"Stalagmite17, the most escape proof prison in all of Slugterra. Watchful guards, high tech locks, steel doors, and now in control of it all is...me! Mr Saturday."
His grizzly laugh rumbled through the hallways as Leona walked in pace with him.
Her own lips let out a giggle. "You didn't had to give the whole introduction. I could clearly see it," She spread her arms freely around the hallway they were in.
"And from that smile on your face." She added.
"Ah yes, but that smile has other reasons." He let his eyes wander back to the teenage girl.
"I have a big surprise!" He moved his arms to make the gesture, the staff in his hands clanking against the concrete floor.
"And I wanted to share it with my favourite slinger prior."
"I feel honoured." She bowed her head slightly in a courteous manner, while a small grin played on her lips.
Saturday was the only person she shared a special bond with. As much as his crazy side was always showing, they had alot of mutual understanding between them.
"How's everything going so far." He enquired.
"Same old, same old. Work had kept me busy." She shrugged.
"I can see that." He nodded at her bandages. "Are you alright. Is Dr Blakk being too hard on you again?"
She forced the shake of her head. "No, no, not atall. Its just me, I'm finding it hard to keep up a little."
But her wavering smile didn't go unnotice by him. She tries to force out her best, ofcourse. But then again, she had never been good at hiding emotions.
"Don't worry, It will all be alright little mushroom." He gently patted on her head, his voice taking a gentler tone.
Stunning her when she felt his large hand petting her head, as if stroking a child's hair to comfort them.
And she couldn't have felt more at ease. Yearning for that unsual tenderness that felt so foreign to her.
"Now then," he removed his hand much to her dismay, and continued to walk with her trailing behind. "You don't have to worry about a single thing today."
Leona couldn't help but break out into a small smile. "I feel so relaxed after a long time,"
she stretched her arms as they reached his office in the main security sector. "No missions, no slinging and no--"
"S-Shane Gang?!"
"Yes! Did you like my surprise?" He friskily nudged her shoulder, while she stood shock struck staring at the slingers held in a cage.
"H-how did they-"
"Ahh well they encountered my zombies at the mall earlier today." He explained. "And I captured them will the help of my hypnotic powers." He held the metal rod higher in his hands to make it more prominent.
She didn't know what to feel. Exited to finally see the Shane Gang behind bars. Or be dischant, since her motive was to get away from all the commotion, which precisely included them.
It seemed like what ever she did, failed to keep their interaction at the minimum.
Even now she could feel their eyes burning holes behind her back but couldn't bring herself to look at them.
"That's...great!" The words forced themselves out.
"I told you, you'd like the surprise. I can't think of no better place to hoard the world famous Shane Gang." He finished with his voice taking a malicious tone.
"Laugh all you want,"
And so another familiar voice boomed in her ears. "But you're forgetting two things."
"Oh and those are?"
She watched as the Shane came face to face with his captor.
"The two of us you didn't manage to capture. And I bet they're on their way to rescue us right now."
"Well let them take their time. Since you're not going out of here anytime soon."
"And how are you so sure about that-"
"Well well, look what we have here."
Sudden jolts went up her spine hearing his daunting voice.
"Dr Blakk!"
Saturday and the rest drew thier attention towards the large screen hunged on the wall. Blakk's visage showing on its display.
"Right on time. Look what I got you!"
The way they spoke to eachother, as if he gifted such a wonderful surprise. Humans held in a cage.
Making her wonder, is this what the world had come to?
"I wouldn't have believed it if I wasn't seeing it with my own eyes." Amusement stirred in his voice. "The Shane gang, trapped in a cage like a pack of stray dogs. Now this is a sight to behold."
He let out a vibrant chuckle. "I'll be there before night fall to collect them. And no mind controling foolishness of yours. I want them fully aware as they count down the minutes of my arrival." His malicious grin grew with each word that left past his lips.
Her body couldn't help but frisson upon his words. The words that weren't directed towards her. But it still reminded her of the things he was capable of.
No mercy was felt in his voice. Only a thrill disguised as bone chilling tone.
His eyes had yet to wander upon her. And when they did she tried her best to figure of the emotions behind his blazing emerald eyes.
The ones which she had always shuddered under. The ones that leave her to speak her mind but not a word utters out. The ones that dare her to disobey them, so she could learn from the consequences.
A relentless effort to discipline her. But the only one she has ever known.
