“Then, my fears were already there, just amplified and controlling me?”
“That is what I just said. Fortunately, with the mutations settled back down and some medicine, I was able to bring your numbers back to normal.”
Bark thought for a moment, and everything started to make more sense. “I do feel more clear-headed.” Then he snarled and pounded his forehead with his fist. “What was I thinking trying to get myself killed? How could I have let it get so out of control?”
Josiah laughed. “I already explained this to Snow and The General. You were not yourself. They understood, though The General has not relented on your punishment.”
“Good. Coming from you, they should understand. I’m glad you finally figured this all out.”
“I’d love to take the credit, but I can’t. Dr. Ogle was the one who did all this work. He spent many hours before he was put in stasis studying all the data on you. He felt obligated to helping you after what you did for him and for Knoxville. He also was upset that you hated him for what his armor did to you.”
Bark looked down, “I was so angry at my situation, I said a lot of bad things to everyone. I hope he didn’t take it too personally.”
“Don’t worry. Dr. Ogle understands better than anyone the anger that can fester inside someone against others. He spent many years struggling with hatred for the man who put him in a wheel chair. He wanted to do for you what that drunk never did for him, help. But, when he wakes, it would be wise to thank him and show him that you appreciate what he did.”
Bark smiled at Josiah. “I will. I guess the best thing for me to do now is to propose and get that over with.” His face changed as he had a sudden revelation. “Hey! How did you know I was going to propose to Snow?”
Josiah tried to look innocent. “I just…uh…heard a rumor. Well, it looks like I have to go check on Dr. Ogle’s stasis chamber.” Without explaining that Toshi and The General had spilled the beans to just about everyone, save Snow, Josiah was off to get out of the line of fire.
Bark grunted and frowned. He hoped that Snow did not know. Reaching over, he moved a cloth napkin from the tray that was used to serve him his food to reveal the ring box. He opened it, looked at the beautiful antique ring inside, and smiled. He was finally ready.
***
“Am I late? Did I miss it?” Ladybug ran up to the others.
The General, Spark, Toshi, Josiah, Solstice, Red Fury, Thrasher, Rocket, and Ladybug were all staring through a set of windows that looked down into the arboretum. From their viewpoint, they could see down the open garden area and the large rock on which Bark and Snow often sat.
The General smiled and shook his head. “Nope. I bet he asks soon, though.”
Solstice leaned over to Spark. “Still taking bets?”
“Sure.”
She handed him a five dollar bill. “I say left knee.”
Spark took the money and tucked it in with a wad of cash from everyone else. “I sure hope he doesn’t kneel at all. I'm going to be a rich man.”
“Quiet, they might hear us.” Toshi jabbed Spark in the ribs.
He rolled his eyes. No one could hear them through this kind of Plexiglas. But, he did quiet down. Everyone leaned in a little further and watched carefully at the show below.
While strolling through the arboretum with Snow, Bark felt the side of his briefs, where there was a small pocket holding a very special ring. “So, what has happened in class since I've been away?”
“Nothing much. I brought you most of the homework. Coach Thrasher will need to put you through a fitness course test, and Red Fury is waiting for you to complete the exam I brought to you.”
Bark, nervous as hell, kicked at the ground. “Oh, well, being out of class for four weeks can really mess up my work.”
Snow walked along the creek and looked at Bark’s reflection in the water. “Can I ask you something?”
“Anything.”
“Why did you want to die?” She had been wanting to ask this for weeks, but could not bring herself to do it while he lay in the hospital bed.
“It was hormones and –”
“No,” Snow interrupted, shaking her head. “The hormones only amplified your preexisting feelings. They didn’t give you anything new. Josiah was very clear. There was real thought and real emotion buried under all those hormones.”
Bark walked over and looked at her in the reflection as well. He had given this a lot of thought and had pushed through the foggy memories to realize what he was going through. “I was afraid.”
“And that is a reason to commit suicide?”
Bark shook his head. “It was more than that. I thought I was mutating into one of the dog things we met in Korea. I saw how lifeless they were, just drones doing their master’s work. I was afraid that I would become one of them, and maybe even become a danger to this station and everyone in it. I was afraid that you would have to be the one to put me out of my misery.”
Snow held her arms against herself at the thought of that horrible notion. “I couldn’t do that.”
“I thought if I was going to die, I would do it in my own way. I would die in battle as a hero, not just a mindless dog.”
Snow turned around and slapped Bark so hard that it made him stumble. She pointed at him with a sharp finger and stated loudly, “I never want you to think that you are in this alone! We are here to help! If you EVER put me through that kind of heartache again, I am going to freeze your balls off.”
Bark stepped back and held his face. “OW! That hurt.”
Snow sneered at him. “I don’t care. You're only lucky that both of your doctors said that this emotional state you were in was partly due to the hormones and…other things. If you had done this with a clear mind, I might not have held back.’’
Bark nervously smiled. “I promise, the next time I feel like chasing a tennis ball, I will come to you before I get all angry and run away.”
Snow walked over to him and put a finger on his chest. “You'd better.”
