#FINALLY ITS FROYOYO TIME

[kentuckywrites]

Imperium 2: Chapter 4

Audi stella. (Listen to the star.)

“...weird trees under rocks? Hm, new creatures? Never seen these before…”

Elma groaned, her eyes fluttering as she came back to consciousness. Her head hurt, her body ached - wait, the stalactites. She shot up suddenly, ignoring how her mim protested against such exertion, and she searched around wildly for her companions.

However, to her surprise, something was carefully moving the rubble off of her body. That must’ve been how she was able to sit up, she realized before looking further into the cavern. Lin was awake, shaking her head and checking herself over for any wounds. There was no sign of Nessa or Tatsu, but there was another creature a few feet away from Elma, throwing a stray rock to the side as he dug at the pile holding her legs in place. It didn’t seem to notice that Elma was awake, not at first, but when it finally looked up at her it froze. Elma recognized the little creature immediately: a Nopon. He didn’t look like any Nopon Elma had ever encountered, however. White fur, a thick winter coat covering most of its body, a long and prominent tuft of fur atop his head that faded into a bright pink. His wings were speckled with the same pink, though there were also hints of cerulean and lavender flecks amongst the white. And, perhaps most surprising of all, there was a rather large broadsword strapped to the Nopon’s back, a weapon far larger than any Nopon should’ve been able to carry, and easily larger than any Nopon she’d encountered before.

“Meh! One flesh tree awake and alive!” The Nopon commented with a smirk, “Have good nap, flesh tree?”

“Um…”

“Don’t answer. Froyoyo knows flesh tree was knocked out by silly cavern termites. Those are reason for stalactites falling down! Very unfortunate.”

“Cavern termites?” Elma asked, watching as Lin finally spotted the Nopon. Her eyes went wide, and then her expression quickly turned to that of confusion.

“Flesh tree not heard of cavern termites?” The Nopon - Froyoyo? - raised an eyebrow before a spark of realization hit his dark eyes. “Of course, Froyoyo understand now! Flesh trees not from here, surely!”

“You’re right,” Elma told him, “We’re from...well, we live in Primordia, in the city New Los Angeles. But we also aren’t from Mira. We’re from a planet called Earth, and we’re called humans.”

“Well, Humans, wonderful to meet you!” Froyoyo offered one of his little hands to shake, “Froyoyo is Froyoyo, legendary Heropon of Cocytios and leader of Desserta Caravan!”

A muffled voice came from underneath the rubble before Elma could correct Froyoyo on her proper name - and the fact that, technically, she wasn’t even a human. “MEH?! FROYOYO, HEROPON OF COCYTIOS?! TATSU KNEW YOU WERE REAL!!”

Froyoyo quickly hopped over to where Tatsu had called out, using his wings and arms to dig beneath the rubble. He pulled Tatsu out, who was dazed and disoriented, but still harboring a huge childish smile. He adjusted his glasses quickly before continuing to speak to Froyoyo, “It is!! Tatsu is Tatsu, and Tatsu is your biggest fan!! Tatsu’s mamapon read Tatsu Tale of Two Gods every night as a littlepon, and Tatsu could recite story word for word! Froyoyo is such a legendary Heropon -”

“Time for enjoying Froyoyo’s coolness comes later, littlepon,” Froyoyo interrupted, “Froyoyo appreciates it, but first, Froyoyo must ask: are there other flesh trees underneath rubble?”

“Yes! Nessa’s still down there!” Lin confirmed, a slight panic overtaking her confusion.

“Then littlepon, help Froyoyo rescue friend!” 

Froyoyo quickly made his way closer to Lin, navigating the rubble with a certain air of grace. Strange, yet another thing Elma had put past the Nopon. Froyoyo was definitely an odd one, that much was certain, but his oddities were welcome. After all, he was talking to a mimeosome, a secret xenoform, one of the avatars of the sentient planet, and their adopted Nopon child. 

Speaking of whom, Elma was also surprised that Tatsu followed Froyoyo quickly, though he wasn’t quite as careful and tripped over a stray rock on his way to help. Elma took the time to push the rest of her body out of the rubble, positioning herself on top and deciding to try and stand up. It was a process, especially considering how unstable this new flooring was, but by the time she’d gotten her balance, Froyoyo and Tatsu were both pulling Nessa out into fresh air. Her eyes were open and she was breathing, thank the gods, but when she surfaced she coughed, holding her stomach and regaining her senses as she lay on the rocks.

“Is flesh tree okay?” Froyoyo asked.

Nessa’s face scrunched up at that. “Uh, sure, flesh tree is fine. Who are you?”

“Froyoyo’s name is Froyoyo!” The Nopon introduced himself once again, and Nessa’s eyes sparkled with familiarity.

“Oh! You’re that Heropon Tatsu was going on about. Thanks for the rescue, sir.”

“Froyoyo need not be called ‘sir’,” Froyoyo huffed, “Only thanks Froyoyo needs is seeing you safe. Now, what are flesh trees doing in Cocytios, if not from here?”

“We’re here because my brother’s in danger, and we think he’s somewhere in Cocytios,” Nessa explained, “We were going to investigate a Ganglion fortress for any signs of -”

“Ganglion? What are Ganglion?”

Elma tensed at that. Bad sign, very bad sign.

Nessa seemed to feel it too, and her words became slower, more cautious. “They’re like...us flesh trees, but blue and purple and really ugly.”

“Flesh trees are referring to the Blue Bastards?”

Lin stifled a laugh, but it didn’t deter Froyoyo from continuing, “Blue Bastards have fortress south of here! Froyoyo would be happy to take flesh trees there, but not right now. Now, flesh trees should accompany Froyoyo back to Desserta Caravan and have wifeypon look over for wounds.”

“Desserta Caravan!!” Tatsu cheered, “Yes!! Friends, let’s go to Desserta Caravan! Tatsu want to meet Vanala and Froyoyo’s littlepon!! Entire chapter of Tale of Two Gods was dedicated to Sprinkle Sprinkle; Tatsu has to know what happened in adventure up Treachery Mountain -”

“Hang on there, tater tot,” Lin quickly objected, turning her focus to Nessa and Elma, “We should decide that as a team. If this is time sensitive, then...is it the best idea to take a detour?”

Elma thought about it for a moment before reaching a decision: “I think of it less as a detour and more of a potential recovery spot. Froyoyo’s extending his hospitality to us, and if what he’s offering is true, then I see no reason to refuse.”

“Froyoyo is right here, you know,” Froyoyo shook his head, “Flesh trees don’t need to accept offer of friendship. But Froyoyo hates seeing flesh trees looking so defenseless and stupid! Froyoyo knows family and caravan would be willing to help, just like they did with Sollypon!”

“Sollypon?” Nessa frowned, “Who’s that?”

