Bridget, Clause, and the two Pilkon set off to their place. Their Pilkon village comprised small and large colorful domes, with bridges that connected to each of the different domes, some lifts operated like a cable car, and a spiral staircase with signs plastered in front of them.

Bridget and the others kept walking until they reached a purple dome with a dark blue door. Once they entered the place, they went over to sit on the multi-colored changing carpet.

“Please, make yourself at home,” Midoricha said politely.

“Uh, you know that this isn’t your home, right?” Akapin stated.

The two Pilkons made their guests Cinnamon Enigma and Gooseberry snacks. Bridget took a sip from the drink and then asked Clause himself how he ended up here.

The older man explained what happened beforehand, including when he came to, he ended up on a desolate planet called Cleon B, which collided with an unknown object. The aliens looked over to Clause and displayed to him a big, blue bowl with little gray puffballs inside. A portal appeared, and Akapin and Midoricha came out of it. The two asked the aliens if they had the trading goods, and the aliens presented them with the bowl and Clause.

The Pilkons hesitated at first as they weren’t sure what to do with him, but when the two noticed his badly hurt body, they took him back to their home planet to treat his wounds and fix his broken helmet.

“Wait, your helmet broke?” Bridget asked.

“Why, yes, I don’t seem to remember why or how, though...” Clause replied. “Maybe it was after that fight with Troy, and he whisked me away to this place? I didn’t even know it happened until the Pilkons told me, no wonder I was feeling sick on that alien planet.”

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

“Now that I think about it, Troy was using some strange magic during the fight I had with him. It wasn’t anything I’d seen before. And he mentioned something about a book that was locked away...?”

“Oh no, could it be he has the spell book which allows him to use dark magic?”

“Dark magic? What’s that?”

“Something terrible, if we don’t hurry back to Streterra and put a stop to the boy...”

“Isn’t there a way to get back there from here?” Bridget asked the Pilkons. “That is possible, right?”

“Well, it is,” Akapin mentioned. “It’s called dimension-hopping.”

“We’ve done that ourselves beforehand,” Midoricha added, “But we shouldn’t do that.”

“Uh-huh."

“But everyone in my world is in danger, and I have to help them out. Please help us!” Bridget pleaded.

Clause sighed. “I already asked them beforehand, but they both said it’s dangerous, and they don’t want to risk getting into any trouble.”

“Trouble? With whom?”

Just then, the door to the dome slammed open, and a gray Pilkon with orange eyes floated to where they were, along with some larger Pilkon, who formed a straight line across the door, blocking the way out.

“A-ha, there you are!” The gray Pilkon proclaimed.

“Gurenji, what are you doing here?” Akapin questioned.

“Well, I heard you were doing some illegal things,” Gurenji replied with a superior tone.

“You mean without the Queen’s permission?” Akapin corrected him.

“Exactly! And look what we have here...” The gray Pilkon leaned over to inspect Bridget and Clause. “Not only were you two dimension-hopping, but you also brought unwanted people!”

“Yeah, and? So what?”

“You of all Pilkon should know why it's not a good idea! Are you following the footsteps of your brother now?”

“Y-you leave Aoguro out of this!”

“I believe it’s time we pay Murasakiiro a little visit.” Gurenji turned to the other larger Pilkon. “Take them away, guards!”

As the other Pilkon swarmed them, Bridget blocked their way, standing in-between the guards and her newfound friends.

“Leave them alone!” Bridget demanded.

“Bridget, what are you doing?” Akapin whispered.

“I don’t know, but I can’t just—”

“Actually,” Gurenji interrupted, “Why don’t your new friends come with us too? After all, the more, the merrier.”