《The Sword That Lay By The Wayside (Dropped)》


 Chapter 1: A Bang

    It woke with an explosion of sensations, a bang that vibrated and resounded within IT. For the first time, it felt something. It was overwhelmed by it all, it had no sense what was happening, or even what anything meant. The bang shook It wholly and fully, a ringing and tingly vibration followed in its wake. As time passed the ringing and tingling sensation went away. The sense of it had deadened and went away.


    As the vibration passed, numbness rose. An absence of any sensation. It existed and had no idea of anything beyond it. Then a second bang came, more muffled. This one was accompanied by a tearing sensation. It lost feeling in a part of its body. And instead of stillness it now knew motion. As the experience of loss and the tearing sound went away, it was tumbling. Around it was nothingness, void of everything. Stillness returned. Now it started to learn peace and something else. Something that might be called happiness.


    It tumbled forward in the darkness, in the nothingness, at peace.


    As time passed, the sensations grew into distant memories, and onward it tumbled.


    As everything became vaguer, and it could only feel itself, and the absence of self beyond, even the passage of time became vague.


    It slumbered and awoke in countless cycles of awareness and for unknown ages. Sometimes it felt minute forces exerting influence on it, trying to claim it for itself. Yet it tumbled ever onward.


    Then it felt something grasping. It kept going forward, but now also another direction. It started shaking and tumbling in other direction as it underwent a slowly building but tearing and shredding sensation, until it almost became too much. And then the journey ended with a bang.


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    It woke to a soft tickling feeling. A random pattern of soft tickles. A clinging sensation of something that stuck to it. A hard sensation of something stuck to It. Or did It stuck to the other thing? Much of Its presence was touching this new thing. The first continuing confrontation It had with other things was confusing, off-putting and exciting all at the same time. The soft tickles followed by the clinging sensation continued. Was it clingy, maybe slimy or so was more precise. It tried ignoring the tickling sensations and fully devoted it''s attention to the large hard presence it was clinging against. Lying against? It had no perspective except its own


    It found that it was no longer spinning around. Only now could it decide that It was no longer moving, compared to its earlier state. It didn''t know what to think of that. It had no wish to again undergo that tearing sensation. It also felt that its presence had been changed by whatever had happened to it. It was now smaller, and more rounded? But also fuller, no denser at the same time. It continued studying the large presence next to it. It felt like the large presence was keeping It next to it, an implacable presence with an inescapable grip. Its presence was comforted by the idea that there was something big, unwilling to let go it. And so, no longer alone, no longer floating in the dark, it slept.

 Chapter 2: The Other

    It awoke after a long while. It didn¡¯t understand this thing where It wasn¡¯t aware anymore. But It grasped that It had been unaware for a while. The hard thing It had been leaning against wasn¡¯t hard anymore. Now It was surrounded, but not wholly enveloped by a soft presence. Not unlike the tickling, slithery feeling from before, but present in a greater form.


    It knew It was more awake or aware than when It had first woken up. The fact that It no longer had the hard presence to lean against was a bit unsettling. It didn¡¯t the way everything kept changing around It. When thinking about the fact that things kept changing It felt a strange feeling rise in Itself. Things weren¡¯t right. Things should be the same! Why do things keep changing. It wanted for the big calming presence to come back! It felt overcome by the situation, and a roaring feeling surged up inside.


    When the roaring feeling inside died down. It, later on, wondered what exactly had happened. It was such an unpleasant unpeaceful feeling. It should try and avoid that roaring feeling. By the time the roaring feeling inside died down, the large presence was back again. The clingy presence was gone!


    Well, It was still there in a small manner, but It was going away. Now that the hard big comforting presence was back again, It felt another feeling rising up in Itself. This one felt light and uplifting.


    It liked this one. DefinItely more of this, rather than the other one. It felt reminiscent of the time when It was slowly drifting around, except this was more powerful.


    And so It focused on the uplifting feeling again, which unfortunately also died down. It really didn¡¯t like all of these feelings changing. But the big presence was back, that was all that counted.


