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Description
So, today wasn’t a great day. Wander wouldn’t have admitted it. But today had been done right rotten. First, after helping a few people acquire some luggage they had dropped, Sylvia had reached that five month period and had to go to the bathroom. That was fine, Wander didn’t mind waiting. In fact, he had taken that chance to have a look around the town they were in. Wander couldn’t remember the planet’s name, but he was pretty sure it started with a ‘b’……or maybe a ‘v’. His walk around the town had been relaxing, no trouble, no one to help, just some nice casual time to himself.

And that was when he got captured.

Wander had been so relaxed in his walking that he hadn’t even noticed the wanted signs with his and Sylvia’s picture. Suddenly, someone yelled and pointed at Wander and before he knew it the watchdogs were on him. And now there he was being led in chains to Hater’s ship.

Wander lifted both chained hands and touched his bruised eye which had been roughly kicked as the watchdogs put him in chains. He felt a spike of pain when he touched it and lowered his hands. His arms and torso were bruised as well and he was pretty sure he had a few cuts, too.

But that wasn’t even the worst part. Left and right, everywhere around him Wander could see the citizens being hurt and antagonized by the watchdogs. Some were breaking things, some were threatening the civilians with their guns. Wander had watched as a women and her child were dragged out of their home and were ordered to give up any valuables. When the mother explained that she and her family were poor and had nothing of value, the one of the watchdogs stepped forward and stuck his gun in her face and threatened her to tell the truth.

“Stop it!” Wander cried out, trying to push away from his captors. “Can’t you see she’s tellin’ the truth? Now stop it!”

“Quiet, prisoner!” The watchdog that held his chains pulled Wander back, but Wander resisted only to stumble and fall. Wander tried clawing at the ground as the watchdogs began to drag him away, but to no avail.

That, was the worst, most rotten part of his day. All those people in dire need, and he couldn’t do one thing about it. He was useless.

But, then, an idea struck him. No doubt, the watchdogs were taking him to Lord Hater. Wander could help this planet, he just somehow needed to persuade Hater to leave the planet. He wasn’t sure how, yet, but Wander was now filled with the determination to do so.

“Um….hey, fella’s? I won’t try and run off, could you let me walk now?” No response. “Oh. Um….okay. Ow!” Wander squeaked when he passed over a jagged rock and that one he knew left a scratch on his cheek as he noticed a bit of his blood left on the rock and his cheek was beginning to sting. Wander tried to pay it no mind. This wasn’t going to be easy, but he would find a way.

…….

Hater paced around his new throne room impatiently. Peepers had just finished listing off the planet’s new laws to the old king and queen who kept insisting they were presidents but Hater didn’t care. He had drifted off in his thoughts while Peepers had been reading, but when he stopped to listen to some of the laws, Hater realized that a few of his laws were a bit stupid. He planned to take to time to revise them later. But, right now, his thoughts were focused on Wander who would be dragged through the castle gates and taken here to Hater. He was looking forward to it.

There were many things he had planned for Wander, first he was going to gloat for an hour or to- wait! No. No gloating. If there was one thing he learned from his past experiences involving Wander, Hater knew that if he spent too much time gloating Wander will have found some elaborate way to escape or ruin his plans of invasion.

Okay, so he would only gloat for a maybe a minute or two then get on to locking Wander in a cell and make plans for torturing him. Peepers had suggested perhaps beheading the orange alien after the torturing. Hater had considered the idea, but hadn’t made a decision.

The large, throne room doors swung open as a patrol of watchdogs marched in dragged in Wander by the chains on his feet. Hater could hear the nomad let out a large sigh as the watchdogs came to a halt. Had they dragged him all the way?

“Lord Hater!” One of the watchdogs spoke up. “We bring you the nomad Wander!”

“I know who he is!” Hater snapped pushing passed them and grabbing the chains on Wander’s ankles and lifted him up until they were staring eye to eye.

“I don’t know, Hater, I thought it was a rather nice introduction.” Wander gave a carefree smile despite his ragged appearance. The nomad was bruised all up and down with an especially blackened eye and cut on his cheek with smeared blood. “So, judging by outside, the invasion looks to be coming along.”

“Shut up!” Hater yelled in the nomad’s face. Wander flinched, clutching his hat nervously as he hung upside-down.

“Sorry Hater. I didn’t mean to make you angry.” Hater was growing slightly baffled by Wanders naivety. “But, um…I know it’s not my place to ask this of you, but could you……stop you invasion?”

Hater’s bafflement was replaced with anger. “STOP MY INVASION?!” He shook the nomad violently as he yelled. “ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?! WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THAT I’M GOING TO STOP?!”

