Chapter 3
The Guardian Returns
I had walked back in the mall with Jay, and Ebony was came running into my arms. I swung her off her feet as she laughed. But I for some reason I wasn't really that happy. I guess being on the road for too long does that to you.
Oh well, just as long as I could be with her anyways. I let her back down to her feet and shared a quick kiss with her because my sister came rushing over to hug me.
"I've got my family back." Trudy laughed as she kissed my cheek. "Bad for you." I tease her, and pretended to push Jay away from her. She gave me a playful punch to my arm as she walked up to her fiance.
"Sorry brother, but I love him." Trudy smiled. Jay shrugged as he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. "And I love her." Then he kissed her ear.
"Get a room." I laugh, and Jay and Trudy give me a look, and I just gave them the most innocent of smiles.
The air suddenly gets a bit humid, and I turn to see Lex glaring at me as he heads up the stairs.
Either I'm seeing things though, or that glare was also a look of recognition.
So he did vote me in. I was expecting he wouldn't.
Then I noticed him stopping as he was just close to the top floor, then slowly he turned around and headed back down to us.
He licked his lips as he put his hands on his sides and looked to me. "Hey Zell."
"Lex." I greet him in return.
He's silent for awhile. Something's up. "Look, I know we're not the best of mates here. But....there's some disturbance going on down in Sector 12."
Sector 12?! "I just checked from down there." I told him. "We got the report a few minutes ago after the voting you in. Anyways, I'm gonna go down there and check it out. And..."
"I'll go." I tell him before he can ask me. His reluctance was just too damn annoying sometimes.
He shook his head. "We leave now then."
I nodded and looked to see Ebony disappointed with her arms crossed over her chest.
Ah crap! I forgot that she was planning on a celebration party for me. It was suppose to be a surprise though.
"Got to make sure my baby is safe." I smile at her. Her mood seemed to lighten up. I kiss her cheek, and I could feel Lex watching with disgust but he was hiding it pretty well, then I walked out with him.
We were getting up to Sector 12. Not one of us had said a word really. I didn't ask what was going on at Sector 12, and Lex...was just Lex.
But then, he said, "You should be happy. Everyone voted you in."
I look at Lex surprised to hear that. All of the Mallrats voted me in?!
"Surprised?" he asked.
"Very." I reply.
"Well you should be. You have Ebony to thank for that." Lex told me. "She gave us a heartfelt speech about you, praising your skills as a WARRIOR and stuff. But then came the BEST part." I noticed Lex had a sarcastic tone when he said best. "She said if we voted you out, she would go with you. And I guess nobody wanted her gone."
"So that's why you voted me as a Mallrat." I smirk.
Lex stopped, and I stopped with him. He was glaring at me, but I was unfazed. We both knew he was no match for me.
"It's all your fault, you know. Ebony back then, she was a REAL leader. She was strong and deadly. She use to be a REAL woman. But her feelings for you, they made her gone soft! She's not longer that little witch that I remember and admired. She's gone soft, and you're the one to blame for it all."
I just look at Lex with stone face.
"We miss OUR Ebony." Lex started walking along again.
"If this is about the Zootists..." I began. But Lex cut me off. "Exactly! By now, she would have lead us into raiding down those damn Zoot worshippers without a second thought! Now, she's so worried about everyone's lives that she believes fighting is a last choice!"
"But it is, Lex!" I snap at him. I walk right up to him and repeat what I said. "But don't blame that on me now. Don't you remember her commandment? Thou shall not shoot thyself in thy foot?"
He raises an eyebrow. I can tell he remembers that saying now from her.
"Get over it." I tell him, then I start walking away. Lex was just standing there behind me, speechless.
But then he joined me as we entered Sector 12.
We hid behind a few garbage cans. Indeed something was going on down here. People where just in black robes, similar to the designs of the Chosen's.
There were two guards with spears. They were guarding a side door into a warehouse.
I look at Lex, and Lex knows exactly what I'm thinking. "Secretive meeting." we both say.
I guess that's why I sometimes consider Lex as my war buddy.
I carefully grab the lid of one of the garbage cans, and toss it against the opposite wall. It caught their attention.
The guards raised up to where I was hiding by the corner of the wall. I jumped out in front of them, grinning.
"Hi."
Lex snuck up from behind and smashed a 2 X 4 against them from behind.
