To say the new guests weren't welcome at the palace would be an understatement. Sure, the servants did their best to be welcoming, but the empress was absolutely horrible. She would avoid the boys as if they were the plague, and if forced in their presence, would refuse to react. It was like this for three months, and during this time, the boys adapted to their environment.
The scholarly boy, named Wu, practically lived in the library, and would invent little trinkets and toys while immersed in his studies. Even at his old school, he never had the access to knowledge like this. Many of the servants, when confronted with problems, would come to him if the advisers were busy. He would do his best to help, even teaching them if needed. He became well liked for his helpful nature, and that he was wise beyond his years. Yet he avoided the Princess and Xao at all costs, frightened at what would happen if he angered her and fought with him.
The mischievous boy, named Xao, would wander the palace, practically making it his own. He was a handful, as his adventures and explorations often ended up with something wrecked or broken. Yet the servants had grew accustomed to the Princess's actions, so no one minded too much. Yet, in the evenings, he'd tell stories to those who would listen. He would weave marvelous tales of sneaky pirates, justice driven warriors, and heros who always won. He became well liked for this creative spark, able to distract those from the emptiness they felt. Yet he didn't like the princess or Woo at all, and would grow angry at her resistance and his stuffy attitude.
Then the storm happened…
By the time Lin Chung arrived at the battle, it was already over. Most of the village had weathered through the attack, nothing but a few broken windows and such. His companion, the old man, had been quiet for his trip, something that Lin Chung hadn't minded. It allowed him a more peaceful time to plan. If this man was a shapeshifter, he'd have to be careful in capturing him. He could simply change form and sneak away, and this man was most likely their only lead.
His turtle stopped near the rest if first squad, just in time for the trio to see a few Bear soldiers scurrying to the east. Mystique Sonia and Mighty Ray were in the middle of taunting their fleeing enemies, with Mr. Nohands speaking to the few villagers who hadn't left, asking if they were alright. Yet even in this shining moment, the absence of their friend was felt.
"Oh Cool," The old man exclaimed, his voice sounding not as old as it had before. There was almost an air of wonder and awe to it. "The other's had handled it, that's good. I was worried…"
"You don not have to be," Lin Chung replied, not hiding his smile as the old man gasped. "First squad is as skilled as we are swift. We have to be when trouble arises."
"Oh, right..." The old man smiled, trying to cover his tracks. His voice still sounded off compared to before. "You are heroes, right?"
"Yes, yes we are."
"Hey! It's about time you showed up!" a voice called out, breaking the conversation up rather quickly. The culprit, a muddy and wet Mighty Ray, made his way over with the swagger of a man who'd just won bragging rights. Typical Mighty Ray, in all honesty. Not far behind him, Sonia followed up, still a bit smug with their victory. "You missed all the action! I managed to shock five of those fur brains into next week! It was awesome!"
"Psh, if you think that's great," Sonia began, stepping next to Ray and crossing her arms in pride. "You should have seen this sweet combo Yahska and I pulled off! They were knocked out in like, five seco-"
Her bragging stopped as her eyes met the old man's, shifting her pride to curiosity.
"Hey Lin Chung, who's that?" She asked, leaning a bit closer to get a better look at the elderly man. In response, the elder hopped off of Lin Chung's back and took his spot next to the warrior.
"Oh, no one important. Just an old coot traveling around." He smiled, waving his hand nonchalantly and even chuckling slightly. His tail seemed to twitch slightly, and his body seemed tense.
"Nonsense, this elder told men of the village being attacked," Lin Chung replied with a smile, motioning to the elder and such. His gaze met Sonia's and Ray's, and he motioned slightly with the tip of his staff for them to start circling around. Not enough to tip the elder off, but enough to start the plan. " Please sir, what is your name? I never go it while we were traveling.
"M-my name?" The elder stuttered, turning his gaze to Lin Chung rather quickly. His tail started to lash now, alerting Ray and Sonia that this man was not Human. Or at least, not a normal human. "o-OH, well, uh, it's stupid. How about you just call me "Old Man", hm? Yes?"
The old man started to back away, but stumbled into Mighty Ray, who only offered a smug grin when the elder looked up, startled. He instantly realized what kind of mess he'd gotten into...
