After much thought and deliberation (and a bit of laziness) this week's prompts is: Rookie

The knock on her door was faint, but Princess awoke instantly. She had been dreaming, a beautiful dream in which he told her he was okay, things were all right, everything was going to be fine. The rookie mistake she had made had never happened. As her eyes opened, reality forced itself upon her. She felt nauseous. Details of their last mission sparked through her brain with horrifying clarity. The walls of her room closed in as the Chief's seaside villa took shape in the moonlight. Keyop was snuggled next to her in the big bed, thumb in his mouth, looking more toddler than warrior. She had rocked him to sleep after he had crept into her room after midnight, weepy and shattered. The knocking continued, louder this time, and Princess knew she'd have to answer soon or risk waking Keyop. She sighed. Tiny was at the marina, checking on the damage to his hometown and the remnants of his family. The attack had been swift and brutal, and Tiny was facing more than the death of a teammate. The Chief had let him return home briefly, a rarity since the war began. That left only one person who would be standing at her bedroom door at this hour. Princess slipped out of bed and turned the knob. Jason stood before her, shoulders slumped, clad in tattered sweatpants and one of Mark's faded T-shirts. He raised a weary set of eyes to her, his face drained of color. "What are you doing here?" she whispered, stepping forward and wrapping her arms around him. Jason had scarcely been seen in the week since Mark's funeral, reportedly spending his time driving aimlessly or practicing at the target range. Princess suspected that neither of the stories he told the Chief were true; he was secretly visiting the secluded graveyard where their commander had been laid to rest beside Cronus and Mark's older brother. Jason pulled away and held out his right arm. A small blue velvet box lay on his upturned palm. "Mark wanted you to have this," he said softly. "I remembered today. He made me promise to give it to you if ..." Jason swallowed hard, eyes glittering in the moonlight. "If anything happened to him." Princess took the box in both hands and walked over to the small sofa near the foot of the canopy bed. There she collapsed, her body wracked with silent tears. Jason approached her cautiously, a tentative hand outstretched, and she clung to him like a lifeline. Reluctantly, he sat next to her. She burrowed her face into his chest and he enfolded her into his arms, holding her as she cried. A moan rose from Keyop and they both froze. Princess sat upright. "I don't want to wake him," she whispered, wiping her tears with the back of her hand. He nodded. "I should go," he said, and started to rise. "Don't!" she whispered, louder than she had intended, and pulled him back down on the sofa. " You can't keep doing this." "Doing what?" "Running away." He sighed heavily, a shuddering sound, and put a hand to his face. "Okay," he whispered back. "I'll stay here tonight. But you have to open that box. Mark planned to give it to you after the war ended." She hadn't stopped clutching the velvet case since Jason had first handed it to her. Unfurling her fist, she held the bottom of the box and released the clasp on the lid. A pink diamond ring lay inside, the circular stone surrounded by smaller white diamond chips. A plain gold band snuggled behind the first, and when Princess realized what she was looking at, her heart stopped. "Yes," she whispered firmly into the empty air. "Yes, Mark, I will marry you." Then she dissolved into tears, howls of pain so loud that Jason couldn't contain them, until Keyop woke up and joined them in their embrace.

Oh, Julie, that is so sad, for all of them. You got yourself crying again, didn't you? That's when we know we've hit the pinnacle of our writing: when we're writing an emotional scene brings us to tears. Then you know your readers will have to be touched, too.

Originally posted by Becky Rock Oh, Julie, that is so sad, for all of them. You got yourself crying again, didn't you?.

I was just going to say the same thing, but you beat me to it BR.

Yup, that's me in tears as well... Strong piece, Jublke!

Oh my, this is truly heart-wrenching...I'm crying, too!!

Very touching, Julie. You really know how to tug at my heartstrings. Is it terrible of me that I'm hoping there's a Mark clone around...?

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Jublke: Well, now I'm all weepy. That was painful and beautiful, and all very in character. I can see Princess and Keyop glued together, Jason trying to escape and make sense of everything (and avoid the duty of delivering what was going to be both a wonderful and intensely painful gift), and poor Tiny, to lose his Commander and people from his old life as well.

Eeewwww! That's what they get for letting Ken set up those cameras! Poor Joe's gonna get a talking to from Nambu! "Let that be some weird secret door"! And Adam got that goon uniform off a drunk? LOL. No wonder it reeked.

I thought I'd let him insert a bit of chaotic humour into all the ultra-seriousness. Talk about 2 very differently contrasting pieces up so far!

