Sorry I was gone so long. I've been busy, but I have been writing. Happy new year!
Chapter Thirty-Three: Boss Blades Bootcamp
Aurora felt weak and clumsy in her heavy gray armor, but it was the best that she could do on such short notice. Training started today, and she had no other armor on hand. It was the only real opportunity for the world to see that she was Skylander material. She could wait for a moment when better armor came in for her to purchase, but by then her uncle would be on to her.
Though she supposed it was also kind of helpful. The armor came with a large helmet that covered most of her face, so there was that.
She and several other trainees were on a grassy island in the middle of what had to be nowhere. On a higher level, there was a village where the trainees could hang out after sessions, while the lower level was solely reserved for sparring and housing. Aurora sat in a row with several other trainees, watching as a metallic Sensei with a chain-like beard walked to and fro, observing them all. He was an intimidating fellow, but Aurora saw a friendly twinkle in his eye. It was something that the other visibly-shaken trainees didn't really catch on to.
"Today starts your long process into high-quality Skylanders, trained by the best teachers on the team in one of the hardest programs we will ever have," the Sensei began. "I am Chain Reaction, and I will be overseeing your progress. I expect that you all will give one hundred and ten percent of your effort into becoming the best that you can be! If you happen to fail, you will be sent straight to the Academy to complete the normal training process there. But seeing as I'm one of the best, the only way that could happen is if I see you lazing about instead of trying. This isn't a free pass- rough injuries can be expected here, as to simulate what it's like being out there. Now who would like to back out now before things get tough?"
A small fire wolf meekly raised his hand.
"Glad to see you're all in it for the long haul."
The fire wolf's hand lowered in defeat.
"You will find your names on one of the cabins over there, which is where you'll be staying for the whole month. I suggest you take this time now to find out who you'll be spending the next few weeks with. Come back to me as soon as you settle."
The trainees dispersed. Aurora attempted to get up, but the heavy armor caused her to tumble back down. Chain Reaction came over and helped her up. No one else seemed to notice this, so Aurora didn't have to feel embarrassed.
"Cadet, I feel like you'd do a lot better without that kind of armor," Chain Reaction told her. "You don't seem used to it at all."
"Well, I'm sure I'll get used to it in a few days or so," Aurora insisted, looking down in order to ensure that he didn't recognize her. "It's brand new, you see, and-"
"I want to see you perform at your best, and I don't think that armor will help. Why don't you spend this time taking it off, and then we can properly get started?"
Aurora nodded, marching toward the cabins. If it weren't for the armor, she would've ran toward them. Everything about today excited her- the people, the location, the challenge. She'd never been out on her own like this before- always hidden away, always kept securely guarded- so this day had to be seized to its full extent! She'd never felt so free...and so trapped at the same time. Stupid armor!
"I've got it figured out! It's alphabetical, you see!" a Sky-Faun yelled as he looked at a paper on one of the cabins. "Who's this 'Boss Blades McSlashinator' character?"
"Ooh! That would be me!" Aurora cried out. Nobody knew her real name here. If her plan was to succeed, then she needed to keep her identity closely guarded from everyone. She tried once again to clamber over to the cabin, and she suddenly felt herself get picked up. The person in question who was now carrying her was a tall orange crystal woman with yellow hair. She nearly looked as imposing as Chain Reaction, if she didn't seem so nice.
"Oh, this is fun," Aurora mused. "You're like some kind of guardian angel."
"Hm, I've never gotten that one before," the woman giggled, setting Aurora down in front of the cabin. "Hey, is my name on there? That would be 'Barbella'."
The Sky-Faun looked again. "Yeah, just above Boss Blades," he replied. "Hm, only three people to a cabin? This is a small group."
"Well, it is the advanced program," Aurora suggested. "I doubt too many trainees would want to give this a go. It's supposed to be a really challenging way to become a Skylander."
"I guess that makes sense. I've heard that five people have died attempting this program. It's a really serious deal."
He was gently shoved by Barbella. "Nobody has ever died here," she insisted. "No matter how hard it is, I'm sure the Portal Masters take precautions to ensure that no one dies."