So her mind found no flaw in it. Yet her heart disagreed with her judgement.
Not a word had escaped from his mouth until then and he tore his gaze away from her to talk to Saturday once more.
And she didn't know what to feel about it. Relieved or yearned.
"Great, now what?"
The hushed whispers had her ears heeded up.
"I'm sorry guys this is all my fault. If I hadn't used that fusion shot-"
"Shhh, she's listening."
Lena eyed them, all of them, gathered around as a group.
"Don't worry Trixie, its not like she can make this any worse for us." Eli's eyes darted towards her. Rancour evident on his features.
And for some reason she couldn't hold more eyes contact, tearing her gaze away from his face to take note, of anything else atall.
Her heart beated in a different rythem, anxious, she felt for an unknown reason.
"Oh no I bet she's enjoying herself." Trixie's words were spated towards her. And instantly Lena wanted to deny them, say something that would ease them of thinking about her in such way.
But then again, what was the point. She was considered the bad guy here.
And for some reason it made her pity herself.
"I'm ordering a smoothie, would you like one?"
"Huh, what?" Her attention snapped towards the hypnotics, the once turned on screen now dull black.
"Would you like a smoothie?"
"Uhh n-no?" Reluctantly she answered, still puzzled.
"Your loss! A smoothie is the perfect way to challenge today's heat." Her eyes trailed his figure, strodding towards to door to talk to a guard now evident there.
It went along for ten minutes, with Saturday conversing with her while she tried to keep up with his talks, that occasionally changed before she could reply to them.
And wishing to hide herself at the same time from the captives heavy gazes that burned holes behind her back.
No matter how hard she tried to ignore, it just seemed fairly not possible. Even though she knew she did nothing, then why did she felt such a hefty amount of self-reproach inside of her.
"It is called a smoothie, not a lumpy!"
Saturday threw his cup of liquid at the sentry that came along with it a few moments ago.
"What does it take to get a proper blended fruity drink around here!"
She watched him shoving the human zombie out the doors, silently setting her own cup down after witnessing what happened.
"New escape plan."
Her ears heeded up again at the Shane's voice.
"You know what I miss most in here," The slinger proclaimed while walking over to the bars, leisurely leaning against his back. "Making smoothies back at the hideout."
Her green eyes narrowed at them, as they all subtlety nodded together.
"Oh uh yes! Smoothies...are, yummy." "That's uh, that's totally what you like to do."
Despite the horrible acting that Lena concluded had her cringing, it did got their captor's attention.
"So..you make smoothies?" His, now smoothened tone, enquired them with a delighted glint in his eyes.
"Huh? Wait, h-hold on-" She tried to hastily reason with his rising thoughts before he cut her off and neglected her words.
Saturday turned towards one of his many monitors operating on the flat top, each displaying a different sector on the building.
"Maximum Security Wing to kitchen, bring me all the fruits you've got. And...a blender!" He announced, activating voice control on the kitchen's sector.
Despite the intimidate in his voice, his words had her mouth gaping while she stared at him completely dumb founded.
He couldn't have fall for that, right?
Before she could knock some sense into the man, or even be able to do so a voice cut in again.
"You're dreaming Saturday, no way I'm making you one of my world's famous, supremely delicious smoothies."
She desperately controlled the urge to wince again, at the dreadful off-key done acting by the Shane.
Really buddy? You couldn't do better than that?
"Oh you will. Or else..."
Saturday gripped his staff with one hand, now totally resolving himself to face them.
"Or else what Saturday? How you're gonna make me, I'm not one of your zombie minions."
Oh no
She knew what he was doing. And the worst part was, he was buying it all.
"Yet." Saturday smirked, reaching towards the liver that held evident among one of the many control settings displayed beside the monitors.
"No, Saturday, can't you see they're obviously lying-"
But ofcourse, as usual his hastiness had him pushing down the liver before she could comprehend.
Now the gang being exposed to the hypnotic device pointed directly towards them.
"Cool down Saturday, you know what Dr Blakk said about no zombie-ing."
"It is better to beg for forgiveness, then to go another minute without my smoothie!" Rage burned in his voice as he took a step closer to them.
Someone for the love of slug get this man a smoothie
"Now!"
Under the wire, they all hurled the redhead towards a clear opening above his head.
"Incoming," She landed on the floor with a perfect flip thanks to her light body. Now standing up and facing him from behind with a conquering smile. "And outgoing."
