I awoke to see Starfire looking out the hole ProtoMan and I had discovered the night before. A stream of light was pouring through and illuminated Starfire's face.
"Oniichan…" Star whispered so as not to wake ProtoMan, "I can feel the sun."
Standing, I smiled at her. "Yeah, isn't it great! Three days in here as of now. I really can't believe it myself."
Starry nodded and I took a moment to look at her. She had grown so much since I last saw her! My little sister had made the transition from a little girl into a young woman and can I tell you, she looked great. We were built similarly, tall, lean, lanky, and a bit awkward looking. I was able to hide these facts with my cloak, but Starfire seemed to love it.
If I didn't know Starry better, I'd say she could have been a gymnast, or a dancer, or perhaps a professional volleyball player. But those things could never satisfy my sister's thirst for adventure and danger.
That's the thing about Starry; she has a nose for trouble. When we were kids, it was always up to me to get her out of trouble. How had she fared by herself, now that I couldn't watch out for her? I knew she had a net Op that was for sure. But her operator couldn't keep tabs on Star all the time? Who took care of her then?
A yawn from the floor snapped me out of my thoughts, and I found myself looking at ProtoMan, stretched out at my feet.
"Hmmm…" He opened his eyes. "Oh, hey Bass." Sitting up, he looked over at the hole. "So what do you think?"
I glanced at the hole. "About the hole?"
"Yeah. Do you think I'd fit?"
"WHAT?"
ProtoMan stared at me. "You don't think that I'm gonna sit here for the rest of my life! We're getting out of here. If I can fit through, maybe I can shift the rubble enough for you to get out. So I'm asking you, do you think I'll fit through that hole or not?"
Starfire jerked around. "ProtoMan, you can't! It's too dangerous to be this far into the Undernet on your own!"
Placing his hands gently on Star's shoulders, I watched ProtoMan talk with my sister.
"Star, I've got to! Don't you want to see Sam grow up?"
I can only assume that Sam is Starry's Net Op, because she screwed up her face and nodded. ProtoMan continued steadily.
"Then I've got to get out! I don't want to be stuck in here, dying while Chaud lives his life! I've got to go."
Star pouted just the tiniest bit before pulling close to ProtoMan in a hug. "All right Proto, but you be safe out there."
ProtoMan smiled and stroked Starfire's hair. "Don't worry, I'll come back safe and sound for you."
It was pretty weird, watching my sister in the arms of another guy. But as much as I hate to admit this, she looked really happy! Plus, those two made a perfect picture, standing there like that. But I'm not into that mushy stuff, so I turned away until they were done.
ProtoMan turned and looked at me. "Can you give me a boost up?"
I nodded and cupped my hands so ProtoMan could put his foot in it. Boosting him up, ProtoMan was able to find a couple foot holds so I moved back to make sure he didn't hurt himself up there.
ProtoMan had his head in the hole for about five minuets before a loud curse erupted from the hole.
"What is it Proto?" Starfire asked, moving forward to help.
A muffled voice came from the tunnel. "I'm stuck! I can't get into the tunnel any further!"
Starfire was silent for a moment, then she tapped ProtoMan's ankle. "Proto, I think it's because your shoulders are too broad."
Well, to say the least, ProtoMan began spewing out a stream of words so unprintable it nearly made the fins on my helmet curl! But that's a good thing. The more curses you know in the Undernet, the better off you are.
Pulling himself out of the hole, ProtoMan clambered back down to the floor. Uttering another curse, he sat down. "Now what? We can't widen the hole because none of us have the battle chip data for that and it might collapse the tunnel if we do!"
I was quiet for a while before an idea formed in my head. Clearing my throat, I looked at ProtoMan. "ProtoMan, may I have a private word with you?"
Pulling him aside, ProtoMan looked at me. "All right Bass, what's up?"
"I have an idea, but you're not going to like it."
"Will it get us out of here?"
"Yes, but you're REALY not going to like it."
ProtoMan sighed. "Bass, if it gets me back home, I want to hear it."
I told ProtoMan my plan.
He REALLY didn't like it.
