Salsa and Princess are always very quiet when they visit Tazmily. They visit once per month, on a night when the Moon isn't out, and they can't be seen in the darkness.
Princess says it's because Fassad hates her most of all. If he finds them, he'll kill them. But she says she wouldn't ever let Fassad get a hold of them, and that, as long as Salsa keeps real quiet and follows close behind, they don't have any cause to worry.
Ol' Gey-ser has taught Salsa and Princess how to sneak about undetected. Most of all, no matter what, they must never appear tense. If anyone were to notice them, they should look as if they've got every right to be there. You can recognize someone shady when you see one, because they're just trying so hard not to be seen.
They slink from shadow to shadow, and instead of taking the way across the bridge as most Tazmilians would, they use a tunnel east of Cross Road to get to Gey-ser's house. It's difficult to see the narrow passage cutting off to the side in the darkness of the tunnel, and they're certain no one else knows about it.
Gey-ser is always expecting them when they get to his house; he opens the door a crack, peeks outside, then quietly ushers them in.
It's as usual this time. Gey-ser sits on his "rockin' chair", as Princess calls it, while she herself takes her position sitting cross-legged on the floor, as Gey-ser's son once had.
The other human - that's what Princess says she and the others are - is also there, the one with hair the colour of bananas. Lyu-kas attends the monthly meetings, but he doesn't speak much. In fact, he usually leans against Bow-knee and dozes off in the middle of the conversation.
"Geezer," Princess says, "I need to ask you something."
Gey-ser sips his tea, just nodding in affirmation. Although everyone meets here every month to speak - of important things - they don't seem to talk much. Their voices are very low, almost whispers, and their eyes dart towards the door every few seconds. If they don't need to speak to convey what they mean, they don't.
"Look, geezer, it's like this. It happened like this. Salsa told me he thinks Samba's in Murasaki Forest - you know, the place to the east, on the other side of the tunnel. He says it looks like the place he and his love-monkey came from. So we figured that if she'd managed to escape, she'd probably be there."
"And," Gey-ser says, although he looks as if he's still trying to get his bearings, "If she hadn't managed to escape?"
"Well, we thought she'd probably be dead then. And then we wouldn't be able to do anything about it. So it was no use thinking about that possibility."
Gey-ser says nothing.
"Anyway, we checked out that place. It didn't take us long to realize that the place is filled with Pigmasks."
"Then you shouldn't be going there, Princess... it's too dangerous."
"Heh. It isn't like Tazmily's doing any better."
Gey-ser just resigns himself to taking another sip of his tea.
"Whatever. Hear me out. They've set up all sorts of things there. There's one - house - that they call the Factory. Apparently, you can earn money if you work there. Then there's this place they call... Club Chichibu or something. I don't know what's up with that place. But more importantly..."
Princess glances at the door, then at Geezer and Lyu-kas, one by one.
"You remember when we talked about the chimeras, yeah?"
Lyu-kas stops rubbing his eyes. His yawn stops short.
"There's this place, they call it the Chimera Lab. And it's crawling with 'em. They're everywhere. Everywhere. Snakes with chicken heads. Mice that fly on some weird spinning blades. Just..."
Princess waves her hands in front of herself, and the other two seem to understand.
"Salsa and I... we've seen the Pigmasks take animals there. Small and big, of all kinds. It's as we thought. They're making these chimeras."
Banana Boy is sitting straight now, his eyes wide.
"Princess, you think..." Geezer starts.
"Yeah. We think it's likely that Samba's still with them, except she isn't dead. They have a use for all the animals. If it's where they take all the animals... she's probably there, too."
"Are you..." Lyu-kas whispers, or rather just mouths, "Going in there?"
"We tried to, but we couldn't. It's chock full of Pigmasks, and it's guarded day and night. It's impossible to sneak past them. So we just asked them to let us in."
"You... what?"
