Disclaimer : I don't own anything.
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(Normal POV)
Hunter came sauntering down the stairs with a cocky smirk on his face as he held up his rifle, stopping only long enough to fire at a single guard before prancing on.
"Come on...!"
Behind him, Kapri raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest, walking slowly behind him. Seeing the way he was taking his time, she scowled before walking briskly down the stairs behind him and pushing him down the rest, giggling as he tumbled down them to lay with his back against the railing and shake his head with a dazed look.
"Stop trying to act so cool!" she stated firmly when she stopped laughing. "Gee, if only you had agreed with me eariler, we wouldn't be in this mess."
Seeing something move out of the corner of her eye, she spun and raised her crossbow, pausing with her hand over the trigger when her eyes landed on a pair of mildly surprised chocolate ones. Looking closely at the all too familiar chocolate skin, hair and eyes, the scar that ran between his eyes, and the gunblade he held at his side, she took a shaky breath, lowering her weapon as she crouched down, bowing her face as she closed her eyes and took another deep breath.
"Shane!!!" Shane's alive! I knew he would be. Shane's ok! "Yeah!" Laughing quietly in relief, she felt like a huge weight had been lifted off her chest and looked up to see his confused gaze before he switched it to Tori as she spoke.
"Kapri, you're all right!"
Hunter stood and nodded with that smirk again. "Uh-huh. Of course. Thanks to my escort."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Dustin demanded suspiciously.
Smacking Hunter on the arm, Kapri walked past him to the others. "My father pulled some strings with the military. He told them to get me, and only me, out." she said with a clearly upset face. Shaking her head, she placed her hands on her hips and glared at Hunter. "So this guy here... He came and got me. Just me! Knowing you were all captured!"
"Ahh, that's.." Hunter tried, clearly looking embarrassed.
"Isn't that horrible?!" she demanded, cutting him off.
"Alright! Alright! ..." Hunter sighed and frowned, shaking his head a little. "I said I was sorry! That's why I'm here to help!" Then he rubed at some red scratch marks on his cheek.
Pointing to them, Kapri raised an eyebrow. "After I scratched you to death."
"Uh..." Blushing a little, he shrugged. "A-A-Anyhow...now's our chance to get out of here."
Shane sighed and shook his head, folding his arms over his chest. I'm glad to see Kapri's alright, but... "The basement door is buried in sand."
"Of course it is." Hunter stated, rolling his eyes. "This place is buried underground."
"...Buried?" he asked with a frown. Then how the hell do we get out of here?!
"That's right. The prison is..."
"There they are! It's the escapees!"
Everyone turned to find more guards running into the room, guns drawn and aiming as fast as they could. Dropping down behind the railing, with the rest of the group, Hunter periodically peered out over the top, firing off his rifle and holding the guards at bay.
Turning to Shane he sighed. "Shane, choose two people to go with you, and head up. I'll hold them here."
"...Up?" he asked in confusion.
"I don't have time to explain! Just go! The exit's up there! Trust me!" Hunter called seriously as he fired at another guard before reloading his rifle.
"Alright." he agreed quietly.
"I think I know the way." Kapri put in with a determined nod.
Well that settles that then. It's me, Kapri and... Making a quick decision, he chose Tori to come with them. Her Blue Magic ultimate attack could definitely come in handy.
As the three ran up a nearby staircase, Hunter smirked and shot another guard before nodding. "It's my time to boogie now."
Motioning for Marah and Dustin to follow him, they headed down a nearby staircase, immediately running into a battle with a few monsters. Drawing second level magics including Tornado, Cura, Fira, Thundara, Watera and Blizzara, they finished the battle quickly.
Going to the staircase, Hunter pressed his hand forward, checking for a barrier. When he didn't find one, he nodded and smirked, stepping through and leading the others down a nearby staircase and onto a lower floor.
"Hey, what do we do?" Marah asked in a somewhat bored tone. Then her eyes widened. "I got an idea!"
