141: A Company of Fools: Revolutionary Beginnings IV

"And that concludes class today, everyone did an decent job." Baset said looking at everyone complete the splicing exercise that she had assigned.

"Almost everyone…" Damon said snidely.

"Fuck off Ass Lord!" I snapped as I tried to complete the assignment that Baset gave us one last time.

The objective was to channel mana into the splicing circle and make it light up. In order to do that you gad to channel a steady and even amount of mana. Considering that channeling mana was the basis of everything I could do I thought this was easy but every time I made an attempt it ended with failure, either I channeled too much mana and the circle released a mana wave that knocked me on my ass or I got close and something would make my mana go wild.

The same thing happened with this attempt, my mana went wild and sent a feedback loop that sent fire arching through my veins and knocking me back several feet and landing flat on my ass.

"OWWWWWW! FUCK!" I yelled. Baset frowned and scratched her chin.

"You really can't splice. I've never seen a splicer suffer from mana feedback that bad or that much." Baset said. I groaned as I stood up and had to stop myself from channeling incinerate attribute mana and burning the splicing circle to dust.

"It's like there is a secondary force coming in at the last second and disrupting my mana." I said. Bo walked over to me and smirked cockily.

"Of course you'd come up with an excuse to shield your ego." He said taunting. I popped him on the top of his head and frowned. "Ow!"

"Yeah, you get to be that cocky when you can cast other spells without relying on my enchanted items." I said.

"Attitude aside, the young man is a prodigy." Nigel said then looked towards the splicing circle that Bo had used. "It's rare to see someone get the exercise right the first try at any age, but to be able sustain the circle for over thirty minutes at a time…"

"Yeah, thank you Nigel but please keep the praise to a minimum unless you want a younger version of Chase running around." Baset interrupted. Nigel flinched and made a face that he immediately hid.

"You say that like it's a bad thing…" I said defensively.

"IT IS!" Everyone snapped. I frowned at everyone then smacked Bo on the back of his head when he snickered at me. He stuck his tongue out at me for that.

"Whatever! Since class is over I'm heading to the shop. Jane, Iris, come on." I said walking towards the elevator. The girls sighed but followed after me, Bo stayed close behind as I neared the elevator.

"Hold on a second Chase, mind if I go with you to see this shop?" Baset asked. I groaned and pressed the button to the elevator repeatedly.

"Sure! Why don't we just make this a class field trip! It's not like I have priceless company secrets lying around…" I said sarcastically.

"Well why don't we! Astrid, Damon, come along." Baset said intentionally ignoring the sarcasm in my voice. The look Baset gave Astrid and Damon made them give in immediately and go along with her request without a complaint.

"Sarcasm worked against you didn't it?" Bo teased.

"I will feed you to Grimm-Guard…" I threatened half-heartedly and looked down at the boy. He just chuckled softly at me. The elevator finally arrived and everyone piled into it except Nigel and Isaan.

"You two aren't coming?" I asked Nigel.

"They have materials I need them to grab for research." Baset answered. I shrugged and waves goodbye to Nigel as the doors closed and we descended down to the lobby. After we reached the lobby everyone walked outside and Damon, Astrid, Jane, and Iris all looked to Baset on what to do next.

"The guardsmen at the desk will call my carriage in a few moments." Baset said.

"Tell him don't bother. Grimm-Guard can get us there in a few moments." I said.

"Grimm-Guard?" Astrid said. Grimm-Guard's crystalline structure formed in front of my farm crystal and I flung it up into the air towards Baset's tower. It shattered against a glass window and Grimm-Guard burst forth and wrapped around the building. Damon and Astrid took several steps back while gawking up at Grimm-Guard who'd wrapped around the entire building twice.

"You summoned me Star Boss?" Grimm-Guard asked Leaning his head down to look at us.

"IT CAN TALK!" Damon and Astrid screamed.

"Is if just me or is he larger than the last time I saw it." Baset asked and turned to look at me.

"Yeah I keep thinking that myself. I think he's somewhere about a mile long." I said. Astrid and Damon both looked at Jane, Iris, Baset, Bo and me.

"Why are none of you surprised by this?" Astrid exclaimed.

"Because we've all seen this evo before." Baset said. "I'm just surprised by how much larger he is than I thought."

"Grimm can you take all of us to the shop, I got some business to take care of?" I asked. Grimm-Guard nodded eagerly then froze when he saw Jane and buzzed in a low tone.

"Even…her…?" Grimm-Guard asked motioning to Jane.

