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Well this was…different. Normally, he went looking for the challenge. This time, however, it seemed like the challenge came to him. A giant smirk graced his lips at the thought. That was perfectly fine! He was getting bored anyway so what better way to alleviate that boredom than with a game. Granted, the one in charge of this whole thing sounded a bit on the creepy side. Almost like a ghost waiting for a victim… Not that he had an issue with ghosts. What he did have an issue with was if this little game was more than just a game. That is to say, having fun was all well and good but the second someone’s life was put in danger, well, all bets were off then. So far, that hadn’t been the case, which meant he wasn’t bothered. He could handle himself and whatever was thrown at him. Honestly, if this provided a good challenge then he might try to do it all over again.
“First thing’s first,” Natsu Dragneel said to the forest. “Gotta find my way outta here the first time.” That meant he needed to clear any and all obstacles…which led him to the next question- what WERE the obstacles? He’d likely find out soon enough. “Best get a move on. Time’s running out.” With that, he’d picked a direction and started walking. As luck would have it, he didn’t have long to wait to encounter his first obstacle. The stallion had wandered past a gnarled, blackened tree when he heard the distinctive twang of a string snapping. Instantly alert, he caught a blur of motion coming at him from both sides. Natsu ducked his head, launching himself forward. A sickening smash resounded from where his body had been seconds before. “Er…” He barely registered what happened before another sound reached his ears. This time, it was the schnick of objects flying through the foliage. Scrambling to his hooves, Natsu bolted down the disused path. Every step he took appeared to be met with some sort of booby trap- wooden logs meant to smash, dulled arrows meant to injure, rocks meant to pin. He hardly had time to think about his next step, let alone how he would counter; so, he relied on his instincts to get him past each one. No counteroffensive. Strictly evade and move on.
Getting through the first obstacle felt like an eternity, but he finally did it. “Man, I haven’t had a workout like that in a long time.” Natsu breathed heavily. Being nearly hammered, impaled, and crushed wasn’t something he’d been expecting. “Heh,” came the familiar grin, “Guess I’ll have to take this guy more seriously.” He drew in a single deep breath then raised himself to his full height. The grin lit up his features. He was starting to get fired up! And who knew how many more obstacles were left. “Time for round two.” Round two, as he’d dubbed it, was the complete opposite of round one. Where that round dealt more with physical agility, this one was more mental. A riddle engraved on a stone sat in the middle of the pathway. From the looks of the setup, he’d have to answer correctly if he wanted to get around it. Answer wrong and…he bet it wouldn’t be anything nice. “Awww come on! This is not my strong suit!” Natsu grumbled with a stamp of a hoof. A small flame flared then died. Physical things he could handle. He more than excelled at combat and strategy because of it. Riddles and mental games were another story. Give him a straightforward fight any day. Yet, here he was having to deal with an obscure riddle in the middle of a darkened forest. “Okay, I can do this. I just gotta concentrate.” His dark eyes peered down at the rough stone. “‘When you stop to look, you can always see me. If you try to touch me, you can never feel me. Should you walk towards me, I remain the same distance away. What am I?’” Natsu read aloud once, twice, three times.
He frowned deeply. “Look and can always see but can’t touch and can’t get closer.” He stared hard at the stone, concentrating with all his might. “Gah!” The stallion exclaimed, shifting back and forth in agitation. “What the heck! How am I supposed to guess that?! It makes no sense! Something you can see but can’t touch or get closer to…it doesn’t sound real!” Natsu went on like that for a few minutes, freaking out. At last, he calmed down enough to try to work through the problem. He debated on going back and trying a different route, but he suspected there would be similar challenges no matter which direction he went. His chances were likely better sticking with his current path. Which, unfortunately, meant that solving this riddle would be his only way out. “Can see. Can’t touch. Can’t get near.” He muttered under his breath as he cast his gaze about, as if searching for the answer in the forest itself. “A heart? No you can’t even see it. The sky? Possibly. But that could also depend on if we’re counting flying creatures and clouds. Hmmm…” Natsu pondered what the answer could be. There had to be one because it’d be cheating otherwise. He had to think, and he had to think fast. The two hours were nearly up. Looking slightly to the left, he could just make out a glimpse of the horizon. The forest thinned out considerably past this point, indicating he was almost to its edge. Then it hit him. He was looking at the answer! Well, sort of anyway. “A horizon!” He declared in a loud, cheerful yell. “I’m looking at it right now but I can’t touch it or ever get near it. That’s got to be the answer.”
Right on cue, as if by magic, the pathway cleared, allowing him to proceed. “Hah!” Natsu laughed, darting ahead before something changed its mind. “Wait till I tell the others back home about this one!” They’d never believe him. Whatever though, he’d given the right answer and was able to get past the second obstacle. Now all he needed to do was figure out where he was exactly. An easier feat now that he’d cleared the edge of the woods…hopefully…
FIN
WC: 1,059
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