Once in the neighborhood of the itchy bush, when Yurnero was eleven years old, there was a twelve year old boy named Ostarion. He was infamous for going around and bullying anyone younger than him. Yurnero had never feared Ostarion and one day ended up in a fight with him, which resulted in dozens of bruises, two black eyes and a long scar on his forearm. Not that the wounds caused him to be frightened of Ostarion.
Now Yurnero glared up at Carl, both of them panting heavily for breath. A battered up Mirana lay the ground, a small moan escaping her lips. Yurnero had found it in his heart to stand up for even people like her. Miss Krobelus was out the whole day visiting Darkterror and catching up with him. Shendel, who was supposed to be looking after them, had slept in (again) and no-one was bothered to wake her up, remembering what had happened when Razor had done so.
"Just lay off her," growled Yurnero at his nemesis through gritted teeth. Carl was unfazed by Yurnero's words. Even the poor state of his blonde tresses didn't seem to trouble him. Without warning, Carl stepped forward and slapped Yurnero so hard he almost blacked out. Stars of uneven sizes danced across Yurnero's vision. Yurnero wondered if they were real or from his hallucinations.
Someone, presumably Sven, had stepped forward indignantly and was now screaming a lot of insulting things at Carl. The pain from Carl's slap was still blinding. Mirana was pulling off a set of impressive roundhouse kicks in her high heels and delivered furious punches to Carl's head, which made Yurnero twice as confused as he was before. Barbaric yells and imitations of the hisses of angry cats bounced around in Yurnero's head as he fell unconscious.
How long had it been? Yurnero jolted out of his stupor. Sven's concerned face was leaning over him. Yurnero realized that he was sitting in one of Mr Dazzle's white massaging beds. The robotic aluminium hands had stopped rubbing his back; Mr Dazzle must've switched them off. The turn of events suddenly called back to Yurnero. Watching Carl physically abusing Mirana. Standing up and exchanging forceful punches with him. Feeling the impact of Carl clocking him.
"You're lucky," said Sven longingly. "I wish I could have a go at one of those beds," Yurnero tried to give him an icy and disapproving stare, but only found slight joy. "Anyway, how are you feeling?" At this, one of Yurnero's hands flew to his left cheek. He gingerly touched the purplish bruise that now marked the side of his face. "You missed the best part. Mirana went all aggro and tried karate kicking Carl. One of her heels struck him in the face."
Yurnero judged it to be about ten in the morning. Surely Shendelzare would've woken up by then, to prevent anymore fights. Mr Dazzle came over and released Yurnero from the bed so he could leave the nursing area. Yurnero was still feeling a little groggy, so Sven aided him in leaving the room and closed the door behind them. His now cold breakfast awaited on the table. Sven had also left his breakfast alone, so the two of them could eat together. Yurnero gave Sven a wry smile and took a spoonful.
Shendelzare took their bowls to clean once they were empty and suggested that they went outside. Yurnero slid on his boots and strolled into the garden. Where was everyone? The arena was devoid of Runaways. The swimming pool's surface was still and motionless. The tree branches swayed without burden. Yurnero and Sven twisted around the hedges and saw almost everyone sprawled on the slightly crimson grass. Everyone except for Carl.
Lina was imprisoned in Carl's grasp, about to be pummeled like the others. A beat up kid named Davion was trying to nicely ask Carl to let her go. Rylai had a 'stroke-face' on. Lina's seemed more than a little irritated by Davion and gave a small scowl. "I'm not a damsel in distress, Dave. I'm perfectly capable of taking on bullies on my own. TAKE THIS!" Lina reared back over of her skinny legs and slammed it into Carl's stomach. Carl let out a cry of pain and dropped Lina on the ground.
"Not again!" Yurnero thought dejectedly to himself. Just seeing over of his fellow Runaways getting bullied was enough for him for a day. And now this? He advised himself to avoid starting anymore mini world wars with Carl. As childish as it sounded, the only option Yurnero really thought he had was to alert someone about the Carl incident. "Shendelzare!" he called. There was a clinking of soapy bowls and Shendelzare hurried around the corner of the hedge.
