Last Chapter!
Damn... but there 'could' be a sequel someday...
OtakusVengeance: Hehe, I always thought the elder in the movie was far too dramatic for his own good...
Hell, that is something to wonder, though! Lesse... girl is running towards light... she's gone? WTF!
Hehehehehehehehehe
Ranma Hibiki: Well, what else am I supposed to be thinking about? XD I think about some of the strangest stuff in the most unsuitable places, and that is by far one of the tamer ones.
Goldfish crackers would be best XD
You know, I never believed the gods would be so kind, either...
Trill as in a sound that is like a bird laughing... kinda hard to imagine XD
Lost respect for elders? (gasps in horror)
Rambling is gooooooooood
Bsdisaster: Thanks, but it's not quite over yet!
RaptorChick: Yes, I will join your club! (slams hand down on table) Owwww
Ah, what my parents would say... First off, I bet it would be: "What the HELL!"
Updated now XD
DarkXeno: Wow, I made you speechless! (glomps)
This is quite possibly the longest chapter I have made for this Fic.
Home… It had seemed so far away since I had come here, since I had had this adventure. I had begun to think that I would never go back, that I would be stuck here forever in the dimension of Aliens and Predators.
Not like that was a bad thing, really. I had found that I liked it here, barring the cold.
But I couldn't help wanting to go back. It had been my entire life, after all, and the comforts of that place were too strong to just give up, even in the face of such escapades as no one had ever before seen. It was warmer than here, it had people I knew, it had friends, however few of them, and it had my family. I couldn't go back on family, not ever. My kin needed to know what had happened.
If only there was some way to let them know without going back… But that would never happen, so why was I even thinking it? It was a miracle in itself that I even had a chance to return from this place, or that I had even lived through the events… asking for more was altogether too much.
All these thoughts ran through my head as I brought my trembling, cold-weakened fingers up to the orb, my golden eyes reflecting the mesmerizing and almost taunting light that it gave off that reminded me of the quiet and relaxing nature of a warm summer day. I hesitated just before touching it, savoring the moment as long as I could before the falling that I was sure would come. Finally, my fingers stretched out, brushing…
Nothing.
The orb winked out with no warning, causing an abrupt darkness to descend upon the area I was standing in. I was left frozen in the midst of my action, fingers still trembling exactly where the light had been seconds before. My mouth cracked open as I felt the scathing loss bite at me, causing any sense of humor that might have been building at the moment to flat-line instantly.
"What the fucking hell!" I demanded, arm snapping back to my side as I looked wildly around me, seeing Lex still standing where she had been, brows furrowed as she attempted to understand what had just happened. I bristled and stared again at the spot where the light had been, "No! Goddamn it, no! This fucking sucks!"
"What happened?" Lex asked softly, "Does this mean you can't go back to your own world?"
I sucked in a sharp breath, the cold burning down my throat as I growled darkly. I turned and walked, stiff-legged even though the pain hit me hard, in no particular direction, as lost as I could possibly be. Where would I go now? What would I do?
"Probably," I whispered finally, "Damn it all to hell."
"Jess, it'll be okay," Lex said reassuringly, "I mean, this dimension can't be that bad, can it?"
"I love it, and that's the problem," I whispered, looking over towards the ship and the Yautja that were going through the large entrance. I smiled slightly as I saw one look back, the two skulls on sticks that amused me so much swishing in the air. A sudden thought occurred to me, making me see things in a new light, "I love it so much here… I think that's why the orb disappeared. It wasn't a mistake to bring me here…"
"What are you saying?" Lex's voice was toned in a type of shocked curiosity. It was an interesting thing to hear.
"How could I go back to that when everything I've ever dreamed of is right here in front of me?" I replied, swinging my arm out to gesture at the ship, the land around, and the spears that we both held. I sighed heavily, looking down at my own spear and letting a small quirk of a grin pull at my lips, giving me that slightly sarcastic look I knew I used so much, "I was never meant for my world."
Lex sighed, and she stepped forward just as the door to the gigantic ship before us closed with a hissing sound. I felt her hand on my shoulder, and I held back a snarl as I turned angrily, stalking to the vehicle that sat, it's lights still on (How did the lights stay on for all that time? The damn thing must be almost out of power!) and a path before it clear as day, heading off into the distance and the ship I knew would take me to reality in this world. How I hoped that it wasn't as boring as that of mine... I bared my teeth in disgust with myself as I stumbled slightly and had to struggle to regain my balance, but I refused to accept any help as I made my way to the machine.
