Episode 02: Unanswered Chivalry
Episode 02
"Unanswered Chivalry"
By Darfix
As dawn approaches, the rising sun's rays make their way across the land. Slowly, the warming light comes in contact with Destiny's wet little nose. Her eyes still closed, she lowers her brow a little, and wriggles her nose at the pleasant feeling of the sun's gaze upon her muzzle. Slowly, she raises her hind legs, and stretches out her forelegs, yawning as she does so. When she finishes recomposing from her slumber, she catches Darfix's sleeping form across from her. She notices the distance between him and her, the distance he had chosen to place himself. Upon seeing this, a slight smile forms on her maw.
"...not one day, has he moved closer to me than that..." she thinks to herself. She remembers back, the day he had saved her. She remembers how scared she was of him...a male, and far more powerful than herself. She had relied on him, his protection since that day, and her only real request was that he never got too close unless asked... It is surprising to her that he still kept to this wish after all of these months, especially since she hasn't returned the favors in anyway.
Her smile slowly fades, and she looks down at her forepaws for a moment, "...I feel so sorry for him...here he is, going out of his way for me...and I have been nothing but cautious of him since the day we met..." she thinks to herself some more. "...but, is it MY fault I fear his touch? Is it MY faultâ�"I fear males in general?" she asks herself in thought. Sighing, she shakes her head, still looking down. "...I should probably tell him the truth..."
Moments later, Darfix's body seems to liven up. He slowly opens his eyes, noticing some morning dew on his nose. He closes his eyes and smiles, seeing Destiny awake before him. He then licks the dew off his nose, "Good morning, Miss Destiny...how'd you sleep?" he asks, slowly rising to all fours, and stretching his legs, one by oneâ�"eyes still closed.
Destiny cannot help but express a smile on her features by his gentle nature. For a dark type, he certainly was a sweet heart...almost like, a normal Pokémon. "Oh, I slept well, Darfix...thanks again," she replies, noticing him nod in reply, and finally reopen his eyes. Now, he begins to gently scratch at his ears with one of his hind legs.
"...Darfix..." she says softly, looking down at his forepaws now. "Hmm?" he asks to her, looking down at her face, "What is it?" he asks. "Ummâ�"nothing, nothingâ�"sorry..." she replies almost inaudibly. Darfix nods, not questioning herâ�"though he was curious as to what was on her mind.
"Well then, perhaps we should make our way to Goldenrod Forest? I hear it is quite secluded there, and there is a nice stream for bathing and drinking..." Darfix says out of the blue upon finishing his scratching. He had no intentions of pressing her about her apparent nervousness. "Oh, well, if that is what you'd like to do, Darfix...you know I'll follow you..." she replies.
Darfix smirks a little, nodding, "Yeah, yeahâ�"right, the protection thing..." he says softly to her. Destiny grits her teeth slightly at that commentâ�"this relationship did sound a bit one sided when he put it like that! "Well, I'll lead the wayâ�"it's not too far from here, a day's walk at most..." he says, looking over his shoulder at her, already walking in the needed direction. Destiny nods, "Oh, yes, I'm coming!" she replies, quickly bounding up to her guard and guide.
The beginning of the trip does seem a bit quiet, until Darfix speaks up, "Are you hungry at all, Destiny?" he asks softly, not tearing his direction from what lies ahead of them. Destiny looks down at the ground for a moment in thought as she walks with him, "Ummâ�"well, not exactly," she says, suddenly hearing her tummy growl a little. She grits her teeth and blushes a little, snapping her head up to look up at Darfix, who was looking back at her with a smirk. "There is a Rawst berry bush up ahead..." he says, holding the smirk as he bounds forward, pulling a branch down with his maw so she could reach. Destiny follows, a blush still on her cheeks, "Hehâ�"um, thanks..." she speaks softly, pulling a few of the berries off. Darfix shakes his head, "No need..." he says with a concerned voice, pulling some of his own berries off with his teeth.
The two of them eat in near silence; both a little unsure about making small talk, or eye contact...the morning did have its fair share of events. When Darfix sees that Destiny is full, he drops his remaining berry, and stands back up out of his sitting position. "Well then, shall we continue?" he asks her, looking on ahead of them. Destiny nods in reply, "Yeah, we should probably get some more miles behind us today," she says, trotting up to his side now, and following his lead.
