"Why Hello, Parasite" Private Roleplay with Silverknight01 (Trisell Chronos)

Particpants

 * Trisell Chronos
 * Silverknight01

Characters

 * Virus
 * Xan

Intro
Xan being in a city (Elderhelm). A light appeared not too far off and through it stepped some glowing hooded figures. They neared Xan, muttering to themselves "Found the Entity", arms turning to bladed energy cannons. They began walking toward him.

Xan turned to them, with a rather amused grin. "Why hello there. I do love the cute accessory, truly brings out the idiots in you." "To what do I owe the pleasure in your charming visit?"

A red energy blasted from the arm canons as the two rushed forward at Xan, one vanishing as they went.

Surprised, Xan retracted his echo blades and sliced though the ball of energy. "How rude." He said, dusting off his lightly singed tail. Xan made a frontal assault at the charging figure, and unleashed a number of blows.

The figure's front was blown off a bit while beginning to regenerate as the secondary figure jumped at him from behind. "Just let it happen," they whispered.

Curious. Xan suddenly went limp and stood there with a questioning look.

An energy-charged blade was sent into his backside, the first figure forming some kind of collar in their hands.

With a growl, Xan drooped to his knees. Trying to sustain the injury, as weird yellow-ish blood oozed from his back. He whipped his tail and flicked the first person's face, "I don't do collars." he said stonily as he jumped back up and yanked the blade from his back with a grunt. Then he walked straight to the first person. "I'm trying to be polite, but point that knife at me one more time and I'll Kill you." "I AM interested though, in what and why ever your here. I'd be happy to come along... WITHOUT the unnecessary stabbing. "

"Well that makes capturing far easier," The figure's cannon-arm reformed back to a regular arm as the secondary raised a blade to Xan's throat.

"We hurt prey that makes threats, especially the kind that boasts with a hole in their back," The second figure taunted.

"If he's coming willingly, we're done here," The first argued.

Before either could resign their stance, a third figure appeared walking over: a brown-furred feline with black hair and a black and red dress. She glanced between the two and then to Xan. The figures did nothing. "Step back," She said to both calmly, and they did. She looked to Xan. "So, I'm guessing they just did that?"

"Its just a flesh wound." He replied as his markings changed yellow and the hole in his back glossed over. Beginning to heal itself. "You must be the owner of these pups." Xan said, as he snapped a shoulder blade back in place, unfazed.

"We found a target is-" The two evaporated mid-sentence, a blue energy coming from the remains of their sand bodies into the feline's. She then looked to Xan again, a finger at her chin as if pondering for a moment. She then lowered her hand and stated plainly "You're pretty."

Xan paused for a moment, "As are you. But in a different way. Your dangerous." He replied, sheathing his echo blades back into his skin."I can only assume you need something from me, considering the effort to took." He sighed

"Those two were searching for a species they could analyze for the Dominion most-likely.  Outside of that, I really haven't a clue," She stepped forward toward him. "What are you?"

Xan shifted his weight "To be frank, I would be a parasite. "

Space seemed to still into silence for a brief moment as the feline froze mid-step, her expression not changing. Then came a simple "... Yep" and she pounced at him.

With an annoyed growl Xan jumped mid-air to avoid the impact. Flipping over, he landed behind the girl and retracted his echo blades once more. His markings went green again, and the patchy wound in his back stopped healing.

The swoosh of her large metal-heel boots swung around to his side,  a trail of neon-green light underneath as the feline turned back to him.

"I appreciate the help, I really do. However, I'm not one for dying just yet." He said as he sprang into action. He Streaked over to the girl and sliced at the air in quick draws.

She just chuckled at this, ducking downward before springing forward, arms wrapping around at him.

"Wh-" Xan murmured as he attempted to rip the creature off of him.

She held tight, not really squeezing much, but rising up higher to his shoulders.

"GET OFF ME, YOU INFERNAL CREATURE." Xan yelped. Clearly distressed. He Mechanically removed her from his body by prying her off. Setting her aside, Xan shivered in disgust and kept his distance away.

