Chapter Text
“Uh, Lloyd, that ‘Mother Garden’ place the Temple Spirit said to look for? I think we found it.”
The Destiny’s Bounty descended from the clouds, revealing a majestic landscape filled with trees of the colours orange and green with huge mountains behind. The view was amazing and Arin couldn’t help but feel very excited.
They got down the Bounty, ready to find the Dragon Core. The two walked, Arin slightly ahead of the Green Ninja. Arin was fascinated by the blue flowers there, sitting on top of purple bushes they released bubbles into the air. However, Lloyd was quite suspicious, raising his eyebrow and treading with caution.
As they walked further into the forest, the sound of bells ringing scared Lloyd for a second, but it was just Arin playing around with yellow flowers on a vine.
“This place is wild, but I guess you’ve seen weird stuff like this a lot on your adventures.” Arin spoke. “I’ve seen weird stuff…” Lloyd paused, observing the bubbles floating out of the blue flowers. “...but maybe not like this.”
Their eyes followed the bubbles which floated towards an arch, and there it was. The Dragon Core, standing on a pedestal, surrounded by ten snail shells. “The core!” Arin exclaimed, pointing a hand at it before running towards it.
“Easier to find than I thought it’d be!” Arin spoke, raising his hand to take it before Lloyd stopped him with an arm on his shoulder. “Wait. The Spirit told us the cores were entrusted to people.” Lloyd said sceptically. “That was centuries ago.” Arin argued, “There could still be someone protecting it. We should ask permission before we just take it.” Lloyd countered.
“Yeah, good point. But ask who?” Arin replied. Just then, the ten shells surrounding the core moved. Ten snail people (of sorts) emerged, standing straight with spears in their hands. Lloyd and Arin immediately posed defensively. “Congratualtions, wanderers, for you have passed our little test.” A pink snail wearing a yellow shirt spoke, their attire was different from the other snails and so were their looks. They looked like a general.
“What test?” Arin asked defensively. “Why, to see if you would steal our core or not.” The pink snail replied, “I am Zant-tanz, acting General of the Mucoid Warriors here in the Mother Garden.”
“We have no intention of stealing anything, but the Spirit in the Dragon Core Temple sent us here. We need to ask for this Core so we can try to stop the MergeQuakes.” Lloyd spoke. The Mucoids surrounding them started stomping their feet and chanting.
“What are they all doing?” Arin asked, confused. “They hail our forefathers. We have been taught from one generation to the next that one day, our vigil over this core would end when heroes came from the temple asking permission to save the world. Now our work, and the work of those who came before us, is fulfilled.” Zant-tanz responded.
“So, we can have the core?” Lloyd asked, “Of course! Use it wisely.” Zant-tanz replied. Arin took the core and jumped happily “Alright! Mission accomplished!”. “Oh, it’s a good thing that you asked, because if you’d just tried to take the core, you would have been captured like the last guy.” Zant-tanz said cheerfully.
Arin and Lloyd shared a look before Lloyd asked, “Last guy?”. The guards led them to a place, Zant-tanz spoke again, “Behold, the would-be Core thief!”. The guards moved aside to reveal Rapton, who was struggling and grunting in a treetrunk, stuck in some green goo.
“Rapton!” Lloyd and Arin exclaimed in unison, shocked by his presence. “You two! Get me outta here!” Rapton shouted, struggling even more. Lloyd and Arin moved to the side, lowering their heads Arin spoke, “Why’s Rapton after the core?”. “Beats me. But if he is, Empress Beatrix must know what we’re up to. Which is all kinds of bad.” Lloyd replied thoughtfully.
They turned around, walking toward Rapton. “What are you doing here?” Arin asked sceptically. “Yeah, yeah, I’ll tell you all that stuff, really spill my guts but first you gotta save me!” He exclaimed, his tone panicked. “From what? These perfectly pleasant and agreeable snail-people?” Lloyd retorted.
“PLEASENT? THEY’RE GONNA DESTROY ME!” Rapton cried. Lloyd chuckled, “He thinks you want to hurt him.” Lloyd turned to Zant-tanz. Zant-tanz laughed, “He does! And he’s totally right. He’s a thief. So we’re going to throw him in the ‘Doom Mucus’. He’s utterly doomed if he goes in there. That’s why we call it that.”
