From one of my favorite cartoons, chapter three in a story I have on fanfiction.net.
~~~~~
Despite the sickness that hung in the air, the citizens practiced fighting skills, meditation, and crafting metal weapons, plus a few defense classes and a special area set for resting.
Month followed month, and soon the many plagues disappeared, medicine delivered from allies around the galaxy, and everyone too busy to think at the point.
Skeleton King knew they were preparing back in Shugazoom. He smiled. He would wait, wait until they had prepared enough and were ready. Skeleton King wanted to accept the challenge.
Mandarin, who was still trapped, angrily thought that there would be no way to escape without a cruel punishment.
“But I have to get out… to help… to explain myself.” Mandarin whispered coldly.
“To convince my family that I am no longer a threat. To tell them that I have returned, a spy without sneaking about.” I happen to know his full battle plan. the simian thought silently.
But he knew that would be hopeless. Everyone in Shugazoom and beyond knew him as a bloodthirsty warrior, who, in turn, betrayed his allies and joined the dark side.
He would never be forgiven… never trusted. Mandarin would be thrown in another prison, if he escaped this one at all.
The partly innocent being that would be tortured when his intentions were nothing but trying to become what he once was… that was hopeless as well.
The flame of darkness had taken his soul, and that would never be forgotten, even if they accepted him. There would be hostility and mistrust.
Suddenly he wondered if coming back would be worth the effort.
They just had to forgive him, if they’d let him speak.
He sadly slumped down as far as he could, sighing. Maybe a few more days in the cellar would help him decide. Mandarin had to; it was a matter of time before the war began.
They would have an upper hand if they as well knew the battle plan.
They would forgive him… hopefully.
Hour after hour passed, and the hope inside his heart grew to the size of a thimble.
“They’d never.” he sighed, sitting up.
Besides, if he didn’t get out of here, he would be killed and tortured like the woman he had seen die at the hands of his old master.
And he had seen much worse come from the palm of the dark king.
“But what if they do?” he asked himself quietly after his thoughts had drained down.
Mandarin struggled against his prison’s shingles, and kicked the iron bars blocking his escape.
“The wall that blocks trust, truth, and hope.” the monkey muttered frustratedly.
He kicked, pulled, and kicked more, but he grew tired and slumped again. He was also worried that he would soon attract the guard’s attention.
Back in the robot, the Monkey Team was wrapping up day 220 of training. It was almost a year ago that they had started preparing; and yet Antauri had said that war would come soon. Almost a year was nowhere near soon.
“Maybe he’s waiting for us.” Sprx suggested the next morning, where the team gathered for a treasured hour before training began once more.
“Yeah, and then we’ll blast him to bits! KABLAMO!” Otto shrieked, gesturing his arms to represent an explosion, his lips tight and packed.
Antauri smiled in amusement, then calmly murmured: “Sprx’s theory is most likely correct.”
“It is?” Sprx said in surprise.
Antauri nodded wisely, his rare smile dissolving in thin air.
“Skeleton King knows we are outnumbered, that we are still preparing, while he waits in the shadows. He wants a challenge, though he is overconfident he will arise to victory.”
Nova muttered, “That bone bag is so predictable.”
Antauri looked at her. “Predictable? Quite so. Stupid? Most likely not, or we would have defeated him years ago.”
Nova sighed. “I didn’t say-”
Antauri just sat down, and they began their training a few minutes later.
View User's Journal
Cloudy Thoughts
 |
