As the Ciertarias—or Rose, as Kuang called it—strode forward with firm and rapid steps, our heroes rested comfortably in their respective quarters. Alita was practicing her water magic style, moving her hands delicately as she attempted to control small jets of water that sprouted from her fingertips. Meanwhile, Paltio used Golden's gloves to spar against Toco-Toco, who pressed him with swift and precise attacks. Both boys took their training seriously, though they were struggling to master their abilities as quickly as they had hoped.
On his side, Ron spoke to himself and tried to communicate with his grandfather, seeking help to recover the power he had lost. However, no response came. Frustrated, he slammed his head against one of the walls. "Damn it!" he muttered under his breath, sliding down to the floor.
Mok, for his part, meticulously cleaned his rings, ensuring they were charged with enough power to execute attacks in case of an emergency. He inspected each one with precision, turning them under the light to check their glow and energy levels.
Pax, however, decided to venture out and investigate the place. Something about that professor didn't sit right with him, especially when he mentioned that mysterious "surprise." Stealthily, Pax moved through the hallways, careful to avoid detection by the cameras he had noticed in his room. He slipped past unnoticed even by the professor's robots, who seemed preoccupied with other tasks.
He arrived at what appeared to be a spiral staircase. Slowly and cautiously, he descended, taking care not to make any noise. It was several floors deep, and soon he realized that this creature was much larger than he had imagined. "This animal must be enormous," Pax thought as he continued downward. He had been circling for so long that he began to think he was lost. But then, at the end of a corridor, he heard voices and metallic clanging.
"Hand me the key and pass me that thing quickly! We have less than a day to finish!" exclaimed a familiar voice. Pax cautiously peeked around the corner and saw the professor laughing hysterically, surrounded by his robots, who were manipulating tools and technological components. Though he was far away, Pax could feel the tension in the air.
"I knew it... He's up to something," Pax thought, clenching his fists. "I need to warn those fools before it's too late."
Pax slipped away silently, melting into the shadows. Meanwhile, the professor continued issuing orders to his robots. "Yes, yes, perfect. This is coming along nicely. I can't wait to see the looks on our guests' faces," he said with a menacing smile, rubbing his hands together in anticipation.
Now, Pax faced another problem: he was lost. He wandered for minutes that turned into hours, trying to find his way back to the rooms. Every time he passed by a door, it opened automatically, leading him to yet another unfamiliar hallway or chamber. He was beginning to panic, thinking it might already be too late, until he finally stumbled upon the rooms again.
Pax knocked on Paltio's door, but no one answered. After waiting for a while, he decided to enter. Upon opening the door, he found an empty room. The same was true for the others' quarters. A pang of worry struck Pax. "Did he already capture them? What if I'm the only one left?" he wondered, his unease growing as he scanned the surroundings.
Just as Pax was about to return to his room, one of the Kbots turned its mechanical head toward him and said, "Here you are, Mr. Pax. Follow me; the others are waiting."
Without hesitation, Pax decided to follow, though he remained cautious. The robot tilted its head slightly and added, "Stay close, or you might get lost again. This place is massive—like a building with six or more floors."
"No wonder I got lost," Pax thought to himself, feeling foolish for not noticing the monitors displaying maps scattered throughout various areas.
When they arrived at their destination, Pax heard shouts and immediately unsheathed his sword, ready for action. However, before he could do anything, Alita calmly stopped him.
"Relax, it was just some spicy food," she said, gesturing toward the table laden with food. Everyone was seated, peacefully snacking.
Pax felt foolish again, but this time, he didn't show it. He simply lowered his head, hiding his expression beneath his helmet.
"Paltio, we need to talk," Pax stated seriously.
"Later, Pax," Paltio replied dismissively, but Pax insisted.
"I think something bad is going on," Pax declared, looking directly at him.
"What's wrong, Pax? You seem upset," Paltio responded, furrowing his brow.
"While investigating, I overheard the professor saying he had a big surprise for us... But he said it with a very sinister laugh. Something's happening, and we need to be prepared before falling into any traps," Pax explained urgently.
"Calm down, don't be paranoid," Paltio interjected, crossing his arms. "If there were problems, I'd tell you. Remember, Golden would warn us."
"Oh really? Like when we had trouble with Troba? Don't you remember that he did nothing?" Pax shot back, raising his voice.
"Alright, fair point," Golden admitted from within Paltio's seed. "Fine, what do you suggest?"
Before they could continue the discussion, Professor Kuang entered the room with an ear-to-ear grin that looked downright sinister. His dark glasses resembled visors, giving him an even more unsettling aura.
"I think it's too late," Pax muttered as he drew his sword and lunged toward the professor, determined to strike. However, the professor clapped his hands three times, and immediately, several robots seized Pax, pinning him to the ground.
The others were stunned by the sudden action. The professor, attempting to maintain a calm demeanor, offered an apology.
"I'm very sorry, but I had to act. I saw my life was in danger," he said in a composed tone.
"Yes, of course!" Pax exclaimed from the floor, struggling to free himself. "And what about the thing you were building down there? Don't tell me those noises and that demonic laugh were just part of your 'surprise.'"
The professor let out a nervous chuckle and adjusted his glasses.
