Chapter Eight: Dancing on a Volcano
AN:Dancing on a Volcano: The Apokalypsis, the fall of a culture.
Nate paced Haruka' kitchen. Running his hand through his hair, he asked, "Do you think I should ask her mom? I mean am I moving too fast but I wanted to do something special to show her how I really feel because who knows where I'll be next year."
Haruka looked up from making her New York rolls. "It's up to you, Nate. And just what are you asking because you are bringing me in mid conversation. I assume the her is Charlie."
Nate stopped and dropped on the one of the kitchen chairs. "Before I tell you I want you to know I have thought about this a lot and it's not some snap decision."
Wondering just what was going on Haruka stopped what she was doing and gave Nate her full attention. "Okay I what do you want to ask Charlie." She was pretty sure she knew what Nate had planned but she wanted to here it from him before she gave her two cents.
Full of nervous energy Nate got to his feet again he paced the length of the kitchen once, twice and the stopped. "I want to ask Charlie to marry me, to be my wife. I want her to know she's special. I want to prove to her that I love her, that I'm not going to walk away from her. She's not a diamond ring kinda girl so I want to give her this." Nate pulled a long narrow velvet box from his pocket, opening it to show his mother.
Unable to stop herself, Haruka covered her mouth. "Are you sure the two of you are ready for this? Charlie is not someone who's emotions you can trifle with. If you ask her, then you have to be very confident in your ability to follow through, because if you break her heart she will never let anyone else in. Be wise, isshi. These are your inheritance from your Grandmother and once something like this is given, there is no taking it back."
Reaching out he squeezed his mother's shoulder. "I'm sure mom. She's the one and I need to let her know how I feel; she needs to know where I stand."
"I know you will make the right decision, but don't be discouraged if she doesn't say yes. Charlie has come a long way but she might not be ready for that kind of commitment. She might need a bit more time see things the way you do."
Nate nodded as he closed the box. "How did you get to be so smart?" Coming around the island it looked like he was going to hug his mother, but instead he snatched a roll.
With lightening speed, Haruka smacked his hand before it got close to his mouth.
"Life, isshi and those are mine. If you want some; make your own. And don't try to change her, that is not her place in the world."
Haruka watched him gathering his own ingredients and make his own food and wondered how things would play out with Charlie. She just hoped they didn't break each other's heart.
A few days later, Charlie was leaving her dorm when she noticed Ashgar speaking with one of his henchmen. From where she stood, it looked like the one she called Stupid and it made her wonder where Stupider had gotten too, after all the two of them were usually like bookends, one of them tended to be useless without the other.
Ashgar and Pothead moved off together and Charlie followed. Her talk with Cassie would have to wait.
She followed close as she dared, not wanting to draw attention to herself. She had been doing this since her run-in with Ashgar a month ago, but due to her own time constraints and the difficulty locating him when she did have the time, she hadn't got very far in her intelligence gathering.
From a few conversations she had overheard, she knew that they, that is, Ashgar and his bookends, were up to no good, but she hadn't caught them in the act yet. The other cadet had continued to make her life miserable, but to bury the guy like she wanted, a full humiliation with all the trappings, she needed more testimony and a forum to present her grievance.
The two of them reached the edge of the obstacle course and disappeared into the trees on the far side of the mud pit.
A fourth year cadet knelt on the ground, breathing hard. His arms were wrapped around his body, trying to keep warm. His coat lay on the ground beside him and Charlie could see that he was shivering and his lips had a slightly blue tint to them.
When the smack noticed Ashgar, he jumped to his feet and stood at attention. Charlie could see the younger man struggled to stay upright.
Ashgar moved right up into the cadet's face and flicked him in the middle of his forehead. "Are you cold, Paris?"
"Yesss ssssir." Paris' lips trembled as he fought to keep his arms at his side.
"Think about this the next time you disrespect me. You want to be a soldier in my flight, then you better learn follow orders. So when I tell you to wash my dorm room floor with your toothbrush, you will obey. I want absolute obedience from my people and I will get it."
