Gummadoon Sitting Room
The mass of cubs made quite the ruckus walking in and Cubbi moved quickly to greet them. He noted Corvi was not here and it made him wonder. What was Corvi doing right now? He felt bad for the blond haired teen. It was bad enough to hear the horrible, awful things just spoke aloud; it had to be a thousand times worse to be the one forced to translate them. Tavi said Corvi's mom spoke fluent Old Gummi too. He considered asking her to translate. It might be easier on Corvi that way. Well, maybe it was an option if it became too much for Corvi at any rate. Though there was the question if she even would but she sounded like she was reasonable. If she found out they wee doing it to help the knights and the Council, well, gummies always aided those willing to help others.
The pink gummi cub really wanted to just blurt out everything, to tell Sir Plucki everything he had heard, everything he was learning. It was all so horrible, so frightening. He didn't understand how anyone could be as cruel as this Emi was turning out to be. He was beginning to truly understand why there were some books in their library at the Glen that Gruffi and Grammi had not let him or Sunni near. Realization lit up in his eyes like a candle in the dark.
Wait…if Emi was from the Glen (and he was still trying to wrap his brain around that) then wouldn't THEIR Great Book have more information on her? Zummi did a ton of journaling in there, detailing all their adventures. When they had first opened it, there had been a message from the last of the Ancient Glens. But…Gummadoon had been knee-deep involved too and they had kept that information out of their Great Book. Cubbi pondered a moment on the other books though, the ones inside the Glen library. Zummi had been quick to repair them all magically as soon as Gummadoon had restored the Glen.
Before he had been reluctant to do so because of the risk involved but now he had lots of gummi wizards to mentor him. So, Gum only knew what secrets had been unlocked. Plus, there were those hidden passages in the Glen, the ones that… …That Grammi, Zummi and Gruffi had been strict that he and Sunni and even Tummi stay clear away from.
They had tried to reason that they just wanted to explore them once and Gruffi had used the excuse that they were too broken down. That they were too dangerous. The trio of cubs had even tried to get Gusto to back them up and it was one of the few times, aside from that time that he had stayed over with Gusto, that he had seen such seriousness enter the sky blue gummi's face. Gusto had sided with Gruffi, said that even the Ancient Gummies' halls were subject to decay. Cubbi and Sunni had left it at that (Tummi had not been overly zealous to begin with) simply because of the intensity of the responses. Now, as Cubbi reviewed it, it seemed a huge clue. That did little to soothe him though. He was still frightened, more so than he remembered being in his entire life.
He wanted answers. He needed answers. He wanted this over and done so that he could get back to training, so that Sir Plucki would stop looking so tired and worn. So that things could finally, finally become peaceful and they could just get ON with their lives. Cubbi was drawn out of his wishful thoughts by the poking of Toni. Cubbi gave the cub a bright grin, glad to see he had moved away from Sir Gumlittle a bit. His arms were still wrapped but Cubbi noted he was using them more, or at least attempting to. He still didn't see him do anything more strenuous than lifting something with his forearms. He wasn't present at their meals usually, or he didn't eat much. Cubbi had not thought that he could damage his wrists that badly but now that he thought about it, there was a lot of stuff you did with your wrists. Toni's had bled a lot. How long 'til they healed?
Sneaking a glance, Gumlittle spied his little white haired squire leaning in close to Cubbi. It truly levitated some of the pain and pressure on his heart to see that type of interaction. Toni was pretty reserved, which was a truly understandable reaction, given the current state of events. Toni was a very self-sufficient cub, which made the situation with his wrists a bit troubling. Toni had eaten very little the night before. Gumlittle had convinced him to drink a little bit but it had been minimal. Gumlittle knew it was boy's pride. Toni was at the age where cubs wanted to be independent anyway and now he was dependent on someone else for even the simplest things while his body attempted to heal.
It was healing, Gumlittle saw the signs. But the stubborn boy was suffering in the meantime. Perhaps another lesson on pride was necessary; it was a vital lesson and the boys were at the direct age where it was most important. The adults set about getting a fire started and the cubs began to throw blankets down. Considering for a moment longer, Toni gave the pink furred cub a second glance before he turned and set his eyes on his mentor who was throwing another log into the fireplace. Plucki was helping some of the younger boys gather their blankets, showing them how to double them up to make them warmer.
