Jez: 1) Mis-typed it. It's ninety, not nine. And since the house is built into a mountain, there's some fairly treacherous country there. 2) He's at least a good enough swordsman to be able to judge an opponent's ability on sight. Besides the fact, that with his brothers there, they wouldn't have let her kill him. He was actually just standing there, until he decided to attack. 3) Yes, the masts fold, and the Arekan class ships are only four stories tall with the masts folded. We also have house pilots to guide them into the docks, like the harbor pilots. 4) I do see the point, but some definition is required. 5) Most of the family subscribes to the if you've got, flaunt it, philosophy. 6) They're only trying to delay them, until they can withdraw into the mountain. 7) Thank you. No, only Adam has that particular quality. Triaxx does as well, but he won't appear in this story. 8) I know, and I keep trying to shift him into first person, so I can make him human, but it just won't stick with this story. I'll be absolutely sure to correct it in Boys will be Boys, and later stories. I know what you mean, but I'm always uncertain how a specific character is going to react to a certain situation. Unless I can get into that characters head, and doing it with four or more characters at once, isn't pleasant. That's why most of my stories feature one character that seems all knowing, directing everything else. I also think I made this particular Adam more powerful than he should be. I'll correct that.
It'd be very interesting to see your take on the chapter. It'll have to be rewritten in anycase.
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"Why did he attack me?" Shego asked, as they caught up to the two. Kim noted that Adam's stride seemed to have lengthened considerably, though, noting the size of this place, she could understand why. Shorter strides, would take forever to get anywhere. Ron found himself breathing hard, as he fought to keep up.
"I'm not sure why he picked you, but I'd guess it was a random decision, with you simply being closest. He couldn't go after me, since I'm a much better swordsman. I think you made him mad. Congratulations." Adam grinned. Andrew swung around a corner, and the four followed, all plowing into him, just as he had plowed into a group of women.
"Ow." Ron commented.
"If you don't get off me young man, you're going to be saying more than ow." One of them screamed. It took a few moments for them to get separated. "Thank you." The other women followed her the other way, across the T of the path.
"Some days, they really do get in the way." Andrew replied.
"Who?" Kim asked.
"The sisters of the Sanctuary. Don't ask." She didn't have to. The memories responded, a flow of images, and then an explanation. The sisters of the Sanctuary were a group that were trying to reform the world away from magic, and towards technology, but weren't having a lot of success. The house had taken them in, as long as they didn't complain at the upper council members. They settled with annoying everyone else in castle. Usually, only the lead member of a group spoke.
"Are they always that polite?" Shego asked.
"Not usually. I think they're scared of Adam." Andrew replied.
"Who isn't?" Kim, Shego and Ron grinned. Adam snorted, and gave an offended look.
"Well, if that's the way you feel." He stalked on ahead. Andrew sighed.
"Here we go again." He led them on, ignoring the fact that Adam was moving several times faster. "I wish he'd get his feelings off his sleeve."
"Why does he react so sharply to everything?" Kim asked.
"I'm not sure. They all refuse to talk about it. I think it might be something that happened prior to them joining House Marcae." He sighed. "What ever it is, they've been dealing with it fine up to now. I don't think it'd be a good idea to chance them destroying themselves, by picking at it now." Andrew shook his head. "Let's continue on, he'll need someone to talk to." He moved ahead, measuring his steps, until he reached a set of massive doors.
"What is it with you people, and these huge ass doors?" Shego asked.
"We like to impress people. Remember the big doors on the front of the house?" They nodded. "Those actually hold an anti-siege gun. They only open to fire it. It runs almost nine miles back into the mountain. It fires a projectile, the size of the first line gates. We only use it any more for fireworks every May Twenty-ninth, to celebrate the founding of the house." Andrew commented, as he pushed the doors open. Adam was sitting on a chair, looking decidedly apologetic.
"Sorry, I shouldn't have snapped like that. I'm in a bad mood for some reason." Andrew shrugged.
"It's this place, coming back, you all do that." He chuckled. "The last one of you got really drunk. It took a week to get him sober."
"Excuse me? Sir?" An older man, with greying hair, in a business suit knocked politely on the doorframe, before entering. "The meeting?" Andrew slapped his forehead.
"Thank you Edward. I almost forgot. Excuse me." He bowed slightly, and followed the man. Adam laughed.
"The rooms have been configured with four separate bedrooms. They aren't static, since each me needs different things. I don't need a direct uplink to the UCS battle fleet, but we do have to keep in touch with Wade so Behemoth can direct the Kimmunicator signal here. Genny gave him the access codes before we left." He waved at the wall, and a monitor appeared on it, there was only the revolving Team Possible Logo on screen at the moment, and it vanished again. "There's a kitchen over there, and each room has it's own bathroom. There'll be a final fitting later today, or tomorrow, I'm not sure which, for your party clothes, but I don't think there's anything else planned. There's a schedule..." He dug around for a moment. The room's, while fairly large, seemed incredibly messy, even the four doors were a bit grungy. Each had a name on it, so they each had a room, but Kim doubted that would matter much. "Here it is."
The schedule, had only one day on it, but as the memories explained, it was magical, so it would update automatically. It even showed them arriving, encountering the air borne guards, then arriving at the gates, Shego getting attacked, and then arriving in the rooms. It also showed, that the fitting was in two hours.
"Just enough time for a shower, and change." Shego grinned, heading for her room. Ron followed suit. Kim stopped a moment.
"Adam?" She asked quietly.
"Yes?" He answered, turning to look at her.
"We didn't mean to make you feel bad." She offered. He smiled weakly.
"You didn't. I over reacted. I should know better by now, but as Andrew mentioned, this place always depresses me. It's now your fault." Adam waved her concerns aside. "I'll be fine in a few days. Go take your shower, if you're late, they'll kill me." He grinned. She nodded, and entered her room. She never heard him cry.
