From the Depths & From the Sky [JT / NDE / R]

[Deleted]

Training for ...we'll see

"There's an abandoned town about six miles north of here, built by a high rising cliff. We were sent out there to see if there was a Hollow infestation out of there that might explain why all the spirits there were gone. But the town was old, real old, and not a drop of blood anywhere. Hell, I like to think that the spirits just moved out and into a different district."

It wasn't like other days. The 51st District of the Southern Rukongai possessed a small village of spirits that lived beside a rather large lake. There was one road through town, leading out to the 52 and 50th districts respectively. Rarely did that road ever see traveling spirits, but sometimes it did in the case of spirits on pilgrimage, adventure, or some heading towards the center of the Rukongai to become Shinigami. Even rarer were actual Shinigami using the road to travel. Today was one of those days though. A pair of three Shinigami, on their way back seemingly from the 52nd district, stopped in the village in order to resupply, get some food, and to tend to the wounds one possessed. Two pale skinned young men and one dark skinned woman. Each of them barely looked into their twenties.

"No Hollows, no spirits, no nothing. It was a ghost town. We decided to push forward anyways, see if maybe we might find something, anything, that could let us know what happened. Well, then it happened. Something hit us. Something fast. Something we couldn't even see. It wasn't a Hollow. I don't know what it was. Jesus, my heads still ringing. Hiroshi used Kido, thankfully one of us can, to cover our asses so we could escape."

Umaroth, having been listening from the surface of his lake with his excellent hearing, had grown intrigued. And in a rare display, actually left the safety of his lake and set forth for this abandoned village that was described. He wasn't entirely sure why he was going. Just something in his blood was calling for him to go. For him to move. For him to learn. It clearly wasn't a Hollow that had attacked those Shinigami, it was something else entirely. That had piqued his interest. Perhaps, he thought, what they had encountered was another something like him. Another beast shaped like man. So Umaroth set out, following the words the Shinigami spoke and the tracks they to lead him to where they spoke of.

"I dropped my Zanpakuto when my arm got hit. The squads going to kill me for this. I can't believe I lost it."

Six miles was nothing for the reptile. He moved fast enough that he would reach the location well before evening. It wasn't a difficult path to follow either. The Shinigami left behind plenty of tracks for him to follow ranging from; footprints, scuffled terrain, scent trails, and even blood. Umaroths imagination was running wild with what he might find when he reached this ghost town. What was it that drove the Shinigami out? Was it just a Hollow and they were mistaken, or was it something more unique? This would be the first time Umaroth took the initiative with something. It felt a little out of character for him, but with his ever expanding mind the curiosity was winning him over. Hopefully this wouldn't be a repeat of meeting Ajraka, but if it was then he could live with it.

"By the way, what's with that totem?" One of the uninjured male Shinigami asked, turning around in his seat and pointing at the strange construct sitting in the shallows of the lake. "Oh? That's a little show of honor we created for the spirit in the lake." The food stand spirit explained as he continued to prepare the soup for the Shinigami. "Spirit in the lake?" The Shinigami asked, a little incredulously. "Yeah, or so they say. I've never seen it myself but plenty of folks around here, especially some of the children, can tell you more about it. They say that there's some sort of creature in the lake not like anything anyone has seen before and that it's what's kept us from being threatened by Hollows."

"You have some kind of false god out here? You know you're saying that to Shinigami...Death Gods right?" The woman commented. The chef frowned with a raised eyebrow. "And yet this is the first time in about six months I've seen a Shinigami in this village. Whether or not it's real, something is in that lake and it's been keeping Hollows away." He explained as he poured their soup into three different bowls. "Got a name for it?" The injured Shinigami asked, gratefully accepting his bowl. "Yeah, they call it Naga."

He arrived. Tossing aside what remained of the rabbit he had been snacking on, Umaroth narrowed his eyes at the sight of what remained of a human spirit village. It wasn't big. Smaller than the one that had built itself by his lake. While Umaroth wasn't confident in his counting skills, there were only five small buildings. All but one was beyond the point of repair, the wood rotted thoroughly. The dark colored reptile snorted through his nostrils, lowering his head slightly as he took a step forward and began heading down the hill towards the graveyard. Did humans actually live here? Why were the buildings so small?

