Chapter 5: "Learning The Hard Way"
"Ozzie, there's a pocket on the inside of the cape. Hide in there until we get inside, okay?"
"Okay!" The ferret replied, slipping into his hiding spot.
Cassidy quickly pulled the hood of her cape over her head, sheilding her eyes and masking her face. When she knocked on the door unknown to many Sarians as the passageway to the Starzian's hideout, the she-coyote was not surprised to find a pair of glowing eyes answer her request to enter.
"Password." The eyes demanded.
"Halugim." Cassidy replied confidently, her voice thick with the Sarian accent, her ticket inside.
There were several minutes of silence before the eyes disappeared, and the dark demanding voice said "Enter."
Kayleigh and her cute little sidekick, Ozymandius, made it inside the bad guys lair without any trouble..
"Yay! Now to rescue Zoey and Mary!!!"
"Great job, kiddo." Cassidy could hear Ace's voice through her earpeice. "By da way, what does that woird mean, anyway?"
Cassidy smiled to herself. "Password." She replied softly once she was through the door.
Ace rolled his eyes. "See anythin' yet?"
"No.." She replied. "It's dark... and quiet..." The girl jumped when she felt something climbing up her arm. Thankfully, it was only Ozzie.
The ferret looked around, trying to see through the darkness, his ears erect. "What was that?" He whispered.
"But they soon realized that they were being followed..."
"No!!! Who was it?!"
Cassidy froze, listening. "I don't know." Both ferret and coyote could hear a strange sound, almost like footsteps, but slower and lighter. The sound stopped when Cassidy did. "Ace.." Cassidy whispered. "We're being followed."
"Just keep goin'. Act natural." The leader replied. The pair obeyed.
Cassidy kept herself close to the wall, feeling her way through the blackness. Ozzie held on to her shoulder. "You sure we're going the right way?" He asked quietly.
"Honestly....I don't know where we are going, let alone if it's the right way..."
"They never saw the person. But whoever he-"
"She could have been a girl, Mr. Magic Ferret."
"Right, he OR she caught them in a trap!"
"Nooo!!"
"WHHOOOOAAHHHH!!!!" They both screamed as the floor beneath them suddenly gave way. Cassidy reached out and grabbed hold of the edge of the floor, clinging to it for all she was worth.
"Cassidy! What's going on!" Ace shouted, alarmed.
"Ozzie! Hang on tight!" Cassidy yelped, her hand beginning to slip. Ozzie clutched her cape as tight as his little ferret hands could allow him. Cassidy then let go of the edge, sending them hurtling downwards into the darkness below them. Reaching to her belt and pulling out a small grapple gun, she fired it upwards. The hook latched on to the edge of floor, hanging Cassidy and Ozzie in midair.
"Gaaaaahhhhh..." Ozzie moaned. "Next time we're going on a fifty-foot drop, don't invite me."
Cassidy smiled. Leave it to Ozzie to say something he's totally serious about that will make you giggle inside.
"Cassidy? Ozzie? You two okay?"
"Yeah, we're good, Cheif."
Suddenly, they were dropped another couple of inches. Ozzie's claws were now digging into Cassidy's shoulder. "GAH! What was that?!"
"Ozzie..... the rope's gonna snap." Cassidy replied.
Ozzie blinked. "..And.."
"... We're gonna plunge to our possible deaths if you aren't able to levitate us with those freaky powers of yours."
The ferret crossed his arms and gave her an unimpressed look. "My powers aren't freaky.."
Cassidy smiled innocently. "Please?"
Ozzie sighed, his ferret stone lighting up. "Fine. I'm on it." A glowing light bubble surrounded them, and Cassidy felt herself being lifted. Ozzie was concentrating hard, and they began floating upwards slowly. But after a few minutes, they stopped, and Ozzie started shaking. "I..I can't hold on... much longer....."
Cassidy held him close to her. "Okay then, let go."
"But.. we'll get hurt.."
"No you won't. Do it."
Ozzie had to, anymore and he would've completely passed out. The bubble around them disappeared and gravity took over. Hugging the ferret to her chest, Cassidy rolled over so she was falling on her back. She winced and prepared herself for the impact of hitting the ground.
Ace and the others, however, were freaking out.
"What's going on?"
"Did they get caught?!"
"Cassidy! Respond! Ozzie! Please reply!!!"
They could hear a loud thump from the other end. Then dead silence.
"Cassidy! Ozzie!!! Please respond! Now!!"
There was a strange clicking noise, like little claws on a hard tile floor.
"Ace?"
"Ozzie?! What happened! Where's Cassidy?"
A pause.
"We were sent falling into some sort of pit. Cassidy.... she hit the ground first.. hard... I... can't get her to wake up." The ferret's voice was shaking.
