Leaning back on her hands, Elizabeth muses, "God, I've missed being on this soft cloud." Her rich, dark skin contrasts vibrantly against the golden-yellow cloud, gently floating through the air of the rainforest.

"Clear skies, a picnic, and nature. A recipe to enjoy a good book," Julie responds, lying down with her book, her auburn hair catching the soft light of the rainforest.

Wukong sets up the chessboard, his striking red eyes meeting Elizabeth's. "I understand why Julie is taking it easy, but aren't you supposed to be catching a monster here, Liz?" He continues arranging the pieces on the board.

Elizabeth sighs, rolling her eyes. "I don't see why I can't do both. Plus, the forest is quiet, so it should be close by," she says, plucking some grapes.

"And since when did you become serious about work?" Julie teases, rummaging through her pocket for a highlighter.

Elizabeth sits upright, crossing her legs and adjusting her skirt. "True, you're always up for free time and monkeying around," she jests, a playful glint in her eyes.

Wukong shrugs, his earthy-toned armor shifting with the movement. "I'm the Monkey King. Part of my job is monkeying around," he replies with a smile, then points at Elizabeth. "And like you said, why can't I do both?"

"Touche," Elizabeth and Julie say in unison. An odd trio traveling together.

“That aside, let's play, Elizabeth. The board is set," Wukong gestures to the chessboard, a competitive spark in his eyes.

Elizabeth scooches closer to the board, her bubble box braids cascading over her shoulders. "Blindfold or no blindfold?" she asks, her cheeky smile revealing her excitement as she rests her chin on her hand. The sleeve of her cardigan falls, revealing her gold bangle decorated with purple gems.

"Blindfold, and you're white, by the way," Wukong responds. "Also, if I win, you'll convince Maria to go out with me."

Not like she needs much convincing, Elizabeth thinks to herself.

"And what's in it for me?" she inquires, intrigued.

"The dragon's mane you're looking for. I have it," Wukong replies, his tone serious.

Elizabeth pauses, pondering the offer. Her hand squeezes a bubble of her braids thoughtfully.

Hmm. I can't believe he still hasn't asked her out. So much for the great Monkey King.

"Make up your mind, woman," Wukong presses, his armor clinking softly with impatience.

Elizabeth counters, "Make it a great serpent skin, and I'll throw in some good words and info you'll need."

Wukong looks at Elizabeth, a hint of suspicion in his gaze. "Come on, I've never cheated you out of a deal before," she says, extending her hand.

"That's because he's never won a game of chess or anything against you," Julie announces, slightly rolling up the sleeves of her long shirt.

"That sounds like a him problem, not mine," Elizabeth retorts with a smirk.

Wukong shakes her hand in agreement. "Deal," he says firmly.

Elizabeth hands Wukong the blindfold while she ties hers. "Done," she says.

"Done as well," Wukong replies with a short giggle.

"Julie, check if Wukong is cheating," Elizabeth calls out, her tone lighthearted but teasing.

"What? I would never," Wukong protests, feigning offense.

Without even looking in their direction, Julie replies, "He's not cheating. And you know that, Liz."

"I told you so," Wukong whispers to Elizabeth with a smug look.

Elizabeth pouts, whispering to herself, "You didn't even look our way."

"And set, game. Start," Julie announces.

Elizabeth announces, "Pawn to e4." The pawn slides itself to the said square. Wukong counters with "Pawn to e5." Knight to f3 and f6 is played respectively followed by the bishops to c4 and c5. All standard moves at the moment.

The game's pace finally slows, and Elizabeth pauses, contemplating her next move for the first time.

"Hey, Liz, sorry to bother you," Julie interjects, her voice curious.

"No problem, what's up?" Elizabeth responds, her attention momentarily splitting between the conversation and the game.

"What exactly does the monster you're searching for look like?" Julie inquires, hand propped under her chin in thought.

"According to the file, it's supposed to be Deviant 105, a four-legged creature with a green back resembling grass. It escaped from kinsfort prison and I have to get him back."

