To A Thief - Chapter 15: A Chance Meeting

A Chapter by Jobyn

Who is this strange monkey girl that has appeared from within the trees? And what could the rest of the team possibly be up to that's taking so long?

Deep within the lower levels of the ruins, the rest of the group continued their search for the 'weapon'. They had been scouring shelves and crates from room to room, starting from the upper-most floor. In the basements now, they still had found nothing but research papers and bodies..

..And a bunch of little green beastmen in coats known as tonberries, whom could take you down with one accurate shank of their little knives.

"Find anything?" Draven asked Nanaa as he threw some more research papers aside once she entered the room he was searching.

"Nothing but a bunch of papers.." She sighed, arching her back in a stretch. "Mrroww.. I'm borrred. I'm starting to think this 'weapon' has long since gone.. As in, the ones Vincent spoke of having already taken it."

They both turned towards the door as Veronaut stepped in with a frown on his face, placing his axe back on his shoulder; its edges dripping with blood.

"Nothing but tonberries and Opos.." He grumbled.

They made their way out of the room and into the center area of the temple's basement, where a large, strange statue stood. Aside from the occasional tonberry and large insects roaming the area, it was very quiet.

"I wonder how ourrrr tracker is doing.." Nanaa muttered as she looked around.

'Yeah.. and Stiff." Draven sighed.

"Who knows. Stiff is probably being eaten alive by giant insects." Veronaut shrugged casually.

Suddenly, the statue in front of them began to rotate and slide out of the way as if it was animating itself.

The group turned in shock as they saw it move back to uncover a set of stairs leading down deeper into the ruins. But what was more shocking was what looked to be two beings approaching from down under. Upon stepping out of the shadows and making it to the top, the group was faced with two people garbed in pitch-black plated chain armor that looked rather spikey; like something a dark knight would wear, only darker in color. They didn't wear helmets, though.

One was a tall, broad galka with white and black hair that was slicked back onto his scalp. He bore dark gray skin and menacing silver eyes that now met the eyes of the group. In his left hand he wielded a large great katana that looked sharp enough to cut through steel without so much as trying to swing. His wide, thin lips pursed together in a smirk as he examined the small group that stood before him.

"Looks like some more monkeys have made their way into these ruins.." The galka spoke in a rather deep tone of voice.

The other was a tall elvaan male with long white hair that was also slicked back in a well-groomed manner. His skin was paler than the average elvaan's, although not by much. He, too, had a pair of menacing silver eyes that narrowed once they fell over in a gaze at the group before him and his partner. A large smirk cut across his face as he cracked his knuckles. He had no armor around his sleeves aside from some tekko-like gauntlets fitted into his hands, so his toned arms were exposed. He didn't wield a weapon.

Both men looked to be around their mid-twenties.

".. I think the Opo-opos would find that offensive.." The elvaan man in dark armor said in a matured and silent tone, running his tongue along his own lips. ".. Now what brings a couple of rats like you this deep into the temple of Uggalepih, I wonder..?"

"What the f**k did you just call me?" Veronaut stepped forward, dropping his axe from his shoulder and gripping it tight while holding it up with ease in just his right hand alone. "Say that again and I'll slice those heads off your shoulders so fast; those goofy smiles will remain on your faces so you can take them to hell with you."

The two men just laughed in response, not even feeling inclined to bother.

"Now, boys.. play nice." Nanaa said, going over to the two strangers and walking around them with a seductive smile on her face as her tail mingled with their bodies. "I could ask you big, strong men the same thing.."

Draven narrowed his eyes, wrapping his hand around the hilt of his dagger. "What exactly is down there..?" He asked, referring to the area they had came from.

They answered his question with eyes full of blood lust.

The galka grabbed Nanaa's tail and yanked her towards himself hard, clutching the end in the palm of his hand. "This tail would make a mighty fine sash, don't you think?" He asked his elvaan partner.

"..Why bother, you have enough of those already.." The elvaan retorted. ".. Personally, I'd go for the ears.. They're nice and soft.. Just like the rest of her.."

