CHAPTER 2:
Cruel Lies
"That's the Tree, Sir."
Wildfyre sunk lower into the water, only her eyes and horns poking through
the murky surface. More COMbots approached her tree. She was beginning
to get nervous--there had NEVER been that many COMbots present at her tree
before. But then again, they hadn't tried to _touch_ it before, either.
The hissing remains of the skewered COMbot that had touched her tree lay
on the ground. A large hole had been drilled through its chest armor, and
the acid venom was melting the surrounding metal. It sparked and popped
as the other bots examined it. The Fire Tree stood stately and majestic,
unaware of the impending danger. It was massive, a good thirty feet in
diameter at the base; its leaves shimmered with reds, oranges and yellows,
like a glowing flame.
Wildfyre held her serpent amulet to her chest. If her tree were destroyed,
the few small seeds inside the amulet would allow her to grow another,
and to survive. She couldn't be away from her tree long, or she would die--it
was a part of her soul. A rumbling thunder sent ripples through the cool
muddy waters of Wildfyre's waterhole. She turned her gaze towards the sound
and nearly dove under the surface in shock.
"A Fire Tree. I thought I'de had all of those things cut down! Well, get
the cutting lasers. We'll soon remedy the situation." CrocBot's metal jaws
closed in a derisive sneer. He folded the arms of his upper body as his
tank body rumbled towards the tree, running over rare flowers and crushing
small animals and insects gleefully under his treds. He had about as much
respect for nature as his creator did. His baleful red optics scanned the
area, searching for something....
"Did you find the Water Guardian that lives in this tree?"
Wildfyre swallowed nervously, and kept hidden under the cover of a thickly
leaved bush that hung over the edge of the water.
"Negative, Sir. The Kaxta was not found," the COMbot spouted mechanically.
"The creature will not have gone far--after all, this tree is a part of
its life source," CrocBot stated, still scanning. He smiled. "I think I
know how to draw it out..."
CrocBot aimed his laser turret at the trunk of the tree and fired, scoring
a large sap-oozing gash in the tree's trunk. Wildfyre gave a stifled cry
of pain--which CrocBot picked up instantly.
"There, under that bush! In the water!" Wildfyre panicked. She reared herself
up out of the water, her cobra hood spreading as she hissed malevolently,
her gold-flecked eyes turning a deep shade of glowing red. Her pupils narrowed
into slits as she quickly struck at a COMbot, her fangs piericing its metal
skin and delivering acid venom which began to melt the inner workings of
the robot. She tossed the bot in her mouth into the water and spat venom
at CrocBot. It hit the front of his tank body, and began to eat away at
the armor.
"DESTROY THE TREE!" CrocBot snarled in rage. The COMbots focused their
cutting lasers on the tree and started to slice through the bark of the
trunk.
"NNNOOO!" Wildfyre cried in pain, launching herself at CrocBot in desperation.
CrocBot laughed and easily caught Wildfyre off guard in mid-air with a
blow to her stomach. She landed hard on the front of his tank body, gasping
for air. CrocBot reached down and grabbed her by her right arm, hauling
her up to his face for a good look.
Wildfyre was an anthropomorphic cobra, a female. She was twelve feet from
nose to tail, with eight feet of her length from her hips down. Her scales
were a dark forest green, with mint green belly scutes. Upwards of her
narrow waist was a humanoid torso, with two four-fingered hand on each
arm, and oddly enough, two mammalian breasts attached to her front. Her
head was rounded, but still had a wide serpentine mouth, complete with
long milky white fangs. Her hood had shrunken now, folding down against
her graceful neck. Two small horns, each a glowing orange, could be seen
on either side of her forehead. Her eyes, dialated with fear, were a pale
gold, denoting uneasiness or illness. In the hollow of her throat was a
black outlined tatoo of a fire, that matched her eyes and horns in color.
A small brass serpent coiled around a stake hung from a black cord around
her neck between her breasts.
The Fire Tree groaned and heaved as it fell with a sickening thud, taking
several smaller trees with it. Before the COMbots could touch it, it burst
into flames, burning at rapid rate into ash. Wildfyre let out a scream
of pain and rage, her body growing limp and weak in CrocBot's metal clutches.
CrocBot scanned her body. "Amazing...she's not dead..." he mused. He noticed
the amulet. "This must be your source of life away from the Tree...very
smart of you, Kaxta."
Wildfyre merely gazed up at him, unable to speak, dazed and in shock.
"I'll make something useful of you yet," he smiled wickedly.