Arin gasped loudly, and Lloyd was very much taken aback. “See? You gotta help me!” Rapton exclaimed behind them, struggling in the goo. “So you’re telling me Rapton here is slated to be…destroyed?” Lloyd asked hesitantly. “Oh, yes! And they said Mucoids don’t punish those that break our rules.” Zant-tanz responded proudly, “Hm, well, actually no one has ever said that. I just have a very active fantasy life.”
“I know our relationship got off to a rocky start…” Rapton began before Lloyd cut him off, “You tried to stomp us into oblivion”. Arin added, “And claw us into pieces with indestructible monsters!”. “Quit living in the past!” Rapton snapped, “Right here, right now, these slugs plan to end me!” He exclaimed, jumping out of the treetrunk to hide behind Lloyd and Arin, the goo still encompassing him. “Can’t you do something?” He asked timidly.
Lloyd sighed, turning towards Zant-tanz, “Look, while I’m not a huge fan of this guy…”, “I can hear you.” Rapton scoffed. “...I really don’t want to see him meet his doom.” Lloyd continued. “Is there any way he can, I don’t know, be pardoned for his crimes against the Mucoids?”.
“Well, technically, there is one way to prevent this abhorrent criminal from meeting his much deserved fate.” Zant-tanz paused, inhaling deeply, “But I wouldn’t recommend it.”
“RECOMMEND IT! RECOMMEND IT!” Rapton cried, jumping up and down frantically. The green ninja asked, “What can be done?”. Zant-tanz responded solemnly, “According to ancient Mucoid tradition, a prisoner may be freed if, and only if, someone will walk ‘The Impossible Path' on their behalf”.
“Well, okay, cool. What’s the problem with that?” Lloyd asked, raising an eyebrow. “Well, we do not refer to it as ‘The Impossible Path’ because walking it is possible. Anyone who dares traverse the path will, with near complete and with utmost certainty, be destroyed. Obliterated. Pass away. Cease to be among the livin-” Arin cut Zant-tanz off, “I think we get it.”.
“So obviously, you won’t be taking that option, so enjoy your core and say goodbye to your friend her-” Lloyd cut him off, “I’ll do it”. Zant-tanz’s eyes widened, “You will?!” , so did Arin’s, “You will?!”, followed by Rapton, “You will?!”.
“No one has ever taken ‘The Impossible Path’!” Zant-tanz exclaimed. The green ninja put a hand on Arin’s shoulder, “As your teacher, it’s vital I instill you in the knowledge that all life is importan-” “But that’s Rapton” Arin retorted. “Hey!” Rapton snapped, “Sure, Rapton wouldn’t lift a finger to help us, but it’s the right thing, the ninja thing, to do whatever we can to save him.” Lloyd told Arin.
“Lead me to ‘The Impossible Path’.” The green ninja told the Mucoid General, who reluctantly set his staff down. ”It has been a pleasure knowing you.” Zant-tanz replied solemnly as Arin retrieved the Core from Lloyd.
Zant-tanz led the two towards the path. Arin broke the silence, “Is this ‘Impossible Path’ nearby?”. “Quiet!” Zant-tanz silenced him, “One must treat this journey with solemnity.” They walked for sometime before Zant-tanz stopped. “The Impossible Path lies before us. I know it is difficult to face, but do not avert your eyes.”
Lloyd and Arin looked at each other's faces, confused, as the sight before them was just a path covered in vines with yellow flowers, chiming as they moved from the wind. “This…is ‘The Impossible Path’?” The young master asked.
“The single most dangerous place in the Mother Garden.” Zant-tanz replied. “And, no one has **ever** survived the path, for real?” Arin asked, concerned. “Hmm, uh, let’s see. That one time? No…What about…nope, uh, he also didn‘t survive. Maybe there was…No. No, no one has ever lived through it.” The general replied.
“Good luck!” Zant-tanz wished Lloyd, his voice slightly shaking, “Follow me, young one.” *He turned towards Arin. “We’ll traverse to the end of the path. Eh, going there is useless since no one ever survived, but it’s part of the ritual so we must do it.” He spoke as he moved forward.
“Are you okay, Lloyd?” Arin asked, “Oh, sure. How impossible could this path really be?” Lloyd and Arin looked at the path. Lloyd gave an encouraging pat on Arin’s shoulder as he hesitantly followed Zant-tanz.
Lloyd really didn’t know what lied behind those vines but he was willing to take the risk. He sighed, exercising his body and moved forward.
