The ground was bone dry and cracked as sun-baked skin. The red sun contrasted with the pale, yellow sky above. There were barely any signs of life out here. Wherever this place was, Bridget knew she couldn't stay there long.

Gurenji and Midoricha looked around, trying to sense any signs of the cure around here. Gurenji was serious about finding the treatment, no matter what. Midoricha wasn’t as determined.

“Man, this place is freaky,” Midoricha started. “Also quiet, hot, and oh-so-tiring—”

“Will you shut it!?” Gurenji thundered.

“What? I’m just trying to lighten the mood...”

“Well, then do it better!”

“Ok?” Midoricha coincided.

“Ugh, we mustn’t fail, you know.”

“I do know; that’s why we’re here.”

“So you say, just don’t get in my way.” Gurenji huffed.

As he went ahead of the others, Midoricha looked at Bridget with confusion.

“What’s his problem?” He asked. Bridget could only shrug in response.

“Hey, aren’t you guys coming?” Gurenji called from a short distance ahead, “Could you be any slower?”

“Maybe he’s trying to get in good graces with the Princess?” Bridget whispered to Midoricha.

“What was that?” Gurenji overheard the last bit of their conversation.

“What? I thought that was the case, am I wrong?” Bridget asked.

“Now that’s just absurd! What made you think that?”

“Well, you seemed kind of down in the dumps before we left.”

Gurenji’s eyes widened with shock. He looked over at the floor sorrowfully before sighing.

“I just wanted her to approve of me, or even...” He murmured faintly. “I mean, I’ve been trying to make this kingdom a better place for all of us, but why doesn’t she trust me?”

“I shouldn’t say this since it’s none of my business...” Bridget said, scratching the back of her head, “But I don’t think that’s the case at all.”

“What do you mean?”

“Yeah, maybe if you mellowed out and listened to her feelings...”

“I do listen!” Gurenji exclaimed. “But me ‘mellow out’? That’s a weakness that I don’t want to have...”

“Weakness? But how can—?” Bridget started.

“They’re all scum.”

“Now, how would you know that? Do you know them personally?”

“You just love talking and asking questions, don’t you?”

“Don’t tell me you’ve tried to know or talk to someone without yelling or belittling them!” Bridget retorted.

“What, are you saying that I should change?” Gurenji questioned.

“No, I’m not.”

“Then...”

“What I’m saying is... I know not everyone in the world is friendly, and yeah, they can be scum, like you said, but that doesn’t mean you have to assume or take it out on everyone around you.

“You should give others a chance, especially those wanting to help you. Don’t you think the Princess would want that too?”

After much deliberation, Gurenji sighed once more. “You’re right. I need to learn a thing or two, after all...”

“That’s what I like to hear!” Bridget exclaimed ecstatically.

“But that doesn’t mean I need you to tell me that!”

“Yeah, yeah...” Bridget said, rolling her eyes.

.-.-.-.

Glenda appeared back at her school at last. However, noise rang through her ears; she turned a corner and found what Clause said was true! Benjamin clones roamed everywhere, spawning from the hallways to the outside of the school!

“What the devil is the meaning of this!?” She roared.

The lady turned and noticed some students fighting back. Amongst them, she called out to the one out of the dorms the other day, the girl with freckles.

“Ms. Glenda, is that you?” The freckled girl noticed and asked.

“What’s going on here?”

“To be honest, I don’t know.” She replied. “Seems like an all-out war is going on; we’re trying to fight them off the best we can, but—”

“It’s Troy.” Glenda interrupted.

“Troy?”

“When I find that boy...”

Glenda spun her nunchuck like a helicopter, briefly propelling herself into the air. She then slammed the weapon down to the ground, causing the floors to shake, getting everyone else’s attention in the process. She twirled the weapon, and a faint glow appeared around it. Once the aura around the nunchucks got big enough, Glenda chucked it at the clones like a bowling ball, making a large group of clones disappear with a single strike.

“...he will pay.” She finished her sentence.

“Wow, that was awesome.” The freckled girl said in awe.

“Guys, we have bad news!” Another student came down the stairs to call out.

“What is it?”

“Those aren’t all the clones; there's much more on the top floor, causing havoc!”

“That’s where the Principal’s office is!” Glenda shouted.

“What should we do now?” Another student asked the teacher.

“Split up, find, and take down the clones; I have to make sure nothing bad happens to the Principal!” Glenda ordered.

“Yes, ma’am!” The students replied and hurried off.

If she finds out, Glenda thought as she hurried to the school's top floor, I’ll never be able to forgive myself!