A little later than I'd like, but oh well. Life happens, right? Enjoy!
Lio walked down a road, carrying something very important. He moved the blanket covering it to look at Kipo, who was cooing a bit. "Hey there Kipo." He said. "You hungry?" Kipo smiled. "Of course you are. Because you're a baby. Iii'll find us somewhere safe to eat." Kipo cooed again as something walked up behind them. Lio turned to see a giant scorpion with 3 very sharp tails. He backed away, scared, and his heart started to race. The scorpion turned to him, and he took off running. It gave chase quickly. Lio jumped over some rubble, which barely slowed the scorpion down as it just crashed through it. It screeched at him. "Rock a bye Kipo." Lio semi-sang. "There aren't giant scorpions following us!" Kipo just looked up at him as he made a sharp turn down an alley. The scorpion continued to follow him, chasing him into a dead end. He looked back just in time to barely dodge to the side of a massive claw swinging at him. It got embedded in the wall around his shoulder, limiting his options further. His heart raced as the three tails reared back to strike. He looked down at Kipo, who growled. Her eyes became slitted and she shot a paw out, scratching at the scorpion's claw. It backed up as she started crying, and Lio quickly darted out of the way as it tried to attack again. He ran into a thin alleyway, staying away from the scorpion. It reached in a bit, but soon left, not wanting to deal with such difficult prey. Lio continued running away as Kipo cried, trying to get as much distance between them and the scorpion. Buildings melted into trees as he ran, and soon he was deep in a forest. He slipped down a small hill, but got back up quickly and continued to run. He only slowed down a minute later, as he came up to a strange sign. He looked back to see that he was no longer being pursued, then sat down, taking a deep breath. He looked at Kipo, who was still crying. "My life just got saved by a baby." Kipo stopped crying and looked up at him. He put his hand out to her, and she grabbed it in her paw. "Aw." Kipo suddenly squeezed down, cracking his joints. "Ow, ow ow! Put it away put it away!" Kipo let go and laughed a bit. "Can you put it away?" Kipo yawned, then curled up a bit before going to sleep. "Don't worry, we'll figure it out." He tapped her nose. "Boop." The ground suddenly rumbled. "Huh?" More rumbling, like footsteps. Lio cautiously stood up and looked around. Then a Mega Boar ran at him, picking him and Kipo up in its mouth.
Fear of humans, fear of what they'll do
Fear of others, no matter where you go
Taken from your home, forever lost
One light in the distance,
But oh so far away,
Run towards the light,
Away from your fear
The group walked through an alleyway, led by Benson. "I can't believe Scarlemagne smoked Ratland." He said. The group walked forward a bit more, but Mark was looking around a lot more.
"I don't get it." He said. "What's Ratland?"
"It's a" started Kipo, before catching herself, "it was an amazing amusement park. Rides, fun, and safety for everyone."
"What's an, amusement park?" Asked Mark. Kipo and Benson just looked at him. "In case you guys missed the memo, I was in a lab for 10 years after being kidnapped off the street. I never got to learn about anything the way normal kids do."
"That sounds rough." Said Benson.
"Not as rough as this!" Interjected Dave. "Now I'll never get to ride the heart swallowing spine crackling knee dislocated teacups!" Benson looked down at him.
"Yeah right." He said. "You were never gonna ride that." Dave scoffed.
"Yeah I was!"
"I'm sorry Dave." Said Kipo. "If I could've turned into the Mega Jaguar, I could've saved Ratland."
"Yeah, well, I'm missing out because of you, and, not because I'm scared." Dave shivered a bit.
"You're definitely scared." Said Mark.
"Am not!"
"Kipo, there's nothing you could've done." Said Wolf. Benson knelt down and pulled out his can of spray cheese. He shook it up, sniffling.
"This, is for you, Ratland." He sprayed it on the ground, creating a small pile of cheese. "Oh, it's just too much."
"Uh, what is he doing?" Asked Mark.
"Oh, that's the entrance fee for Ratland." Said Kipo. "Last time we were here, he sprayed it and suddenly" Kipo was interrupted by the sound of a vehicle driving up. A van turned in and came to a stop before everyone. The window rolled down, and Amy stuck her head out.
"Bonjour! And welcome to, Vanland!" Brad came out of the hood.
"It's a work in progress, but we have one ride!" He paused for a few moments, before patting the van. "It's, it's this." The group was stunned for a moment.
"Yeah, uh huh." Said Dave. "To be clear, the teacups were destroyed, right?" Kipo smiled excitedly.
"Brad! Amy!" She exclaimed. "I'm so glad you guys got away!"
"Yeah, just barely." Said Brad. "Apparently Scarlemagne does not like Mutes mixing with humans."
"I could've told you as much." Said Mark, looking down. "He sees humans as no more than tools for him to achieve his goals."
"Ratland was just a, beautiful dream of ours." Added Amy, sniffling. "All species welcome."
"But it's ok!" Said Brad. "Because now our work, our home, and our car are all the same thing!" He patted the van again. "It's, it's this. Uh, it's still this, the van." He smiled nervously.
"Can we take you anywhere?" Asked Amy.
"Actually yes!" Said Kipo. "We're trying to get to the Chevre Sisterhood. They need to help me control, this." She pointed to her paw.
"Oh, I'm so glad you said something." Said Brad. "I noticed but I didn't want to be rude." Mark looked back up.
