-later that day-


Violet had been mummbling the whole time Group B was walking the way to the lake. She was obviously nervous of this journey; this new twist was eating her alive.

Three quarters of the way there, Medli demanded they take a break. Kailee took this chance to talk to Violet alone; she had heard Violet mention things like 'doomed', 'a trap' and 'the MUM'.

"Violet, what the hell's the matter with you?" Kailee asked.

Violet sat down on the grass, "Nothing, why?"

"My ass, nothing!"

"No, seriously," Violet assured her.

Kailee sat down and faced Violet, "No, seriously! What's going on? Are you keeping secrets from me?"

"No."

"You sure?"

"Positive," Violet said.

"AHA!" Kailee blurted out. "Only guilty people say 'positive'!"

"What?"

"Cough it up!"

"No."

"So you are hiding something!"

"Okay, look," Violet said, almost whispering. "I don't want to tell anyone, but, I know stuff. Stuff that you wouldn't get unless I told you the whole story!"

"Try me."

"Okay, fine!" Violet murmered. "But don't tell anyone... not yet."

"Alright, alright," Kailee said. "Just tell me!"

"Okay..." Violet took a deep breath. "You know the MUM, right?"

"No."

Violet gaped at her ignorance. "What?"

"I don't know who the MOM is!" Kailee exclaimed.

"SHHHHH!" Violet shooshed her up. "Not the MOM, but the MUM! Haven't you heard stories yet?"

"I've heard that name mentioned."

"So..." Violet started. "You don't know anything about the MUM?"

"Nope."

"Uggg, Goddammit," Violet mummbled. "Great, so I do have to tell you the whole story!"

"Oh well, you can't go back now," Kailee smiled.

"Uggg..." Violet thought about where to begin. "Well... The MUM is... well, they change the standing for the acronym all the time. It could mean anything now. I'm pretty sure it's for protection..."

Kailee listened intently. Violet continued, "Well, anyways, have you seen that movie Spy Kids 2?"

"Yeah."

"Well, it's kinda like that. It's like... a bunch of teenagers who, like... battle people."

"Missions?" Kailee asked.

"Pretty much," Violet answered. "It's cool and all, but, so many years of training are involved. It's hard, too."

"I bet it is," Kailee commented.

"Yup. Anyways, three of us were formerly in the MUM."

"Really? Who?"

"Me, Justin and Samus."

"What?" Kailee asked.

"It's true," Violet assured her. "I was just there as some chick. I didn't really do anything there. All I know is, is that they thought I had some, invisibility power or something. They never really did prove if I did... I left too fast.

"It was Justin who had all the real missions, all the tough stuff. All the fun. The assasinations, the authority, the work, the research, the gadgets-"

"Why?" Kailee asked.

"Because he was one of the MUM's leaders!" Violet exclaimed, softly. "He was one of the most powerful people there! I think they were called something from a video game... Oh! The Earthbound! I remember; we had a vote on it!"

"Are you saying that Justin actually controlled all of the missions and stuff?"

"Oh no," Violet shook her head. "He was one of high authority and respect, but not in control."

"Don't tell me Samus was one!" Kailee exclaimed.

"Oh no," Violet repeated. "Samus was saved in Russia by the Earthbound. But... I was kinda wrong by saying she was in the MUM... no, she was. She had a room, her own labs, tools, office, crap like that.

"But, she was kind of a rebel. She never stayed at the MUM for more than a couple weeks. She traveled alot. You would only see her at special times, like at Easter, Christmas, on an Earthbound's birthday, on her birthday... And, she never stayed with the crowds. She would usually hang around the Earthbound, and then march to her room where she would stay until she left."

"But," Kailee said. "Who were the people in control?"

"Oh," Violet said. "That would be the leaders. Those who were appointed by Pam to represent our ideas. Like our own MUM council!" Violet paused, but continued just as Kailee opened her mouth to talk, "Before you ask, Pam was one of the original Earthbound. Well, it wasn't called the Earthbound back then... rather, the Rapts. Don't ask, 'cause I dunno what it means.

"Anyways, after Tracy- another Rapt- died, Pam had to choose four kids to be the next Rapt, which was then voted to be called the Earthbound.

"Oh, I remember that day. There was confetti everywhere. Personally, I didn't know any of the new Rapts. I didn't even meet Justin until after his appointment. And I remember the other three.

"Pam was to appoint two girls, and two boys to be the new Rapts. After the appointment, their training was to begin immediately. I obviously didn't want to be a Rapt. Watching as a bystander is way better."

"So, who were the other Rapts?" Kailee asked, still trying to process all the information.

"A girl named Sora. She was to take the place of Pam, who was the leader of the Rapts. Obviously, that would mean Sora was the leader of the new Rapts.

"A girl named Sonya was to take the place of Tracy. Now, she was one of those girly types. She hated mud, and she always got pranked. But, with her new authority, she was allowed to punish those who did it.

"Justin was chosen third, and he was to replace Gordon, who died first in the Rapts, but was the strongest MUM ever.

"And last, a boy named Manik, who happened to be Sonya's twin brother, was chosen to replace Vince as the nimble one."

"So, those four were the new leaders of the MUM?" Kailee asked.

"Yup."

"So..." Kailee needed to keep asking questions. Her head was sore. "Pam is the only Rapt still alive?"

Violet looked at Kailee darkly, "Yes."

"Okay, I'm getting it so far. So, Justin was the one who got to go on missions?"

