The Forest of Dreams
The soothing sounds of water and birds chirping in the distance, the earthy smell after rainfall, all satiated her senses as she lay upon the forest floor. Her fingers sprawled gliding over the wands of the grass and twigs around her, a small smile crept across her lips her eyes close wanting to savor every minute of this moment. Wetting her lips, she rolls to her side, inching her nose more to the pillow of green, she became contented by the natural fragrance of the grass.
Dammit!
She tightens her fix, feeling her nails dig into the skin of her palm.
She wagered whether to open her eyes or continue to enjoy this moment of peace.
Fiery orbs snapped opened finding the woodland silent and the setting sun hiding behind the mountain tops, setting the sky in a blazing hue. She shuddered as the temperature dropped.
Earth?
The gust teased her silvery-blue tresses buffing them against one another around her lightly dressed body. Another shiver ran down her spine, this sensation was not foreign to her. Of course, it could have been the cold, still, this feeling emanated from one being. She felt a need to prepare herself, Ryoko backpedaled into the trunk of a thick mossy filled tree.
Danger!
Stepping into her line of vision was a snowy coat of thick fur and piercing blue eyes. Ryoko locked eyes with the four-legged animal once again, she breathed out slowly. The canine strode in choreographed moves; head hung low making its way down the giant roots and thick foliage. The wolf stilled and straightened up watching her fixedly. It was like a game of chess, every move the other make can be a win or disadvantage for the other. Ryoko warily scanned her immediate area, the clearing was empty, she fixed her sights back to the wolf who remained put and watchful.
Before that tympanic beat hit the walls of her eardrums, she made a break for it. Her bare soles hit the moist base of the earth. She pushes herself faster dodging the boulders of trees in her path. Ryoko succeeded in creating distance, her dressed becoming caked in mud running deeper into the wilderness. With her mind on fire, her foot slid on a patch of wet leaves causing her body to be propelled forward falling over a small cliff.
Her vision was blurry, the world above her distorted around the edges. Ryoko looks to the overhang, no sign of the canine. A grin slunk across her chapped lips, 'It is only a dream.' She bites down on her bottom lip and dragged the piece of broken wood from her inner thigh small droplets of blood hitting the ground. She ripped a bottom piece of her dress and wrapped it around her thigh. Her head snapped up at the incline where the sound of shuffling and a broken twig emanated from. The animal head rose to sniff the air and made its descent towards her, she paled.
The wolf continues the path down, drinking her unyieldingly. The wolf stilled a few feet from her and sat down naturally as if it was domesticated. Ryoko stood frozen in her spot, feeling confused. After a moment, she worked up the courage to approach the canine.
She offered her hand to it, allowing the wolf to sniff it. Accepting her with the flick of its tongue, it lowers its head setting it between its paws. Ryoko passed her palm over the thick fur of his or her head. Her eyes roam over its body and her hand followed the darker patches of hair in light pats. She sighs and rests her head against the animal.
"Sir, she is showing a very low heart rate, and look over here her neuro functions are rapidly slowing down." A scientist summoned the captain from over their shoulder. "We cannot do this; in no time she will be brain dead."
"Let's not give up too soon. The functions should return to a neutral state, giving us enough time to get the procedure done, and then we can let her go afterward. Give her some time." Ichizo views the woman's cardiac activity displayed on the screen then darting to the cyan woman lying prone in the floor-length window room ahead. Fighting to ignore the sick feeling was stirring in his stomach; he was getting closer to his victory. He can't lose this big incentive.
"I wouldn't push your luck. This points to one thing, and I suggest we hold off. Count it as a loss. Whatever happens to the body the brain will shut down in response!"
"I'll say when to hold off—What?" Ichizo was cut off by the ear-piercing distress signal that ran throughout the facility.
'All Systems have been breached; I repeat: All Systems have been breached!'
