Chapter CCLII: Dinner Dish Diplomacy ~Naaro

"Unnnh..." a groggy moan escaped Naaro's lips as his eyes opened.

The sun caught them, and he subsequently shut his eyes with a clench. The Karmali rolled over on his side, then onto his stomach. He applied pressure on the ground with his hands, and lifted himself. He put one foot forward, then the other, and rose.

"Damn painful," he groaned, rubbing his head.

He looked around, unsure what had happened. Had the Spectrum crashed, and tossed him from his place? No, that couldn't be it...it was stationary. He then began to remember a powerful rumble in the earth back on Caelum...the memory suddenly and abruptly cut off, as if time had stopped there. Something had definitely happened...Caelum wasn't exactly known for its savannah grasslands.

After getting his bearings as best one can on an unfamiliar planet, Naaro started walking. The sun-drenched plain parched this throat rather quickly, and he went about looking for a place to get a drink. After a while, he spotted a watering hole in the distance, and what looked like a village further off...it was too far away to make out. Near the edge of the hole was a stream. As Naaro came up to the watering hole, he grimaced disgustingly at the muddy water.

"Well, it's wet," he muttered to himself, and kneeled down to take a sip.

He cupped some in his hands, and lifted it to his lips, taking a sip. He nodded approvingly, and drank up the rest.

Naaro then stood, and turned, taking a step. As he did, he heard a twig snap, and something suddenly grabbed a hold of his leg. He saw a rope leap out from the grass, and before he knew it, he was lying on his back, a noose around his leg. He heard the sound of footsteps, and soon, five Yoshies (one blue, two orange, one green, and one yellow) stood over him, spears poking him on various parts of his body. They certainly weren't like those he knew from back on Yoshin; the skin colors of these Yoshies were faded and pastel-looking, and they covered themselves in bright bodypaint. They were much more tribal...much like the Yoshies preyed upon by the Karmali in ancient times. It now looked as if they wanted to prey on him.

The blue Yoshi, who held the rope in his hand, leaned over and pinched Naaro's arm. "Ow!" Naaro cried, growling at the Yoshi.

"Our prey's meat is tender," the blue Yoshi said to his comrades. The others smiled, and looked down at him.

One of the orange ones was the next to speak up. "Dost thou think our Lord will like him?"

"Our Lord knows fine meat when he see it...our Lord knows all," replied the blue.

The green yoshi spoke up next. "Naturally so...he is the God of the Mind."

All five Yoshies nodded, and said, "Praised be Markior" in solemn unison. Naaro then decided he'd been quiet long enough.

"Hey, get the rope off my ankle!" he demanded angrily. The five gave him a surprised look.

"Our prey speaks!" the blue Yoshi cried, backing away. The others did the same.

Naaro cut the noose off his ankle with a tiny Kamar Beam, and jumped to his feet, looking at the five with a displeased glare.

"Ok, punks," he growled, "who are you, and why do you want to eat me? I'd suggest you answer quickly, before I start having to force answers out."

The Yoshies looked at him, raising their spears. They stood tough, but fear was obvious in their eyes.

"Thou is but prey...how dost thou speak?!" the blue Yoshi cried.

Naaro gave him a stony glare. "Answer me first, and maybe I'll answer you."

The blue Yoshi nodded. "A'gul is our name...the A'gul tribe."

"Can't say I've ever heard of the A'gul tribe," Naaro replied. He then asked another question: "What planet is this?"

"G'lirer," the blue one responded.

"G'lirer..." Naaro ran the name through his mental 'starmaps'. Nothing came up. He looked the Yoshies over. These guys are weak. I could kill them all with a single Kamar Beam... The concept went through his mind a few times, until another spawned and joined it. But...it's almost pathetic...Yoshies with crude spears against me? I'll go with em for now...if things get hairy, I'll bust my way out. Can't be anything hard for me to handle in a primitive place like this...

Naaro looked at the blue Yoshi, and said, "Ok buddy, you can take me to this 'feast' you're having. No tying up though, got it?"

The blue Yoshi felt ridiculous. He was bargaining with the main course! After several seconds of thought, though, he gave Naaro a nod, and the party turned back toward the village, heading for it.

Well, I'm on my way then, Naaro thought to himself. He looked in the direction of the village, and decided to think about something important to him now: Rynn and Kai. I wonder where they are... he pondered as the Yoshies led him to the village.

He also wondered where the Spectrum had gone, and why he wasn't on it. He looked toward the village and walked on, thinking about what else would be on the menu...