Chapter 10

The Shaman was lost in thought as he wandered out of the village. He had done his best to calm his people after the strange battle they had witnessed yesterday, but being unable to offer a proper explanation had hindered his efforts greatly.

I haven't the faintest idea what to tell them. Who were those people, and why were they fighting at the Lines? And that boy…the symbol on his chest…

"Quite a turn of events, is it not?"

Spinning, the Shaman saw Hyde approaching him. He glared at the newcomer and said, "I wish not to be disturbed. Begone."

"I'm sure you have much on your mind. No doubt you wonder how to defend your people, now that your land has been set upon by demons."

The Shaman raised an eyebrow. "You think they were demons?"

"Isn't it obvious? Why else would those things do battle with a boy bearing the crest of Mu? An emissary from the great ancient continent, and a man wearing the cloak of a priest—only the most vile of creatures would be their enemies."

"And what do you know of Mu?"

Hyde sat upon one of the many rocks littering the area. "Oh, I've studied it quite extensively! Truly fascinating. For example, that staff of yours: the design on the head is the symbol used to represent the creature who guarded Mu in the skies, is it not?"

"You could learn that just from visiting the Lines."

"Well…I admit, there are only so many sources to draw from. You probably know a great deal more about Mu than I do."

"Certain knowledge has been passed down," the Shaman mumbled. "But if you are asking me to share it with an outsider—"

Hyde held up one finger. "Now I wouldn't ask you to simply volunteer it, no. I was going to suggest an exchange of equal value."

The Shaman gritted his teeth and stepped forward. "You think you have something equally valuable as our ancient heritage? You're the same as the others who defile this land!"

"Yes, well, normally I would never be so bold as to claim something has equivalent value to something so sacred, but in this particular instance, I believe I am justified in saying so."

With a grunt, the Shaman whirled and began to storm off.

"It is an artifact from Mu that will allow you to defend your people from anything. Outsiders, demons…anything at all."

The Shaman stopped. Hyde grinned. Getting to his feet, he adjusted his hat and said, "I only ask that you hear me out."

Looking over his shoulder, the Shaman saw Hyde produce an object: a cloak attached to a collar made of a weathered rock-like material, woven from red and black thread with the guardian's symbol sewn into it in gold. He turned fully to admire the garment.

"Exquisite, is it not?" Hyde said.

"How will a cloak protect my people?"

"This cloak was worn by those handpicked by the guardian of Mu to be its partner, those whose dedication to protecting their land earned them the guardian's favor. In ancient times, it was mostly symbolic, but now that Mu has disappeared, it has become a rather literal lifeline for the guardian."

"I don't understand."

Hyde waved his hand over the collar. It glowed briefly, and then a being emerged from it: red energy in the form of a bird, its head and beak made of solid armor and pulled into a narrow, condor-like shape. The Shaman marveled at the creature as it floated before him, and then fell upon the ground in reverence.

Turning to Hyde, the bird said, "Why have you awakened me? If Mu flies no more, than neither shall I."

"I mean you no disrespect, Condor," Hyde said. "You see, I thought you may wish to speak with this human. He has information on Mu that could make our plans to revive it a reality."

Condor looked at the Shaman in disbelief. "…Is this true?"

Shaking, the Shaman said, "I-I…well, that is…"

"He's shocked, poor fellow," Hyde said.

"Please, stand up," Condor said, an urgency entering his tone. "Do you truly know something about Mu?"

The Shaman slowly got to his feet and cleared his throat. "Passed down amongst the shaman of this village, there is ancient evidence pointing to the place where Mu now rests. But, we have never been able to verify it."

Condor rushed towards him, making him jump. "You know where it is?! Do you really know where Mu is?!"

"Easy, Condor," Hyde called. "Our friend is a bit hesitant to part with his information. You see, people have repeatedly come to plunder this village, and he is determined to protect whatever he can of their culture."

Condor lowered his head. "…I see. I understand your intentions, human: I too once gave my all to defend my homeland." Looking up, he continued, "But please. If you know where Mu is, then we can restore it! To once again see that great continent in the clouds, to fly alongside it for even one more day…I have dreamed of nothing else in my long slumber. I beg you: tell us where Mu is."

