The Next Generation

Chapter 13 - Kas

I was furious. Plainly, simply, furious. If I could, and which I was seriously debating, I would just do the quest with only Ethan, Zara, and Sammy. But, sadly, the rest of them were in it too. As I hopped on a hippocampi, Sammy just behind me, I muttered.

"Do you think I could get away with just leaving them knocked out for the whole quest?" Because of procedure, and the fact that he was a head taller than me, he had to sit behind me, his arms around my waist and my petite body held close to his chest. Weirdly, it didn't feel as awkward as it would have sounded. It was comfortable, more than I was willing to admit. At least, more comfortable than Zara and Ethan were handling it.

"I wish," He replied softly. "And, honestly, I admire your little speech back there," I smiled, looking out into the early dawn light.

"Really?"

"Yep. I've always wanted to do it, but I was always scared they would turn on me," He lowered his head, and I could feel him slump behind me. "I'm a coward," I leaned back into his chest, so I was looking up at him, my opalescent eyes staring at his gold ones, trusting that the water horses could take us to wherever we needed to go.

"Hey. You're not a coward. I get your reasons. Just, maybe next time, stand up for, what's the word, correct me if I'm wrong," I winced. "Your fellow bros? Is that it?" He snorted, and I rolled my eyes.

"You don't know the word bros?" He asked.

"Excuse me, I lived in a library full of Grandmas! Do you expect them to use the term bros?" He chuckled, and broke into a crooked smile.

"I guess not. Weird question, though. Is Kas your full name?" I sighed. I didn't give my name out to anyone, but I guess I trusted Sammy. Gullible, I know. But it was nice to have a friend.

"Well, my full name is Kasmira, which means commanding peace, but I shortened it to Kas, which in Greek, means pure," He frowned at this. "Yeah," I sighed. "I don't like it either," He shook his head, and replied quickly,

"No, it's not that, it's a pretty name. It's just, why don't you have anyone call you Kasmira, or at least Mira,"I wrinkled my nose at that.

"Well, for one, Mira means peace, wonder, or wonderful, and we all know that I'm not any of those things," He raised an eyebrow.

"If anything, you did command peace back there," I shook my head.

"I tried to command peace. Key word; tried," I seemed to give up changing the subject.

"Hmm, I think I'll call you Mira," I sat up, and turned back to him, in shock.

"NO. Don't call me that! I have a perfectly fine name, and I expect you to use it!" He laughed, the sound echoing off of the waves like a melody they were repeating.

"Whatever you say, Mira," Fed up with this argument, I dipped my hand into the cold Atlantic, and splashed him. He sat there, with his mouth open, dripping with salt water, while I giggled like crazy.

"Hey!" He protested, but that only made my laugh harder, leaning on the hippocampi's scaly neck, until a boatload of water rained down on me. I gasped and shivered at the freezing temperature of it. Oh. It was ON. I started splashing him, and soon, it was a full blown war, the two of us sopping wet by the time we were done. We were far ahead from the others, Ethan and Zara only specks in our peripheral vision. Slowly, I leaned sideways, letting the light-reflectant water spray my hand lightly.

"Jeez, this girl's fast," I marveled. Sammy scoffed.

"How do you know this isn't a guy?" Our hippocampi snorted and bumped the area where he was sitting, making him jump and almost fall off, if I didn't grab his arm and pull him back, giggling all the while.

"She's a girl," I confirmed, while he stared at the animal disapprovingly. "Now all she needs is a name..." I muttered, and we spent a few minutes pondering the question, until I snapped my fingers in excitement.

"Don't laugh, but I like Cianabettina," He raised an eyebrow.

"And where did that unique name come from?" I pursed my lips, not ready to give the answer, in fear of embarrassment.

"Italian," Pulling his puppy eyes out, he pleaded,

"Italian for what?" I pushed him away, and sighed, giving in.

"Ciana is light, and Bettina is swift, which was the closest I could get to speed. So that means..."

"You named our hippocampi lightspeed. I knew you were a Star Wars fan!" I pushed him lightly as he pumped his fists in the air.

"I actually like Marvel more than Star Wars, but I'm not going to call her Rocket anytime soon," Sammy mock gasped, turning my around to face him.

"I don't know if we can be friends anymore. Because I know I can't be friends with someone as Star-Wars hating as you," Smiling, I replied,

"I don't hate it, I just think there are superior shows,"

"You did not just say that,"

"Watch me,"

"Where did Little Miss Bookworm go, Mira?"
"Oh, she's on vacation, and it's Kas, Gemhead,"

"Name calling now, Glowstick?"

"Rockface,"

"Mira,"

"Airhead,"

"Bookworm,"

"Weird Star Wars Fan,"

"Flashlight,"

"Are you implying something, Samuel?" He turned red and I smiled softly, knowing I had won.
"Wha-no- I mean, your cu-um, nevermind-nope, not at all," He stammered. It was cute, seeing him this flustered, and I kind of liked it. It was him without his sports-loving, popular mask on. Just Sammy. And right now, that was enough.

*******

It was already eight in the morning, and yet the others hadn't caught up to us yet. Also, I was so tired that I fell asleep, my head in Sammy Zhang's lap. I hope he didn't mind. I was probably just a bother to him, one he wanted out of the way. He was most likely just being nice to me because he was a kind person, but he was popular. He could hang out with anyone. In both camps. So why me? Throwing those thoughts away, I sat up, nice and refreshed.

"You good?" He asked. I nodded, a little pink in the cheeks. Then, a loud noise hit my ears and I sat bolt upright.

"What. Was. That," I growled. As you can probably tell by now, I'm not a morning person. Sammy sighed.

"That was the fireworks," He pointed to the side and I groaned. Muffled screams and shouts of children and various parades. A tall castle stood above us, turrets piercing the sky. I grumbled.

"It just had to be Disney Land,"

WC: 1146