Her focus shifts back to the game as she finally plays pawn to b4, attacking black's bishop.

"As I was saying, it should—" Elizabeth is cut off by Julie's next question.

"Does it look like a massive lizard with two red horns?"

"Yes!" Elizabeth exclaims. "Oh wait, you can see it, right?"

"Yup," Julie responds calmly.

"Wukong, do something!" Julie and Elizabeth exclaim in unison.

"What, why me?" a startled Wukong retorts.

The lizard-like monster, having noticed their noise, starts dashing through the rainforest. Elizabeth quickly takes charge, "Quick, Wukong, chase it! I'll keep the board and us steady."

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While airy red particles emanate from her, enveloping the golden-yellow cloud, the chessboard, its pieces, Julie, and Wukong. The cloud picks up speed, weaving through trees and vines as they pursue the creature.

Meanwhile, the chess game continues with Wukong capturing on b4. Pawn to c3 is quickly played, attacking the bishop, and the bishop retreats to d6. White wastes no time with pawn to d4, striking at the center of the board.

Wukong takes his time before developing his knight to f6. Elizabeth jumps her knight to g5 just as they catch up with the monster, moving side by side. The creature twists its head to face them.

"Julie," Elizabeth calls out calmly.

Julie, looking up from her novel, sees the monster's wide-open mouth, a blue tint glowing from within.

Lightning? Funny enough, the girl I'm meeting later today also uses lightning.

Picking up a butter knife, Julie simply sighs and swiftly swats the lightning bolt into the sky. The ensuing rumbling sound of thunder echoes all around as they continue their pursuit.

Slightly pulling up her trouser, Julie says, "Wukong, your turn. It's heading towards the town," and returns to her book.

Wukong, grumbling, plucks strands of his white hair and tosses them away. With a puff of smoke, each strand transforms into a clone of Wukong, all sprinting past the cloud to catch up with the monster.

Back in the game, both sides castle their kings to safety. Wukong then plays pawn to h6, attacking the knight on g5. After some thought, Elizabeth plays pawn to f4, ignoring the threat on her knight. Wukong, caught off guard, takes his time to think of his next move.

"Wukong, you're taking too long. Just play," Elizabeth urges, her patience wearing thin.

"Don't rush me, woman," Wukong retorts before capturing the knight on g5.

Meanwhile, in the town, panic and disorientation reign as people scream and run around like ants in a disrupted colony. The clones navigate this chaos with ease, working together flawlessly. They sweep up townsfolk in the monster's path and redirect it whenever it veers towards a building. Occasionally, a clone grounds a lightning bolt with its staff.

With the chess game intensifying, their attention is suddenly diverted by the monster's rapid approach towards the town. Reacting swiftly, Wukong's clones skillfully open the town gate, allowing the rampaging beast to pass through safely. Coordinating their efforts, they launch it over the town walls, Ensuring little to no damage is done to the town.

Trailing behind the chaos, the game continues with white recapturing a pawn on g5, attacking the knight. The black knight captures the pawn on e4, allowing white to play queen to h5. Black holds his position with queen to e7, but it's met with pawn to g6. In a last-ditch effort to defend, Wukong moves the knight back to f6. He has both hands on his head while Elizabeth fiddles with her bracelet.

Outside the town, the monster unleashes bolts of lightning and fire on the clones. However, the clones dodge its frantic assaults. When it tries to claw through a clone, the clone parries the attack with his staff while another one strikes the monster's head, sending it flying across the forest. A heavy thud resonates through the forest as it collides with a tree.

Wasting no time, the clones begin weaving vines around the creature, effectively restraining it.

As the cloud arrives at the scene, Elizabeth sacrifices the rook on f6.

"Queen takes on f6," Wukong says, with a heavy voice.

Amidst the tension, the monster shouts, "I won't let you take me back to that prison!"

“Wow, it talks," Julie remarks, surprised.

"And queen to h7, checkmate!" Elizabeth exclaims, standing with her arms outstretched in triumph.

The monster threatens, "I'll burn you all," as its body begins to glow intensely, melting the ground beneath it and setting the surrounding vines and trees ablaze.

