Ch.4. Book of Legends - part.2

Ruby and Fang enter through the doors of the Vampire Lord's mansion.

Vampire Lord:  Greetings Ruby Deathdancer.  My spy returns! You have news from the world beyond the Forests?  What do the UnMythical people remember of us?

Fang: Nothing much at all.

Ruby:  He's right - they don't remember anything, but I've heard of a book that tells the stories of their past battles with us.

Vampire Lord:  We must have this book!  Do you know where it is?

Ruby:  Yes.  It's behind a locked door in the library, but it's looks too complicated for me to break into.

Vampire Lord:  Go talk to your Great-Grandmother - she is a great vampire with many talents.  She is one of the few left who is old enough to remember those last wars with the UnMythics.  Go little Deathdancer - I have faith that you will succeed.

A waning crescent moon hung coldly amongst the fog enshrouded branches as Ruby and Fang near their homely destination.

Fang: (talking to the Narrator) That was rather poetic - have you been reading lots of books again?

Narrator:  Sorry - won't happen again.

Ruby:  Who are you talking to Fang?

Fang: It's a long story.

Ruby follows the light up the stairway into her twin brothers' bedroom.

Ruby:  Where's Grandma?

Devin:  Brewing potions down in the basement.

Kevin:  Now get out of our room!

They head down into the basement to find Grandma.

Grandma:  Hello my dear child!  How was your day?

Ruby:  Interesting.  It's amazing what you can learn from mere mortals without bite.

Fang:  She also earned the trust of a koala!

Grandma:  That's nice.

Ruby:  I heard about a secret book.  The Vampire Lord wants me to steal it - but it's very secure behind a locked door.  He said I should ask you for help.

Grandma:  I can make your life easier by brewing potions for you, but I think you need a little more help than that! My old body has had many years of fighting, and I'm not made for stealth at this old age.

Fang: Maybe another spy can help us out? I've heard that some kid named "Midnight DarkMoon" has asked the Vampire Lord if he could join the other kids out in the unmythic schools, but he is currently on hold for joining a school mission yet. And I've also heard he has a reputation for burglary!

Ruby: Perfect! Stealing a book should be right up his alley!

Grandma: I have often seen him - he sometimes goes off to the local night-market to steal Dragonfire Berries!

Ruby: Then that's where we'll look first!

Ruby and Fang say goodbye and head off to the markets.

Ch.4. Book of Legends - part.1

Mr Stonecloud showed Ruby to the door of his classroom, then stomped off somewhere else.

Fang: Happy chap, isn't he?

Ruby:  Well, monkeys are rarely very cheerful.

Ruby and Fang walk in and take a seat next to an orange koala.

Ruby:  I wonder what Mr Stonecloud teaches?

Buttercup (an Orange Koala):  He teaches history.  Is that your pet spider?  It's so cute!

Ruby:  I wouldn't go so far as saying 'cute', but yes, he is my...'pet'.  Is that deadly little snake your pet?

Buttercup:  Yes - her name's Venom.

Ruby: Cool!

Buttercup:  By any chance are you the girl who jumped out of Mrs Redleaf's window this morning?

Fang: (whispers to Ruby) Wow - Fame travels fast around here!

Ruby:  You say that like it doesn't happen everyday...

Buttercup:  No - but I wish it would!

Fang: (to Venom in pet-talk) Do you know where a spider can get a reptile sandwich around here?

Venom: (in pet-talk)  No, sorry - but I can make you a lovely rodent pie!

Fang: (in pet-talk) I'll pass on that one.

Just then Mr Stonecloud enters the classroom

Mr Stonecloud:  Right you lot, listen up.  Last week we finished studying The Great Ocean Wars.  This week we will investigate The Great Mountain Conflicts our people have fought over the ages. We'll start with the Ice Giant battles - do any of you kids know how we conquered them?

Lily (a Purple Tiger):  Did we use flamethrowers?

Buttercup:  Flaming cannonballs of lava?

Mr Stonecloud:  No.  And no.

Ruby:  Mice with chickenpox?

Mr Stonecloud:  Correct Ruby - well done the new student.

Lily:  Poxy mice?  Really?  You're having us on!

Mr Stonecloud:  Absolutely not.  The Giants, although made mostly of ice and snow, have a deep fear of unhealthy mice, and usually ran off the nearest cliff to escape them.

Venom: (in pet-talk) What a waste of good food.

