"So...umm, remind me why we are passing through the woods again?" Asuka asked.
"Because that's the shortest way out of Cherry Kingdom," Hotaru said.

"At least it isn't as dense as the previous forest. But I must say, Niraland has a lot of greenery," I smiled.

Just then, something hit at the back of Asuka's head. "Oww!" she exclaimed, rubbing her head. She picked up the thing that hit her.

A nut?

"Must have fallen from the trees. Let's move on," Hotaru suggested. "Okay," Asuka threw away the nut.

A while later...

THUD..."Oww!" I and Hotaru turned back at Asuka.
"What is it now?" Hotaru asked, annoyed.

"It's that same nut again!" Asuka pointed towards the nut on the ground.

"Hmm...strange."

*giggle*

We heard someone laughing. "Who's there?" I said out aloud. The bushes started rustling.

"Don't tell me it's another beast again..." Hotaru's face filled with concern. However, from the bushes came out...a girl?

The girl's hair was adorned with flowers. There was mischief in her eyes. She was grinning at us.

"What's so funny?!" Asuka screamed at her. The girl gasped. She clearly got frightened by Asuka's outburst. She put her hands on her face and started crying.

"Asuka, look. You made her cry," Hotaru told her friend.
"Sorry..."

"Now, now...," I went closer to the girl. "Don't cry -" Suddenly, she threw a nut at my head.
"Oww!"
"Natsu!"

The girl stood up. There wasn't a single tear in her eyes at all. She was faking it!

The girl started grinning at me again. "That's the oldest trick in the book...and you fell for it! Aren't I a genius!" she boasted.

"She is a loudmouth just like Asuka," Hotaru muttered.
"What was that?" Asuka asked her friend.
"Nothing..."

"That wasn't very nice of you," I told the girl standing in front of me.

She frowned. "Sorry if I hurt you. I was just playing. Only a few people pass through these woods...it gets boring with no one to play with!" she pouted.

"It's okay," I smiled at her.

"My name is Hanako and I live in these woods," she introduced herself. "My name is Natsu and these are my friends, Hotaru and Asuka. You live here?"

"Yup! These woods are my home. So, where are you headed off to?"

"We are...umm..."
"That's a good question..." Hotaru said.
"We don't know where we are going, too!" Asuka shrieked.
"Are you people aimless wanderers?"
"No...for now, we are finding our way out of these woods."

"Oh, I see! I can help you get out of here! But first, you need to help me...," Hanako said.

"Umm...help?" I asked.
"Yup!"
"What kind of help?"
"Follow me."

We followed Hanako to a large clearing where a pile of woods were scattered around. It was as if a storm had hit this place...

"What happened here?"
"One of the dark witch's stupid beast had attacked my place a few days ago. It destroyed my little house!" she replied.

"Kiyomi, again," Hotaru said.
"So what do you want us to do? Defeat that beast?" Asuka excitedly pumped her fist in the air.
"Actually...no," Hanako replied. "I want you people to build up my house again!"

"What?!" Our jaws dropped open.

"If you do it, I will show you the way out of the woods," she winked at us. "Better if we make our way out ourselves," Asuka muttered. "Come on, don't be such a spoilsport, pretty please?" Hanako pleaded.

"I think we should help her..." I said out.
"Why?"

"Because it is our duty to help anyone who has been hurt by the dark witch, Kiyomi," I said with a determined face.

Hotaru sighed,"Can't be helped then...Okay, let's do this!"

"Yay!" Hanako clapped.

"Wait, let me handle this," I said to my friends. I clasped my hands together and focused all my concentration on my palms. Rays of light came out of my palms along with...bubbles?

The place got surrounded by small and large bubbles coming out from my palms. It was actually a pretty sight.

We saw as the larger bubbles absorbed the large timber into itself and started spinning around a fixed place. The bubbles started picking up speed, to such an extent that they started radiating a bright light.

Our eyes couldn't keep up with the light. We shut our eyes close.

As the light faded and we opened our eyes, we were surprised to find a little cottage standing before us.

"Wow! That was amazing!" Hanako jumped at me, hugging me. She looked at me,"Are you a wizard?"

"Umm...you could say so," I smiled.

Then Hanako finally showed us the way out of the woods. She waved us good-bye and returned into the woods.

"Natsu, the scroll," Hotaru said.
"Oh, yeah..." I took out the scroll.
"Shouldn't we ask about the Four Great Witches, first," Asuka asked.
"Good idea...," Hotaru said.

"Okay...here it goes..." I took a deep breath.