"And when did it get so hot?" Elizabeth wonders aloud, feeling the heat radiating from the monster. Wukong, in dismay, removes his blindfold, asking, "Where did I make a mistake?"

"I don't know, but let's analyze the game later," Elizabeth suggests, urgency in her voice.

"Ahem," Julie coughs, hinting at the immediate danger. Elizabeth removes her blindfold and sees the monster emanating an enormous amount of heat.

"Oh, that's right. Thanks for reminding me," Elizabeth acknowledges Julie's prompt.

Elizabeth confronts the monster.

"Stay away from me!" It screams out at Elizabeth. The heat coming from its body. Melting the ground around it and lighting the trees and bushes up in flames within its vicinity.

Elizabeth gives a heavy sigh while twirling her finger in the air. In an instant a dome made of the airy red light encases the surrounding area.

"So you've decided to burn alone with me. Pitiful " the monster says.

Standing unbothered in the raging inferno she asks. "Do I look like I'm burning? "

The monster notices that neither the heat nor flames are affecting her. While its own body has started to break down from its own powers.

The monster immediately attempts to claw through its own head, but Elizabeth's red, airy aura holds the creature in place.

"Argh!" it shouts, shooting a bolt of lightning toward her, which she blocks effortlessly.

"I'm not going to let you kill yourself and revive in your compost pit," she comments.

Its eyes widen. "How do you know about that?" it asks, its voice tinged with fear.

"It a while but I can finally see it," Elizabeth asserts.

"What?" the monster questions as the airy red light forms a puddle, showing images of numerous people in a ditch, most alive but clearly decaying.

"I can even put on audio," she offers.

With a snap of her fingers, the sound of screams and agony fills the air.

"Please, someone. Make it end, make it end," a groaning voice cries out.

Elizabeth cuts off the audio. "A disgusting ability. One that took Danny and I a while to figure out."

"I'll burn us all," the monster threatens growing desperate. It begins to glow brighter.

Elizabeth immediately claps, and blue airy particles begin to escapes from the monster, the compost, and the surrounding area.

By the end of it all the surrounding flame had been quenched and the monsters body no longer burns. While all the particles converge into a blue ball in her palm.

Elizabeth sighs. "You can have this one." She throws the ball into the air, where it shatters into glistening blue dust. The dust changes to an ashen grey color, forming the words "thank you."

Staring into the air, "Don't mention it." She says

"Just end me already," the monster says, its voice filled with exhaustion.

"Sorry, Ravag, I can't do that. My employer wants you alive," Elizabeth responds, signaling to Wukong and Julie to come down.

"How do you know my name?" Ravag asks, surprised.

I guess he doesn't remember me. Well, I have changed a lot since then.

"Let's just say we've met before," she tells Ravag, her thoughts wandering as Wukong and Julie join her.

"Since when could you talk to ketsu?" Wukong questions.

"Since Kwame started putting me through practice drills," she replies.

"I'm surprised it listens to you," Wukong says, impressed.

"Trust me, I am as well," Elizabeth admits.

"So, are we done here?" Julie asks.

"Yes, we are," Elizabeth confirms.

"Great. There's a river on the other side of the rainforest I want to see," Julie says, a hint of excitement in her voice.

"Sorry, Julie, next time. I have somewhere I need to be after this," Elizabeth says, sounding apologetic.

Wukong teases, "You of all people have somewhere you need to be?"

Elizabeth draws a circle in the air with her finger, creating a portal. "Yes. I'm conducting the squad test for squad 97."

Wukong bursts out laughing. "Wait, so some unfortunate kids chose your squad as the one to go to?"

"Yes," she replies, unamused.

Wukong holds his stomach, laughing again.

Elizabeth shakes her head and sighs audibly. "Wait, you're serious?" he asks.

Elizabeth rolls her eyes. "I'm serious."

Wukong bursts into another fit of laughter, leaning on the shorter Julie for support. "She's actually serious—"

"Ouch," Julie hits him in the stomach, silencing him.

