and
Kyle finished his small breakfast and put his plate in the box with all the other dirty plates. Kyle wiped his hands off on his pants then proceeded to walk throughout the tribe. Kyle recieved plenty of waves and greetings, in which Kyle responded in kind. Kyle smiled and cheered everyone on, made joke, and on occasion help out a person or two lifting things. Kyle eneded up circling back to the front of the tribe, meeting up with Jailer. Kyle was at first appalled that the tribe would have such a position but soon realized how necessary the position was. Kyles father had once taken him to the jail cells they had, which was located underneath the main office building. The only way in and out was through a trap door under a rug in the center of the building, Kyles father had shown him because he wanted Kyle to see what would happen to those he posed a serious threat to the tribe, and to any other tribe that person would meet. They only had half a dozen prisoners, but they were some of the nastiest people you would ever meet. Guilty of commiting murder, treason against the tribe, and more. The prison they used was actually a really old storage unit that was conviently placed inside the building. In it there used to be papers, documents, and more. The tribe had reorganized and changed it a long time ago to suit their purposes. Now it had ten miedum sized cages.
The jailer needed to talk to Kyle. Apparently the other night, one of the prisoners had managed to get out of his bonds and was able to kill the second jailer through the bars of his cage woth his bare hands. The jailer was very upset about this, and pretty much stated how he blamed Kyle for not being able to procure better equipment for their purposes. He was able to bring back medicine and clothes from their last scavenge into the pharmacy, but they have not been able to scavenge anything useful recently. They needed more rope, string, metal, and other things. Kyle felt saddened by the second jailors death, and told the jailor that there would be a funeral service later. Kyle dismissed the Jailor, explaining how he would make sure they had more supplies in the future. The jailor, still unsatisfied, stormed back to guarding his cells.
Ranna was calculating how much food they needed to get through the winter. If they were careful and they didn't lose anu crops they could do it. She found another area on the other side of one of the building that was thankfully clear and ready for the soil to be planted. This would give them a little leaway.
Almost the entire tribe was out there working on the crops. She was proud of them. This was tough work and it needed to be done in a hurry and they needed every free hand they could get. She even saw the librarian with a book on crops. It made her smile.
Kyle decided to go look at the new crop fields Ranna had helped with. Kyle walked over to them and smiled. They were not going to become bountiful for a while, truthfully he was not very agricultural that was now Ranna's and Mark's departement. Kyle examined his tribesmen work, and tried to help where he could slightly. He could not help too much or for too long, he was quite busy, but he did what he could. He spotted Ranna, and made eye contact with her. Kyle smiled and winked at her, then went back to helping the farmers until a guard came over to him and whispered in his ear.
"All clear Chief"
Kyle sighed, and brushed himself off as he stood up. Kyle two finger saluted the guard and began walking fast back to the front of the complex. Kyle went up to a guard, who handed him a small backpack. Kyle thanked the guard, looked around and saw no tribesmen around besides the guards, and left the complex in a hurry.
Ranna had blushed when Kyle winked at her and she got up to ask him something and saw himleave the complex in a hurry. She decided to follow him. He just looked like he was trying to hide something and Ranna was hoping whatever it was that it was not something bad. She kept far enough back that he wouldn't see her.
Ranna watched him as she followed going a couple of miles north on a path that was less than perfect or even. She saw him stop and something jumped out at him and she saw him using his powers. Ranna felt the hair on her neck stand up as she heard something large and ferocious behind her. She felt her body automatically shield her and it bounced off of her and down the hill. It got up and shook it's head and started back up the hill.
Ranna ran towards Kyle and she said "Hey!" and she ducked as his power came at her. "It's me!" Luckily her reflexes were superb.
Kyle was told by a guard that they had reports that a few miles north, there was a horde of beasts that would cross paths with the tribe in a few hours time if they kept moving at their current slow pace. Kyle sighed again, thinking that life as leader was troublesome. Kyle was given a pack of rations, and some medical equipment in case he got hurt. Kyle travelled north, trying to stay off the radar of anything hairy, fangy, or radiationy. About thirty minutes into his journey, Kyle was able to come into view of the horde. Unfortunatley that also emant he was in sight of them as well. As the horde of beasts came closer to Kyle he could see they were a horde of three dozen or so, and that they were all Hell Squealers, big and ugly, definetley fangy and hairy.