Approaching wooden structures, Umaroth let his head bounce between them as he inspected what remained of the buildings. Really just planks of wood that resembled buildings. They had all collapsed on themselves, or simply disintegrated. Umaroth could tell this was the spot, especially since there were splashes of fresh blood still in the dirt. The Shinigami did fight something here. His curiosity was on the verge of exploding out of his body and becoming a living tangible thing at this point. He wanted to know what happened here. He wanted to know what happened to the Shinigami, to the spirits that lived here, he wanted to know everything he could.

He turned his attention towards the one building that still stood. He wasn't really filled with confidence that it would last much longer. One good storm might send it crashing down. Thankfully it was a clear skied day. With a snort, Umaroth pushed himself through the door, and nearly jumped when the door came off whatever was holding it and crashed down onto the wooden floor. Grumbling a little, he found himself disappointed to see that the outside looked better than the inside. Nature had begun to take back the building, filling its halls with overgrown weeds and mildew.

Stepping back out into the daylight, he continued to look around. What was it that drove the Shinigami away? He saw no footprints besides the Shinigamis. But there was a scent in the air that he didn't recognize, but it was faint and had no trail to lead him anywhere. It was just there, hanging in the air. Continuing his investigation, he surprised himself by coming across the weapon left behind by the Shinigami that had been injured. One of there blades. One of those irritating blades that they had tried sticking Umaroth with. The suns light reflected off the metal, nearly blinding the reptile for a second before he tossed the sword back down, letting it remain in the light and continually reflect the sun. He was beginning to grow irritated. Was this a wasted trip? He wasn't finding any answers here.

Why was he here to begin with? What was he looking for? Ever since he returned from that dry hell Ajraka brought him too he had been filled with questions. Questions about himself. Questions about the world. Questions about his purpose. Questions about why he was here. Perhaps he came because his instincts told him he might find one of those answers here. He wasn't sure. He was unaware. His scales felt dry. Those feathers on his head fidgeted lightly in the air, those bright blue eyes of his slowly closed themselves as he sat himself down on a rock. He wanted to spend a few moments in rest, to clear his jumbled thoughts and enjoy the quiet.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats and Skills}


Strength - 215 = 322 Points

Speed - 250 = 375 Points

Spiritual Pressure - 200 = 150 Points

Reiatsu Strength - 50 Points

Light Aura - 60 Points

Dark Aura - 40 Points

Instinct - 150 Points

Senses - 150 Points

Energy sensory - 0 Points

Healing Expertise - 0 Points

Total SP: 1015 Points


[Martial Arts: Street-Fighting] {1}

[Battle Analysis] {1}

[Pain Tolerance] {1}

[Strength of Will] {1}

[Anti-Stealth] {1}

Skill Points: 5 / 15

[Lisa Ko]

OOC: For CTP


More materials needed. More to be used to build. The home must grow. The home must be safe. So much work still had to be done on her new home since there was no return to the other. At least for now for the time being. Lisa had much materials to work with in the area in which she began her nesting, but still, the dirt in her area wasn't mixing right. More was needed, more was required for the home to grow. That was Lisa's intent as to why she would travel away from her dwellings. The moisture wasn't much, so everything was kept dry. Dry meant the nest wouldn't be wet or drowned. It was placed up high for others to be unable to touch it. No predators or other rivals would come to take it from her. The nest had to be protected.

The Hornet had to look for more raw material to continue her work, and sometime being a bit picky made it all the worth while. Lisa was no exception to this either. For that reason she searched high and low for building materials. Which brought her to where she was now. An abandoned village. From what the girl knew about it was that no one was really entering or visiting it. Not only that, but it was abandoned because, well, no one was there. Something something happened that caused the people to suddenly vanish without reason. But Lisa didn't care about any of that. What brought her around into visiting the place was to see if it was true. Because, if it was true then it provided more supplies for the Hornet to gather up. More supplies to help her construct her home.

So, that was her reason at the very least. She couldn't actually wait to see it either since more of those humans in black kept on coming around to her home. More intruders to her nest meant more danger. Lisa had to establish her home as soon as possible, and build some walls to keep others away. Therefore, from that perspective she had to admit that she was a bit excited. She cared little about the humans, she just wanted their stuff. How did humans travel to such a remote place without flying really made her wonder, but to Hell with it. They can do whatever they wanted to do as long as they left her and her nest alone.

