[FIN] Hedge Stumbler [ Replicate / Bitter End ]

[Jun D]

There was something going on inside of Replicate, a process that was not like the processes she knew. Something different, and changing, and wholly strange, something of her, but not of her, and it grew.

At first, she wasn't sure if she liked it. Perhaps she didn't like it, it was odd. She liked the buck, but this, she wasn't sure. But it felt secret. It felt hidden, until it could not be hidden. It felt new. Perhaps she liked it.

Other does, she heard, might seek a blessing. Perhaps she might seek a blessing. Perhaps she wouldn't.  

[Maxx D]

The greater cave worm with glowing eyes had been meadering near her territory for a few days, peering over the hedge at times. It was this day that it finally attempted to come a little closer, but seemed to be struggling with either getting over the hedge, or under. Little legs flailed until another attempt turned the cave worm over the hedge, and plopped it into her view. It flailed, upside down, ever-glowing eyes looking at her.  

[Jun D]

Replicate watched the struggling cave worm with little interest. So many legs, yet such little coordination. Perhaps if it curled, it could upright itself. If not, she supposed it would starve and die. Such, it was said, was the cycle of life.  

[Maxx D]

The cave worm seemed to stare harder at her, legs half-heartedly waving, almost impatient. Its head looked at her, then looked at her belly, then looked at her, seeming to judge.  

[Jun D]

She stared impassively at the struggling cave worm.  

[Maxx D]

It stopped struggling and just stared, flatly.
Guess you don't need a blessing, a sarcastic voice floated over. You're kinda far along to be wondering about it.  

[Jun D]

She considered the source of this sarcastic voice for a moment.

"Are you a Legendary?" she asked the cave worm.  

[Maxx D]

You gonna help me over if I am?  

[Jun D]

"Why should I?" she said, "you could simply turn into a mare and get up yourself."  

[Maxx D]

The little legs had folded over its torso - stomach? - and stilled.

Do you want a blessing, or not? Impatient, sarcastic, but sincerely questioning.  

[Jun D]

"I suppose," she said, "in fact, you should have just crossed the hedge as a mare, it would have been much easier.""  

[Maxx D]

It was now a mare, on her back, limbs still folded, and her face was far more clearly annoyed than the caveworm's face could convey. "If you had just pushed me over, I would have gone, 'oh yeah here's your blessing tralala let's go on now,' which would have been much easier. What does 'I suppose' mean?"  

[Jun D]

"Do you want to give me a blessing or not?" she said.  

[Maxx D]

"Depends on why you didn't push the worm over."  

[Jun D]

"Why should I have?"