"What's going on?!" she roared. Yurnero was the first to speak and dobbed on Carl, explaining the hectic morning they'd been subjected to. Carl looked aghast, but the witnesses knew that he was faking. As much as Yurnero hated to admit it, Carl was pretty accomplished at acting and his acting seemed to make Shendelzare doubt the truth in their story. Yurnero felt like ripping Carl's fake surprise off his face. He pushed his irritation down and stayed neutral. "Just stay out of trouble, all of you." sighed Shendelzare.
Everyone excluding Carl tried to stay true to Shendelzare's word. Carl whined for what seemed like eternity until Rylai shut him up by telling him that the meteors he sent at Roshan the other day looked more like meatballs. Yurnero suddenly felt introversive and didn't really feel like talking to anyone anymore. He silently ate Shendelzare's mushy salad and headed into his bedroom. And that's when he heard it. It wasn't Carl. It was the thing who'd haunted him and the others weeks ago. And Yurnero thought it was gone for good.
"Hello," warbled Spectre unpleasantly. Yurnero felt ice run through his veins, rooting him to the spot. "Do you know where Balanar and Terrorblade are?" Yurnero forced himself to hold his ground. "Tell me the truth, don't be shy." Telling the truth or rounding up anyone to speak to Spectre was the last thing Yurnero felt like doing, especially a crazed thing in the forest. He told himself it would be all over in a couple of seconds, but all he wanted to do was collapse in fright on his bed and scream his lungs out.
"Sh-sh-shi-" stuttered Yurnero, before catching his tongue. "Sorry, I meant shiz, that's really cool! Yeah, I'll get them for you, one second." He fibbed. There was a pause as Spectre considered it. Yurnero didn't hesitate. He bolted out the room and concealed himself in the greenery. Someone kicked him in the shins. Yurnero winced and turned around to see Mirana. "What are you doing here?" hissed Yurnero. Mirana rolled her eyes.
"Some freaky helluva ghost just dropped on me and asked if I knew where Terrorblade or someone called 'banana' or something was, so, I, like, hid in here, enough details for you?" she said exasperatedly, throwing up her white manicured hands. Yurnero nodded. "Anyways, now you've got to tell me why you've decided to become a stalker." Yurnero sighed and explained everything.
"There's no use in hiding," snarled Spectre threateningly. "I know exactly where you are!" Yurnero swallowed, but Mirana was so paralyzed with terror, that she gave in immediately. Yurnero cringed. He had to refrain himself from screaming at Mirana. "Good." The sound of the fluttering of bats filled Yurnero's ears and Spectre's unearthly voice left them. Yurnero face-palmed and Mirana huffed in annoyance at him.
"Now what do we do, huh?" grumbled Yurnero, his voice dripping with accusation. "I'm not really in the mood to go hunting for some savage creature in the woods," Then remembering that Mirana didn't know about Balanar, he quickly added, "That's Balanar in a nutshell for you. And I doubt that Terrorblade would want to come back and talk to some creep!" His whispers were becoming more like yells. Mirana was unfazed by his anger. 'Some nerve she's got.' he thought.
"Of course Terrorblade wouldn't want to talk to a creep like you," said Mirana, rolling her eyes. "Which is why I'll round up Terrorblade, and you'll get 'Banana'," Yurnero began to protest, but Mirana cut him off by raising her hand. "This is not open for argument! I get Terrorblade and you get Banana. Understand?" Yurnero didn't say anything. Mirana went inside the home to fetch Terrorblade, leaving Yurnero wondering how he was going to complete the impossible task he'd been left with.
'Keep your wits about you,' coached Yurnero mentally as he reached the border of the backyard. Dead black winter trees drooped beyond the safety of the fence. He whipped his head from side to side to make sure no-one was watching him. Yurnero pulled himself up and clambered over the fence, in knowledge that he might not ever clamber over the fence again, or do anything else for that matter. It didn't matter, he just wanted Spectre to go away and leave him alone. And being dead would still achieve the same goal.
The moonless woods that housed Balanar enveloped Yurnero. Game waiting to be pounced on scurried before him in fear. In the black horizon, Yurnero made out a tavern in the distance with smoke billowing out the chimney. Balanar had referred to it as Stonemill. Yurnero allowed himself to go to no more past Stonemill. He didn't dare call out for Balanar in fear that he could attract the attention of another deadly beast. 'Maybe I can bait him in'.
