A Budding Love and the End of an Old One- ch 8

Mr. Destiny then transformed into himself.

"Looks like someone doesn't like us, bros." Throttle said

"They sure grow 'em big in these parts." Vinnie said.

"And ugly. He can stop a clock with that mug!" Modo joined in.

"No one laughs at Mr. Destiny and lives!" He thundered, ramming his fists on the ground in front of the mice which made a huge tear in the street.

"Flip and Dip Maneuver Eight! Now!" Throttle called out.

All three mice leaped into the air out of the path of the tear and safely touched the ground.

Then They all three leaped at him to knock him to the ground.

"Pardon my fist!" Modo called out as an extended fist struck Mr. Destiny full in the face. He didn't make a dent in the guy's exo-electronic armored face. He threw them all off. The three mice fell into a brick wall.

"Not a scratch." Modo said.

"Ah, man! Somedays the hero biz really bites!"Vinnie said.

"Isn't there nothing that can stop that guy?" Throttle asked.

Charley was sneaking up behind him with a shovel. Unfortunately for her, he could sense her presence.

"Clever, but not enough."He murmured.

Suddenly, without warning he grabbed her. Charley screamed.

"Charley!" Vinnie cried.

Modo gasped and Misa placed her hands to her face.

"What a pretty girl!" Mr. Destiny leered at Charley's frightened face,"Pretty eyes, pretty face..." Throttle frowned and grit his teeth as Mr. Destiny fondled Charley's cheek with his forefinger. Charley shrank from his touch.

"Let her go, Creepy!" He growled,"If you hurt her..."

He stopped fondling Charley and stared at the mice.

"We can end all this unpleasantness right now. All you have to do is surrender." He said.

"How about we just blast you instead?" Vinnie said, aiming a blaster at him.

"My kind of music." Modo said, aiming his bionic arm at Mr. Destiny.

"We can't. Not without hitting Charley-girl." Throttle told them, placing his arm in front to block their aim," Looks like we got no choice but to do what he says."

Misa opened a round powder compact and flashed the mirror into Mr. Destiny's face.

"Let the sunshine in!" She cried.

"Uhhh! Can't see!" He cried, grabbing his face.

" Try removing his mask. Then strike." Misa cried.

Charley pulled his mask off which revealed a disfigured face.

"In yo face!" Modo said, socking him.

Modo then picked him up swinging him around.

"Here's the windup" he cried, as he flew towards Throttle.

"And here's the pitch!" Throttle said, activating his Nuke Knuckles and socking him into a dumpster.

"Home run!" Vinnie yelled, lighting one of his flares and throwing it into the dumpster blowing Mr. Destiny towards Limburger Tower.

"So much for Mr. Doofus!" Vinnie teased while Throttle and Modo laughed.

"Throttle!" Charley said, running to him.

"You okay?" They asked at the same time. Then lowered their heads.

"Is it me or is something going on between those two?" Misa asked.

"Who, us?" Charley said, giving Throttle a quick look, then back at Misa, "We're just...friends who enjoy each other's company, that's all."

Her words said "friends"but her body language told a different story. The whole time she was talking, She shifted her body weight and fidgeted with the tail of her shirt. Throttle was blushing a bit and ran his forefinger around the collar of his vest.

"Like Charley-girl said friends." He murmured.

They wouldn't even look them straight in the eye. Needless to say, it was an awkward moment.

"Sure, whatever you say." Misa grinned.

"I got some moping to do at the garage." Charley said, pulling away and climbing into her truck.

"What about the dogs and root beers?" Vinnie asked.

"You guys go on ahead." She said, driving off.

"I'll meet you, guys, there's something I need to do first, too."He said, riding off.

"Am I missing something here?" Vinnie asked as he and Modo exchanged confused looks.

As he rode down the road, Throttle's mind wandered.

"What's wrong with me? Why can't I get Charley out of my mind?"

