(Part 7)

"Coconuts…? Wild black raspberries…? A black fat rabbit… and poisonous mushrooms…?" Xavier read all of a sudden, dazed himself.

"What the hell is this?" Kenzo asked Nidou.

"Cross the mountain, go left right or in the middle of the night. Underground or beyond river, valleys or springs. Find these items and bring them back tomorrow." Nidou ordered.

"Oh my god…" Ezekiel fainted over Poseidon who caught him wide mouthed while Cassiel stared in disbelief.

"And, anything else? Who knows you would even ask us to bring the whole mountain under your feet" Alan assumed ironically.

Feng, Helios, Gabriel and Kenzo chortled, "Pfft…!"

"Bug off already. And, don't be late tomorrow." Nidou shooed them away.

The thirteen of them bemused headed back. Xavier studying the list informed, "There are 17 items enlisted in total along with the amount."

Feng removing tree branches aside his face asked, "And what are they?"

Poseidon read beside Xavier, "Coconuts, wild black raspberries, A black fat rabbit, poisonous mushrooms, A bottle of river water, wild roses, Alpine forget-me-nots, Thyme leaves, Mint leaves, branches of pine trees, quartz stones, A wood pecker, mud from a swamp, poison ivy, common carp fish, A bee hive…"

"Is he crazy?" Kenzo interrupted bewilderingly unamused.

"You bet he is. He is carving for a beating." Alan concurred.

"And live falling snow… " Poseidon ended. 

"I'll shove it all inside his mouth." Helios uttered grave.

"Correct me if I am wrong though but what does he want with a bee hive and mud from a swamp? Moreover, from where the hell are we supposed to get live falling snow?!" Cassiel questioned senseless.

"He'll wipe it all on his face." Ezekiel uttered shameless.

"But, the bigger question is… how do we find it?" Ryan asked.

The thirteen of them including Alan looking at each other sighed. Not a sigh of fatigue nor disbelief, it was a complete sigh of impossibility. "Now that I realize, are you coming with us today, Alan?" Adam walked beside him.

Alan nodded, "Yeah, since you all won't be sleeping tonight. All thanks to this task. I thought I might help you all out a bit." "After all, catching a bee hive and common carps won't be possible without me, right?" he bragged grinning. Gabriel and Kenzo rolling their eyes looked away while the rest chuckled.

The thirteen of them taking a deep breath settled down.

"Here you go." Xavier handed a water bottle to Gabriel.

Alan grasping the sight of the waterfall walked over.

"Where are you heading now, Alan?" Cassiel asked.

Studying the list in his hands Alan pointed, "Maybe we can find common carps at the waterfall if we search carefully."

"Hm, you're right. Those fish are easier to find there. Let's check it out." Poseidon agreed.

"Yeah! Me too! Me too!" Adam urged raising his arm.

"I want to go as well!" Azazel added.

"Me too." Ryan and Feng entered.

Seraph looking at Kenzo cautioned, "You can go but be careful. Waterfalls are harsh and hold a lot of pressure. A single mistake and you could drown away with it."

"Don't worry, we'll be fine." Heber assured. Alan alongside the rest of them made their way towards the waterfall.

"Then, shall we go and look for rest of the things which are easier to get our hands on?" Xavier inquired.

"Yeah, we better do that. Who knows how much time it could take us." Kenzo stood up, "Cassiel, pack all of our belongings together with Ezekiel. We have to take all our stuff as well tomorrow."

"The rest of us will head near the woods beside the waterfall. I bet we'll find Alpine forget-me-nots, Thyme leaves, mint leaves, branches of pine tree, quartz stones and poison ivy from there. Everything related to plants precisely must be there." Helios stated.

"Let's get moving then, we don't have time to waste." Gabriel advised. "Yeah, let's go." Seraph followed with the others. 

___

"So… do we have to dive? And… catch those carps?" Feng shuddered hiding behind Alan. "Yup! That's the case here…" Alan replied.

Adam putting a single finger inside the water jumped up and back down again. "WAH!! Cold! It's very cold!" he quivered grabbing Ryan's shoulder.

"Now, now, we don't have a choice or do we? Let's just jump in taking a deep breath." Heber showed his thumps up.

"Yeah, you do it first." Azazel stood behind him. Gulping inaudibly he instantly pushed him inside. SPLASH!! Came in a loud noise as the rest of them stared with their eyes popped out.

"OH MY GOSH!! AKGHFGLOMPWES!!" Heber freaked gasping for air and wiping his face coming out of the water.

"Pft! Haha!! Haha!!" Ezekiel, Heber and Alan laughed crouching on the riverside.

"How is that?" Ryan asked amused.

"Cold as hell! Pull me out already!" Heber shrieked. 

