Race of Discovery

Spiritual Guidance 2.0.

Red was back up by the time they landed in Pallet Town. He still took Yellow's suggestion to rest since he wasn't entirely sure what happened, so the girls met up with Green to discuss it.

"That's weird. Star's never show signs of this." Yellow gulped.

"If I'm right and this skill is something the Spirit Kingdom could do, why'd she show that? She knows we're looking for the Spirit Kingdom, she was at the last two meetings. If she's really hiding, why would she show that?" Blue hummed.

"Maybe she knows she can avoid us... or she's planning for us to get so close, but she is about to do something. But what?" Green gulped.

"What if she wants us to suspect her so that when she vanishes to get into her Spirit Kingdom form, we don't think much of it?" Yellow hummed.

"That's a different direction than GR and Grace. They go into hiding while she's dancing with the Devil. Literally."

~~~

Yellow gulped as the group flew towards the Pillars. Seeing the three powerful Pillars of the afterlife was frightening to say the least. Blue bit her lip.

"This looks like a threat."

"Probably is." She gulped as she glanced at the Pillar of Hell. "At least the Hell one looks stable." She glanced at the Pillar of Heaven. "On the other hand..." Red chuckled as a few bricks fell from the top.

"I take it no one stands at the bottom?"

"Probably not." Yellow looked at the last one, The Pillar of the Gateway. She scanned it as it hummed silently. It was a little quiet, but she knew there would be people inside. They landed near the bottom as someone stepped outside.

"Yes...?" They then paused. "Oh! Master Satan. Good to see you." Yellow smiled.

"Likewise. Is Master Youdrem The Mute in?" She smiled.

"Yes. Let me teleport you since the 8th floor's stairs have collapsed."

Upon arriving, the group went over to a small person, who was playing with a small town. The person looked up at them and nodded with a soft voice.

"Yellow."

"Youdrem." They joined him as he hummed.

"Let me guess... Spirit?"

"Yeah. Do you have an updated list of their powers?" He nodded as he pointed to a book on the other side of the room.

"Updated yesterday." She thanked him before the group went over. She gently looked through before she hummed.

"Fennel still could be our person. Listen here. 'Spiritual Guidance: Allows users to see and feel spirits and other afterlife beings'." Green hummed.

"Which means Fennel isn't off the table yet. What else is there?" She gulped as she got to the last marked page. She held her breath before speaking.

"Here it is. 'Flames of Demon'. This is the most recent page." She scanned it with a gulp. "Never mind. Fennel may be a good candidate, but this practically screams Star. 'The user summons a hell blaze that can burn through anything the user desires as long as the target is within the user's vision'. If that isn't Star's own flames, I don't know what is." Green gulped.

"No... that's exactly Star's flames. I've seen her burn through boulders. Now the question stands... Is she really hiding from us? Or is there another reason she won't tell us if we go ask her."

~~~

Star said no. In the most foreseen way ever.

"Me? The Spirit Kingdom Ruler? Now that's funny."

Sage was busy trying to breathe while the Scarlet Eyed Ranger looked at the seniors like they were crazy. Blue kept her mouth shut as she scanned Lapis's face. He was waiting for something. Red frowned.

"But we have a lot that points at you."

"Please, that's absurd." She then frowned. "You don't think the Spirit Kingdom Ruler is using me to hide, do you?"

"Highly unlikely." Star hummed.

"Well, I'm not the Spirit Kingdom Ruler." She headed out as Sage regained his breathing. He followed after while Lapis stayed where he was. Red and Green went after their juniors while Blue targeted her own. Yellow was busy lost in thought until Blue spoke.

"Alright Lapis." He looked up at her with a hum. "If you have anything important you want to say, you'd better say it now. Because ever since we've gotten on the topic of the Spirit Kingdom, you've locked your damn's gates." He studied her for a moment, no doubt pondering his next course of action so he doesn't get stabbed. He then sighed.

"It's just that I don't like talking about the afterlife. The rulers are either dangerous or stupid and every time I blank out, a lot of murder happens. I just..." He shook his head violently before leaving, going up to his room. Yellow waited until his door slammed shut before speaking.

"That is the biggest bullshit of a lie I've heard all week."

"It wasn't because he called you stupid, was it?"

"I don't think the 'Stupid' was pointed at me. That's not the point. We talk about murder on a daily basis and I've heard him make jokes about the afterlife, mostly heaven, but still. Why is he now acting like he'll die if he hears anymore?" Blue hummed before it clicked.

"It's not that he doesn't like talking about it..." Yellow looked up at her. "Didn't you say there was a group that kept attacking Spirit every time you got close?"

"Yeah-" She froze. "You don't think Lapis is a member, do you?"

"Yeah I do." She gulped. "And if Star knows that, then she's fighting for her life to survive. Come on. Let's catch up to the others to see if we can pry it out of her while Lapis's act is still up."

~~~

They caught up to Green and Sage as they caught their breath. Red's voice echoed in the air as the girls went over.

"Lose her?"

"Vanished. Like a ghost. I don't think she's trying to hide. But I don't think she's going to let us get her to admit it either." Blue hummed as Red rejoined them.

"Nothing. She's really gone." The others sighed before Blue gulped.

"Well... I got a theory..." She explained what she thought about Lapis and Sage hesitated.

"Hang on... If that's the case, when did he join?" Yellow scoffed.

"That team has been brilliant in how they get their members. I still remember the girl that never became a member, but she's in the group. There's a pair of Triplets that only one is a member, but the other two get the same work. I've seen many ways that look impossible, but real. Lapis could be one of those that didn't officially join but have the same hatred. That's the majority of their group. So if Lapis doesn't have a motive, then we can't confirm anything." Green hummed.

"Would Spirit attack him if we brought him to try and meet her?" Yellow paused before smiling.

"If she knows he's a threat? Definitely. We won't be any closer to catching her, but if we can at least get her enemies into the open and start knocking them down."

~~~

Star was quiet as she listened to the group talk. Finally, someone was seeing the signs. She faded enough to get to Lapis's room and watch him. The bluenette had fallen asleep at his desk, folders and papers about the Spirit Kingdom littering the table below his resting head. She gently landed behind him, made herself visible, before helping him onto the bed. He never woke as she cleaned his desk up, got him comfortable, tucked into bed, and got his styler on the desk before slipping out the door, not leaving any sign of her being there. She smiled quietly before sighing once she got to her room. They'd better hurry if they wanted to even meet the Spirit Kingdom. An idea came to her as she went over to her desk. Perfect.