GREEN
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2111 11.7 KB 237
2111 11.7 KB 237
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Ch. 3
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>A chorus of crickets and frogsong.
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>Twinkling fireflies.
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>A twig snaps underfoot.
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>Anon marches through the temperate jungle, keeping a steady pace.
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>He looks back for a moment, but does not stop or slow down.
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>He must have been walking for hours at this point.
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>Moonlight filters through the canopy, showing his path as he follows the river south.
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>His weariness is starting to catch up to him, but he does his best to hide it.
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>Even from himself.
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>Whether it’s legitimate caution, sheer cowardice, or hurt pride that drives him forward, he does not know.
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>What he does know is that he can’t stop moving until he’s out of this forest.
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>Another twig snaps.
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>Anon slows down a bit.
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>Something is close.
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>Very close.
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>He’d gotten the feeling he was being followed about an hour ago, but blew it off as paranoia.
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>Anon resumes his previous pace.
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>Whatever it is, it’s been getting closer and closer for the last five minutes.
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>At this rate it’ll overtake him any moment now.
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>Anon steels himself for this inevitability, grasping his knife.
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>He walks a little faster, and a chill runs down his spine.
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>Behind him he hears a low growl, and something whizzes past his face.
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>Anon ducks behind a large tree, and three thuds resound next to his face.
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>Cautiously, he peeks around.
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>Lodged in the bark are three chitinous spikes, each longer than one of Anon’s fingers.
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A: “Shit.”
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>He returns his knife to its place, and instead readies his bow.
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>Knocking an arrow, he prepares to draw.
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“ROAR”
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>A blur of brown and red crashes into the tree Anon is hiding behind.
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>A massive paw swipes at him around the tree, and he falls backwards, narrowly avoiding the beast’s black claws tearing into the bark.
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>Regaining his footing, Anon takes a few steps back and points his bow at the creature as it lurches around to face him.
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>A disturbingly human-like lion face looks back at him.
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>The bow twangs and an arrow flies.
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>It shoots beside the beast’s shaggy red mane, and pierces the shoulder.
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>Blood spurts from the wound and soaks into the beast’s brown fur.
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>It doesn’t even flinch.
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>Then it lets go of the tree and drops to all fours, the claws of its lionlike paws digging into the dirt.
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>Batlike wings outstretch, and a massive chitinous tail tipped with a ball of spikes rears forward over the beast’s back.
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>Anon’s eyes widen, and he darts to the nearest tree.
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>He barely makes it before a volley of spikes come flying, some whizzing past and others striking the tree.
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A: “Fuck.”
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>He raises his bow, then leans out from behind the tree and shoots another arrow.
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>The beast, with unexpected agility, sidesteps the arrow.
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“ROAR”
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>It charges forward, and lunges at Anon.
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>He quickly moves around the tree, but the beast turns around to face him just as fast.
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>It swipes a paw at him, ripping his shirt and leaving four trails of blood across his chest.
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>Anon winces at the pain, but keeps his momentum and begins to run.
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>As fast as he can he tries to flee.
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>He can hear spikes whizzing past him.
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>Just as he is about to reach another tree, two slam into his left arm.
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>Anon drops his bow.
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A: “AH FUCK”
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>The pain is intense as searing venom courses into his veins.
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>He stumbles, but doesn’t stop running.
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“ROAR”
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>The beast is almost upon him already.
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>It lunges, and anon ducks sideways, falling into a haphazard roll.
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>He jumps to his feet, and runs forward…
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>...straight into a tree.
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>It hurts and disorients him, but not enough to deter his survival instinct.
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>Anon turns to face the beast, and draws his knife.
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>The beast growls, and a volley of spikes hurtles towards him.
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>He falls flat on the ground, barely avoiding them, and each one thuds into the tree behind him.
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>As soon as he starts to get up, the beast is jumping towards him.
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>Anon only has time to roll over onto his back before it’s landed atop him, but it overshoots its mark.
