Chapter 22

"What's up Mitchell?" Alicia said, using Michael's nickname. She remembered Chelsea had asked them what they thought were the ugliest names, Alicia had said Stanley and Michael said he wasn't a fan of the name Mitchell. Which was a bad thing to say in front of Alicia, she had officially proclaimed that day that Michael's nickname would be Mitchell, he didn't seem to mind too much, though.

Michael smiled at her and responded, "Nothing much, Leech." She wrinkled her nose at his response. Of course, since she had made up a ridiculous name for him, he had to make one up for her, too. Eh-LEE-sh-ah apparently to him sounded like "leech", so that exact same day he had proclaimed that her nickname would be Leech.

It was their turn to clean blades. All Headquarters had a circulations of chores to do around the place. Yesterday, Alicia had to help clean, do the laundry and polish bloodied, raggedy, sweat-filled gear, which was not a fun job at all. Michael grabbed a chair and a rag which had some Safrong wax on it and started on a Kindgel blade.

Alicia sat down as well with a sigh and got her rag out, dipping into the bucket of Safrong wax, which made the blades shiny and clean. She was never one to do dirty work like this, in fact she hated it, she would much rather go out and kill some things for adrenaline. But because Willow was here, she couldn't even go outside for fresh air.

"So, you know how the Midsummer's Shade Ball is coming up in two days?" She said casually, Michael was never one for "girl talks" but he listened to her, which was nice of him. She could talk to him about whatever she wanted--periods, sex, pregnancy--and he wouldn't care, he wasn't like those awkward Ganashes where you even mention the slightest thing about females and they panic. Chris was the same as Michael, so she had suspicions that it was her fault they weren't grossed out or anything.

Michael rolled his eyes, "Cleaning blades always make you gossip," he teased her. Even though he was messing with her, it was true. Cleaning blades was a boring, tedious job and it was the job that she talked the most with. She was a naturally talkative person, but cleaning blades seemed to amplify it.

She smiled innocently and rubbed the blade she was cleaning harder, there was a stupid blood stain that wasn't coming off. "Let me guess, every Ganash girl has asked you to go with them?" Michael rolled his eyes, even though she was right. He was the type of guy that seemed to get every other girl to look at him. Every year it was the same, girls (and men, for that fact) would run up to him and beg him to come with them. It was rather stupid, considering his situation, but she guessed the only reason they would want him to come with them is to show off. No girl had ever got Michael to even glance at them for more than a second, so having him dance with you would surely be an item of gossip; Ganashes like Kopors were always up for a good, juicy subject to giggle about. Well, all the girls had never gotten his attention till now...

Michael looked up at her, "And all who did were very stupid, it seems girls never learn." His tone was light and bouncy, but she knew he really meant it.

Alicia furrowed her eyebrows, "They probably didn't want you to like them, they probably just wanted to get you into a bed." She momentarily wondered if he hadn't been bound would he go with their girls. Right now, he had the risk of falling in love with them, which was the reason he dodged the relationships like bullets. But if he hadn't been bound, would he go with one of them?

Michael nodded at what she had said, "Stupid, like I said. It seems none of them have life preservation in their systems."

Alicia laughed, "As long as we're the center of attention, we don't have life preservation."

There was a question, that was nagging her like an itch in the back of her head. He had avoided all relationships like bullets, but there was one girl he hadn't avoided at all, he had actually grown attached to. She was nervous to bring the subject up, though. Very nervous. "So, since the sexist pig isn't coming to the ball," She said the words slowly, dragging them out syllable by syllable, letting the each and every letter sink into his head. She knew very well that Michael understood who the 'sexist pig' was. He never minded that she insulted Katrina, mostly because, if he could, he would too. Chelsea and Chris were always giving her nicknames, for the benefit of Michael not them. "Who are you going with?" She asked, this time, the words popped out, almost slurring into one mumbled sentenced.

He looked at her in surprise, as if he couldn't believe she had asked him such a question, "Nobody, obviously."

"What about Willow?" The words spilled out of her mouth like a dam bursting. She had never wanted to mention the name, but here it was.

"Willow?" He jumped, literally, jumped. For a moment he didn't answer, just looked at her in surprise...and anger. It wasn't directed towards her, it was directed towards himself. As if he were angry that he had let it show that he cared about a little more than he should.

"Yeah...Willow. Short, black hair, grey eyes, very pretty." Alicia replied, trying to keep the tone light and bouncy as it had been when he first entered.

