Chapter two: Moon's Computer Smarts
Moon's POV:
Great Mother of Living Scot this is hard! I move the kings chess piece away from Maru's Queen, he scowled. I smiled as he moved his king away from my knight on the next round. Then-, "CHECKMATE!"
"Dang it!" Maru's growled in frustration as I took away his King, "Nice moves kid."
"Thanks," I commented standing up, turning to laptop with a mouse, "Now if this piece of crap would stop freezing every time it updates, I would be the most pleased person right now in the world."
"I don't think that mouse is the best at threatening a computer," Maru chuckled, "Maybe a sledgehammer or a bug?"
"How about a gun?" I asked glaring at the laptop that dare defies me, "A rifle or a machine gun. Even better a pistol."
"You slightly worry me," Maru sighed, rolling over to the left putting away the game, "Why are you so intent on killing that thing?"
"Old and new problems," I growled staring at it, "Old and new."
"Like I said, you worry me," Maru smiled. I looked at him a frown on my lips, "Okay, let's see. They aren't back yet and you are almost heal. Next fire maybe?"
"Next Problem," I growled, "Why can't Blade just watch me?"
"You are a mechanic not a-" he stopped as a siren went off. Dusty and Blade crowded around a plane. Dipper.
"Holy Shit," I cussed as I ran with Maru, "What the HELL happen?"
"Dipper here got a case of turbulence," Dusty commented as Blade nudged her. She groaned in pain as I saw her wing had a crack, "She crashed into the fire."
"Maru," I whispered, "Her wing…."
"What?" he asked, looking at it, "Oh my Manufactur!"
I rushed back to the hanger grabbing my tools and welder. Maru lead her back to the hanger with some help from the smokejumpers. Everyone watched as Maru worked, I helped slightly. Giving input, calming down Avalanche who was about to cry, and watching Dipper's breathing.
"Maru's doing the best he can," Windlifter response came over everyone, I stood still watching her.
"One problem, her wing," he commented. I looked up and saw that it still had a large crack, "I don't know if I can fix it."
"You have to!" Pinecone shouted, "She is a plane rip that away from her and-"
"I can fix it."
Everyone's eyes bore into me, I didn't care I grabbed a piece of metal, "I know I can fix it. Planes in my area always have a crack in the wing, I knew how to fix it better than anyone."
"How can you save her?" Maru glanced at me with a look of sadness, "I am the best mechanic and I-"
"Not in my world," I smiled, "I am. It'll be done tonight. You wait and see. You wait and see."
Dusty's POV:
Moon shoved us out of Maru's hanger as Maru was shoved out, the doors closed and locked. Maru looked furious, "She locked me out of my own HANGER!?"
We heard a few hisses of flames and banging of metal. A mechanic screwdriver was heard and everyone froze. We heard more hisses, banging, screwing, and mumbling. I turned as Avalanche and everyone else left for bed, but I stayed.
Maru also stayed, it was the next day and neither of us had any sleep. Blade came out and glared at us with a look that said, "Get to bed!"
Then the doors opened to see a sleepy Moon and a awake Dipper. Her wing looked the same, but with no crack. Moon yawned, "Yell at me later Maru, I'm so dead tired."
She slumped back to her bedroom, which was a part of the tower. She took naps, but seeing her tired like that pulled my engine. I swear, if I was-oh my manufacture I am!
I cleared those thoughts out as I pulled up to Dipper, "You okay?"
"Yeah, Lil' sis got me better," Dipper smiled at me.
"Wait, who's Lil' sis?" I asked, I wanted to hear it from her. IF it's moon.
"Moon, you silly," She smiled playfully, "She's tired and told me I worried her sick, my wing she told me was crack and several metals broke when she bend them. Finally around five am she fixed it. I can vouch for her."
"Dipper," Blade commented, "Get some sleep, Dusty you too."
"Yes Blade," both of us said. I went to my hanger, halfway there I was cut off by Dipper.
"You stayed?" she asked hope in her tone, "To wait for me? Were you worried?"
"Yeah, I was a worried about you," I answered truthfully, but most of my worry was towards Moon, "You had that nasty crash and-"
"Thanks Dusty," Dipper yawned, "Wanna hang out sometime after fire season as friends?"
"Yeah," I smiled, "I would like that."
Moon's POV:
"IT'S THE FINAL COUNTDOWN!" The final countdown blared into my ears as I woke up, to see Blackout holding his skypad near my face
"YOU. ARE. SO. DEAD. BLACKOUT!" I screamed, my body fueling itself with my fury. I nearly ripped the Skypad out.
He turned and ran, screaming, "GUYS HELP!"
I was right behind them, roaring, "NEVER WAKE ME UP WHEN I DIDN'T SLEEP LAST NIGHT! NEVER WAKE UP A WOMAN, YOU CRAZY, BARBARIC, NO GOOD-"
"BLADE!" Pinecone yelled, "Blackout woke up the DEVIL HERSELF!"
