Jonathan the 3rd of Conte` blinked. He found himself suddenly in a crowded area with a ton of… dancing teenagers! Dancing was the only word he could think of to describe the bending, twisting, loud, teenagers, though it looked nothing like the dancing he was familiar with. Wondering what he could possibly be wearing, he looked down at himself. He was wearing black pants and a white shirt. At least I'm not wearing some of the things these teenagers are wearing. Some of them have barely anything on, Jon thought to himself. Maybe someone can tell me where I am.
Suddenly he noticed a commotion on the other side of the room. He walked in that direction, trying to figure out what could possibly happening- not that too much could surprise him now, considering he was…somewhere he didn't know.
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Alanna the Lioness was quite surprised and a little shaken when she appeared in front of what appeared to be a mob of moving, twisting, teenagers, when she had been walking into the council room for a meeting only two minutes ago. It appeared her hasty, though not intentional, landing had gone unnoticed. Alanna sighed. At least I didn't appear in the Dark God's Realms or the Chaos realms…Alanna thought to herself.
I better ask where I am. "Excuse me, but where am I?" Alanna asked one of the loud, male teenagers. "You can come with me, babe. See what we can do for your babe status with me around…." he trailed off, already hauling her to another area. "Hey! Get your hands off of me!" Alanna exclaimed sharply. "Oh, and what are you going to do about it if I don't???" the youth asked challengingly with mock sincerity, not even bothering to think of the fact that the girl might know self-defense and a lot more. That was his mistake. "This," Alanna grunted as she threw him across her hip. She threw a Shang kick at him when he recovered enough to stand up. Alanna and the teenager now had everyone's attention, whether Alanna wanted the attention or not. The teenager, finally realizing his first mistake, now looked scared. Alanna, on the other hand, was crouched in a fighting stance and watching her opponent's torso for the telltale sign of where his next movement was directed.
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Jon finally made it over to the area where the commotion was. By this time, a thick crowd had formed, and it was like walking through maple syrup. When Jon reached the inner circle of the crowd, he saw the source of the commotion and shouted aloud.
The source of the commotion was a teenage girl who looked very familiar- a slim, short, girl with copper hair ... though he hadn't seen the girl's eyes, he was pretty sure who the girl was. The girl was in a fighting stance and most definitely knew self-defense.
"Alanna?? Is that you?" he exclaimed, still shocked. The girl turned around quickly and Jon saw that, as he had concluded, the girl had violet eyes. "Jon!" she yelled in amazement. Her momentarily forgotten opponent took advantage of the moment and grabbed Alanna, to throw her in the hope she'd be knocked out. Alanna wreathed in his tight grip and punched out at her opponent. He was knocked unconscious by the force (Alanna was a lot stronger than she looked) and the placement of the Shang punch. She had caught him a heavy blow on the side of his forehead, making him black out. The teenager was stunned and not seriously hurt, but he would be sore in several places for quite a while. Jon meanwhile, raced up to Alanna.
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Finally, some one who can actually fight! Alanna thought with a grin. "What are you grinning about?" Jon asked Alanna with a smile of his own. "Nothing important. I'll tell you later." "Maybe we should get out of here … now," Jon said distractedly, finally noticing that a friend of the knocked-out teenager had called a sturdy guy in a uniform and his companions, all similarly built and dressed. He suddenly had a built-in dictionary for everything in this world that he came across if he wanted to know what it was. It was no doubt a 'helper' from the person who had sent them to this world. He now knew that the uniformed men coming towards them were cops. Apparently Alanna had the same built-in dictionary because she came up with a conclusion at the exact same time as he did. The conclusion was run!
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(Meanwhile, in tortall…) "In the names of Mirthros, Mynoss, and Shakith, what happened to Alanna and Jon??" Numair roared after seeing Alanna dissapear right as she was entered the council room. When Numair turned back to ask Jon what they should do, he was met with empty space. Jonathan had presumably gone to the same place as Alanna. Numair sighed dejectedly. Queen Thayet looked positively shocked. "Who could have done that??" Queen Thayet asked. "The Gods…or a very powerful mage perhaps…" Raoul answered sadly. Gary agreed. "I'll go tell George, Alanna's children, and my children." Thayet muttered gloomily. "Cheer up, Thayet. We'll find them soon." Raoul began with more confidence than he felt. Then he was gone, as was Gary. "Just a guess, but I think they were sent off to wherever Alanna and Jon are. Hope they find them." Numair said, aware that the wife of the king was watching him carefully.
