A/N: So, I decided to be nice, and upload chap 13. I really hope you guys are enjoying this.

Chapter 13

All was quiet at dawn, about half a week later. Then a figure all in black ran out from behind a tree, looked around, and darted under a bush. The person put on some heat-vision goggles and scanned the area. It picked up something nearby, and hid deeper in the bush.

Where did this mysterious person get heat-vision goggles from? I dunno, I just write this and occasionally pop in.

Then, suddenly, something dropped from a tree and landed right in front of the bush. It stood up, pulled out a walkie-talkie, and whispered, "Dragon to Flower, where the heck are you? Over." "I'm right at your feet, you idiot, over." Milo jumped back in surprise and peered under the bush. "Oh, there you are. Come on, we need to quick get the rubber cement and 40 pounds of stale Snicker's bars." "Well, why didn't you say so?"

Sarah and Milo zoomed across about five people's back lawns, through a hotel, through an ice cream shop, and through the prank shop (Sarah quickly stopped to buy something called a Barfing Rubber Chicken—oh great), and then raced into a house, back again, and finally into the Wizard Tower, where they shot up to the 20th floor on the stairs, and, so it turns out, ran right into the ExtraOrdinary Wizard.

"Oof! What the heck are you two doing up here?" "Have you seen Rian?" Sarah panted. "Rian…the only boy in our family with blue eyes? Yeah, he was here earlier." "Did he leave with two big bags?" "Hmmm…I think so."

Milo silently cussed, while Sarah did out loud. Septimus rolled his eyes. "Where is he headed?" Sarah rounded on Milo. The kid closed his eyes and muttered something under his breath, then waited. After about half a minute he opened his eyes and said, "Good news. He's still trying to figure out how to open the secret lock."

"Excellent, bye Uncle Sep." The two kids shot downstairs and Septimus pulled out his cell phone, and dialed his sister. "Can you please tell me what the RRs are doing?"

Jenna, back at the Palace, replied, "I think it's kind of an entry thing for Rian. Oh, hang on." She put the phone down as Nora and Marcus came running downstairs with…fourteen boxes of Captain Crunch?

Distantly, Septimus heard Jenna say, "What the heck are you doing with that?" and Marcus' cheerful reply, "We're going to Disneyland!"

Jenna turned back to the phone. "Sometimes I wonder what really goes through their minds." Septimus agreed, then hung up.

Meanwhile, Koran and Silas were sneaking quietly to the boatyard. Their mission: to bring back three lines of rope, and a plank of wood that had to come from a broken boat.

Jannit was yelling orders to the workers when the two boys showed up. "Ah, it's Nicko's kid, and whats-his-name." "I'm Koran." "Yes. What do you need?" Silas pulled out a huge piece of parchment that, when unrolled, went down a hill and somebody slipped on it.

"We are the Royal Rambles, yadda yadda, new member, blah blah, require certain materials." "Like what?" "Three lengths of rope, a plank of wood from a broken boat, and two Kit Kat bars" listed Silas.

Jannit looked at the list. "Kit Kats aren't on here." "We're hungry" said Koran with a shrug.

So Jannit shouted, "Oi, there're some kids here! Who's willing to stop work to grab them some stuff?"

Koran lifted his right foot. The ground was vibrating as all the workers dived for the sheds. Jannit slapped her forehead. "ONE of you!" she ordered. That started a punch fight.

"Okay, new approach: WHO HERE DOESN'T WANT TO EARN THEIR MONEY, JUST HELP SOME RANDOM KIDS??!!"

Boy, that stopped it.

Then a boat fell over with a crash, and rolled over to them. Jannit placed one foot on it, and tipped it over. Rack stumbled out, rubbing his head with a scowl. "Sorry, I um—oh, hey guys. What's up?" Silas pointed at the list.

Now fully armed, they left to meet the others at a hall. Sarah was already there with a clipboard, checking off items as people brought them in. "Hmm…bucket of chicken soup, oatmeal, 1st generation iPod nano, grandfather clock, War and Peace, deck of cards that mysteriously blows up in your face, baby crocodiles, more oatmeal, box of leaves, stick, pie, tool b—oh, hello" she said to Koran and Silas. "You're the last ones. Everyone else's already delivered their last stuff."

Koran dropped the plank of wood, Silas dropped the rope, and both tossed the Kit Kat wrappers into a nearby trash can. Sarah continued checking things off. "Plastic dog, Albert Einstein mask, Ice Age DVD, Spider-Man costume, lawn chair, 40 empty beer bottles, coaster, blanket, Uncle Sep's mail—cool, he ordered something from Amazon—lamp, plushie kitten, half a tree, rake, rug, and the broken boat wood, rope, and…why do I smell chocolate?"

Koran and Silas popped a lot of gum in their mouths. Silas laughed nervously. "Ah gunno, mehbe oters ate shome." Sarah rolled her eyes. "WHAT?"

Silas raised a hand as if to say, "Forget it" and looked around. "Where is everyone?" asked Koran. "In the back" said Sarah, pointing them. "Go ahead, we have to be ready for Rian."

I suppose, by now, you're wondering what in the good green earth they're doing? Well, I'll tell you.

Rian needs to get in the RRs so they can play the ultimate prank. Unlike Koran, he doesn't have to take the Test (thank cheez-its), but he only has to pass through one stage.

