A Dangerous Encounter: Chapter 8

The Blizzard: Chapter 1

(Author's Note: This chapter mentions murder. Please be forewarned. Thank you!)

"Hey, Scylla?" Demetria called out, stumbling into the now-not-so-abandoned warehouse and swiftly slamming the door closed. "I-I kinda...uh, made a blizzard." She looked around. Sure, asking for help from the literal godlike demon and former clan leader was not exactly a good idea, but it was better than trying to disperse the -360 degree weather outside by herself.

Demetria heard the woman laugh from above as Scylla Raven landed behind the young adult. Scylla said lightly, "I thought you were with that unicorn."

"The biàn tài and his equally bèn dàn sister kicked me out!" Demetria protested, her face reddening in the humiliation the memory brought back for her.

"After the stunt you pulled? They don't have any taste in strong people like us." Scylla hummed. "It's astonishing how a tasteless family managed to acquire an empire."

Apparently by using brute force and manipulation. Demetria thought. She sighed, hanging her head a little . After all, it was her fault that she "accidentally" froze down an entire castle.

Scylla noticed the glum look in the young Froster's eyes. Wanting to be at least a little comforting, the demon sets her hand on Demetria's shoulder and said, "Hey, you just hit the not-so-normal stage; of course you couldn't control all that ice everyday all the time. I've felt - heck, I DID the same thing."

"As if that makes me feel any better." Demetria grumbled.

"I'm serious. Even I had trouble learning how to control that much power. You're doing great."

What about the blizzard? I'm CLEARLY doing a bad job. Demetria pushed that thought away, saving those thoughts for when she's alone. Heaving a sigh, she forced herself to mutter, "I guess I am great at making snowballs appear out of thin air."

Scylla raised a eyebrow at the lesser attitude, but still smiled nonetheless. "Great! Now that that's happened, how about we go deal with the snowstorm outside?" Scylla asked excitedly, clapping her hands together.

"You're planning to execute my ex, aren't you?" Demetria accurately guessed, earning herself a light pat on the head.

"Yep, can't let the brat get away with what he's doing." Scylla replied.

"Euugh, let's just get this over with - and no killing!" Demetria quickly added.

"Semi-lethal, then?" Scylla pleaded.

"No."

"You wound me."

A Dangerous Encounter: Chapter 21

20 years ago…

The two EXEs laid their baby on the rocky cliff gently, being careful to be quiet and make sure their child stays comfortable. Once the baby is settled, the female EXE kissed the baby on the forehead, whispering, "My bittersweet baby, I'm so sorry for leaving you without any parents to support and love you physically, but we will always be there for you physically." The EXE choked on her loving words, tears streaming down her face.

The male EXE held the female close, while stroking the baby's cheek gently but firmly. The male chuckled as the baby attempted to bite his hand off, murmuring, "My fierce and beautiful daughter, always be watchful and strong even in the most hopeless moments. We love you so much, Scylla." He slowly took his wife's wrists and asked her, "Are you ready, Diamond?"

Diamond nodded, "I'm ready, Quartz." The two EXEs shapeshifted into diamond-clear and quartz-black ravens, flying into their very last battle in the sky. Baby Scylla wailed for hours, the screams growing loud as a huge blast took out many EXEs in the sky, including her parents.

It was only moments after her parents died that a goddess took the baby EXE under her wing. Her name, Scylla later learned, was Helias.

Scylla would remember the traumatizing moment forever.

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Present day…

"Sophia!" Scylla shouted, a hint of fear flashing in her expression. That fear soon turned into anger, allowing her to fiercely spit, "Let her go, Zielo!"

Zielo chuckled. "Or else what?"

Scylla hissed, "Don't test me."

Zielo inspected Sophia closely, watching as she struggled to escape his grip. Zielo looks at Scylla, who was about ready to burn the god down. "How about a deal?" Zielo asked. "Your friend will be free, and in exchange, you become my slave."

