I thoug you'd realize 'dat, Lobo!
It brought back the memories of the COVENANT doing torcherous things!
It did make Umi uneasy!

Oo, update! Yay! That one was especially on-the-edge-of-yore-seat action-crammed. Good job! *bounces up and down* C'mon, c'mon get to that thar Sekto scrap...

o.O Two words... Timed Run...

How you gonna tackle that?

JEEZ!
I'm supposed ter leave cliffy's (Which yer hate me fer, don't'cha? :D ) THEN get ter Sekto and Stranger's battle.
'Ey...it's what I do. Business calls. :D :p

Update all done!
Sorry, but I left it at a cliffy again.
But hey...it's business. :speaks mafia-style:

THE ATTACK OF SEKTO
-----------------------

The elevator shaft exploded behind Stranger. His reflex exploded in his legs, starting him down the zig-zag ramps. He leaped over the flat base over two Wolvark guards screaming murder of the bubbling rock that splattered upon their faces.
Large pillars of stone holding the roof from imploding crumbled upon the base, crushing the standing Wolvarks underneath with a quick bone-crushing scream.
Stranger sharply curved around the pillar, and dodged the Wolvarks running around behind the fallen pillar.
Umi burried her face in Stranger's back, her muscles tiring quickly as Stranger raced in to the unstable metal-framed facility.
The catapults were coming too close. Rocks exploded in to hot fragments through the open roof of the building.
But even if it hurted him, Stranger would get up to Sekto's office, and end his tyrant death spree of his kind.
Stranger panted, grousing through blocking Shock tanks and shooting Wolvarks. Bullets pinged off by his legs, pelting rocks in to his skin.
He cringed, but didn't stop charging up the ramp to the last level.
The floor was caved in itself.
Stranger slid down the broken rubble, skidding to stop when he leaped out of the broken hole to the flat base again.
Two Shock tanks and a mass of Wolvark guards whipped out their weapons.
Stranger growled. He didn't have time to stop and meddle with the bastards. But if it stopped him from getting Sekto, he had to stop them.
"Hold tight, kid!"
Rabid Fuzzles were flung to the Wolvarks, diverting their attention to the nipping fur balls.
Stranger focused on the Shock tanks.
The Shock tanks rumbled up closer to the Steef, holding its arm out to them.
"Hurry up! Those river-huggin' jackasses are movin' in!"
Static gathered in their poles sticking far out from their circular tanks.
Boom-bat Seekers flew in to the eye of one tank, disabling it from locking on its target.
The last tank moved in front of the swearing Wolvark, and exploded of purple electricity.
The bolts raised hairs on Stranger's arm. He moved back from the tank, but it moving with the Steef retreating.
"Damn it," Stranger growled, his hind legs touching the base of the hole he had fallen out of.
The tank rumbled of a cruel laugh.
Bolts struck across Stranger's chest, leaving a black smokey mark across his armor covering his chest.
Close call, but he probably wouldn't be lucky next time.
A whistle called through the air. Two bubbling rocks thrown through a breached hole in the roof struck upon the flat base Stranger stood upon. Dribbles of molten rock splashed among the tank's hull.
The Wolvark screamed inside the tank, frantically ripping out behind the tank's emergency exit.
Stranger watched the catapults shower over through the torn hole. The attack was becoming even more brutal.
Soon, the entire heart of the dam would be overrun by the molten rock.
Stranger rushed by the tank melting by the sobbing Wolvark.
The facility ahead was crumbling under the weight of the shattered roof falling upon it.
Stranger dodged the falling chunks of cement crashing in front of him. Deeper as he went, the tunnels grew thicker, making them safe upon attack of the Grubbs. But it wouldn't keep them safe for long.
"Close the doors! Keep that Steef away!"
Wolvarks behind closing doors grinned devilishly.
Stranger returned the scowl, accelerating his speed straight through the horizontal crease, and blowing away the Wolvarks with a dumbstricken frown.
Conveyer belts spiraled around a curling hallway up to the walkway to Sekto's office.
Deployed Wolvark Sleg holders stood vertically along the spiraling hallway. The Steef circled around to their sight. They grinned, as they opened their sacks above their heads. In their clenched hands were writhing Slegs, barking viciously at their trainer holding them uncomfortably.
"Go git 'em, boy!" they barked.
The Slegs fell to the ground. They growled hungrily at their prey stampeding by their masters. The trio of Slegs pounced as the Steef rushed by, missing by only inches by their tusks.
They accelerated after the Steef.
Stranger's legs strained with all their might that was left in his muscles. He could hear the Slegs actually catching up to him.
Then a bone-clamping crunch slammed down on his right hind ankle.
Stranger roared in excrusiating pain.
One Sleg was clamped on his leg, knawing fiercely deeper in his thick cartledge and bone.
Umi slapped the Sleg, pulling its ears up from his leg.
The Sleg whined angrily, its jaw muscles weakening from the human's jerking.
"Umi! ...Stop!" Stranger shutted his eyes tightly, a tear rolling down his cheek.
"If I don't get it off, you'll slow down, and you'll get caught by the wolves! Keep running! Ignore the pain!" Umi squawked.
She ripped the Sleg off his ankle, it opening its mouth like a fish out of water. It snapped its jowls at her face.
She only sneered at its invisible eyes.
"Nasty lil' beast..." she threw down the Sleg to its followers.
Stranger opened his eyes again, feeling the burden off his leg at last.
The end of the hall came to him quickly. Now all it was, was a curving path up to Sekto's office, then he'd exact revenge in the most excrusiating exorcise he'd ever dealt out.
He ignored the pain surging through his tired muscles in his legs. He had to run up a security beltway that was out of order, only to find more Wolvarks and a Shock tank.
Further out from the beltway was the molten base of the dam, the catapulting still continuing deeper to where Stranger ran.
Umi's eyes were locked on an incoming pulted fiery rock, headed right for their direction.
"Stranger!" she screamed.
The rock tore through the beltway behind Stranger, the remaining part of it swirving unstably from the uneven weight.
The Wolvarks turned to the entrance to the office of their boss, waving their arms to the guards nearby.
"CLOSE THAT DAMN DOOR! THE STEEF'S UP 'ERE!"
Stranger saw the guards near the door switch down the lever to close the door. He growled fiercely. He wouldn't give up from how far he came to just to get revenge.
The Shock tank came in to play. Bolts shot out the poles on its purple hull.
A jolt sheered by Umi's arm painfully.
She felt the burning pain explode in her mind. Her eyes fell dark, almost hitting her head on Stranger's shoulder blade.
"Don't yer fall unconscious with me again, Umi. Don't yer dare!" Stranger growled.
Umi took control of her conscious. Her eyes returned to normal, staring ahead, as Stranger sped passed by the tank and its attack.
The doors still closed slowly.
Stranger's muscles flexed harder. Only inches before he reached Sekto's office.
Catapults tore down the beltway closely behind Stranger.
His muscles felt as if they would implode through his leg, and the pain was irritable.
The guards near the door grinned successively. The Steef wouldn't make it through the doors in time.
Stranger grunted as he flapped his arms with his hooves running to their potential.
He got to the end of the beltway.
the doors were almost passed the size of himself.
He leaped through the crease, moving himself vertically with the crease, so he would fit in without losing one of his limbs.
Stranger tripped on the ground, and the doors slammed shut.
The Wolvarks sweared loudly, banging on the doors frantically.
Stranger heaved on the floor. He could hear the catapults take over the outside of the dam. He was safe from the catapults, for now, until he got Sekto.
Umi crawled to Stranger, his face touching the ground.
She patted his back.
"Good work, Stranger. That was too close," Umi wrapped her arm around his neck gently.
Stranger mumbled an affirmative through his exhausted breathing. He looked down the carpeted hallway decorated with stands of exotic plants and broken portraits of some unknown person.
He sighed through his nose, standing back up wobbly.
Umi hefted him up under his arm, holding him in balance.
Stranger glared down the hallway, his challenge awaiting his presense.
The fight for revenge was on. And Stranger was more than ready.

