Author here- It's become really difficult to keep my writing streak, because of intense studying. My tests are approaching, and I need to spend more time with my face over books.

I'm sorry guys, but I think I'll be posting two to three chapters a week for now, until november 6th, alright?

Love ya all, and enjoy.

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Karah's POV

The snake finally died- I could relax, at last, and let my mind drift wherever it wanted... and it drifted to Nate.

I was ashamed to the core of my being...

But I absolutely was not gonna show it to him- I pulled him, I kissed him... damn. Why do I get this shy around him? It's not like I never kissed anyone before.

Shaking my head and thoughts, I looked at Nate, and saw him jump away in fright.

His hair was caught in acid, so I finally had an excuse to cut that akward enormous hair, I dashed with a dagger in hand, and sliced it at neck-level.

Holy shit, this went better than I expected, he was fucking gorgeous- but as soon as I stopped to admire his new looks, a terrible stench invaded my nostrils, sending me to hell in half a second.

Almost throwing up, I pinched my nose and told Nate to go take a bath, while I got rid of the stinky serpent.

Even before he left, I'd turned back, and started walking away, disgusted by the smell, to take my spear.

I'll tell you something: you don't cut stuff with a spear. Just don't.

Like- the weapon was made for poking deadly holes in the enemy, and lacerating them slightly.

Anyway, the spear was the weapon left for that job, because the dagger just slid around the reptile's scales, not even opening the slightest cut- so I poked around the thing's neck until there were enough holes to sever it.

I simply made a mess.

Blood was everywhere, a sad smell of rotten meat filled the air, and fat was splattered all around the ground.

The odor of the snake guts got even worse, but I didn't realize, as I'd grown accostumed to it.

Finishing his bath, a clean, fucking handsome, and short-haired Nathan appeared in the seed's balcony, whistled to me and threw his katana. I took it by reflex, and got somewhat scared, afraid of the chip overload- but I remembered I was past the adaptation period of my weapons.

I gave him a thumbs up without looking, because I was red, activated the vibroblade mode, and finally could cut the thing without making a total mess.

I asked about Scarlet, as she was still poisoned, and Nate said one of us should go get a plant sample to analyze with the seed, and develop a serum.

I told him to go, because I had to fix the defense system, and because I knew he could fend for himself better than me... even though I had a secret.

In my hibernation chamber there was another message, besides the default one- I was part of a side test to double the body's efficiency, by using two hearts to increase blood flow and oxygenation, and changing the arteries and veins to manage the high pressure it would cause.

Apparently, I'd been the only successful subject, in the ten thousand tested.

I didn't tell this to anyone, afraid they'd treat me differently, but I think I'll tell Nate when he comes back- as he can relate, being a werewolf freak or whatever.

I got absorbed in my work, and didn't even realize Nathan had been putting tables all around until he threw an enormous bag of salt over one of them. Surprised, I gave him another thumbs-up, and continued my stuff while he waited for the sunrise.

He was fully geared, and playing with the daggers I lended him, shooting the blade like crazy, whipping and pulling them.

And he kept doing that until it was time to leave. He waved to me and left.

Now I was kind of alone at the seed- I really enjoyed being alone, and almost had no time to do so in this planet. Sure, it's dangerous to be alone, like in the Dumbass' mission, when shit hit the fan, and right now, but I can't help liking it.

I spent about twenty minutes still cutting meat, salting and stacking it over the tables, for the sun and salt to dry. And then I went to repair the capsule's weaponry.

Coming closer the the ball of weapons left on the ground fifty meters away, I saw the snake had literally destroyed all the heavy weaponry- grenade throwers, lightning generators... most of the helpful stuff was a goner.

I saw there was still an intact machinegun in the metal clump, which I could restore, there was a sniping, laser-directer gun, and there were wires everywhere.

I got all the stuff that could be salvaged and tied to the wires. Then I threw the rope over the seed, to get everything up.

I spent three hours only getting the sniper function to work- and when I finished, I begun getting worried about Nathan.

Four hours had already passed since he left, and he only went out to grab a flower from far away.

I looked down, full sweaty, wishing for a shower, and saw Dia, that cutie pie, growling low.

I didn't understand what she was doing until she started barking and something went down in her direction from the tree.

Dia coated herself in the armor and jumped away.

I panicked- something was trying to take my baby.

I instantly jumped from the top of the twenty meter high structure, in the spur of the moment.

The ground came close quickly, and I met in doing a backroll, so as to not hurt myself.

I took Nate's katana and unsheathed it, looking for the animal, and my spear.

I saw the thing. It was a 3-meter long bird.

Its feathers were jet black, the beak was slightly curved, with serrated edges, and its long, curvy and bladed talons shimmered in the light, even though they were black.

The thing looked like a mix of an eagle with a raven, and creeped me out to my core when it made a gawking, low sound- as if threatening me.

I shouted to Diana to back away inside the seed, and she instantly jumped away.

The bird saw this and tried to attack the wolf, flying from the tree branch it was on, and speeding towards Dia.

