Chapter Text
There's something sweet and almost kind, but he was mean and he was coarse and unrefined. And now he's dear and so unsure, I wonder why I didn't see it there before
— Something there, Beauty and the beast
At that moment, the wish was the most important thing to Pomni. She carried it as if it were made of glass, in her arms. But even if she wanted to, she couldn't walk slowly. Stress and anxiety propelled her forward, on her way home. Her sense of time had become distorted, but she finally spotted the apple trees, feeling immediate relief. Just a few more minutes and she got home. As soon as she stepped through the living room door, she regretted a few things. First, she should have hidden the wish before entering. Second, she was completely scratched and dirty from her fall with Jax earlier.
As soon as her father's eyes met hers, there was no turning back. He immediately stood up and looked at her with concern. Before she could even explain herself, he approached and examined her thoroughly, pressing against her face, checking if all her limbs were still attached to her body and if she wasn't bleeding. Even before noticing his wish in her hands, which he only realized when she cleared her throat and held it out.
— What did you… How did you…? — she adjusted her hair, somewhat anxiously, and offered it once more — It's mine? Oh, darling.
— Are you... upset?
He stood in silence for a while, gazing at the wish, trying to understand how it was possible that such a small, lovely fragment of crystal had ended up so far from the castle. His eyes, watching his own dream unfold before him, welled up with tears. It was him there, but not only him. A part of himself that he didn't remember, but that felt right. The room, slightly dimmed because of a few extinguished candles, reflected the golden light of that encounter. The embrace of a man and himself, a wish returning to the wisher.
If the magic Jax performed was beautiful, the wish's was even more so. Rays of light formed curves and circles, spiraling and illuminating the entire place. The sound of several small bells, as if invisible, smiling fairies had invaded the room, caused an immediate feeling of comfort and joy, making Pomni smile without even realizing it. No one had ever recovered a wish before, only had it granted. And when the magic seemed to melt into thin air, Pomni could only wait for her father's reaction when he opend his eyes, holding breath and letting her hand rest on his back.
In the first blink, his eyes seemed to glow golden, but it didn't last more than a second. Kinger touched his own face, his own torso, then noticed his daughter beside him as if trying to understand where and who he was with. And he found her. He ran his hands through her hair, squeezed her cheek, and finally, hugged her. His baby was so grown up, so beautiful. It had been so long since he'd hugged her, not like that. And no matter how hard she tried, it was impossible to stop the tears from flowing.
— You're okay?
He pulled away from the hug, touching her cheek where a bruise had stopped bleeding. She pretended not to feel any pain.
— My baby… oh, baby, your mom… oh, how did you get that hurt, darling?
— You're still confused? Do you remember anything?
— I remember you. That's enough.
That still didn't mean much, but he didn't seem as scared or confused anymore. In fact, that was enough. She helped him to stand up and, when she heard a knock on the door, rolled her eyes without even bothering to turn around to answer:
— Jax, I think I was pretty clear before.
— Oh, it isn't Jax.
☆★☆
That voice…
Kinger's face contorted even more in confusion than Pomni's when he glanced at the door in time to see two people enter. She didn't lock the door, she never does. The white dog, as in the last time, was in the lead. The zebra, right behind. Pomni would have asked if she could help with anything if she hadn't immediately looked at their hands. They looked like makeshift wooden clubs, a little flimsy, but intimidating enough to make her take a step back. She ignored her father asking if she knew those men, just as they ignored him when he asked who they were.
Everyone stood still for a few seconds, until the dog leaned forward and Pomni immediately ran to the kitchen, looking for something she could use for defense. She ran as fast as she could, which, however, didn't make dodging the attacks any easier. She didn't even have time to run to the utensils. As soon as the dog lunged at her, the first thing Pomni could do was grab a pot lid as a shield. The force with which he struck seemed disproportionate to her size. She felt the lid almost fly from her hands.
— I don't understand, it was just a crate of apples! — Pomni screamed as she defended another blow.
— You still think it's about apples?
— Yeah, are you stupid, girl? — the Zebra endorsed, yelling from the other side of the room.
It wasn't the time to rationalize. For even a split second, she tried to understand what was happening and let her guard down. Another blow made her feel like her arms were going to explode against the lid. With a determination she wasn't sure where it stemmed from, she circled the kitchen, passing close to where the zebra and kinger were in a fistfight, since the zebra's club was already broken on the ground. She leaped and struck the aggressor with maximum force in the face, giving her father just enough time to escort her out of the house.
