Turning to Stone 4: New Leaders (Rewritten)

Chapter 4: Kindness

Pixolotl: Twelve days left

Thwok: Five days left

The ship finally landed on the surface of Air Island. Ephex took on the task of explaining their mission to the other monsters and keeping an eye on the future leaders, while Ailura managed to duck inside the castle and find the nursery. Yet to her shock, there was already another monster inside. He had bright orange fur, with slightly darker (and kind of messy) orange hair on his head. Tiny wings came out of his back, somehow holding him an inch or two off the ground and flapping fast, and a guitar-like creature rested against the basket of eggs he was looking through.

A Riff. Ailura recalled the information Ephex had given her about these monsters. "Hello?" She asked. The little one stopped flapping in shock, falling to the ground but getting up fairly quickly. "Xander? ...Oh, no, you're too big. And Xander doesn't talk."

"You've met Xander?" She questioned. The Riff nodded, although without a proper neck it was more like he was moving his entire body. "They came through a portal and I helped them find eggs!"

"Oh. Good. I... might also need help." At her words, the Riff's eyes (although it was more like eye, one was hidden by his haircut) lit up. "I can help! I can help!" She moved closer so they could look for the right eggs together.

"What's your name?" She asked. "I'm Thrash!" He said proudly. "Ailura. Pleased to meet you." She offered her hand, and he shook it politely. She showed him the eggs she needed, and even let him try zapping one or two. Everything was going smoothly.

She'd been keeping track of all the eggs they had and the ones they needed, and it looked like they'd be able to get all of them within the time limits. Eventually, Ephex poked their head in. "Oh, hello." They waved at Thrash, who waved back. "We've been given a pretty large room, I can show you if you're done with the eggs."

"We are. Wanna come with us, Thrash?" Ailura offered her hand again. Maybe he could be the next leader. He is a quad-element, after all. Thrash took her hand, letting the Ghazt lead him towards the room where they'd be staying temporarily.

"Do you have a room?" She asked. He shook his head. "No, not... not really. I stay in the daycare with other young monsters."

"What about parents?" She tilted her head. From what she knew, the only monsters that stayed within the daycare were those who didn't have families, or very young monsters who needed special care, and Thrash seemed perfectly healthy.

"...I don't have parents." He mumbled. "My mom was a PomPom, and my dad was a Toe Jammer. ...The Council Leader didn't like them very much." He looked down at the ground, letting go of Ailura's hand to tap his claws together.

"...What did she do?" Ephex crouched down with a worried look on their face. Thrash didn't say anything, but wrapped his little arms around Ephex as much as he could, pressing his face into them. Ephex's worry turned to anger, not at Thrash but at the late Council Leader.

Their mother. Ailura remembered. Is that why they're so good at taking care of kids? All their life, they've had a perfect example of what not to do as a parent right in front of them.

She recalled them saying that their mother threatened to throw them off the edge of the island if they misbehaved, realizing that's what probably happened to the poor Riff's parents.

"...Let's get back to our room, okay? Xander's here." Ephex stood up, holding Thrash in their arms. "Okay..." Thrash mumbled back, wiping their eyes.

Ailura looked at Ephex, and the Wubbox looked back. Both of them were thinking the same thing. Bringing Thrash into the crew would mean that they could be a leader if they wanted. He seems exceptionally kind and polite, even to complete strangers. Any monster would love someone like him as a leader, especially compared to the last one.