"Krusty Krab pizza, is the pizza for a-you and me!" Hailey sang as she carried a pizza box to the recycle bin. It was twilight, the sun had barely finished setting and the stars were barely starting to show, and the sky was a pale shade of lavender. The moon had not yet risen from behind the mountains.
Zane poked his head out the door. "What are you singing?"
"KRUSTY KRAAAB!" Hailey yelled as she drop kicked the pizza box. It flew through the air and landed not too far from the light blue bin. Hailey picked it up and tossed it in.
"You were saying what now?" She asked as she dusted off her hands and walked back to the door.
"What were you singing?"
"Something from my favorite TV show when I was little." Hailey said as she walked back up the stairs. "Also something I saw on a v-"
Suddenly a cool breeze blowing from the south kicked up and something from behind the house fell or tipped over with a hollow, metallic noise.
"What was that?" Zane asked Hailey. She was halfway through the door.
"Probably my practice tins. They're in a cardboard box. I gotta find a crate to put them in." Hailey replied as she walked back down the steps.
"Practice tins?"
Hailey gestured Zane to follow. He didn't need to stay in the house, because it was getting dark out and nobody would be out at this time. Zane slipped out of the house to follow her. He caught up with Hailey as they were walking out past a round pen. There were three stalls. In them were two horses, the other empty. One he recognized as Hailey's. The other was a big grey one with a greasy black mane and tail which Zane didn't recognized.
"Who's horse is that?" Zane asked as they walked past.
"Gunsmoke. Uncle Sam's horse."
They walked past the pen to an open field behind the house, which then Hailey took out her phone and turned on the flashlight on it. They walked into the field. Past the grass Zane saw a raised split log. As they got closer, Zane saw several rusty tin cans laying scattered in the grass. He guessed that they had been sitting on there when they were blown over.
Hailey and Zane walked to the log, and Hailey set her phone on it before picking the cans up.
"Do you need help?" Zane asked.
"Sure, if you want." She said. She took her armful of cans and put them in a cardboard box full of tin ones behind the log. "Take the ones on the other side."
Zane started getting the cans on the opposite side of Hailey. He was picking one up when he saw it was full of holes.
"Hm." He muttered as he examined the can closer. It was a normal soup can, but it was rusty and the holes were round and perfect, but it also seemed like they were stabbed in.
"Why does the can have so many holes?" He asked Hailey as he dumped his load in the box.
"I said it before. I practice on them."
"With what?"
"My pistol. Uncle Sam said I should work on my aim a little more."
Zane took a can out from its box. It was peppered with holes.
"May I scan it?" He asked.
Hailey shrugged. "Knock yourself out."
Zane scanned it while Hailey looked around the log to make sure they didn't miss any. Whatever had made the holes, it wasn't a weapon Zane was familiar with. He grunted.
"I don't mean to burden you with questions, but what's a pistol?" He asked. Hailey came back empty handed.
"It's my gun." Hailey said as she took her phone off from the log. She stuck it in her pocket.
"Excuse me? A gun?"
"Yea. You know that thing I pointed at your face when I found you? That's a gun."
"Oh." Zane said. "It's a weapon, yes?"
"Yup." Hailey said. They walked back towards the house. "We also call it a firearm."
She turned to glance at him. Zane had to walk faster than normal to keep us with her fast pace.
"You're a ninja, you said. What do you fight with?"
"Shurikens." He said. "I use a pair of sai or a sword now, but my main weapon used to be shurikens."
Hailey stopped walking.
"A what?"
"It's called a shuriken." Zane explained. "It looks like this…"
Zane drew with the tip of his foot in the dirt of what a shuriken looked like. Hailey studied it.
"Looks a little bit like a star." She observed.
Zane nodded as he finished drawing. "It's also called a throwing star."
"So you throw it, basically." It sounded more like a question than a statement.
"Hence the name, yes. It returns to you like a boomerang if you were to throw it correctly."
"How do you throw it?"
"You don't know how to throw?"
"No, I know how to throw! I throw a football to Uncle Sam basically every other day! I mean the technique. How do you throw it correctly?"
"This." Zane said. He did a motion as if he were throwing a shuriken. Hailey copied the move and almost landed flat on her face. None of them knew why.
"You mean to tell me you actually engage in combat with those things?!" She cried as she regained her footing.
Zane nodded.
"What damage can those things cause?"
"Well, they can sever ropes, pin a person to a wall of you throw a pair, and mine used to shoot beams of ice and freeze anything it came into contact with."
Hailey looked at him disbelievingly.
"You're kidding."
"I am most certainly not."
"What kind of weapon does that?"
"A very special kind. The Golden Weapons. But they were destroyed."
"Hm." Hailey said. "How long ago?"
Zane thought.