“Sollypon is a not-quite flesh tree!” Froyoyo chirped, “Magical, has weird horns and long ears. Much taller than flesh trees, too!...wait, flesh tree with weird eyes, is Sollypon brother you mentioned?”

“Based on that description, no.”

“Is brother one of the Blue Bastards?”

“Absolutely no.”

“Is brother the weird furry dragon that has been attacking caravan?”

“I’m afraid to ask. No, he’s not. He looks exactly like me, but a little taller, has a weird heart shaped strand of hair atop his head, and he doesn’t have fat tits like I do.”

It became Elma’s turn to stifle an embarrassed snort, mostly because Nessa was so...nonchalant about that last part. Froyoyo eyed her weirdly before shrugging with his wings. “Then Froyoyo has not seen brother! But Froyoyo promises to help find brother if flesh trees come back to caravan and take care of themselves. And maybe help with weird furry dragon if it comes back.”

“I believe that’s...an eye for an eye, right?” Nessa brought up the saying, and immediately Elma wanted to congratulate her on not butchering it like Pongo would’ve. Even after spending so much time around humans, he always managed to mess those up.

“Incorrect use of the saying, but close enough,” She told her, “And in any case, I’d at least like to get out of this cavern, lest we get surprised by more…”

“Cavern termites!” Froyoyo exclaimed, “Like to build tunnels in caves, especially in stalactites. Caused lots of trouble for caravan when we settled down and made homes!” He didn’t elaborate, and instead offered out a stubby little hand to Nessa and Lin. “Now come! Froyoyo will show you to caravan, it’s not far at all. But we must hurry, since Cocytios gets very dark very quickly!”

Without putting up any resistance, Elma and her team soon made their way out of the cavern, following Froyoyo back into the cold expanse of Cocytios. Thankfully, the weather treated them kindly. No snow, but a threatening wind still kept Elma on her toes. Froyoyo walked with a confidence that only came with time and experience. Tatsu stuck to him like glue, and the two Nopon became engrossed in conversation fairly quickly. Elma’s attention, however, remained on Lin and Nessa. Neither seemed terribly hurt by the stalactites, but given how Nessa had already taken a fair amount of damage prior to meeting them, Elma wanted to make sure she was okay. If she was hurt at all, Nessa did a great job at hiding it, and she kept up the pace without struggle. 

Oddly enough, after half an hour of walking, Lin entered into a sneezing fit. She could hardly talk, and once she started up, Froyoyo stopped to look at her. To Elma’s surprise, the hardened Nopon started to laugh, a loud and boisterous rumble. 

“Friend must have inhaled a Sneezy Peezy!” He said.

Tatsu was the first to ask, “Meh meh? What is a Sneezy Peezy?”

“Sneezy Peezy is a snowflake that makes many creatures enter bouts of sneezing! Desserts Caravan sometimes catches Sneezy Peezies to melt, since melted Sneezy Peezies help cure colds!”

“Fascinating,” Elma commented shortly after Lin was able to regain her composure, “Are you alright, Lin?”

“I’m okay,” Lin caught her breath as Nessa put a careful hand on her shoulder, “Just wasn’t expecting that!”

“Cocytios is full of little surprises,” Nessa winked, “Just wait until we find a Tundrabbit!”

They continued on without further incident, and soon, atop an incline, Elma could spot the silhouettes of little huts. They reminded her of the other Nopon caravans scattered throughout the continents, but even from a distance, she could tell they were sturdier, more accustomed to the climate. And there were fewer of them, and no Potamuses lingering around with baggage. She supposed that was logical, considering the biological nature of the Potamuses, though she wondered if the Nopon used anything in its stead. 

Once they approached the caravan, Elma watched as several little Nopon saw Froyoyo and stopped what they were doing to run over to him. They were all small, far smaller than Tatsu, and came in an assortment of colors. When one called out “Dadapon”, she realized that they must be Froyoyo’s kids. And there were far more than she was expecting - nine in total came to greet him, and one ignored him completely in favor of walking up to Elma, Lin and Nessa. It was a little pink Nopon, eyes sparkling with curiosity.

“Dadapon, who are flesh tree friends?” The little Nopon asked, “Are friends from other continents? Ooh, do friends have stories for Sprinkle Sprinkle? Sprinkle Sprinkle desperately wants to know what happens outside of Cocytios -”

“Sprinkle Sprinkle!!”

And then, another larger Nopon approached, a similar shade of pink and flaunting a large tuft of curled hair. It almost formed a heart shape with how structured it was. “Do not haggle strangers for stories until they’ve settled down!!” She looked to Elma, the tallest of the three humanoids, and cleared her throat. “Vanala is Vanala! Welcome to Desserta Caravan! Vanala hopes hubbypon has treated you well on journey to caravan!”

“Of course, wifeypon! Froyoyo saved new friends from cavern termite cave-in!” Froyoyo claimed, trying his best to calm his excited kids down. Some even pounced on Tatsu, who handled them with expertise. Elma recalled how he was an older sibling in his own family, so it made sense how he knew the tricks to calming down the littlepon. 

“Meh meh! Vanala sorry to hear,” Froyoyo’s wife said solemnly, “Very rude of cavern termites to do that! Are friends hurt at all? Vanala can heal with ether if need be!”

Lin shook her head. “I’m okay, but thank you! Though, you can heal with ether?”

“Of course! Ether is plentiful in Cocytios, so Vanala harnessed water ether to heal. Took long time to master, but very useful for when littlepon get careless in their roughhousing and when hubbypon bites off more than he can chew.”

“I thought all of the healing Arts used ether,” Nessa frowned, “Is something different about a Nopon knowing how to use it?”

“Well, none of the Nopon in the city - or any of the ones we’ve met across Mira - have ever been able to use ether before,” Lin explained, “We only have a handful of Nopon that are actually registered with BLADE, and they mostly stay inside the city. Heck, the fact that Froyoyo is carrying a weapon is really weird!!”

“Meh meh? Are friends saying that Nopon outside Cocytios are softies?!” Froyoyo scoffed, making his way over to them and letting Tatsu handle the littlepon for the time being, “So sad! Nopon must know how to defend themselves! If they don’t, what’s stopping them from being devoured by giant angry beastie?”

“Dadapon never taught Tatsu how to fight before he left for Heropon duties,” Tatsu said sadly, “But Tatsu would love to learn! Tatsu wants to become as strong as legendary Heropon Froyoyo!”

“Where was this enthusiasm to fight during all our other battles…” Lin muttered under her breath, echoing a thought Elma had but wouldn’t voice.

“Time for talking comes later!” Vanala announced with a bounce, “Friends follow Vanala into medicine tent!”