"Don't listen to him! Run, Scylla!" Sophia pleaded, letting out a pained strangled sound and Zielo tightened his grip on her. Dang, the caring traits of werewolves are sometimes a bad trait in a dangerous situation.

Scylla thought about it. "How do I know that you're not going to break that deal? If anything, you could break her in half as soon as I start walking to seal the contract." Zielo squeezes Sophia's neck, making Sophia squeak in pain. Scylla jumped at the sound, raising her hands in surrender. "Okay, okay, fine! I give myself up! Just… Don't do anything to her."

Zielo let Sophia go, allowing her to leave as Scylla lowered her head slightly, secretly planning something under her somber expression.

So, what is she planning?

IMPORTANT SUMMER ANNOUNCEMENT HERE!!!

This applies to the Amaris's Comics (tumblr) and AmarisMochizuki4 (Wattpad) as well.

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY AND THE REST OF SUMMER, EVERYONE!

The Blizzard: Chapter 7

(Author's Note: All warnings are mentioned in Chapter 6. That's all.)

"Hey, sis?" Poketiggy called. "Grandma sent us another chapter!"

"Then read it!" Charlotte called back.

"Alright..."

December 5

"Holy Soulless, this is a huge snowstorm to get through." Scylla muttered, climbing over heaps of snow and ice that used to be buildings, animals, even PEOPLE. After climbing over another body, Scylla said, "Wooow, going through this makes me feel like I'm in the apocalypse again, and that's not a good feeling."

Eventually, Scylla reached the castle, which was the heart of the storm. Literally.

Staring down the sparkling, ice-covered castle, Scylla sighed. "This generation s going to give me a headache one of these days." She muttered, using her frostbitten hands to shove the door open.

An ear turned at Dasher and Glimmer's call for staff from upstairs. Assuming that is where Demetria could be, Scylla teleported in front of the two rulers.

The pyrokinetic instinctively wrapped her arms around Demetria protectively, picking her up and leaving, but not before she heard:

"Hey! That's our -"

"Let them go."

"But -"

"We'll find them again. She'll be a powerful asset to our army."

Scylla teleported home.

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"-Scylla? Hey, Scylla?" Kiui bugged.

"Yes, small one?" Scylla asked, despite knowing the answer.

"What was it like out there?" Kiui asked.

That knocked Scylla off guard. She...wasn't expecting that. Considering her options... Yeah, she might as well come clean.

"It was...devastating." Scylla starts. "It was like the apocalypse all over again." She hugs herself tightly. "To think that I saw all those frozen -"

Kiui said, "You don't have to talk about it. I was curious. That was all."

"No."  Scylla insisted. "I have to." Inhale. Exhale. "There was a lot of snow, I'll admit that. But... I smelled blood and decay as well. There was the palace; it was covered in ice as well, it was in the heart of the blizzard. The buildings and such that made up the capital city were heavily covered in snow and ice. Demetria... I'd never look at her the same way ever again."

Kiui stood there, processing as she looked at the comatose form of Demetria. From her expression, Kiui would never look at her big cousin the same way again, either.

"When do you think Demetria will wake up?" Kiui whispered.

"HOPEFULLY when Sylvia comes over, because she's going to be over for ten days." Mango said, stepping into view.

"MANGO!" Kiui shrieked. Scylla didn't have the heart to tell the Mercat to lower her voice.

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When Demetria woke up, she was faced with Sylvia - in a lab coat. That means Dr. Sylveon is in the house. Ugh, feelings.

Demetria groaned and slowly got up, pain flashing across her body. And then a kitten with banana-yellow scales and kiwi-green eyes stared at Demetria, the cat's grey, fluffy fur on end as its tail swiftly moved back and forth nervously.

"Kiui?" Demetria croaked. "What happened?" The cat literally lunged towards the Froster, transforming back into the form of Kiui as she shouted:

"DEMETRIA! YOU'RE OKAY!! I THOUGHT WE LOST YOU!"

Demetria hugged the the sobbing girl tightly, while giving her aunt a quizzical look.

