Underhero: Enter The Dungeon

Chapter 4: Sneaking Out

Back at the Chestnut Kingdom, Princess Cereza looked out her bedroom window with a crestfallen look. All she could think about was her friends she knew for a short time. She gazes into the sunset as if Mouse and Ellie would suddenly appear over the horizon. It's been months since their disappearance. The princess felt hopelessness clutch her heart. But she refused to let it completely take hold of her.

Some people would tell her that it was just a few days and to just forget about them, but what would they know? They weren't the ones who masqueraded as a masked kid to find the hero's weapon and wanted to battle Lord Stitches. Cereza thought about writing again to Mouse and Ellie, but she's started running out of interesting things to talk about, to her at least. And the unsent letters were starting to pile up.

She can't keep doing this... She can't keep sitting here and do nothing! Cereza then looks at her Grey Kid outfit. Feeling the smooth glass-like surface of the mask, made her get a sense of nostalgia. Oh, how she longed to go venturing as the mysterious Grey Kid again.

A knock on the door made the princess hid the costume in her closet.

"C-come in!" Cereza tried to hide the panic in her voice. The door opens and She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Oaken walk enter the room. "Oaken... Thank the gods its just you!"

"Yeah, I asked the guards if I could visit, and they told me you were in here." The brown-haired boy said. "What were you doing?"

"Oh, you know... Staring our into the sunset for what feels like years... You know, princess stuff!" Cereza grimaced.

"You're still thinking about them, aren't you?" Oaken frowned.

"It was that obvious?" Cereza asked. Oaken just nodded. "I just... I just feel so helpless. I want to help, but I don't know what to do..." Tears were threatening to fall, but she refused to acknowledge them. "I haven't felt this helpless since Stitches kidnapped me. Back when he was a puppet to that dice head..." She breathed out. A tear finally fell from her face. Despair started to sink in, but not for long. Her sad face shifted into one with determination. Like a fire started in her heart. Her mind was set! She knew what she wanted to do.

"I want to be the Grey Kid again." Cereza said with a firm tone.

Oaken just stared at the princess.

"I want to be the Grey Kid again." She repeated. "I know this is selfish, but I'm desperate to see them again. I never even knew Green Boot's name."

"So, when do you plan to sneak out?" Oaken asked.

"Tonight, you don't have to go if you don't want to." Cereza said. "But just know, you're not stopping me!"

"But what if I want to go with you?" Oaken asked.

As Cereza writes something, she pauses and turns to her friend. "Are-are you sure?" The dark haired boy nods. "Okay, while I'm getting ready, guard my door. Knock three times to warn me when someone approaches." Understanding his task, Oaken leaves the princess' room, allowing her to get changed.

Her gown neatly hung in her closet, and the grey hoodie took it's place. She always felt comfortable in it anyway, she's long since washed it. The red gloves and red boots fit nice and snug. Placing her crown on her desk, She hides her face with the horned mask. Finally her rapier, she always felt secure holding this weapon. Cereza checked the tip to make sure it was sharp. Princess Cereza was now the mysterious Grey Kid again.

After no warning knock, the disguised princess opened the door, and tapped Oaken on the shoulder.

"All set!" She whispered. Oaken followed Cereza inside. "Remember, not to call me by Princess Cereza when I'm like this. I'm just Grey."

"Got it!" Oaken nodded.

Grey tied his bed sheets together and threw it down his window for Oaken, since he doesn't have a hoodiechute like Grey. He looked at his unsent letters and decided to take the small pile with him, tucking them into his pouch. The Grey Kid sat on their window sill as Oaken got ready for his decent.

Just as Grey was about to take off, she heard her doorknob shaking, leaping off the window as quick as she could, as the door opened.

One of the knights looked around her room, looking for Cereza. Pulling the sheets off her bed, only to see a bunch of pillows that looked like a person was sleeping. He looked under her bed and desk, in her closet. "Princess? Princess!" The knight looked out the window as Grey hovered to the ground. "You! Grey child! Stop at once!"

You've got to be kidding me! Grey thought to himself. Thankfully, Oaken hid himself under the bushes until the knight looked away. Grey looked back, just in time to see the castle light up, and Oaken catching up to her.

"I bet you they think I kidnapped myself!" Grey laughed. Oaken smiled at that, and followed the grey kid into the woods behind the castle. The guards, although to far away to catch up, chased after them and split up.