"But you helped warn me of the attack, and from a village so far away…" Lin Chung stated, getting off his turtle and gently approaching the possibly old man. He didn't want to scare the shapeshifter anymore, but he did want answers. "You must be out of breath from running all that way. Perhaps we can sit here and talk, share more about ourselves…"
"L-L-Like…like w-what…" the man voice shifted to one much younger, barely even an adults. By now, his wrinkles has vanished, his hair has darkened, and a pair of raccoon-ish shaped ears sprouted out of his head. He gripped his tail nervously, and kept his gaze shifting. He was looking for a way out. "L-listen, I...I really need to g-go!"
"Then please," Lin Chung began, setting his staff on the ground to signal that he would not attack the shapeshifter. "Tell us where you're keeping our friend."
The rain fell down, pouring around the group. By now, the villagers had left to gather their neighbors, and even Mr. Nohands was watching the mysterious figure pensively. No one moves, yet it was clear who was winning at the moment.
At least, until the stranger slumped in confusion, raising an eyebrow. The voice, a mixture of far too many voices to be human, seemed to echo out from the man, no, the boy's mouth. "Your friend?"
"Yes, he was stole in a similar matter as everyone's things." Mr. Nohands stated, having made his way to the circle now. "Someone took his shape and mimicked him the night he was captured. You wouldn't happen to know about that, right?"
"No! No I don't, actually!" the boy stated, gaining more confidence as he took a few steps towards Lin Chung and Mr. Nohands. He still seemed to have a nervous smile on his face, but by now he wasn't shaking. "Because first of all, I wasn't even around here three days ago! I was spying on High roller, over in the Eastern Citadel!"
"Why the heck should we believe you?" Mighty Ray asked, taking a step closer to close up the circle. It was a tactical move, yet he probably would have done it even if it wasn't. "For all we know-"
"Why should I believe you!" The boy spun on his heels, facing Mighty Ray with a similar mocking tone. He even pointed a finger accusingly at the seasoned warrior, a smug grin on his face. "You guys just cornered me, saying all these things without even knowing me! Besides, you'll believe me in a few minutes anyway!"
"Hm, and what makes you say that?" Lin Chung asked honestly, mildly surprised but mostly curious.
"Becaaaaause," The boy smiled, even giggled at his next speech. "He set this up as a trap! He was gonna use the village as a distraction while him and the rest of the bears took over Big-"
Before another word could be said, a loud, thunderous boom echoed from the distance. The ground shook slightly, and over to the horizon, smoke began to rise. Sonia and Yaksha quickly got to work, the later lifting the former high into the sky to see the damage.
"What was that?!" Mr. Nohands yelled, quickly turning his gaze away from the smoke to the boy. "If you allowed Big green to blow up so help me-"
"Big green's fine!" Sonia yelled down, wearing Yaksha like a pair of binoculars, "the explosion happened a mile away!"
"Exactly!" The boy smiled, seeming rather proud. "I clogged the tanks before I left! They'll be easy pickings for the other guys! And just wait until they see what I did to the rest of the citadel! That traitor will be cleaning up those ink stains for weeks! Oh, oh and-"
As the mysterious boy went on and on about his flawless crime, the members of first squad shared a look of mix confusion and wonder. Who was this kid, and why were they doing all this? Better yet, if this kid had no idea where Jumpy was, who did?
It would be a few minutes later that first squad hopped back onto their turtles and began their ride back to the base, having placed the still gloating child on the back of Sonia's ride, Yaksha holding onto them tightly as they rode onwards.
At the very least, perhaps they could see exactly why the child was spying in the first place.
Commander Apetrully smiled as he watched the various Members of Big Green return to the base. The sky had cleared up, the stars were starting to come out, and one of High Roller's sneaky tricks had backfired on himself. It was a wonderful way to end the day. Even now, the soldiers of Big Green barely had to do any work when disbanding the opposing army, thus an easy win.
"If High Roller thought we'd be weak from the attack, he'd surly been mistaken," Trully practically hummed as he talked to Woo, sitting on a rather plush cushion as the inventor worked hard on his latest device. "It also allowed second squad some time in the limelight, goodness knows they've needed it."
