Chapter 50: 50. Show Your Moves
(300B4, Guys Give me your Powerstones, We are very close to the Top 20)
As if in answer to his unspoken question, the paint-covered young squirrels from earlier burst onto the scene, armed with what looked suspiciously like super soakers filled with paint.
"There he is!" one of them squeaked, pointing a tiny paw at Sora. "Get him!"
What followed was perhaps the most bizarre hour of Sora's young life – and considering his usual antics, that was saying something. He danced and dodged, shimmied and sidestepped, all while a relentless barrage of paint sprayed around him.
The adult squirrels, rather than helping, seemed to treat the whole thing as prime entertainment. They cheered and placed bets (mostly in acorns) on whether Sora would survive the onslaught.
"Look at those moves!" one particularly enthusiastic squirrel commentator squeaked. "I haven't seen footwork like that since the Great Nut Heist of '87!"
Despite the absurdity of the situation, Sora found himself grinning. This was, without a doubt, the most fun he'd had in ages. As he pulled off a particularly impressive series of backflips to avoid a paint grenade, he couldn't help but think that maybe, just maybe, he'd found his spirit animals.
Finally, after what felt like hours of dance-dodging (and some truly impressive moves that would have made even Might Guy jealous), Sora managed to break free of the disco's hold. He burst out of the clearing, paint-free but thoroughly exhausted.
"Okay," he panted, leaning against a tree. "I think I've had enough dancing for one day. Or maybe one lifetime."
Just as he was catching his breath, Sora's nose caught a whiff of something tantalizingly sweet. Following the scent, he soon found himself standing at the edge of what appeared to be a swimming pool. But instead of water, it was filled with...
"Is that... orange juice?" Sora gasped, his eyes widening in disbelief.
Indeed, the pool was filled to the brim with glistening, pulp-free orange juice. The sweet citrusy aroma wafted through the air, making Sora's mouth water.
"Well," he mused, eyeing the juice pool warily, "on one hand, this is clearly a trap. On the other hand... I am pretty thirsty after all that dancing."
Making a split-second decision (which, let's be honest, was how Sora made most of his decisions), he reached into his ever-present bracers and pulled out... a comically oversized straw.
Don't ask why he had a giant straw in his bracers. Sora believed in always being prepared, especially for impromptu juice-drinking opportunities.
With a gleeful "Cannonball!" Sora leapt into the air, straw at the ready. He landed at the pool's edge, immediately plunging his straw into the orange depths and taking a long, satisfying slurp.
"Oh. My. Gosh," Sora moaned in ecstasy. "This is the best orange juice I've ever tasted! It's like a citrus explosion in my mouth!"
As he continued to drink, Sora kept a wary eye out for any paint-wielding squirrels. But surprisingly, none appeared. Perhaps they respected the sanctity of the juice pool. Or maybe they were just busy cleaning up the disco.
After a few minutes of uninterrupted juice bliss, Sora reluctantly pulled himself away from the pool. "As much as I'd love to stay here forever," he sighed, patting his slightly bulging stomach, "I should probably get back to the test."
As he made his way back into the forest, Sora noticed something he'd overlooked before. It wasn't just squirrels inhabiting this strange realm. Here and there, he caught glimpses of other animals – raccoons wearing tiny bandit masks, parrots with an alarming array of noisemakers, and was that a skunk mixing something in a suspicious-looking cauldron?
"What is this place?" Sora wondered aloud. "Prank Land? The Forest of Eternal Shenanigans?"
Before he could ponder further, a loud gong rang out through the forest. The Elder Squirrel appeared before Sora in a puff of acorn-scented smoke.
"Congratulations, young one," the Elder said, his tone a mixture of impressed and mildly annoyed. "You have survived the three-hour test without a single drop of paint touching you."
Sora pumped his fist in victory. "Yes! I knew all those years of avoiding Iruka-sensei's chalk throws would pay off someday!"
The Elder Squirrel produced a large scroll from... somewhere (Sora decided not to question squirrel storage techniques) and unrolled it. "This is the contract for the Prankster's Paradise – the realm you now stand in. By signing this, you will gain the ability to summon creatures from this land to aid you in your... endeavours."
Sora's eyes lit up like it was his birthday, Christmas, and Prank Appreciation Day all rolled into one. "You mean I get to summon an army of prankster animals? This is the best day ever!"
With more enthusiasm than the Elder Squirrel had seen in centuries, Sora bit his thumb and signed the contract in blood. As soon as he finished, there was a flash of light and the contract vanished.
"The pact is sealed," the Elder intoned solemnly. Then, dropping the serious act, he added, "Now, let's party!"
