During the golden age, many advisers had taken miniature tasks to try and improve the kingdom the way they saw fit.
One advisor, having taken notice to the Princess growing uncontrollably, had decided to take action. He feared her instability would condemn the kingdom to ruin if left unchecked. So, going to the nearby school, he scoured the classes until he finally found two students he deemed worthy of his plan...
One of the boys, the son of a fellow advisor, was known for being the smartest of his class, if not the whole school. The advisor had no doubt that he would help the Princess with her studies and encourage her to learn. The other boy, son to a poor widow of the red light district, was known for his "playful" personality. The advisor surely thought that having him around would help the princess's dampened mood.
So, after sorting out the arrangements, the boys were invited to the palace…
It had been two days since the nightmare happened. It had been two days of mild panic and making sure all of eastern citadel had been fixed up. But today was finally the day he'd get to calm down. Today was the day he'd be able to unwind with a little good, old fashioned chaos!
"Bearstomp!" High roller called out, his gaze focused on the battle plans he'd whipped up the night before. "Gather a small platoon of bears and Chameleon tanks, I want you to strike some villages along the southern border. Lead them away from Big gr-..."
He stopped talking, realizing how quiet the room was…
Too quiet...
High roller looked up, his gaze scanning the room. There was no one there, no one else but him. This was especially unusual, considering that Bearstomp would normally arrive the moment he heard his name. And normally, Bearstomp wouldn't have been too far away…
"Bearstomp!"
No reply. Not even the rushes stomps of bear feet echoing the corridors…
"Ugh, where is that stupid bear…"
High roller jumped off of his seat and began his search for his second in command. It perplexed him, where the General could have run off too. He's stop by and ask other bear soldiers where Bearstomp might have been, but they simply shrugged and returned to their tasks of finishing up the minor repairs. And although they were doing a good job, it still bothered him that they had no idea. They always knew where he was! But they weren't the only ones. The chameleons had no idea, and Chameleon quiet was especially secretive!
Even those stupid Zebra's had no idea where he was!
"We haven't seen Bearstomp all day," Sparky black said, trying to hide the yo-yo he'd been playing with a second ago. "But he's been hanging out in the gardens a lot, maybe he's out there?"
"The garden?" He raises an eyebrow, confusion settling on his face. He'd nearly forgotten about that old thing; why would Bearstomp be there?
"Yeah! He's been taking care of the trees and the pond!" Sparky white stated, trying to get the yo-yo from Sparky Black's hooves. "We thought you made him do it, cause it looked so boring!"
"Well maybe i'll make you two do it, seeing as you're too busy fighting over a yo-yo to do your work!"
It always amused High roller to see his students scramble back to work. The panic in their eyes always seemed to bring a wicked smile to his face. But he had a bear to find, so he left the zebras to their rushed cleaning.
True to their words, Bearstomp was in the garden. His robotic claw was busy trimming some of the hedges and his gaze seemed vacant. It was almost unnatural to see the fear, battle lusted king like this. The peaceful nature of the garden must have been gripping him too, as High Roller swore he could hear someone playing music in the distance…
Many things had changed with the garden, yet much of it stayed the same. The cherry tree had grown taller, yet it's petals still fell. There were more rocks to the pond, judging by how some had no moss while others were practically covered. And the old bench, in the center of the garden, had been repainted. All and all, it looked nice…
It tugged at something, something deep within him. But he'd quickly brushed the feeling away when he remember what he came here for.
"Bearstomp, what is all this?"
The Bear king frozen, eyes widening in panic as he turned on his huge heels. Their eyes locked, and it was clear that Bearstomp was scrambling to come up with a good excuse for this.
Yet nothing came to mind, so he simply shrugged.
"...huh." Was all High roller said, making his way deeper into the garden. Slowly, a smile spread on his face. "Well, you've done a good job, it seems. I mean, I don't remember the garden looking this well kept since...well, ever."
High roller said it more to boost Bearstomp's confidence versus any actually praise, but it got the job done. The General smiled sheepishly and growls out his modest thanks. It would prove troublesome of the General wasn't in the right mentality to fight. Sometimes you had to build up your soldiers before they could be knocked down. That was something High roller had learned about Bearstomp, at least.
"Anyway, I need you to follow through with these battle plans!" High roller stated, motioning Bearstomp to follow behind him. Not a moment later, he heard his general's clunky footsteps follow behind. "It's about time we had some fun, yes?"
As they both walked away, they didn't seem to notice a figure carefully jump out of the cherry tree. It took a nervous look around, ready a leaf upon it's head, and vanish out of sight. Yet in it's place remains two footprints, that quickly and quietly began to follow after the Warlord and his general.
For two days, members of Big Green have been searching. Combing through the forest, diving to the deepest parts of the bay, even going as far as different kingdoms and back; no one has been able to find Jumpy Ghostface. Seeing as there were already so many job the soldiers were tasked with, the search party slowly dwindled from all of Big green, to half, to first squad and volunteers. It wasn't like they didn't want to help, they just didn't have any leads. It was like find a needle in a haystack, one of the animal kings had muttered.
And it seemed that this rainy day would be no different.
