Eh, we're very behind schedule, I know. Something happened, actually, several of them did, and I was forced to not update for awhile. So, here's chapter 9 and hopefully 10 will be up soon after. Hopefully.
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"Watch those Nitons over there!" yelled Holly, directing a squad of Warrior monsters on the front lines with Genki near by.
"Careful!" said Tai, who was also with them, as he steadied Tori. They were standing the back and shooting arrows overhead at the defenders of the fort.
"Don't let them get past!" cried Holly, seeing some Dinos escape through her lines. Figuring that everyone else was busy, she left one of the higher Captains in charge and went after them herself; Genki, Tai, and Tori following her as well.
They ran heedlessly through the underbrush, forgetting that the fort could not be seen from the forest and chasing after the escaped Dinos. Holly caught up to them first, making mincemeat out of two while Genki ran up and finished the third that was trying to sneak up behind her. Tori shuddered at the sight of them turning to lost disks as she turned away, looking around for any others that might've come this way.
"Um, how do we get back?" asked Genki, glancing around the clearing they were in.
"Don't know," replied Holly, crushing the lost disks. "I thought you were paying attention."
"No, I was too busy running after you." Turning to his younger brother, he asked, "Hey Tai, where are we?"
"You think I know?! I have the sense of direction of a dead, rotting stump. Tori, were you paying attention?"
"I was in front of you with Genki, you think I remember?" she replied, shrugging as well. "But, since none of us know where we are, I'll go up there and see." She scampered over to a tall tree near by and began to climb it as quick as a monkey.
"Hey! Wait for me!" Genki went up after her, going slower than her and quickly lost ground to her as she continued to leap upward.
"I'll stay down here and stand guard," said Holly automatically, turning her back to the tree with a shiver so she wouldn't have to watch them defy gravity.
"I'll stay with her," offered Tai as he turned green from seeing them so high up. "She might need my protection and all, being a girl..."
"What did you say, squirt?" asked Holly, glaring at him out of the corner of her eye.
"I mean, you're a girl, so its natural for you to be insecure about something like this and need help doing other things....uh oh.....just don't kill me and I'll shut up." Tai was white as she played with a dagger in her hands, letting it flash at him warningly.
"There's a hole in your theory, boy," she growled, "Your a guy, aren't you? Why aren't you up there climbing as well as Tori is? She's a girl and you're a guy."
"Why aren't you up there climbing as well as Genki is?" challenged Tai, forgetting his promise. "You're the big bad General and he's just the Phoenix Boy. And I do have a name you know, it's Tai."
Holly glanced up at the tree, flinching nervously as she saw Genki nearly miss a branch. "Truce if you won't ever mention this again, Tai."
"Only if you don't call me squirt anymore, ma'am."
"Agreed."
"There's the fort!" called Tori from the highest branches that would support her weight. "Over there to the West!"
"Where?" called Genki, a few branched below her. "I don't see- oh! There it is, she's right!"
"Get down here before you break your necks, then!" Holly yelled back, trying to hide the quiver in her voice. "You're not immune to gravity to you know!"
"Coming!" replied Tori, glancing around for a moment. Seeing Genki was already a good ways below her, she let go of the branch she was holding onto and let herself fall from branch to branch all the way to the ground.
"AHH!!!" yelled Tai when he saw her fall, going green again. "TORI!!"
"What?" she asked calmly as she dusted her pants off, getting up from her landing like it was no big deal. "It's not like I fell or anything."
"What were you thinking?!" he cried. "You could've missed a branch and broken your leg!!"
"So?"
"ARGH! Women are so aggravating!"
"So are men!" shot back Holly, extremely white after Genki had pulled a similar stunt from halfway down. "Don't you ever dare do that again Genki, or I will snap your neck myself if you haven't done it yourself!"
"Aw, didn't know you cared," he replied, smiling. "Still not so fond of heights, Holly?"
"Shut it, Genki."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Shouldn't we get going?" suggested Tori, checking the position of the sun. "It'll be dark soon and if we didn't take back the fort...lets say it would not be the best of situations."
"You couldn't tell from the top?" asked Holly demurely, heading in the direction she had pointed out earlier. "Who was winning the battle or if we were still there at all, I mean."
"No, it was just a huge mess of monsters and smoke, ma'am," replied Tori, shaking her head. "That was all I could see."
"Then I guess we'd better get moving."
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Genki and Holly arrived back in time to see the last of the prisoners rounded up from their hiding places or fighting stations. Pixie waved to them from the top of the wall smiling, Striker right beside her and those from Ironfist's fort were locked in their own dungeons.
"We did it!" she cried when they were close enough to hear, swooping over the edge to give both the General and her Second in Command a hug that surprised everyone. What was more of a surprise was when Holly hugged her back and smiled a real smile for the first time in years it seemed.
"Were there many wounded or killed?" she asked right away, actually sounding like she really cared.
"Not as many as we thought," replied Pixie levelly, getting her excitement under control. "Thanks to Striker's planning we've managed to make it an all time low of only one or two from every squad. Some went completely untouched. Several were wounded, yes, but hardly anything life-threatening and all should be up and about with in a week or two at the most."
"Excellent." Holly thought about it for a moment while everyone else celebrated, a thoughtful look on her face. "I need the two fasted people or monsters there are now!" she called out suddenly, getting complete silence.