Finally, I staggered up against it, my gut roiling as I attempted to not throw up. Damn, what was making me so sick all of a sudden? I felt dizzy, and I brought one hand up to my head, massaging my temple as I became dimly aware of Lex asking me something. I looked at her blankly, seeing her worried face right in front of mine, but suddenly looked past her, eyes widening as I shoved the woman out of the way –well, shoved in a slight sense of the word; mostly I just lurched at her and she moved- and brought my spear up to swing at the extremely fast-moving little creature that had leapt at us, all four mandibles flared as it screeched.
The tip of my compacted spear hit it broadside, and it was knocked out of the way as I staggered for balance, head swimming as I tried to see where it had gone. Lex… where was she? I could hear screeching, and a person yelling my name, but I couldn't seem to find it.
God, you idiot, get it together, already! I screamed at myself, forcing my eyes to focus as I whipped around and saw that the hybrid chestburster had latched onto Lex's arm. She was trying to rip it off, but the little creature seemed to have her in a bit of a predicament, as she couldn't remove it without taking most of her skin with it. Blood was starting to well up as the Xeno bit deeper, plunging all of its small teeth into her skin as she screamed in pain and anger.
Shit shit shit shit shit!
"Stun it!" I cried, stumbling over to the woman and bringing my spear up to hit at the creature's skull with the shaft, repeatedly battering it on the head. It squeaked; a sound muffled by the flesh that it had in its clutches, and I hit it again, pulling it by the tail as I did so. It came free with a sudden screech, and I fell backwards, hitting the snow hard as the creature that I had a hold of curled up like lightning and tried to strike at me.
Suddenly, it was knocked away by Lex's new spear, and I dimly saw it land on the ground and slither out of the way, climbing into the open door of the vehicle with a quick movement and a vengeful hiss. The woman followed it, and soon had it cornered on the dashboard. She plunged the sharp end of the spear into its flesh, snarling in anger as the pitiful Xeno screeched for the last time, its green, acid blood spurting onto the metal and sizzling as it ate through it.
Now we don't have a way to get back, I thought brokenly as the lights still shining from the vehicle flickered and fizzled out, trying to gather what scattered remnants of coherency I had left as darkness engulfed the area. I groaned as I struggled to a standing position, legs wobbling as I leaned against the cold metal. What in all hell was making me so tired? I needed to be aware, now more than ever. In my mind I began to laugh, Purple gummy candeh rules all… beware the gummies…
Where in fucking hell did that come from?
"It's dead," I dimly heard Lex say, "Jess? Jess, are you alright? Answer me, please!"
I snorted in abruptly unfunny laughter as my dizziness increased tenfold in an instant, a sight like black fuzz beginning to leak in through the edges of my vision until I could see nothing but the snow and darkness right in front of me. I blinked, and nothing changed. It was almost like being blind.
"Oh, shit," I muttered, trying to step forward but falling as my leg collapsed. It was funny how clear my mind was absorbing facts in this moment, noting everything that was happening without any errors, even though I never felt myself hit the ice below me. That was when the blackness closed in completely, and suddenly I found that there was nothing in my world, nothing at all to be aware of.
Not even me.
What's happening? Where am I?
I pulled myself back to slight awareness slowly, conscious only that an amount of time had passed but not knowing how much, and immediately I tried opening my eyes. With surprise I found that they seemed to weigh thousands of pounds each, and I couldn't even get them to crack open. I could barely feel anything around me, but I noticed still that it was cold, and that my back and legs still hurt with that flaring pain that was thankfully dulled as I lay motionless wherever I was.
Suddenly, I felt myself being lifted into the air, and I tried to yell out, even though I knew that I couldn't get my muscles to obey me. All that I managed was to quicken my breathing slightly, and that didn't help. I was still moving through the air, supported by who knows what.
Is anybody there? I cried mentally, desperate to have someone familiar there to comfort me, something that I knew, Lex? Are you there? Mom? Is anyone there? Chopper, even? Someone please tell me what happened!
I'm afraid…
I felt something brush my arm, pulling up the long sleeves of my crimped shirt, and I felt a shiver run through me as my numb mind registered the bitter cold of the air. I was still outside… I think. There was a brief flare of intense pain as what I hoped was a needle entered my skin.
Gods, what's happening? What the hell is wrong with me? Why can't I move?
