The plane was calmly soaring above the clouds. Only the loud humming noise of the double egines filled the cabin of the aircraft. surprisingly, It was relaxing to some of the passengers. Osborn, on the other hand was still terrified, holding onto Pipsie's hand. It was quite amusing that such a large scary bear could be so frightened. The ten hour flight was going to feel like eternity to Osborn.
However, for many people, the idea of flying in an airplane can be very intimidating. You are up in the air, with only the ocean or solid ground below to save you in the event of a plane malfunction. If a crash were to occur, there is no guarantee that you would survive such a catastrophic event.
Zarda glanced at Osborn, who was breathing heavily. He unfastened his seatbelt, effortlessly moving towards him within the plane. Pipsie released Osborn's hand and began to unfasten her own seatbelt.
"No, please wait, Pipsie. Don't leave me," the frightened bear pleaded.
Pipsie smiled at him and gently patted his hand, urging him to follow her lead. "Relax and get up," she said, pointing out that even Zarda was walking around. Osborn noticed he was the only one still seated in the cabin.
Osborn expressed his fears to Zarda, saying, "What if someone accidentally opens the latch and we all get sucked out and die? What if we crash and none of us survive? I wanted to follow you, Zarda, but to be honest, I'm really scared."
Zarda chuckled, "I wouldn't have known by the way you're acting, not. Osborn, you're going to be okay. If someone opens the latch and you or anyone gets sucked out, I'll rescue you. If we crash, we'll do our best to survive. And if you or any of us die, your soul will return to the master. But you're missing out on amazing things by being afraid," Zarda replied.
Zarda decided to sit beside his friend with the hope that engaging in conversation would help distract him from his fears and maybe even make him feel at ease enough to move about.
"I wanted to ask you, Osborn, do you remember when we were locked away in the caves of Hellir and you used my staff to rescue us? What positive memory inspired you to use your skills in that moment?" Zarda inquired with curiosity.
As Osborn gazed into the inquisitive eyes of the lion, he expressed, "Zarda, you were on my mind. I reminisced about our first encounter, how you brought back a sense of appreciation and vitality in me. It had been ages since I felt the warmth of a friendly face, and yours was all I could think of before breaking free from the bars. You're my best mate, I would do anything for you including flying to Africa."
Zarda felt grateful towards his friend, laughing at the bear and recognizing the humor in the situation. In that moment, Zarda realized that Osborn was a loyal and dear friend. After their conversation, Osborn relaxed, unfastening his belt and taking a deep breath.
"You can do this big boy, no problem just one foot after the other." Said Osborn
All eyes were fixed on the bear as he slowly stood upright. Despite his eyes still displaying a hint of worry, he was finally on his feet. Zarda grabbed his hand, promising to stay by his side for support if needed.
Zarda said, "Join me, I have something I want to show you. It's something everyone has already experienced, and now it's your turn."
Zarda and Osborn walked by Vulpix and Pipsie, who were relaxing on plush cushions, engaged in a game of checkers.
Dane and Randolph were reviewing plans for their upcoming landfall, determined to establish a clear order of operations before stepping foot on foreign soil. As they debated who would fall ill first, neither could claim victory in the argument. Meanwhile, Emeryn and Oridian sat together discussing what it would be like to encounter new animals similar to zarda or elephants. They had only briefly remembered the one who was captured and held for experiments, not a hybrid like most others. Scientists had been attempting to replicate the DNA structure of hybrids in hopes of creating an animal-human hybrid to cure Dr. Reese Hopkins of his disease. However, when the experiment went awry, numerous xx-mutants were unleashed during battles. Despite the failed attempts to play god, Yet that didn't stop Hopkins believing herself to be damn near close to it.
Uilliam sat in his pilot's seat, reviewing the flight manual and identifying nearby safe landing sites. He was engrossed in his reading when Zarda and Osborn entered the cabin. Zarda led the bear over to the captain and gestured for Osborn to sit in the empty co-captain's chair. The bear happily obliged and settled into the seat.
"Osborn, take a look ahead. Have you ever seen a more beautiful sky than the one we see from up in the clouds? Look at the earth from this vantage point," Zarda exclaimed.
Osborn chuckled with unease, declining the invitation to look down below. He explained to his friend that doing so would make him queasy. Feeling a bit more composed, the bear relaxed as Zarda stood beside him, offering support with a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
Zarda suggested, "Maybe you would feel more at ease up here, Osborn. If something goes wrong, you and the captain will be the first to know and can alert us. Plus, it wouldn't hurt to distract yourself by learning to fly from the captain of Thundernova. It will be a great experience."