"That'd be me and me brother!" called a Trotter (a type of centaur known for their running abilities), coming forward with another like him who was just a bit smaller and darker in color.
"Take what food and water you need and head back to the main camp as fast as you can!" commanded Holly. "Tell them to prepare a feast for us that will be held the moment we get back, and its to be the biggest one held with in the history of this camp!!"
Cheers went up around the crowd as she gave him a final order or two and let them set out, soon only a cloud of dust showing where they had once been.
"Hurry up and set up the guard that is to stay here!" she ordered the captains, smiling as she cleaned off her sword with a rag from her belt. "The sooner this place is settled, the sooner we can head back to the camp and feast!"
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"YYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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"Hey, are we there yet?" asked Tai for the millionth time, riding behind his older brother on a HoundSurian that had agreed to give them a ride. Tori was a few steps behind him Striker's back while Holly led the whole crew on a Dragon up front.
"Um, if I say yes will you shut up?"
"No."
"Yes, we're there."
"I'll keep asking you anyways."
"Then you can just miss the feast because we are there."
Tai looked up for the first time, having been sleeping into his brother's back the majority of the way there. "We're back! Yahoo!! Feast time!"
"Get yourselves cleaned up and rested," ordered Holly in a clear voice that rang over head. "The feast will begin in an hour!"
"You heard the woman," said Tai, winking at his brother. "Let's go get spruced up for the feast!"
"Huh?" 0.o
Tai sighed. "Just go and get changed." -_-
"Oh, ok." ^_^
"Brothers..." -_-;;
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Pixie walked into Holly's tent, holding a bundle under her arm. "Hey!" she called, sticking her head in Holly's private room. "What are you- no. You're not actually going to wear that, are you?"
"What's wrong with it?" asked Holly, looking at her ceremonial uniform, polished and pressed for the occasion as Tori walked in. "It's what I always wear."
"Did I happen to mention that I ordered a band and dance area as well?" asked Pixie mischievously.
"What?! Pixie..."
"What?" she asked, winking at her. "I thought you might like it. That, and it would give you all the more reason to wear this!" She pulled out a red dress that was trimmed with gold material in some places. It was a simple one, without any frills or lace and a bit daring as far at the neckline goes too.
"What the...where did you-"
"I found it among your old things," admitted Pixie with a grin. "The ones you had boxed away and put in that old barn years ago? I went and pulled this out soon after, thinking you might need it later on. I was right."
"I'm not wearing that," argued Holly, missing the look Pixie and Tori exchanged over her head.
"Wouldn't General Holly look nice in this for Genki?" Pixie asked the younger girl, smiling as her as she did.
"Absolutely," replied Tori, already dressed in a blue gown of a similar fashion with a higher neckline and more room in it for her. "It would knock him dead, ma'am."
"Tori, not you too..."
"What?" she asked innocently, looking at Holly with big, blue eyes. "Don't you want to impress Commander Genki?"
"Why would I want to?" asked Holly, seeing Pixie was already changed and was putting on some makeup. "Wait, are you dressing up for Captain Striker?"
"And if I am?"
"This whole world is turned upside down..."
"I happen to like the view better," admitted Tori with a grin. "It pulled me away from my pa to you guys."
"See? Being turned upside down is not a bad thing," said Pixie, putting the dress in her hands and pushing her behind the screen. "Change. Now."
"Since when do you order me around?" asked Holly, doing it anyways.
"Since you stopped doing things for yourself."
"I see." She came out from behind the curtain, glancing around nervously. "Are you sure this is the right thing for me to wear?" she asked, checking over the pleats and folds. "I mean, there's nothing on here that even indicates I'm the- or maybe there is! Pixie..."
"I made sure you wouldn't have an excuse not to wear it," retorted Pixie. "Even if it meant sewing on those Phoenix prints myself."
"You didn't sew these on," replied Holly with a grin as she inspected the stitching. "You can't sew to save your life."
"Alright, alright. I paid one of the girls to do it for me..."
"Do they know who it was for?"
"No, they just did the work and took the money."
"Hm, wonder what they'll think when they see it tonight?"
"Don't know, don't care. Now sit down so I can do your hair."
"Why? It's fine the way it is."
"You wear it straight down without anything in it, like it is now, or you roll it up and tie it under a hat for when you fight. Ever thing that there might be another way to do your hair?"
"Like what?" challenged Holly, glaring at Pixie some. "In a thousand tiny curls that make my hair stand up on end?"
"No, like this..." Pixie took part of Holly's top hair and braided it all the way down the back, tying it with a red ribbon that she pulled from somewhere.
"Oh..."
"You don't like it?" asked Pixie, her smile gone.
"No, I do," Holly rushed to assure her. "But I haven't worn my hair like that for . . . .years."
"I know," replied Pixie, giving her a quick hug. "Come on, you have to do your make up before you go out there."
"No," said Holly. "I draw the line there. I never wore it before, no reason to start now."
"...fine."
Holly went and absently brushed out the rest of her hair as she wondered what that night would bring...
