Sorry for the long wait...again...been in the hospital actually...I'm all good now...sorry.

Chapter 7: Captured

Your mother? I asked Jet, who was still freaking out. I hardly knew what this meant. If this was his mother, then did that mean his mother was Suicune? Humans transforming into pokemon was obviously possible, (Me being exhibit A) but if that were the case, she was completely insane, considering she had almost destroyed her entire village. I turned my neck around so that I could look at the woman lying unconscious on my back. She was rather beautiful, with her brown curly hair and blemish-less face. Her navy blue robes were much like Rallis'. Very ceremonial.

Yes! That's her! Jet proclaimed with shock and happiness. He wasn't exactly sure which to feel more of. Don't just float there! Get her on dry land!

No need to shout. I replied as I slowly lifted away from the water, being careful not to drop Jet's mother. She's all right. I could tell. She had passed out, but she was all good. It was selfish, but for a moment, I probed her mind, looking for any remnants of the Suicune I had come to loathe. But she was gone. Not a trace of the beast remained in her head. So without further intrusion, I gave my wings a flap and glided softly towards the village, slowing my pace enough so that my passenger wouldn't fall off.

I flew past the monument of my father, and as I did, I heard the sounds of the villagers cheering in the distance. They had gathered together to watch our moment of victory, Rallis at the head of the pack, ready to greet us.

Dad... I heard Jet think as we approached. I decided to leave him be. that thought was most likely intended to be personal. I lighted down in front of a positively beaming Rallis and a crowd of people with the same amazed expressions.

"Ventus. Amy. And you sir, thank you." Rallis said as he bowed. I blinked when I heard him say 'you sir', but quickly realized he meant Jet, whom he did not yet realize was his own son. I saw him blink with confusion as well, and for the first time, he panicked. He wanted back into his human form. Right there and then. It was kind of odd actually. Unlike me, he had been totally on board at first, but hated the idea of being non-human after careful consideration.

I set aside his fears as my mind reached out to his. I held a wingtip towards Jet and thought the only words to think in this situation. Reverse Power Force. Jet's thoughts as he transformed back were mixed. But the joy of being himself again overtook everything. And after the light left him, and his friends and neighbors saw who that phoenix really was, I felt another emotion in him that I'd yet to see in him. Pride. As he stood, staring at the gaping faces before him, all he did was shrug. He was trying to put on a modest face, but trust me, inside he was loving the attention. But there was one person in the crowd who outright refused to be shocked.

Rallis.

The leader of the village beamed proudly at his son. The man strode up to the boy, with nothing but admiration in his eyes. And from what I could tell (being telepathic and all) he was a little jealous of his son. But not so much so that it could possibly take away from the pride he felt deep in his heart. Rallis put a hand on his son's shoulder, and for the first time, I saw exactly what Jet's life was all about.

I understood. After Jet's mom had left, his dad was overcome with grief. And so was he for that matter. And I wasn't too great at reading minds yet, but it didn't take a genius to get it. After the loss of his mother, Jet must've distanced himself from his dad, almost to the point where he was completely isolated from anyone. But deep down, I bet he wanted something from his dad. For him to say something to show that they could get past his mother's disappearance together. But because of his many responsabilities, he couldn't say those words. But he could now.

"I'm proud of you son."

And almost right on cue, I felt the woman lying on my back begin to stir. I'd been so caught up in the moment that I'd nearly forgotten her. I felt her thoughts...and they were beautiful.

It might seem weird to see thoughts as beautiful, but you don't understand what being psychic is like. Usually, when I read someone's mind, I get the dark parts first and then move on to what redeeming qualities they have. I don't like it. So far, with most people, my mind had naturally blocked off any thoughts or memories that would be far too gruesome for me. But with the woman on my back, I saw nothing but radiance. Her soul simply sang with such a chorus that seemed to massage my brain in such a relaxing way. This feeling grew with every second as she awoke atop my back.

Jet's mother, at first, felt as though she was waking in her own bed, my feathers being softer than anything else she could've possibly felt. But her feelings quickly changed when she saw just what she was lying on. Her sense of wonder was unmistakable as I turned my head around so that I was face to face with her. And almost instantly, I felt pure, unrivaled amazement shoot through me. But it wasn't mine. It was hers.