"Why you little-"
Saturday was thrusted away by the cavetroll's force as he shoved his shoulder while dashing past him.
The Shane took the opportunity and ambushed him from behind, clinging to his shoulders and torso, strangling his balance.
"You're all so annoying."
Lena stood behind the self assured girl with her own ticked face.
With one quick movement, she had gripped Trixie's wrist and rotated her to roughly face the wall.
Letting her go with a forceful kick on the back that knocked most of the air out of her as she gasped, collapsing on the floor.
The Shane's eyes widened at the sudden atmosphere, and he subconsciously loosened his hold on Saturday.
Giving the man enough time to let his arms swing behind and clutch onto the shoulder fits of his attire.
He swung him off with bullish strength, hurling him back to the once closed cage with a loud thud.
His clothes shagged against the cemented floor, each touch sparking an aching sizzle against his skin and he let out a rough fit of coughs.
"Eli!"
Kord glanced between his friends. Each in a currently miserable state.
They weren't at their best, and they knew that. The battle from earlier had exhausted them before they got held captives.
"Why don't you join them?"
His eyes as soon as they landed on the person behind him, they darted to the metal canister held against the corner of the room.
He pounced hopelessly towards it, his hand reaching out to acquire the target, before a tingling sensation that soon ran throughout his body halted him from going any further.
"Now now, they don't belong to you anymore."
The mesmerising sensation indulged muteness to his rising voice, and he soon rotated himself facing the hypnotic source.
"Now get in there, slowly."
Saturday pointed his staff at the cave troll and then at the designated cabin with a winning smile.
Almost as if spellbound, he strodded towards it upon his command, eyes misted and hazed.
From the corner of his eyes Saturday watched the younger Blakk forcing the redhead through the torturous path towards thier prison aswell.
Holding the girl's hands behind her waist and the cold end of her blaster behind her back, muting her to say anything else but a series of gruffs and curses as she stumbled her way there.
It wasn't until when she pushed her down the cold concrete, that the boy who held his head while groaning startled and snapped up.
Followed by the oblivious troll that reached them aswell at the time.
The hypnotics hastily pulled back the liver, watching the burning crimson lights ingnite thier way out. Now glowing with a sense of power and destruction for anyone that tried to surpass them.
The younger Blakk didn't move an inch from the cage, being only a few centimetres away from the burning beams herself.
Her eyes directly set upon the worned out slingers. Almost as if studying their late strategies.
Having a trifle to no stamina to land a solid punch or any successful hit, yet Eli tried to stand up and glare directly in the eye of thier captors.
It always surprised Lena how much confidence shone in his eyes. Never a defeated look, no matter how far worse the situation would be. Determination raged in his azure orbs like they were a part of his own.
And she admired it. At the same time she envied it.
Maybe because she could never have such faith in herself.
"You really tried to deceive me?"
Saturday roared, tearing the painful silence. His staff now pointing towards them again.
"Couldn't help it. Its not like we're trapped by a crazy man who's turning people into zombies."
Trixie spated with the seethe grit of her teeth. Trying to sit straight while Eli bent down to her side for help.
The cavetroll already out of the hypnotic daze, and trying to figure out what happened through his hazy memory as he glanced between the two parties.
"But as usual, my mastery in my staff powers always comes in handy." He mused with an almost arrogance. "How much responsible am I, right Lena?"
"You literally let them out for a smoothie not a minute ago."
"But! They're back where they belong." He grinned in an almost malicious manner. "And their slugs will soon be ours. What you say in more.. modified forms."
The younger Blakk watched how panic slowly filled thier eyes but they didn't dare utter out a word.
Even the Shane, who seemed extremely anxious but tried his best not to show.
She raised a brow that she knew no one could notice.
"Come on! Lets go down and eat. I'm sure you're hungry by all the commotion."
Before she could slant her way out, his hand was pushing her back through the doors while walking alongside her.
The metal wall like doors behind them shut close, engulfing them once again in the vividly empty corridors.
"How about some fresh fruit drinks." Saturday fantasized walking ahead of her, and she didn't even try to state her opinion this time, knowing there was no use.
"Ah have I told you about the latest Arlo Pro 4 cameras we've fixed in the walls. Very well hidden!"
He began, moments by moments telling her specific pros and cons about his guardhouse. Each one oddly interesting. Well, atleast for someone who listened.