Bark and Snow moved over to the large boulder. He helped her up and then jumped up to sit next to her. “There is something that I want to know.”
Snow frowned at him. “What?”
“Do you really want a man who is part dog? From what Dr. Stone told me, I can never be changed back. My mutations are so solid that, even with the serum that kept Spark from being mutated, I could not change. I am forever half dog.”
Snow ran her hand down his furry arm, and then reached up and rubbed him beside one of his tall ears. “I fell in love with you just the way you are. I know this man from his heart to his mind. I don’t care if you aren’t entirely human. Nothing about what you are scares me, sickens me, or embarrasses me.” She smiled at the way he was enjoying the rubbing of his ear. “If you wanted to chase a ball, I would throw it for you. If you wanted to gnaw on steak bones, I would bring one to you every day. If you can accept that I have the ability to freeze a man solid, then I can accept that my love is a dog and a man. As long as your feelings for me never change.”
Bark took her hand off of his head. “They never will. But, there is one change that I must ask of you.”
Snow curiously smiled. “And what would that be?”
Bark smirked. “I'm tired of calling you my girlfriend. That sounds so childish.”
“Well, that’s what I am.”
He took her hand and slowly pulled out the ring. “No, I want something more of you.” He opened his hand to show her the ring.
She gasped and a great smile flooded her face. “Oh, Bark, is this what I think it is?”
He nodded. “I want a wife. Snow, will you marry me?”
Snow looked into his puppy dog eyes and nodded. “Of course I will.”
Bark took her hand and placed the ring on her finger. Her eyes were dazzled by its beauty and by his love. She grabbed him around the neck with her arms and gave him the best kiss she knew how to give
. His tail was wagging so hard that it was causing his butt to move around on the rock.
Everyone in the observatory cheered and clapped. Spark grudgingly handed The General the wad of cash and then started laughing. Solstice and Ladybug were already talking about how they would help plan the wedding, and Josiah pondered about the consequences of Snow and Bark having a baby.
Toshi put her hand on the window while she watched them kiss in the garden. She smiled. He had finally done it, and she could not be more proud of him.
***
For the first time ever, the UCH station was filled with celebration over something other than a military victory. Practically everyone was crammed into the arboretum for the ceremony. The arboretum was decorated almost more than the last royal wedding. Perhaps they had gone a little overboard, but this was not a normal occasion and it was alright to go a little over the top. The students all helped in decorating and setting up the chairs and tables. The instructors helped both Bark and Snow prepare themselves. The city of Knoxville sent enough food to feed a legion, and the UCH command staff prepared all the paperwork to make this legal. The day had finally come.
Bark stood at the front near The General, who was wearing his finest dress uniform. Bark was decked out in a fine suit, with a little hole for his tail. Spark stood next to him as his best man, and Josiah stood next to him as the only other groomsman. Solstice stood up for Snow, with Ladybug beside her. Appropriately, Toshi sat where Bark’s mother would sit during this ceremony. She was in a kimono fit for a queen, and held handkerchief to dab at tears.
While Pachelbel's Canon in D played, the little Latino girl spread rose petals down the aisle. Behind her came the little boy with a pillow bearing both rings. The music changed and everyone stood to see the most beautiful sight this station has witnessed. Snow was in an elegant dress with a 20-foot-long train flowing behind her. In her hands was a bouquet of delicate white roses. As the wedding march played, she came down the aisle and stood next to her bridegroom.
“You all may be seated.” The General stated, then looked at the couple. “It is the pleasure and responsibility of the commanding officer to oversee the ceremony that bonds two people in holy matrimony. Today, I get this opportunity as I stand before Bark and Snow, two people who have come through fire and ice together and will this day forge a much stronger bond than any villain can ever tear apart.” With that little prepared speech out of the way, The General proceeded to conduct the ceremony with the traditions that are proper for any military wedding.
On this day, the entirety of the UCH bore witness to the union of Bark and Snow, now husband and wife, the first married couple of the UCH program.
***
“Why did we have to rush off so quickly? I wanted to see more of my friends before we headed off on our honeymoon,” Bark protested while he piloted the shuttle that Spark had decorated with cans and “Newly Wed’’ in white shoe polish.
Snow patted him on the arm. “If The General had not allowed the media to come, I might have been more interested in sticking around. But I was getting flash burn in my eyes. Besides, I'm ready to spend some time with my husband.” She almost blushed saying that.
Bark grinned. “I guess that’s okay. Hey, what’s that?” He noticed a box on the floor near Snow’s feet.
She picked it up and looked at it. It was a neatly wrapped wedding gift with a large tag on it. She pulled it up. “Oh, it’s from Spark. It says, ‘For a good honeymoon. You lucky dog.’ What do you suppose he put in here?”
“Open it.” Bark had an idea that this would be a very Spark gift, something that should not be opened with the other wedding guests around.
