I wasn’t going to lie: I hated school. The stupid problems, smelly desks, annoying people- none of it was the least bit attractive to me. The math teacher, Ms. Yassa, started writing on the board with the creaky piece of chalk. I winced as a sound like a dying cat rang through the room. Why, I thought, do they insist on keeping a real chalkboard at all? Wouldn’t it be better-and quieter- to get an electronic drawing space? But no. Ms. Yassa was one of those old teachers who believed that the olden days should never be forgotten, and so she kept the board, ignoring the fact that now her and old Mrs. Luk, the librarian were the only ones who hadn’t updated to the present era. Gosh, it drove me crazy. Especially when-
“Alessa? Please come up and solve this equation.” I cursed whoever had ever thought to hire Ms. Yassa and slowly stood up, passing the sucker I was licking to the other side of my mouth. I knew it irked Ms. Yassa, and so I made sure that she was always aware that I was in the back of the class, sucking away. She passed me the chalk, and the moment I pressed it down my ears almost started bleeding. Gritting my teeth, I started writing. Somewhere halfway through I broke my sucker, but finally, it was over. I looked and realized that all that was left of the chalk was a tiny little nub. The rest was spread across the board, in a beautiful array of processes to solve the simple problem. I had overachieved, but that was no surprise. I was in the highest class available for my grade, yet nothing challenged me. Pulling out the stick, I tossed it in the trash can on my way back and flopped back in my chair. Everything was silent. Looking around the room, I realized no one knew what to do. I had done the problem so efficiently and effortlessly that it had taken all their breath away. I smiled and leaned down to pull another sucker from my bag. Unwrapping it, I settled in for another long day of boredom.
I had lived in Ryzadale’s mansion since I was five. The enormous house must have counted as castle, but everyone just knew it as “Ryzadale’s Mansion”. My father never needed to boast about his wealth- everyone knew who he was. Because my father was the owner of RyTek, the biggest and most advanced technology giant in the whole of Sedontakki. He was the creator of the wristcom, the most useful gadget since elevators. Plus, my father created Animazi.
There was a polite knock on my door, but I didn't look up. I was gazing intently on my wristcom while rewiring it. As his closest relative, it made sense that I would inherit his empire. Technical skills were very useful.
“Come in.” The door opened, and Venn stepped in, bowing politely.
“You father wishes to see you immediately.” He watched as I carefully bent the wires and rerouted the circuit.
“What about?”
“He didn't say, but I got the sense that he wanted to see you as soon as possible.” Which of course meant now. I tweaked a last circuit and placed the back back on, snapping it in place. I stood and slipped it on my wrist, following Venn out. I booted it up while we were walking. I could tell my cousin was wary of what I was doing- I really couldn't blame him. In truth, I was rewiring the device so it had better protection from Ryzadale’s tracking devices. I went into enough shady places to not want anyone, friend or foe, knowing where I was. We reached the elevator, and Venn reached out to press the button. The thing was state-of-the-art, and within 3 seconds it was open and waiting. Ever the gentleman, Venn waited for me to step in before entering himself. I checked the progress of the wristcom, and grinned to myself. It wasn't quite finished, but it was a big improvement from before. I heard a ding and the doors opened into Dr. Ryzadale's office. It was a big room, with one wall entirely glass, giving a great view of Havendale. There was a red leather couch facing away from us, and Ryzadale himself was looking at us over his glasses from his dark cherrywood desk.
“Thank you, Venn,” he said, beckoning for me to come closer. I strode over to stand behind him. On the screen was a picture of a girl with black and blonde streaked hair, a year or two older than me. My eyes strayed toward the info sheet on the right side of the image.
Name: Alessa Karma Lerange
Age: 17
Birthday: November 4
Height: 5’2 ½”
Weight: 142 lbs
Ryzadale folded his fingers together and glanced up at me. I met his gaze and raised my eyebrows. “Yes?”
“We need to start on the rest of Team Elite. We already have two members-you, and…” He raised his eyebrows. “...Sam.” I prided myself in not flinching, but I couldn’t stop the twitch of my facial features. He smiled thinly, as if he noticed. “I need you to find me this girl,” he said, standing up. He was easily almost 6 feet straight. “I'll send the information to your wristcom. Please go at once.” Venn coughed, and Ryzadale looked at him. He slid his gaze back to follow me as I left. Venn remained, probably to tell him what I had been doing with my device. Oh, well. I didn't care. The name Lerange stuck out to me, and I knew I had heard it before. I waited until I was outside before searching it up. Ah, yes. Jacque Pearson Lerange was a famous businessman. He owned many successful companies throughout the area, and had a huge profit. Alessa must be related to him, so I looked up her name. I scrolled, and my eyes caught on a headline: Child is Born to Famous Businessman Lerage. So she's his daughter. After quickly looking up a location, I put my wristcom in sleep mode, and a normal clock popped up on the screen. People would just think it was a normal wristcom, but all the modifications I had done had sent it far from that caliber. I set off for the Lerange's penthouse, calculating in my head. It wasn't like me to go in without a plan.
“I'm going out, and you can't stop me!” I cried, slamming the door and rushing out. I took off before my parents could stop me, ignoring their cries to come back. You can't make me, I thought triumphantly. At midday, the streets were crowded with vendors trying to sell their wares and people trying to buy them. I slipped through the crowd like water, ignoring everything surrounding me. I must have not looked where I had been going, because suddenly something hit my leg. Glancing down I realized it was a child. One look, and it started bawling. I stepped back, trying to escape, but suddenly its mother ran up. I shoved through the crowd desperately, and it opened just enough for me to escape. I leaned against back wall and tried to calm my breathing. I hated situations like those. I didn't necessarily want people to be afraid of me. But I didn’t really want them liking me, either. As far as I was concerned, my life was me, I, and myself. Hurrying away, I slipped into a back alley and jogged slower, thinking. It would make sense to go to the MythiMagic stadium. Normally midday was the best time to go, since all the weaklings were stuck in school, but today was an off day. Even so, I made up my mind. Smiling to myself, I pulled a small com chip out of my pocket and flicked it up, watching it spiral in the air. The light caught it, and I blinked at the glare. It landed flat in the center of my palm, like I had practiced. In the stadium, it would be even better, since instead of landing in my hand,. It would be in my wristcom and activate the Animazi software. It sure beat just pressing it in. Suddenly, I froze. Someone was watching me. Glancing around, I listened intently for any sign of a person, but nothing moved. They were still there. I turned slowly, scanning the rooftops. Nothing. Trying to not make any sudden moves, I slowly pressed my chip into the slot. This time the software activated, and an enormous love cervare appeared beside me. “C’mon, Kuda,” I mumbled. I took off. In a narrow alley, I was almost completely cut off, but if I was in a crowded space- such as the MythiMagic stadium- I had the advantage of safety in numbers. Dashing down sidewalks, ignoring the stares, I raced along until the stadium rose up in front of me. I forced my way to the doors. Scanning the crowd, as if the person watching was in it, I noticed nothing out of the ordinary. I stayed tense. The feeling, however, followed me as I strode toward the battle station. Kuda followed, his fur brushing my legs. I scanned my information in and eyed the screen showing possible opponents. None piqued my interest, but judging a book by it’s cover never got anyone anywhere. I found my way the bleachers and sat, pulling Kuda close. He rumbled a purr and scanned the stadium with his deep amber eyes. With him on watch, I let my eyes stray to the fight in progress. Animazi were electronic creatures that originated from a program on the wristcoms, and it had grown nationwide, to the point where for some Animages- what people who used the Animazi program were called- it was a way of life. On the right side of the stadium, a ruby-red lizard as large as my bed glowered, its tongue flicking in and out. Feilor, read the nickname on the screen. I watched its Mage pause, debating. He smiled and chose an attack. The lizard reared up and brought its front feet hard on the ground. I watched, surprised as it used the momentum to whip its thick tail towards its opponent with destructive strength. I had thought for sure it would have used an attack that would affect the ground. It's opponent, a large white squirrel, dodged, using its powerful hindquarters to leap up in the air. The air crackled, and it fell, energy pulsing through its body. Its body fell, and there was an explosion when it hit the lizard’s back. The screen flickered, showing the winner, and the battle was over. The crowd cheered wildly. Everything went quiet, and I looked up. My turn already? Weird. I pushed my way down and looked at the screen again. What… In the place where my opponent would show, the screen was blank.
Alessa, I've got you right where I want you, I thought. I clutched my new chip tightly in my hand and emerged from behind the bleachers. I grinned, ready to test this new software, specially designed for me. Alessa saw me, and started. I really couldn't blame her. I heard murmuring, but ignored it. My mission was to test her skills, and that was what I was going to do. She watched, confused and wary at the same time. She had no data on me- I had plenty on her. Not that I would need it, anyway. I preferred to learn on the field, experience it for myself.
