They hiked to the top of the mountains, for a better view, as Zircon would put it.
Paloma packed a big backpack, she's having a hard time carrying it, it does look heavy though, also she's not much of an athlete. "So just to ask, how far is it to the gem?" she asked, while gasping for breath.
Zircon turned towards her and answered. "Very far actually. But not to worry, for we will not hike all the way there, we will go by cruise on the river mountains. When I was little I built a boat with the Castanas creatures for fun sailing with the water creatures, I haven't sailed it in awhile but it's still in great condition. With that boat we can get to the Malachite gem in two days, which must be a great relief for you doc cos I can tell from the start that cardio is not one of your strong points."
"Nope" replied Paloma, while wiping her brow with a napkin. "How did you know?"
"Oh, just a wild guess, that's all."
As they hiked, they reached the river, where there is an old boat waiting for them. It looked like some kind of sloop boat. It was made of the Jungle Planet's most strongest, honorable, dead wood, it was rusty, and rickety, some of the sails are torn apart, but it was still afloat. Like Zircon said it was still in great condition despite the old rickety.
"Well, what do you think?" Zircon asked them, with pride for her boat. "Isn't she a beauty?"
Sapphire, Red, Paloma, and Azalea looked at the boat uncertain of it still being able to float and sail. Terra on the other hand was just being nice as usual, and complimented on Zircon's homemade boat. "That boat sure looks like one of nature's greatest creations. What do you call her?"
"I call her 'The Lunar Light'" answered Zircon, proudly. "Because water is guided by the moon." She jumped onboard the rusty ship and examined it. "Sure it's old, and rusty, and rickety, the sail has holes on it, but with a few repairs and a paint job it will be good as new." She went down in her compartment and fetch the tools. "Hey, Red you think you can give me a hand with the repairs?"
"You bet I can" said Red. This was his time to shine.
Sapphire, Terra, Azalea, and Paloma were sitting on some flat rocks, waiting while Red and Zircon repair the boat. After ten minutes they finished the repairs, the boat looks good as new. The sails were sew strong together, the wooden deck is all fixed and hammered up and ready to set sail on the river cruise.
Zircon stood by the deck and announced to everyone. "She relives! She floats! And she's ready to set sail once again!"
"Hop onboard everyone!" said Red, while setting down the ramp for them to climb aboard.
Zircon was the captain of the ship, and the one stirring the wheel. Once everyone was onboard they set a course to Sky Mountain Pyramid. "We should be smooth sailing from here!" she said while stirring the wheel. "Everyone stay in the boat at all times, I don't want you disturbing the animals with your picture taking, nor feeding them wrong food, or your documentary camera shooting or anything."
"What about drawing? Sketching? For my work, to record the images in my writing" Paloma asked desperately for Zircon to let her draw the jungle.
Zircon groaned. "Alright, but that's it."
"Thank you" Paloma thanked her.
"Relax Zirc, it's just a little art" Azi assured her. "We're the only ones going to the Malawild, no one else, besides nobody knows the location of this world. Don't be so uptight."
"I hope you're right about that."
Well she's not. For back at the Rebellion World, three ruffians we're sitting at the table drinking some dark green beer, with tons of white froth, laughing maniacally, talking about their thefts, heists, and hunting. They were brothers. The older one is named Ransom, he's the head of the group. His skin color is shadow grey, he wears a low ponytail, his hair color is cool gray, his eye color is Xanadu, his long sleeve shirt is Silver color worn over by a Gunmetal colored gilet, his trousers are Taupe color and his boots are Charcoal color.
The second brother is named Relic, he's the brains of the group, a cartographer, and puzzle solver. His skin color is Tan brown, he wears a rosy brown explorer's hat, his hair color is Manhattan, his eye color is Smokey Topaz, he wears a Khaki shirt and pants, along with burnt umber boots.
