Path of the Hunters [PART 4] (NSFW)

Sunny shook her head. "I'll say."

*

Trip's smile widened slightly.

He sighed. "Even if it's otherwise, hopefully this mess'll be done with, for a long time to come."

*

"Bonne," Crescent said, smiling. "So, 'ow did you manage to get Trip to come along with you?"

Yue shrugged. "We kinda just bumped into each other, and went from there. Didn't see much, just talked mostly."

*

"Heh. Now you do a little philosophy, huh?"

"Oui..."

*

Trip blushed slightly. "Are you feeling better?"

He shrugged, "Being a sniper means that you're usually sitting around for a very long time with little to do but think."

"...Speakin' of which, I wonder how Briggs is gonna take it, if she really is pregnant."

*

Crescent nodded. "I just needed a little food and drink, is all."

"'Feeling better?'" Yue asked curiously. "Were you sick earlier?"

"A little..." She hid the ginger ale behind her. Yue was a smart girl, snd she didn't want her to assume...

*

"That's something you and Sol have in common. He was the one who suggested we start a little business. I mean besides the merc work."

"Being a sniper is a lot harder than people think it is, there's a lot of data with have to process on the fly, especially in combat situations so that we can make our shots count. That's why you'll never meet an idiot sniper."

"Not like they were tryin' for it, so who knows? They aren't even serious yet."

*

Trip's tails flicked idly. "Maybe it was stress?"

"I dunno. Back in the day, he used to joke about showin' his son-if he ever had one-how to be street smart. You think he might've been kinda serious, or damn good at convincin'."

*

"Possibly. A lot 'as 'appened over the past couple of days."

*

"Sol does like to brag about his mental superiority, thanks to his sniper training. And rightfully so."

She shrugged. "Depends on how he feels about the mother, y'know?"

*

The kit nodded.

He chuckled. Not having much more to say.

"Well, if he likes someone enough, he'll go the distance for 'em. If not, then whatever. He's searched the city high and low for this girl, so I think he feels some way for her."

*

"Yeah," Yue said, nodding. "...Are you still sick? Is that why you have ginger ale?"

Crescent almost cursed. She did notice, but she didn't seem to figure it out yet... "Well, it 'elps me feel better. Why do you ask?"

"One time, when I got sick, Mama gave me ginger ale to help me feel better. She also told me of a time, before I was around, when she got sick, and she drank lots of it."

*

Just then, a familiar hedgecat moved by them, grumbling to himself. Cross smiled beneath his visor. "Speak of the devil... Hey, Sol!" he called to him.

Sol turned around to the unfamiliar soldiers, raised an eyebrow. "Uh... How do you know me? Don't think I've seen you guys before. And you're a lot shorter than the others..."

"There's a reason for that." His visor depolarized, showing his smirking face. "I'm not like the others."

Sol's eyes widened, then he smiled, moving to him. "Cross! Check you out, in the fancy armor!"

Damien chuckled, his own visor depolarizing. "Yeah, he converted and upgraded the ODST armor to fit him. Rather impressive, to say the least."

"It is interesting 'ow a pregnancy seems to be a theme with your group, Nova."

Sunny sneered. "Not with me, man. If some guy decides he loves me, he'd better say something long before a kid comes into the picture."

*

Trip nodded. "Mom gave me some when my stomach hurt."

"Perhaps before a mirad of professional assassins come to kill you both and the child?" Katherine, having remained silent the whole time as she lead them toward the kids and Crescent. An obvious amount of amusement in her voice.

"That too," the dog muttered.

Nova rolled his eyes. "Look, the only reason we didn't admit to it, from the gate, is cuz we agreed to no attachment. We both felt something, but weren't exactly keen on lettin' it be known, and hoped it'd just go away once we split. Obviously that didn't turn out as planned. No regrets, mind ya.

"Besides, the whole 'love after pregnancy' thing's only happened between me and Aurélie, so far. We still don't know for certain about Crescent, Sol and Mani had admitted to it long before children came into the picture, and I bet Cross is gonna admit it to Star as soon as he sees her."

*

"So, how much have you had?"

"Um... Not much," she lied, glancing to the side. "Just enough to ease the pain." This was actually her fourth or fifth helping...

*

"It's not much," Cross said modestly. "If I had a little more time to work on it, then maybe..."

"Ah, don't sell yourself short!" Sol placed a hand to Cross' shoulder. "There aren't many people out there, who could match you in a one-on-one tech match."

"In the end, Damien was still right about you two." She replied with a grin as she looked over her shoulder at him. "And love is the wierdest damn emotion in existence, it's only as predictable as the ones that fall right into it."

---

Damien chuckled, "Judging by how fast you rigged that up, I'd have to agree with Sol here."

Aurélie smiled. "This is true. And speaking of Star, we should be leaving shortly, non?"

"We'd better be," Sunny grumbled. "I'm tired of waitin'."

*

Trip started to look around. Now that he'd mentioned his mother, he wanted her with him... "Do you know when you're all gonna go?"

"Seriously." Nova sighed. "The hell is takin' Cross so long?"

*

"It shouldn't be much longer. Once we're all together, we'll get you two in Elesis' arms, and we'll be off. And Yue," she looked the girl in the eyes. "Try to be nice for her, okay?"

"So, no exploring?"

"For her sake, no exploring."

"Aw..." She pouted, then nodded. "Okay."

*

Cross shrugged. "Maybe I went a little overboard. Originally, I was just gonna spruce up my guns, and make a stronger shield generator, which I integrated into the pauldron itself. But then, I saw the full armor sets, the weapons and other tech, and... Yeah."

"Got a little carried away, huh?"

Sunny shrugged. "I dunno. All this wild shit around here? He's probably making something - Star said he likes that crap."

*

"Maybe she can explore with you?" Trip suggested.

Nova ran a hand through his hair. "Ah, shit. We'll be here another day, if someone doesn't pull him away."

*

Yue shook her head. "She has to watch over the babies, remember?"

*

He chuckled sheepishly. "...Yeah, that happens. But I did manage to complete the main projects." He reached into his pack, pulled out a chestplate and left pauldron similar to the ODST sharpshooter variant. "Here, Sol. This should fit snugly over your chest and left arm."

Sol grinned. "Very nice." With a little help, he get the equipment on.

"Once we locate Trip, we will go and tear 'im away ourselves if need be."

*

Trip smiled. "They can come. Maybe."

"Fine by me... By the way, Katherine, is Trip with anyone?"

*

"How? Are we going to carry them, on our backs?"

He laughed. "No. But if Elesis carried one, I could carry the other. I've held babies before."