Meanwhile List continues joyously going from one string to the next, as though conducting an elaborate orchestra. The more it exerts its influence over fate, the more willing it becomes to experiment. Meanwhile List takes hold of two strings that would otherwise never cross over, and gently brings them together, entangling the fates of those to whom the strings are attached.
Meanwhile, at the edge of the Painforest, which has been steadily returning to its former glory, a living twig monument stiffly approaches the jungle.
"Hold it right there!" Benny Hills says, snapping to attention as the monument draws near. "Restricted access, what's your business here?"
"I don't know, I just felt like dropping by, I guess. Will that be a problem?" the monument responds.
"Well, you need a good reason to come into the Pai-" Benny starts, but before he can finish explaining, Alabaster Alan leaps up onto his shoulders from behind, blasting the monument into a pile of splinters in seconds.
"NOT taking any chances with that thing." Alan stammers, jumping back to the ground while Benny stares at him in disbelief.
"Alan, I know you're new, but that was completely uncalled for. It didn't even set foot in the Painforest!"
"I have my reasons, okay? OKAY?! Trust me, better safe than sorry."
While Alan and Benny argue, a small beetle skitters out from the pile of wooden remains, scampering right past both guards and entering the jungle beyond.
Some ways into the jungle, Man Forrest is performing a routine inspection, but is interrupted when a glowing portal appears in front of him, from which Arya emerges.
"We're having an important jungle meeting, your presence is required." Arya says, stepping aside to let Man Forrest through the portal.
"Hey, Kelbeo! Check this out!" Flurrie rushes over to the other fauna researcher, holding a cup in her hand. Kelbeo glances over, and sees that the cup contains a small green beetle in it, one that she's never seen before. "I think it might be a new species!"
"DID SOMEBODY SAY NEW?!" Gongor exclaims, jumping out from a nearby bush he was hiding in for some reason. Flurrie drops the cup in surprise, and the beetle scurries out of it, biting Flurrie on the ankle before running away into the woods.
"YOWCH! Gongor, you jerk! Quick, after that thing!" Flurrie rushes after the bug, with Kelbeo and Gongor both coming with.
Man Forrest finds himself in what is obviously some kind of council meeting room, seemingly located in some kind of ancient temple. At the head of the room is a throne with a slumped over body in it, a label overhead reading "CALGAMMA, THE FIRST PROTECTOR". Man Forrest looks around the room in awe. A large number of other jungle protectors are all gathered here, each in their own labeled spot. A massive empty seat is labeled "Malagca", and within that seat, a smaller seat has more recently been added, labeled "Manforest".
"Um, you guys spelled my name wrong…" Man Forrest starts, and Arya facepalms.
"It really does not matter. Take your seat." Arya says, and Man Forrest shrugs, before sitting down. Arya walks up to the front of the room, where Kira, now in his Trial Forme, is currently pacing about. "Now that everyone is here, let's start off with a status report. Junkle, you were in charge of recon ever since we began the search for the Second Heir. Have you found any leads whatsoever?"
"NOTHING! I looked everywhere! I looked near, I looked far, I looked in the distance, I looked close by, I looked EVERYWHERE! And I found NOTHING!" A raggedy looking man exclaims, jumping to his feet. Kira continues walking about, closely examining the various protectors about the room. One of them, a small monkey named Asmodeus the Desiccated, slaps Kira when he leans in to look into his eyes, and Kira recoils, glaring at Asmodeus, who cackles. Kira gives Arya an exasperated glance, but Arya doesn't meet his gaze, having already moved forwards with the meeting.
"Well, that's just great, then. We have absolutely no leads, and-"
"OH! OH! I KNOW! I KNOW! WHAT IF IT'S LEIF ERIKSON?" A small man named Hybure says, hopping up and down in his seat. Arya glances at Hybure, clearly unamused.
"Please do not speak if you have nothing meaningful to add."
"WHABBA HUH? N-NOTHING MEANINGFUL? HUUUHHH?" Hybure waves his hands about, and Arya presses a button, causing a soundproof bubble to encapsulate Hybure's chair.
"This is ridiculous! I just wanna beat that guy up already, why can't we find him?!" A muscular fellow named Bruno says, pounding his chest with one fist.
"Well, maybe we shouldn't have trusted Junkle with the sole duty of looking for the Heir." A calm-spoken leonine protector named Lyon responds. More protectors start to speak out, and soon, the room is in chaos. Suddenly, a gentleman with a large round red head jumps up on the back of Junkle's chair and loudly claps his hands together to silence the room.
"LI-" the man starts to speak, but is immediately cut off by Kira jumping directly in front of where his face would be and staring him down. After a few seconds, Kira drops back to the floor.
"Carry on." Kira says.
"Ahem. As I was saying. LISTEN UP AND LISTEN WELL, PEOPLE OF THIS CONFERENCE! I know not who it is that ails you, but I DO know WHAT it is! This whole situation REEKS of the work of GREGs!"
A murmur falls over the crowd. This man is recognized by some as the intergalactic assassin Repentimus, known for his efficiency at the craft, but also for his refusal to target anyone that does not conform to a set of criteria that only he understands.
"You know what? If you think you know what's going on here, be my guest, because clearly none of us know any better." Arya says, crossing her arms. "Junkle, reopen the portals."
Junkle waves his hands in the air and twiddles his fingers, and all throughout the room, portals leading to the home worlds of all the protectors open up. Repentimus holds up a finger in the air as though tracking the wind, and dive rolls through the portal leading to the Painforest. All the other protectors stare at Man Forrest for a few seconds, before retreating through their respective portals.
"Well, good luck with that, kid." Arya says, before leaving through her own portal. Man Forrest takes in a deep breath, and then follows Repentimus through the portal.