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
Gregor's mind was clear and his senses tuned as he blocked the incoming claws in the pitch black cavern beneath New York. Did Ripred really think the darkness was still his and his alone to hide in? For over four years now Gregor's self-training in, the not so human common skill of, echolocation had been more than just a success. More times than not, Gregor now preferred it to the flaws of his eyes. His eyes had blind spots, they could be tricked, they could be surrounded, they could be overwhelmed. His ears however were much harder to fool, any amount of noise would only add to the images from Gregor's echolocation. Never would it take it away.
Ripred broke the silence as he blocked Gregor's retaliation without breaking a sweat. "What are you grinning at boy? Letting that Rager sensation get to you, huh?"
"Are you suggesting I don't use it?" Gregor asked.
Ripred sighed as he spun around and smacked Gregor's shoulder, flinging him into the ground. "No, I am suggesting you cease to let it use you. Now get up!"
Gregor exhaled noticeably as he staggered back to his feet and charged back towards Ripred. "I'm not letting it control me!"
Ripred curved his body to dodge the attack, "Really? Then why don't you tell me how you defeated Vellac?"
"How do you know about that?" Gregor spat out as he swung the flat end of his blade towards the looming rat.
"Please boy, you insult my intelligence," Ripred dodged the incoming blade, "what is that Overland saying about defense and offense?"
Gregor stopped in his tracks, confused and trying to remember it. "Um, something about the best defense being a good offense? I think."
"Ah, yes... Well that's just wrong. Do you remember what I first told you about being a rager?"
"Yeah," Gregor responded, "that it meant I was a natural born killer."
"You have a modest gift of dealing out death. However when you lose control of that power you become much more vulnerable. Yes, if you deal that death quickly you will not need to worry about much else, however your defenses are near useless and if you let someone get passed them, I guarantee that you will not survive." Ripred explained.
"That's all wise and all but then how do I control it?" Gregor asked.
"What is it that you are planning to do Gregor?" Ripred quipped back ignoring his question. "I thought you were a pacifist now? Why the sudden need for this training?"
"I don't need training, I've already beaten him one!"
"So you plan to kill Vellac?"
"Yes... No... I don't know, maybe?"
"Out of the protection of Regalia and those in it, or out of vengeance for her?"
"Does it really matter?" Gregor shouted, "he's evil and he deserves death."
"So was Henry... But given the chance would you have run your sword through his chest?" Ripred asked and waited for his response, but none came. Ripred continued, "there are many who live that deserve death, just as there are many dead who deserve life. Can you give that to them? Before you bring down your sword you will have to know and understand why it is needed, for more than just your sake."
Gregor cleared his throat and was about to respond before all of his senses went dark.
Only the sound of Ripred's voice remained hanging in the air..."What's your plan?"
Gregor's eyes slowly opened as he remained sitting in the chair beside Luxa's bed. His head was rolled back and he stared at the darkened ceiling while he pondered his dream. Yes, Gregor thought, this was no nightmare like the ones he was used to now. It was a dream. Apart from his parting line however Ripred didn't exactly sound as Gregor remembered him. Still what he said seemed true. Gregor wished that he could talk to the real Ripred now. He was the only one that Gregor knew would be able to understand him. Wherever Ripred had disappeared to, Gregor wished he would return soon.
"How does it feel?" George's voice asked in the dimly lit room.
Gregor looked back towards the voice as Luxa responded, "It pains me less, now may I return to my people."
"That's not my call, but I do know your body still needs to heal and I would suggest you let it," George said caringly, trying not to upset her.
"Well then I would ask you to help me return to the Underland." Luxa said with conviction.
George sighed, "I'm sorry but I can't, it's not your call either right now, it's Gregor's. He and your cousin agreed for you to remain here until you've healed." George struck her nerve.
"I am Queen of Regalia, and I do not answer to anyone let alone Gre…him!" Luxa angrily coughed out the pronoun, not being about to finish his name.
Gregor spoke up, "It's for your own good Luxa."
"You," Luxa glared at Gregor with disgust. "You should never have brought me here. Take me back this instant."
Gregor could feel her anger directed solely and him. He knew something more was going on but he had no idea what it could've been. Luxa was always stubborn but this was more than that. "I'll leave you two alone, how about that?" George said as he got up and left the room, closing the door behind him.
Gregor just looked at Luxa. Looked into her eyes. For four years now Gregor had thought about what he would say if he had ever seen her again. But now that he was here with no distractions whatsoever for either of them, he was speechless.
