How important it is for us to recognise and celebrate our heroes and sheroes.
- Maya Angelo
The best thing I did was to choose the right heroes.
- Warren Buffett
"Looks like we finally put the brakes on Cobra," Hawk began, "according to the last Intel, Cobra has gone bankrupt. This latest failed venture has wiped them out, financially at least."
"That is good news for a change," Duke grinned.
"Hey, maybe now we can actually get some R&R," Scarlet laughed softly.
"Not so fast," Hawk stopped her.
"Oh?," her smile faded.
"I'm sending you five back."
"What? Why?"
"They've specifically requested the help of GI Joe," he began, "Besides keeping out unwanted visitors, you'll be helping to organise initial clean up and repair of the town. This is only temporary," he said quickly as their faces fell. "The National Guard will take over later in the week."
"Alright, Hawk," they agreed wearily.
"And Lady Jaye…"
She turned around slowly, "Yes, Sir?"
"Light duty only," he looked pointedly at the bandages covering her arms and hands still healing from the injuries acquired earlier. He still wasn't sure how she had talked him into this one.
"Yes, Sir, and thank you for giving me permission to go, Sir," she grinned brightly.
"You're welcome…Now, get out of my office…, all of you," he said gruffly, "Your transport will be ready this afternoon."
"Yes Hawk," they hurried out of his office.
"You used "the look" on him, didn't you?" Scarlet whispered accusingly as soon as they had shut the door behind them.
"Maybe," she flushed pink.
"Jaye…,"
"Well, it worked didn't it? He wouldn't have let me go otherwise…"
Scarlet nodded slowly in acquiescence and pressed her lips together tightly. She couldn't say a thing against Jaye. She'd been known to do the same thing.
They boarded the Tomahawk that afternoon and returned to the damaged town.
As they entered the broken streets, they saw a large group of children playing among the heavily damaged buildings and rubble. The children stopped, their eyes growing wider as they recognised them.
"It's GI Joe," they began whispering excitedly to one another and pointing.
"Wow…that's Duke," one said.
"And Scarlet and Snake Eyes…and…"
"Hi there," Duke smiled, going down on his knee to their eye level.
Curiosity getting the better of them, they approached the Joes slowly. One of the bigger boys stepped out from the rest. "We know who you are…" he said with an air of confidence, "You're GI Joe."
The little girls who had gravitated near Lady Jaye and Scarlet looked up with wide eyes. "And we know who you are," they spoke softly in awe.
Scarlet and Jaye shifted their feet, slightly uncomfortable.
"You're Scarlet and Lady Jaye, right?"
"Yes, we are," Scarlet admitted.
The girls continued to stared at them.
"What happened to your arms?," a tall, dark haired girl finally asked, pointing at Lady Jaye's white bandages.
"Well, I was in a fire…" Jaye began softly.
"She saved a little girl," Scarlet smiled proudly.
"Oh….." The girls suddenly crowded in, all talking at once. It wasn't long they were all talking and giggling. Scarlet and Jaye made themselves more comfortable, sitting cross legged on the ground. The smallest girl boldly climbed into the lap of Lady Jaye and looked up at her with big brown eyes. Jaye reached down hesitantly and then brushed a small chestnut curl out of the child's eyes. She was met with a sweet smile. Jaye instantly returned the smile and pulled the child closer, cuddling her. As the child giggled, more girls scooted closer, boldly reaching out to touch her leg, her shoulder, her hair.
Snake Eyes stood to the side, motionless, like a tall, black shadow. The bigger boys found themselves drawn to him half in fear, half in awe.
"Is that a real sword," one asked nervously, pointing to the hilt seen just above Snake Eyes' shoulder.
Snake Eyes nodded.
"Wow…,"
Snake Eyes reached back and slowly drew the katana free. It glinted as the sun caught the sharp edge of the blade. Holding the hilt with one hand, he lay the edge flat against the gloved palm of his other. The boys pushed forward, eager to get a closer look. Snake Eyes was soon rewarded with "cool" and "awesome" as they gazed enviously at his sword. After several minutes, to the disappointment of the boys, he carefully slid the katana back into its sheath. The boys slowly started turn away.
"Wait," he motioned, holding up one hand, palm flat. They boys grew silent as Snake Eyes reached into a hidden pocket on his thigh and produced a wicked looking pair of four pointed shurikens.
"Wow…" the boys edged closer once again.
Snake Eyes looked around with a smirk. The group had grown. Good thing he had a lot of hidden pockets, he laughed silently.
The Joes worked hard, helping with the clean up and repairs. All around the town rose the sounds of busy hammers and saws. The fresh smells of newly cut wood and paint drifted everywhere. Buildings were being repaired, others rising up from the rubble. The sounds echoed back and forth as the town came back to life.
From the distance, the voices of children carried over to where the Joes were busy at work. Their lively play was in stark contrast to the devastation all around. The Joes smiled as they made out their words.
