Wakfu: Aeri The Eliatrope

Chapter 31: The Bamboo Monsters

Our Heroes were travelling to the beautiful valley of Pandalucia, or so Ruel made it seem at least. According to him it was a place where travellers from far and wide would come to visit just to get a taste of their bamboo milk, and party with the Pandawa's. Supposedly they'd have a Zaap portal which they could use to travel. But when they arrived, the valley wasn't at all like what Ruel had described. The place was filled with muddy, murky water, and the bamboos were rotten to the core. The place seemed deserted. They couldn't find anyone there. Amalia tried to see with her powers what was making the bamboos rot, and it turned out to be sea water which had completely spread around the valley. ;"But where are all of the people?" Shiroazaad asked looking around. He was trying to hear if anyone was near by, but couldn't pick up on anything. ;"See? This is JUST what I knew it was going to be, messy and awful and so... Pandawa." Amalia whined. ;"I don't know, compared to Rushu's world it's kind of nice." Rubilax said. Evangelyne sighed. ;"Let's just get to the portal then." She said, as they walked onwards they could hear something. Someone. ;"Drink..." they said. When they turned to look all they could see was horrible bamboo monsters with green glowing eyes and mouths, slowly but surely they came towards them, moving very jitterly. ;"Drink..." they all chanted, growled. Evangelyne tried to hit them with one of her arrows but it went straight through them. ;"Can you tell me how we're supposed to fight something we can't even touch?" She asked panickedly. ;"We don't. We run!" Ruel said. ;"RUN? Oh nononono, Iops don't run from a fight!" Percedal said, but was dragged along by Shiro who began running. As they ran, Yugo's Tofu, Az flew through one of the monsters, beginning to turn into one of them. Yugo saw this and yelled: ;"Do no touch them at all!" Portaling away hurriedly. Ruel tried to cut them with his shovel, but they could easily reasemble. One of them touched him, and he immediately turned into bamboo looking tree monster. Eva and Percedal were fighting and running away as well, but they both got turned into bamboo monsters. First Eva, and then Percedal who couldn't fight against her. Shiro was flying above them as to not get touched. Yugo got turned, when he saved Amalia from the monsters, but Az touched him.

Shiro immediately dashed towards Amalia, to save her from the monster who had now circled her. All seemed lost when one of them touched her, until someone threw a disc like hat at the beings, effectively knocking them down. The stranger took out a wooden bottle, and drank from it. He then spat the contents of it right at Amalia who was half way turning. ;"Who are you??" Shiro asked, eyeing the stranger. ;"Pandiego De La Vega, and if you don't want to turn into one of those beings, follow me." He said. He was a tall, lanky Pandawa, who looked like he hadn't exactly been worried about personal hygiene. Amalia was about to complain about his rude behavior until she noticed that she was fully cured. They followed Pandiego who led them away from the beings, quietly and fast. ;"This valley used to be beautiful, bamboo growing everywhere, until Ogrest's Chaos happened, bringing the salt water in. We tried to get it out, and even replant the bamboos, but it was of no use." He explained them as they came closer to a hiding place up upon a hill. ;"You spat something on me and it healed me! What was it?" Amalia asked curiously. ;"unspoiled bamboo milk from the original bamboo." He said. "I've been trying to make a new kind of bamboo which could survive in saat water, but so far I haven't been successful." He told them. Shiro looked around the place, it had an alarm system made entirely out of bamboo and yarn. He had managed to salvage some drinking water from rainwater as well. ;"Are you the only one still... Normal?" Shiro asked Pandiego, who nodded. ;"The others turned into Pandarids when they drank spoilt bamboo milk, they could infect others by touch and soon, the entire valley was gone." He explained. ;"Why haven't you left this place then?" Amalia asked. He smiled, ;"Because a true bamboo farmer never leaves his crops untended." He proudly declared. Amalia and Shiro exchanged glances. His house was neat from the outside, but inside was a mess, truly he lived alone. He explained about a plan to use the original bamboo milk from Jack Pandiels' cellar, only problem was that it was surrounded by Pandarids, that's where he needed help from Shiro and Amalia. They'd need a diversion if they wanted to get in. Amalia suggested they'd get her friends to help as well by turning them back to normal, as Yugo liked to play the hero. Pandiego seemed happy that they decided to help him. He spat on his hand and reached out for a handshake. ;"Put it there friends." He said. Both Amalia and Shiro seemed disgusted by this, but nevertheless shook his hand in agreement.

That night, neither Amalia or Shiro could sleep over the many sounds of Pandiego. They needed some fresh air. Amalia prayed to Sadida that they'd have the strength to save her friends and the valley. Crying on one of the bamboo experiments, a soft green glow appearing soon after. Shiro felt bad for Amalia, and for the others, wishing he would be strong enough to help them all. The alarm system went off, the Pandarids had come for them. Pandiego quickly blew a candle out and readied his wagon. He then came for Amalia and Shiroazaad. ;"Does either one of you know any Pandawa songs?" He asked. Shiro knew none as he didn't really sing, but Amalia seemed to know one called Pandawa's Ball. ;"Alright that's a classic, it'll work. Now, dance as I do, sing, and try not to touch them." He said. Shiro crossed his arms. ;"I don't dance or sing." He whispered angrily. Amalia gave him the stink eye, until he gave up, and mimicked her movements. They sang as they moved forwards, hands up in the air, the Pandarids seemed to like it as they too raised their hands up high in the air and moved in a dance like manner. Our heroes quickly got on Pandiego's wagon which he wheeled into the valley.

Amalia at first tricked turned Yugo outside, where she and Pandiego gave him a milk bath using bamboo mill pumps. Yugo then with Shiro was a distraction to the Pandarids who were waiting in front of the cellar. Once they were after them, Amalia used her plant powers to break the cellars door lock. They got in buy Jack Pandiels himself wasn't very happy that someone came for HIS milk. He tried to swat them with an umbrella, which Shiro who had come back quickly burnt to dust, Amalia using her powers then tied him up. As the Pandarids came closer they began pumping the bamboo milk at them, they closed the doors so they wouldn't get inside. But the Pandarids made cracks on the door. Amalia noticed Eva and Percedal near the door, so they opened the door a little bit, got them inside and turned them back to normal. They then helped pumping the milk towards the Pandarids. When there was no milk left, Percedal started whacking them with the pump. Jack Pandiels turned into one of those beings, began breaking the door, it was easy thanks to his large size and newly found strength. The Pandarids came closer and closer, pumps emptying faster than they could refuel. Pandiego took a barrel of milk and threw it on the ground to protect himself and Amalia. Shiro got in front of them protectively, ready to fire if necessary. Amalia got an idea. She threw three seeds into three different barrels which turned into bigger versions of her doll. They scooped as much milk as they could in their mouths, and launched it all on the Pandarids. Everyone was cured.

The people of the valley celebrated, being free from the curse. Amalia's dolls made it rain bamboo milk on everyone. It turned out that one of Pandiego's experiments had worked. They could replant the entire valley with real bamboo now. Amalia danced and sang with Pandiego happily. The others drank lots of milk. Shiro, however was still worried about his sister who had been left behind. He knew he could trust Qilby's methods in teaching but, he just couldn't shake the feeling that it wouldn't be as easy as initially thought.