⛆ XENIAL ⛫ at ECHO SHORE ⛆

[SHIVERS]

Your trek along the beach continues,
your populous group starting up a ramp-like incision in the impending cliffside.

The walk's somewhat more difficult now, thanks to the incline,
but you aren't breaking a sweat at all.



Instead,
you look out over the ocean.

Rays of sun-soaked light cut through some of the rainclouds,
painting ribbon-like spotlights on the water's surface. 



"So what's the difference between an alien
and extranatural...
...things?
You're an expert, right?"



"Like I said, squares and rectangles-
but not in the way you expect.

What most people consider 'alien life' is almost always extranatural,
and when you do end up having an actual alien,
it tends to be investigated as an extranatural creature by so-called experts.

They're not the same thing, but they get mistaken for each other more often than not."



"Oh.


...Well what makes them unique?"



"Defining an 'alien' is simple-
something not from our planet. 

Extranatural stuff, however- is from our world,
just... a different place. 

I'm not the most well-versed in the latter,
but the former I have been studying for quite some time."



You lean in.

"...have you seen any?"









"...that's classified."







You stare.

"...I just met you, I can't be telling you things like that."

' :( ' displays on your screen.

"Oh no, not even for a face like that. 
Besides...
you never upheld your end of our deal. 
We'll see how I feel after you fill me in on your stone."



"...Oh, right."

You forgot.

"I remembered."
















You hold up your stone,
squeezing it slightly in your claws to demonstrate its rubber-y consistency.

"It's just a ball.
It can bounce and roll and...
...things a ball can do.

...I don't really like it," you admit.



"Fascinating, though! 
Perhaps it suits you, somehow?"



You grimace, 
your gasmask distorting to pull off such an expression.

"No."



"I could see how the idea is unappealing, 
but consider- bouncing back is a sign of adaptability."



You don't say anything in response.

You don't want to be rude, 
but you also aren't going to budge on thinking anything positive about the little red ball.
Not after what happened.



They seem to pick up on your mood quickly at that, 
their feathers fluffing up slightly. 

"I-in any case...
I suppose I can say that I have
possibly
heard an alien."



Your head whips back to the bird,
the motion mildly intimidating thanks to how long your neck is.

"Tell me."



"Just intercepting transmissions, 
that's all... but I swear, 
it was more than just noise."

Their expression is completely confident.

"My colleagues seem to think I've completely lost it, but I know what I heard. 
I think there's something out there, 
and I have reason to believe that this place may have answers towards helping me figure out whether it is extraterrestrial- or extranatural."



"What did it sound like?"

"Indescribable-
but if I had to try, 
I'd say hundreds of voices all at once, warped so far that they're unrecognizable as words."



You try to imagine such a sound.





It's unpleasant.











You decide to pivot the topic; 
you'd like to have that out of your head for now.

"What's space like around here?"



"Oh, that's a whole conversation and a half alone. 
We don't understand much about space as it stands...
aside from the fact that something out there is preventing us from exploring it. 



Something...

...hostile."





"...hostile?"



"We're still figuring out the exact trends, 
but... certain things are 'allowed' to exist in our planet's orbit, 
and others are not, 
almost as if our actions are being judged and monitored. 

That which is... well, 
presuming that this is a conscious process on behalf of some extraterrestrial creature, 
that which is not up to this supposed being's standards, 

is destroyed. 

Violently."





"...oh."



"Mm. 
It's quite the conundrum."



You aren't sure what you were expecting,
but it wasn't that.







Quick.


Another subject change will smooth things over.

"...do... you like constellations?"



"When I can see them, yes! 

It's hard to make them out some nights what with all of the strange dust-like formations- 
I've been trying to study those as well, 
but it's impossible to get samples. 

I do have some favorites..."



"I haven't seen Any of them yet.
Tell me your favorites."



"My absolute favorite is this one called Nile, 
and it's a depiction of a philosop-" 



Before you can make out their answer, 
a voice echoes from behind you both. 





It's strained, 
and somewhat... 

...slimy?





"Hey..."



The voice raises its volume a bit, 
more stressed this time.



"H-hey! 
Fritz, wai...

wait up...!

F-fucking hell this is a long walk-"



"-and really it has so much lore to it that it's impossible not, 
even for just a cluster of stars-"



You turn to look back while Laurel continues speaking, 
too distracted to pay attention.





There's a bright pink bear trailing behind you, 
their equally bright blue hair dripping-

You realize their voice isn't the only part of them with a slime thing going on, 
a huge slime tail dragging behind them as well, making an awful mess. 

They're struggling to keep up with the rest of the group, 
having to visibly use their cane for support.



Not far ahead of them, 
a ruffneck in a black denim jacket and cap is trudging along absent-mindedly.

Oddly enough, 
you note that their right hand is entirely wrapped up in bandages.

You would say they were staring off into space, 
if it didn't look like they were staring straight at You.









It's

unnerving to say the least.







Their gaze is intense.

Focused.









You miss a step, 
stumbling a pace before you recover.















The bear pants before raising their voice one more time.

"F-FRITZ-"



The ruffneck's ears pop straight upward.

They stop walking,
turning around entirely to face the bear,
and immediately hurrying over to them.



"...fuck-
Sorry, I w- 
-Sorry."



They catch the bear's shoulder,
then hurriedly step in front of them and crouch down, moving their arms back.

"Here, hop up."





"...Fritz, I'm going to crack your back in half."



"I got you, hop up."



"Okay, 
but I won't take offense if you need to drop me..."





The teddy bear grips their cane in one hand, 
then does their best to clamber up into a piggyback position, wobbling a little as they do.





The dog lifts them up with a grunt.

"Got you, no big deal."

They wait a moment to get their bearings, then continue walking.





"T-thanks...." 
The bear seems relieved, the slime drips slowing down a bit. 















Laurel finally stops talking, 
having noticed your attention pulled away. 

"What's going on back there?"





The ruffneck looks up in your direction.

You hastily swivel back around to avoid making eye contact.

"Nothing-" 
Your answer comes a little too fast.



"...you sure?" 

They tilt their head in that birdlike fashion again. 

"Well... alright, then."





















You breathe a silent sigh of relief.

If they'd pressed you, you're not sure you could've come up with a good excuse.









You're suddenly unsure how to continue the conversation;
too distracted,
wondering whether or not they were Still staring at you.


You want to look back again to check,
but,
you don't want to be rude, either.


Ultimately,
you find yourself paralyzed with indecision,
walking with Laurel in awkward silence.