CW- oh, that was ingenious. I'm afraid to find out what the second camera is attached to.

I already know, but I'm not telling, hehe.

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Jublke - a sad piece indeed, and painful to write too, I should imagine. I hope you'll be able to let us know what happened to Mark, and why Princess feels responsible for his fate. Chris - your piece couldn't be more different from Jublke's, but thoroughly enjoyable. Now the second camera position sounds weird, but I can't think where the third location could be that would possibly be any worst than the first....

KT: Boy, Jun sure does know how to work Joe, doesn't she? Did this all start with "Okay Ken, you need to go to a business class before you go completely bankrupt" and Jun going "with all those coeds by himself? they'll eat him alive!" and then Joe getting dragged in? Hehe.

Originally posted by ChrisW I already know, but I'm not telling, hehe.

Hmmmm....maybe....? LOL. KT: Oh, I really enjoyed this short piece! Joe needs to take that business course so he can open his own custom car repair/body shop when the war is over!

KT - I think Jun just wants to watch the coeds have fun with Ken so he'll think she's a safe haven.

KT -- Please please please follow this up with a peek at Joe at the buisness course!

CW -- I'm almost scared to ask about the second camera, in case I go BTW, I absolutely loved the image of the Chief in this one!

Originally posted by Daniella T KT -- Please please please follow this up with a peek at Joe at the buisness course!

Sorry, DT, no promises, it all depends on the prompts... but I will bear your request in mind though

Back to my favourite couple of Anderson and my OC, Sarah, for this one. //"Jason! Hey, Jason!" Jason turned his head at the urgent whisper, glanced up and down the long ISO corridor, but didn't see anyone. "Jason! Here! In my office!" came the voice again. Jason squinted and, sure enough, now he saw Chief Anderson poking his head around his office door. "Come here!" he hissed. Jason sauntered over, curious but not wanting to appear overly so. "What's the matter, Chief?" "Sit down!" ordered Anderson, pointing at a chair. Jason raised an eyebrow, but did not move. "What did I do now?" Anderson looked at him in surprise. "Who said you did anything? DID you do something?" he added, suspicious. Jason sighed, and sat down. "What is it, Chief?" Anderson seemed to be battling with himself. Jason wondered whether he was going to be punished or promoted. Then Anderson pulled a bag from under his desk. "I need your help," he said finally. That got Jason to sit up straight. "Help?" he echoed. Anderson nodded. "I may be the Chief of Security but I am, how can I put it, a bit of a rookie when it comes to dating..." Jason snorted. "You can say that again...Sorry, Chief, sorry!" he added hastily. He didn't want Anderson to change his mind and send him away. This way he would never find out what the Chief wanted his help with. Anderson pulled out a number of boxes from the bag. "These are gift boxes. They contain vouchers for weekends at the spa, by the beach, for an old castle, for a candlelight dinner...you name it. Everything a woman would want is here. I think." "So what do you need me for?" asked Jason, picking up the boxes and glancing at the list of gift vouchers contained in each one. "Well..." Jason would not swear to it, but the Chief blushed. "Which one would be best to give to Sarah for her birthday? For us to go together?"// P.S. In Belgium, gift certificates usually come in boxes called "Bongo boxes". They can be anything, from weekends around Europe to a day in a spa, to restaurants.

DT - I love how the Chief got Jason's attention. Talk about covert. Which one would Jason chose? I doubt Jason would do a spas, so probably not that one.

Originally posted by Becky Rock DT - I love how the Chief got Jason's attention. Talk about covert. Which one would Jason chose? I doubt Jason would do a spas, so probably not that one.

The castle! Definitely the castle!

I'm wondering why the Chief asked Jason for help with this. Is it because Jason was the only one nearby, or because he has the most experience with women???? I would have thought Princess would be the most logical choice when it comes to what women might like.

Originally posted by KT1972 I would have thought Princess would be the most logical choice when it comes to what women might like.

...Unless the Chief still thinks of Princess as a little girl...

Now I'm totally picturing the Chief in a trenchcoat in an alley going "psst!!!" This is cute. It is funny that he chose Jason, though it might just be that he was looking for just about anyone!

Julie .. thank you for quenching our curiosity! It was really heart wrenching, though! I can totally understand how sad it must have been for you too whilst writing it! Another powerful piece! CW .. what a contrast to the above! You nearly managed to knock me off my chair whilst I shook with laughter! Hopefully, enough cameras were handed over to Ken, the remaining ones compensating the others after the first ones served to satiate Ken's sense of humour! KT .. oh, Jun so knows how to play the boys! I wish I could be a fly on the wall during the lectures! DT .. Jason must have been relieved and totally surprised that he hadn't been called in by the Chief for a reprimand! I wonder which voucher he would choose!