****
Wildfyre lashed her tail tip angrily against the metal floor of the prison
cell, fussing and tugging at her chains and muzzle. The large metal band
around her waist, chaining her to the wall she could forgive...but the
muzzle was pure barbarism!
The sounds of metal footsteps echoed in the hallway. Wildfyre stilled herself,
concentrating. Her body began to change as she assumed her second form.
Her scales turned into soft grizzled silvery grey fur, her tail split and
turned into shapely legs, each black striped on the outsides, running up
to her hips and back; her hood turned into long silvery hair, silky and
slightly wavy. Her jaws softened and got smaller, and the muzzle fell from
her face. Her red lips parted to let out a soft exhale of relief as she
stretched. Her arms were still bound, and so was her waist, but that could
be dealt with now that that _DEVICE_ was off her mouth!
"So Kaxta CAN change forms," a familar voice synthed. Wildfyre spun around
and faced CrocBot once more. CrocBot had also undergone a change. His tank
body had been replaced by two normal legs and a massive, powerful tail.
He noticed her amazement and quipped, "It gets hard to walk around in a
base with a tank stuck to your hips." His eyes flared a bright red. "Walking...and
other things..."
Wildfyre's eyes changed to a warning red-gold. She picked up the muzzle
and threw it at him; it merely bounced harmlessly off his chest. "You keep
your metal paws off me! I've had enough of your hospitality for one lifetime!"
"Oh come now, you're nothing more than a nymph with a few cheap parlor
tricks. And everyone knows nymphs are only good for one thing," CrocBot
sneered derisively as he entered the cell, locking the door behind him.
"Give me a break! You're a robot--nothing more than a few pieces of metal
that can walk and talk!" Wildfyre spat. "Like you could even HOPE to accomplish
what you're implying!"
CrocBot grabbed her by the hair and pulled her over to him. "Never underestimate
your enemies. That's a good way to get killed," he said, his voice low
and hushed. "What I am 'implying' is the only thing that spared your life.
I could have snapped your neck instead of giving you that little love pat
to the stomach." He took hold of her jaw and forcibly raised her eyes to
his. "You'de better be nice to me, lest my interest in you wanes."
Wildfyre spat in his face. It wasn't as dangerous as it would have been
in her cobra form, but the message came through loud and clear. CrocBot
snarled and tossed her into the wall. She landed hard and her head felt
terribly light as she sunk to the ground. CrocBot drew a small odd-looking
pistol from his belt and shot Wildfyre's arm. The flesh began to change
and transmute into circuitry; in seconds her arm was totally robotic. She
recoiled in horror, still dizzy from the blow to her head.
"Just a warning, wench," CrocBot said as he holstered the gun. With that,
he opened the cell once more and locked it behind him, leaving Wildfyre
to her thoughts.
****
Nack entered the command center, cocky and arrogant, as usual. He lowered
the brim of his hat and strutted in as the doors slid closed behind him.
"What do you want, Bounty Hunter?" CrocBot asked, annoyed at Nack's prescence
in his sanctum sanctorium.
"I've come for the Water Guardian," Nack stated plainly, gloved hands on
his hips.
"And so soon, too," CrocBot sighed disappointed. "You didn't even give
me time to play with her a little."
Nack smirked. "I wanted her in one piece."
CrocBot allowed himself a mirthful chuckle. "You're lucky, weasel. I already
roboticized one of her arms."
Nack frowned. "That was NOT part of our deal!"
CrocBot sneered at Nack warningly. "You're lucky I'm keeping my word thus
far."
Nack laughed. "If you're trying to intimidate me, it won't work. You can
bully around a wounded female kaxta, showing how incredibly tough you are,
but you won't DARE take me on. Because I'll tell on you to your boss."
CrocBot snarled, knowing inside how correct Nack was. "Alright! Hand over
the Mobiums and get her the hell off my base!"
****
Nack walked into Wildfyre's cell. He was rather upset at what had been
done to her. He looked at the metal arm and winced. She was curled into
a ball, shivering, huddled in the corner. "Take it easy, sheila, I'm getting
you out of here," Nack said gently as he unlocked her manacles and waist
restraint.
"You're not going to hurt me?" Wildfyre asked, wiping the tears from her
eyes and trying to collect herself. Nack shook his head.
"Nope. Got no reason to, unless you try to hurt me." Nack helped Wildfyre
to her feet. He offered her his gloved paw and she took it, cautiously.
