Hero Revealed
Matthew was still in the courtyard when he heard footsteps coming up behind him. He turned around expecting to see one of the Zotac’s attendants passing through the courtyard but instead a hooded figure was walking in his direction. He instinctively took a step back but then a familiar voice came from the hood “I hope you are enjoying your stay.” It was the British woman.
“You? What are you doing here?”
“I live here.” He could barley make out her smile in the darkness of her hood but try as he might that was all he could see of the faceless woman.
“But you were on Earth.”
The hood bounced slightly in a nod and the woman said. “Yes, well how else was I to keep an eye on you unless I went to Earth.” Matthew could feel the confusion playing out on his face and the woman laughed gently. There was something about that laugh something familiar but he couldn’t quite place it. “Let me start over. My names Leena I am the Zotac of this planet but I believe you know me as Su Kutcha.”
“Su Kutcha? You’re Su Kutcha? But you’re a girl.”
“What? Just because I’m a girl I can’t be Su Kutcha as well?”
“No that’s not what I meant I’m just surprised. You sounded so much like a man.”
“Voice enhancers my invention what’s the point of letting the entire universe know that I’m a girl.”
“And your accent is that an enhancement as well?” He could barley make out her smile but she didn’t say anything
“Well Matthew, you spent a lot of time in a Martian prison what was it like.”
Matthew dropped his eyes from the hooded figure and let them drift toward the silver dragon and then the tree in the center of the courtyard. “I was in a cell with another prisoner a Saturian named Tucker.” He paused as he remembered his friend taking a minute to get a hold of himself before continuing on, “Tucker told me all sorts of things filling me with all the knowledge he’d ever learned.”
“What did he tell you about me?”
“He actually didn’t know much about you. He said you just appeared out of no where and are now the most wanted person in the universe.”
“So he doesn’t know where I came from?”
“No, but he wants to find out And that if he ever gets out of there he’s going to look for you starting on earth because he says that that’s probably the best place to hide because ‘earthlings’ wouldn’t recognize an alien if they saw one and because other aliens leave earth alone.”
“What are the chances of him ever escaping?”
“Not very big… if he’s even still alive.”
“Matthew?”
“Yes.”
“I’m sure you understand the risk that I would be taking if I let you back to Earth.”
“Oh trust me I won’t tell anyone if you don’t want me to.”
“Unfortunately I can’t go off of your word...but I wouldn’t worry too much…no one even knows you’re gone.”
Matthew looked at her slightly dumbfounded before speaking. “How’s that possible.”
“DNA holograph, I made a copy of you using the spit on your glass.”
“Is there no way at all to prove to you that you can trust me.”
“Well we could always wipe it from your mind.”
Matthew smiled weakly but immediately decided that this was not an option.
Leena had walked over to the dragon now and placed her hand lightly on the dragon’s silver scales. Matthew came along side her and tried to get a clear look of her face but failed to see past the shadows. “Did I say something wrong?”
“No, no that’s not it… I’ve just made a promise to protect this planet at all costs I broke it once to save this out of selfishness to save something that wasn’t worth saving.” She fingered a necklace that was shaped like the flower on her armor “my parents gave it to me when I was two…right before they died.” She sighed again and looked in his direction. “And now for your sake I want to break it again but I can’t not this time.”
Matthew reached up and brushed his finger along a silver scale the sun shining off of it made rainbows on the ground. “What are your pet’s names?” He asked in a feeble attempt to save the subject. Luckily Leena allowed it to be changed.
“The dragon’s name is Seurmiera.” She said half-heartily “It means sonic dragon and the monkey’s name is Tidwit which means trickster.”
She stroked the dragon one more time and then turned to Matthew “I believe we have a quest to discuss.”
Matthew nodded but a frown creased his forehead.
“What is it?”
“This whole conversation has been pretty hard to swallow I must admit but…”
“But what?”
“But I refuse to help you on any quest until you show me your face?”
Silence came from the hooded figure.
Linda felt like her heart had just skidded to a stop. Had Matthew commanded her, the Zotac to remove her hood? Ali was right he deserved to know the truth but did she have the strength to let him see her face did she have the strength to let him know the truth.
Linda’s mind raced as she thought through her options. There were only two and she didn’t like either of them. More than anything she wanted to let Matthew know who she was. Circumstances were different than they had been a month ago on Earth. Matthew knew aliens existed now how difficult would it be for him to believe that she was one. But what about her promise to protect Imaginess. No I can’t do this to Matthew. If I’m going to insist on making him stay here on Imaginess with me and help me with this quest maybe even for the rest of his life than he deserves to know who he’s working for. He’ll find out one way or another.
She took a deep breath and squeezed her eyes shut then with trembling hands she removed the hood
Matthew didn’t know what to say. Even though it had only been a moment he could tell that Linda had been struggling with herself as to how to respond to his command. But in the end she had reached up with shaking hands and removed the hood from her face.
The first thing he saw was the bright red hair and then his eyes had settled on the scar along her face and recognition had taken place in his heart as he realized who was standing before him. “Linda?” He finally managed to say.
All she could do was nod. There was a moment of silence as Matthew looked into her eyes slowly comprehending everything that this unveiling meant.
“You’re the leader of the entire planet and the most wanted person in the universe?”
“I am.” She said simply “Will you help me with my quest now?”
Matthew was silent still trying to grasp everything that had happened in the last 5 minutes. Finally he managed a response. “Yes.”
Linda led him over to a stone bench and sat down pushing her hair behind her ears and clasping her hands nervously in her lap. She looked more nervous than he had ever seen her before.
“Like I told you before I’m looking for a man named Christilone.”
Matthew nodded and thought about the name for a moment but still couldn’t come up with anything more than he had all week. “The name sounds familiar but I don’t know where I could have heard it from. Maybe it’s someone from my past.”
“Well that’s a start. I don’t know why Matthew but you are probably the most important part of my quest.”
“Why do you need to find this Christilone guy anyway?”
Linda hesitated “To find my parents.”
“Wait I thought your parents were dead.”
“That’s what everyone thinks but their not. By some miracle of Kohath their still alive.”
“Kohath.”
“God,”
Matthew cocked his head slightly “You believe in God?”
Linda smiled “As of two years ago I do…and it was the best decision I ever made.”
“So how are you going to find your parents?”
“There’s a prophesy ‘When the Imaginese and the Earthling stand together than and only than will we be released.’” Linda recited. “I’m not exactly sure what it means or how to make it come true but I know that somehow it will help me to find them.” Matthew smirked “What?”
“I’m a human and you’re an Imaginese.”
Linda looked at him confused and then realization dawned on her. “Maybe that’s it we’re supposed to work together to find Christilone so that my parents will be released.” She jumped up and wrapped her arms around Matthew’s neck. “My father was right. You’re the perfect one for the job.”
Matthew wasn’t sure what to say but with Linda’s arms wrapped around his neck he decided that the best thing to do was return the hug. What he would do after that he had no idea but he would take it one step at a time. If Linda was right his parents, teachers and even Pete had no idea he was even gone and if that was the case he didn’t need to be in any rush to get back. If he ever went back at all. As long as Linda was near him he was happy. So she was an alien so what? He’d figure something out and in the mean time he would help her find Christilone and maybe fulfill a couple prophecies in the mean time.
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