The Finding

A Chapter by kannerjay

Storm, Jaime , and Jerimiah headed towards prison. Whinjester, Spooky, Lilian and I headed towards office. We were haulted.

     The siren rang through the hall. I turned tail, my team following, towards a random room. Kicking the large, wooden door open with a hurried kick, we arrived in a long, narrow tunnel, with dirt walls and floors.
     " Sono andati in quaruti deru Master! " a guard screeched. Kagurahiro wasn't really my language, but I somehow knew the translation was similar to: They've gone into the Master's quarters!
     Lilian and I let the the felines in front of us, because they could move faster, and ran as fast as possible. Or at least Lilian and I did. Spooky and Whinjester were kind of hard to keep up to, full speed or not.
     Slowly, the narrow tunnel filled out as I heard the echoes of the predator, our enemies, in their hunt. They were loyal servants, and would do anything to protect their leader. I tripped several times thinking about this, hoping we were not caught and wondering what had happened to Jaime and Jerimiah.
     " Kogurierure! " Seize them!
     We came to a door and quickly yet deftly threw it open, and closed it in the face of our pursuers. They clawed angrily at the door and threatened to break it with their punches. The door, an old wooden thing, creaked sorrowfully as it was beaten. It would not hold.
     " Can't you do something, Lil' ? Whinjester asked, attempting to keep the door shut by sitting in front of it. The force even caused Whinjester to be moved slightly, though she must have been nearly seven hundred pounds. Her claws scrapped the dirt floor as she strenuously braced herself against the door.
     Lilian checked her little blue poach for magic dust. Of course she had not come unprepared. She'd simply forgotten in all the running that she was a magic user. She palmed herself in the face.
     " Of course. Duh, " she said, feeling silly. She reached into her bag of powder, pulling out a handful, and threw it at the door. With a word, the door no longer a door, but a wall. The people on the other side of the wall puzzled for a moment before trying to claw that down too, but it didn't work as well. It would buy them time.
     " Good work! " I told her, clapping her on the back. Spooky rolled his eyes and started moving farther down the tunnel. It was impossible not to follow, or we'd lose him in the darkness of these cave-like environments. I cursed Spooky for a minute silently for having black fur, and then followed. Whinjester had already shot off after him.
     I saw down the path a large, red , metal door. I suspected I'd seen a door similar to this before, and it was bugging me. All those little Disney clues...
     They reminded me of my little brother Jack, and made me grieve, and yet hope that maybe, since he was not around for the fire, still alive. I knew this shouldn't be concerning me now. But looking at this red door, I could swear I once saw it in a video game my brother used to play. Something about a little man who grew with mushrooms. I wished I had him here beside me.
     Then a small, short phrase escaped my lips. " Peru Jack e Giuguno. " For Jack and June.
     Everyone nodded knowingly. We hadn't moved from the door. Whinjester spoke, too. " For Grant. "
     And Lilian. " For Grant. "
     And even Spooks. " For Anata. "
     I nodded and got back to the mission, resetting my mind and be harsh with it, being sure it would not wonder again. " Hey Spooks, use AATD and get a hold of Storm. "
     Spooky licked a button on the side of his face and started talking, making it seem like he was talking to himself. Then he stopped for a moment to listen to Storm. He gave us a summary report.
    " They got our prisoners out. It distracted the guards from them and they're slipping down our passage. As soon as the prisoners were released, all the guards were called there. Storm is right behind the wall. Lilian, make it back into a wall. "
     Lilian replied with an OK, and blew some dust in the direction we had come from. Soon enough the rest of our team came lurking out of the darkness, like shadows. The were somewhat scratched, and somewhat bruised, but OK, at least.
     Jerimiah and Lilian, working together, used a good amount of powder to teleport the door someplace else, since it could not be destroyed or opened. We stepped inside, waiting for the worst.
      I was horrified. It was simply a big cave-like room, with a chair in the middle. In the chair sat...
      Jack. My little brother. Jack was hooked up to some kind of machine that looked like he had wires coming from his head. His eyes were completely white. Beside him was the large, hooded figure. But I realized know that it was just a puppet someone had built, that Jack could use for his own purposes. He controlled it with his mind. That explained how so much of our puzzles were related to cartoons and movies, and the odd signs.
     I am the prophet....
     Jake seemed to have half control, at least. HWCBN seemed to have the rest. I stood there, watching my team raise their swords. I gave them the " no " signal.
     " That's .... Jack. " I said, open-mouthed. My team stared, and the puppet opened his mouth. He said in that same, throaty voice these words:
      " Rasukia. O mi ukukiderà guetso ragazo. " Leave. Or I will murder this boy.

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