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The birds chirp as I look up in the gargantuan trees, they seemingly go on for miles.
"It's so big!" Don says, looking up.
I breathed in the familiar pine smell from all those years ago.
It's good to be back here.
I thought with a smile.
Ray suddenly snapped his head in a direction, he was looking at a bush rustling.
I reached up and patted his head, "Don't worry, just the wind." I told him with a smile.
He looked back at me, "You said you've been outside before right? How much have you explored?"
"Just the forest, I founded my comrades here and was kidnapped from here. A shame I didn't get to see what else was out there." I comment.
We climbed over large branches, I just hopped over them like they were nothing as I waited for the others.
I wasn't getting the least bit tired, but it was clear the others were.
"Okay, everyone! Let's take a break and eat breakfast!" says Emma.
Everyone sat in a giant tree opening, I decided to climb the huge tree when nobody was looking and take out a candy cane.
Yes, that's right, I stashed the whole supply of candy canes Isabella had in my bag.
I should get an award for being this sneaky.
Nobody can have this icy treat besides me hehe.
I suck on one end of it as I look around.
It seems to have gotten even prettier last I saw.
Then again, I was last here when I was 5, so I should expect a few things to change.
I finish the candy cane and continue gazing at the sight.
I saw from below Ray thunk Emma's head with a water jar and held back a laugh.
I waited a while in the tree branch, getting out another candy cane while I was at it.
I thought to myself about different things as I let my tongue be coated with the icy treat and taking Cuddles out of my bag for him to see the forest.
I had already eaten a breakfast biscuit and some berries, so I was all set to have real food for breakfast.
"Look, Cuddles. We're back." I whispered with a smile. I turned him to look at me as I looked at him from my lap.
"I wonder if we'll get to see our comrades again. Do you think we'll meet them? The person who bought you and gave you to me, are they still alive?"
Cuddles stares back at me with his soulless black beady eyes.
I pout as if I expected him to actually talk as he keeps staring back at me.
"Yeah, your right. They probably have moved on. It's been years anyways..." I say sadly as I still get no response.
I scoff at my stuffed animal, "Don't give me that judgemental look, high hopes are better than no hopes."
No answer.
Had I finally gone crazy?
No, I've talked to Cuddles multiple times before this as if he could ever respond.
Well, at least he listens.
...
Not that he even has a choice anyway.
I looked up as a bird smacks into a tree, I giggled a bit.
Little did I know, those giggles echoed and made it sound almost ghostly amongst the forest.
Everyone looked startled, some were shouting, "What was that?!"
Ray seemed to look frantically around, "Where's Y/n?!"
I put Cuddles back in my bag and waved my hand. "Right up here, sugar!" I called out jokingly. Everyone looks up as I hop the branches with my bag now around my back once more.
I finally get down and Ray thunks me on the head with the water glass, I let out a small grunt as I rub my head.
"Idiot! I was worried for a second!"
I rolled my eyes.
"C'mon, have some confidence in me once in a while! I appreciate you worrying but I've been out here before!" I put my hands on my hips.
"If anyone should be worried about anyone, it should be me for you guys!" I smile as he sighs.
"LANNI?!" we heard in the distance.
"EMMA! RAY! Y/N! HELP!!!"
"What's wrong?!" I ask as I knelt down.
"Lanni has gone missing!! He was right behind me just a second ago but now he's gone!" Thoma cried. He was explaining what happened.
"Lanni!!" Emma and Ray called.
I stood up and looked all around as everyone started searching.
"Where were you heading from?"
I asked Thoma.
"Uhh... West I think?!" he said, I followed that way, sniffing for Lannions scent.
Lannion smelt like burnt wood, which was weird, but it would make it easier for me to track him since the smell was stronger.
"Lanni!" I called, looking around not missing any corner.
I suddenly fell and landed on my back.
How did I fall in a hole?! I could've sworn I looked everywhere!
I grumble as I stand up.
The burnt wood smell is stronger here.
"Y/n?!" Lannion calls.
"Lanni! How did you get down here?!"
It was very dark here, so I had to pat around to find him.
I heard Emma scream ours, as well as other's names.
"We're here!" I call as I take Lannion's hand and head to her voice.
"Y/n! There you are!"
"Ew! Bugs!" I heard Thoma say.
We eventually found everyone, Don asks how I got a piece of wood to light as a torch.
"Oh, I must've grabbed it when we fell down here," I comment.
We move through the cave until we come to a place with more lights, there are mythical looking bugs everywhere and bright orb like lights.
"The kids are having fun here," Gilda chuckles.
There soon was a large flower field that came into view, the younger kids ran up to them.
"They look so nice!"
"And they smell so pretty!"
I shoot my gaze around the cave, alertness in a time like this is much needed.
I eventually look up as Don talks about climbing up to get out.
"Everyone!!" I yell to get attention, they all follow my gaze.
There are dead animals hanging from the ceiling.
The younger ones get scared and Jemima cowers and holds onto my pant leg.
My gaze looks at the bark Don is holding onto, I see in the corner it starts to slither up to him.
"DON! ALICA! MOVE!" I yell as I knock them away from the bark. It tries to latch onto my ankle but I moved too quickly. Everyone backs up.
"The entrance is blocked!" someone calls out.
I dart my eyes around to find any possible solution to our problem.
Stay calm, adapt to your current surroundings. Improvise.