I couldn't hear anything, only feel. There was nothing but me in my own little world, and a dim sense of something happening on the outside world. After a few moments, I sensed myself beginning to fall back into the darkness that I had just managed to crawl out of, and I screamed desperately in my mind as slowly the sensation of feeling the outside world faded.
NO! No, tell me what's wrong! Let me wake up, I don't wanna go back!
I'm not dead, am I?
More fear pushed in on me, suffocating me and choking me as I was dragged forcefully into oblivion.
Please, no…
Third Person POV:
Lex stood back a ways as the Yautja injected Jessica with some sort of sedative, although the needle they used looked far too large to be just a sedative… perhaps the hunters did everything like that? The breathing of the girl had begun to quicken and she had started to twitch as she tried to rouse from her 'sleep', but now Lex saw that she had fallen back into unconsciousness as the effects of the drug coursed through her. It was still a mystery as to whether that was a good thing or not, considering that the hunters had laid her on some sort of stretcher and were carrying the girl towards the waiting ship now that she was calm.
"Where are you taking her?" Lex demanded harshly, walking forward with her mind clouded by anger as she faced the caped leader, who merely regarded her with puzzlement. She saw the hunters carrying the girl pause for only a moment before a low growl from the tall creature before her moved them on their way, but one stayed behind, clicking in what Lex perceived to be their language as he faced the caped one and herself. Lex suddenly noted with surprise that he was the one Jess had called 'Chopper', and the one that had injected the sedative and was now helping to carry the stretcher was none other than the one she had deemed 'Celtic'. Why were they here? "Answer me!"
Chopper came forward, nodding respectfully to Lex before making a wide, arcing gesture that seemed to show the ship flying into the sky. Lex got the meaning instantly.
"What? You're taking her with you?" she gasped, "Into space?"
Both hunters nodded slowly, and then the taller one did a surprising thing. He gestured to Lex, and then stepped back, sweeping his arm back towards the ship and bowing his head slightly. This Lex took a long, long moment to grasp, but when she did, she was more shocked than ever, and suddenly felt that Jessica hadn't had a bad idea in passing out.
"You're offering me a chance to go?"
Her first thought was instantly to refuse, but before she could act upon it she thought of Jessica, and how the girl might feel alone on a huge ship, surrounded by a species that wasn't her own and with no one to talk to. She knew that it would be so difficult for her; especially since she had just gone through so much disappointment, so much fear. Lex had gone through some semblance of the same, and she had lost many friends and future friends on that assignment under the ice. She didn't want to cause the same for the girl.
But she didn't want to leave her life!
Did she?
Really, what life did she have left now? What did she have to look forward to? Did she seriously expect to just think up a lie and be immediately accepted back into society, going back to her old routine as if nothing had happened? No, it couldn't ever be that way; she would always think back on this day, whether it be in nightmares or contemplation. And she knew she would always wonder what it would have been like if she had accepted the offer of a new life in the stars.
She was suddenly reminded of the land around her, and what she had said so long ago about Antarctica. It was the last truly wild place left on Earth, the last no man's land. It had always been the reason she had felt so free here, as if she belonged.
But space was the ultimate no man's land.
Lex looked up towards the patient faces of the two Yautja, her slow nod becoming apparent. They both clicked and rumbled approvingly, and then turned, making their way to the ship that was beginning to power up, the heat from the engines rippling across the snow and melting the ice nearby. The woman followed them apprehensively, turning her eyes back to catch a glimpse the giant crater in the earth and the remains of the whaling station, what she was sure would be the last visages of human civilization she would see for many years to come. In a way, it seemed like the second step in the face of a whole new existence.
Lex knew that she could relate to what Jessica felt, now.
But first…
"Wait for a second," Lex called, making the two hunters turn as she gestured back towards the ice, "I have to get something, first!"
"Jessica… Jess, can you wake up?"
My mind flickered to awareness tiredly, and I snorted through my nose, still completely fuzzed. My eyes were too heavy for me to want to lift, and my mouth felt dry… I must've had it open all night again. I closed it with a mumble and worked on getting the softness back into my dry tongue before I answered.
"Mmmm…" I groaned, "Don' wanna go school yet… call in a sick day or sumthin…"
"Well, at least I know you're alright…"
Why would whoever was waking me care about me being alright? Had something happened to me? … Wait a second! This wasn't my bed… nor was it my room! The sheets over me felt more like silk or some other material than my heavy, warm comforters, and I wasn't laying like I normally would… in fact, I was facing the ceiling, and with a frantic cough to clear my throat out I turned. I had always hated facing towards the ceiling.
