I turn around only to see a one feet baby scorpion that is some meters away.
"No! Please don't hurt my child!" The mother scorpion shouts.
I turn around to face her. "Oh, I will. This should be so much fun." I say and turn back again. I begin walking towards the baby scorpion.
"No! Please don't!" The mother scorpion shouts in a pained tone and I could tell she is crying.
Ignoring her, I keep on walking towards the baby scorpion; who is now shaking like it's got a cold.
"No! Please! I'm sorry!" She shouts and groans in pain.
I continue walking still ignoring her.
"Please!" She shouts and now I can hear the thudding of her legs. "Please. Please. Please. That's the only one I have left! Take me instead!" She shouts, her voice sounding like she's groaning.
Finally reaching the baby scorpion, I raise my hand up and drop it with force, but it lands lightly on the baby scorpion's head. I begin patting the little one on it's head and it's shaking reduces.
"It's okay, you little hero!" I say with a loud laugh and an unknown warmth fills my heart.
"Huh?! How?!" It says, it's voice shaking.
"Well, you just saved your mum." I look at it intensely and it shrinks back in fear. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to." I laugh awkwardly. "Why are you so scared of me?"
"You almost killed my mum." It says and I flinch.
'Wow. That was straight forward.'
I laugh aloud awkwardly. "Well, that wasn't a fight. Uhm... It was a.... A...."
'God! What should I say?!'
"A training, son." The mother scorpion says and I turn to see her; back to her normal size, with a small smile on her face or what I suppose is a smile.
I return the smile with relief and in gratitude.
"Really?!" The boy asks in disbelief.
"Yes." She says calmly, then turns to face him.
"I'm sorry you had to watch us train in such a way." I say in a sincere apologetic tone.
"Ok." He says, beaming with a wide smile or what I assume is a smile.
"Son. Can you excuse us for a moment."
"Sure mum." He says and walks some distance away.
She looks at me. "I'm sorry for the way I treated you." She says as tears begins flooding her eyes and bends her head. "You really are a good guy!" She shouts, raising her head and startling me.
"No. It's nothing. I..."
"It's something! A big thing! After almost losing your life, you still behaved like nothing happened! We will forever be in your owing list!"
"It's actually because of your son. If...! If...!" Tears begins running down my face, but stops. "I'm glad he came. If he hadn't. I would have killed a single mum and leave her little child parentless."
She laughs aloud. "You really are something funny and special."
"Well, thank you." I say, a little flattered. "So are you."
"I know." She says, her voice filled with pride. "Thank you."
"Sure. But..."
"Yeah?"
"Can I ask you something?"
"Okay."
"Why do you eat humans?"
Her mood changes and she sighs. "You see, I don't like the taste of humans that much. Sure, some are delightful and crunchy-munchy."
I choke on hearing the words and she laughs a little.
"But.... I sincerely don't enjoy them the way I enjoy the animals of this forest."
"Why then do you eat us? And earlier you said you have been waiting. And you said your son is the only one left."
She sighs and this time tears begins running down her face.
I turn and look at her son; who is playing; cutting the grass adventurer with his claws and sigh in relief, turning back and facing her.
"Well..... It's for revenge."
"Revenge?!"
"Yes." She sighs. "You see, my son over there is my last child and the last survivor." More tears streams down her face. "After my husband impregnated me, he left. And I was left alone to tend for I and my ten children." More tears and a cough.
"Sorry."
"Thanks." She says in a cracking tone. "Well, at first I wasn't a supreme level beast."
"How do you know the levels?" I ask in surprise.
"I do hear some humans talk about it atimes." She coughs again.
"Sorry."
"Thanks." She smiles a little or it's my assumption.
"Are you smiling now?" I ask out of curiosity.
She looks at me, surprised. "Yeah. Thought you would know, cos all humans who see me knows."
'I knew it!'
"Ok." I say, feeling dumb. "Wait! You said you had ten children. What happened to the rest? And what made you a supreme level?"
The flow of tears intensifies. "Rage made me a supreme level. And all my kids.....? They're dead." She says bluntly and I could hear the pain and rage in her voice. "At first, I was a chief level who didn't know how to talk and was very weak. In fact I was a fragile, weak scorpion, who couldn't do anything for I and my ten children. Although things were hard, we were always happy, as long as we were together." She smiles. "We even rejected the ideas of trying a human. But everything changed one night." She says and I can feel the anger in her tone. "Our home was invaded by humans. And we were all captured. The humans were heartless and cruel and so didn't care about us. Although I know it's the dark reality; of being foods for humans. But I failed to accept it." More tears. "I tried to communicate, but it was pointless, cos I wasn't able to." More tears. "They kept I and my kids in a cage and sat around a fire. And do you know what they did next?" She asked and I can sense a murderous intent from her.
I shake my head. "No."
"They begin picking my kids, pulling out their tails and roasting or cooking them! And then eating them! In front of me! It was very traumatic for me!"
Although it's natural but for some reasons, the words makes me feel sick.
