ST-2006 moved down the dark hall until reaching a small door. Upon opening, he could only see the back of a short figure, whose hair reached the floor.

???: Yes?

Neither the Oton or the door made a sound, and there was no noticable way the person could know someone was nearby.

ST: I have had some, questions. If that is allowed.

???: Of course, ask away.

There was little to no emotion in this voice.

ST: The population above ground has started building closer to our base entrance, should we take actions against an invasion?

???: That won't be necessary, they don't have the technology to reach it, and any activity on the plateau would be easier to spot. We've been quiet for so long now.

ST: I understand, it's just that our surveillance teams found a child attempting to climb the mountain last night.

???: ...I see, then perhaps it's time for response after all. I'll have to think about it however, give me a while to consider.

ST: Understood, Black Diamond. Additionally, the Pearl had returned just after me.

Black: Good, let her in.

He could now hear a pair of feet approach him. Pearl held in her right hand a thin blade, and in the left was a dark and transparent bubble.

Blk Pearl: You'll never believe what I found today, my Diamond! This world if full of such interesting things!

The bubble popped onto a short desk, releasing several small items. Some were smooth stones, others were tiny fruit, and one item in particular looked like a reflective piece of glass. He picked up this last item and held it up to his face.

After...everything had went down on Homeworld, Black had decided to alter his appearance as well. He now appeared younger in the face, no longer sporting facial hair, he wore very simplistic clothing as apposed to his standard uniform.

Black: How lovely, who knew something like a mirror could be made by simple nature?

Blk Pearl: It's just full of surprises, isn't it? To be on another planet and just...explore, rather than try and conquer it. It's something unlike anything I've ever experienced.

Black: That's good. I've been considering our current relationship with the local population, and it could be that the time has come to make ourselves more well acquainted with, what do you think?

Blk Pearl: Hmm, I did see those people coming awfully close to our little home, but what exactly will we do after making ourselves known?

Black: For three years now we've been studying this specific gathering, they appear to be a peaceful group, all we must do is not cause fear or give them reason to be hostile I believe, and we could potentially be on good terms.

Blk Pearl: Good terms? With an organic race? My Diamond, is this a good path to take then, you know the Authority and their laws.

Black laughed at this remark.

Black: They've yet to send anyone out here looking for us, do you really think they'll even notice?

Blk Pearl: As a matter of fact, no, no they wouldn't. Now the question is, how do we properly introduce ourselves in a proper manner?

Black: Oh, I think I have a method...

----

The little boy rolled helplessly down the hill once again, landing into a berry bush. He picked himself up with some effort, winded and sore from this new, failed attempted to reach the strange place. He couldn't tell what or why, but he could 'feel' that there was something special about that spot in particular. But as of now, that'll have to remain a mystery for a little while longer.

The boy turned to go home, but he heard something strange, the sound of pebbles rolling down the hill? He turned his head to find the noise, and the young man nearly fell over in shock. Towering over the boy was a man, but no man he'd even seen before, his skin was as dark as the night, he wore a black robe around his waist, and there was a large piece of obsidian stuck of the stranger's chest. The two starred at one another for a short moment, until he finally gained the courage to speak.

(I'd use a different language here, but that would be kinda pointless, unless it's an Oozai in other cases idk. So we're gonna stick with English.)

Boy: Wh-Who are you??

Stranger: The man on the mountain. I saw you climbing up here, why?

Boy: Huh? He can speak like me really good! I wanted to know what was up there, to let my friends know.

Stranger: I see then. Could you introduce me to your friends? I too, am unfamiliar with this land.

The boy was hesitant to comply, but looking into the man's eyes, it looked as if he was at least fairly trustworthy. I mean, he was talking to him and the stranger hadn't become violent like, them, and perhaps, maybe...

--------

Everyone looked on in awe at the man walking into their village. Kids that were playing stopped and starred, and those grown up looked on with some suspicion. The boy and the stranger both entered a large tent in the center of the village, and inside was an elderly man with a headdress of feathers, and he bore yellow and red paint on his face and brow. While appearing to be quiet aged, the man moved and spoke with the power of a mighty warrior.

Boy: I have found this man, Father! He wants to speak with you!

???: Very well, you wait outside. And you, sit down and we'll talk.

As the little boy ran outside, Black sat on the ground opposite of a small fire, facing the man at eye level. Both men shared the same expression: confusion, perhaps suspicion, but most importantly they shared an interest in the other.

Black: I am known by a few names, but you can know me as the Diamond.

Chief: Then you may know me as the Chief, I'm the leader of the men and women you saw a moment ago. They look to me for guidance, for resolutions.

Black: It is a pleasant opportunity for me, just speaking right now is a chance I'm happy I took. Your, child, he seemed eager to reach my home.

The man laughed.

Chief: Yes, he told me of dreams he had, where he finally reached the top, but to think something would come of it. How does one live on a mountain by himself, Diamond?

Black: Actually, I have others with me, a woman and many sons and daughters who live inside of the mountain itself. It may sound strange, even impossible, but I have found a way, and have resided there for a long time now.

Chief: You have a family then, all your own?

Black: Yes. But we do not have any resentment or fear of your people, we've made sure to leave you and your land to your own. In fact...it would be an interesting idea if we could interact with your people in a more civil manner, if that makes sense.

Chief: Mm, if only others could think the same...

Black: ? Does something bother you?