One of the Squealers in front of the horde, let out their signature squeal (suprise suprise, thought kyle), and charged at Kyle. Kyle raised his right hand with his palm out, and grabbed his right arm with his left hand. Kyles power surged in his right palm then he let out a single beam of light, deep frying the Squealer that charged at him.
Kyle heard a voice behind him and instinctively swung around throwing a blast of light at the voice. Kyle was suprised to see Ranna, and his face grew into an expression of outrage, before changing just as quickly to a forced smile.
"Ranna! Hi! Come here often?," Kyle joked as he fried the Squealer behind her that charged back up the hill after her."So..quick question...what are you doing here?"
"Apparently the same thing you are, trying to kill off the horde of radioactive creatures headed towards the Obsidians." She glanced at him as she sent out some energy orbs at some of the swine.
"Don't give me that same face you give the others. I can see you are mad at me for being here." She looked at him."DUCK!" When he did she blew up a squealer that kind of exploded all over them. She opened her eyes and started pulling guts off of herself. "Yuck!"
Kyle barely even flinched when the beast guts flew all over him. Kyle swung his leg around and kicked a squealer that was behind him, and sent it flying. The rest of the Hell Squealers started to catch the hint, and started to charge the two of them all at once. Kyle grabbed Ranna by the waist and shot a continous beam of light at the ground and shot both of them slightly up, just enough so that the beasts ran past them, and when they landed they both landed on a squealer charging.
Kyle laughed and held on to Ranna. He shot a flash light like beam of light in their Squealers eyes, blinding it. The beast squealed loudly, and started bumping into its fellow beasts. Kyle began shooting beams of light from every finger, shooting out small but precise beams. It took a second, but each beam was able to pierce the beast he shot out.
Ranna smiled when Kyle grabbed her around the waist. She was watching to see when she could use her forcefields and the problem she was seeing was that if she used them this close to Kyle he couldn't use his powers because her forcefields wouldn't allow them through. Ranna kissed his cheek and removed herself from his hold and landed on her feet and raised up shields and started blasting the squealers.
She had forgotten the one that was thrown and it climbed back up and was looking for an opportunity to pounce on her. She was using her blasts and when at the last possible second she heard it as it jumped at her and her body ejected a forcefield in self defense that pushed her one way and the squealer the other. She turned and blew it up and then went back to fighting the other ones alongside Kyle.
When they all attacked at once she got closer to Kyle and put up a large shield that protected them both. "When I blast you blast. The shields will be up the rest of the time ok?" She yelled to him over the loud squealing.
Kyle felt his cheek where Ranna kissed him, and smiled. Kyle grunted an agreement, and when Ranna started to blast he blasted as well. This went on for quite a bit of time, with all the beasts ramming against Ranna's shield. At one point, one of the beast was able to slip through when Ranna let down her shield, and charged Kyle. Kyle was hit by the beasts and was carried away by the charging beast using its snout to charge, until it slammed Kyle into the wall behind them. Kyle tried to finish off the beast but the beast kept slamming into him, getting hit by Kyles light but not killed.
Ranna saw Kyle get carried off and she put up a shield with her left hand and turned to Kyle and blasted the swine with her right. She grimaced as Kyle was covered in pig blood. She ran towards Kyle and put shields up around them when she got to him. "Are you okay?" She turned and counted how many were left. "We are down to about 13 or 14 left." They were circling them and Ranna took his hand in hers.
"Combine your power with mine when I blast. It should fuse and make them stronger. Like a lightning energy ball explosion." She looked at him and they tried it and it worked. "YES!" Ranna yelled.
