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_ Sutato _
I frowned, disliking the new environment all around us. Why did we have to move? Why didn't ... why did Philia dislike me? I thought she loved me like I was one of her own. ... Where did I go wrong?
"Are you okay?" I heard Castit whisper to me as I turned over to him. He had a wing over me still as I was walking next to him while the others were protesting against this ... new person. I shuddered and gazed back at him before nodding. He sighed in relief before nodding his head, lifting it up and to the others. "... I'm sorry it happened this way."
I frowned once more, turning my gaze down at the wooden ground. It's okay. We ... we can all try to adapt to this new ... place. I blinked and lifted up my gaze and over to him. I felt the nervousness within me as I shut my eyes and shook my head before forcing it out, "... mom?" I opened my eyes and tilted my head. He turned his gaze back at me, frowning slightly. I put a thumbs up and then a thumbs down, tilting my head and wondering if he got that gesture.
"... Middle?" He answered.
Middle? So ...--- I shook my hand a little as he nodded. "She's ... okay. Not good in the slightest but not bad either." Oh. So in the middle of good and bad, okay. I slowly nodded, looking over to the new person who halted and walked over to us. I squealed, backed, and looked away, feeling the fear return to me. "It's okay, Sutato." I heard Castit whisper to me, holding me close.
"Stop being so disgusting with one another." Verde sneered at us.
"Oh shut your trap, old man." Castit sneered back. "We're not doing what you think we're doing."
"Then how about you walk separately?" Verde asked, glaring at him. "Then I won't have to turn my head around and stare at you two being so stupidly close with one another."
"How about you deal with me TRYING to comfort my friend who is SCARED in this entire colony, you piece of shit." Castit hissed as I frowned at him. "Then you can ignore us when you finally sort us ... into houses. I don't know why you need to anyway--- couldn't we choose on our own?"
"Can't trust newbies like you to do such a thing." Verde hissed back.
"Well, that's too bad." Castit sneered. "Also you wanted to speed this up so that you can get back to your "food production" but I think it's more insulting at gay people trying to love one another. So why don't we hurry this up so we don't have to see your disgusting face anymore."
Verde didn't talk after that as his face was red, fuming with anger. He turned and continued walking. I frowned and felt guilty as Castit turned towards me, "Don't feel guilty, he's just a bit sensitive that he doesn't believe a good friendship between you and me can exist in his eyes."
I slowly nodded, glancing forward as the group turned a corner soon into a more populated area which caused my anxiousness to return to an extreme dose. I looked down quickly and pretended that there weren't many people around us, hoping it will calm me down. I felt my back getting rubbed as I lifted my gaze up to Castit who was glancing at a house that looked to be half-frozen in some way. I blinked with confusion, wondering how that happened. "Ah, Neptune. The one and only who DOESN'T SHIFT INTO HIS DAMN HUMANOID FORM."
We both turned over to Verde who was raging at the giant blue-grey wolf who sat in front of the pathway to the house. "... Wait, could I do that, big sib?" Bambi asked in a squeaky voice.
"... I'd ... rather not let you get yelled at," Paradise told him.
"awww..." Bambi frowned.
"And plus ... there are people here who may not see you at all, little one," Carla told him, frowning. "So ... they might step on you."
"Oh." Bambi frowned even more before nodding, "Our animalic forms are small, big sib."
"Yeah ... it sucks." Paradise drooped their ears. "But we'll deal with it."
"But I'm surprised that giant wolf is allowed to be in HIS animalic form," Setchi grumbled.
"I think ... he purposedly stays in that form, Setchi," Castit told him. I think so too. "Just to get on the leaders' nerves."
"WELL, I should do that too." Setchi rubbed their chin sinisterly as I shook my head at them. Don't.
"Another patch of newcomers?" The giant wolf spoke, getting up to his paws and walking over to us. "Niiicce, you even have two rabolks this time around. Makes me hungry."
"OH HELL NO," Carla shouted at him. "You will not eat them, you hear me?! I will squish you like a damn bug!"
The giant wolf just snorted, "It's not like I can within this colony, relax." He turned over to Verde, flickering his many tails. Wait. Many tails? Do wolves have multiple tails? I don't ... think ... they do. "So ... who's gonna be my new roommate this time?"