The Shaman wrung his hands around his staff. Stepping forward, Hyde said, "Say, I have an idea. Even if the Shaman here tells us where Mu is, it'll still take us a little while to lift it once more. Perhaps, in the meantime, you could stay here and help him defend this land, Condor?"

"Yes, I'm willing to do that!" Condor said eagerly.

The Shaman took a moment to process this offer. "That does sound tempting…but, then once Mu is restored, my people—"

"Will be even safer," Hyde interrupted. "For being instrumental in its revival, you and your people would obviously be invited to become citizens of Mu."

The Shaman's eyes widened. "Citizens…"

"You would be safe forever, soaring above the Earth as the ancients did, you and Condor protecting not only your people, but also the civilization you hold so dear. Who would dare to steal from you then?"

The Shaman shut his eyes tight. It is our sacred knowledge. How can I just give it away? Yet…to have the aid of this legendary guardian…to shield my people in Mu itself…we would be so much safer than we are now. Our children and their children would never need to struggle for respect as we do. So then…the best choice for my people must be…

"The East," he muttered.

"Hm? I'm sorry, what was that?" Hyde asked.

"The ancient texts say that Mu rests east of here, covered by a shroud of dense magic that repels all intruders. That's all I know."

Hyde frowned. "Hm. Not very specific, is it? Still, that's something I can work with, and a deal is a deal."

He walked behind the Shaman and lifted the cloak, gently setting it on his shoulders. Condor perched upon the Shaman's staff, saying, "Thank you! To show my gratitude, all of my power is yours! Let us defend this land together, so that one day, we may guard Mu as well!"

The Shaman smiled. "Yes…yes, we shall!"

Hyde took a few steps, but then paused. "You know, those demons are probably still hanging around. It may be wise to draw them out and deal with them, now that you can."

The Shaman's face hardened. "You are right. We must purify this place immediately!"

Hyde resumed walking, exerting all his self-control to prevent from bursting out in laughter.

Sonia beat the drum.

"Everyone's still on edge," Luna said quietly. The people moving about the village square seemed tense, darting around in a hurry with subdued expressions very different from their smiles yesterday.

"Maybe it's too much to hope that they'll just forget it," Sonia mumbled. She beat the drum.

"What's done is done," Lyra said. "They'll recover, I'm sure. We shouldn't dwell so much on it."

Sonia beat the drum.

Bud looked up from the ribs he was eating. "So, how about those symbols? That one looked like the one Solo used, and if the rest all are meant to be PM-ians, then are those all the PM-ians?"

"Mmm…I don't know that we have enough to say for sure," Sonia said. "Maybe those are just the most important PM-ians, or they form a specific group. There could be more, and either way, we don't know how many are working with Dr. Vega." She beat the drum.

"Well, that footprint was definitely Yeti," Taurus said.

"I believe I recognized the odd mask design," Ophiuca said. "If I recall correctly, it was on Dark Phantom's hat."

"There were two more, weren't there?" Luna said. "I know there was that guardian symbol, the one the Shaman's staff has, and…what was the other one?"

Sonia beat the drum, and then looked up. The Shaman was making his way into the square, causing the people to gather around expectantly. She set down her sticks.

"Was he wearing that cloak yesterday?"

"I don't believe he was," Lyra replied. "Best be on your feet."

"My people!" the Shaman declared, raising his staff high. "I know that there has been much fear as a result of the strange sight we saw yesterday. I have come to learn that three of the beings we saw were demons, enemies of Mu come to terrorize our land!"

The crowd gasped. Clenching her fist, Luna said, "Demons? How rude! Where did he get a silly idea like that?"

"If I were to guess, it seems like something Hyde would say," Ophiuca said.

The Shaman unfurled his cloak. "But worry no longer! I have been visited by a follower of Mu who has granted me this sacred raiment, imbued with the holy power of the Guardian! Behold!"

Condor emerged from the cloak with a loud screech, and the people backed away in shock.

Oh no. Sonia fumbled with her Visualizer and immediately began searching for a Wavehole.

