City of IF

[Chinaren]

Another good chapter GG, though just two points:

Quote: but we loose the ability

Lose not loose! Aaarrggg! :duel:

I think they escaped the other ship a little too easily, but hey.

Now, I see no reason not to take up the fight and rescue his friend. Go for it! :big:

[Geek_girl72]

Thanks China, I've got to stop writing these things at 3am.

oh and as for point 2:
Quote: I think they escaped the other ship a little too easily, but hey.

Don't be so sure they've shaken off them yet!
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HOTELS IN MEXICO CITY

[JezSharp]

I'd go help the firend too, it seems Jovie will be safe enough in the refuge for now.

Good Chapter GG :)

[Argonaut]

I have the feeling that everyone is going to want to help Millstone :) Good old half-face, we just can't let him down in his hour of need.

[Geek_girl72]

Probably, unless Arron gets all paranoid about Jovie being found by Timothy while he's gone. But than again he's not the type to take the safest way either.

And oh, congrats on winning the sgotm Argo!

EDIT: Okay, the poll will run for ten days, unless theres a tie. In that case I'll have to wait for someone to break it.
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FFM DOGGYSTYLE

[dragon_fire372]

Voted! Sorry I didn't notice the new chapter earlier. :?

[Mother Goose]

Jovie will probably be safe in the refuge, but if anything should happen, she's actually pretty powerful even at her age and might well be able to deal with it. Meanwhile Arron and the captain will be unencumbered. Voted for the first option.

[Geek_girl72]

So Arron is going to hand over Jovie after all. I've got 2 other chapters to write before this one, so it might be about two and a half weeks before you see the what happens to the wierd little boy.
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Zx14 Vs Hayabusa

[Geek_girl72]

Okay, it's been a lot longer than two weeks. I'm floundering in homework right now, so I'm goin to take a bit longer to put the next chapter up. I haven't forgotten though, so hang in there!
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TEEN GERMAN

[dinranwen]

Although it has been a long time since I had enough time to read this tale which so intrigued me some time ago, or had time to comment for that matter.

Well, anyway, I just wanted to stop by and complement the way things are going in here. Like your story before, the one about the boy I forget the title, I have found within I don't believe in Fate a story that doesn't follow tradition.

Your characters aren't conventional. Your plots are to say the least, unique and somehow strange, in a way that is both intreguing and supremly well done. Simply said: Everything about this storygame smells of a book a would read over and over again, and has every mark of being truly Orignial. And those are the highest complements I can think of.

In fact to show my love for this story and your unique style of writing and orginal plot lines (not to mention one of a kind indepth characters), I don't believe in Fate has been seconded for SGOTM. This time, I hope it wins.

Good luck and happy writing, Greekgirl.

Sincerly,

Dinranwen[/b]

[Geek_girl72]

Why thanks! That just made my day!

[DukeReg]

I feel your pain. Studying/exams have kept me from writing my own SG as well.

I think he should help the friend out, even if it means taking his eyes off Jovie for a day. I think he is smart enough to see the value of investing in friends, even if he is too cynical to do it out of a feeling of duty.

[Geek_girl72]

I tend to like school, but I really am swamped right now. I'm trying to get the next chapter together, just haven't had much time to sit down and write lately.

[Masterweaver]

Great story.

To be really chalanging, throw in a giant chicken WITHOUT making it a comedy.

[Geek_girl72]

(Sigh) I'm afraid that's far beyond my ability Masterweaver, but don't worry, there mighyt be giant other stuff. :cool:

[Geek_girl72]

Sorry it's taking me so long, I'm going through finals :shock:

[Masterweaver]

Take your time...

[Geek_girl72]

Chapter Six(part one): A True Begining

While Arron diliberated with himself, Timothy and the ship's doctor were standing beside Anne's bedside attempting to wake her up. The doctor, a little man with a graying head, eventually shook his head and stepped back.

"I don't think she is in any danger Sir. She appears mostly to be exhuasted. Just let her rest and she should be fine."

"That's a relief to hear, thank you."

Anne stirred, struggling to wake her self from her heavy sleep. Timothy motioned the Doctor to leave, and seated himself on a chair near the patiant. He didn't try to tell Anne not to move or trouble herself. She would have taken it as condescending. He simply sat and waited for her to find her voice.

"Timothy? What day is it? How long have I been under?"

"Only through the night Anne, it's early morning."

"Did you find Arron and the...the creature he had?"

"We dropped behind them to avoid another fight. We should be docking soon."

Anne sat up and shook herself, her voice growing a bit stronger.

"Then you didn't find him. How on earth did he learn that? I only tuaght him resistence and concentration techniquies. How could he have bested me all of the sudden? On his first attempt?"

"I'm as puzzled as you Anne. You're lucky he spared you, that man we found lingering near the docks said he showed no hesitency in killing."

A silence ensued in the cabin, and Timothy rested his chin in his hands, staring off into nothing. Anne watched him for a moment, than spoke gravely.

"Timothy, when we find him, you can't hesitate either. I'm in no state to fight him again, it will rest chiefly on your shoulders. Are you sure you can do what's neccasary?"

"Don't worry about me Anne, I know my duty in this."

Anne stared hard at her comrade. Timothy knew she was searching him to see if he believed his own words. A moment later Anne settled back into her pillows and closed her eyes.

"I'm sorry Timothy."

She nearly whisperd. Timothy said nothing, but got up from his seat and left the room. For the remainder of the morning, he spoke to no one, wandering around the deck and blinking very hard.


*************************

Oblivious to the inner conflict of his gaurdian, Arron puased briefly and glanced down at the child he had given so much up for.

