Baird Engineer of Delta Squad: Yeah, but those kids were obvious weak from undernourishment.
The 379th Hero: It's funny, really; I didn't even realize my own symbolism in that chapter.
InsideLove: Thanks.
Hcdbn: This won't be Riley's last moment of awesomeness. As for Annis, sometimes you just can't get what you want.
Boy Jav: You don't have to be an adult to be messed up.
Al Drin Hoshizora: She wouldn't listen to you.
Jake: Yes, because locking them up for three days without food or water isn't punishment enough.
Js: I'm glad I conveyed that convincingly.
I am a burglar: Does money even matter in a time like this?
Rufflessss: If they did injure her, they'd have gotten a much worse punishment than what they got.
The next day was a violent and chaotic one.
A number of the kids in the city had found several guns that hadn't been taken by Annis' law enforcement, and tried to fight back. The hotel kids, who had expected a simple pillage as usual, were caught off-guard when the bullets started flying, and before long, both sides were trading bullets.
Of course, kids with no experience with firearms are horrible shots. The majority of the bullets flew off wildly into the air, but it was enough to keep the law enforcement under cover. Both sides hid behind cars or alleyways or tried to find some other way of safety.
Occasionally, a kid would get shot. The law enforcement weren't intending to kill anyone, so they mainly aimed for usually non-fatal areas. By contrast, their assailants were trying to kill.
Riley found herself clutched in a fetal position, using a car as cover from the bullets. She didn't dare rise up, because bullets were raining in her direction. As she had been in the front-lines when the law enforcers had arrived, she was at the heart of the battle.
Riley looked around, and saw some of her friends firing bullets from their shields. One girl was shot in the shoulder, and went down, clutching her bloodied shoulder.
Riley gasped and hid away as more bullets rained in her direction. In her mind, she asked herself how things had gone so violent, so quickly. She figured that it would've happened eventually, but she was still unprepared for the sheer brutality of it.
Annis was standing in the middle of her comrades, shouting and pushing them forward. She seemed lost in the battle.
Riley looked around and saw Madison dragging an injured boy behind a car. One of the large boys was there with her, holding a trash can. Riley didn't know why he was holding it until he threw it at their attackers, knocking them back and disorienting them.
Riley suddenly felt a burst of impulsiveness. She rushed out and managed to grab a manhole cover. She hid behind it, using it as a shield from the bullets. Then, she used all her strength to toss it, disc-like, at their enemies. The cover knocked a group of the kids back and onto the ground. The hail of bullets on their side stopped.
Seeing their chance, Annis' enforcers took off to apprehend them. Some were still firing bullets, but they were at a grievous disadvantage. They were swarmed by their enemies.
Riley lay face-first in the snow. She'd felt like she'd pulled a muscle in her arm from throwing the manhole cover. She managed to raise her head to see her allies take down the enemy. As she did, she noticed Annis give a celebration of their victory, hopping in the air like a toddler.
Riley felt someone hoist her onto her back, and saw Harold and Madison. Both looked bruised and dirtied from the fight, but they were nevertheless okay.
"Riley, are you alright?" Madison asked, holding Riley's head. Riley opened her mouth to try and say something, but she was too exhausted. She closed her eyes, and drifted off into unconsciousness.
When Riley woke up, she was in her room, surrounded by her friends. Caroline was sitting next to her.
"W-What happened?" Riley asked, still feeling drowsy. She rubbed her shoulder, and realized that her arm was okay now.
"You won us the fight, that's what," Harold revealed, placing a shoulder on Riley's shoulder and actually smiling for once. "You threw that cover like a pro! Their main offense was wiped out clean from it! We won, thanks to you!"
Riley managed a weak smile. "What happened to me?" She asked.
"You dislocated your shoulder," Annis revealed. "The other kids relocated it while you were unconscious. You were unconscious for ten hours, BTW."
It was only then that Riley realized that it was nighttime.
"You were awesome, Riley!" Caroline congratulated, hugging her. Riley was initially surprised, but she nevertheless returned the embrace.
"Thanks," She whispered.
"No, thank you," Harriet replied. "We might have not been alive today if it weren't for you."
Riley's smile grew bigger. She then turned to Annis.
"Yeah, you did a good job," She said bluntly, then turned to leave.
"I'm going to organize our new captives," She explained, then left the room. The other kids slowly disbanded from the room as well, leaving Riley with Caroline.
Riley collapsed onto the bed, exhausted. Caroline crawled next to her. "That must've been awesome, to be there!" Caroline said to her.
Immediately, Riley saw flashbacks of the fight itself, and she snapped out of bed, horrified.
"No, it wasn't!" She shouted at her. "It was horrible! People were getting shot, and they were bleeding! Many were getting injured. It was terrifying! Never think something like that is awesome!"
Caroline seemed taken aback by Riley's outburst. Riley calmed down and sat down next to Caroline.
"I'm sorry, it's just, I never want to be in a situation like that, ever," She said, hugging Caroline. "I might not have survived, and if that happened, I would never be there for you."
Caroline nodded, letting a tear slip out. "I know," She said.
Riley began to whistle. It was Annis' Tune, the one she'd always use to ease Riley. Now, Riley whistled the same tune, to ease herself. And Caroline.
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