Shivers crept down my spine when I read a ransom note that had appeared in front of my face. It said,

Dearest Alice Manchester,

We have your friend Fierce Fox. Turn yourself in within 12 hours at the old sawmill or she will become the quarry, and you will be next.

Sincerely yours, MVB.

The formality just made the letter more agitating. I sighed and slumped back on a rock.

I had landed inside a dark, underground, dirt cave. There were platforms with small, sharp rocks in the dirt, and resources for someone who lived there. The cave was lit up, ropes hanging from the roof.

I laid my head on the rock, feeling slightly dizzy. The note was in my lap. It was making me sick.

"Got you now, you swine!" someone jeered.

The voice came from an elderly, dark-skinned man with rough grey hair, posh clothing and a pegleg. His name was Max McGullicutyy.

He waddled over to me. "Wait - you're not Van Buren."

"No, but I got a ransom note from him," I told Max. "He…" I gulped. "He kidnapped my friend. And now he wants… to hunt her. Unless I give myself in at the old sawmill."

"Van Buren, that dirty pig," Max said, shaking his head. "I've been on the run from him for over a year now, waiting for someone like you to show you. I've been able to survive underground even with this gammy leg - but with your help, we can turn the tables on Van Buren… and save your friend!"

"I'd like nothing more," I replied, grinning despite the butterflies in my stomach. "What do we do?"

"The old sawmill is the perfect place for us to spring a trap and a rescue mission," Max informed me. "We'll need a rope, a gear, and a whistle. Get those, and then we'll capture Van Buren. Once we capture him, we can save your friend."

I took a deep breath. "I can do it… I think."

I gathered all the courage I could find in my system. This is for Fierce Fox, I told my cowardly self. She needs you.

So, with this new determination, I grabbed a fishing pole from the lower part of the cave. Then I exited the cave, and came to a small section before the surface.

The remaining snow was sludge. Browning grass covered everything, including thick rocks and bushy trees. The forest was quite beautiful. It was a shame I was too scared to admire it.

I hid behind some tall grass, spying on Myron Van Buren. He was walking around, holding out a gun. There was a reason Poptropica was for ages up to 15 years (and older, heh).

I climbed up a tall, leafless tree. I nearly slipped off a branch; thank everything for instincts. I leaped across to another tree, trying not to make a sound. Breathing was starting to get difficult due to my anxiety.

I got to the right tree branch. I pulled out the fishing rod and reeled it down. The hook picked up a whistle and reeled it up.

I sighed with relief as I clutched the golden whistle in my hand. I stealthily climbed down into the hole and went to the next area, via an underground passage. My heart was thumping fast.

I arrived at the next area. I took another deep breath. The underground part was quite muddy and full of toadstools, unsurprisingly. There was a rock that could be flipped, so naturally I flipped it.

I balanced it on another rock, so it became a platform. I waited until the sniffer dog was gone, then I leaped up onto the muddy surface area.

I flipped over another rock. The dog was returning, so I jumped behind a bush. Strangely, the dog didn't smell me, even though I was basically right next to it. MVB needed better hunting dogs.

I continued this process and put the rock onto another ledge. I jumped up the rock and landed on a grass-covered rock platform. From there, I shoved a broken tree down from a cliff. It landed on another platform, creating a bridge.

I raced across the bridge and came onto another platform. There was a tree right next to this platform, which was holding up a trapped grizzly bear by the foot with rope. Really cruel.

MVB is gonna pay for this, I grimaced.

I freed the bear; it fell down with a mighty crash. It left behind the rope.

I returned to the underground space and headed right. The underground area stopped and curved upwards, leading to the surface. A tree was in front of me, holding a trap. It was not the only trap. There were rocks surrounding a bed of water and creating walls. There were also trees and other plants.

I jumped over the tree trap and landed in the water. I swam underneath a rock, which was holding a trap. A large tree was blocking my path; I climbed up its branches. The last branch was rather bouncy, making me do a hundred flips non stop.

A trap was beside my head, and a dog was walking above my head. I waited for the dog to go away before I leaped through the center of the trap. Yes, I survived.

I came to the area where the dog was patrolling. I leaped into a bush and waited for it to pass me. When it did, I climbed over a tree, ran across a space, and found a waterfall.

It was quite beautiful. It had long, frozen streams, and rocks surrounding it. In the middle of the waterfall was a log being held up. As well as many more logs.

I got to the bottom and landed in a pool of water. There was a pile of logs holding up a cage. In the cage was a trapped beaver. I released it; it swam away.

After that I received the gear. It went into my inventory; I grinned. I finally had everything I needed to save Fierce Fox.

"Perfect!" Max admired, grinning at my work. "Take that equipment to the sawmill and set up a trap for Van Buren. Once you've trapped him…"

"...free my friend," I finished. "Got it."

I took a deep breath. The plan was ridiculous, but we had no choice.

I headed left and came to the area just below the sawmill. It was a beautiful wooden building that showed age with cobwebs and rotting planks. A metal cage held a furious Fierce Fox, who was glaring at MVB. He grinned, smugly. My arms shook.

When MVB's back was turned, I crept into the sawmill. Fierce Fox's eyes lit up. She opened her mouth to say something, but I silenced her.

"Shh…" I whispered. "I'm getting you out."

Water covered the metal floor and sunshine creeped through cobwebs. I placed the gear on the rusty sawmill. It turned the sawmill on; a large, wooden wheel started spinning around. Fierce Fox's cage lifted just enough for her to slip away.

I leaped up to the top and set up the rope. That way, when someone stepped on the step connected to the sawmill, a cage would fall down and trap them.

However, I knew MVB wasn't going to fall for that. Luckily, I had another idea.

I headed back downstairs and blew the whistle. I whipped around and faced MVB.

"Ah-ha!" I yelled, grabbing his shirt with all the fury I could produce and shoving him towards the step. He retaliated at the last second and stood up, storming towards me. "Uh oh…"

"Very clever!" MVB sneered, holding out his gun. The sawmill was behind me. "You nearly had me. But no one outfoxes Myron Van Buren."

"How about Fierce Fox?" Fierce Fox asked, riding the bear from before.

Max McGullicutty was also on the bear's back. It was quite terrifying; even I got chills.

"Ah!" MVB yelled, flying backwards. I leaped out of his way. He was very close to the sawmill. "You fools! You can't defeat me! It's time to add a new trophy to my collection!"

He aimed his gun at me.

"Why?" I demanded, clenching my fists.

"You destroyed my house!" MVB answered, baring his teeth. "And now it is time for my revenge. You shall feel fury like never before!"

"The only fury you'll feel is this!" Fierce Fox retorted, charging towards MVB, lightning staff out. It summoned some harmless lightning. The scene still looked great though.

Fierce Fox karate-kicked MVB onto the sawmill. He got caught on it and started spinning around. "You deserve this!"

"You deserve this for destroying my house!" MVB roared back, as he was slapped in the face by beavers. Part of me actually agreed with him.

"I'm glad all those trophies were burnt up," Max expressed. "But did you really set his house on fire?"

Fierce Fox nodded enthusiastically.

I shrugged half-heartedly. "I guess you've already had revenge then, haven't you…"

His expression was mixed. So was mine. Fierce Fox, on the other hand, looked proud as she received the medallion. I didn't feel proud. I just felt… bad. I couldn't even enjoy the relief of Fierce Fox's return.

"I'm sorry," I turned to her. "I left you behind-"

"Don't worry about it," Fierce Fox sighed. "I got out. We're safe."

I breathed out in relief. "Yeah. We're safe."