Gone Again: World Hoppers {book two}

Red

"She's a child Dj!" Dj and Naomi looked over at Natalie, now five and hiding in the corner of the room. "Dj!" An older boy poked his head in the door, "Got the bio project- who's the kid?" None of them said anything, "Hey kiddo, you want this?" Natalie didn't say anything, he tossed something to her, she stepped out of the way and it hit the floor. "Well then, guess I'll be going."

"Natalie what are you doing?" She has been messing with her much too big hoodie, she dropped it immediately. "I'm sorry." Naomi frowned, "It's fine, come over here," Natalie shook her head, "What in the- Natalie, come on." Natalie shook her head, shuffling backward into the closet. Naomi got off the bed and moved to pick her up, she tumbled backward and disappeared into the clothing, a thud coming from the back of the closet.

Naomi tentatively pulled her out, she pushed away, wiping her eyes and apologizing over and over. Dj stared from the top bunk, her own eyes beginning to water. "Are you crying?" Naomi asked softly, Natalie shook her head, "Yeah you are, it's okay to cry Nat." Natalie shook her head again, "Mama told me not to." Dj started crying, Natalie looked at her. "I'll be right back, I'm going to go and grab some things."

Natalie moved over to the bunk, Dj was still crying. She climbed up to the top carefully and settled at the top of it, a good distance away. "Are you okay?" She asked quietly, Dj nodded and put on a smile for her. "Did that lady hit you?" She asked even quieter, Dj cried harder but shook her head. "Your name is Natalie right? Can I hug you?" "Hug?" Dj was beginning to get more mad than angry. She didn't know much about Natalie but she's was beginning to get a feel of what her childhood must of been like. Her actions began to make sense.

"Don't let her wander off," Naomi mumbled, running back toward the building. They'd gone for a walk and she was going to grab drinks. Of course little Natalie managed to slip away from her.

"Hey kiddo what'cha doing?" Natalie paused, looking around for the voice. A petite man with long scars up and down his arms stepped into view. She stared at him for a moment before he slowly moved into a crouch. "I hear you got some firepower, eh?" He held out his hand, letting a small flame trace along his scarred hand. Natalie looked at the flame in her own hand. "I won't hurt you, what's your name?" He could see her long for trust, she'd come with him in a matter of minutes if no one intervened.

She went. He took her back to what he called the lair in a small vehicle she didn't know the name of, she was even allowed to sit upfront.

He, who she quickly began referring to as Red, led her around the lair, showing her the ins and outs before bringing her to the middle of a crossroads. "Okay, now I want you to make the biggest explosion you can. This room is fireproof, it'll be fine." Natalie walked quietly to the middle of the bridges, "What about you?" She asked quietly, "I'm fine, fireproof too. Now go for it kiddo." Natalie felt it in her chest first, a searing heat, then it moved down to her hands, and suddenly flames shot into the air.

Red smiled and encouraged her to push for more fire, she did so. She formed a relatively small fire that engulfed her and spiraled into the air before finally she dropped it. "That was wonderfully, you did great." Natalie beamed and skipped alongside him as they went back to the main room where everyone was at, "Maybe we can show everyone just how great you are tomorrow,"

Naomi was worried half to death. There wasn't a single hint about where Natalie May have run off to. Best case scenario was that she was a teenager again and was mad and run off, worst case scenario she'd wandered off as a child and was dead. She wasn't even as mad at DJ as she expected herself to be, she knew how Natalie could be, her as a kid was worse. She was skittish and stubborn.

Natalie woke with a pounding headache, she climbed out of her cot and headed up to the common area. Several of the people she'd met previously eyed her but said nothing. "Where's Red?" They pointed to a door down the hall.

Red wasn't stupid, he quickly figured out what had happened. Though Natalie didn't seem like the hero type anymore, it was almost as if all the years between when she was five the day before and now were filled in, years of training he could skim over.

