Zeph kept walking endlessly. After thinking hard, he knew the safest place the Cattral's would go. Ancients always tended to think ahead and be over precautious and Ancient Fornotia and Ancient Happy were the closest to them. The problem was deciding which Ancient's house to visit. He'd met the Ancient Fornotia briefly once for a dinner invite, but he had no clue where her house had been.
That only left him one option open. Ancient Happy.
Zeph stopped as he saw an abandoned store. Well, what appeared to be abandoned. He was cautious as he walked up to it. Just as he thought, a shopkeeper came out holding an enemy's weapon on him.
"What do you want?!" the shopkeeper yelled.
"Friendly, aren't you?" Zeph looked at the weapon he was holding. "You take down an enemy or steal it while he was sleeping?"
"None of your business," the shopkeeper yelled angrily.
Zeph shrugged his shoulders. "I need food."
"I need money," the shopkeeper scoffed. "You can have three veggies and a loaf for a hundred coins."
"Price gouging?" Zeph wiped his nose. "I thought the weapon was bad."
"Quit kidding around," the shopkeeper said as he motioned with his weapon. "If you don't have money than get out."
Zeph frowned. "I'm heading for my family and there should be over six or seven there, maybe more, so I'm going to need a lot of food."
"Hah. Get in line."
Zeph held out his Guard license. "Don't mess with me in this dire of a situation, sir."
"Guardian Zephyr Smilliat?" the shopkeeper read his license. There was no picture. "You should be wearing some sort of uniform."
Zeph rolled his eyes. Uniform this, uniform that. "I dropped my vest earlier thinking Guards were the only targets."
"Sure," the shopkeeper said and kept his gun on him. "Anyway, I don't care. I need coins not a license. If you are a Guard than that shouldn't be a problem."
Zeph spent all the coins he had on him for the ring, but a Guard license was essentially an endless money card. The kingdom would pay out the debt difference. Still, this guy wasn't getting the real picture. "You know, I don't think you are getting the point. What good are coins going to do for you anymore?"
The shopkeeper cocked his gun. "You're getting on my nerves. If you don't have money, then get out."
Zeph looked at him in disbelief. "You made a horrible mistake not cooperating with me. Now give me that weapon."
The shopkeeper just growled. "You can have it when you pry it from my fingers."
The shopkeeper snarled underneath the cloth that had been tied around his mouth. He tried to move and get out of the handcuffs that were somehow placed on his hands and feet.
Zeph looked at the shopkeeper pitifully as he loaded up a bag. After he was satisfied that the food should last at least a month, he smiled at the shopkeeper and took his weapon. "Good day to you, sir, and let's hope someone helps you out of this predicament, huh?" He tossed the keys to the cuffs near him. "Thanks for cooperating."
Zeph took off from the shop and headed to Grammy Happy's house. He knew he was close and he had a good idea of what the house still looked like. "You guys here?"
"Down here!"
Zeph fumbled around with pictures and books, trying to find the secret place. Once he knew he set something off, he saw a section under the house open. He dropped in quickly and sealed it back up. "You're all okay?"
Oh good, it was not just them. Scentella, Muin and Xiam's mother had made it too. Scentella grinned. "Guard Zeph, it's so good to see you."
Zeph nodded and tossed his bag down. "There should be plenty of food." He smiled at Zella as he looked at her stomach. "How have you been? Ah, still inside. They did listen to me."
Zella stared. "…Ze…Z-Ze…"
"Zeph?" Zeph chuckled. "It's alright, I'm fine. I didn't really make the meeting." He walked over to her. "How have you-"
Zeph didn't get much of a chance to say anything else as Zella hugged him tightly. "Easy, don't press too hard, Tigyr and Carress won't be able to breathe." He pulled her back. "It's alright, I'm fine." He glanced back at Xiam and pointed to the bag. "Keep that on you. If we're still here and the food runs out we'll replenish it again." Zeph turned his attention to Muin, but saw she didn't seem to care much that he was there. That's when he realized Zaria wasn't with her.
It didn't take a genius.
"He went out for food," Zella said. "He never came back."
"How long ago?" Zeph asked. He looked at the expression on Muin.
"Too long," Zella said softly.
Zeph nodded and looked at Muin. Still pregnant.
"Muin?" Xiam held out a can to her. "Want some food?"
Muin ignored him.
Scentella picked up a can. "Food will do us all good." She put a can in front of her daughter. "You've got to eat." Zella, Zeph, Xiam and Iri all picked up a can. Muin kicked the can bitterly. Scentella picked the can back up and placed it firmly in her hands. "It's more than you eating Muin. You have to eat." Muin bitterly took the can.
