I got carried away with TSOAW, and that's kind of a good thing. Musical influences are amazing. I really suggest listening to music while you write. Uh, where were we?
Chapter 9: Things That Last Forever
Sunflower, Chomper and Wallnut looked down the hole that Peashooter crashed through almost a day ago. Wallnut had found it by talking with some other agents he ran into, and now there they were.
"Well, then. Shall we?" Chomper asked.
The other two nodded. Jumping down the hole, the three plants fell in front of a huge lava rock citadel. None of them were seriously injured, but it was a long fall. Realizing that they had no way to get out, the three plants went into the citadel.
Once they got inside, Chomper immediately noticed a green glow from one corner. Running over to it, Chomper was surprised to see Peashooter standing in a rune circle, his eyes distant. A dead peashooter was next to him, and by the looks of it he had been dead for years. Chomper faced Peashooter and tried to enter the rune circle, but he got knocked back.
"Peashooter! Peashooter! Earth to Peashooter!"
Peashooter didn't respond. Chomper got angry and tried to ram into him, just to be knocked back again. By this time Sunflower and Wallnut came over to the circle, and both of them gasped. Chomper got up again and prepared himself for another ramming, but Sunflower held him back. Wallnut walked over to the rune circle and studied it for a while. Chomper and Sunflower waited as Wallnut did this. Eventually, Wallnut was done. Excitedly, he turned to face the others.
"Guys! Did you know that this is a rune circle?"
Sunflower face-palmed at that. Chomper growled a little before calming down. Wallnut was still grinning. Sighing, Sunflower studied the rune circle. She couldn't tell how to do anything. Frustrated, she kicked dust over the circle, and some runes got covered. As if it was mad, the circle became red. Peashooter fell to the ground, and cuts started to appear on him. Quickly, Sunflower and Chomper carried him out of the circle, and both were confused at why the circle allowed them to do that. Shaking her head, Sunflower pulled out a communicator and contacted the RV.
"This is Sunflower from squad X. We need a pickup."
/Several hours later
Peashooter, Chomper and Wallnut were walking through the city, looking at the different houses. Soon, one of them would be the squad's. Chomper and Wallnut were nervous being near Peashooter, because they had no idea what Peashooter had done in that rune circle. Eventually, they ran into
Cabbage-pult.
"Well, if it isn't the losers and their pathetic sidekick. I thought I saw the last of you chumps. I'm surprised you all came back alive."
Peashooter glared at Cabbage-pult. Wallnut and Chomper got ready to defend their friend.
"Oh, and Peashooter, your secret's out."
Peashooter's eyes widened with fear. Chomper stepped in front of Peashooter.
"What are you talking about, Cabbage-pult?"
Cabbage-pult shoved Chomper aside and walked towards Peashooter, glaring at him with pure hatred.
"Stay away from her you sorry excuse for a plant. How would you like it if I put you in a permanent cast?"
Peashooter's eyes narrowed. This wasn't the secret he was thinking about. But who told Cabbage-pult? Glancing at Chomper for a second, who had a guilty look on his face, Peashooter faced Cabbage-pult again.
"You know as well as I do, Cabbage-pult, that I don't care about what you say."
"Yeah, right. How come you didn't let another plant die because of your cowardice? Because you're an expert at it."
Peashooter yelled out and started to beat Cabbage-pult, but his adversary was too quick. Escaping Peashooter's punches, Cabbage-pult sneered at Peashooter, then he launched a cabbage at him. Peashooter fell to the ground, and when he got up,
Cabbage-pult was walking away, satisfied. Growling, Peashooter went to charge him, but Chomper held him back.
"Peashooter! Stop!"
Peashooter finally calmed down, and he was sitting on the curb. Chomper and Wallnut looked at each other, then walked away, giving Peashooter some space. Peashooter started to cry a little, and not because of Cabbage-pult insulting him. Because what he said was what Peashooter had said to himself all throughout his life.
"Hi, Chomper! Hi, Wallnut!"
Sunflower was walking down the street, waving to them. Then she noticed Peashooter and saw Cabbage-pult watching from a distance. Waving to him, Sunflower walked over to Peashooter, who hadn't moved. Sitting next to him, Sunflower wasn't sure what to do. Despite liking him so much, she didn't know him all that well, and had no idea why he might be crying.
"Hey, Peashooter. What's wrong?"
Peashooter looked at her, and Sunflower noticed for the first time a small scar on his head. Peashooter said nothing, but his eyes were tearing up again. Quickly turning away, Peashooter got up and walked away. Sunflower was confused and hurt.
