"You ever think about it." he questioned
"What?" she sat next to him, her eyes closed as the last bit of sunlight beamed down upon her face.
"How we never… just… stop."
She opened her eyes, turning her attention fully toward him. "I have no clue what you're talking about."
"Mom could be… dead. But we won't… can't face the truth can we?"
"Mahad," she scolded. "Mom is fine, I've felt her."
"Right." he nodded, not paying much attention to her. His eyes rested on the old water tank floating a few feet away from Puerto Angel. It's small piece of earth it rested on, looking as if it might fall apart at any moment. "But… how do you know your not being tricked? What if Oslo figured out someway to mess with your senses."
There was a long pause of silence, she rested back into her comfortably position on her grassy bed. "That would be… evil."
Mahad looked down at his sister sympathetically. "I didn't mean to scare you Lena. I'm sure Oslo can't do that."
She didn't reply, just merely let her arms glow lightly in the last ways of sun as it turned to night. "I do think about it sometimes though. What if I'm wrong? Could she really be…?"
His turn not to reply.
"I'm going to head back home Mahad." she pulled herself up. "See you there."
With one last small smile she started back toward the town of their small block.
---
Lena pushed open her bedroom door, it's contents still in the same place she had left them, unstirred.
She picked up the brown book that lay upon her bed, a large golden 'P' on the cover. Peter Pan had always been her favorite.
She could still remember the first time her mother read it to her. The way her deep, pretty voice could bring all the creatures of the fantasy to life. Tinkerbell's angry face, how it turned bright red when she was mad, and Wendy's way of giving Peter a kiss. The way her brothers were always getting into trouble. Just like Mahad.
She placed the book on her dresser, sighing heavily. "Mom?" she called out softly. "Are you okay?" she closed her eyes and waited, yet no one spoke back to her. "I'm not sure if you can hear me… but I miss you. A lot. I hope… I hope your okay and…" she paused. "I need you, so does Mahad. He's loosing hope mom."
With another sigh Lena left her room, going to try and find refuge from her senses. Were they right? Or wrong?
She slowly walked toward the tavern, it being the only place noisy enough for her to not be able to think about her mother or Mahad's strange, gloomy behavior.
---
Mahad slipped down into the front seat of the Hyperion, kicking his feet up on the dash.
With a sigh he closed his eyes, listening to the faint noise coming from the tavern. He really didn't feel up to going in there at the moment.
He'd thought it over so many times, how he hadn't been able to protect his mother.
"Mom?" he didn't open his eyes, afraid he just might see his mother's face. "I really don't know if this works… but Lena seems to think it does. I just wanted to say I'm sorry. Sorry I couldn't protect you." he was forced to open them suddenly, as the noise of an engine drew near.
He turned around, gazing out of the dark night sky. He jumped up all of a sudden, hitting his head on the roof of the Hyperion. "Ow!" he mumbled, opening the hatch and jumping out.
---
"Cortes!" he burst through the tavern doors, but was unable to locate the captain, whom might not even be here. "Everyone be quiet!" he yelled, causing the conversations between everyone to die down.
"Come on Mahad," Patrucci rolled his eyes. "We know you like to be the center of attention but really, do you have to yell?"
He glared at the older man. "Oh I suppose I could just keep quiet while the Sphere invades then."
Whispering rippled through the tavern.
"What do you mean? Where?" Lena slid off her chair from the bar.
"It just circled around the block, it'll be here any moment!" he said, rather annoyed that no one was taking this seriously.
"Where's Cortes?" Dahlia went to the doors, pushing them open for a moment. She turned back around to face everyone. "Okay, I want everyone to stay here while us three go find Cortes, he'll take care of it."
The small amount of citizens in the room wore looks of panic and fear, all of whom were not their feet ready to leave.
"She's right, they won't bother you." Lena nodded fallowing Dahlia out the door. "I hope." she whispered as Mahad went out behind her.
---
By the time they'd reached the large stone steps leading up to the lighthouse, Cortes was already running down them. "Lena, Mahad get in the lighthouse, Dahlia come with me."
"But Cortes I can help!" Mahad protested, grasping the man's arm as he went by. He quickly released it though.
"Mahad I don't have time for this, just get in the lighthouse with Lena, we'll take care of it."
He opened his mouth again to argue but the captain had already continued descending the steps. Dahlia glanced at her two friends before quickly fallowing.
"Come on." Lena grabbed her brother's hand, pulling him away as he watched them go.
Once they were close to the lighthouse though, he stopped. "I forgot my boomerang." he said as truthfully as possible.
"Yu never forget your boomerang, it's behind you." she tried to pull him more.
He reached back, feeling the smooth surface of his weapon. "It's not there."
"Mahad…" she let out an exasperating sigh. "We don't need it right now just come on."
He pulled his hand away turning and jogging back down the steps. "Get in the lighthouse Lena I'll be right back!"
