Sitting in a stone villa amidst the sights and sounds of mother nature was the young protagonist of her own story. She had worked far past her limits for years. Finally she was able to take a break. With the money she had earned from her job plus the funds from her hobbies she was able to buy a rental home in the Locronan countryside. She could take the time to relax with the birds. She found solace in the gentle breeze. And now, there were absolutely zero distractions.

*thump* *thump*

Well, almost zero distractions. Recently she had been getting disturbed by this sound. These heavy thumps were like someone dropping boxes on the ground.

At first, she didn't mind it. She assumed that the thumps were nearby villagers going about their day. It would stop after a few minutes and then she would be free to lounge in peace once more. But lately, she'd noticed something strange.

*thump**thump**thump*

This thumping had been following her around. For two days it had been a passing rhythm she would always catch while relaxing in the sun. When she drank at the lakeside bar. She even heard it shifting away through her nightly strolls.

At first she was nervous, but she assumed it was some natural occurrence in the town as nobody else would react when they heard it. Though her paranoia made her ask if anyone else could hear it. What she found was more alarming than before. It turned out that not only could everyone hear the thumps, but it was a new sound for them as well.

*thump**thump**thump*

So here she sat trying to enjoy her book while something went bump in the day. She was growing tired of ignoring this pestering tune. She thought she could get some peace in the countryside. But instead she was forced to slam her book shut and stop this madness.

Her sleeved hands were swaddled in baby-blue fabric. She abandoned her usual shorts for a breathable skirt and white thigh-high socks. She even tied up her massive pool of milky brown hair into a neat ponytail. A relaxing outfit strapped onto a very frustrated woman.

*thump**thump**thump**thump*

"This is absurd." Why did she have to be terrorized on her break? The tiny house only had four rooms. A large bedroom for spacious sleeping, a decent master bathroom with a master bathtub to boot. The kitchen and living rooms weren't separated by a door so she considered them as one. And of course, there was a small closet dedicated to the washing and drying machines.

She took a second to inspect her kitchen and living room windows. She wasn't able to see any construction happening outside. Maybe the neighbors were having a party? But that doesn't explain why it followed her around the town.

She wandered about for a bit longer. Her intrigue grew when she heard the thuds crescendo near her bedroom door. Its constant drumming forced paranoia through her veins.

*THUMP**THUMP**THUMP*

It was getting louder. Whatever was terrorizing her, was on the other side of this door. She placed a shaky hand against the cold knob. Just turning the sphere felt like signing a death warrant. What if this isn't just noisy neighbors? What if there's something on the other side of this door? What if that thing is dangerous?

She should call the police. They were trained to deal with problems like this. But after a bit of thought, she had another issue arise. What if they didn't believe her paranoia? What if they did, and she was wrong? Would she get ridiculed for falsely informing the authorities?

"I'll just check. Then I'll call." She pushed open the door and saw exactly what she feared.

Nothing. Her room was exactly the way she left it. An unused pink sweater hanging on the wall. Her cell phone charging up on the nightstand. And a matching jar of Nutella hazelnut spread beside it.

She took her time inspecting the room just in case. There were no signs of tampering. No spots where someone might have broken in. Her room was safe. She ended up walking until she was in front of the massive body-length mirror. From there she inspected herself.

Her hair was smooth as butter, like always. She might have been a bit stressed but her smile said otherwise. And the sparkle in her matching baby-blue eyes still twinkled like a million stars. After a deep breath, she could feel the weight of worry wash away. She needed this. She earned this. All the overtime, all the late nights. It was for this.

She hummed lovingly, "A break."

From her mirror's location she could see out the window behind her. The grass was a healthy glow of verdant green and the trees behind it allowed for adventurous woodland creatures to peek at her daily escapades.

She turned around and stared out the pane. Now that the thumping had halted, she could admire nature's unique beauty. For instance, ahead of her she could see a curious bunny looking back at her. Though as she stared onward, she noticed many odd things.

For starters, this bunny wasn't the usual rustic grey or pristine white like she'd seen at home. Instead, it sported a mixture of teal blue and lime green along its front arms. And its hindlegs were so massively muscular that they made the poor creature look more bottom-heavy than a bowling pin. Though that issue was secondary. Her primary concern was, "Is it getting bigger?"

This creature was running at her with only its hindlegs touching the ground. As it bounded forward she noticed its size was much larger than the distance had left her to believe. And worse than that, "It's not slowing down." This strange lagomorph was rushing headlong towards her.

