Drake had only just gotten off to sleep when his wrist communicator thingy (as he called it) relentlessly kept beeping at him. He tried to ignore hoping that whoever was on the other side would leave him alone but after his older brother started pounding the wall and shouting 'turn your alarm off' Drake knew that he would actually have to answer it. Moodily, he threw his duvet off his warm body and slowly got up off the bed and staggered over to the desk at which he wrist communicator lay.
"This better be good." He answered only for the reply to be a scoff. From that alone, Drake knew that it was James, no doubt he was only doing to annoy the red defender then again James looked like the sort of person who had more important things to being doing with his time and not annoying Drake.
"Well." James sarcastically started. This was a good start for everyone involved in this conversation…not, "I've picked up energy readings from the outskirts of town. If you have the time and effort to group up with Amy and Zoey then I would frankly be amazed."
Ignoring most of what James had just told him, Drake replied back with the key question, "What about Josh and Kyle? They're at the castle with you?" He wasn't going to face any sort of robot without his boys there with him; they were his back up against the robosaurs…and the girls. However all those thoughts left his mind when he realised that James hadn't replied to him.
"Err, James?"
"There have a different assignment." He told Drake hoping that he would take the bait and not find out that he, James Cadhit, had actually lost two of the defenders.
"What assignment?" Drake asked innocently which annoyed James completely; luckily he had fast thinking on his side
"Operation Idkwta." He replied slightly smiling to himself at the name. Actually, he couldn't take all the credit, it was a well-known operation throughout the whole Jr defenders vine and they used it regularly to stop people like him from asking questions, "I have to use secret code for all operations."
The silence at the end of the comm hopefully meant that Drake had believed him and was now on his way to meet Zoey and Amy. James turned back to the still broken computer, the screen and been repaired and the locator could only reach within the walls of Pearl Canyon, unlike before where it's scanners were limitless and the female voice of the computer which updated James on movement automatically without James having to do it himself, was still broken.
~Ooooo~
They had shifted through time again, neither one of them was sure when it happened as sleep consumed them before the golden light could. Josh couldn't help but shake the feeling of how comfy that floor was to sleep on, normally it would take him ages to get to sleep, it was probably due to the recent events that had unfolded and hopefully that could explain Kyle's extreme changes in his emotions which really worrying Josh as he had never seen anything like it or had never experienced anything like it himself. One moment he would be smiling away and the next he would be sobbing his eyes out, then again, he had only known Kyle for a week and had only seen him in defender and leader mode. This could to the real Kyle, the one that stayed hidden that nobody, not even the Jr defenders or his parents saw.
Josh turned to look at Kyle, who was observing their surroundings at looked very comfortable and familiar with them. When Josh actually looked around himself, he too found himself familiar with them and turned to Kyle, "So are we home?"
"Yes but no." Kyle replied without looking at Josh at all, "We're basically a year out, it's November 2031."
"How do you know that?" Josh asked shocked that Kyle knew all of this especially since there wasn't a calendar in the room or a trusty clock. Maybe it was some sort of decoration that the defenders only put up in the main room when it was November… or it could be the unconscious Jr defenders lying on fold away beds in the middle of the room.
Suddenly the sound of footsteps stopped Josh from asking more questions and Kyle dragged him behind the desk as they heard a very familiar voice speak, "I need those four to stay asleep."
It was Harvey speaking, Josh vaguely remembered Kyle explaining to him and the others that Harvey was once a trusted member of the castle and he was the defenders advisor before he got power angry and jealous of the Jr defenders. Josh looked at Kyle, who was about to break rule number one: don't mess with the past. Kyle's wrist swelled up and he aimed it for Harvey, who was obliviously talking to someone unfamiliar, by the looks of it a guard. Kyle then opened his palm out and a squirt of ice shot out. Unfortunately for Kyle, it missed Harvey and landed underneath the Jr defenders fold up beds.
Harvey was still all oblivious to this despite being in the room when it happened however, a bald man, who Josh presumed was the beloved Charles, entered the room with the defenders in tow and another unidentified man, he spotted the ice straight away. He turned to the unidentified man, at which point Kyle muttered 'Luke' and started talking about Ice World.
Josh heard a sniggering nearby and turned to see Kyle trying not to burst out laughing. Knowing that James who would be appalled by this behaviour, Josh decided it was time someone who wasn't an emotional wreck (or whatever Kyle was) should take charge. Also…when in earth could Kyle spit ice from the palm of his hand? Ignoring his last thought, he looked at his friend,
"Kyle, what are you sniggering at?" Josh asked annoyed but with a hint of curiosity in there.
