A/N: Hello again and thanks for your feedback, it was great. Here comes the Chapter Two, a little bit longer than the previous one. I hope you'll like it. And of course, let me know what do you think about it. :)

Chapter Two

It was still raining on Genesis when D'Jok and Tia were pacing the streets to get to The Slug's Eye so they walked quickly – to be honest, D'Jok was walking and Tia was following him, trotting. But she didn't tell him to stop, she didn't care how much she'd get tired, she cared only about bring her parents home.

Suddenly D'Jok stopped. Tia was so thoughtful that she fell on him. "Sorry," she murmured, stepping aside.

"We have to state few things before we come in," D'Jok said, looking at her. His face was serious and Tia felt her heart started to beat faster. "The first one, I let you ask my father for a help but I can't guarantee you he would say yes."

"Of course," Tia said, nodding.

"The second one, if he say yes for some reason, you need to know it'll be very dangerous and risky, my father probably will tell you it like two hundred times. But, seriously, Tia... breaking in Technoid jail is really hazardous thing."

"I understand it, D'Jok," she provided. "But I have no choice, I have to take this risk–"

"The third one," D'Jok interrupted her, suddenly looking kinda angry, what surprised Tia, "we're playing the match against Rykers in two days. For this time I'll cover your back if Aarch would ask but I really would like you to come back for a game."

"You won't go with me?" Tia looked disappointed.

D'Jok raised his eyebrows. "No, Tia, why should I? I'm the captain, I can't leave my team right before the match," he said and Tia felt he made an allusion towards Rocket. "And I really don't want you to leave too but I'm trying to understand why you're doing it."

"Thanks," she said, feeling quite uncomfortable. "I really appreciate it."

"Uhm, okay." D'Jok didn't look at her, he seemed to be embarassed and Tia couldn't restrain herself for a little smile. She appreciated D'Jok's work in fact and found it cute he felt embarrased in that moment. "Let's come in, we're gonna be totally wet."

"I guess we already are," Tia said and they entered The Slug's Eye.

They both were surprised of what they saw inside. Every person (all of them were one of the Pirates), even the rude robot, gathered around the TV and watched the Arcadia News – it seemed that ambassadors' arrest was breaking news. They were so absorbed that they didn't even notice D'Jok and Tia's coming in, even Sonny. D'Jok heard Tia sighing when her parents' faces appeared on the screen with the AMBASSADORS UNDER ARREST caption. He hoped she wouldn't start to cry, he felt extremely uncomfortable in front of crying woman.

"Uhm, hello?" D'Jok asked cautiously. Everybody was so absorbed that only Sonny turned around. The leader of Pirates raised his eyebrows in an amaze, seeing his son again and Tia. "Dad, can we talk? Like, you know, private?" D'Jok look meaningfully at all the Pirates.

Sonny said nothing but stood up and led D'Jok and Tia to the back–office. He looked like he knew why they had came there and was resigned because of it. They followed him with mixed emotions – D'Jok a little bit irritated and worried, Tia determined and ready for an action.

Sonny locked the door when D'Jok and Tia entered the back–office. "Good to see you, Tia," Sonny said. "Sorry to hear about your parents."

"Thank you, Mr. Blackbones," Tia answered. "Then I hope you understand why I have to rescue my parents from a prison. I know them and I'm sure they didn't do anything bad. Yes, they're frigid and currish sometimes but they're the most honest people I've ever met! They love their job and never would do something illegal. Never!" She clenched her hands into fists.

"I understand it, Tia," Sonny looked at her, his face stayed straight. He glanced at D'Jok but the boy didn't do anything, just waited. "But why are you telling me it?"

"Because I want you to help me, sir. You and the Pirates. Only you can help me to rescue my parents, nobody else." Tia looked at him. Her eyes were shining and her lips were pursed. "Would you help me, sir?" she begged, still looking at him.

Sonny didn't answer for a moment. He glanced at D'Jok. "You told her to ask me for a help?"

"No, dad," D'Jok provided immediately. "I don't want Tia to go anywhere," he confessed and Tia felt something warm in her heart.

Sonny still didn't look at the girl. "So why did you bring her to me?"

"Because I know there are more important things than football," the boy said firmly and calmly at once.

"Yes, there are," Sonny agreed. He was moved by D'Jok's words but didn't show it. He looked back at Tia, who was still waiting for some answer. "You want me to do something very, very risky, Tia."