"I'll join you in telling your children, Alanna's children, and George, after I ask Daine to ask the People (animals) to see if they might know where Gary, Raoul, Alanna, and Jon went." Numair finished.
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As Alanna and Jon ran, with the cops looking bewildered as to what they should do, Alanna suddenly skidded to a stop and grabbed Jon's hand so he did skidded to a stop also. "Kiss me, make it seem like we're lovers out together or something, but keep moving. Move only slightly, though. Slowly walk over to that corner over there and lean in to me. So they think there was nothing wrong before." Alanna commanded, her eyes flickering with emotions unknown to him. Alanna's eyes also flickered everywhere watching for trouble. "Alright.." Jon muttered nervously. He pressed his lips to hers softly, then pulled back, gazing at her with the look a lover has, while slowly moving to the corner Alanna had said to move toward. Alanna acted the exact same way. Suddenly Jon noticed something he hadn't noticed before because he'd been surprised by his and Alanna's appearance in this unknown area. Alanna looked only about 18 or so, while she'd been middle-aged in Tortall. Jon needed to tell her that and ask if he was the age he had been, or perhaps a lot younger. He sighed but kept the look of love on his face, while wanting to tell her about his discovery. Alanna and Jon finally made it to the corner, while the cops lost interest. They both dropped the 'love' glances and instead had serious expressions on their faces. "Alanna, you're young! As in 18 or so! How old do I look?" he asked, curious. Alanna regarded him thoughtfully and then announced he looked to be 20 or 21…
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Gary landed partly in a keg of open beer; Raoul landed with a soft thump on the ground of the bar they had both landed in. Gary looked like he wished he had landed where Raoul had, for obvious reasons. "Maybe we're at the Dancing Dove, and Jon and Alanna are here too. Maybe it was just a misunderstanding of someone using one of those power words that Numair was talking about a couple years ago." Raoul offered halfheartedly. "No. If we were in the Dancing Dove, we would have recognized some people." Gary answered flatly. "Lets ask that man over there. He looks like he might be in charge of this place. We can ask him where we are." "Alright," Raoul agreed.
When Raoul and Gary walked up to the presumed man in charge and tried to talk to him, the man simply glared at the two huge men and resumed his work. "Hmm…guess they don't like giants around here!" Raoul joked. "Guess so," Gary answered with a comically sad face. "Us giants will just have to stick together, Raoul." "Let's go try the next place after this bar or across the road," Raoul answered instead, but still grinning.
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"What do you think we should do?" Alanna asked Jon with a small sigh. Jon looked down trying to think of what they should do but caught a glimpse of the very revealing thing Alanna was wearing and felt his face get hot in embarrassment. "What??" Alanna asked in confusion. Alanna followed Jon's glance and felt her own face get amazingly hot. Alanna was wearing a small, black, leather bikini-like top that showed of nearly all of her stomach and back, including a good part of her chest. The bikini-like top started in the high part of her back with the strip of cloth going two ways to meet in the middle- only they didn't quite meet in the middle, instead leaving a strip of bareness in the area right between her breasts. The only thing holding the strips closed in front was a slim line of cloth. Alanna was also wearing a small black, leather miniskirt. Because she was slim, and fit, even though short, she looked extremely sexy.
To Jon, Alanna looked almost like a stranger, though she acted the exact same way as always did, and he could plainly tell that Alanna the Lioness could think of quite a few things she would rather be wearing. Breeches, for example. Suddenly Alanna swore violently. "Jon, you're going to have to kiss me again, but stay where you are. The cops are coming toward us again, and they don't look all that friendly. Make yourself look busy," Alanna whispered quickly. Sure enough, the cops were headed their way.
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Gary and Raoul walked into the place across the street from the bar they had just vacated. "Gary, look for Alanna or Jon. I'll do the same. If we can find one we'll probably find the other. I bet the person ... or thing … that sent us put us fairly near to each other. You and I were put right across from each other, anyway," Raoul quickly ordered. Both Gary and Raoul spotted Alanna and Jon near each other. Gary and Raoul noticed that both Jon and Alanna looked different, not that they could tell much, for they only viewed their backs. "Jon! Alanna!" Gary exclaimed, just as Alanna and Jon turned slightly. Raoul and Gary could now see what Alanna and Jon were doing: they were kissing and looking very busy with each other.