She on the other hand was not. "Take me back to Regalia now!" Luxa lowered her voice and narrowed her eyes.
"I can't Luxa," Gregor sighed, "You're not well enough to go back yet."
"What would you care of it?" Luxa spat, "Just take me home and then you can leave."
"Luxa I've always cared and you know that. I never wanted to leave and I don't want to leave now. But you can't go back like that, you'd be dead before you arrived at the palace," Gregor pleaded with her.
"I would not be!" Luxa stated hastily.
"Less than a week ago you were bleeding out on that bed," Gregor said, "If you had stayed in the Underland you would've died. The only reason you're still alive is because you're in the Overland right now."
"What do you mean?" Luxa's harsh tone was mixed with confusion.
"I mean the amount of blood that you lost should've killed you." Gregor said simply.
Luxa remained quiet for a moment, "then why did I not?"
"Because my uncle, who you just met, was able to give you a blood transfusion." Gregor explained.
"A blood what?" Luxa asked perplexed.
"It's just a fancy way of saying he put more blood in you," Gregor clarified.
At that Luxa visibly changed. Her muscles noticeably stiffened and her breathing became more and more rapid. Looking down at her arms and hands she asked quickly, "What do you mean in me? Someone else's blood? What will it do to me?"
"Luxa, it's fine," Gregor leaned forward in the chair and tried to reassure her, "Nothing is going to happen to you, I promise. It's a more normal thing in the Overland. You're going to be fine."
Luxa gulped and looked unsure as she struggled to relax herself. "I did not think blood could be replaced like that."
"Not always and not between certain people, but yes it can in certain situations." Gregor thought he had described the situation well enough.
Gregor and Luxa stayed in silence for a little while before either of them spoke up.
"Why did you come back?" Luxa asked.
"What? Gregor questioned back.
"I mean why did you come back now? I asked for your help to protect Hazard for months with no reply and then you suddenly just show up out of nowhere? Why now?" Luxa asked.
"Luxa I swear I never got a word of what was happening from either you or Mrs. Cormaci. If I had, yes I would've done anything I could to help. But I never heard anything. A little over a week ago I ended up back in New York and I checked in on Mrs. Cormaci and the moment I heard what was happening I came as fast as I could." Gregor said.
"Oh," was all Luxa said in response. She seemed to believe Gregor but at the same time she didn't seem quite happy with his answer.
Looking down at herself Luxa motioned to the purple dress that she still wore that was caked in blood and ripped in more than one place. "Is there any way I can bathe and get some clean garb?"
"Yeah I can get you some clean clothes. Do you think you can move well enough to bathe?" Gregor asked.
As if to prove it to both him and herself, Luxa pulled herself up into a sitting position and propped her arms behind her to steady herself. Almost lost of breath Luxa turned towards Gregor and gave him a haha take that look that Gregor couldn't help but grin at. "Let me go make sure George is ok with it."
Walking into the other room Gregor ran into his uncle immediately who was perfectly happy with the idea. "Can you fill up the bath and I'll go help her to the bathroom?" George asked. Gregor nodded and went to the bathroom to start the warm water. Once the bathtub was full of warm water, Gregor stopped the water and walked back towards the room.
Stopping at the door to check his phone Gregor overheard George and Luxa talking again.
"But Gregor said you gave me a blood… something?" Luxa asked.
"Yeah, technically speaking I did, but it was Gregor's blood that I put in you." George responded.
"Oh, why?" Luxa asked.
Gregor walked back into the room as he texted Kyle back about how Zoey and Kyle were planning on visiting once more before leaving New York.
George looked as though here was about to respond but Luxa cut him off as Gregor entered. "Anyways… thank you," she said to George as she avoided Gregor's eyes.
George helped Luxa walk slowly to the bathroom as Gregor grabbed a pair of gray sweat pants, a white t-shirt and a black hoodie for her. Gregor followed them to the bathroom and laid the clothes on the counter next to the sink. George told Luxa he would be in the other room and if she needed anything just to shout, before he and Gregor left her in privacy.
Chapter 18 is out. Sorry this took so long, I've had a lot on my plate and i had to restart this chapter three times because in the last week I've gone through four different computers crapping out on me and having to completely wipe everything on the hard drive. I hope you still enjoy this chapter. As always please rate and review. Any and all feedback is welcomed.
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-Ssi
