Chapter 8: A Minor Misunderstanding
-Neutral pov-
There are times in one's life that you are left to wonder, if some deity or power is having a laugh at your expense, and if such should be necessary. Or if you did something that you can't remember which earned or got you where you find yourself. A philosophical thought and tangent I know, but it's one a number have and Saber was also having repeatedly as of late. With the tale thus far, it is understandable for Saber has face experiences that most cannot imagine. Yet, he would receive no release from such a lot rather events would only change his norms further.
-Saber's pov-
Well, once again I'm in a problematic situation that I didn't create or jump into and I can't figure out how it all occurred. I mean, I've heard and read of the type of circumstance as I'm in right now, but never thought I would ever be in during my lifetime, at least not without doing something drastic to deserve the idea. What might I be doing that qualifies as the circumstance that I'm referring to, well I'm currently tied to a pole by my wrist, shins and ankles with some type of rope or cord and my 'captors' were carrying the pole I was bound to. What made my plight weirder was that of all creatures they could be, they appeared to be cheetahs like you would see in the zoo walking on their hind legs like humans do, just different looking around the knees. And to think that this day started off as such a nice day for me before developing into this crapshoot! But let me tell you how this started and how it got to what I'm experiencing right now.
You see, in the morning of this day I had woken up not too long after the sun rose, a tad tired due to the fact that I had told Spyro about my breakfast mistake yesterday. Spyro, bless his heart had not laughed at me like his dragonfly brother had. No, he had felt sorry for me and what I had gone through, he had even asked if I was okay. So, that morning I had bumped into the purple dragon and we had got to talking while having breakfast. "Hey Saber are sure you are going to be okay today? I mean after what happened to you yesterday," asked Spyro in a worried tone.
I'd observed that Spyro was looking at me with a worried expression on his face, while I was still eating the fruit I'd been shown by Spyro and Cynder was okay to eat along with the meat. And right now, I was hungry, so was not inclined to talk much but to not be rude I did reply, "Can't talk now, eating," was my curt reply, before I continued putting food in my mouth.
That's the best response I could come up with at the moment. What can I say? I've good enough manners to not chat away while I was eating and I was currently stuffing my face. Sparx just shook his head and started to mumble stuff, while I felt the growingly familiar stabbing annoyance at Sparx's action. It was then I got an amazing idea on how I could start to get Sparx back for the recent things he had done to me. The idea forming was getting better and better as I stared at the fruit I was munching on, that just happened to look like an apple. I swallowed, before turning to Spyro with a smile, "Hey, Spyro, could you humor me for a second," I asked.
Spyro looked at me curiously, but nodded, "What do I do?"
"Well, we humans have an interesting joke which for your part, all you have to do is when I point to you, say Baltimore. Then to my question that will follow, answer Sparx," I began.
I continued explaining the idea that I had plan, not everything as I couldn't tell him all of it, more since I'd promised Spyro that would try to be nicer to Sparx. This plan did the complete opposite, but he was asking for it! Once I had finished Spyro asked one question, "Well what will happen," questioned Spyro.
I just smiled hoping he wouldn't suspect I was planning something, "Oh, well, nothing horrible I assure you though I would hazard a guess that at the very least Cynder will enjoy this and laugh a great deal it. That sounds pretty good, no," I said and Spyro nodded in delight. I felt a little twinge of guilt at manipulating Spyro, yet I brushed it aside for the payback I would soon get would be worth it. I cleared my throat, "Apple core."
"Baltimore," replied Spyro.
"Who is your friend?" I asked.
"Sparx," said Spyro.
Turning to Sparx, my smile growing slightly as I prepared to do what I was, since I'm going to love this more that IC could ever imagine. It was lucky for him that this fruit is mushy so it won't injure you though that was never the point to this particular joke, just meant to humiliate! I grinned as I wound up like a baseball pitcher and chucked the 'apple' sending the core of the fruit at Sparx.
So, let me pause for a moment, I was once told by a teacher from school after one of the many fights that I seemed to get pulled into, that I should seriously think about joining the baseball team. The reason I suspect, was that as the kid who was foolish enough to fight me was running away, I'd nailed him with a snowball at sixty feet away… It had been winter at the time. That being said, I have quite the throwing arm and know how to employ it effectively to say the least. So with that in mind, there's no way I was going to miss Sparx at twenty, a third of that distance!
Let me resume where I was in the story, the fruit sailed and nailed the lightbulb with wings squarely and it exploded spectacularly. It's certainly a moment framed in my mind as the perfect face for Sparx! His facial expression was somewhere between shock undoubtedly from not expecting something hitting him behind. Then the next expression was that of anger at me the one who had thrown the object at him, "What was that," he barked at me.
I smirked before I gave my answer, "It's called Poetic Justice you annoying light bulb with wings."
I could hear Cynder laughing hysterically while Spyro was trying to calm her down as he was trying unsuccessfully not to laugh as he asked, "Wh-wh-what is p-p-p-poetic justice?"
The smirk I had grew as I kept staring at IC as I thought about how to answer Spyro. I could not help but appreciate my amazing handy work, "Put simply my friend, it is an idiot who is or has been asking for punishment getting what they deserve." I couldn't stop the contented sigh that came out, "It is a wonderfully beautiful thing."
I watched Sparx fuming and could not help but smile brighter for it sent warmth through me. 'Ah the sweet, sweet music of vengeance,' I mused to myself.
That's how the day had started so, you would think the day would keep going with such a good note for its beginning, wouldn't you? It brought a smile to my face at remembering the event, especially throwing the apple like fruit at the lightbulb with wings. However, the smile that had started forming shifted to a grimace as the cheetahs jostled the pole and me along with it around rather roughly. It brought me back to my senses for a second and out of my musings and got me wishing that these cats would be a little gentler on their movements. Perhaps a 'handle with care' sign would be more effective…. however, I think it's more that they really don't care though.
