Chapter One
Ace's arm shook as he held the sword against Endera's wand. She was strong. It was strong. But he soon began to overpower her. Then pulling back she thrust the wand to him and he ducked swiping his feet under hers tripping her and causing her to drop her wand, "Tech! The wand!"
Tech dove for it catching it and Duck quacked over to him snatching it. "Give me that!"
Ace ignored them as they began to fight over the wand turning his attention to Endera, "Show's over Enddy."
She laughed her thick english accent filling his ears, "No, bunny, it's only the opening act." Raising her hands she thrust them at him lightning bolts coming out and wrap around him. He growled and kicked as it lifted him off the ground. Using laser vision he hit her hand, she yelped and squeezed her hands giving him a sharp shock. He cried out as the energy ran through him making him shake. Lexi quickly burst in tackling her and kicking her out of the way. The bolts vanished and Ace fell to the ground landing on his feet limping for only a moment before nodding at Lexi and drawing his sword once more.
The building they stood on began to creak as Endera stood. She spoke in a different, odd, language raising her hands once more. Lexi dove for her and tackled her rolling off the building with her. "Lex! No!" Ace raced after her taking a dive as she fought with Endera in the air. Endera shoved her down and began floating up. Ace grabbed her waist and shot his hook up letting it catch the building and pull them back up. Ace set her back on the top of the building and studied her, "Why did you do that?"
She shrugged giving his arm a punch, "I knew you would catch me."
He grinned a bit and glanced over as Slam and Rev still helping people below caught Endera as she landed gracefully. He watched in pride as the Acme PD cuffed Endera, her cast of spells finally all broken. She turned to him as they began dragging her away. A dark smile crept onto her face as she whispered to him. He straightened his ears but heard nothing. A cool chill ran up his back and he tensed before shaking it off and turning to his team with a smile, "Good work. Let's head back to HQ."
On the ride back Ace eased himself, not letting Endera's chilling glare stop him from going on his usual rounds. They circled into the landing area and he spotted someone... something. In his window. A girl? Narrowing his eyes he sped up and landed throwing off his pack and racing inside. Lexi followed quickly behind, "Ace! What are you doing?"
His eyes began to glow defensively as he crept into the hallway towards his room, "There's someone here. The others crowded around Ace as he crept down the hallway each ready for a fight if necessary. His room door opened and he drew his sword his blue eyes running up and down the door frame waiting. Then someone emerged. A small girl. She clutched a stuffed rabbit her eyes innocently studying Ace. He quickly eased his sword not wanting to scare her. "What are you doing here, sweetie?" He asked studying her. "How'd you get it?"
The little girl approached smiling. She did not smile in the childlike way however, it was almost a smirk. "Imagination is a powerful thing isn't it?"
He lowered his ears and nodded reaching out to her, "Yeah it-" She suddenly broke into a run straight at him going right through him and disappearing. He gasped backing into the wall and dropping his sword. "What the..."
Lexi knelt beside him along with Duck who spoke first, "Ace what's wrong?"
He looked up at Duck, "Did- the- the girl... She was..."
Lexi helped him to his feet handing him his sword, "You need some sleep chief, there was no girl there..."
•••
Staring at the ceiling Ace sunk into his thoughts trying to push them out of his head and go to sleep. Seeing the girl, or not seeing her had chilled him. He tried to forget. Lexi was right, he needed sleep. Closing his eyes he turned over and began to drift. Soon his sleep took him over and he nodded off slowly. An image came into his head. Him. He was standing in his room at the corner staring at something. He narrowed his eyes trying to make out the thing hanging over his bed. It seemed to be merely a thin shadow. He took a step closer his heart beat accelerating as he watched a face form. His fur stood up on end as an old wrinkled face came into view. Screaming. The grey haired woman hung above his bed her black eyes wide as she shrieked. He backed away quickly his tripping over his own feet and falling. He fell back and gasped waking with a start. A dream. Just a dream.
