So, completely random fact that you may, may-not care about: the most repeated line in this story's comments were: (for five. Comments. In. A. Row. XD) Poor Hunter XD (personally, I would agree though).
Also, before I posted this, I went back and re-read the entire story all together now that I can mentally picture each of the characters. It was...humorously disturbing XD
(okay, enough clowning around) Here it is. Ladies and Gents, may I present the final chapter of Grounded: The Revelation.
Afterwards...
It seemed a pity. After all the days they had spent in excited exhaustion, it was finally over. There would be no more pranks or mystery. No one guessing over which one of them it was. No more pointless interrogations. It was all over.
Day one that had started it all with the untimely landing.
Day two with the crazy development of snowmen and a snowball fight.
Day three with it's odd beginning of cookie chaos to the guys meeting their new friend Snowflake.
Day four that had begun with a hologame match before yet another pointless interrogation.
Day five where Cody had given Hunter more than enough of a reason to get back at him.
Day six that had been nearly the perfect day with nothing wrong until Tech had accidentally been left outside.
Day seven beginning with Tech being sick and Wrecker right after him.
Day eight with Crosshair and then Hunter himself getting sick and everything that in-tailed.
Then came day nine...where everything was finally pieced together and the culprit found, questioned, and properly 'punished'...And thus was the end of the eventful first week and two days of their vacation...
...
(Okay, I won't pain you any longer, let's see what happened during day nine and after that)
How?...It didn't make any sense...yet, there he was! Caught! In full spotlight! Disbelief plagued all who stared on.
A flash of light-grey hair caught in the light as Crosshair sat up from where he'd fallen, purposefully not looking at the others.
''Darned chrono always slips when you try to change it.'' he muttered, dusting his hands off.
Being the little dear she was, Snowflake raced over to him and began licking his cheek to make sure he hadn't hurt himself when he fell next to the tiny pieces of the old chronos inner workings. He scrunched away, trying to avoid her wet tongue, but didn't succeed too much.
Hunter just gaped at him, mind and reality not clicking. How? Why? Him? It didn't make sense! It also wasn't clicking with the other three either...Well, except for Wrecker who threw up his hands in exasperation.
''SEE? I told you it was him! That first snowball wasn't me! See what happens when you don't catch him early? It encourages him to do more...to everyone."
Hunter: Fact, reality, brain...no connection; This is what happens when your web is slow. It takes fOrEvEr to get things to load. Such was the case with Hunter's brain at the moment.
''What are you doing up?'' was immediately what popped out of his mouth, sleep deprivation obviously showing at its climax.
''Taking a little midnight stroll,'' the sniper snarked sarcastically.
Hunter finally blinked, voice flat with surprise.
''It was you?''
''Well,'' Crosshair gave a uncaring shrug, ''the commander prompted...''
''But why would you agree to do it?''
He said one word: ''Payback.''
Hunter had to blink twice before it finally came to him. Something about the snow outside and Crosshair came to mind as it triggered the memory of what happened the last time they had all been stuck on a snow-planet...It clicked.
''This was all payback for that stupid tussle I egged Wrecker into with you back when the power went out?! When I was freezing and..?''
There was the faintest of smirks on the sniper's face...And that 'twas the only answer that was really required.
''Well...'' Tech tapped his chin. ''If I remember correctly...I did say that he has a long memory and waits on his revenge.''
Nodding, Hunter rubbed his temples.
''You just didn't say he would be this cruel to me. Guurrrrrrrrrrrr, that was a long night.''
''At least he didn't force you to listen to 'It's a Small World' on repeat, though.''
To say the least, Hunter didn't like the sudden gleam that shot into Crosshair's eyes. After all, he was undoubtedly thinking, the rest of the week wasn't over yet...Hunter had to break the thought and fast!
''Okay,'' he scoffed, ''then how'd you do it? If you really did it.''
''Who said I did?''
Get him monologuing, get him monologuing, butter him up to it so he won't think of additional tortures for me...
''That's avoiding my question. Answer it. I know it was you, Crosshair.''
If I can just get him monologuing; if I can just get him monologuing, I have a chance...
The sniper only smirked, rising from the floor.
''Well, if I had done it...'' he paused, peering dramatically into the air as if thinking... then grinned. ''I'm not going to tell you. I have nothing to say and you got nothing on me.'' he said.
''Oh except for getting caught...and your attitude?'' Tech muttered under his breath.
