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2: A Fight

"I'm hungry." Silence. "And wet." More silence. "Rena, I'm hungry and cold." The girl in question focused straight ahead, ignoring her annoying companion. "You're a robot, you know that?" He kept glancing at her, but she focused her gaze on the road ahead. "This rain isn't going to stop anytime soon. Can we at least wait it out before traveling?" When Rena didn't answer, he paused for a moment, allowing her to walk on in peace. Just as she was beginning to think that he'd given up, Slasher started complaining again.

"You don't understand! My body isn't used to its energy levels dropping this low. I need sustenance and warmth." Rena almost rolled her eyes, but years of practice kept them still. "You're such a slave-driver! Do you even NOTICE the temperature?" Silence again. "You know, this is all YOUR fault since you're the one who made my truck go up in digi-stars." Rena pursed her lips, but kept silent. This is what happens when you let an outsider tag along: you get stuck with morons. Or in my case, their king. 

Slasher continued to pester Rena about stopping for a quick break until she came to a sudden standstill and he smacked into her back. Flinging herself around to face him, she pinpointed her now-yellow eyes on him and glared. "Will you just shut up already?! We've only been walking for like, two hours, and I never asked for you to come with me anyways!" Slasher never dropped his pleading look, which only managed to piss Rena off more. "If you're hungry, go hunt by yourself, and then hide under a tree. I'm going my own way with or without you, in the rain."

And with that, Rena turned on her heel and resumed walking northward, pulling her sweatshirt around her tighter. He's right about one thing: the rain's getting colder. Slasher wasted no time in catching up to her, and positioned himself so that he was facing her while walking backwards. "I know you're hungry and tired too." This time Rena didn't hold back from rolling her eyes and she sighed as well. Slasher ignored her exasperation and continued. "Listen, the bunker my Nexus uses is just beyond the next group of trees. We can stop by, grab a bite, and wait out the rain. Then you can be on your merry way to wherever."

Rena decided that ignoring him was the best answer and pushed around him when he stopped, waiting for her answer. "Aw c'mon Rena! It'll be good for you, and you can get to where you're going faster after resting." When she didn't answer Slasher, who was still standing in the middle of the road, he shouted, "I bet you don't even have enough water to last to the next province!" The only indication he got that she had heard him was a slight hesitation in her next step, but he noticed and grinned in victory.

Running up and around her, he resumed his backwards walking while talking and facing her. "We'll be there in forty-five minutes, tops, and you can refuel. We always share provisions with passing travelers and I'm sure my group would love to meet you." 

Rena gave him a tired look. "Will you finally leave me in peace then?" Slasher crowed in excitement and jumped around, much to her amusement. "You realize I'm ONLY staying long enough to grab water and that's it, right? I don't care if it's raining or not." She lifted an eyebrow at him, but he was too busy walking ahead of her to notice.

"Well let's get going! The sooner we're there, the sooner I'm out of your hair, right?" Rena considered this and then picked up speed, which made Slasher smile in victory again. Please let this be the last stop with him. In all honesty, he didn't bug Rena as much as she acted, but she was so used to questing alone that new people got on her nerves more often than not. 

It took longer than Slasher's estimate and an hour and a half later, Rena stopped and glared at him. "So much for forty-five minutes! Not to mention we're going west when I need to be going northeast." She glanced around at the trees they were standing in the middle of at the moment. "Do you even remember how to get to your own place?"