Chapter Text
The cave the duo had found themselves in was very quaint, the atmosphere felt damp
yet fresh.
There was a scarce glow of two matching torches adorning the opposite sides of the rock
walls.
Cereza sauntered like it was just any old commute as if this was a path that she had taken
ten thousand times before, Masky however, froze up, feeling a strange sense of nostalgia,
remembering their first adventure, it also started in a cave… ordered by Mr. Stitches to…
“Hey kid, the path’s this way, we gotta move, sundown will be here soon!” Cereza
forewarned the Masked Kid, as they, for seemingly little reason, stood at an empty corner
of the cave.
As rationality returned to the Masked Kid, they shook off their sense of strange
bewilderment and quickly rejoined the princess’s side.
A radiant light pierced the dull atmosphere of the cave as the duo kept moving closer to
the exit, the same light enticed them to continue to move ever forward.
Stepping outside the pair both took a minute to admire the immaculate scenery that now
surrounded them.
Masky peered down the expansive gully that encompassed the surrounding area and
spotted a sight that they had never seen before,
A city!
A real city with humans, walking in complete disorder, hustling from one thing to the
next, buying food, building houses, and all the while the town guards continue their patrols.
Reflecting on their adventures in the past, made Masked Kid realize that they had
never seen a big city such as this before, in fact, they had never even seen more than two
humans before.
“We better get going, it’s gonna take us a bit ‘til we get your hilt all patched up.” Cereza
said, patting Masky on the back before she started down the path towards the entrance
of the city.
Masky quickly gave chase after Cereza, continuing to have more sobering thoughts about
what a real human city would be like once on the inside…
Or what it would be like to live in one!
Cereza abruptly stopped in her tracks, causing the fantasizing Masked Kid to knock into her!
Staring out towards the walls of sprout town, she firmly took Masky’s hand, and lead them
to a nearby thicket, “Hold on, kiddo… Walnut Guards… it’s best we try to avoid those guys,
if we don’t want to get a rise out of my father…”
“???” Masky turned their head and tried to recall anything about Cereza’s father
wouldn’t he be the king, their Cereza barely mentioned anything about him in their world…
Looking out towards the walls, Masky could just about see two humans in some sort of
uniform, alternating their marches around the gates while carrying strange looking spear
like weaponry at their sides.
That was until a silly-looking human in a strange hat started berating the two causing all
three to run inside of the town.
“Oh, they’re gone now let’s move!” Cereza whispered prompting the duo to creep towards
the town’s large wooden gates.
Arriving at the great gated entrance of Sprout Town, Masky leaned their head as far back
as their neck would let them to look at the towering sign.
“Sprout Town, Your Entrance to the Walnut Kingdom!” the sign read…
“The faster we can get to ‘Shews place, the faster we can get out of here kid, let’s get a
move on!” Cereza ordered continuing to drag the Masked kid by their tiny, gloved hand.
Masky held on to their sun hat the best they could as Cereza guided them throughout
the entrance area and towards the town center with the precision of a studied tour guide!
Not wanting to miss all the experiences of the first actual city they’ve ever seen, the
curious Masked Kid tried to sneak glances at the architecture, at the shops, and at
various people before pulling the Sunhat over their face to not blow their cover.
Cereza ducked out of the large town center and weaved into several back alleys and
escaped into a brush, all in an attempt to avoid anyone who could potentially recognize
her, all the while still leading on the Masked Kid.
Eventually, after clearing away the last of the shrubs, the duo came face to face with
their destination…
“The Sprout Town Inn.” Cereza whispered to Masky.
“I don’t see many people around if we make a run for it ‘Shews place his workshop is just
upstairs-” Cereza explained to the monster before her instructions were cut short by…
“Well… well… well, look who we have here,” said a rather goofy voice.
“…Crap… Berri…” Cereza said under her breath as she rose upwards to meet a party of
particular looking humans.
