Wonderer's Wish World: An Empty Land

Triple A Planning

Kipo's hands flew away from the fruits as she turned around, facing the chaos behind her. The bush, which had been completely encompassed a minute ago, now had a gaping hole in the side of it, where like no streamed into the space. Kipo backed away from it. What had caused that...?

Kipo got her answer quickly as something flew into the hole, illuminated by the light. Kipo recognized it immediately. It was the same type of species as the dragonfly thing Adam had fought earlier, though this one somehow looked bigger and... more menacing, somehow. It surveyed the chaos coldly. Was it looking for her? Had it seen through Kipo's disguise?

Well, if it hadn't seen it before, it could definitely spot her now. In the mass panic in the creatures around her, with everyone jostling to get away, Kipo's costume had been stripped away. It didn't seem to concern the terrified mass around her, but for the dragonfly...

It might be a different story.

Kipo held rigid, keeping her eyes firmly trained on the dragonfly. What should she do? She'd seen the speed of it when she watched it fight Adam, so she doubted she could last five seconds with it. Kipo grit her teeth. She couldn't just wait here...

Kipo watched its bugs eyes sweep the crowd, and she stiffed when they fixed on her. Kipo raised her claws, getting ready to fight if necessary, but to her surprise, the bug's eyes swept right bast her. Kipo felt her mouth fall open. Had it not noticed her? No, it must have... Was Kipo not the primary target?

But if Kipo wasn't, then what was?

Kipo tore her eyes from the dragonfly, though it worried her to do so, even though she knew that if the bug wanted to hurt her, it definitely would have already, whether Kipo's eyes were on it or not. Besides, Kipo needed to find Wirt and Adam. Just because she wasn't their primary target, doesn't mean they wouldn't be. Kipo winced as she remembered Adam's sword piercing the skull of the creature. Could that be why it was here?

Kipo surveyed the scene around her, her eyes growing wider and wider with everything she saw. This was a coordinated attack, apparently, with multiple holes in the bush and dragonflies stationed at every one. The dragonflies weren't letting anyone leave, it seemed, and Kipo winced as she watched a ladybug try to fly out of a hole unnoticed, only to be shoved back into the bush by a particularly harsh hit by a dragonfly.

Kipo leaned forward, catching the bug with a 'oof!' before it hit the ground. The hard shell of the creature collided with her forearms, but luckily, Kipo's arms were shielded with her fur.

The ladybug chirped something at her, and as Kipo let it down, it let out a pleasing smell. Kipo inhaled deeply. Odd... was that some sort of thanks?

Kipo turned her face back up to the dragonfly. It wasn't looking at her, seemingly uninterested, and Kipo took the time to study it.

Kipo had noticed that it seemed less bulky than the other one, but at the time, she hadn't noticed why. But now that she looked, the amour she'd previously assumed to be part of the creature was actually not, and it overlapped and moved as the dragonfly moved. It looked like it had a bunch of pieces, probably for flexibility. And, wow, were those creatures flexible, turning their bodies in impossible ways and shaking it off each time. It would be amazing if they weren't so creepy.

"KIPO!"

Kipo's head snapped up. Was that...

"Adam!" Kipo called back, raising her fist, still in mega jaguar form. Well, at the very least, it would get their attention.

It wasn't too hard to pick out Wirt and Adam in the crowd, especially since they were shoving (well, Adam was shoving, Wirt was being as cautious as he picked his way through) their way towards her.