________________________________________________________________________________________________
“Well, we can leave whenever we want.” said Ava surprised.
After thinking for a bit I asked, “How long will we be gone?”
“I have no idea.” answered Ava.
“Well that's no good. How do you think my parents will react when they have another daughter missing? I saw them when Erin diapered. I don't want to cause them the same pain.” I said worried.
“Oh relax they'll be fine!” Ava said.
“How do you know?” I challenged.
“You know how there's different time zones?” asked Ava,
“Ya.” I answered.
“Well, that's what were doing. Where going to a different timezone. Except we don't know how much slower it is then this one.”
After much internal debate I decided it would be fine.
“OK, but where are we going?” I said.
“We're going to our old kingdom.” Katie informed me.
“So you used to be princesses?” I asked shocked.
“Yes, but a lot has changed since we ruled.” Ava said.
“Like what?” I asked.
“Well, for one we used to be insane druggies with drinking problems. Which was completely normal. Every single girl and women, except us and one other, were oppressed. Woman were beat into submission. Basically it was the Dark Age. Except all of the surrounding countries were fine, the funny part is that our country was the most messed up, but also the wealthiest. Not really sure why.”
I was shocked, “You controlled that! You let that happen? How could you just sit there!”
“Hey! We were cocky and didn't care. We had all the power and that was all that mattered! Katie and I have learned science then! We're different people! If that happened now we would put an end to it!” Ava explained.
I eyed them warily, “So you had a very big family?”
Confused Ava said, “Ya. Why?”
“What happened to them?” I asked.
Ava's face hardened, her eyes cold, she raised her chin. “I was the second youngest. The throne was given out according to age. Everyone older then me was an idiot. Including my parents.”
My eyes widened and I felt my eyebrows shoot up.
Katie quickly came to Ava's rescue, “I'm sorry Penelope but if you lived there you would understand. The culture is just so different then what your used to, it was always like that even before Ava and I were born. It would take more then our life times to change it. Don't think badly of use for the environment we were raised in.” Ava said nothing, she didn't change her expression, she didn't even move.
I thought about what they said, it was despicable but it was true. If they knew nothing else then what else could be expected? Maybe there were some inbreeding and the entire family wasn't right in the head. But wow! They were princesses from a different world! No wonder why they seemed so fake!
“Ya, your right. Let's go. Now.” I hesitantly said.
“Well OK then. Take my hand, I'm a little out of practice.” Katie said.
“A little out of practice of what?” I asked excitement and fear mingled in my voice.
“Of using energy to rip the fabric of the universe. Not to sound dramatic or anything. It's just how it is.” Ava answered for her.
“Oh. Great.” I whispered in a high voice.
After that I expected some great big dramatic thing to happened. But nothing did.
“Is it wor-” I was cut off when I felt a tugging at the balls of my feet. I couldn't hear anything, see anything or speak. Suddenly my entire body just went out of existence.
When I was able to see again I was standing in a meadow. This meadow seemed somehow different. When I was able to get all of my senses again I noticed what was wrong. The sky was green and the grass was blue.
“Is this where you lived?” I asked somewhat delighted.
“No. This is where sunshine and bunnies live. Where did you take us?” Ava said a little impatient.
“I'm...not...sure...” Katie hesitantly said.
“Oh my god. OK, I'm doing it.” Ava said with a slight air of superiority.
“Why do you get to try?” Cried Katie outraged.
I was enjoying my self. Sure the transportation was weird, but, seeing Ava and Katie argue was hilarious! I sat down on the strange grass and continued watching them.
“I get to try because you tried once and failed. So it's my turn!” Ava argued.
Katie huffed ten turned onto me. “Who's turn do you think it should be?”
After a moments thought I answered, “Ava.”
“Why?” Katie whined.
“Because! You had your turn now she'll have hers. Then if she messes up you get another one. I think its fair.”
“You only think it's fair because you made it up.” Katie whisper darkly.
I ignored her and turned my attention to Ava.