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Genki hurriedly buttoned up his shirt after his quick bath, combing his wet hair out of his eyes as fast as he could while pulling on his tunic and buttoning the brass clips at the top for his cape. Grabbing the ornamental belt he had been given for the occasion, he saw Tai jumping around the room as he tried to get his pants on and buckle his belt at the same time.
"Need some help?" called Genki as his brother tripped and hit the ground with a 'THUMP'. "We could get Tori over here and she could dress you again like she did last time..."
"Can it, Genki," growled Tai. "You just worry about getting yourself ever so nice and clean for Miss General, alright?"
"Fine, whatever." Genki connected the ceremonial sword they had given him for the occasion as well, making sure the tassels and brass finishes were polished until they gleamed before he went and checked his reflection in the mirror.
Taking a comb, he tried to fix his hair so it wasn't all over the place, but decided to stop after awhile, seeing as how it couldn't be done. Somehow, his brother had managed to finally get himself completely dressed without killing himself and even get his hair to where it was manageable without using a mirror.
"Ready to go?" he asked, securing the nice dagger he had been given to his own belt.
"Guess so," replied Genki. They walked out the tent and into the streets of the camp, making their way with everyone else to the usual eating area that had been decorated since they had last seen it. Banners hung from the rafters and streams ran every which way along the walls.
Their mouths watered as they got closer to it, seeing the cooks carry enormous pies, whole roasted pigs, giant loaves of warm bread, cauldrons of steaming soups, and platters upon platters of beef from the cows they killed. Tai's stomach rumbled. "I can't wait much longer," he whined, staring at the food with huge eyes.
"I know exactly that you mean," replied Genki, his stomach rumbling as well. "I know, I know, I know."
They went to the dais at the end of the room, trying to ignore the food as they went by it and made their way to their seats. "Where do you think the girls are?" asked Tai, still trying to spot them in the crowd.
"Probably still getting ready," shrugged Genki. "Girls back home could never get ready in an hour if their lives depended on it."
"That's what you think," said Pixie, appearing before them. "Nice look, kids." She ruffled Tai's hair just to make him angry and gave Genki and hug. "The girls are back there at the dais waiting for you. Girls with motivation *can* get ready on time, you know."
"Motivation?"
"Yep, you just have to know what kind." With that, she disappeared back into the crowd looking for someone else as they began to walk in the same direction as before.
"What do you think they'll look like?" asked Tai, getting somewhat nervous as they drew closer and closer to their destination.
"Probably like the rest of us," replied Genki, seeing as how everyone else was dresses in their uniform or (if it was a woman) in a dress version of it.
"So you don't think they got all spiffed up for us?"
"Who kno- whoa." Genki's jaw dropped when he saw Holly, she looked just like she had when he left 10 years ago. It was the exact same dress and everything... Tai was having a similar reaction to Tori, only he was just standing there drooling as he tried to say something.
"You're looking nice tonight," said Holly with a wry smile as she saw him approach, luckily he had remembered to close his mouth by that point and didn't make himself look like a complete idiot.
"Hey," said Tori shyly, standing there quietly by Holly's side.
"Hey," he replied, "Why don't you go see if you can get Tai to start moving again and get him up to his seat before someone mistakes him for a statue.
"Ok," she replied just as quietly, giving him a small smile as she left.
"You look absolutely wonderful," he said to Holly, giving her a smile. Her eyes widened as she blushed unexpectedly. This had not been what she was expecting.
"Uh, thanks..."
"Shall we go?" He offered her his arm, which she took a bit stiffly as she checked to make sure the other two were following them. Tai was bright red as Tori took his arm, letting him lead her to the table. It was adorable.
"You ok?" asked Genki, seeing her look the other way.
"Uh, yeah," she replied, refusing to look him in the face. "I was just checking on the other two."
"Don't worry about them," said Genki. "Tai may not know up from down, but Tori knows where she's going. Besides, its only up a few steps and to the only table on the small platform, right?"
"Eh, right."
They took their seats next to each other as Tai and Tori eventually made it up there and sat on the other side. "Where's Pixie?" asked Genki, looking out over the crowds. "Shouldn't she be here by now?"
"She's going and saying 'hi' to Striker, whom she spotted right after we made it over here," replied Holly with shrug. "She'd better hurry. We can't start the feast until she's here."
Genki wiped his mouth with his hand as he looked at the food again, longing obvious in his face. "That looks so good..."
"Bottomless pit," teased Holly, going back to the wry smile. "You always did like eating more than everything else."
"Not everything," amended Genki, giving her a grin. "I can think of a few things I like better than eating."
"Name one."
Genki sat there for a moment, twiddling his thumbs as he kind of looked at her guiltily before greeting Pixie who had just arrived on the dais. That one threw her for a loop.
"What did you do, kid?" asked Pixie, seeing Holly hadn't even noticed she had come, but was staring out over the crowd as if in a daze.
"I didn't do anything," replied Genki quickly, holding up his hands.
"Then what did you say?" asked Pixie, knowing he had done something.
"I didn't say anything either."
"Then what did you imply?"
"Nothing! I didn't do anything..."
"Sure you didn't kid." She went around and stood in front of Holly, waving her hand over the General's eyes. "Hey, earth to Holly. Are you there, General?"
"Huh?! Oh, hey Pixie. If you go sit down we can start now."
"Alright. Are you ok, though?"
