more miitopia writing i guess

"Why does the Dark Lord need faces anyways?" Nanette mused, boredly chipping at the brick wall with her knife.  Jill cleared her throat, calling everyone's attention to her- save for Rachel, who was busy examining data on her scientist's panel.

"It gives monsters power," Jill began, standing up from where she had been seated in the corner of the room. "Typically, monsters are no more dangerous than a wild animal- the only difference between them being the baseline magic that makes up their bodies. However, when given a face, or even a small part of one, they're able to pose a real threat on humans."

"Huh, I don't get it though," Priscilla tilted her head, frowning. "What is it about a face that gives monsters such a boost?"

"Well... We in the Mage's Society don't really know," Jill admitted. "There's some theories, but magic isn't an exact science."

"No, magic is basically a science," Rachel paused in her work to disagree with Jill. "Mages are just really stuck up about calling it that."

"As I was saying," Jill rolled her eyes, ignoring the scientist's quip. "It's mostly speculation, but I've come to theorize that there is a link between individuality and the power a face can bring to a monster. Nobody has quite the same eyes, or noses, or smiles, and taking something so unique, even a part of it, means that you're taking something very important."

"So, by taking people's faces, and giving them to monsters..." Dorothy thought aloud, stroking Amie's hair as her daughter slept in her lap. "The power Arkady wields to empower his minions must be why they are so mobilized to obey him, rather than acting like they would under normal circumstances. So if we beat him, it's just a matter of recapturing any remaining faces-"

"YOU MELTED MY WALL!?" Arkady's yell echoed through the chamber they were trapped in, a cloud of swirling blue-purple smoke solidifying into the Dark Lord outside of their cell, his face a tight-lipped scowl of rage. Rachel snapped her panel shut as he turned his gaze to her. "Don't you know how hard it is to have a castle in a volcano!?"

"Don'tcha think that's exactly why you don't build a fucking castle in the middle of a volcano?" Rachel's wide smile challenged their captor. "I mean, sure, the real estate seems like it's a steal, but that's because nobody with an ounce of common sense wants to live in a place where MOLTEN ROCK might come and burn their shit on the daily."

"Ooh, you still find it in you to run your mouth," Arkady hissed, trying to regain his evil composure. "We'll see how good it is when I put it on someone more worthy of it!"

"Do it bitch," Rachel taunted, sticking her tongue out. "I dare ya."

Arkady started to phase through the bars towards her, but stopped himself, floating back and turning his nose up at the scientist.

"In time," Arkady said. "I just need to make sure I'm giving you to one of my strongest henchmen. After all," Here he smiles coolly, the corner of his lip twitching as his eyes flash from purple to gold. "One of your faces among you will be the one to see your foolish little MeiMei fall. I have to make sure that her defeat is exquisitely and utterly devastating, on every level."

He chuckled, a sound that reverberated throughout the castle, vanishing into smoke once again.  Dorothy and Rachel exchanged looks, the latter's proud facade dropping into one of determined concern.

"I'm almost there. We can make a run for it soon enough," Rachel sighed. "We just need to hope MeiMei can hold out long enough, wherever she is right now."
-------

That evening, new arrivals dropped into the second room. They knew, because the six gathered could hear them very clearly.

"Aaaah-!!" A voice cried as it hit the floor with the sound of fabric cushioning a fall, and a small object clattering against the floor.

"WOaaah-urfh," A second voice hollered, landing on the first one with a thud.

"Uuuurgh, ow- Wait Sizemore move, move before-" The first voice yelped before a much heavier thud cut it off short, two pained, deflating 'HYUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURH' sounds completing the thought.

"Better get your heals ready," Nanette said to Priscilla. "It sounds like a couple of people just died."

"Yeah, if you're done dying, you may as well come over to this side," Rachel called out to the newcomers.

A shuffling, the muffled sound of apologizes, and a man in a beautiful starry gown carefully stepped through the makeshift entrance, making sure not to damage his clothes more than he already had. He was followed by another boy, about the same height, trying to un-collapse a hat that was horribly crumpled.

Dorothy was already anticipating the third member of their party, but she still gasped in surprise and joy when she saw her husband follow behind them, his head hanging low until he heard her.

"Montaro!" Dorothy cried, running into his arms.

"Dorothy!" Montaro sobbed, clutching his wife tightly. He had been crying, but the sight of his family gave his tears a second wind. "I knew I shouldn't have let Amie go out on her own, and I tried so hard to find the Dark Lord but-"

"Shh shh shh, it's fine," Dorothy gently kissed his cheek, his nose, his lips. "I'm fine, Amie's fine, and I'm just glad that you're here in one piece, rescue mission or not."

"I'm a terrible king," Montaro sniffled. "I-I couldn't keep the Dark Lord from stealing our daughter's face, I c-couldn't, c-couldn't... I couldn't stop him from taking MY face! And then when I try to find you, I got ambushed and-"

"Montaro." Dorothy put her hands on the sides of her husband's head, so he couldn't look anywhere but at her. "You are an amazing king. Greenhorne has been a place of peace and tranquility for so many years because you are such a kind and caring ruler. This? What's going on right now? Nobody could have predicted it, and you shouldn't blame it on yourself that everything's kinda gone... Well, really buckwild. I guess. I love you, and I trust you. And I know you trust me, so believe me when I say we're gonna get out of this. We're all getting out of this."

Another big sniffle, and Montaro finally cracked a smile. Dorothy was right. He wasn't entirely sure how she was right, but it was like she said. He loved her, and he trusted her, so he believed her when she said that they were going to get out of this.

"... Hey, Mister." Amie tugged at the man's gown, all-too-used to seeing her Mom calm down her father over things that stressed him out. Granted, this was a situation that was a shit ton more stressful than what was typical for that family, but that fact probably hadn't completely registered with her yet. "Are you a princess?"

"Oh?" Pranay glanced down at the small girl, before smiling and kneeling down. "I am! Pranay, lovely to make your acquaintance."

"I'm Amie, I'm a Princess too. I really like your dress," Amie commented. "It's really pretty, you're pretty too, can I brush your hair?"

"Aaawwwhhh oooh my gosh? You're so adorable? Yes of course you can brush my hair," Pranay clapped his hands over his heart, overwhelmed by this tiny adorable royal. "And I will brush yours too! You wonderful little thing!"

Rachel walked up to the rest of the group as Amie and Pranay busied themselves with important Princess socializing, a smug glint shining in her eyes.

"So, if you guys are done with your little emotional health moment, I got something to ask," Rachel smirked.

"Who's ready to get the fuck out of this dump?"