Hey guys, sorry about that last cliffie, but hey, a guy needs to build suspense, right? Anyways, next chapter, right here for you!
Only one shoutout, but hey, I appreciate it anyways!
I-Love-Trunks1: Thanks for supporting me!
Nine
"It reads, ' Yakasha Nakrim, Princess of Trueborns'. "
I look at Yakasha, who blushes. "Princess?" I ask. "As in royal Princess?"
"The royalty system is different on Mogadore, but yes, I am royalty." Kasha says timidly.
"Great," Maddy says sarcastically. "Just great. We forced a fucking princess to join us. That's the last thing we needed."
"What is?" Kasha asks. "My presence?"
"I think Maddy is referring to the fact that we might have kidnapped someone important, that's all." I say. "You aren't a problem, Kasha."
"No, she is!" Maddy counters. "And I'm referring to the fact that she's a royal pain in the mmph!"
I gag Maddy with my telekinesis before she gets any further. "Sorry Kasha, she can be a little grumpy at times."
Kasha's head dips, as if ashamed. "I'm sorry, Nine. I hope my status as a Princess will not be a problem. With it I have access to safehouses, bank accounts, weapons, pretty much anything short of a... what do you humans call it? A nuke?" She shakes her head. "I am sorry for any trouble I have caused, Number Nine."
I wave her apology aside. "No need to apologize, Kasha. Now, Maddy on the other hand, does need to apologize. Right, Mads?"
Maddy glares daggers at me, but nods anyways. I ungag her.
"I... apologize, Kasha. I should have waited for all the facts before assuming what I did." Maddy says through clenched teeth. "But, why did you say Nine was your fiance?"
"At my age, the Mogadorian Royalty is expected to marry." Kasha says, blushing at the thought. "I joined the Strike Squad in an attempt to get out of that rule, but unfortunately, I'm still expected to marry. Nine was the only male with us, so I had to use that to my advantage in order to avoid suspicion. " Kasha twirls a lock of her hair, embarrassed. "Do you understand, Madeline?"
Maddy sighs, then nods. "I suppose. Just try to warn me next time, all right Kasha?"
"I will try, " Kasha says before turning to me. "And Nine?"
"Yes?" I say.
"I was not kidnapped; I joined of my own free will."
A knock comes at our door and we stop talking. The door opens, and the desk clerk pokes his head in. 'I have those items you asked for, Princess."
Kasha smiles. "Good, good. Please, come in."
The clerk enters with a large backpack slung over his shoulder, then shuts the door. "I brought a few essential supplies, too," he says as he sets down the pack and opens it. "There's a couple sets of clothes for each of you, along with cold weather clothes." He pulls each item out as he speaks. "Ma'am," he says to Maddy, "I don't know what your sizes are, but since you and Lady Yakasha look about the same size, I packed the same sizes fro both of you."
"It's alright," Maddy says. "We'll make it work."
The desk clerk sighs with relief and goes back to the backpack. "There's a few days of rations in here, maybe enough for two or three days, and some thermoses full of water." He blushes before continuing. "Some... feminine products... cash, a set of blankets, and a pair of knives and guns. The weapons are Mogadorian, of course, to replace the worn out ones you were carrying when you entered. It's all I could get on such short notice, but I hope it's enough, my Lady."
'It's quite alright," Kasha says soothingly. "Did you remember my fiance's shirt?"
"I did, Princess," the man says, then reaches into the bag and pulls out a bundle of cloth. "It's not much," he says as he tosses it to me, "but I hope it will do."
I open the shirt, which reveals itself to be a black hoodie. I nod acceptingly and pull it on. "Thanks."
"My pleasure," the clerk says. "Lady Yakasha, is there anything else you need?"
Kasha shakes her head. "That will be all, thank you."
The clerk bows his head and backs out from the room.
"So," Maddy says. "What do we do now?"
I look around the room we're in, which seems to be populated entirely by boxes of comics, old and new. "Well," I say, opening a box and pulling out an issue of Ghost Rider. "We relax. I for one want time to chill, seeing as we're not running from any monsters right this second."
Kasha looks around, uninterested. "I'll see what I can find out about this city, see if anything useful has happened that we could use to our advantage." With that, she ducks out the door.
...
Hours later, Kasha returns, winded. I look up from an old issue of Adventure Comics. "Well?" I ask.
"Nothing," she says, disappointed.
Maddy looks down from her perch atop a stack of crates. "The sun's gone down. That means we need to sleep."
