//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 - Camping Memories // Story: The Equestrian Odyssey - A Tale of Two Worlds // by Kamahido //------------------------------// Heading down the corridor Arc eventually comes to Hammer’s quarters. Knocking lightly he hears the sounds of footsteps approaching the door. It opens to a half-asleep Hammer whom does not appear too happy to have been awakened at such an hour. “What is so important…?!” Spotting Arc she gasps. “Oh! I, uh… um…” “Hi Hammer. Sorry to wake you up.” “It’s okay! I mean… is there something this gal can do for you?” Grinning, she winks at him hugely. “Anything at all.” “Actually… ah… I need to talk to you about something… um… really important.” Hammer steps aside and gestures for him to enter the room. “Come on in and talk then.” “Uh… might we take a walk instead?” “Yeah, I guess so. Just let me get my boots on.” Nodding, Arc watches as Hammer turns around and walks back into her room. Sitting down on the side of the bed she quickly slips on her footwear. Grabbing her officer’s overcoat she hurries out to join Arc. “Ready?” Arc nods. “Yeah.” They begin walking. Hammer buttons her overcoat hurriedly. “It’s getting colder every night.” “I… noticed you didn’t have a fire going in there.” Hammer shrugs. “Call me weird, but I like it cold. When I sleep anyways.” Arc looks away and grimaces. “Sleeping in the cold?” “Kinda reminds me of camping. You know… out in the middle of nowhere… bundled up in a sleeping bag.” “In a tent though, right?” “Yeah. Like the one I lent to Mio.” “Oh?” “She’s not much for that sort of thing, mind you. But I just can’t get enough.” “Ever get… rained out?” “A couple times. Woke up with my sleeping bag in a cold mud puddle.” “Can’t imagine you slept like that for very long though.” “Longer than you’d think.” “How come no one woke you up?” Hammer groans. “Stingray and Mio had left when the rain started. But I wanted to finish out the trip. Had a whole list of things to get done before…” Arc interrupts her. “Did that upset you?” “Darn right! Those two layabouts left me out there with no way to get back!” “How so?” “They took the Jeep we left in. I figured I wouldn’t need it since I knew they’d come back for me in a day or so. But it really pissed me off when I found out they took my pack with them!” “All your supplies?” “Yeah! Including all my dry clothes too! Had to get a fire going in a nearby cave while soaking wet!” “Ouch.” “Fortunately there were some pretty big branches in there that had been drying for months if not years. The really hard part was trying to use my gun to light the wood.” “Does a magic gun do that?” “At low power yes. Problem was that my hands were so numb I could hardly pull the trigger. I guess I could have used a Fire Spell with better success back there. However at the time I didn’t know any.” “But you did get it going, right?” “After a few moments of trying, yes. Then I could sit down and get warmed up a bit. But that didn’t last long either.” “Not enough fuel for the fire?” “You got it. I grabbed everything in the cave but I knew it wouldn’t burn for long. So I warmed my hands and feet up for a few minutes before putting on my soaking wet boots and running out into the rain to try to find firewood that wasn’t totally soaked.” “That must’ve been quite a task.” “Oh, it was. But I did get a bit lucky there.” “How so?” “A few steps from the cave was an old dead tree. I figured it would make a nice fire. If it wasn’t soaking wet from hours of rain.” “What did you do?” “Well, I pulled out my gun and set it to a wide shotgun-like spread. Then I increase the output to maximum.” “Trying to cut it down?” “Kinda, yeah. I put the barrel of my gun close to the base of the trunk. But it exploded from the sheer force of the discharge. The tree fell one way and I was literally blown off my feet from the magical backwash… or whatever Mio calls it.” “Were you hurt?” “Hurt, no. Soaked, yes. I landed in a big, deep puddle some distance away. It broke my fall but also nullified any drying the fire had done earlier. But I jumped up, grabbed an armful off the tree’s innards, and ran back to the cave. Well… I guess it was more like hobbling than running. Kinda twisted my ankle when I fell. That doesn’t count as getting hurt though as I could still move.” “And the wood lasted you until the rain stopped?” “Kinda. I dropped what I had carried into the fire and ran back to grab more before