Crystal Ch. 06

"So that means we can eat it if we catch it while we're fishing, right?" Jasper asked.

"Next," the Commander continued, ignoring the question. "The real reason the Government joined in on the fight for the villains is because of these random trees sprouting up out of nowhere." He pushed a few holographic buttons on the table and a bunch of images popped up. The heroes saw giant trees as tall as skyscrapers deep in the country side. "They've been sprouting overnight, almost like the beanstalk in that one book."

"That's Pollen, no doubt about it," Jasper noticed.

"Of course it is," the Commander confirmed. "With the rise of these trees, there has also been a drastic increase in the size of insects, ranging from small dogs to the average size of adult humans. On top of that, every female that lived in the vicinity of the trees were taken captive."

"Just females?" Ghost asked.

"Yeah, just females," the Commander confirmed.

"Why weren't we told of this earlier?" Osprey inquired.

"From what I've been told, they had quarantined a recently sprouted tree when the insects started capturing females," Commander Shinobay answered. "The soldiers attempted to rescue the civilians but they were defeated in a counterattack, and the female soldiers were taken as well. Simultaneously, the insects around other trees in the U. S. launched a surprise attack against the soldiers and defeated them, also taking the female soldiers in those units."

"What about an aerial attack? Have they tried that?" Shell asked.

"Yeah, with negative results," the Commander informed. "With the insects increased size, their physical attributes were enhanced as well and the pilots didn't stand a chance. And before anyone asks, the trees are too far inland for the Navy to take a shot at them."

"This is a well coordinated strategy," Cherry spoke up. "If we can't lay a mark on them, then they'll beat us to the coast, where it might be too late for the Navy to do anything."

"There is good news though," Commander Shinobay informed. He selected a picture and a circular, flat plain two miles wide showed up. "In Brazil, a giant tree had sprouted and, like the U. S., giant insects that were taking female hostages. At one village, the females were rescued by someone the natives call 'Estranho da noite' which roughly translates to 'Night Stranger'. They also reported that the 'Night Stranger' destroyed the tree using a twister just about the size of the tree."

"Any idea where he went?" Hyper inquired.

"No," Commander Shinobay answered. "We are watching all forms of travelling, so we can't miss him. And now it's time for the real good news. The President has invited us to the White House to attend a banquet in celebration for us pushing back the villains once again. He also wants to honor Max, since it was technically Max who incapacitated Dictator Jones."

"When is it being held?" Crystal asked.

"In a week," the Commander answered. "Surprise, right? Well, this week was the President's birthday but he fell ill, so it was canceled. Then, we were asked, but the President has recovered and has asked to merge these two events together. You may go alone or bring a date with you, if you'd like."

"I'll ask one of my girls," Jasper smiled.

"I'm taking Zipper, right Z?" Hyper announced looking across the table at Z, whose grin couldn't get any bigger.

"Go ahead, I'm taking Dot as my date," Shell told everyone.

"I asked Olivia and she accepted," Ghost informed them. "So I'll be taking her as my date."

"I'm with Egghead," Cherry smiled as she poked Osprey in the ribs.

"I've already asked Dr. Walton and she agreed, so we'll be going together," the Commander grinned.

It was then that everyone's smile faltered when they looked at Crystal. She wasn't looking at any of them, instead choosing to stare at the table with a downcast look on her face. Automatically, everyone regretted their words.

"Crystal, I'm sorry," Hyper apologized.

"For what?" Crystal asked, wondering what Hyper did wrong.

"I forgot you were still mourning the loss of Max," Hyper said, hanging her head in shame.

"Don't worry about that," Crystal replied, trying to sound upbeat. "That's something I'm still dealing with. If anything, I was wondering when everyone started getting together without me knowing. I mean, I know about the Commander and Dr. Walton, who doesn't, but when did the rest of you start dating?"

"Osprey and I have always been dating since we've first arrived," Cherry said. "Our relationship is more like a competition and thus, highly playfully aggressive at times."

"I never thought you to be playful at all, Cherry," Crystal scratched her head.

"That's my doing," Osprey admitted.

"Dot and I started going out when she kept going feral because of her . . . cat's side," Shell spoke up next.

"Don't say it out loud," Dot whispered. "It's already bad enough that it happened, we don't need to go down memory lane, alright?"

"What happened?" Crystal asked, now curious.

"Remember when she attacked random men . . . "the Commander started.