"I'm willing to help you Sir, but I need to know how safe this place is. I do have peole looking for me."

"I can't describe it here, but it's protected people like you for over 20 years and it's never been found by anyone Jim didn't want in."

"Alright, I'll trust your friend with Jovie."

Millstone smiled slightly and led Arron back into the main street. Arron was greatful for the number of people milling around now, it was safer than travleing in the open. Millstone headed towards what looked like a general store, and entered casually. A woman with an apron was standing in a cornor with a list in her hand, apparently checking her inventory. She turrned when Millstone entered, and glanced at the two children at hi side. Millstone gave her a slight nod. She quickly crossed over to the store entrace, closed the door, flipped the sing on the inside from open to closed, and turned the lock. She than went back to her list as if nothing out of the ordinary was happining.

Millstone led Arron to a small trap door in the far side of the room that served as a passage to the celler. The pair carefully climbed down a slpintery wooden ladder, and found themselves in a dimly lit but clean room stacked with vegatables and assorted household goods. At the sound of their footsteps, the girl known as Abigale poked her head out from around a stack of flour bags and whispered.

"Is that you 'cap?"

"Yes Abby, it's me, and the two friends I told you about."

Abbigale stepped out from her hiding place and looked critically at Arron for a moment. When she tried to look him in the eye, her gaze faltered and she quickly turned her attention to Millstone.

"Like I told you back there, Jim got himself caught answering a false alarm. The rumor going around about another ampera was fake. The govonor started it it to drag Jim out. We all tried to warn him but he wouldn't listen."

"I know, Jim's can be stubborn like that, but we're going to get him out."

Abigale looked tentatively back at Arron.

"Then he's gonna help us?"

Arron was used to being talked about like he wasn't there, so he kept quiet and let Millstone speak for him.

"Yes, Arron is going to help us get Jim back. If you can take this little one to the refuge for him."

"Sure thing, I'll have her there as quick as possible."

Arron slowly handed Jovie over to Abigale, who smiled at the little girl in much the same way Arron had the first time he saw her.

"She's a cute little thing isn't she? What's her name?"

"Her name is Jovie."

"Jovie? You know that kind of fits? Don't worry, I 'll take good care of her."

Arron nodded and turned to face Millstone.

"Where are they keeping your friend?"

"I'll show you, follow me."

[Masterweaver]

Cool!

So...Where's the DP?

[Geek_girl72]

This is just the first half of the chapter. The next half comes ina few days.
________
Body Science

[Chinaren]

Nice to see this one running again!

[Geek_girl72]

Yeah, school is almost over now so I'll have a lot more time to work on this.
________
Pissing babe

[Geek_girl72]

Sorry it's taking me so long to get the rest of the chapter finished, I thought now that school is out I'd have more time, but no such luck :( I do have the outline done though so just hang in there a bit longer!
________
VAPORIZERS

[Masterweaver]

No prob!

Oops, that's borderline...

[Geek_girl72]

Like I said somewhere else, I've got an unexpected family crisis, I'll have to go away for a few days, but I will be back soon with the rest of this chapter. Thanks for your patience.

[hardcore_gamer89]

Hey, don't worry about me! i know the next half will be a hit! ;) I cannot wait! :laf:

[Geek_girl72]

Chapter Six: A True Beginning (part two)



It’s odd how the most important things in a person’s life can happen so quickly. Only a few short days before Arron had been a promising student and trusted agent of his King. Now he was a fugitive, preparing to commit his second crime against the powers that be. As Erick led the boy down the back streets of the busy town, Arron thought about Timothy. He couldn’t help but think of how his former teacher would have reacted to what he was about to do. Arron halted in the streets as a picture formed in his mind. Timothy’s jaw would have dropped; his face turned red, then with a tremendous effort Timothy would have checked himself and launched into a three-hour talk about treaties and abiding the law. He would have given an excellent speech, for someone who wanted a description of government policies, then finished up with a proverb about doing what you could where you were. Arron shook his head; perhaps if Timothy had explained why policies and trade laws made it acceptable to tolerate persecution they never would have had a falling-out…or maybe it would have happened sooner when so much wasn’t at stake. Erick stopped when he saw that Arron was no longer beside him and looked back.

“Arron? Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, sorry, please lead on.”

The buildings and houses of the prosperous town gradually thinned, and trees appeared more and more frequently. Eventually the pair was traveling down a lonely forest road instead of cobblestone streets. The light was beginning to fade, and Erick’s apprehension rose. Just before the sun was completely obscured by the surrounding hills, the pair of rescuers heard a noise. It was low and indiscernible at first, but grew louder as they drew nearer its source. It was the sound of a celebration. Erick and Arron abruptly found themselves at the edge of a large, circular clearing buzzing with people. Nearly all of them were dressed in guard uniforms and hanging around a large, multi-storied building with bars on the windows. Arron took in the scene rapidly, trying to get a feel for the layout and potential weaknesses. It was obvious to him that this building was a holding place for special prisoners, and as such removed from the general public. It was also obvious that these people were not used to prisoners with strong friends.

Only a handful of the guards were standing watch at the prison doors, and even fewer were circling the clearing in a half-hearted attempt at a patrol. Most were standing around a large bonfire drinking out of crude wooden cups, sarcastically toasting “That fox, Warden” and telling gruesome jokes. It was more like a morbid farewell party than a serious matter of state. Everyone was reveling in his moment of victory and unsuspecting of trouble. Arron closed his eyes and wrinkled his forehead in deep concentration. It was just like the problems Timothy used to make for him as part of his training. At the thought of Timothy his eyes snapped open, he’d almost forgotten that he was still being pursued. He looked long and hard at the fire and reached under his shirt, bringing a small object hung around his neck into the dim firelight. He fingered it for a moment, and gazed at the building in the center of the clearing. A moment later his jaw set and he turned towards his companion.