The girl glanced at D'Jok who shrugged like he wanted to say 'I told you'. "I know, Mr. Blackbones," she said, "but I think we both agree my parents are not guilty and if Technoid send them to prison... you know, what will happen then, sir. I don't even know what they are accused of but I can't let Technoid to sentence them because I know they'll never leave the prison then! They may be tortured in this moment and I'm the only person who can help them." Tears appeared in her eyes.

"I understand, Tia, and I feel really sorry for you but you have to get that I'm the most wanted man in the Zaelion galaxy. If I even come close to the Technoid jail I will immediately put under arrest."

"Tia..." D'Jok started, wanting her to stop asking Sonny for help. He couldn't let his father to be arrested because he knew Sonny couldn't have stay alive then. "Tia, please, come back with me. It's too risky."

"Additionally, Technoid accused me of the Shadow Archipelago catastrophe so I can't help you. I'm sorry, Tia," Sonny added.

Tia wiped out tears from her eyes. "If you helped me... I could ask my parents to help you get acquitted."

Sonny and D'Jok looked at each other, surprised.

"You could?" the older Blackbones asked.

"Yes," Tia answered. "That wouldn't be any problem for my parents' influence... if they were free," she sobbed.

"That changes some things..." Sonny murmured. "I have to talk about it with my Pirates and I send you a response, okay?"

"There's no time for it!" Tia yelled. "We have to take an action immediately! We don't even know if my parents are still alive!"

"I'm sure they're still alive," Sonny said.

Tia open her mouth to answer but D'Jok cut her off. "Well, I'm pretty sure you two will get along. If you don't mind I'll come back to the hotel now because I have to wake up early tomorrow."

"Okay, D'Jok," Tia agreed. "Thank you for the help."

D'Jok just shrugged his arms modestly and was about to come out when terrifying, frightening and incredibly loud alarm started to ring in the whole pub. Everyone stood up, Tia covered her ears with hands and closed eyes and D'Jok felt like his eardrums were being teared, he expected the blood wiping out his ears.

The alarm howled for about ten seconds and then immediately stop. D'Jok still heard the noise in his mind. "Whoa, what was that–"

"On the Black Manta, right now!" Sonny yelled, pulling D'Jok outside. The boy grabbed Tia's hand in the last moment and push her behind him.

"But what is going–"

"Technoid alarm, Technoid alarm," they heard mechanical voice everywhere. "Technoid is on the road. Everyone be hidden in two minutes."

"Faster!" Sonny gasped, still jerking D'Jok who was grabbing Tia. They ran out of The Slug's Eye and rushed along the small, dingy street where the Black Manta was located. About fifteen Pirates followed them when Sonny literally threw D'Jok and Tia on the board.

"Everyone hurry up!" Corso yelled, hustling every Pirate. "Technoid will be here in two minutes!"

D'Jok and Tia were so shocked and disoriented that they only stood aside and watched Pirates running on the board and then Corso closing the gang–board. "We're ready to go!" he cried and went to the cockpit. Few seconds later the Black Manta flew up above the buildings. The Pirates, panting a little bit, left D'Jok and Tia alone to do their job... like nothing just happened.

"What the fuck was that?!" D'Jok uttered finally, still holding trembling Tia in his arms and looking at his father expectantly and angrily.

"An emergency situation," Sonny said.

"Emergency?!" D'Jok seemed to be rage. "I want to go back to the hotel! I have a training session which I can't skip!"

"Sorry kid but it seems it's impossible right now. We're leaving Genesis 'cause it's too much Technoid over here."

"You gotta be kidding!"

"Okay, D'Jok, I understand you're angry." Sonny put his hands on D'Jok's arms. "I think until tomorrow everything will be alright again and we drive you back to the hotel, okay? If be needed, I'll explain Aarch everything. Don't worry."

D'Jok crossed his arms on the chest. He was the captain, he couldn't skip a training session... Aarch would be mad if both Tia and D'Jok missed it. Why didn't Sonny understand it? D'Jok observed his father walking to the cockpit.

"I'll talk to Corso about your parents, Tia," he said to the girl who nodded and left the room.

D'Jok sat down on the floor, Tia followed him. She was getting better and looked at the boy, uncertain what would he do right now. Tia knew D'Jok felt bad because of missed training session and she wanted to comfort him somehow. "Sorry," she said quietly. "If not me it wouldn't have happened."