Wander looked up at Hater with large sad eyes. “Well, it’s just that you’ve already conquered so many planets and, uh, don’t you think you have enough?”

“ENOUGH?!” The watchdogs along with Peepers had edged toward the exit as Hater’s anger grew. “I WILL NEVER HAVE ENOUGH UNTIL I HAVE CONQUERED THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE!! AND ONLY I SHALL BE IN CONTROL!!”

“Just you?”

“YES!”

“Huh.”

Hater became baffled again. “That’s it? That’s all you have to say? “Huh”?!”

Wander shrugged. “Well, there’s not much else to say, really.” He paused before adding. “Just, maybe, it sounds really lonely, doesn’t it?”

Hater started to say something, but shut his mouth just as quickly. It had never occurred to him. Not that he would ever admit it. Suddenly, the ground beneath his feet trembled. The sounds of laser canons were muffled by the walls but still audible. Still holding Wander, Hater made his way to the windows and only caught a glimpse of Emperor Awesome’s battle cruiser before a volley of laser canon fire penetrated the castle walls.

Hater stumbled backward, dodging red lasers left and right. He held onto Wander, for reasons he couldn’t really care for at the moment as he ducked down behind the throne. Wander looked bewildered, almost scared.

“What was that?!”

“Emperor Awesome. The jerk is trying to invade over my invasion!” Hater jumped as a laser blasted the throne knocking him and Wander against the back wall. This time, he let go of Wander’s chains and let the nomad struggle to his feet. Wander looked at the ground below Hater and his eyes widened.

“Look out!” Wander leaped forward and pushed Hater off the piece of ground he was on as it crumbled and collapsed. Together they rolled until they hit the other wall. Hater, fairly dizzy, looked up at Wander in bewilderment. Did Wander just save him?

The laser fire stopped. Wander, unaware of Hater staring at him, looked at the walls around them. “You don’t think the rest of the castle gonna collapse, do you?” He looked at Hater, now seeing his dazed expression. “Hater? You okay?”

Hater wasn’t given time to answer as lasers began slicing through the walls. One passed through Hater’s arm, leaving a fairly large hole, no blood spilled out but Hater growled for it did hurt, and it certainly hurt Wander when it grazed his arm. Wander yelped and clutched the now bleeding wound. The same laser hit the base of one of the only columns that was supporting the roof, the column crumbled and Hater and Wander watched in horror as the roof fell toward them. Wander ducked behind Hater as the skeleton prepared to blast the ceiling with green lightning. Just seconds before releasing the lightning, the floor gave out beneath Hater and Wander sending them falling into a darkness.

…..

Far from the castle, just outside a public restroom, Sylvia looked around in astonishment. She couldn’t have been in the bathroom for more than half and hour and already the planet is the battlefield of both fist-fighters and watchdogs and to add to that Wander, of course, had run off somewhere.

“Fantastic.” Sylvia grumbled sarcastically before seeing a civilian woman caring a child away from the fighting. Her own instinct to help kicked in and Sylvia ran to them, picked them up and carried them out of the town where the fighting hadn’t reached. “Are you both alright?” Both nodded before giving their sincere thanks. “Just happy to help. Now, if you don’t mind me asking, back in town, did you notice a little orange alien with a big green hat? He was probably helping someone?”

The woman’s eyes widened. “Yes, I saw him get dragged to the president’s castle by the watchdogs. But, last I heard, the castle was destroyed by Emperor Awesome’s laser canons.”

“Well, it’s near impossible to kill Wander, believe me, people have tried.” Sylvia turned back towards town. “Now stay hidden, I have to go save my friend.”

“Wait!” The woman stopped her. “Please, I can see your friend is important to you, but my husband is still somewhere amongst the fighting. I beg of you, will you take the time to find my husband and get him to safety, as well?”

Sylvia looked at the woman and her child, then at the town and far off battle. The zbornak sighed and turned to the woman. “Tell what your husband looks like.”

…..

Hater groaned as he opened his eyes. He must fallen pretty far for he couldn’t see any opening or light above him, either that or the opening was closed up by the debris of the collapsed castle. He sat up, a bit sore, yes skeletons can get sore, and rubbed his head before noticing a bandage placed over the hole in his arm. Hater also noticed Wander sitting next to him, just starting to bandage up his own wounds.

Why would Wander tend to Hater first? Shouldn’t he have bandaged himself first? Hater felt confused, not just by this, but also as to why Wander saved him back there.

Wander, noticing that Hater was awake, looked up at the skeleton and smiled warmly. “Hey Hater! How are you feeling?”