Osborn liked the idea, and Uilliam the hawk didn't mind keeping him company while teaching what he loved doing the best, flying. The two of them spent hours with one another before Osborn really felt safe. At this point he had forgotten he was unbuckled moving around his seat learning the controls and handles the pilot used. He had taken to the job well being co-pilot in training. Zarda was pleased to see his friend at ease and left him to take a nap among the cushions hidden between the crates. Before leaving, Zarda asked Uilliam how long the flight would take, and Uilliam assured him they should reach Africa in ten hours or sooner. Zarda nodded goodbye and went to take a nap.
Zarda found it easy to drift off to sleep, thanks to the soothing vibrations of the aircraft. Meanwhile, Dane and Randolph had completed their planning and settled comfortably on soft cushions to relax. Vulpix and Pipsie continued playing checkers as the others rested, with Oridian sneaking over to cuddle next to Zarda. Emeryn was left to join Pipsie and Vulpix in their game, taking on the winner next.
Oridian snuggled into Zarda's comforting embrace. Resting her head against his strong chest, she listened to the rhythmic thumping of his heart. A contented purr escaped her lips as she closed her eyes, drifting into a peaceful slumber. Zarda, gazing down at the sleeping Oridian, couldn't help but smile. He gently rubbed her back and drew her closer, planting a tender kiss on her forehead that stirred her awake. Her eyes fluttered open, meeting his with a knowing smile. Leaning in, Zarda kissed her lips, igniting a passion between them that quickly escalated. Hands intertwined, clothes slipped away, and they became lost in each other. Striving to keep quiet, they reveled in each other's touch, lost in a passionate moment that seemed to last for eternity. Zarda was filled with joy as he made love to Oridian high above the clouds, their exploration of each other's bodies deepening with every passing moment. Time seemed to vanish as their hands and lips roamed freely, savoring every fleeting second together.
Thankfully, the loud noise from the plane masked Zarda and Ordian's private moment behind hidden boxes. The three gamers were completely absorbed in their own world, unaware of their surroundings. Dane and Randolph were fast asleep, completely oblivious to anything that could disturb them. Osborn, on the other hand, was immersed in learning from Uilliam as they both focused on the plane manual. Osborn quickly picked up important skills and became a valuable asset to the captain.
Captain Uilliam cheerfully announced over the intercom that they had been flying for seven hours, passing over the mountains of Montana in the U.S. and were now only three hours away from landing in Africa. Osborn bravely peeked out over the nose of the plane to take in the breathtaking view below. It turned out zarda was correct, as always. Osborn felt proud for conquering his fear and not missing out on the stunning sights. He was filled with awe and wonder.
"It won't be much longer and we will be flying over Saudi Arabia. From there it isn't far from Africa, within an hour and fiften minutes at the least." Stated Uilliam.
Osborn was thrilled to know they had made it seven hours so far without complications. He motivated himself to remain calm. He said 'you only have to endure this flying contraption for three more hours.' He diligently studied the manual, absorbing all the information to be prepared for any potential problems. In case anything happened to Uilliam, Osborn wanted to be confident in his ability to take control. Uilliam started teaching Osborn about landing techniques and which levers to use. Osborn proved to be a quick learner and was grateful for Uilliam's expertise in the field, making the learning process easier.
The passengers on board were moving about the plane, feeling hungry. Dane and Randolph searched through several large crates, using crowbars from a nearby glass tool cabinet to open them. Inside, they found foreign foods in bags and cans. Taking them out one by one, they examined the strange words and pictures on the packaging. After collecting enough to share, they each selected their favorite snacks. Options included chips, crackers, tuna, donuts, honeybuns, cookies, beans, and a fruit medley. Pipsie chose a bag of cookies and a honeybun, while Emeryn and Dane grabbed bags of chips. Randolph was happy with his donuts, while Oridian opted for tuna and crackers. Zarda grabbed chips and cookies to bring to Uilliam and Osborn, and also picked out chips and fruit for himself.