"But this place is wrapped in secrecy. Few people know what it's like to be in the program," the Sky-Faun argued.
Barbella looked at the paper, stifling a laugh as she turned back to the Sky-Faun. "Buckshot, huh? You make that one up for yourself or what?" she asked.
"What about Miss McSlashinator here?"
Aurora cleared her throat. "McSlashinator is a very ancient name that goes far back to the time of the Arkeyans. It's so ancient that few ever know of its existence," she lied. "Though Boss Blades is made up."
Barbella chuckled to herself before stepping inside. Buckshot vanished in a plume of mist, teleporting away. Aurora walked in herself, looking at the cozy cabin with its mahogony walls. She noticed that Buckshot had quickly claimed the top bunk bed for himself as Barbella took the single bed. The Sky-Faun stuck his tongue out to tease them.
"Hey guys, do you mind leaving for a minute?" Aurora asked them. "I'd like a bit of privacy."
"Alright- we still need to get our bags from our transport ship, anyway," Buckshot agreed. "Want me to get your bag?"
"If you could- I might need a bit of time. It's a yellow travel bag, it should say 'Boss Blades' on the tag."
Buckshot nodded, teleporting away. Barbella left as well, leaving Aurora alone in the cabin. She worked on removing the heavy armor with difficulty, the metal seeming to restrain her. Eventually she got everything off except for the helmet, leaving her in a yellow tank top and dark sweatpants. Aurora wondered if she should leave the helmet on, worried that someone might recognize her without it. With a sigh, she took it off anyway, revealing her pale face and short blonde hair. Maybe she brought something along with her that she could use as a disguise.
Because if anyone found out her secret, she feared that she might never become a Skylander.
The story was that her family was kidnapped by a force of invading Drow. At least, that's what Portal Master Eon and the Senseis determined. By the time Chain Reaction and the others arrived to chase them out, they had already gone. Aurora's father had been related to Eon, making everyone think that the Drow armies had been targeting the old Portal Master. In spite of this, the Drow that had attacked her home that day had missed the infant safely hidden away upstairs- Aurora herself.
Maybe that's where it came from. Maybe that's why her uncle Eon was so overprotective.
As soon as the Skylanders found her there, Eon hid her away on an island that only he knew the location of, intent on keeping his one remaining relative alive. He treated her like a daughter, always visiting whenever he got the chance. He brought her supplies to help sustain her and keep her busy, and tried to play with her when he was most fit. If Eon was unable to see Aurora, he always sent a Skylander to check up on her and make sure she was safe. But he never allowed her to leave and explore the rest of Skylands.
At first, it didn't really matter. Aurora didn't need to seek out adventure, since the Skylanders always told her of their adventures. They had the most exciting lives, fighting evil and defending the good people of the world. Some of the stories sounded scary, like how the Trap Masters took on the dastardly Doom Raiders, but it all sounded fascinating.
"Don't you ever get scared when you fight bad guys?" Aurora asked Chain Reaction once when he visited.
Chain Reaction paused in his blade practice, smiling as he looked at her. "Of course. But I don't focus on fear in order to get things done," he explained. "My allies have my back, and as long as I know I'm not alone, I know that I can take on any task."
"Are you like soldiers or something?"
"No, our bond is stronger than those of soldiers. We see each other as more of a family, working together for the good of Skylands."
"What does that feel like?"
"That part is harder to explain. It's just something you have to experience yourself."
And she yearned to since that day. Aurora wanted to become a Skylander, to see the world, to be part of a family like they were.
But Eon wouldn't hear it.
"I'm always concerned with watching my Skylanders head out into high-stakes battles," Eon always argued. "I can't have my niece marching out there to possible doom. Who knows what kind of things would go after you if they knew who you were."
"Then no one has to know," Aurora always begged him. "Please Uncle Eon, it's the only thing I've ever asked of you."
"I care about you too much to grant your wish. As long as I'm alive, I'll never let you join the Skylanders."
She trained constantly in swordplay for the next few years, always showing Eon what she could do whenever he stopped by. But no amount of practice, or begging, or reasoning, ever changed his mind. By the time she reached adulthood, and Eon's spirit had been split from her body, she was more determined than ever to join the Skylanders. Since Eon was a spirit, and not "alive" in the technical sense, she figured that this was the right time.