“Bwahaha! we certainly weren’t expecting royalty in our midst’s today,” the cad
sarcastically scoffed, “Let’s give a respectful welcome to our sovereign boys…” The human
mocked as he arose from his chair and feigned a respectful bow with his gang by his side.
Masky was befuddled at the sight of these… rather lame looking friends that this
Cereza seems to have…
Cereza, quickly getting more agitated, launched herself at the gang, “Listen here you
knuckleheads… it has been a very stressful day for me, and I don’t need you pulling another
one of your ‘classic pranks’, which usually tends to get my father involved!” she exploded
causing the gang to recoil back as she continuously reprimanded them.
“Ooooo… must be regal business eh…,” The rowdy ruffian named Berri smirked, crossing
his arms as he towered over the fervent princess.
“Hey… boss… look!” one of Berri’s gang members said pointing at a tiny person in a large
sunhat who was walking closer to Cereza…
“EEK!... ahem!” Cereza shrieked as she tried in vain to hide the monster behind her, “It’s…
none of your business Berri!” She said through clenched teeth.
“Bwahaha! That’s it! A wee little pipsqueak in a sunhat is what has the crown princess of
the walnut nobility up in arms, what a joke.” Berri cackled as he shoved Cereza out of the
way to get a better look at the little guy.
“ACK, WATCH IT!” Cereza screamed, stumbling off to the side.
The Masked Kid and the delinquent stared at each other for a time, with Masky trying
their best to appear like a human.
“Doesn’t look like much… just a kid in a mask… ain’t that something the princess is a
babysitter! GWAHA- URK!” Berri laughed before Cereza, in a blind fury, struck him in the
nose!
The cad winced with pain feeling his face for any injuries…
Wiping some blood that had pooled around his nose, he and his gang stood above the two,
“Ah… now you really shouldn’t have done that…”
Cereza stood tall to Berri’s threats as his gang surrounded them, “Come on then, I’ve been
waiting for this for a long time, I’ll take you all on!” She screamed.
The Masked Kid was far less zealous in comparison, practically shaking in their boots,
dreading a fight without… a fight without a weapon!
“Ya, asked for this your majesty, say hello to your father when you come back to him in a
box!” Berri snarled charging forward to tackle the princess.
Noticing that Berri’s two goons were beginning to close in, Masky decided to pick their
battles as they turned tail and ran!
Sprinting away, while trying their best to keep the sunhat on, the monster fled into one of
the many dingy alleyways that surrounded the street.
Fleeing behind yet another corner, Masky tried in vain to catch their breath…
“There you are!” Before one of the goons caught sight of them!
Circling back around to where the Inn was Masky reunited with Cereza…
She was defending against Berri as he relentlessly bombarded her with punches!
Falling to the ground from a sucker punch, Cereza rolled back up and, grasping a nearby
chair she threw her entire weight behind smashing the wooden chair over the crooks
head!
Berri franticly moved around trying to hit the nimble princess as he was getting more and
more tired.
“Hey kid, say goodnight!” Masky had been so focused on Cereza’s fight that they had
briefly forgotten about their problems, as Berri’s goons surrounded them.
Closing their eyes and bracing for any physical contact the masked kid prepared for the
worst…
“Now... you fellas go ahead and step away from the kid… and get off of my property, while
you’re at it.” a mysterious voice echoed, “or we might have a problem, capisce?”
Masky looked up to see who, or what’s voice echoed throughout the neighborhood, only to
see… a familiar face?!?
Walking out from the second-story balcony of the Sprout Town Inn was none other than,
the Hero!?
The dazed Masked Kid froze for a bit until remembering they were still fighting for their
life and once again started to clear out of harm’s way.
“Oh, Boss, that other kid showed up!” one of the goons tattled to their still brawling boss…
Both Berri and the Princess were out of breath, and looking for an easy
way out, the bully piped up, “HA! the Cashew kid, really princess, I didn’t expect you to
choose him as your knight in shining armor!” he cackled as Cereza rolled her eyes.
Vaulting down from the balcony, the Hero, Cashew, unsheathed a rusty sword from his
scabbard.
