Chapter 30: CH30 Searching for Magical Girls in the woods.

Merumeru's note dominated the dinner conversation. Everyone took their turn at trying to decipher it.

"This stick figure has round hair and is shorter than the other stick figures. Maybe this is supposed to be Merumeru." Fufi pointed a wing at one part of the tablet with a bunch of stick figures that had smiles on their faces. "Or maybe not..."

Bob chewed a carrot and stared at the tablet. "Hmm, first off, thanks for the new set of clothing Alex. Also, I have no idea what these chicken scratches mean."

Martha chided him, "Dear don't speak with your mouth full please."

Alex looked down at the table and away from everyone. "I swear, we should change that girl's name to Ramona. She is always running off and getting into trouble."

"Ramona? Is that some kind of inside joke Alex?" Fufi chided the nymph.

"Yeah, it is a series of children's books. Anyway, what do you think of these two rectangles of different sizes with feet...I think they might be feet sticking out of it?" Alex pointed at one of the images.

"It almost looks like a squat table. What would feet sticking out of a table mean?" Martha asked.

"I dunno," Alex said as he looked over the tablet again.

"If that is a table, then why is there another one on the opposite side of the drawing that has a head sticking out of it? This makes no sense at all." Fufi turned her head upside down to look at the note.

"I'm pretty sure those are just squiggly lines." Martha pointed at something on the bottom left corner. "But this seems important." She pointed to a small section in the middle. "There are the same number of stick figures as us. So at least I think that means she isn't leaving for good."

Alex and Bob nodded in agreement. The thought had occurred to Alex that if they lost Merumeru, the team might be incomplete forever and never get any better. In the three weeks that Alex had been on Terre the little slime girl had been the most productive out of anyone. She rebuilt part of the adventurer's guild, fixed the town fountain, and made a new well for the farm. In contrast Alex struggled to even make a fire on the first days. "I have faith she'll be back," Alex said with determination.

"So who is this person?" Fufi pointed at the large rectangle above everything else.

"That is just a shape. It could just be the ceiling for all we know." Alex sounded exasperated. "There is too much going on here to make any sense of it. Well one thing is for certain: if she is going to be writing notes we need to teach her some letters."

Despite the group's best efforts they couldn't make much of anything out of Merumeru's note that she left after she vanished. They went through each line several times but didn't come up with an explanation of what it meant for certain. It was late when everyone headed off to bed.

During the night, Alex dreams of forest spirits. Kaede stood beside what could only be described as a dryad. For some reason everything became much clearer in this dream than in previous ones. Several other nymphs stood in an aspen grove along with the bark-skinned woman. She had curly hair like aspen leaves and light skin that was the color of an aspen tree's bark. Alex knew her name even though they had never met. She was Sakura, mistress of the forests they were in.

"My child, why won't you come to me? I will relieve you of your doubts. We share the same goals after all." The dryad's voice flowed through the grove like the rustling of thousands of leaves. In this dream Alex was a nymph covered completely in living plants as clothing. Alex tried to answer but could not talk back to Sakura. The dryad ruled over all of the forest and a newborn nymph could not talk back to her mistress. A long silence followed that felt like paralysis but being awake. Sakura stood there with the other nymphs waiting patiently until the dream ended with Alex waking up feeling unnerved.

The next day the group tried to address the elephant in the room at breakfast. Bob wore his new outfit. It fit him well.

"So Alex and Fufi," Bob said, trying to break the tension. "We've been searching the woods around here for days and haven't seen much. Well, there was a large rock flying through the air that crashed into some nearby trees but I'm not sure that is related. Anyway, none of us are scout classes and I'm not sure even with Fufi looking from the air we are going to do much more than waste time. You and your friends are welcome to stay here with us and help out around the farm but Martha can't tend to the place by herself. I need to get back to doing farming stuff." He finished talking in a serious tone.

"A nymph can't go too far from her tree. For the time being Alex has to remain in the forest." Fufi stated plainly.

