Unleashing Valor

By: Tellemicus Sundance

Bittersweet Love

Everyone screamed for those horrible seconds. A little blonde-haired five-year-old girl screamed for her mother as she hugged a dark, bearded man for dear life. The man held her firmly to his chest with one hand in an attempt to protect her as he tried to keep from being thrown about like a rag doll.

The bus driver was pulled to the floor and went tumbling into a pair of women. They were screaming hysterically as the bus was rolled over several times. William clung to the driver's seat and, though silent, had fear written across his face. Yumi was screaming as she desperately tried to unbuckle the seatbelt.

Ulrich could only watch helplessly as the bus hit the tanker. The bus smashed its engine into the side of the tanker's engine. Both vehicles were smashed to the other's side for a second.

Then the bus's momentum caught up with it and its back end lifted off the ground and slammed into the tank. Though he didn't and probably would never understand the physics behind it, somehow the momentum was enough to completely roll it over the side.

The tanker during all this was shoved onto its side, the heavy tank of petroleum kept pressing it forward until it was torn from the engine. By the time that the bus was rolling over the tank, it began its own roll down the highway for a brief time.

Ignoring the tank, Ulrich was slightly relieved to see the bus finally coming to a halt on its side. He didn't think twice as he raced for it. Just as he reached the bus's backdoor, a violent explosion threw him back several feet.

The back of Ulrich's head slammed into the pavement with punishing force, knocking him into a daze. He lay there for a moment. His head was ringing from the shockwaves, despite his having a strange buzzing sound in his ear. Only a vague thought ran through his mudded brain: I hope this isn't permanent.

The damage on the outside of the bus was actually far less compared to the inside. The windows had mostly shattered. Broken glass was everywhere inside; on the ground, in the seats, but especially seemed concentrated in wounds. The seats that had been on the side that slammed into the tanker had been ripped from their bolts in the floor.

William found himself hanging from the driver's seat as the bus finally came to a halt. A warm liquid was seeping from a pain on his forehead and into his eyes. He wiped it away as he tried to steady himself. Leaning heavily on the driver's seat, he felt something touch his arm. Looking at the figure hanging suspended from the driver's seat by the belt, his eyes widened in realization.

"Yumi?"

Then the tanker exploded. The blast rocked the bus as the passengers covered their ears against the din. Thankfully, because the bus was on its side, the roof shielded them somewhat from its intensity. However, a strong wind was blowing the black smoke right into the bus.

When he was able to recover from it, William instantly began trying to free Yumi from the driver's seat. His efforts multiplied tenfold when he glimpsed smoke and flames rising from under the engine hood.

The dark man carried the crying girl with him as he headed for the backdoor. With the bus on side, the passengers couldn't escape from the front door. Or even the emergence window hatches.

Climbing to the back of the bus, the man set the girl down carefully as he heaved on the handle. A smoke was entering the bus from the fire in the engine. With a thinning air supply all the passengers knew that they'd die soon. Throwing all his strength and weight into opening the locked door, the man yelled in his exertion. But the effort was futile: the door wouldn't budge.

Less than two minutes since it stopped, there was a gathering crowd outside. Many people were either being held back or were too fearful to approach the wrecked bus and semi engine. When a boy appeared out of nowhere next to the backdoor, no one had time to realize what he was about to do.

The man was still trying to heave the door open. Through the window, the man saw a dark shadow. In the dense smoke he couldn't make out the figure, even as it took hold of the handle of the door. Then the window shattered as a bloody fist shot through.

A fraction of a second later, a strong hand grabbed the man's shirt and hauled him rather roughly out of the bus. Without any further prompting, he climbed through the window. As soon as he was through, the boy silently slipped inside and began lifting people out. Within several moments the other passengers followed.

"Come on!" the dark man called inside while extending a helpful hand.

Shaking his head, Ulrich said, "Not yet!"

He turned and headed further inside with the dark man yelling at him to get out. Ulrich carefully checked everywhere while keeping low to the ground. He knew that there were still two inside. He found them at the front of the bus, in the heart of the smoke.

