The cold breeze and the light snow served as little distraction as Robert and Jeff moved silently into the woods.
The trees had become very dense in the years following Giygas' defeat. Jeff could remember when he first emerged from the cave north of Stonehenge.
Once he made his way around the rocky formations and avoided the ferocious looking bears, it wasn't that hard for him to eventually find his father's secluded lab. With Stonehenge dormant, however, the wintry forest seemed to flourish.
Robert looked around with more interest this time around. Before he could barely focus on anything except finding shelter. He scolded himself for that also. Learning your surroundings is among the most important things Robert has learned, and yet he failed to do just that and now he was faced with an unknown forest which should be known.
"I guess we both have a lot on our minds," Jeff said, finally breaking the silence.
"The current circumstances have given me a lot to think about, yes," Robert answered.
"So I did not get to fully hear your story," Jeff said, "Apple Man said you come from the northern region of Raptorland?"
"From Berk, yes," Robert said, "Nestled in among the surrounding Rusty Mountains. It... seemed like a secure place to operate."
"When dealing with monsters like these, no place is safe," Jeff commented.
"I suppose we were still somewhat foolish in our ways," Robert admitted.
"This attacker that you say came to Berk," Jeff said, "Describe him to me."
"He was an exceptional fighter," Robert said, "You can tell he is well gifted in both body and mind. They say I'm among the most gifted of Berk and still he matched me move for move."
"And he used PSI as well?" Jeff asked.
"I think so," Robert answered, "It was definitely psychic powers, but if I'm not mistaken, you usually call out your powers by saying 'PSI' correct?"
"Yes," Jeff confirmed.
"Well, he didn't say 'PSI'," Robert explained, "He used the word 'Pforce'."
"Pforce?" Jeff echoed, "I've never heard of such a word."
"He used two moves with it," Robert went on, "One was Quake Pforce which, as the name suggests, created an earthquake. His other technique was called Entrapment Pforce. It seemed to paralyze all the soldiers who rushed to help me."
"All of them at once?" Jeff marveled, "It sounds like some variation to PSI Paralysis, but to affect a large group such as he did, it must have commanded a lot of concentration."
"He made it look easy for him," Robert said, "He was in the middle of attacking me as well. He used something on me. I think he only whispered the technique, but it made me feel like my head would explode. After he attacked, the others ran to help and he just looked at them and did his entrapment power, then focused on me again."
"Interesting," Jeff said, "It sounds as though whatever this Pforce is, it seems superior to PSI. What did he call himself?"
"His name is Shendi," Robert answered with a look of contempt.
"So it would seem as though we have at least two big players out there," Jeff chronicled, "Supreme Starman has already made several appearances and has done serious damage, and we have this Shendi who appears to possess frightening psychic powers."
"So this is what it was like," Robert murmured.
"This is what what was like?" Jeff asked.
"Before," Robert went on, "The war with Giygas. This is what you had to do."
"Yes," Jeff said.
"So I guess it's up to you again," Robert said, "You and your friends."
"Perhaps," Jeff said, "Although I think that once again faith must be placed in children for the powers of good to triumph."
"A new generation of chosen ones?" Robert asked.
"I believe so," Jeff said, "Already there are two children out there that I do firmly believe will play an active role in what is to come. I cannot be positive, but the signs seem to point to that more than anything else."
"I guess then there is still hope for the rest of us," Robert said.
"Hope is always a constant," Jeff said, "It's what makes the human spirit endure throughout all the trials and heartaches, and it is what will see us through to the next day."
"It is always good to have more than just blind hope," Robert retorted, "That is why places like Berk exist. We can't always just rely on those more gifted than the rest. We must learn to fend for ourselves as much as having others do it for us."
"No one has ever said that PSI users are automatically more fit to take care of themselves," Jeff said, "Of course we all can do just as well."
"Of course," Robert answered blankly.
"You don't have to live your life trying to prove something, Robert," Jeff advised, "You do not have to try and prove your own worth."
Robert stopped walking and looked deep into the forest surrounding him.
