Take Back the Light

Chapter 22

Ash grumbled to himself and turned back to face forward.

"What was that?" Alana asked, stunned at her slugs' behavior. Ash chirped quietly and shook his head.

Alana glanced at Mage, but the small Boon Doc just kept her gaze away from Alana.

"Okay, then," Alana muttered, opening the door and heading downstairs.

The rest of the gang was already awake, but they were just lounging around. The slingers were laying low until this evening, when they would make an evening patrol and get back into action after the train heist.

"I'm gonna take you out, Shane!" Sam was exclaiming as Alana walked down the stairs. Alana laughed as she walked behind the couch.

Sam and Eli were facing each other in a Slug Run game. Their virtual Mechas were neck-and-neck, and both players were going all out.

"Not today, Sam," Eli said, leaning forward as he rapiy pressed buttons, trying to get ahead.

"Go Eli!" Kord and Trixie were cheering. Pronto was sitting at the kitchenette eating a sandwich, uninterested in the race.

Alana walked into the kitchenette, going through the cupboards and pulling out a bowl for cereal.

"What're you doing over here? Not interested in the game?" Alana asked Pronto as she poured her cereal. The molenoid sighed dejectedly.

"Pronto is contemplating his life choices," he grumbled. "I was defeated by Sam three times in a row!"

Alana snorted as she poured the milk and set it back in the fridge.

"Sorry to hear that," she said, fighting to keep a smile from her face as she walked back behind the couch to her bean bag chair.

"Hey, Alana," Sam said, not taking her dark eyes off the screen. "How're you feeling?"

Sam had definitely been the most openly concerned for Alana, and it was more worrying than comforting. Sam knew the most about health, and the fact that she was so worried was making Alana feel like something should be wrong.

But the fact was, as upset as Alana felt, she was also fine.

The return of Dana wasn't the worst she'd been through.

Her blindness and capture wasn't the worst she'd been through.

Nothing would ever compare to the emptiness and sadness that taken the place of Will. She knew that things could get infinitely worse, so she had to stay positive and remember to be happy with whatever she had.

It was becoming increasingly obvious, though, that not everyone shared this mindset.

"Not too bad," Alana finally responded, taking a bite of her cereal. "My legs and arms are still a little sore from the Briardrill, but other than that I'm pretty good."

Sam nodded, smirking as she suddenly slammed her virtual Mecha into Eli's, slamming Eli off course right before he reached the finish line.

"Floppers!" Eli groaned, flopping back into the couch as Sam's avatar finished the race in first. Sam laughed and crossed her arms.

"And the champion defends her title," she said triumphantly. She glanced over at Alana. "I've still got a while before we head out. Wanna play a round?"

Alana paused, setting her bowl of cereal on the table next to the couch.

"No, thanks. That's not a question a need answered," she said humorously. Then her voice turned serious. "But there actually is something I wanted to talk to you about. All of you."