The team's next destination was a world controlled by Carmilla's monsters-the story of Hansel and Gretel.
Mike and Heidi sat in their usual seats, silent.
Ever since their fight in the Beauty and the Beast world, something between them has shifted.
They weren't arguing as much.
But they also weren't talking.
It was... weird.
Jim and Naomi noticed.
Naomi, watching their behavior, whispered to Jim, "They're changing."
Jim smirked. "Slowly. But knowing them, they'll still be stubborn about it."
As their ship approached the planet, the navigation system started glitching.
Heidi: "What the hell? The ship's compass is spinning like crazy!"
Mike: "Are we being jammed?"
Naomi checked the readings. "Something's interfering with the navigation. We might be entering a trap."
Then-
BANG!
A sudden shockwave hit the spaceship, causing it to spiral downward.
Jim quickly regained control. "Brace yourselves! We're crash-landing!"
The ship crashed into the dense forests of the fairy tale world.
When the dust settled, the team stepped outside.
Dark, twisted trees surrounded them. The entire forest had an eerie feeling, as if watching them.
And in the distance-
Two small figures were running.
A boy and a girl.
Hansel and Gretel.
And behind them-
A grotesque monster with twisted limbs, glowing red eyes, and a mouth filled with jagged teeth chased after them.
Mike (grinning): "Looks like we're starting early!"
Heidi (drawing her weapons): "Just don't get stabbed again, idiot."
Mike smirked but said nothing.
The battle wasn't like the others.
Instead of one direct fight, the monster kept vanishing and reappearing, constantly attacking Hansel and Gretel's journey.
Every time the children got closer to their goal-the Witch's house-the monster would interfere.
It destroyed their breadcrumb trail, making them lose their way.
It altered the forest's shape, forcing them into dangerous areas.
It summoned illusions, making them doubt each other.
The Orb Warriors had to keep defending the children while trying to figure out the monster's tricks.
Mike: "This thing's not fighting us directly-it's messing with the entire story!"
Naomi: "We need to break its control over the fairy tale!"
At one point, the monster split them up.
Mike and Heidi found themselves alone together in the twisted woods.
For once, there was no battle, no distractions. Just the two of them.
They walked in silence, searching for the others.
Mike glanced at Heidi.
Something about her was... different lately.
She seemed less aggressive. Still fierce, but softer in some moments.
And she had really panicked when he got injured before.
He decided to test something.
Mike (teasing): "You know, you freaked out pretty bad when I got stabbed last time."
Heidi stiffened.
Heidi (avoiding eye contact): "Shut up."
Mike: "So you do care about me."
Heidi: "Of course I care! We're teammates!"
Mike smirked. "Just teammates?"
Heidi hesitated.
Then-before she could answer-
The monster attacked them!
Mike pushed Heidi out of the way, taking the hit himself.
Heidi (furious): "ARE YOU SERIOUS?! AGAIN?!"
Mike groaned, holding his shoulder as he slowly got back up. "Relax, it's just a scratch."
But Heidi was done playing.
She transformed and charged at the monster with her forks, attacking more aggressively than before.
It was different this time.
She wasn't just fighting to win-she was fighting for Mike.
Heidi: "I swear, if you die, I'll kill you myself!"
Mike laughed beside her as he transformed and joined the battle.
Something between them had changed again.
They were still rebellious, still teasing each other-
But now, there was a growing trust.
A real bond.
The monster was slowly growing aggressive and looking dangerous as more time passed.
Mike sensing the danger distracted the monster by using illusionary magic and taking the chance, he grabbed Heidi's hand to run to a hiding place behind a tree.
Heidi (mockingly):"So you care about me?"
Mike (blushingly):"Don't get me wrong. This is payback for your help. You may or may not like it but this is my way of thanking you."
Meanwhile...
Jim and Naomi who too were lost were also searching their way. That was until they found 2 familiar figures behind a tree.
It was Mike and Heidi and so the team reunited and formed a plan.
Jim and Naomi looked a bit satisfied looking at the Mike and Heidi's development.
Naomi after analysing the data in the tablet(by recording the monster's movements and actions from the hiding)tracked the monster's weak point-it was connected to the forest itself.
Jim: "If we destroy its core, the story will fix itself."
Mike and Heidi nodded and from the hiding they delivered a synchronised blow together stunning the monster.
Mike used his nature magic to hold the aggressive, rampaging monster. The monster was surprised by the sudden emergence of thick vines wrapping around him tightly. Taking that chance, Heidi used her Gas Lighter to light fire in the vines as a result burning the monster.
Mike levitated (using magic) and used a super charged magic beam with the help of a potion targeting its core.
At the same time, Heidi smacked the ground with her meat hammer sending a giant shockwave to the monster so that it can't dodge the beam.
Their combination broke through the monster's core, shattering its connection to the fairy tale.
The forest began to shift back to normal.
Hansel and Gretel regained control of their journey.
The story proceeded as it should-the Witch's house appeared, and the children's fate was restored.
As the monster faded away, the world began to stabilize.
The vampire family's plan had failed.
_ _ _
Back on the ship, Mike was resting while Heidi cooked a meal for everyone.
Jim nudged Naomi. "See? Progress."
Naomi smiled slightly. "They're still rebellious, though."
Jim chuckled. "Of course. That's just who they are."
Mike leaned back in his seat.
Mike (grinning): "So, Heidi. Admit it-you were worried about me."
Heidi (rolling her eyes): "Only because I don't want to deal with a useless partner. By the way, what about you holding my hand?"
Mike (embarrassed):"Ah! Just forget it."
But despite her words, the way she looked at him...
There was something different now.
Something real.
As the ship took off to their next destination, the team felt stronger than before.
Slowly but surely-
Mike and Heidi were changing.
Even if they didn't fully realize it yet.
While in the Vampire family's spaceship...
Carmilla: "I can't believe this? How is it even possible for them to care for each other? They are getting on my nerves now."