32 Productions Presents…
A HIVE Team Humor/Drama StoryThe HIVE Team In…
"Matters of the Heart"
Chapter Three
HIVE Tower: Outside Jinx's Room
Michael Trevor (Sonic) checked his breath. Minty fresh…excellent. Everything was in readiness. As his hand reached out to knock he was suddenly overcome with nervousness. His hand shook. This was unexpected. He had DREAMED about this day…though in his dreams Jinx was dressed as a cheerleader…and now he was so nervous he couldn't knock? This wouldn't do. He took a deep breath and knocked on the door. It slid open and his jaw dropped. Jinx's cheeks were red and her hands folded in front of her. She shifted her weight from foot to foot. She was a vision of loveliness. She wore a beautiful green dress that seemed to shimmer in the light. On her feet were a pair of similarly colored (but not exactly) high heeled sandals. Her dress would be considered daring on a girl with a larger chest, but as it was it barely showed anything. Around her neck was a silver necklace with gold Ankh at the end.
Mike: …I thought you weren't going to be too fancy.
Jinx: Is it? I thought it was okay…I'll ch…
Mike held up his hands.
Mike: No, no! It's okay. I like it.
Jinx blushed again.
Jinx: Okay…
She carefully took a few steps forward.
Mike: You okay, Jinx?
Jinx: Yeah, I'm just not used to wearing heels. Oh and don't call me Jinx, okay? We have to at least try to hide our identities.
Mike: Okay…My name's Michael…call me Mike. So what's your name?
Jinx frowned.
Jinx: Actually…Jinx is my name…uh…Jean! Call me Jean.
Mike: Okay, "Jean"…shall we?
Jean smiled and nodded. As they walked off they didn't notice Krystal and Mammoth around the corner.
Mammoth: …why am I here again?
Krystal: We gotta make sure their date goes like clockwork. We follow them around and if a villain tries something, we clobber them before it ruins everything.
Mammoth rubbed the back of his head.
Mammoth: I don't know…what if they catch us?
Krystal waved her hand dismissively.
Krystal: You worry too much.
Mammoth: If they take the car, how do we get there?
Krystal's face fell.
Krystal: …oh yeah.
Krystal sighed and leaned against him, thinking.
Mammoth: Do you have to do that?
Krystal: Shh! Thinking. …okay…I think I can get us over there.
Mammoth: How?
Krystal grinned and posed heroically.
Krystal: Meet me on the roof and all your questions will be answered! …well, not all of them, just the ones regarding our transportation.
Over Jump City
Mammoth: AAAAAH! I CHANGED MY MIND!
Krystal: Shut up, you'll ruin my concentration.
Krystal focused on the wings she had created on their backs. Mammoth stared at the sky, muttering to himself.
Mammoth: Don't look down, don't look down, don't look down…
Krystal: Is that them?
Mammoth looked down and screamed again.
Krystal: Never knew you were afraid of heights.
Mammoth: It's not heights that scare me, it's falling from them!
Krystal: Relax! I can totally keep the wings on us without a problem.
Mammoth: Couldn't we have asked Gizmo for something?
Krystal: He's not talking to me right now.
Mammoth just screamed some more.
Diner
Jean snorted. Now she KNEW she had over dressed for this. Mike sighed.
Mike: I'm sorry, Jean. This is the best I could do.
Jean: …I feel like a fool.
Mike: But you look great!
Jean folded her arms then looked him in the eye.
Jean: …really?
Mike: Really.
Jean sighed.
Jean: …well, the food's good at least.
Mike: That's the spirit.
Krystal and Mammoth watched from the window. They were both broke and couldn't afford to go inside.
Mammoth: (whining) I'm hungry.
Krystal: You're always hungry.
They both sweatdropped as Krystal's stomach growled.
Krystal: …me too.
She sniffled. Mammoth patted her on the head.
Krystal: (crying) Why does it have to smell so good?
Mammoth: You can smell it? I don't smell anything.
Krystal: Sensitive nose…speaking of which…
Krystal sniffed the air. Something smelled…bad…like a sewer pipe had burst. Something started oozing out of the alley…something purple.
Mammoth: …ah, shit.
Krystal: What the hell is that?
Mammoth: Plasmus…
Krystal: We gotta get rid of it, quick!
Mammoth: How? He's a purple glob!
Krystal hit herself on the head as she tried to think. She spotted a fire hydrant.
Krystal: Got it. I'll keep it busy while you get that hydrate going. We're going to wash him away.
Sounded like a decent plan. Krystal blinded Plasmus with an orb of light to his eyes. Plasmus gurgled and shot a portion of his gooey body at her. She yelped and dodged. It was pretty easy seeing as how he couldn't see her. She continued to blind him and lured him over to the hydrant. Mammoth kicked the thing off and Plasmus's body was washed away, leaving a snoring figure in a puddle of purplish water.
Krystal: (whisper) Now what?
