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Seven years later
1973

Lauren's breath was short as she ran through the clearing, she reached out and grabbed onto the Sker Buffalo's antler and pulled herself up onto its back as it ran. The noticeable growl of a Skull Crawler sounded behind them, she smirked to herself before pushing to stand and balance on the back of the Buffalo, she tightened her grip on the blade in her hand and pushed off of the Buffalo's back onto the Skull Crawler; driving the makeshift steel blade into its back, sliding down ripping through its skin revealing its insides. She tucked and rolled once she was off of its body, pushing off of the ground before pulling a match from her pocket; lighting it before tossing it at the remnants of the Skull Crawler causing it to blast in flames.

The familiar growl of Kong pulled the brunette's attention, she turned her head to see a large primate that held a smug expression with the remnants of three Skull Crawlers at his feet. "Wow, you're playing that game?" Lauren asked him as she crossed her arms. Kong huffed at her as he held out his hand for her to climb on, the woman didn't hesitate to climb into his palm. "I did it with style," Lauren told Kong who huffed with an eye roll. "Crushing their skulls together and ripping their insides out doesn't count as style," Lauren told him making him stop and look at her with an unimpressed expression. "I'm not taking it back," Lauren told him with her hands on her hips.

Kong lifted his hand into the air causing Lauren to go flying up before he managed to catch her again, she looked up at him with a glare. "That's just unfair, Kong. At least I managed to kill this one without your help!" Lauren told him making him stop to think before huffing in agreement. Lauren smiled victoriously before sitting comfortably in his palm watching the environment pass by. It had been seven years of living on Skull Island. Lauren had spent her first year with Hank and the Iwi's learning what she could while mourning her losses. In her second year, Lauren decided to leave the safety net of the Tribe and live in the Jungle to do her research.

She still visited the Iwi's but with the supplies from what was left on the ship, she had managed to set up a camp for herself. It was halfway through her third year when she encountered Kong, he had been overwhelmed by a number of smaller Skull Crawlers; fighting the PTSD episode that threatened to freeze her in place, Lauren rushed forward and managed to distract the majority of them including the familiar Skull Crawler that had killed her father; noticeable by the damaged eye and large gash in its side. That day formed a bond between Lauren and Kong, the large Primate assisted Lauren and she learned how to communicate with him.

Hank had been impressed by Lauren's quick adaption to surviving but he was left speechless at how she had learned to understand Kong. Lauren found it amusing considering she couldn't understand the Iwi's but Hank could, so it made sense for her that she understood Kong while others couldn't. She had attempted to teach Hank some basics of understanding Kong but he didn't exactly catch on so he left it to her. The Iwi's were amazed by Lauren's ability to communicate with their God and considered her royalty as they painted her on the ship alongside Kong's story; she thought it was ridiculous at first but now she admires their storytelling arts and accepted it.

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Lauren stretched her arms above her head as she stepped out of her home, she groaned awkwardly through a yawn when her back twisted uncomfortably before she lowered her arms and looked out to the gorgeous view below. A year ago, Kong had picked up the mostly untouched ship that Lauren and the team were supposed to escape on and wedge it into the side of the cliff near his usual sleeping place. Lauren had cleared the ship of blood and bones, burying the bones of whomever they belonged to and etched their names into the steel wall for remembrance. She then renovated what she could to make the place safer and more cozy.

"Morning Kong," Lauren spoke as she looked up at the ape staring down at her, she knew what that look meant. "I'm gonna eat, Kong. Give me a chance to wake up fully," Lauren told him before grabbing the fish Kong had given her, she placed it on the outside table and began cleaning it and removing its guts. "What's the plan for today?" Lauren asked Kong, she turned her head to him as she started up the fire to cook the fish. Kong huffed at her with a shrug, she chuckled knowing she got the same response every morning; a simple shrug that stated whatever happens happens.

