I howled joyfully and ran in circles, laughing my head off. Georgina stared at me in confusion and horror, trying in vain to make sense of what I was doing.
"Um... Pepper?" She'd given up.
"Yes?" I said, skidding to a stop, grinning.
"Are you okay?" Rebecca asked, speaking for Georgina. I nodded and blurred away, heading towards a small forest. Sophie bounded alongside and Shaade drifted to my left, eyebrows raised.
"You've flipped," he stated. "Gone cuckoo." I glanced at him and gave a manic smile, legs giving me a final boost without me even telling them to. I jumped forwards and snatched at a low tree branch, swinging my legs up so that I was crouching on the bough. I scampered closer to the tree trunk and sat down, giving myself a rest. Hey, I may have a superpower but running takes a lot out of you!
"Come down, eejit," Georgina called, powering to a stop beneath me. The robotic technology that had fiddled with her brain had given her super strength, speed and stamina. She wasn't quite as fast as me, though. No one was.
"Why?" I replied. "I like it up here, I can see everything and can relax a little."
"We need food," Sophie said, standing up on her back legs, tail giving her extra balance. "Go and forage for some."
"Why me?" I whined, jumping down from the tree. "I only just stopped running!"
A jolt of electricity passed through me and I winced, noting Rebecca's steely glare. She pointed into the darkness that was full of bugs, berries and beasts.
I rolled my eyes and shoved my hands into my pockets, kicking brambles aside, too tired to run any more. The light started to fade and I tugged a small torch off my ever-handy belt, shining the minimal ray over the ground. Tree roots were partially illuminated and yet I still successfully managed to trip over one of them nonetheless.
"Damn it," I muttered, rolling onto my back and waiting for then ache in my legs to subside. Tilting my head backwards I noticed a thick bush directly behind me, thorns dangerously close to tangling in my hair.
The scent of sugar filled my nostrils and I sat up, twisting my body so that I could examine the fruit held in the spiky leaves closer.
"Cool," I murmured, picking one up delicately. The sweet odour was almost overpowering and I quickly gathered all the berries in my arms, rolling up my top to create a sort of hammock.
Struggling back to the other Super Glitches I dumped the berries on the floor, kicking one into the air as if it were a football. Rebecca caught it and bit into it before Sophie could stop her.
"Are they poisonous?" she asked anxiously. I shrugged.
"Eh, let her eat it," Georgina said, tossing her fringe out of her eyes. "She'll eat anything sweet."
All of a sudden Rebecca's eyes widened behind her glasses and her pupils dilated. She started to giggle, turning it into a full laugh within seconds. I took a step back and even Shaade looked at her uncertainly. Georgina raised an eyebrow whilst slowly retreating.
"Um, why haven't I been killed for that remark?" she said quietly. "Not that I want to die but Becca, you always attack if I say anything like that."
"Sugar," Rebecca said in a whisper. "Sugar!"
"Er... Hey!" I jumped backwards as Rebecca started to grab the berries lying discarded on the dusty ground, giggling satanically. She wriggled about like a worm on steroids until every berry was gone.
"More," she rasped, raising her head to look at me with bloodshot eyes. "More!"
I turned to run as Rebecca sprang to her feet. Adrenaline coursed through me and I was a dash of colour on the brown of the trees, invisible to the human eye. Within seconds I'd doubled back on myself, hoping that I'd lost the sugar-fueled teenager.
I hadn't.
Arms wrapped around my neck and I gagged, choking. I ran vertically up the tree trunks in my desperation to shake Rebecca off. She persisted, legs kicking me as if I were a horse.
"Gimme more!" she screamed down my ear. I yelled out and stopped running abruptly, thirty feet off the ground. Rebecca screeched again and I leaped for the next tree, eyes scanning the floor below for another bush.
I spotted one that looked identical to the first but was completely empty. This pattern came regularly, annoying me until I realised that my legs were losing strength. I groaned and happily collapsed, forgetting the fact that I was still in the canopy.
"Stop being stupid," Shaade scolded, pulling Rebecca off my back and holding her at arm's length. I continued falling and shot him a glare. He shrugged and drifted down to the ground, matching my increasing speed.
"Gotcha," another voice grunted. Hands gripped me as if I were being hugged but in reality I was being saved. I heaved a sigh of relief and allowed my saviour to fly back down to earth.
"Shaade, don't pick favourites," she said the second we landed. I turned around and jumped backwards in shock.
"Since when have you been able to fly?" I asked. Georgina shrugged.
"The robotics under my skin haven't only tampered with my mind," she explained. "They made me fly too."
"Okay... So are you still human?"
"Yes!" Georgina kicked me in the shin and walked off, sitting on a fallen tree and burning patterns into the ground.
"Huggy huggy," Rebecca said in a moaning tone, twisting around in Shaade's grip and holding out her arms. "Nice huggy for Shaadey..."
"Help me!" Shaade cried, shooting shadows from his hands. "She's gone insane!"
"Should we help?" Sophie asked me. Georgina was too busy laughing to reply.
"I think not," I said just as Rebecca broke free of Shaade's grip and gave him a massive hug.
*
I rubbed my eyes and yawned. I had been put on first watch, guarding the other's as they slept on the ground below. Perched in the tree I yawned again, rocking back and forth slightly as I dropped off to sleep.
"Pepper," a voice called. I jolted upright and turned on my branch so that I was lying on my stomach. Georgina was staring up at me, hands behind her head, one palm glowing softly.
