Chapter 12: Fruit Salad Rematch

Photo credit: Appaloosa (Flickr.com creative commons)

Back with another chapter; what adventures will Hunter and Sun get up to in this one? Only one way to find out! As always, this chapter is rated 16+ for violence and language. Enjoy! 

Grenda sat in her hospital bed, looking out the window. She couldn’t see Sun’s cloud flying away - such a privilege was reserved for Players. Despite that, she had a feeling. She looked at Iris, who was sitting in a chair in the room with a book. She rolled onto her side, wincing in pain as the movement aggravated her injury. This sucked. At least she always had company. She finally worked up the courage to speak. 

“Where’s Hunter going?” 

“Probably after Little Red,” Iris said without looking up. 

“Aren’t you going to stop him?” 

“What could I do?” she sighed softly. “Right now… I just need to have a little faith.”

“A little faith…” Grenda repeated softly, looking back out the window. She settled into her bed, sending out a prayer for her big brother. 

—

Marian strode through the hospital with Flaherty and Flannigan at her heels. She opened the door to the cafeteria, where the chief sat with a laptop. She fished the memory key from her pocket and presented it with pride. O'Hara grinned as he accepted the memory key, eyeing it. He stood up and packed up his laptop, nodding approvingly at her. Marian looked back at the detectives, who beamed proudly at their comrade. O'Hara dismissed the trio, and they made their way to Grenda's room. O'Hara took his laptop and went to his car, driving off into the sunset. 

—

Hunter flew through the city, looking for any sign of Cal. When the sky was at its reddest, he had Sun land near the train station. He sighed as he sat on the cloud, lost in thought. Then, he heard a sudden commotion from the platform. 

“What's he doing up there?” 

“Is he gonna jump?” 

“Someone call the police!” 

Hunter looked up to see what the fuss was about. There he was, standing with his arms crossed on the train roof. Cal sneered at Hunter, the wind whipping at his jacket. Hunter glared back. 

“Look who came crawling back,” he taunted. 

Hunter was fresh out of patience for Cal’s tomfoolery. He stood up, flying over to the train roof with Sun. He landed, his footing a little shaky, but his eyes never wavering. 

“I'm here for her,” he said. “Hand her over.” 

“Here for whom?” Cal teased with an ugly sneer. His broken nose had started to heal, but had turned purple with the hideous bruise. He summoned Little Red, the girl landing in a crouch. Her eyes lit up when she saw Hunter, but she said nothing. 

“Red…” Hunter gasped softly. 

“Aww, so sweet,” Cal said, crossing his arms. “I can't wait to make her kill you.” 

“You wouldn't dare,” Hunter growled. Cal chuckled, consumed by a sadistic glee. 

“I’m gonna make her wrap her tiny hands around your throat and squeeze the life out of you.” 

“What a big mouth you have,” Red finally said, glaring back at Cal. He sputtered, so shocked that he almost didn't notice the train begin to move under him. He growled. 

“You belligerent little shit,” he said. He pointed at Hunter. “Get him!” 

[Fight song: Red Like Roses Part 2 - Jeff Williams and Casey Lee Williams] 

The moving train gave Hunter a new challenge, between trying to maintain his balance while concentrating on the fight. He planted his feet squarely, bending his knees to resist the movement of the train. The train thrummed beneath him, a mighty iron horse striding on its steel rails. The wheels clacked beneath them, the steady rhythm a heartbeat for the battle to ensue. Little Red moved first, leaping at Sun. She aimed a kick, the monkey king parried with his staff. Then, Sun leapt back and split into two identical monkeys. Red glanced between the pair of monkeys, unsure which one to attack. Cal seemed equally bewildered, looking between the two copies of Sun. 

Hunter smirked and selected his attack. He pressed on his card, and Sun lunged at Little Red. He swung with his staff, a blow that Red easily blocked with her forearm. She smirked, but Sun stuck out his tongue at her. He kicked her, flipping back with a cackle of glee. Cal growled.

“That monkey of yours does nothing but ruin my day! When all this is over, I'm throwing his cards in the river!” 

Hunter stared at Cal. He could see his opponent’s lips moving, but the rushing wind stole the words before they reached his ears. He decided to ignore his taunt and focused on the important things: getting his Hero back. He touched another card, and Sun leapt into the air. When he landed, he’d taken on the form of a massive red ox, snorting and pawing at the roof of the train. He charged at Little Red, the blow sending the tiny girl flying. Cal growled as Red leapt back onto the train to resume the fight. Red charged, delivering a punch to the skull of the ox. Sun took the hit, turning back into his monkey form as he landed. Cal smirked. Red moved, leaping behind Sun. Sun turned to face her, splitting into two copies of himself once again. The three Wukong clones shuffled in place, confusing Red even further with their simian shell game. Red looked absolutely baffled, and threw a punch at the closest Wukong. Sun responded by transforming again, this time taking on the form of a giant tortoise. The tiny girl’s fist bounced off the massive shell, much to Sun’s delight. 

Hunter struggled to keep his footing as Sun easily balanced on the train. He turned back into his ape form and grinned at Little Red. Red smirked, glancing back at Hunter. Cal grit his teeth. 