    Then It felt small vibrations again. But transferred and felt through the big presence.


    Suddenly everything changed. Something else touched It. Something not hard touched It, even grasped It. And Its presence only now truly touched another presence, and It felt It was not alone anymore.


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.the sensations of the foreign presence touch It and even started permeating Its presence. And one point It was no longer sure It was Itself, instead of a sum of the two. But the new presence was different. It called It the Other. It touched the new presence and was curious about It, trying to sense It, communicate with It. A short flash of surprise came to It, then the connection was lost. The not so hard presence was gone. It knew surprise. It was happy that other things also knew surprise.


    Shortly after, It was touched again. Then the connection started again. It repeated a question. The question that was a combination of what and who, in a way that only a thing innocent of the world, yet aware of Itself could pose. Its response was more of those feelings that threatened to sweep It along with It. There was the weariness, that It knew of possible dangerous things that could happen. Fear It was called. There was also the curiosity combined with a question. Wonderment was called. Understanding flowed from the Other to It. The Other was no stranger to the world, older than It, probably. It learned things but without understanding. WIthout explanation. That probably would come later. It hoped. It and the Other just sort of melded together with the Other''s awareness, but never fully completing the meld. The Other could also feel. But It actually used feeling for specific things. When experiencing beyond Itself, the Other had other ways. After a half-formed query, the Other¡¯s senses were shown to It. And It was overwhelmed. Many things that did not make sense.


    Many things It probably was not supposed to be able to make sense of. The Other called the sensation by different things. The Other liked naming things, It had noticed. Sight. Smell, Hearing. Detailed touch. Balance. Warm and cold. Taste. So then the It asked. Why are we different? The Other gave a sense of confusion of why It would be able to sense these things on Its own. It said It was glad It had met the Other. So many new things to sense and learn.


    The Other also confirmed the happiness, and just accepted It for what It was. Even though others of It¡¯s kind usually were not aware nor shiny.


    It communicated confusion. There were others like It? It also had a name? The Other confirmed and told It Its name. Then It was happy again. It now had a friend. It now had a name.


    And Its name was Rock.

 Chapter 3: The Pupil

    Rock felt another intense burst of a feeling, the one it liked. It was happy. It basked in that pleasant feeling. Aside from a pleasant feeling, Rock was also vaguely aware of the confused but happy feelings It was getting from the Other. When the Other came to the foreground of Its attention again, it was assaulted by the confusing senses of It was witness again. The Other than slowly guided the Rock through what it was sensing.


    First, it was introduced to touch, Rock knew this one! It learned that sensing things that touched you was different than the sensing of the Other it was doing now. That made sense once you thought about it. The Other called it talking, but Rock understood that the Other didn¡¯t normally talk in this way. But then how? This was starting to seem hard. Then came hearing. Rock understood it, at least partially. It was the vague vibrations that Rock had felt before. The Other told It that hearing was normally different. The Other heard things better than Rock.


    Rock didn¡¯t quite understand the idea of something being better than others. Then it remembered that it preferred the hard presence over the soft enveloping one. The Other told that was liking, not being better. This sensing thing was hard. Maybe It could go back the floating feeling It had at the start? Everything was simpler back then. But apparently, the Other was awesome at sensing things. I


    One odd thing happened then. Rock noticed that as it spent more time talking to the Other, that it started to sense more, became better at feeling specific details. It had grown more sensitive, while not immediately using the Other¡¯s senses. Was being connected with the Other making him more sensitive or he was growing because he was being taught? Again changes kept happening. Well, feeling more wasn¡¯t bad. Now it could clearly feel the surface of the other. Soft, pliable. Saying this to the Other, Rock was told that he himself was hard and tough. Why were the Other and It so different it asked? Would Rock also become soft like the Other?


