AC: This is the first chapter of this story; it will be shorter than the prologue.

Chapter 1: Someone Was Worried

For a few minutes, Peyton tried to remember what happened during his disappearance. He was gone for most of the day and he had nothing in his mind. He was also unconscious when he ported back. He ignored the bad feeling when his friend Tom searched for any wound or any mark. He closed his eyes and sighed, "Nothing bro?"

"And nothing on your head. You don't seem to have been hit by any attack. It seems like some kind of mugic, if something like that can erase your memories."

"When are Kaz and Sarah coming back?" Peyton asked as he held his scanner. He knew his real self might get nervous. It was late and he was surely fast asleep right now, "Can't port out. Maybe I'll remember more when I port back. Break those chains in my memories," he put his hand on his head and wiggled them, messing his hair.

"Maybe the Codemasters can help you," Tom suggested.

"If my code is messed by something? Maybe. I not really sure I should ask them about it," he noticed the Underworlder Khybon storming away from the port court, "Where is he going?"

"I think he is going to see Alexandre. You know, Cassandra's friend, not Sarah's brother," Tom replied.

"He is going to complain about something?" he asked.

"Yeah. He wants to come to Earth. He came for that and there must be a set back," he guessed.

Peyton sighed, "Which rule he doesn't comply?"

"Usually, it's dress-code."

"Guess it's that again."

"Yup."

"Since that incident?"

"Especially since that incident," the large teenager grumbled a bit at the mystery of his disappearance, "Think the Mipedian found something where I last was? Hope I was there when I just vanished," he made a pop sound with his voice and wiggled his fingers.

"Hope so too. It's been a while since you came back here. Maybe there is nothing left," his friend replied.

"Such a bummer."

"Anyway-" Tom stopped when he saw his friends coming back, "They're here."

Kaz and Sarah joined the two with a relieved smile on their faces.

Kaz was a Caucasian boy with red hair and pink glasses over his brown eyes. He wore a green shirt while gazing at his waistcoat left on the side. He didn't change his dress code since last year.

Sarah was a Caucasian teenage girl with long blond hair and teal eyes. She wore a red shirt with a blue jean. She also wore a necklace with a heart on it.

The girl approached her friend and punched his shoulders, "That's for worrying me!"

Her punch was gentle and Peyton felt nothing. He just knew she was so worried, she needed to vent it out a little, "Sorry Sarah. I have no idea what happened. Even if I wanted to remember, nothing. Brain has been cleaned up of that," he moved his fingers on his head.

Kaz sighed, "Theb-Saar finally let us go. Anyway, I'm glad nothing bad happened to you."

"Except for my disappeared memories," Peyton grumbled as he tried to think back once again. The memories seemed to avoid his brain.

"Theb-Saar should be here soon. He got his Telebracers and should be here soon enough," she glanced at the port court and saw the blue Mipedian already coming their way.

The few Mipedians bowed to their king as he passed near them.

The tall blue draconic humanoid dragon with a pair of crimson eyes, dreadlock-like mane and two pair of black horns on his head. He wore a purple armor with a blue belt, blue cape and gold arm bands. His golden crown on his forehead. His red eyes locked on Peyton and came by his side, "Peyton! I am glad to see you are safe and sound," he observed him, making sure there was no wound on the boy. He saw no signs of pain. It both relieved the king and worried him.

"I'm mostly okay Theb-Saar, just nothing in my mind," he replied as he felt the large hand of the king on his shoulders.

The Mipedian sighed as he glanced at his friends, "There is really no lead?"

"No. I asked him a few questions, but nothing," Tom replied.

Theb-Saar scratched his chin and muttered a few things. He tried to find an explanation, while keeping an eye on his friend. He had to figure out what happened to his friend. If he couldn't, Peyton life remained at risk. He had to protect his friend from any potential danger.

"Could a mugic just take away a part of my brain bro?" Peyton asked.

The creature squinted his eyes, "Possible. If there is a mugic that can take up your courage, then it can happen. I just don't know if such mugic exist in the first place. I'll have to investigate in the matter."

Peyton realised that everyone seemed to be a little bit too protective of himself. He felt the eyes of his friends on him, as if they made sure he wouldn't just disappeared on the spot. He tried to reassure them, "I'm sure it will come back. I'm fine."

Sarah grunted, "You disappeared an entire day and you came back here without remembering anything! You are not fine! Something happened to you and no one knows what it is!"

The brown-haired boy was shot down quickly in reassuring them. Still, four pair of eyes were locked on him. He nervously gulped, "B-but you are all going too far. It's not like last year."

"You mean like when M'arrillians kidnapped Tom?" she asked him.

Tom wished they could forget about when they tried and the time, they succeeded in kidnapping him. He didn't reply on that. He was that worried. He mentally chuckled about how strange it was to be on the other side of the matter. Still, "Maybe a creature kidnapped you. He screws up somehow and you port back here. You were unconscious when you came back."

Kaz countered, "I have a hard time believing that. I mean, it doesn't look like anyone hurt Peyton."

Theb-Saar listened to their conversation as he tried to find out more about what happened to Peyton. His council was worried about what happened to their guide and friend. For him, it was his friend first and guide second. Still, he needed to investigate in the matter right now. He stood up, "Peyton. Come with me. The Codemasters might be helpful in the matter."

The boy stood up, "O-okay."