"Yes." I said narrowing my eyes at Grimm-Guard.

"No, I have my own Evo that can fly so I don't have to ride on that…" Jane said sounding a little pompous.

"Jingles!" Jane exclaimed and summoned the Lyon.

It's structure shot out of her crystal and landed on the ground behind her. The massive Lyon roared loudly then looked up at Grimm-Guard who was staring down at Jingles from his perch on the building. It stood protectively over Jane and growled softly. Grimm-Guard looked unbothered and unimpressed by the Lyon and snapped his massive mandible

"Jane calm down Jingles, he's no match for Grimm-Guard." I said then pointed to Grimm-Guard and motioned to the floor in front of me. Grimm-Guard lowered his head down and crawled along the ground.

Bo cheered and rushed over to the Millitanto and climbed onto his head and took a seat right in the center between Grimm-Guard's two compound eyes. I motioned to Grimm-Guard and looked at the others.

"You can ride on Grimm-Guard or you can ride with Jane." I said. Damon chuffed and moved over to Jane.

"Yeah, a member of the DeCharles family will never be seen riding on the back of a giant insect. I'll ride with Jane and Iris." Damon said. I shrugged and looked at Astrid and Baset.

"I'll ride with Damon and the girls." Astrid said.

"Suit yourself…" Baset said then walked over to Grimm-Guard and climbing up onto his head. "…I'm rather interested in seeing how fast this evo can move."

To say everyone looked surprised was a understatement but no one said anything. Damon, and the girls all climbed onto Jingles back. Jane then spurred him on and the Jingle snapped open his wings and flew high into the sky. I jumped up on Grimm-Guard's head.

"You might want to hold onto some part of his shell." I told Baset then turned looked down to Grimm-Guard. "Let's go Grimm!"

"YES! STAR BOSS!"

Grimm-Guard unfolded all his wings from the slits in his carapace and flapped then all rapidly. Grimm-Guard flew high into the sky after Jingles and quickly passed the Lyon.

"FOLLOW US! AND TRY GO KEEP UP!" I yelled to the girls and Damon.

"WHOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOO!" Bo hollered as Grimm-Guard flew speedily over the campus and towards the city. I kept a close look over my shoulder to make sure that Jingles was keeping up. He was but just barely. It only took a few moments for everyone to leave the campus and soon we were over the golden city.

"This Millitanto is very fast for its size, I never would have suspected it could fly either." Baset said.

"Yeah, All of Chase's evos are full of surprises. That snake one freaking transformed in the middle of a fight." Bo said. Baset's eyes widened and she looked towards me.

"What snake evo is he talking about?" She demanded.

"Alpa'nagia…yeah I actually wanted to talk to you about that…" I replied. I summoned Alpa'nagia and his structure shot up into the sky and shattered. Alpa'nagia roared loudly into the sky parting the light clouds that had been drifting above us and then flew down level with Grimm-Guard.

"WHAT THE HELL!" Baset screamed. "What happened to it! It has a human face now! It's wings are in a different place! Oh my Gods horns!"

"Well you see…."

I quickly summed up what happened during the fight with Draco and his Draconis. When I got to the part about my mana overload and all the mana I had suddenly being drained from my body Baset expression turned pensive. Once I finished my story Baset stayed silently for several moments.

"When you get a moment Chase, I want you to use your mana to scan Alpa'nagia's body…I have a hunch but I want to know what you find before I say anything." Baset said softly.

I nodded then looked to Alpa'nagia. The Sonic viper suddenly perked up and let out a hiss then looked to the direction of the shop. We were still a good distance away but I could make out the figures of two titans standing in front if the shop. With the help if Bone-lasher's electromagnetic vision I could see that there were two titans and several men and women gathered in front of the shop. Nate and Jade were standing in front of the shop entrance, Nate standing slightly in front of Jade with a knife in his hand.

"ALPA GO!" I ordered him. Alpa'nagia's body was wrapped in lightning and he flew ahead at speed. Storm clouds formed above us and blanketed the sky as Alpa'nagia let out a thundering roar. Two lightning bolts shot down from clouds and vaporized the titans that had been looming over Jade and Nate.

The men and women that had been threatening Nate and Jade stumbled back, terrified and confused by the sudden thunder storm and the death of their evos. Alpa'nagia descended slowly from the clouds landing in front of Hade and Nate and wrapping his tail around them protectively.