And no one would ever have to know it was her.
Maybe the world didn't know that Eon had a niece, but it would never find out. Aurora dawned a disguise, and quickly ran away from home and signed up for the boot camp program.
The first week tested their agility and acrobatics, as Chain Reaction wanted to see how they fared without powers. Ranks were not listed, as Aurora had thought they might be- the Sensei insisted that it would make them nervous. Work was tough, but Aurora found herself thoroughly enjoying it. She enjoyed the challenge, and she enjoyed who she was working with. If this was what it was like to be a Skylander, Aurora couldn't wait for it.
On the day that Chain Reaction was ready to see their powers, Aurora found herself sidetracked by the fire wolf, the little canine having created some kind of fort out of the training dummies. He was seen flying around it, riding on his giant bazooka. At the top of the fort, the fire wolf hopped off the bazooka, grabbing a hold if it and shooting fireworks at the setup, causing it to fall down. Aurora saw the fire wolf land on the ground with a smile, looking far more confident than the shy little canine he'd been earlier.
"Ooh, that was really cool," Aurora complimented him, tightening the yellow scarf she wore over her mouth and nose.
The fire wolf looked at her in shock, then looked away bashfully. "Thanks, I guess," he said. "I'm not sure if it will really impress Chain, though."
"Don't worry so much about impressing others. I think what matters is doing good by yourself."
"I know, and I'm really trying, but I'm not sure if it's enough to help me pass."
"Well Chain says what counts is that you try. So long as you're trying, you're doing a good job."
The fire wolf quickly shook her hand. "My name's Flarewolf," he added. "I'm not sure we've ever really talked before- I feel bad about it now."
"Well now we can make it a point to," Aurora decided. "My name's Au... Boss Blades."
A whistle was blown, directing the trainees to the center of the training ground. Chain Reaction was standing over Buckshot and Barbella, the two of them poised for battle. The metallic Sensei directed the bystanders into a circle formation, insisting that they watch in this way.
"Today starts the next phase of training- honing your powers," Chain Reaction announced. "I need to see where you're at before this phase gets rolling, and what better way to do that than one-on-one duels with one another? Barbella, Buckshot, you two are up first. Let's see what you've got."
Barbella gave the Sky-Faun a smirk. "I'm going to wipe that silly look off your face," she insisted.
"Dream on," Buckshot dared her.
The Sky-Faun raised his bow, firing three arrows at Barbella. She quickly dodged them, knocking them away with her giant barbell. She summoned a giant earthen hand from the ground, grabbing Buckshot and trapping him that way. The Sky-Faun writhed in an attempt to get out, then smirked at the crowd before teleporting away. Aurora watched as he bounded around, shooting arrows at Barbella and teleporting before she could retaliate. Barbella was using the earthen hands to block the shots, appearing overwhelmed by the onslaught as she studied his pattern. Barbella waited for a moment, and then jabbed her barbell in empty air- jabbing it into Buckshot's gut. Though winded, he was still ready to fire another arrow.
"And cut!" Chain Reaction shouted. "I've seen enough."
The two of them relaxed. Barbella leaned on her barbell and Buckshot slumped onto the ground, both of them worn out, though the Sky-Faun looked slightly worse off.
The metallic Sensei directed his attention to the crystal woman. "Barbella," Chain Reaction began, "You seem to rely heavily on your physical capabilities rather than your elemental powers. This is fine, though you should consider all your abilities in a real battle. Perhaps you'll meet an obstacle that can't be beat with physical strength alone. You should take this week to really focus on elemental powers."
He knelt down and looked at Buckshot. "New to these teleportation powers, huh? In battle, at least?" he asked. "I've noticed you poking around different places with them."
Buckshot nodded.
"You're clever, I can tell. I could see you trying to utilize both your bow and your teleportation during the duel. But there's a certain balance to be had with that. You need to train more with teleportation, or else you'll wear yourself out. And you can't simply jump around like a rabbit in battle, or that will wear you out as well, and your patterns will be too obvious."
