The noise of blaster could be heard closer and closer and the boys made their way to the town. Running past people who were fleeing the street to get away from the battle. The boys slowed down and quickly wondered around for the sign of the girls. Looking around some building were crumbling to the ground and what seems to be a repeat of cavern 33.
"Eli it's Trixie" Kord shouted. Eli looked in the direction Kord was pointing, she was on top of some rubble of a building lying down. The boys ran fast to her aid.
"Trixie…. Trixie? Are you ok, speak Trixie?" Eli rubbed some of the dust of her 'cough' the sound of Trixie as she woke up.
"Eli… quick….. He got….. Lace 'cough' Trixie said in a quiet voice
"Pronto stay here with Trixie , Kord, me and you going to find Lace" Kord nodded to their leaders plan. Eli started to run with Kord, blasters at hand, ready. They went down alleyways and street until they heard talking. The boys turned the corner and found twist and lace fighting in a hand to hand combat, lace look pretty beat up and so did twist
"well well well look who it is, your new boyfriend came to save you Lace" Twist noticed from the corner of his eye.
"I….I… guess you could say that" Lace said with a smirk on her face; cut up, dirty and a sign of blood too. Lace love the back chat, back chatting was sort of her thing. Twist ran at her again, punching at the girl quickly, Lace dodged out of the way doing a cartwheel in the process, but only just, she was growing tired and weakf from the training she did earlier. She looked back and lunged a kicked to the side of Twist's body, but Twist was fast and grabbed her leg first and swung her to the ground, she hit her head in the processes and lay there with her face on the ground, he was not showing any weakness towards her, he went over to the battered girl on the ground and pinned her down, Eli quickly rushed to her aid but was stopped with a blaster pointing straight at him.
"Stop! Make one more step and I will snap her fragile neck right here, right now. Without hesitation" Twist was not kidding. He sat on her back while he face was on the ground, she was not moving and Eli could not do a thing to help her.
"Just let her go. You won, O.K just don't hurt her" Eli pleaded
"I'm not going to Eli not until I get what I want first. I need her for something bigger but I guess you don't know what that is, do you? Guess you did not figure it out then" Twist playing more games again. All Eli and Kord do was watch.
"What are you talking about, what has Lace got to do with you?" Eli asked, his fists were clench and his teeth grinded together.
"You don't know about our thing, I knew she would keep this a secret. Skill in slinging and great fighting skills and you just thought she was one of a kind. This is what she deserves for betraying her own kind like me." Twist added " You see Lace was one of Dr Blakk's apprentices just like me and she betrayed him, she deserves this" Twist smirked at the two men.
Eli looked shocked and so was Kord, this was a twist yet again. Lace worked for Blakk. She betrayed him, she must have ran away and hidden because she is still here today and now Twist had got her.
"and you haven't even hared the good part have you Eli?" Eli continued to hear Twist's words closely
"Say hello to Lace's ex-boyfriend Eli, it me. You see she got a thing for bad boys like me. She loves bad boy, she still loved me even know she ran away…. She properly still does now" Twist had direct eye contact with Eli when he said those words. Eli could not believe a word of it but he had that look in his eyes, he was telling the truth.
"Its ashamed really, she was like fire- getting to close and you burn Eli. I did and I love it" Twist got of her back and put her flat out on the ground, now she was facing upward. Lace stilled lied there not moving. Twist then cupped lace's cheek and planted a cold kiss on her red lip. Eli still stood there with anger. He was disgusted, he was treating her like a object not caring how she felt.
"Anger? Jealousy? Mad? I've got what I came for but still, one more step and I snap…." and before Twist said anything else, a blaster was fired hitting twist into a building. Eli looked over from the direction of fire. It was Trixie!
"Get her and go Eli, he will be out of that rubble in no time" Trixie explained. Without hesitation Eli ran to his friend and picked her up and ran. He carried her bridle style in his arms and ran to the mechas. Lace top was covered in drips of blood and dirt, part of it was torn off. Still carrying her in his arms he rode all the way back to the house with the gang too. When they got to the house Eli mounted off his mecha and with Lace. Eli slowed his pace down and walk back to the house
"E…E…Eli?" Lace said in a soft voice.
"shhhh don't talk were nearly home" he said back
"I'm sorry…. I thought I could take him on this time" she asked again
"Lace it's not your fault" he said again and went though the front door of the HQ
"Eli we will take care of Trixie. You go and get Lace cleaned up, she looks badly hurt dude" Kord said carrying Trixie to the living room and having her sat down on the sofa. She looked pretty beat up too but not as much as Lace
"Im sorry Eli, he was just to fast, he literally came out of nowhere " Trixie said with her head in her hands
"Don't worry Trixie you still helped us get Lace back, if it wasn't for you quick thinking he could have done more to her." Eli said still carrying he hurt friend.