They exited the cell and headed down the corridor to the lift.
"What do you want from me?" Wildfyre asked as the doors of the lift closed
and it began to move.
"From you?" Nack asked. "Nothing."
"Then why did you rescue me? Did you have to fight CrocBot to get me out?"
Nack chuckled. "Oh I might have fought the bloke a bit, yes. And I paid
to get you out."
Wildfyre tensed. "Paid?? You bought me? Am I to be your slave?"
Nack shook his head. "No, no, no, I don't want you to be my slave.
I really don't need one. I'm a Bounty Hunter, sheila, and paid the bounty
for your release."
Wildfyre blinked. "Really?...and you don't....want anything in return?"
Nack smiled. "Not unless you want it too, no."
Wildfyre smirked.
The doors opened to the hangar on top of the base. Nack's air skiff was
waiting on the roof. Nack climbed onto the skiff and patted the seat behind
him. "Here, just sit behind me and hold on." Wildfyre complied, unsure,
as she had never ridden any sort of vehicle before. Nack revved the engine
and the skiff lifted off into the air. Wildfyre's eyes grew wide and she
clung onto Nack, fearing she was going to fall right off the skiff and
to her death.
Nack coughed. "Ease up, sheila, you're cutting off my air supply."
"Oh, I'm sorry!--Excuse me, but what is your name?" Wildfyre asked, loosening
her death grip on Nack's midsection.
"Nack. Nack the Weasel. And yours?"
"Wildfyre."
"Well, Wildfyre, we are going home," Nack explained.
"Your home, Nack--not mine," Wildfyre sighed, thinking of her beloved tree.
****
Wildfyre grimmaced. "You live here?"
Nack cleared some old dishes and magazines off his coffee table and tossed
dirty underwear off of the couch and into a pile in the corner. He plopped
on the couch and pulled off his boots, setting his feet on the table, wiggling
his toes through the holes in his rather putrid smelling socks. "Yep,"
Nack smiled, relaxing. "Home sweet Home."
Wildfyre waved her hand in front of her small black nose. "Home FOUL Home,"
she mused, looking at the flies buzzing around various piles of filth.
"Don't you ever do dishes? Or laundry?"
"Oh, sometimes, yeah," Nack said, patting a spot next to him on the couch
and looking at Wildfyre, offering her a seat. A cloud of dust rose up from
the cushions and Nack sneezed.
"I'll just stand for now," she smiled wryly.
Nack blew his nose into an old sheet draped over the back of the couch,
and threw it into the corner. Wildfyre watched a bug scurry from the sheet
to the pile of dirty clothes.
"Well," Wildfyre said with a gleem of determination in her eyes, "If I
am going to stay here, I am going to make sure that it is a place worth
staying in." She turned to Nack. "Where do you keep your cleaning materials?"
Nack scratched his head. "Cleaning materials?"
Wildfyre sighed. "Never mind. I'll do it by hand."
Upon moving a pile of rancid clothes, Wildfyre discovered a nice hardwood
floor to the bungalow. It would be easier to clean than carpet, that's
for sure. She located a never-been-used mop and broom and set to work.
"Hey, what do you think you're doing?" Nack asked, upset.
"I'm making this place livable, that's what I'm doing," Wildfyre quipped
as she threw some worn out socks into a trash can.
"But those are my lucky socks!" Nack protested.
Wildfyre looked at them. Brown, crusty and holey.
"They don't look so lucky to me."
"Arrgh, you moved my clothes! And my dishes!" Nack whimpered, looking at
the piles of clothes near the washing machine and the dishes in soapy water
in the sink. "I'll never know where they go now! My organized chaos is
ruined!"
"I'm amazed you can find anything at all in here," Wildfyre said, holding
her nose as she dropped old laundry into the washer. The rooms were beginning
to look clean...
A few hours later, Nack gave up his protests, finding that perhaps a clean
house wasn't so bad. Wildfyre had done an amazing job, finding the rather
nice little home underneath the buildup of crud. The hardwood floors of
the office and living room were clean, the tile of the kitchen and bathroom
were spotless--even the closet was clean! It was then that Nack
began to feel a little guilty. Here she'd gone and done something nice
for him, not knowing he had to turn her over to Robotnik in a few days...but
he quickly put those feelings. A deal was a deal.
