by KJ Harlow
“I started digging eventually, hoping I was going the right way. I was getting colder and colder, not sure how much longer I would last. Just as I was almost out of energy, I could see the clouds from the snow that I pushed aside.”
Starry opened her eyes. For a moment she looked confused. Yoshi watched her. She was back there.
“I remember not having any energy left. I was so close to escaping, yet so far. The hole I had dug out was already filling up with more fresh snow. I had stopped shivering. I knew I didn’t have much time left.
“Then I remembered the Mind Mine EM in my pocket. I took it out and before I knew it, I could feel it sinking into me. Just like that, I had learned a new move. With the last of my HP, I pointed at the sky, visualizing that ball of energy flying up. I don’t even remember setting it off.”
Starry paused. Everyone was riveted by her story. “The next thing I remember, I was being revived by Caleb. He had come back from the ship, his girlfriends all revived. He was kind enough to let me join his party and help me search for you.”
Yoshi crossed his arms. To think Starry – hell, all of us – wouldn’t be here if Caleb hadn’t seen her distress signal. He abruptly started walking back towards the stairs leading into the cabins.
“Where are you going?” Flick asked.
“I’m going to find Annabelle and get her to page Caleb for me.” Yoshi stopped and turned around. “When Ai wakes up, could you bring her back down to our room?”
Yoshi pushed open the heavy, wooden doors to the luxury suite. The room was too warm; he took off his down jacket, now ripped in several places and threw it onto the bed. He carefully placed the basket with the egg there too, wrapping the jacket around it again. He glanced over to the far wall, where the door to the bathroom was open. Condensation clung to the air, inviting him to see who was in there.
Yoshi silently padded across the lush carpet and peeked in. It was Soph like he had never seen her before. She was submerged up to her chin in the sauna. Her light-brown hair clung to her shoulders. Stray feathers floated on the surface.
A loud knock came at the front door and Soph’s eyes flew open. She met Yoshi’s gaze through the door before he pulled the door shut.
“You fucking perv!” she squawked.
“I was just making sure you hadn’t drowned!” Yoshi said through the door. He could hear her rising out of the water hurriedly. “Don’t come out, I’m expecting company.”
Yoshi began to sweat, the temperature in the room elevated from his bird-kin’s simmering fury on the other side of the door.
Yoshi swept across the room and opened the door. The tanned trainer smiled broadly at Yoshi, flashing his too-white teeth at him. Starry was next to him, with Ai on the other side, a shy look on her face. Crystal, Arlif and Flick were behind them.
“You didn’t tell me you were a big shot,” Caleb said, poking his head into the room. “Rocking these nice digs and summoning people on the loudspeaker.”
“I’m not a big shot,” Yoshi said, letting him come in.
He closed the door behind him. The girls seemed relaxed and happy being in the room. Flick, Crystal and Arlif were already gravitating towards the spa room.
“You rescued my girlfriend, who rescued me. Thank you very much.” Yoshi held his hand out. Caleb grinned even wider, rubbing the back of his neck bashfully.
“Aw shucks, what’s the big deal?” He accepted Yoshi’s handshake. His hand was weathered but firm. “And you are a big shot. From what Starry tells me, you fought off that freak of nature.”
Yoshi glanced back at the egg. “I didn’t fight him off. Angel did.”
Caleb’s eyes widened. “Angel? Angelika? The Legendary? So she does exist.”
Did. “Yeah. She used the tower on the island to trap him. Hopefully that’s the last we see of him.”
Caleb became somber. “Yeah, there was something weeeird about him.”
“Anyway, I just wanted to ask you something.” He beckoned to Ai, who was trying to plait Crystal’s shoulder-length blond hair. She came over and stood next to her dad. Here goes nothing. “Do you like Ai?”
“Dad?” Ai said, looking at Yoshi. Her eyes showed confusion.
“I mean… yeah,” he stammered. “Ai – your daughter – is hot. I mean beautiful. Not to say that’s the only reason I like her, but–”
“I will give you my blessing for her to become your girlfriend. If–” Yoshi raised a solitary finger “–and only if you promise to protect and cherish her.”
“Daddy,” Ai said, grabbing Yoshi’s hand with both of hers. “You don’t have to do this. I like fighting by your side.”
Yoshi turned to the gym bunny. He smoothed her ears back and they sprung back up. He gave her a hug and pecked her on the cheek. “I can tell that you like Caleb. I want nothing more than for you to be happy. Life’s short. It shouldn’t be spent wondering ‘what if’. It should be spent with people who care about you.”
“Sir,” Caleb said, saluting Yoshi. “I promise to protect and cherish Ai.” Ai giggled, both hands smothering her laughter.
“That’s all I want to hear,” Yoshi said. “Come on, I’m pretty sure I saw GGN machines on board near the Battle Deck. Let’s formalize this. You two go ahead first.”
He watched Caleb and Ai leave his room hand in hand. Crystal, Arlif and Flick had already gone into the sauna. Judging by Soph’s trilling echoing around the bathroom, she wasn’t too happy about it. Starry was standing by the window, watching shapes and shadows swimming through the water.
“Starry?” Yoshi asked. “You’re not going to join them?”
She didn’t immediately respond. “It must have been so hard for Angel to be all alone on that island.” She turned her gaze to her trainer. “She died for us, Yoshi.”
“I know. I don’t intend to let her death be for nothing.” Yoshi walked over to his bag and pulled out the syringe encased in metal. “After we get back, we’re going to find Professor Thorn and get him to analyze Xark’s blood. I’ve got a feeling that whoever modified him into that… thing has far worse plans in mind.”
“And the egg?” Starry said, walking over to the bed.
“We’re going to incubate it and hatch it,” Yoshi said. He laid a hand on its surface. It quivered ever-so-slightly, responding to his touch. “I’m pretty sure that’s what she would want me to do.”
Angel, I hope you can hear this. I’ll stop whoever was behind Xark from causing more pain. You can count on me. I promise.
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