Option One[The Disciple was restless tonight. She could not say for certain what the reason was, but she had long since realized that this day she would not be getting much rest. That was why she had left the comfort of the tent shared by her and her companions, and seated herself under a nearby tree in order to grant her some shade from the
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[The voice is soft, reasonable, and resonating from past one of the other doors in the mysterious hive. If she opens that door, it will lead to a densely packed forest in early afternoon, the brightness of even the weak earth's sun dampened by a thick canopy of green leaves.]
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She waits for any more words to come, but when they don't she knows she will only figure out who they belong to and what is going on if she follows. So follows it, she does and when she sees the forest she feels herself relax a little.]
Hello? [Her own voice is very quiet, and slightly raspy from some many sweeps of underuse.]
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[Something shifts among the high branches of one of the older, sturdier trees. Bright shining, reflecting the dappled light off the silvery scales of what has to be the largest snake in history, thick around as a man's torso at it's widest point.
That's a rather exact measurement, actually, as where the head of that snake should be, there is instead the upper body of a man with fangs and claws and a gentle smile in contrast with everything.]
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This time? Not so much. In all her years the former Disciple had never seen one quite like this. The upper portion of his body looked vaguely troll--but its skin was of an odd shape and it had no horns.
Her entire body went on alert, but for now she kept her gauge until she could figure out just what this creature above her was, and its intents.]
My. I cannot claim to have seen one such as you in my lifetime. [Despite the feel that she was in the presence of a predator, she had to admit she admired his colorful scales somewhat.]
This is your abode, I take it?
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Really, the only thing that would drive him to kill for something other than food was harming his children. The priestesses who tried to kill Tsuyukusa learned that the hard way, as did Ginshu. As did Byakuroku himself, having died at the end of the incident.
So in this situation he is very much relaxed, none of the feigned disinterest of a predator spotted by their prey, and none of the tension hinting at a future blow.
His coils shift in their entanglement of the branches and trunk of the large tree, while he examines their surroundings as if for the first time.]
A rather good copy, perhaps, but no. There's no life here. [No wind, no subtle sounds of animals. Just the trees, and even those spiritless.]
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How any of this was possible was beyond her, but panicking would do little good so she simply took some calming breaths.]
Then, like I, you awoke in this place with no knowledge of how?
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She drops her hands to look back up at him.]
I offer my condolences. [a pause] And would my name, if I could recall it.
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