As the group sat enjoying their meals, Uilliam stepped away to use the restroom while Osborn courageously went back for more food. Uilliam assured Osborn that the autopilot was safely on as they left the captain's cabin, freeing Osborn from any worry as he happily went back for snacks. Unbeknownst to the passengers of Thundernova, the plane veered off course as they entered above Saudi Arabia and headed towards mountains. Uilliam took longer in the restroom than expected and emerged to find the danger already upon them. Seeing the massive mountain peak ahead, he quickly alerted Osborn and ran to his seat. Osborn followed suit, and as the plane shook violently, Uilliam did his best to navigate the aircraft upwards. The passengers scrambled to their seats and fastened their seatbelts, but Emeryn fell and slid towards the crates amidst the chaos. Randolph bravely rushed to her aid, and together they found themselves in a perilous situation, being tossed around the carrier.
Uilliam did all he could to avoid the mountains vast peak, but it was in vain. The tip of the mountain dug deep into the undercarriage causing the engines to fail and leaving a large gaping hole in the bottom. The plane smoked and shook as it violently went down towards the desert plains. Osborn's fear had manifested before him and the others without delight. Despite his fearful deamenor prior to sitting with the captain. He had felt more in control now with a bit of knowledge under his belt. He calmly braced for impact as he could see them moving closer and closer to the sandy dunes.
The plane crashed with a loud boom, smashing nose-first into the ground. Uilliam, who hadn't buckled up, was thrown from his seat and collided with the shattered windshield, his body bleeding from open wounds. His soul had departed from his lifeless body. Osborn, on the other hand, was lucky to have been prepared and only knocked unconscious as his head snapped forward and then back into the seat. The others who had been wearing seatbelts were shaken but unharmed. Sadly, Emeryn and Randolph did not survive the crash. Emeryn struck her head on a crate, causing a fatal wound that bled profusely. Randolph was propelled into a safety hatchet, which fatally pierced his chest. As he looked over at Emeryn's lifeless body nearby, he took one last breath before passing away. Pipsie and Zarda had also lost consciousness but were soon awakened by Oridian's frantic cries and tears for her friends. Vulpix and Dane sat in silence, holding their heads to ease the pain from the impact. Zarda slowly regained consciousness and reached out his hand to comfort Oridian.
Zarda slowly spoke up, "We are alive, so it's okay. Let's stay calm and get off the plane quickly."
Thankfully, Dane had prepared bags with food and gear for when they landed, which proved to be essential for their survival. Dane unfastened his seat belt and hobbled over to the bags secured to the walls. He quickly put on his own pack and began distributing the others to his companions. Zarda, eager to get away from the crash site, could already smell the oil leaking and see the flames inching closer inside the plane. Realizing the impending danger of an explosion, Zarda made sure everyone, including the deceased Emeryn and Randolph, safely evacuated the plane. Oridian and Dane carefully drug their bodies out. Zarda Noticed that his friend and Uilliam, had not yet emerged, he hurried back into the cabin to find Osborn alive but struggling to regain consciousness as smoke filled the cockpit.
"Osborn, grab my hand, we need to go," he shouted.
Osborn hesitated as he reached out for his friend, stumbling over to lean some of his weight on Zarda. He glanced back at Uilliam, who was bleeding on the dashboard.
Osborn asked, "What should we do about Uilliam? We can't just leave him."
Zarda shook his head, realizing that it was already too late for Uilliam's body. If they didn't move quickly, the same fate could befall them. With all his strength, Zarda dragged his friend out hastily. Osborn had been hit by shrapnel from the shattered glass in his upper thigh. Fortunately, it had not struck any major arteries. Although he was bleeding, it wasn't as severe as Uilliam or the others. Osborn was injured and growing exhausted.
After the two stepped out, the others rushed to assist Zarda, collectively moving further away from the crash site. The sandy terrain made walking challenging, and running was even more difficult. They barely escaped before the plane exploded loudly in the background. The blast sent a powerful force towards them, causing Vulpix and Pipsie to stumble forward in the sand.
"Well mate, looks like Thundernova delivered us to Africa after all" Osborn said, trying to lighten the mood with a joke.
Zarda glanced at the unfamiliar surroundings; he had never been to this part of the world before. None of the scenery reminded him of his homeland.
Zarda responded, " I don't think, were in Africa my friends"
Everyone paused to gaze at Zarda's face with a mixture of concern and shock. It was clear that he was not joking, which deeply worried them. Slowly, they turned to look at the vast expanse of dry, sandy dunes stretching out as far as the eye could see, resembling the endless waves of an ocean. The wind whipped up more sand, adding to the desolate landscape. As they scanned the horizon for any signs of life, they could see nothing but the barren wasteland they had landed in, far from their homes. Zarda stood in disbelief, feeling a surge of anger at the sight before him. Turning his face towards the sky, he dropped to his knees and cried out to Elohim.