૮꒰˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶꒱ა
★ Plelepun's Status:
Light-Blue Crystals consumed: 4
critcal critical critical ULTRA!
[Super Trait: Momentous Muncher]!
Abyss Particles absorbed: 16 Units
Accumulated Particles: 402 Units (Previous) > 418 Units!
૮꒰˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶꒱ა
KiAera frowned, feeling uneasy as she watched the Plelepun consume the crystals. Her intuition told her that something was off, but she couldn't quite pinpoint what exactly was wrong. She bit her lower lip in contemplation.
Then, it hit her: The Plelepun's power far surpassed her own and those of her Osseods companions. An innate instinctual sensation warned her of the elephant calf's strength, and yet, it was the Plelepun that was leery towards her. The thought puzzled her.
She was aware that the Plelepun possessed immense strength, but she didn't believe it would pose much of a threat to her or her companions. However, as the elephant calf continued to consume the crystals, she became increasingly wary.
KiAera narrowed her eyes in suspicion, her ears flattening against her head as she studied the elephant calf carefully. Her tail flicked restlessly as she tried to determine whether it would pose a threat to her.
What if the Plelepun decided to attack her and her companions?
She knew that she should be cautious, but she couldn't deny that there was something oddly fascinating about the monstrous (but far, far, far from hideous), elephant calf. She wondered if this was how people felt when they looked at animals in a zoo, fascinated by their beauty but wary of their danger.
The Plelepun's trunk twitched as it finished swallowing the last crystal. Its eyes blinked slowly, its pupils dilating as it stared at her—too intelligent for something animalistic.
KiAera's stomach churned as she felt its gaze bore into her. She shivered, goosebumps forming on her skin as she began to sweat.
The Plelepun tilted its head curiously, "Yo! What's wrong?"
KiAera cleared her throat nervously. "Um, nothing. It's just that I'm feeling a bit uncomfortable... Could you perhaps look somewhere else?"
The Plelepun frowned, "Yo! What's that supposed to mean? Are you insulting me or something?"
"No. Of course not," she decided that it was proper to go for an honest but heedful answer. "It's just that you're making me nervous."
"Yo! You're making me nervous, too! You keep staring at me like some sort of creep!" The Plelepun snapped.
KiAera averted her gaze, her ears drooping in embarrassment. "Sorry. I didn't mean to offend you."
Her expression became serious. "Plelepun. Be honest with me, please." She paused before delivering the question.
"Are you a threat to us? To me and my companions?" she asked firmly, her eyes narrowing.
The intrusive thoughts crept upon her once more... What if the Plelepun decided to take advantage of her generosity and attack her and her companions?
She shuddered at the thought, imagining what it was like to be stomped to death by the elephant calf. She'd seen enough movies to know how gruesome it would be.
The Plelepun shook its head, "Nah, I ain't gonna do anything. Yo!"
KiAera let out a sigh of relief. She couldn't believe that the elephant calf was telling the truth. She thought she was being paranoid, but apparently she should not. As she thought...it was a gentle giant at heart. A salt of the earth.
"Yo! Now that I think about it, you and your buddies are pretty strong. But I'm stronger than all of you combined! So don't get any funny ideas about attacking me!" The Plelepun declared proudly, puffing out its chest.
KiAera raised a brow. "Oh? And how do you know that?"
The Plelepun smirked, "Yo! It's obvious. I can feel it. You and your little friends are no match for me."
KiAera couldn't help but chuckle at the elephant calf's bravado. "You seem quite confident. Are you sure you're not just bluffing?" She challenged playfully.
The Plelepun snorted, "Yo! Of course I'm not bluffing! I'm a mighty Plelepun! I never bluff!"
KiAera chuckled, "Alright, alright. If you say so." She smiled at the Plelepun, "Thanks for the chat. It was nice talking to you."
Her head lifted to the setting suns of Zeldritzon. The sky had taken on a brilliant orange hue as it began to fade into purple. Mu, Nu, and Beta Osseods, who laid close to her, stirred as she nudged the crystal monsters. "Mu, Nu, Beta. I believe it's time for us to move along. We still have a long way to go, and it's getting late. We need to return to the Crystal Shelter soon." KiAera picked up her satchel and slung it over her shoulder.
The Osseods yawned and stretched lazily. "Mu, Osseod. Wake." "Nu, Osseod. Wake." "Beta, up! Beta, up!" The Osseods chanted as they followed KiAera's instructions.
The Plelepun watched them curiously; its ears perking up as it did. "Yo! Where are you going?"
KiAera turned towards the Plelepun and smiled. "We're heading back to our base. It's been a long day, and I'm tired."
The Plelepun frowned, its ears drooping sadly. "Yo! You're leaving already? I was having fun talking to you!"
KiAera shook her head. "Sorry, but we can't stay any longer. We really need to get going."
The Plelepun pouted. "Yo! That sucks. I liked hanging out with you. You're fun."
KiAera chuckled lightly. "I liked hanging out with you too."