Oooo, cliffhanger... I remember doin' this bit of the game, was a absolute nightmare. Good job matie and lookin' forward to the next bit! :D

Dang! I hated those tanks! I was soo tempted to use a cheat code to get past them. I can't wait till the final showdown.

Ahh...I'm all over my writer's block.
Enjoy.
I shall write, supposedly, the ending tomorrow.
I shall keep you in suspence...O.O
:p
BTW: when this story is FIANLLY completed...(yes, I want to move on to the next story) I shall repost the revamped story in its actual chapters.
ect.
ENCOUNTER, MEMORIES, AND MEETING--Umi meets the Stranger
SHORTLY THEREAFTER, A STRANGER ARRIVES IN TOWN...
SURGERIES, LIES, AND OUTLAWS--The hunt for 20,000$
THICKETS, MASKS, AND TREACHERY--The Shadow of the Steef
SECRETS, CLAWS, AND ENEMIES--A Stranger's demise
THE MASK REMOVED. A NEMESIS REVEALED
GUARDIANS, THIEVES, AND INDUSTRY--The battle for Last Legs
FIENDS, BEASTS, AND MORTAR--The siege of Sekto's lair

Hopefully I didn't ferget's anything.
But yeh. Those 'r the chapters.

WUHOO! *waves flag and honks klaxon* Go Stranger! YAY! :cheer:

And now....*ominous music*....Sekto! Dur nuh dur nuh. Hee hee. Stranger'll kick his butt! Great chapter DE, oh an' I saved ya revamped chappie. :D

Right. This is the moment we've all been waiting fer, folks!