"If they know how to help Kipo, they can probably help me somehow too." He looked at his own paw. "This thing is quite cumbersome." Amy started tapping her teeth, like how someone would tap their chin while thinking.
"The Chevre Sisterhood." She said. "Oh! You mean the blind goats? We've only heard of them. They're very mysterious. We can't take you to them, but we can get you close."
"Great!" Said Kipo. Everyone but Mark made their way to the van. Mark was looking at the two rats, thinking of something. His musings were interrupted quite soon, however.
"You coming?" Asked Benson. Mark jolted out of his thoughts, and looked at him.
"Uh, yeah." He walked up as well, past Benson, and Amy cleared her throat.
"Entrance fee." She pointed at Brad, who opened his mouth wide.
"Oh, right!" Benson shook up his spray cheese again, then squirted some into Brad's mouth. He closed it and licked his lips, then Amy opened hers. Benson took aim and fired, spraying some into her mouth. Then he climbed in and closed the door.
"And off we go!" Said Amy. Brad closed the hood, and the van got moving. Mark looked out the window and ignored everybody else, which Kipo noticed.
"Hey, are you okay?" She asked. She put her hand on his shoulder, which he brushed off.
"Yeah, I'm fine." He said. "Just, these two remind me of the two rats that used to live in my room, if you could call it that. The only friends I had in that forsaken place." He sighed, then looked at her. "How much do you trust your father on this?"
"He knows what he's talking about." Said Kipo. "I trust him. If he and mom did this to me," she pointed at her paw, "then he has to know things about it, right?" Dave stuck his head out of the window.
"Woo hoo!" He hollered. "It's official! My favorite Vanland ride is Van, the Ride!"
"He's going to kill himself." Said Mark. The van suddenly came to a stop, and Dave got flung forward out of it.
"Whoa!" He crashed into a sign a few yards ahead. Amy turned back to the rest of the group as Brad opened up the console.
"Here we are," he said, "Eyeball Woods."
"Remember, you don't find them." Said Amy. "They find you."
"Thanks!" Said Kipo. She got out quickly, followed by Benson and Wolf. Mark brought up the rear, still thinking. Amy stuck her head out the window to look at everyone as Dave fell off the sign.
"If they find you, would you mind bringing us some of their famous cheese?" She asked.
"I'll take Havarti!" Added Brad, sticking his head out. The van backed away, tires screeching. The group watched them leave, then looked around.
"So, what do we do now?" Asked Benson. "Just sit here and wait?" He sat down, then immediately stood back up. "Gah! This is so boring!" Mark smirked, then sat down himself.
"You think this is boring?" He asked. "At least here, you have stuff to look at."
"I'm sure the Chevre Sisters will find us in no time." Said Kipo. The ground began rumbling, and a Mega Boar suddenly rammed into her and Wolf. It flicked them into the air, then caught them in its mouth. Stalkie clattered to the ground as Mark shot up, looking around quickly. He, Benson, and Dave were all suddenly picked up by another Mega Boar in the same way. It ran up next to the other one, then they looked back at Mandu. She grunted, then picked up Stalkie in her mouth. She charged at the one that had picked up Benson, Mark and Dave, and hit it a few times. It glared at her, then looked away. The two began walking, and Mandu gave chase.
Scarlemagne painted another stroke on his piece of art. "Tell me Lemieux, which one of us is more handsome?" He slicked his brush to the side, making Lemieux duck under the paint. He turned to her and gestured to his painting.
"Uh, I uh, you, sir!" She said.
"So, you find my painting subpar?" Lemieux shook her head quickly.
"No no no! It's exquisite! It makes you look, dignified?" Scarlemagne glared at her.
"You don't find me dignified in real life?" He asked.
"I, I, uh, I," Scarlemagne glared at her more intensely, then broke out into sobs.
"It's terrible!" He grabbed onto the painting.
"It's not terrible." Said Atom, walking into the room. "She doesn't know how to answer your questions without insulting you and making you freak out." He walked into the center of the room and knelt on one knee. He shook his head, trying to force himself back up.
"Ah, Atom." Said Scarlemagne, regaining his composure. He let go of the painting, then turned to him. "Tell me, was there anything suspicious on your patrol?" Atom grimaced.
"Nothing of note." He said. "Though I do wish I had the ability to lie to you about this!" Scarlemagne laughed.
"Unfortunately for you, you don't have that choice. Now stand up." Atom did as he was told, and Scarlemagne stepped up to him, pulling out a bottle. "It's time to reup your dose." He gave Atom a spritz of pheromones, and he started coughing.
"It still stinks." He muttered.
"I'm certain it does." Agreed Scarlemagne. "Glad it's not me." He laughed again, then looked at Atom's arm. "So tell me, any new developments with that? It is the most interesting thing about you, after all. Bring it forward." Atom brought his draconic arm up for Scarlemagne to look over.
"Nothing new has happened yet." Said Atom. "Nor do I know anything about why it's happening."
"Oh, sure you do." Said Scarlemagne. "But I'll let it slide for now." His attention was brought to his right as Gerard walked up with Lio in tow, dressed like a noble. "Ah, look at you Lio!" Gerard shoved Lio forward. "You could almost be mistaken for an actual noble!" Scarlemagne walked up to him and put a hand on his shoulder. "All that's missing is," he grabbed the wig from Lio's hand, and put it on him. Lio pushed his hands out of the way, glaring at him.