His three friends looked at each other's and followed suit. They couldn't find anything and knew the Mipedian had the right idea.

Tom activated his scanner and waited for Crellan to reply, "Yes?" a confused voice replied. It then noticed who called him, "Tom?"

"Yes. Listen Crellan, my friends and Theb-Saar are coming to see you. Something happened to Peyton and we have no idea what it is."

"No idea? Did you ask him?"

"He did dude, but I know nothing," Peyton said.

"He disappeared for the entire day and doesn't remember anything," Tom replied.

"So, you want to know if I can do anything about- And did you say Theb-Saar is coming too?"

"Yup."

"Okay. I'll guide you to a room. Hotekk is a bit of a mood since he lost his match against Lulu today, so it's best if it's just with me," Crellan suggested.

"Lulu beat him? Awesome!"

"IT WAS PURE LUCK!" they heard Hotekk furiously yelling.

"He tripped and got coded. Anyway, one robot will guide you," Crellan ended the communication.

They left the main room and saw a robot floating in the air. The five followed it through the corridor.

Sarah chuckled, "What a sore loser."

"Lulu managed to beat him. Even if he tripped once and was coded, it's not enough to cost the match," Kaz thought a bit.

Peyton had a large smile, "I bet she handled him on her own and that was his last mistake. She won five of the six matches with her skills!"

"That's sure," Tom agreed.

They stopped when they reached a large door. It quickly opened and the Codemaster waited them on a chair. They were five more, which were not adapted for creatures who had a tail.

The Codemaster adjusted his gray mask with a pair of small wings on it. His blue eyes looked at the humans and the creature, "I'm sorry we don't have a chair for you."

"I don't mind," the king replied as he remained on his feet, "I prefer to stay up anyway."

Crellan nodded. He looked at the humans who sat on their respective chair, "Can you explain to me in detail what happened? I know you forgot everything Peyton, but I just need to know what you remember."

"That's the problem dude. I remember nothing. My brain is just filled with nothingness," Peyton replied.

Crellan and Theb-Saar gazed at the portly boy a bit confused about the brain filled with nothing.

The blue Mipedian chuckled at those choice of words, "Before you were captured, what do you remember?"

"I went on a scan quest and I met a few buds. Then, I woke up in Chaotic and I learn I disappeared for most of the day," Peyton answered.

"You heard nothing weird?" Sarah asked as she turned to her friend who was with Peyton while he was unconscious.

"I asked him and he knew nothing more than that," Tom replied as they turned to their friend.

"And afterward, you just remember waking up in Chaotic?" the Codemaster went on.

"He was unconscious when he ports back," Tom added.

"I need to know who kidnapped him and why Peyton doesn't remember anything," Theb-Saar tail whipped the ground as they made no progress. They just went around the same thing. He crossed his arms, "Can you do anything?"

Crellan scratched his chin as he searched for a solution. He opened a holographic screen by his side and typed something, "We can try and check his code. Even if he had some memory loss, we might be able to find something in the code. However, it is like opening your brain like a book. It is extremely private and I cannot do it without your consent Peyton. Even then, I need to authorisation of the other Codemasters," he sighed, "Which they all agreed."

"This is really sci-fi," Kaz grumbled under his breath. Even on earth, technology wasn't at that point.

"Peyton?" the creature turned to the boy. He needed to find the answers.

Peyton was a bit nervous. Reading his brain like a book. It wasn't literally, but it was like checked everything someone had on his computer. He took a deep breath as he tried to find the right answer to give. It was extremely personal. It wasn't even sure they could find anything.

"I won't protest your choice Peyton, whatever it is," the Mipedian king gently told him with a small smile.

Peyton looked at his friends who offered no answers. They were all nervous and didn't know what to tell him. They weren't sure if they should encourage him or told him to not do that.

"It's my choice anyway," the portly boy said. He put his hand on the desk, "Do it… just don't show anything embarrassing."

"Good. It will be between you and me-" Crellan was cut when he saw the glare from the Mipedian king.

Theb-Saar said, "I will remain here. I also need to know what happened to Peyton and who did this. Once I have his face, I will hunt him down!" his muscles tensed under his arms. It was clear that no wouldn't be an acceptable answer. No one had the gut to tell him no.

"F-fine. Just don't laugh," Peyton nervously replied. He wished that all of this would be worth it.

The Codemaster looked at the other three, "Could you please leave?"

The three friends stood up and left the room.

Only three remained in the room.

"You have that thing here?" Peyton asked as he felt a bit sweaty. His fingers tapped his knees.

The creature put a reassuring hand on his shoulder, "I won't laugh."

"Do it," Peyton decided.

"Okay. It will take a while," the Codemaster warned him, "Because I will focus on the important thing. It will take a few minutes to find that out," he then began to press on the screen, "It will definitely sting a lot."

"Sting a lot? What do you OUCH!" he grunted loudly.

The Mipedian sat by his side. No matter how uncomfortable he was, he remained by the side of his friend. He waited to see what happened to him. If he could, He had to protect his friend from whatever got them. No matter what.

AC: This is the end of this chapter.

Next: A King's Decision.

With the result of the scan, Theb-Saar decided it was best to protect Peyton with a guard when he went to Al-Mipedim in hope that no one took him again.

Followed by: Kidnapping.

Kaz went on a scan quest, but he was captured by the enemies of Chaor among his tribe.