POMOSHCH
(Help)
What do you say about snow? Not much, except that it's cold and wet and white. It appears for a few months, then leaves. In most places on this Earth, that's the philosophy. Not so for those who live in the Far North.
Such is the landscape of the Crimea and Siberia. The Crimean landscape that I find myself in is seemingly endless. It is undeniably Russian. And most of the souls who encounter it do not always live to tell the tale of their journeys through it.
It is to be different tonight. Out on a field next to a now desolate train track, I can see a small glimpse of hope. First it is a hand. Then a mouth appears. Then, the whole head of Locke pops out of the snow as he throws his body up, gasping for air. He is not in his human form; he wouldn't have been able to survive if he had been. I watch as he gasps for air, grabbing for something in the snow which he is still stuck in.
There's really no turning back. We've helped them thus far. It'd be a shame to see them fail now. I think I'll just walk over and see what I can do.
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"Urrrrrraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!!!!!!!!"
Locke screamed as he burst through the snow. It was the coldest he had ever felt in his life. He took several gasps as he looked over towards his side.
"…………Sagi?!?"
She wasn't there. Locke's already numb body became more so as he looked to see Usagi's hand thrashing up desperately. It clawed at the unforgiving snow to no avail.
NO!!! Locke thrust his hand down, but found that doing so moved his body and upset the snow that was already ready to collapse on him. She can't breathe down there. But I can't get to her or I'll die as well…
"Usagi!!!"
Locke felt his delicate hold on the surface tumble over him. As quickly as he had broken through the snow, the snow overtook him once more, throwing him into the depths of an icy grave.
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"I don't understand…"
The sailors looked at Minako as she finished her story.
"But it's what he said," Mianko replied. "'Katharos' and 'Hawking', which is what the creature claimed his name was. I am soooo confused now….."
"Katharos…." Michiru looked at Haruka. "Could the creature have meant some sort of city?"
"Whatever it is, it must be where that monster is taking Usagi, if it is a city of some sorts."
"Let me check the database."
Ami quickly took out her mini-computer and typed in several symbols and words into it. The soldiers watched her as she did so, and Minako picked her nose as well.
"Mina-P!" Rei nudged the girl.
"What?!"
"That is unladylike!"
"So is farting."
"Don't start that again," Rei glared at her.
"Ah!" Ami's eyes grew wide.
"Ami?!"
"I found a Katharos." The computer beeped. "Katharos, a former Red Army town, west of St. Petersburg."
"Right!" Haruka motioned to the others. "Let's go!"
The group ran towards a ticket counter, not knowing that the creature watched them once more, its eyes trailing them until they were out of sight.
-------------------------------
To Locke, it had been the hand of Death who had come to claim him and Usagi. He could feel it as it tightly grabbed his wrist, taking him above the surface, or below the surface, to the next plane of existance.
Damn your eyes! Locke could hear himself screaming to himself. This is your fault, you bloody fool! You were doomed the moment you saw those blue eyes, but now you have doomed her as well! Now the reason is lost, the obsession you've developed for that poor child should be cursed completely for its fruitlessness! For the moment you break……Death will have you……………..and………………………….her………………………………………………….
"HUAAAAAAAAH!!!!"
The breath of air was completely unexpected to Locke, who had expected to never breathe again. But as soon as he could see again, what his eyes saw was something he had never expected to see in this cold grave, and at first he really thought he was dead because of it.
"(…………………….Moonwatcher!?!?!)"
The third guardian, wearing a long black coat, gave a grunt as he pulled the snow-caked Locke harder, moving back as he did. Locke used the upward movement to his advantage by throwing whatever parts of his body he could still feel onto the more stable snowbanks next to the train tracks. Despite this effort, Locke was still weighed down by something; despite that he was numb, he could still feel some sort of weight hanging off of his fingers.
"(Let….go!!!!)" Moonwatcher shouted.