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Both Alanna and Jon turned toward the voices. Alanna jumped up and raced toward them. "Do you know where we are?" Alanna asked hopefully. Neither Gary nor Raoul could not hide their surprise at what Alanna was wearing. "Stop staring at me! I didn't pick this out! Whoever or whatever sent us, picked it," Alanna told the two huge men tartly, already feeling another blush creep up her face. "Probably had quite a fun time deciding what annoying thing I would have to wear..." Alanna grumbled. "Did you come in when Jon was kissing me? Because if that's why you're looking at me weirdly… I can explain that easily. Jon will tell you the same thing," Alanna stated easily. "Yes we ... uhh, were wondering about that ... and your outfit. I don't think you've ever worn anything like what your wearing now" Gary answered for both of them. Alanna scowled once more, "Lets get off the topic of what I'm wearing!" She was touching her ember stone, looking annoyed and muttering something- probably swearing…
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Then, there were three people sitting in lump-like-form right in front of the teenagers Alanna, Raoul, Gary, and Jon. As Alanna and Jon bent down to see who the people were, Gary and Raoul simply stared. "Sir Raoul of Goldenlake? Sir Gary of Naxen? King Jonathan? Lady Alanna?" One of the 'lumps' inquired, sounding nervous and surprised. First not one of the now-teenagers could tell who that particular lump was, but then they noticed that one side of his face held puffy scars, revealing himself to be Lord Wyldon, training master at the Royal Palace. Alanna stepped back and glared at Lord Wyldon. Alanna stalked off, not bothering to tell anyone where she was going. Raoul sighed, but he knew that Alanna could take care of herself- even in that… outfit… she had on. The two smaller lumps now looked up, revealing themselves to be Keladry of Mindelan, and Neal of Queen's Cove.
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Keladry, known as Kel, turned to the boy, her friend, at her side. "Was that the Lioness?" Kel asked with curiosity and hopefulness. The boy at her side, Neal, replied, "I didn't see her but the s- Lord Wyldon said her name, and he's never been one who jests. It probably was. Anyway, she isn't here now." He broke off as he realized Kel wasn't listening, but instead watching a short, angrily striding form, intently. "Is that the Lioness?" Kel asked once again, her eyes never straying from the angry striding of the short figure. "It might be or it might not…I can't tell. Ask Sir Raoul or Sir Gary. They're close friends of the Lioness and would know if that's her." Neal suggested helpfully. "Umm … Sir Raoul, I have a question for you." The huge man turned in surprise to the girl, Kel. "Yes?" Raoul asked. "Is that the Lioness over there?" Raoul looked toward the figure Kel was watching and answered a simple yes.
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Alanna was walking- stalking actually- over to the door of the building, when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She already had a glare for the person as she turned around, but then she caught herself. Best not to cause attention to herself. A voice, familiar yet somehow not, broke into her thoughts. "Alanna?" the voice whispered disbelievingly.
Alanna came out of her thoughts and really looked at the person who spoke, ready to hit or punch him if she needed to. "Thom?" she asked in the same disbelieving voice that the person had used. "It's really you- I doubt anyone else could welcome her brother so rudely! How did you get here? Gods, I missed you." Thom gave her a crushing hug as Alanna smiled hugely while she felt tears in her eyes, and returned the hug enthusiastically. It really was, amazingly, her had-been-dead twin, Thom of Trebond! "How'd you get here, Thom? You died!" Alanna exclaimed.
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"Uhh ... Jon? You might want to see what Alanna's doing. I think she might be drunk..." Raoul, who had not stopped watching Alanna, suggested carefully. Jon turned from talking to Gary, and strode the short distance to Raoul, with Gary close behind. "Hmm? What about Alanna?" Jon asked. "Look over there," Raoul directed Jon and Gary's glances toward the short form hugging, smiling and talking with a red headed young man. "Mirthros! What a great time for Alanna to decide she's going to have a lover here! What should we do now?" Jon glared at Alanna, frustrated. As if by some silent understanding, Alanna turned toward Jon, Gary, Raoul, Kel, Neal, and Wyldon, crossing her arms over her chest, and with her whole body language saying "What?" When she simply received a glare, she glared right back. Violet eyes are very unnerving to look into, especially when the owner of the eyes is glaring. Therefore, Jon broke the glaring first. Alanna continued to glare, but when the red headed man said something to her, she turned toward him instead. She laughed at something he said, a smile soon replacing a glare. She nodded and pointed toward the other Tortallons, each in turn. Jonathan sighed as he said ,"I guess we'll have to go over there and see what's going on." "Hmph ... Knew women couldn't be trusted or relied upon," Wyldon grumbled to himself. Gary, who was nearest to 'the stump', the pages' nickname for Wyldon, glared but made no other hostile movements. I'll let Alanna fight him..she should get to, after him making Alanna forbidden to see the page, Keladry, Gary decided after wrestling with thoughts of hurting Wyldon. Besides, he needs to see first hand that women can fight!