"Meow! Not so rrrough, big boy.. is that anyway to handle a lady?" Nanaa whimpered innocently, sighing and reaching for her dagger.

"'Ladies' and 'Gentlemen' don't go around swinging weapons and creating bloodshed. So that rules you, and all of us out. Out here, you are what you kill.. Now, I'm not going to ask you again.." The galka threatened as he looked down at Nanaa, still clutching her by the tail.

"Neither are we." Draven stated.

"You c***s asked for it.." Veronaut growled, about to approach the two when a familiar voice called out from one of the many halls of the ruins.

"Guys, I don't think this fricken' experiment is here! I looked everywhere, you know? But I did find a passage talking about a floor beyond the basement under some statue that is supposed to lead to a lower section. What did I say? I always find my targets." He grinned as he looked down at the crumpled up paper in his hands.

"This thing must be kept down there.. and.. huh?" Flint had started before stopping once looking up at the strangers and freezing. "Oh.. s**t."

"Fint!" Draven growled.

"Way to go, dumbass.." Veronaut shook his head.

"Sorry..! I didn't know we had company.." Flint chuckled helplessly, grabbing his rifle and twirling it into his arms. "Nothing a good ol' bullet to the head can't fix!"

"It seems the lab rats were right.. it has escaped." The galka said, releasing Nanaa's tail. "Looks like I'll have to collect your tail another time, sweetheart. We have our orders." He smirked as he brought his hand to a dark crystal chained around his neck and pressed it against his palm.

Black streams of what appeared to be darkness shot out from within his palm and coiled itself around his body. It compressed itself with him in the center until there was nothing left. He had somehow warped out of there without the use of black magic.

".. Wish I could stay and play with you some more, but business beckons.. Have a nice life, while it lasts.." The elvaan chuckled, shoving Veronaut's face away and disappearing in black streams just before the enraged elvaan's great axe made contact with his body.

"Why, you little s**t!" Veronaut shouted in anger, his fingers cracking against the hilt of his axe.

"Must be the shady characters Vincent spoke of. Now they know we're looking for it.." Draven grumbled.

"Yes, but now we know it's not here anymorrre." Nanaa sighed as she patted her tail better. "Guess we'd betterrr let the boss know."

"Yeah, hehe.. you win some, you lose some!" Flint reassured the group, more so trying to lessen the weight of his error.

"Okay team, we're heading back out.. let's hope they don't rrrun into Stiff, lest they forrrce him to give out more inforrrmation." Nanaa grumbled.

"If he does, we'll take both him and those p*****s in black out." Veronaut said as he cracked his neck and threw his axe back over his shoulder as usual.

"I wonder if he's seen anything?" Flint asked curiously. "If he's even awake, yet.."

"Who are you!?" Stiff demanded at the monkey girl that had scared him, who now curiously sat cross-legged in front of him.. ".. What.. are you?"

"I'm Okina!" She exclaimed, holding her finger to the heavens. She then stood up and leaned forward inches from his face with a big smile. "And I'm a girl!"

Stiff blinked for a moment. "O.. Okina? That's not what I meant..! I mean.. why do you.." He stammered, examining her Opo-like tail and ears.

She just stared back at him with a curious smile, entertained by the funny hume.

"Nevermind.." He said, slightly blushing.

She's so.. cute.

"Hey! Hey-hey-hey!" She poked the tip of his nose. "What's your name? And why did you tie yourself up here? Why?"

Stiff's eyes twitched with each poke of her finger. "Hey- what! I didn't tie myself up here! I.. woke up like this." He explained. "And my name is Stiff.."

"Woke up here..? That's weird! Your name is Stiff..? That's even weirder!" She tilted her head in surprise, giggling at his name. "Stiffy~"

"N-No.. it's Stiff, not Stiffy." He rose a brow.

"Stiffy!" She shoved her finger into his nose with a playful frown.

"Ow.. okay, fine!" He sighed in defeat. "Will you get me down from here, please?"

"I dunno!" Okina exclaimed. "How do I know you're not going to try anything? How?" She looked at him suspiciously.

