This is my first fanfiction so please go easy on it. If you like the story I'll keep chapters coming. If not keep it to yourself, please don't hate on it. If you find any errors, whether it be spelling, grammar or anything else please just let me know. I've been reading many of the fanfictions on this site but I just wanted to add my own to them.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Underland Chronicles or any of the characters, save the ones that I will be adding. Both the Underland Chronicles and the characters within belong to Suzanne Collins.
-Ssi
"Really?" Kyle laughed at Gregor, "you can't carry more than one?" he cracked up as Gregor walked towards the car with a single bag.
"I only have one?" Gregor said simply.
"Seriously? You know we're going to be gone for a week and a half, right?" Zoey asked in concern.
"I know," Gregor assured her, "I just prefer to travel light."
Gregor tossed his bag into the back of the minivan then climbed into the car next to his friends. After a quick exchange with Zoey's parents Gregor looked out the window as they pulled out of the small farm and headed towards Gregor's hometown.
"So how's it feel?" Zoey asked?
"Huh?" Gregor responded. "Going to New York?"
Zoey nodded. "Got any old friends you plan on seeing when we get there?"
"It feels weird honestly, and not really. If there's time I may try to drop by and say 'hi' to my old neighbor."
"Didn't you have any other friends there?" Kyle interjected. "You know someone you'd like to run into?"
"I had other friends, but I get the feeling we won't run into them" Gregor said.
"Why not?" Kyle asked.
Gregor just said the first thing to come to his mind "New York is a big place."
"So big you forgot where they live?" Kyle pressured.
Zoey scowled at Kyle, "leave him be, let him see who he wants to and ignore who he wants to."
Kyle just rolled his eyes at her. Gregor had stopped listening to them and his eyes were plastered to the window as they left the small town in Virginia. It had been over four years since Gregor had been outside of that small town. Now not only was he out of that small town but he was on his way back to where his old life was.
It had been years since Gregor had ever felt this free. Gregor smiled as he looked out at the road they were traveling on. After a few minutes of sightseeing, Gregor slowly drifted off to sleep.
It took a little over nine hours but Gregor was wide awake by the time New York slipped into view. The closer they got the younger Gregor felt.
"Is that a smile on Gregor's face?" Zoey was smiling back at Gregor. "That seems like a first!" Gregor stuck his tongue out at Zoey and she started laughing at how different Gregor was acting.
When they finally stopped at the motel, everyone stepped out of the cramped minivan and collected their belongings. Heading up to their room Gregor was impressed at the class of the hotel. He remembered all the buildings in New York being a lot smaller than this one.
Their room was a collection of two bedrooms, a living room with a pull out couch that doubled as a bed and a small bathroom. Zoey's parents took the fold out couch bed and sent Zoey to unpack in one room, leaving the second room for Kyle and Gregor to share.
Gregor didn't mind sharing a room with Kyle, but he knew he was going to have to be extra careful not to expose any of his scars while they were in New York.
After unpacking, Gregor and Kyle walked back into the living room to check up on Zoey and her parents.
"Pllleeeaaaasssssseeeeeeee!" Zoey begged.
"No, it's nearly dark out, it's dangerous and you could get lost!" her father told her bluntly.
"But, Gregor knows his way around and we'd be back before it got too late!" Zoey complained.
Zoey's mother glanced at Gregor and Kyle then at her husband. "Hun, I know you don't want to hear it but it wouldn't be the end of the world if they just went exploring for a little bit, after a day in that car it would probably be good for them."
"Great! Gregor, you can show us all your favorite places!" Zoey jumped in excitement.
"Watch it young lady, I never said you could go," her father stared at her as she gave him a pouty face. "Fine! Back before ten, got that?"
"Yes! Thank you!" Zoey bounded over to Gregor and Kyle. "Let's go!" She said as she pulled them both towards the door.
"And you told me I was excited to be in New York." Gregor pointed out to Zoey.
"What?" Zoey said, "It's the city that never sleeps, I just want a little look."
"Meaning she heard about the stores here," Kyle explained in a matter of fact attitude.
"Be quiet!" Zoey growled as they walked outside. Turning to Gregor, she asked him the one question he really didn't want to answer. "So, where should we go first?"
"I'm not sure, where would you guys like to go?" Gregor tried to avoid thinking about the place that he wanted to go.
