Two days later, under a shimmering morning sun, the ship finally sat ready—gleaming, polished, patched up, and packed with supplies.
Eleo, Tony, Kenji, Olorun, Timmy, Chiyo, Amai, and Kawai all stood along the rail of the upper deck, gazing down at the town below. The animals had gathered in a massive crowd, waving paw-flags, cheering, and some even crying.
Below them, carved from stone, wood, and whatever was lying around, were statues of every single crewmate. Even Amai and Kawai had one, with Kawai's statue comically puffing out its chest like a hero. A small raccoon sobbed beside it.
Eleo, teary-eyed but grinning big, waved both arms like windmills.
"Bye, guys! I hope you all have a super mega awesome day!"
The old dog, now wearing a shiny monocle and mayor sash made of noodles, barked proudly, "We'll never forget you! You saved our home. You'll always be legends here!"
Tony, already behind the wheel, shouted, "Alright, time to show off what this baby can do! PREPARE FOR FLIGHT!"
He slammed his bony hand on the orange button.
The ship rumbled. Lights blinked. A low hum echoed from below deck.
"OH!" the old dog yelped. "And we found GAS! Filled her up to the brim!"
"LEGEND!" Tony shouted, eyes gleaming. "You're the real MVP, furball!"
He slammed the blue button.
Metallic wings unfolded from the sides of the ship, sleek and humming with energy. The entire crowd gasped and cheered.
Tony cracked his fingers. "Okay, Amai, I'm gonna push the red one now."
Amai frowned, striding over with Kawai wobbling behind her. "Hold on a minute, idiot. Just let me check—"
"Too late!"
CLICK!
Tony slammed the red button.
The booster roared to life with a massive boom. The ship jolted upward like it had been kicked by a god. Everyone screamed.
Eleo, Kenji, Chiyo, and Timmy gripped the rails as the wind whipped through their hair (and leaves).
"WHEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Eleo shouted with joy.
Chiyo's hair blew backward. "MAN THAT WAS CRAZY!"
Olorun, hair flying like streamers, just grinned. "You'll get used to it."
Timmy staggered over to the wheel area. "Tony! Can you activate the world map?"
Tony spun a wheel and slapped the green button. A glowing blue hologram projected into the air, showing their ship moving toward a massive floating landmass labeled "World 2."
Kenji narrowed his eyes. "Timmy, how long's the flight?"
Timmy scratched his leafy head. "Hmm… about five days."
"FIVE DAYS?!" Eleo and Olorun yelled at the same time.
Olorun slumped to the floor. "I'm not even packed for boredom!"
Eleo flopped beside him. "I might die of nothing!"
Chiyo yawned, reclining on a bench. "It's fine. Gives me time to nap, maybe read."
Amai crossed her arms. "That flight will burn nearly all our fuel. No wasteful boosting."
Tony smirked. "And when we land, we'll have to deal with those legendary monsters."
Timmy squeaked, hugging himself. "W-Why'd you have to bring that up?! Now I'm all nervous!"
Eleo sat up, grinning, eyes full of fire. "Don't worry, Timmy. We'll wreck 'em."
Olorun pointed at his chest. "With my help, I'll basically be carrying you all through."
Kenji side-eyed him. "You? You'll probably be crying under a rock the minute one of them roars."
"Say that again, blue-hair punk," Olorun growled, stepping forward.
"You wanna go, dread-head?" Kenji snapped, already rolling up a sleeve.
They lunged at each other, heads clashing like bulls.
"OI, YOU TWO!" Chiyo barked. "TAKE IT TO THE TRAINING ROOM, OR I'LL THROW YOU BOTH INTO THE OCEAN!"
Timmy hurried away from the chaos, hopping up toward Tony and Amai. "Guys! I have a question!"
Amai, fixing her hair and sipping tea like nothing explosive just happened, said, "What is it, Timmy?"
Timmy fidgeted with a petal on his arm. "Well… once we get to World 2… what's our goal? What are we doing there?"
Tony leaned back, one hand on the wheel. "Trust me, you'll see. Eleo's got the spirit for it."
Amai raised an eyebrow. "So you really don't have a plan?"
Kawai puffed up beside her. "Meep."
Tony shrugged. "I just follow Eleo's orders. He might be dumber than a bag of bricks, but he's got heart. And that's what counts."
Four days had passed since they arrived, and night had once again draped the world in quiet stillness. Inside the cozy, softly lit room that belonged to Amai and Kawai, two small beds were tucked neatly against opposite walls. The air smelled faintly of lavender and clean sheets. Delicate curtains fluttered with the breeze from a slightly cracked window, allowing pale moonlight to spill in and dance across the wooden floor.
Timmy and Chiyo lay nestled beneath fluffy blankets, their small forms barely shifting as they slept soundly. Chiyo clutched a plush fox to her chest, her hair fanned out across the pillow. Timmy had one arm sprawled over his head, a faint smile on his face, lost in some peaceful dream. Amai and Kawai were nearby, already fast asleep as well, their breathing steady and quiet. The room was warm and serene—a perfect pocket of comfort.
Meanwhile, in the next room over, things were not so luxurious.
Eleo, Kenji, Tony, and Olorun lay on the creaky wooden floor, bundled up in thin blankets. The cold bit at their backs through the cracks in the planks, and the occasional groan of the old structure echoed above their heads. Tony was curled up beside a half-eaten loaf of bread, murmuring nonsense in his sleep. Kenji lay stiffly with his arms crossed, eyes closed but very much awake, enduring the discomfort in silence. Olorun had somehow managed to snore while lying facedown, his wild hair flattened like a mop.
