Listen, And The Stars Shall Speak

Innocent

Dusk wandered the halls of JMA, slightly suspicious. Something had seemed off with Dawn the last time he'd seen her. And now, she was apparently nowhere to be found. Not in her classes, not her sleeping cave, nowhere.

And with Drought at the school, that seemed like something he should be extremely worried about.

Dusk turned down another hallway, only to spot Cypress and Anaconda.

"Hey Dusk," The Mudwings greeted him.

"Have either of you seen Dawn?" Dusk questioned. "I can't find her anywhere." They shook their heads.

"Sorry," Cypress offered. "Should we be concerned?"

"I don't know, but I'm starting to worry. She's never disappeared like this before."

"Maybe we should gather our small army of friends and ask them."

"All of them? That's impossible. There's too many."

"But we have a code!" 

"A what?"

"...You'll see." Cypress suddenly walked towards the front of the school, stopping in front the gong that signaled when class was over. She banged on it three times, the noise echoing through the school.

"And now we wait." Anaconda offered. Dusk raised an eyebrow, skeptical, but within minutes, Permafrost, Ray, Stardust, Shore, Rin, Orange, Parrot, Apple, Ember, Willow, Haze, and Boysen had gathered around, Ander running in last, her talons red with what the others hoped wasn't blood.

"Ander," Shore began. "What's on your talons?" Ander quickly hid them, looking slightly guilty.

"So I ran into a dragon named Fruitful that was related to an animus and had a Nebula voice in his head. So I beat him up. So what?"

"Mea, you can't just BEAT dragons." Ray complained. 

"Awwww, she's becoming like me!" Haze exclaimed.

"NO!" Shore, Ray, and Rin shouted in fear, crowding around Ander protectively.

"......Thanks guys." 

"Why are we here?" Boysen asked.

"I can't find Dawn," Dusk explained. "Has anyone seen her recently?" Everyone shook their heads. "Okay. Is there anyone else that's disappeared recently?"

"Well," Willow pied up. "Drought hasn't shown up for classes in days, but Clay said he just had to go home to take care of something." Everyone's eyes widened.

"Oh." Dusk offered, his voice suddenly higher as he started to panic. "So my little sister's been captured and presumably killed by the gang that wants to kill my entire family. GREAT.  I'M DEAD." He then dropped to the floor.

"Hey, she's probably not dead YET." Haze insisted. "And we know where Sting Headquarters are. Maybe we could break in there and save her."

"Oh YEAH. Because that worked out SO well the last time." Dusk replied.

"Well, you didn't have any of us last time." Orange insisted. 

"You're right. Instead, we had two full grown and highly trained Sandwings. And I STILL got stabbed and we all almost died. I'm sure waltzing in with eight hybrids, an Icewing, a Rainwing, a Seawing, an angry Sandwing that's already wanted for murder in the gang, and SEVERAL members of royalty, all of which are under the age of eight will work out PERFECTLY."

"Since when do you use so much SARCASM?" Rin demanded. "Has Haze been giving you lessons or something?" Haze snorted.

"Yeah right," she deadpanned. 

"What if only some of us go, and we tell your Dad and get him to come too?" Cypress questioned.

"My DAD? Oh no. No no no." Dusk declared. "He will KILL me. Kill me DEAD."

"Well, maybe he'll kill the gang FIRST," Permafrost suggested. "Then you."

"......How reassuring."

"Do you want to get your sister back or not?" Orange demanded. "Cause unless someone has a better plan, this is what's happening."

"Alright fine." Dusk agreed. "Who's coming with me?"

"Um, ME, DUH." Haze announced. "I doubt you even remember how to get there, so...."

"Count me in!" Orange insisted.

"If you go, I go." Shore proclaimed.

"If Haze is going, then I want to go too." Boysen announced.

"But what if you get hurt?" Haze demanded.

"What do you think I'm counting on you for?"

"....Touche."

"I'm going too!" Cypress declared. "I've known Dawn her whole life- I should be there."

"Then I'll be there too." Anaconda insisted.

"I'll stay back." Stardust insisted. "I'm not very experienced with the whole rushing-into-danger thing..."

"Then I'll stay with you," Permafrost proclaimed.

"Mea and I will stay back." Ray offered.

"We already know what happens." Ander explained. "We can keep the others updated, and not spoil anything!"

"Seven seems like a good number," Rin insisted. "Parrot and I have some unfinished business. Best not to leave it." Shore sighed.

"Who'd you lose a bet too this time?" he questioned. Rin scowled at him.

"Puddle." Parrot explained. 

"Seriously, Rin." 

"Oh shut up." Rin snapped.

"Okay then," Dusk interrupted. "Then let's get ready for a rescue mission."