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" You'll fit in just fine in this world, if you wear that kind outfits all the time! Is the king still a prig?-" Thom was saying, but then turned around as someone tapped him, interrupting him. "Excuse me, I am in the middle of a conversation," Thom glared, his face a mirror of Alanna's own. He had the same violet eyes, and copper hair, as well as the same face. Kel and Neal looked surprised and shocked, as did Lord Wyldon. Jon, Gary, and Raoul, however simply seemed shocked. Alanna grinned wryly and said, "To those who don't know, this is Thom of Trebond, a black robe mage, at least he used to be anyway. Thom, do you still have magic?" Thom nodded as he asked, "Want me to show you outside?" "Sure. Want to come? Jon? Gary? Raoul?" Alanna didn't wait for an answer.
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Kel was shocked. What in the Goddess' name was The Lioness wearing? It only covered an area of her chest and the skirt was extremely short! Kel had never heard of the Lioness described in clothing such as those she was wearing at the very moment. Kel examined Lady Alanna closely and because of having a chance to really look at the Lioness, discovered her to be only around 18! Kel turned to Neal and told him, "Examine the Lioness more closely! Does she look the same as she does in Tortall? I've never seen her in Tortall so I wouldn't know …." Neal looked at Alanna and, just as the king had done, began to blush, but said simply, "I'm looking," when Kel's elbow jammed him in the side. "She does look different! She looks to be about the age where she was knighted. Well, about the age of when she was knighted anyway. And the clothes ... Mirthros, I've never seen a Lady where something so revealing, much less the Lioness," Neal said after a moment of thinking. "Why did you say 'much less the Lioness'? What do you mean?" Kel asked impatiently. "Lady Alanna hates court functions. She was notorious when she was a page and squire, for how she dis-liked the Ladies and never, if she could help it, went to court balls and functions." Neal explained swiftly. Gary, who hadn't gone outside to see Thom's magic, laughed outright at this. "Alanna especially disliked Lady Delia, when all the other pages, squires, and even some knights, were wanting Delia as their lover. Jon included. Alanna had good reason, actually, to dislike Delia, as it was discovered later. Delia was a traitor and was sent to prison. Jon became Alanna's lover, though-" Suddenly he stopped, for Alanna had just come inside and was now glaring at Gary for mentioning private events in her life. Jon and Raoul came in a second later, unconcerned. "Alanna told Thom he'd better not raise Roger again " Raoul informed Gary. Then Jon noticed the eyes of Kel and Neal on him. " What?" Jon asked them, wondering at their stares. "Was the Lioness really your lover when you were young?" Neal couldn't help asking. Jon turned red but was saved from having to answer as Alanna came one again over to where they were sitting. "Is it true?" Neal asked once again, except this time of Alanna. "Is what?" Alanna answered, looking quite vexed. "That you and the king were once lovers," Neal persisted, even though Kel's foot had stamped itself on his foot, hard, and had her elbow had again jabbed him.
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"Gary, you'd better not tell people of my personal life, past or present, again! " Alanna glared, but then. When she noticed Neal was about to open his mouth again, quickly said, "And yes, it's true." Alanna continued scowling.
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Thom came over then, and told Alanna that she might want to look outside. Alanna shrugged and walked outside with Jon, who was still blushing slightly.
Alanna walked outside and was surprised. There was Moonlight ...with
Faithful, sitting in the saddle cup. The Goddess told me to come along. To protect you. See you decided on George. You probably shouldn't wear something like what you're wearing, again, not unless you want another lover. Faithful told her, his voice, because he chose, only heard by Alanna. Still, I sort of missed you, Faithful purred as he jumped onto Alanna's shoulder, his old 'spot'. Alanna grinned, as Jon complained. "I can't hear him! Is he going to do that all the time?" Jon said sighing. Shut up! I'll talk to you when I want to. Faithful yowled, giving Jon the privilege of being able to understand him. Alanna couldn't help but grin at the cat's bluntness. Jon scowled, but wisely kept his mouth shut. Alanna went over to Moonlight and hugged the sand and cloud colored horse. Moonlight nickered a reply. "I better ask Thom what I should do here. Not to mention where I should keep Moonlight. Jon, watch over Moonlight while I ask Thom." Alanna commanded. Alanna walked quickly back into the building.
