There and Back Again: Starting on Alwas and Ending on Oban
Chapter 1: Welcome to Alwas: Were Everything gets Weird
Warning: Anyone who is entirely immortal suffers from chronic insanity, even the sanest ones.
Pairings: This is not a Molly/Jordan, it might become a Molly/Aikka, but for now there are no pairings.
Disclaimer: We don't know French…that'll probably give you a clue. But we own every Gazian, every Perkgurean and Sotai's magic bag. The Norse stuff…is basically my version of old myths. So practically it is MINE, too.
Once the Avatar had invited Nourasia to the Oban Star Race, King Lao had decided to allow a tournament at least one of their years before the deadline to decide who amongst them would be allowed to participate in a dangerous, yet prestigious race.
When the time came, most of his knights insisted on trying their luck, including his son. He allowed it, it was after all the duty of a Nourasian knight to fight for the betterment of the kingdom be it in war or in healthy competition, the later was of course optional.
King Lao, however, had been quite surprised when Prince Aikka had won. Not that he doubted the young prince's talent, but he had at least expected a more experienced racer to have won the right to participate in the fabled star race.
Hmmm…well, it no longer mattered. Aikka was going, and he knew the Crogs were going…so Canaan would be sent, too. Just in case; to keep Aikka in line. He knew he couldn't do much more than pray.
He wondered which god would actually listen to his prayers. They didn't have a god of racing, so maybe he should ask for help from the goddess of victory or the god of luck. Hmmm…choices, choices…
The experience of flying through space on the Avatar's oval-shaped ship was a tad baffling but they slept most of the way due to…some reason, they weren't quite sure of yet; so it wasn't that bad, really.
What was weird and unexpected was their welcoming committee.
You see it was a little bewildering to be warmly greeted by a very small old man – the Avatar's assistant, Satis - who was flanked by two tall silent figures in black cloaks, whose hoods were up and didn't allow others to see their faces and were in such a way that you couldn't tell which was their planet of origin either – his apprentices, who'd be taking his place after the race.
But, even after receiving this odd welcoming committee, nothing prepared them for Assistant Satis' request - after they had successfully arrived at the Nourasian team's pit.
"Ah, I hope you don't mind, but I was wondering if you could look after Shinji." He motioned to the cloaked figure on his left. "You see this year we've come up a bit short on living space and now neither of them" he indistinctly motioned his apprentices with his wooden staff, "have any place to rest between their duties."
The cloaked figure on the old man's right slowly turned to look at their hooded partner.
"Well, we really wouldn't know what to do with them both…" the prince's retainer, Canaan, tried to gently dissuade the old man.
The figure on the right swiftly poked the one on the left in the side, once with either hand.
The hooded apprentice on the left vaguely swatted the one on the right's advances away.
Standing apart once again, they both silently observed the other's movements.
Seeing the hesitant looks of his guests, Satis speedily assured them, "No worries, I plan to have Sotai stay with another team, so as to not become too much of an inconvenience to you… I insist, really."
The poking figure once more assaulted her companion with a new poke combo. Jumping for leverage, the poking apprentice, started to hail down a wave of pokes randomly on the cloaked figure's weary partner. Who apparently wasn't taking such abuse hands down, and was, in fact, fighting back by trying to swat away his companion's assault.
The figure on Satis' right was poking his head a couple times, when he moved, another few at his shoulder, but the majority aimed for his gut. Which the one on the left, now clearly more than just annoyed, deftly swatted away with his/her own smack away combo.
Prince Aikka amiably tried to not be openly appalled at the display going on in front of him by keeping himself occupied with the conversation at hand. You never saw anything like THAT on Nourasia. "If you prefer, but if I may ask why is it that you want to…separate them?"
Halting in the middle of a vicious comeback and an effective defense, the right and left figures, respectively, seemed to realize their part in this conversation…and as if a light bulb went on over their heads, they decidedly returned to their original positions, quietly.
"They don't get along well, so sometimes it's better to keep them apart from each other, otherwise they'll bicker 'til your nerves can't take anymore." Satis affirmed as he snickered over just how much of an understatement that was, clearly not aware that the prince had just witnessed said understatement.
Sweatdropping they two apprentices turned to look at each other, they weren't that bad…were they?
Seeing that the Nourasian team was already well accommodated Satis and the remaining apprentice left.
The tall hooded figure shook his head at his master's retreating back; he didn't even properly introduce him to his new pit-mates. Exasperatedly grumbling to himself, why'd everybody insist on leaving him in awkward situations?
