Here's Chapter 2! Chapter 3 is mostly done, but I'm gonna wait a bit before I post it.

The three captured critters were immediately thrown into boxes made of tough metal. The boxes were barely able to fit them and almost suffocating, with only very small holes allowing air to flow in and out, too small to even peek through, and probably meant to greatly limit the three’s ability to struggle.

Hoplash was banging against the wall of his incredibly small cage over and over, succeeding only in knocking it over and staying stuck in the same situation. KLUNK. “329 tries, Hoplash..” Sapliz annoyedly mutters. Hoplash pauses for a brief moment, then proceeds to ram his cage into Sapliz’s.

Coaliz puffs out a bit of fire, focusing it to try and melt his cage. This only manages to make the metal slightly glow orange, then return back to normal after about thirty seconds of Coaliz spitting fire at it. “So, since we apparently have found the time, let’s get to know each other, I guess,” Coaliz huffs.

“Well, um, I’m from a simple farm in the Plant Region,” Sapliz starts. “I, uh, came to the forest to.. Help out! Yeah, I wanted to help the refugees get their lives back since.. y’know..” He trails off, and the other two do know. About a week earlier, many small villages were raided and most homes were completely destroyed. Luckily, most people survived, but they were all left without a home. Some went to the crowded main islands, but most found refuge in remote villages, and were warmly welcomed. But they still struggled a lot.

“You know,” Coaliz says, “I heard the Palace’s Army was after those rebels who tried to assassinate the Great Guardian. If you ask me, their intentions may have been good, but they’re more trouble than they’re worth.” Out of sight, Sapliz scowls at Coaliz’s words.

“Anyway, I came from a colony, but they kicked me out,” Coaliz says. “Said I didn’t help out enough. It’s fine though. Didn’t care enough to say anything about it.” Then awkward silence filled the room.

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After a few hours, the ship they are in suddenly lands, with their unsecured containers sliding around all over the room, slamming into the walls and other boxes. All three of the captives groan in pain as they are carried off by strangers in protective suits. Hoplash tries to peek through the tiny breathing holes to see what is happening, and all he can see is a long hallway with bright white walls, tinted a pale yellow by the cheap lighting.

At some point, they make a turn into a strange room, and the three critters’ cages are put down, being remotely opened after a few seconds. The three leave their containers and the new room they’re in is fairly large. The walls are covered in gray padding that looks brand new, the bright white lights reflecting off of it, and one of them having a window made of thick, tinted glass.

A metal door is built into the wall next to the window, and it opens, allowing a large robot to walk into the room. The robot is a large, tube-like thing, with trendril-like legs and long, flexible arms that end in metal pincers. It has a box-like head with a screen showing a face with a slightly unsettling smile and two eyes, one of them labeled with the number six.

A speaker blares: “Alright, bot. Talk to them.”

The robot’s eyes look at the window, seemingly able to see through the thick glass. “I understand the assignment, Carol. Now let me do my work. And I have a name, you know.”

The person talking into the speaker just sighs. “Just do it, bot-” The person hesitates slightly. “I mean MC-O6.”

The robot smiles and turns to the small creatures to say, “Hello, I’m Main Console Operator 6, but you can call me O6. I will be your caretaker and friend as you stay here. What are your names?” The robot’s smile widens, its head rotating almost completely as if it were being tilted.

Hoplash eagerly starts. “My name’s Hoplash, nice to meet you, uh, O6..?”

O6, amused, replies, “Oh, I know we’ll be the best of friends, little one!” The robot’s expression seems to soften, as if it had been putting up a cheery front, but was now truly smiling. Then, it reaches inside its head, pulling some sort of device out, sparks flying out the side of the robot’s head, and it kneels down, presenting the device to Hoplash. “Would you be a dear and hold onto this for me?”

“H-hey! What are you doing, bot?! You’re not supposed to take that out-” The voice on the loudspeaker is cut off by a gun coming out the side of the robot’s head and shooting the loudspeaker. The robot once again glares at the glass.

Hoplash inspects the device. “Sure, I can hold onto this! But what’s a dear?”

The robot giggles. “You’ll know in due time. Now,” it starts, more weapons coming out of its head. “Why don’t we get you three out of here?”

ALL CHAPTERS LINKED HERE:
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