Legend of Kataria (Draft Version)

Chapter 20

At that moment, the elevator began moving. Greeny jumped, holding the railing tightly and catching his breath.

Pinky looked far too amused. "And you don't have to strangle the metal, Bush. But, after your show with the dragon, I could see how heights might be a...problem for you."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Greeny said automatically, avoiding her gaze.

"You can just admit it, you know," Pinky went on. "You're afraid of heights. You can't stand them and that's why you didn't want to ride Doppler. Same with this elevator. It's not uncommon to be afraid of something. Everyone is."

Greeny took a deep breath and opened an eye. "Even you?"

Pinky leaned her head against the back of the carriage and sighed. "Even me."

"What are you--" Greeny began, only to be interrupted when the elevator dinged and the doors opened to reveal a long corridor with rooms jutting off in every direction.

"It's this way. Come on. Stay close." Pinky led him down the hall to the last door on the right. Two sets of guards stood at the entrance. They looked suspicious as Pinky approached, but not extremely surprised, and they stepped aside without any question.

"So, what?" Greeny hissed as she reached to open the door. "We're just going to burst in on them without any warning?"

She rolled her eyes and turned the knob. Shouts could be heard from inside as she threw the doors open and stormed in.

"Aaaaaannnnnd, we're going," Greeny raised his eyes to the heavens and ran after her.

Commander Jetson was already on his feet when Greeny entered the room and Blue was lurking in the corner, arms crossed, looking very displeased. Around a long desk sat ten men and women, possibly the heads of different outposts. Their expressions ranged from shocked to angry to something unrecognizable in between. Greeny could feel his face heating up as he tried to melt behind Pinky.

"Miss Rose," Jetson spoke, his voice low and toneless. "I do hope you have an extremely good reason for interrupting this meeting, because, as you are well aware, you have no clearance here and I'd hate to have to arrest one of my best warriors for breaking and entering."

"I have the only reason," Pinky responded coolly. And then, without warning, she grabbed Greeny and pulled him around so everyone could see him. "Behold, the lost son of King Zarron, and the prince of Tapush."

Whispers exploded at the table and if Greeny hadn't already been red with embarrassment, he was sure he was now. In the corner, Blue facepalmed and shifted his weight to his other leg tiredly.

The Commander seemed almost entirely unaffected by the news. "Yes, we are all quite aware of Mr. Bush's heritage, Miss Rose. So, unless you have something more urgent to tell us, perhaps you could do us the courtesy of letting us finish our meeting in private?"

Pinky scowled and opened her mouth to say something else, probably something that would get them thrown out forcibly, but Blue stepped in to interject.

"Sir," he said quickly, his glare melting from Pinky and shifting to Jetson. "I apologize for my colleagues' intrusion. They must have had a very good reason for directly disobeying my orders." His voice left no room for argument from anyone.

"We're sorry to interrupt you," Greeny said quickly, shying back from the multiple curious gazes and Blue's harsh tone, "but we've got a problem. A big one."