Let me tell you a story.
The story of Princess No height, and the seven Giants.
There was Snarky
"Assuming that you people didn't drag us out here just to backstab Tramph again... "Apollo drawled sarcastically, lollipop help loftily in one hand. "Is there something that we could be doing right now besides confessing our private feelings for the entire group to hear?"
Grumpy
"Shut it short straw. " Alex snarled, moving to stand intimidatingly over the smaller boy. "The only reason you get to tag along with us after your bedtime is because Alan wants to use you as a hostage if things go to hell. If all you're going to do is pick fights, your purpose is served just as well with you tied up in the back of the helicopter."
Dopey
"Stop. " Before Apollo could open his mouth to snarl a reply, Robin wondered over to stand protectively at his side. "No fighting."
Smarmy
"Robin is exactly right. Shame on you, Alexander. What did I say to you about picking on children?" Alan wrapped an arm around his bothers shoulders, grinding his knuckles into Alex's temple. "Only do it when you want to make them cry. We haven't got time for that, so don't act so leisurely."
"I'll show you Leisurely!"
Flirty
"Are you alright Love?" Artemis questioned me gently as the others began to squabble. "You've been rather quiet for a while now... "
Dumbass.
"Oh, no." Nigel gasped in the same moment everyone suddenly shut up and turned to stare at us.
And.
Icy.
"Exactly who..."
Vain slowly, stiffly, turned his head to look up at Artemis.
"Are you calling Love ...? "
One day, the Princess and the seven giants were forced to work together to save the world.
The tall blond blinked back, his blue eyes showing confusion rather than concern.
"Ah... I meant no offence. It's simply an endearment-. "
I didn't end well.
"Okay!" Alan was suddenly in between them, keeping a hand on Vain's shoulder and likely saving Artemis' life. "Enough chit chat. Let's go save the world, shall we?"
"I vote yes to shutting up and saving the world." I raised a serious hand.
Alan sent me a pleased smile.
"Glad to hear it."
He stepped forward, expertly looping his arms through Vain's and escorting the both of us towards the Hill.
Seeing as the Hill was clearly within eyesight, the gesture was unnecessary... As well as dangerous, but at least it covered up the fact that Alan had to physically drag Vain away from glaring at Artemis.
"Cause the other option was changing our identities and running away to a secret tropical Island." Alan chuckled darkly to himself. "And there are only six seats on the helicopter."
That could only mean...
"... We'd have to leave Alex behind..."I stared up at Alan with haunted eyes "Wouldn't we? "
The cheerful Floid brother nodded sombrely.
"I'm afraid so."
After a long moment of letting the realisation sink in, I shrugged.
"... I could live with that."
A soft weight pressed against my back and I looked over my shoulder to see Alex poking at me with a peeved look on his face.
"And why exactly am I the one getting left behind?"
After my heart settled from the surprising touch, I gave Alex my most nonchalant shrug.
"....you and Alan are pretty much the same... If you really think about it, we'd only need one of you, right?"
Alex blinked at me, the anger not registering as if he couldn't believe that I had just said that.
A little ways behind us, Apollo snickered, spurning Alex to send him a threatening look over his shoulder.
I used the distraction, turning back to look at the Hill.
Artemis had noticed.
Which meant that pretty much everyone one must have noticed, but knew better than to ask.
"....Even if that were true, I can't believe you would pick Alan over me." Alex muttered moodily behind me.
"If I'm going to play survivor on a deserted Island Alex, I need someone I don't mind sacrificing to the volcano God..." My mouth continued to move on autopilot.
"Not seeing how this is shutting up and saving the world. " Apollo muttered as Alan began to squawk indignantly.
"Don't be rude Polly." I heard Artemis chide, and spun around just in time to see Apollo swing a clawing hand at his older brother, like a cat lashing out in righteous fury.
Artemis avoided the blow by simply stepping out of arms reach, smiling apologetically at Apollo's reproachful glare.
My lips twitched.
Polly?
"We need to establish communication before we go in," Vain commented to the Floid brother holding his arm.
"Why? Of course, the link is working. Why wouldn't it be?" Alan replied dismissively.
"You're willing to risk our lives on Why wouldn't it be?"
"... Yes. "
" Alan. "
"Fine." Alan used their looped arms to pull Vain into a stop, leaning forward to examine me closely.
"What," I demanded flatly, in no mood for whatever the hell they were talking about.
"We believe that you still have PeriWinkle's Nano Technology inside you. " He announced bluntly.
I stiffened.
"They are still using it to track us?" I guessed, only to have Alan twitch.
Guilty.
"That. Also, there is a high possibility that Peri is using it to... Ah, synchronise with your brain signals."
"Meaning... "
"That he is receiving phantom sensations from your mind."
"Which means...."
"He can hear, see and feel everything that you do. "
"So basically... "
"You and Peri are sharing a brain right now."
Sharing a brain. The exact words I had used to describe the way Winkle and Peri could sense what the other was feeling.
Which meant...
No.
He had...
No.
Witnessed...
Everything.
NO.
"...Are you sure?"
I mean, what are the odds?
"It explains why he didn't show up with Winkle at the party Maddison," Alan explained apologetically.
Right...
"Maybe he's taking a sick day?" I reasoned desperately.
"Did you experience any nausea or head pain when you first woke up? Only to have it eventually stabilised and go away."
"...it could be a coincidence."
Wordlessly, Alan pulled out his phone and typed out a number before holding it out for me to see.
"This is a private number on which we can be contacted. "
Please don't ring. Please don't ring. Please, please, please...
"Idiot! Why are you giving him my number...!" Alex was just stepping forward to snatch the phone out of his brother's hand...
When cheerful music began to play.
Maybe it's a telemarketer...
"You changed the ring tone again!" Alex hissed at his brother angrily.
"As I have already explained to you, Alexander, 1934 is a predictable password."
"Shut up. It's the only one I can remember... !"
"Just answer the phone Floid. " Vain remarked, his tone patient but his words far from it.
Sending his brother one last death glare, Alex reached into his shirt for an inside pocket.
He answered the call, immediately switching the phone to speaker.
The voice that came from the line was sheepishly cheerful.
And painfully familiar.
"Your ring tone is the Super Mario bro's theme?"