"I won't! I just wanna get down from here! My body is too tired from being strapped onto this damn tree.." He whined.

"Promise?" She asked him with innocent eyes.

"Yes! I promise!" Stiff exclaimed.

"I don't believe you!" She turned her head away grumpily, crossing her arms. "You have to say it like you mean it, mean it!"

She had a strange tendency to repeat some words apparently.

Stiff let out a long, drawn-out sigh and then looked at her, forcing the sincerest smile he could make. "I promise, Okina. I won't try anything like running away or tying you here in my stead."

"Hmm.. okay!" She exclaimed happily after a second of thought, clutching the rope around him and tearing it off with ease.

Stiff's eyes went wide in shock; not just because of how easily she ripped off the rope with her bare hands, but because he didn't have a hold on anything in the tree. "WAIT!"

But it was too late, he started tumbling down the tree rapidly.

"AHHH!"

Okina remained hanging by her tail on the branch, laughing frantically at him.

Why is it that everyone I meet tries to kill me!? It's so messed up..

Thank god I wasn't actually too high up in the tree like I thought I was..

He hit the soft jungle floor with a loud thud, laying there for a moment still in shock.

Okina shortly jumped down after him from the trees, landing swiftly on her feet. Looking down at him curiously, she tilted her head as he just laid there and tapped her chin. She then leaned over picking off a flower from one of the shrubs, kneeling down and placing it on his chest.

"Rest in peace, Stiffy." She said with a faked sad face.

".. I'm not dead!" Stiff growled, slapping the flower off his chest. "I just can't believe you let me fall! That hurt!"

"I was only trying to help.." She whimpered innocently, bringing a finger to her lower lip.

"Jeez.. well, thanks I guess.." He grumbled.

Okina turned and gave a bright smile. "You're welcome!" She shoved him playfully, but surprisingly hard enough to make him fall back onto his rear.

Stiff was surprised by her strength, wondering why she was so strong.

"What are you doing out here, anyway?" He asked as he jumped back onto his feet. "I didn't expect to see anyone else here.."

"I ran away..!" She exclaimed, climbing a small way up another tree with ease and pushing her legs off of it to jump towards a pamama fruit that was hanging from a lower branch.

"Ran away..? From where?" Stiff asked as he watched her curiously.

Okina took a bite of the pamama and seemingly savored to the taste for a moment before turning and pointing happily over to the temple of Uggalepih, munching on her fruit.

"Nmmmm.. over there."

"The Temple of Uggalepih..? You're kidding, right?" Stiff asked in astonishment. "I doubt anyone would go in there. I mean its full of evil beasties and you know.."

Okina had already scarfed down her entire pamama and now licked her fingers daintily before giggling at him. "I was born there!"

"'Born'?" Stiff echoed as he winced his eyes, trying to understand. "Hey, you wouldn't happen to-"

He was interrupted by a sudden wave of hot air that brushed against his back side. Tensing up for a moment, he turned slowly to face what it was. His eyes went wide as he met the gaping, jagged-toothed mouth of a plant-like monster that towered over him.

"Ack! What the hell is that!?" He jumped back.

It had at least 8 large tentacles or 'vines' that were as thick as logs that it used to drag itself around with, and was a dark green in color. Similar tendrils stuck out of its giant head but were short and more like stumps, with round yellowish ends which seem to be the eyes as there is no other visible features on its face aside from the big razor tooth mouth.

"Oh, man..! Its breath STINKS!" Stiff coughed, bringing a hand over his nose. He was sure that if he breathed that in too much, he would likely pass out.

The plant monster let out a deafening low growl as it lifted two of its large vines up and whipped them heavily towards Stiff's direction, as if it had heard him say that.

"WHOA!" Stiff screamed as he rolled out of the way, feeling the force of the vines take down the smaller tree that he was backed up against. This made his eyes go even wider, deciding to run for his life and scream some more.

"Hahahaha!" Okina laughed at the scene, pointing her finger at Stiff as he ran like that and doubling over, completely unphased by the creature.

