I waited until Moordryd had left and when I was sure he wasn't returning any time soon, I made my move.
Why did I faint, I wondered as I sat up rubbing at my eyes. I knew I should have followed him just as Word Paynn had ordered me, so why didn't I? After a few moreminutes I shook my head and slipped off the bed, almost stumbling as my head spun. Gripping the bed in one hand, the other pressed against my forehead I waited for the dizziness to pass before I moved closer to the door. Carefully opening the door I ducked my head into the hallway and after finding it deserted I grinned to myself, stepping into the hallway and closing the door behind me. I made my way outside and just as I reached what I remembered were the stables I heard a growl and I whirled around, just as a large silver and black dragon barreled into me. Immediately he licked my face and nuzzled me, acting like he knew me.
"Whose dragon is this?" I shouted, immediately cringing when I remembered that I was sneaking out of the compound and he snorted, tilting his head at me.
Rayne? He growled, confused as I pushed his head back and climbed to my feet. Are you okay? He snorted as he gently nudged my legs and I stared back at him. It was like the dragon knew me or something and as I stood there, he stared at me.
"Do I know you?" I asked, forgetting he couldn't speak and he nudged me again, trying to tell me something. "Sorry but I have to go. I need to follow Mr Paynn's son and I can't if I hang around here." I added as I realzied I had no way of catching up to him without a dragon and that's when I had an idea. "Would you help me track down Moordryd?" I asked, feeling a little stupid by asking a dragon for help but he instantly growled. Secconds later he magged me to his back and I only just had time to grip his neck when he shot towards the gate, almost dislodging me. Letting out a yelp I hung on tight as he rushed outside and picked up speed until his legs were almost a blur and I grinned to myself, thinking that I could use a fast dragon like this.
At the same time Moordryd and Decepshun had reached the citadel. Looking around and not seeing Moordryd narrowed his eyes, annoyed that his rival hadn't even bothered to show up.
"Hey Paynn!" Artha called out and Moordryd let out an uncharacteristic yell before he glared at Artha, who let out a chuckle. "Heh snuck up on you, huh?" He grinned as Moordryd silently fumed.
"Before you start I found Rayne." Moordryd told him and Artha's eyebrows shot up in surprise making Moordryd grin this time. Though he almost instantly frowned as he remembered how cruel I'd been.
"Then why don't you look happy? And I know that's a stretch for you." Artha answered and Moordrd actually sighed before he could speak.
"She's wearing some sort of weird black draconium gear on her head and I think my father used it to brainwash her. Now she talks and acts like my father and...she doesn't even know me." Moordryd muttered and Artha stared at Beau than his rival, more than a little shocked.
"Where is she now?" Artha asked and just as Moordryd went to answer they all heard his VIDDCom beeping. Letting out a growl, Moordryd answered it.
"Moordryd, we've looked all over the compound and she's not there." Cain told him and getting a blank look for a moment he frowned. "Rayne's gone and so has Quiksilva." He quickly added, wincing as Moordryd's eyes went wide.
"For dragon's sake Cain you should have just locked her in!" Moordryd yelled and Cain rolled his eyes, for once ignoring his leader and best friend.
"Maybe you should have." Cain responded though once he saw Moordryd's eyebrow twitch he muttered an apology. "Look I'll get the rest of the crew to search for her." He said before he hung up.
"Scales. Look I know she'll head back her to report to my father so I'm staying put. You can do whatever you want but I'm getting her back, with or without your help." Moordryd said and Artha crossed his arms, knowing full well that his rival was asking for his help. Not directly of course.
"Okay then what's the plan to trap your girlfriend?" Artha asked, unable to resist poking fun at Moordryd who just narrowed his eyes. After a few minutes Moordryd took his amulet from his jacket and slipped into his gauntlet, letting out a slight laugh.
"Unleash the shadow!" He shouted, darkness covering him and changing his racing suit and jacket to his black draconium armor. At the same time Decepshun let out a roar, her pure black form unleashed as well.
"Okay so you're the Shadow Booster. Now what?" Artha asked and before his eyes Moordryd looked past the citadel. "Paynn?" He muttered and when Moordryd pointed he saw someone rushing towards them, going at a tremendous speed.
"Is that...Rayne?" Moordryd aka the Shadow Booster muttered, eyes wide under his helmet before he raised his hand. "Sorry girl but I have to do this."
But before he could launch an attack, Artha shot forward and bumped his arm with his own elbow, throing off his aim. Giving Artha a glare and a growl, he aimed again only for Quiksilva to spot him and dig his claws in. Skidding to a halt he let out a growl at Decepshun, who just snorted in return.