Eli carried her to the spare room on the top floor and lay her down the bed. He brought out a first aid box that was underneath the bed and got out some treatment cream and material. Eli looked all over lace, she was covered in cut, dirt, bruises and a bit of blood where she hit her head. Eli wiped off the blood with a wipe from the first aid kit and gently put a couple of plasters on her arm where she cut herself. He got some bandages and wrapped them over Lace's hand, her knuckles were scrapped from punches she took out on Twist. Eli looked at the floor, his friends got hurt and he was not there to save them. Just like his dad, he could not save everyone.
"I'm sorry Lace" Eli said with a sad face.
"what for Eli you saved me again" Lace opened her eyes to see a sad blue eyed boy sat on the bed.
"No I didn't, he…. He got you and I could not do anything but watch. He said he was going to kill you if I moved" Lace was shocked on what just came out of Eli mouth.
"… he said you worked for Blakk and betrayed them, he said that you dated and then he…errr kissed you before Trixie save you, all I could do was carry you away" Eli sighed
"Is it true Lace?" Eli asked making direct eye contact this time. Lace paused for a moment and grew anger in her facial expressions. Sat up and sat next to the boy.
"it true… all of it. I worked for Blakk, I betrayed him and yes I was in love with that man you could call a nasty piece of work. He was my friend, my boyfriend and…I…..I loved him very much but my head was not in the right place, he said things would get better but they didn't. It was just more evil stuff so I left him, left him for good. I changed my image so he could not find me…. And now that he has found me what hope is there now" she started to cry. Eli was shocked to get that much information, he never thought that she could be a victim of twist charms but she did and got hurt. Twist must be one of them overprotective boyfriend and treat women like their his alone.
"I just want a normal life Eli. I don't want to be heartbroken again, my head it hurts so much. I get confused and half the time I don't know myself" she cried into the arms the blue haired boy leaning her head deep into Eli's chest, Eli did not know what to do, he just went with instincts and wrapped his arms around her like a friend would. She continued to cry in her friends chest. Eli knew how hard it is to loose something even someone you loved, he cried too when he lost his dad. Everyone has lost something in the Shane gang, that why they became a family of there own. Lace stopped crying and looked up toward Eli, still hugging him around the waist. The tears still filled her eyes making her eye glow a bright green.
"Eli… you could take my…my pain away cant you. My….my head hurts so much, please make it better?" Lace looked in them big green eyes of here still full of tears
"what do you mean by th…" to Eli time had stopped, he didn't know what to do, how should he react what to do or what to say. She was a friend, just a friend , beautiful and great friend even for the short time they had together, she change him so much. Eli's face was fill of warmth and his stomach full of butterflies. He never imagined his first to be like this. A pair of soft red lips, not so long were on the face of Twist, was planted on his own lips. It felt like nothing he had felt before. A kiss. Eli slowly closed his eyes , feeling natural to do so. She wanted this and she was upset, he did not want to hurt her even more than she was now. But Eli had to react some how, he just stiffened up, the thought he should just go with what ever is natural and brought his hands up and cupped her cheeks, he deepened the kiss, he wanted her to enjoy this moment and show he that she is not alone, some one can love her, the right way. Laces hands started to wonder around the blue haired boys body, finding her way to his arm, then his shoulder and then to his neck, she then found his hair and tugged at it a little. This kiss was full of passion, but lace stopped and pulled away slowly.
"I'm sorry….I…I was not thinking. I didn't think about your feelings" Lace looked upset with herself
"Lace?" Eli asked, Lace looked up and there eyes met again
"My feeling would properly feel the same way too about now" and with that he planted more kisses on her lips. Lace just had to give into them kisses. Eli made this kiss one to remember, forever. This girl he only known for over a week felt like they known each other for eternity.
"Is this your first kiss Eli?" Lace pulled away from there lovely kiss.
"…..it is Lace… you're my first. But I guess this is not yours tho, right?" Eli replied with a red blush on his face
"if it make you feel better. You're a great kisser." Lace said with a tiny smile on her face, she still hugged her new friend to and placed her lips on they young teen's face again. Still warm and soft. Eli started to cup her neck and brush the hair from her shoulders. Her skin was so soft…. She was still cold though, she must have week blood or something.
