--------
Safe again
Zaya began thinking hard,
what could she possibly do.
she will definitely be suspicious,they could even turn her in, she held a magical looking staff in her hand, while in a humanoid fierce fox form, dripping with blood.
If she changed back to her normal form she would die at that instant.
She thought about crawling back to the cave but that was useless too.
She was surely going to die of hunger, if she stayed there,
so she had to get back and fast.
She stood up on her feet aiming to camouflage her self in the raging snow storm,that was the safest way.
After all the FBI weren't running towards her she thought,
she could totally escape.
She stood trying to use the staff to walk it wasn't worth it.
she flexed her muscles trying to gather strength, just one more time she thought aloud,but it only made her weaker.
Zaya lost her balance, hitting the cold snow as she changed back to her normal form.
She blacked out.
There was a rattling in the dumpster,
it was coming from a nearby garbage in the middle of an alley.
A raccoon jumped out of the garbage can,
it's gaze falling on a girl who slept on the ground very close to the bin,
The raccoon walked closer to the lying girl, who was covered with a raggered robe, it sniffed checking if there was any trace of food on her body.
The girl suddenly jolted awake breathing profusely making the raccoon take a few steps back she grabbed a staff beside her and shoo-ed the raccoon away from her presence.
The girl was none other than zaya she looked around, happy to be back.
After Zaya blacked out earlier,she was found by one of the reptilian tribe creatures who brought her back into the cave depths of the mountain where she was being treated.
Zaya who was unconscious wasn't aware she was being treated.
Even though it was not perfect the reptilians tried their best to heal her wounds,
At the point of them losing their queen the wisest reptilian used the staff to retain zaya's life,soon, zaya was up and healthy again.
She was surprised on how civilized the actual reptilian kingdom was, it was more beautiful than she could ever have imagined.
Through the power of one of the gems on the staff she gained the ability to speak to the reptilians.
The reptilians persuaded her to save their home, after all she was the queen of the kingdom.
She was then taught by the wisest reptilian on how to harness the power of the staff,right after that she stabilized the volcano.
She also learnt on how to communicate with the reptilians even from far distances.
She also created a council which included the oldest in the tribes who will oversee them till she returned.
There was a final farewell party then zaya departed from the mountain caves, promising the reptilians that she would return once again.
It's been two days since when the volcanic eruption occured,
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Back home
Zaya has been traveling, she had slept at a dumpster when the sun had set.
She wore a raggered brown pale robe which extended covering her hair afterwards, wearing a face mask along with it.
Inside the raggered robe she wore was a red majestic leather armour given to her by the reptilians,
They made it for her signifying a symbol of royalty,it was one of the two parting gifts she was given,the other was called the Horus eye.
While she received that gift a thin red line appeared on her left eye crossing diagonally,zaya didn't know what it could do or bothered asking she only thanked the priestess for giving it to her,
Zaya stood up, dusting her homeless looking outfit with both of her hands, as she strolled into the side ways.
After a few hours of walking zaya had finally got back to her own city,she then walked towards the bus stop, hailed a cab and set off towards her home.
She stared at the various bill boards outside on the buildings,
most of the screens seemed to be showing what happened at the volcano,how it was suddenly erupted one time and then suddenly the larva had all disappeared.
The old man beside the cab driver's seat suddenly spoke,"I'm telling you Mike he said facing the cab driver."
"The world's ending,I could feel it,all this aren't just coincidences" "soon death will come for us all!
"Of course old man," Mike said grinning ridiculously as he turned the car to the right,almost at Zaya's street.
"I'll be stopping here" zaya's spoke as she held the staff tight in her palms,
"Money?" the cab driver said zaya handed him some cash she'd stolen from him without him having the slightest idea and then stepped out of the car.
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Confrontation
The atmosphere was tense they where all at the living room being hosted by Pauline mum,
it was all of the parents of the phantom girls they all seemed to have gathered together in a sitting room,with two of them in particular,arguing.