Alex mustered up the courage to speak up, "Also, I think that Kaede isn't who is in charge. The nymphs of the woods are rules by mistress Sa.." Alex didn't mean to say the mistress part. "Mistress Saaaa," Alex tried again. "The dryad of the aspen grove is the caretaker of this place." Alex seemed a bit shaken that saying Sakura without adding mistress before the name was impossible.

Alex and Fufi looked at each other. "Just say it how it comes out Alex. I think this is making more sense now."

"Mistress Sakura." Alex murmured, looking defeated.

Fufi let out a sigh, "Alex, why would you add mistress to her name? Wait, you can't say her name without adding mistress before saying it can you?"

The nymph nodded.

"Ugh, that is not a good sign. We might have no choice but to go and seek this Sakura out. Maybe she is the magical girl in the forest. Though I wonder where her familiar is? Magical girls are supposed to be social." Fufi turned and faced Bob. "I suppose that it might be better for you and Martha to sit this one out. Things might get a little dangerous. Sakura's able to slowly overcome Alex's resistance while in her domain. However, leaving the forest isn't possible because the apple tree is here."

"Can you replant the tree?" Bob asked.

Fufi answered the farmer's question. "Yes but like all plants uprooting them is a big risk. Also, where would we plant it? The best land is in the forest and the farther out areas are wasteland where the soil is tainted with demonic miasma. We could find a spot maybe but it would take weeks to get there traveling by cart."

"I guess that leaves us with two choices. Either we stay here and hope for the best or go ask her nicely to release Alex," Martha said.

"We should go ask." Alex sounded determined. "If I stay here I might bring trouble for everyone. Tree spirits are not supposed to be evil and if she is also a magical girl then maybe this is just a misunderstanding? Besides, somehow I think I might be able to find her. Maybe it is just me losing my mind but the forest I get a feeling from it. I don't know how to explain it." Alex pointed in a direction. "It is like I am supposed to go that way to find mistress Sakura."

"Is trusting in dreams and feeling the plan?" Bob asked, looking confused. "I don't like it but I'm no adventurer."

"I believe it is true now after seeing that dryad in my dream last night." Alex sounded unsure though.

"Well, if Kaede can navigate the forest with no tracks left behind they maybe Alex can find her or this Sakura. Though I would suggest waiting for Merumeru to get back before leaving. She's very helpful." Martha suggested.

"Alex, let's get the cart ready to head out. We shouldn't need supplies for more than a day or two I hope." Fufi offered, then looked to Bob and Martha for approval.

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"That's fine, nature's been good to us here. We have more than enough to share." Martha spoke.

Bob nodded in approval.

Fufi and Alex started preparing. Alex and Bob filled up the water barrels and Martha prepared some burlap bags of produce. It was a hot summer morning with a light breeze. While they were preparing the chickens started making noise back at the wall that surrounded the tree. Everyone rushed to see what had them riled up. A little slime girl in a plumber's outfit was climbing down from a large stone pipe sticking out of the ground.

"That's so weird, that pipe just goes straight into the dirt. Who knows what that trouble maker has been up to. I'm just glad she is back though." Alex decided not to overthink it.

Merumeru leapt at the group, her expression all sunshine and smiles. After having the plan explained to her the slime girl nodded with a look of determination and a simple, "Meru."

Alex put an arm around her shoulder and gave her a quick hug. "I'm glad you're okay Merumeru."

The group loaded their wagon with supplies as they left the farm behind. Bob and Martha waved them off as they went wound up the cart and headed into the woods. There wasn't anything to indicate how far away the entrance to Sakura's grove might be. Alex just pulled the cart in the direction that felt right. Luckily the cart was still easy to move because of the clockwork mechanisms. Nymph Alex would never be able to move it.

After traveling through the forest for a while they came upon a clearing where the sun was setting. The forest opened up for several miles before the trees began again. In the distance, barely visible against the reddening sky stood a dense collection of aspen trees. They were close with crisscrossing branches. It looked as good as any palisade, only the trees were still alive.