Chain Reaction helped him up, and the two of them weaved through the crowd to get water. Aurora held her hand up for them to high-five, which was gladly reciprocated. The metallic Sensei walked up to her, looking her in the eye as if he was reading something. He motioned for her and Flarewolf to come into the center, setting them a few feet apart from each other.
"Boss Blades, Flarewolf, you two are up next," Chain Reaction said.
Flarewolf tensed up, clutching his bazooka fearfully. "I don't know. Our choices of weapons don't really match up well," he muttered. "Not to mention...I don't exactly have powers like them..."
"Well you're not just squatting around with your bazooka, are you?"
Aurora pulled her blades off her belt, prepared for battle. "Flarewolf, your rocket technique. You can use that," she reminded him.
Flarewolf's eyes widened in realization, and he quickly hopped on his bazooka. Chain Reaction stepped back, allowing the two of them to spar.
Flarewolf flew in a circle around Aurora, before flying a few feet above her and sending the bazooka back down. Using light magic, Aurora quickly sped out of the way. The fire wolf picked up the apparatus, shooting fireworks at her, which she promptly blocked away with her blades. She hopped onto the back of Flarewolf's rocket as he started riding around again. Her grip was intentionally weak, allowing the canine to shake her off in hopes of gaining him confidence. The act seemed to surprise him, though he was nonetheless proud of what he had accomplished.
"And cut!" Chain Reaction shouted.
Aurora stood up as Flarewolf hopped off the bazooka rocket. Chain Reaction looked at the fire wolf first.
"Flarewolf, you would do well to relax a little during a fight," he began. "Not to mention outside of one. You're too stiff-legged. You need to allow the moves to flow naturally. If they flow mechanically, especially for someone with your skill set, they can be easily taken advantage of."
"I was doing well though...right?" Flarewolf stammered.
"Perhaps, but you looked a bit stiff to me, especially at the moment when Boss Blades was able to hop onto your rocket. Say, how do you do that, anyway?"
"Just intuition, perhaps."
"And you say you don't have powers?"
No comment.
"Maybe intuition will be your power. In battle, we must use everything we have. I'd like to spend some time training with you this next week, see what we can do about your nervousness. And if intuition really is the only power you have, well, then we'll really know."
Chain Reaction turned to Aurora. "Boss Blades, in a real battle, maybe you shouldn't tell the enemy how they can defeat you- just as a precaution," he added. "And don't be so gentle, either. It's okay, this time, but for your next sparring match, I'd like you to put a bit more effort into fighting."
"Okay," Aurora agreed.
"Oh, and after sparring is over, I'd like to have a chat with you alone."
That sentence made Aurora nervous. What could he possibly want to speak with her alone for?
Aurora was asked to see Chain Reaction at the edge of the village above them once the sparring sessions had ceased. Most of the trainees stuck with each other, wandering around the houses and mucking about in the gardens as Mabu eagerly came to see them. Aurora found the metallic Sensei sitting at a bench, sipping on iced tea as a tiramisu cake sat next to him on a plate. The cake made her nervous- tiramisu was her favorite, but Chain Reaction couldn't possibly know that.
Unless...he knew...
No, couldn't be.
But maybe...
Perhaps it was just coinci-
"Ah, Boss Blades, it's nice to see you," Chain Reaction greeted her, handing the plate to her.
He had to know, then.
"I'm alright, but thanks," Aurora insisted nervously, taking her seat next to him. "What did you want to talk to me about."
Chain Reaction frowned, though it wasn't out of any kind of anger. "So, have you dreamt of becoming a Skylander for a long time, Aurora?" he asked.
Oh, by the Ancients, he knew! "W-Why are you calling me that?" she stammered, trying to play dumb.
"I haven't told your uncle Eon anything about your being here, if that's what you're worried about. Though he is worried sick about you, ever since you ran away from home."
He hadn't said anything about it? Was her secret still safe from everyone? "You're not going to tell him anything, are you?" she begged him.
"I'd certainly like to, just to ease his soul. But this seems important to you, so I won't."
"How did you figure it out, anyway?"