Crosshair flicked a toothpick at him, annoyed.
''Thank you, your majesty.'' Tech added drily through gritted teeth.
The sniper sniffed, taking advantage of the surprise of the others to begin making his exit. ''You're welcome I've graced you with my presence. Fare ye well, life servants.''
And with that and nothing more, as was his manner, he turned sharply on his heel and made his exit to the crew's quarters to sleep. As he left, the others just stared after him, still wondering what had just happened. Maybe it was because the fact that it had been Crosshair all along still was hard to swallow? Maybe it was because the idea of that was still unbelievable? Maybe it was because it was near midnight and they were still sleep deprived?
Again, not for the first time, Hunter blinked...then turned to the others and asked, ''What just happened?''
Yawning, Tech patted him on the shoulder, ''Cody will tell you tomorrow.''
And so Cody did...though with great difficulty.
It was hard for him to talk with how hard he was laughing at the sleep-bedraggled faces of the Bad Batch as they demanded he tell them what was going on. But somehow, he managed. He started by explaining how he had talked Crosshair into committing the...events when he had happened to call late on night and only Crosshair had been awake; which had led to the discussion of the last time they had had to stay overnight at a snow-strewn planet.
From there, Cody had had ideas. After all, they were in a lively situation...Why not make it livelier? He needed the boys to relax...why not get them so darned tired running in circles that eventually they crash after it's all over? Hunter honestly couldn't imagine why he was so surprised; if anyone, Cody would be the type of person to think of that.
''So then how did he do it?'' Tech asked, ''How did...'' his lip curled slightly as he glanced at his batchmate, taking a side-step away, ''he pull all that off? I still haven't figured it out.''
Shooting Tech a snarky grin, Cody jerked a nod towards Crosshair. ''I'll let him tell you that. Faaaalcon?''
Resisting the urge to roll his eyes at the nickname, he felt himself shifting his weight from one foot to the other.
''How'd I do what?''
''The snowball!'' Wrecker barked, scowling, ''How'd you frame me?''
At that, the sniper straightened, surprised, ''Is that all? Easy; I oiled my gloves well before we went outside so they wouldn't crack...and also so the snow on my hands would liquify against the oil so it would disappear. Pfff, I'm surprised none of you thought of that.''
''How about the snowmen, then?'' Hunter challenged.
''That one was a little more time consuming, but not hard. Building each one while jogging in place kept me warm. Finding everything else wasn't hard. It was all out in the open.''
''And..'' the sergeant's eyes went wide. ''What a minute. When you handed Wrecker that cookie the day after that, that was-''
''Yes, yes, that was part of the plan...though I wasn't expecting Tech to pull that cookie analysis thing that he did. As for Snowflake showing up, that wasn't planned; least, not by me. I didn't do that.''
''Then what about the cam recorders!'' Tech cried, ''and that figure in the record-''
Crosshair just nodded, folding his arms. ''Also me.''
He lifted an eyebrow at the others, almost insulted, ''Seriously guys, this stuff isn't that hard. It was dark so I just wrapped my blanket around my shoulders so I looked taller. I figured you would think of the security eventually, so I thought ahead by changing the lighting and sound settings on the first night we were officially grounded.''
''How about the alarms? The really squawky ones that forced us outside?''
''That was...'' Crosshair paused, glancing up at the ceiling as he thought about it. ''Partly planned, partly accident.'' he shrugged. ''I'll be honest, I don't know exactly how that happened. Sorry.''
''Then what about Snowflake getting hit?'' Hunter asked, eyes narrowing.
No one said anything for a long time...then finally, Crosshair's head bounced a little on his shoulder, ''That was a complete accident. I had been aiming for Wrecker when they both shifted when Hunter came back and it was out of my hand by the time they shifted over.''
He peered down at the tiny dragon. ''Sorry, kid.''
''And after that.''
''After that, I couldn't really do anything. Everyone got sick so I had to switch to something more indoors. So switching the food labels wasn't hard. They were loose anyway.''
''Aaaand?''
In his corner of the Marauder (from what he could see through the cameras), Cody grinned. Wow, these guys were just spit-balling obvious questions, weren't they? Tell tail sign of exhaustion, maybe?
Pausing, Crosshair raised an eyebrow. ''Aaaaand..what?''
''How about why did you tape these two to the wall?'' Hunter demanded hotly.
