Chapter 5: Breaking the Ice

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Ubercorn hid behind a wall for a moment to try and catch what Xuli was doing up so early. Again. She was spinning the DJ-style controls like mad, scanning every CCTV camera on the island, growling in frustration and rage.

"COME ON!!!" she roared after a while, banging her fists on the desk. "NOTHING!! You are so going to pay for that when I get my hands on you, you- GAH!! AND DON'T THINK I WON'T FIND YOU!!!"

Ubercorn suddenly sprung from the shadows of the night and put a hoof on the Jetter's shoulder. Xuli paid no attention whatsoever, her eyes glued to the controls.

The mentor grabbed her forcefully and turned her around, but she just shoved him away, snarling "Get off of me, you freak." before gasping and covering her mouth with her hands.

She suddenly collapsed on the dashboard and began sobbing loudly. Ubercorn gently picked her up and held her close to his chest. Xuli curled up in his arms, the poor thing bawling her eyes out.

He stood there for a while, gently stroking his adoptive daughter as she continued to cry. After a moment or two, he slowly walked to a bench and sat down with her.

Hearing the commotion from afar, Gail entered the Dome, and upon seeing Xuli in Ubercorn's comforting arms, she rushed over and threw her arms around her kid, snuggling into Ubercorn at the same time.

"W-what's happening to m-me...?" the pilot mumbled between sobs. "What is going on... WHAT'S HAPPENING?!"

"Shh, calm down Xuli," Ubercorn whispered in the kindest voice "everything's alright. You're going through stages of agony. That's common when a loved one is lost. But please, be strong. I know you are."

"You call me strong? After seeing what I've been DOING TO MYSELF?!" Xuli screamed before sobbing even louder than before.

"Xuli, if you weren't strong, you would be dead on the streets with Gail crying over you many, many years ago."

"He's right," Gail chimed in "you survived a terrible fever when you were about 4. And that's no exaggeration."

Xuli looked into the eyes of her rightful mother and adoptive father for several moments, pearly tears still finding their way to the outside world. The world seemed to be silent. Owls could not be heard hooting. There was no sound of crickets. No wind blowing through the trees.

Time seemed to pause, before Xuli wiped her tears away and mumbled with a smile "I guess you're right."

She then pulled them both in for a tight hug that lasted a good few minutes, but nobody cared. This was quality family time. And no one could interrupt their special moment together.

When they eventually did break apart, Gail led Xuli back to her room and Ubercorn resumed checking everyone was OK and asleep. The pilot crept under her blankets and Gail curled up on top of her before whispering "Goodnight, kid."

"Night Gail."

And for the first time in 3 days, despite still being worried sick about her boyfriend and not getting much sleep, Xuli felt peaceful and at ease.

The anger was long gone, and was replaced by a feeling of security and being loved. Gail and Ubercorn were happy, too. Happy that the formerly sleepless monster of the Academy was now at rest.

Although they had one question in mind.

Where had the cat gone?

---

Gail's POV:

It hadn't returned the next morning, and was still absent at midday. I was getting more and more suspicious of it as the day went by.

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