I exhaled and began recalling the chain of events that had come after IC's lesson in humility. As all the dragons were getting together for the day's trek to the dragon city, Warfang and I was going to set out on the ground to follow. And the more I heard about this city Warfang, the more curious I became about it for one, why would dragons need a city made of stone? It didn't make much sense to me, wouldn't they rather have open space to fly and that kind of thing? It makes me think I'm missing a number of facts about this world, it would explain some of the gaps that I've seen developing. Then, Spyro had mentioned that the dragon city had been built by the mole race here, which I haven't seen any of them yet. Anyways, it was a sign of friendship with the dragons, or something like that is the reason that they built the city. Although when I thought about it, why moles would be friends with dragons? Yet another gap I seem to have a hard time with fathoming the reason for the friendship. Perhaps all of this was rather humanistic thinking on my part, but I am human after all, it's what I know and use as reference.
You see, when I was a child, I vaguely remember the times when I was told stories before going to bed. Those were back in the days before my uncle was a drunken dirt bag, he was actually a fair decent guy, at least he was a lot easier to be around back then. Yes, he and I did not always get along still, that is the parental figure and child relationship in a nut shell. Now back to the point, some of my favorite stories that my uncle would tell me were about dragons and heroes or knights. In which stories for whatever reason I didn't sympathize with the hero or knight like most kids or I assume other kids did. I would side with the dragon for some reason… wait, why would I always take the dragon's side and then there's the other fact that I always believed that the dragon could not be evil. The sudden revelation hitting me the throw me for a loop, shook my head to clear it. It was something to consider later when there's time to do so, and now is not the time or the place.
The other oddity that had plagued me recently was a weird dream I'd had during the night before, which came to mind. The dream had been vivid to the point that I remembered it all, which was not normally the case for me and my dreams.
…
I found myself in the city I had met that guy that so frustrated me during the previously dream like experience. That brought to mind the guy wouldn't give me a straight answer, and he appeared to be bored with me for no good reason! That idea had really tick me off, honestly! So being here again wasn't desirable, and right now the guy from before was nowhere to be seen at the moment, so what the crap is going on now. It was then I heard a growingly familiar voice, "So here we are once again, and you are looking rather unhappy of being here. Perhaps your ignorance is once again weighing down on you beyond my expectations."
I sighed involuntarily and had to keep mental control to not blow up at this guy, "Do you find pleasure ticking me off, or do you just like throwing insults," I posed.
The stupid guy just chuckled at me, "Goodness me, no to both of those. However, your reaction is amusing," he replied.
This guy that looks like me is just getting on my nerves and it was taking a good deal more mental discipline to not rush forward and beat this guy to within an inch of his life. I didn't understand why this guy got to me so easily where others couldn't even get a dent or chip in my mental armor doing far more than this guy is. Only explanation I could come up with was that I had a dislike of pompous, arrogant idiots, and it's a deep ingrained dislike of mine. Yet, felt that there was something more than that, which I just couldn't put into words. However, this guy seemed to have information that would be valuable so, I'll likely need to tolerate him for the time being. Difficult true, but I needed to do it, that being said, I grit my teeth and hunker down to get this over with! Nonetheless, I felt a vein pulsing on my forehead as I looked at him, "So are you going to give me a name of which to call you? Or am I going to have to come up with one? Because I can certainly do that," I said between a growl and a falsely even voice.
The guy looked bored at my response to him, almost as if he was… TAUNTING ME! "What is a name but a way to label something you don't understand? This in the vain attempt to comprehend what so few understand," his reply was dull and emotionless.
My jaw muscles were working from my frustration at this guy with my effort not to get my hands around his neck and throttle him. This arrogant punk was seriously… hold on, why am I letting this guy get under my skin?! I take crap like this normally on a daily basis, so why am I letting this guy get to me? Nevertheless, I can't seem to help it, I was on the edge of losing my cool badly even I can't deny that. I was starting to think sadistically and that always has brought problems for me and more for others. But I just couldn't calm down, this guy was better than Sparx at getting me riled up, and that's saying something! "What is it with you and not giving straight answers," I said, trying to keep my voice from showing the frustration I was feeling.
"As I said before, and it seems to be a continuing theme with you, what value would there be if you did not figure out the answer yourself," he returned.
That was the last straw for me, his cool nonchalant tone in his reply just was too much for me to keep my cool. He keeps making himself sound superior to others and I snapped at that. I felt tingling sensation all over me, yet I didn't care, "STOP SCREWING AROUND," I bellowed.
His smile that came to my shout just served to enrage me further, "This is what I meant by value, or perhaps you might just want to take a look at yourself," he remarked simply.
What was with this guy implying, or is he just continuing to screw with me?! I looked at myself to find I had what looked like electricity arcing and cracking all around me, much like when I had found I could control fire through anger. It appeared I could do much the same with electricity through frustration or that's what I was comprehending. Maybe this meant that the other elements that dragons mentioned would react to emotions in the same manner. If I could just match the right feeling to the respective element, then maybe I could have control… Well something to think about at a later point.
"You see," he said getting back my attention. "You found out something new through simply trying to find the answer to a question."
His smile was clear as the scene started to fade, "Hold it you still haven't given me a name," I challenged.
He laughed at my statement, "Since you are so insistent about the subject, you may refer to me as Azreyel."
I suppose that you can say that two things came out of that… experience or dream. First, weirdly enough once again I find that I can control another element, electricity. Second, I finally got a straight answer from that annoying douche.
Anyways, back to what had led to what I'm in now, the trek toward this Warfang would likely not be an easy one, nor short. Yesterday, it had me going through a forest ending with me diving a long distance into a lake. Today it was supposed to be over plains and then through forests terrain by what I am to understand, not to say that I had issues with the difference. Admittedly, I was kind of excited for this kind of change of pace that was coming my way. First and definitely a very important fact, IC wouldn't be with traveling with me, THANK FREAKING GOODNESS! Or as I believe the dragons put it 'praise the ancestors', whatever significance such holds.
I have begun to notice that dragons seem to put a great deal of belief in genealogy. As far as I could tell, it was to the extent that I suppose that it can be called a kind of religion of sorts. It makes sense in a way though I'm not one to put much thought towards the subject of religion, other than blaming deities for my bad luck striking me. So, this wasn't one of my areas of expertise and I'll leave it at that.