"Yes, I do," he answered in a deep tone.
Robert continued walking through the forest. Jeff stood still for a moment watching him, and then he too continued to walk through the dense wood.
As with their northern counterpart, the forests outside Brindlewood were playing host to a pair of travelers.
Mako moved quickly through the trails of the forest while Brian moved uncertainly behind.
"So what was it like before?" Mako asked.
"What?" Brian answered.
"Your life," Mako said, "What was it like before this began?"
"Well, I lived in Pikor over in Raptorland," Brian said, "Just me and my mom. My dad died when I was younger."
"I'm sorry," Mako said.
Brian shrugged and went on, "I guess you could call my life pretty boring. I didn't do anything too exciting. First unusual thing that happened in my life was seeing these cyborgs coming down from the Rusty Mountains."
"And that brought you here to Eagleland?" Mako asked.
"Well, my friends and I ran into the cyborgs and were forced to fight. I managed to defeat one that was by itself with my fire beta, but when facing all of them I don't think I did much damage. Luckily, they wanted something other than me and took off during the confusion. My friend Trevor said they were heading here."
"Trevor's the boy in the hospital," Mako noted.
"Yeah," Brian answered, "You said you went to his hospital room before finding me?"
"Something just drew me towards him," Mako explained, "I'm not really sure what it was, but going to his room did directly lead me to you. I fell into this trance and when I awoke, I was able to sense PSI energies much like my father can, and something in my mind just knew what to look for in order to find you."
"Weird," Brian remarked.
"His PSI power seems to be unnatural," Mako continued.
"Yeah, he mentioned his abilities were given to him," Brian said.
"It's just a shame what happened to him," Mako remarked, "What kind of person would purposely alter's someone's mind like that. It just goes against everything good and decent."
"I guess not everyone in the world is good and decent," Brian commented.
The two continued to walk in silence again. The trees slowly became further apart. It slowly became evident that the forest was thinning out and giving way to their destination.
"I wonder where this leads to exactly," Brian mentioned.
"I am unsure," Mako said, "I never did venture this way before. For all I know, nothing lies at the edge of this forest."
"Can you sense... anything?" Brian asked, "I mean, if there's something up ahead that's PSI..."
"I'm not fully sure of my new power," Mako said, "I don't think my father meant for me to have it already. He never acquired the ability until his early twenties."
"So what kind of abilities do you have?" Brian asked.
He recently realized that he never really interacted with someone else who had true PSI abilities. The chance to actively talk about it actually excited him.
"Well, my main offensive abilities are PSI Flash and Thunder," Mako said.
"Oh, I can do PSI Thunder," Brian commented.
"I also have healing and lifeup abilities, as well as PSI Shield Epsilon and some basic offense up and defense down powers," Mako finished.
"Wow, you have more abilities than I do," Brian said, "I mainly just have Fire, Thunder, and Lifeup. I've tried Flash and this Repel power Trevor used, but I'm not that great with them yet."
"Well, you do have this power that you used against the mooks," Mako pointed out.
Brian flinched a bit, "I'm not sure at all what that was."
"It does sound powerful," Mako said, "Very powerful actually. It destroyed a whole army of mooks. They don't go down easily. It sounds as though you have great power within you."
"I don't really like thinking about it," Brian said shortly.
"You sort of have to," Mako pressed, "Something that potent? You really will have to learn how to control it."
"Okay, fine," Brian snapped, "You don't have to be all over me about it. I understand you grew up with all this training and stuff with your dad being emperor and one of the Chosen Four, but not everyone lives like that."
"No need to get overly defensive," Mako said, "I'm just making sure you understand fully what will come if you're going to be involved in this next war."
"Exactly. If," Brian pointed out.
"You are uncertain of your intentions?" Mako asked slowly.
"I don't know," Brian said, "Like I said, my life was simple. I didn't ask for this. I don't even know if I want it now that it's here."
Mako slowly nodded. He noted Brian's obvious fear about all of this and understood that he would have work to do in order to make Brian prepared for what was to come.
"Oh, look," Mako noticed, "We're reaching the end."
