3. To Infinity and Beyond!

Oblivious to who was approaching them, the two guards, Blitz and Saber, straightened their backs as they were slouching earlier. They stood firm and restrained. For both, standing there for hours on end was tedious, so the need for laughter in their lives delighted them. Their usual glum facial expressions instantly turned to a shock as they were quite astonished to see a hilarious spectacle before them.

In front of the gates, two purple munchkins fought each other with their bare hands; using them as if they were swords. Similar to two Tasmanian Devils tumbling around; the reason for their duel was due to the fact that Plutonians didn't want to follow each other's orders. Their motto was: 'It's either my way or nothing at all'.

Both guards looked at each other with a dumbfounded expression and agreed that this would become a total mess if their leader found out about this mayhem. Although neither one of them wanted to be involved in this mess, they knew someone would have to intervene, since this form of racketeering had to stop. As these were the royal halls of Pluto, such mischievous acts of aggression would not be tolerated.

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Even though Xabiere was determined to announce the alarming news that Pluto would be attacked, he was now having second thoughts. The constant interruptions that occurred during his run made him nervous, and as he approached the muscular guards, he panicked. Although he forgot their names, Xabiere knew the tall alien with a mustache from his past and was afraid that this giant might remember him.

Glancing upon Saber's face, sweat formed upon Xabiere's nape as he pondered about this thought.

Mustache Plutonian might remember me. Wonder why he still works here? Thought he'd be gone by now. It's been several years since I last saw him and he hasn't changed a bit. Same built, severe-looking and has scars that cover his body.

Xabiere stood in place as he reminisced about what happened that very day when he was younger, and folded his stubby hands together.  Back when he was a toddler, he managed to crawl inside the palace without permission.  Thus, when Saber found him and carried him back to town, Xabiere tried to wiggle out of the giant's arms, and cried.

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As Xabiere was just a mini furball during that time, the pluton was able to fit inside a hole that he mischievously gnawed amongst the palace gates. He wanted to know where his Appa was as the young lad was curious. He was nearly successful getting inside the palace gates, but someone stopped him from getting through. After feeling some heavy boots before him, Xabiere was startled.

"Pa-pa?" He asked.

The deep voice answered him.

"No, I'm not your Appa, baby Pluton. You don't belong here."

Seeing the damage done with the gate, the young knight feared the worst and put his hands toward his forehead. As he was just a trainee at the time, he did not want his mentor to find out about this. Thus, he grabbed a big rock that he found by the entrance and used it to cover the hole. He figured that it would only be there temporarily, until he'd explain it to the other palace guards.

The young alien knight then folded his hands, and mumbled to himself on what to do next with the pluton. The guard picked the young one up with his gloved hands and whisked him away back into town, even though Xabiere fought and cried to get away.

Xabiere recalled how a mustache plutonian picked him up, pinching him in the face with his leather gloves that gave off an offensive smell. Xabiere knew he was an irritable baby, but now that recollection of how that sharp grip hurt was embedded in his mind. Thus, Xabiere touched his cheeks as he remembered how sore his face once was.

Saber asked the townspeople who he belonged to. Dangling his feet, the pluton wanted to be placed on the ground. But Saber refused to put the toddler down and as he approached Cena's tavern, she ran to take her baby away from Saber's hands.

Xabiere recalled that the guard said something else to his Amma, but since he was too young to understand, he didn't know that he caused a lot of trouble. Later, he'd learn that his Amma had to pay for the damage to the palace gate, and soon Cena lost access to the tavern she worked hard to obtain.

That guard was also the cause for why his relationship with his Amma turned sour, and she was never the same again after his Appa passed away. The mother and son constantly fought over money, as it was always the main problem in their conversations, since paying for the damages of the palace gates wasn't cheap. And now that his Amma has passed on, Xabiere tried to evade Saber with all his might, for he still owed debt. But, in his mind he knew it was too late to back out. 

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Xabiere's Appa, Xenon, worked for Pluto's royalty. He was hired as the Joker in the nursery to make a baby Fritz laugh. Xenon never understood why Fritz's father, Ferdinand couldn't do it for his own Pluton, but since he was selected to fill the position, Xenon couldn't refuse the money. But as soon as Xenon developed Plutonianitis, a serious disease where bacteria could spread in an alien's body, it had to be taken care of as soon as possible. But Ferdinand didn't care for the health of his loyal servants. As a ruthless leader, he let Xenon's health waste away. Thus, Xenon was given the option to leave the palace or rot with the moldy Alien carcasses hidden within the dungeon. As much as he wanted to stay in order to provide for his family, Xenon chose to leave. Xenon never mentioned how he got the disease, and as an adult, Xabiere knew it was risky to find out who gave it to his Appa for he believed it was contagious.

Thus, as Xenon's health deteriorated, he was banned from entering the Royal Palace ever again. And when he passed away; the body diminished off to the galaxy of the unknown.

But with a young mind, Xabiere did not know this for his Amma refused to tell him the truth. Cena cried as she heard the death of her spouse, but had a harder time telling that to her son, so she told him a white lie. Instead, she explained that his Appa was still working in the castle and had to work longer hours to make more money to buy him toys. Thus, the little toddler waited patiently for his Appa to come home. But as he grew impatient, Xabiere wandered off on his own as his Amma worked in their tavern.

Since aliens do not believe in having babysitters to care for their children due to the fact that they want every pluton to learn how to deal with life early on as soon as they can hobble, walk or fly: she wasn't there to watch him.

And that was how Xabiere grew up; he was always on his own and hardly had any guidance. That is until he met Murdock, the only trustworthy friend he had. Even if they constantly fought, they'd eventually forgive each other.

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Thus, a case of David and Goliath came to Xabiere's mind; the biblical story he overheard in one of his journeys. He wanted revenge, but was scared to follow through. The alien's thoughts were battling each other, trying to determine if this was the right thing to do, but Xabiere hesitated as he walked toward the gate and gulped.

As he tried to turn the other way, Murdock bumped into him. Astonished, Xabiere yelled.

"Why are you still following me, Dock?" Xabiere gave that nickname to his friend when they were children and that's how they addressed each other when they were mad.

"I thought you're gonna head straight toward those gates," Murdock pointed out.

With a sigh, Xabiere nodded. "I was, but then I saw the guards ..."

"Don't tell me you are afraid of them, Xabiere! You came all this way to meet Fritz without permission and now you're turning back just because of those guards?" An annoyed Murdock replied. 

He actually wanted to see the insides of the palace and thought following his bestie would do the trick. But now his plan would be foiled, since Xabiere was chickening out.

Suddenly Murdock felt like he was the smarter one out of the two. He looked at the two guards. Despite their height, they looked like any other plutonian and couldn't see what was the problem. So Murdock continued to nudge his friend to turn around and face the men. Yet, his friend wouldn't budge.

"I'm not going Dock, you can't make me. So don't push me!"

Murdock facepalmed himself as he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Listen Xabiere, I had enough of your fussing. I think whatever you endured on Earth has caught up with you. Or are you a proud Plutonian? Or a Weasley Earthling?"

That comment made Xabiere angry and once he turned red, his friend fought back, by raising his hands.

"You take that back, Murdock. I am nothing like those Earthlings!"

"You go down there all the time, Xab, so you might be turning into one of them!"


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