Chapter 5: The Twilight Zone

"It may be said with a degree of assurance that not everything that meets the eye is as it appears."

― Rod Serling, The Twilight Zone: Complete Stories

Antigone felt a jolt of fear run up her spine. Something about the setting made her uneasy.

Perhaps she just felt guilty for interrupting the Widow herself during what seemed to be an intense training session.

"I-I'm sorry, Minerva," she stuttered.

Minerva turned around, smiling. "Oh don't be sorry," she said. "I don't realize how loud my swords can be when I practice, especially in the middle of the night. I apologize if I woke you."

"No, no. I was already awake. I'm a...light sleeper."

"Mm. Nightmares?"

Antigone fell silent. "Yes," she admitted.

Minerva sheathed her swords. "I get those, too. We all do. It's just part of being in the Badlands, I suppose. We all have our own scary stories to tell."

Antigone frowned. "Yeah. Unfortunately."

Minerva walked forward. "Would you like me to show you a few moves?"

Antigone was not quite sure how to respond to that. "A few moves?"

"Yes," Minerva replied. "Do you know how to use a sword?"

Antigone shrugged. "I do, but only as a last resort. My daggers are what I use most of the time. My dad taught me how to fight with them."

"They seem like very resourceful weapons."

"They are."

"Would you care to show me how you use them? I'm interested."

"Oh." Antigone was caught off-guard. "I...don't have them with me right now."

Minerva smiled. "Oh, that's all right. I can show you how to use my swords instead. It's a bit different than using your daggers because swords are much longer and larger." She held up her swords. "See, your movements with your daggers must be quicker and you can throw them longer distances. Using swords gives you the liberty to be more fluid and graceful. Treat it like a dance."

Antigone watched attentively, tracking Minerva's movements as she swung her swords slowly, each move carefully calculated as she moved her body gracefully in time with her movements. She stopped and held her swords out for Antigone to take. "Would you like to try?"

Antigone looked at the swords, wide-eyed. "Are you sure?"

"Certainly." Minerva smiled. "Only if you want to though."

"I would love to," Antigone said, but for some reason, she felt compelled to say it.

Minerva held out her swords for Antigone to take and Antigone accepted them, slowly taking them in each hand and trying to imitate the movements that she saw Minerva do previously. She was moving a little too fast, for she was used to doing short and quick movements with her daggers.

Minerva smiled, pleased. "You're very good. Just try to go a little slower or you'll poke your own eye out."

Antigone slowed her movements, embarrassed, and found herself stumbling slightly. She could certainly use a sword, but it was not her forte. Sword fighting was Erastos's department. Fighting with two swords was even more difficult.

Still, Antigone tried, and she apparently did well enough, because Minerva seemed pleased.

"Very good, Antigone," she said.

But Antigone had stopped. She was no longer paying attention to Minerva. She had caught sight of someone in the upstairs window from afar: a boy who looked to be around her age. He seemed frightened. She could see that his eyes were wide with alarm. He was peeking out from behind the curtains, observing curiously.

"Is everything all right?" Minerva's voice broke Antigone from her thoughts.

She turned her head abruptly to face Minerva. "Sorry?"

"What were you looking at?"

Antigone turned her head to look at the boy and could feel Minerva following her gaze.

Quickly, the boy shut the curtains, like he had been caught red handed as soon as Minerva saw him.

Minerva's eyes lingered on the window. Antigone glanced back at Minerva and there was a look in her eyes that Antigone could not pinpoint.

Suddenly, Minerva's gaze shifted back to Antigone and she smiled. "The boy in the window? That was M.K.. He's my house guest."

Antigone realized something. "Isn't he in the area that you told me was strictly forbidden?"

Minerva seemed to have a quick response for everything, but Antigone's question appeared to have stumped her. A chilling silence filled the air.

Antigone no longer felt safe.

Minerva smiled again, but it wasn't friendly. "Yes, I suppose that he is. I don't know why he went in there. He's very curious and apparently doesn't know how to listen to directions."

"Oh," was all that Antigone could say. She suddenly felt the air get thin. "Thank you for helping me, Minerva," she said, before clearing her throat and handing the swords back to Minerva. "If you'll excuse me, I think that I'll return to bed now."

"Certainly," Minerva said, retrieving her swords. "I have to go check on my house guest anyway. He seems to be getting a little restless. I hope that you have sweet dreams, Antigone."

