Chapter 35-Decoding

Ebony frowned as Jay jogged her way on the beach. At first she thought he was just getting in a workout like her, but then he stopped.

"Can we talk?" he said catching his breath.

Talk? She wondered. She did miss talking to Jay. Aside from Thunder who was a faithful listener there was no one else to talk to. Slade had some kind of force field built up around himself again and she couldn't very well talk to him about her thoughts when they were about him. She could always try Alice, they had a mutual understanding once upon a time, but it just wasn't like talking to Jay. She and Jay had been good friends. They had their own language.

"Are you over your little crush on me?" she said half jokingly.

He smiled, "It's hardly a crush, but don't worry. I give up."

"Really that easily?"

"Being captured by the slave traders made me realize a lot of things. One of them being I can't live without you!"

"You're impossible!" she turned her back to him ready to storm off, but he gently caught her arm.

"I can't live without you Ebony, it's just a matter of fact. I'm sorry. But I realize that by pursuing this, pursuing us, I am losing you. I don't ever want to lose you. I know you're in love with Slade. You finally have what you want, and I don't want to ruin that."

"So you've finally come to your senses?" she rolled her eyes.

"Somewhat. I mean if I were Slade I'd be the happiest man alive. Everything he has, love, family, happiness...I was jealous of that. I can still have all that with Ruby, but you and I, we built that dream together, it's not that hard to get over. You were the first woman I fell in love with after...her," he said thinking of his girlfriend that died.

Ebony knew the 'her' he was referring to. Her face softened, "You've got to stop blaming yourself for that...for everything."

"If I hadn't lost sight of us..."

She interrupted, "I lost sight too. I was more worried about myself and then I saw how you were with Amber. With her as my opponent I knew there was no point in fighting."

"We should have fought harder," he smiled.

"We can't live in the past General. If not then we'd have only fallen apart now."

Silence befell them then. Jay enjoyed this side of Ebony. The sensible, caring side she shared with him was the reason he fell in love in the first place.

"Game over," he said after awhile, "but I'd still like to be your friend."

She snorted, " I know better not to be friends with boys with girlfriends, Jay. It causes nothing, but trouble. By the way I owe you this," she said slapping him hard across the face the way Ruby had done her just days before.

He smirked in amusement, "Well I guess it's better than not having you in my life at all."

"Slade wouldn't let me give it to Ruby, so you bear the brunt! And this!" she said slapping him again, "is for being captured and making us worry!"

"You were worried about me?"

She rose her hand again and he blocked it, so she rose the opposite hand, but he caught it, "Another?" he questioned.

She smirked kneeing him in the privates, "and that's for all these past months of being an idiot! Ruining the only friendship I have!"

He dropped down in the sand on his knees wincing from the pain.

Ebony laughed patting his fuzzy hair.

He grunted, "Truce?"

He outstretched his hand and she shook it. "I'll see you around Jay."

Then she jogged off down the beach. Leaving him questioning whether or not they'd just made amends to be friends or if she was truly done with him.

~0~

Lani jumped as Blaze, Danni, Josh, and Kyra entered the healing house. The medicine man glared at the newcomers, but left them to it.

Danni examined the woman with her eyes. She had squinty, shifty, and dark eyes with a gaze cold as ice. She was beautiful, despite the sweltering hives she had on her face and arms, but she was definitely uninviting. The only two people who seemed unmoved by her aura were Josh and Blaze. Josh was almost always stony faced though and Blaze was blinded by passion.

"Did you gather everything?" she asked Kyra.

Kyra handed her a few plant roots, an empty coconut half, a bottle of water, and her doctors bag equipped with other things she'd need to do the testing.

Lani began speaking in a language she did not understand. She was clearly taken aback by the strangers. And felt unnerved by Josh's as being there. It was in the way she looked at him. And Danni observed Josh giving her the same look. It was one of recognition and confusion.

Blaze spoke back to Lani in the same language and it clearly settled her, but she was still tense.

Éowyn hadn't been allowed in which relaxed Danni, except Dragon hadn't been allowed either per request of the new leader Kai, who hated them all.

Danni sighed trying not to think about the past and the people around her. She had to focus on the present and the outcome of the results. As she began working the tension rose. It was going to be a long afternoon.

~0~

Patsy had always admired Éowyn. In a way she reminded her of Ebony, but only in the sense that she never showed anyone what was inside and she had an explosive temper. On the other side Éowyn was very vibrant and nice.

Still Patsy was scared to death to return the cookbook she'd stolen from her. It had taken Patsy until now to decode it when Skipper pointed out to her that it was only in Pig Latin. A language she thought was a myth and had never learned.

"Dragon you gotta return it for me," she begged. She had been begging all day, but he wasn't budging. His answer was consistently no.

"It's just something you've gotta do yourself Pats."

"Is this because she left you?"

"None of your business."

"You old people are impossible! You love her, she loves you, Danni likes Josh, I'm not sure how he feels, but well...why can't you all just get it together! " she shouted.

"Old people?" he laughed.