Blastus was taking note of who was present, counting in French under his breath. Deciding to take advantage before the stories really started, Toni looked up and asked, "Gummie, can I go grab my pillow out of my room?" The tall Gummadoon knight smiled, poking at the fire a bit to stir the flames. "Sure. Do you need any help?" "Cubbi said he'd help me." Cubbi jerked his head around and was about to ask when he said THAT but he didn't want to look rude either. Besides, he didn't really mind. So he got up and after a nod from his own mentor, he followed Toni outside the sitting hall and towards the large set of stairs.
As they walked, Cubbi turned to the blue furred cub that was quiet. He supposed it was expected but the cub's eyes were focused and dark. He looked almost angry but Cubbi couldn't think of any reason why he would be angry, especially with him. "Toni, did I make you mad? I dunno what I-"
Toni stopped and pushed his room door open, though not without wincing at the movement. He had gotten better at using his forearms and shoulder to get what he needed to get done but any movement on his wrists still hurt and he couldn't really make a full fist yet. It still hurt too much but it hurt less than it had. Gumlittle had spoken the truth on that. Still, it infuriated him at all the things he couldn't do. He wasn't supposed to be a weakling. Though, if there was any silver lining to it, it really was nice to have Gumlittle by his side. It felt good.
"I'm not mad." Toni responded as he pulled his quilt off the bed, wincing and yelping in pain when the weight forced him to bend his wrists. Cubbi ran to help him and Toni winced through clenched teeth "N-no, I've got it."
Cubbi bit his lip, eyeing the wrapped wrists. He could see the tensed muscles underneath them. He could see the way the boy's hands shook. He took hold of the quilt, not to try and take it away but to alleviate some of the weight.
"Well at least let me help carry it. I've tripped on a quilt going down those stairs. It was not fun." Cubbi winced as he recalled that extremely embarrassing incident. He had only been in Gummadoon a few days. He had been trying to help Plucki clear out some old ripped and retired clothes, quilts and what not and was helping him carry them down to the one of the seamstresses who apparently used them for some other type of project. He had tripped on the third step down and tumbled the whole way down. Looking back on it, he supposed it was amusing but he had certainly not felt that way when it happened.
Toni pouted "I should be able to carry my own blanket." Cubbi felt a bit at a loss of what to say. He knew Toni was still healing but he could also understand feeling utterly and completely frustrated. And-
"And what have you all been up to, anyway?" Toni's sharp inquiry brought Cubbi back to the present situation abruptly.
He blinked. "Huh? Who? What?"
Toni narrowed his eyes. "You hate it when people play dumb Cubbi and so do I so don't try it. I mean what's been up with you, Tavi and Corvi?" He asked again as they made their way into the hall. Toni grabbed his stuffed fish on his way out from its spot by his desk, still never taking his eyes off Cubbi. It unnerved Cubbi some, more so when Toni elaborated.
"I mean the way you and Tavi and Corvi are always talkin' all secretive. You guys planning somethin' special or something?" Cubbi froze. Had they been so obvious? Did the knights suspect? They were so close to finding answers then he and the others could let Plucki and them know what to do and…and yeah, then they could fix this mess so their mentors didn't have to worry about it! Or at the very least, it was one less thing for their mentors to have to do. Once they had all these answers, they could help their mentors brainstorm and come up with a solution. Emi had made herself known and they were NOT going to just sit around and not do anything. Especially when they were so close. They just had to weave through the last of the translations and…
"You are, aren't you?" Toni interrupted his thoughts again, taking pause on the stairs. "What are you up to? The knights don't appreciate being left in the dark and neither do I."
Cubbi felt a bit conflicted. He knew Toni had been through a lot, more so than most people would in a lifetime and it would not surprise him if the possession of his mother was somehow connected to Emi Gummi. Did he have a right to know? Well, it was hard enough keeping secret with just him and Tavi and Corvi. But then there was the issue of if they would be able to protect the knights. If they were all involved then… Cubbi shook his head; he really didn't want to think about this right now. So he eyed his friend and said "It's…kinda secret."
Toni narrowed his eyes "Not the best time to keep secrets, don't you think?" Toni inquired, though he kept the frustration free from his voice as he tried to pull the quilt from Cubbi. Cubbi in response, grasped the boy's arms, trying to be as convincing as possible. True, Toni didn't really KNOW anything. But he could certainly let the knights know something was up but if they heard that, then who knew what would happen! They had to finish their investigation first. They were way too close to—no, he had to convince Toni.
