30 Worlds, Episode VI: "Charlie's Good Fortune"

CHAPTER THREE

Personal Log, William Edwards, Mission Day 1,075.

It has been three days since the identity of my biological father was discovered. Scarlet still has me on a tight leash, owing to the past between her and Cedric. As a result, I have not had much—if any—contact with Sofia.

Also, I have been racking my brain trying to find a way to prove to Scarlet that I am nothing like Cedric. Hopefully, I can find a way soon.

William tapped the "store" control on his electronic diary and put it in his private safe. "Sofia to William," Sofia said.

"Go ahead, Sofia," William said. "We've discovered something that may interest you. Please come to the observation lounge," Sofia said. "On my way," William said.

William stood from his chair, straightened his shirt, then exited his quarters.

In the observation lounge, Scarlet glared at William as he walked in and sat in his customary place. "What did you find, Sofia?" William asked.

"In fifteen of the diary entries, Charlie Duncan is gesturing to a specific corner of the frame," Sofia said before tapping a control near where she sat. On the holographic projection at the center of the table, Charlie gestured to the upper-right hand corner of the frame.

"Upon closer examination of the frame in those fifteen entries, E.R.I.N. located a micro-dot," Ferb Fletcher said. The projection zoomed in on a small black dot. "Upon analysis and combination of the information on the fifteen dots, we found this."

The diary entry was replaced by a satellite view of Earth. A blinking red dot appeared on the globe. "Route the coordinates to my starfighter," William said. "I'm going down there."

"And I'm joining you," Scarlet said. "Scarlet, you don't have to do this," Sofia said. "She does," William said. "Since my true parentage was discovered, Scarlet has been observing me as I try to earn back her trust. It is essential that she continue to do that. Sofia, please keep an eye on us. Dismissed."

William's starfighter cut swiftly through the clouds. In its cockpit, William and Scarlet were monitoring their approach to the mysterious location. "We're approaching the interception point," Scarlet said, checking her boards. "E.T.A.: 5 minutes."

"Acknowledged," William said. Scarlet turned to William. "William, while I still do not trust you, I must apologize to you for the way I treated you on the Bridge. I should have confronted you in your quarters or in some other, less-public, place," she said.

"Scarlet, as Sofia's guardian, you are well within your rights to do what you feel you must to protect her. Like I said on the Bridge, if our positions were reversed, I would say and do exactly as you have," William said.

"Thank you for saying so," Scarlet said. "You keep acting like that, we'll be friends again before long...and just maybe, you'll get to marry Sofia, after all."

William smiled. "I hope so," he said. "We're nearing a radar scanner's outer range. Going to stealth mode."

William flicked a switch, deactivating all but the starfighter's most essential systems. "Bringing her in on anti-grav propulsion," William said. The starfighter bounced as its anti-grav thrusters made contact with the ground.

William tightly gripped his Amulet of Astris. "We'll need all the help you can provide, Amulet. So don't fail me now," William said. The Amulet glowed green. A flare of light then resolved into a familiar face. "Ryu, it's good to see you again," Scarlet said.

Ryu Hayabusa nodded at Scarlet. "It will be good to fight alongside you once more, Scarlet," he said. Ryu then turned to face William. "Is this the one who summoned me?" Ryu asked.

"Ryu, this is William Edwards, the Avatar of the wizard Yen Sid," Scarlet said in cool introduction. "I am serving him on his mission to save thirty imperiled worlds from the Army of Inter-universal Chaos." "You must not trust him based on the way you identified him," Ryu said.

"I recently learned that William's biological father is Cedric, the man who killed my father," Scarlet said. "As a result, he has to earn my trust once again."

Ryu turned to face William, his hand resting on the hilt of his katana. "William-san, if Scarlet-hime-sama does not trust you, I do not trust you. I shall fight alongside you two, but if you do even one thing to harm her, I shall kill you where you stand," Ryu said. "Do we understand each other?"

William bowed to Ryu in a gesture of obedience. "You have my word, Hayabusa-sama," William said. "No harm shall come to Princess Scarlet while I am present."

"Now, let us go forth," William said as he activated his tactical sunglasses. "The locator signal embedded in the Duncan diary entries is close by."

William, Scarlet and Ryu began their trek forward.

::TBC::