Sylvia sighed. "You froze the kingdom. Congratulations, you're a Froster now."

"And that's bad because...?" Demetria inquired.

Mango stepped into the room. "First of all, you COMPLETELY missed the part where Aunt Sylvia said that you froze the kingdom."

"I'm sorry, I DID WHAT?!"

"Second, you created a blizzard."

"WHAT?!"

"MANGO!"

"Third," Mango winked at Sylvia. "You nearly killed your friend and the crown princess."

"HOLY -"

"MANGO DRAGONFRUIT MOCHISOLAR!!" Sylvia barked.

Mango let out a fake sigh. "You never let me have my fun." She sarcastically said.

Demetria looked like she was processing everything. "Wow, I did some very bad things."

"Well, we're telling everyone we meet about how you froze an entire castle." Kiui said mischievously, sniffling quietly. Demetria groaned.

"Please don't."

"You traumatized Scylla too." Mango said.

"I WASN'T TRAUMATIZED!" Scylla shouted from the other room. "THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TRAUMATIZED AND TERRIFIED!"

Mango rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, well Merlina said that she's grounding you for the next month for the stunt you pulled."

"Figures." Demetria muttered. Kiui let out a throaty chuckle.

"Can I burn it this time?" Elsa the Dragon asked. Charlotte handed her the paper.

"Nothing's worth it." Sissy the Dog mumbled sadly.

"Aaaaand this is why I'm not giving you anymore stories." Creator drawled out.

"Rude." Conrad grumbled.

A Dangerous Encounter: Chapter 15

With how cloudy and dark this part of the desert is, Scylla was surprised to see even a sliver of the moonlight reflecting off her skin. But her curiosity was cut off as she heard the Soulless scampering toward an old city, which was in ruin ever since the apocalypse started. Realizing that she may have a lead to where Zielo and Sonic may be, Scylla lifted herself up, wincing as her body protested.

Scylla? Aite asked, scaring Scylla enough to have her jump and wince from the movement.

Aite, I thought I told you -

I know, I know, but we heard a scream a couple of hours earlier, and I wanted to make sure you were okay.

I'm fine Aite, I have a lead.

Remember, if you need help, you can always call the pack. Ok?

Fiiiiiiiiiine. But no promises. Scylla cut off her link.

Scylla starts to limp towards the empty city. At the most times she winced from her sore legs, she was in a lot of pain. What she didn't notice was the Soulless coyote trailing her from behind. Such irony that a predator was hunting another predator.

Once Scylla reached the ruins, she looked around, and spotted the coyote. It looked strangely familiar, but it clicked once she drew up a memory. Scylla huffed as a form of amusement. She continued walking as though she didn't know the coyote was there.

But a few seconds later, Scylla was stopped by the coyote, who had a sword in his stomach. She could have sworn he did it to himself earlier, based on how deep and fatal the injury was. "Halt!" The coyote said, "You muzt zee Mazter, az you are not perfect."

Scylla laughed weakly, amused by this form of intimidation. She stopped laughing a few moments later, her eyes blazing with joy and fury as she growled, "Whyyy, if it isn't a demigod, descending from Paradise to mingle with the commoners."

The coyote blinked. "We have a mission; and it iz to serve Mazter!"

Scylla rolled her eyes sarcastically as she smirked. "That was the universe's mission? Oh, I feel simply awful." A crack of thunder filled the air. "Must've slipped my mind."

"That's NO EXCUZE TO DISOBEYING MAZTER!!" The Coyote screeched.

That's what I was afraid of. Scylla thought, before smirking and giving a death glare to the coyote. "Well, it's disgusting to see a Bloodthroat think that they are perfect just because their master is. Such as Zielo, and he is -"

"Perfect?" The coyote suggested.

Scylla shuddered. "No, not perfect. Not since he fell to sin."

"Mazter IS PERFECT!!"

Scylla grimaced at the claim. "No one's perfect, not even the god of whatever you call it. That's a stupid claim." Scylla turned around and limped away.