I was surprised that he even found it. He just shrugged and dropped it to the ground as we raced up to the door. Gently and quietly, I opened the door slightly enough for us to take a peek inside.
And Lex nearly charged through the door when he saw who was inside.
The Guardian was standing across Mega and Java, wearing his same white robe as usual.
I held Lex back, shaking my head no. He bit his bottom lip and hesitantly nodded. Whatever score he had to settle with Jaffa could wait.
But next to Jaffa, I saw a guy dressed up in black form-fitting armor and a mask covering only half of his face. But there was something about his eyes....they looked so familiar.
We couldn't hear them speaking, and we had no means of getting in closer.
"Come on. We have to report to the others." I tell Lex. He was about to protest, until I yanked him away with me.
"So that's it?" Amber asked. "The Guardian is back with a new tribe?"
"Yeah." Lex replied. "Looks that way. They almost look like the Chosen though. But he had a new guy with him. We couldn't see his face though."
"He's a dark sentinel." I spoke out suddenly without thinking. All eyes were on me. "What's a dark sentinel?" Trudy asked.
I sighed as I leaned up in my chair. "I....I'm not sure. I don't even know how I knew that guy was even a dark sentinel." And that was the honest truth. Somehow though, that man, whoever he is, seemed to be a part of my memory that I couldn't bring up too well.
"Maybe the Guardian's got himself some new friends besides those Pictorians." Lex insisted.
"Maybe." I agreed. "But what I want to know is what does the Guardian have in common with Mega and Java."
Just hearing those names made Ebony clench her jaw tightly. I put my hand over hers and gave it a gentle squeeze, and her anger seemed to have vanished when she looked at me.
Lex didn't seem to like it, and neither did Amber....or Salene.
Hmm, so Eb was right about Salene as well.
Then, Jay stood up. "Um...I have something I want to say. I mean, we do." He acknowledged Trudy. "We've...decided to move the wedding the day after tomorrow instead of next week."
I raised an eyebrow at Jay, then looked down at my sister who was smiling and blushing crimson red. The first time I had ever seen her done that really. But at least it looks like she was agreeing with that, and it wasn't JAY making all the decisions.
She was really happy. I could just imagine her face on her wedding day.
Ruby, Slade, Siva and Ram were coming for a visit. I watched as Lex scooped Ruby in his arms like I had done with Ruby. Talk about a base stealer. But there was no doubt on my mind that him and Ruby were in love. She was one of the few people to toughen up to him. Maybe that's why Tai-San was long gone now, and so was Siva.
Gel and some of the other young Mallrats came to greet them, while I just headed into mine and Ebony's room and popped in my most favorite movie of all time, The Seven Samurai. Seven warriors who lived by the code of the sword became heroes when protecting a small town.
I never seemed to get bored watching a movie made in 1954. Ebony then came in and saw what I was watching, then rolled her eyes. "Do you even realize how old this flick is?" she asked.
"Does it matter?" I smirk.
Then Slade and Ram come in and see the movie. "Oh! The Seven Samurai!" Slade exclaims enthusiastically, and both sit next to me watching the movie.
Ebony shook her hand and laughed as she headed out of the room. "Boys will be boys."
"Hey!" Slade spoke up. "There are just some THINGS that guys can never grow out of." We look to each other. "Right?" we both smile up at Ebony.
Then I caught Slade keeping his eyes on Ebony. I would've tried to snap him out of it, but then I caught her doing the same.
On instinct, I stood up and looked to her. "Hey hon? How 'bout we go out for the rest of the day? Just the two of us?"
"Oh?" Ebony grinned, and started tracing a finger down my chest. "Just the two of us?" I grin myself, but pause when I suddenly realize that Slade and Ram are still watching us. I give them a murderous look which makes them turn back to the movie, then take her hand and we head out together.
"What was that all about?" I ask her, a bit jealous....okay, maybe a lot. Ebony looked up at me like I was Spike. I shuddered at the thought. Though I had a kind of respect for him, Spike wasn't exactly the sharpest tool in the shed. "What do you mean what was that all about?" she asked confused. If she was acting, she was doing a hell of a job. "You know what I'm talking about. I saw you and Slade..."
"Staring at SIVA who was right BEHIND me, and I was looking at YOU and Slade was sitting next to you." she corrected and I didn't even get to finish. It's like she's telepathic sometimes to be knowing what I'm about to say.