She vaguely remembered her path towards the kitchen with the hypnotics. Nor did she remember wanting a smoothie that was soon placed infront of her as she sat at the counter table.
"-but its hard to control all of the zombies at once if I don't have enough energy in my staff. And that's what the omni-directional antenna is for."
A hand was soon vigorously waving infront of her sight, that tottered her out of her indistinct supine.
"Hello Lena's brain? Are you even listening?"
"Oh um y-yeah!" She rotated herself, facing him more confidently. "The omni malfunctional antenna thingy."
The look he gave her afterwards was as if she had failed in life, and honestly she found no reason to protest at that time.
"Whatever!" She exasperated a sigh, leaning back on her chair. "Why do I even need to know these things. Its not like I'll be coming here often."
"But you will frequently visit here, as well as all other sectors for supervision when you're the next Chairwoman."
Her body movements froze for a second, before she gazed back at him. "Sorry?"
"You are the hierness of the Blakk Industries, are you not?" He questioned. "Or have you forgotten."
She blinked, face becoming withered away from any sanguine.
"I..."
Infact she did.
It was never a small deal for her, but she never brought herself to think acutely about it.
She was the heir, the first born heir. No matter what happened nothing could change that.
But that title felt more like a burden than anything else.
Such a powerful word, but for a powerful bloodline.
"Did you really think I invited you here just for fun?"
Saturday asked, observing her vividly quiet figure.
And something told her the reason wasn't going to be appealing. "...You didn't?"
"I mean a part of me did yes." Saturday shrugged. "But Dr Blakk wanted you to come today, so you could slowly learn the ropes around here. And of many things else, but that's for him to decide."
He placed a gentle palm on her shoulder to ease up her tensed muscles, it made her jolt up nevertheless.
"He wants you prepared at your best. All that he's doing," his eyes travelled to her bandage wrapped limps. "Is for you own good. So that you could be able to take his place someday."
His gaze matched hers, and the words came out that she'd dreaded to hear from the last person she expected. "We expect great things from you. Don't let him down."
She moved her head to show that she understood, it was a slow, painful nod.
Ofcourse, it was what everyone's been telling her, her entire life.
Not letting him down...not being a disgrace to the family....not failing.
But what did it truely mean to her.
All she did was abide by the rules. There was nothing else for her. Not that she ever had an option in the first place.
Dr Blakk, her father, he wanted a perfect child.
In his vocabulary, that perfect child meant someone who'd follow his footsteps silently and successfully.
But in his eyes she knew she was incompetent.
Just like a flawed mechanism he was trying to fix.
Forcing it to fix.
He never asked what did it mean for her. She never knew what did it mean for her.
Leona D.Blakk...
That title, what could it offer her.
Power.
Control.
Money.
Fear.
But did she really wish for all those things.
Did they hold any value to her.
Ofcourse she was her own person. With a different mindset. A different preference. Independent to make open choices.
No, piteously, that came out wrong.
She was meant to do what she was told. There was no escaping it.
That's how it was. That's how it had ever been.
"A penny for you thoughts?"
Saturday's voice snapped her out of her neverending reverie.
His tone seemed genuine, sincere, as if he actually wanted to hear her opinions.
She appreciated that, really.
But her lips forced out a timid smile and she shook her head, fingers playing with the unused straw dipped in her drink. "You don't need to know. They're pitiful."
His bronze eyes loomed over her, a certain sympathy poured in them.
"Excuse me," She stood up, facing forward. "I need some fresh air."
Saturday didn't reason, he knew didn't need to. Watching from his gaze her figure leaving the crowded kitchen filled with zombies. Her drink forsaken and forgotten.
"I..need to get out of here."
She breathed out, not only to herself but to the tiny creatures her belt carried everywhere.
"I-I don't think..I can.."
She tried to haze out her mind, tried to shake off that unsettling feeling inside of her.
Just what changed within a few seconds.
It felt like the walls were closing in, suffocating her.
It was getting hard to breath.
"Argh!" She vexed, stopping again at a corner meeting a dead end.
"How can anyone get through this maze."
Her frustration, along with other raging emotions were getting the best of her.
"Echo." She called her Batterix slug, the creature flapped out of its arsenal on the command.
"Come on girl, show me where to go."
The slug merely nodded, gliding above her and up to the vents top.
It flapped its wings once, twice, thrice with a shrewd screech from its fanged mouth.
