Chapter 17

I sat in the jet excited by my efforts to save the victims. It felt really good, I would have to admit. B.O.B. slimed over to me, and held his hand up. I walked over to him, and slapped him a tough high five. "You rock Lucy. I have never seen anyone do a stunt like that. YOU ARE THE BOMB!" I smiled, and jumped up we bumped chests . . . well a chest, and a blob like substance where a chest should be, anyway. I was ecstatic, and the others were watching me jump up and down ecstatically. Finally I calmed down and took a seat next to Susan.

I ran my hands through my red hair, grinning excitedly. The boys, and Susan smiled in my direction. A big breath escaped my throat. "Wow. Can you believe all this?" I said nudging Susan. She was proudly smiling, and patted my head. I clapped my hands together. "I mean, we took Valoos down like that. Susan you slammed Valoos down like that!" I swung my hand through the air. "That was unbelievable. Link!" I turned towards him. "Dude, you got that can do attitude! I've never seen anything like that. You got the victims out through the forest, and if I'm correct an few admirers." I looked through the window, and saw a bunch of girls clamouring toward the window swooning Link's name. He looked at the window, and shrugged. I think I saw a smile creep up onto his face. What a ladies man-er monster. "B.O.B. That was awesome how you blocked those arrows. I still can't believe you could do that. That was amazing." Last but not least, I turned towards the bug that was there every step of the way. "Doc." I whispered. "You were spectacular. You rescued my cousin, and then were willing to go down with me. I can't thank you enough." I wrapped my arms around him, and hugged him tighter than I thought I could. Considering my light weight, I knew it was inferior to the others.

Link nodded his head, and grinned. "Well, Ginger, I would say that it was because you earned your wings, that was the reason you were flying. That was a great feat to sacrifice your life, for your cousin."

I had barely taken into consideration my own feats. Doc nodded. "It's true. You did more than half of what we could do. I have never seen you like that my dear." I blushed darkly, and thought that they were just trying to flatter me. I appreciated them.

I was frightened of what lay before me. I could hardly stand it. I stood out in my feild of sheep. Doc, B.O.B., and Link stood around me, Susan stand behind me, as Insecto was right next to her. Doc looked at me, smiling assurance to me. I didn't know how my family would react. How would they feel? Would they get upset with me? scared? proud? It was time. I grabbed Doc, and Link's hands. Suddenly I had feeling to run.

I had taken a deep breath, and clutched the door knob and slowly twisted it. Suddenly Doc walked infront of me, and grabbed both my hands. They looked at the large cabin with a bit of surprise. I had known that it did seem pretty large compared to other houses, but it was a farm house after all. It was quiet. A bit too quiet for my family. Though I was a bit calm and collected, my family would know of a visitor. The three that could fit inside had walked in, and looked around. The nice light wooden walls had seemed beautiful since there were so many windows. The house seemed to almost be open. Doc's eyes were big and surprised. Link's eyes were admiring the size of the house. B.O.B. had looked at the small pictures on the table. It was funny how the family all had dark brown hair, and mine was the redest color imaginable. I heard heavy footsteps coming up from the basement.

My brother had come up from the basement, and he was carrying a box of tools. He stopped briefly, scanning his eyes over all of us. They all looked at him smiling a nervous smile. They didn't know what to expect, and quite honestly neither did I. He suddenly dropped his box of tools and ran down the stairs. That seemed like a good time to turn and run, I turned towards the door, but Link grabbed me by the wing, and didn't let me escape. When I turned back, I saw my mother and father rise from the circular stairs. My father looked at me like he didn't know what to think. My mother had looked at me as if I had made an awful mistake. My brother was still staring at me surprised, but I didn't tell if it were a good surprised or a bad surprised.

B.O.B. slimed into the center of the room. "Hey. Nice to mee you. The names B.O.B." My mother gasped with terror.

I looked at the others, and they didn't attempt to frighten my parents any more. They knew that they were more frightening than B.O.B. was.

I looked at them hoping that I would somehow have a way to get to them without frightening them. They looked frightened enough of me. I took a carefull step towards them, and they gasped, and fell backwards near the couch. I was startled by their movements, and pulled back my cautious step. I looked at them as they stared scared of me. "Mom?" I whispered. She jerked back a bit, and closed her eyes shut tight as if I were here to hurt her. Then I looked at my father. "Dad?" He put his arms around my mother looking down. I couldn't believe it. Were my parents actually afraid of what I was? It couldn't be true. When I looked at my older brother Shane, he had totally turned toward me with a scowl.

"Leave us be, Lucy!" He shouted. I had started getting a bit upset. How could they not love me? I had loved them with all my heart, and they couldn't love me for what I was now? I lowered my head, and stared at the floor.

"Fine." I said slowly. "I can take a hint. I guess what I am is nothing in your eyes now." I said biting the inside of my mouth. I had to bite onto something, since I was so upset. I felt my fist clenching till my knuckles turned white. I suddenly turned my head up when Doc tucked my arm into his.

I looked at him, then at my parents. I could hardley believe what had happened. "Come, Lucy. Let's go before they get scared, and try to harm us." He said turning towards the doorway. His vision then went towards the people I called mother, and father, and Shane. His big expressive eyes turned very angry. "Who knows how such inconsiderate people will behave toward us." I walked out being escorted by my friend. I could tell the other monsters were bothered by it as well. Before we left Link got angry, and held his arms above his head, and growled loudly. I heard my family shout in fear. I got out of the house, and didn't look back.

