Cam handed Cy a sandwich. “That’s for Mei Lien.” He pulled out an Italian sub and put it in Cy’s other hand, “Enjoy.”
“You packed me food?”
“Not really. I didn’t know you were coming, but I always pack extra. And since you seem obsessed with subs. Or at least that’s what Hunter ranted about when Dustin and Tori were turned to perfume. That you would rather stare at a sports car and eat subs instead of getting dirty with the evil aliens.”
“I was younger then.”
“True. By about six months or so?” Cam smirked.
“Closer to a year, now…”
“You say tomato…” Cam was really regretting that he ever watched Star Trek. Didn’t that character have a brother who went evil? Cam shook his head. That’s a tv show. This is real. He should really not compare life to tv.
Suddenly, Cam heard a mumble. It sounded like it was coming from the tree line. Just as he stood, He heard a scuffle. His grandfather, Mei Lien, and even Cy were reaching for their practice swords.
“GOTCHA!”
It was Kapri’s voice. Definitely Kapri’s voice. Marah turned glanced at her sister in time to see Kapri holding Shimazu in a half-nelson, pinning his arms. Marah jumped into action and delivered some rather nicely placed strikes.
“What? I’ve been – oof- tricked!” Shimazu squirmed and finally broke Kapri’s hold.
Cam scanned the horizon as around 10 kelzaks wearing kabuki masks trotted into view. That was something you don’t see everyday.
“That’s far enough.” Cam summoned his commanding voice. They looked at Cam. Cam wasn’t sure if they were trying to look menacing or pleading to remove the silly masks.
“You fight kabuki warriors?” Grandfather’s voice was laced with humor.
A few notes echoed in the distance. It seemed out of place. Shimazu? Cam looked again. Nothing, but the kelzaks.
“And one that can’t hold a tune?” Grandfather was now taking fighting stance. Cam was so very tempted to sit this one out and watch the master at work. However, his grandfather was old, he didn’t want to risk his life just to study his art. Better get the others in case there is trouble.
“Cy! Call the others!” Cam called out. CyberCam nodded, after blinking twice. Cam was momentarily puzzled but then realized, he had stunned the cyber by using Mei Lien’s choice nickname. Bad move.
The two wolfblades responded to his notes, as usual. Kapri rolled her eyes again. She had never figured these hairy beasts could be any more annoying. She ducked her head and charged a wolfblade as it howled.
Just as Kapri made contact, Marah dropped to the ground. She slapped the ground. “Come on, Dustin makes this look so easy!” she sounded frustrated, but smiled when a ripple of earth, kind of like a mole trail traveled along the ground from her hand directly behind the blade’s foot, tripping him and swallowing him waist deep.
“Dustin’s been doing this longer.” Kapri called, trying to sound reassuring. Her eyes lit up with surprise when Marah succeeded. “Alright! You go, girl!”
Grandfather had charged two kelzaks. Cam had taken two more. Sword blades beat the foursome back. Cam was proud of their cohesiveness in battle. The feeling of pride faded when he glanced over to see what seemed to be Mei Lien facing a pair of kelzaks alone. Then, he noticed CyberCam flipping over her and landing a good blow with his practice sword.
It was almost dizzying to keep track of the battle. Samurai traded enemies as the kabukified kelzaks were popped out of existence on the backswings. Hunter would have loved to have been here. What’s taking them so long? All kelzaks were fleeing now. All four samurai were still standing as the fleeing enemy vanished into thin air.
“Is it over? Should we check the perimeter?” Mei Lien whispered.
“No… Not without the others, when they get here…”
“You still want me to call them?” Cy began to fuss with his hat.
“You didn’t…”
“I started to, but the kelzaks were pinning her, I thought I should break the hold first. And then I got distracted trying to use some of the moves I just learned. I’m really down with this class, Sensei D – I mean, Sensei Hiro.”
Cam saw Hiro smile. He looked at Cy, then Mei Lien, then at the empty skyline. “We should scout then, and then we need to get back, make a report. This happened so soon after Motodrone. I’m not liking the situation that’s brewing here.”
The earth had trapped one of the wolfblades. Shimazu had panicked at the thought of losing another of his pups so soon. Kapri and Marah were busy on the other one as he furiously worked to free the first. Then he saw how his kelzaks had just been defeated by the samurai. They were coming this way. He threw up his hands as the wolfblade crawled from the hole.