“I meant what I said, brute!” The Hero said leaning into a stance.
“‘Shew… I can handle this one alone.” Cereza scoffed as they united to face
Berri together.
“Really? Your torn attire and dull stance say otherwise.” Cashew chuckled.
'My clothes…' She thought, her father was gonna kill her if he found out she had fought
Berri again!
Cereza’s was suddenly snapped back out of her mind as a scream echoed out across the
entire area.
She didn’t recognize the voice … didn’t even sound human… “Crap!” She said aloud,
sluggishly recalling her entire reason for being here.
“Your little gremlin is a lot tougher than I thought, I’ll give you that Cereza!” A goon
cackled as Masky struggled to break their grip.
“You let them go, right now… or else!” Cereza warned the gang.
“Or else what… you’ll call your father, come crying home for help, BWAHAHA!” Berri
chortled.
Cereza clenched her fist cursing under her breath, with Cashew moving forward in a
stance to face them.
“No… ‘Shew, they might…” Cereza plead to Cashew to back down, with the latter giving the
Princess an astonished glare.
“That’s just what I thought, now I was thinkin’ boys, why don’t we take this little twerp back to my place,
maybe… charge a royal ransom…” Berri coyly snickered.
“Just wonder what we can buy with one million coins!” one of his entourage added.
“Hey, fellas… what is this?” another bully said… the gang continued to close in on the
struggling Masked Kid.
They all moved in close as Cereza and Cashew stood glaring daggers at them…
“WH- WHAT IS THAT THING!” Berri shouted as they all started to panic.
“I-I-IT’S A MONSTER RUN!” Another bully added.
It wasn’t long until Berri and his minions routed and scattered, stumbling over each other
to get away from the “monster” leaving a slightly confused Masky, still donning their
cracked mask, sitting in the middle of an empty plaza, with the sun hat and poncho off to
the side…
“…” Cashew carefully moved closer to the monster as Cereza ran their fingers through
her scalp, she could already feel the headache coming on.
This Hero… or as he was called by Cereza “Cashew” looked a little different from their
worlds Hero.
Still, a scarf, that one was a given, but that’s where the similarities end…
Wearing an engineer’s garb, various tools on his belt, and a welding mask on top of his head,
it was all too obvious of what he made of himself.
But the large scar across his face was one thing that put the Masked Kid off, did their
Hero have this scar too, it was too big to just not even notice…
Silently the boy approached the Masked Kid, still in a stance, and both just stared at each
other until…
“Alright ‘Shew… I know, tons of questions, but can it wait, and your probably gonna want to
sit down for this one…” Cereza said pointing towards the Inn.
The somewhat baffled Cashew slowly sheathed his sword, “A- alright then… come along,”
He stammered gesturing to the monster, unsure whether they understood him…
Running ahead as the Masked Kid tailed the two, Cashew interrogated the princess,
“What on earth… have you gotten yourself into now, Cere’?” The Hero whispered.
Cereza sighed as they made their way closer to the Inn, “Not a clue...”
Looking back at the little monster, still wearing a battered mask and rugged clothing,
Cashew sighed, “At least I hope you know what you’re doing…”
Approaching the entrance to the Sprout Town Inn the trio were taken aback as the door
swung open, practically flying off the hinges!
Out came a very distressed man franticly galivanting towards the trio with a weapon of
sorts.
“Cash, where those Berri Boys at, they’ve been causin’ trouble for far too long!” he said
pumping the weapon in his hand.
Cashew’s eyes widened as he began panicking, “UNCLE!! What are you doing out here, we
took care of it calm down, remember your blood pressure!” The boy tried to explain before
the man’s gaze slowly trailed down the trio.
The man’s frightened expression quickly turned into one of pure terror, “AGH, WHAT IN
WALNUT’S NAME IS THAT!”
The man turned his weapon on the Masked Kid behind the two humans!
“Mr. Hiro…” Irked the princess.
