October, 2011

  Collin ran ps and did exercise drills on the football field with his teammates. They zig-zagged around 12 es in the grass and tackled pop-up dummies. After that he went over formations with his team and passed the football to Hero.

  On the sidelines Collin's mom talked with Coach Graham, he was told his dad was flying bae, and the hospital said his siblings were gettier. As he threw the football he thought about that text from Helena and was excited about tonight.

  When practided an hour ter, they ordered Italian food for supper a home. Their house was a Greystoh a pitached to the mailbox. Collin was searg his closet as music pyed from his boombox.

  This will be his first time traveling to a different kingdom for a special event. He picked out a leather jacket, a graphic-t with the word Illusion on top, flowers, and a cross uer. After walking outta the closet Collin tossed the clothes on his bed o a pair of patchwork jeans and verse sneakers.

  Helena said they were going to the Night Parade which is a 3-night ival. This event was held in the Shigeru Kingdom and the rulers are fox spirits. Looking outside Collin realized he still had time to kill because the ival doesn't start until 10:00.

  A few mier, he leaves his room and goes downstairs to eat. Collin heard a voiing from his dad's hobby room and the door was cracked. He saw his mom talking to herself while holding index cards as he pushed the door open more.

  "Mom?" Collin spoke. The room was decorated with movie posters, por artifacts, family photos, cy puppets, a quote tapestry, chessboard, an hss, bookcase, abstract paintings, mini fridge, a mountain snowglobe, deck of cards, art supplies, fake pnts, and a BFA degree.

  "Ayy," his mom stopped pag and hugged him. "I have an interview and I'm reg some questions."

  "Finally, who is it?" Collin asked. Ever since his brother and sister got sick their mom's Podcast ut on hiatus.

  "A man named Mazie Ferguson," his mom expined. "He use to be a Navy Seal before he got paralyzed from the waist down. Now, he coaches little league baseball while in a wheelchair."

  "I know you'll do awesome, mom!" Collin grinned and gave her two thumbs-up. " we eat now and watch MTV?"

  2 hours ter, Collin and Helena stood near a fancy carriage outside the castle. There were two guards in the driver's seat and ed to the carriage was 4 hippogriffs. Half horse and half eagle.

  "The journey should take an hour," Helena expined as Collin opehe carriage. She had on a bd red lolita dress, stogs, pumps, a hair ribbon, X and s, gsses, eye shadow, and lip gloss.

  After a few mihey were s through the psychedelic sky as Collin gazed out the window. To kill time should he listen to music or py games on his phone? When Collin first stepped ihe carriage he noticed a few things. There was a short supply of snacks, drinks, and on the grouwo sacks filled with gold s.

  "I got hazed pretty bad by your royal guards," Collin suddenly announced. "They don't like me."

  His friend pouted. "They just don't like the idea of being bossed around by someone younger and inexperienced. Collin, once you show off your leadership skills arohey will follow."

  "Everything you said might be true," Collin ran a hand through his locks and sighed. "I o earn their resped trust because there's no I in Team. But that guy Sparky really hates my guts."

  Helena rubbed her temples and admitted. "Don't worry, I already reprimahat idiot."

  "Okay. I'll keep w hard," he promised and took out his cellphone. "You wanna chey mom's talk show? It's called the Superhuman Podcast. She's a motivational speaker with dyslexia and interviews people with disabilities."

  "We'll need a lodestone," his friend grabbed a crystal from a jar and shuffled closer to him.

  The lodestoached itself to Collin's cellphone like a mag as the s turned on. After a few minutes of scrolling through his mom's videos they decided to py the most ret podcast: Faith In Musibsp;

  "Hello, my friendly neighborhood pioneers!" Collin's mom greeted. "I'm Lehe LimitBreaker and wele back to the Superhuman Podcast. We have a special guess here today and her name is Novah Elias, she's a blind singer and her songs are phenomenal."

  Novah smiled. "Thanks for having me and I appreciate the pliment, LLB. I wasn't born blind and each blind person is different. Singing and writing songs has always been a dream of mine ever since I was small. I taught myself how to py the guitar and I was in choir. Even though I 't write anymore I use a voice recorder to memorize my songs. We use other seo see the world, I still remember colors, ndscapes, and I also dream."

  It was 10:15 at night when they arrived at the ival in the Shigeru Kingdom. When Collin saw the Night Parade he was amazed as he walked with Helena and the guards. The crowd was huge and there was makeshift gate up ahead as they cut the line pletely.

  "Make way, make way for the first princess of the Xenovia Kingdom and her Maverick!" shouted the female guard.

  There was muttering as little kids pointed.

