When The Dead Arise

Chapter 26

"I got some news I think you'll like," Will said as he stepped out of the office. It was just you two. Wild Style had left to cry, Rip to target practice, and LGK to search for signs of Storm Shadow.

You raised an eyebrow at him, "Really?"

"Yup," he leaned against the wall with a smirk, "In three days we're going to Japan so we can look for Storm Shadow. You'll get to go back home."

"I don't have a home," you snapped, but still felt the longing inside of you to see Snake Eyes. Will quirked an eyebrow.

"You don't have a place where you feel safe and comfortable?"

You thought for a moment, "No."

"Well, you'll at least get to see some people you haven't seen in a while." You thought of Azure, Snake, and Jinx, "Are Snake and Jinx going to come here soon?" You risked asking the question.

He thought for a moment, "They were told to train you, and stay in Japan to sharpen their senses like they do every year. If I'm correct, they'll be back in about two days."

You left Will at that moment. He didn't follow you, thankfully. You went to the bathroom closest to you and locked the door. Once safely inside you cracked a smile and pumped your fist with joy.

You woke up long before the rest of the Joes. Everyone else was in deep sleep, and Wild Style was asleep too. You quietly left the room and went to the shooting area. You started up the machine and fired several shots at the targets. You got a score just below Scarlet.

Will, Wild Style, Rip, and LGK were not seen all day. At lunch you simply grabbed the food and left them. Even when Will called for you to join him you ignored and walked on. You ate as you walked, and spent the rest of the day training.

"You need a DNA scan," Will stated to you one day.

You cocked an eyebrow, "Aren't you demanding?"

"Just come with me," Will lead the way to a room that housed some simple medical supplies.

"Finally here," A man dressed like a doctor commented. He tapped the metal syringe in his hand with his right index finger.

"It'll be quick," Will stated, tapping the bed for you to sit. You did sit, but didn't relax.

"It'll just pinch," The doctor said. You realized you should have relaxed more. Your arm hurt for hours for the rest of the day. But it was over and done with quickly. Before you knew it Will left you alone and you were free to do whatever you wanted.

You considered writing or reading, but that wasn't happening. one, there were no books in sight to read. Two, there was no writing materials. So training was all you did. The other Joes tried to start conversations, none lasted that long.

You were in an excersize room. It was shaped like a giant rectangle with several weights, machines, and mats. You were at the punching bag, a blue mat beneath you. There were five others in the room with you. Three were talking to each other while lifting weights in their arms.

"How are you getting along here so far?" A random Joe with way too much face cover up asked.

"Fine," You responded, bouncing on your feet. You struck out your fist again, remembering the correct way to punch. Always turn your wrist so that your knuckles are in a straight horizontal line when striking.

"So," He struggled on what to say next, "Do you enjoy being a Joe?"

"Does it matter?" You replied, spinning to land a kick on the punching bag. It rocked slightly, but not that much. You knew from the start that your opinion amounted to nothing. It wasn't taken into account, just there but never heard.

"I was just wondering," He stepped back and held up his hands in innocence.

Finally you turned to look at him, your chest heavy, "Curiosity killed the cat," A simple phrase you had learned from Jinx.

"Geeze, didn't know ninjas were so rude," He finally walked away. You shrugged it off and kept training. Until Wild Style came in and started asking way too many questions.

"Did the Baroness remind you of someone?" She leaned against the wall and kept watching. You caught your breath and whipped sweat from your forehead with the back of the boxing glove.

"Sort of," You responded, bouncing on your feet.

Wild Style waited a moment, "There is no grey area. Either you know someone or not."

You gave a high kick, "Myself."

"She reminded you of you?"

"Yup," You jumped, spun mid air, and brought your knee down on the punching bag. It broke from its chain and collapsed on the floor with a thud. You felt everyone's gaze drop on you, then down to the punching bag. You could hear a few of them shuffling away from you.

"Is that why you told her about your past?"

"Nope," You responded as you pulled off one of your gloves. You knew it wasn't because you felt like it. It was because it was the only thing you could think of doing that would cheer her up.

"Then why tell her?"

"Why do you care?" You pulled off the other glove and trudged over to the closest bench, where you had placed a water bottle. I tossed the gloves to the floor as you sat down on the bench. You unscrewed the top and chugged only what you needed. You drink to hydrate yourself, not to satisfy your thirst.

"Calm down," Wild Style rolled her eyes, "Just wondering. By the way..."

"What now?" You closed the bottle and placed back down.

"How important are those children from the orphanage to you?" She lifted an eyebrow at you.

You stood up and stretched your arms over your head before responding, "More than my life," You gave the best answer you could. Wild Style was silent for a few moments before opening her mouth again.

"Why are you so snippy?"

"It's who I am," You picked up the gloves and placed them on the bench and made your way over to the weights. The guys there shuffled away and left you alone. Happily, you picked up thirty pounds in each hand and walked back to the mat, Wild Style was still there, "And I like it!" You added.

Wild Style rolled her eyes, "Usually people have a reason."

"Not me," You placed your hands down to your legs and lifted up the weights at alternating times. Making sure to breath out when lifting and in when lowering.

"Then why do you train so much?"

This was an easy question, "I like to stay in shape."

"Were you like this on the streets?"

You thought back to the streets, "I never stopped moving on the streets. I was always either training, on the run, or fighting."

"So," She tilted her head a little, "You're used to it?"

"It's part of who I am," You lifted again.

"Is there anyone that is part of you?"

"If you're asking if I have a family, the answer is 'no'."

Wild Style bit the inside of her cheek for a few seconds, "What about someone who isn't your family?"

"What are you talking about?" Now you turned to Wild Style.

"A lover," She responded. You looked away and didn't answer. She huffed, "Fine then, what about a reason to live? Do you have that?"