32 Productions Presents…
A HIVE Team StoryThe HIVE Team In…
"Pet Care"
Chapter Two
Training Room
Mammoth stared at Krystal, dumbstruck. As she had been doing lately, Krystal was working out, toning her body to give it a more mature look. There was nothing odd about that. What was odd was that the cat was STILL on her head.
Mammoth: Is that thing even alive anymore?
Krystal stopped pulling the cables (which in turn lifted the weights) and touched the cat with her finger. Hikari meowed and yawned.
Krystal: Yep. Here, HtDT, go on.
Krystal placed Hikari down and the cat began to wander again. Mammoth shook his head. By the way, note that there are no periods in "HtDT". That's because Krystal sounds it out, rather then saying each letter. So it's "Htdt". Kind of sounds like saying "Hitted". Okay? You have no idea how important it is that you understand that. One day, like, thirty years from now, a situation I won't describe will come up and because you don't know this, you'll lose your left pinky toe. So remember it.
Mammoth: That is one weird cat.
Krystal: It suits me, I think.
She resumed her work out. Mammoth decided to try small talk. It wasn't something someone often did with Krystal. She had a tendency to take small talk and make into something far beyond anything small. In other words…well, I really can't begin to describe it. All I can say is the last time someone tried to talk to her about the weather; she went into a religious debate that lasted two hours and ended with her saying "And now for something completely different".
Mammoth: So…how much is that?
Krystal: About a hundred and fifty pounds.
Mammoth: Isn't that a bit…much?
Krystal, as stated many times, was a small girl. Very petite. She barely looked capable of lifting fifty pounds. Krystal seemed to have little trouble with the weights, however. Double checking, he saw that she wasn't lying.
Krystal: Not really, no. I'm thinking of upping it, but I only want to tone my body, not build it up.
Mammoth: I'm just surprised you can lift that much. That's more then you weigh.
Krystal: Not for long. Once I'm all toned, my weight will go up, since muscles are heavier then fat, you know. …actually, it'll probably still be heavier. Oh well.
Krystal eased the plates down before moving to a leg press. Mammoth gaped as she set it to two hundred and ten pounds.
Mammoth: You're kidding me.
She pushed it with minimal strain.
Krystal: I don't see the big deal.
Mammoth: If Gizmo wasn't a midget, you'd be the shortest person on the team! How can you move two hundred pounds with your legs?
Krystal: Strong legs.
Wah-wah-wah. Krystal wasn't acting goofy at the moment as her attention was focused on Hikari. She wanted to make sure she didn't lose sight of the little kitten. Mammoth was confused on how she could be that strong at her size, but then he realized what the problem was. He was thinking of her as a human. Just because she couldn't bench a car, it didn't mean her race wasn't stronger then humankind. Sure, there were humans stronger then her, but they had to work at it. If she kept it up, she would get ahead of them. Then they'd need steroids to surpass her. She'd never be SUPER strong, but she would be strong. About fifteen minutes later, Krystal finished up, picking the cat up and gently placing it on her head.
Mammoth: Why do you keep putting her there?
Krystal: It's funny. Walking around with a cat on my head? That's gold, Jerry, gold.
Mammoth: Who?
Krystal: Yes.
Mammoth: What?
Krystal shook her head. Hikari didn't seem to notice.
Krystal: Watt's on second.
Mammoth: Huh? I don't know.
Krystal: Third base.
If you don't know what I'm talking about here, I pity you.
Krystal: Later, Mammoth. I reek something awful after working out for over an hour like that. Then I think it's time to feed Hikari here.
Krystal waved as she departed from the room. Mammoth winced. Ew…she didn't wipe the machine down.
Main Room
Jinx laid across the couch with her communicator to her ear in its cell phone mode.
Jinx: I really did have fun last time, Greg. Well, I'm not sure. I'll have to ask my boss when I'll have free time. Yeah, well, second in command still means someone is first.
Jinx rolled onto her stomach, kicking her legs slowly.
Jinx: Oh, she's off with her boyfriend that isn't her boyfriend. It's a long story, don't worry about it. We can talk about that face to face. Okay, I'll call you soon. Bye.