She reactively ducked under the ledge just as the beast burst through the flimsy glass and wooden frame. It scrambled to the floor in an array of glass shards and fuzz. Our leading protagonist brushed her smooth bangs out the way. Her presumptions were swiftly corrected.

The giant blue and green rabbit wasn't a rabbit at all. After seeing the massive muscular tail she understood that her home had been invaded by a giant kangaroo. And the teal-lime color scheme was actually a hoodie with lime sleeves and a matching hood. The rest of this beast's fur was a smooth mix of caramel with tan accents.

She picked a few wooden shards from her sweater whilst recovering from the initial shock. Hundreds of questions flooded her mind. What the hell was that? Why did this thing burst through her window? What is a kangaroo doing in France? Do kangaroos do this often? And why did he have on a hoodie?

Though she couldn't contemplate this for long. Soon the beast began to stir. It rolled to its stomach and managed to stand up on its hind legs. More alarming was the way it stood. It didn't hunch over like the ones she'd seen on TV. Instead, this marsupial stood up straight and stretched its arms over its head. She watched as it rolled its neck about like it had developed an irritating kink.

And as if this onslaught of oddities wasn't enough. It spoke, "Gotta find a better way of doing that."

Her jaw hung open like an unmanned puppet. The kangaroo spoke with a voice deeper than the Grand Canyon and layered with American slang. He looked around her room like he owned it. Shifting through her sheets. Checking the messages on her phone. He even cracked open her Nutella jar and tasted the contents. "Yep. This is hers."

He was looking for her. He didn't run through her window on accident. Why was he after her? What did she do to anger a seven-foot kangaroo man? The beast-man walked a bit awkwardly with his inverted knees but got along rather well. He again inspected his now hazel-covered palms. "Now where is she?"

He stopped at her mirror and stared himself down. He saw some glistening sprinkles in the black tuft atop his head and swiped it out. That was when he saw her. Her eyes twinkled just like he heard they would. And if the stories were true, her hair smelled just like the Nutella she loves so much.

He whipped around with his hand in the jar. She jumped back with her back against the wall. He pointed a chocolate-covered finger her way, "Nutella_BS?!" The girl in question pointed to herself. "Yes. I've been looking for you."

"Me?! Why me?" Just as she asked her question, the intruder rushed her while screaming.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

She returned with a more fearful, "AAAAAAHHHHHH!" Just as he left the ground Nutella rolled to the side out of his way. The marsupial smashed his feet through the drywall and slammed against the stone exterior. He used his tail as a support while he tried to free his massive legs.

Meanwhile, Nutella was screaming for help. There was no way nobody heard them. So why hadn't anyone come to help? She saw his predicament and ran for her nightstand. She didn't know if she should call the police or animal control? But she knew she needed to call somebody. When she made it to the stand she desperately looked for her device. But it had somehow disappeared.

Then she heard the sound of tearing wood. The intruder had pulled one of his feet out of the wall. She wasted no time running out the door and booking it for her front exit. Though as she pushed against the old wood she found no give. It was like something was holding her back. She looked out the window and saw a wall of boxes blocking her way.

She mumbled, "...no."

Quickly she dashed for the kitchen door. Again it wouldn't move, "...No." She peeked outside and saw it too was blocked. "NO!"

"Hey Nutella? Where'd you go?" She could hear his heavy steps approaching. "And how do you live here? The roof's so low."

He stepped through the kitchen with hazelnut across his lips. He was still enjoying the taste of Nutella's favorite snack. He looked to the front and back doors through the window. The boxes were still there so he assumed she hadn't left. "I know you're here." He entered the kitchen and toyed with the hanging pots and pans. Their clamorous song was fun for a moment but he wanted to find his query.

Lucky for him he didn't have to search for long. She slipped out of one of the bottom drawers behind him. He hadn't caught on to her location but the pan in her hands found his. She had to swing high for her strike, but she managed to smack him across the back of his head.

She hoped he would fall like the giant tree he was but instead he dropped to a single leg and hissed, "Ow. No fair. Cheap shot." He smacked the pan aside with his tail before standing. He smiled her way, "But that was super smart. You really are as smart as they say."

Nutella took a cautionary step back. He had glazed amber eyes to match his uncomfortable smile. He didn't even look like he had been hit. Her body pressed against the table as she asked, "Who... What are you?"

He reached out a covered hand, "My name is Sammy. And I love to fight."

Nutella didn't know if she should expect this token of kindness or run for the bedroom next. Against her better judgment, she reached out a hand. The feeling of her sticky snack mixed with his leathery palms was grody. It was like taking a bite out of smooth peanut butter but there were still fine peanut chunks throughout the mix.

