Board Thread:Fun and Games/@comment-36570662-20190114194829/@comment-34572969-20190123200627

Katina

Great. Just great. I find out that apparently Ari has disappeared, Kate's in the hospital, and I can't seem to get anything in my life under control.

“Is she...okay?” Rita asked Aidan once we had found out, voicing everyone's thoughts.

“I don’t know, I just got this letter and she wants us to come and get Devil and not worry about her." Aidan seemed concerned, but is was obvious that he just didn't want to worry us.

And she...actually expects us to do that?

"As if I’m not going to worry about my best friend being in the hospital, yeah right. Let’s get going. No breakfast, grab some fruit and mount up!” Rita yelled out. I turned to Flame who was sitting on my shoulder like a parrot, an eyebrow raised.

"I can't seem to get a decent breakfast around here, can I?" I muttered to myself. Flame gave me a disapproving squawk, repeating that the breakfasts- or lack thereof- I had been having weren't apparently good enough.

"Listen, I promise I'll get something to eat later. Kate's in the hospital, we're gonna have to just go."

Flame huffed, grabbed me an apple, and we ran out of the clubhouse. I was immediately met with the others on their dragons, namely Rita, who helped me onto her dragon so we could set off.

Once we got to the hospital, she was the first one to rush up to Kate in her bed, bombarding her with questions and looking like she was on the brink of a panic attack. Although she reassured us that she was, I didn't believe for a single second thay Kate was okay, and niether did any of the other Guardians. She was, in short, a hot mess.

We asked her what happened, though we didn't exactly get the answers we would have wanted.

"I- I- I had another fight...with another family member," she stuttered, stroking Devil for comfort. I stiffled a gasp. Why was she always getting into drama like this?

"Why, can't you just have a normal life Kate?" Rita whined, saying what I had been thinking.

"I guess not."

Isla spoke up next. "Well, we have some news too. Though, I'm afraid to say it."

"Ar is missing," I blurted out. I couldn't help it. We needed to get it out of the way. Kate raised an eyebrow.

"Great. I'm put in the hospital by Roel, and then a Guardian goes missing. This is just peachy," she exclaimed.

I spotted Aud pull a nurse aside. I couldn't help but overhear them- and yes, it was because I was eavesdropping. I heard Kate and Aidan talking about something in the background, though I didn't seem to hear.

"What happened to her?" I heard Aud ask.

The nurse sighed. “We don’t know. We got her like this with no information. Looks like she was in a duel with someone. Most of the visible gashes you see are sword cuts...we can’t explain who or why. I’m sorry," she stated. I silently whinced to myself. It sounded like she was in a lot of pain.

The majority of left soon after, with the exception of Rita who decided to stay with Kate. It was my turn to patrol after Aud, and since I didn't have a dragon to ride with, I had the pleasure of using the various ziplines and stairs.

Me and Flame walked in mostly silence, only with the occasional squawk of alarm from Flame or rustling from the bushes (only to find it was either some wild Terrors or some squirrels or birds). I thought back to Kate in her hospital bed. She looked so...vulnerable. Hurt. Restless. She seemed like she felt useless.

"Do you ever feel useless?" I asked into the chilly winter air. Flame made some sort of sound of confusion as I sighed.

"You know, just...powerless? Helpless? Like there's no escape?"

The Terrible Terror squawked. It seemed like a no from him. He landed onto my head and peered down to me, as if to ask, "Have you?"

I let out a hollow laugh. "I know I did. Remeber just after we'd bonded? When Jack showed up? I told you to bite him on the nose?" I questioned the dragon. He made some sort of sound resembling laughter at the memory. "It was him. I'd entered the Trials about...what, four years ago? I didn't get a dragon. I know, crazy, right?" I added on sarcastically. Flame rubbed my cheek in sympathy.

"Anyway, he was basically the source of all my unhappiness those years. I hated it and him. I felt like there wasn't much of a way out, you know? Well, at least...that's until I got you."

The Terror squawked in pride, although he still seemed confused. I chuckled.

"Well, Jack stopped bullying me as much. I gained some confidence- heck, I'm a Guardian now!"

Just then, we heard a rattle from the bushes. A small bird jumped out, and Flame was quick to chase it away with a stream of fire aimed at the creature. It promptly flew away.

"...plus, I get some extra protection."