This time, he did roll eyes.
''It was just a sleeping gas. They were turning into idiots through lack of sleep (well, more than usual, I should say) and I had a headache. The only hard part of getting them in an upright position but putting them on the ground would have given them an easy way to escape so I improvised on the levy system to get them up there.''
''But what did you use?''
''The work-out cords that you hang over the doorway.''
''But they could have broken!''
''So? It was convenient.''
''You're unbelievable,'' Hunter snarled, ignoring Crosshair's slight smirk and thank-you. He turned to Cody, ''And you let him just do all of this to us? Without even asking what he was doing? Just sat back and watched!?"
The commander shrugged, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, ''Of course.''
Crossing his arms, Hunter glared at the sniper, though he still addressed the commander, ''Well, he's had his fun; so what can we do to him?''
Cody lifted his shoulders slowly and casually, ''What's on your mind?''...
Rasping gasps filled the main cabin of the Marauder, sweat pooling in the center as Crosshair struggled through the endless pushups that he had been told to do. He'd been going for at least fifteen minutes by now. He had just reached somewhere between two to two fifteen when Hunter clicked his tongue sarcastically.
''Tut, tut, tut. You're tired; If you're tired that means you're out of shape. Push up-claps.''
Grunting in frustration, Crosshair pushed harder, clapping mid air before coming back down and doing it all over again.
''You-Do realize-UGH-that this is-ERG-only going to make me stronger-Gh-right?''
Slapping his palm to his forehead, Hunter groaned, throwing up his hands in exasperation.
''Well that won't do. CH, drop.''
With a gasp of relief, the sniper dropped to the ground, heaving as he rolled onto his back.
''Oh thank the Maker!" he gasped.
Hunter clicked his tongue, trying to think through the fog. What was he missing? Well...
''Crosshair, to the barracks.''
That got his attention.
''What?''
''You heard me. Move!''
They did...and the moment, Crosshair's foot had crossed the thresh-hold, Hunter shut and locked the door, heaving a sigh of relieve. Now he wouldn't have to worry about anything else happening from him and after a while he would be practically begging to come out...
Four days later...
Rubbing his eye, Hunter yawned, walking to the crews quarters. He hadn't heard a sound from the barracks since he had left Crosshair in there. The others had all slept on the ground the whole time since the sniper was in solitary confinement and they were all starting to get stiff.
See if he tries something like this week again after being alone...
Except...what Hunter seemed to have forgotten was the fact that the man enjoyed his solitude and solitary confinement was literally the worst possible 'punishment' for him...So when Hunter opened the door to see Crosshair - freshly dressed and still clean-shaven (had he sneaked out to use the shower when Hunter wasn't looking?) - contentedly sketching away with his headphones on, he didn't get the reaction he had been hoping for. Instead, what happened was when Crosshair finally noticed that Hunter was standing there, he scowled sadly.
''Awwwwwh, come on, is it over already?''
How many miles Hunter had walked into the floor would forever remain unknown. It was rather a surprise that he hadn't walked straight through the floor yet with how much he paced back and forth, rubbing his forehead as he tried to think.
Kriff, he just could not punish the man!
Everything he tried either turned out to help him or he actually kriffing enjoyed it!
''No, no, no, nononononono, this isn't happening,'' Hunter muttered, turning for another round to wear into the floor.
Off to the side, Wrecker and Tech watched before Tech stood and caught up with him.
''Hunter, I think we need to think logically about this. Everything you've tried hasn't work and-''
''Yes, Captain Obvious, I know. I just don't know why it hasn't worked.''
''I believe it was because you have been using ordinary methods rather than ones more suited to him.''
Hunter stopped walking for just a moment to glance at Tech, eyes squinted in confusion.
'What?''
Tech's gaze was steady and pointed. ''Crosshair is no ordinary man.''
The sergeant nodded absently. ''Yeah; right now, that's my problem. Well,'' he jerked a his head, ''You like fixing problems; what do you have in mind?''
Tech briefly shared a glance with Wrecker...then said carefully, ''Give him to us.''
For some strange reason (imagine that), it never occurred to Hunter that that just might be a very bad idea. Of course, lack of sleep does tend to impair ones judgement. So, he handed the sniper over to his squadmates...it seemed interrogation three was about to commence...
And commence, it did.