The second point of fact to the change of pace, I'd been all manner of travel through forest and water during the last four days or so, to say that I was getting sick and tired of it just doesn't say my feelings. Where repetition was concerned, I understood the reason it was necessary. That doesn't mean that I like it very much, for I'm very much not fond of such, I like variety period.
I had knelt down checking over the inventory of my pack before setting out on my length of the journey that will take place on the ground while the dragons fly. I took out my bokuto kendo I had with me, it had been a weapon I could depend on in many situations just here. It had been the type of weapon I liked to practice with, light yet firm for it was basically a wood katana. The Bokuto was different in the fact that not only was it made of European Yew wood, which particular kind of wood is not cheap, I found that out when I was older. European Yew is firm and strong. It was able to take a hit, supple and flexible, not one to splinter unless it was under a great deal of stress. I had got it from my uncle when he saw I had an interest in sword play, this was back when he hadn't resorted to drowning his problems in alcohol. I looked at the kendo closely checking for cracks. It was a well-rounded weapon, that was the one of the reasons I used it a lot and took very good care of it. Seeing no cracks or any damage in the wood, I put the bokuto to the side and took out my first real metal katana.
The metal sword was named Yubashiri, translating to mean "Snow Run". It was a blade that Master Kai had given to me, a sign he thought me responsible enough to handle it. It held special significance to me as when I make Master Kai proud, that gives me a sense of accomplishment and warm feeling inside. Anyways, this beautiful blade was forty and a half inches in in length overall with the actual blade length at twenty-six inches and the hilt at ten and a half inches. The guard was a cross shape with small crescents on each of the outer parts of the cross shape and was made of reinforced steel. The blade itself was made of folded carbon steel extremely hard to break, at least I'd yet to find a way to break, crack, chip or maim this blade in anyway. And I'd done a lot to this blade so, I could say that and do so with pride! The sheath for Yubashiri was made of black lacquer with gold colored embroidery. The hilt like the sheath was made of black lacquer and this made the hilt solid and thus sturdy a good quality for a blade hilt.
Setting Yubashiri to the side as well, I took the other metal katana I had, which I had not used yet here and rarely did before now. This katana was named what it was for a good reason, that name was Muramasa, after the Japanese legendary 'demon blade'. This blade came into my possession somewhat recently and in an odd way. Now that I recalled the experience of how this blade quite literally nearly fell into my lap.
It had occurred around three years ago on a night worse than a normal night. My uncle had already gone through at least three cans of beer and two bottles of vodka. An extremely bad sign for me more than him as I'll feel the affects more than him. The first reason I say that was it meant he would likely beat me for whatever reason he was drink for the day. Then for him to have gone to not just one, but two bottles of vodka in one sitting, this wasn't good at all. It wasn't until I had taken the time to think about the date and what had happened on that day years ago that it had hit me. That day had been the anniversary of the day his wife left years ago and that hadn't gone well with him at all. I didn't that I blamed her for leaving, but I certainly didn't agree with the reason she left after I had come to understand what had happened in the years after she was gone. Simply put she had an affair and eloped with her new guy, not right in my opinion and I was one that had to suffer because of the decision.
I would leave if I could, but I had nowhere to go, so I was stuck due to the laws of the state that applied to me due to my age. Since I was under eighteen at the time, I was under the supervision of my uncle until then whether I like it or not. So, I had gone outside like I did at least a couple of times a week, I had thought it could do no harm for my uncle and me to have some time apart so, I had opened the window and gone out, jumped to the tree that grew up right by my window. It had served as a very good way down to the ground without hurting myself by jumping down two stories.
I'd not walked more than four feet from under the tree before I sat down trying to understand and comprehend why my life was as bad as it had been back then. I used to do that quite often, though in this instance, I had been brought out of my thoughts by something coming down sticking into the ground in front of me. After I'd gotten a look at the object in front of me and understandably, my eyes had gone wide. But with a katana type sword sticking out in front of me, can anyone really blame me, especially when said blade was far too close for any comfort to be feel as it had gotten very close to hitting me. So I had immediately backed up a distance out of fear, but once I'd calmed down a bit, I felt more surprised than anything else. I came to a stop when my back hit the tree behind me, yet still was breathing hard to try to slow down the beating of my heart. "That was way too close, what in the hell, where did that sword come from," I had muttered back then.
Upon thinking of just how close that blade had gotten to impaling a very important part of me… let's just say that if it had been a millimeter or two closer, then I would be singing octaves higher at least while I was in great pain. So, I want to know is who or what is trying to neuter me DAMN IT! Because I'm certainly not laughing at a blade just about putting me through circumcision! I had to have a second look at the sword for the angle suggested that it had come from above. Yet, that couldn't have been right, unless like I had first thought, this was some deity's idea of amusement. That blade almost took what makes me a guy and I'm proud to be a guy thank you very much! So, of course I had been so frustrated that I had growled to the skies, "You missed! I don't like that it was close at all! I do not take this kindly!"
After venting my feelings, I'd approached the blade cautiously and once I had seen there was nothing dangerous with it I decided to take the blade. Still I took out a blanket I left under the tree hidden within the roots for the times I would sleep outside. I did this so I wouldn't have to touch the sword itself, since I'd learned long ago to touch something, I know nothing about is just plain stupid and asks for trouble. Multiple that ideal when the object had almost hit you and I would be even more apprehensive! I pulled it out of the ground and wrapped the blanket around the whole sword, before I had turned and climbed back the tree and went through the window to examine the sword.
The sword itself was forty-one inches in length overall with a twenty-seven inches in blade and eleven inches in hilt. The guard was something I was still trying to figure out the purpose of even to this day. The reason was that the guard itself twisted much like a kind of … lock maybe, then the hilt was a little thicker than the Yubashiri. So, I didn't really use the Muramasa because I really knew so little about it. Our meeting was something I wouldn't forget and then I had no idea what the blade itself was made of for it was unlike any metal I'd seen. The Blade was silver in color yet it had an unusual sheen to it. The hilt was much like the normal katana style yet it was red and black. There was something about this blade I could not exactly put into words from the moment I had touched the blade. I'd a rather bad feeling with the contact and that had worried me and since that was the case, I don't do much with it. I set the Muramasa to the side with the others, before reaching in again and took out the three remaining jumbo rolls of duct tape and set them down.
