[center][h2]Green Warrior[/h2] [h3]With Shane and Gaia[/h3] [/center] The beginning of this bounty was a fairly simple one. The boy and girl that had agreed to it had received a message with the general area being affected upon confirmation of their participation. They were able to meet up there, and undertake the mission at their leisure. With a bit of pressure of course, given the danger that was being posed to the civilian populace. The coordinates they received would direct them to a spot some distance from the Sanctuary in the Industrial District. There the sewers that ran beneath the Sanctuary empties into the river and were carried to the coast beyond. That would explain why it had ended up here. The river was fairly deep, though cleaner than it would have been otherwise with the disrepair of the city and lack of continuous pollutant output. It wound forwards in a slowly curving path with little in the way of immediate surprises. Aside from the obvious of course. They just had to locate what they were here to dispose of. Borrowing the Nature's Staff that he usually left for the Sanctuary, Shane spent a little time after the attack tracing where the drainage went underground. Most of that he was able to scrub up himself with Earth magic. The runaway was more to go after and once he had word of effects of the magic he went to find and fix the results. The boy would be at the bank of the river feeling out the ground nearby. Most of this area was built up so there wasn't much vegetation, but he would be able to find any oddities below the water's surface while he awaited another for assistance. For her part, Gaia had been notified of the river’s recent contamination by her Patron, and as Mother Earth’s representative, it was only right that she should assist in the waterway’s restoration. Seeing that a young man had arrived before her and was already at work, she called out to him in a serene voice, [color=SpringGreen]“Good evening. Am I to assume that you are also here to cleanse these troubled waters?”[/color] He looked back to see Gaia. Given the type of work to be done, she was a perfect partner to handle the potential plant life. He raised his hand and waved back. [color=lightblue]"I am indeed. I'm glad to see you answered the call. I'm not quite sure what to expect yet and I can only do so much with this."[/color] He would point to his magical staff. [color=SpringGreen]“Ah, I see that one of Mother’s blessed implements has found its way into your possession,”[/color] Gaia noted with an approving nod. [color=SpringGreen]“I believe it shall prove more than sufficient, especially when coupled with my own abilities,” she added, conjuring Nature’s Blossom. The moment the leafy staff touched the ground, dozens of flowers and other small plants sprouted up through the pavement. [color=SpringGreen]“Although I [i]am[/i] curious as to who I shall be working beside,”[/color] the verdant magical girl said after a moment. [color=SpringGreen]“May I have the honor of knowing your name?”[/color] [color=lightblue]"Shane Brahm. It's lovely to meet you miss?"[/color] Upon being given a name and a bit more time to look him over, Gaia would recognize him as the boy that had joined them for the movie night. [color=SpringGreen]“Gaia, Daughter of Mother Earth,”[/color] the verdant magical girl introduced herself with a graceful curtsy. [color=SpringGreen]“It is my most sincere pleasure to make your acquaintance. Although…”[/color] she added, while placing an elegant finger below her chin in a gesture of contemplation. “[color=SpringGreen]If memory serves, you attended Miss Sakura’s movie night, did you not? I trust you were able to extricate yourself from your budding relationship with Shoggy without [i]too[/i] much trouble?”[/color] Her serene voice took on a slightly playful tone as she said that last part, while her emerald lips gave the barest hint of a smirk. While Shane kept his cool for the most part, he did have a slight blush. [color=lightblue]"That was awkward. But yeah,her patron eventually took her away. I'll have to be more careful about who I shock from now on."[/color] He would offer as some explanation. [color=SpringGreen]“I am glad to hear it,”[/color] Gaia replied with a melodious giggle. [color=SpringGreen]“Shoggy is a sweet girl, but I fear she is still rather unaccustomed to the ways of humans. We can only hope that she will improve with time, hmm?”[/color] the nymph-like girl observed, giving Shane a sympathetic smile. [color=SpringGreen]“In any case, shall we get to work restoring this noble channel to its former glory?”