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Another Two-parter!

Princes and Vagabonds

Angel's POV

The golden deserts of the Mipedian Tribe are said to hold many secrets and wonders as they do grains of sand. With the sun of Perim constantly shining down on these noble grounds, you would think nothing could stay in hiding around here. But when your friend drags you in there, the greatest mystery you ask is "How can anyone stand this much heat?"

"Reptiles, mi amiga, reptiles!" Manny calls back to me. He's been excited about seeing where the Mipedians live. We got a taste of the Overworld on our last venture, so Manny decided next he wanted to go with me to Mipedian territory. That was two days ago, during which we'd been learning the ins and outs of Chaotic from other players. Manny had been collecting intel about the Mipedian desert all that time. He was too excited for me to say no to going along. "But be wary, my young padawan: These dudes have the power to disappear and reappear before your very eyes!"

Then how are we supposed to find them? To not diminish his hopes, I asked Manny, "How do they do that anyway?"

"Some kind of special cactus they eat that grows out here. Dad said it was called something like-" Before Manny could finish, I grabbed his arm forcing him to stop.

"Wait a second!" I said. "Your dad?"

To which Manny laughed. "Yeah, Dad! You know that big, chubby guy who's usually there for our birthdays, Christmas, and occasional dinner?"

That's how Mr. Rosen's schedule really is. He's hardly ever home to take care of his son, but I didn't grow up with only-child syndrome because of it. Manny's own words. "But he's on tour!"

Manny looked at me mock-smug, "It's called a cellular telephone, Angelina. You should get one."

"Ha, ha." Then I asked. "So your Dad was the Chaotic Player in your family?"

We continued walking as we talked. "Yep. Until I hear back from Mom. Actually when I told Dad about it he got supper excited! He even did his trademark rock-star yell! Then he went on a total (judge not!) fan-boy rant about the old days and how it was the most awesome part of his life. Well, before his music took off. But when he asked if I'd met any of his old Mipedian buddies, he recited the directions to the oasis from memory! So now we…. Angel?"

I guess I must have been looking down as I followed him along. I really like Manny's dad, he's been like an uncle to me. A crazy uncle, granted. But first and foremost he's Manny's father and the two are close despite him being frequently away even during his custody of Manny. Even now they can talk to each other and share what he knows about his favorite parts of Perim with Manny. Me? Mom doesn't know about it and Dad…

"Angel? Ange…? Angelina May-jors? Hello?" Manny snaps his finger in front of my face. Effectively ending my train of thought. "Listen, we aren't that far. All of the players I talked to said that the Mipedians are cool with us walking around their city. As long as we stay out of the Royal Casa they won't try to code us."

What am I thinking when I'm out having fun with Manny? I shouldn't be depressed! In fact I should be on equal levels of excitement with him. We're going to an actual Perim city this time, and it sounds like we might get a few decent scans in this time. "Right!" I say to him lifting my head. "I want to look around again, but I also know we need the scans to play in Chaotic."

"Now that's more like it!" Manny pumped his fist forward. "Step one: scoping out. I'll give ya step two once we get there." Manny says odd thing at random moments. I'm pretty used to it.

After a good, long walk we finally make it. And the city was worth every step to see! The buildings are all the color of sand, but they are all crafted and hardened into round structures either making homes or shops. There are even tall gecko and lizard like Creatures walking around, some even talking to humans who they seem to be showing around. Man, they're a lot friendlier than Frafdo. Maybe this will go better for us?

"Whao-ho-ho!" Manny laughed. "Total one-eighty from last time, huh Angel?" He had just read my mind.

"Yeah, let's go in!"

Honestly, I would have thought that we would need to watch our steps and not be seen while we were here. I was told that the Mipedian tribe had a lot of secrets, and they tend to be highly protective about them. And I love secrets! What Manny and I agree on: secrets are friends you just haven't met yet! Manny's thoughts are crazy even when I think of them… Yet there isn't anyone I'd rather have as a travel partner!

As we walked about like tourists, gazing at the buildings and some of the shops had weird kinds of foods and oddities (they all had odd names), I heard something that sounded like… music! It sounded like it was coming from an alley not far over from where Manny was talking to another Chaotic Player. The singing wasn't even louder than it was on the sandy street, still I somehow caught the melody and listened to the words as I wandered closer to the sound.