“OK girlies. Let's go!” She held her arms out for us to clutch, then after about thirty seconds, we were gone.
When the still unfamiliar sensation left and I got my senses back I started laughing. Ava landed face down in a bush, and Katie was stuck high up in a tree. They were still passed out however, looking around I saw that we were in a little valley, but everything seemed a little hostile. This must be Lawboynya. I thought.
I sat down on the grass, Ava and Katie had still not woken up. Wow, being out here by yourself would be just boring!
I thought that at least till I saw a giant glob coming towards us. I jumped up, it was still pretty far away but there was no mistake of where it was heading.
I glanced around quickly, the tree, I ran to it and tore of a branch that was a good fighting size. I had no idea how I knew that it was good, but I figured it was because of what Ava did. I ripped the small twigs and leaves off the main branch. There. I thought. I got into a fighting stance (once again I thought of Ava.) and I was ready.
The single blog turned into two figures, I still couldn't make out who or what they. After a minuet or two I still hadn't move, my arms weren't even tired. I glanced up at them, I was shocked, it looked like all the fat had burned off leaving nothing but muscle. I was ripped!
I looked up at the two figures again, they were close enough that I could tell that they were two guys. I still couldn't see how they were moving so fast though. I angerly looked at Ava and Katie slack bodies, why weren't they up?
I saw the two guys stop for a moment, now they definitely saw me. They advanced a lot more slowly then they had before, out of precaution or getting ready to fight I wasn't sure. I didn't see anything else with the two men so I figured that they were just walking. Must be pretty good speed walkers. I wish I could speed walk...
My thoughts trailed off as they called to me,“Hey! Who're you?”
Not wanting to really tell this stranger my name I asked, “Who're you?”
“I'm Jimmy, and this is James. Now, who're you?”
I hesitantly gave my name. After that they looked at the ground.
While they were doing whatever they were doing, I checked them out. Jimmy was blond and had an All-American look about him. His hair fell right at his eyebrows, giving his brown puppy dog eyes more adorable-ness. James seemed the same way except he had more dirty blond hair, it looked a little bit shaggy compared to his friends. His eyes were a light baby blue, James was also more bulk of muscle it seemed.
When they finally looked up and saw Ava and Katie, lying face down in odd places, they jumped.
“What'd you do to them!” Jimmy semi-yelled taking a step back.
“Nothing!” I said in a hurry, “We were, uh, traveling, and they just passed out!” Wow, how lame of an excuse can you get? Nice one Penelope, nice.
James eyed me disbelief clear on his face, “You mean the three of you were walking along and one of them passed out on top of a tree. And the other one passed out, in a bush?”
“Ya...pretty much.”
“Uh-huh.” Was James's skeptical reply.
“Well! I think we should get go'en. Don't want to run into the ruff folks that come around the city at night.” They both started to take steps back.
I knew that was a terrible lie since it looked like it was still the morning.
“Wait! What city are you going to?” I asked.
They looked at me as if I really were some barbarian who didn't know anything. “Lawboynya. You should really know that.” Jimmy answered.
“How would I know that? I'm a traveler.” I said somewhat brat like.
“Penelope, look behind you.” James commanded. I couldn't help but like how he said my name.
I obeyed, behind me was a huge city, giant sky scrapers, and blimp like things were everywhere. A huge gate separated the city from the outside world. And on the gate was a very large sign that said: Lawboynya.
I turned back to the two guys. “Oh.” I said softly. “Can I ask one more question?”
“I believe you just did, but shoot anyways.” Jimmy said with a smile.
I blushed, “Oh ya. Well, how did you cover so much space in such a short time?”
“You mean while crossing the valley? Man, I thought everyone had one! We just use this thing!” Jimmy exclaimed, pulling out a small cell phone sized, silver and red, rectangle. It slowly began to unfold till it formed a Vespa like scooter.
“Wow! That's cool! Where can I get one?” I inquired.
James smiled. “I would offer you mine except I don't think your friends would like it if you got one and they didn't.”
“Oh ya.” I frowned I guess they wouldn't.
