Miniforce: The Return of the Dark Energy (Fanfiction)

Chapter 3 - Evidence

"And he said something about black flames or whatever it was." Volt scratched the back of his head. "I forgot what exactly."

"I remembered it as flames of the dark." Said Lucy, her brow creased with worry. She toyed absently with the tail of her knitted scarf, unraveling maroon threads.

Volt, Sammy, Lucy, and Max were gathered around a large, square table with a hologram of their Commander hovering above the surface, mute as they waited for the old white cat to speak. Max was silent, frowning, he had napped through the entire prophecy but was still as bothered by the news.

Commander Chen was quiet for a long moment, the Miniforce could practically see the gears of his brain turning. Eventually, he spoke, his tone was serious. "Every prophecy Kao has ever made was said to become reality, if what he prophesied is true, then we face great danger and must be prepared." He swept his masked eyes over his four agent's troubled faces. "I will send word to the other Miniforce members and armies to keep a careful eye during their undercover patrols. So in the meantime, don't worry unless we have evidence to."

"But, Commander," Volt began, "if the prophecy is true, then I think we should take more precautions than that to prepare for what he said--"

Commander Chen shook his graying white head. "I will not spread a rumor to worry the headquarters or animals without leaden prove." He said, "It will lead to nothing but unwanted panic attacks."

Volt opened his mouth to argue again, but at the look the Commander gave him, he fell silent, the aged white cat's gaze was stern even through a layer of black glass.

"I will take precautions," he said, "but do not over-worry yourselves, now, go on home before your caretaker gets suspicious."

..........

The evening that came was not bright and warm like the early morning had been. Thunder cracked and rumbled while splitting lightning flashed outside, heavy rain fell in sheets like buckets of cold water and washed the house's front lawns.

In the living room, Suzie, a teenage girl with russet hair tied into a high ponytail and wide amethyst eyes, sat crossed legged on the yellow cushioned long sofa. Her younger brother Louie, a small boy with spiked, strawberry-blond hair tucked beneath a blue cap with white straps, was perched beside his sister, his arms crossed behind his head. Their gaze focused on the cartoon playing loudly on the television before them.

On the carpet behind the couch, plopped down among a pile of comfortably stuffed yellow cushions twice the size of them, was the Miniforce. Max was relaxed on a extremely large cushion, scooping from a large bowl of warm, buttered popcorns and stuffing them into his mouth.

Lucy sat nearest the large window, her gaze trained on the rivers of rain snaking softly but rapidly down the glass outside in unfamiliar patterns.

On the carpet behind her, Volt and Sammy were sitting cross-legged at either side of a large, rectangular checkered chessboard, engaged in a competitive game of chess.

"I win!" Sammy declared, slamming his black chess piece on top of Volt's white piece and knocking it sideways.

Volt snatched his piece. "You cheated!"

Sammy's eyebrows shot up, then deepened into a frown. "No I didn't!"

"Yes you did!"

"No I didn't! You just don't want to lose!"

At the window, Lucy was still staring into the outside through the glass, doing a fine job ignoring Volt and Sammy's bickering, which was something she had gotten used to.

The prophecy disturbed her, and she couldn't stop herself from worrying despite the Commander's words. She squinted, watching the swirling gray sky through the sheets of rain as though it held some kind of obvious, yet hidden clue.