"I'd prefer an outfit from this century." He stated.
"Hm." Said Scarlemagne. "Rude."
"No, rude would be taking control of someone and forcing them to do your bidding." Interjected Atom. "Which is exactly what you"
"Quiet now, Atom." The rest of Atom's words were muffled as he found himself unable to talk clearly. Scarlemagne looked back at Lio. "Now, come along!" He wrapped his arm over Lio's shoulder as Atom turned to follow. His eye twitched slightly as he tried to force himself to do something, anything that didn't involve him doing as Scarlemagne told him. But it was all in vain as Scarlemagne led them outside. He gestured at everybody working. "What you see out there are the future foundations of my new city, Aurum. Your people have the privilege of building it for me." Lio looked at him, and he looked back, smiling. He started walking again, and Lio and Atom begrudgingly followed. One of the workers stumbled while carrying a massive I-beam, falling to his knees. Scarlemagne looked at him as he panted, then pulled out his bottle again. A quick spritz, and the man was up on his feet again. "That's the spirit! Back on your feet! Don't stop lifting until the very last beam is in place!" Atom mumbled something, trying to voice his concerns, but Scarlemagne ignored him and turned to Lio. "But you see, I'm running low on pheromones." He held up the bottle to Lio. "There's only so much one mandrill can sweat." He wrapped his arm around Lio's shoulder again. "And that, dear Lio, is why I am so glad we are reunited." Lio looked down at the bottle, concerned.
The two Mega Boars continued to walk, and Kipo grunted with her paw out of the one's mouth. "Let, me, outta here!" She yelled. She attempted to hit the Mega Boar's snout as Mandu struck its legs, but neither seemed to impede it much. The two Mega Boars suddenly stopped, and spit out the group. They all landed on the ground in a slick mess, groaning at the impact. Mandu raced up to Kipo, who was slowly lifting herself back up. Wolf pushed herself up, then grabbed Stalkie from Mandu and held it up towards the boars. Kipo gasped as she heard something, then grabbed Wolf's arm.
"Feta, Gouda, Chevre, Fromage." There was someone chanting nearby, and the group turned to the source to see three goats. "Feta, Gouda, Chevre, Fromage." Their eyes were glowing, and they had their hands in a pot of something. "Feta, Gouda, Chevre, Fromage. Feta, Gouda, Chevre, Fromage." The three goats continued to chant as the group watched them.
"Am I the only one that's confused?" Asked Mark. The three goats suddenly stopped, and turned to the group. They took their hands out of the pot, covered in cheese. One of them walked up to Kipo and knelt before her. Kipo stared into her eyes, and the mystic moment was suddenly interrupted by the goat putting her cheese coated hands on Kipo's face, smearing it all over her. The goat gasped.
"The cheese tells me we have a visitor!" She took one of her hands off of Kipo and stuck it in her mouth, sucking the cheese off.
"The cheese told all of us that, Florabel." Said the tallest goat, walking up with the smallest one. "It doesn't have a special relationship with you." Florabel stood back up, licking her hands.
"We all heard it." Said the smallest one, walking forward towards Dave and Benson. "The cheese is being pretty loud today. And it's screaming that she brought friends!" She smeared some cheese over Benson and Dave's faces before sticking her hands in her mouth. Dave gasped.
"The cheese is so wise!" He said. Mark stood up quickly, trying to back away from her. She started towards him and Wolf, and the latter pushed her back with the blunt end of Stalkie.
"No way!" She said.
"Use your hands to smear that over my face, and it'll be the last thing you do with them." Threatened Mark. Wolf looked at Kipo, who was wiping her face off.
"Rule number 93 of the surface, don't trust anyone who talks to cheese." She turned back to the three goats, holding Stalkie defensively. Kipo stood up.
"But I do trust my dad." She said. "He sent me here for a reason."
"But was it a good one?" Asked Benson as he stood up. The Mega Boar that had carried him walked up to him and gave him a big sniff. Mandu squealed a bit as it suddenly started licking Benson's face, getting the cheese off.
"Forgive us for Bornak and Webber," said Florabel, "but travel by pig mouth is the only way to keep our location, shh, a secret."
"There are literally hundreds of other ways." Said Benson. The Mega Boar finished licking the cheese off of him. Mandu squealed at the goats, clearly upset, and Kipo knelt down to her.
"It's ok Mandu, these nice goats are going to train me now."
"Train you?" Asked the biggest goat.
"Train for what?" Asked Florabel. The smallest one gasped.
"There's a train?"
"Oh." Said Kipo. "I thought you knew, or that the cheese would know?" She clearly got herself confused as she looked around, before standing back up. "Doesn't matter. I'm here because my dad, well, both my parents actually, made me part Mute. Part Mega Mute, well part Mega Jaguar, actually." The three goats just seemed to look at her, and she cleared her throat. "Let me start at the beginning." She took a very deep breath.
"Something tells me this is going to take a while." Said Mark. "We should probably get comfortable.
"I'd like you to reproduce my pheromones." Said Scarlemage, lifting the door to Lio's cell. He walked in and turned back to Lio. "You are a chemist, after all. I even got you chemistry sets from an old toy store." He leaned on the table. "Another brilliant idea of mine." Lio walked into the room, and Atom started to follow. "Atom, would you be so kind as to wait outside as guard detail?" Atom glared at him, still unable to talk, before backing away and standing outside, facing away. Lio looked over everything.
