"You look like shit." Bo said with a smirk as I walked into the dining car. Bo was seated at the counter closest to the door at the opposite end of the car, Gadget perched happily on his shoulder munching on a bagel. Nate and Jade were seated on opposite sides of Bo and both parents slapped him on the back of his head for his remark.
"No cursing!" They both exclaimed in unison. Bo rubbed the back of his head then frowned at the both of them.
"But he does!" Bo grumbled. Nate rolled his eyes then looked over at me, the concern on his face was obvious.
"You okay Chase?" Nate asked. I nodded then yawned loudly.
"Yeah, I didn't get much sleep last night." I said, yet another yawn escaping as I spoke.
"Jane put you through the paces last night for your little expedition last night?" Jade asked. I nodded then groaned as I felt a joint pop while I took a couple steps towards the stove which had scrambled eggs and sausage set out on two large pans.
"I had to make a enchanted item that acted as a mobile arena. It protects spectators on the outside while keeping combatants from killing each other on the inside. Took me hours to make…I think I only got a few hours of sleep." I replied while I took a plate from a stack on a counter nearby and piled on as much food as I could on my plate.
"For the combat demonstration you pitched to Jane and Madilyn?" Jade asked. Again I nodded and then walked over to a counter nearby the Kestral's, leaned against it and started eating.
"Jane is getting ready for that Banquet her mom and dad told us about last night." I said then started scarfing down several mouthfuls off my plate. This earned a groan of disgust from Bo. I ignored him and finished eating my plate then quickly tossed the dishes into the sink. "I'm supposed to be getting ready for the Banquet too but I'm starving and sleep deprived. Better to be sleep deprived and a little snapped than hangry and sleep… I might burn this place to the ground if I get pissed off."
Nate, Jade, and Bo all shuddered at that declaration. Nate and Bo in particular shot me an apprehensive look. Considering both of them were present when I torched the Red Dragons that wasn't shocking.
"Chase…are you going to be okay?" Jade asked.
"Yeah, I might be little more snappy but I'll be fine." I said then started towards the door leading to the cars at the front, then paused when I remembered a message I was supposed to pass on. "Oh, Bo and Nate. Sin, Louie, and Chad will need help moving through Solaris Wolfen and Briar Lieon to the demonstration area. Sin wanted me to pass that on."
"Understood, we'll head over after Bo's done eating." Nate said then shot his son and Gadget perched on his shoulder a look.
"WHAT WAS THAT LOOK FOR?!" Bo griped. Nate and Jade both shared looks while Gadget stared at the side of Bo's head.
"Probably because they know you'll try and sneak away at the first chance to try and attend the Banquet." I said over my shoulder.
"I'm not that transparent!" Bo snapped.
"But you are that stupid to admit your plans…" I said with a shake of my head.
"WAIT! NO!" Bo bellowed.
***
"Chase! Are you ready yet?!" Jane yelled from the bottom of the stairs that lead to my sleeping quarters.
I stood in front of a mirror next to my bunk looking at my reflection. I was wearing a white dashiki with black metallic trim. It wasn't as extravagant as the dashiki I wore the first night or last night but it was striking, especially with the contrast of the white against my darker skin tone.
"Yep! Heading down now." I replied, then walked over to a desk across from my bunk. It had a jewelry box on top of it, inside of it were all of my enchanted rings and necklaces that I created and deemed useful.
I opened the box and looked over several rings before pulling out several and placed them on my fingers then grabbing a enchanted necklace that I made during our trip to Tsushima. I quickly put it on then paused when I noticed that there was something missing. A dagger that had the crystal genesis spell inscribed on it.
'Gadget must have gotten in my room again…" I thought as I closed the box then rushed downstairs.
Jane was standing at the bottom of the stairs waiting for me. She was wearing a flowing and elegant burgundy dress with the emblem of Sho'lajah Artifact Compant over the right breast. Her hair was down with a thin golden tiara on top of her head. She looked at me with an impatient frown.
"What?" I asked. She crossed her arms and shook her head.
"Gods! You were taking forever!" Jane exclaimed. I rolled my eyes and sighed.
"The escorts to the Banquet aren't even here yet, it's not like I have to hurry." I reported then walked past her and into my main cabin. "Isn't it bad enough that I'm going to this Banquet sleep deprived. I'm not going to be rushed."
"Well who's fault is that?!" Jane exclaimed. I frowned and turned to face Jane.
"You! You slave driver!" I snapped. Jane curled her upper lip at me and gritted her teeth.
"You are the last person that can call anyone a slave driver! After everything we've had to do this past month to prepare for this damn expo!" Jane snapped. I flinched and looked away.
"Well you all signed up for this when you joined my company." I retorted. Jane stomped a heel and huffed.
"Oh please! Like Iris and I ever had a choice! We get pulled into whatever little harebrained or half assed scheme that you stumble into!" Jane snapped.
"Bah!" I said dismissively.
"Warning! Intruders into into King's Glaive's proximity!" King's Glaive announced inside my car.
"Looks like our escorts are here." I said then glanced up at the ceiling. "King's Glaive, inform my Grandpa, Damon, Alberto, Louie, Angie, and KC that it's time."
"Understood, transmitting message." King's Glaive said. I looked to Jane then pointed towards the door.
"Let's go meet our new guests." I said then headed towards the door. Jane sighed and followed after me.
I walked out of my personal car and into the navigation car. Inside the navigation pedestal it showed several red dots in a triangle shape pointed at the King's Glaive icon at the center of the map. I opened the door to the outside and was confronted with by a delegation from the Tech-9 committee.
