"From the Edge, you say? On land?"

"Yes, your excellency," said the cabbage white. "Led by a fritillary. We're receiving reports from the Roly Poly network."

"Our friends in the underground. Excellent. Well, I think we can guess what they're after. We can let them come to us. Swallowtails?!"

"Yes, your excellency," said Black.

"Yes, your excellency," said Zebra.

"Yes, your excellency," said Tiger.

"Prepare for their arrival."

I feel terrible, roping our Psyhigh friends into this gambit. But I know the denizens of the Butterfly Gym could never fill this role... True butterflies are far too savage for this level of subterfuge, and yet my Psyhigh friends are too naive to play any other role.

"FREEZE! DOWN ON THE GROUND!"

It was a troop of Mourning Cloaks, puddling. We walked right into them. Just as I had planned.

"Everyone -- do what they say. We're outnumbered here."

Silently I sent the UV signals.

"Aw.. wut?" Jacob said.

"Do what she says," said Maia. Good old Maia, I knew she was down with the cause.

"I'm sorry, everybody," I said. "But your safety needs to some first."

I could tell @Darby Funtz was frazzled. "Wha???" he said.

"Keep it cool..." said Talia. I knew she was down for it too.

As we were led, forelegs shackled, along the paths to the enemy camp, I realized something didn't add up.

"Tisa," I asked.

"Yes Darby?" Tisa panted. Walking was much harder on her.

"If the re-anthropomorphizer has been in enemy hands..."

"Yes?" I felt she could already tell where I was going.

"Then how were you able to return to the outside and find us?"

@Tisa Fritillary looked down at the ground, feelers drooping.

"I know where the re-anthropomorphizer is," she said. "Because I was one of the enemy. When I arrived, they were very welcoming. I was made a vizier of sorts, based on my knowledge of the outside world, which made me seem quite wizardly."

Talia, Jacob, and Maia walked closer to hear her story.

"At first, I supported the sort of 'back to nature' primitivism of it all. Living off the land like we had in times of old. I indulged them in their fantasy, and their forgetfulness. It wasn't till I realized the brutality of their regime--their nationalism, their violence--that I turned against them, and used the re-anthropomorphizer on myself. To find help, and here you are."

"Yeah. In shackles," Jacob said.

"But only you can help me. Only we can retake the re-anthropomorphizer. And," Tisa looked around at our Mourning Cloak guards furtively, "they're taking us right to it."

"Ah, @Tisa Fritillary, traitorous pest! Have you returned to plead guilty and throw yourself on the mercy of the High Court of the Butterfly Imperium?"

"I have, my lord."

"Your wings are tattered and torn. Perhaps some time in the Healing Baths of Nectar? And we should prepare your raiments as you become Grand Vizier once more?"

"I would be honored, my lord."

"Ha! Fat chance! Laugh, my Swallowtail Guard!"

"Ha!" laughed Black.

"Ha!" laughed Zebra.

"Ha!" laughed Tiger.

"Laugh, my Royal Court!"

"Ha ha ha ha ha!"

"Throw them all in my Butterfly Dungeon! Prepare the pins!"

"Ha ha ha ha ha!"

"These butterfly restraints are uncomfortable," Jacob said.

"Looks like they're a lot more uncomfortable for @Tisa Fritillary," said Talia.

Tisa moaned.

"Oh my god! Poor thing! Look how the collar pokes into her neck like that," said Maia.

"Doesn't hurt me like that," Jacob said.

"That's because our bodies are different," Talia said. "And the butterfly suits are padded."

That's when I gave my bonds a tug. And a twist. And another tug and a twist and....

"And these butterfly restraints don't work on us!" I said. "Quick, let's get ourselves free and get Tisa out of that thing!"

Tisa was coming around, her wings draped over our shoulders.

"Down this hall," she gasped. "There's big doors on the right."

The stone halls were like a dungeon. How did the butterflies move such stones to build this fortress?

The doors were huge but opened easily to brightly lit laboratory.

"There!" Tisa pointed an antenna towards the corner of the room. We stumbled towards it and discovered a twin to the machine back at Psyhigh.

"Ah, @Tisa Fritillary, my limp and predictable ex-Vizer!"

It was @Buckeye Swallowtail, butterfly emperor, and his Swallowtail Guard, blocking the door behind us.