"Hm? Oh, I'm fine."
"Ok."
Holly stood up and walked to the edge of the dais, immediately getting silence as she did. "We've worked hard for this food," she said calmly, letting her words hang in the air. "So let's eat!!" The servers (who had already eaten their share) came forward and served everyone, starting with the General's table and working their way down the rows until the last soldier had gotten his or her share.
"Slow down, kid," said Pixie, seeing Tai scarfing his food down at an amazing pace. "You're going to make yourself sick! Even your brother's table manners are better than yours."
"Gomen," said Tai with a shy smile. "I'll try to do better than that."
After everyone had gotten over the first rush of getting food into their bellies, they started to slow down and enjoy the rest of the meal, course after course being served until everyone thought they were going to pop. Everyone at the table had settled into an amiable conversation, ranging from how the war was going to the food and back again to the weapons most monsters preferred to use.
The food kept coming after what seemed like forever and the musicians went to take their places above the dance floor on the platform the food had sat on originally, the tables for it all removed and chairs set up instead. The middle of the room was cleared of the food it had held as well and soon was filled with the occasional dancing couple or kids who were trying out their skills on the faster songs.
Holly kept her eyes on the dance floor as they talked, looking like she might want to go out there but really had no reason not to at that point. "Remember back before the war," said Pixie, trying to catch her attention. "When Mr. Hatton had that huge dance at his house? They cleared out the barn and brought in those fiddlers to play for everyone, and had everyone bring in a meal to share with the others. That was what, 7? 8 years ago?"
"I know what you're talking about," said Holly, turning to face Pixie with the still wry smile on her face. "We danced the whole night away, well, us younger people did anyways. I think by the time the moon was high over head most of you old people had gone home to bed." She said this with a glint in her eyes, teasing Pixie who had gone home early that night because she had had one too many drinks from the bar.
"I will never have that old man's brew again," replied Pixie vehemently after she described what had happened to the others. "I can take a glass or two of wine from the cellars with dinner and not have a problem, but that stuff was way so completely....whatever it was that it I was completely gone after three drinks. That does not happen on a regular basis, let me tell you."
"Which is a good thing," added Holly, "Because she had a hangover for a week. I had to take care of everyone by myself while she laid in bed and only got up for the call of nature or the call of her stomach."
"I take it you haven't had anything like that for sometime," teased Genki, nudging her in the side.
"Only a glass a night when we're celebrating," she replied, holding her hands up as if to surrender. "I learned my lesson, I don't trust people enough to have more than that."
"Can I have your attention!" said a Captain from the Warriors division who worked beside Striker most of the time. "There's been a tradition that was over looked tonight. Usually, the General and her Second shares the first dance of the evening before anyone else is allowed to use the floor. Because it's been a couple years since we've had a feast, I think she just forgot and still needs to carry this tradition out without further ado."
"What's he talking about?" asked Genki, knowing it had something to do with him.
"Um, you remember Allen, right?" asked Pixie. Genki nodded. "He loved to dance. So, since he was considered to be the Second in Command, he would always, pull Holly out onto the dance floor for the first one, and soon it just sort of became the tradition around here. The last dance we had was held two weeks before the day he died, so it hasn't been needed since then."
"I suppose you think you know everything, right Captain Hawthorn?" asked Holly, having gotten up and was now speaking with a small smile on her face. "If you remember, that tradition was started by Commander Allen, not myself. However, seeing as you insist upon it, I will up hold the tradition in honor of his memory."
Glancing at Genki, he took this as his cue to rise and offered her his arm, which she took and let him lead her out to the dance floor. The musicians started a slow tune that had been around for ages, and everyone watched as Genki slowly whirled her around the floor.
"Where did Genki learn to dance like that?" asked Pixie, leaning closer to Tai and Tori who had been fairly quiet for most of the evening.
"He danced a lot with Mum after dad's back went out at one of their competitions," explained Tai. "He enjoyed it somewhat, and that's why he put up with it."
"I see."
"Sorry about that," said Holly just so he could hear, keeping her face somewhat blank. "I was hoping that had forgotten about that..."
"Holly, what was Allen to you?" asked Genki, figuring he was relatively safe with everyone watching them to ask this.
"What do you mean?" she asked, frowning slightly. "If you're implying that you think I had a thing for him, Genki, you're wrong. Let me share a secret with you, after everything was settled Allen came to visit me with his family, and it turns out we were cousins. That only brought us as close as siblings, Genki. You do understand now, right?"
"Uh, yeah, I think so..." He turned bright red as he realized his mistake. "Gomen, Holly. You do know how this must look, though."
"Yes," she replied, pulling away from him and bowing as the song ended. "I understand that as well as you do." He copied her movements, then led her back to the dais, everything else settling down to its normal sound and rhythm as before.
"Enjoy that little break from sitting down?" asked Pixie. She could tell they had been talking, but couldn't tell what they had been talking about.
"Somewhat," admitted Holly, taking a bite of the pie in front of her. "It reminded me of the times before, but not quite."
"Why not?" Pixie leaned over the table, hoping to get some information from them about each other.
Holly shrugged, taking another bite. "It just wasn't."
