Hey guys, D.N. here. Thanks for your reviews, and of course I have shout outs for each of you.
Cypress Oury: Chapter 12: I can see why you wouldn't like Kasha, especially after that fiasco with her and Maddy. However, I plan on changing your opinion.
I-Love-Trunks1: Chapter 12: Nine and Maddy are a very possible pair. No spoilers though!
Paragon Eight: Like I said with Trunks, no spoilers, but Kasha will be around for a while. As for other Garde, if you wouldn't mind clearing up the question, I'll be happy to answer. For now though, I'm not quite sure what you mean when you ask that. And thanks for your support!
Eclaire Stones: The Adam/One scene wasn't originally planned, but I'm glad you liked it. As for taking her from Adam's body and into another, I think you'll find the answer in a few chapters... I've got plans for her. BIG plans.
For everyone else, enjoy the story!
- D.N.
Nine
We're driving through Topeka, Kansas the day after New Mexico when Kasha (whom I'd assumed was asleep) snaps her eyes open and points at a side street out the window.
"Turn here, Nine," she says. "There's a safehouse we can visit here."
I turn onto the street she points out and continue driving. "Where is it, Kasha?" I ask, scanning the streets. "I don't see any comic book stores."
"Down this road, on the right," she says. "The store on the corner."
I park on the side of the store and turn the car off, then reach behind the driver's seat and pat Maddy's leg. "Mads, wake up. Kasha says we're at a safehouse."
Maddy groans and slaps my hand away. I look to Kasha, who nods and motions for me to get out. "I'll deal with her," she says.
I sigh and exit the car while Kasha rouses Maddy and helps her from the car. Maddy gives me a dirty look, and if looks could kill... you know the rest.
I look up at the sign above the door and laugh. "GameStop? Seriously?"
"Of course," Kasha says seriously. "I did say all video game stores, did I not?"
I facepalm. "Do you have any idea how many games I've bought from this chain?"
Kasha smiles secretively. "And why in the world would I know that? I'm not the overseer; I just use the safehouses."
A chime sounds over the speakers as we enter the store; a clerk looks up from the Game Informer magazine he's reading. "Welcome to GameStop. How can I help you?" he says in a bored tone.
Kasha hikes up her sleeve and places her arm on the counter in front of him. "My friends and I would like to use the back room," she says coolly.
The attendant takes one look at her arm, then looks at Maddy and I. "These are your friends, Princess?"
Kasha nods. "Actually, the tall brooding one is my fiance. The girl is a friend of mine."
The clerk, whose name tag says Allen, nods and takes a ring of keys from a hook beside the desk, then motions for us to follow him. He opens the counter and leads us through the room in the back of the store, then unlocks a door in the room behind that one. The room inside is blank save for a single panel on the wall with a blue line of light projected underneath.
"Scan your arm, if you would, Miss Yakasha." Allen says. Kasha obliges, and a soft hiss is heard as the door is unlocked. We enter and are thoroughly amazed.
A couch sits on the far wall, with a love seat on the adjacent wall. Both face a flatscreen television hooked up to almost every kind of gaming system imaginable, from the early NES to the Oculus Rift VR system. Maddy immediately flops down on the love seat and spreads out, the grabs a pillow and buries her face in it. I move to the couch and set myself down, waiting for Kasha to make the next move.
"I'll bring some blankets for you in a short bit," the desk clerk says, "but for now, is there anything I can get you, Miss Yakasha?"
Kasha nods and motions for him to follow her. "This will be a long list, so you might want to get a pad. We need water, food, and snack bars. A couple changes of clothes would be nice, I can give you the sizes. A handgun and Mogadorian cannon, plus ammunition and silencers, as well as hunting and Mogadorian knives." Her voice trails off as her and Allen exit the room, the door swinging shut silently behind them.
Maddy and I sit in awkward silence, Maddy's face stuffed into the pillow and mine looking anywhere but at her. After a minute or tow of avoidance, Maddy begins to shudder into the pillow, her body shaking. Soft whimpers emit from her, which quickly evolve into full out sobs. She looks up.
"Why?" Maddy asks through blurred eyes. "Why must you do this to me?"
"Do what?" I ask, genuinely confused.
Maddy's face morphs to anger as she throws the pillow she's been holding at my face. I catch it mid-air, then float it back to Maddy, who hugs it once more and sniffles.
"You say you love me, you act like you love me, but when Yakasha comes around, suddenly you can't keep your hands off her! It's not fair!" Maddy falls back into tears at the last word. "I love you Nine, I really do. But it's hard to keep up with a girl who's hotter than me, especially when she isn't human!"
"Mads," I begin. "I do love you. And the kiss with Kasha was nothing, just a sign of friendship, I swear."
Maddy frowns. "Prove it, Nine.
