Whispers Beneath the Canopy

Jimmy sliced through the fruits and rationed vegetables with quiet focus, setting up a small meal for himself and Luna. Training had taken a toll on both of them—physically and mentally—and food was essential before the next round. Every few minutes in training, she paused to use Healing Ray, bathing Luna in soft, bluish light to restore her energy and soothe the muscle stress from earlier drills.

However, one issue still remained: water. There was no faucet, well, or built system for storing water in this abandoned house—only the emptiness of long-forgotten walls. So, Jimmy slung his bag over his shoulder and made his way deeper into the surrounding foliage, guided only by phone tracking and faint echoes of dripping sounds.

After some time wandering, he found a moss-covered stone fountain, nestled between wildflowers and twisted roots. It was beautiful, though a little eerie. Water still trickled from its lion-shaped spout. According to local legends, the area nearby was haunted, so no one ever came this far. Most visitors stayed near the forest's entrance or along the park's trails, especially today—Kliken's Day, when the mythical whisp was rumoured to appear. With all the guards distracted by tourists, this corner of the jungle was truly deserted.

Jimmy filled other bottles quickly, glancing around to ensure no whisps were nearby, and returned. The air was still, disturbed only by the rustling leaves.

By the time he made it back, midday sun had already begun its descent. He set up a small cooker near the shaded porch of the old house and began preparing food again. While waiting for it to simmer, he opened his Whisp Codex, checking Luna's progress. A new entry flashed on the screen, and his eyes narrowed in interest:

[Level: primary 7th level (65/200) +], Electric Bite (Tier 2: 135/500)+; Stomp (Tier 2: 105/500) +, Slam (Tier 2: 105/500) +, Water wave (Tier 3: 610/2000)+]; Healing Ray (Tier 3: 1950/2000) +, Water Gun (Tier 3: 545/2000) +, Bubble beam (Tier 2: 409/500) +, Water wave (Tier 3: 510/2000), Water Mist (Tier 3: 1685/2000) +, Aqua Jet (Tier 2: 184/500) +, Electric Shock (Tier 2: 379/500) +, Electric Bite (Tier 2: 199/500) +,Aqua smash (Tier 1: 15/100)+, Zigzag turn (Tier 1: 35/100)+, Electric absorption and storage: grade E (610/800); Static Discharge: grade D (859/5000) + points (185).

Jimmy tapped his chin, thinking, "No need to evolve her yet. Better to increase proficiency first. What did she just unlock… Aqua Smash and Zigzag Turn?"

He checked up the move descriptions in mobile by thinking in this dense forest I got tower, that is great. 

Aqua Smash was like a high-speed tackle using compressed water as a burst force.

Zigzag Turn enhanced speed and mobility, ideal for dodging or faking attacks. 

Suddenly, a new idea struck him—What if Luna could learn Electric Tackle by combining charge-based movement with offensive collision?

Excited, Jimmy conveyed the idea to Luna through signs and a few taps in her mind. She responded in her usual musical tones, "Oonn… oonno… onooon…" and finally said, in Whisp-speak, "I wanted to try… but…"

He nodded, reassuring her with a soft smile. Then, he used all remaining points to level up the two newest techniques:

Aqua smash (Tier 2: 115/500) +,

Zigzag turn (Tier 2: 120/500) +, 

point (0); 

Then he started to think different combos.

Just as he drifted into thought, a rustling and soft munching sound pulled him back. He turned—and froze. A small, puffy creature with wide eyes and marshmallow-like fur was nibbling at their fruit bowl. Luna noticed it a second later. Both her ears twitched. Electricity sparked subtly around her fur, signalling hostility.

Jimmy lifted his hand in sign, "It's okay, Luna. I brought extras." He reached into his bag and began unpacking last foods. But before he could even lay it down, the little creature—with round pink cheeks and cotton-candy fluff—had already scooted over beside him with innocent, pleading eyes.

Luna stepped forward, blocking it with a flicker of electric warning. Sparks danced at her grooves. But the creature didn't react with fear—it simply blinked, tilted its head, and gave Luna a soft "Klink… klink… klinkkk..." sound, as if trying to speak.

Jimmy smiled, held out a fruit, and signed, "Eat. Aaa... aaa…"

The creature paused, then softly asked, "Can you not talk?"Jimmy shook his head with a gentle smile. "No."

The fluffy creature look at him first for some time, then took the fruit delicately in its mouth and began munching. Luna stared at her for a second more, then turned away with a soft huff.

With peace restored, Jimmy handed Luna her share, and they all ate quietly under the shade of ancient trees—two companions, and an unexpected guest, sharing a meal in the heart of a forgotten place.

.................................................

Before the next training session could begin, the soft padding of feet caught Jimmy's attention. The small fluffy Whisp—the one who had curiously joined them earlier—approached him again, her wide eyes shimmering with a soft, pale light.

She sat in front of him and asked gently, "Why did you come here?"

Luna, ever protective and honest, stepped forward proudly. "To train me," she answered for Jimmy.

The fluffy Whisp tilted her head, her ears drooping slightly. "But... how did this happen to you?"

Jimmy looked down for a moment, his fingers tracing idle patterns in the dirt. He then gently tapped Luna, and she turned to the little one. "Long story short," she translated for him, "He had an accident when he was very young and lost his voice. Or maybe he was born without it—he's not even sure. Then, a more recent accident… took his sight."

For a moment, there was silence. Only the distant chirping of whisps and the rustling of jungle leaves filled the air.

The little Whisp's glow dimmed slightly, and tears welled in her eyes. Her tiny shoulders trembled as she looked at Jimmy, as if trying to understand a pain she had never known.

Seeing her like that, Jimmy's expression softened. He gently reached forward and picked her up, cradling her in his lap as he did with Luna many times before. He smiled, brushing his fingers along her soft, silken fur to comfort her. Luna, not one to be left out, immediately leapt into his lap as well, puffing her cheeks in mock jealousy.

Jimmy chuckled silently and began stroking both of them, his arms wrapped around the two Whisps like they were the most precious things in the world. In that quiet moment, under the broken arch of the haunted house's veranda, there was only peace.

After a while, he gave both of them a pat and gestured toward the open space in front of the house.

"Time for training," Luna interpreted with a cheerful hop. "She stays on the veranda, just to watch for now."

Jimmy marked two spots on the ground with sticks, a good distance apart. Then he stood up and motioned toward the path between them. Luna instantly understood. A speed drill.

"Let's go!" Luna shouted, eager.

She dashed between the two markers at full speed. The fluffy Whisp watched, her eyes lighting up with interest. Then she too gave a determined nod and joined in.

Back and forth they ran, the sun casting dancing shadows behind them. Jimmy stood between the two points, cheering them on silently with big gestures and a wide smile.

Sometimes, he even ran alongside them, laughing in silence, his eyepatch glinting in the light as the wind tousled his hair.

It wasn't just training now.

It was joy.

It was healing.