Guess who's baaaaack?
I know, terrible joke ;)
Hey guys, sorry again for the hiatus! Glad I could finally get back in front of my laptop again! A quick update: I recently decided to leave my old job. It was a very hard and emotional decision to make. I was blessed to have an new oppurtunity offered to me near the end of 2022 and I eagerly accepted it. For the past month, I have been settling into my new job and loving every bit of it! I have had to put in some time to help my family and have making plans for summer, which includes writing ^^
I have missed this story so much, and I appreciate every one of you who still enjoy reading it! Without any more fooling around, enjoy! And Happy Valentines' Day!
He gawked at me cluelessly.
"Who?" he asked, seemingly confused.
"You can stop with the dark and shady act, Eli. I know it's you."
"Seriously, I've got no idea who you are talking about."
Now he's just milking it...if it is him.
"Come on," I almost pleaded, "enough messing around. I'm serious."
He cocked his head and shrugged. "Um, Angel? I'm sorry."
My heart fell a little. "Please stop messing with me. It isn't funny," I asked, almost pleadingly.
"I promise. I'm not."
"Prove it." I shot back, crossing my arms.
He removed his mask and slowly pulled his hood down to reveal his black hair...
My heart jumped into my throat, and I felt tears edging on the corners of my vision.
"Told you."
It barely came out. "You're… You're not him."
His face was full of confusion, his face turning flustered as I sniffed back my feelings. "Afraid not, Angel. Unfortunately, I don't know anyone by that name."
"I see," I gasped, the breath caught in my throat, "Of course, you're not him."
"Hey, are you...?
"I'm...sorry. You're a lot like him. I mistook you for him," I told him, staring at the ground. I couldn't get my hands to stop shaking. This is so embarrassing! I reached for the chain of my necklace, but felt nothing! My necklace! I patted myself up and down and quickly surveyed the ground, but it was nowhere to be found! I lost it?
I found myself chuckling humorlessly.
"Um-are you okay?"
"You don't get it!" I snarled back.
My arms shook, the anger flooding my thoughts. "I just…I can't believe it after all this. After three months and coming all this way to find him, I nearly get killed no less than three times! And to top it off, I lost my necklace!"
I turned to face him, my hands in fists! "I don't know where I am; I have no family or freakin' FRIENDS to help me! I get chased down, kidnapped, and attacked by monsters in my sleep! I came here with nothing more than a glorified hunch that he would be here because he said he would! I went through three months of nonstop torture, thinking that he didn't care about me because he didn't have the DECENCY to say goodbye to my face! What a JERK!"
I keeled around and punched the nearest tree, rattling the branches violently and frightening the slugs roosting in them! Great, now my head is pounding, and my hand is killing me.
Banter squealed and zipped to alight atop the guy's shoulder. My heart sank to hear him sound scared, and I felt my anger receding.
"Sorry, Banter," I wheezed.
I quickly turned my back to him and stepped away. Tears were falling out of my eyes like waterfalls. I sniffed quietly and hastily wiped them away. But, of course, it's not him! He's just a stranger who talks and looks similar to him. Shoot! I nearly mentioned the letter and the surface. I'm not about to get a reputation as a crazy person around here or spout anything Eli said to keep secret. I can't believe I just said all that. I need to calm down. And for the love of Pete, stop crying, Kida! You're acting like a child!
I felt a hand grip my shoulder gently, flinching at first. I glanced at the raven-haired boy, and his eyes morphed into a look of...sympathy? It was the first time since I was first with him that he seemed benign. Banter fluttered to my shoulder and nestled his little head into my neck, trilling softly. Shocker and Widow both looked up at me with concerned faces.
I'm so pitiful, needing someone I don't know to make me feel better.
"Hey, you're going to be fine. Whoever this guy is, I can see he means a lot to you."
You have no idea. He's a pain in my butt, even when's he not here.
"My best friend, actually," I choked out as my voice cracked, and I didn't dare to look him in the face. "I'm… I'm sorry I yelled at you."