"Toni, it's all to protect them," Cubbi tried to assure the boy. "You're right. There's lots of stuff going on and we're trying to fix it." He locked eyes, hoping to convince Toni of his sincerity. He wanted to keep the knights safe. He didn't know much about Emi, only what he was learning and that was terrifying in and of itself. He didn't want to imagine what had happened before. They just couldn't let it happen again. They couldn't just sit and do nothing. Toni would understand that right? He saw that link between Toni and Gumlittle, he would get it…. "Toni…Toni, we aren't keeping them long and I promise we're going tell them as soon as we—"
"OW" Toni yelped as Cubbi's grip slipped a bit, brushing his wrists. Cubbi released instantly, guilt cutting through his heart. He hadn't meant to do that. He dropped the blanket as Toni screeched. Cubbi bit his lower lip and moved his hands up to his shoulders, looking at the wrapped wrists. There was no blood or anything but it must have hurt, it must have hurt a lot. He looked at his friend, tears prickling his eyes. He could hear feet running from downstairs.
Grasping Toni gently, he pleaded. "Oh, Gum, I'm sorry Toni. I didn't mean to—"
"Boys, what's going on?" Gumlittle inquired as he made his way up the stairs. Cubbi stared at his friend, his heart pounding for more than one reason. He felt his palms sweat as Gumlittle found his way to their side and knelt to one knee. He took note of his boy's tensed face. Looking at Cubbi, he inquired again, "Cubbi, what happened?"
"I.."
"It's okay, Gummie." Toni interrupted. "Cubbi and I just had really bad grips and he accidently grabbed my wrist. It's okay."
Cubbi blinked, surprised. Toni gave his teammate a look that clearly said he did not approve of this idea but that he would go with it for now. He gave his mentor a smile as the large gummi looked his wrists over "See, Gummie, no blood. I'm fine. It just hurt. But it was an accident."
Gumlittle looked over both the wrists again before he was satisfied. "Okay, if you're sure Sport." Toni nodded as Gumlittle grabbed the fallen blanket. To Cubbi, he gave a gentle smile at the boy's paled face. "Cubbi, you look like you're going to pass out, it's alright." He gently nudged the boy's cheek. "It was an accident. It happens. Now come on. We're just about ready for the stories, whenever Corvi gets here."
Toni stared at his mentor as he followed him, Cubbi trailing behind. "Corvi's not here? He's never late."
OOOOO
Lady Bane's Palace
Frustrated, the evil witch kicked aside one of her troggles as she paced the hall. Her undead gummi sat quietly in the center. With no soul to guide it, it waited for directions. Undead really was the best way to describe it. Its heart beat and it breathed but without a soul, it was hardly alive. Therein laid her problem. It was fairly simple to give commands to it, simple ones but it was hardly believable. She doubted anyone of even the simplest intelligence would suspect it for being a true gummi and gummies were naturally extremely intelligent creatures.
She had to be able to inhabit it herself. Her mother had managed it. Her mother had perfected it. As far as she knew, no one STILL knew she had commanded it. That was how flawless her mother's command had been, so fluidly obtained. Her mother was a strategist, patient. That was a trait that Lady Bane did not share of hers. Her mother was patient, she could wait endlessly if it served her purpose.
Lady Bane wanted results and she wanted them quickly. All her troggles were well aware of this requirement. Failure was not permitted. Her mother had waited for years, not just days, but years! She had woven her control subtly. She had taken control with nary a slip in the natural order of things. Well, she didn't have the time her mother had but she was hardly going to be outdone.
She set her eyes on the gummi again. Focusing, she closed her eyes and this time when she sought out sight, the gummi's eyes opened. The first thing she noticed was the incredible magical ability she felt inherent. Then, she felt the embrace of smell and touch beyond what she usually possessed. She tried to turn the head but it barely moved. It was like moving through molasses, it was like pushing through some type of murky swamp. But…she had done it. It was hard, hardly useable as of yet but… She could see through the gummi's eyes. She took an inhale, and found her senses flooded again. She dug into her spirit and took a single step. A smirk spread, slowly, across the green gummi face. "See…Mother. You…are not the …only one who can…command the gummi…race."