That was all that was in the pack for the moment, so I took the pile of fruit I'd collected, put all of the stuff in the bag. All of it packed nicely so that it would fit with not problems of shifting and effecting any of the other things inside. Once everything was situated, I set my pack to the side and started stretching to be warmed up and ready for the distance I would be going today. When I felt warmed up enough I turned and hoisted on to my back now ready for the journey before bidding farewell to Spyro and set out.
As I left the lake behind, grassy plains stretched out ahead of me with trees in the far distance after the plains. I glanced upward and saw many dragons flying over me as they went on their merry way. Again, it's unfair that those I'm with can fly and I can't, but no use in complaining, it only wastes time that I could be trekking. But as I resumed my jog and came onto the plains, heading for the forest that was at the far end of the plains the wonderful point that it's just me myself and I until I meet back up with the dragons sunk in. It was a changed and a welcome one I will admit, IC had been grating my nerves.
I met nothing as I made my way over the plains and it took me a little more than an hour before I reached the shade of the edge of the forest. After entering, I noticed instantly that the noise from the outside faded almost completely away and that told me it would be a quiet journey forward for a while. Now, I've no problem with quiet and in fact, I prefer it and with the lightbulb with wings nowhere to be found, I could finally get some peace and quiet. There were no stupid ape comments, no feeling like the odd one out, just me and myself making progress through these woods.
So, it had been looking like a good day at that point, but I should have known that it wouldn't last. Silly me, I'd forgotten that my bad luck hadn't struck me for a time and that doesn't bode well for me at all! And so, I'm left to wonder as I do sometimes, what it is about me attracts the crap I get coming my way? I have to ask 'why me?' at times like this and it won't be the last I feel so.
Well, I've got to say, certainly is one of those days that my bad luck proves it has rightfully earned the reputation it has with me. I have never had been able to figure out what contributes to my bad luck, it's never the same from strike to strike. I mean granted, I can get myself into some real trouble sometimes and I don't deny it. Yet, for me to be tied to a pole and carried by cat like creature is certainly not something I would have thought of. Maybe this is the effect of my bad luck building up me since it didn't seem to hit me as much when I'm around Spyro? I suppose that trying to consider where the new levels of weird are started coming to me, isn't worth it for the time being. It's saying something to see my current circumstances were weirder than normal, more so with the loads of crap that have been happening to me lately, but I am getting ahead of myself again in this here.
As I mentioned, it had been a good deal of time since I'd time to myself without having to save someone or take of something that was urgent. So in my view, it was nice to have such time every once and a while to contemplate things though I'm not saying I dislike saving people and helping out. It is just doing it almost constantly gets tiring and kind of annoying. But after around an hour or two I heard a commotion up ahead of me and I swear I heard alarm bells going off in my head as I got closer. A bad sign of what new complication that were to come in the near future, the first of a number I feel. I came to the entrance of a large clearing to see a rather sizable group of apes and that told me that my day was about to head south. Seeing the apes was about all I got, when I was forced to roll out of the way, as a ball of what I assumed to be magic of some kind flied right pass where I'd been a moment ago.
I came out of the roll into a crouch, now focused completely on the apes who were screeching out of anger of having missed me I would guess. Then one ape, bigger and much uglier than the majority of the apes came forward, "What kind 've runt he," it questioned.
Oh that's just plain mean and wrong! First, I'm no runt and can at least speak clearly unlike these brutes. However, I'm dealing with dumb apes so, I can't expect to get decent insults aimed at me due to their lack of intelligence. I smirked, "Well, it would seem you are able to speak in understandable terms, but still, you need practice with grammar but, rather surprising nonetheless," I said this in a cool tone.
My comment riled up the apes along with my presence or maybe my manner speech, if they understood it. Who knows if that's possible? The apes in the few encounters I had of them, had proven to be, reckless, impulsive and ignorant. In short, they're dumb armatures that didn't think and fighters with that combination tend to lose badly and consistently.
The big ape who I believed was the leader of this group, pointed his staff at me to shoot magic at me again. I was ready when that magic came at me and I moved to the right in one motion and at the same time took Yubashiri out of my pack. Next, I rushed forward, drawing my blade and whacked the staff out of the lead ape's grip. My movements were fluid and seamless as if I was going through a choreographed exercise or dance, which I'd done countless times. My gaze came up to the apes who were just realizing what they had gotten themselves into, "Is that all you can offer monkey boy, because if it is then you are in a world of trouble," I said with a little excitement in my voice, "I will not even break a sweat taking all of you down."
The big ape just stared, "What are you?"
I snickered at them, if they could only understand, "Someone you really do not want to try on."
The fight didn't last long, and it could be summed up in a simple line, I whipped them and whipped them good! Over half of them fell to my blade and the rest ran for it and I didn't feel like chasing them really at all. I took the time to clean Yubashiri as I take care of the things I have, after all, I don't know when the next time I'll have the opportunity to do maintenance on the blade. Once I was finished cleaning Yubashiri, a smug smile of satisfaction on my face glancing around to see once more, the ape bodies lying everywhere. The battle had been messy as this clearing displayed, more for the apes than for me! But with me as an opponent was pretty much a given in my view. Although, I got to say, it had been an interesting and unexpected happenstance for this to happen… our meeting as I took time to think about it. I mean, for me to stumble on them by complete accident is rather unlikely, then setting off their ambush if you could even call what they set up that, I wouldn't.
To me, it raised the question of whom these apes had been lying in wait for, since their reaction had obviously said that I wasn't the one they were expecting to come by here. As their reaction went I admit, I think that the apes were becoming afraid of me or wary at least. I was becoming known to them due to my interference with their plans or would be no doubt. Still, I guess it didn't matter at the moment, the activity had help lift my mood and that's a plus. After all, I had loved a good fight, not for the blood lust, but for the rush of adrenalin and the challenge. I sheathed Yubashiri and began walking in the direction that Warfang was in according to Cynder and Spyro.