"If you think I'd help you do that to me own people," he looked at Scarlemagne, before looking away, "you're insane." Scarlemagne glared at him, then started laughing like crazy.
"Right again Lio!" He hollered. "I'm unhinged!" He started climbing the wall while making many crazed monkey noises, then climbed up onto the ceiling, laughing. He dropped down and regained his composure. "I wonder who made me that way." He glared at Lio again.
"It doesn't have to be this way." Said Lio. "There's an amazing world out there, and if we took a different path, we could work together to" Scarlemagne gave him a spritz of pheromones, interrupting him.
"Pass." Lio's pupils shrank, and he started smiling widely. "Now get to work."
"I should get to work." Said Lio, stepping forward to the equipment.
"And shower me with praise as you do." He laughed.
"You are the epitome of class, style and might." Said Lio. Atom tried to look in, but couldn't turn his head enough.
"This sucks, big time!" He thought. "Ugh, why am I affected by his pheromones?! It's so infuriating!"
"My daughter doesn't stand a chance against you," continued Lio, mixing a few chemicals, "even with her powers."
"Powers you say?" Asked Scarlemagne, turning to Lio as his mixture began bubbling. "Do tell."
Kipo paced back and forth as she finished her story. "Basically, I need to learn how to control my power become a Mega Jaguar and save my people! Like, now!" She turned back to everyone, panting as Dave poured Florabel some water. He walked over to the smallest goat and poured some for her.
"I know, right?" He asked. "That's a lot." He clanked the pitcher against her cup, then they started drinking.
"Oh young lady," started Florabel, "that sounds like a lot of responsibility. Are you ready?"
"To learn how to do all that?" Asked Kipo. "Yes!" She walked over. "I am ready for your infinite wisdom." She sat down, then patted her lap impatiently. Benson turned to them.
"It's supposed to be a dangerous transformation." He said. "You can help her with that right?"
"Supposedly if she does it wrong at all, she can lose herself entirely." Added Mark.
"Oh, of course." Said the biggest goat. "But first," the smallest one bleated.
"Cheese!" She yelled.
"We make cheese!" Agreed Florabel.
"We're gonna make cheese!?" Asked Dave, dropping his pitcher. The smallest one squeezed his face.
"We're gonna make cheese!" She said.
"We're gonna make cheese!" They said. "We're gonna make cheese!"
"What?" Asked Kipo.
"Heh." Said Mark. "We finally found someone crazier than you." Wolf stood up and turned to the goats.
"Hey!" She yelled. "Didn't you hear Kipo? People are counting on her, she needs help now! We don't have time for cheese!"
"We might have time for cheese." Countered Benson. Wolf glared at him and he quickly backed off. Kipo put her hand on Wolf's shoulder.
"It's ok Wolf." She said. "It is a little bit weird."
"No Kipo, it's very weird!" Argued Wolf.
"But if I have to make cheese to start training, I'll do it." She stood up, ready to go.
"And if I have to eat that cheese I'll do it!" Said Dave. "I'll do it." Mark shook his head.
"I doubt that's going to be part of it, Dave." Kipo turned back to the group.
"All right guys, let's do this." The three goats got up, and the smallest grabbed onto Kipo's arm, guiding her along. Dave, Wolf, Benson and Mark attempted to follow, but Florabel stopped them.
"Ah ah ah." She said.
"This is a journey she must go on alone." Said the tallest one, looking back at them.
"Alone with us!" Agreed the smallest.
"What?" Asked Wolf. "Why?!"
"I'm with her on that one." Said Mark, raising his paw. "If she goes, we all go."
"Sacred wisdom." Said the tallest one as Florabel took Kipo's paw to guide her. The tallest one walked backwards, following them. "But worry not. All will be revealed soon."
"I totally buy that." Said Dave.
"I don't." Said Wolf. She started walking, followed closely by Benson, when the Mega Boars suddenly walked in front of them, blocking the path. They crossed their tusks. "Hey!"
"Don't worry Wolf!" Called Kipo. "Sacred Wisdom." She imitated the tallest goat, to marginal effect, then backed into the cave the goats were leading her to. The two boars then moved closer together, completely blocking the path.
"Well this is a fine predicament." Said Mark. He walked up to the boars, then tried to stick his paw between them. After a few moments, he sighed and pulled back. "No good. They're too heavy to move."
Kipo walked into the room, astounded by everything that was in there. "Wow! It's cheese making heaven in here!" She continued to look around, seeing all the ingredients and cutlery for making all kinds of cheese. The smallest goat suddenly handed two jars to Kipo before walking to do something else. "Huh? What are these for?" Florabel suddenly grabbed her arms from behind and gently pushed her towards a pot.
"You just put the herbs in." She said. "You must evenly distribute them while the curd cooks." The tallest goat filled the pot with some uncooked cheese. "Just a pinch at a time, like this." Florabel put Kipo's arms in. "Herbs in, herbs out." She pulled Kipo's arms out. "Herbs in," in again, "herbs out." She pulled them out again.
"Oh, that's it?" Asked Kipo as Florabel let go to finish preparations. "That's all I have to do? Herbs in herbs out?"
