"What the hell?" Gregor breathed, gaping at the sight before her. The cave the roaches lead her into was huge, and surprisingly well lit. It could have passed as dusk if it were above ground. The ground before her feet was spongy, and upon closer inspection, Gregor discovered it was a moss like substance.
She couldn't help but grin as she bounced on it slightly. It reminded her vaguely of the foam mats from gymnastics practice.
"Ge-go!" Boots's squeal effectively drew the girl from her thoughts, and her head whipped up. Her eyes searched the clearing until they landed n the mop of curly hair racing away from her.
"Boots! Where are you going?" Gregor sped after her, awkwardly dodging all the roaches who were entranced by Boots.
"Ball! Beeeg ball!" Boots exclaimed, happily clapping her hands. Gregor huffed as she finally caught up with the speeding toddler and picked her up.
"Ball? What are you talking…about…oh." Gregor's voice turned faint and she hugged her sister closer to her chest.
Well, Gregor found the humans at least.
There were about seven or eight of them, hanging up at the high ceiling of the cave riding bats of all things. The bats were absolutely massive, with a wingspan alone that could rival some small school buses. Gregor felt her mouth go dry.
Boots, on the other hand, was focused on much more important matters.
"Baaaaallllll." She wiggled out of Gregor's grip and toddled over the purple ball that had, quite literally, fallen out of the sky. The ball bounced and Boots went after it, reaching her pudgy arms forward excitedly. A shadow suddenly fell over Boot's tiny frame and Gregor saw a golden bat dive straight for the toddler.
Gregor lurched forward, her heart jumping into her throat when she knew she would never reach her in time.
"Boots!" She screamed, hysteria bubbling in her voice. Apparently, Gregor needn't have worried though because at the last minute the bat pulled up sharply, performing an intricate loop-de-loop. At the moves apex, the rider released her grip on the animal and, to Gregor's grudging amazement, executed a flawless double back flip that would leave her high school coach in awe.
The figure, Gregor belatedly realized it was a girl, landed in front of Boots. She stuck out a hand and the ball landed perfectly in her palm.
Gregor, who finally reached the duo, pulled Boots safely into her side, not liking the younger girl's arrogant expression. The two girls stared each other down, in some unspoken battle of dominance.
Hands down this girl was the strangest looking person Gregor had ever seen which, considering Gregor was a born and raised New Yorker, was saying a lot. She was pale as a sheet of paper, with blue-green spidery veins snaking up along her body. Her hair was blond to a degree Gregor didn't even know existed. It went beyond platinum to a more silvery color. Not grey, like Gregor's grandmother's, but not white either.
Her eyes, Gregor was startled to notice, were a dazzling shade of lavender. She blinked in shock, and whatever contest the two girls had going ended.
Boot's tugged at the strap of Gregor's messenger bag, pouting up at her.
"Ball?" She pledged, extending her marker covered fingers towards the girl. The pale girl bent down to Boot's level.
"Do you want it? You can only take it if your smarter or stronger than me." The girl said. Her voice was strange too; cold and crisp, but with an underlying accent Gregor couldn't place.
The tanned teenager frowned, not appreciating the girl's treatment of her little sister. She opened her mouth to defend Boots, but the toddler beat her too it.
"Purple!" Boots shouted, poking a finger into the girls eye. The blond gave a small cry and jerked back, dropping to ball. Boots scampered after it, giggling.
"I guess you can say she's smarter then." Gregor smiled, a little smug. The girl curled her lip up into a sneer. "But not you. Otherwise you wouldn't say such things to a queen." She sniffed.
Gregor blinked at her. "A...Queen. You?" Without really thinking about it, Gregor laughed. The girl couldn't possibly be older than twelve!
"Excuse me?" The girl drew herself up to her full height, narrowing her eyes. Gregor suddenly realized how her words sounded.
"Oh, no! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to offend you! It just I'm not used...we don't have royalty where I live and...I just..." Gregor struggled for words, feeling herself wither under the girl's glare. The blond was silent for a moment.