"…sunset on the desert sky~.

An oasis under a crown of stars,

Will make a home to this love of ours."

The singing was coming from what looked like the opened door to a dressing room, like the kind performers get ready in. Inside, singing the beautiful song, was a female Mipedian. I didn't have a card of her, but she was really pretty. She had green skin and green hair too. It looked like she was wearing the clothes of an ancient Egyptian, complete with a small golden headdress. She looked so peaceful and serene while she was singing that I stayed by the open door until she finished her song.

When she finished, she sat down on a stool with her back towards me. "I know you are there." She said in sweet, calm voice. I almost didn't register that she had caught me staring. "Please, come in young human. Did you like the song?"

She didn't seem mad, but all the same I was shy about being invited in. "I… Yes! I thought your song was beautiful! Um… how did you know I was there?" At school, I can usually sneak around with any teachers catching me, even Mom can't find me if I'm really working at it.

At my question, the female Mipedian turned towards me and lightly laughed, even her laugh was musical. "I have the training of a Stalker, young one. I could tell you were there when I saw your shadow from around the corner."

"Oh." Yeah, I should have come in at another direction. "That makes sense. My name is Angel by the way."

"I am called Ebberim." She said, "I was practicing my song for the Lizard Lounge tonight."

I asked her. "What's the Lizard Lounge?"

Again she let out a short laugh, it wasn't a mean laugh. "Don't you know where you have snuck in to? I left the door open to let in some air. I didn't think my song would disturb anyone with the street being so lively."

"I actually almost did miss it." I said to her. "But I could make out the melody from where I was standing, and I followed that until I ended up here. Sorry if I bothered you."

"Oh, not at all… Angel." She tried my name on her tongue. Guess it is a pretty odd name for around here. "I like that name. It sounds… sweet."

I think I might have blushed all the way up to my ears. It was so nice of her to compliment me like that! "I…Thank you, Ebberim. Yours is really nice to say too! Wait, if you're a Mipedian Stalker, shouldn't you be…?" How do I ask this one?

"Out training or on duty?" She guessed with a smile. "Well, things have been relatively calm, and I can be called back if a mission requires me." She sighed, "I admit my best talent is not in spying. Perhaps that is why the academy let me go without much hassle." Then her voice perked back up. "But in truth, it also leaves me free to pursue where I do have talent: in song!"

"I believe it!" I had started feeling bad after I asked her, Ebberim was such a kind person… or reptile…or… I'll just stick with Mipedian. "I didn't grow up with much music in my house, but I used to sing a few songs when I was by myself."

"What do humans sing?" Ebberim asked. "Please forgive my curiosity."

"Oh, it's fine!" I told her. "They would be songs I heard in shows or over the radio. But I haven't really done much with playing music in a long time."

Ebberim seemed to get an idea. She reached behind her and pulled out what looked like a small harp. "This is a lyre." She told me. "If you would you like to try playing it?"

I meant it when I said I haven't touched on anything musical for a while. I was a little afraid of the lyre when Ebberim just handed it to me. My mom's sister used to have a harp that she taught me a little about playing, but this…

"It's alright." Ebberim assured me. "Try plucking each string until you recognize the notes. This lyre is special, it will help you play if you remember the song."

Really wanting to try I did as Ebberim asked. I plucked the strings from high to low and back again. Then I remembered a song, and little by little I began to play it on the little, golden lyre.

Back with Manny…

"So the guards are keeping the palace water tight! You either gotta have a friend on the inside or already have a sweet scan of it." This one player, FireFelix, was really chattin it up with me 'bout how to get into the Royal Mipedian Casa. I wanna go BIG on this quest. But it sounds like no one's found a way in yet. The Mipedians are keeping their Royals under safe guard since humans came around. So it's gonna be me on this epic quest with my loyal, spunky side-kick-

"Angel?" I turned around and she was gone! "Angel!" I called out. Aw, c'mon Ange! I didn't mean that 'side-kick' stuff! She must have seen something she liked and walked off. She couldn't have gone far so I start looking around.