Jinx hung up and sighed. Not a bored kind of sigh, more of a dreamy happy sort of sigh. She heard a soft chuckle and looked up to see Blackfire leaning over the couch.
Blackfire: Hey.
Jinx: What's so funny?
Blackfire: You acting like a love sick schoolgirl, to be honest. I'd have said something to announce me coming in, but hey, you were on the phone.
Jinx's cheeks felt warm. She was only slightly embarrassed, really. It could have been much worse then it was. Blackfire shook her head, moving around the couch and sitting next to her.
Blackfire: I don't mean to tease, Jinx. …I'm just…curious about this.
Sitting up, Jinx put her communicator back in her pocket.
Jinx: About what?
Blackfire: …when we were in the fantasy world, or whatever you'd call it…Krystal asked me something. Something that's been echoing in my head and I can't think of an answer.
Letting out a long sigh, Blackfire turned to Jinx.
Blackfire: She asked me what I would do if she died. …and I really don't know. I'd like to think that I'd never meet anyone who could make me feel the way she makes me feel…but here you are with someone else and…
Jinx held up her hands.
Jinx: Whoa, whoa. Hold on. Don't assume anything, Blackfire. Listen…Greg makes me feel better, it's true…but he doesn't make me feel the way Sonic did. I don't think anyone ever will. …and I've accepted that. But just because he can't make me feel the same way, it doesn't mean Greg can't make me feel special. And I can say, with a HIGH degree of confidence, that you'll never find a girl like Krystal again…but that doesn't mean your love life should come to a screeching halt.
Blackfire shook her head, looking at her feet.
Blackfire: I can't even imagine it. …I don't understand why I feel the way I do about her. She's bizarre and I know that…but I love her anyway.
Jinx: Don't think about how it works, just go with it.
Blackfire was silent for a moment before smiling softly.
Blackfire: I still say a dog would have been a better choice.
Jinx: Says you. C'mon, how bad could a cat be?
Four Days Later: Bathroom
Krystal rinsed out her mouth and spat into the sink. Wiping the fog off the mirror, she examined her smile. Pearly white as ever! Nodding to herself, she stepped out of the bathroom…meeting with Blackfire, Jinx, and Mammoth.
Krystal: Hey guys, what's up?
Blackfire: Your cat is being a huge pain in the ass, baby.
Krystal: Huh?
Jinx: She latched onto my pony tail and wouldn't let go!
Krystal: Guh?
Mammoth: You've been in that bathroom for almost an hour and a half!
Silence.
Mammoth: …and your cat has been tearing up the furniture.
Krystal: Fuh? …okay…so what are you guys getting at?
Jinx: I know I was for the cat before, but this has got to stop.
Mammoth: Yeah…it used to just stay on your head. What happened to that?
Krystal sighed. Yes, it was true. The cat was causing problems. Her room was filled with shredded crap. But Krystal loved Hikari. What was she to do?
Krystal: Guys, just calm down…I…I'll do something.
Blackfire: You better, or she's out of here.
Krystal: What did she do to you?
Blackfire coughed, her cheeks turning pink.
Blackfire: Never mind that.
Mammoth: Hikari got stuck in her cleavage.
Blackfire: Mammoth!
It was her fault for falling asleep on the couch wearing civvies. She woke up with Hikari struggling to remove herself. Apparently the cat had laid on her chest to sleep on a soft place and as Blackfire rolled onto her side in her sleep, the cat got stuck. That wouldn't be so bad…if the cat was declawed. Ouch. No really, ouch. She also managed to solidify whatever dislike the kitten held for her. Krystal snapped her fingers.
Krystal: Lucky kitten…
Blackfire: Krystal…
Krystal: What?
Jinx: Seriously, Krystal. Do something or she's gone.
The three left her. Krystal groaned and shook her head. Poor Hikari…she had to find her before she got into anymore trouble and have a heart to heart with her. …and get her declawed, that too, but that had to wait…hmm…or did it? Maybe Gizmo could help.
Gizmo's Room
Krystal opened the door and peered in, Hikari once again laying on her head.
Krystal: Gizmo? You here, Gizzy?
