n-3^07-! (I love you)

Chapter fourteen

With the still moments that followed, everyone was able to catch their breaths.
"We did it!" Cheered Ginro.
"Your teamwork is remarkable, I'll give you that." Said Hyoga. "And dirty betrayal." He turned his attention on Senku. "And the scientific knowledge to create guns and katanas. You really seem to know the proper way of doing things."
Senku didn't seem the least bit interested in what he had to say.
"Are you done yet? Flattery will get you nowhere." Said Yae.
Senku held up a hand as a warning to Yae to stay silent.
Hyoga continued. "It would have been more proper if you had realized that all of this was a distraction."
Everyone started to sniff the air, a thick odor of smoke wafted through the air. They all turned in surprise, mouths dropping.
"I see. So that's what you were after." Senku said.
"We have to do something and fast!" Yae pulled on his sleeve.
"No!" Senku held her back. "Look!"
A girl dressed in pink was making her way over. She was holding a torch and clearly the one responsible for setting the village on fire.
"Another one?" Said Kokuyo.
Hyoga smiled with his eyes. "Say hello to my right hand, Homura. She can handle herself properly, unlike this men and their melted brains."
But no matter his words, the former chief went after the girl named Homura but she easily dodged his attack by jumping over him.
"You bitch!" Yelled Kohaku as she ran at the girl, but even with Kohaku's swift moves, Homura dodged her attacks as well.

Next Homura ran straight toward Yae and Senku. At first, Yae put herself in front of Senku, shielding him just as Kohaku had told her to do. But Senku would have none of it and he hugged Yae from behind, turning her over quickly so that his back now faced Homura. Fortunately there was no need. Homura jumped over them both, and then Ginro and Kinro as well.
"What are those moves?" Kohaku was amazed, yet cautious of her new enemy's skills.

With that, the enemy left, leaving the others helpless in their fight of putting the water out.
"Everyone, this way!" Asagiri yelled.
Yae and senku, along with others, ran to gather all of the villagers. There was too much fire and not enough able hands to snuff it out.

All of the bridges connecting to the main village were cut down. The villagers were stranded.
"Everyone, we have to get to the science lab and my hut. It's safe there!" Chrome shouted, trying his best to get their attention. Senku and team gathered all they could together and escorted them safely to the science lab.

While the village burned to ash, it was up to the  kingdom of science to keep the villagers safe.
"Stay on guard." Kinro said sternly. "The enemy can attack at any given moment." 
"How are we supposed to protect all these people?" Ginro asked, clearly flustered.
"Shelter the children in the science shed. It's our only hope." Kohaku told him.
"O-okay!" But as Ginro ran to do as the lioness had instructed, a line of fire stopped him from doing so, and on the other side stood Homura.
There was little time to react to the fire. It spread so quickly, making things even more difficult.
"Grab the water!" Senku yelled.
The villagers all helped bring buckets filled to the brim with water. There were some people who carried water in their water sacks as there was not enough buckets to go around. Even some of Senku's glass lab bottles were used.

All the while Ginro stood there helpless.
"All those rocks and minerals Chrome gathered for all those years are going to be destroyed. We'll have to start from zero all over again. It'll take years!" He cried.
Yae stopped just long enough to yell at him. "Then stop crying about it and actually help prevent it from happening!" She tossed the water from her bucket into the fire and watched it sizzle.
And with all the commotion, no one noticed Suika run off. It was only after they had made a dent in putting out the fire did Kohaku finally notice the sweet little girl was missing.
"Where's Suika?" asked Kohaku. "Did she get left behind?"
"I saw her run off into the forest." Said Ginro. "I was going to go after her, but she was too fast. I think she said something about saving the village from the bad guys."
Yae gasped. "We have to go after her! If they catch her..." She went silent. She didn't want to finish that sentence. Her face suddenly went grim. "You don't think..." She gulped, "that she went to the Emerald lake, do you?"
"And this wind..." Kohaku wondered out lout.
"There's something strange about it for sure." Senku said.
Kohaku turned, ready to run after Suika, but Yae quickly grabbed her hand. "Wait! Let's think for a moment. Suika ran off in the direction as the lake, right? Well, remember what's over there?"
Senku nodded. "She's right. We can't go just like this. Let's grab the gas masks!"