I felt her admiration towards me. And since there wasn't a dark element within her, my very soul was struck with such exciting sensations. I smiled as I looked in her perfectly green eyes and it appeared to be infectious since she grinned right back at me. She reached for my face, and I didn't avoid her touch. She began stroking my neck feathers, and I closed my eyes as she did so. Her hand was quite welcoming. For a few moments, I just stood there, basking in her pure thoughts, my mind was practically getting a spa treatment.

And then I snapped out of it, realizing just what I was doing. I sent Rallis a message, specifically one that said: Look over here, now! And boy, I thought jaws couldn't drop lower on this adventure. Rallis' did. While his wife sat in awe of me, he was standing in awe of her. For a moment, just one moment, she turned her head over in Rallis' direction and said three words which brought tears to Rallis' eyes.

"Oh. Hello dear." Rallis nearly broke the sound barrier when he began to sob. I've never heard a grown man make that kind of noise before and I never have since. Jet's mother (whose name I never learned) slid off my back, embracing her husband who began bawling on her shoulder. She patted his back in a loving manner, making me realize why he missed her so much. She must've been incredibly patient to put up with something like that for years.

"There, there, why are you crying?" She asked, her voice riddled with genuine ignorance.

"Mom!" Jet proclaimed as he wrapped his arms around his mother, crying just as hard as his dad. I'd say it was getting ridiculous, but considering the context, I didn't. Mostly because I knew I'd do the same.

"What's wrong? Why are you both crying?" She asked, and for a second, my curious self read her mind, and nearly gasped at what I found.

"N-n-n-never leave again!" Jet said sarcastically between sobs.

"Leave? Why would I leave?" She wasn't the only one asking questions. Villagers were crowding around her, the shocked whispering turning into frantic interrogations. I could sense the woman being overwhelmed with all these questions.

Hey, back off! Amy said through me, squawking her head off. She looked majestic as an Articuno, but when it came down to it, she was the same tough old Amy. Seeing the giant blue avian telling them to stop crowding the poor woman, the people dispersed. Thus allowing us to get a grasp on the situation.

"Why are you two so happy to see me?" Jet's mother asked with a gentle voice.

"B-b-because you've b-been gone!" Jet nearly screamed, crying more than I've ever seen an infant have.

"Gone? I haven't been gone. I went to bed last night, and I just woke up out here."

"Huh?"

"By the way Jet, your hair is getting pretty long, we need to give you a trim."

"Wh-what?"

"You don't remember?" Rallis was up next, even though his words were practically unintelligable from how big of a tantrum he was throwing.

"Rallis, what have I told you about wearing the same robes two days in a row? those things smell filthy!"

"What?" Both the father and the son said in unison.

"Inside! NOW!" Jet's mom grabbed one ear from Jet and Rallis and began walking towards Rallis' place, dragging the boys along with her.

"OW! OW! OW!" Rallis and Jet yelled as the woman of their family quite literally tugged them by their ears. But after a few steps she turned her head, looking me right in the eyes and simply did one thing. Wink.

I blinked, confused. I won't have to explain why, since a blue light was enveloping Amy as she transformed back to her human form. She walked up to me, making sure she could see my face.

"Hey! Are you blushing?" I turned my head away from her, embarrassed beyond all reason. What? Don't make that face. She was pretty. "Fine you lover-boy. You know why she didn't seem to remember trying to kill us?"

No, I thought back. But I checked her thoughts. She doesn't remember being Suicune.

"Well that's cool, I guess."

It's kind of great actually, she stared at me as the group of people around us gradually began to decide to focus on Jet's mom rather than me. She's the one who'd gone missing after all. I don't think she'll want to remember trying to kill her village's hero. Or her son.

"Hm, you're right. Hey, is it just me or are you getting smarter?"

Hey!

"Hee hee, sorry. But what was up with that? Why was she so crazy? And what are we going to do with Jet?"

Dunno. If she doesn't remember when she was transformed and why, then it can't really be helped can it? Besides, the darkness I felt in her is gone and I think whatever did transform her isn't done with us. Odds are, we'll get an explanation soon.

"Oh, that'll be fun. And what about Jet?"

I would've replied, but at that moment, I heard what sounded like a lawn mower, getting closer and closer. I turned around, seeing where that annoying chopping noise was coming from. And this is what threw a major wrench in the works, the starting point in an experience which makes me sick to my stomach at the thought of repeating it.

