Game On
Level 4 : Mama
I woke up feeling someones hands shake my shoulders. "Abbie? Abbie?"
My vision was blurred but I noticed I no longer was in a white nothingness. I was back on Ashi's ship, I didn't know which part though. I recognized the feeling of a warm bed, along with thin blankets surrounding my body.
"Abbie?"
I knew that voice was near my ear, however it sounded far away. It felt as if I was in a dream like mode.
"Abbie?"
The voice I now began to recognize as a boy. "Jay?" my own voice felt alien to me.
Everything was just strange.
Slowly my eyes were fully open and I found myself sitting up looking at Jay. My head stopped thumping and relief caused me to relax. "What happened?" I said having to cough to get my croak away.
"You KO'd," Jay said laughing. "You sure your okay?" he put his hand on my sholder.
"Totally!" I said, feeling a little sick. "Think this world has freakin' pills I can take?" I rubbed my stomach. "Oooh, my tummy," I felt as if I had ate way to much of my mothers cooking.
Jay scoffed a laugh. "You should be in...Ourium was it? Yeah Ourium, in around an hour or so."
After a few long moments of nothingness, I took it upon myself to break the silence. "Think we'll get outta here?"
"How?"
"Well, if this is a game, all we gotta do it find the last level and beat it," I said. "Easier said than done."
"We've both finished games in a night," Jay pointed out. "So this should be no sweat," he didn't sound sure of himself.
"Think the others are here?" I said missing all of the 'gang'.
Jay took a second to answer. "I hope so. If they are, then we gotta look for them," he gave me a half smile.
"Joy?" I said, almost jumping from the bed.
Jay reassured me by patting my knee and telling me Joy was sleeping on the other bed. I looked over and saw that big black and white lump. I let out a long sigh.
"Jay?" my voice was tense and even more serious. When he looked at me I returned his eye contact. "I'm shitting myself," I admitted, letting go all of my pride for just that moment. "I really am."
Jay took my hand and gave it a good squeeze. "I'm just as scared. But...we'll get through this, right?" he grinned.
"Right!" I grinned back and held his hand using both my own. "We can pretty much do anything inna game!"
A long hour later and we landed in Ourium. And fuck was it hot! I mean, I was freakin' melting! I'm not used to such hot weather - even if my Dad is from Jamaica! I come from Scotland, there you like an hour of warmth a year (over exaggeration much)!
We had to pass through a market looking place. Everyone there stopped attending to their stalls to greet their noble Prince Ashi! Woop-dee-doo (there's a bit of Abbie sarcasm for ya)! I was bored outta my nut! All this waving at strangers who said things to me in this weird language. It sounded like they were hissing at me. Scared the shit outta me at first.
"Come with me," Bal had been standing with me and Jay at the time. "These greetings, I find them--"
"Boring, hard to deal with, a pain in the backside?" I could go on!
"...Uh.....yes...?" Bal shook his head. "Lets get into the castle, I shall introduce you to my family," oh great! There's more of 'em.
Inside the castle had carpets of red, walls of green and a welcoming feel of it. It was a little cooler but still boiling. Bal lead us standing outside a wooden door, with silver hinges. He knocked three times before saying something in that hiss like language.
A soft, gental and relieved voice came on the other side. The door opend and stood a tall woman. Her hair was night black, eyes sea blue and a small crown sat on her head. She threw her arms around Bal's neck, tearing up.
"Oh, Mama!" Bal said. "These two are Abbie and Jay. Jay is the Second, Third. Abbie is the Third, Third."
We bowed our head in appreciation. "Pleased to meet you," we both said and it took all I had not to yell 'Jinx!'
"The rest of the Three!" the woman - now identified as Bal's mother - put her hands to her face. "Never would I let myself think, that I would ever see these beings. Oh! Such joy!" she put her arms around mine and Jay's necks.
Creepy!
A bark was called and Joy looked at the woman wagging her tail. "Oh! Such a lovey animal. What would be her name?" the woman got on her knees and started to starch Joy's chin.
