Doodle Champion Island Journeys!

32. (Crusade to the Voidless)

Lucky wandered Oni Island. Which wasn't a really good idea, since it made her eyelids heavy like lead. The place was just so warm and cozy. Heck, why hadn't she realized how nice this place was? Maybe back then, the fire burning inside her had been way hotter, so she didn't need any extra heat. But now, she was chilled to the bone, and even with the warm blows caressing her skin, she felt frost in her bones still.

She sat down by the edge. The ground was nice as well, but she still felt like something was amiss. She tried thinking back on the only reason why she was here doing nothing, but again it slipped away from her mind.

She glanced to her side. An orange cat with faint tabby patterns was sleeping soundly, curled up into a ball, almost blending into the environment if not for his quiet snores reaching her eardrums. She looked at him curiously. Nothing seemed to bother him, even the rumbling of magma beneath the surface and of Oni footsteps. Mindlessly, she poked him on the side:

"...zzz...don't mind if I do..." he slurred.

"..! Oops, sorry..." Lucky flinched, but the orange cat didn't seem to listen at all. He simply slumped back into sleep.

The calico sighed and brought her knees closer to her chest, then kept staring at the boiling red below her until her arm decided that it had enough energy stocked up to do things on its own again - and by things, she unconsciously poked the male cat again. Lucky just wanted to talk, and instinctively, she would go to somebody of her own kind.

"...go away Coach... I'm too sleepy to compete..." he muttered.

"Coach? As in Coach Tsunami?" Lucky asked, but was met with a bunch of zzz's. The male cat had fallen asleep yet again.

"Hey, answer me! What did you mean by that?" she shook him.

"...zzz... ehh? Ugh, fine, I'm awake now. What do you want? Did Coach send you? That lady just wouldn't let me alone, would she? Even when I chose to stay in a place where she couldn't have reached..." he looked at her, annoyed.

"If you're talking about Coach Tsunami then no. I haven't even heard of you," Lucky shook her head, "Who are you?"

"Calvin," he groggily sat up and yawned, his eyes still half-closed, "Also known as the Chosen One. The one that will bring balance to the island. And who on earth are you? Never remember seeing a calico of ninja practice 'fore..."

"I'm Lucky! And, um..." she trailed off. It was hard to put her thought into words since she was so confused about the new piece of information she just received

"I thought I was the Chosen One..." she said quietly.

"Oh, I guess they already found a new athlete," Calvin casually shrugged it off, "I came here a while back to defeat all the Champions and gather all the scrolls, but the lava flows here on Oni Island are just so warm and cozy..." he purred, "Doesn't matter anymore, does it? They've found a replacement for me. Now I can sleep in peace..."

"Replace you?" Lucky was bewildered, "No way! Now that I'm here, it means Champion Island has two Chosen Ones to save it! Wanna team up and compete together?"

"Don't know how much you've explored yet, but this island isn't really big enough for two Chosen Ones, champ," Calvin smiled faintly, "I heard the news of course. Even those Onis can't stop talking about you. You are as good as I was, Lucky. And that's a compliment."

"Um, thanks! I guess..."

"Having a hard time?" he chuckled, "Lemme guess, Fukuro, isn't that right? And he be your final challenge?"

"That's right! How can you know?" Lucky looked surprised.

"Didn't I just tell you? You are as strong as I was," Calvin rolled his eyes, "I'll rephrase that: I am first to collect six scrolls and face Fukuro at his best. If you are here with that look on your face, then you must be the second."