Rise of Kings and Queens

Chapter 1

"That's the most popular paper there is," said Kara. "People in my country read the United Global."

"Still doesn't matter. Most people don't read anymore anyways. Plus, things are constantly happening. This is old news. If you hadn't brought it to my attention, I would have never known."

"I think she already knows," said Kara. "I feel Leonie has been down lately and I think it's because of this."

"She must feel terrible," said Esme, her head between her arms. "I feel like shit and the article didn't trash me like it did her. I should talk to her."

Kara looked at Esme sympathetically. "Actually, you're taking this pretty badly as well. Maybe you're not the best person to talk to Leonie."

"I'll talk to her," said Fyn.

"You," said the two women, surprised.

"What are you going to say?" asked Kara.

Fyn grabbed the paper. "That if she is going to take this so personally, then to use it as motivation. Prove the writer wrong. Prove she has every right to be a world military leader and become one of its best."

"That's actually not bad," said Kara.

"No," said Esme. "Not bad at all. I'll let you talk to Leonie, golden boy."

"Is that going to be a thing now?" asked Fyn. "You're going to keep calling me a golden boy?"

"Yup."

"Sounds good to me," said Kara. "Let's get going, golden boy. It's time we return to home base." She stood up and everyone else followed suit.

"That's not going to bother me like you think it will," said Fyn as he grabbed the newspaper and shoved it in his back pocket. "It's already growing on me. Golden boy Fyn. I like it."

"Of course you would. Full of yourself, much?"

A blast hit the table where the three world military leaders were just sitting, sending them flying back in different directions. The first one to recover was Esme who landed on her feet. The small group of people who were in the diner all ran to the back exit.

"Is everyone alright?" she called out.

"I'm fine," said Kara who pulled herself up.

"Me too," said Fyn who was also back on his feet.

"Was that a cannon blast?" asked Kara.

Fyn jumped out of the way as another cannon blast headed towards him. He landed face down behind another table. "It's coming from outside."

"We can see that," yelled Kara, who was now leaning by Esme at a window.

They both looked outside where they saw a man wearing a weird kind of armor. The armor was grey while most world military armor were green. The armor looked a bit beat up. He aimed his cannon arm at the diner, but didn't seem to have a target.

"Is that a world military spartan armor?" asked Kara.

"Looks like a variation on one," answered Esme.

"I didn't know people were able to make something like that."

"If it exists, people will replicate it."

"How's it look out there?" yelled Fyn and the man outside shot a blast near his voice. Fyn was able to avoid the blast but the ceiling collapsed, burying him under the table.

The ceiling caving in caused the diner to fill with dust, giving Esme and Kara cover to sneak over to Fyn.

"Cuz," whispered Esme. "Are you alright?"