SHOWDOWN--Attack of Sekto

Even though they weren't in their prime condition, Stranger and Umi would still get Sekto, even with a limb cut off, and their arms and legs tied behind their backs.
Streams of light cutting through the broken jagged holes above in the roof shone down upon the dusty field of suspense.
Behind the tall desk where Sekto stared up at his prized trophies hung on the base of his wall, and the curling horns from an unknown creature.
Sekto stood up by his desk, staring with splendor at his trpohies, while thinking of the Steef he would add to his collection, and get something more rare that would satisfy his craving of his game.
He let out a hazy chuckle.
"The Steef's here," he said slowly, blinking his golden eyes down to his pets, upgraded and armored.
The Gloktigi's arms were mechanical, horns sticking out of its wide squid-shaped forehead.
Sekto then stared down the office walls untouched of damage.
"I can feel it,"
The Gloktigi snorted in agreement, standing closer to its master, and having a ready glare ahead of the entrance to his office.
"But, it won't get away from me this time. Not even the human,"
Sekto turned to the Gloktigis, they turning to him.
"Deal with them, but be careful with its head,"
Sekto then looked up to a head plate empty by the Steef head preserved perfectly in their raging form.
"I have a special place for it,"
The Gloktigis were to set off around the library, until Sekto raised an arm.
"And, another thing," he said.
The Gloktigis turned back to its master.
Sekto's eyes grinned down deviously.
"Give me the human,"
He turned his head to each of them.
"...Alive,"
The squeal of the Gloktigis came over the thin office walls. Stranger was walking on his own now, keeping umi behind him for any surprise attacks. He knew Sekto would want her almost as bad as Sekto wanted his head.
And he wouldn't let him even lay a finger on her as long as he was still alive.
Artifacts behind glass showcases stood in perfect balance with their stands. Grubb cultural were more behind the showcased glass, bones of decrypted Grubb ancients and masks of perfect shape to the Grubb's heads.
Stranger slowly approached the entrance to Sekto's office, shelves acting as a jungle sprouted around the bottom base of his desk.
And there he stood. Sekto, with his arms behind his back, staring brightly with large golden-yellow eyes.
"Steef," Sekto called.
Stranger snarled fiercely.
"Sekto,"
Remembering how Sekto almost took his and Umi's life made him explode with rage.
"I'm-a kill you, you filthy bastard!"
Stranger stampeded up to the base to Sekto's desk. But a forceful push knocked him aside from his desk. Green gel tackled him aside from a vertical shelf, the tapping Gloktigis chuckling successively.
Sekto ratted his fingers together.
"So glad of you to join us..." Sekto chuckled, slowly looking to the human standing defensively, and glaring at him fiercely.
"and letting us to the human,"
Sekto snapped his fingers authoratively to the Gloktigis, pointing a finger to her.
The Gloktigis darted out from the forested shelves, holding down a familiar stance that meant they would attack.
Umi gasped, blinking quickly.
Green blobs shot around her arms, quickly collecting around her, until she was wrapped in the gel as well, writhing helplessly, as the Gloktigi rapped closer with their sharp talons.
Stranger's eyes shot out a furious stare at the backs of the Gloktigi.
"DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH 'ER!"
Stranger flexed his arms outward from the ensnare, ripping his elbows out of the glop, and ripping it off as if it were a torn blanket.
Umi scrambled with her legs backwards to the office wall.
The Gloktigi circled around her, boxing her in with their mechanized arms and writhing mouth tentacles.
Until a barrage of sharp stinging bugs ripped the back of their heads in large clusters.
The Gloktigi cowled angrily, spinning around to the Steef, already free of its trap, and its arm with a weapon holstered on its arm.
Stranger panted, sneering of his sharp stained teeth out the side of his mouth.
"I said don't, touch, her," Stranger scowled heinously.
The Gloktigi chuckled, turning their backs on the human tucked near the wall. They squawked to each other of a machination unknown to Stranger. They then stared back to the Steef, one stepping up to it, and the other turning back to the human.
Stranger nodded to the Gloktigi's challenge, immediately jumping back, while shooting back Boom-bat Seekers.
The Gloktigi challenging dodged a cluster of Seekers, imploding on the weakened walls.
The second cluster tackled in to an arm of the Gloktigi.
The arm zapped of electricity, breaking off from its foot and arm in a large section.
It wobbled on its only free arm, its sapped arm writhing around bionically, the Gloktigi roaring furiously at the Steef.
Stranger knew it wouldn't be able to attack on only one arm, so now focused on in on the Gloktigi nearby Umi.
It caged in the human under one set of claws. The Gloktigi turned back to the Steef, noticing that its brother was somewhat already defeated.
It snorted, blinking skeptically at its fallen brother balancing on only one arm.
Stranger nodded at it.
"Move away...Yer gonna die anyhow," Stranger whispered ominously.
The Gloktigi moved its talons from over Umi, stepping up to the plate this time. It squawked to its brother concernly.
The other shook its head, flexing its bionic claws out further apart.
Whilst the Gloktigi kept Stranger under their wing, Sekto, far behind, watched intentionally how the Steef fought. Its reflexes were lightning-fast, and its speed was top-notch. But its weakness was only one thing; its human.
The human was the link to his weakness. Somehow, he'd have to plan to get the human and the Steef together. But it would be tough. That Steef's intention was to protect the human from him.
Shrapnel of Riot slugs tore through the Gloktigi's ghostly-purple hide. Stranger circled around the Gloktigi, as its attack was spinning around on one claw, and acting the rest as a shredder fan, drawing closer to the Steef.
Stranger kept his distance from its attack, while forwarding his attack of Super Stingbees and Riot slugs to the spinning Gloktigi.
Blood spurted out in entrails, leaving a dashy ring of blood around the Gloktigi's arms, its skin weeping blood out from its pores. The Gloktigi whined exhausted, stumbling closer to the Steef standing before it.
It was weak. Almost too weak to continue fighting. Stranger could sense that, bringing up his last Boom-bat Seeker to its forehead.
It snorted in failure, standing weakly on its last.
Sekto watched his pets fall to this bumbler. He almost shouted in anger, when he realized it was only a test. He knew somewhat that the Steef was tired from trying to reach his office. That would give him a home-field advantage to it, and the human.
The human, on the other hand, was still stuck by the office walls, tearing off the glop flaking off its arms.
Sekto sneered. The Steef would be after him in seconds. That meant he'd have to start with his plan to take them down.
One Gloktigi down, and one last straggler to go. The last was jumping on its arm, frantically to reach its master's desk, and hide before it could get caught.
Stranger opened his bow up to fast-firing Stingbees that tore through its last arm.
Wires sprawled lively around its attached nerves. The Gloktigi tripped down from its broken arm, bawling around on the floor with its stubby arms whirring helplessly around to crawl away from the Steef.
Stranger dug his claws in to the back of the Gloktigi, turning it around with its face up to him.
The Gloktigi's eyes shone fearfully up to the Steef's bright devious eyes. It shook its head, knowing that it has also failed its master to bring it down.
Sekto heard the loud shriek of its last pet. He sneered to himself, pushing a button under his desk.
The base suddenly transformed in to a cirular control panel Sekto sat in. Trap doors beside the control panel seat snapped open to a sprouting machine with two prongs physically attached to large circualr barbs.
Two circular panels popped up under the base of his transformed desk, glowing as bright as the bionic eyes of the Shock tanks. Dashes blinked circularly as a halo around the eyes. The circular control panel began to hover off above the desk he sat in. Ahead of his stern hands were two long handles. A ringing hum grew louder to life.
Stranger heard the humming of an awkward machine. He turned back to Sekto, now noticing that his entire base had transformed to a strange weapon darting right to him.
He glared up to Sekto, his hands wrapped around the two handles.
"Now, as like your ancestors, Steef, you will die by my hands,"
Sekto pulled the levers in unison down to him. A blue-silver sphere shrouded around Sekto and the control panel.
"The hell is that?" Umi rubbed her head.
Stranger snarled.
Loud buzzing grew higher-pitched. The panels below Sekto were flashing up to the twin cannons, wires glowing a dark purple.
He gave a hum of suspicion, locking down Riot slugs and rounds of Super Stingbees.
As his cannons grew more powerful with the unknown attack, a rumble and crash of cement chunks from the roof came barreling down in front of Stranger.
He was fazed a bit, but blinked back to the flashing panels.
And the barrage started.
Super Stingbees and the shards of Riot slugs pricked at the panels. His attack wasn't strong enough to figure his suspicion.
He dug around his ammo sack as he continued to fire at the first panel. Just as he thought.
Not enough Boom-bat Seekers. He only had two left. But he would have to use them wisely on both panels.
As he weakened the first panel starting to flash weakly, the cannons made a loud click. Two beams of black-purple laser fire shot out of the barbs in the cannons. The beams disinegrated the chunk of cement roof Stranger kept behind. Stranger kept in suspense, keeping calm by the chunk of roof, and watching the cannon's stream grow weak.
The two beams died out, and the chunk of cement exploded in to shards of metal and rock.
Sekto grunted angrily, restarting the engines on the narrow beam cannons.
Stranger backed away in to the forest of library shelves, a steady stream of Super Stingbees chipping away at the weak panel by Sekto's right cannon.
He noticed that his shields flickered as every Stingbee stuck to the panel. He now figured that the panels fed in to his control panel and affected his shields.
Now Stranger's plan changed entirely.
He used is first Boom-bat out of two, hoping that the panel he kept attacking would be weak enough to blow out a part of Sekto's shield.
His heart pounded, as the Boom-bat fluttered from his bow, and directly to the extorted panel chipped away of its color.
The Seekers pummelled the panel.
And the eye blew out in a quick jolt of fire.
Sekto's shields dimmed on and off. He blinked at the red flashing words on his green wireframe keypad:
RIGHT CANNON SECTION- DISABLED
"Damn you, Steef!" Sekto yelled wildy, slamming his fists on his controls.
But the left cannon was still intact.
Sekto still had a chance.
Stranger kept near in the library, noticing now black ghostly laser pellets snapping off the wood of the shelves.
Sekto let a rough chuckle out.
"Where are you, Steef?" he called.
Sekto then darted to the human, its back against the wall, and staring at him fearfully.
"I suggest you come out now, or the human dies," Sekto threatened.
The cannon whirred to Umi, the two claws around the powering barb opening with its energy gathered.
'He's about as worse as X'Plosives,' Umi thought.
The pellets stopped, and the hum reached maximum.
Stranger heard Sekto's threat, snapping his direction over to Umi.
"Oh no you don't!" he ran out.
Sekto caught the Steef charging to the human.
"Got'cha," Sekto grinned.
Stranger wrapped his arm under Umi's arms, turning back around to see the panel staying a solid orange.
That meant the cannon was charged.
The cannon's beam shot out from the barb again, melting the book shelves with the shape of the beam down where the Steef was.
Where the Steef was
The cannon died out again.
Sekto leaned over his controls, staring only at the black spot seered in to the floor.
"Huh?" Sekto grumbled loudly.
Stranger hunched down low behind rows of shuffled shelves, covering most of him with books alligned.
Umi sat low on the ground under Stranger's neck.
"You stay 'ere, and don't even think of moving," Stranger told quietly.
Umi nodded, her eyes shining wetly of tense tears.
The buzz of the cannons were delayed.
Sekto still looked around wildly for any sign of the Steef. He was beginning to think the cannon had killed the Steef, but it was impossible.
He would've seen it happen.
"Steef!" Sekto roared.
"I know you're out there! I'll blow this entire dam out if I have to!"
Stranger kept low under the shadows of the shelves, caerful not to knock down the books hanging loosely over his hunched back.
Only one panel left. That would leave Sekto open for the kill.
Stranger moved himself close to the panel to the left last cannon. He locked down his bow again with a fresh round of Riot slugs and Super Stingbees, and keeping his last Boom-bat Seeker close at hand.
Sekto's gut feeling was that the Steef was closeby, but he couldn't put a finger on it. It figured out how to kill his cannon and weaken his shields, so it would go after...
'Aha...' Sekto looked down left by the last panel.
He recharged his cannon's power again.
Sekto had figured where he was.
Stranger began to fire at the last panel, slowly chipping away at the protective covering to the inside of the eye.
He listened to the hum of the cannon grow louder. The covering sprouted out to a small hole exposing the wires that would disable the last cannon.
'C'mon...'
He hosed the Stingbees above the small hole.
Chips of the covering shot out, exposing the eye more.
Stranger's brain impulsed. He quickly switched out to his last Boom-bat Seeker.
Umi moved away books to unveil Stranger and Sekto. She watched him place on a Boom-bat Seeker, almost jumbling it in his hand from his extreme hustle to put it on.
His arm retracted out to the panel, and a grin growing hatefully in to the fiery eye of it.
"Fire it..." Umi's throat almost choked.
The eye blinked to a solid orange again. The cannon stopped humming.
"Fire it..." Umi said louder.
The two claws retracted from the barb, and a black-purple narrow beam exploded out of it.
Umi's eyes contracted suspensefully.
"STRANGER!"
The Boom-bat Seeker fluttered out the launcher of Stranger's bow. Slow motion seemed to take over Stranger's eyes. He watched the arrow of the beam darted right to him.
The Seekers impacted the panel, and the wires exploded from the heat the 'bat gave off.
A quick fiery jolt shot out of the eye. The cannon sparked out of the barb.
The beam produced from the cannon suddenly vanished in to a sprinkle of black dust.
Stranger fell on his back, watching as Sekto beated brutally on his control pad, swearing hatefully at the Steef.
Red flashing words blinked under his flattened hands.
But it wasn't what Sekto expected.
His eyes widened to a brighter golden-yellow, as the red words flashed in his eyes;
SELF-DESTRUCT SEQUENCE- 5
Sekto shook his head.
He noticed his failure to kill the Steef, his dream shattered to the ground. He was defeated by the creature he wanted to wrought from this world.
"No...this can't be..."
A whirring hum sounded from the center of his control panel. The cannons sparked ominously by him, the barbs exploding inside the cannon.
Stranger scrambled away from near the base, laying flat down by Umi, holding her head under his chest.
Vibrations under Sekto's feet suddenly exploded in to a fiery blast. The cannons exploded outwards from its core, a chain reaction beginning next with him, and then the last cannon.
Shockwaves were sent out upward, the base above him with his prizes caving down upon him.
Sekto let out a shrill roar, as the rocks came tumlbing down upon him, crushing the machinery, along with him underneath.
_____
Rubble of Sekto's office settled down, dust scattering high above the grey clouded sky. The echo of Sekto's scream lingered in Stranger's mind, sending chills down his spine each time it echoed.
He lifted his head off over Umi's scalp, blinking through the thin covering of brown dust gliding around.
Only rock and metal were the remanents of where Sekto last stood.
Stranger lifted his body off of Umi, wiping his arm off of the splinters that were prickling irritatingly in his tender skin. He walked over to the rubble that burried Sekto, and a calm silence over took the moment of truth.
Stranger dug through the rocks, a torn arm rolling out when a slab of cement was pulled away. He dug out Sekto's battered body out flat in front of Stranger.
His eyes were beaten closed, his skin bloddied and bruised. His expensive suit was torn and stained of dark red blood.
Umi walked by Stranger, loping her head on his arm, and sighing exhaustedly.
"You did it," she said, moving her head up to his eyes.
Stranger let a heavy sigh through his nostrils, the heavy burden that was weighing down his shoulders finally was thrown off.
Revenge was extracted, and it felt so good.
Rebel yells from far below called out far from the dam.
Umi and Stranger turned to the open window, listening to the concerned voices call out their saviors.
Umi looked up to Stranger.
"Go on, Stranger," she nodded.
Stranger's face straightened. He glanced down to Umi, she giving off a confident smile.
Stranger scruffed the shirt on Sekto's shoulder, and dragged him up to the window.
Umi stayed behind, watching Stranger take his claim up to the Grubbs with a strong sense of pride.
"Show 'em who you are,"
Stranger held Sekto high above his head, then locking his head back, closing his eyes.
He released a successful bellow, echoing down to the Grubbs gathering slowly on the riverside's ledge.
The Grubbs blinked up to the small dot high in the dam holding their mortal enemy above its head.
"What was that?"
The Grubbs began chatting suspiciously.
"It was Steef,"
The Grubbs squawked. Steef actually did it. Their prophecy of a Steef coming to the Grubb's aid was fulfilled, and no more were they to be burdened with the Sekto demon.
Grubbs began to raise fists in the air, chanting loudly, "Steef! Steef! Steef!"
As the chant grew louder, Stranger's pride swelled larger in his chest. Sekto was no more. Stranger dropped his body off his arms down by his own dam.
Umi walked up by him again, touching his arm, and looking up to him.
As she was about to praise him again, the earth shocked below them, thumping down heavily.
Cracks grew about the weak dam wall, spurts of water spraying out of the open wounds.
Stranger jumped down from the sill, staring below.
The dam was weak from the Grubb's attack. The dam would shatter, releasing the water back in to the valley.
Stranger moved back away from the sill, kneeling down on the ground, and hugging Umi tightly to his chest.
Grubbs below began to scramble away from the crumbling dam, waterfalls forming through the opening cracks.
"Don't let go of me, Umi..." Stranger told.
The inside became unstable, and the wall exploded outward. The office pillar also fell along.
Water exploded freely out of its prison, flooding the Mongo River, and giving the Grubbs their most sacred instrument to life.
Even if the water was free, their sacred guardian wasn't expected to live through the destruction of the water's prison. They were brought down by the demon's wrought.
_____


