The great scientist travelled underground in an elevator to visit his secret laboratory. At his arrival the white lab was filled with his favourite bugs dressed up in white coats, flying around.
“And what could be my great invention today?” Dr Ferguson asked. Waiting by the door, they all paused for a response.
“We have finally evolved a cell,” Peter answered as a short smart bug flew near. “This means we can grow anything if situated accordingly,” he claimed, his eyes glowing.
“Don’t play games with me. Rather spit it in my face!” Dr Ferguson growled, walking past Peter.
“Not only that, master,” he said, nervously adjusting his spectacles. “We can also reduce evolution into an initial and preserved state,” he said, outlining a second step.
“Still not convincing,” Dr Ferguson said, placing a smart grin on it.
“But the structure of an animal cell has never been seen with naked eyes, nor was its structure modified.”
The great scientist located the cell near Peter, revolving inside a contained flesh regulator. He drew the Sword of Life, installed it on the machine underneath. The handle glowed beryl, connecting himself to the sword that brightened eyes, the cell re-formed, losing its state while remaining permeable.
When the image of the cell was lost, the scientist arched the sword of life and multiple cells emerged from the glassy wall. Incredibly carefully, he drew off and left the cells breathing in their ideal form.
Dr Ferguson gloated. “We need to dilute the ammunition to activate a more sophisticated outcome.”
*****
With pride, Ken ran his eyes over his kingdom. Shortly, his brother returned from the shooting range.
“You surely need a queen,” Blade said with some amusement.
“Only during times of victory shall I find my only one,” Ken said ruefully.
“This afternoon we’re hosting a party. There will be many young ladies,” Blade shared a wink at the delightful prospect.
Speakers reverberated when the king walked down the aisle. The crowd flooded the air while the ground cleared up for conversations. The king took a seat and prayed for his queen. Blade kept his tags on his options, but was shortly taken away by a human who could not fly like the rest.
*****
Tom and Gabriel flew on and Tom kept his wings high to protect his princess. They both took a seat at ringside.
“This I have never seen!” she said, shouting into his ear over the roar of the crowd.
“Yeah! There’s a lot to learn coming from you, I guess!”
Ken came down from his chair. “Grab that girl!” he commanded, steering towards Gabriel with his three guards.
“Hit me with your best!” said Tom, leaning towards the barman.
“And the girl?” asked the barman, looking at the astonished Gabriel.
“I’m fine!” Gabriel said.
“What is it?” Tom regarded her worriedly.
“I think those men dislike one of us,” she said anxiously, looking at Blade and his unstable brother.
“Yeah, I think we should get out of here now!” Tom said, grabbing her shoulders.
Blade and the guards tried blocking their path, but Tom and Gabriel managed to escape in time. Outside the two ran on foot, hand in hand.
“Do you think they realised who I am?” Gabriel asked, looking back at the castle and trying to keep up.
“We need to keep you on a leash!” Tom laughed as they ran under shade with little witness from the streets. They arrived at the house playful and found everybody asleep.
“Shhh! Humans are now ear sensitive; you will wake everyone!”
Cindy came from her room walking with her teddy in slippers to go and grab a huge cookie treat from the basket.
“You woke me from outside already!” Cindy said, ambling back to her room.
“I guess we don’t have anything to hide,” said Gabriel near the door, she latched on for a quiet good morning kiss.
In her sleep Gabriel had great company at her bedside. “And she has no wings!” she remembered from the backside of her future sister-in-law.
The school tour of two young boys and four girls showed startled eyes while interrupting a good day sleep. Gabriel woke up to an unknown crowd, scraping backwards from Tom’s huge bed.
“Hi Gabriel!” Cindy greeted. They were all excited to see her alive. “These are my friends!”
“Hi Gabriel!” they replied in awed voices. Gabriel closed her ears with sleeves held over the hands.
“Hey everyone, can you wait for me outside? I need some alone time.”
“Goodbye Gabriel!” Cindy’s friends shouted as one by one they made a slow exit.
“You come back here!” Gabriel said, nearing on Cindy. “Where is your brother?”
“He went for training. Freddy came early this morning and told dad they had a huge practice. All the Cobos have been completed.”
“What are Cobos?” asked Gabriel, freaking out.
“They are the machines that will be used to fight your dad and the rest of the animal world!” said Cindy, her eyes vacant.
The crowd mingled outside audibly. “The king is coming!”
Gabriel went to the window to view the crowd making way for their king. Mrs Mifflin appeared at her door step hastily.
“Gabriel get dressed. I think we have an unexpected guest.” Her upper body was set against the door frame, and Gabriel wandered away miserably.