"C'mon, don't be like that," She walked back toward him.

A strange, almost hiss like sound reverberated from Xan's throat. "I posses every right to be this way. I would prefer to avoid physical contact. Thank you very much." He said, backing away slowly. They were both quite close to Elderhelm now, and many of the populace stood and stared. "My, its been a busy day for weirdos." He murmured.

"Yeah, see the thing is that I really like physical contact," She replied, trying to hug him again.

The gem In Xan's chest glowed and pulsed. His eye twitched "Enough! My Lord, I've been a patient man today. But this nonsense stops now." He growled, on the near verge of stabbing something. People in the city were stirring, and became alarmed in recognition of the two.

At this, she did stop. Her more playful expression faded a bit. "Nonsense huh?"

Xan sighed. And avoiding the subject, he glanced off at the populous. "And here I was planning on killing a few hundred today." He glanced back at the girl. "I don't believe I know your name.."

"Does it matter?  I mean, if you don't particularly want to be around me, then..."

"Don't get me wrong, dear. Your an interesting character of sorts, but I'd prefer less of the physical, I simply can't stand it." he said, cooling off his temper.

"That's a pretty strong stance.  Any particular reason?"

He plastered a wide, and crooked grin on his face. "Oh. A pinch of needles, a dash of electrical collars. And mix thoroughly with years of abuse!" Xan said in a sarcastically sugary voice. "In a few decades you might end up just as fabulously insane as me~"

Her arms twitched a bit as she grew a wide smile herself, a small pink tint flashing in her eyes for a moment. "Making it really hard not to grab you right now."

Xan withered in his act and immediately retracted his hand again. There was a long awkward pause for a moment. "My dear, I'll be frank. I did consider eating you. But it'd would be a shame to put down a 'unique' girl such as yourself." "Consider that a favor... and a compliment."

"Confident..." She observed. "I don't like being called 'dear' but you didn't know that, so I won't hold that against you.  Oh wait, you wanted my name right?"

"It would be most useful. Unless you wish to be called 'dear' again." Xan replied without missing a beat.

"Well you're going to have to get closer to hear it," She cocked her head to the side, teasingly.

Xan narrowed his eye. His tail flicking its self back and fourth. "This can't be good." He muttered. Then slowly, he decisively edged closer to the girl. Curiosity got the better of him.

Wtih a slight feisty growl, she moved forward to him as well, arching her neck around the side of his, as she whispered where she assumed his ear would be "Virus".

With a smirk, he pulled away. "My, what a lovely yet peculiar name." He said, the corners of his mouth twitching.

"I'd imagine you can imagine my reaction that I just met a parasite that... was going to eat me apparently?" She raised her eyebrows slightly.

"* Was " He said with exasperated emphasis."But you take it better than most."

"Wouldn't be the first I suppose," She shrugged. "So I take it from how heroic your death threats and eating styles are, you're the star-spangled hero of this 'ere town?" She stopped, stomping her foot a bit. "I should have said 'I reckon'.  Aw, missed opportunity."

Xan chuckled at Virus's last bit. "Quite the opposite actually. I don't exactly play nice with those creatures. No, I came here to inspect the town's premises. I and my comrades plan to take it down. Though, now that I think about it-" He said, glancing at the startled public plaintively. "-I do believe we've the element of surprise."

"So you're looking to destroy organic's then?  Well... non-parasitic organics?"

Xan grinned "Very much so. I intend to repay a favor." He replied, cocking his head to the side "And what about you, Virus?"

"Well I'm not organic," She flexed out her arm, a metallic sand stretching out from it, "but I'm not the type of mechanical monstrosity to have some vendetta against organics.  I just... do whatever... whenever I want."

"Sounds like a terribly empty life, to be honest. But I'm not one to judge a lifestyle." He said, clearly indicating himself.

"Well, you wanted to kill a bunch of mobians right?"