"Nah, don't worry, they don't know us. They don't seem to be looking for me there."
"They probably expect Princess to be in Tazmily," Geezer says.
"They said I wasn't the first to be asked to let in, that another man had asked to join the Pigmasks before me."
"Someone - from Tazmily?"
"I don't know. Maybe. The point is, they just might let me in. Except... here's the thing. They demand certain qualifications for the job. For one, they told me that the Lab's huge. It's easy to get lost in there. If someone were to work there, they'd need to be able to follow the maps and read the signs to get around. And unless I'm a scientist - I'm not, I don't even know what that is - I need to be able to handle the paperwork."
"Princess," Geezer sighs, "I'm afraid I don't like where this is going. Surely... you will not work for the Pigmasks?"
"I need to, Wess. I'm going to."
"Princess." Geezer seems to be struggling with his own thoughts, as if trying to keep himself from raising his voice. "As you said, that place is full of Pigmasks and chimeras-"
"I'm not gonna change my mind, Geezer. Samba's out there somewhere. Besides, they'll get suspicious if I just hang out in Murasaki Forest for no reason, but if I work for them... they won't suspect a thing."
"Princess..."
"That's what I wanted to ask you about, Geezer. Teach me - teach me how to read and write."
Geezer pauses in thought.
"Please understand, Princess," he speaks slowly, "I'm afraid I can't let you do this, much less facilitate that you work among the Pigmasks. Word spreads like the wind. If you work among the Pigmasks, word will reach the Pigmasks here in Tazmily. One day, when you're in the Lab with nowhere to run..."
"But you know I'm not gonna change my mind."
"No, it's true..." Geezer says, "If someone else were to teach you... I wouldn't stop them. And I can't stop you. But - and I truly do apologize for this, Princess, I'd have done everything in my power to be of service if things were different - I'm afraid I can't do what you ask of me. It would be - like sending you to your grave, Princess."
Princess doesn't reply. No one says anything. She looks at the wooden floor and brushes off the dust with her fingers. The only sounds are the crackling of the fire and the sound of Wess rocking in his chair.
"I..." a voice squeaks, and the others don't seem to hear it at first, "I- I'll do it!"
Geezer and Princess start, as if suddenly realizing Lyu-kas is still there.
"I can... teach you how to read and write."
"Lucas," Princess says, "You'll do it?"
"I... I want to do something to help. Anything."
Every morning, very early, Princess and Lyu-kas meet so that he can teach her how to read and write. They meet in Osohe Castle so that they don't have to worry about Princess and Salsa being seen.
Lyu-kas writes something on a piece of slate. Princess takes out the sheet where Lyu-kas has written down all the letters of the alphabet. Her eyes alternate between the sheet and the slate as she tries to match the letters on the latter to those on the former, trying to remember which sound each letter represents.
"M-O-N-K-E-Y... MON-key... monkey. Is that right?"
"Yeah. Try writing 'catastrophe'."
"Uh... C-A-T-A-S-T-R-O-F-E-E...?"
"Nearly. It's C-A-T-A-S-T-R-O-P-H-E."
Princess narrows her eyes and leans in towards the slate. She runs her fingers over the letters, as if that would make the spelling make more sense, but all she manages to do is mess up the chalk dust.
"That's weird."
"I guess..."
"Who taught you to read and write?"
"...Mom and Dad. Mostly Mom."
"Ah. Does she still teach you?"
"No."
"Haha, I see. You're really good. She doesn't have anything to teach you."
"No, it's not..." Lucas pauses, then shakes his head, "...You're the Princess of Osohe Castle?"
"Yeah."
"So... your parents are the king and queen?"
"Yeah."
"Umm... didn't they teach you how to read and write?"
"No. They couldn't. I've never met them."
"Really? Never?"
"Never. Geezer tells me my father's named Osohe and my mother Senaka. They're both very gentle. They were very happy when I was born. He tells me how glad they'd be to see me when I finally meet them. He says he can't wait for that to happen. They'd be so happy to see their little girl."