“Quit screwing around and finish him!” 

Little Red threw a halfhearted punch, though Sun easily blocked it. Cal threw up his hands. Why wasn’t his Hero obeying him? Hunter looked at his cards, then to Little Red. 

“Do it,” she mouthed. Hunter nodded solemnly. Sun divided into another clone, with Red now surrounded by four copies of Sun, each brandishing a staff. Hunter pressed his card, and the copies each swung as one. Little Red closed her eyes as the hits landed, surrendering as she dissolved into golden dust. Red’s cards appeared on Hunter’s belt, hanging in their place once again. He smiled, glad to feel the comforting presence of Red once more. She was back where she belonged. 

Cal growled, his bruised face contorted in agony. He stomped his foot on the roof of the train like a petulant child. 

“No! No, no!” He wailed. He summoned Arthur, the king of swords taking form on the spot beside him. 

“It's over, Cal!” Hunter called. “Turn yourself in and the chief will go easy on you!” 

“Turn myself in?” Cal laughed. “You're a fool, Hunter! I still have six heroes, and you only have two!” 

“Two is all I need to put a stop to you!” Hunter called out, but his words were drowned out by the whistle of the train. Cal turned and saw the bridge that the train was slowly trundling toward. 

Then he got an idea. His lips curled in a sadistic smile. Cal had gotten a truly awful idea. Hunter shuddered as he saw the look on Cal’s bruised and mangled face. 

“You wouldn't…” Hunter pleaded. Cal grinned maliciously. 

“Arthur. Take care of that bridge for me,” he ordered. Arthur looked at the bridge, hesitating. Cal glared at his Hero. 

“Now!” He snapped. Arthur knelt, then leapt off the train. He flew toward the bridge, his blade glowing with the holy power of Excalibur. 

“Sun, stop him!” Hunter ordered. Sun leapt after Arthur, extending his staff to try and intercept Arthur. Arthur grabbed the staff and swung Sun into the air, using the momentum to carry himself to the supports of the bridge. With a grunt of exertion, he swung the sword of kings at the bridge supports. The metal screamed as the blade cleaved through, though it was drowned out by Cal’s insidious laughter. 

“This is what happens when you try to play hero!” He taunted. He recalled Arthur and summoned Houdini. The escape artist placed a hand on his shoulder. “Now you have to choose!” 

“You didn't have to do this!” Hunter shouted, trying to step closer to Cal. “You don't have to do any of this!” 

“So long, Hunter!” Cal crossed his arms, and Houdini pulled him through a wrinkle in space. Hunter was left alone with Sun on the roof of the train, a train charging headfirst into doom. 

Hunter wracked his brain for a solution. He ran to Sun, leaping onto his cloud and racing ahead of the train. It was moving too quickly, there was no way it could stop in time. He considered having Sun try to stop the train, but that could create further hazards for the people on board. He pulled out his phone, trying to text Marian for help. His hands fumbled across the smooth glass, then the phone flew out of his hands. It bounced off the metal roof and flew away, leaving Hunter out of contact. He groaned. Then, he felt a familiar weight in his pocket. He pulled out the burner phone and looked in the contacts. There was just one, but it would have to do. He sent a quick text, then shut the phone and turned to Sun. 

—

Alan lounged in his hospital bed, when he heard a soft buzzing. He reached into his belongings, pulling out a burner phone. He flipped it open and saw the text. 

“SOS TRN BRG OUT SND WDS” 

Alan nodded and sat up in his bed. He ran for the door, nearly crashing into Marian on his way out. 

“Hey!” She protested, but Alan thrust the phone in her face.

“Hunter's in trouble!” 

—

Hunter hovered on Sun's cloud as the train trundled toward the bridge. He knew that the struts wouldn't support the bridge. He needed a way to reinforce the bridge - if he had three or four heroes, he might be able to pull it off, but… 

He looked at Sun as the bulb illuminated in his mind. Sun looked at him curiously. He nodded, urging the monkey king onward. The pair flew to the bridge, where half of the struts hung limp where the sword had cut clean through the metal. 

“We have to support this thing!” Hunter said. 

“Leave it to me!” Sun hopped off the cloud, drawing his staff. He began to scale the side of the creek bed, dividing into two as he made his way to the top. The pair of Wukongs wedged their staves into the spot where the bridge met the bank and extended them outwards. All the while, the train rumbled closer. Hunter flew the cloud down to the creek, looking for anything he could do to help. The train rumbled closer, blaring its whistle as it approached. Hunter wasn't even touching the tracks or the supports, but he could feel the vibrations pounding at his bones, hammering at his skull. He looked up and saw Sun in position. He gave a thumbs up, hoping it would be enough. 

The train trundled along its tracks, the people aboard oblivious to the imminent peril. The engine began to cross first, causing the struts to groan in protest. Hunter shuddered at the sound, watching to ensure everything stayed as intact as possible. He dreaded what would happen if the bridge collapsed. The train continued to trundle over the damaged bridge, blowing its horn once more. Hunter didn't dare breathe, holding the air in his lungs for as long as he could. 