“Get out of the way your highness i-“Mr. Hiro stammered trying to shoo away the princess.
“MR. HIRO!” Cereza roared, grabbing the barrel of the man’s weapon.
“I’ve got it all under control… royal Walnut business, got that?” Cereza explained growing
increasingly irritated by the constant interruptions.
Seeming to straighten up a bit the shaken man put lowered the gun, looking directly at the
monster’s eyes.
Masky stared back with a bit of curiosity as their fear subsided.
“And this conversation never happened…” Cereza said as the trio shoved their way pasted
Cashew’s incessant uncle.
“Uh- alright…” The old man said scratching his head…
Running alongside behind her, Cereza led the two into the Inn.
Thankfully, no one else was around inside to interrupt them, just several empty barstools
and baren inn rooms, along with the lines of cables and wire that lead upstairs.
Rushing them upstairs into Cashew’s room, an alleviated Cereza slammed the door and
slumped to the ground.
Masky stumbled over the mass of wiring that coated the floors of Cashew’s workshop, or
was it a bedroom?
They looked around the moderately sized room as the technology rumbled and roared to
life…
Getting up from the ground The Masked Kid and The Engineer both looked over the
fatigued princess.
“You’re alright, Cere’?” Cashew asked, crouching down to his friend, “That looked like a
pretty nasty fight…”
Her vision was fogged, looking around the room with the two hunched down next to her,
after finally gathering up enough strength to speak, she shambled upwards.
“I-I’m fine…” She stammered with sluggish breaths between every word, “just a
bit tired, you just worry about the kid…”
“Cere’ you should get some rest… come here,” Cashew said, helping the princess to her
feet, leading her to a nearby couch.
Collapsing on the sofa it wasn’t long before Cereza fell unconscious.
“So… what are you exactly…” Cashew asked, walking back to the Masked Kid…
Masky titled their head a bit, then shrugged their shoulders.
The monster then recalled the entire point of finding Cashew…
Grabbing the satchel from their belt, they shoved it into the engineer’s hands.
“Ah! Okay, okay, calm down let me take a look kid…” Cashew scrambled as they opened the
curtained off area of the room where most of the cords ran too, revealing Cashew’s
workstation…
His workstation was that of a true engineer, Masky assumed, as they glanced from a
distance noticing various electrical devices, hilts, and metalworks!
Laying her out onto the table, Cashew stroked their chin as they picked around the
remnants.
‘All this headache, just for a little sword… one of the most advanced ones I’ve ever seen,
but still…’ Cashew peaked back towards the small monster now sitting on the couch next to
the unconscious princess.
‘Cereza sure knows how to pick the interesting ones I suppose…’ The engineer thought
flipping down his welding mask as he got to work.
Masky decided it was best to leave Elizabeth to the professionals, this was a friend of
Cereza so he had to be good, right?
Masky shuddered… they had almost forgotten that this wasn’t the Cereza they had
brought down Stitches with… and this… certainly wasn’t the Hero, the one who now worked
with Mr. Bachi…
The Masked Kid pondered, staring at Cashew as they pulled out an assortment of bits and
bobs from nearby containers and lit up a welder…
They wondered how things got this way… was this to be the fate of the humans if…
Puzzleman… didn’t intervene…
Just thinking that name made chills run down Masky’s spine, even if he was long gone…
Taking off the poncho and putting it off to the side, Masky’s mind continued to wander…
Did their world’s Hero have a family…?
What of… their home in this world… Stitched Castle…?
What of Mr. Stitches…?
Getting increasingly melancholic thoughts Masky decided to get some rest too, as it
had been far too long since they had last gotten some proper sleep, The Masked Kid laid
further back on the couch and slowly dozed off next to the princess with Cashew’s work
being the only backdrop to their descent into unconsciousness.
As their eyelids got increasingly heavy, they only thought of Elizabeth… the one being in
this world… that truly knew… until finally, consciousness had left them…
Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.
Fuzzy… everything is Fuzzy…
Darkness… Dread…
The walls, so close.