"Why in the world would I take Willow?" He replied, returning to cleaning the blade, obviously trying to keep himself busy so that he didn't have to make eye contact with Willow. His voice was slightly muffled at the next sentence, "You think she's pretty?"

Alicia nodded, "Prettier than the sexist pig. And I've noticed you noticing she's pretty, so don't say you haven't noticed." She dropped her voice at the last sentence, and hoped he hadn't heard it.

Whether he had heard it or not, he just shrugged, which was very uncharacteristic of him.

"And that's why you've been taking her on 'dates'." She wanted him to admit he cared about her. She didn't know exactly why, though. Maybe it was because she was a sucker for forbidden love, or maybe it was just to see his eyes light up like they always did when he spoke of her. He deserved the girl that made his eyes light up like a child looking at a whole bunch of presents at Christmas. She wanted him to enjoy the time he had with her, talk about her freely before that freedom would slip through his fingers like water.

Michael looked up, his eyes weren't alight, though. He had a poker face on, but Alicia knew how to read through it, under the casual eyes was a layer of sadness. She immediately wished she hadn't mentioned Willow at all. "Dates? They weren't dates, I was just being nice." He said, his voice portraying his fake emotions. "Willow is just more interesting, that's why I hang out with her."

Alicia didn't say anything in response and wished Chelsea was here. Chelsea was always good at soothing raging emotions. She was like those drugs they give you in the UpperWorld, she had a way with words that relaxed you.

She sighed after a moment of silence, "When's Katrina coming home?"

"About a week after the ball." Michael replied, his voice tinging annoyance, he didn't want her to return.

Neither did she.

* * * * * * * *

"Willow, you're taking it too fast." Michael said calmly. "Stop to aim."

He was attempting to teach her how to use a bow and arrow. It wasn't going well.

Willow pulled the string back and shot.

The bow wavered and the string hit her arm, which was already raw from all the times the string snapped at it. The arrow wavered in the air, than hit the wall a couple feet away from the target.

Michael and Willow sighed in unison. "Why can't I just shoot with my powers? It would be simpler and more effective." Although her powers weren't very strong, they were better than her stupid attempts at the bow and arrow. Michael made it seem easy when he had demonstrated it for her, but it was much more difficult than it looked.

"Our world is much more different than yours." He said. "Your powers don't work on a lot of creatures. It'll just bounce off of them as they laugh at you.”

"Oh." Willow said, a vague sense of disappointment in her chest. It would have been simpler to use her powers. Her powers were like an instinct, although she was never trained in them, she knew how to use them quite well. There was a time in the UpperWorld where Amnesians were dominant in the Faery world, they ruled over everybody and were even torturers. Then the Amnesian Revolution came and everything changed, Amnesians and all the other Faery creatures were set free. Since Amnesians live a thousand years, there are still people around the talk about it.

Willow attempted once again to pull the string back, she took a deep breath and let it go, nothing happened.

"Do you ever," Willow started to ask. "Do you ever wonder that maybe, just maybe Machire can be...I don't know...talked to?" The question had spun in her head for ages. But, she never had the guts to say it up, fearing she might sound stupid and someone might laugh at her.

Michael didn't laugh, though. He looked thoughtful for a moment. “Maybe...though I highly doubt it. We've tried, of course, but he might listen to you...”

Willow didn't even get the chance to ask him why he would listen to her as opposed to everyone else. She knew she was his daughter and all, but she was starting to feel like that wouldn't give her an advantage.

The doors had burst open and Chelsea had ran in, her a wild tangle and mess. Her eyes were filled with urgency and alertness.

"There you are, Michael!" Chelsea said urgently, taking a brief glance at Willow before turning to Michael. "Cirestains sending us all to the FerLands Ganash HQ, there was an attack inside the Headquarter, they killed nine and stole all the portals.” She said it businesslike, her voice clipped and to the point.

Michael was immediately in fight mode, "Who's they?" His eyes were focused, his casual posture gone.

"Some Bolesgire, Carevevs and some Elves."

"Elves?" He asked, his eyes widening slightly. "Since when do they hold a grudge against us?"

"They're probably working for Machire." Chelsea said while yanking weapons and stuffing them in her belts. Michael already had weapons on them and Chelsea was done in seconds. Before Willow could even blink, she was alone in the room.

The Headquarter was in flames by the time Michael, Alicia, Chelsea and Chris got to the FerLands.