Entranced {Klance au}

Chapter 21

Pidge has read thousands of books in her life time, but never had she read about a creature quite like the swamp monster leering over her.  It's head has the structure of a bird, with a pointed beak that gave Pidge chills. The entirety of it's body is a deep red,  like blood against the green water, and is covered in scale-like panels that go all the way up each tendril arm, of which there are at least 10, and disappear under the water. 

Pidge has been so focused on studying the creature, that she almost doesn't realize it was studying her as well. The creature's head tilts, it's beak dipping down to near her face slowly. The teen finally gets a grip of her fear enough to swim back a bit, putting a hand out as if that will stop them.

"Hey!" Her voice cracks as she rushes to try to gain some control over the situation. "Don't come closer!"

The creature's head lifts slightly, giving Pidge the impression it understood... somehow. 

"Okay... I'm going to swim to shore now," She tells them before paddling backwards towards shore, not wanting to turn her back on them. She makes it halfway there before the creature moves forward again, this time too fast for Pidge to react. Before she knows it a beak was grabbing at her shirt and lifting her from the water. A scream traps itself in her throat as it sinks in that she's going to die on an alien planet at the hands of a creature she did't even know the bone structure of. 

Eyes squeezed shut, it takes a moment before Pidge realizes she was still alive. The creature moved carefully towards the shore with Pidge held within their beak, letting her down gently on the uneven ground of the temple ruins. Pidge sits there a moment, blinking.  Her eyes focus back in on the creatur- no, her friend. Their eyes held her gaze for a moment, and Pidge smiled softly. The creature made a  pleased sound before plopping it's head on the ground next to her. Now that her heart wasn't racing, and she didn't think she was in mortal danger, Pidge finally had time to take them in. 

While covered in swamp water, she could see the large, colorful feathers on their head,  which slowly transitioned into the rounded scales covering their body. Each one had a  soft sheen to it, and when the light hit them, it illuminated swirl designs etched into each one. What caught her eyes the most though, where two, small wings on it's lower back that seemed to be weighed down by algae and sea plants. 

Pidge's eyebrows scrunched together as she realized this creature might be just as trapped as she was. She gets up and moves to the wings, the creature's eyes moving with her, and gets to work at clearing the limbs. She's almost done when a large crash rings out behind her. Both her and Widget - the name they both had settled on as she worked - jumped and turned. Pidge smiled when she saw Shiro emerge from a hole he had pushed through, and is about to wave when Widget blocks her way. The alien creates a low sound in warning, and Shiro raises his makeshift weapon - a stick - in defense. Before Godzilla 37 -- I know this seems high but really, look it up. 36 Godzilla movies have been made.... why?!?! -- can commence, Pidge rushes forward and looks Widget in the eyes.

"Widget, this is my friend. It's okay," She says calmly, a hand raised out. Widget calms down slowly and lower their body down to her level, still eyeing Shiro cautiously. Pidge turns and sends Shiro a sheepish look. "I made a friend."

"You did more than make a friend," Shiro says in amazement, pointing at the green light coming from Widget's neck. Pidge turns, her eyes opening wide as she reaches for the amulet now revealed to be tied around the creature's neck. She grabs hold of  the gem, taking a moment to wonder how she's supposed to get it off of Widget before the light suddenly becomes blinding and Widget begins to shrink before her eyes. The light fades to reveal a miniature Widget, now looking more lizard like, but still retaining their bird head and wings, and an amulet in Pidge's hand. She smiles, sharing a look with Shiro before placing it around her neck and reaching down to pick up Widget and set them on her shoulder.

"Now that's what a call a fucking success!" She says proudly as she marches past Shiro and through his man-made door. 

Shiro's mouth opens, about to scold her, but just sighs instead. He shakes his head slightly before following after her. "So what's his name?"

"They're name is Widget," she replies, not moving her gaze from her new friend picking algae off her shoulder. "And we both could use a shower. From my estimates, I have at least 900 species of alien bacteria soaking into my skin right now."

Shiro laughs, about to pat her shoulder before second guessing and pulling his hand away. "Let's get going." And with that the midget, the body builder, and the creature that can only be described as Widget, entered the forest to go through a portal back to a castle in between dimensions. 

Totally normal. 

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Some Pidge for you! And wow, two chapters in two days. I would say I'm on a roll but I get dizzy easily... wow the bad jokes are back.

Have a good day, and stay healthy!

-TheGirlBehindTheMask

Word Count: 942