Chapter 15

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

We made our way to the outpost in Doodle. The place buzzed with colors. It was like a little village, with one large structure that reminded me a little of the outpost we’d found, and a bunch of colorful buildings around it. But there was no one in the streets. Was this outpost empty like the last one? No, it couldn’t be. Even though I didn’t see people, I sensed them. There were even clouds of smoke curling out of the chimneys of a few buildings.

I stepped onto the spongy ground. It gave a little under my shoes. It was a strange feeling. The slight bouncing made the whole place feel even more like a fun park .

"Look at this place," Robbie said, his voice laced with disbelief as he gazed around.

"Everything's so... vivid, more so than the rest of Doodle, and that’s really saying something," Jessie added, her eyes wide as she took in the scenery.

The wooden block buildings were haphazard shapes, some skewed sideways without thought to gravity. We walked down a path outlined in a wavy blue marker and with puffy dabs of clay flowers.

"Where do we even start?" I asked, turning to them.

"Let's find someone who can help us," Robbie suggested, scanning the area for signs of life.

"Good idea," I agreed. Jessie nodded, and together, we moved further into the colorful chaos of the outpost.

A group of figures emerged from a house shaped like a misshapen teapot, its surface a swirl of glitter glue. They wore clothes that looked painted on, all stripes and polka dots in clashing colors. They were shorter than us by a foot, and their faces had eyes that were mismatched colors, poorly drawn noses, and uneven mouths. Still, they were people… of a sort. I just hoped they knew our language and could talk .

Suddenly, they turned and spotted us. The entire group seemed to stiffen, the lines of their wavy bodies becoming more prominent. Our little group held still too, waiting, although I wasn’t sure what for.

After a painfully long moment, one of them called out in a singsong voice that was a little higher than any human’s voice. "Hello strangers!" It waved a hand, where each finger was a different shade of neon.

"Hi," I replied, a bit taken aback by their immediate friendliness, but happy at the same time.

The neon orange creature in polka dot clothes called out again. "Welcome to our outpost! We're Peregarnians, and we’re happy to meet new people."

I took a step closer. "I'm Cendi, and these are my friends, Robbie and Jessie. We’re humans from Earth."

"Nice meeting you." The creature said, then he and the others hurriedly walked up to us, their movements ungraceful and strange.

When they got close enough, Robbie extended his hand, but the Peregarnian just blinked at it before turning to grab something from another who had appeared beside him.

"Are you here for the festival?" another asked, bouncing on the balls of their feet, their voice a peppy tune.

"No, actually," Jessie stepped forward, her tone kind but firm. "We're looking for a friend of ours. She looks kind of like us, but shorter, and with long dark hair, a darker shade than ours. Her name's Jaylyn, and she's lost here somewhere in your world. We need to take her back home."

"Lost?" The first Peregarnian tilted their head, and I could swear the lines of their face rearranged themselves into a look of concern. "That's no good. But don't worry, we'll help you find her! We know the person to help. Our wise elder knows everything, even more than me, she’ll be able to find that which you seek."

"Thank you," I said, relief washing over me. It felt good to know we weren't alone in this. "We really appreciate it."

The Peregarnians led us down a winding path. We passed houses that seemed to be made of modeling clay, each one more whimsically colored than the last. The air was filled with the sound of peculiar instruments, creating a melody that felt both joyful and out of this world.

"Here we are," said a Peregarnian who had introduced herself as Twinkle. She stopped in front of a tall structure that shimmered as if sketched with a silver glitter pen. "Let me see if she can see you."

The Peregarnian disappeared inside. Robbie, Jessie, and I exchanged glances, unsure what to expect. Hopefully, this elder was as friendly as these little guys. It’d be nice if something about this rescue mission went smoothly.

"Have you seen much of our world?" one of the Peregarnians, a purple one asked, and this one I suspected was a boy.

"We’ve explored a bit of the north from here, but this is the first town of any kind we’ve seen."

"The north?" He twittered like a bird, and the others did too for a moment. "The north can be very dangerous, not as dangerous as his lands, but very dangerous."

"It was quite an adventure," I said.

His head tilted up. "And are all the creatures from your huuuman realm as tall, oddly shaped, and dully colored as you?"

I laughed. "Not all. We have a lot of different creatures."

They twittered again, which I suspected was a sound of interest, or maybe them laughing. I couldn’t be sure.

The first Peregarnian stepped back out of the strange building and gave a little bow. "Luna Starflint will see you now." As we got closer, she said in a low voice. "Show respect Luna is our most important elder, and the only one I suspect that will be able to help you in your quest."

"Of course," I murmured softly.