"Don't turn your back on Mazter!" The coyote howled.

Scylla turned her head slightly, rolling her eyes sarcastically as she purred, "Oh no, Antoine, perhaps you shouldn't turn your back on your values."

Antoine let out a bloodthirsty shriek, diving towards Scylla as she dodged the attack. As a returning move, Scylla scratched the coyote harshly. Feeling her feet getting grabbed by some sort of tentacle, Scylla jumped onto an intact rooftop. She scanned the area below her, already picking up on a few details. First off, the location of the Bloodthroat's mark was on his...ugh, tongue. Blech. Second, Antoine was using some kind of updated version of his illusions. Third, the Bloodthroat was too powerful for Scylla to defeat on her own. At least without the necessary resources to save Antoine's soul. So, Scylla made the only choice she could make without bloodshed.

Scylla retreated, quickly and weakly teleporting to the submerged Angel Island.

A Dangerous Encounter: Chapter 13

Look, I'm not in the mood for medical attention. Someone's in the rubble. Scylla transmitted, pointing towards where she felt the familiar, yet painful feeling.

Diana, Adam, and Sophia all shared a look, obviously having a private telepathic conversation between them. Scylla was too busy trying to get rid of the painful feeling to notice, or to mind.

Suddenly, Scylla's EXE instincts snapped into place, and she moved towards the source of the energy.

It took her five minutes, maybe less, to find the source. But once she did, she gasped in shock, falling to her knees and shaking. Tears streaked down her face as she looked at the violet cinders and crimson blood, along with the unconscious bodies.

Sophia, Adam, and Diana all just stood there after finding Scylla a few seconds later. They couldn't believe it.

Scylla found Ajal and Aite.

Feeling herself spiraling out of control, Scylla muttered softly, "Take Aite and Ajal and treat them. I'll hold the Soulless back."

Diana nodded, taking Aite, and Adam and Sophia taking Ajal. They all soon left Scylla to her thoughts.

Hearing the crazed shrieks of the Soulless, Scylla slowly stood up, black flames igniting in her hands and on the floor around her. Her tears were angry and furious. One of her eyes turned red, her sclera black in color, and it was clear that she slipped off her hold on reality and saw red.

Her hand reached out, and in fifteen seconds, she could feel the half-souls of the second and first stage Soulless spilling out.

Scylla lost her mind in that moment. She controlled the souls for a moment, messing with them as her insane part of her mind contemplated on whether or not she should destroy them.

She snapped out of it as soon as someone's voice whispered in her mind, Scylla?

Aite? Scylla asked, the fire extinguishing around her. I thought you were -

Dead? Yeah, I know. That's what I thought too. Aite reassured. Luckily, Ajal and I were both far enough away that we got the least amount of the damage. I bet that if anyone was in the middle of the destruction, they'd be very much dead.

But are you safe? Scylla pressed, tightening her grip on the rotting souls of the Soulless.

Aite went quiet for a moment, before whispering, We're safe.

Scylla almost cried when she heard that, but spotting a large group of Soulless in the distance made her think sharply, before transmitting, Aite, stay as far away from the desert as possible, and don't run into any Soulless. I'll join you as soon as possible. Tell the others.

But, Scylla, what about you? You're our leader! Aite said worriedly.

I'll... be fine. Scylla hesitantly said, not sure if her words were true.

Alright, but I want you to promise me something. Aite transmitted.

Scylla mentally rolled her eyes. You know I can't say no to that.

Promise me that you'll be careful. Aite said seriously.

It shocked Scylla, but she brushed it aside and transmitted, I'll try. Scylla then cut off the connection.

Mango's Adventures in Angst-Land: Chapter 5

(Author's Note: Short chapter again! But this time, a funny scene comes in. Reference of Pokemon.)

"Alright, let's do this!" Kiui exclaimed, stretching her fingers a little before typing something into the monitor. The password was rejected. Kiui looked annoyed, but before she could try again, Mango stopped her.

