Chapter Nine

"Chocolate, eaten in moderation, can be good for you."

W. Wonka

Massha

The snacks on Earth really tasted good. You wonder how I know this? Well, ever since we got put in the jail cell, I had been helping Pookie try to get her powers back, and whatever she snarled at and threw at me, I enjoyed. There were all kinds of things from salty to sweet, and I pulled them from my ring, handed them over to Pookie, and she ate. Nothing was helping as of yet, though, except to help my stomach feel full.

We had figured that this place was as good as any to find out if these snacks would do what they should, and we wouldn't be interrupted with all the prison bars around.

"Anything?" I asked, starting to feel nauseous. They may taste good going down, but they certainly feel awful just sitting there.

"Nothing, except the realization that if I lived on Earth I may have to kill someone," Pookie responded, not in the best of moods.

"Just a little more," I cajoled, even though I was sick of the junk as well. I rummaged in my ring and pulled a bouncing and enlarging bar out, which was labeled Snickers. "Try this. So far, it isn't like the others."

"I hate you," Pookie said but dutifully took the candy bar from me. "This isn't bad," she admitted. "But I don't think it's doing anything. That's it! We're cursed, me and my cousin and any Pervect who tries to leave home. We have to be very careful, because if not, some prankster or health nut will try and steal everything we are. It's too dangerous. And that's coming from a bodyguard who willingly puts herself in harm's way to save others. It's over!"

Her anger brought a nice sight, after I built up my shield defense with one of my rings, as fire ran through the cell. Her powers were back! "What did it, greeny?" I asked with a huge smile.

"This!" Pookie said, smiling herself and hugging the wrapper. "Take back everything I said. With a cure, Pervects are safe again!" Then she smiled larger. "Just think what Aahz will do once I give him this. You do have more, don't you?"

"Six bars, I believe, but first we have to get out of here."

"That is easy."

Minutes later, rubble was outside our cell, with the door fallen over from the explosion. "That was fun," Pookie said, dusting her hands off. "Wait . . . what are you doing here?" she asked, looking at two approaching figures. Bunny and Tanda had heard the explosion and exited their own cell, somewhat the same way.

"We got purposely thrown in here, and now we're waiting for news on Skeeve. What about you?"

"Shoplifting charges," I said with a shrug, ignoring Bunny's incredulous look. "It's a long story, but we may be able to get thick, green, and scaly back to normal again—well, his normal not ours, as we're used to it."

"That's the best news I've heard in a while," Tanda said, looking happy. "Let's go tell him. He's . . ." She closed her eyes and then cursed. "Gone. That idiot left us behind."

"Um, my guess is that you are M.Y.T.H. Inc.?" a man said, and we all spun around to see a native looking at all of us like he had died and gone to heaven. "I'm, um, Barry. Your friend, Aahz, wanted me to let you all out. I see it wasn't necessary, but the ones outside are calling it a bomb for now. If, however, you aren't gone when the bomb squad comes on the scene the S.W.A.T. team may replace them. So, this way."

"Wait, where is Aahz, and can we even trust you?" Bunny asked.

The guy grimaced. "Well, trust isn't likely, as you probably all will hate me when you find out what I did, but Aahz is with Skeeve, and he needs Pookie—now. Hurry."

Without any reason, we all followed this man, cramping into his car (me worse than the others) and allowed him to drive us to who knew where. We took him on faith for two reasons: one was he seemed like he was in love with every one of us and like he'd never hurt us willingly; and the second was his tones had edges of panic to them. Something awful had happened to Skeeve, and he wanted us to come to save his life.

We were quiet, all of us, almost as if we were taking a silence for the dead, but . . . Skeeve wasn't dead, was he? Thoughts of my previous mentor and what he was flashed through my brain and tears came to my eyes, though I had no reason for them. After all, Barry was driving very fast. Why would he if there was no hope?

I wasn't alone in feeling that way, though. I saw Bunny, in the front seat, rigid as a board and jaw so tight I'm surprised she didn't bleed. Tanda looked extremely worried, and Pookie looked angry, which basically just covered her own fear. Had we come all this way, accomplished so much, just to lose Skeeve?

We all jumped out as fast as possible from Barry's car, and he ran inside, us following on his heels and ignoring the people asking if they could help us.

Our fears weren't groundless. The first sight of Skeeve was horrible, considering we had seen him only about a day ago, and he had been so fit it wasn't funny. Now the poor guy was pale as paper and strange tubes were stuck in his nose and arm. Aahz didn't look good himself, as he sat in a chair looking over him, looking angrier than Pookie. When he saw all of us, he didn't make even one wisecrack. All he said was, "Pookie, hurry, give him the blood magic."

Pookie nodded and held Skeeve's hand, muttering a few words, and Skeeve's color returned. I think all of us breathed a collected sigh of relief when Aahz said, "I think he's stable now, but he'll be out for a little longer while his body brings his own blood back."

"What happened to him, anyway?" Bunny asked, having grabbed Skeeve's other hand and occupied the other side of the bed. It was hard for her to see him like this.

"Our greatest fan shot him," Aahz said, pointing at Barry, who looked sheepish.

"I thought I was doing my job. It's very important to our country to stop threats to it, and I believed in my job."

"It's alright," Bunny said: she was way more forgiving now as it seemed that Skeeve was just sleeping. A few minutes ago, though, Barry would have gotten a much worse reaction, something akin to cement shoes. "I know bodyguards. It's all over your face. You protect someone important, don't you?"

"That's my job and what I believe in." He looked a bit disappointed as he sighed. "I guess I'll leave you all then, as I'm probably not wanted here."

"Hey, idiot, you can stay," Aahz said. "You may have been the reason Skeeve almost died, but ever since you left I asked myself what I would have done in your shoes. It's no different, so you're welcome in here, especially since you seem to care just as much about Skeeve as we do." Then he smiled. "Well done, everyone."

"Better than you think, Hot Stuff," I said, relishing this moment. To think, I, Massha, would be the one to help restore Aahz's powers. I wasn't going to forget this for a long time, so I thought I'd drag it out.

"We got a cure for you," Pookie interrupted. So much for that idea, but Pookie completely ignored my glare. "It's not much, but it's amazing."

Aahz blinked a few times, as if he didn't quite understand what was just said, and we got more reaction out of an unlikely source. "A cure? Really? That's great!" Barry said enthusiastically. "After that rotten prank Garkin pulled on you, I was wondering if you'd ever be at the top of your game. Then you got Isstvan with it, and that was amazing. Of course, when Skeeve took on that army, it would have been useful if you had all your skills. Skeeve could have been killed, and when he thought you were, it was heartbreaking. I mean, how many times could Skeeve's near death experiences been averted had you just had your powers?"

Aahz gave him a closed smile, which was odd for him, and he was silent as he just stared at Skeeve's comatose form. Sometimes I wish I was a mind-reader, as it didn't look like Aahz was as excited as everyone else here that he was going to regain his powers. What was going on in his green little mind?