"Unlike this baboon here, I'm actually happy you're taking your life seriously," Julie says, sincerity in her voice.

Elizabeth replies awkwardly, "Thanks. Even though I feel shaded in that compliment."

"I hope those kids pass. Mentor Liz is something I definitely want to see," Wukong says, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes.

Elizabeth forms a cage for Ravag with her red aura. "Sure, you can come by and see how good I am when you pay up," she says, smirking.

Wukong clears his throat. "Oh right. I lost."

Meanwhile, Julie goes in for a hug with Elizabeth. "Jokes aside, good luck. You'll make a wonderful mentor," she says.

Elizabeth takes the first step into her portal. "Thanks. Just give me a heads up before you come by."

"We'll try," Wukong and Julie reply in unison.

On the other side of the portal, a man in a military uniform sits outside a tent, visible in the distance.

"The desert? He couldn't pick a better place to keep them?" Elizabeth shades her eyes with her hand.

"The gravity boy," Ravag comments, interrupting her thoughts.

"At least you remember him. Welcome home. Missed it?" She waves at the military officer.

"The crisp air of Plict, yes. My cell, not so much," Ravag replies, voice heavy with sarcasm.

Getting closer, Elizabeth yells, "Daniel, why did you pick such a hot place?"

"Excuse you, it's General Daniel," he corrects her. "And the plan changed."

"Meh, same thing," she shrugs.

"You literally work for me. Give me some respect," he argues.

"I'm a part-timer. And, in reality, I outrank you, little kid," she says, patting his head.

Daniel taps her hand away. "You still treat me like a child," he says, annoyed.

"When you're as old as me or our guest here, most people are kids to you. Isn't that right, Ravag?" She taps his cage.

"You're actually older than me," Ravag says.

"Really? You can tell?" Elizabeth asks, looking at Ravag.

"I can see the rate of decay of your bodies. You're quite old," Ravag explains.

"Wow, nice trick. How long do you think I have left?" Elizabeth asks.

"Annoyingly long," Ravag replies.

"What about Danny?" Elizabeth asks.

"I'd rather not know," Daniel cuts Ravag short. "We've fought a few times, and you've never used any abilities related to decay. Why?" Daniel asks.

"You wouldn't understand," Ravag says.

A long pause fills the moment until Elizabeth says, "Noted."

"Aren't you curious?" Daniel asks.

"Do you have any experience in being turned into a monster?" Elizabeth asks.

Daniel sighs. "Well, you have a point there."

"Hope he didn't cause too much trouble before you found him," he says, walking up to Ravag.

"Found him before he did anything," Elizabeth says.

"Don't worry, Ravag, you're not going to the same prison as the last one," she says. "This one is a lot better and is under Danny's supervision," she says, pointing her thumb to him. "He'll take good care of you."

"Am I supposed to be grateful for going to prison?" Ravag asks.

"Erm," Elizabeth is a bit taken aback.

Daniel giggles. "Well, he's got you there. You have to admit," he says as he fills in a form on a screen that appears on his left arm. "But take her word for it, Elizabeth was also a prisoner at the prison you were experimented in. This is nothing like that. Here, we're going to find you a cure," Daniel says.

"Why were you in that hellhole?" he asks.

Elizabeth walks up to Ravag. "Like you, I got angry, broke a few things, got caught, and you can guess the rest."

"You two surprisingly have a lot in common. Even down to the same pair of yellow eyes. You want her to come visit you?" Daniel asks.

Ravag scoffs.

"Okay then," Daniel says. "We'll take it from here, Elizabeth. Thanks for the clean job."

"No problem," she replies walking away.

Now to go pick up those kids. Traveling to the underworld is going to be a bit stressful, so I'll go there last. I should probably start with Inara since she's on Plict, Elizabeth ponders, rubbing her chin.

"Oh, and go easy on those kids for my sake. Good luck being a mentor," Daniel yells while waving his arm.

"I can't promise that," she replies, without looking back, waving her hand in acknowledgment of what he said and opens a portal. The other side of the portal shows what looks like a hospital building.