"Why are we leaving so early?" 11 asked as she slid in front of me.
"Just trust me on this one. It'll be best for both me and for all of you." I replied.
"Is something wrong?" asked 7 as he stared at me.
"Nothing, really," I replied. "We're running out of time."
"But we should be fine for a few days without food..." 7 said skeptically.
Watching the black bar flash once more, I tried to slip past 7 and 11. "What's stopping us from starting earlier?" I said. "We don't know how long it's going to take to get past the dangling white strings. It's better if we leave as early as possible."
"That sounds reasonable." 11 replied.
But 7 seemed to smell out my bulls**t.
"But, what's the real reason?" He asked me as he turned his body to block off my path. "You have been acting pretty strange recently, why?"
"Nothing. Really." I replied.
'I hope he won't start the "really, really" dialogue with me as well.' I thought as I regretted saying really.
"You mentioned that things were changing a few days ago, what did you mean by that?" 7 continued.
Sighing. I gave in. I decided to tell them. I didn't know if 7 was too smart for his own good or I was just bad at lying.
...
"Come closer. I'll tell you both." I gestured. They complied and slid closer. "But you have to trust me. I'm not lying to you. I'm trusting you two to trust me." I said as I slowly begun to explain my situation to them.
I explained everything: The voice in my head. The bars. My new abilities. My mind. Everything. It took about an hour, but I was able to explain everything to them. Although the black bar was still dropping, I began to calm down some and the rate at which the black bar was decreasing also slowed down dramatically.
Their reaction seemed to be one of disbelief. That slowly turned into interest. Then finally, concern.
"We need to move quickly," I said after I explained my situation.
They nodded.
We spent the next few minutes gathering the other snails and once we did, we started moving.
With the adventuring team taking the lead, we followed them down the branch towards the place where they had found the hanging strings of white days before.
As we travelled, I had 11 lead the defence team in some exercises. Back and forth, they whipped around our colony. Under my direction and 11's, we had them sprint and ahead and back. She had them practice different formations. She had them practice charging forward in lines, switching positions and falling back to switch with other snails. She was getting better at leading the defence them.
That was the plan. She had taken an interest and I complied. A stern commander. Just what the defence team needed.
...
After a few hours of travelling, we stopped for a break. It wasn't because we were tired. No. It was because we saw the colony of Spike-shelled snails. Or... Whatever was left of them.
As we slowly approached at our fastest sliding speed, I saw a group of Spike-shelled snail's huddling together. Considerably, their population had been culled during the battle as there were way less of them.
"60!" I yelled out.
Slightly concerned, but not that concerned I slid forward.
Hey. She did betray us. Although, I let her live. If she had somehow died. It would be her luck. I wasn't going to kill a sibling, but if nature had other plans. If it was nature's fault it's mine. Nope.
...
As I slid closer, the dismay on the faces of the Spike-shelled snails became more and more evident.
Gloom had filled their eyes as they looked over the side of the branch. Following their gaze, I saw what had happened.
Their leaf was gone.
"Their leaf. How..." I began to question as I suddenly had an inkling of "how".
It was me. The stem should have been the most solid part of the leaf - able to withstand harsh winds and the heaviness of creatures and water, it should have been able to withstand the shockwaves of the battle.
If it wasn't damaged.
But it was damaged and I was the culprit.
Oops.
A slight feeling of guilt welled up within me as I slid closer to the huddled Spike-shelled snails.
'It's my fault.'
As I slid past all the bodies of the Spike-shelled snails. The shine of a coloured snail-shell alerted me as I found 60 busily trying to organize what was left of them. While the leader of the Spiked-shelled snails was nowhere to be seen.
"60," I said as I approached her.
"Oh, it's you... I'm a little busy. Can you give me a few minutes?" She asked in response.
It seemed like her personality was quelled with the whole hostage incident and the loss of the majority of the Spiked-shelled snails.
"Okay, but we can't say here for long," I said as I waited.
60 nodded.
She slid around the other snails and seemed to quietly screech to them. Rubbing the down snails on their shells with her foot, she seemed to console the snails. A pat here, a nod there. It looked like she quickly took up the position of their missing leader.
The more I looked around, the more guilty I felt about the whole situation. Out of home and food, and it was I was the reason for their losses.
