The Dragon Flower: Part Nine

      “HUSH, Lopina!” Amina glared at her sister. “Let Crystal talk. Please continue with your story, while we find a way to get you out of there.”

      “Coco uses that button over there on the wall to open up the bars,” Crystal said helpfully and pointed towards the button.

      “COCO!?” the girls said together.

      “Mr. Coco is responsible for locking you up?” Amina asked in horror.

      “Yes,” Crystal answered.

      Amina walked over and pressed the button. Lopina jumped out of the way when the bars swung open. Together the girls placed one paw on the Chomby and held hands. The blue-green glow burned brightly on three of them for several minutes. When the girls let go of each other, the Chomby was completely restored; not even a scar remained.

      “I knew it was you two when I heard your names,” Crystal said as she stood up. “I knew your mother and father before they died.”

      “You knew Mama and Papa?” Lopina asked.

      “Please tell me, how did they die?” Amina asked urgently.

      “That I do not know. About two months after Mr. Coco captured me, he told me that they had died and that the girls had escaped. I mourned for your parents for months, especially your mother.“

      “What was our mother’s name, her real name? Captain Mendanbar didn’t remember her real name,” Amina asked.

      “Captain Mendanbar? It has been a long time since I have heard that name,” Crystal said with a smile.

      “You know Captain Mendanbar?” Lopina asked.

      “Yes, I do; he and I are old friends,” Crystal replied. “Your mother’s name was Syringa Josikaea. You see, your mother was being experimented on during her youthful years. I took her from the laboratory in Shenkuu and we fled to Altador. The scientist chased after us, so I asked my good friend Mendanbar to take us to Brightvale. After two years of being in Brightvale, Mendanbar sent word that the scientist had given up on trying to find your mother. So we moved back to Altador and lived in the forest. Several months later, your mother fell in love with your father, Periastron Nova. I stayed with your parents and helped raise the two of you. Unfortunately, Coco captured me and locked me up here. He demanded that I tell him where your mother was and if she had any children. I couldn’t tell him, for if I did he would have used your power to do a horrible thing.”

      The girls were in tears, for they finally remembered and understood who they were. The girls hugged their long lost nurse. After several minutes of crying, Amina gathered some composure and said, “We have to find a way to remove these chains, and what is with this crazy lock.”

      “Amina... the lock is in the shape of the Draik Flower,” said Lopina.

      “The shapes remind me of a stained glass window,” Crystal stated.

      “Stained glass window? Hmmm...” Amina said quietly. After several minutes of thinking, Amina exclaimed, “Wait a minute! What about the treasure we found in the treasure chest!? Those are the pieces to the lock!”

      “I think you’re right, Amina!” Lopina agreed. “Let's go get them!”

      “Please be careful,” Crystal pleaded. “Don’t let Coco catch you!”

      “Mr. Coco is very busy today,” Amina reassured her. “But we will be careful none the less.”

      Amina closed the bars and the two girls took off as fast as they could.

     ~~~~~~~

      “Back already!” Crystal said with amazement.

      “The house is just around the corner,” Lopina called to the Chomby. “The hard part was carrying all the pieces.”

      Amina pressed the button again and the bars swung open just like before. Amina walked over to the lock and said, “All right, now to figure this out.”

      “Amina, what can I do to help?”

      “Uh... you could get several more candles for me, and that’s pretty much it. Thanks for getting the candles.”

      Amina studied the lock and the pieces, while Lopina brought over more candles. Silence lingered for several minutes before Amina even tried to place one piece. Soon, she figured out that the belt that Captain Mendanbar had given her matched with the pendant Lopina had found in the forest. Together, they filled the top space of the lock. The green pieces fit into the bottom space. After nearly twenty minutes of working at the lock, everyone heard a loud CLICK and the chains fell off the Chomby.

      “Thank you so much! It’s so nice to move again!” Crystal sighed with relief.

      “You are welcome,” Amina said with a smile.

      “Yay!” Lopina cried and jumped up and down.

      “Yes, thank you for coming!”

      Everyone turned around and saw Mr. Coco and several members of the staff with swords.