"Nothing, you won't understand." Kyle replied. The Jr defenders had mentioned Ice World to him before and explained it was a place where they would all unconsciously meet up. They then went on to explain that Charles only discovered Ice World was real due to the power of the Lionheart force unlocking it and causing Ice to grow on the castle floor hence making Ice World a reality where in actual reality, the ice had appeared due to Kyle's bad aim and Ice World was literally just a figurative place.
Both boys realised that the Golden light was consuming them once more and Kyle despite being in a strange and unusual state of mind, even to himself, made a note that each time frame was getting shorter.
~Ooooo~
Amy and Zoey looked around the outskirts of Pearl Canyon where James had given them the coordinates. The first observation they made upon arrival was the lack of robosaurs they had found. In fact there weren't any at all which made the whole thing a bit suspicious.
"Hey girls." Drake greeted running up to them in a red hoodie and jeans, which by the looks of it he had just shoved on, "Fought off the robosaurs already?"
"If there were any to fight off." Amy replied still looking around for an activity, "I shouldn't even be here, the doctor specifically explained that I need sleep after today's events."
"Don't we all." Zoey joined in, she had now given up in looking all together and was now looking down at her pink pumps, "I hope this isn't Kyle and Josh messing us around."
"I doubt it, James said they were on some operation…Idkwta, I think." Drake informed the girls, "Anyway, I don't think pranks are Kyle's style."
"I wonder what is." Amy whispered under her breath but the comment was still caught by Drake and Zoey, who smirked in response. Unfortunately, Amy looked up at the pair, "What?"
"Nothing." Drake replied still smirking at Zoey, it was obvious to the red and pink defenders that Amy had developed a small crush on Kyle. Zoey claimed it was down to stereotypes; Kyle was dark and mysterious while Drake argued that Amy has had a crush on him since she met him and before she knew who he was or what he did.
"Yes there is spill." Amy argued, she may not have known her new friends long but she could easily tell when they were hiding something from here.
"You obviously like him." Zoey said not holding back, that was the thing with the pterodactyl defender, she was always straight to the point and didn't care what people thought about that aspect of her.
"I do not." Amy replied back.
"You so do." Drake butted in smiling his face off, "When you first woke up from your concussion, the first person you asked for was Kyle. Frankly, Amy I was deeply offended."
"That's because I could hear his voice above all of yours." She argued back, this did not mean she had a crush on Kyle, not that she was denying she had a crush on Kyle. Wait a minute, wasn't that the whole point of this argument.
Just before Zoey and Drake could reply, a deep and dark voice interrupted their conversation (or torturer depending if you're looking at it from Amy's point of view), "Sorry to break up the chit chat, but I think I should finally introduced myself properly. The last time I met you three it was a flying but threatening visit."
The three defenders spun around to find Ivar standing there, Zoey recognised him straight away, after all he was kind of responsible for brain washing her…twice. She looked at Amy and Drake, clearly by the angry looks on their faces, Ivar had messed with them as well.
"It's Dino-" Drake shouted but found himself cut off by Ivar.
"Now, now there's no need for that." He tutted, he then paced from side to side trying to intimidate the new defenders, they weren't falling for it, "I don't won't a fight."
"Then what do you want?" Amy snarled back, "I didn't think you did general chit chat after you're violent past.
"Oh, sweet, innocent Amy." He said taking steps towards her and she immediately retreating, pulling Drake and Zoey with her, "You have no idea about my past."
"That didn't stop Annaka from fighting you." Zoey shouted back. She knew she has reached a sensitive spot as Ivar stopped walking closer and flinched slightly, he of course knew what had happened to his niece and what James had done to her but that was all in the past and he had bigger plans.
"Annaka didn't even know I existed." He exclaimed angrily, that fact never sat well with him. He at least thought at of decency or for her own protection, his youngest brother would have told her about him, "James or my brothers didn't even thing to tell her about it all. She had no idea who she was fighting; she had been manipulated to fight me."
The three defenders had no come back, they hadn't grown up with Annaka, they had no idea if she was manipulated to fight against anyone who threatened her or if she was just fighting because it was the right thing to do. Maybe Ivar was innocent in all of this and they were the ones hurting the planet? Maybe the robosaurs were trying to protect the planet and they were destroying them because it was what Kyle had been doing?
