The Next Day
Minty did not return, meaning that everyone had slept outside that night. There was a worn-down fire near the group, they didn't completely need it as their bodies could regulate more heat for them with their unique abilities, but it felt more comfortable to have it there.
Minty arrived around the break of Dawn and came bearing news for everyone, she started by waking up the group and announcing to them what was going to happen next.
"Good morning everyone, I hope you had a good night's rest!" she said in a loud enthusiastic voice as she stood by a tree in the center of them all. The kids woke up first to the sound of her voice while the misfit trio was still sleeping.
She looked at them and went up to wake them up physically, but she was being much gentler with them now.
"Huh, is that Minty?" Edith asked rubbing her eyes.
"With how hungry you are, it might just be your imagination," Cyrus said waking up next to her. She pushed him back down quickly after.
"Minty?" Vito asked as he got up.
"Where did you go off to? Come to make sure we didn't die?" Dawn asked sarcastically. Terra patted his back gently to comfort him.
They were all somewhat annoyed that Minty had left that night and never returned, leaving them to have to sleep outside. But knowing the way she thinks they are invincible, they are not surprised by this action. It was more surprising to them that she came back at all and this quickly as well.
"I know I am late, I apologize for that, it was not in my schedule to leave you all out here, but it was suggested to me by Alex that it would be a good experience for you all to have. Experiencing what it's like to sleep outside without a tent. Terra," She said as she looked at him and then back to the main group.
Hearing his name get singled out made Terra feel like this was more of a punishment than an experience being given to him.
"Nevertheless I have some news for you, about these culprits we have here," she said as she brought her gaze upon the trio who had been staring at her hopefully. "Alex has agreed to let them go, we will provide for them a way to leave the country and a small paycheck that will suffice for them long enough to gain some employment if not start their own business."
The three culprits had tears in their eyes, these were tears of joy that went down their cheeks as an immense sense of gratitude filled their hearts.
"Thank you! Thank you all so much!!" They were crying and thanking them despite not fully believing this to be real, but it was nice for them to imagine it happening.
Terra was filled with a sense of relief looking at them and he was smiling to himself thinking about this. Vito was also looking at him as he wondered, 'I wonder if I can also see the good in people like he does. Maybe one day. Maybe one day.' he said in his mind.
"That's great and all," Edith said with a smile, "And now, what about us? We have been waiting, cold and hungry for an entire night!" she exclaimed with Dawn standing next to her taking her side.
"Yes, as for you all, a warm bath has been prepared for you all individually as well as a change of new clothes, and once that is taken care of you shall return here where I will have had a surprise prepared for you," Minty said.
Minty took the kids a little bit away from the misfit trio and opened a portal for them to walk into, she then went back to the culprits who were discussing between themselves what warm bath they were talking about.
They didn't see a house nearby or a means of transportation and yet these people were coming and going as they pleased somehow.
When Minty returned she looked at the three and said to them, "Sorry, but I don't need you to see this," as she knocked them out.
With that done she set up the surprise.
When the group got back they were wearing smiles on their faces as they were pleased to have taken a bath and rested for a little bit on their beds. They were almost saddened by the fact they would have to return back to the forest.
Reaching the spot where the culprits were still left tied up they were surprised to see that preparation for a barbeque had been made. A griller, spatula, tongs, heat-resistant gloves, plates and dishes, aprons, and as for firewood they would be using the dead tree wood that was lying around in the woods.
Seeing the firewood to be used had Terra feeling conflicted that they would be burning the very same thing that he was trying so hard to save yesterday.
Minty walked up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder, "Don't talk it to heart too much, these parts of the trees are already dead and cannot grow anymore. They would only suffocate the other trees here and attract insects of different kinds to destroy them."
"At least using them like this, we can turn their ash into fertilizer for the tree saplings over there that we will plant to take their place. It can also be used to ward off pests giving the saplings a layer of protection for a while."
"But if it is truly uncomfortable for you I can always change it-"
"No, it's fine," Terra said. "We can use them, you are right on that." He knew she was trying to comfort him about this and it made him feel relieved that she wasn't heartless about his feelings but he had already made up his mind not to ruin the mood that was in the atmosphere right now. And she had a point, they would be put to use to help the next generation of trees.
"Alright, with that settled," Minty said, "Who wants to prepare the barbeque?" Minty asked.
