Ailemea vs. Jenna: Part Six

Also by jeanaet

It was hard to tell who was more surprised, Sloth or the two Xweetoks.

     Jenna quickly regained her composure. "Bring us down!" she hissed. "Quick, Aile! We need to get down! To the deep! Hurry, Ailemea!"

     Ailemea hesitated, staring wide-eyed up at the cause of most of her troubles. Dr. Sloth was quickly coming out of his stunned trance and was yelling at the Grundos to move. This caused movement in the blue Xweetok.

     Almost as suddenly as crashing into the fleet, the bubble dropped like a rock into the depths of the sea.

     Jenna's heart leaped into her throat as the bubble plunged downward. Soon the ocean surface was out of sight, and only the dimmest sunlight pierced the oncoming darkness.

     All was quiet for the first few minutes. Jenna was just beginning to breathe freely again, when Ailemea silently pointed to something behind her striped friend. Jenna turned to see six somethings advancing toward them. But the only thing Jenna bothered to notice was that searchlights were scanning the dark waters.

     She turned to look bleakly at her companion. "Out of the frying pan and into the fire," she whispered.

     Ailemea sighed and sank down wearily. "Can we ever NOT be in danger?" she moaned. Haelee licked her face comfortingly. She glanced out at the six approaching figures and then up at the searchlights.

     "I want to hug something soft and adorable," Ailemea pouted. "Where's Nexy?"

     "He's in Maraqua with the rest of our families," Jenna replied dully. She leaned back against the shield wall and closed her eyes wistfully. "If only I were there as well."

     Eyes still closed, she imagined Rain's face, Lindsey's warm comforting smile, Lailani's beautiful laugh, and Kiara's baby talk, as the little Kougra played pretend with her gruslen. If only she could see them all again, one more time.

     But when Jenna opened her eyes again, she saw nothing but the bright beam of the searchlight centered on their bubble, and Aile's sullen expression as she half-heartedly tried to escape the light's glare. The six figures were so close now that Jenna could see that they were small underwater crafts, rather like submarines. Any minute now the two Xweetoks would be surrounded.

     A furious glare abruptly shone in Jenna's eyes. They couldn't, they wouldn't be taken this easily! They'd escaped once, they could do it again! The striped Xweetok stood up in the bubble and began summoning her Flash ability once more. "Aile," she said, in a dangerous voice that was always reserved for Battledome, "Get ready. We're going to have a race!"

     Ailemea blinked at Jenna's tone and the invisible connections between herself and the bubble seemed to tighten. Haelee leaped into the backpack on Ailemea's back, trembling.

     "Just say when and where, Jenna," Aile said, the second time since the two had met that she swallowed her pride and submitted to Jenna_Leanna.

     Jenna grinned, and then stared out of the bubble to see the approaching foe. They were almost upon them. The striped Xweetok then quickly viewed the surroundings. They were near the ridge of a deep sea trench, and following its path, Jenna spotted a series of canyons in the distance. They'd find perfect cover there.

     "On the count of three, I'm going to Flash. That's when you aim for those canyons," Jenna instructed, nodding towards their next destination. "Think you could lose them in there?"

     Ailemea sighed and gave the striped Xweetok a small smile. "My words can lose people, Jenna - just think what I can do when I have everyone in Neopia's lives on my shoulders."

     Jenna smiled back, and then concentrated on what she had to do in the next few seconds. "One," she started.

     Ailemea stiffened, ready for anything.

     "Two."

     Sloth's underwater scouts were closing in...

     "Three!"

     A blinding flash of light again took its toll. Jenna felt the bubble zoom forward, and her Flash flickered as she stumbled in the sudden movement. Then the light faded, and the two Xweetoks shot through the water, Ailemea guiding them towards the canyons.

     Behind them, the scouts had scattered in different directions. It'd be awhile before they'd get their bearings once again.

     Meanwhile, Ailemea and Jenna had taken the lead.

     ~*~

     Aile blinked continually, having been blinded a little herself at the Flash. She veered through the canyons, struggling to find a path. She was sure they had lost the scouts when lights had filled the bubble once more.

     "This bubble is too big!" she exclaimed when they approached a narrow canyon between the rocks. "We'll have to swim; I'll lose them for a moment so we can hide." As she said this, their transportation began to shrink while a tiny bubble hovered around the backpack slung across Aile's back.