It was obvious they couldn't follow Shane and the others because they needed to lead the guards away. If they couldn't go up that way...
"Can't we go up again, using the arm?"
Hunter nodded and smirked, already knowing about the arm from a drunk prisoner in an open cell. "Hey, that's a great idea!"
"But..." her face fell as she seemed to think of a kink. "They have to operate it from the Control Room upstairs."
Dustin's face lit up and he shot to the nearby staircase that led down. "Leave it to me! Alright! Let's head down to the floor where the arm's stopped!"
Running down the floors, one at a time, they fought many monsters and guards and by the time they were done, they had to pretty much carry Dustin, who was bleeding from a gash in his side.
"Hey! Hop on!" Hunter called, helping Dustin and Marah into the arm before he cast a Cura on the martial artist's wound and nodded as it healed closed.
(With Shane, Kapri and Tori, Kapri's POV)
Running up the floors like this, I bit my lip to keep the almost hysterical laugh from escaping. Sure our lives were in danger, but for some reason, I got this absurd thought about what it must be like to be a Power Ranger.
Then I frowned as a small pang of guilt gnawed at my heart.
These people, these SeeDs... They're just like the people I used to know. Shane, just as cold, at times, as the Shane I knew, and having just as much trouble expressing his feelings. Marah, as exciteable and overenthusiastic as the one I remembered, and Tori... She had the same sense of responsibility, and an air of authority about her.
But they didn't know. They didn't know about my other life... My life as an Evil Space Ninja.
Part of me wanted to tell them, but it was hard. For one I had no idea where to begin, what time would be best, how to word it properly, and I knew they wouldn't believe me. And then there was a part that didn't want to tell them. A part that almost wanted to forget my past on another world.
I mean, Merrick Baliton wasn't really my father. Kimberly Heartily wasn't really my mother. They were parents to a girl that died secretly over two years ago. Sure, I don't remember much of anything about my parents, but I knew it wasn't them.
Chancing a glance at Shane, I knew he'd be beyond royally pissed if I let slip that everything was a lie. Ok, so I really turned good, and I like to help people and fight evil, but everything he knew about me... My home, my family, my friends...my past... It was all a lie.
Now I couldn't help the sarcastic laugh that escaped my throat as we ran.
If they knew...would they treat me the same way as the Rangers back on earth? No. That wasn't right. I knew that the earth Rangers would have accepted me if I'd changed my ways back then, but my fear of Lothor stopped me.
"Power Rangers had it good." I said bitterly, knowing they didn't have to fear their Sensei. They weren't called 'airheads' or 'morons' or 'idiots' everytime one little thing went wrong!
"Power Rangers?" Shane echoed in confusion.
Jumping at the sound of his voice, I quickly shook my head, not even knowing what to say to cover my slip. "Nothing. Nevermind." I said quietly as we stopped for a breather in a small cell, housing a single man.
He didn't look convinced and I shook my head again, sighing in exhaustion and irritation. "Please, just let it go." I pleaded, staring at him as firmly as I could. "It's part of a past-another life, that I'd like to forget, thank you."
"...Alright." he agreed, almost looking concerned.
Continuing on our way, we quickly made it to the Control Room and exited via a small door that led to a long bridge. As we looked across the other side, I noticed another building and that, that was our way out.
"We made it out!" Tori called happily, making her way to the bridge.
Seeing something near her feet, I felt my heart skip a beat and took a step forward myself. "Tori sto-"
A loud alarm sounded, cutting off my words.
"Prisoners may not go beyond this point. You will be terminated." a pleasant feminine, automated voice called over the speakers.
Tori looked at me in confusion, and I sighed and pointed to her feet, where she was standing right in the middle of a security beam that sounded the alarm when she crossed it.
There was a loud sound of something rushing through the air, and Shane quickly drew his gunblade, prompting Tori and me to arm ourselves. "They're coming!" he yelled, gesturing with his head to the sky.