It was dark outside, the moon barely illuminating anything. They heard a commotion coming from inside the house, but didn't stay to listen, both running as fast as they could to the east. It wasn't the best option, since they would return to the city, but if they went the other way, a cliff would block their path. But the attackers weren't far behind, and they were getting closer and closer. The zebra made a terrifying leap, grabbing Kinger's clothes. They both fell and rolled on the ground. Out of reflex, Pomni stopped running, but only in time to realize she was being focused on by the mango-dog.
The ground was grassy; there was hardly any dirt she could throw around for distraction. She could barely see anything, only hear the grunts of the zebra and her father. Only a silhouette stood before her, holding a still sturdy club. He took a step forward, and she took one back. He seemed to have everything under control, unhurried, matching the slow pace at which she retreated. It seemed unreal. Nothing of this should be happening, not in Charming Kingdom. And, after retreating so much, Pomni felt something behind him. Groping, she felt earth between her fingers, digging in with unintentional force, enough for some of it to get under her nails. A ravine. There was nowhere else to retreat, he was already too close.
All Pomni could do was extend the iron lid, feeling the full impact of the club, which, despite making a noise as if it were going to break, still caused her pain. She could hear her father shouting for her, but he had his own problem. One blow, then another, and another. Her legs no longer responded, forcing her to crouch lower and lower toward the ground until she sat down. With the final blow, she heard the club break, but she didn't lower the lid to check. She probably wouldn't even see it. And fearing that he could continue attacking with punches or kicks, she closed her eyes so tightly that tears squeezed out through her eyelashes.
The night, once blue and pale with the moon, had become a dark blur for Pomni. She no longer understood what she was hearing or what was happening. For a moment, in fact, nothing was happening. After the club broke, she didn't feel any more blows, although she could still hear fighting around her. Perhaps he gave up and went to get another weapon. Perhaps there was still time for her to get up and go help her father. But her eyes wouldn't open, no matter how much she wanted them to. And it only got worse when the sounds stopped. There was a sound of falling, and then only silence. Perhaps the two of them had shot her father together, and now they would do the same to her. There was no hope. And it would all be her fault.
Seconds of silence were only broken by footsteps on the grass, drawing closer to her, who was already trembling. And when she felt hands grabbing her arms, all she could do was scream and struggle, trying to hit the lid in every possible direction, even though she couldn't see.
— That's okay, it's over — another voice tried to reassure her — Pomni, it's over.
For a moment, she didn't believe it, but as soon as she lowered the iron lid, Jax's figure was unmistakable. The two evildoers lay unconscious on the floor, both bound by what appeared to be a golden thread, which could only be Jax's work. Her father, still standing, kept an eye on the two of them, making sure they remained restrained. But even without looking at her, he asked if she was alright. Her eyes grew warm as she tried to understand what had happened. Her body seemed to want to soften and feel rigid from the adrenaline at the same time. Jax was right in front of her, unable to stop looking at her. And with all the confused feelings bubbling in Pomni's heart, amidst all that commotion, her first instinct was to hug him.
Pomni wasn't exactly crying, but she couldn't stop writhing in his arms. His hands gripped her back tightly beneath his cloak, her head buried in his chest. He had never seen her so small. So fragile. And he never thought he would see her like this. Furthermore, it had been so long since anyone had hugged him. He couldn't even remember the feeling until that moment. It felt absolutely wrong at first, but then, overcoming his hesitation, he returned the hug slowly, awkwardly, and with almost no warmth. But in a short time he understood what it was like to feel her. How alive, organic, and explosive she was. And the more he felt her, the more he wanted to feel her, which made him hold her tighter, truly enveloping her in a real hug, pulling her closer, burying his face in her neck.
Despite his reluctance, Jax stepped back first, close enough only to cup her face in his hands, asking if she was alright. The answer was obvious, but Pomni insisted she was. Consciousness returned to her body as the adrenaline dissipated. Suddenly, the world became so cold and confusing. She hugged her knees, her eyes tired, trying to think of what to do next. The dog and the zebra were still unconscious and tied up, but that didn't mean much. They couldn't stay there any longer. She didn't know how she would explain this to her father. Her father. Immediately she raised her head. Oh, his eyes were so confused, not knowing whether to stop on Pomni or Jax. She stood up with difficulty and approached him. She had a lot to explain in a such short time.