Breathe, getting heavy… it’s hard to breathe…
Run… Running, Getting away… Got to get… away.
Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.
Legs can barely walk… gravity, seems so strong…
Tick, Tock, Tick, Tock, Tick Tock,
Faster, yet faster… look behind for a single second…
“Ooph!”
It is Here…
TickTockTickTockTickTock…
Chimes… Midnight rolls, forever closer…
His face… the one you know so well…
“s-stitches…”
But he is not the one that will set you free.
You must understand, you are in danger…
BONG BONG BONG BONG
“AH!”
Contort, Twist and Writhe…
The Faces of your loved ones…
Trust no one…
BONG BONG BONG BONG
AN ECHO! AN ECHO! A N E C H O! AN ECHO!
“A- AHH, AGH! s-stop!”
“AHHHH, AHHH!” Masky yelled until their voice was hoarse, launching up out of their
slumber, while tears fell from their mask!
“HEY KID! Calm down! We’re here don’t worry… your safe, don’t worry.” Cereza said holding
the small monster in her arms as they continued to sob.
“‘Shew, make yourself useful!” The Princess demanded.
“Wha- me?” Cashew stuttered looking around the cluttered, otherwise empty room.
“Yes, you dolt, get this kid some water or something!” Cereza continued while caressing and
comforting the shaken Masked Kid.
Cashew quickly rushed out of the room, and returned later with a cold bottle…
Letting the kid drink and calm down for a while with Cere’, Cashew decided to get back to
work on the sword, the sword, he thought, could calm the kid down from their breakdown.
Hours pass as Cashew continues to work throughout the day, to the point that Sprout
Town began to be shrouded in darkness.
Looking back into his room Cere’ and the kid were already sound asleep, but it didn’t stop
Cashew as they continued to work away on the device complex as it was.
Slowly stirring awake the princess threw herself up off the couch.
Looking at the poor kid, with their mask still in tatters, she wondered if that could be
fixed too.
Wobbling to her feet she stumbled over to Cashews workshop, noticing that he was still
hard at work.
“’Shew? It’s getting light outside… have you been at that all night?” Cereza asked the
engineer who seemingly ignored her inquiry.
Looking closer at the sword device, Cereza had to admit that ‘Shew’s ability in engineering
was second to none, seemingly replicating the frame of the sword to reforge a perfectly
symmetrical hilt.
Even if cracks and welding splotches still covered the thing… and a few of the pink
markings on the “face” were missing, at least it would work!
“Uhh… The Walnut Kingdom to Cashew… Hello???” Cereza continued to question Cashew as
he paid her no mind.
“Alright, I get that you’re irritated… I’ll just get some coffee from Mr. Hiro…” The
princess sighed.
Finally, right as Cereza turned to leave, the engineer threw up his welding mask!
“Ah-ha! I’ve just about done it!” He said picking up the hilt and observing his handiwork…
“Bring the kid in… he’s not gonna want to miss this!” Cashew continued, plugging the hilt
into several nearby wires.
Quickly rushing to get the Masked Kid, who was just waking up from an extended nap after
the nightmare they had, Cereza lead them into the workshop.
Masky’s drowsiness cleared up quickly as they saw Elizabeth looking almost like her
old self again!
“Alright Cere’, Mask… uh… Masky…” Cashew said staring at the kid who gave them a
reassuring smile in return.
“Hold on one second…” He said, digging through one of the many toolboxes that were
scattered around the workshop.
Pulling out two matching pairs of goggles, Cashew handed one to each of them, “Uh… you
know, just in case.” He shrugged.
Cereza looked at the boy with suspicion before begrudgingly putting the snug eyewear
around her head.
Looking down at the Masked Kid, however…
It seemed to barely fit around the mask let alone protect their eyes.
“Eh… good enough…” Cashew sighed, before firmly grasping the control lever.
“Powering up in 3… 2… 1…, please don’t explode.” He said under his breath as he threw the
switch downwards.