William, unwilling to leave Yumi, had passed out from the smoke. Yumi as it were seemed to have been unconscious long before the bus caught fire. Pulling William to a slightly safer distance, Ulrich was careful to avoid using his injured hand.

Rushing back to Yumi, he played experimentally with the buckle. But it wouldn't budge. That would've been too easy he realized. Grasping on the belt itself, he began to pull. Heaving with all the strength he could muster with one arm, the belt went taut in his grip. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to break.

Planting his feet upon on the seat, he tried again. This altered position offered no better results. Steeling himself, he grasped the belt with both hands. Pulling the belt from Yumi took on a whole new meaning of the word pain. An involuntary howl of pain escaped him for a moment. In that moment, he felt himself beginning to doubt his strength. How could he do this with only one good hand? Could he even do it if he had two good hands?

A glance at Yumi seemed to refill him with strength. He had to do it, to free Yumi and save her. Even if she hated him he could endure it, as long as she was still alive. Renewed vigor flowed through his veins. He pushed everything he had into pulling the belt free. Then, with a sharp snap of a pair of broken bolts, it came free.

Yumi's limp body fell on top of his as he fell roughly to the ground. Normally being so close to her would've a brought a blush to his face. But with the screaming pain in his hand and the direness of their situation, he thought nothing of it.

Several long minutes after the last of the people escaped, the crowd glimpsed a boy poking his head out of the window. He pushed another unconscious boy outside and into the arms of a medic. Next came a girl before he finally pulled himself out of the burning bus.

It didn't take long for medics on the scene to rush over to them. The people from the bus and the driver of the petroleum tanker were pulled into ambulances and sent to the nearest hospital.

By some coincidence, Ulrich found himself in the same ambulance as Yumi. While one medic was wrapping a hasty bandage over his knuckles, he watched as another attempted to rejuvenate Yumi.

He watched Yumi for any sign of life, but there was none. After several minutes of nothing, the paramedics seemed to be losing hope. They didn't really put up a fight when Ulrich crept forward and leaned over to his friend.

With a blank face broken by a single tear, he gently cradled Yumi. Cradling her face to his chest, Ulrich brushed her raven hair from it. Leaning forward, he whispered something into her ear. Even as close as they were to him, neither of the paramedics could hear what was being said. When Ulrich leaned back, he wiped the tears from his face.

Eyes snapping open, Yumi broke out in a fierce fit of coughing. Rolling on to her stomach, Yumi proceeded to cough for several minutes. The paramedics instantly were at her side pressing an inhaler to her face. When she could breathe without a coughing fit, Yumi pushed herself up into a sitting position.

"Yumi," Ulrich said quietly. "I'm glad you're alright."

Looking at him in confusion, she tried to remember what was happening. With his hands hidden behind his back, Ulrich watched her with a small smile.

"You are one lucky girl, miss," one of the paramedics said as they pulled into the hospital. "If that boy had pulled you out a few minutes later, you probably would've died."

"Who saved me?"

"I don't know where he is, miss," the medic said. "But I'm sure you'll sure him again."

During this exchange, Ulrich lowered his gaze to the floor. After a moment, he could feel her suspicious eyes on him again. He was pretty sure he knew what she was suspicious about but he'd never tell her if she was right or not. Frankly, it wasn't really her business.

"Young man?" his medic said. "What did you do to your hand to get it in that condition?"

The medic pulled his resisting arm from its hiding place. Yumi stared in surprise at the bandage wrapped around his knuckles. Even though the dressing was rather heavy, blood was soaking through it. The red stain was steadily growing larger.

Ulrich didn't answer.

"What happened to your hand?" the medic repeated.

Eyes narrowed in anger and disgust, Ulrich remained silent. He didn't want to talk about it with Yumi there. He didn't know what she would do, but he didn't want to risk it. But he could see that her interest had already been piqued and if he knew her, she wouldn't rest until she found out what happened.