A fleet of ten jet black helicopters. All heading our way. The wind picked up, so much so that I had to wrap a wing around Amy so she didn't fly off. As soon as the choppers were above our heads, I tried to see the thoughts of the people inside, maybe I'd find out what they were trying to do. But I had no time.

From the lead helicopter, I saw a small silver object drop. With a loud 'clink' as it hit the ground, I got a closer look at it. It was cylindrical, almost like a spray-paint can. I began to approach, but suddenly the object broke in half on its own, releasing some sort green-coloured gas from within. The gas expanded outwards, consuming Amy, Lucan (who was still on her shoulder), and myself almost instantaneously.

The moment I inhaled that gas, my brain went fuzzy. I struggled to focus, but my head just drew a blank. If there was one thing I could do, it was realize that the gas was doing this. I felt Amy shake her head rapidly, trying to keep herself standing. I understood completely. I felt less and less invigorated the more I breathed. But I couldn't stop breathing. I couldn't hold my breath, since my lungs needed all the air they could get, they just inhaled this blasted cloud on their own. I lifted my wings as high as I could, trying to flap them so that I could blow the smoke away. But the people in these helicopters weren't to be pushed aside so easily. Behind me, I heard another 'clink'. I turned around to see another one of these paint can-like objects opening up behind me. My eyes would've widened at this had they not been drooping.

I didn't understand what was happening. Amy had been officially knocked out by this point. With my little remaining strength, I laid her gently on the ground, Lucan flopping over beside her. I was starting to get the same idea, my head just couldn't keep its own thoughts straight. I looked up at the helicopters. I wasn't sure my message made it, but I sent one thought up to those pilots.

Why...? And with that, I was too intoxicated by the fumes to stay in my own mind. But I wasn't knocked out. Instead, my body began to move of its own accord. I'd have been worried had this not happened so many times. I tried to fly, to defend myself, maybe drive these choppers off.

But it was no good. The moment I had risen above the smoke, I felt a stinging pain in my neck. A strange fluid began to shoot through my bloodstream, increasing the sensation of sleepiness upon me. I felt another one of these stinging jolts in my chest. I looked down, seeing a dart embedded right in my belly feathers.

I fell to the earth, my world going black.

Location: ?

Ventus, I thought to myself. I was a fool to think I'd be able to proceed through that portal alive. My son had saved my life. He had protected me. But that was not the way it was meant to be. When that child was born, I vowed to keep him safe. But now...he was in another world. I could not protect him all those years ago when he was taken, and how could I possibly protect him now? He was beyond my reach. I couldn't know whether he was still alive or not. I could be waiting for the rest of my life, and I would never see him again. But there was nothing I could do.

"VENTUS!" I screamed to the heavens once again. It was useless and I knew it. I flew further out to sea. I didn't know where I was going. But I was soon to discover my destination. I hadn't realized it while I had been flying, but I had reached Ventus' birthplace. An island with a nest of his mother's creation.

Luna...my Luna...I miss you so.

I soared above the island, a rush of tears meeting my eyelids as I recalled Ventus' birth. He was so small and so curious. And I loved him instantly. And when he fell asleep in my wings for the first time, I knew I was truly a father. But he was gone now. I couldn't open my eyes and expect him to be there.

But...he was. I opened my eyes and I saw, he was there. On the island. He was in human form, but he was there. I saw the glint of shining silver hair on a young boy's head. I wasted no time. My happiness caused the foreboding clouds in the sky to disperse, the storm ceasing. I landed in the nest of my son, his back to me.

Ventus, I said to him with such joy through our telepathy. But then the boy turned around, and I saw that this was not my son. The boy had silver hair yes, but unlike my son's human form, his hair was much longer, a ponytail keeping it under control. I never saw the colour of his eyes as they were disguised by the glint of a pair of glasses. My spirits fell and I immediately tried to envision the boy's intentions in my mind, angered at his intrusion on my son's nest. But to my shock, I could not enter the boy's mind. The blocks on his mind could rival my own. I attempted to breach his thoughts once again, using my full psychic prowess. My powers were shunted against the boy's will.

Who are you? I questioned the boy with much more hatred than necessary. And what are you doing here?

"I understand why you're upset," the boy replied to the intensity of my words with a calm demeanor and a mature tone. "And I can help."

What could you possibly know?

"Please. I could hear your cries of pain all the way from my world. So I came here, so I could help."

You lie! The portals between the worlds are unstable!