Now, since I was still feeling the effects of the adrenalin high from the fight that I had also used it to vent frustration caused by a particular dragonfly I knew, I wasn't expecting any other trouble. In fact, so high were my spirits, that I missed the loop of cord on the ground in the path I tread. Well, not exactly true, I didn't notice the loop until it tightened on my right ankle, it's kind of hard not to miss that action. My gaze dropped down and took in the rest of the cord as it whipped up and clearly connected to a tree that was bent over in a makeshift catapult idea… like in some cartoon I'd seen once displayed. I instantly gained an expression of incredulity on my face, "Oh come on! Can my luck be this ridiculoussssss," I got out as I was jerked upward by the cord.
My last word stretched out as what had ever held the tree bent as it was released, the large tree whipped back to being straight. In which process, I was dragged along by the cord like a fly on a fishing line for fly fishing. My guts and internal organs felt like they were being shaken up and stirred around my body and made me feel rather sick. I was whipped around by the cord and tree before I finally came to a stop dangling upside down. Hanging from before mentioned tree and still a good five feet most likely more than that off the ground, I was feeling absolutely horrid. My view of the world was spinning after the unexpected lesson in Newton's third law of reaction I had gotten from this. I couldn't hold in the groan, "I am glad I haven't had lunch yet. Because I would either be looking at it or wearing it to some degree if I had," I moaned.
I was still moving slowly up and down as gravity was continuing to have its influence on me. I was wondering how to get my ankle untied when my attention sharpened when the sound of a twig snap resounded around, my senses were making it known that I wasn't alone. The next thing I see, a cat like face staring at my own. My reaction to something so unexpected was to stare back with a slightly annoyed expression to hide my surprise. There was what looked like a cheetah gazing at me from where I hung yet, since meeting dragons and talking dragonflies, then why not this too? Cheetahs that walk on their hind legs so that they are like humans walking on two legs… sure, I'll go with that for now. It's not like there are things that don't make logical sense lately that I can't explain, so keep it coming I guess.
"Chief Prowless, if this thing is an ape, then he is defiantly the runt," said the Cheetah that was looking at me.
The all too familiar feeling of frustration start swelling up in me at being compared to the dumb apes. Do I really have to go through being insulted and demeaned like this again? Because it's freaking annoying to have to deal with crap like this again! So, I wasn't about to take an insult from some cat walking on two legs silently. I took a deep breath, "Hey cat, first of all and most importantly, I am not an ape. Second, I am not a runt either thank you," I said flatly.
There was dead silence to the point you could have heard a pin drop as every cat had their gaze on me. To say that the silence in the air was uncomfortable would be an incredible understatement. I would put at the feeling to the point where I would feel more comfortable in a graveyard at midnight on Halloween than where I was now. This wasn't the reaction I was expecting, tough crowd maybe? I raised an eyebrow at the continuing stares, "What? You are all looking at me like I just said something ludicrous or is there something on my face," I posed.
One of the cats or whatever they were then said, "This thing whatever kind of creature it is, it talks a lot different than the apes normally do. If you can call what they do talking?"
I shifted myself to face the one who had just spoken, "Oh, I totally agree those brutes prove just how stupid they are in the manner of communication," I commented.
I received a smack across the face for that comment from the one I guessed to be the leader. I was about to get another when another cat came into the clearing with my pack in hand. Oh dear this is developing in a rather bad way, "Chief Prowless you need to see this," said the cheetah that had just arrived.
Fiddlesticks, there are a lot of things in my pack I doubt I could explain to them in a way they would understand. The cat poured the contents of my pack out on the ground in a heap. All the cats with the exception of one of them that had green eyes and the same color fur as a cheetah that you would expect in a zoo, turned to see the pile. I would surmise that from the looks of shock and amazement, these cats haven't seen a katana type sword of anything similar. One of them picked up my wood practice sword and started swinging it at a tree.
"This weapon is made of wood, but this is like no wood I have ever seen in the forest," muttered the swinger.
Each crack of my practice sword making contact with the tree wound me up more and more for each was harder than the last, meaning that the cat wasn't thinking about the possibility of breaking the weapon. If it was done much more, then my bokuto kendo would break and I like that weapon of mine! I'd no desire for that to happen, so I wouldn't stay quiet. No, I shouted at them, "Hey kitty, stop banging my wood kendo on that tree! I would rather not have it break due to someone being foolish thank you very much!"
The response I received, there were at least five metal swords pointed at my neck and a good deal of arrows aimed at me. Now, most people would panic at facing this kind of situation, but not me, I defy the status quo. This was becoming unfortunately, a familiar event for me especially as of late when you review recent events. It may surprise you, the more your life is threatened frequently, then the less problem you have with it happening initially. You just come to expect it sadly enough and plan ahead with such an idea in mind.
So, my reaction to this was absolutely nothing, my facial expression of indifference didn't leave or change in the slightest, which clearly made some of the cats uneasy. Leading me to believe that they aren't use to someone who shows little if any fear, interesting as well as kind of amusing. The one that I'd guessed to be the leader of this group, this Chief Prowless came up to me. So close, that his face was mere inches from mine in what I assumed was an attempt to intimidate me. He failed of course, still not a bad attempt for intimidation tactic, "Care to repeat that Ape," he posed.
The tone was flat, yet the meaning was clear enough to me, this was a dare as well as a challenge. Well, with my habits, not one to step down from a dare let alone, allowing that stop me from taking it as a challenge! Although, this might be one of those times that this wouldn't end well for me. I can't change that now so, I stared back at him, "Absolutely, since you asked me so nicely, tell your cat followers to put down and I do not mean drop, my wooden kendo, which is that long 'stick' that he," I said pointing at the cheetah that had been swinging my kendo, "was swinging before he or she breaks it, kitty kitty." I stated clearly and in a continual tone of indifference.
Some of the cats took what I'd said bad, but it was one that seemed to take an extreme offense to what I had just said, for they strode forward, "Chief Prowless why do you stand there and let this stupid ape insults you like that," The cat retorted.