"Approximately a year ago." He said. "Before I-"
Zane stopped. Should he tell Hailey about his sacrifice to the Overlord?
"Before you what?" Hailey asked slowly.
Tell her. He told himself. It won't hurt that she knows.
"Well, it's difficult to explain, but when the Overlord was threatening my brothers-"
"Waitwaitwaitwait! Did you say Overlord?!"
Zane was mildly surprised by her outburst.
"Yes…" He said unsurely.
Hailey looked at him, obviously intrigued. And there was another expression there which Zane couldn't really read.
"Sorry. Go on."
"As I was saying. The Overlord had taken over Ninjago City, and his golden power had all my brothers caught in it but me." He told his tale about how he sacrificed himself to defeat the Overlord, and how he was captured by Ronin and brought to Chen's island, and how his brothers found him and freed him. Hailey listened the whole time. She was very interested.
"My appearance wasn't always like this." Zane said as he finished. "It was a result of rebuilding myself after I died."
"Wow.." Hailey said once he was done. "You really did all that?"
Zane nodded. Hailey found it very hard to believe, but as much as Hailey knew about Ninjago, here was a lot she didn't know as well.
Hailey thought of when Zane told her he destroyed the Overlord two summers ago, and a she thought of a strange coincidence.
"That's weird…" Hailey said., almost to herself.
"What is odd?" Zane asked.
"Something happened two summers ago…" She muttered. She looked down at the ground, rubbing her chin, and glanced back up.
"What was the exact date you died?" She asked him. "I know, it might be a little sensitive." She added quickly.
Zane shook his head.
"Nonsense. I believe I deceased on November 26, two years from this date."
"How weird." Hailey said. She pulled her phone from her back pocket and typed something in. "That same day, we had an earthquake."
Zane was surprised.
"Really?" He asked.
"Yup." Hailey said. She showed him her phone screen. It showed the date of the earthquake. Sure enough, it was in November 26, 2014, at 7:34 pm.
"They said the epicenter was beneath Travers Lake. 6.1 on the Richter scale. We felt it too. The magnitude was only 4.5, though."
"But what makes it so significant?"
"What makes it so significant, Zane," Hailey said in a low tone.
"Is that Mt. Horn has ties to the Overlord."
Zane recoiled at those words. We're these people descendants of him?
"He WHAT?!"
"I'm not saying we're evil or anything!" Hailey said. She threw her hands up into the air. "I'm harmless! So is everyone else here! Well, except for criminals, but they're everywhere! All I'm saying is that the Overlord is related to this place indirectly!"
Zane calmed down a little bit and raised an eyebrow.
"Oh really?" He asked. "How so?"
Hailey tried to come up with an explanation but instead dropped her hand into her face and sighed.
"It's hard to understand if you don't see it in the Mt. Horn perspective, which you don't." She said. "You're from Ninjago, you fought the Overlord as an enemy. To us, he kinda gave us this place."
Zane was mystified. Did the Overlord gift this land to these people?
"He gave it to you?"
"Come. The book ought to explain it better than me." Hailey said. Together they both went back into the house.
As Zane walked back up the front steps and into the living room, he wondered. What book? Was it a sort of religious book? Or was it more like a history textbook in school?
He found out soon enough.
"Follow me. I have a book on Mt. Horn's history." Hailey said as they walked down a hallway at the top of the stairs. There was a cabinet with a counter and several doors down it. Hailey opened the one that had a pair of deer antlers mounted on it.
"My room." She said as she went inside. "You can come in if you want."
Zane stepped through the door. It was a large room, the walls also made of polished timbers and the light clay filling like the rest of the house with a vaulted ceiling and the support beams. The floor was also finished wood planks. Two large square windows on the far side of the room would've offered a great view outside, but they were covered by dark brown drapes. Also at one corner of the far room was a long desk. On it was a computer (what?), a lamp with an elk design, and a few papers. There was a bookshelf made of pinewood, which was chock full of books. Next to that was a saddle on a stand. It had silver trim with intricate designs. On the other side, below the second window, was a bed. It had a turquoise and brown design, and the bed frame was made of logs with the bark still on it. Above was a pair of horns from a steer. Zane walked out to the center of Hailey's room, where there was a brown cowhide rug. On the wall on the right side of the doorway was a wooden piece of furniture that resembled a china cabinet. On the other side there was a closet and Hailey's guitar on a stand in the corner. On the wall of the book shelf was a picture of a wild spotted horse. Above the desk was a long one with an elk. Zane noticed the ongoing theme with the elk and wondered why. Tacked and draped on the opposite wall was the same flag he had seen at the hockey rink. Again he shuddered.
"Found it." Hailey said. She had been searching through the bookshelf and gestured Zane to come to the desk. When he got there, he saw the book.