the insides soaked up too much rain. Did that a couple times before my ankle hurt so bad that I couldn’t go out again.” “Then you sat down and warmed up?” “Yup. Plopped my rump down on the ground next to the fire, stripped down to nothing, and lay my clothes on a rock I pushed closer to the fire so they’d dry.” “And the sleeping bag?” Hammer shakes her head. “My ankle hurt too bad to go get it. That and I figured it would take forever and a day to dry out, so I just left it in my flooded tent.” “Then what?” “I didn’t have any medical supplies on hand, as they had been in my backpack. Thought about tearing up my shirt to make some bandages so I could wrap it up tight. But didn’t have anything else to wear to I axed that idea. So all I could really do was to stay off it and prop my leg up on the clothes drying rock to elevate it.” “Sounds like you had a rough time of it.” Hammer laughs. “You don’t know the half of it. My troubles were only beginning.” Arc raises an eyebrow. “It got worse?!” “A lot, yes. The ground was hard and cold so I started looking around for something to make it a bit softer.” “Like what?” “At that point anything. Tried pine needles but that was a huge mistake. Gave me a nasty rash on my butt and… elsewhere.” “Ouch.” “Then I tried regular leaves. Problem with them was that being so wet they were cold AND not soft.” “Third times the charm?” “Sorta. I started digging with my hands and made a pile of dirt. It was cold naturally. But I put it next to the fire to warm up a bit. After that I pulled it away with a stick and sat down. Problem there was that I had left it in front of the fire TOO long and I… kinda burned things down there.” “How bad?” “Nothing major. First degree. And even that was just because I couldn’t get myself off of it fast enough because of my ankle. Let it sit for a minute to cool down after that. Then it was okay.” “Hopefully you had enough wood to last you until your sisters came back.” “Not really. But enough that I could rest and keep warm while my ankle was still hurting. Then I came up with the idea of pulling wood to myself from the mouth of the cave with Telekinesis Spells. Didn’t think of it before due to the fact I wasn’t very good at that sort of thing. Still aren’t to be completely honest.” “I think you do alright.” “Thanks. But I’m nowhere near as good as Mio is with spells.” Arc looks away nervously. “You don’t say?” “Come on, Arc! I hardly ever use spells in combat and pretty much never in day to day activities!” “So how long until your sisters came back?” “I’ll get to that. There’s more to tell first.” She chuckles before continuing. “So while I was sleeping I had my foot up on the rock my clothes were drying on in order to elevate it. At some point I must’ve kicked my pants off of it because I woke up to the smell of them burning.” “Your pants were on fire?!” Hammer nods sheepishly. “Totally engulfed. I jumped up and started stomping on them to try and put them out but somehow forgot about my ankle. As soon as I put all my weight on it I doubled over in pain and fell over.” “Not into the fire though, right?!” “Nah, I went the opposite way fortunately. Well… not so fortunate, as I gouged my other leg on a rock pretty badly.” “And without medical supplies.” “Yup. It was deep too.” “Ouch. How’d you treat it?” Hammer sighs. “I did the only thing I could. Grabbed my semi-dry shirt, tore it up, and made some makeshift bandages to stop the bleeding. It wasn’t quite enough so I had to us my undergarments too. Tore the pads out of my bra and tied the strips of cloth around them to apply pressure.” “You didn’t really have any other options at that point I would guess.” “Nope. To this day I can’t think of anything else I could have done. So later the next day Stingray and Mio got back. I was taking a nap at the time and didn’t hear them drive up. They found the campsite flooded and followed the smell of campfire to the cave though.” “That must’ve been embarrassing.” “You know it. When I opened my eyes and saw them standing over me the first thing Stingray did was grin and say something to the effect of ‘oh, I can’t wait to hear this one’.” “Well, you must’ve looked quite a sight at that point.” “I guess. But she and Mio didn’t let me live that one down for YEARS!” “They gave you a hard time about it?” Hammer grunts angrily. “Sure did! I mean, I had a twisted ankle, burned butt, infected… other parts, naked, covered in mud, and passed