Sammy shook her hand with a dangerous amount of enthusiasm. He stood two feet above her and treated her as if they were the same height. When he pulled away Nutella slowly inched towards the living room. Sammy happily commented, "Oh are you ready to start again?"

Nutella was about to take a shaky seat but turned back confused, "Start what again?"

"Our fight."

She was back on the defensive. "What? N-"

But Sammy wouldn't let her finish. "No talk time. Fight now!" He used his massive legs to propel himself forward. She was barely able to roll away one final time. Sammy rebounded off the couch and landed in front of her.

He loomed over her with an inquisitive glare, "What's wrong? Why aren't you fighting back?"

She was sprawled on the ground below him. "Fight back? I don't fight!" Sammy's eyes widened at this.

"You don't fight?"

"No."

The marsupial left her alone as he walked towards the kitchen table. He rested his weight on his tail while he thought out loud. "You don't fight... that can't be right."

Nutella got to her feet and caught her breath. 'Why do I always find the crazy ones?' Her creamy hair was starting to fray from the stress. She looked back and saw Sammy still licking up some Nutella within the massive jar. 'And why is he eating all my Nutella?' She blew a frustrated breath, 'Well at least he's not wasting it.'

Sammy's wide foot slammed against the floor. "That's it! I remember now." He turned back to her with a smile. "He told me that you don't like to fight. But..." He showed her the half-full jar of hazel spread. "If I were to throw out perfectly good Nutella... well~" Without a warning he smashed the jar against the floor.

The plastic container rebounded against the wooden tiles. She could feel her mind snap as glops of Nutella flew out the wide opening. It was then worsened by Sammy's flat feet smushing it into the cracks. The plastic crunched and spewed out even more spread like the squishy excrement of an animal. Sammy smiled as he said, "He told me that if I were to ruin your snack. I'd get more than what I'm looking for."

After a bit more humiliation Sammy looked back to his target. And his smile grew ten times in size. Nutella's face beat red with rage. And her true self finally slinked through the cracks. She gritted her teeth as if she wanted to file her gums. And her hair began to bubble like boiling water.

The smooth cream-colored locks looked more like floating plasma. Like the goop found within store-bought lava lamps. And much like those lamps the hair bubbled off of her and pooled in the air around. Nutella expected him to retreat now that he'd seen her true strength. But of course, this freak just snickered, "That is awesome."

She rolled her eyes but wasted little time. The four baseball-sized blobs solidified quickly. But they kept their position in space with no effort. Sammy leaned in, stroking his long maw, "Cool. You can change it between a liquid and a solid."

Without warning one of the balls were launched his way. He had to shift his torso to dodge and watched as it shattered the glass behind him. He whistled back at her but was quickly silenced by a ball smacking his chest. The force of the throw was enough to stop him in his tracks. Then the second one flew and pushed him back a few feet. He was now against the shattered window with an aching chest plus a bruised shoulder.

Nutella squinted her eyes and sent the final orb flying through his skull. It sounded off like a hollow log as he fell outside the window. His body laid on the sill with his upper half probably touching the glorious grass outside.

Nutella stood up and relaxed. She didn't want to use that strength. It was supposed to be a power only for the most perilous situations. But here she was wasting it on some weirdo. She looked around and noticed the mess they made.

It wasn't too bad. Tossed couch cushions and pots scrambled across the floor. Though the biggest eyesore was the wasted Nutella on the floor below her. In her opinion, this was worse than the damage to her bedroom.

She called back the goop from her scalp and reattached it to her head. The length of her hair returned to its absurd length with its return. She undid her ponytail so she could let her scalp breathe. Now her true length showed. Hair that reached down past her waist. The excess was necessary for combat but a bit cumbersome to manage. "Honestly, who was that creep?"

She went for a side closet to grab a mop for the floor. She could still hear glass falling from the shattered window. She'd have to clean that up as well. And get it replaced. When she returned from the bathroom with the mop and bucket, she tried to get down to business.

"I get it now." A giddy yet low voice chimed in.

Her heart stopped. She didn't want to but she knew she had to do it. She looked back to the window and saw him. Sammy was sitting awkwardly in the four-foot opening with a perplexed expression. "So the Nutella isn't just your favorite snack. It's also the source of your strength." He stroked a sharp finger across his skull and licked it. "No wonder it tastes like hazel."

Nutella dropped the mop. "How?"

Sammy refocused ahead. He stepped inside and dropped to all four like the animal he was. "Didn't I already tell you?" He rested his tail against the wall and propped his girthy hindlegs against it. "My name is Sammy."