"Well, then it's a good thing I have phenomenal cosmic powers."

What?

"You don't have to trust me. But you do want Ventus back, right?"

Location: With Amy

"Hey Amy! Amy! Wake up Amy!" Amy awoke to the sound of Jet's voice and his hands shaking her awake. She reacted slowly, a splitting headache chomping its way around inside her skull. It took here a few minutes, but she eventually came around. Her eyes fluttered open to see Lucan's face a little closer to hers than she would've preferred. Startled, she slapped him away.

"Whoops, sorry 'bout that Lucan," she apologized as Lucan got up, rubbing his red cheek where he'd been slapped.

"Hey, um...Amy?" Jet, who had given Amy a little more space than Lucan had, piped up a little quietly. "Where's Ventus?"

"What? He's right-" she started to say, but was quickly proved wrong as she looked around. I was nowhere to be found. The only other people she saw were other people who'd been affected by the smoke, gradually rising to their senses as well. "Wha-? But he was right here! He didn't ditch me, did he?"

She had every right to think that. I hadn't exactly been too keen on her travelling with me, and I hadn't been afraid to show it either. But that's not what I did. Believe me, I wouldn't be so desperate to get away from her that I'd leave her on some uncharted island.

"Hey Jet!" Amy yelled, causing Jet to flinch. "What happened? Where'd the copters go?"

"Copters? I-I didn't see any copters!"

"How could you not? They were everywhere!"

"I wasn't here! Mom brought me home right away! Honest!"

"Then where's Zack? Explain that!"

"Don't get mad at him because you can't keep track of your bird!" Amy heard a voice say from behind. She turned around to see another girl, who looked a little older than her, at least sixteen, maybe seventeen. She was wearing a dark black jumpsuit that revealed a body that made Jet blush to say the least. Her long red hair had bangs which covered one of her two bright yellow eyes. And running up to meet this girl was a young man who looked of the same age as her. And his appearance made Amy say two words which made the boy chuckle.

"Hey, Zack!" Like I said, the guy raised an eyebrow and then started chuckling. He had silver hair which looked just like mine, except his was so long that it had to be tamed with a ponytail. The other difference between him and me was that he wore much different clothes. Specifically a t-shirt with a loose unbuttoned shirt atop it. He wore fingerless gloves and running shoes which were so dirty that it was impossible to mistaken him for someone who didn't travel. Lastly, his glasses had such a glint that they completely hid his eyes from view. But he took them off for a second just to assure Amy that he wasn't who she was thinking of.

"Nope," he said as Amy blinked at his blue eyes. "I was hopin' you knew where he was. Though I think he'd prefer to be called Ventus."

"Who're you?"

"Name's Axel. Axel Igaul. Don't you forget that now. Seems your target isn't here Vanessa."

"Gee, y'think?" The girl said sarcastically. "Looks like the P.C.S. got here first."

"What are you guys talking about?" Amy asked desperately. "If you know where Zack is, you gotta tell me!"

"Why are you talking about the bird like its a person?" Vanessa questioned rather coldly.

"HE is a person! And a better one than you apparently, since you have the sensitivity of a pile of tuna cans!"

"At least I don't make third-grade insults, little girl."

"WHAT? YOU ARE DEAD, LADY!" Amy made a move to strangle the girl in front of her. But with a lightning-fast hand, Axel grabbed a half red, half silver sphere from his belt and tossed it in the air.

"Callin, use Reflect!" The ball snapped open, and an abundance of white energy emerged from it. The energy then formed and became what looked like an owl with brown plumage on its face as well as down its chest. Its feathers were lined with a darker brown colour. It had what looked like horns above its eyes which was really just an odd growing of feathers. The bird's eyes began to glow a blue colour as it hovered above the small group of humans. Amy reached out to give Vanessa a punishment she wouldn't forget. But her hand was knocked aside. She tried again, but she couldn't get to Vanessa. It was almost as though she was being blocked by some invisible wall.

"WHAT IS THIS?" Amy screamed, frustrated.

"Why don't we calm down for a minute?" Axel asked her empathetically. "And maybe you could tell us where Ventus is."

"I can't tell you because I don't know! He was probably taken by the guys in those helicopters!"

"Darn! Looks like the P.C.S. did get 'im!" Axel shook his head and put his glasses back on, his owl friend landing deftly on his shoulder.

