After an unfortunate delay due to Scatty’s surprisingly not-so-short shortcut, the three changelings, at last, emerged from the caverns. Touching the ground, Scatty breathed in the fresh air as if it was the sweetest thing he ever smelled.
“Finally! Scatty thought we never make it!”
The same could not be said for Fragment and Shadow, who both shared a dull look over Scatty’s behavior.
“Scatty, we were only lost for ten minutes,” Fragment commented.
“Well it felt like months to Scatty!”
Hoof met face as Fragment groaned to himself. “How is it you’re the designated courier, yet you managed to get lost?”
Scatty’s cheeks tinted into the closest thing a changeling could form to a blush. “Scatty’s having an off day?”
“Enough already!” Shadow barked. “The courier’s shortcut already cost us too much time! Fragment, show us where Glass is.”
Silently agreeing, Fragment hovered a few feet above them as he tried to determine where they were. After getting over the shock that the Queen chose his sister for this mission, Scatty explained he needed him because he believed the quickest way to find her was through him. A reason Fragment could not fault him given that Scatty was on a deadline for tonight. Fragment could help them find her, but trying to speak with her was going to be another problem in of itself.
After just a few seconds of scanning the surroundings, Fragment pointed them in the direction of one of high cliffs in the badlands.
“Up there. That’s where Glass and her flyers go to drink.”
“Are you sure? Why that one?” Shadow asked.
“Because it’s the highest and most treacherous one to climb.”
“Of course, that’s why.” Shadow rolled his eyes halfheartedly. “Come on, we’re flying.”
“OH!” the Courier cheered with a raised hoof. “Scatty knows a shortcut!”
“NO SCATTY!”
After politely declining Scatty’s shortcut, the three changelings made their journey toward the high rock formation, a journey that was far shorter than their one underground.
Scatty’s jaw nearly hit the floor. Shadow just chortled at the scene.
He couldn’t be serious. Scatty knew some changelings had trouble getting along with others, for Chrysalis’ sake, he could write a whole manuscript on the examples he’d seen. But no changeling could be that big of a loose cannon. Right?
As if the universe heard his question, Scatty’s answer came in the form of tooth, which flew out of the mob and over their heads. The sight made Scatty grip his own missing tooth in reaction.
Okay, now he was convinced. That was Glass in there. She was a strong, a little nuts, and he had to be the one to interact with her. Yay.
Glass was sounding almost as intimidating as… A bead of sweat poured down the side of his forehead. Almost as scary as the last one he had yet to visit. But like it or not, he knew she had to receive the message.
“So what we do?” he asked the others, eyes still trained on the mob of changelings.
“Well?” Fragment motioned in the direction of the swarm. “Deliver the message.”
As simple as he made it sound, no matter how hard Scatty tried to focus on his task, all he could focus on was the terrible sounds coming from the fight behind the swarm of changelings. That and the chipped tooth lying just a few feet away.
Scatty gulped. “She s-s-sounds busy.”
“She sure does,” Shadow coyly reiterated with a nod. “So Fragment and I will just wait here while you handle it yourself.”
Scatty’s blood just about froze. “What?”
“Get moving courier!” With one strong push Shadow threw Scatty to the wolves as he shoved him toward the swarm. The Courier almost fell over from the push, but quickly caught himself. Turning back toward the two Scatty gave them an uncertain, almost pleading look. He really did not want to go alone.
Shadow just shook his head and motioned Scatty to keep moving. He was the messenger, it was his duty. With a frightened pout Scatty nervously complied as he advanced toward the crowd, his uneasiness only growing as he continued on alone.
Snickering to himself Shadow then flew high into the air to get a better view from above. There was no way he wanted to miss a second of this. He was soon joined by Fragment, who throughout the whole incident was giving him a scolding look over his actions.
“Was that necessary?”
Shadow didn’t even looked to acknowledge Fragment, a curt nod toward the crowd was his only indication he heard him before quipping, “You wanna bother your sister? Go right ahead.”
Fragment opened his mouth to respond, but stopped himself short when he remembered this was Glass he was referring too. Family or not, he knew his blood sister hated being bothered when concentrating on something. And Fragment had no doubt she would show no kindness were he to bother her in the middle of combat. Especially since he wasn’t even supposed to be up here the first place.
He shyly covered his uneasiness as joined Shadow in watching the crowd. “I’ll… let the Courier handle this. It's his title and duty after all.”
“Wise move.” Shadow chuckled as he threw a foreleg around Fragment so they could enjoy the show together. “There may just be some hope for you yet.”
Fragment silently bared his teeth at that so called ‘compliment,’ but took it for whatever it was worth.
Watching everything from afar the duo could see Scatty was just approaching the large gathering of changelings. Coming in close enough the Courier gradually tapped the back of one changeling to get its attention. The changeling at first paused before turning around to notice the courier. The other two standing with to him soon followed as they acknowledged the Courier.
While they couldn’t hear what was being said it was clear from the exchange that Scatty was requesting to see Glass, judging from the clear ‘gasps’ the three gave. A small part of Fragment almost wished he went with Scatty just so he could get some clarity. ‘Almost’ being a key word.
“The bloody message is for her?!” one exclaimed.
“Yes,” Scatty nodded politely looking unfazed by the loud insect’s words. “So can Scatty see her?”
“Are you insane bug?! She’s gonna--!”
“Of course you can see her,” the other changeling intruded with a smirk.
“What? What are you on about Snake Eyes?” the former said in shock. The others who were listening nodded in agreement.
Before anyone of them could offer their protest they were quickly silenced as the changeling dubbed Snake Eyes motioned them to lend an ear. Whatever he whispered Scatty couldn’t make out, but whatever it was it made the other changelings not only calm down, but their expressions changed into half smiling, almost mischievous looks.
The Courier didn’t seem to notice something was up, however, all he was focused on was getting the job done. “So… Scatty can talk to her?” he asked with half a smile.
“Of course Scatty can,” Snake Eyes returned with a trusting sneer. “All Scatty has to do is walk right up, and survive the first few minutes of his encounter with Glass, and I’m sure she’ll gladly talk after that. If you’re alive.”
Scatty felt his stomach twist. “What? What are--?”
Without warning the unsuspecting courier was suddenly grabbed by two other changelings and hoisted over their heads as one taunted, “Lets see if you remember any of combat training message bug!”
“Yeah!” another laughed. “Get on in there!”
“Wait!” Before Scatty could plead any further he was thrown over the heads of every changeling in the crowd, and right into the center of the fight. The fall might’ve hurt were it not for something breaking his fall. Of course the impact did leave him with pounding headache.
“Did Scatty miss something?”
Giving his hurting head a rub Scatty contemplated his last statement. He was used to bad days, but not like this. It was enough to make him wonder what else could go bad?
“Get. Off. Now.”
Without even saying it, the courier knew he’d spoke too soon. Swallowing almost a mouthful of saliva he slowly looked down as his eyes met with a pair of narrowed red eyes staring back.
It was at this point that Scatty finally learned the ‘something’ that broke his fall, was really a ‘someone.’ And it seems that someone was Glass, the very changeling he came to speak with. As of now the Courier didn’t know whether he was afraid or embarrassed by this revelation.
And it only just now occurred to him he still hadn’t gotten off her.