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"Why'd you pick up a cat?" Raoul asked, his voice surprised. Alanna laughed, "It's Faithful." Kel and Neal both looked confused. "How could it be faithful to you if you only saw it about 10 minutes ago?" Kel asked finally. "Faithful was a cat Alanna found while delivering a message to Myles, as a squire. Alanna was at her campfire when she found Faithful. Faithful was a small, hungry kitten, so Alanna took him in. In truth, Faithful was sent to watch over Alanna by -" Raoul stopped as Alanna glared. "Same goes for you, Raoul ... don't talk about my personal life unless I want you to!" Now Kel, not to mention Neal, looked very interested. "How could a cat protect the Lioness? Wouldn't it be the other way around?" a confused, though interested Neal asked. Faithful hissed, once again giving the privilege of letting everyone hear what he said, What I do is by business, not yours. Yeah, I can talk. What did ya think, a cat of the Goddess wouldn't be able to communicate in human speech? Well, then you are an idiot! And I have magic, too. Don't think I'm a regular cat. "See why it's not a good thing to say that kind of stuff about Faithful? " Alanna winced. Suddenly Faithful turned his head toward Neal, and Neal gasped. "What's wrong?" Alanna asked. "Y-your cat~ it's got violet eyes! It's a G-God!" Ya just now got that? Man, you gotta work on intelligence.
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"Anyway, do you know where Thom went? I've got to ask him where to put Moonlight. Also where we are going to be staying," Alanna pointed to Gary, Raoul, Kel, Neal, and Wyldon. Raoul sighed," I think he went over there." Raoul stood on the tips of his feet and managing to spot Thom, pointed over to the area where Alanna's twin stood idly. Alanna strode over to Thom quickly, Raoul following more slowly, instead looking with curiosity at his surroundings. "Thom," Alanna began. "Where will Moonlight, Gary, Jon, Raoul, Keladry, Neal, Wyldon," she spat the last name with disgust. "And I stay? Goddess, that was a mouthful!." "I arrived in this world a couple of months before you but I do go to the local college... " Thom mused thoughtfully, more to himself than anyone else. " The male dorms where I live between collage classes is a total mess but-" "You want me to go and dress up *again* as a male?? Are you kidding?" A disbelieving Alanna asked. Raoul came up in time to hear the last part. "What?!?" Raoul yelped. "No! What I was going to say was that all of you will have to go to college. All teenagers and children have to go to school. Oh, and school here is a lot more advanced than in Tortall. One thing is, you'll have to say you wear contacts, but you're a natural red head. People think I'm weird enough already, with my violet eyes. If they knew that we are twins, which they'll probably guess anyway, they'd start to wonder and also think we were nuts or something!" Alanna sighed but only shrugged. "Okay, guess that takes care of the people, but where will Moonlight go?"
"Moonlight can be stabled at Winding River, the nearby stable. Keladry and Neal will have to go to the Junior High. Wyldon can just buy an apartment or do whatever he wants, because he's to old to go to school!" Thom answered. Go and forget about the cat, why don't ya! Geez! What about me?! Faithful, a vexed Faithful at that, told Alanna crossly. Alanna responded," You can just sleep in my room or something. If they don't allow pets, like at the palace, you can just try to stay hidden or you can just pretend to be a homeless cat." Fine .
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Chapter 2
Alanna watched the sleeping Kel thoughtfully. Would the girl make it through knight's training? What about the chamber of Ordeal? Alanna layed down on her bed. Kel lay on the bed next to hers. Alanna thought about what had happened that day. First they had traveled to a new world. Then, Alanna had found her twin brother. Next, they had gone to a local hotel to spend the night, and tomorrow, they would go to the local College and hope they'd be allowed in. Geez, things always happened to her! Alanna gazed at Kel once again, and was about to doze off, when she sneezed rapidly a couple times. Knowing that, for some reason, she always sneezed when the Great Goddess was coming to her, she looked around the room instantly after having finished the last sneeze.
There in front of her stood The Great Mother Goddess.
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