"Ulrich," Yumi said quietly. "What did you do to your hand?"

Ulrich's expression didn't alter but he answered. "I smashed the backdoor window."

Yumi and the medics stared at him in surprise. Seeing their expressions, Ulrich pulled his hand from the medic's grasp and turned away from them. Seeing his action, the medic glanced at Yumi with an upraised eyebrow. A moment later the ambulance doors opened and they were separated.

Ulrich was lucky; he had to be rushed to the emergency room to have his hand cared for. Yumi, William, and the other passengers had to contend with the ever-aware press and reporters.

Friday came as a relief and a curse for Ulrich. Two days spent in the hospital while his hand was attended to were extremely boring to him. When he finally walked free of its constraints, Ulrich now sported new bandages on his torso, arms, and his wrist. The bandages, though necessary, hindered Ulrich's free movement slightly. For this, he resented them but didn't try to remove them, yet.

"Ulrich dear!" was the first thing he'd heard when he'd reached the parking lot of the hospital. Leaning casually against her father's car, Sissi smiled brightly at him. A glance inside the car told Ulrich the obvious: Sissi had talked her father into transporting him back to school.

"I heard you were due out today," Sissi said as he approached. "So I thought it would be nice to pick you up personally."

Ulrich stopped a few paces away from her. Looking away from her in his disgust, Ulrich noticed the principal watching them. Moving forward, Ulrich knocked politely on the window. As it rolled down, he saw the principal smile politely.

"It's good to see you on your feet again, Ulrich," he said. "Well, come on. Get in, boy. I'm needed back at school."

"Sir," he said. "I appreciate the thought but the Ishiyama's have already promised me a ride."

"Oh," the principal said. "Alright. Well, I expect to see you in class on Monday. Come on, Sissi."

"One moment, Daddy," Sissi said as he rolled up his window.

Her eyes were narrowed in anger but Ulrich didn't care. There was very little he cared about anymore he realized. As Sissi approached him, she reached forward and took his right hand gently. Sissi studied the bandaging, sighed, and dropped his arm.

"What is it that makes Yumi so special to you? Even after she told you off in the park, slapped you, and caused you to ruin your hand. Please, tell me. Why do you still love her after all that? Why do you insist on loving a girl who doesn't love you?"

Ulrich turned a serious gaze upon her. His gaze was so powerful that Sissi felt as though he was looking through her and reading her thoughts. The gaze was frightening to her but she held it, determined to get an answer.

"Because I know she'll understand one day," he replied slowly. "And until then, I will continue to love her."

"But—"

"This is the reason, right now," Ulrich interrupted. He held his left hand up to her mouth, not touching her but having the same effect. Sure that he'd obtained her full attention, he lowered his hand slowly. "This is the reason you will never hold a place in my heart. You don't understand love."

Her mouth moved in denial but no sound escaped. After a moment, she dropped her face and quietly entered her father's car. Ulrich watched the car until it disappeared around a corner. When it did, he started walking down the sidewalk on his way to school. He had lied to the principal, which he regretted doing, but it was better than riding with Sissi.

(A/N) Hmm. Some things are different and some are the same. I personally just loved the scene between Sissi and Ulrich so much that I just didn't have the heart to change it! I truly believe that that scene is probably one of the truly in-character scenes of this and The Weak Link's entire storylines. This is also probably one of the longest chapters in the whole story.

I am afraid I have so very bad news. My parents are once again getting on my case to move out or get a job. While I have been trying, I just can't very anything and they have gotten ridiculously impatient. They have even gone as far as demanding that I pay rent just to remain living in the house!

But the worst of it is that they've taken the powercable to my computer. So I can no longer work on Unleashing Valor. This will most likely be the last update for a very long time. But that doesn't mean that I'm not going to finish it!

So Ulrich saved Yumi and it seems that her opinion of him starting to change, doesn't it? But what's going to happen in the next chapter? So many new problems, accusations, chase-scenes—oops!

Until next time: A Leap of Faith