VLADJI and the Avatars: Family Matters

Chapter 10 - Join Us or Get Shocked to Death. Tough Choice

It wasn't so bad when we got up there.

I mean, Kori turning into a dragon – that was new for us. But once we were up there, I could get a nice view of the city. I could also easily see our location – and McPherson.

The building was in the shape of a cross, which I'd never really understood. It also sported an octagonal dome in the center of that cross. That roof shape always gave off the impression of a temple to me. Only fitting for it, really. A temple of information and knowledge. But that was back when I viewed it as worthwhile. It was quite an irony now, what with the activities we were presently investigating.

Kori flew us over. It was quite nerve-racking to be flying by Marven Airlines. I mean, I was hanging off a freaking dragon, sailing a foot over the cars, worrying about hitting one.

In other words, it was pretty freaking awesome.

How many people would pay to have that sort of experience? Flying on a dragon? There's a reason How to Train Your Dragon got so popular. The experience was a bit like hang gliding, but way more epic. For real.

As soon as we landed, she morphed back into her human form.

"Next time give us a little heads-up before you start transforming," I put in. I was still dizzy from the flight. Vinny Lee didn't look all that unharmed, but that's Vinny Lee for you. I swear, it would take a full-on tornado to shake that one.

"You could have given me a thank-you," Kori said, patting her hips. Her holsters became virtually invisible.

I could see why she was taking precautions. The library, like most places, didn't allow civilians to carry weapons inside. We were lucky that avatars with weapons could conceal them if necessary. If only they knew Kori wasn't necessarily a civilian – that she wasn't even human. But I guess I'm not them.

"Now let's go in," she said. "I myself could give that librarian a piece of my mind."

I barely got onto the front walk when I nearly got bumped into by Samirah.

I don't even know whether she did it deliberately or not. She was one of the people in my community who looked down on me.

"¡Ten cuidado!" Vinny Lee whisper shouted. (We were near a library, after all.)

"What's your concern?" Samirah whispered, straightening her blue hijab. (Why did it have to be blue?) "Worried about Miss Big Love –"

Kori clenched her fists. When she unclenched them, her fingers had turned to dragon claws. "Worried about these?" she asked, thrusting the claws in Samirah's face.

"Kori!" I shouted. I never liked Samirah, but claws in her face seemed like overkill. Literally. Besides, where had I seen her name?

Samirah flinched, trying not to scream.

"Bet you didn't know she has friends in strange places, did you?" Kori inquired.

"Psst, Kori!" Vinny Lee told her off. "Could we refrain from fighting here, por favor?"

Samirah frowned at me. "What's your concern?"

Vinny Lee shook her head at Samirah with a sharp tsk, tsk. "I'd think we were on the same side, since we're going to the same escuela. But por supuesto, that's never the case."

Aha. Now I knew. Her name was in last year's registry for Fairview High School – the exact same school I was going to, for reasons I couldn't understand as of yet. But Vinny Lee was right, that didn't make it all fair sailing.

Samirah's frown got deeper. "How do you know about that?"

"I have my sources," I said tersely, finishing in my head, maybe not the sources I would've liked. "Why are you there? Did your parents want something that actually cares about getting people into the workforce?" I asked, remembering what Tails had said about them getting their students career ready.