“Ready?” My voice rang clear and loud in the stadium. She replied with a wordless nod. I loosened my grip on the chip and flicked it up. It flew through the air, the circuits shimmering. I whipped my wristcom across my body, and the chip slipped into the slot perfectly. There was a flash of light on the playing field. Alessa's eyes narrowed, and she threw her chip up also, sending an enormous panther on the field, it's black fur shimmering in the stadium lights. The battle was on. I flipped a coin and slapped my hand down on it. I slipped my palm back. Tails. I grinned, narrowing my eyes as the black fox that had emerged yipped, ready for battle. Even though I would most likely go last, the fight was still bound to be exciting. I could feel the warmth of my wristcom connecting met the fox, which I had named Kerelin. Alessa flicked her coin up, arching it over her head. She caught it and slapped it on the tray, revealing heads. Her Animazi was growling aggressively and raising its front paw as if to strike out, but the battle hadn’t started yet. Kerelin growled. Since she had heads, Alessa got to go first. I watched her contemplate her options, assessing her opponent: not only the fox Kerelin, but me, too. She cried out, “Kuda, Lightning Paw Slam!” Kerelin tensed and crouched as Alessa's Animazi, Kuda, growled and raised his front paws again. A ball of energy materialized between them, and I barely had time to crouch before he slammed them down, sending the shockwave through the floor and straight toward Kerelin. The whole stadium quivered as it hit. Kerelin screamed, and I looked up. He was rooted in place, fur standing on end. He was paralyzed. I masked my face to betray nothing and waited. I had the audience’s attention now. They didn't like competitors who hesitated. Kerelin had lower health than Kuda, but a greater attack power. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, grabbing the dark pendant at my neck. The sides dug into my hand, and I winced at the pain. It helped me focus. After a few moments I bent down and selected a skill. I kept my gaze locked on Alessa. Kerelin unfroze, and shook, happy to be free. Alessa watched, wary, but I didn't attack. It was her turn. She looked surprised. I hadn't attacked. With the new technology developed by my father, I had done something much worse.
The girl hadn't attacked me. It was obvious that she could have done something completely devastating. But she didn't. All it had done was heal the paralysis on her Animazi, a small black fox. That wasn't even the strangest thing about her, though. No, what really caught my attention- and everyone else's- was that her ears looked exactly like her Animazi’s; large, black, furry and fox-like. She had a tail, too, that matched her ears. I shook my head. It didn't do any good to get distracted during a match. Her fox’s tails had...multiplied. There were nine. Something was up. I swallowed and cried, “Rod of Lightning!” The words had barely left my mouth before a bolt of lightning hit the stadium. Kuda screamed. I looked at the screen. The hit had taken much of his health. What!?!? Something was wrong. It was almost as if…
“You're supposed to be attacking your opponent, right? Or have they changed the rules?” It was the fox girl. Her face was triumphant, if a bit pained, and I gritted my teeth. This battle wasn't over yet. She grasped her her pendant again. I watched, curious. “Kerelin, Elite,” she said, “Obsidian Meltdown!!!” Before she even finished her sentence, the most powerful explosion I had ever felt in my entire life rocked the stadium. I was blasted away from the pit and hit the bleachers- hard. My vision was foggy. I blinked to try to clear my eyes of the smoke. I peered into it, but couldn't see anything. After a few moments it cleared a bit, and I gasped. Kuda was lying still on the ground beside me, and there was a huge black mark in the middle of the stadium, as if a meteor had hit. Where was she? I looked around, but I didn't see the girl I had been battling. She was gone. I wiped my hand across my face, and it came away sooty. Before anyone could stop me, I recalled Kuda and stood up. I froze. In the middle of the stadium was a lone sheet of paper. I leapt down, snatched it, and left. The gravel crunched as I strode over it, away from the stadium. I headed back toward the alley shortcut I had come from.
“Alessa Lerange,” came a voice. I peered into the shadows. The fox girl stepped out. Her face was streaked with soot, but her eyes gleamed sky blue. I stiffened, then realized she wasn't trying to corner me. Her posture was nonthreatening, but I stayed wary.
“How do you know my name?” I snapped. “Who are you? How did you do that? What do you want?” The questions came out in a rush of words, but she just grinned.
“I know your name because I need to. How did I alter the battle board? With a little tech it's easy. How'd I win? Been in Animazi for a long time, perfected my moves…” She shrugged, and her face turned serious. Almost...dangerous. “As for what I want…” She chuckled humorlessly. “Well, I'm not here for what I want.” She turned.
“Wait!” I cried. “Who are you?!.”
She glanced back at me over her shoulder. “I suppose since I know your name, you can know mine. My name is Kay...just Kay. Your path is no longer straight, but intertwined in fate.” She said the words as if from some long ago memory. She gave me one last, flashing gSam, and with that, she was gone, leaving me very confused and very sooty. I got a sinking feeling that we would be meeting again- whether we wanted to or not.
There, that wasn't so bad, I told myself, wiping soot off my face. In, out, shazam! I grinned. This new Animazi was incredible. Though I didn’t like him, I had to have a bit of respect for my dad. Ryzadale would be pleased. She was definitely strong- I could tell. Her Animazi, Kuda, had some pretty good attacks. While his stats indicated a jack of all trades, they were still very high. With a little training, she would definitely be good material for… I shook my head to clear it. Don't tell me you're starting to get excited, I chastised myself. Think of Sam… The name made my head hurt and my chest squeeze. I grabbed the chip in my pocket for comfort, rubbing its smooth craftsmanship. I took a breath and relaxed. Maybe, when I got back, I could go see Sam, and tell him about my day. Not that he could hear me. I gSamd at my wristcom. It was 1:58. Ryzadale would be busy, so I could go. I started jogging, dodging pipes and chimneys. Oh, yeah- I was running on the roofs. Nobody could stare at me there. I pounced off of a low one and did a flip before hitting the ground lightly, fingers splayed. I wiped the dust on my pants and flipped my hair back over my shoulder. It was mid-back length and sandy blonde, which I liked but hated at the same time. Blonde didn’t exactly scream menacing. But my ears and tail made up for that, I thought, plus the sharp points of my teeth and my dark clothes. I had liked Alessa’s hair: blonde and black streaked.
I slipped back into our mansion and strode down the hallways, sticking to the walls. I wasn't technically allowed to be where I was going, but if no one saw me then where was the harm? I pressed my palm into a scanner, which opened a door, and then submitted to a retina scan. All that just to get in the medical ward. Now came the part that I had been working on for a few weeks; the part where I needed to hack to get in. I uploaded the virus and waited, licking my lips nervously as it loaded. I glanced at my wristcom. 2:03. It was done. I undid the latch and slipped in, closing it quietly behind me. Then, down a zigzag of tunnels and more scanners. They were all hacked, so I got in quickly. I stopped when I got in the last room and breathed slower, calming my heartrate. There was something almost reverent about this place, even though it contained so many horrors. I crept forward, stepping over wires running up and down the walls and all leading to one place- a large, glowing pod in the middle of the room. All the computers and vial cases were up against the walls, but the pod was in the very center. I rested my palm on it and gazed inside. Under the thick sheet of bulletproof glass was a boy my age, his brown hair tousled, skinny chest more muscular than it had been before. His eyes were closed, but I remembered their bright, teal green shimmer that gave him so much life. He looked peaceful, but that was all a lie. I splayed my fingers gingerly over the glass that shielded him from… it. Life. Anger. Love. Pain. Sometimes, when I was younger, I would pretend I was like him, safe and protected from the world outside. No more judgement, punishment, crushing my opponents until there was nothing left, not being able to trust. But now I knew the truth. The truth that had taken my humanity away from me, until the Animazi part of me was hardly distinguishable from the human. I rocked slowly in front of the pod, watching Sam’s chest rhythmically rise and fall. He was so peaceful. Of all the things my father had done, I was glad that he had started with me. His own daughter. My life was ruined, but it was all for Sam. I pressed my palm into the glass, savoring the coolness. A single tear slid down my cheek, and I dropped my forehead against the glass. My ears drooped. Sam didn’t wake.
Sam.
I'm so sorry.
I didn’t even know if I would see him awake again.
It had been a week since the strange girl had attacked me, and my relationship with my parents was still sour. Not that it had ever been anything else. I pulled my shiny black-blond hair into a ponytail, leaving my bangs hanging out. They were short enough that they wouldn't get in my eyes during a battle, or whatever else came my way. I was wearing a white shirt with shades of green around the hems and black leggings. Kuda rumbled as he put his head on my knee. I stood and ran right into my father as he was walking into my room. I bounced off his chest and onto the bed in a sitting position. Dang. He was blocking the door.
“Alessa,” he rumbled, voice deep, “first of all, what have we told you about that cat?”
“He's in my room,” I defended myself, curling my arm around his neck protectively.
“That wasn't the agreement. He was to not be out in this house at all. Now put him away. I have important news.” I reluctantly called him back. My father sat down on the edge of my bed, making it bounce and dip so much that I almost fell into him again. “We are having some visitors from a successful company coming over tonight. He is bringing his nephew, who is 12. I want you to be polite, kind, and nonintrusive. And I don't want to see that cat anywhere, am I clear?” He fixed his eyes on me.
“Fine,” I snapped, getting up and making a show of leaving. He watched as I stalked out.
“And do something about that hair, would you?”
*********
As soon as I got outside I released Kuda, ignoring my father's warning. A 12 year old nephew…Urgh. I shook off the thought of babysitting and hurried away. I started for the stadium, but then stopped. What if she was there? I changed direction and set off into the heart of Havendale. A wind blew, and I shivered. I smelled rain. The houses changed from tall and squished together near the shops to a more comfortable style, small with nice fences and modestly sized yards. I didn't see anybody outside, which was hardly unusual considering that it was going to rain. I didn't want to go home, so I kept walking. Kuda padded along beside me, sniffing the air and keeping a lookout. Thunder cracked, startling me, and I looked up just as it started to rain. It was a complete downpour, and I was soaked within seconds. Kuda yowled angrily at the rain, and I quickly recalled him. The logical thing would have been to go inside, but I kept walking. A little rain wasn't going to hurt me. I recognized a bush that needed pruning and realized I had been going in circles. I was just turning around when a door slammed and a lady in an umbrella ran up to me.