"... Oh gosh, what happened to the last?" Carla whispered.
"Probably moved out due to his stupid teasing." Paradise hissed in a whisper to her.
"Yeah ... probably," Setchi whispered in agreement.
"The feaolk," Verde spoke, grinning widely at us. I widened my eyes as I turned over to Castit who looked pissed.
"Oooo, I never had a feaolk roommate before. Great." The giant wolf spoke, turning over to him. "He already doesn't like me. Oh well, this will be fun." He chined with a sly smile.
"... You ... damn ... nature elemental ..." Castit hissed, sounding unsure at the same time if Verde was one.
"Oh? You knew I was one? How clever you are, thought feaolks were all dumb." Verde snorted.
"No. You just gave me the answer that you were one." Castit grunted, turning over to me with a worried look.
"What?!"
He turned back to Verde who looked pissed off. Castit looked hesitant to even apply to the order as I gently pushed him forward. He turned towards me, looking surprised, "You... No, I don't want-"
I nodded my head as I displayed a smile at him, even if the anxiousness was ramming down the other emotions in my head. He frowned at me as I flinched at Setchi's hand on my shoulder. "I'll be by his side, Castit. Don't you worry, I'll comfort him as much as he needs."
"You better," Castit grunted. "Or I won't hesitate to come over and hurt you myself."
"Oh relax, Castit." Carla said, "Stop being an extremely worrisome mother. He'll be fine. He'll be with us ... if he gets picked to be with us."
Castit stared at the three of us before sighing in defeat, "Fine." He turned towards Verde who grinned with victory displayed on his face. I frowned at him, assuming he was trying to take revenge against what Castit said to him.
"Come on." The giant wolf called who was halfway to the house. "Jeez, I never realize you were this slow- guess that's another stereotype of a feaolk."
"And good luck with THAT." Carla quickly told Castit.
"... Yeah ... I definitely need that," Castit grumbled, walking forward and over to the bridge entrance. We soon turned away from the half-icy house and over to a house that was glued to several trees and looked like it was fit for races who could fly. Verde pointed at both me and Setchi to settle in the house, though when he left with the others. He managed to miss Paradise and Bambi, who both shifted into their rabbit forms behind the group. We both looked surprised at them as they shifted back into their humanoid forms.
"... That took care of him. I bet he won't notice you both gone." Setchi snorted.
"He won't. He definitely couldn't, but let's hurry to the house anyway if he does." Paradise whispered.
"Good idea. I wonder if they even care if some folks were in the wrong house." Setchi spoke before guiding me gently on the bridge. I was nervous about its slight movements but I made it to the house. I gazed up at the appearance, staring at its design with the second floor right above us. I tilted my head as I heard a voice, lowering my head over to Setchi who beckoned me over. I tilted my head, "You have the "keys" Sutato." Paradise told me.
I looked down, staring at the keys before blinking. Oh. Forgot about that. I walked over to Setchi who stood by the door. I stared at it, then the doorknob and the lock before looking down at the keys. Soon I got the hint that they're used to unlock, lock doors, and stuff. I nodded slowly to myself before grabbing one of them and gently shoving it in. I blinked, tilting my head slightly.
"Turn it," Setchi spoke, watching me. I nodded and turned it to the left before pressing my hand against the door. It didn't budge as I attempt to twist it to the right. The door opened after that and I smiled softly. "How far back are you on technology?" I heard them ask as we walked into the semi-dark room.
I frowned as I heard Paradise's voice in, "Oh stop it, Setchi. You are going to get an angry feaolk on your tail if you keep doing that."
"I just asked a question!" Setchi huffed. "Besides, we need to find him a book for him to communicate."
"... Oh right." Paradise blinked and nodded. "They ... have book storage ... right?"
I turned towards Setchi and walked over, handing them the keys as they grabbed them. I soon turned and walked into the vast space, glancing around the area. It was pretty large as there were seats in the middle with a rug underneath it. It was a pretty big one too. The long seats were surrounding a rectangular object that was standing on a shorter table. I wonder what that is. I looked to my left, glancing at the countertops of the prepare station. There were stools beside the outer one instead of the inside one.
I widened my eyes slightly before turning over to the spiral staircase that was going up behind the seating spot in the middle. "Wow, this place is pretty! So ... unlike the wilderness." Setchi commented.