His hand awkwardly tapped on my shoulder. I started to cry harder, and I couldn't stop. I didn't realize how
"Uh...hey. It's okay. I'm not much of a "feelings" person. I know it's a little weird to ask since we're practically strangers, but...do you want a hug...or something?"
I can't take it. There's no one around anyway. I slowly turned with my head down, sniffling quietly. I grabbed his shirt and he seemed taken aback but wrapped his arms around me tightly. I buried my tear-stained face into the shoulder of his jacket. This feels familiar. Slowly, my breathing evened out, and I felt strangely calmer. Years ago, I would have been too embarrassed to even consent to something like this. I don't know how I stood there in his arms like a bawling little kid, but I finally took a deep breath and leaned back to look at him.
He smiled for the first time, his hands on my shoulders. "Feel better?"
I cleared my throat and rubbed my eyes one last time. "Yes. Thank you. Even if you practically snatched me off the street, you're probably the nicest person I've ever met since I've been here."
He smirked. "So, the strong, quiet one is a big ole' softie on the inside."
I groaned and slapped his shoulder. "Nevermind. I swear, I will kill you."
He is a lot like him.
He chuckled loudly and patted me on the shoulder. "There she is. Chill, your secret is safe with me."
"Well, good," I grumbled, unable to contain my smile. "For a guy who's not a "feelings" person, you're one of the first people I've met who's even remotely shown any emotion besides being ticked."
He shifted on his feet uncomfortably, and his smile wavered. "Well, I know how it feels to be crushed and feel-" He cleared his throat and regained his composure," I mean, I'm glad you feel better. So? What's the plan now?"
I shrugged. "I don't know. I had directions before those two big guys chased me off before I fell and bumped into you. I don't know where you brought me, but I don't think I was out for very long. There was...someone else. I can't...I can't remember much about him. Another guy..."
"That tumble you took must've caused you to faint. Good thing it wasn't severe."
Weird. It should have been severe, especially with how badly it hurt. I was bleeding badly and couldn't remember anything from before falling. But I feel...okay. It still hurts, but I feel okay.
"I'm...sorry I yelled at you early. I shouldn't have thrown all of that on you."
He smiled warmly, "Not a problem. I'm sorry about yout necklace."
"Tiny chance that I'll find it now. I didn't even notice it was missing."
"You weren't wearing it when I found you in town. Wherever you lost it, it happened before you tumbled out of the woods like an crazy person."
"Just curious, where were you headed when you...first found me?"
"I was picking up supplies for my business, but that quickly turned sour when Black's men turned up. They cause nothing but trouble," he said, an underlying gravity in his voice. His face looked like a shadow had fallen over it, and his chest rose and contracted as if he were trying to hold back anger.
I rolled my eyes, recalling not-so-fondly my leap out of the building off the second floor. With everything else happening, I didn't even think about that. "No kidding, since they've already tried to kill me. But who is Black?"
He looked like I had grown a second head. "What? How do you not know about Dr. Blakk? The tycoon in charge of Blakk industries? One of the most powerful men in Slugterra? Thaddius Blakk."
Thaddius...why do I feel like I heard that name before?
At that moment, Banter, curled up comfortably on my shoulder, flinched and let out a low and serious growl. I'd never heard make a noise like that. Banter seems to know who he is, and he doesn't like him.
"Sorry, but I have never heard of him. But I already don't like him." Shoot! What do I say? 'I was raised apart from society and never heard of him?' What do I do if I can't mention anything about the surface? I didn't think about this at all.
"Trust me. Nobody likes him. Not even the people who work for him, and the few who seem to like him only like his business."
"What kind of business?"
His eyes turned grave as if a shadow passed over them. "Every kind: entrepreneurship, politics, transportation, mining operations, and he even has a grip on sports. His hand is in everything. It's probably better you lay low for a while to be safe."
"Maybe..." I hate to admit it, but he makes a valid point. They are after me, and I have no idea where I am or even where to look for Eli.
"Do you have anyone you can stay with- Wait..."
"No, I don't-" His hand clamped over my mouth, muffling my voice.