He almost thought she'd fallow him, but for some reason she didn't. Instead she continued up toward the tall slim structure.
---
He pulled boomerang out as he neared the town square. Several brigs stood there, with them, obviously, was Diwan.
"Where is the girl?" she sneered to whomever stood before her, the person was blocked from Mahad's view.
"What girl?" it was Patrucci.
As he listened he suddenly felt a had roughly grab his shoulder. He jumped away from his hiding place in the alley, almost in plain sight of Diwan and her brigs.
This caught the guardian's attention and she glanced there way for the briefest moment, catching sight of a rather familiar face for only a second.
"Dammit Mahad." Cortes growled, pulling the boy back into the shadows. "Why can't you listen?"
A moment later Diwan spoke again. "The Sejin, Lena."
There was a pause.
"A Sejin you say? Well… I'm afraid I can't help you. As you can see there are no Sejins here. Wouldn't that be against the Sphere law?"
"Yes, yes it would." she growled, though her tone softened. She stared to walk around Patrucci, looking over the small houses. "I suppose then, you won't mind if we just check the houses, tavern… alleys."
Cortes grabbed Mahad's arm and pulled him back, away from the center of the town.
They were to far for listening now, but it was obvious Patrucci said yes, because several brigs started to spread out, one going into the alley they had just run out of, and back up toward the lighthouse.
"You better of not blow our cover or so help me…" Cortes growled, nearly dragging him up the steps.
Once they were at the top he pulled the lighthouse door open, throwing the boy in. "Stay." he growled, closing it shut a moment later.
---
The Sphere left soon after that, not being able to find any trace of Lena. After awhile Mahad and she started back down for the town, thanking Vector for the… wonderful history lesson he gave them on how Skyland came to be.
"I never thought I'd actually get bored of being with Vector." Lena rubbed her temples non stop, groaning. "My head hurts."
Her brother though, didn't say anything.
"Something wrong?"
He stopped, glancing at her in the corner of his eye. "When they first arrived, I didn't go down there for my boomerang. I went to go help. But I think I might have done more damage then anything."
"Mahad I knew you weren't going down there for your boomerang, but I wasn't about to stop you. It's not my fault your stubborn." she smiled. "But what happened?"
"Diwan saw me, or at least I think she did. Only for a slight second though, I mean I'm not sure she even knew it was me. It's just… what if she did? She might just have left to get more help."
"I'm sure it's fine. Usually she would have stayed and tried to find me. She didn't, so everything's alright."
"I hope you're right Lena." he continued walking with a sigh.
---
"Lena," someone whispered softly, shaking her shoulder. "Come on, wake up."
Her eyes opened a bit, revealing Mahad standing over her. She jerked her head up, smashing into his.
"Ow!" he stumbled backwards, clutching his forehead. "What's wrong?"
"You scared me!" she exclaimed angrily, but softened. "What time is it?"
"Early." he muttered starting for the door. "I need you to come with me."
"Where?" she slid off the bed, rushing after her brother. A week and a half had passed since the sphere had come, ever since then Mahad had been acting a little funny.
"I can't tell you yet," he uneasily glanced at her as he pushed open the door to their house.
She thought for several seconds. "Did Cortes tell us to do something?"
"Uh… no…" he quickened his pace, heading toward the docking bay.
"Mahad," she stopped abruptly, causing him to turn around. "Is this another one of your wild adventures? Because if it is-"
"No Lena," he grasped her hand, pulling her along with him. "I'll tell you when we get in the Hyperion."
She sighed. No use trying to get it out of him now.
---
Mahad switched the ship on, causing a low rumbling noise to erupt from the engine. He glanced around uneasily outside.
"What's the matter with you?" Lena questioned as he pulled the Hyperion away from Puerto Angel. "Where are we going?"
He didn't answer.
"Mahad!" she slammed her hand down onto the dash, causing the ship to stop abruptly. "Tell me where we're going or I'll turn this ship around and take us right back to Cortes."
Mahad grasped her hand, only pulling back when he got a little shock of Sejin powers.
She looked at him demandingly.
"Okay fine, but you have to promise we'll still go after I tell you."
She hesitated. "Agreed."
"We're going back to Bablonia."
"What?!" she exclaimed, causing the ship to jerk at her sudden burst of energy. She removed her hand from the dash. "Why?"
"Because Lena, I can't risk screwing up again. Putting you in danger, like I did at Puerto Angel."
"Mahad I'm fine." she rolled her eyes slightly. "
He slowed the Hyperion, turning his gaze on her. "Lena ever since we joined Cortes you've been put through constant danger!"
"And you are just now realizing this? Just because I get into danger sometimes doesn't mean-"
"Okay listen." he stopped the ship for a moment, turning around in his seat to face her. "We'll go there. But if we see even the slightest hint that the Sphere's around. We'll leave."
She looked away for a moment. A little hurt that he didn't even talk to her about it until now. It was true though, she was in more danger with the pirates... "Alright Mahad."