". . . but she left them alive, albeit a bit injured?" Shell finished.

"I still don't get it," Crystal shook her head. "How did this bring you two together?"

"I WAS IN HEAT, OKAY?!" Dot yelled suddenly. "It was mating season and I needed sex more than I needed to breath."

"And how did this bring you two together?" Crystal asked.

"I just happened to catch her one day," Shell smiled.

"And I love the way he pets me," Dot said dreamily. Everyone cracked up laughing when she said that and she turned a shade of beet red, declaring, "That was the cat talking!"

"What about you, Ghost?" Crystal inquired when the room quieted down.

"I've been going out with Olivia a few months after she transferred from the tower in Illinois," Ghost informed next. "We didn't take the route like you and Max did, though. We decided to keep our activities subtle for now."

"Like?" Crystal pressured. It seemed like everyone leaned in to hear what Ghost was going to say.

"It's too embarrassing to say," Ghost whispered.

"Like I'll believe that," Jasper leaned back in his chair. "There's nothing embarrassing about saying you had sex. What's embarrassing is saying you made love . . . and describing every detail."

"Shut up, Jasper," Cherry said. "Like you know anything about making love."

"No, no. He's right," Ghost interjected, making Jasper smile. Then as quiet as possible, Ghost said, "It's just phone sex and sexting."

"Okay Ghost, you need some advice from a ladies' man," Jasper spoke up. "Girls want you to surprise them and be the man in the relationship. It's good that you have phone sex and have done sexting, but that's for teenagers. Show her that you're ready for the next level."

"Thanks Jasper," Ghost muttered angrily. "Should I mail in my balls with a box of chocolate to prove to her that I'm ready?"

"What?" Jasper asked, stumped, as well as everyone else, at Ghost's unexpected question.

"We have a . . . sadist/masochist relationship," Ghost whispered, slightly beginning to tremble. "And she's the sadist."

"I'll take of it Ghost," the Commander said immediately. "You should have told me sooner so that I could put a stop to it."

"Dude, I'm sorry," Jasper said, appalled at what he heard.

"Why is everyone so upset?" Ghost suddenly asked. "I'm not shaking because I'm scared, I'm shaking because it gets me excited every time I think about it. I mean, has no one thought that I asked for this?"

"You did?" Commander Shinobay asked, halting himself as he was about to call the front desk for Olivia.

"Yes, I did," Ghost confirmed. "I don't get to feel much of anything since I can turn intangible, so I kind of developed a curiosity at the levels of pain I can withstand. She was already a secret sadist, so we kind of just . . . clicked. But, we've only been doing minor things for now . . . as well as the phone sex and sexting."

"Well . . . then, as long as it doesn't . . . uh . . . keep you from your duties, I'm alright with it," the Commander decided.

"We've been doing this for a while now, Commander," Ghost smiled. "It hasn't, and won't, keep me from my duties."

"Okay. This meeting is adjourned," the Commander announced.

The heroes filed out one after another, with Hyper trying, and failing, to be the first one out the door. When she did leave the room, her face contorted a bit as she tried smiling at Zipper while she grimaced since Crystal was there also.

"Look Crystal," Hyper began, "before you say anything, I just wanted to say I'm sorry. I mean, I wanted to be there for you, but you wouldn't answer your door, and I was worried that something would happen to you, and all that worrying turned into frustration, and I needed a way to vent, and then Zipper showed up, and we talked, and then talking turned into laughing, and then laughing turned into kissing, and then kissing turned into sex, and sex turned into an everyday thing to where that was all that I thought about. If you hate me, then I won't blame you."

"I'm not mad," Crystal shrugged. "Max and I did the same thing, having sex whenever possible."

"So, you approve of our relationship?" Hyper asked.

"Why do I need to approve of it?" Crystal smiled. "It's your life, so use it however you want. But if it makes you feel better, yes I approve of your relationship with Zipper. He seems to be a pretty decent guy who makes you happy, so go crazy. Just make sure the Commander doesn't catch you two."

It didn't seem like they cared whether or not the Commander caught them or not, as Crystal stepped in the elevator, listening to the sounds of growing pleasure and bliss. After an internal debate on where she should go, Crystal went down to the cafeteria for breakfast, hoping it was either too early or too late for agents to be walking around.