Zeph looked sadly at her. She had never looked that way before in the entire time he knew her. She didn't want anyone touching her, talking to her, she only wanted to be left alone. She stayed in the corner and didn't move.
Zeph went over to the other side with Zella. "Aren't you due by now?"
"Overdue by a day," Zella said. "This is not the world they should be in though."
"This isn't a world anyone should be in right now." He looked over at Xiam. "Did he ease up any?"
"I don't know. I think it's mostly that we need you right now," Zella said. "He might have some compassion though, since we all thought…that you…"
"Well, I'm here," Zeph said and smiled brightly at her. "Not even a bruise, so don't worry. We'll find a way out of this mess." He pointed to the right side of him. "It's several days away but there is a place where we would be completely safe no matter how much time went by."
"Doesn't matter," Xiam growled. "We can't walk for several days, Guard."
"He is right. A large group walking, it would be such a big target," Scentella agreed.
"I know, but that's the worst case scenario," Zeph said. "Until then, we can hunker down here," he said gesturing toward the sack. "Plenty of food and a really good hiding spot. Everything should be fine."
Scentella sat down and yawned. "I suppose you're right. Huh?" She felt her fingers land on a bottle of spray. "Covetall?"
"Leave it to Grammy to disobey the law," Xiam said chuckling.
Scentella brought it out. "Oh, it's not covetall. Just regular black spray paint." She scooted it back away. "I'm going to try and get some sleep."
Everyone nodded and did the same.
Zeph leaned back with Zella in his arms. Xiam growled slightly as he watched Zeph with Zella.
"Xiam," Iri reminded him. "We've been through this before, haven't we? And he is helping us."
As the days passed by, there was nothing to do but sit and wait…and think.
Xiam looked down at Iri as she laid on him. He'd always thought the evolved were evil and he'd heard the things they had done in the past. But this, it wasn't the same. It didn't feel like a little attack. As days passed by, he was seeing more and more that this wasn't going to be a temporary thing anymore.
His house was probably in ruins along with his restaurant. Any food or ingredients were probably robbed. Any valuables left in the house were most likely gone, except for their Chronicles, which Scentella held safely with her. Aliens laughed at them and their Chronicles constantly, just another thing that made them looked down upon. This however, was tradition, and an important one. He hadn't even dwelled too much upon it until now. When was the last time he even wrote in it? Was it the time Zella tied Zeph's tail to her brass lamp? No it was...since Zeph betraZeph us. Words on paper, events that passed. Only a few sentients out there seemed to recognize the need for them. I should write in it, so I never forget.
The only thing that he had, or that mattered now, was his family. He nuzzled Iri lightly as she slept. He had always taken for granted they'd have a long life together with kids running down the stairs, eager to eat. He wanted to spend some years with Iridescent alone first. Build up the restaurant, make some more money and after a few decades have kids.
Well, that would probably never happen now. He looked over at Zella and Muin who were both sleeping. Maybe it was a good thing? At this rate, who knows if any of them will even be born? If they are, how long would they live? He really shouldn't think like that, he had no need to write in his Chronicle yet. He had to keep his hopes high. At least pretend that he kept his hopes high.
Muin hit her head softly against the wall, over and over. Zaria had been there for her for everything she ever needed. Even when she was a vicious and temper tantrum filled woman he had taken the brutality, but he always came back to her. No matter what, he always loved her. There would never be anyone like Zaria ever again. No one could ever touch her heart like he did.
Muin stroked her own belly. One day soon Zaria and Cooey would be born. Born in this horrible environment. This isn't how she envisioned it. She imagined her smiling infants being rocked by her and Zaria and being placed in their twin cribs. Growing up. laughing and being all around fun kids. Moving to a Den to raise them for awhile, until they were calm enough to take out. Come back home, and just watch them grow up.
That's how it was supposed to be. Now what would happen? Born with colorful hair and tails. If they were found, it'd be the end. That's if they were even born before she was found.
Muin looked over at Zeph holding Zella in their sleep. Zeph was thought to be dead, but he came back. Maybe Zaria is still out there? Maybe a bad storm came in and he had to huddle up someplace else?
Maybe she was wishing too hard.
Scentella looked out at her children. She tried to remain happy for them, but inside she was falling apart. Her girls were going to give birth to her grandchildren at the most horrible time. Muin's husband Zaria was gone and she knew her husband, Io, was gone as well. She had been happy Xiam had Iridescent and that young Zephyr turned out to be fine somehow. She could tell by the way they looked at each other that Zeph and Zella really needed each other. She had heard the rumors about the two from Muin and Xiam, but she could tell who was more accurate as she saw the pair.