The cover of the book was black leather material. In golden words "History of Mt. Horn" and set within a golden double rectangular border. Below it was detailed gold outline of a dragon. The book was a bit on the thicker side. Hailey pushed the book to Zane.
"Required reading for tonight." She said as she walked out of the room. "I gotta go feed Ranger."
Zane took a look at the book cover and and walked out of Hailey's room with it, heading downstairs. There he sat on the couch and opened the book, flipping to the first page. It was titled "Introduction".
"Located at the extreme southern tip of the continent, Mt. Horn is a 350 mile stretch of treacherous mountain range that encircles the entire valley in a complete ring. Blizzards blow at the peaks year-round, but of course, at its strongest in winter. A seemingly bottomless ravine encircles the range also, but thins out at the Chinook coast, at the other side of the eastern chain. Historians and geologists both argue over the ravine's origins; some say it was a result of an earthquake phenomenon, others say that it was a result from the Four Legends creating the land fit for life, although it's purpose at that time is unclear. The rugged mountains, the ravine, the tangles of the nearly unnavigable Phantom's Forest, and the inhospitable weather all make a virtually impenetrable barrier of natural defenses that keep Mt. Horn and its people from most outsiders, although there have been a few occasions where invading Serpentine and Calusán have been able to infiltrate and wreak havoc on the land and people. One such example is the Yukon Invasion. For a map of Mt. Horn, turn to the end of this book. For a section on the Yukon Invasion, tu For more information on the Four Legends, turn to page 36."
Zane, intrigued by the term "Four Legends", flipped to page 36, past other things such as battles and various wars they fought. On the page he was looking for, it was simply titled "The Four Legends". He began reading.
"When Ninjago was created by the First Spinjitzu Master, the Overlord had plans to rule the land and shape it into his own image."
Zane stopped reading. How did these people know so much about Ninjago and its history?!
'Maybe it'll tell further in the text.' He thought and continued.
"He had countless encounters with the Master in the past and was almost defeated that many times. The Overlord, fearing that he may once be defeated once and for all, and for no one to continue his wicked legacy, created five sons, all dragons, just like him. The Overlord created them out of the four main elements-Cyclone was created from ice. Spitfire was created from flame. Witherwings was of lightning, and Bucktooth was born of rock. As far as to how they were created, it is unknown. Most say it was some sort of black magic the Overlord now lack(ed)s. But all these were all elements the Master possessed. As a secret weapon, he created Riptide from the waters of the ocean. The Overlord raised his sons and trained them for their purpose. When he figured the time was right, the Overlord told his sons of their use. But, as evil as their father was, the hearts of the sons were pure. But Cyclone, Witherwings, Bucktooth, and Spitfire did not dare show their defiance, for fear of being severely punished if they did so.
But Riptide saw no good in the plan and showed it. The Overlord, seeing him as an obstacle, killed him by kicking him into the sea. It is also fabled that Bucktooth turned the sea dragon's body into stone. The Overlord clawed Bucktooth's throat, and a massive fight ensued. The Overlord then realized all his sons were against him and was bent on their destruction. Despite their efforts, the sons could not defeat their father and fled for their lives. Taking shelter at the bottom of a extremely deep trench that ran around a barren range of virtually impassable stone mountains (what is now Mt. Horn).
Deciding to split up for safety, the four dragons hid themselves away in caves at the bottom of the trench. Consequently, the caves they his in were facing exactly north, south, east, and west. The Overlord eventually found their hiding spot, but instead of killing, he decided to imprison his sons there by creating an impenetrable barrier of dark magic that kept them in. Then he left to finish his conquest.
It was then that the brothers decided to give the valley inside the range life. Using their powers, the four dragons made the valley suitable for life. However, it is unknown exactly how. When humans and animals evolved and started inhabiting the range, the four dragons decided to give the people of the valley the gift of an animal like no other-the created the first horse, which possessed the strength of Bucktooth, the swiftness of Witherwings, the fiery spirit and pride of Spitfire, and the wisdom and grace of Cyclone. The horse they created had a coat as black as night and a mane and tail of purple flame. It's said that at night the Shadow Charger descended from the mountains and would roam freely around the valley. Every so often, when the Shadow Charger walked, an ancient ancestor of the modern horse appeared. At the first sign of dawn, the Shadow Charger would return to the mountains and repeat the process at night. The area in which he hid is mainly believed to be Charger Major. After the horses began to multiply and populate in greater numbers, the Shadow Charger was called back by the four dragons, and at the next full moon, went to the highest peak in the range where he dissolved into a cloud of purple aurora. Centuries later, he would come back to a call of duty.