Fierce is the spirit of her waters.
It creates us, binds us, flows in us.
The fool who dare enslave her, beware.
She washed his life away.

The Grubbs gathered by the river's edge, watching the Steef guardian float to the snowy ridge. They assissted their savior up on dry land, calming him of the burden he had to put up with.
"Steef,"
A ring of Grubbs circled around.
Stranger slowly regained his posture, looking back to the broken dam still trickling of the river's water.
Umi stood by his side, touching his arm. She jerked her head back to the ringed rebel Grubbs staring curiously down at an object.
Stranger nodded slowly down to her, resting a hand on her shoulder comfortingly, then walking up behind the Grubbs.
He moved the ring aside with his hands, entering the ring, and staring at the torn body of Sekto laying face-down in the snow.
He sighed rumbly, inspecting upon his body carefully from top. His body was the same way preserved when the base came down upon him. He slowly scanned down, immediately stopping at his legs.
Two scrawny hooves twitched painfully near each other.
Stranger blinked.
"Huh?" he grumbled.
He knelt down to Sekto, blinking again to see if he was imagining things.
He rolled Sekto around upwards.
The Grubbs gasped along with Stranger, his jaw moving crookedly from his eyes.
"Oh no...it's the old Steef!"
He was looking upon a Steef, pale as a ghost with red bumps and blood spatter upon its face. Its eyes stared a pale-blue blankly up to the stone-cold clouds.
Stranger felt himself become defensive for some odd reason, his teeth baring slightly from his chapped lips.
The Steef came to life, releasing a painful cough in a puff of white mist.
Stranger relaxed back, the Steef blinking at Stranger gratefully.
Its mouth opened shakily.
"Is the water...free?"
The Steef spoke weakly in a shaky voice.
Stranger frowned, moving his head away from the Steef. Shame pitted his stomach. If he had known Sekto was actually a Steef...
Stranger's lip curled to a smile.
"Yeah,"
He blinked back down to the Steef.
"All free,"
The Steef blinked, a smile crept upon its bleeding lips.
"It's free..." it hazely said, its head resting back in to the snow.
The eyes of the Steef were fading to a blank white.
"Free..."
The Steef exhaled deeply once more, its head resting lifelessly on the snow.
"Free..."
The life escaped from the Steef's eyes.
Dread showered upon Stranger. A tear began to form in his eye.
But the Grubbs were around. He didn't want to show his emotion around them to give them a false impression.
His eyes stared back down seldomly, bringing his fingers upon the Steef's cold face, and down to its chest.
The Grubbs parted from Umi walking slowly up behind to Stranger. They bowed their heads respectively behind her.
Stranger balled his fists near his ribs. He was angry. Sekto was still out there, probably planning on to still rid the world of every Steef.
Umi slammed down on her knees, tears streaming down her apathetic face.
Stranger wrapped his arm around her, pulling her up on his lap, and laying his jaw over her head.
She tied her arms around his stomach, resting her head on his ribs. She knew how he felt of the elder Steef he had misleadingly killed. It was a terrible loss to his pride.
Stranger wiped her cheek with his thumb gently, cocking his head down vertically to her.
"It's ok..." he purred gently, gathering her head in his palm, and brushing her hair back with his fingers.
The Grubbs stayed quiet, gathering closer to the Steef hugging the human tightly to him.
They patted his arm confortingly, while dragging the Steef away from him so their guardian wouldn't feel any more heartbroken.
"Steef," the rebels knelt down on a knee.
Stranger's head raised to the Grubbs bowing down before him.
"We are forever in your debt. You freed our water, and dwelled the Sekto demon forevermore,"
Stranger grinned, nodding thankfully to the Grubbs, then looking out to the shining water flowing freely once again down the cloudy canyon.