“Dear, please come. It'll do you only harm to stay out in this horrible downpour.” Without waiting for an answer, she grabbed my arm and dragged me inside. I stood shivering in the little entryway while she bustled around inside. A few towels came flying at me, and quickly caught them.
“Mom, what are you doing?” I froze. It was a boy's voice. And he sounded my age. Of course- what was I thinking? Of course she would have a family. Why would a nice lady like her live alone? I swallowed. She popped her head back in.
“I'll go try to find some clothes for you. They might be a bit big, but at least you'll be dry. Dry off as best you can while I look around. And please, come in. It's warmer in the kitchen.” I tried to get a better hold on the towels, failed, and stepped into the kitchen area. The walls were painted white with brick siding, and it was warmer. My eyes strayed to the table, and I sucked in a breath. The boy sitting there let out a little squeak and froze, staring at me. His glasses started slipping down his nose, but he didn't correct them. No doubt they would just slip down again. Everything else about him screamed nerd. He had on a sort of lab coat- weird?- and it looked like a tornado had come and the only thing it touched was his wild black hair. He had a pair of leather rimmed goggles on his forehead along with his glasses. I broke my gaze away and started drying off my hair, pulling out the ponytail. His eyes stayed on me, but I did my best to ignore him. A slight blush reddened his cheeks. Suddenly, I heard a door slam, and the woman yelled, “Nico, wake up!” I heard mumbling, but it was too quiet for me to tell what was said. She burst into the kitchen once again and handed me some clothes.
“You can change in the bathroom, honey. Two doors down on your left. I can dry your normal clothes if you like. And Konnell, stop staring. It's not nice.” The boy finally broke his gaze and turned his eyes to the table. Even so, I could tell he was watching me out of the corner of his eye. I padded down the hall, trying to ignore the funny feeling in my throat. The second door opened into a nice little bathroom. I took a look at the clothes the woman had given me. Just a normal t-shirt and jeans. Of all the humiliations. Even so, she had a point that it was dry. I pulled off my wet clothes, dried off, and put on the clean ones. They fit pretty well, considering the age difference. I grabbed my wet clothes and opened the door just as someone opened it from outside. It flew open and a boy my age, his dark hair rumpled, stared at me. My face flushed as I realized he was shirtless.
“What-” Before he could finish I pushed past him, back into the kitchen.
“Oh, dear! Let me take those.” The lady grabbed my wet clothes and opened a door, leading to the basement, I saw. “By the way, I'm Ms. Fangdash. Please help yourself to the fridge.” She disappeared. I shuffled into the kitchen, where the boy was still sitting. He seemed to recover and stood up.
“I'm Konnell,” he said, giving a sheepish smile. He started to hold out his hand, but quickly pulled it back. Just as well; I wouldn't shake it anyway. I draped my hair over my shoulder and chose a chair, sitting on the edge uncomfortably. I wanted to leave, but I didn’t want to sacrifice my clothes in the process. I heard a door open, and the other boy walked into the kitchen. It was obvious they were related- brothers, probably. I quickly tore my eyes away. He hadn't put a shirt on yet.
“Who's this?” he asked, rubbing his eyes.
“For goodness sake, Aggressor, put on a shirt,” Konnell chastised him, ignoring the question. “This isn't Rixi.” Aggressor, who was running his hand through his hair and browsing the cereal, paused.
“Yeah. Thank goodness,” he said. “Gosh, it's not a huge deal. I'm in my own house.”
“Yeah, but we have a visitor,” Konnell fired back. “Show some modesty.” Ignoring him, Aggressor grabbed a box of cereal, a bowl, spoon, and a milk carton. He brought it to the table and Konnell scooted over to make room.
“So who are you?” Aggressor asked, looking at me. I kept my eyes down. “My real name is Nico, but everyone calls me Aggressor because of my fighting style.”
“Everyone except mom,” Konnell added.
Aggressor chuckled. “Yeah. Hey, you want something?” He gestured toward the cereal. I shook my head. I had a rule to never eat at other people's houses, no matter how hungry I was. Though I doubted most people would have poison in their food, my caution kept me from accepting treats. “You haven't told me your name yet,” Aggressor reminded me.
I didn't want to tell him my real name, but I didn't want to lie, so I stretched the truth and said, “My name is Karma.”
Aggressor’s eyes widened. “You mean...seriously?” I shrugged, avoiding his gaze. In truth, it was my middle name, but they didn't need to know that. “Wow. Better watch it around a dangerous girl like you.”
“Even if my name was Joe, you'd still have to be careful,” I warned, finally meeting his eyes. They were a nice liquid brown. Nico- Aggressor- looked me up and down. “Do you-” A shirt flew from the basement doorway and hit his face. He sputtered, “Mom…!”
“Wear a shirt, honey!” she called coyly. Her footsteps receded down the stairs.
“Is she going to stay down there the entire time?” I asked, thankful that Aggressor was finally putting on a shirt.
“Believe me, she goes the library like every other day. She's got a stockpile down there,” Konnell replied, getting up. “It's still raining outside,” he mumbled to himself. “How about some hot chocolate?”
“I'm in,” Aggressor said immediately. I shifted uncomfortably. “And one for Miss Karma here.” He gave a sly grin. My hair was pretty much dry now, so I pulled it into a ponytail. “Is that natural?” Aggressor asked, watching. “The color, I mean.” I resisted the urge to snap at him. Yes, people were born each day with black and blonde streaked hair.
“No,” I said carefully. “It's dyed.”
“The black or the blonde?”
“Guess.”
“Hmmm. Oh, I remember what I was going to ask you. Are you an Animage?” That got my attention. He smiled and pulled out a chip, flicking it in the air. He caught it on the tip of his finger. “Pretty cool, huh?” He stuck it in his wristcom and his Animazi materialized in front of us. It looked like a wolf. “This is Larsus,” he said, grabbing a fistful of silvery neck gur and shaking it playfully. Larsus chewed on his hand. I shrugged and pulled out Kuda's chip, giving it a half-hearted flip. “Aw, c’mon. It needs to be cooler than that,” he said, snatching from right over my hand. Our skin touched, just for a moment, and I quickly pulled away. He looked to make sure I was watching and stood, flicking it high. I watched as he turned around and held his hand behind him, not even looking. It landed in the very center of his palm. “See?” he said, handing it back to me. “Can I see your Animazi?” I stayed silent as I pressed the chip into my wristcom. Kuda appeared. Aggressor turned around and cried, “Woah!” Kuda growled and stalked toward me. “That's a really cool Animazi. What's his name?”
“Kuda.”
“Hmm. Kuda and Karma. Has a nice ring to it.” He chuckled. I ignored him and rubbed Kuda's head. Larsus took his head off of Aggressor’s lap and came over to sniff Kuda. The wolf’s head only came up to Kuda’s shoulder, and Kuda turned and whipped Larsus in the face with his tail. “Feisty, huh?” Aggressor got up and went to check on the progress of the hot chocolate, which I'd admit was starting to smell a bit good. Not that I was going to drink it. Konnell added something and poured the steaming brown liquid into the three mugs he had lined up on the counter. “Nothing like hot chocolate to start the day,” Aggressor said, grabbing the biggest mug. “Num.” He grabbed a second and walked over to me with it, placing it in front of me. “So are you going to tell me your real name?” he asked, eyes twinkling.
“No,” I said, and glanced toward the basement. It had stopped raining about fifteen minutes ago outside, and everything shone with dew.
“Your clothes have been done for a while,” Konnell said, grabbing a mug and plopping down on a chair. “We just wanted to keep you a bit longer. Mom won't notice.” I didn't know whether to angry or not. It seemed like a compliment, but you never knew. I feigned anger.
“What!?” Then I remembered. “What time is it?”
“Um, 4:50?”
“I gotta go,” I snapped, feeling a huge surge of anxiety fill my chest. “Where are my clothes?”
“I'll go get them,” Konnell said, looking at me with concern, but he jumped up and disappeared down the stairs. I paced around the kitchen with Kuda at my heels.
“It's not that-” Aggressor started. Important, late, we don’t like you, I DON’T CARE!
“Shut up!” I cried. “You don't know…” I was going to say my father, but I stopped myself in time. “I need my clothes. Now.” I couldn’t stop the tremor in my voice, and I knew I was on the verge of tears. I heard footsteps and stalked towards the door as Konnell came back up the stairs, grabbing my clothes and disappearing into the bathroom before he could say anything. I changed hurriedly and was out the door in less than five minutes. And then I ran. If I'm late… We had important guests coming. I had to be back home by 5:00. My legs burned, but I flew through the door just as it turned 5:00. I slipped into my room and tried to calm my breathing. They would be here at 5:30.
Anything less than a proper lady would be punished.
Ryzadale was gone. Now was the perfect time to strike. I slipped over toward the elevator and pressed the button, keeping a watch out. The machine dinged, and I winced. I quickly slipped inside and waited impatiently for it to get to Ryzadale’s office. The doors opened, and I walked over to his computer, pressing in the code. My secret cameras had videotaped him putting in the password, so it was easy. I sat on the edge of his chair, prepared to run if anyone came. The files I wanted were hidden, buried under other useless data. From anyone else he might have succeeded in hiding it, but not from his own daughter. He taught me everything I knew, and that was his downfall. I put a flash drive into the slot on his computer and started the download. While it was transferring, I browsed the files, looking… There. Sam Locke. I opened the folder, holding my breath.