"Mhm, okay." That was the only what D'Jok said. He wasn't looking at her, still seemed to be angry and offended.

"D'Jok," tried Tia once again, "you know it was necessary. If you stayed there, you would get in trouble. Your dad cares about you, he's worried. He would never let anyone hurt you."

"I get it, Tia," D'Jok said but still didn't look at her what made Tia feel uncomfortable.

"I'm aware you feel bad about training session but I'm sure Aarch won't be angry when he learns out what happened. It's only one training."

"Yeah, sure," D'Jok murmured, jerking his shoelaces. "No difference if I'm there or I'm not. No one cares."

"That's not true! Everyone cares! I do, the Snow Kids do... Mei does."

Hearing his girlfriend's name, D'Jok frowned. Tia knew they'd had and argument recently – Mei told her – and wasn't sure how D'Jok would react but he just shrugged.

"I don't think Mei cares about something more than clothes," he said.

Tia suddenly felt sorry for him. Was there anybody who really understood him? She put her hand on his shoulder gently. "You know it's a lie. Mei cares about you. She loves you."

"...yeah, yeah, yeah*," D'Jok chanted and Tia giggled. She sighed, relieved when she saw a little smile on D'Jok's face.

Micro Ice spent an amazing and charming evening with Yuki in the little, adorable cafeteria called The Seven Hearts. They were talking and drinking coffee and tea in tiny cups which Yuki found cute and Micro Ice found stupid. But they made Yuki smile so he was smiling too. After leaving The Seven Hearts they went to the Genesis Forest and walked around, observing big, colourful birds. Micro Ice thought it was incredibly boring but said nothing knowing he had to keep smiling if he wanted Yuki fancying him.

They entered the hotel few minutes after 11 p.m. The hall was empty so they walked toward the common room directly, hoping to find some of their teammates to talk.

"Where are they?" Yuki asked as they came in the common room and found nobody there. "Everybody went out?"

"No, Thran, Mark, Tia, D'Jok and Mei were about watching Rykers–Wambas game," Micro Ice responded. "Guess they're in the bedrooms."

"Probably," Yuki said. "Don't you mind I'll go to mine? I want to take a shower and go to sleep, the training session is early."

"Yeah, no prob." Micro Ice smiled to her. "Have a good night, Yuki."

"You too, Micro Ice." Surprisingly Yuki stood up her toes and kissed Micro Ice in the cheek. The boy felt the place touched by Yuki's lips was burning. Yuki gave him a little sly smile and walked away to her bedroom.

That was the best evening in my life, satisfied Micro Ice thought as he walked to his bedroom. He couldn't wait to share the news with D'Jok but... when he entered the room, D'Jok wasn't there, only Mark lying on the bed and reading the newspaper. Where is he?, Micro Ice thought.

"Have you seen Ginger?" he asked.

Mark shrugged. "Nah, haven't seen him since I watched the match."

"What was the result?"

"2 –1 for Rykers." Mark said, still reading the newspaper. "I haven't seen Tia too, to be honest," he added after a while what made Micro Ice intrigued.

"Haven't you?" he asked. "You think they could go out together?"

"I don't know... don't care really." Mark shrugged once again. "They're both adult, right? I don't have to control them all the time."

"Yeah, you don't..." Micro Ice muttered, thoughtful. Mark might be right but Micro Ice felt that something was going on. He couldn't explain it really, it was just a feeling. Micro Ice knew D'Jok for sixteen years and always knew when something bad was happening. D'Jok laughed at him because of it and said they're not twins but Micro Ice knew D'Jok felt the same way.

And now Micro Ice felt something bad happened but didn't say it loud. That wasn't the first time when D'Jok came back to the hotel late at night. But Aarch ordered a training session at 7 a.m. and Micro Ice knew D'Jok would rather burn alive than miss one. Calm down, M–Ice, he thought. D'Jok had an argument with Mei, maybe he's just hyper and needs to relieve. He decided to stay calm until tomorrow, so he took a shower and lied down on the bed. He turned on the TV but couldn't focus on any channel.

"May you turn the TV off?" Mark asked in a certain moment. "I want to go to sleep."

"Okay. There's nothing interesting anyway," Micro Ice said and turned off the TV. "Today you're turning off the lights," he commanded while covering himself with a blanket.

"Ugh," Mark moaned and stood up. He was walking to the light switch when suddenly someone knocked on the door. Mark open and let Mei in. She was in her PJ's and looked quite anxious.