Backpedalling as fast as his legs could take him Scatty backed away until his back hit something. Looking over his shoulder he found the remains of her previous opponent, lying and shaking in a fetal position with purple and blue bruises covering most of his body.
After opening its eyes and taking one look at what was happening, the hurting changeling made his escape as he dove into the crowd and vanished into the horde. Unsure of what else to do Scatty carefully sat up, from there he remained completely still as he got a good look at Glass as she stood up.
She was quite large, there was no denying that. Even from a distance Scatty could tell her height was at least a head above him. Compared to the average female, Glass was intimidatingly large. Not as big as someone like Mirage, but enough that her build gave her an intimidating appearance. The only thing that made her appear remotely feminine was her eyes.
Like some females of her kind, they were much slimmer, but what made them unique was the slight red tint in them. To some, such a feature made a feminine changeling appear more appealing, pretty one might even say. However, Scatty was sure associating a word like ‘pretty’ with Glass would be like associating the word ‘imperfect’ with his Queen.
Not taking her eyes off her newest target for a second Glass started to collect herself as she straightened her posture and dusted herself. While some expressions in the crowd veered from shock to confusion, a few changelings looked like they were just barely containing themselves from breaking out into laughter. But such an action would no doubt lead to their eventually death at the hoofs of Glass, so they knew it was better to control themselves and let Glass focus her anger on the new prey in front of her.
Somewhere in Scatty’s tangled web of a mind he knew now might’ve been the perfect time to give her the message. However, even if she would listen, Scatty couldn’t remember how to form words anymore. The only thing that he could do was sit there sweating bullets. He felt like a mouse trapped within a dragon’s crosshair.
A dragon with holes throughout its arms, legs, and wings. Plus it had a horn. And it wasn’t exactly the same size given changeling skeletal structure compared to dragons, but all in all still a dragon.
She was scary, had fangs, and could make fire, so Scatty was going to count it.
Despite her complete silence and impassive stare, Scatty had a fairly small idea what was going through her mind as she stared at him. And seeing what she did to… whoever that nameless broken changeling was, he could only imagine what she had in store for him.
With nothing more to dust off Glass started marching toward the scared Courier. With a cry of fear Scatty threw his forelegs over his face as he braced for the thrashing of a lifetime he knew was coming. This was it, the dragon was coming to barbeque the mouse. The terrified Courier was already imagining what would follow next.
First she would yell at him, then proceed to call him a mix of names. Hurtful one’s no doubt. Then she would ‘correct’ his other fang to complete the set and make them symmetrical, up until she moved onto the rest of his jaw. And then she would…
It was by now Scatty realized that in the time he’d been preparing for his thrashing, he continued to remain, un-thrashed. Slowly peaking an eye open he peered through one of the holes in his foreleg. As his vision adjusted Scatty’s head immediately jolted back at what he saw, not in fear however, it was more in alarm.
Glass was right up in his face - well as close as Scatty’s forelegs would allow - with hers only centimeters away. She just stared without making a sound, her intentions hidden behind her red piercing gaze. They were empty, neutral, but not angry. It was more in concentration, like she was trying to read him.
She leaned in further while her nostrils flared as she studied his scent. Now Scatty felt more confused then frightened, but he continued to remain quiet. After all she hadn’t mauled him, so he was rating that as plus.
“Okay,” she at last spoke, catching Scatty and everyone else off-guard.
Glass then turned to others in the crowd with irritation in her voice and anger in her brow as she bitterly snarled, “Who's the dead-bug who throw this noncombatant in?”
Silence. Dead silence.
One changeling gulped. Another swatted its eyes from side to side. The rest all just blinked as they waited for someone to come forward. A full minute of followed until one changeling fell back on a foolproof plan all changelings could rely on in times of distress and danger. A plan that was said to have been spawned from the first changeling of the warrior class when he fought the dark dragons that attempted to take their valued treasures. A plan that required speed, agility, and the stamina to match it: Running away.
Soon every last flyer including a bruised changeling zoomed off, passing by Fragment and Shadow along the way, as they headed into the horizon. Preferably off to get back to their patrol route, and get as FAR as possible from Glass.
Glass grumbled and snarled as she watched the others leave, but restrained herself not to give chase. If they wanted to be that way, fine. When she got up there, however, there was going to be Tartarus to pay. No one makes a fool out of her and gets away with it. No one.
Scatty continued to remain in his seated position, still too scared to do anything that might provoke Glass to take her anger out on him. However, he did lower his forelegs as he watched her. He was scared, there was no denying that, but he didn’t feel as threatened like before.
After the last changeling from her swarm was out of range Glass finally set her sights back on Scatty. The courier immediately froze, raising his forelegs in a last ditch defense. Now it was coming. He could feel it.
He held this pose for up to a minute, until once again, nothing happened. Lowering his defense he looked up to Glass. Her expression had softened a little, but it still maintained that same vacant expression most changelings wore.
“You hurt anywhere little guy?”
Scatty’s face, his brain, and his understanding of everything in the universe all went blank. Did she really just ask him…? Just AFTER he made a fool of her?
This kind of gallantry was not something Scatty was accustomed to from anyone in the colony. Such concern he only received from two ‘special’ changelings in the colony. And they were usually too busy to be there when he needed them most. The perfect and exalted Queen of all changelings, Chrysalis, and Dead Ringer’s second-in-command Reflection.
But it wasn’t just that. Whenever Scatty messed up or made a fool out someone there would usually receive some kind of backlash. Yet she didn’t look like she harbored any grudge against him at all. And she wasn’t condescending him either. She just stared at him with an empty, yet calm and unintimidating gaze as she waited for him to answer.
“You’re… “ Scatty at last spoke, sounding more timid than he intended, “Not gonna hurt Scatty? Not gonna yell?”
Glass gave him a sideways glance and a raised eyebrow in reply. “For what?”
Okay now Scatty wasn’t scared anymore. Now he was just dumbstruck. “You’re not even upset?”
Glass held back her response as her eyes rose toward the sky where her swarm flew off, knowing somewhere out there many of them were probably joking about her. “A little,” she answered as her eyes returned to Scatty. “But I know it’s not your fault.”
Scatty knew he was going to regret asking this one next, but he had to know. “How are sure?”
“You smelled different,” Glass simply stated.
“Smelled different?” Scatty wasn’t the cleanest one, but compared to some of the others, he was relatively fine in terms of odor.
“Dirt remnants, leaf fragments, rock particles. You’ve been underground, in the forest, basically anywhere close to the ground.”
Scatty lifted an eyebrow curiously, but remained obediently silent as he allowed Glass to finish.
“We’re flight patrol.” She tapped her chest feeling pride over that statement. “We prefer the air. You’re scent was different from my swarm, so I knew right away you weren’t one of mine trying to get a leg up on me.”
“N-not t-that Scatty would want to!” Scatty stuttered out loud, half ashamed at himself over how his words were coming out. “You clearly k-know how to f-fight.”
The Courier had a habit of silencing himself whenever he was scared. Yet here he was running his mouth off. While he was no longer scared of Glass, he was still very nervous. Not over the fact that he was sure she could probably break him in two, but over the fact that he was getting on her nice side, and he didn’t want to risk losing it. He never enjoyed associating himself with the title ‘idiot,’ but right now he felt like a complete idiot.