"Eli will you stay with me until I fall asleep?" lace asked braking away from the kiss again
"I will stay as long as it takes lace" Eli got into the bed with her and wrapped his arms around her together. They stared at each others eyes,. Eli looked on at Lace, her eyes like emerald. Eli moved in closer and rubbed his nose on her nose
"What's that for" lace asked looking a bit confused
"is a Eskimo kiss" eli replied "Eskimo's do it to keep warm when they are cold" he continued
"oh cute… but what is a Eskimo?" lace said giving eli a 'Eskimo' kiss again. Eli forgot he was from the surface world and Slugterra people could not know what a Eskimo was.
"errrr…. never mind ill tell you another time" eli said with a smile on his face
" I think I prefer the kisses that involve me touching your lips Eli Shane" Lace said planting another kiss on the blue eyed boys lips.
A hour later, lace was fast asleep and felt that it was time to set off to his room. He made is way next door to be greeted by Burpy, his trusted orange slug.
"is Trixie ok burpy?" Eli asked but burpy just nodded and kept a fix eye on his friend.
"Burpy…. Can slugs feel love" Eli looked to burpy and looked confused. Maybe slugs didn't know what love was. Burpy hopped on to his friend chest, he was now lying on the bed.
"I can… I feel like I'm in love Burpy." Burpy just looked with a smile on his face and lied down next to him. Eli could not sleep so much happened in the space of 10 minutes and hour again. Eli just closed his eyes and relived the moment when he kiss that girl. It made him warm inside, his heart felt like it was in his mouth. He never been this happy for a long time. Eli soon drifted off to a deep slumber.
A few days passed and everything was back to normal, lace was finally going to get new clothes this time and instead the whole gang when this time, to save fights. Lace rode on Eli mecha to the town, which was still recovering from the battle, but the main shop were still open. The gang got off their rides and made there way to town. Lace began looking in the windows of shops with a face of happiness when it comes to clothes shopping, guess some things never change in women.
"Well I'm going to see if I can get new blaster mods for laces duel blaster" Kord said making his way down a different street
" Since that were shopping I'm going to look round the shops for cameras, clothes shopping is not my thing" Trixie laughed and went off in another direct. Lace and Eli looked at pronto.
"You going off somewhere too Pronto?" eli asked
"Pronto has everything he need, so pronto don't need to go anywhere" pronto replied back
"ok I guess we're clothes shopping then" Eli continued to walk down the street lined up with shops. Lace looked at more windows looking at all the colourful materials and patterns to choose from. They kept walking for a bit more until
"I think I found something" Lace went
"Great show us then" eli smiled
"No…. wait here, it will be a surprise" lace told them and she went in to the pale green coloured shop. Eli and Pronto waited outside.
"So, Pronto how does it feel to have new member on the team?"
"To be honest pronto think than you need to practice. She is way better that you, but of course not better than pronto hehe" pronto had a smirk on his face" Pronto must say I feel a connection between you two, did something happen?" his molanoide friend asked him
"Pronto do you think I asked her, do you think she would go on a da…" Eli was cut off as a girl with black and purple hair walked in front of him, she wore a purple baggy top that went off the shoulders and was cut above the belly button it had black and white sleeves underneath it that went over her hand slightly, light blue leggings with a chain on the side, and brown knee high boots.
"Sooo….. What do you think" Lace asked with her hands on her hips, she gave a little twirl in the process
"…. well…um… it looks amazing on you" Eli scratched the back of his head. He didn't know what to really say, he was blushing too much.
"pronto thinks something is missing thou" pronto being a totally hypocrite. Eli evil eyed him, how could he been mean, but lace just laughed
"You right pronto, I think something is missing" Lace replied and pulled out a belt of slug caps and put it around her waist.
"There now I look like a slinger" Lace smiled.
"you look the part now, like Pronto" Pronto smiled. They started to make their way back to the mecha beast and found that Kord and Trixie where there waiting for them.
"hey guy…s…..whoh lace you loom amazing" Kord said before going all excited about he outfit lace was wearing
"awesome choice Lace, your rocking that look" Trixie added, gulping on a drink she brought.
"but anyways eli I overheard some bandits on about that girl in the photo we found ages ago. She is connected to Blakk…I think she is family to him." Trixie told Eli, Lace looked nervous at the word Blakk.
"I think she might be part of this plan to bring Blakk back, may be something important" Kord added
"Lace you're the only person that knows who that girl is. Can you give us a lead" Eli asked
" The girl is not important to be but is still in trouble but all I can say is that she is safe." Lace replied
"But who is she safe with?"