Fang: (in pet-talk) Could have been worse - it might have been crocodiles with the measles.

Ruby:  Sir - how did we defeat the creatures in the forests on the slopes of the mountains?

The teacher blinks twice, takes two steps backwards, and sits down.

Mr Stonecloud:  That's not a topic we can discuss.  If our people ever knew how to defeat the forest monsters, that information is no longer in living memory.  We just avoid those places.  The history books barely speak of them.

Ruby:  But there are books about that?

Mr Stonecloud:  Yes - but those books are locked away safely, and are too terrible for mere students to read.

Fang:  Is he calling us monsters?

Ruby: Hardly - you are just a 'cute' spider afterall...

Mr Stonecloud rambles on and on about various mountain battles.  At the end of the class Ruby and Buttercup say goodbye for the day.

Buttercup:  I'll see you tomorrow?

Ruby:  Yes - it was fun to meet you and Venom - bye!

Fang:  (in pet-talk) you really should try a lizard burger - much better than mouse pie.

Venom: (in pet-talk) I might just do that - bye!

Ruby:  We have to report this information back to the Vampire Lord straight away, and have a talk to Grandma about Sapphire.

Fang:  Grandma makes brilliant sandwiches.

Ruby and Fang head back towards their Everwinter forest home.

Ch.3. Family Issues - part.2

Ruby and Fang walk into a room containing a lot of books

Ruby:  This looks like the library.

Fang:  What's a library?

Ruby:  It's like a kingdom of knowledge!  You can learn anything and everything in here!

Fang:  So if you learnt everything in the library, could you become unstoppable?

Ruby:  Probably not.  You would likely die of boredom before you finished reading all the books.

(they explore for awhile between the rows and rows of books)

 Fang:  So... If Sapphire is your cousin, why isn't she a vampire too?

Ruby:  I'm not sure - I'll ask Grandma tonight.

Fang: Do you know where our next class is?

Ruby:  No clue.

Ruby and Fang turn a corner and find large, strong door.  It appeared to be locked.  On the door is written:

VAULT OF RESTRICTED BOOKS

The books contained herein are dangerous

and must be handled with extreme care

No Students Allowed!

Fang:  It's locked.

Ruby:  What gave it away?  The enormous chains, padlocks, traps, warning sign, skulls scattered about, or the lack of a doorbell?

Fang:  Are you being sarcastic?

(the sound of a deep growl comes from behind them)

Mr Stonecloud: (shouts) What Are You Two Doing Here?  I have the urge to throw you to the crocodiles!

Fang:  Great!  It's been ages since I had a crocodile sandwich! 

Mr Stonecloud:  What?

Ruby:  Nothing, nothing at all.  I was just exploring about - I'm new here!  My name is Ruby - what's your name?

Mr Stonecloud:  You may call me MISTER Stonecloud.  Now, I'm late for my class, you must leave this area of the library at once!

Ruby:  Yes Sir, Sire, Sir, I mean Mister Stonecloud.  I was looking for your class too - I'm your new student.

Mr Stonecloud:  Well, follow me, and don't lag behind.

Fang:  What about my sandwich?

Ruby:  Shut it.

They trail after the grumpy teacher towards his classroom.

Ch.3. Family Issues - part.1

Ruby and Fang wander about the school for awhile.  

Fang:  This place is weird on so many levels.

Ruby:  Yeah, all of the kids in that class are terrified of Everwinter Forest - my home!

Fang:  Why were you trying to bring the enemy into our village?

Ruby:  So we can scare the pants off them with a full-on Vampire attack!

Fang:  Do they even wear pants?

Just then, they return to the fountain where lots of the children had gathered in groups.

Ruby:  Probab...  HIDE!

Ruby grabs Fang and rushes off to a corner to hide.

Fang:  ?!?...

Ruby:  Be quiet for half a minute if you love being alive!

Fang:  (whispers) Why?

Ruby:  I spied someone.

Fang:  Well, you are a spy - that's the idea!

Ruby:  I spied a blue fourth cousin once removed...  named...  Sapphire!

Fang:  Not Sapphire!  Anyone but Sapphire!  Ummm, who's Sapphire?

Ruby:  I already told you - she's my cousin.  Fourth cousin actually - and we don't get on.  She hates me, and she hates all vampires!

Fang:  That's not good.  In fact, it's bad!

Ruby: Full marks for stating the blooming obvious.  We have to avoid meeting her at all costs or our mission for the Vampire Lord will FAIL!