"I shall...forgive your, as you would not have known. I am Queen Luxa. And you are, Overlander?"
"I'm...Gregor. Nice to meet you. I guess." Gregor said rather lamely, stuffing her hands in her pockets. The action drew the Luxa's attention towards Gregor's clothes.
"Are you not cold?" Luxa said, drawing her eyebrows together in confusion at Gregor's shorts. The brunette shrugged, trying not to shiver.
"Now that you mention it, it is a little chilly." She allowed, drawing her jacket closer to her skin. Luxa continued frowning at her shorts,
"Is it proper to show so much skin?" Luxa asked, before shaking her head. "No matter, they shall be burned regardless. Come, overlander, gather the child. You both need to bathe."
Now it was Gregor's turn to be offended. She straightened indignantly. She knew she was probably pretty sweaty from the twenty minute run to this place, but to point it out so casually? Gregor's eyebrow twitched, but she held her tongue.
"I would really rather just go home if it's all the same." She said, taking a deep breath to calm her temper. Luxa pulled back, surprised.
"Home? Smelling as you do? No." She waved a hand, casually dismissing the idea. "You'd be dead before you even reach the waterway."
Gregor bit her lip. Though her first inclination was to argue, she was more concerned over the fact that there was something-someone, in this godforsaken place that would be willing to kill her, and more importantly, Boots.
Gregor eyed her sister, who was once again sitting in the back of a roach, cooing at the bats. She thought about making a break for it, but could she really risk Boots like that? The child in question suddenly turned around, brown eyes searching until they found Gregor's own green pair.
"Ge-Go!" Boots jumped off the roach and came over. "I tired." She whimpered, wrapping her pudgy arms around Gregor's leg and leaning her head on her knee. Gregor internally melted at Boot's cuteness, smiling.
"C'mere baby girl." She picked her up and Boot's rested her head on Gregor's chest. Gregor turned back to Luxa, feeling more relaxed with Boot's in her arms. She found the young Queen in a deep discussion with one of the roaches.
"Give you five baskets, give you?" The roach hissed, bobbing its antennas. Luxa frowned hard.
"We'll give you three baskets of grain, no more." She snapped. Gregor raised an eyebrow. Was she and Boots for sale?
"Rats give many fish." The insect sat back on its hunches, black eyes glittering. Luxa clenched her fists.
"Going to the rats will give you no time and you know it." She said stiffly. "Three baskets."
The roach shifted again, but before it could speak, a new voice piped up. "We'll give four baskets."
Gregor looked up to find a new rider jumping off of a large, glossy black bat. He was about Gregor's age, maybe a little older, and just as pale as Luxa. Gregor thought they might be related. They both had the same aristocratic features and haughty tilt of their heads. She hoped she wouldn't be dealing with a second Luxa.
The boy turned to Luxa. "The roaches have brought us a great treasure. It's only fair we pay them back, no?" Luxa narrowed her eyes, but didn't fight him. The roach nodded. That settled, the boy walked over to Gregor.
"Come, Overlander. We should get you to the palace. To much time spent in my cousin's company is not good for ones' health." He grinned and Gregor belatedly realized he was quite handsome.
"Um...cousin?" She asked, for lack of a better topic of conversation. He nodded, jerking his thumb. "Yes, my cousin Luxa. She means well. Most of the time." He gave Gregor a conspiratorial grin, like they were sharing a joke just between the two of them.
Luxa huffed. "Just get her back to the palace, Henry." With that the girl, acting on some signal Gregor couldn't deduce, jumped up, kicking her legs wide. Her golden bat sped under her and suddenly they were gone.
Gregor rolled her eyes. Who was she trying to impress? Certainly not the two year running regional gymnastics champion.
"Shall we?" Henry's voice broke her out of her thoughts and she turned to find him standing next to the black bat, hand held out to her. Gregor sent one last, long look at the black tunnel she and Boots emerged from. She considered running but the thought left her before it even really formed. She knew that was a bad idea.
