Harley's Story-Chapter 2
Suddenly Harley was struck from behind. Down she went. Vinnie then shook himself awake.
"Wh-what happened?" Charley?"
Vinnie looked to see Charley standing over Harley who just put a hand to her head.
"You okay?" Charley asked him.
" What's going on?"
"She just tried to hypnotize you."
Loud chuckling caused them both to glance at her.
"You fool. Do you really think you can keep me from what's mine?" She asked, glancing at Charley and extending her hand out.
The ground underneath her cracked forming a wide gap in the middle. Charley lost her balance and was about to fall in when Vinnie caught her.
"Got ya, Sweetheart." Vinnie told her.
"Talk about your close calls." She replied, glancing nervously at the wide hole..
"Harley, how did you do that?"Vinnie asked.
"Cool, huh? The Symbiote told me what I was capable of." Harley replied, happily gazing at her hands.
"The what?" He asked.
She extended her hand towards Vinnie. The latter flinched then looked to see a rosebush filled with red roses spring up in front of him. He looked surprised then pulled off a rose.
"Don't, Vin!" Charley cried out, thinking it was a trick.
He sniffed the rose. Nothing happened. Then Charley took the rose from him and sniffed it.
"It's a real rose!" Charley exclaimed.
"Of course. Did you think I'd hurt the mouse I love?" She asked.
"Harley, how...I mean?" Vinnie asked.
"The Symbiote and I are one. I owe it. It saved me from death." She replied.
Flashback...
Mace grabbed Harley and disappeared. He was carrying her to the top of Olympus Mounds. She was struggling to get away."
"Once I sell you to the Sand Raiders, you'll be their problem." He told her.
Harley's face paled and a cold chill gripped her heart. She had heard stories of what happened to people who were sold to the Sand Raiders. Horrible stories. Beatings if they tried to escape and worse... Rapes of young female slaves who wound up pregnant and forced to watch their babies be sold off or aborted.
She started screaming even louder.
"Shut up or I'll blow that cute little moppet face of yours off!" Mace shouted at her.
"I remembered him taking out his blaster and getting ready to point it at my head. I grabbed at it at the same time and it went off." Harley said.
The blast hit Mace in the head killing him instantly. Brain matter and blood splattered the green undergrowth nearby. Harley was also fatally wounded. They both hit the ground with a thud. Harley felt blood pouring out of her face. Her life was seeping out of her.
"No...I..don't want to die." She whispered,"Not yet."
Her eyes brimmed with tears.
"Vinnie...Vinnie, where are you?" She murmured.
Unbeknownst to her, a slimy, gelatinous creature was crawling up her leg and then made its way to her head. It then stretched itself out and folded itself over her body.
"Wh-what's..." Harley began. Then froze as she found herself encased in a cocoon.
"Do not be afraid. I will not harm you." Said a pleasant voice,"I am here to help you, Harley."
"Wh-what are you?" She whispered, "How did you know my name?"
"I am the Symbiote."
"Symbiote?"
"A being from a distant world. I am now going to heal you."
As Harley laid inside the strange gelatin-like cocoon, a strange glowing green light flowed over her whole body. The blood on her face began to go back inside her head as the wound on her face closed up. Harley then sat up and tore her way out. She was now standing on her own two feet. She put her hands to her face and then laughed. She was completely healed.
End Flashback...
" It told me it was exiled to Mars by its elders for developing emotions. It was alone and wanted a friend. It saw me and heard my cries for help. That's why it healed me and gave me these powers." Harley explained.
"I can save Mars. We can do it together, Vinnie." She said,"We can be free forever of Plutork."
"Mars is already free. The Resistance has driven the Stink Fishes away from Mars." Charley replied.
"Not all of them. There are some living near Sand Raiders. Do you really think they'd just move on to another planet and leave Mars alone? As long as there's land for them to dig up, they won't stop." Harley said, firmly.
"My bros and I are here now."Vinnie said, "So there's nothing to worry about.
"Very well. I'll deal with the Puffer Fishes my way." Harley said, extending her hand. A huge tree trunk swept under her as more branches ascended upward forming a massive moving tree. It went up through floor after floor.
"It's headed for the conference room! Carbine and Throttle are there!" Charley cried out.
"So's the Regenerator!" Vinnie replied, firmly.