Her footsteps were slow; she had to push all her spirit into the mere movement of walking. The body rejected every movement she attempted. It was a pure forcing of her will through the limp limbs, commanding them to bend to her will, not the will they were so used to. It was something she would need to practice. She needed this character to be completely capable of every movement normally inherent to a gummi. Anything less and she would be found out and quickly. It would be difficult to pull this off, everything had to be flawlessly planned. Her momentary lapse of thought rendered the body stock still in mid step. It crashed to the ground before Lady Bane could gain complete control. Blood dripped from her own body's forehead in pure exasperation. It was hard, painful but she forced the body back up, taking a moment to gather her feelings.
Yes, yes, this body was slowly becoming hers again. It was…slightly easier this time. The gummi was hers!
She got the distinct feeling she was being laughed at again.
OOOOO
Gummadoon Palace
"Co'vi, you sound funny."
Corvi gave his youngest brother a cocked brow. "Gee, thanks."
Morri smirked at his elder brother, trotting by his side. "Sorry Corv but he has a point. You do sound funny."
Corvi didn't really want to entertain that right now. He was not beyond thinking that the stress could very well be becoming expressed in his voice and his expression. He was trying desperately not to let it but Cori seemed to catch pretty much everything. It was not helping his nerves to have that thrown in his face. He rubbed his neck subconsciously, noting a faint swell in his throat, almost unnoticeable. Maybe he had gotten a dose of the seasonal allergies. They normally did not cause any swelling but it was not unheard of. As if he didn't have ENOUGH on his plate without worrying about being sick!
Giving his siblings a firm look, he adjusted Cori in his arms, warning, "Thanks oh so much for your compliments guys but drop it." Cori pouted but went quiet as Morri rolled his eyes; his brother sure was cranky. He understood he was stressed but he also thought Corvi took himself way too seriously at times. But he kept a firm grip on Corvi's free hand.
Corvi had picked Cori up about half way to the palace. The sun was setting and according to Corvi, they were already late. Morri hoped that meant that they would get a chance to hear some of the stories. He knew that technically they weren't squires but sometimes the knights would allow them to listen in, regardless. That is, if Corvi would lighten up long enough to enjoy it. Morri was stressed too, no doubt about that but he didn't seem to be having the same reaction his elder brother was. That aside though, he did suppose Corvi had to deal with a lot of things that he didn't have to. Corvi always had been the type to take on way more than he needed to.
After their father had died, Corvi had shifted from elder brother to being "bear of the house" much to his mother's dual delight and dismay. At times it had been useful, especially right after Cori had been born but it also tended to make Corvi a stick in the mud at times. He had lightened up some over the years, mainly because he was with Blastus a lot and it was completely impossible to not lighten up around Blastus. However, now that their mother had…joined their father, Morri saw the parental side of Corvi rearing its ugly head again. Now, he was not about to deny that it was useful at times but it caused such a strain on his brother. Corvi was a perfectionist in the worst sense and this situation just exaggerated it a thousand times worse. He tried to remain understanding but it was hard at times. He knew it must be hard to have to worry about them, training and tutoring all at once. Plus, Morri was pretty sure that Corvi had not mourned their mother yet. That was just like Corvi, keeping his own needs in the back and putting the others' needs ahead of him. He had sat up with Morri and Cori, letting the middle child sob on him into well into the early morning and while Cori had been too young to fully comprehend what was going on, he had been understandably upset and had found his rock in Corvi as well.
Now, as they made their way up the palace steps, Corvi waving at two of the knights standing guards and Cori giggling and giving them a salute, Morri wondered if Corvi not attending to his own needs was going to negatively affect him. He didn't want to see Corvi upset, hurt or sick. Luckily, he didn't have a lot of time to ponder it because they nearly collided with Blastus on his way out.
"Corvus!" Cori jumped down into Morri's arms as Blastus nearly strangled their elder brother in a fierce hug. Cori giggled but said nothing as Morri shushed him.
Corvi winced and swallowed, "Blastus—"
"Où dans le nom de Dieu a tu aves été? J'ai été inquiété malade! Tu n'êtes jamais dernier!" The French knight locked eyes with his squire, looking him up and down quickly, searching for any sign of injury.
Corvi laughed a bit and moved away from his mentor, pulling back just a little bit. "Blastus, je suis fin. Quelque chose est monté à la maison si j'ai dû obtenir mes frères. Désolé. Je n'ai pas signifié pour vous inquiéter." He tried to assure his mentor, smiling. He held his arms out, spreading his legs, to show his mentor that he lacked any type of injury to his form.
Blastus seemed to be calmed at this development and took a steadying breath. "Le petit Agneau, vous serez la mort de moi, un jour." Corvi turned a bright red; that was a nickname he would never lose but he did not appreciate it being flaunted all over the place.