Something he stuttered must’ve meant something, however, as the side of Glass’ lip curved up into, what Scatty could only describe as a small smile. “Well, that already makes you smarter than half the flyers in my swarm.”
Scatty’s wings instantly sprang up. And now she complimented him. Scatty actually got a compliment, and about his intelligence no less! While it wasn’t much, Scatty didn’t care! He was going to take it!
“Well, look who’s gone soft all of a sudden,” said a mocking a voice Scatty sadly was all too familiar with.
Both their attentions were drawn toward Shadow and Fragment – who had decided now was the best time to make their entrance after they were certain Glass wasn’t going to flatten the meek changeling – as they landed, while inside Scatty was dreading that his nice conversation had come to an end.
As soon as she saw them approach, Glass easily identified the two newcomers. Yet without so much as even acknowledging her brother, she furrowed her brow at Shadow.
“HMPH!” she grunted before answering with, “Unlike some of my non-blood brothers and sisters, I don’t make a habit out of harming my Queen’s noncombatant subjects. Now her soldiers, on the other hoof…” Causally, Glass stretched her head to side causing a low crack as she leered. “I can’t make any promises.”
Despite the silent threat she made, Shadow’s own leer matched hers. “I think I’m gonna enjoy working with her,” he murmured to Fragment.
Before Fragment had a chance to even hiss back, his eyes were drawn back to his sister, who now was standing only a foot away from him. He looked like he was about to step back, but stopped himself. A beat of silence went on as neither sibling said a word to the other.
Rolling his eyes at this, Shadow opened his mouth to speak, only to have Scatty snap it back shut, motioning him to shush. He wasn’t about to let Shadow ruin what could be close to a touching reunion with one of his snide remarks. And after how nice Glass was to him, Scatty figured she earned a few extra seconds to have a moment with her own brother.
The silence lasted until it was eventually broken by Glass as she rested a tender hoof on her brother’s shoulder before saying, “Brother…” only to then slide it down as she wiped a strand of dirt from his shoulder. Her eyes inspected the strand before quipping, “How fairs crawling through the mud?”
Fragment blinked before his empty gaze turned into a hateful glare. Scatty, on the other hoof looked taken aback by her sudden shift in tone, and with her brother no less. Shadow all the while was snickering through Scatty’s hoof as he watched.
“A pleasure as always, blood sister,” Fragment answered flatly. “How fairs lollygagging around with your pack?”
His sibling only snickered back as she replied, “If you’re referring to that scuffle from earlier, it was just a water break gone sour. Some bug-brained nimrod had the all so bright idea to make Buzzard the designated guard for our drinking water today.”
“So?”
“Buzzard’s scales are pealing.”
“And?”
“And, Buzzard had an even brighter idea that the water was too clean and decided to change that by taking a dip in our drinking water for his scales.”
Fragment’s face contorted with disgust. “Ew. Who’s the poor bug who drank it?”
“Me.”
Fragment nodded putting two and two together. “And being the big girl you are, you couldn’t let this accident slide.”
Proving what a big girl she was, Glass crossed her forelegs with a pout. “I didn’t hurt him that bad.”
Fragment raised a brow. “I’m pretty sure some of his teeth are still here.”
Despite his claim, Glass only snickered to herself. Fragment’s eyes did a twirl. All this time apart, and she hadn’t changed a bit. Though he didn’t expect much from her.
Glass’ gaze lingered on Shadow with suspicion before going back to Fragment. “Getting back on track, care to elaborate why you’re here?” Her eyes motioned toward the scout. “And with him of all changelings?”
Ignoring the hateful glare Shadow was shooting them, Fragment pointed Glass in Scatty’s direction. “Courier Scatty there has a message for you.”
The tinted eyed changeling blinked a few times before realizing whom her brother was referring too. Cocking her head to side as she turned to the changeling whom she was only now learning the name of.
“Courier? Is that your title?” she asked with a hint of awe over this revelation.
“Um, yes!” Scatty nodded with a slight smile. Sprinting over he stood before the large female as he gave her a humble half-bow. “Courier Scatty at your service.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah! Introductions and all that!” Shadow snarked, his patience waning over how long this inane conversation was taking. “Scatty! Message! Her! Now!”
Scatty blinked before grinning with embarrassment. With everything that’s happened he almost forgot why he was here in the first place. “Right, sorry. By order of--”
“By the Queen’s fangs!” Shadow screeched, startling Scatty in the process as he added, “You don’t have to repeat the message word for word!”
Shoving Scatty aside Shadow stepped in to give Glass the short version. “Straight to the point: The Queen’s asked for your assistance. Same as Mirage and me. She has something that requires our attention.”
Quickly picking himself up Scatty hovered over Shadow as he tried his best to stay in Glass’ vision. “It big. And important too.” He scratched his chin as he pondered if he had anything else to add. “Did Scatty mention big?”
Putting some space between herself and the two Glass scratched her chin in thought. “I see.”
A few questions entered her mind, but none of them she felt a need to voice. If that’s the demand, she would follow. Brushing Shadow and the hovering Scatty aside, Glass started to leave.
“I’ll head toward the castle when I’ve had a moment with my pack.” Her brow furrowed. “And after I tear their wings off.
She was just about to leave as she lifted off the ground, only to come to abrupt halt mid-flight. Looking over her shoulder she saw her tail pinned to the ground, and following the hoof she found Shadow as the culprit.
“They can wait,” he said, “I already made the mistake of letting Mirage go off on his own for his ‘errands.’ We’ve wasted too much time, and the Queen can’t be kept waiting.”
Despite how civil he tried to be with her, Shadow still got an icy stare down from Glass. While she couldn’t deny the scout’s words, Glass refused to land. That, and she really didn’t like the fact that someone was touching her tail. “Shouldn’t we at least inform Reflection on this matter? She has a right to know.”
“Scatty and others can’t,” the Courier added in, catching Glass off-guard as she and others turned to him. “Scatty tried, but couldn’t find nice leader. And colony large in numbers,” Scatty then recoiled, even shivering a little as he squeaked, “and big boss Queen short on patience.”
“Ergo,” Shadow harshly chided while pressing harder on her tail, “your problems can wait, so be a good girl and come down.”
Fragment angrily bared his teeth as he charged for Shadow. He looked like he was ready to add a new addition to Shadow’s scarred forehead, but right when he was about to make his move he abruptly came to a halt by a pair of hooves grabbing him. Looking from over his shoulder his eyes met with a fragile smile, and a pair of nervous eyes to complete the set.
“Scatty would prefer it if Fragment came along.” Whether the comment was for Fragment, or Shadow, it was hard to tell, but Fragment appreciated the gesture.
Instead of making a snide reply, witty comment, or any answer at all, Shadow simply remained glued to spot he abruptly stopped at. But then his body started to shake with anger before snapping in Scatty’s direction.
“Why?!” the scout raised his voice as he started marching toward the now frightened courier. “Why does he need to come? What possible reason do you have, for why he needs to even be here?”
Seeing his approach Scatty tensed up as he looked for some kind of cover. Leaping behind the closest thing near him he used Fragment’s body as his shield. Not flinching once during this Fragment held his position as an angered Shadow advanced. An advance that came to a complete stop when Glass stepped in, blocking his path between him and Fragment.
“As much as I enjoy a good fight, Shadow, this is one issue where words are the only weapon you’ll need with Courier Scatty.”