“Please don’t- WHAT!” Cereza rebuked before the entire room was filled with a bright
light.
The magical hilt in front of the trio started to spark and sizzle to life, and with a huge
burst of energy, it started to rise into the air!
Masky, barely able to see what was happening, started to notice that Elizabeth was…
cycling through her past abilities, hammer, slingshot, and the blade…
The aura surrounding the hilt was powerful, and it echoed throughout the entire room as
everything started to shake.
Masky looked towards Ellie as the energy dissipated… seeing into her eyes for the first
time in forever… they were finally open.
Another crackle rang out from the hilt, her eyes suddenly turning pure white as
shockwaves shook the very foundation.
Suddenly harsh cracking sounds began booming out from the sword!
“Agh! I need to turn it off!” Cashew yelled as they fell to the ground.
The three slowly tried to move closer to the sword, all the while quakes shook the entire
room around them.
The cables plugged into the hilt abruptly shot out of Elizabeth, causing a huge shockwave
explosion that knocked the trio back into a wall!
“Urgh… Yep, that’s a headache…” Cereza cried out rubbing the back of their head, trying
to get herself up.
Picking themselves up, Masky tried to nurse their injured head, before quickly
remembering Elizabeth!
The three gathered around the now grounded sword.
Trying to quickly pick their friend up, Masky’s hand gets burnt with Ellie’s grip being
hot to the touch.
“Careful now…” Cashew advised as they continued to look down at the newly “forged” hilt.
“Shew’.” The Princess sneered, eyeing her friend, “What was that?”
“When I said, repair a sword, I didn’t mean blow up downtown!” She scolded the engineer.
As the two continued to argue, Masky looked on to their friend… seeing as their remaining
eye began to sluggishly open.
“KRZT …k-kid…” Ellie said as they returned to consciousness.
Masky was overjoyed, more than overjoyed even!
Ignoring the scalding heat emanating from her, they swiped her up and began to hug her,
crying and laughing all the while.
Cashew and Cereza stopped their bickering when they saw the Masked Kid twirling around,
laughing, crying, with the sword was… doing the same?!
“The sword can talk!?” Both the humans said simultaneously.
Masky turned to the two with a large smile beaming across their face with tears of joy
rolling down their mask.
The sword turned to look at the two humans with her singular pink eye…
“Yeah, I can talk, Elizabeth the Fourth, Magical Sword of the Hero at your service!”
Elizabeth the Fourth explained as the masked kid held their grip.
The hilts face slightly shifted into that of confusion as she recognized who she was
talking to.
“Cereza! I thought you of all people wouldn’t forget about me!” Elizabeth said.
“I would certainly remember seeing a magical talking hilt.” The Princess responded before
being cut off by Cashew…
“Just… let the kid have their reunion…”
The humans both looked on as the Masked Kid held the sword close and continued to laugh
and to show not a care in the world, it was the first time that Cereza had seen them this
elated!
‘Yeah, I guess questions can wait…’ She thought sitting back down on the nearby couch.
“So… I heard you said something about Mr. Hiro’s coffee!” Cashew teased, sitting down
next to Cereza.
“So, you did hear me!” Cereza exclaimed slugging the engineer on the arm!
“So… Elizabeth the Fourth… you’re saying that we’ve met, but… not?” Cereza questioned
the hilt as they all three sat in a circle talking and sipping fresh coffee…
“Me and the k- Masky, aren’t entirely sure how we ended up here, but from how I
understand things everything seems, even ever so slightly, different to our world.” Ellie
continued telling an abridged version of her adventures with Masky while wrapped in a
blanket.
She deliberately deciding not to mention anything about cloning… or the Puzzle Zone, they
didn’t need to know that pain, at least not yet.
“I can’t believe… I was a hero in your world… Like the legends of Van Gregory!” Cashew
added as he sipped his coffee.
“Really ‘Shew, that old story from when we were kids, you know the whole thing about him
is just a fairy tale, something made up by the Estate…” Cereza added as Elizabeth looked
to Masky with a smug face, with the Masked Kid continuously downing their coffee.