"Thank you," Antigone said flatly. She turned around, trying not to run on the way back to her room.

Something about this situation suddenly seemed too convenient to her.

She bumped into Erastos on her way back.

"There you are," he breathed, his face flushed. "I doze off for a second and you manage to slither past me. You scared me to death. Where were you?" He was terrified.

Antigone couldn't breathe. She felt like the walls were closing in and she was trapped in some kind of manic daydream-nightmare.

Erastos immediately recognized that she was having a panic attack and his demeanor instantly changed. "Hey," he said, his voice soft and soothing. "What happened? Are you hurt?" He reached out and let his hands hover over her shoulders, asking for permission before he touched her.

She wrapped her arms tightly around him. "I just need to go back to bed," she whispered. "I feel like I'm going crazy."

Erastos cautiously wrapped his arms around Antigone, giving her a chance to back out of physical contact like he always did. When she tightened her arms around him, he pulled her further against his chest, gentle and soft.

"You're not crazy, Tiggy," he whispered into her hair. "This place is crazy. You're perfect, okay? Nothing is wrong with you."

She knew that she wasn't perfect. There were plenty of things wrong with her, but he embraced her for all that she was and she knew that, so his words were an immense comfort to her.

Still, he didn't understand how she was feeling. He never really did. No one did, and she desperately needed someone who did, especially now.

"I'm gonna go back to sleep now," she said softly. "And if I try to sneak out again, please don't let me."

He chuckled softly into her hair. "You got it, Tiggy."

He carefully guided her back to bed, helping her get situated on her mattress and tucking her in. "Good night, Antigone," he whispered, leaning forward to press his lips gently against her forehead. It lasted briefly. He pulled away seconds later and turned around to leave.

She watched him as he approached the door and opened it, stepping out. Before he left, he turned around and gave her another comforting smile.

To reassure him, she returned the smile and closed her eyes so that he would feel comfortable enough to leave. She heard the door close moments later and opened her eyes again, staring at the ceiling.

Antigone had truly believed that the Widow was acting out of the kindness of her heart. Was she? There was no reason for her to not be doing so. Phoenix territory and Butterfly territory had been allies for a very long time. Sure, their reunion was a little messy, but the Butterflies made up for it by offering them shelter. They were all old friends. Surely Erastos was being paranoid.

Right?

When Antigone closed her eyes, her thoughts began running rampant.

Tilda was no longer a Butterfly. She had left. Minerva said that she and Tilda had wanted different things, but once again, she did not elaborate, and something about that answer seemed odd to Antigone. Minerva and Tilda had always seemed attached at the hip. Now, all of a sudden, they weren't? What was up with that?

Then, there was the boy in the window: M.K.. He had looked so frightened. Minerva said that he wasn't supposed to be upstairs. What was he doing there? And who exactly was he? Minerva had said that he was her house guest, but she had not elaborated. She did not really elaborate on anything at all, it seemed.

But perhaps M.K. had been in need just like Antigone and her Firebirds, so Minerva took him in. That seemed like the most likely answer. Minerva seemed like the type to do that.

But then, why did he seem so frightened? Why did he hide when Minerva saw him?

What exactly happened to Tilda and why had so many of the Butterflies been replaced?

None of it made any sense to Antigone.

Perhaps she just wasn't in her right mind. She was probably being overly paranoid and seeing things. It had happened before and she was already exhausted from running on no sleep for several hours. She just needed to get some rest.

When she finally fell asleep, her slumber was far from peaceful. She kept seeing her sister in her dreams, always out of her reach, no matter how hard she tried.

She woke up the next morning feeling like she had awoken from a realistic drawn-out nightmare. Something about last night made her feel like she was in The Twilight Zone, an old television show that was famous in the Old World.

Antigone and her family had access to certain technology from the Old World and loved studying history. Years ago, Antigone and Ismene had found an old tape of The Twilight Zone in their library and asked their parents if they could all watch it together one afternoon. Their parents were a little apprehensive, but eventually agreed. The show had featured ordinary people in extraordinary situations. In the show, the day would start out normal. Then, events would progressively become weirder and more jarring, but the changes were so subtle and the setting was so ordinary that no one could pinpoint exactly what was so odd about it. Each episode often ended in an unexpected twist, usually fantastical, but it always held some sort of moral. The moralistic aspect of the show was why Antigone's parents had agreed to let her and her sister watch it. They thought that at least Antigone and Ismene would learn from it, especially in the world that they lived in. Nothing was ever as it seemed and it was important to always be cautious.