"I guess I don't have much of a choice do I?" She sighed, giving the boy her hand. His grin widened. He gently helped maneuver her onto the bats back, mindful of Boots in her arm. Once she was settled, he jumped up after her.
Gregor eyed the ground wearily, suddenly realizing how high up the bat was. "Would this be a good time to mention I'm scared of-heights!" Gregor shrieked when the bat suddenly sprang into flight. Her one free hand fisted a clump of silky fur, and the other clutched Boots closer to her.
The toddler was nearly beside herself in excitement, squirming so she could peer over the bats broad back. "Ge-go, look! Tow-ah!"
Gregor risked a peek below her and felt her draw drop. "Oh my god..." She breathed.
Gregor didn't know what she was expecting from the human civilization miles beneath New York, but this...this was not it.
The city was magnificent. The building seems to be carved straight from the sides of the cavern, with plenty of balconies jutting out. There were torches placed on high watch towers littered throughout the city, casting a warm glow over the scene.
Gregor would have been content to look at the scene all day, but the bat suddenly dipped and she was forcibly reminded that she was hundreds of feet in the air.
Gregor stifled another groan and Henry leaned forward. "You alright, Overlander? You look a little green." His brow was furrowed in concern. Despite everything, Gregor felt herself warming up to him, if only for the fact he was the first person she's met all day that genuinely seemed concerned for her wellbeing.
"Yeah, I'm just not very fond of flying." She explained, giving him a wobbly smile. His expression turned sympathetic.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I should have asked. We could've walked."
"No, it's fine. Just...are we almost there?" Gregor bit her lip. Henry nodded and pointed at a fast approaching structure that Gregor assumed was the palace.
They circled around once before dropping down. The landing jostled Gregor, and for a second she thought she was going to fall before Henry's arms wrapped around her waist.
"Steady." He whispered, his breath hitting the back of her neck. Gregor felt her cheeks heat up in embarrassment.
"Ahem." Gregor and Henry both turned towards the sound to find an older man standing there, giving them both a knowing look. Gregor blushed harder and she started struggling against the semi-stranger's grip on her.
Henry eventually did relinquish his hold on her, though it was at a more sedate pace than Gregor would have liked.
Once freed, the brunette quickly jumped down from the bat, inwardly cursing as her ankle flared up with pain. She turned back to look at Henry and he sent her a slow, languid smile that did nothing for Gregor's stuttering heart. "Go ahead, Overlander. Vikus will take care of you from here. I'll be sure to see you later."
With one last jaunty wave, he and his black bat were off. Gregor shook her head. She knew a playboy when she saw one, and if Henry wasn't a regular flirt, she'd eat her left foot.
Boots voice broke her from her thoughts. "Hi! Hi you!" Boots waved cheerfully from her place in Gregor's arms.
Realizing how much her arms hurt, Gregor hastily put her sister on the ground before straightening and smiling at the man.
"Hello. I'm Gregor and this here is Boots. You're Vikus, I take it?" The man nodded and gave her a warm smile.
"Yes, I am he named Vikus. It's a pleasure to meet you Gregor, Boots. Come, walk with me. I'm sure you have many questions. I promise to answer them over dinner, after you bathe." He said.
Gregor frowned and caught his sleeve. "It's very nice of you to make us dinner, but I'm afraid Boots and I really need to be going. Our mother is going to be worried sick."
Gregor could imagine it too. Her mother, coming in late at night to an empty apartment with no note, no message. Gregor didn't want to put her mom through that again. Her dad's disappearance was enough.
Now it was Vikus's turn to frown. "I'm afraid it's not that simple Gregor." Catching sight of the look on Gregor's face he held his hands up. "I promise to explain everything after you bathe. But right now, you are putting yourself and your sister in danger."
That made Gregor pause. "Fine. Okay, I'll bathe. But please, I just really need to go home." She begged. Vikus gave her a sad look.
"I promise to do everything in my power to make that happen." He said solemnly. Gregor sighed.
"I guess that's the best I'm gonna get from you, isn't it?" Vikus simply nodded.