"When you get to my age, you can read a lot about a person through their eyes- who they are, how they feel, and so on. I recognized you by the way your eyes held a sparkle, though I wasn't entirely certain. This afternoon, however, when I saw you allow Flarewolf to shake you off the rocket during your match, I knew it was you. You've always been gentle around people like him, and I could tell right away from that one act."
"Then if Eon comes to observe us, you better partner me up with someone like Barbella. I won't hold back from her or anyone else like that."
"Tell me exactly what you hope to achieve out here."
"I'm going to become a Skylander, of course."
"Yes, but I know that's not the whole story."
Aurora sighed, shoulders sagging. "I love my uncle dearly, but even though I'm an adult now, he's still treating me like a child. He's just so worried about me getting hurt if he doesn't let his guard up. I want to be a Skylander so I can be a part of something bigger than myself, keep safe a world bigger than the one I've known. I'm going about it this way so that Eon sees that I'm okay on my own. And if not on my own, then with a team of others that we trust."
"A very strong reason, indeed. I promise that you'll achieve your goal, Aurora. If he does find out, I'll show him why he's wrong to keep you from joining our ranks."
The week went by fairly quickly, and everyone was making strides in their training. Aurora heard Chain Reaction say that they looked like brilliant Skylanders. The trainees were probably ready to join the ranks at that point. But there was still one more hurdle that everyone had to leap over. One that Aurora found herself dreading, even after Chain Reaction insisted that he'd help her.
An evaluation from Master Eon himself.
"I heard from Chain that the evaluations are going alphabetical like our cabin assignments did," Buckshot told them in their cabin one morning. "Looks like the B-Squad is going first. Do either of you know how the Portal Master does these things?"
"You don't have some crazy theory for it this time?" Barbella asked him. "Nothing like 'he kills those he thinks failed this program'?"
"If he'll see us as Skylander material, that sounds counter-intuitive to his plan."
"Nervous?"
"Maybe a little."
"It's okay if you are. I'm sure we're all feeling it."
Aurora clutched the pillow on her bunk, studying the swirl pattern on it. "If I'm honest, I kind of feel sick to my stomach," she admitted.
"It's probably not as bad as we're building it up to be," Barbella suggested. "I'm sure everything will go smoothly. And hey, the three of us are going to get it over with right away. That's something, isn't it?"
Neither of them replied.
The door opened, and Chain Reaction walked in. "You're up, Barbella," he announced.
Barbella hopped off her bed, walking toward the door. "You guys coming?" she asked them.
"Might as well," Aurora sighed, setting the pillow down. "We're on deck, anyway."
They walked out, heading toward the field. The trainees were hovering around the cabins, anxiously watching as two figures came onto the island. A penguin with his hair tied back waddled toward them- Sensei leader King Pen. A bearded spirit floated next to him- Master Eon himself. The two of them looked very regal and important, as if they determined where the paths of their very lives would lead them.
"They're kind of imposing, aren't they?" Buckshot muttered.
"Shake off those nerves, cadets," Chain Reaction told them. "Nothing to fear here. They're just regular people."
Any chatter that the trainees had was silenced as Eon waved his hand over the crowd. "Greetings, everyone," he announced. "I am Eon, the Portal Master who leads the Skylanders. For the next week, I will be evaluating you on how well you've progressed through the boot camp. You will show me your full range of powers, and here to help me through evaluations is Sensei King Pen, who will be sparring with each and every one of you."
King Pen stepped into the center, taking a battle stance. "Come up, Barbella!" he shouted.
Barbella stepped forward, clutching her barbell. "I'm here," she announced.
"Fight to win, and fight until Eon gives the word. Got it?"
"I do."
"Then let's begin."
King Pen attacked first, thrusting his bladed flipper in Barbella's direction. Barbella swerved out of the way, blocking him with an earthen hand. The penguin launched back, bringing his blades together and spinning toward her. She thrust her barbell square on the blades, flipping onto his back and pinning him down. King Pen knocked her off, breathing ice to lock her feet in place. Barbella hit him again with her barbell, knocking him away from her.
"Whoa, they're really getting into close-quarters, aren't they?" Aurora muttered to Buckshot. She looked at him, noticing that the Sky-Faun was studying the battle intently. His eyes flicked about as he watched King Pen and Barbella go at it, seeming to track their movements.