Lin stuttered for a moment, but at Elma’s nod, she shadowed Vanala. Nessa hung behind with Elma, taking their time in following, but never straying too far behind that they’d lose the little Nopon.

“The Nopon here certainly seem different compared to the ones we’ve interacted with previously,” Elma observed, placing a thoughtful hand on her hip. She didn’t say this with disdain or contempt, but rather, a budding curiosity complete with a touch of wonder. Which had come first: the soft, avaricious Nopon that NLA was familiar with, or the hardened, experienced Nopon of Cocytios? Perhaps the environment each grew up in influenced their development, but then, why weren’t the Nopon inhabiting Cauldros as tough? Surely Cauldros presented no mercy to them, surely Cauldros did everything in its power to tell the Nopon that they couldn’t exist on its land without suffering great discomfort at best and great loss at worst. Perhaps it spoke to the Nopon, and perhaps it spoke to how brutal Cocytios truly was.

“Don’t see much of a difference,” Nessa shrugged, “They all look like huggable egg-shaped friends to me.”

“Ah, I meant more in terms of personality and -”

“If friend dares to hug Froyoyo, friend will not be friend anymore,” Froyoyo suddenly called out, having returned to the littlepon and Tatsu. His face poked out above his wings, an adorable image shattered by how serious he looked. To think, a Nopon was capable of appearing as anything but cute…

“See? I like him,” Nessa giggled, unfazed by his threat, “Though I doubt my brother would’ve felt the same.”

“He was always one for hugs,” Elma replied, “Now let’s meet with Vanala and get looked over. We want to be in the best shape for the journey ahead.”

Nessa and Elma, shoulder to shoulder, made their way over to one of the tents. Elma had seen Lin disappear behind the curtain flaps mere moments before, and even if she hadn’t, she could harbor a guess as to which tent belonged to Vanala’s. It was the same color as her hair, embroidered with little white snowflakes, and a similar tuft of fur protruding from its roof. From a distance, it didn’t look nearly big enough to house three entire humanoids. So when Elma made it to the entrance first, she pulled back the flaps, beckoning for Nessa to enter ahead of her. She would need the most attention, most likely, and even if she didn’t need much, knowing that she was being taken care of would put Elma’s mind at ease.

“After you,” Elma offered.

Nessa smiled knowingly, almost teasingly. “Oh, you’re too kind!”

So Nessa ducked underneath, remaining bent down as she entered. Elma kept the flap open and peered in, watching as Nessa took a tentative seat next to Lin. Together, sitting down on a soft fur rug, there was much more room to breathe. Little lanterns hung from the ceiling, flickering with what Elma would’ve harbored were fireflies, had they been on Earth. Vanala had a little dresser she was attending to in the middle of the tent, rummaging around in a drawer for something specific. However, Elma’s attention was immediately piqued by something outside of the tent, something that cast a shadow over her. She’d heard the snow crunching underneath someone’s weight, footsteps approaching and growing louder, louder, the closer they got. Elma turned around, still keeping a hand on the tent’s flap.

“You must be humans.”

Elma wasn’t sure why she was surprised upon seeing a humanoid behind her. The shadow had been cast over her, implying height, which many Nopon most certainly didn’t have. But still, her eyes widened upon taking in the new figure’s form. Not a human, not by any stretch of the imagination. Light yellow skin, pointed horns atop the head, pointed ears. An outfit that swirled with blues and greens and browns and the slightest hints of magenta, and eyes that were sharp, their colors transitioning from the sky to the land. There were little ridges that followed their cheekbones, and that was the clue Elma needed to be able to speak.

“And you appear to be a Miran native.”

The Miran native smiled warmly and nodded once, only once. “I am a F’lenla A’slegn. Judging by your educated guess, you have encountered one of my kind before.”

“Elma? Who’s outside with you?” Nessa tried desperately to look past Elma, maneuvering every which way to get a better view. 

Vanala perked up at the new addition, and a flash of recognition shot across her eyes, quick and easily mistaken for a trick of the light. “That is friend Sollypon! Sollypon has been with Desserta Caravan for a few days. They’ve been helpful with littlepon!”

The Miran native chuckled softly at that. “Your littlepon are rambunctious, I do admit, but they are quite a joy. You should be proud of them.” Turning back to Elma, they performed a small bow. “I am called Solstice. If you would be so kind, you may refer to me with neutral pronouns, as well as feminine.”

“Of course,” Elma understood, “My name is Elma. Behind me are -”

“I’m Lin!” Lin called out, unable to see the newcomer as Vanala was inspecting her for wounds, “It’s nice to meet you Solstice!!” “And I’m Nessa,” Nessa winked once more, finally able to get a better view, “The pleasure’s all mine!”

Solstice’s head tilted, a small gesture that Elma couldn’t quite decipher. “Would you be willing to share? Because it’s quite an honor to finally meet a human - three, no less. I believed in my travels I wouldn’t be able to interact with any.”

“Why’s that?” Nessa asked, “I mean, humans are everywhere at this point, especially if you’re with BLADE. Primordia’s the hot spot for them since that’s where their city is.”

“Primordia?” They frowned, “I haven’t had reason to visit that continent in quite some time. Though, humans live there, you say? Perhaps once I have completed my duties here, I will visit for a while. And what is this BLADE you speak of? Does that put limitations on how often humans travel?”

“BLADE’s an organization! It’s like...kinda like a government, but not really?” Lin struggled to come up with a reasonable explanation, “BLADE headed the exploration of Mira when we all crash landed here. There’s divisions that have different duties, and depending on what division you pick, you get assigned to do different things! And that’s not really all too strict, because anyone can take any missions they want regardless what the mission’s about -”

“Oh jeez, my brother totally rubbed off on you,” Nessa snickered, “Enough about that, though, what are your duties on Cocytios?”

“I’m here in search of Starr,” Solstice said simply, prompting Elma, Lin and Nessa to make confused expressions. Elma opened her mouth to ask for more details, but Lin’s gasp was like a lightning bolt, and Elma quickly spun around to make sure she was okay. Vanala was standing at her knees, wings hovering over a nasty scrape, and orbs of blue energy floated around and about. Many seemed magnetized to Lin’s wound, while others enjoyed their taste of freedom and continued to surround Vanala. 

Nessa and Elma looked on, amazed for a moment, before Vanala announced loudly, “Friend must stay still for a while for ether to work! Would Sollypon and Elma like to come in?”

Elma and Solstice shook their heads. Elma told her, “I’ll be alright, but thank you for the offer. Nessa and Lin have the more urgent need, and I wouldn’t want to crowd your tent.”

“Then close tent flap! Don’t want cold air getting inside and giving friends bitefrost!”

Elma did as Vanala requested, trying to ignore the disappointed sigh that Nessa made. Solstice took a step back, hands carefully placed in front of them and folded with a polite aura. Elma didn’t want to stray far, and her unanswered questions were getting the best of her. 