"I've got my katana. You don't stand a chance against me, snake." A thick, muscular boy swung a stick like a sword. It whistled through the air.
"And I've got my Shurikens so you'd better watch out Cobra," another boy held up a handful of flat gray stones. With a flick of the wrist, he threw one. "Ha!, Take that, Snakes!" he yelled as it rocketed off a fence post.
"You're history," a third boy's voice rose strong and clear. He stood on the top of a pile of rubble, hands on his hips. "Cobra doesn't stand a chance."
"We're Joes and Joes always win," A tall girl emerged from behind another, pride in her voice and carriage.
"Yo Joe!," they yelled together. "Let's go stomp some snakes!"
"YAHHHHHHHHHH…" As one, they charged their invisible foes.
By the end of the week, the National Guard arrived with fresh hands and supplies and took over for the Joes. Their transport back to the Pit had also arrived and was already waiting. With mixed feelings, the Joes repacked their belongings and then headed toward the pad where the Tomahawk waited.
As they were leaving, the children gathered on the surrounding hills. They began jumping up and down, waving their arms wildly and yelling.
"Good bye, Duke…, Good Bye, Snake Eyes…,Goodbye, Scarlet…, Good bye, Flint…, Good Bye, Lady Jaye…GOOD BYE! …THANK YOU!"
The Joes looked back and waved. "YO JOE!" they gave a final cry.
The distance between them grew and the children were soon out of sight. They continued the last stretch of their walk in silence, contented smiles on all of their faces. The children's good bye's were fresh in their memories as Lady Jaye reached over and slipped her hand into Flint's.
"You know…, it's not so bad," she spoke softly.
"What?"
She blushed and smiled, kicking at a loose stone, "…being a hero."
Flint stopped and turned to her suddenly, laughing out loud.
The Joes crowded around her laughing and slapping her on the shoulder. Snake Eyes' shoulders were shaking with silent laughter. He gave her a two thumbs up.
"It's about time you figured that out," Duke teased.
'So, I'm a slow learner," she smirked, "At least I learn."
"Ha. Ha. Very funny, LJ." It was common knowledge among the Joes that Duke was both extremely stubborn and fond of doing things his own way.
Flint just laughed at him as he wrapped an arm around Lady Jaye's narrow waist, giving her an affectionate squeeze. "No, Lady Jaye, it's not so bad at all."
Lady Jaye smiled. For the first time in a long time, she felt happy, very happy. The worm of doubt that taken root so many weeks ago was finally gone, replaced once again by bright confidence and a light heart. As she glanced at Flint still teasing a disgruntled Duke, she smiled. All in her world was as it should be.
Around them, the wind picked up, carrying with it a cooler breeze. To Lady Jaye, it was a cleansing breeze, washing away the heaviness of recent battles, sweeping out the darkest corners of her heart. She had come to an understanding and sense of acceptance that even in defeat, the Joes did not fail; quitters failed, and Joes were Joes simply because they never gave up. She glanced around and her heart swelled with pride. All that they were, the good and the bad, the messy and the beautiful, they were all Joes to the core…heroes, forever and always.
And beauty shall rise from the ashes.
Just before boarding the transport for their ride back home, Lady Jaye stopped suddenly and pointed. "Oh, look…," her voice was soft and full of wonder. A small white daisy had poked a sunny face out of the rubble.
Flint laced his fingers through hers, "Simply beautiful," he murmured softly. She didn't realise he wasn't talking about the flower.
In another town, in another country, a different group of children were playing.
"Lady Jaye, be careful…" she pressed her hands together in nervousness.
"I will…got to save that poor, helpless little girl…," Lady Jaye sighed dramatically.
"Then, I'll help you," Scarlet giggled suddenly, ruining the performance.
"Okay. She's over there," Lady Jaye said in her normal voice. She pointed toward a triangle of trees. "Let's go."
Lady Jaye and Scarlet ran between the trees where a smaller girl was waiting for them.
"What took you so long," she grumbled as she stood up, brushing off the pine needles sticking to her pants.
"Sorry," Lady Jaye dropped to her knees to help her. Then, each taking a hand, they led the little girl back to the rest of the waiting children who surrounded them, cheering.
"You did it! You rescued her from the fire, Lady Jaye!"
"No. We did it." She turned to her friend and and gave her a high five, "Scarlet and I, together."
Scarlet grinned, "That's right! Together!"
"Now let's go stomp some snakes…Grrrrrr," a boy swung his sword stick through the air and growled.
"Yeah! Let's go!," more boys yelled enthusiastically.
"Alright. Come on!"
Yo Joe!," The children's voices shrilled happily.
Scarlet, Duke, Flint, Snake Eyes and Lady Jaye boarded the Tomahawk returned to the Pit. Day after day, they continued the fight against Cobra, never giving up. Sometimes they lost a battle, but mostly they won. Whatever the outcome, they had confidence in being themselves, in being Joes.
They had all learned that it was enough. Being simply who they were, they became the heroes of many childhoods.