"Why would you let my daughter go on such a dangerous mission?" "you knew this was going to happen,yet you let her go on it,just for one of your stupid experiments"
Naya yelled in disgust staring directly at Carla.
Carla then spoke "I think there's a little bit of a misunderstanding here,"
"I was not aware they where going on a trip to a volcanic mountain and even still I sent quite a number of rescue teams to their location" "it was the only way they all could have survived."
"Spare me your lies" Naya yelled "your child is a bad influence on mine," "just a few days ago zaya was sick" "she could barely even stand but she insisted on going to school so she could skip it and end up dead."
Zaya's mother infuriated was about to start cursing.
The others in the room stood up on their feet not because the former were about to attack each other but because the body guard stationed at the entrance of the room where they all sat, was just thrown through the door almost hitting the other part of the sitting room.
A figure worked in majestically,it was Zaya her head and face totally covered,she twirled her sceptre around as she balanced it hitting it on the ground, hardly enough making the tiles beneath the impact shatter, sending a whirring sound across the room,she yelled "silence!"
"Everyone's gaze suddenly turned to her, fear apparent in their faces,she then spoke removing the face covering, her eyes sparkling
"Mother!" "I have returned."
Zaya said walking out of the place without a care for anything.
Naya ran out catching up to zaya and grabbing zaya by the shoulder,
from behind,
"Zaya,is it really you?"
"Zaya turned back facing Naya,Yes mum am fine but it won't last long I'll be poisoned if I channel the energy of the staff to myself too much."
"I must see real doctors," saying this zaya was taken away by dan immediately, heading for the nearest hospital they could find.
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The beginning of the phantom
Oxygen masks where strapped on her nose,muscle relaxants kept all around her body, gastrointestinal medications to protect her from falling apart.
"The nurse walked in,Zaya some people would like to see you","she said, zaya nodded signifying to let them in.
The nurse left the room,
Zaya could here him giving instructions to the visitors outside,What took them so long she thought,
The five of them walked in staring at the bedridden Zaya who stares at them in return like she was about to devour their soul.
The moment was awkward but was suddenly broken by a sudden outburst of laughter from each and everyone of them,Zaya coughing afterwards,they went towards her position calming her down.
Zaya raised her hands on her forehead closing her eyes then said dramatically,"guys I think am gonna die," "of course You're not going to die" Zoey said removing Zaya's hand from her fore head" if you die we all die,"No" the others replied.
Natasha then spoke "Zoey meant to say we'll always be here for you."
"Oh no worries Zoey,"Zaya said facing Zoey who was on the left hand side on the bed along with Pauline and Natasha,
"Am not going to die" she said as she raised her hands focusing it towards the staff that was placed on the wall.
The staff flew towards Zaya's hand like it had a mind of it's own glowing as she held it tighter.
"So did you find what we were looking for?"
June asked, Well I did meet two foxes in the mountain caves,
There was a look of expectations on the faces of the others until zaya said, "they died protecting the cause,"
"It was their destiny."
"What cause?" Ashara asked,"well now zaya said I am the last fox but I don't think that would last for long."
"its complicated but am sure it's something about rebirth."
"So Zaya what should we do now Pauline asked,"
Zaya then faced Pauline and said, "we train and then when we have we take back what is ours."
"Yeah!"
The others screamed,"
you guys" zaya spoke,"you do know I mean we are gonna be stealing even as training right?"
Zaya said, making them absolutely lost
"-_-"
---------
The Great affinity
After the quarrel that occured amongst all of their parents they could barely see each other again,but surprisingly Zoey's mum was kind enough to let them in only after school hours.
They all gathered in a room the staff held in Zaya's hand, it's been three days,she has been discharged from the hospital and now she was fully whole.
Sitting together in Zoey's room the others talking about a thing or two, while Zaya sat in a lotus position,in a corner,raising the staff's head up(sceptre).
Waiting for it's instructions on how she was going to recover her lost memories.
There was nothing at first except for the calmness in her mind,she waited patiently as an images structured in her mind, She then stood up.
