Minions vs. Minors: Part One

Zane: God damn it! When the Hell are those two going to update? I feel like we've been walking up this mountain pass for about two weeks.

Aster: I know. Seriously, this pisses me off! Let's complain about it.

Christina: Were Sorry you two. We will try to update quicker.

Pip: Yah! New chapter! New Chapter! (Generic squawk)

Thorn: Yes, excellent! New Chapter! And Soon I will get to kill the general's son! I will stand over his dead body and laugh. ***silence*** It's never going to happen, is it?

Christina: um... no.

Thorn: But, what a surprising twist: so unexpected and so fresh.

Christina: no.

Thorn: But, it could be fun.

Christina: do you want me to put you back in the box?

Thorn: Please don't send me there.

Zane POV

We had walked in silence for about forty minutes through the mountain pass, parallel to the rail track that would, if followed, lead to the Supreme King's palace. Thorn had selected a group of about twenty birds to accompany me. They were supposedly his top fighters and elite guards. The best being a bird named Byrn. His sadism rivaled that of Thorn's. I would enjoy hurting him, and the rest of the feathery misfits. They reveled in the pain and suffering of other people, so naturally, I felt no remorse for what I planned to do. They liked pain so much? They can't even fathom the kind of pain I'd put them through. A smile touched my lips, and I could barely suppress my chuckle. Thorn's soldiers traveled behind me, either too afraid to step in front lest an attack occur too tired to up with my grueling pace.

I held Aster directly in front of me as to make it appear that I was using him as a shield, should the 'rebel army' attack. In all actuality, I could converse with him whenever I so desired, and the birds behind me would never know. I stole a glance back at Thorn's men. They were busy in conversation amongst themselves, so I doubted that they would notice if I talked as well. "Aster," I whispered, "what did Thorn do to you?" I looked at his appearance, and I couldn't help but shudder. Aster was always clean, and he always looked perfect to me back home. I couldn't have imagined him dirty and coated with fine black powder.

"Nothing, they didn't do a thing" he turned his head to look into my eyes, "I'm fine, Zane." his voice was as confident as usual, but his eyes betrayed him. Sorrow was painted in lines of his face. Misery was written in the swirls of blue that made his eyes. Pain was etched on his mouth, replacing a once flawless smile. I knew something was wrong; how could it not be? However, I didn't press the matter. Aster was stubborn and prideful at the best of times. He wouldn't tell me yet, but I would find out eventually. I gave him a small pat on his shoulders as I quickened my pace, but as my hand made contact with him, he gasped and shuddered. He was in pain. Why was he in pain? Thorn had whipped him on his first night in captivity, but shouldn't that have been scabbed over and no longer sensitive to the touch? What more could Thorn and his goons have done to him? What ever it was, they would pay. That, I was sure of. Eisenhower, Pip, and Tiedo took notice of my concern. Even Eisenhower's friends seemed to look to Aster with pity. What did they all know that I hadn't?

I said nothing else, and I continued walking. I kept Aster in front of me, but I noticed he was falling behind. I could hear his breath: ragged, uneven gasps. He was panting from exhaustion. He couldn't keep up with my pace, hell I couldn't keep up with my pace. My heart and lungs screamed in protest. Could I take a break? No, there would be time for rest after. However, I couldn't help but feel sorry for him, so I slowed down (for both our sakes). His breathing returned to normal. Mine did not.

We were getting close to the large lava pool that the rail track once extended over. I noticed that the air was becoming hotter. That, combined with the high elevation was making it very difficult to breathe. Aster seemed to be just fine, and besides, I had walked this trail already (only three days ago), and I could handle it just fine. What was so different about it today? I gulped as realization settled in.

My heart was getting worse. I could feel the difference in my body's ability. Though I was physically trapped in this desolate alternate dimension, my mind drifted elsewhere.

"So, you're Zane Truesdale, huh?" I felt the cold piece of metal against my back, and I heard him say, "Two deep breaths, Mr. Truesdale," I responded to his command, inhaling deeply through my mouth. I felt the familiar tightness in my chest, "another please." Again, I responded with another. "Well your lungs seem healthy enough. This pain you're feeling probably isn't due to a respiratory problem, but I will still run a few tests." He began to write in my ever growing file. A frown appearing on his lips, "I've heard a great deal about you Mr. Truesdale, and -"

"Zane, actually," I interrupted, "Mr. Truesdale is my father,"

"Zane, then," he said, "Dr. Dale seemed very frantic when she referred you to me. She is one of the best doctors of her time, and very prideful too. Congratulations, you managed to stump her -"

"With all do respect, Doctor, but I don't believe that congratulations are in order. I still don't know what's wrong with me and neither do you."

"Too right you are, but after today, both of your statements will no longer be true," he smiled and placed the stethoscope on my chest, listening to my heart. After a long pause, he added, "Curious. Very Curious. Please, follow me. I want to run a couple of tests."

I sat in the waiting room of St. Margret's Memorial Hospital. The test results were in the final stages of analyzing. I wondered if it would come back with no result as others had. Dr. Dale seemed very confidant.

"Excuse me," A voice pulled me out of my thoughts, "Are you Zane Truesdale?" an orderly asked. I nodded, "Please follow me. Dr. Dale has your test results," I followed her to his office. She knocked twice and then opened the door. I walked inside, and she left.

"Good Evening, Zane," Dr. Dale said in a serious voice, "Please sit down."

"Doctor, please be candid with me," I said, more harshly than I intended to, "Do you know what's wrong with me? If you're just calling me in on formalities, then you're wasting my time."