"If it upsets you that much, I'll ask Kasha to stay here while we go on ahead." I say. "She doesn't have to come with us anymore, if that's what you want."
Maddy shakes her head. "My problem isn't with Kasha," she says tersely. "It's with you. I want you to prove me that you love me."
I sigh. "Okay, how?"
Maddy taps her lips. "Kiss me. If you're really in love with me, I'll be able to tell."
Maddy scoots over as I move from the couch to the love seat, setting myself beside the blond beauty. She leans next to me, tilting her head to meet my lips.
Her lips are soft like velvet, but the force behind them is like a hurricane. I melt into her kiss, nipping her bottom lip in a show of affection. She gasps and I take the opportunity to run my hand along her back, pressing her against my body. She grips my hair in a vice, pulling my head down against hers as our lips lock with passion. I take hold of the moment to slide my hand up the back of her shirt, her smooth skin warm against my fingers. I move upwards, my hand coming in contact with her bra strap, and that's when all hell breaks loose.
Three things happen at once. The first is that Maddy grabs my hand and pulls it out from her shirt, breaking our kiss. The second is that the blonde whom just seconds earlier had been heavily making out with me slaps me, fire in her eyes. The third, well... that's better left unsaid.
"Asshole," Maddy mutters before pushing me off the love seat. She then grabs a headset and an Xbox controller, boots up a Black Ops game, then proceeds to verbally bash me while shooting other players on Live.
I cringe.
...
Kasha comes in a half hour later, after Maddy has annihilated the competition and is simply camping with a sniper rifle. She picks off a runner from the enemy team before ending the game and facing Kasha.
"What's the deal with Allen?" Maddy asks.
"He'll be in here shortly with our supplies. Until then, we relax."
Maddy tosses Kasha the controller. "I assume you know how to use this?" She asks. Kasha nods. "Good. I need to blow off some steam."
...
Three
Halloween, according to Henri, is one of the biggest human holidays of the year. In the spirit of the holiday, Adam, Sam, Four and I each got a treat.
Manure.
In our lockers.
I've got a good idea who did the dirty deed (pun intended), and Adam, Sam and I are prepared to let it slide. Four, however, is a different story. He's ready to pummel the guys who did it: the football team.
"John," I say while taking him aside, "Don't you recall what Harris threatened us with if there were anymore fights started?"
"Yeah, I do." John says sadly. "But we can't let them get away with this!"
Adam sidles up beside us. "So what do you suggest we do, Three? We all know Harris is Mark's lapdog."
"Yeah," I say, "But that doesn't mean we can't bide our time. Eventually he'll slip up, and then that's when we strike. No use in getting in a fight now, because we won't win."
John shakes his head stubbornly, but I can see the fire in his eyes die down, however temporary. "Fine."
Sam comes up behind John, a flyer in his hand. "Guys!" he says. "There's a Halloween parade this weekend. You guys want to go?"
Adam and I look to one another and shrug. "Sounds good. John?"
Four nods. 'Sarah's already invited me, so might as well bring Henri."
After Home Ec, John, Adam and I head back to the house, cutting through the woods to cut our time down. The whole way back it feels like someone is watching me, but as far as I can tell, we're alone.
We burst through the trees surrounding our house and enter the building, dropping our bags at the table to start homework.
'This is ridiculous." Adam says.
My face wrinkles with confusion. "What is, Adam?"
Adam points to the homework we'd been assigned. "We're trying to save the world, not to mention the entire human race, and they expect us to do homework. It's stupid."
Henri laughs as he enters the room. "Humor them, Adam. It won't be long until you're on break, and then you have to train harder."
John sighs with disgust. "Why do we even have to train?"
"I'm not even going to answer that, John."
I chuckle. "Ask a stupid question,"
"Get a stupid answer." Adam finishes.
John scowls at us. "Very funny you two."
A scratch comes at our front door, a series of long, rapidfire claw marks. Henri's head shoots up, scanning the room for anything to use as a weapon. It comes again and Henri grabs a butcher knife from the counter.
John barks a laugh. "You think that'll kill a Mog?"
Henri shushes him and motions for us to get under the table. "It'll kill it if I hit the heart. If I don't, be ready with your Lumen."
John nods as we duck under the table, and Adamus shuts his eyes, probably asking One for her help. I shift my hands to the taloned form I used in my fight with Four. If I'm going down, I'm going down fighting.
Adam snaps his eyes open, the irises glowing purple; One's in control.
The scratching intensifies, a steady stream of claws against the wooden barrier. Henri approaches the door, knife raised as he turns the handle slowly. Then, in one swift move, he jerks open the door and lunges.
...
A.N.
Well guys, I thought I'd leave you with a little suspense. Nothing beats suspense, right?
Anyways, R&R, and let me know what you think!
Back soon with the next chapter.
- D.N.