The Chameleon
Monday, April 27, 2009
Disclaimer: I don't really want to own the Winx Club because that would mean that I need to make preparations for season four and the second movie.
Fore Note: Don't ask how I wrote another chapter of this. I don't know.
"We're here…" Lance deactivated the touch-screen of the hover vehicle and pulled out the key. Inner city traffic was insane! It seemed that everyone seemed to have road rage. Thankfully, he didn't move to that part of the city. Instead, he had decided with a fairly busy but quiet suburb. It was not too busy nor was it too quiet so he would not attract that much attention.
He yawned and rubbed his eyes. He was definitely tired at staring at roads and needed to stretch his legs. He undid his seatbelt and turned in his seat to look in the back.
He quirked his eyebrows and sighed. Luggage…
Anyways, he got out—wary of cars that would pass by—and went to the other side of his car and opened the door.
"Crow, wake up. We're here."
On the seat, there sat a leggy woman with long black hair sleeping. She roused from her sleep and yawned.
"Com'on, wake up, Crow," Lance said, frustrated. He leaned on the door and yawned.
"Are we there yet? Did something happen?" She stretched her arms and cracked the kinks in her neck.
"Yes, the car's on fire, Crow. Wake up."
He was a contract killer and this was his partner in crime. It was a wonder he was still in the business.
Crow's eyes widened and stilled mid-stretching while looking around herself for the fire in an alarmed manner. "What…?"
"We're here, Crow. Get up." Lance pointed at the bungalow behind him. They had parked in front of the house despite there being a parking space and garage.
She unbuckled her belt and looked out. "Ah, so this is the 'house,' huh?" She looked from the size of the yard to the house itself.
"Yes, Crow. I'm sorry but I have to leave you now." He pointed at the garage. "Peahen will be over by this afternoon to help you set up and move in."
She looked at him expectantly from her seat. "And?"
Lance held a set of keys up to her. "This is the key to car and this one is for the house. I have a house one already but I won't need the car so I'm handing it to you. I suggest that you sell it and get a new one." He showed her the rest of the keys before turning around to the garage and opening the automatic doors with a remote. Inside was a red levabike that he guided out to the car park. By then, Crow was out of the car waiting on the sidewalk. She stood timidly with both of her hands clasped in front of her.
He guided the bike near her until he was standing right beside her. He gave a small smile and brushed his hair back in a tight ponytail. Just as he was about to put on his helmet, her hand found his face and she leaned in to invite his lips to lock with hers. She nibbled his lower lip and she could feel him smiling smugly. During that brief encounter, Crow brushed a hand in his long locks.
"Red Fountain?" she whispered against his lips.
"Yes."
"I'll see you later then?"
"I'll call you tonight and give you the details."
"And your name?"
"I think I'll use…"
-
"…Perihelion Xylander. I'm the dean's grandson. It might be under Helia Xylander though. I was told that I had an appointment with him around two-thirty." Helia leaned over the high office desk ledge as if trying to get a look on the computer monitor.
"Ah, you're expected. He's still in a meeting now but I'll let him know that you're here," the kind woman said. The Red Fountain administrative office a flurry of bustling people walking to and forth with papers and assorted documents. The phones rang constantly with redirected calls and the smell of coffee was prevalent.
"Thanks."
"Take a seat, I suppose, because I don't think he'll run this meeting on time."
"Oh, who's he meeting with?"
"It has to do with some fiasco from last year with one of the resident princes. His parents and the prince are having a meeting about security."
"Eraklyon?"
"So you've heard?"
"Of course. I think everyone in a four universe galaxy heard or might it have been because he told my mom once."
It was some time before Lance got to actually meeting his grandfather. He walked down the long hall with his hands in his pocket as he made note of the patterns on the damaged floor. One side of the hallway was completely filled with ceiling windows while the other side was decorated with statues. The school was in dear need of rebuilding, still since the Army of Decay fiasco. Apparently, they were going to unveil the new school as soon as the fall semester started and he hoped that the new one would last longer than the one he was currently in.
Helia froze instantly. The sound was so minute but it was there. He looked up from the floor at the double doors that was the dean's office. Two large statues stood at either side of the doors, one was a centaur while the other was a harpy perched on a stone.