The staff ogles helplessly as files multiplied and then were deleted off in seconds from their computers. Before Ichizo could cry out for reinforcement an explosion knocked him off his feet. His body skidded a few feet under a counter hitting his temple; he groaned as the ringing in his ears began to subside, the man fought to maintain what bit of consciousness he could muster. From his peripheral, he caught armed men of twenty entering the area, weapons drawn stepping over the gravely wounded technicians, shouting orders, and firing more rounds. His head dropped back but his hearing was filled with frightened cries.
They did exactly as they were ordered; it came fierce efficient and deadly. The approaching of heavy footsteps filled the passageway, Ichizo squinted hearing the steps stop nearby. Whoever it was, they sounded confident. Like they have been there before. The injured officer moved his head away hearing the steps drew closer. They must be either large or heavily armed, he noted. He heard the violent beating of fingers on the keypad a few feet away.
Ichizo drummed his fingers along the metal piece at his hip, only to pause feeling the cold metal pressed against his sweaty forehead. He regarded his would-be assassin with a tight-lipped smile arms away from his body. "You are here for her, are you not? Unfortunately, she's as good as dead." He takes notice of the man's slight flinch but his grip tightened on the weapon. Ichizo snuck a glance at his attacker. This assailant reeked of vengeance, his brows gathered and uncaring cerulean eyes tightening down at him. Ichizo smirked, feeling the barrel of the metallic grey weapon pressed harder into his skin to the point he can feel it pressing into his skull.
"Killing me is an intergalactic federal crime. Are you aware of that? You don't want to do that now, don't you?" The owner of the cobalt eyes widens as Ichizo lunged for the mask. However, the commanding officer only had less than a second before he was stunned under the weight of the blow by the intruder. Like a fawn, his legs jerk to stand, he held onto the man before him. Allowing his DNA to stain the dark jacket of the assailant. He felt his strength waning and muscles tightened up. Finally, he dropped sprawled on the cold floor, unconscious.
Wiping the blood off his coat, the tall man stalked away to the windowed room. He set the small device against the glass shattering it in an instant; his breath nearly left him seeing his beloved lifeless on the table. He reluctantly took a cursory glance at the length of her body, cords attach to her temples her chest and her legs. His gloved hands cupped the top of her head and her chin. The sullen man ripped the pods off her body and scooped her up.
A man barged into the room and jogged towards him. The bloodied and barely breathing officer lying on the floor, eyes were swollen and blood drooling out of his swollen lips caught his attention. " Attempted murder was not on the agenda today! You know what they would do to you?" He cautioned following him out.
Princess.
He cradled the back of the woman's head placing it gently on the pillow. His blue eyes were fixed on her still face and her slightly darkened lips.
"I'll take a look at her."
The female medic crosses the threshold into the makeshift chamber and quickly began to tend to Ryoko. Hotsuma reluctantly relocated to the window keeping a watchful eye on the pair. He was impressed by how precise, resolute, and gentle she was with Ryoko. He self-consciously scratched his neatly groomed beard as his worries kick in.
"Cloak mode is activated."
Hotsuma countered with a nod at his half-brother, Hizir. Hizir's pear-colored eyes observed the scene before them. His brown-colored brows rose in congruence with his thoughts, then side-eyed his older half-sibling. "Make sure you grab a bite or two, three, and get some rest. You look like shit Brother." Hizir felt the need to chide him. Finding no trace of amusement on Hotsuma's face, Hizir combed back a loose lock behind his ear. "Will she come out of it?"
Hotsuma shrugged overlapping his arms. "I certainly hope so."
Hizir nods, "You can finally get some rest now that you have her back."
Placing Ryoko's left arm under the dark coverlet and hearing the door shut. The medic looks up at the man across from her. "Recovery from a coma is a slow process. I would not keep my hopes high though." Hotsuma gave her a reproaching look, "…under the supervision of the previous facility…she must've sustained a neurological injury of some sort." The woman was careful with her words, bracing herself for an outburst. "How? I am not certain, but it was something traumatic, giving that she has bruises on her body. More examinations will only tell." Hotsuma quickly moves from the wall and hovered over Ryoko's body.
"Show me what they have done to her." His hand stilled at the base of her sleeve; he bit his lip he was unprepared to see the injury she sustained from that sorry excuse of a man.
