Altered

Chapter 14: Watching and Waiting

When they arrived at the new campsite Gina leaped out of the carriage and twirled around and around in joy.

"Woohoo!" She yelled to the sky, which was clear blue and unblemished by clouds. Storms were bound to come now that it was November, but for today the air was moderately warm in temperature, and her outlook on the trip seemed brighter with every moment.

All around her people called to one another and shoved things in bags and set up tents. Clanking and jostling and language that was sometimes understandable and sometimes not surrounded her in a loud humdrum of activity. She could smell the forest around the area they were camped. She could sense the excitement and nervousness in the air. Her stomach had butterflies swirling around in it, bouncing around like little whirlwinds. This is where we will face the creature. The place where it all ends; one way or another.

It almost surprised her how nice the scene appeared and how pretty the day was. It seemed too pleasant a place to fight anything.

"Hey, Gina! How about some sparring?" Amryn called to her, breaking her thoughts.

"Sure," she said. "I could definitely use the exercise. I feel like my legs are wooden beams they're so stiff!"

He scrunched his mouth in distaste. "Too much coach travel has always been on my list of things 'not to do if at all possible'. I have far too much energy for sitting still that long."

He raced up next to her on his enhanced legs. "Want to try defense and offense? We haven't sparred much since the nanogene accident, but you said you mastered that, right?"

Gina nodded cautiously. She wouldn't let anything distract her. That was the key.

She gathered the nanogene power in her hands and sent it up into a shield. Vienn had trained them all different unique ways of defending themselves over their last few weeks at Woodside. She felt confident she could defeat Amryn.

What about the creature? Her mind demanded. I'm trying to focus! She told it. We've had this conversation a hundred times.

"Do you want to do offense first?" She asked Amryn. It wasn't really a question anymore. He always wanted to do offense.

"Do you even need to ask?"

Gina smiled. "Give it your best shot."

She pulled up a strong nanogene cloud bubble around her, layering it with other walls behind it. She pumped it with just enough of her own energy to jolt Amryn if he hit it on accident, but not hurt him. Then she locked her mind onto maintaining the bubble and shut out everything else.

Her eyes closed and she could see an elevated green blueprint of the bubble she had constructed. She swung her view around to the other side, examining the structure.

Hmmm, a little weak here, she thought, spinning together a new defense there. A hit to the side of the bubble caused a small indention in one of the nanogene defenses. She rejoiced them.

After another ten minutes, she was feeling very satisfied with her defense's hold up to small bursts of power.

"Alright, Amryn. Your turn for defense."

She opened her eyes, letting go of the bubble around her.

He panted. "You... really.... Improved...." he sucked in a long breath, "Boy, Gina, I couldn't even make a dent. Good work!"

She smiled briefly. She still hadn't completely forgiven him for his rant about Quill.

"Are you ready?" She asked. He nodded, getting into a running position.