"Blastus." He hissed, switching back to common, "Little lamb, here?" Blastus chuckled as Corvi's two younger brothers covered their mouths and giggled at their elder brother's discomfort. So, something came up and he had to bring his brothers? Well, that made sense. He would need to figure out what exactly came up. He knew Corvi's mother had been sick; perhaps she needed the extra time to be able to recover.
He would have to inquire to Corvi about the current home situation but there would be time for that later. He mouthed this to his squire, gently "Nous adresserons ceci plus tard." Corvi nodded in response. The Gummadoon knight broke into a huge grin and knelt down on one knee and opened his arms to the smaller gummies, his entire body posture changed back to the goofy playful friend and mentor that most cubs knew so well.
"Morri, Cori, doesn't Blastie get a hug?" Cori squealed and ran at the knight he had known his entire life as a father figure and Morri followed suit, throwing his arms around the knight, grinning.
"Sorry we're barging in on the rest week, Blastie." The Gummadoon knight just smiled and lifted the boys up into his arms, resting Morri on one of his hips and throwing Cori over his shoulder, where the cub burst out laughing, kicking his legs.
"Come on boys," he smirked as he walked inside "We have just enough time for introductions before the stories start."
OOOOO
Gummadoon Sitting Room, Late Night
Opening his eyes, Cubbi laid silent for a little bit longer. Shifting his head up, he saw that the room was dark, the fire extinguished. Glancing to his left, he saw Toni and Martinni asleep, covered from head to toe in blankets. Looking down, he saw a similar blanket had been draped over himself. He saw Flynn curled into a tight ball to his right, likewise covered up. Sitting up, he looked around.
Corvi was lying on the couch, not the floor, sleeping, his long blond tresses falling into his face. The two new gummies who had been introduced as Corvi's brothers were curled up tightly next to one another at the other end of the couch. Cubbi saw no sign of the knights. He had learned already that the knights would crash in the same room when they went to sleep, part of the rest week procedure apparently. That meant that they were awake somewhere, talking. He bit his lip. This was both good and bad. Good because they didn't have to try and sneak past slumbering knights but bad because they could easily run into the knights wandering the halls. Swell. But they had to take the chance; they had to just get this over with.
Cubbi viewed it like he would taking off a bandage. They just needed to get it over with. Standing up, he stepped over Toni and Martinni carefully and touched Corvi's arm. "Corvi" he whispered fiercely. The teenager groaned and rolled over, facing the couch and turning away from the cub. Truth be told, he heard the cub fine. He knew what he was getting him for as well. However, Corvi was loathing leaving his dream. It was rare he had good dreams, even more rare lately but this dream he wanted to stay in. His mother and father were both there, just sitting there, watching him and his brothers sleep. Occasionally, his father would reach out and stroke his hair back. It felt so nice. He felt at peace…
"Corvi!" the hushed whisper came again, intensity burning in Corvi's ear. The teenager finally rolled back over and opened one eye. Cubbi's deeply focused yet frightened gaze met him. As selfish as it sounded, it was actually nice to know he was not the only one scared. He could only imagine the fit his mother would pitch if she knew what he was getting knee-deep involved in. He had grown up hearing the stories of Emi from his father, as warning to not venture beyond the Palace Gates too far and to always stay close at hand to friends and ally. With time travel, it was east to forget that the time of Emi's capture had been in Corvi's childhood. He remembered it distinctly. His father had been killed prior to her capture, then the human-gummi wars accelerated and then they had fled beyond time and space.
As Corvi stood, quietly, he found this realization only proved to frighten him more. The knights knew so little on her. The council knew so little. How deeply involved had they been in her trial? Had her home clan been the deepest involved? Or had it been another council? Perhaps only select few councilors had been involved. That was common if other councilors were shown to have some type of emotional attachment that would prevent them from being fair. Had she truly touched so many gummies in such a horrible way? Well, unfortunately, the only way to find out was to head up to Tavi's room and find out.
Taking Cubbi's wrist, Corvi led the way up the back set of stairs, careful to keep his eyes and ears peeled. He did not want to see this rest week blow up into a mess of accusations and trouble. He knew they were trying to do the right thing though, by getting answers. He wanted answers so they could be done with this stupid thing.
