[b]Adila![/b]

A paper box hits you right between the eyes. The audience is fuming and furious, and Eupheria seems as coiled and dangerous as a snake. Literally, some of her limbs are all noodly and curled up, and she looks down at you through contemptuous lashes.

The Sphinx arises again with a howl, and Dandy sighs with resignation. “A’right, I’ll go first.”

“[b]DO THE SILLY SUNFLOWER DANCE.[/b]”

“[i]Tarnation![/i]”

***

[b]Alina![/b]

Rita makes sure to give you a kiss as she lets you loose, and you make sure to hold her cheeks with your paw— with your [i]hands[/i] for a moment after that.

“Don’t worry,” she says, resting her head against yours. “We’ll get out. I promise.” She smells of water flowers. You briefly consider dragging her back to the Winner’s Tent with you, surely she wouldn’t be missed?

But you have a much more important date in there. One that could save everyone.

***

[b]Jessamine![/b]

“Report!”

You hop off your pegasus, frazzled and singed from where you slammed into the reality warping barrier around the bazaar. Around you is arrayed the Princess Confederation, reborn out of the celebrations at Castle Thessia. At one end of the tent, Helya glowers over the basic map of the situation: one circle, representing the dome.

There’s one way left. One you haven’t even tried because of how foolish and dangerous it is, not just to you, but to your pegasus. You wouldn’t even be considering it if Alina wasn’t in there, probably fighting the Wicked Queen right now all alone. You wouldn’t even be in Jedad again, this soon, and especially not with Princess Ninian herself looking up to you, waiting for you to tell everyone your plan.

“There’s one way in,” you sigh. “And no one is going to like it.”

“We’ll do anything,” Tashanna says, resolutely. The confidence in her voice rouses everyone in the room, except for Hornet, who has her hand raised.

“We have to go through the Gulch.”

“Impossible!”

“Are you out of your mind, Jessamine?”

“Difficult.”

“Or, or, or!” Hornet unfolds her parchment. “I use my Ultimate Tunnel Digger to dig through the dome and hopefully just the dome!”

There is a moment of worried silence as she beams.

“Hornet, prepare the Digger. If we can’t get in through the Gulch,” Helya says, squaring her shoulders, “your tunnel will have to get us there.”