Hey everyone! I think I might try to write the entire rest of this story and then publish it all at once, but it might take a while. I'm sorry about this, but I think it'll be easiest and the quality of the chapters will likely increase. Please hang in there!
Meanwhile, I hope you enjoy this chapter :)
We get to Jiro's PoV eventually-
"I will hunt them down." Iida's looking determinedly at Todoroki, unmovable in his decision.
Todoroki glares at his fellow leader, then narrows his eyes. "Fine, go. You're one of the best we have here and I trust you enough to do it. But make it quick, and kill the traitors. No mercy."
Iida spares only enough time to give Todoroki a quick bow before zooming off in the direction Kaminari and Jiro were reported to take. Todoroki goes back to absent-mindedly sketching out his plans.
How did it all collapse? he wonders dully. It's not the first time he's asked himself this question. How did everything come to this?
♥✿❀♪pov switch♪❀✿♥
"I don't understand what you're saying," Kirishima says, tone perfectly cordial but face cold as he surveys the two pink-haired girls in front of him.
"It's perfectly simple," Mina says cooly. "We're offering to team up. You need us and to be frank we need you." This is, unfortunately, true: with the Yaoyorozu Kingdom falling into decay and the Lost Kingdom... well, lost, the Toshinori Kingdom needs more allies and more resources. "What do you say?"
Uraraka looks over Mina and Hatsume, weighing the possibilities. She sticks out a hand. "It's an alliance."
Kirishima's eyes flick in his friend's direction, but he trusts her so he, too, offers his hand. Mina shakes it, and Hatsume clasps Uraraka's hand in hers.
"The first thing to do is to track down a certain few rebels... and a Princess," Hatsume says.
Uraraka smiles and slips her arm through Hatsume's. "Of course, unfortunately, there is not a chance of their being left alive."
"Unfortunately, there is none," Hatsume agrees.
Kirishima smiles, revealing his sharp teeth. He offers an arm to Mina, a perfect and bloodthirsty gentleman in all respects. "I'm looking forward to it."
They start off East, planning and plotting as they go.
The alliance is official; but needless to say neither side trusts the other.
♥✿❀♪pov switch♪❀✿♥
I wriggle a bit. "I need to breathe," I reprimand Yaoyorozu. She loosens her grip, but not much. Her nose is buried in my back.
"I've never gone this fast before!" she says. I suspect it would be a screech if her words weren't so muffled.
"Nor have I," I say, patting Horse. "This is pretty impressive."
Horse doesn't waste breath on me. I suspect he knows about the plan in regards to Yaoyorozu. Kaminari and I can't trust her, and if Todoroki didn't send someone as soon as we disappeared he will have by now.
That's one threat to our lives already.
And I wouldn't be surprised if the other Kingdoms want the missing Princess too. Her blood is in the prophecy, and everyone wants her blood. Some so they can bring about the return of the Lost Kingdom- and some so they can prevent it forever.
Nari and I have no chance of survival with the Princess. If the Rebels' plan had worked, we'd have had a chance. But as it's just the three of us- well, we don't.
So we have to get rid of her.
Permanently.
I hop off Horse and roll as I hit the floor, landing on one knee with my hands firmly anchored in the dirt. Heh. I HAVE THE SKILLS.
Yaoyorozu, who had somehow gathered the strength to let go of me when our destination came into sight, pulls Horse to a stop and stands up on his back, surveying the area. "Clear," she calls to Nari.
He nods, chucking me his hat (why did he bring it?) and diving into the river, holding the rose bubble over his nose. I sure hope it works, but if Nari drowned I wouldn't be miserable for too long. That's why we chose him.
Alright, I would be slightly upset if Nari died, and we chose him because he's the best swimmer.
It's a tense half an hour before his head pops back up above the water. Nari flings the rose bubble at me. It bounces once or twice before I manage to catch it and stuff it in Horse's saddlebag.
"Get it?" Yaoyorozu asks.
Nari grins and displays a goose. I sweatdrop. Uh, how do we know it's The Goose?
It clucks.
"Nari," I say, "did you get the right goose?"
He looks offended and draws a golden egg out of his back pocket. "Of course I did," Nari huffs.
"Great," I say. "Rich people dinner."
I'm slapped on the head. "You know very well what this egg does," Nari tells me. He pauses. "In fact, you and Horse are the only ones here who know what this egg does, and I'm becoming increasingly concerned its sole purpose is to feed you."
Horse and I laugh as I remount. "No," I say. "Though it could do so if we wanted it to. It's the Goose's Egg: crack it in your time of need, and you'll get something obscure to help you."
Yaoyorozu wraps her arms around me again as we set off.
A few hours later, the sun's about to set and Yaoyorozu is preparing herself to step into the den. "If you touch anything, your surrounds will turn into lava and you'll die," I remind her cheerfully.
"Does that count for the carpet and lamp, too?" she asks nervously.
"No," I reassure her.
"Probably," Nari adds.
I slap him. "Ignore the idiot. If you worry, you'll lose track of yourself and accidentally hit something."
"Stop reassuring me," Yaoyorozu says. "It's making me more worried." With that, she disappears into the cave. I sit down and Nari follows my example. I dig in Horse's saddle for food and toss dry biscuits in my friend's direction. He catches them nimbly, and we spend a good ten minutes chewing quietly.
"Wonder if she's dead," Nari says after a while, as a way of making conversation.
I scruch up my nose and scratch my ear, listening to the crickets chirping. "Nah," I decide. "Animals have a way of going quiet when life is lost or the world is troubled, and those crickets are damn annoying." I glare in the direction of the insects. "Besides, lava is relatively bright. We prob'ly woulda seen it."
Nari shrugs. "Prob'ly."
Horse nods at the mouth of the cave. "My fantastic Horse nose detects a Princess and Magic."
Our heads turn as Yaoyorozu bursts out of the cave with a ninja pose and a warrior yell, holding the lamp triumphantly in one hand. The carpet does some sort of little cheerleader dance behind her.
"Umm," I deadpan. "Are we meant to... applaud? Or something?"
Nari gives a few claps.
Yaoyorozu drops the lamp into Horse's saddle, and convinces the carpet to hover on the ground next to us with a few clucks.
"Chicken carpet?" Nari asks.
Yaoyorozu pats its tassles with a shrug. "Felt right. I'm going to ride on Horse, so Jiro." She gestures at the Carpet.
I would protest- she could make off with Horse! (actually that could solve some problems)- but it makes the most strategical sense this way. Castles are pretty hard to penetrate on horseback if you don't have an army.
We manage to make surprisingly good time, considering someone was terrified of going fast on a Horse this morning. It's no longer than two hours before we reach our destination.
In front of us is the hiding place of yet another Magic Item: a place long overrun by creeping vines and mossy stones and webs of dark ambition.
The Castle of the Lost Kingdom.
Next time you see this you'll get a whole bunch of updates- sorry not sorry for leaving you on a cliffhanger :p
Bai for now, lovelies ♥