Of course, just getting out of a meeting in the morning meant that it was still breakfast time and Crystal's stomach did not want to go another day snacking on ice. Resigning herself to her fate, she walked over to one of the kitchens and ordered a few standard meals. While she was famished, the real purpose for getting multiple meals was so that she wasn't seen in public.

"Excuse me, miss? Are you the heroine known as Crystal?" a male voice behind her asked.

For a moment, Crystal was back in the past. Max had just arrived at the National Heroes Tower, appalled that he was actually walking in the home of the heroes. She had only seen him a few times before, multiple times unconscious, one time conscious, and all time in the Recovery Wing of the Heroes Tower in Pennsylvania. And then she jumped him, humped his abdomen, and was going to crawl on him had Cherry not intervened.

She snapped herself back to reality and turned to face the guy behind her. He was a nice looking person, a little younger than the age of guys she liked, a bit toned as if he was hoping to become some girl's dream guy, and thoroughly well dressed. She could tell he was checking her out as well, all guys do, and she let him get his fill. When he realized he was caught, minutes later, he stepped back in nervousness, anticipating a reproachful response.

"Is there something you need?" she asked instead.

"Yeah, I was hoping if I could get your autograph," the guy requested, pulling out a pencil and paper. "My family and I are great fans of you."

"Sure, why not?" Crystal accepted. She quickly signed the paper, feeling a rush of the good old days, but held onto it when the gentleman reached to take it back. "Before I give you this, I need you to answer one of my questions."

"Anything," the gentleman replied, eyes wide as if he was expecting the unexpected.

"Why did you ask if I the heroine known as Crystal?" she asked, completely coming out of left field. "As a fan of mine, or anyone for that matter, isn't it kind weird that one wouldn't know what their favorite celebrity looked like?"

"Well, you see . . ." the gentleman trailed off.

"And as a great fan of who and whatever, that should be the last thing you forget," Crystal said, her words convicting him.

"Well, there were a few agents going around impersonating the heroes," the guy informed, "so I was unsure if you were the real Crystal or a fake."

"I guess I'll let it slide then," Crystal shrugged. Then she stuck out her hand and said, "I am the official cryokinetic heroine Crystal. And you are?"

"Oh, I'm Cole, Cole Peterson," he introduced himself. "New recruit of at the National Heroes Tower."

"That's nice," Crystal said, noticing that he put the hand she shook behind his back. 'Yep, he won't be washing that for a long time,' Crystal sighed internally. 'It's becoming harder and harder to separate the newbies from the weirdoes.'

"Do you mind if I sat with you?" Cole asked, timidly looking around. "I'm not really comfortable enough to make friends right now."

"Sorry, I can't help you there," Crystal said. In honesty, the primary reason she rejected the offer was because she was taking her breakfast to her room and she didn't want to get his, or anyone else's, hopes up. The next reason was because she wanted her thoughts to be focused on Max and she could only do that alone.

*****

It was night when they got the alarm. All heroes converged to the meeting room as the Commander tried to assort the papers on the table in the correct stack, unfortunately making another mess right after he cleaned the previous one. He was muttering under his breath and Crystal thought she heard him wish for Max, but she dismissed it, figuring he probably said stacks instead of Max.

"Commander, what happened?" Cherry asked.

"A cruise ship is under attack," the Commander informed.

Cherry operated the table to bring up the current video of the cruise ship slowly being pulled apart. The camera didn't have the angle to see what was pulling the ship apart, but every hero knew the one aquatic monster large enough to attack a ship that size: the Kraken, Dr. Genie's enormous cephalopod creation that the heroes briefly fought on their way to the villains' underwater hideout.

"So we've tried to be nice and let nature take its course," Jasper reminded the Commander. "Now can we kill the thing?"

"Looks like that's our only option," Commander Shinobay said. "Don't forget, get the civilians off the ship first. I don't want any extra casualties while you take the Kraken down."

Jasper rolled his eyes, obviously not wanting to hear the same message again. "I won't let you down this time, Commander."

*****Hey reader, this chapter is just to kick start the second idea, which will continue right from this in the next chapter. For all you CrystalxMax shippers, don't worry about Cole. He won't be getting together with Crystal if that's what ran through your mind. Like I said, Max is still alive and will be returning in the next story or the one after that. I really am doing my best to add a sex scene in each chapter as well, so expect one in every chapter. And if it seems like there's a weird part added before a sex scene anywhere, just let me know. I want you guys to enjoy this story as much as possible. And don't forget to comment your thoughts whether you like this story or not!" DM23*****