    Rock felt another intense burst of a feeling, the one it liked. It was happy. It basked in that pleasant feeling. Aside from a pleasant feeling, Rock was also vaguely aware of the confused but happy feelings It was getting from the Other. When the Other came to the foreground of Its attention again, it was assaulted by the confusing senses of It was witness again. The Other than slowly guided the Rock through what it was sensing.


    First, it was introduced to touch, Rock knew this one! It learned that sensing things that touched you was different than the sensing of the Other it was doing now. That made sense once you thought about it. The Other called it talking, but Rock understood that the Other didn¡¯t normally talk in this way. But then how? This was starting to seem hard. Then came hearing. Rock understood it, at least partially. It was the vague vibrations that Rock had felt before. The Other told It that hearing was normally different. The Other heard things better than Rock.


    Rock didn¡¯t quite understand the idea of something being better than others. Then it remembered that it preferred the hard presence over the soft enveloping one. The Other told that was liking, not being better. This sensing thing was hard. Maybe It could go back the floating feeling It had at the start? Everything was simpler back then. But apparently, the Other was awesome at sensing things. I


    One odd thing happened then. Rock noticed that as it spent more time talking to the Other, that it started to sense more, became better at feeling specific details. It had grown more sensitive, while not immediately using the Other¡¯s senses. Was being connected with the Other making him more sensitive or he was growing because he was being taught? Again changes kept happening. Well, feeling more wasn¡¯t bad. Now it could clearly feel the surface of the other. Soft, pliable. Saying this to the Other, Rock was told that he himself was hard and tough. Why were the Other and It so different it asked? Would Rock also become soft like the Other?


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.It received the sensations of confusion from the Other in response. People didn¡¯t change what they were. Things like Rock usually didn¡¯t talk. Now it was Rock¡¯s turn to be confused. And it again asked that question that combined who and what, trying to understand the Other. The Other said that it was called Sita. Sita said it was nice to meet Rock. Rock was confused didn¡¯t they meet already? Sita said that after exchanging names saying a greeting and that it was nice to know people, or otherwise showing happiness of meeting someone is very important. People that don¡¯t do that are rude. Before Rock could field that question what rude meant, Sita continued that being rude was bad and that you shouldn¡¯t talk to bad people. Uncertain of what anything meant, Rock took it to heart. Then they continued with the lessons of senses.


    One day Rock swore, things would stay the same. But for now, It was upside down, the wind kept shouting at, and vertigo kept assaulting it. Rock had stopped using Its senses at first, something Sita couldn¡¯t do. This way it was easier to follow Sita¡¯s lessons. Then it slowly felt along with Sita¡¯s senses one by one. Rock was amazed and it was hard to understand what was happening. It remembered what it felt like sense through Sita¡¯s senses and applied it to itself. That worked with the hearing. But then It made the mistake of applying and opening all of the senses at the same time. Rock¡¯s first headache was immense. It didn¡¯t understand all of the senses, but it worked. Unfortunately. Rock signaled Sita for help. Following Rock¡¯s indications, Sita turned It upright and held It still. Once everything stopped turning and spinning, Rock thanked Sita.


    Sita then asked why It felt that it was upside down. It was unclear until It understood that Sita probably meant that It was different. It then tried turning around, and then something shifted. It senses widened until they enveloped it whole. Its sight was weirdly stretched and different than Sita¡¯s. Rock could see all around it, in every direction at the same time. Sita tried viewing through Rock¡¯s sight for a bit but stopped when a headache started. Now Rock was better at something.


    Rock and Sita continued playing around. It slowly learned the differences between It and Sita. Sita had things called hands and arms. Although Rock didn¡¯t quite understand the difference between the two, It understood that it allowed Sita to change things and do things. This miffed Rock. Why was it so different to Sita, and it couldn¡¯t do things?


    Sita tried to comfort Rock, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. If you want something done and you can¡¯t, I can do it for you! It¡¯s what friends do.¡± Rock heard sounds coming from Sita, but also heard the meaning through normal talking. Rock felt a feeling called confidence and assurance coming from Sita. It got excited too. Rock queried what a friends was. ¡°Friends help each other when they have problems. Friends are nice and do stuff for each other. It¡¯s a special bond they form.¡± Sita was saying this with a different voice as if she was focusing on saying the words. Rock agreed with Sita. Friends sounded great.


