"Heat Blade!" Jazz furiously swung his long sword at the last of their enemy monsters in Celestial Forest. The floating sea dragon-like monster let out a piercing noise before disappearing into nothing. When all became quiet, the group relaxed feeling assured that no more monsters would be coming to attack them. The party celebrated that their training was over for the day.
"Alright!" Viola cheered, "We're finally done with those pesky monsters. "Man, I'm beat."
"Huh? Did you say something Viola?" Beat exclaimed next to her.
"No, Beat," Polka giggled, "she was just saying an expression that she's tired. She wasn't necessarily calling you."
"Oh, I see," Beat nodded in understanding.
"Now you see? Hmph, I knew all along what the old lady meant when she first said it," Salsa interjected. "You're going to have to pick up the pace Beat."
"What did you say?" Beat shot back at her. Salsa waved a finger at him.
"I'm just saying you're a bit slow with words."
"You don't have to act all smart!" Beat frowned.
"And who're you calling 'old lady'?" Viola interrupted hearing their conversation.
"Yikes!" Salsa jumped and immediately ran behind her sister, March. March looked innocently at all of them.
"Now now, you all don't need to fight," she tried to calm them down.
"She's right, Salsa. You could learn a thing or two from your sister," Beat pointed out. But Salsa ignored him and merely stuck her tongue out with another hmph.
"Anyway," Allegretto cut in, "since we're done with all of the monsters here, let's head back to Baroque to rest for the day. I'm sure everyone's pretty tired."
"Yes, that's a good idea," Jazz exclaimed. "We'll need to rest up tonight in order to take on the monsters that come tomorrow morning." He then started to walk in the direction back to Baroque.
"What? More training? You've got to be kidding me," Viola sighed as everyone started to head back.
"It'll be fine. We'll need all the training we can get for now in order to be ready for anything," Falsetto assured her.
"I know I'll be ready to take a nice long nap," Viola shook her head. As the group made their way back to Baroque, one of the members started falling behind. Beat was the first person to notice.
"Huh? Frederic, are you feeling okay?" Beat looked back to their comrade who appeared to be slowing down and breathing heavily.
"I'm fine Beat…I just feel a little tired…" Frederic breathed. Beat still looked curiously at Frederic.
"Are you sure? Your face looks like it's getting pale." Salsa also looked back and noticed Frederic's behavior, but didn't appear as concerned as Beat.
"Huh? Isn't his face always like that?" Salsa asked tilting her head to the side.
"Salsa! You don't need to be rude. People's faces aren't always that pale," Beat told her.
"Well excuse me for asking!" Salsa crossed her arms and looked away. Polka and the others all heard them talking and they all stopped to look at Frederic.
"Frederic? Do you feel ill?" Polka asked with a concerned look on her face.
Frederic tried to shake his head, "No, I…" suddenly he groaned and his whole body fell to the ground. The whole group became shocked and all hurried to their friend's side.
"Frederic? Frederic?" Polka tried to call him.
"What happened?" Jazz asked.
"I don't know, but his face looked rather pale. And suddenly he fell over," Beat explained.
"Did he get hurt in battle?" Viola asked.
Polka shook her head a bit, "I was beside him the whole time, and he seemed perfectly fine…until now."
"We have to get him to a safer place indoors," Jazz exclaimed. Then he had an idea. He turned to Salsa, "Salsa, hurry and run as fast as you can to Prince Crescendo and inform him of what's happened. We'll be coming to Baroque castle."
"Uh right!" Salsa turned and sprinted towards Baroque.
"Allegretto, help me carry him to Baroque. The rest of you follow us behind!" Jazz ordered. The rest nodded and Allegretto hurriedly helped Jazz pick Frederic up from the ground and wrap each of his arms over their shoulders. Together they moved forward with the rest of the group behind them.
Salsa hurriedly ran with her little legs of hers through Baroque city and into the Castle. She ran through the halls and up the stairs and then through the halls again until screeching at a stop in front of Prince Crescendo's door. The guard standing beside it nearly fell back in surprise.
"Is something wrong, miss?" the guard asked.
"It's terrible," Salsa cried, "I need to see the captain right away!"
"The captain? Oh, if you mean Prince Crescendo, I'm afraid he's in the middle of some very important work right now. Perhaps if you'll come by later…"
"There won't be a later!" Salsa interrupted, "Our friend is seriously hurt! He's dying here!" Salsa might be over exaggerating a bit here, but she would have to do anything to get Prince Crescendo. Before the guard could say anything more, the door suddenly opened and a young man appeared beside them.
