Uncanny dangers. Unusual creatures. Far from home, daughter-and-father superhero REDEMPTOR have been trapped in the exotic Tulgey Wood by a new foe who bristles with antic energy... or is she something else? It's going take the combined creativity a...
"Why, howdy-la-loo," the strange woman smirked, climbing down the thick vine into view. "And who are you?"
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Rene moved his hand to cover Nariah's mouth. They couldn't be too careful in this strange land, but now look at them. Rene blamed himself.
"No offense, my lovelies, and but you are lovely, aren't you," purred Chambarra with a hungry glance to upside-down Rene, "But you're not the bird I'm looking to catch today. Simply not polite to bop about setting off other people's perfectly good traps for no reason at all, you know. Haven't you ever heard the story of 'The Boy who Cried Boggi?'"
Pulling her father's hand away, "No," Nariah said through the netting. "We're sorry, miss. We didn't mean to."
Swaying side to side upside-down, Chambarra laughed, spun around on the vine, saying, "False-yes: no fowl, no harm."
Then Chambarra leapt down. Lithe and lethal, to Nariah and Rene, all tangled up in each other's arms and legs inside the net, upside down, swaying side to side, did she approach.
"Um, excuse us, could you take us down. Please?" Rene said.
Chambarra circled the net. Ignoring Rene's polite request, Chambarra danced her fingertips across the net, past Nariah's eyes, smiled, and made a goofy expression, crossing her dark, almond-shaped eyes and sticking out her tongue. Nariah giggled. "You're funny," Nariah said.
"I know," Chambarra agreed, tilting up her nose as she smirked, pleased with herself. "I'm the bibbidy-best."
"If you could take us down, that'd be," Rene began. Chambarra narrowed her eyes on him and then he couldn't talk, just swing there upside-down-sideways and very uncomfortable indeed.
"I'll release you," Chambarra drew closer to him. "For a kiss."
"Pardon?" Rene coughed.
"For a kiss." Chambarra leaned there, her dark eyes flashing, her lips taunting and pursed.
"Th-Thank you, no," Rene said.
"Come on, Daddy," Nariah leaned over to him. "You can do it."
"Yeah," Chambarra smiled. "You can do it. 'Daddy.'"
Rene closed his eyes and shook his head. He started muttering, "Weird, no, this is weird."
"You kiss me all the time," chided Nariah, "What's the big boggi? It's not like she's ugly."
"Yeah," Chambarra agreed, "Do it. I'm not ugly."
"Just do it. One kiss," Nariah rallied. "You can do it, Daddy. I believe in you."
"I believe in you, too," Chambarra smirked. Her lips there.
Rene coughed. "I just, I really, oh. This is not. Not a righteous request. I'm not. Just. Ah."
"You're so brave, Daddy," Nariah encouraged. "You can beat a whole evil wizard in his magic volcano, you can kiss this one girl one time."
"I, no, please, I, sylvas, this is the most, um--Falling to my death in blue lava was better than this."
Nariah looked to Chambarra and whispered loudly, "I think he's shy. He's not kissed a girl in, like, a really long time. I don't think he's even talked to a--."
"Ria," Rene interrupted, "Not helping. Please. Come on."
"One kiss and you'll be free," Chambarra whispered through the net into Rene's eyes, her hot breath. Her face hardened with danger, as if a shadow passed over her. "Or you can hang there all day and all night for all I care. I'm sure you're sure to meet many interesting beasts in the Tulgey Wood. Have you heard of the Urgula? Its kiss is much more dangerous than little ol' miminny-mine."
Rene clenched his jaw. Sweat was stinging into his eyes. He tried to move away so the net would swing them away from Chambarra but the net just slowly crept back toward Chambarra's waiting, pursed lips.
"Daddy, you're being a baby," said Nariah. But then Nariah noticed there was some movement in the ferns, a slight rustling. Behind Chambarra. Nariah swallowed. "Da-ddy," she shook him slightly. But he was too focused. Something about Chambarra reminded of him of someone he did not like. He would not kiss that feeling. Even if he was inclined. Which he was not. Even if Nariah was not right there. Which she was. And all of which just made him---
Frowning, Rene said to his captor, "I'll take my chances with the Urgula."