  "Yes, make way!" repeated the male guard. "We thank you for your cooperation."

  When they make it to the gate the ticket master bowed respectfully befiving them permission to ehe ival. Collin gnced back at the booth and saw the ticket master stamp something on the hybrid's forehead, it was a glow-in-the-dark eye. After that he noticed the whimsical decorations, music, food stands, game tents, prizes, and floating above their heads were radioactive jellyfish creatures.

  "Collin, yonna love the Night Parade and I 't wait to introduce you to my friends," Helena told him.

  An hour passed as they pyed games and ate food. Collin and Helena roached a few times and asked questions. This reminded him of the questions people would ask him at school. Was he gonna be a superstar athlete and follow in his mom's footsteps? Was he gonna quit football because his brother and sister were in the hospital? What NFL team did he y for?

  Ohe swarm left a pop-up s appeared. [ Objective: Win an arm wrestling test to earn 10 training points ]

  With who? Collin sed the area and saw two men and two women pying cards. After telling Helena what happened he trudged over to them. "Scuse me."

  The chattering stopped ohey saw Collin as the man with blue skin and four arms spoke. "What is it kid, do you need something?"

  "Maybe the child wants to py," said the woman with dreadlocks and a uni horn. "You got gold?"

  "I do," he answered and pulled out a handful of gold s. "But I don't y cards I wanna arm wrestle."

  Everybody went silent before they burst into ughter.

  "kid, are you serious?" the winged man with the forked tongue grunted as he picked up his mug and BBQ trout on a stibsp;

  "I am," Collin reassured and fshed his best smile. "Whoever wi 100 gold s."

  "Poor child," the women with the uni horn he werewolf woman who hadn't said anything. "He's going to get his arm snapped like a twig."

  When Collin sat down at the table his oppo was the man with dragon wings as they squeezed hands. There was a small mob as Helena and the guards observed from a distanbsp;

  "Ready, set, go!" someone yelled.

  At first it was a stalemate as Collin and the man tried to overthrow one ahe crowd was getting riled up and started telling jokes. Collin saw the man's reptiliawitch as the friends sneered. Nobody expected him to st this long because of his size and unassuming personality. Helena warhat if he wins they'll assume he cheated because this world has a lot of magical items.

  They could also think Collin is a hybrid, half human and half creature like his childhood frieher way he didn't o be told twice since he unwillingly participated in a few fights in the past. That's when Collin noticed his grip, he was being overpowered little by little as the man smmed his hand against the wood.

  "Yeah!" the man cheered and raised his fists. "Don't run away kid, pay up."

  After doing what he promised he was a little disappointed as he left with Helena. He wouldn't be getting anyone quests tonight and thought about his progress. There were 6 ranks, E, D, C, B, A, and S. When a Maverick levels-up they get a eique unlocked. Collin wao improve his sword skills and make his telekinesis stronger.

  "There you are!" someone hollered. Fuards came over with three people, two wore tribal masks, and in the middle was a human teenage girl.

  Helena grinned and rao them. The two guards Collin was with quickly followed Helena, it took him a sed to remember what Captain Irving said about the hierarchy. Proted defend, royalty is important here, and Helena is a princess.

  "Nicoz and Zariah!" Helena hugged her friends. "I would like you to meet Collin Rex, he's 17 years-old and the House Of Jaeger's Maverick."

  The human girl finally cracked a smile.

  "You mean your childhood friend?" Nicoz didn't take off his tribal mask as he spoke. "The same childhood friend that mysteriously disappeared in the middle of the night?"

  Helena ighis remark. "Collin, I would like you to meet Prinicoz and Princess Zariah EmberHeart of the Shigeru Kingdom. They're 15 years-old."

  "Excellent news," Zariah cpped. "Say, why don't we let our Mavericks have a joust?"

  "Colli know how to ride a horse and he's still learning about being a Maverick," his friend crified.

  "What a pity," Nicoz and Zariah answered at the same time.

  "o meet a fellow Maverick," said the girl as they shook hands. "I'm Phoebe Johanssen and I'm 20 years-old."

  Collied. "o meet you, too. How long have you been a Maveribsp;

  "Two years," Phoebe admitted. "You?"

  "Umm," he stuttered. "Only two months."

  "Must be overwhelming, huh?" she crossed her arms. "If you have any questions or need advice you ask me."

  Collin thought about it. "What are the other kingdoms like?"

  "Well," Phoebe gazed at the rune ring on her finger and expined. "The Arabelle Kingdom is ruled by Angels, the Etora Kingdom is ruled by Werebeasts, and the Terebinth Kingdom is ruled by Orcs. You'll meet the other Mavericks soon because your part of the cil."