Astral got out of his chair and opened his door to Crystal standing outside. "It's a nice night." Astral said as he walked past her.
"Well, of course. May I walk with you?"
"Of course."
The two walked down the flight of stairs and walked outside. "Tell me, Crystal. Do you think the other families will find out about Annie?"
"You want the truth?"
"That's all I ask for."
"Well, yes. Not everyone in this little city agrees with you. I'm even questionable myself about having her here."
Astral stopped and looked down at the ground. "I've always thought about it. What makes the families so special?"
"What do you mean, Astral? You're a Zero. The last of the Zero family. You have a powerful gift in the magic world. Especially that purple eye of yours." Crystal explained.
"I understand, Crystal. But it does not make me special. Sure I might live in a big castle but evryone worships me like I'm a god. I am just like you all. The families all live in great houses, love the fame, look at eveyone as if they are less…that is wrong. We are all equal. Magic is just a power. Yes, I have more power than you…but that does not make me better." Astral explained as he continued to walk. "When beings have power…they aren't viewed as people anymore. I let everyone in the city eat more than me, have better beds, better homes, and much more. I make mistakes, my friend. I just hope bringing Annie here is one of them."
Crystal smiled and walked beside him. "I understand. Grizz believes she is the one. I kind of do."
Astral smiled and moved his hands through his light blue hair. "Good. However, I would like to arrange a meeting with the city. If anyone has a problem with Annie, I would personally like to talk to them."
"Understood."
******
Annie,Froggy, and Ditch we're running through the forest. Annie dodged Froggys attack with ease. Dicth jumped behind her and threw a ball of magic.
Annie spun around and dodged it also. "Nice moves!" Ditch laughed as Annie landed on a tree branch.
"You are progressing well. However, I think we must turn back." Froggy said in a concerned tone. "What's wrong? I'm just starting to get the hang of my body." Annie said.
"Listen…we've been out here since 5 in the morning. We've done enough. We need to turn back before-"
"Before one of us come? You know you are cross our borders, Frog-man." A woman said in a serious tone in the distance.
Froggy jumped in front of Annie and Ditch. "We were just in the middle of training, princess. We will leave right now-"
"The girl you have with you doesn't know about my family or kingdom? Allow me to introduce you to my family." The princess said from the shadows of the forest.
Annie tilted her head to look in front of Froggy. Ditch jumped on top of Annie's head to looked in front. A woman held out her hand and a spark of magic shot for a second. Froggy quikcly pushed Annie and Ditch away. "RUN!!"
Purple magic shot towards the three. Froggy managed to dodge it by jumping in the air. Annie grabbed Ditch and threw him out of the way while she swung across the tree branches.
Multiple trees from the blast fell around her and covered her view. "That was just a small attack. Surly you all saw that coming." The princess sighed. A well-fit woman walked into view. She had decent-sized muscles, locs that dropped to her shoulders, long nails painted in red, perfect glowing black skin and wore a black tank-top with red jogger-pants.
"Leave her at once. That was just a playful attack. Next time…I'll kill you."
Froggy emerged from the trees. His arm was broken. "We don't want any-"
"You…can't just…do that and think it's okay." Annie mumbled under her breath as she crawled from under the rubble.
Ditch on her shoulder and was bleeding from a small cut on his head.
"Once you apologize, we will leave." Annie said while out of breath.
The princess looked at Froggy then back at Annie. "Ahahahaha…AHAHAHA!!!! Who is this supposed to be, Froggy?"
Froggy had a worried look on his face. "She…is nothing but a long distant relative of Astral-"
"You mean Zero?!? This…out of shape, green-eyed…woman is related to the Zero family?" The princess walked towards Annie. Froggy reached out to stop her, but the princess punched Froggy in the stomach and sent him flying through the forest.
"I've never had the privilege to fight a Zero. I was told Astral was the only one left. I'd love to take this chance and fight you."