"Chameleon," Helia remarked flatly. He turned to come face to face with another man.
This man was tall and brunette with pronounced shoulders. His hair was slightly longish and flicky to one side. He wore jeans and a plain white button up shirt.
"Serpent," the other man said coldly, acknowledging the other's codename. "What are you doing here, you snake?" His voice was full of malice.
"I think I have a right to an education, don't you?" Helia said coolly.
"Oh, of course but what would a man need an education at Red Fountain for when he's already amassed enough fortune to buy the school? Is that it? Are you here to buy the school?" Chameleon's voice was sharp.
"I heard that you had yourself had enrolled here as well, Chameleon. I wonder why? Could it be for the easy access some of the galaxy's important future members of society? I can see that you've placed yourself right in the middle of the social circle with the Solarian princess on your right arm and the Sparks princess just a skip away. Let's not forget Prince Sky, too, if you decide to change your allegiances like you do with your girlfriends. The wealthy would kill to have an operative where you are right now. Was it Mother Wolf who put you here?"
"I am loyal the Crown! I don't have to explain anything to you."
"As I am loyal to anyone who can meet my prices."
"And your morals too, I suppose?"
"I refuse to kill children and pregnant women, Chameleon," Helia said hotly.
"So, you do have a conscience!" Chameleon said sarcastically and pretended to contemplate the thought.
"And I guess you have no qualms about it then? I could always divert any of my clients to you seeing as you don't seem to be offended by the thought of killing children," Helia spat out.
"Don't you even dare!—" Chameleon's eyes flared at the insult.
Both men froze at the sound of doors creaking and turned their attention to the dean's office. There was a fake female laugh accompanied by several males—all of them adults.
"Well, thank you for listening again, Fayzal," the Queen of Eraklyon said as she exited the dean's office. The red-haired queen had her husband on her left arm while Saladin walked right beside her on her right.
"We will meet again when the council decides to convene again in October?"
"Of course," the burly bearded king said. The king of Eraklyon was a big man, slightly fat and old but nonetheless formidable as a warrior. He had dark brown curly hair and a well trimmed beard.
"Well then, I will see you then. It was wonderful seeing you again, your Imperial Majesties," Saladin said courteously and bowed his head slightly. And to Sky, who was walking right behind them with a slightly uneasy face, Saladin said, "I will see you again when the term starts next week. That goes the same for you, Brandon."
"Yessir!" Chameleon said flippantly and even embellished it with a charming smile. Helia raised one eyebrow at the name.
"And this must be the grandson you were talking about!" the queen pointed at Helia.
Helia gave a bright smile but gave a fixed look the headmaster with his eyes. "Your Imperial Majesties." He gave a small bow. "I'm delighted to be acknowledged by the noblest blood of Eraklyon."
"Very polite, too! How sweet!" The tall queen approached him and offered him a handshake but he took her hand and pretended to misunderstand the gesture and brushed his lips briefly against her knuckles, acknowledging her status. She smiled, though slightly surprised.
"Well, it's time to go, dear," the king said and his queen feel into step with him as they disappeared down the hallway. The Chameleon and the blond prince of Eraklyon followed them, striking a serious conversation. Sky gave him a pointed look while he passed him and it seemed that he was about to say something until Saladin called Helia in.
"Grandson, come into my office. I have some things to talk to you about," the headmaster said warmly.
-
"'Grandfather,'" the Serpent hissed as he walked in.
"Before you ask—"
"Great Gods, I don't even remotely look like you! How could you tell such a blatant lie?!"
As soon as the doors had closed, Serpent had sat on a cushioned chair before the dean's desk with his legs crossed. The Serpent was seeping with anger.
Saladin sat down at his desk and gave the Serpent scrutinizing look. All he saw was a possibly old-fashioned teen who wore tied robes with khakis and long hair but he could feel the magical potential radiating around him. "May I explain before you go on any further with your triad?" At least he could show him some courtesy after that stunt. The grandfather-grandson story had been arranged just days before the Serpent had arrived in Magix. The Serpent had every right to be angry.
"YES!" he said sourly. Though he was extremely angry because this threw a wrench into his many plans, he had the sense to keep his wits about him.