No! They were in the right. They were the defenders of earth! Ivar had threated Amy and Drake in the past and had brain washed both Zoey and Drake to do his dirty work. He had friends like Harvey out there and the main point, if he really cared for Annaka's well-being then why wasn't he look for her? Ivar was wrong. Annaka was not manipulated, she was doing was the right and that's what they needed to do right now.
"Come on guys." Zoey said, "If Ivar doesn't want a fight, then we will."
"Clearly, you don't want my warning." Ivar said back smugly as he grabbed a device from out of his pocket, "Too bad."
With that a blue light blinded the three defenders and they discovered that Ivar had disappeared from sight. They all looked at each other, they may not have fought Ivar but they knew that he was the manipulative one and Annaka was better off before she knew who he was.
~Ooooo~
Both boys landed with a thump onto something hard. Slowly and slightly painfully, they got up and looked around the place. Despite having some sleep, Josh still managed a yawn and Kyle watched him carefully, he didn't want him fainting again. The time of day didn't help either; the sun was setting which, physiologically, would make anyone tired. Josh yawned again and Kyle was slightly debating whether to make him curl up and sleep. He knew that throughout these past few…adventures, his state of mind hadn't been… up to standard (as his mum would put it) and despite what Josh thought, he had seen the sneaky, unsure glances and he knew that the green defender would probably share his concerns with James, who would pester him until Kyle agreed that he was upset (which he was not) about everything that had happened. He needed to stay strong because that was what Jack would have done.
From the corner of his eye, he saw Josh walking around and freezing. A small smile formed on Kyle's face, he had already worked out where they had arrived however, he didn't know when, so when he saw Josh slowly retreating backwards and hiding behind a pillar, he could only assume it was before September.
This time Kyle crept up and peeked out from behind the pillar and onto the open part of the castle tower. He smiled when he saw Danny's nest sitting in the same spot as the one back in normal time did. Nothing had changed, the twigs and sticks were still sticking out at odd angles and it looked a complete mess but the different part was the two bodies lying there underneath a blanket.
Annaka was gently sleeping with the majority of the blanket wrapped around her. Kyle watched her shoulders move up and down slowly, her breaths were long and deep and she looked so innocent and peaceful. Of course, she had a pillow but she clearly preferred Danny's shoulder to it, which by looking at him, didn't cause much pain or uncomfort for the defender. Despite not sleeping (or napping) himself as his eyes were wide open, Danny was looking to the sky clearly daydreaming about something.
Kyle suspected that the love struck pair would spend time together up here and would no doubt talk about secret things that they wanted no one else to know. It was hard for the former red and green defenders to show any emotions towards each other when you had very over protective parents watching your every move (holding hand was just about acceptable) and trying not to gross everyone out. For some strange reason, Kyle found it reassuring that they did spend some quality time together.
Again, feeling stalkerish and creepy, Kyle retreated to where Josh was hiding and crouched down beside him, "I'm not an emotional wreck."
That seemed to grab Josh's attention as his head immediately shot up and towards his friend but before he could comment on the matter, the golden light transported them away again and this time it actually took them home back to September 2032 and it turns out only… 45 minutes after they got pulled into the golden light which had now disappeared along with the five items. Both of the defenders jumped up off the ground and ran straight for the castle, knowing the James would have probably noticed that they had gone missing. Unfortunately, he didn't seem to trust anyone so would often check up on Kyle regularly now the Jr defenders had disappeared.
James did notice and when he eventually found them talking in the living room, he demanded an explanation which Kyle was happily about to give him until his mobile starting ringing from his jean pocket. After struggling to get it out, he saw that the caller ID was his mum.
"Can I?" He asked pleadingly, after all Josh could fill him in. James seemed to think the same way and nodded and indicated that the pair should talk in the main room leaving Kyle to talk to his mum, "Hey mum."
"Hey baby bear." Faetal and Vane greeted, however it seemed that Faetal was in control of this call as she started speaking, "How are you after the earthquake are you doing okay?"
Kyle paused before answering, he could give the simple answer of fine, which he was…physically and possibly mentally but considering his life was far from simple and he wasn't paying for this call he decided to come clean.
"Not really, I've been an emotional wreck and the worst thing, Josh witnessed all of it."
So for the next two hours, Kyle poured his heart out to his parents, in hope that they could fix him up and put him back together again, after all that's what parents are for and Kyle wouldn't want anyone else doing it.