The lights were low, the Havoc Marauder's systems on standby. No one spoke as they marched to the kitchen area, the place of their past interrogations. The tiny procession had Tech in front, Crosshair in the middle who was flanked by Wrecker and lastly Hunter after him. The sniper wasn't completely sure, but he thought he heard dark, edgy music playing faintly in the background too...To be honest, Crosshair thought this whole 'act' thing was complete sithspit. What the kriff? Had lack of sleep made them get dramatic too?
He thought about that for a moment...then shook his head; wait, they were dramatic anyway. Usually though it wasn't this 'well planned.'
When they stopped, Tech turned crisply on one heel to face his batchmate, gaze completely level and solemn.
''Crosshair, do you confess you have been the one committing the pranks for the passed two weeks or will you remain silent and face judgement?''
The sniper crossed his arms over his chest, a smug sneer on his face.
''Either way, what can you do to me?'' he challenged.
''Do you or do you not confess?''
''What? Aren't you going to say 'you have the right to remain silent'? Come to think of it, maybe I should you that on you some time.''
''Do you, or do you not confess?''
Crosshair pursed his lips. ''Let's saaaaay...not?''
Then he nodded. ''Yes, not.''
Lifting his wrists together, he held them out mockingly. ''Now, oh righteous judge, judge me. What be mine doom?''
Tech returned his expression with a smug smirk of his own, ''We take away your sketchbook, battle music, and Artemis. There won't be a specific date set for when you get them back or even if you get them back.''
The reaction was immediate. Crosshair's smirk vanished, face went pale, arms slapped to his side, and his words were staggering, almost begging as he shook his head.
''No, no, you wouldn't. Please, no.''
But the others were confused...Pretty karkingly confused.
''Artemis?''
''Yes, Artemis. Goddess of the moon and the hunt. That's what Crosshair named his rifle.''
As all eyes turned to the sniper, Hunter didn't think he'd ever seen him have so much color in his face before and in the warm toned dim light, he almost looked like he'd had an instant tan.
''I've known you how long and I still didn't know that?'' Hunter asked.
''Would have been better if you'd never known that at all.'' CH muttered, death glaring down Tech, who smirked, opening up his hand in a 'give me' gesture.
''Now, Crosshair...the rifle, please?''
Day ten...the next morning...
Well, the 'culprit' might have been caught, but that didn't do much in the end. Tech woke up early - as did Wrecker - and right now they were both arguing over the pronunciation of something or other that the sergeant had no energy to care about. True, things had gotten better since those other two had taken over guarding Crosshair's gear (though part of him still wondered by the sniper was currently being so calm about it after having seen the worried look on his face after his judgement had been sentenced); however, he was still tired and a vacation was supposed to be for 'relaxing' (however someone was supposed to that) and since he'd been here, that hadn't occurred for one second (excluding all the fifteen minute breaks he would get for cat naps).
Behind him, he heard something crash...then Wrecker and Tech bellowing at each other again. Dragging a hand across his face as Crosshair walked up beside him, Hunter groaned. ''Nooooo, it's tooooo eeeeeearlyyyyyy.''
Crosshair blinked, grabbed something from his belt, and passed him a toothpick, ''Here, chew on this. You need it.''
Hunter raised an eyebrow, not quite sure if he could trust the gesture (after all he had pulled for the passed two weeks, how could anyone trust him?), but stuck it in his mouth...then his eyes went wide in surprise and pulled it out to stare at the sniper.
''These are flavored?''
CH's lip curled faintly amusement.
''Would you rather it be deathsticks?'' he asked, glancing sideways at him. ''Or is cinnispice just not your thing?''
''No,'' he chuckled lightly, ''I just didn't know you had taste buds. You're just a surprising man.''
Crosshair smirked, almost proudly. ''The quiet men are often the most surprising.''
Ah, doesn't time seem to fly? So said when one is looking back after groaning about the days as they went by...
(But that's not the end...No, not yet...)
Four days later after they left...
Yawning, Hunter arched his back. Uuurgh, he hadn't thought it was possible to feel so good. Sleep in fair doses did wonders. Cody must have thought so too when he saw him at the chow hall later that day...especially when he commented how the sergeant and his squad had been asleep for four days straight after they'd come back.
Hunter just laughed and asked what danger would they face next on their next mission and where it was. but as he followed Cody to the meeting room, he halted, staggering a little. Pressing his forehead, he moaned before shaking his head and trying to keep walking. He felt Cody grab him by the shoulder, shaking him a little, and he heard his voice, but the words were fuzzy.