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>Rather than his neck, the beast’s fangs sink into his leg.
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A: “AHHHH!”
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>Anon lashes out with his knife, and instantly blood sprays him in the face.
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>The beast above him howls, and the taste of blood drives all thought from Anon’s mind.
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>He stabs and stabs and stabs, and the beast leaps from him, furiously flapping its wings.
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>Covered in blood, Anon jumps to his feet.
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>Adrenaline courses through his veins.
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>His pain is a wail drowned out by the screaming primality that has overtaken him.
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>He yells and rushes the beast.
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>It knocks him aside with a swipe of its paw, and he hits the ground hard.
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>Four lines of red streak across Anon’s right arm, but he does not drop his knife.
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>He starts to get up again, a guttural groan, full of malice, reverberating through his battered body.
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>Looking up at the beast, his eyes widen in surprise.
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>It’s limping backwards.
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>Away from him.
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>Anon manages to stand up.
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A: “COME ON!”
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>His yell is hoarse and ragged, but loud as he can muster.
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>The beast, leaning to one side, grasping its blood and entrails with a forepaw, stares him dead in the eye.
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>Its expression is cold.
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>Unkowable.
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>Anon feels a chill run down his spine.
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“ROOOAAARRRRRRR!”
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>Anon shuts his eyes for a second as beast shakes the trees around him with its terrible voice.
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>But he does not back down.
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>He can’t.
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>At this point he’s too fucked up to run away.
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>He stares at the beast.
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>It stares back.
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>With a fierce determination that he didn’t even know he had, Anon takes a step forward, barely managing to stay standing on his injured leg.
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>Instantly, the beast’s resolve is broken.
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>In a flurry of blood and fur and leaves, the beast is gone, hurtling loudly through the trees.
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>Anon stands, half in schock and half in joy.
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>A soft chuckle escapes his lips.
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>His wounded leg wavers, and he falls to his knees.
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>A pulse of intense pain washes through his body from his left arm.
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>He looks at his arm, and winces.
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A: “Fuck.”
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>He grits his teeth, and grasps hold of one of the spikes.
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>He pulls.
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>Immediately he gasps and lets go.
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>The pain is too much.
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>For a few moments he just sits there, panting.
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>Eventually he collects himself, and takes off his tattered shirt.
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>He wads up a corner and bites down on it, then firmly takes hold of one of the spikes.
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>He yanks as hard as he can, and it pops loose.
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>The feeling of relief is indescribable.
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>Blood oozes from the wound.
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>He grits down on the cloth again, and grasps the other spike.
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>He pulls, and this one comes out easier than the first.
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>Anon pants, then begins to stand.
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>His leg wavers.
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>Anon falls back onto his ass.
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>He laughs.
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A: “That ugly bastard…”
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>Anon looks off into the forest, in the direction the beast ran off.
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>His expression fades.
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>A dire realization sets in.
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>He’s alive, but that isn’t going to last. Not like this.
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>Any other monsters stumble upon him in his current state and he’s dead.
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>Looking down at himself, Anon takes count of his wounds.
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>It’s hard to tell which blood is his and which is the beast’s, but he knows where he’s hurting.
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>Looking closely, he can see that he’s not bleeding too badly, all things considered.
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>And he doesn’t feel nearly as bad now that he’s pried those spikes out.
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>He sighs.
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>At least he’s alive.
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>Even if it is temporary.
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>Looking up at the sky, he wonders what he should do.
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>The sun is peeking over the horizon, and its soft golden rays reach out over the treetops.
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A: “Okay…”
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>Anon stands up slowly, and tests his injured leg.
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>It hurts.
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A: “Fuck.”
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>He looks around.
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>Unfortunately that monster went running off in the direction that Anon was trying to go.
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>And he can’t go back the other way.
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>He looks towards the east.
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>Towards the river.
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>With a nod, he hobbles forward.
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~
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>Chrysalis stares wide-eyed at this horrible, amazing monster that is clutching its injured arm and stumbling through the underbrush.
