As you may know, soon enough Pythor and the Serpentine will discover the location of the second Fangblade and manage to acquire it. That would leave them with only two left to find. Something that Pythor is more than happy to celebrate with a certain Hypnobrai. But they may end up running into a few…complications.
It had barely seemed like a day since they managed to recover the second Fangblade. While the first one had been a bit of trouble, the second one was even worse. First, they discovered that it had already been found and taken from the pyramid that housed it. Only to then learn that the surface dwellers were using it as a simple trophy for a music competition. One of their most significant cultural artifacts was being paraded around in a golden cup. Skales would have laughed upon hearing the news if it hadn't been so insulting. The only good news had been that it wasn't yet in the hands of the terrible ninja.
But thanks to Pythor's plan, they had been able to claim their second blade. Or at least thanks to his improvisation, once the original plan failed. With the blade in their possession, another victorious return to Ouroboros followed soon. Half of the Fangblades were in their possession, and it could be felt in the mood of the Serpentine. Their spirits were higher than ever, and so was their cooperation. Whatever hostility there had been between the tribes was almost completely forgotten, and it seemed like a joyous return to unity, that had only been seen since the war. Even then, Skales felt they stood more unified than ever. And all thanks to Pythor.
One night, Skales once again found himself in Pythor's quarters. Something that had become a small routine between them. The dwelling was dark, with the only light coming from the moon through the windows. When Skales had entered, he had called out to Pythor, but no response came.
He made his way further inside, a sudden eerie feeling settling in his stomach. The Serpentine he had asked had all said Pythor was there, searching for the location of the next Fangblade. But no lights or sign of Pythor could be found. As he slithered around, he considered leaving. But then, he felt like something was behind him. Before he could react, two arms wrapped themselves around him, and swung him to the side, making him lose his balance. He was nearly about to yell when he noticed he was being held from falling. And right above him, two familiar dark pink eyes stared at him, but with nobody to accompany them. Then the scales revealed themselves.
Skales had heard of the Anacondrais' ability to make themselves invisible, but he hadn't personally seen it. Which was maybe the point. But he felt a tinge of relief as his assailant chuckled in amusement.
"Oh, hope I didn't frighten you too much my dear. Just a harmless bit of fun." Pythor explained, but Skales wasn't having it.
"Did you have to do that?! I'll have you know, wasss just about to attack you!" Skales angrily stated though he didn't feel so intimidating in Pythor's arms.
"I'm sure you were." He said with a large grin, as he moved his face closer to the Hypnobrai.
"But seeing you so surprised is half of the fun I get from our annual meetings. The other half, of course, being this,"
Pythor then leaned the rest of the way down and gave Skales a short kiss, though it was more than enough to leave him more lax in the Anacondrai's arms.
"Now, ready to forgive me, hm?"
"...Yesss."
"That's what I hoped to hear," Pythor said, before lifting Skales back to his feet, or tail rather. The Anacondrai then slithered along to one side of the room, where a dark, metal chest sat, collecting dust. Humming happily to himself, he opened the chest, and from its contents, picked up two very familiar daggers.
"See this, Skales?" Pythor asked with the Hypnobrai nodding in a slow rhythm, as he stared longingly at the Fangblades before him. The fact they were held in Serpentine hands once again filled him with pride. He wasn't sure if Pythor felt quite the same, but there was a quite earnest joy in his eyes as they wandered across the blade's edge.
"With already two blades in our possession, we're already halfway there. Soon enough we shall make our way to the location of the third, and once it's within our grasp…then we're so nearly there. My victory, OUR victory, is at hand."
Once his small speech was finished, he carefully placed the blades back in the chest and closed it. He then turned back to Skales, who dutifully stood still. Then with a deadly finesse, the snake quickly closed the gap between them and wrapped his arms around Skales.
"All thanks to me…and you," Pythor commented, whispering the words into Skales' ear, who was flustered at the sensation.
Their embrace was less of a hug and more of Pythor taking possession of him. Keeping him close, and not allowing his arms to move. And that still rang true, even as he slightly let go of his grip, and let the two of them look at each other, with the Anacondrai looking from above. His and Skales' eyes met and they stared deeply into one another. Pythor's breath was kept at a steady pace, while the Hypnobrai's fluctuated in a chaotic rhythm with his pounding heart. That burning feeling in his chest was as addicting as it was exhilarating. Nearly instinctually, Skales let his arms run up Pythors, nearly all the way to his shoulders. All the while without breaking eye contact.