"You are a very interesting case,"

"Don't call me a case,"

"Your heart is slightly off beat. That is to say...your heart is on beat, but a small portion of it, no bigger than a few square millimeters, is beating slightly after the normal beat. The pace maker in your heart – it's what keeps everything on beat, is no longer responsive." he gave me a sympathetic sigh, "And it would appear that tissue on the left side of your heart is severely damaged. If you avoid intense physical labor, you'll be able to live a long and normal life."

I snapped back to reality. Everything I did was rather intensive. My heart was being destroyed. However, deep down. I was more concerned about Aster. I had to know what offenses were committed against him.

"Tiedo," I called out, surprising everyone, "I want you to hold the General's son while I speak with your friend. Pip, isn't it?"

"Of course, your excellence," Tiedo said as he walked over and genitally pinned Aster's hands behind his back. I could tell he was more than curious as to why I needed to talk to Pip. He would find out soon.

Pip meandered over to me, and he asked, "What's its youse wants to knows, sir? I'se wills tells yous every things I knows."

"Perfect," I replied, "now I need you to tell me about Thorn and his methods of punishment." The other birds behind me began to notice the commotion ahead of them. I heard a few of Byrn's friends begin to laugh. They had assumed Pip was in trouble for something he had done.

"Err- whys you wants to knows about thats, sirs?" Pip's ignorance was unexpected, but perhaps it was for the better. Maybe this way he would tell me information that he wouldn't have otherwise said if he knew what I was trying to figure out.

"What does Thorn do to punish his minors, and his minions?" I plainly asked. My diction, not betraying my true intentions. Pip just looked at me, his head turned to the side and he just stared. The confused look on his face vanished as he answered me.

"Ohs, I understands nows. He justs whips yah, dats alls. It is typically fives to eights times, buts Thorns seems to hates Asters lots." He said nothing more, satisfied his answer was acceptable. It wasn't.

I swept over to Pip and lifted him off the ground. I heard clapping from behind and even cheers. Shouts of laughter accompanied the squalls of approval. Byrn squawked "Hit him hard, and he'll learn." More birds laughed.

I ignored them. "Pip, what did Thorn do to Aster?" I was serious, and he seemed afraid, "Tell me," Eisenhower, Tiedo, and Aster could hear every word I said. Tiedo was scared, and Aster was on edge. What had Tiedo done? Was it his fault? I would soon find out.

"Wells, he asked hims questions about him dad and the rebel armys up the mountain pass." Pip said with a shrug. Byrn and his buddies trailed further behind. They were afraid they would get sucked into my rage and be forced to endure my wrath. That would come soon enough.

"And if Aster wouldn't answer?" I hissed. Pip seemed reluctant to answer me, but knew it would be a whole lot worse for him if he didn't. So he spoke up.

"Thorns would hits him with him fire whip when Asters refused to talks. And youse friend, he is stubborns."

"And by that you mean that there were some questions that Aster couldn't answer?" I paused and continued, "Or questions that Aster wouldn't answer? Was their anything unusual about his punishment?"

"Well see, Mountain Boy could haves answered, but him wouldn'ts."

"What was the question?" I interrupted. Pip appeared to want to elaborate on how stubborn Aster had been, but I didn't have the time nor the patience to listen to his squawks. We continued up the pass. Pip kept his gaze down, and he kicked a small pebble as we walked. Byrn and his friends seemed to still keep their distance from me. They didn't want a short-tempered duelist of death to lash out at them. Baou had some reputation.

"Thorn asked hims lots of questions. He answers 'em all, fors the most parts. But when Thorns asks 'bout his reinforcements lingerin' near the mine camp – theirs locations and numbers and what not – Mountain Boy say nothin' at alls. The ways him stood up to Thorn was like... super awesomes. Him was real braves."

"But what about his punishment?" I asked. Deep down I knew the answer, and when I thought about all the possibilities, I cringed.

"Thorn have whip with sharp, metal tip," Pip said, shuddering as he remembered, "And, he puts it in fire – making it glow red. When Aster have no answer, he hit hims withs it." This statement had confirmed my suspicions. Thorn had brutally tortured Aster when he refused to talk. He didn't want Thorn to find out about me. He was protecting me. Thorn would pay for the injuries he had caused Aster. Anger swelled inside me, tearing up my core. It was like a match was struck to gasoline. So easily ignited, so unpredictable, willing to lash in any direction: dangerous. I hadn't felt like this since my Hell Kaiser days.

My face had betrayed my emotions. Aster, Eisenhower, and Tiedo were worried. I didn't care about their feelings towards my rage. They had just better stay out of my way. I spun to face Byrn and his minions. "Pip, Tiedo, Byrn, please stay here and guard the prisoners. We are approaching the rebel army camp, and we wouldn't want...we wouldn't want the General's son to alert his army. I require the rest of you to come with me, up the mountain pass. We will surprise them."

Aster POV

There was a strange glint in Zane's eyes. His tone was coaxing and persuasive, but his eyes, they were different. And then, he smiled. Oh God, why was he smiling like that? I had known some pretty sick in the head dudes, namely the D, with some pretty creepy grins, like the D's. But, Zane's expression was scary. It was like a 'Hans Gruber's getting ready to take out John McClane' scary.'

What was he planning? Well whatever it was, I would soon find out. I watched as Zane led the twenty birds up the pass, and out of sight. Now all I had to do was wait. I just hoped Zane wouldn't do something he'd soon regret.

We're so sorry for the irregularity of our updating. For some reason, we always get carried away reading other stories and we end up forgetting about our own. We are leaving for vacation today... myrtle beach! Yeah! So we apologize in advance for the next time. Oh and who loves the Die Hard Movies?

Team Dino! Rawr!