Okibi grunted as she hauled herself up onto one of the higher branches of the crystal tree she was climbing. She looked back over her shoulder and marveled and how high these trees really were. When you were the on the ground you rarely paid attention the crystal inlaid canopy above your head - most of the time it looked more like a dark sky than a ceiling. But, when a mission called for you to ascend one or more of the giants, it was only then that you could truly appreciate their enormity.
"Please dont let me fall and break my neck, please dont let me fall and break my neck." Okibi muttered to herself as she pulled herself up onto the branch and stood on her feet. It was rather vexing, finding herself actually afraid of falling. Two years ago she would have flown through these trees like it was nothing at all, as though she belonged among them. Having your body beaten, whipped, and tortured in every way imaginable changed a persons mental constitution, apparently.
Taking a deep breath, Okibi closed her eyes and focused on calming her racing heart. She was stronger now, she was capable . . . there was no need to be afraid. She kept telling herself this, taking the time she needed to. Aunty Em never specified when she needed the fruits, after all.
Yeah, thats what she was doing, picking fruits for a little old lady. Not that Okibi minded of course; it was nice to get out of the house for a mission now and then, even one as mundane as picking fruit.
Not that there was anything mundane about the fruit, or where they were located. It was no wonder at all why Aunty Em had to make this request of the village. She would never have been able to get them on her own.
Opening her eyes once more, Okibi surveyed the scene around her. The branches were large and wide, covered in moss and thick, dark green leaves. What made the trees special however were the crystals that grew from the bark. It was a natural phenomenon that could only be achieved through hundred if not thousands of years of coexisting. What once were two separate organisms had merged to become one. Amazing.
Walking along the thick branch, Okibi scanned the trees around her for the fabled fruit. She did this for nearly ten minutes, and began to grow frustrated when not even the slightest glimmer was found, or sweetness scented. Was she still not high enough? As far as she could see, the only crystals growing around her were the ones that came out of the trees bark. She was pretty sure those werent tasty.
Then, out of the corner of her eye, she a fleeting flash of color unlike the rest of the crystals around her. She whirled around on her heel, but she'd lost the it. Cursing under her breath, Okibi leaped from her branch to one that was closer to where she saw the flash, searching the leaves and branches furiously. She was certain she hadnt imagined that light; it was much too radiant, and full of every color of the rainbow for it to have been a hallucination.
"C'mon fruit . . . come out, come out wherever you are." She hissed angrily, swatting at the foliage around her. She was just about to give up and go look in another tree when she saw the flash again, this time not ten feet to her right. With the reflexes of a slightly out of shape cat Okibi lunged at the flash of color, bursting through a wall of leaves and branches and coming out the other side, landing with an ungraceful flop on hard bark. The elusive fruit had evaded her again.
Sitting up with a groan, Okibi rubbed at her chest, which she'd landed on, and looked around. She found herself in a grove of sorts, odd since she was pretty sure she was still in the tree tops . . . She heard rustling to her left and snapped her eyes in that direction, coming face to face with a green, curly tailed baboon. Breathing slowly, Okibi stood up and observed the primate.
"You wouldnt happen to know where I could find some Crystal Fruit would you?" She asked the animal, using beast tongue. The baboon tilted its head to the right, as though confused by her question, before bounding off down its branch away from her. Cursing, Okibi took off after the creature, not about to let her only lead on the fruits get away from her. Surely an animal that made home at such an altitude would know something about the fruit right?
"Wait!" She yelled. The baboon was so quick, she could barely keep up with it. "I said wait damn you!" The animal disappeared through another thick wall of leaves and Okibi thrust herself through, covering her face with her arms. What she came upon when she made it through shocked the breath right out of her.
Every branch of every tree around her was festooned with green baboons, large and small. There was nary a foot of branch left unoccupied by one of the silent, watchful primates. The one she'd followed stood in front of her, watching her as she watched the others. Okibi gulped, feeling just a little out of her element. Why didnt anyone tell her her quest would include hordes of monkeys with really sharp teeth?
A loud squawk drew her attention back to the one in front of her. It didnt speak to her, but instead pointed with one of its sharp talons further down the branch. At the end of it sat a pedestal of sorts, which made Okibi raise an eyebrow. Where did that come from? Did the baboons make it? Okibi hesitated, and the baboon squawked at her again, sounding impatient. Okibi glared at it and slowly made her way towards the strange pedestal, made of twigs and vines.