Locke looked to see that his numb left hand was clinging onto another, human hand - Usagi's. Her head was now visible over the snow, but she looked frighteningly still.
"(I….can't!!)" Locke clenched his teeth.
With another quick movement, the free echidna let go of Locke, who was safe on the surface. Locke gave a gasp as he felt a sensation on his hand. Then, something that felt like skin ripping off of his palm.
"UrrraaaaAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!"
Locke's cry of pain was quickly stifled as he bit his tongue. He could hear Moonwatcher grunting again as he slowly pulled Usagi out of the hole and onto safer ground. Her limp body simply plopped to the ground as Moowatcher let her go.
"(She was frozen to your hand.)" From his tone, it was as though the third guardian didn't even feel the cold - something Locke didn't doubt in the least. "(I couldn't get you both to safety without separating you two.)"
"(Is….)" Locke had to find his voice again, as it had been lost from the cold and the shock; "(Will she….be….all right?)"
"(Not sure yet.)"
Moowatcher bent back down and put his hand onto her neck, then onto her wrist. After a moment, he quickly took off his coat and moved Usagi around so that she was wearing it. He wore nothing under it, save for a pair of boots, which he also took off, giving them to Locke as he did. Locke let out a sigh of relief.
"(I would suggest carrying her until she wakes up.)" Moonwatcher stood up again. "(You have a long walk to where you're going.)"
"(I suppose I do.)" Locke looked over to his right, where the track loomed into the distance. "(But at least we escaped those thugs from whomever in the Mafia is responsible for this threat.)"
"(I wouldn't be so optimistic.)" Moonwatcher snapped his fingers, and a bright light appeared - a portal. "(They'll be waiting for you in Katharos, make no mistake.)"
"(Wait.)" Locke's eyes grew wide. "(You're….returning?)"
"(I must.)" Moonwatcher turned around. "(But make no mistake, this will not be the last you will see of us.)"
With that, Moonwatcher jumped into the portal and was gone.
--------------------------------
"GAVYESHKAN!!"
It was painfully apparent to both Vanguard and the Green Monster that Atrava was highly displeased with the result of the apprehension attempt.
"Zhevoi Lowhck vitem?!?!" Atrava's angry voice resonated from the room nearby. "SOLONYOOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"(I suppose we should be lucky that it was not my men, eh?)" Vanguard looked at the Green Monster. "(Eh?)"
"(I suppose.)" The Green Monster didn't look at him.
"(Do not be so sad.)" Vanguard chuckled. "(He's saving himself for you. But, when you kill him, leave a bit for me, huh? I have a few things to settle with that dick.)"
Finally, the phone slammed down, and Atrava came back, his face snarling.
"Locke's alive. Headed to St. Katharos." He glared at Vanguard. "With one of them."
"Interesting." Vanguard looked at his employer. "Would you like me to dispose of them?"
The Green Monster's head jerked up at that. Atrava looked to see the fury of betrayal in his eyes at those words.
"No." With a smile, Atrava put a hand up. "Do not kill them. I want them alive. Take them to the Gargelis compound when they are found."
"You mean…." The light died in Vanguard's eyes. "You want Locke unharmed??"
"A few hits might not hurt on him….as long as they're not in any way life-threatening." Atrava questioningly nodded to the Green Monster, who nodded in agreement after a moment. "But I especially want the girl unharmed. I have my reason for that."
After a moment of surprise, Vanguard gave a nod of comprehension.
"Fine," he croaked. "But you'll be paying me more for this request, right?"
"Of course." Atrava gave him a smile. "I wouldn't have it any other way if I wanted to keep you."
"Fine." Vanguard turned to the Green Monster. "(Come.)"
Atrava waited until the two had exited out of the room and down the hall before he began to laugh hysterically.
"Pay him?!?!?" He roared. "The day I die is the date he gets paid!!"
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The blood on the battlefield. The blood on the dark figures. Then, the blood on her.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!"