"Yup. Isn't that obvious?"

"Nobody else could?"

"Are you kidding? Lots of people did! Especially if the Earthbound recognized you for a great achievment, and that's rare. Even saving a life won't get you a good review from the MUM. Especially Justin; he had to be the strictest one of the four."

"And the other three?"

"Like I said, Sonya was the girly girl. She would all like, 'You know what? You're sooooooo good! Teehee! I think I should ammend- OH MY GOD! I broke a nail! NOOOOOOOOOO!'"

"Seriously?"

"Yeah!" Violet exclaimed. Then, she quieted back down. "Manik liked all the attention, even years later. He had a band, too. He performed whenever he wanted, assuming he was free.

"Sora was a very attractive girl. Boys were all over her. Weheard speculations of Manik and Justin having crushes on her, but, you'd have to ask Justin himself to find out."

"This is all so strange," Kailee inquired. "Does the MUM have a headquarters?"

"Of course!" Violet exclaimed. "We all know that!"

"What? How?"

"Hold on, I'll get there," Violet said. "Anyways, we all respected the MUM. IT was all fun there, except for all the missions, which were quite dangerous, but, those Earthbounds always came back in one piece.

"It's technology was profound! There's nothing that the MUM couldn't do with machines, there was not one little thing that the MUM didn't know in it's computers.

"They had, literally, unlimited money, unlimited resources, and unlimited influence over all high authority. Even Homeland Security would ask advice from the Earthbound on what their next move should be."

"But," Kailee started. "Why did you leave?"

"I wasn't the first to leave."

"Who was?"

"Justin."

"Why?"

"Well," Violet thought. "All I heard was, that Pam, the former Rapt, had caused much chaos the year of the Earthbound's appointment."

"What chaos?" Kailee asked.

"Well, supposedly, Pam unleashed some sort of evil sorcerer onto the Great Sea, a ship full of drunk idiots to a place called Alagaësia, and some 'Shadow Lord' on some place called Deltora. It ended up killing most major routes and alliances to the MUM.

"And, Justin found out that Pam herself had killed all of the other three RAPTS. Everything I jsut said, happened on the day of Tracy's honorary funeral."

"How bad is that?" Kailee asked.

"Extremely bad," Violet answered. "What he found was considered to prove Pam a traitor. But, obviously, Pam was incredibly powerful. Not even he can imagine what sort of powers, both physical and magical, she possesses. She was able to disprove everything he tried to tell his former Earthbounds.

"Eventually, he was able to convince Samus, and she convinced him to leave the MUM. Pam was out to get him, and there was no way of escaping unless he killed her, which he would have to run anyways.

"When Justin left, Pam was able to convince the MUM he was a traitor, and that he was trying to kill her. Samus was then run out when the other Earthbounds found out she spoke to Justin. She and him fled away, to the Great Sea, I suppose.

"Then all of us, the bystanders at the MUM had a small civil war. Those who now opposed Pam's rule, and the Earthbound's authority; versus those who remained loyal to the Earthbound.

"After Pam chose the one who was to replace Justin, a boy named Matt, the rebels sent me, and two other women to look for Justin and Samus, so they could help fight.

"I was the one who found him, but word reached me before that, that the rebels were dead and the MUM now back at peace.

"However, I am still a rebel, and Justin and Samus are still traitors. Pam knew that Justin was strong enough to make his own army, and crush the MUM, one Earthbound at a time.

"And, she was right."

There was a pause. Kailee couldn't help feel pityful for the situation, and it didn't seem the story was gonna get any lighter.

"So then, two years later, Justin had his army," Violet continued. "We were all there, except for Medli and Tetra. They've never left the Great Sea except for Orre and now.

"Anyways, It was Me, Justin, Samus, Jasmine, Paff, Yvon, Manus, Gers, Z', and many more people. Everyone who knew the story, and wanted it right.

"The main reason we went back was to steal some technology, and kill Pam. Nobody saw us coming, so it was an easy entry.

"We swept every floor; Justin ordered me to help him and Samus to the top floor, where Pam sleeps. Only Earthbound members know where the elevator is.

"First, we headed to Samus' room, where all her technologyand biology experiments were still waiting. We grabbed them, and headed up to Justin's former room.

"To our surprise, the Earthbound weren't there. We trashed all four rooms, destroying everything we could. We found out later that our army was being ambushed on the second floor. We wanted to go back and help, but we couldn't. We went up to Pam's room.

"She was there. I have never seen Pam out of her robe. She was dark, darker than I've ever remembered her. She wanted us dead.

"The last thing I remember was being choked with an invisible hand. All I know about in between then, and me awaking in a plane, is that Justin threw Pam over her balcony, where she landed, square on her feet, and tried to blow up the top floor.

"She failed, however, but the invasion was still a complete failure. Most of our men were killed, and alot of our former friends, outside of the eleven of us now, were killed.

"And now, it comes to this."

"This doesn't... sound pretty," Kailee said. The story was glued to her brain now. She never pictured Justin or Samus as trained assasins or mercinaries. She feared that the story would be glued in her head forever.

"No," Violet shook her head. "These guys are literally urging to kill us... all of us.

"This doesn't seem like a fair battle at all to me.

"I'm scared now," Kailee shivered. "Nice going."

"You needed to know, I guess," Violet shrugged. "It's haunting. I don't like it at all."

"Come on guys," was the voice of Tetra's. "Let's get going. We've sat around too long."

"Way too long," Kailee commented.