The Going's On: The Golden Fish Tank
Courtney groaned in the heat. The midday sun was swelteringly hot. It was just beyond hot. The only time she had experienced heat like this was before the swimming disaster known as Volt the Fish came along. She knew it couldn't be Volt this time because she had a clear view of the lake from her spot under the tree and plenty of Scarlatina's mortal residents were bathing in the shallows without feeling Volt's volt.
"Hey," Duncan said as he dropped out of the tree Courtney was leaning against. She immediately threw herself into his arms, his mercifully cold arms,
"Being the undead has its perks huh?" she said, enviously. Being a vampire Duncan didn't feel the heat.
"You're undead too," he said, quick as a flash,
Always the joker, Courtney thought, releasing him and immediately regretting it.
"What we doing today then huh?" He asked,
Courtney considered it,
"How about... nothing? It's flippin' baking in case you haven't noticed!"
"I hadn't noticed actually. Vampire remember?"
Courtney growled and stalked away from him. She might love him more than anything but that didn't stop him being the world's biggest jerk at times.
Courtney had to know something though.
The first place Courtney stopped off at was Izzy's. She tended not to visit Izzy often as Izzy was a bit... strange.
"Hello Izzy," Courtney said, trying to sound cheerful rather than really hot,
"Hello!" Izzy yipped,
"I thought I'd come to see Volt," Courtney said,
"Volt? This way, this way!" Izzy squealed, grabbing Courtney's hand and dragging her into her house.
Volt the fish was swimming lazily around in slow circles in his gigantic fish tank. The surface of the water was bubbling with blue arcs of electricity. Izzy didn't care. Walking straight up to the tank she stuck her arm in up to her elbow, giggling and squealing with glee.
"How doesn't that hurt you?" Courtney asked, incredulous
"I never said it didn't hurt. Izzy loves feeling and causing pain,"
Courtney winced in sympathy. She herself had felt the sting of Volt. The water he had electrified was capable of dropping a vampire, one of the hardiest creatures on Scarlatina. The only reason Scarlatina was safe was because Courtney had persuaded Izzy to go into the lake and capture Volt. She had assumed Izzy was immune. Turns out she wasn't. She just enjoyed it.
"He hasn't been acting... strange lately has he?" Courtney asked,
"Hmm... Nope!" Izzy replied brightly, trying to convince Volt to nibble her finger or so it seemed.
"Well... Let me know if you do notice anything ok?" Courtney said as she let herself out of the house.
The sun was as merciless as ever. Scarlatina was a hot place, without cloud cover because it floated above the clouds, but this...
This isn't natural, Courtney thought.
There was only one place she could think to go. She didn't like it.
"Kaly," Courtney said, inclining her head grudgingly. She didn't much like Kaly but it was through her efforts that Courtney was revived after she was killed in battle against Heather.
"Courtney. What an unexpected surprise. How can I help?" Kaly said with a pleasant smile.
Courtney knew Kaly was putting it on. They used to be good friends until Kaly tried to control every single aspect of her life whilst she was competing in the race to be Queen. Kaly didn't like her much anymore. But as a member of the Scarlatinan council it was her job to be civil.
"Do you know what this weird weather is about?" Courtney asked.
Kaly shook her head,
"No I don't. I had a theory but... No evidence,"
"What was the theory?" Courtney enquired,
Kaly regarded her over the tips of her fingers,
"What do you know of the Scarlatinan Gods?" she asked,
Courtney was startled,
"Nothing. I didn't know there were any,"
"Of course there are. Even supernatural creatures have their own beliefs."
"So what this weather is a result of divine intervention?" Courtney said skeptically,
"The Gods exist Courtney," Kaly said and Courtney knew, from her expression that she was serious,
"All powerful immortals eh?"
"Well... Not necessarily immortal. It might be hereditary. However they were certainly all powerful. In the early days of Scarlatina these beings made a truce with our ancestors. The Gods left our world. Our ancestors were scared of what they had seen the Gods do, for the Gods had sowed misery and mayhem all over Scarlatina. Freak weather, electrical water, mouldy bread... that kind of thing. Small but worrying. To prevent them from returning they were worshipped and revered and, from what i could find out, they fell into a great slumber. They haven't been seen since."
Courtney had ears for just one thing,
"Did you say electrical water?"
Five minutes later Courtney, dragging Kaly along with her, was knocking Izzy's door.