"Let me try." Mango said, typing in:

Pokemon Puzzle League

The monitor opened with a beep. Mango gave a snarky smile to her sister, who turned into a cat with banana-yellow scales, kiwi-green eyes, and gray fur and yowled, "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO -"

As Kiui screamed as though she was in pain, Mango softly chuckled. "Sis, you were going to hack the monitor, not log into the thing. You really have a bad habit of hacking into technology." Kiui still throws a childish tantrum over this.

A Dangerous Encounter: Chapter 5

Speeding closer, Scylla can see that Amy and Sonic were okay. Scylla slowed her speed, turning to see that the tsunami broke though the barrier between Tin-Can and was headed directly towards Sonic and Amy. Scylla flew ten feet higher in the air, just to be safe.

Amy jumped to higher ground, while Sonic, for some reason, didn't seem to jump for some reason. Scylla cocked her head to see better, and saw Sonic's slightly pained expression and look of realization. Sonic turned around to face Amy.

Sonic said, "A-Amy, I... I..." He took a deep breath. "Amy, I lo-" And just like that, Sonic was engulfed in the tsunami. Scylla nearly gasped, while Amy looked on with an emotionless face, and took off.

Scylla dove into the water, not caring if she drowned trying to save the hedgehog.

Not even twenty minutes later, the water shot Scylla out.

Scylla became a raven-winged woman, with copper skin, magenta eyes, and blond hair. Out of the corner of her eye, Scylla can see Silver and Shadow dragging Sonic out of the water. And the smell of hedgehog blood was going to make Scylla's mouth water. But that didn't matter, because a large water monster formed out of the newly-formed lake.

Scylla sensed that Zielo was behind this, and growled at the monster in front of her. The water monster roared at the three hedgehogs, attacking Shadow, Sonic, and Silver with watery tentacles.

Scylla screeched like a harpy at this, throwing a Chaos Spear at the water monster in a rage. Flying five kilometers high in the sky, Scylla threw Chaos Spears like an animal, boiling the water wherever the Spears hit. Scylla didn't see anything but the water monster. She wanted to destroy it. She wanted to ruin whatever life it had left. She wanted to -

The water creature exploded, the force sending Scylla flying into a sharp branch. She felt the wound with her hand, and felt an ice-cold liquid. Scylla looked at her hand and saw her signature black blood. Cursing herself, she removed herself from the branch and flew to the skies, away from where she could potentially be found.

Scylla saw her blood dripping from her wing, a sign that the puncture wound was deep. Scylla spotted some dark violet lights, a yellow zigzag, and a mountain thrown onto the land. It made Scylla shiver. She wasn't sure what happened, but she doesn't want to go near THAT ever again.

Three screams ended the predicament. Scylla recognized those voices like a dark angel would.

Scylla tried speaking, but it felt like a hundred mites closed off her lungs, making it hard to breathe. Scylla dove down to the ground, trying her best to breathe normally as the panic engulfed her mind.

When she reached land, Scylla made sure to carefully hide behind a tree, because she felt Zielo's presence.

Transforming into a black wolf, Scylla snuck closer to the hedgehogs. Scylla's tail felt like lightning, swirling and crackling as the puncture wound healed.

Zielo used his telekinesis to lift Sonic, Silver, and Shadow off the ground. Scylla's head felt like bones, so she barely could hear anything the gray hedgehog was saying.

But as soon as Zielo opened his mouth and started to try absorbing the three hedgehogs' souls, Scylla snapped out of it and ran to take their place instead.

BOOOOOOM!

Mango's Adventures in Angst-Land: Chapter 4

(Author's Note: Falling in line with a comic book makes me want to make the plot move faster, but I caaaaaaaaaan't! So, for now, enjoy this short chapter.)

Mango was pacing when Kiui walked in the room and crossed her arms. "Alright, what's wrong?" Kiui asked.

