Hey guys welcome to chapter 8! Can't believe we're almost to chapter 10 already! Thank you so much for 1,500 views! It means so much to you to DasDuke and Ripred for reviewing it means a lot to me. Anyway this is going to be an interesting chapter things are going to start picking up now! Don't forget to follow and review! Enjoy!

Chapter 8: choices

"I'm going to go back," Gregor told them.

"What!" Emma exclaimed," that place seems so bad. Why on Earth would you want to go back?"

"I have to make sure they are ok. I can't just pretend they don't exist." Gregor said definitely.

"You don't have any reason to go back! And they have survived so long without you what makes you think that they need you now!" Emma yelled not wanting him to go.

"The people down there have saved my life. I owe it to them. They are my friends. I won't abandon them! If they need me I'll do whatever it takes to help them!" Gregor said with finality.

"Ughhh" Emma grunted.

"Gregor you can't just go back, what if another creature finds you and how are you going to even get back down." Gregor's uncle explained to him.

"I don't know yet but I know I won't leave them!" Gregor yelled angrily.

"I know you can't, we just need a plan, I'll help you." Gregor's uncle told him.

"You will?" Gregor asks skeptically.

"Yes, I don't think your mom realizes how important these people are to you or what you've had to go through that has made you much more mature and able to make your own decisions." Gregor's uncle told him.

"Oh wow, thank you." Gregor replies completely surprised by this.

"I knew that you would always go back,Gregor." told him, "Destiny will always find you."

"I will help too." Larry says reluctantly.

"No I couldn't ask that of you guys, you don't owe them anything plus your family will get worried. I'll probably be down there for more than a couple days."Gregor explains.

"You're my friend, I will help you no matter what. This seems important to you." Larry stated.

"It's gonna be dangerous and you don't have any combat practice, you won't be able to protect yourself." Gregor said, not wanting him to get himself into something he will regret.

"Well that's a risk I'm willing to take for my best friend." Larry said confidently.

Gregor wished he could say he was his best friend as well but that would be a lie. All the bonds he had with the people in The Underlandwas different to anything else. They had relied on each other and saved each other's lives. He knew they couldn't be replaced. But he knew Larry was a very good friend of his and with this he knew that they were good again.

"Thank you Larry you have no idea how much this means to me." Gregor replied gratefully.

" , is it fine if Emma stays here till the rest of our band gets here and then you can drop her off so she is with them?" Gregor asks.

"Hey" Emma protests, "I will help you too, if it means this much to you."

"You sure Emma you don't seem to like it much." Gregor questions.

"Yes I'm sure." Emma replies.

"Well none of you are going anywhere till you fill your bellies and get a good night's rest!" annonces.

"But I have.." Gregor started.

"No buts I'll cook and you guys can go but things you'll need then you will sleep and then you can go." said with finality.

"She's right Gregor lets go get supplies we don't want to be under prepared." Gregor's uncle told him.

"Ok" Gregor replied knowing that this was a good plan.

Gregor, his uncle, Emma, and Larry all got up and left the apartment as started cooking.

"Alright what will we need?" Gregor's uncle asked.

"Light for you guys, light is extremely important." Gregor told them," and batteries, water, and a knife."

"Is a knife necessary?" Emma questioned not wanting to have to have it.

"Only if we want to survive." Gregor said sarcastically.

He realized he was turning into Ripred and couldn't wait to see his mentor and friend. He could call Ripred a friend now.

"Only I will carry a knife if no one else is comfortable enough to but we will need to have to defend ourselves until we get there." Gregor explains.

"I think only you and I should have knives although you'll probably do the majority of protecting, I'll just have it just in case." Gregor's uncle prompts.

"That should work." Gregor agreed.

"Alright let's get all our items quick. We want to get as much rest as possible." Gregor's uncle tells them.

"Yes" they all agree.

They make it to the store and Gregor and his uncle decide to go get the knives while Larry and Emma go get the lights and batteries.

When they get over to the knives there is a huge selection. Gregor examines them and decides to go with an ordinary size knife that is sharp but not hard to wield. The knife isn't meant to be wielded but it'll do for what they need. Gregor's uncle decides on a smaller knife that is still sharp since he won't know how to wield it properly.

As they are going to meet Emma and Larry they come across 2 things Gregor knows he will need. A Swiss army pocket knife full of a bunch of mechanics and duck tape.

Duct tape has been invaluable when he went there before and he knew that he should take some.

They grab the items and head over to Emma and Larry. They have gathered 3 small flashlights that won't do a thing in The Underland.

"That won't do a thing in The Underland." Gregor informs them while he grabs 3 strong beam flashlights along with hat lights.