    Things continued for a while, with Sita explaining many things like colours, finally explaining that that comforting hard presence was called earth or stone. And that softer presence that enveloped him at one point probably was water or mud. Then an explanation about time, days and the weather came. This greatly upset Rock. Things changed all the time? Nothing stayed the same? After a bit of explaining and comfort from Sita, Rock relented. Then Sita had to leave and Rock got the explanation that it would involve being alone. Leaving involved change. So more moping came. Sita carefully left Rock in a place that would stay the same and even mostly dry. With a final pat on Rock, Sita wished him goodbye.


    Rock¡¯s connection stayed with Sita for a while until it started fading away and Rock could no longer feel Sita. Rock thought It wouldn¡¯t mind Sita moving away. But Rock hadn¡¯t understood loneliness yet, but now it was getting a lesson. Another overwhelming feeling rose up, this one felt as if Rock was dragged downward. Sita had called it sadness. Rock was almost overwhelmed to notice that the weird slithery feeling was back. Rain it was called. Rock felt the sadness rise up again.


    It was raining on Rock alone.

 Chapter 4: Two

    Darkness fell and the bright globes that had been in the sky had gone away. Or disappeared. It was replaced by a darkening of all the colours and lots of smaller bright dots. Sometimes this sky was covered by something, which would change and move aside. Rock didn¡¯t have a good view of it all, hidden as It was. To Rock there were lots of noises, the night wasn¡¯t quiet at all like Sita had said. Animals and birds as they had been called. Rock wasn¡¯t sure what to expect of this night thing. Sita had said it was scary and quiet. From the noises Rock could hear that everything making a noise was either really far away or really small.


    A snapping sound marked a change. Rock still didn¡¯t like change. Rustling and scraping sounds heralded something larger approaching. Closer than Sita even and Rock was already impressed with her size.


    Rock remembered that he should not further comment on Sita¡¯s size. She had grown angry with Rock when discussing size and mentioned something about not being fat.


    While Rock was having his internal recollection, the thing was getting closer. His first animal close by. Rock might have hated change, but he was still curious about possibly interesting things. Rock could see it now. It looked very different from Sita. It had a very dark skin. It seemed to switch between crawling or running. And it had many limbs. If Rock remembered correctly limbs used to stand on the ground were legs and when used to grasp, handle or hit something it was a hand. Hands had arms or paws at the ends to hit or manipulate things. Rock was proud it had such a good memory.


    The Animal as Rock dubbed it came closer. The top two limbs were used either in crawling or when balancing. The Animal had four legs, which were curved as it moved across the terrain, the legs pointed in 4 different directions. Its skin also wasn¡¯t as smooth as Sita¡¯s. And the clothes that Rock still didn¡¯t understand were a shirt with dark spots and nothing else. Clothes, did that mean it was more like Sita than an animal?


    Rock was going to talk to it. The animal had since continued stalking past the place where Rock was hidden. Guessing it was close enough, it tried reaching for the Animal, it sent a signal for ¡®hello¡¯.


    Immediately afterward it froze. Persevering Rock felt confusion. Yes! Rock could talk again. It asked that question of who and what. More confusion came back. The Animal turned to see where the question was coming from. Rock could see its eyes narrowing when it finally noticed the place Rock was hidden and approached.


    Rock felt more than heard the raspy hiss the Animal let loose when it saw Rock in its entirety. Curious is crawled around, confusion changed to curiosity. Rock shiny nature illuminated the Animal, revealing that the dark skinny was a deep purple. Rock waited for a bit, indulging the creature.