I panted as I grabbed Blackout's Skypad, and locked it up in a suitcase. It was hilarious! He yelled, "Moon! I'm Sorry! I won't do it again!"
I opened the suitcases and gave him his Skypad, "You better…."
He grabbed it, and bolted. I smiled as Blade came in, as he chuckled, "I need you around more often."
"What for?" I asked shock that the chief of the attack was smiling, "And when have you ever smiled?"
"Long story," he chuckled, "Thanks for keeping them in check, the smokejumpers."
"Oh my pleasure," I chuckled darkly, "Now, I can have my payback on Blackout, serious when will he learn that I can stand that song, but when I am sleeping. Not. A. Good. Time."
This time, Blade laughed. I laughed too, in enjoyment. I made the cranky helicopter, laugh. Smile. He wore a smirk, as I yawned, "I need those minutes, thanks Blade."
"Your welcome kid," he answered, he left the hanger with a smile on his lips. Dipper came in next.
"You can make anyone smile, I bet my wings on it!" she exclaimed at me, I jumped back a bit, a little startled but otherwise fine.
"Don't bet your wings Dipper, I just fixed them! As Maru would put it they are better than new!" I chuckled, "Besides Blade smiles a lot lately. What's the difference?"
Dipper gasped, "You SEEN our chief, BLADE RANGER, SMILE?!"
"Yes Twice," I answered, smiling, "Not bad eh?"
"Okay, Dipper breathe. Breathe," she whispered out loud to herself, "Where you from anyway Moon?"
"Long story," I commented, "Basically to sum it up I come from a crappy life and I am glad that you found me. Okay? I don't like talking about it often."
"I see," she sighed, "Anyway, Dusty seems to like you…."
"I don't think he'll like a derp like me," I remarked bitterally, "I'm already too stupid to look at. Why should he like me?"
"Even if it was a friend?" Dipper tried to dig deeper, I felt it, "Not like Husband and Wife style, just friends?"
I felt my sadness grew but I washed it away with my hard coated self, I answered truthfully, "I guess I would like a friend, my best friend. I gave him up so he can stop protecting me. He fulfill his promise."
"Really? What was that?" Dipper asked in a fangirl tone.
"My mother made him swear, 'That I will be guided to protect my daughter through the darkest times of her life.' And he has. He guarded me from bullies and he protected me from difficult boys that didn't wanna back off. He is just a kid at the soul, I was there for him like he was there for me," I whispered out the last part, "It's the motto of our souls."
"Wow," she whispered too. I loved her already when she comforted me, "Pain hurts, maybe you can talk to Blade?"
"Wow, looks who talking now?" I smiled as she giggled. I wiped a stray tear away and smiled, "Let's go, now that i'm awake thanks to Blackout, will you like to play a role in his pain?
She smirked, "OF course. No one messes with you, not while i'm here."
Wow, so like Andy, "Here's the plan…."
Dusty's POV:
I heard a shriek of pure terror as I heard a squeal of tires, "Get them off of ME!"
A spray can was heard, another shriek was heard. Then a sound of a shaking can, I peered outside of my hanger to see Dipper laughing as Blackout had Spiders hanging from his head, fake. I was starting to laugh, but I looked to see Moon chasing him with a spray can. That had blue tint, but on him where spots of Blue, Yellow, and Black.
"This…..is why….you never mess with Moon!" she laughed after gasping. I chuckled as Moon looked triumph.
"What happened to you, Blackout?" I heard a grumpy voice, uh oh. Times up, I looked around to see the one person who's always grumpy these days.
Blade.
Dipper's POV:
We sprayed paint all over Blackout, now there was Blade. Staring at me with a disapproval look, I shrinked. When Blade gets mad, he is one scary helicopter. He looked behind him and nearly smiled, "Moon, don't kill Blackout yet. That's my pleasure."
I turned and saw Moon looking at Blackout with a murderous glare, when a small smile graced her lips. Then she laughed, "Blade! You need to see this-oh shit!"
She raced over to where her computer is, when it suddenly gone black. Blade and I watched from a distance. Then Maru came out screaming, "Don't kill the Computer Mo-"
Moon's POV:
OH SHIT!
I HATE THIS DAMN COMPUTER, I Swear it came from the pit of HELL itself! God Damnit, I growled dark and quietly to the computer, "You better not have shut down on my program otherwise you are dead to me!"
I felt three eyes bore into me when I grabbed a wrench and repeatedly whacked the computer with the wrench in my hand. Maru bursted out, "Don't kill the COMPUTER MO-"
"UPDATED!" the computer singsonged as I dropped my wrench. Everyone laughed as I threaten it with my mouse.
"What were you saying Maru?" I asked looking over at Maru whose face was red and his mouth was a gaped, "Uh, Maru?"