That was drilled into my head when I first was here by one of my comrades.
A lightbulb goes over my head.
"Emma! The book!" I yell, she gives me the book.
Mr. Minervas adventure book.
"It's in the book!" Emma points out.
"The cave, jewels, snakes," she continues.
"This novel was about the outside world!" she says.
Ray gives us both a weird look.
"Well, yeah, sure there are similarities, but..." Ray trails off. He then grabs a mug from his bag.
"Alright! Let's test it out!" he says as he chucks the mug over to the plant.
It whips at it and breaks it.
"It's by contact!" I shout.
"These may as well be the Snakes of Alvapinera," Ray mutters, we walk up to the plants.
"Emma! Y/N! Ray!" one of the kids calls out. We stand right next to them, where it doesn't catch us.
"See! It's fine! Just avoid touching them, and you'll be fine!" I said to everyone else.
"Listen up!" Ray says.
"We're going to climb up the tree in the back to escape. Just like our original plan. Before the roots can catch up to us."
"You guys can do it, right?" I asked.
"It was a part of everyone's training!"
All the kids nod their heads.
"Alright, let's go!" I say.
I wasn't trying to show off, but I ended up scaling up the branch like a spider in less than 5 seconds.
"Jesus, Y/n! How the hell do you do that?!" Ray calls, from practically the bottom of the branch.
"Talent!" I yell as I hop on a root from the top of the cave.
In order to escape the Snakes of Alvapinera, you need to create a hole in the ceiling.
I recall to myself.
"Everyone! Help me make a hole in the ceiling!"
"We will when we get there!!"
"Hurry it up, slowpoke!" I yell back to Ray.
I aimlessly swing on the branch just waiting.
Man, it gets boring when you have so many natural advantages others don't.
When Emma, Ray, and a few other kids get here we make a hole, the cold air comes pouring in and the snakes fall asleep.
We finally get out of there and I look up with the cold wind blowing through my hair.
Finally, I hate stuffy caves.
I thought as I stretched.
Kids were talking and looking around, I stomp out the torch and sniff the air.
Minty.
I thought.
Mark, Jemima, and Alica run up to me.
Jemima tugs on my pant leg.
"Y/n! I heard from Emma you can do magic! Can you show us?!"
Oh yeah, I forgot I even told her.
I kneel down, "Sure."
I didn't know what to do from what I taught myself, so I just did the first thing that came to mind.
"Do you three like cherry blossoms?"
They nod their heads.
"Alright, I'll make some."
One wave of my hand and my fingers and hand disintegrated into cherry blossoms that flew around them.
My hand came back the moment the petals flew away. All three of them giggled and tried to catch them. The petals flew around them and in the air.
Other older kids looked in awe. I smiled and stood up.
"The kids really like you huh?" Ray asks me, he walked up beside me and watched the petals fly about.
"Probably because I can do all these cool things to keep them entertained while on our road to survival." I joke.
"Hey, I'm pretty sure they'll get to like your personality too." I snort.
"Half of my personality has been stripped from me a while ago, but thanks." I exaggerate, I walk up to some funny-looking plants.
"Yo, Ray. I found some anemones." I said as the flowers I created had disappeared in the trees, causing everyone else to crowd around us.
I would usually find these when I was in the forest when I was younger, so I could easily tell what these were.
"Ray, give me the scalpel." he did and I cut the water into the glass jar, others watched in amazement.
I fill up all the empty jars and give them to Don, Gilda, Emma, and Ray.
"Don't worry, the water is drinkable. I used to drink it all the time." I assure everyone.
"Food and water is our main concern out here, we don't know what is edible or poisonous." Ray looks at me, then back at everyone. "So let's listen to Y/n as well as Mr. Minerva's book on where we can find what."
He looks at me again. "Y/n seems to know her way around just fine anyways." he comments.
A smile adorns my features as Emma starts speaking.
"Let's go find Mr. Minerva! And let's all live!" everyone cheers.
I'm allowed to lead the way with the compass and the directional pen.
Because, of course I am.
Even though I am the main leader directions wise, I stay in the back with Emma and Ray to make sure nobody else strays away.
Ray starts talking about how the directions on the pen work, I give it to him so he can show Emma as I keep an eye on the others.
We eventually stop because Ray does and opens the pen.
"T.O.U.C.H.M.E" he spells out the letters on the screen.
"Touch me." he reads out.
He does so and the pen screen flashes to another screen.
"We need a code," I say as I open the book. I eventually find the code in the book and read it out to Ray as he types it in.
The screen flashes again with a note from Mr. Minerva.
"'If you need help, come see me. I'm at location B06-32. From William Minerva!!'" Ray reads out.
I hear a very faint rustling which causes me to whip my head in that direction.
Nobody else seemed to hear it.
"Hush!" I told everyone as I listened for the sound again.
It came once more, getting a bit louder.
"Douse your lamps." I order as everyone does so.
I'm able to see fine in the dark, I see a bunch of firebugs come flying past us.
That's a sign a beast is coming.
"EVERYONE! RUN NOW!" I order as everyone does what I say.
Soon enough, there's a very loud booming coming from behind us.
A couple of kids, Ray and Emma look back and keep yelling to run, some kids scream bloody murder.
I know right? They're so ugly.
I thought as I snuck a glance.
You shouldn't be too hard to defeat.
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fun fact: very massive stars can undergo core collapse, which causes a supernova to form