Metal Of Creation

Chapter 1 continued...

Zaylee threw herself on the bed, landing on her back. She gave an exasperated huff like she was the one in the infirmary and not Daisha. I waited for Kira to retort. Zaylee's jesting could be as wicked as how I wielded a sword. With precision and accuracy, and poor Kira was always at the pointed end of it. Although this time, she didn't bother to acknowledge her with a verbal response. She just gave Zaylee a middle finger salute behind her back. Daisha sighed, running her hand through the side of her head that wasn't shaved down to the scalp. Her brown dreads with the ends colored as if they were dipped in gold, clinked and clacked from the silver jewels adorning them as she moved toward Zaylee, saying. "It wasn't her…" Zaylee jerked out of her bed, waving a hand around like she was trying to ward off evil spirits.

"Oh, hell, no! Do not try to defend her. It was definitely her fault. Every time we listen to her ideas. At least one of us gets hurt. Including me!" The hair on my arms rose as Zaylee's electricity sparked energy into the room. I watched with a frown as strands of Zaylee's hair rose and spun faster with electricity as her voice rose.

"Even Mute got hurt last time we chose to listen to Kira, and Mute never gets hurt. Never." I grimaced, remembering that exact moment. Kira had ordered me to deliver the final blow to finishing out her plan, but little did she know one of the team members of our target was a body multiplier. To end the story short. I ended up in the Bio-medic wing for three days with three broken ribs and a sprained ankle.

Zaylee finished her accusation, stabbing her thumb in the direction I was. She crossed her arms, sitting down with a huff. I ignored her just like I did every time she tried to bring me into her arguments with Kira. Kira snapped around.

The corners of her monolid shaped eyes crinkling at the corners as she shot daggers in Zaylee's direction. "I'm right here. I can hear you." Silenced filled the room as Zaylee blinked at Kira.

"Did you have a concussion from the last mission or something?" Zaylee finally responded. Kira leaned back crinkling her nose and distorting her facial features. "No, why in the gods' prayer would you ask that?" Zaylee smiled sweetly.

"Because you obviously have brain damage if you didn't understand that I meant for your dimwitted ass to hear me." Zaylee chuckled, motioning Daisha over to her.

Daisha moved to sit in front of Zaylee, flipping her hair over the shoulder.

Kira went off speaking in her native eastern tongue. She sighed, closing her eyes before speaking. "I come up with great ideas. You guys just don't listen to orders when I give them." Kira waved her hand around as she spoke. Her lips turned down as if she were blaming us for her, not so helpful suggestions. Her jet-black hair glistened in the faux light as she whipped around. I frowned. That was not even close to the truth. I chose not to voice my opinion instead Zaylee decided to do that for both of us.

A look of disbelief draped over Zaylee's face before she scoffed, moving to stand behind Kira after she finished braiding Daisha's hair. Her eyes trained in on the back of Kira's neck. On her way over to stand behind Kira. Zaylee grabbed her wide silver daggers already sheaved, tying them to her back as she spoke.

"Oh, for the love of the gods! You cannot seriously believe that. I remember one time, you came up with the bright idea to use Daisha's pistol whip as a last resort. That decision led to all hell breaking loose, and guess who got the bitter end of that sweet stick."

She took a finger and pointed at her chest. "This chick here!" Zaylee yelled. Daisha interjected, rubbing her brows with an index finger and thumb.

"Zaylee, must you always vex Kira every morning. Why can you not just let there be peace between the two of you? Or at least put forth the effort of keeping your sordid opinions to yourself." Daisha always, the peacekeeper intervened, moving to stand behind me, waiting for her chance at the weapons case.

As they continued to argue, I reached inside the weapons wardrobe and grabbed a long black velvet box. Using two hands, I carried the long box over to the round mahogany table next to my bed. The container began to vibrate as what lay inside sensed my presence. I set it down on the wooded surface. I unlatched the link and carefully opened it. Inside sat two long silver poles shaped like dragons standing on black silky fabric. Their mouths posed open in snarls. The scales etched in along with the tails that were curled up slightly at the end. Each dragon sat facing in the opposite direction of each other. I stuck my palms out to each one of their mouths, spreading my arms wide to accommodate the width of the box. The room got quiet as the girls lined up, turning to watch me. This time I felt the hair on my arms and neck rise for a different reason. Tingles raced across my skin as the dragons began to draw energy from me.

The dragon's eyes snapped open. They glowed a piercing white as they began to move. They stretched and rose. Metal clinked as they cracked their necks. Etched in arms and legs popped out from their bodies before they started moving toward my wrists. They slithered up my arm to the collar bone of my neck. Nudging and caressing my cheeks as if greeting an old friend. They crossed each other, making an X over my chest before going down opposite arms. I smiled. My dragon's heads slithered down the fabric of my shirt and wrapping around my wrists. Their heads; resting at the palm of my hands. The body of the dragons coiled up my arms. Their tails wrapped around my forearm, tightening with the strength of a lover's hug. Their weight on my arms, bringing a good feeling to mind. I trotted over to the end of the cot I slept in, grabbed my black combat boots, and laced them up. My mind, running over the plan for what was to come.

"Holy shit. So, are we just not going to acknowledge how creepy cool that is.��� Zaylee whispered in awe.

"Says the girl with the blue sparking hair." I heard Kira muttered under her breath.

"Bitch, what' chu say? I've been known to kill people for less. Keep messing with me girl; and I'll turn that pretty ass of yours into a charred mess." I heard Zaylee's retort.

A loud wailing sound blared in the room signaling their arrival. The main lights shut off, blanketing the room in complete darkness. The sounds of panels shifting in the ceiling resonated across the now silent room. A circling light descended from the ceiling bathing the gray walls in a bleeping red glow. I quickly stuffed my grey shirt into the waistline of my black skin-tight pants. Shadows passed underneath our door as the GI's moved to the other rooms. The sound of pounding feet matching the beat of my heart. I clenched my fists, digging my nails into the skin of my palms. The sharp pain a welcome pleasure against the turmoil rising in my stomach.

My dragons stirred against my skin, sensing the spike in my mood. I lined up behind Daisha with my arms positioned behind my back like the rest of them. The humor feeling from earlier left the room like a whiff of smoke, and I knew it wouldn't be returning. A burning warmth curled its way from a stomach up to my chest, squeezing my rapidly beating heart. I knew the blood boiling feeling would stay for a while until we finished our mission. Daisha reached up a hand to clutch one of Zaylee's shoulder. She squeezed back. Kira shook out her hands, rolling her neck and bouncing on her tippy toes before relaxing again. One of the many shadows from before paused in front of our door.