Legal: Only the Goman tribe and the story idea is mine- NO MORE! And if anyone plans to sue, I'll give you my last loonie now...
Thicker Than Blood: Chapter Six
Ends and Beginnings By Rebecky_mo
Two year old Julie-su watched in horror as the giant piece of medical equipment fell on her mother; she had no time to move, only time for her mouth to open in a silent scream, before the deafening crash echoed in the steel room, soon followed by the only witnesses screams.
"Mommmmeeeeeee!!!" The small echinda raced to the site, trying desperatly to free her mother from the shorted-out debris, tears running down her soft peach muzzle "Please mom, don't go...!!"
Floren-ca, Mari-su's friend and assistant ran into the room through the metal doors, as her fears of the crashing noise were justified "MARI!! Oh, Gods!!!" She quickly grabbed Julie-su and pulled away the reluctant child away "Julie-su! Don't, you can't help her now."
Julie-su's body gave in and sobbed uncontrollably as her other 'mother' picked her up and hugged her, trying to keep herself calm for the child's sake. Julie looked up at the roof by the beams, trying to stop crying, as something in the rafters caught her eye...
Her tear-swollen eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness in the shadows of the rafters. It was still hard for her to make out the details, but she knew one thing for sure--Someone was up there.
It was too high up to see any facial features, but there were two things the young girl could see easily; one was the evil grin spread over the thier muzzle, obviously pleased with what they'd just done. The other sent familiar chills up her spine, and would haunt her dream for years; two red eyes the shade of freshly spilled blood...
*My mother's blood..*
My eyes opened, suddenly realizing what had literally been in my face ever since that horrifying day. I grasped Kommisar's wrists that were still squeezing my throat shut, and regaining my strength thanks to pure adrenaline--and pure hatred.
I finally pushed her back enough for me to stand straight, no longer bent over the bars of the the catwalk, but being able to look into those eyes I'd seen over thirteen years ago, and had forgotten not of my own will. The same eyes that watched as my mother was crushed and laughed a her handiwork. I couldn't think striaght; I only said three words before my mind went into meltdown.
"It was you..."
For a moment her face went into shock as she realized I'd finally remebered her sinful crime. "IT WAS YOU!!!!!" My body was pure strength now, my pain and tiredness gone like it was a passing thing; I flung her arms away from me with one move, leaving her wide open for the crushing blow I struck to her ribs with my fist.
In the back of my mind, I heard the sound of the artillary in the armoury room blowing up, and in that same space I knew this room was going to be in flames soon; the beams on the roof were already collapsing, but I didn't care...
I just kept battering the stunned Lien-da into the floor as my anger heightened; this one woman, this monster, had hurt so many in her life.."No more."
I could feel the flames coming in from the halls into the room, lighting the crevices and floors so I could see the damage I'd bestowed on her. Her forehead was bleeding profusly, as were the cuts on her arms and legs, which I could see through the torn leather outfit. She was sitting on the ground, one hand holding her battered ribs and the other behind her. "It end here, witch.." I growled, readying myself to deliver the final blow.
"I...think...NOT!!" She screamed, pulling out the blaster from behind her. That was what she'd been reaching for! I dodged the blasts coming towards me, and I saw from the corner of my eye Lien-da getting to her feet. Big mistake on my part, not concentrating on the beams around me.
"GAHHHHHHH!!!" The beam seared the back of my knee, and I fell against a fallen beam. I forced myself to ignore the burning ache and stand on my feet, only to be met by the barrel of Kommisar's blaster, less than three feet from my face; no time to dodge. I closed my eyes....
"JULIE-SU!!!!"
My eyes shot open at the voice *Katri-na?* She was supposed to have stayed outside the valley! Kommisar was surprised as well, and looked down onto the main floor to see her throw up something to me. I grasped it tightly in my hand and felt a smooth bo-like object. *Her Kai-bo!!*
Before Kommisar could see it coming, I knocked the blaster out of her hands and swung at her with the stick, sending her flying onto her back. Limping steadily, I made my way over to her and aimed the blaster-end of the weapon at her face-just in time for her to come to, her face slowly realizng what was about to happen...
