- soulguard
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- Exalted Mythic Member
Note: Okay everyone, I promised I give you another deleted scene, and here it is.
This scene was taken out of stage 25 (Do or Die) and the focus is on Migpap and Palab.
Reason for the edit: While I love telling Palab's story, I feel that IIWYH is trully Eric, Melanie, and Rose's story. To go into too much detail at this point would shift the focus into too many directions. I hated to cut this out, but now that I look back at Stage 25, it wouldn't have fit. However, this part will be introduced into the next story, the final part of the trilogy.
It really hurt to cut this scene, but now that I have found the time to edit it, I thought that I would share it with you all. This scene is pivotal to the future of the grunts, and it REALLY hurt to cut it from the story. But in the end, you will all be more appreciative of it when book 3 comes out sometime next year.
Enjoy.
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Stage 25 - Scene Edit: The First Disciple
Seed Ship
Ancient City: Grunt Camp
13:55 October 26, 2552
A crowd of anxious grunts encircled the area, cheering and barking with a fever pitched glee. Hundreds of grunts piled on top of each other and formed a dueling pit, and in the center stood their king, their messiah, Palab. The untamed grass of the Ancient City fields was taller then the grunts, but they had quickly smashed it down under their hoofs and knuckles.
The sound of hundreds of grunts made a stirring growl over the southern edge of the Ancient City, as the grunts watched Palab and the young grunt at his side. Most of the grunts were stationed on Dorenth, and only knew Palab by his reputation, they didn’t know much about him but they knew that he was their leader. Palab’s scent, his movement and even his size told them that he was a grunt to be feared and respected, and they showed it with barks of admiration. But even with their excited banter they watched every move Palab made closely. They were excited about seeing their king in action, but they were also learning the old ways of their ancestors; the fighting ability that had been long forgotten when the prophets and elites had forcefully pulled them into the Covenant.
Palab was too fast for young Migpap. Every time Migpap reached out to grab Palab he would simply roll out of the way or jump over him. Palab was awe inspiring to the other grunts; his reflexes were always sharp, his agility was top notch, his speed was unlike anything they had seen and his persona reflected the courage of a true leader.
Palab and Migpap continued to tussle as the other grunts watched eagerly, and after a few moments Migpap began to get tired; showing his lack of stamina and youth. Palab sighed in disapproval and waved his hand, ending the duel.
In basic Covenant tongue Palab commented, “You say you want to be at me side, but you not learn. Me show you again. It not speed, it foresight. You need to see what me do before me do it.” Palab turned to the watching grunts surrounding him and nodded toward them all. “We not big like elites, we small and we fast. We learn what elites teach us, but now we relearn what great ancestors knew. We fight with speed of ancestors and we think like elites.”
Palab then turned back to Migpap and saw that the young grunt had finally regained his breath, “Now we try again. You watch, you think, you see me move and you adjust. Be on the hunt, find you pray and outsmart it… or you starve.”
Migpap placed his knuckles on the ground and the other grunts whistled and barked in excitement; eager to see what Palab would do next. Migpap jumped at Palab in an attempt to tackle the grunt king. Palab dived to the side, stood up and grabbed Migpap’s tail. Migpap snarled in protest and try to pull himself free of Palab’s grip, but it was useless. Palab slapped Migpap on the back of the head. Migpap grabbed his head and began to frantically rub the pain away.
“Oww! What do that for, Palab?” Migpap protested as he forcefully tried to hide the pain bubbeling beneath his voice.
“You no listen!” Palab roared. His high pitched muffled voice echoed throughout the crowd and everyone fell silent. “If me brute or flood, you would be dead! Even dumb jackal could see you coming!”
Palab sat down and sighed in frustration. He understood that Migpap was young and had only seen combat briefly, but Palab was slowly beginning to understand that teaching the young grunts would take more time then the older more experienced grunts. “If you not learn, you die. We train now but if you not learn to fight soon, you die. Think before you act. If me can see what you do, me know how to stop you. Attack me when me least expect it.”
Palab stood back to his feet and began to slowly circle around Migpap. The mood had changed and every grunt watching could sense it. They no longer cheered, they simply watched. Palab hunkered down, keeping his chest low and his head up, ready to pounce in an instant. His hands pressed firmly into the soft dirt and grass, and his claws dug in for added traction. Everyone, including Migpap, was nervous. They had never seen a fellow grunt in an attack position like this.
“Me hunt you.” Palab barked. “Me catch you and me hurt you. Scared?” Migpap shuddered at the thought and nervously backed away and took his eyes off of Palab for a brief moment. “You not cower!” Palab lunged out and tackled Migpap. He rolled on top of the little grunt and forced his face into the crumbled grass. “You fight or you die!” The crowd of grunts could only watch, they dared to not interfere and the older grunts knew what Palab was doing.
Migpap had to learn to fight, his life depended on it. The days of grunts cowering in the corner were now behind them, and a change had to begin. Grunts had to fight as if they wanted to live, and if it meant dieing in combat, so be it. Tough love, anger, or self-preservation would be the only way for the young grunt to learn to fight back quickly. Death has away of making someone react instantly to danger.
Migpap cried out and rolled to his side, swinging his elbow wildly and hitting Palab. Palab blocked the slow attack and backed off of Migpap. The tiny grunt stood to his feet and repeated what he had just seen Palab do; he lowered his posture, kept his head up, dug his claws and hoofs into the sand and circled his prey. Palab was finally getting through to him, but sadly he had to do it the hard way; with fear.
Palab wanted to see what Migpap could do so he left the young grunt a clear opening. When Migpap stalked to his left, Palab turned to the right and exposed his back for a near second. Migpap was still slow, yet he reacted as best as he could. He dived at Palab and tackled him from behind. Palab rolled with the contact and Migpap couldn’t get a good hold on him. He tumbled off and slid to the side, but held his balance. Palab jumped clear and put a few feet between Migpap and himself, but Migpap quickly countered by sprinting, on all fours, toward Palab’s blind spot.
Palab sniffed the air, knowing full well that he had left himself open, and could smell Migpap approaching. He jumped into the air at the last minute and Migpap missed him completely. Palab landed on all fours and pinned Migpap on the ground. The young grunt struggled to get free, as terrified screams left his methane mask. Migpap was afraid that Palab was seriously going to kill him, but the more he struggled the more he realized that he couldn’t escape Palab’s grip.
With a none threatening tone, “Me not hurt you.” Palab let Migpap go and slowly backed away. The young grunt stood to his feet and sniffled as his regained his composure. Palab cautiously walked to his side. “Now you see and you understand.” Palab softly rubbed the top of the young grunt’s head and looked to the stunned grunts that had watched. “Me train you all, but me train Migpap first. He be my brother and me form new pack of disciples to train. First, me need eight more of you that ready to learn. I show you, and we train together.” Palab watched as several dozen grunts eagerly raised their hands in hopes of being trained in the old ways. He smiled happily in his mask and turned to look at Migpap.
“You first disciple, Migpap. Help me choose the rest of our pack.” Migpap smiled happily as the fears of his training quickly passed. He raised his head into Palab’s hand and embraced the brotherly bond they were now learning to share. But inside, he knew that there was a lot of hard training ahead, and very little time to learn it.
End
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Notes: As you can see, very crucial to the advancement of Migpap, but as you can probably also see, it doesn't fit (roughly speaking) into the story. It comes to late in the plot of IIWYH and draws too much attention to a side character. Oh well, I hope you enjoyed it. Stage 27 is on schedule and should be up around noon Bungie time Friday.
-soulguard
[Edited on 12/5/2005]