I shouted "Seed command: reactivate defenses!"

And prepared myseld to engage the monster.

Electrical sounds erupted from behind me, as I dashed to intercept the bird. The gun had activated, and begun shooting.

But the bullets were not hitting- the aim system was still broken. Damn it.

I met the bird's talons with the blade of the sword, making sparks fly up in the air, and ringing a metallic *shing* noise in the clearing.

The bird got startled, and flew back a bit, giving me time to find my spear, which lay beside the dead snake's head.

Formulating a plan, I dashed towards the bird again, vibroblade mode activated, and swung in an arc downwards, meeting the beast's talons, and cutting them away. When they were cut, the best screeched, and its legs were sent down with the force- leaving me an opening to jump on its chest, kick it, and propel myself towards the spear that was stuck on th ground.

I sent myself flying, tumble on the grass, took my spear, turned and shot it away.

Thunder instantly sparkled on its tip, and the weapon sped, aimed at the black bird's chest.

The blue streak blurred through the scenery, sent with so much strength that even after hitting the the animal it didn't stop- only after lodging itself on a tree far away.

The bird fell down, with a hole in its chest, and bleeding out.

I walked closer slowly, taking time to get the katana, looked at the beast contorting on the ground in pain, with pleading eyes, and said

"That's what you get for trying to take my baby, motherfucker."

Then severed its head in a single motion.

I looked at Dia, who'd been crouching on the seed's balcony up till now, and called her.

She ran towards me and jumped on my arms- getting a strong hug and making me smile.

I told her to eat the bird, as I refused to let myself or Nate eat this disgusting black thing's meat.

I left the little wolf to her wolf doings and went to take my so longed bath, before repairing the sniper's aim.

I spent the rest of the day repairing stuff and giving the bloodied Diana a bath, until Nathan arrived.

I saw the boy stumbling left and right, holding one dagger in his hand- his whole body was covered in small cuts and blood, he wore a cracked gas mask, and dragged a crimson flower behind him.

I ran closer, asking what happened, but it seemed like he didn't know who I was, and said crazy things.

Then he said

"Flower poison, analyze"

That was the flower then....

I ran towards it, thinking of taking it to the seed's analysis table, but I remembered the danger, and went back, taking all precautions, before going back to get it.

I put Nate over his bed, left him saying meaningless things and repeating my name, got the flower with a very long pincer, and a gas mask, and put it in the table, relaying the command

"Seed: analyze and prepare serum"

The machine blinked and said

"Blood will be needed to prepare antigens, please provide it with the syringes beside the table"

I did what the capsule told me, and anxiously waited for a response.

Thirty minutes later, a tube went down over the kitchen table, leaving a flask full of some liquid.

The seed said

"Five doses of the serum have been made, please exercise caution while administering"

I took a syringe, pulled some of the liquid, and applied to Scarlet, intravenously, then did the same to Nate, not knowing if he had been poisoned the same way.

Then I waited.

One hour. Two hours. Three... then Nate finally stopped mumbling and looked like and intelligent being.

"What happened?" He asked

"You were poisoned by the flower"

He looked startled and frightened, so I continued

"I already gave you the antidote, and to Scarlet too. Now all we can do is wait."

We waited for more six hours, and there was still no response from her.

I went to the kitchen to make something for us to eat, and Nate still kept watch over Scarlet.

I really wanted to discuss with him what would be of us, and our kiss, and everything, but I shied out.

Then he sighed and said

"Hey, Karah... how are we gonna take things... with me and you?"

I froze- he had been thinking the same thing as me all along, I couldn't answer anything, so he said

"Okay, I'm sorry for asking..."

Wich made me panic and blurt

"No!"

While turning around.

Realizing what I did, I reddened all over and said

"I... I like you, Nate..."

He them beamed that one-side signature smirk that made me melt, and told me

"I like you too, Karah."

And then we stopped for a moment, gazing at each other, before both said

"I know it doesn't matter so much here, but would you be my boyfriend"

"This planet doesn't take relationships very well, but do you wanna be my girlfriend?"

At the same time.

Again we froze.

Both reddened up.

Then we realized that we thought the same.

We broke out in laughter.

I laughed so much it even began to hurt my belly.

After we stopped laughing, I walked closer to him, and gave him a long, deep kiss, which I'd been longing for all day.

After that, we spent a few minutes chatting, while I cooked, and then shit hit the fan.

Nathan froze out of nowhere, stopped and looked at Scarlet.

He said

"Her heart stopped."

He jumped away from the chair he'd been sitting on, hurried to her, and began making cardiac massage, trying to make her heart beat again.

He kept on for a minute, but to no avail.

Then he took some distance, messed with his glove, took a deep breath, and moved his hand quickly, hitting Scarlet's chest with an electric discharge.

Her whole body shook, and she threw her arms up, gasping for air.

Smoke went up from the vines on her arm, and small red threads began appearing over them.

Then Scarlet opened her eyes.

Blue eyes... with red threads that looked like vines....