Z18

Defenders of the Earth: This Is Their Story

By Marzena

Plot: Season 5, Episode 13

Chapter 18: Same Old, Same Old

Closing the door of her car, Jedda walked across the parking lot. School's been a disaster. Well, everything was a disaster, ever since the whole Krotan thing. She was safely home and of course she was thankful for that. Her friends were safe as well, and she was thankful for that, too. But ever since she was home again, everyone seemed to be keeping an eye on her. And as if this wasn't enough, apparently her 'bad boy syndrome' was all over school by now. Mostly stupid rumors, of course, but apparently someone overheard someone else talking and now everyone thought Jedda had been running off with some punk guy, drug dealer or married man.

Her phone kept beeping and she groaned when she saw Rick's name on the display. Sighing, she answered anyway before anyone could come to the conclusion that she was having secret rendezvous and therefore didn't answer her phone. Rick was pretty good with conclusions these days.

"What is it? I'm on my way home."

"Just checking in. We were wondering if you want to have some pizza with us tonight. You know, April's staying over and LJ brought Kate and then there's you and me and Amy and Kshin and ..."

Yeah, and a bunch of people with a bunch of questions, watching her, analyzing her, trying to figure her out. No way. The family dinners were enough, especially with her father's disappointed stare.

"Actually, Rick, I was just about to grab a burger and then head over to the library to work on some science project. Might be late."

There was a pause at the other end, and Jedda grabbed the phone harder. She knew exactly what Rick was thinking right now.

"No, Rick, I'm neither running away or meeting … the enemy", she snapped and still couldn't bring herself to say his name out loud. "It's really just boring school stuff."

"Sorry. We're just worried about you and ..."

She disconnected. Please, no more worry talks. No more talks at all. The heart-to-heart talk she had with her father had been the worst, but everything else was a close second. Friends were great, especially her friends. But too much was just too much.

"All I want is a stupid burger," she grumbled and pushed the double doors of the fast food restaurant wide open. A big family walked past her, laughing and talking, and for a moment Jedda actually wished she was one of them, an ordinary girl in an ordinary world. One without aliens, shapeshifters and icy kingdoms on far away planets.

There was quite a queue in front of the counter, and patiently Jedda took her place in the queue behind a young man with dark hair. The young man turned a bit to read a promotion sign for a new kind of burger – something with more cheese and extra spicy – and she got a glimpse of his face. Dan.

This wasn't real. Surely, this wasn't a coincidence. He was stalking her. He was planning something again. He was … here. And he was turning around. Their eyes locked. For a moment, neither of them spoke.

"Jedda," he finally said, eyebrows raised. "What a lovely surprise."

"It's not," she stated. "I mean, you must have planned this. This surely isn't coincidence."

"Yeah, right." He rolled his eyes at her. "I kept following you around all day, just to meet you in a fast food restaurant full of earthlings and smelly cheese. Don't flatter yourself."

Well, true. She hadn't actually planned to come here, but on her way to the library she'd driven past an advertising sign and decided to grab a bite. Still, she didn't trust him.

"All I want is a bloody burger," he stated.

"That was all I wanted, too. Now I'm not so hungry anymore." She turned around. Yeah, it was running away, but he wasn't good for her and she knew that. If it had been pure hate she'd felt towards him, she would have stayed. But she wasn't sure what she felt, which scared her a lot more than she wanted to admit to herself. He was the enemy. She was supposed to hate him. And she didn't, which worried her. She was Jedda Walker, the Phantom's daughter. She wasn't some silly chick in a silly movie, falling for the enemy and living happily ever after. She was a Defender. She had a duty to carry out and a destiny to fulfill. Krotan didn't fit into her life, nor did she want him there. The fact alone that the prince of Mongo could make her feel like this made her angry, worried and scared all combined. She knew what she had to do. Stay away from him.

"Coward," he mocked her, stepping forward, blocking her way. Someone else took his place in the queue but he didn't seem to care.

"I'm not a coward. I'm sensible. There's a difference."

"Coward," he repeated. "The sensible thing would be to get your food, then eat, then leave. Would have fooled me. But as long as you're running you're feeling something."

"I do not have feelings for you, Kro-Dan!" she said between gritted teeth.

"There's no Dan, you know," he replied. "Just me. Krotan of Mongo. And yet you're still looking at me the same way you looked at me when I was still Dan. What does that tell you, Jedda Walker?"

"That I'm an idiot who should check herself into a mental institution," she snapped. She gave him a long look. "It's the appearance. I wouldn't look at Krotan like I looked at Dan."

"Let's test that theory, shall we?"

Grinning, he tried to morph, but she was faster and grabbed his arm, nearly knocking him into an annoyed looking waitress.

"Don't you dare to morph in here with everybody watching!" she whispered, sending the waitress an apologetic glance.

"Whatever." He rolled his eyes. "I was just trying to prove my point."

"Stop proving points!" she hissed. "I just want you to leave me alone. I don't even know why you still try. You know that I know now who you really are. What makes you think you're going to have any success now? I'm a Defender. I'm the future of the Phantom legacy. I will not go around snogging Ming's son."

"And I am Krotan of Mongo, and I'm still trying to get into your pants," he grinned. "And somehow, I don't see my chances dwindling at all."

With a frustrated groan, she turned and walked away, hearing his laughter behind her until she had left the restaurant. Outside, she took a deep breath, than she pulled her phone from her bag. Rick answered almost immediately.

"Jedda? You okay?"

"Fine. Everything's fine," she quickly assured him. "And about that pizza thing, is that still on?"

"Yeah, April's just arrived and we're still waiting for Kate and LJ. You're in?"

"I'm in."

She was a Defender after all. And with the Defenders she belonged.

----------

Article

Author

Chapters

1: Death

April and the other Gordons face a tragedy.

2: Beautiful