The sound resonated through the hallway. The metal tilted walls and floor around vibrated reverberatly.
For only a subtle moment. And it all went quiet again.
The tiny bat glanced down at its slinger, a small bright chirp following it.
Lena's lips twitched up. "Good girl."
The slug lead her the way by flying futher and her following its trail, trusting the slug's echolocation.
It was a few more turns away when she stumbled upon the path of where Saturday firstly took her.
Surprisingly the was no zombie guard there.
But there were fairly loud sounds of talking through the dense exterior of the room.
What are they talking so loud, do they wanna get caught?
She fumed, strangely irked by that.
The slug chirped again trying to catch her attention.
"Actually," She glanced at her slug signalling with her fingers to stay close. "I'd like to stick around for a while."
It was none of her business. But ofcourse the unriveting conversation's curiosity peaked her interest. Because, who's wouldn't it to be fair.
Trudging closer she stood by the unappealing doors, unmarked steel bordered with lines of knuckle-size rivets, only a notch away from its cold exterior.
The voices now getting loud enough to clear out individual words.
"Argh its no use, these bars won't budge."
He finally posed himself to gently lean on the barrier, the only thing in between them and their freedom.
"Pronto's still not here. And we can't risk another escape plan."
"So you mean we just sulk in here and let them take our slugs?" Eli's hand-grip on the red glow bars tightened as he glanced over his partner.
"They're going to be taking us away too. Ehh, not that it sounds any more comforting." Kord stated.
"Well look on the bright side, atleast Burpy's with Pronto. He's safe as long as they keep thier distance."
"But the other slugs aren't!"
A mild desperation filled in Shane's voice, one that he'd tried so hard to conceal. Now breaking out through his tightened vocals.
"We need to find a way out of here." He helplessly shoved himself against the cage again. Another wave of pain surging through his body but he didn't waver.
He knew he'd have many bruises up till now, even some opened up gashes.
"Trixie, how's your halopad working?" He muttered through his heavy breaths, gazing down at the floor with only his arms supporting his figure.
"Still no signals. This damn lab is jamming all the outside sources, I can't get through." She replied rather softly, her hands holding in the device she held out from her attire pockets.
"Who knows how much time we've left." Eli uttered. "And even if Pronto makes it, its not like he can find his way through here with all those zombies around on time. Blakk and his enforcements could be here any moment." He concluded with a defeated tone.
"Eli..."
The cavetroll wasted no time in reaching for him. His hand now resting on the boy's shoulder, gently squeezing it. "Hey its okay, we'll beat 'em up once they get here altogether."
Kord forced out an assuring smile for the sake of his friend. Needless to say a part of him gravely agreed with the boy's inductive reasoning.
"How..." The young Shane finally glanced up at his friend.
His ever so blue eyes ceded, in a way that ached the troll's solid heart. He could almost see the desperation in his eyes and voice. Of how much he wanted to save everyone and set everything right.
It seemed like he had forgotten, that there was such thing as Plans not working out. And now as if it was dawning upon him slowly. Of how much they were already lost.
"We're outnumbered, outrested, out of ideas." Eli muttered, each word filled with more disappointment than the other. "I- I don't think-"
"Hey! Get your act back together."
Trixie barged towards the two, cutting in their solicitous moment.
Her hand vigorously grabbing his front neckline, yanking him down to level herself face to face.
"We're not giving up just because of a few broken bones. And we're not letting them win!"
She growled out loud. The words coming out rather more frightening than assuring.
Seeming like she was venting out her own anger.
Eli's small gulp wasn't noticed by her or the way the cavetroll backed away from her fuming figure.
"What's up with you? Where's the Eli I know who'd make rediculous compliments even at the worst of situations and places."
Her hand was loosing its grip on him, now softly holding the wrinkled fabric of his shirt.
"I.." The boy gazed at her with an unusual emotion embedded in his eyes. "...I don't know."
He pulled away from her, letting his back rest on the bars once more. Trixie quietly retreated back, after noticing that different aura around him.
"I feel..so lost these days."
He held out his opened palms before him. Gaze casted downwards while staring at them intensely.
"Like- I just don't know what to do anymore." He heaved a deep sigh, letting his head drop against the crimson support while his arms fell back to thier places.
"I feel like I've been...failing everyone these days."
He very softly stated, his voice the only thing now resonating in the dense quiet room.