Nack sat down on the clean couch and folded his arms. He looked over the
back at Wildfyre, who was now preparing something for them to eat, humming
a tune. He noticed that she didn't wear much--only a magenta and indigo
beaded choker and a strange snake pendant on a black cord. Her fur covered
any embarrassing parts nicely. It was a soft grey that was bright silver
in the light, but dark and smoky in the shadows. Her waistlength hair matched,
curling and waving around her pretty face. A fire tatoo shimmered in the
hollow of her throat, over her collarbones and down between her breasts...
He turned around and felt miserable. It'd been years since he'd had a woman
in his bungalow...and the last time didn't turn out so well. And engagement
ring returned, a broken vase full of dying roses...
"Dinner's almost ready," Wildfyre called from the kitchen. Her soft voice
snapped Nack out of his trail of unpleasant memories, something he was
thankful for. He watched her set the table, his ears flattening as she
bent over to place the plates...
"Come on in, Nack," Wildfyre said with a smile, setting a steaming dish
on a hot pad.
"Um, ah, I'll be in in a minute...." Nack said, hiding behind the couch.
"But it'll get cold!" Wildfyre said as she walked towards the couch.
Nack grabbed the throw cover off the couch and wrapped it around his waist.
"I think I'll just get a shower first, awfully dirty right now, long day,
its Wednesday, seeyouinalittlebitWildfyreOK?!" Nack spouted as he darted
for the bathroom door.
Wildfyre stood confused. "Um, Okay...." She returned to the table and sat
down.
****
Nack stepped out of the bathroom a few minutes later, drying off his purple
and white fur. Problem solved, and without embarassament.
"Now will you get something to eat?" Wildfyre smirked, finishing her stew.
"Sure!" Nack jumped into his seat and slopped some of the delicious smelling
stew into his bowl and began to wolf it down. "Y'Know, this is *chomp*
really good *slurp*," Nack commented around large chunks of meat
and vegetables. Wildfyre put her hand across her face and sighed.
****
Night fell, tossing its myriad tiny lights across the heavens as it landed
with a cool dew upon the ground. The moonlight shone through the windows,
and Wildfyre was engaged in some mending. Nack was reading a local post
of various bounties posted and on whom. A thought struck his mind. "Where
do you want to sleep tonight?" he asked Wildfyre.
"Well, I know you don't have a guest room, so I guess I'll take the couch,"
she said, making the last few stitches on the hem of a vest. Nack frowned.
After all the nice things she'd done, and now she was being nice AGAIN?
This was making him feel horribly guilty about her impending fate. "No,
you can take my bed," he said decisively.
"I'm not going to kick you out of your own bed, this is your house, not
mine," Wildfyre replied, not looking up from her work.
"How about we BOTH sleep in my bed?" Nack suggested, annoyed at how she
continued to prick his conscience.
"What?! I knew it, you men are all alike!" she snorted.
"It's not as if we have to DO anything, geez!" Nack retorted, folding his
arms. Not that that idea hadn't crossed his mind....
"Well, if you put it that way, alright," Wildfyre capitulated.
"Fine then," Nack pouted.
"Fine," Wildfyre said, finishing her work on the vest.
****
The bed was made, with seperate sets of covers and pillows. Nack crawled
into his side--the right--and Wildfyre crawled into the left. Nack turned
his back to Wildfyre and grumbled under his breath, pulling his covers
over his shoulders defensively. Wildfyre did the same.
"Good night, Nack," Wildfyre spat.
"Good night, Wildfyre," Nack shot back.
Silence.
Nack lay awake, unable to sleep. It was hard to when you knew there was
someone else in your bed. He could feel her back against his, even with
several sets of covers between him, and it made his fur stand on end. It
was awakening long repressed urges and driving him batty! Bet she didn't
have the same problems!
But Wildfyre did. She let out a soft sigh. She wasn't used to sleeping
in someone else's bed--let alone a MAN's bed! He kept wiggling and she
resented how her thoughts kept drifting into the more base regions of her
mind. And he kept acting so uncomfortable around her--Why? Why did he have
such a guilt in his eyes when he looked at her? She would wait and find
out what secret he was keeping, no matter what.
"Nack, why are you so afraid of me?"
"What, me, afraid of you?" Nack scoffed, pulling his covers up over him
even more.
"You seem to have a hard time being around me. You keep....holding back,"
Wildfyre said, turning around.
Nack sighed. "It just that...the last time a woman was was in my home,
it ended up in a broken engagement and my broken heart. It's been kind
of...hard on me having you here. Old memories." Wildfyre softened and put
her arm around Nack, and hugged him. "I'm sorry, I didn't know..."
