Chapter 14

As Glass Joe crumples to the ground, Calhoun and Kohut hurry over to his body. The Sergeant stands over Kohut as he runs his hands across Joe's face, neck and chest, before shaking his head no at her.

The other soldiers groan and begin muttering to one another- clearly, this mission was not off to a good start as they had planned. First they had lost Felix, and now Joe…

However, Calhoun's return from Joe's body silences them. "All right ladies, listen up! There's been a change of plans."

Change of plans? I think. She's going to call off the mission?! But we can't give up now, not when we're so close! We have to stop the invasion for good! We have to…

My apprehensions are seemingly confirmed when she orders, "Bing-Bing! Front and center!" Tentatively, I step out of line and stand beside her and Kohut.

"Now then," Calhoun introduces me, "for those that don't already know, this is Jubileena Bing-Bing- the only civilian I know to be stupid enough to get caught in three back-to-back Cy-Bug attacks, and strong enough to survive all of them. Originally, we planned to have her serve as a navigator to guide us around Sugar Rush."

Don't give up now, Calhoun… I think desperately. Don't give up.

Calhoun gesticulates towards Glass Joe's dead body and says, "But in light of our losing Frenchie over here…"

I shut my eyes, bracing for her words.

"…She will be promoted to Lieutenant rank," finishes Calhoun, "and will instead lead us inside the game."

My eyes fling open in shock, to be greeted with the sight of the entirety of Hero's Duty, the other arcade characters, and of course Citrusella giving me a salute. In all my years of lost races, this is easily the proudest moment of my life.

I'm dizzy from the shock. I feel like I might fall over, but then I feel a hand on my shoulder, and spin around to find Calhoun giving me a smile.

"T-Thanks…" I say, dumbstruck- at the moment it was the best I could do.

"Don't make me regret this decision, rookie," Calhoun says, saluting.

"I won't, ma'am," I tell her, saluting back.

Calhoun returns her attention to the rest of the soldiers. "Now that that's settled, we're about to enter the most dangerous area in the arcade. Many of you will not be walking out of that game alive," she warns them. "If any of you ladies would like to opt out now, this is your last chance. Any volunteers?"

No one says a word.

"Good. That saves time," she says. "Well, boys, it's Make your Momma proud time… Are you ready to take back this arcade?"

"SIR YES SIR!" the soldiers answer in unison.

"Well, Lieutenant?" Calhoun tells me, smiling. "We're waiting for your order."

Not knowing what else to do or say, I nod to her, raise my fist skyward and yell, "CHARGE!", and with a valiant war cry, the soldiers, Calhoun, Kohut, Citrus and I do just that- right into the Bug-infested wasteland of almost certain death that was once my home.

…

A thick fog fills the tunnel that connects Sugar Rush to Game Central as we make a mad dash into the game. But when the fog lifts, the never-ending swarm of Cy-Bugs before us makes the attack on Game Central seem like a picnic.

"Turbo's pulling all the stops this time… He must know he's got company," mutters Calhoun. "Alright, Lieutenant, now where exactly is that castle of his?"

I squint through the cloud of Bugs that blots out the sky, until I eventually spot Candy Castle on the horizon. "This way!" I call out to her, pointing.

"Alright people, you heard her! Let's move!" orders Calhoun, and the soldiers leap into battle, opening fire at the incoming Bugs. But their forces are too strong and their numbers too great, and as our forces begin to dwindle, it's soon obvious that taking the brute strength route isn't gonna work this time.

"We're losing our troops, kid!" Calhoun snaps, running up to me from behind, as the Cy-Bugs fell several soldiers behind her. "You better know what it is you're doing!"

"I do, I do!" I yell back. "This isn't working… We have to split up!"

Calhoun nods. "Every man for himself!" she calls out to the soldiers. "We'll rendezvous at Diet Cola Mountain! Let's go!"

I obey without hesitation, breaking formation and charging for the mountain, leaving the others behind. Not knowing what else to do, I run, blindly charging my way through Bug after Bug.

This is it, I think. The mission's failed… this is how it's gonna end…

But just as I prepare to accept defeat, the onslaught of Cy-Bugs stops, and I breathe a sigh of relief as I reach the valley just before the path to Diet Cola Mountain. A rare safe haven, free from Bugs. A moment of calm before the storm.