"Hm." Everyone turned to look at Striker, who was standing patiently behind Pixie's chair waiting for a break in the conversation. "May I have this dance?" he asked politely, holding his hand out to Pixie. She quickly accepted and was soon whirling around the floor herself, leaving Genki and Holly with Tai and Tori as their watch dogs for awhile.
The four of them lapsed back into quiet conversation once more, this time going along the paths of the battles of Moo. "How in the world did you ever defeat Moo's vast Armies?" asked Tori. "They say they were bigger than the Phoenix and Ironfist's armies combined."
"Determination," said Holly, sipping her tea quietly. "Pure luck."
"And strength," added Genki. "We worked together as a team, and had the help of others as we went along. Without the help of those like Pixie and Big Blue and Allen we never would've made it."
"He's right," admitted Holly, looking at the table. "We needed each other and other's support to do what we did."
"You must've really hated Moo," said Tai, forgetting the whole story. Most people didn't even know the whole story, though, so it didn't matter.
"Not entirely," whispered Genki. "There were...complications along the way that didn't show themselves until later."
"Oh."
"Do you remember when we first met?" asked Genki, changing the subject quickly.
"You mean when you came out of that lost disk and scared the crap out of me?" asked Holly, folding her arms as she looked out over the crowd below. "Yes, I remember that day. Those soldiers from Moo almost had what they came for, but we beat them, didn't we?"
"We?" asked Tai. "I thought it was all Genki."
"It was all me," admitted Genki. Seeing Holly glare at him, he added, "Suezo helped as well, though..."
"What was it like being saved all the time?" asked Tori, her eyes huge and dreamy as she imagined the glorious battles there must've been. "Ah....to have my own personal rescuer would be just wonderful...."
"Eh?" Holly blushed some as she glanced at Genki, who was looking as Tori, puzzled as could be. She was thankful that for once he didn't get it because the last thing she needed was for him to start gloating over that fact....he did save her a lot though....like the time at Moo's floating fortress....
She banished these thoughts from her head as Genki started talking about the day she had told them her story. About how her village had been destroyed after her father left, and her and Suezo had been the only two left to live. "That must've been rough," said Tai, never realizing there was this much behind the story.
"It was," admitted Holly, closing her eyes as she let the memories of that day wash back over her for the first time in years. "But, somehow we survived..."
"And managed to unlock a spiky-headed moron who would help you with your travels," added Tori, smiling at Genki.
"Thanks a lot for that description there."
"No problem, Genki!"
"..."
"Why did Pixie throw you over the cliff?" asked Tori suddenly, changing the subject at a good time. "You never did explain that one to me."
"She knows about that?" asked Holly with raised eyebrows. "Why in the world would you tell a young kid something like that?"
"Pixie told her about it the first day we met her, and I kinda let it slip that she was talking about me..."
"So, you're a big mouthed bottomless pit with no tact what so ever."
"As usual, you are correct."
"And I put up with you for so long because...??"
"The world will never know."
"Can you just answer my question?" asked Tori, seeing they were going to start arguing if she didn't interfere right them.
"Well, we saw these mines from a distance and rushed to save the people and monsters who were being forced to work as slaves," explained Genki, sitting back in his chair as he recounted the tale. "Pixie was in charge there and came to stop us from taking control. She had us surrounded, and I agreed to surrender if she agreed to let Holly go. But she went back on her word, so I rushed forward and smacked her not to hard across the face. I was so mad. She had broken her promise to me and was trying to get both the things she wanted. But since I hit her, she pounded me over the edge with my monster Moochi and let me there to die."
"So, she sent you over a cliff for hitting, which you only did because she broke a promise concerning the safety of Holly and the others, right?"
"Yeah, that's pretty much it."
"Man, you guys are violent."
"She wasn't," replied Genki, pointing at Holly. "I swear, it would've hurt her to step on a fly. Which is probably why everyone helped us so much. I mean, come on, who's going to help a band of warriors vs. helping an innocent young girl and her protectors."
"Warriors?" said Holly in a low voice. "You guys were a rag-tag bunch of fighters who happened to band together and didn't kill each other because you were afraid of spoiling my innocence."
"So?"
*sighs* *about bangs head on table*
"What? I don't get it."
"Just nod your head and smile Genki."
*nods* "Whatever."
"So, what really happened at the final battle?" asked Tai, having been wanting to ask this for a long time. "I mean, there's the stories and the legends and all, but you were really there, right?"
"Um, yeah," replied Genki, gulping nervously as he realized Holly wasn't going to help him on this one. "I was....but, I mean.....well, this isn't really the time to talk about it. Maybe I'll tell it to you later, ok?"
"Aw, man," whined Tai. "I was really hoping to get to hear it."
"He's right," said Holly out of the blue, keeping her eyes focused on her tea. "Now is not the right time. We'll both tell you someday, but not now."
"Alright, alright. *yawns* So what story are you telling us now?"
"The story of two young helpers who went to bed when they were told to," replied Pixie, coming up behind them from the dancing floor. "Come on you two, off to bed."
"Aw, do we have to?"
"Yeah, I'm not tired yet."
"Go, now. I have to talk to these two." Pixie motioned towards Holly and Genki as she shooed them from the platform. "Tori, if you want you can sleep in Genki's room tonight so you won't be in the tent by yourself."
"Alright. 'Night Pixie."