I glanced back to Chief Prowless, he was taking this well as he was ignoring the insults, which I had directed at him bluntly… a fair quality in a leader. "Well, obviously he is staying calmly unlike you. I would guess that is one of the reasons that he is the one in charge rather than someone like you," I commented calmly.
"How dare you, stupid hairless ape," shot back the same one that has just spoken.
At hearing that, I felt an all too familiar wave or seething anger flow at that comment. The anger flared to the point that I swear that I'd heard Sparx's voice saying the line rather than the cat. Before I could stop myself, my mouth opened and out came my frustration, "Dang it you Incessant Chatterbox, would you stop with the stupid ape comments! Or so help me, I will use all the duct tape I have left, to make you silent for as long as possible, then apologize to your brother afterwards," I shouted on impulse.
I was breathing hard so it took me a few seconds to notice that all eyes were on me, my mind did a mental rewind. I then realized just what I had yelled in the heat of the moment and a nervous laugh came from me, "I am sorry, I deeply apologize for that outburst, I did not mean for that to come out. It seems to be a reflex I have developed without realizing it, I am still working keeping it under control, ha ha ha."
The green-eyed cheetah looking cat then spoke up, "Who is this that you call incessant chatter box with such anger, that you would threaten them?"
I couldn't help but roll my eyes at thoughts of the lightbulb with wings as he annoyed the hell out of me. "Oh, just a certain annoying dragonfly who shall remain nameless other than using the names I come up with for him. It's due to the respect I have for his 'brother'," I replied, before sighing in annoyance.
I didn't miss the quick look of understanding at what I had said, the Cheetah then looked back at me and asked. "The dragonfly wouldn't happen to be named Sparx would it?"
I looked back at him with some new-found respect, for anyone who has been around Sparx and kept their sanity deserves such. "I would assume that you have had the misfortune of knowing the light bulb with wings then do you?"
Chief Prowless cut in then, "Hunter you know this creature?"
The two started to argue with each other, I just sighed at this situation, "Look you two, the both of you can argue till the cows come home for all I care. Be that as it may, do you mind letting me down? As much fun as hanging upside down by one of my ankles can be, I am getting bored. Plus, I have other things I could and would rather be doing."
All eyes were on me again and I swear that if glares could kill, then I would be dead a thousand times over by now. Chief Prowless seemed to be coming to a decision and by the grim look on his face pointedly in his eyes. What was going to happen next wasn't in any way going to be pretty, mainly for me. As if in answer to that thought Chief Prowless then gave a signal to one of the cats who nodded and raised its bow. I realized what was about to happen in the seconds before it occurred though knowing what was coming did not help me to really prepare for it. The arrow shot from the bow severed the cord holding me and I promptly fell to the ground, face first I might add.
The next thing I registered, I was being held down against the ground by two cheetahs, one had me by my left shoulder blade and the other by my right wrist. I'd no idea whether they planned to kill me or what they'll do. So, I assumed my standard expectation in any given circumstance, expect the worst that hell can throw at you and hope that heaven is trying to help you. I had adopted this phrase from the years and years of bad luck I have had. In fact, now that I think back, if it wasn't for master teaching me to be an optimist, I felt a shudder go through me at the thought of what could have happened.
Now judging on the cats holds on me, they must be assuming that I'd the same physical anatomy as an ape. They wouldn't be off since from my own experience that our anatomy was similar. What they may not comprehend is that we humans when put against a wall will do some really crazy things. I was going to need to get creative to get myself out of this growing misunderstanding. Then an idea popped into my head, a crazy idea, so much so it was bordering on stupid, yet not completely insane in a… unusual sort of way. Although, being in constant pain isn't very helpful for clear logical thought, I couldn't help that I was running out of ideas to help me in this situation. This idea is something I really hate to resort to for it's sick, it's wrong and it shouldn't be done. But the last time I even considered this, let alone went through with such a move, I was out right desperate. Then again, I'm at the point once again and I can't come up with anything else so, why the hell not?
As I worked my left hand under myself so that I got it set in my right armpit snug under the shoulder joint, my motion went unnoticed. Yet, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a second group of cats approaching with cords in hand or paw I guess, presumably to bind me. That was enough to tell me that if I was going to do something, now was the time. With that understanding, I steeled myself as best as I could before wrenching my right arm hard with my left hand. A loud pop sounded as my right shoulder was dislocated and that brought burning pain.
So, as a martial artist, I'd through training had learned to tolerate and ignore pain in its various forms. However, there are just some types of pain you simply cannot ignore and a dislocated shoulder happens to be one of those that you can't ignore easily. You would think that one would remember the bad experience, in my case those would be bad training sessions. It's in order to save oneself a good deal of pain and things of that nature, or that's the idea. Yet, I guess since I've always been a slow learner, along with there being so many bad training sessions over the years… yeah, that's how it goes. But the things you do when you're under serious stress… let's just say that you'd be surprised!
Not to say that my shoulder was just hurting, no it burned, but the action did have the desired effect I was going for! The first cheetah let go of my right wrist from the surprise of what I had just done I assume. Cheetah number two who was holding my left shoulder down got an elbow to the gut, which I had worked back out from under me. The cheetah backed up and that was all I needed, the moment I was I scrambled to my feet, quickly followed by me pulling off a roundhouse kick that my master would have been proud of. The two cheetahs that had been holding me down took the kick and crumpled to the ground. I took the time to get my right shoulder back to be able to go back into the socket and then pulled hard. Another loud pop rang out as I pulled the ball of my right arm back into place, which got the flaming pain to exploded then settled to a dull throb.
I didn't waste time standing around or hunching over in pain as time was against me in this. I slid across the ground to where the contents of my pack had been dumped grabbed Yubashiri in my left hand and my Bokuto kendo in my right. Once again thankful that I was ambidextrous, this made wielding two weapons so much easier. I was back on my feet and had settled in to fighting stance ready to fend off attackers. The cheetahs were now looking at me warily with a weapon in each hand and showing that I could fight. I was completely ready to give them a fight they wouldn't soon forget, when I felt a sharp hit contact the back of my neck. That caused a cascade of weakening throughout my body, my weapons hit the ground just before I dropped to my knees. "That is so not fair," I muttered, before falling into blackness.
