{ELEMENTISTS OF WILLOW FOREST BOOK III} The Bane of Technology

Disco Time

14:  Disco Time

Fred didn't understand why lots of humans were all gathered together like that.

There was Flame-Fingers, and what, about one-two-three-four-five-six-seven.

What came next- oh.

Eight-nine-ten-eleven-twelve-thirteen-fourteen-fifteen?

Fifteen other humans plus Felix.

He pricked his ears.  It was hard to hear them inside the tent.

He heard the Master's voice.  "Now."

*

Sasha stepped into the dining room.  Wow, it had been completely transformed.  Ash and Eve had whipped up a machine which synched with YouTube to play music, as well as doubling as a smoke and lighting machine.  Also, to please Eve, it did have a spinning disc at the top so she could do that thing where you push it forwards and backwards to make a cool noise.

Ash was playing 'I'm Sexy and I Know It', blaring it out as loud as the speakers could manage.  Eve was having great fun with the lighting, flashing the spotlight on everyone who came in, and calling out their names to cause further embarrassment.

Eve announced, "Our next couple is Ethan and Sasha!  Oh, dang it Sasha you lucky pig, how did you manage to bags him?"

Everyone laughed, including Eve, Ash, Ethan and Sasha.

"Ooh!"  Ash squealed.  "I ship you two Sethan!"

"Oh no," The voice belonged to Josie.  "How about Ethasha?"

"I prefer Ethasha."  Danny, a boy from Tech said.  "Because it's got the same amount of 'Sasha' in it as it has 'Ethan.'"

"Yeah!"  His date Tabitha piped up.  "Like Olukia!"

"Wait, WHAT?!"  Olivia shrieked.

Silence.  The music went off.

"Umm, we got bored, so we shipped everyone!"  Bethany said.  "Uh, Rathan, Phillsie, Jack, Sebble, Jamma, Tomicia, Milliver, Kalice, Danbitha, Nicson, Malyn..."

The music started up again.

Sasha and Ethan casually stepped to the side.

"So..."  Sasha prompted.

"Um, I won my bet that Jacob and Rock would go together?"

"What was the prize?"  Sasha asked, trying to make conversation.

"Three screwdrivers."  Ethan beamed, like three screwdrivers was the best prize ever.  "Different sizes, too!"

"Oh."

Awkward pause.

"Err, how's the TARDIS getting on?"  Sasha began.  "Ash and Eve showed me around it that time.  It was awesome as it was then, but I bet that now it's..."

"Well, Ash wanted to watch every single Sherlock episode in there to feed her new addiction.  We added that no problem.  And with all the software from the Hunger Games thing, well, we've virtually finished the six-dimensional video survival simulation.  The only slight flaw is that when you're in there, it's kind of hard to get out.  And when you die in the game...

Suddenly, the music stopped.

The lights went off. The smoke machine stopped.

"What the-" Somebody began.

Even in the dark, Sasha could make out the panic on Ethan's face.

"Power cut."  He announced grimly.

*

Olivia couldn't get why there was a power cut.

Fourteen Tech Elementists, permanently making sure this never happened.  For it to happen, it would take some of equal power, plus a bit extra....

Ah.

Very clever Felix, you ()!"$%*(&^£%^*)&*£$"%.

"Echo Valley."  She announced grimly.

Silence.  Everybody stared at her.

Everyone in the room knew about Felix, for the first time in two years.  Before then, it was just the Councillors.  Then Sasha knew some, but not the whole story.  Now everybody knew the bare details: 'Evil boy who is kind of Sasha's brother killed all the adult Elementists so he could control every Element.  He raising an army of Death Wolves plus Elementists at Echo Valley to come and kill us because he is evil."

Nothing like what Olivia knew.

Still, those two words 'Echo Valley' had a huge impact.

"He knows this place runs on electricity."  She said.  "So they've taken our power.  They're going to attack us while we're weak."

Silence.

Panic.  Voices.  Talking.

"Ash, Eve, do a sweep of Tech and make sure all machines are safe."  Ethan shouted above the uproar.  "I'm gonna try and get the power going again.  Bethany, Jack, Tabitha, Karl, Max, Iona, Juan, Daisy, David, Sianna, Danny, to the TARDIS."  He grimaced.  "It's gonna take all of you to even try."  He raised his voice again.  "I'll help you the moment I can.  Everybody else, switch everything that is on in All off.  Return to your Houses.  Switch everything off in there.  Keep one small object; say a lamp or an alarm clock on.  If the power's back on, that way you'll know."

Everybody ran.