...Another Threesome!? A Battle of the Desert Sands!

[Coolpikaaa]

The southern desert is not an area of Blackstar many dare tread. For one, it is full of sand, which in itself tends to irritate people unless it is nearby to a large source of water. Another problem is that there is no large source of water, which in itself tends to irritate people who fancy living.

Why someone as significant as Coolpikaaa would be traveling in such an insignificant area as this certain stretch of sand was beyond anyone's guess. But wait, that couldn't be right. Coolpikaaa was off fighting some sort of Parasitic monster and a less bird than one would think Raven. Well it certainly looked like him.

In fact, however, it was only *Slightly* Coolpikaaa. Way back when, a group of alien goop monsters known as "The Goos" invaded the fine planet of Blackstar. They lured citizens in, placing them in a gooey stasis so no one would be around to fight them off when they invaded. Some even went as far as making a goo clone their captive citizen so it can lure it's unsuspecting friends.

Alas, these invaders were thwarted by a small group of rebels, some of them even captured and cloned before being set free. This desert Coolpikaaa was one of these clones.

The goo clone seemed to be lost, although you couldn't blame it. The dunes all looked the same, and all it knew in it's slushy little brain was it needed to find a city center and try to take over again from there. Rather suddenly though, it's one track mind was interrupted by the static fizz of an opening warp portal. Travelers usually had a Desert warp portal device, so this wasn't too rare, but this particular portal seemed off. For one, several random objects were being thrown out of it, like they were being pulled off some street somewhere rather than being sent through.

The clone watched with rising anticipation. Maybe a vehicle would come flying through and he would be free from trekking this desert, melting his feet on the sand....

-CP

[Tav]

Athena fell to the ground through the warp portal. "Aw, darn it." She said, looking around. She picked up her quarterstaff, then noticed the clone. "Hey. . . aren't you that one lightning rat guy?"

[rosebarks]

Another girl fell through the portal, but not on top of Athena. She landed on the ground beside her, her ears low, as she let out a soft growl...Clearly she was not happy that she had landed on sand. "Ugh just my like that I would land on s...." She stopped seeing the others. "CP?" She asked him.

This girl wore a red dress that seemed to flow out from her waist. It was form fitting yet at the same time it seemed to accent her body. She was clearly no a human, then again, not many around these parts seemed to be human. Her name was Lilic Aerith KanKaren.

[Coolpikaaa]

The Goo clone stiffened. A female had come flying out of the warp portal, and by the looks of it, a warrior. Maybe she was one of this planet's "heroes"?

This sudden turn of events was better than a vehicle appearing. Being in female form almost always worked to guarantee a large base of unwitting subjects. As blob creatures though, gender served no other purpose for The Goos.

With a fizzle and a pop, another female appeared. This proved problematic. Having one was a boon, but when in larger groups, the alien knew they could flock into a frightening army. It would just have to stealthily replace one before the other noticed. Then it could move on and finish the spare.

"Hey. . . aren't you that one lightning rat guy?"

"CP?"

The Pikaaa-Clone hadn't expected them to make such sounds. Was this verbal communication? With quick reasoning for a gooey mess, it realized they must be plotting to overthrow him already. Perhaps they wanted this small form for sustenance without realizing what it was? This would work greatly in his favor. Once in their stomach, he could slither back up their esophagus and erupt out their mouths in a frenzy of tentacles....

But no, they didn't seem to want to eat.

Deciding it better do something, the clone mentally decided to approach the first entry headmost. She seemed less hardened, unsure, while the other appeared as if she could put up a fight. Rushing up in a sickening display of cuteness only this form could master, the goop monster affectionately held on to Athena's shin, rubbing against it with a furry forehead.

[Tav]

"What/" Athena started, and then, reflexively, punted the goo-clone with her other foot.

"I . . . I don't think that's the lightning rat thing." She said, panting. "Otherwise he would have responded. I heard he's normally very polite. And doesn't try to sexually assault people."

[rosebarks]

"That is so CP. Can't you tell? CP is polite but maybe he just doesn't feel like talking and wants a hug...you know?" Lilic asked her as she moved to him. "so why are you out here CP?" She asked him, though her defense was up. She was nervous...Athena was right...But she wouldn't admit it.

