The maw that gaped behind Naive grew ever larger, unknown to the meal that lay before it. Naive, mangled blob in its bony fingers, turned to the welcoming cerulean tunnel which had grown wide enough to comfortably fit Naive whole. Confused that things weren’t how it remembered, Naive tried to side step the hungry mouth and ensure the path back to Natus was still there. This movement prompted a sudden flourish of movement. Hairs flicked up along the edge of the mouth and were dragged along as it began to spin. With it came a force that pulled in Naive. Seeing no reason to resist, Naive marvelled at the invisible force and conceded to the pull, letting itself be dragged in.

As the skeleton passed into the closing mouth, it took a better look at its captor. Thanks to the translucent film that seemed to cover everything in this place Naive was able to get a decent idea of what it was inside. It was a long tube that widened towards the mouth and was quite thin at the opposite end. Naive could see more of the colored blobs behind the film, which confused the skeleton greatly as it was definitely inside the creature already. Confused that the characteristic colored blobs were both inside and outside, Naive attempted to use its signature technique. This time it was resisted, as Naive struggled to pull its arms up and in front of itself. This film was stronger than all the ones Naive had faced yet. Out of options, Naive decided it had probably been enveloped by this strange creatures body for a reason and followed suit, stuffing the blob remains it held in hand under its rib cage and into its chest cavity.

The inner film of the tube had constricted Naive. With nothing else to do, it thought back to the words Natus sent it off with. What was the ignorant skeleton to learn from this experience? Its thoughts were cut off as from the film came a new substance. It pressed into and covered Naive, slowly surrounding its bones completely. This new substance felt odd, as if it pulling away at the edges of the bones it met. Naive, alarmed, struggled to raise its head against the film to look down at its own body.

Every bone was now pocked, covered in small pits that were getting bigger. Naive was mesmerized watching the process. Where was the bone going? Would Natus recognize Naive like this? The usual storm of questions slowed to a crawl as the skeletons vision went dark. Struggling to keep its head up, it let the walls of the creature press its skull back down. As everything went black Naive faintly wondered if this was happening to the blob in its chest cavity.

Everything had been black for awhile. Naive was curious to what would happen next. Ultimately, with no clues to go on, it decided to wait and see.

…

In a moment of realization Naive found its thoughts weren’t slow and heavy anymore. Things felt different, there was no pressure, no corroding liquid chewing at its bones. Instead Naive felt hard stone at its back, a familiar feeling. Naive, drawing on its lifetime of experience and wisdom, used its arm extension of getting into and out of things.

With a resounding pop, the sight of familiar grey cave walls snuck around the edges of the coffin lid.

“Oh, is that your first so called idiot?”

The unfamiliar voice was followed by a voice, which to Naives biased ears, sounded most wise and scholarly.

“Naive? Did you die already?”