Yurnero found a long and sharp sliver of bark that could serve as a spear under a wilted tree. A wild turkey came strolling by, only to be killed by the crude spear piercing it through the eye. Yurnero pulled off a deadened root from the undergrowth with the wood and used it to tie the turkey to the end of his spear. He waved around the spear for a couple of minutes, but Balanar did not come. Yurnero was beginning to panic now. Surely Mirana would've coaxed Terrorblade to come out already. Time was running out.
"B-balanar?" Yurnero stammered shyly. No response. "Balanar? Mercurial wanted to see you!" The only reply he was getting was his voice reverberating back at him. Now he was starting to get rather fed up at the vacant responses. "Balanar! Mercurial wanted to see you!" he yelled. "BALANAR!" Yurnero compelled himself to take deep breaths. If he was Balanar, where would he be? The other night's conversation came to him. Miss Krobelus had told him that he had to go to the black market to repay for the window he smashed. Maybe, just maybe, Balanar was at Stonemill.
Yurnero knocked on the rickety door of Stonemill. A squat man who looked more like a goblin with brown trousers answered him. Rings pierced his elvish ears and a rag mask covered half his nose and all of his mouth. It definitely was not Balanar, but there was a good chance that the strange man knew him. Yurnero mustered up the courage to speak, but not before the stranger got a word in. "Gondar the Bounty Hunter at your service," he said in a raspy and gravely voice. "Come in. Make yourself at home."
"I'm looking for someone called Balanar," explained Yurnero to Gondar. He didn't know whether to trust the Bounty Hunter or not. Gondar gave him a look that told Yurnero he wanted details. Details. "He's got wings, a triangular mouth, usually wears red pants, broke a window the other day." Yurnero prayed that Gondar knew who he was talking about. Gondar cocked his head around for a bit, considering Yurnero's words. "Do you know him or not?!" snapped Yurnero impatiently, like Meepo having a tantrum.
"Now, now, don't be sulky," said Gondar. To Yurnero, his words sounding more mocking than compassionate, which made him even more annoyed. "Okay, I think I've got your guy. I'll have a check around for him. You stay here and wait." Gondar disappeared into another room. Suddenly it occurred to Yurnero that he was in a black market. Black. Market. Weren't black markets illegal? Yurnero had never been properly educated, but he'd heard Ostarion talking about them a lot.
Gondar returned with Balanar, who was dressed in a deer hide coat. There was no resemblance of a puppy unlike the other night, which made Yurnero feel foolish for coming for him. Balanar scowled at him, with the carcass of a rabbit in one hand. "You wanted to see me?" growled Balanar, as if he was on restraints or something. Yurnero translated Balanar's words into 'I want to rip your eyes out'. There was nothing Yurnero could do but continue with the plan.
"Yeah, I did actually want to talk to you," he replied, nonchalantly. Then he hastily added, "It's about Spectre. She wanted to see you," Balanar's domineering attitude seemed to change slightly. Gondar offered to hold the dead rabbit and Balanar followed Yurnero into a secluded room with two chairs. They each sat down and Yurnero began talking. "Spectre asked me if I could arrange for you to see her." Balanar's yellow eyes widened and Yurnero knew that he had succeeded.
"Ok, I'll come," grinned Balanar toothily, flashing rows of jagged teeth. "Lemme just arrange a trade and I'll be ready to go." Yurnero nodded and sat patiently in his chair and waited for Balanar to rid of the dead rabbit in exchange for money, which was probably supposed to go towards the window he'd smashed. But Yurnero didn't mention it in case it caused Balanar to turn on him. Gondar clicked open the entry door and allowed Yurnero and Balanar to pass.
Balanar expertly guided Yurnero through the woods, weaving through shortcuts in the trees and swiftly running and avoiding the tangly undergrowth. In no time, they approached the fence. Yurnero heard Spectre in his ear again. "Very good. Now bring him until Terrorblade's room," Yurnero's heart plummeted into his stomach. There was a good chance that Shendelzare would notice Balanar creeping through the home and send him off. But he had to continue.
Yurnero told Balanar to stay outside for the time being. He rushed inside to where Sven and Rylai were. "Sven!" he whispered. "No time to explain! Just come outside and help me get the monster there into Terrorblade's room!" Sven, being the faithful friend he was, complied. He glanced at Rylai. "I guess you can help too, if you don't go around alerting everyone." The trio scurried outside and over to Balanar, forming a protective barrier around him. Balanar crouched down and they got moving.