But if I wasn't home, where was I? I mean; I felt like I had been dreaming for so long, and so vividly…
Could my dream have been real?
Suddenly, everything came back to me in an overwhelming rush, and I gasped in mid-cough as I was bombarded by remembered images, scenes that I knew had happened but still seemed a bit like a dream at the moment. Finally, I came back to myself and my right eye cracked open just a bit, squinting at the dim light that was admitted. I felt a worried hand shaking my shoulder roughly.
"Jessica, are you alright? Please answer me!"
"I'm okay, Lex," I answered quickly, my hand waving a bit to dislodge hers as I rolled over, trying to assure the woman that I was indeed okay, "I'm just a little woozy… uh…" my other eye cracked open and I saw with dim surprise that the lights above were a soft, soothing orange, and the walls around were dark and so detailed with bas-relief's that I took a moment just to stare in wonder at them. Then, my mind started up again, and I turned to Lex with a very confused look, brows furrowed and eyes trying to figure out whether they should be widening or narrowing, "Okay, where are we?"
Her answer was cut off by a frighteningly familiar growl, and I looked over to the doorway that hadn't been there before, my eyes rising up disbelievingly to stare into the unmasked face of a Yautja. He wore no armor, and there was an absence of that unique visor, but somehow I knew exactly who this creature was. I smiled widely.
"Oh, so that's where I am," I said, grunting slightly as I sat up and flicked my fingers in my own type of half-wave towards the Yautja, "Hey, Chopper, good to see ya again."
Lex smothered a small smile with her hand, and I rose and eyebrow towards her, distantly noting the second figure that walked into the room, and then the third. With a jolt I realized I recognized these imposing figures as Scar and Celtic. Celtic still seemed as gruff and reluctant as ever, glaring down at Lex and me with his piercing eyes before he growled and feigned disinterest. Scar was alive –thank the gods for that!-, though I could see the unmistakable horrible scar on his midsection that seemed pretty recent, as it was still held together with stitches and that blue gel that I knew hurt so much. It reminded me of my own wounds, but as I thought of them I was amazed to find that my back and legs didn't hurt anymore, nor did my arms.
Plus, we were all here now, the whole group. Somehow, someway, we had all bonded on our death-defying trip in the ice, and the best part was, the adventure had only begun.
Man, I was glad that that orb hadn't taken me back.
Scar handed Lex a bundle of brown, and I felt disbelief rise in me once more as she handed over the object to me. It was my coat! I hugged it close to me with an abrupt movement, reveling in the soft though slightly burnt synthetic leather and giving all of them a grateful grin as I reached into the pocket and took out the three Xeno digits, running my fingers over their smooth surface. Celtic growled gruffly, handing over a length of wire, and I immediately began working on stringing the trophies onto it, all the while grinning like an idiot as I contemplated what would come now.
Welcome to your future, Jessica.
WHOOHOO!
Man, that was great! I have to thank everybody who reviewed, read, or had been following this fic's progress. You're imput has really helped, and I have really been able to keep in touch with the real me and discover more about myself during the course of writing this. It actually made me feel better about myself, too, and I have to thank you guys again for supporting this.
You guys are great (hugs all)
In honor of you all and this Fic, here's a song I found that reflects it pretty well... sorta. I just like it XD
Away from the Sun
3 Doors Down
It's down to this
I've got to make this life make sense
Can anyone do what I've done
I missed life
I missed the colours of the world
Can anyone go where I am
'Cause now again I've found myself
So far down, away from the sun
That shines into the darkest place
I'm so far down, away from the sun again
Away from the sun again
I'm over this
I'm tired of living in the dark
Can anyone see me down here
The feeling's gone
There's nothing left to lift me up
Back into the world I've known
'Cause now again I've found myself
So far down, away from the sun
That shines into the darkest place
I'm so far down, away from the sun
That shines the life away from me
To find my way back into the arms
That care about the ones like me
I'm so far down, away from the sun again
It's down to this
I've got to make this life make sense
And now I can't do what I've done
And now again I've found myself
So far down, away from the sun
That shines the life away from me
'Cause now again I've found myself
So far down, away from the sun
That shines into the darkest place
I'm so far down, away from the sun
That shines the life away from me
To find my way back into the arms
That care about the ones like me
I'm so far down, away from the sun again