"I think Ev went this way..." Kristin said while gazing off to the right.

"I think she went over here..." Red leaned to the left.

But Dev had already opened her big mouth. "Uhm, no. Since I'm Ev's BEST friend, I would know where she would go. It's this way..." She started walking to the left anyways, holding her finger up in the air as if to lead the expedition. She got about fifteen feet before turning around to see why no one had objected. She saw them all staring at Thomas, who had not said anything yet.

"I think...you're all nuts!"

"Aha! I knew it!" Dev laughed, pointing at Red.

"Uhm, he said all of us…" Red smirked while swinging his sword around a few times before slipping it down into its sheath. “That means you, too.”

Dev’s brain stopped about two seconds—after which, she announced, "Let's just go my way! If it's wrong, we'll go another way, and we'll just keep going until we find her!"

"Wow, that's got to be the smartest thing you've said so far..." Thomas smirked.

“What are you talking about? That’s the only thing I’ve said so far.” Dev couldn’t hear anything else as she skipped along heading north.

"But what about Anna?"

Dev ignored Kristin as she had already started walking, "Ev's prob'ly already found her, so we just need to find Ev..."

They followed Dev sloping down the completely random path into the darker depths of the forest. After a while, Kristin and Thomas became more concerned about finding their sister—believing she was hopelessly lost and alone in the dark forest, or maybe had just found something shiny. Silence covered most of their journey, but everyone knew it wouldn't last long while Dev was around. Kristin's eyes wandered to Dev, who was scanning the forest suspiciously with her invisible magnifying glass.

"So if Anna were to run away, where would she go? I mean, knowing me, I'd most likely be stealing candy from little children." Dev felt Kristin creep up behind and turned to her thinking out loud. "She’s probably easier to chase down than Ev—she must run a mile a day for warm ups or something!”

Red did a double take. "What are you talking about? Are you listening to yourself? A moment ago, you wanted to stick together and find them at once, but now—“

"Well, I do like candy..." Dev paused to reminisce; her eyebrows caved inward with eagerness, while Tommy shoved his hands into his pockets violently.

"No, no no. Are saying we should--?"

"Yes, Red...I think we should split up. You know, go our separate ways. Walk down our own paths. Search out new horizons. Things might be easier."

“Agreed.”

Red appeared to storm off from the group, strolling down a different sloping path. Kristin yanked on Dev’s sleeve, “How can you be so mean?!”

“Oh, it’s not hard. I just—“

“No! I mean, breaking up with him could make things worse! We’re already split up from Anna and Ev— Hey…you okay? What’s wrong with your face?” Kristin began to giggle.

“B-b-br-b-b-b—BUH?”

Thomas cracked up and repeated the loud “buh” back at her paler than pale expression which was twitching madly. Thomas laughed again and ran to get Red. He clung to his sword before Red had gone even twenty feet away. Thomas yanked down with all his might.

Red felt the tug and turned around with arms up in karate position. “Oh, it’s you…er, why…why do you want my sword? Hey! Let go!”

“Not until you go back and apologize!”

“For what?” He yanked on his sword angrily about wasting time explaining why he didn’t have to apologize, and he didn’t feel like apologizing by giving away his sword.

“I don’t know! You did something to make Dev break up with you like that!! How long were you together?”

Red’s sword dropped at Thomas’ feet; his shoulders writhed upon hearing the word 'together'. “We’re not—“ He glanced anxiously towards the place Dev and Kristin stood. They each gazed at each other in horror. Not one second passed before they instantly ran opposite ways, screaming, hands flying over their heads.

Thomas brushed himself off. “Well, that works, too. We’ll find Anna and they’ll find Ev.” He gleefully picked up Red’s sword. “Everyone’s happy.”

Kristin skipped next to Thomas. "Yah, ‘cause if we find Anna, Ev won't keep running off and we can finally get out of this weirdo place."

But both Dev and Red came careening from opposite ends of the clearing and ran right into each other. And they screamed again.

“Ahh! Get off me!”

“Ewww!! Cuties!!”

Scrambling as if for their lives, they each back up until they reached the trees.

“What are you doing here anyways! You ran off like a little girl!”

“Wull, I’m pretty sure you’re topographically challenged!”

Dev narrowed in a glare. “What about my dog?”

“Hah! See? You don’t have a chance in this forest. No one is having any luck on their own. So we gotta stick together.” Red wheezed and stood up, but quickly leaned over holding his back.

“Oh? So you do care?” Dev bat her eyelashes at Red, who began to gag. “Anyways, we could get along just fine. Everyone knows guys can't ask for directions."

