On a planet that was lush with jungles, it was the perfect place to hide from Hater's Watchdogs and Skullship.

However, Wander and Sylvia didn't feel safe at all. Not even from each other. They usually stuck close to one another, this time they made individual camps for themselves several feet away, and didn't speak much. When it was convenient, one of the other would check up and ask for something.. and that was as much talking they would do for the rest of the day.

Wander missed the days when nothing was awkward as this, he and Sylvia laughing over silly things.

"I blame myself, and for coming across that mirror," He had his hat off and spoke to it,

"Everything would be the way it was before then."

The only thing it could do show it was listening was frown. But there to help.

"So, for good times sake, what do you got for me?" He chirped, and put his hand in,

He pulled out a note:

"Go talk to Sylvia, she needs it."

Wander frowned...

And for some reason became so angry, he threw his only remaining friend against a tree, it grunted and made a coughing sound. Wander's eyes became dark with fury.

"Talk to her? Why the grop would I?" He glowered at the hat.

This time noticing his mistake and what he'd done, he smacked his hands on his mouth.

"Oh, I'm-I'm so sorry!" He stammered,

He picked up the hat and hugged it, regretting what he did. The hat's socket popped out a blanket, seeming to forgive him.

"I won't do that again, buddy. You were trying to help."

Wander put the blanket along with other supplies. He hoped to use it for something later.
He was getting hungry and agitated which often happened when he forgot to eat.

"I'll just lay down for a few minutes, I need to simmer down."

Wander didn't care that he made a dirt pile as a bed, as long as it was cool and soft it was good enough. Thinking made him tired and more annoyed, so he laid down and instantly went into a slumber;

But it was one of those times he couldn't sleep peacefully.

On the other side, Sylvia poked her fire wood with a stick, trying to think of what do to. Things were so backwards and upside down, and she knew it, but had no idea to how fix the awkward situation. One idea came to mind, she wished she was brave enough to ask Wander to borrow his banjo and learn to play better; but every attempt to go was turned down by anxiety.

"I remember in the past he tried to sit me down and play, but I was too embarrassed that I would mess up." She chuckled lightly.

But nothing could be more messed up than it was now, worse than playing an instrumental poorly.

But it was hard that he wasn't there with her, just playing it himself.

Now she had to go.

She tossed her prodding stick, and smacked her face, trying to clear her fear.

"Come on Sylvia, you got this, he's Wander! Wander..! what's the worst that he could do?"

She felt guilty for hurting him so many times how could he possibly forgive her?

"The first step is to talk it out, vent out our frustrations and just let it out."

She prayed it would work.

She made sure the fire didn't need any more tending to...so she went. Her nerves stung her again, but she kept walking forward.

"If I bail out, fine. But I gotta see if he's okay..."

Up ahead she saw the smoke from his fire and quietly tip-toed and peeked over the tall grass..

He was sitting up with back hunched up and appeared to be sleeping. Or was he? She took a deep breath..

"Here goes something." She stepped forwards,

"Wander?"

He responded and kept his eyes closed.

"Hi, Sylvia."

From the look of his appearance and tone, she could tell he sensed her coming. And this time, no cheerful greeting. He sounded so.. defeated and angry.

"I came to see what you're up to." She pressed and made a friendly tone.

She still wanted to show she cared enough about him...

"I knew you were creeping up."

She flinched, somehow her hunch was right.

"What do you want?"

He still kept his eyes closed, as if refusing to make contact with her.

"I wanted to see if you were doing fine." She shrugged nervously.

It wasn't a question, but a an honest statement.

"For now, maybe. But I'm not going to lie this time. Like the many times you did before all this."

Wander now did look at her with disdain. It gave her the full idea that whatever he felt, he wasn't happy to see her and could lash out at any moment.

Sylvia's eyes shrunk with fear.

No, why am I afraid? Get it together!

A cloud the size of a city hovered over where they were in the jungle, temporarily making the verdure around them darker with shadows.

"I-I'm...I'm sorry Wander, but you.. know why I did it right?" She stammered.

Not the subject I wanted to fix, but what can I do?

Wander's frown shrunk , turning to sadness. "I do, but it's inexcusable."

"But I thought we were fine with it back on those mountains! You said that as long as we're together nothing can go wrong..." She trotted, hoping to find some redemption.

"I used to think so," Wander now stood, his hat fell to the side lop sided, "But not anymore."

Sylvia wanted to give up already. The way he spoke to her and looked at her, was like his reflected self back at the museum.

"But how can I trust you the next time you lie? Huh? tell me."

He took a step forward, glaring at her. For some reason instinct kicked in,

She slapped him.

"ARGH!"

It made him flip backwards and on his chest. Grunting, he rubbed his face where he was struck as an expression of pain and betrayal fell on him.

Sylvia panted heavily, her face slivered with sweat, and panic.

"I'm sorry."

She turned away and walked fast, but stopped again and turned to say,

"I don't trust you either Wander; I don't who, or what you are anymore. You have scared me to the point I've avoided talking to you because you're...you're.."