     Jenna had not counted on this. But she had no choice but to let herself slide out of the shrinking bubble and join paws with Ailemea as the blue Xweetok blessed them both with Water Breathing. Then the two swam furiously through the narrow canyon. Jenna felt a swoop of claustrophobia as she maneuvered through the crack, but she didn't dare lose control.

     They were half-way through the pass when Ailemea guided her companion towards a small opening in the sheer canyon face. Reluctantly, Jenna followed her into the tight dark passage to hide.

     It was a small cave, thankfully somehow above sea level. It was almost identical to the underwater fishing cave. Ailemea filled her lungs with real air and sank down in relief.

     "Do you think they'll find us?" she whispered. "Should we keep moving?" Her body was aching, and she had never missed her bed more.

     "We should keep moving," Jenna said tiredly. "It's not like we're the only ones who can see the opening."

     It was pitch black where they were, but in a minute Jenna had lit their hiding spot up with Magic Torch. She then saw that the cave continued far back into the canyon. The striped Xweetok shivered to think of what lay beyond there; an endless maze perhaps, or some freakish lair of a monster.

     She shook herself. Her imagination was running away with her, as it usually did in the dark. There was nothing to be afraid of as long as she had Faith, which was glowing at the moment.

     "Come on," she said getting up. "We have to find another way out."

     Obediently, Ailemea lifted herself up onto her feet and followed Jenna.

     The two Xweetoks walked in the pitiful light of Jenna's flame for almost an hour when they found a dead end. Ailemea groaned.

     "Brilliant," Jenna muttered in frustration. "Alright, let's go back to see if there are any side tracks." They turned and began to trudge away. About half an hour down the path, they heard voices some distance off... back at the underwater cave they'd just left.

     Ailemea, in her odd way, obviously believed the still moving Jenna had not heard the voices. Thus, the blue Xweetok grabbed Jenna by the scruff, threw a paw over her mouth and dragged her companion into a dark corner. The surprise this brought to the striped Xweetok immediately eliminated the flame above their heads.

     The voices were having the most fascinating conversation.

     "Of all the Grundos I had to get stuck with, it had to be you two!" cried an irritated voice. "My Lady would never have hired such dimwits!"

     "Well I-" someone, a Grundo, Jenna presumed, started to say.

     "Don't start," the first voice cut in. "Just start searching the cave. And drag her along too," it added. "She may be a mute, but she can at least shoot straight."

     Grumbling followed this command, and then two figures, one holding a torch of some kind entered the Xweetok's vision. The one holding the light, and obviously the leader was a white Grundo with a sullen expression. The second...

     "By Fyora," Ailemea breathed, completely pale. "Oreh..."

     The blue Xweetok's insides were doing gymnastics. Her eyes filled with tears at the sight of the island Grundo that was her sister. Unthinking, she stood up to go to her. Of course, Jenna had the sense to drag her back.

     "Control yourself!" the striped Xweetok hissed so quietly, that Ailemea herself could barely hear.

     "What do we do?" Aile whispered just as quietly, feeling that she would start sobbing any minute now. OREH!!!!

     Jenna herself was feeling rather lost and confused at this sudden turn of events. She held her companion tightly, feeling the blue Xweetok's quick and hard breathing.

     "Calm down," she soothed. "We'll think of something."

     Think of what? What could they do? Thoughts whirled around in Jenna's head and the Grundos came closer, and closer, till the searching light passed but an inch from their corner. Then the white Grundo moved on, the blank-eyed Oreh following him listlessly.

     They had to do something! Jenna turned to Aile, at the same time pulling out her sword, "We... we need to make a move," she said carefully. "Yes, we need to knock out your sister. It's the only way, Aile! Once they're down, we can take Oreh and make our escape."

     Ailemea nodded, pulling her poison tipped dagger from her backpack.

     "I'll take Oreh, you just get rid of the white Grundo," she whispered, and began to creep after the Grundos, Jenna behind her.

     The striped Xweetok winced as Ailemea silently struck her own sister across the back. The island Grundo instantly crumpled at the Xweetok's feet. Jenna passed them quickly, and called upon another one of her Air Faerie abilities; Spark. The shock of power burst from her paw and found its mark immediately.

     Ailemea tossed the backpack to Jenna and pulled the limp Oreh onto her back. Jenna was just finishing tying up the white Grundo. She stood up taller and tightened the scabbard strap across her shoulders. She looked expectantly at the blue Xweetok when she finished.