“Sir, I have an idea. It isn’t perfect, but if it works it will end the chase both for your friend and myself.”

“Let’s hear it.”

“There is some risk involved, and we’ll need to split up. The only thing is that if it doesn’t work you won’t be safe in this place any more.”

“I’ve suffered worse things than unpopularity.”

Arron looked at the sea captain with that peculiar expression of his that would have been a smile on anyone else.

“Alright then, listen carefully. In about twenty minutes a large wagon or cart is going to turn onto this road. You must waylay it without letting the driver see you. Bring it about a half mile from this spot and Warden and I will be waiting for you.”

“How can you be sure someone will be headed this way?”

“Easy. There is no gallows in the clearing, which means they want to execute him in public. There are no horses, carts or any means of transportation around either; one must be coming for him.”

“So…Jim is going to escape in the same wagon that was supposed to carry him to his death?”

“If all goes well, Sir.”

“He’ll love that.”





The time of Warden’s execution was dangerously near. Arron crouched in the darkness, watching the flickering of the fire and waiting for the right moment. An operation like this required perfect timing. The guards were settling down now and speaking in lower voices, finally feeling the weight of the situation. Arron ruffled his hair a little and rubbed dirt over his clothes. When satisfied he looked sufficiently scruffy, he took a deep breath and stepped out into the circle of light, making no effort to hide his presence from the guards. Very quickly he was spotted by one of the less inebriated ones around the fire, who gripped his spear and glared at him.

“Hold up there! What’s you’re business here?”

Arron did his best to look meek an intimidated, which wasn’t easy for him, and didn’t answer at first. On of the other guards squinted at him in the dim firelight and rolled his eyes at his companion.

“Lay of Jack, it’s just a kid.”

“I don’t care Ted; we’re supposed to be on the lookout for trouble.”

“And what kind of trouble is a squirt like that gonna cause? Best be getting on home kid, this aint no place for little ones.”

Arron seized the opportunity the guard had dropped into his lap. His lip trembled ever so slightly, and his eyes watered up just a hair. If this was going to work he couldn’t over do it.

“But I don’t have a home mister. I’m cold and hungry and I just want a safe place to stay. Please, could I stay in the jail, just for a little while? I promise I won’t stay long.”

The guard known as Ted glanced at his friend sympathetically. The other guard shook his head.

“Oh no, no way. Beat it half-pint.”

“Now Jack, what could that possibly hurt? Look at him, poor thing. Why not?”

“We can’t let him in under the same roof as you-know-who.”

“And what’s the kid gonna do? Spring him? Come on Jack, have a heart.”

The second guard let out a long sigh.

“Alright, fine. But if the sheriff comes back and finds out it’s all on you.”

The friendly guard led Arron past the watchmen at the door and into the prison. He sat the boy down on a pile of blankets in front of a fireplace in the Sheriff’s quarters, and in a few minutes had a pleasant blaze going.

“Sorry I can’t make things better, but this aint what you’d call a palace.”

“I’m quite comfortable. It was kind of you to do as much.”

“Yeah, well, I know what it’s like to be down and out. Just keep your chin up, things will get better.”

“Thank you.”

Ted bid Arron a good night and left to return to his duties. Arron lay still for exactly a half hour before jumping up from his place and looking around the room for something useful. There was an oil lamp on a desk in the corner, perfect for what he needed to do. Before he could do that though, he needed to find Warden. Warden was not an Ampera, so that made it more difficult to locate him. Some would have grown nervous as the time slipped away, but Arron never felt the least apprehension. He checked every cell, first the ground floor, then the second, then the third, till eventually he heard a muffled sigh. Arron darted down the upper corridor and halted at the last door. It was locked fast. He rapped gently on the door, careful not to make unnecessary noise. A groan came from the cell, and a weary, burdened voice followed.

“Just open the door, I’m ready.”

“I don’t have the key.”

There was a slight pause before Arron received a response.

“A…A child’s voice? What is this? Who’s there?”

“Arron.”

“…Arron?”

“You don’t know me. I’m a friend of Captain Millstone.”

“Erick?! Then you’re here to-“

“Hush! Not so loud!”

“Oh, right. Sorry. How are you going to get me out of here without the key?”

Without answering, Arron lifted his foot and kicked the door. It splintered and flew off its hinges, falling inches from the feet of a haggard and dirt-besmeared man somewhere in his thirties. The signs of a hard life and recent abuse were evident on his person, but there was a lift in his chin that denoted sufficient pride to handle them. He gapped at the boy revealed before him in wonder.

“You…you just kicked in a door.”

“Yes, what of it?”

“Oh, you’re an Ampera!”

“Brilliant deduction. Do you really like it in there or something?”

Warden stepped out of his cell, shaking his head as if trying to wake himself up. Arron led him quietly back to the room Ted had placed him in, and proceeded to push the blankets, chairs, desk, and anything flammable he could find into a pile in the center of the room. When that was done he took the oil lamp and broke it, sprinkling the liquid on the pile and making a trail to the fire. He then kicked a burning log out of place so that it caught the corner of a blanket and flared up. Warden didn’t have to ask what he was doing. Who would go into a burning building to save a condemned man? But it did give him pause when Arron pulled a small object on a chain off his neck and threw it into the growing blaze.