Me and Stranger were lucky to survive with our very lives

Umi looked back up to Stranger, his eyes closed and his head rested upon her head.
The deed was done, and a bright future was ahead for her, and her newly-found friend.

Who knows when I'll get home. Maybe this is where I belong...
With Stranger and the Grubbs intentionally...
But that doesn't mean my journeys are over.
Oh no...
In fact...
They're beginning...all over again

This is to keep you from suspense, my audience.
I will continue when I eat my lunch.
Don't worry!
The story will be finished today!

:eek:

Ah NO! Another cliffhanger! C'mon DE, how much torture d'yer havta put me through!? Make Stranger beat Sekto's hide already! :D

By the way, like the chapter, very action packed. :D

Sorry 'bout the long wait.
Had ter get off fer a while.
Hate it when it happens, don't'cha? :fuzemb:

:fuzemb: Yeh, hate it when that happens...now are we gonna get anymore story? *looks hopeful*

I told yer.
I'm gonna finish this odd-damn story, so's I can move on
And I'm dyin' to move on!

Ok, ok...calm...find your calm center...breath in...breath out...breath in...breath out...breath in...breath out... There, all calm? :D:D:D

And that, mt friends, is the end of my story.
Stay tuned in on the thread for the continuing story later on in the future.
Enjoy, my friends.

*gapes in silent awe*

.....Wow.....

That was...fantastic...just....really....fantastic....

Well done Darky mate, very well done. You should be very proud. :D

:sighs in succession, propping back in relaxation:
Yeah...I am... :)

Lol, laugh it up DE...laugh it up. :D

What?
I am! Finally done with one, and ready to go on to the next!
I am so proud of myself. :D

In the words of Keanu Reeves, "Whoa". CONGRADULATIONS D.E.!

:eeek:
Uh, who's Keanu Reeves? The last name is familiar...

:eek: You don't know who Keanu Reeves is? Aw c'mon, bet'cha do, he's from the Matrix, main guy, called Neo...know who he is now? :D

Oh...sorry...I don't watch the Matrix, but I do know who Neo is. The 'one' Neo. :D

Lol, yeh him. That's Keanu Reeves, he's also in Speed, erm...Adventures of Bill and Ted (damn that's old now...) and I'm sure he's in somat else...but I can't remember...:fuzemb:

I thought Keanu was a girl...at first...then you brought up Neo, and I was like OHHH...
Yeah... well, I'm gathering the imformation I had revamped so far, making sure it's that way I want it.
When it's all done, I'll repost it, then begin on the next story, and we can all live happily ever after...
:sigh: I love a happy ending...:happy:

Har har har. Keanu, a girl. ROTFL! Nice. :D Don't forget to send me the revamped stuff in PM's, speaking of which, there should be one waitin' fer ya.

And another thing. If yer gonna revamp it so all the chapter is in one post, what'cha gonna do about the spare ones?

:hums thoughtfully:
Keep them in 'ere as a token of my success. :D

Well, my friends...'tis such a sad, fluffy ending to such a wonderous story, am I right?
Well, sorry to say...it'll take a long time 'fore the next story comes up, which is a shorty story...

I apologize once again...:bows head apologetically:

:A brief silence echoes around the hollow room:

....

:A grin appears back on face, and a crafty smile shines in the eyes:

THE HELL WIT' 'DAT!
:evil:

Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath
-The aftermath...-



It has been weeks since me and Stranger crawled from the wreckage of Sekto Springs Dam. The Grubbs took us in motherly, allowing us to heal from our physical and mental wounds.
I, however, had the worst mental wounds, mostly from the belief of being so far away from the place I was supposed to live. But now, it seems like an omen that I was intentionally supposed to go to some distant planet to help a complete stranger with his situations. But now, I was happy in my place, with a friend to stay in comfort with.
Days after our recuperation from our wounds.
The Grubb Queen allowed us to move in next to her home, and the Grubb rebels agreed to protect us until we were fully healed.
Stranger...however, has become very...affectionate...to me. It was certainly an odd feeling, but it somewhat felt...good. It has been long ago since I was treated such a way, when my father was still alive...

The Grubb Queen bowed respectfully to Stranger, then trotting off away down the path through the village.
It was late winter, snowy patches blotching the green green grass below, awaiting its time to pop out of its icy barrier.
Stranger smiled to the back of the Queen's head, slowly closing the door on the dark grey evening.
Healing cuts across his face scabbed a darker brown. He licked his bottom lip, covered in small splits, turning his eyes to the front living room.
A small straw-woven couch was folded out to a long bed, a woven tapestry blanket made neatly along the cream sheets. Sitting on top of the blanket was the young human, her hands folded in her lap, and her wide ocean-blue eyes staring stiffly at the flat grass floor.
Umi's hair was scraggly from when she returned from the wreckage of the dam. Her cheeks were blotched with scabs, but her eyes were untouched. Earlier scars blended in with new scars that she could add to her collection of unwanted skin features.
She was changed out of her tattered denim vest and red shirt, and her pants torn with little bite marks. She was dressed in a soft, jade-green long shirt, and short pajama pants matching the shirt, and belted with strings of beads.
Stranger trotted in to the front room, scratching the back of his dry, irritated neck. He sat next to Umi, sighing exhaustedly with her.
He smoothed the back of her head, her frizzy hair blending back in with her golden-blonde hair.
She sniffed, blinking once to stop her eyes drying irritatingly.
"I'm tired..." she said small.
Stranger smiled, stopping his hand gently on the back of her neck.
"You should rest then," he gently said.
Umi didn't look to him. Her eyes shoone holographically under the blanket of night darkening the sky outside.
Stranger pulled over the blanket to the first pillow, patting his hand on the sheet invitingly.
Umi didn't hesitate. She was tired. She didn't get much sleep when she was in rehabilitation. The dreams of Sekto kept bothering her conscious, which kept her up in the middle of the night.
She lay sideways on her ribs, still blinking in blank space.
Stranger tucked the blanket over her, messing around gently with her hair.
Umi sighed, finally blinking away from the spot she stared at endlessly.
"It's been a hell of a week, huh?" Umi spoke.
Stranger nodded, curling a lock of frizzled hair around his finger.
"Yeah..."
Umi looked away for a moment, then looked back up to Stranger.
"I-I can't stop thinkin' 'bout Sekto...I mean-"
Stranger hushed her, putting a finger on her mouth.
"Don't think of that, kid. It'll give yer nightmares again," he said low.
Umi frowned, sitting up on her elbows.
"But, I can't. I mean, if Sekto wasn't the Steef, then where could he be? Could he be still up to his plans? What if he came after you!?" her voice raised.
Stranger frowned at her, blinking his luminous green eyes disappointingly.
"Umi," he brushed the hair from her face.
"I know it bothers yeh, that Sekto is still alive...somewhere recuperating. But, he could've easily given up. He knows he got his ass whuped by me an' you, and he knows we'll be there if he even moves to his plot 'gain,"
Umi's face relaxed from the tension scrunching it up. She blinked hopefully up to Stranger, relaxing back down on her pillow.
Stranger pulled the blanket over her shoulders again.
"I promise yeh. Nothing'll happen ter me," he said.
Umi's heavy eyes began to close, she leaving the real world, and taking up in her conscious of dreams.
Stranger smiled sweetly down to her, leaning down to her cheek. He kissed her gently, lifting back up.
"Sleep now, my little one..." he whispered.