"WHO DARES APPROACH THE STAR SHAPER'S DOMAIN!" Alpa'nagia roared, his words resonating with the thunder claps. A few men tried to run but a well placed lightning bolt in their path stopped them cold in their tracks.

Grimm-Guard sped up, leaving the girls and Damon struggling to keep up on Jingles. Grimm-Guard circled the street and landed in a coil pattern with most of his body eother landing on a building or in the street itself, cutting off an route of escape with his body. His head rested atop the shop glaring menacingly down at the men and women who had intruded.

I walked to the edge of Grimm-Guard's head and jumped off, channeling float attribute mana I descended gracefully down to the street and landed a few feet in front of Alpa'nagia.

"You two okay?" I asked Jade and Nate.

"Now that you're here we are." Nate said, peeking up from behind Alpa'nagia's tail.

"Who are these guys?" I asked pointing at the lot that were now cowering together.

"A new gang that popped up in the red dragons wake. They claimed the neighborhood was their territory and since we're the only shop left in the neighborhood they wanted protection money. I told them no." Jade explained.

"Fucking gangs…" I muttered to myself then turned to look at the wannabe gangsters. "…Look whoever you are, you're not going to get any protection money from us, as you can see we can protect ourselves. Now I don't know if this is your whole operation or just a part of it but I'm going to need all of you to never show your face here again…"

"And if we don't?" A idiot in the back yelled. On cue five lightning bolts struck the ground around the group making them all scream and huddle closer together.

"I will ensure you never darken the Star Shapers path again…" Alpa'nagia warned.

"Do we understand each other?" I asked. The group all nodded enthusiastically. "Let them go Grimm."

Grimm-Guard flapped the wings around the section of his body that was on the street and floated high enough for the gangsters to pass under him. They ran so fast they nearly left dust clouds in their wake. I let out a groan then pinched the bridge of my nose.

'So much for reputation and myth keeping the gang's away.' I thought.

"Well that was an interesting display Chase." Baset said from atop Grimm-Guard's head. I thought then slowly glanced back at her. She had a wholly amused look on her face. Bo peaked his head out from behind her and smiled when he saw his parents.

"Mom! Dad!" Bo exclaimed then jumped off Grimm-Guard's head.

Before I could move to catch him he activated the tricky movement Enchanted ring I gave him and slowed his descent with a burst of flames shooting from the soles of his shoes. Once he was on solid ground he deactivated the spell.

Bo jumped into his Mom's arms and Nate and Jade hugged him tightly. I smiled at the display then motioned for Grimm-Guard to let Baset down.

"Alpan make sure those guys actually leave and make a note of where they go in case I have to have Sin pay them a visit." I told him. Alpa'nagia nodded then flew high into the clouds above where he would be unseen.

"Sorry to cause you so much trouble Chase." Nate said. "It seems you're always swooping in to save us."

"I'm your employer now. Getting you out of trouble is my job." I said.

"Umm, Chase who is this?" Jade asked motioning to Baset.

"That's Chase's teacher. Baset Paragon." Bo answered.

"PARAGON!" Nate and Jade exclaimed.

"My lady, I'm so sorry for not recognizing you sooner!" Jade exclaimed and did a slight bow.

"Yes! I'm sorry you had to witness that." Nate said. Baset chuckled and shook her head

"Oh pay me no mind. I simply came wishing to see what had made my star pupil miss two days of class." Baset said shooting me a sharp glance.

"I'm not going to apologize." I said.

"And I don't expect you to…it looks like the rest of the class is here finally." Baset said looking up to the approaching figure of Jingles.

"Chase! You idiot, why did you leave us behind!" Iris yelled when Jingles got within earshot.

"Shop emergency." I said dismissively. Jingles landed in the street and let the girls and Damon off before returning to Jane's crystal. Grimm-Guard returned to my crystal as well.

"You know as pompous as they were acting at the school you'd think her Lyon would be able to fly faster…" Bo commented.

"Hey I didn't think that evo was that fast…" Jane muttered.

"Never mind the flying kid, what's going on with the sky, why are there thunder clouds?" Astrid asked. Again as if on cue Alpa'nagia descended from the clouds and landed behind me.

"Star Shaper, those interlopers have left the area. I also know where they are staying, as you requested." Alpa'nagia said.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!" Iris and Astrid exclaimed.

"The reason for the thunder clouds." Baset said with a amused chuckle.

"That's Alpa'nagia…" I said sheepishly. Jane, Iris, Astrid and Damon all froze and then took a look at Alpa'nagia then back to me and back to Alpa'nagia again.

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT" They all screamed.