The gang members, his friends, perturbed to say the least they were.
They were confused, unsettled, and worried.
Hearing his feeble tone, his frail words.
Wondering what just happened that made him think that way.
"I feel like I try so hard all the time and I still don't meet people's expectations."
The words were suddenly chocked down in their throats.
It felt so unnatural to hear something like that coming out of the young Shane.
He looked so tired. So... vanquished.
They never would've guessed he thought that way.
Why did he think that way.
So many thoughts, questions, were flooding in their minds. But neither of them being able to utter them out.
At the most, they felt guilty.
Guilty that they weren't able to see through his facade. Guilty to internally compare their personal problems as if he was enjoying a perfect life.
Like he had nothing to worry about.
Oh how wrong they were they thought at that moment. To think that the leader of the Shane gang with all that burden would be feeling so confident all the time.
But it really wasn't their fault was it. To think that he hid it so well. His true worries, his defeated sentiments. Putting up a face for the sake of them. So that they don't feel lost hearted in such situations.
He was the Shane afterall. If the leader wasn't able to give hope to others than who could.
"And now.."
Their attention snapped at his brittle voice again. Attentively trying to listen to what he had to say.
"If we're not able to make it out from here, you guys..the slugs..."
His words died down at the very end, even he didn't know what to say, or how to say it.
Trixie's eyes finally twitched shut in ignition. Her hands fisted themselves furiously as she clicked her tongue.
"You idiot."
Eli's gaze darted up at her voice, watching how she steadily reached towards him. Hastily snaking her arms around his neck.
Strangling him in a tight hug and forcing him to bend down.
His breath hitched and his subtle moments froze.
Feeling the comforting warmth of his friend, and yet it held so much more encouraging sensations than he could've described.
"You reckless idiot."
Her voice now growing breathy and shaky, the vibration surging through his ear. Her breath fanned the hair on the nape of his neck, ghoosbumps traveling down his skin.
She held him more firmly, her face burying within his warm neck.
Kord stepped closer, his features so soft and gentle than the usual energetic ones the Shane was used to.
He embraced the boy's back, effectively engulfing the redhead in a side hug aswell.
He didn't state anything, but his gestures told all of the things he meant to say.
Eli slowly relaxed in their strong embrace. His rigid muscles loosening their tension.
It was hard to describe what he felt at that moment. It was consideration, sincerity, longingness, empathy.
Maybe all of them. Maybe more.
But all that he knew, he wasn't going to take that for granted. Not even a subtle second of it. Even if it meant giving up everything he had.
A good minute which felt like an eternity past, of a blissful solitude that no one dared to change.
Although their, as much as it could be said, heart-warming moment was interrupted by the hefty sound of a mechanical door opening.
Everything went stiff and silent.
The group froze in anticipation. Thier eyes and mind alarmed.
The room only echoed the trudging footsteps of a figure approaching by.
The crew swiftly held in thier breaths without noticing.
Its soon familiar raven hair, casted a shadow over the walking sculpture herself.
Porcelain skin, distincting the soft features it currently held.
Eyes glowed the shamrock color, tangible enough from across the room.
The gang's perplexed gazes followed the walking figure of the younger Blakk, slowing down as she passed by their cage.
Her figure glanced at the still huddled together crew.
And then, only then were they able to dawn just how much sadness did her green clover orbs held.
Almost as a rythem of grief, unalike from agony, familiar with clarity.
Although no words were exchanged by thier then feeble mouths.
But her gaze, the way it lingered on them, told them that she heard. Everything.
And that she felt it...
Understood it.
It rapted the gang, it rapted the Shane in a strange yet warm way.
Her feet continued their saunter, eyes now tearing away from their frozen figures, to the metal canister resting against the corner of the room.
Her body slightly halted back and forth, almost as if hesitating to move on.
She reached the cylindrical case, her hand moving very slowly to the top metal plain.
With a quick click she squeezed opened the steal cap, only spacing enough for a full fist to fit in.
But that was enough for the slugs who were being held in it.
The opening above shot up their squeaks, they chirped loudly while Lena backed away from the sight in, somewhat relief.
Light gasps caught her attention and she glanced back at the held captives. Walking across them to the door.
"Did you just.."
Trixie's appalled visage spoke, eyeing the canister where the small creatures were now slithering thier way out slowly.
"The lid was loose."