My anger was boiling when I stormed through the house later to grab things. I ran up to my room to grab what I had left behind, that Monger didn't grab. There wasn't much he missed. Probably twelve or so things. I stomped into the room, while the monsters watched me. I saw Susan peeking through the second story window at me, and I knew that the look on her face was surprise of how upset I was. When I ran over to what was left the monsters halted in the doorframe. Susan was the first to speak. "Lucy. Please calm down. Your parents are just scared of you." I looked up at her, glaring through anger filled eyes.

"Don't try your cheering up speech on me, Susan. Now isn't the time." I said. I thudded my knees to the wooden floor, and grabbed my small valueables. I clutched my cd player in my hands, and unfolded my satchel. It got tossed in, and then I reached for the rest of my things. My bible, my locket that held a picture of Leon, and my favorite pillow.

Link followed me into the room. "Ginger, you need to cool off. Just take a breather, and we can talk this over later." I growled a low pitched "NO!"

Doc watched my anger fueled rampage. "Lucy, listen to Susan and Link. You know that your parents will come around eventually. Please my dear girl. You musn't get so upset." He ran over to me, to hold me in his grasp. I shoved him away, and resumed grabbing the rest of the stuff in my room.

"Excuse me, Doc, but if you haven't noticed, my parents barely loved me as a hard working human. I doubt they care now." I grabbed what was left, which was my favorite hat, a jet black beret and my beige trenchcoat. I put my hat, and coat on, crushing my wings down, to where they dragged on the ground. I was headed to the doorway, but then stopped. I glanced at the floor, of what was left. There in the middle of the room laid a dark steel heavy skeleton key. I stared at it, and slowly walked over to it. I bent down to pick it up slowly. When I held the cold steel between my fingers, I remembered all the times it let me into the no longer welcoming house. I slowlyfelt my fingers tighten around it, and my eyes burning with betrayel. I tossed it into the last thing that was left in the room. A small trash can. It made a loud clank sound.

I stood there in the room silent for a while. Closing my eyes smelling the aroma of my room one last time. When I opened my eyes, I turned towrd the door, and walked out. "Come on guys."

I sat there not knowing what exactly to do. My friends had nowhere to stay, and neither did I. I laid there in my sheep feild. The sheep were all around me, while the monsters were sitting around me. A sheep, and it's baby lamb walked up to me, and I smiled petting it. I usually figured things out while I sat out here. "I can't think of anything yet guys." I admitted. "The only thing I can think of is just laying out in the feilds. Monger gave us no money, so a hotel is out of the question." When I looked over at Susan, she was picking up sheep in her hands, and petting them. When she held them up to her face, to rub them on her cheeks, they would bite onto her hair. It was a bit cute. Link had his hands above his head, and about to eat a small ram. I guessed it when his mouth was wide open "Link, do you dare eat a sheep." I pointed him over towards a pond. "There are fish in that pond, and it's a big pond at that." He blushed, and headed over to it. With a splash he jumped right in. Insecto was grazing along with the sheep. The sheep felt a bit frightened of him, so they sort of stayed clear.

B.O.B. left a wet mucus like trail along the grass, and the sheep had stopped grazing wherever he slimed."Well," he asked "What about the forest, you know?" He asked. "I'm sure that they'll let you back in. Especially your mom." That's when it hit me.

My mother would surely let us in. The forest was a great deal larger than the feilds, and it held plenty of room for both Susan, and Insectosaurous. They could fit in it easily. Plus it would keep us clear of coyotes, and my mother could keep us somewhere safe, and a bit warmer for the night. I sat up, and looked at the monsters. "B.O.B., you are a genius." We all stood up, and went through the woods. We all stayed together, and traveled in the direction I had traveled earlier that day. I came across the same ranger I saw for the first time. He was the one that was my age, that had nearly killed me with the arrow. He heard me coming close, and darted his gaze toward me, and in the blink of an eye had his bow ready, with slender arrow in hand. I held up my hands defensively. "Whoah! Easy ranger it's me!" He took a deep breath, and lowered his bow. I smiled. He walked up to me, and hugged me closely.

"Whew Lucy. I could have killed you." His hug was crushing. Not as much as I thought though. It wasn't as bad as a normal person. "I was hoping you would return, Lucy. Come, your people are waiting." I walked with him, as he walked us through the forest. He didn't say much. I noticed he hooked his hand around my waist.

"So, tell me. What is your name, ranger?"

"The name is Taibu. I am part of Valoos's army. Well, I suppose your brother's army. He was put in charge." I was gratefull for that. I didn't want Valoos to be part of anything now. We walked along the forest, as he kept his hand constantly hooked around my waist. I looked at the monsters, with an eyebrow raised. They stared at the gesture, too. I knew they could tell I was uncomfortable. We finally made it to the fairies sanctuary like grounds.

The fairies looked at us, rather kindly now. They all looked at us, as if expecting us to be there. It seemed like they were welcoming us. When we made our way to the center of the forest, madam Razell made her way over to me. She smiled at me, and hugged me gently. "Dear child. We are so glad to see you once again."

"Madam Razell." I bowed respectfully. "My friends and I have nowhere to go. My human parents are frightened by our outer appearance." Willow made an angry face at the thought of my human parents. He was still discontented with humans as I could see. "We wished to be welcome here for refuge for a temporary time." She looked at me, a bit surprised. I looked at my mother, and she looked at me, a bit surprised, and splendid by my want of staying. Willow stared at my friends, and pursed his lips, keeping an eye on Doc. Razell looked over at the others and raised her eyebrows.

"I will grant you all permission to stay. We have a comfortable meadow for your large friends to stay in. You all may stay in our homes, but I insist that you keep the humans away from our world." I nodded in agreement understanding all to well that she desired no human contact with the forest and humans.