Creeping up the old stairs, he kept silent the entire way. Cubbi locked eyes with his elder teammate and squeezed his hand tightly. Corvi turned and blinked at the cub by his side. "I'm sorry we have to deal with this, Corv." He told the teenager.
Corvi sighed and paused. "I know Cubbi. Let's just get it over with."
They passed into Tavi's room at the end of the hall silent as shadows.
OOOOO
Plucki's Office, Late Night
Taking another drink from his glass, the atmosphere was grim as Blastus replaced it. The three Gummadoon knights had gathered in Plucki's office once the boys had fallen asleep, intent on trying to get a stronger grip on their current situation. The topic of Emi was still very heavy in the air. The knights were no fools. They knew the word would spread at some point even with their attempts to keep it under wraps. Their children, their boys, were no fools either. Plucki's report of Cubbi's curiosity was disturbing. They knew that despite rumors to the contrary, young lads tended to gossip and talk just as much as the young lasses, perhaps more so on topics of the dark and dreary. It was a natural curiosity, especially when one was bound to encounter supernatural elements in their everyday life. Plus, Cubbi did have a valid point that they certainly did not want Emi forgotten and the lessons acquired by her to be lost. They did not want to deal with another Emi down the road but truth be told, they honestly did not know what talking about Emi would achieve. Mainly because they still could not comprehend what had driven her to such dark levels to begin with.
The Gummadoon knights had been her captors; they had finally rendered her prisoner and brought back to Gummadoon for trial. They had been the survivors. They had been faced with Emi in her full strength. It had been a quest full of fear, death and luck. She had thrown them off, primarily because unlike the demons and monsters they had faced before, she appeared just as much a gummi sister as those they had left at Gummadoon. They had found her within a dark underground cavern and by the time they reached her, she had walked calmly out of the mist, her long black hair framing her face, a dark green dress flapping about her ankles. She had greeted them pleasantly before attacking in full force. It was her voice, her eyes that still haunted the key warriors of Gummadoon. Her dark tone, dry, laughing and sounding not dissimilar to crushing dead leaves under boots. Her eyes, dark and cold, like pools that sucked you in and never released you. Pools that stung you with a dark cold that was impossible to describe and just as impossible to forget. Even when they had finally subdued her, she had kept a dark calm about her, occasionally even giving them a low laugh. It had been extremely unnerving and they were loath to go through it again.
Yet, as it stood, they had been little involved once they had given their testimonies at her trial. Her fate had been turned over to a mix of multiple Gummadoon and Ursalian councils, as well as the prime leaders of Gummi Glen and Gummerset. They had been present when the testimonies were given but had been absent when she had been sentenced, taken away from Gummadoon by the increasing violence between humans and gummies. The peace had been obtained with her imprisonment but the thought that their gummi sister had fallen into darkness was heavy on the heart. Now, it came down to keeping their future safe from her, again. The gravity of the situation could not be underestimated.
"Well, mes amis," Blastus cut into the silence. "We faced her once before, n'est-ce pas? If anything, we have been the most exposed to her. We have seen how she operates." Blastus took a deep breath "So what path would she have taken before? What path may she take now?"
Silence a moment then Gumlittle broke the tension. "Emi is no fool. She's a planner."
Plucki was quiet. Truth be told, the trial of Emi had dragged on for so long not because of trying to prove her guilt. That had never been in question. When they had questioned her, she had smiled, darkly and bragged openly about it. She had met the Gummadoon knights' eyes a few times, saying that they were to be congratulated for managing to subdue her 'for now.' She had never denied her actions; she had never tried to twist reality. She had been proud of her deeds, ecstatically so. The trial had been primarily to try and determine if their gummi sister had truly lost her grip on reality. That would have explained so much…that would have alleviated the strain on their hearts. Yet, in all, they had no choice to determine that she had been completely sane, just cold, calculated. That was why it was so hard to predict her movements. She operated completely outside of what was considered gummi. She was impossible to relate to because she had the same disregard for life that so many of their human enemies had possessed. It was unnerving, it was disturbing. They had never met up with any enemy like her before or since. They still were lost with what to do because they had never known what to do in the first place. They still didn't understand her.
For most enemies, Plucki had long since learned to read and predict them. He had learned how people's motivations directed them. Emi had none of them. Plucki sighed and rubbed his temples. "She is. I highly suspect that our responses are even factored into her planning. Her motivations have never been easy to figure out. She carries such a cold heart; I would not put anything beyond her at this point. I don't know if she desires to seize magic as before or if revenge is her purpose. She was quite careful with her wording at the trial."
