Sorry this is so short (and so late)! It's been crazy 'round here. Anyhow, I hope this is enjoyable.
The berries Kagura and Osaka had collected did not provide much food, but under the current circumstances any food was welcome. Fatigue had overtaken much of the group. Sleep would be a welcome experience and Kagura had also suggested that it would be smart to continue early in the morning when they all had had their rest. The fire had to be extinguished so that any sign of their passing or location during the night would be covered from prying eyes. They knew sleeping would be difficult but even so, due to the encroaching cold air, each girl curled up next to another member for warmth. Chihiro lay on Kaorin's chest and each smiled happily. Kagura curled up next to Osaka, and although not romantically entangled, still shared body heat. Lastly was the new happy family of Tomo, Yomi and Koyomiko. The little girl curled up between her two mothers who in turn wrapped their protective arms around her. They were the first ones asleep. Kagura and Osaka had promised one another that they would stay awake to keep an eye on Koyomiko. This was not to be so. Osaka was asleep within minutes of lying down and Kagura soon followed, exhausted from the day's adventure.
Chihiro and Kaorin lie awake longer than the others; engaged in private conversation.
"I love you, Kaorin-chan.", Chihiro whispered to her friend.
Kaorin smiled and snuggled closer to her friend, who from the look in here eyes, had something more 'important' in mind.
"Everyone's asleep.", Chihiro noted with a sly grin.
Kaorin let herself be drawn in by her new girlfriend. All was lost in the darkness amongst a wave of feelings which Kaorin felt indescribable. And thus began the first intimate moment between the two girls. They tried their best to keep the 'experience' from being noticeable to the others, for it certainly would have been a surprise had anyone awoken.
Apparently they hadn't taken Koyomiko into account.
Whether the little girl did not notice or chose not to notice the activity that Chihiro and Kaorin were deeply involved in may never be known, but what is known is that even during the two older girls' 'adventure' Kaorin watched as Koyomiko approached the cliff edge nearby the camp and gazed into the sky.
Not wanting to garner any unwanted attention, Kaorin allowed Chihiro to continue with her 'business' as she continued to watch Koyomiko intently. She saw the girl raise her eyes to the sky and moments later the night sky was filled with clouds, plunging the area into an even darker cast.
She heard the little girl whisper, "Don't hurt anyone." And then watched as she returned to her spot between her mothers.
Chihiro raised her head for a moment and asked in a whisper, "Is something wrong, Kaorin?"
Kaorin shook her head with a smile.
"No, not at all."
"Sir, we have a infrared signature within these trees.", the one alien man said, directing his commander to look at the heat-based blobs that punctuated a small area of the viewing screen.
"Drop altitude. Slowly. Confirm it is not wildlife.", the commander responded.
The pilot nodded as he tilted the control rod forward to slowly descend towards the highlighted copse of trees. The craft had been flying at near fifteen thousand feet in order to not attract the unwanted attention of the human settlement at the base of Mount Shasta.
The first portion of the descent was smooth which caused the black-eyed commander to stare intently at the infrared signal, trying to discern shape which was nearly impossible from their current altitude.
"Just a bit further.", he urged.
As they passed the five thousand foot mark the clouds began to encroach. They seemed to materialize from the ether and surround their craft. The clouds were thick and black, not unlike oily smog.
"What?!", the commander raged as the pilot seemed to be frantically trying to keep the craft on its descent.
"They were not on radar a moment ago!", the pilot said as the cabin filled with the eerie flash of the red warning lights.
"Straighten out!", the commander ordered as the pilot struggled with an unresponsive control rod.
"Nothing works properly!", the pilot pointed out.
"I want this-", the commander began but never finished. The craft had already shattered to many pieces upon the mountainside.
None of the girls heard the booming explosion nor saw the blooming flame of the wreckage. They simply continued to sleep through the night, unaware that Koyomiko had saved them from possible doom.
Chiyo held back Kaede as they and Sakaki kept their backs pressed against the capsule, trying to avoid the eyesight of the man within the room. It was to no avail though, for the man rounded the corner and literally came face to face with them which caused Chiyo to screech and bolt into Sakaki's protective arms.
"Ah, there you are.", the man said with a smile creasing his rather pale face.
Sakaki held the small girl close and Kaede simply looked at the man, her eyes glazed in a stupor. Sakaki stayed silent as the man stood before them.
"Now, girls. Come on out from behind there.", he said with a sugar-coated voice.