Nutella didn't see him move. He must have pushed against the wall with such force that his legs couldn't be seen. Because he suddenly appeared in front of her and smashed a fist into her stomach. The wind wasn't the only thing that got knocked out of her. Her saliva, her logic, muscular control. Everything in her got shifted by his fist.

She managed to look up at her assailant. The smile he sported was like a loving father praising his kid. "And I love to fight." With that, he spun around and smacked her aside with his tail. Nutella rolled for a bit but was able to plant her feet once more.

Now she was angry.

Her hair boiled like chocolate lava just as before. The gay twinkles in her iris were now pop rocks of rage. And Sammy's dull amber glowed a bit in response. The anthromorph clapped his hands before crouching to her level. "This is where the fun begins."

Nutella removed a fourth of her massive mound of hair. They separated into four streams that shot in Sammy's direction. He showed his impressive control by bounding around the room to dodge the streams. Whether it was the couch, table, or walls he found a way to bounce around the telekinetic liquid.

When he managed to avoid her onslaught he returned to the center of her room. He pretended to wipe some sweat from his brow. "Not bad. But that's only working once."

Nutella's hair was just above her waist now. She still had enough. She broke off another fourth and wrapped it around her hands. Any extra needed flew down without a second thought until her hands were encased in tough brown gloves.

Sammy whistled, "That looks hard. Better not get punched by that." He again did that teasing stretch he showed off when he first entered. Exactly what she wanted. Before he could stop Nutella latched a wad of goop around his arms. "What? But I didn't see you summon any."

She pointed behind him. The hard balls she had launched at first were a distraction. The real goal was to take his attention. "I just turned those missed shots into a delicious opportunity."

Sammy's eyes widened, "You don't need fresh Nutella for every volley. You can turn it from a liquid into a solid."

She allowed herself a taunting smirk. "Now you've got it. And back into a liquid." Her hand reached out making more of her goop attach to his palms until they were fully encased in a hazel ball.

He tried to pull them apart, but it was denser than a Japanese male protagonist. Nutella wasted no energy. With a powerful scream she rushed forward and landed a blow to his solar plexus. Though he was two feet above her before he now curled down to her height. The perfect level for a clean hook to his right cheek. Though he was soon able to put his locked arms up and protect his fragile dome.

She continued to wail on the disrespectful intruder until he was firmly seated on her newly ruined couch. But that didn't stop her. She used her high ground to effectively pound him like a gorilla in a brawl. Though she couldn't see his face she could tell Sammy was feeling the heat. He had his hindlegs in the air like he was trying to push her back.

Then she thought about that. 'If Sammy's a kangaroo then...' She looked closely at his face and saw the subtle smile he failed to hide. "Oh no."

Sammy kicked her back with an explosive force. Before he punched her from a kick-off. Now she got to feel the full force of his legs. And she feared that her ribs would puncture her lungs from the possible fracturing.

He launched her over the table until she smashed into the neighboring wall. Luckily her hair made a gooey cushion for the violent rocking of her head. All her hair (save for a low buzz cut of goop) left her head and caught her fall. She managed to make it to a rocky foothold. Unfortunately, Sammy had done the same. If not better.

The kangaroo had brown crumbs on his previously clean blue hoodie. He had been snacking on her custom-made cuffs while she recovered. His hazel-hued lips snickered, "Thanks for all the food. I haven't stopped to eat since I started hunting for you." He finished his snacks and licked his fingers graciously. "My compliments, Chef Tella."

The girl grew tired of his games. How dare he toy with her like some child. With the mass of her hair gone what was a peaceful princess now looked like a raging teen. But this rage would be far worse than daddy problems.

Nutella brought her hands above her head. The goop of molten Nutella violently shook above. To Sammy, it was about the same size as him. Which meant whatever she was doing next was her grand finale. He hopped up on the couch unsure of what she would do next.

Nutella snarled, "I'll give you one more chance. Get out of my house."

Sammy put his feet against the wall. "Not until we have a winner."

The Nutella above vibrated with her rage. "Oh, we'll have a winner. I don't think you'll like what happens to the loser."

The beast bared his teeth with a crazed grin, "Ominous!"

The Nutella above transformed into a narrow stream aimed at Sammy's head. He figured she would solidify it soon and attempt to skewer him against the wall. Instead she threw her arms forward and let the gooey wave surge ahead.

Sammy watched carefully. For him, the world moved in slow motion. He needed to wait until the very last second. He needed to be sure.

