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Untitled Document
Part 14 - Something to Hide?
When Angel entered the cave, Rincham had already covered
Aren's body with fern leaves and was sitting solemnly beside him, his eyes closed
in silent prayer. A real tear flowed gently over his right cheekbone, and R2
hummed softly to comfort him. Sid who was sitting nearby turned to Angel as
she silently entered the room. Rincham spun around, still drying his tears so
no one would see him cry. He's sensitive to that.
"Well?"
Angel gave him a look still fuelled with the
aggression she felt before, but her expression rapidly softened as she studied
his face, his eyes still burning red from tears of sorrow. "I'm going to do
it. I can't escape kismet… I know we haven't gotten on that well in the past,
Rin, but I just want to say … I'm very proud of you. You've been through a lot
in life and have never taken any bull from anyone. Even as a lab rat you've
always held your head high and never listened to the taunting of others. I've
always respected you for that, and I want to tell you so."
Rincham's eyes glittered. "Don't say that. You
don't know the half of it… besides, why so final?"
"Because I'm going to Denholm Valley… and there's
a good chance I'm never coming back."
Rincham took a step back, his words dispersing
in his throat. Angel tried not to look at him and instead called *Bleeper* over.
"I want you to have this," she said darkly,
taking the remaining Patocol Potion from *Bleeper* and placing the vial in Rincham's
paws. "Bring it close to you and it'll show you memories. I have no more need
of it - my memories are complete. The last piece of the jigsaw puzzle metaphor
that is my life has been filled. Now I've got to look towards the future. You
can put it to good use, I'm sure."
Angel clucked her tongue for her Petpet and
made her way towards the door.
"Wait, Angel…" Rincham stuttered. "You're going
now? I mean… right now?"
She smiled boldly back at him. "Tell everyone
at Bunbury Acres that I love them." And in a flurry of silver feathers and fur,
the Eyriess was gone.
The Kougra cursed and kicked the wall. How could
he not say it? How could he have not told Angel that if it weren't for him they
wouldn't be in this mess in the first place? In a tempestuous scope of fury
he bared his fangs and clenched his fists, then opened his palms and extended
his blade-sharp claws, yet the warrior was helpless to assist Angel. He could
do nothing to help her sister. Unless…
His eyes brightened as he sketched out a plan
in his mind. Yes. There was something he could do to help. With the idea still
fresh in his mind he left R2 and Sid to their own devices and bounded from the
cave and making his way down the mountainside, on a quest of his own…
~*~*~*~
At roundabout this time, Jenny suddenly opened her eyes and realised her feet
and arms were bound to a chair. 'Fantastic,' she thought. 'Just what I need.
One second I'm building a house of cards at ~The*Eyrie*Oak~, the next I'm tied
to a chair.'
She couldn't tell exactly where it was she'd
been taken. But it was cold. And dark. Very dark. And from somewhere outside
the wind was howling past and echoing round her. She tried to untangle herself
from the layers of twine, but it was no good.
"Aah, you're awake!" a sinister voice said brightly
from somewhere in the shadows. Jen's eyes darted from side to side. Then, slowly,
a figure stepped into the light.
She had seen him only once before, but he was
swathed in black clothing and it wasn't for too long. His black balaclava was
peeled from his face. Right now he was more than happy to let himself be seen,
for he had nothing left to hide. FiskMerrick wasn't all that tall - four feet
maybe - but the confidence that radiated from his very being more than made
up or it. His yellow skin looked rough like sandpaper, and was scarred and blemished
as proof of many battles fought. His face cracked into an ominous and mocking
grin. Jen drew back and averted her eyes from him.
"Oh don't be afraid, pet. We won't hurt you…
that is, unless your friend Angel can't give us the key to the Dragonmist."
"Dragonmist? What're you talking about?" she
answered back, finding a slight audacity before shrinking back to the relative
safety of the chair.
"No matter. No matter. The point is irrelevant
to you. Your only chance of survival now is if that Kumlaa returns with the
Dragonmist. Then you can become our comrade, or…" The Yellow Jetsam let his
sentence trail off.
"What is this about a comrade? You said that
at the Oak. Why'd anyone want to join with you?"
The Jetsam let out a loud and spontaneous cackle.
"WHY? Because us Darkgons are on our way to greatness. And we will complete
the prophecy set in the Kumlaa Scrolls by releasing the Dragonmist and taking
over Neopia! Muahahahah!!"
Jen rolled her eyes. "Okay, fairs enough. But
what is the Dragonmist?"
"What is the Dragonmist? WHAT IS THE DRAGONMIST?
Why, it is the most mysterious, prestigious and dangerous thing in the entire
universe! So many have gone in search of it and barely lived to tell the tale.
The mere mention of its name makes the legs of warriors tremble and quake. It
--"
"You don't know what it is, do you?"
He shuffled his feet. "No… but if your Eyrie
doesn't supply us with it by tonight, you're never going to be seen again…"
"Really? Well that's fantastic!"
"Huh?"
She grinned slyly. "I've got a huge French assignment
planned for tomorrow, and if I don't hand it in by then I'll be in huge trouble.
Have you ever seen my French teacher? If there were ever any municipal campaigns
for the reinstatement of corporal punishment, you'll know who to blame."
The Jetsam gave her a blank look. "And how does
that affect us?"
"Well, if you give Angel such a short deadline
as that, she'll never get here in time, and I'll be spared all the panic and
pain that a French assignment always causes me! Thanks a bunch, FiskMerrick!
You've saved me a lot of trouble!"
"Saved you a lot of trouble?" he yelled, with
a pretentious and bitter air. "So, this 'Ferensh Teechur' is the most evil thing
in your world, human?"
She masked a smirk. "The most evil thing I know,
sir."
"And if you do not hand in this assignment you
were supposed to complete, you shall suffer his terrible vengeance?" The cogs
were turning in his mind.
"Oh, most definitely."
"Alright, in that case we'll extend the deadline.
Burzwakh? BURZWAKH!"
A mustard-coloured Grarrl brought his head into
the light and mumbled sleepily, "Yessir?"
"I want you to extend the deadline for the Kumlaa's
bringing in of the Dragonmist. Tell the troops to hold off the attack until
I give the order. Right?"
"But sir, why?"
FiskMerrick thought about it for all of five
seconds. "Y'know, it made sense a moment ago… oh, I don't have time to think
about this, just do it! I don't want this attack to advantage anyone but us!
Y'hear?"
"Sure. Whatever you say… I guess…" Burzwakh
walked away, shaking his head inquisitively.
FiskMerrick turned his attention back to Jen.
"See, now you'll never have enough time to do the assignment! You'll have to
face the seething wrath of the ultimate evil of your world: this… 'Furrench
Teacher'! Muahahahahah!"
"Whatever." Jen tilted her head to gaze into
the darkness, lost in her own thoughts. 'At least that bought us some time.
Oh, Angel. What have you got yourself into this time?'
To be continued...
Author's Note: What's up with Rincham? Find out what he has to hide … next
issue. I love to know the audience's opinions on my stories, so if you have
any compliments, criticisms, whatnot, send
'em on in!
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