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At 0735 hours

Sunday 16th May

TOBIAS

I woke up to find that Rachel was gone. Wondering where she would have gone, I got out of bed and left the room, passing Marco's room

I entered the meeting room, but there was no-one around

"Where are you, Rachel?" I asked myself

I went back up the stairs, through the left wing and up another set of stairs, where I had reached the third floor. I went along the hallway, before I came to the balcony where the assault cannons were positioned

And that's where Rachel was, along with Ax, who was doing something to one of the cannons. I snuck up behind Rachel and tickled her waist

"Argh, oh it's you Tobias"

I kissed her, wrapping my arms around her waist

"How are you?"

She kissed me in reply. I looked at Ax, who didn't seem to notice

"So, Ax, whatcha doing?" I asked

(I am altering the distance of these weapons) he answered

"Okay, how far can they shoot before?"

(About three hundred feet)

I whistled. I felt Rachel put her arms around my neck and lean in

"And David's fortress is about two hundred feet further," she said

(So I'm changing their projectoring rate to about five hundred feet, just enough to cause some damage)

"Yeah but Ax, David's fortress is over a cliff," I said, "that's why its two hundred feet out of range"

(So I'll have them tilted back at about 45° and shoot them. That way, they'll strike the fortress and cause some damage"

"See Tobias, the windows are weak and so is the base of it," said Rachel

"What you're saying is we shoot the cannons so that they'll strike the bottom of the fortress and sink it?" I said

(That is correct) said Ax

"When will they be ready?" asked Rachel

(Four more on this level, two on the one above and maybe the sniper Dracon)

"Come on, let's get some brekkie," I said

With her hand in mine, I led the way to the kitchen, where I made ourselves a cup of coffee and sat next to Rachel, handing her the cup

"I tell you, I didn't know Crayak could alter the weather," I said

"Neither did I. And I was looking forward to David getting blown up"

"You seriously don't mean that, do you?"

"Tobias, are you mad? He apparently killed you, nearly killed Jake, knocked Ax out and tried to kill me," she cried, "Maybe being trapped as a rat is too good for him"

She took a sip, a frown on her face. I looked around as Tori entered and came over

"How are you, honey?" I asked

She grabbed my coffee and took a sip, before handing it back

"Thanks," she mumbled

"Yeah, no worries, since you drank more than a sip"

"Oh let her be," said Rachel, "she was worse off than all of us"

"Don't you have anything better than a jackal?" I asked her

"Maybe the Travest, but I don't think it would have done well in the cold"

I looked at Rachel, confused. She was giving me the same look. We turned back to our daughter, who was frowning

"Fine, I'll show you"

She got up, but I stopped her

"Don't worry about," I said

She sat down and this time, took Rachel's coffee

"Hey"

"Sorry, trying to stay awake"

"Go make your own"

"Here, take mine," I offered, "I'll make myself another one"

"No, it's yours"

"Just bloody take it"

She unwillingly accepted it, as I went to make myself another cuppa. Just as I sat down, Marco came in and fell onto the couch. Soon, I could hear his snores

"Well, Marco, that's what happens when you snore," I said, "you get kicked out"

He raised his hand and gave me the finger, before it dropped down again. I laughed

"So, Adam's getting married to Ashley," said Tori

I knew she was trying to make conversation just to keep her mind off yesterday's battle

"Ooh, I can't wait until I get to decorate," smiled Rachel

"Everyone get ready," I said, "Spending spree coming up. There goes the credit card"

Rachel playfully slapped my arm. Tori just rolled her eyes

"So what are you wearing to the wedding, young lady?" asked Rachel, serious now

"Watch out, Tori, your mother will be making you try every dress"

"Tobias, no more"

"A dress, is that simple enough?" said Tori

Rachel looked horrified

"How about something light or dark blue to match your red hair?"

"Like Dad said, you're the boss"

At that moment, Ax came into the room and saw Marco sleeping

"So, you've modified the cannons?" I asked

(Yes, they are all done. Now, we just have to wait for the chance)

He morphed to human and proceeded to make some coffee. Only when he spilt the coffee did Rachel decide to help him

"It's a shame I'm still not quite used to this body," he said

Marco suddenly bolted upright, his eyes wide open

"Is there something wrong, Marco?" asked Tori

"Coffee," he said, sounding like a zombie

Suddenly, two red beams shot through the door and just missed Marco's nose. It took him about five seconds to realize. And in that time, I was already on my feet, morphing to Hork-Bajir. Ax had noticed and demorphed

"Why would David attack now?" asked Tori as she morphed

(Because we would be asleep and unsuspecting) said Ax

(Low-life) grumbled Rachel

She had morphed to grizzly, while Marco was half-way to gorilla

TSEEW! TSEEW!

Two more beams shot through

(Come out and surrender) came David's voice (We have you surrounded)

(He's bluffing) said Rachel

(How would we know?) asked Marco

WHAM!

I heard the front doors fall down and raced over to the wall, waiting

A Chatrè-Controller stepped through the door. His head fell to the ground

(Go) I cried

Rachel, Ax, Marco and Tori ran into the hall. I quickly followed them and saw a sharp-shinned hawk flying around, attacking in the minimum space available

"Who is that?" I wondered

A Chatrè came at me. My blades flashed and the Chatrè lost a forearm, the other arm and its head. I could see David standing back in lion morph

(Find the others) he ordered (And kill them all)

A Chatrè suddenly fell in front of me, having fallen off the second level. It had two spikes embedded in its chest

A large spiked creature, a tiger and a panther landed beside us

(Hey Dad, how's it going?) asked Adam

(Go away David, we're kicking your ass) said Rachel

My blades flashed again and another Chatrè fell. Another tiger and wolf arrived to back us up. A Howler fell down the stairs, two large puncture wounds in its chest

(What the?) I said

A massive snake with spikes on its forehead slipped over the balcony and slithered up to David, who cowered back and hissed

(Go home, David) said the snake

It was John!

Another Howler fell from Sam's spikes. The hawk dived and slashed David's muzzle

(Aargh! Fine)

He turned and left. We all demorphed, as the hawk landed in front of us. It started to change. I watched as the golden eyes turned blue, as feathers melted into long brown hair, as the hawk grew and formed into Ashley

"Um, hi, guess you weren't expecting that, were you?"

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