"Shh! Don't move!" He whispered, "Do you feel that?"
"What?"
"The ground..." he whispered again, entirely still, "Get down, now!"
The tremors intensified as I felt something large rushing towards us! Before I could turn my head, he yanked me to the ground and covered my head. Something large whizzed right past my head, rattling the ground and sending pebbles flying overhead!
"Go! Move, move!" He screamed, tugging me behind him. More fireballs streaked past us, the heat so close that it practically burned my skin! I looked over my shoulder to see Lock and Load approaching us fast! Their mechs leapt through the flames and clouds of dust!
"Idiot, don't look back! Keep running!"
"To where?" I bellowed, "I did NOT come all this way to get barbecued! Banter, can you give us a little help?" He chirped as I loaded him into my blaster. "Go left," I hollered, grabbing his sleeve and tugging him with me.
As soon as I fired him, Banter swooped up and behind. "Now jump!" He swept up under our feet right on cue, and I latched onto his back with my free hand. "Hold on!"
Another fireball whirred behind,"Banter down!" The wind blurred my vision as I felt the heat on my back, narrowly missing us! "Here comes another one! Pull up!"
I clasped hard to stay on Banter's back as he swooped up, still clinging to my friend with the other arm! I felt my arms giving way, fingernails digging into his shirt and Banter's back. Banter can't fly like this for long, and not with two of us!
"We're too heavy!" He yelped, "Keep going."
"NO WAY! You're getting out of here with me!" I scolded my hand around his arm in a death grip. "Banter, dive!" Another fireball blazed past, much closer than the last one! I can't get a clear shot! How many slugs do they have!
"We can't make it like this! Drop me. I'll draw them off!
Through my hazy vision, I glared at him dead in the eyes! "Right now, you're my only friend down here! You're not ducking out on me that easily!"
He smiled and grabbed my shoulder with his free hand. "I'll see you again, Angel. Just try not to die until then."
He loosened his grip as Banter pulled up, his arm slipping from my grasp! I felt the fire coming fast behind us, "Banter!" Banter shrieked, his body seizing as the flames grazed his soft body! Banter's body shrank back as he de-transformed, all three of us dropping like stones. I landed hard on my shoulder, rolling through the brush and onto my side! My head throbbed, the impact sending waves of shock through my brain! I sat up, frantically looking for Banter!
"Shocker? Widow? Banter!? Where are you?" My eyes blurry from all the dust, I blindly fell around on the ground, looking for him. My eyes stung so severely that I rubbed them and blinked hard; I barely saw Banter a couple of feet away. He slid across the ground, making a pitiful sound between a chirp and a whimper. "Are you okay?" I gently picked him up, and he curled up like a crumpled glove in my hands.
"Thanks for asking. I'm fine." Peering up, he stood over me smirking. He hoisted me up by my shoulders.
"What are you doing?" I asked hoarsely.
"One last favor," he said flatly, "They won't find you."
"What?"
He frog-hopped me to a cluster of shrubs and placed leaves over my torso and legs. My pants felt cold as he shoved the freshly upturned soil around them. He can't be serious! What am I going to do all alone? The ground started to rumble again, like the sound of hoof beats!
"Please don't leave. I don't know what to do!"
"Stay still. Once you don't hear them anymore, follow their tracks back to town. You'll be able to find help there. I'll see you again soon." He tapped my shoulder and smiled at me. "Hey, boneheads! You really got to work on your aim!" He fired a few rounds at our pursuers before taking off in the opposite direction. In mere seconds, his figure disappeared into the thicket. In no time, the ground trembled with the rumble of oncoming hoofbeats. Like two giant behemoths, they thundered past without noticing me lying in the dirt.
Good job. Those guys would be dumb enough to follow him. But what am I supposed to do? I started to feel drowsy as my vision started to fade. The sounds of the firing blasters became more muffled and distant. Everything around me turned into strange shapes and colors. Banter chirped weakly, his sweet little sounds becoming fainter. Taking a deep breath, exhaustion finally took hold of me, and I sunk into the earthy ground. The hoofbeats faded, the woods only singing night noises. Not normal night noises. It sounded more like a song like the entire forest had its own heartbeat.