After her breakfast, Lauren accompanied Kong to the Sker field where the Buffalo's usually stayed to graze in the sun. Kong placed Lauren in the field, she pulled out the notepad from the ship and began drawing what she saw; she smiled as a Buffalo moved to sit with her allowing her to lean back against it. However, their peace was disturbed by the sound of helicopter blades followed by a massive explosion that shook the earth. Lauren jumped up as the Buffalos became stir-crazy and ran for their usual cave where they could hide undisturbed. Kong looked into the distance as another explosion went off closer to them, Lauren swallowed knowing that this couldn't end well.

Kong, angered by the Island intruders, turned to Lauren and huffed at her before motioning towards their cliff. She sighed before following his command knowing it would be safer and out of the pathing of the explosives. She continued running as another explosion went off before Kong let out a mighty threatening roar, by the time Lauren had reached the cliff's trail up to her boat home; the Helicopters had spotted Kong and began shooting at him. "This is gonna end so bad," Lauren muttered despite the idea of being able to get off of the island, granted she didn't like the idea of leaving Kong behind unless she can ensure his safety.

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After watching the last of the helicopters go down, Kong let out a final roar before he sauntered towards the mountain where Lauren was currently sitting, she spotted the flames in random places through the Jungle. The chances of survival from that were low but she couldn't fight the hope that some of them survived, she hoped that they would have a chance but she also knew that those explosions would've woken more of the Skull Crawlers underneath them and that's what angered Kong the most. Lauren looked up at Kong noticing how he whimpered looking at his hand, the cuts were clearly from the helicopter blades. "Go wash it," Lauren told him.

Her head turned towards a specific crash in the distance, the flames weren't as intense compared to the smoldering smoke that flowed into the air. Despite knowing that Kong was angry with the invaders, Lauren couldn't fight the kindness within her that had experienced this island and its dangers. She knew that Kong would be gone for a while, dealing with his wounds and checking on the known vents that the Skull Crawlers would come from in hopes to slow down their risk. Not that she needed Kong's permission to go anywhere, but she knew he'd be concerned due to the new invaders and what they could be capable of.

Lauren could remember what her father had said, that interrupting an ecosystem so suddenly could cause such consequences that it would ripple over the years like a butterfly effect. The Military coming in and dropping bombs on the land was bound to cause further conflict and Lauren remembered all too well Hank's warnings in regards to the Big One that had defeated Kong's parents; if they woke that one then they'd all be dead without hesitance. The idea of a Skull Crawler being bigger than King Kong terrified Lauren right down to her bones.

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With a bag packed in case she didn't come back to the boat, she adjusted her flannel and made her way down the mountain toward the helicopter she spotted. She knew that if they were military then they'd head to the nearest water source, so that was where she would go and hope that they all got there safely. She made her walk a leisurely one considering a part of her considered what happened to them as karma, especially when she came across the remnants of one of the explosives; deer, buffalo, and more turned to pieces from the explosion.

She shook off the heartache, wiping the tear that fell, and moved toward the river back closest to where the helicopter had crashed in the Southside. She ignored the Mother Long Legs that walked over her without paying her any mind, Lauren was marked under the protection of Kong and every living thing on the Island and below the Island knew that. She heard voices and smiled to herself, she was glad that they had survived but pissed at them for what they had done. She knew her father would be fuming at how they bothered an entire ecosystem for whatever greedy reason they would claim.

Lauren was gonna punch the man responsible in the face. And then she was gonna help keep them all alive so they could get off the island and never look back. That part still made Lauren hesitant, the idea of leaving Kong behind didn't sit right after almost five years of companionship and bonding. She knew that Kong would be fine without her, he'd missed her but he'd survive. She wasn't sure if she could survive without him, truthfully she still wanted to keep her promise to Sherry, Alexei, and her father but she couldn't adapt outside the island alone. However, who would stay with her; no one would be able to understand her.

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Rosemary Speaks <3

What do you think of the story so far?
What's your opinion on Lauren?

See you in the next chapter!