At this time, the four dragons were slowly but surely dying from their wounds that their father had inflicted upon them. They came together and agreed that they were to be turned to stone so they could be freed by the power of their father if the range and people were to ever be in grave danger. Cyclone had vague future telling skills and predicted that someone would come along, harness the Overlord's power and put it to good use. Bucktooth petrified the others before himself. But as their flesh and bone became rock, their spirits escaped with the intent to protect the valley and chase out outsiders from entering so that the people within would never have to fear of danger.
Meanwhile, the Overlord had been defeated by the First Spinjitzu Master. He was now nothing more than a glowing ball of energy, stripped of his dark power, which was absorbed by the First Spinjitzu Master. He banished the evil entity to the Dark Island. Soon after, he went on a search to pass on the power who would put it to good use. He had also forged a sword that housed the spirit of the Shadow Charger. He passed the power and sword on to a military bowman in a cavalry unit. The First Spinjitzu Master made him take an oath to never use it for evil and showed him how to control it. Once he was satisfied that the bowman knew the basics, the First Spinjitzu Master left.
The bowman kept his word. His skills and abilities were devastating in battle, and he quickly earned respect and moved up through the ranks, and even given a title. The Dark Archer. He quickly became a savior to the people of Mt. Horn, as he protected them from countless attacks from mainly Serpentine and later the Calusan. He also told them about the Four Legends. But as powerful as he was, he was only human. Dying from old age, and fearing the weapons he carried would fall into the wrong hands, he mounted the Shadow Charger for one final time and traveled to the bottom of the ravine and to where the Four Legends were petrified. It's believed to me miles underground. He left them with the statues, where they were encased in stone. Then the Dark Archer collapsed dead, his body dissipated into a cloud of purple aurora. The following night, there was a huge earthquake. Rock and slag fell away on the faces on the mountains, revealing something amazing-a rough stone head of each dragon. To the west, A stone which looked like Bucktooth stuck out of the mountains of the west. East, Cyclone. North, Spitfire. South, Witherwings. All had a waterfall pouring out of their mouths. These waterfalls eventually formed rivers, which formed a lake, thought to represent Riptide. Life continued on in the range, with its discoveries and evolutions, adapting and moderning. But, to this very day, it is said in Mt. Horn, that on the night of a full moon, when Mt. Horn is in great danger, the descendant of the Dark Archer will vanish and fulfill his duties, release the dragons from their dormant state, and save our beloved land from total destruction."
Zane finished the section. Questions were now buzzing through his head. How did these people know so much about Ninjago, but not the other way around? How did they know about the First Spinjitzu Master? How did they know this if it all happened centuries upon centuries ago? How did they know about the elements? How did they know about the Dark Island? Why hadn't Sensei ever, EVER mentioned anything about the First Spinjitzu Master visiting such a place? Why hadn't he told them the Overlord had sons? And how did they even know the name of the continent? How? Why? Did the people of Mt. Horn know something the people of Ninjago didn't?
Zane was startled out of his thoughts as the door opened. He looked over his shoulder to see Hailey coming back in.
"How do you have so much knowledge about us?" Was the first question Zane asked. Hailey was taking off her boots but stopped to look at Zane.
"Knowledge about what?"
"How do you know about the First Spinjitzu Master? How do you know about the name of Ninjago? How did you know the Overlord had sons? How come we didn't know?"
Hailey came over to the couch where Zane was sitting.
"Listen Zane." She began. "Me myself, I honestly don't know. I didn't write the book, I was just taught that."
"Who wrote the book?" Zane said. He looked at the author's name. "Who is this?"
"Zane, again, I don't know. But all I do know is that whoever wrote the book is long dead."
"But how, why do know about us so much?"
"I said I don't know! I'm only fourteen, I'm only a kid, I haven't even finished my history unit yet! So I don't freaking know! Half of us don't even know! All we do know is that we know a lot about you, the Overlord did have sons, and we know what we know! But how, your guess is as good as mine! I. Don't. Know!"
Zane sensed that Hailey wasn't lying. She honestly had no idea. Now she seemed irritated, and he felt bad.
"Sorry." Zane muttered.
"No." Hailey sighed. "It's okay. You didn't know. I would probably be asking the same things if I were you. And as much as we do know, there's a lot more we don't either."
Zane was a little relieved.
"I never knew the Overlord had sons…" He muttered to himself.
"They're on the next page." Hailey said.
Zane flipped the page. On the first one was a detailed outline of a dragon. It had four legs, a blunt snout, a long, rather aerodynamic looking body, and huge wings. A row of spikes that resembled razor saw blades and ran all the way to the back of its head. From there they stopped and a row of spaced spikes ran along its back. Beneath the sketch read "Witherwings", and a paragraph briefly describing the dragon. There wasn't much, but it mainly focused on how the dragon was the dragon of lightning and the corresponding stone waterfall was located to the south, and how that being his "area" may have an effect as to why the storms in that region were so bad.