Mango looked at Kiui at said, "It's Scylla. We haven't heard from her, and she hasn't come back yet. We're supposed to be discussing voodoo products today!"

Kiui sighed. "Imma go check that camera chip I installed."

Mango paused, looking at Kiui with an annoyed expression. "Kiiuii," Mango hissed. "Those chips were supposed to be for those Mercats -"

"- Which went missing a year ago, I KNOW. But let's just assume that they're happy and healthy and move on. I may have an idea of where she is."

Mango perked up. "What? Really? Where -"

"Buuuut, you won't like it." Kiui said. Mango sighed.

"Explain, scientist."

"Well, you said that Scylla disappeared into a portal five days ago, right?" Kiui asked. Mango nodded. Kiui continued, "Weeeeeeeeeell, I may or may not have tracked the portal to another, more digital universe."

Mango blinked. "WHAT?!" She shouts. "Why didn't you tell me this?!"

"Oh, you wanted the information sooner? I had to convince Demetria to give me her monitor," Kiui smirks. "Or face the inevitable hacking I will do to her computer."

"...Remind me to never let you manipulate people's technology again." Mango said.

"You know that's never gonna happen, Fruit Punch." Kiui teased. Mango throws a goldfish at her sister in response, smacking Kiui in the head. Kiui blinked. "HEEEEEEEY-"

The Christmas Mystery of the Missing Tuna

"Hey, Mango?" Kiui asked, looking worriedly through the door. "One of Queen Ningyo's missionaries is here to see you."

"HUH?!" Mango exclaimed jumping off the gate. "Why?! You and I kept the kittens' presents a secret!"

"She said it was about Benji."

Mango paused her eyes as big as dinner plates. "Ohh...Well crap!" She headed inside. "I'd better see what the feral cat wants this time!"

When Mango got into the kitchen, Hikari and a missionary named Tanzanite were sitting at the dining tables, talking over a cup of hot tea. Mango had to clear her throat to keep things from getting awkward.

"Oh, so you're the famous Mango the Queen talked about!" Tanzanite yelped, practically leaping off her chair to greet Mango.

"Y-yeah? Adoptive child of Hikari, and going to school next year. We've met in the Unicorn Empire. "Mango clarified. "the last time I saw you, you were under the wing of a general."

 Tanzanite's eyes widened. "YOU'RE the girl in Japan the emperors found?"

Mango rolled her eyes. "Maaaybe be a bit more descriptive than that, but yes, I was mangle." Hikari raised an eyebrow, and Mango sighed, "Please don't."

Tanzanite practically gleamed with joy Mango hadn't seen from her. "OH WOW! You've gotta be some kinda celebrity to get recognized like that!"

Mango looked at her mother, her expression reading as, "Please, help me out of here."

Hikari smirked, her nonverbal response being "No. You got into this mess, you can get yourself out of it."

Mango internally groaned, turning to Tanzanite and asking sweetly "what are you doing here anyway?"

Tanzanite practically shouted, "Benji's can of tuna's missing!"

Mango hissed a curse, huffing, "But we bought those last week! We couldn't have possibly stolen them!"

"We know, so Benji wants you to help her find the tuna."

"I'm not helping her."

"Does it help the situation if Benji said that if you don't help her, she'll destroy the underwater park five miles away from the palace?" Tanzanite asked. "In her feral mode."

Mango blinked. "I'm helping her."

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"WHERE'S MY TUNA?!"

"I DON"T KNOW!"

"Man, this argument is gonna last a decade." Kiui grumbled. "I'mma destroy the flipping park in my angry mode if you don't help me! Yeah right whatever."

"Kiui, watch what you say!" Hikari scolded.

"Uuuuuuuugh, fiine." Kiui hissed.

"No hissing either!"

"DANG IT!" Kiui whisper-yelled. "Benji's always been a stubborn, mean, old, entitled cat when it comes to us! I just don't understand why she needs to use her voice as a cross against the younger Mercats! Fat cat." Kiui muttered the last part to herself.