A darkness seemed to sweep over his face. And Xan's smile turned sour as he looked to the heavens. "No, Killing one would only spawn another, they multiply like weeds. I wish to erase all Mobians from this place. Perhaps then I can die in peace.. knowing I traded my life, for all of theirs." Xan said quietly. His voice thick.

"Well I'm not about to let you commit some kind of theatrical suicide, you're way too attractive for that, but if you want to destroy this zone's population I can help with that."

Xan crooked his head back to Virus and looked her right in the eye. "Well, that sounds like the most awful, terrible, and idiotic thing I've ever heard..." A creepy grin crawled up his face "Lets try it an see what happens."

"First thing's first, are you looking for quick and efficient or brutal and long?"

"Personally, a quick death would be too good for the likes of them." "Are you more of a heavy hitter?"

"I can be," A ripple began spreading on her arm, a large weighted rectangular cube which grew to a hammer.

Xan clasped his hands together. "Excellent. Now then, I suppose we should come up with some kind of plan.."

"I'm more of a chaos person myself," She replied with a slight tick of her eye, "but I'm listening."

"As am I. And I say, we just walk in and kill things." He said with a wave of his hands. "they don't really stand much of a chance." He said pointedly.

"Where to first?"

He cracked his knuckles. "The city square. The mass panic will make it easier to single them out. There's a chemical plant near by, if we light it It'll kill them faster, but it wouldn't be as fun." He replied with a nasty grin.

"Race you there," She rushed past him, a scrape going across his cheek briefly as she rushed through the city.

Xan bolted after her, his feet barely touching the ground as he briskly launched into the city. As buildings rose to the sky, he flipped onto them, and jumped from row to row as a more convenient form of transportation.

Pt. 1 ) The Enemy of my Enemy..
As they arrived, Virus leaped up into the air, a red glow forming around her weapon.

Speeding into the city square, Xan landed with a solid thud. Swaths of people were stopping and starring. Most were backing away. "Ladies and Gentlemen, May I present.... Your beautiful demise~!" Xan sang as he retracted his echo blades.

The red-striped feline landed into, and through the ground, a brief ripple forming as cracks began growing around.

In the blink of an eye, Xan launched him self at a pedestrian and quickly stabbed him though the chest. Shoving him down to the ground, Xan looked around. "Feel free to panic, now~" he said with a sadistic laugh. Mobians abandoned the square, yelling and screaming. Shops were being over turned, and people were sent into an fearful frenzy. His chest pulsed, and his markings lit up. The color from the body of the mobian slowly was sucked away, and shot into Xan. Removing the blade from the body, Xan stood up and glanced at the hole Virus fell into. Strutting up to the hole, he bent over to get a good look. "Virus, love. Are you still down there?

The ground began shaking, buildings crumbling downward. Red sparks began appearing around the area.

"Oh my, I'll take that as a yes." Without hesitation, Xan jumped straight down the hole to see what she was up to.

The air got thinner and hotter as he found himself going further and further down. Virus could be seen far below, a long glowing rod going down into the ground further under.

Snagging a nearby rock, Xan lowered himself down as he avoided molten stone. "As they say in the books, 'DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE!'." With one heave, He catapulted himself faster down the hole, and he soon was right behind the blazing rod of fire. "Goodness, I love what you've done with the place." He yelled.

"... It's the core," She informed. "...I'm going to fill it up, and destroy it... I wonder if we'll survive."

"And you said you didn't want a theatrical death!" Xan yelled over the rushing wind. "Virus, dear. As tempting as it sounds to pop this rock like a balloon.. I can't help but notice that this would be killing more people than just the Mobians. The rest of the creatures are innocent, And deserve a chance that the Mobians wouldn't give. We need to pull up before we hit the core!"

"Nobody's innocent," She replied bluntly. "And at the same time everyone is..." Her ears fell a bit lower for a moment before she straightened up again. Something about her seemed... younger for the moment, be it the slightest change in voice, or height, or form, like a child: playful and confused at the same time. The ground began growing upward, repairing slightly as Virus opened her mouth above, a green mist pouring out to the surface.

