What the water gave us {TD vs spiders; day 2}

His stardust was blinding to the naked eye.

Stitch didn’t know how to go about the rest of the night, mostly because it would never be the same.

No.

Ping was no longer with them, and as much as Lavina wanted to prove that she was as vicious of ever, Stitch could tell that somewhere, she was hurting.

While she wanted to act like a big bad career, it was hard to not get attached to the people that you spent the most time with.

That was the case for Stitch.

While he might have wanted to punch Lavina in the face for the amount of sass she gave off while he stitched her up he simply shrugged.

She was mad.

And that was fine.

Stitch knew how to deal with that.

---

Stitch walked around the creek for a moment, trying to figure out where might have been the best place for them to go next.

And before he knew it, he was staring at the girl from three that they both thought they had lost.

And when she came into contact with him, Stitch wondered how she was able to protect herself without any of them there.

Maybe Stitch pegged her wrong. She was not the young and innocent girl that he thought her to be, but a fighter. Someone that wasn’t scared of what was going to come her way.

She was ready to fight for her chance to live again, just like all of them.

---

But then he had to break her heart, telling her that Ping was not going to join them from here on out.

That unlike all of them, they lost her back in the bloodbath.

He told her that she fell victim to Lavina’s district partner, and that as much as they wanted to freeze time and stop it all from happening, there was no going back.

Ping was gone, and that was all there was too it.

However, she kept a hope about her that Stitch had never seen before.

---

And then they ran into Neela, ”Neela wait.” Stitch called out to her as she moved quickly past them, knowing well that she probably didn’t want to interact with any of them.

If Stitch was a different person, he might have thought she was smart, but at this point, they needed to keep the numbers in their favor, and four heads were better than one.

---

The anthem came, and while they all looked up at the sky, the only face they saw was Ping.

He could feel pressure on his hand from Florence. ”Wherever she is, I know she is thinking about you Florence. Don’t worry.”

Stitch was quick at comforting her because he knew that she had to be hurting.

”Tomorrow is a new day. ” says to everyone, staring at the night sky before putting his backpack behind him and laying his head on it. ”Lets get some rest.”

And Stitch closes his eyes.

---

But he doesn’t fall asleep right away.

A gust of wind brushes past him and he couldn’t help the urge to walk around for just a moment.

He looked back for a moment, looking at the three girls who all looked peaceful while they rested.

These were the people that he was meant to protect.

And he would do just that.

---

Stitch fell asleep eventually, waking up to the sound of Florence wishing them all a good morning.

It was time to move.

It was hard at first, keeping up with someone like Florence, but after a while she started to slow down. It was interesting watching her move in and out of focus like she was bouncing around in his mind.

Stitch looked to Lavina, ”What do you think is out there?” He pointed at the giant island.

That’s where he wanted to be. That is where his freedom lied.

And so he made his way there.

---

But before he knew it, he felt the air thicken on the island. Like something bad was about to happen.

And before he knew it, two spiders came out of nowhere, blocking their chance of exploring whatever they could while they were here.

Stitch pulled out his glaive, impressed to see Florence jumping into the fight right away.

”Keep going Florence…” Stitch said, a smile curving on his lips.

”Why did it have to be spiders though?” He said out loud, wondering why bugs like this had to be invented.

He sighed, not leaving any time to waste.

This was his chance to show people that he was willing to fight for the freedom that he wanted after all.

And so he lifted his glaive. ”Lets go everyone, lets kill these ugly shits.”

And the boy made of stardust launched his blade through the sky.

You wander through the night in a tiny daydream; floating. Visions of the previous day are callous in your mind. A rough start and a rough end, but somehow you find yourself matched up with people that seem to be able to fill that void. His voice is what made you stop. His need for numbers kept you from dividing yourself from their group. Your heart trickles loudly through your own body as their presence gives you hope; hope that wasn't suppose to be.

You welcome it.

Still yet, they bring something to you that you desperately both want and silently need.

You welcome it fearfully with a bit of acceptance mixed in. (Better to be with others then alone.)

Sleep became you without your notice. Morning broke you with light taking your darkness away. Darkness will never win with the heartbeat of others around. Even with the mutts of endless legs dancing in your way, you look to the trio that fate had brought you to.

You will find peace after your weapon is wielded. (Because you really don't want to see anyone die from such unfortunate creatures.)

There was a strange viciousness in the creature's eyes and in the wound it gave her. Her first battle wound. The spider's teeth stung her face like a blade, drawing a scar on her forehead. Good. It was not paying any attention to the others then. If she distracted it a little longer they could finish those monsters. And everyone else would be safe.

The others' voices got mixed up in her head:
Keep going...
Let's kill those ugly...
Why...spiders?
Ugly enough to be Volkner...

"Volkner... is not ugly, he's nice..." - she murmured, wondering what Volkner had to do with the blurry mess around. them.

She was lucky not to be afraid of spiders. If it were Cordelia, she would have fainted at the sight of an enormous jaw right in front of her. Florence jumped back, dancing at a safe distance from the arachnid's fangs or whatever it was trying to tear her apart with.

Something was streaming down her face. A red liquid...

Blood?

She wiped it away from her eyes to get a better look at her disgusting opponent.

I'd have to learn how it looks sooner or later.

The girl knew she had to attack before the first shock from the wound wore off and she felt more than just weird tingling numbness in her head. Her hands were still steady, her grip firm around her weapon. 

You won't eat them.