Meanwhile, Arin and Zant-tanz made it to the other side of the path. As they waited, Arin spoke, “I’m really worried about Lloyd”. Zant-tanz replied calmly, “There’s no reason to be nervous. There isn’t? Nerves are only for situations in which you don’t know the outcome. You already know your teacher will meet his demise. So relax!”. “That…might be the worst advice anyone has ever given me.” Arin replied.
Zant-tanz waited for thirty seconds before speaking, “Welp, we’ve given this enough time, let’s head back so you can make funeral arrangements.” He said as he headed back. Arin hesitated to leave, but then they heard footsteps coming from the path.
Zant-tanz paused and turned towards the path, seeing Lloyd walking back while whistling calmly, completely unharmed. “Hey, guys.” Lloyd greeted them. “You have achieved the impossible! How is that possible?!” The general exclaimed.
“There wasn’t a single dangerous thing in there. I mean, I kept waiting for something to jump out, or a trap door, or quicksand but it was just a pleasant trail through the garden.” The green ninja replied, “Maybe you overhyped it slightly?”.
Zant-tanz ran past him towards the path, lowering himself to touch the path with his hand. He immediately pulled back with a flinch, grunting and crying. Lloyd and Arin looked at him with confusion as he blew on his hand. “But the path is completely covered in salt!” The Mucoid cried, “Salt is the ultimate doom! It is impossible to survive! How?”
“Ohh, now it makes sense! Salt can be deadly to snails, but isn’t dangerous for us. Like at all.” Lloyd smiled. Zant-tanz felt like his world had tilted, he was completely and utterly dumbfounded. “We even eat salt.” Arin added casually, shrugging while Lloyd nodded in agreement. Zant-tanz couldn’t process it, almost losing balance.
Just as he was about to fall, a human with brunette curls and a blue coloured gi caught him. That human was none other than Jay Walker. He didn’t notice the other two humans, he was just walking around the area like usual when he saw Zant-tanz’s head spinning from the bushes.
“Woah, General, you good?” Jay asked, setting him up straight. “Oh, yes…yes, I am. Thank you, Jay.” Zant-tanz replied. Lloyd was utterly speechless, “Jay?” He called out, still processing that fact that he just found his long-lost teammate after five whole years.
Jay paused, immediately recognising the voice, he turned his head, his face breaking into a massive grin, “Lloyd!”. He immediately bear-hugged Lloyd, “Oh my gosh! It’s been so long!” He exclaimed, beaming with joy.
“I missed you too, Jay.” Lloyd chuckled, returning the hug. He was so happy to finally see Jay again. When they pulled back, Jay noticed Arin standing behind, holding the Dragon core. “Who’s the kid?” Jay asked. “Oh, uh, hi, my name is Arin. I’m, uh, Lloyd’s student” Arin introduced himself, struggling to hide his excitement.
“Student? Wow, I can’t believe that day would come so soon.” Jay replied, brushing a faux tear from his eye, smiling. “Which day?” The green ninja asked. “The day I’d see the little boy I taught teach the future generation.” He replied proudly.
Zant-tanz cleared his throat, his voice still very shaky, “It is wonderful to see you all reunited but are we still going to free the criminal?”, “Yes.” Lloyd and Arin responded in unison. Zant-tanz sighed but relented, leading them back to Rapton.
“Per ancient law of the Mucoids, your freedom has been granted. Even though this has never once happened before, I would imagine that an expression of gratitude would be in order.” Zant-tanz spoke as they freed Rapton from the green goo.
Rapton stretched as he got freed, “I would definitely like to express my thanks…” He paused, pulling out a gun and shooting at Arin, making the Dragon core tumble out of his hands. “...for letting me do this, suckers!” He continued, shooting at everyone before grabbing the core and making a run for it.
Lloyd, Arin and Jay followed suit. “I can’t believe he just did that!” Arin exclaimed, exasperated. “Don’t worry, kid, he can’t out run us!” Jay replied. Suddenly, all three of them had to halt as Rapton was zapped and fell to the ground, the core falling out of his hands.
Two figures in brown coats, black shirts, brown trousers and sunglasses stood there, one of them was holding a gun. They looked like agents. “Oh, great. This was supposed to be a routine examination of the legality of this foliage, but now we uncover an unlicensed cosmic power source?” One of them spoke as the other took the core, examining it.
“Ugh, so much paperwork.” The other one complained, “Let’s take it back to the Administration and get started on our 10-83b forms”. The first agent nodded, opening a portal with the press of a button.
“Guys, run!” Lloyd shouted, the three of them followed the agents by jumping into the portal just as it closed.