…

After what feels like ages, I see a group of at least a dozen soldiers on the horizon, flanked by Calhoun and Kohut. At first, I'm overjoyed to see the two leading commanders survived, but my happiness turns to confusion when I see the bloody mess they're carrying between them. Then it gives way to raw, naked horror, as I realize who it is.

"Glad to see you made it, Lieutenant," Calhoun says gravely as she and Kohut hurry over to me. "Tragically, your sister wasn't so lucky."

A wave of shock sweeps over me. I want to say something, say anything, but my lungs can't find the air, and I double over, breathing heavily.

"What… happened… is she…?"

Kohut gently sets Citrusella's bloody body on the ground next to me. "We were trying to follow your path. Then we got ambushed… She took a wound to the chest from a Boss Bug," he says. "I'm sorry, Jubileena. She's still alive, but… there's nothing we can do to save her now."

The moment he deposits her on the ground I crawl over to her bloodstained body, tears flowing from my face and landing on the wound in her chest. "Citrus… Oh, Citrus…"

"If it's any condolence to you, civilian, she fought bravely," Calhoun tries to reassure me. "She shot down several swarms of Bugs that would have killed us back there if she hadn't. A great number of us owe our lives to her."

I'm not listening to her, because all I can think about is the sister I'm about to lose.

"Citrus, please… Wake up…"

I'm on the verge of hyperventilating when Citrus suddenly begins to stir, and I gasp in shock and relief when she opens her eyes.

"Jubi… you're alive…"

"Citrus," I gasp, clutching her body in my arms. As I gently embrace my dying sister, tears begin streaming from her face.

"Citrus… you promised me," I tell her, holding back my own tears. "I told you to stay safe... I can't lose you… not now…"

"Jubi…" she rasps, breathing heavily. "You said… you'd always be there… when I needed you… then you left me behind… Why, Jubi?"

Her words completely take me aback. It's true- I remember the promise we made in Hero's Duty. "Don't leave me again, Jubi… You said you wouldn't leave me behind again… You said you'd be there for me. Please… please be there for me when I need you…"

And I had promised her that I would protect her, right? I followed my orders; I did all I could to protect her. And look what all my protection has done for her now…

A long silence fills the valley as her words sink in. I have no one to blame for the deaths of my sister, Taffyta, or even Ralph… no one but myself.

"I'm so sorry, Citrus… I failed you…" I say softly, no longer trying to fight the tears in my eyes.

"It's okay, Jubi… she says. "Go without me…"

"NO!" I scream in agony. "I'm not leaving you here alone… not again…"

"You don't… have a choice…" she rasps. "You can't stop fighting now… You have to save the arcade. Go, Jubi… do it for Ralph, for Taffyta… for me…"

First Calhoun, then Bowser, then Taffyta, and now my sister… I've promised everyone I know that I would keep fighting to the end. But every time, I broke that promise… and it has cost me everything…

I can't promise my sister anything now. I've broken the one promise I made to her, to keep her safe… and now, here she is dying in my arms.

"I can't do it…" I sob. "I can't do it, Citrus… I'm not ready for this… I'm not ready to lose you…"

"Jubi…" she starts to say, before being seized by a sudden coughing fit. I gently lay her down on the ground, and her breathing eases.

Her eyes open once more, looking up at me. "I love you, Jubi…" she whispers.

"I love you too, Citrus…" I tell her. "Please don't go…"

Her eyes gently close.

"Please don't leave me…"

Her breathing begins to slow.

"Citrus… please, Citrus…"

At last, her hand falls limply to my side.

"Citrus, no… please… Citrus, no! NO, NO, NO!" I wail, clutching her lifeless body in desperation. "NOOOOOOOOO!"

The other Hero's Duty soldiers exchange looks of sorrow as I bury my face in her chest, sobbing. Game Over, Jubileena, I think, my head reeling with emotions. She's gone now. You have nothing left to lose but yourself…

But as I pull my head back up from Citrusella's body, I spot a pair of unmistakable hazel eyes at the edge of the valley, peering down at us with a look of shock and surprise, and my sorrow gives way to an uncontrollable rage.