Boboiboy: Elemental Tales

Together We Stand: The Fleeting Present

I spent way too much time researching bats and weasels.

***

"Ah, I see. Excellent job, Solar! You're all dismissed for the day." Admiral Tarung grinned proudly before the holographic projector shut off.

Duri nudged his twin, "And that's another mission accomplished thanks to you, Sol. Your strategies are amazing, you know that?"

"Heh, thanks," Solar grinned, just a little bit smugly, but then toned it down to a soft smile, "But it was a team effort. I especially couldn't have done it without you."

Duri's smile lost some of its brightness, "I didn't really do much, though. I just followed orders."

Solar hesitated at the unexpected turn in conversation, but not for long, "You did more than that, flower. When I missed that crucial shot at the end, you covered for me with your thorns, remember? That wasn't part of the plan."

"But that's just what we do: cover for each other when we need it..."

"I bet that if our places were switched, I wouldn't have thought of that in time. My point is that we all have our own strengths, flower; mine aren't better, they just happened to be noticed a little more today."

Duri smiled and gave his twin a quick embrace as they made their way from the conference room. 

"Thanks, Sol."

***

The yawning mouth of the cave loomed before them, its interior swallowed by darkness.

"Dey, Fang, you sure this is the right way?" Gopal asked, staring fearfully into the inky black.

"Obviously," Fang huffed, checking his tracker, "You doubting me, cook?"

"Lights on, everyone," Gempa called, ignoring them, "Looks like we're searching a burrow."

"And no fire - sorry, Blaze," Yaya added apologetically, inspecting the readout of her own device, "There are flammable gases in there."

Blaze sighed as he switched on his flashlight.

But when they'd been walking downhill for some fifteen minutes, Duri noticed something odd.

"Hey, aren't Chiromus burrows supposed to be shallower than this?"

"You're right," Ice hummed thoughtfully, "Actually, I don't think Chiromi made this."

"Yeah, it looks more like a naturally-occuring cave system," Ying inspected a small tunnel branching off to the side as they passed by, "I think the Chiromi just found and colonized it."

They continued on in relative silence for a while, observing and documenting any findings for TAPOPS' future use. And then Yaya abruptly halted, thrusting out an arm to stop the others.

Gempa looked at her in confusion, "What is it, Yaya?"

In response, Yaya pointed to the monitor she was holding, "The cavern up ahead only has 9% oxygen in the air. If we go in there, we'll pass out."

"Nine percent?" Taufan cocked his head in confusion, "Doesn't the percentage of oxygen stay the same at all altitudes?"

"I don't think it's altitude," Yaya said, "According to the readings, it's just the area in front of us with a low oxygen percentage. Other tunnels at the same depth look fine."

Halilintar frowned, "Porcupine, do we have to pass through there to get to the Power Sphera?"

"Well, it's the most straightforward route. There might be another way, but it'll probably be like finding the exit of a maze."