Inside the now finished Big Green Base, first squad had settled into an uneasy shift of looking and waiting. This way, if trouble would arise, the members still there would dash off to help while the others keep searching.
And as a soggy Mystique Sonia trudged into the squad room, she felt her hopes crumble at Jumpy's empty seat. Mr. No Hands was busy resting his feet, yet it was clear he wasn't too happy with having to rest. Mighty Ray, who seemed to be reading a comic book, looked up just as Sonia walked in.
"Any luck on finding him?" He asked, already knowing the answer.
"Nope, but maybe Lin Chung'll find something…" Sonia sighed, flopping into her seat as Yaksha began to try and dry her off.
"Oh c'mon! It's like he disappeared off the face of the earth!" Might Ray slammed the book down on the table, eyes starting to spark up. "Where could he be?!"
"Or better yet, who could have taken him?" Sonia asked, laying her head down on the table. "Woo and everyone else says when their stuff got taken, those leaves were left behind. And the same went with Jumpy. Whoever they are, their calling card seems to be leaves."
"So you're sayin' we're looking for... a tree?" Ray questioned a bit sarcastically, rolling his eyes at her question. "Or maybe a shrub, seein' how a tree would be-"
"Mighty ray," Mr. NoHands cut in, squinting at the warrior. "Don't be so short minded. We've seen people merge into one being, and you've been turned into an animal before; is it really had to believe that a plant could be the culprit?"
"And if you'd hold your big mouth, I would have told you that maybe they're using camouflage, mighty jerk." Sonia added, crossing her arms. She seemed to be pouting slightly, even enough to turn her head away from Ray. Yet the argumentive tone faded just as quickly as it sparked up. "But believe whatever you want…"
"Oh…uh, sorry." Might Ray said a bit awkwardly, looking away from both teammates.
The unsteady silence that followed seemed to settle deeply into the new room, almost as uncomfortable as the fresh paint fumes that still seemed to linger, no matter how many vents or fans installed in the base. And while Sonia and Ray seemed to ignore it, No Hands couldn't help but realize how odd it was. Even when the team fought, silence was never awkward between them. Normally, they were at least comfortable to disregard…
And if the two had an argument, Sonia and Ray would just squabble about it...
So why now did Ray and Sonia refuse to fight?
No Hands would ponder this to himself, tacking it onto the list of other worries he had about a team that wasn't his anymore. Yet his wondering was interrupted by the infamous Ape Truly alarm popping out of the table and flashing wildly, as well as the alarm that went with it.
"First squad!" the familiar voice of their Commander echoed from the newly installed intercom, something included to make sure first squad new where to go. "Villages to the south west are being attacked by the Bear army!"
"First squad, deploy!"
"But what about Lin Chung?"
"Lin Chung will have to catch up, those people need us now! Let's move people!"
He had to find Jumpy.
It wasn't merely the fact that he was the squad leader, or the fact that he was a member of Big Green. Jumpy Ghostface was his friend, and he'd failed to save him when he noticed something was wrong. He'd chalked up the feeling to subtle paranoia, from being antsy, and now he'd be regretting it even after he'd find Jumpy. He should have been more alert, he should have acted on his instincts.
Now he was out in a forest, during a lightning storm, trying to right his wrongs. Not that he would mind that. He'd go through hell and high water if it meant making sure his friend was alright. A part of him wondered who the culprit could have been. No one they knew could change shape like that, not unless they were a member of the Leech Kingdom. But the Leech king swore it wasn't any of his subjects, as they were all busy rebuilding the castle.
"But," He'd said when Lin Chung has asked him about the incident, "Leech's aren't the only animals to shapeshift. There are a number of animals that can change form to mimic others, even more precise than us Leeches. And although they're not native to the Hidden Kingdom, there's always a giving trait. If I could see the imposter in action, then i'd be able to tell you exactly what you're dealing with..."
So, as well as finding Jumpy, Lin Chung added to his list of ever growing missions to capture the shape shifter and bring them to the Leech King. They needed to focus on stopping High Roller, and this thief's actions would distract them from achieving that goal. Who knows, maybe the Shape shifter would be willing to help the Big Green cause…
"Excuse me! Excuse me! Young man?!"
Faintly, the sound of a stranger's voice echoed out, almost being drowned out by the stormy weather. Squinting his gaze and using his panther vision, he spotted an old man, waving his arms wildly to get Lin Chung's attention. Quickly, the first squad leader motioned for his turtle tank to make a sharp left, and in a matter of moment he was right in front of the old man.
His hair was wild, an almost white shade of pink, and eyebrows so large they covered his eyes. His clothes were drab, navy robes, and he carried a huge bag on his hunched back, filled with odd items and knick knacks. Yet none of that was as startling as the panic in his voice. Or the small bushy tail that flick wildly in worry as well, something that should not be on a normal human being...
"You…" the old man took a second to wheeze in some air, having tired himself out from earlier. "You're Lin Chung, famous first squad leader, correct?"
"Yes sir, is everything alright? Are you alright?" Lin Chung asked, half way from reaching over to make sure the old man didn't pass out. Had he been running to catch up to him?