Kasha nods. "I agree," she says solemnly. "It is past time we rest."
I glance around, eyeing the crates that are stacked around us. Lifting a few with my mind, I clear a spot big enough for us to lie down comfortably. Maddy notices this and raises an eyebrow.
"Nine," she starts. "What are you doing?"
'Clearing a spot to sleep," I answer, shifting a box of old Magic: The Gathering cards to the side. "We're all going to sleep here. Kasha, grab the blankets, please."
Kasha pulls the blankets from our packs and sets one on the space I cleared, then curls into a ball near the far side. Maddy lays down opposite her, and I lay groan.
"Mads, Kasha, don't make me come down there." I say, exasperated. With a groan Maddy scoots closer to Kasha, who uncurls and spreads out a small bit. Satisfied, I lay between them, Kasha on my left and Maddy on my right, then float the blanket over to cover us and shut off the lights. Judging by her slowed breathing, Kasha falls asleep relatively fast, but I struggle to do the same.
"Nine?" Maddy speaks after a small bit, her voice jolting me from my half-sleep.
"Yeah Mads?"
"Can you be honest with me?" She asks.
I yawn. "Of course Maddy. What is it?"
Maddy takes a deep breath before speaking. "Do you like Yakasha?" She uses Kasha's Mogadorian name, which irks me somewhat, but I'm too tired to care.
I sigh and yawn at the same time. "Mads..."
"Answer the question, Nine." she says hotly.
"As a friend, yeah." I say slowly. "I don't appreciate what her kind did and still do, but I feel that Kasha is different somehow... She's... nicer."
"What about her body?"
This one surprises me. "What?"
"Her body, Nine. Her looks."
I look over at Kasha, who sleeps soundly beside me. Her bright red hair covers half her face, framing the lashes that hide her storm-grey eyes. My eyes travel downward, to her torso.
She has a nice figure, a slim hourglass build; not too skinny, but not as big as some girl's I'd seen. Her breasts are well proportioned for her body, and Kasha's petite waist rises and falls with her slowed breathing. She rolls over, giving me a glimpse of her toned thighs before I blush at the next thoughts.
""Well, Nine?" Maddy asks again.
"Mads," I say, faking a yawn this time. "Do we really need to talk about this?"
"Yeah, Nine. What do you think of Kasha's looks?"
I can hear a tinge of jealousy in Maddy's voice, and I roll to face her. "Mads," I say softly, "I'm not going to lie. Kasha is extremely beautiful. Hot, even."
"Hot?!" Maddy's voice raises a few decibels, and I thank the Mogadorian Royalty that they soundproofed their safehouses.
"Yeah," I say quickly, "but in her own way. Just like you're hot in your own way. But I love you, Maddy. Not Kasha."
This seems to placate Maddy, who smiles. "Sorry I doubted you. I love you too Nine."
"Any more questions?" I ask.
"Just one."
"Go ahead," I say.
'Where are we going?"
I smile. "Chicago, Mads. We're going home. Now go to sleep."
...
When I wake up Kasha is already awake and sitting beside me, while Maddy sleeps noiselessly to my side. Kasha's in the middle of brushing her hair, a half-eaten muffin on the floor beside her.
"Good morning, Nine," she says. 'How did you sleep?"
I yawn, stretching my arms to work out the kinks. "Pretty well. You?"
"I slept, as usual."
An awkward silence sits between us for a minute or two, the only sound coming from the brush sliding through Kasha's hair. When Kasha speaks, it's soft, and I have to lean in to hear.
"I heard what you said to Madeline last night."
"Really?" I ask, my voice cracking. "How much?"
Kasha looks down, her hair falling across her face. "All of it."
"Oh." It's the only thing I can think of to say. I twiddle my thumbs, trying to come up with something to break the silence. Finally, I think of something.
"You know, I did mean what I said."
"You think I'm nice?" Kasha asks.
I nod. "I do."
"Am I really..." she trails off. "Am I hot?" She use the word as if it's sacred, an achievement in a video game she'll never reach. Kasha twirls a lock of hair between her fingers, a sign she's feeling shy.
I nod. "You are, Kasha."
Kasha blushes. "You're saying that because I'm your friend."
I shake my head. " No Kasha, I truly think that. I'm your friend too, but that's not why I'm saying it. You're nice, and I trust you, especially since you got us this far already. I mean, don't get me wrong, your race is full of assholes, but you, Kasha, you aren't like them."