No reply. Sighing, Krystal was about to leave the room when she spotted something on a dresser. Curious, Krystal picked it up as Hikari leapt from her head and onto Gizmo's bed. It looked like a remote.
Krystal: Hmm…so many buttons…and knobs…and…DOODADS!
And everyone knows Krystal is powerless to resist doodads. Well…maybe just one of the small buttons…Krystal gently pressed the green button and a beam of light shot from the tip in a very un-remote control type way. The light struck Hikari (which is funny when you think about it). Yelping, Krystal put the remote back down and examined Hikari, who simply purred in her grip. Nothing different…phew.
Krystal: Okay…let's pretend that never, ever, not once ever, happened.
Hikari: Meow.
Holding Hikari, Krystal slipped out of the room. That was a close one…now if…GAH! The alarm went off, startling Krystal. She placed Hikari down.
Krystal: PLEASE for the love of pie, don't touch anything while I'm gone, okay? I don't want to have to give you away.
Krystal sighed before teleporting to the main room. Hikari twitched slightly, letting out a soft noise of discomfort. Hmm…maybe that beam wasn't so harmless after all…
Downtown Jump City
The HIVE arrived to find the electronics store busted open. Inside was Gnaark, smashing everything he could using Kole as a diamond club. Red X hurled two X-rangs that struck his thick shoulders, making him drop Kole. She reverted to human, sitting up and looking confused.
Kole: The heck was that…? Oh!
Kole sprang to her feet, trying to look tough. Both of them were radical anti-technology types, but since Kole was even more of a shrimp then Krystal, it was hard to take her seriously. Lucky for her, Gnaark was big enough for both of them. Kole was the brains (and indestructible weapon) of the group, with Gnaark as the brawn.
Kole: Tech using mites! You and your planet wrecking garbage are coming to an end right now!
Gizmo: You twits…you can't smash ONE store and expect everything else to end!
I never said she was smart. Just out of the two of them, she had the brains. She stomped her foot.
Kole: Yeah, but this is just the start. First this store, then the warehouses, then the manufacturing plants, and soon the whole world!
Mammoth: There is a HUGE gap in that plan…
Kole: G…b…just shut up! Gnaark, smash'em!
Transforming back into diamond, Kole let Gnaark pick her up and he charged at them. These two were such clowns… Everyone but Mammoth leapt out of the way. Mammoth himself caught Kole as she came down. In her diamond form, she was invulnerable…but also completely immobile unless she shifted back. That means he could be as rough as needed. Kole was invincible and Gnaark was a big boy. He could take it. Snatching her away, Mammoth clobbered Gnaark with her. He went down like a sack of bricks. Kole shifted to human form, dangling in Mammoth's grasp by her legs.
Kole: Gnaark! Dang it, every time! You know, if I had the power to create diamonds EVERYWHERE instead of just changing my body, you'd be so screwed.
She smirked and suddenly stabbed Mammoth in the arm with a diamond. She landed hard, but got up.
Kole: Oh, that's right. I CAN!
Kole began constructing barriers between herself and the HIVE before hurling diamond spears at her foes.
Gizmo: GAH! Now what, we can't break those things!
Krystal: Why bother?
Pointing a single finger, Krystal fired a thin beam that refracted on the diamond barrier, turning into a large blast. It wound up sending Kole flying into the wall, smoldering slightly.
Kole: Ow…stupid…light powers.
Red X: Great shot, Krystal.
Krystal: I'll say! I was afraid I was going to vaporize her by accident.
Others: Krystal!
Krystal: I'm kidding!
HIVE Tower: Hallway
Well, that was a joke. Gizmo headed back to his room. Gnaark and Kole always pissed him off. It was slightly distressing that Kole had developed a new skill, but the pair was hopeless. Their radical views made it hard for them to work with others and neither of them was very bright. Being the smarter then a guy who can only say "Gnaark" isn't that hard. Anyway, the reason they pissed him off should be obvious. Gizmo was all about the technology. Without tech, what was he? A short guy who could do good on his school work? That's just about it. He needed technology…without it, he wasn't important. That's what he thought, anyway. He was so caught in thought that he didn't notice that he was being watched at all. …uh oh.
END PART TWO
