"If we are to continue in this direction, we shall reach Mount Moon by nightfall. It is there we shall rest comfortably, and tomorrow, we shall resume our journey."

My...This is...rather strange.

He chuckled, though he kept it to himself. He did not wish his new companion to hear him, so he tried to keep it inaudible.

She is so mature. She admits to being not a day over three months old, and yet, she is so mature. Despite the difficulty she must have in sensing objects, she stands proud and confidently. Lovely. Divine.

He turned his head away. A rather embarrassed smile was on his lower face.

Perhaps I should focus on our current mission, and think about such things later.

Still, they trudged onward. In this forest, where nothing seemed to change. The trees repeated. The same, innocent birds flew over the tops of those same trees. It was as if they were walking around in a rather large circle.

"You have...a bandage on your forehead. Are you injured?"

...Caring.

He looked at her.

"I am well, thank you."

Suddenly, this young maiden giggled, as if she was hiding something mischievously.

He was somewhat surprised when she explained herself.

"It is...ironic that we should find each other. I shall help protect you from enemies we face. Likewise, you shall listen, so perhaps we can hide from those enemies before hand, hm?"

He chuckled.

"Indeed."

Suddenly, his friend stopped. This also forced him to stop abruptly.

"Am I...incorrect? Perhaps, but it seems as though we are...being followed."

He looked into the tall tree branches above. He ignored the miniscule amounts of sunshine that crept through the cracks of the leaves above. Nobody was hiding in any of the branches. He looked over his shoulder. As if magically...indeed, a tall human was walking towards them. He was rather ashamed that he had not sensed his coming before that.

"What do you wish to do?"

She also looked over her shoulder. When she spotted this human, she turned around to face him. An angelic expression was on her rather beautiful face.

"Very well. This human has done nothing to us, so we shall wait."

Mm...

This human. As he drew closer, he was much taller than they had expected when they spotted him so far back. His face was rather cold. His uniform seemed to want to be camouflage, though, it was rather the wrong color for such.

Once more, his friend giggled.

"Perhaps it is just my naivety, but I must wonder why humans feel they need to clothe themselves. We are not so diverse from them, yet, we need none of that material."

This man now towered over them. He was looking down at them without mercy. Bloodlust. Anger in his very pupils.

"Get outta mah way!"

A 'please,' perhaps?

He chuckled, then stepped out of the way for the man. He gasped, however, when his partner hadn't moved.

"I said get outta mah way!"

This rather troubled man repeated. Such a gruff, annoying voice.

He wondered what he would do if he had the ability that others of his kind have right now. He watched in silence as the man lifted some foreign machine up. A capturing device...? No, it was much to awkward a design for that...

This man spat on the ground.

"Ya lil' varmint. Ya got 'til the count 'a two to get outta mah way."

Now he recognized the contraption. It was, perhaps, worse than the small orb humans used to enslave creatures. Much worse, apparently. He had a decision. No, he didn't. He had no choice.

"One..."

He reacted. He started dashing towards his friend.

"Three..."

He gave as strong of a push to her as he could get. He fell to the ground, face-first, while his friend tumbled away a few steps. His useless electrical pouches were dirtied, though, this meant nothing to him at the moment.

"TWO!"

...Pop.

This...indescribable pinging noise echoed so loudly through the forest. It was impossible to fathom that not every living creature heard it. Birds began scurrying away hurriedly, terrified by the sudden shout. Perhaps even some of the inanimate objects heard this sound.

As if he had some disorder, once more, this man spat on the ground.

"Dumb varmint..."

The man walked past them as if nothing had happened. He disappeared as he continued down the trail.

His friend, however, knew something had happened, though, she couldn't quite explain what. All she knew was that the same liquid that rushed out of her body just three months ago was now coming out of her friend, as well. Uncontrollably. This red juice wouldn't stop blurting out. The healthy grass soon seemed as though a magnificent battle fought for centuries without rest had been fought there. She rushed to his side.

"I...do not understand. What has taken place?"

He looked back at her weakly. His eyes were filled with tears, though, it was so strange...a smile was also on his face.

"...My friend. Go, and do not look back."

"I am sorry?"

"I will soon be but a shadow to this world...You shall not. You shall live, and run freely."

He writhed at the intense pain bothering him.

"...Rest assured, that if it is within my power to do so, I will keep a watch on you...My friend..."

His eyes closed.

And...so...It is true. I am not welcomed in this world.

He gave one last weak, but strong; caring, yet troubled final smile.

Perhaps...next time.

His friend observed him curiously as he gave one long breath. After he had done so...nothing. Not once more did his chest inflate again.

This is what caused tears to begin swelling strongly inside his only friend's eyes. After a moment, she walked closer to him. Closer. Stepping on his blood that drenched the ground beneath her feet. She didn't care. She fell onto his disturbingly lifeless body and wept. Though she wished to deny it, deep down, inside her innocent heart, she knew that the only one whom she could call a true friend...would never open his eyes again.