Chapter 4

Chapter 4

A Rough Escort

The night’s sleep seemed like it might’ve been a few minutes for Ross. He spent most of the night thinking about how he held magical powers, was going to a school, and would be an important figure. He was never into fighting at school, and always seemed to find a way to swerve around it. Yet… this war had no way around that he could see. As he finally got to sleep, he dreamt of him fighting a super powered (,and giant) reptile, and losing the fight. He woke up with a bruise on his back from rolling, and a lot of sweat on his face. He had slept in a small room in the guarding headquarters, and was going to sneak back to his house the next day to gather his things. He was going to go to Waxxen as soon as it started its next year. Apparently, there was a fair amount of magical animals. No one really knew how the animals had got their magic, but the explanation didn’t matter to Ross.

          As he woke up, he looked around. Most of the other Guardians were already up, doing work. He looked around out of the metallic blinds in his room, and saw Quincy coming out of a small room like his. He saw a faint smirk across Quincy’s face, and put on one himself. He stretched, then scratched his head.

          After looking around his room, he noticed his bag that he had packed for him by Barricade the previous day missing. He had a moment of panic, then figured that Ruke had it with him. He went towards the door, then opened it. It was a bit busier than yesterday, and it smelled wonderful. He could smell sweet bacon, delicious pancakes, and warm bread. He looked around, and spotted the place with the most commotion. He figured this the breakfast area, and went towards it. He saw small cubicles, and rooms in the walls, unlike his and Quincy’s rooms, too. The closer he got, the more delicious the scent was. As he looked towards a now clearer food area, he saw that it was decorated, and had a warm feeling about it. He saw Quincy sitting at a table at… another one of classmates, smiling very much so, and looking very happy.

          Ross recognized the other classmate immediately as someone who he had had a crush on for three years. She was another cat, and she was a hazel-orange. After trying to cover up his red cheeks, he wandered over to the table Quincy.

“So you have powers too Ross?” Katrina asked.

“Err… yeah.” Ross said trying to grin, but failing terribly.

“Flying and speed…” He said, almost telling her that he had much more powers. He wasn’t sure if Samuel wanted him telling, but he figured that the less information out there, the better for him, and the future of the Guardians.

“You?” He asked, trying to make a normal conversation.

“Oh, I have invisibility, and water powers…” She said while turning invisible, and making the water come out of her cup, and twirl it through the air.

“Food is over there,” Quincy interrupted, pointing towards to the food area.

“And liquids are… I’ll get that for you…” Said Katrina turning un-invisible, putting the water back in the cup, and filling a cup at the liquids station with some ice-cold Apple Juice.

“He, he… I’m guessing that came out of Quincy?” asked Ross, smiling at Katrina, and glancing at the flying Apple Juice cup coming towards him.

“Yeah… She wanted to practice with getting you something when you got here, and she asked what to serve ya…” said Quincy still smiling.

          Ross wandered over to the food area, and grabbed two delicious smelling pancakes, and headed over to margarine them. Different than most hotels, the food serving was more friendly, and there was a container of margarine instead of little packets. He headed back over to Quincy and Katrina, and sat down, forming a small triangle at the table. As he ate, Quincy finished up a waffle, and Katrina an apple. As Quincy finished, he waited for Ross, and Katrina finished up, and went to pack up her things.

“Yeah, Katrina and I went with Barricade to get our stuff. I don’t get why you didn’t come though.” Quincy said as Ross started on his last pancake.

“Oh… well, I’m going with this great Brit named Ruke… Frost I think. He’s this cool bluish fox with icy powers… has a biotic arm apparently…” Ross told Quincy.

“That’s weird… we passed by your area on our way back… I think I saw your parents…” Quincy said slowly.

“My parents?” Ross asked, throwing the left half of his pancake back onto his plate.

“Yea, your mum and dad were going inside the house… I mean, the most confusing thing of this new world seems to be the deal with your parents to me… I was at the school area, and Katrina was sorta kidnapped by this S.A.S.P.S. Agent named Syth… I heard he’s a wolf… anyway, he kidnapped her, because she was hanging out with a friend with a S.A.S.P.S. Agent for a parent. Then he explained the ‘real’ half of the story. Once she saw me, and I told her about you, she joined the guardians though.” Quincy finished up.

