1 – Fir

It was hardly known if that group barely knew which path to take. In such a treacherous and unpredictable ambient, the lack of sight could take to horrendous places. Because of that, the exploration leader has been chosen with no second thoughts, with his blazes sparkling jauntily from his wrists.

—Hey! Are you blind or what? You just have to follow me, alright? For the fifth time! -that restive Blaziken complained, already having enough of being the group’s lamp.

—If you keep screaming, everyone will run away, even the newbie. -the Noivern replies with her steady tone of voice.

—Screw it. -he rolled his eyes- The less dead weight, the better.

—Let’s just focus.

The third and last member said, exposing for the first time his excited and pure voice. Wherever he stepped, he left a trail of ember, showing well the trail they went through. The tip of his long ears barely reached his Blaziken partner’s waist, so his current role was spreading coal to step on and leave that path. A really dumb and meaningless job, but a hopeful starting point for that novice Scorbunny.

They left at sunrise to come back as earlier as they could, but the more meters down that cave they went, less they had of the natural sunlight, evoking that feeling of desertion.

—Uh… why did we came here? -the Blaziken eavesdrops the rabbit with coldness, but Marceline, the Noivern, is the one who answers his question with patience.

—It’s a rescue mission, Fir. Remember that letter we received from a lost Rowlet? -Fir nods with his head- So, we are going after him. We need to keep him safe.

That boy’s eyes shined brighter than his feet’s flames. So noble, so heroic! The wonders of an adventure, being a hero, doing what is right; adrenaline ran wild through his body.

—How many floors below are we, Kai? -the Noivern asks.

—Around eight or nine. I don’t know.

—And you haven’t found anything?

—Well, want to try anything? Do some miracle?

—Yes, I do.

Kai and Marceline oftenly argued, with pinpricks and subtle complaints here and there and even worse. Despite that, they managed to be an effective duo when they got quiet and worked together. After all, she was great with mapping and navigation.

Standing in front of both, she opened her mouth wide and emits a sound, an uncomfortable and almost inaudible creak for the duo, but as clear as the day for Marceline. That sound echoes through all the floor’s structures ahead of them, until getting an answer almost instantly.

—Over there. -she points at northeast and flaps her wings to fly in that direction.

—Wait for us! -Fir sprints right away towards Marceline, while Kai is the last now.

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Couldn’t see a thing around it, although hours have been past within that rocky darkness. Counting the hours or cycles were useless, since there was no trace of his belongings: cellphone, watch, clothes or wallet; nothing was around him. Was laid down in that nothingness where only its tact could guide it. Not the most trustworthy sense.

The lack of sunlight made the poor insane and paranoid when it thought about its fate; how it would leave there and what was going on, if it couldn’t even see his own body. For the first time, it tried to speak with his hoarse throat at the top of his lungs:

—Hello?

The surprisingly young voice echoed clearly through the claustrophobic ambience until it disappeared, with no answer. However, for his surprise, glimpses of deeper tones of black moved around him, as if the rocky walls were alive and stretching. Amid all the darkness, a deep purple bright lights his body, much closer to the ground as he remembered. The eerie feeling from that unpredictable eye stopped him from even breathing.

—Well, who said that? -the eye twists and questions with its deep voice, acting trivial to the only lonely alive being inside that room.

His desperate heart made him look up to answer with a stuttering tone:

—Hello…?

—Oh, of course it’s you. -an inflexible crimson smirk becomes noticeable- What thou does here, petite bird?

Petite? Bird? Where that weird slab was picking those adjectives? He was aware he was an average human, at least nothing below one meter. Also had no feathers, he could make sure. What was going on?

—I… don’t know. What is here? -tried to create phrases that could make some sense.

—It’s nothing worth explaining too much. Consider it my humble dwelling, where I chose to welcome you. -his tone was soothing, despite the looks- I found you fallen at the grass, so cold and weak! I couldn’t let this happen…

Couldn’t remember that, at all! Knew clearly he slept calmly on his bed, at night. There was no way he could be a victim of such an extreme prank, where he was taken to a forest -or wherever that “grass” is.

—Where? -questions- I don’t remember anything…

The smile answers with an empathetic tone:

—No, no, there is nothing to be worried about. What matters is that you are here, safe and sound. I can show you how things are around here. I’m sure it will be fun, little one.

The bright eye was much closer to its face now, almost touching and bringing no relief in talking with. The bird manages to step back, hoping that the host could be less strange and uncomfortable.

—Look, I…rather do it myself, walk around…

But he was interrupted with a mysterious flame of that same purple shade. The mysteriously cold blazes lighted the ambience, for the victim’s misfortune. Could see how close he was to the ground, how it was green and beige; nothing like the skin it had hours ago. Something serious happened to his body, and it all felt too real to be just a dream.

—Don’t hurry, I can do it for you. -he approached- Now come here!

With a sudden shout, the ghostly blazes striked with his dark claws, lifting a cold gust from the impact. That attacking attempt was not an accident and surely would die if he stayed there; the size difference was huge!

By shaking vigorously his arms -better, wings-, he soared a few meters above the ground, in a way he couldn’t even explain. Could see better that eerie red smile, carved as a snake drawing curled all through that grey stone slab, like a mystical rune. The main body tied the other two smaller pieces of the cracked slab with a dark aura, as if a sort of spirit was taking control of that item. Something that happens in fiction media, not in real life. What was real life at this point?

—Don’t run, I don’t want to be mean to you. Help me to help you. -the slab begs, but gets no answer. The desperate owl looks for a way out, stepping around with his loud feet and yet, nothing.

