*Tap, tap, tap*
"This is some strong armor...."
"Arwin. Just....Arwin, and thank you."
"You're welcome, but let me show you some real fireproof armor"
You call that fireproof? All that does is absorb and contain. Get rid of the flexible chainmail and stand aside."
"It's not Chainmail. I made it myself and stand by it one hundred percent. Me and countless others swear by this."
"I'm sure they do...…..as everyday attire, but not everyday does one fight. Here, try this on for size."
"Oooof.
It's…..it's...heavy."
"That's the whole point. Do you like it? More layers outside mean we're protected from within. Nothin can stab us."
*Zruuaoouuuappp*
"Nothing?"
"How'd you...what are…"
"This suit definitely doesn't block magic."
"Uhhh….ummm. You see, most of the animals here only have physical magic that we can visually pare. No one here is a ghost. Now please pull your hand back through before you..
*Zruuaoouuuappp*
….Thank you."
"Aww, you were scared for me; weren't you? Don't worry, I am not a ghost....although I do know where one is, and if you don't help us get back; she might scare the wrong people."
"....Which one?"
"Aaaadaataadaataaadaaa.
I'm not going to tell you anything. You gotta earn more info, but first...….before you can fix us, I gotta fix you."
"Come again?"
"That is.....unless you Ants don't want help."
"We're not ants. We're Hyeeeee...."
"What was that?"
"Naaottthing."
"I thought so."
"You won't tell, will you? When the Dragons hate us, they turn us."
"Then why fight for them?"
"Why else? Acceptance. But you'll never hear anyone else say that for they do not know. You see very differently on the front lines. You see.....just how powerless to change you really are. We don't make the rules. Commoners make the rules."
"But they choose with their nose, not their eyes."
"And they will always choose that way. Then shield their eyes to us. Calls us traitors for ever questioning our Royals. But you Girls…..you...you have powers. I've seen it."
"You've seen nothing. We're as weak if not weaker than the average Clad."
"What if I told you.....you don't have to be."
"Then I'd say....show me."
"Come with me."
"......Where are we going?"
"Darius, you haven't been completely honest with me, have you?"
"What do you mean? I got you your coordinates."
"Have you ever been honest?"
"Uhhh."
"I know the general fix where the Elephants appear to be roaming, but I asked you to scout the area, not find the area."
"We did."
"Then why have one of myyyyyyyyyyyyyy.....scouts…..tracked your Catscan headed the exact opposite way you were supposed to go? I thought it was to refill, return to the person controlling it, or.....and hear me out, but...…what if it was returning to base? That's what all robots do when they run low.
Take your scan back.
*phruuuaaaaaaaaaaammmm*
*Pishh, tissshhh, tishh, tisshhhh*
It's broken anyways."
"Uhhhh….you….."
"I'm only going to ask this once. How...…..many...…more....of you...…are there?"
*Gulp*
"Fine. If you don't talk, I'll just squeeze it out of your little friend."
*Squueeesshh*
"No, no, not the fairy. You're hurting her. She's the lifeblood of our planets."
"DRAGONS...…ARE THE LIFEBLOOD OF OUR PLANET."
"....What'd you do with Jordan?"
"Your Gardner. I saw him planting these irresistible flowers in MYYYYYYYYYYYYYY....Backyard. I told you I hate anything beautiful. I can't count how many of these little prickly things I threw on my fathers grave. Any sort of resemblance and reminder, I will squish. Why do you never respect my wishes?"
"The first step of help is to admit you have a problem."
"I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM.
....*Whoooooooooooooo*
...…I don't have a problem. Tears are not a bad thing, kid. Sometimes.....*Sniff*
....sometimes the past is the only way to the future. You wouldn't understand, for you have never lost what you love."
"You killed him, didn't you?
......…DIDN'T YOU?"
"HE WAS IN THE WAY. Polluting my lands, and tetraforming my people with his....indoctrination. Him and his little fairy buddies. All they seek to do is unermite my power and turn my people against me, but I will not have it. My people are loyal to me and do as I say. If I say go, they go. If I say come, they come. And if I want change, I'll…..
*Squassssh*
.....Be…..the change?"
"Good luck with that. You just squashed your only hope in this world."
"I...I…..I'm sorry. She's just so small and I...you're a Healer. Can't you fix her?"
"And clean up your mistakes...….plural. I can only go back to the side. Only Ruby can heal further, for she has been to the land of Souls."
"Whe.....wh…..where is she?"
"That should've been your first question. Jacklyn is assembling a team to move out at dusk. You may not want our help, but I ask anyway. Please be there. We'll reason with them...….but I can't promise anything. As you said, the only person that can change you...…..is you."