"I watched in horror, begging and crying, but it was hopeless! I tried to defend them with all my strength but it was hopeless too! I was struck a lot and almost lost my life!" More tears. "When it was my last child's turn, I felt a sudden outburst and before I knew what was going on, I changed and emptied the environment of humans! Yes! I ate them all in the most painful and slowest way possible. Although it made me feel sick but revenge made them taste sweet."
'Wow.'
"So... Are you saying beasts evolves or upgrades, just like humans?" I ask, surprised.
"Yes. And it was that night I changed. Although weak normal humans do enter the forest, but they are rear. Only strong ones that enters most times. But, I always make sure not to let a single human I've seen escape."
"But you said you are annoyed, cos it's only strong ones that enter. That you haven't eaten a human for some time now."
"I do eat the weak and some strong. But now it's actually different. The strongs are becoming stronger and there are some not-my-level strongs, like 'The End!'" she says and shudders.
"But don't you think those humans also have families or relatives they are meant to return to? Do you think what you doing is good? Do you think revenge in such a manner is ok?" I ask, feeling my temper rise a little.
She sighs. "You're right. But I can't promise I'll stop, but if I am, it will take quite some time. That's the sad reality that you can't stop. We will always eat each other." She says and I frown.
"Are you serious?! But I spared your life." I say, feeling my temper rise more.
"That's just the reality of this world. But, since you spared my life, I guess I'll be letting some of them go."
Although it's not what I'm expecting, but it's okay.
"You sure?"
"Yes."
"Thanks. But make sure it's those who attack you first, you eat."
"Sure. I need to go now. Before my son gets lost again." She says and turns around, facing her son and calling him. The little hero runs towards us and stops right in front of us with a wide smile on his face.
I laugh, feeling the same warmth again. I kneel with one kneel and smile at him, patting his head and increasing his smile.
"Make sure you don't stress mummy and make sure you don't get lost again. Ok?"
"Ok." He says and laughs a little.
"Good." I say in satisfaction.
"Come on son. Let's go." She says with a smile.
"Ok mum. Bye Mr friendly trainer!" He shouts and I laugh.
"Bye."
"Bye." His mum says and turns, walking away with her son walking alongside her. She stops and turns. "What's your name?" She asks and I shrug.
"I don't have any."
She laughs aloud. "You're kidding right?" She asks and I shake my head, causing her to stare at me in shock. "Why?"
"I can't remember?"
She sighs. "Ok then. But name yourself, silly." She says in a commanding tone. "I've never seen a human without name."
"Yes ma'am." I say in a funny tone and we both laugh.
"Good. Well, I am scorpina and my son; scorpio. It is nice meeting you and I hope we meet again."
"Yeah."
"Bye Mr friendly trainer!" Her son shouts again and I laugh.
"Bye!"
"Bye." Scorpina says again and turns, continuing her walking away, with her son following her alongside.
"Bye."
I keep looking at them, till they are out of sight. I sense a sudden presence behind me and turn, seeing a female and taking her unawares. She is wearing a white gown, but the same hat, as the girl who killed the peacobear, but she's wearing a mask.
'Are you for real? A mask? Really?!'
My eyes wide in realization, I shout, "It's you!"
She turns and begins running away, very fast and I begin to pursue.
"Wait! Wait! Just wait!" I shout and increase my speed.
I finally reach her and place my hand on her shoulder, turning her around and receiving a shocking slap reward. Shocking, because it literally covers me in lightning.
I groan in pain and leave her, falling to the ground.
"I'm sorry." She says, before running off at immense speed.
'Damn. Is she fast!'
"Wait I just want to...."
A sudden pound in my head and heart, fills me with pain.
'Oh no. The after effects!'
I begin passing out and soon everything turns black as I pass out.
I wake up to a gentle smell of fruits and nuts.
"Mhmm." I open my eyes to see a disposable bag, filled with fruits and nuts and they are wet. "Oh! Aqua! What would I do without you!" I say in gratitude and hear a giggle and a gasp.
I quickly get up and look around, but see no one.
"Aqua?! You there?!"
Silence.
I sigh. "I guess she's gone home."
I look at my clothes and surprisingly, they are almost clean, but are wet and looks like they've gone through a lot than me. My shoes? Hmmm. They're long gone.
I pick up the bag and begin wandering around, looking for the cave and being careful to avoid any beast. One more fight and I will give up instantly.
The sun begins to set and soon everywhere begins to get dark. Luckily for me, after some hours of walking, I finally come across the cave and enter it.
I drop to the ground and sigh. Noticing, I have a lovely scent, I inhale deeply and exhale in satisfaction.
"Obviously Aqua's doing." I say, enjoying the nice scent. "I wonder what she washed me with."
I sit and begin eating the fruits and nuts, till they are all gone. I lie in satisfaction, looking up at the dark cave ceiling and guessing, outside should be dark by now.
My mind drifts to Aqua and a rush of guilt fills me.
"She will definitely forgive me. I know she will." I say with a smile, then sleep off.