Author's notes: I'm honestly surprised that you don't fight L at all when you meet him.

Chapter 29: Enter L

Chapter's POV: Cross

We went through the forest, fighting off quite a few Indigens and avoiding some of the stronger ones, until we got to a cliff that was towering before us. "The Lifehold piece should be further ahead.", Era said. "Friends will climb big, rocky mountain?!", Tatsu asked, "B-but how?! Tatsu has tiny feet! Stubby, flimbsy limbs!" "No spine, either.", Era said, "But the turnip does have a point. I don't think there's any way we could scale those cliffs." "Agreed. We'll need to take a detour.", Deylin said, turning to a path to our left, "Let's try going around that way."

After a while, we found ourselves in a canyon. "F-friends, hold up! Something coming ahead!", Tatsu said. Just then, we saw a blue humanoid figure walking up to us. Instinctively, we readied ourselves for a fight. I even got in front of Era to shield her. "H-hey! Down in front! I can't see!", Era said. "Another Xeno.", Deylin said. "Whatever it is, at least it's not a Prone.", Era said. "Perish the thought, good sirs, perish and kill the thought!", the figure said, "We would never associate with those savages!" Hearing this, we relaxed our guard. "Who are you?", Deylin asked. "Ay, yes, a thousand pardons.", the figure said, "We are called 'L'cirufe.' Or just 'L,' if it please you. Like the proud Nopon among you, we have inhabited this planet since times of antiquity."

"Friend... knows about Nopon people?", Tatsu asked. "Yes, yes, of course!", L said, "Nopon purchase my wares quite often, you know. They're excellent... How should I say? 'Suckers?'" "Uh... I think you mean 'customers.'", Era said. "So Mr. L, you've lived here a long time?", Deylin asked. "Just 'L', and yes.", L said, "Such a nice, quiet world. The wildlife and insects are all so docile, such gentle dispositions." "Not all of it.", I said. "Indeed!", Tatsu said, "Yes, friends lucky Tatsu here to protect them from becoming main course." I gave Tatsu an annoyed look. "Yeah, 'cuz we can toss you out as an appetizer and run away while they're snacking.", Era said, scaring Tatsu. "Well, the creatures here are hungry, yes. Granted.", L said. "'Gentle disposition' my butt.", Era said. "It's just... hmmm...", L began. "What?", Deylin asked.

"Well, who can blame them, with all the commotion here as of late?", L said, "Not that we're pointing our fingers at you, mind. No, it's those Prone. Sons of bastards." "Yeah, we're not their biggest fans either.", Era said. "We loathe them.", L said, "They have ruined our once-peaceful life here. RUINED! They are all... how should we say? Asscaves." "Close enough.", Deylin said, "By the way, L, you seem to speak our language quite fluently." "Well... yeah. Most of the time.", Era said. "We owe it all to that wreckage back there, what a treasure trove!", L said, "Especially the data terminal we found inside. It is the ultimate portable snack for satisfying our insatiable curiousity." "'Wreckage back there'... You think that's our piece of the Lifehold?", Era asked. "Certainly sounds like it.", Deylin said, "L, can we take a look at this terminal you found?" "Of course, of course.", L said before pulling something out of his back pocket. "Thanks. Era, see what you can make of it.", Deylin said. "On it.", Era said.

"Okay... yep. This is library data.", Era said. "Let me see.", Deylin said, "Huh. So it is. The unit L stumbled upon must be part of the Lifehold's Archives." "So... not the Core, then.", Era said. "The entire ship was torn to bits when we came down.", Deylin said, "The odds of any single piece of Lifehold being the Core aren't very high." "Yeah, I guess not.", Era said. "Now, now, Era, don't be glum.", Deylin said, "The Lifehold Archives are a sum total of all Terran knowledge, this is strill a really big find. We should try and secure it ASAP." "Yeah, you're right.", Era said. "Now... might not be a good time.", L said. "Why not?", Tatsu asked. "Why else? ... The Asscaves!", L said, "We just came from there, and Prone are all over the wreckage..." "What?!", Deylin asked, surprised. "Uh-oh... This is bad.", Era said. "Very bad. Let's go.", Deylin said. "Apologies we didn't mention it before, we assumed you'd abandoned it.", L said, "After all, as you say, too many heads are better than none, right?" "Uh... close enough.", Era said

*To be continued*