The Surprise

The Surprise

Ali stayed up in her room with Balthier for a couple hours, talking about life. At that point neither of them was in the mood to do anything because they didn’t have any more energy. Ali had seen Balthier change to different animals, an eagle, a rabbit and a dog, all with a white coat. By demonstrating his essence, Balthier couldn’t change one more time even if he wanted to. That soon came unhandy. The doorknob twisted and in came Charlie. As soon as he saw Balthier’s true form he started freaking out. Ali stood up quickly and closed the door behind him before he started to yell. “Knock much?” Ali said.
“WHAT THE FU-” Ali clapped her hand on his mouth to silence him. He mumbled for a bit as she did it.
“Calm down and I’ll tell you.” Charlie nodded. Balthier jumped from the bed and stood in attack position. Ali let go of his mouth and Charlie pointed a futuristic gun at Balthier as he pushed Ali back. Balthier lunged at Charlie and pinned him to the ground before Charlie had a chance to shoot. Balthier snarled at Charlie while showing his deadly canines. The expression on Charlie’s face was hilarious but Ali couldn’t laugh now. “CHARLIE! BALTHIER! STOP IT!” Ali yelled at the two. She pushed Balthier off of Charlie and pointed towards the fireplace. “You, go!” Ali said to Balthier. Balthier growled at Charlie a final time then obeyed Ali. “And you, what were you thinking?” Ali asked Charlie. He was still shocked from what happened so instead of giving a straight answer he mumbled words out. “Charlie? Charlie, calm down. You’re safe now.” Ali tried to calm him down.
“That’s a freaking monster!” He yelled and pointed to Balthier.
“He is not a monster. He is a sweet lion.” Ali corrected. They both stood up and Ali sat on her bed as Charlie paced the floor.
“No, no. That is a freaking monster.” Charlie denied.
“Will you please calm down so I can explain?” Ali asked calmly. He looked at her.
“Fine, what is that thing doing here?” He put his hands on his waist. “And what happened to that cute lion cub?”
“How flattering, he thought I was cute.” Balthier said across the room.
“OF COURSE, IT TALKS!” Charlie freaked out.
“Balthier just shut up!” Ali ordered. Ali stood and walked to Charlie and held his face to look at her.
“That lion is the lion cub and he is my guardian.” Ali said calmly.
“Does anyone else know?” Ali shook her head and let go of his face.
“No, and you wouldn’t have known if you had only knocked. Ever heard of something called privacy?” Ali said. Charlie started to pull on his hair and his eyes were wide with surprise. So, Ali slapped his cheek to calm him down. He held his cheek.
“What was that for?” He asked in surprise.
“You tried to shoot Balthier and you need to calm down a bit.” Ali said trying to hide the pleasure she had in doing it.
“That thing tried to eat me!”
“Hey, he started it!” Balthier yelled.
“Balthier!” Ali said.
“Sorry.” Balthier apologized.
“Look, I’m sorry you had to experience that, but you should’ve knocked,” Ali said. Charlie wiped his face with his hands.
“Where’s your bathroom?” He asked suddenly. Ali pointed him in the direction of the bathroom and he left. Ali turned to Balthier.
“What?” Balthier asked from her look.

“So, let me get this straight. Balthier was tested on and he got essences?” Ali had been explaining their situation for the past hour and while doing it he calmed down a lot. “Then he escaped the facilities and ended up here with us.” Ali nodded. They were seated on the floor by the fireplace with the couch holding them up.
“Yup, that’s right.” Ali said. “Is it too much to handle?”
“I came in here expecting a cute cub with his owner but instead a saw a monster-like animal with you. What do you think?”
“He isn’t monster-like. I mean you pulled a gun on him. How do you think he would act? Oh, he’s gonna shoot me, yay!” Ali mocked and they both laughed slightly.
“Still though,” Charlie said.
“Why did you come in anyways?” Ali asked.
“Oh, I almost forgot. Clint said to we have to meet him and Liana in the great library in an hour.” Ali nodded and she stood up.
"Okay, let’s go.” Charlie stood up coming so close to her.
“Okay,” They both left the room, leaving Balthier winning after them.