Mammoth: (whisper) We call someone to pick him up.
Back inside the diner, the pair never noticed the battle or the subsequent pick up. Mammoth and Krystal returned to their posts at the window. Mike was paying already. It appeared that the date was almost over. Mammoth picked Krystal up and ducked into an alley.
Krystal: Good call, my hirsute companion.
Mammoth: …what?
Krystal: Nothing old chum.
The pair exited the diner.
Jean: I hate to admit it…but that wasn't bad.
Mike: See? Told you you'd have fun.
Jean: I'm almost sad it's over.
Mike: Who says it has to be over? Wanna go for a walk in the park?
Jean giggled.
Jean: That is so cliché.
Mike: So is dinner and movie and we almost did that.
Jean: …alright then.
Jean took his hand. She felt her cheeks become warm and noticed that Mike's face was turning red as well. …he was actually kind of cute when he was embarrassed. They walked toward the park, hand in hand. Mammoth and Krystal stepped out of the alley. Krystal put her hands on her hips and puffed her chest up proudly.
Krystal: Mission accomplish, Mammoth, old pal. Now let's go home and get something to eat. I'm starving.
Mammoth: Sounds good to me.
: …born on a Monday…
Both Mammoth and Krystal went pale.
Krystal: …you can beat him right?
Mammoth: …maybe.
A bus went flying past them.
Mammoth: Maybe not.
Park
Mike sighed and turned back to Jean. She was slipping her heels back on. A bunch of punks made the grievous error to try and mug them. Normally they'd be happy to show them where they went wrong, but they were really starting to enjoy themselves.
Mike: You okay?
Jean: I think I got a run in my stockings…other then that, I'm fine.
Mike: And it was such a peaceful night too.
Unbeknownst to them Mammoth and Krystal were currently trying to subdue an enraged Solomon Grundy, but that's a different story. What Solomon Grundy was doing in Jump City, they would never know. Mike sat on the park bench with a sigh, his shoulders slumped. Jean put her hand on his shoulder.
Jean: Hey…what's wrong?
Mike: This night, that's what. I blew it. I barely had any cash for a decent meal…I couldn't afford a movie if you wanted to see one…and our walk through the park was interrupted by these jerks.
Jean sat next to him.
Jean: It hasn't been bad. …I don't regret coming.
Mike: …that's not the point. I wanted to "wow" you, you know? I've dreamed of the day you agreed to go out with me.
Jean snorted.
Jean: You expect me to believe that? For as long as I've known you, I've seen you hit on just about anything with two legs and nothing between them.
Mike winced.
Mike: Am I that bad?
Jean pinched the bridge of her nose.
Jean: I'm being nice here.
Mike: …I'm sorry. I just…wanted to look cool. It's a habit…my father taught me that the only way to impress a girl is to…
Jean raised her eyebrow. Mike stopped.
Mike: You know, I shouldn't repeat it. The point is, I only started to realize he was wrong. You helped me realize that. You're a strong, independent woman and that's the opposite of what my chauvinistic pops taught me.
Jean: …what about your mom? Didn't she tell you anything?
Mike: I…she…died in a car accident when I was young.
Jean's eyes widened and she put her hand on his shoulder.
Jean: Oh god, I'm sorry. I didn't know.
Mike: …it's okay. I was only three. I can't even remember her voice. I've got nothing to miss. Just pictures are all I know her by.
Jean: …you want to go home?
Mike: …yeah. Do you?
Jean: …it is getting cold.
Mike took off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders. She blushed.
Jean: Thanks…
The pair headed home, leaving the punks groaning in pain.
HIVE Tower: Outside Jinx's Room
The pair arrived home, slightly confused by Mammoth and Krystal sitting in the main room, covered in bandages. They said something about how they better have enjoyed their date. They had no idea what that was about.
Mike: …well…good night.
Jean: ...Sonic…uh…despite what you think…I really had a good time.
Mike: Really?
Jean: Yeah…I was hoping…maybe we could do it again?
Mike felt his heart pounding.
Mike: You mean…besides on holidays?
Jean nodded.
Mike: Yes! I mean…yeah,
sure. …Jinx?
Jean: Yeah?
Jean blushed as she realized how close he was.
Jean: (thinking) Oh my god…he's going to…and I want to…
Jean closed her eyes as their lips met. This was what Mike had been waiting for. Sure there was that kiss at Christmas, but that was mistletoe inspired. This was different. They stopped kissing but remained in each other's arms.
Mike: Jinx…I've wanted to tell you this for a long time…I love you.
Jean: I…I love you too.
Jean pressed her forehead against his, looking into his eyes. He ran his fingers through her hair.
Jean: …better ease up on the flirting though.
Mike: I've been trying. Like I said, it's not easy…but for you…anything.
Gizmo snorted as he leaned against the wall around the corner. Why did they have all the luck? It shouldn't surprise him. He was just a bald midget. What girl would like him? He sighed and went back to his room.
THE END