    Remembering Sita¡¯s lesson about greetings and rude bad people, Rock tried saying something again. ¡°I am Rock, nice to meet you. What are you?¡±


    A sibilant cough escaped the creature¡¯s mouth, Rock guessed it was like a laugh. It spoke out loud, with that continues sibilant hiss sparsed in between, the words sounded grating and raspy. It was smiling in an odd way. Rock knew that smiling was good. ¡°Who or what we are is an eternal a question we have been forever trying to answer, right?¡± It left a silence and continued stalking around Rock, making sure to take in all the details.


    ¡°Oh, so you don¡¯t know who you are? Don¡¯t worry my friend taught me about that.¡± An intake of air told Rock it was surprised. ¡°Do share your wisdom, Rock, child of the earth. What wisdom concerning existence have you learned in your time?¡±, it looked at Rock with a sense of eagerness and anticipation.


    ¡°Well, since Sita was first. And you don¡¯t know who you are, from now on, you are Two.¡±


    For a moment Two blinked in surprise. Rock was sure it was stunned by the elegance of its name. Then Two started laughing. Again it didn¡¯t sound like the bright clear sound of Sita, instead, the deep hiss resounded through Rock¡¯s hiding place. The laughing lasted for a while. ¡°Whether you intend to or not, I¡¯ve just learned a valuable lesson in taking myself too seriously.¡±


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.Two snickered a bit more and wiped something from his eye. Rock thought that it had stopped raining already, but apparently not. ¡°So let us start a new. I greet you Rock. I am¡­¡±, another snicked sounded, ¡°I am Two. And I am amazed that you can speak to me without sound.¡± Rock thought this was great, It already better at something than Two.


    Two lifted his hand and raised it towards Rock, opening the fingers of his arm. Rock noted it only had 4 fingers on its arm. Grasping softly, Two lifted Rock with little apparent effort. The skin of Two¡¯s arm was rougher and coarser than Sita¡¯s. Rock preferred being held by Sita, but Rock decided it wouldn¡¯t say so to Two, as that might upset it. ¡°So tell me, Rock. How does a shiny Rock like you exist?¡±


    ¡°With little effort actually, it just happens.¡±, Rock helpfully answered. ¡°Why, is it hard for you?¡±


    The purple skinned creature flinched. Rock knew what that meant, Sita had made comparable expressions about her size thing. ¡°Oh don¡¯t worry Two, if you don¡¯t want to talk it, I understand.¡±


    Thinking for a moment, Rock asked, ¡°Do you want to see what I can see? Sita thought it was great. And it helped me see things.¡±


    Two cradled Rock in its two arms, and that peculiar smile of Two showed again. ¡°Oh do show me.¡± At that, Rock reached out and connected Its senses with Two. A jolt went through Two¡¯s body, and rock was almost dropped. ¡°Sita was a lot better than you at this though.¡± An angry sibilant roar echoed in response. Rock decided to give Two time to adjust. Looks like Two was like Rock and didn¡¯t like too much change at the same time. So it decided to look around Two¡¯s senses in the meanwhile.


    Two¡¯s sight was worse than Sita. So were Two¡¯s hearing, smell, and touch. Two had an extra sense however, it could sense things like warm and cold beyond its touch. Rock quickly familiarized itself with this sense and tried to emulate it. But it was hard. Harder than learning almost any other sense. Until Rock felt something give in himself. He felt himself change, but also whirl around inwardly. Sita had talked about funny feelings in the tummy. Maybe this was comparable. Rock¡¯s awareness winked for a moment.


    When it came to, Two was seated on the ground, its four legs folded in around themselves and was curiously poking and running its fingers over Rock in a curious manner. Its skin was now clearer to Rock, and It realized it could sense Two¡¯s presence with something other than sight. Two was warmer than the stone around it, but not by much. Through the connection, Rock heard Two¡¯s voice. ¡°A curious power you have. One that Is worth a lot to those that have plans. You flash a bit of light, and then you can feel what another feels. Oh and let¡¯s not forget the sense that you seemingly have copied. A trait normally unique to my kind.¡± Rock knew the answer, ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Yes? All of this power at your hand and no explanation for it?¡±