Despite his rage Shadow managed to force a chuckle. “Okay, stand aside and I’ll use them on the one fanged freak’s face!”
Glass’ eyes narrowed. “You’re close enough.”
The scout then snarled as he craned his head over Glass’ shoulder, looking in Scatty’s direction in fury. “Okay! Why does Fragment need to be here, Scatty?! Why do we even need to stay together?! Why couldn’t the Queen let us meet together at the castle after you--?!”
Glass snapped her glaring eyes on Shadow, staring daggers through him. Most of it was over the fact he still was touching her tail. Panning them over she soon trained them on Scatty, who immediately flinched when he saw her scathing eyes focus on him. His fear was for naught, however, when the anger from Glass’ glare dissolved as she shut them before releasing a sigh.
“Very well,” she crooned as she at last landed. Pulling her tail back she shoved Shadow aside as she rejoined with her brother and a wing flapping excited Scatty.
“Well then,” Shadow announced rubbing his hoofs together. “Now that everyone here has wasted enough time chit chatting perhaps we can get a move on?”
Motioning at Fragment, Shadow waved him off in a random direction, preferable one away from them. “Fragment your usefulness - whatever it was - has served its end. You may now take a flying leap off this cliff.”
Walking off the scout then waved Scatty and Glass to follow as he trotted off, wanting nothing more to get off this accursed rock and back onto ground level.
“Scatty, who’s left?”
Fragment angrily bared his teeth as he charged for Shadow. He looked like he was ready to add a new addition to Shadow’s scarred forehead, but right when he was about to make his move he abruptly came to a halt by a pair of hooves grabbing him. Looking from over his shoulder his eyes met with a weak, yet fragile smile, and a pair of nervous eyes to complete the set.
“Scatty would prefer it if Fragment came along.” Whether the comment was for Fragment, or Shadow, it was hard to tell, but Fragment appreciated the gesture.
Instead of making a snide reply, witty comment, or any answer at all, Shadow simply remained glued to spot he abruptly stopped at. But then his body started to shake with anger before snapping in Scatty’s direction.
“Why?!” the scout raised his voice as he started marching toward the now frightened courier. “Why does he need to come? What possible reason do you have, for why he needs to even be here?”
Seeing his approach Scatty tensed up as he looked for some kind of cover. Leaping behind the closest thing near him he used Fragment’s body as his shield. Not flinching once during this Fragment held his position as an angered Shadow advanced. An advance that came to a complete stop when Glass stepped in, blocking his path between him and Fragment.
“As much as I enjoy a good fight, Shadow, this is one issue where words are the only weapon you’ll need with Courier Scatty.”
Despite his rage Shadow managed to force a chuckle. “Okay, stand aside and I’ll use them on the one fanged freak’s face!”
Glass’ eyes narrowed. “You’re close enough.”
The scout then snarled as he craned his head over Glass’ shoulder, looking in Scatty’s direction in fury. “Okay! Why does Fragment need to be here, Scatty?! Why do we even need to stay together?! Why couldn’t the Queen let us meet together at the castle after you--?!”
Shadow’s rant came to a standstill as he gave that last sentence some thought. “Hey, that’s actually a good point,” he said out loud, sounding more intrigue than angered. “Why in tartarus is the Queen making us stay together like this?”
Glass and Fragment both exchanged a glance before they, too, were intrigued with Shadow’s question.
Before long, Scatty found his cover moving aside as all eyes trained on him, awaiting his answer. Brushing the side of his scaly head, Scatty fought back the sweat that threatened to pour out and expose his nervousness. “Well… Scatty never said it was the Queen who asked group to stay together--”
The Courier tensed up as the leering eyes on him grew closer. Glass looked at him with curiosity. Fragment looked agitated, but not completely upset. Shadow, however, looked ready to wring the puny changeling’s neck. Freezing up, Scatty raised his hoofs in motion for them to hear him out before anyone, mostly Shadow, did anything rash.
“Okay! Scatty admits the only reason everyone had to be together was because of Scatty. And the reason was because of whom Scatty had to visit last. Scatty knew he should have been honest,” averting their eyes he lowered his head in shame, “but Scatty was afraid to ask.”
Everyone listening exchanged quick glances before Glass finally asked the question that was on everyone’s minds. “Who’s the last one Scatty?”
Scatty’s eyes then shut tight, like an infant who was fearful of the punishment his guardian was about to give him. In a way having to go back to her place was a punishment. Even her name alone haunted him as he uttered it.
“Razor… Scout Changeling Razor Sharp.”
Shadow and Fragment both took a step back from the Courier as if he was contaminated with the plague. With the way they were staring at him with such horror in their eyes, he might as well have. Glass, however, didn’t look bothered at all. She only cocked her head to the side as she watched the two react.
“Her?!” Shadow exclaimed, trying to grasp what his Queen was thinking choosing to partner them with Razor. “Mirage, I understand. Me? Perfectly. But why in the pit does her Majesty want HER?”
“Yeah.” Fragment nodded anxiously. “As much as I hate to agree with Shadow, I can’t fathom why the Queen would ask for Razor of all others.”
Glass continued to look undisturbed. If anything she was more bewildered over the others reactions over a simple name. Shadow was babbling on over Razor in some a frantic rant. Fragment rubbed his blank cranium of a head as he tried making sense of the situation.
Yet Scatty was the strangest of all. Not because he was crying, screaming, or even sweating. But because he wasn’t doing any of those things. He made no noise. No movement. Scatty remained eerily calm. He just sat there silently as he watched the others. No, Scatty didn’t look fearful like the others. He looked more... disturbed.
Now Glass was almost hesitant to ask them who this changeling was. Not because she was frightened, but because she knew she would have to bear the others frantic reactions. “Just who is Razor?”
A pause came before Shadow answered first. “Have you been patrolling with your head up in the clouds woman?!” In the loudest most obnoxious way possible.
Glass’ wings sprang in alarm over his response, but quickly lowered as she shot him a loathsome look. “I’m not the Queen. I can’t be expected to know every last changeling in this colony. Unless they’re in my pack, my family, or my leaders, I have no knowledge of them.”
“If you knew Razor, you would know why you don’t see her,” Fragment answered.
Ignoring Glass’ ignorance Shadow focused back on the Courier. “Well you can forget it Scatty. I ain’t going anywhere near her.” His body shivered. “That witch gives me the creeps.”
“Scatty knows that.” The Courier coyly answered. “And that’s why,” the changeling then grabbed Shadow by the shoulders, shaking him in a frenzy, “Scatty no want to go alone!”
With Mirage gone, the scared Courier hoped Fragment coming along would help even out their loss. He also hoped, however, to share his true intentions when they were already there.
“Relax Courier.” Shadow said as he pushed Scatty off him. “If you think she’s gonna try anything, just remind her of the golden rule, and you’ll be fine.”
Scatty’s head curved in puzzlement. “The golden rule?” He didn’t know there was a rule. Why didn’t anyone ever tell him there was a rule?
Shadow gave a smirk before answering, “Don’t kill the messenger.”
Gulp! That was all Scatty had to say to that. Sure he was scared when he had to deal with Glass earlier, but at least with Glass he knew he would’ve lived. With Razor it’s hard for Scatty to tell if he’ll leave with his limbs in all the right places.