It grew closer. Perhaps five feet from his skull. But still, it hadn't solidified. So he waited. And waited.

His suspicions were confirmed when the liquid still hadn't changed just a few inches ahead. So instead of running he opened his mouth and welcomed the attack. His throat pulsed as the course stream pried against his esophagus, but he held firm. What felt like ten seconds of swallowing finally ended with a giant burp from the intruder.

He hopped off the couch and pat his stomach fondly. "Woo. That was good." He sauntered up to Nutella with a smug grin. "Welp... looks like I win." He saw her grimace refused to leave. But rather than further aggression, he instead plucked her forehead playfully. "That means you lose. Loser."

Nutella had figured it out a while ago. It was after Sammy punched her. He had all the opportunity to end the fight there but he swatted her away like a dog with its chew toy. Then there was the second volley. Instead of pushing the aggressive while she was low on resources, he let her set up the Choco-Gauntlets. At that point, she figured he was either an idiot or he honestly saw this as a game.

Then there was his last kick. He put some force behind it but she noticed he stopped short. He could have kicked through her spine. She knew he could cause of the ridiculous speed he had achieved while they fought. But he held back and let her recover for a final strike.

To be honest this last play was a gamble. If he was evil, he could stop her with relative ease. But...

Sammy however was still flaunting his victory. He laughed over her while patting her shoulder. He couldn't get over her new pixie hairstyle. "You look like a fairy."

Nutella's eyes twitched a bit. "I-"

"And not in a weird way. I mean you literally look like a character that would be in Winx Club." Nutella tried to process the jab thinking of who he was seeing. He wasted no time in shouting, "Tecna!" before laughing like a hollowing monkey.

She'd heard enough. "Hey, Sammy." He calmed down so she could be heard. "What are my powers again?"

"You control Nutella and can transform it between a solid and a liquid."

Nutella smiled, "Very good. And tell me. Where is all my Nutella at right now?"

Sammy patted his stomach, "Well I ate it all." His eyes snapped openly suddenly. His cheering tone was replaced with a dreary whisper as he again stated, "I ate it all..."

Just as he realized his mistake he curled over suddenly. Nutella snickered from above. Now she was the one looking down on him. He was mumbling obscenities as he clutched his guts. "Yeah, you feel that. Those hundreds of needles raking at your stomach. That's me."

Sammy writhed about but managed to grumble, "Not fair. Cheap shot." He could feel her parasitic liquid running through his organs. They were like hundreds of chestnut seeds rolling around his guts.

"I didn't tell you to eat all my Nutella." She crouched down and pick him up by the black tuff of hair on his head. She didn't think animals could sweat but he certainly was leaking bullets across his brow. "Now let's try this again." She made him look her in the eyes, "Who's the winner?"

"Ugh. You are."

"Good. And... who's the loser?"

Sammy tried to look away but she wrenched his face to hers. He had to watch the playful twinkle return to her eyes while his screamed for help. "Fine, it's me. I'm the loser. Now please stop!"

Nutella would have relieved him of his pain but she had more questions. "Not yet. Tell me. Who is HE? Who sent you after me?"

"After you? You make it sound like I'm a bounty hunter. I was told that if I found you you'd give me a fight I'd never forget." Sammy managed a one-eyed smile, "Man was he right."

Nutella forced the spines to grow in size and push harder against his organs. His groans only grew louder till she let go some. "Tell me his name, hops."

"I don't know. All that was on the letter he sent was the letter S. That's it I swear."

Nutella let go with that information. A fool like him wouldn't lie at a time like this. He seemed like the honest type that wore his personality on his sleeves. There was no need to assume it was a lie. He continued to groan until she released her magic.

Sammy thanked her between now heavy breaths. She was more focused on this new information. S? Who was S? She didn't know anybody with the name S. Did she?

She looked back to her new problem, "What about the letter what did it-" Sammy was typing away on a cell phone like she wasn't even there. "What are you doing now?"

Sammy looked up with an innocent frown. "Ordering food."

Nutella rolled her eyes until she noticed something odd. "Is that my phone?"

"Yeah. I figured you wouldn't want it to break during our match. So I put it in my pouch."

Nutella wanted to complain but was a bit confused. "Wait... I thought you were a boy."

He pointed to his stomach, "My hoodie pouch."

Nutella smacked her head, raking down her tired features and cursing him for making her lose her luscious bangs. 'At least I can just add more Nutella to it later.' She looked back and saw Sammy typing away furiously. "Wait what are you ordering?"

"Taco Bell."

Nutella let out a frustrated yelp, "GIVE ME BACK MY PHONE!"