A/N: I am co-writing this story with my BRILLIANT beta-er, Mothstar! So, half the credit goes to her. We are just publishing this on my profile because I've only got Silver as the Moon, Black as the Night up there, and I need more stories! Read and Review SMBN (Silver as the Moon, Black as the Night) if you get a chance, by the way.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Kindles (that would be awesome), iPods (I would be SO rich if I did xD), or Warriors (if I did, Spottedleaf would have stayed around for a few more books).
CLAIMER: I do own, um, myself, and the idea for the story. Unless someone else has done it first. Then the credit goes entirely to them. Thank you.
"Welcome aboard! I'm Harold, your flight attendant. We're glad you've chosen Fearlines for your trip to Wyoming! As we'll be taking off shortly, please remember to keep your seat and tray in the upright position and to turn off all electronic devices. Thank you, and have a nice flight!"
Rachel sighed and turned off her Kindle. She'd been reading Warriors (the first arc) while waiting-for three hours-for the flight to take off. She was already done with the first couple books. Up front, she could distantly hear the 'safety play', as she had nicknamed it, going on. She ignored it, as she had been on enough planes, though Rachel had never flown this airline before. Odd name, Fearline. What, am I supposed to fear the line? What line? Rachel thought. "And remember, your seat cushions can also be used as flotation devices! Thank you, and have a nice flight!" concluded the attendant.
Rachel finally felt the vibration of the plane beginning to move. "At last!" she muttered under her breath. After a few minutes, the plane clambered into the air. Not counting the delay before taking off, Rachel had only been on this plane a few minutes and was already sick of it. After all, she had sat down in melted chocolate when she first got on.
After about ten minutes, the seat-belt light turned off. The passengers had to wait a few moments to make sure that was the real thing, it'd been flickering off and on the whole flight. Harold's voice came over the speaker. "Ladies and gentlemen, you may now turn on your electronic devices. Please leave your cell phones turned off."
Rachel immediately turned her Kindle back on and sunk back into Warriors. Her reading was interrupted only by the occasional-quite frequent, actually-bout of turbulence. Well, that and the noise of babies crying, iPods cranked up way too loud (one of which was right next to her), and the general jibber-jabber of families flying together and talking together. She'd even caught a snatch of someone quietly talking on a cell. In other words, Rachel was assaulted by a near-constant barrage of noise. But she'd grown up with two brothers with an abnormal love of music-loud music-and could tune everything out well enough.
Half an hour later, the seat belt light flickered to life once again. Rachel turned her Kindle off and waited. And waited. And waited some more. She had a distinct suspicion that everyone was in a holding pattern over the airport.
With no warning, the plane began to descend. Moments later, the wheels bumped-less than gently-onto the ground. The speakers crackled to life. "Welcome to Wyoming! Thank you for choosing Fearlines. Have a wonderful stay!"
At last! Note to self: Never fly on this airline again unless it's first class! Rachael thought. She quickly climbed out of her seat and stretched slightly. After opening the overhead compartment, Rachel grabbed the blue backpack she used as a carry-on, pulled out her long, blue jacket, and pulled it on. Knowing me, I'll forget all about the chocolate I sat on and make another mess if I don't cover it up. Slowly but surely, the passengers moved off the plane. As Rachel headed through the temporary tunnel, she caught a last glimpse of the cat painted on the airplane's left wing. Just big enough to see.
Rachel moved to baggage claim 3. Like everything else about this flight, the service was slow and unreliable. One moment scores of bags were dumped onto the conveyor, the next-nothing. Of course, her bag-blue, like all her other luggage-was one of the last to arrive. As soon as she had grabbed it, she left the airport and hailed a taxi to the car rental place.
The hotel was a short drive away, and seemed much more promising than Rachel's flight here had. The lobby was spacious, with couches, coffee tables, and magazines to read. She was ready to check into her room-tomorrow Mothstar, her beta-reader from FanFiction and Rachel were going to meet at Yosemite Park. They'd stayed in touch through PMs and plain old snail mail.
Rachel headed to the desk and checked in. She was about to head into the elevator when she realized that her car was still in one of the 'Check-in only' parking spaces! Mousebrain, she thought.