[/color] Returning the smile the boy nodded. [color=lightblue]"Yes, I've been trying to track this stuff down for a while. I hope it hasn't caused too much trouble."[/color] He would start to make his way down stream, slow enough to allow Gaia to catch up. The search began, the magical girl and boy working in tandem as they swept the river near the position they had been given. It was not incredibly difficult to determine what they were looking for, as the abandonment of much of the district had left the river relatively clear. A welcome change from how things usually were, no doubt. Normally it would have been extra difficult because of that, Soon, the duo came across their first sign of the magical influence. The walls and bottom of the canal the river flowed through had been altered and warped, twisted and now stained in colors far from natural. But that was mere traces of it, not the main portion they were looking for. That would be further on. [color=SpringGreen]“What a hideous sight!”[/color] Gaia declared after taking one look at the waterway’s defilement. [color=SpringGreen]“If you do not mind, I should like to begin the river’s purification here. We can then proceed systematically, until we reach the source of this foul corruption.”[/color] A moment later, the verdant magical girl produced the Orb of Spring, and, placing the flower-covered purification artifact within the large flower atop Nature’s Blossom, dipped it into the murky waters. [color=SpringGreen]“Healing power of Mother Earth, flow through me, and cleanse this suffering stream of all its impurities! Let it once more bring life to all it touches! So commands Gaia, Daughter of Mother Earth!”[/color] With that, a massive pulse of emerald green life energy expanded out from the submerged Orb, spreading across the water in waves of shimmering sparkles. [color=SpringGreen]“Soon, noble torrent,”[/color] the verdant magical girl whispered gently. [color=SpringGreen]“Soon you shall once again become the source of refreshment you were created to be. This I promise.”[/color] Since Gaia was much more adept at cleaning up the water, Shane focused on scraping up what there was on the surfaces and using the staff to eat away at the gunk. This little stretch was done pretty quickly and the two would move on. [color=lightblue]"Good work. Let's see if we can narrow down where this stuff went."[/color] As they moved he would stop and cast a spell to sense any unusual changes in the Earth. Knowing that plants were involved he especially was looking for root systems. [color=SpringGreen]“A most excellent idea,”[/color] Gaia concurred, giving her partner a radiant smile. With a graceful motion, the verdant magical girl cast a handful of seeds into the water, where they immediately grew into what appeared to be a cross between a lily pad and a jellyfish. Infused with Gaia’s mystic power, they would be protected from the slime’s ravages, while they sought out its source. Noticing Shane’s spell, Gaia would proceed to aid him, supplementing his staff’s power with her own. Working in tandem, the two were able to make quick work of the magical refuse. Some care needed to be had of course, but in a spot like this there was little chance that they could be affected by what they were cleaning up. They worked methodically and made their way up stream, nearing a collection pool in the stream. As they did so the signs of magical contamination grew more pronounced, forcing more time to be taken and indicating that this might be the source they were looking for. The Earth at the bottom of the stream raised to surround the pool to prevent more from running off. Creating something of a dam the sediment would loosen and shake to allow water to seep and filter the contaminants while they continued on. [color=lightblue]"We're getting close. This will keep things contained while we clean up."[/color] He would begin to move around to the other side of the pool to see what else there might be. [color=SpringGreen]“My, how talented,”[/color] Gaia noted approvingly after Shane used his Earth magic to contain the corrupted water. [color=SpringGreen]“And I concur, this does indeed appear to be the source of the blight. Let us discover what lies at the bottom of this poisoned pool,”[/color] she added, while commanding her botanical constructs to dive into the depths of the murky water. Employing her connection with them, the verdant magical girl attempted to locate the best target for their purification efforts. [color=lightblue]”I have some experience.”