Banana Boy blinks.
"But he's a bad liar. If they're still around, where the heck are they?" Princess laughs, "I think they're both dead. He's just making up stories so I wouldn't feel bad."
Lyu-kas doesn't respond. He scribbles something on the slate, then rubs it away with his right hand.
"Hey, Lucas. How long did it take you to learn all this?"
"I've been learning since I was very little. Why?"
"I kinda don't have years, you know. I've gotta learn quick. I'll work really hard if I need to. And hey, I can speak just fine already, so it shouldn't be that hard, right?"
"...I- I could sign up for the job at the Chimera Lab, you know. If Samba's there, I- I'll find her and bring her to Salsa. Fassad doesn't hate me as much as he hates you. I know that because I still run into him sometimes, and he mostly just ignores me."
"That's just because everyone here knows you, Lucas. If something were to happen to you or Geezer, if the two of you were to just disappear, people would talk. But I don't know anybody here. That's why they can afford to come after me."
"But it would save you a lot of trouble if I were to sign up instead. You wouldn't have to work so hard."
"That place is overrun with chimeras. They're all really nasty. You won't last half an hour in Murasaki Forest."
Lyu-kas sighs and looks away, still idly scribbling on the slate.
"...Lucas?"
He suddenly looks back at Princess.
"Teach me to fight."
"...What?"
"I wanna learn how to fight."
"...Well. But you don't like to fight, do you?"
"No. I hate fighting. I... it's just that I don't want to sit in Tazmily doing nothing. You're trying so hard for Salsa. Dad's always out in the mountains... I don't want to sit here and cry anymore."
Princess looks over the alphabet again. Lyu-kas continues:
"I wanna get stronger. I wanna get so strong that even the Pigmasks and chimeras won't stand a chance against me. Then they won't be able to do anything bad again."
Lyu-kas exhales deeply.
"I wanna get stronger, too," Princess says after a few moments.
"But you're already..."
"I've got to get stronger so I can help YOU get that strong, yeah?"
Lyu-kas teaches Princess how to read and write. Princess teaches Lyu-kas how to fight.
Princess doesn't sleep during the night because it's much easier to move around without being sighted, even though the Pigmasks are patrolling all the while. Geezer has told Princess the timings and routes of the patrol, so she's always able to sneak past when they aren't looking.
It's more dangerous during the day, even though the Pigmasks don't patrol at this time, because the streets are full of Tazmilians. They don't have any specific routes or timings. Princess doesn't even know which ones are friendly and which ones are likely to inform on her. The townspeople are unpredictable, and therefore far more dangerous.
Princess sleeps through the afternoon in the Osohe Castle - because she's learning to read and write, she has to stay near Tazmily. Staying at one place doesn't make her more likely to be caught, though; even if someone were to come to know where she is, the Pigmasks would never find her in the sprawling castle. She could use her knowledge of every nook and cranny of the place to throw them off.
Salsa has nothing to do, and he's afraid to be in the castle without Princess keeping the ghosts at bay, so he accompanies Lyu-kas during this time. Princess says it's safe enough because it's nearly impossible to tell him apart from other monkeys, and it's easier, anyway, for a monkey to stay hidden than it is for a person. If he feels threatened, he's to immediately jump into the bushes, and, lying low, make his way to the castle will all haste.
Salsa helps Banana Boy with the various little jobs he does everyday. Salsa wants to pay Lyu-kas back for helping him out a few months ago.
The two of them comb the beach for seashells and other tiny stuff, which Lyu-kas sells on the streets. Everyone wants the colourful little shells and ossicles for trinkets, though they don't seem to realize they could find them just lying around at the beach. Lyu-kas knows because he used to collect them with his friends when they were little. They would compete to see who could get the most, or who could get the best ones. But no one's got time for things like that anymore.
