one could get better at it, is doing it with a purpose, that way you have some way to help you improve."
"What is it? What's the purpose?" I ask, "That my student you'll have to figure that out, you have to chose what it is"
I looked at her, I wondered, was is it? What is my purpose? "So, is it like, I chose something I love the most?"
"It could be that." she respond.
Then it hit me, what is something I love the most? Something I want to protect. Family.
End of Flashback
Street ran through the halls, running up the walls make his way to running across the ceiling of the hall, makes one last twirl, then leaped to ground feet first.
my teacher always told me, a sword is not just blade that one swings around, but an art of one's of intent in choosing. Everyone has a reason to wield a blade, some to self-displince, some to kill, and some to protect. For me….I wield to protect, and I chose to protect my family.
Street rushed over to Hondo, "Hondo are you okay!?" Hondo looked at him, not single came out of mouth, just speechless, completely speechless. This send Street in a panick, Shit I scared him didn't I?
"Holy shit…" Street snapped from his thoughts, "Sorry?"
"HOLY SHIT!" Luca repeated, "James motherfucking Street! You can swordfight!?"
"Uh.."
"That amazing!"
"You were awesome!"
"How long where you doing that for!?"
Street was shocked, he didn't expect his team would react in a positive way, he thought that he'd be accused of being like his mother, claiming that he was a killer, instead they didn't see him that. They saw as himself. James Street.
Hondo got off the ground, he made a noise.
"You good?" asked Tan, "Yeah, just a small scratch, I'll live." Hondo answered.
"Hey guys, I might have found something!" Deacon called out as he shuffled a paper he found
on the ground, the team went over to check out his discovery.
"What is it?" Chris asked, "It's the map of White House." said Deacon, "and I think I might have found a way."
The team finally made their escape from the White House, meeting up with the Captain and Commander. Allowing the military to contiune through the destruction White House full of zombies, until finally the perimeter was safe for everyone.
Back at headquaters, the team was finally wrapped the elements to the case, the made their way to locker room to get ready to get home, the team memebers were still beaming over the events that took place during the oval office eariler.
"You did the most badass thing in the world dude!" said Luca.
"Nah, it's not the big deal, it's just something I learned that's all." Street shurgging it off.
"Dude you just save our lives!"
"I have a feeling your going to swarm around headquaters with the story aren't you?"
"Oh yeah." said Chris patting Street on the shoulder, "Oh boy." Street face palm, the team let out a laugh.
"What I want to know is why nothing was said," Luca wondered, "I didn't really know how to come about it to be honest, I dont know, I just didnt say." Street answered.
"Hey, what are you goons still doing here?" asked Hondo as he made his way through the door, "You guys are suppose to be home by now."
"Oh I see youre kicking us out?" Deacon joked, "Yup, get your asses out." Hondo laughed.
The team let out a laugh, talked a few more minutes then finally bid their goodbyes before leaving. One by one they left the door until it was Street and Hondo left.
Street grabbing the last remaining the things from his locker, Hondo walked over towards to Street.
"Hey Kid,"
"What's up"
"I just wanted to thank you for what you did eariler."
"It's no big deal," said Street, "You would have done the same for me."
"You know what was thinking about what you said eariler." Hondo recalled, "You were apologizing to me about seeing you in some way, what made you say that?"
"I don't know, I guess I was scared that you and the team would see me different." said Street,
"Different how?" Hondo said wanting know.
"Well, growing up people always saw me as a son of the killer, but wasn't the case, my mother wasn't a killer, she was trying to defend me, I mean what she didn't maybe wasn't right or even legal, but she had her reason. But no matter how much the situation was explained people always saw her as a killer. So, because of what she did, they all thought I'd end up the same way." Street explained.
"Well, I'm letting you know that you aren't no where like your mother, if anything you James Street. And not mention you saved mine and your team's life, you can see the way Luca was parading you around." Street chuckled, "Well I guess, you're right, but the thing is my mother wasn't always how she was, you know she actually use to be America's top fencers?"
"Seriously? She was a swordswoman?" said Hondo, "Yeah, she was going to go national, but then she meet my dad and then all of that changed." Street contiuned, "She was suppose to teach me the arts of the blade but before she could do that whole thing happened, the whole murder of my dad, the case, the child agency were getting involved. It was just one big mess."
"Damn."
"So, the day that I saw her in prison, she made me promise her, that I do better then her, not to end up like her. I made a vow to keep that promise."
"So, what made you do swordsmanship?" Hondo asked,
"I wanted to contiune mom's dream, she didn't get live it, I thought if I did it, it give her some form of hope that I'm doing better, that I kept the promise of never going down the path of destruction." Street answered.
"Hm."
"And…I had something I wanted to protect, it was my family."
Hondo put his hand on Street's shoulder trying to ensure him.
"I'm just worried that you see me as some rampaging killer or something, I mean I was quite feisty with the swords." said Street, he was still worred about his perpection of himself that his team confronted. Hondo ensured once again, "Trust me, if anything you were doing what any person would do, defending their loves ones in the fit of danger."
Street smiled at Hondo, it was nice to know that there are people who don't compare him to his mother, or don't define him for what happened to him long ago. Most of all family, a family that loves him for him, every part of him. This is, this is the thing he wish nothing more to have in the world the group of people that loves him, giving him more of the reason to wield a blade.
End