“Fine.” Hater said before standing up. There was an awkward pause before Hater found himself asking. “What about you?”

“Just a few cuts and bruises.” Wander was quick at wrapping up his wounds, despite being in chains. Hater had the feeling the orange nomad had had practice tending to his own wounds. “Nothing to worry about. I can handle myself.” Wander added just as he finished and put his medical supplies back in his hat. He stood up and looked at the darkness around them. “Where are we by the way?”

“The underground canals.” Hater answered, raising a hand, green lightning appeared along the surface casting out a green light and revealing the stone walkway they stood on above the calm waters below. “The weather above is too hot for liquid water to not evaporate so the people of the planet made these underground canals to transport water.”

“Wow!” Wander exclaimed leaning over the edge of the walkway. “That sure is efficient.” Then Wander looked back at Hater. “Say, Hater, you sure do know a lot.”

Hater blushed at the comment but still gave a doubtful look. “Not really, it’s common knowledge.”

“Even so…” Wander glanced at the water. “I didn’t know about it until you just told me.”

“Then that’s your own fault!”

“My fault?” Wander sounded confused. “How can someone be at fault for not knowing something. It isn’t like they know any better.”

Hater opened his mouth to argue, but once again, he said nothing. So instead, he turned his attention to what was more important. “I don’t have time to argue with you! I need to get back to the surface and beat Emperor Awesome before he takes the planet!” Hater began to walk quickly down the walkway. Wander began to follow but tripped over his chains and landed on the stone ground with a thud.

“Wait, Hater!” Wander called. Hater stopped, sighed, and looked back at him. “Can you take these chains off my ankles? It’s mighty hard to keep up with you.”

“And let you escape? Not happening!” Hater turned and began to walk away. He heard Wander sigh and heard the rattling of chains as the nomad continued to follow only to fall. Hater paused, when he heard Wander get up and walk, he continued on. This same process continued for another five minutes until Hater became impatient. “Alright, fine!” The large skeleton turned back to Wander, knelt down and broke the chains and shackles off his ankles. He left the shackles on his wrists, though.

Wander smiled gratefully. “Thanks, Hater.”

Hater blushed again, stood up abruptly, and pointed in front of him. “You’re still a prisoner. Start marching!” Wander complied cheerfully now that he could walk freely. Hater shook his head in dismay as Wander began to hum a merry tune. How was he ever going to survive?

Description
So, today wasn’t a great day. Wander wouldn’t have admitted it. But today had been done right rotten. First, after helping a few people acquire some luggage they had dropped, Sylvia had reached that five month period and had to go to the bathroom. That was fine, Wander didn’t mind waiting. In fact, he had taken that chance to have a look around the town they were in. Wander couldn’t remember the planet’s name, but he was pretty sure it started with a ‘b’……or maybe a ‘v’. His walk around the town had been relaxing, no trouble, no one to help, just some nice casual time to himself.

And that was when he got captured.

Wander had been so relaxed in his walking that he hadn’t even noticed the wanted signs with his and Sylvia’s picture. Suddenly, someone yelled and pointed at Wander and before he knew it the watchdogs were on him. And now there he was being led in chains to Hater’s ship.

Wander lifted both chained hands and touched his bruised eye which had been roughly kicked as the watchdogs put him in chains. He felt a spike of pain when he touched it and lowered his hands. His arms and torso were bruised as well and he was pretty sure he had a few cuts, too.

But that wasn’t even the worst part. Left and right, everywhere around him Wander could see the citizens being hurt and antagonized by the watchdogs. Some were breaking things, some were threatening the civilians with their guns. Wander had watched as a women and her child were dragged out of their home and were ordered to give up any valuables. When the mother explained that she and her family were poor and had nothing of value, the one of the watchdogs stepped forward and stuck his gun in her face and threatened her to tell the truth.

“Stop it!” Wander cried out, trying to push away from his captors. “Can’t you see she’s tellin’ the truth? Now stop it!”

“Quiet, prisoner!” The watchdog that held his chains pulled Wander back, but Wander resisted only to stumble and fall. Wander tried clawing at the ground as the watchdogs began to drag him away, but to no avail.

That, was the worst, most rotten part of his day. All those people in dire need, and he couldn’t do one thing about it. He was useless.

But, then, an idea struck him. No doubt, the watchdogs were taking him to Lord Hater. Wander could help this planet, he just somehow needed to persuade Hater to leave the planet. He wasn’t sure how, yet, but Wander was now filled with the determination to do so.

“Um….hey, fella’s? I won’t try and run off, could you let me walk now?” No response. “Oh. Um….okay. Ow!” Wander squeaked when he passed over a jagged rock and that one he knew left a scratch on his cheek as he noticed a bit of his blood left on the rock and his cheek was beginning to sting. Wander tried to pay it no mind. This wasn’t going to be easy, but he would find a way.

