They left the Genaca Forest and walked back onto the road. While walking, Serena mentioned to Luna about how Cerulean looked like Amy and Magenta looked like Raye. Luna agreed.

Finally, they reached a small village. They stopped at a sign which had odd lettering written on it.

"What does it mean?" Serena asked.

"It says, 'VILLAGE OF IERMY'," Cerulean replied.

They began to ask around. No one had heard of Tangerine, Sunglow, or Forest. The sky got darker.

"Let us go into that tavern over there," Cerulean said. "We can get something to drink and rest our feet."

They all agreed and went inside. When they found a booth and sat down, a red-headed waitress came up to them.

She looks like my friend Molly!, Serena thought, surprised.

"What'll it be, ladies?" the girl asked.

"Three legs of melvini and a jug of scoutaberry juice should be enough," Magenta said.

"Comin' right up." She turned to leave, but Cerulean caught her by the hand.

"Do you know anyone by the name of Sunglow?"

"No."

"Tangerine?"

"No."

"Forest?"

"No, but see that man over there?" She pointed to a bar where a young blond man was wiping the counter.

It can't be!, Serena thought. He looks just like my friend Andrew!

"That's my boss," the girl said. "He might know somethin' I don't."

"Thank you," Cerulean replied. The waitress walked away. Cerulean turned to Serena, Luna, and Magenta. "I will go to see what he knows." Cerulean got up and walked over to the bar.

"I hear you're lookin' for Forest," said a girl in the next booth whose back was turned to them. "I might know somethin'."

"Really!" Serena asked. "Please help us! The Fairy of The Lake---"

"Stop, Serena!" Magenta interrupted. "Don't tell her anything. We don't know who she works for."

"I don't work for no one but myself," the girl said. "The Fairy of the Lake, hmmmm? You got proof?"

"Serena, don't!"

"No, Magenta," Luna said. "We need to take every chance we get. Time is running out."

Serena reached over and showed her the shell. When she put the shell back, the girl turned her head. She had brown hair and a long scar that went from the left side of her forehead, across the bridge of her nose, and ended at the bottom of her right cheek.

"Can you tell us anything?" Serena asked.

"So, you wanna find Forest?" the girl asked. "Well, you're lookin' at her."

"Thank you for your help, sir," Cerulean said. She walked back over to the girls. "He said that Forest is in this tavern, but he cannot say where or she will break his kneecaps. Tangerine and Sunglow are the sneakiest thieves around. They will be hard to find."

"Cerulean," Serena said, "say hello to Forest."

Forest stood up. Much taller than the other girls, she wore a brown leather, split pleated skirt with a shiny green breastplate over the top. She had a matching green ponytail holder and one of her boots was higher than the other. Without the scar, she looked like Lita. She grinned mischievously.

"It looks like you girls did better than myself," Cerulean said, smiling.

The girls left the tavern and village and resumed walking up the dirt road.

"Um… Forest," Serena began. "Um… how did you get your scar?"

"Well, Serena is it? Well, I got this scar fightin' Queen Goldie's army when she first showed up. She swept through Ankh so fast an' quick, nobody knew what hit 'em. She imprisoned Prince Blazer in a dungeon, in his own castle, an' sent out death warrants for everyone else she believed to be potential troublemakers. Of course I was on the top o' the list."

Wow, Serena thought, I can't believe I'm going up against someone so powerful. But she can't be as bad as Beryl or Rubious… Can she?

Eventually, they came to a big intersection that split into five different roads. Each road had a sign by it saying which village it led to. The castle was straight ahead.

"We'll camp here tonight," Forest said. "Do you wanna take the first watch, Serena?"

"Why me? I'd just let you all down."

"Don't worry, Serena," Luna said. "I'll stay up with you."
Cerulean, Magenta, and Forest laid down while Serena and Luna tended the fire. Soon, they were also asleep and the fire slowly died out.

A little later, Forest felt something and opened one eye. She saw a shadow searching her, probably for gold. She kicked the shadow to the ground and like a flash of lightning, had her green-handled sword pointed at the intruder's neck.

Forest whistled loudly, which woke the other girls up. Cerulean started the fire again with her staff. Now they could see the intruder. It was a blond girl wearing a black and orange crop top, black shorts and boots, and orange tights. A rolled-up whip was attached to her belt and she had a heart-shaped tattoo on her left shoulder.

Mina? "Who are you?" Serena asked. The girl kept quiet.

"Answer her!" Forest commanded.

The girl sighed. "I am Tangerine, the greatest thief in all of Ankh, and I can't believe I was caught by the likes of you." She glared at Forest.

"Tangerine!" Serena exclaimed. "The Tangerine! Please we need your help. The Fairy of The Lake told me you could!" Serena showed her the shell which glistened in the firelight.

"I believe you," Tangerine said, "but why should I help you?"

Forest put her sword back in her scabbard and helped the girl up.

"Prince Blazer has been captured by Queen Goldie and in a couple of days, her evil cloud will take over and be unstoppable!" Serena exclaimed. "The Fairy of The Lake said that only the seven of us can free Prince Blazer and save Ankh."

"The seven of us?" Tangerine asked. "But there are only six of us here."

"Well," Cerulean said, "we have yet to find the one named Sunglow. Do you know her?"

Tangerine chuckled. "He is my companion. It's all right, Sunglow!" she yelled. "They're friends!"

Sunglow leapt out of the bushes. He was a cat, just like Luna! In fact, he looked like Artemis except for the orange headband around his forehead, and the gold earring in his right ear.

"I heard everything, Tangerine," he said. "I'd be honored to help defeat that evil queen."

"Good," Magenta said. "Now that that's settled… let's get some sleep."