The Oblivious Tank - O'Diin

There she goes, taking steps once again with that dumb air-headed look upon her face. Just looking for her equal. But with that aloof expression, she looks as dull as an abused sword losing its shine. Horns curved like a demon to drive her away from everyone, granting her a callous, apathetic outlook on her life. Was there someone out there for her? Was there someone to give her life in this dull landscape that shuns her every day? She rests her legs from walking the steep cliffsides to reach this mountaintop, and plops down on the slanted patch of grass where the sun came up to greet her, and only her.

But she had no time to think for that again, her stomach growling in envy for another hearty meal, with her looking so... dejected at the grass that she used to eat on so happily before when she realized her strength.

O’Diin: I miss when I felt weak, and how every meal felt like a blessing. The only ones that even give me that satisfaction anymore are the patches in the mountaintops. Before it was with them, but they are gone now, I’m still alive because I was afraid, I was cowardly, but determined to fight for living. Look where that got me now…

She still remembers her first patch she worked for. She was on the plateaus down yonder, 864 miles southeast of where she sits. She fought another Satyr such as herself, but when she finally got settled down and tasted the patch, it had a tang. The salt from her sweat was leaving her furry body, her hair completely disheveled from the result of unfriendly quirrel. But that sensation to work for it, it was so elevating to fight for food, to compete, to be given motivation to keep fighting. Over time, some became ill and died due to age or just being… too weak. It scared her, the idea of falling at such young ages as those she fought, so she kept fighting, more and more, finding more opponents, more species, more predators that would challenge her so she could stop feeling this fear. Till she was The Strongest… That fear of hers, being eaten or killed, dissipated. But so did her personality. Now, she sits at the mountaintops, at the tallest peak she could find, and it is nothing. A beautiful sight by many, but just an everyday thought to her. With one thing on her mind.

O’Diin: Is this the burden of being The Strongest? Or am I just a fish within a pond… There has to be bigger fish out there. There has to be, unless I really am undefeatable.

There was one thing on her mind, a lesson taught by her father, Ja’run. He was a formidable Satyr, well respected by the community he created. Being nomadic, he never waited for anyone else's stride, and only taught those who matched it. With his loving daughter always by his side, he taught one lesson even he feared.

It was a starry night by the mountains, everyone was asleep except him, eyes dialated towards every star, and brows furrowed. His ears were perked up and awaited something to go awry. Only to hear a rustle and quickly turn to his hand, catching him and bringing his form firm to charge. Only to find… O’Diin, giggling and chasing after a firefly. Relief overtook Ja’Run as he looked back at the bumbling ball of joy he brought into this world. So innocent, so curious, and so determined to get what she wants. So, he lightly whistled to get young O’Diin’s attention. Who smiled seeing her father awake

O’Diin: Papa! You are awake!

Ja’Run: That I am, you lil’ scamp. C’mere.

Smile warmer than any star, and arms brimming with muscle open to her, she happily trotted into his lap, where she fixated upon his thigh, and he sighs, ready to tell her somehting she will never lose memory of.

Ja’Run: You see every star up in the sky, lil’ O’Diin? How they never let up their energy, and shine bright even in the darkest nights?

O’Diin, like any other child, just smiles and responds while picking flowers and eating them

O’Diin: Yup! One day, I may shine brighter than a star! Protect everyone and be the strongest there is!

Ja’Run lets out a measly guffaw, mixed with him being tired after forcing himself attentive to any threats to his daughters immature confession

Ja’Run: That I know you will, makes me wonder if I can keep up with you when I grow older. But that’s not what I'm here to tell you. You see, with power, there still is consequence. Too much power may seem like a luxury we wish we all had. I’m here to tell you, it's the worst feeling ever.

O’Diin, shocked to hear her father make such a statement, climbs onto his chest, gripping the hair flowing off of it and yelling in his face

O’Diin: No way! You were able to take on 3 wolves at once, and came back just fine, Daddy! How can being so strong be the worst thing ever?!

His chest inhaled, and exhaled, only for then the sky to light up a bright green and blue, where streaks of shimmering lights streaked across the sky, a light show put on at such an occasion, leaving O’Diin starstruck at this new phenomenon, and gave Ja’run an opprotunity to explain his thoughts to the young Satyr

Ja’Run: You see, lil O’Diin. Just like these hundreds of millions of lights, their strength isn't due to one being the strongest, but their numbers. It creates this community, this group where they are inseparable. Able to take on each other's flaws, warts and all. But if you only take one, who grows more and more. Sure it may be impressive, but what about their intelligence, their wits, and growth? They are just stagnant with what they have, and it's so disheartening to witness. All their thoughts are “Where can I get stronger?” without a reason. No family to protect, no community to unify, nothing. All they have is what they can present. Strength.

With one final meteor coming by, and it was truly the brightest, burning the sky with an orange to red hue just like the sun. Ja’Run continues his speech

Ja’Run: But if you only take one, who grows more and more? Sure it may be impressive, but what about their intelligence, their wits, and growth? They are just stagnant with what they have, and it's so disheartening to witness. All their thoughts are “Where can I get stronger?” without a reason. No family to protect, no community to unify, nothing. All they have is what they can present. Strength.

Meanwhile, O’Diin was absolutely jumping with joy. For being able to witness such a rare spectacle, yet, Ja’Run was empty. with his brows lightly pinched upward, and a slight pull back of his lip. Unsure if it got to his daughter, so he just taps her back one last time, hoping she would catch it. But she turns back with such a joyful expression.

O’Diin: That was so cool! All those pretty lights, and that big one too, it brightened the sky like the Sun!

She jumped up and down, entertaining her father…. But he clutches his side, unable to express the uncertianty of his words driving impact to his growing daughter.

With the sun in full view, she as an adult now looks back, hugging herself as she knows what happened the next day. He went to go into the woods to find her, attacked by a bear. He pulled her back from its claws at the last second before…. he was taken away. The scar being too much to remember, all she remembered was the pool of blood leaving his body, her blurred vision, and quickened breath. The bear roaring one last time before leaving, forcing such a human fear onto her at a young age. But undeniably, his last words before he left this world. With her eyes closing, and the sun still burning the bloody memory further into the front of her mind, she reopens her pupils and stares at the trees below.

O’Diin: Ultimate Power ultimately corrupts…

So, she looks over the mountaintops… the fall, it looked so tempting now. Another thrill, another chance to feel alive again. It draws her closer the more isolated she gets, and now she can't take it anymore. She wants to run and dive like a swan to feel that thrill once again.

Till she hears footsteps, and instead of quickly and frantically getting into a charging stance, calmly unwinds her arms to pick her up into a more suitable stance to fight, and turns around to see… something she’s never encountered before. At first the was tense, fists balled up, and pumping blood into her veins. But she then took the time to assess the oppressor. They weren't big, as big as her at most, maybe smaller. No claws on their paws, let alone paw pads. They stood bipedally like her, but severely lacked any furry features, no ears like hers, no power like hers. Yet something about them still left her cautious. So she approached with the same emotionless gait, to intimidate or tower over them. But it gripped her to keep figuring out what this… thing was. She looked at it, circled it, pindhed at it and even started to pester it before finally speaking up, with a tilt of her head and squint of her eyes.

O’Diin: …what are you? Some hairless ape?