Phos falls into a trap Final

"You're acting vague, so obviously you know! Tell me!"

"You... Sometimes you're actually somewhat sharp. It makes me feel strangely like you might actually have some kind of potential, perhaps I can understand the pains that handsome one goes through over you."

"Fine. In our legends... On this planet, there once lived animals called Humans, until this planet was broken five times, they persevered and lived on the land. However, once it broke the sixth time, they entered the seas"

"I'ts said that there, they split into three parts, Spirit, Flesh, and Bone"

"They broke up into three bits from the impact of hitting the water, but they're still alive? That's pretty good for an animal"

"Oh, no, no. That's just a cool way of saying it, in truth the nuance I'm going for is that they evolved into three different races and lived on. My people, the Admirabilis, are said to be the Flesh"

"Supposedly we inherited the ability to expand and pass down our knowledge through repeated generations, at the time. The bone made a contract with other living creatures, and having gained the ability to live through the ages, they returned to the land"

"That's..!"

*Phos is about to say something but gets cut off then Ventri puts a finger to Phos's lips, and continues talking while leading the way to her "homeland", all the while the sun gets lower and lower with each passing second*

"That is just a vague story passed down between my people, I can't tell you if you're right or not"

"But that's really close to how we came to life!"

"Yes, I suspect so, after all... The spirit is said to be wandering, attempting to regain its flesh and bone in order to be reborn now that it has acquired a fresh new world. It's just like those guys"

"The spirit is..."

"... The Lunarians"

"Are doing all of this because they want to turn back into humans?"

*Phos stops walking while holding the bow in one hand tight to her side and Ventri is swimming around in front of them while Phos comes to a conclusion, all of a sudden Ventri lands on her back causing a lot of sand to come up off the sea floor while she starts talking again*

"I don't know. However, we have our own hearts now, I don't believe we can return up the same road again at this point"

"Whatever they are thinking, I cannot understand it, and I don't wish to. However, as you say, we can do nothing but continue onwards, we need to fight for ourselves and our comrades..."

"Why... Why'd things have to end up like that? If it's like you say, then the spirit should've been our friend and one of us back then, right?"

"I wonder"

"However when I was on the moon I felt it, The Lunarians, despite lacking natural enemies, love war and are never satisfied. This may just be my imagination, but I felt that the meaningless anxiety came from when they were human"

"Then... We really changed in a good way, at least us two can get along from now on"

*As Phos's and Ventri's conversation comes to an end they arrive at Ventri's supposed "Homeland. Ventri swims above Phos as they toss the bowl behind them and start laying down due to exhaustion caused by the low light levels in the ocean*

"Here we are"

"I'm so tiiiiiiiired! Who said it was gonna be close?! It's sunset! We barely made it!"

"But anyway, your homeland, it sure is empty"

"ARGH, I can't move anymore, I'm gonna lie down for a bit. Let me know when you're done"

"Like cinnabar is dear to you..."

*Phos sits up in weariness when they hear Cinnabar's name and the tone of Ventri's voice. Phos gets a terrible feeling like something is gonna happen, but she can't put her finger on it, but she knows something isn't right...*

"I also have something dear to me"

*Ventri looks at Phos in sadness for what's about to happen, suddenly a hail of arrows comes from the surface of the water and bombards Phos breaking off their legs, so they can't run as Ventri confirms her deal with the Lunarians*

"This is an exchange"

"For ACULEASIS"

-------Meanwhile on the shore--------

"Urm Rutile do you think we should alert Sensei that Phos isn't back? I have a terrible feeling, I think something happened to Phos!"

"Hmm I'm not sure if we alert Sensei and Phos is fine we could get in big trouble, I think Dia is also looking for them, so we should wait a little while longer Dia will alert everyone if something is wrong after all she went to Phos's room"

"Okay we shall wait then"

----------POV change Dia---------

*Dia goes to Phos's room to look for them since no one has seen them for a while. Dia gets to Phos's room and peeks inside expecting to find them there*

"PHO...!"

"...S?"

*Dia walks into the room and inches closer to the bed, expecting to find Phos under the sheets sulking because they got yelled at by everyone, and denied permission to go to the sea*

"I heard you got in trouble with everyone, hm? Since you said you wanted to go study the ocean. I'll go ask Sensei too, so... Cheer up, okay?"

*But to her surprise Phos wasn't there, instead what she found was a rolled up blanket and two bowls to mimic Phos under sheets. At this discovery Dia bolts out of the room and Alerts Jade, Euclase, Rain, and Rutile that Phos is missing*

-----Time skip------

"Did you find her?"

"No!"

"Don't tell me she really went to the ocean... Come to think of it, it's strange that she suddenly was so interested, and I neglected to wipe that resin off of her..."

"See I told you I had a bad feeling"

"Yes indeed you did..."

"W-We haven't looked anywhere but inside the school yet, so we can't tell for sure yet"

"That's right. She might have just decided to turn herself around and could be off working hard on her Encyclopedia"

"""No way"""

""You are too trusting!""

"You guys are too harsh!"

"I'm going to go look outside!"

*Dia starts to run off to look for Phos outside the school, in all her usual napping spots*

"Dia!"

"I've got an idea!"