Now, Antigone wished that she could get straight to the moral in her current situation, because all of the in-between was starting to freak her out.

She slid out of bed and went through the motions: shower. Groom. Dress. Now, she was to go through the planned events for the day. Hopefully, Erastos would help her with that like he always did. She wasn't sure that she was in the state of mind to organize and plan. After she was completely ready, she braced herself and opened the door.

The light was blinding. She didn't remember it being so bright before.

She suddenly realized that Erastos was no longer there, which should not have frightened her as much as it did. He usually always patrolled the palace grounds while she slept and early in the morning, and he was overly paranoid about being in Butterfly territory, so he probably wanted to look around again.

However, he had been so eager to stand guard at her door the other night. Why would he leave while she was still in bed?

Cue the theme to The Twilight Zone that began ringing in her ears.

Its eery screeching melody that had been ingrained in her mind came to the surface of her thoughts per this very odd situation. Usually, the theme brought back happy memories, but there was always an ere of caution in her mind when she remembered it. It was as if her parents' had planned it that way all along. They wanted her to always be cautious and prepared for any situation that was thrown her way.

Now, however, she did not feel like it was helping at all. It just stressed her out and made her even more confused than she already was.

Had last night been a dream? Was she dreaming right now?

She became so lost in her thoughts that she did not realize someone rushing straight towards her until they bumped into her. "I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't see you-". She stopped.

It was M.K., the boy who she had seen in the window last night.

He barely looked at her before his eyes, dark brown and bloodshot, began darting nervously around the room. She had no time to get a good look at him or even say another word before he rushed past her, zooming across the halls like he was being chased by a terrifying monster.

She watched him run and suddenly felt compelled to follow him. Her feet acted before her thoughts did and she began following him, running at a pace quick enough to keep up with him, but not so quick that she would draw attention to either of them. He glanced behind him, probably to see if he was still being followed, and met her eyes again.

Fear.

But fear of what? Fear of whom?

Immediately, he turned his head and quickened his pace. He turned a corner.

She followed swiftly, but as soon as she turned the corner, Minerva was right there, smiling at her.

Antigone's heart dropped. She felt like she was in a scene from a horror film and Minerva was the villain.

But why was Minerva the villain? She was supposed to be Antigone's hero.

"Good morning, Antigone," Minerva said, that same cool and collected smile on her face from before.

Before.

When was before?

It was almost as if Minerva's tone was the same, too.

Antigone opened her mouth to say something.

Something.

What was she going to say?

She had forgotten.

"I hope that you slept well," Minerva continued, almost as if she had her words rehearsed. "Your Firebirds have been lovely company."

Antigone was not sure how to respond. The proper response would have been "Thank you, Minerva. I slept very well and my Firebirds greatly enjoy your company just the same."

But why would saying that feel wrong to Antigone all of a sudden?

This did not seem like a true "Good morning" message from Minerva. Something about it was off.

Apparently, Antigone took too long to respond, because Minerva continued speaking. "May I ask where you were going just now?" she asked. "You seemed to be in quite a rush."

Antigone's eyes flickered behind Minerva to see where M.K. went.

He was gone.

"I was just...looking for someone," Antigone stuttered.

"Who?"

"Um...". Antigone suddenly did not know how to respond. She did not feel comfortable telling the truth for some reason, but she also did not want to lie to Minerva.

"I was looking for Erastos," she said. That wasn't a lie. She had originally been looking for Erastos and technically, she still was.

"Ah yes," Minerva said, smiling. "Your ever so loyal regent. He was up about an hour earlier than you making sure that things were extra secure for your safety. He and I were discussing alliances."

This peaked Antigone's interest. "Alliances?"

"Indeed. I believe that an official armistice between Butterfly territory and Phoenix territory would be quite beneficial, but your regent seems adamantly against it." Minerva smiled. "It's only an offer. You have permanent sanctuary with us for as long as you need, regardless of if we fight side by side or not. Just know that you always have the option of an armistice."

An alliance with Butterfly territory sounded amazing. Didn't it? Shouldn't it have sounded amazing?

Antigone did not know or care about that right now. For some reason, following M.K. was all that was on her mind.

It was better than standing there talking to Minerva.