“I’ll have my revenge, and on you two too!” His mask scowled as he led his blades back into the thick forest. The girls watched.
“Should we go after him?” Marah whispered.
“Nah, he’s trashed. And they’re coming. Heya, cous!” Kapri smiled in her nonchalant innocent fashion.
“Kapri?” Cam’s face became quizzical as he emerged into their small glade. “Marah?”
“Hey, cousin.” Marah waved.
“What are you doing here?” Cam looked around.
“We’ve come to see how cyber-cous is doing in class.” Kapri rocked on her heels.
“Have you seen anything suspicious?”
“What do you mean suspicious?” Kapri smiled.
Cam looked at the two girls, and resolved that he’d just have to scan the area from ops. A smirk grew across his face.
“Class is over for the day. Let us clean up and proceed back.” Hiro turned toward Marah and Kapri. “If my two beautiful granddaughters would like to assist, our return will be expedited. Which will allow more time for the festivities.”
“Beautiful?” Kapri gasped and smiled. “Aw!”
“Granddaughters?” Marah giggled.
“Festivities! We’re invited?” They both exclaimed.
“Absolutely! It’s a party!” Cy called back… as he retrieved his sub.
Cy sat down at the table. Mei Lien had wrapped a blind around his eyes. He had snickered at the thought. There were a hundred ways he could have gotten around being truly blind, but he was going to humor her. He smelled charcoal. Or at least that is what he perceived. His reasoning put together that it was the smell of a match being blown out. There were sounds of whispering all around. He couldn’t believe he was having trouble counting how many were here in the room, let alone who. Temptation was rising to cheat and find out, but just as he was about to, the blind was yanked off.
“Surprise!” Everyone yelled.
Cy looked around, everyone was standing around him. Everyone that mattered. Everyone, but Cam. Flesh dad, his cousins, Dustin, Tori, Shane, Sensei Hiro, Mei Lien, but no Cam.
Dustin stepped forward. “Dude, happy birthday! I talked to Hunter on the phone, just now. He wanted me to tell you the same from him and Blake. Blake’s racing right now, or they’d be here.”
“Thanks, Super D!”
Shane stepped forward and hummed. And in unison, they all began to sing “Happy Birthday.” Cam walked in, smiled, and joined in. Cy relaxed. His bro wasn’t plotting his uninstall quite yet, at least. It’d be a shame to finally feel alive just before being deprogrammed.
As the song ended, Mei Lien wrapped an arm around Cy. “Blow out your candle! Make a wish first.”
Cy leaned forward, and closed his eyes. He gently blew on the candle, and opened his eyes to watch it flicker and die out.
“Now you can’t tell anyone what you wished! I just read that on my favorite e-zine!” Marah smiled at Cy as she slid over to where Dustin was standing.
“Let’s have the cake!” Shane grabbed a knife.
Tori stopped him. “Let Cy cut it. It’s his first party.”
Shane handed the knife to Cy. Cy cut and served the cake to each of his friends.
“I made the report on the kelzaks, and scanned as thoroughly as possible, considering Ops is not completely rebuilt. I’ll fill all of you in later,” Cam stated as he glanced around. “I just got done telling the Thunder Academy. I called Hunter and left a message, as usual.”
“Hunter was on the phone to me, this time… Dude, he has an excuse.” Dustin seemed momentarily worried.
“It’s ok, Dustin. I’m not mad at him.” Cam smiled and glanced over to Cy. “Happy Birthday. Sorry I was late.”
“Hey! You always say, ‘Business before pleasure’.” Cy included a head wobble to show his sincerity, and smiled back. Cy handed a piece of cake to Sensei Hiro. “Here you go, Sensei Hiro.” Cy was especially proud he hadn’t tripped up on the name.
As Sensei Hiro accepted his cake, he leaned over and whispered to Cy, “You may call me Grandfather, or Sensei Grandfather, if you would like.”
Cy smiled. That’s one wish, he thought.
Mei Lien took her piece of cake from him and set it down. She leaned over and hugged him. “Happy Birthday, Cy. Welcome to the real world.”
And that was wish number two. He knew it had been a risk to wish for two things, but he figured, he had some time to catch up on, so he had taken the risk. And it had paid off.