He turned to look at Stupid and Stupider. "I don't think Cadet Paris has quite learned his lesson yet. I think he's in need of a stronger lesson."
"Grab the wedge's boots and toss them into the mud hole, bury then deep. I think he needs to learn to shine his boots, they're just not. After all I can't see my face in them."
"But-" Paris protested but immediately stopped talking. His eyes were full of fear as he looked up at Ashgar who moved with lightning quick reflexes and grabbed the smack by the chin.
"Did you just disrespect me again?" The cadet shook his head as much as he was able.
Ashgar smiled and slapped the cadet's cheeks. "Good boy, now give up your boots or things are going to get so much worse for you."
Charlie wanted to interfere but she knew it would only make things worse. So she lifted her weapon and fired. Shooting pictures and video before then moving to a better vantage point to get a few more. Then, choosing a large rock, she tossed it into the bushes.
Stupid and Stupider dropped the boots into the mud and ran, with Ashgar on their heels. Another one, she sighed as they left. Why is it I am always right in these things? 'I would know my shadow, and my light, so at last, I shall be whole.' Very well. Let the rest of the world be the light… and I will be one of its shadows. Charlie waited until she was sure the bullies had disappeared before making herself known to Paris and made sure he knew that if he needed help again, she would be there for him.
Sam had been home from Pegasus for a few days now and she enjoyed being able to spend some time with Jasmine before heading back into the fray. Their success with their plan had bought her some free time, but tomorrow she would be heading back into the mountain and into the unknown.
But for now she would enjoy these precious stolen moments. Lying on the rug with Jasmine, she sang 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star', doing the same actions she'd learnt as a child. This was one thing she always tried to do when she was home with Jasmine because some of the strongest memories of her own mother were times like this.
Jasmine lifted her hands and began to mimic Sam's actions and make sounds that could be words. For just a minute Sam wondered what it would be like to have these moments every day and spend all the time with Jasmine she wanted, she knew that for now she would stay in the Air Force, but this war wouldn't last forever. And maybe, she and Jack would be able to make plans, but for now she'd take the moments she could.
Small palms grabbed her face. "Ma!" Then Jasmine clapped her hands and shouted. "Ma, ma, ma!"
For a moment Sam just stared at her little girl, overwhelmed with love. This was what her life had been missing for so long and for the moment her life was complete.
Then she scooped the little girl up into her arms tossing her high. "Mommy love you too, Blossom."
As she caught the girl and hugged her close Sam knew that she was truly home.
Charlie left the building and moved to follow Asghar once more as she'd been doing since meeting Paris, but she didn't feel that it would be enough to get the TI removed from the Academy, she needed more. I'm turning into a paparazza, ugh.
Since that day, she had never seen him do anything other than drive his flight to be better. He could have been nicer about it (as she was with the wedges she tutored in hand-to-hand), but there was nothing she could go to the Shark about. Stuffing her hands into her coat pocket, she walked against the wind, wishing she still lived in Florida with her grandfather, it never was cold there.
In front of her, Ashgar disappeared toward the obstacle course and Charlie pulled out her hands and went on high alert. This was where she'd seen him walk that fine line before and she hoped that today would be the day the jerk would cross it. Inside her pocket was a video camera she hoped would record the evidence she needed. Behind her a stick snapped loudly and she spun around, expecting an attack. Without thinking – it had been years she really needed to – she took down her pursuer and pinned them to the ground.
"Nice move, you'll have to teach me that one some day." Nate grinned up from the leafy ground, a little winded from the take down.
Releasing him, she stood up straight, not happy. "I have somewhere to be. We can talk later, Nate." She moved off but he caught her arm. "Charlie, I need to talk to you. If there some night this weekend we can go out while we are both on leave?"
"Yes, No, I don't know; why Nate?" Charlie was distracted, wondering just what Ashgar was doing not so far away.