"With the Guardian Condor at my side, we need never fear anything ever again, my people!" the Shaman continued. "Together, he and I will protect you from all harm! And, I have been assured that plans are in motion for the great continent of Mu to be restored to its rightful place in the heavens, and that when it does, we shall be allowed to join it!"

Lyra perked up. "So that's it. Vega doesn't just want Mu technology, she wants the continent itself."

"Mrrgh, I think we've got bigger concerns right now," Taurus said.

"Rejoice, my people, as we enter into a new era of prosperity and security!" the Shaman said, spreading his arms. "I shall usher in this glorious age at once, by searching out those demons and exorcising them from Whazzap! Watch, and see that you shall never know fear again! EM Wave Change!"

Condor grew into a flash of red light that consumed the Shaman. The crowd recoiled and shouted, and Sonia waved Bud and Luna off in another direction. "There's a Wavehole over there we can use! Let's hurry!"

She looked back to see the Shaman's transformation completed. In a radical shift, he had taken a form resembling a crimson jet plane, its long wings carved with notches to evoke the image of feathers and bearing odd, green, spherical decorations. There were smaller such wings near the rear end of the jet, which housed a focused flame. The front of the machine looked like the face of a bird, red with a large white stripe down over its beak, and on its forehead was the guardian symbol.

"Hear me, demons!" the Shaman's voice boomed as he rose into the sky. "I, Terra Condor, decree that you shall leave this land at once! If you do not do so, I vow that you will be destroyed!"

The flame flared stronger than before, and he shot off towards the desert. Sonia stepped into the Wavehole and transformed, and then she, Bud, and Luna prepared to head after him.

"He's fast," Bud said. "How are we going to catch him?"

"That's not the problem, Bud—he's already looking for us," Luna said. "The problem is, once he does, how are we going to fight him? None of us can fly!"

"Hopefully he'll listen to reason, but if we have to fight it's definitely going to be tricky," Sonia said. "Maybe if we could get on his back…"

She noticed someone from the crowd pointing in their direction. Shoot, not again!

"That's them!"

Stepping back, Sonia said, "H-Hang on a second…"

"Are they the ones the Shaman's looking for?"

Luna scowled. "We're not demons, if that's what you're asking."

The crowd murmured.

"We're sorry," Sonia said. "We didn't mean to cause any trouble, honestly, we were just—"

"Can you help the Shaman?"

"Huh?"

Someone stepped forward from the crowd. "The Shaman would never behave like that. He must not be in his right mind."

"Whoever gave him that thing must have tricked him," said someone else. "If they told him it would help us, he'd probably believe them right away, even if it seemed dangerous. Please, if there's something you can do, will you help him?"

"Please," said a third. "He's our Shaman—we couldn't stand it if he got hurt trying to protect us! Please, can you help him?"

Sonia was speechless. As the crowd stared back at her, she wracked her brain for some response; ultimately, Luna pulled her aside and addressed them in her place. "Don't worry, we'll help him. Everything's going to be okay."

Pushing Sonia and Bud out of the square, she said, "Come on. We've got to figure something out."

"If I may, I have a suggestion," Ophiuca said.

"Really? You?" Lyra said.

"But of course. I feel staging the confrontation at the Lines would be ideal. The nearby cliff would likely make it easier to reach your foe, if you can draw him in first. An opening surprise attack could cripple him easily."

"We're not going to cripple him," Sonia said. "But, let's head that way. Here's what we're going to do."

Bud stood by himself amidst the Whazzap Lines. Glancing up the cliff, he spotted Sonia crouched behind some rocks at its edge, and then turned to scan the sky for any sign of the Shaman.

"I don't really mind being the bait, but…how long is it gonna take?" he said, scratching his head.

A distant roaring could soon be heard. Bud saw a point of red in the distance, and waved to Sonia before readying himself. Terra Condor slowed as he flew into view, lowering his altitude gradually, and stopped above the temple just past where the cliff ended as he glared down at Bud.

"So, you chose not to leave," the Shaman said. "I will give you one final chance, demon! Begone, or face my wrath!"

"Hey Shaman guy!" Bud called. "I'm not a demon! The guy who gave you that weird cloak is the bad guy here, not us!"

"Lies!" the Shaman shrieked. "I see you have made your choice. Feel the fury of Mu!"

