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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ankh-Morpork Guard" data-source="post: 2366769" data-attributes="member: 10079">Chapter 235: Of Metal and Old FriendsAs usual, things proved to be easier said than done. At the moment, the current problem was general physical health. Shadow was alright. In fact, she’d started walking without any trouble. Sure, she was tired and starving, but sleep, even though it had been barely an hour of sleep, worked wonders for her body. She could eat later.    But, just as she had started moving, Shadow suddenly felt a sharp pain in the back of her left leg. Or rather, she felt something that should have been pain in her leg...but it was distant and she was walking fine. The pain wasn’t timed with her walking at all. Which meant...    Spinning around to look behind her, Shadow spotted Jyren a good five meters back and limping towards her as fast as he could manage. There was a neutral look on his face, but he was obviously fighting back pain with each step. She then took the time to actually notice he had a long, deep cut across his right shoulder. Why hadn’t he remorphed that?! Idiot! Didn’t he know that if he left it open and...and...it was half bleeding...she’d actually had her head resting on that shoulder! He was going to get the damned thing infected and get the both of them killed! With the ability to morph to the extent that Alraxians had, their immune system wasn’t exactly wonderful.    And if his leg was hurting so much that she felt it that strongly through the link, he really might just get them killed like that. Quickly, Shadow ran back to where he was and growled, “Why haven’t you remorphed those cuts?! If we die because you get an infected wound I’m going to kill you!”    Yes, she knew what she’d just said, but her point still stood...and Jyren knew she wasn’t lying. She’d find a way to do it. Which meant he had just a few seconds to make the necessary excuse. Even though it was the absolute truth, it was still an excuse and he knew it, “Metal!”    Shadow paused a moment from her anger to think. This lasted for a half second before she almost pounced his shoulder, eyes looking at the wound. At the same time, she was using the link to sift through his mind and find out what she could, while also using the Force to heal the wound at least slightly...not that she was that good at it, but some was better than nothing. And if anyone in the galaxy could multitask better than Shadow, Jyren wouldn’t believe it.    It took her a long half minute before she rolled her eyes. Then, grumbling under her breath, Shadow poked his shoulder, “Its fine. There’s nothing in it. You do realize that little pieces of metal don’t slide off of blades when they cut you, right?”    Jyren went red. What else could he do?! He didn’t know what he was looking for! He didn’t know what to do! He...he was making excuses in his own mind that she couldn’t even hear.    [I can. Now shut up and remorph it while I make sure your legs alright.] Shadow cut into his mind and she knelt down behind him. Quickly, she added. [Just in case you did something intelligent.]    Though he had passed out earlier, it had been at least some kind of rest for his physically exhausted body. Thanks to that, he at least had the energy to remorph the long gash across his shoulder. So in a moment, the lingering pain in his shoulder faded away as Jyren willed it in that odd way to pull itself back together. And not long after, Shadow stood up and gave a nod to indicate his leg was fine also.    With everything remorphed and back to relative normality, Jyren followed after Shadow, who had already started leading the way a second time. It was as they walked back, both looking beat up and exhausted despite remorphing and rest, when Jyren began to realize yet another very important factor that was currently missing.    Shadow picked up on his thought quickly. [No, I don’t have a plan yet.]    “Yet?” Jyren asked out loud, forgoing the speech through the link out of habit, “You mean I should expect one in the next few minutes before we start getting shot at again?”    “Shut up,” she rolled her eyes before turning them back in front of her to focus on what needed to be paid attention to. There was too much still wrong with this situation. Ket was no fool...and he wanted her(and Jyren, by default) dead. The Capital was not a planet known for its predators like Alraxia, so stranding them out in the forests was not a sound plan. Besides, Jyren had a ship out there somewhere. Maybe an ambush at the ship?    No...no that wasn’t Ket’s style. He would just kill them right away. Or rather, he should have. But he hadn’t. He hadn’t, and it was starting to drive Shadow crazy. Ket was making mistakes left and right, leaving too many chances for she and Jyren to get away alive. They shouldn’t be alive. As the Empress now, even if not technically official at this point, Shadow was even more of a threat to Ket, as she had the capability to pull the Alraxian Empire out of its current state of chaos. And that chaos had to be what Ket was aiming for. With it, he would have no trouble toppling what was left of the Empire.    There were still holes to be filled, and Shadow had the feeling they were going to have to fill them the hard way. Ket wasn’t one to talk. He wasn’t an idiot. So she came to a simple conclusion of what had to be done.    Get to Ket quickly.    “You will go no further.”    A voice cut through the trees around Shadow and Jyren like a knife. It was strong, dangerous, and familiar to the both of them. So much so that neither were surprised to turn around and see Delta Nine facing them. The older clone of Marix glared at her...original. No longer was Nine taller. They were both of even height and build, and the only way Jyren could tell them apart(save for the link, of course) was the morphsuit Shadow wore and the form fitting, off white armor that Nine had on. Jyren could only tell it was armor due to his link with Shadow, as she identified it immediately on sight.    [Why didn’t we sense her approaching?] Jyren asked through the link, quickly reaching out with the Force to make sure that Nine was alone. As far as he could tell, she was alone...but Jyren wasn’t so sure whether that was worth trusting at this point.    Shadow gave him a cursory glance out of the corner of her eyes, though made sure to keep her main focus and attention on Nine. [The same reason why you wouldn’t be able to sense me if I didn’t want you to.]    [Good point.] his response was emphasized with the slightest of nods. [Tell me we aren’t about to do what I think we’re about to do.]    [We don’t have much of a choice.]    It was the end of the stare down between Shadow and Nine...and while neither truly won it, both claimed a victory in that they didn’t lose either. But then Nine did something Shadow had no expected. Instead of attacking or even attempting a distraction before an attack, the clone took a step back and to the right. As her feet came to a stop, Nine’s voice could be heard quietly saying, “Kill the abomination.”    From behind a tree next to Nine, a figure stepped out. It was an Alraxian...a little taller, strongly built, and with thick, straight emerald coloured hair. He could be seen nodding before two anger filled eyes looked straight over into Shadow’s surprised face. His sword already in hand, Kyren Ka-BlueIce charged.</blockquote>

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