Dark Forest pt 2

Cutting through the forest with my ki was a simple matter. It was the two following me that were the problem. Cheelai kept shivering while Lemo seemed paranoid. I couldn't truly blame them though, the forest was... I would say watching us. I knew that wasn't the case though, instead it was the ki in the air. Most planets had natural ambient ki, but the ki here was sticky while still being thin.

The captain of their ship ran off into the forest after hearing voices. With the strange ambient ki, I had a feeling that wasn't truly it. Cheelai spoke, "These vines just keep going. Do you think they are one plant?"

I shrugged, I was smart, but biology wasn't my cup of tea. Mom made me memorize a bunch of plants and herbs, but alien plants weren't included. I shrugged, "At least they aren't moving anymore."

Lemo raised his voice slightly over the ambient hum. "That is what scares me more, We are almost there it should be just in front of us."

I didn't see anything in front of us, "Are you su-" I nearly stumbled as I almost stepped off a cliff. "Never-mind found it."

Cheelai gasped, "Whoa! Look at this sight!"

We all stood still looking down at the open cliff face. Plants floated mid air tangling down the opening. All the while red beating veins of red outlined the walls and other cliffs that enter the cave. It seemed the forest continued down.

Lemo shook his head, "I didn't expect it to be like I don't think me and Cheelai will be able to go down there."

I nodded absently, I wasn't sure how I will go down there. "I can feel the heat from here. I'll set prepare the piping."

Lemo placed down the small generator. It was a back up generator from my ship. The pipes were from their ship. The two things didn't completely link up, but with a little fiddling they connected."

Cheelai looked over the edge. "What do you think is down there?"

Lemo shook his head, "I don't wanna find out."

I agreed, "Neither do I, could be anything."

"ARRRRRRGGGK!"

We all ducked down looking at the noise. It was one of the energy dragons landing on a gathering of vines. They were tied together forming a nest for the creature. It laid down and seemingly relaxed. I didn't see any other nests. Actually looking at the area it seemed rather alone.

I gestured my hand down. "Its territorial, its the only one that lives here. Stay quiet and don't make a sound."

Cheelai bit her lip, "Stop touching my legs you creep."

Me and Lemo looked at her, "we aren't touching your legs."

Cheelai made a face of shock then suddenly she was pulled back. "OH SHIT!"

Our eyes widened as several vines wrapped around her. The question if it was one organism was answered at least. I begun charging my ki, when I heard the energy dragon move. its eyes met mine and I sighed.

Creating a large ball of ki I fired it into the sky, "AAARRRRRGGGGGK!"

The Dragon flew after and I dove towards Cheelai as she screamed. "OH GOD, ITS CLIMBING INTO MY PANTS!"

Flying over I sliced through the vines and dropped. I grabbed her by her arms and flew to the land cliff face. Cheelai kept flailing her arms against her legs removing the disconnected vines. Lemo had his gun out firing at vines that grew closer to him.

"AAARRGGGK!"

I spoke with absolute sarcasm, "Great! The dragon is back." I dove down as it swiped at me. A bunch of vines swirled gripping onto the dragon. The buried themselves into the dragon's throat and it writhed.

"By the Almighty Sparks...."

I nodded my head, "Lemo hurry with the generator."

Cheelai stared in horror and I spoke, "Are you okay? I-I don't know what just happened."

She shivered, "I-I'll be fine. Let's just hurry up."

I looked at the dragon watching it being pulled down into the pit. Watching the scene I realized our uncomfortable feelings. "Cheelai, were the vines going for your um, were they going anal?"

She frowned at me, "I don't think that's your business."

I pointed at the dragon as it was turned inside out by the vines. "I think it does, because it would explain why the vines reacted."

Lemo raised and eyebrow before gasping. "Our stomachs!"

Cheelai looked between us not getting the catch. I looked at her and pointed at the dragon again. "It doesn't eat physical matter. It eats energy, so no stomach. We all have stomachs, we laid down it reacted."

Lemo shook his head, "Glad it didn't go after me. I prefer not to be scarred for the rest of my aged life."

Cheelai shouted, "I'M YOUNGER!"

Lemo patted her shoulder, "More time to get over it."

I shuddered staring down at the pit where the vines led to. Biting my lip, "I am gonna investigate."