"How should we know, you grew up here, we don't know anything about this place." Kyle laughed.
"Fine, I know one place we can go, but just remember that you made the pick," Gregor said as they headed down the streets of New York.
The trio weaved between the crowds for a half a dozen blocks before they came upon an older building. There was a younger man at the booth when they stepped inside.
"Three?" he asked.
"Yepp," Gregor confirmed as he pulled out his wallet.
"That'll be $36," the man said as Gregor pulled out a few wrinkled bills and handed them to him.
"Thank you," Gregor said politely as he and his friends ventured deeper into the building.
"Super, you're right I should've picked," Kyle said in an annoyed voice. "In your free time you visit museums?"
"I found this one interesting," Gregor chuckled as they wandered between the exhibits. His friends asked him questions here and there about a couple of the things in the museum as they searched it for a while.
When they came to the room that Gregor had been waiting for, his eyes immediately fell upon a stone knight that lay beneath a window. This was the stone knight that had helped Gregor through his last prophecy in the Underland. He lay still and solid with his hands placed against his sword. Gregor remembered when he had first read the Prophecy of Time. He had been lying on the ground nearly exactly as the stone knight was now.
His friends had caught his line of sight. "Gregor? Who's that supposed to be?" Zoey said asking about the knight.
"No one, he's just a sculpture; he wasn't based off of anyone specifically."
"Then why are you staring at him like that?" Zoey asked.
"No reason, I just remember him from the last time I was here, he just seems so calm." Gregor replied.
Kyle snickered, "probably cause he's made of stone." Kyle rolled his eyes.
"Well he's better company than you," Zoey laughed at Kyle.
After finishing off the scan of the museum the trio headed outside and started walking down the streets.
"So, where to next?" Kyle asked.
Zoey hesitated, "well it's getting late, we can't stay out too much longer."
"Would you guys mind if we made a quick stop off at my old apartment building?" Gregor asked, "It isn't far away and I'd just like to see if my old neighbor still lives there. I haven't talked with her in a few years but I'd feel badly if I didn't get the chance to at least try to say hello."
"Sure, lead the way," Zoey said as she stepped in line with Gregor as the trio began weaving back and forth between the crowds again. When they got to the older apartment building they were lucky someone was walking out at the same time so they didn't need to buzz anyone.
Gregor felt as though the building had shrunk since he was last here. Gregor stopped at a door and stopped to catch his breath as he stared at it.
"Is this it?" Zoey asked.
Gregor shook his head, "this was my apartment, well it was my family's apartment."
"Oh," was all Zoey could say before she quieted back down.
Gregor maneuvered over to the door he remembered as Mrs. Cormaci's but stopped himself before he knocked on it. Gregor all of a sudden felt incredibly nervous about the door opening. Mrs. Cormaci had helped Gregor and his whole family through the hardest times of their lives. To Gregor she had been just as much family as any of them had.
On the other hand Mrs. Cormaci hadn't even attempted to contact him in the last four years. What if she didn't want to see him and his family? What if she had moved away in the last few years? He had no way of telling who would open this door if he knocked. Even if it was Mrs. Cormaci, Gregor had no idea if she would be happy or disappointed in seeing him again.
Gregor's friends stayed quiet as he remained in his trance. Gregor took a deep breath and knocked twice on the door.
The moments dragged on for what seemed like hours before the door slowly creaked open.
Gregor smiled as he saw Mrs. Cormaci appear from behind the door. She let out a small gasp when she saw who had knocked on her door.
"Gregor?" she asked as she reached out and placed a hand on his cheek.
"Hi, Mrs. Cormaci," Gregor said as she gave him a hug that he returned full heartedly.
When she pulled away she had a slightly more worried look etched across her face.
"Gregor?" another voice called out from behind the door. Confused Gregor peered beyond the door into the apartment.
In the middle of the room stood a boy no older than 12. He had dark black hair and lime green eyes, but his skin was paler than any normal Overlander.
Gregor tried to understand what was going on, his head was spinning as he pieced it together.
"Hazard?"
Chapter 7 everyone hope you enjoyed it, i typed it out in like a half hour so please let me know if you see any mistakes i made and i'll fix them as soon as i can. Please rate and review, any and all feedback is welcomed.
-Ssi