"Hang on, Ozzie. We're coming. Keep trying to wake her up." Ace faced the rest of the team "Get ready. We're going in."
.YELLOW TRIANGLE.
"Why aren't you getting the brat??"
"That bird-woman keeps kicking us!"
"She's crazy!"
"She got Bill in the you-know-what!"
The Starzian gaurds were chatting amongst themselves. Mairi had been a very tough challenge for them, refusing to let go of Cale and trying as hard as she could to get them away. She had at one point, starting kicking at them like a young child. But hey, it was working. The Starzians were afraid to go near her now.
Cale kept unusually quiet, as if knowing exactly what was going on.
'I wouldn't be surprised if she does...' Mairi mused to herself. 'Both her parents are dedicated to their super-hero stuff.'
.ORANGE TRIANGLE.
"How? How are we gonna get in? The door looks pretty strong..." Lexi pointed out, motioning to the door Cassidy had entered, a big, thick, steel door.
"Slam. If you don't mind." Ace nodded.
Slam smirked and marched straight up to the door. Without hesitation, he swiftly punched the door in with his fist. The gaurd that was behind it was hit by the door and flung into the opposite wall.
Tech walked up to him and looked him over. "He's only unconscious. He'll be out for an hour or so."
"Have we set off any alarms?"
Tech was already typing away on his mini computer figuring that out. "No. Surprisingly, the only way to set off the alarm is one of these buttons..." Tech motioned to a large red button on the wall nearby.
"Good let's keep it dat way." Ace glanced at Rev, who was eyeing the button with shinning curious eyes of a four year old.
Icy sighed and slapped him upside the head. Hard.
"Dusk, you and Rev are gonna lead the way. Rev use your GPS and get a lock on Cassidy's position. Dusk, light the way."
.GREEN TRIANGLE.
"Come on, wake up already!!!" Ozzie sighed in frustration, plopping himself down, tired from trying to fan the unconscious coyote's face with the cape of her disguise. He wondered how the others were gonna find them. 'Rev's probably gonna use his GPS or something... I just hope the Starzi-whats-its don't catch them... or find us.' He wondered if Mairi and Cale were okay. 'They better not hurt my neice! If they even think of it and I'll bite their fingers off!!' He paused. He never really thought of Cale as his neice before. Sure, Icy had teased him about being 'Uncle Ozzie,' but he never took it seriously.
"I'm... really an uncle?" He muttered to himself. Sure, Ace and Rev and Duck and the rest considered themselves part of Cale's life, but they had known Cassidy and Tech for a very long time. He hadn't.
He only then noticed that Cassidy was awake, smiling up at him. He was after all, sitting on her stomach. "Yup." She replied. "Whether you want to or not, you're a part of Cale's family."
Ozzie smiled back. "I think I like that." He stood up and jumped off of Cassidy's stomach so she could sit up. "How are you feeling?"
"A little dizzy, but I'll live. I've been through worse."
"Worse than falling who-know-how-many feet into a dark hole with no protection?"
"Yeah." The she-coyote lifted the edge of her shirt, revealing a little bit of her lower stomach. With one hand, she parted some of her fur, showing Ozzie a long scar along her waist.
Ozzie gasped. "What happened?!"
"Some psycho framed my brother for my father's death, like I told you before. He attacked me. Tech said if Maria hadn't gotten me out of that mess... I might have died."
"Hmm.." Ozzie nodded. "You're a really rough girl, aren't ya?"
"People keep telling me that."
"Just like Icy." Ozzie chuckled. "No wonder you two get along so well."
"Yeah, but it wasn't always like that.."
"Ohh?"
"Well.. Icy told you about her being kidnapped, right?"
Ozzie nodded. "Yep."
"Well, she was missing for about three years. During the second year Zadavia brought me in. I was given my light blue uniform. But no one told me anything about Icy. Or that her colour was blue. I didn't know anything until Tech and Rev found her. I felt horrible, honestly. Like I was brought in to replace her.....I guess that's why Rev was a little distant from me when I first joined." She paused, but then added, "Then again, it's not like I gave any of the gang a chance to get near me either." She giggled quietly in memory.
"How come?"
"Eh, I had a lot of issues when I joined."
"My only issue is that no one except Icy believes me." Ozzie muttered, crossing his arms in his adorable little ferret pout.
"Well, you have to admit that your 'being an elf from another dimension that got turned into a ferret by fairies and sent on a quest to gaurd three human magic users but while traveling the 'Magic Web' you somehow got transported here and captured by one of our foes to be used as a trick animal in a circus' story is a little.... unreal...."
"I get that."
"But don't worry, the others will get over their disbelief soon."
"What about you?"
"I already have. And I hope you'll be able to get back to your home.... But the progress might go faster if-"
"No! I'm not letting Tech run tests on me!!!"