"Oh we'll do the rest." Said the smallest. "It's easy dear. You just," she walked up to the pot, and then everything went crazy, "get your milk to 88 degrees" she poured something in as Kipo moved to the side, "then measure your rennet. Then there's draining the curd," Florabel moved to Kipo's other side and dropped a few pinches of something in. "and then salting the curd." She moved quickly enough to make Kipo spin.
"Then you add the coagulant," said the tallest, adding something else in, test for gel firmness and cut the curd." Florabel helped the smallest one up to grab some bowls, making Kipo duck in the process.
"And that's when you put the herbs in!" Said the smallest, handing the bowls to the tallest one. She patted Kipo's head.
"Uh, what was all that?" Asked Kipo.
"Oh you just keep at it with the herbs, dear." Said Florabel, moving a little to let the smallest goat reach something else. Some garlic dropped, and Florabel readjusted slightly as something else fell. Kipo slowly put her arms in, and moved a bit to the side as a spatula nearly fell on her.
"Does it look like we can see what you're doing?" Asked the tallest. Kipo looked at her to see she was getting some water. "Say it out loud."
"Herbs in." Said Kipo, putting them in. "Herbs out?" She pulled them out again. "Herbs in," the smallest one dropped a bowl and it hit Kipo in the head, making her drop the herb jar in her hand into the cheese. She rubbed her head a bit, then looked down to see the jar sinking. She tried to reach her hand in, but pulled back quickly. "Youch!" Fur grew up her arm as she shook it a bit from the burning pain. The tallest one gasped and rushed over.
"What's wrong?" She asked, splashing Kipo with half a bucket of water. "Did you forget to put the herbs in?"
"Nope." Said Kipo nervously, shaking her head to try and dry off. "I'm on it!" She raised her hand up again and quickly dipped it in, grabbing the jar as fast as she could and muffling her yelp of pain. She then quickly started putting the herbs in again. "Herbs in! Herbs out!" The tallest one backed away. "Herbs in!" Kipo noticed her arm was covered in fur now and gasped. Florabel looked over.
"Bev, will you toss me those ghost peppers?" She asked. Kipo looked at the smallest goat just in time to see her throw some peppers. They struck Kipo right in the eyes, and she screamed in pain as they suddenly changed to her jaguar eyes.
"Oh don't forget those herbs." Said Bev as she grabbed them from Kipo. Kipo rubbed her eyes with her mostly normal arm, then kept going.
"Herbs in, herbs out. Herbs in," the tallest one walked up.
"Girls, the milk isn't hot enough!" The goats gathered around Kipo.
"Um uh, uh, it's pretty hot!" Interjected Kipo. She rubbed her eyes a bit more as the goats suddenly ducked down and blew on the flames, making them skyrocket in size. Kipo put her arms in front of herself to try and block them, yelping as she did. Her arm puffed up to match her other one, giving her two giant paws. She stepped back and slipped on some spilled water. She started losing her balance and nearly fell forward as she tried to righten herself, but a tail suddenly grew out of her, helping her regain her balance. She reached back there to feel it, somewhat concerned. Bev suddenly popped up in front of her, surprising her.
"Ooh! The milk is curdling!" She dashed off somewhere as Kipo sighed. "Time to cut the curd!" She picked up a platter of knives, then turned very quickly, sending them all at Kipo. Her ears suddenly grew out, and she heard them coming. She turned back, then quickly ducked, once again yelping. She slowly got back up.
"Uh," she said, highly concerned.
"I don't hear you putting herbs in!" Said Bev. Kipo begrudgingly turned back to the pot.
"Herbs in, herbs out." She said. "Herbs in, herbs out." The three goats slowly approached, wielding a wide variety of different kitchen utensils. "Herbs in. Herbs out."
Wolf glared at the two boars, then ran to the side. The blue one stopped her from going around by turning, and Wolf suddenly jumped back to try and get between them. The blue one moved back and the two moved in tightly. Wolf jumped back from them, very aggravated. "Ok, you asked for it!" She said. She spun Stalkie in her hand, then lunged forward. She stabbed the red one in the snout, then used her momentum to fling herself to the blue one's head, which she then promptly stabbed. She jumped back off of them, doing a small flip to keep herself balanced in the air, then landed hard on the ground. She looked back at the two boars, who leaned further onto each other and fell asleep. They crashed to the ground, tighter than before. "Oh come on!" Mark walked up to her.
"Let it go for now." He said. "We all hate the fact that she's in there alone."
"No, you don't get it!" Said Wolf. She started pushing against the blue one. "Now help me move them!"
"Wolf you are messing with forces you can't possibly understand." Said Dave. "You do not want to make that cheese mad!" Wolf looked at him.
"Don't be ridiculous Dave." She looked at everyone. "Now help me move this pig!" She started pushing again.
"I'm sure it's fine, Wolf." Said Benson. "If Kipo needs out help, she'll let us know." He pet Mandu a bit. Mark looked at his paw.
"I'm not even sure how to help." He muttered. "I can't move them."
"Come on." Said Wolf, straining against the boar. "Come on!" Mark went up to try and help push again, but they were interrupted by a very loud roar from inside the cave. Dave spilled his water all over himself as Benson and Mandu jumped.
"Sh-she let us know." Said Benson. Mandu ran towards the boars, then up their tusks. She wiggled in between them, but got stuck before she could get all the way in. Mark took a deep breath.