(They watch Sapphire and her White Fox friend Mandy walk off to class)

Fang:  We have to find Mr Stonecloud's class.

Ruby:  Let's hope Sapphire isn't in that class!

Ruby and Fang quickly head in the opposite direction.

Ch.2. The School Infiltration - part.2

(with Ruby's backpack thrown out the window, the class commences)

Mrs Redleaf:  Now dear children, today we will be choosing the location for our science excursion.

Elizabeth: Yippee! Can we go to the Crystal Caves and study the beautiful gems and flowers?

(Ruby's backpack appears at the door of the classroom mysteriously)

Mrs Redleaf:  That's a nice idea Elizabeth, any other ideas class?

Victoria:  Ooh, I know - can we go to Rainbow Waterfalls and research the golden butterflies?

Mrs Redleaf:  That's another lovely idea - that's a very pretty place, and there's much to be learned of the creatures that live there!

Ruby: Oooh, ooh, ooh!

Mrs Redleaf:  Are you ill?  Speak, my child!

(the backpack moves slowly across the room)

Ruby:  Can we go to the Everwinter forest?  The creatures there are really interesting!

Victoria:  <screeeaaammm>

Elizabeth:  <Faints...>

Mrs Redleaf:  That's not a good idea Ruby.  Everwinter forest is a VERY dangerous place!

Rocky (a Black Arctic Wolf):  Nobody has ever returned from that place!  It's beyond scary - you'll get us all killed!

Ruby:  It's not that bad - the creatures are quite nice!  Probably.

Mrs Redleaf:  I've heard that monsters lurk in those woods at night.

(the backpack passes Mrs Redleaf)

Ruby:  Cool!  Let's do a day trip then!

Mrs Redleaf:  I've heard that monsters lurk in those woods in the day too!

Ruby: Could we try for a solar eclipse?  Maybe they'll be having a nap?  Anyway, you can show us how to protect ourselves from the vam...  I meant, the creatures there!

Mrs Redleaf:  I have no idea how to fight those creatures - Maybe Mr Stonecloud knows how to defeat such things.

(the backpack reaches Ruby)

Ruby:  Oooh, time to change classes!  Oh Hello, backpack and Fang!

(Ruby jumps up, grabs her backpack, and leaps out the window - Fang soon follows.) 

Ch.2. The School Infiltration - part.1

A few hours later, Ruby and Fang walk to the Golden Forests School.

Ruby: So...  this is a school...

Fang: Are pets allowed at school?

Ruby:  Only one way to find out!

They pass a sign that reads:  

NOTICE TO ALL STUDENTS

Remember to clean up after your pets!

Ruby:  I guess that answers THAT question...

Fang:  I DO NOT leave messes behind!  I always hide the bodies...

(as Ruby enters through the school gates and into a courtyard, she bumps into some girls)

Ruby:  Hey!  Watch where you're going!  I'm walking here!

Victoria (a Pink Leopard): Are you blind?  I'll have you know that I was walking here!!!

Fang: We - I mean she, was walking here first!

Elizabeth (a Pink Lion): SPIDER!!!!

(the girls run away in terror)

Ruby:  Make a note Fang, Kids are scared of talking spiders!

Fang:  Let's keep exploring.

(they cross the courtyard and pass a fountain with strange helmet in it)

Ruby: I wonder if that's where they put bad students?

Fang:  Probably - at least it keeps them clean -  - lets go find our classroom.

Ruby:  Right-e-o,  let's try up these stairs...

(Ruby and Fang continuing exploring until they find a room full of desks - a teacher stops them)

Mrs Redleaf: Hello my dear child.  Are you new to this school?  I haven't met you before - what's your name?

Ruby:  I am Ruby, and yes - I am new here.

Mrs Redleaf:  Welcome to my classroom.  We're about to start for the day.  You can sit at the red desk over there in the left corner.

(Fang sticks his head out of Ruby's backpack to get a breath of fresh air)

Fang: Phew!!  It smells like dead...

Ruby: Be Quiet!  and Stay Down!

(Ruby shoves Fang back down into the backpack)

Mrs Redleaf:  Eeeek - there's a poisonous spider in your backpack!

(the teacher grabs the backpack and throws it out the window)

Ruby:  Hey - that was my bag!

(Ruby tries to head back to the door)

Mrs Redleaf: It's too dangerous - I won't allow you to go downstairs to fetch it back!

(end of part 1)