Chapter 9: Pancake morning
"What did you fancy eating this morning?" Amelia asked her four hungry sisters when they walked into the kitchen. It was morning on the fifth day of being at the Acceledrome and for the first time only the five of them were in the room; it was to early for most people.
"PANCAKES" Mel shouted as her arms waved madly in the air, Amelia smiled; only her sisters could be this hyperactive at this time in the morning and they haven't had any sugar yet.
"Ok…" She said trying to calm her youngest sister as she pined her hair out the way "…we will have pancakes, Faith go get the eggs…" With a mock salute Faith ran off to fetch the eggs "…Hope the milk" Amelia instructed.
"MOO COW MILK" Hope hollered as she rushed towards the double fridge with the white liquid inside, however this was Hope and true to form she run right into the still object. With some force Hope ran into the fridge door and bounced right off, she landed on her backside and looked dazed for a moment before shacking herself off.
"Mel the whisk…" Mel ran in the same direction as Faith did, intent on finding a whisk "…Dani that leaves the flour"
"Got the eggs" Faith said returning with Hope right behind her holding the milk as Dani ran off to find some flour. Amelia got a large bowl out to start mixing the milk and eggs while she waited for the flour.
"Morning" Kurt yawned stretching his long arms over his head as Amelia cracked two eggs into the milk. Hope and Faith followed their older sister's lead and pinned their hair out the way; one of the worst things you could find in your food was a hair.
"Morning" They greeted back. Dani brought the flour to the older sister and had most of it down the front of her light blue top.
"The bag split" She defended as Amelia looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
"What are you making?" Kurt asked as he put some bread in the toaster messing his black hair with his spare hand. Dani brushed as much flour off her top as she could but this caused more of a mess as it went all onto the floor and the countertops around her.
"Pancakes" Hope said eagerly as Mel loudly declared she had found the whisk.
"What was that?" Taro asked walking though the door while putting his dark hair up.
"Making breakfast" Faith said smiling at the new comer as Amelia mixed a small amount of flour into the milk and egg mixture.
"We're having pancakes, want some?" Dani asked while she waved a frying pan in her hand, Amelia added some more flour and mixed that in to.
"I will stick to toast thanks"
Mel, Dani, Faith and Hope all had to have a mix of the batter for good luck but got most of it onto the floor and counter tops; so Amelia had to add more ingredients. By the time the pan was hot enough the only racers missing were Wylde, Pork Chop and Drew; the ones who had finished eating stayed to see what would happen when you add hyperactive sisters with cooking.
"Who wants to go first?" Amelia asked pouring a small amount of mixture into the pan.
"ME" squealed Dani as she rushed over to the boiling hot pan. Making sure her hair was out of the way Dani let it cook for a few minutes; checking it was not sticking to the pan every few seconds before flipping it over for the other side to cook. "I did it…" She declared happily when she flipped the pancake in the air and caught it expertly with the pan. "…I need a plate it's nearly done"
"I will get you a plate sis..." Mel declared opening the cupboard doors and banging them closed. A few of the racers flinched at the harshness of Mel's movements, none of them would be surprised if a door came off in her hand "...I found another frying pan…" Mel shouted happily bringing it over with a stack of plates and happily all the cupboard doors still attached "…we can do more then one at a time"
"I will get this one going…" Amelia said putting some oil into it "…who's next?" Faith proudly stepped forward.
"I will..." Faith repined her hair back before pouring a bit of the batter into the hot pan; with a smile she watched the pancake cook. "...let's see if I can catch it..." Taking a step back Faith got into her flipping position; out the way of the stove and anything breakable. With the strength of her flip, one side still piping hot and the other under cooked it hit the ceiling above her and the sticky undercooked side stuck onto the textured ceiling "...Oh..." she said half disappointed and half shocked looking at the round light brown disk on the ceiling, willing it to come down "...Amelia…" Faith called "…it's stuck" Everyone tried to hide their amusement but a few chuckles escaped; many hiding their smiles behind their hands.
"Come over here. Let Hope have a go" Faith handed her twin the pan and skipped off to see Amelia who was helping Mel make hers. Just like her twin Hope carefully put the right amount of batter into the pan as Wylde walked into the room looking rather tired soon followed by Pork Chop. Seeing the risk Pork Chop quickly got his food together, getting in and out of the kitchen in a flash.