"Why are you laughing!?" Stiff shouted as he jumped away from vine upon vine that swung at him. The trees shook with each impact while he ran in circles around them.

"You look funny!" Okina shouted back at him in response. "Run, run, Stiffy! Or else you'll get torn to s**t, s**t!"

Oh, she curses too, huh?

By Altana, I know why she laughs.

She seems to derive some sick, twisted pleasure out of other people's misery.

"Why isn't it going after you!?" Stiff wailed.

"Because you're the one who insulted it, silly!" Okina yelled in response. "Try apologizing!"

"Apologizing!? Are you kidding? I doubt this thing is even smart enough to understand!" He shouted.

The plant monster roared even louder, swinging more of its vines at Stiff once he said that.

"See? Now you've gone and made it even angrier!" Okina called to him, grabbing another pamama fruit and sitting down on a branch as she watched in entertainment.

"You're crazy..!" Stiff shouted.

"Just try it! Trust me!" Okina replied, taking a big bite of her new pamama fruit.

Am I really gonna trust this girl?

...

Stiff gritted his teeth for a moment as he ran before stopping completely and slapping his hands together, throwing himself onto his knees and looking up at the incoming monster.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'M SORRYYY!" He apologized, screaming out that last 'sorry' because it seemed the monster wasn't going to stop.. but it did. "It.. it worked?"

The plant monster froze there for a second without moving. Suddenly, many of its vines began to fall over onto the floor eventually causing it to fall as well. It was dead.

As its body fell, a tall galka in dark armor and a large great katana that he now sheathed stood before Stiff. It was the same galka that the rest of the group had encountered, but of course, Stiff didn't know this.

He took it down with one slice..

"You there.." The galka started, looking at the pathetic cowering thief on the ground. "What are you doing here? Depending on your answer, I might just let you barely live."

Stiff just stared in surprise at him. "What..?"

"I said, what is your business here?" The galka repeated, walking over to him and picking him up by his collar before noticing the armor he wore. "Ah, I see.. so you're one of them, as well."

Stiff narrowed his eyes. "What are you talking about?"

"Your little friends back in the temple." The galka smirked. "Where is it? You must have seen it come out of the temple."

"Where is what?" Stiff asked, raising a brow and attempting to shove the man's large hand away but failed.

"You know of what I speak, kid." The galka snorted, holding him up even higher. "The experiment."

Stiff grunted under his grasp, prying at the galka's hand. "Get the hell off me..!"

".. Hey, Gazo.. Look what I found.." The galka's white-haired elvaan companion called to him as he brought forth a struggling Okina. He shortly noticed Stiff upon looking up. "..Oh, another one of these rats.."

"Hey! Get your dirty, filthy, grubby, stinky hands off of me!" She squirmed, looking at Stiff in shock. "Stiffy!"

"Leave her alone! She's got nothing to do with this, you a******s!" Stiff growled, prying desperately at the galka named Gazo's hands.

"So you two are acquainted, are you now?" Gazo smirked at Okina, then at Stiff. He let go of Stiff's collar shortly before driving his fist hard into the young thief's stomach while still in midair, sending him flying back and crashing into a tree. "That's for trying to make a fool out of me."

Stiff choked and coughed out some blood as he clutched his stomach after hitting the floor. He tries to push himself back onto his feet but has a hard time doing so due to the force of the blow that had sent him in a daze.

".. She has everything to do with this.." The elvaan man grinned as he brought his hand over to her face, squeezing her jaw. ".. She is, after all.. The experiment.."

Stiff threw his head back up in surprise as he looked at Okina. It had just now occured to him. Her power; her strange physical features; her 'birth place'.. it all made sense now.

"Okina..? You're the experiment?" He asked in a rasp voice, still catching his breath.

Okina just looked off to the side in disgust at the two men in dark armors. "I'm not an experiment.. I'm a normal girl.. I'm just Okina!" She protested.

"JUST OKINA!"

She took hold of the elvaan man's arms by the wrist, throwing him over herself as if he weighed nothing.