"Yeah ... suddenly we went from ... stone age to this and it's ... strange to say the least," Paradise said, guiding their brother along.
"I think it's neat!" Bambi chirped.
"Of course, you think it is." Paradise huffed. Setchi suddenly bolted over to the stairs, climbing up them as he slipped on one of them. "Be careful!" Paradise called after him. We heard a shout back as I shook my head.
Paradise let go of Bambi's hand as he took off running. They sighed, "Maybe there is an empty book somewhere that you can use."
I turned to them and nodded, giving a small smile before glancing over at the kitchen. "How do you like it, Sutato?" I turned back to their voice, nodding my head with a thumbs up. "That's good. Is it comfortable to your liking?"
I paused and looked around, seeing everything so spaced out and not so close to one another. I slowly nodded, turning back to them with another thumbs up. "That's very good---"
"Paray! I found a book!" Bambi shouted, holding up a hardcover book. He ran over to us and handed it to Paradise who took it from his hands. They held the book and opened it, examining it with wide eyes.
"Well ... that was easy."
"And I found this! A pen... Pencil? It is shaped like a pencil but the pencil doesn't appear on your hand. So ... pen ...?" Bambi spoke, looking confused before holding it up to me. I grabbed and stared at it, spotting the black ink in it. Yep, it's a pen. I nodded down to Bambi as he smiled widely. "Yay!"
"At least the book isn't too heavy. Though, the good news is that it has many pages for you to write or draw in." Paradise told me, handing it to me.
I smiled warmly as I grabbed it and stared at its black cover. I nodded and glanced up at Paradise before hearing a voice calling from upstairs. "Great, what does that child wants?" Paradise questions.
"I bet they found something else!" Bambi chirped.
Paradise looked confused at their little brother before turning their gaze to me. "Sut, go check what he found, we'll stick down here." They spoke.
228Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnGzKwhx6gp
...
I nodded, turned, and rushed forward, climbing up the steps and onto the second floor. I turned around as there was a large area to the right of me when I exited the stairs. It was like a huge hangout place as it looked so comfy. Behind me were rooms and it looked more than just two. I smiled at them before turning over to a tail that was sticking out of the balcony.
I raised a brow before padding over, spotting how pretty the balcony was. I step one foot and there were seats- comfy seats right by the entrance as plants in pots were around the railing. There were other comfy seats stationed on this large balcony. I turned over to Setchi who was leaning on the railing, glancing down at something, "This is amazing! We get to watch those folks walk around and be all sad that we got the best house out of everyone!" They smirked, grinning like a teenager.
I snorted, smiling softly as I tilted my head. He's quite young now that I think about it... but no child to anyone, Paradise. I wonder how old he is. I walked over to their side, glancing down at the book and pen before narrowing my brows. I put them up in my jacket and turned towards them. I felt a cold breeze go by as he shivered from its touches, "Shit, is winter here already?!" He cursed quietly, rubbing his arms.
I pointed up at a snowflake falling down in front of us as he spotted it, "Oh right ... I forgot it was snowing. Well ... I guess we're spending winter in this colony but for how long?"
I shrugged, tilting my head, "... mom- Their mom."
They widened their eyes, staring at me, "... O-O-Oh right ... Carla did mention her and Castit's mother. Right." He nodded his head. "... I guess we will stay here until we decide what we want to do?"
"... winter bad, horrible," I spoke, straightening my head. I'm not feeling anxious when I speak ... is it because I'm with someone familiar? I'm glad that's the case.
"Okay ... let's see if the rest of the group agrees." He nodded his head, hugging himself. "Don't you feel cold?"
I shook my head, "immunity coldness--- ..." I turned my head and stared down at the railing, confused at what I just said. "... Immune ... cold?"
"Immune to the cold?" He suggested as I nodded at him. "Yeah, you forgot the "to" and "the" in there." He folded his arms, "So ... your immune to it? How so?"
"Don't feel ... cold."
"You don't feel it?" He tilted his head, rubbing his chin slightly. ".. I don't think you're immune to the cold that way. Of course, you can't feel the temperature but that's not the same thing as being immune to it. If you were immune to it, I would be seeing something change in your appearance. Such as a burnt hand or frostbit arm. So, you're not out of the danger zone yet." They explained.