"...really?" Saladin asked incredulously. He was expecting him to be like an angry child and throw a fit and a couple of death threats. Maybe start a fight.
"Just explain!"
Saladin saw that the man was thinking deeply. This child troubled him deeply. For someone so young looking, he could be so dangerous as he was reputed. He continued with his explanation, "I realized that you're going to need a lot of movement. A lot of movement considering your mission. Calling you a prince from some outlandish planet would not work because all the other members of royalty would be flocking to you like vultures so I figured that giving a prominent but non really important position was necessary. The best was to, well, you know..."
"And 'grandson' came to mind?"
"Yes."
"Fine. I see your point. I'm glad that you thought of that but what about my looks and the name that's already written on the roster?"
"You're not that different from me as long as you keep your hair long. I can say you're my runaway daughter's son who eloped with her incubus of a husband to Neicheusia and you've come to Magix to reconnect with the family. Your last name can be from your father and your looks as well." Saladin said the explanation with a rather sad tone.
"Don't tell me you actually have a daughter who did all that, old man."
"That's 'Grandfather' to you!" Saladin reminded him sharply.
"Yes, but I don't think I'm going to hold you highly in my mind if my mother ran away from you for her husband. You must've denied her choice of husband behemothly and she must've loved him terribly to leave like that. I'm only here to tell the rest of the family that she's still alive and to see why she ran away from you." The Serpent immediately started playing the part of a grandson seamlessly. "Do I have a grandmother, by the way?" He already had the answer since he had researched everyone he would come into contact fairly thoroughly but hearing it from the man himself would show his true colours.
"Yes..." Saladin said weakly, "Her name is Despoina Saladin."
"Does Mother have any brothers or sisters that I should know about?" the Serpent asked clinically. There was no point in remaining angry with the lie. What Saladin told him was the truth. Despoina Saladin was Fayzal Saladin's first and only wife. They had three children together with one runaway daughter apparently.
"Your uncle is Demitrios and your aunt is Fahima."
"Are my parents still together?"
"It's been years since I've seen her but I highly doubt it since she married an incubus. You know how it is."
"When was the last time she contacted you?"
"Almost seven years now."
"Good. Amazing that you told the truth."
"You already knew?!" Saladin's eyes widened.
"It was a precaution. Now, the reason why I'm here."
"Yes, the rumours about activity in Shadowhaunt and Downland..."
"They're not rumours. Some idiot has decided to summon the Phoenix Lord back to our plain of existence. Any good darkling would have felt the difference in mechanics of the universe when he came back."
Saladin stiffened at the news.
"I suspect that the Powers are at play at this and that certain prized members of the Underworld are going to start going missing. Simona Hews has already disappeared from our radar and you know how notorious she is."
"Inheritor and leader of the Baila! How could you lose her? She's the most dangerous woman in this galaxy! How do you know this already?"
"I have my sources. I think you also forgot 'head mafia associate' in Scavi, Adquistes and Magix," the Serpent corrected.
Saladin scowled.
"Don't tell me how to do my job," the Serpent warned. "For now, I'm going to be on standby. We will discuss the objectives of my mission another time. Preferably this Thursday at eleven. I will take my leave now." He got up and turned to towards the door. He stopped for a moment. "I should probably give you this." He tossed a sheaf of paper that landed on Saladin's desk and left.
Saladin picked up the little note. It was a phone number.
Latter Note: Well, there you go. Can you guess who the Chameleon is? Okay, yeah, it's Brandon... Anyways, yeah, it's a rewrite of season two. There's also Crow and Peahen and as well as Mother Wolf. Don't you love all the animal codenames? I think it's rather cute.
So yeah, the Serpent is, of course, Helia. His name on the record is Perihelion Xylander. Perihelion is a mathematical/astrophysical term meaning the planet's closest distance to the sun it is orbiting. 'Peri' means close and 'helios' means sun. Helia is the feminine of Helios. I was going to name him 'Aphelion' (which is the longest distance to the sun it is orbiting) but it sounded a little bit like 'Alfea' in regards to pronunciation. Xylander is just reused lastname from 'My Body isn't Telling...'
For those who did not know, 'Saladin' is Arabic.