"Let's do this." He said. "She's the only person I trust in this world. I will not have her be in danger if I can at all help it." He looked down. "I don't ever want to be alone again." He muttered. New fur grew over his other arm, and he reached in again. He started prying the two boars apart, letting Mandu get fully in. She turned to the side, pushing them apart.
"Good job guys!" Said Benson, walking up. Mark let go, leaving Mandu as the only one holding them apart.
"It was all her. Let's move!" He ran through the small passageway between the two boars, followed quickly by the others. As soon as they got through, Mandu lost her position and the two boars slammed together again, trapping her between them. She squealed a little, then looked at their tusks. She looked up at them, then felt her own teeth with her tongue. She smiled.
The group ran into the cave, and stopped at the sight they saw. Wolf gasped as she gazed upon Kipo's new form. A tail where she didn't have one before, jaguar ears on her head, both arms turned into jaguar paws. Kipo turned back to them and gasped, revealing her jaguar eyes, and her new, sharper teeth. "What did you do to our friend?!" Yelled Wolf.
"Is something wrong dear?" Asked Florabel, looking at Kipo.
"Yes!" Yelled Kipo. Mark looked around the room to see all kinds of strange things. Knives embedded in the wall around a pot, spilled water everywhere, several things that seemed designed to cause an accident. He glared at the goats.
"Care to explain why there's so much around here that seems like it's supposed to cause an 'accident'?"
"Perhaps we should move this outside." Said the tallest one. The three goats started walking towards the entrance, but Mark and Wolf blocked them.
"Not a chance." Said Wolf.
"Explain here, or suffer the consequences." Agreed Mark. He looked at Kipo. "Go on, voice your grievances. We all need to hear them, especially these three." He glared at the goats again. Kipo groaned, then looked over her paws.
"I still don't get how, or why, all this happens!" She said. The goats turned to her. "And if I can't figure that out, I can't become a Mega Jaguar and help everyone who's counting on me! I came here for help, but instead I'm like, half jaguar." She huffed. "Also I smell like cheese!"
"Good!" Said Florabel.
"That's what we were going for." Agreed the tallest one.
"Including the smell." Added Bev. Kipo stuttered for a bit, trying to process it.
"What?!" She finally got out.
"Sorry to put you through all that," started Florabel, "but we needed you to see that the jaguar is always there to protect you."
"That's why I threw knives at you!" Exclaimed Bev, holding her hand out. Dave reached up with his own and clapped it. Kipo paused for a moment.
"How do you know all this about me?"
"Let's move this outside, dear." Said Florabel. "You're ready to hear the tale." The three goats started to walk again, and Mark and Wolf slowly let down their guards, letting them pass. The group looked at each other.
"I think we need some answers." Said Mark. He turned to follow them. Kipo put a hand to her head.
"I'm so confused." She followed as well, closely followed by Benson, Dave, and Wolf. When they got outside, they saw the two boars licking each other's wounds, and the three goats over by the sitting area.
"No time like the present." Said Mark. He led the group to the sitting area.
"Gather around." Said the tallest one. The group sat down, ready for the story.
"Time for you to learn more!" Said Bev.
"Your poor father was on the run," said Florabel, "looking for shelter."
Lio and Kipo were spat up from the boar, covered in spit. "He had just lost your mother, and he had to abandon the burrow where you were born." Lio looked up, then back to baby Kipo, who reached up to him. "He wandered into our forest." Lio looked at the goats, to see them eating and drinking a meal.
"Oh boy." Said the past tallest one. She looked at the cheese in her hand. "The cheese tells me they just spat up a baby." Past Bev grinned excitedly as past Florabel smiled.
"Aw, too precious." She said.
"He asked us for guidance, so we had him make cheese." Continued Florabel.
"Is that your solution to everything?" Asked Benson.
"It's a good solution!" Countered Dave.
Lio stirred the cheese as it cooked, and Kipo looked up at him. She smiled, then leaned against him, going to sleep. Her paw retracted, revealing a normal baby arm. "It went away!" Said Lio. Kipo looked up at him again, cooing a bit.
"Yes, because she feels safe." Said past Florabel. "You can stay here for a few days, but I'm afraid the surface is no place for your little Kipo."
"If she stays up here," said the past tallest one, walking up and reaching out to Kipo, who grabbed her hand, "the jaguar will be the dominant side. If you want her human side to remain in control, you need to foster that, in a burrow." She pulled back as past Bev walked up.
"And make sure to water her every day!" She said. Kipo started playing with her face, smiling.
"We can't go back to our burrow." Said Lio, pulling Kipo in tighter. He laid her on her back again.
"There are other burrows." Said the past tallest one. "I heard about it, from the cheese." Kipo cooed again.
"What about when it's time for her to become a jaguar?" Asked Lio.
"You just bring her right on back." Said Florabel. The three goats surrounded Kipo and she smiled at them, happy. Lio looked down at her.
"You hear that little one?" He asked. "One day you'll be back here."
Kipo smiled as the story finished, then Benson gasped. "Kipo! Your arm!" She looked down to see that her left arm was slowly returning to normal. Wolf gasped.
"It's going away!"
"Your eyes are back to normal as well." Said Mark. Kipo gasped, then looked at her other arm.
"But why won't it go all the way?" She asked.