"Why won't he talk to me?"
"Because of Cabbage-pult, and some other personal stuff."
Turning, Sunflower saw Chomper join her on the curb. Chomper was angry, mostly because Peashooter doesn't talk about his past, and not knowing how to help drives Chomper crazy.
"Why is Cabbage-pult a part of this?"
"Because he hates Peashooter, for a number of reasons. And because Peashooter has what he's always wanted. A caring family."
Sunflower looked at Cabbage-pult, but he was gone. Chomper also saw this, and sighed.
"Of course, Peashooter hates Cabbage-pult too. Mostly since Cabbage-pult bullied him and, um, I don't think Peashooter would want you to hear this."
Sunflower rolled her eyes.
"And because he flirted with me?"
"No. Because Cabbage-pult always says things to Peashooter that he sees as true."
"Like what?"
"Being a coward. Letting other plants die just so Peashooter can survive. Not being able to save anyone. All that junk."
"And Peashooter believes it. Because of something that happened over six years ago."
"Yup."
Sunflower groaned. Being around him all the time would be a challenge. At least Chomper didn't have these problems. She knew that.
"Apparently, Peashooter let a plant named Wolf die. I don't believe it, but Peashooter acts like it's true. He loved Wolf. He also won't talk about him."
"Peashooter wouldn't let a plant die!"
"Maybe because he already did, and felt so guilty about it."
"He was seven!"
"Bad memories last forever."
Sunflower got up and walked away, trying to find Peashooter, leaving Chomper watching her leave sadly.
/While that conversation was going on…
Peashooter was walking through the forest, still crying. Someone was following him, and Peashooter didn't notice. Coming to a small clearing, Peashooter went on his knees and hung his head. Stepping out behind him, Cabbage-pult sneered. Throwing a cabbage at Peashooter's head, he laughed.
"Can't handle it? Going to join the zombies cuz' you're too stupid to do anything right?"
Peashooter got up and faced him. He was glaring with full force and was ready to fight. Cabbage-pult just laughed at him. Peashooter shot a pea at Cabbage-pult's face and tackled him into a tree. Growling,
Cabbage-pult kicked Peashooter away and launched a spiked cabbage, which nailed Peashooter in the chest. Bleeding, Peashooter got up again, and the two glared at each other.
"I never asked to be your enemy,
Cabbage-pult. But you've tormented me long enough."
"Like I'll be scared of the biggest failure in all of Suburbia. Fighting an armless browncoat would be harder than fighting you."
"You'll regret that."
"Like you regret letting a plant die?"
Roaring with rage, Peashooter flung himself at Cabbage-pult, who easily dodged Peashooter. Throwing a few cabbages, Cabbage-pult jumped on Peashooter and hammered him into the ground. As
Cabbage-pult was going to knock Peashooter out, some peas hit him in the side of the head. Turning, Cabbage-pult shouted,
"Who is that?"
"Us."
Threepeater stepped into the clearing. Each head glared at Cabbage-pult. One asked Two,
"Can I beat up this jerk now?"
"Of course. And you, stay away from our brother!"
Threepeater charged, each head employing a different strategy. Three tripped Cabbage-pult with his neck, and Two punched him. One shot at Cabbage-pult eagerly, and each head was ready to defend their brother. Sadly for them, Cabbage-pult knocked out Two easily with his arm, and that left One and Three very vulnerable.
"This isn't your fight, kid. Go home before you suffer your brother's fate."
"My fate? How about yours!"
Peashooter jumped on Cabbage-pult and shot him. Cabbage-pult flipped Peashooter off and got ready to hit him.
"No!"
Sunflower ran into the clearing, stopping when Cabbage-pult saw her.
"Fine."
Cabbage-pult then left. Three and One were super happy.
"Sunflower!"
"Hi Sunflower!"
Sunflower waved to them, smiling, then she remembered Peashooter. When she looked back, he was gone. One and Three scratched their heads, then shrugged, going home after that. Sunflower was confused, angry and hurt.
"Where did he go? Why won't he talk to me?"
"Because no one deserves the pain I feel. I regret ever letting Chomper know about Wolf. I don't want to hurt anyone."
Sunflower turned to see Peashooter leaning on a tree. He had his pods behind his back, and he looked ashamed. Sunflower wasn't sure whether to yell at him or hug him. She decided on the latter, and hugged him tightly. Surprised and embarrassed, Peashooter just felt worse, but started blushing anyway, trying not to let it show. Letting go, Sunflower smiled at him and excitedly said,
"Come on! Maybe the squad house is ready."