[/color] He would give in response. The dam was successful for its purposes, blocking the flow of water and keeping the ooze contained. It might seep through eventually, but that would not happen if they were not delayed in doing so. As for Gaia, her constructs would make it some distance into the murky depths. They would spot an orb of waste floating suspended in the water, but before they could go further they would find themselves suddenly and viciously attacked. The snapping of teeth, and the barest glimpses of fish with double mouths, extra eyes, tentacles, altered by the very magic they came to clean up. Those could make things difficult. [color=SpringGreen]“Mother’s Mantel!”[/color] Gaia gasped as her constructs were torn apart by the mutated wildlife. [color=SpringGreen]“It would appear that the river’s corruption has spread to its denizens as well,”[/color] she observed, turning to Shane. [color=SpringGreen]“The, fish, in particular, have been twisted into truly horrific monstrosities.”[/color] Unfortunately for Shane he didn’t really have a way to tell what was happening in the water. He would turn and step a bit closer to the pool he created. Oh boy. Well… [color=lightblue]”Let me see if I can scare them off without hurting the thing too much.”[/color] He wasn’t completely sure what it would do if they tried to restore the creatures. Building a charge he would hold his hands out and send a shock through the water to try and drive them away. Unleashing a burst of magic into the water, Shane would find his efforts less than successful. While it did temporarily force them back, the fish would just swim right back now that they were alerted to the presence of something. A more forceful touch might be needed. But at least they weren’t jumping at him yet so that was good, right? [color=lightblue]”Might need a more creative solution to this one.”[/color] He would say as he took a stepback. Stopping the water filtration and using it simply as a dam he would redirect his efforts to a bare patch of earth nearby. He only had the chance to work out a few old spells since getting back his Earth magic. Flipping through he would cast one that would allow him to lift a decent size chunk of the ground and move it off to the side. [color=lightblue]”It might take me a bit but I should be able to make a deeper spot for the water to drain into.”[/color] He would have to cast this spell a few times before it would be well and deep enough to drain all the water so they could get to the bottom of the original pool. [color=SpringGreen]“I see,”[/color] Gaia observed with an approving nod. [color=SpringGreen]“Most creative indeed.”[/color] Standing by while Shane completed his task, the verdant magical girl would keep careful watch on the gradually emptying pool, ready fire off a blast of mystic energy from her staff, should any of the pool’s corrupted denizens decide to attack the Earth mage. It was a creative solution to employ, one that began to pay dividends as the water level sank and more of the corruption was revealed. It took a bit more time, perhaps, but it was definitely safer for the both of them as well. Meanwhile Gaia stood on guard, a wise choice as the forceful reshaping of the earth stirred the mutated fish. They leapt upwards as the water sank, jumping and snapping. A few were even able to musters blasts of corrupted water, lightning, and the like. They snapped with sharp teeth and sought to strike them with whip like appendages. If Shane was to complete his task, Gaia would need to be alert and do a good job as he was the main focus of the fishy attack. Hopefully she was up to the task. Gaia was somewhat surprised by the array of offensive abilities possessed by the mutated fish, but that did nothing to hinder her ability to defend Shane from their assault. Arcing Nature’s Blossom across the fish as they leapt from the pool, she unleashed a torrent of arcane energy, the emerald bolts shooting out with the speed of a machine gun. Striking the twisted creatures with enough force to stun, but not kill, the bolts would hopefully suffice in keeping them from interfering with Shane’s work. In the event that greater firepower was needed, Gaia would scatter several seeds around the edge of the pool, from which would sprout odd plants that almost resembled small green cannons. These would proceed to fire a stream of green orbs, which exploded into clouds of potent sedatives upon striking any of the corrupted fish. The water continued to drop, but the fish remained no less vicious. That was where Gaia came in. Her bolts forced them