The journey continues, and the sun is almost directly above them, indicating it was about midday. Both are quiet, but Destiny begins to doze off into a day dreamâ�"she finds herself back several months.
She is deep within the woods west of the town of Blackthorn, all alone...except for a very persistent Grimer. She is walking away from him, a very vexed look on her face, "Look! I told you already, I am not looking for a courting partner, OR a mate!" she yells at the Grimer, her back to him as she walks away. He laughs a little, following her whilst shaking his head, "I didn't ask you, missy, I was simply suggestingâ�"I help you out a little. It must get VERY lonely by yourself out in these woods..." he replies.
Destiny closes her eyes, and bares her teeth, still facing forward, "I don't NEED any helpâ�"I am fine, and I am not alone in these woods, I am alone wherever I goâ�"I am a ROGUE, and I choose to be soâ�"just as I choose to be alone!" she growls at him, now having stopped moving.
The Grimer quickly turns from annoying to angry himself. "If you want to continue to be like this, I'll stop being a nice guy real quickâ�"got it?" he threatens. Destiny's jaw drops, and she turns her head to him, "Just LEAVE me alone! OK!?" she snarls at him. The Grimer narrows his eyes at her, "I warned you," he says, quickly spitting out a pile of Acid at her. Destiny gasps, and manages to dodge the attack, but he doesn't leave her any time to counter attack, as he is spits another pile of Acid at her. Destiny leaps out of the way of that attack, now in a position to attack him.
She narrows her eyes, and begins running straight for him, attempting to retaliate with a Tackle. He only smirks at thisâ�"she was directly in front of him. He rears back, and spits out a sufficient amount of Sludge, enough to stop her in her tracks! She is hit with the recoil, and flung back a little, but the sticky substance manages to keep her putâ�"there was no escape!
The Grimer, now panting a little, begins to approach the Vulpix, who is attempting to struggle herself free. "Nowâ�"where were we?" the Grimer asks, as he begins to cover her body with his own slushy, mucky body. He was positioning himself to force himself on her!
"No!" she pleas, "Don'tâ�"do this..." she says, her voice so very weak sounding. "I told you, you had your chanceâ�"now, just lay back and enjoy," he grumbles. Destiny closes her eyesâ�"grits her teeth, and readies herself in attempt to endure what he might subject her too.
Before anything could happen, however, she feels a sudden blast of energy fly over her body, only grazing some of her fur. When she reopens her eyes, the Grimer is off of her, and lying flat against a tree, looking to be in quite pain. Her ears stand erect, as she hears a voice behind her. "Say hello to my Psychic attack you bastard!" the voice says, accompanied by a low growl. "I believe the lady said NO..."
Destiny turns her head fearfully to the Umbreon behind her, a gasp escapes her throat. As this happens, the Grimer slowly trickles down the tree, and materializes back into his natural form, though looking a bit roughed up. "Errâ�"it's YOU again..." he grumbles. "Damn straight it isâ�"and if you don't want me to mop the rest of your sorry ass up, I suggest you crawl back to whatever slime hole that spawned you!" the Umbreon warns, "And there will NOT be a second ultimatum...got it?!" he asks the Grimer. Sighing in defeat, the Grimer slinks away, grumbling to himself. With the foe defeated, and the damsel saved, the Umbreon then turns to Destiny, and asks, "Are you alright?"
"â�"Destiny, are you alright?" Darfix asks, looking down at his companion as they walk side by side. Destiny quickly snaps out of it, and looks up at Darfix. She nods quickly, "Oh, yes! Fineâ�"yeah, sorryâ�"I guess I justâ�"was day dreaming..." she quips, looking off to her side, opposite of Darfix, a little embarrassed.
Darfix only smiles gently, and turns to face the path ahead of them once again. Destiny grits her teeth, and closes her eyes slowly, rethinking that day through her head once more. After she is satisfied, she turns to look up at her protector once more. She was at an angle that would prove difficult for him to notice her gaze upon him. She smiles sweetly after a short pause. "...Anywhere you go, I'll followâ�"Darfix..." she says under her breath, and continues to follow at his side joyously.
To Be Continued...