He flew through the air towards a tree but rotated his body swiftly in midair so that his feet gently met the bark of the tree. Pushing himself off of it, he dove back towards Okina fast, spinning himself once more; this time attempting to sweep her legs.

She threw herself back and pushed herself off the ground with her hands as the elvaan's leg swept under her, landing back on her toes. Her movements were very agile and light, again much like the opo-opos.

As Gazo swung his katana towards her, she somehow clamped her hands on the blade and stopped it as it came down. Okina quickly swung her arms back around, causing Gazo to spin with the katana held outward and just barely slicing the elvaan male on his exposed shoulder, causing him to jump back cautiously.

Stiff stared from the ground in awe at Okina's display of combat maneuvers. It was almost as if her body was acting out on its own.

".. Tch.. Nothing short of the experiment we're after.." The elvaan smirked as he brought a hand to his bleeding shoulder, emitting a soft yellowish hue that healed the cut wound instantly.

"Yes Daan, but it seems the girl does not know her own power just yet.." Gazo chuckled. "It is blind power."

".. That'll have to do, for now.. I'm done playing games.. Now you come with us.." The elvaan named Daan grinned, charging forward at an alarming speed.

"Not!" Okina yelled in response as she flipped forward fast over his incoming fist. She attempted to thrust her foot in a kick at his back in mid air while going over him, but suddenly gasped as she felt a hand clasp around her ankle.

Daan had somehow grabbed her leg in midair despite her blurring movements. He had either been toying with her or somehow had just increased his senses ten-fold.

With a hard pull, he sent her flying towards a tree and causing her back to slam against it hard. Just as Okina yelped at the impact, Daan charged forward once more and pressed his hand against her neck; holding her up against the tree like this before her feet could touch the ground.

".. That's enough, now.. Say good night.."

Stiff dashed torwards Daan from behind fast, but was stopped on the spot by another one of Gazo's devastating punches. It sent him flying back and tumbling over the ground again, causing him to cough as the wind flew right out of him.

"D****t.. let her go!" Stiff choked out, forcing himself back on his feet. "Does she look like a weapon to you!?"

He dashed after them again, this time the ground sinking under his feet as he activated his previously learned ability. He got past Gazo's punch because of his quick movements, but Daan landed a hard kick right at Stiff's chest without even looking back.

This time, Stiff had a hard time getting back up. It felt as if there was a giant air bubble inside his chest that was preventing him from breathing the air inside of it. He tensed up and struggled to breath, looking up at them through twitching eyes and gritted teeth while clutching his chest in pain.

His words echoed through Okina's ears. It was surprising for her to hear such a thing coming from someone.

"Does she look like a weapon to you!?"

"Quite persistent, aren't you?" Gazo muttered, cracking his knuckles. "Is she supposed to look like anything else? Just look at her.. she was made for this."

Those feelings from before began coming back to me.

Anger.. helplessness.. emptiness.. darkness.. I couldn't stop it this time.

The darkness itself bound my soul to the emptiness within.. and helped it take over.

".. Just kill him and be done with it already.." Daan grumbled, tightening his grip around Okina's neck.

Okina felt herself begin losing consciousness as she gasped for air.

Daan felt a sudden burst of pain jolt across his forearm as a crushing sound echoed through his ears. ".. Oh..?"

He looked down at Stiff who now clutched his wrist with so much force, it was nearly bone-crushing. How he had gotten to him so fast was beyond both Daan and Gazo.

"I thought we had him knocked out.. he was on the floor, basically dying about a second ago." Gazo said, looking at Stiff.

Stiff's eyes burned into Daan's. They were once again as before; the whites of his eyes black with only the brown irises left in color. Rather than just his eyes, his expression was a lot more wild and enraged, as if he was some sort of monster. A few transparent and shadowy streams began to pour out of Stiff's hand that gripped Daan's wrist.

"I said.. let her go.." Stiff said silently.

Daan's wrist cracked once more, forcing him to release his grasp on Okina's neck and drop her on the ground.

".. Such.. Power..!" Daan grinned menacingly, his eyes wide with what appeared to be pleasure despite Stiff nearly breaking his arm.