    ¡°No!¡±, Rock proudly said. ¡°Oh and this bond also strengthens me, more agile.¡±, Two dashed to and fro in the small area. ¡°Increased strength,¡± it stamped on the ground, reverberations echoing strongly. Rock helpfully interjected, ¡°And smarter too! So you can finally understand me.¡±


    Again the hurt flinch appeared on Two¡¯s face. ¡°I don¡¯t feel smarter.¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re stupid if you don¡¯t understand something. Now you can use my senses, and so you can understand what I¡¯m talking about. Which means that you understand more. So you¡¯re smarter now. Isn¡¯t it great.¡± Rock noted that Two had developed a strange muscle movement above its eyeridge.


    ¡°And now we¡¯re friends!¡±, Rock exclaimed enthusiastically. ¡°Friends?¡±, Two asked questioningly.


    ¡°Yes, friends. We can help each other better now!¡±


    A small chuckle and a laugh escaped Two. ¡°Yes, we can help each other, indeed.¡± With a pause, Two rose. ¡°Wait!¡±, Rock shouted, ¡°What about Sita?¡±. Two paused, ¡°Yes? What about this¡­ Sita?¡±. ¡°She¡¯s coming back to pick up me up.¡±


    Another chuckle came, ¡°Oh don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll make sure that this Sita will have a good welcome. In the meanwhile, you can help me, Rock. There are a few others like me that aren¡¯t my friend, that I can now educate better.¡± Enthusiastically Rock said, ¡°Oh! So they¡¯re bad people? Don¡¯t worry friend, I won¡¯t let you down!¡± With that, the two bantered back and forth, with Two asking much about Sita. As they returned, a special kind of happy grin was on Two¡¯s mouth. As they were leaving, Rock wondered why the things in Two¡¯s mouth were more pointy than Sita¡¯s.

 Chapter 5: Home in the Warrens

    At this moment curiosity was foremost at Rock¡¯s mind. A new friend, and one that It could help. Sure it would be more change. But maybe change wasn¡¯t so bad? That¡¯s what Two claimed anyway. Two had spent the main part of the voyage to his place talking about how great Rock was, and how bad his friends were. Rock eagerly explained in which way It could help. It had noticed a few things it was better at than Sita and Two. They needed light so by, Two seemed to need less. But Rock could see almost as well by night as by day, except colors. Two explained Rock then what the ¡®Bond¡¯ as it called it, did to it. Strength, speed, stamina, a feeling of power as if Two could reach out and topple mountains if he trained it. Oh, and Two was certain it could also make use of Rock¡¯s empathy.


    Following a few twists and turns, Rock could find a few more examples of plants, and in the distance it saw a movement that might have been a small animal. Rock sensed wind. After a small conversation about Sita, Rock sensed a difference in the way It and Two spoke. ¡°Why do you keep calling Sita, She?¡±


    Having grown a bit used to Rock¡¯s manner, the four-legged creature asked in return, ¡°Why do you call Sita ¡®it¡¯?¡±. Rock¡¯s answer was honest, ¡°Because I think its correct?¡±. Rock sensed a little hesitance in the purple-skinned one, ¡°Do you even know what a gender is, Rock? If you did then you¡¯d know when to use ¡®he¡¯ or ¡®she¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Well Sita explained, but I didn¡¯t understand it. But I¡¯m sure you can explain clearly, right?¡±. Two rolled its eyes and tried to keep his feelings in check and from being sensed by the empathic creature. ¡°I never thought I would need to explain this to a vic- friend. But there 6 genders in my kind, 2 in Sita¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°2 genders? And yours has 6? So your gender is better?¡±


    -¡°More does not always mean better. Just different.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you always have to try and be better?¡±


    ¡°-We¡¯re getting off topic, Rock. Let me do my explaining.¡±


    It sulked a bit.


