Exhausted, she stumbled off the road and toward the forest. The calming summer breeze seemed to push her onward, and her sloppy footsteps obliged. She hadn't been this drunk in a while and it felt good to be numb. Going into the woods seemed like a good idea, especially if it meant getting away from the noisy road and her boyfriend. She had left him behind a few miles back in a motel, fast asleep. Funny, he slept best after they fought. Her hand tried to caress the bruise beginning to form on her cheekbone, but instead she gave herself a kind of soft slap. A small light startled her and she flinched, falling backward and landing hard on her butt.

"Mari!" Ronin called. He looked around desperately. How could he lose the queen? What would happen if she wasn't found. All these anxieties rushed through his panicking brain. Nod flew up beside the General.

"Ronin! We know where she is! She is out by Bramble's Wall. Finn's already on his way." Nod shouted. Ronin nodded and zipped ahead, a sense of relief growing as he neared the wall constructed hundreds of years ago to keep away Stompers. But as he came into sight of the wall, a great fear enveloped him. The queen was on the other side of the wall, and a Stomper was between her and safety. Just as Ronin registered the threat, Queen Marigold panicked. Her powers surged and she directed them at the Stomper. When the blinding light went off, the Stomper fell backwards, towards the wall of brambles. As she fell, she shrank drastically. Around her the forest shook with heavy winds.

Without thinking, Ronin flew forward, with the directive to catch the falling Stomper. Just as she was about to hit the sharp tines of the brambles, he scooped her up. Quickly he landed and Finn brought the queen to the General moments later. The young queen leapt off of Finn's bird and rushed to Ronin, who was strangely overtaken by the Stomper. He couldn't take his eyes off of the bruise on her cheek and the cut on her forehead. She hadn't hit anything on the fall down...

"Ronin! I-I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt her!" Marigold chattered. Ronin looked up at her and his eyes narrowed.

"She's fine. Alive, anyway. But that's not why you're in trouble." He said shortly. Queen Marigold looked at her feet in embarrassment. Finn smirked. He personally loved seeing Ronin get cross, especially with the queen, since she could totally fire him. He allowed the queen to climb back on the saddle behind him, then took off, leading the patrol with Ronin and Nod close behind.

Her vision was coming back, blurry, but still there. And she could move. But she sat up too quickly and her head exploded with stars and lightning bolts. Immediately she curled up, her forehead against her thighs.

"She's in here?" A stong, Irish voice asked. Footsteps led up to her bedside and a being stood over her. "Are you alright?" The same voice asked her.

"Don't shout." She replied, slow and slurred slightly. She managed to uncurl herself and look up at him. He was an older man, his hair short and gray, but his physique strong and healthy. He seemed to be wearing an outfit of leaves. Maybe I ended up with some hippies or something? She thought. "Where am I?"

"Moonhaven Hospital. I am General Ronin, military leader of the Leafmen. Who are you?" He stated and asked. He was so matter of fact, and spoke so quickly, it took her a moment to process what he said.

"Mmmy name is...um...Hazel." She slurred out. Ronin nodded. He looked her in the face and was glad to see her cut was well bandaged.

"You may be confused about this all, but let me give you the long and short of it." He sat down on a leaf chair beside the bed. He let his sword rest against the bed.

"Oh, please do." Hazel muttered.

"You've been shrunk. You see, we are an advanced society of beings that keep the balance of life and death in check. And you happened upon our queen while you were out last night. She shrunk you by accident. We, um, still haven't figured out how to get you big again. She refuses to try using her powers again, for fear she will cause further damage." He paused to let it all seep in. Hazel blinked at him, her eyes bloodshot. Ronin noticed this and raised an eyebrow. "I-I don't mean to be rude, but what were you doing last night? You don't look so well and you smell like rotted apples." He said. He hadn't meant to say the last part, but if he truly regretted it, he hid it very well.

"Oh, that." Hazel smiled sadly. She looked up at him and held up a hand. It was chaking violently. Curious, Ronin took her hand in his and felt the trembling. "I'm, uh, an alcoholic. I had a few drinks last night after I got this." She said and pointed to her cheek. Then she yawned and stretched, inadvertently jerking her hand from Ronin's grip. Suddenly her eyes grew wide. "Wait. Did you say I was SHRUNK?"