…….

Hater paced around his new throne room impatiently. Peepers had just finished listing off the planet’s new laws to the old king and queen who kept insisting they were presidents but Hater didn’t care. He had drifted off in his thoughts while Peepers had been reading, but when he stopped to listen to some of the laws, Hater realized that a few of his laws were a bit stupid. He planned to take to time to revise them later. But, right now, his thoughts were focused on Wander who would be dragged through the castle gates and taken here to Hater. He was looking forward to it.

There were many things he had planned for Wander, first he was going to gloat for an hour or to- wait! No. No gloating. If there was one thing he learned from his past experiences involving Wander, Hater knew that if he spent too much time gloating Wander will have found some elaborate way to escape or ruin his plans of invasion.

Okay, so he would only gloat for a maybe a minute or two then get on to locking Wander in a cell and make plans for torturing him. Peepers had suggested perhaps beheading the orange alien after the torturing. Hater had considered the idea, but hadn’t made a decision.

The large, throne room doors swung open as a patrol of watchdogs marched in dragged in Wander by the chains on his feet. Hater could hear the nomad let out a large sigh as the watchdogs came to a halt. Had they dragged him all the way?

“Lord Hater!” One of the watchdogs spoke up. “We bring you the nomad Wander!”

“I know who he is!” Hater snapped pushing passed them and grabbing the chains on Wander’s ankles and lifted him up until they were staring eye to eye.

“I don’t know, Hater, I thought it was a rather nice introduction.” Wander gave a carefree smile despite his ragged appearance. The nomad was bruised all up and down with an especially blackened eye and cut on his cheek with smeared blood. “So, judging by outside, the invasion looks to be coming along.”

“Shut up!” Hater yelled in the nomad’s face. Wander flinched, clutching his hat nervously as he hung upside-down.

“Sorry Hater. I didn’t mean to make you angry.” Hater was growing slightly baffled by Wanders naivety. “But, um…I know it’s not my place to ask this of you, but could you……stop you invasion?”

Hater’s bafflement was replaced with anger. “STOP MY INVASION?!” He shook the nomad violently as he yelled. “ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?! WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THAT I’M GOING TO STOP?!”

Wander looked up at Hater with large sad eyes. “Well, it’s just that you’ve already conquered so many planets and, uh, don’t you think you have enough?”

“ENOUGH?!” The watchdogs along with Peepers had edged toward the exit as Hater’s anger grew. “I WILL NEVER HAVE ENOUGH UNTIL I HAVE CONQUERED THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE!! AND ONLY I SHALL BE IN CONTROL!!”

“Just you?”

“YES!”

“Huh.”

Hater became baffled again. “That’s it? That’s all you have to say? “Huh”?!”

Wander shrugged. “Well, there’s not much else to say, really.” He paused before adding. “Just, maybe, it sounds really lonely, doesn’t it?”

Hater started to say something, but shut his mouth just as quickly. It had never occurred to him. Not that he would ever admit it. Suddenly, the ground beneath his feet trembled. The sounds of laser canons were muffled by the walls but still audible. Still holding Wander, Hater made his way to the windows and only caught a glimpse of Emperor Awesome’s battle cruiser before a volley of laser canon fire penetrated the castle walls.

Hater stumbled backward, dodging red lasers left and right. He held onto Wander, for reasons he couldn’t really care for at the moment as he ducked down behind the throne. Wander looked bewildered, almost scared.

“What was that?!”

“Emperor Awesome. The jerk is trying to invade over my invasion!” Hater jumped as a laser blasted the throne knocking him and Wander against the back wall. This time, he let go of Wander’s chains and let the nomad struggle to his feet. Wander looked at the ground below Hater and his eyes widened.

“Look out!” Wander leaped forward and pushed Hater off the piece of ground he was on as it crumbled and collapsed. Together they rolled until they hit the other wall. Hater, fairly dizzy, looked up at Wander in bewilderment. Did Wander just save him?

The laser fire stopped. Wander, unaware of Hater staring at him, looked at the walls around them. “You don’t think the rest of the castle gonna collapse, do you?” He looked at Hater, now seeing his dazed expression. “Hater? You okay?”

Hater wasn’t given time to answer as lasers began slicing through the walls. One passed through Hater’s arm, leaving a fairly large hole, no blood spilled out but Hater growled for it did hurt, and it certainly hurt Wander when it grazed his arm. Wander yelped and clutched the now bleeding wound. The same laser hit the base of one of the only columns that was supporting the roof, the column crumbled and Hater and Wander watched in horror as the roof fell toward them. Wander ducked behind Hater as the skeleton prepared to blast the ceiling with green lightning. Just seconds before releasing the lightning, the floor gave out beneath Hater and Wander sending them falling into a darkness.