"..." Xan studied Virus for a moment. His face a blank, giving nothing away. As they rose to the surface, the city seemed to be abandoned. Except for the occasional wail or two.

The mist continued to spread for a moment. She swayed a bit, a cough following before collapsing as the mist finished exiting, moving airborne into the world.

He snatched her before she could hit the found. Carefully setting Her on the ground, Xan looked up to get a better look at the mist. He snagged a jar, and collected some of it, before tucking his tail around the jar to carry it. "Well, this didn't go as planned.." He murmured.

The mist didn't seem to corode the jar, but coughs would be heard around him soon after. The remaining people around him, mobians, feeling its effects.

"Bio-weapon." He said plaintively. Watching the men, woman, and children alike fall to the chemical's whim. A small smile twitched on his face, but then he turned his attention to Virus. He stood twitching for a moment, before he finally moved to retrieve her. Lifting her up in his arms again, Xan squatted down before launching into the air at massive speeds. Reinforcements could arrive at any time, and the party was is no state to continue.

Some time passed as they went, but eventually her eyes fluttered open, and immediately after noticing what was happening, she clung to him with a smile.

Noticing she was awake, Xan sighed "Don't get too comfortable. This was temporary." he said indignantly.

She just chuckled, rubbing a cheek against him slightly.

Flinching at the contact, Xan's balance tipped and they nose dived for the ground. Landing on the surface with a soft 'thud', Xan glanced around the area. Which seemed to be a secluded forest. Setting Virus down, he dusted off whatever remnants of pebbles and dirt from his scales.

Virus stood up, looking about the area. "You said something about innocents?"

Xan looked at her with a peculiar face. "I beg your pardon?"

"Earlier," She glanced about at the new environment.

His tail swayed back and fourth. And there was a pause as he glanced around. "I was lab grown. Never natural to begin with, really. And since day one I was treated like the scum of the earth Because of who I was." He sighed. As he waved his hand to dismiss the thought. "In my mind, creatures like me are no different from the Mobians, yet they treat us as such. You were wondering what I referred to when I said innocence. I was talking about a chance for my kind. They can feel free to judge me, but as for the other parasites, it just isn't fair. "

"So would humans be under the category of 'mobian' too?"

"I suppose they do. I don't quite remember any humans around during my testings though.." He said, staring off into space.

"And neither did the mobians who got experimented on," She stepped by him, speaking somewhat quieter. "That's how we got mobians to begin with... Just saying, the mobians who did all the terrible to you aren't all mobians, not that I really mind mass genocide."

"..." He said nothing, however a war was clashing in his mind. "So, where do you think we are?" Xan asked, Quickly changing the sore topic.

"Dunno," She looked around.

Purple flowers dotted the thick, grassy ground, and vines twined around the grey gnarled trees. The hanging overgrowth was thick enough to block out most of the sunlight from above. The oddest thing about the forest, was the lack of sound. Everything was silent. "I jumped much further than I anticipated.. " Xan murmured, Squatting down at the ground to inspect the grass.

"I didn't expect to arrive in the love-child of Dr. Seus and Tim Burton," She noted, reaching for a flower.

"Indeed. Its quite odd. I've never been here before.." Xan said, brushing the grass. "But this forest can't be anything good..."

"How much of this planet have you explored?" Virus walked further in.

"I've seen most of the wilds and cities of New Mobius, but I haven't traveled much further than that. Other than a few regions to the north." responded Xan. Cautiously checking around for anything peculiar.. well, MORE peculiar than the forest. "I almost forgot to ask, Are you alright? You feinted earlier." He asked mildly.

"Did I?" She looked back to him for a moment. "... Well I feel as well right now."

"If you say so." He said, looking a bit disheveled from previous encounters. Trudging though the silent woods, He occasionally sliced shrubbery out of the way to pass. "I have this uncanny feeling we're being watched..." He whispered.