Name: Sam Astone Locke
Age: 15
Birthday: December 16
Height: 5’ 1’’
Weight: 134 lbs
Special Notes: Currently being prepped for AEBS. See Elite notes.
That caught my attention. Special notes? AEBS? What was that? I heard the elevator ding. I quickly pulled out the flash drive and ran towards the side door. I was just closing it when Arnold entered. Thank goodness he hadn't caught me. I pushed open the service doors and started my trek down the stairs. I would have to do more snooping later to find what these special notes and AEBS were.
My dad smiled when he saw me, and told me to go help set the table.
"Alessa,” mom ordered, “start putting the food on the table. And be sure to make it presentable. You know how he likes everything exact." I nodded and grabbed a metal bowl full of salad. I studied my reflection in it. Surely that was presentable enough? I set the bowl down and studied the setting. It was spotless. China plates were set with fancy embroidered napkins and silver silverware. This must be a big opportunity, I realized.
The doorbell rang, and I lined up next to my mom against the hallway. My dad went down to greet them, of course. He couldn't trust anyone else to. I shifted uncomfortably in my dress. I wasn't used to wearing such fancy clothing. Normally, I could just escape outside. But that nephew was coming, so I had to be there. The door opened, and I heard a deep, smooth voice greet my father. What was his name again? Rykadle? Ryzdle? No, it was Ryzadale. Dr. Ryzadale. I shifted in my dress as the voices got louder. I put on my brightest smile just before a tall, slim man entered with my father. Behind him was a boy with bright blue eyes and ghost white hair. "Dr. Ryzadale, this is my wife, Emma, and daughter, Alessa. Alessa, this is Venn, Dr. Ryzadale's nephew." Dr. Ryzadale shook hands with my mother, and Venn offered his hand to me. He smiled at me, but it made me uneasy. There was something...different, about him.. He saw me and smiled with brilliant white teeth. “Alessa, I hope you will show them the same hospitality you’d show any other guest.” There was a hidden threat in his words, and it took a lot of effort not to scowl. After the greetings, my father led Dr. Ryzadale to the dining room. Dr. Ryzadale and my dad blabbed away about work, mother listening and nodding appreciatively every once in awhile.
I was so focused on my manners that I almost jumped when Venn said, "So, Alessa. You have quite an industrial father. Big name in the business world." I nodded. "Must be hard." Was that sympathy in his voice? "My parents died when I was young, so I don’t remember them very well. Uncle's all that I have, now." He gazed at Ryzadale adoringly. After eating, my father and Dr. Ryzadale brought the conversation into the living room, and my mother quietly disappeared.
"Alessa," my father said, after finally noticing me seated hesitantly on the corner of an armchair, "Why don't you show Venn around?" Gratefully I got up and nodded to Venn, and we walked out.
"I see what you mean," he said, following me back into the kitchen. "He hardly even realized you were there."
I nodded. "He's probably not used to me being home. Especially when a business opportunity has presented itself." I tried to hide a note of sarcasm in my voice, unsure of how he would react. However, Venn just let it slide.
It wasn’t as bad as I had planned. So far, Venn had been good about paying attention, and occasionally asked a polite question. He acted much older than I expected, but that was a relief. “You have a nice house,” he commented, gazing around. “It’s smaller than mine, but...cozy.” He enunciated the word, and I could only stare. Our house was easily three times the size of any of the others on the block. If Venn’s house was bigger, I had a hard time believing it was anything less than a full-blown mansion. “Do you have any siblings?”
“Huh?” I snapped back to reality. “Oh, uh, no. No.” I shook my head to emphasized the point.
“Really? I have a cousin. She likes Animazi.” He gazed around the room we were in-the second living room- and plopped down in a cushy chair. “I like your house. Mine’s all eerie and creepy, and there’s lots of places we can’t go. Kay goes anyway, though.” I froze.
“Kay?” I mumbled, thinking rapidly. That day. The explosion, the black pendant, the fox…
“Hmm? My cousin. Her name’s Kay.” He looked at me funny. “Are you okay? Your face looks weird.”
“I-I’m fine,” I stammered. “Er, do you like Animazi?”
He grinned broadly. “Yeah, but I’m not as good as Kay. She just got a new Animazi. It’s pretty cool. You guys should battle sometime.” We already have, I wanted to say, but I kept quiet. “Hey, do you have an Animazi? Can I see it?” I hesitated. And I don't want to see that cat anywhere, am I clear? I nodded and led Venn to my room. One little peek couldn’t hurt.
Ryzadale hadn’t yet returned. Arnold was busy. Once again, things had gone my way, and I fully intended to take advantage of it. I wanted to go see Sam, but first things first. AEBS, I thought, scanning the data I had stolen. The acronym kept running through my mind. Searching the files, I found nothing. If I were Ryzadale, I would keep my super-secret data… I quickly hacked into the local network and typed it in. Scrolling down, I found the file. Holding my breath, I clicked on it and opened it into a secure network. I swallowed.
AEBS
Animazi Elite Bonding System
Last Tested: 03 Days Ago
System: Secure
Currently Prepped: Sam Astone Locke
Time Until Ready: 03 Days
Operation Code: XHDgjkBN09T
My hands shook. My breath came out fast as I processed the information. Whatever this system was, it would be ready in three days. I only had 3 days to save Sam.
Venn stood staring at my room as I sat on the bed. He stayed silent so long I worried that there was something wrong. “This…” He paused and turned his ice blue eyes to me. “This room looks exactly like my cousin’s room.” Some new emotion had emerged in his gaze. I realized that it was made huis stare so strange: their ice blue depths held a strong layer of distrust. “So are you gonna show me your Animazi?” There was an urgent look in his eyes that made me uneasy. “I’d show you mine, but Dr. Ryzadale made me leave it at home.” He shrugged. Hesitantly, I pressed in my chip. With a flash, Kuda appeared, growling. He hissed at Venn. “Woa-woah! Cool!” His eyes lit up at the panther’s appearance, and I dismissed the uneasy feeling. “How good is he in battle?”
“Fair,” I answered, dodging the question. What does he want…? Quickly changing the topic, I said, “Your cousin...Kay. I think I fought her. She has a fox Animazi, right?”
He nodded. “Yep, she told me. I was just waiting to see if you would remember.” He winked and gave me a charming smile.
“Alessa! Venn!” I turned toward the door at my name. Footsteps were approaching. I quickly recalled Kuda just as the door opened. “Dear, come. We need to talk to you about something in the meeting room.” Not missing the we, I followed obediently, Venn taking up the rear. I was more aware of his gaze now, and there was almost something...cold about it. There was tea in the meeting room, but I didn’t take any. My father sat me in a seat and turned to face me. He stayed standing, with Dr. Ryzadale to his right. Venn sat and kept his intense gaze on me.
“Alessa,” my father started, “Dr. Ryzadale is the creator of both the wristcom and Animazi programs you love. You’re being given the opportunity assist Dr. Ryzadale in his research. He is currently in the process of hosting an Animazi tournament for his research into better systems and bug fixes, and I have agreed to host Team Elite.” He paused, letting it sink in. “The team isn’t set upon yet, but we hope to get it done soon. He thinks that if we’re able to harness the power of the creatures, then we might have a revolutionary power source on our hands. And I expect you will give it your best effort. Am I clear, daughter?” I knew it. He said it like I had a choice, but at the end of it, he treated it like a given. Which meant it was. I knew it was serious, so I did the only thing I could do: I nodded. My father shook hands with Dr. Ryzadale and his nephew, and he and Venn left. I swallowed when they were gone. Now would be the best time to chew me out about my new...assignment, but my father just left to his bedroom. It wasn’t that dark, but I went to my room and slipped into bed anyway, glad to be out of the dress.
The sun was just peering over the horizon when I slipped out of the house. With no specific destination in mind, I summoned Kuda and started jogging. I needed something to clear my head. A power source…? The thought made my head hurt. I shook it and turned my feet toward the Animazi stadium. Then a new thought entered my mind. Kay...what did she want? Suddenly, her words came back to me. Your path is no longer straight, but intertwined with fate. Is this what she meant? Had she been tracking me? I stopped as the pieces started connecting together. If Kay is Venn’s cousin, then she could be Ryzadale’s daughter...so that would mean he could have sent her to battle me. That battle was not random. The blank screen, her attitude… Something was up. And if it had to do with Animazi, it was big.
I pressed my face up to the glass to get a better view. I rested my palms on the smooth coolness of the glass and looked straight. If I focused hard enough, I could imagine I was floating. It was something I did, a sort of meditation, that helped me gather my thoughts. Ryzadale’s plan was being set into motion, and I had reached a point of stress where I could hardly sleep, dark thoughts entering my dreams and haunting me during waking hours, too. He had something planbned, but I didn’t know what it was. That infuriated me. I knew my father. It could be nothing good. Giving up, I stepped back from the glass wall in his office and sank into the chair, giving a loud sigh of defeat. 3 days… I pressed my face into my palms and moaned. Yes, I was sulkibng. I had Ryzadale’s files, but I had been unable to find the “special notes” mentioned in them. The most useful thing I knew what what AEBS stood for: Animazi Elite Bonding System. And if was what I thought...Immediately I shook my head as the horrible memories started to resurface. That part of my life was over. Suddenly, my heart started pumping harder. My breath started flowing faster, and I couldn’t stop it. Sam, Sam, Sam… My mind cried. I writhed on the couch, holding my head as pain pierced through it.