Annie stood up and wiped the dust off of her. (I can't tell her I'm new to magic. I know it's not safe for me to reveal myself. But…I can sense her energy. It's massive and she's more powerful than me. But she hurt Froggy and Ditch.)
"Annie…we have to get out of h-"
"Go get Froggy and tell him I'll meet him at the camp. After all, you both said I'm good with agility. Besides, you'll finally get your answer about me being special or not."
"You are crazy. This woman is Amina Whitlock. She is from one of the magic families! You must leave!"
"Not until she apologizes."
Ditch gave up and ran towards Froggys location. Annie put her attention on Amina. "So, Zero. Shall we begin?"
(This woman is low on magic. Is she really related to Zero? Why hasn't the other families heard of her?)
Annie took a fighting stance. "Apologies."
Amina rolled her eyes and put up her fist. "You'll have to kill me."
Amina used her magic and put it around her feet. She sprinted towards Annie faster than Annie could blink.
"Phantom fist!"
Amina landed a powerful punch on Annie's face. (Her skin is soft. This…Zero is something.)
Amina was shocked to see Annie used her own magic and planets her feet into the ground. Annie wrapped her legs around Amina's arm and kicked her in the face. (A metal wall?) Annie was stunned. Amina didn't move an inch. "Ahahaha! Is this really how strong you are?" Amina slammed Annie into the ground and dragged her across the forest floor while sprinting at high speed.
Annie managed to break free and jumped onto a nearby tree. "Oh, come one, Zero. I thought you'd be better than this. I wanna know what makes people fear your family name…and not mine!" Amina yelled as her body grew somewhat bigger in size.
"That kick just pumped me up!" Amina moved faster and jumped towards Annie. Annie did a back-flip off of the tree and slapped her hands together. (Oh?)
Annie unleashed a beam of magic. Amina was starting to get amused. She adjusted her body in mid-air, dodging the attack.
Amina used the trees and moved around the forest faster than Annie's eyes could detect.
"Over here, Zero!" Amina kicked Annie on the side of her head. Annie was kicked into a tree.
"I thought you'd be something special. I guess not." Amina laughed. She lifted the tree off of Annie and began to punch her repeatedly in the face.
"Your family…must be ashamed to have birthed you! You are supposed to be strong, smart, hell, even charming!" Amina laughed as she continued her assault.
Annie was starting to pass out. (What do I expect? To beat her? I've been at this magic stuff for about a day now. I don't believe I'm special, smart,gifted, or charming. I came into this world without permission or choice. Same with Earth. My mother wants me to be this smart, hard-working, and talented person. I'm neither of those. In life, there will always be obstacles to overcome. I'm not good at overcoming them. I just run away.)
Annie thought about Astral's words and her friend, Brian.
(There are people who'll have faith in you also. Faith in someone can give them hope…you'll try anything, if you're a good person, to do the right thing for those who have faith in you. And I can't…fail them!)
Annie managed to overpower and stop Amina's punches with her bare hands. "What's this?!? She's getting stronger?"
"I won't…I'll prove everyone wrong!" Annie head-butt Amina and sent her flying across the forest. Amina used her sword and slammed it into the ground to stop herself.
"That magic for a second…that…that was-"
Annie's magic glowed almost as bright as the sun itself. Annie held out her hand and had a serious look in her eye that sent shivers down Amina's body. "You aren't from here…I sense it now. Ahahahaha!!! JUST TELL ME THIS, WOMAN….JUST WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU!!" Amina laughed as Annie held out her hand and started to build up a powerful magic attack. "Energy magic attack…stardust beam." Green magic energy formed around her hand. Annie pulled back. "TAKE THIS!!!" Annie pushed the beam foward and shot it directly at Amina.
Amina put away her sword and closed her eyes. "I give my life, my energy, my everything…with my power…you may devour…I SUMMON THE LEGENDARY-"
A man flew in front of the blast. Amina stopped her summoning. The blast dissapeared immediately. Astral had his fingers crossed and destroyed the blast Annie had created.