"What are you seeing?" she asked him.
"...There's this kind of lag to King Pen's gait," Buckshot whispered. "Not sure if it's intentional for this test, or if it's from his funny walk...but two speedsters like us could take advantage of that. Keep him from getting too close to you, or he'll take you down and keep you there."
"That'll be hard for me. My weapons aren't long-range like yours."
"Then make sure he can't pin you down."
Eon waved his hand over the battle. "Cut!" he shouted. King Pen and Barbella relaxed, panting heavily. Eon floated over to Barbella, holding his hand out for her to grab.
"Congratulations, Barbella, you have passed the training program," Eon announced. "Welcome to the Skylanders. You can now wait in your cabin while I assign you to a team. Good job."
Barbella walked back toward Buckshot and Aurora, both of whom gave her a high-five.
"Now Boss Blades McSlashinator, you will have to come up here in a few minutes to show us if you're ready to become a Skylander," Eon concluded.
Aurora gripped the handles of her blades on her belt, trying to ease her nerves. Suppose she lost to King Pen? Suppose Eon barred her from joining if he recognized her? Everything she had worked so hard to achieve had come to this. She felt a pat on her back, and turned around to see Barbella smile at her.
"Don't worry, you've got this," she promised her.
A whistle from King Pen called her up to the center. Aurora walked forward, pulling her blades out and taking a battle stance. The penguin repeated his statement from before, and they began the battle. King Pen launched forward, and his clumsy gait was more obvious to her from here. Using her light magic, she quickly sped forward, knocking him off his feet. King Pen hobbled back up, breathing ice at her- this was blocked by her blades. He tried spinning at her again, and Aurora sped away. King Pen swerved in order to meet her, slashing his flipper at her. She blocked this with her blade, using the other to slice at his blade. The blade was knocked off, putting him off balance, and she promptly sped by and knocked him down once more.
"Cut!" Eon shouted.
The two of them ceased the fight. Aurora panted heavily, her throat feeling like it was on fire. She'd never fought that intensely before. Though there were slight scratches on her arms, she was otherwise unhurt. She watched King Pen get up, panting as much as she was. There was a scratch on his flipper- one that Aurora had left there.
"Eon, I think she's one that I need on my team!" King Pen shouted excitedly.
Eon floated over to Aurora, holding his hand out for her. She sheathed her blades and shook his hand, accidentally looking him in the eye. His brow raised in shock as he looked at her, recognizing her by the way her eyes looked, just as Chain Reaction had. Aurora's heart plummeted- he recognized her.
"C-Congratulations, Boss Blades," Eon stammered. "Welcome to the Skylanders."
Aurora walked away from him, trying to process what had happened. Her friends cheered for her as she returned to them, and she half-heartedly gave them a high-five. Eon had recognized her. What was to happen now?
Tests went on for a few days, to ensure that everyone got the same kind of luck. It took a little while for Eon to sort the trainees into teams, and on the last day, he eventually just decided to have meetings with each student in order to properly tell them. They didn't go in alphabetical order this time- each trainee came in when they felt like.
Aurora and Barbella stood by Chain Reaction's cabin, waiting for Buckshot to come out. The Sky-Faun walked out of the cabin, rather than teleporting, his eyes cast on the ground in thought.
"Yeah?" Barbella asked him.
"I'm a Sensei," Buckshot said. "That's where Eon said I'd be going. With the Senseis."
"Wow, maybe he thought you were good enough to be a teacher."
"Or he thought that I wasn't good enough to be a Skylander- those who can't do, teach, after all. I've never really understood that, by the way. I mean, why teach if you can't do?"
"You seem upset about your placement," Aurora noted. "I thought you'd be more excited."
Buckshot paced around. "I should be. I mean, the Senseis are the Uber-landers, the best of the best," he continued. "But I don't feel like a Sensei. I don't feel like I earned it. Is that odd to you?"
"Well it is basically your first day," Barbella shrugged. "I'm sure no one feels like a Sensei on the first day. Like how you don't really feel like an adult on the birthday that makes you one. You'll grow into that over time."
No comment.