Red stammered, "Y-you take that back!" He reached for his sheath, looking horrified that it was empty.

"Why? Just 'cause it's true?" chimed Kristin. Dev laughed and snatched his sword from Thomas.

“Hey!” Both boys yelled. “That was mine!”

"Yes. How observant of you." Dev smiled sweetly and stepped back throwing his sword over her shoulder like it was a prize. “Let’s see who can find Ev first!” Dev lifted her nose into the air and stormed off with Kristin. Red's jaw remained hanging until he couldn’t hear their giggling anymore.

"I'll never be the same without my sword!!" Red moaned.

Thomas ignored him while tilting his head sideways. "Girls are strange."

"Yeah, well..." Red sniffled, "we'd better get going! We don't want them to be right."

--

Evelyn tried to confine her breathing to a minimum as the excitement was fading from her part of the forest. She felt horrible enough for pulling the man hunting Anna from Sylver. All she wanted now was to take care of things herself; that way, no one else would get hurt.

She breathed out a sigh and stood up glancing over the bushes and all around to make sure no one else was nearby. She gazed down at the bulky figure lying unconscious on the ground. Rolling her eyes at how pathetic he looked, she began to shake him. "C'mon...wake up, Sonix..."

Sonix stirred, then moaned as he struggled to sit up. "Whuzz goin on--?" Sonix sat himself up against a tree trunk while rubbing his head bitterly. He strained to get a good look of where he was, and recognized Evelyn's voice. "Errg..Whatcha want this time, girl? I mean, can't you leave a guy alone for one second?" Sonix continued to rub his head and finally got a good look of where he was sitting. He couldn't see Evelyn anywhere. Sonix whispered, "Where are you hiding?"

"Never mind that," Evelyn sighed again as she suddenly reappeared on the ground next to him.

He nearly jumped, "Agh!! What did--how did--geez, girl!"

Evelyn gave him a deadly look, "Stop calling me that. Now, I need to know about Anna."

Trying to look innocent, Sonix crossed his legs and tilted his head back casually. "Anna?"

Evelyn stared at him impatiently. "I'm worried about where she is...and I think someone might be out in the forest trying to…hurt her..." His reaction was validating her suspicions.

Sonix thought he had control of the situation, and feared losing his manipulation over Evelyn. “W-who would do such a thing?"

Her eyes focused with confidence, "Oh, I think I've narrowed it down." Sonix stared back, suddenly filled with the fear of breaking eye contact. "All I have to do is find Anna and ask her to describe her attacker... And then, of course, I find that unfortunate soul and make them wish they'd never heard the name Anna.”

Sonix gulped as Evelyn's famous smirk appeared. She stood up bringing Sonix up by his collar and threw him back against the tree fixing her eyes on him like a hawk. "Now you're gonna listen to me. Why? 'Cause I just saved your skin. I want you to tell me exactly why you're chasing Anna around like you're trying to do her in!"

Sonix let out a hard laugh, and Ev stared back anxiously.

"I guess I couldn't fool you." Sonix grinned acting like he still held one important card. "Anna has something that should belong to me. It's as simple as that. She has it. I want it."

Evelyn twitched feeling slightly ill. "What is it? You can have it, just leave us all alone!!"

"It's not that I fancy jewelry, but that necklace she wears around her neck… I hear it has powerful magic.”

Ev stared at him in disbelief; she meant to protect Anna with it and not put her in danger! Evelyn bit her lip, trying to hide her fear, "You won't be going near her. I'll make sure you don't."

"Aww, how cute. Trying to save her life? Oh, the irony! Well, it'll be mine for sure in a few moments..."

She watched his face brighten with excitement; she instantly hurled him at another tree. She ran at him and lifted him off the ground. "Don't touch her! YOU HEAR ME!?" Her expression had such ferocity that Sonix trembled on the inside and out. Her anger was about to explode into bright blue fireworks. She choked him, but Sonix coughed and laughed at the same time.

“I won’t get my hands on her…promise.”

“Liar!!”

Sonix grabbed onto her wrists. “Why kill me if you just saved my life? Be careful. No matter what you do to me, Anna’s still in for it…”

Evelyn glared angrily past him, trying to figure out what he meant. The image of her in the middle of what used to be a forest appeared in her head; the trees had been knocked down and both the sound and smell of burning wood surrounded her. She then saw herself looking down to see a crystal necklace covered in blood. Slowly, her grip on Sonix loosened. She shook her head hastily and dropped him on the ground.