Sighing Shinji gathered himself to properly introduce himself to the Nourasian royalty and his fencing master, "Allow me to present myself, I am Shinji, one of the apprentices of the Avatar's assistant." He formally bowed to the Nourasians.
Content to know that at least this apprentice seemed to be acting in a more normal manner now that his partner was nowhere to be seen, Prince Aikka returned the apprentice's informal introduction, in kind "And, I am Prince Aikka," signaling the older Nourasian at his side, "and this is my fencing master, Canaan."
Nodding the hooded figure seemed to just remember he actually had a hood on, "Uh…forgot about that…" and promptly lowered his hood, leaving the Nourasians to clearly see his face.
Schooling their features, neither Nourasian wanted to come off as…well, they didn't want to look stupid. It was only rational that the Avatar's assistant's apprentice wasn't going to be another Nourasian, right?
But, even as they took in the werewolf's – because that's what Shinji truly looked like - 2.10 meters in height, they couldn't help but feel that they should have been warned that they had been chosen to live with something so tall. What was with that cloak? Did it hide every little tell tale sign of what you actually look like when under it?
Not noticing, or choosing not to notice, the Nourasian team's uneasiness towards his lycan form he turned to look at them for a minute, "Forgive my partner's lack of decorum, but she's become rather attached to the idea that my stomach may just be bottomless."
"How so?" the seasoned fencing master questioned, understandably not buying the werewolf's story.
Shrugging his shoulders, Shinji had taken to sitting on the lawn outside of the Nourasian pit, "She was trying to prove it by finding the pit of my stomach. Humpf! I'd like to see her, after she's been practically starved to death. She'd probably be just as…" He huffed as he started to massage his abused abdomen, his ears slumping in misery.
Realizing the consequences of his train of thought, the wolf man was so startled he literally molted into a very human looking, very distressed, eighteen year old boy, "No…I wouldn't…I'll keep her well fed, I swear!" completely ignoring the surprised looks of the two Nourasian, as well as, the startled shrieks of the Prince's mount, G'dar – even a giant beetle finds it odd for a person to suddenly turn into something else.
When the Earth team had finally arrived on Alwas, Molly was fast asleep and about to get the rudest wake up call in history. Eva loved her father, she truly did, it was just that she despised Don Wei the Racing Manager - and well known heartless jerk.
Don Wei shines a light on Molly and she quickly wakes up to realize, "I'm sorry!
I...I guess I fell asleep." But, Don Wei quickly dismissed her as he sharply demanded some answers, "What on Earth are you doing here?"
Molly looks a little unsure of herself as she tried answer him, he really was a guy who'd make anyone who just met him, balk in his presence, especially people not used to being treated so…callously "Well, I uhm..." a short silence ensued, before she once again tried to form the words that would explain her being there to her father. Quietly mumbling to herself, "I mean...uhm, there's no problem...I didn't mean to,"
'Maybe, I should have remembered to think of a good reason, for me being here' the young teen thought to herself awkwardly.
However, as she decided to at least try to give a half-assed excuse as to why she was there. "I'm here to..."
"A problem sir?" Jordan unknowingly cut her short, as the rest of the team realized that they had an extra person on board.
"Oh, her again? huh?" he rudely interjected, as he recognized the stowaway, whilst he came to stand beside Rick.
Molly dejectedly turns her head realizing the moment, to tell her father who she is, was lost. She momentarily entertained the notion of telling him she has a sleeping disorder and accidentally fell asleep in the truck when the Crog struck.
But, later on, she'd have even more trouble getting her dad to agree to let her become the emergency pilot, so when she spotted her wrench thrown a couple feet away from her hover bike, the sudden nostalgia and the perfect cover hit her like a brick.
Refraining from smiling in glee - however, letting herself have a sort of happy dance in her head - she blurted out "I thought you could use an extra mechanic, sir."
Disdainfully sneering at her words, Don Wei incredulously asked her "Molly, have you lost your mind? I HAVE the best mechanics in the league." cruelly continuing with, "As far as I'm concerned young lady, you're just a surprise and I hate surprises. Have I made myself clear?"
Properly looking admonished Eva looks down at her shoes as he continues, temporarily being watched by Rick, "You should have known that we..." however before Don Wei could say more the entire ship seemed to shake terribly.
It was so sudden and so strong that it caused Molly to loose her footing and fall into the arms of the Earth team's official racer.
Opening her eyes as she realized she wasn't on the ground, she found herself being held up by Rick Thunderbolt from her upper arms, "Watch your step, Little Mouse." he gently chided as he put her down.
