Let The Chaos Continue

Then The Fun Begins

While the news that Aspen was the son of Turtle and Kinkajou seemed to make Joy and Rainkeeper trust him completely, the others were still a bit skeptical.

"How do we know that you aren't the evil one and Cyan was the one trying to help?" Ember questioned. Aspen scoffed.

"Have you met my cousin?" He asked. "This is exactly something would do." Rosella, Parch, Raven and Wren nodded. It did sound like Cyan alright. 

"Right," Joy sighed. "Well, I have a messenger heading to Queen Auklet and Anemone right now. Hopefully they'll be willing to help us track Cyan down so he can fix this." Aspen chuckled.

"Good luck with that," He commented. "If I have predicted correctly, then there will be no need for Queen Auklet to send out a search party for my dear cousin."

"And why is that?"

"Because he'll be coming right to us."

"Why would he come to us?" Shore questioned.

"To break Prism out of jail, up her strength and get her to murder Queen Joy, I presume." Aspen offered. He shook his head, peering at Prism. "Such a shame, too. She has a beautiful mind."

"She'll regain it after Cyan's tainted swirls have left her thoughts," Ander said.

"Moons, I hope so."

"Is that why you're here?" Apple concluded. "To protect us from Cyan?"

"No," Aspen shook his head, smiling. "My mother has told me plenty about the family related to Glory, and I'm quite sure you're all capable of taking care of yourselves."

"Accurate." Rosella nodded.

"I'm here to save her," He tapped on the cell bars, and Prism snapped at him. 

"From Cyan?" Ember asked.

"From herself." Aspen countered. "I can make Cyan lift the curse, but I can't stop him from harming Prism before that. My intent is to take him down and protect Prism simultaneously."

"Using animus magic, I presume?" Rainkeeper guessed.

"I'm afraid so. I know some of you have reservations about that sort of skill," He glanced at Ander, who nodded. "But I assure you, my father has properly taught me the rules and limits to my magic. This is the most I've ever used it, actually. It's not quite as fun as I imagined it being."

"It never is," Ander commented. "Everybody wants power except those that have it."

"Everybody wants a taste of power, but those that have tried it refuse to order it again." Aspen agreed. Ander studied him.

"You are a curious little imp, aren't you?"

"Imp is often the word associated with me, yes." Ander scowled.

"You are irritably tolerable, for an animus."

"And you are all eerily calm at the prospect of me failing and you all being murdered by your mind controlled relative."

"Trust me, buddy," Joy scoffed. "If you knew everything this family has put up with, getting murdered by a crazy animus would be nothing."

"Remember when things were simple, and we only had to worry about Mother catching us sneaking extra berries?" Rainkeeper said.

"Vaguely." Joy admitted. "I dove into chaos at a young age. Not much of my life has been simple."

"I remember when Air was mind controlled," Kelp commented. "Good times."

"I remember running into a burning gang headquarters to save Dawn," Shore went on.

"Fighting in the Hybrid war," Ember sighed.

"Good times," Joy grinned, as Rosella, Parch, Wren, and Aspen stared.

"I'm gonna need to hear more family stories," Rosella proclaimed. 

"I wanna hear them too," Parch insisted.

"You should all write a scroll," Aspen suggested.

"We did," Joy countered. "Called it Moon Rising."

"Huh. I don't think I've read that one."

"It's exclusively at JMA."

"Ah. Father is reluctantly to send me there. Says I'll be murdered or murder someone."

"Yeah, that's accurate."

"They should rename it the Jade Mountain School of Fucking Shit Up," Parch suggested.

"Very true," Joy nodded in agreement.

"So, are we just going to stand around her all day or....?" Wren asked.

"No," Aspen insisted. "I predict Cyan will be here to collect his puppet in a matter of minutes."

"Oh. Wonderful. Then what?" Aspen smiled.

"Then the fun begins."