I frown. I feel disappointed in myself. Here I was about to pre-accuse my girlfriend on cheating....god I was even disgusted with myself more just thinking that I could accuse her of cheating. If she looks at another guy, she looks at another guy. It doesn't mean anything...unless it was intense like the way she's looking at me just now.
"I'm sorry." I say more softly. "I just...want to know if everything is ok between us."
"Everything is, Zell. And more." She was about to lean up and kiss me. She would have...if only I hadn't stopped when a new scent came to me. It smelled like gasoline...and gun powder. And it was coming from a distance away. In that same distance, I overhear a hissing sound.
And suddenly....a building miles from us explodes into flames. It takes Ebony by surprise, screaming at the sound while I held her close, seemingly unfazed by the explosion.
"Damn it!" I hiss. Those damned Zootists again!
I would tell her to stay put while I go check it out. But one of the reasons why I loved Ebony was that she's a warrior.
We ran to the sight together, and I was right when seeing female Zoots causing the flames to get bigger when throwing all kinds of garbage at the sight.
The building was a furniture store. Totally unimpressive though. So why would the Zootists blow a furniture store up? Not to send out a message saying Zoot was god. The only times they did that were with scenes of chaos and spray paintings on the wall. This was totally different.
"No killing. Take one in custody for questioning, got it?" Ebony looked up at me. I nodded in response at the same time with the click of my wrists, I unsheathed my short swords from under the sleeves of my jacket.
With stealth, we advanced. There were only four of them. Ebony proved to be a strong warrioress when defeating her sisters all by herself. And today, she was proving it again that she was one bad chic. She took two, and I took on two.
I found it to be a mistake to unsheath my swords, so I clicked them back under my sleeves just as one of the Zootists charged at me. I moved to the side with my arm raised out and connected with her chest, making her slip off her legs and crash on her back. She was out cold. The second girl attacked me with a punch. I ducked, then twisted her arm behind her back and held her by her neck.
Ebony was already finished with her share of the terrorist team, and looked to me. "7 seconds." she smirked.
I gave her a lopsided grin. "We better start working out more." I tell her. With our prisoner, we headed back to the mall.
The Guardian Returns
I had walked back in the mall with Jay, and Ebony was came running into my arms. I swung her off her feet as she laughed. But I for some reason I wasn't really that happy. I guess being on the road for too long does that to you.
Oh well, just as long as I could be with her anyways. I let her back down to her feet and shared a quick kiss with her because my sister came rushing over to hug me.
"I've got my family back." Trudy laughed as she kissed my cheek. "Bad for you." I tease her, and pretended to push Jay away from her. She gave me a playful punch to my arm as she walked up to her fiance.
"Sorry brother, but I love him." Trudy smiled. Jay shrugged as he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. "And I love her." Then he kissed her ear.
"Get a room." I laugh, and Jay and Trudy give me a look, and I just gave them the most innocent of smiles.
The air suddenly gets a bit humid, and I turn to see Lex glaring at me as he heads up the stairs.
Either I'm seeing things though, or that glare was also a look of recognition.
So he did vote me in. I was expecting he wouldn't.
Then I noticed him stopping as he was just close to the top floor, then slowly he turned around and headed back down to us.
He licked his lips as he put his hands on his sides and looked to me. "Hey Zell."
"Lex." I greet him in return.
He's silent for awhile. Something's up. "Look, I know we're not the best of mates here. But....there's some disturbance going on down in Sector 12."
Sector 12?! "I just checked from down there." I told him. "We got the report a few minutes ago after the voting you in. Anyways, I'm gonna go down there and check it out. And..."
"I'll go." I tell him before he can ask me. His reluctance was just too damn annoying sometimes.
He shook his head. "We leave now then."
I nodded and looked to see Ebony disappointed with her arms crossed over her chest.
Ah crap! I forgot that she was planning on a celebration party for me. It was suppose to be a surprise though.
"Got to make sure my baby is safe." I smile at her. Her mood seemed to lighten up. I kiss her cheek, and I could feel Lex watching with disgust but he was hiding it pretty well, then I walked out with him.
We were getting up to Sector 12. Not one of us had said a word really. I didn't ask what was going on at Sector 12, and Lex...was just Lex.
But then, he said, "You should be happy. Everyone voted you in."
