Lost in thought, Scarlet made it out of the Carnivorous Cave just hours ago, slowly adventuring through to the Wandering Woods. Each movement seemed like she was just going through the motion, her mind disappearing as she walked toward the clue. There were no laughs or conversations, just the slight swing of her arms as she made it to the place where her best friend was always around her. The spot where they would do everything together. Where warmth once was in her body now ran cold as the wind chilled through her knowing she was without him. But she was strong. At least that's what Silver always told her. I know you can do it. The cheer in his voice took over in her head. His laugh. His smile. Every move he made. And his dumb little jokes he said to make her smile when she was down. She could use one of those right about now.

As if he heard her from wherever he was in this world, "You gonna save me or what?" popped into her head. A chuckle slipped from her lips. It may not have been the exact thing he would say, but she knew he'd annoy her with something similar. The little voice in her head kept telling her to push on, that Silver wasn't lost forever and she couldn't just give up. Tears welled up in her eyes as she sat on the boulder in the middle of the woods, reminiscing about the two of them last practicing here a few days before.

"You did this. You brought danger to us."  Wind tossed her hair back, flying around her body as the whisper of the words went in one ear and out the other.

"Wh-what? Who said that?" Trembling, her eyes darted to both sides, looking for anyone who would have spoken. But no one was there. "I-I know I heard you! I'm not afraid."

"Of course you heard us. We're all around you. And we know what you did. He is gone because of you. And you will pay."

"I would never hurt him!" she screamed, knowing exactly who the whispers were talking about. "He's my best friend!"

"We know. We've watched you ever since you were little. But now we have no choice. It is not the same here anymore."

"I'm...I'm sorry. I know everything is different. Now, it will always be different. I didn't mean–" Closing her eyes, Scarlet stopped and took a breath. It was too hard to finish that sentence. Maybe they were right. But Silver would tell her she was wrong. That nothing was her fault. Longing to believe him, she walked over to the tree where both of their initials were traced into the wood. Even when they were little, they must've known what was going to happen when they got older, considering Silver wrapped their initials in a heart. Touching the tree, she smiled.

Then the leaves rustled, scaring her so much her feet almost flew high off the ground. Managing to keep her balance, the same tree she touched lashed out at her. A branch flew in her direction, almost hitting her directly in the face if she didn't duck. Scarlet gasped, backing up as quick as she could before realizing she was surrounded. Trees, rocks, and everything else in between were flying toward her so fast she didn't know what to do. A rock hit her leg so hard she collapsed to the ground unable to move.

Trying to push herself up, she kept thinking of Silver and how much he needed her from wherever he was. But all of her strength was gone. Every piece of the forest kept coming closer to her, almost ready to devour her as their meal because she lost Silver. Without him, she was ready to let them tear her into pieces, but more of Silver's talks kept her going. Most of all, she knew when she saw him again, it was time to tell him she loved him. Now she knew there was no reason to waste anymore time. In order to let him know, she needed to get up. Strength rushed through her body once again while the fire powered through. No one was going to stop her from getting to him. Not now, not ever.

Pushing herself up, she raised her hands in the air as the trees came closer. Within no time at all, fire was burning through her hands, a stretch of her right arm made the red glow pour forward into a tree. Spinning in a circle she kept the power going, destroying everything in her path. The whispers of the trees she once heard in her mind slowly disappeared as the life ran out of the forest. She wasn't afraid anymore.

After everything that wanted her gone was laying on the ground in pieces, she walked toward the tree that had her best friend's initials on it with hers wrapped in that heart. It was shattered now. Split down the middle, the heart was torn in half. She could only hope that he would understand when he got back. Deep down, she knew he would. Turning around, proud of herself for defeating the forest on her own, she started to head back to her house. No matter how much she didn't want to be there, that was the one place where the two of them had thought of the best ways to find the clues.

Before she had a chance to do that, Ash appeared in front of her. He smiled at her. "Well, hello there. I see you've defeated the forest. The one thing that held you and Silver together. Oh how sad that is."

Scarlet's face turned red at the sight of him. She ran toward him, pummeling her fists into his stomach as if that would solve all of her problems when he took Silver away from her. "Where is he?" she yelled.

"He's fine, don't you worry. But I do have a surprise for you." He plucked her off the ground, moving her away from him. It seemed every punch she threw didn't matter.

Groaning, she responded, "I don't need your 'surprises'. I just want to know where my best friend is!"

"We'll get to that point soon. But first..." He waved his hand toward the sky and a few moments later a hologram appeared to the right of where he was standing. "You should see this."

With eyes wide and her jaw falling open, her amazing parents stood in front of her. She couldn't believe it. There they were, standing holding hands with a frightened look on their faces. Scarlet reached out to touch them, but her arm ran straight through the two of them. Almost crying, she was happy to know they were still alive. So many thoughts and dreams of wondering where her parents were got solved. Now, she wanted nothing more than to bring them back home. Along with Silver. Everyone needed to be rescued and it was on her to do it all. She could only hope that she was strong enough for this, but she wouldn't back down.

"They can't actually see you. You have to come with me in order to get to them. Will you risk your life to save them?"