Oh my gosh. I am so sorry! It's taken me forever to update since school started and I apologize deeply for that. From now on, I will be updating on the weekends with only a few exceptions of school nights.

Gregor

"Hello Ripred, fancy seeing you here." I said with a grin on my face as I looked at the graying rat. As soon as Lizzie heard the name Ripred, she rounded the corner quickly and threw herself at him.

"Ripred, I can't believe it's you! I've missed you so much!" She shreiked, her arms wrapped around him and his tail around her.

"Hello princess," He cooed affectionately as he tossed her onto his back with the help of his tail. At this she screeched and laughed. I looked onto the pair, noticing the fatherly look in Ripred's eyes. I remembered that years ago he told her that she was just like one of his children that perished. The other rats looked at the pair too, but their faces displayed their complete and utter shock. They had seen humans and rats get along, even a few friendships between them, but never had they seen anything like this.

Ripred turned to face Boots, who had placed herself right next to me. "Let me guess, this is the little singing demon herself. Twinkle, twinkle wittle star," He called mockingly, singing the last part loudly and extremely off-key, mimicking how Boots used to sing. He had never taken too much to Boots, thinking her to be insufferably annoying. Of course, his only memory of her was when she was three.

"Oh, and this is the bag of fleas that Lizzie is so fond of?" She replied, matching his tone perfectly. Honestly, Ripred was surprized. Hardly anyone talked back to him, one exception being his human bond. Anyone that did was either brave or stupid, and he doubted Boots was stupid, even though the last time he saw her she was absolutely clueless.

"Well-" he started but I cut him off.

"Would you two just stop it? There's something that I want to know. Why did all of you come here? I mean, You never used to do this before."

"A lot happens in 10 years. I'll explain on the way." And with that he began trotting towards Regalia.

They were at war again. I rolled my eyes when Ripred said this because it seemed like the Underlanders were constantly fighting someone. Although, contrary to my belief, the Underland had been relatively peaceful for a while now. But suddenly, an enemy of both gnawers and humans presented itself: the cutters. Once nibblers heard of the war, they immediately pledged their help to humans and gnawers. The spiders had been harder to convice, but eventually, they got them on their side. The crawlers and moles have been very diffucult. Nothing definite has come out of them yet. Even with the help of others, the cutters were still a dangerous and powerful enemy. Plus they already had the twisters as allies and were always looking for more.

"Oh god, this is horrible. Have they attacked yet? Or are you both just currently looking for allies? How did the war start? Was it you who anniciated it or the cutters? And to think we were just coming for a nice little visit. I should have known. Something complicated always happens when we come here." Lizzie said frantically, looking to Ripred for answers.

"No, they have not attacked yet. Yes we are both just currently looking for allies. And as for who started it, well that would be my bond. You see, the cutters made a snack out of some of her precious little nibblers. So, once again, she declared war. And yes Gregor, she is fine." He stated, seeing the concern in my eyes.

We were right at the gates to Regalia now, the familiar scenery all around me. After being passed through, we made our way to the castle. I was surprized that hardly anything had changed, well, at least as far as the look of it all. The platform that led up inside the castle came down, taking Ripred, Lizzie, Boots and I up. At this point I must admit that I was actually nervous. I mean, I haven't seen these people in ten freaking years! What if some were dead? Or maybe they had changed so much that it would completely different? Possibly they were angry at us for deserting them. But out of eveyone I was most anxious about seeing Luxa.

Of course I've dated a few girls since her, but just like I promised, I never forgot her. Every time I would compare that girl to her, and since none of them held a candle, I eventually gave up. I finally realized that I'd never find someone like her again. But during the whole trip, a little spark of hope had ignighted inside me. Maybe, just maybe, she felt the same way. Maybe she still loved me. But more realistically she doesn't feel that way anymore. She's probably is even with someone else. Just the thought of that made me heat up in anger and jelousy, so I decided to pull out of my thoughts and focus on the present.

We stepped off the rising platform onto the castle floor and were met with wide-eyed stares. The reactions varied; some peoples jaws were dropped practically to the floor, others just had shock written all over their faces, and some had confusion on their face, wondering what made everyone pause their busy lives to oggle us. We were met with bows, something that made me feel very uncomfortable.

"The princesses and the warrior, they've come to aid us!" Someone shouted in the middle of the crowd, which suddenly parted to let through an old wrinkled man. His twinkling violet eyes and smile immediately struck a bell, even though he looked so much more aged and decrepit from the last time I saw him. Yet he still had his regal and elegant stide, with the help of a metal cane.

"Hello Overlander," Vikus said clearly, leaning on his cane as he took in our appearences.

"Hey Vikus," I answered back, smiling as I saw the man. "Long time, no see."

"It has been quite a while, has it not? And these must be the princesses. Why the last time I saw you, you were a tiny little thing." He said to Boots.

"Well I guess that I've grown a bit haven't I?" She replied back.

"Yes, you most certainly have. You probably don't remember me, but I am Vikus. What should I call you?"

"Anything really, Boots, Margret, whatever you choose. It really doesn't matter to me."

" That sounds agreeable. And this must be the code- breaker." At this he turned towards Lizzie.

"Hello Vikus," She stated, for she remebered him from when she 8 years old.

" Why, all of you must be starving, let us get something to eat." And with that he turned, starting to lead us farther into the castle as Ripred inquired exactly what we would be eating.

Luxa

"But if we took up position here, then we would be able to use the catle walls to their full extent." Perdita reasoned, placing a red pin on the map.

"Yet-" I was interupted by a woman standing in the doorway.

"So sorry to intrude your majesty, but the warrior and his sisters have returned. I thought you might like to know."

"Gregor?" I asked, my eyes widening to the size of suacers and a grin spreading from ear to ear.

"Yes your majesty,"

"Thank you Minerva. Perdita can we do this at another time?"

"Certainly," She said, a look of understanding on her face.

"Do you know where they are?" I asked Minerva, already slipping of my heeled shoes.

"Vikus is dining with them,"

"Thanks," I shouted back as I tore through the hallways, carrying my shoes in one hand as my bare feet slapped against the stone. Many people gave me looks, but I didn't care about that. I was going to see Gregor!

Once again, so sorry about the late update. By the way, to all fans of the Hunger Games, I have a fan fiction on the way. Please R&R.

-Beach gurl