Snow untied the ribbon and pulled off the lid. She picked up a book. After reading the title she rolled her eyes. “Dog breeding tips and tricks. There is a leash, a spray bottle, and….a tube of lipstick?” She found another little tag tied around the tube of lipstick. She read it aloud, ‘The leash is for him to wear on your wedding night, the lipstick is for her. And the spray bottle is so that she can get some rest in between. Enjoy.’ That dirty-minded brat.”
Bark was biting his lower lip while his eyes were giving her the most seductive look she had ever seen. His collar replied, “Woof.”
Epilogue: Jikan no Ishi
Bark woke with a satisfied smile. He was lying in a large, plush bed with Snow beside him. She had not woken yet. The earliest morning sunbeams were spread across the floor of the cabin they had been given for the honeymoon.
Getting out of bed, Bark stretched up his arms as he walked toward the French doors. There was a balcony that had a lovely view of the Smoky Mountains. At this time of the morning, the mountains had gentle tendrils of mist rising up over the lush green trees.
Stepping outside, Bark wasn’t worried about having nothing on except his collar, they were far away from anyone else in this private retreat. Besides, no matter how quietly he dressed, it always woke up Snow, and he wanted to let her sleep. They so rarely had the opportunity to sleep in.
Letting out another yawn, he stood at the banister and gazed over the glorious mountain view. The cool air felt especially good against his normal high body temperature.
“An amazing view, isn’t it?” The voice of Toshi startled him.
Bark turned with a shot and quickly covered himself with his hands. “Sensei? What are you doing here?”
“I have to speak with you. Now, sit.”
“Uh…I should go put something on.”
“Inu-chan, I am over twelve hundred years old, there is little I haven’t seen. Just sit. I don’t want to wake Snow, this is for your ears alone.” She was pointing at the seat near him.
Taking a pillow from another chair, he sat and covered himself. “What did you want?”
“It is time I revealed to you how you I saved you.”
“I have wondered about that, but with the wedding and all, I haven’t thought much about it.”
Toshi slowly pulled out her amulet. “Twelve hundred years ago, I sought greater power. I had learned the techniques of all the schools in my land. I was the most honored and decorated warrior of my time. No one could defeat me. One night I was visited by a celestial being, a dragon named Watatsumi. My people knew of him and believed he controlled the tides through two stones, one that controls ebb and one that controls flow. But, the two stones of Watatsumi don’t control the oceans, they keep a balance on time. Watatsumi asked me what I sought, what more I wanted in life now that I was so strong. I told him that I sought wisdom and desired to use my skills for a better future. He was pleased with my answer and gave me one of his stones. This is the stone of flow, Jikan no Ishi, with it I am immune to the effects of time and am protected by powerful blessings of a celestial dragon. This is how I have lived for so long.”
Bark was beyond stunned, “Wow. You told me about that pendant before, but I didn’t realize how special it is. What does it have to do with me?”
“Watatsumi does not control time, he merely watches it. He foresaw a day when time would inverse and unravel. Something strange was happening and if it was not repaired, all time would be destroyed.”
“Inverse? What does that mean?”
Toshi shook her head, “It is hard to fully understand. But, a time would arrive when an event would occur that would risk all life on earth. Heroes would rise to meet this threat, but would ultimately fail. However, with the help of another hero, they could succeed. But, this new hero would come from the future into the past. By joining forces, the future hero and the present heroes could defeat this threat and save time.”
Bark’s gulped, “Who is this future hero?”
Toshi looked him in his shocked eyes, “You. The day I first met you, I saw the hero that would save the world before his time. I saw in you potential that is still yet fully realized. But, it would take time for you to be ready.”
“How did you know it was time to tell me this now?”
Toshi held
the amulet in her hands, “When I saw you falling in the sky, time suddenly stood still. Watatsumi spoke to me, and told me that the time had arrived for the amulet. I was able to get down to earth and rescue you only through the help of the amulet. You were almost dead, but the stone turned back time for you enough that your life was spared. At that moment, it chose you to be the hero of the past.” She stood up and approached him. Placing the amulet in his hand, she bowed her head, “It is yours now.”
Bark gulped, “What if I’m not ready? What if I can’t help?”
“You are ready, otherwise the amulet would not have chosen you. And, you have no choice. If you do not accept your fate, time will unravel, the past will change to one of defeat, and all that we know will come to an end.”
“But, if this is in the past, and today is fine, then I will succeed. I don’t have to worry, right?”
Toshi slowly shook her head, “Time is not as linear as you think. You will still have to make choices and do your best. Failure is still possible, though it is not an option.”
There was a long silence while Bark slowly gazed at this object. “When will I have to go back?”
“When Jikan no Ishi decides. I can’t say. For now, go back to your new wife and be happy. It is not just because of your skills or your courage that Watatsumi chose you, it is because of the strength of your heart.” With that she turned and ran toward the banister. Leaping up, she jumped from the edge and stealthily disappeared into the trees.
Bark stood, looking out over the trees again. In his hand he held this ancient amulet with a tense sensation in his chest.
“Where’s my handsome mutt?” Snow called out from the room.
Bark turned and looked back at his wife as she lay in the bed, smiling at him. He smiled back and walked into the room.
Descent Into Madness Page 14