The escorts were standing in front of King's Glaive's engine car looking surprised when the navigation car's door opened. The escort was composed of six soldiers, a carriage pulled by four steeds in front of them and a big wig diplomat looking type stood in front of all of all of them at the front of King's Glaive's engine car.
"Am I to presume that you all are here to chat…or do I need to call my evos…?" I asked as I stepped down from the car.
"Master Kingston!" The diplomat type exclaimed and quickly turned and walked over to face me. He bowed so deep his head nearly touched the ground. "I am Reddrick La'forgé, a member of the Tech-9 committee sent to inform you of a Banquet that is being held today."
"Ah, yes that." I said then glanced over to the King's Glaive's open door at Jane. Jane stepped down from the mana train and smiled politely at Reddrick.
"Pleasure to me meet you Reddrick. My parents informed Chase and the rest of Sho'lajah Artifact Company about the banquet last night." Jane said then covered her mouth and huffed. "Oh where are my manners, I am Jane Solomon, first princess of the Egypt and Chief of Operations at Sho'lajah Artifact Company."
Reddrick's eyes widened as recognition hit him. He quickly bowed again then motioned for the soldiers with him to do the same.
"A thousand pardons you highness, I did not recognize you." Reddrick apologized. Jane chuckled lightly then motioned to the dress she was wearing.
"Well this is a far cry from my formal regalia but I like to think that I still give off the air of royalty." She said flashing him a charming smiling.
"More like a air of desperation…" I said softly Jane slapped the back of my head without looking at me or dropping the charming smile she'd flashed Reddrick and his soldiers. I didn't wince or otherwise react to her slap since it was all sound and no substance.
"Am I to understand that you will be guiding us to the banquet?" Jane asked. Reddrick quickly recovered from any shock he had from seeing me get slapped the the princess and nodded profusely.
"Yes! Yes your highness! We even brought a carriage to ferry you all to the event!" Reddrick said. I held a hand up then shook my head.
"That won't be necessary, my evos can get us there." I said earning a groan from Jane.
"I would rather not ride on Grimm-Guard's back, it took me a considerable amount of time to get ready and he flies too fast, my hair will be ruined!" Jane sighed and ran her fingers through a few strands. "Not to mention your Grandfather's…aversion to centipedes…"
"Oh yeah…right…" I groaned.
Just then Damon and Alberto stepped out of the King's Glaive's control car, dressed in their formal uniforms. They glanced over at Reddrick and his soldiers then looked at me. Both silently asking if I had the situation under control. I gave them a curt nod, only then did the two fall in line behind Jane and I.
"Ah, more of your retinue, Master Kingston?" Reddrick asked. I nodded then looked back at the King's Glaive.
"There are a few more going with us, they should be here shortly." I said.
Grandpa Seamus, Colosuss, Angie and KC were the next ones to exit the King's Glaive. Grandpa dressed in a suit that had Sho'lajah Artifact Company's logo embroidered on his left breast while Angie was wearing a dress similar in style to the one Jane wore in the same color and KC was dressed in the Lunar Liger shark Onesie that Jade and Angie had made him. I smirked a little seeing KC dressed like that as the group approached.
"Sorry fer the wait Starlight, took me a minute to find me suit. Had it packed away with me underbritches." Grandpa Seamus said cheekily. I rolled by eyes and sighed, glancing down at Colossus. Knowing that the little porker probably had something to do with the hidden suit.
"Where is Louie?" Jane asked. Angie sighed and shocked her head, shifting slightly to balance KC on her other hip.
"He ripped his uniform and is rooting around hos suitcase for his spare." Angie said. I sighed and shook my head.
"And how did he manage to rip that?" I asked. Angie looked down at KC then sighed.
"Little Chaser here didn't want to get dressed so he raced around the cabin running from Louie. He ended up tripping and splitting his pants." Angie explained.
Jane, Alberto, Damon and I snickered then busted out laughing. Grandpa Seamus turned away and snickered. KC looked around at everyone with a quizzical look on his face then started laughing with everyone.
"Chase!" I heard Bo's familiar voice exclaim from behind me.
I turned around to see the eternal trouble maker jumping down from the King's Glaive's open door and rushing towards my little group. He wasn't alone either, Indy was right behind him, landing with a seemingly unnatural grace for someone his age and following after Bo. Both boys were dressed in their formal uniforms which immediately put me on guard.
"What are you two doing here?" I asked, letting my suspicion show in my voice. Bo and Indy both looked at me and smiled innocently.
"Our dads sent us away and told us to go with you." Bo replied. I glanced over at Jane who was sporting a similar suspicious look to my own.
"Why would they do that?" Jane asked. Both boys avoided eye contact and started shifting uncomfortably.
"Thor's bones! What did you two do this time!" I griped and crossed my arms. At that moment I saw Sin poking his head out of the mana train, he held his hand up and pointed to the manacite communication ring on his finger.
"Looks like we're on babysitting duty as well today." I said. Bo and Indy both puffed up at that.
"We're not babies!" They both exclaimed. This prompting KC to start squirming in his mom's arms to join his young partners in crime their protests.
"Wait for me!!!" I heard Louie's familiar voice call out. I looked back towards King's Glaive and saw him rush out of the mana train. Dressed in a formal uniform thankfully.
"Nobody is leaving without you Honey." Angie said to her as she set down KC to join Indy and Bo. Loiue joined everyone, smiling at his wife then eyed Reddrick and his lot.
"Well it looks like my entire group is here Reddrick, we're ready to leave when you are."