"What?" I whispered back.
"Just checking you're still awake."
"Well I am, so go back to sleep."
"Okay."
"Berries..." Rebecca murmured in her sleep.
I sat back against the tree trunk and sighed, angling myself so that I was sitting awkwardly. I felt another yawn coming and stifled it with difficulty, shutting my eyes for the briefest of seconds. When I opened them again there was a person crouched in front of me, a knife held in one hand.
I yelled and fell out of my tree, crashing into every branch on the way down. Wheezing, winded and wailing I stumbled across the little clearing, making as much noise as possible.
"Wake up!" I screamed, legs giving out below me. Georgina bounced upright and kicked a log away from the fire, sending a flicker of flame shooting over Shaade's face. He yelped and scuttled backwards, still half-asleep, crashing into Sophie. She hissed and swiped at him with her claws and Shaade's cry of pain and anger woke Rebecca.
"What's going on?" Georgina asked in a panic. I spun around in a circle, arms wide for balance.
"We're being ambushed," I said grimly, air getting back into my lungs. "Well... we were."
A weight landed on my back and I crumpled once more. The assassin somersaulted off me and kicked my jaw sending my partially raised head shooting to the ground. A knife was raised above me and I finally mustered enough strength to speed away, darting up a tree to escape the fight.
I tucked my legs up beneath me and breathed deeply, relaxing yet on my guard at the same time. I watched the battle going on below me and took in every aspect.
Georgina flew backwards and then lunged forth, punching her attacker in the face. He reeled and she kneed him in the stomach, hand glowing. A laser beam burnt a hole through the unfortunate man and she turned to look for her next victim.
Rebecca was struggling but got some help from Georgina rushing over. She was being attacked by two people dressed in grey, knife wielding and club twirling. One dived forwards and brought his staff crashing down on Rebecca's skull. He bounced off and Rebecca growled, frying him with electricity. The second attacker considered his options and then ran.
The poor man was stopped before he could escape very far by Sophie cannoning into him. She spat angrily and raked her claws across his face, plunging them into his brain and killing him instantly.
"And that's a wrap," I called, jumping down and walking over. Georgina glanced at me and frowned, blood staining her T-Shirt.
"Where were you in all of this?" she snapped, waving her arm at the carnage. I pointed to the tree but the second I turned my head away I got punched. Metal slammed into my face and I fell to the floor, blood bubbling around the wound and in my mouth.
"Eurgh," I groaned, spitting out a mouthful of red liquid and wiping my mouth. "Whas was thas fors?"
"For being a coward," Georgina growled, raising her hand again. I kicked upwards, trying to wind her. My legs jarred and I cried out, rolling aside as Georgina's hand came crashing down where my eye just was.
"I'm sorry!" I yelled, backing away. The metal gauntlet closed around my throat and I was raised off the ground, back slammed against a tree.
"You should be," Georgina hissed. "You deserted us. That's the one thing we promised on!"
"At least I'm still here," I gurgled. Georgina frowned and released her hold (but only slightly, I was still being throttled).
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"Shaade has vanished, if you haven't noticed," I whispered, sliding to the floor as Georgina spun around in shock.
"That evil little-!"
*
"Please," Shaade begged. "Let me work for you."
"Why should we?" the man hissed, folding his arms. "You're nothing but a child!"
Shaade was stood in front of a large, black fortress that shined in the light. Activity was visible on every surface and soldiers manned the castle walls. In the centre there was a tall tower, shimmering windows every few feet. Shaade could only suppose that the tower was the place where Nosmo Fry lives, conducting over his evil kingdom of warriors, spies, assassins and prisoners.
"I'm a demon, a god and a King," he said desperately. "I'm also a soldier and I used to work for Rainfall."
"We have loads like you," a second person sneered.
"I also know where the Super Glitches are," Shaade said as a last-ditch attempt to gain their trust. The guards froze and immediately opened the gate. Shaade scuttled through and ducked his head respectfully.
"I'm sorry, guys," Shaade whispered under his breath. "I'm really sorry."
"Halt!" a tall, imposing guard barked. "Why do you wish to see Mr Nosmo?"
"I wish to work for him," Shaade said, tilting his head back to look up at the man.
"So? We have hundreds of recruits like you every day."
"I know where the Super Glitches are."
"Come in," a new, booming voice ordered. Shaade walked into the room, the large oak door closing behind him. He was trapped with the infamous Nosmo Fry in a darkened room.
"Who are you?" Nosmo asked curiously. "Come up the stairs, quickly now."
Shaade scampered up the twisting stairs using light rays to make his path visible. At the very top sat Nosmo on a throne of glittering quartz, arms folded.
Nosmo was an old man, wispy grey hair combed over the front of his high-domed head. His face was craggy and lined with liver spots in various places. He smiled to reveal golden teeth, every other tooth capped by solid metal. He regarded Shaade with a steely gaze, grey eyes seeming to stare into his soul.
"My name is Shaade Jaetun," Shaade said in a trembling voice. "I wish to work for you as an assassin or soldier."
"What brings you here?"
"Rainfall." Shaade gulped and a tear rolled down his cheek. "Rainfall killed Josh and I want to pay them back for it."
"Then go and kill the Super Glitches, then come back." Nosmo waved him away and Shaade retreated down the stairs, a plan forming in his mind.
"I'm sorry," he murmured, breezing past the guards and making his way out of the palace grounds, heading back towards where he'd last abandoned the Super Glitches.
"I'm so, so sorry."