"I do ever love it so much when you're speechless, my darling." Pythor softly stated, letting his hand stroke Skales' cheek. It was true that the Hypnobrai was mostly empty for words, and relied on Pythor doing the talking for both of them. Something neither of them especially took issue with.
Skales then got to feel the strength of an Anacondrai. With a rush, Pythor picked the Hypnobrai slightly off the ground and threw both of them against the nearest wall. They landed with a bump, but Pythor made sure to soften the impact. Skales didn't have time to collect his senses before he felt something warm against his neck. The Anacondrai had bent his head down, and slowly caressed the scales around his neck, with his tongue. Which soon after evolved into a series of kisses that covered nearly the entire side of his face. For as hard as he tried, Skales couldn't help but let out a few quiet moans, which every time Pythor answered with a satisfied smile. But it was a small pause before he resumed kissing the Hypnobrai's scales. The Hypnobrai's breathing became even more erratic, as his hands clenched around Pythor's arms. He even allowed himself to wrap his tail around the others, something that wasn't met with any resistance. Instead, their tails weaved around each other into a tight pattern.
Without any words, Pythor stopped for a moment so their eyes could meet again.
"You have no idea, how precious you are to me."
Skales didn't have a long time to enjoy those words, as their lips met once again. It was a long, and drawn-out kiss that made the Hypnobrai close his eyes, if only to better appreciate the sensation of being so close to the Anacondrai. So intimately close. Then, like thunder in the quiet of the night, a sound and voice pierced their little heaven.
"Skales, are you there?" The female voice said, accompanied by the sound of the building's door being pushed open. The voice was one that took Skales a moment to recognize. A few steps later the familiar pink Hypnobrai came inside, squinting her eyes, as she tried to look through the darkness. She looked around, as she continued speaking;
"I'm sorry to interrupt, but the tribe has been asking for-"
Her words instantly stopped as soon as she laid her eyes on the two of them. Both had been too surprised to react and unfortunately stood in the same position. There was a chance they could explain it away as the two arguing and Pythor having pushed Skales to the wall. But that seemed unlikely, as they held onto each other too intimately. Not forgetting that both of their mouths were still clinging together, as their eyes stared at the intruder.
An awkward silence set in, that for both parties felt like an eternity. Slowly, Pythor removed his mouth from Skales', and a mix of rage and shock spread across his face. Skales could only look with such fear and distress, that one would think death itself stood in front of him.
"I-I'll…I'll leave…" She nervously stammered out, having most certainly planned for more to say, but couldn't force it out. With that, she quickly backed away, all the way to the door, which she closed with a slam. The sound of her footsteps quickly leaving the area could be heard from inside.
Slowly the two untangled themselves from each other and just stared at the closed door. All the while, the both of them wore the same expression as before. The silence was broken when Pythor let out a long, tired sigh. Skales couldn't tell whether it was out of frustration or disappointment.
"You know-" Pythor started saying, with Skales turning to look at him. But Pythor kept staring at the door, keeping their eyes from each other. His tone was unusually cold as if there was some rage-filled train of thought that occupied his mind.
"-I've done my share in keeping this thing just between the two of us. And as it stands, I think I've done an excellent job at that. Trust me, I made sure no one was supposed to interrupt us. But it seems, you haven't done as good of a job, my dear number two." He continued, before finally turning to face Skales.
"So I expect you to do your share and take care of this!" Pythor hissed, his head lunging at Skales, who could only turn his cheek as a reflex. Whatever caring acts and words there were before were gone and replaced by something that matched the coldness that ran in their veins. It was as if all the light in a room had disappeared, and you were left with nothing but the eerie shapes in the dark that surrounded you.
"Is that understood?" The Anacondrai asked, the slow but demanding tone of his voice tearing into the Hypnobrai, who could only sheepishly slump down and nod.
"Yes, my king. I will." He replied, and with that, he slithered defeated out of the building, with Pythor's eyes burning into the back of his neck. Skales could barely muster to lift his head, even after escaping his piercing gaze.
But as he made his way through the empty streets of Ouroboros, he managed to gain some confidence. If only because he knew he was going to need it. Simple rumors about the two of them, no matter how true, were still just rumors. Those could easily be dismissed. But she saw them. That Hypnobrai saw the two of them together, and that was something that would be harder to ignore. While Pythor's words had hurt him, he knew what he was saying was true. Thanks to Pythor no one openly dared to ask any questions about them. It was his fault for not properly keeping his own tribe in check. Something he would make up for. For their sake. For Pythor.