"T-to the east," He pointed with his walking stick, slapping Lin Chung's hands away before they could touch him. "Villages, all being attacked by High Roller. They need your help, Please!"
Lin Chung's eyes widened, and he quickly nodded as he got his spear ready. He'd been waiting for High roller to finally strike, but of course, it would be when one of their own was missing. But there was also something else…
"Please, come with me. With the number of villages around here, I could use your direction."
He had a small suspicion that this old man was not all he seemed to be, seeing as there wasn't a village here for miles. A man of his stature couldn't have run that fast, not normally…
"Uh, uh….uh...well, I have a sister of mine that...well...she's not really...uh...y-you know….sure, fine, let's go!" The original hesitants fades, and quickly the old man scrambles onto Lin Chung's back. He points in the proper direction with his walking stick, unaware of his tail still. "That way, young lad!"
And with that, their off.
The rain pattered down on the forest like an unrelenting foe, battering tree branches and burrows with it's raindrops and harsh winds. The occasional lightning strike made the situation even more tense, and Jumpy could feel it. The way the creature's hair, no, fur, bristled with each strike was something he'd never really seen before. Not in any animal native to Hidden kingdom, that is…
Jumpy remembered waking up in the tree, having been tied up and robbed of any other weapons. He remembered trying to wiggle his way out of the bindings he'd been held in, only to be discovered a few hours later by the creature. The exchanged was awkward at first, but slowly, they manage to form some sort of compliancy. Food wasn't a problem, seeing as she kept him more than well fed. He was still tied up, but she would untie his ears during meal times. When it first happened, he'd tried fighting her like that, but the situation soured fast…
After almost undignifying situation of which he won't dare speak about, the agreement to not attack while eating was made. Seeing as he had no idea where he was, all he could do was wait and try to pry away information from her as she tried to do to him.
But what he would give to get his legs moving...
"I can tell you're staring at me, Rabbit King." She stated calmly, despite her nerves running wild. Her grip on the bark, the tree that hid them, tightened as another stray bolt shot across the sky."If you find me that alluring, why don't you go out and say it, hm?"
He simply rolled his eyes, shooting a bit farther away from her and closer to the cot she'd set up. He wondered why she resorted to speaking animal when she already knew how to speak human, was it to show off, or a slip up…
As the thunder echoed across the forest, Jumpy caught the creature shiver, something shifting under the fabric of her cloths, almost like another limb. Yet she didn't say a thing, mearly kept her gaze to the sky.
"...What...what are you?" He asked, hesitating not out of fear, but out of consideration. He honestly had no idea what she was. She was shaped similar to a human, dressed like a human, but clearly wasn't human. She also seemed to walk with a subtle limp, something that he'd noticed after their first fight and had started to get worse. The mask she wore, similar to that of a Fox's face, only added more to the off putting mystery...
The silence that followed was expected, to say the least. Yet it still dug into Jumpy's nerves, enough to invoke more questions from the white rabbit. "You come here, steal things, spy on us, why?"
"I've already told you why-"
"Vaguely!" He yells, his anger causing him to switch to rabbit. "If you have a problem, we could help! If you need to save someone, big green will do everything we can to save them! Just ask!"
Another lightning bolt crackled in the ashened grey sky, just in time for the figure to jump up and turn to face Jumpy Ghostface, her figure ominous from the flash. Almost just as quickly, another flash graced the sky, and she was in front of him him, staring at his eyes with her own. The red iris shining through the slits of the mask. Not human, not at all human...
The thunder quickly follows, almost shaking the tree. He feels the panic seep from her like tea into water, yet she's trying to hold onto control.
"You…" her voice was softer, weaker than it normally had been, almost as if lost in a memory. He almost would have missed it if his ears weren't so big. He also pick up another sense, the irony smell he'd picked up from before, only worse. "You wouldn't even be in this mess if you hadn't kept asking questions."
"And you wouldn't be hurt, would you?" he leans forwards, glaring at her. "How long have you been like that? Because I know for sure that i-"
"That is none of your business."
Jumpy scowled, before simply shrugging and turning his gaze away. "Fine then, bleed out. Once you've passed out, maybe then i'll be able to break free."
"Good, maybe then I wouldn't have to deal with your excessive chittering." She replied, beginning to get up. She stumbled through, enough to make Jumpy turn back and make sure she wouldn't fall. Yet it didn't relax him when she merely used the wall for support, limping over to her cot and flopping onto it as a hissing mess of fabric, skin, and fur.
The silence simmered into acceptance, and after a few minutes the creature grabbed one of the many books she'd snatched from someone and began to read…
"Could you read outloud?" He asked, finally, having grown bored out of his mind. The waiting was killing him, ever so slowly.
And although the creature didn't look up, didn't even acknowledge him at first, she slowly flipped back through the pages, until settling on the start of the story. Letting out a cough to clear her throat, she began.
"Long ago, in a simple rice village, lived…"
Slowly Jumpy allowed his mind to wander, and for a moment, he wasn't trapped in a tree somewhere, by a mysterious creature who was slowly bleeding out. He was elsewhere.
He was free.