Chief: 12 years ago, another band of strangers arrived on our shores, men with pale skin. They have greed and anger in their hearts, they bring guns and sickness. They forced us to move away from our ancestor's lands. Our borders grow smaller, and now we reside next to your mountain, of which we call "Big Step Peak", for the massive, flat rock on the very top.

Black: An invasion, how unfortunate. You mentioned something about ancestors, I'm not familiar with the term.

Chief: My father told stories about the ancestors, those who've come before us. We owned those lands and valleys for at least 60 generations, but the paleface cares not for our history. Even now, they cut down the great forests to build lodging, and that isn't the worst thing. We tried fighting them, but they split our tribes apart, killing all who stood against their greed. This tribe, you see, was formed by the survivors of the others, those who have been wiped from the earth...

Black's eyes widened, for this was the first time he'd heard something like this. To have such an event, an invasion, then to have the invaders attack wildly different groups, and finally for these groups to band together...it reminded him of himself in a way with his recent experiences, and he was almost thankful for it.

Black: I am sorry for those you've lost, I've lost that which I cared for many years ago too, out in the stars...perhaps, perhaps I could...help you?

Chief: You'd help a group of strangers for nothing?

Black: No, it would mean something great, to halt another atrocity before you understand the pain I went through, that is payment enough. If these men don't listen to reason, I can make sure they leave your people alone.

Chief: Hm...they are east of here, by the river with three paths. Many of them go west to hunt, we could surprise them there.

Black: And to show you how genuine I am when I say this, I wish to take care of these 'palefaces' myself.

Chief: Yourself?? But they have walls, guns!

Black: They won't be enough, for I am a being of power unlike a gun, and unlike a cannon. Here, let me show you...

Holding both hands together, small cables unraveled around his arms, slowly weaving and moving through the air to the man's surprise. The tent was now bathed in a healthy glow, causing those outside to look on in amazement.

Chief: You have magic?? I guess it makes sense, you don't look like anyone, or anything else I've heard about.

Black: In a way it is, but all you have to know is that its very effective. You have my word, that I'll make this place safe you and your people once again.

--------

Near the shored there were many wood cabins built in a circle, and within that circle was several dozen men cutting logs, hammering metal, working on building other structures. They had a windmill on a southern hill, where it would mill grain, and to the east they set out on boats to fish, and to the north was used for the women and their children. The young ones played a simple game with a ball and pins while their mothers conversed. Surely, there was nothing wrong with this scene, right?

But no, our history has demonstrated that not all points in time are fair to all groups. To create this image, the natives are being pushed back to make room for the British settlers, who in turn are trying to find a better life, but to take the actions they did, it was only a matter of time before the tribes were targeted, and here they were obliterated, had their old ways of worship mocked, and the scattered men and women formed into a tribe with no name, with no traditions, only a common goal binds these people together: to reclaim their land and start life anew.

The carpenters were interrupted by two men running from the forest, their axes missing and their clothes torn. "Pull yourselves together now, just what happened!?", the most elderly of the woodcutters asked, and one of the shooken men stepped forward.

"It was man, b-but not a normal man, not like those indians we saw before! He kept pushing us down to the ground, telling us to leave, th-then he threw a tree right for Henry here, and he knocked me straight on my ass!" then Henry spoke. "We just barely made it with our lives, that thing isn't human, I tell you! Has skin like charcoal and a jewel embedded in his flesh!"

Carpenter: Charcoal skin? ....Just what you two going on about?!

Henry: You'll see, it's still following us!

Carpenter: What!?

Just then, rustling could be heard from the trees from which they'd just passed, and out stepped Diamond, his eyes now glowing a bloody red. The lumberjacks fled while the carpenters stood around the approaching man, each taking hold of a saw or hammer. Diamond calmly turned his head to each man, gauging the fierce look in their eyes.

Black: I'd advise against striking me, I haven't killed any of you..yet.

But one man lost his nerve, rushing straight for Diamond with a shrill scream. As he swung the hammer down, Diamond took hold of the incoming weapon and stopped it with a single hand. Everyone was in abject shock, but had little time to watch on as their attacker lifted the heavy weight and swung it over the owner's head, knocking him unconscious. The group was hesitant, but two went to retrieve their comrade and dashed into one of the houses. The two soon reemerged with rifles, no sooner did they take aim fired upon this wild man. Diamond leaped high into the air, tossing the hammer into the post holding the porch together, causing both men to fall helplessly through the collapsing floor.

Diamond: Let me state this once again: ALL of your actions, they're pointless. Try and shoot me, chop me up, it just won't be enough.

"Take aim, fire!!"

As he landed, Diamond noticed three men with an iron cannon pointed right at him. They lit a fuse on the weapon's back, and a large ball was sent flying in a flash of light and smoke. Standing his ground, the gray figure pushed his hands together, unfolding them revealed a large net of cables, causing the iron sphere to bounce right back to its original local, crashing into the cannon and reducing its mount to splinters. The entire town was now watching, utterly dumbfounded by the magic performed right before their eyes.

Diamond: ...Listen, all of you! Leave this place, and tell anyone else to stay away, for I shall rain fire down on all future invaders, no matter the intention!!

There was confusion for some while, but one by one, then by the dozen, the people gathered whatever they could and ran off into a path farther away from the west. Diamond now stood in the abandoned settlement, not quite sure what to make of it. Yes, he got rid of the apparent threat, but what happens now?

What happens now?

------

(To be continued.)