Nack put his hand over hers. "Hey, you couldn't have known. No worries."
Wildfyre leaned over and kissed his forehead, settling back down to sleep.
Nack sighed and squeezed a tear from his eye.
****
Nack smacked his lips and snuggled his big soft furry pillows...
Wait a minute, he didn't have furry pillows....
Nack peeked open an eye...and got an eyefull.
He jumped up, panting, red-faced and practically fell out of bed. Wildfyre
chuckled.
"Why didn't you?--What did I--?" Nack stammered, his face now fully red.
"You didn't do anything. I couldn't sleep, not well anyways--you snore.
You rolled over onto me early this morning and you were sleeping so soundly
I didn't have the heart to move you," Wildfyre answered, getting up out
of bed. She yawned and rubbed her eyes, still looking weary.
(Wow, she even looks good when she wakes up in the morning,) Nack
inwardly slapped himself. (Get a grip! You have to deliver her to Robotnik!)
Nack dropped the covers he was holding and yawned, relaxing a bit. He got
a nice notion. "Say, would you like some clothing? I noticed that you always
seem to run around in the buff, so to speak..."
Wildfyre looked down at herself and blushed. She hadn't really thought
about that before... "Oh yes, please that would be very nice," she said
meekly, smiling at bit and covering herself.
Now it was Nack's turn to chuckle. He walked over to her and gave her a
kiss on the cheek. "I'll get on it right away."
****
Wildfyre modled her new outfit. A tan leather vest, with a few pockets
here and there; a pair of tan leather gloves, like Nack's with the metal
plate rivetted on the back of the hand; a belt with a few leather pouches
for storing things, and tan leather boots that folded over mid-calf making
a nice cuff at the top.
Nack smiled. "Looks good on ya, luv."
"Thank you very much, Nack. No one's ever been this nice to me before,"
she said softly.
She told Nack something he did NOT expect to hear.
"Wha...what?" he stammered.
"If you want to...I will," she replied once more, her eyes a sultry neon
orange. Nack was torn. He was beginning to like Wildfyre--alot. She was
so kind, and innocent--CrocBot was probably the first creature she'd ever
met outside of her own kind. And here she was, offering herself to him
out of misguided gratitude. He knew what he should do, but dammit, it had
been so long...and he couldn't afford to get attached to her, not when
his life was on the line! Robotnik was not kind to those who welched on
debts. Shoving his emotions into a bottle inside, he took her by the hand,
led her into the bedroom and shut the door.
****
Nack got dressed, pulling on his boots and getting his hat. Wildfyre came
out of the shower, drying her fur and getting her clothing as well. She
smiled and hugged Nack, nibbling his ears. He smiled back and hugged back,
kissing her nose. She giggled.
"We have to go somewhere soon, luv," Nack sighed, with a heavy heart.
"Ok, I'll get my things," Wildfyre replied, looking for her belt.
"Nack?" she asked, locating it under the edge of the bed.
"What Wild?"
"I love you."
Nack's heart fell into his boots. His throat tightened and he felt sick.
His brain burned with guilt. "I...love you too," he replied, forcing the
words. Somehow that did not make him feel any better. Nack got up, but
did not turn around. "I'm going to start up the skiff. Meet me in the garage."
Wildfyre nodded as Nack left.
****
Nack revved the engine and blasted off into the sky. Wildfyre clung to
him once more, sitting right behind him in the seat. This time, however,
she was more confident of the skiff and did not squeeze the breath out
of its pilot. The ride was silent this time. Wildfyre was enjoying the
sensations of flight, watching the Great Ocean zoom underneath of her,
deep, blue and awe-inspiring. Nack kept his face forward, not looking at
his cargo. He felt like the OutWorlder legend Judas Iscariot. Only how
much would he be getting this time, as there weren't any pieces of silver...?
"Ugh," Wildfyre said, wrinkling her nose at the oncoming smog. "What is
that uphead?"
"Robotropolis," Nack replied stoicly. The skiff shot in through the air
space of Robotropolis, dodging foul, acrid factory emissions in the form
of smoke and passing by a few partolling hover units. Nack touched the
skiff down on the landing pad of the Death Egg command center. A few SWATbot
appeared, making Wildfyre visibly nervous.
"Halt Intruder!" they spouted mechanically. A spy eye clicked its camera
lense and floated over to the pad.
"It's Nack, tubby. Lemme in," Nack sneered at the floating camera. The
SWATbots recieved their commands and stood down, as the hangar bay doors
opened. Nack took Wildfyre by the hand as they entered.