"Your hair's getting long," Natalie nodded, "I think you should cut it." She shrugged in response, "Alright then come ere' and let me cut it real fast." She sat down in the chair, he began cutting.

She ended up with a undercut, several of her curls still clinging to the top of her head, "Like it?" "Of course," He smiled as she ran her fingers across the shaved portion of it, "Feels weird." Red shrugged and angled the mirror on her, "You'll grow to like it, now then, let's go over what you've learned."

They practiced for an hour or so before Red was satisfied. He took Natalie by the shoulders and locked eyes with her, "This next task if very important, it determines whether or not I'll send you back into the world for the real tasks we have planned for you, think you can handle it?" She nodded, her hands letting out short bursts and pops in excitement.

"Kill him." He pushes a boy in front of her, she stared at him quietly, he was blonde, tall, and already bloodied. "Your that girl from- oh- oh no-! I'm so sorry that-" Red kicked him in the back of the knee, he crumpled. "Do it Natalie." Natalie walked up to him slowly, "Please, I don.'this deserve to-" Natalie splayed a hand across his head, he trembled beneath it. "Do it Natalie. Finish it." An explosion against his skull was all it took. Jason was dead.

"Pose as a student, lure any you can to the forest. We got it covered from there. Good luck Natalie," Natalie nodded and headed into the school. She'd die before she failed this mission.

"Natalie! Oh my god I thought you were- what in hell happened to your hair?" "Got it cut," The girl nodded quietly before another girl ran up, "Naomi quit running off with- Natalie!" Both girls hugged her and she smiled, she hadn't a clue who they were. "Where did you wander off to? One minute we're walking by the forest the next-" "I'll show you."

Natalie led them down to where she'd exited the first earlier that morning, "See I went through here and-" "Natalie watch out!" Vines pulled her backward, the burnt to dust in seconds. "Natalie what do you think- oh my-" Naomi was tackled by several people, Natalie felt a passing sense of guilt. It didn't last long.

"God job Natalie," Red ruffled her hair and she smiled, Dj gasped as Naomi took hold of Natalie, pushing off her attackers. "Natalie listen to me. Blue. Ollie. Cas." Natalie paused, "I don't know a-" Naomi stared at her for a moment longer, "Please don't be mad at me for this but," she shoved her to the ground, Natalie shook for a moment before Red pulled her up, pushing Naomi backward.

"Your doing great Natalie keep-" Naomi snatched her wrist and pulled, bringing her crashing into her. She rolled over so that Natalie was looking at her. "Natalie I swear if I don't get through to you- you are so very courages and strong and not only beautiful but also-"Natalie cursed and pushed her away, "Your a liar!" "No I'm not I-" Naomi was pulled away but Natalie grabbed her back, "Where the hell am I?" Dj pulled her out from underneath Naomi and she stumbled to halt, "Natalie where are you going-?" "I don't know who you think your talking to but uh-" a series of flames surrounded her, she grabbed Dj and pushed her to the ground, encircling in her a wall of flames to serve the same purpose as a fire break.

"You wanted to see my power? Here it is," she rushed him, wrapping her arms around his torso and exploding, they shot into the air. She kicked him away, Red panicked, fire engulfed his entire body as he seemed to flail in the air. He grabbed at Natalie and in one swing her eye flared in pain. "Natalie this isn't who you are c'mon-" Her Hans shot to her face, her plan was falling apart, she couldn't seem to think but she knew only one thing, he wasn't getting the last word. "I'm whoever I want to be, scumbag." Vines caught her as he fell and hit the ground, rolling over onto his stomach. He wasn't dead. Natalie wasn't either.

"I see her, Noan, they're right there. Aza can get them all, please." Noan took hold of Honic's shoulders "They won't remember you, she might-" Honic pulled away, "I don't care. Let's just get them back there please. Noan I am begging you." Noan surveyed the area, "Okay, I'll get Aza, you get them over here. Be. Careful."