back, rebuffing their attacks and forcing them to look for an opening. Even if it felt like she was almost at the point of being overwhelmed, her seed cannons helped to turn the tide in their favor. At last the water was in the hole that Shane had been crafting, the fish either flopping uselessly on land or contained in it. But the duo had not emerged unscathed. They had been struck by some of the tainted water, delivering unto them some unexpected magical effects. Gaia would find her feet leaving the ground, hovering in midair without any active effort on her part. It seemed the magic had rendered her able to fly, at least for a short period of time. Shane was more dramatic, as he proceeded to burst into flames. But...they didn’t burn him. He was just perpetually on fire. Aside from how awkward that was, they had succeeded. It would be a simple matter of removing the magical refuse and completing the bounty. However, Gaia would notice something amiss. It was as if the energy from her plants was being drawn away further underground. There shouldn’t have been anything down there with that sort of ability, sure to kindle her curiosity. She did not need to do so, of course, but did she want to leave this mystery uninvestigated? [color=SpringGreen]“Well, [i]this[/i] is rather peculiar, I must admit,”[/color] Gaia observed as she felt herself begin to hover above the ground. Catching sight of Shane, she gave a startled gasp. [color=SpringGreen]“Shane! Are you all right?!”[/color] Upon receiving confirmation that her companion was not being harmed by the flames that seemed to cover every inch of his body, the verdant magical girl gave a relieved sigh. However, she would soon have a new mystery to deal with. As she and Shane finished purifying the last of the corruption, Gaia noticed that the various plants she had been employing to aid in the cleanup seemed to be having their energy leached away by something deep underground… [color=SpringGreen]“Pardon me, Shane,”[/color] she asked the earth mage. [color=SpringGreen]“But would you be so kind as to do me a small favor? Something beneath us appears to be drawing mystic energy from my plants. Do you think you could possibly employ your Earth magic to locate whatever it might be?”[/color] After an initial panic of spontaneously combusting the magical boy managed to calm down a bit once he realized that he was not burning to death. [color=lightblue]”Good grief, this magic is all over the place.”[/color] Cleaning out what he could with Nature’s Staff to help Gaia, he would return the fish to the water. Things looked to be pretty much done until his companion requested checking for a potentially other issue. [color=lightblue]”Right, let’s see.”[/color] Casting a spell a small seismic wave would go out to allow him to sense out what was under his feet. The seismic wave revealed a large underground cavern, built into the dirt underneath the river. There was a tunnel that served as an entrance, which dipped down and went underwater so you’d have to swim under rocks and then go up to reach a surface and enter the cave. The seismic wave also revealed a chaotic root-system in the earth underneath and around the cave; whatever was within that cave had a lot of roots. [color=SpringGreen]“Most curious,”[/color] Gaia observed after Shane had reported his findings. [color=SpringGreen]“Although it may lie beyond the scope of our task here, I should like to investigate this matter further. Would you care to accompany me?”[/color] she asked the Earth mage. Nodding, Shane would begin to move toward the water to begin swimming. He didn't want to open up another entrance below in case it caused an issue. [color=lightblue]"I think whatever this is needs to be dealt with."[/color] The two would swim their way down into the cave and into the subterranean space below. Following what his survey had told him they moved toward the mass of roots. Funny enough once Shane dried up a bit he set on fire again which worked wonderfully for lighting the way. [color=SpringGreen]“I am glad to see that your spontaneous combustion problem has at least [i]one[/i] positive use,”[/color] Gaia noted with a playful giggle. Expanding her awareness, the verdant magical girl attempted to commune with whatever plant the tangle of roots belonged to, in an effort to assess its health and discern if it, too, was in need of purification. Diving down, the two found the underwater entrance to be pretty well camouflaged. There was nothing there telling that there was a secret entrance until they had actually entered the little