…..

Far from the castle, just outside a public restroom, Sylvia looked around in astonishment. She couldn’t have been in the bathroom for more than half and hour and already the planet is the battlefield of both fist-fighters and watchdogs and to add to that Wander, of course, had run off somewhere.

“Fantastic.” Sylvia grumbled sarcastically before seeing a civilian woman caring a child away from the fighting. Her own instinct to help kicked in and Sylvia ran to them, picked them up and carried them out of the town where the fighting hadn’t reached. “Are you both alright?” Both nodded before giving their sincere thanks. “Just happy to help. Now, if you don’t mind me asking, back in town, did you notice a little orange alien with a big green hat? He was probably helping someone?”

The woman’s eyes widened. “Yes, I saw him get dragged to the president’s castle by the watchdogs. But, last I heard, the castle was destroyed by Emperor Awesome’s laser canons.”

“Well, it’s near impossible to kill Wander, believe me, people have tried.” Sylvia turned back towards town. “Now stay hidden, I have to go save my friend.”

“Wait!” The woman stopped her. “Please, I can see your friend is important to you, but my husband is still somewhere amongst the fighting. I beg of you, will you take the time to find my husband and get him to safety, as well?”

Sylvia looked at the woman and her child, then at the town and far off battle. The zbornak sighed and turned to the woman. “Tell what your husband looks like.”

…..

Hater groaned as he opened his eyes. He must fallen pretty far for he couldn’t see any opening or light above him, either that or the opening was closed up by the debris of the collapsed castle. He sat up, a bit sore, yes skeletons can get sore, and rubbed his head before noticing a bandage placed over the hole in his arm. Hater also noticed Wander sitting next to him, just starting to bandage up his own wounds.

Why would Wander tend to Hater first? Shouldn’t he have bandaged himself first? Hater felt confused, not just by this, but also as to why Wander saved him back there.

Wander, noticing that Hater was awake, looked up at the skeleton and smiled warmly. “Hey Hater! How are you feeling?”

“Fine.” Hater said before standing up. There was an awkward pause before Hater found himself asking. “What about you?”

“Just a few cuts and bruises.” Wander was quick at wrapping up his wounds, despite being in chains. Hater had the feeling the orange nomad had had practice tending to his own wounds. “Nothing to worry about. I can handle myself.” Wander added just as he finished and put his medical supplies back in his hat. He stood up and looked at the darkness around them. “Where are we by the way?”

“The underground canals.” Hater answered, raising a hand, green lightning appeared along the surface casting out a green light and revealing the stone walkway they stood on above the calm waters below. “The weather above is too hot for liquid water to not evaporate so the people of the planet made these underground canals to transport water.”

“Wow!” Wander exclaimed leaning over the edge of the walkway. “That sure is efficient.” Then Wander looked back at Hater. “Say, Hater, you sure do know a lot.”

Hater blushed at the comment but still gave a doubtful look. “Not really, it’s common knowledge.”

“Even so…” Wander glanced at the water. “I didn’t know about it until you just told me.”

“Then that’s your own fault!”

“My fault?” Wander sounded confused. “How can someone be at fault for not knowing something. It isn’t like they know any better.”

Hater opened his mouth to argue, but once again, he said nothing. So instead, he turned his attention to what was more important. “I don’t have time to argue with you! I need to get back to the surface and beat Emperor Awesome before he takes the planet!” Hater began to walk quickly down the walkway. Wander began to follow but tripped over his chains and landed on the stone ground with a thud.

“Wait, Hater!” Wander called. Hater stopped, sighed, and looked back at him. “Can you take these chains off my ankles? It’s mighty hard to keep up with you.”

“And let you escape? Not happening!” Hater turned and began to walk away. He heard Wander sigh and heard the rattling of chains as the nomad continued to follow only to fall. Hater paused, when he heard Wander get up and walk, he continued on. This same process continued for another five minutes until Hater became impatient. “Alright, fine!” The large skeleton turned back to Wander, knelt down and broke the chains and shackles off his ankles. He left the shackles on his wrists, though.

Wander smiled gratefully. “Thanks, Hater.”

Hater blushed again, stood up abruptly, and pointed in front of him. “You’re still a prisoner. Start marching!” Wander complied cheerfully now that he could walk freely. Hater shook his head in dismay as Wander began to hum a merry tune. How was he ever going to survive?