Clark and I followed Brave down a secluded dirt path that led to Mt. Shiveer. Major and the rest of the groups had gone down a separate path.
"Were stopping at my den first," Brave said, and Clark and I shared uneasy glances.
"Why are we separated?" Clark asks, projecting my thoughts.
"There weren't any mountains in Toontown, so you guys need mining training, whereas the other jobs were already in Toontown. Major and I thought it would be best to split the group up." Clark nodded, although Brave couldn't see.
We walked for about 20 more minutes in bare desert until we came to a neighborhood of castles. Brave led us into one on the left that was huge and had a slight fantasy look to it. I noticed a waterfall in its yard.
He opened the door and offered us to go first, and I reluctantly led. After we were in he locked the door.
"Raven!" Brave exclaimed. A girl with long, straight black hair bounded down the steps carrying Ravioli.
"Ravioli?!" I jogged towards her and she handed him to me.
"If you have any questions ask them now," Brave says from behind me. I turned around.
"Why did you have Ravioli?" I ask, but Clark overlaps me with a different question that I was also wondering.
"What's going on?" Brave gestured towards a couch and Clark and I took a seat, while him and the girl with black hair, presumably Raven, sat on chairs. I held Ravioli.
"We're going to help you escape." Clark stared at him.
"You're joking." Brave shook his head.
"Brave has been against the Jamaarian government for a long time," Raven chimes in. He nodded his head, and I could tell he was about to tell a story.
"I used to work in the mines. That was at the very beginning of the government downfall. A lot of my friends died during that. One of my friends tried to make a revolution and he was killed instantly." Brave paused. "It sounds stupid but... I sent a messaged balloon, hoping someone would see it and help us. That's how desperate we were."
"Then I met Brave," Raven adds in.
"Raven was already trying to take down the government in some form or another. She said that I was exactly the person that had to be part of the plan. So I got a government job and started working my way up. I created an alternate 'super-hero' personality. I would take the food that was given to me for being in the government and gave it to the people. Some still had faith in our alphas and Mira. But most were totally hopeless. Then Kimbara Outback decided to do something..." I shared a glance with Clark.
"Did you see the sign labeled 'The Great Nature Project?'" Brave asks us. I nodded.
"They made their little community a State of Nature. A philosophy made by one of our alphas, mind you. So naturally most of them are killed. But while I was there today I still saw some signs of life. So I guess there are still a few of them alive."
"Not that I don't, but why are we supposed to care?" I ask. I did care about Jamaa, but there had to be a catch to my freedom.
"Right. Once you're free, other countries need to know about our situation. Neopia, in particular. They seem like the most suitable to help. We need more allies to take down the government."
"That seems easy enough," Clark comments.
"And it won't be just you. What was his name? The professor?" Raven asks, looking at me.
"Professor Wiggle?" I ask.
"Right. He'll be part of the plan."
"What about Jesse?" I ask, suddenly remembering him.
"Your leader? As you probably suspect, he was sent to Crystal Bay," Brave informs me.
"We need to free him," I say. "It will be easier to convince other countries to help Jamaa with a leader who ha experienced it first hand," I add at their questioning glances. Brave studied his hands.
"Freeing him will be tricky," he says, still looking at his hands.
"What will it take?" Clark asks.
"It will take someone working at Crystal Bay to free him. And I don't see myself or Raven doing that. Or anyone else, really. You have to be pretty high up in the government for that, and you'd definitely be found out by then." He twisted around to look at the large hanging clock on his wall.
"We'll have to leave soon for training. Don't want them to be suspicious. Any last questions?"
I stared down at Ravioli, remembering the journey I went through to rescue him. Fighting off the black-haired girl to save Ned Slinger. Going to the gag shop. Sir Astro pestering Clark. Sir Astro...
"Where is Sir Astro?" I ask him suddenly.
"Ah," Brave says, holding up a finger. "He was severely burned by the flames. Some douchebag interrogators who were used to working at Crystal Bay threw him into the fire you guys had made. And some pretty bad cuts all over his body from them too. He was sent to the medical center in Jamaa Township. Last I knew he was on intensive care."
"Where are they planning to put him?" I ask.
"Oh, in the military of course. Who hasn't heard of the 20 year old general? He's famous in Jamaa. Actually, they might send him to Crystal Bay." The way Brave said that made me think he was jealous of Sir Astro.
"That idiot? He doesn't know anything!" Clark exclaims. Brave shrugged.
"Then they'll figure that out pretty quick." He stood up and disappeared to a back room. I stood up along with Raven and Clark. Raven approached me and took Ravioli out of my hands.
"He'll be safe with me." Brave appeared again with my backpack and drawstring bag. I took them graciously. I took out the larger canvas bag in my backpack and handed it to Raven.
"Jelly beans," I say. "Toontown currency and food." Raven nodded. I threw on the backpack and drawstring bag, then pet Ravioli goodbye.