Any Other Way

Summary: Bobby never wanted Mark or Courtney to become involved. But they did, so that's over. Or is it? What happens when he must choose between one of them? And what implications does this hold for the future? Yaoi slash, don't like don't read.

Chapter One: Extended Camping Trip

Author's Note: This is purely fictional, not set during any specific Pendragon book (those are complicated enough without my help. Just know that it's before KEM, before dados, but sometime after Veelox. Kay? No storyline involved. I don't own anything, except my laptop and my excuse for an imagination.

"Cyahtvla!" Saint Dane had screamed into the flume. Defeated once again, the demon had fled into the time-space continuum.

"What now?" A breathless Courtney Chetwynde asked. They were standing at a fork in the road. Bobby didn't take time to analyze the situation. Instead, he stepped up the the flume.

"Second Earth!" He said confidently. "No way I'm putting you two in danger again."

Courtney opened her mouth to protest, but before she could say a word Mark Dimond stepped up. It was an awkward gesture, but it communicated what was meant. Resigned, Courtney followed Bobby and Mark into the flume. The colors and sights whirled around them once more, but the young acolyte couldn't enjoy them as she first had. They were going to be left back on Earth, left alone like before. Why did this bother her? Maybe that taste of adventure was too much for Courtney. Mark didn't seem to have a problem with it.

"What are you doing?" Her voice was peevish. She didn't like any progressive action, because it all meant Bobby was leaving soon. The pen in his hand never stopped moving, though.

"Something I should have been doing all along."

"Which is?" She hadn't meant to sound so testy. She looked to Mark for support, but he was lost in space, staring out the window as if the world he saw would vanish if he took his eyes off it for one instant.

"I'm writing a letter of introduction to the acolyte on Cyahvtla. I want to know more about this territory, before I go in. Can't afford to be surprised on this one." His voice rose as he read aloud.

"To the Cyahtvlan Acolyte:

Greetings from Second Earth! This is Bobby Pendragon, Lead Traveler. I m about to join you very shortly, but I need to know the ways of your territory. In short, what is happening there that could cause a conflict? Also, what are your customs? Do you live in desert, jungle, city, or by water? Are you human, or some other intelligent creature? Sorry if this seems crazy, but if you know anything about Traveling, you know it can be unpredictable. I'm just trying to get an angle on Cyahtvla before I arrive.

Sincerely,

Bobby Pendragon"

There was a tense silence. Mark had come away from the window and stood behind Courtney, and the two friends watched Bobby's face. He seemed outwardly stoic, but they knew him better. Once again it was Courtney who spoke.

"It's a little distant, but I guess that makes sense. After all, we don't know if this guy's on our side, or..." her voice trailed off pathetically.

"Yea," Bobby agreed, "I just want information. I'm not about to say, "Oh, by the way, there's a sadistic demon on his way to destroy your territory." I'm not retarded."

"I never said you were! Chill out, Bobby!" But it was evident that she was the one who needed cooling down. Instead of speaking, Bobby activated his ring and sent the letter on its way.

"Here goes nothing."

It was several minutes before they had a reply. Several long, anxious minutes, wherein Courtney paced, Mark picked up a newspaper and locked his gaze on the same place, and Bobby tried unsuccessfully to keep his eyes trained on one spot in the room. When at last the ring activated again, all three jumped and hurried to the table to read the accompanying piece of paper.

It was written in flourishing handwriting, the kind seen in Shakespearean plays. Bobby groaned to see that every S was written as an F, which highly complicated things.

"Hello, and hail to the Lead Traveler! I am Katya, acolyte to Speaker, our Traveler here in Cyahtvla. I apologize for the alias, but it is necessary in our profession. I must explain the state of affairs here in Cyahtvla.

Very recently, our government has reverted from an advanced democracy to a dictatorship. An oligarchy, to be exact. The State has demanded the immediate industrialization of our capitol city, which until a year ago was the cultural center of our world. Now the arts have been replaced with crude technology, and many art forms have been banned. We are the Underground, the resistance movement. I cannot explain everything on paper, so I'll close now.

Oh! A request from Speaker. Bring your acolyte. We will prepare accomodations for you and him or her in our hideout, as well as two of our Hiilos for transportation.

Looking forward to meeting you!

~Katya von Itaelik"

The signature was curly and embellished, as was most of the letter. But it was the command that attracted their attention. Everyone spoke at once.

"Bring your acolyte? Who the hell--" - Courtney

"Why is he called--" - Mark

"How long has--" - Bobby

Immediately they stopped and simultaneously apologized: "Sorry! Go ahead."

Bobby began to speak again, but Courtney verbalized his intent.

"Who are you going to take?" He was quiet.

"Why do you have to choose?" Mark asked quietly. "But if you need to, you should take Courtney."

He looked down at the floor, as if to affirm his unspoken assertion that she would be more aggressive, more useful in their journey. Bobby did nothing for a full minute. Then he looked past them, at the teal kitchen wall, and said,

"I'm going to Cyahtvla, and Mark is coming with me."