"Oh, that's Joy," I said coughing a little. "She's my dog."
The woman got up and looked at Jay and myself. "Oh, forgive me. You two can call me Mama," she gave us a warm motherly smile.
"Eh..." I opend my mouth and made a noise. "I can't we just call you by your real name?" I looked at Jay then back at the wo- I mean, Mama.
"Oh, don't be silly!" Mama waved her hands.
We looked at Bal who gave us a smirk. Mama then asked us nicely to leave her and her son for awhile. I guessed they wanted to catch up.
We nodded and started to walk back down the corridor.
"Hey, Abbie?" I looked at Jay. "You never told me what you saw. You know, when you passed out."
"Erm....." now what sounded better than I-saw-a-younger-version-of-myself? "Just whiteness. You?" well done Abbie (!)
"Just the same. However I heard a voice telling me I was welcomed." I nodded along as he spoke.
I almost jumped as Jay slipped his hand on my shoulder - I have a thing about people touching me. When I looked at him he had a finger to his lips. I looked around the corridor and heard Ashi walking around the corner. I gave Jay a questioning looking, the answer I got was a shove inside a small storage space. I clicked my fingers and Joy trotted her way next to me.
"Ow!" I tried to wisper. "Get your foot off my leg."
"Shhh!" hissed Jay, jabbing me in the sides.
Ashi's voice was muffled through the door. "It is great to be back home," he said happily. "However," he sighed. "I can not help but feel dread for tomorrow."
"You know m'lord," the other voice must of been Axile. "You can just pull him out of the battle. You are the ruler of Ourium, for now, so you do have that kind of power."
"Yes I know," they stopped right outside the storage space where we hid. "But, that would mean shattering the boys pride. My brother would kill me if he knew," I heard a chuckle. "I can not to that to Bal. He has gotten so far in this tournament. Pulling him out now would sure cause him deep disappointment."
"If you ask me m'lord," Axile spoke. "That tournament is barbaric. I do not understand why this galaxy has it. Where I come from we do not have such stupidity," he sure does think a lot of himself, eh? "You should try and think positive then, m'lord. You never know, Bal may just win. It is the final after all. Who is the person he must defeat to win?"
"You mean you have not heard of him?" Ashi sounded surprised.
"I have only served you for three years, m'lord. This tournament is every four years," I heard him laugh a little.
"They call him Scarlet," Ashi said as they walked on. "Because of so much bloodshed he has caused-"
There was more to what Ashi was saying but he was soon out of ear shot. "Dammit!" I hissed as we got out the storage space.
"So Bal's got a tournament to win, eh?" Jay said stretching his arm. "Sounds like Street Fighter," he scoffed, but I didn't find it funny. "What? Why are you so sour?"
"Eh, maybe its 'cos of the freakin' guy hes gotta face. Did ya not hear Ashi. 'Scarlet, because of the bloodshed he has caused'," I quoted. "Which means Bal's in deep shit."
A servant came to get us, she told us Ashi and the others were having a big bouquet to celebrate Ourium's win. Like I could care less. The servant lead the way into the 'Great Hall' where Ashi and the others would be waiting. We thanked the servant and Joy barked. Once she was out of earshot I looked at Jay who looked back at me. This was an unwritten rule that involved the 'gang'. The rule was whenever entering a place filled with people, one person must fix an other 'gang' members appearance.
"Lift your head up," Jay commanded me and I did. "All good," he pulled one of my curls.
"Erm...head to the side," I brushed a sweep of Jay's blond hair to the side. "All good," I smirked. "'Mon Joy!" I called Joy who wagged her tail. "Lets do this thang!"
I knocked on the door twice before two, sharp looking, men opend the doors, welcoming us. Jay and myself smiled at them. The 'Great Hall' lived up to its name - Big chandeliers lit up the room, men and woman talking in light conversation, Ashi all the way at the back talking with two woman and near the right wall was a great, humongous, wooden table, filled with all sorts of food.
