Chapter 39: Weava and Arbor


Weava, the heiress of the Black Insect Akujin/one of Malice's Royal Guard, was born 700 years ago to the Black Insectoid Akujin King, Scarab, and his partner, Latrode. Latrode was bored with having to kill her partners as a black widow spider Akujin and found Scarab, a King Beetle Akujin intriguing as someone who can actually withstand her and not be killed. Being born into royalty, Weava was born into privelage but raised to be modest.

She is a small, young girl with long silver hair with two straight braids in the front with a third in the back reaching the floor. She had a cute human-like face with a large forehead with small spider compound eyes encompassing it. The iris's eyes were green in color. She wore a black web-patterned biomechanical crop top with large sleeves with similarly patterned pants ending with black sandals with four spider legs emerging from the back, keeping her hovered as an alternative means of transport.

Weava is a highly intelligent girl, but is very uninterested in studying and doing school work, preferring to be a slacekr. She has a strong interest in philosophy and is capable of being adaptable as well as putting hard work into studying when needed, especially in a subject she is interested in. She shows a cynicism towards the world with a demotivation to not do anything that isn't in her own interests, being generally apathetic to anyone who isn't an Akujin, but will take interest in an opponent she deems worthy of studying. While she's very protective of her subordinates, she's very quiet and distant towards them outside of missions, which leads to them having a hard time reading her emotions. She is known for her quick thinking and is one of the primary strategists of the Black Akujin Royal Guard. She also has a habit of being an extreme snarker with very deadpan sarcasm, showing brutal honesty in what she thinks. She is very duty-bound to her parents. She has Arbor and formerly Aqua as best friends before the latter fully committed to the White Akujin ideology. Due to following the ideologies of both parents, she carries herself in an aristocratic and calm manner, utilizing refined terminologies while being a master planner when speaking like her mother and being affable and acting calmly a majority of the time, assessing the situation before taking action, never loses sight of her goals like her father.

She is well-liked by the Black Faction, but the White Faction despises her for being a mongrel of two species despite them fawning over Solar-Flor- a half-Human Akujin who managed to reach the rank of ruler despite human hybrids being ordered to be killed on sight for just being born.

Weava's own regret was that Aqua didn't join the Black Faction. She remembers how the said event went-

She was a preteen at the time as were Arbor the heiress of the Black Plant Akujin and Aqua the heiress of the White Sea-Life Akujin.

Arbor at the time was a small humanoid resembling an apricot-skin-toned human-like girl with back-length green hair and green iris eyes. She wore a black, biomechanical bra exposing her bosom and stomach; and black baggy pants with sandals. Her hands and feet were brown and wooden like bark.

Aqua at the time was a smaller humanoid resembling a very little human girl with short sea-green hair with her bangs parted to the side to reveal only her left eye dark red iris eyes, and fair skin. She had a piranha fin tale emerging from her back and hints of having sharp teeth instead of normal ones. She wore a white tube top with a mini-skirt. Aqua is normally shy, but in her missions, she becomes a cold sniper willing to kill.

Weava requested Aqua, "Why don't you come with us to the Black Faction? We could be a trio again."

"You believe that death completes someone. What about those of us who fear death?," asked Aqua.

Arbor retorted insensitively, "It's a fate we all share, Aqua. Whether it's by a bullet or by old age, everyone dies. But with the Black Faction, we get to choose how we go out."

"Sorry, but I don't want to live by the warrior code. I have other beliefs," Aqua replied softly, her voice quivering slightly.

"Aqua...," Weava said, her voice trailing off as she searched for the right words. She knew that Aqua's choice was not one made lightly, and she didn't want to push her friend away. "You know I respect your beliefs. But the Black Faction isn't just about death and fighting. It's about loyalty and protecting our people. You're one of the strongest I know. Why not use that strength for us?"

"Sorry, but it's not the Great One's world anymore. It's Solar-Flor and it's better to placate to his whims rather than be silenced one day. I don't get why you don't see it.," said Aqua.

"You can't really believe that?," Weava replied, her voice tinged with both disappointment and confusion. "Solar-Flor is a monster, even more than most Akujin. He does horrible things to young boys that I didn't think were possible. And it's likely he's responsible for the disappearances of the Queens, the wives of Lord Nefarious."

Aqua replied with a solemn look, "I'm not saying I support what he does, but he's the strongest. And in this world, might make right. If we stand against him, we'll just be crushed under his heel."