"Okay, okay!" Cassidy giggled. "Just thought I'd mention it.."
"Thanks anyway......I-" Before the ferret could ask his question, a voice was heard from above.
"Cassidy? Ozzie?"
"Dusk!"
"But you don't need to worry, because Kayleigh and Ozymandius' freinds came to rescue them!"
"Good!"
The angel unfolded his wings and flew down to them. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, let's get-"
"Wait!" Ozzie yelped. "Look!" He pointed behind them. The ball of light Dusk was holding in his hands revealed that they weren't in a hole at all. There was a long, large hallway winding away from them.
"What's up down dere, kiddo?" Ace called down.
"We aren't in a hole. There's a hallway down here." Cassidy walked a little ways down the hallway, her curiousity getting the better of her.
"Okay then, you and Ozzie and Dusk head that way. We'll stay up top here."
"Got it, Cheif." She turned to Dusk and Ozzie. "You guys up for a little exploring?" She asked, her brown eyes sparkling in excitement.
Ozzie quickly climbed up to her shoulder. "Tally-ho!"
"Sure thing, Cow-ferret!" The trio then headed off down the hallway. They soon found themselves standing in front of a large door.
"It's locked." Dusk said after trying to open it.
Ozzie jumped down on to Cassidy's arm. "Let's see here..." He rubbed his chin in thought. "Anyone got a bobby-pin?" He glanced up at Cassidy.
"Who do you think I look like? Lexi?"
"Okay then... new plan." Ozzie frowned
The three nearly jumped right out of their skins when the door suddenly opened on its own. They hid against the wall joining the door, praying that they hadn't been caught.
"Don't bother hiding any longer. I know you're there."
Cassidy tensed up. What should she do? How could this work, now that he knew they were there? She breathed in, trying to calm herself.
"Princess Aurora."
Cassidy turned to face Dusk. She held her finger to her lips. "Stay here..." She whispered. Dusk nodded and Ozzie clambered up Dusk's leg. "I'm coming." She called to the Starzian leader. She slowly turned the corner, facing the black-clad man. "I want my daughter back." She said simply, her dark brown eyes glaring daggers at the man. "AND Mairi."
"And soon, they found the man who took Zoey and Mary.."
"Where are Zoey and Mary?"
"They're there, but the man's henchmen were gaurding them so they couldn't go anywhere..."
"The lyre bird is free to go. The girl stays here for now." He replied.
There was several moments of silence. "Why?" Cassidy said. "Why are you doing this?"
The leader smirked. "You know very well why."
Cassidy rolled her eyes. "I know... Taking over Sari, life-long power, riches galore!" She threw her hands in the air scarcastically. "But seriously. Any self-respecting villain would have given up after seven years of failing."
"Maybe.... But I'm not like the villains you know on Acmetropolis, Aurora."
He stood up from his seat and began wallking towards her. Cassidy's body tensed more. If he made one wrong move, she'd snap. "I have a deeper reason for all of this."
"Wow me." The coyote replied, crossing her arms across her chest.
"You know the planet Garbulatar, right?"
"Yes.... Sari's enemy since the emmigration." Cassidy raised her eyebrows. Where was he going with this?
"The ruling king offered me a great reward for taking over Sari..."
"Big surprise."
"And you, and your 'freinds' have been the single obstacle in my way ever since that idiot King John brought you back to Sari!"
Cassidy's eyes flared up. "How DARE you..!" She snarled. "..Call my father an idiot!"
The leader cleared his throat and glanced towards the cage holding Mairi and Cale. Cassidy gulped. 'Easy Cass... get the temper under control.... Mazz and Cale are depending on it'
"Secondly." She continued. "Us being obstacles to you is a little thing called 'doing our job.'"
The leader nodded. "And I must admit, you have given me quite a challenge..." He paused. "So.... how is your brother?"
Cassidy blinked at the sudden subject change. "I guess you didn't hear? He's dead. Been so for three years."
The leader looked surprised. "Really?"
Cassidy studied his face. "You never knew? Andrew was a part of the Starzians. You don't keep track of your people?"
"Somethings do slip through the cracks..."
"Even if that person is the son of your enemy?"
"I guess so..."
Cassidy glared at him. "Li-ar."
"Pardon me?"
"You lied!!!" Cassidy snarled.
"I assure you, I have no-"
"NITCHA! You liar! You set Andrew up! You tried to convince me that he killed Father! I knew the whole time! But now I'm more than 100% sure."
"How?"
"You. You kept looking to your left when I told you Andrew died." She smirked. "Li-ar!"
The leader paused, then smirked. "Remember your tustle with the Boarian Beast of Evseffen Z? Or the seige of Gargantuen robots from Mazgar 12? That was me. It was all me. Just so I could get rid of YOU."