"Yes, quite." Woo stated, half of his body practically buried in a machine. He had that tone that mean he wasn't paying exactly attention, but Truly didn't mind, not one bit. Sometimes it was good to just ramble on.
"Granted, what would make this day better would be finally finding Jumpy Ghostface. His subjects have been going crazy with worry, and so has everyone here. I know that we don't have many soldiers to spare, seeing as we have half of our army helping rebuild the nearby villages, but it just seems so unfair."
"Yes, yes." Woo replied, shuffling out from behind the machine and walking over to his desk, grabbing a wrench and rushing back. "But Jumpy is most likely safe. Why would they take him when they could defeat him."
"Exactly!" Truly exclaimed, throwing his hands out in his panic. "Why would they?! We don't know who or what they are, and why they've been taking our things! They've stopped once they'd kidnapped Jumpy, but why him?"
With that, the conversation drifted to silence. Carefully, Woo the wise pulled away from the unfinished machine, and held a bit of a perplexed pose. He quickly shuffled over the a blackboard, or rather, a small section of the cluttered board. Outlined in chalk, read "Jumpy's abductions" in neat, controlled handwriting. Underneath were questions, possible clues, and areas left unchecked by the search party.
"I wish I knew, Commander." Woo replied truthfully, trying to ignore the internal panic going on inside himself. "But until we gather more clues, we have to wait and-"
Suddenly, the door to Woo's lab was quickly pushed open, with Rosefinch rushing in a stern yet hopeful look on her face.
"Commander, first squad's returned!"
"Ah, good. I was beginning to worry with their extended absence." Truly stated, hopping off of the cushions and onto his feet. "Did they find any clues about Jumpy's where abouts?"
"Not yet, but they think they found the person that's been taking our stuff, sir!"
"Oh! Well that's some good news! Who exactly is the suspect?"
"A small boy."
The silence in the room spoke for itself, and it took Trully a few moments to realize that Rosefinch wasn't joking.
"Oh my," Trully sighed, already feeling a small headache coming on. "well then, lead the way. Perhaps we can get an explanation as to why this child has been stealing from us. As well as their connection to the leaves…Woo, would you like to come, or-"
"I'll be there in a minute, once i finish up with my newest invention." Woo said, having written something new on the board and shuffled over to his machine. It was clear, at least to Trully, that Woo was trying everything in his power not to panic. " I assume you'll be down in first squad's room?"
"Actually," Rosefinch spoke up, making her way deeper into the lab. "You may want to come as well, Woo the Wise sir."
"Hm? And why is that?"
"The boy requested to meet you, saying he has a letter from someone named Mahjong? He said that-"
Yet Rosefinch never finished, as Woo dropped the wrench he'd been working on and bolted from his spot, moving far faster than Trully had even seen the small man. He quickly hopped out of the way, but quickly chased after his second in command.
"Woo?! Woo, what's the matter?! You look like you've seen a ghost?!"
Yet Woo didn't respond, even as they rushed past different corridors and members of Big Green. The one thing Trully managed to regret as they ran through the large, recently furnished hallways was that they hadn't installed an elevator of some sort. But it honestly bugged him moreover that Woo was so despondent! Who exactly was this Mahjong?! Why were they sending children to steal from them?! What did they have to do with all of this?!
And better yet, how did Woo know them?
Trully began to slowed down as he and Woo reached the first squad meeting room, the sound of someone quickly scarfing down food could be heard from down the hall. Outside of the doorway stood Lin Chung and Mr. Nohands, seeming waiting for the duo.
"Well that was fast!" Nohands commented as he watched as Woo rushed in, he sent a gaze back to truly that seems as calm as it was confused. "I'll take it Woo knows who this "Mahjong" person is?"
"I assume so," Trully replied as he rushed after his friend, "he rushed over when he heard the name!"
The now finished first squadron base, with its poster and rugs and other decorations, screamed with life. It seemed that the Commander and his second interrupted dinner, as the boy had been busy gobbling up the decent amount of food that had been offered to him. Sonia and Ray had been sitting beside the boy, having been quickly put on guard duty, it seemed. Neither seemed enjoyed with the matter, but neither one of them complained.
Yet all commotion stopped when the duo entered the room, as the boy instantly tended up for a moment, hands gripping the table for a moment before he realized who they were and relaxed.