When I had opened my eyes again, I find myself bound to a pole that was being carried by cheetahs walking on their hind legs. I Can't say waking up bound to a pole is not the nicest way to wake up, combined with the pain of being struck on the neck, but suppose that being in this kind of situation there isn't a choice. I heard activity ahead and by the change in the lighting I would guess we had just came out of the forest. I was about to look up to get a view of where I was being taken, unfortunately, didn't get the chance as I hit by someone once again and blacked out again.
When I began to come to my senses again, it was slow for my head was pounding because I would guess the blow that I received. Guessing that it was Chief Prowless that had hit me, at least I would guess it had been him, no real proof, but it is my guess. I opened my eyes and found the world spinning, meaning that cat must have hit me fairly hard to cause my vision to go in and out. I shook my head to attempt to fix my vision as well as clear my head, which was muddled from the blow. Once my vision cleared, I found myself unable to move, which led me to believe I'm bound in some way and bound tighter than I was to the pole I had be carried with. I had to give the cats credit for one thing, they learned from their mistakes since it would seem they weren't taking chances of me getting loose a second time.
I felt myself relax as I accepted that I wasn't going anywhere for the time being calming myself in order to meditate. The need for a logical view of my current predicament was obvious and as this could get more drastic, best to be prepared. As I contemplated this, I once again found myself looking at the oddly familiar cityscape where I talked with Azreyel. I sighed at the sight, since I really was starting to get annoyed with this guy and his timing. What in the hell does that guy want now?!
My tune changed drastically when I felt a cold shiver wash over me for the shiver wasn't something I felt often and the times it came were never good! I scanned around looking for the possible source of what had set off the shiver and I began to notice that something was very off. I couldn't put into words or place what it was, but I knew something was definitely not right. The longer this went on, the more on edge I became as I was seeing nothing. My knack or sense of problems especially ones that you could call evil were almost never wrong! Although that seemed only to attract such things to me more often!
I almost missed it, but then my gaze came across a pair of glowing red eyes in the shadows of a structure and I stopped. As I stared the eyes came closer and a figure began to be visible from the shadows. The creature, whatever it was looked human in the fact that it walked on two legs and had two arms. Yet, it also did not look human on closer observation. Instead of hands it had claws with talons. Where its feet should have been were this thing human were clawed paws. Its lower legs and forearms looked like they were had scales rather than skin. The more I stared the more I though how dragon like this thing was. The thing stared at me and I did not like the way it was staring, had more a sickening feeling set in and the cold grip of fear as the thing started forward. It looked frighteningly similar to that freak of nature that had tried to kill me before I had gotten to the Dragon Realm.
The thing just stared back with no real discernible facial features, just like that thing before. "You thought you could escape us white one, that you could hide yourself from us, but you were wrong," came the grating voice.
The voice that I heard coming from this creature sent chills through my spine before, it was worse now. It sounded worse than metal grinding against metal or nails going down a chalkboard. Every sense and every instinct in me was screaming in my mind to run and get as far away from this creature as I can possible get. It started forward slowly, but I just couldn't move, every footstep was audible and everyone just made the horror growing in me get worse.
When it got close enough it lunged and I dived out of the way to dodge the strike, but it nicked me as it passed on my right arm. A burning pain shot through my arm originating from the point where the thing had grazed me. The pain grew and intensified in seconds, it felt like my flesh was on fire and melting off. I looked down and saw to my ever-growing horror that something that looked like black smoke or liquid was covering my arm and spreading to envelop it. I try to get this stuff off me though I flailed in this attempt. My attempts to brush it off with my other hand only seemed to transfer the stuff to my left arm and make it go through the same process.
Before I had too long to wonder what the stuff was doing to me, some of it receded. Now my right hand or what had been my right hand changed. Instead of having five fingers I had four digits with sharp talons, where skin had been had now been replaced by white scales. In short, my hand had been turned into a dragon's paw to my disbelief. Things didn't stop there by any means, as the black substance kept receding up my right arm I saw that my skin was gone. Now white scales had replaced it completely and by now my left hand was a paw with talons. The black substance had made its way pass my shoulders and had gone down my body. The pain had started in my legs now. I glanced down to confirm that my legs were also being enveloped by the black stuff.
The pain in my legs intensified as crazy as it sounds, it felt like someone was taking my legs and bending them into different shapes. The only way I could describe it was that it felt like some force was bending my knee backward pushing against my kneecap. Then it was like my kneecap snapped and my knee joint was now bent back in the reverse of what they were supposed to. My feet it appeared or at least felt like them were developing a new joint of some sort as well. The fronts of my feet were changing, I was losing one, no two toes as I watched. The remaining toes were getting larger and growing claws. The back parts of my feet were rising up almost like I was wearing very high heels. As it had been with my arms, the skin on my legs was being replaced with white scales as well.
I looked back at the creature with anger and it was just staring back at me with those crimson eyes. I tried to ignore the burning pain, "What do you want from me punk," I bellowed.
It just continued to watch me as I struggled, "You were so foolish to believe that you could hide yourself from us after your escape. Your death will come and you will be as you were supposed to be, like those before you," it returned.
I couldn't understand what it was implying, and by this time both my arms and my legs had change completely. Now my body was undergoing similar changes, "What the hell are you talking about," I demanded.
"You white ones have always meddled in affairs that do not concern you, each and every one. You all must be snuffed out for you will not stop us. Blame your destiny of being different white one for it has marked you," was the answer I got, and the voice was sounding more like the freak I encountered earlier all the time.
The term white ones made no sense to me, and yet there was something about it I couldn't place. And what it had said was like a knife to my heart for somehow I knew it was no guess with the subject matter. But, how could this thing know, "You are wrong, I am no different than any other," my voice was shaky as I said this.
"You are wrong while one," it stated. It was then from what seemed all around me out of nowhere came many voices echoing.
"Why don't they understand?"
