Turning to Stone 5: The Shadows Fall

Chapter 8: The End

"So, the hair's permanent?" Split reached up with a claw to mess with Laskell's new look, making the Xyster swat her foot away. "Yes, Split. Drasil determined that unless I cut it, it's gonna stay like this. I like it though."

With some help of Carnivorti and Drasil, Laskell had discovered that somehow, she was part Roarick. She could be perfectly suited for a vocal part if she wanted, or just use her yelling skills to take down more villains.

Split had been ecstatic at the news. "Now we're both hybrids!" She'd exclaimed once he'd heard, and once she'd recovered. The Glowl had some minor head injuries, but he bounced back fast.

Glowbe had gotten repaired at Earth Island, they'd sent him there with the knowledge that there was a good Stoowarb glassblower who lived there. The repairs were a bit noticeable, but Glowbe referred to them as his "battle scars" and they didn't interfere with his blinking abilities.

All three of them, along with Anya and Loading, had gone back onto the original Plant Island, where they were working to try and repair the damage that Vidaloc had done. There were still eggs that could hatch, and Request was a surprisingly good caretaker of the new younglings. Drasil couldn't come with them, something about their link to the colossal making them unable to, but he did ask them to visit often, and all of them had promised. Especially Loading, the Rare Wubbox viewed Drasil almost like a father.

Now, Laskell and Split were alone again, stargazing. Both of them loved the sky, and everything in it. With the Mirror sky being hardly visible, Laskell took every moment she could to make up for the days she spent under those permanent clouds.

"...So what do you think you're going to do now?" Laskell asked, looking at Split. The Glowl paused. "I'm not sure. I'd like to travel again, if I do start working I want that to be an option."

"You're not going back into..." Her voice trailed off, but the message was obvious. "...Nah. My old boss was..." Split didn't finish. "...Threw him over the edge myself. Had to. He was a shitty excuse of a parent but he was all I had. No reason to stick around. Was terrible at it anyways."

"They said you were the most deadly around." Laskell gave a small smile. Split reminded her more of an angry Ghazt than an actual mercenary. "Yeah, I was. But my last target... I couldn't get him. I befriended him instead. He helped us escape. Pretty sure he's dead anyways now."

"...There was an Epic Ghazt in Pickle's story who sacrificed himself for Pickle's sake. ...Granted, he came back in the end, but it's funny how history repeats itself, doesn't it?" Laskell hummed. "I suppose it is." Split replied.

"...If you're going to travel, or whatever you do... could I come with you?" Laskell held out her hand. Split looked down at it, then back up at her face. "Oh no, there's a second question hidden within that question. I can tell you've got more to say than that.'

"Alright, you got me. You'd think you're the mind reader with a statement like that." Laskell gave her a shove, and the two quickly dissolved into a play fight with plenty of giggles. Once they'd settled down and caught their breath, Laskell spoke again.

"I know you said you didn't like romance, but... I think us being partners would be nice. We're already friends, and I'd like to spend my life with someone as loyal as you, romance or not." She smiled wide, knowing already what Split's answer would be.

"...You dork!" Split swatted her with a wing upside the head. "I may be a dork but I'm your dork now!" Laskell sang. "I didn't even say anything!" Split laughed as he pelted Laskell over and over with his wings, sending multicolored feathers everywhere.

"Laskell." The Xyster stopped roughhousing to look at her partner. Partner. The word made her feel all sorts of things inside. "...I want you to do something for me." Split bowed her head down. "Remove the bandana."

"You're letting me see? Shouldn't you do it?" Laskell hesitated. "No. You do it. I trust you." Split insisted. With slightly shaking hands, the Xyster lifted the polka dotted cloth from the Glowl's head.

When Split rose again, Laskell saw that her left eye was not a normal eye, but rather an eye socket filled with a strange blue liquid, slowly dripping down. "Yeah, my fucked up genetics did a lot of fucking up." Split laughed sarcastically.

"I think it makes you look cooler. Does it hurt? Also your bandana is a bit... messy. When was the last time you washed this?" Laskell held up the cloth, which was stained with blue.

"No, it doesn't. And it's been... a while?" He shrugged, a guilty smile on his face. Laskell gave a blank stare. "We're getting this washed. And maybe getting you some spares. I bet you'd look cooler with a black bandana, maybe add a skull and crossbones or something."

"I'm an assassin, not a pirate!" Split laughed, taking the bandana back and reattaching it. Only Laskell would be able to see the secret behind it. "I look cool in anything."

"I can't believe everyone was so afraid of a Glowl wearing polka dots. A pink bandana with white polka dots. So scary."

"Silence!"

The two kept joking around as they walked back inside the castle.