The child was definitely not human, but what they were, Trully had no idea. Their body was shaped similar to a human, but the ears and tail suggested otherwise. There was also his eyes, shining yellow like the sun, holding mischief and excitement...
"Hey, it's you!," the boy said with a smile, trying to play off his previous panic. "I've heard a lot about you, W-"
"How is she?" Woo asked, concern oozing from his voice with a mixture of excitement and worry and, no, was that anticipation? Trully hadn't head his friend like this in quite sometime...
The boy paused, a bit surprised by the interruption as well, but didn't say a word. He simply began to reach into his jacket and pull out the letter, holding it out to the small, wise man. Woo gave the boy a quick glance, check to make sure the boy was trustworthy, before gently taking the letter and breaking the seal, opening it with ease. As he shuffled off to read the note in peace, Trully decided perhaps it was time to make proper introductions. Turning on his cheerful demeanor, he took a seat across from the group and offered the kindest look his mask could make.
"Well, welcome to Big Green! I am-"
"Commander Apetrully, the guy in charge of Big Green, right?"
"Ah, well yes, how did you-"
"You're kind of famous, at least around here. Everyone i've talked to only had good things to say about you!" The boy smiled, sitting up and leaning across the table. His eyes seemed to sparkle now, "All the people and animals here say you have a heart as big as your wallet, and from all the gold I saw you guys have, it must be huge! No wonder everyone likes you!"
"O-oh! Well, thank you! That is very nice of you to say!" Trully smiled, genuinely glad at the compliment. He hadn't been expecting-wait… " Hold on, you've seen the gold reserves?"
"Yeah! And the armory and the medical wing and the...Actually now that I think about it, I've seen a lot of this base…" The boy muttered, crossing his arms as he sat back down on his seat. "But I never got to see it completed. Most of it was half finished when we arrived, seeing as you guys were rebuilding…"
"I see…" Trully paused, taking note of the plural pronouns the boys used. That meant there was more than one sneaky thief. Were they a child too? Was all of this some prank played by some bored children? And if so, how did Jumpy tie into all of this. "Well, you seem to be rather skilled at sneaking around. You must be excellent at Hide and Seek."
"Not really, I always lose to my big sis, she's super good at spotting me."
And with that, Trully spotted an opening.
"You're sis? I'll assume that's your sister. Is she here as well?"
The previous cozy nature of the squad room vanished at that. The boy's eyes widened, and instantly, he shut his mouth, not daring to make a sound. By now, he'd probably figured he's said too much, and trully himself realized he'd stepped on a nerve. He'd have to fix this quick.
"I'm sorry, perhaps I've overstepped my boundaries. Here, how about we talk about something else. You can pick the topic, young one."
Once again, there was a pause, before the boy hesitantly pointed to Apetrully, or more specifically, his head.
"...C...can I try on your hat?"
Woo read the letter over and over again, analyzing the words, the hand writing, even the paper and the sealing and such. His hands shook in excitement and fear, a dreadful mix of emotions that made his heart race and his stomach drop. She was alive. She was alive and she'd finally be able to contact him. He'd sent letter after letter when the rebellion first began, but after receiving no reply he had feared the worst. And even as time went on, that fear turned into mild acceptance of a possibility that he never wanted to considered.
He thought she'd died. Or worse, that she simply stopped caring about them…
He was wrong.
She was alive.
She was alive!
He reread the letter, for maybe the tenth time that hour, just to be sure. Her sloppy, unprincess like handwriting, something the private tutors chastised her about constantly, was recognizable the instant he saw it. And even though he was elated she was alive, he felt deep dread and worry in the pit of his stomach. The letter spoke of as much worry as it did hope…
He felt like he was going to faint.