"Why don't I fit in?"
I stiffened at the voices for they were more than familiar.
"I am always the one they pick on."
"I don't try to stick out."
This can't be happening, it just can't because those voices…
"Why do bad things happen to me?"
"Why am I so different from everyone else?"
Are speaking of emotions I left behind or so I thought, my feelings of horror and fear grew with each statement.
"You do not belong."
"I feel so alone."
"I am lost."
A cold and numbing feeling settled over me, "No, that isn't how I feel," I said unconvincingly. My mind is in turmoil as I looked back at the creature and my blood instantly went icy cold. Its face now had shifted into ones I had seen in nightmares that had made no sense to me when they had come to me. All I could understand was real fear had taken hold in me as the voices kept going, echoing in my mind. All of them talking at once trying to drown out the others, "No, that is not true, it is not like that for me, you are just trying to trick me, stop it," I shouted.
I put the paws I had to my head trying to drown out the voices, but they kept going and I couldn't admit it. I didn't want to admit that the voices were saying feeling that I'd always had, the feelings that I had long ago buried deep within me! I ignored them for ages and so wouldn't admit them, yet they were always there, the dark emotions that I loathed and detested. Master had said to me many times that all beings that had good in them, also had darkness as well. This was my shame, the darkness in me I never wanted to acknowledge, the feelings I had always had for my whole life.
I fell forward to the ground at that point, the pain I had felt had diminished by then. I tried to rise, but found I couldn't, so I looked over myself completely and was shocked. I had somehow turned into a white scaled dragon, and I couldn't explain how that was even possible. I returned my gaze to the dark figure in front of me, "You are alone white one, you will forever be alone," it said, and its voice had changed to one that was cold dark and evil, exactly as the freak of nature had that tried to kill me possessed. "There are none who can help you, there are none who can save you this time. You will die as you should have long ago, as all your kind should have, none of you should have existed."
I rose shakily to my paws and faced this apparition or whatever it was, I settled into a defensive stance, be it was shaky. Still, I readied myself to make a firm stand when a new voice burst through all the others, "You're not alone, do not give into them," said a new voice, then there came a banshee like shriek from my left.
This shriek hit the creature dead on and sent the black figure flying and it slammed through two structure walls and smashed to a stop at a third one. Glancing to my left and saw a dragon standing next to me and the dragon had snow white colored scales. His underbelly was sliver as were his wing membranes. However, his eyes are what got me the most as they were a vibrant sea blue, which I'd never seen anything quite like them. There was also something else I could not for the life of me place about this dragon. It was something familiar, more than déjà vu. But before I could ask or find out what was going on, everything faded to black.
I came out of my meditation with a jolt for I'd never had a dream, nightmare or anything like what I had just seen. It was definitely freaky to an extreme, far more than words that I could think of would be able to describe! I couldn't really understand what it meant, if it held any meaning at all and that was questionable to me. I took the time to look myself over to make sure I was still the human I'm supposed to be. Upon seeing that I was a human being like I should be and not the 'white dragon' I had been in that vision. I was brought back to reality by a sharp slap to the face. I looked up to see none other than Chief Prowless. I shook my head to finish clearing it, "Wow… thanks, I really needed that," I said.
What came after saying that was another hit, "Okay I could have done without that one. What do you want kitty?"
The other cheetahs were on edge and were shifting restlessly, but I kept my gaze on Chief Prowless, "You were caught trespassing in the forest. That is enough to sentence you to prison."
I wasn't feeling very corporative at the moment, not with the treatment I'd been receiving. The problem with that is I have a tendency to resort to use of sarcasm when I'm annoyed and dissatisfied, the sarcasm I use is usually mean. So, I gained a bemused expression at this, "Trespassing you say, I had no idea? And prison… well, whoopty freaking doo," I replied laying on the sarcasm thick. "Why not just throw me in right now? If you do not, then prepare yourselves for the fun that is me using insulting sarcasm as I know lots of it," I cleared my throat before I began, "I had to miss the 'No Trespassing' sign that should be posted, since I never saw one anywhere in the forest. You really should make it more visible you know, otherwise you might give the impression that you like visitors and guests," I said this with as much sarcasm as I could.
Pausing to take a breath, and then I continued on, "Nevertheless, you must have eaten something or did not get enough sleep, because you are showing yourselves to be rather dim. If you were not, then you would not have missed the important point of me taking care of a group of apes in the same said forest, which I can only assume they were trying to set a trap for you lot. The keyword being tried, yet those apes are more likely to catch themselves in their own trap than the ones they are building it for. However, since I did a favor for your pack, a thank you would be nice. But, why should I expect that when it is more likely you would use me for kitty litter."
Oh did the air grow heavy with the more I said, yes I'm digging a hole for myself and I know that. But hey, I might as well do something to get my kicks and vent stress as I seem to be losing my mind as of late by what's been going on lately. "Chief Prowless, wait," called a voice I recognized and was very glad to hear. Spyro came into view along with that green-eyed cheetah from before, I think his name was Hunter or something like that. "Please wait, he is a friend of mine," Spyro said.
Spyro and Chief Prowless got to talking and it went on for a bit of time before I decided to speak up for myself. "Oh do not mind me over here! It is not like being magically chained to this pole is uncomfortable when it does not feel nice! I just love to be tied up for no reason however, it is nicer to be blamed for something first before being punished! Yet, that is just my opinion," I spoke up.
It was then Hunter took a key from Chief Prowless and walked over to me and undid the shackles so that I was free. I looked over at Spyro and then put my hands together, my right hand into a fist and my left over my right. Then I bowed to him, "Spyro am I ever glad to see you my friend. You have my thanks for the help," I thanked sincerely.
Spyro looked at me and smiled, "It is no problem, but we need to hurry, Warfang is not that far from here."
Chapter End
A/n
This is where I will leave off for chapter 8. I'm hoping that your readers are liking the changes thus far. Sorry that the chapter have been taking so long, have had less time than I would like to work on this with life as it is. Still, please some of you write a review to tell me what you think, comments are appreciate. Working on more chapters and hope to have them up soon enough, we'll see how things go.