The immobile smile started to look angry, furious even. In return of that failed attempt of escaping, he made rocks fall from the ceiling, aiming at the petite bird. It had a hard time dodging rocks bigger than himself in so little time with a skill he barely knew how it worked. One pebble hits him and sends it straight to the ground.

It was a harder bump than the usual. His head throbbed and barely had any strength to move his poor body. Had nowhere to run and no way to counter. Had to accept his fate by the hands of that lunatic.

—Come on, I will lend you a hand. I promise not hurting you, if you understand that this is for your best.

No answer.

—Then I will carry you.

A subtle chuckle echoed in the cave. With his big and dark hand, the ghost grabs and lifts easily the bird by one of his wings, too exhausted to try to get free. That monster was out of his mind! Sadistic and insane with that harmless persona with no actual reason in maintaining, since it would just result in his true self revealed. But if the victim wanted to stay alive, he had to accept what was being imposed.

A loud bang breaks out from the wall, strong enough to shake all the closed structure. And another one. And another. One more; all shaky bumps that made a thunder sound like a subtle purr. The room was heating up with the faster and impatient punches until a hole was wrecked open in the structure. Now there actually was a way out.

.At first glance, the victim could see only a mix of the dark shapes of his saviors and a strong red light, far more calming than the ones from the ghost. The simmering figure in flames jumps towards the ghostly host with his legs in flames. A loud kick with brute strength, delivered by that huge muscular figure, throwing the ghost against a wall and releasing the bird back to the ground.

Then, he felt grabbed by two small hands, shaking and fighting to carry his weight.

—Leave the cave, Fir! We handle this!

—Yes sir! -his shrill voice replies.

The fallen victim is taken by that dark path, away from that ethereal blaze, shining against the fire from before. Didn’t have the time or strength to study the floor they ran up at high speed, turning and spiraling in divergent paths covered in shiny gems that didn’t cease to stare at his sorrowful state.

—Hey, hey! -his tiny hands slap softly his wings- Don’t sleep, or you die!

Afraid of that, he widens his eyes and tries to stand up, over those big ears and at high speed.

—Wait, hold up, not like that! -replies with a surprised tone, hopping over the hot trail.

—It’s…hot. -the bird complains, feeling the warm air from the embers bothering him.

—Oh, it’s nothing. Hold on tight! -it was noticeable a wide smile on that guy’s face- Look, the sun!

He was right. The white light at the end of the tunnel was increasing, bathing them in a warmer and soothing ambience, much better than that cold and stuffy cave. Could see blurs from the world outside, hoping that this was the moment where he would wake up and all of that was a very immersive dream. When he pressed his eyes, would wake up on his bed and everything would be fine.

And, when he opened his eyes, everything in front of him were large roots of trees and a tall and pale rabbit in front of him instead of his wardrobe or posters from his room, that he used to contemplate before sleeping. Still was seeing the world through below and with eyes everywhere staring at him, like an outsider.

—So, how do you feel? -his big eyes stared at him, filled with curiosity.

—Fine, I think… -is what could say, still with his thoughts barely rearranged- Where am I….?

The hare scratched his nose and stared at the sky with a dumb feeling of heroism. His big front teeth were highlighted with his wide smile.

—You are safe in our hands now, where no menace could bother you! And also in the Monoka Forest, leading to the Gem Grotto. Now, what were you doing there, kiddo?

The quite arrogant tone of his hero suddenly changed for something an annoyed mother would use for her troublesome son. And, yet, he called him “kiddoo”, as if he was an adult or something. That easily annoyed the owl; couldn’t accept he was the size of a ball overnight, easy as that.

—I don’t know, I don’t remember! -stuttered as he started to explain, sharply- I don’t know what I’m doing here, not even how I got there, I’m just lost!

—What do you mean by “I don’t remember”? -he asked- Nobody gets somewhere out of sudden.

—So I’m the first one to happen, because I don’t know! I was sleeping in my bed, and then I opened my eyes and I was there!

—I don’t believe in you. -the hare crossed his arms and turned his face.

—And I’m getting out of here.

The owl hopped, flapping his wings since walking was rather useless in the end. The forest was a much better place; wider and with a great harsh sunlight from the summer afternoons. Trees were decorated with colorful fruits and flowers, sparkling some color at the boring green and brown.

—Wait up! -Fir runs over the owl, falling over the poor bird- I have to take you to safety!

—I’m already safe. I was.

—No, you’re not! Come with me, I know a shortcut!

So Fir lifts the Rowlet over his head and runs out of the dirt path. He jumped over bushes, rocks and always leaving behind those flaming footsteps. Was agile and swift, being able to dodge through most things in that green and yellow labyrinth. The cargo victim was getting in first hand the fresh air of the new world ahead. This was real now.

—Hey.

—Yes?

—I don’t know if you knew, but I’m a Scorbunny, and name’s Fir. And you?

Had no way to answer that. Such a simple question that he couldn’t answer no matter the effort in thinking. Tried to guess with consonants, vowels; nothing came in mind.

—I don’t know..

—I like this name! -that was not funny, but better than being called ‘kiddo’- When Kai and Marceline arrive, I’m telling them everything!

A path of golden yellow bricks shined in the horizon, as it quickly got closer; a path stretching and twisting until where the eyes could see. Something lighted inside the owl, something he rarely felt. Excitement, maybe? Anxiety, joy; anything around that. Made him curious in knowing what the world had to offer, where it ended, started and how it works. Because, he could be sure now, this was not a dream. This was his new life.