Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Lords of the Jungle. Enjoy the 4200-word chapter. I do not own Kibo, Hasbro and a few others do.
Atem looked at the cuts on his arms. Not all of them were from accidentally pricking his hands, a few were entirely due to sharp barbs from the octopus. He was glad he had not drowned in that ocean; it had been something that he could have properly seemed to have dealt with personally.
He was so interested in what was going on that he did not notice little details like where he was and who was on the board. The general had sent that Mute which meant they knew where he was, the best option was to escape.
Kipo looked at him as he glanced at her. His eyes glowed the same orange he had been like he had envisioned before he sighed as he clicked his fingers.
She knew he had heard some of what she had spoken of. There was a Mute named Scarlemagne who could control others to do his bidding in some manner that he did not know.
That terrified him. if the general got his hands on the ability to control humans and Mutes? He would be unstoppable.
Atem pulled his hands to his knees, skin poking through his damaged clothing. He had spent more time trying to flee through jungles and over into ruins that hygiene was not exactly something he had focused on since then.
To be fair? Being eaten was far less an appealing prospect that had bothered him before he clicked his fingers against one another while he sighed to himself.
Atem hummed, too interested in what he could deal with what was going on. Atem hummed and then slowly yawned, looking at Kipo.
"You hate violence?" Atem asked before Kipo nodded. "Do you hate people who use violence?" Atem stated.
"No. I just don't like fighting people." Kipo stated.
"That doesn't always work here," Atem stated before he sighed to himself and rubbed at his eyes. "The general would hurt you or he would turn you into another weapon. He does that with anyone who does not work for him." Atem said.
"Then why did you work for him?" Kipo said before there was a grumbling noise that came from Atem. "Oh… We have food!" Kipo said.
"I know…. But if I take some? I will just keep taking." Atem stated before. "How long have you been on the surface? Everyone needs to eat something." Atem stated.
"Few weeks? Months? I do not know." Kipo stated.
"Months and you haven't eaten something like meat?" Atem asked.
Atem fell on his side, exhausted from what he had done next. He was tired for now and he was unable to try and figure something out before he relaxed.
There was a sharp intake of breath as he paused to take a deep breath before looking at Kipo. This girl was very weird and yet? He wanted to stay here; he had been tired of fleeing all over the place as she seemed to be nice at the end of the day.
"I don't know what I am doing next before it comes down to it," Kipo stated and sighed.
"Maybe. I do not know what is going on." Kipo stated. "Atem? You are scared a lot more of the general, aren't you?" Kipo asked.
It did not sound like an accusation but it kept the air of one. He was aware of the fact she did not know him nor he of her. There was very little reason he'd honestly akin that to trying something he did not understand.
Atem sighed and rolled over, looking up and into the night sky. It was always something that frightened him as he recalled the last time, he had tried to do so resulting in a Mute almost making him food in its belly.
"I always liked the stars," Kipo said as Atem blinked.
"Why?" Atem asked.
"Because they're pretty and they help me feel safer," Kipo responded.
"I used them to try to navigate… Sometimes they would help, sometimes I am just confused." Atem stated before he sighed and looked to the side.
He was tired, too fascinated, too relaxed for now as he seemed to be more and more fascinated by what he had to do. Kipo hummed and looked upwards and into the sky, too distracted by it all to argue.
She knew now that Atem was not mad at her. He would not be mad without a good reason and she was familiar with such an issue at the end of the moment.
She was tired, she had been on her feet all day and she knew that she felt off, to begin with. Atem tilted his head at the lady, pausing only to think for a moment before deciding to comment.
"You have glowing, pink eyes, you know," Atem stated, sighing to himself before he tapped on his side and blinked.
Atem heard her giggle which made him smirk before he closed his eyes and then looked upwards and into the sky. He closed his eyes and then crossed his arms and then clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth.
He had been too eager to leave. Now? Now he did not know which almost made him more and more bored at the end of the day.
He was at peace, to begin with for now as she paused to look at him before she sighed to herself and then kicked her feet in the air as she paused to yawn, bored and tired.
"Soon we're going to need to fight because soon the enemy will come and they won't stop until we are all dead," Atem stated as he sighed to himself.