"Maybe so," Vanessa began. But then she smiled and began to approach Jet, the invisible wall not seeming to affect her. Amy tried to move in on her again, but another wall popped up right in her path, envoking a beast-like roar from her. Vanessa put a hand on Jet's shoulder and winked at him with her visible eye, making him blush extensively. "But I'm sure you know where they went. Think you could tell me? Who knows? Maybe after I get that birdie for my collection, you and I could go out to dinner?"

Jet's face had never looked so red. He grinned, but only because he was embarrassed. He told me later that he'd never had a girl talk to him like that before. But Lucan soon interrupted this moment. The electric mouse hopped aboard Jet's shoulder, his red cheeks sparking with electric energy. Vanessa gritted her teeth in surprise and pulled back. She looked as though Jet had just slapped her across the face with how shocked she was to see Lucan sparking like that.

"Look at you!" Axel exclaimed the moment he saw Lucan and ran in, shoving Vanessa aside just so he could get a better look at Lucan. Vanessa furrowed her brow. It was obvious to everyone that the trick she'd just try to pull on Jet hadn't worked on Axel. He began to scratch Lucan behind the ears and Lucan's sporadic sparking instantly ceased.

"Chu!" Lucan said with a relaxed enthusiasm. Amy and Jet instantly realized that since I wasn't around, Lucan couldn't express his thoughts. But that soon wouldn't be a problem. "Pika! Pika! Pika-chuuuu!" Lucan said after Axel ceased giving his ears a massage.

"Uh-huh, uh-huh, I hear you," Axel replied, almost as though he was carrying on the conversation.

"Pikachu! Pika!" Lucan went on like this for a while, apparently. Everytime he stopped to take a breath, Axel would nod and say something like: "got it" or "go on".

"What is he doing?" Amy asked Vanessa who shrugged.

"Don't ask me. I just met him a few days ago. When he asked if I wanted to add a one-of-a-kind animal to my collection I, of course, said yes. Who would turn down an offer like that?"

"Who are you anyway, lady?"

"Vanessa De LaFleur," she gave a very lady-like bow, "NOT at your service."

"Y'know, as soon as that wall comes down, I'm kicking your but to next week."

"Just try it. I'll have you know, I'm trained in several types of martial arts."

"As if. You're bluffing."

"A professional thief never bluffs. When I say I'll steal something, I steal it."

"You're a-"

"Got it! Say no more!" Axel suddenly declared rather loudly. He then looked back at Vanessa, a broad smile on his face. "Well, we got lucky! This guy managed to escape the P.C.S.'s knockout gas. And he saw which direction they went."

"You can talk to that thing?" Vanessa exclaimed.

"Yes. I can talk to HIM! And HE knows which direction they went in."

"That's all? A direction? Do you expect me to work with that?"

"Yes. Yes I do."

"Hmph! You know me better than you said."

"That's what I thought. Head east. You might want to bring these two along. Amy and Jet, right? And just because you seem to be scared of him, I'll take Lucan here."

"You know his name?" Amy and Jet said in unison, equally shocked.

"Of course, we just had a conversation! Weren't you listening?" Lucan hopped over to Axel's free shoulder, completely trusting. Axel balanced the weight on his shoulders by taking the red and silver sphere he'd used to release the owl and pressing the button in the center of it. A red beam of energy zapped the owl, converting it to crimson light and bringing it inside the ball again. Axel then placed the ball on his belt again. He then took another ball and threw it into the sky. It opened up and the same white energy burst out, only this time, a dragon was revealed.

This dragon stood twice as tall as Axel on two legs and had sparkling orange scales. Its bulky arms and legs each possessed three claws at the end of them. It was twice as tall as Axel, possessing a horn and two antennae which twitched in the fresh air. The insides of its two glorious wings were emerald green and its lustrous black eyes blinked as it turned back towards Axel, revealing a soft striated underbelly that ran from its neck to the end of the underside of its tail and gave an excited yipping noise from its maw.

"'Kay Kenya. Let's get moving!" The dragon smiled and nodded, turning around and crouching, allowing Axel to get aboard its back. With one flap of its wings the dragon easily climbed above the island. And in the blink of an eye it zoomed away, nearly over the horizon in seconds.

Location: With Axel

Unbeknownst to the other three, Axel carried on his conversation with Lucan, and he wouldn't tell me this part of the story until the last time I would ever see him.