“What was that?”

“A long shot.”

Arron said nothing else, but led Warden to a window and waited. The fire quickly spread into the hallway and the heat was soon uncomfortable. Warden began coughing, but Arron held still until the smoke was thick enough to cover them. The two climbed out the window just in time to hear the startled cries of the guards noticing smoke billowing from the windows. They crept carefully to the edge of the clearing, not relaxing or making a sound until the sounds and lights of the confusion behind them were indiscernible with the noises of the night. When finally they were sure of safety, Warden shook his head and sighed deeply.

“I don’t know who you are boy, but I sure owe you one. When I heard that knock…”

“We can’t breathe freely yet, we have to meet up with Captain Millstone and get out of here.”

“Where is Erick anyway? I was expecting to see him on the other side when that door came crashing in.”

“If I’m not mistaken that’s him now.”

The clop-clop of horse’s hooves sounded down the road. Warden tensed, but Arron stood unconcerned out in the open. A moment later a small wagon approached drawn by two enormous black horses, Millstone driving them at an easy pace. When Warden saw who it was, he laughed out loud and ran forward.

“Erick! What on earth are you driving? It looks like the head of a funeral procession.”

“So it is Jim, yours.”

Warden did a double take at the wagon and let out a low whistle.

“Now that is what I call poetic justice.”


Moments later Arron sat between Warden and Millstone while the horses labored through a densely overgrown forest path running alongside a river. Arron and the sea Captain said nothing, but Warden chattered away enough for both of them. Now that he was out of danger, he seemed unaware that he had ever been in it. Arron yawned absentmindedly, bringing the escapee’s attention on him.

“Say, Arron is it? How long did it take you to figure out that plan?”

“About a minute, why?”

“You have a gift for strategy.”

“I am an Ampera after all.”

“I know, but…you also are very strong. You knocked down the door like it was nothing.”

“And?”

“Not many Ampera could have been the brains and the muscle of an operation like that.”

Arron didn’t answer at first, but turned slowly and looked Warden in the eye. Warden returned the stare for a moment, then dropped his gaze, unable to continue for some reason he didn’t understand. Arron’s voice became very quiet and still.

“If I were like most Ampera, I wouldn’t be here in the first place.”

“There’s no need to act like I’m accusing you of anything. I meant it as a compliment. A multi-talented person like you could be very useful to the rest of us.”

Arron clenched his teeth and returned his eyes to the road.

“I’m sick of being ‘useful’.”

An awkward silence descended on the small group. It was a relief when Millstone finally reigned in the horses and alighted from his perch. He waited till his two companions followed his example, then smacked the horse on the rear, startling it and sending both galloping into the forest with the wagon in tow. Warden took the lead from this point, following the river up stream until it opened into a large clear pool. It rippled tranquilly in the after shock of a waterfall cascading down a cliff you had to hurt your neck to see the top of. Warden smiled broadly and seemed to relax.

“We’re home free now, friends. Safety is just past that cliff.”

Arron examined the face of the cliff doubtfully. It was extremely steep and he doubted that even an Ampera could scale it successfully.

“You’re not suggesting we climb that are you?”

“Not at all. I said past, not over. We aren’t climbing it, we’re going through it.”

Warden and Millstone led Arron to the foot of the cliff then turned towards the pool and the waterfall. They slowly made their way over a narrow little shelf of rock peaking above the water line that hadn’t been visible before. Arron saw now what they meant to do. The waterfall perfectly masked a low cave behind its turbulent façade. Into this cave the two men disappeared. Arron followed, nearly loosing his balance on the slippery rocks and tumbling into the churning water. Luckily Millstone was close at hand and grabbed a hold of the boy before this happened.

“Careful son, we’re not even to the dangerous part yet.”

Arron just nodded and followed the Captain. The cave was darker than Arron expected; He could only see a few feet into it with clarity. Millstone and Warden couldn’t stand up all the way, and it was bitingly cold. Other than that though, Arron could see no immediate threat.

“What’s dangerous about this place?”

“To Jim, nothing. But for people who aren’t familiar with it, everything. You can’t see it coming in, but this is the beginning of a massive labyrinth. Even if you could see you’re hand in front of your face, I doubt many people could find their way out. This area used to be mined before an earthquake ruined the tunnels and redirected the river. There are pits, cave-ins, animals, and other unpleasant things littered around here.

“Did Abigail bring Jovie through all that?”

“No, there are several ways to get there. Abby took a much quicker and safer route that led over the pass we’re going under. We could have gone there ourselves, but we would have had to go through the town to get to the starting point. It really isn’t that far from here distance-wise, but it takes a good bit of a day to get through because of the terrain. But the bright spot is what’s on the other side.”

“And what’s that?”

“You’ll see.”

The three set out on the final part if their journey, moving slowly and calling each other’s names every so often to make sure they were all accounted for. An hour of this would have been bad enough, but three passed before Warden announced the ‘easy part’ was over. On and on the time dragged. The ground got rockier and dipped up and down. Some parts slanted uphill for so long it seemed impossible that it was all inside of something bigger. Other times they covered ground dropping so steeply they had to give up all pretenses of walking and slide. This was not pleasant. The stale air rushing past one’s face combined with the inability to see anything made it feel more like free-falling into a bottomless pit. The space around them also seemed to fluctuate radically. There were places were they had to twist their feet and walk sideways to fit. In other places their footsteps echoed back at them in spaces it made you feel dizzy to think about. Finally, a distant speck of light glimmered in the distance, heralding an end to the draining journey.

