Not Completely Crazy

Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Being a Joe is Tough Work

It was few weeks after the Storm Shadow and Nightshade incident and the Joes were slowly getting used to having them both on the team.

"You frustrating woman, I swear you're unable to follow simple instructions!" Storm Shadow shouted in frustration to an equally frustrated Nightshade.

"You dumbass wannabe ninja, you're unable to listen to simple opinions!" Nightshade shouted back before storming out of the training room in huff. Storm Shadow shook his head in aggravation before following after the pissed off woman. Haywire, who was lounging on Snake Eyes' lap in the rec room, was startled  off with an eep as Nightshade burst into the rec room. "I have had it with that ninja. Not you Snake Eyes," Nightshade said as she walked over to the couch.

"What do you mean?" Haywire asked as she stood up and rubbed her sore butt from when she landed abruptly. Snake Eyes grabbed her waist and pulled her back down onto his lap without a moment's thought.

"What I mean is, is that Storm Shadow is seriously pissing me off. I am just as trained as he is when it comes to fighting and he treats me like I don't know how to fight. Last time I checked, I kicked his ass at the hotel, not the other way around," Nightshade ranted as she paced back and forth in front of the couch, Snake Eyes and Haywire following her movements with heads.

"You have to understand something about Storm Shadow. He was very troubled and I have to take some responsibility for that," Snake Eyes signed to the pacing woman.

"Yeah honey. And besides, you and he are under a lot of pressure because you guys are still going through Joe training. So just take a chill pill and remember that you're both under a lot of pressure," Haywire said as wriggled out of Snake Eyes' grasp to get something to drink.

"I don't care if we're both under a lot of pressure. Doesn't mean he gets the right to act as though I don't know how to fight," Nightshade grumbled as she flopped onto the couch just as the door to the rec room opened.

"There you are! We still have training to do!" Storm Shadow said in frustration.

"Woah, Storm, relax. You're going to get your butt kicked soon enough by my uncle. No need to go all gung-ho about it," Haywire said as she walked past him to take her seat on Snake Eyes' lap.

"While I am grateful that you deactivated the nanomites swimming through my blood, that doesn't mean you get to tell me what to do," Storm Shadow said through clenched teeth. Haywire raised an unimpressed eyebrow over the rim of her soda glass.

"I wasn't telling you what to do. It was merely a friendly suggestion. And I think I know that my uncle will kick your ninja butt," Haywire said with a bright smile and a giggle.

"Oh really, and who might I ask, is your uncle?" Storm Shadow said in a condescending tone with his arms crossed over his broad chest. Haywire merely continued to smile as her answer.

"I get a feeling we're going to find out soon," Nightshade said as she stared at her neon friend from the corner of her eye. Haywire nodded with enthusiasm, almost knocking her head into Snake Eyes' jaw before he moved it back quickly. "Well until your uncle gets here, I'm going to take a break so then I'm at my best when I face him," Nightshade said with a shrug as she turned towards the TV and watched the movie that the two previous occupants were watching.

"I suggest you follow her lead, Storm Shadow. You're going to need your strength to face my uncle," Haywire said over her shoulder to the still fuming ninja. Storm Shadow simply stalked out of the rec room. "I think he's going to regret not listening to me," Haywire mumbled before she shrugged and cuddled closer to her human space heater.

()

Thundering footsteps could be heard throughout The Pit. All of the Joes wandering the hallways quickly dashed to the walls and faced forward with their arms up in a perfect salute. The colossus of a man nodded in approval before thundering down the hall.

"Where are the newbies?" the man asked in a gruff voice once he entered the training room. Sgt. Stone looked up from his clipboard and motioned to the corner of the room where a group of three could be seen. Two of which were arguing vigorously and the other was standing by with a nervous look on her face. "Newbies! Front and center!" the man shouted to the three in the corner. All three bodies turned and only one smiled in joy.

"Uncle Slaughter!" Haywire shouted as she rushed forward in a blur of neon green and purple. Said blur soon crashed into the brick wall of a man who laughed in a rough manner.

"Haywire! How is my favorite little niece?" Sgt. Slaughter asked while looking down at her with a small smile on his face.

"Oh I'm good. I got to go on a mission for the first time ever!" Haywire said as she bounced up and down in front of her uncle.

"Really? You didn't destroy anything on accident did you?" Sgt. Slaughter asked as he calmly put one of his huge hands on Haywire's small shoulder, ceasing her bouncing instantly.

"No! But the new recruits you get to fight did a bit of damage to a conference room," Haywire explained as she pointed a thumb to the two stunned soon-to-be Joes with a pout on her face.

"Really? Well it sounds like I get to have a bit of fun with these two," Sgt. Slaughter said with a sinister smile on his face. He watched calmly as the two recruits walked forward hesitantly. "Now maggots! I don't have time to wait for ya'll to grow a pair and get over here!" Sgt. Slaughter shouted when he grew impatient with the two.

"That, is your uncle?" Nightshade asked in astonishment.

"Yep. He's my mom's brother. He's actually the one that recommended that I become a Joe," Haywire said with a thousand watt smile that never left her face.

"Maybe I should have listened to you," Storm Shadow said with a hint of nervousness.

"Maybe you should have Mr. Ninja. Now I kicked Snake Eyes' butt, so you shouldn't be any different. I want to get what I know out of the way, so you're first," Sgt. Slaughter said before he walked over to the center of the training mats.

"Good luck Storm Shadow!" Haywire shouted with as much enthusiasm as she could muster.

"How come I have a feeling he's not going to be in the same condition that he's in now?" Nightshade asked.

"Oh that's because he isn't," Haywire said in a nonchalant way, causing Nightshade's eyes to bug out.

"Being a Joe is going to be a lot of work," Nightshade mumbled under her breath as she watched Storm Shadow be tossed around like a rag doll.