"My name, Chester. I've been on my own for a few years now and I kind of like it, but its a lonely existance. It's like this only because I have to keep a low profile. You see, I am one of two soul survivors of the RAGE Project. I have control over my transformations.... yes two formations. My tiger form, which you saw, and my lion form, which I use on a more regular basis. They change name to the Animen Project sometime ago. Anyone with money can have the permanent form of an animal-human hybred of their choice. I have the option of being human. I like that better than to be an Animan 24-7-365." I look towards Rikk and Koj, "Nothing against that, its just that the human population are against any and all hybreds. So it's to my advantage to live a slit life. As a human I work, and as an Animan I fight. I have to keep in shape somehow. I guess that it about me."
I was surprised! They didn't seem too interested in what I had to say, other than my name. I wasn't hurt by that, they were in a strange place, and they looked rather sleepy. I took this time to show them to spare bed rooms. Koj and Jarek in one room; Serra and Dani in another; Hawke and Rikk in the third. I turn in for the night.
During the night, it was still - maybe a little too still. It was enough to wake up Koj. He left his room and walked back to the padio window. He managed to open it quietly and stepped outside. It was somewhat warm for winter, yet it was enough to send a chill down the man-tiger's back. Someone touched his shoulder he quickly spun around, drawing his sword.
"Whao!!" I said backing away from the sword's bleaming blade. "You couldn't sleep either, I see." the man-tiger just stared at me, now in my lion form. "Oh, I sleep like this. The community around here knows me as Lion Warrior. I have to at least look it for the most part. Only a few others, no where near here, know of me as Rage and Chester. You wait here, I have a hunch of who it is." Despite what I told him, Koj stayed right on my heels.
Out in the distance, someone was moving around in the bushes. Koj and I homed in on the movement. Sencing capture, the intruder leaped out of the bushes, singing rather loudly. The lights back in my home turned on, the others were awake. I bursted into laughter; Koj was confused by my action. Standing in front of the bushes stood a rather muscular animan timberwolf. He was carring a synthesizer and holding a micraphone. I knew who it was! It was the musically inclined rager, Grey Figaro.
"Okay, you can unrage now, Grey Firago. Or should I say Figaro." he instantly unraged. An average built college student emerged from the extreme mass of his rage form. I was still laughing at the whole thing; Koj was still confused by whole thing, but now the Tellos gang came to his side. "I have to ask you, Figaro, why are you here so soon. We aren't leaving for the Convention for at least.... "looks at watch "....five hours. But it least it's good that you are here. I got e-mail from Kiyote and Xavier; both of them will be arriving here, but we have to swing by the airport to get Xavier." Everyone returned to the house.
The following day, the house was becoming a mad house of Tellos fans ranging from animen to humans. Some in costums, others dressed in Tellos merchandice. Kiyote saw standing near the 7 foot Koj and Kojee took the photo. Kojee only stood 6'6" but it was still enough to make everyone feel small beside him, especially Koj. What Kojee lacked in height, he makes up in strength. To show off his size, he wears a green, sleeveless T-shirt. Kiyote was a coyote animan and stood about 7 feet tall. Small, wirey frame, but Kiyote was still force to be delt with. While the fans rallied themsleves for the trip, I had pulled the Tellos gang and Figaro aside. I didn't need to hear the fans fussing over them.
"So how much longer?" Figaro pondered. "The sooner we leave the sooner the Tellosians can go home."
"I agree, but we can't have the Tellos Fans jumping at the chance to go to Tellos. That would be a worse case senerio." I argued. "We have to wait until the Convention clears out. That way no one knowns that a comic realm parallels our own. If that got out, whose know what could happen."
"Knowing that, how did you find out?" Figaro kept firing questions away; I did everything to avoid giving a straght forward answer. I didn't want to tell him that they appeared at the comic shop I was at. It would cause undue stress to them.....and me. I knew how they came here......I saw the watch in Rikk's paw. He still had that watch... I needed to get at it.
"Rikk can you come over here for a moment. I need to ask you a question." I called out to the fox. He walked over, but left his bag with Hawke. Once Rikk was close enough I asked him If I could see the watch. He was confused; I knew he was lying. "Don't test me. I saw the watch. I knew it was the thing that opened the gateway. Trust me, I want you to get home as soon as possible. So I need to see that watch."
"I have the watch." Rikk sighed. It was clear that something was wrong. "But the watch is, well, broken."
My jaw dropped. It was hard to for me to understand why it could break. I recalled that six emerged through the gateway. "It sounds like it was overloaded. I think I can fix it. But it'll have to wait." I turned my attention to Figaro and the Tellosians. "Okay everyone get on the bus. We have quite a journey ahead of us." They boarded the bus; the bus drives around out front.
I entered the house and instructed the fans that it was now time to board the bus. They did that is a hugh gaggle-fuck. It was sheer charnage. A loud roar from me caused them to settle down. "Behave!!! I want you to arrive at the convention undamaged, so quit you pushing and shoving and get on the bus." The fans instantly got in a stright line and boarded the bus without as much as a peep. I got on the bus and instantly appologized for my action, but I didn't need to see you lashing out over a seat. Okay with that said, it time to got to the Convention." The crowd began to cheer as the bus left for the main road.
After nearly an hour, the bus turned off the main road and went onto Insterstate 5. Since this wasn't a SCHOOL BUS, I was legally able to travel at the maximum speed limit. In most places I was traveling at 70 MPH. Climbing the mountains, I cruised the bus at a very slow 40 MPH. I didn't want to explain to dozens of fans that we won't make it on time. However, down down the otherside of the mountain, I kept the transmision at a low gear and let the bus drift down but kept the bus at no more than 55 MPH. I didn't need to rely on my brakes too much because of a electro-magnetic retarder on Level 1.
The bus drove through L.A. and headed straight to the airport. Xavier's flight arrived earily so when we arrived, he had his bags and were waiting to be picked up. Xavier boarded the bus quickly and took his seat next to Figaro. We were half an hour ahead of schedule so I took the opportunity to park and let the fans line up outside of the Convention Center. All was fine and peaceful... until the ground began to shake. It went unnoticed at first, but it occured again and again. It was getting stronger each time. It wasn't any kind of earthquake I've been in before. This was strange. However; no one but Figaro, the Tellosians, and myself were the only ones whom were aware of it.
The Convention Center opened reguardless of the barely felt earthquakes. Figaro and myself lead the Tellosians straight to the Tellos Booth. Xavier disappeared in the crowd. Todd, saw the Tellosians out in the distance and knew something wasn't right. He left the booth and made a bee-line straight to us.
"How did you get here?" Todd pondered. Rikk pulled out Todd's broken watch. "Oh, I see. Well, Mike isn't here, so you'll have to stay here for awhile."
"Where is he?" I quickly answered. He shugged his shoulders. "I see. I can fix the watch, if you like." Todd gave me an angered stare. "I take that as a 'no'. So we wait. I have all day. By the way, have you felt these tremers?"
"N-n-no." Todd stammered. "But now that you mention it, it has been a little unsteady today." Todd fell over. Koj instintively reached out and gave Todd a helping paw back to his feet.
"They are getting stronger..." I said. I lowered myself closer to the ground, preventing myself from being sent to the floor. However, it wasn't enough, I found myself catching myself as I fell to the floor. I wasn't the only one. The whole room was shaking; a panic was insuing.