Usagi screamed as the blood covered her. The scream echoed into the distant city landscape. It was almost like a horrible religious ritual as she watched in horror - the bodies falling to the ground, riddled with bullets. The sky darkened as the last of the creatures, the last of those who were of Locke's kind, fell, dead.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"
The click of a barrel silenced her scream as it turned into a gasp. She turned to see two men - one middle-aged with a flick of white at his temples, the other, whom looked familiar, with completely black hair down to his knees - over her, their guns pointed to her head. Her hands flew to her broach, but it was not there.
"(Stupid heffer)" The humorous tone of the insult, which Usagi could understand for some reason, made her quake. "(She cannot stop us. Not with him. We will win the day this time.)"
Usagi's body shuddered as she felt the bullet hit its mark….
----------------------
"…………………………Locke………………………."
Usagi could still feel the icy cold steel of the bullet in her forehead as she slowly opened her eyes. The moon shined directly above her as her eyes began to clear from her strained sleep. The air nipped at her, but she simply attempted to shrug it off, only to find arms limiting her.
"Where…?"
"Usagi..?"
Right under the moon was the worried face of Locke, in human form. Seeing it, Usagi gave a sigh of relief. She was only being carried along the railroad tracks…by Locke.
When I wake up, I am always with someone whom I can trust. Feeling invigorated by the comfort that her pain had only been a dream, Usagi wriggled out of Locke's arms. She scanned her body, noticing the black coat covering her. I was right. He is not an enemy.
"Are you all right?" Locke's face was worried. "You…you shuddered…and then…."
Usagi could see Locke's confused face, and her dream came back to her. She looked down at the ground, her thoughts mixed.
That dream……..
"I'm fine, Locke." Usagi managed to smile. "I guess I was unconscious for a while from….well, from jumping."
"I see…."
Locke's face did not change as they walked on.
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The sun shined onto the tracks as the two walked on. Locke adjusted his hat as he walked on. Usagi looked down at the tracks as she walked.
"Locke…."
"Hmm?"
"Where do you come from? What is it like there?"
"Where I….." Locke's head went down. "It….I……No."
"Locke…."
Usagi stopped. Sensing this, Locke turned around to face her.
"I know how you wish to keep your true past a secret," Usagi looked back up at him. "But….I have this feeling that your past is the key. The key to saving everyone. Please do not deny it if what I'm saying is the truth. Because…..I think I know what has happened to you. You do not have to tell it all to me."
"(Foolish heffer…)"
"Usagi…?"
"I have seen it, Locke." Usagi closed her eyes. "The death that you have seen. I don't know how. But…I saw it in my sleep. And I see it in your eyes. The sadness that the Phi….Chaos Emeralds have brought to you. Please." Usagi could feel the desperation in her voice, but she didn't care. "If I am lying, please tell me!"
The alien didn't speak for several moments. He simply clutched his staff as he looked down. Usagi could see that she had affected him with her words, and she almost regretted it until he spoke.
"Yes," he finally said. "It has become a sad place for me."
"Did….people die?"
"Yes." The reply was shaky.
"Did….."
"Everyone died." The angry words surprised Usagi. "Everyone. Which is what could happen to this planet if we don't keep moving."
Usagi's head went down as she began to walk again, and neither spoke for two hours, as the flat scenery began to become lumpier until the lumps became mountainous. She could see that her words had touched a soft spot on Locke. But it was my fault for speaking…
"I'm sorry."
"Huh?" The words were completely unexpected.
"I was a bit curt," Locke stopped, "with my words."
"No." Usagi shook her head. "I overstepped. I should have figured…..but even then…..I was the one who insulted you."
The two looked away from each other, uncertain of what to say next. Finally, Locke gave a laugh.
"That wasn't your fault, Usagi."
"What wasn't?"
"What happened to me." A sadness crept into his voice. "It was really my fault. In several ways."