I slowly nodded, gazing away. I guess that can be true ... unless... I blinked before speaking once more, "... Try cold--- no ... get tested? No ... have--- no--- Try test? No ... ugh..." I grumbled, gripping the railing tightly with this struggle. I think I want to write in my book now but ... he can't read it. So ... this is difficult for me.
"You ... want to test and see if my theory is correct?" He asked as I glanced at him with wide eyes. I nodded, smiling. But I'm glad he can get the question I'm trying to ask. "We can do it, maybe ... later in the days when we are used to this colony. Aloe mentions the arena she is at is somewhere in this colony."
I nodded slowly, glancing down at the fog over the railing below us. I glanced up at the trees and the snow on their branches. I tilted my head before turning my head back to him, who continued his gaze down at the folks on the main road. The question from earlier lingered on my mind, making me a little curious. Is ... it wrong to ask someone of their age? I stared down at the railing, trying to speak the question as I just stood in silence. "... old ..." Wait no, that isn't a question! Ugh ... I really wish I can write in my new book.
"What?"
I frowned, feeling the embarrassment rush to my cheeks as I turned toward him. He tilted his head before speaking, "What were you trying to say or ask of--- no. What were you saying that is old?"
I pointed at him as he looked confused, "Me old? I'm not elderly you know."
I gave him a look as he blinked in realization, "Oh. Trying to ask how age--- How old am I?"
I nodded, smiling. He nodded, looking like he was recollecting his thoughts. "Okay ... the question towards asking someone their age is: "How old are you?" Not ... "old."" He snorted as I frowned. "Sorry, it came out weird to me or ... funny--- but I'm not saying that I'm making fun of the way you speak."
I narrowed my eyes at him, tilting my head. "Tried ... to question, but ... failed."
"It's alright. Anyway, there's a problem with asking people of their age ... though." He said, frowning slightly.
I blinked and frowned, looking away with guilt appearing on my face, "... sorry ..."
"No, no, it's fine. I'm just explaining this in case you end up asking this to the wrong person that will ... take action." He told me, dropping his frown.
"... why?"
"Well ... firstly, depending on your age--- I think ... I don't know if it depends on your age. But, some folks may call you a creep for that and take action because they automatically think you want something out of them." He answered.
"... don't want nothing..."
"But they will think you do." He told me once more.
"... didn't ... uh ... didn't know wrong--- sorry," I spoke, frowning with guilt.
He sighed quietly, scooting closer to me and patting my shoulder. "It's alright ... you're new to this whole society thing, I completely understand. So, still want to know?"
"... want to tell--- want? you?- you wan--- no... what ..."
"If I want to tell?" He guessed, smiling softly.
"... yes." I nodded to him.
"I can tell you. I'm 19." He said, standing tall beside me, though he looked like he was trying to seem shorter than I was. "... Wait ..." He blinked in realization, "Did I miss my entire juvenile stage?"
I looked confused, tilting my head. Miss it?
"I just remembered something ... I was 13 before the purge of my memories happened or ... at least a massive blank in my head between 13 and 19. So ... it's been six years since I was ... possessed by that collar." He told me, slowly nodding his head. "Damn, I miss my entire juvenile stage."
"experience here," I told him.
"I ... guess, I could." He nodded to me. "What's your age? Or ... do you remember how old you are?"
I stared at him for the longest, trying to remember what age I was. In fact, I never thought about it. "... do look--- what do look?"
"... Uhhhh ... maybe in your early 20s?" He guessed. "I can't be sure about it."
I slowly nodded, going with this, "... twos twos."
"Twenty-two?" He guessed.
"Twos, twos." I glared at him.
"Alright fine!" He held up his hands. "We can call twenty-two as twos, twos. Until ... we can find your real age." I nodded, glancing over the railing once more.
"Did I just hear you speak, Sut?" I turned over to the voice, recognizing it to be Paradise as they were shocked.
"I told you! Sut always talks to me!" Bambi chirped. "But that's only when he is in the shack and much more comfortable there. He likes to write in his book and communicate that way than speak since ... he has trouble speaking."
"That's perfectly fine." Setchi looked over before glancing back at me. "Whatever fits you at most with how you want to communicate is up to you."
I frowned at them, "can't read."