Suddenly, the forest erupted into celebration. Squirrels, raccoons, parrots, and all manner of animals poured out from every nook and cranny. A band of raccoons struck up a lively tune, while parrots flew overhead, creating a dazzling light show with their colourful plumage.
Sora found himself swept up in a whirlwind of introductions and congratulations. A group of young squirrels, the same ones who had been trying to paint him earlier, approached sheepishly.
"We're sorry we tried to turn you into a rainbow," one of them squeaked. "But you've got to admit, it would have been pretty funny."
Sora grinned and patted the little squirrel on the head. "No hard feelings! In fact, I'm taking notes for future pranks. That paint bomb seal? Pure genius!"
The young squirrels beamed with pride, and soon Sora was engaged in an animated discussion about prank techniques and theories. He was particularly interested in how they managed to create seals without opposable thumbs.
As the party continued, Sora mingled with the various inhabitants of Prankster's Paradise. He traded joke ideas with a group of hyenas, learned some impressive sleight-of-hand tricks from a troop of monkeys, and even had a lengthy debate with a wise old owl about the ethical implications of whoopee cushions.
One encounter, in particular, stood out. A raccoon wearing a tiny lab coat and goggles approached Sora, pushing a cart full of bubbling vials.
"Greetings, new summoner!" the raccoon said, adjusting its goggles. "I'm Dr. Whiskers, chief alchemist of Prankster's Paradise. Interested in some of my latest concoctions?"
Sora leaned in, examining the colourful liquids with interest. "What do they do?"
Dr. Whiskers grinned, showing a mouthful of surprisingly shiny teeth. "Oh, all sorts of things! This one turns anything it touches invisible for an hour. This green one makes plants grow at an alarming rate - perfect for instant jungle pranks. And this sparkly purple one? It makes people speak in rhymes for a day!"
Sora's eyes widened with each description, his mind already whirling with possibilities. "Dr. Whiskers, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."
As Sora chatted with the eccentric raccoon scientist, a commotion near the juice pool caught his attention. A group of parrots were engaged in what appeared to be an aerial acrobatics show, diving and swooping in intricate patterns.
"Ah, the Feathered Pranksters," Dr. Whiskers explained, noticing Sora's interest. "They're our aerial division. Excellent for long-distance pranks and message delivery."
Sora watched in awe as the parrots performed a perfect formation, spelling out "WELCOME SORA" in the sky with trails of glitter.
"That's amazing!" Sora exclaimed. "How do they do that?"
A nearby parrot, its feathers a dazzling array of neon colours, landed on Sora's shoulder. "Years of practice, darling," it squawked in a voice reminiscent of a flamboyant stage actor. "I'm Pizzazz, leader of the Feathered Pranksters. We specialize in aerial distractions, glitter bombs, and fabulous entrances."
Sora grinned, already imagining the possibilities. "Oh, we are going to have so much fun together."
As the party continued, Sora found himself in the middle of a clearing where a group of skunks were giving a demonstration. They wore tiny wizard hats and held what appeared to be wands made from twigs.
"Behold!" announced the lead skunk, waving his wand dramatically. "The latest in olfactory illusions!"
With a puff of sweet-smelling smoke, the clearing was suddenly filled with the aroma of freshly baked cookies. Another wave of the wand, and it changed to the scent of a spring meadow.
"Scent-sational!" Sora laughed, thoroughly impressed. "I never thought I'd see the day when skunks made things smell better!"
The skunk magician bowed with a flourish. "We're full of surprises, kid. Stick with us, and you'll never look at a nose the same way again."
As the night wore on, Sora found himself drawn into more and more fascinating conversations and demonstrations. He learned the art of silent movement from a group of ninja cats, discussed the finer points of mud-pit traps with a wise old boar, and even got a crash course in disguise techniques from a family of chameleons.
But perhaps the most intriguing encounter came near the end of the night. As the party was winding down, Sora noticed a small, unassuming door set into the trunk of a massive oak tree. Curiosity piqued, he approached it.
"Ah, I see you've found the Door of A Thousand Pranks," the Elder Squirrel said, appearing suddenly at Sora's side.
Sora jumped slightly, still not used to the Elder's stealthy appearance. "The Door of A Thousand Pranks? What's behind it?"
The Elder's eyes twinkled mischievously. "It's a portal, young one. Each time it's opened, it leads to a different location in your world - always to a place where a good prank is needed."
Sora's jaw dropped. "You mean I could open this door and end up anywhere? Like, say, the Hokage's office? Or the ANBU headquarters?"
"Precisely," the Elder nodded. "But use it wisely. Great power comes with great responsibility... to pull off truly legendary pranks."
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