And the third, youngest brother is named Rough, he's like the tough guy of the group but he's not that smart, he's also a weapons valet carrying dangerous powerful weapons for the hunt. His skin color is olive green, his spiky messy hair color is rifle green, his eye color is beige, he wears a hunter green outfit, and a rifle green boots.
Together they are known as The Ruthless Rogues. Treasure, power hunting fouling bandits.
"We did it men!" said Ransom proudly, while lifting his beer in the air. "We loaded big!"
"With these electrical crystals we can power up the whole dwelling for decades" said Relic, while showing them the sack full of electrical crystals.
"Cheers, bros!" Rough lifted his beer for a toast.
They toasted, till they heard their contact stones ringing a bright light. "It's the boss!" said Ransom. "He wants to meet us back at the office."
"Says he has a new job for us" said Relic.
"I hope it's not something too hard, and it involves more action than riddles" Rough hoped, for he is not good with riddles at all. They finished drinking their beers and left the Rebellion World to their business lair with their boss Pollux.
Their secret business lair was in some kind of asteroid. Inside was a bit dark with only small circle windows to let some light in. Pollux sat on his desk job, waiting for them to discuss their new job.
When they arrived, Ransom asked. "So what's our next targeted area, boss?"
"Yeah, it better be something big and valuably knowledgeable, for no power is more powerful than knowledge" said Relic, who loves a good piece of wisdom.
"Eh, but not too knowledgeable that involves any riddles or math problems or anything difficult at all" added Rough, who's not a fan of quizzes.
Pollux was a tall skinny guy with a pencil mustache. His skin color is golden yellow, his eye color is light yellow, his high and tight haircut is light goldenrod, he wears a titanium green gangster outfit to look serious about his criminal work.
"I have a special job for you three" he said, while showing them the holographic map. It looked like he found something very interesting. "This morning my computer has picked up an unusual quake, not one but two" he continued. "The first one was days ago, and it glowed green on my screen. The second quake was today, this morning only this time it glowed yellow, how strangely curious?"
"And what does these strange quakes got to do with power?" asked Ransom, who doesn't see anything useful about these quakes.
Pollux explained with a calm look on his face. "I believe there are unknown forces kept hidden in our galaxy." He opened his drawer from his desk and showed them a big green leaf, which is a fancy leaf caladium shaped like a heart.
"What's with the leaf?" Rough asked in a mocking voice.
"Do not underestimate it, for it is no mere leaf but a map of a myth, found together with my oldest partner Dr. Paloma Animalia" he sounded all mysterious. The three brothers were now very interested, they listened to Pollux's history with the most brilliant ecologist in Galactica.
"You were partners with the most genius scientist in the Galaxy!?" Relic exclaimed with excitement.
"Yes, a long time ago, but that was before she became a brilliant scientist" Pollux told his backstory. "This story takes place a long time ago, before I met you, when me and Paloma were just kids. We were young, dangerously curious people always looking for answers, only she used knowledge to help others including animals, I used it for self- preservation. One day we were venturing to the south side of the galaxy, to Tropical Natulara where we visit and met a native tribe of sentient plant people. Paloma befriended one of them. The Planticals were gossiping about an ancient secret world with untold powers, they can sense it beyond their reach. Paloma's Plantical friend had already figured out its whereabouts so she drew this map."
"Where does that map lead to?" asked Ransom.
"To the Secret Planet, also known as the Jungle Planet" he grinned malicious. "There a powerful gem core called the Malawild can control all the forces of nature in the universe. With its power I will be unstoppable, I'll even use it to protect myself from Hex if he ever returns."
"But that powerful dark serpent is locked away for good" said Relic, not worried. "There's no way he'd be back, not with out enough power to free himself."
"Maybe, but just incase if he ever manages to break free" Pollux rolled the map and put it in his travel bag. "Get ready boys, for we have a long dangerous journey ahead of us to the Jungle Planet."
The Jungle Planet! Looks like Terra and her new friends have a race with some new competitors.