"Night, Pixie."
"Night kids."
"We're not kids."
"You are compared to me."
Holly smiled as Genki tried not to laugh, turning away as he held his hand over his mouth. The two preteens eventually gave up and shuffled out to Genki and Tai's tent, talking quietly as they sullenly made their way to bed.
"Tai hated it when mum used to do that to him," commented Genki as soon as the pair were out of sight. "He would complain about it for days afterward until she looked like she wanted to strangle him or something."
"I will strangle him if he decides to do so," said Pixie in an offhand manner, going back down to dance some more with Striker. "Have fun, you two!" She quickly found him where she had left him in the crowd and let him lead her around the floor at a slow pace.
"You're nervous about something," observed Pixie as she noticed him tense up slightly, his eyes clouding over as his thoughts turned elsewhere. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," he replied automatically, trying to get himself to relax. She felt so soft and warm tonight...he wondered how long she would stay like that after she was dead... Shaking his head for a moment, he tried to banish those thoughts from his head as he continued to dance with Pixie.
"Are you sure?" she asked, noting that his skin was cool and clammy. "You don't look well at all...."
"I'm fine," he replied, trying to give her a reassuring smile but failing miserably as waves of doubt started to wash over him.
"No, you're not," she said defiantly, looking him in the eye. "Striker, what's wrong?"
"Nothing, nothings wrong....I'm just a little, um, stressed after all the fighting... ..yeah, that's all..."
"You're sure."
"Positive....sort of...."
Pixie paused for a moment, seeing him look about himself nervously. "Want to talk about it?" she offered, stopping for a moment.
"No..." he replied hesitantly. "I mean, talking is a good thing and all, yeah, it helps some people just not me....I'm babbling, aren't I?"
"Yeah," she replied, nodding her head slowly. "You are."
"Ok," he said softly, closing his eyes. "I'm, um-"
"Can I have this dance?" cut in a younger man, one of the Sub-Captains under Striker. He let him take Pixie and watched them dance away through the crowds, catching her eye only once before disappearing out the doors. {Hopefully} he thought, heading for his tent for his things {Forever.}
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Genki and Holly laughed quietly together, each on their third glass of wine and wondering if they should have anymore. "Hey, you getting tired?" asked Holly, seeing half the people had already left and others were on their way out.
"Yeah," replied Genki, hiding a yawn. "I'm going to bed, you want me to walk you to yours?"
"The bed or the tent?" asked Holly, giving him a small smile. "Either one won't get you anything if that's what you're thinking."
"No, just to your tent," replied Genki. Thinking back to what Pixie had said, he added, "I don't even know where I'm sleeping tonight since Tori's in my bed and Pixie is nowhere to be found."
"Did she walk off with Striker?"
"No, I saw him leave long before she did, both were by themselves."
"Oh. Sure, let's go."
They got up and walked through the crowds that still danced to the music or milled around wherever on the sides, quickly making it to the door into the crisp night air that awaited them outside.
"It's getting on in the seasons," observed Genki, shivering slightly. "When will it start freezing over?"
"Oh, a month or two at the most," Holly replied with a shrug. "It's not very reliable, its been known to come as early as now sometimes and last well into spring or not come for more than a week in the middle of winter."
"Really? Weird."
"Yeah, it gets more stable down south. That's where I used to live."
"Around where the Phoenix dropped us off?"
"In that area, yeah."
"Cool." He glanced over at Holly in the moonlight and held his breath, she was absolutely beautiful. He could've sworn time had been turned back and he was standing beside his old friend with the closed eyes and small smile on her face...
"It's not polite to stare," said Holly softly as she felt his gaze without even looking at him, blushing as she did.
"Gomen," he stammered, scratching the back of his head. "I didn't mean too... ..really....I mean....I was just...."
"Sh." Holly smiled as Genki blushed and continued to stammer on some more before he stopped completely and just walked beside her in silence.
"Um, Holly?" he asked after a minute, hoping she wasn't mad at him or anything.
"Yeah?" she replied, looking at him out of the corner of her eye.
"Did you guys ever, um, miss me....while I was gone?" He looked at the ground hoping to hear something to tell him that he had not been forgotten.
"We did," replied Holly, surprised at her own words. "Moochi, he would walk around town talking about you constantly until there wasn't a person for miles around that didn't know every detail of our story. Pixie and me used to sit out back in the garden I had and talk about things that had happened in the past. She really was sorry for you pushing you over that cliff you know. And Hare, he would boast as the taverns that he had been one of your closest pals just to get his drinks on the house. Not that he didn't care, but none of us had any money or anything after the final battle. All of us had to start back from scratch."
Genki smiled, sending shivers up her spine as he did. "Thanks Holly," he said sincerely, seeing her tent just a few steps away. "That does mean a lot to me."
"Wanted to make sure you remained popular after your disappearance," she teased him.
"Nope," replied Genki. "Just wanted to make sure that if I have returned sooner I would've still had friends."
"You would've had friends no matter when you would've returned," she retorted lightly, starting to go in the tent.
"Hang on a sec," said Genki, gulping nervously. "There's....something I wanted to ask you....about before I left...."