I look at Lex surprised to hear that. All of the Mallrats voted me in?!
"Surprised?" he asked.
"Very." I reply.
"Well you should be. You have Ebony to thank for that." Lex told me. "She gave us a heartfelt speech about you, praising your skills as a WARRIOR and stuff. But then came the BEST part." I noticed Lex had a sarcastic tone when he said best. "She said if we voted you out, she would go with you. And I guess nobody wanted her gone."
"So that's why you voted me as a Mallrat." I smirk.
Lex stopped, and I stopped with him. He was glaring at me, but I was unfazed. We both knew he was no match for me.
"It's all your fault, you know. Ebony back then, she was a REAL leader. She was strong and deadly. She use to be a REAL woman. But her feelings for you, they made her gone soft! She's not longer that little witch that I remember and admired. She's gone soft, and you're the one to blame for it all."
I just look at Lex with stone face.
"We miss OUR Ebony." Lex started walking along again.
"If this is about the Zootists..." I began. But Lex cut me off. "Exactly! By now, she would have lead us into raiding down those damn Zoot worshippers without a second thought! Now, she's so worried about everyone's lives that she believes fighting is a last choice!"
"But it is, Lex!" I snap at him. I walk right up to him and repeat what I said. "But don't blame that on me now. Don't you remember her commandment? Thou shall not shoot thyself in thy foot?"
He raises an eyebrow. I can tell he remembers that saying now from her.
"Get over it." I tell him, then I start walking away. Lex was just standing there behind me, speechless.
But then he joined me as we entered Sector 12.
We hid behind a few garbage cans. Indeed something was going on down here. People where just in black robes, similar to the designs of the Chosen's.
There were two guards with spears. They were guarding a side door into a warehouse.
I look at Lex, and Lex knows exactly what I'm thinking. "Secretive meeting." we both say.
I guess that's why I sometimes consider Lex as my war buddy.
I carefully grab the lid of one of the garbage cans, and toss it against the opposite wall. It caught their attention.
The guards raised up to where I was hiding by the corner of the wall. I jumped out in front of them, grinning.
"Hi."
Lex snuck up from behind and smashed a 2 X 4 against them from behind.
I was surprised that he even found it. He just shrugged and dropped it to the ground as we raced up to the door. Gently and quietly, I opened the door slightly enough for us to take a peek inside.
And Lex nearly charged through the door when he saw who was inside.
The Guardian was standing across Mega and Java, wearing his same white robe as usual.
I held Lex back, shaking my head no. He bit his bottom lip and hesitantly nodded. Whatever score he had to settle with Jaffa could wait.
But next to Jaffa, I saw a guy dressed up in black form-fitting armor and a mask covering only half of his face. But there was something about his eyes....they looked so familiar.
We couldn't hear them speaking, and we had no means of getting in closer.
"Come on. We have to report to the others." I tell Lex. He was about to protest, until I yanked him away with me.
"So that's it?" Amber asked. "The Guardian is back with a new tribe?"
"Yeah." Lex replied. "Looks that way. They almost look like the Chosen though. But he had a new guy with him. We couldn't see his face though."
"He's a dark sentinel." I spoke out suddenly without thinking. All eyes were on me. "What's a dark sentinel?" Trudy asked.
I sighed as I leaned up in my chair. "I....I'm not sure. I don't even know how I knew that guy was even a dark sentinel." And that was the honest truth. Somehow though, that man, whoever he is, seemed to be a part of my memory that I couldn't bring up too well.
"Maybe the Guardian's got himself some new friends besides those Pictorians." Lex insisted.
"Maybe." I agreed. "But what I want to know is what does the Guardian have in common with Mega and Java."
Just hearing those names made Ebony clench her jaw tightly. I put my hand over hers and gave it a gentle squeeze, and her anger seemed to have vanished when she looked at me.
Lex didn't seem to like it, and neither did Amber....or Salene.
Hmm, so Eb was right about Salene as well.
Then, Jay stood up. "Um...I have something I want to say. I mean, we do." He acknowledged Trudy. "We've...decided to move the wedding the day after tomorrow instead of next week."
I raised an eyebrow at Jay, then looked down at my sister who was smiling and blushing crimson red. The first time I had ever seen her done that really. But at least it looks like she was agreeing with that, and it wasn't JAY making all the decisions.
She was really happy. I could just imagine her face on her wedding day.
