Ok, so I'm surprised with the amount of views I've been getting for this story, and since this is my first fanfiction like, EVER – it's been really exciting to know that so many people are reading something that I'm writing off the top of my head. And I'm trying to stick to the original storyline, but it's really hard because I only own the last book in the series, and everything else is just based off of things that I remember from previous books. Sorry, I'll stop complaining now and move on to my . SHORT. CHAPTER. Hope you like this one…
And, if you haven't read the last book in the series, there are some serious spoilers here, so, you know… just in case
Gregor looked down into the laundry grate, and almost expected Are's black furry face to appear, but then he remembered the incident with the Bane. And he almost started to cry again right then and there.
But then he heard a voice; "Drop, Overlander."
Had he imagined it? Or had that been – "Drop, Overlander." The voice purred again. Gregor was still trying to process the voice, when its owner came into view.
Gregor had never been happier to see those black and white stripes. "Nike!" he exclaimed, and dropped through the laundry grate. He left the crowbar there in the laundry room, so that his family knew where he had gone down at. If they even thought to look here.
Nike caught him quickly, and made no comment about Boots. Gregor buried his face into Nike's fur and was sure that he had never felt happier in his whole life, than when Nike's face appeared in the way of the grate.
"How's everybody been?" Gregor asked after a moment of silence, enjoying the feel of the wind in his hair.
"We have struggled, but we are fine." Nike said.
"How?" Gregor felt dumb for asking such simple questions after not seeing them in so long.
"You are missed greatly, Gregor, Queen Luxa will be pleased to see you." Nike seemed to be hiding something.
"What about Ripred, and Lapblood and Hazard… and Vikus?" Gregor pressed.
"Ripred and Lapblood have returned to the dead land, and are awaiting something that is a mystery to myself," Nike said, "Hazard is fine, though he is still shaken over Thalia's death."
Gregor remembered Thalia, little hyper fluttery Thalia. She had been about to bond with Hazard when she died. She had suffocated from the fumes and ash from an underground volcano. Gregor sighed, it was as if he had just witnessed it all over again.
"What about Vikus?" Gregor feared the worst, last time he had been here, Vikus had had a stroke, but had been on the road to recovery when Gregor had gone home.
"He has made a remarkable recovery, and shall be pleased to hear of your arrival." Nike purred, she seemed happy about it. Or, maybe she was just trying to seem that way for Gregor's sake.
Gregor was beginning to recognize their surroundings. This was where Gregor and Boot's had met the cockroaches when they had first fallen down the laundry grate. That was when he knew he had forgotten something. "What about Temp? The crawler?"
Nike sighed, "He does well Overlander," then she made a slight huh huh huh sound that meant she was laughing. "He helps Andormea's bond to attempt the regrowth of his missing limb." Gregor laughed at the thought. Everybody seemed as if they were doing fine. Then he knew he had forgotten someone else.
"Howard, what about him?"
"He has returned to the fount, but will be notified of your return when we arrive," Nike said. Gregor couldn't help breaking out into a large grin that went from ear to ear.
"That's great!" he said truthfully.
It was only a matter of minutes before the lights of Regalia came into view.
Sorry about how awful that must have been... *goes to corner of shame* Please review...