          By now, Ross had finished the pancakes, the Apple Juice, and a small apple Quincy tossed him, and he was getting up and stretching.

“Well, I wish you could come with me, but… I don’t think there’s room in the ride…” Ross said, trying to make up an excuse.

“Ok… well… Waxxen is starting in two days, so I’ll see you around the Headquarters, probably training or something…” Quincy said, scratching below his ear.

“Ok…” Ross said, as coincidentally, Ruke Frost wandered towards him.

“Ready?” Ruke asked.

“Sure…” Ross replied.

“Just one thing though,” Ross asked.

“Sure.” Ruke said grinning.

“Why are you taking me? Why couldn’t I have gone with Barricade and Quincy?” Ross asked a bit flustered.

“Well, you are more important than them, having a historical future and all, and we needed to make sure we took all the necessary precautions. In other words, we didn’t want to frighten the others if I died.” said Ruke, laughing slightly.

“That’s horrible! How could you laugh?” Ross’s thoughts seemed to have said.

“Because Samuel escorted me long ago, and he said the same thing.” Ruke said grinning, almost looking like he was ready to laugh.

“Ah…” Ross said, a bit less flustered at his comment.

Ruke gestured for Ross to follow, and he led him through parts of the Headquarters which Ross had, and hadn’t seen. Eventually, they got to a garage looking area. Ruke ventured over to a machine that looked like some speedy-hover-bike-vehicle. Ross let out a smile from the depths of his imagination, then followed Ruke onto the back of the bike.“This,” said Ruke smiling. “is a hover bike. You might’ve guessed.” He said looking at Ross’s accomplished face.

Ruke kicked up a small looking kickstand, and handed back a strange looking seatbelt to Ross. Ross felt the smooth rubbery handle, and found a spot to put it under the glossy blue design on the bike. Ross grabbed onto Ruke’s back. As he took a moment to admire the smooth, flowy look of the bike, he felt a churning feeling in his stomach, and felt a terrible feeling of Quincy in pain… he didn’t understand why he felt it, if Quincy was in trouble, or if he was hallucinating, but he forgot he was on the bike. Ruke shouted “Hold on tigggghhhhttttt!”, reminding Ross that he was on a hover bike. If Ross wasn’t warned, he would’ve fell off in a uncomfortable way. As the musty air zoomed into his lungs, Ross took a last peak around, and saw vehicles that looked fit for flying. Ross figured that now wasn’t the best time to ask questions, and looked forward. To his horror, he saw a brick wall that looked like any other sewage wall, except for a badly painted yellow swirl all across a portion of it. Ross closed his eyes, imagining the pain, but instead felt a cool breeze, and felt relieved.

He looked around, seeing the blazing bright sun, and smelling the wonderful fresh air he so missed for several days. He slowly opened his eyes wider, then realized that they were back above the underground portion of the city of Hythe. Ross felt a feeling of pride as they soared through the air, apparently invisible, to the regular animals’ eyes. All of the troubles of the world left Ross, and he was flying through the pleasant air, a song in his head, laughing for no reason.

“It does feel pretty good to fly… I can hear your laughter.” Ruke unexpectedly broke in.

“Something feels… just… wonderful!” Ross said to his back, still beaming with delight.

They were as high as some of the tallest buildings, soaring through them, and heading close… but strangely so far… from Ross’s house. He knew hey were going there- he could see it from this distance… but… it didn’t feel like much of a home anymore. Ross felt a chill go down his back, and the happiness of flight leave his soul. He was in the middle of a strange war…

“Well, we’re almost there… just a few more- NOOOOO!” Ruke shouted. Ross instinctively looked backwards, and saw strange bikes that looked similar to the one which he and Ruke were riding on rise into the depths of the sky. His heart sank as he saw the word S.A.S.P.S. blazing across the side of their more-lethally-aimed-hover-bikes.

“Umm… Ruke?” Ross half shouted, half asked. “How did they find us? And how did you know that they were coming?”

“Well, they probably found us because I’m one of the only known Guardians, and I knew because I’m pretty much a Animal radar.” Ruke half panicking said.

“Hold on tight there Ross,” Ruke shouted.

“It’s going to take longer to get to your place, and this is about to turn into a chase.”