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Striker sat patiently in the lone tree beside the General's tent, his bow ready to be shot at a moments notice. Hearing someone approaching, he sat up straighter and pulled the bow taunt, seeing his targets come into view. Sweat poured down his skin as he tried to focus, tried to ignore the fact that he was killing someone kinder than his mother to follow some set of orders he had volunteered for.
The two humans stopped in front of the tent as Striker pulled the bow back just a little further and took aim for the first one's heart, planning to jump down and stab the other faster than the blink of an eye as soon as he could find an opening...
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Genki opened his mouth to say something and caught a movement out of the corner of his eye. Following his instincts time seemed to slow down as he suddenly pushed her to the side, putting himself between her and whatever was traveling at them as a very fast rate.
'Thunk!' "AAHHH!!" Genki fell back to the ground as something pierced his flesh right below his shoulder, digging in deep as he lay there and fought to breath.
"Genki?" asked Holly, coming into view as she looked at him and kept an eye out for anything else that was coming at them. They were inside her tent, the force of the hit knocking them beyond the doorway. Holly drew a short sword from a nearby stand as she saw something enter her tent faster than the blink of an eye.
"Who is it?" she growled, seriously angry for the first time in quite awhile. "I said who is it!"
A figure materialized out of the shadows, dressed in a flat black from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet. Obviously male as he towered over her, she thought she recognized his stance as he pulled out some daggers and charged at her.
"You may've gotten him," she murmured to herself, letting her instincts take over. "But you won't get me!" Bringing her short sword up to block the blow, she sent the man flying back a few feet, seeing his wings for the first time. A male silhouette.
"An assassin, is that what you call yourself?" she taunted quietly, not seeing Pixie slip in the door and come around the back of the stranger. "Pathetic." Seeing her friend was already behind him she smirked and dropped her weapon, even more of a dare.
The stranger drew himself up, preparing to strike again when Pixie tackled him from behind, easily pinning him to the ground for almost killing two of her dearest friends.
"I've had rookies do better on me than that," she spat, holding him still as Holly picked back up her short sword and came forward.
"You can let go," said Holly, holding the blade to his throat with a cold grin. "He's not going anywhere." She yanked off the mask and went still, eyes going wide with surprise, and then growing even colder than before. "Striker," she spat as if the word tasted of some vile filth in her mouth.
Pixie wouldn't even look at him, and kept telling herself something had to be wrong because the Striker she knew wouldn't do something like this. Holly drew back from her Captain and went to Genki's side, throwing his arm over her shoulder as she helped him get to a chair.
"Get out of here," she growled, not even looking at him. "I don't want to see you again, Striker. Leave now."
Striker didn't move, he just laid there on the ground as she ripped Genki's shirt open around the wound and gently pulled the arrow out, putting some scraps of cloth she kept around to staunch the bleeding until she could take care of it properly.
"Why?" asked Pixie suddenly, getting up and bearing down on him with such anger that he shrunk back a little bit. "Why didn't you tell me?! Was that all this has been? A mere ruse to try and get close enough so you could kill them?!"
Striker looked at the ground, tossing his daggers to the side. "I was ordered to kill you as well," he said quietly, rising slowly to his feet.
"Do it," she challenged him, putting a dagger back in his hand and standing before him with her arms open wide. "I said DO IT!!"
"No." Striker threw the dagger to the side and stood there like a dog waiting for his next set of orders. "I was not killed during the Moo's reign, Pixie, but I wasn't transformed either. I stayed about as a hired assassin for wealthy people to take out their hated family members or rivals and loved it. I was raised to kill, so that's what I did. But then the war started, and no one could afford to have this person or that person taken out, so I went to the side that looked like it was winning and offered my services. You know what Ironfist said? That if I didn't do the job he'd hunt me down and kill me himself."
"So, that's all this whole thing's been about?" asked Pixie, a half-crazed look in her eyes. "All the suggestions, all the work you did, the saving people and trying to work your way up in command, it was just to take us out so your General Ironfist could win."
"He's not my General!" cried Striker, looking at her for the first time. "I killed because it was the only thing I knew how to do. It's the only thing he knows how to do too, so that's why I joined up with him. Do you have any idea how much I hated myself after I met you guys?"
Genki looked at him, wheezing softly as he held the wad of soaked cloth to his wound. "We taught you how to care, didn't we?" he gasped, trying to stop the room from spinning as he got his eyes to focus on Striker. "You resisted, you really did. I've watched you train your men, you're a lot easier on them now then you were in the beginning."
"Yeah, you taught me how to care," replied Striker. Glancing at Pixie, he added, "Among other things..."
"So....what now?" asked Holly sarcastically, having fallen back into her hold habits since this happened. Genki touched her arm and exchanged looks with her, causing her to step back a bit.
"Striker, what did you almost do to us?" asked Genki softly, keeping his eyes closed as the room refused to stay still.
"I almost....killed you..."
"What did Pixie almost do to me several years ago when she blasted me off a cliff?" asked Genki again, this time grabbing onto Holly's hand as he tried to get up. She forced him to stay put and motioned that Striker come to him instead, her eyes telling him that if he tried to kill Genki again nothing on this world would save him other than death itself.
"Pixie did that to *you*?" asked Striker, eyes going huge as he imagined his normally gentle Pixie doing something like that.
"Yep," he replied with a rueful grin. "Striker, I don't care who's side you were originally on, you're one of us now and I want you to stay."