Buzzing over head Lisa found the opening in the sea of tall wood. A relief since she wondered fi she was going in the right direction. Often times she be shafted away due to the wind current, so her sense of direction shift with it. She took to the top of the nearest tree, latching onto its bare bark with sharpened talons. Thankfully clinging to said surfaces wasn't at all difficult to latch onto. Her hands were designed to cling onto any surfaces, exception for wet places. Ew, like really ew. With four of her arms her grip was better than most, and her remaining two arms were ready to stick anything else that tried to get closer. Along the way there were humans, so she did try to keep an eye out for them for the sake of her own safety. Still, although they weren't as dangerous in tangling with, fighting a bunch of them together was a pain. A great cause for concern actually.

Her wings fluttered for a moment or two to stretch them out, then relaxing them against her covered backside. For some reason she formed the habit in clothing herself. For some reason it just felt right. A black firmly sticking shirt kept her chest well covered, and some Shinigami pants kept the other half of her covered up. Courtesy of the Shinigami that she slain. Anywho, down below she saw everything. A good eagle's eye perspective of the village, and what she saw was a bit of a gold mine. Wood and dirt, some water and mud, Lisa could very well build her entire nest from what she had to work with in the village. She was in a builder's paradise. But she was a soldier, so, the feeling of bliss and excitement would have to wait until after the nest was finished.

Thus far from the looks of things she didn't see any humans around. So it was better to dive in and take what she needed before anyone else did. Climbing down some ways the Hornet spread her wings once more, vibrating them to a rate that allowed for her to glide down easily onto the roof of one of the shacks. It wasn't a soft landing, and some of the wood gave way to her weight. Now she isn't fat, just the exoskeleton that encompassed her body was similar to that to bones. So yeah something would give when something as hard as her hands and feet would crash into wood. Still, she had to have some manner of delicacy when handling the materials. Don't want to break it before she could use it first.

With that in mind Lisa immediately went to work. Her eyes bouncing from board to board searching for creeks in the structures to really take it apart. Nails digging and tugging at the dividing parts, ripping the planks from their setup to be piled next to her. So far so good, it seemed that the situation was working in her favor. Good, except for the putrid smell that wasn't present before her landing. Like ick, something stunk like ass or something like it. She couldn't put it past herself or the environment. It stunk pretty bad to the point that it drew her attention away from her work. Pheromones of some kind that she hadn't indicated before in her life, so it caused some manner of curiosity to form in her little mind. But what she expect to find was something entirely different.

Looking away from her handiwork she believed that she found the source, but really she didn't know what she was looking AT. What the Hell was that sitting on the rock? She hissed, rattling her inner jaws against each other inside her mouth. Whatever it was she had to be cautious with it. Wings spread and lowering herself on all fours, Lisa took to the defensive. And waited to see what this thing was?

SPOILER: Click to show

{Lisa's Info}

Strength - [100]*50 = [150]

Speed - [100]*25 = [125]

Spiritual Pressure – [100]/2 = [50]

Reiatsu Strength – [50]/2 = [25]

Light Aura - [50]

Dark Aura - [50]

Instinct - [100]

Senses - [100]

Energy sensory - [0] Points

Healing Expertise - [50] Points


Total SP: [600] points


Skills

1. Battle Skill: Intimidation [1]

2. Battle Skill: Pain Tolerance [1]

3. Mental Skill: Lack of Fear [1]

4. Mental Skill: Learning [1]

5. Battle Skill: Strength of Will [1]

6. Battle Skill: Bleeding Tolerance [1]

SKP: 6/15

[Deleted]

Umaroth let out a yawn from that toothy mouth of his, clearly starting to get tired from the lack of stimuli and his general laziness. It seemed that this trip really was little more than a waste of his time. Such a shame. Waste of effort. He really wasn't sure what he was even looking for out here. Maybe a nap wouldn't hurt. His eyelids grew heavy with the thought and his head began to lower itself. Yeah, a nap wouldn't hurt. But what was that sound? His eyelids peeled back slightly as he picked up on a noise that reminded him of a fly buzzing around in his ear. But there was no fly annoying him. What was that sound? His interest in that sound changed when he heard the bang of something landing on the roof of one of the houses, causing the old wood to splinter and crack.