“Starr? Who is that?”

“Starr, the Undying.” Solstice explained, “It’s a beast that has recently been targeting the caravan. I am here to speak to it.”

“Froyoyo did mention a strange furry dragon attacking the caravan,” Elma thought out loud, “Do we know why the caravan is its primary target? Do the Nopon have something it wants?”

“It’s unclear,” They responded, “The obvious answer would be that Starr would like to claim this part of Cocytios as its territory. There are abundant resources and a large, natural cavern here, as well as an enjoyable hot spring to the east. It’s also sheltered, compared to most of the continent, but…”

“But it’s a predator, I assume. There must be better places for Starr to form a home. If it can fly, perhaps one of the mountains?”

“I’m afraid I cannot answer that question. Starr is...I have reason to believe it may be behaving erratically. It’s why I’m here. To talk to it, to understand what is plaguing its mind, and possibly help to restore it.”

“I see.” Elma glanced around, spotting Froyoyo, Tatsu and the swarm of littlepon not too far off. “Froyoyo asked if we would be willing to help deal with Starr, should it return while we were recuperating.”

“Froyoyo is a Nopon bent on dispelling Starr through physical means,” Solstice shook her head sadly, “But I cannot blame him. Starr is putting his family and caravan in danger, and my attempts at extending friendship have resulted in repeated failure. I don’t wish to give up hope and -”

“FROYOYO!! DRAGON IS RETURNING!!”

An unseen Nopon called out to Froyoyo, and Elma spun around to look at the sky. Sure enough, a winged figure was approaching, descending, a storm in its own right. Over the panicked noises of Nopon running back and forth, a roar like thunder erupted from its maw. Elma flinched, gritting her teeth. Her guns were out in the next second, pushing past Solstice even as they tried to reach for them, to call out that the answer was not in fighting. Elma didn’t have the time to explain that the guns were a precaution. 

Lin and Nessa emerged from the tent moments later, both with their own weapons drawn. Lin’s gatling gun was out, and Nessa was poised with her dual swords. They quickly flanked Elma, peering up at the dragon - at Starr. Vanala did not reappear, but Froyoyo peered up from behind an adjacent tent, broadsword drawn and at the ready. 

“Damn furry dragon,” Froyoyo growled, “Has not had enough of Froyoyo’s blade!! Has not tasted enough defeat yet!! Froyoyo about to show it true might of Legendary Heropon!!”

“Wait, please -” Solstice pleaded, but those two words fell on deaf ears. For Elma, it wasn’t a matter of not hearing, but rather, a matter of seeing. Because as the dragon approached, as it grew closer and closer to the caravan...she saw its wings. She saw its tail. 

Glowing purple fragments, defying all known laws of gravity, acting as feathers on a fluffy white wing. Stardust trailed behind it, like a Skell leaving behind its trail in flight, like a comet leaving behind its aurora for the night sky. Had it been higher, had it been dark, Elma would’ve made a wish.

But now, all she did was wish she wasn’t right. And Lin echoed her thoughts in a hushed whisper, haunted by a very real possibility, a very real fear.

“Is that...a Telethia?”

[kentuckywrites]

Stars In The Ocean

The road to recovery is long, but Vanala gives Starr an interesting proposition regarding his healing process.

“Would friend like to learn?”

It was a simple question, posed on a simple day. Starr had been with the Desserta Caravan for what felt like years, helping them with their daily tasks, taking down the occasional rogue indigen if needed. He’d finished his gathering fairly quick, and perhaps he’d been interested in Vanala practicing her use of water ether, perhaps he’d been staring in her direction too long. Either way, she spotted him lurking, and she asked that simple question. If only his answer were simple, too.

In truth, Starr was curious. Vanala wasn’t shy about using her water ether, especially when Froyoyo and Starr came back from a long day of taking down threats to the caravan. That aspect of the ability appealed to him. Being able to heal, to kiss away any wounds with the touch of life...he wanted that. He needed that. It was something he could prove to himself, that maybe, just maybe, he was capable of healing. But what if it didn’t work? What if he only brought pain with this new ability?

In the midst of his thoughts, Vanala had approached him, smiling in her motherly sort of way. “Friend not have to say yes. Only offering since friend was watching Vanala practice.”

“Do you think we could learn?” He asked honestly. 

Vanala huffed at that, and Starr’s shoulders went stiff. “Meh meh! Of course friend can learn! Everyone has ability to wield ether deep down. Friend is no different. Only true difference is what ether friend is able to use.”

“How would we be able to tell?”

“Vanala has certified test! Was how Vanala identified all of littlepons’ ether affinities. Is sure to work on flesh tree as well!”

And before Starr could properly respond, Vanala was waddling off, back towards the edge of the hot spring she was training near. It wasn’t a far walk from the caravan, but it was far enough that the other Nopon would have to go out of their way to interfere. With a small sigh, Starr placed his gathering basket into the closest tent and followed after Vanala. It’d be rude to refuse, though his body still ached with tension, with the fear that this could all go horribly wrong in the blink of an eye. He stopped halfway, simply staring ahead. When Vanala turned around, caught sight of him, she shook her head and chuckled so softly that Starr almost couldn’t hear it. 

“Vanala not bite. And Vanala not want to rush friend into doing something he doesn’t want to do,” Vanala told him honestly, “But Vanala has idea. Does friend trust Vanala?”

Starr swallowed thickly, though he didn’t need to think about his response for too long. “We do.”

He finally stepped towards Vanala, and after he was close, only a few feet apart, Vanala told him, “Kneel down so Vanala can see friend better.”

Starr did go down to his knees, sinking low enough so Vanala could look directly into his eyes - or rather, his skull mask, which obscured the upper half of his face. Vanala closed the distance between them, using her wings to position Starr’s hands on his lap, palms facing up towards the clouded sky. Her soft downy fur made his fingers curl, a ghostly touch that was almost ticklish, but more unnerving. One of her wings slowly traveled upwards, a delicate feather pressed against his chest, right where his heart would be. 

“Breathe deeply,” Vanala instructed, and so Starr obeyed. Inhale, exhale, his eyes fluttered closed. His only thoughts became occupied, intent on keeping his breathing rhythmic and deep. Vanala’s wing stayed still, though as time wore on, it began to slowly drift away. Through closed eyes, he could see something bright forming below his face, and a thought broke his concentration. Maybe it was fire, or lightning, or an ether affinity so bright and dangerous that it would -

“Friend...friend has water ether like Vanala!”

Starr opened his eyes at that, and nestled within Vanala’s two wings was a little sphere of crashing waves, with little streams of water flowing into it that came from Starr’s heart. Instinctively he reached up to his heart to try and contain it, but the water slipped through his fingers, made its way to the orb. Vanala was smiling, holding the sphere of water to Starr expectantly. 