What's that feeling called? Em... Empathy? I felt extremely empathetic as I had also felt the loss of family and snails before. The loss of Timmy, 13 and the other snails that I couldn't save crossed my mind once more as I watched the Spiked-shelled snails.
...
Minutes passed as she circled around once more to me as I watched.
"So." She said as she approached. "What are you here for?"
"60... I..." I started to say. I wanted to apologize for their loss, but I couldn't phrase it properly. I was completely at fault and I knew it. I just couldn't get myself to admit it at the time. "How are the Spiked-shells doing?" I asked instead.
"Hmm... their bearing through it..." She said with a downcast look. "The leader... The leader is gone. It was a huge loss for them..." 60 mumbled.
"How did it happen?" I asked. Although I knew that it was my fault, I wanted to learn more about their situation.
"She... She rushed when she noticed something was wrong with the leaf. She forced as many snails forward as she could before she went back to warn more snails... Then... Then came a gust of wind. I heard a snap... and they were gone."
"She was a leader through and through. Just like me." I said as I pointed to our brothers and sisters who were resting nearby. "I also tried to rescue a bunch of them. I also went back onto our leaf and barely made it back out alive... We leaders... have to protect our own you know? I'm sure the leader of the Spike-shelled snails knew that when she went back for the other snails." I said in an attempt to console her.
"But with the leader gone... I'm not sure if the Spiked-shelled snails would survive."
"You can do it. The leader trusted you some, to allow you to issue commands to the Spiked-shells." I replied.
"But... I'm not one of them." She said. She had a valid point. She wasn't a Spiked-shell snail.
"Look." I waved around. "I saw you try to cheer up those snails there. I'm pretty sure they have accepted you as one of their own. You can do it, Sis. I'm sure you can do it. You know, with that brilliant mind of yours." I said in an attempt to cheer her up.
"Right." She said to herself as if she didn't quite believe me. "Right." She repeated once more, but more confidently.
"So, how can I help you?" She turned and ask me.
"Oh, we were just passing by. Our leaf was... completely destroyed as well and... I just wanted to make sure you were alright." I said slowly as I looked at her face.
Confusion spread over her face as I said so. "Why?"
"You're still my sister," I replied. "Sorry for trying to scare you that day... I just wanted to make my point clear." I said awkwardly. I wasn't good at apologizing.
"I'm sorry for everything sis. Let's try to get along from now on." I suggested.
She thought about it for a few moments.
"Okay." She replied.
"Good," I replied. "We are moving down the branch to look for food. We'll see you all later, maybe?" I asked.
"Okay, brother."
I turned around and gestured towards 11 and 7. They nodded and called out to the snails. We were going to move out once more.
As we started moving, I heard 60 cry out from behind me.
"Wait!"
I turned around to see 60 sliding after me with the Spiked-shelled snails.
"We will join you," she stated.
"Aren't we... you know... we still bad terms?"
"That's why we should try to mend our relationship. We will work together from now on. The smooth-shells and the Spiked-shells." 60 seemed to announce out loud. "Well, we will still be under your leadership." 60 added more quietly.
"Are you sure?" I asked.
"Yes."
"Okay, I trust you," I replied.
I turned around and faced my siblings as well as the Spiked-shelled snails.
"They had lost their home just like us. Without a home, without a leader they need guidance and a place to go. We are that place. Although we snails were once enemies, from today onward, we will be allies! No. They will be our new brothers and sisters. Our new equals!" I yelled out.
"And 60. 60 will not return to us as a traitor. But as our long lost sister. She's the one that made this possible. Let's put away our past grudges and welcome her back. Let's welcome her home to her family." I announced.
...
[Quest: Diplomacy with the Spiked-shells] (completed)
[Spike-shelled Snail Colony] (updated)
Relationship rating: 20*
Status: Family
[Quest: Protect the colony!] (updated)
[Title: Snail Colony Leader] (Updated)
[Title acquired: Grand Colony Leader] (Secret)
+ Grants ability to decide [Friendly] snail colony actions when equipped
+ 5 charisma (passive)
+ 5 leadership (passive)
[Equipped: Grand Colony Leader]
Analyzing actions... Compiling Experience...
+2 charisma
+2 leadership
+1000 Exp.
Next level: 388 Exp.