[DISCONTINUED] Consumed By The Fire | A Go Jetters Crossover Fanfiction

Chapter 4: Deprivation

Gail's POV:

The next morning, I woke up, still feeling kinda worried about the Swift Slayer. I was thinking about how we could protect ourselves from the beast and still search for Kyan, hopefully getting him home safe and sound.

My eyes slowly adjusted to the dark in our bedroom, but something felt off. I looked round and saw what it was.

The bed was empty.

Strange, I thought. Xuli doesn't normally get up at 5.

Suddenly, my ears pinned back and I gulped. What if it was the Swift Slayer?!

I instantly forgot about my morning tiredness and crashed through the door, making it swing wide open. I zoomed down the stairs and scoured round the island for her. I couldn't find her anywhere.

She wasn't at the back of the dome. She wasn't in the forest. And she wasn't in the corn field or by the wind farm either.

Then, I picked up Xuli's scent. And boy, was it strong.

I followed it almost as fast as a cheetah, weaving in and out of everything that blocked my way until I reached the beach.

And there she was, pacing up and down the coast at a rather fast pace. I breathed a sigh of relief after I found her, but my muscles tensed a bit after seeing something small following her every move.

The kitten from yesterday.

But it didn't seem to be angry. There were no claws or thin eyes to be found. Instead, a rather loving look and a lot of purring, as if it was with its mother.

I glared daggers at the cat for a few seconds before walking up to the Jetter and asking "Hey Xuli. Why you up so early?"

She stopped for a second, giving me a cold, icy glare before turning around and going back the way she came.

I caught up with her and insisted "Xuli, there's clearly something wrong. You don't normally shun me away like this."

"Who did it?"

I was puzzled. "What do you mean, "who did it?" If it's about Kyan, then there's no need to start acting like I heard you did after we got separated."

Xuli just groaned and replied "No, it's about whether the Vroomster is strutting through the reef in a top hat or dressed in Ubercorn's CDs OF COURSE IT'S ABOUT KYAN!!!" Her breath started becoming a lot more heavy, something on her face showing.

I squinted slightly, trying to figure out what the new thing was. I soon realised that small bags were starting to form under my kid's eyes.

"You didn't sleep, did you?" I asked her sternly.

She remained silent.

"Xuli," I began, "I know it's tough for you, having your date just disappear like that. But you can't just block out all feelings because of that. Think of me when I lost your parents. When I saw your dad's skeleton on that beach, I didn't turn all grouchy and turn my back on the ones I loved, although I had a huge temptation to do so.

"I learned to move on, despite the sadness and anger in my heart. And after the entire house fire a year and a half later, you were the only one left that I cared about. But I became a better wolf in the process.

"Don't let the absence of the ones you love wind you up so much. You don't deserve to live like this. Kyan didn't deserve to disappear, I know, but I think you should try pushing your feelings down and moving on, too. We'll find him, trust me."

Xuli stared at me for some time, the cat constantly rubbing itself against her leg, purring like crazy. Her face was blank of emotion, so I had no idea whether it had worked.

We stayed there until Ubercorn called us to help set up for the day again. I sent a prayer up to God, begging for Xuli to be alright and move on.

---

No one's POV:

2 days and a night later...

Ubercorn was going round the dormitories, despite the fact it being midnight, checking that everyone was OK. He quietly opened the door to Lars's bedroom, to find him curled up in bed, fast asleep.

The unicorn smiled as he shut the door carefully and moved on to the next one. Foz had obviously fallen asleep while reading because his face was in the book, snoring away, while his lamp was still on, running low on power, shining down on his favourite teddy.

Ubercorn turned it off and tucked the genius and Mr Snuffles up properly before taking a sneak peek at what he was reading.

It was On the Origins of the Heavenly Bodies by Nicolaus Copernicius.

He's reading that stuff already? he mused amusingly. How old is his mind, 40?

Ubercorn just placed a bookmark on the page, closed the book and set it down on the floor next to the 12-year-old's bed before leaving him in peace.

He then opened the next bedroom, finding Tala on the floor, obviously unaware of her fall from the bed, silently sleeping.

Thank goodness she doesn't carry on the family tradition of being a noisy bedfellow, he thought, chuckling. He picked up the cadet, slipping her under her leaf-patterned blanket and giving her a small kiss on the forehead.

He walked out and shut the door, coming to the next room.

I just hope Xuli's finally found the courage to go to sleep, he mused, and that she's eaten at all.

He opened the door to find Gail on her favourite pillows, snuggling up into her tail. He looked at the bedside table, where he'd left Xuli some dinner (she hadn't eaten or slept ever since Kyan disappeared).

Everything was still there.

He then noticed that the bed was empty. He groaned and shook Gail awake.

The wolf yawned and moaned sleepily "No Xuli, you're staying in bed until you've- oh, heheh, sorry Ubercorn." Her gaze drifted to the bed, where she expected to see her kid sleeping for once.

But no.

She wasn't there.

And neither was the cat.

Ubercorn crouched down and ordered "Gail, start searching the island for Xuli. I'll head over to the controls to see if I can catch her on camera."

Not wanting anything to happen to her dear child, Gail obliged and scrambled up to her feet, slipping out of the door and scampering off into the night.

Ubercorn got up and walked down the stairs, making his way to the Training Dome. Everything seemed normal outside (except for the obnoxiously huge crater in what used to be a calm forest clearing), so he thought maybe she could have fallen asleep somewhere on the island while trying to clear her thoughts.

But when he got to the Training Dome, he saw that the soft neon lights were blinded by another much brighter one. The mentor trudged into the dome, shielding his eyes from whatever this light was.

After his eyes were accustomed to the surroundings, he discovered that the computer was on already.

He'd gone to the master mix controls to find Xuli on camera somewhere on the island.

But he was luckier than he thought he would be.

Why?

Because Xuli was at the controls.

Somebody's got insomnia (and lost her appetite). Guess Gail's speech didn't work that time, then. They normally do, though.

Ah well, best bring you a piece of news.

I'm on holiday with family starting on Sunday morning!

And I won't return until something like Tuesday 8pm GMT. I may get to say a brief goodbye tomorrow, but I'm not sure, so buh-bye for now!

-The Queen of Snow, December "Elsa" "Winter" Winterwolf :)