“Alessa? Please come up and solve this equation.” I cursed whoever had ever thought to hire Ms. Yassa and slowly stood up, passing the sucker I was licking to the other side of my mouth. I knew it irked Ms. Yassa, and so I made sure that she was always aware that I was in the back of the class, sucking away. She passed me the chalk, and the moment I pressed it down my ears almost started bleeding. Gritting my teeth, I started writing. Somewhere halfway through I broke my sucker, but finally, it was over. I looked and realized that all that was left of the chalk was a tiny little nub. The rest was spread across the board, in a beautiful array of processes to solve the simple problem. I had overachieved, but that was no surprise. I was in the highest class available for my grade, yet nothing challenged me. Pulling out the stick, I tossed it in the trash can on my way back and flopped back in my chair. Everything was silent. Looking around the room, I realized no one knew what to do. I had done the problem so efficiently and effortlessly that it had taken all their breath away. I smiled and leaned down to pull another sucker from my bag. Unwrapping it, I settled in for another long day of boredom.
I had lived in Ryzadale’s mansion since I was five. The enormous house must have counted as castle, but everyone just knew it as “Ryzadale’s Mansion”. My father never needed to boast about his wealth- everyone knew who he was. Because my father was the owner of RyTek, the biggest and most advanced technology giant in the whole of Sedontakki. He was the creator of the wristcom, the most useful gadget since elevators. Plus, my father created Animazi.
There was a polite knock on my door, but I didn't look up. I was gazing intently on my wristcom while rewiring it. As his closest relative, it made sense that I would inherit his empire. Technical skills were very useful.
“Come in.” The door opened, and Venn stepped in, bowing politely.
“You father wishes to see you immediately.” He watched as I carefully bent the wires and rerouted the circuit.
“What about?”
“He didn't say, but I got the sense that he wanted to see you as soon as possible.” Which of course meant now. I tweaked a last circuit and placed the back back on, snapping it in place. I stood and slipped it on my wrist, following Venn out. I booted it up while we were walking. I could tell my cousin was wary of what I was doing- I really couldn't blame him. In truth, I was rewiring the device so it had better protection from Ryzadale’s tracking devices. I went into enough shady places to not want anyone, friend or foe, knowing where I was. We reached the elevator, and Venn reached out to press the button. The thing was state-of-the-art, and within 3 seconds it was open and waiting. Ever the gentleman, Venn waited for me to step in before entering himself. I checked the progress of the wristcom, and grinned to myself. It wasn't quite finished, but it was a big improvement from before. I heard a ding and the doors opened into Dr. Ryzadale's office. It was a big room, with one wall entirely glass, giving a great view of Havendale. There was a red leather couch facing away from us, and Ryzadale himself was looking at us over his glasses from his dark cherrywood desk.
“Thank you, Venn,” he said, beckoning for me to come closer. I strode over to stand behind him. On the screen was a picture of a girl with black and blonde streaked hair, a year or two older than me. My eyes strayed toward the info sheet on the right side of the image.
Name: Alessa Karma Lerange
Age: 17
Birthday: November 4
Height: 5’2 ½”
Weight: 142 lbs
Ryzadale folded his fingers together and glanced up at me. I met his gaze and raised my eyebrows. “Yes?”
“We need to start on the rest of Team Elite. We already have two members-you, and…” He raised his eyebrows. “...Sam.” I prided myself in not flinching, but I couldn’t stop the twitch of my facial features. He smiled thinly, as if he noticed. “I need you to find me this girl,” he said, standing up. He was easily almost 6 feet straight. “I'll send the information to your wristcom. Please go at once.” Venn coughed, and Ryzadale looked at him. He slid his gaze back to follow me as I left. Venn remained, probably to tell him what I had been doing with my device. Oh, well. I didn't care. The name Lerange stuck out to me, and I knew I had heard it before. I waited until I was outside before searching it up. Ah, yes. Jacque Pearson Lerange was a famous businessman. He owned many successful companies throughout the area, and had a huge profit. Alessa must be related to him, so I looked up her name. I scrolled, and my eyes caught on a headline: Child is Born to Famous Businessman Lerage. So she's his daughter. After quickly looking up a location, I put my wristcom in sleep mode, and a normal clock popped up on the screen. People would just think it was a normal wristcom, but all the modifications I had done had sent it far from that caliber. I set off for the Lerange's penthouse, calculating in my head. It wasn't like me to go in without a plan.
“I'm going out, and you can't stop me!” I cried, slamming the door and rushing out. I took off before my parents could stop me, ignoring their cries to come back. You can't make me, I thought triumphantly. At midday, the streets were crowded with vendors trying to sell their wares and people trying to buy them. I slipped through the crowd like water, ignoring everything surrounding me. I must have not looked where I had been going, because suddenly something hit my leg. Glancing down I realized it was a child. One look, and it started bawling. I stepped back, trying to escape, but suddenly its mother ran up. I shoved through the crowd desperately, and it opened just enough for me to escape. I leaned against back wall and tried to calm my breathing. I hated situations like those. I didn't necessarily want people to be afraid of me. But I didn’t really want them liking me, either. As far as I was concerned, my life was me, I, and myself. Hurrying away, I slipped into a back alley and jogged slower, thinking. It would make sense to go to the MythiMagic stadium. Normally midday was the best time to go, since all the weaklings were stuck in school, but today was an off day. Even so, I made up my mind. Smiling to myself, I pulled a small com chip out of my pocket and flicked it up, watching it spiral in the air. The light caught it, and I blinked at the glare. It landed flat in the center of my palm, like I had practiced. In the stadium, it would be even better, since instead of landing in my hand,. It would be in my wristcom and activate the Animazi software. It sure beat just pressing it in. Suddenly, I froze. Someone was watching me. Glancing around, I listened intently for any sign of a person, but nothing moved. They were still there. I turned slowly, scanning the rooftops. Nothing. Trying to not make any sudden moves, I slowly pressed my chip into the slot. This time the software activated, and an enormous love cervare appeared beside me. “C’mon, Kuda,” I mumbled. I took off. In a narrow alley, I was almost completely cut off, but if I was in a crowded space- such as the MythiMagic stadium- I had the advantage of safety in numbers. Dashing down sidewalks, ignoring the stares, I raced along until the stadium rose up in front of me. I forced my way to the doors. Scanning the crowd, as if the person watching was in it, I noticed nothing out of the ordinary. I stayed tense. The feeling, however, followed me as I strode toward the battle station. Kuda followed, his fur brushing my legs. I scanned my information in and eyed the screen showing possible opponents. None piqued my interest, but judging a book by it’s cover never got anyone anywhere. I found my way the bleachers and sat, pulling Kuda close. He rumbled a purr and scanned the stadium with his deep amber eyes. With him on watch, I let my eyes stray to the fight in progress. Animazi were electronic creatures that originated from a program on the wristcoms, and it had grown nationwide, to the point where for some Animages- what people who used the Animazi program were called- it was a way of life. On the right side of the stadium, a ruby-red lizard as large as my bed glowered, its tongue flicking in and out. Feilor, read the nickname on the screen. I watched its Mage pause, debating. He smiled and chose an attack. The lizard reared up and brought its front feet hard on the ground. I watched, surprised as it used the momentum to whip its thick tail towards its opponent with destructive strength. I had thought for sure it would have used an attack that would affect the ground. It's opponent, a large white squirrel, dodged, using its powerful hindquarters to leap up in the air. The air crackled, and it fell, energy pulsing through its body. Its body fell, and there was an explosion when it hit the lizard’s back. The screen flickered, showing the winner, and the battle was over. The crowd cheered wildly. Everything went quiet, and I looked up. My turn already? Weird. I pushed my way down and looked at the screen again. What… In the place where my opponent would show, the screen was blank.
Alessa, I've got you right where I want you, I thought. I clutched my new chip tightly in my hand and emerged from behind the bleachers. I grinned, ready to test this new software, specially designed for me. Alessa saw me, and started. I really couldn't blame her. I heard murmuring, but ignored it. My mission was to test her skills, and that was what I was going to do. She watched, confused and wary at the same time. She had no data on me- I had plenty on her. Not that I would need it, anyway. I preferred to learn on the field, experience it for myself.