"Is something the matter? I heard shouting outside my door."
"P-Prince Crescendo!" the guard saluted.
"Captain, we've got a problem!" Salsa exclaimed. Salsa never got over her habit of calling Prince Crescendo the captain ever since their first meeting on Baroque ship before their pirate encounter.
"A problem? What is it?"
"It's Frederic! He suddenly collapsed outside of town and is passed out. He needs help right away!"
"Mr. Chopin? Right, where is he right now?" Prince Crescendo asked giving his full attention.
"Jazz and the others are carrying him over here. Come on, let's hurry and meet up with them." Salsa then started to run up ahead towards the castle entrance. Prince Crescendo was about to follow her, but before he moved he stopped and called to the still surprised guard.
"Call a doctor immediately and send him to my room. Tell him we have an injured man on the way!" he ordered.
"Yes sir!" As the guard started to run in the other direction, the prince turned to follow Salsa, who was bouncing up and down impatiently, waving at him to hurry up. By the time they reached the castle's main entrance hall, Jazz, Allegretto, and the others had already arrived carrying the passed out Frederic with them.
"Mr. Chopin!" Prince Crescendo gasped, "Please, bring him to my room. I have already called a doctor." He quickly guided Jazz and Allegretto to his room. The others followed until they arrived at the room, where they decided to wait outside. Inside Prince Crescendo's room, the doctor was already waiting for them.
"Ah, there you are. Please, lie him down on the chair and I'll quickly examine him." They carefully brought Frederic to the cushioned red couch and carefully lied him down.
"Let's go wait outside with the others," Jazz whispered to Allegretto. "Frederic should be fine with the doctor here." Allegretto nodded and then looked curiously to Prince Crescendo who was standing beside the doctor. Prince Crescendo noticed his gaze and softly smiled at them.
"I'll be here with Mr. Chopin as the doctor examines him. Please make yourselves comfortable in the guest rooms down the hall. I'll call everyone back in when we're done." Jazz and Allegretto nodded as they left the room. Outside, everyone noticed them exiting the room and came up to them with questioning looks.
"How's Frederic? Is he going to be alright?" Polka was the first one to ask.
"He's going to be just fine," Allegretto reassured her, "the doctor and Prince Crescendo are tending to him as we speak. For now all we can do is wait in the guest rooms until they're done." Everyone sighed in relief now that all is going to be well.
"Phew, all this commotion has really worn me out. I'm heading to bed first." Viola waved off as she turned and headed for one of the rooms. Salsa smiled slyly and bounced after her.
"I'll come with you! All that running sure took all the energy out of my little legs." Viola stopped abruptly and turned to face Salsa.
"What? There's no way you're going to be in the same room as me! Go find your own room."
"Oh come on! What's the matter with being in the same room, old lady?" Salsa grinned.
"O-Old lady! You go ahead and try saying that again, I'll beat you with my bow!" Viola threatened waving a fist.
"Oh no! This old lady's gone nuts; she's going to beat me!" Salsa cried playfully and started running away.
"H-Hey, get back here!" Viola called and started running after her. The others all watched them bicker at each other and run out of sight. Polka gave a small giggle again watching those two.
"Well, I think we all should head to our rooms for the night."
"Good idea, Polka. Do you mind if I come with you?" March asked politely. Unlike her sister Salsa, March was always one for manners around others.
"Of course March, I don't mind at all," Polka smiled as the two of them started walking down the hall.
Now it was only Allegretto, Beat, Falsetto, and Jazz left outside Prince Crescendo's room.
"I guess we better head for our rooms too," Allegretto exclaimed. Before he and beat headed for their room, he turned to Jazz and Falsetto for a moment. "What are you two going to do?"
"I plan to patrol around the castle," Jazz stated, "I'll probably get some rest later." Falsetto turned to Jazz with a slight glimmer in her eyes.
"I'll come with you, Jazz. I don't particularly need to turn in right now."
"All right, but don't push yourself too hard. We've got our hands full enough with one of us passed out," Jazz advised. Falsetto gave a small nod and smiled a bit at Jazz's concern for her.
"Okay then, we'll head on to bed. Make sure you two get enough rest for tomorrow." Allegretto and Beat waved and walked down the same hall that the others before them had previously walked through. Jazz and Falsetto headed in the opposite direction to patrol around the castle.