AC: I also want to thank my Beta-reader FollowerOfAnhamirak for his time on this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it.


Peyton woke up in the morning and checked his scanner to see if his friends had sent any messages.

Nothing.

He sighed and closed his eyes, putting his hands on his face, "Damn. I wish it was all a dream."

Peyton checked his guitar afterwards, put it aside. He wanted to play a little to calm his nerves, but it was early in the morning and he didn't want to anger his dad with that.

Annoyed, he took a slow breath. He was usually a chill person, but with everything going on, it was pretty hard to be calm.

He wondered how it was going with Sarah, but he wouldn't call her for the same reason he wouldn't play his instrument. Feeling a little stiff, he stretched and walked out of his room. Debating it for a second, he climbed down the stairs and went to the kitchen, where he froze at the sight in there.

"Morning," his mother said with a warm smile as she prepared breakfast.

The two creatures sat on a chair and nodded at him, "Good morning."

"M-morning?" this looked way too much to get used to. Everything was moving much quicker than he expected. Which was especially the case for the creatures.

"No wonder we liked you quickly Peyton. You took that from your mother," Gathup smiled.

Ario grumbled a few things. He was silently agreeing with his fellow Mipedian.

Peyton took a seat, "Where's dad?"

"He has to work and won't be back for a day or two."

"Providing supplies is an extremely important job," the orange Mipedian agreed.

Peyton nodded, "Anything else?"

"She talks way too much about you and all of your little passions," the portly reptilian grumbled. He had been pretty bored by it.

"I am curious about this guitar thing. It sounds like the Lyre," Gathup commented.

"I just try many things and I love each of them," Peyton remembered that it was his many dreams for his future. Still, that wasn't important if the M'arrillians prevented any of them from coming true.

"And it's ready," Judy said as she served them.

The creatures sniffed the air, the both of them salivating.

"Mom is really good in the kitchen," Peyton proudly declared as he quickly ate his breakfast.

Ario also joined at a quick pace while Gathup took his time to savour everything.

"You shouldn't eat that quickly, Ario. You don't need to get larger than you already are."

"Don't tell me what to do. I am a warrior," he replied between two bites. He mentally told himself that once this was over, he had to actively search for a mate.

Peyton's scanner vibrated. Quickly taking out, he checked it and noticed he had received a message from Sarah.

We need to talk later. We can't just sit here and do nothing.

He agreed with her and replied, You can meet us here later. Mom won't mind. It's weirdly normal.

What?

I'll explain later.

Fine.

Peyton knew what he had to do for today and he completely agreed with his friend. They couldn't just sit here and do nothing. The M'arrillians would come to their town eventually and maybe target their friends.


Chapter 83: Planification

Peyton waited for Sarah and the Danians to come into the backyard of his home. As he waited, he played his guitar a little. It helped him calm down as the Mipedians trained a little.

The creatures had to keep in top shape for the upcoming battles and they knew there would be more to come.

Peyton had checked his scanners and seen no message from his friends. He knew they were fine where they were for now, but he wished he was with them.

"We're here," Sarah said as she came into his backyard with the two Danians behind her. She seemed a little pissed to be followed by two bodyguards.

Peyton chuckled nervously, "Hi Sarah."

"Hi Peyton. Sleep well?" Sarah asked in a tone that replied that she didn't.

"Yeah. It took a while, but once I knew they were fine, I slept pretty easily," he gave a thumbs up and put his guitar back in its case.

"Lucky you," Sarah grumbled.

The two chuckled quietly as they gazed at each other.

"What did you want to talk about?" Ario asked. He wondered if they were dancing around for something. He crossed his arms and waited for an answer.

"I wonder that too," Wamma scratched the back of his head nervously.

Sarah nodded and went right to the point, "I told you that we need to do something. I don't want to just stay here while our friends are in trouble."

"I know. They can still be in trouble if the M'arrillians manage to find them," Sarah commented as she checked her scanner, "At least, they are okay in Tom's grandparent's farm," she sighed quietly.

"And your city could be targeted at any moment," Odu-Bathax reminded them as he crossed two of his arms.

Gathup wondered, "We cannot just stay here and wait for them. We know your military won't come and do anything until their minds are safe."

"Believe me, you don't want the M'arrillians to get their tentacles in some of the weapons," Peyton gulped.

"Yeah. They might nuke the world," Sarah agreed.

"Nuke?" The creatures asked.

"Destroy everything," Sarah explained.

"You know. Booooooom," Peyton made the explosion and tried to imitate a mushroom. He failed as it didn't tell the creatures anything.

"I don't get it," Wamma grumbled.

"Anyway, We need to find something to do. We need to do something to fight back against the M'arrillians or… I don't know. Something," she sat on the grass and gazed down, "Anything."

Judy walked outside with some refreshments, "Maybe you need to focus on what we can do first."

The creatures and Sarah grabbed them, thirsty.

"What do you mean mom?" Peyton asked.

"I mean, you need to know what you can do. Your father always tells me that it's important to think about what you can do to help. That's why I won't try to fix the roof again," she giggled.

