Chapter 26.5: Burgundy Chaos Redux
The airship hummed softly as Team Vapor prepared to head home after another eventful mission. The rare Burgundy Mystical Rock now rested with Mira, whose newfound powers—or lack thereof—were being thoroughly overanalyzed by the team.
“Wait,” Austin said suddenly, brushing a strand of her auburn hair from her face. “How did you know the rock was burgundy, Rosie?”
Everyone turned to Rosie, who paused mid-step before crossing her arms with a huff. “It’s called observation. Unlike you, I actually pay attention to details.”
Austin tilted her head skeptically. “Observation? It was in a dark cave. What, can you smell colors now?”
Rosie gave her a pointed look. “Maybe I can. I am half-plant, you know. Don’t act so surprised.”
Austin raised an eyebrow. “Half-plant? Seriously? You’re out here sniffing rocks now?”
Rosie ignored the jab and went to the ship’s water dispenser, pouring herself a glass. “Plants need hydration, too. At least I don’t have to lug snacks everywhere like some people.”
“Oh, come on! You ate like half the fries at Hydro Castle,” Austin retorted, smirking.
Rosie’s light complexion reddened slightly. “Those don’t count! That was... a tactical energy boost!”
As she gulped down her water, everyone watched as Rosie hiccupped—and a vine coiled gently out of her sleeve before retreating back into her body.
“Okay, now that’s cool,” Ethan remarked, leaning back. “But you’ve gotta admit, the fries thing was funny.”
The group laughed as Rosie sighed, muttering, “You guys don’t understand the complexities of plant biology.”
---
Meanwhile, deep in the ruins of the Kingdom In-Between Seas, Princess Lucky was lounging on a dusty couch. The immortal princess had one foot propped on a crate, a half-empty beer in her hand, and her eyes glued to a flickering TV playing a daytime drama.
Onscreen, an overly dramatic character declared, “This family’s legacy will never be yours, Gregory!”
Lucky snorted. “Bet Gregory takes it by the next episode. Amateurs.”
She reached for another can of beer when a sudden realization struck her.
“Wait,” she muttered, her beer halting mid-air. “Starcatchers can absorb Mystical Rocks?!” Her voice echoed off the stone walls of the ruins as the can clattered to the ground.
Lucky sprang to her feet, pacing back and forth in a frantic state. “Four hundred and twenty-four years of dealing with this stupid curse, and I didn’t know this?!”
She grabbed a scroll from a nearby shelf, frantically scanning it. “No mention of Starcatchers... Wait. Did they just forget to write it down? Who does that?!”
She threw the scroll across the room, her voice rising. “I could’ve been hunting them down this whole time instead of just drinking and watching terrible TV!”
Lucky collapsed back onto the couch, burying her face in her hands. “This is why immortality sucks,” she groaned.
---
Back on the airship, Team Vapor was nearing their destination when Ethan turned to Vapor. “Hey, so... why didn’t you absorb that Burgundy Rock instead of Mira?”
Vapor shrugged, smirking. “What, and hog all the attention? Nah, I figured Mira could use some sparkle in her life.”
Mira, sitting nearby, glared. “I absorbed it because no one else was paying attention!”
Austin chimed in with a grin. “And yet, no one seems to care. Isn’t that ironic?”
The group burst into laughter as Rosie sighed. “Can we just focus on getting home? Some of us have plants to water.”
As the airship soared into the sunset, the scene cut back to Lucky, now sitting cross-legged on the floor, surrounded by scrolls and empty beer cans.
“I swear,” she muttered, staring at the ceiling. “If those kids figure out something else I missed, I’m going to lose it.”
Let's just say that the Burgundy Mystical Rock gave Mira super healing, like she heals in less than a millisecond, and can heal other people under a millisecond, she has yet to feel the side effects
The chaos continued, as always.