"Breathe deep." Said the tallest one, kneeling down. She grabbed Kipo's hand and paw. "Now think about being safe with your father." He pushed Kipo's hand and paw back a bit. "Herbs out." Kipo took a breath, then focused on the memories she had with her father growing up. All the happy times, without a care in the world.
"Herbs, out." She said. She pulled her hand and paw back, and all of her extra stuff retracted. She looked down at herself, then stood quickly. "It worked!" She made sure by checking everywhere things had changed. "How did that"
"Oh the gesture helps ground and focus you." Said Florabel.
"Try again." Said the tallest one. "When you do herbs in, think about needing that jaguar! When you do herbs out, remember how it felt to be safe with your dad." Kipo took a deep breath and focused. She thought about the knives and fire from the kitchen.
"Herbs in." She said, putting her arms out. Her jaguar paws came out, as did her eyes. She then focused again on the memories of her father. "Herbs out." Her jaguar features retracted quickly. Wolf gasped.
"Kipo you did it!" She said.
"I did it!" Agreed Kipo, giving Wolf a hug. "I controlled it!" Benson laughed.
"Paw master!" Mark smiled.
"Congratulations." He said. He looked at his own arms. "Now if only I knew how to control mine." He muttered. Mandu jumped up onto Kipo, knocking her back as Dave jumped up next to her.
"That, that-that-that-that-that's two human hands!" He said. He looked back at the goats. "I knew these goats were for real!"
"Does anybody need a paw?" Asked Kipo. "Because I got one!" He put her hand out. "Herbs in!" Her arm changed into a jaguar paw, and Dave dangled from it. "No? No one needs it? That's ok. Herbs out!" She retracted it, and Dave landed face first next to her. The three goats smiled, and Wolf looked at them.
"I have to admit, even I'm impressed." She looked back at Kipo, who stood up.
"Does this mean I'm ready to become the Mega Jaguar and save my people?" She asked.
"We'll have to consult the cheese." Said the tallest one. "But first," she looked at Mark, who was still looking at his own paw.
"Yes of course!" Exclaimed Bev. She ran up to Mark, who shied away from her. "We still need to help you too!"
"What?" He asked. "Why the sudden attention on me?"
"Oh it's simple, dear!" Said Florabel. "You see, I did leave out one part of the tale. The cheese told us that Kipo would meet two people like her."
"Though they both came from nowhere!" Said Bev.
"From nowhere?" Asked Mark.
"Yes." Said the tallest. "They would show up from nowhere, just suddenly appearing." Kipo gasped.
"Atom did that when we first met!" She said. "I was alone, about to try to find my way home, and he suddenly appeared out of nowhere!" Mark looked at her, then back at the goats.
"Okay, you've told us this much so far. What can you tell me about this?" He gestured to his paw.
"Well dear, all we really know is that you are like Kipo." Said Florabel. "The cheese didn't tell us what you would be, or what would help you."
"Great." Huffed Mark, leaning back.
"But, we have seen how you act." Said the tallest one. "You've faced great trauma, and have been alone all your life."
"You could say that again." Mumbled Mark.
"Perhaps if you think about those that you trust, those who don't make you feel alone, you could control it just as well as Kipo." Suggested the tallest one. Mark sighed.
"There aren't many that I trust." He said. "Everyone I've ever trusted has betrayed me at some point." He looked at Kipo. "Even she will betray me someday."
"What?" Asked Kipo. "There's no way I'd betray you!"
"My experience tells me otherwise." Countered Mark. He sighed again. "But, even with everything telling me to not trust you, I do." He took a deep breath. "And until that day comes," he put his arms out, "I will stay by your side. You're the only one who hasn't used me for your own gain, and the only one who hasn't tried to convince me to stay." He thought back to the scant few times he had trusted Kipo. "So for what it's worth, you are the only one I trust." He pulled his arms back, letting out a breath. His fur retracted, returning his hand to normal, but the fur on his right arm stayed, a reminder that he still felt alone. Kipo gasped.
"You can do it too!" She said. Mark looked down.
"That was emotionally exhausting." He said. He took a deep breath, then looked up at the goats. "So, about consulting that cheese?"
Lio put a few drops of a formula into another one, making it turn pink. "So the girl with the purple jaguar paw who got past my guards and is immune to my pheromones, is actually, your, daughter." Said Scarlemagne, the pieces all coming together. "Fascinating." He walked past Lio. "Of course this means I'll have to eliminate her." He thought for a moment. "Although, if she could control her inner beastie," Lio started to fall out of control, breaking through the pheromones, "and I could make her sympathetic to my cause," his hands started trembling as he poured the beaker into a bottle, "why I'd be unstoppable! Imagine if your little science experiment was my pet!" Lio gasped and dropped the beaker. It shattered against the ground as he broke free. He backed away from Scarlemagne, right into the bars of his cell.
"Good luck." He said. "You don't know Kipo." Scarlemagne walked up to him and grabbed his wrist.
"Ooh, ooh." He squeezed a bit, making Lio drop the bottle into his other hand. "Careful now, don't want to spill a drop." He walked over to a nearby shelf, putting the top on the bottle as he went. He placed it neatly. "Thank you Lio." He turned back to Lio. "Now I have my army, and an endless supply of pheromones." He turned away. "All I'm missing," he glanced back, "is Kipo." He laughed a bit as Lio just stared at him, horrified. Outside, Atom tried to process everything that had happened in there.