"You have no idea how many holes she's created there because she used a sledgehammer instead of a regular hammer," Peyton commented, deadpan.

Sarah was surprised by that gaze. She remembered he did tell her that.

"She is right. Before you try to think of anything you have to think about what can be done. If you get ideas that are impossible, you are just wasting our time," Ario commented as he finished his drink and gazed back.

Sarah groaned as she finished her drink, "I know, but I have no idea. We cannot try to approach the city with those M'arrillians around. We cannot wait here forever before they show up their faces to get us."

"Remember to chill out Sarah," her friend replied as he took a deep breath, "No point in thinking too much about it."

"I know, but I cannot stop thinking about Tom and Kaz. They had to escape from their own home."

"And you want to be with them?" Judy asked.

"Yes Miss Judy. I really want to be with them right now. Just like when we did everything in Perim."

Wamma went by her side, "We can go on foot. I'm sure it won't be that long to reach it. I mean, you told us their town was next to yours."

"You really want to put in that much effort?" Sarah asked in disbelief.

The blue Danian by his side was wondering if he was dreaming or not.

"W-wait. It's that long?" the big red bug asked as he second guessed everything he suggested. He scratched the back of his head, "I thought it was much closer."

There was the typical Wamma.

The girl smiled at the thought, "Thanks for the suggestion," Sarah giggled at how silly he was.

"Still, if it makes you feel better, we should try something. There are no vehicles to bring us there," the Danian sighed.

Odu-Bathax nodded, "And your family won't approve of this. I have no authority above them."

Sarah took note of that. She knew she had to convince them herself. Sarah also knew her brother wouldn't back her up for something dangerous like that.

Ario raised his fingers, "Maybe you should contact that group first. They might know what it might be best to do. They have higher authority above your parents, right?"

"Nope," the three humans replied. They didn't bother to explain how the system in their world worked.

"They can try to influence them and explain what is going on," Judy suggested.

"You explained everything, right?"

"Not everything, Peyton. Except the stuff they don't want us to talk about. Which Arios just spoke about,' she glanced at the large Mipedian.

Gathup sat by their side, "Anyway, you need to explain everything and convince them that this is for the best. They might not believe you, or think you are wrong. Otherwise, you have to respect their wishes."

"I know, but I feel like we are powerless," Sarah jumped slightly when Wamma put his hand on her shoulder.

"Come on Sarah. We are here to protect you. I won't let them hurt you. It hurt way too much to see you get coded by those M'arrillians," the red Danian let out a hint of the anger still boiling within him, his words sounding more venomous than before, "I wish to find that M'arrillian and make him regret what he did to you. How about I end his life for your own?"

Odu-Bathax sighed, "And we need to group up. We don't have the power to fight an army back."

"If they are okay, maybe my husband can help. He is a truck driver and those can handle everyone here," Peyton's mother suggested.

The others gazed at her. The creatures wondered what a truck driver was.

"What is this truck driver thing?" Wamma asked.

"A truck driver…. well…" Peyton searched for a way to understand it. He decided to go to the simplified and generalized version, "Their job is to bring supplies from one city to another. Like food, tables, fridge, etc. and etc."

"They are also large and can handle much more weight than any other vehicles. It can surely transport all of you anywhere if you need to. Although, the company will know if the truck is misused and fuel is wasted," Judy concluded.

Sarah sighed. Still, an idea began to form, "Maybe we can ask them to use the truck. I mean, they made us say nothing about it and Chaotic, but they can help us."

"Good idea!" her friend agreed.

Wamma raised his finger, "And what if they say no?"

"We'll convince them," Sarah punched her palm, "I won't let them say no. If we're together, it will be easier for them to watch over us and the military too. It's best to stick together when we can. I'll convince my parents to help us," she sighed at that difficult task.

"Everyone will lose their jobs in the end," Peyton realized.

"Yes. You are asking everyone to give up their civil duties for being with your friends. I agree that being together is easier to protect you, but also easier for them to get all of you," Ario grumbled. He agreed with her plan, but he had to remind her of the price.

Sarah deflated a little at that. She forgot that their parents had a job, "If they conquer the world, then that is meaningless."

"Talk to your parents first before planning anything else," Odu-Bathax told her. He crossed his two pairs of arms, "Then you can plan farther ahead."

"Dad won't be back for a day or two," Peyton reminded her.

"Right," Sarah took a deep breath, "Right. I'll need some time." At that moment her scanner rang. Picking it up she looked at it and read the message, "Tom sent me a message."

"What does it say?"

"Everything is fine and we don't have to worry. He is helping his grandparents at the farm. They have nothing else to do," the girl sighed with a small smile.

For the rest of the morning, Sarah mentally prepared herself to confront her parents and put the basics of their idea in her mind. She hoped they would be open to this.


AC: This is the end of this chapter. Next chapter is a calm one before we meet with Sarah's parents and her brother.

Next: A Day At The Farm.

As the M'arrillians weren't moving and with nothing else to do, Tom, his friends and the Overworlders helped his family at the farm.