Here's another chapter. Can I get more reviews, guys?
Mobiusfan: Yes, it's very nice.
Some guy named Blaze: A week later and I still agree.
The Black Okami: Yeah, that's what I would have done.
Moemon Ranger: Shadows of Almia
Chapter 23
"So he was kidnapped…" I said, my face going white.
"We need to find him!" Petal exclaimed.
"Alright." Drifloon said, nodding. "I'll take you there."
Drifloon grabbed onto my hand and Petal's hand, and jumped into the air. The heat from the molten lava lifting her into the air, Kurou flying after us.
After touching down on the red stone path, the Drifloon continued to lead the three of us through the volcano, lifting us over the rivers of lava and maneuvering around the rockslides. However, strangely enough, we hadn't seen any other moemon around. It was kind of eerie. We continued to walk across the paths carved into the volcano's insides, before we arrived at a… Door in the volcano wall. Well. That's odd.
"What's a door doing in the volcano wall?" Petal asked, frowning.
"Well, you never know…" I said, frowning. "Maybe there's some sort of secret base behind it?"
"Gee, you think?" Petal asked, face palming. "Of course it's a secret hideout."
"Um, I can't lead you any further…" The Drifloon said, backing up. "And neither should you… The man's behind this door, but have you seen the moemon in this cave?"
"Besides the ones at the base of the volcano, I haven't seen any…" Petal answered.
"Right…" Drifloon said, nodding. "They've all been kidnapped by those men in black… if I go in, I could be captured too… and I don't want that… so please, you have to save them!"
"Alright, we'll do it." I said, nodding. "We'll save Barlow, and we'll save all the moemon that Team Dim Sun have kidnapped!"
"Thank you!" Drifloon said, bowing in appreciation. "I sincerely hope you can save everyone!"
"No, we should thank you." I said, wrapping my arms around the young moemon, hugging her small body. "You're so young, and yet you've managed to guide us all the way here. And for that, I thank you."
"You shouldn't thank me…" The Drifloon said, hugging me back. "I'm just a little girl who can't do anything except guide you…"
"And that was good enough." I said, the two of us separating. The moemon turned and drifted away, turning and smiling back to us before she faded into one of the walls that made up this twisted volcano.
"So, what now, master?" Kurou asked, frowning. "Are we gonna go inside?"
"Silly!" Petal said, smirking. "Of course we are, we're moemon rangers, silly!"
I moved towards the door and slowly opened it, stepping into the room behind it.
"Whoa…" I said, amazed at what I saw. There was a whole underground cove, just as Petal had said there might be. It was actually pretty amazing. The walls were forged of a beautiful tan rock, the water a sparkling blue. There was a large black and grey boat with violet colored designs across it lying in the water, taking up most of the space of the cavern. Besides the boat, the only signs that someone was living here were the crates that were strewn about the cave's floor. However, there were a few people here as well. The wrong kind of people, unfortunately.
"Alright, we'll be leaving in two minutes!" The red haired man in front of the rest of the grunts shouted. "Everyone pack up and be on the ship within two minutes!"
"Alright, we've got two minutes to get on that ship." Petal said, the three of us hiding behind the rocks of the cove. "We should wait for everyone to get on board before we sneak on, sound like a plan?"
"Sounds like as good a plan as any." I agreed. "So for now, we wait."
We waited out for most of the two minutes, and as soon as we saw the last of the grunts sneak aboard the ship, we gave pursuit. We ran across the tanned rocks, and we jumped aboard the ship at the last second, as it sailed off into the opening of the cove and into the sunset.
"Sailing off into the sunset." Petal said, smiling. "Pretty romantic, don't you think? Two lovers sneaking aboard a ship sailing off into the sunset, with no one but each other to rely on, trying to save all the moemon… ah, romance!"
"Yeah, that doesn't really sound all that romantic to me…" I said, frowning. "It seems terrifying to be perfectly honest. In fact, I think I might die soon."
"Well, if you're too much of a sissy…" Petal said, frowning. "I guess I could do this myself…"
"Master!" Kurou exclaimed. "You don't have to worry, because Kurou will always be here and always be on your side! So you don't have to rely on that stupid Petal!"
"Hey!" Petal exclaimed, hitting Kurou in the side of the head. "I am not stupid!"
"What the hell are you talking about?" Kurou exclaimed, holding her head. "Of course you're stupid!"
"You're both being stupid!" I exclaimed. "What do you think you're doing?"
"Huh? What do you mean?" Petal and Kurou asked, turning away from their brawl to look at me.
"You idiots…" I said, face palming. "Have you guys forgotten we've stowed away on this ship? What do you want to do, get a bunch of these grunts to notice us, you idiots?"
"Kelly, I've been wondering." Petal said, frowning. "You've been talking pretty disrespectfully to me for a long time. Since when have you had the right to talk to ME like that?"
"You picked NOW to have this conversation?" I asked, frowning. "Now, when we're in a situation as bad as this?"
"Well, excuse me if I think our relationship is important!" Petal exclaimed to me. "I am the dominant one in this relationship, you got that?"
I suddenly remembered all the reasons I love her so much.
"Yes, I understand…" I said, bowing down. "Please, don't hurt me…"
"That's better." Petal said, nodding. "Now then, we'd best be going, right?"
"Yes, ma'am…" I said, nodding.
"Well, it seems we have some stowaways on board." A voice piped up.
So, how was that chapter? Surprising, no? No.