"You're right, my mistake, you are all just big babies! Grow up already!" she said picking up the cookbook storming out of the small shelter.

Skipper and Geo were just coming in and nearly got knocked over.

"Who ruffled her feathers?" Geo questioned.

Dragon shrugged still laughing, "She thinks we're old."

~0~

When Danni was all done running tests on Lani, Danni pulled Josh aside.

"I saw how she was looking at you, and how you were looking at her," she accused. She sounded possessive even to herself, but she couldn't help it. She had grown fond of him and she'd already decided she didn't like Lani.

"It's not that," he said trying to smooth his face, "I can't help thinking she's not to be trusted. I feel like I know her and it's not a good feeling."

"If she's a Techno Kyra would recognize her right?"

Josh shook his head, "Not necessarily."

"Depending on how these tests pan out we'll know something. And as much as I hate agreeing with Éowyn I think you're both right, Lani just gives off that kind of aura you know?"

Josh shrugged and could only follow Danni back to the guest hut, but that didn't stop him from worrying. He had a bad feeling things were headed towards the worst.

~0~

"Oh Pats not you too," Éowyn said looking up as the door rattled open to her hut without a knock. She was sitting Indian style on the floor weaving something together while Keahi cooed from the basket beside her.

Patsy chewed on her bottom lip, "I...I'm here because I have something that belongs to you."

Éowyn smiled, "Really? Are you sure?"

Patsy held out the cookbook towards her, "I'm really sorry I took it, I just wanted to cook like you! Please forgive me."

Éowyn burst out laughing near tears.

"Wh...what's so funny?" Patsy asked. She had expected rage not hysterics.

"Did you really think that's what was so sacred to me in my knapsack?"

"Well...yes?"

"How long did it take you to translate it!"

"Not long ago," Patsy pouted.

Éowyn stopped laughing, "Oh Pats, really?"

"Yes really. I've practically been poisoning the others trying to translate it, and here it is in Pig Latin! It's not even a legitimate language you know?"

"I'm so sorry! But you learned your lesson didn't you?"

"Yes unlike some people around here. I mean it's like me translating the cookbook, your hearts need decoding. Or maybe it's that they've already been decoded and you're all just scared."

"When did you get all grown up?" Éowyn questioned.

"When everyone started acting like children."

"It's been that bad has it?"

"Kyra's been all military and withdrawn, Dragon himself mainly, after he couldn't find you and stopped being a robot. Danni is bitter about the past and the powers have shifted tremendously within the Technos as you can see."

Éowyn stopped weaving, "Wow. How many came after me?"

"How many what?"

"Come on Patsy, you know what I mean."

"That's something you should discuss with Dragon isn't it?"

"Just tell me was Danni one?"

Patsy grinned, "What do you think Keahi?" she asked the infant. He responded with spit bubbles making Patsy laugh. "Keahi has spoken."

Éowyn frowned, "Is this payback for the cookbook?"

"Yes and no. You just really need to talk to Dragon. He was pretty messed up when you left."

The older woman sighed, "Fine. I will talk to him. Later."

"The sooner the better."

"Not after the last conversation we had. Besides there is no one to watch Keahi."

Pasty's face brightened, "I can watch him."

"You've orchestrated this whole thing haven't you?"

"No, but after years of having a cookbook you let me steal leading me to believe it was precious to you, you owe me."

"I owe you? I thought this was about Dragon and I."

"He hasn't been the same Dragon that rescued me."

Éowyn stopped weaving once again and stood up, "This can't all rest on me Pats, I mean I told him...practically warned him not to get close!" She started spouting something off in another language then stormed out of the hut.

Patsy laughed picking up Keahi, "It will all work out little guy. You just watch and see."

~0~

May was worried about Salene. She rarely came out of her room and when she did she avoided everyone.

"If I didn't know any better I'd say I was right about her," she voiced aloud while enjoying a drink at the bar.

"Right about what?"

The bar stool beside her was no longer empty. It had been filled by Liv. May rolled her eyes, she had heard Liv was a bit friendly. May didn't have any friends, except Salene, and she was content with that.

"Did you just roll your eyes at me?"

"I thought you were blind."

"I wasn't always blind and I can read body language."

"Well you've kind of built up a rep for yourself around here."

"And what do you think about me?"

"I don't even know you."

"You could get to know me. And maybe I could help prove you're right about whatever it is that's got you nursing drink after drink in this place."

May stood up, "Look I don't need another friend all right?"

"You have other friends? Because you know the stuff I hear about you ain't pretty."

"You've been asking around about me?"

"I already know you May. At least your type anyways. Strong, silent, independent, insecure, and lonely."

"Wow. Look, just...stay away from me okay?" May said a bit taken aback. She wasn't angry, just surprised.

"Okay fine...but no one else is going to help you with Salene. I mean...Bray would, but she doesn't really want to be bothered with him. So..."

"What did you just say?"

"You mean your best friend has been leaving you out of the loop?"

"I...I've got to go..." May quickly made her way out of the bar. She was going to talk to Salene and she was going to get the truth. The whole truth.