That's when a huge, orange, claw grabs me from behind. "Ah!" Kidnapper! Is this why Angel went missing?"Peyton?" A throaty voice says from behind. That's when I realize that the clawed hand hadn't actually grabbed, more like stopped me by getting at my shoulder. And why did this dude just say my Dad's name? I should probably turn around and find out.

Turns out I know this guy! His card anyway. It's Ghatup, a well-known Mipedian scout. "Peyton…!"he gasps, seizing both my shoulders! "It is you. But how? You look just like when I first met you."

"Whoa! Whoa!" I say backing up from this guy. I like my person space thank you very much. Exceptions only for hugs from very close friends. "Back up there a bit, dude. The name's Manny."

"Oh, I see…" Dude sounds down. "I'm sorry, I mistook you for-"

"My dad." I tell him.

He looks back up, surprised. "What?"

I explain. "Peyton aka PeytonicMaster of thirty human years ago is my dad!"

That seems to have brought back his happy. "Then it is a pleasure to meet you, Manny son of Peyton." Ghatup took me out of the street and to a tent where we could talk in the shade. Dad had actually mentioned him when I called him and told him about the code.

"Manny," Ghatup got right to the point of his talk as he handed me a clay cup of water. "I must know, did your father ever tell you why the humans left Chaotic? Can you tell me why you have all decided to return?"

I took a drink and explained. "Sorry, bro but Dad didn't say why he stopped comin'. But he was totally psyched for me when he found out I had been given my own code! He said being in Perim had been the best time of his life, some of his best songs are even about it. And believe me, it's a mystery to us as much as you guys to why Chaotic is suddenly lettin' kids back in again."

I feel like I owe this guy. Dad's psyching had even given me a list of Creatures Who Are Cool to Know. Ghatup was one of them. When I told the guy that, he smiled big time. "It's good to know that my friend hasn't forgotten me." He said, looking down at his own water. Man… guy looks a bit bumbed. "Peyton was a very unique human. Not just in the way he spoke, but in the way he acted. He could be very… spontaneous, but never unkind to anyone. No one could hate him."

"That's sounds like Dad alright!" How awesome is it that I find an old friend of Dad's on the first day! I wish I could send him a text right now or something. Man, I wish I had more time to talk to Ghatup. "But I was kind of wondering something…"

Going back to Angel...

"Why, Angel," Ebberim applauded as I finished the song. "If I hadn't brought it myself, I would have thought you had played the lyre your entire life!"

I was getting along so well with her! Ebberim is so nice and talented. She's calm whenever she talks to me, and from what she's told me she really does enjoy singing, thought she is a fighter. But she's mostly a stalker out of requirement to her Tribe. She just feels she can add more to the Mipedian Tribe through her singing. Ebberim sees the tired, weary and desolate warriors who come to the Lounge are revitalized by the music, and it makes her feel like she helping a greater number of her people. Maybe even keep reminding them that there is more to life than war.

"Well, there is an instrument similar to this where I came from. They're both really hard to play." I told her, I was feeling a little bashful that she had complimented me. "It means a lot to hear someone likes what I play."

Ebberim then stood up and took my hand. "Now, my new friend, why don't we go for a walk? This is your first day in Mipedian territory after all!"

It was really cool to get a tour of all the tents by Ebberim. A lot of other Mipedians seemed to know her as she would always be waving or saying hello when we walked by. "This is… different than what I would have expected." I admitted when we stopped for some water.

"Really?" she asked. "Tell me then, what did you expect?"

I remembered to be polite and to be honest. "I only knew about Perim because my dad came here when he was a kid. But he was an Overworld player so he didn't spend all that time around Mipedians. I heard from other players the Mipedians are also supposed to be very secretive, so all this: an open market and even finding such a good friend on my first day… This… This is a whole new picture of Perim for me!"

Looking down at me with a gentle smile, Ebberim said. "In my own experience, I have never met a human quite like you, young Angel. As a Stalker I say humans and briefly interacted with a few. But none, have I known to share a love of music or be so open with.