pocket in the rocks. From there, they could swim upwards and reach a surface in the water, the water-level ending lower than the level of the river outside and just as the tunnel smoothly panned out to be horizontal again. Then they could continue following the tunnel, towards a place where the cave opened up to a large chamber. The place was overgrown. It was like they had walked into an underground jungle. Green spiky leaves stood out in all directions in a place where there was no light other than the fire Shane brought with him. Wooded trees proudly stood, covering the ceiling with their large crowns and branches, with vines hanging down from them. Bushes and moss covered the floor, it was hard to look anywhere without seeing something alive… except there wasn’t a single animal in here. There weren't even any bugs. It was all plants. Very healthy and not corrupted at all plants, as Gaia would notice. Yet, there was something else in here. Something lightly tugging at them, or more accurately, at their magic. Far in the back, there was something unnatural. Standing by itself, built seemingly in black rock, was a large, bulky round frame. Attached to the top of it was a smooth, red jewel, clearly visible through the green jungle as it lightly glowed. And within the frame… was darkness. It was a passage somewhere, but only darkness could be seen, and it was unlikely shining a light on it would clear anything up. The tug of magic was heading for there… A tree next to the frame suddenly moved. Something severed from the tree, revealing itself to be a humanoid shape. It took a couple steps to stand between the new arrivals and the black rocky passage. It gave them an expressionless stare, as her feet implanted themselves into the ground where she now stood, her whole body seemingly built out of wood. Gaia had seen this person before. In a painting in the foyer of a mansion. At the beach resort that followed. A pulse of magic shot out of the wooden woman, which could only be seen because each plant in the vicinity reacted to it. Only that which responded to the spell’s own strain of magic reacted, and as such, the bearer of Nature’s Staff and someone with the appropriate specialization felt it too. It contained a very simple message. [center][url=https://i.imgur.com/PYJSxqe.png][img]https://i.imgur.com/KkciWNJ.png[/img][/url][/center] [color=B2A667][i]Leave[/i][/color] Gaia’s eyes widened as she beheld the subterranean jungle, and grew wider still, upon catching sight of the strange frame and the glowing jewel atop it. It was only when the dryad-like woman emerged into view that the pieces of this puzzle finally fell into place. [color=SpringGreen]“Greetings, Lady Esther,”[/color] Gaia told the tree-woman with a graceful curtsy. [color=SpringGreen]“Please forgive our intrusion, my lady. You have my word, as the Daughter of Mother Earth, that we do not wish harm upon you, or upon the wonderful garden you have so lovingly cultivated here. We were simply purifying a local river of corruption,”[/color] Gaia explained, [color=SpringGreen]“and we wished to insure that what you have created here had not also been tainted by it. As that is clearly not the case, we shall now take our leave. I only wish to make one small request of you, on behalf of Mother Earth,”[/color] the verdant magical girl added. [color=SpringGreen]“Please refrain from causing harm to those who dwell in the city above us. As long as you confine your garden to these subterranean caverns, I myself shall ensure that none shall disturb you. Does this meet with your approval, my lady?”[/color] With Gaia’s words, Esther gradually changed her pose. She’d held a bit of a hostile pose, but when Gaia made it clear she wasn’t intending on having a battle, she adjusted, losing some tension and some more wild branch growths settled down on her. Her face remained as expressionless, however, made out of wood and all. Instead, she gently nodded, accepting Gaia’s words but still wary of them. The dark passageway remained open behind her. It was moments like these that Shane wished he had Third Eye or the like. Most everything around seemed perfectly fine. The plants and everything was actually quite beautiful and magical. Though the framed darkness gave him an uneasy feeling. He had no real way to know what it really was or its purpose sadly. [color=lightblue]”Forgive the fire. The magical waste apparently has bizarre effects.”[/color] He would look around casually. [color=lightblue]”I’ll be honest, I wouldn’t mind an environment like this. A lot more relaxing than the cold and ruckus in the city.”