"We did decide to walk into some random... jungle?" She categorized.

Xan's eyes dilated in-order to take in more light to see. As normal as it was, it made him look like a startled cat. "Hmm. Yes, yes we did. I suppose the first thing we should have done is try to find our way out.. not in."

"Well if we're being watched, we'll no-doubt be ambushed soon enough."

"Too bad we know. The surprise would have been amusing." He said, chopping down another vine.

"Well maybe it'll turn out to be the Lorax," She noted as they went.

Xan chuckled at the thought of a little old orange creature stumbling into them. "You know, I really don't mean to pry, but.. What are you exactly? I've had bits and pieces of clues occasionally, but I don't really have any solid facts." He asked casually as the trudged onward.

"Hm... what do you think I am?" She smirked.

"Personally from what I've seen, I think your an organic bio-weapon of some kind. Comprised out of a type of nanites strong enough to take heavy impacts and the heat of our planet's core. Hence your name.. Virus, if thats even your actual name. I'm still trying to figure out the mix of chemicals you sprayed earlier, though. That was a smashing feat, by the way."

"Well that's suspiciously accurate," She beamed. "That was mobian-specific.  It'll focus in on the specifc biological traits that make them mobians, corroding until destruction.  I took the 4-Gene, and combined it with a specific acid."

"The sand-like shifting in your body is what gave the nanites away. However I can't help but get the feeling that theres still more to you.." He trailed off. Then snapped back to attention. "Also, interesting combatant for the chemical. The acid must have burned away the DNA of the mobians, from the inside to the out. But you mixed the chemicals inside your body? Do you have a storage system, or can you produce the elements?" He bombarded Inquisitively.

"You wouldn't happen to be asking all this to find all my weaknesses, would you?" She chuckled. "Not that I particularly mind of course."

"Ah, no. Thats just bonus." He ginned. "I am genuinely curious about the way you function, though." Xan said, clearing his throat. "However I can get a bit carried away with myself, too. Feel free to drop the bombardment at anytime."

"Well in terms of creation, I don't usually store it, no.  I form it... produce it I think was the word you used."

"Fascinating.." Xan said thoughtfully to himself. They soon walked into a huge clearing, a large canyon reviled a waterfall dumping its contents down below.

"Still sure we're being watched?" She asked.

"Mmmhm." He answered absent-mindedly. He seemed more focused on the crystal lodged into his chest. It was pulsing again, but this time it resembled more of a heartbeat. "If there was any doubt before. It can be put to rest now. I can sense heartbeats." Lightly tapping on his chest with a finger. "Usually I can tell who they are, but this time is different." He said, squinting.

"Well at least we know whoever it is has blood," Virus dropped down toward the waterfall.

Xan followed promptly. Getting flecks of water on his body "Good gracious, thats cold." He said, shaking off the droplets. "Ah wait." Recognition sparked in his eye. "I know who it is."

Virus turned back to him. "Who?"

Without answering, Xan looked around for a moment or two. "JEROBA! YOU OLD CHUM, GET DOWN HERE!" A paused for a moment, as the sound of clanking came from the distance. He lean over to Virus. "An old friend of mind. Emphasis on the old."

Suddenly a head popped over the hill to look strait down at them. "Your a bloody hard parasite to find, Xan." Creaked the voice, with a twinge of an accent. Jumping down, the figure became more prominent. His head seemed to be made of a dog skeleton. And old rusty armor clung to his massive frame. "Who's the lady friend, here?" Jeroba asked, slapping Xan on his back.

"Not dressed for the name I was going to give," She replied.

Xan rubbed his back from the gauntlet's slap, the wound was still patchy. "Oh ho ho. Well, Nothing fancy about mine, Missy. The name's Jeroba.." He said, saluting with a flick of his bony hand. Xan cleared his throat, "So, what are you doing this far out, you bag of bones?" Jeroba's face shifted into an impossible frown "I'm going to be strait and narrow with you. We were off in the western borders, and Ivy got captured. We tracked her down nearby. From what I hear, their going to try using the DNA to synthase a poison for parasites."