"Courtney!" Izzy screamed when she saw her and flung herself on top of Courtney who started gasping for breath,
"Can't breathe..." Courtney choked,
"Sorry," said Izzy, immediately letting go. She turned to Kaly. Taking one step forward she slapped her hard around the face. Kaly stumbled back about ten paces in complete bemusement, "Bitch,"
"Hello to you to," Kaly grumbled, "We've come to see Volt,"
"Volt?" Izzy said, face transformed from disapproval to happiness in a second, "This way, follow follow,"
Kaly and Courtney followed Izzy through her house to the room that housed Volt the Fish,
"Wow..." Kaly whispered, crouching down to get a better look, "I think this might just be a god you know,"
"Well if Volt is, how did he get here?" Courtney asked,
Kaly looked worried,
"I don't know. The God Dimension was sealed. If he is here..."
"What do we have to do?" Courtney asked. Kaly looked over to see she was looking determined,
"It'll be dangerous...," Kaly began but Courtney cut her off,
"Don't. I've seen enough danger to be used to it by now,"
Kaly bit her lip,
"Well... ok. From what I see in my research each God had its own uh... bed, the place where they slept. This is just belief. Seeing as Mr. Sparky here - "
"Volt...," Izzy growled,
"Right. Volt. Sorry. Seeing as Volt here is a fish it's likely his bed is a fish tank. A golden one,"
"So how do we get him back home? I'm guessing his presence here is... messing with the weather?"
Kaly nodded,
"My thoughts too,"
"How do we get there?" Courtney asked. Hit by a sudden inspiration she turned to Izzy, "Hey Izzy... How'd you feel about beating up a few gods?"
"Oh yes please," Izzy grinned,
"How does this work then?" Courtney asked,
"In truth? I know how to get to the God dimension but only one Scarlatinan can be there at any one time."
The silence pressed heavy upon them. One of them had to risk their life to save Scarlatina from boiling to death,
"I'll do it!" Izzy said brightly, "I wanna help Volt go home,"
"Well... ok," Kaly said, looking apprehensive.
Courtney didn't much like the idea of Izzy wandering the world of the Gods, particularly because she had a tendency to try to destroy anything that moves, but she figured if there was going to be danger Izzy was the best person to deal with it,
"We need to go to the Palace," Kaly said. She hurried out of the room.
Izzy was right behind her. Courtney stopped and scooped up Volt with a fishing net and placing him into a plastic bag, like the kind that goldfish came in on Earth. Holding Volt as far away from her as she could, she hurried after the others,
"Down here," Kaly said, standing next to the door that led into the Palace basement and beckoning at the other two,
The three of them hurried down the stairs. The cellar was spacious but dimly lit. They couldn't see all of it at once. Kaly seemed to know where she was going however,
"This way," she murmured, leading the other two towards the darkest corner. There was nothing there,
"I don't understand," Courtney said, confused,
Kaly raised her hand,
"Appear!" She cried,
Courtney and Izzy gasped. A giant mirror, standing ceiling to floor had appeared out of nowhere. Kaly winked, looking amused at their amazement,
"Council privileges," she said, "Izzy? Step through. Remember you're looking for a Golden Fish Tank,"
Izzy nodded, looking both scared and determined. Courtney had never seen Izzy frightened before,
"Good luck," Kaly said, nodding as she stepped out of the way.
Izzy took a deep breath and ran at the mirror. Instead of crashing into it she vanished out of sight,
"Where'd she go?" Courtney whispered,
"That mirror is like a fixed image. God only knows what's going on behind it," Kaly replied
Courtney stared at the image on the mirror. It looked like a physiatrist hospital ward,
"How long until she gets back?" Courtney asked, voicing her thoughts,
Kaly considered it,
"I don't know," she replied, "Time runs diff-"
She never finished the sentence. Izzy had just stumbled out of the mirror, dragging a colossal golden fish tank after her,
"How did you pull that?" Courtney gaped,
"Handles," Izzy said with a shrug;
"Quick Courtney, put Volt back inside," Kaly said urgently, "This tank can't stay here long,"
Courtney quickly untied the plastic bag and upended it into the huge fish tank. The second Volt hit the water his eyes closed and he drifted dreamily toward the bottom.
The tanks began to glow,
"Look away!" Kaly cried, averting her eyes,
Courtney and Izzy quickly turned their backs. There was a blast of light so powerful it lit the whole cellar. When they looked back to where the tank had disappeared there were words floating in the air they said:
Thanks amigos,
"How'd you reckon he got here in the first place then?" Courtney asked in general,
"I don't know," Kaly sighed, "I just don't know..."
A/N:
Now who expected that eh?
Chloe?
A/N2:...This just freakin' confused me more than anything...BUT I LIKED IT!
LOL!
So...Yeah...=)
Thanks for reading, and please review :)
Love, ChloeRhiannonX and Aaron'sInAMineField