Princess may be a woman -- or a girl, for Anderson -- but Jason is the one who gets all the chicks, so he knows what he's doing!

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Great way to share information. If they were listening, they're probably scratching their heads, then conferring, then going 'ahhhh'. Better go talk to the Pres to give Ryu that award!

It's always nice to see Ryu showing off his own slick moves. Smart of him to inflate things like a normal teen!

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LOL, seems like Ryu is enjoying himself!

"I may not be as skilled as you are with a gun, Joe, but I'm no rookie." Ken growled. Joe snarled as he stared down the barrel of his best friend's pistol. "Go on, mighty Gatchaman, I dare you. I don't think you have in you, coward!" "I'd love to end your life right now, but not until you tell me who you really are and what you're doing here...you impostor! Take off that mask!"

Springie: Ooooooh, there's definitely a story there! Intriguing.

Originally posted by ChrisW Springie: Ooooooh, there's definitely a story there! Intriguing.

Ditto!

Oooh Springie! We definitely want more. (Pleeeaaase?!) And I see you decided to put Ken in Birdstyle sans helmet! Interesting choice considering the background shows they're in a public place..

Agreed, Redbird, if that gun isn't pointing at Joe, then there's no way Ken will let him live!

Hahaha! I have absolutely no idea what is really going on here...this is just what popped into my head at the time. Although, the wheels in my head are turning as to what could be happening...maybe this could be a photo/caption series...

Sounds like a fun idea Springie! Go for it! And I love the new icon!

The guy would have to have Joe's voice to get that far. Why dies Ken have his helmet off? I show you mine and you show me yours?

Chris: Butt intelligence?! Nambu certainly knows how to get back at them! KT: I'd love to see a fic with Ken, Joe & Jun all in business classes together! DT: "'Who said you did anything? DID you do something?' he added, suspicious." That line is SO in character for the Chief, even during this atypical interaction. Love seeing the Chief as a closet romantic. The guy deserves a break. EW: Nice to see Ryu stepping up to the plate as an operative. Springie: Love the dialogue and the intense scene, but I can't quite figure out the story. You need to write and draw some more scenes, clearly.

EW ... yep ... like TJ said, Ryu is surely having some fun! And, he's got some really good acting skills, there! Springie ... I agree that that lovely pic is really crying for a background story and even a continuation! So many questions!

Went way back to the beginning of the year for this one. ******************************* Prompt #107 Rookie Joe lay atop the narrow bed in his trailer, arm thrown across his eyes. Why did the sunlight seem so bright? His brain hurt, his eyes hurt. Hell even his teeth hurt. Stomach gurgling, a moan escaped from between his parched lips as he shifted his weight into a more comfortable position, and shoved his other arm beneath his pillow. Never again he thought ruefully, trying to block out the pounding in his head. He had gone out drinking with Ken and Ryu the night before at some new bar that had opened a few miles from the marina. The three of them had sat at the main section of the bar for hours, their pile of bills slowly whittling down to nothing. Man, for someone who claimed he wasn't a drinker Ryu could sure pack it away. Nevertheless, he had a vague recollection of making it home the night before and spending a large part of it scrunched up on the floor in the bathroom, praying to the white porcelain god, like a rookie after downing his first six pack. Just how much did he drink anyway? And what the fuck did he drink that knocked him on his ass so badly? He hadn't felt this awful in a long time, probably not since the time he had managed to simultaneously piss off both Jun and Jinpei and the kid had baked those chocolate chip cookies and left them on the counter at the Snack. They were cookies. Of course he ate them, but found out later on they were laced with chocolate laxative, rather than chocolate chips. So instead of heading off to his race at the track, he was racing to his trailer to spend the afternoon and evening locked in its tiny bathroom. He didn't mention it to them, but realized the next time he came into the Snack, from the look on Jun's face, that they were even, and nothing more would be said. Unfortunately, Ken also ate some of the cookies, not as many as Joe did, and he lit into them for their prank, in between stomach cramps. Joe remembered the look on Jinpei's face when Ken threatened him that if he ever did something like that again, he'd make the kid do all his mail deliveries...on his bicycle

Redbird: LOLOL, the first rule of pranking, don't accidentally drag the boss into it! At least Joe seemed to understand he deserved it. Hope Ken and Ryu are okay after their wild night out!