On the page next to it was another dragon drawing. This dragon stood on two legs in a regal stance. This one had a tapered snout with a spike above its nose and had some "frilling" (think Shard!) where its head joined its long neck. Above its eyes was a pair of spiraling impala horns. Running down its back was again the spines that got smaller as they neared the tail. "Cyclone" was the name. The paragraph described its element and stone head and how it affected that region.
The next two pages were the same thing, each having a picture of a dragon and a name and a brief description of each.
Under "Spitfire" was a dragon that seemed very snakelike, but his head was clearly dragon and he had front legs and wings. On its head was a heavy rhino horn with smaller spines running all the way down its back.
Zane looked at the next page, and he gasped.
The drawing, which seemed to be staring at him in the eye, was the exact same dragon he had seen in the mountains.
Hailey saw his reaction.
"What's wrong?" She asked, worried. If he was human, Hailey would've bet Zane's face would be losing color at this second.
'Should I tell her about the dragon?' He thought. Her sudden outburst about the Overlord didn't make the thought of telling her comfortable.
He looked at Hailey, who still had a concerned expression on her face, but at the same time questionable.
'No.' He decided. 'Save that for a better time.'
"Uh-no." Zane said quickly. "It was just…" He looked at the image of the dragon. "Just..."
He looked at the drawing to see if there was anything that would intimidate any person who looked at it. He noticed its glaring look which he had seen at first and its stance, as well as its muscles.
"It's just intimidating." He said. "And very imposing. The expression this dragon has is very…"
"Hard?" Hailey suggested as he tried to find the right word. Zane nodded.
"That's right. The dragon has a very hard glare."
"I know." Hailey agreed. "A death glare like that would make even the Cherokee Devil flee in terror!"
"Cherokee Devil?" Zane asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh yea." Hailey said. She nodded. "It's sort of a myth."
"I am intrigued. Do tell more about this 'Cherokee Devil'."
"Okay then. You know what a Bigfoot or a Sasquatch is, right?"
Zane nodded. 'So we're familiar in some ways.'
"Well," Hailey began. "Think about the Cherokee Devil as a Sasquatch that stands about eight feet tall. He has shaggy silver-white hair and glowing red eyes. Don't ask me why, because I don't know, but he's also rumored to have mind-controlling powers."
"Is there any background story or legend that makes this cryptid so significant?"
Hailey thought for a moment.
"I honestly don't know." She said after a few seconds. "But I heard he isn't the friendliest thing around. Luckily he's said to inhabit the swamp and bayous of Northwest. Still, half the reason I come home whenever I'm out before sundown doesn't have to do with Uncle Sam saying so."
"Have you ever had an experience with the Cherokee Devil yourself?" Zane asked. But Hailey was already shaking her head.
"Oh, nonononono. Not like I want to either." Hailey paused to think for a moment more.
"I think Uncle Sam has, though. Maybe you should ask him."
"Ask me what?"
Both Zane and Hailey turned around to see Samuel carrying a couple logs of wood.
"I'll get those." Hailey said. She got up and took the logs and set them down by the fireplace.
"Hailey informed me that you had an experience with this so-called 'Cherokee Devil'. She was explaining it to me and I asked her whether she'd seen it or not."
"I said no." Hailey said, stacking the logs with the others. "But I remember you telling me you did, so I told him to ask you."
Samuel cleared his throat.
"I did. I was only thirteen when it happened." He beckoned Zane to follow. "I even got a picture of it."
"And you never even bothered to tell me?!" Hailey cried.
"May I remind you we didn't have your fancy iPhones back in my day!"
Hailey rolled her eyes.
"Oh boy, here we go with the whole 'back in my day' thing." She made quotations with her fingers.
Zane and Hailey both followed Samuel to the garage. He went over to a workbench at the far side and opened one of the drawers.
"It could be anywhere…" He said to himself. "I don't go in here often."
(A/N: I don't think I described the garage before, so I'll do it now. Sorry!)
The garage was rather spacious. In one corner by a door at the back wall that led to what Zane thought was the backyard, two ATV's and a dirtbike were parked. Next to that in the corner, something was covered in a tarp. It seemed like some sort of sled. On the wall across from him, there was Samuel's workbench and a industrial shelf where there were various power tools and a big toolbox. On the ceiling was a row of small racks of deer antlers which all hung on a wooden pole. There was also a vintage dartboard, and next to it was a wooden table with various darts and little boxes. The walls had various pictures of firearm brands, including a Winchester one with all the manufactured bullets shown and arranged into a 'W'.
"Here it is." Samuel said. He took out a black and white small photograph. Zane and Hailey walked over to him. He held it out to Zane. He took it gently and examined.
