"We're off!" Kaede announces.
"Well, good luck guys. Don't forget to change your underwear once a day. Tucker, that goes double for you." Church replies.
"What? I'm the cleanest guy here." Tucker exclaims.
"No, it goes double for you because now you're in charge of changing Caboose as well." Church explains. "Triple if Nyu awakes."
"He's not changing me!" Kaede blushes furiously. "I'll just do it myself when I wake up damnit!"
"Sheesh, touched a nerve." Church said, without an ounce of caring in his voice.
"Blorgh." The alien says.
"He doesn't wear any pants." Andy translates.
"Yeah, we noticed. If we meet anybody on this adventure, that might have to change." Tucker says.
"Why? We're used to being naked. Free-ballin, come on!" Andy exclaims. "Kaede, you look like you'd fit well with that style."
"I'd never just walk around naked for any reason, especially some quest." Kaede exclaims. "Whats up with everyone being so perverted today!"
"Yeah... can we cover up Crunchbites... other arm." Caboose hesitantly asks.
"Caboose, thats his penis." Kaede explains. "And I agree, either way, lets not expose anyone to this nudity. If we meet anyone that is..."
"Heh, no way!" Andy exclaims. "Hey Caboose, high five!"
"I don't want to do that anymore." Caboose says. 'Oh God. What if Nyu touched someones penis when she was awake.' Kaede thinks. 'If she's able to force Church to grope me, theres no limits to what perverted things she could possibly do when she's awake. And here I thought she had the mind of a child. Guess that is the case only she's in sexual overdrive or something.'
"Alright. If you gotta use the bathroom, do it now cause we're not pulling over." Andy demands.
"You're not in charge, we'll pull over if we damn please." Kaede shoots back. With that, the five depart. The group walks the long distance until the grass turn to sand. Upon entering the new biome, Andy starts to explain.
"Alright. This is the great swamp. We can rest here awhile before we move on." Andy explains as the group comes to a stop.
"Yeah, lets rest in a swamp. That makes sense." Tucker complains.
"I'm with you on that. It would have been better to rest in the burning plains." Kaede agrees.
"Why is that?" Caboose asks.
"The ground is wet everywhere. While that might not be a problem for you guys, for me I don't have armour to block it out. So when we're done resting, I'm gonna have wet spots on my clothes and possibly my hair. I don't need to tell you that gets uncomfortable." Kaede explains.
"Wow. Thats the most girlish thing I've heard you say." Tucker comments.
"Whats that supposed to mean?" Kaede asks.
"You're kinda a tomboy in that you're not overly concerned in what you wear or how your hair is everyday and you don't even put on makeup. You also don't talk about girl stuff like shoes and celebrities." Tucker explains. "Its not a bad thing."
"Why would I waste so much time on how I look? And besides, all the good celebrities are dead." Kaede says.
"Save your energy Tucker, you're gonna need it. Also, could you two just shut up. You come up with the stupidest shit to talk about." Andy butts in.
"As in, the crap you talk about is way better." Kaede sarcastically replies.
"Yeah, screw that. So far this quest is a fuckin breeze. I've already killed a dead monster. Whats next, we gonna open an unlocked door? Rescue a princess from herself?" Tucker asks.
"Actually... that last one might not be so easy." Kaede comments.
"Huh? How?" Tucker asks.
"I think someone is following us." Caboose says.
"Not now, Caboose." Tucker responds.
"Its probably just an animal." Kaede adds. "Theres a lot of those in a swamp right?"
"Yeah. We really need to take you traveling sometime. How many places have you been in your life?" Tucker asks.
"Well... lets see, Theres the orphanage I grew up at, I've been down to Kamakura a few times, Blood Gulch, that other canyon, the portal room, the burning plains, and the windmill base... Thats everywhere I've ever been." Kaede says.
"Fuck, I've been to all those places and a lot more. When one of us takes shore leave, you're gonna have to come with. Experience more in life, you know?" Tucker suggests.
"That sounds nice." Kaede smiles.
"I've been to the moon." Caboose comments.
"Nobody cares." Tucker responds.
"Bullshit." Kaede responds.
"You're all just jealous." Caboose shoots back.
"Hey, Caboose. I've got a very important job for you." Tucker brings up.
"Very important for me? Ah, you shouldn't have." Caboose says in a flattered tone.
"Yes. Look, we need you to collect berries and twigs. And if you see an animal, you should kill it for food." Tucker says.
"But... but I don't wanna kill an animal." Caboose brings up.
"Then just handle the berries and twigs." Tucker says.
"Okay!" Caboose pipes up and runs off.
"I had to get rid of him for a bit. He would've fuck with our conversation, he's so dumb." Tucker explains.
"Luckily, or other problem has taken care of itself." Kaede adds, looking over to Andy and Crunchbite. She did like Caboose, unlike Tucker, however she would be lying if she said she liked Andy. In fact, she could say she hated him. He may have even been worse than Tomoo and the other boys who used to torment her, but she was still debating on that fact. Luckily, he and Crunchbite seemed to be engrossed in conversation regarding the Shisno. Shisno was apparently an insult specifically towards humans.