She gripped her fists, she didn't want to blurt it out loud and make it worse...

"Go on... say it, you stupid Zbornak." Wander seethed at her, now truly angry.

Now she was angry he had called her such a label and she spat;

"You're a monster!"

She squeezed her eyes shut to avoid crying,

"All I've wanted was to protect you, and you've done nothing to show appreciation, you always push me away, Wander!"

His eyes just stared, blank and unsympathetic.

"I'm sorry you feel that way."

Still sitting down he turned his body away, revealing the bandages on his back and sat his legs in a pretzel, and pushed some leaves out of the way. He pulled his hat over.

"If I'm a monster, then leave." He said in a low tone.

Immediately she did, making the grass rustle loudly; and began to sniff and cry. Hearing her leave and the area becoming quieter hurt him more than the slap he received from Sylvia.

"Why did you leave me?" Wander broke out,

He silently began to sob; and fell on his side. He put his hat over his face to absorb his tears.

"Sylvia...of course I want you to be with me."

He kicked dirt away and hit the ground, another tantrum taking over. He was so disgusted with the way he was with himself, and how he treated his only best friend.

"I WANTED TO TELL YOU TO STAY with me, Sylvia!" He cried loudly.

He didn't care if she heard him or not, he wanted to let out his anger somehow. He regretted ever going to the museum, going to Rockna, not being able to save Sylvia, and scaring her with these inconvenient powers he didn't understand.

"I... I can't even stop myself from hurting her when I'm aware of it."

His stomach stabbed his thoughts, growling.

Wander sighed, and sat up.

"I guess it's time to look for food."

But he sat there still...too upset to want to get up and walk. Starving himself didn't seem like such a bad idea, it be good punishment.

Until his nose caught the scent of something...he sniffed, eyes dilated to dark green pools. He got up and clumsily followed the source of the scent. It smelled like the steaks he was familiar with back at Slarnaks restaurant, but he rarely ate meat; however that didn't keep him from being less hungrier.

For some reason his feet and toes were cramping up and pushed against the insides of his shoes, but he wasn't too concerned about it, he had to find that meat..!

He didn't realize that claws had protruded through his sneakers...and eyes so dilated they appeared as if a cat had been hypnotized. Wander finally spotted the source of the wonderful smell...

Sylvia.

At that moment, he didn't see her as his friend, or a Zbornak...just a clump of flesh and meat that smelled so irresistibly fantastic..

"Meat..." He purred, and licked his lips.

Sylvia had her back turned away, leaving her wide open for an attack, Wander was just meters away, crawling on his feet and hands in a predator stance, stalking.

"Huh?"

Sylvia thought she heard something move in the bushes behind her and looked at where she heard it, but there was nothing there.

"I probably imagined it."

She was so guilty for hitting Wander and begun re-thinking the meaning of everything up to this point in her life, she didn't notice he was sneaking up on her...

Like a stealthy hunter he had moved up to a palm tree, looking down and drooling at the sight of her vibrant blue skin, ready to shred it up.

Wander wasn't the only one watching Sylvia.

Deena sat perched on another tree, with a tranquilizer gun and binoculars. She blended in with the rest of the foliage around, wearing a dark constructed suit. She quickly switched to the gun aiming for Wander's back, ready to fire if necessary.

"Don't do it, Wander..." She pleaded silently.

She had followed their trail for several days with very little food and water herself. She was hungry, but looking at the one she met at Awesome's ship, she wasn't going to let his own hunger get the better of him!

Sensing that something was watching her, Sylvia looked where Deena was positioned at, and spotted her! Both women's eyes locked onto each one's own.

"Oh, flarp." Deena's gaze widened in shock.

Seeing that Sylvia was distracted, Wander jumped down, and pounced on her back.

And bit her.

"AHHH!"

Stunned and surprised, Sylvia punched her attacker, and not knowing it was her best friend.

"GET OFF ME, YOU-WHATEVER YOU ARE!"

Wander snarled louder, trying to let her know he had the upper hand.

She grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and tossed him off, she gasped.

"Wander!?"

His face was turned away and he stood on all fours; then he whipped his eyes at her; eyes neon green and black pools. His fur stuck out like a messy dog's and hair covered half of his eye.

"Wan-"

Nate's warning from before hit her brain like a siren:

"It's only a matter of time before he is pushed to the brink of having to hunt and take you out."

Wander stepped closer and growled ferociously, baring his fangs, sickly saliva seeped from his mouth..

Instead of running away;

Instead of trying to show she wasn't scared...

She went first. She was determined to bring him back to his senses!

"Oh, drats!"

Deena on her orders couldn't interfere, but she needed to get closer. She jumped off from her hiding spot, landing on all four legs and ran to the other two.

"You crazy Zbornak..! You can't be serious!"

Deena saw from the way she looked at Wander that she was going to FIGHT back. And that was not only dangerous, she could be killed!

You're up against a Furnicle, he could kill you with just the flick of a finger!

If it came to that certain point, Deena was ordered to do the only thing to stop him altogether.. and she didn't want to do it.