"I think you shouldn't see any of them. After all, you just may have killed that man in your fit of rage." The medic stood at the foot of the bed. She heard him heavily sigh and dragged the chair back to sit alongside his lifeless woman. He took her limp hand into his. He held it alongside his face in hopes contain his anger.
Clearing her throat, she pulled a gadget from her satchel, "This device will allow me to monitor her brain activity on the go." She places the squared device beside the white pillow after placing the pods on Ryoko's temples. "I will be able to access her readings throughout the day. I do expect her to show some progress in a couple of days."
"Those people had the same thing on her in that lab." He muttered in disgust watching her place the pods on Ryoko. He tightened his hold on her pallid hand. Picking up on the medic's quietness, Hotsuma's hard-hearted eyes looked up at her. "Huma…" She straightened up gazing warily at the man; her pale pink lips parted but no words could come out. He groans settling Ryoko's hand down and stood up, the weight of the woman's offending feelings fell heavily on his shoulders.
"S-She left you for dead, Hotsuma!" Hüma's expressed sharply; her hazel eyes searching his.
"How can you forgive someone like that? How can you break into a GXP headquarters to "rescue" her?! Someone who gravely wounded you!" Huma probed her eyes widening brimming with tears.
"You would risk the lives of your soldiers, your people…your family for…her. Akio will chew fire over this." Hüma grips his arms, setting her head on his chest. She remembered the day she was giving the task to tend to him shortly after he was discovered lying face down on the beach.
Flashback
Hüma crouched over the bowl and squeezed the damp cloth, she folded it in her hands and positioned it on the forehead of the still man. Her hands moved to the blanket and pushed it to his waist exposing the almost fatal wound below his pecs and rib. A few inches up and his heart would have been punctured. Hüma hissed dabbing at the damaged skin, cursing his attacker.
Replacing the blanket, she set the cloth into the bowl watching as the blood reddened the warm water. [You did not deserve this.] Wiping her hands in her apron she sat on the bed and blushed. She imagined their future countless times, he fully recovered and she tending to his needs. Him accepting her and moving on to a life of pure bliss. Running her tan index finger along his muscular arm, her mouth parted; [I know that you have suffered greatly. You were made to fight. Keep fighting, alright?] She lowered her face to his shoulder planted a kiss there.
"Oh…" Akio entered the room concluding she disturbed an intimate moment. Hüma gasp shooting up from the bed, she immediately bowed and kept her head low waiting to be spoken to. Akio strolled to the bedside and planted a kiss on her son's forehead.
"Bless your hands. My sweet son, you look better and better by the day." Akio caresses his cheek. Hüma straightened as a slight frown crept across her full lips, she was growing tense as she was still in the beginning stages of learning the common language. Akio grinned and snapped her finger making the woman look at her.
[He would open his eyes any day, won't he?]
[Yes, any day.]
[And you will be the first he wakes up to] Akio smirks at the young woman. [You two would look good together. Better off, than that tramp of a spouse he had. I never liked her, when you become a mother, you will be able to understand. You will make a great wife for him.]
[You're too kind, your highness.] Hüma wrings her wrists.
[Keep studying, you must learn the common language. So, no one will be able to get over on you. I would not be where I am without it, and someday you will be in my shoes. You don't want to be a disappointment to him, do you?] Akio pouted and tilted her head at her sleeping son.
Hüma blushes and nods, "I-I will not disappoint you; m-my lady."
End of Flashback
"The whole time you've been pining for her…I was convinced that you were falling for me."
He picked the woman's head up from his chest, grimacing at the feel of dampness on his shirt. "It's for the best, Hüma. You will never understand because it is not intended for you to understand. If you continue pry you will only get hurt." Hotsuma returned to his seat.
Hüma stared at the tiled floor letting his words sink in, "Fine." She pursed her lips slipping a hand into her coat pocket. "What cruel irony it is to lose your glasses. I guess they were deemed worthless now that she's here." she dangled his glasses between them. She flicked her wavy brown hair and left the room.