“We...we will be able to heal with this,” Starr whispered softly, in awe of the sight before him. After all was said and done, this was what he wanted, more than anything else. He wanted to heal. He wanted to live.

“Not just heal! Water ether very dangerous in wrong hands, and right hands should it be intended!” Vanala shot Starr through the heart with her words, “Vanala will show you everything to know about it! Hubbypon would most certainly -”

“N-No, no no no,” Starr stuttered, panicking now, “We do not want to hurt anyone, this...water is supposed to heal, it cannot hurt anybody, we -”

“Meh meh! Who say water cannot hurt?” She tsked, “Vanala not sure who tell you that, but Vanala will tell you truth. Come, follow Vanala, come closer to hot spring.”

She made her way back to the hot spring, though she was much slower this time. Starr understood that it was because she sensed his hesitation, and she wasn’t going to walk away without him, not again. As he stood, her wing draped carefully against the back of his leg, a small gesture, a reassurance of sorts, and he was at the edge of the water before he’d realized he’d even stepped forward. Once he was close enough, Vanala hopped a little ways away, looking around and surveying the area before giving Starr her next request.

“Friend should kneel by water. See reflection. Tell Vanala what you see.”

Starr kneeled down once more, leaning forward to try and look at himself in the water. There he was, the skull obscuring his expression - though it was likely for the best, considering how he wasn’t adept in masking his emotions. How could he, when they kept overwhelming him, when they kept trying to break him?

He had a hard time with this, too. But now we are not alone. It is easier with a friend.

Shaking his head, Starr listened as Vanala explained, “Water is powerful thing. From distance, water is calm, cool. Water is cornerstone of life itself. Beings live in water, and those who don’t still need water to live. Without it, many things would die. Heh, many beings even made of water in biological composition! Water is everywhere! Perhaps biological component is why water is capable of healing wounds - water is like fuel for body, speeds up healing process.”

“We understand this,” Starr nodded, transfixed on his reflection, watching how his mouth moved and the water remained still.

Vanala continued, “But water still very dangerous and unpredictable. Storms throw ocean into chaos. Water stronger than appearance suggests and can transform land! It even capable of killing if one is caught off guard. Water unforgiving too, does not like to help people unless guided. And since water composes many living beings, controlling that water can be deadly very quickly.”

Starr’s breath hitched in the back of his throat, finding that he was unable to swallow and could only continue to stare into the water. A lone tear rolled down his cheek. Why had he wanted such a dangerous element? No, he wouldn’t be able to do this, all he wanted to do was heal, he was going to ignore everything else -

“Vanala know what friend thinking.” Vanala let her wing drape over Starr’s forearm, “Water not sound fun. But this is where Vanala tells Starr the truth.”

Vanala approached the shore, where the water gently kissed the rocky shoreline, almost completely obscured by snow that had weathered the hot spring’s steam. In the unmoving waves, her reflection appeared, and he wingtip gently hovered over the surface. Her words were just as gentle, delicate, as if anything louder would shatter the water like glass.

“Water has good and bad side,” She told him, “Water exists in delicate balance of life and death. Can trick those who think it is beautiful, can trick beings into thinking it is safe when in reality it can be very dangerous weapon. Key to harnessing water ether is balance. Not balance between life and death, but balance inside you. On outside, friend may seem good and whole, but on inside…” 

Her wingtip touched the water, resulting in a cascade of ripples obscuring both of their reflections. Starr watched his face contort, and he looked to Vanala as she turned around to address him. “On inside, friend full of ripples. Nothing steady, nothing balanced. If friend wishes to harness water ether, friend must achieve opposite balance as well as control current balance.”

“We...we are not sure we understand,” Starr said apologetically, his hands folding in his lap. 

“Easy! Let Vanala put it bluntly. Friend Starr is in bad mental place. Been through many hardships and is very sad and scared. If friend were to try using water ether now, all that would happen is bad water. Deadly side of balance, chaotic and very very strong.”

Vanala waddled up closer, folding both of her wings into her body. “If friend wishes to heal with water ether, then friend needs to heal, too. Come to terms with ripples and discover that, despite ruining perfect reflection, ripples are beautiful and necessary. No water is without ripples, and no being is without mistakes they wish to move past.”

It made sense, but a part of him was still frustrated, because why did this have to be true, why couldn’t he just be perfect and control this power normally, why did he have to understand both facets of this element? Tentatively, Starr reached out, his fingertip touching the surface and causing a brand new cascade of gentle ripples. He watched his reflection distort again, wondering just how Vanala was able to trust in him so deeply. If he was broken already, wouldn’t creating more ripples shatter him completely? What use was there to a broken man, what use was there to taking the pieces and creating a bigger mess? No one would lend him glue, if they saw just how many shards there were to mend. 

And yet…

He always had hope. Ever the optimist, really. Maybe...maybe we can have that hope, too.

“So, friend Starr...still wish to learn?” Vanala asked, and it sounded so simple a question, so simple an answer. And despite how off-putting the latter part of her explanation was, even now, he harbored that same desire to heal. 

“We do.” He said, “If you would have us, Vanala...we wish to learn.”

“Perfect!” Vanala jumped for joy, though she was far too excited compared to Starr, who still wasn’t sure if learning would be the hammer that solidified his destruction or the glue that fixed him. But Starr resolved to keep his hopes high, because in the end, he wasn’t a coward. He was broken, afraid, unsure, quite pathetic in many ways - but that bravery was hard to lose. 

He was very brave, too. Braver than many. And we can walk forward with the knowledge of his past mistakes, as many as they were. 

“Vanala and Starr can start tomorrow! For now, Vanala tired, and Vanala imagines Starr is too,” She yawned dramatically, “Let’s return to caravan. Hubbypon might be worried for Vanala and Starr!”

Starr managed a chuckle at that. “We are not far from him. We doubt he is worried.”

“Starr places too much faith in hubbypon,” Vanala winked, “Starr will see protective dadapon side of Froyoyo soon enough. After all, Froyoyo thinks of Starr like own son, just like Vanala does.”

And with that, they began their short trip back to the caravan. Starr only looked behind him once at the hot spring, at the surface of the water, now beautiful and untainted. He winced as the negative thoughts began to bubble up once more - could he attain that perfection? Could he become stronger, better than - than -

We can. We will.

Shaking his head, Starr averted his gaze, continuing forth. He could heal. He would heal.

[kentuckywrites]

Imperium 2: Chapter 5

Scio via. (I know the way.)