      “Coco, don’t you dare hurt them!” Crystal said and jumped in front of the girls.

      “I am afraid you have no say in the matter. Since you wouldn’t tell me how to use their power, then I will force it out of them!” Mr. Coco bellowed at the white Chomby.

      “NO! I will not let you hurt them!”

      Mr. Coco held in his hand a small button and said, “You do not want me to use this.”

      Amina peered around the Chomby and called, “Why? What is that?”

      “I won’t use it, I promise. But you have to tell me how the girls activate their power, if you want me to keep my promise,” Mr. Coco said cunningly.

      “I have told you before, I don’t know what you are talking about!” Crystal said out of frustration.

      “Very well then,” Mr. Coco said and pressed the button.

      “AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!” Lopina screamed. Her body was completely engulfed in electricity that was emulating from her upper arm.

      “STOP!!” Amina pleaded and ran towards Mr. Coco, but Crystal stopped her. “Please stop, you are hurting her!”

      Mr. Coco released the button, and Lopina crumbled to the ground.

      “Lopina, wake up! Are you okay!? Answer me!” Amina cried. “What did you do to my sister!?”

      Coco grinned maliciously. “I inserted an electrode in her arm several weeks ago, when we first met. I knew she would be trouble right from the start.” He turned towards the guards and said, “Grab all of them, and throw that sorry excuse for a Chomby behind those bars! And bring me the girls!”

      The guards grabbed Lopina and Amina, and forced the Chomby back to where she was before.

      “Let me go!” Amina yelled and bit a Wocky on the arm.

      “Oooowwww!” the Wocky screamed.

      One of the guards grabbed Amina and a Kacheek placed a muzzle around her face while another guard tied her hands together.

     “Get this off of me! Untie me right now!” Amina said frantically. She looked over to her sister and yelled, “Don’t you dare hurt my sister!”

      “Amina, please don’t be difficult. Or I will press the button again!” Mr. Coco ordered.

      “You wouldn’t!?” Amina gasped in horror of the thought that Lopina would be zapped again.

      “I will, if you don’t settle down!” Mr. Coco said with aspiration.

      Amina stopped trying to get away and reluctantly allowed her self to be walked towards the stairs. She watched as a guard lifted Lopina up off the ground and carried her out of the cave.

      “Amina, whatever you do, do NOT use your power!” Crystal called as the group headed up towards the forest.

      Once outside a voice called from the shadows, “What took you so long? And did you bring the girls with you?”

      “I did, Ma’am,” Mr. Coco answered. “However, Lopina is out for the moment.”

      “I told you not to hold it for very long, didn’t I?”

      “Yes, but I wanted a little revenge for her behavior on the ship.”

      When Amina could finally see, she saw Delia! “What is going on here?” Amina demanded.

      “Huh... my head hurts,” Lopina groaned as she slowly stood up. “What happened?”

      “Lopina, you’re alive!” Amina cried.

      “Ah... more or less,” Lopina said and smiled weakly at her sister. “Uhh... why are you tied up and why do you have a muzzle on your face?”

      “Because she bit me and she tried to hurt everyone!” the Wocky yelled.

      “All right, that is enough!” Delia bellowed.

      “Who died and made her boss?” Lopina whispered to Amina.

      “As a matter of fact, I am the boss,” Delia stated with pride. “And that is why I have brought you back here! To finish what I started three years ago, before you two slipped from my fingers!”

      “Wait... you’re the one who experimented on Mama?” Amina asked.

      “You are correct. I guess that Chomby wasn’t a total waste after all. She did explain some of what has happened.”

      “What did happen? And what do you want from us?” Amina cried out in confusion.

      “Well, don’t just stand there like idiots, take them to the stone dais!” Delia ordered, ignoring Amina completely.

      “Now, ma’am?” Mr. Coco asked. “We don’t even know how to use their powers yet!”

      Delia glared at chocolate Pteri in total disgust and said, “I am in charge and you will do as I say. Am I clear?”

      “Yes, ma’am,” Mr. Coco answered. He turned towards his men and ordered, “Take them away!”

To be continued...