She hesitated for a moment before continuing, "Hey, if you want, you can come along with us. I'm sure the others wouldn't mind."
The Plelepun's eyes widened in surprise. "Yo! Really? You'd let me hang out with you? Even though I tried to steal your crystals earlier?"
KiAera nodded. "Of course. As long as you promise not to try and steal any more of our crystals." She wagged her finger at the Plelepun, "And no trying to eat my companions either."
The Plelepun grinned widely, its ears twitching excitedly. "Yo! Awesome! I promise not to steal any of your crystals or eat your friends! Thank you so much! I won't let you down!"
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KiAera smiled warmly, "You're welcome, Plelepun." She turned to the Osseods, "What do you think, guys? Do you mind if Plelepun joins us?"
The Osseods cocked their heads in unison, "Plelepun, Osseod. Friend?" "Nu, Plelepun. Friend?" "Beta Osseod, new friend?" "Friend! Friend!" They chimed.
The Plelepun's eyes lit up in delight. "Yo! Your buddies are pretty cool! I like them!"
KiAera chuckled softly, "I'm glad you think so." She patted the Plelepun on its trunk. "Well, now that we've gotten that sorted out, let's go."
Turning, KiAera led the way back towards their shelter, with the Plelepun trotting along behind her happily.
The Plelepun seemed quite happy to be included in their group. It chattered excitedly as they walked, telling them all sorts of stories about its adventures. KiAera listened intently, enjoying the Plelepun's company. The day had been long, and despite everything, she felt lighter with the Plelepun tagging along. It was strange how quickly her anxiety melted away, though that didn’t mean she’d completely let her guard down.
As they neared their destination, the Osseods began to grow restless, eager to return home. However, as KiAera drew closer to their home, her ears pricked up, and she peered inside the bag to check how many crystals were left. She frowned; there were only a few crystals remaining. She wondered if she had enough to feed all the Osseods, Amber...and now the Plelepun.
She sighed in defeat.
She had used most of today's stock to placate the Plelepun earlier. Her face darkened with regret, and her ears drooped. She hoped that her new friend wouldn't get upset with her... or worst.
KiAera took a deep breath and decided to bite the bullet. She pulled the remaining crystals out of her bag and placed them on the ground. The Plelepun stopped abruptly and stared at her curiously. "Yo! What are you doing?"
It continued to press on. "What's wrong? Why are you frowning? Are you worried about something?"
KiAera bit her lower lip nervously. "I'm sorry, but I have no more crystals to give you."
The Plelepun tilted its head to the side, "Yo! Why not? I thought you said you had plenty."
KiAera shook her head sadly, "I'm sorry. I lied. I only had enough crystals to feed my companions and myself. I didn't believe you'd be joining us. I'm sorry."
The Plelepun's ears drooped slightly. "Yo! That sucks." It frowned, "Are you going to leave me behind? I thought we were friends."
KiAera felt a pang of guilt at the thought of abandoning her new friend. "No! Of course not. I won't leave you behind. I'll figure something out. I promise."
The Plelepun perked up slightly. "Yo! Really? You mean it?"
KiAera nodded firmly, "I mean it. I'll do everything in my power to make sure you have enough crystals to eat."
The Plelepun smiled widely, "Yo! Thanks! I appreciate it!" It glanced down at the crystals on the ground, "What should I do with those?"
KiAera picked up one crystal and handed it to the Plelepun. "Here, take this. It's all I can spare right now, but I'll try to get more crystals for you later."
The Plelepun took the crystal from her, its eyes lighting up. "Yo! Thanks!" it exclaimed. It paused, observing the crystal for a moment. Then its gaze swept over the Osseods at KiAera's feet before it gave her a sympathetic frown. "You seem pretty tired. You should take a break and rest for a bit. I can go on ahead and scout the area for more crystals for you."
KiAera's eyes widened in surprise; she hadn't expected the Plelepun to be so considerate of her well-being. "Are you sure? I don't want to trouble you."
The Plelepun waved her concerns away, "Yo! It's no trouble at all. You're my friend now. I want to help you out."
KiAera smiled warmly, "Thank you, Plelepun."
The Plelepun grinned, "Yo! No problem. You just rest and relax while I go look for more crystals." It trotted off, its ears flapping excitedly as it did.
KiAera watched it go, feeling relieved. She was glad that the Plelepun understood her predicament and was willing to help her out.
Yet it made her wonder if she had made the right choice in bringing the Plelepun along with them. On one hand, the Plelepun was strong and could be a valuable ally. On the other hand, it could also prove to be a liability if it decided to attack them. She sighed heavily.
The Plelepun was still unpredictable.
The scent of rotten flower caught her nose. Her whiskers twitched; her fur bristled as the atmosphere in the forest shifted. KiAera's ears twitched, extending a bit out of reflex. Something was… off. Her gut told her trouble was brewing.
"Yo! You feel that?" the Plelepun asked, its ears swiveling and trunk twitching uneasily.
KiAera squinted ahead, her instincts kicking into high gear. "Yeah… stay close, Plelepun."
