"You're on!" Flap flap flap.

Flit flits, teleporting from point to point as they approach the blinding light of the end of the tunnel. It's easy not to fall when she's not spending any time standing still. She screams joyfully the whole way up, glancing over at Palisade once in a while.

She could just get there first, if she wanted to, but the thought of that terrifies everyone else in the Underground- enough to make them bubble up toward the surface. Flit isn't ending this race a second before she has to.

Just when Palisade is about to go through the blinding white light- Flit teleports just one step ahead. They cross simultaneously-

-and land in the empty lot they started in. The hole is still there.

"Duuude. What kind of quest was that?"

"I don't know!" says Emmy, looking around anxiously to see if anyone saw Palisade there for a moment. "Maybe that's not everything we're supposed to do?"

"...woah. Tubular," says another Flit, as she appears in front of them.

Shimmer.

"Shit. I hope this turns out to be useful. Shit, sorry, I shouldn't- shit. Um. Shoot."

"I've heard swear words before."

"Are you kidding? This is totally rad! We can use two powers at once, now! I don't have to sit still ever-"

"-hold on."

She teleports away.

"...why don't you use the trowel next. I don't think we know what we're doing with it."

"Okay." Dig dig dig.

This time, the hole seems to lead...upwards, to a grassy field dotted with tents and people. The trees in the distance look perfectly ordinary, but not all of the people do- there is a mermaid surrounded by water, suspended unnaturally in the air, a woman with a snake body and a human torso and head, a humanoid man with leaves growing on his face and golden eyes...

The Underground jumps through and starts looking around immediately for clues.

-and the other Underground teleports in after them.

Clair dives in, since if the other mermaid can do it so can she.

She spins in delight, beginning to circle Clair.

Some of the other figures standing and milling about take notice, and approach them.

"Hey, uh, how's it going?"

Shimmer.

"Hello. It's a pleasure to meet everyone."

"You too! Where is this?"

"We're in the Underground," answers the mermaid, in what Clair immediately recognizes as another language which she can suddenly understand perfectly. "How did you get here through the ground?"

"Miranda...how..."

She goes in for a hug.

Hug.

"Thank you. We'll have time to talk about everything later on- right now we should focus on the task at hand. Clair, will you be alright staying here while we meet some of the land-dwelling folks?"

"Sure, or you could bring one of the others along."

She thinks.

"Palisade. I haven't seen any griffins yet, but if we do meet one, I would love to have someone who understands them better."