"N-nothing!" he stuttered and with a quick mumble I caught, "She's one scary person when it comes to that computer."
"Damn Right!" I shouted at him and he pale before running, "See you Maru!"
"SCARY!" I heard Avalanche shout.
"Me, Scary?" I asked innocently, "I am only Scary like Gibbs when my computer is a piece of no good crap!"
Everyone cracked up at that, even I made Blade smile again! Dipper is going to have a field day, four times in a row! Whoop!
I turned to see a dangerous looking Blade turn his head onto Blackout, "Now where's my hat?"
"What hat?" Blackout raced away into the surrounding woods, "I don't know nothin' about a hat! Nothing! HELP GUYS!"
"You ain't going to get any of my help!" I screamed as Blade chased after him, "Blade thanks for giving him Payback!"
Blade smile evilly as I walked away, hearing the smoke jumpers sigh before chasing Blackout. Dynamite didn't she just walked away to Dipper to talk. I let them talk, I just needed to walk. Once, when Maru wasn't looking I went to the cliff side without his permission, It was funny when I came back and he was pissed. He yelled at me but I didn't mind, it reminded me of my home. Before this.
I sadly looked down watching my feet take me to the only place that reminded me of home, the cliff.
Today though I was going to see it closer than last time. I was going down the cliff to see the plains and trees. Including the lake.
I smiled, "Yes, that's what I am going to do."
I looked to one side then another before racing towards the cliffs behind the hangers. I looked up it was about Midday, then I was back to running. Running as quietly as I can, listening to the sounds of the wild.
Dusty's POV:
I was hanging out with Windlifter, Blade was still chasing the smokejumpers, Dynamite was busy with Dipper who was laying off of me for now, Cabbie was sleeping, and Maru was busy with his instruments and tools. Once or Twice I saw Patch working hard on the equipment with Maru.
Windlifter commented, "The sun is starting to set."
I looked up to see the Moon already becoming visible in the horizon. Blade was coming back with his hat from CHoPs. Which is surprising, Blade never liked his past. Now I feel like he's trying to change for someone. I smiled at that last thought, "Thanks Windlifter."
Maru came out tired, he looked over us then his eyes widen. He looked at the sunset, before rolling up to me, "Have you seen Moon, Dusty?"
"No, I haven't," I commented, "I only saw her when she yelled at Blade thanks for payback. Have you?"
"No," Maru answered, "I haven't either, that was Midday and she hasn't returned yet. I am worried Dusty, she doesn't understand our wild. She talked little about her own life and I found out she snuck out once to go around."
"We gotta tell Blade," I remarked, "It'll be after sunset, we can't go against the book again, we'll be provoked of our firefighting licences!"
"Of course Dusty," he replied and rolled to Blade, "Blade, Moon's been missing since Midday have you seen her?"
"What?!" he exclaimed, "Dipper, Dynamite, Windlifter, and Cabbie have you seen Moon?"
"No," was everyone's reply. My heart sunk and Blade's eye frames widen in shocked, a twenty to twenty one year old girl gone.
Moon, I whispered, "I'll go if I have too."
"We all will, a human will freeze at these temperatures," Windlifter informed us, "It is colder at night than at day a price we all payed."
"Rhyming Windlifter?" Pinecone asked eye frame quirked up.
Blade glared at the smokejumper before telling us where to go, "Dusty go by the lake….."
I drowned out the rest and rolled to the runway. I started up my engine, this is for Moon. All for Moon. I drowned out Blade and Dipper before heading towards the lake, Moon's in trouble and I got to find her no matter what.
I found some of her tracks that were going up a small cliff I didn't want to spook her so I landed a couple feet ahead and rolled up the mountains rocky cliff edge. There she was, Moon.
The sun finally set and Moon was sitting at the edge of the cliff. She was moving her legs simultaneously. She was humming, then her silver eyes closed and her black hair flew around her as though fog as she sung out loud, "Today I've gotta make a change. Straight to the top I'm on my way-y-y-y-y and I was meant for so much more and I found a dream worth fighting for and nothing cans top me Nothing can stop me now!" (Nothing can stop me now, Mark Holman)
"You got a pretty voice," I commented, she spun around quickly. Her silver eyes snapping open in surprise, "Sorry did I startle you?"
"A bit," she answered, she stood up, "Did I make you worry?"
"A bit," I repeated her answer, my cheeks becoming a bit red.
"Sorry I guess, did you know that the sunset is beautiful here than where I came from?" she asked.
"No, I didn't," I answered, my curiosity getting the better of me.
Suddenly Moon wasn't at my side anymore, she was gripping to the cliff. I looked below her to see the rocks that she was standing on where loose and gave way. One of her arms slipped and only four fingers were facing me. I turned my head just as her last three fingers gave way.
She looked at me, then whispered, "I'm sorry, but I don't think I can hold on any more Dusty."
Then she her grip slipped, she was going to fall!