[/color] [color=SpringGreen]“Agreed,”[/color] Gaia replied with a blissful sigh. Indeed, a part of her wished she could remain in this wondrous refuge of nature. [color=SpringGreen]“Although we should probably be heading back there now,”[/color] she added with some resignation. [color=SpringGreen]“After all, we must respect Lady Esther’s privacy.”[/color] Esther just stood back there. Staring at them. Not moving. Like she was now just another tree among many. Seeing there wasn’t a response, Shane glanced at Gaia for a moment before shrugging. He would turn back to Esther. [color=lightblue]”Alright then. Stay safe.”[/color] It was a little awkward of a moment, but he would turn away and start making his way back down the tunnel with Gaia. He wouldn’t say anything on the way out until they were well and outside. It was also something he would have to think through first anyway. [color=SpringGreen]“My apologies if that was a bit awkward for you,”[/color] Gaia would tell him, with a sympathetic smile. [color=SpringGreen]“Lady Esther is a very powerful being,”[/color] the verdant girl explained. [color=SpringGreen]“From what little I have been able to gather, I believe she was once something not unlike Mother Earth for her own world, a caretaker and protector. I, too, am slightly concerned by that strange arch we saw,”[/color] she confessed, [color=SpringGreen]“but this was neither the time, nor the place to address such a potentially weighty matter. Lady Esther is an associate of Miss Mariette, whom we shall see at the upcoming Christmas Party. Perhaps I shall have a chance to discuss the matter with her then. Oh, that reminds me,”[/color] she added, retrieving a colorful slip of paper from the folds of her voluminous tresses. [color=SpringGreen]“Have you received an invitation yet?”[/color] While the boy was listening he didn’t seem as engaged as he could have been. He had taken out his tome and was working on something. At least until his attention was drawn by a question about the invitation. [color=lightblue]”Huh? Oh, no I haven’t.”[/color] He would accept the invitation. [color=lightblue]”A Christmas party at Dan’s place huh? Well that should at least keep people from fighting too much.”[/color] Something else occurred to him. [color=lightblue]”Speaking of, apparently my patron arranged for me a little R&R there and said I can bring a guest. Kind of out of nowhere but you’re welcome to join me if you’d like.”[/color] [color=SpringGreen]“Why Shane!”[/color] Gaia exclaimed in mock surprise. [color=SpringGreen]“Are you asking me out on a date?”[/color] [color=lightblue]”I am.”[/color] He would offer a smile. He didn’t seem particularly embarrassed about it. [color=SpringGreen]“Truly?”[/color] Gaia asked, slightly taken aback by his earnestness. [color=SpringGreen]“In that case, I would be most honored to accompany you, Shane”[/color] she told him, after regaining her serene composure. [color=SpringGreen]“Especially since I was planning to attend already,”[/color] she added with a playful wink. The boy smirked, having somewhat turned the tables on the girl. He wouldn’t revel in it though, that would be rude. Gaia mentioning she was already planning on attending he raised an eyebrow. [color=lightblue]”Oh? Did Paree talk to you already?”[/color] For real it wouldn’t surprise him if his patron had gone and set something up without telling him. Thus was their relationship as it were. [color=SpringGreen]“I am afraid I have yet to have the pleasure of meeting this Paree,”[/color] Gaia would reply. [color=SpringGreen]“I received my invitation from Miss Mariette. I was in Dan’s beach dimension with some friends, and she handed them out to everyone present,”[/color] the verdant magical girl explained. [color=SpringGreen]“I believe Dan’s intention is to create an opportunity for otherwise antagonistic factions to come to a peaceful coexistence in a relaxed, non-threatening atmosphere. Quite ambitious, I know, but I really must commend him for making the attempt.”[/color] [color=lightblue]”Oh, you’re talking about the Christmas party. Let’s see.”[/color] He would focus for a moment and then his patron would appear on the mound of dirt they’d excavated. [color=olive]”...May I help you?”[/color] The creatures would cross it’s tiny arms. Shane would cough slightly. Same old mood as ever. He would hold up the invitation he had. [color=lightblue]”The agreement with Dan was for this event right?”