Another roar echoed across the sky, and the Telethia dove towards the caravan at an alarming speed. Elma took aim and fired as soon as the creature drew close enough, which unfortunately happened to be when it landed on top of a tent. To her relief, it seemed like no Nopon were hurt in the landing, but many more seemed to emerge from hiding, taking up various weapons of various sizes. It would’ve been awe-inspiring, were the Telethia not targeting them with razor-sharp claw attacks. That was when Lin began unloading her gatling gun rounds onto the beast, aiming for the head in an effort to distract it.

“Hey, over here you overgrown furry lava lamp!!” Lin shouted, which drew the Telethia’s ire in mere seconds. Elma wasn’t initially concerned, since Lin knew how to handle herself when it came to taunting enemies, but then again, this was a Telethia. A smaller one, much smaller than the one that guarded the Divine Roost in Noctilum, but a Telethia nonetheless. They didn’t know what it could do, and caution would be needed until they could discern more.

Nessa clutched her dual swords tightly as she ran around Starr’s backside. She struck at the beast’s hind legs, and suddenly all of Lin’s work was for naught, for Starr turned faster than Elma thought possible. It tried to bite at her, but thank the gods, she lept backwards and out of the way. However, she tripped over a Nopon in the process, too small for her to see behind her. Elma sprinted towards her, activating Sliding Slinger as she slid down onto her back and positioned her guns in front of her.

“Sliding Slinger!!” Elma cried as she unleashed a volley of shots to Starr’s underbelly, hearing it roar in pain - no, no, that wasn’t pain. That was annoyance. Pain was more raw and guttural, but this was fueled with an anger she couldn’t understand. She quickly found her footing as she jumped up from the ground, running towards Nessa to help her up.

However, Solstice reached her first. They lifted Nessa off the ground like she was a sack of potatoes, and their hands quickly joined with hers, begging, pleading. “Please don’t hurt him, he’s just confused and scared. If I could get up close and speak with him I can -”

“There’s no time, Sol!” Nessa interrupted, forcing her hands out of Solstice’s grip, “The caravan’s in danger! The Nopons’ safety comes first!!”

Although she didn’t vocalize it, Elma completely agreed with that sentiment. As Nessa picked up her dual swords once more, Elma spun around back towards Starr. More of the Nopon were firing at it, many shouting war cries and commands to others. Froyoyo even appeared moments after she turned, launching himself from behind another tent with his large broadsword drawn. He growled before landing on the Telethia’s back, stabbing directly downwards into the space between the shoulderblades. The blade went deep, and Starr’s screams reflected pain now, but the second the blade was freed from its burial, the wound seemed to close on its own. The blood still pooled out of the former wound, and the scar that would’ve likely remained was now lodged firmly in Starr’s mind. It started to reach behind in a desperate attempt to claw Froyoyo, to knock the little Nopon off of its back. Then, to Elma’s surprise, it threw itself onto its back, hoping to squish Froyoyo beneath its body. Froyoyo rolled out of the way, through what Elma assumed was either pure luck or pure skill. And he even struck a little pose with his sword at the end, as if some distant figure was trying to photograph his glorious moment.

“Froyoyo!! Tell your caravan to stand down!!” Solstice implored, desperation lining their voice like the snow on the mountains.

At this, Froyoyo faced her, his expression somewhere between confusion, anger and pity. “Froyoyo know Sollypon is here to speak to dragon, but caravan is more important right now. Can’t have conversation when home is in danger!”

He didn’t give Solstice time to respond, heading back into the fight just as Starr began to pulsate. Ether lines trailed up and down its body, purple and glowing and ominous, and when they collided on its face, a blast of energy erupted from its gaping maw. The fire struck Lin, but thankfully, she took the hit with ease. Starr then swiveled around to face Elma, intending on giving her the same present, and in the same moment Elma activated yet another Art. She walked slowly to the side, her shadow trailing behind her in a fluid but staticy form. Ghostwalker. As the flames spiraled towards her, they ended up hitting one of her newly formed clones, though the embers caught on Elma’s armor and singed the sleeves.

Elma raised her guns, poised to start shooting once more, but as she was about to pull the triggers, Starr suddenly flapped its wings, roaring ferociously as a final warning before taking to the sky, prompting many of the Nopon to yell and scream and raise their weapons. Elma watched it fly off towards the mountains, panting despite not having done much in the fight, though she quickly looked between Lin and Nessa to make sure they were alright. Lin had taken the hit before, but she didn’t look too much worse for wear. However, to her surprise, Solstice started to run after Starr, pushing past and jumping over the scattered Nopon.

“Starr! Wait!!” They cried out, stopping at the camp’s perimeter once they realized their words were meaningless, tossed into the wind with no hopes of ever reaching its intended target. It was strange, seeing them look so defeated in the midst of the Nopons’ celebration. Elma took note of this and approached Solstice with a slow and understanding hand, shadows still flickering around her figure, clinging to her like melting snow.

“I have to go after it,” Solstice said, seemingly speaking to themselves, “I can’t...Starr needs my help. I can feel it, something is terribly wrong with him. Seeing him so close provided a new insight, and...and I can’t…”

Nessa and Lin soon joined them, with Nessa keeping a gentle hand on Lin’s back. Nessa squinted, trying to look out and watch the Telethia fly further, further. “You could see that something was wrong with it? How?”

Solstice sighed, a small but desperate thing. “Through my ether, I can sense Starr’s emotional state. His mind is...it’s not his own. I think something has interfered with it, something that is not in his control.”

“Starr isn’t in control?...Elma, are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Nessa’s eyes went wide with the realization, “Do you think this has something to do with the Ganglion? If Mira’s last memory of Pongo was being around the Ganglion, and there’s a fortress in Cocytios...then maybe Starr’s connected to them too.”

“The Ganglion controlling a Telethia?” Lin pursed her lips, deep in thought, “But...isn’t the Telethia in Noctilum connected to Mira? At least, that’s what I remember Pongo telling us back when he...well.”

“Threw himself into a volcano? Mira’s still upset about that, by the way.”

Elma realized a moment after Nessa spoke that she had blatantly revealed what she was in front of a near-stranger. Solstice gave her a weird look, some mixture between curiosity and shock, and Lin was the saving grace that stopped them from questioning things.

“I’m not too positive that theory is correct, but either way, we’re heading to that base. Maybe once we’re investigating there, we can try to dig up some information about Starr.”

“And maybe you could tag along,” Nessa nudged Solstice’s shoulder - or rather, their forearm, considering how much taller they were in comparison. “Gods know we could use the help, especially if you’ve navigated Cocytios before.”

“I’m familiar with the terrain, yes,” Solstice said, “This Ganglion base you speak of...I believe I know where it is. It’s past a few of the mountains that Starr flew past as he fled.”

“So either way, you’d be coming with us!” She replied, “Aww, I knew you couldn’t get enough of me!” “I never stated I would be joining you.”

Silence.