"It's not so bad. I mean, Eon made me a Sensei as well. The two of us can work it out together."
The two of them looked at Aurora, sharing her nervousness. Over the past few days, Eon had made it a point to avoid her, despite his obvious desperation to speak with her after this whole month. He had to have been mad at her ruse- a ruse that, thankfully, most others were unaware of. In spite of his speech when her battle had finished, Aurora wasn't even sure if she was a Skylander now, and that made it all the more nerve-racking. Maybe he would bar her from joining again, after everything she had been through to get there, because even then he couldn't bear the thought of losing her. It gave her a sick feeling that hadn't gone away.
And so, days prior to this moment, she had told Buckshot and Barbella of her identity in secret, hoping that they could help her ease the sick feeling. She trusted them enough to do so.
"I should go in there, shouldn't I?" Aurora muttered rhetorically.
"...You know, Rory, if he doesn't make you a Skylander, it's really his loss," Buckshot insisted. "You're perfect for the job."
"Thanks."
She walked up to the door, silently knocking on it. The door opened, and Chain Reaction stood in front of her. He gave her a smile and invited her in. Aurora saw Eon and King Pen arguing about something, as their voices seemed raised and their stances seemed tense. This made her feel worse. She didn't need to guess what they were fighting about.
"King Pen and I talked about it last night, and he's adamant in making you a Skylander," Chain Reaction told her. "Eon, however-"
"Is still against it," Aurora sighed. "Ahem, Uncle Eon! I want to talk to you!"
The penguin and Portal Master stopped fighting, as Eon turned to see her.
"No, that was the wrong thing to say," Aurora corrected herself. "Eon, I demand that you speak to me. Don't avoid me. Don't ignore me. Please listen."
"I've been listening to you about this," Eon insisted. "Ever since the idea came to your mind, I've always listened to you. I understand why you want to join. I understand that the bond shared with Skylanders is something that you desire. I'd love to allow you to join, but the stakes are higher than I think you understand. The Skylanders head into danger all the time. I always worry that they'll never come back. I don't want to worry about you not coming back."
"I know you don't. But I also know the risks, and I'm ready. I'm not scared so long as I'm on a team. And I'm not worried so long as I know what I'm doing."
Eon's brow furrowed, and Aurora could see thoughts running in his mind. Finally, he asked, "You're...you're not a little girl, anymore...are you?"
"I promise I'll be okay," Aurora insisted.
"Then I probably shouldn't treat you like one."
King Pen took a more relaxed stance. "Eon, I'd like to have Aurora on board as one of our Senseis," he said. "I think she has skills that could be passed down onto other students. You'd be a fool not to agree with that- you saw her out there."
Eon nodded. "Then it shall be," he decided. "Aurora, you shall be joining King Pen and Chain Reaction as Senseis. You can use your true identity if you wish- although...I wouldn't oppose it if you decided to go by Boss Blades McSlashinator again."
A flurry of emotions stirred inside of her. Aurora was going to be a Sensei!? She was going to be a Skylander!? Every part of her training and work at this camp had not gone in vain. She had finally succeeded in her life long mission.
"I won't let you down, Uncle Eon!" Aurora cheered. She made a move for the door, but quickly turned around to hug Eon. "I love you."
"I love you too, Aurora," Eon smiled. "And for the record, I'm glad that you were among my friends this whole time."
She released him, running toward the door. "I won't let you down!" she pronised him, opening the door and hurrying outside.
Aurora launched herself onto the grass, skidding in front of Buckshot and Barbella. The two of them stood up to greet her, having been anxiously awaiting her return. Something clicked inside of Aurora, though she wasn't immediately sure of what. Seeing her friends waiting for her made her...happy, for lack of a better term. They were Senseis. The three of them were Senseis. They were going to stay together.
"What did he say?" Barbella asked her. "Are you in or not?"
"I'm in," Aurora confirmed. "I'm a Sensei."
She grabbed the two of them in a tight hug. Tears of joy fell from her eyes. Aurora suddenly realized what it was that had clicked inside her- a bond. One that she shared with Buckshot and Barbella and everyone else she had met here. That was what it meant to be a Skylander. She had finally found what she was looking for.