Breathing heavily he found his brow dripping with sweat. Shivering a bit he looked up his blue eyes darting around on the wall behind him. No woman. He chuckled to himself shaking his head. He was being silly. There was nothing to be scared of.
He sighed kicking off the covers and stretching out. He yawned as he got to his feet glancing at the clock sitting in it's place on the night stand. 5:30 AM. He rubbed his eyes as he slinked towards the door. It slid open for him and he let his long ears sag down as he walked only half awake towards the bathroom. Once inside he leaned on the counter staring at himself in the mirror. His blue eyes were a bit red. He narrowed them and looked over his shirt. Then he caught sight of something rushing down the hallway towards the living room. He turned quickly in surprise and poked his head out the door just in time to see the figure streaking around the corner to the kitchen. He glanced at his room where his sword lay on the chair. There was a noise in the kitchen and he perked his ears leaving the sword and creeping towards the kitchen. He jumped around the corner and clenched his fists ready for a fight. His eyes quickly scanned the kitchen. Nothing. He lowered his hands straightening up and narrowing his eyes. "Hello?"
"Hello?" His own voice echoed back to him and he tensed. "Imagination is a powerful thing isn't it?" He recognized this voice. The little girl. He heard only her voice all around him, but she was no where in sight. He backed up and found himself running into the wall and tripping tumbling down the stairs of to the living room.
He coughed as he sat up on the ground rubbing his head. He jumped in surprise seeing a figure in front of him. Someone he recognized. Lexi. "What are you doing up this early?"
Studying her he got to his feet, "I uh... Thought I heard something."
She planted her hands on her hips giving him a look of annoyance, "I'll tell you what I heard, you banging around waking me up."
His cheeks grew flushed and he rubbed his shoulder, "Sorry... I couldn't sleep."
Scratching her ear she sighed, "Super hearing... It's a gift and a curse." He chuckled. "Anyways, come one, since you're up you can help make breakfast." Not letting him reply she turned and jogged up the stairs flipping on the lights to the kitchen. He leaned on the counter watching as she pulled out the flour and eggs. Pancakes. She never made pancakes. Well, rarely. Always smoothies, or toast. Something quick. "Open the flour." She pointed to the sealed bag and he obediently walked over tugging at the bag. He pulled harder trying to tear it. She glanced over and approached to show him how. Suddenly the bag tore open and the flour flew onto their faces. Ace coughed letting go of the bag and wiping the flour from his eyes. Lexi did the same then looking at Ace a sheet of white on his face. She laughed and he did the same though they both shushed each other so as not to wake the others. Softly they each snickered at the others flour covered face. "I ask you to do one thing." She chuckles.
He laughed, "Hey, this thing didn't come with instructions." He said playfully shaking the flour on him off and onto her.
She laughed, "Ace!" Grabbing some from the bag and throwing it on him.
He grabbed some as well sprinkling it into her hair. Lexi snatched an egg and cracked it on his head, "You're such an egg head."
Laughing he snatched the batter and tossed it onto her. "Don't you start." Laughing she studied the yoke dripping onto his nose. A thought came into her head. How cute. She knew she shouldn't be thinking this, but it was true. It was a cute sight. Taking her finger she wiped the yoke from his nose and he smiled warmly. In return he wiped a bit of the flower from her cheeks revealing her black fur. A thought came into his head. So pretty. He knew he shouldn't be thinking this. But it was true. She was pretty.
"Uh, breakfast gone wrong?" A voice said making them jump apart in surprise. Duck walked in and yawned, "Flour face, will you hand be the milk?" He asked to Lexi.
She rolled her eyes though a smile slid onto her face as she slid the milk over to him. Ace leaned back on the wall and Duck looked at him, "That's a good look for you, Ace." Shaking his head Ace chuckled wiping the yoke from his head and flicking it onto Duck. They all laughed and he began forgetting about his dream. After all it was just a dream... Right?