The both looked at me like I was crazy. I held out my hands, "This is a major discovery, a plant that feeds on stomachs? Or perhaps... Acid! Look at all theses vines! What feeds this thing? I wanna find out don't you guys?"

"No!" Cheelai continued, "IT TRIED TO GO UP MY BUM!"

I shook my head, "I didn't say you had to join me investigating. Besides..." I stepped over to the cliff. holding the keys to my ship in my hand. "Not like you can leave without me."

Lemo gave a short laugh while Cheelai shook her head. I however, jumped off the cliff and into the pit.

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It was dark, thankfully my suit came with a flashlight. Looking around the cave was beat red, and all the light reflected back at me. Following the vines without getting to close they followed the walls like cables.

Following the vines I started to get an idea on how they worked. Each would split up and form more vines, which was obvious. Going deeper though they got thicker and the slowly became less in number. Sprouts could be seen on the thicker branches.

My light shined on a thickened almost wall of them. All the vines that went out came from these bundles. most likely because deeper it goes the less space for it to branch off. As I got closer to the wall the vines shifted slightly.They were covered a corpse that had its body turned inside out. Vines spread through its mouth and... behind.

It seems I found the captain for the Frieza Force ship. The vines seemed to react to my presence. Making the choice to keep going I charged my ki. Before they moved I chose to release a large wave of destructive ki destroying all the vines.

Some fell and twitched on the ground as they roasted slightly. The space was cleared though and facing my flashlight into where the vines jammed the path. I wasn't sure what I was looking at. I found a pool of red liquid and what looked like a radish. It seemed the entrance I came through wasn't the only one. Several vines went straight into other openings.

Kicking a rock into the red liquid it fizzed. The liquid was an acid that's for sure. The bulb that all the vines came out of sat in the liquid floating in it. The bulb wasn't fizzing or being burned up like the rock had. Digging into my pockets I found a button. Flicking it into the liquid it evaporated instantly unlike the rock.

My curiosity was above and beyond. Except I couldn't collect any of the acid. That bulb though... Creating a blast of ki I begun destroying the vines. The Bulb begun to twitch and the vines that were attached begun moving. Realizing it was trying to defend itself I severed the remain vines. My eyes widened as a pinkish liquid drained from them. As the liquid landed onto the stone my eyes flickered.

I recognized what grew from the fucking vine goo. It was a god damn saibamen! Crocili had some and other members of the frieza force did. The ones here were different though. Truthfully this wasn't a saibaman. Though the creature that begun growing was almost exactly the same. My guess saibamen were produced from a plant like this one.

As they grew I begun hearing it. A faint whisper in my ears and an even fainter hum. It seemed I found what the captain went crazy for. The creature that grew from the dirt stood up. It stared at me and didn't open it mouth. I pointed a finger at it. Vaporizing it instantly, cutting off the whispers as well.

Frowning, on one hand I wanted to study or even use theses creatures. However the fact that their existence produced whispers. Made me apprehensive. Specially if the captain heard them from so far away?

It meant it was telepathy, targeted telepathy. Coming from the bulb itself. Best guest it seems, "Are you alive?"

The whispers begun again. Shaking my head, I sighed. So it could hear me, but I couldn't understand it. While it couldn't actually communicate either. "I don't know what you are saying."

The whispers begun slowing and distorting before I heard the plant speak clearly in my head. "Whhhhhyyyyy d-d-dooooo you huuuuurrrrt meeeee?"

Shaking my head, "Circle of life, you hurt others to eat them haven't you?"

The plant responded, "Too consuuuuuume... Undeeeerstoooooood, y-y-yoou maay eeeat meee."

The connection ended and the bulb seem to die. The severed vines that hung off shriveled while the bulb begun to break apart. I laughed, What a creature! This was something I had to tell the others. Lemo and Cheelai might not enjoy this wonder like I do, but I'll still tell them.

Looking at the cracked husk of the plant bulb inside was a small orb. Picking it up I could almost laugh. What a funny creature, it just accepts death and then produces some kind of heart?

Shaking my head I thought about what the creature said. Looking at the bulb I felt ki coming off of it. It made be dumb to eat this, but I popped it in my mouth and bit down. It crunched kind of like a carrot, it wasn't bad actually tasted like a well roasted piece of ham.