He had been tired to a degree he had wished not to have been unfamiliar, he had been thrown off in that sort of way, and this? None of it was helping, he doubted anything would have lest he go sailing off and into the wild blue virus.
He had been too interested in the next move he could have possibly made. Atem was too exhausted, too bored with what was going on, knowing what would come next now.
He was tired, bored, and thrown off at the end of the day. Atem was not able to try and deal with it at the end of the day.
Perhaps he could have dealt with it at the end of the day before he clicked his fingers and looked at her before she seemed to try something.
Atem thought of the general, of the thing hunting them. The man was insane to wish to make an entire army that could rule the surface, there was more to him which scared Atem.
A man capable of that much malice and pain was going to be a threat. He knew blasted well that he was going to be a threat and it terrified him to no end now, something that would and should have been over all too soon.
He had been familiar with such a type of logic from the books he had seen… Well, the ones not torn to pieces. It made things harder to fix knowing that.
Still? What did the general want? It could not be good, not for them, not for anyone. He was too unfamiliar with it at the end of the day.
(With the General)
He seethed with rage as he realized that his plans had been arrested and paused. One child, one child baited with the sheer promise of food, and his men could do NOTHING to hold onto their prize? Nothing? Not even an attempt to hold onto their prize? It vexed him, it well and truly vexed him to no end to know about this.
"One child is eluding even your best attempts to capture him, doctor? I thought when I saw you hired to attempt this project? You would honestly produce some results." Gabriel stated.
"I had informed you that there was no telling what would happen. The subject was feral, untamed… His brain was muddled, untamed, and wild. It is like trying to cage a rampaging hurricane." Gavin stated.
"And? I fail to see how that affects me." Gabriel stated. "We were given this project by our leaders before our country collapsed into chaos. Now? I have a stupid scientist who cannot even seem to deal with the most basic of creatures." Gabriel stated.
"As opposed to the son of the general who failed to protect us from the mutes? At least I have tried, 'General.' I have yet to see any attempt by you to have dealt with it personally." Gabriel stated before he finally decided to fall silent.
He was quiet now, knowing what was going on, knowing what was going on. He had fallen silent, unable to try and figure it all out, something which would not go anywhere soon, she would not be able to figure it out.
Well? He was not one to need to question it now before it all came to an end of it for now.
He had been familiar with it once again… There was a lot more to this once again and again, before now as he sighed once more.
Whatever came next? He would have to be pushing himself forward, he had been familiar with something beyond what was growing forward as it came to an end once again.
"I am sick of this, Doctor… I would consider your next few words carefully." Gabriel stated only for Gavin to state a few more commands into the computer.
He had been silent, perhaps thrown off and knowing what was going on now and for good reason. If they were going to be thrown into the deep end? He would dance to their tune; he turned around and looked the general in the eye before gesturing to the keyboard.
"I have sent another mute to go and get the test subject. If you wish? General? I will ask you to go do it. I have done NOTHING but create and NOTHING I have done appears to make you happy. If I must track down my creation MYSELF?" He heard before he sighed.
He was too interested in the next move. He wished to be out and doing his job rather than holed up in this stupid little base.
He had not been prepared for what was going on before now. That was growing further and further before he paused.
He seemed to be prepared for now, wanting to let it all crash downwards with it now before now.
He sighed and wanted to scream but he let Gabriel do so, knowing that their goal came next to what had been done for nothing.
Still? There was more to this and he would not allow it to be going forward with it all now.
(With Kipo and Atem)
Atem looked up at the shooting stars, unsure and unable and figure out something chaotic for now. He had been familiar with something like the stars now and they had felt odder and odder with each living little moment.
He had been oddly thrown off, knowing what was going on before it came crashing down to the ground like shards of glass.
He had been unfamiliar with it as she sighed to try and deal with it more and more and more now. He yawned before he looked upwards and into the sky, not wanting to let it grow now with what was to happen next.
Kipo yawned, looking over at him before she sighed to herself. He had been familiar with it as it came crashing to the ground once again.
There was an anger in her eyes which had not faded at all and it surprised him how fierce it was to have been dealt with.
He was just too angered with it all, not that he was not thrown off at some junctures but it mattered easily enough to have to deal with for now… It was going to be something for now.