"So, Lucan, how did you find Ventus after you gave him his Silver Wing?" Axel asked Lucan, who was in Axel's lap since he was now sitting aboard his light-speed dragon. Lucan hesitated for a second, and Axel seemed to know why. He patted Lucan on the head, saying more to try and produce an answer. "It's okay. I need to know. But I won't tell Ventus if you don't want me to." Lucan nodded, not pausing for a second. "Then go ahead. Kenya won't spill it either."

"Dow dow!" The dragon said, nodding.

"Pika! Pikachu, pika, chu pika!" A light began to form at Lucan's chest. In seconds it formed into a circular object with an almost chain-like object forming from it. The light burst revealing what looked to Axel like a valuable piece of jewellery. But he definitely knew what it was.

The medallion of lightning.

Axel grabbed it and pocketed it. Lucan blinked and almost asked what Axel was going to do with it, but Axel beat him with an explanation. "I understand. You're a good friend to Ventus. Surprising him with that medallion once you had all the others was a pretty cool idea. He's lucky to have you."

"Pika!" Lucan grinned and nodded, pleased with Axel's praise.

"I'm willing to bet that it was the medallion that led you to Ventus, right?" Lucan nodded. "I see. Since it needs a legendary bird to activate, it makes sense that it can track one down, the same as the Silver Wing. And I'm willing to bet that we can use this third medallion to track down the fourth! What do you say Lucan? Shall we go find the final medallion and cut Ventus some time off his journey?"

"Chu!" Lucan said in agreement.

"Then let's speed up Kenya!"

"DOW!" Lucan had to hold on to Axel as the dragon seemed to fly twice as fast, undoing the band Axel had put in his hair, letting the hair of his ponytail fly loose.

"Darn! I'll have to fix that later!"

Location: With Amy, Vanessa and Jet

"And what makes you think we'll go with you?" Amy asked.

"Because I always get what I want." Vanessa replied rather coolly. "And I want that bird for my endangered animal collection. Y'see, being as wealthy as I am, I prefer to have rare and valuable things. And what's more rare than a giant avian no one's seen before?"

"Why you-?"

"Don't worry. I'm not gonna hurt it. I'll just be giving it a pleasurable home."

"You mean you're just gonna keep him?"

"The poor thing'll just get hurt if I don't. And the P.C.S. will hurt it. You can count on that."

"What is this P.C.S. you keep talking about, anyway?"

"I'll explain when you get in my helicopter. C'mon Jetty!" Vanessa winked at Jet one more time, and the clutz blushed again, and began walking towards her. Amy stopped him, her face twitching in anger until he stopped.

"Uh, Amy," Jet said after he stopped going as red as a tomato. "Maybe we should go with her."

"What?"

"I mean, she might be our only chance to find Ventus...r-right?" He stuttered near the end after seeing Amy's face.

"Hmmmmmmmmmm," Amy obviously didn't like that idea. She was none too happy about working with Vanessa, the two ladies did not get off on the right foot to say the least. Amy would've preferred another method of finding me (and I mean ANY method). But with few options and my fate in question, she had no choice but to say...

"Fine Vanessa." Vanessa smirked at these words, enjoying Amy saying that, even though it was through gritted teeth. "But let's get one thing clear!"

"Hm?" Vanessa asked the unasked question and did Amy ever answer.

"If you try to take Zack...if you want to...keep him. Just now one thing," and even though I never heard Amy say these words, it was intense all the same as she turned back to Vanessa, staring the most daggers she'd ever stared at anyone. "I. WILL. STOP YOU!"

For a moment, no one said anything. Vanessa even looked like she respected Amy for a moment. But that respect was short-lived since a moment later she smirked again.

"All right then. Let's go little girl. You too Jetty." On a side note, Jet began to blush until he was as red as a fire engine. Soon though, he snapped out of it, and did one manly thing toward Vanessa. Talk to her like he was a tough guy.

"Wait! I need to say goodbye to my parents first!" Okay, not the manliest thing to say, but he said it like he was a man. "I can't leave until I do."

Vanessa approached Jet and put a hand under his chin, making his face a little more crimson. "C'mon Jetty. I need to leave now. Don't make me say please." When Jet started to resist this bit of flirting as well, she decided just to give it up and bring in her incentive.

"Boys!" She exclaimed as she let go of Jet's chin and turned her back on him and Amy. Out of nowhere, a pair of muscled men in black suits appeared, grabbing the arms of the confused Jet and Amy. These two never knew where these men came from, and Vanessa never told.