He jumped to his feet, turning himself towards the source of the sound with now wide eyes. Just as Lisa noticed him, he noticed her. The reptile stared at the Hornet with bright blue eyes, eyeing her curiously. His tail couldn't help but swing itself back and forth anxiously, especially since this strange creature adopted a pose that Umaroth could only interpret as defensive and intimidating. The monochromatic reptile snorted, the feathers on his head lifting themselves up ever so slightly, in response to her display. Instinctively his own muscles tensed up in preparation in case anything happened. But Umaroth was more curious than hostile. Was this the thing that drove the Shinigami away?

He tilted his head slightly as he eyed her, looking over her form, appendages, and design. She looked like a bug. One of those angry, hateful, stinging bugs that Umaroth hated when he tried getting that sweet smell out of their nest one time. But whats more was how...human it looked. Umaroth had thought Ajraka was the most human looking beast-man he'd seen, and even then that was only because she happened to be an otter. But this one looked like a human female with insect appendages. She was even wearing clothing, unlike him. Even so, Umaroth could not deny that she was another Beast-man. One that was so much more different than the others he had met. Naturally, of course, she was reacting instinctively towards him. She didn't know if he was friend or foe.

He was curious. He didn't want her running away. He wasn't worried if she attacked him. But even so, he would prefer things didn't come to fighting. With a puffy exhale, the reptile slowly lowered himself by bending his knees and crouching. It was meant as a gesture of peace. To show that he wasn't going to suddenly rush her. It was obvious that he had his guard up, as an animal encountering another strange one would do, but it looked as though the reptile had no desire to suddenly fight. His tail didn't stop it's swinging though. It would travel across the ground from the right and the left steadily. His tail was, essentially, his strongest weapon. One hit by that thing could shatter all the bones it came into contact with.

Umaroth blinked, wondering if this creature could talk. It would make communicating a hell of a lot easier versus trying to understand an entirely different species body language. Hell, he didn't even know wasps and bees communicated by scents. Snapping his jaws a few times and searching for the right words, Umaroth opened with, "Nice day. Can you speak?" Having spent some time around humans and other intelligent beings, Umaroth was steadily getting better and better with his grammar. His voice was deep, almost gravely, and carried with it an almost prehistoric weight behind it. Granted none of that would matter if Lisa herself was unable to speak. Even so, Umaroth wanted to know more about this creature. More friends were better than more foes. Especially in this harsh world.

[Lisa Ko]

OH SHIT, it talks. That was the human thought she had at the very least if she could actually respond in the same manner. In tongue at least. Lisa hasn't been among humans for very long. Not that she is picky but when people often have weapons drawn, and hacking and slashing without explaining themselves makes communication hard. This occurred more than once, so the girl's reason for caution is more than founded. But that was to humans, so as to what she was seeing was something entirely... different. A nonhuman, or more like something that was resembling to that of a human. She didn't know. If anything, she was confused beyond her own imagination. To what she was seeing she couldn't find the words nor knew the words. What was it that she was looking at?

It spoke to her. Something big, probably as big as she was. Its sudden interaction made her quiver with anticipation. With a sense of anxiety that she didn't like. For that reason she snarled back with a rattling hiss with her inner jaw. She felt.. unsure as to what it was or what to expect from it all. This was by far the only real contact the Hornet really had with any living being besides the people in black coats. Beyond those violent encounters she didn't interact with any one, such the lack of use for words. But still, what this thing was saying, the words it was able to put together, astonished her. She was a soldier, so what use did she have for words.

She remained posed, on guard from what ever this thing was. Obviously she had to keep to her objective, that was the reason why she was there. "..neeezspeeeeek.." The rattling of her inner jaw was difficult to work with when it came to speaking. The newly made jaw that encased her inner was weird. Hell her whole body was weird to operate. She was still learning more about herself, including her new vocal cords that are surprisingly similar to humans. More over she was use to using pheromones and body movement to communicate with other members to the hive, but this wasn't the hive, and this thing wasn't one like her.