Two missiles emerged from the rounded openings on his wings. Bud incinerated one with a burst of flame and then drew back his fist, punching the other when it came close enough. It exploded in his face.

"Ouch! Bad idea!"

The Shaman laughed, slowly drifting closer. From her hiding spot, Sonia lifted her guitar, waiting until her target was in just the right spot. More missiles flew towards Bud, who took off running to avoid getting hit. When he eventually had to turn, it took him too long to do so, and he was hit and sent tumbling. The Shaman's cannons began to glow as he descended on the area.

"Take this, you foul monster!" he shouted.

Sonia sprang up. Jumping off the cliff's edge, she aimed her guitar and fired its strings. They wrapped around one of the Shaman's wings instantly, and when she commanded them to retract, she was pulled forward and up, twisting with the momentum so that she was able to land just behind her opponent's head.

"Shaman!" she shouted in his ear.

With a tremble, the Shaman flew forward a bit and angled up. Twin beams of green light shot from his cannons straight into the sky.

"Ugh, wretched fiend!" he said. "Away from me!"

Sonia wrapped her strings around the jet's main body and held on. The Shaman took off, spinning as he flew higher in an attempt to throw Sonia off. She clung to her guitar for dear life, yelling over the wind, "Listen to me! We're not here to harm Whazzap!"

"Why should I believe you? You fought with an emissary of Mu, and the man who united me with Mu's guardian told me you came to terrorize my people!"

"I'll explain, just stop for a second!"

"No! I shall hear none of it!"

Looping, the Shaman began to dive towards the ground now. Lyra asked, "Condor, was it?"

"You are fellow EM beings?" Condor replied. "Where do you hail from?"

"My associates and I are from Planet FM."

"FM? Then why are you fighting against Mu? Have you not come to join us?"

"…Beg your pardon?"

The Shaman twisted as he sharply leveled off. Sonia heard a few strings snap, but she was able to just barely maintain her grip, and quickly replaced what had been lost. As the Shaman prepared to rise again, something struck the underside of the jet, and he hovered briefly as he recovered from the shot. Sonia nodded to Luna as she ducked back beneath the Wave Road.

"We're not demons, okay?" Sonia explained quickly. "We're just humans fused with beings like Condor! We were just passing through looking for our friends, and that guy attacked us!"

"...Even if I believe that, why is he your enemy?" the Shaman said. "He wore the crest of Mu! Enemies of the ancient civilization are enemies of Whazzap!"

"He and some others are trying to use Mu for something. We don't know what yet, but—"

The Shaman bucked suddenly, throwing Sonia off balance. Accelerating, he spun rapidly, finally breaking the strings and hurling Sonia up into the air. He cleared the way and circled around as she fell. Sonia shot her strings at the first thing she saw—a pillar in the temple—and swung around it, trying to use up some of her momentum before she ultimately crashed into a wall and bounced off towards the Lines.

Luna rushed to her side, asking, "Sonia, are you alright?"

"We're exposed!" Ophiuca said. "We should fall back and find more cover!"

Sonia groaned and got to her feet. "I'm okay."

The Shaman screeched, "Demons or not, you will leave Whazzap at once! At last I have the power to protect my people—I shall let no one take it away from me!"

Bud had regrouped with them now, saying, "So much for that. What's the plan now?"

Sonia gazed up at her foe. With a sigh, she said, "I don't think he's going to listen. He's been convinced that he needs Condor for the sake of his people, and he's going to drive off anyone he thinks is a threat. Lyra, are you alright if we try plan B?"

"I'm ready," Lyra said. "Remember, defeating Condor won't kill him, and the Shaman won't be seriously hurt either. You've no reason to hold back."

"I'll remember," Sonia said, holding her guitar forward. "Bud, Luna, hang back while I get him focused on me. What you do after that is up to you!"

The two of them nodded and retreated as Sonia glowed with a red-hot aura. She was briefly shrouded in flames, and when she emerged, her armor had taken on that same shade of red, and was now thicker and heavier, with jagged, broken-looking edges and numerous scars across its surface. Her greaves were twice as wide as before. A curved plate extended down over her torso, decorated on the front by two lines of four gray hexagons and on the back by four pentagonal plates. Two wide cylinders encased her shoulders, each holding three white fangs. Similar fangs were held in her heavy armguards, and small bands of armor were wrapped around her upper arms and legs. Her helmet didn't change much in shape, though it had lost its rounded protrusions in favor of a spiky layer of bone that covered most of its surface.