"Cool pancakes…" Wylde commented perking up while walking into the kitchen. He stood behind Hope and looked over her shoulder at the one she was cooking in the large pan "…looks good"
"Did you want one" Hope offered just like they had done with everyone else.
"No it's ok princess, but thanks anyway" Wylde said using the nickname he had given her; it just seamed wrong to call Hope anything else. Since the tickle fight two days before Wylde had calmed somewhat but he still had a wicked temper when the subject of his brother came up; it was only with the twins did he let others see some of his true colors.
"Why?.." Hope enquired flipping her pancake over. No one could hold back their howls of laughter when Faiths pancake chose that exact moment to unstick and fall right onto an unsuspecting Wyldes head. "...you could have that one for example" Hope said laughing while she took the pancake she was cooking off the stove.
Drew chose that moment to walk though the double doors and into the laughing room as he stretched, he could not help but yawn as the tiredness of sleep had not gone away yet. Drew looked up so he could see where he was going to see Wylde standing behind Hope with a pancake on his head, the sight would have been hilarious had he been more awake; the tired man just shrugged as he got his breakfast together too tired to pass a comment.
Hope giggled when she lifted the front of the pancake so she could see the whole of Wyldes face; by the look of it Wylde was torn between laughing or shouting.
"Sorry..." Faith said softly as she walked shyly over to the two, with gentle hands she removed the pancake that had flattened his spiked dark hair "...that was my fault. I tried to flip it but it…well you know" Wylde looked a Faith for a long tense moment before giving the worried girl a huge grin.
"All is forgiven" Wylde playfully prodded her in the side causing Faith to giggle, a huge smile spreading on her face.
"Yay, I'm glad you're not mad at me" Faith ran into Wylde and wrapped her arms around him in a bear hug and was pleased when he hugged back.
"I think it might be safer for all of us if you four sit down and I make the rest" Amelia offered putting some oil into one of the pans. The room let out a sigh of relief when four Angel sisters sat down, out the way of any dangerous items; but then again they could make wool sharp if they had the will. The Angel's just finished their last mouth full of breakfast when the alarm went off sounding the opening of a realm.
"Just in time" Dani said moving away from the table and pushing her plate away.
"The racers to go into this realm are…" Everyone who had not raced yet rushed down to their cars hoping it was their turn, Amelia laughed at the sisters' eagerness as she started to clean up the mess they had made "Karma Eiss, Vert Wheeler, Lani Tam, Mitchell McClurg, Tork Maddox, Bart Scampi, Krakatoa, Hope Angel, Melanie Angel, Andrew O'Shria and Alec Wood"
"See ya later sis" Were Hope's last words before driving off onto the track for the portal.
"Be safe" Faith called back waving madly.
"I wonder what this realm could be…" Dani pondered from beside a waving Faith "…how about we go talk to Tezla, see if we can watch with him?" With similar glints in their eyes the two of them ran quickly towards the stairs hoping the kind Doctor would let them into the control room.
"Wait up" Jet called as he ran after the two.
XxX
"Watch out" Tezla's voice called over the intercom. It was too late to turn away so Mel pushed down on the accelerator to give her a quick burst of speed. Her car speed onto the ramp and jumped over the canyon in her way. With a thud the dark blue car landed hard on the stone floor on the other side.
"You ok?" Dani asked as she stood next to Dr Tezla snatching his ear piece.
"I'm fine" Mel's shaky voice replied.
Most of the racers not in the realm had congregated in the control room and had taken it over; it was like a plague of locusts. Seven of them were sitting at a monitor watching out for hazards while Dani stood beside Dr Tezla. Amelia had the other ear piece and put out a warning to all the drivers, telling them to beware the jumps as she passed one screen to another; this was the Canyon realm and the only way to get to the end was to jump over the large cracks in the road.
The sound of metal scraping against rock sent small waves of relief down the racers backs; but that was not to last.
"LANI" Faith shouted as she watched Lani's car '55 Chevy Nomad jump over the next canyon, the jump seamed fine at first but slowly the car started to descend before she had reached the other side. Each second felt like a lifetime as everyone watched the car fall down the canyon; the car hit every sharp rock and ruff edge on the way down, it was a crumpled twisted bit of metal when it had finally reached the bottom with a loud echoing bang; the camera finally giving out in a haze followed by a deathly silence, everyone watched on with the same look of horror on their faces.