The first few days, Lyu-kas used to sit near the Cross Road, watching the goings-on. The Pigmasks were constructing something there. Two long beams had been placed on the ground, and the mouth of the tunnel to the east had been widened. Between the two beams, they'd placed several planks that together looked like the steps of a ladder. Lyu-kas usually doesn't talk to the Pigmasks, but he couldn't help inquiring about this one day.
"We're building a railway. These tracks, what you're looking at, something called a train's going to run on them. You could sit in it, and it'll take you where you want to go. If you have the money."
But since Princess started teaching Lyu-kas how to defend himself, he doesn't watch the railway tracks anymore. He doesn't tell anyone, not Geezer, nor Princess, nor even his father, but goes into Sunshine Forest armed with a stick. Salsa and Bow-knee accompany him.
Sunshine Forest isn't as it used to be.
Slowly, the animals have been disappearing, replaced by chimeras. The Slitherhens Princess had mentioned can also be found here. And the winged mice the townspeople have started encountering a while ago.
Every day, Lyu-kas makes a trip through the forest, going up to the point where the mountains begin, and returning the same way. Chimeras attack him from all sides as he does so, but he fights them off with his stick. Bow-knee also lunges at the chimeras, or bites them. Salsa helps by scratching at these enemies as well as he can, though he isn't very effective.
By the time Lyu-kas is back in the evening, he's usually covered with cuts and bruises. But he returns to do it every day.
Princess doesn't speak to anyone she doesn't know. That's most people. She tries to avoid being seen by anyone. When she fails to do so, she runs away without saying anything, even if all that comes her way is a friendly greeting.
But she has to go buy food from time to time. Even when speaking to the shopkeeper, her expression never changes, lest someone read it. She doesn't try to haggle. She takes what she gets and leaves.
"Salsa," she asks, "The place you came from, is it anywhere close by?"
Salsa shakes his head. Salsa doesn't even remember where his home is anymore, just what it was like.
"That bastard brought you here with him? You're a stranger here?"
Salsa nods.
"Heh. So am I."
But Princess isn't as careful anymore when she's with ol' Geezer. She insists on making tea for him whenever she goes over to visit. She makes Thunder Bombs with him - a vestige of an old habit - and her PSI makes the process much faster.
Probably feeling bad for refusing to teach Princess, Geezer lends her a book that used to belong to his son, Dus-ter.
"Princess," he says, "This used to be that moron's."
"Battle... Memory..." Princess reads the words on the cover.
"It was part of his thief training. He was to write down his observations on any opponent he faced, so that he could study them later. This way, he was to find patterns in their combat - and their weaknesses."
And then Princess focuses her full attention on the book. She doesn't even glance at the door anymore. When Salsa asks her if that's dangerous, she laughs and says it's fine, because Salsa and Geezer are there.
"...Wait. When exactly did he get the time to write about that big snake we battled in the basement of the castle?"
"Ah... that would be me, Princess. I thought of - continuing what he'd started."
He pauses, then says:
"You should take it with you. You'll get more use out of it than I would. You could start writing in it."
Laughs, guffaws echo out of under the Pigmask Colonel's helmet.
"You're back?"
"Yes, sir. I wish to apply for a job at the Chimera Laboratory."
Princess doesn't look like a princess. She's covered in dust and spiderwebs. On the way here, she's got some twigs stuck in her hair. She lives in a castle, but looks as if she lives on the streets.
"How old are you?"
"I am fourteen years of age."
"You know how to read?"
"Yes, sir. I know how to read and write."
"Follow me."
Princess follows the Pigmask Colonel into the reception room of the laboratory. A woman is sitting at the desk. There are doors leading left, right and ahead.
"Here, here you go," the Pigmask Colonel says, taking a piece of paper from the receptionist and handing it to Princess, "Fill in the details of your application."