Brian looked ahead and could see that the thin line of trees was ending up ahead. He could see a vast emptiness beyond it. As they reached the end, they realized they came to a vast meadow. Wild and beautiful flowers grew among the grass. The sun shone brightly along the distance. Butterflies and birds flew freely around the area. Mako could see how one could easily become seduced from the overwhelming tranquility of it all. Brian couldn't help but to smile for the first time in awhile. He finally felt content.
"Well, I guess we're here," Mako said, "Wherever here is."
"What was that?" Brian quickly said.
"What?" Mako asked.
"Something moved through the grass," Brian said, "I could barely make it out. It moved too fast.
Mako squinted at the grass, but couldn't see anything.
"Let's move out," Mako said, "See what this place is about. Be on guard though. No telling if any of these animals are on our side or not."
Brian and Mako slowly moved out into the meadow. The grass was tall. It reached a little bit above their knees. As Brian watched a butterfly land on a large sunflower, he saw it again. It looked like a string. It stuck straight up into the air and he could catch a flash of red. It seemed like it was some material wrapped around the string.
"There again," Brian whispered to Mako, "There's something out there."
"Maybe we should split up," Mako said, "Cover more ground and see if we can find..."
"BOING!"
"Ah!" Mako gasped as he stumbled and fell over.
As he was talking, he stepped on something that cried out and scared him.
Brian stared in amazement as the figure jumped from the grass and moved out into a small area of shorter grass.
It was incredibly small. It looked like it only came up to Brian's knees itself. It seemed to have a pair of short legs, and the rest of it looked mostly like just a face with a big nose in the middle of it. Whiskers stuck out from its nose and a single hair which looked like a string stuck into the air. A red bow was tied around the hair.
As Brian stared, the creature spoke, "Strangers! Few come to this place. BOING! Place hidden from rest of land. Don't know what to do. BOING! Strangers come here! Oh dear. What to do? What to do with this event, Mr. Saturn? BOING!"
"A Mr. Saturn," Mako marveled, "but living way out here? I thought they all lived in Saturn Valley."
"Not all, good sir! Not all!" the Mr. Saturn answered, "Many tired of tight places. Surrounded on all sides by rocky walls! Cramped Mr. Saturn was. BOING! Many come here. Many enjoy the open air. Open air of Saturn Meadows! BOING!"
"Saturn Meadows?" Brian said, "This is where we were supposed to come?"
"They could prove very useful," Mako said, "The Mr. Saturn may seem simple, but they really are intelligent. They helped my father and his friends a few times during their quest."
"Well, then maybe they can help again," Brian said.
"Help! Maybe," the Mr. Saturn answered, "Not for me to decide. Grande! Grande know the truth. BOING! You go find Grande. You talk. He talk. You listen. Truth revealed! Clearing in center of meadow. You go, good sir! Go see Grande!"
"The Grande?" Brian asked.
"Must be their leader," Mako said, "But either way, he sounds like the person we should go see, so let's get going!"
Mako quickly moved deeper into the meadow. Brian looked around slowly, and then followed after Mako. The Mr. Saturn rocked back and forth with a pleased look.
"BOING!"
"It's a good thing we found them when we did."
"Especially with what's been going on."
"Where did you say they were laying?"
"The middle of the park."
"Oh, dear. What could have happened?
"Look! They're waking up."
Kayla and Angela slowly opened their eyes as they heard the comments around them.
"Where are we?" Kayla asked.
They were in a small room. They were laying on old couches. The door to the room was open and they could see desks in the next room. A cat wandered around the room.
"I know what this is," Angela gasped, "Polestar Preschool!"
An old man chuckled behind them. "Guess we're popular now."
Kayla and Angela turned around and looked at the thin, old man with little gray hair on top of his head.
"Hello," the man said, "Allow me to introduce myself."
"You're her father," Angela said.
"Father?" Kayla asked.
"Yes, I am," the man answered. You can call me Mr. Polestar."
"Paula's dad," Angela said with a large grin, "This is the father of the chosen girl with amazing powers."