In the stories, it was different. The hero wasn't her, it was usually a huge guy who had known his way around weapons since he learned to crawl - maybe like Volkner. But it never matters who you look like - a warrior is hidden inside. 

You can put on a hero's mask, but it is impossible to fake a soul.

The girl took her aim, waiting for the right moment to strike.

Mother. Father. Bolts. Ping.

Breathe in - breathe out.

Mommy. Joule. Cordelia. Dusty. Joseph. Cal. Connor. 

She shook her head and made a cautious step to the right. This animal was weird - what if it was one of the poisonous species she read about? Considering that mutts were poisonous whenever they could be, these ones were too. Florence threw a quick glance at Stitch... Lavina... Neela...
Neela was hurt too. If she didn't deal with these monsters their whole little family would be done for.

Their lives are at stake, not mine. I am the winner, no matter what the outcome will be.

The child made a false move to distract the creature, sidestepped and then sprung forward, forcing the spear into the monster's body. If Florence Spark had to go down, she would make sure this predator would choke on her and leave her friends in peace.

"You know what happens to monsters? Unfortunately for you, they die. I'd adopt you, but I don't like bullies."

She felt the presence of her alliance beside her. A force of four warm bodies, five souls tied together, five intertwined fates, bound together by something these creatures would never have.

Love never dies. And she knew she couldn't be destroyed as long as her heart was protected by its power.

hey y'all. i have a hella bad headach rn so i'm going to go nap. i just want to move this along so here's a filler <33

Florence mutters something, I ignore it.

Stitch says something, I ignore it.

I'm focused on the monstrosity emerging from within the spider the rando and I had slain. Who the hell was this girl anyways? It doesn't matter right now, and it won't forever. You don't need to know the name of whoever you're about to kill.

I'll at least let her live until we finish off these monsters.

[attacks mini spider 2 w/ sword]
A343dLAmsword
[1137 -- Shallow Cut on Right Bicep -- 3.5 damage
(Sword)]

Black holes were endless

And so was the onslaught of the spiders that were before them.

Stitch had never seen a black hole in person, but he wondered what it was like to be sucked into one.

He knew that nothing could survive in one, but that did not mean there wasn’t anything beautiful to see.

His life felt like a black hole.

Everyone that came in contact with him seemed to disappear within the first couple moments of contact.

And when he tried to find them, they disintegrated into particles that became part of Stitch himself.

And he carried them with him, but that didn’t mean that he would ever see them again.

Jaime was an example of that.

A boy who was so sweet, but so broken after losing so many people that were close to him, and Stitch was now one of those people.

Stitch told him that he would try his hardest to make sure that he got home in one piece.

But that was something that he knew that he couldn’t promise.

Things were unpredictable here, and like Black Holes, no one could predict what would happen in the arena.

And that was the sadness that no one could outrun while they were here.

Panem was a black hole after all.

Just no one could realize it before it was too late.

---

And the spiders seemed to fall one by one, and Stitch was wondering what was the endgame here.

Why such things, that were clearly outmatched by the people that were attacking them, still fighting them.

And that’s when Stitch realized that they didn’t have a choice in the matter.

These were beasts, breed from people who wanted to see nothing but death, and that meant that they did not know anything else but to kill.

And while Stitch could not sympathize with them, because he was not a being that wanted to kill for the sheer enjoyment of it.

No.

He was boy who was forced into a predicament that involved him needing to fight for his life.

And if that meant that he was going to have to fight others to obtain the freedom that he sought.

Then so be it.

That was something that he had to be willing to kill for.

Or he might as well fall onto his own blade and take the one thing that he wanted no one to steal from him.

Himself.

But there was so much time left here.

---

And then he watched as the spider showed its teeth, ready to feast on the bodies that laid before it.

Stitch held his ground, ready for anything that was going to happen in front of him, because here in the arena, you had to be ready for anything.

And if that meant that he was going to have to face his worst nightmares, then so be it.

But the spider did not care about that.

No. The spider only saw flesh. And food. Nothing more than that.

Stitch wondered what it was like to grow up like an abomination, but then he realized that he knew exactly what it was like.

And the sound of teeth crunching at his chest plate made him realize that this spider was no better than his mother.

He had a new reason to slay the beast that stepped back, for a moment, proud in whatever it was trying to accomplish.

That’s when he realized that this spider needed to parish quickly.

---

But then he watched as Florence jumped in quickly protect him, and Stitch worried for a moment, because someone so young shouldn’t have been pining for something that could get her killed herself.

But the words that left her mouth reverberated from the rocks below them, and that’s when Stitch realized that she was right.

This was his family for now, and he was willing to do anything in order to protect them.

That also including stabbing the fuck out any mutt that decided it wanted to make them their snack.

And watching Florence jump into the air, only to be met with one of the spiders legs as it caught her spear, Stitch knew that this was his chance to protect someone that was precious to him.

Even though he had such a hard time of showing it.

---

Black holes were endless, and so was the resolve of one Stitch Gabel.

He would not fall, if he had any choice in the matter.

”Hey shitstain, leave her alone.” Stitch proclaimed as he ready his blade.

This was not the time for him to be sucked into a black hole of despair.

This was his time to protect someone. Anyone.

Something that he never did because he knew what it would have meant for him back home.

So black holes were going to have to wait.

And he struck.

This be my filler because life is like updating your computer... it starts at 1%. (This update just started. Ugg!)

Anyways, (You know better than to leave well enough alone. These vermin need to be exterminated on the double)