"They don't have one already?" Virus questioned. "How long has your type been around?"

"Ah no. I'm sure they've got plenty of parasites that were an' easier catch. But Ivy has this sorta.." Jeroba paused and waved his hands for emphasis. "..Connection with everyone. She was born half plant, y'know. I bet my femur their gonna use her to inject it into the surrounding countries. Pretty soon you'll just be walking along some grass them.. BAM! Dead as my body can be!"

"Well are these scientists of the animalistic mobian kind?"

"See, thats the thing. I don't know for certain." Jeroba said, wringing his hands. "Well, there seems to be much uncertainty, and not a lot of facts." Xan commented somberly. "If there was a true reason for Ivy's capture. It was to lure in someone else. Not to broaden the scale of poisoning. They could do that one themselves with planes. ..Theres no doubt they would already have a poison." Xan trailed off.

"And where's this?" Virus asked.

Xan glanced at Jeroba, as if to ask the same question. "Its over in the southside of the Glacer mountains. The trip isn't too far away from where we are now."

"And if you were to point in the general direction?"

Jeroba pointed east of their location. "Your a woman of few words, arn't you, lass?"

"Oh definitely," She began wakling in the direction.

Xan and Jeroba glanced at eachother, And without a word they followed close behind Virus. For sometime Xan had been studying Jeroba closely. very, closely. "Y'know, its like old times. Well, except without the lass. Heh he." Jeroba said, elbowing Xan. Xan chuckled a bit, but didn't say much more. the silence was uncomfortable as they walked a steady pace East.

Virus paused. "You're not... a nature person are you guys?"

"Actually, lass. I was born in a forest. I very much love them." Jeroba commented. In-hailing the forest air. Xan on the other hand looked borderline miserable. "Heh, No. I don't really care much for the wild. However. I do tend to gravitate towards its creatures. Especially ducks." Xan said, looking dreamy with his hands clasped up to the side of his head. Jeroba paused for a moment. "Yep. Never judge a book by its cover, He looks tough but deep down he's a softie. Still don't understand why you like those things.."

Xan stopped immediately. His whole composition changing, "Thats because you aren't Jeroba." He spat, swiftly targeting his chest. And stabbing straight though the rusted armor. Then, in one swift motion, he tore the thing in half to reveal wires and all kinds of gears. The robot went shorting out, yelling different phrases and words before finally dying out "..."

Virus paused, looking over at the robot. "... That... that's a that right there."

Xan wiped off oil from his blade before retracting it again, staring at the remnants for a good. long while. His face cracked into a smile as he turned to Virus. "Indeed it is. I do believe we're being tracked. Not my friends of any kind though. I would advise it best if we get moving." He said, stretching his limbs. "I can jump again, if need be..."

"You're the one not interested in the environment," She took a step forward, raising an arm before bringing it down, a fizzling blade of energy rushing forward and expanding yards wide and tall, making a direct path forward through the scenery.

He eye twitched for a second. "You mean to tell me you could have done that earlier???" He whispered with exasperation.

"Well I was about to before the whole decoy thing happened," She informed.

He rested his chin on one of his hands."Yes. I'm still trying to figure out how they did that one.." But before he could trail off, Xan snapped back to attention. "We need to get out of this jungle.. forest.. place. It quite likely the decoy was loaded with a satellite feed. Reinforcements are certain, if so."

"How fast can you run?"

"Fast enough to out run you." He replied with a mischievous grin.

"That's the testosterone," She tapped her foot a few times before zipping forward, a red blur with a stream of green glow at the base of her feet.

His eye flashed as Xan bolted after her. Keeping up the pace behind her, tail whipping in the wind. "Why do I get the feeling your cheating?"

"How would that be?"

"My dear, anything is possible if you put your mind to it." Xan puffed. Keeping pace with Virus. "Where are we even heading?"