[/color] Looking at the envelope for a few seconds the puchuu scratched the side of its face. Was this really why he was called? [color=olive]”Not to my understanding. It will be for you and your…”[/color] His eyes would drift over to Gaia slowly and look her over as if trying to come up with the right way to describe the girl. [color=olive]”...Mate, suitor, girlfriend? Whatever it is you call it this century.”[/color] He didn’t seem bothered getting it right or if his choice of words were not appropriate for the circumstances. [color=SpringGreen]“Pardon me, but, am I to understand that you have arranged for Shane to have a, shall we say, ‘couple’s trip’ to the beach dimension?”[/color] Gaia asked the small creature with a cocked eyebrow. [color=SpringGreen]“I must say, that is awfully generous, and I am very honored to be chosen as your consort,”[/color] she added, while giving Shane an appreciative smile. [color=olive]"It may be whatever you wish to call it. I simply arranged for Shane to receive a reward for his work. Whom he chose and for what reason is none of my concern."[/color] He would look at Shane. [color=olive]"So long as it does not interfere with your tasks in the future."[/color] [color=lightblue]"You don't have to be so dramatic, Paree."[/color] The boy would blush a bit at Gaia's phrasing. Seemed she was more than open to going on a date so that was good to hear. [color=lightblue]"Alright then, it's a date. I'll talk with Dan and let you know when we'll be going."[/color] He would take out his phone to take down Gaia's number. [color=SpringGreen]“I shall look forward to it,”[/color] Gaia told him warmly. Although she didn’t like to carry her phone with her while doing magical girl work, she had memorized her number well enough to tell Shane. [color=SpringGreen]“You know, I don’t normally give my phone number out to just [i]anyone,[/i]”[/color] she teased. [color=SpringGreen]“And [i]especially[/i] not to handsome boys, so I trust you won’t make me regret this.”[/color] He would send a text so she would have his number whenever he got back to her phone. [color=lightblue]”I certainly would not want to disappoint.”[/color] He would say cheerfully. That done he would raise a finger. [color=lightblue]”One more thing while we’re still here.”[/color] Setting his book down on the bank of the river he would channel some magic in order to create a map of the terrain below, and notably where the mirror was. Should they tunnel away or change something he should now be able to tell if he ever came back. Taking up his tome he would tuck it away. [color=lightblue]”Just in case we need it.”[/color] [color=SpringGreen]“A very wise idea,”[/color] Gaia commended. [color=SpringGreen]“If that is all you wished to discuss, then I believe I shall bid you farewell for the evening. It truly was a pleasure working alongside you.”[/color] [color=lightblue]”You too. Have a good night.”[/color] He would say as they parted. He stayed just a little bit longer to clear up the earthen mounds and dam he’d made so it looked mostly like it did before they arrived. And now he had a little planning to do for his date. [hr] Back in the cave, Esther still stood immobile, staring ahead at the exit which the two had left through. There was a bit more movement suddenly, as something slid down a tree to her left, having been hidden in the thick foliage of the trees. [center][url=https://i.imgur.com/5o9ObXJ.png][img]https://i.imgur.com/Ih8oH7W.png[/img][/url][/center] [color=C5DBE7]‘Fortunate, that they would have the good sense to leave. Still, unfortunate, in another way. Why did that corruption have to appear so close to our base? How very annoying…’[/color] Freya said with a sigh, sliding up next to Esther, frowning and crossing her furred claw-hands under her chest, thinking about this. Esther didn’t move the slightest. [color=C5DBE7]‘We’ll need to warn Mariette that the mirror has been seen. This base is compromised, too. Guess we’ll need to move it…’[/color] Freya said, sighing again. Esther now suddenly turned her head to look at Freya, who was a bit startled. [color=C5DBE7]‘Er, don’t worry, I’m sure you can keep your garden,’[/color] Freya quickly assured, and Esther responded by turning her face back towards the entrance. The furred lamia breathed out a bit in relief. [color=C5DBE7]‘I’ll go make the report. You stay, just in case someone comes back. It’s your garden and all…’[/color] Freya said, turning around and looking at the lonely-looking Esther, who’d she’d never ever heard talk. Shrugging, she skipped through the dark portal, leaving Esther standing alone with her jungle, not to move until the next time someone came in.