:sniff: ....what a nice Kodak moment. Is there a possablility of a sequel?

I've only the first two posts with your story in them, but it's great so far! Lol, I liked the fact you mentioned Decepticons; I'm a TF fan. But how unsusual; a Halo-go-Oddworld fan fic. Quite unique, that's for sure! I'll read some more later ;)

:blinks at Hobittninj:

Uh...Hobbit? This is a sequel...and there's gonna be another one after this short story...
I think you;ve been havin' too much good stuff, Hobbit. Bye-bye to good stuff!
:takes good stuff away:
And thank yer, Steefie! It's a TF-on-Halo-on-Oddworld type fic. Ain't that funny?

Okay, say it with me now....ready?

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!

More story! YAY! *dances around like a Steef that's eaten too much cheese (LOL!)* I'm so happeeeeee, I'm so happeeeeee, this fic's happy! and sappy! and briiiiiiiight!

o.O .......let us never mention this again....:fuzemb:

Weeks of healing had passed by. The blizzards became torrentially worse, and stripped part of the village we spent little by little. The canyon was blowing the cold air to us like a tornado, so we had to move back to the Native's Village, where we first saved the Grubbs from the Wolvarks attacking.
The Grubb Queen let us on our own this time, she moving back to her native birthplace in Last Legs. The Grubbs were treating us like gods, but it's not that great. I mean, we saved their lives 'n stuff...
Anyways, we were fully healed, physically, but not mentally for me. I still had the terrible nightmares of Sekto and the destruction of his dam.
Spring was slowy regaining its courage popping out of the cold brightly. But the air was still frosty.
Stranger had become a little thoughtful of something that really tore at him irritatingly. He would go around grumbling incoherent thoughts, sometimes leaving the house for a while, and not to return 'til the sun went down.
I could sense his problems, but I couldn't help him if he didn't tell me. He had a secret from me again, tearing at me as well...

Stranger placed on his hat over his hat, tucking out his ears crushed down on his hair.
Umi blinked over the doorway to Stranger all dressed up in his poncho and tights.
Stranger looked back to Umi, apathetically grinning.
"I'm goin' out fer a while," he turned to the door.
"Keep the door locked, 'dun answer ter no one, got's it?"
Umi only nodded, wrapping herself back in the large blanket, and lying bordely on her pillow.
Stranger turned to close the door, avoiding to let a cold draft inside their already warm home. He turned back to the snowy hills of the Native's Village, shivering coldy. His hair prickled up with the goosebumps rising off his tan skin.
The Grubbs greeted the Steef kindly.
Stranger returned the greet with a respectable nod, continuing down the icy path to the docks to the Mongo River.
His boat sloshed in the slushed water, the drips that had came off from the nautic waves frozen.
Stranger carefully sat down in the freshly-innovated boat. The holes ripped in the rotting wood was stripped off its surface, and nailed down with better lasting wood. The bow of the boat still had a dragon's face popping out fiercely staring out in the distance.
He held the oar handles tightly, turning the hull face-around out to the Mongo River, filled freshly back with its water.
he stroked through the half-frozen water, driving his way out to Last Legs.

Last Legs was about as frozen as the Native's Village, but more bustling of playful Grubbs wandering around the rebuilt town.
Stranger docked himself gently after a half-hour boat ride to the capitol of the Grubb tribes.
The Grubb guards helped Stranger tie his boat securely to the dock, then sent him off to the Queen, whom was settled down in a nearby tavern called, "Tardy coops".
The host, however, was a filthy-rich Clakker, whom created a old run-down tavern for the bustler kooks of the town.
Stranger took down his hat in his bundled arms, walking calmly around the chatting excited Grubbs soaking in their pints.
Nearby a crackling-hot fireplace sat the Queen Grubb; her lavender-purple eyes locked upon the dressed Steef approaching her humble table.
She smiled up to the Steef as a greeting, waving a hand invintingly.
"Please, sit," she nodded.
Stranger scooted his chair out under him, sitting with his legs freely out from under the table, leaning up against the black-stained table.
Clakker waiters picked at the charred coals fueling the fire with a pike, the fire engulfing unused charcoal, and growing hotter. It nodded respectfully to the Queen and Stranger, waddling away back behind its bar.
The Queen then stared back to Stranger.
"So," she said in a calm, womanly tone.
"Why have you summoned me here, Steef? Is something troubling you?"
Stranger scratched the back of his neck. The skin was dry and flaking, the new skin itching irritatingly.
He looked back up to the Queen, nervousness shaking in his tense neon-green eyes.
"Yeah, uh..." he began, looking around suspiciously, leaning closer to the Queen.
"I've been wonderin' 'bout somethin'..."
The Queen still looked at him with curious eyes.
Stranger scratched his neck again.
The Queen let out a soft laugh.
"Don't be so nervous, Steef. I am willing to help you with any complications necessary to make you feel at home," she smiled kindly.
Stranger's eyes looked back up to her again.
"'ll...It's more...'bout...uh...Umi," he spoke so low, the Queen could barely make it out.
She blinked at him, waiting for more of his explanation.
He was about to speak again, when she held up a hand to him.
"Wait," she said, staring deeply in his eyes.
Stranger held still, blinking confusingly at the Queen.
She relaxed back in her whicker chair, nodding acceptingly.
"I see what's wrong, Steef," she spoke.
"The human you were destined with..." she closed her eyes.
"...you have problems the way you live with her?"
Stranger blinked at the Queen.
"Uh...no...but...uh,"
She opened her eyes again, listening to the Steef closely.
"You see...I want Umi ter be...my kid..." Stranger whispered closely to the Queen.
She nodded back to Stranger.
"So I see...human and Steef don't make a good pair, huh?"
Stranger looked at her confused again, with a wild brow up high.
She gave a slight giggle.
"Not like that, Steef! She's way too young! I can understand why you want the human to be yours. You two've been really close. I can see the bond you share with the human," she nodded.
Stranger nodded with her.
The Queen looked down to the rickety boards of the tavern. She looked back up to Stranger, with his hat tightly in his hands.
"I know what we can do, Steef," she spoke.
Stranger looked back up to her brightly.
"We have a special bonding ceremony. It's like a wedding, but a tad bit different. Not that you two'll get married, but bonded lawfully. We do it on rare occasions, when a Grubb wants to take in an abandoned Grubbling, or Gabbit," she said.
Stranger's lips curled to a grin.
The Queen smiled back.
"I knew you'd be happy, Steef," she ratted her fingers togather.
"We'll begin the ceremony a week from today. I suggest you get yourself ready, and Umi, too,"
Stranger smoothed the back of his head.
"Kind'a wanna make 'dis a surprise...some feelin' of me think's that this is too special ta spoil," Stranger told.
The Queen nodded understandingly.
"Very well. All you need to do to keep this a surprise is to hide any signs of nervousness. That'll give away the entire surprise," she suggested.
Stranger nodded, standing up from his chair.
"Thank you, ma'am. Yer a life-saver," Stranger bowed his head.
The Queen only raised a palm.
"Not to worry about, Steef! Things like this always come to me," she stood from her chair as well.
"Best be goin'," Stranger place his hat over his head, trotting back to the doors.
The landlord of the tavern gave him a kind smile as he made his way out.
Stranger blinked up at the dark grey sky of the mid-evening. He gave a confident smile to himself, as he trotted back down to the docks. This ceremony would be the biggest change of his life, and so would be Umi's.