The image was grainy and black and white, but it was clearly taken in a forest. There were many dark shapes of tree trunks.
"Right there." Samuel said, pointing in the area in the right center. Zane peered closer and indeed saw a dark grey human-like figure standing there. Where it's eyes were supposed to be was a lighter shade of grey, the glow from the Cherokee Devil's eyes. He shivered.
"I was thirteen when it happened. Walking in the woods to check on my traps when I saw it. Luckily I had my camera on me. It literally seemed to be staring at me. And I stared back. After that it disappeared, and I ran back home to tell what happened. Nobody believed me until I slapped the picture on the table and said 'There. I have proof. Now tell me that ain't the Cherokee Devil!'. After that, some investigators went back to the site where I saw it and sure enough, they found huge footprints."
"Did you ever see it again?" Zane asked.
"No." Samuel answered. "The first, only, and I think the last time I'll ever see that thing again."
Zane handed the image back to Samuel, who handed it to Hailey. She studied it.
"Hmp." She said gruffly. "Seems real enough."
Zane glanced in the direction to the workbench when something silver caught his eye. He looked and saw that there was a lower shelf. On that shelf sat a long, black case with silver snaps. It was covered in dust and looked like it hadn't been opened in a long, long time.
"What's that?" Zane asked. He pointed to the case. Samuel and Hailey turned around to see where he was pointing.
"Er-" Samuel began. "I don't know. I reorganized the garage recently and I kinda lost track of what is what."
Samuel took the case from the shelf and laid it on his workbench before undoing all the snaps and lifting the lid.
There, in the case was an old rifle. It's metal parts were rusted, tarnished, and some areas were dented. The wood on it was dull and splintered and several very deep marks were gouged in it. On the butt of it, Zane could barely make out a star in a circle that was branded there.
Samuel lifted the gun out of its case and held it.
"Oh. That's what this is." He said, grinning. "You see, this was my first gun that was issued to me in the Mountain Guard. A .50 caliber Flintlock Rifle, this is." Samuel hefted it into his hand and twirled it. "We're more like a lower branch of the army, so as you can imagine, we don't get as much funding like the Navy and Mt. Horn National Guard do, so these guns are the nicest we can get. But that still doesn't mean their not good. They are, to say the least. Thing's never jammed on me, rupture a barrel, nothing of that sort. You just gotta keep it nice and dry." He pretended to load it and aimed for a pretend target. "I can't believe I hadn't touched it all these years, ever since-"
Suddenly Samuel froze. The grin on his face vanished and the color drained from his face. His eyes started to become wet. His breath became quick and shaky. He slowly looked down at the rifle, and turned it on its side, eyeing the deep gouges in its wood. His hands started to tremble. It looked like something was about to come up, but Samuel forced it back down his throat, kind of like vomiting, but more as if he was trying to not let it show, as if he was trying to block out a bad memory. He tensed and suddenly seemed very anxious. His hands trembled and he let the rifle slip out of his hands and fall to the ground. He started breaking out into a cold sweat.
"Samuel?" Zane asked. "Are you alright?"
Samuel turned away, clenching and unclenching his fists. He close his eyes and grimaced.
"Excuse me for a minute." He choked. Without another word, Samuel almost ran out of the garage. The door shut loudly, almost a slam.
Zane could only state after where Samuel disappeared, gaping.
"Really Zane?!" Hailey scolded, obviously displeased. "Really?!"
Zane turned around to her. Hailey looked very upset and was giving him a death glare.
"Was it something I said?"
"Something you said? Something you said?! Of course it was-"
Hailey saw Zane flinch at her tone of voice and instantly regretted it. She took a deep breath to calm her anger.
"I'm sorry for snapping at you, Zane." She said calmly. "I just get really ticked off when someone reminds Uncle Sam and that happens. But you didn't know. I can't hold that against you."
Zane nodded. He was a little taken aback when Hailey snapped at him, because, knowing her a little better, it was totally unlike her. But she caught herself and immediately apologized.
"It's okay." He said. He glanced in the direction where Samuel disappeared back into the house. "I apologize for making Samuel upset, although I don't know the exact cause."
"Like I said, you didn't know." Hailey replied. "But now you do. So just be careful if you're mentioning anything like warfare, alright?"
Again Zane nodded.
"I know I should not be asking this maybe, but what causes Samuel to be so sensitive to subjects related to combat?" He asked. Hailey sighed.
"Okay, if you really want to know, I'll tell you. I don't know if I should, but..." She gestured Zane to come closer.
"Uncle Sam has really bad combat PTSD." She said in a low voice.
"Post traumatic stress disorder?" Hailey nodded.