"Wander, it's me!"

Wander leapt at Sylvia and smacked his body on her face, attempting to blind her. He bit again on her scalp, she yelped in pain.

She hit him on the head, but he didn't let go or seemed to be bothered that she was trying to defend herself. And didn't hold back, she hit as much as she could. Enjoying that he managed to injure her further, he added more insult to it; an invisible force hit her face and blew her back up against a tree.

She gagged, dizzy and tried to stand again, he jumped again and glared into her face.

"Meat, gimme!"

"Stop it, Wander!" She screamed,

Sylvia had to do it, she punched him off, and it worked. He made a whimpering sound like a hurt dog hitting the ground, and stopped moving.

Deena found another spot not too far from them and watched closely, she brought out a camera to record the current scene.

Wander grunted and tried to move his legs, but gave out. He was already weak from lack of food, and spent the last of his energy to get the only thing he had his sights on.

"Wander-?" Sylvia croaked,

Sylvia ran to him and picked him up in her arms, and put her ear to his chest, his heart still beating.

Relieved he was still alive, she laid him on her makeshift bed made of large sized pink leaves. She kept her eyes on him as well as her guard, replaying the frightening memory of the fact he just tried to kill her. Then she remembered briefly seeing somebody else on a tree spying on her, she wasted no time and went back to check..

It was empty.

Panting from running so much and from the brawl beforehand, she couldn't stand anymore and sat down on the moist ground, cooling her skin. Fearful and stressed, she cupped her hands on her face and sobbed silently. Her wounds were still bleeding, but that wasn't the worst of her pain.

Wander had done it; just like Nate told her..he went after her, and remembered how little familiarity there was in his eyes.

Sylvia so wanted to hope that somewhere in him, there was still the wandering weirdo she knew...

...

Several hours later...

Wander opened his eyes. For once he slept soundly and felt more rested than before. But that didn't feel right.

"Oh, my head." He grimaced.

"Wait a minute."

He noticed he wasn't in his camping spot, but in Sylvia's...Who happened to be sitting a little bit away from him, not happy from the look of her face.

"How come you brought me here?" He asked, so confused.

"I didn't. You did." She said bluntly.

"What? But I don't remember."

"Shut up. You keep using that excuse to avoid the problem here." Sylvia snapped.

"What?" Wander's eyes were glossy from her small outburst.

"Here you go again, making yourself the victim. And guess what, Wander..?"

She stood up, hovering over him...making Wander look like pea sized clump of fur against a large mountain cat;

"This is the real me. Not my mirror self, or whatever. You wanted more honesty, right? Here I am!"

Sylvia stomped the ground, making the nomad jump and bounce from the force of it.

"Sylvia, tell me what's wrong?" He said fearfully.

"You attacked me, Wander!" A tear she couldn't hold in fell on her cheek.

His whole body froze by every word of her answer.

"To think, you couldn't trust me? Well the darn feeling is mutual, pal! Or should I say, enemy?"

He only heard half of what she said right then, he knew it wasn't a lie. There was blood spatter and bite marks all over...and there was no way she could have done it herself.

He really did do it.

He put his hand in his hat, and brought out the poncho Sylvia had made for him, it was still in good condition, because he loved it and vowed to take care of it.

But now, it's meaning was pointless.

Sylvia had looked away again, trying to contain every attempt how angry she was and not try to beat him to a pulp right now.

Wander took a shaky step forward,

"Sylvia-"

"What?" She snapped.

He held tightly onto the poncho.

"I know I'm a Furnicle. I know that they aren't...good to other people. B-but I'm not like them. I don't want to be like them."

Sylvia just glared at him.

"I...I didn't want this to happen.."

Wander sat on his knees,

"I never asked to be born, Sylvia. I never wanted to hurt people. I just wanted to help people. I-I DONT HURT PEOPLE, Sylvia!"

Sylvia's eyes widened as Wander began to tremble and sob.

"I-I never asked for this, Sylvia. I NEVER ASKED TO BE A-" Wander squeezed his eyes shut, and was hiccupping from crying .

"MONSTER!"

Wander clutched his chest.

"But I guess, if that's what I really am, and what I have to be, then I don't want to live. Sylvia...why do you hate me so much?!"

Wander threw down his poncho, along with his hat. The ground shook. Someone had come to destroy the planet. And it definitely wasn't Hater. The sudden shake and change in atmosphere was more powerful.

"What's going on!" Sylvia looked at her surroundings, seeing that further out into the forest of jungle there were explosions

"Goodbye, Sylvia."

She momentarily forgot that Wander was crying.

Sylvia reached out to him, as trees around them were uprooted by the trembling caused by the villains landing. Wander backed away holding himself, shaking.

"Wander!" She screamed, begging for him to come back. He turned and ran off.

"Wander! Wander! WANDER!"

A large tree landed where Wander once stood. He was gone. Sylvia fell to her knees, realizing with a horrified pang at what she'd just done.

"W-wander...I'm sorry..." she whispered.