Disclaimer: I don't own CoTT. I only own Sassy, Spike and the Kings.
"Archie!"
"Yeah, Neil?"
"You owe me a manicure! I broke a nail!"
"How did you break a nail?" Atlanta questioned.
"It's hard to see what's in front of you, Atlanta," Neil pointed out.
"He whacked his hand off of Herry's arm," Odie replied dully.
"His muscles are hard," Neil insisted.
Herry chuckled. He had hit Neil's hand as the lucky charm waved his hands in front of him, trying to see what was in front of his face. Herry had brought his bear paw sized hand down on Neil's perfectly manicured fingers when they brushed against his arm, thinking that they belonged to a bat or a spider. Archie groaned and shook his head.
"You can use the spa when we get back, okay?" he offered.
"You have a spa?" Jay asked in disbelief.
"Mmm hmm," Archie answered. "Heather and Lena made Dad build one on to the house. He didn't mind, he likes throwing money away, anything for his princesses. He didn't care when Brock's football team nearly trashed the house, after all, that's what servants are for, right? And, when Duke got a hockey scholarship Mom went out and bought him a new car. But, when they found out their youngest son needed an ankle brace to protect his heel and Achilles tenant, they waited until he was twelve to get it. And, when he innocently asked if his friends could come over they said no. The first four came out perfectly, but not the fifth. A wonky heel and perfect immunity, my family thought I was a Hades child."
Jay, Odie and Herry exchanged concerned glances. Neil's complaining had ceased. The six were now walking on eggshells. Atlanta was the one to break the silence.
"Your own flesh and blood thought you were sent by Hades?"
"I was practically raised by Maria and the other workers. She knew Achilles had to be an important link. If I could I would be calling Maria mother instead of the mother I have now."
Archie slowed to a stop. He looked around the dark tunnel hesitantly.
"What is it?" Herry asked.
"I forgot which way we were going," Archie confessed.
"You what?" Odie exclaimed.
"Relax. I have a friend who knows these tunnels better than anyone. Chloe will find us sooner or later," Archie explained.
"How about sooner?"
Neil screamed his high-pitched, girlie scream. Herry suddenly found himself holding the cowardly hero. A young girl with snow white hair, white dress, and ghostly white eyes was standing behind the group.
"Good to see you again, master Achilles," she greeted.
"Hello again, Chloe," Archie replied.
"I see you have brought your friends from New Olympia," Chloe observed.
Her eyes landed on Neil.
"Sir? Did I frighten you?" she asked politely.
Herry dumped Neil on the floor.
"Ow! Careful. I bruise easily," the lucky charm declared.
Archie rolled his eyes. "Chloe, this is Neil, Herry, Odie, Atlanta, Theresa, and our leader, Jay," he introduced.
Chloe seemed to hover over to Jay. She smiled up at him.
"Necessitas was right to make you leader. You're just like your ancestor, Jason."
Archie couldn't help but smile at his friends' shocked expressions.
"Don't be so surprised. It seems like everyone who works here knows about the prophecy," he said, putting his hands in his pockets. "How, I'm not sure."
"So, Chloe, do you know the way out?" Herry asked.
"Of course, master Hercules," Chloe replied sweetly.
"My name is Herry," Herry told her.
The white clad girl just smiled at him.
"Just leave it, Herry," Archie advised.
Chloe started to skip down the tunnel. The seven heroes followed her.
"Archie, why is she in here?" Jay asked.
"She's a descendant of Cloacina. But, instead of guarding a sewer, Chloe guards these passages," the Warrior explained.
"Why does she look like a ghost?" Neil whimpered.
"It's so the people she's guiding won't get lost again. Kind of like a car's headlights," Archie informed.
"We're here."
"Oh, beautiful day! Sunlight!"
Neil was the first one out of the tunnel.
"Thank you, Chloe," Theresa said.
"You're quite welcome, mistress Theseus," Chloe replied. "Well, master Achilles knows the way from here. If you need a guide for your journey back, just call."
The white clad girl disappeared into the darkness.
"Where are we going?" Odie asked.
"You'll see," Archie answered. And he started off towards the woods.
After what seemed like hours of treking through the trees, the silence was pierced by excited shouts of excitement.
"We're here."
Archie took off. The others ran after him. They broke into a clearing.
"Whoa," Atlanta breathed.
A huge skate park and racing track lay before them.
"I'm home," Archie said.
One of the boarders looked up.
"Arch, m'man!" he called.
"Spike!" Archie called back.
He ran down the hill. The team could only look on in wonder.
"He never ceases to amaze me," Theresa said softly, crossing her arms.
Archie and Spike greeted each other with a hand shake.
"Long time no see," the crazy haired boarder said.
"Looks like things haven't changed," Archie noted.
"Only that our purple-haired street demon's back."
"Hey, Sassy."
"Who are your friends?"
Archie looked up at the team.
"Come on down, guys," he called.
Atlanta was the first one down.
"Whoa, honey! Fast footed, ain't ya?" Sassy asked.
"Huh?" Atlanta said, looking at Archie, who smiled.
"She means you're fast," he interpreted.
"Oh, uh...yeah," Atlanta replied with a weak smile.
"You got to teach your girlfriend da lingo, Arch," Spike whispered.
"Girlfriend?" Archie repeated.
"I'm not his..."
"What's this?"
"Neil, don't touch that!" Archie yelled.
But, he was too late. Neil was sent flying down a ramp. The new friends ran to the edge of the ten foot ramp.
"Get me off of this thing!" Neil yelled.
"Pretty boy's got moves," Sassy commented.
"He's never been on a board in his life," Atlanta informed.
Archie shook his head. "Typical Neil," he said.
Neil shot back up the ramp, only he slammed stomach first into the edge while the skateboard flew over Odie's head.
"Man, dawg, you got one lucky butt," Sassy commented as she pulled Neil to his feet.
"'Luck' is my middle name," the blond replied smoothly.
Archie and Atlanta looked at each other with amused looks.
"So, Achilles, who're your friends?" Spike asked.
"I'm Jay."
"Theresa."
"Odie."
"Herry."
"Atlanta."
"And, I'm Neil. The impossibly handsome one."
Archie covered his eyes with his hand, but a smile crept across his face. Spike and Sassy chuckled. Spike put his arm around Archie's shoulders.
"Where did you find a group like this, Arch?" he questioned.
"I ask myself that every day," Archie told him.
Atlanta kicked up a board.
"So, who's up for a race?" she asked.
Archie looked at her and smiled.
"Loser buys pizza?" he offered.
"You're on," Atlanta accepted.
Archie jumped on to a spare skateboard and the Warrior and Huntress went sailing through the park.
"Archie and Atlanta never could resist a challenge," Jay said.
"M'man Archie's always been like that," Spike told the Leader. "I'm glad he's found a girl."
"She better take care of him," Sassy put in.
"Sassy's been a little protective over Arch," Spike whispered.
"After what his family puts him through? Can you blame me?" Sassy snapped.
Spike shook his head.
"Loser buys pizza."
"You cheated!"
"Admit it, Atlanta, you just got smoked."
"I want a rematch!"
"Fine-by-me. If you want to lose again..."
"You're the one who's gonna lose!"
"So," Spike sighed. He turned to the rest of the team. "Who wants to see to the race track?"
Let me know what you think.
No flames please.
