||𝒫𝒾𝑒𝒸𝑒𝓈 𝑜𝒻 𝒫𝒶𝓇𝒸𝒽𝓂𝑒𝓃𝓉||

18: The Battle-Dex

"A-Are you sure you're ready?" Dex stuttered.

"Don't worry," Marella said as she placed a comforting hand on his arm, "they'll be fine."

"But-But what if-"

"STOP RIGHT THERE!" Biana cleated her throat. "I mean...don't even start that! We all know from experience that if we start thinking about all of the 'what if's', we're going to be sitting here for hours and soon all our nails will be chipped from biting them in worry."

"Fine. But-have you guys thought about what this fight means? Has no one else noticed how much more firm the Black Swan has been with this? I might be wrong, but it seems like...like this fight could end it all between the Black Swan and the Neverseen."

"I didn't think about that." Linh admitted quietly.

"Honestly, is anyone else scared?"

"I am," Fitz raised a hand.

"I am," Wylie followed.

"I am," Linh and Biana said.

"I am," Marella said.

"I most certainly am not!" Tam and Keefe snorted.

They looked at each other. "HEY!" Keefe narrowed his eyes as they once again spoke together.

"STOP COPYING ME!" They both yelled.

"NO, YOU!"

"NO, YOU!"

"ARGHHH!"

The room they were in fell silent. Then Dex heard a chuckle from the left corner. Slowly, everyone started to join in until they were all laughing their heads off. Dex didn't even remember why they were laughing anymore.

"Wow," Dex wiped a fake tear, "that certainly brightened up the mood."

Mr. Forkle suddenly burst into the room. "Everyone, I have news!" Dex could see everyone on the edge of their seats. "You all know the plan, but I would like to say it again. Okay. Since Lady Gisela and Gethen are coming today for a little 'check in', a few minutes before they are supposed to reach you Sophie, Keefe, Fitz, Wylie, and I are going to reveal our location. Now, as you know, we will reveal our location far away from their storage vault, and to make it seem like that wasn't our intention coming here, we will subtly show up by one of their revealed hideouts. They will have cameras there. We will be the decoys, remember that. And if, by chance, Lady Gisela and Gethen aren't informed that we have been spotted, you will be wearing disguises and you are not to say anything that will make them recognize you."

    Dex sucked in a breath. This was going to be intense. But, he knew he and the rest of his friends were ready for it.

    A little while later, Mr. Forkle, Sophie, Fitz, Keefe, and Wylie had left. They were going to send a signal when they had revealed their location.

     Dex now had black, curly hair, tan skin, and he was muscular. Marella had long blond hair falling to her waist, Tam had bright pink hair, Linh had a blue gradient and tan skin, and Biana still looked like she belonged on the cover of a magazine, but now her accent was Scottish and her hair was blond just like Marella's.

     Dex and everyone else waited, and waited, the clocks ticking by as slowly as possible. What felt like hours was actually just a few minutes. They felt a knock on their door, and hushed voices outside. Dex had no choice, he opened it.