Chapter 4: A Part of the Team

QuickShot:

"We're here," I say, slamming the buttons. As soon as the door is open, JumpStart and I rush into the OutPost.

"Hold on you two," I say, carrying Ms. Justice inside while JumpStart drags SpeedBlade. "Here. Put them here."

Dropping the two onto the chairs in our little living room, JumpStart and I then take a few minutes to catch our breath. Once we do, I run over to our kitchen. Opening a cabinet, I reach in and pull out our first aid kit. Running back, I open the kit and pull out a large roll of bandages.

"Come on," I say, wrapping some bandages around Ms. Justice's arm. "Come on. Please. Open your eyes."

As I wrapped some more of Justice's wounds, her eyes start to open.

"What happened," she moans while blinking. "Are we back at the OutPost? Where are JumpStart and SpeedBlade? Are they okay?"

Justice tries to get up but she falls back down almost immediately. Screaming as she falls, she pinches her eyes.

"Sorry," I say, helping lower her back down into the chair. "Sorry. Sorry. Normally, you're the team's medic. I can't say I have much experience with treating injuries."

"It's fine," Justice chuckles. "For a beginner, you're not too bad."

I chuckle alongside her and treat her wound as best as I can before running over to help SpeedBlade. Like Justice, he wakes up as soon as I wrap up most of his injuries. Also, like Justice, SpeedBlade groans as he wakes up.

"What happened," he says, looking left and right. "Where is Lightning Storm?"

Pushing himself up and actually walking, SpeedBlade starts to cry over and over.

"Ouch. Ouch. Ouch!"

"Okay," I say, "That's enough."

Barely taking a full step, I grab SpeedBlade and slam him back into the chairs.

"Ouch!"

"Sit," I growl, "Or you'll be getting some new injuries."

SpeedBlade stares at me but I stare back.

"Don't test me," my eyes say, "You may be hurt, but that does not mean I won't hit you."

I shake my fist in front of him. SpeedBlade gets the message and stays sitting down.

"Scary," JumpStart says, offering me a cup of water. I gladly take the water. I give the water to Justice and SpeedBlade and they slowly accept it.

Raising his helmet to take a sip, SpeedBlade places the cup down.

"What happened to Lightning Storm," he asks. "Did he gets away?"

"It's more like we got away," JumpStart answers. "Just barely."

"What?"

"Lightning Storm got away," I say, "It was after both you and Justice were knocked out."

As I think back to the fight, I remember something important.

"Why did you just charge in like that," I ask.

"What," SpeedBlade asks. "What are you talking about?"

"You just charged toward Lightning Storm," I start, "Without a plan. Without telling us anything. You just charged toward Lightning Storm, and ran into the explosive arrows I shot."

"I didn't know you fired any arrows," SpeedBlade says.

"If you had waited, or at least talked to us, then you would have known. Instead, you single-handedly charged like a fool and got blown up."

"Hey easy there," Justice says. "No need for name-calling."

"Apologizes for that," I say, turning to Ms. Justice, "But I am right. You charged in without knowing what was about to happen, and that is why we lost the fight."

"So it's my fault we lost," SpeedBlade says, slamming his hands down on the chair's armrests. As he does, he screams and rubs his hands.

"It's not your fault," Justice says, "We're a team."

"It is his fault," I correct, "And we are a team."

I stare at SpeedBlade.

"We are a team," I repeat, "And where I'm from, that means having your team's back. We watch out for each other. We form plans and execute them together. We do not watch as one, only one of us, just swing a sword and hope for the best."

SpeedBlade turning his head, I snap my fingers in front of him.

"Hey," I say, "I'm over here."

Snapping my fingers over and over, SpeedBlade turns back and grabs my hand.

"Stop that," he says.

"I will stop when you say it."

"Say what?"

"Say you are a part of the team. Say you are a part of the OutCasts."

SpeedBlade stays silent. Once more, he turns his head away.

"Oh really," JumpStart says, all of us now turning to him. "Is that what this is about? What, you don't feel like you're a part of the team?"

Hearing SpeedBlade sigh through his helmet, he lowers his head.

"It's not that I don't feel like I'm a part of the team," SpeedBlade starts, "It's that I don't feel like I do much."

"What," we all say, looking at each other.

"You and Ms. Justice defeated Unstoppable almost entirely without JumpStart or my help," SpeedBlade says. "We basically didn't do anything. Other than being tossed around."

"So what," Ms. Justice says. "Just because QuickShot and I managed to take down Unstoppable without your or JumpStart's help doesn't mean anything. Also, it wasn't without your or JumpStart's help. You two did help."

"How," SpeedBlade asks. "What did we do? How exactly did we do to help? JumpStart and I. We did nothing. Nothing at all. Where I'm from, we knights are taught to be fearless and noble. To be brave in the face of danger. Not to be thrown around and humiliated."

"You weren't humiliated back then," I say, "But you are humiliating yourself now."

"QuickShot is right," JumpStart says.

"Agree," Ms. Justice adds, nodding her head. "Though, a little harsh, I still agree with her."

I shake my head left and right.

"What are you talking about?"

"My point is, we are a team."

"Yeah," JumpStart interrupts, "Remember? We did that hand-over-hand bonding thing Ms. Justice told us about. So you were the last one to put your hand down. That doesn't mean anything. At least, I don't think it means anything. Does it mean anything? No, right? It doesn't mean anything. Being the last one to do it. Yeah. No"

"Thank you JumpStart," I say, clearing my throat. "As I said before, we are a team. Whether a soldier or a knight or an elf or a regular person, one thing is clear. Teammates have to watch out for one another and help each other out. Charging in like that, that wasn't a really knight-like thing to do. Was it?"

SpeedBlade slowly raises his head, he looks back at us.

"No," he says, "No it wasn't. I am a fool."

"You're not a fool," Ms. Justice says. "You're just trying to do too much."

"Trying to do too much," JumpStart repeats. "What does that even mean?"

Ms. Justice shoots out her hand and hits JumpStart.

"Ouch."

All of a sudden, the lights in the OutPost change from yellow to red again. The alarms go off and we all look at each other. JumpStart running to the computer, he makes quick work.

"IronWall," I ask, walking behind him.

"No," he replies. "This is coming from inside the city. Hold on. I think I can get access to their radios."

A few minutes later, the computer's screen turns black with a single line on it.

"Requesting immediate backup," someone yells, the line going up and down. "Requesting immediate backup now. Lightning Storm and Unstoppable are here. We need help."

The transmitter is cut off by the sound of an explosive.

As the transmitter comes to an end, we all look at each other.

"We have to go," Ms. Justice says, pushing herself up. "They need our help."

"We can't," I say, "You two are still hurt, and there's no way JumpStart and I can take on Unstoppable and Lightning Storm by ourselves."

"So don't go by yourself," SpeedBlade says, grunting as he too pushes himself up. "You said it yourself. We're a team, and as a team, we have to watch out for one another and help each other. So please help us grab our stuff and let's go defeat those two."