Loonatics: United

Episode 13: Reconnaissance

Matt was struggling to walk across the dense vegetation of the unknown jungle. "Easy task…" He complained. "Just find a random, extraterrestrial thing to save that guy from dying." A plant hit his face like a slingshot as he tried to pass through it, he yelled and rubbed his muzzle. "I'm pretty sure I already hate this place." He kept moving and after a few minutes he found himself in front of a weird looking tree, its trunk was thick and reddish, while it had dark purple leaves which went all its way down from the top to the bottom. "Okay Matt." He said to himself as he picked a leaf from the tree. "Just remember the botany course you failed to pass." He ripped the leaf in half. "No odd fluids, I guess that's fine." He took more leaves and kept them on the bags of his pants, then he walked back through the route he had taken to reunite with his assigned crew.

On the meantime, Anne and Adam were chatting while waiting for Matt, they were both still sitting over the beach's sand. "I never thought I would see an actual view of the ocean." Anne said as she looked at the blue sea.

"What is so fascinating for you about it? I don't understand." Adam tilted his head with intrigue as he tried to glance at the scene the same way Anne did.

"I…" Anne raised an eyebrow after thinking about the question. "It's just, the immensity of it, you know, normally people see themselves as the biggest thing that ever existed, but when you experience this, you realize you aren't that huge after all, it gives you a sense of, acceptance and, humility."

"And that doesn't bother you? To feel, limited?" Adam asked.

"I used to be worried about that kind of thoughts, but, now I know that limits can often lead to better things, they make us stronger, and remind us we are just, people." Anne sighed and looked at Adam. "Maybe I'm boring you, I'm sorry."

"No." Adam said. "I really like to talk with you, you are like, someone who I appreciate, uhm, what's the word…"

"A friend?" Anne replied.

"Yeah!" Adam responded. "I am sorry about my attitude back on the city, I was just very unsettled and, confused."

Anne tightened her grip on his hand. "I know." She smiled. "You will get through this."

"I was just a program on an old hard drive, now I feel like something else, but I don't deserve it." Adam lowered his head.

Anne glanced at him worriedly. "Don't treat yourself like that." She leaned closer to him. "You didn't choose to be here, none of us did."

"But someone died, so I could exist." Adam cried.

"What happened, it's not your fault, or tell me, is it?" Anne asked him reassuringly.

"Well…" Adam sobbed. "Technically, not."

"See? The only thing that matters right now is how are you going to move on, and be calm, we will help you." Anne said.

Adam nodded, his gaze still at the ground. "Okay."

Matt had came from between a group of palm trees and plants before he approached them from behind. "I think I've found something." He said with a subtle unsettlement on his face as he saw Adam and Anne so close to each other.

"Oh, well let's try it out." Anne said while she moved away a little bit from Adam to let Matt try to cure him.

Meanwhile, more inside of the paths of the jungle, Duck and Slam were glancing at every tree they saw in search for fruit. "Yup, we will die of starvation here." Duck said.

Slam snarled optimistically as he shook a palm tree with no relevant effect.

"Get over it! We are doomed!" Duck exclaimed. "Why would Ace think two dummies like us could have had any chance to succeed."

Slam turned around and stared at him rather offended.

"Come on Slam! We both know I am not exactly the brain of this team, so where does that leave you?" Duck crossed his arms.

Slam growled violently and punched Duck right on his beak which threw him strongly onto a palm tree.

Duck groaned and got back into his senses as he moved from the damaged area and looked at Slam angrily. "You want to play, huh?" He disappeared suddenly and teleported over Slam's head, then he began to throw energy orbs into his face. "You like that!"

Slam screamed and took Duck with his hand and smashed him to the ground, then he growled at him menacingly with his fist ready to punch him like a warning.

Duck coughed some dirt and lifted his hand in front of his face. "Okay bud." He stood up with struggle. "No more." He continued coughing. "It's a tie."

Slam grunted and grabbed Duck again, looking directly into his eyes.

"Okay! Okay! You won, you won, I am sorry alright! Maybe I was just trying to…" He gasped as Slam squeezed him more strongly. "I was just mad and upset, it was not fair from my part, I apologize."

Slam growled with a cautious forgiveness, then he just dropped him.

Duck got into his feet once again. "Alright bud." He was still struggling to recover his breath. "Just forget this, keep looking."

Tech shook his head as he kneeled down in front of a little river of green colored water. "I wouldn't drink from here even if my life depended on it, oh wait, it does."

Ace sighed and sat down over a rock. "Just give it some time, Tech."

Tech stood up and walked by him. "And when we run out of time? What will we do?"

"I don't know, maybe we should take a rest, my feet are killing me." Ace replied.

Tech nodded and laid down on the wet soil, with both hands under his head. "Mine too, boss, this jungle is far more dense than I thought." He waited for a response, which didn't come, he then gazed at Ace who was just looking at the front. "Boss?"

Ace blinked and shook his head gently. "I am sorry, I was just, thoughtful."

"What's up?" Tech inquired.

"It's strange, but, these last minutes I've been getting this kind of, attachment feeling." Ace responded.

"I'm lost already." Tech raised an eyebrow.

"Everything here is so, alive, I never imagined to see something like it." Ace placed his hand over a long leaf of a plant that was next to him.

"I guess it's normal, this place is literally the opposite of our home." Tech stated. "Maybe we needed some, vacations, you know." Tech said jokingly.

"Yeah, things always tend to get out of control over there." Ace chuckled. "Maybe I'm not accustomed to live out of trouble."

Meanwhile, Lexi and Rev were walking carefully over the edge of a rocky structure. "I told you this didn't lead to a cave." Lexi said.

"Well, I'm sorry for not knowing this place like the palm of my hand, Ms. Perfect!" Rev argued.

"Calm down, what's up with that annoying attitude you have since we got here?" Lexi asked.

Rev grunted. "It's nothing."

"Rev." Lexi said with a serious tone, still watching her steps. "You are talking much less than usual, not that I complain, but I know something is not okay."

"Look, you are too smart to ignore it, everything is my fault, I couldn't protect that weird guy from the shot and that's exactly why we are here, I'm slow, Lexi." Rev replied.

Lexi sighed. "Rev, you know that's not true."

Rev avoided a rock that blocked the way partially. "Then why are we here?"

Lexi did the same, as she had been walking behind him. "It's like in sports, sometimes you fail, sometimes you score."

"I didn't lose a soccer match, I brought all of you to your demise." Rev argued.

"Come on Rev, you are overreacting." Lexi replied.

Rev shook his head as he managed to put both of his feet on the other, safer side. "Maybe, but, I can't help but to feel guilty about what happened."

Lexi approached him with relief as she noticed they had gone all the way through the defying path. "Well, just don't, forget about it, no one else is blaming you, okay?" She put a hand on his shoulder.

Rev sighed. "Yeah."

"Okay then." Lexi walked past him and gasped as she covered her mouth with amazement, her eyes widened afterwards.

"What!" Rev ran quickly next to her. "It's…"

"Perfect." Lexi said as they both admired the scene of the little paradise they had found. A huge pool surrounded by caverns covered with moss and huge trees full of appealing fruits. Lexi got inside the place followed by Rev, they walked over the grassed surface that covered their feet, their sight was all over the place as there was so much to see.

"Ace will be very relieved with this." Rev said.

Lexi nodded. "I agree." She looked at him. "We must tell them."