𝐀𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 | 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐑𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬

The Animinds

"𝙄 𝙧𝙪𝙞𝙣 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙄'𝙢 𝙜𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙪𝙥."

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

Flashes of multiple, if not hundreds, of tall creatures with navy blue, scaly skin surrounded Chloe. No matter where Chloe turned and looked, there was a creature there. They all stood frozen, staring at her, but their wide mouths whispered to her.

Chloe winced as their overlapping voices filled her ears to an unbearable volume. "Stop it! Stop!" she cried, squeezing her eyes shut. "Stop, please!"

The whispers kept going.

Open your eyes, they commanded her.

Chloe cracked one eye open and saw all the creatures' eyes blazing a familiar blue. It was the same power that filled her eyes.

Their bodies glowed, reminding her of the blue streaks that often ran across her skin when she used her powers.

When Chloe opened both of her eyes, she saw the streaks on her body. The whispers had slowly lessened in volume, but were still persistent. Their lips, though seemingly calloused, did have a more kind smile this time. It was a noteworthy change that Chloe would take. Before this, they had never given her anything but a scowl.

Animinds , they said simultaneously.

Chloe's eyes widened.

We are the Animinds—

"You're what—?"

—and you are one of us.

Chloe was speechless, to say the least. She gulped.

You are one of us. You can understand us. You plunged yourself into our Hivemind without permission.

"I-I didn't mean to," Chloe said nervously, her eyes shifting around her. The creatures' black eyes had narrowed on her in their accusation. "It was an — it was an accident! I didn't know what it was until it was too late!"

Nevertheless, what is done cannot be undone. You and us, we are together until we each take our last breaths. We are almost one.

Chloe raised a brow at that. "What do you mean 'almost one'?"

You need to merge with the last piece.

Chloe's eyes widened again, alarmed, and shook her head. " No fucking way! I can't do that! That thing will kill me!" It occurred to her that maybe that's what they wanted from her. They had just said they would be together until one of them took their last breaths.

While your fear is reasonable, it is misplaced. We have no desire to kill you. Had that been our intention, we would have done it a long time ago.

Chloe snorted. "Oh, so that's supposed to make me feel better?"

It's supposed to clarify our intentions.

"Well it didn't do—!"

And you need to listen! the Animinds snarled at her so suddenly that Chloe winced and stepped back.