"Wow... You really need a hobby?" Cassidy froze. Someone else said that at the exact same time she had. She spun around to see Ace, Tech, Rev, Lexi, Icy, Quick, Seth, Dusk, Slam, and Ozzie standing at the corner she had been.
"Guys....." Cassidy bit her lip. Any wrong move and Cale would be killed, followed by Mairi.
,"Bubby!" She gasped to herself before screaming, "HELP US! WE'RE HERE! HELP US!"
The leader walked to the cage holding Mairi and Cale. He reached in and tried to grab Cale away from Mairi. Mairi only held Cale closer to herself, glaring at him.
"Fine. Stay there." He growled at her before locking them back up. He turned to Cassidy. "How much do you love your daughter?"
Cassidy didn't need to think. Two seconds after he uttered those words he got a reply. "More than anything else in the world."
Tech watched her carefully. He knew she could handle herself, but he wanted to keep a close eye, just in case. 'Be careful, Cass...'
"The man wouldn't let Zoey and Mary go unless Kayleigh agreed to his terms..."
"Oh no! What did he make her do?!"
"He made her stay in Zoey and Mary's place."
The leader smirked. "Name your offer, and I'll see if it's enough for the release of both of them."
Cassidy was silent. Not thinking, smirking at the leader. She was toying with him, hoping to knock him off gaurd. Nothing so far had worked, but she kept trying, trying to find an opening for the others to leap at.
"Myself."
The leader raised his eyebrow at this. "What exactly do you mean?"
"Simple. You give Cale and Mairi to my freinds, let them leave without any trouble or injury, and I will surrender myself willingly."
Tech's jaw fell open. She couldn't be serious, could she? Giving up without a fight? That didn't seem like the Cassidy he knew so well. Unless....
Ace glanced at him, and, in a barely audible whisper, asked, "What the heck is she doin?"
"Toying with him. She's trying to get him to trust her and drop his gaurd." Both boys smirked. She was doing exactly what Ace had taught her.
Several minutes passed by in silent agony as the pair glared at each other. Ace and the team were on edge, ready to jump in if necessary.
Finally, the leader nodded. "Alright. Seems like fair trade to me." He motioned for his underlings to release Mairi and Cale
The one grabbed Mairi's arm firmly, but none even tried to reach for Cale, for fear of either being spat at or kicked. As they walked past Cassidy, the two freinds gazed at each other one last time.
"Mazz.. Take good care of her for me... okay?" Cassidy asked softly
Mairi stared at her in wide-eyed shock for a moment, then collected herself and simply nodded slowly, unable to reply any other way.
"Cass... You.. you can't be serious..." Tech finally spat out, his voice shaking almost as violently as his hands.
Cassidy turned to face them. "I am guys. I'm sorry."
While the one cloaked weirdo guided Mairi to the rest of the gang, another grabbed Cassidy roughly by the arms, pinning them against her back. Cassidy winced, but for once, didn't fight back.
"Now. You are to leave this place and not to return. Or else."
"Ehh..What exactly is 'else?'" Ace questioned.
"The 'else' is that we will come back for the girl, and all of you, as well. Plus, little Princess here will not have a quick death." With that, the cloaked baddie holding Cassidy still reached up and grabbed her fire-red hair, as if pretending she was giving him a hard time just to get her in trouble.
Cassidy winced once more and growled a little, but amazingly kept her temper under control.
Ace nodded. "Alright... alright. We're gone. We'll be outta your hair in no time.." He began to back away, signalling for the others to follow him.
Once the team was out of earshot and sight, the Leader smirked and turned to the man holding Cassidy. "Put her in the cage," The man obeyed, literally throwing Cassidy roughly into the cage where Mairi and Cale had been locked up. "Now, give the Loonatics three minutes... then hunt them down. The little girl I need alive. The rest.. I don't care how you bring them in just do."
Cassidy spun around to face the leader. "YOU!" She snarled at him. "You double-crosser! You promised me you'd let them go without harm!"
The leader gave her his wickedly evil smile. "You expected anything less?" He walked up to her, placing his gloved hand under her chin. "Besides, Aurora, I find 'double-crosser to be such a strong word. I prefer 'evil mastermind' if you will."
Cassidy glared at him, but inside, she felt like crying. 'How could I have been so stupid?! How could I have been so guilible?! I freakin' let myself trust him! I let my gaurd down! Thanks to me, the others might get killed! And Cale...' she couldn't take it any longer, she simply turned away and sat down, her back against the cold metal wall. Tears of frustration and greif slid down her cheeks - slowly. She had done the worst thing in the world when dealing with bad guys... letting herself trust him.
(END CHAPTER)
'Nitcha' is the b-word in Sarian. If Cassidy swears, you KNOW she's mad XD