Interlude 1
“Are you sure we aren’t being chased?” I asked nervously, looking at a distracted Archie as the Spirit quickly checked all of the detection systems on the starship.
“None that the devices here can spot, boss. I think we’re finally free from the pursuit.”
At least I wasn’t going to deal with any of the crazy stuff that happened just a few hours ago.
I still felt cold, dreadfully so as I walked out of the cockpit and right towards the living quarters.
My mind felt heavy as my uneasy thoughts were clogging my capacity to think straight over what I was supposed to say to… her.
I failed her. And her mother.
I didn’t need to see her now to know she hated me for what happened.
And I couldn’t fault her for it. I was the one that caused that scene. The one that got her mother killed.
I could’ve prevented it… maybe?
Perhaps.
My brain scrambled in a conflicting state of self-accusation and meek defense. I was drained, our lucky escape having taken a mental toll on my poor mind as we managed to evade the clutches of this ‘Empire’.
It reminded me too much of Star Wars… but with anthropomorphic people.
Primes. Apogeo mentioned that they weren’t more animals than Humans.
Except for the fur, and the horns… and some other key features in their appearances.
Sighing, I shook my head as I stopped in front of her room.
Adela. Was she going to attack me if I entered inside?
I gulped nervously while I knocked at her door. Two quick knocks, enough to get the sole occupant’s attention.
Silence followed as I waited for an input. Either a foul word or a reluctant permission to enter.
I was regaled with neither of those, and I frowned at the lack of a response.
“A-Adela-” I muttered, knocking again. As I was denied a reply once more, I reached for the handle and pushed it down. “I’m- I’m coming inside.”
‘God, that sounds so indecent!’
I carefully opened the door, bracing myself for the worst to happen and… I was met with a sudden flash.
A bright light forced my eyes shut, my hands reaching for my face as I tried to rationalize what was going on.
A giggle filled my ears, and soon I was given back my sight as my eyes adjusted back to the normal illumination.
My stare locked onto the smiling Adela, her attention directed at the camera she was holding in her hands.
“That’s sure going to be saved up for later,” The Coyote commented with a mirthful tone, her attention turning back at me. “And sorry for the little prank. I just wanted to see how you would’ve reacted to it and… it was hilarious.”
I allowed an uneasy smile. “I-I guess.”
Blinking curiously at my reply, the young woman frowned at me. “Are you alright?”
Am I- Am I alri-
How could she just forget about what happened just half a day ago? How?!
Her mother died. It was my fault, and here she is looking as if nothing had happened.
“Adela-”
“Don’t give me that look,” She reprimanded sternly. “Don’t you dare give me that guilty look.”
...What?
“B-But I- I wasn’t able to-”
“To fight three Elite guards and defeat their leader? Do you really know how silly that sounds considering how untrained you are?” The girl remarked tiredly. “I think we’ve already established that it isn’t your fault that… it happened.”
She tensed up, clearly unnerved by the reminder and I took a step closer to her.
Blinking, her stare quickly returned to me and she sighed. “Do you really think I’m so fragile? You would be wrong if that’s what you think of me.”
I flinched, planning to make a few steps back at that response.
But while her words said one thing, Adela closing up the gap between us for a hug offered a different look at the situation.
My eyes were wide as she grasped me tightly, prompting my arms to wrap around her neck as tight as her own were around my waist.
“You promised me that you would never allow this to happen ever again,” The Coyote Prime reminded. “You’re my knight. You’re my protector. I… I know my mother didn’t make a mistake. I refuse to believe that.
“Adela-”
“Addie,” She firmly interrupted. “I refuse to be called otherwise by my paladin.”
...
“O-Okay, Addie.”
A smile adorned her face. “See? Even though you’re a dummy about dealing with social situations, you can manage some good answers,” She admitted. “You are still upholding the promise you got from her. The one where you need to keep me safe, and to help me reclaim my birthright.”
“Addie-”
She huffed. “I think we should go train now. You might need to put on some muscles before the Empire starts to actually search for us.”
“W-Wait-”
“What?”
…
“Why are we already talking about...”
“Training?” The young Queen guessed. “Do you want ‘that’ to happen again?”
I suddenly tensed up at that rebuttal, and I shook my head on instinct.
“No!”
“Then we’re both going to train now,” She pressed on fiercely. “You did good in saving me and got us to this point, but we can’t base our survival rate on only mind tricks and luck.”
To be fair, Joseph Joestar had brawn to complement his brain. The issue was mostly his arrogance in most of his fights.
Her words were legitimately compelling, but while I was enticed by the idea of not screwing up again and maybe getting myself a bulkier body, I felt somehow reluctant as she started to explain that we needed to cut ‘shortcuts’ to avoid getting caught on unexpected predicaments.
She pulled me around the ship, ignoring my efforts to remind her that I was capable of walking on my own. The girl looked too happy to be deaf about my words, and after a while I found myself going silent.
“And then we will share a shower since… you know, saving resources.”
“Wait, what?!”
No comments yet. Be the first!