"I forgot about that."
The two walked back to Suburbia, both blushing and not letting the other know, while both were excited to see the house.
/Two days later
Peashooter and Wallnut were sitting on the couch in the living room of the home. It was a simple house consisting of two bedrooms on each side and a living room in the middle, nothing else. Chomper was on a recliner, and Sunflower was putting the movie into the
Blu-ray player. Sitting on the couch with the others, Sunflower was happy to do something normal for once. A movie night was just what they needed.
Before the movie ended, Sunflower had fallen asleep on the couch. Chomper yawned and went to bed. Peashooter and Wallnut looked at each other, then Peashooter smiled at him, silently challenging him to stay up. As the credits started Peashooter was getting sleepy. Wallnut got up and went to bed. Peashooter tried to get up, but he was too tired. So he fell asleep.
Sunflower awoke to the click of a camera. Opening her eyes to see that she and Peashooter were sleeping on the couch, she immediately looked around for the camera. Soon she spotted Chomper, who had a camera.
"Chomper, what did you take a picture of?"
"Um… nothing?"
Sunflower got up and went to Chomper, her face red.
"Chomper!"
"What? You'll thank me one day."
Chomper then took the SD card out of the camera and started to run to his room.
"Get back here!"
Sunflower lunged at Chomper, who was startled. Grabbing the SD card, Sunflower smiled. Then she heard Peashooter walk up behind her. Turning around, dropping the SD card, Sunflower nervously looked at Peashooter. Chomper silently grabbed the SD card and got up, hiding the card. Peashooter looked unimpressed.
"I'm assuming that you two weren't trying to wake me up."
Chomper smiled and opened his door. Stepping inside, he said,
"Sunflower can tell you all about it."
Sunflower looked at Chomper with a mix of anger and exasperation. Peashooter sighed.
"I don't even want to know."
Going into his room, Peashooter called back,
"Guys, where's my camera?"
Chomper closed his door and Sunflower groaned. In his room, Chomper went on his computer and downloaded the picture. Printing it, he erased the picture from the card. Placing the picture in a small box, Chomper smirked.
"They'll thank me one day."
Then he put the picture under his bed, while Peashooter was looking for his camera's SD card in the living room.
/The next day
Peashooter opened a mail package he had ordered in his room. Smiling, he pulled out his purchases. As someone knocked on his door, Peashooter hid the items under his bed next to his guitar and box of old toys. Answering the door, Peashooter forgot about the purchases, and he wouldn't remember for a while.
/Six days later…
Peashooter was sitting on the roof, looking out at the night sky. Luckily there was some roof access, so Chomper could get up here, too. Smiling at the memory, Peashooter pulled out a small patch he had found. He didn't remember where he got it, or what it was for.
Someone was trying to get onto the roof, and it shook Peashooter from his thoughts. Opening the hatch, Sunflower came out and sat next to Peashooter. Peashooter hid the patch. Sunflower sighed and looked at the stars.
"Peashooter?"
"Yea?"
"Can I ask you a question?"
Peashooter looked at Sunflower curiously.
"Sure."
"Do you have any regrets? Anything you would change?"
Peashooter thought about it for a while. Pulling out the patch, he smiled.
"Only one. But maybe it shouldn't be a regret. Maybe it happened for the better."
Sunflower closed her eyes. Peashooter then got up and was about to leave, then he remembered something.
"Oh, yeah. I forgot."
Sunflower looked back at Peashooter, who was holding out the patch. Taking it, she looked at it with awe. It was a sun, her symbol, with a multicolored X in the middle. Each color had a smaller symbol in it, with a shield, a chomper mouth, a smaller sun, and a peashooter. Smiling, Sunflower looked at Peashooter.
"Thanks."
"You're welcome. I should probably give Chomper and Wallnut theirs. I can't believe I forgot."
When Peashooter left, Sunflower looked out at the stars. Noticing another figure on a rooftop, Sunflower was shocked to see Cabbage-pult on squad Z's roof. He then noticed her and waved. Sunflower waved back, and on the inside she was worried.
"Hopefully he never sees Peashooter up here. I can't believe I still care about both of them. I'll have to decide eventually. If Cabbage-pult was my squadmate instead of Peashooter, would my decision be easier?"
Remember that patch. And the rivalry. But not Boney Island. No one cares about that.