After four years of not hearing from any of their friends, save for the Tuskinos, Tony, Marc, & the others gave up trying to find them.
"I really miss pretty kitty & Zach." Thatch sighed, resting his head on his girlfriend's shoulder.
Megan patted his blonde mop of hair from her seat in his lap. "First time I've heard those names in a long time."
Lee & Tony nodded in agreement. "Why did we just give up?" Lee wondered.
"Because it's a waste of time." Marc said bitterly.
Thatch sighed. "Come on, Marc. She had to leave. There are certain things that they have to do that you wouldn't know about."
"I would believe you if you would actually tell us what those things were." Marc crossed his arms stubbornly.
Thatch got up at the sound of his phone, sitting Megan back down in the seat. "I have to leave early. I'll see you guys later, okay?"
"Sure." Tony agreed.
As they walked down the halls, a locker popped open. "Here we go." Marc sighed before getting sucked in.
"Afternoon spies!" Jerry greeted.
"Hey Jerry." The spies called back.
"What's the mission today?" Tony asked, rubbing his hands together.
Jerry shook his head. "No mission today. You're headed to an island called Grohm to attend a ball hosted by my dear friend Antanasia. I, however, have too much work to do to attend. Tony, Marc, you are to be her granddaughters' dates. Megan, Lee, the Tuskinos & Thatch will also be attending, so you are permitted to have him & Aquanette as your dates."
"So, we're being set up on a blind date?" Tony wondered.
"Yes! And since Antanasia's son is the emperor of this island, you must please these young girls." Jerry ordered. "I have Flannery preparing your dress clothes as we speak."
With the press of a button, Jerry sent the spies to the jet. Flannery, Aqua & Thatch were all there waiting.
"Ready?" They asked.
"Ready!" The Clarks repeated.
The spies walked along the streets of Grohm until they reached a crowd in front of a large palace. "What's going on here?" Lee wondered.
The girl in front of them turned around. "Shh! The Empress Elyon is about to make an announcement."
"The Empress Elyon?" Marc repeated.
"Yes. You see, when the Emperor Ulysses left with his wife & children, the neighboring island waged war on us. It's been a while, actually a long while, but now that they have returned, Vampir has retreated in fear of their powers." The girl explained.
"What powers?" Tony asked.
"Their rule over animals & the ability to shape shift is present in most of Grohm's natives. Grohm has been the home of the Natur & Animalian clans, but the Natur are long gone. You know, Ancientas." The girl turned back at the sound of a fanfare. "Oh, here comes the Empress Elyon!"
A woman with flowing brown hair & coffee brown eyes wearing a blue royal robe covered in white embroidery stepped onto a balcony in view of everyone. "Hello, children of Gronan." She called out to the people in the crowd. "It has been done. King Vladimir & his followers have declared a truce. The war is over!"
"Gronan is the first Animalian, in case you didn't know." The girl explained, leaning back.
"Wow, she looks familiar." Megan said, referring to Empress Elyon.
"Yeah, but where have we seen her before?" Marc looked up as two girls walked onto the balcony in place of the woman. They had auburn hair & hazel eyes. One was wearing a white royal robe with blue embroidery & the other had the same robe in black with green embroidery. "Welcome children." The one in black greeted.
"A pleasure, Mistress Yin." The crowd replied.
"Welcome children." The one in white smiled.
The crowd called up again. "A pleasure, Mistress Yang."
"This place is formal." Marc commented. "Who are those two?"
"They look like..." Tony gasped. "Kari & Griffon?" He shouted.
The crowd gasped & turned to the spies. Mistress Yin & Mistress Yang paled before a man in a green royal robe came out & the girls wrapped their arms around him. "Guards, bring them here!"
"Way to go, Tony." Megan hissed.
The girl who had been talking to them held up a gun & turned around. "Royal Guard! Stay still or I will be forced to shoot!"
Soon, even more girls were surrounding them with guns. A single girl with long black hair & steel gray eyes held a leather whip. "Welcome to Grohm. The mistresses don't seem to like you much. Care to explain."
"Devon!" I voice yelled. Everyone looked to Emperor Ulysses as wings sprang from his back & he made his way down to the spies. "The Holy Mother has shown mercy on you." he turned back to Devon & whispered in her ear.
"Jamie, take them to the Holy Mother." Devon ordered. "She has arranged this."
The girls' guns lowered & the one who had talked to them waved for them to follow her. The crowd separated for them to pass as they were led into the palace to see the Holy Mother.
"This place is huge." Megan said in awe.
Thatch linked his arm with hers. "It's not that big."
One of the many servants they had passed bowed. "Greetings Prince Thatcher."
"I love when they say that." Thatch chuckled, looking back at her.
Marc quirked a brow. "Prince?"
Thatch shrugged. "I have a royal bloodline, but I barely get acknowledged for it except for here."
When they reached the Holy Mother, Jamie stood back & opened the door. "Welcome to the Holy Mother's quarters."
The spies walked in & sat down by the woman. "Ah, you must be the spies Jerry sent in his place."
"Yes, ma'am." Lee answered politely.
"Oh, Flannery & Aquanette. How good to see you again. How is Emelina?" The Holy Mother asked.
"Very well, Antanasia." Flannery answered politely. "Thank you for inviting us."
