Ani Was Writing

Mamma Mia: Chapter 10   Arthur storms into his mother’s library with little concern for the world around him. He doesn’t bother to take off his shoes or straighten his clothes, or take off his baseball cap. He barges into the library to see his mother and a book reviewer mid-discussion. The two jolt at his intrusion.   “You.” He points to the reviewer. “Out.”   “Mr. Altamura, this is an unwelcomed-” The reviewer begins.   Arthur cuts him off. “I said out.”   Mia and the reviewer exchange glances.   Arthur huffs. “This is the respect you show for the heir of the MWS?”   Mia holds a hand to Arthur while addressing the reviewer. “I apologize for my son’s irrational intrusion. May I have a few minutes with him to resolve this?”   “Of course, Mother Altamura.” The reviewer gathers his notepad and communicator. “Perhaps we can continue our conversation tomorrow? Same time?”   Mia smiles warmly. “Most def...

Mamma Mia: Chapter 9   “And now for more local news: Our beloved Mother Altamura has her hands full yet again as her own son -the young, handsome Arthur- sorry, as her son Arthur has caused havoc at the Cressidan School. Reports are coming in by the hour, ranging from harmless pranks to outright crimes. Security has been keeping an eye on him as he finishes his last local week at Cressidan. As the heir to Mother Altamura’s leadership, it is critical that Arthur maintains as clean of a record as possible. With that said, a few experiences add flavor to a personality that rarely exists in the role of a syndicate leader. If any newsworthy happens, we will keep you informed.   “In a related message from the MWS, the local annual apprenticeship selection deadline is coming soon. Students who are not chosen or do not attempt to obtain an apprenticeship will be subject to denigrated forced labor or assignment by Mother Altamura herself. So get those forms in and interviews ...

 Mamma Mia: Chapter 8 “And you feel this will be a proper appointment for both of them?” Mia asks. “What if you take my son under your apprenticeship, and I will take yours.” Mia suggests, “My son could learn how to gather relevant information and use it correctly. Your son -under me- could learn how to lead and gain some insight into what goes on in the higher workings of the syndicate. It will give Arthur all the information he needs to understand what is going on, and it will give Carlo a piece of the truth and how to properly conduct himself. Arthur as the informant, Carlo as the diplomat.” At first, Kent seems a bit apprehensive, but she also mentions how useful it would be to keep Carlo and Arthur close to each other and allow them to go on certain missions together. Then Kent appears more invested in the proposal. He offhandedly mentions his son’s loss of time to the conspiracies. Mia agrees with Kent while mentioning her own son’s disgust with the young Kent’s new obsession...

Mamma Mia: Chapter 7   The rise. The whip. The fall.   Arthur’s practiced tail whip lands just as well as the other ones. If he had a guess, he would say that he’s done this tail whip correctly at least one hundred times. It sounds like something Carlo would have been impressed by -if he wasn’t scrolling through chat rooms and informational rabbit holes on his communicator. “Why are you doing your ‘research’ out here again?” He asks Carlo after landing another tail whip.   Carlo stops fumbling with a list of information links. “Because my parents are going nosy about what I’m looking at. I don’t want them to know what I’m doing.”   Arthur comments to himself about his mother’s surveillance system as he retorts, “You know, the more you stay away from them while you’re doing that only increases the chances of them thinking your gaining stimulation from femoid pin posters from-”   “They already think that. I mean, not the femoid pin posters...

Mamma Mia: Chapter 6   Mia relaxes in her executive chair as the AMS press praises her choices. The Father himself sends her a communication personally thanking her -and Arthur- for bringing his son home safely and without drama. The rest of the press is all speculation: rumors and conspiracies the young Uccello dredged up, a lack of mind-saving medication, and a small inquiry about the legitimacy of the wild claims the young man made. Both the MWS and the AMS state that they do not tolerate babble of that nature.   She hears the library door open and sits up. She suspects it to be her son, but -to her relief- it is the doctor. “Dr. Khalil! This is a pleasant occurrence.”   “I am coming on unofficial business, Mia. May I sit?”   She nods eagerly and gestures to an open chair across from her. He sits and crosses one leg over the other. She relaxes into her chair again and slides a small dish of assorted sweets toward him. He holds his hand up gentl...

