Hello, and I'm back with another chapter of The New Universal!
I'm doing a time skip for a few months-you'll see why.
I don't own the Companion Quartet.
Enjoy!
Col sighed, glancing at the empty desk nearby-that's where Connie would've been sitting...but she hadn't been seen in just over half a year, and it was starting to worry him.
Where is she? Col wondered. It's just like she completely disappeared...but she couldn't have! He mentally sighed. If I'd've known that she would leave, I never would've avoided her. I mean, so what if she can shapeshift? She's still Connie-everyone still cares about her. Evelyn still cries about all of it, and her parents are constantly asking where she is and when she'll come home. I wish we knew.
After school…
Col and Rat were just getting off the bus when Dr. Brock, Evelyn, and Mack ran over.
"Col, Rat, you'll never guess the rumors that have been spreading through the Society!" Evelyn cried.
"About Connie?" Col asked, perking up.
"Not exactly, but it's our best shot at finding her," Dr. Brock said. "There's a rumor going around that there's a universal in America-she showed up about four months ago."
"We don't know for sure, but it very well could be Connie, or at least someone who might have some idea of how to find her," Evelyn said happily.
"That's awesome!" Rat exclaimed. "When are we going?"
"Huh?" Mack asked, surprised.
"Well, we clearly have to go see this universal," Rat said. "And if you think that Col and I aren't coming, then you're wrong."
"We have to find Connie," Col added.
The three adults exchanged a look, then looked back at Col and Rat.
"Well, it might help, seeing as this universal is likely a kid," Dr. Brock said. "Argot and I are going to start traveling there tomorrow night."
"I see no problem with Col going," Mack said.
"And I'll ask my mom if I can go!" Rat said.
"Then it's settled," Dr. Brock said. "It might be best if you bring Skylark, Col, and Rat, you might want to ride on Icefen-you two can come with Argot and me. We'll also have to bring Argand, just in case." He sighed. "This is going to be more complicated than I thought it was going to be. But we'll make it."
"Alright!" Col and Rat exclaimed.
"I suggest you two pack-Rat, you'd better ask your mother if you can go," Dr. Brock said.
"I will," Rat said, then turned and began to run, while Col walked away, heading home to pack his bag.
Meanwhile, in America…
"Now, focus," Connie said. "The shield will protect you from harm against any mythical creature trying to harm you."
Abby, her eyes closed, imagined a large shield.
"I see that you're focusing-now raise this shield," Connie said. "I'm going to attack via mind, but I won't fight hard-just testing how strong your shield is already."
Abby didn't answer-instead, she imagined raising the shield above her head.
"Good," Connie said, then threw a mental attack at Abby. The shield shattered under the impact, and Abby, panicking, quickly imagined a pencil and slashed it at Connie, who retreated and actually stepped back.
"W-What was that?" Connie asked, blinking in surprise at Abby.
"Sorry, I panicked," Abby said sheepishly.
Connie tried to reach out to Abby's mind, but she found that she couldn't.
"What the-" Connie said, then spun around to look at Abby's dragon companion, Bloom. Connie tried to reach out, but she couldn't. Connie tried to shift, and she couldn't.
"Are you alright?" Abby asked, clearly concerned.
Connie paused, then began to laugh.
"W-What's so funny?" Abby asked.
"I didn't think that there was a tool like that!" Connie exclaimed.
"Like what?" Abby asked.
Connie looked at her. "I hope that it's temporary, but you just cut off my connection to mythical creatures and my shape shifting."
Abby's eyes grew wide. "I'm sorry!"
"Don't be," Connie said, flexing her hand and rolling her wrist. "I mean, I haven't felt like this since I became a shapeshifter!"
"So...that's a good thing?" Abby asked.
Connie nodded. "This isn't a universal tool that I've ever heard about before! And that's saying something! Which means that you either just discovered a new tool...or you just created one?"
"Me?" Abby asked, pointing at herself with wide eyes as she shook her head. "I-I couldn't possibly create something like that! Who am I that no other universal ever was?"
"You're a writer-or you're going to be, someday," Connie said. "There was nothing on what the other universals did outside of being the universal, besides the fact that they had families. I'm betting that most-if not all-of them weren't writers-maybe the first one was, and they created the tools, or some kind of storyteller. Which makes you different. You create stories on a regular basis, which means that just imagining something like that is easier for you." Connie clapped. "This is awesome! You'll have to write something about this as soon as we know more about it, and you can put your discovery in the Universal Reading Room!"
"What's the Universal Reading Room?" Abby asked.
"Well, it's in the Society Library in London," Connie said. "Only universals can go in there. It's where I learned about the universal tools, and more about all of them."
"So I couldn't go there," Abby said. "Since nobody knows about me being a universal."
"Good point," Connie said. "But there's no way that we can let this go without saying-future universals might benefit from this." She looked thoughtful. "I know that there's a new universal-nobody knows about him just yet, but someday, they'll know. Maybe when he's old enough, we can send your discovery to him somehow."
"That'd be nice," Abby said. "Then nobody'll know the truth about me."
"Yeah," Connie said. "Now, since I can't keep training with you, how about we take a break and see how long it takes for this to wear off?"
"Sure," Abby said. "I could use a writing break, anyway."
With a laugh, the two of them-plus Bloom-left the room, first heading to bring Bloom somewhere where she could rest and take a break, too.
Two days later…
Dr. Brock, Col, and Rat arrived at the Minneapolis Headquarters just after midnight-thankfully, nobody noticed as Argot, Skylark, and Icefen arrived on top of the Minneapolis Headquarters. A young man was waiting for them as the three got off their companions.
"Hello," the man said. "My name's Isaac."
"Sorry about the short notice on coming here," Dr. Brock said, walking over to Isaac.
"No worries," Isaac said. "But why did you come, anyway?"
"We've heard rumors about a universal being here," Col said, walking forward.
Isaac sighed. "Of course you have. Those rumors have been going around, and it's starting to get annoying."
"So there isn't one?" Dr. Brock asked. "Surely the rumors have a base."
Isaac looked around, as if looking for someone, then looked back at the three of them.
"I personally don't know why, but the heads here don't want the Trustees to know about our universal," Isaac said, lowering his voice. "I don't see why. I guess that they think that the Trustees will bring her to England or something like that. Is that what you're here to do?"
"Maybe," Dr. Brock said. "We need her help with finding a certain...being."
"And you couldn't just send and ask for her?" Isaac asked, raising an eyebrow.
"The Trustees don't know," Dr. Brock said. "All they have are rumors, and they're too busy without solid evidence. We'll bring her back as soon as she's helped us."
"Then I don't see why you can't talk to her," Isaac said. "Although you can't force her to leave-her family still lives in the next state over, so that's another reason why we didn't want the Trustees to know. We want to keep an eye on her, but we're afraid that she'll disappear without a trace if we force her to leave, and we don't want that."
"I see," Dr. Brock said. "We'll leave her if she doesn't want to come."
"Good," Isaac said. "Well, you don't have to see her until morning-she's probably asleep now, anyway. You three can stay at my place for the night, and tomorrow, I'll bring you to see her." Isaac looked at Argot, Skylark, and Icefen. "They can stay here for a little while, too."
"Thank you," Dr. Brock said, then the seven of them-including their companions-walked through the wide stairway, heading inside the headquarters.
And that's it for this chapter! What did you think?
I should be updating before too long. Until then!
Lunetheart out.