out when they walked up! But that didn’t stop them from making it hard for me!” “Hard? You mean there was MORE?!” “Darn right! It was always crude jokes about me being naked. Like how I’d probably been making out with bears and they got a little rough with me. Or that I had been taking survival training to a whole new level.” “But they could see you were hurt.” “They took me to the hospital, of course. However as soon as they were sure my life wasn’t in danger the two of them just laid it on, and I mean THICK!” “Well at least I don’t see any permanent impairment.” “I’m fully healed now, of course. But that recovery time felt extra long thanks to those banshees constantly berating me!” “Guessing that didn’t help your relationship.” “It’s what made me wonder why I stuck around as long as I did.” “You don’t actually… hate them, do you?” Hammer sighs. “Not really, no. I mean, I know they were just enjoying the fact that the one so skilled in survival ended up in such a pickle. But that wasn’t what really made me mad.” “Oh?” “Those two PLANNED the whole thing!” Arc turns to her, confused. “What the… HOW?!” “Well, not everything. When it started looking like the weather was going to get nasty they decided to head on out. I told them to come back for me in a day or so when our leave was up. But they took my backpack on purpose to see just how good I was at surviving out there with almost nothing.” “All in all you did do pretty good.” “I guess so. But they headed into town, went to a resort, sat by the indoor pool to watch the rain, and then went to sleep in their nice warm beds.” “While you froze in the woods.” “They couldn’t have known all that other stuff was going to happen though. It was just a bad prank gone wrong.” “So you’re not mad?” “I was for a long time after that. But I guess I’ve gotten over it. Either that or I just got used to their attitudes toward me.” “At one point I remember you saying that you three don’t always get along. Was that the start of it?” “Not exactly. But it was when things began heating up.” Hammer looks around and lowers her voice before continuing. “That’s part of the reason why I didn’t really want to hear what Mio had to say before. She’s always been the one to make me feel like an idiot.” “And now she’s the one camping out.” Hammer grins. “Yeah. And I hope she’s hating every second of that experience. Probably is, since her survival skills are pretty much zero. I bet she couldn’t even start a fire without her magic. That and her…” Arc cries out. “Please… stop!” “Arc? What the…?” He turns away and puts a hand on the marble wall while the other one rests on his forehead. Hammer appears confused as she puts a hand on his shoulder. “Are you… okay?” Arc shakes his head. “No… no, I’m not.” “Then talk to me about it.” Arc turns to look out a window as he speaks. “Hammer… how do you feel about Mio being out in the woods on the cusp on winter?” Hammer chuckles. “That she should’ve probably let you help her. But she was stubborn and insisted on things being done her way. As usual, I might add.” “So you’re saying that she deserves this?” “Kinda, yeah. I mean, a viable solution was suggested to her. But she didn’t want that. Oh no. Everything has to be done HER way… the efficient way.” “How is her laboring in the woods ‘efficient’?” Hammer shrugs. “In her mind it is. Figuring out the solution to a problem isn’t about being handed the answer as much as it’s about the journey to the solution.” “I don’t understand.” “Mio believes that’s what helps us advance as people. The struggle to move forward even when things are hard.” Arc puts a hand to his chin. “Be like the butterfly.” “Come again?” “I once told a story about a butterfly trying to escape it’s cocoon. The struggle to get out is what gives them the strength to fly. Without it their wings are just dead weight.” “Well, she’ll figure it out. Mio always does when given the time and resources to…” Arc groans. “She didn’t.” “Huh?” “Mio is… here.” Hammer gasps, her eyes wide. “She figured out that crazy machine of hers?!” Arc shakes his head. “No. I brought her here.” “That must’ve been quite the ordeal. I can’t imagine her giving up and coming with you easily.” “Yes, well… Mio didn’t exactly have a say in the matter.” “You forced her to come?” “She wasn’t conscious, so I couldn’t ask permission.” Hammer groans. “Well, be prepared to get an earful when she wakes up. Now then, where is she?” “The Infirmary.” “Why