"It….." Usagi looked back at him. "How was it your fault?"
"It," Locke turned back around, walking once more. "It is a long story."
Usagi walked once more as well, positioning herself so that she was next to him.
"I don't mind."
"Well…" Locke hesitated. "It is sad, as I have said."
"If it will help me to understand…"
"Very well." Locke paused. "I…was the Guardian where I come from. The Guardian of a place called Echidnapolis."
For some odd reason, Usagi could envision a large city with his words, filled with creatures similar to himself. She wasn't sure whether it was her crystal or Locke's Emerald that was allowing her to suddenly see these visions, but it did not matter to her at that moment.
"Echidnapolis was a unique place on my planet," Locke continued, "because it was suspended in the air. It simply floated in the sky, on the Floating Island, and it had been like that for quite awhile. Of course, there are many reasons for it to be floating, but….." he paused. "I do not think that it would be completely appropriate to talk about them in detail."
"Ok." Usagi shrugged.
"But….one of my duties as a Guardian was to train future Guardians, which would be any children I had." Locke paused. "I did have one child - a son. But….."
Another long pause. Usagi wasn't quite sure whether it was for dramatic effect, or whether it was painful to talk about it. But she simply kept her mouth shut.
"I had a dream one night." Locke slowly resumed. "A dream where my Island was laid to waste…and my son was fighting a battle he could not win. I was told upon interpretation that it meant the arrival of the Guardian Savior, the echidna whom would unite our people."
"Echidna??" Usagi's eyes went wide. "You're…an echidna?"
"You thought I was something else?"
"Well…." I didn't think such a beautiful creature could be something that plain! "I thought echidnas were indigenous to our world, like humans…." Usagi paused, then roll her eyes. "Uh huh. I'm the last person to say we're alone in the universe. But I guess it depends on where you are."
The thought of Locke licking up ants with his tongue almost caused her to fall down laughing. However, she kept herself in check, albeit forcefully, as Locke continued his story.
"I decided that, in order to save my son from the future I had dreamed, I would alter his genetic material using a Chaos Emerald." Locke gave a sigh. "Not that genetic alterations with the Emeralds are unfamiliar to us at all, of course. Your people have only begun the baby steps of basic genetic study."
"Really?"
"Yes. But never had anyone altered the genes of a Guardian with the Chaos Emerald in utero. Which is what I did with my son." Locke's eyes suddenly became distant. "Perhaps that was my mistake…"
"Knuckles?!?" Locke had shouted. "Have….have you joined him?!?"
"I did it to save you, father!" Knuckles shouted in reply, an old, shriveled echidna next to him. "Do you not appreciate what your son has done?!"
"I did not know the amount of power which would resonate through his body as a result of the experiments…nor was I sure of whether he could even control it." The words were just slightly above a whisper. "I knew too little, and I paid for my desire to save the world with the lives of everyone around me - including my son……"
Usagi hung her head down with respect for Locke's lost child. They walked on, neither saying anything for several minutes.
"It was my fault entirely." Locke finally said. "I trusted too much in technology. I did not remember the lessons that my ancestors were forced to learn when they messed with the nature of things. What kind of a man am I, allowing myself to do such things to my son?"
"But," Usagi protested, "You did it because you thought it could save him, didn't you? From that dream."
"Yes, but…." Locke shook his head. "It is all the same, nonetheless. And now I must pay for it for the rest of my life. And…that is why I am here. To stop the senselessness that the Emeralds' powers bring."
Usagi looked at Locke, her eyes determined. I do not know why…but I feel as if I knew this all along - that Locke was here to stop history from repeating itself. To stop civilization from walking in the same, tired, cycled steps towards entropy…
"No matter what happens," she said firmly. "I'll be by your side on this. Until the very end."
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The night settled in on the two, and they set up camp behind an embankment near the railroad tracks. Usagi snuggled as best as she could under the sleeping bag, looking over towards Locke as he set up his bed.