"Have you guys seen Tia?" she asked. Boys shook their heads. "It's almost 12 p.m. and she still didn't come back. She's never outside the hotel after 10 p.m. I'm worried, boys." In fact, she was pale and hugging herself, nervous.

"D'Jok didn't come back too," Mark said.

"He didn't?" Mei seemed to get even more anxious.

"Don't worry Mei," Micro Ice cheered her up. The girl looked at him. "D'Jok likes to stay in the town in the night, you know it. Tia's surely with him. Maybe they're having fun and forgot about the time." He winced – it didn't sound good. Mei probably thought so because she frowned. "I didn't mean that, Mei," the boy quickly corrected himself. "I just mean Tia's been kinda upset recently and D'Jok surely wanted to comfort her." M–Ice, don't go deeper in this shit, he heard a firm, rough voice in his mind.

"Mhm, yeah, probably," Mei agreed but she didn't looked to be convinced. "I'll better go to my bedroom, maybe they'll come back soon."

"Sure thing." Micro Ice gave her a comforting smile and Mei left.

Mark looked at his roommate suspiciously. "At first you seemed worried about D'Jok and now you're cheering Mei up?"

"I just don't want her to be anxious," Micro Ice murmured. "We don't need it."

"Not my bussiness," Mark stated and went back to the bed. "Good night, Shortie."

"Good night, buddy," Micro Ice whispered and lied on his back. He knew he wouldn't fall asleep until D'Jok came back.

"Where you think we are?" Tia asked, looking through the window at the galaxy in front of them.

"Look over here, it's Xzion planet." D'Jok pointed at it. Tia didn't ask, keeping looking on the stars. She looked thoughtful. "What are you thinking about?" the boy asked softly. Dreamy Tia looked so beautiful... But he would never say it out loud.

The girl took a deep breath. "I wonder if your father manage to convince the Pirates to help me," she confessed.

"You're really worried about your parents," D'Jok noticed, kind of surprised but impressed at once.

"Of course I do," said Tia, her voice was quiet and soft what made this conversation sound really private and even intimate. "We may argue but they're still my parents, they have nobody but me. You understand it, right? You care about your father?"

"I love my dad, he's everything to me," D'Jok confessed, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable. He never talked about his feelings but telling it to Tia... it wasn't weird. It was natural, like they spend long hours talking about what did they feel.

Tia gave him a warm smile but said nothing. D'Jok felt his cheeks were burning and his heart started to beat harder.

Suddenly the cockpit door open and they saw Sonny. He looked serious. Tia stood up, anxious, waiting for the news. "Okay, Tia," Sonny said, "we decided we'll help you rescue your parents."

"Really?" The girl grinned. "That's awesome, thank you–"

"You need to know," Blackbones interrupted her, "it'll be very dangerous action. Breaking in Technoid jail... if we don't success, every Pirate who's on this ship will be arrested. I hope you understand it."

"I do," Tia provided firmly.

"Cool then," D'Jok said. "Can you take me to the hotel, dad?"

Sonny did a gesture between frowning and wincing. "I'm afraid I can't, D'Jok," he said, his voice was groom. "You'll go with us."

"What?!"

"We can't go back to Genesis, not now," Sonny explained. "Technoid is searching all around the planet to find us and we just can't appear there, you get it? I know you have the training session tomorrow morning but I'm sure Aarch will understand it."

"We're playing the match in two days!" D'Jok was shocked and mad at once what was predicted by Sonny who tried to calm his son down.

"I know. You'll be on time, I promise. Tomorrow we'll help Tia and in the night we'll come back to Genesis and you two will play a match."

"So you want me to take part in breaking into Technoid's prison?!"

"No, of course you're not going anywhere, do you think I would let it happen?" Sonny looked at his son carefully. "You and Tia will stay on the Black Manta and we'll do our job."

"Excuse me?" Tia asked quietly, surprised. "What do you mean?"

"Exactly this same what you heard. You'll stay on the board with D'Jok, you'll be safe. We'll rescue the ambassadors, come back here and fly to Genesis. That's that!" he said when both D'Jok and Tia were opening their mouth to disagree. "We won't change our mind. You're only kids and I can't let something bad to you happen."

Then he came out, leaving D'Jok and Tia wordless.

* She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah is a part of The Beatles' song She loves you. I know it may be strange that GF characters know The Beatles but they're so cool I'm sure even in the Zaelion galaxy people know their music. ;)