We stepped inside and were greeted by a sight that made me catch my breath. Luna Starflint stood before us, her piercing purple eyes seeming to appraise us with a single glance. Her pink and black hair, braided with silver charms, fell over her shoulders, and she wore dark robes that twinkled like the night sky. Her presence was as commanding as her reputation suggested, even though she still stood at about a foot shorter than us.

"Welcome," Luna said, her voice steady and authoritative. "I understand you're searching for your friend."

"Yes," I responded, trying to match her confidence. "Her name is Jaylyn. She looks like us, but with long, black hair. She stepped into your world a few days ago. We believe she's lost somewhere in your world, and we need to get her back, and then return to our own world."

Luna nodded slowly, her gaze drifting from me to Robbie and then Jessie. "I have information on your friend's whereabouts," she began, weighing her words. "However, information like this, between strangers, is never free, per our customs. I must ask for something in return. Something that will not be easy, as this information is very valuable."

We had to do something in order to learn where Jaylyn was. Of course. I should’ve known it wouldn’t be that easy, but at least she did know where Jaylyn was. That’s a start!

"Of course," Jessie said before I could respond. "What do you need?"

"A Scribleberry," Luna replied, her expression intense, like she’d said something very important.

"Did you say scribbleberry?" Robbie interjected with a furrowed brow.

"Um, no," Luna corrected him with a hint of impatience. "Scribleberry."

"Right," Robbie mumbled, scratching his head. "Scribleberry."

I cut in. "What is this… thing?"

"It looks like a berry, growing from a tree, a giant red thing, smooth, and glass-like."

Okay, at least that was enough of a description to go off of. "And where can we find it?"

"It grows in a dangerous part of the forest. Retrieving it will not be without risk."

The three of us did what we did best and exchanged another glance that spoke volumes without saying anything at all. We’d be going back out into the dangerous woods of Doogle, on yet another quest, that was going to be difficult. But if we wanted to find Jaylyn and get home, we had to do this.

"We'll get it," I said, feeling a mixture of excitement and apprehension. "Just tell us where to find it, and we'll bring it back for you."

Luna's lips curved into a small smile, but I got the feeling that she felt we’d accepted this difficult task too quickly. "Very well. I will provide you with the location. Remember, the forest is treacherous, and the Scribleberry is a rare prize."

We nodded in agreement, and with that, Luna summoned a map that floated towards us, its edges curling. The adventure, it seemed, was truly about to begin.

The map fell on the table before us, and she started explaining what we were seeing. As we followed her explanations, we learned that our destination was not that far from us. We’d be able to go there and return within the day, which was a pleasant surprise.

It did make me wonder why the Peregarnians didn’t just get the berry themselves. Other than some woods and some water, the location of the berry didn’t look all that dangerous, which probably meant I was missing something.

"But, brave adventurers," she continued, folding up the map and giving it to Robbie. "I will not be sending you into danger without help." She motioned us to follow her to a back room, then stopped behind a table, spreading her hand out and waving at the items before us.

"Okay, we're doing this," I said, mostly to myself, as I eyed the assortment of gear spread out before us. The Peregarnians were providing everything from ropes to flashlights, and even some sort of padded armor that looked like it was made from a mishmash of bubble wrap and rubber boots.

"Looks sturdy enough," Robbie commented, hefting a coil of rope over his shoulder. His blue eyes were serious, but there was a hint of excitement in his voice.

Was he beginning to really like our adventures?

Jessie chuckled as she strapped on a helmet that was two sizes too big for her head. "I've never seen protective gear quite so... colorful. "

"Or squishy," I added, prodding at what I hoped was a knee pad.

We loaded up, adjusting straps and buckles, and soon enough, we felt as ready as we'd ever be. With a deep breath for courage, we set off into the forest, our feet sinking slightly into the soft, clay-like ground that seemed to have been rolled out by an industrious child's hands.

The foliage around us was dense with painted leaves of every imaginable color brushing against our arms as we pushed through. Every now and then, a curious critter made entirely of pipe cleaners would peer at us, only to skitter away into the underbrush.

"Keep your eyes peeled for anything that looks remotely like a Scribleberry," Robbie reminded us.

"Or a Scribbleberry," I muttered under my breath, earning me a chuckle from Jessie.

It wasn't long before we reached the edge of a giant swamp. The water was eerily still, reflecting the sky above like a massive oil painting. For a second I thought we might be able to wade through, but some instinct within me said that the waters weren’t safe. As I stared, colorful fish with sharp, marker- drawn teeth glided beneath the surface, their fins swishing silently.

"Looks like we're not walking across," Jessie observed, pointing to a boat crafted from papier-maché.

"Let's hope it floats better than it looks," Robbie said, stepping cautiously into the vessel.