-----Time skip the Hollow Cape-----

*Dia walks up to Cinnabar who is looking at the sun set, on the hollow cape as Cinnabar turns around to face her*

"No idea, and anyway, I told you I think she'd be better off gone, didn't I?"

"B,buuuuut"

" It's weird, why did she suddenly want to go to the ocean? What was she... Was she looking for something she just couldn't find in the hills...?"

*Cinnabar gets a shocked face as Dia says this*

"!"

"Like Cinnabar's heart, or something"

"Would you give that a rest?"

*Dia runs off to look in other spots, as Cinnabar looks upset while having a vision of Phos*

"I NEVER ASKED FOR THIS!"

------POV change Phos-------

*As Phos comes to they realize they've been captured by the Lunarians as they start freaking out, While Ventri is trying to get her brother back, but it's not going so well*

"WHAT?!"

"Bring another, you say? That's not what you promised"

"To begin with, Phosphophyllite alone should have enough worth to bring my brother back to his senses"

*Skshhhh*

*Skshhhhh*

"Ohhhh... Alright, alright"

"But they aren't stupid, I can't use the same method, if I were to use Phos as bait..."

"...Hmm, perhaps Cinnabar, who is astute and isolated from the others..."

*Rattle*

*Phos gains Ventri's attention by moving around in the bowl, and furiously shakes her head in denial of Ventri's plan*

"No, Phosphophyllite is as far as I can go after all, I'm already being suspected, even if I go back..."

*The Lunarians were not pleased to hear what Ventri said, so they burned her arm off in anger*

*Sizzle Sizzle*

*Phos struggles around and eventually gets her gag off, as the scent of Ventri's burning flesh awakens another giant snail*

"Ruler!"

*whoooooooosh*

*Phos looks at the giant snail next to her as it starts talking, and breaking its restraints*

"DO"

*Pow*

"I"

*Pow*

*Pow*

"SMELL"

"FOOD?"

"So... So cute"

"Aculeasis..."

"Hmmm?"

*The Giant snail looks at Ventri as the Lunarians poke it with their fire rods. As the fire hits Aculeasis he starts moving around in pain decapitating the Giant Lunarian, dispersing some smaller ones, and almost flipping over the cloud causing him to fall into the ocean*

*Ventri looks over the edge of the cloud and screams*

"ACULEASIS!"

*Suddenly black tentacles fly out of the water dispersing the lunarians, chipping Phos, and destroying the rest of the Giant Lunarian, as Aculeasis jumps back onto the cloud*

"That's me"

"I woke up 'cuz I smelled something suuper tasty, and lo and behold my dear sister was sitting right by my house too, it's my lucky day"

"You... silly little brother, you know nothing but Gluttony and Aggression!"

*Ventri's brother helps her up*

"My, my, you've gotten so tough"

"I have absolutely no idea what's going on here, but let's hurry away. Those Lunarians are flimsy, but they're quick and clever"

"They will have already heard that we've escaped, I'm sure, shortly, they'll..."

"Hm? Is that..."

"A Bone? It's quite battered, But such a beautiful pale color, like the Lunarians are fond of"

"Oh, I see"

"You used her to save me, what good luck, to have remained without falling into the hands of the Lunarians, surely this is your last chance to save mother, father, and our other comrades from being used as cattle. Come to think of it, you were the only one on the moon who was able to remain sane"

*Phos is just laying there listening to their conversation, as the cloud starts dispersing*

"You did well to come so far, and all on your own"

"That's so unfair"

"How am I supposed to get angry at you after I hear all that, Ruler?"

"So you don't mind being used as a bargaining chip? I suppose you immortals don't have much to worry about. But you might not be able to return'

"Just don't touch Cinnabar"

"Fine... It's a Promise"

*Aculeasis starts walking towards Phos but stops when Ventri grabs one of his tentacles, he looks back at her then stops as Ventri walks forward and holds Phos, as the cloud is almost fully dispersed*

"Is that alright with you?"

"It's okay, I'll let you off, I mean, I dont have the power to punish you, and unlike you, I can't come up with clever plans to save my comrads. Agh, what have I been doing all this time? I turn three hundred today, you're so awesome, even though I bet you're way younger than I am"

*Ventri' touches Phos's face with her remaining hand, and shocks Phos*

"Huh? You're all soft"

"You can choose not to melt me, huh"

*Ventri picks up Phos as the last of the cloud disperses*

"Sister"

"We must also change, or else we're no different from the Lunarians. Let's go home'

*As they fall towards the Ocean Aculeasis grabs two protrusions off his shell*

-----POV change back at the beach------

*Everyone gathered at the beach after following Phos's foot prints, Rutile and Rain apply resin to everyone in preperation to go into the sea to look for them. "Watch the waves" """Yes, Sir""" Cinnabar watches from affar as they think to themselves. 'It's got nothing to do with me' 'I don't care' Cinnabar starts to shed tears of Silver poison, "It's not my fau-" "I couldn't" Cinnabar turns around in shock at the sound of Phos's voice. "Find anything that suited you in the ocean... Sorry, I'll try harder tomorrow, forgive me" "No way" "HAHA... You're so strong... I thought you'd say that..." Cinnabar turns away from Phos, then starts dragging her by her collar while she holds onto the bowl, the chipped part of her face, and the two shell pieces all the way to the schools med corner*

"next time..."

"I'll be the one who saves you, okay"