“I suppose I’ll say it now, then. I’ll happily accompany you and assist where need be. And though my primary reason for doing so is to find Starr…” They gave Nessa a small wink, a teasing smirk, “I’ll admit the company makes for a valuable second reason.”

Elma didn’t miss how Nessa’s cheeks took on a soft shade of baby pink, nor did she miss how Lin rolled her eyes. “Alright then, it’s settled. Let’s inform Froyoyo of our plans, and we’ll head out tomorrow at dawn.”

“Tomorrow?” Solstice said, disheartened, “I...I suppose we could rest for the night, considering what we all encountered just now. But at the crack of dawn, I’ll be ready to depart, with or without you.”

“Ouch,” Nessa acted hurt, “Well, I’ll be ready by then, too. Maybe Vanala can heal us all up some more, and Froyoyo can give us a couple goodie baskets for the road.”

“His hospitality is more than enough,” They replied, “Besides, I know the terrain and many of the resources we can utilize on our journey. There won’t be any need for us to take supplies from the caravan, unless Froyoyo insists.”

“Who say Froyoyo’s name?”

It wasn’t exactly fitting to call the moment “on cue”, since Froyoyo had heard his name in conversation, so Elma preferred to say he’d been “summoned”. The white Nopon bounced right up to the group with Tatsu in tow, his sword still drawn and hanging loosely in one of his wings. Blood coated the blade, though it was a deep blue. Normal for mimeosomes, but unusual for an indigen. 

“If this is about Sollypon’s quest to speak with furry dragon,” Froyoyo continued, “Then Froyoyo grants friends a Heropon’s blessing. Froyoyo will not be able to join adventure since Desserta Caravan needs Froyoyo’s protection!”

“That’s very understandable, and there’s no pressure for you to join us,” Elma nodded, “But yes, we’re electing to go after Starr. We’ll be departing tomorrow, at the break of dawn. Would you mind extending your hospitality until then?”

“Meh meh! Froyoyo not mind at all!” Froyoyo exclaimed, “It’s least Froyoyo can do for friends who defend caravan against weird furry dragon!”

Tatsu started to look around nervously, somewhat hidden behind the much older Nopon. Lin gave him a peculiar look, interested but confused at his change in mannerisms. “Tatsu? Are you okay? You’re not hurt, are you?”

“N-No, Tatsu is fine!” Tatsu told her, “But, um...Tatsu has question for Elma and friends.”

“Sure thing! What’s up, Tots?” Nessa used a new nickname, though everyone seemed unfazed by it - or rather, there were more pressing concerns at hand.

“W-Well...would it be okay if Tatsu stayed with Desserta Caravan?” 

Elma paused for a moment, the question seeming to fall on her. “Do you mean permanently?”

“No! Just for short while,” Tatsu explained, “Tatsu want to stay and learn how to fight! Tatsu is afraid that Tatsu isn’t helpful during missions, and Tatsu doesn’t want to be a burden!”

“Wait, you’re not...you’ve never been a burden, Tatsu,” Lin said softly, “I-I know I haven’t been the kindest to you, but...but we love having you around.”

“Tatsu have to disagree. Not angry with Linly, not at all! But Tatsu thinks he should get stronger to protect Linly and friends, like Linly and friends have done for Tatsu. And who better to learn from than Legendary Heropon Froyoyo?”

Froyoyo puffed up at that, and he gave them all a reassuring smile. “Not to worry, Froyoyo and Tatsu have discussed plans already. Froyoyo is more than happy to train Tatsu to defend himself while friends take down weird furry dragon! Tatsu is in good company in Desserta Caravan.”

“If that’s really what you want, Tots, then I want you to promise me one thing,” Nessa bent down on one knee to address Tatsu, giving him a small head pat, “When we find Pongo, don’t tell him you know how to fight, but surprise him by kicking his butt.”

“Meh meh! That not very nice!”

“It’ll be funny as hell though. Plus, he deserves a little punishment for making us worry.”

“Nessa may be right...Tatsu is very worried for Pon.”

“Pon?” Froyoyo’s face scrunched up, “What kind of fuck name is that?”

“Full name Pongo! But yes, very weird name,” Tatsu admitted, “Tatsu never said anything out of politeness.”

“His full name is weirder,” Nessa said, “It’s Pong’netai-opta. It’s Miran for -”

“‘With eyes full of stars’,” Solstice finished her sentence, her tone fond and wistful, “What a beautiful name...though, I didn’t know humans were capable of understanding our language, much less understand the naming conventions.”

“Well, um...it’s a long story,” Nessa stood up, dusting her knees off as snow melted off of her armor, “But we’ve got a lot of time before we leave tomorrow, so I’ll tell you everything, if you want!”

“You’ve piqued my curiosity, I’ll admit,” Solstice said, “And in more ways than one.”

“More ways than one? Well, what else are you curious about?”

“If I may be blunt for a moment...why are you wearing such revealing armor? Aren’t you cold?”

“Wh- Well, hey, you’re not wearing much either!!”

“The F'lenla A'slegn can adapt to most climates in the span of twenty four hours. Therefore, my attire doesn’t factor into the environmental concerns. But humans, however, I’d imagine there is some considerable planning that goes into armor selection…”

They began to walk back towards the tents, leaving Lin and Elma to their own devices. She watched them walk farther, farther, their voices growing quieter, quieter. Lin was close by, and when she spoke, her proximity startled Elma. 

“Elma? Are you okay?”

Elma nodded once and only once. “Of course. Now, let’s prepare for tomorrow. We have a Telethia to track down.”

~

The night came far too quickly for Elma’s comfort. It was filled with a comfortable fire, conversations and stories traded between allies and friends alike. The Nopon of Desserta Caravan, though unique in their own right, were nothing less than friendly and open, and Froyoyo’s littlepon took great joy in listening to Elma’s heroic tales. They shone with a starlight curiosity as she told them of their escape from Earth, their landing on Mira, all they’d accomplished in their time on the sentient planet. And when Froyoyo called them all to bed for the night, Elma was left with a warmth she hadn’t felt in quite some time. Vanala gave them two tents to share between the four humanoids, and at Nessa’s insistence, Elma ended up in a tent with Lin. The Outfitter fell asleep in seconds, and with anticipation for the journey ahead, Elma soon followed in her descent into the unconscious.

As promised, they were all ready to travel at the crack of dawn. Froyoyo and a groggy Tatsu saw them off, and though she protested, she ended up carrying a bag full of what appeared to be bananas, a gift from the Legendary Heropon.

“Fruits are called thermonanas!” Froyoyo explained, “Raises body temperature. Good for long travels.”

“You didn’t need to go through all that trouble,” Solstice thanked the Nopon with a small bow, “But your hospitality has been greatly appreciated. Thank you again, Froyoyo.”