"Very much yes. And he has to be careful. Seeing or hearing certain things can remind him of engagements he's been in and he can have a really bad nightmare or flashback. He can be totally fine, then he senses something that reminds him, and then he's really on edge, nervous, jumpy and whatnot. One time he absolutely refused to go down into the subway station when we were on a trip to the aquarium because his PTSD was acting up."
Hailey hoisted up the rifle. Zane looked at it.
"Was the rifle the cause?" He asked.
"Of what happened just now?"
"Yes."
Hailey took it in both hands and looked at it.
"Yes, but…"
"But what?"
"I don't think I should tell you what happened. I don't even know much about it myself, but even though I trust you, I don't think Uncle Sam would want me telling you. It's a very touchy subject for him. All I can tell you is that it was one event, and it must've been horrifying. It scarred him for life." She took the rifle under her shoulder. "All I do know is that after that event happened, the rifle kept giving him bad flashbacks and the Mountain Guard issued him a new one." Hailey again hefted the weight of the rifle and held it properly. "Why he kept it still is beyond me. Personally, I would've gotten rid of it right away."
Hailey turned the rifle on its side. She ran her fingers over the holes and scrapes on the wood.
"Maybe that's what made these." She said. "The bullets. Half of them look like they were from a AEK-971, 5.45x39 millimeter cartridges. A hunting rifle wouldn't stand a chance against those things."
"What's an AEK-971?"
"A automatic or semi-automatic assault rifle. Designed in 1978. The Calusán use them. Those suckers can be devastating if the person behind it can use it correctly, if you know what I mean."
Hailey knew what Zane was about to say next.
"To make a long answer short, the Calusán are a large tribe of people who live southeast of here, outside Mt. Horn territory. Basically they consider us enemies and have always been trying to attack us for centuries."
"Was there any event which made them develop those feeling towards you?" Zane asked. Hailey shook her head.
"No. We never did anything to them. None of us even know the clear motive behind the Yukon Invasion! They've always seemed to hate us for no particular reason at all! We try to reason with them, but they killed three of our negotiators that were sent to talk with their leader, which was last year. They're constantly in civil war and blame us for all their problems. But we keep to ourselves. I'm telling you Zane, those people aren't afraid to kill anything. Human, animal, they don't care. If you're calling us savages, then you've got us confused with them. I honestly think that soon we'll be on the brink of war if something doesn't happen soon."
Hailey handed Zane the rifle. He took it and almost dropped it, surprised by its weight.
"Didn't think it was heavy, huh?" Hailey asked.
Zane shook his head and handed it back to Hailey. Carefully, she placed it back in its case and closed the snaps.
"What are doing?" Zane asked as she picked up the case but started walking back to the door with it instead of putting it back.
"I'm putting this someplace where he doesn't see it." She said. "Trust me, once Uncle Sam's reminded of his time in the Mountain Guard, it's takes a few days for him to calm back down."
She handed the case to Zane.
"Can you go upstairs and slide this under my bed? I'll go check on him to make sure he's alright."
Zane nodded and they both went back inside together. Walking inside the house, they didn't immediately see Samuel, so Zane went upstairs to go put the case under her bed. Hailey went off to find Samuel.
Zane reached the top of the stairs and went into Hailey's room. He went over to her bed and gently slipped the case under it. He got back up and went to go back out.
But then something in the corner of his eye moved. It was at the desk.
Zane looked over to the desk and saw something he hadn't noticed before.
It was a small, cubic container. It was sitting on a little plastic sort of stand and had a plastic border cover at the top. At the bottom, there was an orange silk plant and blue and green semi-marbles. The entire thing was filled with water.
And in that tank was a betta fish.
Zane went to the desk and peered into the tank to get a closer look.
The fish was two inches in length, not including the fins. The fish was jet black with streaks of purple and grey. The fish had deep amber eyes. It flared at him before darting behind its plant.
"Maybe it's scared by my nindroid appearance…" He said.
Suddenly he heard a scrabbling noise from above him. He looked up to see Beibeis walking along the rafters.
Coo.
He got up and walked out the door to find Hailey. She wasn't upstairs, which probably meant that Samuel wasn't, either.
Zane quietly went downstairs. Nobody was in the kitchen or living room.
He looked down the hall and saw Hailey standing outside the doorway to Samuel's bedroom. He quietly walked over and taped Hailey on the shoulder. She jumped slightly. She knew what Zane was about to say and nodded. He peered inside.
In the dimly lit room, he saw Samuel's dark form partially lit by the light of the rising moon in the far left corner, leaning against the wall on his elbow, his face covered by his hand, facing away from them. He was very quiet except for his deep breathing, obviously trying to calm down and regain his composure. He didn't say a word or even give sign that he had noticed they were there.