But why?

Antigone didn't understand.

Maybe she just needed to go back to bed. She was extremely sleep deprived anyway.

"Apologies, Minerva," she said, scratching her head. "I...haven't been sleeping well. I don't think that I'm in any condition to be having this discussion."

Minerva smiled again. "Of course, Antigone. No need to apologize. Your health and safety are most important."

Antigone smiled faintly and nodded. "Um, I think that I'm gonna go back to bed."

"Of course, Antigone," Minerva said, nodding. "Sweet dreams."

Antigone turned around, but just as she was walking away, Minerva spoke, "Oh! Antigone?"

Antigone stopped in her tracks. "Yes?"

"Would you like to sit in on one of my Butterfly training sessions this evening? We'd be honored to have you."

Antigone did not really have time to sit in on a training session. She turned around. "With all due respect, Minerva," she began. "The refugees from my territory still don't know where to find the rest of us. All of our resources are back at our territory which is occupied. We don't really have time for pleasantries."

"About that," Minerva began. "A small army of my Butterflies have gone to fetch your refugees. They all survived and we have a camp for them set up near Butterfly territory. We meant it when we said that you were in good hands."

Antigone could hardly believe her ears. That was wonderful news, but it had happened too easily. Things were never this easy in the Badlands. There was always a catch.

It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge.

"Antigone?"

Antigone was looking at Minerva, but she wasn't listening. Rod Stewart's quotes echoed in her mind and she felt like she was suspended between reality and fantasy. "Hm?" she asked.

"Would you like to sit in on one of my training sessions?" Minerva asked again. "It's all right if you don't. I only wanted to offer."

Sitting in on a Butterfly training session sounded fun and would probably be beneficial, but Antigone was still unsure. "Perhaps I should run it by Erastos first," she said.

Minerva smiled. "Of course. Let me know what you decide." She turned and walked away, her heels clicking with every step.

Somehow, each click echoed louder and louder in Antigone's ears, like it was banging against her head.

Man, I really need some sleep, she thought.

She took a deep breath, smoothed out her hair, and waited until Minerva was completely gone. Then, she decided to follow M.K. instead. Her curiosity got the better of her.

She turned the corner and looked around for him. He was nowhere to be seen, but she assumed that he must have gone up the forbidden staircase. She wondered if Minerva knew that he went up there again.

It was as if the staircase was calling to Antigone, taunting her, begging her to climb it, but before she could give in, she heard Erastos ask from behind her, "Tiggy, are you okay?"

She whirled around to find Erastos looking her over with worry. He was always worried about her, and with her current situation, it was reasonable for him to be extra worried.

However, he was looking at her as if she was a puzzle that he could not quite solve.

Everyone always seemed to look at her like that. Would she ever meet someone who would look at her and just see Antigone?

"I'm okay," she said slowly. "Just tired."

He frowned and his hands hovered over her shoulders. "Talk to me," he whispered.

"Is this a dream?" she asked. "Am I dreaming?"

He smiled and gently pinched her cheek between his fingers. "No."

She clearly felt the pinch and rubbed her cheek in return, suppressing a smile. "Oh really? Then where are we right now?"

"Butterfly territory."

"What room are we in?"

"The hallway."

"What color are the flags?"

"Blue."

"But-".

"With Butterfly symbols on them."

She looked around.

He was right.

Slowly, she felt herself start to relax.

She looked at him again. "I feel better now. What's on the agenda for today?"

"I really think that you should rest," he said honestly. "Not all day, but for a little bit. It doesn't seem like you slept well."

"I'm fine." She straightened her posture. "I have to get ready to meet with the Butterflies this afternoon. I was going to run it by you first."

This seemed to unnerve him. "You're having a meeting with the Butterflies? Why?"

"Minerva invited me to sit in on a training session."

He crossed his arms. "Just sit and watch?"

"Yes. Of course, I have to take care of my duties beforehand, but I need to make time for the meeting."

"What about our refugees?"

"Minerva and her Butterflies set up a camp for them near Butterfly territory. They all survived."

Erastos's face fled with relief. "Thank the Gods." He wasn't religious, but his parents used to be. When he praised the Gods, that typically meant he was extra thankful or really hopeless depending on the circumstance.

"You spoke with Minerva, didn't you?" she asked.