Unfortunately, Rachel was unable to find a parking space-until she realized that there was a parking garage, if only a one level one, under the hotel. "Just when I thought I couldn't get any more scatterbrained," Rachel told herself. She quickly found a space and backed into it.
An elevator came quickly and Rachel stepped inside. It stopped on the ground floor, letting a dark-haired woman enter. "Which floor?" she asked.
"Third," the other lady replied.
"Same floor as me," Rachel commented. She pushed the button.
A few moments of silence passed. Rachel caught a glimpse of the other passenger's eyes. They were blue-green, with a ring of hazel. She realized who might be standing right next to her. "Are you Julie?"
"Yes..." she replied, looking a bit puzzled. "Do I know you?"
Rachel giggled, replying, "As a matter of fact, yes. I'm Rachael. But you'd know me as Eun."
"Rachel!" Julie cried, before hugging her. "I've never seen you in flesh and blood before!"
"Same here," Rachel grinned. She added on hastily, "But for you, not me." She pulled away slightly from the hug. "You're thinner than I always imagined you."
Julie smirked a bit. "I've been like this. Even when I first met you I was skinny! Maybe I'll fill out if I have kids. Have you married?"
"Not yet," Rachel answered. "I've been dating a wonderful man for a couple of years now, though. You?"
"Same here."
The doors opened onto the third floor and both women left.
I wonder which room hers is, Rachel thought. She voiced her thoughts: "Where's your room?"
"Right here," Julie gestured to a nearby door.
"Wow, talk about coincidence! Mine's right next door, 305. We could have shared a room. Actually, we still could. Would that work?" Rachel questioned.
"Yup, one of us can go down to the desk and forfeit her room," Julie answered.
"And you were just down there..." Rachel noted teasingly, and grinned.
"Fine," Julie scowled back. She called the elevator and stepped inside. Within minutes she was back upstairs, and shot a triumphant look at her friend.
"Let me guess. You got the refund," Rachel sighed, slumped in mock defeat.
"You thought I wouldn't?" Julie replied, feigning hurt.
Yeah," Rachel grinned. "I-" She was cut off by her watch beeping insistently. Rachel growled and slammed a hand down on a button, making the beeping stop. "Sorry about that. Sometimes I forget to have dinner," she grinned sheepishly. "It's five thirty. Want to head down to the buffet?"
Julie's mouth opened, but her stomach answered for her.
"Let's go!"
Julie and Rachel took the stairs up to their rooms. Even after being full, they had stayed in the dining room for a couple of hours, nibbling at their food and chatting.
"I feel so fat," Rachel puffed.
"Me too," Julie agreed. "I'm stuffed."
"Same here. And I didn't get to eat pie…."
"Don't. Please."
Rachel gave Julie a sympathetic glance. "Stomach hurt?"
"Yeah. You have anything for that?"
"I don't, sadly. Airline rules. Maybe we can get something from the front desk...or maybe there's something in the rooms. Speaking of which, we're here," Rachel answered.
Julie retrieved her belongings from the forfeited room and got settled in Rachel's room. There were two queen-sized beds. Rachel watched Julie flop down onto the empty one."I'm ready for bed," Rachel announced.
Julie craned her neck. "Already? You'll be sleeping in that?"
Rachel shook her head, grimacing. "I sat in melted chocolate on the flight over," she confessed, taking off her long coat and turning so that Julie could see the nasty stain on the seat of her pants. "Fearlines-which, incidentally, is the weirdest name ever-anyways, Fearlines is so cheap. I'm going to change."
Rachel wondered if Julie had taken the same flight as her, but all Julie did was yawn and say, "Me too. As soon as I muster up the energy to get up."
The ladies changed and did their bedtime activities. Rachel switched off the light just as Julie was climbing into bed. She yelped as she smacked her head on the headboard instead of the fluffy pillow.
"'He went to bed and bumped his head,'" Rachel sang teasingly as she made her way to her own bed.
"She," Julie mumbled. "I'm going to pray now. Goodnight."
"I'm going to as well. Night."
Rachel prayed quietly, hearing Julie's whispers.
"In Jesus' Name, amen."
Although it was fairly late, it felt much earlier to Rachel. She was also an enormous night owl, so it wasn't until the early hours of the morning that she was able to get some sleep.