When she got closer, she saw that there was something sitting atop it; something that shined and glimmered with all the colors of the rainbow. She stopped in front of the pedestal, wide eyed as she looked upon what could only be the Cystal Fruit. It was beautiful, magnificent, it was . . .
So very alone.
Okibi looked around. Was this single cluster of fruits the only one in the tree tops? As far as she could see, there were only baboons, so she couldnt be sure . . . but she wasnt about to waste any more time looking. Surely this was enough for Aunty Em to make a few pies. Now grinning with delight, Okibi snatched up the shimmering fruits and held it aloft, admiring it.
She hadnt had the fruits in hand for more than a second before the trees around her erupted with noise and movement. All the baboons started to jump up and down on their perches, chattering and cawing loudly. Only now, they were using clear words.
"She fell for it! The silly human fell for it!"
"Stupid human girl! Stupid human girl!"
Those were only a few of the jeers and taunts that Okibi could make out, but even those few made her eyebrows pinch in confusion. She held the cluster of fruit close as she spun in a slow circle, calling out above the noise the horde was making. "What are you talking about!? What did I fall for!? Answer me you stupid monkeys!"
All at once, the swarm grew deathly silent. Not a single one of the moved a muscle, simply watching her. Okibi was about to challenge them again when the branch under her feet started to quake. She looked down at her bare feet, wondering what was happening. Then, a loud crash from behind her made her jump and spin with surprise, only to find an enormous ball made of crystals rolling toward her. Okibi's eyes grew to the size of saucers and she quickly stuffed the fruit into her satchel. She turned around to race back the way she came, but came to screeching halt when she saw a mass of baboons blocking her way. They were jumping and screaming again, parading in front of her as they blocked her escape rout.
Cursing Okibi looked around. There was no other way to get out . . . except for one large, curved branch that was hollowe slightly, like a slide. Okibi could see what was up immediately, and she threw a deadly glare at the horde of baboons. "If I come out of this alive, I'm hunting down each and every one of your smelly asses!" She barked before she jumped and sailed for the curved branch. Only jeers and taunts followed in her wake, as well as the rumbling of the ball that was ever closing in.
With a grunt, Okibi slipped and fell onto her behind, riding the slide branch threw the canopies. She looked behind her, hoping for a miracle, but cursed when she saw that what she feared was true. It had been a damn trap, and that ball was set on a sure course to crush her if she didnt think of something fast. She couldnt jump of the slide; the baboons had fashioned a curved cover of vines and branches to bar any escape from the slide.
What was she to do?
Then she recalled the small pack of explosive balls she had in her bag. Why did she have them? Because, thats why. Hopefully, they would have enough power packed into the to blow an escape in the slide. Pulling her back around to her front, Okibi dug around looking for the bag containing the explosives; all the while the ball was gaining momentum and drawing ever closer to her. It was on a sharp turn in the slide that she finally found them, and cheered with victory. She emptied the small punch into her hand, counting four exploding orbs as they fell into her palm. She threw them in front of her, sending them rolling at a pace faster then her own.
They were set to go off in ten seconds after being deployed. Okibi counted down inside of her head as she repositioned her bag and scrambled to the side, clawing at the vines surrounding her. She pulled free a long and thick length of the stuff just as the loud boom of the explosives went off, shaking the slide. Okibi coile the vine in her hands and looked behind her. The ball was practically on her now.
When she turned back around the slide was coming upon a an incline, and Okibi silently cheered when she saw that was precisely where the bombs had gone off. She couldnt have asked for a more perfect outcome. Readying herself, Okibi rode the slide all the up until the sudden gap, and went sailing into the air. She spun around middair and met the crystal boulder with her feet. It's weight caused it's momentum to lessen faster than her own, so the impact was barely more than a touch upon the pads of her feet. She pushed off the boulders surface, sending herself sailing higher, flipping through the air and towards the branches of a nearby tree. She whirled through the air, coming to face the tree, and reeled her metal arm back, holding the end of the vine she procured by its end. With a snap she sent the rest of the vine flinging towards one of the smaller branches and grinned with triumph when the vine wound around its girth.
Her falling momentum pulled the thick vine taut and Okibi almost felt like howling with excitement as she swung through the branches, swinging down and then up again. She let go of the vine when she reached the crest of her swing, and sailed for the nearest branch. She landed with an unnecessary flair, posing for nobody.
"Ha! Take that you stupid monkeys!" She hollered at the tree tops, feeling the adrenaline coursing through her veins and her pulse pounding her in her ears. When was the last time she felt so alive? She didnt even know!
