The group trekked through the forest and over the mountains. They climbed up and up until they reached the cave leading to the Almighty Genie.
"We made it!" Blaze beamed.
"Crusher, you in there?!" Pickle called out.
"Pickle, you're here! Come on in! I have an amazing surprise!" Crusher's voice echoed through from inside.
"Ooh! I love surprises!" Pickle jumped for joy and zoomed right in the cave.
"Pickle, wait up!" Blaze cried before they all dashed after the green truck.
They drove through the cave, their fire marks and sunstone glowing in the darkness. They soon reached the end of the cave, where they found the giant glowing fountain, along with the crystals surrounding the cave.
"Crusher? Where are you?" Pickle glanced around.
"Over here!"
The group drove and turned to see Crusher by the fountain water with Hanna, who giggled as she splashed in the water.
"This is fun, Papa!"
Pickle's stomach dropped at the sight of the little girl. His heart started to pound hard in his chest as he felt the tears roll down his cheeks.
It can't be...
No, it can't...
But...
"H-Hanna...?"
The girl glanced up at him with a beam and a gasp.
"MAMA!!" She jumped to her tires and ran to him, jumping into the green truck's tires. "MAMA, LOOK! ME CAN SEE!! ME CAN TALK!!!"
"Crusher... how is this even possible...?" Pickle glanced at the other in disbelief.
"I..." Crusher smiled and glanced up at the statue. "I wished for her, Pickle. I... wanted our daughter back..."
"Crusher... that's amazing!" Pickle felt himself begin to break down before he ran to the dark blue truck, hugging him together with their daughter. "I love you so much!"
"I love you too... I love both of you."
"What trouble did you have to go through to get her back?" Pickle asked.
"Well, in order to get Hanna back, it would have to take someone else's life. I figured it was someone who was already suffering, and they're in a better place now." Crusher replied.
"She is here," the genie spoke.
"Huh? She?" Crusher glanced up, confused. "Who is here, and who is this she? Because I can count two shes,"
"The dying child is here," the voice spoke again.
"Wait... dying kid?"
"You... you..." Crusher tensed when he heard a familiar voice.
When Crusher turned, he saw the entire Blaze Family and Roarian staring, but Blaze?
He looked the most hurt of all.
"Crusher... you... how could you...?"
"I... I didn't know!" Crusher defended himself.
"But you SHOULD have known taking someone else's life to get what you want is WRONG!! I trusted you, and now my sister is dying!"
"It... It's not just what he wants..." Pickle admitted.
"I know you wanted her back too, Pickle, but that's no excuse! Genie, how can I heal my sister?" Blaze asked.
"A life for a life, the rule still stands," the genie told him.
"Wait... you mean... I have to choose who dies?!" Blaze cried.
"Correct," the genie confirmed. "Either your sister dies and Hanna lives, or Hanna dies, and your sister lives. No exceptions, whatsoever,"
Blaze looked at both families, and they looked directly at him.
Waiting... hoping... for a good enough answer.
In his tires, Blaze trembled in fear, tears pouring.
"Well? What is your choice?" asked the genie.
"I... I..."
Suddenly, Blaze couldn't take it anymore.
"I DON'T KNOW!!! YOU'RE ASKING ME TO KILL SOMEONE!! I WOULD NEVER DO THAT!! IT WOULD BE BETTER IF YOU KILLED ME INSTEAD!!!"
With that, Blaze ran off, leaping down the mountain crying. The others stared, watching him leave. Roarian hissed and turned to the genie.
"Does it have to be a child to sacrifice a life force?"
"Yes, or the wish cannot work," the genie answered.
"So... what can we do?"
"The red truck chose to make a choice, it is up to him," the voice told him.
"Papa, Mama, what going on?" Hanna asked, glancing around in confusion.
"Uh..." Pickle stared at Crusher, who sighed and kissed their daughter's forehead.
"I'm sorry, Hanna... this is all my fault... I took you away from heaven dispite knowing the consequences. Now, Blaze is forced to make the most difficult choice of his life... all because I couldn't accept the fact you were gone."
"Crusher... don't blame yourself, please..." Pickle hugged him.
"But, it is, Pickle. We both wanted Hanna back, and I was so blindsided I couldn't see I was hurting Blaze and his family for my own gain!"
"Crusher, please," Pickle sighed. "You didn't know that they'd be hurt..."
Hanna stared at her parents, not understanding what was happening but feeling the air eerie and uncomfortable. She jumped out of her mother's tires and allowed the green truck to console the other before she turned to the Blaze Family. Phoenix was holding Sparkle while sobbing as Flame wrapped a tire around her.
"What do you think Blaze will choose, Flame?"
"I don't know... he looked heartbroken, knowing he'd have to choose... I think if he chose one over the other... one group would hate him." Flame sighed.
Hanna glanced at the dying girl in the white truck's tires. She drove over, tilting her head.
"Hello?"
"Oh... hello there, sweetheart," Phoenix tried to smile.
"Hello, Ms!" Hanna turned to her and waved. "Why you crying?"
"This... this is our baby girl, Sparkle. She's... she's not doing so well now." Phoenix sighed.
"Oh..." Hanna looked at the girl. "Someone hurt her?"
"No, no one hurt her. Your papa... he tried to get you back, but in some way, it made Sparkle get sick. He had the best intentions. I would do the same thing."
"You... you don't blame me?" Crusher asked. "After everything...?"
"Of course I don't," Phoenix gave a small smile.
"You were doing what any parent woulda done," Flame sniffled. "Deep down, Blaze doesn't blame you either-- he was just scared."
"Roarian...?" AJ whispered off to the side. "Do you think you could go and check on him...? Help him get all those emotions out...?"
"Good idea," Roarian nodded and turned to drive and fly off after.
Crusher watched him go, guilt still heavy in his chest as he hissed. Pickle stared at him with a raised eyebrow before sighing.
"Wanna see if he's okay too?"
"Yeah..." Crusher nodded.
"You go on after him. But keep your distance, in case he's still a little heated. No pun intended."
"Got it," Crusher nodded and drove off, kissing Hanna on the head. "Papa just needs to go do something, stay here with your Mama, okay?"
"Yes, Papa."
Hanna nodded and watched her father zoom out. She then turned back to Sparkle.
"Is she sleeping?"
"No, dear, uh..."
"Yes, Hanna, she is," Pickle nodded and patted her head.
"Oh, okay!" Hanna nodded and ran to the fountain to play.
"We can't let her know... not at this age," said Pickle. "Please...?"
"Of course," Phoenix nodded. "How old is she...?"
"...5," Pickle sighed. "She's five years old,"
"And... how did she... you know...?"
"Crusher's parents came to our house and attacked us," Pickle said with a hiss. "Knocked me out, shot Crusher and killed her instantly..."
"Oh..." Flame's eyes widened while Phoenix gasped. "But... But why?"
"...they just did," Pickle chuckled darkly. "They hate Crusher... so they tried to kill us... and managed to get to her,"
"I'm so sorry, Pickle honey..." Phoenix said, holding him close.
"Do you think... Blaze will be okay?" Pickle asked.
"I'm sure he will," Flame reassured him. "He just... needs some time to think,"
"Mama! Play with me!" Hanna called out from the fountain. "Me wanna play splashy!"
"Okay, honey! I'm coming!"