Princess writes that her name is Violet. She's from Tazmily Village. She's quite experienced in subduing chimeras and therefore keeping them under control. She says that she would prove to be effective when it comes to making chimeras obey orders, and keeping animals from struggling before they are turned into chimeras. These advantages, they would observe, make her a valuable addition to their cause, and perhaps a necessary countermeasure for the lack of discipline among the chimeras, as evident by their chaotic behaviour in the wild and around the lab.
Violet hands the form back to the Pigmask Colonel. He takes a good look at it, but it's impossible to see his expression under his mask.
"Sir?"
"It'll take some time for us to - process your application. Would you, by any chance, know anyone we can get a reference from?
"A reference?"
"We need to make sure you're cooperative - obedient - before we allow you to work with us."
Violet says nothing.
"Given what you've stated here, I would say that working at the Factory would be a good first step. That is all. Thank you for your time."
The Pigmask Colonel proceeds to turn Violet and Salsa out. As the door closes with a click, they can hear laughter ringing from the other side.
That night, Princess doesn't return to Tazmily. Instead, she leads Salsa to a large stone door in the depths of the forest, with what looks like a face carved on it. Salsa recognizes it, and also the dance that it takes to open it.
There's a clearing on the other side. To the left is a pond with something shining out from its depths. To the right is a large crater approximately as capacious as the pond is. Straight ahead sits a small house shaped like a pink seashell, if very different from the ones Salsa and Lyu-kas have picked up while beachcombing.
Princess goes straight for the door to the seashell house.
"Oooh!" the two are greeted in by a squeal, "If it isn't Princess Kumatora~!"
"Hey, Doria. It's been a while. Mind if we stay the night?"
Do-ria is very nice. Fassad never gave Salsa anything to eat, but Do-ria gives Salsa all kinds of fruit. So she can't be like Fassad.
Besides, Princess like Do-ria. And Princess is nice to Salsa. Therefore Do-ria must also be nice, like Geezer and Lyu-kas are.
Princess says this is a very safe place. Salsa could stay here as long as he liked, and the Pigmasks would never be able to get him. Do-ria would take very good care of him, as she and the other Ma-jip-seas had taken care of her when she was younger.
Salsa says that he would prefer to go with Princess instead.
Princess and Do-ria stay awake late into the night, doing something Salsa doesn't understand.
Do-ria raises one hand up into the air. Her fingers glow, and Salsa feels something very pleasant and soothing spread through the seashell house, something somehow cool and warm at the same time. He doesn't understand what it's like, but it's good.
Princess says something, then looks at her hands as she raises both of them. She clenches and relaxes her fingers repeatedly, waiting for something to happen. A bead of sweat travels down her face, and she frowns. Then she lets her hands drop, and grumbles.
"It ain't working."
"Now, now, Kumatora. When it comes to PSI, you have to go with the flow. Go with what comes to you naturally."
"How much longer is it gonna take?"
"I can't tell, dear. You can't expect magical results," Do-ria giggles, "You'll need time. Us Magypsies, we've had millennia."
"I don't have millennia!"
"Hoho, of course not," the Ma-jip-sea giggles again, "Ionia tells me you've always been good with the elements. That's all you've wanted to learn. But now, all of a sudden... well, relax, and try again. Just don't be too hasty~!"
Princess's has been readily accepted into the Factory - not because they feel she'd be good at the job, but because they can do with all the hands they can get.
More and more people are flocking to the Factory for work. Princess doesn't like crowded places. It's impossible to run away, should the necessity arise. Each day, Princess grows more bitter. Each day, it's harder to not lash out.
Everyone else at the Factory must be people who have readily accepted, even endorsed the Pigmasks and the changes they have brought to Tazmily. All of them are her enemies.
Lots and lots of people disappear into the darkness of the underground every day. Claymen are shaped and recharged over and over again, pushed to their very limits for this purpose. It's dangerous work - you could get lost there, be crushed by a collapsing wall. The deeper you go, the darker it is, the more uncertain your footing. The deeper you go, the thicker the air is, and the harder it is to breathe.