“Ready?” My voice rang clear and loud in the stadium. She replied with a wordless nod. I loosened my grip on the chip and flicked it up. It flew through the air, the circuits shimmering. I whipped my wristcom across my body, and the chip slipped into the slot perfectly. There was a flash of light on the playing field. Alessa's eyes narrowed, and she threw her chip up also, sending an enormous panther on the field, it's black fur shimmering in the stadium lights. The battle was on. I flipped a coin and slapped my hand down on it. I slipped my palm back. Tails. I grinned, narrowing my eyes as the black fox that had emerged yipped, ready for battle. Even though I would most likely go last, the fight was still bound to be exciting. I could feel the warmth of my wristcom connecting met the fox, which I had named Kerelin. Alessa flicked her coin up, arching it over her head. She caught it and slapped it on the tray, revealing heads. Her Animazi was growling aggressively and raising its front paw as if to strike out, but the battle hadn’t started yet. Kerelin growled. Since she had heads, Alessa got to go first. I watched her contemplate her options, assessing her opponent: not only the fox Kerelin, but me, too. She cried out, “Kuda, Lightning Paw Slam!” Kerelin tensed and crouched as Alessa's Animazi, Kuda, growled and raised his front paws again. A ball of energy materialized between them, and I barely had time to crouch before he slammed them down, sending the shockwave through the floor and straight toward Kerelin. The whole stadium quivered as it hit. Kerelin screamed, and I looked up. He was rooted in place, fur standing on end. He was paralyzed. I masked my face to betray nothing and waited. I had the audience’s attention now. They didn't like competitors who hesitated. Kerelin had lower health than Kuda, but a greater attack power. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, grabbing the dark pendant at my neck. The sides dug into my hand, and I winced at the pain. It helped me focus. After a few moments I bent down and selected a skill. I kept my gaze locked on Alessa. Kerelin unfroze, and shook, happy to be free. Alessa watched, wary, but I didn't attack. It was her turn. She looked surprised. I hadn't attacked. With the new technology developed by my father, I had done something much worse.
The girl hadn't attacked me. It was obvious that she could have done something completely devastating. But she didn't. All it had done was heal the paralysis on her Animazi, a small black fox. That wasn't even the strangest thing about her, though. No, what really caught my attention- and everyone else's- was that her ears looked exactly like her Animazi’s; large, black, furry and fox-like. She had a tail, too, that matched her ears. I shook my head. It didn't do any good to get distracted during a match. Her fox’s tails had...multiplied. There were nine. Something was up. I swallowed and cried, “Rod of Lightning!” The words had barely left my mouth before a bolt of lightning hit the stadium. Kuda screamed. I looked at the screen. The hit had taken much of his health. What!?!? Something was wrong. It was almost as if…
“You're supposed to be attacking your opponent, right? Or have they changed the rules?” It was the fox girl. Her face was triumphant, if a bit pained, and I gritted my teeth. This battle wasn't over yet. She grasped her her pendant again. I watched, curious. “Kerelin, Elite,” she said, “Obsidian Meltdown!!!” Before she even finished her sentence, the most powerful explosion I had ever felt in my entire life rocked the stadium. I was blasted away from the pit and hit the bleachers- hard. My vision was foggy. I blinked to try to clear my eyes of the smoke. I peered into it, but couldn't see anything. After a few moments it cleared a bit, and I gasped. Kuda was lying still on the ground beside me, and there was a huge black mark in the middle of the stadium, as if a meteor had hit. Where was she? I looked around, but I didn't see the girl I had been battling. She was gone. I wiped my hand across my face, and it came away sooty. Before anyone could stop me, I recalled Kuda and stood up. I froze. In the middle of the stadium was a lone sheet of paper. I leapt down, snatched it, and left. The gravel crunched as I strode over it, away from the stadium. I headed back toward the alley shortcut I had come from.
“Alessa Lerange,” came a voice. I peered into the shadows. The fox girl stepped out. Her face was streaked with soot, but her eyes gleamed sky blue. I stiffened, then realized she wasn't trying to corner me. Her posture was nonthreatening, but I stayed wary.
“How do you know my name?” I snapped. “Who are you? How did you do that? What do you want?” The questions came out in a rush of words, but she just grinned.
“I know your name because I need to. How did I alter the battle board? With a little tech it's easy. How'd I win? Been in Animazi for a long time, perfected my moves…” She shrugged, and her face turned serious. Almost...dangerous. “As for what I want…” She chuckled humorlessly. “Well, I'm not here for what I want.” She turned.
“Wait!” I cried. “Who are you?!.”
She glanced back at me over her shoulder. “I suppose since I know your name, you can know mine. My name is Kay...just Kay. Your path is no longer straight, but intertwined in fate.” She said the words as if from some long ago memory. She gave me one last, flashing gSam, and with that, she was gone, leaving me very confused and very sooty. I got a sinking feeling that we would be meeting again- whether we wanted to or not.
There, that wasn't so bad, I told myself, wiping soot off my face. In, out, shazam! I grinned. This new Animazi was incredible. Though I didn’t like him, I had to have a bit of respect for my dad. Ryzadale would be pleased. She was definitely strong- I could tell. Her Animazi, Kuda, had some pretty good attacks. While his stats indicated a jack of all trades, they were still very high. With a little training, she would definitely be good material for… I shook my head to clear it. Don't tell me you're starting to get excited, I chastised myself. Think of Sam… The name made my head hurt and my chest squeeze. I grabbed the chip in my pocket for comfort, rubbing its smooth craftsmanship. I took a breath and relaxed. Maybe, when I got back, I could go see Sam, and tell him about my day. Not that he could hear me. I gSamd at my wristcom. It was 1:58. Ryzadale would be busy, so I could go. I started jogging, dodging pipes and chimneys. Oh, yeah- I was running on the roofs. Nobody could stare at me there. I pounced off of a low one and did a flip before hitting the ground lightly, fingers splayed. I wiped the dust on my pants and flipped my hair back over my shoulder. It was mid-back length and sandy blonde, which I liked but hated at the same time. Blonde didn’t exactly scream menacing. But my ears and tail made up for that, I thought, plus the sharp points of my teeth and my dark clothes. I had liked Alessa’s hair: blonde and black streaked.
I slipped back into our mansion and strode down the hallways, sticking to the walls. I wasn't technically allowed to be where I was going, but if no one saw me then where was the harm? I pressed my palm into a scanner, which opened a door, and then submitted to a retina scan. All that just to get in the medical ward. Now came the part that I had been working on for a few weeks; the part where I needed to hack to get in. I uploaded the virus and waited, licking my lips nervously as it loaded. I glanced at my wristcom. 2:03. It was done. I undid the latch and slipped in, closing it quietly behind me. Then, down a zigzag of tunnels and more scanners. They were all hacked, so I got in quickly. I stopped when I got in the last room and breathed slower, calming my heartrate. There was something almost reverent about this place, even though it contained so many horrors. I crept forward, stepping over wires running up and down the walls and all leading to one place- a large, glowing pod in the middle of the room. All the computers and vial cases were up against the walls, but the pod was in the very center. I rested my palm on it and gazed inside. Under the thick sheet of bulletproof glass was a boy my age, his brown hair tousled, skinny chest more muscular than it had been before. His eyes were closed, but I remembered their bright, teal green shimmer that gave him so much life. He looked peaceful, but that was all a lie. I splayed my fingers gingerly over the glass that shielded him from… it. Life. Anger. Love. Pain. Sometimes, when I was younger, I would pretend I was like him, safe and protected from the world outside. No more judgement, punishment, crushing my opponents until there was nothing left, not being able to trust. But now I knew the truth. The truth that had taken my humanity away from me, until the Animazi part of me was hardly distinguishable from the human. I rocked slowly in front of the pod, watching Sam’s chest rhythmically rise and fall. He was so peaceful. Of all the things my father had done, I was glad that he had started with me. His own daughter. My life was ruined, but it was all for Sam. I pressed my palm into the glass, savoring the coolness. A single tear slid down my cheek, and I dropped my forehead against the glass. My ears drooped. Sam didn’t wake.
Sam.
I'm so sorry.
I didn’t even know if I would see him awake again.
It had been a week since the strange girl had attacked me, and my relationship with my parents was still sour. Not that it had ever been anything else. I pulled my shiny black-blond hair into a ponytail, leaving my bangs hanging out. They were short enough that they wouldn't get in my eyes during a battle, or whatever else came my way. I was wearing a white shirt with shades of green around the hems and black leggings. Kuda rumbled as he put his head on my knee. I stood and ran right into my father as he was walking into my room. I bounced off his chest and onto the bed in a sitting position. Dang. He was blocking the door.
“Alessa,” he rumbled, voice deep, “first of all, what have we told you about that cat?”
“He's in my room,” I defended myself, curling my arm around his neck protectively.
“That wasn't the agreement. He was to not be out in this house at all. Now put him away. I have important news.” I reluctantly called him back. My father sat down on the edge of my bed, making it bounce and dip so much that I almost fell into him again. “We are having some visitors from a successful company coming over tonight. He is bringing his nephew, who is 12. I want you to be polite, kind, and nonintrusive. And I don't want to see that cat anywhere, am I clear?” He fixed his eyes on me.
“Fine,” I snapped, getting up and making a show of leaving. He watched as I stalked out.
“And do something about that hair, would you?”
*********
As soon as I got outside I released Kuda, ignoring my father's warning. A 12 year old nephew…Urgh. I shook off the thought of babysitting and hurried away. I started for the stadium, but then stopped. What if she was there? I changed direction and set off into the heart of Havendale. A wind blew, and I shivered. I smelled rain. The houses changed from tall and squished together near the shops to a more comfortable style, small with nice fences and modestly sized yards. I didn't see anybody outside, which was hardly unusual considering that it was going to rain. I didn't want to go home, so I kept walking. Kuda padded along beside me, sniffing the air and keeping a lookout. Thunder cracked, startling me, and I looked up just as it started to rain. It was a complete downpour, and I was soaked within seconds. Kuda yowled angrily at the rain, and I quickly recalled him. The logical thing would have been to go inside, but I kept walking. A little rain wasn't going to hurt me. I recognized a bush that needed pruning and realized I had been going in circles. I was just turning around when a door slammed and a lady in an umbrella ran up to me.
