(a/n) Hm, what's this? -=pulls out a dusty old box from the attic and opens it up=- Argh!
-=Rainbow light explodes from the box and blinds everything.=-
Chapter 12 B – On the Road Again
The following morning, just before the light began spread against the east, the group had gotten up and gotten ready to leave.
The sleeping bags were rolled up and packed away in the grey minivan before they shared some of Shep and Neesy's rations of granola bars and bottled water for a quick breakfast. Arpegius was quick to offer his services of lifting Neesy from the tattered mattress and helping her to the car, much to her embarrassment and Shep's cheeky grins thrown her way.
Arpegius took to the backseat behind the driver, carefully adjusting Neesy so that she was settled comfortably on his lap. Octave and Baryl followed in after him while Stella took the front passenger seat, leaving Shep to do the driving. Once everyone was settled, Shep focused his on Neesy's in the rear view mirror.
"So," Shep began, "We'll head out of the city, put a good distance between us and them," he raised a questioning brow as he asked this in his language. "Should we still head to Ridel or aim for something a little closer to your home?"
Neesy frowned a little bit as she thought it over and gave a nod. "It's far enough away but we should check into a hotel along the way, I need a warm shower and a real bed, we all do actually. We still have to be careful, the band is well known. We'll have to think of some good disguises before we check into a hotel and plan our next move." She let out a yawn before she covered her mouth with her right hand. "Just follow the route on the map I highlighted. There's a couple of hotels circled. And put on the cloak Shep, we don't need bring any more attention." She ignored the chuckle that Shep had given in response to her rambling and tried to make herself more comfortable on Arpegius' lap, whose cheeks had suddenly gone beet red. "I think I'm going to take a nap..." She was so tired that she had not said a word of the seating arrangement. She simply nestled her head in the crook of Arpegius' neck and immediately dozed off.
Shep continued on chuckling to himself as he looked at the others and explained what he and Neesy had just discussed in his broken variant of Neesy's language. They all gave a nod in agreement, all too tired from their ordeals from the past couple of days to think of anything else. Shep and Neesy had done what seemed the impossible and rescued the band from a situation that they had no hope of getting out of on their own. As far as the Crescendolls were concerned, they trusted these two friends with their lives.
Shep turned the key in the ignition and the engine roared to life, echoing off the walls of the warehouse. With a final smile and a strange lightness in his heart, he threw the hood of the cloak over his head and drove off into the predawn light.
(a/n) … don't ask why, just enjoy. Chapters will be short due to lack of time. I'll leave this AU storyline in your hands. Should I follow the movie again or deviate into some new adventures? This should be interesting.