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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ankh-Morpork Guard" data-source="post: 2062161" data-attributes="member: 10079">Chapter 160: Evil One...or Two?...or None?Alone in the large, empty room, Tobias whimpered and stared up at the closed door. Sniffling a little, he tried to understand what he had done wrong. It didn’t make sense, though! Didn’t Akan realize he was just trying to save him from the Evil One?    But...he said to...to leave Evil One alone or no play. But he had to kill her...or...or she would...it would save everyone! But no play! Sniffling again, Tobias padded over to the edge of the bed and stared up at it. Settling down finally, he turned back to the closed door.    What did he want more? Kill Evil One and save everyone...or play? And Akan had said that if he kept trying to kill Evil One that he wouldn’t play...at all...anymore...forever? Probably forever! Tobias sniffled again and picked up the small object Akan had given him.    After inspecting it for a few more moments, the small child mind won over and he started to press the button...repeatedly, and giggling happily the entire time.* * * *Shadow and Akan had been in the cockpit of the ship, talking about what to do with Tobias. It was more of a discussion on how to keep him away from Shadow until they figured things out. After only a few minutes, the comlink giggled at them. There was a pause, then more giggling sounds from his pocket.    Grinning slightly, Akan reached to get the comlink, “I think it worked,” he then hit the switch on his comlink and said into it, “Need something, little guy?”    There was the sound of fur ruffling against the comlink. Tobias was probably nodding too close to it. Then, his voice sounded, too loud and almost too happy, “Will play! Want Akan play!!” a short pause, then an almost whispered, “...will listen to what Akan said...”    “Good,” Akan said, smiling proudly to Shadow, “I’ll be there in a couple of minutes.”    ‘Yay’s and purring sounds began to erupt from the small comlink before Akan cut it off.  He then noticed that Shadow was giving him a look. It was one he could have easily identified without the help of their link, “You think I’m insane, don’t you?”    “Think?!” she almost laughed at that, “No, Akan, I know you’re insane.”    “The more you’re around him the more he’ll get used to you,” Akan said, getting up and starting out of the cockpit.    Shadow’s look intensified as he began to escape and she whimpered, “It’ll bite me!” but Akan just kept walking. Realizing he was actually going to get that little fur ball, she scrambled out of the pilot’s chair and went after him, yelling down the corridor, “You must be out of your tree! I swear, you left the last of you sanity back on Endor!!”    [I’m not going to let him bite you...promise] Akan ‘said’ through their link as he turned a corner to find the room where Tobias was now padding around and waiting to escape.    For some reason, she continued after him, even if it was a bit slowly and she knew there was no talking him out of it anymore. She was going to need to find some kind of neck guard or something similar...[Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Jedi boy.]    Akan just rolled his eyes, reaching the door and hitting the switch to open it. There was a sudden ‘RAWR!’ and then his leg was pounced. In a few seconds, the little black furred Alraxian had climbed up Akan and perched on his left shoulder again. Purring loudly, Tobias leaned in and poked Akan’s nose again, happily saying, “Akan play!!”    Grinning, Akan reached up with his other arm and scratched the small Alraxian’s ear gently, “Akan play soon. First you have to learn to deal with Shady. If you’re good, she might even play...”    That got a slight growl from Tobias. Akan just sighed, “Think of if this way, little guy. She and I are a lot alike. If you’re nice to her, that means twice as many chances to play than with just me.”    Tobias seemed to take a long moment to think on that. Then, after coming to a careful crossroads, asked slowly, “Akan...Akan like Evil One?”    Careful to not move too much and throw Tobias off of his shoulder, Akan shook his head slowly, “No. Shadow like Akan. Akan not evil...so Shadow can’t be. Understand...?”    It took another moment before Tobias managed a slow, almost suspicious nod. Shadow picked that time to peak into the room. Somehow pushing away the fear or being bit and mauled, she said, “Come on, neck ache, I’m not so bad.”    He spun around on Akan’s shoulder and glared at her. She watched as he tensed up, his expression glazed over, then twitched. The child seem to be really fighting it though, and to his credit, all he did was slip off of Akan’s shoulder. Instinctively, Shadow quickly ran over to catch Tobias. And he bit her hand...hard. She bit her lip and rolled her eyes upwards, fighting back any kind of reaction at all. After a long moment, she managed to stare down at the vicious little thing, and ground out, “I can’t play if you bite my hand off.”    [Tobias kill Evil One.] that was spoke straight into her mind, not through a link like she shared with Akan, but through the natural link that all Alraxians shared. It was enough that Akan had no idea what was being said, and was staring with a slightly worried look.    [Why?] Shadow replied, shifting how she held Tobias so that all his weight wasn’t bearing down on her hand through teeth. [Has Evil One harmed Tobias?]    [Ye—Evil One must die.]    [Answer me.] Shadow pressed, her ‘voice’ stern and using at least a small amount of the Force to push it. [Has Evil One harmed Tobias?]    [Y—...no] the last part was nearly whispered, and it had almost seemed to Shadow that she had thought it for a moment.    Shadow looked down at the two eyes that were now looking up at her, though Tobias’ teeth didn’t let go. [Then why harm Evil One? If Tobias harm Evil One for no reason, then Tobias Evil One and must kill self...even though harming self against orders.] the last part she added after a second thought, praying that those actually were his orders.    He didn’t answer, but Shadow got an idea. Waving Akan away with her tail(as both hands were occupied), she started down the corridor, casually asking Tobias. [Tobias like Evil One’s blood?]    [Blood of Evil One tastes...tastes...]    [Just like the blood of Tobias...or Akan...or anyone else.] Shadow finished for him, though that had obviously not been what he was going to say. [Same. No different at all.]    Clinging by his front paws and letting go with his teeth, Tobias resorted to the less tiring form of communication. Though he didn’t actually speak, he opened his mouth and mumbled something that was likely close to admitting defeat. Good. Shadow smiled inwardly and stepped into the small ‘fresher room. [Shadow know what Tobias think is different. Tobias told that Evil One is Cursed One with silver eyes...]    The small child looked up at her, hatred marring his features and growling slightly. His claws dug into her wrist a little more, too, “...Evil One...”    He was obviously looking into her eyes, which were an odd silvery-purple. Exactly what he had been told. She lifted him up a little and said, “Shadow have something to show Tobias...if Tobias is interested.”    A pause as Tobias examined Shadow’s features, trying to find any hint of deception. Slowly, he nodded slowly, “...yes...Tobias want to know.”    “Tobias let Shadow touch his eyes?” there was an even longer pause after that, and his claws dug in deeper. But again, he nodded carefully. Then, very slowly and very carefully so as not to scare him anymore, she reached down to his eyes with her free hand and touched them gently. Yes...altered just slightly. It wasn’t too much trouble to reverse the alteration, as it was simply an illusion created through the Force...even though it was strong. She then lifted him up and turned him to face the mirror she now stood in front of, taking her hand off of his eyes to see.    The emerald eyes were now a brilliant silver mixed with the green. Suddenly, Tobias hissed and let go of her. He dropped to the floor and looked ready to scamper off, but Shadow swooped down and picked him up again. Tobias hissed, spit, and growled, trying to get free of her grip. Ignoring his struggling, she just held him by the waist. [See? Tobias Evil One, too. Tobias just like Shadow...so is Tobias evil?]    She moved to hold him by the scruff of his neck, which caused him to struggle even more despite the fact that it was doing him no good. He was now just wailing as he had been when Akan had first found him, screaming at the top of his lungs and lashing out with claws in all directions. [NO!! Tobias not evil!! Tobias kill!! Tobias ki– Tobias ki–] he suddenly froze up, going limp in Shadow’s hand and looking like he wasn’t even breathing anymore. It was at least another minute until his small chest slowly began to rise and fall again. So he had passed out.    It didn’t surprise her. He was a tough little jai, to be truthful. Considering what he had likely been though...Shadow shifted to hold him more properly and walked back to the quarters. Finding that Akan wasn’t there, she simply placed Tobias on the pillow on the bed before wandering off to find Akan.    She found him back in the cockpit, and had a seat before saying quietly, “He’s...he’s asleep. His own doing, so don’t look at me like that. When he wakes up he will...probably be a little confused. I’d suggest you let me talk to him.”    Akan raised an eyebrow, sitting up some and looking down the corridor a moment, “Just don’t kill the little guy, okay?”    Shadow gave him a look. Slowly, a grin grew on her face and Akan started to get worried. Feeling that through the link, she grinned even more and said quietly, “Could you maybe...just maybe, like him?”    He went red. In fact, all of his skin tinted a slight reddish colour. Shadow laughed openly at that, and Akan quickly tried to hide, “Shut up! Its not that! Its just...just that...” he trailed off a moment, then sighed and gave in, “...maybe just a little...”    She was still laughing when he made a quick escape from the cockpit. After finally calming down, she smiled proudly to herself. Good. That meant he could watch the little brat like he was meant to. Shadow stopped her thoughts at that. Like who was meant what? Even Marix didn’t completely comprehend that thought, and because of that, they both ignored it and moved on. Idly finding the monitor to Tobias’ room, she flipped on the screen and watched. Now, to wait until he woke up...</blockquote>

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