Professor Kuang was immersed in a sea of calculations, surrounded by failed prototypes and scattered metal scraps littering his laboratory. His mind raced at full speed, desperately trying to find a solution to transport thousands of people in less than two days. However, his attempts kept ending in failure; every invention he tested resulted in explosions or controlled destruction.
"Calm down, Professor," said Karpi as she entered the lab, holding a steaming cup of coffee in one hand with a Kbot floating beside her. "Take a breather."
"Calm down, young lady?" replied the professor, adjusting his glasses while shooting her an exasperated look. "We need to find a way to transport so many people in less than two days! If we don't, Paltio and his friends will be defenseless against our enemies." He quickly gulped the coffee, as if it were fuel necessary to keep going. "If only I'd run more tests with Mr. Kilibur's help… maybe I'd have found a solution by now!"
"Yes, you're right," responded Karpi, placing a hand on the scientist's shoulder. "That's why we're all supporting you too." She pointed to a corner of the lab where one operational robot remained, while the others had been sent to deactivate the Light-Darkness Crystals. Then she gestured toward Paris, Chip, and a Gikel effortlessly carrying heavy equipment as though it were a feather. "You're not alone, Professor."
"I know, my girl," murmured the professor, taking another quick sip of coffee before returning to his calculations. His fingers flew over the keyboard, scribbling equations and sketching frantic designs.
At that moment, a guard burst into the lab, urgently searching for their leader. "Sir 'X,' has anyone seen him?" he asked, looking around.
Karpi, knowing what was coming, quickly excused herself and stepped into an adjacent room. Moments later, she emerged disguised as 'X,' using a voice modulator created by the professor himself to mimic Ban's voice. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, then cleared her throat to adjust the modulation before speaking.
"What do you need, soldier?" she asked, adopting the serious and authoritative tone characteristic of Fruitalia's leader.
"Well, Sir 'X,'" replied the soldier, a 16-year-old boy from the artichoke race. "I've come with the report. We've been training the team, and they're improving a lot. We're also implementing new tactics and supporting the refugees who can't fight, ensuring they have food and other resources. Plus, they're helping us with the crops and orchards created by the professor."
"That's good, lad," responded Karpi, trying to maintain composure under the disguise. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead as she struggled to imitate every gesture and tone of Ban.
"Yes, sir," continued the soldier, looking at her with pleading eyes, like an abandoned puppy. "But we need you to visit more often. We want some of your wisdom to boost our fighting spirit. Some have also been fighting among themselves, and we really need you to give them direction."
Karpi swallowed hard, feeling her improvisation begin to waver. Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at Paris and Chip, who were watching the scene with amused but understanding expressions. Both gave silent signals, indicating she should go with the soldier and that they would take care of helping the professor.
"Oh dear, what have I gotten myself into," Karpi muttered to herself as the soldier took her by the hand and led her toward the exit. Before crossing the door, she looked desperately at her companions, her gestures silently screaming, "Save me!" But Paris and Chip simply gave her a thumbs-up, smiling as they watched her leave.
The professor continued furiously scribbling on sheets of paper, creating sketches that barely managed to capture what he had in mind. Though his thoughts were a whirlwind of brilliant ideas, his drawings were little more than confusing lines and abstract shapes.
"Hey, Professor," interrupted Paris with a mischievous smile as she observed the scientist's artistic attempts. "If you want, I can draw it better so you can understand exactly what you need."
"Alright, go ahead," replied the professor, shrugging. "But I don't know if you'll be able to capture the essence of what's in my mind."
"I know I'm not inside your head, but I can make a great effort," Paris replied with determination. "Let me be useful."
The professor looked at her for a moment before beginning to explain his ideas. Rapidly, he started describing components and mechanisms, speaking so fast that it seemed the words were tripping over each other. Paris, remaining calm, picked up her pencil and began to draw with skill and grace. It was clear she had talent; every line she drew seemed to come alive on its own.
The professor continued dictating instructions at full speed: "This goes with this, and this must connect here..." His voice was an incessant torrent of technical concepts, but Paris tried to keep up with dexterity. However, there came a point when the scientist became too fast even for her.
"Wait a moment, Professor! Calm down, you're going too fast," said Paris, raising a hand to try to stop the flood of information. The professor looked like he might get upset based on the expression on his face.
"Calm down, calm down," interjected Chip, who had been observing the scene from a corner of the lab. He knew that if he didn't step in, Paris and the professor might end up arguing. "Why don't you think about something like that giant lizard that came to take Kilibur? Remember?"