My anger was boiling again, and I was shaking in the feeling. I'd felt this before; the rush of killing when I struck down Ralphus, and when I'd held Kommisar in a deadly grip back in Echindapolis. "Lien, you've not only ruined my childhood, but you've taken my mother's life, and you've threatened everything this land holds dear!! I should kill you right now..." She looked me straight in the eyes, no longer afraid, merely angered and full of hate.
"Then do it." She growled.
My finger was less than a centimeter away from the trigger, and everything just stopped; the building was no longer collapsing around us, fire and smoke threatening us with thier heat. This was what I'd wanted; revenge for everyone she'd ever hurt.
[Is it really? Do you truly believe in revenge more than justice? ]
There was that voice again. It was extremly soft, almost far away, but still audible. Suddenly I realized what this was, what had happened to me over the past few moments...The other voice had gained control; the voice that wanted me to leave the Gomans to thier own fight; the one that had kept telling me I was no better than my relatives...I lowered the weapon away from my half-sister's face.
"I said I SHOULD kill you......"
But I won't. I won't become like you, killing for self-gain." I opened the compartment to my boot and pulled out a pair of cuffs. "You have many more accusations waiting in Echindapolis. Put them on; I'm taking you back..."
The red-haired woman looked at me, shocked as to the sudden change, then, completely infuriated, slowly reach for the cuffs at her feet, with me watching her every move. At least I was, until a strange, familiar sound from above the catwalk caught my attention and I looked away.
That was all it took. In milliseconds I was flat on my back, dazed from Lein-da's quick attack; she bolted down the catwalk towards the stairs, not hearing the sickening cracking and moaning of the support beams above her...the same sounds I heard before...
I quickly got to my feet and screamed over to the murderer, "Kommisar, NO!! Not that way!" She had reached the the stairs, and turned back to me and laughed wickedly, as if driven mad by me.
"You think I'll fall for that, you stupid brat?? I'll be ba--"
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!"
I watched helplessly as a beam snapped from above her and crushed the steps she was standing on, bringing the entire staircase, and Kommisar herself into the unforgiving flames below, her screams ending abruptly as she hit the ground.
What goes around, comes around, 'sis'... I think to myself sadly, surprised at my grief. Then the realization of my own problem concerning escape hit me; the flames were steadily getting closer to me!
Quickly, I powered up Katri-na's Kai-bo and blasted a hole in the roof above me, removed and started up my Skyboard, and knowing I couldn't stand on it long enough, gripped onto it with my hands for my life. I shot out through the hole into the night, arched in the air, and crashed back into the dirt, a safe distance from the inferno.
Physically and mentally exhausted, I lay there until I felt someone carefully lift me into their arms. A small voice in the back of my mind was the last thing
"It's over, young Amazon. You've won today's battle, as you will for the rest of your life."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
It was at least three days before I regained consiousness in the Goman campgrounds, and things were more peaceful now than they'd been in the entire time since I'd shown up! Ying was there with me, and crushed me in a hug when I'd sat up.
The legion had fled when the fire broke out, but the tribe had managed to capture twenty of them before they too had to leave the valley. It was in ashes now, but it would return to normal with the tribe's help.
Katri-na hadn't bothered leaving with the legion to continue spying on them; too many had seen her assisting the Gomans and myself, and it would be suicide to try and return. "Besides, I never like those cloak-things; gonna try the air-conditioned look!" She joked.
Kat had managed to save two legionaire supply ships to lug the captured soldiers back to the floating Island, with me flying one, and her directly behind me. At much as my broken, battered body was against the trip, I agreed to leave this morning, so as to be back on the Island before dusk and get me proper medical attention and care
I sat on a stump as Katri-na got the prisoners comfy in the ships, and I simply took one last glimpse around this small piece of paradise, one that had been spared of my former teammates. I hadn't seen Mandarin since I woke up; Eboni said he'd returned to the caves, but he wished me well, and asked her to give me a gift.
