Alright, here's another chapter!
Mobiusfan: It's more fun that way.
Electrify: That's right.
Sonikah: Good troll face.
Some guy named Blaze: Nope.
Moemon Ranger: Shadows of Almia
Chapter 22
"Wow, this is Boyleland?" Petal asked, staring out over the railing of the boat as they sailed towards the dark red island. "Look at the smoke billowing out into the air! You think it's going to erupt soon?"
"No." I said, frowning. "I really don't care."
"Oh, come on, where's your spirit of adventure?" Petal asked, smiling. "Besides, Boyleland is the number one tourist location of all Almia!"
"Yeah, but we're here to relax in the sun." I said, frowning. "Barlow has gone missing."
A few hours ago…
"What?" I exclaimed. "Barlow's gone missing?"
Petal and I had just returned from the Ranger School, and we were standing in the ranger base of Vientown.
"Oh, he's probably just goofing off." Petal said, smirking. "I mean, Barlow is really tough, right? He's probably just relaxing in Boyleland like its nobody's business."
"That's what I'd think to." Crawford said, frowning. "Except for the fact that his stylers' signal disappeared."
"Maybe he just dropped it into the magma or something?" Petal asked.
"Again, that's what I'd think to." Crawford said, nodding. "But if there's the smallest chance that it's not what happened, we need someone to go and see if he's alright, so Kellyn, you up for it?"
"Of course." I said, nodding.
"Oh, I'm coming too!" Petal said, smiling.
"What?" I asked, turning to face her. "Why?"
"I've always wanted to go on a romantic vacation to Boyleland before!" Petal said, smiling. "And now I get the perfect chance!"
"You do realize that this isn't a vacation, right?" I asked, frowning. "We're going there on work. We don't have any time for relaxing."
"Blah blah blah." Petal said, frowning. "Let's just go already!"
Current time…
"Alright, we're here!" Petal exclaimed, smiling, jumping off of the boat and onto the red island. "Whoa, this place looks cool!" The large island was made out of a big red stone, with steam coming out of the cracks in the rock. Wooden houses were line up all along the coast, but the majority of the island was a large volcano in the center.
"You're right, this place does look pretty cool." I said, looking around at the island.
"That's right, master!" Kurou said, smiling, jumping onto Boyleland as well. "Now, let's go!"
Reluctantly, I stepped down the ladder and jumped down onto the island, surprised at the warmth beneath my feet.
"Wow, it's like this island is radiating heat or something." I said, surprised, putting my hand over the red rocks. "That's pretty cool."
"Well, let's go find Barlow!" Petal said, smiling. "The sooner we find him, the sooner we get to start our relaxing vacation!"
We asked many of the local people on Boyleland, but they really couldn't give us any good information. In fact, the only information we got at all was from an old man stating that a man matching Barlows' description might have been seen entering the volcano.
We thanked the old man and headed off to the only location that we could think of checking left, the volcano.
"So, do you think he got lost in the volcano?" Petal asked. "That would be really stupid, don't you agree?"
"Yeah." I said, nodding. "But I'm worried. I hope we find him soon…"
"Don't worry, Kelly!" Petal said, smiling. "That just makes you wrinkle! Nope, we should just go in the volcano and find him! I'm sure he's in there somewhere, we just need to find out where!"
Petal confidently strutted into the volcano, me following reluctantly after.
"So, Petal, what're we going to do?" I asked, frowning. "Any ideas on where he could be?"
The three of us were standing just inside the volcano, looking around. The inside of the volcano was kind of blurry due to the steam and heat, but from what I could make out, we were standing on a rock path that somehow managed to keep from breaking off.
"Alright, let's go!" Petal said, walking in a carefree manner across the path. Reluctant, but fully trusting in Petal, I followed after her, Kurou following me like a loyal puppy.
"Hey, I just thought of something!" Petal said, smiling. "I wonder if there might be water inside the volcano!"
"Water?" I asked, surprised.
"Yeah, like an underground hot spring!" Petal said excitedly. "You think Barlow might have found something like that, and that's why he hasn't come back yet?"
"I think that that's wishful thinking." I answered.
"Oh, you're no fun." Petal said, pouting. "Come on, think a little, use your imagination, stupid Kelly. It's more fun if you think about stuff! Like, maybe there's actually a secret harbor located deep in this volcano that pirates used back in the day!"
"You know, life must be pretty enjoyable for a person like you…" I said, laughing. "But then again, that's what I love about you."
"Wait, how do we get past here?" Petal asked, standing at the edge of the path. The other side was about ten meters away, way too far to jump.
"Wait, Petal, look at all this steam coming out of here." I said, pointing to a chasm in the rock, which steam was emerging from. "Maybe we need to catch a certain moemon that can use the steam to move us across the lava.
"Oh, that's a good idea, Kelly!" Petal said, nodding. "…So, what did you have in mind?"
"Well…" I said, looking around for any moemon. However, they were all fire moemon, none of them being able to fly.
"Ranger! Ranger!" A voice called out, a moemon drifting down to us.
"Whoa, Drifloon!" Petal said, surprised. The Drifloon wore a violet dress with gold hearts sticking out on the back, connected by string. She had violet hair down to her neck, and gold eyes.
"You guys are rangers, right?" The Drifloon asked. "Are you guys looking for that other ranger who came here?"
"Yeah, why?" I asked. "Have you seen him?"
"Yes!" The Drifloon said, nodding. "He saved me from some weird guys dressed in black, but they took him!"
"What?" Petal and I exclaimed.
So, Barlow's been kidnapped!