"Come girls gather around" zaya said,she then twisted her hands forward rhythmically,like they were a bunch of noodles,she then said "the staff as spoken to me", like she was some old wizard..The others laughed at Zaya's movement wiping tears of their cheeks.
"The staff told me that we are not yet prepared for the mission physically because of what happened at the mountain,so we are not going to go anywhere in a very,long time"
zaya blurted.
"No" Zoey bawled,why does the world have to be so cruel" "why?","how am i gonna find the mirror of infinite beauty now."
"No worries Zoey, Zaya said,the staff promised to hand its magical power down to you five since i chose you," "It did?" Zoey asked finally lighting up.
"The staff also showed me the best of your abilities and how we'll need it,if we're to work as a team."
"So first am gonna keep it plain,Zaya said, we are going to become "con artists",but remember we are doing this so we can build the fox clan secretly and whenever battle comes with every skill we've got,we'll fight back."
"Do we really have to steal?"
June asked, "well yes June,we have to steal a lot,"Zaya answered.
That's what the ancient staff here said we should do,But first we make it sort of legal," "wait, Natasha interrupted" why do we have to fight for the fox clan? "am I not a bird and Ashara is a cat" Zaya had been anticipating this question for a while now.
"Yes Natasha you are right but for the past few centuries the other clans have been fighting the dragon single handedly on their own,and they've all failed continuously even till the extent of the mighty fox clan falling."
"They all had one common enemy,the dragon clan,yet they never worked together,and am sure you all know how powerful dragons are."
"Their aim is to turn every clan to their cause converting them to slaves and to also mutate them into fire creatures."
"The warriors of the past fought but surely they lost, after this, one sole survivor named Arax from the toad clan,sort a grave thing, using the tiki power from his clan he bannished magic from our realm sealing it in the nether realms."
"Not so long ago it was brought back by the so called "vv corps"," Zaya explained.
"Wow Zaya," Ashara said "You're telling this story like you were actually there," "well, zaya said "I strangely dream about it every night."
"So here's how our empire will begin We'll be sent on errands by our fellow middle schoolers,revenge plots,Embarrassing Students,Firing teachers,exposing people's secrets,and stuff."
"I've seen that you all could really pull this off after what happened with Mrs Bennison."
They also planned on how they were gonna make themselves popular, keep their identities secret and prevent people from suspecting they are criminals.
"So we are going to separate ourselves into two during school and when we are out we would regroup."
"Now here's the ability the staff told me to tell you of Zaya continued,"
"It said i was fierce leader,
Pauline you are the boldest,
Natasha You're the most social,
June you are the smartest,
Zoey You're the most resourceful,
Ashara You're the most thoughtful.'
The room fell silent,it was as though they've been given new purpose, The staff said 'we must hone this abilities to the hilt."
Zaya then sat in the middle holding in her hand the head of the staff as she raised the staff up,
With the Horus eye she stared at each of the gems that were embroidered to it.
"Alright guys i chose each and every one of you,
the staff has accepted and this gems would represent that you are one of us."
"That we are the phantom girls,
Not only that but will also give you back your ancestral clan powers that were lost just as I have mine."
"Now this is what the staff is showing me."
"The eye of Horus had showed me your affinities in a vision."
"Are you guys ready to know who you truly are?"
There was joy in their faces all except from Ashara and Natasha because they were already aware of their animal features, nevertheless they still wanted their power back.
"I get the purple gem I am the fox," arising from the fox clan,
zaya said touching the purple gem with her finger as it glowed,
"Ashara gets the white she is a cat,"Ashara also placed her hands on the white gem and it shimmered,
"Natasha gets the pink she is a bird," Natasha rested her finger on the pink jewel,as it shined
"June gets the yellow she is a jaguar," the yellow stone glistened.
"Pauline gets the gold she is a lion,"
Pauline touched the yellow it glittered
Then Zoey touched the red gem,
Zaya put on a sunken,
startled and yet happy face as she said,
"Zoey gets the red she is a dragon!"