"But I..."
"I don't care," replied Genki with a shrug, wincing as he did. "You're a good Captain. No one has to know about this, but I still trust you. And I know that if it weren't for something like death threats from someone else you wouldn't even think of hurting any of us."
"Pixie..." said Striker, hoping to get some word that he had been forgiven, but she walked out of the tent into the night, completely ignoring him as she did.
"Go back to your room and sleep," ordered Holly. "I don't want you leaving it until I send for you tomorrow morning. We'll...talk more then."
"Yes, ma'am," replied Striker, bowing.
"And leave your weapons here."
"Yes, ma'am." He unstrapped the blades from various parts of his body and placed his quiver and bow with them in the pile on the floor. "Is that all ma'am?"
"Striker, do you fear me?" asked Holly, turning to look at him full in the eyes.
"As one might fear a Tiger who's got a temper or any other mighty warrior," admitted Striker with a shrug.
"Good."
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Genki woke up to find himself lying somewhere that he didn't know, stripped down to his pants with his shoulder well bandaged but the strips of cloth already turning red with his blood.
"Good, you're up," said Holly softly, coming in the door to his right.
"Where am I?" he asked as she brought over a basin of warm water and some more bandages.
"My room," she replied, starting to undo the bandages from his shoulder. "Do you remember what happened last night at all?"
"It's a little fuzzy," admitted Genki, seeing she was changed into an old pair of pants and a raggedy shirt. "Something with me being shot with an arrow...and then something with Striker...we didn't kill him, did we?"
"You wouldn't let me," replied Holly through her teeth. "I would've gladly taken his head off right there and then if not for you and Pixie."
"How is she taking it?" he asked, everything becoming quite clear. "I mean, she's got to relate to it somewhat but it still must be hard for her..."
"Yeah," replied Holly shortly, trying to focus on her job and not how good he looked with his shirt off. Taking a clean rag, she wet it in the water and wiped away the rest of the blood, taking care not to let it get on her. "How are you feeling?" she asked after a few minutes, never meeting his eyes but trying to focus solely on her job.
"I'm alright," replied Genki, trying not to let the pain show in his voice. "I mean, it doesn't hurt too bad and you did a good job wrapping it up and all."
"Do you think you could get by wearing a loose shirt for a few days that doesn't show the bandages?" she asked. "We don't want this getting around camp after all, and its best if they don't know you got hurt..."
"What about Tai and Tori?"
"You can tell them if you want. I don't think it would be a good idea, though..."
"Then I won't."
"Fine." She started wrapping it up once more, surprised to see Genki smile and laugh all of a sudden. "What?"
"It's just like before," he replied with a grin. "Every time I got hurt before you would take care of me and bandage me up, and you're doing it still."
"Someone has to take care of a trouble maker like you," she replied wryly, allowing herself a small smile.
"Aren't I just lucky?" he added, slowly getting up as he chuckled quietly.
"How so?" asked Holly, putting the bowl and bandages on the table and coming back to sit next to him on the bed.
"Hello!" said Tori, sticking her head in the doorway. "Anybody- oh!" She went red and turned away at the sight of Genki had dressed and Holly sitting next to him on the bed. "Sorry about that, I'll just..."
"Hey, are they-whoa!" Tai went and walked right back out the moment he saw what she had seen. "Uh, we'll just leave you two alone for awhile...."
"And have you two spreading false rumors everywhere?" replied Holly, shaking her head as she blushed. Genki did the same. "Get in here, you two, we need to talk."
"Are you sure that..."
"Now."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Now," said Genki nervously, figuring they were going to find out what happened last night now instead of later. "About me not coming to our tent last night..."
"This has nothing to do with the whole 'birds and the bees' thing, does it?" asked Tai bluntly, Genki immediately turning red as he fell back onto the bed and yelped from jarring his wound.
"Baka," sighed Holly, quickly, checking it to make sure the binding was still tight. "No, Tai, it has nothing to do with that. Your brother was hurt last night by an assassin who tried to kill us both."
"A WHAT?!!"
"Hey, what's all the racket?" asked Pixie, walking in as well. Seeing Holly sitting next to Genki who has half dressed on a bed and Tai and Tori sitting before them in complete shock, she raised an eyebrow and asked, "Holly, is there something you need to tell me?"
"We're explaining what happened last night," moaned Genki, still lying back and staring at the ceiling in shock.
"Oh, that." Pixie made a face and turned to leave.
"Stay," said Holly. "He's coming in a little while, and I want you to be here when we talk to him."
"Why?"
"To keep me from killing him."
"Why?"
"Pixie..."
"Fine."
She sat down and helped contribute to the story as Genki and Holly told what had happened to the younger two of their close group, keeping some of the messier details back.
"So, what's gonna happen now?" asked Tai, sitting back in a daze. "Is this guy going to be put on death parole or something?"
"Huh?"
"Ignore him," sighed Genki. "Look, I don't know what's going to happen, all I know is we're going to take this one step at a time, ok?"
"Fine."
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Very long, full of stuff, and lots more coming in the next chapter of All Alone! Please review 'cuz you love me! Or at least pretend you do because it makes me feel good. Thanks!
~crosseyedbutterfly~