She hefted the two bones in her hands as her drums appeared and took a deep breath. I'm in control.

Pointing a bone at the Shaman, she yelled, "If you won't listen to reason, then get ready! This performance is gonna blow you away!"

She struck one of the drums. A fireball launched from it directly at the Shaman; he swerved, narrowly avoiding it, but it suddenly exploded and he was singed by the blast. Sonia struck the other drum. Another fireball was launched, but this time the Shaman put plenty of distance between himself and the projectile. He fired several missiles at Sonia, so she pulled back her arms and willed a wall of fire to spring up in front of her, burning them to ashes before they could make contact. When the flames died down, she resumed lobbing fireballs.

The Shaman laughed. "These are all too easy to avoid! Defeating you will be simple!"

A laser struck Sonia. Thanks to her armor, she shrugged it off and kept attacking, though the Shaman was only off-guard long enough for her to land a single hit. A pull of frustration tugged at the back of her mind, but she pushed it away.

"Let's try something else," she said.

She spun the bones once and then resumed playing. Now, her strikes echoed around her, making each note sound like the footfall of some great behemoth. At first no attacks were being launched, so the Shaman saw this as an opportunity and prepared to fire. While he was distracted, Bud jumped onto the Wave Road and shot a flame bullet from his mouth, stunning the Shaman. With a roar, the Shaman swooped down and rammed into Bud, flinging him against the cliff wall. Bud hit the ground hard as the jet rose back into the sky.

Luna slithered over to Bud and shook him. He was too dazed to get up, so she started to pull him away. The Shaman shrieked and aimed missiles at the rock above them.

"Luna, we need to get clear," Ophiuca said.

"I'm not going to leave Bud here!"

"There's no point in the both of you getting buried! He's well-armored, he has little to fear—we won't be so fortunate."

"Shut up!"

Bud shook his head as the missiles collided with the cliff. As rubble began to fall on them, he regained enough clarity to leap forward with Luna, getting far enough away that only a few small rocks hit them.

"Are you alright Bud?" Luna asked.

"Uh, yeah, I think so," he groaned.

The Shaman turned to Sonia, who was still beating the drums. "You do not act even when your friends are in danger? Despicable! This is why you will lose to me, for I fight for the noble cause of a guardian! My will to defend my people shall overpower you!"

Sonia gritted her teeth. "Defend them? They're terrified right now! Terrified of you! I can appreciate where you're coming from, but you've gotten carried away, Shaman! You're not helping anyone right now!"

The Shaman hovered in place for a moment. "They fear me? But…no, this must be another lie! I shall have your silence!"

"I think we've charged enough energy now," Lyra said, seeing the Shaman preparing to fire. "Quickly!"

When Sonia next hit the drum, the earth shook. A pillar of lava burst out of the ground right beneath the Shaman, shooting up into the sky and making him shout as it enveloped him.

"Wow," Bud said, "that's a cool move…"

The Shaman swerved sharply to avoid another pillar. He tried to fire, but Sonia struck the drum again, forcing him to dodge to avoid being burned.

"We need a way to take the offensive," Condor said. "I suggest we get out of her range and unleash a full assault. That should give us enough cover to come back in and catch her off-guard."

"Very well," the Shaman said, changing his course.

As they flew off, Luna moved towards Sonia, but she said, "No, stay back! He's going to come and attack, I'm sure of it!"

"Isn't there anything we can do to help you?" Luna asked.

"Get to the high ground and see if you can harass him when he comes in. I need an opening!"

Luna nodded, and she and Bud climbed the Wave Road towards the top of the cliff. Sonia looked into the distance to see the Shaman turning around. His screech could be heard even from so far away, and he released a massive fleet of missiles that flew forward. She summoned another fire wall as the torrent of destruction closed in on her, and then closed her eyes and listened. She could hear the missiles burning up in the flames, as well as the Shaman flying in, the rush of air changing as he swerved to avoid Bud and Luna's attacks.