The great library was quite large and filled with Earth’s and Paramut’s books of all sorts of categories from textbooks to novels. The gifted ones were now complete with Clint and Liana beside them.
“Now that we’re all here what’s going on?” Kiara asked.
“We thought that you would do great undercover so we’re giving Operation Vixon to you.”
“Operation Vixon?” Jen asked.
“Yes.” Clint started. “Alicia and Roy will play a very special role.”
“What do I have to do?” Ali said curiously.
“Roy is a superior and Alicia will play a pre-superior of Sintosa.” Clint said.
“I’m going to play a what?” Ali asked shocked.
“And where’s Sintosa?” Drake asked.
“You’re going to play a princess of Sintosa,” Liana said irritated.
“Sintosa is near Irenaz. It’s a new island that some params created.” Clint said.
“Does she have to change form?” Roy asked.
“No such thing will happen. However,” Clint started.
“Both of you are going to have to attend many parties and your wardrobe is going to be much more girly and Roy is going to have to wear suits.” Liana said.
“What about us?” Kiara asked. “What will we do?” Ali was stunned by the thought if being a princess.
“You are Alicia’s colleagues so you will join her at the occasions allowed.” Clint said.
“All of you will be getting a new wardrobe fit for your roles first thing tomorrow morning.” Liana said.
“You will stay in touch with us by putting in daily logs in your crystoplasms.” Clint said.
“What if we get caught?” Charlie asked.
“Drake will have to send a telepath to us. We will try to come as soon as possible but you might have to fight for yourself for a long time. It’ll take us a while to get to Irenaz.” Clint said. Irenaz was another country on Paramut. At the moment, they are on Roxen, a country half way across Paramut from Irenaz.
“When do we leave?” Drake asked.
“You will leave tomorrow night.” Liana said.
“What!” The group said simultaneously.
“That’s not enough time to get to the main land!” Kiara said. Everyone else was mumbling similar words.
“Well, suck it up!” Clint said, irritated from all of the complaining. “You have a big day tomorrow and I suggest you start packing because you won’t have any time tomorrow.” The complaints became much louder. “Go or I will take your souls and put them into new bodies!” Clint shouted. Everyone went silent and the young params left the adults alone in the room. Ali didn’t go to her room right away. Instead she went up to the roof. She leaned against the railings, looking at the view. She didn’t want to leave this place. This was where her parents used to live. This is where Ali and Roy grew up. There were too many memories there. “Hey, Ali. Are you okay?” It was Roy.
“Yeah.” Ali sighed. He gave her a look. “No.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Well, I don’t want to leave this place yet.” Ali said. Roy stood beside her.
“We aren’t leaving this place for good. We’ll be coming back.”
“If we’re still alive.” Ali said blankly.
“Don’t think like that.”
“Why not? It’s possible.”
“Stop that.” Roy demanded.
“Stop what?” Her tone was still neutral.
“Stop acting like this'll be the end of our lives.” Roy said.
“It happened to mom and dad and it could happen to us.” Ali replied.
“It could but it won’t happen.”
“You can’t guarantee that.”
“I can’t guarantee that all of us will survive but I know you will survive. I promise.”
“Don’t make promises you can’t keep.” Ali replied.
“But I can keep this promise.”
“No you can’t Roy.” Ali turned to her brother as she said it loudly. “No one can keep that promise.”
“Mom and dad did.”
“Yeah, but look at where that got them,” She paused looking into his eyes. “And Uncle Leo, Aunt Lucinda, Markus, and everyone else in our family. We are the last ones in our family and it’s all because of us. Don’t you understand that?” Her voice started to crack.
“I do.” Roy said quietly.
“I can’t lose you too. I just can’t.” A tear streamed down Ali’s cheek.
“And you won’t lose me.” Roy said. “You won’t lose me.” He repeated and hugged her tight as more tears streamed down her face. “I promise.” Ali stained his shirt with tears. “Hey, we should get to bed.” Ali nodded to him. Roy walked Ali to her room where she changed into her PJ’s, and fell asleep, worrying about Operation Cynox.