"East wasn't it?  They pointed."

"I suppose. However, I doubt the information was even true at this point. Nothing adds up the way it shoooulddd..." Xan said, cutting himself off as he slowed down to a halt.

Virus stopped, circling around back to him.

Xan waved one of his hands dismissively at Virus. "Pardon the sudden stop. I'll uh, be fine in a second." He panted

"What's goin' on?" She probed.

"Nothing worth worrying, Virus." He lied. "Anyhoo. If we head south theres bound to be an ambush set up." Xan said, dodging the topic.

She shifted an inch from his face. "What's, goin' on?"

Xan flinched away. "Fatigue. I suppose." He replied, rubbing the back his neck.

"You're running out of stamina?"

He sighed. "Look, Theres a reason I dislike the wilds. The general lack of creatures can be fatal for me.. I can't produce my own energy. I have to siphon it off of others." He said in a hushed voice. "The sudden exertion just made me a bit tipsy. Nothing more." he answered sheepishly.

"... Well then... delicious," She slowly moved her hand below his chin, and pulled his face forward, kissing him: a bright blue light, an energy moving through the pressing into him, filling him.

Startled, Xan yanked back suddenly. Twitching from the charge absorbed into his system. '"That was NOT NECESSARY." 'He said firmly in a high pitched tone. As he whirled around so Virus couldn't see the weird blue flush on his face. "GNNNN!" He grumbled, burring his face in his hands.

"You don't meet many people who take a liking to you I take it?" She grinned widely.

"Its something like that.." He mumbled through his hands. Xan suddenly snapped back around so he could see her. "Do you even know what could have happened?! You could have killed yourself doing that! It was completely reckless!" He said.

"Oh, really?" She then attempted to kiss him again.

"Yes, Really." Quickly evading the girl, Xan extended his hand to cover Virus's muzzel. To avoid any further intrusions. "Tsk, I'm surprised you haven't been paralyzed or sluggish. " He scolded. His other hand shaking a disappointing pointer finger. "Can't have you dying on me. I wouldn't know what to do with the body." He said. regaining some of his composure.

She bit him.

"Gah!" Jumping, he shook his hand out and retracted it to inspect the mark. "You girls are truly unpredictable." Xan murmured. "So. I suppose we should get a move on. As I was saying earlier.. East will likely land up in a trap." He said, wringing his bitten hand

"A trap with answers, unless there's another area to go."

"Not really. But it would be nice to know why all the trouble was put into making that machine.."

"To protect nature?  STUPID FLOWERS!" A large metal arm grew out from her elbow, pounding down on some plant-life to the side.

"Eh Heh. No, I doubt they truly care for nature's inhabitants." Xan commented, testing his limbs. "Before I couldn't do it, however. Thanks to a terribly uncalled for donation.." He glanced pointedly at Virus. "I think we can make the call." He said sarcastically. "You'll have to hold on to something though.." He sighed

"... Okay," She smiled deviously.

He held out a hand and awkwardly situated Virus on his spiky back. "Sorry. I'm Afraid I can't really do anything about the accommodations back there."

"...I... thought that'd be harder to do- what?  No, this is fine," She wrapped her arms around him.

He heaved a sigh. "Alrighty then." In a flash of blue light, they Light dashed. Warping from space to space slightly above the treeline of the ground. Every few steps they were sucked into another light beam, then thrown out again in greater distances. "So, we're looking for mountains. Keep your eyes peeled! I can't do this for very long."

She glanced about, eyes slowly moving toward anything specific.

In one final lap, mountains showed up in the horizon. Xan light dashed once more to the safety of the ground. The air was colder and thicker, and trees less dense. "Looks as if we've found it." Xan spectated as he lowered himself so Virus could get off.

She did not seem interested in removing herself.

Xan spread out his quills on the back, kinda tickling Virus. Reaching around he plucked her off and set her down on the cold ground. "Huh, I expected more of a welcoming committee..."

"Really?" She walked about.