Scatty turned to the ground as he thought for a second. Shadow was out. However…
“Fragment?” He turned toward the changeling as he leaned in putting on his most needy smile he could give.
Fragment stepped away as he averted Scatty’s gaze, all the while scratching the back of his neck in an awkward fashion. “If you recall I wasn’t ‘wished’ for on this task of the Queen. This never really concerned me.”
Hanging his head in defeat Scatty sat the ground in slump as he gave a labored sigh. He wasn’t even going to waste his time with Glass. The discouraged Courier wasn’t up for hearing more rejection.
Inside he was practically kicking himself over not getting Reflection sooner. She would’ve been more accepting. Yet without full knowledge of her location, it could’ve taken hours before he found her. And even then he still would’ve had to round up the others. Hence the reason he instead fell back on the tactic of keeping the others in the dark.
At least this way he would’ve… How did that saying go? Swat two phoenixes with one rock? Something along those lines.
It didn’t matter now. Razor was the last one he had to see. And like it or not, he had to face her alone. Like always. He explained his reasons, fell at their mercy, and they declined. They were either too scared, or just didn’t care, but Scatty knew it was the ladder.
No one cared. He was just a broken, defective, changeling.
“I’ll go with him.”
And just like a phoenix rising from its ashes Scatty’s head snapped toward the single changeling who’s shown him any kindness today. Lifting off the ground his wings flapped with excitement as his frown was soon upside down.
While his silence was from being at a loss for words, the others were just in shock. Despite the reactions she received Glass kept herself collected and stoic.
The first one to speak was Shadow whom with shake of his head scoffed at her. “Its your cremation.” Fragment, however, looked at her with concern.
“Are you sure this is what you want? You’re tough sister, but Razor…” the sibling repressed a shudder, “something’s not right with her.”
Despite their claims Glass continued to keep herself composed. “I have yet to meet Razor. To me she is nothing but a name the three of you have expressed fear over, and nothing more. I’ll weigh her actions over your words.”
Shadow grinned. “I’ll be sure to quote you at your interment.”
Glass repaid the scout with a scowl. Their words meant nothing to her. She was going. However, she wasn’t leaving Shadow alone.
Erasing her scowl she strutted past the two and stood beside Scatty. “Fragment, escort Shadow to the castle. After that keep an eye on him until we arrive.”
“What?!” Shadow shrieked.
“You heard me,” Glass snapped at him. “While I’m with Courier Scatty, you’re going to wait at the castle for us.” Her eyes narrowed as she continued. “Until all of us are there, no one is going in that castle. Got it?”
“HMPH!” Shadow grunted crossing his forelegs in a childlike manner. He was about to make a chastising remark, but stopped himself when he noticed a looming shadow approaching. Looking up he saw Glass hovering over him.
“I said…” She leaned in until her face was just inches from his. “Got it?”
Shadow opened his mouth to respond, only to immediately close it afterward. Turning his gaze away he muttered something under his breath before storming off with a snarl.
Taking that as his cue to exit Fragment gave Scatty a short nod farewell, one that he replied with a wave goodbye. As for his sister, whose eyes were still focused on Shadow’s direction, he made no such gesture as he glumly followed after the scout.
“Fragment,” Glass called without so much as looking at him, but Fragment still gave her his attention. There was a short beat of silence before her eye’s moved toward him. “It was… pleasant, seeing you again.”
Her brother only returned her words with a short nod. “Good luck.”
With all said and done Fragment galloped off after the scout, not knowing that his sister’s eyes lingered on him until the two flew off. When she turned around she was bit taken aback when she saw a grinning Scatty floating up to her face, his tail wagging in rhythm with his wings.
“Scatty…” he uttered, sounding at a loss. “Grateful to Glass.”
Despite his strange behavior Glass gingerly nodded. “Think nothing of it. Consider it my way of apologizing for my packs crude behavior.” Her eyes then darted toward the sky as she checked the position of the moon for the time. “We better hurry.”
Walking a few steps ahead she gestured for him to lead on. “You have point.”
“Yes ma’am!” Still in midair Scatty’s posture straightened in attention as he tried to give his best serious face. “Nice Glass and Scatty have no time to spare. Its almost feeding time for Razor Pets.”
Waving her to follow the courier zoomed off. Glass was about ready to follow until she paused over his vague statement.
“Razor Pets?”
By now Courier Scatty was too far for him to hear her. Deciding to save her question for another time, Glass extended her wings and flew after the courier.
Their travel had taken them far from the noise of the colony. Wherever they were, it was near the outer limits of the colony’s reach. They were close enough that Chrysalis’ castle could be seen from afar, but far enough that there was little to no sign of life in the area. It was so quiet that even the sound of a small rock rolling with a gust of wind could be heard.
Why anyone would want to live in such a secluded place was beyond Glass. While it wasn’t enough to confirm the others’ claims about Razor, she still was going to keep alert. Landing alongside his new shapeshifting companion, Scatty lead her toward a burrow in the dirt, hidden just under the shadow of two large overlapping boulders. It was big enough to fit changelings of their sizes.
“Glass follow,” Scatty said before jumping in. A small thud followed, reassuring Glass he landed safely. She jumped in next, landing right beside Scatty.
With no cracks or gems to generate or reflect florescent light, the cavern was nearly pitch black. Any creature unfortunate enough to stumble into such a place would be rendered almost blind, but being a changeling, Glass’ senses aided her in adapting to the darkness.
“Be… be careful,” Scatty warned. “When find Razor, no touch a thing, and watch out for pets.”
“These ‘pets’ she keeps,” Glass inquired, “just how many should I be on the lookout for?”
Scratching his head, Scatty lifted his hoof and started muttering as he racked his brain to try and count. A few seconds of this went by until he bashfully asked, “Um, how many stomachs do we have?”
Glass shot him a confused look before answering, “Two Scatty. The average changeling usually has two.”
“Two! That’s the number,” he chirped proudly. Though how proving he couldn’t count or understand basic changeling biology was something to be proud over, Glass failed to understand, but she didn’t push the issue.
“Come on,” she said walking ahead, Scatty following right after.
The passage before them was tight and narrow. There was just enough room for them to walk side by side without scraping against the jagged edges of the rock. Passing the time as they continued, Glass started examining the walls. They looked molded and carved. It was clear the cave was shaped from changeling craft, but not drone-made, it seemed. They valued their work and endeavored to meet a quality with their craft. This cave had ‘amateur designer’ written all over it.
Loose and jagged rock remains stuck out in obscure locations, and despite her vision, the darkness in the cave still made avoiding the sharp rocks on their path required a bit of effort for her to notice. And as for the ground, it was positively fifthly! Each step she took, a ‘Crunch’ sound followed accordingly. Whether it was from discarded scales or food remains, Glass didn’t know, nor did she want to.
A faint glow from ahead singled their long passage of darkness was coming to an end. After just a few steps they had finally found their way into a wide cave, and what Glass saw took her breath away. On one side of the cave there looked what seemed like a makeshift bed comprised of nothing but leafs, in the corner on the other side was a large amount of sand, and in the center was a small crater with a shallow pool of clear water, surrounded by a arrange of several torches lit with an emerald flame. Yet none of that even compared to what caught Glass’ eye. In fact, she failed to even notice any of this. What caught her eye was what hung from the ceiling.