Warden picked up his pace at the sight of it, Millstone and Arron close on his heels. The speck grew in size and brightness till they stood blinking in broad daylight. When Arron’s eyes adjusted to the light, he looked around at what was to be his new home. He was not disappointed. The sun fell full on a green little valley hemmed in by snow-laden peaks on all sides. The trip had brought them up into mountain country, but left them low enough to be safe from cold temperatures and harsh weather. A deep river, stemming from the same source as the waterfall that had been the start of their journey, rushed past them and winded its way into the valley. He followed the river with his eyes, and saw several small, simple buildings with people hanging around them. He could strongly sense the presence of Ampera. One in particular caught his attention: A girl, running toward him with a bundle in her arms. It was Abigail and Jovie. Arron drank in the peaceful scene around him and sighed, but this time it was out of relief, not weariness. For the first time in a long while, Arron knew he could rest.




At precisely the same moment Arron was gazing at his place of refuge, Timothy was standing knee-deep in a pile of smoldering ashes. Anne was there, leaning on him a little, and showing every possible sign of resenting the possibility. Her students were scattered around them, searching the debris for any evidence of the lost pupil. When they had docked, the whole town was abuzz with the news of a mysterious fire and death of a dangerous criminal. One man in particular, sad and depressed, had told them of a small boy that he’d given shelter to just before the fire started. Timothy and Anne immediately had headed to the scene, suspecting the fire was not such a mystery. Anne shook her head at the fruitless efforts of her students and decided to take her impatience out on Timothy.

“This was a stupid idea. Arron could be long gone by now and we’re just wasting time.”

“But we don’t know the fire was his doing Anne, what if he…what if he…”

Anne’s faced softened almost imperceptibly.

“Then, as bad as it sounds, we can call this mission a success. The goal was to keep Arron from running around loose. Perhaps this is better for all concerned than the ordeal of a trial and retribution. Perhaps it’s better for Arron if he didn’t survive, the way he was going.”

Timothy bit his tongue and couldn’t answer Anne’s speculations. He knew she meant well. But despite his initial reaction when Arron had rebelled, the more time went on the harder he found it to think of harm coming to him, even at the hands of the Ampera. He wondered if it really was his fault, if he had let his fondness for the boy ruin him.

“If he is dead Anne, I don’t think I can forgive myself.”

Almost as if Fate was having a cruel joke at Timothy’s expense, one of Anne’s students gave a shout and ran forward, holding something in her hand. Timothy took it and paled. It was a simple enough object in itself: A small bronze circle with three starts engraved on it. What made Timothy react so was not merely what it was, but what finding it without Arron seemed to imply.

“Anne, this is the award he won for entering the third tier.”

“I see that.”

“He was the youngest person ever to get one, remember? It was one of the few things he was proud of. Anne, he never would have left it behind.”

“Are you sure Timothy?”

“Positive. I know that boy better than he knew himself, despite whatever he wanted to think. He valued this over anything else. Before he left it he would have…”

Timothy trailed off, unable to finish the thought. After a pause he spoke quietly.

“Call them back Anne, I don’t want them to find the body. Let the boy rest in peace, undiscovered, were he is. The world can be ignorant of his crime then.”

“But what about the child?”

“I wouldn’t worry about that. If it wasn’t with him it probably was killed in the sea battle. And even if it didn’t it won’t survive here long without Arron to hide what it is.”

Anne called her students and ordered them back to the ship, but she didn’t tell them what had happened for Timothy’s sake until after he retired for the day. The whole trip home he never spoke. When the other groups returned they were bound to secrecy. The village gave him a hero’s memorial, and the message went to the King that one of their soldiers had died serving him. As far as the world was concerned, that was exactly what happened.

But Arron’s story doesn’t end here. His finding a place of safety for him and the child he had given so much up for is merely the end of the prologue of his story. For this is not a story about a little boy, or even a little girl. It’s a story about a man and the impact he made on the world around him. The beginning of Arron’s story, its true beginning, requires that one more event be explained that took place years later, when Jovie was about the same age as Arron when he entered Warden’s refuge.


“Arron! Arron! Jim’s looking for you. Arron?”

Jovie ran through the forest, calling out the name of her friend without receiving a response. She could tell he was nearby though, and she wasn’t giving up till she found him. Jovie had grown into a dark-haired, green-eyed little fireball with boundless enthusiasm it was impossible to suppress for long. Arron had proved prophetic in naming her, for over the years hardly ever did a frown cross her face. Despite the differences in personality and years, Jovie and Arron were the best of friends. There was a sort of sympathy between them, like they both understood something no one else could. Arron’s influence over her gave her a certain maturity that most young girls didn’t have, and whenever Jovie was around, Arron was much less somber and silent then usual.

Perhaps because of her parents, Jovie had inherited a natural command of attention and a strong will, that elusive quality that marks someone as important. Even though she was only a little girl, people listened to her when she spoke. Warden called it a ‘natural leadership’ but Millstone thought it might be something more, something to do with her abilities. Jovie rivaled Arron as the most gifted Ampera among the group that Warden protected despite her years, and was able to do most things as well if not better than those much older than her and better trained. This made Arron cautious about training her at all. He wanted her to be able to control the power she had, but he didn’t want to reveal the full extent of her abilities, even to herself, lest someone figure out the secret he held. Jovie wasn’t much interested in training though, and spent most of her time just being a kid. It was a privilege Arron didn’t want to take from her.

“Arron! I know you’re here somewhere!”