Eva couldn't help but have a small smile on her face after that, she hadn't seen anybody from the Earth Team since she went back in time due to Jordan screwing up convincing alien teddies – who just so happened to be thought of as eviler than the Crogs, but cuter than, according to Jordan, REAL teddies – to not attack Earth. All of which she now had to fix, after Jordan became Avatar this time around, of course. She just had to bid her time.
Meanwhile, "What was that?" asked Jordan who was carrying a large bazooka-like gun as he turned this way and that, looking for the cause of the tremor. Koji calmly interjects that he thinks that the ship has stopped, before the sound of rocks giving way to the, until then, unknown opening interrupted him.
As light slowly entered the dark chambers, Molly couldn't help but wonder just how much had this first encounter with everyone changed. It wasn't odd she supposed, to not remember if this part had happened this way or not. After all, she was bound to remember certain things more than others, right? So this feeling of everything seeming new was really an odd case of worn-out Déjà vu. Hmmm…
The Earth team inside the large truck moved out into the Alwas marketplace. The entire plaza seemed to be teaming with creatures from all over the galaxy, startling Jordan who falls over in surprise. Koji, ignoring Jordan's reaction is in awe, "Wow, look at these aliens...I bet no one has seen aliens like these before."
Jordan wasn't so happy about the diversity of the alien shoppers, and pointed his large gun out the window, "Let 'em come. We're ready for 'em." Aware of his current teammates willingness to blow a hole in anything that gets too close, Rick dryly reminded Jordan about the mission, "Remember, Jordan, we're ambassadors."
Molly, at the moment was observing Don Wei's actions, "Well I didn't expect the Avatar in person, but at least they could have sent a welcoming committee."
She sheepishly smiles as she notices someone tapping the glass, leaning down to have a better look she stops cold. 'Oh, no! Not her, anything but her. Things were just going back to normal, again, too.' her mind bemoaned as she observed the cloaked form next to Satis.
Awkwardly laughing at her most likely troublesome future, she turned to Don Wei, "Sir, I think the welcoming committee has arrived."
Turning to look out her window, Don Wei looks down to find a very short, old man with three weird, short tentacles shooting out of his head with a cloaked companion not to far behind him. The old man was currently, tapping the truck's tires with his walking stick. "Oh great another surprise." he scathingly announced to the others, "Somehow, I don't feel like it won't be the last one today."
Satis still in good cheer despite being coldly looked down upon, welcomed them to Alwas, "Welcome to Alwas, Earthlings you are the ninety-sixth and last team to arrive. I daresay we no longer expected you. Let me introduce myself, my name is Satis, able servant of the Avatar. I will be your temporary guide. Follow me and I will take you to your lodgings."
Eva noted that he hardly even mentioned what Sotai was doing there, or whoever was under that cloak. May it not be her, may it not be her!! She already had enough trouble with her dad, as it was.
Climbing on board the truck, leaving the cloaked figure outside, he cheerfully announced he's never seen an Earth ship before, "Beautiful."
Don Wei intervenes and tells him, "Sorry to disappoint you, but this is our truck buddy not our ship." Signaling with his thumb towards his back, "The ship is right behind me." Suddenly appearing on the rail behind him Satis inspects the Earth team's vehicle, "Hmmm, I see, I see, giant flying cushions, really very impressive." Don Wei exasperatedly doesn't even bother to correct him.
The Earth team was comfortably taken to their hanger on an elephant-like creature, as an aggravated Eva, the cloaked figure, the luggage, plus the star racer, were being hauled by another.
"So, we meet again." the cloaked figure hummed quietly in mock parody of a villain from one of the James Bond movies.
All the while, Molly, seemingly not listening to the words of her new 'companion', had directed a fierce glare at the rest of her team's backs. "You're going to get wrinkles if you keep doing that, Dolly Molly." The female figure kindly teased the young Earther.
Despite the warning of early aging, Molly turned her glare unto her new companion, softening slightly, but still very unfriendly, "What are you doing here?" she deadpanned, as she lay sprawled against the luggage.
Sitting across from the young stowaway, the cloaked figure was sitting in a much more appropriate, if not more dangerous manner, on the banister that kept the luggage from falling.
"Entertainment, actually; you humans can't help but live in those cheesy soap operas all you're lives. So, I guess I'm here to boo at the romance and cheer on the tragedy." She amusingly affirmed in a dreamy voice, surely off in la-la land.
"Please, tell me you haven't kissed someone yet." She desperately added as an after thought. Her hood falling from her head due to the sudden movement, revealing her sincerely distraught gesture.
