Spaz: Meep! Seventh chapter!
Kyrra: So what? Everyone knows that your fic sucks…
Spaz: Does NOT!
Kyrra: And that you want to go out with the geek in your class…
Spaz: EEK! WHAT MAKES YOU THINK I WOULD GO OUT WITH KRIS?! HE'S A DIPSTICK THAT WEARS LIPSTICK!!
Kyrra: -rolls eyes- You hang out with him every day…
Spaz: So? He's part of our Clan and one of my best friends!
Kyrra: And the fact that you're over Kerrigan…
Spaz: Kerrigan's one of my best friends too! And what exactly is wrong with that?
Kyrra: Guys are your best friends…
Spaz: I'm different and I like it! Besides, no one would want to go out with ME anyways. I don't stand a chance when it comes to dating, and frankly, I don't care.
Kyrra: Now you know… Spaz who likes a geek…hangs out with guys… and procrastinates too much… so get on with the chapter already…
Spaz: Yessir!
Ch. 7-The Enemy Within
Don Wei walked through the hallways of the temple, searching for his pilot and gunner. He was in his own world, though, because now he knew. He knew about "Molly's" secret. And he regretted what he'd done all those ten years ago. To make matters worse, "Molly" and Jordan were nowhere to be found. At least, until he got to the "patio".
There, he saw Jordan and "Molly", sound asleep. Jordan's arm was around "Molly's" shoulder, but "Molly" was clinging to him like there was no tomorrow. Don turned away, disgusted.
"Good morning." he muttered irritably.
Jordan woke up. It took him a second to realize exactly what was going on. Embarrassed, he tried to push "Molly" away.
"No, don't go, keep me warm." she murmured in her sleep and wrapped her arms around Jordan again.
"Eh heh heh," Jordan pushed "Molly" off him again. "Uh, we were talking all night, and-"
"I need to speak to Molly. Alone."
'Saved by the bell!' "Um, great, sir-I'll just… go and clean the guns. Yeah, that's what I'll do." He crawled away to the Arrow's pit, trying not to look sheepish.
CLUTRBNIISPCTOSRATLM
"Molly, there are dark forces at work here, forces more powerful than any of us can imagine."
"Is this about Sul?"
"In a way, yes. Whatever got rid of Sul was very powerful, and may come after us. The Earth coalition will most probably be destroyed if we lose, but I refuse to continue to risk your or Jordan's lives. The races are getting harder, and more dangerous."
"But sir-"
"We will not race anymore Molly-or should I say, Eva."
Stunned, Eva looked up at her father. Then, without another word, she ran as fast as she could down the hall.
"Eva!"
CLUTRBNIISPCTOSRATLM
Don Wei walked down to the hangar, absentmindedly searching for Eva.
"Up here." A worn voice called.
Don Wei looked around, seeking where the voice came from.
"Up here." It called again.
He saw Eva sitting in the cockpit of the Whizzing Arrow III. He silently climbed up to join her.
"All this time, I've been waiting for this moment. I imagined that I would run up into your arms, and you would hug me, and all those ten years of pain would disappear. But now that it's here," she looked away wistfully, "I feel nothing."
"I…I can see many reasons why you must hate me."
Eva said nothing, glowering at her father.
Don Wei started again. "Both of us remember your mother as a great person, on and off the track. She was the first person in the Interplanetary League to have won all three championships. As this would have been her crowning moment, she was quite simply the best. She won each race easily. But she had too much confidence, oblivious to the dangers around her. I changed for the worse on the day of her terrible crash." Don Wei recalled.
Eva looked up. Her eyes widened. She fought back tears as father and daughter remembered that fateful day.
Flashback
A Star-Racer, piloted by the famous Maya Wei, came around the track.
"Here she comes, daddy! I can't see." The little girl, Eva, sounded downcast.
"Okay, Eva, time for a piggyback." Her father, Don, heaved her up onto his shoulders, just as her mother's Star-Racer burst into flames and exploded.
End Flashback
"Her opponent was an alien of a polymorphic race, the Phyls."
"Spirit…" Eva murmured.
"Spirit was a very aggressive racer. I tried to talk your mother out of it, but she was too determined. That was ultimately her downfall."
Flashback
"Its too dangerous! Spirit is-" Don Wei was cut off in midsentence as Maya pressed a finger to his lips.
"As long as we can fly, we still have a chance."
End Flashback
"I became depressed and was unable to take care of you anymore. So the only solution was the boarding school."
Eva, regaining the ability to speak, shakily voiced, "Why didn't you write? Why didn't you call?" her voice had raised to a yell, "Why?" Eva trembled with pent-up rage.
CLUTRBNIISPCTOSRATLM
Around the corner, Jordan, Stan and Koji were eavesdropping on them.
"Looks like Don's giving her another lecture. I told you that man was heartless." Stan remarked coldly.
CLUTRBNIISPCTOSRATLM
"I-there was no time…I became a shadow of my former self."
"Oh yeah? Well that shadow just happened to create one of the best racing teams in the world." Eva spat with obvious menace.
Don Wei looked as if he was about to say something, but before he could say anything, Eva cut him off. "Every time kids saw their parents, no one was there for me. The others thought I was an orphan. They were right. You didn't even recognize me when I escaped that horrible place just to see you. You thought I was a guy for cryin' out freaking loud!"
She stood up and casually remarked, "Well, I broke my back in seventeen races before you actually figured it out."