The little girl narrowed her eyes and scanned her surroundings. She knew each twig and rock of her home, and no one was going to pull the wool over HER eyes! She halted her pace and closed her eyes, shutting out the distractions around her. A moment later her green eyes snapped open, a sparkle in them, and her mouth twisted upwards. Ampera could always tell if another one was nearby, but Jovie could almost pinpoint the exact spot, and without much effort. She crept forward, peaking around a large tree. Arron sat with his back to her, apparently oblivious to the world around him. Jovie stifled a giggle, and began tiptoeing towards Him. Arron sat a little straighter a second later and spoke without turning his head.

“What is it Jovie?”

Jovie waited for a minute for him to turn and face her, but he didn’t budge. She plopped herself down on a rock in front of him and rested her chin in her hands. She could see he was in one of his moods again, so in true-friend fashion she sat and made faces at him, determined not to move till teasing out a smile. Arron, now fully grown, was a far cry from the slender runt he had been in childhood. He was tall and broad shouldered, no longer easy to lose in a crowd. One would hardly recognize him from his youth, except for one thing: His eyes. Everything else about Arron was different, but his eyes still had that strong, defiant, almost eerie calm they had when he was a child, except maybe they were less sad than before. He resisted Jovie’s contagious exuberance for as long as he could, but it was hard not to smile when Jovie was around. A few minutes of making faces at him got the desired result: Arron slowly grinned and suppressed a laugh.

“Alright Jovie, I surrender. It’s no good trying to be serious when you’re around. Now what was it?”

“Oh, nothing much, Jim’s looking for you is all.”

“What does he want now?”

“He just wanted to tell you that Erick is coming back again, thought you’d want to know.”

“Really? That’s different. It’s been almost a year since we saw him last. I hope he stays for a while this time.”

Arron got up from his spot, brushed himself off, and headed back to the small circle of houses that they lived in. There were about 12 Ampera of varying ages in the small refuge at the time, Ampera came and went depending on their circumstances. Only a few had been there since before Arron and Jovie arrived, and these made up the makeshift family Jovie knew. The two friends strolled along, Arron said nothing and Jovie hummed a little tune, picking wild flowers as she went. Suddenly, she stopped dead in her tracks and stared blankly ahead of her. Her cluster of flowers slipped forgotten from her hand. Arron saw this and was about to ask what was wrong, but before he could utter a word a twig snapped behind him. The two whirled around to see three men dressed in black with their faces covered, brandishing swords. The one in the middle spoke.

“Don’t do anything stupid, we’ve dealt with Ampera before.”

Jovie shrank against Arron’s side in fear. Despite the danger of the moment, he couldn’t help but marvel at the little girl at his side. She had known the attack was going to happen an instant before it actually did. That was more than Anne ever could have done with all her years of training, and Jovie hadn’t had any. He placed his hand on her shoulder reassuringly, and addressed the group with no sign of fear or nervousness.

“Perhaps you have, but it was a mistake coming after me.”

Jovie tightened her grip on her friend. Her eyes grew very wide and her voice very quiet.

“There’re not after you.”

Arron started and stared at Jovie, bewildered. A horrible thought struck him a second later, and he slowly looked back at the three. His muscles tightened as his eyes glowered at them.

“No.”

He moved to go forward, but never made a single step. While his attention was focused on the three men in front of him, another came silently from behind and struck him over the head. Hard. The blow scattered his senses, and for the split second he held on to consciousness time seemed to slow down. As he feel to his knees, he cursed himself for being so careless. These people really were used to dealing with Ampera, even if it was in a cowardly way. As he hit the ground, and made a feeble attempt to push himself back up, he saw through his blurring vision the circle draw around Jovie, closing off any escape. The last sound he heard was the scream of a terrified young girl, but it seemed distant and far away. Arron had sacrificed his life once already for Jovie, and would gladly have done it again. But Ampera that he was, he’d blundered, and now was powerless to help her. When the darkness closed in on him, for a split second his mind’s eye saw Timothy’s face, though he couldn’t say why.


When the mist began parting from his eyes, at first Arron didn’t know where he was or how he’d gotten there. The green canopy of the forest towered above him, birds were chirruping as if nothing was wrong. Then like a flash, the events of the day came back to him, he sat bolt upright and saw the last thing he’d expect. Jovie was sitting next to him, hugging her knees. She was shaking a little, half-dried tears on her face, and staring straight forward as if mesmerized. Arron followed her gaze, and saw the four men who’d come after them stretched out on the ground, stone dead. Jovie Sniffled, and looked trembling at Arron.

“I…I didn’t even touch them. I was scared, and angry at them for hurting you. I didn’t even touch them…they just…”

Arron realized that Jovie had somehow defended herself without realizing what she was doing. He remembered what Millstone had said years before about his encounter with Jarrell. Clearly Jovie was more powerful than even Arron supposed. She had saved their lives with little more than a single thought. But such reflections would have to wait for later. For now, Jovie was frightened and confused, acting as if she’d done something wrong. Arron put his arm around her, and she leaned against him, tears streaming down her face.

“Arron, what did I do? What’s going on?”


What does Arron do?

[hardcore_gamer89]

Wow. :shock: Nice job GG. Just a few punctuation problems but nothing else. ;) As to the question, i think Arron try to make it easier for her from now on. It is not easy to take the fact that you hurt alot of people without knowing what you are doing and how you could prevent it. :unsure:

[dinranwen]

Great Chapter GG! I say explain everything to Jovie well not everything, but everything she needs to hear. Calm her down, and explain what she just did.

Explain you and she can do a lot of things but she is much more powerful than you are so things come easier and quicker for Jovie. Explain to the girl that she needs to be more careful with her power, but sometimes things will happen that she can't explain. Explain to her how to choose between using her power carefully and wisely.