Again, silence followed. Gumlittle broke the silence. "Then there is the issue of the boys…"
Plucki took a heavy breath. He wanted so badly to keep the children out of this, to let them remain innocent and none the wiser.
"The boys-"
"Will not relent, mon ami." Blastus interrupted him, saying what needed to be said but not necessarily what they wanted to hear. "Corvi's already expressed interest. And mon ami Cubbi…"
"Blastus," Gumlittle interrupted. "This is not a minor-"
"You need not remind me what's at stake, frère aîné," Blastus responded, a dark tone to his usual jovial voice. "I am tres aware. But Cubbi is right. Hiding the information…what good does that do?" He took a swallow of his drink again, addressing his elder brothers. "I do not desire to weave those tales any more than you two do but the fact is, mes amis, the boys are already prodding. I don't know what triggered it…perhaps the cubs have sharper ears than we do and caught wind from the Council." He suggested. "But it really isn't important, is it?" his inquiry hung heavy a moment. "The fact is the boys are intrigued by it, they're curious. If Cubbi and Corvi have already shown interest…that's almost 40% of our squires." He eyed his eldest brother, Plucki intently. "I know it is not something you wish to address, Plucki, but the boys will poke and prod. They're curious and I cannot blame them. Our boys are intelligent, clever. They know something is afoot." Taking a moment to finish off his mug, he addressed his Captain, "And honestly, mon captain, I would much rather they find out from me than by rumor."
Plucki took a deep inhale, rubbing his temples again. He knew Blastus was right, despite how he longed him to be wrong. The fact that both Corvi and Cubbi were raising questions meant the rumors were swirling. The knowledge was out there. The boys were hearing it. They no doubt had seen the stress beginning to creep up on the knights. Blastus was correct; they had been blessed with boys whom were rich in skill, moral fiber and intelligence. They asked questions that delved past the superficial surface of issues and got to the heart of them. They were devoted and loyal. They would investigate and Plucki dreaded what they might discover. Granted, if they told them it would not be much better but at least that way, they could control how much to reveal in one setting, they could pause and comfort. He dreaded seeing those eyes light up with fear and anxiety but as Blastus had pointed out, better it be told by them than by uncaring rumors of falsehood.
Shifting his gaze to Gumlittle, the tall Gummi Knight was thinking, taking in a deep inhale before replying to his captain's glance. "I would much rather they stay out of this altogether but Blastus is right. We have been letting our own fear get in our way. I have no desire to destroy the trust we have developed with the boys."
The threesome of knights took an additional moment before Plucki said "Tomorrow?"
Nods abound and they rose to make their way back to the living room. They could stand watch over their slumbering cubs for now.
OOOOOO
Tavi's Room
The thunder outside was not helping. Corvi was convinced that nature liked to mess with people's minds. Ever since they started the translation, the storm had only intensified; in the back of his mind, he wondered briefly if Emi was doing it. That was hardly beyond her abilities. That very thought just made him shudder even more though. He shook his head to clear his mind and looked to his two companions. Cubbi looked pale, almost a white with pink tint and Tavi's face mirrored his. They were both sweaty and Corvi realized suddenly that he was the same. His hands, which had been clutching the book as he read, were slick and damp. He took a shallow breath and said "You ready?"
The two cubs shook their heads but Cubbi said "But go on…we're…we're making progress."
Corvi took a breath before taking his eyes back to the Old Gummi:
Ursalian Council Member Jori: "Emi Gummi, after the multiple testimonies we have heard, we must read the charges placed against you. You are then free to challenge them." The council member took a breath before reading, as monotone as he could make himself: "Murder of numerous brothers and sisters of Gummi Glen, numbering 678 in number, including your own first cousin and her unborn cub. Murder of the entirety of the warren of Gummiopis, numbering 432. Murder of numerous brothers and sisters of Gummerset, numbering 298. Murder of the entirety of the gummi warren of Gummerca, numbering 780. Murder of the entirety of the gummi warren Ursaline, numbering 903. Murder of the entirety of the gummi warren of Ursana, numbering 860. Murder of the entirety of the gummi warren of Ursine, numbering 540, murder of the entireity of the gummi warren Ursinedae, numbering 478." *pause* "Murder of the entirety of the gummi city Gumiopoline, numbering 1023. Murder of the entirety of the gummi city of Ursadine, numbering 1123. Murder of the entirety of the gummi city Bera, numbering 1345. Murder of the entirety of the gummi city of Gumdole, numbering 2345. Murder of numerous brothers and sisters of Ursalia, number 234. Murder of numerous brothers and sisters of Gummadoon, numbering 175." He took a deep breath. "In total, murder of 11,214 gummi brothers and sisters."