Kyle grinned weakly and grasped his stomach. He was covered in blood, and about twenty five percent of it was his. Kyle tried to take a step and almost fell, as off balanced as he was. Kyle sat down and opened his pack. Kyle scrummaged around in his bag and pulled out a small bottle of grey liquid. Kyle took a big gulp, and coughed something terrible. Kyle looked at Ranna.
"This stuff is nasty, but Elenor made this stuff that is suppose to heal us super people faster. well not from mortal wounds....but drink enough of this and it can stop an internal bleeding or two. If a regular person was to drink it they would get sick."
Kyle laughed, coughed in pain, then took another swig.
"But seriously, why are you here? Why didnt the guards stop you?
Ranna didn't know what to say. She kept up the assault on the squealers til they were gone. Then she looked around to make sure that she hadn't missed any. Seeing that they were all dead she turned to Kyle on her knees. She pulled up his shirt and saw the wound. It wasn't fatal but it would hurt even though it was slowly healing.
Ranna sat next to him. I saw you sneaking off and I guess the guards know I have powers and figured you would yell at me and since they couldn't stop me without possibly taking damage they decided to let me go with you." She looked down. "36 of these things is too many on your own. I've been training with my powers since I first got them as a small child. Most people don't get to." Ranna looked him in the eyes. "Are you truly angry with me for coming with you?"
Kyle looked Ranna back in the eyes......then sighed, Kyle's eyes lost hardness and he took another quick swig. Kyle coughed and gripped his stomach hard.
"No...I guess not. I do not like......I am not used to having people with on these runs. I have been doing them for about two years since I became leader. 36.....believe it or not I have handled more than this before. I try to take care of major problems to the tribe without involving them. It causes less gossip."
Kyle stood up slowly and weakly.
"Plus I get stronger every time."
Ranna put his arm around her shoulder and she slid her arm around his waist and helped take some of the stress off of his body. They walked back together slowly. Ranna wondered what the tribe would do when they found out he was putting himself in danger to protect them all the time.
"Did your father do this as leader? Did he go out alone and slay beasts in secret? Because I want to know, is that how he died? Because I think that if your people don't know what you do for them then they don't see you as the leader that you really are. And when you need backup you should have it. I think that if you don't want to tell them please at least tell me and let me go with you. I care about you a lot. I haven't known you very long but I have feelings where you are concerned."
"My father died......he died from someone else making a stupid mistake. He should not have died, but he did because someone was not watching the groups back when he should have."
Kyle grew slightly sad at the mention of his father. It was a sore subject where he was concerned.
"I dont tell the tribe because I am so young. Im not an experienced leader, and everyone knows this. They only tolerate me because i can be funny and witty at times. Doing this.......it helps me grow."
"No, it gives you practice but it also makes you take risks that you should not be taking. If they knew what you do out here for them then they would respect you more and when people respect you they listen and they would do anything to help you.
What if you had gotten injured and I had not been here today? Were the guards going to help you? No, the squealers would have eaten your body and no one would have had any idea what you went through for them. They would have said that you ran off because you couldn't handle it or something equally berating. Let them know the real you....not just the side you want them to see. Stand up to them. I would.
Ranna stopped and leaned Kyle up against a tree as they passed underneath it. Looking into his eyes she repeated....stand up for yourself. If you don't, I will tell them who you really are and how much you do for them that they don't know."
Kyle stopped walking,and forced Ranna too as well. Kyle looked Ranna in the eyes, and spoke softly.
"You will not do that."
Kyle placed himself in front of Ranna, wrapped his arms around her waist, and rested his forehead against her forehead.
"I am a stupid kid that got put into a position he shouldnt have been put into. Yea one day I will grow into it, and maybe one day ill be a great leader. But right now.......I need to do things like this. And yes to answer your question my father did things like this. It is part of the job of the leader of a peaceful tribe to do things like this. But I promise I will always come back. As long as you're here for me to come back to."
Ranna got lost in his eyes and his voice and said, "I will be here ......but if you want me not to tell anyone then you have to take me with you. I won't allow you to leave me this way and it's not fair of you to ask me to."