Lisa kept her distance, from the roof top taking to the trees above. This was natural instinct kicking into overdrive. Encircling the target and studying it. This was the best way for her to evaluate the target and make an appropriate decision based on her analysis. Friend or foe. One tree to the next, the Hornet remained cautious about approaching the creature. She didn't know what to make of it. Heads or tails, she didn't know. She had to remain cautious. "Zpppeeeeeeekkkkkk." Damn it, human tongues are so damn difficult to work. Snipping and cracking, her jaw was reorganizing itself. More like she was snapping it into place. Unlike Umaroth, Lisa didn't have the leisure to be close to humans to really listen as to how they speak. So, she had to make do with what she knew. "...Zini...gomi... Huuuu....mane...... Wat....iz.... you?"

Her third pair of arms recoiled, drawing back to ready to jab toward her target should anything happen. Two large lancers drew up beneath her fluttering wings. Their rapid motion created a soft humming from over the lizard's head. Then shortly after her jaw snapped into place with a loud crunch, "Zinigomi.... Huuumane... Wat iz you?" she put together.

[Deleted]

There we go. Umaroth felt a feeling of satisfaction when, despite her apparent struggle with doing so, Lisa spoke to him. It wasn't anything incredible, in fact being even worse than a childs, but Umaroth could still understand her. He was lucky when it came to learning how to speak. His lake had human spirits living on its shore that he would often spend the day listening to as they mingled outside. Being onboard Ajraka's ship for a time even taught him a few words. Uamroths blue eyes narrowed slightly as he watched this insect woman circle around him, hopping from tree to tree inspecting him from every angle she could. He didn't mind. Hell, he didn't even seem to take up any sort of defensive position. He understood that this was a crossing of two animals that had never seen anything like the other before. Well, for in part that was true.

Umaroth, in part, had a sneaking suspicion about what he might find when he came investigating this abandoned village. He was worried that what he might find would have been another one of those creatures that had attacked him and the panther beast-man on the shore of his lake. The reptile still had the scar from that encounter. A noticeable little scar beneath his right side cranial horn. He had become aware that day that there were many different kinds of beast-men, some of them being very dangerous and aggressive. He had come expected to find evidence of one of those very creatures, and instead found Lisa. He was actually pleasantly surprised, and relieved. The thing he had fought never spoke, and the only emotion it had displayed was anger when Umaroth had dealt serious damage to it.

Lisa asked her question, and Umaroth took a few moments to decide on how to answer. Unless he was mistaken she had said Shinigami, though there was some serious pronunciation emphasis on "z" with her. Umaroth inhaled, clicking his jaws for a moment before slowly rising to his feet. He would need to speak slowly, with easy words, so that she would understand him. He lowered his arms, bending them at the waist and holding them out with his hands open. It was a gesture he'd seen humans do when they were explaining things, it was also to show that he wasn't directing any aggression towards her by having his palms open. "Not Shinigami. Not human. I am Naga." Once again he used that name.

For whatever reason, Umaroth had adopted a mentality where he avoided giving his real name to strangers. Perhaps it was from the feeling of submission he felt when with Ajraka. He now felt that his real name, Umaroth, was something only to be shared with those closest to him, ones he trusted dearly, or those that were truly above and superior to him. Naga, as an alias, worked just as well. It was a name given to him by the human spirits. They revered him as some sort of divine entity, some sort of spirit of protection. In honesty, it was partly true. Hollows that came to the village in search of easy meals were often drawn towards Umaroth. In defense of his territory he would either drive them off or introduce them to the dark depths of his lake. This, in return, protected the Rukongai spirits living on his shore.

As a result, and after a few times of being spotted by the spirits, gave rise to the Naga of the Lake legend. Though, legends were fake weren't they? Umaroth wasn't a legend. Regardless, it was a title he could use as a pseudonym. "Naga from lake." He explained, turning himself and pointing a finger in the general direction that he came from, indicating for Lisa that he wasn't just a wanderer. "Naga hears...hears...story of empty town. Came to see, to look. Found it and you." He explained, having brief trouble with finding a word for a moment. "What are you? Do you have a name?"

