Red Sun Rising

Chapter 2: Lessons from a Musician

Max:

When we got through the portal, I immediately noticed an assortment of minions and clone troopers in a dazed heap on the floor. I turned in a circle, looking for Kento but the Traveler had disappeared.

"What happened?" Johnny asked, helping a clone trooper up.

"Some colorful, crazy blur ran by. It's exploring HQ as we speak, sir," the clone trooper replied.

I shared a look with Johnny. The crazy blur could only be our missing Swecanian. Another clone trooper came running from a side entrance, calling for us.

"Commander! The pantry's been ransacked. All the sweets have disappeared!" The trooper came to a halt in front of us, panting. "I tried to go after the culprit but... Should I gather a search party, sir?"

Steven scratched the back of his head. "Uh, no need. The culprit's a—"

Kento suddenly appeared next to me, his arms full of— "Candy-candy-candy! Hi-Max-hi-D.T.C! I-took-the-liberty-of-checking-all-rooms-to-make-sure-Red-Hood-didn't-leave-a-trap-or-anything. The-pantry-was-safe-and-it-had-all-my-favorites-except-for-toffee-sadly. You-should-keep-some-in-stock-it's-quite-good-for-you! But-look-jellybeans!"

I stared at him, trying to piece together what he said in my mind. His hair was no longer brown, but a rainbow of colors ranging from blue to yellow to pink. His now-kaleidoscopic eyes were a little disturbing when he gave me such a wide-eyed stare.

Kento noticed this and continued to speak. "Y'know-jellybeans-help-when-you-have-a-cold-or-hayfever."

"*Sniff* you have any jellybeans?" I heard a clone trooper whisper to another. 'SMACK!'  "Ow!" He yelped as his fellow trooper hit him.

"Quit talking nonsense," His friend muttered.

"Um, okay Kento," Steven said slowly. "Let's head over to the Technolab. You know where that is now, I presume?"

"Oh-yeah-I-passed-by-it-on-my-patrol! See-ya-there!" Kento zoomed off down the corridor.

"Sir," a clone trooper went up to me, "am I right to presume that the hyperactive guy is now a guest here at HQ?"

I sighed and patted the trooper on the back. "Until Crystal gets back... yeah. Now, come on guys. I'd hate to think he'd run out of sweets and go for my pickles next."

"That's the least of our worries, Max," Hailow said.

There couldn't have been a truer fact.

~

I opened the door and found a vaguely familiar face rush up to greet us.

"D.T.C!" The music Traveler, Beatrice leaped from her chair, dodging past Kento as she walked up to us. I recognized her immediately. She wore the same one shoulder T-shirt and jeans, but today she didn't have her fingerless gloves on. "I just heard the news from Malachi but I had to make sure it was true. Is Crystal really...?"

Steven walked past her to the computer screen. "Unfortunately... yes. Is there any other news from your end? Hey, don't touch that!" He pointed briefly at Kento, who had been examining a vial of purple liquid.

Beatrice put a hand over her mouth as she digested the information, sitting back down in my usual seat. I had half a mind to point it out to her but settled for taking Lazlo's chair instead. Kento, meanwhile, obeyed Steven but moved on to the half-finished trinkets on the next table.

Shaking herself out of her shock, Beatrice looked up as we took our seats at the table. "Kento's brought me up to speed, er, in a way. From what I gathered, he's to help you guard the stone until the higher-ups say otherwise? Where is the stone?"