(A/N Alas, I'm back on schedule. Here is chapter six. It's not a very long chapter, but hey, what're ya gonna do? Anyway, read on, my friends.)

Disclaimer: I still don't own Neopets. Get used to it. Like, that's how it's gonna stay. Seriously, guys.

Jeffory and Scott weren't exactly eager to speak with the Commander, so they found themselves wandering in the general direction of his office.

As they made their way to Larx's office, they made idle conversation. Jeffory had asked Scott what he had intended to do over break. Scott explained that he hoped to spend it with his family. Like Jack, he didn't have the best report with his parents. Unlike the hyperactive mynci, Scott was attempting to fix it.

"I dunno, it's like they're just looking to find something I'm not doing right. Well, my dad more than my mom. She just treats me like I'm still three," Scott told him. Jeffory couldn't help but think fondly of his days in the orphanage, and how his caretaker, Anna, seemed to always forget that he wouldn't stay two years old forever. His thoughts grew sour, however, as the Voice informed him he wasn't welcome there.

Not anymore.

As an uncomfortable silence fell over them, Scott asked Jeffory who he was taking to the dance (there's a shock). Jeffory almost face-palmed. "Haven't really thought about it." Jeffory tried to act in a nonchalant way, but the shifty eyes might not have helped his case much. "Anyway," Jeffory said before Scott pressed further "who're you taking?" Scott grinned. "Y'know that new girl, right?" he asked him, and Jeffory nodded.

The girl in question was from an Academy in western Neopia. She had just transferred to this, much larger Academy, and was, understandably, caught off-guard by just how massive it was. Her name was Alexis Russel and she was a starry kacheek. Scott had approached her and they hit it off, so it seemed.

"Well, I'm taking her!" Scott informed him, looking quite proud. Jeffory grinned, patting him on the back. "Right on, man!" he congratulated.

The stepped into the elevator, punched in the correct floor and waited. "So, why did Commander Larx give you guys the Ares, again?" Jeffory asked, still not really believing it. He hadn't meant to sound rude, and thankfully, Scott didn't look offended. "Tom layed it on thick, man. Told Larx how much of a fan he was, or something of the sort. He only gave us a couple of missions and before we knew it, we were sitting in that warsh-err-airship," Scott explained, stretching. Jeffory resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the mention of Tom being, well, Tom. "What's his deal, anyway?" Jeffory asked.

Scott chuckled. "Larx or Tom?" Jeffory rolled his eyes. "Larx is beyond me, but you seem to know Tom well enough."

Any kind of mirth in Scott's eyes disappeared as he let out a sigh. "We were really close in middle-school. We were both kind of, well, dorky. Then, we decided to come to the Academy. He got "cool" all of the sudden. Started working out, hitting on tons of girls, and developed a monster ego in his spare time."

The Benny Hill theme playing from the elevator's speakers felt out of place.

They fell into an awkward silence as they exited the elevator and headed down the hall.

Right before Jeffory knocked on Death's Door, Scott stopped him. Jeffory turned to look at him. "So, I'm not the only one who wants to bolt?" he asked hopefully. Scott's mouth twitched upwards slightly, but after a moment his face returned to being serious. "Tom's taken an interest in Kendra," he said matter-of-factly.

Jeffory rolled his eyes. "No, really? 'Cause I sure didn't notice!" He responded, his words laced with sarcasm. Scott glared at him. "This is serious!" he hissed, and Jeffory quit joking around. "Why are you telling me the obvious?" he asked. Scott sighed, growing impatient. "So you can prevent them from getting together, duh!"

Jeffory was going to tell Scott that adding "Duh" at the end of a sentence made him sound like a teenage girl, but decided against it.

"Look, Scott isn't the best with relationships, alright? Kendra doesn't deserve to be hurt," Scott said to him. Jeffory had never seen the scorchio so serious. "How do you expect me to play anti-Cupid?" Jeffory inquired. "Doesn't Jack have a thing for her?" asked Scott, and Jeffory sighed. "Yeah, but he's not doing anything about it," he shrugged. "Well, tell him to get his ass in gear," said Scott and knocked on the Commander's door before Jeffory could respond.

"Enter."

To the point, as usual.