Mamma Mia: Chapter 5  “It starts with my father. It always does. My father -a long time ago- had a family. One wife -which is unusual for our syndicate- and a son. Me. Then something happened. He won’t tell me what, but it was important enough to get my mother -his first wife- out of the picture. And I don’t think she died. If she had died, there would be a record of it. But there is no record of her at all. My birth record shows a redacted black bar where her name should be. Then Mia -sorry, Mother Altamura - pops into the scene. Out of nowhere. Even the press says so! She first comes in as a writer and the new wife of the previous MWS Father. She marries him after publishing, then later on he dies of ‘natural causes’ and somehow she ends up being the Mother of MWS.   “It makes me wonder if I’m a child of two syndicates, you know? So I went to go look at Mia’s records, and she has records just as convoluted as mine. She has redacted information all over the place. It mak...

Mamma Mia: Chapter 4      The Feather stops an hour later. “Coordinates reach. Invitation to dock by unknown sender. Proceed?”   “Where are we?” Arthur asks.   “R7-SS42-S3172-ST3.” The ship reads out.   Carlo sits up. “Wait, aren’t those the coordinates for-?”   “What is the current timeframe for the coordinates?” Arthur interrupts.   “The current timeframe for R7-SS42-S3172-ST3 is September 12020.” The ship answers.   “No wonder our communicators don’t work.” Carlo sighs, “We’re in the Exile Ages!”   “It explains why our communicators are freaking out at the moment.” Arthur comments as he taps the computer screen. “How is this ship supposed to find him if we’re in the Exile Ages?”   The ship reels in and descends toward the planet below them. It instinctively camouflages itself as it enters the atmosphere seamlessly. “Can you imagine what would happen if this ship wasn’t as awesome as it...

Mamma Mia: Chapter 3 “I can’t believe we get to go into the Strings to find Alonzo Uccello!” Carlo drops into the co-pilot chair and puts his hands behind his head. He glances to his bored friend and pats Arthur’s propped legs. “Come on, Arthur. No need to have that frown. We’ll be there in no time.”   Arthur glances blankly to Carlo, then to the computer screen, then up to the lights sliding by as they travel. The long trips like this always get to him, especially when it has anything to do with his mom. It never fails. He could be off to save a deity in the Void; as long as mom was involved, all of the joy was forcefully removed.   “Hey, Arthur?” Arthur glances to Carlo, who is staring at Arthur’s resting communicator. “I think your being buzzed.” Arthur picks up his sphere and watches it light up. So many flickers of light, but one stands out: a red question mark near the center – a coded private message from an unknown number. Arthur sits up and tosses his commun...

Mamma Mia: Chapter 2   Mia mentally scolds Arthur or his lack of respect for her library. He come in, wearing his 1990s attire: open dress polo, t-shirt with skull, and half-ripped jeans. He has his high-top shoes in his hand. At least he listened to that rule she made for him. He asks what she needed in a rather annoyed tone.   “I told you. You have an assignment.” She tells him. His mind wraps around the sentence. Of course, he asks if it is going on his official record for the syndicate. He always asks. When Mia nods, Arthur’s eyes glisten. The first official assignment seems to be a trophy for everyone growing up in the MWS directly. Arthur begins rambling his excitement when Mia holds up her hand to him. “I don’t understand male genetics.” She grumbles. Before he can make a comment, she continues, “Your first assignment is a favor for the Father of the AMS. His son Alonzo has not been in contact for several months, and none of his-” Mia pauses to find a good wor...

Mamma Mia: Chapter 1   “Dude, that was a nice Backflip-Bikeflip Combo you did! We gotta put that on Jumpspace!”   Arthur lands and slows down his gold BMX bike as it skids into the concrete. “You think so?”   His friend Carlo holds the recorded footage on his communicator to Arthur. “It will bump you up on Starlight big time! No one has pulled that stunt that well in years.”   Arthur and Carlo watch the trick on a loop: the trick, the smirk to camera halfway through. It was all glorious, even before Carlo had a chance to edit it. Arthur can’t help but smile at this little feat of his. His family would be proud. “That is a good shot.”   Carlo turns off his communicator. “Do you want it on Jumpspace?”   “Are you kidding? Of course I do, my dude!” Arthur exclaims, “Just remember to put it on the right account, okay?” He gently punches Carlo’s shoulder.   “Awesome! I’ll just start playing with it. Let’s go for a few more...