"Remember this could be the difference between light and pitch dark while almost every other creature can see in The Underland." Gregor tells them.

He grabs enough batteries to replace each light twice and then they head over to the water.

Gregor can't believe what he finds, a water filter. This would be so useful in The Underland he thinks. He grabs a dozen of these pocket size water filters and is amazed at his luck. Maybe licks on my side this time he thinks.

Little does he know what's in store for him.

Gregor also grabs them all water canteens that they can fill with water.

"I think that's it." Gregor says.

"Just make sure we don't want to forget anything, this could be life or death." his uncle warns.

"We'll need to take some food but has some and then we'll have some when we get to Regalia, we have water light knives and duct tape. I think we should be good till we get to the palace." Gregor tells them.

"Alright let's go check out then." his uncle says.

As they were going to the self checkout, as to not be suspicious, Gregor notices a scented cleaning spray and smells it and it smells like the rain. He grabs a bottle just so they cn lose their scent in The Underland.

"What's that for? Emma asks when she notices it.

"Well almost every creature will probably be able to smell us in The Underland so this might be able to help cover us up a little bit." he replies.

"Alright then is that all?" Gregors uncle asks.

"Yep we should be good. Let's head back, eat and get a good night's rest." he tells them.

"Yep." they all agree.

Gregors uncle pays for the items and they head back quickly. It's dark out now and you can see the moon. Gregor's thoughts go back to The Underland. He wished Luxa could see the moon, he couldn't get her out of his head lately.

They made it back to the apartment and go up the stairs to 's door. They knock and she lets them in delighted.

"Dinner is almost ready." she annonces, "wash your hands and sit down."

They all go wash their hands and sit down.

"Gregor can you please come help me with this." yells from the kitchen.

"Sure." Gregor responds, getting up and heading to the kitchen.

"Gregor there is actually something I want to tell you before you go." she whispered when he's in the kitchen, "In private."

"What?" Gregor asks not sure what to expect.

"I know that you love the people down there, they are your best friends… and the love of your life, you don't feel like you belong here and I know it will tear you apart if you have to leave them." says.

"I have to go it doesn't matter if it tears me apart." Gregor whispers, knowing it's true.

"Yes Gregor, you're 15 but you are much more mature than you should be. You can make your own choices and I just want to tell you to do what is right for you even if that means staying down there. Gregor you deserve to be happy in a place you belong with your friends. I don't want you to live a horrible life with all you've already been through. Choose yourself once Gregor." she tells him.

"Wow.' Gregor says stunned not knowing how to reply,"I never knew that was an option, but what about my mother?"

"Don't worry about her. You have a couple days here. I'll lie for you guys and buy you as much time as possible and then I'll handle her when she gets here, don't worry about her, worry about yourself." pleads.

"Ok." Gregor responds, "I'll think about it.".

But deep down Gregor knows that he won't be able to leave when he sees all his friends from The Underland.

They take the food to the kitchen and enjoy a nice dinner but all Gregor can think about is what said to him.

Once dinner is over Gregor tells them they should probably take a shower now as well as in the morning to have as little scent as possible and have everything ready for the morning so they can leave as quickly as possible.

Gregor, Gregor's uncle and arragange the bags for the morning while Emma and Larry are showering in the 2 bathrooms.

found 4 cheap drawstring bags they could use since they would probably be burned. Once they were done Gregor and his uncle went to shower since Emma and Larry just finished.

Gregor showered quickly but tried to get any scent off him. Once he was finished he went back to find , Larry and Emma all watching tv.

"We should probably go to sleep." Gregor tells them, "We will need as much rest as possible."

"Yep." agrees.

They decide that 2 of them can sleep in the room with 2 beds and 2 on the couch.

Gregor volunteers for the couch and Emma is quick to follow.

Gregor can see the sad look in Larry's eyes and says" You should sleep on the bed, you'll get better sleep you'll need it plus my uncle and I can discuss any more details."

"Fine." she says disappointed.

The two of them go to their room and Gregor waits on his uncle. When he's done also goes to her room.

"We have everything ready, we'll just need to shower and go. I think we should wake up at 6 so we can leave by at latest 7. Does that sound good?" Gregor says.

"Sounds like a plan to me." his uncle responds.

With that they turn out the lights and go to sleep.

And that is it for chapter 8! Hope you enjoyed it, don't forget to follow and review. Let me know what you think in the chapter and what you think is going to happen. I'm going to try to post within the week so stay tuned. I'm going to have a poll up on whether you want this to end with this book or if I should make another so I can plan how the story goes so go vote. Stay safe, wash your hands Fly You High-Proud Warrior!