"No," he deadpanned. "I spoke with one of her Butterflies. Cleo. She mentioned a refugee camp, but she never really confirmed anything. It felt like I was playing twenty questions."

"I haven't found any evidence that would help us discover who attacked Phoenix territory yet," Antigone said.

"One of the Clippers that I fought was from Armadillo territory," Erastos said.

"But I ran into some who were wearing Fox territory uniforms."

"Were they all wearing different uniforms?"

Antigone bit her lip, what she always did when she was in deep thought. "They were."

Erastos's face paled. "Well...this is an entirely different issue then."

Indeed it was. That could have meant any number of things. The two most likely answers were one: a group of Clippers from the same territory dressed in different uniforms for the assassination in order to create confusion, or two: different Clippers from various territories banded together for the same assassination.

Either way, whatever it was, it was bad and very dangerous.

"Yes," Antigone said. "Shall I alert Minerva? Surely she can help."

"No," Erastos said quickly. "No. Not right now. Let's play it by ear. Continue with the plan. Our first priority is the safety of our refugees."

"I think that I'll meet with Minerva first and see where that goes," Antigone said, feeling slightly overwhelmed.

"Okay," Erastos said softly, recognizing how overwhelmed she was. "Will you please try to rest a little bit? At least lay down? You look so tired."

She sighed, "But-".

"Just for a few minutes?"

She couldn't argue. She was exhausted and she needed rest if she wanted to be at her best for her meeting with Minerva. "Just for a few minutes," she gave in.

He smiled and pat her shoulder. "Thank you so much."

"Yeah, yeah," she said, waving him off as she trudged back to bed. "One of these days, I'm gonna make you take a well-deserved nap, ya hear?"

"Oh, I bet you will!"

"Don't patronize me!"

He laughed as she back to her room, smiling to himself as she went to bed.

When Antigone settled down for her nap, she fell asleep much easier than she expected to. She had another dream, the same dream with her sister in it. However, this time, two new people appeared: Minerva and M.K.. Antigone was speaking to Minerva, seemingly about something mundane, but M.K. was in the background, staring at Antigone, his eyes wide with fear.

Antigone's sister Ismene was running in the exact opposite direction.

Immediately, Antigone took off running in the direction of her sister, but just like before, Ismene moved further and further away the more that Antigone ran.

Suddenly, Ismene stopped and Antigone was just inches away from her.

Knock knock!

"Antigone? Are you ready for the session?" Minerva's voice echoed in Antigone's ears against the knocking of the door.

Antigone's eyes flew open. She was awake. Minerva was knocking on her door.

"Hello, Antigone," Minerva chirped. "Apologies if I woke you. Are you ready to sit in on one of our Butterfly training sessions?"

For a moment, Antigone did not understand what Minerva was talking about. Then, she remembered. "Oh! Yes, of course. I'm sorry, I fell asleep." She stumbled out of bed and over to the mirror to tidy herself up.

"Take your time, dear," Minerva said kindly from behind the door. "It's no rush. There was a change of plans today anyway."

Antigone stopped abruptly. "A change of plans?"

"Yes. My Butterflies have been caught up in a complicated trade deal with another territory, so, today, I'm going to formally introduce you to my house guest."

"M.K.?"

"Yes. I believe that he'll be beneficial in helping you learn different training techniques."

The abrupt change of plans startled Antigone, especially since she was used to having a set schedule, but she couldn't complain. She would have been so disorganized if it weren't for Erastos.

"Okay," she said slowly. "Are we meeting at the same place?"

"Indeed. The Butterfly training room. Take your time. If you have to cancel, it's no issue. Just let me know." The clicking of Minerva's heels signaled that she was walking away.

Antigone sighed, rubbing her head. She still felt like something was off. No matter how much she rested, she never seemed to feel completely content. Something was off, but what? What was making her feel so strange?

She did not even realize when she finished dressing for her meeting with M.K. and Minerva. She simply found herself walking into the Butterfly training room as if she was playing a part in a movie.

Minerva, of course, was already there and spoke right on cue. "Antigone, you made it," she chirped.

"I wouldn't have missed this for the world," Antigone replied immediately, as if she had been rehearsing for this moment for months. She smiled, bright and polite, without even meaning to, and asked, "Will M.K. still be joining us?"

Minerva smiled, but something about her smile made Antigone feel uneasy.

"Certainly," Minerva said. She looked behind Antigone and called out, "Come on out, M.K.! Don't be shy!"