Don Wei buried his face in his hands. 'How could I have not even recognized my own daughter?'
"The only reason I didn't go mad was because of another stowaway. And you will never know her name unless you find her. Which you won't."
Flashback
"Only Elders choose the ones who can become a Changeling. Changelings keep the balance of Darkness and Light in check. There is only one exception: If one's love is strong enough for another in danger, they will be granted the power. You've prolly seen a million TV shows with this plot, but this is true."
"You could do that?"
"Sadly, no. Only the Elders can, and even only if it's pure and true and the person in question is in grave danger. Moving on. Now, each Changeling has a choice of a power. For example, you could control the weather, or bend Elements, or become invisible."
"What's your Power?"
"Well,
after doing the figures, Shapeshifting is basically just about the
only thing that covers, well, everything, so that's my Power."
"Cool!"
End Flashback
"I am sick and tired of living in the past."
"Eva-"
"I don't see anyone here named "Eva". "Eva" died a long time ago, Don Wei." She laughed. "And you arranged her execution."
CLUTRBNIISPCTOSRATLM
Eva had basically declared war on Aikka, she was so mad. In just a few days of ignoring her, she had developed a strong hate for him.
About three days had passed, with no races. It was prolly a break from all the action. She had avoided Don Wei, but continued to visit Kyrra, along with occasional chats with Jordan. Her friendship with the two of them grew stronger every day till they became almost like the family she never had. Also, she silently patted herself on the back for not falling asleep on Jordan during than time.
Now, as she walked back, who should come out of his temple but the Prince himself.
"Hey, you!"
…
"Hey Aikka, you good for nothing snake!"
Still no reply.
"Whatcha doing, coming out here to brag about your bug, I see. If you think I'm going to give up the race, well you can bow to my backside! Bitch!"
Aikka bowed his head, but still did not answer.
All of a sudden, a blast came from the Crog pit, setting off an avalanche of rocks cascading over Eva and Jordan.
"Oh! So that's the thanks I get for trying to help you during the prelims! Well guess what? We're not going to be friends anymore, Aikka! It was all just a lie!" Eva ran off somewhere again and wasn't seen until evening.
CLUTRBNIISPCTOSRATLM
"Hey, Eva, why're you so mad at Aikka all of a sudden? It's like your friends one day and enemies the next. What's going on?"
"That's what I'd like to know, Jordan." Eva spat bitterly. She walked down the hall a little faster.
"Why don't we go see Kyrra? I'm sure that'd cheer you up."
"No thanks, Jordan, I-Hey!"
Jordan dragged her down the hall and into Kyrra's secret hideout.
"Well well, what do we have here?"
"I need a diagnosis for the Earth team's pilot." Jordan reported.
"Symptoms." Kyrra stated in a businesslike fashion.
"Lets see here…running off, temporary fits of rage, and being extremely hateful towards Prince Aikka. That should be enough."
"Hmm. It seems that Eva's father just got a surprise. Either that, or PMS."
Jordan shifted uncomfortably.
"I'm just kidding!"
Jordan said nothing, but his face reddened.
"So, Eva, care to explain yourself?"
"Eva doesn't exist anymore! She's dead, like her mother!" Eva growled.
"What happened to Eva?"
"Her father murdered her!" She lashed out at Kyrra, but was held back by Jordan.
"Well, you're still alive, right?"
"That doesn't mean Eva is!"
"See? I don't know what to do, so I brought her here so you could do something with her."
"There are clear signs of emotional distress. The first thing you need to do is calm down, Molly." Kyrra deliberately called Eva by her fake name.
Jordan, who had held her arms together in the back like handcuffs so she wouldn't struggle (or hurt herself), let go of Eva's wrists. She fell on the ground, but didn't get up, her sides heaving and occasionally wracked with sobs.
Jordan pretended to gasp. "Is she dead?"
"Jordan, you can stop with the jokes, now. Right now, Molly needs some space. She's fighting herself, prolly because when Don Wei confronted her, it must've brought up memories. Bad ones. When she's with any of you, I suggest calling her by her fake name for a time and trying to help out more often. Do your best to keep her calm, and stay calm yourself. Be patient. I was once like this, so I know how to deal with it. I'll stay here for a while, you tell the others what I told you."
Jordan nodded gratefully and went to carry out Kyrra's orders.
AFHL…
With Eva safely back inside, Kyrra meditated on the day's happenings. Standing on her middle finger.
"So once again I place a truly blessed adolescent's course of destiny in the Elder's hands…What will become of this?"Kyrra looked up…
…straight into the hideous face of…
…Kannaletto…
CLUTRBNIISPCTOSRATLM
Some stupid religious guy: It's not "ramen", it's r-amen!
Kyrra & Spaz: rolls eyes Whatever.
Listen, I really should be getting to wok on this Egyptian project that's due in two days, so BIG CLIFFHANGER! I'M SO GOOD AT THOSE! Also, in the next chapters there will be major development of Eva's and Jordy's-
Jordan: growls Do not call me that.
Spaz: Shut up. Smacks Jordan on the head
Jordan: Ouch.
Spaz: As I was saying, more development on Eva's and JORDAN'S-fine, there ya go, see?- relationship. O yeah-what does "quid pro quo" mean? See ya!
o.O Disclaimey: I don't own Oban, but I do own the concepts of the Elders, changelings, Kyrra, etc.
p.s. AFHL means A Few Hours Later.
-Virtual Dragon of Oban