My eyes wandered to Mama and Bal. They were near the center talking with some girl. I could only see the back of her head. Her hair was platinum blond and she wore a bright gray and pink dress, filled with frills. I was about to walk over to them however I was stopped by two hairy arms.
"Mr. Jay, Miss. Abbie, Ashi would like for you two by his side," he said gesturing forward.
"Erm..sure," Jay said.
Joy brushed by my leg and bounced over to where Ashi stood. I quickly sprinted after her and grabbed the back of her neck. "Quit it!" I hissed in her ear.
Joy clearly had no respect for me what so ever, how can I prove this? When I gave her a scolding she answerd with a lick on my chin. I made a sickly face and flicked her nose. At that she sneezed and I heard Ashi chuckling.
"Such a beautiful creature," Ashi's shadow fell upon my back. "Bal tells me she belongs to you. Joy, yes?"
"Uhh..." which was a bad thing to say in front of a prince.
Ashi smiled, but not at me. "Ah, Abbie," he took my shoulders and turned me towards Bal, Mama and a blond headed girl. "I believe you have met Bal's mother," I nodded and smiled at Mama. "Well this is Crodela. Princess of Planet Ser."
Okay now this girl was extremely good looking, blue eyes pale skin, it made me feel like shit. I so need an ego boost.
"Please to meet you," she smiled warmly at me. "Bal tells me that he is your protector, you're extremely lucky to have him."
Note to self: find out more about the Three and their 'Protectors'. Heck just the Three in general.
"Oh and this is Jay," Ashi gestured his hand to Jay, who was making his way over to us. "Jay, Crodela. Crodela, Jay," a second past for both of them to bow to each other before Ashi hit us with this, "Meet Bal's betrothed."
At that que, Crodela linked her arm inside Bal's. Bal clearly felt uncomfortable, nevertheless he put on a brave smile for Jay and myself.
I'll admit it. I didn't like this girl. Her looks made me feel ugly, the way she smiled at me made me feel patronised, even her sweet little voice made me want to punch her. Maybe it's my experience with girls? Maybe it's because I have some weird six sense which makes just smell bitches.
Or maybe I'm jealous of her...
The feast begin shortly afterwords. Jay and myself were seated on Ashi side at the head of the table. Joy kept licking my hand, pestering me for attention. Which was rewarded by a flick on the nuzzle.
"I'm gonna kill ya," I threaten to Joy. "Go 'n' lie down."
Joy did my command and put her head on her paws. Finally! The dog does what the human tells it!
At the table every being (there was more than humans at this banquet) broke out into chatter. Across from me and Jay sat Bal and the bitch. Before long Ashi raised his hands and every-being shut up.
"My friends and family!" he had to raise his voice. "The Battle in the Sand was won by us!" many beings yelled out in triumph, happy for their prince. "However, this was but a small victory. Lord Sediro is still alive, and I have no doubt in my mind that he will soon challenge me once again," everyone's face went grim. "But let us not dwell on such a thought let us tonight celebrate our victory. Not only that, let us celebrate the upcoming wedding of my nephew and Princess Crodela," Ashi smiled at the royal couple. "May your lives together be cheerful."
I was about ready to tuck into the meat that had been placed in front of me, when Ashi kept going with his toast.
"And lastly, let us celebrate the biggest discovery of our era!" a few seconds of pause for dramatic affect. "The finding of all Three!"
A wave of cheering broke out. Beings were out of their seats beating their hands together. Some even jumped for joy. Speaking of Joy, she also got crazy and started to bark. My heart just started to thump. I didn't like having to spotlight on myself.
'Just go with it Abbie,' out of the corner of my eye I could see the younger me. Curls bobbing along as she clapped and smiled. 'Have some fun for once. You owe it to us.'
When she said that my heart slowed. I looked at Jay who looked back at me. We took each others hands and smiled. We then stood up, faced the crowed and cheered holding up our hands and yelling like crazy sport fans.
'Fun! Am I right?'
I so was!