"Oh, please. It was all Jerry's idea. I don't think my girls are very happy by their choice, but this could be a perfect chance to fix that. Now, which of you is Marc & who is Tony?" Antanasia clasped her hands together.
The boys held their hands up. "We are."
"Good, you two are to escort my granddaughters to the ball. Prince Thatch, I will not force you to, but I might suggest that young woman as your date." Antanasia continued, motioning to Megan.
"Already am, Holy Mother." Thatch assured her. "I trust Zach & Aria are going together?"
"Actually, they don't plan on going at all until they can find a date for Grant." Antanasia admitted.
Thatch straightened in his seat. "What about Lillian?" He asked suddenly.
"Uh, there were complications during the war." Aqua said quietly.
Thatch froze before inhaling a sharp breath & standing up. "I'm going to see him."
"Now if only he could see you." Aqua sighed heavily & leaned back in her seat.
"God." Thatch jumped & darted out of the room.
Tony sat up straight. "So when do we get to meet your granddaughters?"
"Not until the ball. But, you are free to explore our home." Antanasia offered.
"That sounds cool." Megan agreed.
They walked back out to the main staircase & watched a young girl in a wheelchair stop at the top & sigh. "Leo, can you help me…again?" She asked sadly.
A boy & Thatch came down the hall & picked up the wheelchair before walking it down the stairs.
"Hello, there. I'm Frida." The girl greeted when the wheelchair was back on the ground. "That's Leopold."
The boy had a shaggy blonde hair & blue eyes, with a scar over his left eye that looked fresh. He had a light blue turtleneck & dark blue pants. There was a sword tucked at his side. "Flannery, Aquanette, an honour to see you goddesses again." He bowed to them.
"Dude, where'd you get the scar?" Tony blurted accidentally, meaning to keep it in his head.
"Tony!" Megan snapped.
"It's fine." Leo held up a hand to stop her. "Just a complication for offering my services during the war. I turned out luckier than Sir Briers, though. You should come with us. We're about to visit him."
Frida clapped her hands. "We get to visit bubby every now & then, but he stays at the memorial most of the time."
Thatch started wheeling the girl out. Megan fell in step beside him. "What happened to her?" She asked.
"Another complication. Poor, innocent kids got hurt." Flannery answered, looking down at Frida. "You need anything, little lady?"
"No, I wouldn't want to trouble you. Or the servants." Frida replied.
"Sweet kid." Lee muttered sadly.
Aqua started to whisper to him. "You got no clue. You know what she did when they found the man that paralyzed her?" Lee shook his head. "She looked him straight in the eyes & said she forgave him. It takes a lot to do that."
They passed a hallway & Leo stopped before walking to a door Jamie was standing by. "What happened?" He asked.
"The Mistresses were playing Russian Roulette again." Jamie answered, saluting to him. "Fifth time this month, sir."
"Go back to your quarters, Jamie. You need rest." He ordered. Jamie opened her mouth to object, but he put a finger on her lips. "That isn't an option, it's an order. Any other guard can watch the girls for now. Just save your energy for the ball."
"I'm not royalty anymore. You should just let me do my job." Jamie huffed before heading down the hall to her room.
Leo waved for the others to go without him & caught up with Jamie to walk her to her room.
Tony turned to Frida. "So Frida, do you know the Mistresses names?" he asked.
"No, everyone calls them Yin & Yang, since they may be identical, they're exact opposites. I hear them complaining all the time about it." Frida answered in her shrill voice. "But they say they had to come back so that they could be free & so the funny feeling would go away."
"What funny feeling?" Lee wondered.
"Empress Elyon said that it wouldn't go away because they left. She said no one can escape the power of love." Frida sighed dreamily. "They fell in love when they left & came back because of their secrets."
"Secrets?" Megan repeated.
Frida nodded. "Yeah, they're-"
"That's enough Frida. You always talk too much." A boy called from the end of the hall.
"Grant!" Thatch met him halfway down the hall. "What happened to you?"
"I got jabbed in the eyes. Stupid Vamps & their lame aim." Grant answered, taking off his sunglasses to show that his eyes were red with blood, apart from his clouded pupils. "I would've preferred a shot to the heart. Now, who's here?"
"Flannery, Aquanette, me, Frida, & our friends Lee, Tony, Megan, & Marc." Thatch replied.
"Alright. Welcome to the palace. I'm blind, so excuse me if I step on your foot or something like that." Grant said, slamming his cane into the ground. "And, Tony & Marc?"
"Yes?" The boys in question asked.
Grant smiled sadistically. "I still have my old fighting skills & enhanced senses, so if you hurt those girls in any way, there will be hell to pay." With that, he took hold of Frida's wheelchair & pushed her back into the room he had just left. "Let's visit dad & Lillian, okay?"
"What's that room?" Tony asked.
Flannery sighed. "The memorial. It's for victims of the war. That includes his father & girlfriend."
The group stopped when Emperor Ulysses & a group of Royal Administrators passes by. "I don't care if they declared a truce, we have to attack if we want the war prisoners back. Dragon & Gemstone can't do it alone. Someone has to help them."
A man beside him sighed. "Ulysses, if your daughters hear this, you know they'll be the ones to volunteer."
The emperor spun around to face him. "Luxor, must I remind you that one of those war prisoners is your wife's sister. A mother." He growled.
Marc took a breath. "We can do it." He called after the Emperor. The others stared at him in shock.
The Emperor smiled at him. "You're a brave kid."