☆★☆
The truth is Jax hated walking. But he either spent magic trying to float or trying to explore the forest. Doing both at the same time was impossible in his condition. Damned planet, full of gravity. He walked ahead, trying to concentrate. It wasn't exactly easy to feel the ground around him, to recognize the sounds, all the geographical formations. But there had to be something in that forest, some cave or large, hollow tree, anything they could use to hide and spend the night. They had been walking for at least half an hour and he still hadn't felt anything unusual from either side.
Even from behind, Pomni could tell how dizzy he was. He kept shaking his head and massaging his eyebrows with his fingertips. She became worried when, suddenly, he stopped and turned his head in one direction. Despite being a rabbit, the way his snout moved and his ears turned was even stranger. Relief relaxed all her veins the moment he started walking, before she could even ask anything. There was no rush, though. They all walked slowly, still exhausted from the attack. For Pomni and Jax, the robbery made their fatigue even more pronounced.
Branches and low-lying plants would sometimes snag on clothing. Jax's trousers were already torn, causing the ripped pieces to become stuck. The entire journey was filled with grumbled complaints. And that cape... what a misfortune to wear a cape that, when pulled, choked his neck. He wanted to ban capes worldwide, no capes would be his motto. But he didn't get rid of his. He wanted to leave as little trace behind as possible.
Kinger also suffered along the arduous path, leaning on Pomni, relying on her help to untangle his clothes from the branches when needed. Silence lingered for a while, however. Kinger's eyes alternated between his daughter and the boy. There was no introduction. Should he know him? A good boy, so helpful and brave, a connoisseur of magic. But no matter how funny the boy's silly anger sounded, or how interesting it was to walk through the forest after... how many years? Leaving that house, so full of affection and memories that even he didn't have, seemed so wrong.
A quarter of an hour later, the landscape gave way between the trees to a small lake, unknown to the two forest dwellers, accompanied by a grotto. The water reflected the moonlight, the air smelled of flowers and moss. A warm wind blew, and Jax seemed certain that this was a good place. The cave was initially dark, grayish, and rather cold. However, the further the three advanced, the more it transformed. Irregular crystals emerged from the walls, reflecting the bluish bioluminescence of the place. Just like ice, they, from the largest to the smallest, distorted the reflections, creating images with completely disfigured proportions.
Jax had fun testing the limits of distortion. Sometimes his hand would grow significantly larger, sometimes it would become tiny. Either his belly would become enormous, or his head, minuscule. The cave was beautiful, that's true. The shades of blue and green reflected everywhere gave the feeling of being in another world. But Pomni seemed too distracted to let that cheer her up. Then he called her over. He stuck his tongue out and made a face in a way that stretched his cheeks completely. It was silly and quick, but she let out a little laugh and it warmed him inside, bringing an involuntary smile to his face. He didn't even realize he was smiling as he looked at her. But Pomni did.
Her face flushed, and only then did he realize what he had done. He exhaled through his nose, trying to appear indifferent, perhaps too innocently, and nudged her head to the side. With no force, just to tease her. And without looking back, he continued walking, pressing his own temples, trying to expel that cringe feeling from within him.
Kinger, until then, had kept a little distance behind, allowing himself some space to try to understand what was happening. He may have lost some of his rational capacity, but he wasn't stupid. And apparently, they both were. As soon as Jax moved away a little further, he approached his daughter, gently stroking her hair. Despite the sudden fright, she felt happy and comfortable. After all, her father seemed so much more... present.
— Who is he?
— Sorry, I didn't introduce you. That's Jax.
— And how long has he been your friend?
— Oh, he… it's complicated. I don't even know if we're friends.
— He came for you, didn't he?
Her face contorted. And, as if trying to digest the idea, she remained quiet for a while, pondering that question. Had he come back for her? Why had he come back? And why was he still there? From afar, alone in the corner, he also seemed detached, lost in his own thoughts. When he finally awoke from his trance, their eyes involuntarily met again. He was good pretending not to care as approaching and asking for help setting up camp. It seemed unreal. Setting up camp.