Gazo just watched in astonishment, a strange familiar look in his eyes.

Daan didn't waste another moment and grabbed onto Stiff's wrist in return with his free hand, shifting his body around with all his might and hurling the thief towards a tree, causing him to release the hold of his wrist because of the force.

Stiff spun through the air but met the tree with his feet, keeping himself bound on it somehow as he lowered his body before springing back upwards with the help of his feet with so much force that it sent him flying back towards Daan and Gazo. He activated his Pulse Attack while in midair with his dagger in hand, ready to thrust it at any target he could could pierce.

Daan and Gazo smirked at each other and nodded, quickly clutching their dark crystal pendants and disappearing into nothingness.

"We'll be seeing you soon.."

Stiff flew past the spot they had been standing and felt the end of his dagger thrust into the tree that had stood behind them. It was the same tree he had been tied up in.

His pulse attack exploded into a fine burst of energy that shuffled all the trees around the perimeter. Once the smoke and dirt cleared up, Stiff stood there with his arm extended outwards over the tree that was now knocked down and looked as if it were struck with lightning.

"What's.. wrong with me..?" Stiff grunted as he fell to his knees, the emptiness now leaving him and returning him to his normal state. He gasped for air while clutching his arm, feeling it throb in pain. "What the hell is this darkness!?"

Okina caught her breath as she made her way over to the cowering Stiff, rubbing her throat and back. "Owie.. those guys were so mean.." She whimpered. "Are you okay..?" She tilted her head curiously.

"I'm.. yeah, I'm fine. Are you..? You don't seem to bothered by what just happened." Stiff told her, once more brushing off his strange power.

"Eh.. people come after me all the time. I'm used to it.. they don't like me because I'm just a weapon.. so that's all they want to use me for." She grumbled, a sad look in her eyes.

Stiff felt his heart sink as he remembered his team's orders. They were to dispose of the weapon upon retrieval.

"Okina.." He started, but was interrupted by Flint's voice in the distance.

"Yo, Stiff! You around here?" He called out.

As if his thoughts had triggered it, his team came waltzing over towards them from afar, having seen the tree on the ground.

"There he is." Draven muttered, seeing Stiff on the floor with Okina. ".. Who's that?"

"Woo, Stiff.. out here for two hours and already you found yourself a girlfriend." Flint grinned. "You dog."

Okina quickly hid behind Stiff once he stood up. "H.. Hey guys.. it's not like that."

What am I gonna do..?

"Mrrrow.. couldn't just wait forrr me, could you Stiff?" Nanaa sighed.

"What the hell happened here?" Draven asked as he looked around.

"You. Step forward.. let me look at you." Veronaut ordered Okina who was behind Stiff as he brought his axe away from his shoulder and held it in her direction.

"Huh? What's up, Vero?" Flint blinked.

"Isn't it obvious? Take a good look at her." Veronaut replied.

"Whoa..!" Flint exclaimed in surprise upon seeing that those tail and ears that she had weren't mithran.

"The experrriment?" Nanaa's ears perked up in surprise.

"Stiff.. what's going on here?" Draven asked. "Looks like there was a struggle.."

"Step aside, Stiff. Or I'll cut you down along with her." Veronaut growled.

Everyone was talking all at once, it was hard to concentrate and only increased the pressure Stiff was feeling. Okina tensed up behind him as she heard them speaking of her; referring to her like every other person that only wanted to use her or harm her.

"Guys.. wait.." Stiff said, looking at the ground.

"I'm not going to tell you again." Veronaut snorted. "You have your orders. Step. The f**k. Aside."

_______________________________________________________________________________

Continued in Chapter 16: Hasty Decisions

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© 2011 Jobyn

Author's Note

Okay.. I really need some opinions on this story. I'm aware I have some readers but.. until I at least hear what one person thinks about the story as it currently stands, I'm going to hold off on updating it. This chapter kind of frizzled my mind and I need me some motivation now..

Feel free to review ANY chapter. It doesn't have to be the whole current portion of the story..