Unpredictable

Chapter 15-- Kelter

(edited)

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Kelter (noun)

Meaning: a hand of cards that has no value

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<Lloyd's point of view>

The plan is set.

Tomorrow, Rose goes and plays as our bait. She's going to go and battle at an illegal fight club near the docks of a port city that's close to Katara's recent hit-spots. Katara will come (as she's tended to show up whenever Rose was close to getting her butt kicked just to see Rose's humiliation, like out in the swamp earlier when we all met). 

Don't ask me how Katara's going to come or find out, I just trust that it's going to happen. Rose isn't an agent in the FGAI for nothing, she knows what's she's gotta do to draw Katara out.

Katara will show up, and then we get her. We'll try to draw her out towards the water and we'll work from there.

The idea of Rose being bait makes me sick to the stomach, and I don't really know why. She can handle herself (for the most part. Unless Katara tries to draw up a casual conversation about anything other than fighting forms and strict business, Rose should be fine). 

But that's all happening tomorrow. We still have all of today to rest and train Rose.

"Are you sure about this? I do not believe it beneficial to be doing this while we will be needing our rest for tomorrow." Zane's processors whir in the near-silence.

"Oh, she'll be fine! She's like, a vampire, but without the fangs or blood-sucking or sparkling or nocturnal habits. It's us I'm worried about! Why'd we have to do this so early?!" Jay throws his hand up in the air.

We're currently standing outside of the girl's room. It's like, five a.m. Just before the sun rises. The mere thought makes me yawn.

"If she's going to be a ninja-- or kunoichi or whatever-- she has to do sunrise exercise! It's a thing!" Cole persists. He's holding a gong.

A thing that everyone despises except Sensei Wu and maybe Cole (Cole only likes it when he's in charge of it, or at least in charge of waking us up).

Why can't we just not do it again?

I rub my own eyes, agreeing with Zane. We should be in bed, asleep. It's been forever since we've done one of these. That, and I'm not quite sure I want to hear that gong again this morning.

"Everyone, go in on three... Super quietly," Cole's got his game-face on, the one that means he's not going to give this up.

I sigh, and we all pull our masks up.

"One, two... three!" Kai counts, then swings open the door.

We sneak in, full ninja stealth mode. Rose is on the top bunk, just above Kit.

I mentally groan. We're gonna wake up Kit and Nya too. Or at least Kit, Nya's probably used to the gong that Uncle uses to wake us up. Hopefully, Kit'll be able to go back to sleep. Otherwise Rose isn't going to be overly happy with us for two reasons.

We all sneak up to the top bunk, except for Zane. My heart pounds in anticipation. Kai's right above her, holding onto the roof. Jay's at the foot of the bed with a camera in hand, I'm on the ladder, and Cole's at the head of the bed. He's holding the gong right next to her ear.

Zane's just on the floor, looking up at us and shaking his head.

Rose sprawls across the bed and lies on her side, all the covers are thrown off. Apparently, she sleeps with most of her gear on now, including her shoes. Her cloak is on the bedpost. Her hair is an absolute mess and it's all over her face, the braid that Kit put in yesterday didn't stay in well.