Outside the cave, twigs, dry leaves, and tree bark were laid out for a campfire. The lake water had been boiled and strained through an improvised filter made of twigs. Jax assured them it was safe, but Pomni wouldn't drink it even if she were crazy. They spent quite some time searching for non-poisonous fruit, but there wasn't much besides pine cones. That alone cost them about two hours. Pomni missed her apples, the warm kitchen at home, and her reed bed. And the longing grew, transforming into anger and frustration.
— I don't know what to do anymore — She sighed, sitting on the edge of the lake while Jax gathered more leaves, perhaps to fluff up some hard corner of the colorful cave in vain.
Jax simply turned his head in her direction, still standing and silent.
— We can't stay in a cave forever — she continued, certain that he was listening — We should have released all the wishes. Why didn't you help me then?
— You know there wouldn't have been time. Caine came back to the room within minutes — he approached, sitting beside her and setting aside the fallen leaves on the ground — And we're not going to stay here forever. The sun will rise soon and nobody here has slept. You need to rest.
— I'm going to explore a bit — she ignored him — Stay with my father, please.
That girl was hopeless. Not that she would get lost in the forest, Jax knew she wouldn't, but everyone needed to at least close their eyes for a while. He wanted to follow her, but that would only make things worse. And, as soon as he turned to go back to the cave, he was startled by a Kinger suddenly so close. He tried to sit on the floor at a safe distance. Not too far away to be awkward, and not too close to be even more awkward. The truth is, everything had become very awkward since Pomni left them alone.
Pomni's father kept staring at him, as if studying him. He had never felt so watched, even knowing that probably an entire council of stars was watching him from high above the sky, doing absolutely anything for them. And it wasn't long before Kinger finally said something. He started with one question, then another, and another. What was going on, why were they attacked, why is he protecting them? He probably didn't know the correct answer to any of them. That's why he didn't.
— Who knows. You should ask that little brat, since she's the one who started this whole mess.
— May I ask you what your relationship is with my daughter?
Jax's ears perked up the exact second the question was asked.
— What? There's no relationship at all. She asked me help, I need to help her to get home and that's all!
Jax couldn't lie, and Kinger's raised eyebrow indicated that it wasn't convincing. his eyes showed pure apprehension until he took a deep breath and rolled his eyes. None of it mattered that much. It shouldn't matter.
— I… I honestly don't know. It seems like she hates me more each day while I… well…
— That's not what I see.
— And what you know, old man? You're not exactly right in the head.
Her father laughed, exhaling through his nose.
— Yeah, I've been a bit out of it, haven't I? — his voice sounded different, a little calmer than usual, a little lower too. Despite him spouting nonsense and meddling in other people's lives, hearing all those words uttered with such affection and logic was like hearing a bit of lucidity returning — Jax, you're not a bad person. But I think you're a little dumb.
— What? — Jax seemed ofended, even though he tried to sound ironic.
— She's waiting for you, child. She's asking herself the same questions, hoping you'll answer them. It would be gentlemanly of you to show her how you feel.
— I… I don't even know what I feel. I had made a… don't judge me… a list of things I wanted to do with her before leaving Earth.
Through the clothes, hands grew increasingly anxious, searching for a piece of paper.
— Wait, wait, no! How long have I not had my list?
Kinger seemed familiar with that uneasiness. Typical youthful behavior. Perhaps he would have been like that in his time.
— You just need to be sincere, Jax. The stars will take care of the rest.
☆★☆
The grotto was starting to get boring. It was just stone, crystal, and water. Going out for some fresh air seemed like an excellent idea, plus it would be easier to check when Pomni would return. Jax was, however, surprised to see her by the opposite side of the riverbank, alone, dragging her fingers across water's surface. She appeared even paler in the dying moonlight, drawing attention in the darkness of the forest. Flying close to the water's surface, over the small lake, he crossed it until he was right in front of Pomni. In the absence of a glance or any other reaction, he sat down next to her, legs crossed.
— So, have you given up on exploring?
— I didn't want to leave my father alone.
— He was with me.
— I know that.
He didn't understand where all this passive-aggressiveness was coming from. It was becoming increasingly difficult to deal with her. Somehow, she was pushing him away, not the other way around. Was this some kind of revenge? In any case, he took a deep breath and relaxed, leaning back with both arms. It was still dark, but the sun would rise soon, and dew dripped from the leaves of the trees, the wind rustled the bushes, some owls were still hooting. The forest was making music, and Jax wanted to let it play, controlling the dripping, the rustling, and the hooting. It truly sounded like music, and Pomni, whether she wanted to or not, was enchanted.