Sakaki stood up, still holding Chiyo close to her body and looked the man directly in his ice blue eyes. What she found odd was how bright and positive the man looked; much different from the other aliens they had met.
"Are you here to hurt us too?", Sakaki asked.
"Oh, no no!", the man laughed waving his hand dismissively. "I can't hurt girls as cute as you!"
A bit put off by this comment, Sakaki tilted her head in confusion.
"Then...what do you want?"
The man laughed heartily.
"I can't let you stay here."
"We can't go back out there!", Chiyo piped up.
"Ah!", the man said, raising a finger. "You were subjects."
Sakaki nodded. Kaede said "Eh?"
The man leaned forward and spoke in a low voice.
"What if I get you girls outta here? How does that sound?"
Sakaki regarded him oddly.
"How do we know you're not tricking us?"
The man held out his hand.
"My name is Taito Haapalainen."
Sakaki took his hand a shook it slightly.
"Sakaki.", she said.
"I'm Chiyo...and this is Kaede.", Chiyo said, calming down a bit.
"Pleased to meet you! Now, let's get going! No time to waste!", he laughed, making a sweeping hand motion.
Sakaki still found him odd, but silently prodded Chiyo and Kaede into motion. Besides, at least he was human.
Taito reached his hand toward the door handle and it flew open, allowing them to step out into the hallway once more. He looked both ways before turning to them.
"Just follow me. You have nothing to worry about."
The girls awoke to a rather brisk morning. Fog hung amongst the trees, leaving the group feeling a bit damp and cool. Kagura gazed across the mountain pass they would have to traverse that day in order to reach the town below by evening.
"We better get going, guys.", Kagura called back to the others who had just eaten the leftover berries for breakfast.
Osaka was the first to step up beside Kagura, frantically rubbing the 'alien crust thingys!' out of her eyes. Tomo and Yomi took up their places behind her and last to join them was Kaorin and Chihiro.
"Everyone ready?", Kagura asked.
"Yes, Yamigata-san!", Koyomiko said, pumping her fist in the air.
Kagura regarded the girl with a rather disgusted glance and began to walk. Tomo exchanged a confused glance with Yomi.
"Yamigata-san?", Tomo asked.
"Kagura's surname.", Yomi answered.
They looked down at the little girl who simply responded with an innocent smile. They had to hurry quickly to catch up with Kagura.
Kagura spoke very little as they walked other than to point out changes in direction. She seemed silent; aloof.
"It looks like something is bothering her.", Chihiro whispered to Kaorin.
"Yeah.", Kaorin droned in a half-dazed manner.
'Could Chihiro really be that dense?', she thought.
Kaorin knew exactly what was bothering Kagura. In fact, she herself was rather put off by Koyomiko and her actions. What really made her worried was how Koyomiko was such a mystery to everyone yet it seemed there were no mysteries to the seemingly psychic little girl. It was almost as if she was threatening the group by knowing too much; even more threatening than the aliens on their tail.
'With the wrong mindset Koyomiko could be...', Kaorin thought. She did not want to think of Tomo and Yomi's child as the doomsday device. As a matter of fact, she didn't want to think anything negative lest the girl know about it. Yet, she watched. The little girl hopped along beside her mothers, skipping and humming happily as if nothing bothered her in this world.
Koyomiko skipped alongside her mothers, humming and singing whatever words happened to pop into her head.
"Do do do! Following Yamigata-san with Mama and Kaa-san! Doo do do! 5.432 kilometres to go! Yay! Do do do doo! Nothing bothers me! Everything is gooood! Do do doooo!"
Kaorin shivered.
'This is not right...'
"You wished me to see something?", Dagon asked the alien man sitting before the viewing console. On the screen was a radar signal that was set to playback. On the greenish screen he watched a light blip course across the field and suddenly disappear in an instant.
"That was craft 3857F.", the alien man in the swivel chair spoke.
"So it just...disappeared?", Dagon asked.
"From the readings it seems like an atmospheric change in pressure occurred around that time. Since then we've had no contact."
"And this occurred where?", Dagon inquired.
"Sector U-13. East face."
Dagon thought for a moment before speaking.
"I want a detachment and a Class C as soon as possible. We now know where to start."
Anyone who knows what nationality Taito's name comes from gets extra points! NO GOOGLE!! You lil' cheaters...
Anyhow,
peace,
-Jay