"Locke."
"Hmm?"
"Thank you….for saving me."
"Why, I……" Locke paused. "You're welcome."
He watched as she gave a smile, then rolled over, falling asleep in the bag as she did. He quietly crawled into his own sleeping bag and looked up at the sky. Stars dotted the large blue canvas of the atmosphere.
The night sky is so beautiful…. He thought as his mind began to succumb to his desire of slumber. The blue irises…..the light radiating off of them…..like her eyes……..
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The night wore on, and Usagi and Locke both literally slept the silent, cold, stiff sleep of the dead. Both were so deep in slumber that it would have been impossible to wake them. To that end, neither could hear the creak of the small, wooden handcart as it rumbled towards them.
"(This is……)"
"(Yes.)"
Two echidnas similar to Locke in his alien form jumped off of the handcart and hopped towards the two, grunting as they picked each of them up in their sleeping bags. One by one, the two humans were loaded onto the sides of the handcart.
"(This is hard work.)"
"(I will second that.)"
One of the echidnas, whom was brown with beads and other decorations in his hair, took the left handle, while the other, a red echidna, took the right. They began to pump simultaneously, with the cart starting slow, then picking up speed until it traveled faster any other travel device seen on Earth.
"(There is one thing I must ask, Uncle.)" The stars turned into white lines on a blue backdrop. "(This is the first time you ever helped us. You never did before.)"
"(That is true, Steppenwolf.)" A small snore came from Usagi. "(But sometimes it takes something that is beyond our control for us to see reason.)"
"(And……this is one of those things?)"
"(…..You can say that.)"
The handcart wore on, going faster at every minute and every interval, until it was finally nothing more than a blur, a figment of imagination to those who might have seen it, followed by a powerful blast of supernatural wind.
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"……………..nnnnngh……………."
Locke's eyes slowly began to focus onto the room. Where there had been a bright blue night sky, there was now a wooden ceiling blocking his view.
Where……where am I…..
"(You finally awaken.)"
The familiar voice sent sudden chills down Locke's back as he slowly turned to see the origin of the voice. The origin was an echidna he knew too well.
"(You!)"
"(And….a good morning to you too, Locke.)" The brown echidna adjusted his conductor's cap with a slight frown on his face. "(I see that you slept well. But even so, is this how you talk to people who help you??)"
"(Well…I would like to venture why you're here helping us, Dimitri.)" Locke tried to hide his enmity as best as he could, though he said it through slightly clenched teeth.
"(Tsk.)" The brown echidna, once one of Mobius' more terrifying villains, simply shook his head. "(Really, I'm not going to kill you. I haven't the inclination anymore. That left with my life.)"
"(……I……see……..)" It still wasn't completely comforting to Locke.
"(And you know that you can't kill me either….)"
Locke turned around to see another familiar face, standing next to Usagi as they both looked out the window.
"I really wish I knew your language, Steppenwolf," Usagi gave a sigh. "Then I'd be able to figure out what you guys are saying."
"Don't feel left out." Steppenwolf replied in almost perfect Japanese. "There's about six billion others around this place that have no clue what we're saying either."
"I guess you're right." Usagi stared out of the window. "Wow. There's so many people here!"
"Of course there are." Steppenwolf gave a shrug. "It's a political rally."
"A political…"
Locke slowly stood up and walked to the window, looking over Usagi's shoulder as he did. His mouth dropped when he saw the scenery before him.
"We're in…..St. Katharos……."
The small city of St. Katharos lay before them, and it was then that Locke realized that they were inside a woodshed overlooking the city; he could hear the train blowing as it stopped into the station. But both Usagi and Steppenwolf were right; there were hundreds of people, signs were being held up….and the rally completely filled the center square of the city.
