Take Back the Light

Chapter 8

When the gang returned from Bullseye, Alana sighed and rolled off the bean bag chair, laying on the floor.

"You look happy," Eli noted, unclipping his bandoleer and setting it on a hook next to the doorway.

"Ecstatic," Alana mumbled. "Did you fix Bullseye?"

"Yes, and it was amazing!" Trixie exclaimed, practically leaping for the couch, pulling out her camera. "I wish you could've seen it. The cavern was dull and purple and just... dead, and when it came back, all the colors and life rushed into the cavern. It was great."

"So how was your stay with the Shadow Clan?" Kord asked as he walked into the kitchen to make himself a snack.

"Great," Alana said sarcastically, climbing back on top of the bean bag chair. "Ash and the chief went back and forth, then three of the Shadow Clan escorted me out of the Dark Periphery. I don't know what their deal is, but they don't seem to like me," she said, praying that her lie was convincing enough.

"Sorry to hear that. I don't know why they would have done that," Eli said as he sat down on the coach next to Trixie, who was scrolling through her camera footage.

"What was keeping the slugs away from Bullseye, anyway?" Alana asked, looking at Eli upside-down from her sprawled-out position on the bean bag chair.

"Dark water," Eli said coolly. Alana frowned and flipped over, propping herself up on her elbows. "Blakk put it there to try and make a land grab for Bullseye."

"Wow," Alana said, shaking her head disbelievingly. "He was going to screw over an entire cavern just for the land?"

Before Eli could respond, Trixie gasped and dropped her camera on the couch, leaning forward and grabbing the letters Alana had tossed on the coffee table.

"Are these-? They are!" Trixie exclaimed, looking at the envelopes excitedly.

"I was pretty tired when I came in, I didn't even look at them. What are they?" Alana asked. Trixie tossed one to her, handed one to Eli, and waved Kord and Pronto over from the kitchen, handing them one.

Alana peered at the paper. The paper was a metallic silver, with a violet wax seal holding it shut.

Who uses wax seals anymore? she wondered as she flipped the envelope over and read the address. It was written in swirly cursive, the ink the same color violet as the seal on the front of the envelope.

To Alana of the Shane Gang, from the associates at Gray Enterprise.

"Why would Gray Enterprise be sending us mail?" Alana asked as she popped the wax seal off the envelope and pulled out a small white paper. The company was well-known for its motives to get as much money possible in as many ways possible, although it was to be noted that the company wasn't nearly as dirty or notorious as Blakk Industries.

There was a swirling purple trim around it, and- did it smell like lavender? The others opened their own letters. Pronto gagged at the perfume on the paper, but nobody else seemed to care that much.

Dear Alana,

We are pleased to inform you that Slugterra's new Shane and his associates are invited to this year's formal hosted by Gray Enterprise.

We are aware that the Shane Gang is comprised of mainly younger slingers, and therefore we have provided a debit account for you all to access in preparation for the event. It is understandable that you are very busy with deeds around the 99 Caverns, but would be elated if you were to attend on this upcoming Saturday evening.