And Eleo? Eleo twisted and turned in his sleep, muttering nonsense.
"Mmm… nooo… come back you delicious… mmm, carrot…"
In his dream, he was sprinting barefoot through a sparkling field under a golden sky. Around him, dozens of fluffy carrots skipped and giggled, holding tiny glasses of milk and dancing to orchestral music. They twirled and laughed like little vegetable ballerinas.
Eleo chased after them, eyes sparkling.
"Wait! I just wanna taste you!"
A carrot in a tutu blew him a kiss and vanished into sparkles.
And then—
THUMP.
Something heavy landed right on his chest, knocking the air out of his dream and lungs. His eyes shot open.
Amber eyes stared back into his. Long, silver wavy hair spilled around them like moonlight. Her hands softly pressed against his, her expression calm but serious.
"Shhh, Eleo," she whispered. "It's me—"
"INTRUDER!!!" Eleo shrieked, biting her hand like a wild raccoon.
"YEEEOW!" the girl yelped.
He shoved her with his bunny feet, launching her across the room—
CRASH!
Right onto Tony, who was in the middle of a very peaceful dream about salsa dancing on a yacht.
"ACK!"
"MY RIBS!"
"WHY IS THIS MY LIFE!?"
Tony sat up with half his face squished, looking around in bleary panic. "Are we under attack!? Did the carrots come back?!"
"GUYS!" Eleo yelled, flailing. "We got a DEMON INVASION!"
The silver-haired girl hissed like an angry cat, then tackled Eleo with supernatural speed.
BOOM!
The two of them burst through the thin wooden door, crashing into the hallway, sliding across the floor in a tangled heap.
She pinned him to the ground, hair flowing, eyes narrowed.
"ELEO! It's me!" she growled.
"Lilith! Stop squirming before I knock you unconscious!"
Eleo froze. "Lil… Lilith!?"
He blinked rapidly. She was definitely taller than he remembered, and her features had matured—more graceful, more defined, but still unmistakably her.
"Y-You look different!" Eleo stammered.
She rolled off him with a harumph, brushing her hair back dramatically.
"And you look dumber," she said, crossing her arms.
Tony, still half-asleep with a sock hanging off his eye. "Eleo… you okay, buddy?"
Eleo stood by the door, forcing a smile and waving awkwardly. "Yeah, yeah! I'm fine! Go back to sleep!"
He slowly shut the door behind him.
Tony blinked. "Good talk."
He face-planted back into his blanket cocoon with a loud snore.
Back in the hallway, Eleo spun around and faced Lilith, still a little flustered.
"Okay, Lilith—what happened to your hair? Why are you wearing gloves? And why are you taller than me now!?"
Lilith flicked her ponytail, rolling her eyes dramatically. "Because I'm thirteen now, duh."
Eleo gasped, ears perking up. "Thirteen?! That's one year older than me!"
Lilith folded her arms and looked smug. "Yes. That is true."
Eleo pointed at her hands. "Okay… but what's with the gloves? Are you hiding something cool? Secret demon claws? Fire fists?! A curse that turns people into cheese!?"
Before he could finish his theory, he grabbed her hands playfully.
"DON'T—!" Lilith hissed, yanking her hands away with a wince.
"Ow… Eleo, please don't grab my hands…"
Eleo looked at her, confused and concerned. "Why…?"
She looked away, her voice suddenly cold. "Because I said so, dummy!"
Eleo threw his hands up. "Okay, okay! No hand-grabbing, got it!"
She huffed, brushing imaginary dust from her sleeve.
"Anyway, the hair," she muttered, fingering a silver strand. "My dad… didn't like how I acted. Said I embarrassed the family. So he wanted me to look 'presentable.' I let my hair down and dyed it silver."
Her voice softened as she added, "How does it look…?"
Eleo paused, staring at her for a beat too long. Then grinned and gave her an enthusiastic thumbs up. "It looks good!"
A faint blush colored her cheeks, but she quickly turned her head. "Tch… i-it's not like I needed your opinion or anything…"
Eleo tilted his head. "So… what are you doing here? Are you trying to join my team?"
Lilith's eyes widened. "What?! No! I'm here to invite you to the Demon Party!"
Eleo gasped like someone had handed him a lifetime supply of milk and cookies. "Party?! Really!?"
Lilith gave a tiny smirk. "Yes. And I'd like you to come with me."
Eleo spun toward the door. "Okay! I'll go wake up the others and—"
But Lilith grabbed his hand—then immediately let go, flustered.
"No, Eleo… I only want— I mean, I can only bring you."
He blinked. "W-What? Why not the others?"
Lilith put her hands behind her back and looked away again. "Because… I said I'd bring a prince, not three extras."
Eleo slumped. "Awww, man… well, okay. But like—can I fight someone at the party? I haven't fought anyone in forever and I'm starting to twitch."
Lilith narrowed her eyes. "No fighting. It's a party, not a brawl."
Eleo deflated. "Ugh, fiiiiine…"
Lilith raised her hand, and with a swirl of violet fire and eerie sparks, a circular demon portal crackled open. The ground trembled slightly beneath them, and the air smelled faintly of toasted marshmallows and brimstone.
"Alright, Eleo," she said, glancing at him. "Are you ready?"
Eleo looked back at the closed door, where Tony and Olorun snored peacefully and Kenji was probably sleep-scowling. Then looked back at the portal.
He straightened up, puffed his chest, and nodded.
"…Okay. I'm ready."
And the two of them stepped into the portal, disappearing in a flash of purple flame.