Dangling a few feet over their heads from what looked to be lines of web, was transparent like objects of different shapes and sizes, shimmering from the glow of the fires below them. The whole top was littered with the strange objects, with each one crafted into a unique form. Some were of different animals, stars, plants, and others were of bizarre almost alien shapes and forms. Glass felt like she was in a mine full of diamonds.
“What are all these?” she asked in marvel.
“Glass.”
“Yes?”
Scatty shook his head. “No not nice Glass the changeling, shiny objects are glass,” the courier corrected her as he entered. “Razor changeling makes them.”
“Oh.” Glass uttered, silently cursing herself for making such a poor misjudgment. Shrugging off her anger she continued to marvel at the objects around her. “For what purpose?”
“Queen likes getting them. Razor likes making them. They both think they pretty.”
“And because of that she got her own cave huh?” Despite the dazzling feelings the objects gave her, the feelings died out as quickly as they had came. They were lovely, Glass couldn’t deny that, but other than acting as distractions such items served no purpose in her world. “Pretty as they are, I fail to see how this is supposed to be the dwelling of a disturbing--”
Walking only a few inches in Glass already managed to bang her head into something. Given that she was at least a foot taller than her courier companion, watching where she was walking was going to be a requirement on her part. This is one of the reasons she hated being underground. Thankfully whatever she hit wasn’t one of the sharp looking trinkets. This one actually kind of felt... soft? Leaning in Glass got a good look at what hit her.
Something else was hanging from the ceiling, but it wasn’t another glass item. Its fur was a dark brown, its body was hidden within its wide leather wings, its face resembled that of the rat, but its ears and shimmering fangs gave away its true affiliation: Bat.
The disoriented creature’s eyes fluttered opened revealing a pair of dark orbs gazing back at her. Descending from the ceiling the bat fluttered in the air for a bit before landing on ground a few feet from her, causing Glass to back away. Not in fear, but more with caution. This caused her to unknowingly bump into Scatty, who up till this point was quietly monitoring the bat’s movements. Silent movements to be accurate, because the curious creature hadn’t made a single shriek, squeak, or any other nose affiliate with a bat. Getting a better look at the bat Glass was able to narrow out it wasn’t of the species that ensnared unsuspecting victims into their ranks through its bite.
“Am I to assume this is one of Razor’s pets?” she asked.
“Yes. Let Scatty handle.” Brushing past Glass, Scatty approached the still bat with a smile and presence of how one would address a small child, though the tension in his voice was clear. “H-Hi Stalker, has little bat pet been good?”
The creature didn’t move or even fidget. It just stood there as its eyes continued to linger in their direction. Continuing his friendly presence Scatty tried again. “Scatty and nice Glass looking for Razor, has Stalker seen her?”
Again, the creature refused to acknowledge him. What Scatty was hoping the bat to answer with Glass couldn’t fathom, but the more she watched the creature before them stare, the more unsettled she felt.
Feeling like this conversation was leading nowhere, and thinking the bat wasn’t going to give them trouble, Scatty started to casually maneuver around the bat. “Okay… Scatty will just go ahead and--”
The sound of a feral growl stopped Scatty in his tracks. Only the growl didn’t come from the bat.
Before Glass knew what was happening she was immediately pounced by a timberwolf as it pinned her. While it wasn’t attacking her the wolf’s strong paws kept her hooves pinned to the ground, and the weight of the creature made it a fight for as she tried to get up.
During her struggle Glass caught sight of a second timberwolf walking past her, and heading straight for Scatty.
“Hi Splinter. Has wood wolf been good too?” he asked as he was backed into a corner by the wolf and bat.
Gaining the upper hoof Glass was able to push the other timberwolf off her in time to roll on her back, but before she could get any further the wolf was right back on her, this time timing pinning all four of legs. From her position Glass could see Scatty was still in danger. She had to finish this fight quickly if she was going to help him with the other two.
And it was then that Glass felt her brain shut down. “Wait a minute.”
She counted at least three animals. Now Glass never considered herself as the sharpest tooth in the mouth of the colony, but she was bright enough to know that there was one pet too many.
Her eyes drew to the extra timberwolf that was pinning her. Its face was hovering over hers, staring straight into her eyes. Its lips then curled back as it gave a sneer.
“Razor I presume?”
The wolf started making a series of grunt sounds that could only be described as laughter while its body was soon enveloped by emerald flames. The grunting laughter turned into giggling as a lively and sultry voice answered, “My apologies, I simply couldn’t resist! It’s been so long since I last had visitors!”
Soon the body of the timberwolf vanished with the flames, and in its place was a laughing changeling. She looked to be around the same height as Scatty, basically around the same size as any other regular changeling, though her form was different. Her legs were more slender, matched only by her slim body, her two front fangs were curved, and her eyes had a small hint of tint green in them. However, the biggest abnormal feature had to be her right eye. Surrounding it was a pale white burn mark, which gave off the impression that there was a white spot over her eye.
Finally managing to control her laughing fit, Razor leaned as she asked, “Did I scare you?”
Glass shot her a wary look. “Surprise maybe, but I don’t feel fear. Now make your… pets, release him.”
Almost forgetting about the other changeling in the room Razor sighted poor Scatty hunched in a corner as the two creatures converged on him. However, they soon desisted when they heard the cry of their mistress.
“Splinter! Stalker! Stop playing with your food!”
While that wasn’t the answer Glass expected to hear, it did the job as the beasts followed her command and backed off. Scatty took this moment to catch his breath, and yet despite everything he knew the worst was yet to come.
Climbing off of Glass, Razor took a second to get a look at the other changeling here. And as soon as she saw who it was, she paused like she saw a ghost.
“Wait a moment. Is that…?” Pushing past her pets Razor moved in to get a better view of her second guest. “Scatty?” she asked taking a step forward with a brow arched of interest, “Courier Scatty?”
Freezing at attention Scatty nervously waved back, trying his best to look a little happy to see her. “Um, hi Razor.”
A smile then crossed Razor’s mouth as she approached him with a strut in her movement. Glass wanted to follow but was blocked off by Razor’s pets. It looked like the beasts weren’t too keen on letting the supposed intruder near their mistress.
Scatty silently inhaled when Razor was just inches from his face. He pressed his body as far back into the wall as he could, his body shivering as if the room temperature fell below zero degrees.
“Scatty,” Razor asked casually, “Do you remember what I told you I do if you ever came here again? Hmm…?” She rested her hoof on his sensitive cheek, gently sliding down as a bead of sweat soon followed it.
“Um…” Scatty stuttered not sure how to answer. Seeing Scatty’s failing nerves Glass knew it was time to jump in, but she was too late as Razor had already beaten her to the punch. And what had followed next she could never have foreseen coming.
“Come here you!”
Razor hugged him, laughing with what could only be described as a manic giggle. “It’s been so long! It hasn’t been the same since you were away.” She gave him a little squeeze as she giggled again. “I think my pets missed you most of all!”
Scatty looked just about as confused as Glass was. Though she wasn’t hurting him Glass kept on guard for whatever the strange insect may do next.
“Your shivering, Scatty. Whatever for?” Finally ending the hug Razor released Scatty, but still remained in his personal space as she awaited his answer with smile of content.
“Scatty,” he scratched his head not sure how to put this, “wasn’t expecting Razor to be so… affectionate. Especially after what happened last time.”