While he worried that a scene would be inevitable in the Hypnobrai barracks, to his luck, that would not be the case. For as he wandered near the streets to Pythor's quarters, his eyes caught the flash of something pink. And it wasn't hard to figure out who it might have been. It was there he started to think of why he hadn't noticed her that much before. The color of her scales was a clear giveaway, so it surprised him that he didn't remember seeing her that often. He didn't even know her name yet. Perhaps if your scales were like that compared to an entire tribe of Serpentine with the same color of scales, then you would learn to not stand out. He himself wasn't entirely sure what had led to the color. It covered too much of her body to just be cosmetic. A birth defect that changed one's color wasn't unheard of, but very rare. That seemed like the most likely answer.
But as his thoughts twirled around, in the end, he recognized that they were better off for another time. As it stood, whatever was going to happen next had a high chance of not being very pretty. With that, he moved closer to where he saw her. There he found her next to the street, in a tight space that stood between two buildings.
At first, she didn't see him and instead continued going back and forth, clearly thinking about what to do. But as he came closer, she finally saw him and let out a short gasp, backing away slightly. But behind her, there was only a wall, and Skales blocked the only escape. There was no chance for her to get away without a confrontation.
"Skales! I'm…I'm so sorry for disturbing you and…I-I mean I didn't see anything! Nothing! So-"
"Quiet!" He ordered, and with an apprehensive nod, she obeyed.
Skales let out a long and frustrated sigh, as he thought of the best way to respond to the situation. Should he threaten her? Bribe her? He had no idea. It was his first time dealing with something of such a delicate nature. One thing was clear, however, and that was he had to make sure she didn't tell anyone what she saw. For his and Pythor's sake. No matter what he would need to do to make it so.
"Do not play dumb with me." He started saying, with a certain edge in his voice. "We both know what you sssaw. Unfortunately for you, that wasss sssomething not meant for you, or anybody else to sssee."
"I know! It was just that the tribe had been wondering where you were, and Mezmo and Slithraa got into an argument, that then quickly turned into a fight and I didn't know what else to do, and-"
"Do you think your excuses are going to save you from thisss?" Skales replied, and a helpless expression spread across the female Hypnobrai's face.
"No…I just need you to know I didn't mean to disturb the two of you, I-"
"But you did. And you couldn't have come at a worse time!"
"I wouldn't say it was the worst just…alright, it was pretty bad timing." She answered, recognizing that she really had messed up badly.
"Exactly." He commented with a displeased tone.
The two stood and stared at each other, the worry on her face only growing as the seconds passed. Still, the thoughts stirred in Skales. He still hadn't decided what to do yet. But she seemed like the timid type. A threat or two would perhaps be enough. And there was only one way to find out.
"You have to have realized by now, that I can't have you running around and telling everyone about thisss, right?"
"Yes, I know. But you have to believe me when I say I wouldn't tell anyone about something so personal, alright!"
"And how can I trust-...wait what?"
A fuse short-circuited in Skales' brain once he processed what she had said. He and Pythor being together was something that wouldn't be short of a scandal. Skales being his number two and advisor could quickly be said to only be because he was in a relationship with the king. It would undermine any authority he had, as well as for Pythor. Skales had shown his dedication and belief to Pythor enough so that the other Serpentine viewed him as a reason to trust whatever the Anacondrai did. Why else would he put his fate in the hands of someone not from his own tribe, if not because he truly believed in his cause? If it came out how close the two truly were, all that would crumble away. Something that Pythor had made sure to explain to him.
And yet, none of those truly significant details were what she mentioned. Just that it was…personal? It was, but also so much more. Skales couldn't comprehend how she could ignore such obvious ramifications.
"I have no problem with you two being together, but I can completely understand not wanting the rest of the Serpentine to know. Trust me…I know that it's sometimes hard for them to…accept difference." She explained, awkwardly rubbing the back of her head as if recalling an unpleasant memory. There was a solemn look in her eyes that made Skales drop his guard and let go of his anger.
It wasn't hard for him to believe she spoke the truth. It couldn't have been easy growing up, standing out so much compared to others. He knew how ruthless Serpentine children could be.
"So I want you to know you can trust me when I say I wouldn't tell anybody about this. And I don't say this just because you're the leader of the tribe, but because I respect you and wouldn't do anything that would cause you trouble."
