Crossover Escape: Gotta be more than Lucky to survive

1.38 A Small Rescue

Still whether it was teleportation magic or technology it was not something that Luca could hack or get around so that left trying to find a solution. Luca glanced at Ghost who shook his head indicating that he hadn’t thought of another way. If they didn’t have a quick solution what about a slightly longer one. Luca doubted that several other teams had already met and passed their obstacle course, so they had time. Not that it mattered Luca wasn’t going to risk Tails just because they were in a hurry. Luca slid his glasses back up his nose as he thought of two slightly longer term solutions.

[Lucky: I think we’ll have to do something that will take a bit longer.] Luca paused as he spotted what Tails was holding. The vine being woven together was already coiled several times around a recently sprouted branch above Tails suggesting that he had been at the process for a while.

[Lucky: I didn’t think I was gone that long?]

[Tails: I’d made some when I first got here to help make the rockslide. I’ve just been expanding.] Luca squinted slightly even then he didn’t think there’d been enough time to make as much as he had. It was making the long-term option Luca had been planning to suggest more short term than expected.

[Tails: I’ll still be a bit before this is even ready then we have to find a way to use it. the butterfly went with the swarm can you go check if there is anything.]

[Lucky: Sure, easy done.] Luca switched back over to the butterfly to find the swarm was still following the person. They had moved away from the clearing quite a distance and Luca wondered what was still watching the clearing he doubted that they would be leaving it empty at night. The bear gave a soft huff as they rounded a large redwood tree and a light dispersed among the trees ahead.

“Yes, the hounds will watch tonight. They will have a good chase for those that think to take advantage of cover of darkness.” Luca didn’t like the sound of that sentence at all. Any type of canine as a guard was difficult to deal with.

[Lucky: They say it’s hounds on duty at night.]

[Tails: Blood dogs.] That was normally Luca’s sentiment on the matter. He liked dogs quite a bit but ones on guard duty where just plain dangerous even when you weren’t doing what they were guarding against.

Having given a warning Luca continued to follow the person. If he hadn’t just been steering the butterfly at that point, Luca would have more than likely walked into something when they passed the last of the trees blocking the source of the light. The light came from a beautiful eutopia of tree houses and gentle light stones that sparkled like stars. More people moved around the trees talking softly.

The people bowed to the green haired person and said something that Luca couldn’t understand that sounded like ‘Regan’ though the way that it was said was not like a name more like a title. Luca supposed though it was as good an identifier as anything, and this ‘Regan’ seemed to be someone important and so it was worth following them.

Not being able to understand a word he was hearing did cause Luca to start. He hadn’t thought much of it to begin with, but it was completely illogical for an unknown group of people leaving in what amounted to a segregated community would speak English like what Luca could easily understand.

“Can someone say something in another language?” Luca asked slowly of the three trapped on the platform with him.

“Why are we speaking something other than English when that’s the only language everyone understands?” Rӓv’s voice sounded clearly. Luca was just about to explain his request when Holly exclaimed,

“Wow Rӓv, I knew where good at languages, but that Japanese sounded just like a native.” Silence followed.

“Well that answers my question, if a language is spoken that a person doesn’t understand in here it is translated into their native togue. Keep that in mind as it means using languages to pass secret messages is out.” That wasn’t something Luca expected to need to use given Rӓv’s comprehensive coms, but it was the common fall back.

When he refocused on Regan’s movements Luca realised that they had reached the largest tree house. Regan climbed a vine to reach the base of the tree house before they brushed a branch across the top making it shake. As a result of the shaking a high pitched but not loud voice screamed and then yelled. However the words were to faint for Luca to make out.

Around the settlement the butterfly swarm had slowly dispersed and so rather than attempting to follow Regan inside Luca determined that he could keep track of them and the rest of the settlement from the tree. With that in mind Luca flew into the branches as he searched for the source of the voice when he found it, he was speechless.

In a cage reminiscent of an ancient canary’s cage was a tiny person with wings. Luca looked at the fairy or pixie through the butterfly’s camera and tried to decide what to do. The little fairy was crying and while its features where fair there was something about it that made Luca think it was very young.

“I’m sorry, I just don’t understand why we have to hurt the people. They haven’t done anything. Its cruel to just hunt them for sport.” The high voice whimpered over and over again. Luca looked at the tiny cage and then thought about the metaphoric cage they were trying to escape that had led him and his friends to this point.

“Rӓv is there any way to pick a small lock with the butterfly?” a long-suffering sigh followed Luca’s request and he winced. “I know I know I should think of these things beforehand however it seemed we still didn’t have enough information about this place coming in.”

“We’ll it seems you live up to your name since I added a quick digital and manual hack to the antenna of the butterfly since it’s a pain relying on the Ruski.”

“I reliable you just lacking.” A meaty smack followed Ghost’s comment and Luca could guess that Rӓv had struck ghost likely on the upper arm. Ghost must not have been fast enough to dodge.

Luca listened waiting for Rӓv to explain how the lock picking worked but instead only heard the pair bickering. Luca rolled his eyes and then landed the butterfly against the lock.

The fairy inside froze in place staring into the camera. Luca fiddled with the settings for a bit before finally figuring out how to activate the lock pick. After a few second the lock clicked open. Luca shifted the butterfly into the air as the door swung open. The fairy stared blankly at the open door and Luca could do nothing to encourage it save for to spin in place and after scoping out the area Luca headed into the branches and away from the lights of the settlement.

There was no movement in the settlement and Luca no decided it would be better to go back to Tails to see if he could find a way to help bridge the gap or at least find the hounds.