He entered through the door away from the already-rising midnight moon shining a silvery grey upon the mounds of snow piled by the huts lit warmly. He shut the door quietly, the house quiet of noise. He hung hit hat and poncho on the rack near the door, walking quietly as can be in to the front room.
The blanket was whipped with nothing underneath.
He gave a concerned sigh, turning back to the door and walking out.
'And you'd think a kid would be home when you were, Stranger...' he thought.
The first place where he thought Umi would be was near the river's edge, messing around with some adolescents splashing in the frosty river, antagonizing Gabbits or baby Fleeches.
He heard the cry of playing children, right in the tall stalks of catweeds, and the splashes of a large body.
He calmly strode up to the backs of the children Grubbs throwing pebbles across the icy river.
Then spun around to him, cheering happily, and running up to his sides.
"Hey, kids," Stranger greeted happily.
"Have yer seen Umi 'nywhere?"
The children fell silent.
"She walked down through the cattails...that's the last time we saw her," one replied quivery.
Stranger's lip fell askew, blinking his shining eyes down the flattenedd trail of half-frozen catweeds. He passed the children by, following the trail by the river.
The moon began to rise quickly over the flattop mountains. Stranger's worrying was growing in his chest.
"Umi?" he began to call.
He was wandering too far from the village, he could barely hear the children any more.
"Umi!" his voice grew louder.
A shivery shudder cawed a cry over the reeds.
Stranger growled, running through the sharpness of the weeds.
"S-S-S-St-ran-g-g-ge-er-er," a voice shuddered wearily as loud as it could.
Stranger stopped by the river's edge.
Umi lay in the tall grass, dripping wet.
Stranger knelt down by her, his lip quivering.
"Kid! What happened?" he picked her up tightly in his arms.
"I-I w-w-w-as ju-u-ust walk-k-king around t-t-the r-r-r-rive', 't-til I slippe-d-d-d-d..." she shivered cooly.
"Odd-damn, kid. Yer just one heart attack, you know that?" he ran through the weeds towards the village.
The children were gone to their homes, not worrying of what was going on in the night.
Stranger ran up the hill to their hut, kicking the door open, and running in to the front room. He wrapped Umi around in the blanket, laying her head on the pillow.
She tightened herself in the blanket, burrying her face deep in to her pillow.
Stranger sighed, walking back calmly to the door, shutting it closed and locking it.
Umi lifted her head up to the doorway.
"S-Stranger?"
Her shivering was sober more.
His head turned back to the front room, where Umi's head perked up.
"Are you...mad at me?" she asked innocently.
Stranger sighed again, frowning down at the floor. He kicked off his boots, and flung off his shirt.
"Nah...not really..." he replied gently, walking in to the front room, and sitting on the bed, minding her legs.
"I can't really stay mad at yer..."
He touched her cheeks. They steamed of blood-red heat, and her hair was defrosting from the wind freezing the water over.
She sighed exhaustedly.
"I'm sorry..." she whispered.
Stranger smiled slightly, fickling gently with her hair. He scooted under the covers beside her, resting his head on his pillow. He kept Umi near his chest to warm her chilled body.
"It's fine, kid. Just, promise me you won't do that again, without tellin' me. Ai'ight?" his chest rumbled.
Umi shuffled her head up and down, closing her heavy eyelids, and pressing her forehead on his chest.
Stranger rewound his voice earlier when he brought Umi in. He already sounded like he was a parent. His pride swelled. He knew now that he would make a good father.

oh... sorry for my stupidity. :p

Daw, so cute. XD Nice DE m'friend, very nice and fluffy. :D Aw, Stranger's gonna be a daddy, how sweet. Lol. Wonder how Umi's gonna react?

And the Grubb Queen's comment, ROTFL! Nice touch, was hilarious, so good as always. And I've beaten my writer's block so another chapter of mine'll be up later tonight or tomorrow. :D

:gasp: :eek:

What will happen with Stranger?
How will Umi react to this surprise?
What will Stranger do with his tights?

Find out, TOMORROW! :D

What will Stranger do with his tights!?

ROTFL! I don't think it matters...as long as he don't swap 'em fer fishnets...now that would be uberly-ultra-creepy... o.O

DAY ONE....

The early morning stirred quietly with Stranger only awake, dressing himself silently as could be without disturbing the lump under the blanket in the front room.
He tip-toed to the door, putting his hat on his head from the rack next to the door. He opened the door slowly, whipping out, and closing the door, locking it.
He gave a great sigh, treading through the crunchy snow.
The houses were dim of the dark lavender sky. The sun was still hiding behind the flat-top mountains.
Stranger walked carefully across the short dock to his boat. He knew the waves splashed among the wood, and froze overnight, which made the dock slick.
He sat down beside each oar, rowing off from the shore, and breaking the ice in chunks holding down the boat.
He kept repeating his only task that he must appease before the sun went down by today.
'Must get my armor...' he thought.
He rowed to the path back to Last Legs. It was too early to take a thirty-minute boat ride down to the capitol just to pick up his armor, but if he didn't do it any earlier, he'd forget.
He sighed ruefully, brushing his frizzy hair back to his neck, then began to row again.