" I don't have to tell you" Lace got defensive now, you could see that she was getting angry
"Lace its ok, I know your trying to protect her, but calm down ok" Eli put his hands up. Lace took a couple of deep breathes and clamed down
"Look guys I'm sorry, you should forget about that girl cause here is no way that Blakk's men are getting to her" Lace looked sad
"umm…. I'm going to walk home from here if that ok, I just need time to think" Lace started to walk toward back to the HQ, her hands were in her pockets. Eli ran up to her with his mecha and burpy
"Take him" Eli asked handing her Burpy
"I know you need your space and I don't want to over crowed you. You been through a lot. Take burpy and if your in trouble fire it towards HQ. Burpy will alert us" Eli smiled and pat her on the back
"Thank you" Lace plucked up a little smile on her face. Eli and he rest of the got on there mechas and road off towards home. Lace places burpy on her shoulder and looked on at their friends going away. Eli turned to look back at his friends he knew this time she would be safer with burpy.
Lace started to walk toward HQ, she had a lot to think about. She was grateful for the Shane gang to save her the other day and the day they met but although they were now all friends she still kept secrets from them, dark secrets that could ruin the friendship, it could ruin….Eli. Eli trusted her a lot even after everything with Twist. Lace flashed back to the other night after her battle with Twist. She remembered what happened in the room. That kiss, what was she thinking. He was a leader of the mighty Shane gang and she… she was just a monster. The sadness came up to her eyes and so is a lot of heat, thinking about that kiss made her blush, back then she was just being stupid and self-centred. She just hated the thought of having Twist place another kiss of her lips. But Eli was there just there and she did it, she just kissed him not knowing how he really feels. Did she like him, of course….. Did she love him, lace could not think straight she wobbled her head and carried on walking towards the HQ with Burpy.
A couple of hours passed and Eli stared patently and the door waiting for them to return, he could take it know more and got up off the sofa.
"Dude they're going to be fine" Kord stopped him.
"But what if something happened to them both?" Eli replied and a sudden creek of the front door opened, it was lace and burpy.
" Sorry if I worried you , Burpy and me sat down for a bit" lace apologise to them
" Its ok Lace it was Eli that got worried the most" Kord said and Eli blushed a little giving Kord a elbow nudge in the arm. Lace smiled and went over to Eli. She handed Burpy to Eli. Burpy jumped back on to is friends shoulders and smiled at Lace.
"I'm going to go to bed guys if you don't mind, that walk tired me out a bit" Lace said
"Goodnight Lace don't let the bed bugs bite" Kord waving her good night
"Goodnight Lace" Eli replied after. Lace made her way upstairs to the hallway. Eli look on still after she was gone though the door. Lace was thinking and needed space. Maybe it was about the other night, she must have not liked it and felt the same way as she did before on that night. He kind of felt guilty for giving her a kiss in the first place although she did start it. Eli sat back down on the sofa and watched the TV with Kord. There was a documentary on dark water that was on and he was sort of getting interested into it.
"You should tell her how you feel bro" Kord interrupted. Eli slowly looked towards Kord , what was Kord on about.
"what…..what do you mean?" Eli just had that surprised expression like he cant believe what came out of is mouth.
" Dude its obvious, you like the girl. I've seen the way you look at her googly eyed and everything"
"I don't go all googly eye on her, she is a woman not a piece of meat"
"Now your defending her"
"But that doesn't mean I like her"
"No your right…. You love her" the words struck Eli like a Rammstone slug blast to the chest. Love?
"I….love….what?" Kord did not make sense of what Eli just said, she was just staring out. Kord slowly got up and slowly walked away to his room. Eli didn't even notice that repined when. Love? Was he in love? He did not know what love really was so it was difficult to know. Eli quickly snapped out of his trance and looked around.
"Kord?" Kord was gone, Eli was by himself. He got off the sofa and made his way to his room, he passed Trixie's room, past Kord's room and Pronto's room, he stopped just in front of Lace's room, her door was open a bit. Eli grabbed the handle and opened the door slightly so he could peek though a bit, she was in bed asleep up in the corner of the room, she looked restless and kept moving a bit like she was having a nightmare!. Eli just left her to it and began to close the door but some thing stopped eli from completely shutting it, a mumbling noise. Eli opened the door again
"E…e…e..il" it was Lace talking slightly in her sleep. Eli looking in closer. It was till a bunch of jumbled up words but he could clearly make out what she was saying…. Kind of. Eli looked closer to see if she was awake but she was still sleeping . The only thing that caught Eli's eye was her faint smile on her face, she was happy now. Eli warmed up to her smile and closed the door softly and made his way to his room.
Authors note:- I just want to thank my Boyfriend for being a really great Boyfriend and giving me inspiration to draw and write. He has been really supportive of all my work and I just want to thank him... Thank you Shane