Looking ahead, I noticed a soldier dressed in a red battle suit with very thick and heavy chest, arm and leg plating, running along the bridge before stopping in front of us. Next, two of the metal machines flew out of the sky on their metal wings, landing on either side of him. GIM52As. They now fully blocked our escape route.
Turning back to the other door, I frowned and took a defensive stand as I noticed it was shut tightly. "We're trapped!" I called.
Shane glanced briefly at the door before nodding to me. "...Then we fight!"
The first thing we did when the battle began, was to eliminate the soldier, as he put protective magics on the GIM52As. Once he was gone, and despite his tougher appearance, he was easily beaten, we focused on the GIMs.
Tori closed her eyes, holding her arms at her chest before she cast them out, glowing a bright white. Thick strands of spider silk shot from her chest and covered the machines, slowing them down immensely.
Shane ran forward, slicing one about six times before he backflipped, slicing it again, and jumped back. Then he raced forward and repeated the process on the other one. Holding his blade with both hands, he held it straight up, ppointing to the sky. A golden beam of light surrounded his blade and shot up into the sky, no doubt, leaving the planet all together. Then he swung his blade down in an arc, a wave of energy sliding across the machines and knocking them back a foot.
One of the GIMs unfolded it's wings and raised it's arms as a volley of missiles shot out and hit Tori. They knocked her into a wall, where she laid unmoving. Then the other cast Silence on Shane and me, preventing us from casting magics.
With a frown, I stuck my tongue out at the monsters before rushing to Tori's side. They may have stopped me from casting magics, but I still got potions and phoenix downs. Using some of the said items, I helped Tori to her feet and returned to the batte as Shane finished using an echo screen and handed one to me.
With the Silence gone, I closed my eyes and focused on a Thundara spell, casting it quickly on both of the GIMs and watching as Tori did the same.
Once the second bolt hit them, they both collapsed and I stared at them with a smirk. HAH!
"Hey Shane, can you guys here me?" came a faint voice from back in the Control Room.
I followed Shane's gaze as he turned with a frown and walked back into the Control Room, via the now open door. Heading to a beeping console, we stood patiently, listening for the voice.
"Hey! Hey, you guys!"
It was Hunter's voice calling.
"Is this the thing you were talking about?" Marah's voice asked curiously. "But,,, What if Shane and the others have left already?!"
"I can hear you." he reposnded with a badly hidden grin.
Raising my eyebrow, I bit my lip to keep from making a comment. But it seemed, Shane was letting people get closer to him. Maybe he didn't realize it, but it looked like the others were becoming more important to him.
I felt tears come to my eyes and turned away. But...does he feel the same way about me? Part of me wanted him to, but then again, I would feel guilty if he did. I still feel like I've done nothing but lie to him, to them, and they don't even suspect a thing.
"See?" came Hunter's cocky voice. "I told you we'd be alright! Shane, go ahead and activate the arm!"
Turning back, I watched as he raised an eyebrow before his forehead cresed and he looked around the console in confusion. "...How?" he eventually asked.
"Yo, leave that one to me." Dustin said, clearly tampering with something.
"Is...it supposed to go this slow?" Marah asked tentatively.
"What's the rush?" Hunter asked back and I could almost hear the smirk and shrug as he asked it.
Laughing a little, I sighed and turned to walk to the door. "Looks like they'll be just fine." I said easily as I walked through.
Stepping back out to the bridge, I looked over the large metal railing, seeing out of the corner of my eye that Shane and Tori were doing the same. I frowned at what I saw.
Desert. Seemingly endless desert. Vast piles of sand for miles in every direction, and the occasional Sand Shark or Sand Worm swimming around in it. Beyond the desert, I knew, was barren lands. There were many places we could go from here. Back to Deling City, the nearby Galbadian Missile Base, or a Train Depot.
Still, what got me wasn't the vast desert, but the fact that the prison had changed from when I entered with Hunter. Before, it was all at ground level. The bridge, that is. If I'd wanted to, I could've jumped over the railing and landed safely on the ground.