They stepped into the office, Jeffory shutting the door behind him.

Larx gave Scott a pointed look, awaiting his report. Scott looked extremely uncomfortable, but took a seat. He sat stiff, and looked directly at Larx's forhead.

"We managed to push the monster's out of the town, sir. Damage to Sea Breeze was minimal, this time. However, it if we had gotten there any later, I don't think there would be much left to protect," Scott informed his Commander, who nodded, stroking his chin.

"Was it a specific species of monsters attacking this town?" Larx asked. Scott shook his head, still avoiding eye-contact.

Jeffory wondered if Scott was afraid of turning to stone.

"No, sir. They were varied. They were working as a team, coordinating their attacks. One monster, a Rammer, seemed to be the leader. Once we killed it, they backed off."

Larx "hmmed" in thought for a moment. "What of the town's current condition?"

"Like I said, damage was minimal, but their fortifications are all but destroyed. The monsters will most likely return as soon as new leader takes over. That concludes the report, sir." Larx nodded. "Very well, mission accomplished. Return to your dorm, Benson, well done."

With that, Scott saluted and left the room, giving Jeffory a "good luck" look.

Jeffory stood at attention, not interested in taking a seat. Well aware he hadn't waited for Larx's approval to begin his report, he spoke anyway.

"We defeated the monster in the Fairy Plains, sir. Unfortunately, our airship crashed, but the team was relatively unharmed."

Larx looked irritated that Jeffory hadn't waited for his permission to speak, but motioned for him to continue.

"Something troubles me, though: The monster we defeated was one that we had previously killed last year. A Silverwing Dragon, to be exact. I'm sure you know all about Silverwing's and that there is only supposed to be one in existence," Jeffory added. For once, he appreciated Hunter's random facts.

He could have sworn he heard a low growl escape Larx's throat at that comment.

"Once it was dead, we checked its remains, and found this." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the tag, handing it to Larx. The chia looked at the object closely, scanning every inch of it.

After what felt like an eternity, a look of anger appeared on his face. No, it wasn't anger. He looked almost afraid. He fixed his eyes on Jeffory, snarling: "Why did you bring me trash, Knights?!" Jeffory narrowed his eyes. "Excuse me?" he asked, trying hard not to get angry. "Do not make me repeat myself, boy! This is utter garbage!" he emphasized his point by tossing the tag into a corner.

Ignoring Jeffory's protests, he stood up, gripping the edge of his desk so tightly that his hands began to turn white. "When you bring me a report, I don't expect to be handed trash, understood?!" he snarled, and Jeffory lost it. "How is that trash! It has to be important if it was on the monster!"

"Enough! You're lucky I don't suspend you for that," he pointed at the tag in the corner of the room "insult!"

"The only insult in here is you, sir!" Jeffory snapped, before he could stop himself.

"OUT OF MY SIGHT, YOU BRAT!" Larx roared, stalking around the desk and advancing on Jeffory menacingly. Jeffory found himself backing up, caught off-guard by Larx's loss of composure.

"So you can go make out with yourself in the mirror?" Jeffory snapped, mentally kicking himself for his lack of self-control.

Larx was upon him now, and Jeffory could have sworn he was raising his hand to strike. Jeffory found himself flinching, but when the blow never came, he opened his eyes to see Larx pointing at the door.

"GET! OUT!"

Jeffory obliged, all out of retorts, and more than a little shaken by the last couple moments of their "conversation". He fumbled with doorknob and stumbled through the door, taking off down the corridor.

Why had Larx thrown such a tantrum about that tag? Jeffory inwardly asked the same question over and over as he practically ran to the elevator, occasionally glancing over his shoulder.

Whatever the case was, he feared he would never find out the mysteries surrounding that tag. He wouldn't be surprised if Larx was going to destroy the tag, as soon as he was done making out with his reflection in one of his trophies.

"Damn..." he cursed, getting into the elevator. He had to get that tag back. Something about it was very, very wrong. It had... frightened him. Or did it just unnerve him? Whatever it did to him, he knew, for a fact, that it was ten times worse for Larx.

( A/N Please leave a review telling me what you thought and I'll see you all next week! Thanks for reading!)

LaDude out.