The sun glowed brightly through her tightly-closed eyes.
She hated being bothered by the sun and its antagonizing wake-up call.
Umi pulled the blanket over her head, turning away from the window brittle from the cold winds.
She felt herself alone, without another body right in front of her. She blinked her eyes open, staring at the shuffled empty blankets. She groaned irritatingly.
'It's every morning you have to be gone, huh, Stranger?' she thought.
She emerged through the blanket, her hair a whipped-up nightmare. She patted her hair, then frowned.
"Now I got's ter take a damn shower...Oh, I wish I were more lazy..."
She stomped tiredly to the bathroom, and slammed the door. She stared at the rectangular-piece of mirror reflecting her exhausted image to her eyes. Her eyes were a dark shade of blue, and her face was a pale-white. She always looked like this when she first got up.
She scoffed, undressing herself of her pajamas, and starting up the water.
The steam whipped up quickly, shrouding her essence under a blanket of warm fog.
She examined her new scars on her arms and legs. She shook her head disappointingly.
"And I thought through how much trouble I got in, I would have more..." she told herself.
"I usually get 30 per month..."
She stopped looking at her new scars, carefully entering the warm shower.
She slid the curtains closed, and the warm sensation exploding her senses awake. She looked down below her feet, and a stream of brown-red colored water flowed under her legs.
The extra blood caked on her back and her hair ran off her rough skin, spiraling down the drain.
She became mezmerized by the heat giving off the water, almost stopping her from getting out the shower.
She wrapped herself in a soft, jade-green towel, velvety to the touch. She walked out with her senses refreshed, trotting out to the bedroom, where all their clothes were resewn.
She laid out her shirt and vest on the table near the door of the bedroom. She scratched the towel around her hair, then dropping the towel on the flat carpet of clean grass.
Patches of similar fabric were stitched over the torn holes in her vest and pants. Only her shirt was sewn with black thread. She released a relaxed sigh, brushing down her conditioned hair.
"There's something I want to do out in town today," she smiled to herself, pulling over her red shirt.
She secured her belt over her waist, patting down her hair, and tying it up in her scarf Stranger gave to her.
She wrote down on a piece of paper a note, leaving it curled on the counter. She walked outside, locking the door, and running down the icy path. She followed Stranger's boot steps he left down to the docks. She turned away from the dock, running vertically with the flat canyon, and a hand-made path leading close beside the frozen Mongo River.
She didn't stop running. She was excited. It was a fresh morning, and she was going to get a surprise for Stranger.
Umi giggled to herself. She didn't understand exactly why she laughed. Maybe the cold, crisp air was getting to her mind...
She ran for 15 minutes straight down to the village marketplace.
Smells of fried to cooked fish swarmed lively around the bustling market. Happy, business-liek voices slammed their fists on their wooded countertops, smiling as a deal was made.
Umi nodded greetfully to the waving Grubbs. She examined around the jewelery departments, female Grubbs showing off sparkling jewelery to their customers. They blinked hopefully to the human observing their stands. She stopped at one, leaning at a hanging necklace in pairs beside each other.
"Wow," Umi blinked happily.
The saleswoman turned to the human, smiling sweetly, as she took down the necklaces.
"That's my best work you're holding there," she said, propping an elbow on the counter.
Umi smiled at the necklace.
It was a light silver snake dragon swiveling its body in an S-shape. Its wings were folded near its back, and its arms were cringed near its body. The eye was the mesmerizing part. The eye was a bright ruby-red shining under its silver eyelids.
Umi blinked back to the saleswoman.
"How much?" Umi asked.
The Grubb grinned.
"Two Haplefish," she nodded.
Umi blinked confusingly at the Grubb.
"What's that?"
The Grubb's grin began to diminish to a frown.
"You-" she began. "you've never seen a Haplefish before?"
Umi shook her head slowly.
The Grubb frowned, then ratted apart her fingers.
"I apologize, human. But...no Haplefish, no sale," she shrugged.
Umi put the two necklaces on the counter.
"How do I get these?" Umi asked.
The Grubb shrugged.
"Sorry. It's winter. The Haplefish only come out during the summers and falls. You'll have to wait next year,"
Umi frowned.
"But-but, is there anyway to get these without fishing for them?"
The Grubb shook her head apologetically.
"Sorry..."
Umi sighed in failure, as she turned away from the stand.
Until a voice called out...
"Hold up, Loraine!"
A female Grubb ran up to the stand.
"How much you say it was?" it asked.
The saleswomans blinked at the female Grubb.
"Two Haplefish,"
The Grubb slapped down two brgihtly green throny fish to the clerk.
The clerk smiled, sliding the necklaces to the Grubb.
"Thank you, kindly," she nodded.
The Grubb turned to Umi, holding out the necklaces to her.
Umi grinned happily.
"Thanks fer the save, Jala," Umi took the necklaces in her hand.
The Grubb smiled sweetly under her purple-painted eyelids. Her eyes were a dim sky blue.
"Although, I still thank yo fer the markings you gave me," Umi touched her painted stripes on her face.
Jala nodded shyly.
"It's the best way I could say thanks, Umi. You really saved our hides from the Wolvarks," she said.
"It's my job, Jala. Had really no choice but to," Umi scratched the back of her head.
Jala blinked away from Umi, then looking back up brightly.
"Say, I was going clothes shopping. You...wanna come with? I could use a handy helper," Jala invited.
But Umi shook her head.
"Sorry. Love to, but I got'a get home 'fore Stranger blows his lid that I went out again," Umi shrugged.
"Why? I though he trusted you out on yer own," Jala frowned.
"Well...last night was a bit of a screw up...Out too late..." Umi looked down.
"Oh..."
Both kept quiet, looking around dreamlessly around the market area.
"Well...I best be goin'. take care, Jala! I'll make it up to you somehow tomorrow!" Umi ran down the path out.
Jala waved to her.
"See ya'!" Jala smiled.

Stranger turned back to the clerk behind the counter. He frowned angrily.
"What d'ya mean I can't have my armor?" Stranger demanded firmly.
The Grubb only shrugged with its eyes closed.
"Sorry, Steef. It's under renovation," it said.
Stranger curled a fist on the counter.
"I'll renovate you if yer don't give's it ter me..." Stranger growled.
The Grubb turned away from him.
"I told you, Steef! I can't give it to you!"
Stranger snorted impatiently. He had the urge to jump over the counter and snatch his suit back in the backroom.
An older-looking Grubb trotted out of the employee door besides the counter. He blinked oddly at the Steef, then at his employee.
"Kenji...What's goin' on here?" it asked in a deep tone.
The Grubb jumped from its manager's voice, turning right to him.
"Oh! Uh...Steef here wants his armor," it replied shakily.
He shook his head, then back up.
"Kenji, he needs it for the ceremony next week," he siad gravely.
Stranger turned back to the clerk with a successful grin.
The Grubb looked back to the Steef with nervous eyes.
"Oh..." it droned, blinking down from him.
"You could've said that,"
The clerk ran back behind it, shuffling and grunting around the backroom.
The manager smiled back to the Steef, straightening its focals.
"Sorry about Kenji, Steef. He's a lil' trickster at times,"
Stranger understood, nodding back to the manager, and turning back to the counter.
The Grubb clerk ran back to the counter, weighing heavily under the Steef's armor, the last he used to defeat Sekto.
It threw it on the counter, throwing a relieved sigh.
"Well, here ya go, Steef! Hope the ceremony goes well! I'm-a be there!" it wiped a speckle of sweat off its forehead.
Stranger nodded respectfully to the Grubb, bundling his armor under his arm, and tipping his hat to the manager.
"Thanks," Stranger grinned, then walked out of the shop.
Sun streaks through the heavy grey sky popped out of the blue, warming up the frozen-over snow.
Stranger sighed, white smog emitting thorugh his nostrils. He walked through the snow, leaving jagged edges as he made his way to the docks. He laid his armor with the bow, sitting back with the oar handles. He pushed off the docks, and rowed back down to home.

It got colder as Stranger pulled his boat up to the dock. He grabbed his parcel, and treaded back up the hill to him home.
The door was locked. That gave him the idea Umi was still home. But as he entered, it was as quiet as a slapped Grubb.
"Umi?" Stranger called, laying his suit in the bedroom.
No answer.
Stranger's ear perked up.
"Umi?" he called louder.
When no answer came, he growled disappointingly.
'She left again...'
He put his hat on the rack, and ran back outside.

Umi pulled up to the docks, Stranger's boat floating aloft with the gentle waves. She felt a rock form in her throat.
"Uh oh..."
She ran up the hill, immediately stopped by Stranger, whose eyes were as bright as diamonds.
He sighed relieved, kneeling down to her level.
"Where'd you go?" he asked firmly.
"D-down to the marketplace," Umi replied.
Stranger blinked skeptically, but continued.
"Why?"
"I got you something,"
Umi reached in her pocket, bringing up two small red-velvet boxes, and handed one to him.
He took the box, and opened it.
The silver dragon shone brilliantly in his eyes.
He looked back to Umi with a thankful grin.
"Ah, kid..."
He took her in his arms.
"You didn't have ter..."
Umi shrugged under his embrace.
"I just wanted ter get a pendant, you know...so we don't forget each other if somethin' happened..."
Stranger pulled away from Umi.
"I don't think that'll ever happen," Stranger smiled.
He opened the box again, staring deeply at the ruby-red eye glaring back.
"Here. Let's put it on,"
Umi jumped to his back, and wrapped the gold chain around his neck loosely. She clipped it on through the loop, and dropped it. She ran back to his face, then nodded.
"Looks cute on yer. Fierce as a dragon, you are," she grinned, putting on her pendent as well.
Stranger fickled with it, then put it under his green top, looking back to Umi.
"Thanks again, kid," he kissed her forehead.
Umi grinned away.
"It's the least I could do since you gave me the scarf," Umi whipped the scarf from under her hair.
Stranger stood back up, carrying Umi back to the house. It really was a cool gift.
But now Umi had to be bothered by how to pay back Jala.