Lena replied, the words having a stern effect in them. Her eyes narrowed at gang, almost as if forcing them to go along with it.
Kord's mouth opened and closed inbetween. Not knowing a speck of what he had to say at that moment.
Trixie's mouth shut after her sterned proclaim. The Shane, he did nothing but stare at her eyes.
The ones which didn't once set them upon his own.
And somehow he felt like she was almost afraid to do so.
Nevertheless Eli rigid a subtle nod at her. Loss at words himself.
Acknowledging it she very slowly nodded back. Her hesitant eyes finally looking at his direction.
And of all the world and its wonders. Affinity, was what they both shared through their silent glistening gazes.
Precious seconds that felt too less to either of them. Ended when she tore her sight away from his sapphire blue cores, continuing her way out through the doors.
Eli watched her leaving figure, hands subconsciously tightening their grip on the red bars he enclosed himself against.
Trying to bury the urge to call her out, let her look back at him so he could once more see that flourishing shade of emerald embedded in her eyes.
Were they always this pretty?
The thought crossed his hazy mind.
"Bro, the slugs!"
Kord shook his shoulder, effectively reverting him to look back at the escaping slugs. Chirping, and jumping forward to thier slingers in mirth.
The door had long ago closed, as well as the slinger who was now long gone through the yet again maze-like corridors.
Her feet took her away from the soon to be bombarding chamber.
Her ragged breathing was the only sound accompanying her lonely path now.
"Why..."
She rasped.
"Did I do that..?"
Lena all but whispered, walking silently while gazing down at her now held out open palm.
The palm which had struck in thier route to escape.
The ghouls in her bandoleer growled furiously, and she squeezed her eyes shut upon it.
"I-I don't why.." They opened up again with an uprising guilt settling in them. "I couldn't help it..my body moved on its own."
And for what reasons. She knew them too well to deny.
Afterall it was thier life, his story.
His burdens.
And yet it had her eyes brimming with tears behind the cold metal she listened against. Her own heart aching with needles as if she felt everything soley.
Her sympathy towards her enemies.
This is bad..this is really bad
She knew It'd only take a few slugs to help them escape. They were small but they were capable of many things.
I need to slip away from here as soon as-
Lena alarmingly looked towards her front, followed by the sudden raging noises she couldn't make out other than yells.
Her eyes widened when she saw a rather small figure approaching her direction.
A familiar faced molonoid, who rushed forward while his incoherent yells did nothing to die down.
She heard the familiar grunts and groans at the end of the hallway from where he came running. And immediately realized the cause of the molonoid's fright.
He noticed her figure and jumped up with a yelp escaping his mouth. Effectively stopping him a few feet away from colliding.
They both stared at eachother for a margin of full five seconds.
Needless to say neither of them knew what to do.
"Ahem..um I can explain."
He raised his finger, ducking his head sheepishly.
Lena on the other hand knew very well of his intentions.
She knew the gang would already escape. And the molonoid would speed up their process.
Not to mentioned the zombie guards chasing him could reach him any second.
"...Okay so,"
Lena clasped her hands together. "I just want to tell you.." She continued, awkwardly standing in her position.
"They are not that way."
She pointed her hand towards her right. From the same way she came after her 'mishap'
The molonoid, utterly confused to say the least stared at her dumbfounded.
And she couldn't blame him.
It took him more than a few seconds to finally click in the hint she gave him. But without watching his reaction she took off with a faster than normal walking speed.
What the hell is wrong with me?
She mentally cursed herself, fumed expressions upon her acts.
The molonoid stayed with his eyes wide open upon the spot, before vigorously glancing between her and the direction in which she pointed at.
After which he took off to the said-direction. His feet scurrying away as he heard the guards groans becoming closer and louder.
The guards soon teetered past by her, and after she squeezed her way through them was met by a worried looking figure of Saturday.
He was glancing around with the zombies and as soon as he laid his eyes on her, he rushed towards her and cupped her face.
"Lena where were you!" His hands squeezed her cheeks together. Pursing her lips that made it harder to talk.
"There's an intruder in Stalagmite! Have you seen them?" Saturday solicited, clumsily pulling her face further more close that she thought they might hit their foreheads.
Nevertheless Lena hesitantly shook her head, her hands moving up to his wrists to pry them off.
Another lie...
Saturday let her go and she exhaled loudly, being able to breath freely again.
An unsettling feeling pit inside of her gradually.
