Anarchy's Mystery

Chapter 30

So this chapter doesn't have any Arch Enemies spoilers, I just wanted to add a new character last chapter however I did change something last chapter (her mom's power) so if you've already read it then maybe go back and reread it just so you don't get confused! Enjoy!

Days blended into weeks. After nearly three weeks had passed, it was time for trials.

"Happy trial day, woo-woo!" Oscar yelled as he, Ruby and Natalie approached Adrian.

"How's it looking out there? Great skies, that's a lot of people!" Ruby's eyes nearly popped out of her head as she looked out into the crowd. Natalie had been a part of their patrol group for the entire time since she'd left the Council and she'd discovered that they didn't actually know anything about her past - not that they'd tell her anyways. Natalie looked up to see Oscar blow a few smoke dragons into the crowd.

"Seriously? There are endless practical uses for that trick," said Oscar, Natalie then realising that she'd missed a whole chunk of their conversation. Discussing their entries to the Renegades, Natalie and Adrian excluded, took a chunk of time before Oscar announced that he was going to get some food.

"What do you guys want? Pretzels? Hot dog?" Oscar asked, grinning.

"Cotton candy! The one with both the blue and the pink mixed together!" Ruby exclaimed, her eyes bright.

"On it. Sketch?"

"I'm good." Adrian replied, his eyes watching the crowd.

"I'll bring you some popcorn. Panther?"

"A banana smoothie and a bag of those mixed lollies - the Thunderbird themed ones please!" He nodded at her request.

"Don't let anything exciting happen without me!" He called, winking.

"Thanks, Oscar!" Natalie called behind him.

"No promises!" Ruby yelled. Discussing the crowd seemed to take them a decent chunk of time before Genissa Clark and her team entered the field. "I hope our table is far away from hers." Ruby glared, her arms crossed.

"Here we go!" Oscar called, his cane in one hand and the other over his head, holding a tray of food. "Two-tone cotton candy for the lady, popcorn for my man, banana smoothie and mixed lollies for my other lady, please help yourself to some garlic fries or choco-crunchies, but do not touch my smoothie or I won't hesitate to kill you and everyone you've ever loved." Oscar announced, everyone grabbing their food.

"Oscar, can I have a sip of your smoothie?" Ruby asked, her eyes glimmering. Oscar's glare faded in no more than 4 seconds.

"Yeah, all right." Ruby snagged the drink and took a sip, Oscar's eyes following the smoothie the entire time as Natalie and Adrian laughed. Blacklight walked up to a microphone on the Council's platform and cleared his throat, everyone falling into an excited silence.

"Welcome to the fourth annual Renegades trials!" He called into the crowd, their cheers going wild. "Would all patrol units please come onto the field," said Blacklight, smiling. Natalie's group headed to their table, which turned out to be right in front of the gate where the prodigies would enter the field when Blacklight gestured to Natalie, who hurried over.

"Natalie, would you mind joining us again for this one day? Tamaya had some crazy idea that someone might try something after the parade and we just want to be sure." Natalie nodded and ran back to her team, grabbing her smoothie and lollies from the table.

"I'm needed over there. Remember, if you find anyone, I'm only temporary and I'll be changing jobs again once Danna's healed." She reminded them, a fixed smile on her face. "Keep an open mind and don't go on a sugar high Oscar." He gasped in protest as she laughed and walked away, clutching her food.

"Natalie, it's nice to see you again." Hugh greeted, a tentative smile on his face as she approached the table.

"You too, Captain," said Natalie as she placed her food on the end of the table. She pulled open the wrapped of the lollies and channeled her inner Oscar. "Please help yourselves to the lollies but if you touch my smoothie I will not hesitate to kill you and everyone you've ever loved." She announced, taking a sip of her smoothie in defense of it.

Simon and Hugh laughed and Tamaya and Kasumi smiled as Blacklight announced the contestants as they came out and performed. It was all rather laid back until one of the last contestants came and Natalie's breath caught in her throat as she placed her nearly-empty smoothie on the table and leant forward.

"Nova McLain." What? "Alias: Insomnia." Natalie watched as the girl came up, her face wearing a determined and not at all worried expression. A mildly shocked expression appeared on Nova's face as she recognised her cousin sitting with the Council, mirrored by Natalie. Natalie recovered first, subtly shaking her head as Nova turned and faced Blacklight as he spoke. As Nova explained her power, Natalie almost laughed. She was hiding her true power so that she would not be associated with Nightmare. Even though they were obviously the same person. Everyone had rejected her until there was only one team left. Adrian's team. Her team. The whole field gasped as Adrian accepted her, Ruby and Oscar's mildly surprised faces saying that Adrian hadn't discussed it with them. Adrian's gaze caught hers and she nodded and smiled, approving of the action. Her cousin was a good choice, if not slightly difficult for them both. Frostbite challenged the decision. Of course she did.

"I'll fight the Gargoyle." Nova's confident voice echoed through the stadium as Natalie smirked. Nice choice. She knew her cousin's strengths well, despite not seeing her much. Ingrid had kept her well updated about their little nightmare. Gargoyle stepped up and cracked his knuckles whilst Nova asked for a weapon. She had an ice knife in her hand and grinned. Soon, Gargoyle was lying with his hand outside the circle and Nova's grin had returned. Trials soon ended soon after a few more prodigies had tried out. The Council each thanked her for her services - again. When the Council had left, Natalie drained the rest of her smoothie and grabbed the rest of her bag of lollies and headed over to the team table.

"So..." she said, shoving a lollipop in her mouth. "Nova McLain."

"You don't mind do you? I just thought she'd be good for surveillance and we have Danna out and she said she's a good fighter and knows a lot about weapons and science and-"

"God, Adrian, I don't need a full observation of the girl." She laughed, watching Adrian's red face. "She's a good pick. I don't know what instinct told you to pick her, but it was a good one. Let's go get some food!" They all laughed and headed back to the food trucks to get some more snacks before they had patrols.

:)