Weava offered her hand to try to convince her, but Aqua walked away as Weava looked devastated as Arbor hugged her.

Weava Mission 1008

Weava tracked down Regina to make up for Warlock's perceived blunder in locating a special weapon to be eliminated to deprive the Akujin of a weakness according to the vain White Insectoid King Papillion, another of the White Kings she disliked. Her thoughts on Aqua weigh heavily on her.

Weava spotted Regina the aquamarine-iris-eyed blonde princess with long hair, a white dress with armor on her arms/legs, being of average height with an endowed body, which was toned. Weava had spotted and encased the sword in so much webbing that it was impossible to get out. She couldn't destroy conventionally despite her efforts.

The silver-haired spider was about to leave when Regina managed to spy and corner her.

"You Akujin are responsible for poisoning my father.," the princess demanded as she drew her sword.

"Poison? Your father emanated power from his very being and overwhelmed over. Poison was unfair rigging that didn't happen. It was our king- even without his mind that killed him when your father wandered into the caves to take down the allies of the usurper.," Weava replied as Regina gritted her teeth in fury.

"Your words are as hollow as your loyalties," spat Regina, her eyes alight with anger. She lunged at Weava, her sword slicing through the air with a vicious hiss.

Weava narrowed her eyes. "You have no idea what you're talking about," she said, her voice as cold as the steel of her opponent's sword. "But if you wish to challenge me, I'll show you the true meaning of loyalty."

Weava generated webbing with electrical properties to both restrain and shock Regina, but Weava retreated the moment she sensed the presence of the hero, Guy. She left with a sense of frustration of being correctly analyzed.


Arbor

800 years ago, Arbor, the future heiress of the Black Plant Akujin/future Royal Guard of Malice, was one of the Danger Beasts with exceptional abilities chosen and gathered to fight in the Kodoku, a fight between Akujin and Danger Beasts. She had no idea of her birth parents, but from the moment she was aware, she was fighting for survival. Due to her exceptional talent, she received special training from her owners, but she was set up to be a sacrifice to stronger fighters.

She was saved just in time by the intervention of Elm of the Black Plant Akujin leadership. They would take Arbor to their King, who adopted Arbor as his heir.

Yggdrasil was a large humanoid male with a black skeletal ram skull head, yellow iris eyes with black sclera, and a large sequoia tree growing from his back; he wore a black bio-mechanical lab coat with a hunched back and had a Sugegasa straw hat on his head. His speech tone of voice was methodical and the others who leaned towards being warrior-like to varying degrees, he felt more like an intellectual with hints of an amoral nature.

He would help to civilize her as the Tree Danger Beast soon evolved into a little humanoid with green hair resembling a little girl before eventually maturing the natural centuries-long period of puberty.

Arbor is a tall teenaged, bespectacled human-like girl with back-length green hair and green iris eyes. She wore a black, biomechanical bra exposing her bosom and stomach; and black baggy pants with sandals. Her hands and feet were brown and wooden-like bark.

Arbor is a guileful spreader of rumors and gossip in hopes of getting a rise of those who she finds too uptight or too uppity for their own good, being somewhat of a trickster. She is very good at deciphering secrets and finding information about her enemies that they prefer not to get out, even if it means torturing or intimidating others to the point of traumatizing them in order to do so out of pragmatism rather than an actual hobby. Arbor is entirely motivated by her own self-amusement, rarely actually participating with the rest of the members except for Weava, her best friend and implied close lover. Her large flaw is not being able to keep secrets, thus is kept out of important meetings in fear that she might tell the entire current generation about what was being talked about. Arbor is very proud of her figure and doesn't mind flaunting it. She's very much a big sister figure to her subordinates. Despite being selfish, irresponsible, impulsive, rude, and thoughtless- largely uninterested in the Akujin's larger goals; she is one of the stronger fighters of the Royal Guard. She is also a proud bisexual, having slept with her betrothed for the official purposes of breeding and with her fellow peers for her own amusement.

She was well-liked by the Black Faction but vehemently disliked by the White Faction, especially Solar-Flor.

She is best friends with Weava and formerly Aqua prior to the latter joining the White Faction. Weava had always been the brains of their trio, while Aqua was the heart. Now, with Aqua gone, Arbor felt like the group was incomplete. The bond between her and Weava grew stronger, yet she couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy every time she saw Aqua in the company of the White Akujin. It was as if a piece of their friendship had been torn away, leaving a gaping hole that no one could fill.

