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11

"Oh!" he said while searching through his pockets, "Before I forget, I have something for you!" He pulled out two ear cuffs and handed them to me. One was a light blue, almost white, color that glowed brighter than the other one. The second cuff was a dark crimson, matching the collar that was around my throat. However it wasn't glowing nearly as brightly as the first one was. "A gift from the Shadow Clan. The lighter one is imbued with water from the Lightwell and glows brightest in areas with pure slug energy. The reddish one is the same, only tainted by Dark Water. It will glow brightest in areas with Dark Water, or a lot of Ghouls." 

I took the two cuffs and put one on each ear. The tainted one was on the left and the pure one was on the right. "So, how do these work?" 

"First," he said softly, "why don't we get that collar off. I'm sure you're probably sick of it, right?" I nodded and moved my hair, which had gotten longer in the time of my entrapment, allowing for him to get access to the collar's locking mechanism. "This is filled with Dark Water..." he mused to himself.  

"That's how Blakk kept me in this form for so long." I heard the collar fall onto the ground with a clang, the tainted contents spilling out onto the ground. "I wonder..." I reached up and took the pale blue cuff off and closed my eyes. A warm, comforting feeling spread throught my being. When I opened my eyes, the world seemed a bit different, and the Dark Water that was spilling out of the collar looked so much brighter than it had been just seconds before. Without really realizing it I began to kneel next to the crimson liquid and put my hands in it. Distant and faint yelling drifted into my ears, but I couldn't make out the words. My entire mind was saying was to correct the mistake that was in front of me. I closed my eyes once again and focused on the tingles that were in my fingertips, channeling the energy into the tainted water.  

When I opened my eyes, the Dark Water was once again pure and began to seep into the dirt. It was then, when the demanding voice in the front of my mind stopped, that I was able to make out my surroundings.  

"Astrus! Come one, answer me!" Eli's voice broke through the fog in my mind, causing me to look at him. 

"Wha-?" I gently shook my head. "What's wrong?" 

"You're okay!" he chirped happily. I looked down at a small added pressure that was on my leg. Burpy, who must've tried to help with getting me to wake up, looked up at me worriedly.  

"Uh, yeah... I am. What happened?" 

"The Shadow Clan said that to balance your destructive Ghoul abilities, they would grant you an item that would enable you to share the power of a healer slug. Doc was enlightened to be able to help you once again, and easily offered to be the one to donate some energy." 

"So...wait, you're saying that not only do I have the abilities of a Ghoul slug, but now I have the abilities of a healer slug too?" 

"Pretty much." 

"Then shouldn't I be able to heal myself from the Dark Water?"  

He shook his head. "They didn't tell me that." I pouted a little bit, and then smiled slightly. Eli eyed me warily, "What are you planning?" 

"I'm not planning anything." I replied while returning to my real form. "I hope you've taken care of my slugs during my absence." 

"We did," she confirmed, "and we got you a new slug, a pretty rare one too." 

I tilted my head to the side a bit, "It couldn't be an infurnus, right? Isn't Burpy the last one?" He nodded. I hummed quietly as I began thinking of possibilities. "Geoshard?" 

"Nope." 

We started walking back to the hideout, while I kept asking what kind of slug they had caught for me. When we had gotten home, I was immediately bombarded by my slugs. Each one began chirping and squeaking rapidly. Some, mostly Spark, Dreamer, and Shine, were nuzzling my neck and shoulders. I smiled at all of them and gently hugged them. "Hey little guys." 

They all squeaked. 

"I know I missed you too, but I'm home now, okay?" I told them reassuringly. "So, do you guys know who the new recruit is in our little ragtag band of misfits?" They all hopped down from me and went into the hideout. Eli and I followed after them and I was greeted by a new slug. It was maroon with a tan underside, with dark brown eye masks, two little horns, and a brown Mohawk with a little pink bow in it. I gasped in surprise, "Y-You're a Thuglett!"  

"We didn't name her yet," Eli said from behind me, "we figured you'd be best for that." 

I let the little Thuglett hop into my hand and gently petted her head. "Why don't I name you...Mage? Do you like that name?" 

Mage squeaked in approval and nodded. 

"Welcome to the team, Mage!"

"By the way," Eli said, "you're under house-arrest for a while. We don't need you getting captured again."