And all that for some pieces of fruit?
Maybe she would have to take Aunty Em up again if she ever needed more of the stuff . . .
Word Count: 2074
"Please dont let me fall and break my neck, please dont let me fall and break my neck." Okibi muttered to herself as she pulled herself up onto the branch and stood on her feet. It was rather vexing, finding herself actually afraid of falling. Two years ago she would have flown through these trees like it was nothing at all, as though she belonged among them. Having your body beaten, whipped, and tortured in every way imaginable changed a persons mental constitution, apparently.
Taking a deep breath, Okibi closed her eyes and focused on calming her racing heart. She was stronger now, she was capable . . . there was no need to be afraid. She kept telling herself this, taking the time she needed to. Aunty Em never specified when she needed the fruits, after all.
Yeah, thats what she was doing, picking fruits for a little old lady. Not that Okibi minded of course; it was nice to get out of the house for a mission now and then, even one as mundane as picking fruit.
Not that there was anything mundane about the fruit, or where they were located. It was no wonder at all why Aunty Em had to make this request of the village. She would never have been able to get them on her own.
Opening her eyes once more, Okibi surveyed the scene around her. The branches were large and wide, covered in moss and thick, dark green leaves. What made the trees special however were the crystals that grew from the bark. It was a natural phenomenon that could only be achieved through hundred if not thousands of years of coexisting. What once were two separate organisms had merged to become one. Amazing.
Walking along the thick branch, Okibi scanned the trees around her for the fabled fruit. She did this for nearly ten minutes, and began to grow frustrated when not even the slightest glimmer was found, or sweetness scented. Was she still not high enough? As far as she could see, the only crystals growing around her were the ones that came out of the trees bark. She was pretty sure those werent tasty.
Then, out of the corner of her eye, she a fleeting flash of color unlike the rest of the crystals around her. She whirled around on her heel, but she'd lost the it. Cursing under her breath, Okibi leaped from her branch to one that was closer to where she saw the flash, searching the leaves and branches furiously. She was certain she hadnt imagined that light; it was much too radiant, and full of every color of the rainbow for it to have been a hallucination.
"C'mon fruit . . . come out, come out wherever you are." She hissed angrily, swatting at the foliage around her. She was just about to give up and go look in another tree when she saw the flash again, this time not ten feet to her right. With the reflexes of a slightly out of shape cat Okibi lunged at the flash of color, bursting through a wall of leaves and branches and coming out the other side, landing with an ungraceful flop on hard bark. The elusive fruit had evaded her again.
Sitting up with a groan, Okibi rubbed at her chest, which she'd landed on, and looked around. She found herself in a grove of sorts, odd since she was pretty sure she was still in the tree tops . . . She heard rustling to her left and snapped her eyes in that direction, coming face to face with a green, curly tailed baboon. Breathing slowly, Okibi stood up and observed the primate.
"You wouldnt happen to know where I could find some Crystal Fruit would you?" She asked the animal, using beast tongue. The baboon tilted its head to the right, as though confused by her question, before bounding off down its branch away from her. Cursing, Okibi took off after the creature, not about to let her only lead on the fruits get away from her. Surely an animal that made home at such an altitude would know something about the fruit right?
"Wait!" She yelled. The baboon was so quick, she could barely keep up with it. "I said wait damn you!" The animal disappeared through another thick wall of leaves and Okibi thrust herself through, covering her face with her arms. What she came upon when she made it through shocked the breath right out of her.
Every branch of every tree around her was festooned with green baboons, large and small. There was nary a foot of branch left unoccupied by one of the silent, watchful primates. The one she'd followed stood in front of her, watching her as she watched the others. Okibi gulped, feeling just a little out of her element. Why didnt anyone tell her her quest would include hordes of monkeys with really sharp teeth?
A loud squawk drew her attention back to the one in front of her. It didnt speak to her, but instead pointed with one of its sharp talons further down the branch. At the end of it sat a pedestal of sorts, which made Okibi raise an eyebrow. Where did that come from? Did the baboons make it? Okibi hesitated, and the baboon squawked at her again, sounding impatient. Okibi glared at it and slowly made her way towards the strange pedestal, made of twigs and vines.
When she got closer, she saw that there was something sitting atop it; something that shined and glimmered with all the colors of the rainbow. She stopped in front of the pedestal, wide eyed as she looked upon what could only be the Cystal Fruit. It was beautiful, magnificent, it was . . .