But no one knows what they're working for. They just know that they're supposed to dig deeper, deeper, with no end in sight. There's an inkling in the air as to the reason - surely they're looking for something very important. But no one knows what it is.
And yet, despite not knowing why, despite the risks, they continue to labour away.
The whirring of drills, the stomping of the Claymen can be heard somewhere in the distance, calling out from the darkness, distorted nearly beyond recognition. These sounds scare Salsa, as does the lack of trees, of verdure. He wants to go back up. Princess asked him not to come. But he doesn't let her come here alone.
They haven't installed any lighting yet, so the Princess's magic provides the only illumination, though she produces no more than a tiny wisp of flame so as to make it last as long as possible. Everyone else takes a flashlight in with them. She's supposed to locate any Claymen she can find running low on energy, then guide them to the surface. Just so they can be recharged and sent back underground.
It isn't hard to find them. The Claymen, when tired, let out a loud wailing. They groan long and loud, and you have only to follow the sound to get to them. The problem is taking them back with you. Provided you know your way and are able to navigate well enough to keep yourself from falling to your death, you have to push the Claymen with all your might.
Princess's PK Fire emanates all around her rather than through her fingertips, so as to free up both her hands. She leans forward, her arms outstretched, and pushes, forcing a step forward, and then another.
It's relieving, every time she gets to the surface. The air is cleaner, and she can rest her arms and legs as she leaves the Clayman to be recharged. But it lasts only for a few moments. Afterwards, she has to go back underground, to find another of the clay golems, and repeat the entire ordeal. Eventually, she doesn't even feel the strain, she doesn't even feel the exhaustion. She works numbly, mechanically.
Her day lasts from morning to evening, just because she wants that favourable reference.
"What is it you said your name was?" the Pigmask Captain at the reception asks her at the end of the day.
"Violet... sir."
"Well, Violet. You want to prove yourself to be an efficient and obedient worker. Is that correct?"
"Yes, sir," Princess says through her teeth, though she does her best to hide it.
"I'm afraid to say, then, that you'll need to do better. Certainly it would require exceptional performance on your part. One of the Claymen you brought back today was damaged beyond repair, doubtlessly due to repeated collisions while underground. Claymen are designed to be able to detect obstacles, so the only conclusion we can draw is that it was a failing on your side."
"Yes, sir. I apologize, sir."
Princess's hands clench behind her back, but she doesn't let it show.
"This was the first time, so I'm willing to overlook this particular incidence. However, please note that each Clayman is expensive and valuable, and so should be handled carefully. That is all. You are dismissed."
Princess leaves with Salsa without quickening her step. Once outside, and adequately distanced from the Factory, she curses the Pigmask Captain and the Factory until the pain in her limbs catches up to her.
"You aren't bashing as hard today, Lucas. You need to back up your swing with your body weight."
"H-Huh?"
"Remember, your swing involves not just your arms, but also your feet. You need to turn your body around as you swing if you want maximum power."
"Umm, sorry. I- I guess I kinda forgot. It's... been a few days."
"Oh, haha. Sorry 'bout that. I've been busy at the Factory. I'd give you an example of how to swing, but I'm still sore from all that back-breaking work. How about you try again?"
Lucas nods slowly, then takes a step back. He just stands there for a second looking at the ground, then takes a deep breath. He bends his knees and raises his arms, gripping the stick tightly with both hands.
He then swings the stick, moving his feet and turning his body at the same time, just as Princess has suggested. But he grimaces as he does so, and the swing still isn't as strong as it usually is.
"W-Was that better?"
"Hmm..."
Princess frowns. Even Salsa knows it wasn't any better.
"Lucas? You sure you're okay?"
"Hmm? Yeah... I'm fine."
"You don't seem fine to me... you usually swing way harder than this. Your steps are deeper."