"And as for the secretive part: yes, there are some things I cannot tell even my friends. But I will tell you in short." Ebberim looked around carefully and then leaned into my ear to whisper, "All of our most carefully guarded secrets are locked away in the Royal Stronghold."

Looking around to see that no one was staring at us I whispered back, "The most heavily guarded structure in the territory?"

Straightening back up, Ebberim said in her normal voice. "That is correct. Humans cannot get in even with a frie-"

All at once, the ground felt like it was rumbling! It surprised both of us enough to drop the water cups out of our hands. A gruff male voice called out, "Move out of the way!" And of course I just had to see what was going on. I jumped out of my seat and ran to the edge of the road to see what was going on. A big group of armored Mipedians were running up our directions, carrying a large armored crate, the size of about four of them.

Everyone was waiting until the last second to move out of the rapidly approaching guards. I guess because they were all curious about what was inside that crate they were carrying. But I was to lost in thought that I didn't notice how close the guards were until they were just a foot away from me.

Manny's POV

Ghatup heard from Sobtjek, who heard from Ario, who heard from Zhade, who heard from another dude that he saw a human who looked like Angel walking around with Ebberim, a songstress of the Lizard Lounge. Man, Angel's making friends left and right around here. Back on Earth it's always been just the two of us outcasts for lovin' Chaotic. Sure, we had started off the Chaotic Club to be just our own thing, but when a few other kids heard about it they came in to play. Most of the members had actually been brought in by Angel herself, and she kept the club organized. I know that she's not 'unsocial', Angel's just got a sense for good people and she likes hangin' with people she can trust. Yours truly being her numero one-o!

Digress back to the search! We heard they were walking towards a restaurant-like tent so Ghatup led the way. On the way though, just about every Mipedian stopped us to ask about me! They kept saying how I was like a carbon copy of my dad, and they even shared a few brief times they had with him before we moved on. Hey, I even got my full five scans on the way over! "Boy, is Angel gonna be jealous when I show all the boss scans I got today!"

Ghatup laughed. "I would no qualms of the girl having a scan of me when we meet her."

"Generous offer, bro!" I told him. "Angel's got a few card scans of Mipedians, but her hand-me-down deck is mostly Overworld. It'd be good for her to know what she's been missing out on." Dude agreed with that one.

We were just a few tents away from where angel was supposed to be, when an earthquake suddenly struck. "Get back! Move out of the way!" The earthquake was actually a bunch of palace guards running down the street with a huge metal box. Ghatup pushed me out of their way in time to avoid being roadkill. Then, just down the road I saw Angel!

Then, the second the guards passed in a cloud of smoke, she was gone!

"Angel!" I called out as I ran over. She could have just fallen back into the tent, but it sure didn't look like it from my angle!

Before I even got there another worried voice called out, "Angel!?" Running out of the tent flaps was a green Mipedian dressed like Cleopatra. She looked up and down the street, until Ghatup and I came over.

"Ebberim, what happened?" Ghatup asked, worriedly

Fear in her voice, Ebberim said, "Angel came out to see what was happening. She was in my sight until the guards came running past, and then she was gone! It looked like she fell, but now-!"

We all looked after the disappearing cloud of sand-dust that was the guards heading down to the palace. "Aw, man!" I (whaled) out. "Angel just got trampled by-"

"Wait!" Ghatup held up a claw to stop me. He kneeled down and began brushing away some disturbed sand. "Is this?" He picked up a purple Scanner.

"That's Angel's!" I declared, recognizing it. "That's means she's okay if her scanner is still here! Phew…" For a second there I thought I had lost my best friend.

"I'm afraid that your friend is most certainly not okay." Ebberim said, her voice dripping in worry. "Angel must be with those guards heading towards the Royal's Fortress. If she is discovered inside there…"

"She's toast…!" I gasped. "Or code, I guess."

This may not have been how I planned Step 2 of Awesomest Day in Mipedian Territory. But Angel is getting into the Royal Fortress. Now the next step is figuring out how to save her.

A/N: It's bad news to be stuck in an inescapable fortress without your quick escape. Maybe you can guess who Angel will meet, but remeber: there are two Creature with the title of Prince in the Mipedians.

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