He thought about his life back on Mars. How things were before the Plutorkian War: happy, lazy days spent riding his bike up and down Olympus Mons. Then he would think of Carbine. He could still picture her: long, flowing raven locks and seductive green eyes. Her smile which warmed his heart. He remembered the day he first asked her to go to a Spring Formal. He was so nervous. He didn't know how to dance. Carbine taught him and they danced half the night away. Then they ate slices of coffee cakes. It was the happiest time of his life. He always pictured himself spending the rest of his life with her.

Then the war came, he remembered fighting the enemy with her at his side. She had gotten as tough as he had. He kept his optimistic outlook on life. But the war had changed her. Seeing comrades die all around her made her hard and distrustful. All that mattered was preserving Mars' future at any cost. Even at the expense of their relationship.

Throttle remembered the last time he, Modo, and Vinnie arrived back on Mars. They were accused of working for Limburger after Napoleon Brie framed them with an edited tape showing Throttle directing his bros to blow up buildings on Earth. They were arrested by Carbine, who then had become leader of the Martian Resistance Fighters. She wasted no words. They were labeled as traitors to their people and sentenced to death.

Throttle remembered how strongly Charley testified in their defense. While this went on Limburger tried to kill them with a giant glacier. Throttle was able to convince Carbine to free them to stop the glacier. Even after they saved the day and cleared their names, the relationship just went downhill from there.

The only time he saw her was once she needed his help in protecting a Venusian bloom that was vital to Mars ecosystem. She came to Earth and went back to Mars without so much as a goodbye kiss.

She was always too busy when he contacted her via through computer. So he began spending time with Charley. They played cards and board games. He grew to like being with her. She always made time for him no matter what.

Then three months ago, he got a video message from Stoker. Carbine had gotten married to her commanding officer and they had a kid! He felt hurt and betrayed. Vinnie said he wasn't surprised. He always knew Carbine was a skank. Modo was shocked.

"Throttle, I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you." She said, when he finally confronted her.

"Why didn't you tell me about all this?" He replied, angrily,"I've been bustin' my tail to save Earth while you run around on me with another guy?"

"I didn't set out to cheat on you. It just happened. I was lonely after you went back to Earth. Then I was assigned to Slade. We were drinking one night and had a fling. One thing lead to another and I got pregnant. I was scared and ashamed. I didn't know what to do. I told him about the baby and we decided to get married so the baby would have both of us in his life."

"You're breaking my heart, babe." He replied, sarcastically.

"Slade's a good mouse! He works hard to provide for us. I care for him a great deal. I hope someday you can find it in your heart to forgive me."

Throttle would have gone over the edge if it weren't for his friends. Modo rented kungfu movies hoping they would cheer him up to no avail. Vinnie's solution to his bro's problem was a new woman. Vinnie contacted an online dating service and soon had him chatting with a hot, sultry brunette in a yellow thong bikini. Throttle was excited till he found out it was a site made up of tranvestites.

"Tran-what's?' Vinnie asked.

"Cross dressers. Guys who dress up like girls." Charley explained.

Throttle cringed and his face was pale as a ghost. Vinnie turned whiter than a sheet. Modo's mouth dropped open.

So needless to say that idea went south.

Lately, Throttle found himself caring for Charley more than before. He found himself coming to a decision. He looked up and found himself at the Last Chance garage. He walked up to the garage.

Charley had just lifted the garage and saw the tan-furred mouse biker standing in the doorway. Droplets of sweat glistened on his chiseled, muscular build. It took Charley's breathe away.

"Hey." She managed.

"Hey."

There was a pause.

Then he placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Charley, I..."

"I love you." She cried out.

"What?" He asked.

"I love you. I always have. And I always will."

"Charlene..." He cried, taking her into his arms, "I love you, too."

Then they stared into each other's eyes. Then kissed. A gentle kiss.

To them, nothing else mattered but this moment. A moment where a new budding love has finally bloomed.