"Hey! What gives? We were on board!" Amy yelled.

"Yeah, but that's no fun, is it?" Vanessa winked once more, sounding like she was just taunting Amy at this point. "Bring 'em to the chopper boys!"

"MOM! DAD!" Jet was screaming out for his parents. It was no good. They weren't coming. And his voice was just getting quieter as the overly-large men basically shoved them along down to the island's beach.

"VANESSA! STOP! HE JUST GOT BACK WITH HIS MOM! GIVE HIM THAT AT LEAST!" Amy yelled at Vanessa in vain. She was still moving forward. Despite every protest, Vanessa seemed to shrug it off, not caring in the slightest.

"Don't worry Amy. He'll be back here safe and sound with his family soon. I'm not that cruel. I just need you two so your big birdy friend won't hurt me when I find it."

"Huh?"

"Axel made me a deal. He'd tell me how to find that bird on a few conditions. One: I couldn't ask who he was, what the creatures he had with him were, or how he got all this information. Two: No one could get hurt. Three: He gets to see the bird before I take it. That's all. So with those in mind, he told me all about you two, where that little birdy had been, and about the P.C.S."

During her explanation, the group had been "escorted" to a bright red helicopter that had landed on the beach with a dark blue "V" plastered on the side of it. Jet and Amy were shoved in through the door Vanessa opened and strapped into the seats by Vanessa's thugs. My two companions were then given earphones with microphones so they could speak to one another over the helicopter's flight. The two took their eyes off the muscled men for one second, just one, and they were gone. Amy said later that they were by far, the most stealthy people she'd ever met. Vanessa climbed into the front seat, a pilot in a black suit much similar to Vanessa's other "employees" getting ready for takeoff.

"The P.C.S. is a society," Vanessa started to say, sensing Amy's next question. "Specifically, the 'Paranormal Cretaures Society'. A group of nerds dedicated to hunting out monsters, aliens and the like. You'd think they'd be pathetic, right? Wrong. According to my, ahem, acquaintance Axel, they've been hiding abnormal creatures from our world for decades. But none so strange as the sample they got in your bird friend. They've been after him ever since he got caught on television. They finally tracked him down through a series of accidentally dropped makeup cases on the ocean's surface. You can thank yourself for that, Ms. Amy." Amy's face suddenly went more red than Jet's ever could. Her dad had packed those for her, he had known her a little less than I'd thought, obviously. In other words, she dropped them on purpose.

"Now, we have the task of hunting down their headquarters. A task not easily done, seeing as how they are a pretty serious organization." She turned back in her seat to see the surprised and nervous faces of her two new assistants. She then winked, more at Jet than Amy. "But don't worry. I'll have you two back in your cozy little homes soon. Just as soon as I pull off the heist of my rarest prize yet. Oh and Jetty," Jet blushed...AGAIN! "I can see you're more nervous than her. Maybe I can ease your tension with a pizza date?"

Location: ?

But enough about them. I could fill a few hours of your life with how many times Vanessa flirted with Jet just to see him go even more red. But whether you like it or not, you need to know what happened to me. As usual, I'd gone through another night of dreaming about my father's suffering. And this time was no different. I woke in another cold sweat, standing and opening my eyes as soon as I woke, darting my tired eyes around my environment as fast as I could. I gasped, openly gasped at what I found.

I was in a meadow. The grass beneath my feet felt quite real. Trees littered the field, each holding an assortment of green to orange colored leaves. A lake, an absolutely beautiful lake lied ahead, in which I sensed the feeble minds of many fish, flocking around. But it wasn't wholesome.

The lake I'd just gone on about was artificial at best. It was a pool, not a lake. Above the lake, it looked normal. But as soon as I flew over, I saw the walls were made of stone, not sand. And that wasn't the only thing that was fake. There was no scent. The air had no taste to it. This wasn't even a real meadow. My drowsy self didn't notice right away, but there was no horizon. This whole scenario, the grass, the trees, the lake, they were all walled in. Blazing white walls burned my retinas, making me cringe as I realized just where I was.

I was trapped.

There we go. Sorry it's a short one, but I hope it's good enough to spark forth a few reviews. Like I said, been in the hospital, but I'm all good now. Reviews are appreciated and hope to pump out the next chapter within the next week. Already ¼ done.

Catch y'all on the flip side.