Aru Shah and The City of Gold ✔️

Hi? (Aru P.O.V)

Calm, chill.... CALM DOWN ARUNDATHI!

You're just going home, home. Just. Going. Home. 

I can't take this anymore. 

"Aru? You OK? You're squeezing my hand really hard." said Mini. 

I looked at my hand and quickly let go of hers. I murmured a quick 'sorry'. 

"You don't have to go in." said Mini. I shook my head.

"No. I have to do this." I said, trying to sound confident. 

I had just survived hell and back. Why am I so scared?

Mini's hand inched towards the doorbell but I stopped her. 

"I have to do this." I said. She raised an eyebrow.

Trust me. I said through the mind link. She took a step back and I took a deep breath. 

Time slowed down as my hand inched towards the doorbell. 

"JUST HIT THE BUTTON!" everyone yelled (A/N: JUST HIT THE BUTTON ARU!) 

I pressed the button and bell rang. 

My mother opened the door and literally dropped the mug she was holding. 

She looked tired, bags under her eyes, and her hair was piled on her head like a bird's nest. 

"A-Aru?" she whispered. 

"Hi?" I said sheepishly. 

"Don't step on the glass!" she exclaimed, startling everyone. We each took turns jumping over the glass and landing on the other side. The kitchen table was piled high with papers, probably for researching. The couch looked like it hadn't been used in forever, and all of the Lord of the Rings movies were stacked neatly. 

"Oh Aru! Where have you been? Did he hurt you? What was he like? What did you do?" she asked so many questions at once that I couldn't answer him. 

"OK, I've been at the Sleeper's palace, he did hurt me, both physically and mentally," she gasped, " he was absolutely terrifying and I played with his children, then watched a murder, and then was imprisoned in a chamber, and then exploded the chamber, erased people's memories, and went to Home Depot." I said all in one exhale. 

"YOU WATCHED A MURDER???" she shrieked. 

"Sorta. It was the result of one actually." I shrugged. 

"AND YOU EXPLODED SOMETHING???" 

"And that's where I come in." said Amaru, coming out from behind me. My mother's jaw dropped. 

"A SPIRIT DOG??? IS THAT YOURS??" she shrieked. 

"In fact, I am not 'hers' since I am not property and yes Krithika, I am a spirit dog." he said calmly. 

"So that means.." she trailed off. 

"I've unlocked my super cool Thor powers, yes." I answered. My mother squealed. 

"YAAAY!" Everyone just stared dumbfounded at this. 

What's wrong with her? Mini asked in the mind link. 

I don't know. answered Brynne. 

I think I should check her heart beat. said Mini, obviously. 

What? Why? I asked. 

You know, just to check, because if her heart rate is going fast, it may cause her to lose all of her adreline for the rest of the mission. said Mini. 

Wait, what is your plan anyway? You never told us. asked Nikki. 

"Oh right the plan." I said out loud. 

"So basically, during my time with the Sleeper, I've noticed that he still has a little bit of Sudoyhuna in him," everyone gasped, not including Mini. 

"So what our plan basically is... is to bribe him." finished Mini. 

"And I'm guessing you're using me?" my mom asked.

"Yeah, basically." I said sheepishly.  

"I get it.." Aiden said, his beautiful brown eyes wandering off in the distance. Did I say beautiful? I meant being-ful. Like full of living... Yeah OK, nevermind. 

Nothing more than friends.

"OK, so when are we planning to do this?" asked Brynne. 

"Most likely when he's outside." I said. 

"You mean, during the attack?" Rudy asked in shock. 

"Yeah, it's the only time he will be outside doing something." Mini answered. Rudy looked like he was about to faint. At that moment Boo flew through the window and landed and my head. I shrieked, grabbed Vajra out of my pocket, and held it up. Boo flew to the countertop. 

"Don't touch me you betrayer!" I said as threateningly as I could. Boo let out a fake laugh and plastered a fake smile. 

"What are you talking about Aru? Betrayer? Me? Pfft! As if!" he said sheepishly. 

"Yeah right! Maybe I should tell everyone what. You. Did." I said, emphasizing on each word. 

"What's wrong? What are you talking about?" Aiden asked worriedly. 

"This pigeon decided it would be a good idea to side with the Sleeper and put us, his students, in danger." I explained, still holding up Vajra defensively. 

"W-What are you talking about Aru?" I have absolutel-" but Sheela cut him off. 

"She's right. Boo is a betrayer." she said. Everyone backed away from Boo and brandished their weapons. My mom ran to the kitchen and grabbed a sharp knife and held it up. 

"Mom?" I questioned. 

"Just because I study history, doesn't mean I don't know how to battle." she said with a smirk playing on her face. 

"Okaaay." This was totally not weird. 

"OK, OK, just.. JUST DON'T TOUCH THE FEATHERS!" he pleaded. 

"Why are you here?" Brynne sneered. Like, literally. 

"I've come here to give you a new mission. Indra has gone missing." he explained. Nikki raised an eyebrow. 

"We literally saw him a few hours ago." she said. 

"Well, he went missing after that." said Boo. 

"And?" asked Mini. 

"And I think this might be part of The Sleeper's plan." said Boo. 

"How? How could he possibly be able to kidnap a god? And the king of the gods at that!" I exclaimed. 

"No one knows. But we need the Pandavas-"

"Potatoes." Aiden and Rudy said. 

"Potatoes to find him and bring him back. And Aru, I would like to warn you that with Indra gone, Vajra will be weaker than usual." he said. 

"That's fine, I have my own powers." I said proudly. 

"What do you mean?" he asked, sarcasm dripping from each word. 

I lit up a ball of fire and it danced on my fingers. I extuigished it with water and then made one of Nikki's many flowers grow. Then I sent a tuft of air towards Boo. He jumped and his jaw dropped. 

"W-What? Aru? What is this?" he asked. 

"My new powers. Now if you could excuse me." I ran to the basement, grabbed an old bird cage, ran back upstairs, grabbed Boo, who protested, put him in the cage and gave it to my mom. 

"Keep watch of it. Now Potatoes. To the Council of Guardians we go!" I proclaimed and we went through Greg to the courtroom. 

Oh boy.