"He needs some space." She whispered to Zane. He nodded. Hailey cast a worried look at her uncle before going upstairs to get ready for bed.
Zane retreated to his room, closing the door behind him. He slipped into his pajamas and made himself comfortable under his covers. But instead of going back to sleep, he lay awake, listening to Samuel's heavy breathing. Eventually Zane heard the sound of Hailey coming back down the stairs and tiptoeing down the hall. Zane sensed her presence right outside his doorway.
Samuel's deep breath ceased, which probably meant he calmed down a bit. Zane heard footsteps.
"Hailey." Samuel's voice said. It seemed a lot more like himself but there was still a tone of shakiness to it. "How long have you been standing there?"
"Awhile." She replied. "I just wanted to make sure you were alright."
Samuel sighed. "I'm fine. Just a bad memory, that's all. I should've warned Zane about it. He didn't know though. It's not like I'm upset with him or anything."
Zane heard this and felt a sense of relief he hadn't even known he had been holding back.
"Do you need anything?" Hailey asked.
"No." Samuel said. A few seconds of silence followed. "It's pretty late, Hailey. You should get to bed."
There was some more silence before the sound of Hailey going back upstairs and Samuel going to bed was heard. Juneau slipped through Zane's door and hopped up onto the bed, falling asleep immediately. Even though Samuel wasn't mad at Zane, he still felt bad that he reminded him about whatever traumatic event happened to him long ago. Zane wanted to make it up to him somehow.
'Tasks that I excel at…' He thought. 'How can I use those?'
He thought. Fighting? No. The people here were peacful, or all he had met so far. Intelligence? Maybe helping Hailey with homework to give Samuel a break? That was a possibility. But Hailey never asked for help, and even she might in the future, he wanted to make it up to him as soon as possible. His sixth sense? Probably not. He didn't know exactly how it would come in handy. Then what?
And it was at that moment it hit him. Of course! How could he have forgotten? It was something he was revered and worshipped for!
Satisfied, Zane set a setting within his mainframe that would make him wake up at exactly 7:30 am. He wanted it to be ready once Hailey and Samuel both woke up. He let the settling silence and darkness of the night in the house make him fall asleep.
(about 8 hours later)
The alarm clock Zane had set within his internal one went off, rousing him from his sleep. He threw the covers off of him and and check the clock beside the bed. 7:30 am, sharp. The sun had not yet risen and it was still dark outside.
Zane quickly changed before quietly slipping out of his doorway. He cast quick glance into Samuel's room. The door was open and he saw him peacefully asleep and snoring. Silence from upstairs told him that Hailey was also sleeping still.
'Good.' Zane thought. 'That gives me time.'
Zane quietly tiptoed into the kitchen. Juneau followed him in.
"Shhhh." He told him. He flicked on the light and turned it down low.
Juneau yawned and lay down on the floor, head on his paws. He watched Zane as he opened the refrigerator. Zane was somewhat uncomfortable in doing this because he didn't think Samuel and Hailey would exactly be pleased to wake up and see him digging through their food.
Zane rummaged around in the fridge until he found what he was looking for: a package of bacon and a carton of eggs. Zane took the items out and shut the fridge, placing them on the counter. Then he started looking through the cabinets. He was never told where what was kept where, so he had to search. He finally found what he was looking for and put it on the stove-
Suddenly the sound of scrabbling made Zane freeze. He glanced at Juneau, who was now actually asleep on the floor. Again the scrabbling was heard, followed by a flurry of tiny wingbeats.
When Zane saw Beibeis flutter down the stairs and land on the rail post, he breathed a sigh of relief. He had thought it was Hailey at first. Especially after the incident when he had accidentally scared her and Samuel thought it was a robbery.
"Oh." He said quietly. "It's just you."
Coo!
"Ssshhh."
Beibeis preened her tail feathers before flying across the room and landed on Zane's shoulder. Zane let the dove stay there. Beibeis seemed to be peering at what he was doing. It reminded him of his falcon. He reached a hand up to pet Beibeis. Again he felt a pang of guilt and wondered how his brothers were faring without him. If only there was any way shape or form he could tell them he was doing well.
Beibeis made a pleasant cooing noise and Zane found her favorite spot to be petted: the soft feathers where her collar marking was. Zane walked over to the sink and started washing his hands.
"I apologize, Beibeis." He said while scrubbing. "But I simply can't have an animal in the workspace while I'm cooking. It's very unsanitary."
Beibeis cooed before flying up to one of the rafters of the ceiling. She eyed him from above.
Zane dried his hands off with a towel and got to work.
Zane, I'm so disappointed in you, right now. Smh. *Sigh* You better make this up, buddy. GRADUATION IS ONLY FIVE DAYS AWAY I'M SO EXCITED! PEACE Y'ALL!