“Man Kid, you gotta let off the caffeine, this is like your 3rd cup!” Elizabeth quipped.
“But this boss of yours… Mr. Stitches, you say he was a mad king who ruled over all evil,
planning to take over a “Chestnut Kingdom”, whom the Cereza from your world is the
princess of, why on Walnut would you ever want to go back?” Cereza pushed the two into
further questions…
The two stared at each other and sighed, “Let’s just say… we didn’t exactly leave on the
best of terms…” Ellie answered.
Cereza sighed as she looked down at her cup of coffee… “I know that feeling, with my
father I mean… but despite what we might feel towards each other, I couldn’t imagine
being that far away from him let alone in another reality where he doesn’t know I exist…”
Rising to his feet and walking to the nearby window Cashew began to ramble, “I remember
the storybooks my mother used to read to us… Baron Greg was said to have destroyed a
king who ruled over all evil.”
“Cashew… I don’t think a story made up and filled with folklore and tall tales to sell books
about some long-dead baron could help us right now.” Cereza responded…
“Who knows,” He said turning towards the three, “But Mr. Hiro always said there’s always
a kernel of truth in every lie.”
“But an entire army full of monsters…” The engineer continued moving back to the couch,
“Now I’m not the best with my history but monsters aren’t a common sight these
days it’s a miracle that you’re even in Sprout Town in the first place…” Cashew added,
pointing to the Masked Kid.
“But ‘Shew!” Cereza jumped in the slightly taller Cashew’s face, “We gotta help this poor
kid, at least until they’re back to their kind…”
Taking another somber sip from the long cold coffee and recoiling with disgust, Cashew sat
back down on the couch, “But we’re completely in the dark… even if we do ask around at any
monster refuge for a Mr. Stitches, we’d only be attracting attention from…” He explained
gesturing towards the princess.
“My father…” She answered.
“Your father? The King? I would hardly think he’d give us any trouble, seemed like a nice
guy in our world…” Ellie added.
Cereza let out a deep sigh, downing the rest of her coffee in one gulp, “My father is…
historically hard to persuade, and with him being very protective of yours truly he’d never
let me help you if he knew…”
“He doesn’t even think monsters exist, all a children’s fairy tale, he’d say, why are you
wasting your precious time with far-flung dreams of valor and prowess, governance is of
the utmost importance for your future Cereza!” She continued curling her legs up to her
chin.
“Always on about where I am, what I do, and who I’m with… he always had a thing for
clocks, it let him know the time so he could control each waking moment of his life… and
mine.” Cereza pouted…
Ellie and the others stared on with melancholy...
Cashew sighed as went to grab various sheets of paper out of a nearby box.
“Listen… Princess… I-” Elizabeth broke the defining silence that had enveloped the room…
“I’m sure… things… will…” She continued with her voice becoming heavy and garbled.
“Oh no,” Cashew said, sprinting to grab the hilt.
ZRRT
“AGH!” The engineer screamed as Elizabeth let out a painful shock!
“W-what was that!” Ellie panicked as sparks shot out of her chassis.
Masky rushed to Cashew’s side, looking increasingly worried for the condition of their
friend.
“Dang… looks like you’re draining power…” Cashew answered, picking up the hilt and
unscrewing a back panel.
“HEY NOW! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?” Ellie shrieked.
“Give me a break, I rebuilt you, routine maintenance is something you need!” Cashew
rebutted walking into his workshop.
“Well, you did a terrible job, Scarf Boy! Just look at my eye!” Ellie snapped back.
“Scarf Boy? That’s a stupid nickname! Plus, I needed your faceplate parts to restore…”
The two bickered endlessly with Masky and Cereza slowly backing out of the Workshop…
Getting another helping of Mr. Hiro’s coffee while Cashew was struggling the Princess and
Masked Kid continued to reminisce.
“So, is Mr. Stitches like a father to you?” Cereza asked.