Yurnero the head of the mini shield. They were making good progress and had got past the biggest obstacle: Shendelzare. Yurnero let out a sigh of relief; maybe the task Mirana had left him wasn't so hard after all. Soon, he was eating his words. Yurnero crashed into Luna and he fell to the ground, revealing Balanar. Busted. He braced himself for the sound of Luna calling for Shendelzare, but it didn't come.
"Hey, he's kinda cute," smiled Luna, looking Balanar in the eye. Yurnero had a feeling that cute was the last word Balanar wanted to be described as. Blue beasts that went cray-cray at night didn't exactly qualify into Yurnero's book of things that were cute. "Where'd you get him from?" Yurnero's tensed muscles eased and he regained his balance. Without answering Luna's question, he and his friends shuffled along. Yurnero's eyes scanned Aiushtha's drawings on the doors. He guessed that the door with the stick figure and the two off-centre triangle horns was the one that they were after.
Balanar disappeared into Terrorblade's room and Yurnero relaxed. Spectre was out of his concern for another day. "Come on, Yuri," urged Rylai. "Shendelzare made us some donuts. Better snag some before they're all gone. I saw Pudge eat, like, a dozen of them." Donuts sounded like a great idea to Yurnero. He just felt like doing something an ordinary teenager would do and the morning had been completely out of the norm. "Let's go!"
Spectre's POV:
"So now that we are united as the Illusory Gang, I'm sure that we agree our next goal is to obtain the seed of an Ultimate Orb flower," stated Spectre with a smirk crossing her face. Terrorblade was bamboozled, even though Spectre had previously just explained the whole plan. Balanar sat obediently beside his master, who's smirk had been replaced by a scowl. Terrorblade got up to leave the meeting. "Fine, just quit, ignorant fool," snarled Spectre. "Come back when you're bent down on world domination."
"Anyways, how are we going to get the seed? I know only one person who's in possession of them," questioned Balanar. Spectre stroked her chin in thought. "We could blackmail him, but then he'd go to Krob. And then we'd be caught," At the mention of 'Krob', Spectre's blue eyes flashed with fire. "So what do we do, Mercurie?" Spectre continued to think. There was still nothing that came to her mind. "Have you got a clue yet?"
"No, not yet!" snapped Spectre. "And don't mention Miss Krobelus again! Or that rat, Shendelzare! I still remember the day that she tricked me with that hole. I knew she was always Miss Krobelus's favorite. Such great care the headmistress took of me," she huffed. "Well, at least she managed to get me a great birthday present." Spectre smiled, stroking Balanar as she spoke. He let out a mew of pleasure.
Balanar checked his watch and sighed. "I've got to go soon, Mercurie. I broke a window here the other day and now I've gotta pay for it. The deer usually come out at this time and Riki always pays me good for one of them." Spectre nodded and kept searching her head for plans, keeping Balanar's black market problem at bay. Gullible, she may have been, but that didn't mean she was dumb.
"Yes, I do have an idea now," said Spectre slyly. "Pure ingenious. I know a good prophet, actually. He was a friend," Spectre clicked her slender fingers and the prophet manifested in front of her. "Long time no see. Do you have your 'fortune ball' with you today?" The prophet nodded and his fortune ball formed between his gloved hands. Spectre thanked her friend and peered at the ball. The surface reflected images of Veiled Sisters, farmers and slips of paper. It all fitted into Spectre's head like a jigsaw.
"Don't you see Balanar? It's all there, in that ball!" exclaimed Spectre. "All we've got to do is give her the contract. And surely once he finds out, he's going to volunteer to complete it for her. Then once he's out of the way, we can get the seed for the Ultimate Orb flower and finish the blueprint. Sounds good?" Balanar cocked his head from side to side, taking in the information. "So what do you think?"
"Yeah, I think it might work out good," said Balanar, nervously checking his watch again and wondering how many deer would've left the hunting region back in the woods. "But what about Terrorblade? Wouldn't he be able to handle the blueprint better than us? I don't think he's keen on joining our gang right now. What about him, Mercurie?"
"That will not be worried about. In fact, my friend here, used to be the counsellor of Terrorblade's school. He knows Terrorblade like the back of his hand. Don't you?" said Spectre confidently, nudging the prophet, who nodded. This time, the fortune ball displayed images of Aegises, brothers and thefts in the night.