****
Wildfyre's eyes widened as the control chair in the center of the War Room
swung around. Sitting in its shadows was a large human male--Robotnik.
He tapped his fingers together and looked her over.
"Her left arm has been roboticized," Robotnik commented.
"Blame your tin-bottomed crocodile," Nack smirked. "He's the one that did
it to her."
"Actually," Robotnik said, sitting forward," I was going to do that anyway."
"Roboticize her? I thought you wanted her in the flesh!" Nack snapped,
moving unconsciously in front of her protectively.
"Nack, what's going on??" Wildfyre whispered worriedly. Nack did not reply.
"Don't get your tail bent out of shape...at least not any more than it
is," Robotnik quipped, making Nack self conscious of his kinked tail. "I
intend to keep her just the way she is. The arm will be useful for installing
the tracking chip. It's less messy than surgery."
"Then it's a done deal. Hand over my mobiums and let me get the hell out
of here," Nack said, lowering the brim of his hat to cover his face.
"Nack, what are you doing??" Wildfyre asked, beginning to panic. SWATbots
moved in to grab her. Nack did not turn to face her, taking his payment
from Robotnik's gloved palm.
"I'm just doing my job," he said morosely.
"But I thought you loved m--" her protest was cut off by a stun rod pressed
into her back. Nack turned just in time to see her fall.
"I admire your style, bounty hunter," Robotnik smiled. "Your cruelty is
a work of art."
Nack turned and ran out of the War Room, not stopping to look back.
****
*Thunk!*
Nack's head hit the bar.
"You've had enough to drink, I think," the bartender mused. The huge black
ursine took the bottle of liquor out of Nack's gloved hands, which woke
him up a bit.
"Huh?...Hal, gimme that back, I ain't finished...." Hal grimmaced, which
was not exactly a pleasant expression on his scarred face. "You're finished,
alright, Nack, if you don't pull out of this funk you're in. I swear, in
all my years running the Dark Tavern, I have never seen a bounty hunter
of your caliber loose it like this. What the hell happened to you?"
"I dun wanna talk bout it," Nack slurred, his eyes bloodshot. Hal's expression
lightened to a more pleasant smile, having already discovered the problem
from the subtle clues Nack was leaving. He polished up a glass and mixed
a whiskey sour for a waiting customer.
"Don't tell me the great Nack has decided to take up the occupation of
bar fly," a lean black figure laughed softly as he took a seat next to
the dishevled weasel.
"Shut up Raven," Nack spat, pulling his hat down.
Raven Potto flipped up the collar on his grey leather jacket and smoothed
back his green and black hair. His black fur was clean and impeccably groomed,
as usual. Raven's various bone spikes, which protected in a mohawk on his
head and right down his spine, were newly sharpened in preparation for
his next bounty.
"I know what his problem is," Raven joked. "He saw Robotnik naked! That'll
make ANYONE wanna drink!"
Hal laughed, a deep, warm rumble. "No, Raven, I don't think that's Nack's
problem, although I agree wholeheartedly with your statement."
Hal looked straight at Nack with unyielding brown eyes. "Nack's problem
is one he'd never admit to. He's developed a conscience over something."
Nack took another stiff drink. "Since yu guy'sre gonna bug me bout it,
I'll talk," he slurred. "I did summin I ain't proud of..."
Raven blinked. "What would that be?"
"I...I sold a kaxta to Robotnik," Nack spat.
Hal blinked this time. "How did you manage THAT? I thought they couldn't
live away from their trees....and that they change forms to protect themselves."
"Crocbot caught 'er, and she'd sum kinda necklace that kept'er alive,"
Nack retorted, semi-drunk. "But she wuz so nice t'me, I kinda liked 'er....we
even *hic*....but I dun went'n gave'r to 'Buttnik....and I can't
get'er outta my head....all I see is...is her face when I left...and how
she said she loved me...."
Nack suddenly grew furious with himself and threw a bottle of gin across
the tavern. It hit the wall and shattered--which really didn't hurt the
decor much, and no one else seemed to care.
Hal frowned. "I think you should've listened to you heart that time, Nack.
You may be able to fool yourself, but anyone here can see that this girl
has captured your heart."
Raven looked at Nack in disgust. "I have about the same reputation as you
do Nack, when it comes to being cold...but even I couldn't have
been that low." He got up and left the tavern.
Nack sighed miserably and rested his head on the bar. He knew what he had
to do....but was it too late?
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