The panther handed me a small package wrapped in rough leather, and I opened it slowly, gasping as I realized what it was. Inside was a gorgeous bracelet, roughly the same as Eboni's made of a brilliant silvery metal. She smiled as I looked up at her questioningly.
"For all you have done for our tribe and homeland, Mandarin believes you would make a excellent member of the Gomans; the tribe agreed in our vote days ago. This clasp recognizes you as an honorary member, as well as your descendants. Should you need our assistance, you merely need to ask, Julie-san, and we will come."
I was absolutely speechless; they thought me as one of them, I belonged. "Thank you," I finally whisper, and pulled off my left glove, tattered and torn after the past few battles. I clasped the bracelet over my wrist, and watched it glitter in the light. Then I smiled, "Well, if I'm ever gonna contact you, then you'll need this!"
I pull out a communicator from my boot, and hand it to her. "With this, you can reach me anywhere on the planet, including the Float--er, Continent of Angels." I give her a quick lesson on how to use it, and by the time I'm done, my comm is beeping from her messages.
"Yo, Julia! Time to go!!" Kat calls from the ships.I turn to her and nod, then return my attention to my feline friend. I extend my hand out her, and she grips my wrist over my bracelet, just as I do to her, a sign of respect... and friendship
"Well, I guess this is goodbye. Say farewell to Mandarin and Ying for me; for some reason, I think I'll be back."
"I await that day, my friend; Farewell."
Eboni stands there in the clearing as Katri-na and I take off into the sky, heading back to the Island, to my home.
Hmm, home. I've never really known what that word meant before; I think I do now. A place where I love and am loved right back. I begin to think of all my loved ones back at the Floating Island--Simon and Floren-ca, the Chaotix..Knuckles. It hit how much I've missed them, and how worried they must be over me.
The rest of the trip is fairly quiet, as I try to stay awake long enough to guide the ship, until Katri's voice comes over the intercom "Hey girl, you better radio the folks in the city we're comin' in! Last thing I want right now is to get blasted in this ship!!"
I snap out of my thoughts and see the island directly ahead, the sun setting behind it...Home.
"Right." I fiddle with the radio and gain the EST airbase fequency.
"This is Constable Remington to unidentified ships; report your profile and reason for landing."
"Hey Remington! Better get some officers at that base; I have quite a load for you, as well as one friend."
"Wha--Julie-su?! WHERE THE BLAZES HAVE YOU BEEN?!?!?!?!?" I couldn't help laughing.
"Long story, Constable; I'll explain later..."
Moments before touching down, I hit a sudden inspiration as I remember the journal log that had started this months before. I whip out my visor, and press record; time to finish that section of my life...
JULIE-SU'S PERSONAL LOG; APRIL 9, 3234
I'VE GOT MONEY IN MY POCKET
I LIKE THE COLOR OF MY HAIR
I'VE GOT A FRIEND WHO LOVES ME
GOT A HOUSE, I'VE GOT A CAR
I'VE GOT A GOOD MOTHER
AND HER VOICE IS WHAT KEEPS ME HERE
FEET ON GROUND
HEART IN HAND
FACING FORWARD
BE YOURSELF
I'VE NEVER WANTED ANYTHING
SO BAD
CARDBOARD MASKS OF ALL THE PEOPLE
I'VE BEEN
THROWN OUT WITH ALL THE RUSTED, TANGLED
DENTED GOD DAMNED MISERIES
YOU COULD SAY I'M HARD TO HOLD
BUT IF YOU KNEW ME YOU'D KNOW
I'VE GOT A GOOD FATHER
AND HIS STRENGTH IS WHAT MAKES ME CRY
FEET ON GROUND
HEART IN HAND
FACING FORWARD
BE YOURSELF
I'VE NEVER WANTED ANYTHING
NO I'VE NEVER
WANTED ANYTHING SO BAD
THE END
Ah, the final chapter of this series! Hope you enjoyed it, I know I loved writing it!! Who knows, maybe I'll write a sequal to this... BTW, the final journal log in this chapter are the lyrics of a Jann Arden song "Good Mother". I thought it worked well with explaining who Julie really is. (I must have really thought that, since I'm not the biggest fan of hers :P ) Later!