Almost…

The missiles continued to burn. When a few seconds passed without hearing one of them, she lowered the wall and tensed both arms, getting a look at the Shaman preparing to fire lasers at her. Flames surrounded her bones as she grinned. Leaning forward, she hurled both bones, and they spun into wheels of fire as they arced through the air towards the Shaman, impacting his cannons directly before boomeranging back to her hands.

"No, the artillery!" Condor shouted. "They won't function like this!"

"Can you fix them?" the Shaman asked.

"Not without disengaging the Wave Change! Drat, how did I let this happen?"

Sonia returned to the drums, declaring, "You can't win, Shaman, Condor! Just give up now!"

The Shaman glared at her. "I accepted this power to defend my people. To ensure a future for them where they no longer have to endure the jeers of the rest of the world! You may have the advantage, but that future is not something I will give up on so easily!"

He opened his mouth and fired a laser. Sonia took the hit, barely feeling it, and then threw one of the bones again, dealing another solid strike.

As the Shaman pulled back, Condor said, "I will not give up either, my friend. I have sworn to protect this land, and I will not abandon that duty now! Worry not for me—do whatever is necessary to win!"

"Thank you, Condor," the Shaman said. "Let us end this!"

He circled around, getting far enough away that Bud and Luna wouldn't be able to hit him. Looking after him, Bud asked, "I thought he said he wasn't giving up?"

"He's not," Sonia said. "Lyra, how much power do we still have stored up?"

Lyra hummed. "I know what you're thinking. It's going to be close, but…"

The Shaman charged in. As he flew forward, his altitude rapidly decreased, and Luna's eyes widened as she realized where this path would take him. "He's going to crash into Sonia!"

Sonia continued to play calmly as the Shaman approached. Shrieking, he said, "I will defeat you for the sake of Whazzap!"

She struck the drum as he passed over the temple. "Now!" Lyra shouted.

Sonia reared back and readied the power she had built up. Then she started forward and opened her mouth, and out from it shot a spiraling beam of intense flame that met Terra Condor head-on. He fought against the current, pushing forward until he had almost reached her, but the blast ultimately overpowered him, and he was sent skidding across the ground.

"No…" the Shaman moaned as he finally came to a stop. "No…"

Sonia slouched forward against her drums, waiting until the light-headedness passed. "Please…we're not here to hurt your people. There's no reason for us to keep fighting."

"Why should I believe you?"

"They did. They asked us to go after you and make sure you didn't hurt yourself."

"…What? My people were…"

Sonia stood and walked forward. "They're worried about you. They don't understand what's going on, and all they see is their leader transforming suddenly and saying he's going to destroy anyone who opposes him. How would you feel if you saw something like that?"

The Shaman didn't answer.

"I know you want to do your best to protect your people. And Condor, it sounds like you really wanted to keep them safe too."

"It was what we agreed upon," Condor said. "I would help him protect his people if he would tell Hyde where Mu rests…it was a matter of honor."

Sonia bristled, but thought it best not to say anything right now.

"I only wanted…to see Mu fly again. I exist to protect it, and I had to watch it fall apart. I thought that maybe, if there really was some way to restore it…" Condor trailed off into sobs.

"End scene," someone stated.

Dark Phantom faded into view and drove his cane into the Shaman's back, destroying his Wave Change. Red energy flashed and disappeared into the collar of his cloak, which Hyde snatched away before Sonia could stop him.

"Bravo, dear heroine, and many thanks!" he said as he floated away from Sonia. "Your performance has provided me with everything I require for my greatest work to come to fruition! I'll have some flowers sent to your dressing room, heh, heh, heh…"

"Hyde, wait!" Sonia shouted as he vanished. "Darn!"

She stooped next to the Shaman and helped him stand. He muttered, "That man…was that him? But he gave me the guardian's cloak…he…he tricked me…"

"He's one of those people trying to use Mu I mentioned," Sonia said.

The Shaman hung his head. "I see…"

Luna and Bud joined them as Sonia stepped back from the Shaman. He sighed, saying, "And I told him where Mu is. What I fool I am."