She had become accustomed to being fully sapient and having some purpose to serving a prince not born yet due to some innate desire.

Arbor Mission 120,000

Arbor was tasked to bring in a dangerous criminal whose existence was a sin apparently. It was a young woman who was related to someone on the court with the assumption that it was an illicit love affair with a poor person with the traits being obvious enough to warrant her death.

She managed to corner said criminal in an abandoned street alley- a beige-curly-haired young woman dressed in a sleeveless brown blouse with detached sleeves and a long skirt.

"Alright I give up.," said the woman as she waved her hands in surrender.

As if, I'll defeat you Freak with this hidden blade I've hidden in my sleeve. Come on, I'm full of openings to exploit. What're you gonna-, thought the young woman before seeing Arbor lift a massive building casually, much to the woman's shock.

She's not taking the bait? And that method...she's insane!, the woman thought as Arbor threw the building at her, forcing her to dodge.

"Why did you see through my trap?," asked the woman.

"I just attacked. Because I sensed your killing intent.," the green-haired Akujin replied.

"You should've fallen for it and submitted easily now you'll suffer!," she said as she lunged forward. Arbor then saw the woman as Yggdrasil for a moment, allowing the woman to slash her.

"Don't let memories deceive you in a real fight," the woman said before Arbor kicked her in the gut.

"Take this. 7 Clones!," the woman declared as she generated 7 clones with the same intent to kill, however, Arbor generated blunt-ended roots to strike the real one while doing the others at the same time.

"How?," asked the woman.

"I was a Danger Beast before being an Akujin, so my senses and instincts are more keen.," Arbor replied as she bent down.

"Why do this? You have a high position guaranteed in the nobility.," the green-haired Akujin inquired.

The woman looked to the side as she telekinetically lifted a rock to Arbor's surprise.

"I'm half of a totally unique Akujin type. There are 15 known types of Anima- the God- which all Great Ones belong to, the Hellspawn, the Divine, the Insectoid, the Elemental, the Sorcerer, the Sea-Life, the Reptile, the Avian, the Warrior, the Undead, the Plant, the Golem, the Beast, and the Ultimate Life Form/Chimera. One half of my parents...is a Psychic. My name is Spacy.," the woman explained as she revealed a third eye.

She explained how her father was an extraterrestrial jerkass who abducted her mother took her to a weird land called Amerike and raped her- leading to her birth, Spacy's birth was a scandal that was covered up by setting up the intended spouse as the dad. However, Spacy exhibits powers by accident, and this leads to her own family trying to put a hit on her. That left Spacy with a desire to never be seen as a 'loser' like her mother.

Arbor felt conflicted, on one hand, she was obligated to kill any hybrid due to how heinous a fellow hybrid, Solar-Flor turned out, and on the other hand, Spacy's case was pitiable.

"Your existence is a danger to us all, Spacy," Arbor said solemnly, "But why should I trust you?"

Spacy lowered the rock, her eyes pleading. "Because I can be an asset to the Black Faction. With my psychic powers, I can infiltrate the minds of our enemies, reveal their secrets, and even turn them against each other."

"I can just kill you.," Arbor remarked.

"I don't fear death, but I only despise dying for the sake of Human's selfish whims.," Spacy replied.

Arbor studied Spacy for a moment, her mind racing with the implications of what the woman had just offered. It was true that psychic abilities could be incredibly useful in the cutthroat world of Akujin politics. And she knew all too well the horrors that could come from a power like Solar-Flor's.

She then did the unthinkable, she pulled out a vial of Nefarious' essence, crushed it in her mouth, and fed it to Spacy mouth-to-mouth. Spacy's ears became pointed and her teeth sharpened.

"It's a gamble, but I'm not sure if it'll work again. You should hide for now and I'll give you a good recommendation.," Arbor said as Spacy was floored by the mercy. She then scampered away with a flustered blush on her face. Arbor then warped away.

A certain man watched the scene play out.

"Seems like Arbor is going be a threat. That charisma might draw in more support to the Akujin," Guy, the blue-haired hunk hero of the revolutionary noted as he watched from afar. He then turned away as he left.


Next Chapter: Automata, Electo, and Mammut

Author Notes: Weava and Arbor are very close friends so their sections complement each other. Their friendship with Aqua might be built up in the main story.

As for Spacy, she might show up later in the main story with Psychic allies from Amerike and Alkebulan