Eva blushed heavily as she groaned in annoyance, why did it have to be her, WHY? "No, I haven't!!!!" Satis' 'apprentice' gave a loud whoop of joy, "Why can't you be normal?" the young teenage girl scathingly growled.
Sotai gave the human girl a smile that most others would call extremely kind and innocent, "Maa Maa Diva Eva, don't you know that those who you call normal are only normal because you don't know them as well as you think you do? In that case, don't you think I can proudly say I'm being quite honest about my non-normality?"
"But…" Molly looked incredulously at the girl in front of her, "You're the most dishonest person I know! How can you be honest, about anything?"
Giggling cutely at the question, the indigo-eyed female alien merely replied in the same 'too cute' voice from before, "Ah, that's the thing, now isn't it. I am being honest about my dishonesty, therefore I'm really quite dishonest in an honest way. But, that wouldn't make any sense since you know I'm actually being honest and that I hate being honest about anything except my dishonesty."
Molly's eyes were swirling in her head. It was WAY out of her league to follow Sotai sometimes. "Waaabl.." she incoherently mumbled, foam coming out of her mouth.
Chuckling cutely, the apprentice smiled at the crimson-eyed girl "I know, I know, my dishonesty dazzles you!"
As they arrive at their destination Satis starts explaining the details of their surroundings and what they should expect, "This is the pit area, where the ninety-six teams live during the competition...and this is your home: The Earth team pit."
Opening the giant doors of the Earth team's hanger, Molly can't help but be wowed by the amount of space inside. It's huge. Satis aware of their short time to prepare, "You still have a few minutes, use them wisely. You have much time to prepare before your first race after the opening ceremony."
"Ah. Before, I forget," Satis mentioned over his shoulder, "She'll be staying with you." He points at the waving cloaked figure standing beside Molly, "Can't be too careful, there is always someone that's a hard loser in this race." He cheerfully added.
Don Wei was not pleased, "I already have to take in one freeloader, I'm not taking in two." He entire body language betraying all the unmasked annoyance his sneer was doing just as well of a job conveying.
"Hey!" chorused the two indignant girls, one whose face looked as affronted as she felt and the other, with her hood up, had taken to putting both hands on her hips in a very rebellious pose.
Ignoring the shrill cries of the two very vicious and clearly offended females, Satis smiled at his unknowing guests, "Sotai you know what to do." He laughed and continued on his way, telling the large creature he was sitting on to 'geddiap'.
Don Wei tried to call the elder looking alien's attention again so as to get a straight answer but was utterly ignored, as the Avatar's assistant turned the corner. "Bye master Satis!" the newest addition to the Earth team gaily waved as he left.
Turning towards the assistant's apprentice, realizing that Satis wasn't coming back, Don Wei narrowed his eyes at his new 'surprise', "I'll allow this, so stay out the way." His demeanor depreciatingly showing how unwanted the woman standing across from him was, as he pointed at her.
It was quite rude of him, but Sotai simply smiled charmingly back at him, whispering under her breath, as he turned to order the others to start double checking the Spinning Arrow before their race, "Don't worry, I have nothing else to do other than ruining your day, Wei-mana."
DaCat: Review you damn nuclear sheep, REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
For those of you that do, worry not, your not in any way radioactive…I think.
University is EVIL. It gives me no time for me time. Completely unfair, if I do say so myself.
Well, now that I've started the sequel of my other fic 'There and Back Again: Nothing Just Ends on Oban' and I need to let you guys know that I only plan to have things go on until the Avatar is once again chosen. So, if someone wants Jordan keep being the Avatar say so and with a good reason. If not then tell me who should it be, also, with a good reason. I really don't know who I should allow to become Avatar this time around.
If you want me to do something outrageous like: feed Oh shark babies, make Don Wei trip and have partial amnesia, have Jordan kick Toros' ass, then please, tell me and I'll see what I can do.
Crazyvegimab: I'm so glad you like my fic so much! Don't worry not all drugs are bad for you!! Tammy's pretty weird but I just needed to get that idea out of my head. It was getting a little wild. Junko and Aiden are workaholics that only use their free time to see a bit of the chaos they provoke and have a couple drinks while they're at it. As for SotaiShinji hmmm…well you'll see why you're right later in this fic…when I figure out who should do what.
Star Fata: We love you're bribes. Well, what can we say about Satis…age'll do that to you! Hehehehe…
SWT: I bet some of you were already worried that we weren't going to continue writing, but you're wrong. We shall continue writing until we have nothing more to… well, write…
Anyway, we greatly dislike people that don't review and I think that you should all fuck a cow for all I care. Reviews are more important than your stupid emotions or bestiality. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAhahahahahaha…..