"Well I have something to talk to you about." Nate caught her cheek, making her look at him. "Something important."
For the first time today, Charlie really focussed on Nate. "I already told you I would go to the Homecoming dance. I'm not going to back out Nate. A promise is a promise."
Nate backed away, never breaking eye contact with Charlie, knowing it was now or never. "That's not what I wanted to talk about. I had big plans for this, but I guess they're all out the window. Give me a minute." He bent down and pulled a decorative box from his backpack. Gently Nate placed her free hand on the top of the box. "Look inside and I will explain."
Charlie looked down at the box and then back at Nate. She could see something in Nate's eyes which made her feel uncomfortable and loved at the same time. She wanted to run as far away from this moment as possible but she also wanted to stay and hear the words she was sure would be spilling from his lips. Drawing a breath she forced herself to stay and lift.
She had no words to describe what she saw. Two long metal hair prongs lay nestled in velvet. Delicate silver-ish disks spilled from the gold and silver peony flowers, likely platinum in both cases.
"What is it?" Her voice was hushed and she was in awe of the things' beauty.
"It is a kanzashi pair. It has been in my family for many years. My grandmother's geiko-o-nee-san (geisha sister-mentor) received it as a gift from her *danna* (friend-patron) many years ago. It was passed down to my grandmother when she 'turned her collar' and she gave it to me."
When Charlie heard this she promptly handed it back again to him. "Nate, I can't accept that- I mean it must be worth a fortune. And just what would I do with it."
"You wear it silly, specifically to the homecoming dance when I'm your escort." Nate lifted one of the kanzashi bira-bira prongs from the box and placed it in Charlie's hair.
When he took his hand away the chain brushed the top of her ear. Gently she reached up to touch it. "It's beautiful, and I think something like this comes with some strings. Antiques like this aren't given to just any girl, do you-" She could hear the suspicion and paranoia in her voice.
He lifted his finger to her lips. "I'm not done yet. Will you let me finish?"
Charlie nodded slowly, unable to believe this was happening as she watched him face her squarely and lower his head and upper torso in a formal bow with his hands outstretched, presenting his offer of himself. After two heartbeats he lifted his head, and only his head, to look her straight in the eye.
"My grandmother gave me these bira-bira kanzashi to give to my wife. I wish for that woman to be you. I knew you were the one the first day we met and one day we'd be standing here like this; I never thought it would be so soon. Charlie, so what do you say: will you marry me?"
Charlie's eyes widened and she tried to pull her hand from his, but Nate held on tightly. "Think about it please. I love you, Charlie and I want to live my life with you. It won't happen for a few years, but it's what I want and I hope you feel the same way."
"I love you too, Nate, but I-" Her mind whirl out of control. Was she ready for this? This wasn't a decision she could or would take lightly.
She touched the kanzashi one last time, before starting to remove it from her hair to place back in the box beside its twin. "Give me a few days, please."
Nate stopped her. "Please keep that one as you think about me. I can only hope that it will be united with its twin in happiness. I will wait until you are ready, no matter how long it takes. Even if you say no, I will not give up Charlie. Someone has to show you the light in your realm of night. I don't wish to get you out there… but I'd like to be your beacon on your way home." He touched her cheek one last time before he walked away.
"Every night, and every morn,
some to misery are born.
Every morn and every night,
some are born to sweet delight.
Some are born to sweet delight,
some are born to endless night.
We are led to believe a lie,
when we do not see through the eye,
which was born in a night to perish in a night,
when the soul slept in beams of light.
God appears, and God is light,
to those lost souls who dwell in night,
but does a human form display,
to those who dwell in realms of day."
William Blake, Auguries of Innocence.
There are two more chapters up on my site and if you would like to check them out Google my penname and you will find me. I love to hear from you whether you liked it or loved it. :0P
Also I have published two original pieces of work on Kindle you can find a link to them on my website as well.
if I get enough review I will be pushed to add the chapter early, like Friday, instead of later next week. I have one so far this week but I think I could handle a few more.