Antigone turned around to see if M.K. was entering, but he was nowhere to be found.

Minerva cleared her throat. "M.K.," she said sternly. She sounded almost angry, which, for some reason, frightened Antigone.

It must have shown on her face, because when Minerva looked at her, she smiled. "Sorry," Minerva said, clearing her throat. "He's very stubborn." She called for M.K. again, but her tone was much different and more friendly. "M.K., we don't want to keep our guest waiting," she said, almost in a sing-song tone.

Slowly, M.K. came creeping into the training room, stopping immediately at the doorway. The first thing that Antigone noticed was how unhealthy he seemed. He was very well-built, as if he had been training for several weeks, but he looked extremely malnourished. He almost looked too well-built for someone of his small size. He also seemed to be having trouble breathing, for she noticed him taking short labored breaths and leaning against the wall to steady himself.

"There he is," Minerva said, pleased.

"Oh my God," Antigone muttered under her breath where only Minerva could hear. "Is he all right?"

"Oh, don't worry about him," Minerva said dismissively. "He tires out easily. He also insists on training past his limit. He's a runt."

M.K. snarled at Minerva, but his expression quickly changed back to normal when she smiled at him.

Something about that smile...

"M.K., this is Antigone," Minerva said. "She's the Baron of Phoenix territory."

M.K. made his way forward, scanning Antigone with his dark bloodshot eyes. Strands of his dark brown, almost black, hair fell loosely in front of his eyes. She noticed that he was hobbling ever so slightly. Was he injured? Or was he just exhausted? Clearly something terrible had happened to him.

He stopped a polite distance away from her, his judgmental eyes boring into her concerned ones. "I know who you are," he said, but his tone was full of nothing but curiosity. "You're Antigone." His voice made him sound like he was on the brink of death.

Couldn't Minerva see that he needed help?

"Yes," Antigone said, her tone cautious but friendly. "That's me. You must be M.K., correct?"

He nodded, but did not give a verbal reply.

"M.K. is my house guest," Minerva said. "I found him in the woods in need of my help and decided to take him under my wing. He took it upon himself to train as one of my Clippers. He's been a big help."

As soon as Minerva said this, M.K. shot her look that Antigone could not pinpoint. Disbelief, perhaps?

Before Antigone had a chance to see Minerva's reaction, M.K. gave a breathy laugh, one that seemed filled with sarcasm and disbelief. "Yeah. Okay. Thanks for your help. Minerva."

Antigone turned her head to look at Minerva. She barely caught a glimpse of what seemed to be a glare before M.K. spoke, "Antigone."

Antigone turned her head to look at him, feeling dizzy all of a sudden. She felt like she was being pulled in a million different directions at once.

"It's nice to meet you, Antigone," M.K. said. "I'm M.K.."

"You as well, M.K.," Antigone said, as if it was second nature to her.

M.K. tilted his head, a smug smile tugging at his lips. "Hey, I have a question for you."

"And what is that?"

"Aren't you a little young to be a Baron?"

Antigone felt her face turn red. She wasn't sure how or why, but she was fully awake now, ready for a fight.

Questioning Antigone's position of authority based on her gender, her age, or both, was one of the most effective ways to make her angry. "Aren't you a little small to be a Clipper?" she retorted.

M.K.'s lips stretched out into a wide grin.

Antigone did not know it then, but she would eventually find out that that was the first time that M.K. had genuinely smiled in weeks.

"You got me there," he admitted. "Now let's make this a fair fight." He glanced behind Antigone at Minerva, his eyes full of hatred.

Antigone turned around to see Minerva tossing two swords in his direction. He caught them swiftly by the hilt in each hand. Then, he looked at Antigone.

Before Antigone could gather her thoughts, M.K. was tossing one of the swords straight towards her. She caught it by reflex, gripping its golden hilt tightly in her hand and examining its long silver blade. She looked at M.K. again and he was already in a fencing stance.

"Are we sparring now," Antigone asked. "With swords?"

M.K. shrugged. "If you're not too chicken."

Antigone knew better than to let just anyone ruffle her feathers, but this boy was asking for it, and she sensed a hint of playfulness in his demeanor. "Okay, Scrappy Doo," she said, grinning as she positioned herself into a fencing stance.

He grinned again, equally caught off-guard and amused by the nickname.

Antigone smirked. "It's on."