Kaede's head cannon
The DNA voice roared with laughter in her dark place. "Dirty Shisno." She says to herself before laughing again. "We've got to use that one once Kaede and I begin our cleansing of the world." Even though some of the humans wouldn't get it, they would eventually realize she was insulting them and their race.
The real world
"When we go out, could we visit Kamakura again?" Kaede asks. "I would like to see Kouta again."
"Who's Kouta?" Tucker asks.
"He's the boy who played with me after I lost my first friend. You and Church were messing around in the forest at that time." Kaede explains.
"Woah. That was years ago, and during that time, you probably didn't spend a lot of time with him? How could you still remember him?" Tucker asks.
"He was a very good friend, and at the time it was a rarity for me, so of coarse I remember him." Kaede responds, a little uncomfortable with the subject. She had realized her true feelings for Kouta at the zoo, and even after all these years, she's held onto them. However, she still didn't know how approach the subject matter. What would she say when she seems him again. Would HE remember her? Did he meet with another girl and the two were... close? These sorts of questions always plagued her mind whenever she thought of Kouta. That isn't to say all her thoughts turned to worry when she thought of Kouta.
"Uh... yeah." Tucker responds. The atmosphere turning awkward. "Uh... so If Caboose finds berries, hopefully they aren't poisonous."
"Probably should have warned him on that." Kaede brings up.
"Oh... yeah." Tucker realizes.
"Caboose!" Kaede yells out as she chases after him, leaving Tucker by his loansome.
"Why did things get so awkward back there?" Tucker says to himself. Then, the pieces click for him. "Ohohoho! I see!"
Caboose begins his search looking at every bush he came across. So far none had berries. He keeps search until he finds a large bush, like bigger than him large.
"Ohhhh! I wonder if any fuzzy creatures are home!" Caboose says to himself. He makes his way inside the bush to find... a door. Caboose knocks on it as if finding a random door in a swamp is normal. After awhile of nothing happening, Caboose gets impatient. "Don't worry. I won't hurt you. I just want to pet you and sing songs to you and be friends." He says to whoever's behind the door. He opens and then steps inside, closing the door behind himself.
"Caboose!" Kaede calls in the distance, but her call is not heard by our blue soldier.
When Caboose steps through the door, he is met with bright white halls.
"Wow. I thought the wood land creature liked green. Maybe someone else lives here." Caboose says to himself. He walks to a nearby door and presses his head against it to listen to anyone on the otherside.
"I don't know what you want me to say sir. We've checked the area thoroughly for these past two years." A voice says. "There has yet to be even a CLUE as to the whereabouts of the queen."
"She is still out there Kurama. We need to find her, or humanity will end." A more gravelly voice says. "We need to consider the possibility she has fled Japan and could be anywhere in the world by now."
"If that is the case finding her may be impossible. We may not find her until its too late." The first voice, Kurama says.
"I don't need to tell you that that is unacceptable." The other voice says. "We must find the queen and quickly. I suggest we send in the Siphelts to find her for us."
"Sir?" Kurama questions.
"We'll send out two search teams and pair of diclonius with each. Diclonius have a natural ability to sense each other, so they will find us the queen." The second voice explains. "We shall send out numbers 5 and 6." They should be sufficient enough to help in our search."
"Sir. What if 5 and 6 attempt to escape?" Kurama asks.
"You shall see to it that they don't. You may use any means necessary to keep the diclonius on their leash. Any means, Kurama." The voice says.
"I understand, sir." Kurama replies. "I shall assemble the search team immediately."
"Hmmm." Caboose says to himself. "They're on the search for a queen this must be the thing Tucker was talking about." He then exits thought the door he just came in, back to the swamp. As he clears out of the bush, he doesn't notice the strange door disappear.
Caboose runs aimlessly through the swamp until he hears a friend calling.
"Caboose!" He hears Kaede call. Running in the direction it came from, he finds the pink haired girl.
"Kaede! Kaede! I'm right here!" Caboose calls out. As soon as he reaches her, he gives her a hug. "I found it." He says.
"What?" Kaede asks, breaking the hug. "You didn't eat any of the berries, right?"
"No. I found the next quest." Caboose states.
"Next... quest?" Kaede questions.
"Yes, Tucker said we needed to save a queen from herself. I know people who are looking." Caboose explains in his "serious" voice.
"Tucker was just kidding, Caboose. Besides, theres not gonna be a queen sitting in the middle of butt-fuck nowhere." Kaede says.
"Oh. Okay." Caboose simply responds.
"Come on, lets get back to the others." Kaede says.
The two arrive back at the camp to find Tucker unconscious and alone. "I don't like this." Kaede voices.
"Yeah? Where's Crunchbite?" Caboose asks.
"Where ever he is, something fishy is going on and it has his name all over it." Kaede says.
"I don't see fishy's with Crunchbite written on them. Where are they?" Caboose asks. A dark figure sneakily approaches Tucker. Kaede sees this and uses her invisible arms to launch herself towards the figure. At the same time, Crunchbite jumps from a nearby bush. The three collide at the same time.
"We got em!" Andy exclaims.