“Dear, please come. It'll do you only harm to stay out in this horrible downpour.” Without waiting for an answer, she grabbed my arm and dragged me inside. I stood shivering in the little entryway while she bustled around inside. A few towels came flying at me, and quickly caught them.
“Mom, what are you doing?” I froze. It was a boy's voice. And he sounded my age. Of course- what was I thinking? Of course she would have a family. Why would a nice lady like her live alone? I swallowed. She popped her head back in.
“I'll go try to find some clothes for you. They might be a bit big, but at least you'll be dry. Dry off as best you can while I look around. And please, come in. It's warmer in the kitchen.” I tried to get a better hold on the towels, failed, and stepped into the kitchen area. The walls were painted white with brick siding, and it was warmer. My eyes strayed to the table, and I sucked in a breath. The boy sitting there let out a little squeak and froze, staring at me. His glasses started slipping down his nose, but he didn't correct them. No doubt they would just slip down again. Everything else about him screamed nerd. He had on a sort of lab coat- weird?- and it looked like a tornado had come and the only thing it touched was his wild black hair. He had a pair of leather rimmed goggles on his forehead along with his glasses. I broke my gaze away and started drying off my hair, pulling out the ponytail. His eyes stayed on me, but I did my best to ignore him. A slight blush reddened his cheeks. Suddenly, I heard a door slam, and the woman yelled, “Nico, wake up!” I heard mumbling, but it was too quiet for me to tell what was said. She burst into the kitchen once again and handed me some clothes.
“You can change in the bathroom, honey. Two doors down on your left. I can dry your normal clothes if you like. And Konnell, stop staring. It's not nice.” The boy finally broke his gaze and turned his eyes to the table. Even so, I could tell he was watching me out of the corner of his eye. I padded down the hall, trying to ignore the funny feeling in my throat. The second door opened into a nice little bathroom. I took a look at the clothes the woman had given me. Just a normal t-shirt and jeans. Of all the humiliations. Even so, she had a point that it was dry. I pulled off my wet clothes, dried off, and put on the clean ones. They fit pretty well, considering the age difference. I grabbed my wet clothes and opened the door just as someone opened it from outside. It flew open and a boy my age, his dark hair rumpled, stared at me. My face flushed as I realized he was shirtless.
“What-” Before he could finish I pushed past him, back into the kitchen.
“Oh, dear! Let me take those.” The lady grabbed my wet clothes and opened a door, leading to the basement, I saw. “By the way, I'm Ms. Fangdash. Please help yourself to the fridge.” She disappeared. I shuffled into the kitchen, where the boy was still sitting. He seemed to recover and stood up.
“I'm Konnell,” he said, giving a sheepish smile. He started to hold out his hand, but quickly pulled it back. Just as well; I wouldn't shake it anyway. I draped my hair over my shoulder and chose a chair, sitting on the edge uncomfortably. I wanted to leave, but I didn’t want to sacrifice my clothes in the process. I heard a door open, and the other boy walked into the kitchen. It was obvious they were related- brothers, probably. I quickly tore my eyes away. He hadn't put a shirt on yet.
“Who's this?” he asked, rubbing his eyes.
“For goodness sake, Aggressor, put on a shirt,” Konnell chastised him, ignoring the question. “This isn't Rixi.” Aggressor, who was running his hand through his hair and browsing the cereal, paused.
“Yeah. Thank goodness,” he said. “Gosh, it's not a huge deal. I'm in my own house.”
“Yeah, but we have a visitor,” Konnell fired back. “Show some modesty.” Ignoring him, Aggressor grabbed a box of cereal, a bowl, spoon, and a milk carton. He brought it to the table and Konnell scooted over to make room.
“So who are you?” Aggressor asked, looking at me. I kept my eyes down. “My real name is Nico, but everyone calls me Aggressor because of my fighting style.”
“Everyone except mom,” Konnell added.
Aggressor chuckled. “Yeah. Hey, you want something?” He gestured toward the cereal. I shook my head. I had a rule to never eat at other people's houses, no matter how hungry I was. Though I doubted most people would have poison in their food, my caution kept me from accepting treats. “You haven't told me your name yet,” Aggressor reminded me.
I didn't want to tell him my real name, but I didn't want to lie, so I stretched the truth and said, “My name is Karma.”
Aggressor’s eyes widened. “You mean...seriously?” I shrugged, avoiding his gaze. In truth, it was my middle name, but they didn't need to know that. “Wow. Better watch it around a dangerous girl like you.”
“Even if my name was Joe, you'd still have to be careful,” I warned, finally meeting his eyes. They were a nice liquid brown. Nico- Aggressor- looked me up and down. “Do you-” A shirt flew from the basement doorway and hit his face. He sputtered, “Mom…!”
“Wear a shirt, honey!” she called coyly. Her footsteps receded down the stairs.
“Is she going to stay down there the entire time?” I asked, thankful that Aggressor was finally putting on a shirt.
“Believe me, she goes the library like every other day. She's got a stockpile down there,” Konnell replied, getting up. “It's still raining outside,” he mumbled to himself. “How about some hot chocolate?”
“I'm in,” Aggressor said immediately. I shifted uncomfortably. “And one for Miss Karma here.” He gave a sly grin. My hair was pretty much dry now, so I pulled it into a ponytail. “Is that natural?” Aggressor asked, watching. “The color, I mean.” I resisted the urge to snap at him. Yes, people were born each day with black and blonde streaked hair.
“No,” I said carefully. “It's dyed.”
“The black or the blonde?”
“Guess.”
“Hmmm. Oh, I remember what I was going to ask you. Are you an Animage?” That got my attention. He smiled and pulled out a chip, flicking it in the air. He caught it on the tip of his finger. “Pretty cool, huh?” He stuck it in his wristcom and his Animazi materialized in front of us. It looked like a wolf. “This is Larsus,” he said, grabbing a fistful of silvery neck gur and shaking it playfully. Larsus chewed on his hand. I shrugged and pulled out Kuda's chip, giving it a half-hearted flip. “Aw, c’mon. It needs to be cooler than that,” he said, snatching from right over my hand. Our skin touched, just for a moment, and I quickly pulled away. He looked to make sure I was watching and stood, flicking it high. I watched as he turned around and held his hand behind him, not even looking. It landed in the very center of his palm. “See?” he said, handing it back to me. “Can I see your Animazi?” I stayed silent as I pressed the chip into my wristcom. Kuda appeared. Aggressor turned around and cried, “Woah!” Kuda growled and stalked toward me. “That's a really cool Animazi. What's his name?”
“Kuda.”
“Hmm. Kuda and Karma. Has a nice ring to it.” He chuckled. I ignored him and rubbed Kuda's head. Larsus took his head off of Aggressor’s lap and came over to sniff Kuda. The wolf’s head only came up to Kuda’s shoulder, and Kuda turned and whipped Larsus in the face with his tail. “Feisty, huh?” Aggressor got up and went to check on the progress of the hot chocolate, which I'd admit was starting to smell a bit good. Not that I was going to drink it. Konnell added something and poured the steaming brown liquid into the three mugs he had lined up on the counter. “Nothing like hot chocolate to start the day,” Aggressor said, grabbing the biggest mug. “Num.” He grabbed a second and walked over to me with it, placing it in front of me. “So are you going to tell me your real name?” he asked, eyes twinkling.
“No,” I said, and glanced toward the basement. It had stopped raining about fifteen minutes ago outside, and everything shone with dew.
“Your clothes have been done for a while,” Konnell said, grabbing a mug and plopping down on a chair. “We just wanted to keep you a bit longer. Mom won't notice.” I didn't know whether to angry or not. It seemed like a compliment, but you never knew. I feigned anger.
“What!?” Then I remembered. “What time is it?”
“Um, 4:50?”
“I gotta go,” I snapped, feeling a huge surge of anxiety fill my chest. “Where are my clothes?”
“I'll go get them,” Konnell said, looking at me with concern, but he jumped up and disappeared down the stairs. I paced around the kitchen with Kuda at my heels.
“It's not that-” Aggressor started. Important, late, we don’t like you, I DON’T CARE!
“Shut up!” I cried. “You don't know…” I was going to say my father, but I stopped myself in time. “I need my clothes. Now.” I couldn’t stop the tremor in my voice, and I knew I was on the verge of tears. I heard footsteps and stalked towards the door as Konnell came back up the stairs, grabbing my clothes and disappearing into the bathroom before he could say anything. I changed hurriedly and was out the door in less than five minutes. And then I ran. If I'm late… We had important guests coming. I had to be back home by 5:00. My legs burned, but I flew through the door just as it turned 5:00. I slipped into my room and tried to calm my breathing. They would be here at 5:30.
Anything less than a proper lady would be punished.
Ryzadale was gone. Now was the perfect time to strike. I slipped over toward the elevator and pressed the button, keeping a watch out. The machine dinged, and I winced. I quickly slipped inside and waited impatiently for it to get to Ryzadale’s office. The doors opened, and I walked over to his computer, pressing in the code. My secret cameras had videotaped him putting in the password, so it was easy. I sat on the edge of his chair, prepared to run if anyone came. The files I wanted were hidden, buried under other useless data. From anyone else he might have succeeded in hiding it, but not from his own daughter. He taught me everything I knew, and that was his downfall. I put a flash drive into the slot on his computer and started the download. While it was transferring, I browsed the files, looking… There. Sam Locke. I opened the folder, holding my breath.