there?” “She was… um… very sick when I got to her.” “WHAT?! HOW?!” “You see…” Hammer interrupts him. “Never mind! I need to see her for myself!” “Follow me.” Leading Hammer to the Infirmary, the pair walk toward the back room. Pulling back the curtain Arc steps aside. Hammer sees Mio lying on the bed with machines all around her and stands there, mouth agape. After a few moments she slowly turns to Arc. “What… happened?” “Brightwing apparently knocked her out.” “All this from…?!” “I found her in a soaking wet sleeping back covered in pine needles.” “Why though?” “I think she was trying to keep her warm.” Hammer turns back to look at Mio. “All this… just to get at her machine that didn’t work?” “It… kinda did.” “Huh?” “Brightwing made a potion and put it in the device. It worked… but also made her pass out as well.” Hammer clenches a fist angrily. “When I get my hands on that little freak…!” “Forget about revenge, Hammer.” “But why?!” “It’s complicated.” Hammer looks Mio over. “I want to rip that little worm’s wings off right now!” “Hammer…” “But I also know that isn’t what Mio would want.” “Really?” Hammer nods. “Yeah. She’d be more interested in studying Brightwing over getting even.” “That’s… good.” “But I’d get to have my turn after all her tests were done.” She chuckles sadly at the woman lying in the bed. “It’s kinda ironic though.” “Not quite the word I’d have used.” “Think about it, Arc. Mio gave me so much crap after that event I told you about. But now a really similar thing happened to her.” “Does that make you happy or angry?” “Neither.” “Oh?” “Sad.” Arc raises an eyebrow. “Sad?” “That I didn’t want to help her before. That I didn’t care if she was cold and hungry in the woods. And the fact that she’s lying here partially because of my choices.” “None of this is your fault, Hammer.” “Kinda is.” “Brightwing did what she had to do. And Mio just really wanted to make it here under her own power.” “But I still don’t understand why Brightwing did this.” Hammer bows her head as she squeezes her eyes shut. “Mio probably would have helped her if she had just taken the time to explain the situation. Heck, she’d have been geeked out over a new substance of magical origin from any source.” “Are you sure?” “Completely. Mio loves the science behind magic, you know.” “I’m just glad you aren’t mad.” “About what?” “That she’s here.” Hammer frowns as she looks over her shoulder at Arc. “Well, I’m not exactly happy about it. But I do understand that you didn’t have a choice.” “It was either here or a human hospital. But then the military probably would have got her.” “Yeah. Our commanding officer is the emergency contact. Five minutes after they called her, Colonel Diva would have come knocking.” “That’d have been real trouble.” “I just wish Mio could hear me.” “Maybe she can.” “How? She’s out cold.” “It’s always possible that she can hear you. That and she would be really scared considering where she is.” “What could I do about that though?” “Talk to her. Your voice could be a comfort to her right now.” Hammer sighs. “Alright, I’ll give it a try.” Turning to the woman lying on the bed Hammer begins to speak. “Hey, Mio. I, uh… just found out what happened. Well, kinda.” She sighs and continues. “Look, I’m sorry this happened to you. I probably should have gone back with the Hero to see you in person. But I just had so much going on that I…” Sighing, Hammer bows her head. “No. No, that’s not right.” Arc raises an eyebrow. “Hammer?” “You needed me and I wasn’t there for you. Like Stingray, I was too focused on my job to have time to help you.” Arc steps back and closes the curtain behind him softly as he continues watching through the seam. Hammer continues. “I just… I messed up, Mio. I really did.” Hammer rests her hands on the mattress next to her sister as she continues. “Please know that you’re safe now and receiving the very best of care. I know it can’t make up for my…” Hammer stops as she feels something touching her. Looking down, she sees Mio’s hand next to hers. Taking it, Hammer smiles sadly. “I’m here for you, Mio. You’re not alone anymore.” A tear courses down the unconscious woman’s face as Arc steps back and puts a hand to his forehead. Feeling a hand on his shoulder he turns around to see Auriel standing behind him. Offering him a smile, she leans into him and moves in close to his ear. “None of us are perfect, Arc.” Nodding, Arc pulls her into a hug which Auriel returns.