He had been too interested in the next move. He had not been familiar with it as he paused to think of what was growing for now… Each little motive was making him more tired; he had not been able to fix it.
Kipo was silent as Atem thought of it as he had been before. He had been relaxed once again; he had known what was going onward.
He hummed once again before he sighed to himself before he relaxed. He had not been unable to ponder her and yet? He was too tired; he would not have smiled if he did not find it.
Kipo seemed to smile in a way that lit up the entire area, he had been so bored of it once again… Knowing that was going to be enough to push him through the surface of his face.
What he could not do was push himself past his next few seconds of peace.
"What is it like? Living up here? Wolf and Benson were busy talking about something different at the end." Kipo stated to which he could not have answered so easily.
He did not know what to say next. He was not able to deal with it for now as he paused to let it all sink in… To be entirely fair? He had no real idea how to answer, he knew only that he could not have allowed to have done it.
"Scary, scary… You do not think so? Constantly fighting to live, to act like you do not know what the next corner would bring?" Atem asked.
Kipo had been silent after this. Not just because she did not know the answer, but because she knew that Atem was trying to be nice. He was not mocking her idealism, or her spirit to act nice… He only seemed to exhaust himself to try and manage something odder.
To be fair? Atem did not seem to know what life was like at the end of the day, he had not been familiar with it but he would be able to relax either way… Whatever he would do next before he sighed.
He had been able to deal with it as he clicked his fingers before now… Whatever he would do next to try and deal with it either blasted way. He had not been familiar with it until the end of the day before he relaxed more and more.
He had not been familiar with what the future was to have to deal with for now as he clicked his fingers and then looked to the side before it came down to it.
She had been familiar with something before it all came to an end for now as he clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth.
Kipo was oddly thrown off, knowing what was growing on his mind. Atem could not understand before now what was happening.
"You should know what is going on. I am going to need to relax." Atem stated before he cracked his fingers and looked to the ground.
He had been tired, thrown off for now as he paused, not wanting to relax but knowing he could not back down… Whatever he did not only seemed to be relaxing either way.
He did not know what the best move to make was… And he could not pretend to imagine it and that would not end at this moment before he seemed to try and deal with it as he paused to try and relax once more.
He clenched his claws hard enough to crash his fingers into his knuckles. He felt something inside himself seemed to be growing more and more tiresome with each little moment.
He was bored, exhausted, and knew in his way. He wanted to go home and he would eventually do so. He just had to figure out where they were, knowing where they were was to be something done.
He was able to do little more than clench his fists and let sleep overtake him, too tired to get up and resist the world around him.
He had not been able to sleep now, not when it was said and done when it came down to it for now as he hummed, snapping at his jaws and such reason for now. There was more to this, for now, an idea which needed to be dealt with…. Even that seemed to be dealt with for now.
He had been able to think, to relax… That and that alone fed both Atem and Kipo as people for different reasons. This was not something that could be dealt with for now as he clicked his fingers.
The two few soldiers were silent, something that could be dealt with in his mind.
He was grumpy and Kipo could see that. He looked at her, watching the girl smile reassuringly.
Part of him was shy, part of him was nervous and he could not hide it. He did not want to be here; he did not want to be another experiment.
Yet? Part of him was feeling…. Wrong? He did not know why he felt this way and he knew he was kicking himself for it.
So? Instead of fleeing? Of crushing anything between him and freedom? He sat down, crossing his legs and collapsing into a heap.
"We are going to die," Atem said.
"Nope," Kipo said, doing the same.
"Yep, because they want Mutes… And you are part mute." Atem stated. "It is kinda the reason you are PURPLE," Atem stated.
"Well, you are safe, aren't you?" Kipo asked.
"Not if the spiders eat me," Atem stated.
"They aren't going to eat you," Kipo stated.
"Yes, they are!" Wolf yelled.
"Not helping!" Kipo yelled.
"I know you like helping people…. Or hugs. But these guys do not care what you do. They want to kidnap people; they want to own stuff…. They want to do that and take from guys." Atem stated.
"That doesn't make every single person bad," Kipo stated.
"How many people have you met who are nice," Atem asked before Kipo hummed. "Up here. And your friends do not count. One super nice person, who is right off the bat as nice as you." Atem stated to which Kipo fell silent.