[Lisa Ko]

"B-b...aga... M-maa.ga....Laa..gaa..." More and more of that human language that the Hornet had trouble in picking up. Just how the Hell do the humans manage to even speak in such strange ways? Well this was the first time Lisa actually ever had to speak, or at least try her hand at it. It wasn't something that she grew accustom to since all her encounters with humans were always violent. Her hideous appearance and size intimidated most humans if not all. Together with her natural instincts to defend her immediate area the circumstances led to that of mutual aggression from both parties. But this encounter was different from the others. Could it have been due to their similar appearances in being different? Maybe, but it did present some new chances at finding out where the Hell she was. But first was trying to figure out the native language.

"Naaaa...gaaaa.. Notz... humane." This was what Lisa managed to put together. The beastman's behavior was definitely different from the others. Other than that it didn't look like any of the others, but at least it was speaking to her about things. Finally, or at least a moment to breath. But, not entirely, at least until the feeling of anxiety washed away from her. This thing that called itself "Naga" wasn't deemed a friend or a comrade. It wasn't a Hornet like herself, or anything else that she recognized during her life span. It wasn't a Hornet of her Hive nor a rival Hive, nor was it even one of their own kind. Presently, the new Hive that was being constructed was close, but away from their vicinity, so she didn't feel the need to take aggression action. For the time being at least. Other than that, the next act that she needed to undertake was investigation.

The subtle clicking in her jaw was annoying. Her secondary fangs made it difficult to speak their language, to formulate letters let alone words. The clicking was Lisa pushing her secondary jaw deeper in the back of her mouth, adjusting them in a way that they wouldn't interfere with her. "Na-ga...Naga." Fluttering of wings lessened, drawing them further against her backside. Still a bit nervous, the beastwoman drew closer to the ground. The splintering of bark of the dried up wood being torn from the tree was clearly heard with every step taken down its shaft. So far Naga wasn't a human or a Shinigami. That much Lisa knew of from their little trade of word play, and seemingly Naga was drawn to the place by what Lisa would consider to be instinct like her own. But, done differently from her. Lisa had to make a home, make the Hive strong and wait.

"N-name....?"......... Na-gaa." she answered. Maybe that was what they were called. They were called "Naga" for being different. Was that right? She didn't know since this was her first encounter with another "Naga." "You..... Naga..... Naga." Lisa looked at herself when saying this, identifying herself as "You" and "Naga." A sense of self really didn't exist among the Hive as each one was a whole. Connected through an intelligence that was the Hive. Everyone worked together until the job was done. There was no point that they didn't stop to ask about themselves. If they were hungry they ate, when it was night time they rested, and when the sun was out they worked. A sense of self really didn't exist for them. So, when Naga asked about "herself" there was only confusion as to what to call herself. Thus, the reason for her repeating the name "Naga."

"Naga....... here for .....things... for Hive. Build Hive, protect Hive. Naga build Hive. Nage doez not know........... what here iz?" Lisa looked to herself as her form crawled to the surface, to crawl on all fours on the dirt ground. "What iz this Hive?" she looked to the town, to the trees, to the lake. All of the world around her.

[Deleted]

"This hive was for humans." Umaroth answered, beginning to pick up on the meaning behind her words. Why did she refer to herself as Naga? Did she not have a name? But he did learn why she was here though. She came to his abandoned place to strip it, salvage the materials to build what she called a hive. Hearing the word caused Umaroth think up those sacks of honey with the stinging annoyances. Weird he knew a word before ever hearing it before. But, she was trying. Umaroth could remember when he was like her. Bumbling around repeating words and phrases he barely understood. The reptiles gaze softened as the insect finally reached the ground and presented him with yet another question. His tail slid itself across the dirt floor for a moment before remaining still.

Exhaling, Umaroth turned his gaze away from the female Beast and looked around the abandoned village once more. "This...hive...was a hive for humans. Not a hive for Shinigami. Hive for humans. Humans left hive. Naga here to see why." Umaroth explained, returning those blue eyes to Lisa as he ended his explanation. She really was a curious looking beast. While some that would look at her would see a hideous monster, Umaroth saw a perplexing combination. She really did have a much more human appearance than most Beast-Clansmen that Umaroth had met. The others had been simply animals with a more human body structure. But Lisa? She looked like a human crossed with a hornet. He was curious why she looked so different than the rest. In fact, the only creature that resembled her was...