She pulled out another necklace. One with her children when they were little. She smiled and sat it on the floor behind her. Maybe one day she could pass it on to her grandchildren if they survived.
They, at the very least, somehow had to survive.
Zeph stroked Zella's red hair as she continued to sleep. I don't think we've been able to be this close, have we? He looked at her tummy affectionately. The one time we were close, we'll never remember. He looked up. At least she found out the truth. He looked over at Xiam. The kingdom's torn apart, maybe I should just tell? He thought about it for a little while. There's still a chance though, right? If the king survives somehow and finds out, what if I become his scapegoat? Something he could punish for this horrible act?
King Sheward was an iffy guy. If he was alive, there's no telling whether treason would still be fit or not.
Zeph held onto Zella tighter. Considering my options, if these are the last days, this isn't such a bad way to go out. All the Guards were gone, most likely the king but he didn't know, broadcasting soon quit after the queen was found dead. He'd never get to his mother and sister, but he just didn't think he'd be stuck where he couldn't even get Zella and the others to safety.
This was the closest thing they had to safety.
Some Guard, he thought bitterly. What did any of us accomplish in the end? He continued to stroke her hair. All that time, all those years wasted. Hoping for something that would never come true. Even turning my back… He stopped stroking her hair. …on real happiness. He looked over at Xiam and Iri, at Muin at the corner. …on my other family. He closed his eyes. Don't even think about it now. In this position? Wrong, wrong, wrong. Thinking about that wasn't good right now. He had to think about ways to get out, not what to do if and when they were out.
Scentella was startled in her sleep as her phone rang. She answered it with haste. "Are you nuts? Who are you and why are you calling?"
"Scentella Cattral! You know, I had to think long and hard when it would be appropriate to call and this is how I'm repaid? Goodness, after everything I've done for you." A cranky, bitter old but very loud voice shouted over the phone.
Scentella groaned. "Grammy Fornotia."
"You're at Happy's but you should have gone to my place. If you think things are beyond desperate, take a risk and go to my place! In my secret basement I have some covetall. I don't know how much, it's been awhile since I've gone down there.
"What, like a hundred years?"
"Maybe, I don't know. What was I saying? Oh yes, I have a transporter down there too."
"A transporter?" Scentella said in surprise.
Zeph's eyes lit up. Transporter? Holy heck, those have been outlawed in the kingdom for years, no one but the king has one. "Where is it? How far to her place?"
"You have a transporter?" Scentella asked, a smidge of disbelief could be heard. "Are you sure, Grammy?"
"Sure I'm sure, what do I look like?" Fornotia yelled over the phone. "I know it's been awhile but it's down there! It's really old and I don't remember much about it. It's a prototype, but I don't know if it has a location displayer or anything. Ha, but I really think it works though. If it doesn't, well you can have some covetall and I think an old crib is still down there."
"A transporter," Scentella said smiling. "We could get out long enough to evade these enemies and come back when it's safe."
Zella laughed. "The children wouldn't be in any more trouble, they could be born somewhere else."
Zeph was thinking the exact same thing. Another world? We could get out and have the kids and then as things got better we could come back.
"Well I take it by that sound you aren't disappointed I called? I am an Ancient and I always know what's for the best, don't second guess me again! Now how is everyone?"
"We've been better," Scentella said. "Zaria is missing, and so is Io, but Zella's Guard is okay after all." The sounds over the phone turned into static. "Grammy Fornotia?" Scentella hung up the phone. "The phones have been blocked." She put the phone down. "Well at least we know. Grammy Fornotia's got a transporter. She doesn't know if it has a location displayer though."
"Wait, what?" Zeph said, that didn't sound good. "That old?"
Scentella shrugged her shoulders. "Sorry Guard Zeph, I don't really know."
"It's still worth a try if things get really bad," Iri suggested.
Zeph nodded. It was risky using a transporter that could be that old. Transporters were from the enemies, back in a day when the originals and the evolved still shared a certain degree of friendship. That machine must have been a thousand years old at least, there was no telling what would happen. "If things get really bad," Zeph agreed. "Until then we shouldn't be moving around up there, trust me."
"But it could be our only option," Xiam argued.
"If we end up running out of food, then we'll head for it," Zeph reasoned. "Until then, no one knows about this place and we've still got some to eat."
Xiam looked over at the bag. "Enough for maybe two weeks?"