Skales stood in front of her and felt lost. He didn't want to believe and wanted instead to do what he needed to do. But it didn't feel right to push her further, to come up with a threat or bribe that would make her silent. It would just feel uncalled for and unjust. Her words sounded so earnest that he couldn't find a reason to not believe her. Even if he knew Pythor wouldn't feel the same. If he was here, he couldn't imagine what he might do. Or what would happen if he learned Skales just let her go with a warning. But in the end, that felt like the right thing to do.
"...And I can be assured you won't mention a sssingle peep to anyone, right?" Skales asked, after some speculation. It was a stupid move to just blindly trust her, he knew that. But anything else felt…wrong.
"Yes! I swear it, not to a general, but to you." She answered before bowing her head, as a sign of respect.
Once again the separation of his status and him as a person felt alien to the Hypnobrai. Every Serpentine has grown up learning to obey and respect the general. And yet that seemed less important to her. He couldn't figure out what her deal was, but he had already made up his mind. He wanted the whole thing to be over, so he wouldn't have to think about it anymore.
"And if anyone asksss, then you didn't find me at Pythor'sss quartersss."
"I understand." She replied, lifting her head, and looking at Skales patiently. He then motioned to her that she could leave, moving to the side so she could leave. She let out a quick thank you and started walking past Skales and away.
As she did, Skales looked at her and felt a strange sensation in his chest. A feeling that didn't disappear, even as she got farther away.
"Hey!" He yelled, just loud enough so only she could hear it. Surprised and worried, she turned around.
"What'sss your name?" Skales asked, before realizing how personal it sounded.
"Just in case you try anything!" He added on, though there wasn't much intimidation in his threat.
"...Selma." She replied, with a confused expression on her face. She then turned her head again and continued walking. Soon enough she was gone from view, and her footsteps quickly disappeared between the streets of Ouroboros.
Skales continued to stand there as if he were waiting for something. For some reason, the feeling in his chest was still there. It seemed familiar. Like something that Pythor had made him feel. He let the name repeat in his head until it ended up getting stuck. The Hypnobrai still couldn't believe how truthful and understanding she had been. As if there wasn't any hidden agenda or scheming thoughts in her head. Just plain truth, with no catch. It was there he realized how opposite it was from Pythor. But he had started to enjoy that part about him. The speculation and thrill it brought were intoxicating. And only made better by his moments of sweetness. With those thoughts came the realization that he should probably return to Pythor. Whatever problem there was between Mezmo and Slithraa could solved tomorrow.
He slithered through the streets, making sure he wasn't spotted by anyone. Soon enough he came back to the Anacondrai's quarters and entered. The moment he met those dark pink eyes, he felt his heart sink, and he lowered his head.
"Is it done?" Pythor asked, with clear annoyance in his voice.
"Yesss, it isss done, my king. Ssshe won't be bothering usss anymore." Skales answered after gathering himself.
The Hypnobrai came closer to Pythor, though it was clear he was wary. The Anacondrai looked at his second-in-command, and the scowl on his face slowly disappeared. As if he felt a certain tinge of guilt, or concluded he may have been too hard on his partner. Putting on a soft smile, he himself moved closer, slowly wrapping his tail around Skales'. Much to the Hypnobrai's surprise.
"Oh, I'm sorry if I might have been…to harsh about this uncomfortable circumstance we found ourselves in. You must understand, it's only because I worry about us! You know what would happen if we were discovered, right?"
Pythor tried to catch Skales' eyes but to no avail. Placing his hand on the Hypnobrai's cheek, he turned his gaze back to him.
"Right?" He repeated, once their eyes were once again locked together, his face neutral and waiting.
Letting out a sigh, Skales looked down for a moment.
"I do."
"Good," Pythor said before a devious look spread across his face.
"Now, I think we were in the middle of something before we were so rudely interrupted! Let us continue, shall we?" He asked, though he didn't wait for an answer, before pulling Skales up close to him.
Their mouths joined together once again, and the night continued as Pythor had planned. Though what Skales didn't know, was that Pythor's good mood came from him finding the location of the next Fangblade. Which was nestled deep somewhere inside the Fire Temple. A palace that would soon be their next destination.
Hello, and thank you for reading this chapter. Not much of the show's plot was involved with this chapter, but as the ending alluded to, that changes next time. And while the two blades were easy enough to get, this one may lead to a bit of trouble. Have a good day, and let's see what happens in the next chapter.