— Since when have you been able to do that?
— I already told you, I am part of nature.
Pomni rolled her eyes and nudged him lightly, which he saw as nothing more than affection. Then he stood up, stretched out his hand, and she hesitated.
— Can I have this dance? — her eyes were still lost in the center of his — Do you trust me?
That was a dangerous question, one he didn't know if he wanted an answer to until Pomni accepted his hand, squeezing it and standing up with his help. Jax's feet touched the ground once more. They both began to move, still slowly, trying to find a rhythm while the music still played amidst the dripping and rustling. Soon, they were dancing. It was almost a waltz, some kind of ballroom dance. Pomni couldn't take her eyes off her own feet, and Jax, honestly, didn't want to compete for her attention and had to smile at the idea that jokingly crossed his mind. And he loved having something to laugh about.
As quickly as they landed, their feet left the ground. Then Pomni's did too, making her grab his wrists, afraid he would drop her. But he didn't. Just below them, the lake stretched out as if the mirror of the water were their dance hall. Pomni's eyes sparkled at how enchanting it all was. And she was startled again when he resumed leading the dance, laughing. She followed the dance, almost taking the lead for herself, without ceasing to smile for a single second in Jax's direction.
Confident, he surged even higher, surpassing the trees. From such a height, the trees looked like a green ocean, like what they could see from the tree on the cliff. In the distance, the few lights still lit in the city seemed like stars lost in the darkness. The entire forest, the entire kingdom, was theirs from up there. Fascinated, Pomni hadn't even realized she was holding her breath, eliciting a small laugh from Jax. He spun her in the air, making her float high only to catch her again as he slowly lowered her while simultaneously reaching for the low clouds with his hands as if pulling a handful of dark cotton with his fingers. In a breath, the clouds enveloped Pomni like smoke. Jax loved Pomni's reaction every time he did magic, it was like a perfect ace up his sleeve, she would always be enchanted. But that was one of his favorite moments.
The clouds had enveloped her, transforming her once simple, worn-out clothes into an evening gown worthy of a ball. The sleeves looked like black flowers sewn at the same height as the bust, which was also as dark as the night itself. The skirt flowed down, studded with tiny silver stars, small sparkles that led to a short train. The dress' hem went almost to the floor, leaving just enough room for her to dance freely, with ballet flats taking the place of her boots. And in place of a hat, a silver diadem studded with rubies and sapphires adorned the top of her hair, which flowed down to just above her shoulders. Pomni was beautiful. She always had been. But that night she looked like a lady from the stars. So breathtaking that Jax didn't even think to mend his own trousers or cape. She, all silver, and he, in the typical outfit of a golden star.
And Jax probably didn't know it, but she noticed his eyes glowing golden, as well as part of his face, as if he were unable to blush and, instead, all that fire turned into a warm light.
Just as when he had made Pomni conjure magic from her hands before, he gently ran his hand down her waist to her back, pulling her just a little closer to him. This time, however, it was different. This time it felt good. The shiver running down her body was no longer from fright, but from the heat of the moment. Her breathing became completely erratic. The moon seemed to want to create the perfect backdrop for the waltz, nothing had ever been so beautiful. The world. Him. Her. And despite the difficulty of dancing as a couple due to the height difference, they complemented each other very well. Every time he lifted her higher, every time he bent over her, and every time she threw herself back, certain that he would catch her. Every time, they two shone together.
They would have stayed there until the sun rose and the night needed to sleep. But suddenly, Jax's light faded as they slowly descended through the air to the lake, where they would have plunged if Pomni hadn't guided them to the shore. His knees buckled, making him to involuntarily fall seated on the sandy ground. Pomni's once elegant clothes had reverted to a cloud-like state, dissipating between her fingers like smoke. She crouched beside him, worried, placing her hand on his face as if trying to check for any sign of fever without even realizing it.
— Are you alright?
— Yeah — he gasped, though trying to feign calmness — I'm just tired.