Make it sound as if your not sure how much more powerful than you are than her, but think it is only by a little bit.

Train her, guide her, and comfort her. Do it now, before it is too late.

[DukeReg]

F5 dinranwen. If people in black who have dealt with ampera before are rocking up and falling dead, its not going to be possible to just let Jovie be a kid anymore. He has to teach her to be a very unusual kid.

Teaching her some control before she becomes a teenager is a good idea anyway. She will be impossible to handle when the hormones kick in and she thinks she knows everything.

[JezSharp]

Not sure what else there is to add other than good Chapter and f5 the others, tell her as much of the truth as is relevenet to her.

[hardcore_gamer89]

I agree with dinranwen, be gentle when you tell her what you need to. She is just a kid anyway. Most kids her age would not take what she experenced.

[Geek_girl72]

Good Ideas, though I'm surprised that no one has suggested that Arron tell straight out about herself. I think given the way he's dealt with Timothy and the ideas he has he'd be more likely to tell her everything. The choice is also an ethical one, we know he doesn't lie, so would it be dishonest to keep things back from her now? He wanted to protect her, but now she's growing up and will have to be able to protect herself. Is there any other way he could handle this besides comfort or harsh reality?

[DukeReg]

Geek_girl72 wrote: Good Ideas, though I'm surprised that no one has suggested that Arron tell straight out about herself.

I thought that was implied by dinranwen's suggestion.

[Geek_girl72]

Oh, maybe I misunderstod her, I thoiught she was saying just to tell her that she was stonger, not a second-generation Ampera. Oops :shock:

This choice might seem a little narrow, but the story could go in two drastic directions based on how Arron deals with this. I'm really looking forward to writing the rest of this story, it's all coming starting to come together!

[Geek_girl72]

May the voting commence!

[Mother Goose]

Tell her! She can handle it. Wouldn't he have wanted Timothy to tell him everything about himself, when he was young? And she has more power than he had at that age.

[Geek_girl72]

Only two people have voted so far, I'll leave the poll up till thursday afternoon and then user those results.

[Geek_girl72]

Poll's over! telling Jovie everything won, I'll get started right away on the next chapter.

[Geek_girl72]

(part one of this chapter, my computer is still in pieces.)


Chapter Seven: A Harsh World


Arron quickly escorted the crying child away from the gruesome scene in the woods. He led her to just inside the mouth of the cave he had come through so many years ago and sat her down in front of him. The walk had helped her regain some of her composure, but her anxious gaze told Arron that she knew something serious was about to happen. Arron made up his mind quickly, like always, and acted with equal swiftness.

“Jovie, listen to me. You have nothing to feel remorse over. Defending yourself, and your friends, is something to be proud of, don’t ever let anyone tell you different, understand?”

“Y-yes Arron.”

“I’m going to explain to you what happened today, but to do that I’ll have to explain some other things about yourself you’ve never heard. It will not be pleasant, and will probably change the way you see many things. Can you be brave enough to face it?”

“Would it make a difference?”

“Perhaps not.”

Jovie hugged her knees to herself, and fixed a steady gaze on her friend. Arron paused a brief second. He felt like a person drowning a kitten, but it had to be done. He began his story, and with his characteristic serenity told the young girl the story of herself. He hid nothing from her, but let the full weight of her situation be known. Once again, a child knew the harshness of the world they belonged to, and faced things that many much older persons would have buckled under. Jovie was silent for a long time after Arron finished his story. She started rocking back and forth and stared at the ground. Arron leaned forward and placed one hand on her shoulder to steady her, and with the other lifted her chin so she had to look him in the face.

“Jovie, I’m sorry. It isn’t a pleasant thing, growing up before you time. I know what that is myself.”

“Then my parents...”

“Were two of the greatest villains the world has ever seen.”

“Does that mean that I-”

“No. Don’t even entertain the thought. It means nothing. The only person responsible for who you are is you alone.”

Jovie looked at Arron as if seeing him for the first time.

“You mean it then, what you always say about Fate?”

“I never say things I don’t mean.”

Jovie seemed to ponder something for a moment, then wiped her tears, stood to her feet, and looked Arron full in the face. A change had come over her in an instant that Arron was both grieved and relieved to see. The little girl that he had always known was gone, except for the sparkle in her eyes. Her world had fallen to pieces around her, but Jovie herself had not, and her peace of mind was still intact.

“Arron, I think I should start training right away.”

Arron sighed, and stood likewise to his feet. Jovie was supposed to be Abby’s student, but he felt sure he could convince her to step down. It was obvious now that he was the only one it would be safe for Jovie to train under; both because others might learn her secret, and his unusual years of experience could be the only thing that enabled him to keep up with her for any length of time.

“That’s a very wise idea Jovie; I’ll speak to Abigail and Jim today about it. I have to warn you though: when it comes to serious matters like this I won’t always be able to be your friend like I have been before, I have to be your teacher first for your own sake.”

“I know things will be different, I can handle it.”

Arron smiled proudly at his friend. He moved as if to tussle her hair like he had before, but checked himself. Nothing had chaffed him more in his time with Timothy then when his teacher used such condescending gestures. He intended to avoid treating Jovie as if noting had happened. Instead, he clasped his hands in front of him and half-bowed, the way people of equal rank in Malya used to do to show respect. Jovie’s face lit up and she returned the gesture.

“In that case, my first instruction is to go find Jim and tell him I have urgent business to speak with him about.”