Once we were all aboard, I grabbed the pole propped against the side and began steering us through the murky waters, trying to ignore the hungry stares of the fish.

"Anyone else feel like bait?" I joked nervously.

"Absolutely," Robbie said. "Don’t even reach your hands over the water. Those things look made for killing."

"Here, have some beef jerky. It'll take your mind off things," Jessie offered, passing me a bag.

"Thanks," I said, tearing open the packet with more force than necessary. In my haste, the bag slipped from my grasp and tumbled over the edge.

"Shoot!" I cried out, but it was already too late. The fish surged upwards in a frenzy, their bright colors flashing as they devoured the offering in seconds.

"Guess they were hungrier than we thought," Jessie said dryly, her expression unreadable beneath the oversized helmet.

"Good thing it wasn't one of us," I replied, pushing the pole against the swamp bed, propelling us forward with renewed urgency.

"Let's find that Scribleberry and get out of here," Robbie said, and we all nodded in agreement, watching the ripples fade behind us as we left the feeding frenzy far behind.

We stepped out of the boat, onto the squishy forest floor that looked like a toddler's finger painting gone rogue. My boots sank into the ground with each step, but relief washed over me as we left the swamp behind. That was until Robbie, who grabbed the pole as he exited the boat, froze mid-stride and hissed, "Guys..."

Jessie and I followed his gaze. There it was—a jungle cat straight out of a fever dream. It had tentacles—yes, tentacles—with polka dots waving in the air like some deranged octopus impersonator. And its eyes... they were faceted, like those of a bee, catching the light in a kaleidoscope of colors .

"Okay, what now?" I whispered, my heart thudding against my ribs.

"Back away slowly," Robbie suggested, voice barely audible.

"Uh-uh, no," Jessie cut in, eyeing the creature. "I've got something better. How about I turn us into something it'll run from?"

"Like what? A bigger, spottier cat with more tentacles?" I asked, unable to keep the tremor from my voice.

"Elephants. They're big, loud, and this thing probably has never seen one before," I said, an idea sparking.

"Elephants!" Jessie clapped her hands once, and magic flowed from her wand. The world around me shifted, expanded. My perspective shot up, and suddenly, I was staring at two other elephants—one with a messy bun flopping on its head, the other still holding onto his pole like a security blanket.

"Wow, this feels weird," Robbie trumpeted.

"Let's scare it off then," I said, finding that my voice now came out as a rumble.

We raised our trunks, the sounds we made booming through the forest. Stomping our feet, we charged forward, a trio of elephants causing the ground itself to shudder. The jungle cat's bee eyes widened, and with a surprisingly ungraceful plop, its tentacles flailed as it turned tail and fled.

"Ha! Look at it go!" Jessie laughed, her elephant form somehow managing a gleeful wiggle.

"Never thought I'd be grateful for being turned into an elephant," Robbie said, shaking his head—or trunk—in disbelief.

"Let's not wait around for it to come back with friends," I urged, and we continued, still in our glamour-induced elephant forms, leaving the echoes of our victory trumpets behind us.

We trudged deeper into the forest, our elephant forms feeling less bizarre by the minute. The tree leaves dripped with paint splatters.

"Keep your eyes peeled for the Scribbleberry," Jessie reminded us, her voice still deep and rumbling from her elephant form.

"Hard to miss something that's supposed to look like a giant ruby," Robbie said with a chuckle .

"A ruby?" I asked.

"That was what I pictured when she described it," he said, which, thinking back to it, made sense.

In a clearing a few yards ahead, nestled between two lopsided clay boulders, we spotted a bush, if you could call it that, with branches that twisted like pipe cleaners and leaves shaped like misshapen hearts. And hanging among the metallic green foliage was the Scribbleberry. I knew that without a doubt.

"That’s it." I pointed my trunk at the vibrant object.

"Looks like it," Robbie confirmed, his elephant form lumbering closer.

The berry glistened under the crayon sun, its surface jagged and irregular, a ruby drawn without any concern for symmetry or realism. It was hard, almost crystalline, and larger than any of us had anticipated.

"Wow," Jessie murmured. "It really does look like a kid drew it."

"Can't believe we're actually here, looking at this thing," I said, reaching out with my trunk to gently touch the berry. It felt solid and cool, like touching the idea of a gemstone rather than the stone itself .

"Let's get it and get out of here," Robbie suggested.

"Agreed," Jessie said, carefully plucking the Scribbleberry from its branch with a tendril of magic.

I watched as the berry floated toward us, encased in a soft glow. "This is it. We've got what Luna wanted."

Robbie nodded, still eyeing the berry. "Scribbleberry, huh? Well, it sure fits the name. That's what I'm calling it too.