The Gang: That sure in the hell took a long time.
Nowhere Girl: Yeah, it's hard to juggle a hobby when you've got a kid and a job.
The Gang: Wah, wah, all we ever hear you do is whine.
Nowhere Girl: Sorry for the delay folks, on with the show!
"Torn! Torn!" She heard the shot go off, even smelled it burning Torn's armor as it lanced through his shoulder. Time seemed to stand still; the whole world was fading away onto the distance. Even her own voice seemed remote. She was up and moving before she knew what she was doing; grabbing him by the arms and pulling him to his knees. There was so much blood, so much crimson mixed together that it was hard to tell where it all came from.
"Dammit, Torn," Keira nearly sobbed out of frustration,"why do you always wear so much red?"
It was then, by some grace of the Precursers themselves, that Keira's communicator beeped. Hands fumbling, she struggled to open it, desperate for contact with the outside world. She was screaming into the mic before she had time to register who was calling to begin with.
"Help me," Keira wailed,"Torn's been shot! We're here in Haven Forest and Jinx-"
She'd barely gotten that out of her mouth before- KA-BOOOOMMMM! -a huge resounding expolsion rocketed through the forest from the city gates. Dirt and gravel poured from the lock as the doors collapsed and caved in. Trees that her father had worked so painstakingly hard to save were torn from thier roots and cast aside. The shockwaves from the impact nearly blew her over. She huddled over Torn's chest as the dust cleared.
"What's going on," Samos was shouting over the comlink, "answer me, Keira! What's happening!"
"I don't know Daddy," she screamed,"the city locks just blew apart! I think we're trapped here!"
"Are you alright," Samos demanded, "are you hurt?"
"No! Torn's been shot, Daddy," she cried,"I don't know what to do..." She trailed off. Torn was so pale, his chest heaving with raspy gasps. Even his tatoos were pale, faded across his face, and Keira shuddered as she touched him; his skin so cold it felt as though death already had him.
"Fix him." Samos said as though it were the most logical answer, "I don't know what you think I can do about it. I'm clear across Haven City! You're right there."
"He's not exactly a zoomer, Daddy!" She sarcastically spat; white hot tears running down her face. Why was her father treating her this way? Couldn't he see what was going on? Didn't he think it was serious?
"One day you kids will listen to some of my wisdom and finally get it,"Samos sighed rolling his eyes,"everything has healing powers. Even you. You just have to figure out how to use them. You have to picture what it is you want, and go for it. I've always told you that you'd make a great sage."
"What do I do?" Keira asked.
"Just breathe..." was all she ever heard. In one moment as she had closed her eyes, the forest had slipped away; everything had vanished, leaving her in some dark abyss suddenly scared and alone. Her father was helping her. He had to be. There was no way she could have done this by herself.
'Your wisdom, eh?' Keira thought. He was going to make her think she was doing this, going to try to make this a lesson in independance. "And maybe it is something I need," she finally said.
As the silence lingered on in her darkness, she wondered if this is what her father goes through every time he healed something, or if this was different. She wanted to see something, anything, to feel even the slightest breeze on her cheek. She groped around the ground ahead of her, knowing that he still had to be there, and as her hand closed over the straps of Torn's armor, Haven Forest burst into a full array of color and life. Wind hit her face, blowing her goggles away. The trees danced and shook in it, the grasses whistled, the waterfall roared, all making glorious sound, like music. The plants were glowing, giving off a kind of illuminescence that spread around the forest. And as she watched, green eco began to emerge from the forest itself, gliding like incandescent butterflies around her. Then it dawned on her. Her father was channeling her. It was the only way he could do anything from so far away.
Green eco swirled around her, even brushed up against her, sending little electrical shocks up her spine. They were urging her to find them an entrance, and they all closed in around her as Keira laid her hand over Torn's shoulder...
"Keira? Keira?" She could hear her name being called, but wasn't sure why. Slowly she pried her eyes open. It felt like they'd been superglued together. Her father's face hung over her, blurry at first, but clearing.
"Thank the gods," Samos murmered as Keira sat up," I was afraid I may have pushed you too hard. It took more eco than I thought it would to heal Torn. I wasn't sure if you could handle it-"
"Torn!" Keira cried out,"is he okay?"
"See for youself," Samos said, gesturing across the room. They had made it back to the Underground, and Torn, looking slightly dazed, was being pushed for answers by two very familiar ottsels and a brightly colored monkaw. Keira leapt to her feet, ignoring the dizziness swirling around in her brain, and lurched to Torn's side.
"I'll live,"Torn said, seeing the worry plastered over Keira's face,"I'm not sure my pride will ever recover, though."
Keira giggled. Maybe Torn had made the statement seriously, but she took it as a joke and laughed despite the situation. Before she knew it, she had both arms wrapped around his torso and her head buried in his chest, breathing in the deep, musky smell of gunpowder.
"Do we need to leave you two alone? Wrrraaaawwwkkk!," Pecker asked, eyeballing her. Keira suddenly felt as though she had an audience and quickly looked up to find her father, Daxter, and Tess staring at them.
"Uh, no, I was just worried that's all," Keira squeaked, quickly letting go of Torn and stepping away so they wouldn't see the blush creeping across her face.
The next hour was spent telling and retelling the story of what had happened in Haven Forest. Keira had found out later that her father had taken a cargo ship to fly into the forest to get them. The locks had been so badly blown apart that everyone wondered if they'd ever get them to work again. Nobody knew what had happened to Jinx. It was as if he'd just vanished again.
"I will have to wrrrraaawwwkkk ask Onin if she knows anything about what's going on," Pecker squawked later on as everyone was leaving. It felt like half the night had gone by, and Keira had slumped into an empty bunk long before anyone suggested going home. Her father lingered in the doorway as Pecker left.
"I ought to take you home," he said,"I don't think you should be driving anywhere by yourself."
"It's okay, Samos,"Tess cooed from the war table, Daxter and I can take her home later. I'll even stay all night if I need to if it makes you feel better."
Samos didn't look too sure, but finally mumbled an,"all right," before walking out the door. Keira gave Tess a grateful look.
"Thanks," she said,"I might've gone crazy if I had to be cooped up in my apartment with Daddy all night."
"Baby, I think anybody'd go crazy if they had to stick around Grampa Green for more than an hour," Daxter intoned,"besides, it's not that far from our place."
"Yeah," Tess said, jumping up,"maybe we sould get going, too, Daxy. The night's not getting any younger."
"Eh, Torn's tired anyway," Daxter said,"I've called him 'Inkface' twelve times tonight, and haven't even gotten so much as a scowl."
Keira glanced over at him. He was leaning into a cot, his arms crossed, hardly able to keep himself from nodding off. Keira stood to leave with Tess and Daxter, even murmured a goodbye. But it wasn't until she'd walked out into the alley that she felt like it wasn't right to just go home. The ottsels eyed her from the back of Daxter's zoomer as she lingered at the Underground's entrance.
"You want to stay," Tess said gently,"it's written all over your face."
"Yeah,"Keira admitted,"you guys go on without me, I think everything will be okay here."
But as the two sped away, Keira wondered if it all was going to be fine. She couldn't imagine what she was thinking, deciding to stay over just like that. She wasn't sure of much of anything anymore. But the decision had been made. She turned and walked back down the stairs.
The Gang: That wasn't much of a chapter.
Nowhere Girl: I know. Torn's chapter is up next, and I've got some better things in store for everyone. (I like his chapters better anyway.)
The Gang: Well you'd better get cracking.