Three Shells Paradise

Pink meets Green

There was a lot of hustling going on about the house. What with eight people coming in and out of the three feet high basement bringing along stuff and piling them up. It was nothing less than chaos in midair. And so it was. The basement was what held their house ,  hundred feet above the surface, afloat,  as it housed the antigravity device. But today they were trying to load it up with tons of stuff that hadn't been used in years. The youngest was about 5 and seemed to be in charge.

"What's all this pink stuff at the outer edge," bellowed Roff.

Dad, that's the fireworks. Why are you moving them aside?  They are my welcome gifts to the Ape King and if they don't go in that order my surprise will be ruined.

The rest of the packers burst into a peal of laughter. And Roff was busy pacifying Gaura. He asked them to put the pink parcels the way they were before.

Maula was angry at this. It took me all of yesterday to put them up according to your princess. As if she screaming in my ears all afternoon wasn't enough you come and mess it up and I have to fix it.
Roff: yeah right, just get the job done.  Remember we are running a tight ship here.

Gaura was back to her post and was ordering Maula. There were a few giggles; it was funny watching a puny five year old taming a huge wrestler like Maula. At last she seemed satisfied and went inside the house. The rest of them got busy with the work at hand.
Dad what about mom? Asked Shia.

She'll make it don't worry. She's braver and much stronger than you all know her to be.

But dad... Shhh your mom is a very strong woman and once she puts her mind to it not much can change. Now focus your energy on the job at hand. Is the food ready., go find out and help your brother lay it out. Umm better still hand it out to them, they can eat on the go.

Shia made a face and left.

They had been working for two days now and they had not even rested properly. Even food was being handed out to them so they could eat while they worked.  A few hours later they had just fallen asleep when they heard a roar. It was a gentle thing at first but then it suddenly rushed at the house at break neck speed. Within minutes there was a noise of some sort of quarrel at the kitchen.

Aren't you early and why did you come at this hour? Where's the rest of the crew? Why didn't you care to inform me about this?
Listen Roff. She thundered. I am your mother and you better watch your tone. Hello kids.
There were a lot of greetings and huddles going on in the kitchen. Alright kids are you all ready to take off. Go along get your stuff. Your uncle will be here any moment now.

And sure enough there was a knock at the door.

Hurry up guys. It's time to go.

"Heya uncle Harry, what's the hurry?" Chirped in Gaura.

What he said next made them all move at top speed.

He knows we are up to something and has sent Rial to find out.

They were doing their last minute packing and dressing up and munching and bumping into each other. It was a scene of utter chaos yet in an organized way. They had been through this all their lives, but this time it was different. Orla, their mom was always there, not this time.
Gina : Harry how did you find out about Rial?
Harry : Mom I had sent a few of my folks to keep a watch on the Ape's best and one of them told me that she was on the move. She was spotted around the corner of Orla's and.... Mom...
Gina was gone.
Roff.: hey where's mom?
Harry : I think she went to Orla.
Then a few more people came in. One of them blurted out "the Ape king is here". These words put all at a stand still for a few seconds. The kids then hugged each other for one last time and got into their flying suits and left with Harry and his companions.
Roff was left alone thinking about the times he had with his best friend Gibbs. He went and picked up a picture from behind a console. He had it hidden even after so many years and after so much had happened.
It was time. He suited up and then he heard the sound of a military band being played and thousands of marching soldiers swarming up to his house. And then there he was, in all his grandeur. The Ape King himself. Roff was surrounded. He went to the basement and waved his hands at the soldiers and just when the Ape king came to face him, Roff turned on a switch. This was what he was planning to do all along. The switch had been rigged to blow up the entire contents of the basement and then bring down the house, a self destruction. Some of the soldiers had already made their way into the kitchen and just as they were about to shoot Roff, Gaura's pink fireworks made their way to the intended Ape king's face. It was a sight to see.
For a king who had never known fear, the sudden explosion of pink color right at his face was a big shocker. His clothes were burning and his face singed yet all around him was pink. Roff laughed heartily. Gaura he chuckled and dropped down the collapsing building in his pod. He flew down to earth to safety. He knew after what he had just pulled off, there was no way he could ever go back again nope not to 3Shells. He made his way to the safe house.
Gina was already in there. The aroma of her coffee was filling the air. Yet when he went inside she wasn't about. She had made arrangements for them all and hadn't yet returned from Orla's. This was a bit alarming for Roff and Harry, though they didn't say it out, they feared the worst.
Gaura was already bossing over her cousins and Shia was trying to calm her down. She was putting her mind off her mother's fate and Gaura gave her the perfect opportunity.
Just then Gina burst in. She looked all grey and had a long tired face. She suddenly seemed to have aged. Maula saw her and took Gaura and the other kids out into the garden to play. He had a tear roll down his cheek. He knew that his grandmother coming alone meant only one thing that his mother and sister were dead. Sia was the eldest among the four siblings. She was a soft spoken young lady and to think that he would never see her again hurt him. He hid his grief and kept the kids busy.

Gina drank her coffee and then looked at Roff and said, "she wasn't there. Perhaps I was just too late. I'm sorry Roff. Maybe putting the two of you in separate houses wasn't such a good idea after all." She sighed and collapsed into a nearby chair. Harry hugged his brother but Roff seemed unfazed.  mom she's alive I know. She's made of a different metal she's there somewhere and I need to find her."
There was no way to communicate with the outside world. They just had to keep low for a few days or even weeks.