She could not argue with that as she did not know many surface humans. Most had come from burrows which did not exactly help her case.
"I do not dislike you guys but you guys are not exactly the first people I have tried to be nice to, not even close now… Not really." Atem stated before he sighed to himself.
Atem sighed to himself before he looked around. He had been able to survive fine by learning to take care of himself, learning to take care of something he did not wish to.
Not once now could he have done something about it. He did not want to for some reason now and it… Bothered him somewhat to believe he came before the others.
He shook these thoughts off and then looked at Kipo. Who was this pink-skinned woman who knew nothing of the surface world? Who was she to believe that things were so different?
He did not know. He did not believe he should know… All of what he knew now.
Kipo smiled and Atem felt his face flush with emotion as the tiger mute snorted, trying his best not to let it show she had gotten to him somehow in some way.
It did not work and he was too exhausted, too worn down by the long day to put up any meaningful resistance.
All Atem knew was simple, he did not want to run away despite every fiber of his being telling him to even though he knew it would not be safe here if he stuck around. Atem sighed and thought of his options.
There was something at least to deal with, something tiring for now as he clicked it into place… He had been tiresome at the end of the day; he did not wish to try and figure it out once more.
Kipo was silent, she had been too eager to figure it all out, and for a good reason, even if he wished it. The reason would not falter, it would not break or cave under any amount of pressure now, and for good reason.
It had to be wrought for now… For a good reason, oddly? Alex was just too tired now when it was all said and done. She had been ready to grasp for now as of now.
Kipo was too much as she poked him playfully before she thought for now what he would do.
She poked at him and Alex hummed, batting her with his hand which made her laugh. Alex hummed before he looked to the side and cracked a smile before he wished it to be done and dusted.
Kipo could be done and dusted as she thought of it for now and for good reason. She did not wish to think of what was growing on Alex's mind… They had a lot of problems for now as it was all said and done.
Alex was too much for now, he would remain too much for now and it would continue to be decided for now when it was all said and done.
She and he both knew of it now and for good reason at the time as she wished it to be over and over at the time being.
She and he were in deep when it came down to it as of the time being when it came down to it as of now, something which seemed to be thinking of it all when it was all said and done.
She sighed to herself before she looked to the side, Kipo was eager to think of it once more and she thought of what was growing on her mind before she looked to the side.
Kipo seemed to be dealing with it differently before Alex looked to the side, thinking of it as if this was a game.
Alex could guess she was not stupid, she seemed smart enough to know better… Yet? She did not even know what was going on and neither did he…. He had a LOT more to this, a LOT of different ideas than what was currently going on.
Alex seemed to be done with it when all of it seemed to be done and dusted. She hummed before she looked to the side as she looked to the side as she wished to grasp it again.
"You are a very weird lady, you know that." Alex seemed to be done and dusted.
"Well, you are a very weird buddy," Kipo stated before she looked to the side, too interested in it all when it was all over, something about it all came crashing to the ground.
Kipo seemed to be tired but she bounced on the soles of her feet, she was tired and questioning it for now as she looked to the side.
Alex sighed and then thought of himself before he looked at himself.
Alex seemed to smirk, she was being amusing when it came crashing to the ground before she was acting like this when it was all done and over.
She sighed before she looked to the side as she granted to the side. Alex seemed to try and figure it out before he looked upwards and into the sky, too interested in it for now when it was all coming to it.
Alex seemed to be eager to think, to grasp it, for now, his teeth and claws slammed shut.
He seemed eager to fight, sure… But he was still terrified and he knew it. He wanted nothing more than to be home and to be free of this damn place.
He had a lot of different rules on his mind as well, guessing that all of it was harder and harder to deal with for now at the time being… Something now that had been too tired at the time being.
Kipo at the time being as she paused it for now, a manner that she had been tired of now at the end of it all for now… Something they were prepared for now at the time being.
Alex wanted to snap but he could not at the time being, she had it all come crashing to the ground… Something which had been thrown off at the time being, an idea which had been building slowly.
He wanted answers and he would get them now.
Author Notes
Phew. Another chapter is done! I want to point out next chapter will be delayed. The next chapter will be in 2-10 months and will show more of both Atem and the group relaxing and more of his past. Until the 900–6500-word chapter, Lighting Wolf out!