"Did you just try and hurt me?" I asked, my voice low as I jumped down from Quiksilva's back. Storming over to the Shadow Booster I glared up at him, arms crossed and he jumped down.
"I was just trying to...forget it. What are you doing here anyway?" Moordryd asked and I tilted my head to one side, curious as to why he was asking me.
"I should be asking the same question, Shadow Booster. What interest would you have with Word Paynn? Besides the citadel's defense would have you running for cover anyway." I asked as Quiksilva watched on, wondering why I was talking to my boyfriend like that. Then he noticed the gear on my head and he growled, suddenly lunging towards my head. Instead of pulling it off my head, Quiksilva only succeded in knocking me on my rear and I yelped, hitting the ground hard. Annoyed I glared at the black and silver dragon, who blinked then lowered his head giving me a guilty look. "What is wrong with you? Were you trying to take my head off?" I growled climbing to my feet before anyone could offer to help me.
"He was trying to take the gear off your head, not bite your head off." Shadow Booster told me as I stared at the dragon. "Its wrapped around your forehead." He explained and I frowned a little, reaching up and that's right when I felt a cold metal band just below my hairline.
"Huh what is...this?" I muttered as I gripped it and tried to slip it off. And that's when I received the biggest shock of my life, literally when a massive electrical charged threw me to the ground. I didn't even have time to cry out before I was stunned unconscious.
"Its not going to be that easy to remove it." Word laughed inside his citadel and when I didn't move, he sighed. "I suppose it was too much to ask to have someone with free will working for me."
Being knocked unconscious multiple times in one day wasn't something I enjoyed and neither was waking with a sore head and the smell of slightly singed hair. As I lay there groaning I heard voices and without opening my eyes, mostly due to the headache making my skull hurt, I tried to figure out just who was speaking.
"So how do we remove it without hurting Rayne?" Moordryd asked as Vizz walked back and forth, looking down at the headgear I was currently wearing. After watching on for a few seconds Cain piped up.
"Why not just pull it off?" He suggested, getting twin glares from Moordryd and Vizz for his 'suggestion'. "Whatever." He added, deciding not to try and help further.
"Rayne tried that and the results were... less than helpful. My father thought of everything." Moordryd said as he stared down at me, watching as I shifted my head. "Why do this to her?"
"Because he's your father." I muttered opening my eyes and he gave me the tiniest of smiles. "Is something burning?" I groaned as I struggled to sit up, my head spinning.
"That would have been your hair. Though just the edges." Vizz answered as he lent down, setting a hand down on the gear. "Hmm...interesting."
"Please be careful. Otherwise..." I trailed off as my head throbbed and he instantly let go, wisely taking a step back. From me or the gear I didn't really know.
"So what now? If we can't remove the gear manually what else can we do?" Cain asked as he stared at the black draconium gear attached to my forehead.
"I'm working for a man who'd stick gear onto his own employees. Drac, very drac." I sighed and Vizz chuckled, earning a frown from me. "At least I think I work for him...not so sure I want to right now."
"Trust me you really don't want to." Artha commented and I looked up, curious as to why he was here. "I'm here to help, despite what Paynn thinks." He added as he and Moordryd glared at each other. Something about that seemed funny and I let out a giggle, making everyone blink at me.
"I think the gear fried her brain." Cain whispered to Vizz who stiffled a laugh as I growled, only to groan almost instantly as my head ached.
"Not...funny." I grumbled as I set my palm against my forehead, forgetting about the gear for a moment. Thankfully I soon discovered it would only zap me if I was foolish enough to try and yank it off my head. But also leaving it on wasn't an option either so right now I was sitting on the bed, trying to think of a way to remove it without frying myself again.
"Heh there's that pout again. At least your own personality hasn't completely vanished." Moordryd commented as he sat beside me, chuckling as I moved immediately to the other side of the bed and well beyond his reach.
"I might need your...assitance right now but that doesn't make us friends." I growled, ignoring my headache for the moment to glare at the younger Paynn. "So stop trying to pretend that we're anything."
"That's not what Moordryd told us." Vizz said and when I stared at him he grinned at me. "Apparently you two were...pretty close." He added and I almost leapt off the bed, lunging at Vizz. It was only Artha stepping into my path that prevented me from attacking the Dragon Eye crew member, who hid behind Cain. "I'm joking, I'm joking!" He shouted making me wince.