"Well, you try being a three-hundred-year-old cat. Surely, you'd have to eat tuna, too." Hikari replied.

"But she can still hunt!" Kiui protested.

"But she can't do that as much anymore, due to her declining health." Hikari hummed. "She's expected to die off by the end of this year."

"Well, isn't that just... Swell." Kiui growled. "Just dying off to give Mango the throne."

Glass shattered in the other room. Hikari rolled her eyes as she entered the room. "Alright, BREAK IT UP, YOU TWO!" Hikari shouted. "EITHER YOU TWO COMPLY WITH EACH OTHER, OR I WILL UNLEASH A FLURRY OF PUNISHMENTS I AM NOT AFRAID TO USE."

Kiui looked away to prevent herself from watching the horrors that came from the former Nexus Champion.

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"So, where did you last see the tuna?" Mango asked, pretty bruised up from the spar. The consequences of Mango and Benji's fight was ten brutal sparring sessions.

Benji mumbled, "I don't remember." She was upset, angry, confused, and just wants her tuna.

"You know, that's the problem with old cats." Mango starts.

Kiui said in a fearful voice, "Mango, no. We're not insulting Benji again. Do you remember the last time you did that -"

Mango continues, "You forget things, especially about where food is. Now, it's gotten so bad that it turned into a huge mystery!"

"MANGO!"

"Alright, see you two when you find the tuna ~!"

"Wait, no! I didn't mean it -"

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"Oww, that hurt." Mango complained.

"Well, that's Mercat punishments for you, young Merkitten." Benji huffed, grooming herself as she silently added, "You're waay too young to have my magic, anyways."

"Hey, what does that mean?" Mango asked suspiciously.

"You'll understand when you're older." Benji said quickly.

"Riiight... Okay, so, the most common place you lose something - no offense - is in the palace...with the tiger...sharks." Mango whispered the last part so quietly that if Benji wasn't a Mercat, she wouldn't have registered the fear tinted in Mango's voice. Mango perked up, however, and said brightly, "Well, no time to waste! Let's jump into a pull of tiger sharks!" Mango ran through the door, making Benji jump in surprise, springing to the ceiling before falling flat on her face. She got up and shook her head, clearing off the dust molecules that had collected when she hit the ceiling. Benji smirked and chased after Mango.

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"We're here." Mango breathed, taking in the scent of the salty, blue, lily-covered pool. Underneath these waters were tiger sharks, friendly and deadly. They like Mercats, but the sharks don't like Mango and Kiui for some reason.

"I think they'll like you now, Mango." Benji hummed, surprising Mango from behind.

Mango groans. "You ALWAYS say that, and the sharks never do -"

"They will, because you're the crown princess, and you will inherit the throne when I die." Benji snapped.

Mango turned to the old Mercat, whispering, "What?"

Benji sighed. "Just get in the water!" She pushed Mango into the pool, causing Mango to let out a shout as she entered the water.

After a few hours, Mango popped up, all scraped and bruised up, blood dripping into the water. "I tried, but the tuna was eaten by the sharks." Mango said apologetically.

Rather than asking if Mango was okay, Benji roared and jumped into the water. A few seconds later, shark blood started to shimmer on the surface of the pool. Taking this as a sign to run, Mango ran to go "grocery shopping."

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On Christmas Day, Benji opened her present. It was one of those T-rex corpses Benji always liked to eat. Upon seeing this present, Benji opens her mouth and dove into the corpse, cutting herself on the neck deeply from one of the scales on the dead T-rex's body. Kiui sighed and said, "You forgot to skin the dinosaur, Mango."

Mango was helping Benji as she replied, "I know, but for now, can you please call emergency services?"

Kiui exhaled, grabbing her phone and complying with Mango. Soon the ambulance arrived and took Benji to the royal hospital. Eventually, Benji died of the wound.

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At the funeral, Kiui whispered to Mango, "Should've stuck with the tuna."

"KIUII...." Mango hissed, scolding the young Mercat.