Welcome to Gaia! ::

(( crying *Attempts to think up a reason why Moo an' Banda an' isto'd be there...*))

Well... maybe not... don't get me wrong... I can see why there would be many reasons to stop Skull Monkeys, and I don't hold anything against Quiet... but many of us who didn't get fifth stage items can't help but feel jilted... It's something that we all aspired to and really hoped for (if that makes us pathetic then pathetic we be... smile ) but we'll never be able to have our Skull Monkeys reach the last stage... they're forever stunted... I can understand stopping making new ones... But I think that If the guild and the headquarters are going to remain open... I can't help but hope that someday fifth stage might be opened up for the rest of us... maybe charge for it? I don't care... I just can't help but think of poor Jen as stunted smile and as for the breeding thing ... I tried it with my breedable and man is it difficult... to get a good looking pet from two other pets... it just can't be done I think and so I can completely understand why Qs would say no to that... smile ((nothing against QS)) smile

[Maybe it's just me...but I agree with Jamie. We just have to stick this out.]

A little skull monkey named Odd had heard the news as well, and he too, had had his share of tears with his own mother. But now that he could really understand what was going on, he was in a foul mood, a temper, rather than in tears. He was wandering around aimlessly, avoiding many people and Skull Monkeys, especially his mom. How could they be so happy? Didn't they get the fact that there would be no more of their race?

A final decision had been made for their species, and they didn't even get a say in it. The thought of it made Odd want to scream. Skull Monkeys weren't immortal, so no new newborns means the end of the species! It infuriated him that the life of another race lay with humans. Humans always seemed to screw things up.

That's when he saw Essence, by chance of wandering. His eyes sparkled at the sight of her. He put one paw forward and began to walk towards her when he hesitated, and stopped. As an infant he would have gladly rushed towards her, tripped, rolled into a small ball and knocked straight into her. But tears streaked her face, so he hesitated, a little shocked. He had seen Essence happy, angry, shy, but...crying? He narrowed his eyes from beneath his skull; it was all their fault. Humans. They didn't care that his species was dying? They didn't care that he would never have a family? They didn't care that she was crying?! They didn't care that she was in tears!?!

...But Odd cared.

He took a few deep breathes to calm himself down, press all the anger inside himself into a little bottle...seal it up. Keep it away from everyone else. Ranting about how wrong it was would only make Essence feel worse. He had to say something comforting, he had to find the right words to make her feel better...Talking about how much they hated didn't seem to get them anywhere. The humans didn't give a care anyways, so why try? He was angry, not only for himself, but for her.

Essence was the only friend Odd had ever had after Azurai adopted him. And for that, she was his best friend, and he cared for her above just about anything else. Most of the time he was hyper active, had a short attention span, and was overall one of those weirdos that people avoided. But around Essence...he felt happy. He was calm, connected, listening...he was the real Odd, the Odd that people would like to know, but that no one did. Essence was the only one who saw who he really was...he didn't want to forget that feeling...If he alone could do something, anything for her, he would in a heartbeat...but there was nothing he could do, but dry her tears. And so he approached, the tears now streaking down his own face wiped away, and the sorrowful expression, the sad eyes, hidden beneath a mask. He would wear that mask forever now. No one would ever know.

"Essence..." came his quiet voice as he approached, padding over slowly, silently. His throat felt swollen, and every word felt choked out. "Essence, I...I'm sorry..." he whispered quietly, forcing back the tears that burned his eyes. He sat down next to her, staring decidedly at his feet. He couldn't look at her while she was crying, and he guessed she didn't want him to. But he couldn't help glancing over at his lifetime friend. "I'm...sorry..." was all his lips could form, all he could say. No other words came.

His emotions were hidden.

His face was wet.

He was crying.

She was crying.

...How could they not care?

Odd blushed faintly from beneath his skull as Essence spoke and embraced him. His heart skipped a beat as he felt her paws around him. She was...hugging him? He had never felt a connection like this one to Essence before. Before he had been younger, more of a mindless bouncing ball of energy, while she had been the sophisticated older Skull Monkey. But now he felt...felt like they were together, equals. For once he felt almost like they were on some different level.

He had never felt anything like that before...it was very...new? He felt his heart pounding in his chest, with thousands of feelings, emotions, pangs. Anger, happiness, depression...but there was something else he felt, something that went deeper than just an expression. Something that was unfathomable, that couldn't be described by wrath, smiles, tears, or any words that he could possibly summon...He did wonder...could it be...love?

Surely, he was being silly. He had grown up with Essence as a friend, but he had never felt anything like this before; silly little crushes, the usual hormones of a teenage Skull Monkey...but never like this. Still, she was his friend, his only friend, and what would happen if he did love her...? If she felt the same way, and they could be together...it would be the best thing the young Skull Monkey could have ever experienced. But if she didn't, or if it didn't work out...then what? They would break up, and it could never be as it once was.

He would no longer have his best friend, his only friend...and he knew she was the only reason he really got up in the morning...If he lost her, what would he do? What would be the reason for him to wake up tomorrow morning? He wouldn't be able to bear it. He had no other friends, only family. If he lost Essence...No. He couldn't do it. He couldn't bear to lose her.

But she was hugging him, crying into him. What if...what if he didn't lose her? What if it was everything he'd ever dreamed of, and more? What if...his dreams came true?

...But it wasn't the time. She was fragile, they both were. He would wait for these feelings of sadness and depression to pass, before anything happened. If he made a move now...it would be wrong. They would get together just because they needed the support. But he would be there to comfort her for now...

For now, he would be a friend.

"Can't hold a candle to you," he said quietly, a compliment to try and help her feel better. A small one, but...there was feeling in it.