    What followed was an explanation on genders, the uses of the male and female gender. ¡°And your kind¡¯s 6 genders are generally counted as either male or female. So if you were to talk about me to another friend, would you refer to me as he or she?¡±. The purple skinned creature holding Rock hesitated. ¡°Probably he, as the name Rock is of a more masculine bent. Or maybe it, because for outward appearances, you are after all an object, not alive.¡±


    ¡°But I am alive!.¡±


    -¡°I¡¯ve noticed. So which gender do you think you have?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Rock!¡±


    Two paused slightly midstride, before continuing. He responded with a chuckle, saying. ¡°Indeed you are Rock, indeed you are. Never change.¡±


    -¡°I try to!¡±


    The stone-shaped creature felt a small regret coming from the one it had called Two. ¡°Something the matter, Two?¡±


    In response, Rock felt a Two¡¯s hand, which It knew by now was not an arm, caressed It. ¡°Oh just thinking about Friends. And the things they do to each other sometimes regrettable though they may be. Don¡¯t worry Rock. I¡¯ll give you a few lessons about the real world soon.¡±


    ¡°If you say so.¡±, Rock innocently responded.


    When Two slowed down, it took up the same crawling and running pattern of movement again, which Two assured Rock would make him harder to see. Rock didn¡¯t want to make Two sad by telling how easy it was to see him. And Rock realized that he knew next to nothing about moving really. So best leave it to the experts. He was probably missing something.


    A dark cave welcomed Two. At least Two said it was dark. Rock didn¡¯t notice the difference. The winding way it went onward did stop his direct view. Rock then asked, ¡°Are the two of your kind around the corner are they, friends or bad people?¡± A confused sound escaped Two, ¡°Around the corner?¡±. ¡°Yes, there are two creatures like you around the corner. About ehm. Many of your lengths further.¡±


    For a time Two wasn¡¯t sure if it should react to Rock¡¯s measuring methods or the fact that he could detect something out of his sight. ¡°How did you notice them if you can¡¯t see them?¡±


    ¡°But I can see them!¡±


    -¡°How does that work?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡±, It responded enthusiastically and helpfully.


    ¡°So how high does the ceiling go?¡±, Two asked tentatively. ¡°Less many of your lengths.¡±


    Ignoring the headache Rock¡¯s answers could give some time, Two flexed the digits on his left hand and firmly gripped Rock on the other. Placing his fingers and one of his feet on the rock wall in a peculiar way, his face was frozen in concentration for a bit. Then he took a step, and then another, and his foot remained stuck on the cavern wall. ¡°Wow! Sita said walls weren¡¯t for walking!¡±


    The stone-shaped creature grew silent after Two¡¯s instruction, he didn¡¯t want to be distracted. Rock focused instead on the peculiar things it could sense from Two¡¯s body. It knew that inside creatures were lots of complex things involved water and other things that moved. But this felt different, it felt a lot like what Rock felt when It first awoke, and when it first shared senses with Sita and Two.


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    It watched as Two crept up the cavern wall and even up to the ceiling. Two followed the uneven wall past where Rock had indicated the others of its kind would be. Rock noticed that it was raining again on Two¡¯s face, while he was tensed. Weren¡¯t they inside? Slowly, step by step Two made his way past the point. A drop fell down to the darkness. Rock could still see the drop and followed it downward. It landed on one of the two bad people. The one hit looked around confused but resumed its waiting stance. Soon after they had passed the point, Two speed up and would once in a while have his feet lose grip with their talons. Before he fell down, Two descended. ¡°I was lucky they didn¡¯t notice me.¡± The shiny stone in his grasp, however might be a problem. Feeling Two¡¯s confliction about it. ¡°Oh, I know this one. Sita had me play a game with this!¡±, and promptly the shiny glow went away. Rock was satisfied with Two¡¯s surprised reaction.