"You're going to have a time getting to Googolov's." Dimitri stood up. As he did, Steppenwolf back up to stand next to him. "I would suggest trying to stay out of the fray as best as possible. It's a rally about one of the candidates for the Russian presidency, Papu Atrava."
"Papu Atrava…" Usagi looked down in confusion. That name again. Every time I hear it….I feel… "The Communist guy?"
"Yes." Dimitri snapped his finger, and a bright portal appeared. "In a pro-democratic town, no less. But if you do have trouble, you'll have some assistance. So that you can get out alive."
"Assistance?" Locke's thoughts returned to Dimitri. "Wait! What kind of-"
The light flashed, and the portal closed before Locke could finish his question, let alone turn to face his ancestors.
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"ATRAVA!!!"
Usagi felt her security level sink further and further as they began to descend deeper and deeper into the crowd.
"Damn," Locke muttered. "No way out."
"Even the side roads are blocked…." Usagi gripped Locke's arm. "I don't think we should be separated. This whole thing about this Atrava guy is beginning to scare me!"
If Usagi had been speaking Russian instead of Japanese, or even if Japanese-savvy Russians in the crowd had been paying attention, she would most likely have drawn hateful stares, taunts or even some items thrown at her by the enraged crowd. But most were too busy chanting, stomping their feet and waving their signs as they screamed at the top of their voices.
"ATRAVA…..BALLOTEROVKA!!" The crowd chanted. "ATRAVA…… BALLOTEROVKA!!!!"
"What are they saying?!" Usagi finally shouted after fifteen minutes of screaming. "'Vote Atrava'?!"
Before Locke could confirm her question, a loudspeaker came on, and a female voice resonated in the streets.
"Kopatvem chiem mogela da moodoshlyop Putin!!!" She screamed. "Chiem Pazyoba da Eresefesar!"
The crowd cheered with a ferocity she had never heard before. Usagi tiptoed as best as she could, trying to avoid the other protesters as she peaked up to see a young girl holding up a photo.
"Locke!! What are they saying?!"
"Down with the liar!" Locke shouted back. "They are talking of the current President!"
"VYECHNAY ATRAVA!!!"
The crowd roared with approval as the girl burned the picture, throwing it into the crowd, who promptly stomped it out as it fell. Sirens could be heard as the smoke rose into the sky, but no one seemed to be paying attnetion.
"Locke!"
"The police..."
No matter where they turned, however, they were packed in so tightly that they could not move without hitting someone. Finally, someone violently shoved Usagi into Locke.
"Kopova!!" Usagi heard one man scream.
"CHIEM MOGELA DA ESAESSHA!!"
Usagi tiptoed as best as she could to see that the girl, who couldn't have been older than her, had thrown an American flag into a fire barrel. A TV camera could be seen peeking out of the crowd.
"Imperialist pigs of America!" the young girl suddenly screamed in English. "Western countries of plenty! With your stupid capitalist ideals and weak compromises, you have turned Russia soft. But this will not be forgiven! Atrava will create the true Soviet country which will swallow up the capitalist waste of this world!!! VYECHNAY ATRAVA!!!"
"VYECHNAY SOVIETS!!!"
The girl suddenly kicked the barrel right onto the TV camera, which set both the camera and the cameraman ablaze.
"AAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!"
Usagi gasped as the crowd simply laughed at the poor man's predicament. The man screamd as the flames consumed his body. Usagi covered her eyes and moaned at the sight.
"He must be American..."
"DOWN WITH THE AMERICANS!!!"
"ASTALVYAT!!!"
Several hundred armed police suddenly appeared on stage, handcuffing the girl. Kicking and screaming, the girl was dragged offstage.
"Astalvyat!" A policeman shouted.
"VYECHNAY ATRAVA!!!" The angry crowd only screamed louder.
"Vozvrashchyeneyeet dom!!" The policeman continued. "Vozvrashchyeneyeet dom VRYEMYA!!!!"
"MOODOSHLYOP!!!"