Kasha blushes and sets the brush down, then leans over me and drops her head to give me a quick, unexpected kiss. Flustered, I lean upwards into her kiss before she pulls back and smiles.
"Thank you, Nine." She says, giggling. "There is food by the backpacks if you want any, and a shower in the back."
I nod, still flustered. "I think I'll take one then," I say slowly. "I'm sure my clothes are soaked with sweat and sand."
Kasha giggles again as I make my way to the back of the room, into another offshoot of the ever-growing store.
...
When I emerge from my shower Maddy has woken and is gnawing on a granola bar as Kasha brushes the blonde's hair. My wet feet slap the floor as I walk, signalling my approach.
"Shower's all yours, Mads." I say.
Kasha stops brushing as Maddy stands. "Alright," she says. "But no funny business, okay you two?"
I blush as Kasha giggles. "Alright, Maddy."
Maddy leaves for a shower and I sit down next to Kasha. "You didn't tell her?" I ask.
Kasha shakes her head. "There is no need for her to know."
"Good." I say. "I don't know what would be worse; you clawed to death or my head on a pole."
We both laugh at my half-joke. When we regain control of our humors, Kasha stares me in the eye. "What's in Chicago, Nine?" she asks.
I sigh, homesick. "A bunch of things. My earth home, for one, and my Cepan, among other things."
"I see."
"Yeah," I deadpan. "What time is it?"
Kasha looks at a watch on her wrist, which I assume was one of the items in our pack. "About 9:00. We should get going soon."
"Exactly what I was thinking." I say. " Do we have another safehouse we can visit on the way?"
Kasha nods. "All I need to do is flash my arm at any comic or video game store, and if the workers are loyal to the Mogadorian Royalty, we shall have a room for the night, plus supplies if we need them."
"Good. We'll need to make the most of them on our way up to Chicago. Speaking of which, where are we?"
"I talked to Mason outside, and he says we're in a small town called Tucumcari, in New Mexico. If we head northeast, we should reach Chicago in a day or two." Kasha twirls her hair again. "He's got a car waiting outside for us when we're ready."
"New Mexico?" I scoff. "That's a ways from Chicago, isn't it?" My voice drips with sarcasm, but when Kasha flinches I back off.
'It is not my fault that the government keeps an army base in Roswell." Kasha retaliates. "And it is certainly not my fault that the base in question deals with the handling of extraterrestrials."
"I guess you're right, but don't you think they could have placed it a little closer to home?"
Kasha frowns. "Don't get me started on home, Nine. Mine is gone."
"And mine's not?" I shoot back, but I hold out my hand anyways. "Fair enough. Truce?"
Kasha giggles and takes my hand. "Deal."
"Hey Kasha, could you toss me a change of clothes?" Maddy's voice rings out from behind me.
I move to turn my head, but am stopped by Kasha yanking my arm and pressing my head to her breast while she passes a change of clothes to Maddy behind me.
"Thanks Kasha!" Maddy's feet slap against the concrete as she rushes back to the showers to change, and Kasha releases me from her hold before giving me a chastising look.
"What?" I ask.
"Nine," Kasha says, embarrassed, "You can't just turn around when a girl asks for a change of clothes, especially not when she's just gotten out of the shower!"
I shrug. "Why not?"
"Why not?" Kasha asks, incredulous. "Because it's not polite, that's why!"
I laugh. "Whatever, Yakasha."
Kasha scowls, and the next thing I know my cheek is stinging with pain, my head snapped to the side.
She slapped me.
Angry, I return Kasha's slap with on of my own, but in a complete shift of emotion, place my lips on hers in a long, raging kiss.
Kasha resists at first, but melts into it as I continue. A slight moan builds in her throat, gaining volume as our lips clash against each other's. Just as her moan reaches it's peak, Kasha pushes me away and scowls.
"What the hell is wrong with you?!" she asks. "Do you want to die?"
"What do you mean?" I shoot back. "You enjoyed it too."
Kasha smiles mischievously. 'No funny business, remember?"
I laugh softly. "Alright, alright. No more funny business."
Maddy walks into view, her hair still wet from her shower. "Did I hear you right, Nine?" she asks angrily. "No more funny business?"
"Oh, shit."
Maddy nods. "Got that right."
A half-second later my head is snapped to the side once more, my left cheek stinging like hell.
"Let's go, Kasha." she says.
A.N.
So, what do you think? Is Kasha good, bad, or just plain strange? Anyways, voice your thoughts.
Until next Chapter, Trust No One.
- D.N.