Name: Sam Astone Locke
Age: 15
Birthday: December 16
Height: 5’ 1’’
Weight: 134 lbs
Special Notes: Currently being prepped for AEBS. See Elite notes.
That caught my attention. Special notes? AEBS? What was that? I heard the elevator ding. I quickly pulled out the flash drive and ran towards the side door. I was just closing it when Arnold entered. Thank goodness he hadn't caught me. I pushed open the service doors and started my trek down the stairs. I would have to do more snooping later to find what these special notes and AEBS were.
My dad smiled when he saw me, and told me to go help set the table.
"Alessa,” mom ordered, “start putting the food on the table. And be sure to make it presentable. You know how he likes everything exact." I nodded and grabbed a metal bowl full of salad. I studied my reflection in it. Surely that was presentable enough? I set the bowl down and studied the setting. It was spotless. China plates were set with fancy embroidered napkins and silver silverware. This must be a big opportunity, I realized.
The doorbell rang, and I lined up next to my mom against the hallway. My dad went down to greet them, of course. He couldn't trust anyone else to. I shifted uncomfortably in my dress. I wasn't used to wearing such fancy clothing. Normally, I could just escape outside. But that nephew was coming, so I had to be there. The door opened, and I heard a deep, smooth voice greet my father. What was his name again? Rykadle? Ryzdle? No, it was Ryzadale. Dr. Ryzadale. I shifted in my dress as the voices got louder. I put on my brightest smile just before a tall, slim man entered with my father. Behind him was a boy with bright blue eyes and ghost white hair. "Dr. Ryzadale, this is my wife, Emma, and daughter, Alessa. Alessa, this is Venn, Dr. Ryzadale's nephew." Dr. Ryzadale shook hands with my mother, and Venn offered his hand to me. He smiled at me, but it made me uneasy. There was something...different, about him.. He saw me and smiled with brilliant white teeth. “Alessa, I hope you will show them the same hospitality you’d show any other guest.” There was a hidden threat in his words, and it took a lot of effort not to scowl. After the greetings, my father led Dr. Ryzadale to the dining room. Dr. Ryzadale and my dad blabbed away about work, mother listening and nodding appreciatively every once in awhile.
I was so focused on my manners that I almost jumped when Venn said, "So, Alessa. You have quite an industrial father. Big name in the business world." I nodded. "Must be hard." Was that sympathy in his voice? "My parents died when I was young, so I don’t remember them very well. Uncle's all that I have, now." He gazed at Ryzadale adoringly. After eating, my father and Dr. Ryzadale brought the conversation into the living room, and my mother quietly disappeared.
"Alessa," my father said, after finally noticing me seated hesitantly on the corner of an armchair, "Why don't you show Venn around?" Gratefully I got up and nodded to Venn, and we walked out.
"I see what you mean," he said, following me back into the kitchen. "He hardly even realized you were there."
I nodded. "He's probably not used to me being home. Especially when a business opportunity has presented itself." I tried to hide a note of sarcasm in my voice, unsure of how he would react. However, Venn just let it slide.
It wasn’t as bad as I had planned. So far, Venn had been good about paying attention, and occasionally asked a polite question. He acted much older than I expected, but that was a relief. “You have a nice house,” he commented, gazing around. “It’s smaller than mine, but...cozy.” He enunciated the word, and I could only stare. Our house was easily three times the size of any of the others on the block. If Venn’s house was bigger, I had a hard time believing it was anything less than a full-blown mansion. “Do you have any siblings?”
“Huh?” I snapped back to reality. “Oh, uh, no. No.” I shook my head to emphasized the point.
“Really? I have a cousin. She likes Animazi.” He gazed around the room we were in-the second living room- and plopped down in a cushy chair. “I like your house. Mine’s all eerie and creepy, and there’s lots of places we can’t go. Kay goes anyway, though.” I froze.
“Kay?” I mumbled, thinking rapidly. That day. The explosion, the black pendant, the fox…
“Hmm? My cousin. Her name’s Kay.” He looked at me funny. “Are you okay? Your face looks weird.”
“I-I’m fine,” I stammered. “Er, do you like Animazi?”
He grinned broadly. “Yeah, but I’m not as good as Kay. She just got a new Animazi. It’s pretty cool. You guys should battle sometime.” We already have, I wanted to say, but I kept quiet. “Hey, do you have an Animazi? Can I see it?” I hesitated. And I don't want to see that cat anywhere, am I clear? I nodded and led Venn to my room. One little peek couldn’t hurt.
Ryzadale hadn’t yet returned. Arnold was busy. Once again, things had gone my way, and I fully intended to take advantage of it. I wanted to go see Sam, but first things first. AEBS, I thought, scanning the data I had stolen. The acronym kept running through my mind. Searching the files, I found nothing. If I were Ryzadale, I would keep my super-secret data… I quickly hacked into the local network and typed it in. Scrolling down, I found the file. Holding my breath, I clicked on it and opened it into a secure network. I swallowed.
AEBS
Animazi Elite Bonding System
Last Tested: 03 Days Ago
System: Secure
Currently Prepped: Sam Astone Locke
Time Until Ready: 03 Days
Operation Code: XHDgjkBN09T
My hands shook. My breath came out fast as I processed the information. Whatever this system was, it would be ready in three days. I only had 3 days to save Sam.
Venn stood staring at my room as I sat on the bed. He stayed silent so long I worried that there was something wrong. “This…” He paused and turned his ice blue eyes to me. “This room looks exactly like my cousin’s room.” Some new emotion had emerged in his gaze. I realized that it was made huis stare so strange: their ice blue depths held a strong layer of distrust. “So are you gonna show me your Animazi?” There was an urgent look in his eyes that made me uneasy. “I’d show you mine, but Dr. Ryzadale made me leave it at home.” He shrugged. Hesitantly, I pressed in my chip. With a flash, Kuda appeared, growling. He hissed at Venn. “Woa-woah! Cool!” His eyes lit up at the panther’s appearance, and I dismissed the uneasy feeling. “How good is he in battle?”
“Fair,” I answered, dodging the question. What does he want…? Quickly changing the topic, I said, “Your cousin...Kay. I think I fought her. She has a fox Animazi, right?”
He nodded. “Yep, she told me. I was just waiting to see if you would remember.” He winked and gave me a charming smile.
“Alessa! Venn!” I turned toward the door at my name. Footsteps were approaching. I quickly recalled Kuda just as the door opened. “Dear, come. We need to talk to you about something in the meeting room.” Not missing the we, I followed obediently, Venn taking up the rear. I was more aware of his gaze now, and there was almost something...cold about it. There was tea in the meeting room, but I didn’t take any. My father sat me in a seat and turned to face me. He stayed standing, with Dr. Ryzadale to his right. Venn sat and kept his intense gaze on me.
“Alessa,” my father started, “Dr. Ryzadale is the creator of both the wristcom and Animazi programs you love. You’re being given the opportunity assist Dr. Ryzadale in his research. He is currently in the process of hosting an Animazi tournament for his research into better systems and bug fixes, and I have agreed to host Team Elite.” He paused, letting it sink in. “The team isn’t set upon yet, but we hope to get it done soon. He thinks that if we’re able to harness the power of the creatures, then we might have a revolutionary power source on our hands. And I expect you will give it your best effort. Am I clear, daughter?” I knew it. He said it like I had a choice, but at the end of it, he treated it like a given. Which meant it was. I knew it was serious, so I did the only thing I could do: I nodded. My father shook hands with Dr. Ryzadale and his nephew, and he and Venn left. I swallowed when they were gone. Now would be the best time to chew me out about my new...assignment, but my father just left to his bedroom. It wasn’t that dark, but I went to my room and slipped into bed anyway, glad to be out of the dress.
The sun was just peering over the horizon when I slipped out of the house. With no specific destination in mind, I summoned Kuda and started jogging. I needed something to clear my head. A power source…? The thought made my head hurt. I shook it and turned my feet toward the Animazi stadium. Then a new thought entered my mind. Kay...what did she want? Suddenly, her words came back to me. Your path is no longer straight, but intertwined with fate. Is this what she meant? Had she been tracking me? I stopped as the pieces started connecting together. If Kay is Venn’s cousin, then she could be Ryzadale’s daughter...so that would mean he could have sent her to battle me. That battle was not random. The blank screen, her attitude… Something was up. And if it had to do with Animazi, it was big.
I pressed my face up to the glass to get a better view. I rested my palms on the smooth coolness of the glass and looked straight. If I focused hard enough, I could imagine I was floating. It was something I did, a sort of meditation, that helped me gather my thoughts. Ryzadale’s plan was being set into motion, and I had reached a point of stress where I could hardly sleep, dark thoughts entering my dreams and haunting me during waking hours, too. He had something planbned, but I didn’t know what it was. That infuriated me. I knew my father. It could be nothing good. Giving up, I stepped back from the glass wall in his office and sank into the chair, giving a loud sigh of defeat. 3 days… I pressed my face into my palms and moaned. Yes, I was sulkibng. I had Ryzadale’s files, but I had been unable to find the “special notes” mentioned in them. The most useful thing I knew what what AEBS stood for: Animazi Elite Bonding System. And if was what I thought...Immediately I shook my head as the horrible memories started to resurface. That part of my life was over. Suddenly, my heart started pumping harder. My breath started flowing faster, and I couldn’t stop it. Sam, Sam, Sam… My mind cried. I writhed on the couch, holding my head as pain pierced through it.