"Ah! So you've been snooping around the place. What bad luck—I wanted to give you all a tour of my Rose. But I see you beat me to it, young man," he said with a forced smile. "I hope you didn't see the surprise, because you'd have ruined the excitement I was planning for when you saw it."
"But I see there's no other option. I thought I'd keep it as a surprise, but since someone in your group is in such a hurry," Professor Kuang said, glancing at Pax with a faint ironic smile, "I have no choice but to show it to you now."
The robots lifted Pax off the ground, gripping him firmly by the arms with their mechanical limbs to prevent any sudden moves against the professor. Beneath them, a platform slowly emerged, lowering everyone several levels into an unfamiliar area.
Paltio and his friends stood frozen, unsure what to do: save Pax or confront the professor, who until now had been kind to them? The tension in the air was palpable.
When the platform came to a stop, the professor pressed a nearby button, revealing something covered by a white sheet in the center of the room.
"Well, here's my surprise," the professor announced, spreading his hands dramatically. Then, calmly adding, "Relax, I'm not going to do anything to you, nor will I allow any of you to do anything to me." With a quick gesture, he signaled his robots to activate lasers in their hands, pointing directly at the group.
The professor carefully pulled back the sheet, unveiling a brand-new carriage, fully equipped with the horses that had escaped earlier.
"This is my big surprise, kids? Did you really think I'd set a trap and finish you all off?" the professor asked, his tone laced with a mix of disbelief and amusement.
"Well, truthfully, Professor," Mok began, nervously scratching his head, "given everything that's happened lately, for a moment we believed what Pax said. We're sorry for the trouble."
Paltio, Alita, and Ron quickly nodded in agreement, joining in the apologies and thanking the professor for his generosity in building the carriage. The scientist accepted their apologies with a magnanimous wave and ordered his robots to deactivate their protective mode, replacing their lasers with regular hands.
"But then, what was with your evil laugh?" Pax asked, still restrained, frustration evident in his voice.
The professor chuckled softly before responding: "Well, young man, I laugh like that when I get excited. It's a nervous tic I have."
Once again, everyone apologized, including Pax, who lowered his head in embarrassment. Though his face was hidden beneath his helmet, the heat of his blush was evident even to him.
With the misunderstanding cleared up, the professor continued explaining the features of the carriage.
"So, what's new about this carriage?" Ron asked, genuinely intrigued.
"Well!" Kuang responded enthusiastically, stepping closer to Ron while gesturing animatedly. "I've added several technological upgrades, though I have little time to perfect them. For instance..."
The professor continued speaking for several minutes, listing technical details until he finally interrupted himself: "Ah, well, perhaps this is too confusing. Here's the manual." He pulled out a thick book and handed it to Mok.
"You see, young sirs. 'Never judge a book by its cover,'" Mok remarked aloud, glancing pointedly at Pax. Everyone caught the implicit message, and Pax lowered his head again, feeling even more uncomfortable.
Finally, after resolving the incident, Rose came to a stop, and Professor Kuang announced: "We've arrived at the outskirts of Bacadolia. This is where I leave you. You must continue on your own from here."
"Wow! A whole day has already passed," Alita exclaimed, surprised. Paltio nodded in agreement as he checked his watch, which now read Day 10.
Paltio approached the professor, sincerely thanking him for his help and apologizing once more for the misunderstanding. "It wasn't your fault or your friends'," the professor assured them with a kind smile. "It was just Pax and his... hasty assumptions."
Despite the gentle jest, the atmosphere between them remained cordial. Everyone climbed into the carriage, and a platform located in the center of Rose's "stomach" gently lowered them to the ground outside. From there, the creature appeared even more imposing: its massive legs were awe-inspiring, and its hybrid body combined organic and technological elements impressively within, though externally it resembled an ordinary, albeit enormous, animal.
Ready to continue their journey, the group turned back to say goodbye. Professor Kuang remained at a distance, watching them depart with a serene expression on his face. Though he seemed calm, there was a flicker of nostalgia in his eyes, as if he knew they might never meet again. Without saying another word, Kuang raised a hand in farewell, while Rose emitted a slight tremor, almost as if bidding them goodbye as well.
Before Paltio and his friends departed, the professor let out a soft laugh and handed them a small device resembling a radio. "Tune this particular station," he instructed, showing them how to set it up.
"I thought you were going to give us conch shells like the others?" Ron commented curiously, examining the device with interest.
The professor smiled before responding: "If you have those conch shells, you can place them in one of these free stations to communicate more easily with the others. It's a much more practical solution."
Once again, everyone thanked the professor. The idea of using a radio instead of carrying a bunch of conch shells in their bags seemed not only brilliant but also extremely useful.
The professor left them with a few final words: "Use my new carriage model wisely. You'll see that it will be very useful... It's a shame we don't have much time to teach you how to use it fully."
Without further ado, the team climbed into the carriage and began their journey. Silence reigned among them, especially since Pax remained quiet, still embarrassed by having "put his foot in it" with his unfounded suspicions.
The group slowly moved away, carrying with them not only the new carriage and the radio, but also the gratitude and sage advice of the peculiar scientist.
In the distance, civilization came into view: the majestic Bacadolia, its towers and buildings standing tall against the horizon. The promise of new adventures—and new challenges—awaited them there.