"I- It's nothing. You don't see me complaining."
Princess narrows her eyes.
"Let's see. Give it another go, yeah?"
Lucas nods again. Once again, he gets into position, his grip so tight that his hands quiver. And then he lets go of another swing. Salsa cheers and claps - the swing's as strong as it usually is.
Then he stops cheering just as suddenly as he'd started, because Lucas proceeds to trip and fall.
"...When I said Geezer's a bad liar," Princess sighs, "I didn't realize you were worse. You okay?"
Lucas quickly rises to his feet, still gripping the stick tightly.
"I- I told you! I'm not complaining-"
"No, I should've noticed sooner. You're supporting yourself on just one leg. The other's hurt. I should know. Duster, I remember he walked with a limp. You should hold off practice until it gets better. How'd you get this?"
"I- I went to Murasaki Forest a couple of days ago."
"What?"
"I've been going to Sunshine Forest nearly every day since you started teaching me how to fight. Grandpa... he used to say that Sunshine Forest's so safe even I could make it could make it through. So safe even I of all people... it isn't any more - it's got its own share of chimeras. But... I wanted to prove that I could still make it through."
Princess just stares.
"And then you said I won't last half an hour in Murasaki Forest. So I did it. I went to Murasaki Forest with Boney. I asked him not to come, but he insisted. We made our way to the waterfall and back. We encountered an Ostrelephant on the way. And a Batangutan. But we managed to beat them. We made our way back in one piece."
"...You understood, right? How dangerous it was?"
"Yeah. I still don't know how we managed it, but... well, I'm not alone. Mr. Wess has been causing trouble for the Pigmasks. He sneaks into their homes and steals their stuff. Like their weapons. He doesn't care that he might be identified. Or even shot down on the spot. Mr. Wess even stole all of Fassad's Luxury Bananas."
Lucas laughs ruefully.
"They couldn't - people would talk-"
"It... isn't like that anymore. It's been over a year since you said that. The Pigmasks... they've not just taken over Tazmily, they've taken over everyone's minds. Everyone thinks they're good. They aren't suspicious anymore, we are. They won't hesitate to shoot us down if we interfered."
"But- look here. This - doesn't make sense. Both of you could have been-"
"How'd you feel if you had to just hide in Osohe Castle doing nothing while we're out dealing with the Pigmasks? Would you like that?"
"Of course not! But what I'm saying is, I don't want any of you to get hurt!"
"We didn't want you to get hurt, either. But that didn't stop you!"
Princess doesn't say anything for a while. Lucas doesn't, either.
"I- I see," she finally says, "Geezer couldn't stop me. And I can't stop either of you."
"...Yeah."
"...Damn, you got me." Princess laughs suddenly. "Well... I won't try to stop you. But... well, don't hesitate to ask for help when you need it. I didn't hesitate, you know. You taught me how to read and write."
"I didn't, either. You taught me how to fight."
"If we're all working against the Pigmasks, if no one's gonna back off... well, we might as well all do it together. You're very brave, Lucas. But don't be hasty."
"You're saying that?" Lucas laughs, "We'll all be careful."
Silence falls as Princess opens the door into the seashell house. She walks in, and, once Salsa is in as well, she closes the door behind her.
Then the room bursts into cheers.
"Princess Kumatora~!"
"Ooh, I told you, I told you she'd turn up today!"
"It's been a while," Princess agrees.
The room is full of Magypsies. Princess doesn't like crowded places.
But she isn't bitter like she usually is. Her face isn't stone cold. She doesn't seem to want to run away. She laughs here, she laughs a lot. She talks about this and that, of inane things, things she hasn't talked about for a long time.
"We missed you, dear, you don't know how much!" Ionia says, "We'd wait for you every month, but you never came~!"
"I was almost worried you didn't like my rose hip tea!" Aeolia giggles.
"Sorry. I've been busy!" Princess laughs.