After a moment's silence James said, “Hey are you going to Lawboynya?”
“Ya.”
“Well, instead of blowing all of you money in some cheap hotel. Why don't you guys come to my place? I have several extra rooms.” James aid hopefully.
I was pretty sure we didn't even have money so I excepted eagerly.
He wrote his address down and I promised that as soon as my friends were up we would head to his house.
Almost immediately after Jimmy and James were out of site, Ava and Katie woke up.
“Nice, very nice.” Ava said with approval.
“I agree, very impressive.” Katie warmly agreed.
Smiling and blushing at the same time I asked, “What'd I do?”
“You got us a place to stay and food to eat. Plus The one who barley talked has a crush on you!” Ava said excitedly.
My heart leaped, but I tried to sound surprised, “What? Your crazy. We just me! How can you tell that much just by listening?”
“Years of experience my darling, years.” Ava said trying to sound old and wise.
I smiled, “Hey guys, how are you going to hang around Lawboynya with out being recognized?”
The two of them instantly turned serious.
“We weren't going to tell you before we had too.” Katie said
“But I guess we have to now. Since we are ultra powerful beings we can also do some, crazy, stuff.”
“You mean more crazy then what's already happened?” I asked.
“Ya.” Ava said looking at me carefully.
I took a deep breath, “OK. Show me your worst.”
“Really?” Katie asked puzzled. “Your OK with us not being human?”
I pouted my lips and raised my eyebrows, “Ya. I am sort of.”
“Somethings wrong with you, but OK.” Katie said blatantly.
After that, they did the most cliche, over used method in all of the fiction books I've ever read. They changed shapes. Wow. That is special, and not the good special either. Their features molded rapidly to form into new ones.
“Oh wow. That's retarded.” I said shaking my head.
“What's retarded?” A beautiful black girl said. She had dark brown skin that was flawless, her ice blue eyes contrasted greatly with her skin making the color pop. Her black hair hung straight down her back. She had the same body type as Ava, skinny muscular.
“This. This is retarded.”
“Why is this retarded?” Asked a petite Asian girl. She had upward slanting black eyes, and a full cherry red mouth. Set under an ultra thin, slightly up raised nose. Her hair was light blown and cut short, stopping at her jaw, so her hair made wave crests.
They were both drastically different then the Ava and Katie I knew, I couldn't tell who was who.
“That you guys can change into whatever you want. By the way who's who? And why do you constantly change into exotic bodies? Aren't you supposed to be inconspicuous?” I asked.
“I'm Ava.” Said the black girl. “And obviously that's Katie. And it's just a habit of ours, we change into whatever we think is beautiful. And forget inconspicuous! We can take on a lot of people. We just can't take on seven of us. ”
“And you expect three of us can take on seven of them?”I asked in disbelief.
Ava smiled, “I think we'll have some help pretty soon.”
Blushing a deep Burgundy I looked at the ground. I suddenly realized something, “Hey! You guys weren't passed out that entire time!”
They both seemed delighted that I caught on.
“Nope. In fact we were up before you. And we saw the guys coming, so we made our little plan and pretended to be knocked out. Ingenious right?” Ava gleefully informed me.
“That is pretty clever.” I said thinking, but I quickly remembered my questions, “But that's besides the point! Wont Jimmy and James know that I got new friends? You were face down, but your hair is pretty recognizable.”
“Once again part of our ingenious plan!” Katie answered. “You see, after you looked we changed. When you looked again, we changed back. Really we're very smart.”
I stared at her, “Wouldn't it have been easier just to tell me?”
The two of them froze, “Oh. Ya, I guess that would have been easier. Why didn't we think of that?” Katie asked herself bewildered.
“I, don't, know.” Ava sluggishly said.
“So, you guys are very smart?” I asked in a sunny voice.
“Shut up.” Katie lightly said slapping my arm playfully.
After that Ava suggested that we head to the city. Everyone agreed, as we turned to the city we paused. We were all just slightly intimidated. Under her breath Ava said roughly, “Here we go again.”