☆★☆
The bonfire crackled, turning everything around a little more orange. Hands outstretched toward it could relax, feeling the warmth. The day wasn't cold, but the nights always bring more trouble than the mornings, when everything sleeps and quiets down, allowing the cold to enter. Well, everything except them. They couldn't sleep a wink, even though they felt slow and heavy. So, to distract themselves, they talked about everything. Everything except themselves, as if nothing needed to be said.
Furthermore, Jax always preferred showing rather than talking. His magic was becoming increasingly unstable, and perhaps it wasn't a good time to admit that the problem might not be the planet's parched atmosphere. But he could still pull off a few tricks. Being playful, he formed little creatures from golden dust, making them walk and jump through the air. Little birds flew around Pomni's hat insistently, no matter how she tried to shoo them away like insects. Then, as if by chance, he recreated their dance. A tiny Jax and a tiny Pomni, dancing like dolls in a music box.
Oh, her eyes! Her cheeks, resting on her arms, which in turn rested on her knees, were enormous, adorable, squeezing all her face. He would always have a reason to do magic at random if Pomni smiled and her eyes shone like that.
— You should see what a star really can do. Not on this completely limiting planet, but in the sky. Like how we tear through the entire veil of the universe in seconds, or when we use the rings of other planets as hula hoops — he waved his hands, gesturing as if trying to illustrate those scenes.
— You must miss this — she said, laughing, oblivious to his worried reaction as he tried to understand whether or not that was a veiled way of saying he wanted to leave her.
Jax immediately tried to avoid the situation and pretended to clear his throat before continuing:
— Everything in the world, including you mortals, carries a little bit of the stars within. We are all made of the same matter. And it's strange because you always seek the answer in us, but the truth is that it's closer to you than to us. But you don't seem to realize your capacity to keep dreaming, wishing.
— You always say that mortals are useless and disposable, but, then, you compliment us so beautifully, with so much affection. Trying to understand you is huge puzzle, Jax.
— Actually, it's quite easy to understand why I hate you mortals — he said, more to himself, but when Pomni rested her chin on her hands, she silently said she was there to listen.
He hesitated, but she didn't want the moment to turn into silence, she couldn't let the conversation die.
— Is that why you want to go back home so bad? — it was a question that teetered on the tightrope between danger and confidence — Has any mortal ever hurt you?
A furrowed brow and anxious hands indicated the whirlwind of thoughts Jax had in his head at that moment. Memories. And, out of some kind of stupid emotional weakness, he replied:
— Do you know how long it's been since I've come down to Earth? — it was a rhetorical question. And even if it wasn't, she wouldn't know what to answer — I haven't granted a wish in ages. Before you, there was a boy. His dream was to meet a star, that was his wish. But I was too young to take seriously the matter of sensing intentions, so I came down here as soon as he asked, without even thinking much beforehand. But when I set a foot on the ground, I realized something was wrong. The boy didn't look at me with the enchanted look you get when you see baskets floating with a little of star dust. He seemed proud to have brought me down.
Pomni's heart tightened as Jax's eyes lowered to the ground, looking heavy on his face. His face contorted as if ghosts from the past invaded his mind and he could no longer ignore. His voice sounded lower and weaker, but he continued nonetheless:
— I can't understand how you mortals can be so cruel. When you find something powerful yet fragile, you steal it and then break it. It was when other people, I don't even remember how many, appeared behind me and grabbed me. All this to steal my powers.
— Oh, Jax, I'm so sorry.
She was unlike anything he had ever seen. She was kind, strange, fearful, impulsive, aggressive, brave. All at once, condensed into such a small person. And to see her feeling sorry for him as if he were even smaller...
— Anyway. It was a wish that went wrong. They end up becoming nightmares. I tried to forget it, to live far away from the stress of mortals, just having fun in the sky forever and ever.
Instinctively, she placed her hand on his, squeezing it lightly, conveying warmth and affection. Their eyes met suddenly, over flushed or faintly glowing cheeks. But they didn't pull away. Instead, they slowly drew closer. In those brief seconds, resentment and fear were very distant feelings. An invisible force pushed them closer and closer to each other. The scent of flowers, the sound of the forest threatening to awaken, the moon trying to go to sleep. The whole world seemed to relax just as they felt themselves more and more alive.