A brief image of that monster appeared in Umaroth's mind, but he pushed it away before it could sour his mood. "Hmm.." the reptile grumbled lightly, simply making noises like he usually did. Rolling his shoulders to remove some discomfort, he returned his gaze to Lisa once more. "Are you...alone? Are there more like you?" He suddenly questioned. His reasoning for asking was because of her appearance. If Lisa was one of those stingy-honey making-bugs then there was a possibility that there might be more like her. If there were, then there was a chance that among them there was one who was more intelligent than she was. That wasn't to say she was stupid, but Umaroth was hopeful.

He wanted to learn. He wanted to learn more about the Beast-Clan. He wanted to learn more about what it meant to be a Beast. He'd recently not only awakened his sleeping powers, but had even watched them grow. He'd been pitted against a Beast that sought to kill him and succeeded. Umaroth wanted to live. And living meant growing. If Lisa had a colony, then it was possible for Umaroth to learn more. But if she was alone...well he wouldn't be surprised. He'd not, in honesty, come across another Beast that had another with them. He wondered if it was because the Beasts preferred to be alone by nature. Yet... Ajraka had her own pack of various faces and creatures. It made Umaroth think.

[Lisa Ko]

So this dreadful, waste of space place was a Hive for humans? Considering how big they were that it would be much more bigger than what she saw now. Kinda of a let down so to be speak. So much for expecting something out of the Humans. Despite their size the Beast girl and her people managed to get much done. All had a place in their hive, and each one of them operated as a single network to bring life and wonder together. But for these humans, nothing much really. Still, regardless of how small it was the Beast girl did find it strange that it had been abandoned. Was it attacked? That was really the only reason that she could come up with considering that her Hive was constantly attacked. Due to those attacks they had to move to another place in order to begin again. And from there the process continued until they were attacked once more. So the cycle went on and on until they perished. So, was that what happened to the humans?

The Naga expressed his intention as to his reasoning for being there. Different from her own reasons obviously, but it didn't forbade them from interacting, or maintaining a sense of caution. The Naga was still quite large for a creature that wasn't human. So Lisa had to maintain a certain level of concern being close to it. Before she could really ponder about her entire situation the creature asked of her again. Others? Others like herself? Not that she was aware of. Of the time she awakened in this strange world nothing hinted as to being more "like" herself. No trails, no sounds of buzzing, no rumors or markings that indicated that there were more like her. None that she came across for the time being at the very least.

"Naga here.......... alone. No other.. from Hive.... Hive is quiet...... No noise from.....Hive." There was nothing ever since she first arrived in this world. Before she could detect some form of pheromone or some minor indication that the others of her Hive were near by. There was nothing, no one. She was alone. "Naga is.. alone. Naga does not know where others are..... No Hive. No where to go." For that reason she was busy with work. She alone had begin constructing with a new Hive, a Hive that felt lonesome and strange. She didn't really have anywhere to go. "Naga does not..... hear the Hive no more." It was surely depressing for Lisa to have to admit it. Never before was she ever on her own. The Hive was her life, her everything. Without it, she was nothing.

Despite pushing a bold and strong front her wings didn't flutter as much. Her body language lost what strength it had before hand, slowly digressing to that of a new born Pupa. Never has a Hornet been on its own without orders. Lisa was a warrior in every sense of the word. So, finding that she had no Hive to fight for or protect meant that she was useless. Unnecessary[. "Does Naga know........ know where Hive is? Naga does not know. Naga.........lost." That was the answer if she had to give one. "Naga does not know where to go. Naga is...... lost."

[Deleted]

What was this emotion he was feeling? Umaroth, still ignorant to human emotions, was beginning to experience something new. The unnamed Beast woman spilled her guts to him. She was all alone. She was without her hive. Umaroth didn't understand what it meant to be a creature with a hive mind. He was individualistic. Selfish. Free. He had an individual identity. Lisa was beginning to break away from the chains of a hive mind. She was beginning to acquire individuality. And surely this was scaring her. Umaroth didn't, he couldn't, understand what she was going through. But what he could understand was her loneliness. He could understand the fear of being alone, not being safe, not being strong. So he began to feel a new human emotion for this beast...sympathy.

