Home Again

Well journal, we're all back home! Me, Happy, Rainy... and we even brought back Cherimoya! She'll only be visiting for a while before she goes back to her own village, but until then she's just hanging out.

And I guess whoever's reading this is curious as to what went down in the Crocodile Kingdom. Turns out that the plan worked perfectly! It seems weird with me being so casual about freeing the lions from centuries of being under the control of the phantoms. Our exit from the crocodile kingdom was rather un-ceremonial save for the fact that "Prince Rainbow" had to have a big discussion with the two crocodile queens about wanting to leave the kingdom. The queens were persistent because they did miss their son, but allowed him to stay with his friends–– as long as he wrote letters every single day and visited at least three times a month. 

Back to the lions. No one was really allowed inside the actual castle, but according to Rainy there was this big peace treaty between the crocodiles and the lions. While all of us "common folk" celebrated outside, the Prince Rainbow observed as the lions talked of making the journey to far-off Appondale–– all the way across the map! It was a good thing the crocodiles were generous and kind, granting the lions rations, maps, and even compasses so they could complete their journey. 

Rainy says it was probably because they just wanted the lions out the door as soon as possible, but at least they did so with grace and generosity. 

We all watched them head across the bridge on their merry way to Appondale. They seemed a little bewildered but overall in much better spirits. Snowflake the lioness as well as Pineapple and Coconut hadn't joined them, instead going off to their own clan of phantom-free lions to tell them the news. Overall this was a very happy celebration!

And to think that for hundreds of years, the lions had been under the control of phantoms. Jamaa 1, phantoms 0! Arguably a big win against those octopus-looking globs of tar. 

Then again... would such a big victory be noticed by the phantoms? If so, would they target us!? I need to stop thinking so hard; my head hurts! Ouch!

Fast forward to the present. Cherimoya is outside helping Happy water the plants, Rainy is right next to me struggling to write a letter to the queens, and I'm here... writing in this book. Yep. It feels like it's been so long since I've been able to relax like this! I hope I don't jinx it and start a whole other chain of annoying events. 

Ok, from this point on I will be ultra careful not to get myself into ANYTHING suspicious!

Nope, not moving from this spot!

Staying completely still!

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ok i'm bored

*TO BE CONTINUED IN TWO WEEKS!*

Old Friends

The two geckos were not actually geckos, but the lions that had kidnapped Rainbow!

Rainbow himself hid behind Happy as the two "geckos" morphed out of their disguise. As soon as they did, Strawberry rushed over and hugged them. Apparently, they were the lions that had vanished from her camp!

We all watched on in awkward confusion as they talked about where they had been, what stories they had to tell. None of us smaller plushies wanted to interrupt as we probably had no idea what it was like to be separated for so long.

Finally, the topic of what-exactly-is-happening-right-now was brought up. It was revealed that the two gecko-posers had learned from the scrolls all about what they were up against in terms of the phantoms. They also managed to crack a secret code within the ancient text that roughly spelled out "CHECK YOUR MANE" 

They told of how they finally found out what that meant as they turned around, showing two phantoms each latched onto their great manes like parasites. Strawberry laughed and used her sharp teeth to pull them off, and as soon as she did they disintegrated as if they were nothing. It seemed that as she did that, a previously unnoticed sickly yellow sheen to their eyes disintegrated two. Overjoyed with being freed from the phantoms' control, they rolled around in the new Autumn leaves, sneezing and laughing from the dusty leaf mold.

"It's been a while since I've seen you this happy!" happily remarked Strawberry.

'How long have we been trying to rescue Rainy?' I (Berry) thought. If the leaves were already falling, and Alex the crocodile had come to them in June... then one whole summer had passed. 'I can't wait to go home'

Changing the subject, Cherimoya revealed that some of her escaped allies reported that her plan was already in action. All of the North, South, East, and West villages (including Cherimoya's home town, Honeygrass Village) had been temporarily evacuated. 

"I've also called over my sister Elderberry. She's a witch, remember? She has this magic flute that once played, will make all the lions fall asleep for 12 hours. Once she's sure they're all asleep, she'll alert the hidden villagers that it's safe. Then, they'll all help pick the phantoms off the sleeping lions' manes."

A distant low note sounded from the direction of the forest. 

"Looks like she's already here," said Cherimoya happily.

I couldn't believe it. It was finally over, I could finally go home! 

But first...

"I can't thank you enough, Cherimoya. Could we go help Elderberry with removing the phantoms?"

She smiled, full of ease and pride. "We need all the help we can get."

fin

*TO BE CONTINUED IN TWO WEEKS ON FRIDAY!*