"Now what do we do?" Lucas asked worriedly as he and the others regrouped back to Tazmily Village.
"We're gonna have to hurry and pull the rest of those needles," Kumatora answered.
Boney whined a bit.
"But where do we even start?" Lucas asked.
"The next one is at the top of Fire Mountain," Kumatora told him.
Duster pulled out a map.
"That's near Snowcap Mountain, right?"
Lucas nodded.
"We should go there next."
"But what about Rose?" Duster asked.
"It's risky but I think she should stay with Claus for the time being," Lucas told the others.
"What?!" Duster yelled in shock. "Are you out of your mind?! You're just going to leave your crush with that monster?!"
"He's still my brother," Lucas responded. "If anyone can get him back to his senses at this point it's her."
"I actually think Lucas has a point," Kumatora said. "She's basically working on the inside for us right now. If she can spend more time with Claus without Porky's influence then maybe, just maybe..."
"We can get him back," Duster muttered.
"Exactly!" Kumatora said excitedly.
Lucas knew what he had to do.
Meanwhile, Rosella was with Porky.
"Since you clearly refuse to be mine on account of your crush on my strongest soldier, I might as well put you to some other use," he told her.
Rosella blushed as he brought up her crush on Claus. But that wasn't the only reason she was nervous at the moment.
The Masked Man was there with them, acting as a bodyguard for Rosella. He noticed Rosella's anxiety rising, so he squeezed her hand a bit.
"Oh please," Porky scoffed. "Show more PDA why don't you? Just rub it in the king's face. Wow, awesome."
The Masked Man glared at Porky, blushing a bit.
"So what exactly do you need me for?" Rosella asked.
"See the giant sphere behind me?" Porky asked, motioning to it.
"Yes?" Rosella answered.
Porky chuckled, finding her expressions cute.
"That, my dear, is my patented absolute safe capsule. It's not completed as of yet, but it needs something that only you can provide...Your Healing PSI."
"Mine?" Rosella asked.
"Yes," Porky answered. "Originally, I had your father provide his instead...but his powers are weak! So I figured since your abilities surpass his by a long shot, I'd just get you to do this. And, the fact that you're so good-looking could have been a two-birds-with-one-stone situation but..." he glanced at the Masked Man, who was still glaring daggers at him. "It seems even the king of the world can't get everything he wants."
"So that's why Papa has been all frantic the past three years," Rosella whispered to herself.
The Masked Man kept a hold on her hand to make sure her heart rate was stabilized.
"Rose? Can you hear me?" A voice suddenly materialized in her head. It was Lucas's.
"Lucas," Rosella responded back telepathically. "Yeah, what's up?"
"Think you can keep Claus distracted while I pull more needles?" He asked her.
"I'm with him and Porky right now," Rosella answered. "But I'll see what I can do.
"Rose," The Masked Man said, squeezing her hand again. "Are you alright? You spaced out for a second."
"Ah, I'm fine," Rosella answered, smiling and blushing a bit.
"So," Porky continued. "Will you provide your PSI for this machine?"
Rosella sighed. She knew she didn't have a choice in the matter.
"Very well. Since you've been gracious enough to let me spend time with the Masked Man."
But deep down she didn't mean a single word. Gracious was not something she'd call him unironically.
Porky smirked. "Good girl seems the Masked Man has actually managed to make you more sub—"
The Masked Man suddenly shot at Porky before holding his gun arm with his other hand.
"I'm sorry, King P. My gun arm seems to be acting up. Permission to get it checked sir?"
"Permission granted," Porky grimaced. "But the girl stays here."
The Masked Man left the room.
Porky groaned. "It's shit like that that makes me want to destroy the world and escape in my safe capsule in the first place. I just wanted a Utopia but no! I can't have anything!"
Rosella saw an opportunity in the form of malicious compliance. This will probably be the most malicious thing she'll ever do in her life. But she had to. For the world. And for Claus.
Rosella went up to the machine and used all of her PP to charge the Absolute Safe Capsule.
"Is that enough PSI for you?" Rosella asked him.
Porky looked at the capsule with a smile.
"Yes, that's more than enough," he shouted with glee. "Perhaps I should reward you—"
That's when the Masked Man came back in.
"My gun arm is all fixed, sir," he announced.
Porky rolled his eyes.
"I can't have one minute alone with this girl, can I?" He muttered.
"By the way, where is Fassad?" The Masked Man asked.
"Oh him?" Porky smirked. "He's uh..."
Lucas, Kumatora, Duster, and Boney were meanwhile fighting Fassad at Fire Mountain for the fourth needle.
"Dealing with some stuff for me," Porky said.
The Masked Man nodded and took Rosella with him.
"Hey if you're gonna lug her around everywhere at least take the lady on a date," Porky said as he left.
Rosella and the Masked Man both blushed a bit as they kept walking.
"I don't think I've ever been on a date," The Masked Man admitted. "What do they entail?"
"Well," Rosella answered, blushing redder. "First you ask the person out. Then you pick a location. Preferably somewhere with romantic intent like the beach or a nice picnic or even a dinner for two somewhere. How fancy or casual each person dresses depends on the date and location. And then—"
"Go on a date with me," The Masked Man said matter-of-factly.
Rosella stopped walking entirely and blushed even redder. "I—I'd love to..."
Meanwhile, Lucas, Kumatora, Duster, and Boney defeated Fassad.
Lucas pulled the needle out of the ground.
"So that's four needles now," he said.
"It's getting late," Duster said. "Let's get back to the usual place."
"Right," Lucas and Kumatora said in unison.
When the four of them made it back to Tazmily, they saw Nana there.
Lucas blushed a bit when he saw her.
"Nana?" He said softly.
"Hey Lucas," Nana greeted. "How've you been?"
"I've been okay," Lucas answered. "You?"
"I've been fine," Nana said. "Just spending time at the beach as per usual. Collecting shells, swimming around..."
As Nana kept yapping at Lucas, Duster led the other two away to give them some private time.
Lucas just happily listened. Something about her voice seemed to calm him down.
"Oh, by the way, how's progress in the Rose department?" Nana suddenly asked.
"Oh uh," Lucas answered, blushing. "I've actually given up on that...romantically I mean. We're still trying to rescue her, obviously."
Nana giggled. "I get it. So I assume you're a happily single Pringle?"
Lucas blushed redder. "Well, actually...I...I'm in love with someone else now."
Nana blushed.
"Oh? Who?"
Lucas noticed the sun setting.
"Eh—the sun's setting! Gotta go! I'll see ya, love—"
Lucas immediately shut his mouth and ran off.
Nana blushed redder as he left her there.
"Was he about to confess to me?!" She asked herself.
