Tisis

A new friend (S)

As we gently float out of the huge opening, I address my pilot and ask, "And you're sure you know how to handle this thing?"
"Quite, yes. We were trained in the handling of most Asmodean machines, to improve our aptitude."
"They really taught you how to fly these things?"
"Well...not exactly. But the interface is very similar to the hover crafts I was using to traverse from A to B to take care of errands for my master."

I let out a long sigh and reply, "Fine...just be careful. Just because something seems similar to something you know, does not mean that it is exactly the same thing. Trust me, I know what I'm talking about."

Julia turns around to face me and wants to object, when I perceive a movement out of the corner of my eye, hurl around and yell, "Down!"

Julia startles, pushes the lever hard to the front, avoiding the collision with the winged creature just barely, but now the ground is closing in way too much way too fast!

I already brace for the impact, but somehow Julia manages to pull up right before we collide with the treetops below us.

She stares after the winged creature which seems more irritated than angry and after endless seconds asks, "What the hell was that?!"
I point to the front and say as calm as my hammering heart allows me to, "Part of the reason why we need to look where we are going at all times."
"B-but the automatic collision avoidance system should have..."
"...do not rely on the Asmodean technology to do what you think it's supposed to do out here! Again, that can go terribly wrong."
"Like...how?"
"Like frigging lightning coming down from the sky and frying you and the thing you tried to shoot with a stun gun for example."
"Light...what?"
"...I'll show you during the next thunderstorm...alright, over there, at the edge of the forest looks good. Land there."
"Alright...so...you live...close?"
"Sort of. It's about...lemme think...a walk of 30 minutes through the forest to get where our cave should be...I can tell you better once I have my ground perspective back."
"B...30 minutes?! T-that's really far!"

I crack a wry smile and retort, "No, it's not. Having to walk for hours on end to get from one shelter to the next, that is far. Also, we might also be a lot faster."
"Really? Did a shortcut come to mind?"
"Nah, but if one of the predators comes after us, we could be there in 10 minutes...well, I could. How good is your running?"

The blood disappears from Julia's face as she slowly puts the vehicle down and opens the capsule.

"...well, I guess that's it. Thanks for bringing me, really. Now..."

I knew this moment was coming...but it now actually being here...

I pick up the weapon we 'acquired' from the guard and say, "...now you need to decide. Things out here are tough and chances are that you won't live to see the sun rise tomorrow."
"B-but...but the mistress said, you are supposed to protect..."
"Nym is my friend, not my boss, Julia. You want to stay out here, you need to pull your own weight. I'm not telling you to go back, having helped me with my flight and all that, but...I don't think I can protect you out here."

Julia remains silent for endless seconds, but I wait quietly.
I owe her the time to make this decision, that would change her life.

"...if...if I go back now..."
"The guards will likely let you through without a word...cause if they don't, they need to admit that I scared the living daylights out of them. And if anyone should ask questions, you can still claim, that I threatened to kill you, if you didn't help me. You should be fine, if you go back now."
"A-and...and if I go with you now?"
"...as I said, it's a dangerous world out here, where dangers lurk behind every corner...but it's also a beautiful one. Of course you'd be living with Nym and me at the beginning...at least until we have taught you everything you need to know to not die right away. After that, you're free to go wherever you want."
"So...I'd be like...your kid or something?"

I need a moment to process what she just said and I don't really want to know what kind of face I made while the processing was still going on.

"Err...no. No. More like a new friend to brave the wild with."
"A...new friend?"
"Yes. Or an ally, if you'd prefer that. Ah yeah, one more thing...if you start hearing strange voices and stuff, be sure to tell us. Usually they're harmless, but we've also had...less pleasant experiences."

I want to get out, but Julia is not moving.

"I...would this...friendship...be with...benefits?" she slowly asks.
"...only, if you consider 'watching each others back' a 'benefit'," I respond with a smile.
"And...what about you and...the mistress? Are you..."
"Just friends, yes. And personally...I'd like to keep it that way."

Julia gets up, looks back in the direction the colony is located in and finally says, "In that case I shall be looking forward to learning from you."

I nod, climb out of the flight capsule and help her come down.

I orient myself and quickly realize, that I've never been to this edge of the forest before...well, this sucks...eh, nothing ventured.

I hand Julia the weapon and ask, "You know how to handle that thing, right?"
"Err...yes, I suppose so..."
"Good. I'd appreciate it, if you didn't shoot me, but if anything else moves that is neither me nor purple, do not hesitate to pull that trigger."
"B-but...shouldn't you..." she starts, while I already look around the ground for the utensils I need.
It doesn't take me long, to find a suitable stick, squat down, sharpen a rock and use it to cut open the bark of a nearby tree.

"What...are you doing?"
"Entering a forest unarmed is generally not a very healthy idea...so I'm making myself a weapon."
"...but...how does making a...tree bleed help with that?"

I cut off the small branches of the big stick with the rock, dip it into the resin oozing from the cut up tree and then quickly fix the sharpened rock to the tip.

"That should do it for the moment...I hope," I say, disregarding Julia completely.

A breeze picks up, making Julia shriek in surprise.

"...what's the matter?" I ask politely, even though I have a pretty good idea already.
"S-something...something just brushed past me. It...it felt like air, but...but air doesn't move by itself...right?"
"Out here it does. We...and by 'we' I mean 'Nym' calls it 'Wind'. Anyway...you sure you want to come along?"

Julia takes another deep breath, making sure that she has a solid grasp on the weapon I handed her and finally says with a shaking voice, "No time like the present...right?"

I nod with a wry smile and reply, "Right. No time like the present."

Oh, this is going to be all kinds of fun...maybe she wasn't that far off, when she said, that she's going to be our 'kid' after all.