"Wait, so Kipo is a science experiment by her parents, and when she was an embryo she was infused with Mega Jaguar DNA?" He glanced down at his draconic arm. "But then how does that help explain this?"
Mandu walked up to the two Mega Boars, squealing a bit. They looked down at her to see she was carrying two straws in her mouth to look like tusks. She looked up at them, and the blue one snorted at her, then rubbed her cheek with its tusk. Mandu oinked excitedly, dropping the straws, then quickly picked them back up. She walked past them and quickly entered the cave with everybody else, just in time to hear the goats chanting around a pot of cheese. "Feta, Gouda, Chevre, Fromage." The three goats stuck their hands into the cheese, kinda patting it a bit as they did. Dave looked on in disgust.
"Ugh they put their nasty hooves in it." The goats continued to chant, uninterrupted.
"What a waste of cheese." Said Benson.
"It could be worse." Said Mark. "They could be eating it and spitting it back up." The three goats continued their chant, then looked up. Their eyes rolled back and started glowing blue. Mandu jumped a bit.
"If you wish to save your people, you must indeed become the Mega Jaguar." Said the tallest goat. Kipo gave a determined look at that.
"But the beast within you is strong." Said Florabel. "Too strong." The cheese started to make a human shape. "If you become the Mega," a poorly made jaguar head rose out of the cheese, swallowing the human figure, "you will lose yourself to it." The cheese retracted as everyone gasped.
"No wonder it's so dangerous." Said Mark.
"What?" Asked Kipo. "But what about herbs in, herbs out?"
"It isn't enough." Said the tallest one. "Once you become a Mega, you will lose sight of everything that makes you human." Wolf and Benson looked at Kipo.
"But your path is not set in stone." Said Florabel. "You can prevent this future. Together, you must find something tangible that binds you to who you are at your core."
"A core, that's on the outside." Said Bev. "An an-chor."
"An anchor will guide you out of the beast." Agreed Florabel.
"But be warned." Said the tallest one. "For there is one more way for this story to end." Two more human figures popped out of the cheese. "Your fate is linked with two others."
"The lone wolf and the aggressive dragon share the same power." Added Florabel. "But if one loses control," the cheese suddenly made two more animal heads, one a dragon, the other a wolf, and they swallowed the two humans, "then all lose control."
"So you're saying the only reason I have this," started Mark, pointing to his arm, "is because I'm linked to her?"
"Your fate was tied to hers the moment you arrived." Said Bev. "You must find your own anchor to find your way out of your beast."
"As must the aggressive dragon." Added the tallest one.
"The cheese, has spoken." Finished all three. They closed their eyes, then reopened them, the blue glow gone. They pulled out of the cheese and started to clean up.
"But who am I at my core?" Asked Kipo. "I used to be Kipo, happy go lucky girl from the Clover Burrow. But I'm not even from the Clover Burrow. If I don't know where I'm from, how am I supposed to know who I am?"
"Not to mention trying to find my anchor." Added Mark. "I mean, if you literally meant that I appeared out of nowhere, then I'm not even from this world, am I? What could I possibly find as an anchor?"
"Well, why don't you start at the beginning!" Exclaimed Bev. "Oh that sounded smart. Did I say that?" Kipo thought for a few moments as Mark huffed.
"I'm not reliving those memories." He said.
"I was born in another burrow." Mused Kipo. "My parents's burrow. I never knew that!" She made a decision, and put her fist in her other hand. "That's where we'll go. That's where I'll learn about myself, so I can find the thing that reminds me of, me." She realized something. "Why did my dad abandon it?"
"He didn't tell us kid." Said the tallest one.
"Well, do you know where it is?" Asked Kipo. Florabel put her hands back in the cheese, then pulled them back out.
"I'm afraid the cheese can't make it out." She said.
"Yeah, it's not really reliable for directions." Said the tallest one. Mandu snorted a bit, and Kipo picked her up.
"That's ok, because we can find it." Mark sighed.
"Sure, we can find yours." He said. "But that won't mean much if I lose control. And I doubt we can find mine nearly as easily."
"That is a good point." Said Wolf. "If any of you lose control, you all do."
"So we need to try and find something for Mark along the way." Agreed Benson. Leo wiggled his way out of Kipo's pocket.
"Don't forget about Atom." He suddenly said. Everyone but the goats flinched back.
"Still not used to you just popping up out of nowhere." Said Kipo.
"My, who is this little one?" Asked Bev. Leo turned to her.
"I'm Haos Leonidas. Leo for short. I'm Atom's partner."
"Interesting." Said Florabel. "The cheese told us nothing about you, dear." Dave climbed up the pot of cheese.
"Really?" Asked Leo. "But isn't the cheese essentially all knowing?" Florabel put her hands back in once again, then pulled them out.
"The cheese doesn't even acknowledge you being right here before it." She said.
"Strange." Said Leo. He landed on Kipo's shoulder. "But, regardless, we do need to find something for Atom too." Dave began eating a few curds. "He's most likely the aggressive dragon, considering the scales he kept growing."
"Yeah, but, we barely know him." Said Benson. "How are we supposed to find an anchor for him?"
"We'll figure something out." Said Leo. "We have to." Dave stopped eating the cheese, thinking of something.
"Wait." He said. "Where did you guys get the milk?"