Stones were thrown onto the stage, hitting the policeman. But he didn't budge.
"ATRAVA!!!!!!"
Suddenly, a gunshot was heard from the crowd, rising above the defiant shout. The policeman fell, blood coursing from his legs, onto the floor.
"NOOO!!!"
Usagi could feel her scream carry into the crowd, and for a brief moment, it was all she could hear. The world was silent to her, everything in sudden slow motion. She knew exactly what was going to happen next; the horrified look on Locke's face confirmed that he, too, understood the inevitable that was to come. Only retribution.
"...PAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALEEEEEEEEEE!!!"
The policeman's scream came too quickly. It was followed by several gunshots, this time from the police, and Usagi could see several people in the front fall, some on top of the body of the cameraman, whose body still burned long after his heart gave out.
"AAAAAAAAH!!!! AAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
The angry crowd began to panic when the armored police also began to beat those in the front rows. Many began to surge and attack the police, while others began to run, crushing those wishing to go to the police.
"LOCKE!!!"
Usagi could feel people slamming into her ribs and stomach as they all converged upon her. Her grip on Locke's arm was ripped away, and she immediately lost the humanoid in the rioting crowd. Her screams were lost on the crowd as they screamed louder than she.
"LOOOCKE!!!!!!!"
"AAAAAAAAAH!!!!"
She could see one middle-aged man next to her suddenly being thrown to the ground by a group of girls, who immediately ran over his back to rush the crowd. They ignored his screaming, and even after Usagi heard a loud crack from his back no one stopped to help him. In fact, more people began to trample over him.
"POMOSHCH!!!!" Usagi's ear heard another girl under someone's feet, even though she could feel people slamming their feet into her mouth as they ran over her. "POMOSHCH!!!"
Usagi began to run the other way as best as she could. All she saw were angry faces as she tried to get through, but the line of angry faces yielded none in particular that she could recognize. None were Locke. None seemed to care.
"POMOSHCH!!!" Usagi found herself screaming. She imitated the poor girl as best as she could. "Locke!!! Pomoshch!!!!!!!!!"
Her reply from the crowd was a violent shove in the side, then a grab on the shoulder. She knew she was going to go down even before the sensation hit her.
"No…….."
A pull on her arm, obviously to help her up, did not help either. She turned to see if it was Locke, but the person fell on her. Gasping for air under the weight, Usagi could feel a panic attack upon her. She could not move, nor she could breathe properly - her throat clamped in fear of death. She shut her eyes, and the feet began to roll over like a violent wave, a wave that she was powerless, in all of her power, to stop from drowning her.
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The violent crowd is relentless as I throw myself into it. They protest the government, yet tremble and run when it comes upon them for their just punishment.
Arrogant hypocrite humans! What do you know about real fear? Real fear is facing death full face and knowing that you will die no matter what. Real fear is being in this crowd and being innocent. None of you that run away because you do not want to face your fate have that luxury of fear. You simply run over the innocent in order to fulfill your wish of getting out alive. I am here to save those you deem unfit, those who were more fit to live than you worthless gnats.
And now I spot them. They are innocent in this riot. They strain to get up, but they are stuck by the guilty ones, who simply step over them. I can see others in the same condition, but these two I must save. Without his powers to save him, Locke simply takes the full brunt of the stampede, his hand clinging desperately to the girl's arm, whose head is once again spilling blood.
A young man jumps over them, missing the two completely. I take the chance. I muscle my way through the crowd, knowing full well they who run cannot see me. I lunge at Locke, and I grab the girl up in my arms. Locke looks to see me, and I can see the surprise in his eyes to see me. Then again, though it is not every day that you see a ghost, it is not the fact that I am just a ghost that shocks him. For I am a ghost….and I am his father.
I see the next wave as Locke painfully stands up. I turn around, the road clear. There is nothing for us to do now. But run. To run as if it is the only thing standing between saving your life. And losing everything.