So very alone.
Okibi looked around. Was this single cluster of fruits the only one in the tree tops? As far as she could see, there were only baboons, so she couldnt be sure . . . but she wasnt about to waste any more time looking. Surely this was enough for Aunty Em to make a few pies. Now grinning with delight, Okibi snatched up the shimmering fruits and held it aloft, admiring it.
She hadnt had the fruits in hand for more than a second before the trees around her erupted with noise and movement. All the baboons started to jump up and down on their perches, chattering and cawing loudly. Only now, they were using clear words.
"She fell for it! The silly human fell for it!"
"Stupid human girl! Stupid human girl!"
Those were only a few of the jeers and taunts that Okibi could make out, but even those few made her eyebrows pinch in confusion. She held the cluster of fruit close as she spun in a slow circle, calling out above the noise the horde was making. "What are you talking about!? What did I fall for!? Answer me you stupid monkeys!"
All at once, the swarm grew deathly silent. Not a single one of the moved a muscle, simply watching her. Okibi was about to challenge them again when the branch under her feet started to quake. She looked down at her bare feet, wondering what was happening. Then, a loud crash from behind her made her jump and spin with surprise, only to find an enormous ball made of crystals rolling toward her. Okibi's eyes grew to the size of saucers and she quickly stuffed the fruit into her satchel. She turned around to race back the way she came, but came to screeching halt when she saw a mass of baboons blocking her way. They were jumping and screaming again, parading in front of her as they blocked her escape rout.
Cursing Okibi looked around. There was no other way to get out . . . except for one large, curved branch that was hollowe slightly, like a slide. Okibi could see what was up immediately, and she threw a deadly glare at the horde of baboons. "If I come out of this alive, I'm hunting down each and every one of your smelly asses!" She barked before she jumped and sailed for the curved branch. Only jeers and taunts followed in her wake, as well as the rumbling of the ball that was ever closing in.
With a grunt, Okibi slipped and fell onto her behind, riding the slide branch threw the canopies. She looked behind her, hoping for a miracle, but cursed when she saw that what she feared was true. It had been a damn trap, and that ball was set on a sure course to crush her if she didnt think of something fast. She couldnt jump of the slide; the baboons had fashioned a curved cover of vines and branches to bar any escape from the slide.
What was she to do?
Then she recalled the small pack of explosive balls she had in her bag. Why did she have them? Because, thats why. Hopefully, they would have enough power packed into the to blow an escape in the slide. Pulling her back around to her front, Okibi dug around looking for the bag containing the explosives; all the while the ball was gaining momentum and drawing ever closer to her. It was on a sharp turn in the slide that she finally found them, and cheered with victory. She emptied the small punch into her hand, counting four exploding orbs as they fell into her palm. She threw them in front of her, sending them rolling at a pace faster then her own.
They were set to go off in ten seconds after being deployed. Okibi counted down inside of her head as she repositioned her bag and scrambled to the side, clawing at the vines surrounding her. She pulled free a long and thick length of the stuff just as the loud boom of the explosives went off, shaking the slide. Okibi coile the vine in her hands and looked behind her. The ball was practically on her now.
When she turned back around the slide was coming upon a an incline, and Okibi silently cheered when she saw that was precisely where the bombs had gone off. She couldnt have asked for a more perfect outcome. Readying herself, Okibi rode the slide all the up until the sudden gap, and went sailing into the air. She spun around middair and met the crystal boulder with her feet. It's weight caused it's momentum to lessen faster than her own, so the impact was barely more than a touch upon the pads of her feet. She pushed off the boulders surface, sending herself sailing higher, flipping through the air and towards the branches of a nearby tree. She whirled through the air, coming to face the tree, and reeled her metal arm back, holding the end of the vine she procured by its end. With a snap she sent the rest of the vine flinging towards one of the smaller branches and grinned with triumph when the vine wound around its girth.
Her falling momentum pulled the thick vine taut and Okibi almost felt like howling with excitement as she swung through the branches, swinging down and then up again. She let go of the vine when she reached the crest of her swing, and sailed for the nearest branch. She landed with an unnecessary flair, posing for nobody.
"Ha! Take that you stupid monkeys!" She hollered at the tree tops, feeling the adrenaline coursing through her veins and her pulse pounding her in her ears. When was the last time she felt so alive? She didnt even know!
And all that for some pieces of fruit?
Maybe she would have to take Aunty Em up again if she ever needed more of the stuff . . .
Word Count: 2074