The Jade Orchid

The Jade Orchid is the eighth episode if Hero: 108: Reborn.

Synopsis
Twin Masters' plan to exterminate all life in Hidden Kingdom lives on when the heroes of Big Green learn that his seeds of destruction have begun to kill off all plant life. The Fruiter informs them the only way to save Hidden Kingdom from destruction is to find the legendary Jade Orchid.

Plot
The Fruiter climbs a craggy rock wall before settling on cliff overlooking a vast green pool, the Lake of Thai Gi. The weather is stormy and as he looks on, the water swirls in a whirlpool around two sustained beams of lightning, one red, the other blue. He gasps in horror upon realizing what is happening.

Meanwhile, at Big Green, Commander ApeTrully steps out of the base on a morning walk in amongst the pines of North Forest. He comments on the beautiful scent of the pine forest and briefly revels in it, but is interrupted by a falling tree which nearly crushes him. As he jumps back, more begin to fall, until he is forced to leap out of the way to evade them. He climbs another, but it begins to fall, and he is only narrowly saved by grabbing another branch with his tail. At last he is seen running out of the forest, while behind, the trees begin to turn sickly shades of green and to rot away.

ApeTrully then barges into the greenhouse, where he finds Gardener Ching and demands that he, as a master of plants, find a remedy for the dying forest. Gardener Ching informs him that the same thing is happening to the calabash gourds, which are rotting away. ApeTrully decides to enlist the aid of [http://hero108.wikia.com/wiki/First_Squad ] First Squad to get to the bottom of this.

In First Squad's briefing room, Mystique Sonia is reclining on Yaksha, formed into a sort of chair, and playing her flute. The other members of First Squad listen lazily, while Lin Chung paints the image of a flower in a vase before him. The flower then wilts, and Lin Chung gazes upon it quizzically. Before he can do anything, Commander ApeTrully's voice comes through the speaker, requesting that First Squad report to the greenhouse immediately, which they do.

Within the greenhouse, Commander ApeTrully and Gardener Ching inform First Squad of the danger they now face. They are to find the reason the plants of Hidden Kingdom are dying, and they must do it quickly. They are wished luck.

First Squad and Gardener Ching then set out on turtles to find the source. As they ride out of Big Green base, they find the Fruiter running toward them. They stop and speak with him. The Fruiter informs them that he knows the reason for the ailing of the plants of Hidden Kingdom. As they know, the Lake of Thai Gi supplies the life energy of Hidden Kingdom, and Twin Masters used that energy to assume his most powerful form. However, the lake functions differently than they were aware of. The lake both absorbs and gives energy. Energy first flows out of the lake, through the central root network, where it passes through the living things of Hidden Kingdom, first through the plants, and then into animals. After this, it flows back into the lake, so that the process can begin again, because unless life energy flows continuously, it is useless. Twin Masters, the Fruiter speculates, must have taken the lake's ability to absorb energy for himself, and that was how he was able to suck life energy out of Hidden Kingdom. In taking the lake's power for his own, Twin Masters likely poisoned the lake with Chaotic Energy, rendering it incapable of continuing the flow of life energy through Hidden Kingdom. If the lake is not saved, all of Hidden Kingdom will die.

The Fruiter then explains that the only hope for Hidden Kingdom is the Jade Orchid. According to legend, the Jade Orchid is an unusual plant that does not need life energy from the Lake of Thai Gi, but instead creates massive amounts of life energy from solar power. If the Jade Orchid can be brought to the Lake of Thai Gi, it may be possible to save the world. Unfortunately, no one knows where the orchid is, or even if it truly exists.

Although they do not know whether the orchid is real, they agree to set out to find it, according to where the legend says it is. To this end, they set out for Mt. Flira across the desert sands. As they approach the mountain, Gardener Ching throws individual seeds onto the ground every few moments, because if they are close enough to the orchid, the seeds will grow. At first they all die, but finally one begins to grow, a clear sign that the orchid is near. However, rather than simply grow normally, the plant grows wildly, creating enormous roots and vines that cover the area until the parched desert ground fractures and they fall into a deep pit, in which are many roots and vines. Realizing that this means they must be close to the orchid, they decide to split up to explore the three separate tunnels. Jumpy and the Fruiter enter the first, Sonia and Gardener Ching, the second, and Lin Chung and Mighty Ray, the third.