“I don’t have anything to wear!” she argued petulantly.
From the crowded ramble paying a lone visit, the king touched down not far away. Flocks from roof tops watched an event of some sort. Mr Mifflin stood on guard outside his house. Ken looked pleasantly at his surroundings and then he launched out with a firm handshake from a great distance.
“Mr Mifflin,” Ken propelled himself to be ushered in.
“Ken is gladly received,” said Mr Mifflin.
Inside the Mifflin’s bedroom, Tom’s mother gave Gabriel her family dress which had descended from the fourth generation. Fixing her hair, Gabriel used Mrs Mifflin’s make up collection, then rose from the dressing table.
“How do I look?” Gabriel asked uncertainly, fixing her light earrings
“When my mother passed this dress on to me, I asked the same question, and she said he will love this woman!” said Mrs Mifflin and they both laughed.
“I know that’s not the case,” said Gabriel, denying it with a smile.
“I feel it’s my job to protect the image of this family,” Mrs Mifflin said adjusting her leaves under her crown. “This dress has been kept for generations. By the time my daughter is old enough, this sickness would have been done with me,” she said, holding her lusty shoulders. “I want you to show her how it should be worn!”
“Thank you, I’ll do my best,” said Gabriel and Mrs Mifflin sat on her bed, honoured.
“I believe you have an unexpected guest that is worthy of my acquaintance,” Ken said but Mr Mifflin averted him from intruding.
“If there was such a visitor, I would let you know when they were ready to be met.”
“So, you’re now telling me what to expect!” said Ken with a snort.
“I guess you must be the king of Porto!” said Mr Mifflin and hid his arms with much disfavour.
Gabriel sat apart from the house, opening the door to meet the real king of Porto on her doorstep. Legions laughed aloft a large number of nests. Ken urged forth, provoked for some time, but Gabriel maintained eye contact, assuring her composure and bothering the king. Burning from anger, Ken ogles every sight, fighting against his will. Mr Mifflin stayed in the background, uncertain what to expect. Ken eventually withdrew from the battle, offering a curtsy of ardour.
“It’s a king’s pleasure to give you the key to the city!” said an inflamed Ken. “Care to join me for dinner in my castle?” he asked, hoping to captivate his guest.
“It’s great to know I’m welcomed by a king,” she said, flattered by all the attention, “but I’m not sure about the dinner part!”
Examining her carefully as he stepped forward, Ken held her left hand. “Think about it,” he begged and embraced her little hand irrevocably. “We caught a wild cat wandering not far from these walls,” he went on and stood opposite her. “She claims to be your friend!” Ken flew out amid zealous huddles. “The dinner is at seven!”
*****
The Dardens were yet to meet another mass destruction. An army of worms chased them from the grassland while they hopped from one leaf end to the next. Niane lead the gang shooting the monsters, armed with great white jaws, beneath.
“I’m running out of shots!” Lorden shouted.
Dispatching the last hand, Dandy took out every shell from his backpack and tossed it away.
“That was all we had, man.” Dandy said. Niane lost his footing when the news broke and fell under Lorden. “Niane!”
“I’m going for him!” Dandy shouted and whirled over, redirecting his heavy gun upon the sky.
Niane grabbed hold of his backside, and awaiting mouthful monsters in combat for who will receive the price and display their dominance. Dandy played a waiting game with recharged shot ascension. Upon the two Dardens, the monstrous worms jumped for a kill. Dandy released the hydrogen bomb, clearing a wide shadow in the jungle as the beasts squalled to death.
“I can see the sea is on the other side!” Lorden howled from the smoke. “Hurry up! Let’s head for it!” Niane helped Dandy to his feet and ran slowly with him.
The Dardens saw a branch and dragged it across the beach. Not far off, the voices of the worm army prevented the warriors from leaping onto open planes.
“We won’t make it!” panted Niane a few yards away from the shrubs. He was sweating, worn out, trying to push a boat ahead while the others lagged behind.
“We need more time, Dandy,” said Lorden, pulling towards the current.
Dandy partially ran aside with his recharging weapon and positioned himself from their domain, causing the monsters to howl in rage. Lorden and Niane took the wooden boat from the shore, breaking sticks they would paddle it with.
“Dandy, we need to move now!” said Lorden. The worms knew what was coming and some were moulting into larva shells.
“Wait a sec…!” Dandy said as he burst a cannonade and swabbed the army into a bygone era.
He ran to join his kind cruising in the shrub ship, gazing at their great victory. Survivors deformed into egg shells just in time to evade the extermination as the smoke rolled over them, making them defunct.
***