Razor gave a look of fake hurt as she released a faux gasp. “Dear Scatty! I was merely joking. Whatever gave you the impression otherwise?”
“You said and Scatty quotes, ‘if you come back again I’ll squeeze the life out of you.’ That doesn’t sound like joking to Scatty.”
There was a beat of silence before Razor broke it with a laugh. “Semantics. And to be fair,” she wagged her hoof and spoke in a fashion a parent would to a child, “you did provoke me.”
“Scatty said he was sorry.”
“And you're forgiven, that’s just the kind of girl I am.” Her smile never leaving her face she grabbed Scatty and started pushing him towards the other female in the room. “Now don’t keep me in suspense, tell me who your new companion is.”
Looking more then happy to change the subject Scatty happily answer, “This is Glass.”
Glass was about to respond until she froze as she felt Razor’s eyes lingered on her, scanning her from top to bottom, the changeling’s once full and beaming smile gone. The look she was giving her made Glass feel, to say the least, weird. Its not like changelings in the past haven’t looked at her out before, but the look in Razor’s eye made it seem like she wasn’t looking at a her to get a better view, more like she was studying her.
As quickly as it left, her smile came back in full. “A strong name for a strong looking specimen.”
Specimen… Not a word Glass ever heard someone refer her as.
“Well then, do allow me to introduce myself.” The beaming insect gave a humble bow. “Razor Sharp at your service. Love the eyes by the way my dear it complements the length of your wings.”
Glass’ eyes fell to her wings, having no idea how to even respond to that.
After a minute of no response, Razor continued. “I don’t recognize you from the drab up top. Underground work?”
Glass scoffed waving a hoof. “Detest the underground. Sky patrol.”
Razor raised a brow, her smile falling a bit, but she continued to remain coy as she asked, “And just what pray tell is wrong with the underground?”
“Nothing,” Glass answered, crossing her forelegs. “If you like playing in the dirt all day.”
Glass could’ve sworn she saw the side of Razor’s eye and smile twitch, yet she showed no signs of anger. She just kept her smile as she playfully replied, “I guess your right. Flying around all day with your head in the clouds must be such a challenge.”
Now it was Glass who showed some twitching, only she didn’t try and hide her anger.
Razor didn’t show the slightest sign of fear as Glass stared at her with eyes of growing malice. If anything she looked like she was enjoying provoking her. “Tell me, how many clouds did you see? Assuming that you can count?”
“Are you calling me dumb?” Glass leaned in as her eyes locked onto Razor’s. Despite the fact that Glass towered over her by at least a foot, Razor continued smiling.
“Well, judging from such a prime form your body accommodates, I can only estimate that some features had to compensate for others in order to meet the criteria your skills in combat facilitate.”
“…” Whatever that meant threw right over Glass’ head as her face went blank, but only for a second as her anger returned in full. “What does that even mean?” she asked trying to mask her confusion with bitterness.
Now it was Razor’s face that went blank, only she now looked bored by their conversation. Leaning to the right toward the Courier she casually remarked, “Scatty, she’s a keeper. Don’t let her go.”
Okay that tore it. And speaking of tearing...
“That’s it!” Lifting off the ground Glass was ready for a fight. “I’m gonna--!”
It was then the bat and wolf leaped in front of their mistress, eyes full of rage as they snarled while guarding Razor. With a smile of mirth Razor waggled her hoof in teasing manner. “Tut, tut, tut, you should watch that anger.” Looking up at Glass her smile turned into a smug sneer filled with nothing but pleasure as she commented, “It could be hazardous to your health.”
Looking down she directed Glass’ attention toward Scatty, whom was still grounded, and feeling a little exposed being the one facing the three terrors. “Or those around you.”
Her threats were about as subtle as her humor. As much as she wanted this, Glass had no intention of letting another suffer for her battles. With sigh of defeat she backed done, returning to the floor.
“That’s a good soldier.” With a simple wave of her hoof Razor’s pets dispersed.
Before following her animals Razor shot Glass one quick smug look. “Honestly, the leaders up top must learn to keep tighter leashes on their minions.”
Despite her best efforts to hold it in, a hiss of irritation still escaped her. Glass hadn’t known this Razor more than a minute, and already she wanted nothing more than to drive her face through one of her little trinkets. The pointiest one. Razor could hide behind her pets all she wanted, cowards like her only get so far.
The bigger changeling was pulled from her inner thoughts of smashing faces with glass as Scatty rested a comforting hoof on her shoulder. The smile he gave her was as calming as his words. “Thanks for being here. We’ll leave soon, Scatty promises.”
With nothing but an empty look and a nod she headed toward the wall by the exit. “I’ll hold you to it.”
With a nod in return Scatty followed Razor as she walked towards the small crater of water. Seating herself before it she used her magic to heat the liquid as Scatty watched the bubbles coming up.
“So, to what do I owe this unexpected yet slightly welcomed intrusion?” Razor asked. “Is little Reflection trying to spy on me? Is the Queen ready for her next offering? Or,” she leaned over, resting her head on Scatty’s neck in an almost affection manner as she pouted her lips, “did you just wanna come see little old me Scatty?”
“N-no!” Scatty jumped. “Scatty here because--”
Razor then silenced him with a simple gesture of her hoof. “Well then it can wait then, I have work to do.” On those words she clapped her hoofs and without so much as an order Splinter ran outside to fetch something.
As she watched the wolf run on by Glass remembered a question that had been lingering in the back of her head since they got here. “What exactly is your work?”
“I do science,” Razor answered matter-of-factly.
Before Glass could offer her retort, Splinter dashed back in with what looked to be some kind of round cylinder jar in its jaws. Slowing at a pace the wolf walked up to Razor as it dropped it into her hoofs.
Glass squinted on an eye at the scene, but ignored it as she pressed her previous question. “Could you be specific?”
Razor sighed agitatedly. “Very well, I’ll put this in words that even Scatty can understand. Science my dear, is about asking a question, and getting an answer. Which is what I’m doing right now.” Holding up the jar into view she directed all eyes toward the little trapped scorpion inside.
“Like for instance, what would happen if I used snake venom to clean a burn? Where do scorpions make their poison? What do the insides of that creature look like? What would happen if I set this unspecific animal aflame?”
A gulp escaped the quiet courier.
Bringing the jar up to her face Razor stared at the small-trapped creature with a sinister smile. Enjoying every moment as it tried to force its way out of its clear prism, all to no avail. “In other words, whatever catches my fancy. And if I’m not doing that, I spend my free time making whatever I can into glass.”
Turning the jar over with her magic she started shaking the back on of the container to force the creature out. “The Queen gives me and my assistants our privacy, and in return I give her a new trinket once a month.”
“And you make it with just sand?”
At last Razor managed to yank the incursive arachnid from his hold. It dangled before eyes as she held it by the tail with her magic.
“Sand is all I need. I’m already a living furnace.” To prove her point Razor’s horn erupted with a small burst of a fire.
Okay, her curiosity over this degenerates work was slated, it was time to address the Ursa Major in the room. Or the scorpion in this context.
“What are you going to do with that?” Glass asked.
The frazzled arachnid swayed from side to side before Razor eyes as she watched its futile attempts to escape. “I wanna test the resistance of scorpion scales.”
“How?”
The smile Razor gave Glass looked as sweet as her answer. “I’m going to drop it into searing hot water of course.”