He sighed, folded up the letter, and looked up from his spot. By now, the mysterious boy had seemed to been charmed by the members of Big green, as he listened to Ray, Sonia, and even Apetrully describe the various missions and adventures they've been on. The air seemed relaxed, enough that the rest of first squad had entered to see what all the fuss was about. By now, even a few others had gathered near the doorway to listen to the tales, ether chuckling along or tossing in the own opinions. Woo, or rather Wu, smiled at the scene before him. He was honestly surprised that he hadn't noticed the rising amount of people in the room, but then again, he did have tunnel vision…
All these people, who fought for the unification of humans and animals…
Who fought for what was right…
Surely, they'd agree to at least save Taihe. He didn't mind if they wouldn't want her as a leader, but he just wanted to make sure she was safe…
He'd already lost enough friends, he didn't want to loose any more…
"Woo the wise, are you alright?" a voice asked to his left, snapping Woo back to reality. He blinked a few times as his gaze met Lin Chung's, who'd taken his spot by the wall as well. His mirthful smile and relaxed attitude seemed to help Woo settle as well. "If you don't mind me asking, what did the letter say?"
"Oh, where to start…" Woo chuckled, trying to find the right words to say. He rose from his spot on the floor and pocketed the letter, knowing fully well that he didn't want it to slip into someone else's hands. "We have a rescue mission on our hands, I believe."
"For a rescue mission, you say that rather calmly." Lin Chung mused, raising an eyebrow. "Especially with how fast you rushed down here. I can only assume you're still debating on rescuing."
"No, no! If I could, I would go and rescue her myself." Woo stated quickly, not wanting his calmness to seem apathetic. He twirled his mustache as he spoke, planning his words carefully while fighting the spur of emotions that stirred inside him. "It all depends on those who are willing to go. You see, this person is captured in a completely different kingdom. With how spread out we are now, not to mention missing a key member, would people be willing to go…"
"Especially without the ability to call for backup..." Lin Chung added, seeing where Woo was going with all of this. He crossed his arms and sighed. "Well, Woo, I can safely say that first squad would be willing to go, no matter how far away the person is."
A pause came between them, both of their gazes focused on the scene in front of them. By now Mighty Ray and Sonia had taken to reenacting some previous battle, the duo half arguing half messing around. With Yaksha's help, the whole table had been turned into a pseudo stage, and a small crowd of people had gathered to watch as well. Some were laughing, others were cheering, and the boy had been doing a mixture of both.
"Yes, but would everyone else let you…" Woo mused finally, wringing his hands nervously. "Face it, most of Big Green looks up to all of you, they're more supportive with you here, and you've all won most of the animal's respect here. Now, our loyal members would stay as they're fighting for the cause. But with the others, they might assume that with the most worthy humans gone, they'd have no reason to stay…"
"Do you really believe that?"
"I don't want to, but we must consider all the variables when applying this." Woo made his way to the door, planning to exit while everyone was distracted. "Which means, I have some planning to do. If I'm going to convince the rest of Big Green to let you leave, I'm going to need to come up with quite a speech."
"Before you leave, my I ask who we are going to save?" Lin Chung asked, following the brilliant tactician as he made his way into the hallway. It was mildly quieter compared to the crowded squadron room, and significantly cooler. It allowed the next few words to make a deeper impact than they might have before.
"Empress Taihe."
To my dear brother Wu,
It has been quite some time since I've last seen you. For that, I must apologize. The moment Hidden Kingdom went into its civil war, my husband cut off all contact with my home nation. He refused anything, from letter to even knowledge of the country, from getting to me or my people. If you had sent letters, they were surly burned by the guards. Even now, as I wait in the Palace, I have no idea if you are alive or dead. I can only hope you get this letter, as I wish to see you and Xao once more.
All is not well in the northern Kingdom. It's a political minefield, and everyone is gunning for leadership. They care so much for the power they hold, they've left their people starve and wallow in poverty. I've done all that I can, but they are wary of my tactics. I've been restricted by other members of my husband's family, political rivals, and even my own Husband. I believe the only thing keeping me alive now too keep their own people happy. Once again, i find myself as a puppet for someone else's plans.
The two people I have sent are my closest friends, yet they may be hesitant and jaded from living in the northern kingdom for too long. Animals are not treated nearly as kindly as they were in Hidden Kingdom. Which means that, if you received this letter, one of them has trusted you enough to help. You'll find that both Tank and Yako are wonderful informants, and if you chose to, they will gladly help you.
And, if you can not come and save me, my final wish is that you help them. They have been there for me when I have felt helpless, just as you and Xao had. It would fill my soul with happiness if I knew they were at least safe.
With all my love,
Empress Taihe