"That's not funny!" I yelled at him, feeling my cheeks heat up and I just knew I was blushing. "There's not way I'd let anyone get close to me, especially not him." Seeing my eyes narrow at him, Moordryd rubbed the bridge of his nose.
"Look at the very least can we work together and focus on getting that black draconium gear off Rayne?" Artha said and when no one spoke he grinned. "I have a plan. Let's ask my father."
"Uh huh. And what will he do? Get zapped too?" Moordryd said, hearing both Vizz and Cain snigger at that and Artha frowned.
"Oh and I suppose you have a better suggestion? Like asking your father?" Artha shot back and Moordryd growled, unwilling to admit that he had no clue how to help me and Artha grinned. "Then let's go back to the Penn Stables." He said, turning and heading for the door until I shook my head.
"How about 'no'?" I finally spoke and everyone focused on me. "Its my choice and I don't like everyone making the decision for me." I really wanted to get the gear off my head and figure out if Moordryd was telling the truth about us. Ugh even thinking about being close to that fool made me feel ill, or maybe that was from the charge I recieved earlier.
After a few minutes I sighed, realzing that I had no other options and so I followed Artha outside. Moordryd followed me, keeping a safe distance in case I decided he was too close and lashed out again. Of course with my head hurting and my confusion about who was trying to help me and who was just using me, I ended up letting the silver and black dragon mag me. Once I was on his back he stared up at me and gave me a snort, almost as if he was asking how I was.
"I'm fine...Quiksilva was it?" I asked and he stared at me for a few seconds before giving me a slight nod. "Okay let's go. Follow...Artha I think." I muttered as I reached around and held tightly to his neck. Not sure why I was acting so strange, Quiksilva still followed Beau and Decepshun outisde and as they headed for the Penn Stables I lifted my palm. With it pressed against my forehead I briefly closed my eyes, feeling a little dizzy.
"You feeling okay, Rayne?" Moordryd asked and my eyes shot open, confused as Decepshun drew up beside us.
"I'm fine." I tried to growl though even speaking hurt and I groaned instead, making his eyes go wide. "Just...back off and..." I gasped then, my head flaring and he reached out when I almost toppled off the dragon's back.
"Rayne!" He yelled, grabbing my shoulder and pushing me upright as I blinked, a little shocked at my sudden weakness. "You're injured." He said as Beau slowed and Artha turned slightly in his saddle, watching as I shook my head.
"Don't touch me." I managed to gasp, shifting on my dragon's back and he sighed as he stared at me. "I don't need anyone's help." I added, in case he was stupid and for a few seconds I could see what looked like concern in his pale grey eyes. For all my harsh words I couldn't help feeling slightly guilty as he lowered his head and urged Decepshun forward, overtaking both Quiksilva and Beau. Why am I being so stubborn, I wondered as I urged Quiksilva forward and as we travelled in silence I felt my head drooping. I think I must have fallen asleep at some point, unable to keep my eyes open due to my exhaustion or possibly my injury since I once again almost slipped from Quiksilva's back.
"Hey Rayne!" A voice called and when I struggled awake I saw Artha standing over me. Giving me a grin he offered me his hand and I grudgely took it, deciding to take his help. At least its him and not that worthless Paynn, I grinned to myself as I followed Artha. Not knowing that Moordryd was watching me from a short distance away. Shaking his head he soon followed as we headed towards the stables and when Artha called out I cringed, my hand flying to my forehead from the sudden noise. Giving me a sheepish grin, Artha hurried inside leaving both Moordryd and I to wait outside.
"Hmph so I'm stuck with you. Figures." I grumbled as I crossed my arms and Moordryd finally had had enough. Before my eyes he stormed over and stood over me, arms crossed against his chest.
"That's enough!" He yelled and as I blinked up at him, he narrowed his eyes at me. "I'm getting sick and tired of you constantly bad-mouthing me. I get that you're confused about who you are right now and after what my father did to you I'm not surprised. But talking down to me...well its really starting to scrap my scales."
I opened my mouth, attempting my own speech about how annoying he truely was and what I really thought about his attempts to make friends with me. But instead I swayed on my feet before my legs gave out and in seconds Moordryd shot foward. As he caught me in his arms, holding me tightly against his chest, he stared down at my face and I sighed.
"Why do I keep...ending up in your arms?" I whispered and in response Moordryd hugged me, almost cutting off my breathing. When I let out a gasp, suddenly unable to breath, he loosened his grip. "And why...does this feel...right?" I added before I closed my eyes, going limp in his arms.