"And we have another problem. We are covered head to toe in pig blood. How are we getting into town looking like this with no questions?" Ranna thought for a minute. My building faces the north side. We might be able to sneak in there after dark. It's either that or we need to find a lake to clean up in out here.
Kyle thought for a moment, then his face lit up.
"I think there is a building near here with some form of working water. We scouted the building out a long time ago, but for some reason it attracts animals like crazy. It should be clear at the moment, if memory serves me right. So we may be able to shower off. The building has these giant letter, Y-M-C-A, on the front of the building. It is only a few blocks away. Maybe twenty minutes or so. Wanna go there?"
Ranna nodded. "It's worth checking out. If this blood doesn't come out of my hair it will be orange until it does. But Kyle, I meant what I said, I come with you on these from now on ok? You can't ask me to stay behind."
Ranna let him lead her there. "What does YMCA stand for?"
Kyle basically ignored what Ranna said at first, but he did kiss her on the nose. Then Kyle laughed.
"I am not sure. but I heard from the librarian that this place was a place of great attraction in the old days. They had a whole song dedicated to it. We can ask Mark about it when we get back."
Ranna nodded and walked in behind him. "Is there electricity in here or just water?"
"Actual electricity. The building has its own seperate generator, and this partiuclar generator was turned off a long time ago so it still has some juice. We can turn it on, and get the water flowing."
Kyle looked around, then nodded to their right
"I believe the showers are that way."
Ranna looked around and nodded. "What else is in this place? What was it used for? "Ranna mis stepped and fell into an indoor swimming pool. She reached for the side and pulled herself out in a hurry. "That water is so terribly cold!" She made sure to follow him closer this time.
Kyle laughed and held Ranna's hand. He led her through a giant room, with a floor of the color orange, and nets hanging off of giant boards that hung from a pool connected to the top of the room. Kyle walked Ranna through a giant lobby, and into the shower room. There were 12 showers, and each shower had a small wall and curtain to block off any inapropriate view. Kyle let go of Ranna, and walked out of thye shower room. He walked back through the lobby and out the door, then walked to the back. He found the old dusty generator, and after a few minutes Kyle got the generator up and running.
Ranna heard the generator kick on and she turned on the water and when it got hot she jumped in fully clothed and started rinsing the blood out of her hair and clothes. After adjusting the water she found that it was going to be impossible to get the blood out of her clothes. White clothes and red anything just don't work out well.
"Kyle! It's not coming out!"
Kyle walked over to Ranna, and stood behind her. Kyle had no idea what to do to get blood out.
"Have you tried.....putting some...more elbow grease into it?"
Kyle sighed.
"Here I have some fresh clothes in my pack. You can use them if you want."
Ranna was frustrated with her clothes now being this reddish brown color and she nodded. "What are you going to wear?" As she stood there dripping in front of him.
Kyle laughed and threw his shirt off. You could see the injury he recieved on his upper stomach lower chest. But his pants were not as messed up as his shirt was.
"I will just do this. It isnt the first time ive come back to the tribe half or entirely naked."
"What? Why were you naked and running around? "Ranna went behind one of the curtains and changed her clothes. "Okay I guess I'm ready. At least I got it out of my hair." She leaned over and put her hand on the injury feeling it it shut well. "I don't like you running around naked in front of other people. I want to be ....nevermind." She said blushing and she reached up and kissed him.
Kyle smiled and kissed Ranna back. Kyle laughed and held her hands as he kissed her.
"I swear the only reason i was ever not fully clothed, is because, and i solemly swear, I was up to no good."
Kyle chuckled at his own joke.
"And what? You want to be........."
Blushing she said. "Nevermind...I just don't like the idea of others looking at you naked."
Kyle laughed out loud and kissed Ranna again. He picked up his bag and held Ranna's hand. He knew when they got back Ranna would have to appear first, with Kyle coming back a few minutes later as to not arouse suspicion.
"I promise no one else will ever see me naked again."
Kyle laughed again and led Ranna out of the building.
"No one....ever?" She teased him. "That could be a really long time."
@wick