Ruby, Slade, Siva and Ram were coming for a visit. I watched as Lex scooped Ruby in his arms like I had done with Ruby. Talk about a base stealer. But there was no doubt on my mind that him and Ruby were in love. She was one of the few people to toughen up to him. Maybe that's why Tai-San was long gone now, and so was Siva.
Gel and some of the other young Mallrats came to greet them, while I just headed into mine and Ebony's room and popped in my most favorite movie of all time, The Seven Samurai. Seven warriors who lived by the code of the sword became heroes when protecting a small town.
I never seemed to get bored watching a movie made in 1954. Ebony then came in and saw what I was watching, then rolled her eyes. "Do you even realize how old this flick is?" she asked.
"Does it matter?" I smirk.
Then Slade and Ram come in and see the movie. "Oh! The Seven Samurai!" Slade exclaims enthusiastically, and both sit next to me watching the movie.
Ebony shook her hand and laughed as she headed out of the room. "Boys will be boys."
"Hey!" Slade spoke up. "There are just some THINGS that guys can never grow out of." We look to each other. "Right?" we both smile up at Ebony.
Then I caught Slade keeping his eyes on Ebony. I would've tried to snap him out of it, but then I caught her doing the same.
On instinct, I stood up and looked to her. "Hey hon? How 'bout we go out for the rest of the day? Just the two of us?"
"Oh?" Ebony grinned, and started tracing a finger down my chest. "Just the two of us?" I grin myself, but pause when I suddenly realize that Slade and Ram are still watching us. I give them a murderous look which makes them turn back to the movie, then take her hand and we head out together.
"What was that all about?" I ask her, a bit jealous....okay, maybe a lot. Ebony looked up at me like I was Spike. I shuddered at the thought. Though I had a kind of respect for him, Spike wasn't exactly the sharpest tool in the shed. "What do you mean what was that all about?" she asked confused. If she was acting, she was doing a hell of a job. "You know what I'm talking about. I saw you and Slade..."
"Staring at SIVA who was right BEHIND me, and I was looking at YOU and Slade was sitting next to you." she corrected and I didn't even get to finish. It's like she's telepathic sometimes to be knowing what I'm about to say.
I frown. I feel disappointed in myself. Here I was about to pre-accuse my girlfriend on cheating....god I was even disgusted with myself more just thinking that I could accuse her of cheating. If she looks at another guy, she looks at another guy. It doesn't mean anything...unless it was intense like the way she's looking at me just now.
"I'm sorry." I say more softly. "I just...want to know if everything is ok between us."
"Everything is, Zell. And more." She was about to lean up and kiss me. She would have...if only I hadn't stopped when a new scent came to me. It smelled like gasoline...and gun powder. And it was coming from a distance away. In that same distance, I overhear a hissing sound.
And suddenly....a building miles from us explodes into flames. It takes Ebony by surprise, screaming at the sound while I held her close, seemingly unfazed by the explosion.
"Damn it!" I hiss. Those damned Zootists again!
I would tell her to stay put while I go check it out. But one of the reasons why I loved Ebony was that she's a warrior.
We ran to the sight together, and I was right when seeing female Zoots causing the flames to get bigger when throwing all kinds of garbage at the sight.
The building was a furniture store. Totally unimpressive though. So why would the Zootists blow a furniture store up? Not to send out a message saying Zoot was god. The only times they did that were with scenes of chaos and spray paintings on the wall. This was totally different.
"No killing. Take one in custody for questioning, got it?" Ebony looked up at me. I nodded in response at the same time with the click of my wrists, I unsheathed my short swords from under the sleeves of my jacket.
With stealth, we advanced. There were only four of them. Ebony proved to be a strong warrioress when defeating her sisters all by herself. And today, she was proving it again that she was one bad chic. She took two, and I took on two.
I found it to be a mistake to unsheath my swords, so I clicked them back under my sleeves just as one of the Zootists charged at me. I moved to the side with my arm raised out and connected with her chest, making her slip off her legs and crash on her back. She was out cold. The second girl attacked me with a punch. I ducked, then twisted her arm behind her back and held her by her neck.
Ebony was already finished with her share of the terrorist team, and looked to me. "7 seconds." she smirked.
I gave her a lopsided grin. "We better start working out more." I tell her. With our prisoner, we headed back to the mall.