Masked Kid looked around with indifference and slightly shrugged.
“Kinda… eh I get it.” She said sipping more Coffee.
Cashew crashed into the room, charred from the maintenance with Ellie, with the scorned
hilt herself seeming healthy and fine, but looking away in contempt.
“There.” He begrudgingly said hurling Ellie at Masky before slumping over on the couch.
Masky stumbled around trying and catch their friend while still holding a brimming cup of
coffee.
“Hmph…” Elizabeth apathetically spouted, still looking away from the engineer.
“So… what’s the diagnostic doctor ‘Shew…” Cereza jested, looking down at the worn-out
Cashew.
“Ugh… alright.” He replied rising to sit properly on the couch.
“We have multiple failing power conductors… reflection crystals cracked… and…” Cashew
explained as all three blinked at him befuddled.
“Ok. Long story short, she’s probably dying.” Cashew bluntly said.
“WHAT!” Cereza and Ellie shouted as Masky continued to lose their nerves.
“Probably! Probably, but… I have a plan for this… hold on…” The engineer continued pulling
out a large green map.
Placing it on a nearby table, Cashew stroked his chin while searching the paper.
“Now all the parts we need would be regularly accessible from any Walnut Kingdom armory,
but I have a feeling we aren’t welcome to go and steal army equipment.” Cashew explained.
“’Shew… my father would kill me…” Cereza answered with obvious concern.
“Ah-ha! So that’s where my plan comes in… if we can’t take any parts from an operational
armory, we could just take parts from a scuttled armory!” Cashew exclaimed.
“This,” Cashew pointed at a grayed-out area of the map, “Is the Graylands, the sight of an
old battleground… full of old equipment, and the best part, no patrols ever go around
there, for… some reason.”
“How do you know so much about these Graylands Scarfboy?” Ellie questioned.
“Ha! It’s not like I’ve been planning to sell off parts from destroyed equipment or anything
like that…” Cashew snickered with a blush, making Ellie glare at him with contentment.
“’Shew, the Graylands are dangerous… I can’t-” Cereza responded.
“Aww, come on Cere’ where’s your sense of adventure, your Princess Cereza, this is your
future domain, even if it wasn’t to help this kid, I know you would have wandered around
there sooner or later!” Cashew responded stroking her ego…
Cereza looked at him and sighed, “Alright…”
“Dangerous, PAH! Nothing me and the kid can’t handle!” Elizabeth zealously replied.
“Um… I would actively avoid that,” Cashew answered, “You just don’t have the structural
integrity to withstand an activation sequence!”
Elizabeth and Masky sighed, “And I assume you’re not coming with us Scarf Boy…” She
asked.
“Oh no, no no no! Mr. Hiro would never allow me to get hurt on the job, and besides, I’m far
too busy!” Cashew coyly said flipping down their welding mask.
“You’re such a jerk ‘Shew!” Cereza laughed, slugging the boy in the arm.
“But I wouldn’t leave you defenseless,” Cashew said dipping into their workshop, “Here is
your new Saber Sword, please don’t break this one, I’m running out of metal…”
Grabbing the sword and scabbard she inspected the masterfully crafted blade before
sheathing it at her side.
Getting the backpack that Cereza had left in the corner of the room, Cashew threw it to
her and sarcastically said, “And get some materials for me, those things sell for a mint!”
Rolling up the map and handing it to Cereza, Cashew stepped away to return to his
workshop before stepping back out, “Cereza, ahem, stay safe…” he said before
disappearing back into the workshop.
“I suppose it’s time to go…” Ellie somberly said looking down to the floor as Masky stood
around the exit of the Inn.
Putting the backpack on, Cereza readied herself at the door, “The Graylands, huh… my
fathers gonna kill me…” She chuckled to herself before stepping outside.
“Well, kid… no matter what happens… I’m with you, always… let’s go.” Elizabeth said.
Masky nodded as they followed Cereza’s lead back into Sprout Town.