10-03-2021, 07:43 PM
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Under the blanket of darkness he woke, eyes snapping open as the riddle funnelled through his ears. And as the voice spoke his body acted. A strange sensation pulsing through him as he moved without much thought, rolling from his side and rising stiffly, setting off into the darkest part of night. He trudged through the trees with a purpose though he knew not what it was. It was like his limbs had a mind of their own, his mind trapped in his own pathetic body, but Etojo didn't feel afraid. Not yet. He paused. His hooves no longer marching him forward. Before him, breaking the darkness, the moonlight illuminated something in the branches, marking a darker deepness to the forest. He peered at them, eyes narrow with suspicion. There were things dangling from the branches. Ridiculous things, monstrous things, silly and pathetic things. But then one in particular caught his eye. It was him. Dangling from the branches, sides split from the belly, fluttering eerily in the midnight breeze. It was him as he was before, normal and unchanged. A handsome beast, fiery chestnut, with ordinary brown eyes. Etojo stared at it, and as if sensing his choice (though Etojo hadn't thought to choose anything), within a blink, the costume released from the branches and flew towards him. His body stuck still unable to react. The sheet of his former self gobbled him headfirst, slithering down his neck, snapping the twigs of his mane. Etojo clenched his teeth to strangle out his groan of pain. The costume pressed into his back and wrapped about his belly. It became him, and he became him… no longer leafed, ugly nor emaciated. Etojo became magnificently normal. Well, almost. What was left of his pathetic twig of a mane had pierced through the material. Beyond the costumes still dangling the dark forest thrummed with a strange pull. Etojo waited. |