Princess has talked to Salsa about the Magypsies' monthly tea parties before, though he hasn't had a chance to attend. She doesn't, in fact, like rose hip tea. But she, on the contrary, drinks a lot of rose hip tea now, and seems very happy to do so.
"Ohh, what an adorable monkey!" Mixolydia says.
"I know~!" Doria says, "She came by my house a couple of weeks ago. She's got a little friend!"
"Wonderful!" Lydia squeals, "Oh, look at me, I'm crying tears of happiness~!"
"So tell us, Kumatora," Ionia says, "Where have you been? Tell us everything! Don't leave out a thing~!"
"Haha, I've got a lot to tell you. We're going to be here for a while. Try not to fall asleep, Phrygia."
Princess waits and watches. She listens to the approaching footsteps as they tread over the metal floor. She can hear the whirring of machines in the background, and the sounds of animals as they are taken apart and recombined.
Yes, they're coming: four Pigmasks marching in formation, three of them lugging along their weapons, the fourth trying to hold back a struggling monkey. The weapons look really heavy, and they can't be easy to move with, but they can shoot beams of white-hot energy at you. Princess and Salsa have seen what the Pigmasks do to the berserk chimeras that approach them. They shoot at them until their screams of agonies are silenced, and they don't stop until the chimeras are lying motionless, smoke rising from their charred-black bodies.
And they've got Samba with them.
Princess has started working at the Chimera Laboratory recently. She writes down her observations on the behaviour of the chimeras, but she also does as she'd claimed - she deals with the chimeras that don't listen. She makes them obey. Because if she doesn't, the Pigmasks will kill them.
But she never found Samba, she never saw her in the lab. It was possible that she wasn't around here in the first place. What'd she been going on? A hunch, a feeling Salsa had of Samba being in Murasaki Forest. It was also possible that she'd already been turned into a chimera.
But Princess had been adamant. She'd wanted to trust Salsa's hunch, that vague feeling. She refused to believe that all the trouble she'd gone through had been for nothing.
And here Samba was. At last.
"Little monkey," the Pigmask restraining Samba mutters, "Been evading us all this while, eh? Ran away each time, right under our noses. Mr. Fassad's been looking for you for a long time. You put up quite a fight, little monkey. It was quite the chase. But it's over. You ain't going anywhere."
The other Pigmasks throw their heads back and laugh.
Salsa tries to leap forward at them, but Princess holds him back.
"Are you sure, Princess?"
"Don't worry, Geezer. The hard part's over. We know Samba's in there, and I work at the Chimera Laboratory. It won't be difficult to get Samba and get outta there."
"They'll be after you," Lucas says, "They'll know. They'll start hunting for you in Murasaki Forest, too, not just in Tazmily."
"Yeah, if they know it's me. But hopefully, if things go alright, they won't know. There's a kind of theater over there at the lab. They keep spare Pigmask uniforms backstage. A few days later, I'll quit the job, and then things should be fine. Then- then we can look for the Egg of Light."
"I see, Princess, you already have the matter planned out," Mr. Wess nods slowly. "Just so, please take a Thunder Bomb with you. You can find it in the usual place."
"Will do."
Kumatora turns to Salsa and kneels down.
"Just a few more hours, Salsa. Tomorrow, you'll be with Samba."
Salsa says thank you. Then he says sorry because she had to go through a lot of trouble for him.
"Hey, you love Samba, right?"
Salsa nods a yes.
"Well, there you go. I couldn't leave you hanging."
Salsa is confused. Salsa asks why.
"Well, you love her. I love my entire family, too. I wouldn't want anything to happen to them. So I know how you feel."
Salsa thinks. Kumatora has a lot of enemies now. But there are some people she doesn't fight, some people she laughs with, some people she helps and is helped out by.
Salsa counts with his fingers. He says Kumatora has a big family, of eight people.
"Nine," she corrects.