"What did you say?" asked the professor, frowning but visibly intrigued.
"Yes, like that one... what was his name? Krasper, I think. He appeared and disappeared in an instant," explained Chip, gesturing with his hands as if recreating the movement of teleportation.
"Exactly!" exclaimed the professor, lighting up as he grasped the idea. "Transferring a body from one place to another through the transmutation of matter. Not like a short-range teleporter, but something that can take us anywhere using my Kbots!" At that moment, his mind began working at full speed, connecting ideas like pieces of a puzzle. He placed a hand on his chin, thoughtful, as images of inventions and diagrams raced through his mind.
"Done! What do you think of this?" said the professor, grabbing a pencil and starting to draw with renewed energy. "This could be what we need."
"Let me handle it, Professor, I'll fix it," said Paris, taking the incomplete drawing. With almost magical precision, she corrected the lines and added details that made it look incredibly realistic. It was as if she had entered the professor's mind and brought to life exactly what he imagined.
"Yes, you've done well. Forgive me for the disagreement," said the professor sincerely, bowing his head slightly. "This is what we're going to build."
Paris accepted the apology with a smile. "What are we waiting for? Let's get to work!" exclaimed the professor, full of enthusiasm. He began gathering tools and materials scattered around the lab, preparing to head to where Rose, his great friend Ciertarias, surely had the final answers to perfect the invention.
Meanwhile, Karpi, disguised as 'X', was led by the young soldier to a training field where a diverse group of soldiers, composed of various fruit and vegetable races, awaited anxiously.
"Alright, everyone, here's Mr. 'X'," announced the soldier proudly, pointing to Karpi.
"You did well, Alcho," said an older man, whose appearance suggested he was an experienced veteran. Alcho, the young soldier with an artichoke-like hairstyle dressed in a green military uniform, smiled shyly at the recognition.
Karpi, though nervous under the disguise, knew she had to maintain her composure. Taking a deep breath and modulating her voice to mimic Ban's, she began to speak: "Soldiers, your dedication and effort have been admirable. But remember: this war is not just about brute strength; it's also about unity and strategy. I trust that each of you will give your best to protect our home."
The soldiers looked at her with renewed determination, some nodding firmly, others murmuring among themselves about their leader's words. Karpi, though relieved to have completed her task, still wished someone would come to rescue her soon.
"Silence!" commanded the older man named Kol, whose cauliflower markings resembled fluffy clouds floating above his hair and beard. His voice resonated with authority, and the soldiers at the front quickly obeyed, though those in the back continued whispering among themselves. However, when someone whispered, "Look who's up front," everyone fell silent immediately. Their eyes fixed on their leader, 'X,' standing before them.
"Sir, it's good to have you here. We hope you'll guide us and train us for what's coming," said one of the soldiers enthusiastically.
"Yes, thank you," responded 'X' in a modulated tone that concealed Karpi's nervousness beneath the disguise. As she tried to maintain her composure, she thought to herself: "Oh no, what have I gotten myself into?"
"Please, everyone, take a seat," instructed 'X,' attempting to imitate the calm demeanor that characterized Ban. The soldiers obeyed, though some exchanged curious glances.
Kol slowly approached 'X,' leaning slightly to speak in a low voice. "Please, sir, give the young ones a motivational speech. Some were considering desertion, my lord," he added, his face etched with concern.
"Come on, you can do it," said 'X,' raising a hand as if about to deliver an epic speech. But before continuing, Alcho, the young artichoke soldier, gave 'X' a friendly pat on the back. However, his excessive strength caused 'X' to lose balance and fall to the ground with a dull thud.
"My lord!" exclaimed Kol, rushing to help 'X' up. As he did so, Karpi's disguise shifted out of place, revealing her true identity to everyone present.
The silence that followed was sepulchral. Then voices began to rise, filled with indignation and confusion.
"What is this? A bad joke?" said one of the soldiers, crossing his arms.
"Why bring Technician Karpi disguised as our lord? Do they look down on us?" protested another, his tone laced with resentment.
The atmosphere quickly turned hostile. The murmurs grew louder, turning into a chorus of angry voices. Karpi, feeling cold sweat trickle down her neck, looked around nervously. What do I do? What would Lord 'X' do right now? She thought desperately, searching for an escape.
At that exact moment, the doors behind her burst open with a thunderous sound. A familiar figure entered the room, their imposing presence immediately capturing everyone's attention. Silence returned, but this time it was different—it was a silence of absolute astonishment.
Karpi spun around quickly, and with a mix of relief and admiration, exclaimed: "My lord!"