Chapter Four: Into the Jungle
In the village of the Pupununu…
Tak reached the gate as Flora and Fauna used their magic to unlock it.
The young teen then turned to his people, turned into sheep, and nodded, making a quiet vow to return with victory, to bring Lok back to normal and so he can save the world. This would be the second time he ever left the village as the world before he was new and strange. It was an unspoken rule that the people of the Pupununu do not leave the borders of their village.
He never knew why.
But Tak was about to do it again, but this time he would be alone.
"Alright, Tak, I know that this is your second time leaving the village but don't worry. Fauna and I will be here to help you out every step of the way." Flora assured the boy as her twin circled him as well.
"Yeah, we got your back man!" Fauna smirked, "But I got your back better than her."
"Hey!"
"Um, girls? Who and what are you?" Tak wondered as they began their journey, trying not to offend the strange girls.
The girls then stopped fighting and turned to the tribe boy.
"Oh, how rude of us. I am Flora and this slob is Fauna." The green girl introduced formally as her sister stuck her tongue out at her.
"We're Juju!" The yellow wild-looking girl proclaimed with her fists on her hips to make herself look more heroic.
"Actual, Juju?" Tak gasped in awe that he was in the very presence of Jujus, the creators of their entire world.
"Well… Juju apprentices. We won't be fully recognized jujus until we complete our apprenticeship." Flora explained as it deflated Fauna's ego.
"So? We are just as powerful as any other Juju!" Fauna scoffed as she tried to hide her embarrassment and red cheeks.
"…Not really. But we are really helpful. Moon Juju send us to help you save the tribe and stop Tlaloc. This the first time your out in the jungle alone, so we'll help you out and figure out some secrets." Flora explained to the young teen.
"Okay, where do we start?" Tak wondered as he still felt a little lost.
"Look to the scroll to see," Flora advised the human.
The young shaman assistant to be unveiled the scroll to see the list of duties before him.
"Okay, the first thing is to find the Tears of the Moon. What's that?" Tak wondered as he scratched his head.
"One of the first relics of Moon Juju. It's a sacred spring that can purify evil." Flora answered as she showed the image of it.
"Basically, if there is a corrupted shaman, just plop them in the pool to turn them back to normal. This will come in handy when you face Castongo." Fauna added as she flew around him.
"Yeah, should be easy…" Tak spoke sarcastically as he knew that he was going to face the impossible.
In the Tower of the traitorous Tlaloc…
The former shaman of the Pupununu People stared down into his cauldron as he saw the images of Tak and the Juju Apprentices.
"Ah, sweet, innocent of a pest of a little orphaned rat, Tak. Moon Juju and Jibolba decided to send him on a little errand." The wicked shaman chuckled darkly.
"Let me at him, Boss! Let me at that little twerp!" Pins boomed as he faked boxed and imagined fighting him.
"Hmmhmhm hmhmhmh hmmhmhh (I can take this brat on all by myself)!" Needles proclaimed as he and Pins began to get into a fight.
"Enough you two! Or I will turn you both into firewood!" Tlaloc ordered them as they instantly stopped, "That won't be necessary to send you imbecilic.
He then changed the image of Tak to a shadowy animal hiding in the darkness with amber eyes.
"Looks like it's time to see what they can really do. Don't you think so, Wa-Wa-Kitsune?" The traitor to the Pupununu Tribe questioned as he made contact with the beast.
The monster croaked in acknowledgment to its master as its eyes were mesmerizingly terrifying to Pins and Needles that hid behind their shaman. The Beast's claws were shown as slobber poured onto the floor.
"Now, now, I know that you are excited, for you see, I have a task for you." Tlaloc began then showed him an image of Tak, "See this boy?"
"ROAR!" It bellowed.
"Yes, this boy is going to enter your territory and steal your prize. If he does, you will cease to be, and you don't want that."
"ROAR!"
"Exactly my pet, so you will use your magic to destroy him and his accomplices. Use every trick in the book to stop them. After all, you are the best of the best and know every spell in the book." The Shaman ordered the beast then the beast disappeared to do its scheme.
The image then dispersed as Tlaloc stared up to the stained-glass mural of a monstrous Juju with his hands behind his back.
"Soon, Tak will be no more as well as the mighty warrior. Then once the Pupununu is gone, you can have your revenge on Moon Juju and the tribe, and I will reign as a Juju." He spoke as if someone was in the room.
"I wouldn't be so overconfident if I were you, human. Why not just crush the brat while he's weak and helpless?" The Juju who made a deal with him questioned.
"He is not worth our time; he will meet his end and we will reign supreme." He answered.
"Don't forget that you are walking a fine line, a very fine line. Failure will not be in your best interest."
Then the voice disappeared.