"But you just did that to get Condor's help, right?" Luna said. "You were thinking about your people, like any good leader."

"Perhaps, but I betrayed them. How can I face them again?"

Gesturing, Sonia said, "I don't think they see it that way."

The Shaman looked towards the path leading to the village. Some of the villagers were there, watching as if not sure if they should approach, and upon seeing they had been noticed, they tentatively came forward.

"Shaman? Are you alright?"

"You're not hurt, are you? Do you feel like yourself again?"

"You had us worried, Shaman. Come back to the village—I'm sure you could use some rest."

The Shaman gazed at them with wide eyes. "You…you don't resent me? Even after I frightened you so?"

"Of course not!"

"We'd like an explanation, but that can wait."

One of the villagers looked to Sonia. "Thank you all for your help."

"Don't mention it," Sonia said. She smiled at the Shaman. "We'll be on our way. And don't worry: even if they use that information, we'll stop them before they can do anything too bad."

"…Thank you," the Shaman said, his voice shaky. "I am sorry for ever doubting you."

"Right you are!" Luna said. "Honestly, 'demons'? Who says that about other people anymore?"

Sonia chuckled and made for the Wave Road, deactivating the Z Wave Amplifier along the way. Once she, Bud, and Luna were all out of sight, the villagers led the Shaman back home. He still looked troubled, but at the same time he looked relieved.

"Time to assess the damage," Lyra said.

Sonia frowned. "Apparently Dr. Vega wants the whole Mu continent, and judging by how pleased with himself Hyde sounded, he has a pretty good idea of where it is after whatever the Shaman told him."

"When you met Dr. Vega, did she give any indication of what she might want with Mu?" Ophiuca asked.

"Hm…I think she said it had the power to shape the world's future?" Sonia said. She looked down at the image of the floating continent. "I guess the question is, what does she want to shape it into?"

"Perhaps we should quicken our steps," Lyra said. "After this battle, I think it's fair to say you have a good grasp on the Dinosaur Tribe's playing style. And, well…"

"…Geo and Pat aren't here," Sonia finished. "You're right. We'll leave for Loch Mess tomorrow."

She walked down the Wave Road. Following her, Bud said, "Hey, um…if you don't mind, I was thinking I might head back home, actually."

Luna glared at him. "This is no time to chicken out, Bud!"

"No, of course not! It's just…" He looked to Sonia, who had stopped to listen to him. "Well, if things are gonna get intense soon, then I want to spend some time seeing if I can get any stronger. I want to be able to help out, y'know? And I think that if I ask NAZA to help me, I might be able to get a lot stronger."

Luna crossed her arms but said nothing. Sonia said, "If that's what you want to do, then go for it! We'll wish you the best of luck."

Bud sighed. "Thanks. You too!"

Sonia smiled and started walking again. Luna moved at a slower pace than her and Bud, her eyes fixed on the Road in front of her.

"Say, Luna?" Ophiuca asked.

"What is it?"

"Would you prefer if I didn't accompany you either?"

"What? Where did that come from?"

"It just seemed prudent to ask, I apologize if I offended you."

"Prudent to…" Luna stopped to breathe. "Tell me why you're asking this."

Ophiuca said, "I fear I've come as far as I can, and…that it really isn't far enough. I still fail to understand even minor elements of this power of relationships, and if that should lead me to hesitate to offer support in a battle, it could cost us all very dearly. Frankly, I can't think of a reason why you would want to continue to put up with me."

Luna put a hand over her face and groaned. Leaning back, she looked up at the sky as she readied her response, and then closed her eyes and crossed her arms again.

"I won't lie: you're not getting it as quickly as I thought you would, and that is really frustrating. But you're trying. I can recognize that you're trying, so…I'll keep trying to be patient with you."

Ophiuca paused. "I don't understand. What do you have to gain from this patience?"

"Oh, forget about trying to gain something from everything already! It's just that I want to respect your effort, alright? And, you know…"

She moved forward, quietly adding, "When you do eventually get it, I think you'll be a lot happier. If I can help you get there, then, I don't know, I guess I might as well."

Ophiuca said nothing more. She wasn't entirely sure she understood what Luna meant, but for some reason, she found herself feeling happy to hear it.