[Tav]

"That's. That's not him." Athena said. "If it was, he would have shocked me when I kicked him. Didn't you watch that three-way duel he did between that Homunculus and Raven?"

[Coolpikaaa]

It seems the first interpretation of the humanoids was wrong, and with a sharp kick, the Goo creature let go of Athena's leg. Although she seemed less experienced, she reacted more aggressively. The alien would have to keep that in mind for future encounters.

The women continued their series of noises, seeming to want some sort of response in turn. But what?

With a sudden stroke of genius, the clone framed his eyes with his paws, then rapidly pointed down his mouth all while vigorously shaking his head. Even if this wasn't Coolpikaaa, it was some other creature that genuinely seemed to be having troubles.

Sauntering over to Lilic, he pulled on her dress and opened his mouth again, pointing down his throat frantically.

[rosebarks]

Lilic looked at him as she seemed puzzled a moment as she picked him up. "Are you hungry CP?" She asked him holding out an apple. Why Lilic had an apple was anyone's guess but it seemed she carried food with her even when she travelled.

[Coolpikaaa]

Food? No, that was the opposite of what the Goo critter needed right now. The creature shook it's head again, pulling on Lilic's dress once more. The other female didn't seem to care, but it was of dire importance someone followed his mimed instructions, and soon.

Waving, the Coolpikaaa impostor once again pointed, this time to Lilic's eye, then down his throat.

[rosebarks]

Lilic looked at him as she tilted her head as she blinked. "I don't fully understand" She said kneeling to the ground, her position that of a squat though her tail moved back and forth.

[Coolpikaaa]

Finally, this one seemed to be figuring it out. Now that she had bent down, the clone could show her the problem with it's throat. It wasn't too bad, but something was in it, and maybe she could give assistance in getting it out? It never hurt to try.

Slowly treading up close to the kneeling Lilic, the Pikaaa-clone couldn't help but think of the kindness of this planet. In groups of Goo activity on worlds, they never showed such emotion. It was something else entirely. Something powerful, something unmistakable, something utterly..... stupid.

Squuuiiick!

Several white tendrils jettisoned out of the parasite's mouth, flying the amazingly short distance to Lilic's own face she allowed him to come. The tendrils twisted as they flew, ready to latch on and press the cute face of Coolpikaaa smotheringly onto the girl. It would be quick and painless, probably even beneficial from then on. The Goo would run the show, making sure she received all the right Nutrients and Oxygen, and pulling up her own genetic material to create new shifting monsters. It was the privileged life.

But just in case she decided to do something unsafe, the monster sent a few extra streams around to her back.

All for her safety of course....

[Tav]

With both hands, Athena slashed the long end of her quarterstaff downwards, into the thick of the tendrils. She then kicked some sand into the thing's eyes. "I'm pretty darn certain this thing ain't what it looks like." She said to the other woman.

[rosebarks]

"mmm!!!" Lilic mumbled in surprise as she pulled back as far as shecould from the tendrils as her hands suddenly lit up with her normal spell. "MMMMM MMMM(Flare Ball)" She got out as she threw it at the creature, hoping that it would work. This was not something she had anticipated at all.

[Coolpikaaa]

The second woman reacted with unexpectedly quick instincts, bringing what seemed to be one of her own limbs down onto the tendrils. A blunt object (such as the staff she used) wasn't going to inflict much damage on a puddle of goop, but it did ultimately stop the mission of securing Lilic's back.

Beat down, but not defeated, the streams of goo moved for an easier course, attempting to attach the attacker's staff to the ground.

Meanwhile, without the supports that the added tendrils would give, the preyed upon woman was able to easily backpedal and prepare an attack before she was entirely consumed. Fire was deadly to The Goos, as the two combatants would soon discover by watching the streams nearest to Lilic's hands melt into crystal clear droplets, then harden completely. The fireball continued, completely liquidizing the entire lower half of the monster and leaving it for slag.

But by then, most of the upper half had poured itself onto the prey's face, glossing over her mouth and sending tendrils to explore up her nose. It began to spread rapidly, using her own dead skin cells to create more of itself, a perfect cycle of Commensalism, at least for this point of the process.

Lilic, if she or the other women did not do anything quick, would soon be completely covered...