He is given a wide assortment of items, and he has to choose five that he will use to help him scale the side of the building. The rules: he can't use just one out of the five, he has to get up there in half an hour, and he can't use any other items that he just finds.

Finally, Rian showed up. He was holding two bags and he dropped them at Sarah's feet. "So that's where they went" she growled. Rian grinned. "Did I pass?"

"That wasn't the test" said Milo, poking his head out from behind the grandfather clock. "But you said it was!" the older boy exclaimed indignantly. "We lied. Get over it" snapped Sarah, clambering up on the box of leaves. "Okay, here is your mission: you must scale the outside wall of this building within half an hour, using five of these items. You must only use five, you have to use all of the five."

Rian nodded, looking over the items thoughtfully. He then began to dig around.

A few minutes later, he had chosen the Spider-Man costume (duh), the rope, Septimus' mail, the rake, and—"Can I bring my cell phone?" "Sure" replied Sarah, her pencil whizzing over the paper.

"Oh—what happens if I fall?" "You're not in the RRs and you can't try to enter again for another 5 years." Rian rolled his eyes. "I MEAN, what if I fall? Am I dead?" "Ohh, I see. No, that trampoline should be showing up about n—" "Sarah! A trampoline fell from the sky! Was that supposed to happen?"

She sighed and yelled, "No, Marcus, trampolines just randomly drop from the sky. WHAT DO YOU THINK, YOU DOLT??!!"

Sarah walked outside in a huff, and poked her head back inside. "Waiting for the paint to peel? Come on, get out here."

Rian shrugged and followed her.

He looked up at the wall. "Okay, I'm ready." He pulled on the Spider-Man costume (minus the mask), attached the rake to his belt, made sure his cell phone was in a zippered pocket along with Septimus' mail, and gripped the rope in his teeth.

He jumped on the wall and used the grips on the Spider-Man costume to casually crawl up the wall. He looked down; the others had moved the trampoline into place.

He crawled up to a balcony, where he took off the Spider-Man costume, and he pulled out the rope. "Oi, Rian!" He looked down. Sarah was waving her arms. "Quarter-way!" she shouted. He saluted in response and got back to his task.

The 15-year-old tied a loop in the rope and cast his eyes around for a good place to swing it. He found a lantern holder up a bit higher, and narrowed his eyes as he tried to pinpoint the position.

Gritting his teeth, he lashed the rope and it…missed by three centimeters. Rian swore.

He tried it again...missed by a foot. Rian swore again.

He tried it again…and it hooked! No, wait, it fell. Rian swore loudly.

He tried it again…and he got it, finally. He then proceeded to climb up the rope to the lantern holder.

Once he had almost reached it, he pulled on the Spidey gloves and climbed up the wall to one of those extended windowsills. He took them off again and pulled out his cell phone. He dialed a certain Mr. Heap. "Hello?" "Hi, Uncle Sep." "Oh, Rian. How can I help you, dear nephew?" "Well, I found your mail." "Oh, good. I was wondering what happened to it. I'll come and get it. Where are you?" "Uhh…hang on, I'll check my GPS."

Rian put Septimus on hold and slid through stuff to find his GPS. "Hmmm…looks like I'm on—er, in one of the rental buildings on Jackpot Street." "Kay, I'll be there." "Oh, don't let the other RRs see you, okay? 'Cause it was them who took your mail." "Sigh, okay, I won't be seen. See ya." "Over and out."

Rian tried to hoist himself up a bit higher while he waited, to no success.

A figure landed on the balcony and Rian almost flew off in surprise. "Happy Christmas" said Septimus as he saw Rian. "Merry Easter" he replied. "Here's your mail, can you levitate me up to that last overhang?" He pointed to a long overhang that was about six feet below the roof of the building. Septimus nodded. "Sure." He put his mail in a pocket and stared at Rian, concentrating.

Soon he looked down and realized that he was floating in the air. Gently, Septimus set him down on the overhang. "There ya go!" he said cheerfully. "Now, I'm going to go pay that bill…" And the ExtraOrdinary Wizard vanished.

Rian then unclipped the rake and latched it to one of those ornamental things that were on all older buildings. Clenching his jaw, he yanked and struggled to push himself up.

Finally, after almost 5 minutes of pulling on a rake with his bare hands (that would chafe), Rian clambered up onto the rope and grinned at the world.

He heard the applause from below. "Jump!" came the cry. He found the trampoline but, being the cocky and somewhat sly kid that he was, he put the Spidey costume back on, and snapped the web shooter.

The said web shot to a building across the street. Rian swung over the heads of his astounded audience, then, just before he reached the building, he sent a web flying over to a lower spot on the first building.

He flew back and forth until his feet grazed the ground, then he casually jumped down.

Rian grinned at his friends around him as they congratulated and praised him for his quick thinking and ideas. Then Sarah walked up. She looked him in the eye and held out a hand. "Welcome to the Royal Rambles" she said with a proud smile. He shook and Sarah raised his hand. "The newest RR: Rian Heap!!"

And to the 15-year-old, who had never known friends or family, finally had both.

Edit A/N: For some reason, I think the song Fields of Despair by Dragonforce really fits Queste. If you like speed metal or at least don't mind it, go and listen to it NOW and maybe you'll see what I mean.