A Rich Pig with Issues, Lots of Issues

Wild Child (Techno & Phil)

Word Count: 741

A/N: Okay here's something marginally less angsty to tide you over from the last chapter—this is in the same timeline as Unforgotten Sentiments. I promise that next chapter will be just good ol fun and crack, but I wanted to publish this next because of it being the same continuity. Enjoy!

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It had grown overcast one summer's day as Philza walked through the forest, frowning and picking up his pace at the prospect of rain. He hadn't expected a shift in the weather, and he wasn't about to be caught out in it miles away from his own home. Philza sighed quietly to himself and kept to the well-worn path he was traveling, sword in hand as it was common to come across monsters in these dense woods (he had learned that the hard way). But, even with the woods being mildly dangerous, he enjoyed the peace of walking through them. The only sounds around himself were that of leaves rustling and animals moving about just outside of Phil's view. He liked the quiet—especially since his two children tended to be on the louder side (not in a bad way, of course, but it's good to have a moment to yourself from time to time).

Phil was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard the distinct sound of metal on metal, then a sizable thump. His eyes went wide as he immediately turned towards where the noise came from, though couldn't see the source through the dense growth. Philza stood there for a moment in contemplation, taking a few tentative steps closer as he tried to decide what to do. The sounds were in the forest and it was quite dangerous to leave the path, but they didn't seem too far away... and if the noise was what he thought it was, then someone could be hurt. What finalized Philza's decision in the end was when he heard a quiet whimper from within. Without a second of hesitation, Philza pushed his way through the trees and went directly to the source of the noise.

It took a bit of maneuvering and cutting through plants before Phil found himself in a small clearing. His eyes widened as he looked over the scene in front of himself: there were multiple zombie bodies on the ground, clean slashes and stabs through their torsos and one with a sword limply held in its hand. Phil looked up from the massacre to see a child kneeling down and holding their leg in pain, sword laying beside him on the ground. He didn't look above the age of fourteen and... he didn't look entirely human either. Though the kid was faced away from Phil, he could clearly see the pig hooves, ears, and tail along with strawberry pink hair tied back into a tight braid. A piglin hybrid...? Phil, being a scholar, had extensive knowledge of all parts of his own realm and fairly good knowledge of the nether—but never once had he met or even read about piglin hybrids existing. Phil sat staring in awe and slight fear, not sure what to do in this situation. Should he approach the child? What if they got scared? Do they even speak the same language...?

Apparently, Phil had been staring for a bit too long. A decision was made for him when the boy turned around and finally noticed Philza's presence. The two sat staring at each other in awe and fright for what seemed like hours, neither wanting to make the first move. But, in due time Phil quietly sighed and pushed his fear down, remembering an important fact of the situation at hand: there was an injured person before him—an injured child no less. He tentatively set his sword on the ground and raised his hands to show the hybrid that he meant no harm, watching the expression of the younger turn from distrust to confusion at the action. Phil offered him a kind smile and took a small step forward, noting how the kid didn't make a move to shuffle further away.

"Hey there... I'm Phil, let me help you."

Phil knelt down before the piglin hybrid who was frozen in confusion and lingering fear, though the younger seemed to snap out of it when he watched as Philza gently held his hand out. The child hesitated for a few moments, then looked down at his bleeding wound. Phil's gaze followed and the older man cringed slightly at how big the gash was—especially at how much it was bleeding. When Phil looked back to the child's face, their eyes met and he felt a hesitant hand being placed into his own. Phil couldn't help but smile even wider at that.