    ¡°This is that Warren you spoke of?¡±, Rock asked as they entered an immensely large room with several of his kind moving about in an orderly and disorderly fashion. Some were pushing each other, or what Two called ¡®fighting¡¯ or ¡®wasting energy¡¯. Two answered with a wry grin, ¡°Yeah, it is what my kind calls home. The first home. Remember what I said about secrets Rock?¡±. ¡°I do, it¡¯s like when you play a game and don¡¯t tell the other what you¡¯re doing.¡±, It wondered how it knew that though, Sita had never explained that one. ¡°Something like that. Bad people would try and take you away if they knew what a good friend you can be. And that would make me sad.¡± Rock communicated a nod to Two. Two held Rock in his hand, but kept the hand downward, keeping it out of sight. Rock didn¡¯t understand how that would work, but he believed in Two.


    Two went into the throngs that occupied the passageways. He nimbly flowed through it, excusing himself to others that were bigger than him, and made himself seem bigger to others that Rock guessed were smaller. ¡°Why do you do stuff like that?¡±, It asked. While ducking under the arm that was swiping sideways to hit someone else, Two answered directly to Rock but did so with an odd tone. A term sarcastic rose in his mind. ¡°An ancient game that we keep playing, even though we are supposed to be a mature species. It is silly, backward and gives too much power to those that don¡¯t know how to use it. If muscle were truly all that was needed we¡¯d be sitting on the Elder Throne already.¡±


    -¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ok, it¡¯s not important anyway. But think of it like this. Being bigger or stronger is best, as you would say. So if someone shows that they are bigger, you make yourself smaller, then it¡¯s clear who is best. Not showing you are bigger is somewhere rude and confuses others.¡±


    -¡°What happens if someone disagrees, or if they are both as tall and no one wants to say they are not bestest?¡±


    ¡°Then they hurt each other until one is too sad to continue.¡±


    -¡°I don¡¯t like that. I¡¯m glad that I¡¯m small so no one will have to hurt me.¡±


    ¡°I agree, that¡¯s why I show myself to be smaller or try to be too fast.¡±


    -¡°Wow, you¡¯re smart.¡±, Two showed what he called a grin again. Two seemed to like those. ¡°Yes, I am. But others of my kind don¡¯t consider being smart to be better than being strong.¡±


    -¡°Does one have to be better than the other in all things? Isn¡¯t it ok to just be different, like you said?¡±


    With a start, Two paused. ¡°That is¡­ a good question. But sometimes there has to be one who is better.¡±


    -¡°I don¡¯t un-¡°


    ¡°It¡¯s ok if you don¡¯t understand, Rock. I¡¯ll make all of the important decisions. Together us friends will go a long way.¡±. Rock felt Two¡¯s confidence and was touched.


    Taking a step to continue on, Rock felt something crash into Two instead. His view started turning around and around as It left Two¡¯s grasp. The noise of the thick passage had disappeared. A deep rumbling hiss sounded, ¡°You wretch. You have returned. But you still owe the tribe. You still owe me.¡± A version of Two was standing over him, except with a dark red skin and about the size of Two and a smaller Two together. Two lay prone on the ground, pinned down by three of the larger creature¡¯s feet. A sound of pain escaped him, as the feet crushed down on him. With a desperate look Two reached out for Rock who lay just out of his reach. ¡°Hehe, Roji. Of course. I¡¯ll give you what you need and deserve in a bit. Just let me-.¡± Another stomp sounded in the passage, followed by a crack and shout of pain.


    ¡°No more tricks. Let¡¯s see what you have here. You seem desperate for it.¡±

 Dropping this project

    I feel guilty about this, mainly about letting myself down. But being honest to myself that I''ll never finish this soon, even if I do sometimes get inspiration about it once in a while. My hearts not in the story anymore. Not first person pov I had going anywhere. Translating everything to the limited vocabulary of Rock was in the end slowing me too much, while I had so many ideas to express and wanted to get written.


    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    Even now the final scene I want to write, that mirrors the first part of the first chapter is in my head, waiting to be written.


    Maybe I''ll come back to this one day. When I''m a stronger person and more experienced writer.


    Admitting all of this to myself and having it out in the open is another step I felt I needed to take before I could go on to another project.


    So there.


    My apologies for anyone that actually liked it,


    Evanar