He paused again, rubbing the back of his head. Why did he have such a wicked headache? In front of him, his vision went blurry...then white. Sweat trickled down his forehead. What was happening. All he could see was blinding white and a slight darkish blurr in front of his face, a worried voice bellowing his name in his ear...but sounded so faint? What-what was...he struggled to keep his eyes open, but they closed. And the next thing he knew, he was falling.
Falling...falling...nothing...
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep...
Hunter's eyes blinked open blearily, throat parched and breath gasping. He could hear faint bleeps and beeps coming from machinery and something in him knew 'medbay.' Above him, he could see the bleared shapes of faces hovering over him, low voices murmuring. But there was one he recognized.
''Co-Cody?'' he grated, his own voice shallow. ''Commander...''
One shape paused, turning to him, and leaned in, the lines clearing up a little as his vision returned.
''Hey,'' Cody's worried expression cracked just a bit to allow a faint smile. ''Gave us a scare back there, son.''
''I did?''
He didn't remember any of it. What had happened? He felt cold, compressed, swollen...Why? Cody's gaze softened slightly.
''You blacked out dead in space while trying to fix something on the Station and Crosshair had to pull you back in. Luckily, your armor had taken most of the vacuum, but that doesn't account for the back that it hadn't been designed for space. Been in here in coma for the passed two weeks,'' he replied softly, ''There's more, but...Gah, don't worry about it now. You need to recover first. The rest will come with that.''
''Wher-where are we?''
''Shhh, shh, that's not important right now,'' he hushed, ''all you need to know is we're ground side. One of the planets we'd been to before so we're just in our old base right now...and there's some one who's been with you the whole time waiting for you to recover. I think she wants another playmate.''
The now familiar two-toned scales and glittering golden eyes filled his vision and he couldn't help the weak smile.
''He-hey, S-snowfflake.'' he wheezed, lifting off his pillow just a little.
'Screeeee.'' she smiled, pink tongue flicking out to lick his cheek as she clambered onto his chest to look at him properly. Hunter winced, but didn't mind too much. The weight was comfortable now. Beyond her wide eyes - which was just about all he could see of her - Cody stood, still worried, but smiling now.
''Every-so often, General Kenobi would come in to see how you boys were doing and would find Rakasha here in a trance, making a funny 'shree' noise. Apparently, according to the General, Snow dragons are telepathic and while you guys were out, she was leading your dreams.
At that, as everything from the passed two 'weeks' crashed back into his mind - sending another wave of nausea - he winced...but sighed in relief.
Oh thank the Maker, none of that had been real.
Rakasha screed again, nudging his cheek. She almost seemed to be laughing at him. Maybe he would have been too if he hadn't been so numb. Trying to pass the time and keep the kid awake, the commander asked him if he could remember anything from whatever it was the dragonet had done for them.
Oh, Hunter remembered all right. He was willing to tell the story (scrimping on the details that had anything to do with Hunter's own personal humiliation, of course). Though, what he didn't know was that the others had been put through the exact same dream and they would all tell it a little differently. Finally, he ended with how the 'culprit' had been caught and tried.
But there was one last thing he remembered from the dream that he didn't tell Cody. It didn't matter that it didn't actually happen. The others might think he had lost it (maybe he had)...but as he discreetly pointed at Cody and whispered into her ear, ''Rakasha, kiss!'' the look on the commander's face was completely priceless. It hurt, but Hunter laughed. After a while, so did he.
...But like Crosshair, he wasn't one to forget easily. He just had to plan his own get back just a little bit differently...
Xu'upij (Yucatec Maya) the end...
And there you have it, folks, the end. :D Thank you so much to everyone who read and will read this story! For those of you who had to wait so long in between chapters, thank you for continuing to read despite the slow updates and thanks for reviewing! I hope you all enjoyed reading this as much as I had fun writing it all! :D (It was hard to press the complete button, lemme just say)
(Also just gonna say, the 'revelation' for the story wasn't who it was; it was the toothpick thing XD)
Special thanks to everyone who reviewed, gave me ideas through reviews, pmed me to talk 'bout ideas after reviews : Cuthalion97, Slim 'Tech' Sherman, KarajeJinsta, Revee, and The Caramel Cat! Thanks guys! It meant a lot! :D