But just as Pomni was about to close her eyes, when Jax felt her breath on his, the sound of footsteps and breaking branches woke them, sending them into immediate defense mode. From among the bushes, they could expect anything: a small animal, a passerby, one of the men who had attacked them earlier. But they certainly didn't expect to see a Gangle tripping over the hem of her own dress, perhaps as startled by the two of them as they were by her. Right behind them, monarch Zooble stepped forward to crouch beside her, offering support to help her up. Unlike the others, they didn't seem as impressed.
It took Pomni a few seconds to react, placing herself in front of Jax as if trying to hide him from Zooble, even though he was twice her size. Gangle, for her part, relaxed a little, but smiled sadly at them, as if she knew hey had interrupted something. In fact, they all found her instinct adorable, yet Zooble didn't understand why.
Confused, Pomni waited for Gangle to give her some kind of answer, looking at her as if asking what she had told Zooble about the star. They had been friends for many years, and it had become frightening how well they could communicate without saying a single word. In turn, Gangle simply shook her head negatively. That served as proof of loyalty enough, which relaxed her somewhat.
However, Zooble stared at Jax for a while, trying to understand who he was. Not that they knew every living being in the kingdom, but they couldn't remember anyone even vaguely resembling him in the entire city and its surroundings. And clearly, he was important to Pomni, who was the reason for this whole situation. And the grumpy glare that the two-meter-tall purple rabbit was giving them did nothing to create a good impression.
— You're here, great — Zooble began, turning to Pomni — We need to talk.
— What happened?
— It's about the king — Gangle didn't even need to say his name, it was enough to make Jax's entire body stiffen.
What did they know about the king that required them to speak with Pomni? Depending on what it was, Pomni couldn't know. Not yet. He didn't know how she would react, mortals were always too fragile, and if Pomni had her heart broken, he wouldn't know how to mend it. He needed to be clever and cut the conversation short at the slightest hint of mentioning her mother.
— Where is Kinger? — Zooble craned his neck to look for him. When Pomni opened her mouth to answer, Jax interrupted:
— And how did you find us? If I may ask.
The girl in the red and white dress stepped forward and, giggling, showed bits of dark fabric with frayed gold embroidery.
— For someone who is part of nature, you're really bad at it — and she returned the remains of Jax's trousers to him, amused by the annoyed expression he made — Next time you want to hide, don't leave any trace behind.
— Anyway, it doesn't matter — Zooble was apprehensive in a way that made Pomni start to feel it too — My father, he... I don't know why, but he's shattering wishes.
Pomni and Jax's eyes met, confused. For a second, they wondered if their theft was to blame, but then Zooble continued:
— We found out yesterday, but we don't know how long he's been doing this. He's been using the wishes in his magic, somehow strengthening it with them.
Instinctively, Pomni turned to Jax, slightly squeezing his arm with both hands.
— Could this be why you've been feeling so weak?
— Tired — he corrected.
— What does he have to do with this? — Zooble took a step forward, crossing their arms and looking him straight in the eyes.
Pomni searched Jax's face for permission, but he seemed too busy singing the monarch back. The choice was hers, and she decided to trust them.
— My monarch, I apologize for the confusion we caused.
— We? — he complained.
— Shut up — she slapped his arm, which he pretended hurt — This idiot here is called Jax, and he's a star who came to grant me a wish.
— How am I supposed to believe…
Jax interrupted them by blowing golden stardust into his own hand, causing his middle finger to transform into a tiny flower, which he offensively showed them while grinning maliciously.
— That's not all — Gangle brought the subject back — You are now considered an enemy of the kingdom. There's even a bounty on your head.
Pomni paled. The dog and the zebra... were they Caine's fault?
— We were shocked to hear that you stole a wish. But I imagined you were going to do something crazy sooner or later. What happened to Kinger?
— He's fine — Pomni smiled — He got his wish back and I think some memories too.
Gangle squeezed Pomni's hand, but, being the emotional person she was, she couldn't resist and hugged her. Pomni wasn't exactly the biggest fan of being touched, but it was good to know that someone else in the world cared about her and her father in some way.
— We need to take those desires away from Caine — Pomni stepped back, looking at the three of them.
— How? Part of the kingdom actually believes you're an enemy now — Zooble's gaze indicated genuine concern. It was the first time Pomni had wondered why they were there, with Gangle.
— I don't know — she looked at the grotto where her father was resting, and then at Jax, beside her — But we need to try.