"That was a close call, huh? It's a good thing my distant relative didn't get you, Amina." Astral chuckled.
"Zero…"
Annie collapsed to the ground. Astral walked over and picked her up. "Tomorrow, I will have a meeting with all of the families. I'd like your mother and father to be there."
"My father won't be pleased to hear about this trespassing." Amina scolded. Astral shrugged. "I would never disrespect your family. However, if that is the game you want to play…I believe your father would find it shameful that you were about to use your familie's magic creature on someone who was weaker than you." Astral said in a calm tone.
"Tsk. Well played, Astral Zero…well played."
Astral focused on Annie. (Amazing. I don't know where that came from but she is amazing. What a wonderful young woman.)
"I'd like to fight her again…Zero."
Astral chuckled. "Of course. It's all up to her." Astral began to walk off in the opposite direction. "Tell her she got her apology too." Amina said with a smirk.
"Thank you…" Annie whispered with a smirk of her own.
******
Annie opened her eyes and jolted up out of the closet. "It's morning already?"
Martha bursted open in Annie's room."can you please clean your room? It's a damn mess!" She yelled. "Why are you in the closet?" Martha asked after opening the door.
"It's just comfortable in here is all."
"Really? Anyways, I need you to take Leo to school. I'm working from home today and don't feel like going. Be safe and thanks." Martha said with a wide smile.
******
"Two broken ribs. That's nothing." Froggy laughed. Crystal had healed him. Astral stood over in the corner of the room with a concerned look on his face. "I'm alive, Astral. Don't worry about me. Amina punch felt like a rocket. I'm surprised Annie was able to take so many hits."
"She's a walking prodigy." Astral admitted. "However, I still have a bad feeling that something is coming. I'm almost certain that Turtles and Jut know of Annie being here. They won't tell their leaders because they will face punishment. Keep security up high."
******
Annie put on some cloths and opened her door to see Mark standing on the opposite side. "We need to talk." Mark said in a angered tone. "No thanks-"
Mark put his hand on Annie's shoulder. "I wasn't asking."
Mark slammed her door and sat on her bed. "Annie…I want you to be honest with me, okay? Because I care about you and your family."
"What is it? If it's about the closet then-"
"Annie, if they find out about you going into the portal, they'll experiment you! Annie's heart dropped when hearing Marks warning. "Annie, this is serious. I put a camera in your closet. You lied to me!"
"Mark, listen…what are you-"
"You will tell me everything that you've seen! And now."
******
Annie revealed everything to Mark. "I see. Annie, listen…those things aren't your friends. It's about time I tell you the truth about your father, yes?"
"…okay…" Annie replied.
"I shouldn't be telling you this…but you have to know." Mark looked around and took down all of the cameras in Annie's room.
"They are always listening…always!" Mark whispered.
"Who?"
Mark covered Annie's mouth and began to talk more. "We work for a very…very powerful company. We-we we're running experiments on different dimensions and the possibilities of them coming in contact with our world. Me and your father…we were inside of the experiment. Me and your father were in a very dark dark room. When he fell asleep, a portal emerged from the wall and sucked us both in. And…I couldn't find your father anywhere. It was nothing but darkness around us and the company has been looking for him since. If they find out that you have access to the portal without any technology needed…they'll experiment and kill you, Annie. Don't you get it? Your father was missing ever since that day! You are the code they're looking for. If you can help me…we will find your father."
Annie took a few steps back. "I…don't believe you."
"I know it sounds crazy. But you have to tell me everything about those things. What are they? How strong? Humans? Something!"
"Why would I tell you what I know? They aren't monsters…not at all. The ones who are bad are the ones in the dark-"
"Annie, this is a change to save your father! I believe he is down there and captured. You must believe me. You…spy and give me information about them. And I promise you, I will find your father. You have my word."
******
Next Chapter: The Assualt