Umaroth as well had begun to feel that loneliness. Ever since he met Ajraka and was taken aboard her ship, he remembered being surrounded by all of her pack. All of them following her. For one reason or another Umaroth had abandoned them and set out across that White Desert, only to return to his lake. But since then he'd begun to long for what it was Ajraka had. He wanted to be surrounded by beings like himself. He wanted to belong. He didn't fit in with the humans. Even the ones on the lake, although they revered him, were often times frightened and tense around him when he revealed himself. Umaroths primal instincts also understood the necessity in sticking together with ones like yourself. What if more of those creatures he'd faced with Rafael returned?

His eyes narrowed themselves softly as he stared at Lisa, listening to her words and taking the moments to figure out what they meant. What was he to do? He closed his eyes for a moment to help think about his next course of actions. "Hmm." He grumbled for a moment, just making animal noises really. "Naga knows what it is like to be alone. It is tough. Hard. Sad. Naga once ran from Shinigami for a long time. He had no others to be with." Umaroth explained as best he could. Opening those blue eyes back up, he looked at Lisa with a hard look for a few moments. "You come with me." He suddenly said, without any sort of hesistation in his words and with nothing but certainty.

The reptile found himself rising to his feet. "You are alone. Without hive. Then together we make hive. You and I, together, become hive for us and others like us. You, nor I, no more alone...help and find others like us and bring them to hive." Umaroth explained. He felt excited saying that. Why? Why did he suddenly feel excited, enlightened, like he found a purpose, saying that? Did he WANT to find other Beast-Clan and bring them together? "We make hive. You no longer be lost. Others no longer be lost." Umaroth stated, before extended a hand towards her, palm uptop for her to grab onto. "What you say? Come with Umaroth, make hive and no longer be lost."

[Lisa Ko]

"Make Hive..... together.. New.. Hive." Lisa didn't know what to say. She didn't know what to think. The Naga in front of her said that he too was alone. No Hive to return to, no Hive to protect. She didn't know what to do. Lisa had always been a soldier. Always fighting, struggling, pushing for the sake of the Hive. Nothing else mattered but the Hive. But, there was longer a Hive. The home that she once defended was now gone. Did she really have a purpose anymore? Those thoughts really had the girl go into a mental frenzy. Wings fluttering rapidly, pincers gnawing against one another, involuntary body spasms that jerked her head from one position into the other. Lisa really couldn't grasp the concept of not having a Hive to go to. The silence was... fear.

But the Naga... was like her. No place to go. No place to call home. Lisa couldn't really grasp such a concept. The Naga was different from her. He was no Hornet. No Queen. Not soldier or Nurse. The Naga was nothing but a variable. An unknown. Well, everything in this world was an unknown. At least with the Naga... Lisa would get some form of answer. A known within the unknown. Looking at it in that sense, it would be good to at least some sort of bearing in this weird world. At least, she will have something familiar in this world while she regains her bearings.

Never did she really have to set up a Hive before. Many times she witnessed the builders and Nurses take care of the Hive. Construction wasn't going to be an issue for Lisa. If anything she was hoping that the temporary Hive she was constructing now would only serve as a .. well, temporary home until she could find her way back. But, what if there was no way back? Or what if the Hive was no longer there anymore? What if... there was no reason to even search for the Hive? What if.......

Did it really matter anymore?

Lisa was a soldier. She will always be a soldier. The Beast girl is a fighter. A warrior. A guardian. Her one and only role is to fight and protect. That is what she has done and always will. So, "Naga will come with Naga." Lisa said. She wouldn't hesitate about what she would do for the time being. It was her baser instincts as a Hornet Soldier. And for now, that was enough for her. So, Lisa would come to follow the Lizard man to where he refers to as home. Although, Naga did sound more masculine than it did. Or rather, it sounded like something that didn't suit her, so, for that reason, "No called Naga... Call.. Lisa." She heard one of the people in black robes refer to another. A name perhaps of a soldier of their people? Maybe. She still had much to learn about human customs and of the language. So for future occasions, she would see what the other Naga would have to teach.

[Deleted]

Alrighty. Fun. Umaroth and Lisa have formed a Pack then.

[Deleted]

Unfortunately, nothing that can be constituted as training happened in this thread essentially making it a Social. It stills counts acquiring additional SKP though.