The heroes are soon seen passing through many caverns filled with plants, both beautiful and unusual. However, as they progress, the plants begin to grow even faster than before. In one room, rapidly growing and twisting vines tangle around Jumpy, forcing the Fruiter to cut him free. This causes the plants to react and attack, and Jumpy and the Fruiter are left fighting for their lives. Within another room, Sonia and Gardener Ching encounter a massive carnivorous flower capable of shooting poison-tipped thorns. Jumpy and the Fruiter eventually escape from the vines, but enter a cavern filled with enormous cacti, which attack them. Meanwhile, Lin Chung and Mighty Ray find themselves running for their lives from an unstoppable mass of vines. The ultimately escape to a high ledge, but the ground gives way and they fall into a chamber below.

In the chamber with the carnivorous plant, Sonia manages to hold off the flower's thorns with blasts of wind from her tongue. However, knowing that they cannot hold it back indefinitely, Yaksha grapples with it, attempting to hold it back. At this moment, Gardener Ching also attacks, using his extensive knowledge of plants to identify a weak spot, which he strikes. Wracked with pain, the plant proceeds to thrash wildly, nearly flattening both Sonia and Gardener Ching, before ultimately crashing through the cave wall and collapsing. As Sonia peers into the opening, she is struck with amazement at what she sees.

Meanwhile, Lin Chung and Mighty Ray pick themselves up after their land, both largely unharmed. The area is illuminated by a single shaft of light emanating from the ceiling. In the sunlight is a single plant, a small, twisting vine with pearly flowers. Lin Chung and Mighty Ray both stealthily approach the flower, recognizing it as the Jade Orchid, but just as they come nearly close enough to touch it, a nearby wall gives way, from which come Jumpy and the Fruiter, holding off a hoard of cacti. As the Fruiter turns to face the rest of the room, he sees Lin Chung about to touch the orchid, and immediately shouts to him to stop. As Lin Chung turns to look at him, a massive vine slams into him, tossing him across the room.

Jumpy and Mighty Ray immediately prepare for battle, and the Fruiter prepares his staff, while explaining that the orchid has the power to defend itself. Mighty Ray attacks with lightning, but is held back by more vines, while Jumpy is forced to defend himself from an onslaught of thorns. The battle continues in this way, and the heroes, learning that the vines can regenerate with ease, are forced onto the defensive. As more and more vines grow, the orchid and the battle begin to rise atop them, until all are lifted out of the cavern and into the light of day. Fearing that more sunlight will strengthen the orchid even more, Lin Chung manages to dodge the vines, running along them more quickly than they can react. However, he is forced to hesitate when he sees that all but the Fruiter have been trapped in vines and are about to be swallowed by carnivorous traps. Nonetheless, at the Fruiter's advice, he foregoes their rescue and charges the orchid, which is finally plucked from its pedestal.

Immediately, all of the vines begin to wilt. The rocky desert land, too, begins to crumble, shaking and falling into the caverns below. The heroes scramble to find solid footing, though it is rapidly disappearing. At last, just as they are on the edge, they see massive dandelions flying toward them, floating on the breeze. Directing them are Sonia and Gardener Ching. The imperiled heroes gladly leap aboard, and Sonia directs the dandelions away.

At last, they begin to float toward the Lake of Thai Gi. Lin Chung passes the orchid to the Fruiter, who takes it and tosses it into the water. The lake begins to quake, spreading showers of red and blue sparks in all directions. At last the lake calms. Gardener Ching is the first to notice that plants have finally stopped dying, and Jumpy revels in the new life that has once again begun to grow. Satisfied with their work, the heroes resolve to return home.

Appearances

 * Fruiter
 * Commander ApeTrully
 * Gardener Ching
 * Mystique Sonia
 * Yaksha
 * Jumpy Ghostface
 * Mighty Ray
 * Lin Chung
 * Assorted turtles