     "Lead the way," Ailemea said through gritted teeth, straining under the weight of Oreh.

     Jenna turned to find a path. Just as she turned her back, Ailemea let out a gasp. A second later, Jenna knew why. She stood frozen on the spot. She couldn't move! No matter how hard she tried, her muscles refused to do as she commanded.

     Her breath grew quick, "Aile!" she whispered hoarsely, "I can't..."

     "I can't move!" Aile burst out.

     "Dear, dear," commented a sly feminine voice behind them, "We DO have a situation here."

     Jenna's instincts told her to whirl around, see the speaker. But of course, she couldn't. All she could do was sweat with fear as someone crept up behind them. That same voice sounded again, "I'm afraid I can't let you drag this thing off. She's a bit too valuable for us to lose just like that."

     Jenna gulped. She's taking Oreh! Something had to be done, quick!

     "Who are you?" she asked worriedly.

     "I'm not one to be trifled with," said the space faerie, as she strode to Jenna's side, dragging Oreh by one arm.

     Ailemea's eyes filled with tears of fury and despair as she watched the faerie drag her sister away. "NO!" she yelled.

     The space faerie paused and turned around to look at her. "What did you say?" she dared, eyes narrowed.

     "You heard her," Jenna replied through clenched teeth. "You can't take her!" and she glanced at Oreh, who was beginning to stir.

     The space faerie looked from the Grundo to her two victims. "Why would you care about this... creature?" she asked softly. "What does she mean to you?" Her gaze centered on Ailemea.

     Jenna wasn't listening. She'd spotted a cluster of rocks near the cave wall. She stared at a particularly large one, summoning her power to levitate "Pebbles." The Earth Faerie ability was rather weak, but it was the best she had.

     The rock began to shift slightly.

     The faerie was still focusing on Ailemea.

     "What does it matter to you if we want to save a Neopet from the clutches of your... Demonica?" Ailemea said hesitantly. She glanced at Oreh uneasily.

     The space faerie's blood red eyes flashed and she hissed like an enraged cat, "How DARE you speak my Lady's name!" She whipped around to Oreh, who'd by now fully recovered and was stumbling to her feet. "Stun her!" the faerie barked.

     Jenna tried not to think about Aile being stunned by her own sister. Giving her ability another burst of power, the striped Xweetok sent her hovering stone zooming towards her foe!

     The faerie shrieked in surprise and anger. Letting her freezing charm drop she used all her power to shatter the oncoming rock. In that instant, Jenna surrounded herself and her companion in Air Shield.

     Aile leaped to her friend's side, and they both stared through the whirlwind of air at the enraged faerie commander, and the confused Oreh.

     "Back up," Jenna muttered. "We have to back up, find another way out."

     "What about Oreh?" Ailemea demanded.

     "It's no use, Aile," Jenna replied. "She's beyond our reach now."

     Ailemea signed, resigning herself to the fact that once again she was walking away from her sister. Jenna watched the blue Xweetok as Ailemea fought her instinct as a big sister to save her little sister.

     "We need to get going!" Jenna said urgently. Ailemea nodded, her face becoming unreadable.

     "Let's go."

     Jenna began backing down the tunnel, while the blue Xweetok began scanning the rocky sides for hidden passages.

     Again and again, Jenna felt her shield shiver from the many magic and stunning blows delivered by both the enemy faerie and Oreh. The striped pet clenched her teeth and fed as much strength as she could into the whirling wind surrounding them.

     She could hear the space faerie screaming frantic orders, but her single Grundo servant obviously had no comprehension. Oreh was just a tool, and could only register a few commands. How would they ever find her again, let alone bring her back to herself?

     Just then, "There!" Ailemea pointed to a sliver of a tunnel to Jenna's right.

     Jenna felt sick at the sight. "We'll never get through!" she cried, images of being wedged for eternity among dark rock filling her mind.

     So she didn't see the red streak of power that came rocketing towards them.

     The huge surge of energy slammed into the shield, sending the shield itself into oblivion and causing Jenna to collapse into unconsciousness.

     Unhesitating, a bubble shield surrounded the two Xweetoks once more. Ailemea dragged Jenna onto her back and then leaped into the tunnel, determined to get her friend, if not her sister, out of danger.

To be continued...