"I can still try to guess what you're trying to say." He said. "You drew me pictures before, we can try that again." I tilted my head slightly, remembering that moment. I dropped the frown and replaced it with a smile, nodding my head.
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...
_ Carla _
I stood in front of a door, folding my arms and glaring down at Purity who sat on a chair. She avoided my gaze as Winter stood away from us. "Now, now, Winter. You did join into this as well."
"Only when I didn't realize Purity broke our group apart," Winter spoke coldly, walking back over to us. "You know it's your fault, Tyler would be disappointed in you."
"I'm not mad about that," I said.
"Then what?"
"I'm mad about the part where you said you were Sutato's friend. You weren't." I glared down at her.
"I know I am not. But do you really want my mom and her people to have him behind bars?" Purity asked, getting up to her feet. "I said that so that she wouldn't have to do that."
"That is a smart move to get behind your mother." Winter nodded in approval.
"Fine, fine it is but I'm still mad with you," I said.
"Stay mad at her forever and you'll be blinded by your rage," Winter commented.
"I know that!" I glared at Winter. "It ... It'll take some time, especially when you told me to go f myself." I pointed at her before lowering my hand.
"... I ... I apologise for that one moment. I just don't like Castit." Winter looked away from me.
"Yes, you don't like Castit--- but look at what he did to one of the council members! He chewed his ass out!" I smiled, feeling proud of him.
"I never saw my brother do that before." Purity blinked with confusion.
"That's because he's ... friends with Sutato and he deeply cares about him. Almost ... like a mother." I mumbled. "Father in this case--- but I don't see fathers doing that any time soon. I mean, mine was good--- it's just that, rarely you do see fathers being good to their children."
"... I can understand that viewpoint." Winter nodded to me slowly. "My father wasn't the good man he was to me and my four siblings, but it wasn't really bothering me."
"And ... about that, I haven't seen my father ever since he ... well, beat my mother." Purity frowned. "Aloe was there to protect us and made him fly away."
I gazed at her, frowning slightly. God damnit, Purity. Why must you make me feel pity for you?
"Oh. Makes sense on your behavior out there." Winter commented.
"Hey!" She glared at her. "Just because I didn't have a father in my life for 14 years, doesn't mean that is where my attitude came from."
I widened my eyes at the number, blinking them repeatedly. Oh, that is ... damnit, Purity, not again.
"Okay ... I guess that is not where it came from." Winter shrugged.
"Whatever--- just, what you did was wrong," I told her.
"How did you even get here with that rabbit's protection?" Purity asked, turning towards me. "That leader was really dead set on protecting him."
I frowned, looking down at the floor before walking over and sitting in a chair. I sighed, "That leader didn't ... really protected Sut. She kind of ...- Well, when the group of feaolks told us and her that, she straight-up wanted to get rid of him because he was a "monster" to her and that he accidentally killed some of her people. In which he didn't remember doing."
Winter widened her eyes a bit, "... Maybe he is."
"He's not. As Setchi said, some people were collared and controlled by the humis to do their bidding." I told her.
Winter narrowed her eyes, "... So ... he was once one of them?"
"Yes."
"... That's why my mother called him a demon." Purity nodded slowly.
"... And I suppose he suffered trauma from that experience?" Winter guessed.
"You don't say," I grumbled, leaning back on the chair.
"Anyway, I'm going to go seek out something." Winter shook her head slightly. "Be back before night falls." She turned and headed out of the door as quickly as possible. Purity blinked at her departure before looking back at me. "What was that about?"
"Remember how she wanted some information about a colony for her family? She's probably doing that, right now." I told her.
"Oh. Right." She nodded her head, frowning. She sat back in her chair, gazing down at the armchair. "... I'm sorry--- I really am."
"I know you are."
"And ... that's why I want to make it up to you guys. Since I volunteered to look over Sutato ... I wanted for us to go on a trip or a tour around the colony. Maybe learn about one another and get used to each other? I don't know. I just want to make up for my actions from before." She turned towards me.
"I mean, all five--- six of us are fine on our own," I told her.
"But my mother entrusts me to do this job, I don't want to disappoint her." She frowned, making a face that made me change my mind. Damnit, Purity.
"Alright, fine. I guess I'll get yelled at. Let's do it now and get it over with." I told her.
"Good idea."
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- End of Chapter 12
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