Then, one of the bolts snapped. The staff slipped slightly, and Sun scrambled to secure it. Hunter could see the bridge buckling, with only two monkeys and their indestructible poles holding back disaster. Another bolt snapped, and a strut sheared from its spot. Hunter grabbed the damaged strut with his bare hands, doing everything he could to keep it in place. The metal cut at his palms, but still he did his best to hold fast. Unfortunately, he wasn't suited to the task. The heavy metal felt like it would tear his arms from their sockets, every second taking hours to pass. Sweat poured off his brow as he tried to hold the strut in place, anything to keep it from sliding further. Then, he felt tiny hands pressing up on his. He looked down, through the sweat in his eyes, and saw Little Red. She smiled at him, and he withdrew his hands. She pushed against the strut, shoving it back into place with all her might. Sun dropped another clone, this one bracing the damage strut with his body. He kept it in place as the train trundled overhead. Finally, the vibrations died down as the train rolled off the bridge and down the tracks. Hunter let himself breathe, collapsing into Little Red’s arms. It was finally over. 

—

Chief O'Hara shouted orders into his phone. Three ambulances were at the ready, with EMTs prepared to drive off to the rescue. Police milled about, ready to follow his orders.

“Shut down all trains on the east line! The bridge is down, nobody's crossing it until it's repaired! Get me the mayor's office, I want this taken all the way up! And someone, get me in contact with the last train heading that way!” He ordered, police scattering around him like startled mice under his imposing presence. Hunter flew in on Sun's cloud, landing on the train platform. The monkey king disappeared into his deck, and the young man stumbled forward. The chief caught him in his massive arms, keeping him steady. He went to shout at Hunter, but saw the blood dripping from his palms and thought better of it. 

“Are you okay?” He asked in a softer tone. “What happened?” 

“Cal got away,” Hunter admitted. He let out a shaky breath as he leaned against the burly chief for support. Little Red appeared, holding onto Hunter to help support him. 

“What happened to the train?” O'Hara pressed, not taking his eyes off Hunter's dripping hands.

“We saved it. Got it across the bridge, they've got no idea what happened.” 

“That's the most reckless thing I've ever seen anyone do! Do you have any idea how much danger you put yourself in?” O'Hara scolded, but his harsh tone didn't last long. His face softened. “If half my cops were half as brave as you, we'd have the best law enforcement unit in the city.” 

“Thanks,” Hunter smiled. He tried to lift his arms, but the exhausted muscles refused to obey him. “Can we go to the hospital now? I've had enough flying for today.” 

“Come on, hero,” O'Hara teased as he guided Hunter to his cruiser. It was more of an SUV, and the man still had to squeeze to fit inside it properly. Hunter sat in the passenger seat, with Little Red in the back. She looked out the window, watching the city go by. 

—

Iris paced. She paced so much that she'd started to wear a hole in the tread of her shoes. Medusa watches, hiding her snake hair under her newsboy cap. 

“I’m sure he's fine,” she said, trying to reassure her friend. 

“You saw the text he sent Alan. And he's not picking up his phone!” She pulled out her phone, staring at the screen as though sheer willpower could force Hunter to answer. O'Hara’s car pulled up outside the hospital, snapping Iris out of it. When the door opened, and Hunter nearly fell out, she rushed him. She threw her arms around him, holding him close. 

“Ow,” Hunter said weakly. Despite that, he relaxed into her embrace. 

“What happened? Why didn't you call me?” Iris demanded, holding him possessively. Hunter looked away sheepishly. 

“My phone fell off a train,” he admitted. Iris raised an eyebrow, pulling back to look at him. She gongerly put her hands on his shoulders.

“You're going to have to tell me everything,” she said as she walked with him into the hospital. Medusa and Little Red followed, with Red smiling up at Medusa. The gorgon smiled back, holding the door for the girl. 

—

Some bandages and a tetanus shot later, Hunter sat in a chair beside Red. He looked at his wrapped hands, hoping the blood wouldn't seep through. The awkward silence between them was palpable, until Hunter finally cleared his throat.

“There's still a muffin in the fridge with your name on it,” he said softly. Red looked up at him.

“I was saving that one,” she said. “For you.” 

“It's okay,” he said with a smile. “I think I'm done with strawberries for a while.” 

“Oh, okay. Thank you.” Red said, looking back down at the floor. She swung her feet idly, then looked back at Hunter. 

“Is that a new sweater?” She asked. Hunter looked down at the garment.

“Yeah, Alan gave it to me,” he replied with a smile.

“It looks good on you.” 

“You're biased,” Hunter chuckled. 

“No, really,” Red insisted. “Red is heroic.” 

“Well, I'll always be your hero,” he reassured her. She smiled and leaned into his side, savoring the moment of peace. A moment that shattered abruptly as Marian rounded the corner, breathless. 

“Grenda's not in her room!” 

With that, we wrap up another chapter. A bit of an emotional one, but I love to see Hunter being a hero! If you like what I'm putting out, you can support me at the link below:

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All donations go toward all my projects, including more of this. Thanks for all your loyalty, and we'll see you in the next one!