Angelo Quills : The Shores of Black Sand Beach : Book 1

Part 1 - Black Cat

Imagine this: you're in an amazing place where you feel floaty and light, like you never have to worry ever again, and then suddenly- BAM you fall through the floor like it was made of clouds or something. That was Angelo's dream. He wished he could wake up but he couldn't, in fact he couldn't do anything. He couldn't move or scream, heck he couldn't blink. Suddenly he heard a loud hissing around him like a snake or sizzling fire-

Angelo was woken up by the sound or Marko making breakfast. He lifted his head slowly and drowsily, still dazed by his dream. Marko was whistling a tune that caught his attention. It was a song from Marko and Angelo's favorite movie, Snake Wars. He'd almost forgotten about it, it had been oh so long since the last they watched a movie together.

"Mornin' Marko..." Angelo yawned, stretching, his limbs feeling weak from sleep. Marko came from in his office and smiled in Angelo's dereliction. "Whatcha' up to there?" Angelo got out his comb and began to fix his hair. Marko set down a plate.

"Well, I was making breakfast-" He said as he set down some usual eggs and bacon. "-but I'm done anyhow. How'd you sleep?" Lady carried the salt and pepper to Angelo on the table, and leaped off quickly. Angelo blinked, forgetting to answer Marko. 

"How long's she been doin' that?" Angelo said, using the salt and pepper, watching the cat intently. Marko shrugged, he wasn't sure how smart Lady was, but he knew she was smart. "Did you teach her that?" Angelo said, taking a bite of the food, and Marko got himself cleaned up. The two continued their daily routine. It felt like a nice normal morning, as they maneuver around the room, getting themselves ready for the day, crossing paths with no problem. This was the same every morning, it would take something very unsettling or loud to-

!RIIIING!  The office phone suddenly went off, stopping Angelo and Marko in their tracks. !RIIIING!  It lets out the noise again as Marko makes his way over to the phone. He picked it up, starting as usual whenever he got on the phone. He made an effort to remember protocol. 

"Hello from the BHIF," He greeted a happy tone rising in his words. "How can I-" He was interrupted by a familiar and bone chilling voice. A female voice.

"Hello? Marko is that you!?"  The girl said from the other line, Marko's mouth gaped. He struggled to find word, ones that wouldn't be melted into his voice.

"Er- uh, Mia?" Marko asked a bit surprised, as Angelo stopped what he was doing to look up at Marko. "M-Mia... Gem? " Marko asked to the girl on the other side. He waited for what seemed like a stretched out 3 seconds before he got answered.

"Yeah, silly, who else?" Mia answered on the phone, her cheery voice ringing in their ears. She was always this way, happy, and loopy. She was a redhead with almost just as may freckle as Angelo had, and she loved wearing formal wear, like Angelo too. Angelo loved her. She was his inspiration, other than something else, to get up in the morning. Marko smiled mischievously.

"Oh- wow! Mia! It's been too long, Angelo's missed you a whole lot-" Marko said, looking Angelo in the eyes and wiggling his eyebrows. Angelo shot foreword to  snatch the phone, but Marko held him in place. Angelo swung his limbs at Marko, his face a bright pink, and his skin warm. It did nothing of course, Marko was stronger than him by miles.

"Really?" Mia asked, sounding a little happy to hear it. "Is... Is he there now?" Marko and Angelo froze, their eyes meeting. Marko then smiled. Angelo shook his head, running away. He did want to talk to her, but he was so taken off guard... 

"Oh, yes, he's right here." Marko said, trying to grab Angelo, but he slipped away, running towards the door. Marko chase him. "Let me just get him- *oof*" Angelo punched Marko in the chest plate, it hurting his hand equally as much. Marko grabbed Angelo by the scarf this time, though, dragging him to the phone. "Here he is, the one and only!" Marko said, before shoving he phone at Angelo, and walking away. Angelo flipped Marko off, quickly putting the phone to his ear.

"Uh- Mia? Is that really you...?" Angelo was nervous, he hadn't spoken to her in...one and a half year or so. He heard a happy, loud gasp from the phone.

"Angelo!" Mia cheered. "Hi! How are you guys?" Angelo's chest and face warmed at Mia's happy voice. He'd longed o hear it again after less than a few day of not seeing her... all that time ago. He stuttered to find words.

"W-W-Well... We're f-fine." He responded finally. He heard her sigh in relief. "We've um... we've been ok. Doin' jobs as always." He finished. Mia laughed.

"Really? And is this it? All this time?" Mia asked playfully. Angelo thought for a moment.

"Well, you know, we also kinda get to travel a lot so... we've done a bit of sight seein' too." Angelo said, tucking the phone under his ear, as it had loosened a bit. Mia was silent for a moment. 

"Uh... So, talk about travel-" Mia started. Angelo stiffened. She sounded serious, and that meant this was important. "Jass said that he has a huge job for you... and so he wants you and Marko to come temporarily stay here at the station in Miokono City." Jass. Angelo thought. Jass was the head master in the business. He was the big boss. Orders from him meant do it now, especially to Angelo. Angelo took a breath.

"He wants us to... transport...?" Angelo processed out loud. He looked up at a blur in his sigh, it was Marko standing in the doorway to his office. Marko was wide eyed. This sounded exiting to him. Mia sighed.

"If it helps sell Marko," Mia started. Angelo could practically hear the smile on her face. "...he can bring the cat." Mia said, sounding a little silly again. Marko perked up. Angelo nodded and looked down at the phone again. 

"So- when does he want us there?" Angelo asked, furrowing his eyebrows. He heard someone say something on the other side of the phone. It was a distant voice. Mia agreed to the voice.

"As soon as possible, he says." Mia said, sitting silent. Marko nodded to himself. 

"W-Well ok, we'll see you there, I suppose?" Angelo answered. Mia gasped happily.

"See you there, Black Cat, see you there." Angelo flinched to his old nickname, and blinked as Mia hung up the phone. Angelo looked up at an already packing Marko. The two locked eyes, and large smiles grew on both of their faces. It was time to go home, back to Miokono. 

. . .

Angelo and Marko started packing as soon as they got the call. Marko was especially exited by the sudden news. Angelo wasn't really rushing to get packed, as he didn't own many things apart from his clothes and books. He owned a couple of figurines from when he was a kid, and a pair of hover-blades, which he hadn't used in ages. 

He had a few other things, but it was mostly papers and other things like that. He packed them into his three large travel bags.