However, at that instant a little fish popped out of the water and dived inside again. "Hey, I think we can find them this way. I'll catch them while you store them up." Heber recommended trying to catch one as it escaped.

Adam amused looked at Alan and Poseidon. Stars twinkled in their eyes. And a little while later… SPLASH!! The three of them too went inside catching fish right and left.

"Grab it! Grab it! Grab it!" Azazel cheered as the fish jumped over Adam's head running away.

"Drat!" Adam clicked his tongue annoyed while Alan laughed.

"Haha! I caught one!" Alan passed the fish over to Azazel who stored in the same basket they bought filled with materials before.

"Me too!" Poseidon pushed his hairs away delighted. 

___

"We have collected all these. Now… the only ones left are a woodpecker, a big fat rabbit and a bee hive." Gabriel summed up.

Hearing the word big black fat rabbit Kenzo sneered, "I think one of them is already ticked."

"Don't even think about it." Seraph warned in disbelief.

"That rabbit is already Alan's and he is attached to Xavier and Poseidon too. So forget about it in every way." Helios added serious.

Kenzo clicked his tongue disappointed.

"Here you go this poisonous ivy was the last one. Though, it was hard to find in the dark. I successfully found it." Xavier showed the ivy.

Kenzo hearing the word 'Poisonous' grabbed his wrist. "Quit grabbing it so carelessly you idiot! Do you want to die?" he squealed anxious.

Xavier blinking his eyes looked at Helios who chuckled, "Pfft! Haha, he is already wearing transparent gloves. No need to freak out. Don't tell me I'll send him on a goose chase just like that."

Kenzo nervous left his wrist. Slightly embarrassed he kept his hand on his mouth stuttering, "Go-od…?"

Seraph chuckled, "Haha… no need to hide your worry every time your highness. It's alright." "Who the hell is worried hun? Stop fantasizing!" Kenzo blurted heading back. The four of them chuckled amused. 

The night getting dark and deep. Kenzo came out with the rest, to find the young ones having fun by the waterfall.

"Captain!! We collected a basket full of fish! And even a bottle of river water!" Azazel gleamed. Helios smiled at Poseidon and Ezekiel who played alongside Heber and Ryan.

"Come on inside Vice-captain! This is so much fun!" Feng waved at Xavier. Xavier crouching before the riverside ruffled Ryan's hairs.

The rabbit quivering went over to Xavier. Grabbing it in his arms he dried his fur up. Alan coming out of the river twisted his hairs drying them. "All wet…" he thought shaking his head right and left.

Helios sat beside him. "Had fun?" he asked caringly.

Alan nodded, "Yeah, much more fun than spending the night with that old hag. Tch, always making things hard for me…" he criticized. "What about you all?" he realized looking back at Helios. 

"We found everything except of a black fat rabbit, a beehive, a wood pecker, wild roses and Alpine forget-me-nots and live falling snow. Else then, the entire list is checked." Helios passed the list to him.

"Keep it with you. I might ruin it." Alan said.

Soon, Cassiel and Ezekiel came back. "We're done to too." Cassiel waved. "Good job." Seraph praised as they high fived.

Alan observing the boys one by one smiled. Seeing them having fun and enjoying themselves despite the circumstances they were in he wondered, "I am glad they are all healthy and as strong as they can be… God, let them stay like this forever alongside the high schoolers. Make sure to take a lot of care of them and never let them go astray all along their entire journey." he prayed sincerely. "I wish you luck and success form the bottom of my heart." he whispered lovingly. 

Kenzo soaking his feet beside Gabriel sighed. "Where can we even find a bee hive…?" he murmured brooding.

"Long and narrow trees or caves." Gabriel replied, "Or mostly places where there are plenty of flowers."

"We are already in a place like this." Xavier interrupted sitting beside him on the other side. The little rabbit snuggling deep he shivered lightly inside his arms.

Kenzo taking the recorder out plugged the ear plugs in. Up to his surprise, Alan pulled it out from one of his ears sitting beside him. Helios chuckled.

"Tch, taking other people's belongings and not even returning them back. Did you know how much loss I suffered? I couldn't even record the lyrics I thought. It's all messed up." Alan complained. 

Kenzo rolling his eyes looked at Azazel who played in the water before him. "I suggest we should check it out on the other side over large trees. We might find forget me not's and wild roses too…" Helios yawned.

Poseidon eyeing him came out of the water. "Tired?" he asked gently sitting beside him as Helios rubbed his eyes. "A little bit. Did you have fun?" he asked instead.

"Yeah!" Poseidon gleamed delighted.

"Come on out all of you, don't catch a cold now. The water's chilly." Cassiel cautioned.

The fourteen of them getting up, looked around for the left over materials too as the next day took over.