Jovie nodded and left to carry out orders. Not running or skipping as she would have usually done, but walking purposefully at a steady pace. Before Arron followed, he made a point of taking the bodies of the would-be kidnappers and hiding them in the cave. Despite the fact that Jovie had reacted well to the whole thing, something nagged at him. How did the four find their hiding place to begin with? And why were they more concerned with a little girl, who couldn’t have begun training yet, then a person much more likely to pose a threat to the powers that be? A suspicion that they knew who Jovie was he quickly discarded. It was impossible for anyone to know either of them had survived. And yet, something odd was going on, and Arron couldn’t shake the thought from his mind that this event was merely the herald of something bigger.


Later that day, Jim looked at him from across the fire pit that served as a congregating spot for their small community. It was a little ways removed from the cluster of dwellings in the valley, and most important matters where taken care of here. Arron had told him of his wish to begin teaching Jovie, and his long time companion was at a loss for several minutes.

“Arron, you can’t be serious.”

“Why on earth not?”

“She’s only a little girl, it isn’t time yet.”

“I was younger than her when I started.”

“Yes, but...Is it fair to her?”

“Mr. Warden, fairness is hardly ever a deciding factor in people’s lives. Jovie needs to begin training; you’re a dunce if you can’t see that.”

“I don’t deny she has an amazing gift, but...she is young, and Abby was supposed to train her.”

“With all do respect to Abigail, I think I could make more headway with Jovie then her.”

“I think I should have something to say about this.”

Jim and Arron looked up to see Abby leaning on a tree with her arms crossed. She had grown into a very tall and slender woman; one that many thought was very pretty. Arron had never seen what all the fuss was about personally. She glided up to the fire pit with the grace that made her such a useful spy, and casually sat herself down at the far end so she faced both Arron and Jim. She Smiled at Arron in a way that most men would have done back flips to be favored with, but Arron was not like most men, and remained unfazed by it.

“Jim, Arron, there is no reason to get into a long drawn out debate over this. It’s a simple matter of who is best for Jovie. I for one have never spent much time with her, Arron has. I would only have one reservation about handing her over to him.”

Arron sighed inwardly, for not wanting a drawn out debate, she was taking an awfully long time to get to the point.

“My only reservation is...well, Arron, you do have a reputation of being a little...aloof? shall I say?”

She flashed another of her usually disarming smiles at him, Arron did his best to keep from scowling openly at her.

“And what of it?”

“Well, with Jovie... she is a little girl as Jim says. You wouldn’t be...to harsh with her? I mean you will bear in mind that she is only a little girl?”

“I will bear in mind that she is an Ampera in a world hostile to her, and act accordingly.”

The force with which Arron spoke those words startled Abby and Jim a little. Arron was usually so reserved and quiet, but when something angered him, it showed. Abby recovered a little, and looked puzzled as if she had no idea what she had said wrong. She managed a week smile in Jim’s direction and tried to continue as if nothing had happened.

“If he is willing to do his duty by her as a teacher, I really don’t see why you should hesitate Jim, Jovie is more likely to heed the words of a friend more than anyone else.”

Jim furrowed his brow and thought a moment, then simply nodded his assent and left without speaking. Arron rose likewise to go, but Abby jumped to her feet and called to him.

“Arron! wait a moment if you will.”

Arron seriously contemplated pretending he didn’t hear her, but that would have been ingenuine, so he halted and turned back. She motioned him to sit down, and he begrudgingly complied. Abby fidgeted for a moment, and looked around as if not wishing anyone near while she spoke.

“I just wanted to say, I am sorry if I said something to offend you.”

“You didn’t.”

Arron replied simply, and stood again to leave. Abby jumped up again and stepped after him.

“Oh Arron, you are angry about what I said, aren’t you? Please tell me what it was and I’ll apologize.”

“I told you I wasn’t angry.”

“Then why do you act this way? I’ve only ever tried to be your friend, why do you always act like I’ve said something wrong?”

Arron cocked his head to the side and crossed his arms. He looked at the theater-distress in the young woman’s face and felt sick to his stomach.

“Do you really wish to know?”

“Of course.”

“To be honest Abigail, I don’t truly like you very much. In fact, I can’t say I like you at all.”

Abby started and stepped back a little. She opened and closed her mouth several times, at a loss. It was clear nobody, no man at least, had ever spoken to her in such a blunt way. Eventually she managed to sputter out:

“You what? What...why...what have I done-”

“You smile too much.”

Abby flushed, as fully aware of what Arron meant by what he was leaving out as by what he said

“Well, at least I’m not a...a...not some...some...”

“Don’t hurt yourself.”

Abby stalked off with her noise in the air. Arron just shook his head. That night, it was Arron’s turn to keep watch. Jim hadn’t required a regular watch be kept ever since his ‘death’ ten years ago eleminated most of the threat of discovery, but Arron always insisted on staying on the lookout. His pearch atop a hill allowed him to see the whole of the hidden valley stretched out before him. As the sun gradually sank out of view and the darkness thickened, Arron felt strangely affected by it. It seemed that all the memories of his past life made this moment significant in some way. The small fire at his feet sputtered as the burning logs fell in on themselves. Arron took a stick and stirred the fire, more to have something to do than because it needed it. A single ember rolled out of the flames and stopped a few inches off. Arron watched the glowing coal struggle to keep burning apart from its native environment. His mouth twitched in an odd way, and he let his head fall into his hands. A soft rustling cuaght his attention, and Arron looked up to see Jovie sitting beside him. Without a word, the young girl picked up the stick, and moved a second ember to rest next to the first one. Arron stared, amazed at his young friend, then turned his head away as if not wanting her to see his face.