Distracted for only a second the captured scorpion made one final attempt for freedom. While Razor made sure to keep its tail out of reach, she neglected to mine its claws. In the last second before she could drop it, the arachnid snapped at the first chance it got, grabbing at the closes thing to it: Her nose.
Razor cried in pain as she grabbed her snout. The action caused her to lose focus of her magic and in return set her test subject free. Landed legs first, the little critter scurried off to the exit like its tail was on fire.
Still grasping her aching muzzle she turned to Scatty. “Don’t just stand there!” she cried. “Stop it!”
“Um… okay,” he tentatively answered before heading to the cave entrance. However, before he could block off the exit for the scorpion’s escape, Glass intervened.
Throwing her foreleg around his neck she pulled him into her chest where she held him in place. She wasn’t hurting him, but it looked tight enough that he clearly wasn’t going anywhere, not that Scatty looked like he was even trying to resist. He just sat there looking awkward while Glass, oblivious to his discomfort, stared a hole through Razor.
“He is not your assistant. Neither am I. You wanna mistreat animals? Do it yourself.” With no one to stop it the little scorpion scurried out of the cave toward freedom. Razor did not take this in kind.
“You overgrown--!” she didn’t finish since every second she wasted talking to these peons, the scorpion was getting further and further away.
“Splinter! Fetch!” Razor gave chase into the cave with her pet wolf not to far behind.
Releasing her hold on Scatty, Glass’ eyes lingered where the two left. “What a witch. I think I finally understand your reasons for not liking her.”
Checking his neck for bruises, Scatty seemed none the worse for wear. “To be honest, Scatty thinks he and nice Glass caught Razor on good day.”
Glass lifted a brow as she looked at him. “What do you consider a bad day?”
Before Scatty could answer the sound of approaching hoofsteps stopped him. And judging from the sound of the pace they were making, Razor wasn’t in any mood to hurry.
The wolf was the first to enter, its head was hanging low in shame, and no scorpion was in sight. The bat seeing this flew to a different side of the cave, looking to get as far from the reckoning that was sure to follow.
Razor was the last to enter. Her perky attitude was gone. Replaced now with a bitter scowl, matched only by her harsh and edgy tone.
“Splinter…” she said softly. “Do you have even an inkling, an inkling, of how much time I spent trying to locate that specimen?”
The timberwolf gave no gesture of a response. Judging from how its eyes were shut it was too scared to give any sort of answer, so Razor continued.
“Honestly, what good is having you as an assistant if you can’t do something as simple as stopping one, small, bug, from escaping?!” With each word she leaned in closer until her eyes were aligned with the frightened wolf. Her teeth were grinding so hard in anger it looked almost like little traces of bone were falling out of them.
And then out of nowhere, as if her personality did a flip turn, all traces of anger left her face, and her perky smile returned. “Aw, I can’t stay mad at you. Come here.” Extending her forelegs she caressed the wolf’s face in her hooves as she lovingly rested her forehead on it.
Glass looked just about as confused by her behavior as the timberwolf did. However, it soon returned her affection as it leaned into her.
Glass could only blink at the scene. Scatty, however, showed no confusion, because he knew what was coming.
Recalling her hoof Razor suddenly smacked the wolf so hard its head went clean off its body and flew to the other side of the room.
“Now then,” she commented as she dusted her hoofs of any sap from its body, “hopefully you’ll learn from your mistakes. Am I correct?”
Despite being headless, the body of the wooden wolf still shook its neck in answer.
“Good. Now go get your head.”
The timberwolf complied and trotted off to find its head while Glass watched in stunned silence. Razor’s behavior toward outsiders, and test subjects she might’ve understand, but her own pets? And Glass’ own pack had the audacity to call her mean?
Wiping some sweat from her brow Razor breathed a heavy sigh. It was so unfair, all she wanted to do was drop a living creature into a vat of searing hot water for the purpose of scientific study, and maybe a bit for her own pleasure. Was that so wrong? She needed something, anything, to get her mind off it.
A grin crossed her features. And she knew just the thing.
“Stalker…” she cooed, causing the bat to flinch where it stood. She then pouted her lips while showing off her sad eyes. “Mommy’s feeling a little down. Could you come here give her one of your sweet hugs?”
Beckoning the creature with open forelegs the bat, showing some hesitancy, heeded her call and threw its wings around her neck, nuzzling its face under her chin as she rested her head on it. The whole scene was almost touching in a way.
That is until Razor started drinking in its love. Literally.
Glass simply watched the whole thing. With how she treated the timberwolf she wasn’t surprised by this. If anything she was half sure she found the real reason Razor kept her pets around.
“Ah…” Razor exhaled. “Delicious.” Having fed enough she released the bat from her embrace as it body rested in her hoofs, dizzy from its experience.
She gave it a small smile before her eyes darted to her silent guests. Her gaze then fall back on Stalker before she gave an audible gasp. “Oh, where are my manners?”
Trotting up to them she shoved her pet into their faces as an offering. “Help yourself, she said with a smile. “Just leave enough so he’ll live. Mommy wouldn’t want to part with her lovely so soon.” Despite still looking out of it, the bat still managed to force a hiss of warning to the two.
Both changelings exchanged a look of discomfort, before backing away from the possibly rabid beast.
“Scatty’s fine.”
“I… already ate.” It was a lie. Glass felt like she could eat a pony, hooves and all. Yet even if she was dying of hunger, she wasn’t going anywhere near that thing.
“Suit yourselves.” Releasing her pet Razor watched as it fluttered away, swaying a little as flew.
“Well, seeing as my experiment’s a bust, perhaps now you can explain your reasons for being here? I assume you didn’t just come here just to see little old me work?”
After a short time delivering the Queen’s message and explaining their reasons for delay, Razor took a few moments for contemplation as she paced around her domain with a hoof to her chin.
Finally she stopped, turned toward Scatty, and then clapped her hooves giving a squeal of joy. “Sounds like it’ll be fun. And it’ll be a delight to see Mirage again.” Her smile fell a bit. “Shadow, not so much.”
She gave small bow for excusal. “Just give me one moment.”
Her brow furrowed as she barked, “Splinter! Stalker! Go out and fetch me a new specimen! If I get back and you haven’t found one, you’ll be looking for your heads in an ant hill!”
After managing to recover from their previous experience from their mistress, the two wasted no time as they galloped off.
She waved them off with a smile. “Be safe, darlings! Mommy looks forward to what you find her!”
Turning towards Scatty and Glass, she waved them to follow. “Come then, we don’t want to keep our Queen waiting.”
Razor Trotted off with a cheery hum to her tune. Glass and Scatty followed from behind, deciding to keep their distance from the clearly disturbed changeling.
“Well,” Scatty said with a breath of relief, “Scatty thinks that went okay.”
Glass was pretty sure her brain just short-circuited. She looked at the little changeling like he just went crazier than Razor. “You think what happened back there was okay?”
His face fell flat as he shot her a dull look. It was the first time he ever showed any lack of emotion other than joy or fear. “Last time Scatty came here, Scatty left with his flank singed and both wings tied through the holes in his legs.”
Well that shut her up, but now she was kind of curious. “Just what in Tartarus happened last time you were here?”
“Scatty may have tripped and broke a few of Razor’s trinkets.”
“How many is a few?”
“… A lot?