The Epic Story Nod x Y/N

Part 5

Ronin scanned the area "It's clear. Hyah!" Th eye flew to the next branch cautiously. Nod grunted loudly as he got squished between the slug and snail.

"Why is he even with us? He's not helping." MK asked Ronin curiously.

"Well, when he's not being an idiot... he's a pretty decent flier. Could be one of the best. Plus his father was my friend, so I do what I can. "Many leaves, one tree." " Ronin explained scanning the area again.

"What does that mean?" Y/N questioned looking at the leaves around.

"We're all individuals, but we're still connected." Ronin told her "It's what we live by. Hyah!"

"Maybe you're connected, but we're kinda on our own." MK reminded Ronin gesturing to Y/N and herself.

"No one's on their own. Not even him." Ronin pointed to Nod who's face was behind Mubs butt.

"Hey, Nod, how's the view?" Mub and Grub started laughing as Nod pulled a face in disgust. Even Y/N joined in with a chuckle.

Ronin sighed and gestured to the tree "Well... here we are." Y/N peered round and saw streams of woodland beings walking into it.

"I thought this was a secret Leafmen mission. How many people did the queen tell about this?" Grub asked sadly.

Ronin shook his head "They're here lookin' for answers. Nobody knows that the queen is gone... only that blight is spreading."

"So, this Nim guy can tell them?" MK asked.

"He's the keeper of our history... but even he may not know about the queen. He's not always up to speed." Ronin explained to the girls.

"But he'll help, right? He's, like, the wise old man of the forest." Y/N asked.

Ronin chuckled with a shrug "Uh, he's more like the crazy uncle."

They got off the birds and walked into the tree. They spotted a Caterpillar who looked old and wise.

Nim the Catapillar looked to the crowd "Friends! Neighbours!" He called to the crowd as he began to sing "Prepare to see you worries... disappear. Ooh! I know rumours have been flyin'...but the truth is never as bad as it seems. I have just returned from deep inside this tree... from the Rings of Knowledge... where every memory... every event that ever happens in the forest... is recorded in these scrolls. Listen, party poopers, I've got somethin' to say Dry your weeping eyes, we're gonna be okay So you don't have to worry about a dog gone thing The Rings of Knowledge know everything The scrolls never and honey, neither does Nim It's right here in my hands, all six of them So tuck your little fears and put 'em right into bed It says right here that the queen--"

Nim paused in shock. The crowd noticed and grew fearful as they yelled "Just tell us what it says. What's it say? He doesn't know anything! Boo! Fraud!"

He ran quickly over to the backup singers who began to sing "Dry your weeping eyes, we're gonna be fine
Everything is really gonna be all right"

He ran off the stage and bumped into Ronin "Ronin! Did you hear about the queen? This is terrible!"

"I know, but--" Nim interrupted Ronin as he paced around "We gotta do something! We gotta keep everyone from freaking out!"

Ronin tried again "Yes, that's why we--"

"And the Pod!" Nim continued "We gotta make sure the Royal Pod is safety hidden... far away. And--" he stopped noticing the pod in Y/N's arms. He screamed "What'd you bring it here for?"

"The queen's last words were
"Bring the Pod to Nim Galuu."" Y/N told him sadly.

"She say anything else? Specific instructions? Maybe a note?" Nim asked holding his hands out for the pod.

Y/N shook her head as she handed the pod over slowly. "Those were here last words, I thought you were magic." MK said glaring at the nervous Caterpillar.

"Magic might be stretching it. I'm charismatic. Possibly charmin'." NIM told them.

Y/N had had enough "Do you know what to do with the Pod or not?" she asked.

"Not a clue, but I do know where to look it up. Follow me!" He accidentally walked into the stage. The crowd spotted him and began booing even louder "There he is! Phony!"

He retreated back to the side walking the other way "Um, no, it's this way."

The group got into a makeshift elevator as they descended down the rings.
"The Rings of Knowledge!" Grub exclaimed excitedly "Is everything that happens really recorded right here?"

Nim nodded "Oh, yeah."

"And you've read all these scrolls?" Y/N asked in shock gazing at the thousands of scrolls all around.
"Ah, I've skimmed them." He said with a shrug.

"So, is this event being recorded? Right now?" Grub said messing around. Nim nodded"Of course."

Mub joined in "Is this?"
"Yes." Nim sighed unimpressed.

"How 'bout this?" They asked making their eyes so weird tricks.
"Yes."

They looked at each other and hit each other with their eyes "What about this?" they asked.

"Yep. That should be it right here." He said grabbing a scroll from a fly. Then he ripped it up quickly "Thanks, Marty."
The slug and the snail complained "Aw!"

"Okay. Bloomin' a Pod. Gotta go way back for that. Here we go. Let's see. Pod, care of. Must keep moist." Nim read aloud, Mub and Grub gave Ronin a knowing look "Well, good news is, once the queen chooses it... it's going to bloom no matter what. But it has to open tonight... in the light of the full moon when it's at its highest peak. Yep, solstice... full moon, highest peak, mentions it a bunch of times."

"What happens if it blooms out of the moonlight?" Y/N asked worriedly.

"Unclear. The last part's missing. I gotta be honest, termites have been a problem. So here I thought we were doomed. This calls for a celebration!" Nim told them.

"I suppose we've earned it." Nod said heading back up to the top layer with the crowd.

"Wait..." MK called as Nim tried to leave "this is gonna sound weird, but... we're not from this world. And I thought maybe something in these scrolls could tell us... if there's a way to get home."

"The scrolls don't tell the future... they only guide us with the knowledge of the past." Nim said then he smiled "Hey, that's great line! You guys got that, right?"

"So you can't help us?" Y/N asked sadly. Nim shook his head pitying "I didn't say that."

He handed Y/N a scroll "I can't read this." she told him.

"It's just dusty. Blow it off." he told her. She did and the dust formed and image of Queen Tara before she died.

"It's you." Y/N gasped "But I saw you turn into moss."

"Come closer." Tara said.

"Oh, this is perfect! You can make us big again." MK exclaimed happily.

"Closer." Tara said again.

Y/N reached out to touch it but her hand went straight through "Its a memory."

"If you can hear me now... it means you got to Nim's. The Pod needs you. I can't be around for it anymore." Tara said giving the pod a kiss and giving it to Y/N.

"No, don't do that! Why would you give that to us? You don't understand, We have to get home... this has nothing to do with us." MK complained desperately.

"You're both here for a reason. Maybe you don't see the connections yet. But just because you don't see them doesn't they're not there. I know you're scared. Just stay with the Pod... be with it when it blooms... and then you'll get back what you've given. You'll get back." The memory disappeared and MK sank to her knees with tears in her eyes. Y/N just out a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Well, that was intense." Nim gasped trying to lighten the mood "I gotta read more of these."

Y/N smiled "That means we can get home!"

"Well, if you wanna go home so bad, then why'd you leave?" Nim asked them.