"This must be it," Alex said then looked at Fufi, "How did you not notice this from the sky? It seems almost like some kind of castle built with living plants."

Fufi shook her head slightly and whispered something about the magic.

"Well, I guess I better go get changed and bring Lilypad just in case. No teasing." Alex put up a curtain and changed into the +2 cuteness dress.

Fufi's eyes widened at the sight of Alex all dolled up. "You look fabulous Alex. Your sewing really has improved. Though the shoes could use some work. Those wooden sandals don't fit well with the outfit."

Alex just ignored the flamingo and awkwardly stepped down with three dolls in hand.

"Meruuuuu!" Merumeru cheered Alex on.

The trio approached the wall of trees. Alex tried knocking on one like a door. The plants shifted and pulled apart like a curtain.

"Let's stay close to Alex. Remember she tried to separate Alex from us before." Fufi explained to the slime girl. The three stuck together, almost touching. Merumeru held her hand up and pointed to Lily. Alex let her hold the archer doll. She held it close and smiled happily.

They entered Sakura's grove. A lush carpet covered with green mosses surrounded them as they walked through an arch made entirely out of flowers that led into the clearing. Off to one side was a very large aviary. It was made out of wood and vines with leaves sprouting on it.

In front of them stood two girls; one in a lavish dressed made completely from leaves and flowers. She looked like Sakura from the dream but more formally dressed. A throne made from a plants with many vines and flowers sat behind her. The other girl was dressed in a collection of vines that looked like a maid uniform but with shades of green. The face was very recognizable though. She was Kaide.

"H-hello there," Alex spoke up nervously, holding Rose and Edelweiss close , "I'm looking for mistress Sakura?" Alex asked meekly.

Sakura smiled brightly, "Hello little Alex, you brought friends. I'm glad you accepted my invitation. After all, we share the same quest." The tone sounded polite but somehow still creepy.

Fufi had her wings crossed and a glare on her face. Her tail seemed to be bristling as well. "You must release Alex. Alex doesn't want to be a nymph."

"Release? I don't understand. Being blessed by a forest spirit should be a great honor. My nymphs and I are reclaiming this land and purging the demonic corruption. If anything this child seems more troubled than the other humans I've saved." Sakura tilted her head slightly as if she didn't know what she was being told.

"But you are a magical girl. Where is your familiar? Why didn't she tell you that what you are doing is wrong?" Fufi spoke up, with conviction.

"Familiar?" Kaide spoke up then looked at Sakura before looking back to Fufi. "What do you mean by familiar?" She paused for a second as if waiting for an answer.

Sakura answered in her sing-song voice, "You mean Fumi? She was being a bit frantic the past couple days so she had to be put in time out" The dryad gestured to the Aviary. Another Flamingo who was a different shade of pink poked her neck out of the bars looking ashamed.

"Fumi? We thought you were dead. What is going on here? No one has heard from you in so long." Fumi spoke while keeping her distance from Sakura and Kaide.

"Fumi found me when I was a young sapling. She offered me a contract and I accepted. Luna gave us the same quest all magical girls have, to defeat the demon queen." Sakura explained calmly and politely as though talking about the weather.

Fumi shook her head sadly. "I'm sorry Fufi. I know we are not supposed to make contracts with spirits but when the demon queen's army came through here Sakura was the only girl who helped me after I got injured fleeing. She is still my partner but I never expected things to turn out like this."

"I see...well, it would seem that she made a mistake choosing you. Release Alex now please," Fufi pleaded.

"No mistake was made. I am adhering to the contract and the quest. It may take a hundred years or even a thousand but like the forest we will endure and outlast the demon queen. The demons are like a locust swarm. They devour everything and when there is nothing left they will die out. It seems like you will have to join your sister until you can calm down as well Fufi." Sakura sighed. "Now, Alex, please come here. You are a troubled soul and I will free you from your burdens. Come over here to sit by me."

Alex's body jerked and took a step forward.

Merumeru's face twisted into a frown. She took several steps toward Alex and grasped the nymph's hand, pulling back. "Meru!"

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