“Is least Froyoyo can do for friends!” He stated, “Now go! Track down weird furry dragon! Find weirdly named brother! Be Heropon!”

With the bag of thermonanas strapped to Elma’s back, they bid Froyoyo a fond farewell, and Solstice took the lead into the Cocytios wilderness. The day was bright and promising, the clouds dispersed and allowing the sun a moment to breathe, to rain light unto the snowy plains. Though the wind was bitter with unspoken remorse, it was far more bearable than it had been before. Lin and Nessa managed to pass the time with lively chit-chat, their giggles at whispered jokes continuing to warm Elma’s heart. She overheard a joke or two, but they were never meant for her ears, and so she kept close to Solstice in the hopes that, perhaps, they’d enjoy the same bliss, albeit in their own way.

“So as I recall, you’re aware of the F’lenla A’slegn,” Solstice started as Elma matched their pace, “Could you tell me more about what you know? And if there are other of my kind that are alive and well?”

“Of course,” Elma said, “His full name is L’Cirufe, though we call him L for short. He’s...an eccentric character, though incredibly knowledgeable and has a knack for creating quality-of-life inventions.”

Solstice didn’t stop walking at that, but it was clear from their expression that this caught them off guard. “He’s...he’s alive?”

“Do you know him?”

“I do, though distantly,” They admitted, “We would be called acquaintances at best. However, I do know what he became.”

Elma scowled, clearly confused. “I’ve only heard bits and pieces of his connection to Mira, but as far as I’m aware, he didn’t become anything.”

“L’Cirufe was Mira’s weapon,” Solstice began to explain, choosing their words carefully, keeping them close and quiet and still, “There was a great war amongst my kind. It threatened the planet’s safety, and as such, it chose L’Cirufe to fight in its name. He...he wasn’t the L’Cirufe you know, back then. He was…” A shudder ran down her spine. “I’ve seen many creatures in my time on Mira, but his transformation was by far the hardest to witness.”

“You may be happy to hear that his connection to Mira is severed, then,” Elma tried to lift their spirits, looking on the bright side, “Instead, Mira created a vessel to control on its own. That vessel is -”

“Me!” Nessa interrupted, far closer behind the two than Elma initially believed. Lin had also come up on Solstice’s right side, peering over at Nessa with a smile leftover from their inside jokes. Solstice’s eyes widened at the confession, but the initial surprise was soon replaced by a pensive and thoughtful head tilt.

“You’re...Mira?” Solstice questioned, “But...your name is Nessa.”

Nessa blinked, and suddenly, her eyes were white, whiter than the snow. “Her full name’s Nessa-vara’is. I know, I’m so good at the whole naming thing.”

“Hi, Mira!” Lin quickly added in, prompting Mira to pat Lin’s head much like an older sibling.

“Hey, Lin,” Mira chuckled. Then, turning back to Solstice, she gave them a smile softer than the falling snow, more familiar and familial. “Hello, Sol’stica-veaya.”

“Hello, Mira,” Solstice returned the greeting, “I didn’t know you were capable of creating your own form.”

“It’s a recent development,” She shrugged, “But a welcome one. I’ve been meaning to speak with you, actually. Maybe after this whole adventure is over…”

“There’s nothing you need to say that I don’t already feel,” They told Mira, words with the slightest twist of hostility, “Let us focus on the mission at hand. Then we can -”

Suddenly a loud roar echoed across the plains, familiar, too familiar. Elma spun around, all of the warmth vanishing from her heart, as she spotted a draconic silhouette descending from the skies. 

“Shit,” Lin cursed, and Elma had half a mind to tell her to watch her language. But instead, her gut instinct prevailed as she took a look at their surroundings. Plains behind them, their footsteps in the snow growing old. In front of them, a mountain’s base. She squinted - was that a cavern entrance? Cavern termites be damned. She’d rather take her chances with them than Starr.

“Run!!” Elma ordered everyone, emerging past Solstice and taking the lead as she beelined towards the cavern entrance. She couldn’t afford to look behind her until she’d reached the mouth, and only then did she hear three footsteps echoing behind her. Everyone had followed her, no one had stayed to fight. Elma paused for a moment to look behind her, confirming that Lin, Nessa and Solstice were all there, safe and sound. 

Then the walls shook as Starr flung himself at the mountain, rocks and stalactites crumbling and falling at their feet. An angry roar, and the entrance went dark, covered by a large black and red eye. The ether lines ran down its eyelids, pulsating with energy and fueling the rage on full display. Elma took one step back, two steps, three - then Starr attempted to reach inside. Lin cried out as he first rammed his face unsuccessfully into the hole, and then tried to reach inside with one of his massive claws. Elma took the initiative and started to run once more, further into the cave system, where the light was fleeting and soon nonexistent. 

“ELMA!!”

Elma stopped, and when she turned to see what had happened, Lin was behind her, gasping for breath, pointing back towards the way they came. Elma’s jaw dropped when she realized that the way they’d come through had caved in, blocked off completely by rocks and broken stalactites. And she and Lin were the only ones she could see.

“Nessa?? Solstice?!” Elma called out, unable to stop the panic lacing her voice. She wished she could’ve controlled it better, because she immediately sensed how tense Lin became at her facade, cracking and crumbling under the pressure just as the stones of the cavern did. 

But thankfully, relief soon flooded over her as Nessa’s voice pushed through the rubble, “Sol and I are okay!”

“Thank God,” Lin breathed a heavy sigh, “We’re okay too!”

“I doubt that we’ll be able to breach this,” Solstice said, “But there are other passageways behind us that we can take. Rest assured, we will meet up with both of you soon. Continue on without us, and we’ll catch up.”

“Are you sure?” Elma asked, approaching the newly formed wall between them, “With a little ingenuity we could -”

“We shouldn’t risk the possibility of creating another collapse,” They interrupted her with a valid concern, “We’re lucky that we didn’t get crushed. I promise you, I will take good care of Nessa until our reunion.”

“Hey! I can take care of myself, you know!” Nessa complained, “If anything, I’ll protect you!”

Elma couldn’t help but chuckle at that. “Watch each others’ backs, then. We’ll see you on the other side.”

Then, two footsteps growing distant, followed by silence. Elma stepped back towards Lin, rolling her shoulders in their sockets. The straps of the bag Froyoyo had given her suddenly felt heavy with guilt, but there was no time to ponder what she could’ve done differently. She knew in the end that she’d made the right call. So, she pulled out a flashlight, flicked it on, shone it straight towards their one and only route forward.

“Come on, Lin,” Elma began to forge the path ahead, “Let’s get moving.”

She couldn’t ignore the roars and howls of the Telethia outside, but she could think about how much worse things could’ve been. And now, she could only hope that Nessa and Solstice found their way out safely, and kept each other safe in the process.