"I will!" Vito and Edith both said around the same time.
They both looked at each other and Edith smiled, "Vito? What are you doing?"
"I am offering to barbeque the steak for us, and what of you?" he asked.
"I am going to barbeque said steak," she replied.
Terra, Dawn, and Cyrus were watching in the back and Cyrus whispered, "Drama~"
Boone who was tied up said, "If you don't mind, I make a mean-tasting stea-"
"Quiet!" Vito and Edith yelled at him as they shunned him.
"That reminds me," Minty said as she went to the trio and untied them, "You guys don't have to be tied up anymore. Let me prepare a bath and some extra clothes for you as well, I assume you are uncomfortable in those."
The trio were surprised, they were being treated humanely, it was just yesterday that they were being beaten up by a kid, and now they were being given a bit of respect.
"Alright, after you three have changed yourselves, you can eat with us as well," Minty added.
"Oh really?" the girl said as she got up close to her.
"Y-yes," Minty replied a little stuttered by the sudden lack of personal space being displayed. "After we are done here I will personally take you to the airport for you to leave, as well as provide you with new luggage to carry."
The trio were happy and jumping with joy except for one of them who was pained to know that he would have to leave behind the family portraits that they had at home. This person was Beau.
"What about the things we left behind?" Beau asked.
"I apologize that we can not retrieve them for you know, it is far too dangerous. We too are surveilling your house and are waiting for the people who hired you to make a move, so you can rest assured that we will get back to you when everything is all over," Minty said.
These words touched Beau's heart as he said, "Thank you."
Minty went off somewhere for half an hour while Edith, Vito, and Boone each took up their own spaces and prepared to have a cookout. Or a food war to be precise.
It was mainly between Edith and Vito but Boone insisted that he was up to the task, so he prepared himself to blow them all away with his food.
After Minty got back, she took the trio away to get them well-dressed and bathed and this gave Vito and Edith a head start to prepare their food. The main reason for this food war was to see who could prepare the best steak, so it was a rule to only use a small amount of meat as a sample which the audience would test to determine which cook they wanted for their barbeque.
Boone, Beau, and the girl had come back with their eyes filled with wonder, they didn't know that these people had a tree house nearby and a tub they could use for hot water as well as other modern technology out here in the woods.
This made them wonder just how long these people had been living in the woods and how come they didn't notice them.
When actually, Minty just got some stuff from a portal and made it look decent enough for one to believe that they were camping outside. She didn't take them through one yet or show them anything about it.
When they got back, they saw that Edith and Vito were almost done with their sample, which had put Boone in a slight rage. 'These brats started without me, with no regard for me at all, as if I am an unworthy competitor. By my boots, I will not let them win this!'
Boone got to work, put on his apron, and started up his grill with his family members who were helping and cheering him on.
Edith and Vito were done and now it was time for a taste test.
Cyrus, Dawn, and Terra were now testing for themselves to see who they wanted as their cook.
They took a bite of Vito's cooking and realized it was soft and tender, delicate in their mouths, and easy to chew and swallow. It had been salted well and was simply missing some sauce to give it that extra kick it needed to complete it.
They went on to try Edith's food now and when they tried it they had to admit that it had better taste than Vito's. There was a multitude of spices placed around the meat causing it not to lack in flavor, the only problem with it was that it was a little hard meaning that you would have to work to be able to fully enjoy the meat, causing people to have to chew a lot to eat it and some people would find that annoying.
Decisions had to be made and the voting went on like this, Terra voted for Edith's cooking because the flavor was good. Cyrus then voted for Vito's cooking because the tenderness allowed for easier consumption of the meal as well as to simply tick off Edith.
And this had left the last vote to be down to Dawn.
He was conflicted about who to pick at first but then decided it was Edith. As for the reasoning, "Vito's food is easier to eat but Edith's food has a better taste, despite being annoying to have to chew so much, I don't think that will be a huge problem for us because you know why."
"Which leaves me to suggest Edith, though if Vito was allowed to use condiments like sauce to compensate for the lacking taste then I believe he would win. But this was a non-supplementary type of battle."
"Yay!!" Edith shouted in victory as she had just won the battle.
"I guess that settles it," Cyrus said. "Edith you will be our chef-"
"Wait just a moment!" Boone yelled. "None of you have yet to try, my samples," he said opening a dish to reveal some small freshly roasted steak.