But now...
The buildings had risen. The bridge was easily 60 feet in the air, if not more, and there was no safe way down, but to cross the bridge.
"We're stuck!" Tori cried, seeing the ground so far below us.
I nodded with a frown, pulling away from the railing to look at the others. "What I wouldn't give to have a zord right about now." I muttered quietly.
"...Huh?"
Seeing that Shane was regarding me in confusion, I felt my face heat up. "I...uh, said... No way!" I made a face of shock as I turned to look out over the railing. "When I came in earlier, it wasn't like this!" Please buy it, please buy it!
Looking past me to the building on the other side of the bridge, he nodded distractedly. "Let's just head for that building over there."
I turned and looked at the building before nodding and beginning to run across it. It took me a few minutes at a fast pace to cross the whole thing, and panting, I turned to find Tori run up beside me and Shane only a few feet behind us.
Suddenly, the floor of the bridge began to fold up on itself, dropping away as it slowly began to pick up speed, heading Shane's way. I watched in growing horror as he stared in shock at it a moment before turning and running in the other direction. "Hurry, Shane!" I yelled in a panic.
The bridge was dropping away faster and faster, the empty space growing closer and closer to his feet as he ran.
No, please! I mentally prayed, but it was no use. As I watched helplessly, the floor dropped away from beneath his feet and he fell. "SHANE!!!" I screamed, staggering to the side and leaning against a wall when my legs turned to rubber on me. Shaking my head, I stared at where he'd stood, only to see a black booted foot swinging by the side railing before disappearing on the other side.
"Wh...Shane?" Carefully making my way to the railing, I looked over to see the very man I thought had fallen to his death, clinging to a pipe that ran along the railing, to the wall. "Shane! Hold on!" I cried, panicking. Looking around at the wall, I noticed a blinking alert light that was just above the pipe, and nother thick pipe above it that could act as steps for him to get up.
"Shane!!" When he looked at me, I waved to the light, pointing out the pipe and ledge of the light that he could climb. "Over here!"
Watching helplessly, I bit my lip hard as I watched him shimmy his way over to the light before managing to swing a hand onto it. Pulling himself up, I reached down, waiting for his arm to come into reach. He grabbed the pipe and looked up, seeing my hand. Without wasting another moment, he pulled himself up sharply and grabbed my hand.
Than a gloved hand shot down and wrapped around the back of his wrist.
Looking at Tori, I nodded and together we pulled him up, safely on the solid, unmoving ground of the second building, just outside the door. "That was way too dangerous, wasn't it...?" I questioned with a nervous smile as I watched him pant for air. He was still staring out over the space the bridge had been, with wide eyes, but after a moment he closed them tightly and nodded before getting up and turning his back on it.
"Yeah." he replied quietly, heading into the room.
We quietly and quickly descended to the bottom floor and found two vehicles waiting for us. A grey military vehicle and a yellow jeep. And, we found our friends waiting there for us.
Tori took a few moments to explain to the others what had happened with the bridge, and Hunter nodded thoughtfully.
"I thought the arm was movin' kinda slow. They must've had a security system breach."
No duh! I thought darkly.
"Let's just get going." Shane sighed in irritation.
"I wanna ride in the yellow one!" Marah cried excitedly before running to the jeep and hopping in the back.
"I'll take that one, too." Tori said, eyeing Hunter warily.
Seeing the wisdom, though I really wanted to stay with Shane, I nodded. "Ok, me too."
Tori got into the driver seat and I hopped into the passenger. Starting out, I waved and stuck my tongue out at the guys as we passed them, relishing the look of longing on Hunter's face.
"Hey, hey, hey! Ladies?" Hunter cried as we drove off.
"Let's go, Hunter." Dustin said tiredly as he headed to the other vehicle.
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Ahhh, I'm sooo tired! LOL. Need sleep. Sleep good.
Hope you like it.
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"They're targeting both Balamb and Trabia Gardens!"
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R+R please.
Thank you.
Tenshi