Ofcourse it was only natural for someone to feel that way after doing something against thier morals.
Especially with the bizarre thoughts running through her mind.
I'm just digging a deeper hole for myself at this point
She clicked her tongue in ignition. Frustration welding upon not only the situation but on herself.
Why am I like this...
A blast perceived their ears, and she let a defeated look form on her face.
"And so it begins." Her arm exhaustingly shot forward, pointing at the only open way they had that moment.
Saturday was already leaping out towards the source, and she loosely tottered.
The sounds of slingshots bombarded every corner and it lead them to the very exit.
Atleast for Lena, the hypnotics was stopped by the molonoid and his flamed friend on his shoulder. Who decided to stick around until it found its owner.
They fought for a good minute until, surprisingly, the molonoid managed to outcast his staff with his Tormato slug.
Resulting in the malfunction of the device, it emitted a vast wave of purple blaze with sparks of electricity.
Untangling every person who was captivated by its powers and giving them thier conscious back.
Lena watched the people coursing out of thier daze and back to themselves. Her eyes misting with worry for her hypnotic mentor.
Did his staff broke? That..that means...
A small gasp escaped her lips at the sudden sounds of rushing people towards her way.
She jolted up and pressed herself against the wall as the Shane Gang fled out of the building in a rumbling crowd. The conscious guards right behind them, now taking thier side.
Her figure got unnoticed by them as she released a breath.
But soon freezing in her spot again when she tracked a familiar military cruise landing at the shore of the island. The only escape route that was available.
Her pupils dilated watching the Blakk guards striding out of it, followed by the man himself who commanded the team.
"One way in, one way out."
Dread filled inside of her as Blakk himself held his blaster up, shooting a Greneater that sticked to the hefty cruise, blasting it now into a hump of only floating metal.
His face formed a malicious grin.
And she felt nauseous.
The rest of the fight went in a blur. Lena had to keep herself steady against the wall she supported on, the ground beneath her shook with every glowing crimson and golden dusted blast.
The Shane slinged a fusion shot, making her eye widen up as they watched a perfect merge of slugs before them.
Their aura combined resulting in a radiant glow that flew over everyone.
The Bubbaleon that was encaged in the fire of the Infurnes slug, within a blink of an eye had devoured the entire gang inside of it.
Now securing them within itself, the fire boosted its speed and they flew away leaving the astounded henchmen standing with their mouths wide open.
"Incredible.."
She couldn't help but utter, witnessing a fusion of slugs for her first time.
"So it is true."
She'd only heard about the Merge until then. And knew that the miracle was performed by only a handful of people.
One of them also now turned out to be the Shane.
And it truely didn't surprise her, considering the level of skills he had.
But it actually intimidated her. Slowly realising the power the teenage boy held in his grasps.
Blakk's growl snapped her back to her state. His dense green eyes blazed with raw rage as he watched his prey getting away.
"Someone..will..pay."
Her heart dropped to her stomach.
Her body shuddered, thinking about how if someone ever found out the cause of it all.
I might get my head cut off
She vigorously shook her head.
N-No..no one will find out. No one saw me there..no one knows..
She inhaled a deep breath closing her eyes. Letting it out once she opened them.
"Saturday!"
Blakk roared, marching towards the figure who now stood with his broken staff and rueful features.
"What is the meaning of this!?"
Lena winched at his tone, more guilt welding inside of her while Saturday took the scolding.
Its all because of me..
She clicked her tongue.
We-- He could've finally won...but why was it something that I didn't want
She finally let herself lean against the wall. Gazing down at her ghouls, ruefully.
"This is so stupid. I am so stupid."
Her eyelids were fluttering close when they finally screeched out loud. Jumping in thier arsenals with almost giddy grins. Thier pearl white sharp teeth showing.
It made her lips twitch up lightly. Watching them trying to lift up her mood.
"Yeah, you're right. Its not like they'll find out. I just need to get a hold of myself from now on. So I won't do anything rash again."
She walked out into the open. Watching everyone gathering and organising the chaos upon the fight.
Blakk still fumed away, yelling and glaring at anyone he'd see upon sight.
She gazed around, body slowly relaxing down. "Its not like we won't encounter them or wouldn't get chances like that again, right?"
She walked towards her father's figure, lips now opening up to finally talk to him and hopefully calm him down.
Little did she know how her little acts were gonna be the begining of her downfall. Of everything she worked for.