Just as she said that the eerie chant of "RA! RA! RAVILASH!" echoed through the trees, followed by the sound of lashing vines and snapping twigs.
"Great…" KiAera muttered under her breath, her ears perking up. She knew that chant all too well.
The trees ahead of them rustled, and suddenly, several Ravilashes emerged, their whip-like arms flailing in the air.
The Osseods froze, chirping nervously. KiAera immediately took a defensive stance. "Don't panic!" she called to them. "We've dealt with these things before."
But this time, it wasn't just a few Ravilashes.
An earth-shaking roar reverberated through the forest, rattling the very ground beneath her feet. A massive figure rose behind the smaller Ravilashes, towering over them. A tangled mass of coiling vines and thorny tendrils. The Carnilash.
"RAAAAAAAAAHHHH!" The Carnilash bellowed, its voice so powerful it made the trees sway. It was enormous, an evolved version of the smaller plant beasts that had given KiAera trouble before. She recognized its type instantly—a beast of vengeance. It wanted retribution for the Ravilashes she’d taken down in defense of her companions.
"KiAera…" Plelepun whispered, backing up slightly. "Yo, that thing looks like bad news."
"You think?" KiAera quipped, her tail twitching with nervous energy. The Carnilash was no joke. She had taken down the lesser ones, sure, but this thing? Its power radiated off of it, making her fur stand on end.
The creature's stats flashed in her mind's eye.
꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱
Carnilash
APeX: [6989 Units]
Attributes: [Plant] [Hazard] [Evil]
Faction: [Predator]
Variant Grade: [Common]
Evolution Stage: [Emergent] {E}
꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱
6989 Units. No, fucking, way. She'd never faced anything remotely this strong!
꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱ ⚠︎ Danger ⚠︎ ꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱
Hostile Carnilash's #1 Status:
APeX Power: [6989 Units]
⚠︎ [Fledgling] vs [Emergent]:
★ 1.3x Power Boost
APeX Power: [6989 Units] > [9086 Units]
꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱ ⚠︎ Danger ⚠︎ ꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱
KiAera blinked. Once. Twice. What in the actual world...
"Yo, I'm gonna sit this one out…" the Plelepun muttered as it took a step back, but KiAera shot him a glare.
"You think you can just leave us hanging like that? You're stronger than you look. We could use the help."
The Plelepun hesitated but then straightened up, its trunk swinging forward. "Alright, alright, but I am not getting eaten by no overgrown salad."
KiAera's mind raced. She needed to think fast. The Ravilashes were snapping their jaws, closing in around her and the Osseods. The Carnilash moved with them, its hulking body looming, blocking out the setting sun.
"Osseods, stay back!" she ordered. "And don't get tangled up in their vines!"
The Osseods chirped in unison, clustering together behind her as the Ravilashes struck, their vine-like arms whipping toward them. KiAera ducked under a lashing tendril, her agile rabbit-cat reflexes kicking in. "Plelepun, get the ones on the right! I'll take the left!"
"Yo! On it!" The Plelepun charged, smashing its trunk into a Ravilash, sending the plant monster flying into a nearby tree.
KiAera darted to the left, her ears whipping out to slap away an incoming vine. She leaped onto a fallen log, quickly sizing up the smaller Ravilashes. If they could take down the minions fast enough, they might stand a chance against the Carnilash.
૮(ᓀ‸ᓂ)ა
★ Ravilash slain.
Acquired 10 Abyss Particles.
★ [KiAera's APeX]
Accumulated Particles: 138 Units > 148 Units
૮(ᓀ‸ᓂ)ა
But just as she slashed through one Ravilash, a thick, thorny vine shot out from the Carnilash, wrapping around her leg. KiAera yelped, feeling the thorns dig into her furred skin as it lifted her into the air.
"Yo! KiAera!" The Plelepun shouted, ramming into another Ravilash, but the Carnilash was focused solely on her now.
KiAera's mind raced. She thrashed in the vine's grip, trying to free herself. "Not today, plant monster!" she growled, using her flaming claws to slice through the vine holding her. She dropped to the ground, landing in a crouch, her ears extended in all directions to sense any more attacks.
The Carnilash roared again, its eyes glowing with rage. More vines shot out from its body, whipping toward her and the Osseods.
"Plelepun, I could really use some of that 'I'm stronger than all of you' energy right about now!" she shouted, dodging another swipe. The ground exploding into splattering debris around her. She caught the Osseods in her ear's grasp, her tail tip's Spectral Flame saving her from fragments. Despite it all, parts of her fur sizzled as a viscous substance got on her. "Ugh."
She fell with a groan.
"Yo! I'm working on it!" the Plelepun grunted, smashing two Ravilashes together like a pair of cymbals. "This thing's tougher than it looks!"
KiAera rolled her eyes. Of course, nothing in Zeldritzon was ever easy. But there was no way she was going to let some overgrown hedge take her down. Her breath hitched when she witnessed a throng of Ravilashes encircling them from the undergrowth.