"I'm going back" Krakatoa declared doing a 180 hand brake turn and speeding off the way he just came 'Hang on Lani' He thought to himself as he pushed Muscle Tone as fast as it would go; he was the closest to Lani so it only seamed logical for him to go.
Once he reached the canyon Krakatoa rushed out of his car and ran towards the gagged edge of the cliff, peering over the rough edge hoping with all his might he would see Lani safe and sound on an outcropping. He could only just see the blue speck that was once Lani's car '55 Chevy Nomad at the bottom.
"Krakatoa" Lani called as she desperately clung onto the rough rock face for dear life.
"I've got you Lani..." Krakatoa replied as he lay on the hard rock and lowered his hand to her but it was not enough, if only he had Mr. Tickle arms then he would be able to reach her "...hang on Lani I will be right back" Krakatoa called an idea coming to mind.
"Please hurry" Lani called scared out of her mind. Krakatoa rushed back to his car as fast as his legs could carry him and found the grappling hook on the front of his car; tugging it after him Krakatoa ran back to the cliff's edge and threw the end over the cliff face so it dangled close to Lani
"Hold on to it Lani. I will pull you up" Lani did as Krakatoa said and gripped onto it tightly.
"Got it..." She called once she had a firm grip. Lani's body scraped across the rough rocks as bit by bit Krakatoa pulled her up to safety. When Lani could see the level track again she scrambled as quickly as she could onto the flat surface, once she was on level ground Lani crawled on her hands and knees as far as she possibly could from the ruff edge scared of falling back down into the abyss; she was close to kissing the safe steady dirt the level ground provided but she thought better of it. "...thanks Krakatoa" Lani said offering her shacking gratitude towards the copper skinned racer with a small timid smile.
"No problem…" He huffed tired out "…let's just get out of here"
XxX
All the girls in the Acceledrome rushed over to Muscle Tone; which was the last car out to check on Lani. She had a few scraps and was shaken but generally alright. Sadly this time the racers were not quick enough to win the race but at least everyone made it out the realm.
"No way on EARTH will you get me back in those realms" Lani shouted pointing towards the now closed portal with hysterical fear flashing in her eyes.
"We know…" Amelia said soothingly rubbing Lani's back "…no one is making you go back in there"
"Come let's get a hot drink in you" Dani gently guided Lani towards the stairs with the thought of the lounge room being a good place to get some peace, Karma, Esmeralda, Hope, Faith and Amelia followed wanting to help calm the scared racer. Karma handed Lani a strong cup of tea when they finally sat down in the lounge room, Mel arrived moments later with some chocolate from the kitchen and offered it to Lani with a small kind smile.
"Thanks" Lani gratefully took a sip of the hot drink in her hand with chocolate in the other. The room was quiet while Lani drank her drink and ate the sugary treat; no one wanted to be the first to break the silence and get Lani in her panicked state again.
"We are having a girl's night tonight…" Amelia said finally breaking the silence as she stroked Lani's back in a mothering way. "…why don't the three of you join us?" She asked looking up at Karma and Esmeralda, her hand not slowing it's movements.
"I'm not sure…" Karma said uneasy with the idea "…I'm not a really a girly girl"
"Oh don't worry about that…" Mel said with a smile "…none of us are really. We mainly mess around and just have fun"
"I don't know" Karma said still uneasy with the idea.
"Don't know about you two but it sounds like fun to me" Esmeralda had only been there a day and already she fitted in perfectly with the sisters.
"What generally happens is we put a film on, we end up laughing though most of it because of the unrealism. We talk about rubbish while we have snacks and we play kids games" Faith summed up a finger on her chin in a thinking pose.
"I know it sounds unusual…" Hope began "…but it's really a lot of fun and it could be a fun bonding session that Tezla wants..." She offered a small smile "...that would get the man off our backs"
"Please join us it's a lot of fun, you can leave whenever you want if you don't like it" Dani offered as she sat in front of Lani, a hand rubbing soothing circles on the shaken racers knee.
"I'm in" Esmeralda said with a smile.
"Thanks, I could do with a laugh" Lani's small voice said before she took another sip of her drink.
A.N. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. 12 reviews over night, I couldn't believe it. Thanks to everyone who is not only reading my story but are also reviewing,, it's nice to hear what you all think and so far it's all good :) Will update asap. Thanks again