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>She never expected him to actually drive off the manticore on his own.
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>Her plan was to step in at the last second and save him.
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>Then he’d fall in love with her and be hers forever.
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>But he cut it open!
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>She was so surprised that she forgot her plans and couldn’t do anything but watch.
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>His body looked so small and frail compared to the chimeric beast, she couldn’t possibly have predicted he’d hurt it like that.
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>Oh, but he did.
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>Her body quivers as she remembers the look on his face when he was staring down the manticore.
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>So serious.
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>Covered in blood.
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>Sending the manticore after him was a wonderful idea, if only to have seen that face.
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>She’s practically vibrating with expectation as she stalks him through the trees.
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>Her green eyes, full of desire, follow his every movement.
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>She watches him step out from the forest, heading towards the riverbank.
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>Curious, she gets a little closer.
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>He takes a few more steps, then stops.
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>He looks around.
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>Did he hear her?
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>Does he know she’s watching him?
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>Chrysalis hides as best she can among the leaves.
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>Something speaks.
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>Its voice is little more than a whisper.
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>He seems to hear it, too.
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>He takes off his backpack.
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>She stares in anticipation.
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>He sits down.
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>She breathes a silent sigh of relief.
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>After rummaging hastily through his torn and dirty sack, he pulls out a book.
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>The royal insignia of Princess Twilight Sparkle is emblazoned on its cover, a purple crystal embedded in the center.
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>A faint purple light spills from the gem, and the voice echoes louder and more clearly now.
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>It’s Twilight Sparkle’s voice.
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>Anon holds the book, looking at it quizzically.
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>Chrysalis still can’t make out what the book is saying, but she catches the words “danger” and “home”.
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>What’s happening?
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>Chrysalis almost can’t take it.
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>He’s right there.
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>Right in front of her.
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>He’s in no position to fight back.
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>Right?
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>So why does she hesitate?
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>Why does she merely hide and watch?
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>She shakes her head, and curses at herself for her weakness.
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>Then her gaze fixates on Anon once again.
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>Her unblinking eyes blaze with intent.
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>A wicked grin creeps across her face.
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>She takes a step forward.
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>Anon laughs, and then clutches his chest.
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A: “Oof… Ow. Thanks Twilight. It’s good to hear your voice.”
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>Chrysalis winces.
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>A twinge of disgust and a pang of jealousy resound through her mind.
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>She stands tall, and huffs.
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>Anon starts to look back, but before he can turn his head a bright purple light shines out and turns to white.
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>Blinded, Chrysalis squints her eyes and raises a hoof to block her face.
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>Then the light disappears.
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>Along with Anon.
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C: “What?”
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>The changeling looks around, confused for a moment, then walks over to where Anon was just sitting.
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>She freezes.
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>Rage builds up inside her.
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>Twilight Sparkle.
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>She did this.
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>She teleported Anon away.
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>Why didn’t Chrysalis move sooner?
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>Why didn’t she stop it from happening?
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>She screams in frustration.
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>A pillar of green flame bursts forth around her, and from the flames a great black dragon steps forth.
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C: “No.”
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>The dragon’s wings unfurl, and it launches upwards into the air.
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C: “I will not be denied.”
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>The scales of Chrysalis’s dragonic form tremble and quiver.
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>Green flames spill from her maw.
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>She stares into the distance.
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>Ponyville.
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>Her anger grows as memories flood into her mind.
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>It had been a long time since she’d been freed from the statue alongside her former allies.
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>That was the last time she’d been in Ponyville.
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>She shudders as she remembers the feeling of her body turning to stone.
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>No.
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>She won’t let that happen again.
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>She has to be smart about this.
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>A wave of green shimmers across her body, and her form shifts again.
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>From a dragon she transforms into a blue pegasus.
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>She smiles to herself, then dashes off at incredible speed, little more than a blur in the sky.
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
by Luckybuck
by Luckybuck
by Luckybuck
by Luckybuck
by Luckybuck