“Agh! Dang girl…”

“Shut up! You stay here; I don’t wanna see you until I have the necklace…all right?” Ev threw him a final glare before darting off into the shadow of the forest, leaving Sonix more content than ever.

Cold sweat ran down Evelyn’s face as she went; she feared the worst was coming faster than she could outrun. She ran harder deciding that if she saw Dev or the others, she would just keep going. Like they can keep up with me, she thought. No one else needs to get hurt.

--

Meanwhile, Kaelin was having the time of her life poking at an unconscious figure she had dragged from the forest. He was hurt and bleeding in a few places, but she had taken pity on him and bandaged him up so he wouldn’t wake up in a panic. But she was having difficulty waking him up.

She tried yelling in his ear, but he didn’t move. She started poking again, looking up occasionally as if expecting someone. After ten minutes of poking, she saw a bruise where she had been poking and laughed with a loud “HA!” She hopped up and went to the edge of the forest area, right when someone yelled…

“It’s you!!”

Kaelin jumped and ran away, but Sylver with Erin on his back pursued. They lost sight of Kaelin right when a sign appeared reading ‘Merge Left’ with a black crooked arrow pointing upward. Sylver stopped and sighed as he looked at the sign that had been drawn in crayon. “She made her case seem so urgent, but these signs are just ridiculous!”

“Quick! She’s over there!!” Erin pointed as Kaelin squeaked and ran into a clearing.

They followed around the last corner and saw only Jamie—it looked as if he had been dragged by his ankles. Erin looked increasingly worried and made Sylver stop to let her off. Sylver walked calmly behind the running and panicked Erin, who was leaning over Jamie only to find cantaloupe juice all over his face. "What the--?" Jamie then turned and muttered incoherent words that sounded like 'No hablo Español' and 'Five more minutes, Mom'. Erin and Sylver glanced at each other before Erin tickled Jamie's mustache which awoke him.

--

Kristin and Dev were careening down the pathway trying to find Ev before the boys had a chance. Dev turned to Kristin. "Ev may be fast, but I know where she goes. Always water. It’s not hard to figure out; it’s like she can’t live without it or something. It’s not at all mysterious. Anyways, Ev is really good at getting you outta trouble. She’s probably found Anna by now, so if we pretend like we're in danger, then Ev will show up in a jiffy!"

"Sounds interesting,” Kristin played with her invisible beard while pretending to think deeply. “What sort of danger could we possibly need help with?"

"Oh anything really...just follow my lead..." Dev took in a huge breath and yelled upwards, "ACK! I HAVE FALLEN AND I CAN'T GET UP!! KRISTIN, YOU MUST PULL ME OUT OF THIS…QUICKSAND BEFORE IT IS TOO LAAAAAAAATE!!"

"QUICK, DEV! REACH FOR MY HAND! NO, MY OTHER HAND! NO, MY OTHER HAND! I ONLY HAVE TWO!!"

"OH NOES! I FEAR I CANNOT REACH YOU IN TIME! I SHALL DIE A VERY LONESOME DEATH AND NEVER SEE MY EVIE AGAIN!! OOOOOOH, IF ONLY SHE WERE HERE TO RESCUE MEEEE FROM THIS AWFUL FATE! SHE’S SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO STRONG! YOU KNOW, MY EVIE CAN PULL ME OUT OF ANYTHING I GET MYSELF INTO AND SHE NEVER LETS ME DOWN!! IF SHE DOESN’T HURRY, I'LL NEVER SEE ANYONE AGAIN AND I MIGHT AS WELL DIE SINCE I'LL NEVER GET TO TEASE RED AGAIN!"

"WHAT IS YOUR LAST REQUEST, DEV?"

"GIVE ME RED'S SWORD. I WANT IT TO BE BY MY SIDE WHEN I DIE."

"YOU LIKE HIM OR SOMETHING?!"

"NOT REALLY. IT'S MERELY A SYMBOL OF PROTECTION BY AN INVISIBLE MAN I NEVER HAD. IT SHALL BE BURIED WITH ME AND BECOME AS USELESS AS EVER AS I WILL BE IN A MATTER OF MINUTES!!"

--

"Was that Dev?" Red made a weird face as he was surprised he could recognize her screaming.”And she’s doing what with my sword?!”

"It sounds like she’s in trouble!" Tommy yelled.

“TO THE BATCAVE!!”

“What? We have a batcave?”

"I mean…TO THE RESCUE!!"

And so, our two heroes dashed towards the screams of our favorite damsels in distress.