What now? I'm so tired, and no one but him knows where I am. I didn't even get his name. Eli, I don't know where you are, but no one is coming to help me.
"Banter, are you still here?" His little body stirred and nestled into the crook of my neck with a pitiful chirp. It was the same sound he made when I first rescued him from that rat back in Eli's house. "At least I am not alone. I'm so happy that you are here with me, Banter." My body felt heavy with exhaustion under the blanket of brush draped over me. My throbbing head made it hard to focus on anything as the creeping hand of sleep threatened to overtake me. "Stay...stay next to me, Banter."
Huh? Did I fall asleep? I flinched as something landed on my face, like the gentle tap of a finger. Every sound was muffled, like water in my ears. The only thing I could hear was the sound of thruming, like...Rain?
My body was heavy, the fresh soil enveloping my legs, arms, and up to my shoulders. The drops landed right on my face, making my cheeks twitch and coaxing my eyes open just slightly. A little rustling movement near my neck told me Banter was still beside me. He fluttered in front of my eyes, chirping pleadingly. It was so faint I could barely hear him. I tried to move my arm under the soil. It felt so heavy, just as the rest of my body.
"Not yet, Banter. I'm too tired. Let me sleep a little longer." My own weak voice was so muffled, it sounded like I was speaking underwater.
Trilling loudly, I felt a hard yank of my hair, moving my head only a little. "Ow, Banter. I can't." Through my blurry vision, I saw him hopping around in front of my face, chirping with determination. Shocker and Widow joined in.
"Guys..."
My heart sank as I felt the distant rumbling of a mecha's hoofbeats again. With my ear to the ground, I could tell by the distinct sound of metal hitting the ground. There are more of them. Did Lock and Load double back with reinforcements? What do I do? If I stay still, maybe they won't notice.
"Guys...come in close...so they don't see us."
All three of them pressed against my neck and I curled my head in closer around them. I kept one eye open slightly to see. My vision was blurry as it was without the rain. I could see the shadows of leaves over my face, obscuring my view of what was behind them. Anything beyond was grey and foggy.
The hoofbeats just stopped. They must be on foot now. What do I do? I can't move and I'm so dizzy! I can't reach my blaster, but even if I could and get a shot in, where would I go? I'd still be a sitting duck.
Voices! They're coming this way. I shut my eyes, praying they would just walk past. I tried to listen to who was speaking, but they were too fuzzy to make out.
My heart was in my throat, as a large shadow passed over my hiding spot! Please don't see me! Please don't see me! The voices were growing louder, and I dared not open my eyes.
Suddenly, Banter squealed loudly! No no no! Banter! What is wrong with you?! I felt all three of them brush past my chin and out into the open! There are right next to me! Please don't hurt them!
I felt the brush being moved around. No no no! I can't move and they are about to find me! I have to do something! A hand touched my shoulder. I bit my lip not move or make any noise! Now the soil was being brushed away more hastily! They are going to find me! If I move, I'll be completely exposed and helpless! Eli! Someone moved the leaves away from my face, and pulled me by my shoulders away from my hiding place. There are so many voices, but I can't hear what they are saying.
I was pressed up against something warm, the rainwater seeping into my clothes. I feel...a heartbeat. Is someone...hugging me?
I tried to say something, but the words wouldn't come out. I blinked, and my body was suspended in the air. Someone is carrying me. Who...? My eyes opened only slightly.
They said something. It was so muffled, but I made it out to be "Sure missed you...Spitfire."
No way!
Psych! That does it for now friends, and don't worry! I've already started the next chapter! Can't tell you how HARD this chapter was to write! I had the most terrible writers' block for the longest time. As I'm currently typing this, I've been home sick in bed for the last two days; Perfect excuse to work on my writing LOL.
Wherever you all are in the world, I hope everyone had a fantastic Valentines' Day! Hope you spend today with the people you care about most! Thank you guys so much, and I'll see you all next time! ^^