Corvi stopped and leapt up, running into Tavi's bathroom. He dropped before her toilet and threw up, his back heaving. He heard soft padding behind him. Then the tiny hands settling on his back and he heard the tear clogged voice of Cubbi.
"I...I'm sorry Corvi. We…we can—"
"N-no." he interrupted the cub as he sat up, falling backward. Cubbi grabbed him by the shoulders and Corvi saw the tear stains running down the cub's pink fur. He was shaking, almost as badly as Corvi himself. Tavi padded behind the two of them before she knelt and handed Corvi a cup full of water. Corvi accepted it with a half-smile of thanks. The water sloshed out a bit from her trembling hands.
Corvi sat up and sipped it, squeezing Cubbi's hand tightly in his own. "Thanks but no…we HAVE to finish this." He was scared, petrified, even more so than he had been before. However, now he was more convinced than ever that Cubbi and Tavi were right. They had to end this! Getting to his shaky legs, Corvi made his way back to where he had dropped the book. Sliding to sit back down, Cubbi perched himself right next to Corvi, nuzzling into his side, hoping it would bring some comfort though he wasn't sure if it was to comfort Corvi or to comfort himself. Tavi took up Corvi's other side, doing the same thing. Corvi had to admit, having them close was comforting though, for the first time in almost four years he wanted to run to Blastus and bury his face into his strong chest. No...no time to focus on that. Just focus on the moment at hand. Get this done!
Clearing his throat, Corvi continued: Ursalian Council Member Ursula: "You willingly ignited the human attack on the city of Gummeria, resulting in 56 gummi deaths. You willingly attacked the human city of Williamdon, resulting in 350 human deaths. You willingly attacked the human city of Salisberg, resulting in 321 deaths. You willingly attacked the human city of Claudeson, resulting in 578 human deaths. You willingly attacked the human city of Jerickson, resulting in 406 human deaths. You willingly attacked the human city of Drakeville, resulting in 230 human deaths." *pause* "You…willingly deceived the human cities of Holtswoole, Marcton, and Carlston, leading to the Battle of Lorath Wood," Corvi paused, hearing Cubbi take a sharp inhale of breath and stiffen. He eyed the cub a moment, confused, before he remembered that Gummi Glen was situated in those woods. So Cubbi probably had played in the fields where that battle took place and never knew it. Corvi waited a moment until he felt the cub grasp his hand a little tighter, encouraging him to continue. "The resulting battle cost the lives of 3,234 humans and 2,023 gummi kin. You willingly stole from over 200 gummi warrens and cities, of gummi books and magical artifacts. You willingly used gummi magic as a means to deceive both gummi and human alike in 24 separate instances. Therefore, gummi sister, in total the charges against you are igniting war, igniting distrust between alliances, deception among various clans, misuse of gummi magic, theft of gummi knowledge and magical artifacts, murder of 13,293 gummi bear brothers and sisters and murder of 5,119 human lives. How…do you plead these charges, gummi sister?" Emi Gummi: "Your numbers are off by 360 gummi and 894 humans. I did. I enjoyed every moment of it. If you insist on waiting for regret and remorse, you'll be sorely disappointed. I must commend your knights on their ability to subdue me though. Did you enjoy that, Sir Plucki? Gumlittle? Blastus?" *laugh* "Enjoy it for now. I promise you won't live to do it again. I won't forget your names or your faces. You have the upper hand for now. It is hardly going to last. I can guarantee you as soon as these meager magical restraints are gone, you three are some of the first I intent to take."
she's trying to get to them." Cubbi screeched. Panic settled in his heart.
Corvi, to his credit, kept a wee bit calmer. "She…may have that as a goal, but I doubt it's her only one…"
"Does it matter if it is or not?" a new voice cut in. "She made a promise. What are we going to do about it?"
The threesome of cubs looked up, stunned by the sudden appearance. Toni, Martinni and Flynn stood in the doorway, looking rightly disturbed and frightened but there was a determination in their eyes.
Toni, obviously the ring leader, broke in again. "What else does that book say Corv? How do we protect the knights?"